Focused Passage

Isaiah 34:9-17

The LORD’s Judgment on the Nations and the Desolation of Edom

Isaiah 34 moves from a universal summons for nations and creation to hear the LORD’s indictment, to cosmic judgment imagery, to the LORD’s sword descending upon Edom, to sacrificial slaughter and vengeance for Zion, and finally to Edom’s transformation into a desolate, uninhabitable wasteland confirmed by the written word of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

9 Edom’s streams will be turned to tar, and her soil to sulfur; her land will become a blazing pitch.

10 It will not be quenched—day or night. Its smoke will ascend forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will ever again pass through it.

11 The desert owl and screech owl will possess it, and the great owl and raven will dwell in it. The LORD will stretch out over Edom a measuring line of chaos and a plumb line of destruction.

12 No nobles will be left to proclaim a king, and all her princes will come to nothing.

13 Her towers will be overgrown with thorns, her fortresses with thistles and briers. She will become a haunt for jackals, an abode for ostriches.

14 The desert creatures will meet with hyenas, and one wild goat will call to another. There the night creature will settle and find her place of repose.

15 There the owl will make her nest; she will lay and hatch her eggs and gather her brood under her shadow. Even there the birds of prey will gather, each with its mate.

16 Search and read the scroll of the LORD: Not one of these will go missing, not one will lack her mate, because He has ordered it by His mouth, and He will gather them by His Spirit.

17 He has allotted their portion; His hand has distributed it by measure. They will possess it forever; they will dwell in it from generation to generation.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

[Edom’s] streams נְחָלֶ֙יהָ֙ H5158 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular will be turned וְנֶהֶפְכ֤וּ H2015 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural to tar לְזֶ֔פֶת H2203 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular and her soil וַעֲפָרָ֖הּ H6083 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular to sulfur לְגָפְרִ֑ית H1614 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular her land אַרְצָ֔הּ H776 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular will become וְהָיְתָ֣ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular a blazing בֹּעֵרָֽה׃ H1197 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular pitch לְזֶ֖פֶת H2203 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 10

Original words

It will not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be quenched תִכְבֶּ֔ה H3518 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular day וְיוֹמָם֙ H3119 Conjunctive waw | Adverb or night לַ֤יְלָה H3915 Noun - masculine singular Its smoke עֲשָׁנָ֑הּ H6227 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular will ascend יַעֲלֶ֣ה H5927 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular forever לְעוֹלָ֖ם H5769 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular From generation מִדּ֤וֹר H1755 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular to generation לָדוֹר֙ H1755 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular it will lie desolate תֶּחֱרָ֔ב H2717 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular no one אֵ֥ין H369 Adverb will ever again לְנֵ֣צַח H5331 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct . . . נְצָחִ֔ים H5331 Noun - masculine plural pass עֹבֵ֖ר H5674 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular through it בָּֽהּ׃ Preposition | third person feminine singular
Verse 11

Original words

The desert owl קָאַ֣ת H6893 Noun - feminine singular and screech owl וְקִפּ֔וֹד H7090 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular will possess it וִירֵשׁ֙וּהָ֙ H3423 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | third person feminine singular and the great owl וְיַנְשׁ֥וֹף H3244 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular and raven וְעֹרֵ֖ב H6158 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular will dwell יִשְׁכְּנוּ־ H7931 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural in it בָ֑הּ Preposition | third person feminine singular The LORD will stretch out וְנָטָ֥ה H5186 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular over [Edom] עָלֶ֛יהָ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular a measuring line קַֽו־ H6957 Noun - masculine singular construct of chaos תֹ֖הוּ H8414 Noun - masculine singular and a plumb line וְאַבְנֵי־ H68 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct of destruction בֹֽהוּ׃ H922 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • The precise identification of these birds is uncertain.
Verse 12

Original words

No וְאֵֽין־ H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb . . . שָׁ֖ם H8033 Adverb nobles חֹרֶ֥יהָ H2715 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular will be left to proclaim יִקְרָ֑אוּ H7121 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural a king מְלוּכָ֣ה H4410 Noun - feminine singular and all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct her princes שָׂרֶ֖יהָ H8269 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular will come יִ֥הְיוּ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural to nothing אָֽפֶס׃ H657 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Her towers אַרְמְנֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ H759 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular will be overgrown וְעָלְתָ֤ה H5927 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular with thorns סִירִ֔ים H5518 Noun - feminine plural her fortresses בְּמִבְצָרֶ֑יהָ H4013 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular with thistles קִמּ֥וֹשׂ H7057 Noun - masculine singular and briers וָח֖וֹחַ H2336 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular She will become וְהָיְתָה֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular a haunt נְוֵ֣ה H5116 Noun - masculine singular construct for jackals תַנִּ֔ים H8577 Noun - common plural an abode חָצִ֖יר H2681 Noun - masculine singular vvv לִבְנ֥וֹת H1323 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct for ostriches יַעֲנָֽה׃ H3284 Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or serpents or dragons
  • Literally for daughters of an ostrich or for daughters of an owl
Verse 14

Original words

The desert creatures צִיִּים֙ H6728 Noun - masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Preposition will meet וּפָגְשׁ֤וּ H6298 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural with hyenas אִיִּ֔ים H338 Noun - masculine plural and one wild goat וְשָׂעִ֖יר H8163 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular will call יִקְרָ֑א H7121 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to עַל־ H5921 Preposition another רֵעֵ֣הוּ H7453 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular vvv אַךְ־ H389 Adverb There שָׁם֙ H8033 Adverb the night creature לִּילִ֔ית H3917 Noun - feminine singular will settle הִרְגִּ֣יעָה H7280 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular and find וּמָצְאָ֥ה H4672 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular her לָ֖הּ Preposition | third person feminine singular place of repose מָנֽוֹחַ׃ H4494 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew Lilith
Verse 15

Original words

There שָׁ֣מָּה H8033 Adverb | third person feminine singular the owl will קִפּוֹז֙ H7091 Noun - feminine singular make her nest קִנְּנָ֤ה H7077 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular she will lay וַתְּמַלֵּ֔ט H4422 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular and hatch her eggs וּבָקְעָ֖ה H1234 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular and gather וְדָגְרָ֣ה H1716 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular her brood under her shadow בְצִלָּ֑הּ H6738 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Even אַךְ־ H389 Adverb there שָׁ֛ם H8033 Adverb the birds of prey דַיּ֖וֹת H1772 Noun - feminine plural will gather נִקְבְּצ֥וּ H6908 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural each אִשָּׁ֥ה H802 Noun - feminine singular with its mate רְעוּתָֽהּ׃ H7468 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 16

Original words

Search דִּרְשׁ֨וּ H1875 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural . . . מֵֽעַל־ H5921 Preposition-m and read וּֽקְרָ֔אוּ H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural the scroll סֵ֤פֶר H5612 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular Not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle one אַחַ֤ת H259 Number - feminine singular of these מֵהֵ֙נָּה֙ Preposition | third person feminine plural will go missing נֶעְדָּ֔רָה H5737 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular not one אִשָּׁ֥ה H802 Noun - feminine singular . . . לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle will lack פָקָ֑דוּ H6485 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural her mate רְעוּתָ֖הּ H7468 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular because כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction He ה֣וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular has ordered צִוָּ֔ה H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular it by His mouth פִי֙ H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular and He ה֥וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular will gather them קִבְּצָֽן׃ H6908 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine plural by His Spirit וְרוּח֖וֹ H7307 Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

He וְהֽוּא־ H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular has allotted הִפִּ֤יל H5307 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular their לָהֶן֙ Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person feminine plural portion גּוֹרָ֔ל H1486 Noun - masculine singular His hand וְיָד֛וֹ H3027 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular has distributed חִלְּקַ֥תָּה H2505 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person feminine singular it לָהֶ֖ם Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural by measure בַּקָּ֑ו H6957 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular They will possess יִֽירָשׁ֔וּהָ H3423 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person feminine singular it forever עַד־ H5704 Preposition . . . עוֹלָם֙ H5769 Noun - masculine singular they will dwell יִשְׁכְּנוּ־ H7931 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural in it בָֽהּ׃ס Preposition | third person feminine singular from generation לְד֥וֹר H1755 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular to generation וָד֖וֹר H1755 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.