Isaiah 24

New International Version

The Lord’s Devastation of the Earth

24 See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth^(A)
    and devastate^(B) it;
he will ruin its face
    and scatter^(C) its inhabitants—
²it will be the same
    for priest as for people,^(D)
    for the master as for his servant,
    for the mistress as for her servant,
    for seller as for buyer,^(E)
    for borrower as for lender,
    for debtor as for creditor.^(F)
³The earth will be completely laid waste^(G)
    and totally plundered.^(H)
The Lord has spoken^(I) this word.

⁴The earth dries up^(J) and withers,^(K)
    the world languishes and withers,
    the heavens^(L) languish with the earth.^(M)
⁵The earth is defiled^(N) by its people;
    they have disobeyed^(O) the laws,
violated the statutes
    and broken the everlasting covenant.^(P)
⁶Therefore a curse^(Q) consumes the earth;
    its people must bear their guilt.
Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,^(R)
    and very few are left.
⁷The new wine dries up^(S) and the vine withers;^(T)
    all the merrymakers groan.^(U)
⁸The joyful timbrels^(V) are stilled,
    the noise^(W) of the revelers^(X) has stopped,
    the joyful harp^(Y) is silent.^(Z)
⁹No longer do they drink wine^(AA) with a song;
    the beer is bitter^(AB) to its drinkers.
¹⁰The ruined city^(AC) lies desolate;^(AD)
    the entrance to every house is barred.
¹¹In the streets they cry out^(AE) for wine;^(AF)
    all joy turns to gloom,^(AG)
    all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.
¹²The city is left in ruins,^(AH)
    its gate^(AI) is battered to pieces.
¹³So will it be on the earth
    and among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,^(AJ)
    or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.^(AK)

¹⁴They raise their voices, they shout for joy;^(AL)
    from the west^(AM) they acclaim the Lord’s majesty.
¹⁵Therefore in the east^(AN) give glory^(AO) to the Lord;
    exalt^(AP) the name^(AQ) of the Lord, the God of Israel,
    in the islands^(AR) of the sea.
¹⁶From the ends of the earth^(AS) we hear singing:^(AT)
    “Glory^(AU) to the Righteous One.”^(AV)

But I said, “I waste away, I waste away!^(AW)
    Woe^(AX) to me!
The treacherous^(AY) betray!
    With treachery the treacherous betray!^(AZ)”
¹⁷Terror^(BA) and pit and snare^(BB) await you,
    people of the earth.^(BC)
¹⁸Whoever flees^(BD) at the sound of terror
    will fall into a pit;^(BE)
whoever climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in a snare.^(BF)

The floodgates of the heavens^(BG) are opened,
    the foundations of the earth shake.^(BH)
¹⁹The earth is broken up,^(BI)
    the earth is split asunder,^(BJ)
    the earth is violently shaken.
²⁰The earth reels like a drunkard,^(BK)
    it sways like a hut^(BL) in the wind;
so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion^(BM)
    that it falls^(BN)—never to rise again.^(BO)

²¹In that day^(BP) the Lord will punish^(BQ)
    the powers^(BR) in the heavens above
    and the kings^(BS) on the earth below.
²²They will be herded together
    like prisoners^(BT) bound in a dungeon;^(BU)
they will be shut up in prison
    and be punished^[a] after many days.^(BV)
²³The moon will be dismayed,
    the sun^(BW) ashamed;
for the Lord Almighty will reign^(BX)
    on Mount Zion^(BY) and in Jerusalem,
    and before its elders—with great glory.^(BZ)