Isaiah 24:13-23

13 For thus it shall be in the midst of the earth among the nations, ¹as when an olive tree is beaten, as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is done.

14 They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the Lord they shout from the west. ^[a]

15 ²Therefore in the east^[b] give glory to the Lord; in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

16 ³From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to ⁴the Righteous One. But I say, “I waste away, I waste away. Woe is me! For ⁵the traitors have betrayed, with betrayal the traitors have betrayed. ”

17 ⁶Terror and the pit and the snare^[c] are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!

18 ⁷He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For ⁸the windows of heaven are opened, and ⁹the foundations of the earth tremble.

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

20 The earth ¹⁰staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; ¹¹its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again.

21 On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and ¹²the kings of the earth, on the earth.

22 ¹³They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days ¹⁴they will be punished.

23 ¹⁵Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for ¹⁶the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.

Isaiah 24:13-23 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.

Cross References

• 1. 24:13 ch. 17:6; [Mic. 7:1]
• 2. 24:15 [ch. 45:6]
• 3. 24:16 [ver. 14]
• 4. 24:16 [ch. 26:2; 60:21]
• 5. 24:16 ch. 21:2; 33:1
• 6. 24:17 Jer. 48:43, 44; [Job 20:24; Amos 5:19]
• 7. 24:18 [See ver. 17 above]
• 8. 24:18 See Gen. 7:11
• 9. 24:18 Ps. 18:7
• 10. 24:20 [ch. 19:14; 29:9]
• 11. 24:20 [ver. 5, 6]
• 12. 24:21 Ps. 76:12; [ch. 10:12; 31:8]
• 13. 24:22 Mic. 4:11, 12
• 14. 24:22 ch. 29:6
• 15. 24:23 See ch. 13:10
• 16. 24:23 Ps. 99:1, 2; Mic. 4:7

Footnotes

• [a] 24:14 Hebrew 'from the sea'
• [b] 24:15 Hebrew 'in the realm of light'
• [c] 24:17 The Hebrew words for 'terror', 'pit', and 'snare' sound alike