Isaiah 24
1 Watch out! The Lord is going to destroy the earth, to make it totally devastated. He's going to rip up the surface of the earth and scatter its inhabitants.
Behold, Jehovah emptieth and draineth the land; Yea, he turneth it upside down, and scattereth its inhabitants.
2 It will happen the same for everybody—whether people or priests, servants or their masters, maids or their mistresses, buyers or sellers, lenders or borrowers, creditors or debtors.
As with the people, so is it with the priest; As with the servant, so with the master; As with the maid, so with the mistress; As with the buyer, so with the seller; As with the borrower, so with the lender; As with the usurer, so with the giver of usury.
3 The earth will be completely laid waste and looted. This is what the Lord has said.
The land is utterly emptied and utterly plundered; For Jehovah hath spoken this word.
4 The earth dries up and withers away; the world shrivels up and withers away, the high and mighty people shrivel up along with the earth.
The land mourneth, and withereth; The world languisheth, and withereth; The nobles of the people of the land do languish.
5 The earth is polluted by its people; they have flouted God's laws, violated his regulations, and broken the eternal agreement with him.
The land was polluted under its inhabitants, Because they transgressed the law, they violated the statutes, They broke the everlasting covenant.
6 That is why a curse is destroying the earth. The people suffer because of their guilt. The inhabitants of the earth are burned up and only a few survive.
Therefore a curse devoured the land; Its inhabitants suffered for their guilt; Therefore are the inhabitants of the land consumed with heat, And few of the men are left.
7 The new wine dries up, and the vine withers. All the people celebrating groan.
The new wine mourneth; The vine languisheth; All that were of a joyful heart do sigh;
8 The happy sound of tambourines is over; the noise of the party-goers has stopped; the delightful harp music has finished,
The mirth of tabrets ceaseth; The noise of them that rejoice is at an end; The joy of the harp ceaseth.
9 People don't sing any more as they drink wine, and the beer tastes bitter.
No more do they drink wine with the song; Strong drink is bitter to them that use it.
10 The chaotic city is falling apart; every house is barred shut to keep others out.
The city of desolation is broken down; Every house is closed, so that none can enter.
11 Crowds on the street are shouting, demanding to have wine. Joy turns into darkness. There's no happiness left on earth.
There is a cry for wine in the streets; All gladness is departed; The mirth of the land is gone;
12 The city is in a horrible state of ruin; its gates have been broken down.
Desolation is left in the city, And the gate is smitten into ruins.
13 This is the way it's going to be all throughout the earth among the nations—only a few olives are left after the tree is shaken, only a few grapes are left to be gleaned after the harvest.
Yea, thus shall it be in the land, in the midst of the people, As when the olive-tree has been shaken; As the gleaning, when the vintage is ended.
14 These survivors shout aloud and sing for joy. From the west they praise the Lord's majesty.
These shall lift up their voice, and sing; Yea, for the majesty of Jehovah they shall shout from the sea.
15 From the east they glorify the Lord; from the sea shores they praise the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
Wherefore praise ye Jehovah in the East, The name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea!
16 We hear songs coming from the ends of the earth, singing, “Glory to the God who does right.” But I'm miserable, miserable. Pity me! Deceitful people go on betraying, again and again.
From the end of the earth we hear songs: “Glory to the righteous!” But I cry, Alas, my wretchedness, my wretchedness! woe is me! The plunderers plunder; the plunderers seize the spoil.
17 Terrors and pit-traps and snares are waiting for you, people of the earth.
The terror, the pit, and the snare Are upon thee, O inhabitant of the land!
18 Those who run away in terror will fall into a pit-trap, and those who escape from the pit-trap will be caught in a snare. Heaven's windows are opened; earth's foundations shake.
Whoso fleeth from the terror shall fall into the pit, And whoso escapeth from the pit, He shall be taken in the snare; For the floodgates of heaven are opened, And the foundations of the earth tremble.
19 The earth is completely broken up; the earth is ripped apart, the earth is violently shaken.
The earth is utterly broken down; The earth is shattered in pieces; The earth is violently moved from her place.
20 The earth staggers to and fro like a drunk, and sways this way and that like a shelter. The guilt of its rebelliousness weighs heavily on it, and it collapses—it won't rise again.
The earth reeleth like a drunkard, It moveth to and fro like a hammock; For her iniquity lieth heavy upon her, And she shall fall and rise no more.
21 At that time the Lord will punish all the high heavenly beings and the kings of the earth.
In that day will Jehovah punish the host of the high ones that are on high, And the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 They will be brought together, prisoners in a pit. They will be imprisoned, and eventually they will be punished.
They shall be thrown together bound into the pit, And shall be shut up in the prison, But after many days shall they be visited.
23 The moon will be embarrassed and the sun will be ashamed, for the Lord Almighty will reign in glory on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem in the presence of its leaders.
The moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed, When Jehovah of hosts shall reign in mount Zion and Jerusalem, And his glory shall be before his ancients.
