Isaiah 14:4

Proverb. Heb. mashal, a word rendered “proverb” 19 times and “parable” 18 times (see Vol. III p. 945). In view of the fact that mashal here applies to the entire section, vs. 4-28, and not to the exclamation of v. 4 alone, the translation “parable” is preferable (see Num. 23:7; Job 29:1; Eze. 17:2). For the application of this section to literal Babylon, compare Isa. 13:1 with ch. 14:28 (see on chs. 13:4; 14:1). Upon deliverance from captivity (ch. 14:1-3) God’s people would take up this taunt against their former oppressor. For the application to mystical Babylon see on ch. 13:4.

The king of Babylon. The one primarily responsible for Babylonian policy. For “the king of Babylon” as a figurative designation for Lucifer, see on v. 12.

Golden city. The translation of the Heb. madhebah, “golden,” assumes that the word is derived from the Aramaic dahab, “gold.” However, the Hebrew word for “gold” is zahab, and it has been thought unlikely that the Hebrews would derive a word for “golden” from the Aramaic rather than from their own word for “gold.” It has therefore been suggested that madhebah should read marhebah, “terror,” Hebrew letters for r and d being practically identical (see p. 14), and the one therefore easily mistaken for the other. The LXX, the Syriac, and the Targums all support the reading “terror,” as does also the Dead Sea scroll lQIs. A related form of the word is translated “overcome” in of S. of Sol. 6:5. It therefore seems probable that the last clause should read “the terror ceased!” This would make it parallel to “the oppressor ceased!” See on ch. 13:19; see Additional Note on Dan. 4.