Isaiah 24:3 kjv
The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
Isaiah 24:3 nkjv
The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, For the LORD has spoken this word.
Isaiah 24:3 niv
The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The LORD has spoken this word.
Isaiah 24:3 esv
The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the LORD has spoken this word.
Isaiah 24:3 nlt
The earth will be completely emptied and looted.
The LORD has spoken!
Isaiah 24 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 24:1 | Behold, the Lord will make the earth empty and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. | Doom pronounced on the entire earth. |
| Isa 24:3 | The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word. | Explicit statement of desolation and spoken word. |
| Jer 4:23 | I looked at the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. | Vision of cosmic chaos mirroring judgment. |
| Jer 25:33 | And those the Lord slays on that day will be scattered to the four winds from one end of the earth to the other. No one shall mourn for them, or be gathered, or be buried. They shall be as refuse on the surface of the ground. | Complete scattering and unburied dead due to judgment. |
| Ezek 38:22 | I will enter into judgment with him with pestilence and with blood. And I will rain upon him and his hordes and upon the many peoples who are with him torrential rains, hailstones, fire, and brimstone. | Divine judgment with destructive elements. |
| Hos 4:1-3 | Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. For there is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no acknowledgment of God in the land... Therefore the land shall mourn, and everyone who lives in it shall languish... | Land mourning and languishing due to sin and lack of Godly knowledge. |
| Zeph 1:2-3 | I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares the Lord. I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked. I will cut off man from the face of the earth, declares the Lord. | Total eradication of living things and wickedness. |
| Rev 18:1, 2 | After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. He cried out with a strong voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every unclean spirit, a haunt of every unclean and detestable bird... | Imagery of divine judgment and utter destruction of a corrupt system. |
| Rev 6:8 | And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. | Symbolic representation of death and devastation across the earth. |
| Joel 1:11, 12 | Be confounded, O ye inhabitants of the island; the vine is withered, the fig tree languishes. It is withered as to its leaves; all the trees of the field are withered. Because joy is withered away from the sons of men. The husbandman is ashamed, the vine dresser hath sighed by reason of the vine and of the wheat of the field. | Description of ecological collapse and despair caused by judgment. |
| Mic 1:3-4 | For behold, the Lord is coming forth out of his place, and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth. The mountains will be molten under him, and the valleys will burst open, like wax before the fire, like waters flowing down a steep place. | Divine appearance causing cataclysmic geological events. |
| 1 Cor 1:27 | But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, but God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. | God using seemingly weak or unlikely means to bring about His purposes. |
| Gen 1:2 | The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. | Primordial state of the earth, chaos, emptiness. |
| Isa 24:17, 18 | Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! Whoever flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and whoever climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. | Perpetual state of danger and inescapable judgment. |
| Luke 21:26 | men fainting from fear and forward looking to what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. | Eschatological events causing fear and cosmic upheaval. |
| Matt 24:30 | Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. | Sign of Christ's return bringing widespread mourning and recognition. |
| John 3:16 | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. | Contrasting eternal life offered through faith versus destruction. |
| Romans 8:20-22 | For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope. For the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. | Creation’s groaning reflecting its current fallen state and anticipation of redemption. |
| Jer 4:24 | I looked, and behold, the plain was a waste, and all its cities were in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger. | Utter devastation of the land. |
| 2 Pet 3:10 | But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are on it will be burned up. | Day of the Lord bringing cosmic dissolution. |
Isaiah 24 verses
Isaiah 24 3 Meaning
The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly plundered. The Lord has spoken this word.
Isaiah 24 3 Context
Isaiah chapter 24 speaks of a sweeping judgment that will affect the entire earth. The prophet envisions a devastating and universal catastrophe, a divine upheaval that empties the land and scatters its inhabitants. This chapter is set within the broader prophetic message of judgment against sin and rebellion, not only for Israel but also for the nations. It highlights the ultimate sovereignty of God over all creation and His power to bring about His righteous judgments. The specific pronouncements here are often interpreted as applying to future, culminating events, possibly including the end times and the final judgment, alongside historical instances of divine wrath upon nations. The context is one of impending, comprehensive ruin for the earth's corrupt systems and inhabitants, driven by God’s decree.
Isaiah 24 3 Word Analysis
- הָאָרֶץ (ha'aretz): "the earth". This refers to the land of Israel specifically, but in this context, it expands to encompass the entire world, reflecting the universality of the judgment described.
- תָּהֹ֧ק (tahoq): "will be emptied" or "will be void". This word suggests a state of utter emptiness, a complete removal of inhabitants and sustenance. It echoes the description of the earth in its uncreated state in Genesis 1:2 ("tohu").
- וְרֵיקָ֖ה (v’reqqah): "and empty" or "and void". This is an intensive repetition of the previous term, emphasizing the totality of the desolation. It signifies that nothing will be left.
- וּבָֽרָ֗ק (uvaraq): "and stripped bare" or "and plundered". This signifies a despoiling, a robbing or plundering of its riches and resources, implying violence and destruction beyond mere emptiness.
- בָּקַ֧ק (baqaq): "emptied" or "poured out". The root verb emphasizes a complete emptying or a pouring out, suggesting an uncontrollable and final removal.
- נָ֣אֻם (na'um): "decree" or "oracle". This signifies a solemn declaration, an authoritative pronouncement from God.
- יְהוָ֥ה (Adonai): "the Lord". The personal name of God, emphasizing His authority and covenant relationship, yet also His power to judge.
- דָּבָ֖ר (davar): "word" or "thing". Here it signifies a spoken decree or plan from the Lord.
Group Analysis:
- "תָּהֹ֧ק וְרֵיקָ֖ה וּבָֽרָ֗ק" (tahoq v'reqqah uvaraQ): This powerful triple phrasing vividly describes the totality of the judgment – utter emptiness, complete void, and stripping bare. It conveys not just a lack of life, but an active plundering and despoiling.
- "כִּֽי־בָקַ֧ק נָ֣אֻם יְהוָ֛ה" (ki-baqaq na'um Adonai): This phrase explains the reason for the desolation – it is because the Lord has spoken and decreed it. His word is the ultimate cause and guarantee of this emptying and plundering.
Isaiah 24 3 Bonus Section
The imagery of the earth being "emptied" and "plundered" can be seen as a reversal of God's initial creation and blessing upon the earth. Where creation was filled and fruitful, this judgment brings it to a state of nullity. Some interpretations also link this verse to ecological disaster or a complete societal breakdown. The phrase "the Lord has spoken this word" is a recurring motif in prophetic literature, highlighting the undeniable authority and inescapable nature of God's pronouncements. The prophet Isaiah, when delivering this message, was speaking into a context of historical turmoil, yet extending his vision to the ultimate consummation of God’s plans for the earth, which includes both judgment and eventual restoration.
Isaiah 24 3 Commentary
Isaiah 24:3 presents a stark picture of divine judgment affecting the entire earth. The repetition of words emphasizing emptiness ("tahoq," "reqqah") combined with the action of plundering ("baraq") conveys a comprehensive and total destruction. This isn't just an absence of people; it's an active stripping away of everything valuable, a desolation so complete that it likens the earth to a primordial void. The affirmation that "the Lord has spoken this word" underscores the certainty and divine origin of this catastrophic event. It’s a solemn declaration that God’s decree is the absolute source and cause of this immense judgment. This verse serves as a powerful reminder of God's ultimate authority over all creation and His capacity to bring His judgments to bear upon a rebellious world. It speaks of a time when the established order will be overthrown and the earth will be reduced to a state of utter desolation as a consequence of divine action.