Chapter 34

     Chapters 34 and 35 form a complementary pair of chapters with
this chapter announcing destruction upon Edom and the next
announcing the redemption of Israel.  A number of the images
employed in the two chapters are similar to each other as well as
being derivative of those of the preceding chapters (ch. 24-33). 
I attempted some chiastic arrangement of the two chapters, but
nothing satisfactory came of it.  It is also interesting to note
that ch. 34-35 are similar in content to Ps. 97-98.

     The primary reading one would take away from this chapter is
that the Lord is come to destroy the wicked world on the Day of the
Lord.  Nothing novel here as that has been the theme of the
preceding chapters referenced above.  But, Isaiah invokes some
additional symbolism to provide another interpretation that
focusses more carefully not on the wicked nations of the earth in
general but at the apostates among Israel in specific.
     Isaiah employs rhetorical language from the prose of Deut. 32. 
If one has the JPS translation they can see marked similarities
between the two chapters, which was probably intentional by the
translators.  As such, review of Deut. 32 is recommended.  Isaiah's
intent in so doing is to include the context of that chapter in
with this one.  This is not any major introduction of theme for
Isaiah as he has been addressing the subject of Deut. 32 in the
previous chapters, namely the apostasy of Israel.  However, what it
does accomplish is to include apostate Israel into those who are
being addressed in this chapter, lest we mistakenly assume that
only the inhabitants of Bozrah (the capitol of Edom) and Edom
proper are being spoken to.
     Another theme along these lines employed by Isaiah is the
story of Jacob and Esau.  He presents them as symbolic figures of
their offspring and applies their characteristics to them.  The
nation being addressed in this chapter is Edom, and Edom is another
name for Esau (Gen. 25:29-34).  The name Edom invokes the image of
the color red.  In Isaiah, the color red is associated with the
corruption of blood upon one's hands (1:18) as well as the
destruction of the wicked as this chapter presents (v. 7).  Thus,
Isaiah is presenting the figure of Esau who despised his birthright
and subsequently had his name changed to Edom with that of Jacob
who was at first unscrupulous but later repented and covenanted
with the Lord and had his name changed to Israel (the subject of
chapter 35).  So, this chapter deals with "Edom" whom Isaiah would
classify as those among Israel whom are rebellious and who spurn
their birthright and the covenants of the Lord (as did Esau) and
are therefore corrupt with blood.

     Also see 63:1-6 for a similar set of references dealing with
Edom and blood and so forth.

v1 is pretty much a derivative of Deut. 32:1.  It also is similar
in concept to 33:13 and thus rhetorically knits this chapter in
with that of the preceding chapters.  But, Deut. 32 is aimed at
Israel unequivocally and ch. 33 is aimed at the wicked nations that
oppress natural Israel.  How can this be?  Isaiah is letting his
audience know that wickedness and corruption and the judgement
thereon is going to be dealt out along national lines, but rather
individually.  Regardless of lineage the wicked will be expunged.

v2-5 presents a rather obscure set of images that seems to be
saying that the Lord is going to not only destroy the wicked on the
earth, but the hosts of heaven will be smitten as well.  This seems
peculiar until we recall 24:21-22 where Isaiah presents a series of
judgments that reach well into the post-mortal spirit world.  Thus,
on the Day of the Lord, He will not only strike the wicked on the
earth, but the spirit world will be purged of the wicked as well. 
Compare my comments on 26:19, also cp. Rev. 6:13-14, 3 Ne. 20:20,
D&C 1:13 and 36, D&C 63:54, D&C 88:87 and 100-101.

v3  Having your slain remain unburied is a common covenant curse. 
For the melting/dissolving, cp. Ps. 97.

v4  Rolling up a scroll is to close it after you are done with it,
similar to us "closing the book" on something.  With the consigning
of the post-mortal wicked to misery and suffering, the spirit world
where proselyting occurred would cease to be as the spirits would
either be resurrected at the Second Advent or consigned to the
Sheol waiting for the Second Resurrection.

v5  For the Lord's sword, cp. 31:8.  Compare this verse with the
content of Deut. 32:41-42.  LeSor (William Sanford LeSor, _The
Truth about Armageddon_) states that this prophecy against "Edom"
can be seen as a prophecy against the nations of the earth that
have taken over the inheritance of natural Israel per Ezek. 35:15.

v6-8 presents a sacrificial theme where the wicked are those who
are to be sacrificed.  This theme previously appeared in 29:1 and
30:33 and also appear in Jer. 46:10, Ezek. 34:17, and Zeph. 1:8.

v7 informs us that oxen, bulls, and steers will be among those
slaughtered.  See 1 Ki. 7:25 for the tribes of Israel equated with
oxen.  That the blood and fat of the sacrificial slaughter enriches
the soil may be in reference to Lev. 26:43.

v8 presents the destruction of the wicked with the redemption of
Zion, cp. 47:1-4, 52:1-3, 63:4.  Also cp. Amos 1:11-12 and D&C
133:51-52.  On the day of retribution (Herbert translates it "the
day of vengeance"), Herbert states:

     The word in modern english distorts the meaning.  The
     same language is used by Jesus in Luke 18:5-8, where
     `avenge' is translated `vindicate' in the N.E.B.  It has
     a positive as well as a negative meaning, putting right
     what is wrong and restoring the rights of one who is
     oppressed.  Negatively it means the punishment of the
     evil-doer; positively it means the restoration of those
     who have suffered at his hands (cp. Isa. 35:4).  God is
     the only one who can justly and effectively do this,
     `Vengeance is mine saith the Lord'.

v9-17 present the ultimate fate of Edom.  It is to be obliterated
from the earth.

v9 presents themes derivative from the events surrounding the
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (cp. Gen. 19:24).  See 1:10 where
the leaders of Israel are compared with the leaders of Sodom and
Gomorrah.  Also compare Deut. 32:32.

v10 implies that Edom will be made desolate and to never return
again to the earth.  Compare 32:14.  The language of lines c-d
imply an eternal judgement upon Edom.  Also compare Lev. 6:5 where
the fire of the sacrificial altar is said to be an ongoing fire,
not to be put out.

v11-15 contains a number of references to various animals.  The
Hebrew terms employed in these verses are obscure, so the actual
animals being referenced are unknown.  The general meaning of these
various references of the animals taking over the former
habitations of the Edomites is derived from the Lev. 26/Deut. 28
covenant curses, also cp. Zeph. 3:13-15.  The inhabitants broke the
covenants and are therefore destroyed.  But, Isaiah goes well
beyond the typical allusion to a covenant curse and the result is
that we suspect he is up to something.

     That Isaiah goes on at such length and describes so many
different animals may be indicative of the great detail of the
eschatological vision he has received.  This would be supported by
v. 16 where Isaiah indicates that the prophecy is revealed and
documented and is sure to be fulfilled and none of the many
detailed things he has recounted (whether they be details of
animals or of the destruction of the wicked of Edom) will go
unfulfilled.

     A more figurative spiritual interpretation is that once the
human inhabitants of Edom are destroyed they will be replaced by
fierce and hostile animals (all of the various translations of
these verses present the animals as nasty ones, also note that they
are all unclean according to the Law).  This could be symbolic of
the awareness people will have of good and evil after the Day of
the Lord (cf. 32:3-8) and that they will avoid these evil and
unclean domains of their own volition because they recognize it for
what it is.  Thus, after the Day of the Lord, no humans will
inhabit "Edom".  This interpretation would be supported by 35:9
which would indicate a complete separation of the clean and
unclean.

v11c-d presents the Lord as measuring the foundations of Edom for
their stability.  Compare my comments on 28:17.  The Hebrew
employed here for the JPS "chaos" and "emptiness" is similar to
that which appears in Gen. 1:2 when it describes the condition of
the earth previous to the start of the creation.  Thus, the Lord is
measuring Edom for total annihilation.  Compare Amos 7:7-9, Micah
2:4-5.

v12 is pejorative comment on Edom stating that its existence is
transitory (as opposed to the Lord who is eternal) and its nobles
are zeros (as opposed to the Lord of Hosts).

v13 states that the palaces will be overgrown with briars and
thorns.  Given Isaiah's frequent references to briars and thorns
being figuratively representative of wickedness (cf. 5:6) and his
usage of the Lev. 26/Deut. 28 covenant curses, one could develop a
replacement theme interpretation of the figurative being replaced
by the literal.  Using this, one could then use a passage like
11:6-7 to say that this replacement theme also applies to the
animals used in v. 11-15.

v16-17  Here, Isaiah identifies what he has written as prophetic
and endorsed by the Lord.  In 30:8 we have Isaiah documenting his
testimony as a witness for days to come, and this is a case of just
that.  For additional references to the book of the Lord, see Ps.
139:16, Dan. 12:1, Mal. 3:16.

     There is a JST on these two verses as follows:

          Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read the
     names written therein; no one of these shall fail; none
     shall want their mate; for my mouth it hath commanded,
     and my spirit it hath gathered them.
          And I have cast the lot for them, and I have divided
     it unto them by line; they shall possess it forever; from
     generation to generation they shall dwell there.

Nothing earth shattering.  It appears that Smith may have simply
improved the translation from the Hebrew on this over the KJV as
the only actual addition is "names written therein" and this is not
novel given the cross references above.

v17  Isaiah states the Lord will dedicate the wasted land of Edom
to these unclean beasts, no human inhabitants are intended to dwell
there.  This supports the figurative spiritual interpretation on v.
11-15 above that argues for a complete separation of the clean and
unclean after the Day of the Lord as they possess two separate and
mutually exclusive inheritances.  

     The verse also invoke the Abrahamic covenant by recalling that
his descendants had their own promised land and had to rebel
against Him to dwell in "Edom".  Thus it is indicative of Israel's
abandonment of its covenants with and blessings from the Lord.  

     It is remotely possible that these two verses could be
intended as transitional between ch. 34 and 35.  With the theme of
ch. 35 this passage would be referring to the redemption of Israel
and their inheritance of the promised lands.  One could press this
interpretation more easily by separating v. 16a-c and leaving it
with ch. 34 and moving v. 16d-17d down with ch. 35.  Or, by simply
applying a double interpretation on v. 16d-17d.

Append to Chapter 34: Isaiah's Animals

     Throughout the book of Isaiah many naturalistic themes appear. 
Images of vineyards and harvests and threshing.  And many animals
are referred to as well.  The symbolism applied to the vineyard and
harvest images is usually interpreted by Isaiah himself as he
write, but this is not so much the case with the symbolism applied
to his usage of animal symbols.  And, to complicate matters, Isaiah
appears to use the animal symbols for different context specific
purposes.

     One set of applications Isaiah uses is the comparison of
people to animals.  In 1:3 animals are said to be smarter than
Israel.  In 5:17 the righteous are called the Lord's sheep.  And
ch. 34 may be saying that literal animals will replace the
figurative ones.  So, we have the presentation of the
characteristics of animals as indicative of the people.  To discern
some of Isaiah's intent we can consider the following:

     5:1-6     Parable
     5:7-14    Plain

     34:1-10   Plain
     34:11-17  Parable

     11:1      Parable
     11:2      Plain
     11:6-9    Parable
     11:10-16  Plain

     5:17a-b   Parable
     5:17c-d   Plain

So, we see that Isaiah uses adjacency of text repeatedly to
establish one of his tools.  For related passages, see Ezek. 29:5
and 34:28, Hosea 12:7-8, Micah 5:8, Hab. 1:8, Mosiah 8:21 and
17:17.

     The original source seems to be Exod. 11:4-5 and 13:15.  In
that circumstance Egypt was treated the same as the animals, only
Israel was treated differently.  Thus, the Lord was equating the
Egyptians with the animals when it came to judgement.