The Meaning of Isaiah 34:16 Explained

Isaiah 34:16

KJV: Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.

YLT: Seek out of the book of Jehovah, and read, One of these hath not been lacking, None hath missed its companion, For My mouth -- it hath commanded, And His spirit -- He hath gathered them.

Darby: Search ye in the book of Jehovah and read: not one of these shall fail, one shall not have to seek for the other; for my mouth, it hath commanded, and his Spirit, it hath gathered them.

ASV: Seek ye out of the book of Jehovah, and read: no one of these shall be missing, none shall want her mate; for my mouth, it hath commanded, and his Spirit, it hath gathered them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Seek ye out  of the book  of the LORD,  and read:  no one  of these  shall fail,  none  shall want  her mate:  for my mouth  it hath commanded,  and his spirit  it hath gathered  them. 

What does Isaiah 34:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 34:1-17 - Reaping The Whirlwind
This chapter is one prolonged description of the judgments which were to befall the nations at the hand of Assyria and Babylon. The imagery employed is borrowed from the destruction of the cities of the plain. Streams of pitch; dust of brimstone; the ever-ascending smoke of a furnace; the scream of the eagle, hawk, and owl; the invasion of palaces by the thistle; the howl of the wolf; the call of the jackal; the arrow-snakes nest; the kite with its mate-such are the illustrations employed to depict the scorching desolations which were impending. Edom is especially mentioned as suffering these awful desolations because of her long-standing hatred of Israel. See Psalms 137:7; Ezekiel 36:5; Lamentations 4:21-22. These terrible and graphic predictions have been literally fulfilled, but they foreshadow those further and eternal disasters which must overtake willful and designed rejection of the divine purposes and laws. Are not all nations at this hour standing before the Son of man and being judged? See Matthew 25:31. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 34

1  The judgments wherewith God revenges his church
11  The desolation of her enemies
16  The certainty of the prophecy

What do the individual words in Isaiah 34:16 mean?

Search from the book of Yahweh and read one of these Not shall fail her her mate one shall lack for My mouth it has commanded it and His Spirit He has gathered them
דִּרְשׁ֨וּ מֵֽעַל־ סֵ֤פֶר יְהוָה֙ וּֽקְרָ֔אוּ אַחַ֤ת מֵהֵ֙נָּה֙ לֹ֣א נֶעְדָּ֔רָה אִשָּׁ֥ה רְעוּתָ֖הּ פָקָ֑דוּ כִּֽי־ פִי֙ ה֣וּא צִוָּ֔ה וְרוּח֖וֹ ה֥וּא קִבְּצָֽן

דִּרְשׁ֨וּ  Search 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
סֵ֤פֶר  the  book 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וּֽקְרָ֔אוּ  and  read 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אַחַ֤ת  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מֵהֵ֙נָּה֙  of  these 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine plural
Root: הֵנָּה  
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
נֶעְדָּ֔רָה  shall  fail 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: עָדַר 
Sense: to help.
אִשָּׁ֥ה  her 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
רְעוּתָ֖הּ  her  mate 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: רְעוּת  
Sense: female companion, mate, neighbour woman.
פָקָ֑דוּ  one  shall  lack 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
פִי֙  My  mouth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
צִוָּ֔ה  has  commanded  it 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
וְרוּח֖וֹ  and  His  Spirit 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
קִבְּצָֽן  has  gathered  them 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine plural
Root: קָבַץ  
Sense: to gather, assemble.