TRV
Translation
King James Version
The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.
Complete Jewish Bible
Wildcats and hyenas will meet there; and billy-goats call to each other; Lilit [the night monster] will lurk there and find herself a place to rest.
Berean Standard Bible
The desert creatures will meet with hyenas, and one wild goat will call to another. There the night creature will settle and find her place of repose.
American Standard Version
And the wild beasts of the desert shall meet with the wolves, and the wild goat shall cry to his fellow; yea, the night-monster shall settle there, and shall find her a place of rest.
World English Bible Messianic
The wild animals of the desert will meet with the wolves, and the wild goat will cry to his fellow. Yes, the night creature shall settle there, and shall find herself a place of rest.
Geneva Bible (1599)
There shall meete also Ziim and Iim, and the Satyre shall cry to his fellow, and the shricheowle shall rest there, and shall finde for her selfe a quiet dwelling.
Young's Literal Translation
And met have Ziim with Aiim, And the goat for its companion calleth, Only there rested hath the night-owl, And hath found for herself a place of rest.
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Commentary on Isaiah 34 verses 9–17
9 ¶ And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.
10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.
11 But the cormorant 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 confusion, and the stones of emptiness.
12 They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all her princes shall be nothing.
13 And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls.
14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.
15 There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate.
16 Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.
17 And he hath cast the lot for them, and his hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it for ever, from generation to generation shall they dwell therein.
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 ruinous heaps. Old decayed castles look frightful, and their ruins are almost as much dreaded as ever their garrisons were. 2. It describes the destroying judgments which are the effects of God's wrath and the just punishment of those that are enemies to his people, which God will inflict when the year of the redeemed has come, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. Those that aim to ruin the church can never do that, but will infallibly ruin themselves. 3. It describes the final desolation of this wicked world, which is reserved unto fire at the day of judgment, Pe2 3:7. The earth itself, when it, and all the works that are therein, shall be burnt up, will (for aught I know) be turned into a hell to all those that set their affections on earthly things. However, this prophecy shows us what will be the lot of the generation of God's curse.
I. The country shall become like the lake of Sodom, Isa 34:9, Isa 34:10. The streams thereof, that both watered the land and pleased and refreshed the inhabitants, shall now be turned into pitch, shall be congealed, shall look black, and shall move slowly, or not at all. Their floods to lazy streams of pitch shall turn; so Sir R. Blackmore. The dust thereof shall be turned into brimstone; so combustible has sin made their land that it shall take fire at the first spark of God's wrath struck upon it; and, when it has taken fire, it shall become burning pitch; the fire shall be universal, not a house, or town, on fire, but a whole country; and it shall not be in the power of any to suppress or extinguish it. It shall burn continually, burn perpetually, and shall not be quenched night nor day. The torment of those in hell, or that have a hell within them in their own consciences, is without interruption; the smoke of this fire goes up for ever. As long as there are provoking sinners on earth, from one generation to another, an increase of sinful men, to augment the fierce anger of the Lord (Num 32:14), there will be a righteous God in heaven to punish them for it. And as long as a people keep up a succession of sinners God will have a succession of plagues for them; nor will any that fall under the wrath of God be ever able to recover themselves. It will be found, how light soever men make of it, that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. If the land be doomed to destruction, none shall pass through it, but travellers will choose rather to go a great way about than come within the smell of it.
II. The cities shall become like old decayed houses, which, being deserted by the owners, look very frightful, being commonly possessed by beasts of prey or birds of ill omen. See how dismally the palaces of the enemy look; the description is peculiarly elegant and fine. 1. God shall mark them for ruin and destruction. He shall stretch out upon Bozrah the line of confusion with the stones or plummets of emptiness, Isa 34:11. This intimates the equity of the sentence passed upon it; it is given according to the rules of justice and the exact agreeableness of the execution with the sentence; the destruction is not wrought at random, but by line and level. The confusion and emptiness that shall overspread the face of the whole country shall be like that of the whole earth when it was Tohu and Bohu (the very words here used) - without form and void. Gen 1:2. Sin will soon turn a paradise into a chaos, and sully the beauty of the whole creation. When there is confusion there will soon be emptiness; but both are appointed by the governor of the world, and in exact proportions. 2. Their great men shall be all cut off, and none of them shall dare to appear (Isa 34:12): They shall call the nobles of the kingdom to take care of the arduous affairs which lie before them, but none shall be there to take this ruin under their hand, and all her princes, having the sad tidings brought them, shall be nothing, shall be at their wits' end, and not be able to stand them in stead, to shelter them from destruction.
III. Even the houses of state, and those of strength, shall become as wildernesses (Isa 34:13); not only grass shall grow, but thorns shall come up, in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof, and there shall be none to cut them up or tread them down. We sometimes see ruined buildings thus overgrown with rubbish. It intimates that the place shall not only be uninhabited and unfrequented where a full court used to be kept, but that it shall be under the curse of God; for thorns and thistles were the production of the curse, Gen 3:18.
IV. They shall become the residence and rendezvous of fearful frightful beasts and birds, which usually frequent such melancholy places, because there they may be undisturbed, and, when they are frightened thither, they help to frighten men thence. This circumstance of the desolation, being apt to strike a horror upon the mind, is much enlarged upon here, Isa 34:11. The cormorant shall possess it, or the pelican, which affects to be solitary (Psa 102:6); and the bittern, which makes a hideous noise, the owl, a melancholy bird, the raven, a bird of prey, invited by the dead carcases, shall dwell there (with all the ill-boding monsters of the air, Sir R. B.), all the unclean birds, which were not for the service of man, Isa 34:13. It shall be a habitation for dragons, which are poisonous and hurtful.
And in their lofty rooms of state,
Where cringing sycophants did wait,
Dragons shall hiss and hungry wolves shall howl;
In courts before by mighty lords possess'd
The serpent shall erect his speckled crest,
Or fold his circling spires to rest.
- Sir R. Blackmore
That which was a court for princes shall now be a court for owls or ostriches, Isa 34:14. The wild beasts of the desert, the dry and sandy country, shall meet, as it were by appointment, with the wild beasts of the island, the wet marshy country, and shall regale themselves with such a perfect desolation as they shall find there.
Leopards, and all the rav'ning brotherhoods
That range the plains, or lurk in woods,
Each other shall invite to come,
And make this wilder place their home.
Fierce beasts of every frightful shape and size
Shall settle here their bloody colonies.
- Sir R. Blackmore
The satyr shall cry to his fellow to go with him to this desert place, or, being there, they shall please themselves that they have found such an agreeable habitation. There shall the screech-owl rest, a night-bird and an ominous one. The great owl shall there make her nest (Isa 34:15) and lay and hatch; the breed of them shall be kept up to provide heirs for this desolate place. The vultures which feast on carcases, shall be gathered there, every one with his mate. Now observe, 1. How the places which men have deserted, and keep at a distance from, are proper receptacles for other animals, which the providence of God takes care of, and will not neglect. 2. Whom those resemble that are morose, unsociable, and unconversable, and affect a melancholy retirement; they are like these solitary creatures that take delight in desolations. 3. What a dismal change sin makes; it turns a fruitful land into barrenness, a frequented city into a wilderness.
V. Here is an assurance given of the full accomplishment of this prediction, even to the most minute circumstance of it (Isa 34:16, Isa 34:17): "Seek you out of the book of the Lord and read. When this destruction comes compare the event with the prediction, and you will find it to answer exactly." Note, The book of the prophets is the book of the Lord, and we ought to consult it and converse with it as of divine origin and authority. We must not only read it, but see out of it, search into it, turn first to one text and then to another and compare them together. Abundance of useful knowledge might thus be extracted, by a diligent search, out of the scriptures, which cannot be got by a superficial reading of them. When you have read the prediction out of the book of the Lord then observe, 1. That according to what you have read so you see; not one of these shall fail, either beast or fowl: and, it being foretold that they shall possess it from generation to generation, in order to that, that the species may be propagated, none shall want her mate; these marks of desolation shall be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the land. 2. That God's mouth having commanded this direful muster his Spirit shall gather them, as the creatures by instinct were gathered to Adam to be named and to Noah to be housed. What God's word has appointed his Spirit will effect and bring about, for no word of God shall fall to the ground. The word of God's promise shall in like manner be accomplished by the operations of the Spirit. 3. That there is an exact order and proportion observed in the accomplishment of this threatening: He has cast the lot for these birds and beasts, so that each one shall know his place as readily as if it were marked by line. See the like, Joe 2:7, Joe 2:8, They shall not break their ranks, neither shall one thrust another. The soothsayers among the heathen foretold events by the flight of birds, as if the fate of men depended on them. But here we find that the flight of birds is under the direction of the God of Israel: he has cast the lot for them. 4. That the desolation shall be perpetual: They shall possess it for ever. God's Jerusalem may be laid in ruins; but Jerusalem of old recovered itself out of its ruins, till it gave place to the gospel Jerusalem, which may be brought low, but shall be rebuilt, and shall continue till it give place to the heavenly Jerusalem. But the enemies of the church shall be for ever desolate, shall be punished with an everlasting destruction.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 9–17. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verses 8 and following) For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, the year of retribution in the judgment of Zion. Its streams will be turned into pitch, and its soil into sulfur; its land will become burning pitch. Night and day it will not be extinguished; its smoke will go up forever. From generation to generation it will lie desolate; no one will pass through it forever. The pelican and the hedgehog will possess it, the owl and the raven will dwell in it. It will be stretched out with a measuring line, and it will be reduced to nothing, and its plumb line to desolation. Her nobles will not be there; rather, they will call upon the king, and all his princes will be nothing. Thorns, thistles, and briers will grow in his palaces; it will become a haunt for jackals, a feeding place for ostriches. And wild creatures will meet with hyenas; the wild goat will cry to his fellow; indeed, there the night bird settles and finds for herself a resting place. There the owl nests and lays and hatches and gathers her young in her shadow; indeed, there the hawks are gathered, each one with her mate. Search diligently in the book of the Lord and read. One of them did not fail, and one did not seek the other. For what proceeds from my mouth, he commanded, and his spirit gathered them. And he sent them a lot, and his hand divided it for them in measure; they will possess it forever, and they will dwell in it from generation to generation. The Hebrews, as we have said above, contend that these things are prophesied about the Roman Empire and are preached as a vengeance on Zion, the former devastation of the most powerful kingdom, which many of ours also think is written in the Apocalypse of John according to the letter. But we consider this to be the year of the vengeance of the Lord, the year of retributions and judgments in Zion, of which the Savior himself spoke: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' (Luke 4:18-19, Isaiah 61:1-3). Also, as it is written: 'Rise up, you women who are at ease.' (Isaiah 32:9). And remember the days of the year in sorrow with hope, so that, after the general consummation of the whole world, the prophecy may return to Jerusalem, to which it was spoken at that time, and its devastation be described in full detail: namely, that after the time of the Roman siege has come, everything will be consumed by pitch, sulfur, and burning flames, and its smoke will remain forever, and it will be inhabited by the pelican and the hedgehog, and the ibis and the raven, which are creatures accustomed to inhabiting desolate places. And let this be done, because the cord and the plumb line of the Lord, that is, his judgment, cannot be changed. His nobles, that is, the Apostles and believers, will not be there, nor will they be joined with the number of the damned: but rather they will invoke King Christ. But all the leaders of the city, namely the Scribes and the Pharisees, will be reduced to nothingness, and thorns and nettles and brambles will grow in their once ornate houses. And there will be a haunt for dragons, and pastures for ostriches, which themselves are signs of extreme desolation. And there they will encounter, according to the LXX, various apparitions of demons, or as all others have translated according to the Hebrew, Siim and Iim, onocentaurs, and shaggy figures, and lamia, which the fables of the Gentiles and the creations of poets describe. Also, there the hedgehog nurtures its puppies, and it has a very faithful watchpost: there the kites gather, a very carnivorous bird, which in Hebrew is called Dajoth (or, as the LXX translated, deer, which we will discuss later). Among these things, the Prophet speaks to those who hear: O men (or, all) who hear me speaking, what I announce about the future, all things will be fulfilled. For in the book the words of the Lord are written, and His intention is determined, and not even one thing will be in vain. For whatever proceeds from my mouth, he has commanded, that is, I speak on his behalf; but the words are the Lord's, and by his spirit whatever is said will be accomplished. Each thing will be fulfilled according to his decree and measure: and they will not leave their order even unto eternal generations. Let these things be said according to the Hebrew and historical explanation. Moreover, those who follow the allegory, expelling the people of the Jews under the names of beasts and monsters, affirm that they will dwell in Jerusalem, serving idols and various superstitions: and these are the onocrotali and hedgehogs, the raven and dragons, and ostriches, and onocentaurs, and demons, and shaggy creatures, and the lamia, which is called Lilith in Hebrew (); and the lamia has been translated from the ground by Symmachus, which some Hebrews suspect to be the Fury. And indeed, if we consider the various colonies brought to Jerusalem from different nations, and according to the customs of their provinces, each family worshipped their own demons as wonders, we will affirm that all of this existed in Jerusalem. And what the LXX translated: 'There the deer met them and saw their own faces: they passed by in number, and not one of them perished or sought another. For the Lord commanded them, and his spirit gathered them; and he himself gave them lots, and his hand divided them: that they may feed forever, and possess it in generation after generation, and rest in it.' We will interpret this allegorically, teaching that the deer, that is, the Apostles and all holy teachers, about whom it is written: 'As the deer longs for the fountains of water, so my soul longs for you, O God' (Ps. 41:1); and elsewhere: 'The voice of the Lord perfects the deer' (Ps. 28:9); and again: 'Let the deer of friendship and the colt of your graces speak to you' (Prov. 5); and in Job: 'You keep the minds of the deer, and you send forth their offspring' (Job. 39:2); and in the Song of Songs it is said: 'My beloved is like a roe or a young deer on the mountains of spices' (Song. 2:9); that they met each other in Jerusalem and saw each other's appearances, and passed by and left it, and went to different provinces, because the Lord had commanded them: 'Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit' (Matthew 28:19); and his spirit gathered them, giving them lots and dividing them, so that some would go to the Indians, others to Spain, others to Illyricum, others to Greece; and each would rest in their own province of the Gospel and teaching. What we have said above about Jerusalem being prophesied, and the Jews suspecting that it refers to the Roman rule, some people attribute to the whole world, so as not to seem to differ from the earlier interpretations.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 34:14 presents a stark prophetic vision of utter desolation and irreversible divine judgment, specifically targeting Edom as a representative of all nations that oppose God. The verse vividly portrays a land once inhabited by humans now transformed into a permanent haunt for wild, eerie, and often malevolent creatures, symbolizing a complete reversal of divine order and a profound spiritual abandonment. It serves as a chilling declaration that where God's righteous rule is rejected, chaos and ruin will inevitably take root, becoming a desolate wilderness where only creatures of darkness and desolation find their undisturbed rest.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 34:14 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of utter desolation and divine judgment. Symbolism is paramount, as each creature mentioned—the wild beasts, the satyr, and the screech owl—symbolizes not just natural wilderness but also divine curse, spiritual abandonment, and the triumph of chaos. The "satyr" and "screech owl" carry particularly potent symbolic weight, alluding to demonic presence or eerie, supernatural elements that underscore the land's transformation into a place of dread. Personification is evident in the "satyr" crying to its "fellow," giving these creatures human-like interaction and further emphasizing the eerie, unnatural nature of the new inhabitants. The entire verse utilizes Grotesque Imagery and Hyperbole to paint a vivid, almost nightmarish, picture of ruin. The convergence of such diverse and often ominous creatures in a formerly inhabited land is an extreme exaggeration designed to impress upon the reader the absolute and irreversible nature of God's judgment. Finally, Irony is powerfully present in the idea that while humanity is driven out, these creatures of chaos find "rest" in the desolate landscape, highlighting the complete reversal of divine order.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 34:14 serves as a profound theological statement on the severe consequences of rebellion against God, illustrating the unwavering nature of divine judgment. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty over all nations and His righteous commitment to justice. The vivid imagery of a once-inhabited land given over to wild beasts and demonic figures highlights the spiritual decay and moral chaos that inevitably follow when a society or individual turns away from God's divine order. This desolation is not merely physical but deeply spiritual, a vivid portrayal of what happens when God's restraining hand is removed. It reminds us that sin, left unchecked, leads to a wilderness of spiritual emptiness and a haunting by the very forces that oppose God's life-giving presence.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The chilling imagery of Isaiah 34:14, while a specific prophecy against Edom, carries enduring relevance for all who encounter it. It serves as a stark reminder of the profound seriousness of God's judgment and the inevitable consequences of persistent rebellion against His holy character. We are confronted with the truth that where God's presence is rejected and His divine order is scorned, spiritual desolation and moral chaos will inevitably fill the void. This passage challenges us to consider the "desolations" in our own lives or societies—areas where spiritual neglect or active sin have invited a "wildness" that is contrary to God's design for flourishing. It prompts us to reflect on the importance of seeking God's true rest and order, lest we find ourselves in a spiritual wilderness where only the "screech owl" of despair and the "satyr" of corruption find a place of rest. Ultimately, it calls us to repentance and to embrace the life-giving presence of God, which alone can transform any wilderness into a garden of spiritual vitality and peace.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the "satyr" in this verse?
Answer: The "satyr" (Hebrew: sâʻîyr, H8163) literally means "hairy one" or "he-goat." While it can refer to a literal wild goat, in prophetic contexts like Isaiah 34:14, it often carries a deeper, more ominous meaning. It can allude to goat-demons or malevolent spirits associated with pagan worship and desolate places. Its presence here signifies not just the absence of human life, but the active presence of spiritual corruption and extreme abandonment, suggesting the land becomes a haunt for entities associated with idolatry and the demonic, underscoring the spiritual dimension of the judgment. This imagery is also found in Isaiah 13:21 concerning Babylon's desolation.
What is the "screech owl" and why is it significant?
Answer: The "screech owl" in Isaiah 34:14 translates the Hebrew word lîylîyth (H3917), which is derived from the word for "night" (layil). This is the only occurrence of lîylîyth in the Hebrew Bible. While later folklore (Babylonian and Jewish) developed the figure of Lilith as a night demon, in the biblical context here, it most likely refers to a specific nocturnal bird of prey or a night creature, such as an owl or night-hawk. Its inclusion emphasizes the eerie silence, darkness, and supernatural terror associated with such a desolate, cursed place. The fact that it finds "rest" there highlights the complete and permanent abandonment of the land by humans, becoming a permanent dwelling for creatures of the night and symbolizing the triumph of darkness and chaos.
Does this prophecy of desolation apply literally to a specific place or is it symbolic?
Answer: While Isaiah 34 specifically targets Edom, the language and imagery used are highly symbolic and hyperbolic, extending beyond a literal geographical prediction. Edom serves as a representative of all nations that oppose God and His people. The prophecy describes a complete and irreversible desolation, not just a temporary abandonment. The "wild beasts," "satyrs," and "screech owls" symbolize the spiritual and moral decay, the triumph of chaos, and the presence of malevolent forces that take root where God's order is rejected. Therefore, while it has a historical referent, its primary message is a profound theological truth about the consequences of divine judgment on all forms of rebellion against God, serving as a powerful warning and a stark contrast to God's ultimate plan of restoration for His people, as seen in Isaiah 35.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 34:14, with its vivid imagery of desolation and the triumph of wild, eerie creatures, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in a literal re-creation of this scene, but in the profound reversal and redemption accomplished through Jesus Christ. The "Day of the Lord's Vengeance" described in Isaiah 34, which brings utter ruin to God's enemies, culminates in the final judgment that Christ will execute (e.g., Revelation 19:11-16). However, Christ also fulfills the promise of reversal and new creation. Where the old creation, marred by sin, is given over to chaos and the "screech owl" of darkness finds rest, Christ offers true and eternal rest. He is the one who casts out the "satyr"-like forces of spiritual darkness and demonic influence (e.g., Mark 1:21-28), bringing light and order where there was only chaos. The ultimate "place of rest" is not found in a desolate ruin, but in Christ Himself, who invites all who are weary and burdened to find rest for their souls (Matthew 11:28-30). Through His atoning work on the cross, Jesus takes upon Himself the full weight of God's judgment, transforming the spiritual wasteland of humanity's sin into a new creation where the wilderness blossoms like a rose (Isaiah 35:1-2). He is the Lamb of God who conquers death and desolation, ushering in the new heavens and new earth where there will be no more curse, no more night, and certainly no place for the creatures of ruin, but only the glorious presence of God and the Lamb (Revelation 21:1-5).