TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
It is he who cast the lot for them, his hand measured out their shares. They will possess it forever, and live there through all generations.
Berean Standard Bible
He has allotted their portion; His hand has distributed it by measure. They will possess it forever; they will dwell in it from generation to generation.
American Standard Version
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.
World English Bible Messianic
He has cast the lot for them, and his hand has divided it to them with a measuring line. They shall possess it forever. From generation to generation they will dwell in it.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And he hath cast the lot for them, and his hand hath deuided it vnto them by line: they shall possesse it for euer: from generation to generation shall they dwell in it.
Young's Literal Translation
And He hath cast for them a lot, And His hand hath apportioned it to them by line, Unto the age they possess it, To all generations they dwell in it!
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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 34:17 serves as the definitive conclusion to a sweeping prophetic oracle, primarily targeting Edom but encompassing all nations that stand in defiance of God's sovereign authority. This verse powerfully asserts the absolute certainty and permanent nature of the desolation previously described, declaring that the resulting wilderness, now inhabited by wild creatures, is not a random consequence but a precise, divinely ordained inheritance. It is meticulously allocated and eternally secured by God's own hand, ensuring its perpetual state from generation to generation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 34:17 skillfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of certain and permanent judgment. Personification is subtly yet powerfully present in the idea of God's "hand" actively dividing the land, attributing a human action to the divine to emphasize direct involvement, agency, and the irresistible force of His will. Imagery is central to the verse's impact, particularly the vivid pictures of "casting the lot" and "dividing by line," which draw on familiar ancient practices to illustrate the precise, intentional, and non-arbitrary nature of God's judgment. This imagery also creates a profound contrast with the typical use of these methods for land inheritance and blessing, here applying them to perpetual desolation. Furthermore, the repetition of "from generation to generation" exemplifies hyperbole and emphasis, underscoring the absolute and unending duration of the decreed ruin, thereby reinforcing the finality and irrevocability of God's word. The entire verse functions as a powerful summary statement, bringing the preceding detailed descriptions of desolation to a definitive and unalterable conclusion.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 34:17 stands as a profound testament to God's unwavering justice and the absolute certainty of His prophetic word. It reveals a God who is not only powerful enough to execute judgment but also meticulously precise and intentional in its application, using the familiar human processes of lot and measuring line to underscore divine exactitude. For those who stand in persistent opposition to God, this verse serves as a solemn and terrifying warning of irreversible consequences. For believers, while daunting in its severity, it offers a paradoxical assurance: if God's word concerning judgment is so certain and permanent, then His promises of salvation, restoration, and eternal inheritance for His people are equally, if not more, reliable and enduring. It calls us to a deeper reverence for the God whose character encompasses both profound love and righteous, unyielding justice, demonstrating His faithfulness to every word He speaks.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 34:17 compels us to reflect deeply on the profound implications of God's absolute sovereignty and the enduring nature of His decrees. In a world that frequently dismisses divine authority or presumptuously relies on God's patience, this verse serves as a stark and sobering reminder that there are indeed eternal consequences for persistent rebellion against the Creator. It challenges us to critically examine our own lives: are we living in alignment with God's revealed will, or are we, perhaps subtly, aligning ourselves with the trajectory of those nations whose ultimate destiny is desolation? For the believer, this passage, while sober in its pronouncements, should paradoxically deepen our trust in God's unwavering faithfulness. If His word of judgment is so utterly reliable and permanent, how much more certain and unbreakable are His promises of grace, mercy, and eternal life through Jesus Christ? It calls us to a posture of profound humility, diligent obedience, and confident reliance on the God who meticulously fulfills every word He speaks, whether of blessing or of judgment, demonstrating His perfect justice and unwavering character.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Isaiah 34:17 imply that God is arbitrary in His judgments?
Answer: No, quite the opposite. The imagery of "casting the lot" (H1486, gôwrâl') and dividing "by line" (H6957, qav) in Isaiah 34:17 emphasizes God's precision, intentionality, and justice, not arbitrariness. In ancient Israel, lots were frequently cast to determine divine will or to ensure an impartial, fair distribution, such as the division of the land among the tribes (Numbers 26:55). The "line" refers to a measuring cord used by surveyors, indicating a careful, methodical, and exact apportionment. Therefore, this verse highlights that God's judgment is a deliberate, measured, and just act, a precise execution of His righteous decrees, rather than a random or capricious one. It underscores His sovereign control and the undeniable certainty of His pronouncements against those who have persistently defied Him.
Who are "they" who shall possess the land forever in this verse?
Answer: In the immediate literary context of Isaiah 34, "they" refers to the wild beasts and desolate creatures described in the preceding verses (Isaiah 34:11-15). These verses paint a vivid picture of Edom's land becoming utterly desolate, a place where "the owl and the raven shall dwell in it" (Isaiah 34:11), and where "the wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island" (Isaiah 34:14). Therefore, the "possession" and "dwelling" are not by human inhabitants but by the creatures of the wilderness, symbolizing the complete and permanent ruin of the land due to God's judgment. This emphasizes the utter reversal of its former state and its abandonment by human civilization, becoming a perpetual wasteland.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Isaiah 34:17 directly addresses the judgment upon Edom and, by extension, all who oppose God, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the comprehensive and final nature of God's justice executed through Jesus Christ. The precision and permanence of the judgment described here powerfully foreshadow the definitive and eternal separation that Christ accomplishes at the end of the age. Just as God "cast the lot" and "divided by line" for Edom's desolation, so too will Christ, the ultimate and righteous Judge, perfectly and justly separate the righteous from the unrighteous (Matthew 25:31-46). All judgment has been committed to His "hand" (John 5:22), ensuring that the destiny of every individual and nation is precisely determined by His divine authority. The "forever, from generation to generation" aspect of the desolation finds its parallel in the eternal consequences for those who reject Christ, who will "go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matthew 25:46). Conversely, for those who are in Christ, the "possession" is not of desolation but of an eternal inheritance, a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13), secured by His finished work on the cross and His new covenant (Hebrews 9:15). Thus, Isaiah 34:17, in its chilling certainty of judgment, points forward to the absolute, final, and unwavering authority of Christ in determining eternal destinies.