Isaiah 34:15

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 34:15

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 34:15

The great owl - קפוז kippoz , the ακοντιας , or darter, a serpent so called because of its suddenly leaping up or darting on its prey. Probably the mongoose or ichneumon may be intended. The vultures - דיות daiyoth , the black vultures. My old MS. Bible renders these names curiously: And ageyn cumen schul devylis: the beste, party of an asse, and party of a mam: and the wodwose, the tother schal crien to the tother. There schal byn lamya, that is, thrisse, or a beste, havynge... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 34:1-15

The Divine indignation. The strong, pictorial language of the prophet brings into bold relief some truths respecting God's indignation of which it is needful to be occasionally reminded. We learn— I. THAT IT IS A CONSTANT FACTOR IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE WORLD . "Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people; let the earth hear, and all that is therein … for the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations ," etc. ( Isaiah 34:1 , Isaiah 34:2 ). It is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 34:1-17

SECTION 11. THE DIVINE JUDGMENT ON THE WORLD , AND THE GLORY OF THE CHURCH CONSEQUENT UPON IT ( Isaiah 34:1-17 ; Isaiah 35:1-10 .). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 34:1-17

The sins and punishment of Edom. The Edomites appear in the blackest colors in the descriptions of the prophets. And in this oracle their punishment is represented in the horrible desolation of their land. I. THEIR SINS . Their cruelty is above all stigmatized. At the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar they helped to plunder the city and slaughter the poor Jews. Their conduct on this occasion was never forgotten ( Psalms 137:1-9 .). In Obadiah we have the feelings about them... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 34:13-15

The witness of desolate lands. In every age there have been such. In the forefront of the world's history there was desolated Sodom and Gomorrah, witnessing to Israelites, and witnessing to all the world. Our Lord, as a Teacher, called attention to its message. Attention may be directed to Babylon, Tyre, Palestine; and for modern times, to the decay of the commercial cities of Italy, to Holland, etc.—countries which may be spoken of as "desolate" when compared with former prosperities. Edom,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 34:15

The great owl ; rather, the arrow-snake ( Serpens jaculus ). Gather under her shadow ; i.e. "gather her young ones under her." There shall the vultures also be gathered ; rather, there verily shall the vultures assemble . read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 34:15

There shall the great owl - (קפוז qı̂pôz). Gesenius supposes that this is the arrow-snake, so called from its darting or springing, in the manner of the rattle-snake - from an obsolete root to draw oneself together, to contract. Bochart (Hieroz. ii. 3. 11. 408-419) has examined the meaning of the word at length, and comes to the conclusion that it means the serpent which the Greeks called acontias, and the Latins, jaculus - the arrow-snake. The serpent is oviparous, and nourishes its young.... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 34:9-15

Isaiah 34:9-15. And the streams thereof The rivers, which seem most secure from the judgment here threatened; shall be turned into pitch, &c. The country shall be dealt with as Sodom and Gomorrah were, even utterly destroyed, as it were, by fire, or burning pitch and brimstone, thrown down upon it from heaven. From generation to generation it shall lie waste It shall be irrecoverably ruined, and shall remain a spectacle of God’s vengeance to all succeeding ages. The cormorant,... read more

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