Bible Discussion Thread

could some one explain Isaiah 14:29

Isaiah 14:28-32 is a separate prophecy, which includes the verse you enquired of. To understand it, a little background first.

This prophecy was given to comfort Judah. It wasn't a message to Palestina (i.e. Philistia) but to assure Judah that they would be in no danger from Philistine invasion under the reign of the successor of Ahaz (i.e. Hezekiah) & that God would more greatly overthrow them than had previously occurred to them.

It's possible that at the death of Ahaz & with the prospect of a change in the government on the accession of Hezekiah, the Philistines, the natural enemies of Judah, had contemplated launching a fresh invasion on Judah. The Philistines had been subdued in the time of Azariah ( 2 Kings 15:1-7); Azariah broke down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Gabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and effectually subdued and humbled them ( 2 Chronicles 26:6). Then in the time of Ahaz & while Ahaz was engaged in matters with Syria and Ephraim, the Philistines took advantage of the sad state of Judah, and made a successful war on her, and took several of the towns ( 2 Chronicles 28:18); & at his death they hoped to be able to resist Judah more easily since the reign of Hezekiah would be mild, peaceable, and unwarlike. Therefore Isaiah, in this prophecy, gives a warning about Philistia, that they not entertain such incorrect expectations that Judah would be overcome by them, rather gives assurance that Hezekiah's reign would be as disastrous to them as had been the reign of his predecessors.

So verses 29 to 31 depict the horrors that would come upon Philistia; verse 29: the words, 'serpent, serpent's root, cockatrice', are depictions of the previous kings of Judah (Kings Uzziah, Ahaz, & Hezekiah) which, through Hezekiah, would ultimately bring down Philistia ( 2 Kings 18:8).