Discovery BoxIsaiah 13:21 
Context13:21 Wild animals will rest there,
the ruined 1 houses will be full of hyenas. 2
Ostriches will live there,
wild goats will skip among the ruins. 3
Isaiah 34:11
Context34:11 Owls and wild animals 4 will live there, 5
all kinds of wild birds 6 will settle in it.
The Lord 7 will stretch out over her
the measuring line of ruin
1 tn The word “ruined” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
2 tn The precise referent of this word in uncertain. See HALOT 29 s.v. *אֹחַ. Various English versions translate as “owls” (e.g., NAB, NASB), “wild dogs” (NCV); “jackals” (NIV); “howling creatures” (NRSV, NLT).
3 tn Heb “will skip there.”
4 tn קָאַת (qa’at) refers to some type of bird (cf. Lev 11:18; Deut 14:17) that was typically found near ruins (see Zeph 2:14). קִפּוֹד (qippod) may also refer to a type of bird (NAB “hoot owl”; NIV “screech owl”; TEV “ravens”), but some have suggested a rodent may be in view (cf. NCV “small animals”; ASV “porcupine”; NASB, NRSV “hedgehog”).
5 tn Heb “will possess it” (so NIV).
6 tn The Hebrew text has יַנְשׁוֹף וְעֹרֵב (yanshof vÿ’orev). Both the יַנְשׁוֹף (“owl”; see Lev 11:17; Deut 14:16) and עֹרֵב (“raven”; Lev 11:15; Deut 14:14) were types of wild birds.
7 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Heb “stones,” i.e., the stones used in a plumb bob.
9 sn The metaphor in v. 11b emphasizes that God has carefully planned Edom’s demise.
