102 The identification of this bird has been called into question by G. R. Driver, “Birds in the Old Testament,” 87 (1955): 137–38. He refers to this bird as an owl. That identification, however, is not reflected in any of the lexicons including the most recent, which still gives “ostrich” ( יַעֲנָה) as does W. S. McCullough, “Ostrich,” 3:611. , , , and God’s Word all identify this bird as “owl/desert owl.”
103 Heb “Therefore desert creatures will live with jackals and ostriches will live in it.”
104 Heb “It will never again be inhabited nor dwelt in unto generation and generation.” For the meaning of this last phrase compare the usage in Ps 100:5 and Isaiah 13:20. Since the first half of the verse has spoken of animals living there, it is necessary to add “people” and turn the passive verbs into active ones.
105 Heb “ ‘Like [when] God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns,’ oracle of the Lord, ‘no man will live there.’ ” The Lord is speaking so the first person has been substituted for “God.” The sentence has again been broken up to better conform with contemporary English style. Compare Jer 49:18 where the same prophecy is applied to Edom.
106 Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Therefore wild beasts shall dwell with hyenas in Babylon, and ostriches shall dwell in her. She shall never again have people, nor be inhabited for all generations. As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities, declares the Lord, so no man shall dwell there, and no son of man shall sojourn in her.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“So desert creatures and hyenas will live there,

and there the owl will dwell.

It will never again be inhabited

or lived in from generation to generation.

As I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah

along with their neighboring towns,”

declares the Lord,

“so no one will live there;

no people will dwell in it.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Therefore, desert creatures will live with hyenas,

and ostriches will also live in her.

It will never again be inhabited

or lived in through all generations.

Just as God demolished Sodom and Gomorrah

and their neighboring towns —

this is the Lord’s declaration—

so no one will live there;

no human being will stay in it even temporarily

as a temporary resident.

NLTNew Living Translation

“Soon Babylon will be inhabited by desert animals and hyenas.

It will be a home for owls.

Never again will people live there;

it will lie desolate forever.

I will destroy it as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah

and their neighboring towns,” says the Lord.

“No one will live there;

no one will inhabit it.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Therefore desert creatures will live there with jackals,

and daughters of ostriches will inhabit her.

And she will not be inhabited again forever,

and she will not be dwelt in for all generations.

As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah

and their neighbors,” declares Yahweh,

“no one will live there,

and the son of humankind will not dwell as an alien in her.

KJV 1900King James Version

Therefore the wild beasts of the desert

With the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there,

And the owls shall dwell therein:

And it shall be no more inhabited for ever;

Neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah

And the neighbour cities thereof, saith the Lord;

So shall no man abide there,

Neither shall any son of man dwell therein.

Public Domain