He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

ISAIAH 14:6KJV
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Isaiah 14:6 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 14:6 mean?

Isaiah 14:6 describes the downfall of a ruler who had abused his power over many peoples. In the KJV, the ruler who once struck others without stopping is himself pursued, with no one stepping in to stop the pursuit.

The verse is part of a taunt that the people of Israel are told to take up against the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:4). The picture of a “continual stroke” makes his rule sound like a beating that gave its victims no relief.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 14:6

  • “continual” — בְּלִי (beli) and סָרָה (sarah): Together, these words carry the sense of “without stopping.” They describe a stroke that went on without a break.
  • “persecuted” — מֻרְדָּף (murdaf): This word carries the sense of being pursued or chased. In the KJV sentence, the ruler who once pursued others now faces pursuit himself.

Why Isaiah 14:6 matters

  • The verse makes the reversal personal. The one described as striking and ruling is the one described as being persecuted.
  • The ruler’s power had reached beyond one people. The words “the nations” show the breadth of the rule described in the taunt.
  • The taunt looks back at the ruler’s actions as part of his downfall. Verse 4 names the king of Babylon, while verse 6 describes the harsh rule for which he is remembered.

Where else these words appear

“continual” Hebrew H5627 · used in 8 verses

  • Deuteronomy 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
  • Isaiah 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
  • Isaiah 59:13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.

“none” Hebrew H1097 · used in 14 verses

  • Genesis 31:20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
  • Job 4:11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
  • Job 38:41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

“ruled” Hebrew H7287 · used in 25 verses

  • Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
  • Judges 14:9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
  • Psalms 72:8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

“hindereth” Hebrew H2820 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 20:6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
  • Job 16:5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.
  • Proverbs 11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.