Isaiah 34:4

“And all the army of the heavens will dissolve, and the heavens will be rolled up like a book, and all their army will fade as a leaf fades from the vine, and as what fades from the fig tree.”
Isaiah 34:4 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

And allוְ כָּלthe armyצְבָאof the heavensהַשָּׁמַיִםwill dissolve,נָמַקּוּand the heavensהַשָּׁמָיִםwill be rolled upוְנָגֹלּוּlike a book,כַסֵּפֶרand allוְכָלtheir armyצְבָאָםwill fadeיִבּוֹלas a leafכִּ עָלֶהfadesנְבֹלfrom the vine,מִגֶּפֶןand as what fadesוּכְנֹבֶלֶתfrom the fig tree.מִתְּאֵנָה

Allusion · Revelation 6:14

Go to Revelation 6:14

Both texts say that the sky will be rolled up like a scroll (in Hebrew, “like a book”).

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

שָּׁמַיִםshamayimH8064οὐρανὸςouranosG3772“heavens”
סֵּפֶרseferH5612βιβλίονbiblionG975“book, document”

Isaiah 34:4, word by word

the armyצְבָאtseva

army

An army.

Where else “tseva” appears

of the heavensשָּׁמַיִםshamayim

sky

The high space seen above the earth, where the birds, clouds, sun and stars are.

Where else “shamayim” appears

will dissolveנָמַקּוּnamaku

waste away, rot

Waste away, melt away little by little, rot.

Where else “namaku” appears

will be rolled upנָגֹלּוּnagolu

roll

To turn something over and over, or wallow.

Where else “nagolu” appears

like a bookסֵּפֶרsefer

book

A scroll of skin or papyrus on which law, history or a record is written.

Where else “sefer” appears

will fadeיִבּוֹלyibol

wither

To dry up like a leaf, or lose strength.

Where else “yibol” appears

as a leafעָלֶהale

leaf

Leaf; foliage.

Where else “ale” appears

from the vineגֶּפֶןgefen

vine

Vine: the plant that bears grapes.

Where else “gefen” appears

from the fig treeתְּאֵנָהteena

fig tree

The fig-bearing plant; sitting under one's own means living in peace.

Where else “teena” appears

Translation note

“Like a book”: a book was then a scroll. Revelation 6:13-14 takes up this image.

The context

3And their slain will be cast out, and from their corpses their stench will rise, and the mountains will melt with their blood.

4 · This verse (above)

5For my sword is drenched in the heavens; look, upon Edom it will come down, and upon the people I have devoted to destruction, for judgment.

Read all of Isaiah 34

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