Isaiah 34:11

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Isaiah 34:11

confusion. See note on Isaiah 24:10 . confusion . . . emptiness. Hebrew. tohu . . . bohu. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 1:2 ), "without form and void" = waste and desolate. Only there, here, and Jeremiah 4:23 beside. App-92 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Isaiah 34:9-15

Isaiah 34:9-15. And the streams thereof, &c.— The prophet, whose copiousness of speaking is every where inexhausted, paints, in the most chosen figures, an image of the land and city desolated by war, wasted by fire, and devoted to eternal devastation, by the divine judgment; which should not only be deprived of its inhabitants, and left to impure beasts and birds, accustomed to dwell in desarts and desolate places, but also, by the desolation brought upon it, should be rendered... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 34:11

11. cormorant—The Hebrew is rendered, in Psalms 102:6, "pelican," which is a seafowl, and cannot be meant here: some waterfowl (katta, according to BURCKHARDT) that tenants desert places is intended. bittern—rather, "the hedgehog," or "porcupine" [GESENIUS] (Isaiah 14:23). owl—from its being enumerated among water birds in Leviticus 11:17; Deuteronomy 14:16. MAURER thinks rather the heron or crane is meant; from a Hebrew root, "to blow," as it utters a sound like the blowing of a horn... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 34:5-17

Edom as an example 34:5-17The prophet now introduced Edom, as a case in point, whose end would be typical of the whole earth (cf. Isaiah 11:14; Isaiah 63:1-6). If Edom alone had been in view, Isaiah probably would have dealt with it as he did the other nations in the oracles earlier in the book (chs. 13-23). But why Edom? The Old Testament consistently treats Edom as the antithesis of Israel (cf. Obad.). Isaac told Esau that he would live in an infertile area (Genesis 27:39-40)."Recollecting... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 34:11-13

Human leaders will be no more, and only wild animals and weeds will occupy the land (cf. Isaiah 13:21-22; Isaiah 14:23). "Desolation" and "emptiness" (Heb. tohu and bohu, cf. Genesis 1:2) point to chaotic conditions that existed before Creation. Measuring the land indicates that the Lord has a standard by which He evaluates its inhabitants and metes it out to whomever He will (cf. Isaiah 34:17). read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 34:1-17

4. Cp. 1 Isaiah 3:10. 5. Shall be bathed] RV ’hath drunk its fill.’ Idumea] RV ’Edom.’6. Bozrah] a strongly fortified city of Edom (Isaiah 63:1; Amos 1:12; Jeremiah 49:13). See the same imagery Jeremiah 46:10. The men slain by divine vengeance are compared to beasts offered in sacrifice.7. Unicorns] RV ’wild-oxen.’ Come down] i.e. to the shambles. 8. Controversy] ’quarrel.’ The calamity of Edom is a punishment from Jehovah for its hostility to Zion.9, 10. Imagery suggested by the fate of Sodom... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Isaiah 34:11

(11) But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it . . .—The picture of a wild, desolate region, haunted by birds and beasts that shun the abode of men, is a favourite one with Isaiah (comp. Isaiah 13:20-22; Isaiah 14:23), and is reproduced by Zephaniah (Zephaniah 2:14). Naturalists agree in translating, The pelicans and hedgehogs; the owl, and the raven.The line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness . . .—The “line” and the “stones” are those of the builder’s plumb-line, used, as in 2... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Isaiah 34:1-17

CHAPTER 34 The Day of Jehovah 1. Addressed to the world: Jews and Gentiles involved (Isaiah 34:1 ) 2. The shaking of the earth and the heavens (Isaiah 34:2-8 ) 3. The day of vengeance (Isaiah 34:9-17 ) This is one of the darkest chapters in the Bible. A worldwide judgment is described such as has never taken place in the history of the world. The indignation of the Lord is then upon all nations and upon their armies. Like chapter 33, it tells of the great judgments to come. read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Isaiah 34:11

34:11 But the cormorant {k} and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of {l} confusion, and the stones of emptiness.(k) Read Isaiah 13:21, Zephaniah 2:14 .(l) In vain will any man go about to build it again. read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Isaiah 34:1-17

JUDAH AND EGYPT These chapters make a unit since, with the exception of the opening part of chapter 28, they chiefly deal with Judah’s futile alliance with Egypt. Isaiah 28:0 Israel, or the kingdom of the ten tribes, is addressed under the name of her leading tribe “Ephraim” (Isaiah 28:1 ). Her great sin is strong drink. “The head of the fat valley” is Samaria the capital, which is soon to be overthrown by the Assyrians (Isaiah 28:2-4 ). Observe, however, the usual forecast of the end of the... read more