Isaiah 34:17

17 And he {is the one that} has cast [the] lot for them, and his hand has apportioned it to them with the measuring line; they shall take possession of it forever, they shall live in it {from generation to generation}.

Isaiah 34:17 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 34:17

And he hath cast the lot for them
The Targum adds,

``by his word:''

and his hand hath divided it unto them by line;
the same adds,

``by his will.''

The allusion is to the dividing of the land of Canaan by lot and line, to the children of Israel, for their inheritance and possession; and in like manner, it is suggested, shall Rome and its territories be distributed to those wild beasts and birds of prey, and everyone shall know and take its proper place and portion:

they shall possess it for ever;
as their inheritance, allotted and appointed to them:

from generation to generation shall they dwell therein:
(See Gill on Isaiah 34:10) where Jarchi, out of the Derash, has this note,

``this is the curse of Moses; the war of the Lord against Amalek, from generation to generation; from the generation of Moses to the generation of Saul; from thence to the generation of Mordecai; and from thence to the generation of the King Messiah.''

Isaiah 34:17 In-Context

15 There [the] owl shall nest and lay and hatch and care for her chicks in her shadow; surely there [the] birds of prey shall be gathered, each one [with] her mate.

16 Seek from the book of Yahweh and {read}; none of these shall be missing; none shall miss her mate. For my mouth {is the one that} has commanded, and his spirit {is the one that} has gathered them.

17 And he {is the one that} has cast [the] lot for them, and his hand has apportioned it to them with the measuring line; they shall take possession of it forever, they shall live in it {from generation to generation}.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "he"
• [b]. Literally "to generation and generation"