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Isaiah 34:12

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Isaiah 34:12 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there; and all its princes shall be nothing.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there; and all its princes shall be nothing.
Isaiah 34:12 — American Standard Version

Context — Isaiah 34

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
9And the streams of [Edom] shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.
10It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever; from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.
11But the pelican and the porcupine shall possess it; and the owl and the raven shall dwell therein: and he will stretch over it the line of confusion, and the plummet of emptiness.
12They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there; and all its princes shall be nothing.
13And thorns shall come up in its palaces, nettles and thistles in the fortresses thereof; and it shall be a habitation of jackals, a court for ostriches.
14And the wild beasts of the desert shall meet with the wolves, and the wild goat shall cry to his fellow; yea, the night-monster shall settle there, and shall find her a place of rest.
15There shall the dart-snake make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shade; yea, there shall the kites be gathered, every one with her mate.
← Isaiah 34:11Isaiah 34:13 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none [shall be] there, &c.] They shall call them to take upon them the kingdom and government, and there shall be none to do it, or that will care to do it; or rather there will be no kingdom to take unto them. The words may be rendered either, “as for the nobles thereof, not there a kingdom shall they be called”f670; or, “the nobles shall call”; or, “they shall call the nobles”, and “there shall be no kingdom”f671; the kingdom of the beast, as it is called, (<661610>Revelation 16:10) shall be no more; and though the cardinals, who are like to nobles, may call for it, and expect it, or be called to it, yet to no purpose; this kingdom…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Rather, "As to her nobles, there shall be none there who shall declare a kingdom," that is, a king [MAURER]; or else, "There shall be no one there whom they shall call to the kingdom" [ROSENMULLER] (Isa 3:6, &c.). Idumea was at first governed by dukes (Gen 36:15); out of them the king wan chosen when the constitution became a monarchy.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom - A more correct rendering of this would be, ‘As to the nobles, they shall call them, but there shall be there no kingdom.’ The idea is, that the kingdom would be desolate; there would be no people to rule. Or, there will be no nobles there who shall survive the destruction, and who can undertake the government of the state. The idea is taken from a government or constitution where the monarch is chosen from the ranks of the nobility. Idumea was formerly governed, as we have seen (see the Introduction to the chapter), by dukes or princes; and it is probable that when it became a monarchy it was a part of the constitution that the sovereign…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“None - They shall not find any willing to undertake the government. Nothing - Shall have no courage or strength left in them. Isaiah 34:16”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“call: Isa 3:6-8; Ecc 10:16, Ecc 10:17 nothing: Isa 41:24; Co1 8:4, Co1 13:2; Co2 12:11 Isaiah 34:13”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification