It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
It will never be lived in again, and no one will settle there for generations to come. Even the wandering Arabs won't set up their tents there, and shepherds won't bring their flocks to rest there.
This verse describes complete and permanent desolation - a place so thoroughly destroyed that even nomads and travelers will avoid it entirely.
📚 Historical Context
This prophecy is part of Isaiah's oracle against Babylon, the mighty empire that would later conquer Jerusalem and exile the Jewish people. Isaiah prophesied that Babylon itself would face complete destruction and abandonment. The mention of Arabs and shepherds refers to the nomadic peoples who typically used any available land for temporary shelter and grazing.
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