Jeremiah 50:39
New International Version
“So desert creatures and hyenas will live there, and there the owl will dwell. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.

New Living Translation
“Soon Babylon will be inhabited by desert animals and hyenas. It will be a home for owls. Never again will people live there; it will lie desolate forever.

English Standard Version
“Therefore wild beasts shall dwell with hyenas in Babylon, and ostriches shall dwell in her. She shall never again have people, nor be inhabited for all generations.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
“Therefore the wild desert beasts shall dwell there with the jackals, And the ostriches shall dwell in it. It shall be inhabited no more forever, Nor shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

New American Standard Bible
“Therefore the desert creatures will live there with the jackals; The ostriches also will live in it. It will never again be inhabited Nor lived in from generation to generation.

NASB 1995
“Therefore the desert creatures will live there along with the jackals; The ostriches also will live in it, And it will never again be inhabited Or dwelt in from generation to generation.

NASB 1977
“Therefore the desert creatures will live there along with the jackals; The ostriches also will live in it, And it will never again be inhabited Or dwelt in from generation to generation.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Therefore the desert creatures will live there along with the jackals; The ostriches also will live in it, And it will never again be lived in Or dwelt in from generation to generation.

Amplified Bible
“Therefore wild beasts of the desert will live there [in Babylon] with the jackals; The ostriches also will live there, And it will never again be inhabited [with people] Or lived in from generation to generation.

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, desert creatures will live with hyenas, and ostriches will also live in her. It will never again be inhabited or lived in through all generations.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, desert creatures will live with hyenas, and ostriches will also live in her. It will never again be inhabited or lived in through all generations.

American Standard Version
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wolves shall dwell there, and the ostriches shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

Contemporary English Version
Never again will people live in your land--only desert animals, jackals, and unclean birds.

English Revised Version
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wolves shall dwell there, and the ostriches shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
That is why desert animals will live with hyenas. Desert owls will also live there. It will no longer be inhabited or lived in for generations.

Good News Translation
"And so Babylon will be haunted by demons and evil spirits, and by unclean birds. Never again will people live there, not for all time to come.

International Standard Version
Therefore the desert creatures along with hyenas will live there. They'll live in it with ostriches, but people won't live in it again. They won't inhabit it from generation to generation.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
Therefore desert creatures and jackals will live there. Ostriches will dwell in it too. But no people will ever live there again. No one will dwell there for all time to come.

New Heart English Bible
Therefore the wild animals of the desert with the wolves shall dwell there, and the ostriches shall dwell in it: and it shall be no more inhabited forever; neither shall it be lived in from generation to generation.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the isles, 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.

World English Bible
Therefore the wild animals of the desert with the wolves will dwell there. The ostriches will dwell therein. It will be inhabited no more forever, neither will it be lived in from generation to generation.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Therefore desert-dwellers dwell with howlers, "" Indeed, daughters of the ostrich have dwelt in her, "" And it is not inhabited anymore forever, "" Nor dwelt in from generation to generation.

Young's Literal Translation
Therefore dwell do Ziim with Iim, Yea, dwelt in her have daughters of the ostrich, And it is not inhabited any more for ever, Nor dwelt in unto all generations.

Smith's Literal Translation
For this the inhabitans of the deserts shall dwell with the islands, and the daughters of the ostrich shall dwell in her: and it shall be no more inhabited forever; and she shall not be dwelt in even to generation and generation.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore shall dragons dwell there with the fig fauns: and ostriches shall dwell therein, and it shall be no more inhabited for ever, neither shall it be built up from generation to generation.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Because of this, dragons will live there with the fig fauns, and ostriches will live in it. And it will no longer be inhabited, even in perpetuity, nor will it be raised up, even from generation to generation.

New American Bible
Hence, wildcats shall dwell there with hyenas, and ostriches occupy it; Never again shall it be inhabited or settled, from age to age.

New Revised Standard Version
Therefore wild animals shall live with hyenas in Babylon, and ostriches shall inhabit her; she shall never again be peopled, or inhabited for all generations.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore screech-owls shall dwell in her, and ostriches shall inhabit her; and she shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall she be inhabited throughout generations.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because of this, sirens shall dwell in it. The daughters of ostriches settle in it. She shall not dwell to eternity and she shall not dwell to a generation of generations •
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Therefore the wild-cats with the jackals shall dwell there, And the ostriches shall dwell therein; and it shall be no more inhabited for ever, Neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Therefore shall idols dwell in the islands, and the young of monsters shall dwell in it: it shall not be inhabited any more for ever.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Destruction of Babylon
38A drought is upon her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is a land of graven images, and the people go mad over idols. 39So 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. 40As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighbors,” declares the LORD, “no one will dwell there; no man will abide there.…

Cross References
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. ...

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.

Isaiah 34:11-15
The desert owl and screech owl will possess it, and the great owl and raven will dwell in it. The LORD will stretch out over Edom a measuring line of chaos and a plumb line of destruction. / No nobles will be left to proclaim a king, and all her princes will come to nothing. / Her towers will be overgrown with thorns, her fortresses with thistles and briers. She will become a haunt for jackals, an abode for ostriches. ...

Revelation 18:21-23
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. / And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again. / The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.”

Isaiah 14:22-23
“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. / “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.

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.”

Isaiah 47:1-3
“Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of the Chaldeans! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate. / Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil; strip off your skirt, bare your thigh, and wade through the streams. / Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.”

Revelation 17:1-2
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. / The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”

Zephaniah 2:13-15
And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as a desert. / 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.

Revelation 19:2-3
For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.” / And a second time they called out: “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever and ever.”

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

Revelation 16:19
The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.

Isaiah 21:9
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

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 25:12
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.


Treasury of Scripture

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 dwelled in from generation to generation.

Jeremiah 50:12,13
Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert…

Jeremiah 25:12
And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.

Jeremiah 51:26,37,38,43,62-64
And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD…

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Jeremiah 50
1. The judgment of Babylon and the redemption of Israel














So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there
This phrase indicates a transformation of Babylon from a bustling city to a desolate wilderness. The Hebrew word for "desert creatures" (צִיִּים, tziyyim) often refers to wild animals that inhabit desolate places. The mention of "hyenas" (אִיִּים, iyyim) further emphasizes the desolation, as these animals are typically associated with uninhabited and forsaken areas. Historically, this prophecy underscores the complete and utter destruction of Babylon, a city once known for its grandeur and power. The imagery of wild animals inhabiting the ruins serves as a stark reminder of God's judgment against pride and idolatry.

and the ostriches will dwell there
The Hebrew word for "ostriches" (בְּנוֹת יַעֲנָה, benot ya'anah) can also be translated as "daughters of the owl," which may refer to creatures that thrive in desolate environments. The presence of such creatures signifies a place abandoned by human civilization. In a broader scriptural context, the ostrich is often used as a symbol of neglect and abandonment (see Job 39:13-18). This imagery reinforces the idea that Babylon, once a center of human achievement, will become a place of desolation and neglect, highlighting the futility of human pride in the face of divine judgment.

It will never again be inhabited or settled
This phrase is a declaration of the finality of Babylon's destruction. The Hebrew word for "inhabited" (יֵשֵׁב, yeshev) and "settled" (שָׁכַן, shakan) both imply a permanent dwelling or establishment. The prophecy indicates that Babylon will not only be destroyed but will also remain uninhabited forever. Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled as Babylon, once a thriving metropolis, eventually became a heap of ruins, never to be rebuilt to its former glory. This serves as a powerful testament to the sovereignty of God over nations and His ability to bring about His purposes.

from generation to generation
This phrase emphasizes the enduring nature of Babylon's desolation. The Hebrew expression (דּוֹר וָדוֹר, dor vador) signifies an indefinite period, extending into the distant future. It underscores the permanence of God's judgment and the certainty of His word. In a broader theological context, this serves as a warning to all nations and individuals about the consequences of defying God. It is a call to humility and repentance, reminding believers of the eternal nature of God's decrees and the importance of aligning with His will.

(39) Wild beasts of the desert . . .--The combination of the two forms of animal life seems taken from Isaiah 13:21-22. In the original the two words tziyyim and iiyyim have a kind of emphatic assonance. The English word in the first case answers to the etymology, but the animal referred to has been identified by some naturalists with the wild cats, which appear from Bar 6:22 to have abounded in Babylon. In the second word the Authorised version follows a wrong etymology. Strictly the word means "howlers," and should be translated "jackals." For "owls" read "ostriches," as in Isaiah 13:21.

Verse 39. - Parallel passages: Isaiah 34:14; Isaiah 13:20-22. The wild beasts of the desert; rather, wild cats (so Bochart, 'Hierozoicon,' p. 862). Wild beasts of the islands; rather, jackals. Owls; rather, ostriches.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So
לָכֵ֗ן (lā·ḵên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus

the desert creatures
צִיִּים֙ (ṣî·yîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6728: Wild beast of the desert, that dwell in inhabiting the wilderness

and
אֶת־ (’eṯ-)
Preposition
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

hyenas
אִיִּ֔ים (’î·yîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 338: A howler, any solitary wild creature

will live there
יֵשְׁב֤וּ (yê·šə·ḇū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

and ostriches
בְּנ֣וֹת (bə·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

will dwell
וְיָ֥שְׁבוּ (wə·yā·šə·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

there.
בָ֖הּ (ḇāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

It will never
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

again
עוֹד֙ (‘ō·wḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more

be inhabited
תֵשֵׁ֥ב (ṯê·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

or settled
תִשְׁכּ֖וֹן (ṯiš·kō·wn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7931: To settle down, abide, dwell

from
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

generation
דּ֥וֹר (dō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1755: A revolution of time, an age, generation, a dwelling

to generation.
וָדֽוֹר׃ (wā·ḏō·wr)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1755: A revolution of time, an age, generation, a dwelling


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 50:39 Therefore the wild animals of the desert (Jer.)
Jeremiah 50:38
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