The Vision of Isaiah

Chapter 24

The doleful judgments of God upon the land, 1-12. A remnant shall joyfully praise him, 13-15. God in his judgments shall advance his kingdom, 16-23.

1 Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters abroad its inhabitants. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the woman-servant, 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 interest, so with the giver of interest to him. 3 The land shall be utterly emptied and utterly plundered, for the LORD has spoken this word. 4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away, the haughty people of the earth languish. 5 The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore, the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men are left.

7 The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh.

8 The mirth of tambourines ceases. The noise of those who rejoice ends. The joy of the harp ceases.

9 They shall not drink wine with a song. Strong drink shall be bitter to those who drink it.

10 The city of confusion is broken down. Every house is shut up so that no man may enter.

11 There is a crying for wine in the streets. All joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

12 Desolation is left in the city, 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 Therefore, glorify the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the coastlands of the sea.

16 From the uttermost part of the earth we have heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, "My leanness, my leanness, woe to me! The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously. Indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously."

17 Fear, the pit, and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth.

18 And it shall come to pass, that he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he who comes 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 shake.

19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is entirely dissolved, the earth is exceedingly moved.

20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall sway to and fro like a hammock. Its transgression shall be heavy upon it. 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 who are on high and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

22 And they shall be gathered as prisoners are gathered in the pit and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days they shall be visited.

23 Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed when the LORD of hosts reigns on mount Zion, in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Isaiah, Chapter 24[➚]

Notes

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