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Isaiah 14:27
For Yahweh of Armies has planned, and who can stop it? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
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Interpretation

Isaiah 14:27 shows a who can thwart that is lived within limits and longings—see "who" and "can". Choose who can thwart when pressure tempts shortcuts—brighten hope by remembering.

Context

Isaiah speaks here as prophetic oracle writing, highlighting who can thwart. Within ch. 14, a small unit frames the emphasis. It edges toward prophetic hope & judgment. Watch the terms “who” and “can”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Isaiah was received under the name of Isaiah son of Amoz. Isaiah is frequently described this way: Often read as a multi‑stage composition (Deutero/Trito‑Isaiah).. Scholars commonly date Isaiah 8th–5th century BC. Here the thread of prophetic hope & judgment comes into view. Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero). Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito). A long compositional arc is often proposed (Proto/Deutero/Trito).

More details
Traditional:Isaiah son of Amoz
Modern scholarship:Multiple authors (Proto‑, Deutero‑, Trito‑Isaiah).
Date:8th–5th century BC
  • Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero).
  • Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito).
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
In the Masoretic tradition the Hebrew text is preserved, standardized between the 6th–10th centuries CE. The Dead Sea Scrolls (1947-1956 discoveries) provide manuscripts 1000+ years older than medieval texts, generally confirming the Masoretic Text's reliability with only minor variations. The Septuagint (Greek translation, 3rd-2nd century BCE) offers an independent textual witness. Variations between manuscripts are typically minor: spelling differences, word order, or clarifications that do not affect the core meaning. Modern translations compare all available manuscripts to reconstruct the probably reflects the initial text text.
Sources & witness notes
MT