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)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 24:22 Or released

City of chaos falls

24 Look! The Lord will devastate the earth and destroy it,
    will twist its face and scatter its inhabitants.
It will be the same for the people and for the priest;
    for the slave and for his master;
    for the female servant and for her mistress;
    for the buyer and for the seller;
    for the lender and for the borrower;
    for the creditor and for the debtor.
The earth will be devastated, totally devastated;
    it will be destroyed, completely destroyed
    because the Lord has said it would be so.

The earth dries up and wilts;
    the world withers and wilts;
    the heavens wither away with the earth.
The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants,
    for they have disobeyed instruction,
    swept aside law,
    and broken the ancient covenant.
Therefore, a curse devours the earth; its inhabitants suffer for their guilt.
Therefore, the earth’s inhabitants dwindle; very few are left.

The wine dries up;
    the vine withers;
    all the merry-hearted groan.
The joyous tambourines have ceased;
    the roar of partiers has stopped;
    the joyous harp has ceased.
No one drinks wine or sings;
    beer is bitter to its drinkers.
10 The town is in chaos, broken;
    every house is shut, without entrance.
11 There is a cry for wine in the streets.
    All joy has reached its dusk;
    happiness is exiled from the earth.
12 Ruin remains in the city,
    and the gate is battered to wreckage.
13 It will be like this in the central part of the land and among the peoples,
    like an olive tree that has been shaken,
    like remains from the grape harvest.

14 They raise their voice;
    they sing with joy;
    from the west they will shout about the Lord’s majesty.
15 Therefore, in the east honor the Lord;
    in the islands of the sea,
    the name of the Lord God of Israel!
16 From the ends of the earth we have heard songs:
    “Glory to the righteous one!”
But I say, “I waste away; I waste away;
    I’m doomed!
    Betrayers betray; treacherously betrayers betray.”

17 Terror, trench, and trap are upon you,
    ruler of the earth!
18 Whoever flees from the sound of terror will fall into the trench;
    whoever climbs from the trench will be caught in the trap.

Heaven’s windows will open, and the earth’s foundations will quake.
19 The earth is shattering, shattering;
    the earth is shaking, shaking;
    the earth is teetering, tottering.
20 The earth trembles like a drunk
    and shudders like a hut;
    its rebellion weighs heavy upon it;
    it will fall, no more to rise.

21 On that day, the Lord will punish the forces of heaven in heaven, and the kings of the earth on earth. 22 They will be gathered together like prisoners in a pit, shut into a prison, and punished after many days. 23 The moon will be diminished, and the sun will fade, since the Lord of heavenly forces will rule on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, glorious before his elders.

Read full chapter