Discovery BoxIsaiah 24:20 
Context24:20 The earth will stagger around 1 like a drunk;
it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. 2
Its sin will weigh it down,
and it will fall and never get up again.
Isaiah 34:11
Context34:11 Owls and wild animals 3 will live there, 4
all kinds of wild birds 5 will settle in it.
The Lord 6 will stretch out over her
the measuring line of ruin
1 tn Heb “staggering, staggers.” The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute before the finite verb for emphasis and sound play.
2 tn The words “in a windstorm” are supplied in the translation to clarify the metaphor.
3 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”).
4 tn Heb “will possess it” (so NIV).
5 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.
6 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 tn Heb “stones,” i.e., the stones used in a plumb bob.
8 sn The metaphor in v. 11b emphasizes that God has carefully planned Edom’s demise.
