Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 14:5
The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, [and] the scepter of the rulers.
5. the rulers ] here used in the sense of tyrants.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Lord hath broken – Yahweh, by the hand of Cyrus.
The staff of the wicked – That is, the scepter of the king of Babylon. The word rendered staff ( mateh) may mean either a bough, stick, staff, rod, or a scepter. The scepter was the symbol of supreme power. It was in the form of a staff, and was made of wood, ivory, or gold. It here means that Yahweh had taken away the power from Babylon, and destroyed his dominion.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
This is an answer to the foregoing question. It is Gods own work, and not mans; and therefore it is not strange that it is accomplished.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. staffnot the scepter (Ps2:9), but the staff with which one strikes others, as he isspeaking of more tyrants than one (Isa 9:4;Isa 10:24; Isa 14:29)[MAURER].
rulerstyrants, as theparallelism “the wicked” proves (compare see on Isa13:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked,…. This is an answer to the above question, how the exactor and his tribute came to cease; this was not by man, but by the Lord himself; for though he made use of Cyrus, the work was his own, he broke the power of the wicked kings of Babylon:
[and] the sceptre of the rulers; that were under the king of Babylon; or of the several kings themselves, Nebuchadnezzar, Evilmerodach, and Belshazzar; so Kimchi interprets it. This may be applied to the kingdom of antichrist, and the antichristian states, which shall be broken to shivers as a potter’s vessel by Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, Re 2:27. The “staff” and “sceptre” are emblems of power and government; and “breaking” them signifies the utter destruction and cessation of authority and dominion.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked. He answers the question which has just been put; for he did not intend that believers should doubt that it would happen, but rather that they should be amazed at such wonderful works of God; for the question had a tendency to arouse their minds to more earnest attention. It is as if he had said that it did not happen at random or through the blind violence of fortune that they have not been oppressed by continual bondage, but that it ought to be ascribed to the providence of God, who hath broken that hard yoke of bondage. Now, the ungodly are amazed at such works, and remain bewildered, because they do not see the reason; but the godly know that this ought to be ascribed to God. Let us therefore learn to admire the works of God, and while we are amazed at them, let us acknowledge him to be the Author; and let us not think that any of them ought to be lightly passed over, especially when he displays his power for redeeming his Church, when by his wonderful power he delivers each of us from the bondage of the devil, from the tyranny of Antichrist, from eternal death. It is no ordinary work, of which any part ought to be ascribed to the power of man or to any other cause.
To the staff of the wicked he adds the sceptre of the rulers; and by this repetition he means that no imperial power can support unjust tyranny. And immediately afterwards he states more clearly that the monarchy of the Babylonians would be destroyed, because it was unjust and tyrannical, when he says (Isa 14:6) that the people had been struck with an incurable stroke, (216) and that there was no limit to the violence, because they had rioted with impunity in unbounded licentiousness. This reminds us that at length God will not spare tyrants, though he may wink at them for a time. The same destruction awaits them as, we learn, befell Babylon; for the Lord is righteous, (Psa 11:7,) and is always like himself.
(216) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked . . .The staff and the sceptre are alike symbols of power, the former being that on which a man supports himself, the other that which he wields in his arm to smite those who oppose him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Staff wicked This means the imperial power of Babylon. In this verse is apparently the answer to the exclamation of the preceding verse.
Rulers Who claimed absolute dominion over all minor kingdoms of the East.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 14:5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, [and] the sceptre of the rulers.
Ver. 5. The Lord hath broken the staff. ] Wherewith these exactors cudgelled men, as so many beasts, into subjection and obedience.
And the sceptre.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
wicked = lawless ones (plural) Hebrew. rasha’. App-44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Isa 14:29, Isa 9:4, Isa 10:5, Psa 125:3, Jer 48:15-17
Reciprocal: Job 36:22 – God Isa 8:9 – and ye Isa 14:16 – Is this Isa 14:25 – then Jer 48:17 – How Jer 51:20 – art Zep 2:15 – how is