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Impending Judgment on the Earth

24 Now the Lord is about to lay waste the earth and make it desolate,
    and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.(A)
And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest;
    as with the male slave, so with his master;
    as with the female slave, so with her mistress;
as with the buyer, so with the seller;
    as with the lender, so with the borrower;
    as with the creditor, so with the debtor.(B)
The earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly despoiled,
    for the Lord has spoken this word.(C)

The earth dries up and withers;
    the world languishes and withers;
    the heavens languish together with the earth.
The earth lies polluted
    under its inhabitants,
for they have transgressed laws,
    violated the statutes,
    broken the everlasting covenant.(D)
Therefore a curse devours the earth,
    and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth dwindled,
    and few people are left.(E)
The wine dries up;
    the vine languishes;
    all the merry-hearted sigh.(F)
The mirth of the timbrels is stilled;
    the noise of the jubilant has ceased;
    the mirth of the lyre is stilled.(G)
No longer do they drink wine with singing;
    strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
10 The city of chaos is broken down;
    every house is shut up so that no one can enter.(H)
11 There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine;
    all joy has reached its eventide;
    the gladness of the earth is banished.(I)
12 Desolation is left in the city;
    the gates are battered into ruins.
13 For thus it shall be on the earth
    and among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,
    as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is ended.(J)

14 They lift up their voices; they sing for joy;
    they shout from the west over the majesty of the Lord.(K)
15 Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord;
    in the coastlands of the sea glorify the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.(L)
16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise,
    of glory to the Righteous One.

But I say, “I pine away;
    I pine away. Woe is me!
For the treacherous deal treacherously;
    the treacherous deal very treacherously.”(M)
17 Terror, the pit, and the snare
    are upon you, O inhabitants of the earth!(N)
18 Whoever flees at the sound of the terror
    shall fall into the pit,
and whoever climbs out of the pit
    shall be caught in the snare.
For the windows of heaven are opened,
    and the foundations of the earth tremble.(O)
19 The earth is utterly broken;
    the earth is torn apart;
    the earth is violently shaken.(P)
20 The earth staggers like a drunkard;
    it sways like a hut;
its transgression lies heavy upon it,
    and it falls and will not rise again.(Q)

21 On that day the Lord will punish
    the host of heaven in heaven
    and on earth the kings of the earth.(R)
22 They will be gathered together
    like prisoners in a pit;
they will be shut up in a prison,
    and after many days they will be punished.(S)
23 Then the moon will be abashed
    and the sun ashamed,
for the Lord of hosts will reign
    on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
and before his elders he will be glorified.(T)

The Lord’s Devastation of the Earth

24 See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth(A)
    and devastate(B) it;
he will ruin its face
    and scatter(C) its inhabitants—
it will be the same
    for priest as for people,(D)
    for the master as for his servant,
    for the mistress as for her servant,
    for seller as for buyer,(E)
    for borrower as for lender,
    for debtor as for creditor.(F)
The earth will be completely laid waste(G)
    and totally plundered.(H)
The Lord has spoken(I) this word.

The earth dries up(J) and withers,(K)
    the world languishes and withers,
    the heavens(L) languish with the earth.(M)
The earth is defiled(N) by its people;
    they have disobeyed(O) the laws,
violated the statutes
    and broken the everlasting covenant.(P)
Therefore a curse(Q) consumes the earth;
    its people must bear their guilt.
Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,(R)
    and very few are left.
The new wine dries up(S) and the vine withers;(T)
    all the merrymakers groan.(U)
The joyful timbrels(V) are stilled,
    the noise(W) of the revelers(X) has stopped,
    the joyful harp(Y) is silent.(Z)
No longer do they drink wine(AA) with a song;
    the beer is bitter(AB) to its drinkers.
10 The ruined city(AC) lies desolate;(AD)
    the entrance to every house is barred.
11 In the streets they cry out(AE) for wine;(AF)
    all joy turns to gloom,(AG)
    all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.
12 The city is left in ruins,(AH)
    its gate(AI) is battered to pieces.
13 So will it be on the earth
    and among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,(AJ)
    or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.(AK)

14 They raise their voices, they shout for joy;(AL)
    from the west(AM) they acclaim the Lord’s majesty.
15 Therefore in the east(AN) give glory(AO) to the Lord;
    exalt(AP) the name(AQ) of the Lord, the God of Israel,
    in the islands(AR) of the sea.
16 From the ends of the earth(AS) we hear singing:(AT)
    “Glory(AU) to the Righteous One.”(AV)

But I said, “I waste away, I waste away!(AW)
    Woe(AX) to me!
The treacherous(AY) betray!
    With treachery the treacherous betray!(AZ)
17 Terror(BA) and pit and snare(BB) await you,
    people of the earth.(BC)
18 Whoever flees(BD) at the sound of terror
    will fall into a pit;(BE)
whoever climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in a snare.(BF)

The floodgates of the heavens(BG) are opened,
    the foundations of the earth shake.(BH)
19 The earth is broken up,(BI)
    the earth is split asunder,(BJ)
    the earth is violently shaken.
20 The earth reels like a drunkard,(BK)
    it sways like a hut(BL) in the wind;
so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion(BM)
    that it falls(BN)—never to rise again.(BO)

21 In that day(BP) the Lord will punish(BQ)
    the powers(BR) in the heavens above
    and the kings(BS) on the earth below.
22 They will be herded together
    like prisoners(BT) bound in a dungeon;(BU)
they will be shut up in prison
    and be punished[a] after many days.(BV)
23 The moon will be dismayed,
    the sun(BW) ashamed;
for the Lord Almighty will reign(BX)
    on Mount Zion(BY) and in Jerusalem,
    and before its elders—with great glory.(BZ)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 24:22 Or released