Isaiah 14:13

“And you said in your heart, ‘To the heavens I will ascend; above the stars of El I will raise my throne, and I will sit on the mount of meeting, in the far reaches of the north;”

Isaiah 14:13 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

13

Allusion · Matthew 11:23

Go to Matthew 11:23

Both texts speak of going up to heaven and being brought down to the place of the dead: in Isaiah, the king of Babylon (“you will be brought down to Sheol”); in Matthew, Capernaum (“to Hades”).

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

  • שָּׁמַיִםshamayimH8064οὐρανοῦouranouG3772“heavens”
  • תּוּרָדturadH3381καταβήσῃkatabēsēiG2597“go down, descend”
  • שְׁאוֹלsheolH7585ᾅδουhaidouG86“Sheol (place of the dead)”

Isaiah 14:13, word by word

saidאָמַרְתָּamarta

think

To speak inwardly without saying it aloud; to think.

Where else “amarta” appears
in your heartלְבָבְlevav

heart

The deepest part of a person: where they think, desire and decide.

Where else “levav” appears
‘To the heavensשָּׁמַיִםshamayim

sky

The high space seen above the earth, where the birds, clouds, sun and stars are.

Where else “shamayim” appears
I will ascendאֶעֱלֶהeele

go up

To go from a low place to a higher one: up the mountain, to Jerusalem or to a city.

Where else “eele” appears
aboveמַּעַלmaal

above

Upward, above; with ages, "twenty years old or more".

Where else “maal” appears
the starsכוֹכְבֵיchochve

star

Star.

Where else “chochve” appears
of Elאֵלel

El, God, god

"El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".

Where else “el” appears
I will raiseאָרִיםarim

lift up

To put on high: to raise the voice, praise God, or be God lifting up the lowly.

Where else “arim” appears
my throneכִּסְאִkisi

throne

Literally "the seat": the king's chair, or YHWH's, from which he rules.

Where else “kisi” appears
and I will sitאֵשֵׁבeshev

sit

To sit; or sit on the throne to reign.

Where else “eshev” appears
on the mountהַרhar

mountain

A great rise of land, like Sinai or Zion.

Where else “har” appears
of meetingמוֹעֵדmoed

meeting

An appointment with God: the tent where he meets his people.

Where else “moed” appears
in the far reachesיַרְכְּתֵיyarkte

far end, recess

The farthest or deepest part: the back of a house or a cave, the ends of the earth, the edge of a territory.

Where else “yarkte” appears
of the northצָפוֹןtsafon

north

North.

Where else “tsafon” appears

The context

12How you have fallen from the heavens, Bright Star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!

13 · This verse (above)

14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like Elyon.’

Read all of Isaiah 14

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