Isaiah 24 19

Isaiah 24:19 kjv

The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.

Isaiah 24:19 nkjv

The earth is violently broken, The earth is split open, The earth is shaken exceedingly.

Isaiah 24:19 niv

The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken.

Isaiah 24:19 esv

The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken.

Isaiah 24:19 nlt

The earth has broken up.
It has utterly collapsed;
it is violently shaken.

Isaiah 24 verses

Isaiah 24 19 meaning

Isaiah 24:19 describes a profound, cataclysmic shaking and dismantling of the earth. It is a prophetic portrayal of universal judgment, depicting the physical world succumbing to intense, unmaking forces. The repeated phrase and escalating verbs emphasize the totality and severity of this cosmic undoing, indicating that no part of the established order will remain untouched by divine judgment. It foreshadows a return to a chaotic, pre-creation-like state, demonstrating God's ultimate power over creation and judgment.

Isaiah 24 19 Context

Isaiah 24 is often referred to as the "Little Apocalypse" within the book of Isaiah (chapters 24-27). This chapter shifts from judgments against specific nations to a prophecy of universal judgment, encompassing the entire earth and its inhabitants. The verses preceding 19 detail widespread moral corruption, breaking of God's covenant, and a subsequent devastation affecting cities, joy, and the land itself (Isa 24:1-12). Verse 19 specifically describes the physical manifestation of this global judgment, portraying the very foundations of the world as collapsing. This cosmic dismantling sets the stage for God's ultimate reign and the establishment of His kingdom. Historically, this prophecy would have served as a warning to Judah and the surrounding nations of the inevitable consequences of widespread sin and rebellion against God, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over all creation. It directly counters the belief that human power or worldly stability could withstand divine reckoning.

Isaiah 24 19 Word analysis

• The earth: In Hebrew, הָאָרֶץ (hā'āreṣ). Repeated three times for emphasis. This signifies a universal scope, encompassing the entire globe, not just a particular region. It contrasts with earlier prophecies targeting specific nations, stressing the all-encompassing nature of God's judgment on sin.
• is utterly broken down: In Hebrew, פּוֹר פּוֹרָה (pôr pôrāh) from the verb פָּרַר (parar), meaning "to break," "to annul," or "to make void." The repetition of the root signifies extreme intensity, emphasizing a complete and irreversible breaking or shattering, akin to being thoroughly undone or annulled. This indicates a dismantling of its very structure.
• the earth: (See above) Again, for intense reiteration of the subject of this cosmic unraveling.
• is rent asunder: In Hebrew, הִתְפָּרְקָה (hitpa’raqāh) from the verb פָּרַק (paraq), meaning "to tear off," "to break loose," or "to pull apart." This word conveys a sense of disjunction, of things coming apart at the seams, detaching from each other. It describes the earth literally fracturing and separating, implying deep fissures and loss of integrity.
• the earth: (See above) The final repetition seals the emphatic nature of the earth's devastation.
• is shaken exceedingly: In Hebrew, הִתְמוֹטְטָה (hitmoṭeṭāh) from the verb מוּט (mūṭ), meaning "to totter," "to waver," or "to be moved." The Hithpolel stem, used here, intensifies the action, implying a violent, sustained, self-inflicted shaking or a constant state of instability. It's not just a slight tremor, but an overwhelming, persistent, and foundational loss of stability, causing it to fall or collapse.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "The earth is utterly broken down": This phrase introduces the theme of comprehensive structural collapse. It describes the foundational integrity of the planet being completely dissolved, much like an ancient document being declared null and void.
• "the earth is rent asunder": This second phrase escalates the imagery from mere breaking to active separation and fragmentation. It paints a picture of tectonic plates or geographical formations being violently torn apart, losing their cohesion and becoming disconnected.
• "the earth is shaken exceedingly": The final phrase portrays the chaotic, uncontrollable movement and instability that results from the breaking and tearing. It speaks of violent, sustained convulsions that cause the entire planet to reel and totter, stripped of any solid footing or permanence. The threefold repetition of "the earth" emphasizes the totality and universality of this divine judgment.

Isaiah 24 19 Bonus section

The Hebrew word "pôr pôrāh" for "utterly broken down" is an infinitive absolute of "parar" combined with its feminine perfect form. This specific grammatical construction in Hebrew is a powerful way to express the intensity and certainty of the action. It's not just "broken," but "breaking, it is broken" or "brokenness, it is broken," leaving no doubt about the extent and finality of the act. The prophet's language moves beyond typical catastrophic events, like regional earthquakes or floods, to depict a dismantling of global and fundamental proportions. This imagery would have resonated with ancient people's understanding of their world as having fixed foundations (Job 38:4-7), making the collapse even more terrifying. This global judgment on "the earth" also signifies the complete and absolute removal of the former way of living that God opposed, paving the way for His new reign and a purified earth.

Isaiah 24 19 Commentary

Isaiah 24:19 serves as a powerful, climactic image of God's universal judgment, portraying the complete dissolution of the created order due to humanity's sin and rebellion (referenced in preceding verses like Isa 24:5-6). The repeated imagery of "the earth" being "broken down," "rent asunder," and "shaken exceedingly" is not mere hyperbole; it represents a cosmic undoing, a reversal of creation itself. The language echoes the "tohu-bohu" (formless and void) state of Gen 1:2, suggesting that God, who brought order out of chaos, can likewise plunge the world back into chaos as a demonstration of His sovereignty and justice. This intense physical collapse underscores the spiritual and moral brokenness that has infected the world. The unmaking of the stable, predictable earth underscores that human security based on worldly foundations is ultimately illusory. The earth, usually perceived as immutable, reveals its complete dependence on God. This serves as a stark warning and also sets the stage for the promise of a "new heavens and a new earth" (Isa 65:17; Rev 21:1) that will follow this purging, demonstrating God's ultimate plan of restoration after judgment.