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Tuesday, August 5th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Isaiah 14:14

I will ascend above the highest clouds;I will make myself like the Most High.”

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ambition;   Babylon;   Isaiah;   Presumption;   Pride;   Rulers;   Scofield Reference Index - Satan;   Thompson Chain Reference - Exaltation;   Satanic;   Self-Exaltation;   The Topic Concordance - Abasement;   Devil/devils;   Exaltation;   Hell;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ambition;   Babylon;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Babylon;   Funeral;   Nebuchadnezzar;   Pride;   Sin;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Ascension of Jesus Christ;   Cloud, Cloud of the Lord;   Kill, Killing;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Heaven;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Devil;   Satan;   Uzziah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Isaiah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Judgment Damnation;   Old Testament (Ii. Christ as Student and Interpreter of).;   Philippians Epistle to the;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Babylon ;   Type;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Medes;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Isa'iah, Book of;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Belshazzar;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cloud;   God;   Isaiah;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Apocalyptic Literature, Neo-Hebraic;   Bat Ḳol;   El 'Elyon;   High Place;   Humility;   Lucifer;   Satire;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like Ha`Elyon.
King James Version
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
English Standard Version
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'
New American Standard Bible
'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'
New Century Version
I will go up above the tops of the clouds. I will be like God Most High."
Amplified Bible
'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'
World English Bible
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.
Geneva Bible (1587)
I wil ascend aboue ye height of the cloudes, and I will be like the most high.
Legacy Standard Bible
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;I will make myself like the Most High.'
Berean Standard Bible
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
Contemporary English Version
I'll be above the clouds, just like God Most High."
Complete Jewish Bible
I will rise past the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.'
Darby Translation
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High:
Easy-to-Read Version
I will go up to the altar above the tops of the clouds. I will be like God Most High."
George Lamsa Translation
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Good News Translation
You said you would climb to the tops of the clouds and be like the Almighty.
Lexham English Bible
I will ascend to the high places of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.'
Literal Translation
I will rise over the heights of the clouds; I will be compared to the Most High.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I wyll clymme vp aboue the cloudes, & wilbe like the highest of all.
American Standard Version
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.
Bible in Basic English
I will go higher than the clouds; I will be like the Most High.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.'
King James Version (1611)
I wil ascend aboue the heights of the cloudes, I wil bee like the most High.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I wyll clymbe vp aboue the cloudes, and wyll be lyke the hyghest of all.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I will go up above the clouds: I will be like the Most High.
English Revised Version
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y schal stie on the hiynesse of cloudis; Y schal be lijk the hiyeste.
Update Bible Version
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.
Webster's Bible Translation
I will ascend above the hights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.
New English Translation
I will climb up to the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High!"
New King James Version
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'
New Living Translation
I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.'
New Life Bible
I will go much higher than the clouds. I will make myself like the Most High.'
New Revised Standard
I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I will mount on the hills of the clouds, I will match the Most High!
Douay-Rheims Bible
I will ascend above the height of the clouds, I will be like the most High.
Revised Standard Version
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.'
Young's Literal Translation
I go up above the heights of a thick cloud, I am like to the Most High.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'

Contextual Overview

4you will sing this song of contempt about the king of Babylon and say: 5The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,the scepter of the rulers. 6It struck the peoples in angerwith unceasing blows.It subdued the nations in ragewith relentless persecution. 7The whole earth is calm and at rest;people shout with a ringing cry. 8Even the cypresses and the cedars of Lebanonrejoice over you:“Since you have been laid low,no lumberjack has come against us.” 9Sheol below is eager to greet your coming,stirring up the spirits of the departed for you—all the rulers of the earth—making all the kings of the nationsrise from their thrones. 10They all respond to you, saying,“You too have become as weak as we are;you have become like us! 11Your splendor has been brought down to Sheol,along with the music of your harps.Maggots are spread out under you,and worms cover you.” 12Shining morning star,how you have fallen from the heavens!You destroyer of nations,you have been cut down to the ground. 13You said to yourself,“I will ascend to the heavens;I will set up my throneabove the stars of God.I will sit on the mount of the gods’ assembly,in the remotest parts of the North.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ascend: Isaiah 37:23, Isaiah 37:24

I will be: Isaiah 47:8, Genesis 3:5, 2 Thessalonians 2:4

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 32:8 - Most 2 Kings 19:22 - exalted thy voice Job 20:6 - his excellency Job 35:12 - because Psalms 37:35 - I have Isaiah 47:1 - there is Jeremiah 50:29 - for she hath Ezekiel 28:2 - I sit Ezekiel 31:2 - Whom

Cross-References

Genesis 12:5
He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
Genesis 12:16
He treated Abram well because of her, and Abram acquired flocks and herds, male and female donkeys, male and female slaves, and camels.
Genesis 13:8
So Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives.
Genesis 14:1
In those days King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim
Genesis 14:2
waged war against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, and King Shemeber of Zeboiim, as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).
Genesis 14:3
All of these came as allies to the Siddim Valley (that is, the Dead Sea).
Genesis 14:5
In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,
Genesis 14:11
The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on.
Genesis 14:12
They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom, and they went on.
Genesis 15:3
Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir.”

Gill's Notes on the 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 Isaiah 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, 2 Thessalonians 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I will be like the Most High - There is a remarkable resemblance between this language and that used in 2 Thessalonians 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 Revelation 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.


 
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