7 The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Lord speaks at this point.
8 Heb “indeed [or “for”] my sword is drenched in the heavens.” The Qumran scroll 1QIsaa has תראה (“[my sword] appeared [in the heavens]”), but this is apparently an attempt to make sense out of a difficult metaphor. Cf. “My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens.” In v. 4 the “host of the heaven” refers to the heavenly luminaries (stars and planets, see, among others, Deut 4:19; 17:3; 2 Kgs 17:16; 21:3, 5; 23:4–5; 2 Chr 33:3, 5) that populate the divine/heavenly assembly in mythological and prescientific Israelite thought (see Job 38:7; Isa 14:13). As in 24:21, they are viewed here as opposing God and being defeated in battle.
9 Edom is mentioned here as epitomizing the hostile nations that oppose God.
10 The verb is a rare Hotpaal passive form. See §54.h.
11 The words “it drips” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
12 The words “and is covered” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
13 Heb “for there is a sacrifice to the Lord.”
14 The Lord’s judgment of Edom is compared to a bloody sacrificial scene.
15 Heb “great” (so , , , , ).
16 Heb “will go down”; “shall be struck down.”
17 Heb “and bulls along with strong ones.” Perhaps this refers to the leaders.
18 Heb “for a day of vengeance [is] for the Lord.”
19 Heb “a year of repayment for the strife of Zion.” The translation assumes that רִיב (riv) refers to Edom’s hostility toward Zion. Another option is to understand רִיב (riv) as referring to the Lord’s taking up Zion’s cause. In this case one might translate, “a time when he will repay Edom and vindicate Zion.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens;

behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom,

upon the people I have devoted to destruction.

The Lord has a sword; it is sated with blood;

it is gorged with fat,

with the blood of lambs and goats,

with the fat of the kidneys of rams.

For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah,

a great slaughter in the land of Edom.

Wild oxen shall fall with them,

and young steers with the mighty bulls.

Their land shall drink its fill of blood,

and their soil shall be gorged with fat.

For the Lord has a day of vengeance,

a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens;

see, it descends in judgment on Edom,

the people I have totally destroyed.

The sword of the Lord is bathed in blood,

it is covered with fat—

the blood of lambs and goats,

fat from the kidneys of rams.

For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah

and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.

And the wild oxen will fall with them,

the bull calves and the great bulls.

Their land will be drenched with blood,

and the dust will be soaked with fat.

For the Lord has a day of vengeance,

a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens,

it will then come down on Edom

and on the people I have set apart for destruction.

The Lord’s sword is covered with blood.

It drips with fat,

with the blood of lambs and goats,

with the fat of the kidneys of rams.

For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah,

a great slaughter in the land of Edom.

The wild oxen will be struck down with them,

and young bulls with the mighty bulls.

Their land will be soaked with blood,

and their soil will be saturated with fat.

For the Lord has a day of vengeance,

a time of paying back Edom

for its hostility against Zion.

NLTNew Living Translation

And when my sword has finished its work in the heavens,

it will fall upon Edom,

the nation I have marked for destruction.

The sword of the Lord is drenched with blood

and covered with fat—

with the blood of lambs and goats,

with the fat of rams prepared for sacrifice.

Yes, the Lord will offer a sacrifice in the city of Bozrah.

He will make a mighty slaughter in Edom.

Even men as strong as wild oxen will die—

the young men alongside the veterans.

The land will be soaked with blood

and the soil enriched with fat.

For it is the day of the Lord’s revenge,

the year when Edom will be paid back for all it did to Israel.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

When my sword is drenched in the heavens,

look! It will descend upon Edom,

and upon the people of my ban, for judgment.

Yahweh has a sword;

it is full of blood.

It is covered with fat,

with the blood of lambs and goats,

with the fat of the kidneys of rams,

for Yahweh has a sacrifice in Bozrah

and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.

And wild oxen shall go down with them,

and steers with strong bulls.

And their land shall be drenched with blood,

and their soil shall be fattened with fat.

For Yahweh has a day of vengeance,

a year of retribution for the strife of Zion.

KJV 1900King James Version

For my sword shall be bathed in heaven:

Behold, it shall come down upon Idumea,

And upon the people of my curse, to judgment.

The sword of the Lord is filled with blood,

It is made fat with fatness,

And with the blood of lambs and goats,

With the fat of the kidneys of rams:

For the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah,

And a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.

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.

For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance,

And the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.

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