Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 34:1-8

Here we have a prophecy, as elsewhere we have a history, of the wars of the Lord, which we are sure are all both righteous and successful. This world, as it is his creature, he does good to; but as it is in the interest of Satan, who is called the god of this world, he fights against it. I. Here is the trumpet sounded and the war proclaimed, Isa. 34:1. All nations must hear and hearken, not only because what God is about to do is well worthy their remark (as Isa. 33:13), but because they are... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 34:9-17

This prophecy looks very black, but surely it looks so further than upon Edom and Bozrah. 1. It describes the melancholy changes that are often made by the divine Providence, in countries, cities, palaces, and families. Places that have flourished and been much frequented strangely go to decay. We know not where to find the places where many great towns, celebrated in history, once stood. Fruitful countries, in process of time, are turned into barrenness, and pompous populous cities into... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 34:8

For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance ,.... The time which he has appointed to take vengeance on antichrist, his 1260 days, or years; being up, in which he is to reign; these being expired, the time is come for the Lord to avenge the blood of his saints; see Revelation 18:20 , and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion ; the church of God, which has been for many ages abused and injured by the antichristian powers, for which the Lord will have a controversy with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 34:9

And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch ,.... The Septuagint render it, "the valleys"; the word signifying both rivers and valleys, most render it rivers or streams. The Targum is express, "the rivers of Rome shall be turned into pitch;' by which may be meant the maritime places belonging to the Romish jurisdiction, the same on which the third vial will be poured, by which the rivers and fountains of waters will become blood; and which refers to this very time, when blood... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 34:10

It shall not be quenched night nor day ,.... It will be long burning, and shall not be extinguished until it is utterly consumed. The burning of Rome will continue long, especially the smoke of it; the kings of the earth, and others, are represented as standing and looking at it, and lamenting for it, Revelation 18:9 , the smoke thereof shall go up for ever ; this very phrase is what will be used by the saints in their "allelujahs", at the burning of Rome, Revelation 19:3 with which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 34:11

But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it ,.... The word for "cormorant" is rendered a "pelican", in Psalm 102:6 they were both unclean fowls according to the law, of which see Leviticus 11:17 and See Gill on Isaiah 14:23 , the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it ; which were likewise unclean creatures; and these, with the former, and other creatures after mentioned, delight to dwell in desolate and ruinous places; and so Babylon or Rome being destroyed, will become a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 34:12

They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there ,.... They shall call them to take upon them the kingdom and government, and there shall be none to do it, or that will care to do it; or rather there will be no kingdom to take unto them. The words may be rendered either, "as for the nobles thereof, not there a kingdom shall they be called" F16 חריה ואין שם מלוכה יקראו "nobiles ejus, et non ibi regnum vocabuntur", Forerius. ; or, "the nobles shall... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 34:13

And thorns shall come up in her palaces ,.... Where their kings and princes dwelt, and kept their courts, popes and cardinals; here will be the tokens of God's curse, as thorns are, these being the people of his curse, as in Isaiah 34:5 , nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof ; alluding to "Bozrah" which signifies a fortress; referring to the towers and fortifications of the city of Rome, and all other fortified cities within its jurisdiction: and it shall be a habitation... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 34:14

The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the islands ,.... In Rome, and take up their abode there; of these creatures, the first of which the Targum renders monstrous ones, and the latter wild cats; see Gill on Isaiah 13:22 , and the satyr shall cry to his fellow ; or the "hairy" one F18 שעיר "pilosus", a שער "capillus." ; from which word the goat has its name; and these creatures are described by the ancients as half goats and half men; of which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 34:15

There shall the great owl make her nest ,.... Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, say that "kippoz" here is the same with "kippod", rendered "bittern" in Isaiah 34:11 but Aben Ezra takes them to be two different birds; it is hard to say what is designed by it. Bochart thinks that one kind of serpent is here meant, so called from its leaping up, and which may be said to make nests, lay eggs and hatch them, as follows: and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow ; lay its eggs, sit upon... read more

Group of Brands