That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
Parallel translations
- WEB who made the world like a wilderness, and overthrew its cities; who didn’t release his prisoners to their home?”
- BSB who turned the world into a desert and destroyed its cities, who refused to let the captives return to their homes?”
- NKJV Who made the world as a wilderness And destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’
- NASB Who made the world like a wilderness And overthrew its cities, Who did not allow his prisoners to go home?’
- NLT Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland? Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?’
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
He is remembered as the one who turned the world into a wilderness, destroyed cities, and never freed his captives. His legacy is unrelieved cruelty.
Overview
The onlookers recount the tyrant's destructive career: ruined lands, overthrown cities, and prisoners kept in bondage. His refusal to release captives stands in sharp contrast to the Lord, who proclaims liberty to the captives. The passage anticipates Christ, who came to set prisoners free (Luke 4:18).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Joel 2:3A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
- Isa 13:19–22And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Ezra 1:2–4Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
- Zeph 2:13–14And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
- 2 Chr 28:8–15And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
- Isa 64:10Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
- Isa 58:6Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
- Isa 45:13I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.
- Ezek 6:14So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 14:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.