Isaiah 24: The Earth Laid Waste
The Lord empties and judges the whole earth for breaking the everlasting covenant, until joy fails, the city of chaos lies in ruins, and the Lord reigns on Zion.
Isaiah 24 (WEB)
1 Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants.
2 It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest.
3 The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for Yahweh has spoken this word.
4 The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish.
5 The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
7 The new wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh.
8 The mirth of tambourines ceases. The sound of those who rejoice ends. The joy of the harp ceases.
9 They will not drink wine with a song. Strong drink will be bitter to those who drink it.
10 The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
11 There is a crying in the streets because of the wine. All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone.
12 The city is left in desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction.
13 For it will be so in the midst of the earth 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 will shout for the majesty of Yahweh. They cry aloud from the sea.
15 Therefore glorify Yahweh in the east, even the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea!
16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs. Glory to the righteous! But I said, “I pine away! I pine away! woe is me!” The treacherous have dealt treacherously. Yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.
17 Fear, the pit, and the snare, are on you who inhabitant the earth.
18 It will happen that he who flees from the noise of the fear will fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the midst of the pit will be taken in the snare; for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
19 The earth is utterly broken. The earth is torn apart. The earth is shaken violently.
20 The earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will sway back and forth like a hammock. Its disobedience will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again.
21 It shall happen in that day that Yahweh will punish the army of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.
22 They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders will be glory.
Isaiah 24 (KJV)
1 Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, 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.
3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.
4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.
8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that 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 When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.
14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea.
15 Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea.
16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. 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 fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is 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 the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon 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 shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
Isaiah 24 (ASV)
1 Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest to him.
3 The earth shall be utterly emptied, and utterly laid waste; for Jehovah hath spoken this word.
4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the lofty people of the earth do languish.
5 The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry-hearted do sigh.
8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
10 The waste city is broken down; every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
11 There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; 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 shall it be in the midst of the earth 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 shout; for the majesty of Jehovah they cry aloud from the sea.
15 Wherefore glorify ye Jehovah in the east, even the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea.
16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs: Glory to the righteous. But I said, I pine away, I pine away, woe is me! the treacherous have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous 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 fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is rent asunder, the earth is shaken violently.
20 The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway to and fro like a hammock; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon 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 shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Jehovah of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory.
Summary
The oracles against individual nations now widen into a vision of worldwide judgment, the opening of what is often called the Isaiah Apocalypse. Behold, Yahweh empties the earth, lays it waste, and scatters its inhabitants without distinction: priest like people, master like servant, buyer like seller, all share the same fate. The reason is given clearly: the earth lies polluted under its inhabitants because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant; so the curse devours the earth. All gladness drains away. The merry-hearted sigh, the tambourine and harp fall silent, the wine turns bitter, and the confused city of chaos is broken down and shut up. A faithful remnant lifts its voice from the ends of the earth to glorify the Lord, yet the prophet still cries, “Woe is me!” over the treachery that remains. Terror, pit, and snare close in; the earth staggers like a drunkard under the weight of its rebellion. Finally the Lord will punish even the high powers above and the kings below, gathering them like prisoners, while the moon is confounded and the sun ashamed, for Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion in glory before his elders.
Key Figures
- Yahweh of Armies — The LORD who empties and judges the whole earth for breaking his everlasting covenant, then reigns in glory on Mount Zion before his elders.
- The inhabitants of the earth — All people without distinction—priest and people, master and servant, buyer and seller—found guilty for transgressing God's laws and statutes.
- The faithful remnant — Those from the ends of the earth who lift their voices to glorify Yahweh and sing of his majesty even amid worldwide judgment.
- The city of chaos — The broken, confused city left desolate, symbolizing every proud human society that collapses under the weight of its rebellion.
Key Verse
Isaiah 24:5 (WEB)
The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.
Lessons Learned
- Sin defiles not only individuals but the whole created order under our care.
- God's judgment falls without partiality, on rich and poor, ruler and ruled alike.
- When God withdraws, even the joys of music, wine, and laughter fall silent.
- Beyond the wreckage, the Lord himself reigns in glory, the hope of his people.
- Sin pollutes the whole earth. “The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have… broken the everlasting covenant” (Isaiah 24:5, WEB). Rebellion has cosmic consequences.
- God's judgment is impartial. It comes alike “as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master” (Isaiah 24:2, WEB). No status exempts anyone.
- Earthly joy is fragile without God. “The mirth of tambourines ceases… The joy of the harp ceases” (Isaiah 24:8, WEB). Pleasures fail when the Giver is forsaken.
- The Lord reigns over the ruins. “Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders will be glory” (Isaiah 24:23, WEB). Judgment ends in the King's glorious reign.
- How does this chapter broaden the focus from individual nations to the whole earth?
- What reason does the prophet give for the worldwide curse in verses 5-6?
- Why is it significant that the judgment falls equally on every class of person?
- What happens to all forms of human joy and celebration, and what does that teach us?
- How does the closing vision of the Lord reigning on Zion give hope in the midst of judgment?
- Where chapters 13-23 addressed Babylon, Moab, Egypt, and Tyre, chapter 24 sweeps the whole earth into view (24:1). It shows that the local judgments were previews of a final, universal reckoning under the one Lord of all the earth.
- The earth is polluted because its people “transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant” (24:5). Humanity's rebellion against God defiles creation itself, so the curse devours the land and its guilty inhabitants.
- Priest and people, master and servant, buyer and seller all share one fate (24:2). The leveling shows that no rank, wealth, or religious role can shield anyone; before God's justice, every person stands on the same ground.
- Wine, song, tambourine, and harp all fall silent (24:7-11). When God's blessing is withdrawn, the gladness that creation was meant to carry collapses, reminding us that true and lasting joy is found only in him.
- Amid the wreckage the vision lifts to Yahweh of Armies reigning on Mount Zion in glory before his elders (24:23). For the faithful, the last word is not desolation but the King's triumphant reign—a hope fulfilled in Christ's coming kingdom. Encourage the group to rest in that hope.