I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
14. I will be like the most High ] Better: I will make myself like to the Most High. The sense of all the previous metaphors is gathered up in this sentence. The king arrogates to himself divine honour.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I will be like the Most High – There is a remarkable resemblance between this language and that used in 2Th 2:4, in regard to antichrist: He, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. And this similarity is the more remarkable, because antichrist is represented, in Rev 17:4-5, as seated in babylon – the spiritual seat of arrogance, oppression, and pride. Probably Paul had the passage in Isaiah in his eye when he penned the description of antichrist.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Above the heights of the clouds, to wit, into heaven, as he said, Isa 14:13.
Like the Most High, in the uncontrollableness of my power, and the universal extent of my dominion over all the earth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. cloudsrather, “thecloud,” singular. Perhaps there is a reference to the cloud, thesymbol of the divine presence (Isa 4:5;Exo 13:21). So this tallies with2Th 2:4, “above allthat is called God”; as here “above . . . thecloud”; and as the Shekinah-cloud was connected with thetemple, there follows, “he as God sitteth in thetemple of God,” answering to “I will be like the MostHigh” here. Moreover, Rev 17:4;Rev 17:5, represents Antichristas seated in BABYLON, towhich city, literal and spiritual, Isaiah refers here.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,…. Which are the chariots of God, and in which he rides, and so this proud monarch affected to be as he; perhaps some reference is had to the cloud in which Jehovah dwelt in the temple. The Targum is,
“I will ascend above all people,”
compared to clouds for their multitude. In the mystical sense, the true ministers of the word may be meant, so called for their height, motion, swiftness, and fulness of Gospel doctrine, compared to rain; see Isa 5:6.
I will be like the most High; so Satan affected to be, and this was the bait he laid for our first parents, and with which they were taken; and nothing less than deity could satisfy some ambitious princes, as Caligula, and others; and this was what the Babylonish monarch aspired to, and ordered to be ascribed to him, and be regarded as such, either while living, or at least after death, which was what had been done to many Heathen princes. So antichrist is represented as showing himself to be God, 2Th 2:4 by calling and suffering himself to be called God; by assuming all power in heaven and in earth; taking upon him to depose kings and dispose of kingdoms at pleasure; dispensing with the laws of God, and making new ones; absolving men from their oaths, pardoning their sins, setting up himself as infallible, as the sole interpreter of Scripture, and judge of controversies. The Targum is,
“I will he higher than them all;”
than the kings of the earth, and all other bishops.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. (225) It might certainly be thought strange that the Prophet thus accuses the Babylonian monarch, as if he wished to make himself equal to God, since, as we have said, this thought could scarcely enter into the mind of a man without making him absolutely shudder. As there is a seed of religion implanted in us by nature, so we are constrained, even against our will, to entertain the belief of some superior being who excells all things; and no man is so mad as to wish to cast down God from his throne; for we are instructed by nature that we ought to worship and adore God. Hence also the Gentiles, though they were ignorant of God, rendered worship to their idols; and therefore it may be thought improbable that the king of Babylon wished to drive out God, and to reign in heaven.
And yet the Prophet does not accuse him falsely. Though the ungodly do not believe that they ought to reign instead of God, yet, when they exalt themselves more than is proper, they take away a portion of what belongs to him, and claim it for themselves, which is the same as if they wished to pull him down from his throne. And what did Satan say when he deceived our first parent? Ye shall be as gods. (Gen 3:5.) Consequently, all who dare to ascribe more to themselves than God allows are chargeable with exalting themselves against God, as if they declared war against him; for where pride is, contempt of God must be there.
We ought also to observe that argument which we lately noticed, that the tyrant, by assailing the Church, which was God’s holy heritage, might be said intentionally to attack God. Since, therefore, he profaned the heavenly sanctuary, the language ought not to be thought exaggerated. Hence also we obtain a doctrine full of most valuable consolation, for we are taught that the ungodly exalt themselves against God whenever they attack his Church. He is not accused of exalting himself above angels, but of endeavoring to crush the Church of God. The worship of God is not now confined to one place, but is as extensive as the whole world. Whenever, therefore, men call on the name of God, if any tyrant rise up to oppress the godly, let us know that he attacks not men, but God himself, who at length will not endure to be insulted.
We shall afterwards meet with a similar example in Sennacherib, of whom Isaiah declares that, while he threatened and reproached Zion, he threatened and reproached God himself. Let us therefore know that we are under the protection of God in such a manner, that any one who gives us trouble will also have God for his enemy.
He that hurteth you, says he, hurteth the apple of mine eye. (Zec 2:8.)
He likewise testifies that he dwells in the midst of the Church, (Psa 46:5,) so that no one can attack the Church without receiving the first strokes; and therefore he will avenge the injuries which the Church endures, though he may permit her to be afflicted for a time.
(225) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) I will be like the most High.The Chaldaean king is rightly represented as using a Divine name (Eln), which was not essentially Israelite, but common to the Phnicians and other kindred nations. (See Gen. 14:18; Dan. 4:24; Luk. 8:28; Act. 16:17.) The Persians carried their adulation still further, and applied the title god to their kings (sch. Pers. 623), as the Syrians afterwards did in the case of Antiochus Theos. The Assyrian and Babylonian inscriptions, for the most part, fall short of this, and describe the king as the servant, or priest, of Assur, or Bel, or Nebo, the viceroy, or vicar, of the gods.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Heights of the clouds The simplest sense of the words is doubtless their true meaning. To climb above the highest clouds is an expression of the highest ambition and arrogance.
Like the Most High This completes the climax. The wall sculptures of Assyria show, it is said, symbols of deity assigned to kings.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Ver. 14. I will ascend above the height of the clouds. ] Ut verbo dicam, ero summa et sacra maiestas.
“ Attingit solium Iovis, et coelestia tentat. ”
– Hor., lib. i. Ode 3.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
of = that is to say. Genitive of Apposition. App-17.
the MOST HIGH. Hebrew. Elyon. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
ascend: Isa 37:23, Isa 37:24
I will be: Isa 47:8, Gen 3:5, 2Th 2:4
Reciprocal: Deu 32:8 – Most 2Ki 19:22 – exalted thy voice Job 20:6 – his excellency Job 35:12 – because Psa 37:35 – I have Isa 47:1 – there is Jer 50:29 – for she hath Eze 28:2 – I sit Eze 31:2 – Whom