Isaiah 24:23

23 The moon will be dismayed, the sun ashamed; for the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders—with great glory.

Isaiah 24:23 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
English Standard Version (ESV)
23 Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.
New Living Translation (NLT)
23 Then the glory of the moon will wane, and the brightness of the sun will fade, for the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will rule on Mount Zion. He will rule in great glory in Jerusalem, in the sight of all the leaders of his people.
The Message Bible (MSG)
23 Shamefaced moon will cower, humiliated, red-faced sun will skulk, disgraced, Because God-of-the-Angel-Armies will take over, ruling from Mount Zion and Jerusalem, Splendid and glorious before all his leaders.
American Standard Version (ASV)
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Jehovah of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
23 The moon will be embarrassed. The sun will be ashamed, because the LORD of Armies will rule on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. He will be glorious in the presence of his respected leaders.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
23 The moon will be put to shame and the sun disgraced, because the Lord of Hosts will reign as king on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, and He will [display His] glory in the presence of His elders.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
23 The LORD who rules over all will rule on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. The elders of the city will be there. They will see his glory. His rule will be so glorious that the sun and moon will be too ashamed to shine.

Isaiah 24:23 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 24:23

Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed,
&c.] Either literally understood; and the meaning is, that they shall be darkened, their light being eclipsed by the superior light of Christ, the sun of righteousness; see ( Matthew 24:29 Matthew 24:30 ) the New Jerusalem church state, which is referred to, will have no need of the light of the sun, or of the moon, Christ being the light thereof, ( Revelation 21:23 ) figuratively it may be interpreted of the kings and great men of the earth, as Aben Ezra; whose glory will be outshone by the transcendent lustre and glory of Christ, the King of saints. The Targum paraphrases it of idolaters thus,

``and they shall be confounded that worship the moon, and they shall be ashamed that worship the sun;''
perhaps this may have reference to the fourth vial, which shall be poured out upon the pope and his clergy, ( Revelation 16:8 ) : when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem;
who is no other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Jehovah, the Lord of hosts or armies, of the sun, moon, and stars, the host of heaven, and of the heavenly host of angels, and of men on earth; who was King from eternity, and reigned during the Old Testament dispensation; came a King into this world, though his kingdom was not of it, nor was with observation: upon his ascension to heaven was made and declared Lord and Christ; and now rules in the hearts of his people by his Spirit and grace, and whose spiritual reign will more manifestly appear in the latter day; but here it is to be understood of his reign on earth, which will be personal, visible, and glorious, and in a different manner from what it now is, when he will be King over all the earth. Zion and Jerusalem, where he will reign, may be literally understood as the chief place of his residence during this state, the spot of ground where he was most despised and ill treated; see ( Zechariah 14:4 Zechariah 14:5 Zechariah 14:9 ) or mystically, the church in the New Jerusalem state, ( Revelation 21:2 Revelation 21:3 ) here he will reign, and before his ancients gloriously:
or, "in glory"; in his own glory, both as God and as man, and Mediator; and in his Father's glory, and in the glory of his holy angels, in which he will come and appear; and therefore his appearing is called a glorious one, ( Luke 9:26 ) ( Titus 2:13 ) and this "before his ancients", the ancient patriarchs both before the flood, as Adam, Abel and after the flood, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and others; the old Jewish church, the prophets and saints of the Old Testament dispensation; the apostles and elders of the Gospel churches under the New; the four and twenty elders, the representatives of the Gospel churches, so often spoken of in the book of the Revelation; very probably with reference to this text; and all the saints, in all ages, who will now be raised from the dead, and live and reign with him; these are his ancients, who are loved with an everlasting love, chosen in him before the foundation of the world, with whom a covenant was made in him, and grace given to them in him, before the world began; in the midst and presence of these he will reign, and they shall behold his glory; yea, these shall appear in glory; for so the words may be construed, "before his ancients", who are "glory", or "in glory" F2; for they shall appear with him in glory, both in soul and body, having the glory of God upon them, ( Colossians 3:4 ) ( Revelation 21:11 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

F2 (dwbk wynqz dgnw) "et coram senibus suis, gloria", Pagninus, Montanus.

Isaiah 24:23 In-Context

21 In that day the LORD will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below.
22 They will be herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon; they will be shut up in prison and be punished after many days.
23 The moon will be dismayed, the sun ashamed; for the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders—with great glory.

Cross References 4

  • 1. S Isaiah 13:10
  • 2. S Psalms 97:1; Revelation 22:5
  • 3. S Isaiah 2:2; Hebrews 12:22
  • 4. Isaiah 28:5; Isaiah 41:16; Isaiah 45:25; Isaiah 60:19; Ezekiel 48:35; Zechariah 2:5; Revelation 21:23
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