Book of Isaiah Chapter 14 Vs. 25
- lastdays13
- Nov 3, 2025
- 9 min read
An Oracle Concerning Assyria
Isa. 14:25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.
That I will break...
שָׁבַר
šāḇar: A verb meaning to break, to burst, to break in pieces, to break down, to break up, to smash, to shatter, to bring to birth. The word is most often used to express bursting or breaking. Other meanings include God's actions against stubborn pride (Lev. 26:19); or a metaphor for deliverance expressed figuratively by the breaking of a yoke (Jer. 28:2). In a figurative sense, the word describes the breaking of Pharaoh's arms (Ezk. 30:21-22). It also depicts the literal smashing or shattering of the tablets of the commandments (Exo. 32:19). Further expressions of the word can mean to bring to the moment of birth (Isa. 66:9); to break down or destroy a people (Isa. 14:25); to break objects of material quality (Gen. 19:9; Lev. 6:28,21; Jer. 49:35).
the Assyrian...
אַשּׁוּר
’aššûr: A proper noun designating Asshur:
A. The name of a second son of Shem who began the ancient line from which the Assyrians came, with their capital at Asshur (Gen. 10:22; 1Chr. 1:17).
B. An ancient name for Assyria found in Gen. 2:14. The Tigris River ran by its capital city Asshur. Nimrod is connected with the land in Gen. 10:11 where he built Nineveh, a later capital of Assyria. Asshur (Assyria) is mentioned by Balaam in his final prophecies (Num. 24:22, 24:24). Assyria/Asshur became a byword for violence and political terror tactics. It conquered and ruled by fear and brutality. Samaria took Northern Israel captive in 722 B.C. In ca. 701 B.C., Sennacherib threatened to besiege and destroy Jerusalem in Hezekiah's reign and during the time of Isaiah the prophet (Isa. 36-37). God delivered the city. Jonah preached repentance to the great city of Nineveh, and the Assyrians repented and experienced the Lord's grace (see Jon. 3:4-4:11). On the other hand, later the prophet Nahum preached the destruction of the city and rejoiced over its fall, as did the rest of the ancient Near East (Nah. 1-3). Nineveh and the remnants of the Assyrian Empire fell in 612 B.C.
in my land,...
אֶרֶץ
’ereṣ: A noun meaning the earth, land. It is used almost 2,500 times in the Old Testament. It refers to the whole earth under God's dominion (Gen. 1:1; 14:19; Exo. 9:29; Psm. 102:25,26; Pro. 8:31; Mic. 4:13). Since the earth was God's possession, He promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants (Gen. 12:7; 15:7). The Promised Land was very important to Abraham's descendants and to the nation of Israel that possessed the land (Jos. 1:2, 1:4). Israel's identity was tied to the land because it signified the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. If the Israelites were disobedient, however, they would be cursed by losing the land (Lev. 26:32-34, 26:36, 26:38-39; Deu. 28:63-64; Jer. 7:7).
and upon...
עַל
‛al: A preposition meaning upon, over, against, by, to, for. The various nuances of this preposition are wide-ranging, and the context determines its exact meaning and usage. Here are some basics: on, upon (Gen. 1:11, 1:26; Exo. 20:12; 2Sam. 4:7); in front of (Gen. 18:8; Exo. 27:21); to, unto plus mî, "to whom" (Jer. 6:10); with zô’ṯ or kēn following, it means because of, therefore with respect to, concerning (Gen. 20:3; Ruth 4:7); as or according to (Psm. 110:4); besides or over against (Exo. 20:3); to come on (one's) heart, means to come to mind, to think of (Jer. 3:16); to add to, in addition to (yāsap̱ ‛al) (Gen. 28:9; 31:50; Deu. 19:9); it has the sense of with, met with (Exo. 3:18). Other phrases include: ke‛al-ḵōl, according to all (Isa. 63:7); from upon, upon, e.g., a camel (Gen. 2:5; 19:24; 24:64); ‛al-belî, that . . . not (Gen. 31:20); ‛al-’ašer, because (Exo. 32:35). It is used to indicate God's provincial care, His hand on (‛al) someone (Neh. 2:8); and to indicate a burden on someone (Exo. 5:8; 21:22; Job 7:20; Psm. 42:6; Isa. 1:14). It indicates the thing one speaks about or is concerned with when used with verbs of speaking, hearing (Jdg. 9:3; Jer. 16:3). It has the sense of eminence or exaltation, above (Deu. 26:19; Psm. 57:5,6, 57:11,12). It indicates what one exercises authority over (Isa. 22:15). It is used in the idiom, to fall asleep, sleep falls on someone (Gen. 2:21; 15:12); and of the activity of the mind setting on (‛al) something (2Sam. 14:1; Jer. 22:17; Mal. 3:13). It is used of an army attacking against (‛al) a foe (Gen. 34:25; Deu. 19:11; Amos 7:9).
my mountains...
הַר
har: A masculine noun indicating a hill, hill country, mountain, mountain range. With a following modifying word, it may mean a mountain range, such as the mountains or hill country of Gilead (Gen. 31:21; cf. Deu. 1:7; Jos. 17:15; Jdg. 12:15) or denote individual mountains or Mount Ebal (Deu. 11:29). It indicates a particular mountain from the context without naming it (Gen. 22:2). Combined with the word for God, ’elohı̄ym, preceding, it points out the mountain of God (Exo. 4:27; 18:5; 24:13; Psm. 68:15,16) or mountain of the Lord used with yhwh (Num. 10:33). These mountains and hills were sacred places for the gods of the pagan peoples of Canaan (Deu. 12:2), also called gods of the mountains (1Kgs. 20:23). It refers to the har-mō’ēḏ or the mountain of assembly, a dwelling place of the gods (Isa. 14:13). The word is used in a figurative sense often: the Lord weighs the mountains in His hand (Isa. 40:12) and can lay them waste as a sign of His judgments (Isa. 42:15). God causes His people to thresh the mountains as a sign of their defeating their foes (Isa. 41:15). God calls the mountains as His witnesses (Mic. 6:2) and speaks to them (Ezk. 36:1, 36:4, 36:8). They are expected to praise the Lord (Psm. 148:9), and they leap in praise (Psm. 114:4, 114:6). The mountains symbolize strength (Isa. 2:14); great age, antiquity, and stability (Pro. 8:25), yet the Lord's love is even more enduring (Isa. 54:10).
tread him underfoot:...
בּוּס
bûs: A verb that signifies to tread down, to trample underfoot. This term generally has a negative connotation, implying a destructive action (Zec. 10:5). God is often the subject of this verb, when He states that He will trample His enemies (Psm. 60:12,14); Isa. 14:25; 63:6). It can also be used with people as the subject but with the understanding that they are only God's instruments (Psm. 44:5,6). This expression can also have a figurative meaning: to reject (Pro. 27:7) and to desecrate (Isa. 63:18).
then shall his yoke...
עֹל
‛ōl: A masculine noun meaning a yoke. It describes a wooden frame or a bar placed on the neck of work animals to harness them for labor. Its usage includes a yoke for cattle (Deu. 21:3; 1Sam. 6:7). It was a favorite figurative word to express servitude (1Kgs. 12:4, 12:10-11, 12:14). It is used of a yoke of transgressions (Lam. 1:14); or hardship (Lam. 3:27).
depart...
סוּר
sûr, סָר
sār: A verb meaning to turn away, to go away, to desert, to quit, to keep far away, to stop, to take away, to remove, to be removed, to make depart. The word is used equally in the simple and causative stems. The basic meaning of the root, to turn away, takes on various connotations in the simple stem according to context. In the simple stem, the verb means to turn aside, as Moses turned aside to see why the bush was not being consumed by the fire (Exo. 3:3-4); it is used metaphorically to describe turning away from the Lord because of a rebellious heart (Jer. 5:23); or taking time to turn aside and seek someone's welfare (Jer. 15:5). The word describes leaving or going away literally (Exo. 8:31,27); or figuratively, the scepter would not leave Judah (Gen. 49:10); but Samson's strength left him (Jdg. 16:19). Its meaning extends further to indicate falling away, as when one is enticed to fall away from following the Lord to pursue other gods (Deu. 11:16; 1Sam. 12:20; Psm. 14:3). It means to stop something; for example, the banqueting and carousing of Israel would cease at the time of exile (Hos. 4:18; Amos 6:7). It also indicates the act of keeping away from something, such as evil (Isa. 59:15); or when the Lord kept Himself from His people (Hos. 9:12). Wise teaching helps keep a person far from the dangers of death (Pro. 13:14, 13:19).
The causative stem adds the idea of making something move, go away, turn away, or simply to put aside. The priests would set aside burnt offerings to be offered up (2Ch. 35:12); and clothing was put aside as Tamar removed her widow's clothes to deceive Judah (Gen. 38:14; 1Sam. 17:39; 1Kgs. 20:41). God removed Israel from His presence because He was angry with them (2Kgs. 17:18, 17:23; 23:27); Jacob charged his entire clan to get rid of their strange gods (Gen. 35:2; Jos. 24:14, 24:23).
When the verb is passive, it means to be removed, such as when the fat of offerings was removed by the priests (Lev. 4:31, 4:35). In Dan. 12:11, the word expresses the idea that the daily sacrifice was removed.
from off...
מִן
min, מִנִּי
minniy, מִנֵּי
minnēy: A preposition used to indicate from, out of, away from; more than: after, since; immediately; because of, since, so that; without; direction as southward, etc.). Its spelling varies according to its location and usage. Its basic meaning is from, away from, out of. Its basic meanings only can be noted here, but its exact meaning is easily discerned from its context: (1) With verbs, it expresses separation spatially or figuratively (Exo. 19:14; Deu. 22:8; Jos. 10:7). It can be used with a verb not indicating separation, e.g., to stay away from strife (Pro. 20:3; Isa. 14:19). (2) With the basic sense of out of, from (Gen. 3:22-24; 4:10; 34:26; Exo. 2:10; 8:9,5; Jdg. 15:7; Psm. 40:2,3), it often indicates what something is made of or formed from (Gen. 2:19; Hos. 13:2). With a pronominal suffix meaning from it, it means of one piece with it (Exo. 25:19, 25:31). It indicates a cause for something, on account of, because (Exo. 2:23; 6:9; 1Kgs. 14:4; Pro. 20:4; Isa. 53:5). (3) It is used to mean something is a part of something else, a part or share of it (Gen. 6:19; 7:8; 39:11; Num. 16:2). It indicates some of in an indefinite sense (Exo. 16:27; Lev. 25:49; Psm. 137:3). When repeated it means some . . . others or its equivalent expression (1Chr. 9:28-29). (4) It is used to mark time: from, since (Deu. 9:24), from a certain day or time (Lev. 22:27; Num. 15:23; 1Sam. 18:9). It is used in phrases to mean from ancient times, antiquity (Hab. 1:12); from of old (Isa. 42:14). It indicates right after a certain time (Gen. 38:24; Jos. 23:1; Ezk. 38:8). (5) Paired with ‛aḏ it usually means from . . . even to, as far as (Gen. 10:19; 15:18; Exo. 11:7; Jer. 51:62). In a figurative sense, this same construction can mean e.g., from young . . . to old, both inclusive (Gen. 19:4; 1Sam. 5:9; Jer. 6:13). (6) It may further indicate than, in comparisons (Lev. 21:10; Jdg. 14:18). (7) Prefixed to an infinitive, it is often translated as from (Gen. 16:2); a few times as on account of or because (Deu. 7:7-8); or temporally as since or after (Num. 24:23; Isa. 44:7). (8) It is often attached to other words in compounds and is sometimes used in front of infinitives of verbs: e.g., with ‛āḇaḏ meaning from serving (Exo. 14:5); with bāla‛ meaning from destroying (Lam. 2:8). (9) It is used in front of a verb form once as a conjunction indicating a negative purpose, "that . . . not" (Deu. 33:11). Other uses almost always fall under one of the above categories.
them, and his burden...
סֹבֶל
sōḇel: A masculine noun referring to a burden. It refers to a load that a worker had to carry, his burden, often placed there by oppressors. God would remove these burdens (Isa. 9:4,3; 10:27; 14:25).
depart... see above.
from off... see above.
their shoulders...
שְׁכֶם
šeḵem: I. A masculine noun referring to a shoulder, the upper back. It refers to the upper back and neck area (Gen. 9:23; 21:14). Often things were carried on one's shoulder (Gen. 24:15, 24:45; Exo. 12:34; Jos. 4:5; Jdg. 9:48). To turn one's shoulder to (le) someone or something means to turn to leave (1Sam. 10:9). To set one's shoulder, back is to turn away (Psm. 21:12,13). To carry the government on one's shoulder is to bear the burden of rulership (Isa. 9:4,3, Isa. 9:6,5; Isa. 22:22). A yoke is worn on the shoulders, literally or figuratively (Isa. 10:27; 14:25). In Gen. 48:22, the word refers to a geographical feature, a ridge.
II. A masculine noun used to indicate consent, shoulder to shoulder. The phrase shoulder to shoulder indicates sharing in a common effort or open consent to something, whether bad (Hos. 6:9; KJV; NASB, Shechem) or good (Zep. 3:9).