Isaiah 34:5
5. sword— (Jer 46:10). Or else, knife for sacrifice for God does not here appear as a warrior with His sword, but as one about to sacrifice victims doomed to slaughter [VITRINGA]. (Eze 39:17).
bathed—rather "intoxicated," namely, with anger (so De 32:42). "In heaven" implies the place where God's purpose of wrath is formed in antithesis to its "coming down" in the next clause. Idumea—originally extending from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea; afterwards they obtained possession of the country east of Moab, of which Bozrah was capital. Petra or Selah, called Joktheel (2Ki 14:7), was capital of South Edom (see on Isa 16:1). David subjugated Edom (2Sa 8:13, 14). Under Jehoram they regained independence (2Ch 21:8). Under Amaziah they were again subdued, and Selah taken (2Ki 14:7). When Judah was captive in Babylon, Edom, in every way, insulted over her fallen mistress, killed many of those Jews whom the Chaldeans had left, and hence was held guilty of fratricide by God (Esau, their ancestor, having been brother to Jacob): this was the cause of the denunciations of the prophets against Edom (Isa 63:1, &c.; Jer 49:7; Eze 25:12-14; 35:3-15; Joe 3:19; Am 1:11, 12; Ob 8, 10, 12-18; Mal 1:3,4). Nebuchadnezzar humbled Idumea accordingly (Jer 25:15-21). of my curse—that is, doomed to it. to judgment—that is, to execute it.Isaiah 34:10-17
10. It—The burning pitch, &c. (Isa 34:9).
smoke . . . for ever— (Re 14:11; 18:18; 19:3). generation to generation— (Mal 1:4). none . . . pass through—Edom's original offense was: they would not let Israel pass through their land in peace to Canaan: God recompenses them in kind, no traveller shall pass through Edom. VOLNEY, the infidel, was forced to confirm the truth of this prophecy: "From the reports of the Arabs, southeast of the Dead Sea, within three days' journey are upwards of thirty ruined towns, absolutely deserted."11. cormorant—The Hebrew is 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.
bittern—rather, "the hedgehog," or "porcupine" [GESENIUS] (Isa 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 Isa 18:2; Isa 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."12. Rather, "As to her nobles, there shall be none there who shall declare a kingdom," that is, a king [MAURER]; or else, "There shall be no one there whom they shall call to the kingdom" [ROSENMULLER] (Isa 3:6, &c.). Idumea was at first governed by dukes (Ge 36:15); out of them the king wan chosen when the constitution became a monarchy.
court for owls—rather, "a dwelling for ostriches."14. wild beasts of the desert . . . island—rather, "wild cats . . . jackals" (Isa 13:21).
screech owl—rather, "the night specter"; in Jewish superstition a female, elegantly dressed, that carried off children by night. The text does not assert the existence of such objects of superstition, but describes the place as one which superstition would people with such beings.15. great owl—rather, "the arrow snake," so called from its darting on its prey [GESENIUS].
lay—namely, eggs. gather under her shadow—rather, "cherishes" her young under, &c. (Jer 17:11).16. book of the Lord—the volume in which the various prophecies and other parts of Scripture began henceforward to be collected together (Isa 30:8; Da 9:2).
Seek—(so Isa 8:16, 20; Joh 5:39; 7:52). no one . . . fail—of these prophecies (Mt 5:18). none shall want . . . mate—image from pairing of animals mentioned, Isa 34:15 ("mate"); no prediction shall want a fulfilment as its companion. Or rather, "none of these wild animals (just spoken of) shall be wanting: none shall be without its mate" to pair and breed with, in desolate Idumea. my . . . his—Such changes of person are frequent in Hebrew poetry. them—the wild beasts.17. cast . . . lot—As conquerors apportion lands by lot, so Jehovah has appointed and marked out ("divided") Edom for the wild beasts (Nu 26:55, 56; Jos 18:4-6).
Jeremiah 49:7
7. Concerning Edom—a distinct prophecy, copied in part from Obadiah, but with the freedom of one himself inspired and foretelling a later calamity. Obadiah's was fulfilled probably in Sennacherib's time (compare Isa 34:5; Am 1:11); Jeremiah's about the same time as his preceding prophecies (Jer 49:12; Eze 25:12).
wisdom—for which the Arabs and the people of Teman (a city of Edom) in particular, were famed (Ge 36:15; 1Ki 4:30; see Job, everywhere; Ob 8). vanished—literally, "poured out," that is, exhausted (compare Isa 19:3, Margin) [MAURER]. Or, as the kindred Ethiopic word means, "worn out" [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU].Jeremiah 49:13-18
13. Bozrah—(See on Jer 48:24).
14. (Ob 1-3).
ambassador . . . unto the heathen—a messenger from God to stir up the Chaldeans against Edom.15. David and Joab had already humbled Edom (2Sa 8:14).
16. terribleness—the terror which thou didst inspire into others.
deceived thee—rendered thee proudly confident, as if none would dare to assail thee. dwellest in . . . rock—Petra, the chief of Idumea, was cut in the rocks; its ruins are very remarkable. The whole south of Idumea abounds in cave dwellings and rocks. though . . . nest . . . eagle— (Job 39:27; Ob 3, 4). The eagle builds its nest in the highest craggy eyry.17. (Compare 1Ki 9:8).
18. (Jer 50:40; De 29:23; Am 4:11).
no man shall abide there—that is, of the Idumeans. The Romans had a garrison there.