Bible Strands
Isaiah 14:17
who turned the world into a desert and destroyed its cities, who refused to let the captives return to their homes?”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Isaiah 14:17 concludes a taunt directed at a fallen ruler, spoken by onlookers who witnessed his overthrow after he shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble. The verse contrasts his violent ambition with the unbroken captivity of those he subjugated.
The words — The Hebrew verb שׂם (sam) literally means “made” or “placed,” combined with תֵּבֵל (tevel) for “world” to describe turning the land into a wilderness. The phrase לֹא פָתַח (lo patach) translates directly as “he did not open,” referring to the refusal to release his prisoners.
The thread — This pattern of land desolation appears in Joel 2:3, where a marching army leaves a scorched landscape in its wake. The motif of unreturned captives parallels the historical records in 2 Chronicles 28:8 and the royal proclamation in Ezra 1:2.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that imperial destruction ultimately consumes its architect and leaves the oppressed bound. It requires the reader to observe the concrete reversal of power without attributing moralI have to answer now.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
Cross-references
- Joel 2:3 Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them.
- 2 Chronicles 28:8 Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their kinsmen—women, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a great deal of plunder and brought it to Samaria.
- Ezra 1:2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.
- Isaiah 13:19 And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Isaiah 45:13 I will raise up Cyrus in righteousness, and I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild My city and set My exiles free, but not for payment or reward, says the LORD of Hosts.”
- Isaiah 58:6 Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?
- Isaiah 64:10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wasteland and Jerusalem a desolation.
- Ezekiel 6:14 I will stretch out My hand against them, and wherever they live I will make the land a desolate waste, from the wilderness to Diblah. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
- Zephaniah 2:13 And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as a desert.