Isaiah 14:6
He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Babylonian inscriptions boast of brutal treatment of conquered peoples—mass deportations, tribute extraction, puppet rulers, rebellions brutally crushed. Nebuchadnezzar particularly was known for wrath against those who opposed him (see his treatment of Zedekiah, 2 Kings 25:6-7). Yet Babylonian kings' end was ignominious: Nebuchadnezzar went mad (Daniel 4); Evil-Merodach was assassinated; Belshazzar killed the night Babylon fell (Daniel 5). The dynasty that persecuted nations was itself terminated. This pattern of divine retribution runs through Scripture and history.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the principle of reaping what you sow (Galatians 6:7) apply to nations and individuals alike?
- What comfort does this verse provide to those currently suffering under oppressive authority?
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Analysis & Commentary
'He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.' The king who struck others relentlessly ('continual stroke'—unceasing oppression) is now himself persecuted. This is divine reversal—the oppressor becomes the oppressed; the striker becomes the stricken. 'None hindereth'—no one stops his persecution, just as no one stopped his former persecution of others. This is lex talionis (law of retaliation) on a national scale: you receive what you gave. The ruler who governed in anger faces judgment without mercy. This warns all tyrants: the same ruthlessness you show will be shown to you, if not in this life, then in judgment.