Isaiah 14:23
New International Version
“I will turn her into a place for owls and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD Almighty.

New Living Translation
“I will make Babylon a desolate place of owls, filled with swamps and marshes. I will sweep the land with the broom of destruction. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

English Standard Version
“And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of hosts.

Berean Standard Bible
“I will make her a place for owls and for swamplands; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

King James Bible
I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.

New King James Version
“I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, And marshes of muddy water; I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” says the LORD of hosts.

New American Standard Bible
“I will also make it the property of the hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of armies.

NASB 1995
“I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of hosts.

NASB 1977
“I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog, and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of hosts.

Legacy Standard Bible
“I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares Yahweh of hosts.

Amplified Bible
“I will also make Babylon a possession of the hedgehog and of swamps of water, and I will sweep it away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of hosts.

Christian Standard Bible
“I will make her a swampland and a region for herons, and I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction.” This is the declaration of the LORD of Armies.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will make her a swampland and a region for screech owls, and I will sweep her away with a broom of destruction.” This is the declaration of the LORD of Hosts.

American Standard Version
I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith Jehovah of hosts.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD will sweep out the people, and the land will become a swamp for wild animals.

English Revised Version
I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"It will become the possession of herons. It will become pools of water. I'll sweep it with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD of Armies.

Good News Translation
I will turn Babylon into a marsh, and owls will live there. I will sweep Babylon with a broom that will sweep everything away. I, the LORD Almighty, have spoken."

International Standard Version
"And I'm going to make it a possession of the hedgehog—pools of water—and I'll sweep with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

Majority Standard Bible
“I will make her a place for owls and for swamplands; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

NET Bible
"I will turn her into a place that is overrun with wild animals and covered with pools of stagnant water. I will get rid of her, just as one sweeps away dirt with a broom," says the LORD who commands armies.

New Heart English Bible
"I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and pools of water. I will sweep it with the broom of destruction," says the LORD of hosts.

Webster's Bible Translation
I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.

World English Bible
“I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and pools of water. I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” says Yahweh of Armies.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“And have made it for a possession of a hedgehog, "" And ponds of waters, "" And swept it with the broom of destruction,” "" A declaration of YHWH of Hosts!

Young's Literal Translation
And have made it for a possession of a bittern, And ponds of waters, And daubed it with the mire of destruction, The affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts!

Smith's Literal Translation
And I set it for the possession of the hedge-hog, and pools of water: and I swept her with the broom of desolation, says Jehovah of armies.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will make it a possession for the ericius and pools of waters, and I will sweep it and wear it out with a besom, saith the Lord of hosts.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I will appoint it as a possession for the hedgehog, with swamps of water. And I will sweep it out and wear it away with a brush, says the Lord of hosts.

New American Bible
I will make it a haunt of hoot owls and a marshland; I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, oracle of the LORD of hosts.

New Revised Standard Version
And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, says the LORD of hosts.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I will also make it a possession for owls, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, says the LORD of hosts.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I shall make it an inheritance for owls and pools of waters, and I shall gather it with a broom of destruction, says LORD JEHOVAH of Hosts
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I will make the region of Babylon desert, so that hedgehogs shall dwell there, and it shall come to nothing: and I will make it a pit of clay for destruction.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Downfall of the King of Babylon
22“I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will cut off from Babylon her name and her remnant, her offspring and her posterity,” declares the LORD. 23“I will make her a place for owls and for swamplands; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

Cross References
Jeremiah 50:39
So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.

Revelation 18:2
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.

Zephaniah 2:14-15
Herds will lie down in her midst, creatures of every kind. Both the desert owl and screech owl will roost atop her pillars. Their calls will sound from the window, but desolation will lie on the threshold, for He will expose the beams of cedar. / This carefree city that dwells securely, that thinks to herself: “I am it, and there is none besides me,” what a ruin she has become, a resting place for beasts. Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.

Jeremiah 51:37
Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.

Revelation 19:3
And a second time they called out: “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever and ever.”

Malachi 1:3-4
but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” / Though Edom may say, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild the ruins,” this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Land of Wickedness, and a people with whom the LORD is indignant forever.

Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

Jeremiah 25:12-13
But when seventy years are complete, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, declares the LORD, and I will make it an everlasting desolation. / I will bring upon that land all the words I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations.

Revelation 18:21
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again.

Isaiah 13:19-22
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. / She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there. / But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about. ...

Jeremiah 49:18
As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown along with their neighbors,” says the LORD, “no one will dwell there; no man will abide there.

Revelation 18:10
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

Jeremiah 51:29
The earth quakes and writhes because the LORD’s intentions against Babylon stand: to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.

Revelation 18:19
Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”

Jeremiah 50:13
Because of the wrath of the LORD, she will not be inhabited; she will become completely desolate. All who pass through Babylon will be horrified and will hiss at all her wounds.


Treasury of Scripture

I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, said the LORD of hosts.

make

Isaiah 13:21,22
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…

Isaiah 34:11-15
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, and the stones of emptiness…

Jeremiah 50:39,40
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation…

I will sweep

1 Kings 14:10
Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.

2 Kings 21:13
And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.

Jeremiah 51:25,26
Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain…

Jump to Previous
Affirmation Armies Bittern Broom Brush Daubed Declares Destruction Hedgehog Heritage Hosts Mire Owls Ponds Pools Porcupine Possession Swamps Sweep Turn Water Waters
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Affirmation Armies Bittern Broom Brush Daubed Declares Destruction Hedgehog Heritage Hosts Mire Owls Ponds Pools Porcupine Possession Swamps Sweep Turn Water Waters
Isaiah 14
1. God's merciful restoration of Israel
3. Their triumphant exultation over Babel
24. God's purpose against Assyria
29. Philistia is threatened














I will make her
This phrase indicates a divine action and intention. The "I" refers to God, emphasizing His sovereignty and authority over nations and history. The Hebrew root for "make" (שׂוּם, sum) often implies setting or appointing, suggesting a deliberate transformation by God. This transformation is not random but purposeful, reflecting God's control over the fate of Babylon, the subject of this prophecy.

a place for owls
Owls in the Bible often symbolize desolation and uninhabited places. The Hebrew word used here can refer to various desert creatures, emphasizing the barrenness and abandonment that will characterize Babylon. This imagery serves as a stark contrast to Babylon's former glory, highlighting the totality of its downfall as decreed by God.

and for swamplands
Swamplands, or marshes, are typically uninhabitable and represent chaos and disorder. The transformation of a once-thriving city into swamplands underscores the completeness of its destruction. Historically, Babylon was a center of civilization, and this imagery would have been shocking to its contemporaries, illustrating the power of God's judgment.

I will sweep her away
The act of sweeping signifies thoroughness and finality. The Hebrew root (טָאטָא, ta'ah) conveys the idea of removing or clearing away completely. This phrase suggests that Babylon's destruction will be comprehensive, leaving no trace of its former power and influence. It is a vivid depiction of divine judgment executed with precision.

with the broom of destruction
The broom symbolizes a tool of cleansing and removal. In this context, it represents God's instrument of judgment. The "broom of destruction" implies a purging of evil and corruption, aligning with the biblical theme of God's holiness and justice. This imagery reassures believers of God's ultimate victory over sin and rebellion.

declares the LORD of Hosts
This phrase affirms the authority and certainty of the prophecy. "LORD of Hosts" (יהוה צְבָאוֹת, Yahweh Tseva'ot) is a title that emphasizes God's supreme command over the heavenly armies. It reassures the faithful of God's omnipotence and His ability to fulfill His promises. The declaration serves as a reminder of God's unwavering commitment to justice and righteousness.

(23) I will also make it a possession for the bittern . . .--Naturalists are not agreed as to the meaning of the noun. In the LXX. and Vulgate it appears as "hedgehog," or "porcupine," and the "tortoise," "beaver," "otter," and "owl" have all been suggested by scholars. Its conjunction with "pelican in Isaiah 34:11 and Zephaniah 2:14, and with" pools of water "here, is in favour of some kind of water-fowl. The "hedgehog" frequents dry places, and not marshes, and does not roost, as in Zephaniah 2:14, on the capitals of ruined columns. On the whole, therefore, "bittern" (Botaurus stellaris) may as well stand.

Pools of water.--These were the natural result of the breaking up of the canals, sluices, reservoirs, which had kept the overflow of the Euphrates within bounds (Diod. Sic., ii. 7).

I will sweep it with the besom of destruction . . .--The phrase has its parallel in the "sieve of vanity," in Isaiah 30:28. (Comp. Isaiah 34:11) The force of the image must not be lost sight of Babylon is to be swept away as men sweep away some foul rubbish from their house. The world is cleaner for its destruction. The solemn doom closes the "burden" of Babylon. . . .

Verse 23. - A possession for the bittern. Some water-bird or other is probably intended, since the word used is joined in Isaiah 36:11 with the names of three other birds, and is also certainly a bird's name in Zephaniah 2:14; but the identification with the "bittern" is a mere guess, and rests on no authority. And pools of water. The swampy character of the country about the ruins of Babylon is generally noticed by travelers. It arises from neglect of the dams along the course of the Euphrates. Ker Porter says that "large deposits of the Euphrates water are left stagnant in the hollows between the ruins" ('Travels,' vol. 2. p. 389).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“I will make her
וְשַׂמְתִּ֛יהָ (wə·śam·tî·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

a place
לְמוֹרַ֥שׁ (lə·mō·w·raš)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4180: A possession, delight

for owls
קִפֹּ֖ד (qip·pōḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7090: A species of bird, the bittern

and swamplands;
וְאַגְמֵי־ (wə·’aḡ·mê-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 98: A marsh, a rush, a stockade of reeds

I will sweep her away
וְטֵֽאטֵאתִ֙יהָ֙ (wə·ṭê·ṭê·ṯî·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2894: To sweep away

with the broom
בְּמַטְאֲטֵ֣א (bə·maṭ·’ă·ṭê)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4292: Broom, besom

of destruction,”
הַשְׁמֵ֔ד (haš·mêḏ)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 8045: To be exterminated or destroyed

declares
נְאֻ֖ם (nə·’um)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

of Hosts.
צְבָאֽוֹת׃ (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 14:23 I will also make it a possession (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 14:22
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