Isa 34:10-12 | NETfull | STEP | Night and day it will burn; its smoke will ascend continually. Generation after generation it will be a wasteland and no one will ever pass through it again.

Isaiah 34:10-12

10 Night and day it will burn; ^{▼▼ Heb “it will not be extinguished.”}
its smoke will ascend continually.
Generation after generation it will be a wasteland
and no one will ever pass through it again.
11 Owls and wild animals ^{▼▼ קָאַת (qa’at) refers to some type of bird (cf. Lev 11:18; Deut 14:17) that was typically found near ruins (see Zeph 2:14). קִפּוֹד (qippod) may also refer to a type of bird (NAB “hoot owl”; NIV “screech owl”; TEV “ravens”), but some have suggested a rodent may be in view (cf. NCV “small animals”; ASV “porcupine”; NASB, NRSV “hedgehog”).} will live there, ^{▼▼ Heb “will possess it” (so NIV).}
all kinds of wild birds ^{▼▼ The Hebrew text has יַנְשׁוֹף וְעֹרֵב (yanshof v^e’orev). Both the יַנְשׁוֹף (“owl”; see Lev 11:17; Deut 14:16) and עֹרֵב (“raven”; Lev 11:15; Deut 14:14) were types of wild birds.} will settle in it.
The Lord ^{▼▼ Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} will stretch out over her
the measuring line of ruin
and the plumb line ^{▼▼ Heb “stones,” i.e., the stones used in a plumb bob.} of destruction. ^{▼▼ The metaphor in v. 11b emphasizes that God has carefully planned Edom’s demise.}
12 Her nobles will have nothing left to call a kingdom
and all her officials will disappear. ^{▼▼ Heb “will be nothing”; NCV, TEV, NLT “will all be gone.”}