Isaiah 34:7
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.
Original Language Analysis
וְיָרְד֤וּ
shall come down
H3381
וְיָרְד֤וּ
shall come down
Strong's:
H3381
Word #:
1 of 12
to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); cau
עִמָּ֔ם
H5973
עִמָּ֔ם
Strong's:
H5973
Word #:
3 of 12
adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then
וּפָרִ֖ים
with them and the bullocks
H6499
וּפָרִ֖ים
with them and the bullocks
Strong's:
H6499
Word #:
4 of 12
a bullock (apparently as breaking forth in wild strength, or perhaps as dividing the hoof)
עִם
H5973
עִם
Strong's:
H5973
Word #:
5 of 12
adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then
וְרִוְּתָ֤ה
shall be soaked
H7301
וְרִוְּתָ֤ה
shall be soaked
Strong's:
H7301
Word #:
7 of 12
to slake the thirst (occasionally of other appetites)
מִדָּ֔ם
with blood
H1818
מִדָּ֔ם
with blood
Strong's:
H1818
Word #:
9 of 12
blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshe
וַעֲפָרָ֖ם
and their dust
H6083
וַעֲפָרָ֖ם
and their dust
Strong's:
H6083
Word #:
10 of 12
dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth, mud
Cross References
Psalms 68:30Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.Numbers 23:22God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.Jeremiah 50:27Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.
Historical Context
Wild oxen were symbols of strength and fertility in the ancient world. Their slaughter represented the complete overthrow of Edom's power structures.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the judgment of the strong and mighty reveal God's opposition to prideful power?
- What does the reversal of blessing to curse teach about covenant faithfulness?
- How should this shape our view of worldly strength and success?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The "unicorns" (Hebrew "re'em", wild oxen) and bulls represent powerful leaders brought low. The land "soaked with blood" (Hebrew "rivvah") indicates saturation, complete judgment. This prophetic perfect tense depicts future events as accomplished facts, demonstrating God's sovereignty over history. The agricultural land becoming blood-soaked reverses God's blessing, recalling Eden's curse where the ground drank Abel's blood (Genesis 4:10-11).