Isaiah 24 2

Isaiah 24:2 kjv

And 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.

Isaiah 24:2 nkjv

And 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 creditor, so with the debtor.

Isaiah 24:2 niv

it will be the same for priest as for people, for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor.

Isaiah 24:2 esv

And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, 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 creditor, so with the debtor.

Isaiah 24:2 nlt

Priests and laypeople,
servants and masters,
maids and mistresses,
buyers and sellers,
lenders and borrowers,
bankers and debtors ? none will be spared.

Isaiah 24 verses

Isaiah 24 2 meaning

Isaiah 24:2 declares that an all-encompassing, indiscriminate divine judgment will be unleashed upon the earth, affecting every single person regardless of their social standing, economic status, or religious position. The verse systematically lists various societal pairs—from spiritual leaders to common citizens, masters to servants, and across all economic relationships—to powerfully convey that no one will be exempt or find refuge from the impending devastation. It underscores that all human distinctions become meaningless before the sovereign wrath of God, as every segment of society will experience the same leveling impact of the judgment.

Isaiah 24 2 Context

Isaiah chapters 24-27, often called the "Little Apocalypse," describe a universal judgment of God that will sweep across the earth, followed by eventual redemption and God's ultimate reign. Verse 2 specifically amplifies the sweeping judgment declared in Isa 24:1 ("Behold, the LORD is going to lay waste the earth and make it empty..."). This context describes a world turned upside down, where normal order ceases, and humanity faces desolation due to its rebellion against God's law (Isa 24:5-6). The prophet addresses a society structured by hierarchies and social roles, yet predicts a divine intervention so absolute that these distinctions will vanish under the weight of judgment. This passage likely draws upon existing covenant curses (e.g., Deut 28) and projects them onto a global scale, serving as a warning against sin and an assertion of God's universal sovereignty.

Isaiah 24 2 Word analysis

• And it shall be (וְהָיָה - v'hayah): This opening phrase signifies certainty and inevitability. It's a prophetic declaration that what follows will undoubtedly come to pass.
• as with (כְּ - k' / ka'): A preposition meaning "as" or "like," emphasizing equivalence and comparison. It highlights that the experience will be the same for both parties in each pair.
• the people (הָעָם - ha'am): Refers to the common folk, the general populace, signifying those without specific religious, social, or economic distinctions.
• the priest (הַכֹּהֵן - hakohen): The religious authority, mediator, and one held to a higher standard of holiness. His inclusion signifies that even sacred office offers no protection from divine judgment if the nation has apostatized. This subverts the normal societal expectation of the priest's role in mediation and purification.
• the servant (הָעֶבֶד - ha'eved): A slave or bondservant, representing the lowest rung of the social hierarchy, typically with minimal power or status.
• his master (אֲדֹנָיו - adonav): The person holding authority, power, and higher social standing over the servant. Their shared fate demonstrates the collapse of social structures.
• the maid (הַשִּׁפְחָה - hashifkhah): A female servant, a parallel to the male servant but specifically highlighting the universal nature of the judgment across gender and status within the household.
• her mistress (גְּבִרְתָּהּ - gvirtah): The female head of the household, a figure of authority over the maidservant. This pair reinforces the complete leveling of household hierarchies.
• the buyer (הַקּוֹנֶה - hakoneh): One involved in commercial transactions by purchasing goods.
• the seller (הַמּוֹכֵר - hamocher): One involved in commercial transactions by offering goods for sale. The equal judgment upon them shows the breakdown of all economic activity and security.
• the lender (הַמַּלְוֶה - hammalve): One who provides funds to another, typically a position of economic power.
• the borrower (הַלּוֶֹה - haloveh): One who receives funds, often out of necessity, a position of economic dependency. This pair emphasizes the universal impact across wealth and indebtedness.
• the creditor (הַנּשֶׁה - hanosheh): One to whom a debt is owed, often associated with exacting or pressing for repayment.
• the debtor (בְּבַעַל מַשֶּׁה - b'va'al masheh): Literally "one on whom debt rests" or "owner of a debt" against another (who is therefore the one owing), referring to the person indebted. This final pair solidifies the message that all financial obligations and distinctions are rendered moot by God's comprehensive judgment.
• words-group "as with...so with...": This repetitive anaphoric and often chiastic structure serves as a rhetorical device to achieve maximum emphasis. By listing these six diverse pairs, Isaiah vividly portrays the exhaustive scope of the judgment. It creates a poetic dirge, highlighting the inescapable and absolute nature of God's coming wrath, ensuring no one—from the religiously privileged to the economically powerful, or the socially marginalized—can escape their shared destiny under divine reckoning. The device of merism (listing polar opposites or a range of elements to imply totality) is effectively used to denote every single category of humanity.

Isaiah 24 2 Bonus section

The rhetorical force of Isaiah 24:2 lies in its precise, parallel structure. This prophetic technique, common in Hebrew poetry, not only underscores the universality of judgment but also enhances its solemn, inevitable tone, resembling a death knell for society's existing order. The verse is an powerful polemic against any notion that human status, wealth, or even religious position provides immunity from divine accountability. It serves as a precursor to New Testament teachings about God's impartiality in judgment and salvation, emphasizing that "there is no distinction" (Rom 3:22, Rom 10:12) before God. Ultimately, this verse lays bare the human illusion of control and privilege, pointing to the sole reality of God's sovereign justice over all creation.

Isaiah 24 2 Commentary

Isaiah 24:2 serves as the core explanation for the sweeping devastation predicted in the preceding verse. It's a stark pronouncement that when God's judgment falls, all human distinctions and self-appointed securities will utterly dissolve. No longer will the priest's sacred office, the master's authority, or the wealthy lender's financial standing offer any form of exemption or refuge. God's judgment is impartial and absolute, indiscriminately leveling the playing field of humanity. This profound truth underscores that spiritual condition, not social status, is what matters most before a holy God. The verse warns against misplaced trust in worldly hierarchies and highlights the universality of sin's consequences when God holds the earth accountable.