Isaiah 24 11

Isaiah 24:11 kjv

There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

Isaiah 24:11 nkjv

There is a cry for wine in the streets, All joy is darkened, The mirth of the land is gone.

Isaiah 24:11 niv

In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.

Isaiah 24:11 esv

There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has grown dark; the gladness of the earth is banished.

Isaiah 24:11 nlt

Mobs gather in the streets, crying out for wine.
Joy has turned to gloom.
Gladness has been banished from the land.

Isaiah 24 verses

Isaiah 24 11 meaning

Isaiah 24:11 describes a scene of profound and widespread desolation, marking the complete absence of any source of earthly pleasure and gladness. The customary joy associated with wine is replaced by a desperate, public cry for it, indicating severe scarcity and deprivation. All forms of mirth, delight, and festivity are extinguished and banished from the entire world, signaling a comprehensive and sorrowful impact of divine judgment that affects everyone and everything.

Isaiah 24 11 Context

Isaiah 24 initiates a section often referred to as "The Little Apocalypse" (chapters 24-27) due to its broad, cosmic descriptions of divine judgment encompassing the entire earth. The chapter opens with a declaration of God's universal judgment (Isa 24:1-3) due to humanity's sin and transgression of an "everlasting covenant" (Isa 24:5-6). The earth is depicted as mourning, languishing, and defiled, with its inhabitants few and destroyed. Earlier verses specifically mention the cessation of instruments and songs of revelry (Isa 24:8-9), and the breaking of the city of confusion (Isa 24:10). Verse 11 expands on this by emphasizing the desperate search for the very substance of joy—wine—and declares the absolute extinguishing of all mirth across the devastated land, underscoring the depth of the desolation and the comprehensive nature of God's wrath.

Isaiah 24 11 Word analysis

• There is a crying (צְוָחָה, tsevachah):

  • Word: "Crying" here denotes a loud, often public and desperate shout or shriek, implying distress, alarm, or urgent need rather than simple sorrow. It's a lament born of extreme lack.
  • Significance: This isn't just a quiet moan, but an outcry that permeates the public space, demonstrating widespread suffering.

• for wine (עַל־יַיִן, ʾal-yayin):

  • Word: "Wine" (yayin) in biblical contexts often symbolizes joy, celebration, prosperity, and God's blessings when used righteously, or excess and corruption otherwise.
  • Significance: Its absence here, or the desperate crying for it, means the very essence of human delight and festivity is missing. It highlights the profound loss of normal, pleasant existence.

• in the streets (בַּחוּצוֹת, bakhutsot):

  • Word: "Streets" (chutsot) refers to public thoroughfares, open spaces in cities or towns.
  • Significance: The distress is not confined to private homes but is overtly visible and audible in public, showing that the desolation is pervasive and impossible to hide, affecting communal life.

• all joy (כָּל־שִׂמְחָה, kol-simchah):

  • Word: "Joy" (simchah) is a general term for gladness, delight, or mirth. "All" (kol) emphasizes its complete extent.
  • Significance: Every type of happiness, whether individual or communal, has been impacted. No aspect of life remains untouched by the pervasive sorrow.

• is darkened (עָרְבָה, arbah):

  • Word: From a root meaning "to set" (as the sun), implying disappearance, going down, or becoming dark. It suggests total eclipse or extinction.
  • Significance: Joy isn't just diminished; it has completely vanished, like light disappearing with the setting sun. It conveys an utter and irreversible loss of brightness and gladness.

• the mirth (מָשׂוֹשׂ, masos):

  • Word: "Mirth" (masos) denotes exuberant, boisterous, often public rejoicing, delight, or festivity. It's an intense form of joy.
  • Significance: This emphasizes that even the most vibrant and obvious forms of celebration are utterly removed.

• of the land (אָרֶץ, ʾarets):

  • Word: "Land" (ʾarets) can refer to specific territories (e.g., Israel) or the entire earth. In Isa 24, it primarily carries a universal scope.
  • Significance: The judgment is not localized; it impacts the whole world, making the sorrow global and inescapable.

• is banished (גָּלָה, galah):

  • Word: "Banished" (galah), in its Hiphal form, means to carry away into exile, remove, or strip bare.
  • Significance: It implies a forced, complete, and permanent removal of mirth. Joy is not simply absent but actively exiled, leaving behind only emptiness and lament.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "There is a crying for wine in the streets": This phrase paints a stark picture of public lament over the deprivation of basic sources of comfort and joy. The desperation is visible and audible everywhere, signaling not just scarcity, but a total absence that sparks widespread, vocal anguish. It signifies a profound shift from celebration to mourning in public life.
• "all joy is darkened": This group vividly communicates the universal scope and nature of the sorrow. "All joy" means no form of happiness is spared, and "darkened" emphasizes that it's not merely diminished but extinguished, enveloped in an pervasive gloom, much like the total darkness of an eclipse. It suggests the spiritual and emotional light of the world has been switched off.
• "the mirth of the land is banished": This final clause reiterates and reinforces the previous sentiment, focusing on the forceful removal of all forms of vibrant celebration. The word "banished" conveys a sense of active expulsion, indicating a comprehensive and irreversible divine judgment against any form of earthly revelry across the entire globe, leaving it devoid of genuine happiness.

Isaiah 24 11 Bonus section

The widespread desolation described in Isaiah 24:11 and throughout the chapter stems directly from the breaking of "the everlasting covenant" mentioned in Isaiah 24:5. While some interpret this covenant as the Noahic covenant, binding on all humanity, others understand it as a broader principle of moral order inherent in creation, or even referring to humanity's continued transgression of God's universal law written on their hearts (Rom 2:15). The consequence of this breach is not merely physical scarcity but a deep spiritual malaise where the very concept of joy is eradicated, showcasing God's righteous response to universal rebellion and sin. This chapter thus lays a theological foundation for future prophetic laments and apocalyptic visions concerning global judgment.

Isaiah 24 11 Commentary

Isaiah 24:11 powerfully communicates the profound and universal impact of God's impending judgment on the earth. The "crying for wine in the streets" encapsulates a desperate longing for what was once a common source of gladness and celebration. Wine, in the ancient world, was intrinsically linked with festivity, banquets, and everyday comfort. Its absence, manifested as a public outcry, highlights the complete collapse of normal societal pleasures and an underlying hunger that cannot be satisfied. The expressions "all joy is darkened" and "the mirth of the land is banished" are emphatic. "Darkened" suggests not a dimming but a total eclipse, indicating a pervasive and inescapable gloom over all human delight. "Banished" implies an active, forceful removal, underscoring that joy and mirth are not merely dwindling but have been forcibly exiled from every corner of the world. This is not just a loss of resources but a removal of the very capacity for gladness, revealing a world under divine curse, utterly stripped of its ability to rejoice in earthly things. This verse serves as a sober warning against placing ultimate trust and joy in fleeting worldly pleasures, which can be instantly removed by the sovereign hand of God.