Isaiah 33:8 kjv
The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.
Isaiah 33:8 nkjv
The highways lie waste, The traveling man ceases. He has broken the covenant, He has despised the cities, He regards no man.
Isaiah 33:8 niv
The highways are deserted, no travelers are on the roads. The treaty is broken, its witnesses are despised, no one is respected.
Isaiah 33:8 esv
The highways lie waste; the traveler ceases. Covenants are broken; cities are despised; there is no regard for man.
Isaiah 33:8 nlt
Your roads are deserted;
no one travels them anymore.
The Assyrians have broken their peace treaty
and care nothing for the promises they made before witnesses.
They have no respect for anyone.
Isaiah 33 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 33:8 | The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and withers; the heavens languish with the earth. | Core Theme: Devastation due to Sin |
| Genesis 6:5-7 | God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth... And the LORD was sorry that he had made man... | God's Sorrow over Wickedness |
| Deuteronomy 28:23-24 | And the sky above your head shall be brass, and the earth below your feet shall be iron. The LORD will make the rain of your land powder and dust. | Consequences of Disobedience (Ecological) |
| Jeremiah 4:28 | Because of the fierceness of my anger, she shall not be inhabited but be wholly desolate. Everyone who passes by shall be astonished and hiss because of all its wounds. | Divine Judgment and Desolation |
| Jeremiah 12:4 | How long will the mourning of the land and the greenery of every field be withered? Because of the evil of those who dwell in it, the animals and birds are taken away. | Impact of Sin on Nature |
| Joel 1:10-12 | The fields are ruined, the land mourns, because the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails. Be ashamed, O farmers; wail, O vinedressers, over wheat and barley. | Ecological Devastation and Mourning |
| Joel 1:19-20 | To you, O LORD, I cry. For fire has devoured the open country... The rivers are dried up, and fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness. | Judgment and Environmental Destruction |
| Haggai 1:10-11 | But you all thought to sow for yourselves seed among the weeds. So I have withheld the rain from you... and the produce of your land and the work of your hands. | Sin Affecting Harvests |
| Malachi 3:9-10 | You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me. You are cursed because you are robbing me, every last one of you... Bring the full tithe into the storehouse... | Robbing God and Consequences |
| 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. | Creation's Groaning and Future Hope |
| Revelation 6:12-14 | When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the sea became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth. | Cosmic Disturbances during Judgment |
| Revelation 16:1-2 | Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth." So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and a foul and painful sore came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. | Divine Wrath on the Earth |
| Revelation 18:1-3 | Babylon the Great has fallen... the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality... and merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her. | Economic and Moral Corruption leading to Ruin |
| Genesis 3:17-18 | Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you. | Ground Cursed due to Sin |
| Isaiah 24:1-6 | Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate and twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants... therefore a curse devours the earth. | Universal Judgment |
| Isaiah 29:6 | From the LORD of hosts you will be visited with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. | Judgment from God |
| Jeremiah 4:23 | I looked at the earth, and behold, it was formless and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. | Echoes of Genesis Creation Chaos |
| Ezekiel 36:35 | They will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden...' | Restoration of the Land |
| Hosea 4:1-3 | Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land. ...and the world fades, and those who dwell in it languish. | Consequences of Spiritual Apostasy |
| Psalm 37:2 | For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. | Transience of the Wicked |
Isaiah 33 verses
Isaiah 33 8 Meaning
The earth mourns and withers. The world languishes and withers; the heavens languish with the earth. The earth is defiled by its people, because they have transgressed laws, violated statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.
Isaiah 33 8 Context
This verse is situated in a section of Isaiah (chapters 30-33) that deals with the impending judgment on Judah and its alliances, particularly with Egypt, and the subsequent restoration and blessing. Specifically, chapter 33 addresses the impending judgment upon the enemies of Jerusalem (often associated with Assyria), promising deliverance for God's people. However, Isaiah often broadens the scope of his prophecy to include God's dealings with all nations and the consequences of sin on a cosmic scale.
Historically, the audience would have been Israelites facing political instability and external threats. They might have been tempted to trust in foreign alliances or their own strength, rather than in the LORD. Isaiah's message reminds them that their disobedience and spiritual infidelity have consequences that impact not only their spiritual well-being but also the very fabric of creation.
Isaiah 33 8 Word Analysis
- הָאָרֶץ (ha'arets): "the earth." Refers to the physical land of Israel and, more broadly, the entire world. Its state of mourning signifies the distress caused by sin and divine judgment.
- אֲבָלָה (avalâh): "mourns," "is in mourning," "is in deep sorrow." A strong expression of grief, emphasizing the suffering and loss that sin brings.
- וַתִּבֹּל (vativvol): "and withers," "fades away," "decays." Denotes a process of deterioration and decline, reflecting the natural consequences of spiritual barrenness and divine displeasure.
- הַבְּלִיּוֹת (habbliyyôṯ): "the world," "the inhabited earth." Emphasizes the collective human sphere. Its languishing reflects the widespread impact of sin.
- וַיִּמַּק (vayyimmaq): "and languishes," "wastes away," "rots." A further depiction of decay and weakness, indicating a state of severe affliction.
- שָׁמַיִם (shamayim): "heavens." Represents the celestial realm. Its languishing, in parallel with the earth, suggests a disruption of the natural order or a sympathetic response to earth's desolation, underscoring the comprehensive nature of the curse.
- מִשְׁחֲקִים (mishchaqîm): "languish," "waste away." Connects the heavens to the earth's affliction, implying that the cosmic order itself is affected by humanity's sin.
- חָלְלוּ (chalalû): "are profaned," "are defiled," "are polluted." A strong term indicating a violation of sacredness or purity. The earth is impure because of its inhabitants' actions.
- מִפְּנֵי (mippənei): "because of," "from the face of." Indicates causation. The defilement stems directly from the people.
- עַמָּם (ammâm): "their people." Refers to the inhabitants of the earth, specifically in this context, the people of Judah and their corrupt practices.
- כִּי־חָלְפוּ (ki-choləfû): "because they have transgressed," "passed over," "violated." Highlights active disobedience and breaking boundaries.
- חֹק (choq): "law," "statute," "ordinance." Refers to God's divine laws.
- וַיָּסֹרוּ (vayyasôru): "and violated," "turned aside from," "rejected." Indicates a deliberate departure from or abrogation of the covenant.
- דָּת (dat): "statute," "ordinance," "decree." Similar to "choq," emphasizing divine regulations.
- בְּרִית (berîṯ): "covenant." The foundational agreement between God and His people.
- עוֹלָם (ʿôlam): "everlasting," "eternal." Underscores the perpetual nature of the covenant and the gravity of its violation.
Words-Group Analysis
- "The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and withers": This parallel structure vividly portrays the pervasive nature of the distress. The sin of the people has not just spiritual or social consequences, but tangible, ecological ones, affecting the very creation.
- "the heavens also languish with the earth": This extends the effect of sin beyond the terrestrial to the celestial, indicating a disturbance in the entire created order, a theme echoed in Romans 8 where creation groans under the weight of sin.
- "profaned... by their people, because they have transgressed laws, violated statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant": This phrase clearly attributes the widespread devastation to the people's deliberate and systematic rejection of God's commands and covenant, making it a direct consequence of their spiritual and moral failures.
Isaiah 33 8 Bonus Section
This verse powerfully illustrates the theological concept of the "fall" impacting more than just humanity, but all of creation. It foreshadows New Testament teachings in Romans 8, where Paul describes creation itself groaning in bondage to corruption, awaiting redemption alongside believers. The parallelism between the earth and heavens languishing highlights a comprehensive divine judgment or reaction to sin that affects the entirety of the created realm. The transgression of the "everlasting covenant" implies a violation of the foundational relationship God established, the terms of which inherently involved blessing the land when obeyed and cursing it when disobeyed, as seen in blessings and curses of Deuteronomy.
Isaiah 33 8 Commentary
Isaiah 33:8 presents a somber picture of a creation suffering the repercussions of human sin. The "mourning" and "withering" of the earth and heavens are not merely poetic expressions but indicate a profound disruption of the natural order, stemming directly from the people's failure to uphold God's covenant. This passage emphasizes the interconnectedness of humanity, morality, and the created world. When people turn away from God, violating His statutes and covenant, the very environment suffers. This suffering can be understood as a manifestation of God's sorrow over sin, a disruption of the harmony intended for creation, and a tangible consequence that prompts repentance. The breaking of the "everlasting covenant" signifies a rejection of the relationship with God that was meant to bless and sustain both humanity and the land.
Practical application of this verse calls for a recognition of our stewardship over the earth and the impact of our spiritual lives on the wider creation. It encourages a commitment to living in accordance with God's laws, understanding that such faithfulness brings life and blessing not only to us but also to the world around us.