Isaiah 34:2

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

For the indignation of the LORD [is] upon all nations, and [his] fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.

Complete Jewish Bible:

For ADONAI is angry at every nation, furious with all their armies; he has completely destroyed them, handed them over to slaughter.

Berean Standard Bible:

The LORD is angry with all the nations and furious with all their armies. He will devote them to destruction; He will give them over to slaughter.

American Standard Version:

For Jehovah hath indignation against all the nations, and wrath against all their host: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

For the indignation{H7110} of the LORD{H3068} is upon all nations{H1471}, and his fury{H2534} upon all their armies{H6635}: he hath utterly destroyed{H2763} them, he hath delivered{H5414} them to the slaughter{H2874}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Jeremiah 25:15

  • ¶ For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

Jeremiah 25:29

  • For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.

Zephaniah 3:8

  • ¶ Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination [is] to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, [even] all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

Joel 3:9

  • ¶ Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

Joel 3:14

  • Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision.

Isaiah 30:25

  • And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers [and] streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.

Zechariah 14:12

  • And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

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Commentary for Isaiah 34:2

Isaiah 34:2 is a part of the prophetic book of Isaiah, which is a collection of prophecies attributed to the prophet Isaiah, who lived in the 8th century BCE. The book is divided into two main sections: chapters 1-39, which focus on prophecies of judgment and restoration for Judah and Israel, and chapters 40-66, which broaden to include the nations and God's universal reign.

The verse itself is set within a larger passage of oracles against the nations, specifically in the context of God's judgment against Edom, which is symbolic of all nations that oppose God's people. The themes present in this verse include:

1. **Divine Wrath**: The "indignation of the LORD" refers to God's righteous anger against sin and disobedience. This concept is common in the prophetic literature of the Bible, where God's wrath is often depicted as being directed against those who persist in wickedness and refuse to repent.

2. **Universal Judgment**: The verse emphasizes that God's judgment is not limited to Israel or Judah but extends "upon all nations" and "all their armies." This reflects the understanding that God is sovereign over all the earth and that all people are accountable to Him.

3. **Destruction and Slaughter**: The language used ("he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter") is stark and vivid, indicating complete devastation. This hyperbolic language is typical of prophetic oracles, meant to convey the severity of God's judgment.

4. **Historical Context**: The specific historical context for this oracle is thought to be the period after the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (722 BCE) and during the Assyrian threats to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Edom, mentioned elsewhere in the context of Isaiah 34, had a complex relationship with Israel, often characterized by hostility, which may have contributed to its role as a symbol of the nations opposing God's people.

In summary, Isaiah 34:2 is a declaration of God's universal sovereignty and the consequence of His wrath against all nations that stand against His will. It serves as a warning and a reminder of God's power and justice, emphasizing that no one, regardless of nationality or strength of armies, can ultimately withstand the judgment of the Lord.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H7110
    There are 29 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: קֶצֶף
    Transliteration: qetseph
    Pronunciation: keh'-tsef
    Description: from קָצַף; a splinter (as chipped off); figuratively, rage or strife; foam, indignation, [idiom] sore, wrath.
  2. Strong's Number: H3068
    There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְהֹוָה
    Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
    Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
    Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
  3. Strong's Number: H1471
    There are 511 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: גּוֹי
    Transliteration: gôwy
    Pronunciation: go'-ee
    Description: rarely (shortened) גֹּי; apparently from the same root as גֵּוָה (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts; Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
  4. Strong's Number: H2534
    There are 117 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: חֵמָה
    Transliteration: chêmâh
    Pronunciation: khay-maw'
    Description: or (Daniel 11:44) חֵמָא; from יָחַם; heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever); anger, bottles, hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath(-ful). See חֶמְאָה.
  5. Strong's Number: H6635
    There are 463 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: צָבָא
    Transliteration: tsâbâʼ
    Pronunciation: tsaw-baw'
    Description: or (feminine) צְבָאָה; from צָבָא; a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship); appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).
  6. Strong's Number: H2763
    There are 48 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: חָרַם
    Transliteration: châram
    Pronunciation: khaw-ram'
    Description: a primitive root; to seclude; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction); physical and reflexive, to be blunt as to the nose; make accursed, consecrate, (utterly) destroy, devote, forfeit, have a flat nose, utterly (slay, make away).
  7. Strong's Number: H5414
    There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָתַן
    Transliteration: nâthan
    Pronunciation: naw-than'
    Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
  8. Strong's Number: H2874
    There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: טֶבַח
    Transliteration: ṭebach
    Pronunciation: teh'-bakh
    Description: from טָבַח; properly, something slaughtered; hence, a beast (or meat, as butchered); abstractly butchery (or concretely, a place of slaughter); [idiom] beast, slaughter, [idiom] slay, [idiom] sore.