Isaiah 34:15-17

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Isaiah 34:15 tn Hebrew קִפּוֹז (qippoz) occurs only here; the precise meaning of the word is uncertain.
2. Isaiah 34:15 tn For this proposed meaning for Hebrew מָלַט (malat), see HALOT 589 s.v. I מלט.
3. Isaiah 34:15 tn Heb “and brood [over them] in her shadow.”
4. Isaiah 34:15 tn The precise meaning of דַּיָּה (dayyah) is uncertain, though the term appears to refer to some type of bird of prey, perhaps a vulture.
5. Isaiah 34:16 tn Heb “Seek from upon the scroll of the Lord and read.”sn It is uncertain what particular scroll is referred to here. Perhaps the phrase simply refers to this prophecy and is an admonition to pay close attention to the details of the message.
6. Isaiah 34:16 tn Heb “one from these will not be missing.” הֵנָּה (hennah, “these”) is feminine plural in the Hebrew text. It may refer only to the birds mentioned in v. 15b or may include all of the creatures listed in vv. 14b-15 (all of which are identified with feminine nouns).
7. Isaiah 34:16 tn Heb “each its mate they will not lack.”
8. Isaiah 34:16 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “for a mouth, it has commanded.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a and a few medieval mss have פִּיהוּ (pihu, “his mouth [has commanded]”), while a few other medieval mss read פִּי יְהוָה (pi y^ehvah, “the mouth of the Lord [has commanded]”).
9. Isaiah 34:16 tn Heb “and his spirit, he gathers them.” The pronominal suffix (“them”) is feminine plural, referring to the birds mentioned in v. 15b or to all of the creatures listed in vv. 14b-15 (all of which are identified with feminine nouns).
10. Isaiah 34:17 tn Heb “and he causes the lot to fall for them.” Once again the pronominal suffix (“them”) is feminine plural, referring to the birds mentioned in v. 15b or to all of the creatures listed in vv. 14b-15 (all of which are identified with feminine nouns).
11. Isaiah 34:17 tn Heb “and his hand divides for them with a measuring line.” The pronominal suffix (“them”) now switches to masculine plural, referring to all the animals and birds mentioned in vv. 11-15, some of which were identified with masculine nouns. This signals closure for this portion of the speech, which began in v. 11. The following couplet (v. 17b) forms an inclusio with v. 11a through verbal repetition.
12. Isaiah 34:17 tn Heb “will possess it” (so NIV); NCV “they will own that land forever.”