²³ I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void;
and the heavens, and they had no light.
²⁴ I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled,
and all the hills moved lightly.
²⁵ I beheld, and, lo, there was no man,
and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
²⁶ I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness,
and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord,
and by his fierce anger.
²⁷ For thus hath the Lord said,
The whole land shall be desolate;
yet will I not make a full end.
²⁸ For this shall the earth mourn,
and the heavens above be black:
because I have spoken it, I have purposed it,
and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
²⁹ The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen;
they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks:
every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.