Isaiah 24:9-19

9 With a song they drink not wine, Bitter is strong drink to those drinking it.

10 It was broken down -- a city of emptiness, Shut hath been every house from entrance.

11 A cry over the wine [is] in out-places, Darkened hath been all joy, Removed hath been the joy of the land.

12 Left in the city [is] desolation, And [with] wasting is the gate smitten.

13 When thus it is in the heart of the land, In the midst of the peoples, As the compassing of the olive, As gleanings when harvest hath been finished,

14 They -- they lift up their voice, They sing of the excellency of Jehovah, They have cried aloud from the sea.

15 Therefore in prosperity honour ye Jehovah, In isles of the sea, the name of Jehovah, God of Israel.

16 From the skirt of the earth we heard songs, The desire of the righteous. And I say, `Leanness [is] to me, Leanness [is] to me, wo [is] to me.' Treacherous dealers dealt treacherously, Yea, treachery, treacherous dealers dealt treacherously.

17 Fear, and a snare, and a gin, [Are] on thee, O inhabitant of the land.

18 And it hath come to pass, He who is fleeing from the noise of the fear Doth fall into the snare, And he who is coming up from the midst of the snare, Is captured by the gin, For windows on high have been opened, And shaken are foundations of the land.

19 Utterly broken down hath been the land, Utterly broken hath been the land, Utterly moved hath been the land.

Isaiah 24:9-19 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.