The big picture
Isaiah 24 opens in verse 1 with “Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 12 with “In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.”, and closes in verse 23 with “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall…” Repeated or prominent terms include earth, LORD, broken, drink, high. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Isaiah · King James Version · 23Isaiah 24:1-8
1–8: Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and…
Isaiah 24:1–8 opens with “Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and…” and reaches “The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 24 develops its own movement around earth, LORD, broken, drink, high, with particular weight carried by earth, inhabitants, ceaseth.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include maketh, abroad, earth. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
Isaiah 24:1-8
King James Version1Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
2And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.
3The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
4The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
5The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
7The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.
8The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
Isaiah 24:9-16
9–16: They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to…
Isaiah 24:9–16 opens with “They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.” and reaches “From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 24 develops its own movement around earth, LORD, broken, drink, high, with particular weight carried by drink, LORD, city.
Context that brings the passage to life
“They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.” The line’s distinctive content terms include crying, darkened, gone. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.
Isaiah 24:9-16
King James Version9They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
10The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
11There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
12In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.
13When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.
14They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD , they shall cry aloud from the sea.
15Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.
16From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
Isaiah 24:17-23
17–23: Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the…
Isaiah 24:17–23 opens with “Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.” and reaches “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 24 develops its own movement around earth, LORD, broken, drink, high, with particular weight carried by earth, high, fall.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.” Naming Fear keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.” The line’s distinctive content terms include earth, broken, clean. Its relationship to verses 18 and 20 shows what work it does in this passage.
Isaiah 24:17-23
King James Version17Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23Then 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Isaiah 24:1 begins with “Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.”
Where the chapter turns
Isaiah 24:6 forms a natural hinge: “Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.”
The final note
Isaiah 24:23 leaves the reader with “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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words earth, LORD, broken, drink, high, inhabitants help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does Rebekah contribute beyond family eligibility?
Energy, hospitality and a direct decision to make the journey.
Why is the servant's retelling so long?
It presents the sequence to the family and explains why he sees divine guidance in it.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- hath
- has
- wherefore
- for that reason
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.