Scripture: Verse 12 introduces a section with intentional double meaning. “Lucifer” is the Latin Vulgate’s translation of the Hebrew “Helel,” which is part of the phrase “helel ben shahar,” or “Star of the dawning day.” Hence Blenkinsopp translates this verse: “How you have fallen from the sky, Star of the dawning day.” By using the name’s meaning, rather than the name as a personal identifier, Isaiah can speak directly to Babylon and Satan simultaneously. The context of the poem is very clearly directed at the king of Babylon, but the imagery and language of the text points to the story of the war in heaven. A name indicating a star allows the obvious reference to an earthly king to be seen as a parallel to a story of another arrogant “king” in the heavens, the abode of the morning star. (See “Literature” below for more information.) Both are brought low, deprived of their former power to oppress nations (v. 12), stripped of their pretensions to be godlike, to rule all.