Isaiah 34:13 kjv
And 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.
Isaiah 34:13 nkjv
And thorns shall come up in its palaces, Nettles and brambles in its fortresses; It shall be a habitation of jackals, A courtyard for ostriches.
Isaiah 34:13 niv
Thorns will overrun her citadels, nettles and brambles her strongholds. She will become a haunt for jackals, a home for owls.
Isaiah 34:13 esv
Thorns shall grow over its strongholds, nettles and thistles in its fortresses. It shall be the haunt of jackals, an abode for ostriches.
Isaiah 34:13 nlt
Thorns will overrun its palaces;
nettles and thistles will grow in its forts.
The ruins will become a haunt for jackals
and a home for owls.
Isaiah 34 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 34:13 | Thorny vines shall grow in its palaces, nettles and brambles in its fortresses. | Its desolate future prophesied |
| Jeremiah 9:11 | "And I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, so that none can inhabit them." | Destruction and desolation of cities |
| Jeremiah 49:18 | "As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors," said the LORD, "no man shall dwell there, nor shall any son of man lodge in it." | Divine judgment bringing complete desolation |
| Amos 4:10 | "I have sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I have slain your young men with the sword and carried away your horses, and I have made the stench of your camp come up into your nostrils. Yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD. | God's judgment causing ruin |
| Zephaniah 2:9 | "As I live,” declares the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Moab shall be like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land of nettles and saltpits and a perpetual desolation. The survivors of my people shall plunder them, and the remnant of my nation shall possess them.”" | Similar judgment on neighboring nations |
| Luke 10:34 | He drew near, set him on his own animal, and took him to an inn and took care of him. | Contrast of care vs. desolation |
| Revelation 18:2 | He cried out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detested bird." | Prophetic description of fallen cities |
| Psalm 107:34 | He turns rivers into a desert, springs into thirsty ground, | God's power to desolate land |
| Psalm 107:35 | a barren land into a pool of water, a dry ground into springs of water. | God's power to restore land |
| Job 30:7 | They are driven out into the desert like wild asses; they are caught by the hook. | Wilderness and harsh living |
| Isaiah 7:23 | And in that day every place where there were a thousand vines, worth a thousand shekels of silver, shall become either briers and thorns or be overrun with them. | Thorns as a sign of ruin |
| Isaiah 11:4 | but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and with equity he shall decide for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. | Righteous judgment bringing order |
| Isaiah 13:22 | Their desert birds will cry out in their empty palaces, and their luxurious palaces in their deserted castles. | Similar imagery of desolation |
| Isaiah 32:13 | "For the fields of the city that were once teeming will be overgrown with thorns and brambles; the houses of rejoicing will be deserted, the gaiety of cities will disappear, | Houses of rejoicing turning to desertion |
| Genesis 3:18 | Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. | Thorns as a result of sin |
| Hosea 9:6 | For behold, they are going, because of destruction; Egypt shall gather them, Memphis shall bury them. | Israel's exile and destruction |
| Ezekiel 32:7 | When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light. | Judgment involving celestial phenomena |
| Malachi 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burned like an oven, when the proud, and all who do wickedly will be stubble; the day that is coming shall set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." | Burning and utter destruction |
| 1 Corinthians 3:15 | If any man's work burns up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. | Fire as a symbol of judgment |
| 2 Peter 3:7 | But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. | Day of judgment and destruction |
Isaiah 34 verses
Isaiah 34 13 Meaning
This verse describes a desolate landscape filled with briars and thorns, where wild animals and birds dwell, signifying utter ruin and abandonment. It paints a picture of complete destruction for Edom, where no human habitation will remain.
Isaiah 34 13 Context
This chapter in Isaiah is a prophetic oracle against the nations, specifically focusing on Edom. The preceding verses detail the fierce judgment that will befall Edom due to their historical animosity towards Israel. Isaiah vividly portrays the devastation of their land, the wrath of God, and the desolate state of their cities and fortresses. This particular verse describes the tangible outcome of this divine judgment, emphasizing the complete abandonment and ruin of their formerly inhabited places. The imagery of "thorny vines, nettles and brambles" highlights the wildness and untamed nature that will reclaim the land, symbolizing its total unsuitability for human life and the definitive end of Edom's prosperity. The prophecy serves as a testament to God's sovereign power and His justice against those who oppose His people.
Isaiah 34 13 Word Analysis
וּ (we-): Conjunction "and."
בִ (bi-): Preposition "in."
צוּנִ (tsu-nîm): "Briars," "thorny plants," often translated as "thorn bushes" or "thistles." It evokes a sense of prickliness, wildness, and uselessness in agriculture.
וְ (wə-): Conjunction "and."
חֹרּיוּן (ḥôr yôn): "Nettles" or "thistles." Another plant of the weed or prickly nature, further emphasizing desolation and ruin.
בְּמִלְכְּד לָיו (bə-milḵəlāw): "in his fortresses" or "in his strongholds." Refers to the fortified places of Edom.
Group Analysis:
- "Briars and nettles": This combination of prickly, unwelcome plants powerfully symbolizes the complete desolation and wild, untamed nature that will overtake Edom's former cultivated or inhabited areas. It's a stark contrast to fertile ground.
- "Palaces" and "fortresses": These represent the places of human power, comfort, and security. Their being overgrown with thorns signifies the utter destruction and repurposing of these sites for wild, inhospitable growth.
Isaiah 34 13 Bonus Section
The imagery of thorns and brambles in prophetic literature often serves as a sign of divine judgment, curse, or desolation resulting from sin or rebellion. In Genesis 3:18, thorns and thistles are introduced as a consequence of humanity's sin in the Garden of Eden. Here, in Isaiah 34, these same plants signify a divine curse upon Edom for their persistent wickedness and opposition to God's covenant people, Israel. This serves to demonstrate the far-reaching implications of God's justice, not only on a national level but also on the very land itself, rendering it incapable of supporting human life.
Isaiah 34 13 Commentary
This verse paints a picture of utter desolation for Edom as a consequence of divine judgment. The prophesied outcome is not merely destruction but a transformation of the land into a place of wild, thorny overgrowth. Palaces and fortresses, symbols of human habitation and power, will be reclaimed by nature in its most unyielding and unproductive form – thorny vines, nettles, and brambles. This imagery conveys a powerful message: the reign and presence of humanity in these places will cease, replaced by a wild, desolate landscape indicative of God's wrath and the finality of His judgment against Edom's opposition to His people. The verse signifies that the land will become inherently hostile to human life and presence, a testament to the severity of the judgment enacted.