Thorns shall grow over its strongholds, nettles and thistles in its fortresses. It shall be the haunt of jackals, an abode for ostriches.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse paints a stark picture of desolation, but notice how it contrasts human dwellings with the wild. The "palaces" and "fortresses," built for human power and security, will become overgrown with weeds and occupied by wild animals. This isn't just about ruin; it’s about a reversal of order, where human structures become habitats for creatures that symbolize nature reclaiming what was once controlled.
Thorns shall grow over its strongholds, nettles and thistles in its fortresses. It shall be the haunt of jackals, an abode for ostriches.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prophecy is describing a coming judgment on a nation that has acted wickedly and oppressed God's people. Following declarations of God's wrath against all nations and specific pronouncements against Edom, Isaiah paints a stark picture of utter desolation and ruin. The imagery of thorns, wild animals, and emptiness underscores the complete abandonment and destruction that awaits those who oppose God.
Imagine walking through the grandest halls you can envision – now picture them overrun by thorns and inhabited by wild creatures. This verse paints a stark picture of utter desolation.
Isaiah 34:13 describes the complete destruction of a once-proud city or nation. The opulent palaces and strong fortresses, symbols of human power and security, are rendered useless.
From Human Abodes to Animal Dens
Instead of kings and soldiers, the verse vividly portrays:
Why such extreme desolation? This isn't random destruction; it's a divine verdict on those who built their security on pride and oppression.
The destruction described in Isaiah 34:13 is not arbitrary. It serves as a powerful message about the consequences of a nation's actions, particularly its pride and violence against God's people.
Judgment on Idumea
Scholars connect this prophecy specifically to the nation of Edom (Idumea). Edom had a long history of animosity towards Israel, often rejoicing in their distress and even participating in their destruction. God's judgment here is a response to their cruelty and arrogance.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
armonoth · Hebrew Noun
Fortified positions or citadels designed for protection and defense; often representing human attempts at security against God's judgment.
ma'on · Hebrew Noun
A place of frequent resort; a dwelling or habitat, often used in Scripture to describe desolate places inhabited by wild creatures rather than humans.
Isaiah's prophecy vividly describes the utter desolation awaiting Edom, portraying its once-strong cities becoming desolate wastelands haunted by wild animals. This imagery serves as a powerful testament to God's impending judgment, painting a stark picture of ruin that historical accounts confirm was eventually realized through various conquests and natural decay over centuries.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Isaiah Prophesies against Edom
Isaiah delivers this prophecy during a period of relative peace for Judah, but against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region, including the powerful Assyrian empire. The prophecy specifically targets Edom for its historical animosity toward Israel.
c. 586 BC
Babylonian Conquest of Jerusalem
While not directly related to Isaiah's prophecy, the Babylonian conquest and destruction of Jerusalem marked a period of intense suffering for Judah. Edom notoriously sided with the Babylonians during this conflict, further cementing their status as enemies of God's people.
c. 400 BC - 1st century BC
Edomite Displacement and Expansion
Following the Babylonian exile, the Edomites gradually expanded northward into the southern territories of Judah, which had been devastated. They eventually settled in Hebron and the surrounding regions, becoming known as Idumeans.
c. 1st century BC - 1st century AD
Roman Influence and Herod the Great
The Idumeans, descendants of Edom, rose to prominence under Roman rule, with Herod the Great, an Idumean, becoming the client king of Judea. This period saw the Idumeans integrated into the political landscape, though historical animosity with Jewish populations persisted.
This passage directly echoes Isaiah's prophecy concerning the desolation of Edom, describing it as a place where 'no man shall abide, nor any son of man dwell therein,' reinforcing the theme of complete abandonment and ruin.
Ezekiel 25:13This verse speaks of God's judgment against Edom, stating He will stretch out His hand against them and make it a desolation from Teman, and they shall fall by the sword, aligning with the prophetic picture of utter destruction and wildlife taking over former habitations.
Zephaniah 2:14-15Similar to Isaiah, Zephaniah describes the desolation of Nineveh, a city that will become a haunt for wild animals and birds, illustrating the widespread theme in prophetic literature of a nation's downfall leading to its complete abandonment to nature.
Psalm 107:34-41This psalm contrasts God's blessing on the righteous with His judgment on the wicked, describing fertile land turned into a barren wasteland inhabited by wild creatures, providing a broader biblical perspective on the consequences of wickedness leading to desolation.
barnesIsaiah 34:13: "And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls."
And thorns ... - (see the note at Isaiah 5:6 ) It shall be an habitation of dragons - On the meaning of the word 'dragons,' see the note at Isaiah 13:22. Court for owls - A place of resort, a residence of owls. The word rendered 'court' (חציר châtsı̂yr) means a dwelling-place, a habitation, as well as an enclosure or court. Th…
clarkeIsaiah 34:13: "And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls."
And thorns shall come up in her palaces - ועלו בארמנותיה vealu bearmenotheyha; so read all the ancient versions. A court for owls - יענה yaanah, the ostrich, from ענה anah, to cry, because of the noise it makes. "They roar, "says Dr. Shaw, "sometimes like a lion - sometimes like a bull. I have often heard them groan as if in…
This verse paints a stark picture of desolation, but notice how it contrasts human dwellings with the wild. The "palaces" and "fortresses," built for human power and security, will become overgrown with weeds and occupied by wild animals. This isn't just about ruin; it’s about a reversal of order, where human structures become habitats for creatures that symbolize nature reclaiming what was once controlled.
This prophecy is describing a coming judgment on a nation that has acted wickedly and oppressed God's people. Following declarations of God's wrath against all nations and specific pronouncements against Edom, Isaiah paints a stark picture of utter desolation and ruin. The imagery of thorns, wild animals, and emptiness underscores the complete abandonment and destruction that awaits those who oppose God.
This prophecy is describing a coming judgment on a nation that has acted wickedly and oppressed God's people. Following declarations of God's wrath against all nations and specific pronouncements against Edom, Isaiah paints a stark picture of utter desolation and ruin. The imagery of thorns, wild animals, and emptiness underscores the complete abandonment and destruction that awaits those who oppose God.
"Thorns shall grow over its strongholds, nettles and thistles in its fortresses. It shall be the haunt of jackals, an abode for ostriches." — This verse paints a stark picture of desolation, but notice how it contrasts human dwellings with the wild. The "palaces" and "fortresses," built for human power and security, will become overgrown w…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026