And owls shall answer one another there, in the houses thereof, and sirens in the temples of pleasure.
וְעָנָ֤ה אִיִּים֙ בְּאַלְמנוֹתָ֔יו וְתַנִּ֖ים בְּהֵ֣יכְלֵי עֹ֑נֶג וְקָר֤וֹב לָבוֹא֙ עִתָּ֔הּ וְיָמֶ֖יהָ לֹ֥א יִמָּשֵֽׁכוּ׃
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The Onokentaurs are not real entities or inhabitants of Babylon; rather, this term is used by people to refer to a desolate place or an uninhabited city. The Scriptures also convey meaning in this context, reflecting human conventions without asserting the actual existence of such beings. Scripture engages with the everyday language of humanity to communicate effectively. And the owls shall echo in Idim.
The wild creatures will find a resting place there, and the homes will be filled with sounds, while the sirens will find repose, and the demons will rejoice in song. The centaurs will inhabit this area, nesting within their abodes. It is imminent, and will not be postponed. Typically, wild animals prefer to reside in desolate locations, and the ravaged city provides them ample makeshift and seemingly coincidental shelters. In deserted and quiet spaces, a certain elusive sound emerges from the profound silence, reaching the ears of those dwelling in isolation. Thus, it is stated that the beasts will find their rest, and the homes, devoid of residents, will produce noises typical of the wilderness.
The demons will sing in the solitude, as they are known to inhabit barren places, creating an eerie dwelling. Sirens refer to birds that produce melodious sounds, or, according to the Hebrew version, owls, while onocentaurs signify wild donkeys, and hedgehogs represent creatures that bear sharp quills. All of this imagery is fitting for cities or homes that have been completely devastated. Furthermore, it is proclaimed, "He is coming soon, and will not delay," whether referring to the one who brings great sorrow upon the Assyrians or to the one who offers comfort to the descendants of Israel. For those in captivity, there was hope of returning to their homeland after Cyrus, alongside the Persians and Medes, prevailed over the Babylonians. He assures them of prompt relief from their tribulations and that the fulfillment of their longed-for desires will not be postponed but will occur as swiftly as the prophecy is proclaimed.
And the Onocentaurs will inhabit that place. This passage appears to depict a different type of evil spirit, which some interpreters refer to as siyin by altering the original Hebrew term. The Prophet states, "There also, the hedgehogs shall make their dwellings." It indicates that all desert-dwelling creatures will converge upon Babylon following its devastation. The term Onocentaurus suggests an intricate and grotesque combination of beings, or it could signify a malevolent force that diverts our focus to earthly matters or incites us towards base desires. The hedgehog, characterized by its spines in place of fur, is wild and shrewd. Nevertheless, these occurrences shall soon besiege the troubled spirit, and these days will come swiftly.
The inhabitants of the desert will not set up their tents there, nor will the shepherds find rest; instead, wild animals will roam, filling the homes with creatures like dragons, and ostriches will inhabit the area, while bracken shall take hold. The cries of owls will resonate in its desolation, along with the sounds of sirens among corrupt shrines. Babylon will be rendered so utterly ruined and forsaken that it won’t even be suitable for the grazing of pack animals or livestock.
The Arab and the Saracen will not erect their tents, and weary shepherds will not find a place to rest, but instead will dwell among the crumbling remnants and debris of ancient sites, where diverse creatures exist—some translations refer to them as beasts, while others suggest they may imply various types of demons or spirits. Their homes, as indicated, will be occupied by dragons, and in some translations, by typhons or according to Symmachus, the original Hebrew word ohim, which LXX and Theodotion interpreted as shouts or noise. The term referring to shaggy beings may signify nightmares, satyrs, or forest dwellers known as Fauns or various demonic entities. Instead of owls, some have chosen to use the most direct Hebrew term iim; the LXX offered the translation of onokentaurs. Sirens are referred to as thennim, which we would interpret as demons or monstrous beings resembling large dragons with crests capable of flight. All of these creatures symbolize utter desolation, indicating that the once-mighty city will be so abandoned that no shepherd, symbolizing any lover of solitude, would dare enter due to the multitude of demons and beasts. From a brother of Elamite descent now living as a monk in Jerusalem, we have learned that in Babylon there are royal hunts and a variety of animals kept within its walls.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS