12 A parallel rhetorical
question introduced by πῶς matches that of 14:4, introducing a paragraph of the
dirge that continues to express astonishment at the fate of such a lofty person
as the king of Babylon falling so low. The height from which he fell is
connoted by the label ἑωσφόρος, etymologically “dawnbringer,” the name of the
star that appears at the dawn. Greek ἀστήρ had the same connotation of “star”
as English; it could be applied to an outstanding person. The bright star ἑωσφόρος
was also known as Ἀφροδίτης ἀστήρ (Eudoxus, Ars astronomica 5.2), which was in
turn also called Φωσφόρος (Geminus, Elementa astronmiae 1.28), meaning
“light-bearer,” which is translated into Latin as lucifer. (ἑωσφόρος appears in
some manuscripts of 2Pet 1:19 for Φωσφόρος.) In any case, an illustrious person
is meant. The connection between Lucifer and Satan is therefore not made here
in Isaiah, but by Luke 10:18; Ottley also noted the similarity between Luke
10:15 and Isa 14:13, 15. Origen saw Lucifer as one of the fallen angels (Hom.
Jos. 1.6) but did not imply he is their chief. In Comm. Ro. 8.9.4 he suggested
Lucifer might be referring to Israel. Eusebius in his Commentary on Isaiah gave
not the slightest indication of the interpretation of this fallen star as
Satan, even though 2.7 shows he was familiar with fallen stars in the context
of Satan falling from heaven by alluding to Luke 10:18 there. Rather, in
commenting on 14:8–21, Eusebius took great pains to argue that this whole
prophecy refers to the historical king of Babylon. Nevertheless, in Praep. ev.
7.16 he did connect Isaiah 14:12 with the leader of the fallen evil spirits.
The participle ἀποστέλλων has a definite article in the other uncials; it has
phonetic similarity to ἀνατέλλων earlier in the verse. G misread חולש as שולח
and probably also על as כל . The ideas of falling to the earth are taken up in
2Macc 9:7–8, but the parallels are not mainly on the level of vocabulary. (Ken
Penner, Isaiah [Septuagint Commentary Series; Leiden: Brill, 2021], 444)
