World English Bible

Isaiah 24

1 Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, and makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters abroad the inhabitants of it.

2 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 creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest to him.

3 The earth shall be utterly emptied, and utterly laid waste; for Yahweh has spoken this word.

4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away, the lofty people of the earth do languish.

5 The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants of it; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.

6 Therefore has the curse devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

7 The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted do 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 waste city is broken down; every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

11 There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction.

13 For thus shall it be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive-tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.

14 These shall lift up their voice, they shall shout; for the majesty of Yahweh they cry aloud from the sea.

15 Why glorify you Yahweh in the east, even the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea.

16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs: Glory to the righteous. But I said, I pine away, I pine away, woe is me! the treacherous have dealt treacherously; yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.

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

18 It shall happen, 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 on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.

19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is torn apart, the earth is shaken violently.

20 The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway back and forth like a hammock; and the disobedience of it shall be heavy on it, and it shall fall, and not rise again.

21 It shall happen in that day, that Yahweh will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.

22 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; for Yahweh of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory.