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The Lord’s Great Triumph

24 Yahweh is going to turn the earth into a desolate wasteland.
    He will mar the face of the earth and scatter the people living on it.
The same will happen to people and priests,
    male slaves and masters,
        female slaves and masters,
        buyers and sellers,
        lenders and borrowers,
        debtors and creditors.
The earth will be completely laid waste and stripped
    because Yahweh has spoken.

The earth dries up and withers.
    The world wastes away and withers.
    The great leaders of the earth waste away.
The earth is polluted by those who live on it
    because they’ve disobeyed the Lord’s teachings,
        violated his laws,
            and rejected the everlasting promise.[a]
That is why a curse devours the earth,
    and its people are punished for their guilt.
    That is why those who live on the earth are burned up,
    and only a few people are left.
New wine dries up, and grapevines waste away.
    All happy people groan.
Joyful tambourine music stops.
    Noisy celebrations cease.
        Joyful harp music stops.
People no longer drink wine when they sing.
    Liquor tastes bad to its drinkers.
10 The ruined city lies desolate.
    The entrance to every house is barred shut.
11 People in the streets call for wine.
    All joy passes away,
    and the earth’s happiness is banished.
12 The city is left in ruins.
    Its gate is battered to pieces.

13 That is the way it will be on earth among the nations.
    They will be like an olive tree which has been shaken
        or like what’s left after the grape harvest.
14 They raise their voices.
    They shout for joy.
        From the sea they sing joyfully about Yahweh’s majesty.
15 Honor Yahweh in the east.
    Honor the name of Yahweh Elohim of Israel along the coastlands.
16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise
    that honor the Righteous One.

But I kept saying,
    “I’m wasting away! I’m wasting away!
        How horrible it is for me!
            Traitors continue to betray,
                and their treachery grows worse and worse.”
17 Disasters, pits, and traps
    are in store for those who live on earth.
18 Whoever flees from news of a disaster will fall into a pit.
    Whoever climbs out of that pit will be caught in a trap.
    The floodgates in the sky will be opened,
    and the foundations of the earth will shake.
19 The earth will be completely broken.
    The earth will shake back and forth violently.
    The earth will stagger.
20 The earth will stumble like a drunk
    and sway like a shack in the wind.
    Its disobedience weighs heavy on it.
    It will fall and not get up again.

21 On that day Yahweh will punish heaven’s armies in heaven
    and earth’s kings on earth.
22 They’ll be gathered like prisoners in a jail
    and locked in prison.
        After a long time they’ll be punished.
23 The moon will be embarrassed.
    The sun will be ashamed,
        because Yahweh Tsebaoth will rule
            on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem.
                He will be glorious
    in the presence of his respected leaders.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 24:5 Or “covenant.”

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