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24 ¶ Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it naked and turns it upside down and scatters abroad its inhabitants.

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 taker of usury so with the giver of usury to him.

The land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled: for the LORD has spoken this word.

The earth has destroyed itself and fallen; the world has become sick and fallen; the haughty peoples of the earth are become sick.

The earth is also become bankrupt under its inhabitants because they have transgressed the laws, falsified the order, broken the everlasting covenant.

Therefore the curse has consumed the earth, and those that dwell therein are found guilty; therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are consumed, and few men left.

The new wine is lost; the vine is sick; all those who were merryhearted sigh.

The mirth of tambourines ceases; the noise of those that rejoice ends; the joy of the harp ceases.

They shall not drink wine with a song; the drink shall be bitter to them that would drink it.

10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up that no man may come in.

11 There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened; the mirth of the land is gone.

12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

13 ¶ For thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the peoples as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.

14 These shall lift up their voice; they shall sing joyfully in the majesty of the LORD; they shall lift up their voice from the sea.

15 Therefore glorify ye the LORD in the valleys; let the LORD God of Israel be called upon by name in the isles of the sea.

16 ¶ From the uttermost part of the earth we have heard psalms, Glory to the righteous one. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

17 Fear and the pit and the snare are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

18 And it shall come to pass that he who shall flee from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that shall come up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: because from on high, windows have been opened, and the foundations of the earth shall shake.

19 The earth shall be utterly broken down; the earth is clean dissolved; the earth is moved exceedingly.

20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall be removed like a cottage; and its transgression shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall and never rise again.

21 And it shall come to pass in that day that the LORD shall visit punishment upon the host of the high ones that are on high and upon the kings of the earth on the earth.

22 And they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days they shall be visited.

23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of the hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and in the presence of his ancients he shall be glorious.

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