ישעיהו, פרק ל״ד, פסוק י״ז

The desolate land of Edom is handed over to wild animals and birds, transforming into a permanent animal kingdom. This transfer of ownership is not a random result of abandonment, but an active, precise, and intentional act by God. He assigns the creatures their portion as if casting a calculated lot for them [רש״י, שד״ל]. The primary approach among commentators is that this description of dividing the land is a poetic metaphor, comparing the process to a person carefully distributing an inheritance among people [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

There are two distinct stages in how this territory is granted to the animals. First, the casting of a lot represents the general allocation of land to each species. Following this, a more precise division takes place, marking exact borders [מלבי״ם]. This specific boundary setting is done with a measuring rope or tool [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], ensuring an absolute and just distribution, acting as a line of truth [אבן עזרא].

The promise of the animals controlling the land is eternal, functioning through two complementary aspects. The first aspect guarantees continuous, unending ownership and inheritance. The second aspect focuses on physical presence. The creatures will not merely hold the territory in theory or from a distance, but will actively live and dwell there forever. Each passing generation will physically inhabit the space and pass its home down to the next [מלבי״ם].