The big picture
Isaiah 34 opens in verse 1 with “Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 9 with “And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone…”, and closes in verse 17 with “And he hath cast the lot for them, and his hand hath divided it unto them by line: they…” Repeated or prominent terms include blood, generation, LORD, land, beasts. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Isaiah · King James Version · 17Isaiah 34:1-6
1–6: Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth…
Isaiah 34:1–6 opens with “Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is…” and reaches “The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by blood, LORD, hear.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and…” Naming Come keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 34:1-6
King James Version1Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.
2For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.
3Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.
4And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
5For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
6The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.
Isaiah 34:7-12
7–12: The unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls…
Isaiah 34:7–12 opens with “And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land…” and reaches “They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all her princes…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by dust, generation, land.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Isaiah 34:7-12
King James Version7And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.
8For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.
9And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.
10It 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.
11But 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.
12They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all her princes shall be nothing.
Isaiah 34:13-17
13–17: Thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the…
Isaiah 34:13–17 opens with “And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it…” and reaches “And he hath cast the lot for them, and his hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by beasts, gathered, generation.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 34:13-17
King James Version13And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls.
14The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.
15There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate.
16Seek ye out of the book of the LORD , and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.
17And 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Isaiah 34:1 begins with “Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.”
Where the chapter turns
Isaiah 34:11 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Isaiah 34:17 leaves the reader with “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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words blood, generation, LORD, land, beasts, dust help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How is religion misused in this chapter?
Circumcision is proposed deceptively to make the city vulnerable.
What later passage evaluates Simeon and Levi's violence?
Genesis 49:5-7 condemns their fierce anger and cruel wrath.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.