Discovery BoxIsaiah 34:16 
Context34:16 Carefully read the scroll of the Lord! 1
Not one of these creatures will be missing, 2
none will lack a mate. 3
For the Lord has issued the decree, 4
and his own spirit gathers them. 5
Isaiah 40:26
ContextWho created all these heavenly lights? 7
He is the one who leads out their ranks; 8
he calls them all by name.
Because of his absolute power and awesome strength,
not one of them is missing.
1 tn Heb “Seek from upon the scroll of the Lord and read.”
sn It is uncertain what particular scroll is referred to here. Perhaps the phrase simply refers to this prophecy and is an admonition to pay close attention to the details of the message.
2 tn Heb “one from these will not be missing.” הֵנָּה (hennah, “these”) is feminine plural in the Hebrew text. It may refer only to the birds mentioned in v. 15b or may include all of the creatures listed in vv. 14b-15 (all of which are identified with feminine nouns).
3 tn Heb “each its mate they will not lack.”
4 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “for a mouth, it has commanded.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa and a few medieval
5 tn Heb “and his spirit, he gathers them.” The pronominal suffix (“them”) is feminine plural, referring to the birds mentioned in v. 15b or to all of the creatures listed in vv. 14b-15 (all of which are identified with feminine nouns).
6 tn Heb “Lift on high your eyes and see.”
7 tn The words “heavenly lights” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the following lines.
8 tn Heb “the one who brings out by number their host.” The stars are here likened to a huge army that the Lord leads out. Perhaps the next line pictures God calling roll. If so, the final line may be indicating that none of them dares “go AWOL.” (“AWOL” is a military acronym for “absent without leave.”)
