Isaiah 24

English Standard Version

1 Behold, the Lord will empty the earth[1] and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. (Isa 13:9)2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, so with his master; as with the maid, 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. (Isa 3:1; Jer 15:10; La 4:16; Eze 7:12; Ho 4:9)3 The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word. (Isa 1:20; Isa 24:1; Isa 24:6)4 The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and withers; the highest people of the earth languish. (Isa 16:8; Ho 4:3)5 The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. (Nu 35:33; Isa 2:6; Isa 2:8)6 Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left. (Ps 5:10; Zec 5:3)7 The wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. (Joe 1:10; Joe 1:12)8 The mirth of the tambourines is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled. (Jer 7:34; Ho 2:11; Am 8:10)9 No more do they drink wine with singing; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. (Am 6:5)10 The wasted city is broken down; every house is shut up so that none can enter. (Isa 23:1; Isa 34:11)11 There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has grown dark; the gladness of the earth is banished. (Ps 144:14; Isa 24:7; Joe 1:5; Joe 1:12)12 Desolation is left in the city; the gates are battered into ruins.13 For thus it shall be in the midst of the earth among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is done. (Isa 17:6; Mic 7:1)14 They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the Lord they shout from the west.[2]15 Therefore in the east[3] give glory to the Lord; in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. (Isa 45:6)16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One. But I say, “I waste away, I waste away. Woe is me! For the traitors have betrayed, with betrayal the traitors have betrayed.” (Isa 21:2; Isa 24:14; Isa 26:2; Isa 33:1; Isa 60:21)17 Terror and the pit and the snare[4] are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! (Job 20:24; Jer 48:43; Am 5:19)18 He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who 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. (Ge 7:11; Ps 18:7; Isa 24:17)19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken.20 The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. (Isa 19:14; Isa 24:5; Isa 29:9)21 On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. (Ps 76:12; Isa 10:12; Isa 31:8)22 They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. (Isa 29:6; Mic 4:11)23 Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders. (Ps 99:1; Isa 13:10; Mic 4:7)