Isaiah 24:1 kjv
Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
Isaiah 24:1 nkjv
Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, Distorts its surface And scatters abroad its inhabitants.
Isaiah 24:1 niv
See, the LORD is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants?
Isaiah 24:1 esv
Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
Isaiah 24:1 nlt
Look! The LORD is about to destroy the earth
and make it a vast wasteland.
He devastates the surface of the earth
and scatters the people.
Isaiah 24 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 24:1 | Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. | Ezek 5:10 (Judgement on Jerusalem) |
| Jer 15:1-4 | Judgment on Jerusalem and its people. | Jer 15:1-4 (Similar theme of scattering) |
| Amos 3:11 | Woe to you, Israel, who is being judged. | Amos 3:11 (Judgment proclaimed) |
| Zech 11:6 | For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, declares the Lord. But behold, I will strike them down, everyone into the hand of his neighbor and into the hand of his king. And they shall strike the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand. | Zech 11:6 (Scattering and conflict) |
| Luke 17:34-37 | Judgment and separation. | Luke 17:34-37 (Separation in judgment) |
| Rev 16:1 | Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of God's fury on the earth." | Rev 16:1 (Divine fury poured out) |
| Rev 18:1-24 | Fall of Babylon and judgment on world systems. | Rev 18:1-24 (Universal judgment) |
| Isa 13:1-22 | Judgment on Babylon. | Isa 13:1-22 (Scattering of nations) |
| Isa 40:24 | He brings princes to nothing, and makes the judges of the earth emptiness. | Isa 40:24 (God brings down earthly rulers) |
| Ezek 20:33-38 | God will bring out his people with a mighty hand and fierce anger. | Ezek 20:33-38 (God's power in judgment) |
| Ps 75:6-8 | For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the desert. But God is the judge; he puts down one and exalts another. | Ps 75:6-8 (God's sovereign judgment) |
| Dan 12:2 | And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. | Dan 12:2 (Universal resurrection and judgment) |
| John 5:28-29 | Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice. | John 5:28-29 (Resurrection and judgment) |
| Acts 17:31 | because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the whole world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed. Having provided proof to all by raising him from the dead. | Acts 17:31 (God will judge the world) |
| Jer 4:23-26 | Descriptions of earth's desolation. | Jer 4:23-26 (Earth made desolate) |
| Hos 1:10 | Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it is said to them, 'You are not my people,' it shall be said to them, 'Sons of the living God.' | Hos 1:10 (Contrast to scattering, God's promise) |
| Rom 9:27-29 | God's election and preservation. | Rom 9:27-29 (Remnant preservation) |
| Isa 14:12-15 | Fallen state of Lucifer. | Isa 14:12-15 (God's sovereignty over pride) |
| Ezek 14:21 | For thus says the Lord God: Even when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful acts of judgment, sword, famine, dangerous beasts, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast. | Ezek 14:21 (God's acts of judgment) |
| Mal 3:1-6 | God's purifying judgment. | Mal 3:1-6 (God's cleansing judgment) |
| Nah 1:15 | Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah! Fulfill your vows, for the wicked shall no more pass through you; they are utterly cut off. | Nah 1:15 (Contrast to judgment) |
| Isa 24:22 | and they will be gathered together as prisoners in a dungeon, and will be confined in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. | Isa 24:22 (Prisoners gathered for punishment) |
Isaiah 24 verses
Isaiah 24 1 Meaning
This verse signifies a profound and universal judgment from God. It describes God's act of scattering, forming, and then dispersing His people, Israel. This is not random destruction but a directed action indicating divine sovereignty and judgment. It encompasses both the individual and the collective, signifying that no one will escape God's scrutiny and judgment.
Isaiah 24 1 Context
Isaiah chapter 24 is often called the "little apocalypse" because of its extensive imagery of universal judgment and restoration. This chapter describes the downfall of nations and the devastation of the earth as a prelude to God's ultimate reign and the establishment of His kingdom. Verse 1 sets the stage for this catastrophic judgment, describing a comprehensive and thorough emptying and scattering of the earth's inhabitants. This chapter is set against the backdrop of Israel's history, speaking both to specific judgments upon nations (including Judah) and a future, global judgment.
Isaiah 24 1 Word Analysis
- Behold (H3700: hen) - An interjection to call attention, to draw the mind to something significant or to command consideration.
- the Lord (H3068: Yahweh) - The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal, personal relationship with His people and His faithfulness.
- will empty (H1707: balla' - related to bol which means void, empty) - To make void, to clear out, to strip bare. This word implies a thoroughness in the removal of the inhabitants.
- the earth (H776: erets) - Land, ground, earth. Can refer to the land of Israel, or more broadly, the entire planet.
- and make it desolate (H8370: shamem) - To be desolated, to be stunned, to be astonished. Denotes extreme devastation and emptiness.
- and twist its surface (H5505: solal) - to heap up, to pile. Often used of building materials or mounds. Here, it signifies a disruption and contorting of the land's accustomed order and landscape. Some interpretations see this as causing the land itself to suffer convulsions.
- and scatter its inhabitants (H6327: puwts) - To break in pieces, to break, to disperse, to scatter abroad. Highlights the scattering and dispersion of people from their accustomed places.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and twist its surface": This is a powerful declaration of divine judgment. It's not merely about destroying cities but fundamentally altering the very fabric of the earth, rendering it empty and profoundly changed.
- "and twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants": The physical transformation of the land is directly linked to the displacement and dispersal of its people, emphasizing that the judgment affects both the environment and its human occupants.
Isaiah 24 1 Bonus Section
The imagery of "twisting its surface" suggests a reversal of creation or a deep affliction upon the land itself, paralleling the sinfulness of humanity that corrupts it. Scholars note that this descriptive language, while grand, also serves as a warning and a call to repentance. It’s important to remember that in Isaiah’s prophetic message, judgment is often accompanied by the promise of eventual restoration, so while this verse depicts devastation, it is part of a larger narrative of redemption and the establishment of God's lasting kingdom on a renewed earth.
Isaiah 24 1 Commentary
Isaiah 24:1 introduces a theme of comprehensive divine judgment that will affect the entire earth. God, identified as Yahweh, the covenant God, is the active agent. He will not only render the land empty and desolate but will also disturb its very formation. This is followed by the scattering of its inhabitants, indicating a complete disruption of human society and habitation. The verse speaks to the ultimate accountability of humanity before God and His sovereign power to enact judgment on a global scale. This judgment is often understood as a cleansing and resetting of the world before God establishes His eternal reign, fulfilling promises of a renewed creation.