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The Lord Will Punish the World

24 ·Look [T Behold]! The Lord will destroy the earth and ·leave it empty [lay it waste];
    he will ·ruin [mar; distort] the surface of the land and scatter its ·people [inhabitants].
·At that time the same thing will happen to everyone [L It will be]:
    ·to common people and priests [L like people, like priest],
    ·to slaves and masters [L like servant/slave, like master/lord],
    ·to women slaves and their women masters [L like maidservant, like mistress/queen],
    ·to sellers and buyers [L like seller, like buyer],
    ·to those who lend and those who borrow [L like lender, like borrower],
    ·to bankers and those who owe the bank [L like creditor, like debtor].
The earth will be ·completely empty [devastated; laid waste].
    The wealth ·will all be taken [plundered],
    because the Lord has ·commanded it [spoken this word].
The earth will ·dry up [or mourn] and ·die [wither];
    the world will ·grow weak [languish] and ·die [wither];
    the ·great leaders [or heavens; heights; L highest ones] ·in this land [or of the earth] will ·become weak [languish].
The people of the earth have ·ruined [defiled] it,
    because they ·do not follow [have violated/transgressed] ·God’s teachings [the laws/instruction; L Torah]
or obey ·God’s laws [statutes; regulations]
    or keep ·their agreement with God that was to last forever [the eternal covenant/treaty].
So a curse [Deut. 28] will ·destroy [consume; devour] the earth.
    The people of the world ·are guilty [must pay for their guilt],
so ·they [L the earth’s inhabitants] will be burned up;
    only a few will be left.
The new wine ·will be bad [dries up; or mourns], and the grapevines will ·die [wither; or languish].
    ·People who were happy [Revelers; Merrymakers] will ·be sad [groan; sigh].
The ·happy music [joy; mirth] of the tambourines will end.
    The happy sounds of ·wild parties [revelry] will stop.
    The joyful music from the harps will ·end [cease].
People will no longer sing while they drink their wine.
    The ·beer [T strong drink; C alcoholic beverage made from grain] will taste bitter to those who drink it.
10 The ruined city ·will be empty [is desolate/broken],
    ·and people will hide behind closed doors [L every house is shuttered to prevent entering].
11 People in the streets will ·ask [cry out; howl] for wine,
    but joy will have turned to ·sadness [gloom; darkness];
    all the ·happiness [gladness; rejoicing] ·will have left [is banished/exiled].
12 The city will be left in ruins,
    and its gates will be smashed to pieces.
13 This is what will happen all over the earth
    and to all the nations.
The earth will be like an olive tree ·after the harvest [L when it is beaten; 17:6]
    or like the ·few grapes left on a vine [L gleanings] after harvest.

14 The people raise their voices and shout for joy.
    From the ·west [L sea] they ·praise the greatness [shout/cry out for the majesty] of the Lord.
15 [L Therefore] People in the ·east [or morning light; dawn], ·praise [extol; give glory to] the Lord.
    People in the ·islands [or coastlands] of the sea,
    ·praise [extol; give glory to] the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
16 We hear songs from ·every part [the ends/edge] of the earth
    ·praising God, [or “Glory to…”] the Righteous One.

But I said, “I am ·dying [wasting away]! I am ·dying [wasting away]!
    ·How terrible it will be for [Woe to] me!
·Traitors turn against people [L Betrayers betray; 21:2];
    ·with their dishonesty, they turn against people [L Betrayers betray with betrayal].”
17 There are terrors, ·holes [pits], and ·traps [snares]
    for the ·people [inhabitants] of the earth.
18 Anyone who tries to ·escape [flee] from the sound of terror
    will fall into a ·hole [pit].
Anyone who climbs out of the ·hole [pit]
    will be caught in a ·trap [snare].
The ·clouds in the sky will pour out rain [L the floodgates/windows of the heights are opened],
    and the foundations of the earth will shake.
19 The earth will be ·broken up [shattered];
    the earth will split open;
    the earth will shake violently.
20 The earth will ·stumble [stagger; reel] around like someone who is drunk;
    it will shake like a ·hut in a storm [L hut].
Its ·sin [transgression; rebellion] is ·like a heavy weight on its back [L heavy upon it];
    it will fall and never rise again.

21 ·At that time [L In that day] the Lord will punish
    the ·powers [armies; hosts] in the ·sky [or heavens; L heights] above
    and the ·rulers [kings] on earth below.
22 They will be gathered together
    like prisoners ·thrown into a dungeon [in a pit/cistern];
they will be shut up in prison.
    After ·much time [many days] they will be punished.
23 The moon will be ·embarrassed [confounded; dismayed; disgraced; or covered up],
    and the sun will be ·ashamed [or darkened; C these great lights will pale in comparison to the Lord’s glory],
because the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will rule as king
    on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
·Jerusalem’s leaders will see his greatness [L …and gloriously before its elders].

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

24 Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

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.

The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

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.

The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.

The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.

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.