Teks -- Isaiah 13:21-22 (NET)

13:21 Wild animals will rest there, the ruined houses will be full of hyenas. Ostriches will live there, wild goats will skip among the ruins. 13:22 Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses, jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces. Her time is almost up, her days will not be prolonged.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Isa 13:21 - Satyrs

The learned agree, that these are frightful and solitary creatures.

Wesley: Isa 13:22 - Prolonged

Beyond the time appointed by God.

JFB: Isa 13:21 - wild beasts

Hebrew, tsiyim, animals dwelling in arid wastes. Wild cats, remarkable for their howl [BOCHART].

JFB: Isa 13:21 - doleful creatures

"howling beasts," literally, "howlings" [MAURER].

JFB: Isa 13:21 - owls

Rather, "ostriches"; a timorous creature, delighting in solitary deserts and making a hideous noise [BOCHART].

JFB: Isa 13:21 - satyrs

Sylvan demi-gods--half man, half goat--believed by the Arabs to haunt these ruins; probably animals of the goat-ape species [VITRINGA]. Devil-worshippers, who dance amid the ruins on a certain night [J. WOLFF].

JFB: Isa 13:22 - wild beasts of the islands

Rather, "jackals"; called by the Arabs "sons of howling"; an animal midway between a fox and a wolf [BOCHART and MAURER].

JFB: Isa 13:22 - cry

Rather, "answer," "respond" to each other, as wolves do at night, producing a most dismal effect.

JFB: Isa 13:22 - dragons

Serpents of various species, which hiss and utter dolorous sounds. Fable gave them wings, because they stand with much of the body elevated and then dart swiftly. MAURER understands here another species of jackal.

JFB: Isa 13:22 - her time . . . near

Though one hundred seventy-four years distant, yet "near" to Isaiah, who is supposed to be speaking to the Jews as if now captives in Babylon (Isa 14:1-2).

"It moves in lengthened elegiac measure like a song of lamentation for the dead, and is full of lofty scorn" [HERDER].

a pledge to assure the captives in Babylon that He who, with such ease, overthrew the Assyrian, could likewise effect His purpose as to Babylon. The Babylonian king, the subject of this prediction, is Belshazzar, as representative of the kingdom (Dan. 5:1-31).

Clarke: Isa 13:21 - Satyrs

Satyrs - A kind of beast like to man, which is called מרמוטש marmots , a monkey. - Rabbi Parchon.

Clarke: Isa 13:22

In their pleasant palaces "In their palaces"- באלמנותיו bealmenothaiv ; a plain mistake, I presume, for בארמנתיו bearmenothaiv . It is so corrected in two MSS., the Syriac, Chaldee, and Vulgate

Πουλυποδες δ ’ εν εμοι θαλαμας φωκαι τε μελαιναι

Οικα ποιησονται ακηδεα, χητεΐ λαων.

Hom. Hymn. in Apol. 77

Of which the following passage of Milton may be taken for a translation, though not so designed: -

"And in their palaces

Where luxury late reigned, sea monsters whelped

And stabled.

Par. Lost, 11:750

This image of desolation is handled with great propriety and force by some of the Persian poets: -

"The spider holds the veil in the palace of Caesar

The owl stands centinel on the watch-tower of Afrasiab.

On this quotation Sir W. Jones observes, noubet is an Arabic word, signifying a turn, a change, a watch; hence noubet zudun in Persian signifies to relieve the guards by the sounds of drums and trumpets. Their office is given by the poet to the owl; as that of purdeh dar , or chamberlain, is elegantly assigned to the spider.

Calvin: Isa 13:21 - But the Ziim shall lie there

21.But the Ziim shall lie there ²⁰⁹ He continues the description of a desert place, and alludes to what he had formerly said, that Babylon will be destitute of inhabitants. In what way ציים ( tziim) ought to be translated I cannot easily say, on account of the diversity in the opinions of translators, who differ in this, as in various names of animals and herbs. The use of these things did not continue among them; and the Jews, who are themselves ignorant and unskilful, do not retain the knowledge of these things, though there are some of them who know nothing about either herbs or animals, and yet have the impudence to boast of being physicians. Of those who think that ציים ( tziim) is the name of a wild animal, some will have it to be a quadruped, and others, a bird; but that is a matter of little importance. For my own part, I have no doubt that the Prophet means either wild beasts which cannot be tamed, or birds which build their nests in distant forests.

It will not be amiss to explain what follows about Satyrs or Pans, who are called by the French, according to the various dialects of the provinces, sometimes Luittons , sometimes Follets , and sometimes Loups-garouz ²¹⁰ As Satan deludes men by various tricks, so he gives to them various names. It is certain that ציים ( tziim) is often used in Scripture for devils; and it is derived from ציה , ( tziyah,) which means dryness, or, a desert, as איים ( iyim) is derived from אים , ( ayam,) which means to terrify. The Devil performs strange tricks by means of Fauns and Satyrs, and on that account their names are given to him.

The design of the Prophet is to show that the solitude will be so great, that not only will the place be deserted by men, but even the devils will there deceive by their tricks; for the devils avail themselves of the tendency of solitary places to produce terror. As enemies and robbers, by sallying forth from concealed lurking-places, frighten men the more, so devils take advantage of the night and the darkness, and of places distant from the view of men, that they may be able to excite greater terror in those who are naturally timorous.

Calvin: Isa 13:22 - And Iim shall cry // And her time is near // And her days shall not be prolonged

22.And Iim shall cry ²¹¹ He expresses the same thing as had been formerly said, and shows how dreadful that change will be, in order to make it manifest that it proceeds from the judgment of God, and not from chance. The picture is even heightened by adding that this will take place, not in ordinary buildings, but in delightful palaces ²¹² While the shortness of time which is here laid down refers to the approaching calamity, it was at the same time necessary that the hope of believers should be held longer in suspense. I have said that Babylon was not so speedily overturned, and that the Medes did not inflict such a calamity upon it that it could be compared to a desert. He therefore said that it would quickly happen, because the beginnings of it were soon afterwards seen; for the Jews ought to have been satisfied with knowing that the punishment had not been threatened without good grounds.

And her time is near The Holy Spirit also keeps in view our ardor and rashness. We would choose that God should immediately execute his judgments, and punish wicked men whenever we wish. But God knows what is the proper time, for which our eagerness does not allow us to wait. Yet if we would take into consideration his eternity, we should quickly find that by patience we laid the bridle on excessive haste; but as our eagerness can hardly be restrained in any other manner, God sometimes deals with us gently to some extent, by declaring that He will soon come. Again, let us not judge of the shortness of time according to our own views, but, disregarding the days of this life, let us raise our hearts to heaven. Especially let us learn to bow, whenever we are made to feel, even in a small degree, the judgments of God, though he delay their full accomplishment for a longer period.

And her days shall not be prolonged This second clause is added for confirmation; as if he had said that the Lord hath appointed a day, and that none shall be admitted to obtain a truce.

Defender: Isa 13:22 - beasts of the islands

This part of Babylon's "burden" (Isa 13:1) will probably be fulfilled after the rebuilt Babylon sinks beneath the sea (Jer 51:42, Jer 51:64; Rev 18:21). The previous verse describes its habitation by "wild beasts of the desert," this portion being fulfilled in the long centuries following her first collapse into ruins.

Defender: Isa 13:22 - dragons

The "dragons" (Hebrew tannin) are the "sea monsters," probably marine dinosaurs or great sea serpents that still survive in the deep ocean (Isa 27:1)."

TSK: Isa 13:21 - But // wild beasts // doleful creatures

But : Isa 34:11-15; Rev 18:2

wild beasts : Heb. Ziim

doleful creatures : Heb. Ochim, owls. or, ostriches. Heb. daughters of the owl.

TSK: Isa 13:22 - the wild beasts // desolate houses // her time

the wild beasts : Heb. Iim

desolate houses : or, palaces, dragons. Isa 35:7

her time : Deu 32:35; Jer 51:33; Eze 7:7-10; Hab 2:3; 2Pe 2:3, 2Pe 3:9, 2Pe 3:10

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Isa 13:21 - Wild beasts of the desert shall lie there

Wild beasts of the desert shall lie there the land being forsaken by men, shall be possessed by wild beasts, which love solitary places. What the Hebrew words used here, and in the next verse, signify, the learned may see in my Latin Synopsis; and for others, it may suffice to know that in which all the learned agree, that these are frightful and solitary creatures; of which if I should particularly discourse, I should rather perplex than edify the vulgar reader.

Poole: Isa 13:22 - Her time is near to come // Her days shall not be prolonged

Her time is near to come so it was, though not according to man’ s rash judgment and impatient expectation, yet according to God’ s estimation, and to the eye of faith, whereby Abraham saw Christ’ s day as present, many ages before it came, Joh 8:56 : and comparatively; for it happened within two hundred years; which is but a small proportion of time, if it be compared either with the foregoing or following ages of the world, or with the immense duration of eternity, from whence it was decreed by God, and therefore might well be said now to be near the accomplishment of it. In like manner the apostles speak of the day of judgment as near in their time, though it was at many ages distance.

Her days shall not be prolonged beyond the time prefixed and appointed by God. Compare Hab 2:3 .

Haydock: Isa 13:21 - Beasts // Serpents // Ostriches // Hairy

Beasts. Hebrew tsiim, "fishermen." ---

Serpents. Hebrew ochim. Septuagint, "echo," (Haydock) or "reeds." Babylon was built on a marshy situation, and Cyrus having let out the waters of the Euphrates, they could never be effectually stopped. ---

Ostriches. Or swans. ---

Hairy. Goats, chap. xxxiv. 14. (Calmet)

Haydock: Isa 13:22 - Owls // Sirens // Thannim

Owls. Or jackals, which resemble foxes, and going in packs, will devour the largest creatures. (Bochart) (Parkhurst in aje. ) (Haydock) ---

But St. Jerome explains it of birds, Job xxviii. 7., and Leviticus xiv. ---

Sirens, fabulously supposed to be sweet singing women with wings. ---

Thannim denotes some great sea monsters, such as whales or sea calves. (Calmet)

Gill: Isa 13:21 - 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

But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there,.... What sort of creatures are meant is not certain. The Targum renders it by a word which signifies monstrous, astonishing creatures; the Latin interpreter of it calls them apes. Jarchi and Kimchi say such are intended as are called martens or sables, a creature of the weasel kind. The Hebrew word does not much differ from the Arabic one used for "wild cats":

and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; whose voices are very mournful and unpleasant. Aben Ezra says such creatures are meant, that those that see them are amazed at them. Jarchi declares they are a kind of creatures he was ignorant of; and Kimchi thinks they are the same with "furon", or "ferrets": and the Latin interpreter of the Targum renders the word that uses by "weasels":

and owls shall dwell there; or "the daughters of the owl", or "of the ostriches", as the Targum and Syriac version; with which agrees the Vulgate Latin, rendering the word "ostriches", as it is in Lam 4:3; the Septuagint version translates it "sirens", or "mermaids":

and satyrs shall dance there; a sort of monstrous creatures with the ancients, painted half men and half goats; the upper part of them like men, except the horns on their heads, and the lower parts like goats, and all over hairy; and the word here used signifies hairy; and is used for goats, and sometimes for devils, either because they have appeared in this form, as Kimchi says, to them that believe them; or because they, by their appearance, inject such horror in men, as cause their hair to stand upright: hence the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi, interpret it of devils here; and so the Septuagint version, and those that follow it, the Syriac and Arabic, render it, "and demons shall dance there": with this agrees the account of mystical Babylon, Rev 18:2.

Gill: Isa 13:22 - And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses // and dragons in their pleasant palaces // and her time is near to come // and her days shall not be prolonged

And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses,.... The Targum and Syriac version, "in their palaces", and so the Vulgate Latin; or "with their widows", such as have lost their mates: what creatures are here meant is very uncertain; we in general call them the wild beasts of the islands, because the word is sometimes used for islands; the Targum renders it "cats", wild ones; the Syriac version, "sirens"; and the Arabic, the "hyaenae"; the Septuagint version, "onocentaurs"; and the Vulgate Latin version, "owls", which live in desolate houses, and cry or answer to one another, which is the sense of the phrase here:

and dragons in their pleasant palaces; where they delight to be, though otherwise very dismal. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "hedgehogs": the Syriac version, "wild dogs"; and the Vulgate Latin version, "sirens"; the word is commonly used for "whales", and sometimes for serpents, which seems to be the sense here; and to this agrees the account that R. Benjamin Tudelensis ^r gives of Babylon, who, when he was there, about five or six hundred years ago, saw the palace of Nebuchadnezzar in ruins, but men were afraid to enter into it, because of serpents and scorpions, which were within it. Rauwolff, a German traveller, about the year 1574, reports of the tower of Babylon, that it was so ruinous, so low, and so full of venomous creatures, which lodge in holes made by them in the rubbish, that no one durst approach nearer to it than within half a league, excepting during two months in the winter, when these animals never stir out of their holes ^s:

and her time is near to come; that is, the time of the destruction of Babylon, as the Targum expresses it; which, though two hundred years or more from the time of this prophecy, yet but a short time with God; and when this was made known to the Jews in captivity, for whose comfort it is written, it was not afar off:

and her days shall not be prolonged; the days of her prosperity and happiness, but should be shortened.