Isaiah 34:1-11

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 34:1

Hearken "Attend unto me" - A MS. adds in this line the word אלי ali , unto me, after לאמים leummim ; which seems to be genuine. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 34:4

And all the host of heaven See note on Isaiah 24:21 , and De Sacra Poesi Hebraeorum, Prael. ix. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 34:5

For my sword shall be bathed in heaven "For my sword is made bare in the heavens" - There seems to be some impropriety in this, according to the present reading: "My sword is made drunken, or is bathed in the heavens; "which forestalls, and expresses not in its proper place, what belongs to the next verse: for the sword of Jehovah was not to be bathed or glutted with blood in the heavens, but in Botsra and the land of Edom. In the heavens it was only prepared for slaughter. To remedy this,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 34:6

The Lord hath a sacrifice "For Jehovah celebrateth a sacrifice" - Ezekiel, Ezekiel 39:16 , Ezekiel 39:17 , has manifestly imitated this place of Isaiah. He hath set forth the great leaders and princes of the adverse powers under the same emblems of goats, bulls, rams, fatlings, etc., and has added to the boldness of the imagery, by introducing God as summoning all the fowls of the air, and all the beasts of the field, and bidding them to the feast which he has prepared for them by the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 34:7

The unicorns shall come down - ראמים reemim , translated wild goats by Bishop Lowth. The ראם reem Bochart thinks to be a species of wild goat in the deserts of Arabia. It seems generally to mean the rhinoceros. With blood "With their blood" - מדמם middamam ; so two ancient MSS. of Kennicott's the Syriac, and Chaldee. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 34:8

The year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion "The year of recompense to the defender of the cause of Zion" - As from דון dun , דין din , a judge; so from רוב rub , ריב rib , an advocate, or defender; Judici Sionis: Syriac. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 34:11

The cormorant - קאת kaath , the pelican, from the root קיא ki , to vomit, because it is said she swallows shell-fish, and when the heat of her stomach has killed the fish, she vomits the shells, takes out the dead fish, and eats them. The bittern - קפד kippod , the hedge-hog, or porcupine. The owl - ינשוף yanshoph , the bittern, from נשף nashaph , to blow, because of the blowing noise it makes, almost like the lowing of an ox. My old MS. Bible renders the words... read more

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