Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 34:17
And he hath cast the lot for them, and his hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it forever, from generation to generation shall they dwell therein.
17. The eternity of the judgment is again emphasised ( Isa 34:10).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And he hath cast the lot for them – He hath assigned to them the land of Edom to be occupied by them as their portion. This language is taken from the fact that countries were commonly apportioned, particularly among conquerors, by the lot. In this way Judea was divided among the tribes of Israel Num 26:55-56.
His hand hath divided it unto them by line – He has marked out, as a surveyor does, the land of Edom as the dwelling-place of the beasts of the forest. A land was usually surveyed and divided into proper parts or portions before the lot was cast Jos 18:4-6.
They shall possess it – The wild beasts mentioned in the previous verses. The testimony of all travelers demonstrates that thus far this prediction has been strikingly fulfilled.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
He hath divided the land to them, as it were, by lot and line, as Canaan was divided among the Israelites.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. cast . . . lotAsconquerors apportion lands by lot, so Jehovah has appointed andmarked out (“divided”) Edom for the wild beasts (Num 26:55;Num 26:56; Jos 18:4-6).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he hath cast the lot for them,…. The Targum adds,
“by his word:”
and his hand hath divided it unto them by line; the same adds,
“by his will.”
The allusion is to the dividing of the land of Canaan by lot and line, to the children of Israel, for their inheritance and possession; and in like manner, it is suggested, shall Rome and its territories be distributed to those wild beasts and birds of prey, and everyone shall know and take its proper place and portion:
they shall possess it for ever; as their inheritance, allotted and appointed to them:
from generation to generation shall they dwell therein:
[See comments on Isa 34:10] where Jarchi, out of the Derash, has this note,
“this is the curse of Moses; the war of the Lord against Amalek, from generation to generation; from the generation of Moses to the generation of Saul; from thence to the generation of Mordecai; and from thence to the generation of the King Messiah.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17. And he hath cast the lot for them. He says that to those wild beasts and monsters there hath been granted a secure and permanent habitation, from which they cannot be easily banished or driven out; because God hath allotted it to them as.their portion by inheritance. This means that the whole of Idumea is at the disposal of the Lord, to drive out the inhabitants, and to grant possession of it to whomsoever he pleases, either wild beasts, or birds, or monsters.
Hence infer that it is vain for men ever to promise themselves a permanent abode, unless so far as every person has obtained his place “by lot,” and on the express condition that he shall instantly leave it, whenever God calls. We lead a dependent life wherever he supports us; and either on our native soil, or at a distance from our fatherland, we are strangers. If he shall be pleased to give us a peaceable habitation for a long time in one place, it will only be by his special favor that we shall dwell there; and as soon as he thinks proper, he will constrain us to change our abode. Besides, if we acknowledge that a residence in this or that country has been appointed to us by God, we may dwell in it with safety and composure; for if he keeps wild beasts in possession of the place which he has allotted to them, how much more will he preserve men, for whose sake he created heaven, earth, the seas, and all that they contain?
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) He hath cast the lot for them . . .i.e., hath allotted, or assigned it as by a formal deed of transfer, to the savage beasts who are to be its future possessors. The thought is the same as that of Act. 17:26. God is represented as the Supreme Ruler assigning to each nation its place in the worlds history, its seasons of prosperity and judgment.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
REFLECTIONS
READER! here is a very solemn chapter, full of awful threatenings: from beginning to end. And, as we read what is here said, may we not, though from the mouth of one, who while professing a knowledge of God, in works denied him, take up the same language, and say as he did, God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the Son of man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall be not make it good?
Almighty Lord! may my soul lie low in the dust before thy divine majesty. And although looking up with humble hopes of acceptance in, and through the person, blood, and righteousness of thy dear Son; yet, Lord, my very flesh trembleth when I think of thy judgments. Thou hast said, and sure it must be accomplished, thou wilt be a swift witness. And oh! how exact, how unanswerably true, must be thy testimony! Not one action can be unknown to thee; not a thought escape thy notice. Oh! ye sons of men! think, ere it be too late, how tremendous will be the judgment of all that slight or despise the only possible means of escaping the wrath to come. What everlasting paleness, dread, and horror, will be upon all faces who have rejected Christ, the one only ordinance of Jehovah for salvation! Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 34:17 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.
Ver. 17. And he hath cast the lot for them, ] i.e., For those creatures of prey aforementioned.
From generation,
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
he hath cast: Jos 18:8, Psa 78:55, Act 13:19, Act 17:26
they shall: Isa 34:10, Isa 13:20-22
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
34:17 And he hath cast the {s} lot for them, and his hand hath divided it to them by line: they shall possess it for ever, from generation to generation shall they dwell in it.
(s) He has given the beasts and souls Idumea for an inheritance.