Isaiah 34:14-15

34:14 Wild animals and wild dogs will congregate there; ¹ 

wild goats will bleat to one another. ² 

Yes, nocturnal animals ³  will rest there

and make for themselves a nest. ⁴ 

34:15 Owls ⁵  will make nests and lay eggs ⁶  there;

they will hatch them and protect them. ⁷ 

Yes, hawks ⁸  will gather there,

each with its mate.

[34:14]  ¹ tn Heb “will meet” (so NIV); NLT “will mingle there.”

[34:14]  ² tn Heb “and a goat will call to its neighbor.”

[34:14]  ³ tn The precise meaning of לִּילִית (lilit) is unclear, though in this context the word certainly refers to some type of wild animal or bird. The word appears to be related to לַיְלָה (laylah, “night”). Some interpret it as the name of a female night demon, on the basis of an apparent Akkadian cognate used as the name of a demon. Later Jewish legends also identified Lilith as a demon. Cf. NRSV “Lilith.”

[34:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “and will find for themselves a resting place.”

[34:15]  ⁵ tn Hebrew קִפּוֹז (qippoz) occurs only here; the precise meaning of the word is uncertain.

[34:15]  ⁶ tn For this proposed meaning for Hebrew מָלַט (malat), see HALOT 589 s.v. I מלט.

[34:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “and brood [over them] in her shadow.”

[34:15]  ⁸ tn The precise meaning of דַּיָּה (dayyah) is uncertain, though the term appears to refer to some type of bird of prey, perhaps a vulture.