Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 34:11
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.
11. the cormorant and the bittern ] Zep 2:14. R.V. has “the pelican (Lev 11:18; Psa 102:6) and the porcupine”; for the latter see on ch. Isa 14:23.
the line of confusion, and the stones (R.V. plummet) of emptiness ] See on ch. Isa 28:17. These implements of the builder were naturally employed where a partial destruction (of houses, &c.) was contemplated; but the image is also extended to the case of complete demolition; 2Ki 21:13; Lam 2:8. “Confusion” and “emptiness” stand for the words th and bh, used of the primeval chaos in Gen 1:2 (cf. Jer 4:23).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But the cormorant – This and the following verses contain a description of the desolations of Edom in language remarkably similar to that employed in the account of the destruction of Babylon Isa 13:20-22; Isa 14:23. The word here translated cormorant ( qa’ath), occurs in this place and in Zep 2:14, where it is rendered cormorant, and in Lev 11:18; Deu 14:17; Psa 102:6, where it is rendered pelican. Bochart supposes it is the ardea stellaris, or bitourn, which frequents watery places in deserts, and makes a horrible noise. The pelican is a sea-fowl, and cannot be intended here. The cormorant or water raven is a large fowl of the pelican kind, which occupies the cliffs by the sea, feeds on fish, and which is extremely voracious, and which is the emblem of a glutton. It is not certain what fowl is intended here, but the word properly denotes a water-fowl, and evidently refers to some bird that inhabits desolate places.
And the bittern shall possess it – For a description of the bittern, see the note at Isa 14:23.
The owl also and the raven – Well known birds that occupy deserts, and old ruins of houses or towns. The image here is that of desolation and ruin; and the sense is, that the land would be reduced to a waste that would not be inhabited by man, but would be given up to wild animals. How well this agrees with Edom, may be seen in the Travels of Burckhardt, Seetsen, and others. In regard to the fact that the cormorant ( qa’ath) should be found there, it may be proper to introduce a remark of Burckhardt, who seems to have had no reference to this prophecy. The bird katta, says he, is met with in immense numbers. They fly in such large flocks that the boys often kill two or three of them at a time, merely by throwing a stick among them. So also in regard to the fact that the owl and the raven shall dwell there, the following statements are made by travelers: Captain Mangles relates thatwhile he and his fellow-travelers were examining the ruins and contemplating the sublime scenery of Petra, the screaming of the eagles, hawks, and owls, which were soaring above their heads in considerable numbers, seemingly annoyed at anyone approaching their lonely habitation, added much to the singularity of the scene. So says Burckhardt: The fields of Tafyle (situated in the immediate vicinity of Edom) are frequented by an immense number of crows.
And he shall stretch out upon it – This is an illusion to the fact that an architect uses a line, which is employed to lay out his work (see the note at Isa 28:17).
The line of confusion – A similar expression occurs in 2Ki 21:13 : I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab; that is, I will apply the same measure and rule of destruction to Jerusalem that has been applied to Samaria. So Edom would be marked out for desolation. It was the work which God had laid out, and which he intended to perform.
And the stones of emptiness – Probably the plummet which the architect commonly employed with his line (see the note at Isa 28:17). It is a fact, however, that Edom is at present an extended waste of stones and barren rocks. We had before us an immense expanse of dreary country, entirely covered with black flints, with here and there some hilly chain rising from the plain. (Burckhardts Travels in Syria, p. 445.)
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. The cormorant] kaath, the pelican, from the root 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] kippod, the hedge-hog, or porcupine.
The owl] yanshoph, the bittern, from nashaph, to blow, because of the blowing noise it makes, almost like the lowing of an ox. My old MS. Bible renders the words thus: – The foule in face like an asse, and the yrchoun, and the snyte (snipe.)
The line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness – “The plummet of emptiness over her scorched plains.”] The word choreyha, joined to the 12th verse, embarrasses it, and makes it inexplicable. At least I do not know that any one has yet made out the construction, or given any tolerable explication of it. I join it to the 11th verse, and supply a letter or two, which seem to have been lost. Fifteen MSS. five ancient, and two editions, read choreyha; the first printed edition of 1486, I think nearer to the truth, chor choreyha. I read becharereyha, or al chorereyha; see Jer 17:6. A MS. has chodiah, and the Syriac reads chaduah, gaudium, joining it to the two preceding words; which he likewise reads differently, but without improving the sense. However, his authority is clear for dividing the verses as they are here divided. I read shem, as a noun. They shall boast, yikreu; see Pr 20:6.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The cormorant and the bittern shall possess it, the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it; the inhabitants shall be wholly cut off, and it shall be entirely possessed by those creatures which delight in deserts and waste places. See the same or like expressions in the like case, Isa 13:21,22; 14:23.
He shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness; he shall use the line, or the stone or plummet joined to it, not to build them, but to mark them out to desolation and destruction, as workmen commonly use them to mark what they are to pull down.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. cormorantThe Hebrewis rendered, in Ps 102:6,”pelican,” which is a seafowl, and cannot be meant here:some waterfowl (katta, according to BURCKHARDT)that tenants desert places is intended.
bitternrather, “thehedgehog,” or “porcupine” [GESENIUS](Isa 14:23).
owlfrom its beingenumerated among water birds in Lev 11:17;Deu 14:16. MAURERthinks rather the heron or crane is meant; from a Hebrew root,”to blow,” as it utters a sound like the blowing of a horn(Re 18:2).
confusiondevastation.
line . . . stonesmetaphorfrom an architect with line and plummet-stone (see on Isa18:2; Isa 28:17); God willrender to it the exact measure of justice without mercy(Jas 2:13; 2Ki 21:13;Lam 2:8; Amo 7:7;Amo 7:8).
emptinessdesolation.Edom is now a waste of “stones.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it,…. The word for “cormorant” is rendered a “pelican”, in Ps 102:6 they were both unclean fowls according to the law, of which see Le 11:17 and [See comments on Isa 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 cage of every unclean and hateful bird, Re 18:2:
and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness; “he”, that is, God, as Kimchi interprets it; the allusion is to builders, that make use of the line and plummet, as to build, so to pull down, that they may know what is to be pulled down, and how far they are to go; see 2Ki 21:13 and hereby it is signified, that as the destruction should be entire, nothing should be left but confusion and emptiness; and all should become “tohu” and “bohu”, which are the words used here; and are the same that are used to express the confused chaos, the unformed and empty earth, Ge 1:2 so likewise that it should be by line and level, by rule and measure; or according to the rules of justice and equity.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The land of Edom, in this geographical and also emblematical sense, would become a wilderness; the kingdom of Edom would be for ever destroyed. “And pelican and hedgehog take possession of it, and eared-owl and raven dwell there; and he stretches over it the measure of Tohu and the level of Bohu. Its nobles – there is no longer a monarchy which they elected; and all its princes come to nought.” The description of the ruin, which commences in Isa 34:11 with a list of animals that frequent marshy and solitary regions, is similar to the one in Isa 13:20-22; Isa 14:23 (compare Zep 2:14, which is founded upon this). Isaiah’s was the original of all such pictures of ruin which we meet with in the later prophets. The qippod is the hedgehog, although we find it here in the company of birds (from qaphad , to draw one’s self together, to roll up; see Isa 14:23). is written here with a double kametz, as well as in Zep 2:14, according to codd. and Kimchi, W.B. (Targ. qath , elsewhere qaq ; Saad. and Abulwalid, quq : see at Psa 102:7). According to well-established tradition, it is the long-necked pelican, which lives upon fish (the name is derived either from , to vomit, or, as the construct is , from a word , formed in imitation of the animal’s cry). Yanshuph is rendered by the Targum qppophn (Syr. kafufo ), i.e., eared-owls, which are frequently mentioned in the Talmud as birds of ill omen (Rashi, or Berachoth 57 b, chouette). As the parallel to qav , we have ( stones) here instead of , the level, in Isa 28:17. It is used in the same sense, however – namely, to signify the weight used in the plumb or level, which is suspended by a line. The level and the measure are commonly employed for the purpose of building up; but here Jehovah is represented as using these fore the purpose of pulling down (a figure met with even before the time of Isaiah: vid., Amo 7:7-9, cf., 2Ki 21:13; Lam 2:8), inasmuch as He carries out this negative reverse of building with the same rigorous exactness as that with which a builder carries out his well-considered plan, and throws Edom back into a state of desolation and desert, resembling the disordered and shapeless chaos of creation (compare Jer 4:23, where tohu vabhohu represents, as it does here, the state into which a land is reduced by fire). has no dagesh lene; and this is one of the three passages in which the opening mute is without a dagesh, although the word not only follows, but is closely connected with, one which has a soft consonant as its final letter (the others are Psa 68:18 and Eze 23:42). Thus the primeval kingdom with its early monarchy, which is long preceded that of Israel, is brought to an end (Gen 36:31). stands at the head as a kind of protasis. Edom was an elective monarchy; the hereditary nobility electing the new king. But this would be done no more. The electoral princes of Edom would come to nothing. Not a trace would be left of all that had built up the glory of Edom.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
11. Therefore the pelican and the owl shall possess it. As to these animals there are various opinions, and Hebrew commentators are not agreed about them; but the design of the Prophet is evident, which is, to describe a desert place and an extensive wilderness. He undoubtedly mentions dreadful beasts and hideous monsters, which do not dwell with men, and are not generally known by them, in order to shew more fully how shocking will be this desolation. The former clause therefore is plain enough, but the latter is attended by some difficulty.
He shall stretch over it the cord of emptiness. Some view the phrase “an empty cord” as bearing an opposite sense, and apply it to the Jews; but I take a more simple view, and think that, like all the preceding statements, it must relate to the Edomites. Anti to make it more clear that this is Isaiah’s natural meaning, we read the same word in the Prophet Malachi, who lived a long time afterwards. That passage may be regarded as an approbation of this prophecy.
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If Edom shall say, We have been diminished, we shall therefore return and rebuild the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of Hosts, They shall indeed build, but I shall pull down, and they shall call them the borders of wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord is angry for ever. And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, Let the Lord be magnified on the borders of Israel.” — (Mal 1:4.)
What Isaiah had foretold more obscurely, Malachi explains with greater clearness. The latter declares that “the Edomires shall build in vain,” and the former that “they shall stretch an empty cord.” As if he had said, “In vain shall the masterbuilders bestow their exertions on rebuilding the cities;” for builders make use of cords and plummets in all their measurements. He therefore shews that the efforts of those who shall intend to restore the land of Edom will be fruitless; for his meaning is, that they shall be destroyed in such a manner that they cannot at all recover from that destruction, though God usually alleviates other calamities by some consolation.
And hence we ought to draw a very profitable doctrine, that when cities are in some measure restored after having been thrown down, this arises from the distinguished kindness of God; for the efforts of builders or workmen will be unavailing, if he do not put his hand both to laying the foundation and to carrying forward the work. Fruitless and unprofitable also will their work be, if he do not conduct it to the conclusion, and afterwards take it under his guardianship. In vain shall men bestow great expense, and make every possible exertion, if he do not watch over and bless the work. It is only by the blessing of God, therefore, that we obtain any success; and hence also it is said that “his hands have built Jerusalem.” (Psa 147:2; Isa 14:32.) What Isaiah threatens in this passage against the Edomites, the Holy Spirit elsewhere declares as to the house of Ahab, meaning that it shall be razed to the very foundation. (2Kg 21:13.)
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it . . .The picture of a wild, desolate region, haunted by birds and beasts that shun the abode of men, is a favourite one with Isaiah (comp. Isa. 13:20-22; Isa. 14:23), and is reproduced by Zephaniah (Zep. 2:14). Naturalists agree in translating, The pelicans and hedgehogs; the owl, and the raven.
The line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness . . .The line and the stones are those of the builders plumb-line, used, as in 2Ki. 21:13; Amo. 7:7-9; Lam. 2:8, for the work, not of building up, but for the destroying as with a scientific completeness. Confusion and emptiness, are the tohu vbohu, without form and void of the primeval chaos (Gen. 1:1).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11, 12. The picture of a solitary, foul, and marshy land, and of disgusting animals and birds, taking complete possession thereof, is a favourite one with Isaiah, (see Isa 13:20-22; Isa 14:23,) and others copy him. See Zep 2:14. The cormorant is possibly the pelican, though it be a sea fowl; the bittern is, in the opinion of most, the crane, or heron, though some read hedgehog. And this is the condition of the punished Edom.
The line of confusion And he, or one, stretches a line upon it an architectural idea denoting exact measurement of justice upon Edom. Stones of emptiness, may mean waste stones, desert stones, stones of dark flint, with which the whole desert land there is strewed. These were picked up and used as, or for, a plummet, with the measuring line. So desolate is every thing there that one visiting the region, either in mockery or in mournful seeming, calls out, Where are the once great nobles, or dukes, (Gen 36:40,) that ruled here? But no answer. Only the same sad question is mockingly echoed back.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 34:11 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.
Ver. 11. The cormorant and the bittern shall possess it. ] God cannot satisfy himself in saying what he will do to the Edomites, because they had dealt by revenge, and had taken vengeance with a despiteful heart to destroy the Church, for the old satanical hatred. as Eze 25:15 He will turn in those animalis faeda, fera et terribilia, to dwell in their land; whereby is noted extreme devastation, which is here in many exquisite words (more propemodum poetico ) described.
And he shall stretch out upon it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
confusion. See note on Isa 24:10.
confusion . . . emptiness. Hebrew. tohu . . . bohu. Reference to Pentateuch (Gen 1:2), “without form and void” = waste and desolate. Only there, here, and Jer 4:23 beside. App-92.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
cormorant: or, pelican, Isa 13:20-22, Isa 14:23, Zep 2:14, Rev 18:2, Rev 18:21-23
stretch: 2Sa 8:2, 2Ki 21:13, Lam 2:8, Mal 1:3, Mal 1:4
Reciprocal: Lev 11:16 – General Job 38:5 – who hath stretched Psa 102:6 – a pelican Isa 13:21 – But Isa 32:14 – for Jer 50:39 – General Jer 51:34 – he hath made Amo 7:7 – a wall Zec 1:16 – and
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
34:11 But the cormorant {k} 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 {l} confusion, and the stones of emptiness.
(k) Read Isa 13:21, Zep 2:14 .
(l) In vain will any man go about to build it again.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Human leaders will be no more, and only wild animals and weeds will occupy the land (cf. Isa 13:21-22; Isa 14:23). "Desolation" and "emptiness" (Heb. tohu and bohu, cf. Gen 1:2) point to chaotic conditions that existed before Creation. Measuring the land indicates that the Lord has a standard by which He evaluates its inhabitants and metes it out to whomever He will (cf. Isa 34:17).