Isaiah 34 · Verse 11

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.
Isaiah 34:11, King James Version

Isaiah 34:11 in other translations

BSBThe desert owl and screech owl will possess it, and the great owl and raven will dwell in it. The LORD will stretch out over Edom a measuring line of chaos and a plumb line of destruction.
WEBBut the pelican and the porcupine will possess it. The owl and the raven will dwell in it. He will stretch the line of confusion over it, and the plumb line of emptiness.
ASVBut the pelican and the porcupine shall possess it; and the owl and the raven shall dwell therein: and he will stretch over it the line of confusion, and the plummet of emptiness.
YLTAnd possess her do pelican and hedge-hog, And owl and raven dwell in her, And He hath stretched out over her A line of vacancy, and stones of emptiness.
DARBYAnd the pelican and the bittern shall possess it, and the great owl and the raven shall dwell in it. And he shall stretch out upon it the line of waste, and the plummets of emptiness.
BBEBut the birds of the waste land will have their place there; it will be a heritage for the bittern and the raven: and it will be measured out with line and weight as a waste land.
WebsterBut 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.

What does Isaiah 34:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. cormorant--The Hebrew is rendered, in Psa 102:6, "pelican," which is a seafowl, and cannot be meant here: some waterfowl (katta, according to Burckhardt) that tenants desert places is intended. bittern--rather, "the hedgehog," or "porcupine" [Gesenius] (Is 14:23). owl--from its being enumerated among water birds in Le 11:17; De 14:16. Maurer thinks 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). confusion--devastation. line ... stones--metaphor from an architect with line and plummet-stone (see on Is 18:2; Is 28:17); God will render to it the exact measure of justice without mercy (Jas 2:13; 2Ki 21:13; La 2:8; Am 7:7, 8). emptiness--desolation. Edom is now a waste of "stones."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 The cormorant - קאת kaath, the pelican, from the root קיא 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 - קפד kippod, the hedge-hog, or porcupine. The owl - ינשוף yanshoph, the bittern, from נשף 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 חריה 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 חוריה choreyha; the first printed edition of 1486, I think nearer to the truth, חור חריה chor choreyha. I read בחרריה becharereyha, or על חרריה al chorereyha; see Jer 17:6. A MS. has חדיה chodiah, and the Syriac reads חדוה 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 שם shem, as a noun. They shall boast, יקראו yikreu; see Pro 20:6.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 34:9-17

Those who aim to ruin the church, can never do that, but will ruin themselves. What dismal changes sin can make! It turns a fruitful land into barrenness, a crowded city into a wilderness. Let us compare all we discover in the book of the Lord, with the dealings of providence around us, that we may be more diligent in seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness. What the mouth of the Lord has commanded, his…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 34:9-17 →

Isaiah 34:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וִירֵשׁ֙וּהָ֙vi.re.Shu.haand they will take possession of itH3423
קָאַ֣תka.'Atdesert owlH6893
וְקִפּ֔וֹדve.ki.Podand hedgehogH7090
וְיַנְשׁ֥וֹףve.yan.Shofand great owlH3244
וְעֹרֵ֖בve.'o.Revand ravenH6158
יִשְׁכְּנוּ\־yish.ke.nu-they will dwellH7931
בָ֑הּVahin it
וְנָטָ֥הve.na.Tahand he will stretch outH5186
עָלֶ֛יהָ'a.Lei.haover itH5921
קַֽו\־kav-a measuring-line ofH6957
תֹ֖הוּTo.huformlessnessH8414
וְאַבְנֵי\־ve.'av.nei-and stones ofH68
בֹֽהוּ\׃Vo.huemptinessH922

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 34:11

  • Lamentations 2:8

    The Lord hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together.

  • 2 Kings 21:13

    And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.

  • Zephaniah 2:14

    And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work.

  • Revelation 18:2

    And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

  • Isaiah 14:23

    I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts.

  • 2 Samuel 8:2

    And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.

  • Malachi 1:3-4

    And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.

  • Revelation 18:21-23

    And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

  • Isaiah 13:20-22

    It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

  • Isaiah 24:10

    The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
cormorant. or, pelican.
13:20-22; 14:23; Zep 2:14; Re 18:2,21-23
stretch.
2Sa 8:2; 2Ki 21:13; La 2:8; Mal 1:3,4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 34:10

    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.

  • 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.

  • Isaiah 34:12

    They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all her princes shall be nothing.

Read all of Isaiah 34

Isaiah 34:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y la poseerán el pelícano y el mochuelo, la lechuza y el cuervo morarán en ella: y extenderáse sobre ella cordel de destrucción, y niveles de asolamiento.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		le pélican et le butor l’hériteront, et le hibou et le corbeau y habiteront. Et il étendra sur lui le cordeau de la désolation et les plombs du vide.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Pelikan und Igel nehmen es in Besitz, und Eule und Rabe wohnen darin. Und er zieht darüber die Meßschnur der Öde und das Senkblei der Leere.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et possidebunt illam onocrotalus et ericius; ibis et corvus habitabunt in ea: et extendetur super eam mensura, ut redigatur ad nihilum, et perpendiculum in desolationem.