Isaiah 24:1-6

1 Lo! the Lord shall destroy the earth, and shall make it naked, and shall torment the face thereof; and he shall scatter abroad the dwellers thereof (and he shall scatter abroad all of its inhabitants).

2 And it shall be, as the people, so the priest; as the servant, so his lord; as the handmaid, so the lady of her (as the servantess, so her lady); as a buyer, so he that selleth; as the lender, so he that taketh borrowing; as he that asketh again, so he that oweth.

3 By destroying the land shall be destroyed, and shall be made naked by ravishing (and shall be made naked by robbery); for why the Lord spake this word.

4 The earth mourned, and floated away, and is made sick; the world floated away, the highness of the people of [the] earth is made sick,

5 and the earth is slain of his dwellers. For they passed (over) [the] laws, changed [the] right, destroyed [the] everlasting bond of peace. (and the earth is defiled by its inhabitants. For they passed over thy laws, changed what was right, and destroyed the covenant.)

6 For this thing, cursing shall devour the earth, and the dwellers thereof shall do sin (and its inhabitants shall do sin); and therefore the lovers thereof shall be (made) mad, and few men shall be left.

Isaiah 24:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 24

This chapter contains a prophecy of calamities that should come upon the whole world, and the inhabitants of it, for their sins; of the preservation of a remnant; of the visitation of the kings of the earth; and of the appearance of Christ in his glory and majesty. The miserable condition of the world, and its inhabitants, especially all within the Romish jurisdiction, is set forth by various phrases, Isa 24:1-4 the causes of which are the transgression and mutation of the laws and ordinances of Christ, Isa 24:5 the effects of which are the cursing and burning of the inhabitants, Isa 24:6 cessation of all joy among them, Isa 24:7-9 and the destruction of their chief city, Rome, Isa 24:10-12 then follows a prophecy of a remnant that shall escape, and be brought into a very comfortable condition, and sing for joy, and glorify God in the midst of the earth, and in the uttermost parts of it, Isa 24:13-16 but it is intimated it shall go ill with others for their perfidy and treachery; fear and danger shall attend them everywhere, Isa 24:16-18 yea, in the issue, the world shall be shaken, and moved and removed, and be utterly dissolved, fall and not rise more, Isa 24:19,20 when the kings and great ones of the earth shall be taken prisoners, and punished by the Lord, Isa 24:21,22 and then Christ shall take to himself his great power, and reign with his people gloriously in the New Jerusalem state, Isa 24:23.