Isaiah 2:14

against all the tall mountains, against all the high hills,

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Isaiah pronounces divine judgment against exalted earthly features as part of an oracle addressing Judah’s pride. The oracle targets natural landmarks that symbolize human arrogance and self-reliance.

The words — The Hebrew `ha.Rim` (mountains) and `ha.ni.sa.'ot` (that are lifted up) frame the verse’s literal description of elevated terrain. These terms specify the physical objects targeted by the coming judgment.

The thread — This motif of leveled elevations appears in Isaiah 30:25, where streams flow from raised hills during judgment. It parallels Isaiah 40:4’s leveling of mountains and valleys, contrasting with Psalms 68:16’s depiction of peaks as witnesses to God’s dwelling.

Why it lands — The text demands readers acknowledge that divine authority overrides all human and natural claims to prominence. It requires a posture of humility before the coming judgment.

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

וְעַ֖לve./'Aland/ on כָּל־kol-all הֶהָרִ֣יםhe./ha.Rimthe/ mountains הָרָמִ֑יםha./ra.Mimthat/ are lofty וְעַ֖לve./'Aland/ on כָּל־kol-all הַגְּבָע֥וֹתha./ge.va.'otthe/ hills הַנִּשָּׂאֽוֹת׃ha./ni.sa.'otthat/ are lifted up

King James Version

And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up,

Cross-references

Isaiah 30:25 And from every high mountain and every raised hill, streams of water will flow in the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall.
Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain.
Psalms 68:16 Why do you gaze in envy, O mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain God chose for His dwelling, where the LORD will surely dwell forever.
Psalms 110:5 The Lord is at Your right hand; He will crush kings in the day of His wrath.
2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.