Isaiah 24 5

Isaiah 24:5 kjv

The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

Isaiah 24:5 nkjv

The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, Because they have transgressed the laws, Changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant.

Isaiah 24:5 niv

The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant.

Isaiah 24:5 esv

The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.

Isaiah 24:5 nlt

The earth suffers for the sins of its people,
for they have twisted God's instructions,
violated his laws,
and broken his everlasting covenant.

Isaiah 24 verses

Isaiah 24 5 meaning

Isaiah 24:5 states that the earth is polluted due to the transgressions of its inhabitants. Humanity has corrupted the ground beneath them by violating divine laws, altering God's established decrees, and breaking the everlasting covenant. This verse describes the spiritual and moral degradation of mankind as the root cause of the coming physical devastation of the earth, linking human sin directly to cosmic consequences.

Isaiah 24 5 Context

Isaiah 24, often called the "Little Apocalypse" within Isaiah (chapters 24-27), describes a future, widespread judgment that will encompass the entire earth, not just Judah or surrounding nations. This global desolation, characterized by the earth reeling like a drunkard, is portrayed as God's definitive judgment on universal sinfulness. Verse 5 specifically gives the reason for this devastating judgment: the pervasive moral decay and rebellion against divine order by humanity. It sets the foundation for the preceding descriptions of judgment (v. 1-4) by attributing the defilement and curse to human actions. Historically, while Israel had specific covenants, the verse uses terms broad enough to include the general moral standards applicable to all humanity, connecting human conduct to the very state of the creation.

Isaiah 24 5 Word analysis

• The earth (ha'arets - הָאָרֶץ): Refers not just to the land of Israel but has a universal scope, signifying the entire globe. This broadness underlines the worldwide nature of the sin and subsequent judgment described in this chapter.
• is defiled (chanephah - חָנְפָה): Meaning to be polluted, profaned, stained, or morally corrupted. It often carries connotations of sacrilege or impurity. The passive form indicates that the earth becomes defiled as a consequence of human actions.
• under its inhabitants: Directly links the defilement of the earth to the moral actions of the people living upon it. It emphasizes human agency and responsibility for the world's degraded state.
• because they have transgressed the laws: (ki avaroo torot - כִּֽי־עָבְר֣וּ תוֹרֹ֗ת).
  • transgressed (avaroo): Means to pass over, go beyond boundaries, or violate. It implies an intentional disregard for established rules.
  • the laws (torot): Plural of torah, which broadly means divine instruction, teaching, or law. The plural suggests not just specific commandments but a comprehensive breach of God's entire moral and ethical framework.
• changed the ordinance: (chalefoo choq - חָלְפ֥וּ חֹ֖ק).
  • changed (chalefoo): Means to alter, exchange, set aside, or pass away. It indicates a deliberate modification or abandonment of divine decrees.
  • the ordinance (choq): Refers to a statute, decree, fixed boundary, or prescribed regulation. This points to the violation of God's established order and immutable principles for living and for the functioning of society.
• broken the everlasting covenant: (hifiroo brit olam - הֵפֵ֥רוּ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָֽם).
  • broken (hifiroo): From the root parar, meaning to annul, make void, frustrate, or violate. It implies a deliberate and destructive act against a binding agreement.
  • the everlasting covenant (brit olam): A crucial theological term. In this global context, it most likely refers to the Noahic Covenant (Gen 9:1-17), established with Noah and all humanity, which set forth fundamental moral laws (e.g., prohibition of murder) and divine order after the Flood. It represents God's fundamental universal moral structure, which if violated, invites judgment upon the whole earth. It can also broadly include humanity's innate understanding of a foundational relationship and obligation to its Creator, rooted in creation itself. This term points to the immutable and eternal nature of God's foundational agreements, which humans have defied.

Isaiah 24 5 Bonus section

The progressive nature of human sin articulated in Isaiah 24:5 – from transgressing specific laws to altering divine ordinances and ultimately breaking the everlasting covenant – illustrates a deep and systemic rebellion against God. It suggests a movement from isolated acts of disobedience to a wholesale rejection of God's authority and moral fabric. This deep-seated corruption goes beyond religious or national boundaries, reaching into the fundamental agreements God made with all humanity. This verse emphasizes that while the land itself is not sentient, it "suffers" the consequences of human wickedness, foreshadowing a complete renewal in the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells, as promised elsewhere in Isaiah and Revelation.

Isaiah 24 5 Commentary

Isaiah 24:5 serves as the theological bedrock for the cosmic judgment described in the surrounding verses. It unequivocally declares that the earth's state of corruption and pending destruction is a direct consequence of humanity's sin. The verse outlines a progression of rebellion: first, a transgression of specific divine laws (torot); second, a fundamental alteration or abandonment of God's universal statutes and decrees (choq), indicating a departure from intrinsic moral principles; and finally, a rupture of the foundational, everlasting covenant (b'rit olam). This "everlasting covenant" can be understood primarily as the Noahic covenant, binding upon all humankind, which undergirds basic morality and humanity's relationship with creation. Violating this covenant means undermining the very order God established for the earth's function and humanity's well-being. This profound theological statement highlights that sin is not merely a private affair but has cosmic repercussions, physically affecting the very environment and eliciting divine judgment upon a global scale. It underscores humanity's responsibility as stewards of creation and upholders of God's universal moral law.