Isaiah 24:10

10 The chaotic cities are unlivable. Anarchy reigns. Every house is boarded up, condemned.

Isaiah 24:10 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 24:10

The city of confusion is broken down
Or "of vanity", as the Vulgate Latin version; or of "emptiness" or "desolation"; the word is "tohu", used in ( Genesis 1:2 ) this is to be understood not of Bethel, where one of Jeroboam's calves was, called Bethaven, or "the house of vanity"; nor Samaria, the chief city of the ten tribes; nor Jerusalem; but mystical Babylon, whose name signifies "confusion"; even the city of Rome, in which there is nothing but disorder and irregularity, no truth, justice, or religion; a city of vanity, full of superstition and idolatry, and devoted to ruin and desolation; and will be broke to pieces by the judgments of God, which will come upon it in one hour, ( Revelation 18:8 ) : every house is shut up, that no man may come in:
or, "from coming in"; not for fear of the enemy, and to keep him out; but because there are no inhabitants in them, being all destroyed by one means or another, by fire or sword, or famine or pestilence, so that there is none to go in or out.

Isaiah 24:10 In-Context

8 The laughter of castanets is gone, the shouts of celebrants, gone, the laughter of fiddles, gone.
9 No more parties with toasts of champagne. Serious drinkers gag on their drinks.
10 The chaotic cities are unlivable. Anarchy reigns. Every house is boarded up, condemned.
11 People riot in the streets for wine, but the good times are gone forever - no more joy for this old world.
12 The city is dead and deserted, bulldozed into piles of rubble.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.