Isaiah 24

Judgment on the Earth

1Behold, the Lord 1lays the earth waste, devastates it, twists its surface, and scatters its inhabitants. 2And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the female servant like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the 2creditor like the debtor. 3The earth will be completely laid waste and completely plundered, for the Lord has spoken this word. 4The 3earth dries up and crumbles away, the mainland dries out and crumbles away, the 4exalted of the people of the earth dwindle. 5The earth is also 5defiled 6by its inhabitants, for they violated laws, altered statutes, and 7broke the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore, a 8curse devours the earth, and those who live on it suffer for their guilt. Therefore, the 9inhabitants of the earth decrease in number, and few people are left.

7The 10new wine mourns, The vine decays, All the joyful-hearted sigh.8The 11joy of tambourines ceases, The noise of revelers stops, The joy of the harp ceases.9They do not drink wine with song; 12Intoxicating drink is 13bitter to those who drink it.10The 14city of chaos is broken down; 15Every house is shut up so that no one may enter.11There is an 16outcry in the streets concerning the wine; 17All joy 18turns to gloom. The joy of the earth is banished.12Desolation is left in the city And the 19gate is battered to ruins.13For 20so it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, As the 21shaking of an olive tree, As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over.1422They raise their voices, they shout for joy; They cry out from the 23west concerning the majesty of the Lord.15Therefore 24glorify the Lord in the 25east, The 26name of the Lord, the God of Israel, In the 2728coastlands of the sea.16From the 29ends of the earth we hear songs: “30Glory to the Righteous One,” But I say, “31I am finished! I am finished! Woe to me! The 32treacherous deal treacherously, And the treacherous deal very treacherously.”1733Terror and pit and snare 34Confront you, you inhabitant of the earth.18Then it will be that the one who flees the sound of terror will fall into the pit, And the one who 35climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare; For the 36windows 37above are opened, and the 38foundations of the earth shake.1939The earth is broken apart, The earth is 40split through, The earth is shaken violently.20The earth 41trembles like a heavy drinker And sways like a hut, For its 42wrongdoing is heavy upon it, And it will fall, 43never to rise again.21So it will happen on that day, That the Lord will 44punish the rebellious 4546angels of 47heaven on high, And the 48kings of the earth on earth.22They will be gathered together Like 49prisoners in the 50dungeon, And will be confined in prison; And after many days they will 51be punished.23Then the 52moon will be ashamed and the sun be put to shame, For the 53Lord of armies will reign on 54Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, And His glory will be before His elders.