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24 Hinei, Hashem maketh Ha’Aretz empty, and maketh it waste, and ruineth her face, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

And it shall be, as with HaAm, so with the kohen; as with the eved, so with his adonim; as with the shifcha (maid), so with her gevirah (mistress); as with the koneh (buyer), so with the mokher (seller); as with the malveh (lender) so with the loveh (borrower); as with the nosheh (creditor), so with the one owing him.

HaAretz shall be utterly emptied, and utterly plundered; for Hashem hath spoken this davar (word).

Ha’aretz mourneth and fadeth away, the tevel (world) languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty Am HaAretz do languish.

Ha’aretz also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed torot, changed chok (ordinance), broken the Brit Olam.

Therefore hath the curse devoured Eretz, and they that dwell therein are guilty; therefore, the inhabitants of her [the earth] are diminished, and few enosh (humankind) left.

The tirosh (new wine) faileth, the gefen languisheth, all the simchei-lev (merryhearted) do sigh.

The mirth of tambourines ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the kinnor (harp) ceaseth.

They shall not drink yayin with a shir (song); shekhar (liquor, strong drink) shall be bitter to them that drink it.

10 The city of tohu is broken; every bais is shut up, that no man may come in.

11 There is a crying for yayin in the streets; all simchah is darkened, the mirth of HaAretz is banished.

12 In the Ir is left desolation, and the sha’ar is stricken with ruination.

13 When thus it shall be in the midst of HaAretz among the nations, there shall be as the shaking of a zayit (olive tree), and as the olelot (gleanings) when the grape harvest is done.

14 They shall lift up their kol (voice), they shall sing for the Ga’on (Glory) of Hashem, they shall shout from the yam.

15 Therefore glorify ye Hashem in the Urim (east), even the Shem Hashem Elohei Yisroel in the iyyim (islands) [see Isaiah 42:4] of the yam.

16 From the uttermost part of Ha’Aretz have we heard zemirot (songs), even glory to the Tzaddik (Righteous One). But I said, My wasting away, my wasting away, Oy li (woe unto me)! The bogedim (traitors) have dealt treacherously; the bogedim have dealt very treacherously.

17 Pachad (fear), and the pachat (pit), and the pach (pitfall, snare), are upon thee, O inhabitant of Ha’Aretz.

18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the pachad shall fall into the pachat; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pachat shall be caught in the pach; for the arubot (windows [see Gen 7:11]) from on high are opened, and the Mosedei Eretz (foundations of the Earth) do shake.

19 Ha’aretz is violently broken down, Ha’Aretz is completely split open, Eretz is shaken exceedingly.

20 Ha’aretz shall stagger to and fro like a shikkor (drunkard), and shall shake like a melunah (watchman’s hut); and the peysha (transgression) thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

21 And it shall come to pass in yom hahu (that day), that Hashem shall visit [in punishment] the Tzeva HaMarom (Host on High, Pagan deities), and the melachim of ha’adamah (kings of the earth) upon ha’adamah (the earth).

22 And they shall be gathered together, as asir (prisoners) are gathered in the bor (dungeon, pit), and shall be shut up in the masger (prison, dungeon), and after many yamim shall they be visited [in punishment].

23 Then the levanah (moon) shall be disgraced, and the chammah (sun) ashamed, when Hashem Tzva’os shall reign in Har Tziyon, and in Yerushalayim, and before His Zekenim gloriously.

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