New International Version
Isaiah 24:21
21In that day the Lord will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below.
Isaiah 24:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth.
- New King James Version (NKJV)It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will punish on high the host of exalted ones, And on the earth the kings of the earth.
- New Living Translation (NLT)In that day the Lord will punish the gods in the heavens and the proud rulers of the nations on earth.
Context of Isaiah 24:21
19The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken. 20The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls—never to rise again. In that day the Lord will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below. 22They will be herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon; they will be shut up in prison and be punished after many days. 23The moon will be dismayed, the sun ashamed; for the Lord Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders—with great glory.
Read all of Isaiah 24Isaiah 24:21 word by word
וְהָיָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא יִפְקֹ֧ד יְהוָ֛ה עַל־צְבָ֥א הַמָּר֖וֹם בַּמָּר֑וֹם וְעַל־מַלְכֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָ֖ה עַל־הָאֲדָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it shall come to pass in that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- shall punishפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: punishH6485
- the hostצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · armyH6635
- of the high onesמָרוֹםmârôm · heightH4791
- and the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of the earthאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: planetH127
Cross-references for Isaiah 24:21
- Isaiah 10:25Very soon my anger against you will end and my wrath will be directed to their destruction.”
- Isaiah 14:1The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Foreigners will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob.
- Isaiah 25:10The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain; but Moab will be trampled in their land as straw is trampled down in the manure.
- Isaiah 34:2The Lord is angry with all nations; his wrath is on all their armies. He will totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter.
- Psalms 76:12He breaks the spirit of rulers; he is feared by the kings of the earth.
- Psalms 149:6May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
- Ezekiel 38:1The word of the Lord came to me:
- Ezekiel 39:1“Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal.
- Joel 3:9Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
- Haggai 2:21“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.
- Zechariah 14:12This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.
- Revelation 6:14The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
- Revelation 17:14They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
- Revelation 18:9“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.
- Revelation 19:18so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”
Commentaries on Isaiah 24:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21On high - upon the earth - That is, the ecclesiastical and civil polity of the Jews, which shall be destroyed. The nation shall continue in a state of depression and dereliction for a long time. The image seems to be taken from the practice of the great monarchs of that time; who, when they had thrown their wretched captives into a dungeon, never gave themselves the trouble of inquiring about them; but let them lie a long time in that miserable condition…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21In that day - In the time of the captivity at Babylon. Shall punish - Hebrew as the Margin, Shall visit upon‘ (see the note at Isaiah 10:12). The host of the high ones - There have been various interpretations of this expression. Jerome understands it of the host of heaven, and thinks it refers to the fact that in the day of judgment God will judge not only earthly things but celestial, and especially the sun and moon and stars, as having been the objects…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-23Verses 16-23 Believers may be driven into the uttermost parts of the earth; but they are singing, not sighing. Here is terror to sinners; the prophet laments the miseries he saw breaking in like a torrent; and the small number of believers. He foresees that sin would abound. The meaning is plain, that evil pursues sinners. Unsteady, uncertain are all these things. Worldly men think to dwell in the earth as in a palace, as in a castle; but it shall be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21The phrase translated as host of heaven comes from the Hebrew tseba’ hammarom, which means “armed army of the heavens.” This phrase may refer to pagan gods that people believed were represented by the stars. It may also refer to angels. Some scholars think it could even include demons (Revelation 12:4, 9). The judgment described here will reach every part of creation. It will affect both the earth and the heavens (Isaiah 13:13; 34:5; see Ephesians…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. host of ... high ones--the heavenly host, that is, either the visible host of heaven (the present economy of nature, affected by the sun, moon, and stars, the objects of idolatry, being abolished, Is 65:17; 60:19, simultaneously with the corrupt polity of men); or rather, "the invisible rulers of the darkness of this world," as the antithesis to "kings of the earth" shows. Angels, moreover, preside, as it were, over kingdoms of the world (Da 10:13…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 24:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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