Isaiah 14:28–32

In the year that King Ahaz died came this oracle:

Rejoice not, O Philistia, all of you,

that the rod that struck you is broken,

for from the serpent’s root will come forth an adder,

and its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.

And the firstborn of the poor will graze,

and the needy lie down in safety;

but I will kill your root with famine,

and your remnant it will slay.

Wail, O gate; cry out, O city;

melt in fear, O Philistia, all of you!

For smoke comes out of the north,

and there is no straggler in his ranks.

What will one answer the messengers of the nation?

“The Lord has founded Zion,

and in her the afflicted of his people find refuge.”

This prophecy came in the year King Ahaz died:

Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken;

from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,

its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.

The poorest of the poor will find pasture,

and the needy will lie down in safety.

But your root I will destroy by famine;

it will slay your survivors.

Wail, you gate! Howl, you city!

Melt away, all you Philistines!

A cloud of smoke comes from the north,

and there is not a straggler in its ranks.

What answer shall be given

to the envoys of that nation?

“The Lord has established Zion,

and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.”

In the year that King Ahaz died, this pronouncement came:

Don’t rejoice, all of you in Philistia,

because the rod of the one who struck you is broken.

For a viper will come from the root of a snake,

and from its egg comes a flying serpent.

Then the firstborn of the poor will be well fed,

and the impoverished will lie down in safety,

but I will kill your root with hunger,

and your remnant will be slain.

Wail, you gates! Cry out, city!

Tremble with fear, all Philistia!

For a cloud of dust is coming from the north,

and there is no one missing from the invader’s ranks.

What answer will be given to the messengers from that nation?

The Lord has founded Zion,

and his oppressed people find refuge in her.

This message came to me the year King Ahaz died:

Do not rejoice, you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken—

that the king who attacked you is dead.

For from that snake a more poisonous snake will be born,

a fiery serpent to destroy you!

I will feed the poor in my pasture;

the needy will lie down in peace.

But as for you, I will wipe you out with famine

and destroy the few who remain.

Wail at the gates! Weep in the cities!

Melt with fear, you Philistines!

A powerful army comes like smoke from the north.

Each soldier rushes forward eager to fight.

What should we tell the Philistine messengers? Tell them,

“The Lord has built Jerusalem;

its walls will give refuge to his oppressed people.”

In the year of the death of king Ahaz there was this oracle:

You must not rejoice, all you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken,

for a viper will come forth from the root of the snake,

and its fruit will be a flying serpent.

And the firstborn of the poor will graze,

and the needy will lie down in security;

but I will cause your root to die in famine,

and it will kill your remnant.

Wail, gate! Cry, city!

Melt, Philistia, all of you!

For smoke is coming from the north,

and there is no straggler in his ranks.

And what will one answer the messengers of the nation?

That Yahweh has founded Zion,

and the needy of his people will take refuge in it.

In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina,

Because the rod of him that smote thee is broken:

For out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice,

And his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

And the firstborn of the poor shall feed,

And the needy shall lie down in safety:

And I will kill thy root with famine,

And he shall slay thy remnant.

Howl, O gate; cry, O city;

Thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved:

For there shall come from the north a smoke,

And none shall be alone in his appointed times.

What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation?

That the Lord hath founded Zion,

And the poor of his people shall trust in it.