Isaiah 13:21
WEB
But wild animals of the desert will lie there, and their houses will be full of jackals. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will frolic there.
BSB
But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about.
KJV
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.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H7257
v — crouch, recline, repose, brood, lurk, imbed
Derivation: a primitive root;
to crouch (on all four legs folded, like a recumbent animal); by implication, to recline, repose, brood, lurk, imbed
KJV: crouch (down), fall down, make a fold, lay, (cause to, make to) lie (down), make to rest, sit.
vb — stretch oneself out
רָבַץ vb. stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out
Qal lie down, lie
Hiph. cause to lie down, or lie
H8033
adv — there, then, thither, thence
Derivation: a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);
there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence
KJV: in it, thence, there (-in, of, out), thither, whither.
adv — there
שָׁם adv. there, thither
H6728
n-m — desert-dweller, nomad, beast
Derivation: from the same as 6723;
a desert-dweller, i.e. nomad or wild beast
KJV: wild beast of the desert, that dwell in (inhabiting) the wilderness.
n.m — a wild beast
[צִי] n.m. a wild beast, prop. either desert-dweller, or crier, yelper
H4390
v — fill, be full of
Derivation: or מָלָא; (Esther 7:5), a primitive root;
to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively)
KJV: accomplish, confirm, consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, × draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-) flow, fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-) full, have wholly.
vb — be full
מָלֵא 249 vb. be full, fill
Qal 99
1. be full, usu. c. acc. material
2. trans. fill
Niph.
1. be filled
2. be accomplished, ended
Pi.
1. fill
2. special uses are:
3. fulfil, accomplish, complete, obj. week, year, day
Pu. filled
Hithp. mass themselves against me
H1004
n-m — a house
Derivation: probably from 1129 abbreviated;
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
KJV: court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, × great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).
prep — between
בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between
n.m — house
בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house
1. house
2. place
3. receptacle
4. of house as containing a family
5. household, family (592 t.)
6. house, including household affairs
7. lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards
8. מִבַּיִת
a. adv. on the inside
b. prep. within
H255
n-m — howler
Derivation: probably from 253;
a howler or lonesome wild animal
KJV: doleful creature.
H7931
v — reside, permanently stay
Derivation: a primitive root (apparently akin (by transmission) to 7901 through the idea of lodging; compare 5531, 7925);
to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)
KJV: abide, continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation, inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).
vb — settle down
שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן 129 vb. settle down, abide, dwell
Qal
1. settle down to abide
2. abide, dwell
Pi.
1. make settle down, establish
2. make to dwell
Hiph.
1.
a. lay
b. cause birds to settle
2. cause to dwell
H1323
n-f — daughter
Derivation: from 1129 (as feminine of 1121);
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
KJV: apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, × first, × old, owl, town, village.
n.f — daughter
בַּת 587 n.f. daughter
1. daughter, female child
2. young women, women
3. with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
4. pl. = villages, after name of city
5. in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
6. ostrich
7. fig.
8. of vine = branch
9. as n. relat.
H3284
n-f — owl
Derivation: feminine of 3283, and meaning the same
KJV: owl.
n.f — greed
יַעֲנָה n.f. greed (?);—ostrich
H8163
a n-m — shaggy, he-goat, faun
Derivation: or שָׂעִר; from 8175;
shaggy; as noun, a he-goat; by analogy, a faun
KJV: devil, goat, hairy, kid, rough, satyr.
n.m — satyr
שָׂעִיר n.m. satyr, demon (with he-goat’s form, or feet)
n.m — he-goat
שָׂעִיר 63 n.m. he-goat, buck (hairy one)
adj — hairy
שָׂעִר adj. hairy
H7540
v — stamp, spring
Derivation: a primitive root;
properly, to stamp, i.e. to spring about (wildly or for joy)
KJV: dance, jump, leap, skip.
vb — skip about
רָקַד vb. skip about
Qal skip about
Pi. dance, leap
Hiph. he (י׳) made them skip like calves
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Verses 19–22
Isaiah 13:19–22
The great havoc and destruction which it was foretold should be made by the Medes and Persians in Babylon here end in the final destruction of it. 1. It is allowed that Babylon was a noble city. It was the glory of kingdoms and the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency; it was that head of gold (Dan 2:37, Dan 2:38); it was called the lady of kingdoms (Isa 47:5), the praise of the whole earth (Jer 51:41), like a pleasant roe (so the word signifies); but it shall be as a chased roe, Isa 13:14. The Chaldeans gloried in the beauty and wealth of this their metropolis. 2. It is foretold that it should be wholly destroyed, like Sodom and Gomorrah; not so miraculously, nor so suddenly, but as effectually, though gradually; and the destruction should come upon them as that upon Sodom, when they were secure, eating and drinking, Luk 17:28, Luk 17:29. Babylon was taken when Belshazzar was in his revels; and, though Cyrus and Darius did not demolish it, yet by degrees it wasted away and in process of time it went all to ruin. It is foretold here (Isa 13:20) that it shall never be inhabited; in Adrian's time nothing remained but the wall. And whereas it is prophesied concerning Nineveh, that great city, that when it should be deserted and left desolate yet flocks should lie down in the midst of it, it is here said concerning Babylon that the Arabians, who were shepherds, should not make their folds there; the country about should be so barren that there would be no grazing there; no, not for sheep. Nay, it shall be the receptacle of wild beasts, that affect solitude; the houses of Babylon, where the sons and daughters of pleasure used to rendezvous, shall be full of doleful creatures, owls and satyrs, that are themselves frightened thither, as to a place proper for them, and by whom all others are frightened thence. Historians say that this was fulfilled in the letter. Benjamin Bar-Jona, in his Itinerary, speaking of Babel, has these words: "This is that Babel which was of old thirty miles in breadth; it is now laid waste. There are yet to be seen the ruins of a palace of Nebuchadnezzar, but the sons of men dare not enter in, for fear of serpents and scorpions, which possess the place." Let none be proud of their pompous palaces, for they know not but they may become worse than cottages; nor let any think that their houses shall endure for ever (Psa 49:11), when perhaps nothing may remain but the ruins and reproaches of them. 3. It is intimated that this destruction should come shortly (Isa 13:22): Her time is near to come. This prophecy of the destruction of Babylon was intended for the support and comfort of the people of God when they were captives there and grievously oppressed; and the accomplishment of the prophecy was nearly 200 years after the time when it was delivered; yet it followed soon after the time for which it was calculated. When the people of Israel were groaning under the heavy yoke of Babylonish tyranny, sitting down in tears by the rivers of Babylon and upbraided with the songs of Zion, when their insolent oppressors were most haughty and arrogant (Isa 13:11), then let them know, for their comfort, that Babylon's time, her day to fall, is near to come, and the days of her prosperity shall not be prolonged, as they have been. When God begins with her he will make an end. Thus it is said of the destruction of the New Testament Babylon, whereof the former was a type, In one hour has her judgment come.
Cross-references: Dan 2:37 · Dan 2:38 · Isa 47:5 · Jer 51:41 · Isa 13:14 · Luke 17:28 · Luke 17:29 · Isa 13:20 · Ps 49:11 · Isa 13:22 · Isa 13:11