And wild animals shall meet with hyenas; the wild goat shall cry to his fellow; indeed, there the night bird settles and finds for herself a resting place.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage paints a picture of utter desolation, but the surprising detail is that the "screech owl," or Lilith, actually finds a place of rest. This isn't a place of comfort for humans, but for these "night creatures," their finding a resting place signifies a profound absence of life and divine presence, making the ruin complete.
And wild animals shall meet with hyenas; the wild goat shall cry to his fellow; indeed, there the night bird settles and finds for herself a resting place.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage follows God's pronouncement of judgment on the nations, particularly Edom, detailing a future of utter devastation and desolation. The immediate context is the prophetic imagery of a land so ruined that it becomes a dwelling for every kind of noxious creature, a place of utter emptiness where even the most fearsome and desolate beings find refuge and undisturbed existence.
Imagine a place so utterly abandoned that the only sounds are the cries of desolate creatures. What does this tell us about God's judgment?
Isaiah 34:14 paints a stark picture of Edom's final ruin. It's not just empty; it's inhabited by the creatures of the wild and superstition.
The Original Sounds of Destruction
The Hebrew words used here for 'wild beasts' (tsiyim and 'iyim) suggest mournful cries and howls. These aren't just animals finding refuge; they are vocalizing the desolation itself. Think of jackals, wolves, or other creatures known for their haunting calls echoing through ruins.
Mythical Inhabitants of Ruin
Then come the 'satyr' and the 'screech owl' (Lilith). These terms likely point to figures from ancient mythology and folklore – perhaps demonic beings or legendary monsters associated with the night and abandoned places. Whether literal or symbolic, they represent the terrifying emptiness and the sinister presence that fills the void left by God's judgment.
Why would creatures of the night and superstition be drawn to a place? It speaks volumes about the completeness of God's judgment.
This verse isn't just about animals moving in; it's about the complete removal of human presence and the establishment of a new, desolate order.
No One Left to Disturb
The implication is clear: Edom, once a nation, will be so utterly destroyed that its cities and strongholds will become the habitat for creatures that shun human contact. There will be no one left to scare them away, no shepherds, no travelers, no inhabitants.
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A Place of 'Rest' for the Unholy
The idea of these creatures finding a 'resting place' is profound. For spirits associated with chaos, darkness, and superstition, a completely ruined and abandoned place is rest. It's a confirmation of the finality of the judgment – a place where God's presence is absent, leaving it open for the dominion of creatures that thrive in such emptiness. This isn't a temporary state; it's a permanent designation.
Isaiah 34 vividly describes the utter desolation of Edom, depicting it as a place so abandoned that only wild, nocturnal, and even mythical creatures would inhabit its ruins. This imagery powerfully conveys the finality of God's judgment upon those who oppose Him, reflecting the devastating impact of historical events like the destruction of Jerusalem.
c. 740 BC
Assyrian Expansion under Tiglath-Pileser III
The Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III begins a period of significant military expansion, impacting the geopolitical landscape of the region and threatening smaller kingdoms like Judah and its neighbors, including Edom.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and End of the Northern Kingdom
The Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) falls to the Assyrians, marking a major shift in power and a period of widespread destruction and displacement. This event foreshadows the judgment prophesied for other nations.
c. 701 BC
Sennacherib's Campaign Against Judah
Assyrian King Sennacherib invades Judah, conquering many fortified cities and besieging Jerusalem. While Jerusalem is spared, the campaign devastates the region, highlighting the vulnerability of Judah.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation of Judah
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon deports a segment of the Judean population, including members of the royal family and intellectuals, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar II, destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and leading to a mass deportation of the Judean people. This event is a profound national catastrophe.
c. 540 BC
Cyrus the Great's Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire, conquers Babylon. This shift in power eventually leads to the decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to their homeland.
These verses also describe the desolation of a great city, Babylon, and explicitly name the wild animals and demonic creatures that will inhabit its ruins, mirroring the imagery of Isaiah 34:14.
Matthew 12:43-45This passage speaks of an unclean spirit going out of a person and wandering through dry places 'seeking rest but finding none,' which echoes the idea in Isaiah 34:14 of desolate places becoming a resting place for wild and possibly demonic entities.
Revelation 18:2This New Testament passage describes Babylon as a 'dwelling place for demons and a haunt for every defiling spirit,' directly linking the symbolic desolation of a wicked city with habitation by unclean beings, a theme consistent with Isaiah's prophecy.
Jeremiah 50:39Similar to Isaiah's prophecy, Jeremiah predicts the desolation of a great city (Babylon), stating it will become 'a dwelling for wild animals, for desert creatures and hyenas,' highlighting the consistent biblical imagery of utter ruin being populated by wild beasts.
barnesIsaiah 34:14: "The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest."
The wild beasts of the desert - There is in the original here a paronomasia, which cannot be conveyed in a translation. The word rendered, 'wild beasts of the desert' (ציים tsı̂yı̂ym), is rendered by the Septuagint, δαιμόνια daimonia, 'demons.' On the meaning of the word, see the n…
cambridgeIsaiah 34:14: "The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest."
14 . wild beasts the desert … wild beasts of the island … satyr ] See on ch. Isaiah 13:21 f. the shrich owl ] The Hebr. is Lîlîth , a fem. formation from Iáil “night.” Render with Cheyne: the night-hag . Lilith appears to be a creation of the Babylonian demonology. “This Lilith plays…
This passage paints a picture of utter desolation, but the surprising detail is that the "screech owl," or Lilith, actually finds a place of rest. This isn't a place of comfort for humans, but for these "night creatures," their finding a resting place signifies a profound absence of life and divine presence, making the ruin complete.
This passage follows God's pronouncement of judgment on the nations, particularly Edom, detailing a future of utter devastation and desolation. The immediate context is the prophetic imagery of a land so ruined that it becomes a dwelling for every kind of noxious creature, a place of utter emptiness where even the most fearsome and desolate beings find refuge and undisturbed existence.
This passage follows God's pronouncement of judgment on the nations, particularly Edom, detailing a future of utter devastation and desolation. The immediate context is the prophetic imagery of a land so ruined that it becomes a dwelling for every kind of noxious creature, a place of utter emptiness where even the most fearsome and desolate beings find refuge and undisturbed existence.
"And wild animals shall meet with hyenas; the wild goat shall cry to his fellow; indeed, there the night bird settles and finds for herself a resting place." — This passage paints a picture of utter desolation, but the surprising detail is that the "screech owl," or Lilith, actually finds a place of rest. This isn't a place of comfort for humans, but for…
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Last reviewed October 2026