Isaiah 34:9

WEB

Its streams will be turned into pitch, its dust into sulfur, And its land will become burning pitch.

KJV

And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.

Commentary

And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch,.... The Septuagint render it, "the valleys"; the word signifying both rivers and valleys, most render it rivers or streams. The Targum is express, "the rivers of Rome shall be turned into pitch;'' by which may be meant the maritime places belonging to the Romish jurisdiction, the same on which the third vial will be poured, by which the rivers and fountains of waters will become blood; and which refers to this very time, when blood shall be given to the whore of Rome to drink, Rev 16:4 . The allusion, in this and some following clauses, is to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; see Jer 49:17 , and the dust thereof into brimstone; and so easily take fire: and the land thereof shall become burning pitch: plainly pointing to the destruction of Rome by fire, Rev 17:16 .