1The Lord will show tender love toward Jacob’s people.
Once again he will choose Israel.
He’ll give them homes in their own land.
Outsiders will join them.
They and the people of Jacob will become one people.
2Nations will help Israel
return to their own land.
Israel will possess other nations.
They will serve Israel as male and female servants in the Lord’s land.
The Israelites will make prisoners of those who had held them as prisoners.
Israel will rule over those who had crushed them.
3The Lord will put an end to Israel’s suffering and trouble. They will no longer be forced to do hard labor. At that time, 4they will make fun of the king of Babylon. They will say,
“See how the one who crushed others has fallen!
See how his anger has come to an end!
5The Lord has taken away the authority of evil people.
He has broken the power of rulers.
6When they became angry, they struck down nations.
Their blows never stopped.
In their anger they brought nations under their control.
They attacked them again and again.
7All the lands now enjoy peace and rest.
They break out into singing.
8Even the juniper trees show how happy they are.
The cedar trees of Lebanon celebrate too.
They say, ‘Babylon, you have fallen.
Now no one comes and cuts us down.’
9“King of Babylon, many people in the place of the dead are really excited.
They’re excited about meeting you when you go down there.
The spirits of the dead get up to welcome you.
At one time all of them were leaders in the world.
They were kings over the nations.
They get up from their thrones.
10All of them call out to you.
They say,
‘You have become weak, just as we are.
You have become like us.’
11Your grand show of power has been brought down to the grave.
The noise of your harps has come down here along with your power.
Maggots are spread out under you.
Worms cover you.
12“King of Babylon, you thought you were the bright morning star.
But now you have fallen from heaven!
You once brought down nations.
But now you have been thrown down to the earth!
13You said in your heart,
‘I will go up to the heavens.
I’ll raise my throne
above the stars of God.
I’ll sit as king on the mountain where the gods meet.
I’ll set up my throne on the highest slopes of Mount Zaphon.
14I will rise above the tops of the clouds.
I’ll make myself like the Most High God.’
15But now you have been brought down to the place of the dead.
You have been thrown into the deepest part of the pit.
16“Those who see you stare at you.
They think about what has happened to you.
They say to themselves,
‘Is this the man who shook the earth?
Is he the one who made kingdoms tremble with fear?
17Did he turn the world into a desert?
Did he destroy its cities?
Did he refuse to let his prisoners go home?’
18“All the kings of the nations are buried with honor.
Each of them lies in his own tomb.
19But you have been thrown out of your tomb.
You are like a branch that is cut off and thrown away.
You are covered with the bodies
of those who have been killed by swords.
You have been tossed into a stony pit along with them.
You are like a dead body that people have walked on.
20You won’t be buried like other kings.
That’s because you have destroyed your land.
You have killed your people.
“Let the children of that evil man be killed.
Let none of them be left to carry on the family name.
21So prepare a place to kill his children.
Kill them because of the sins of the rulers
who lived before them.
They must not rise to power.
They must not rule over the world.
They must not cover the earth with their cities.”
22“I will rise up against them,”
announces the Lord who rules over all.
“I will destroy Babylon.
It will not be remembered anymore.
No one will be left alive there.
I will destroy its people and their children after them,”
announces the Lord.
23“I will turn it into a place where nothing but owls can live.
I will turn it into a swamp.
I will sweep through it like a broom and destroy everything,”
announces the Lord who rules over all.
24The Lord who rules over all has made a promise. He has said,
“You can be sure that what I have planned will happen.
What I have decided will take place.
25I will crush the Assyrians in my land.
On my mountains I will walk all over them.
The yokes they put on my people will be removed.
The heavy load they put on their shoulders will be taken away.”
26That’s how the Lord carries out his plan all over the world.
That’s how he reaches out his powerful hand to punish all the nations.
27The Lord who rules over all has planned it.
Who can stop him?
He has reached out his powerful hand.
Who can keep him from using it?
A Prophecy Against the Philistines
28This prophecy came to me from the Lord in the year King Ahaz died. The Lord said,
29“The rod of Assyria has struck all of you Philistines.
But do not be glad that it is broken.
That rod is like a snake that will produce an even more poisonous snake.
It will produce a darting, poisonous serpent.
30Even the poorest people in Israel will have plenty to eat.
Those who are in need will lie down in safety.
But I will destroy your families.
They will die of hunger.
I will kill any of them who are still left alive.
31“Cities of Philistia, cry out for help! Scream in pain!
All you Philistines, melt away in fear!
An army is coming from the north in a cloud of dust.
No one in its ranks is falling behind.
32What answer should be given
to the messengers from that nation?
Tell them, ‘The Lord has made Zion secure.
His suffering people will find safety there.’ ”
1En verdad, el Señor tendrá compasión de Jacob y elegirá de nuevo a Israel. Los asentará en su propia tierra. Los extranjeros se juntarán con ellos, y se unirán a los descendientes de Jacob. 2Los pueblos los acogerán y los llevarán hasta su patria. Los israelitas los tomarán como siervos y siervas en el suelo del Señor; apresarán a sus captores y dominarán a sus opresores.
3Cuando el Señor los haga descansar de su sufrimiento, de su tormento y de la cruel esclavitud a la que fueron sometidos, 4pronunciarán esta sátira contra el rey de Babilonia:
¡Hay que ver cómo terminó el opresor,
y cómo acabó su furia insolente!14:4 insolente (LXX, Qumrán y Siríaca); en TM, palabra de difícil traducción.
5Quebró el Señor la vara de los malvados;
rompió el bastón de los tiranos
6que con furia y continuos golpes
castigaba a los pueblos,
que con implacable enojo
dominaba y perseguía a las naciones.
7Toda la tierra descansa tranquila
y prorrumpe en gritos de alegría.
8Hasta los pinos y cedros del Líbano
se burlan de ti y te dicen:
«Desde que yaces tendido,
nadie viene a derribarnos».
9Allá en lo profundo, por tu causa,
el sepulcro se estremece
al salir a tu encuentro;
por tu causa despierta a los muertos,
a los que fueron jefes de la tierra.
Hace que los reyes de todas las naciones
se levanten de sus tronos.
10Todos ellos responden y te dicen:
«¡También tú te has debilitado!
¡Ya eres uno más de los nuestros!»
11Tu majestad ha sido arrojada al sepulcro,
junto con el sonido de tus arpas.
¡Duermes entre gusanos,
y te cubren las lombrices!
12¡Cómo has caído del cielo,
lucero de la mañana!
Tú, que sometías a las naciones,
has caído por tierra.
13Decías en tu corazón:
«Subiré hasta los cielos.
¡Levantaré mi trono
por encima de las estrellas de Dios!
Gobernaré desde el extremo norte,
en el monte de la reunión.14:13 monte de la reunión. Lit. monte de la asamblea.
14Subiré a lo alto de las nubes,
seré semejante al Altísimo».
15¡Pero has sido arrojado al sepulcro,
a lo más profundo de la fosa!
16Los que te ven clavan en ti la mirada
y reflexionan en cuanto a tu destino:
«¿Y este es el que sacudía a la tierra
y hacía temblar a los reinos,
17el que dejaba el mundo hecho un desierto,
el que arrasaba sus ciudades
y nunca dejaba libres a los presos?»
18Todos los reyes de las naciones
reposan con honor,
cada uno en su tumba.
19Pero a ti, el sepulcro te ha vomitado
como a un vástago repugnante.
Los que murieron a filo de espada,
los que bajaron al fondo de la fosa,
te han cubierto por completo.
¡Pareces un cadáver pisoteado!
20No tendrás sepultura con los reyes,
porque destruiste tu tierra
y asesinaste a tu pueblo.
¡Jamás volverá a mencionarse
la descendencia de los malhechores!
21A causa de la maldad de los padres,
preparad un matadero para los hijos.
¡Que no se levanten para heredar la tierra
ni cubran con ciudades la faz del mundo!
22«Yo me levantaré contra ellos
—afirma el Señor Todopoderoso—.
Yo extirparé de Babilonia
nombre y descendencia,
vástago y posteridad
—afirma el Señor—.
23La convertiré en lugar de erizos,
en charco de agua estancada;
la barreré con la escoba de la destrucción»,
afirma el Señor Todopoderoso.
Profecía contra Asiria
24El Señor Todopoderoso ha jurado:
«Tal como lo he planeado, se cumplirá;
tal como lo he decidido, se realizará.
25Destrozaré a Asiria en mi tierra;
la pisotearé sobre mis montes.
Mi pueblo dejará de llevar su yugo;
ya no pesará esa carga sobre sus hombros».
26Esto es lo que he determinado
para toda la tierra;
esta es la mano que he extendido
sobre todas las naciones.
27Si lo ha determinado el Señor Todopoderoso,
¿quién podrá impedirlo?
Si él ha extendido su mano,
¿quién podrá detenerla?
Profecía contra los filisteos
28Esta profecía vino a Isaías el año que murió el rey Acaz:
29Todos vosotros, filisteos,
no os alegréis de que se haya roto
el bastón que os golpeaba;
porque una víbora saldrá
de la raíz de la serpiente;
su fruto será una serpiente voladora.
30Los más desvalidos pacerán como ovejas,
los necesitados descansarán seguros.
Pero mataré de hambre a vuestra raíz;
destruiré a vuestros sobrevivientes.
31¡Gime y grita, puerta de la ciudad!
¡Ponte a temblar de miedo, toda tú, Filistea!
Porque viene del norte una nube de humo,
y nadie rompe la formación.
32¿Qué respuesta se dará a los mensajeros de esa nación?
Pues que el Señor ha afirmado a Sión,
y que allí se refugiarán
los afligidos de su pueblo.
