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Selected Verse: Isaiah 24:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 24:1	Strong Concordance	Behold, the LORD [03068] maketh the earth [0776] empty [01238], and maketh it waste [01110], and turneth [05753] it upside down [06440], and scattereth abroad [06327] the inhabitants [03427] thereof.
	King James	Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
THE LAST TIMES OF THE WORLD IN GENERAL, AND OF JUDAH AND THE CHURCH IN PARTICULAR. (Isa. 24:1-23) the earth--rather, "the land" of Judah (so in Isa 24:3, Isa 24:5-6; Joe 1:2). The desolation under Nebuchadnezzar prefigured that under Titus.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

THE LAST TIMES OF THE WORLD IN GENERAL, AND OF JUDAH AND THE CHURCH IN PARTICULAR. (Isa. 24:1-23)

the earth--rather, "the land" of Judah (so in Isa 24:3, Isa 24:5-6; Joe 1:2). The desolation under Nebuchadnezzar prefigured that under Titus.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Maketh the earth empty - That is, will depopulate it, or take away its inhabitants, and its wealth. The word 'earth' here (ארץ 'ārets) is used evidently not to denote the whole world, but the land to which the prophet particularly refers - the land of Judea. It should have been translated the land (see Joe 1:2). It is possible, however, that the word here may be intended to include so much of the nations that surrounded Palestine as were allied with it, or as were connected with it in the desolations under Nebuchadnezzar. And turneth it upside down - Margin, 'Perverteth the face thereof.' That is, everything is thrown into confusion; the civil and religious institutions are disorganized, and derangement everywhere prevails. And scattereth abroad ... - This was done in the invasion by the Chaldeans by the carrying away of the inhabitants into their long and painful captivity.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
It is thoroughly characteristic of Isaiah, that the commencement of this prophecy, like Isa 19:1, places us at once in the very midst of the catastrophe, and condenses the contents of the subsequent picture of judgment into a few rapid, vigorous, vivid, and comprehensive clauses (like Isa 15:1; Isa 17:1; Isa 23:1, cf., Isa 33:1). "Behold, Jehovah emptieth the earth, and layeth it waste, and marreth its form, and scattereth its inhabitants. And it happeneth, as to the people, so to the priest; as to the servant, so to his master; as to the maid, so to her mistress; as to the buyer, so to the seller; as to the lender, so to the borrower; as to the creditor, so to the debtor. Emptying the earth is emptied, and plundering is plundered: for Jehovah hat spoken this word." The question, whether the prophet is speaking of a past of future judgment, which is one of importance to the interpretation of the whole, is answered by the fact that with Isaiah "hinnēh" (behold) always refers to something future (Isa 3:1; Isa 17:1; Isa 19:1; Isa 30:27, etc.). And it is only in his case, that we do meet with prophecies commencing so immediately with hinnēh. Those in Jeremiah which approach this the most nearly (viz., Jer 47:2; Jer 49:35, cf., Isa 51:1, and Eze 29:3) do indeed commence with hinnēh, but not without being preceded by an introductory formula. The opening "behold" corresponds to the confirmatory "for Jehovah hath spoken," which is always employed by Isaiah at the close of statements with regard to the future and occurs chiefly, (Note: Vid., Isa 1:20; Isa 21:17; Isa 22:25; Isa 25:8; Isa 40:5; Isa 58:14; also compare Isa 19:4; Isa 16:13, and Isa 37:22.) though not exclusively, (Note: Vid., Oba 1:18, Joe 3:8, Mic 4:4; Kg1 14:11.) in the book of Isaiah, whom we may recognise in the detailed description in Isa 24:2 (vid., Isa 2:12-16; Isa 3:2-3, Isa 3:18-23, as compared with Isa 9:13; also with the description of judgment in Isa 19:2-4, which closes in a similar manner). Thus at the very outset we meet with Isaiah's peculiarities; and Caspari is right in saying that no prophecy could possibly commence with more of the characteristics of Isaiah than the prophecy before us. The play upon words commences at the very outset. Bâkak and bâlak (compare the Arabic ballūka, a blank, naked desert) have the same ring, just as in Nah 2:11, cf., Isa 24:3, and Jer 51:2. The niphal futures are intentionally written like verbs Pe-Vâv (tibbōk and tibbōz, instead of tibbak and tibbaz), for the purpose of making them rhyme with the infinitive absolutes (cf., Isa 22:13). So, again, caggebirtâh is so written instead of cigbirtâh, to produce a greater resemblance to the opening syllable of the other words. The form נשׁה is interchanged with נשׁא) (as in Sa1 22:2), or, according to Kimchi's way of writing it, with נשׁא) (written with tzere), just as in other passages we meet with נשׁא along with נשׁה, and, judging from Arab. ns', to postpone or credit, the former is the primary form. Nōsheh is the creditor, and בו נשׁא אשׁר is not the person who has borrowed of him, but, as נשה invariably signifies to credit (hiphil, to give credit), the person whom he credits (with ב obj., like בּ נגשׂ in Isa 9:3), not "the person through whom he is נשׁא)" (Hitzig on Jer 15:10). Hence, "lender and borrower, creditor and debtor" (or taker of credit). It is a judgment which embraces all, without distinction of rank and condition; and it is a universal one, not merely throughout the whole of the land of Israel (as even Drechsler renders הארץ), but in all the earth; for as Arndt correctly observes, הארץ signifies "the earth" in this passage, including, as in Isa 11:4, the ethical New Testament idea of "the world" (kosmos).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

It is thoroughly characteristic of Isaiah, that the commencement of this prophecy, like Isa 19:1, places us at once in the very midst of the catastrophe, and condenses the contents of the subsequent picture of judgment into a few rapid, vigorous, vivid, and comprehensive clauses (like Isa 15:1; Isa 17:1; Isa 23:1, cf., Isa 33:1). "Behold, Jehovah emptieth the earth, and layeth it waste, and marreth its form, and scattereth its inhabitants. And it happeneth, as to the people, so to the priest; as to the servant, so to his master; as to the maid, so to her mistress; as to the buyer, so to the seller; as to the lender, so to the borrower; as to the creditor, so to the debtor. Emptying the earth is emptied, and plundering is plundered: for Jehovah hat spoken this word." The question, whether the prophet is speaking of a past of future judgment, which is one of importance to the interpretation of the whole, is answered by the fact that with Isaiah "hinnēh" (behold) always refers to something future (Isa 3:1; Isa 17:1; Isa 19:1; Isa 30:27, etc.). And it is only in his case, that we do meet with prophecies commencing so immediately with hinnēh. Those in Jeremiah which approach this the most nearly (viz., Jer 47:2; Jer 49:35, cf., Isa 51:1, and Eze 29:3) do indeed commence with hinnēh, but not without being preceded by an introductory formula. The opening "behold" corresponds to the confirmatory "for Jehovah hath spoken," which is always employed by Isaiah at the close of statements with regard to the future and occurs chiefly,

(Note: Vid., Isa 1:20; Isa 21:17; Isa 22:25; Isa 25:8; Isa 40:5; Isa 58:14; also compare Isa 19:4; Isa 16:13, and Isa 37:22.)

though not exclusively,

(Note: Vid., Oba 1:18, Joe 3:8, Mic 4:4; Kg1 14:11.)

in the book of Isaiah, whom we may recognise in the detailed description in Isa 24:2 (vid., Isa 2:12-16; Isa 3:2-3, Isa 3:18-23, as compared with Isa 9:13; also with the description of judgment in Isa 19:2-4, which closes in a similar manner). Thus at the very outset we meet with Isaiah's peculiarities; and Caspari is right in saying that no prophecy could possibly commence with more of the characteristics of Isaiah than the prophecy before us. The play upon words commences at the very outset. Bâkak and bâlak (compare the Arabic ballūka, a blank, naked desert) have the same ring, just as in Nah 2:11, cf., Isa 24:3, and Jer 51:2. The niphal futures are intentionally written like verbs Pe-Vâv (tibbōk and tibbōz, instead of tibbak and tibbaz), for the purpose of making them rhyme with the infinitive absolutes (cf., Isa 22:13). So, again, caggebirtâh is so written instead of cigbirtâh, to produce a greater resemblance to the opening syllable of the other words. The form נשׁה is interchanged with נשׁא) (as in Sa1 22:2), or, according to Kimchi's way of writing it, with נשׁא) (written with tzere), just as in other passages we meet with נשׁא along with נשׁה, and, judging from Arab. ns', to postpone or credit, the former is the primary form. Nōsheh is the creditor, and בו נשׁא אשׁר is not the person who has borrowed of him, but, as נשה invariably signifies to credit (hiphil, to give credit), the person whom he credits (with ב obj., like בּ נגשׂ in Isa 9:3), not "the person through whom he is נשׁא)" (Hitzig on Jer 15:10). Hence, "lender and borrower, creditor and debtor" (or taker of credit). It is a judgment which embraces all, without distinction of rank and condition; and it is a universal one, not merely throughout the whole of the land of Israel (as even Drechsler renders הארץ), but in all the earth; for as Arndt correctly observes, הארץ signifies "the earth" in this passage, including, as in Isa 11:4, the ethical New Testament idea of "the world" (kosmos).

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
The land - Of Canaan. Waste - He will shortly make it waste, first by the Assyrians, and then by the Chaldeans. Turneth - Brings it into great disorder and confusion.

Top

² Hear [08085] this, ye old men [02205], and give ear [0238], all ye inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776]. Hath this been in your days [03117], or even [0518] in the days [03117] of your fathers [01]?

⁵ The earth [0776] also is defiled [02610] under the inhabitants [03427] thereof; because they have transgressed [05674] the laws [08451], changed [02498] the ordinance [02706], broken [06565] the everlasting [05769] covenant [01285].
⁶ Therefore hath the curse [0423] devoured [0398] the earth [0776], and they that dwell [03427] therein are desolate [0816]: therefore the inhabitants [03427] of the earth [0776] are burned [02787], and few [04213] men [0582] left [07604].

³ The land [0776] shall be utterly [01238] emptied [01238], and utterly [0962] spoiled [0962]: for the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] this word [01697].

⁴ But with righteousness [06664] shall he judge [08199] the poor [01800], and reprove [03198] with equity [04334] for the meek [06035] of the earth [0776]: and he shall smite [05221] the earth [0776] with the rod [07626] of his mouth [06310], and with the breath [07307] of his lips [08193] shall he slay [04191] the wicked [07563].

¹⁰ Woe [0188] is me, my mother [0517], that thou hast borne [03205] me a man [0376] of strife [07379] and a man [0376] of contention [04066] to the whole earth [0776]! I have neither lent on usury [05383], nor men have lent to me on usury [05383]; yet every one of them doth curse [07043] me.

³ Thou hast multiplied [07235] the nation [01471], and not increased [01431] the joy [08057]: they joy [08055] before [06440] thee according to the joy [08057] in harvest [07105], and as men rejoice [01523] when they divide [02505] the spoil [07998].

² And every one [0376] that was in distress [04689], and every one [0376] that was in debt [05378], and every one [0376] that was discontented [04751] [05315], gathered [06908] themselves unto him; and he became a captain [08269] over them: and there were with him about four [0702] hundred [03967] men [0376].

¹³ And behold joy [08342] and gladness [08057], slaying [02026] oxen [01241], and killing [07819] sheep [06629], eating [0398] flesh [01320], and drinking [08354] wine [03196]: let us eat [0398] and drink [08354]; for to morrow [04279] we shall die [04191].

² And will send [07971] unto Babylon [0894] fanners [02114], that shall fan [02219] her, and shall empty [01238] her land [0776]: for in the day [03117] of trouble [07451] they shall be against her round about [05439].

³ The land [0776] shall be utterly [01238] emptied [01238], and utterly [0962] spoiled [0962]: for the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] this word [01697].

¹¹ Where is the dwelling [04583] of the lions [0738], and the feedingplace [04829] of the young lions [03715], where the lion [0738], even the old lion [03833], walked [01980], and the lion's [0738] whelp [01482], and none made them afraid [02729]?

² And I will set [05526] the Egyptians [04714] against the Egyptians [04714]: and they shall fight [03898] every one [0376] against his brother [0251], and every one [0376] against his neighbour [07453]; city [05892] against city [05892], and kingdom [04467] against kingdom [04467].
³ And the spirit [07307] of Egypt [04714] shall fail [01238] in the midst [07130] thereof; and I will destroy [01104] the counsel [06098] thereof: and they shall seek [01875] to the idols [0457], and to the charmers [0328], and to them that have familiar spirits [0178], and to the wizards [03049].
⁴ And [0853] the Egyptians [04714] will I give over [05534] into the hand [03027] of a cruel [07186] lord [0113]; and a fierce [05794] king [04428] shall rule [04910] over them, saith [05002] the Lord [0113], the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635].

¹³ For the people [05971] turneth [07725] not unto him that smiteth [05221] them, neither do they seek [01875] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635].

¹⁸ In that day [03117] the Lord [0136] will take away [05493] the bravery [08597] of their tinkling ornaments [05914] about their feet, and their cauls [07636], and their round tires like the moon [07720],
¹⁹ The chains [05188], and the bracelets [08285], and the mufflers [07479],
²⁰ The bonnets [06287], and the ornaments of the legs [06807], and the headbands [07196], and the tablets [05315] [01004], and the earrings [03908],
²¹ The rings [02885], and nose [0639] jewels [05141],
²² The changeable suits of apparel [04254], and the mantles [04595], and the wimples [04304], and the crisping pins [02754],
²³ The glasses [01549], and the fine linen [05466], and the hoods [06797], and the vails [07289].

² The mighty man [01368], and the man [0376] of war [04421], the judge [08199], and the prophet [05030], and the prudent [07080], and the ancient [02205],
³ The captain [08269] of fifty [02572], and the honourable [05375] man [06440], and the counsellor [03289], and the cunning [02450] artificer [02791], and the eloquent [0995] orator [03908].

¹² For the day [03117] of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] shall be upon every one that is proud [01343] and lofty [07311], and upon every one that is lifted up [05375]; and he shall be brought low [08213]:
¹³ And upon all the cedars [0730] of Lebanon [03844], that are high [07311] and lifted up [05375], and upon all the oaks [0437] of Bashan [01316],
¹⁴ And upon all the high [07311] mountains [02022], and upon all the hills [01389] that are lifted up [05375],
¹⁵ And upon every high [01364] tower [04026], and upon every fenced [01219] wall [02346],
¹⁶ And upon all the ships [0591] of Tarshish [08659], and upon all pleasant [02532] pictures [07914].

² And it shall be, as with the people [05971], so with the priest [03548]; as with the servant [05650], so with his master [0113]; as with the maid [08198], so with her mistress [01404]; as with the buyer [07069], so with the seller [04376]; as with the lender [03867], so with the borrower [03867]; as with the taker of usury [05383], so [0834] with the giver of usury [05378] to him.

¹¹ Him that dieth [04191] of Jeroboam [03379] in the city [05892] shall the dogs [03611] eat [0398]; and him that dieth [04191] in the field [07704] shall the fowls [05775] of the air [08064] eat [0398]: for the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] it.

⁴ But they shall sit [03427] every man [0376] under his vine [01612] and under his fig tree [08384]; and none shall make them afraid [02729]: for the mouth [06310] of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] hath spoken [01696] it.

⁸ And I will sell [04376] your sons [01121] and your daughters [01323] into the hand [03027] of the children [01121] of Judah [03063], and they shall sell [04376] them to the Sabeans [07615], to a people [01471] far off [07350]: for the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] it.

¹⁸ And the house [01004] of Jacob [03290] shall be a fire [0784], and the house [01004] of Joseph [03130] a flame [03852], and the house [01004] of Esau [06215] for stubble [07179], and they shall kindle [01814] in them, and devour [0398] them; and there shall not be any remaining [08300] of the house [01004] of Esau [06215]; for the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] it.

²² This is the word [01697] which the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] concerning him; The virgin [01330], the daughter [01323] of Zion [06726], hath despised [0959] thee, and laughed thee to scorn; [03932] the daughter [01323] of Jerusalem [03389] hath shaken [05128] her head [07218] at thee [0310].

¹³ This is the word [01697] that the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] concerning Moab [04124] since that time [0227].

⁴ And [0853] the Egyptians [04714] will I give over [05534] into the hand [03027] of a cruel [07186] lord [0113]; and a fierce [05794] king [04428] shall rule [04910] over them, saith [05002] the Lord [0113], the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635].

¹⁴ Then shalt thou delight [06026] thyself in the LORD [03068]; and I will cause thee to ride [07392] upon the high places [01116] of the earth [0776], and feed [0398] thee with the heritage [05159] of Jacob [03290] thy father [01]: for the mouth [06310] of the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] it.

⁵ And the glory [03519] of the LORD [03068] shall be revealed [01540], and all flesh [01320] shall see [07200] it together [03162]: for the mouth [06310] of the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] it.

⁸ He will swallow up [01104] death [04194] in victory [05331]; and the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] will wipe away [04229] tears [01832] from off all faces [06440]; and the rebuke [02781] of his people [05971] shall he take away [05493] from off all the earth [0776]: for the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] it.

²⁵ In that day [03117], saith [05002] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], shall the nail [03489] that is fastened [08628] in the sure [0539] place [04725] be removed [04185], and be cut down [01438], and fall [05307]; and the burden [04853] that was upon it shall be cut off [03772]: for the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] it.

¹⁷ And the residue [07605] of the number [04557] of archers [07198], the mighty men [01368] of the children [01121] of Kedar [06938], shall be diminished [04591]: for the LORD [03068] God [0430] of Israel [03478] hath spoken [01696] it.

²⁰ But if ye refuse [03985] and rebel [04784], ye shall be devoured [0398] with the sword [02719]: for the mouth [06310] of the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] it.

³ Speak [01696], and say [0559], Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh [06547] king [04428] of Egypt [04714], the great [01419] dragon [08577] that lieth [07257] in the midst [08432] of his rivers [02975], which hath said [0559], My river [02975] is mine own, and I have made [06213] it for myself.

¹ Hearken [08085] to me, ye that follow after [07291] righteousness [06664], ye that seek [01245] the LORD [03068]: look [05027] unto the rock [06697] whence ye are hewn [02672], and to the hole [04718] of the pit [0953] whence ye are digged [05365].

³⁵ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635]; Behold, I will break [07665] the bow [07198] of Elam [05867], the chief [07225] of their might [01369].

² Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068]; Behold, waters [04325] rise up [05927] out of the north [06828], and shall be an overflowing [07857] flood [05158], and shall overflow [07857] the land [0776], and all that is therein [04393]; the city [05892], and them that dwell [03427] therein: then the men [0120] shall cry [02199], and all the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776] shall howl [03213].

²⁷ Behold, the name [08034] of the LORD [03068] cometh [0935] from far [04801], burning [01197] with his anger [0639], and the burden [04858] thereof is heavy [03514]: his lips [08193] are full [04390] of indignation [02195], and his tongue [03956] as a devouring [0398] fire [0784]:

¹ The burden [04853] of Egypt [04714]. Behold, the LORD [03068] rideth [07392] upon a swift [07031] cloud [05645], and shall come [0935] into Egypt [04714]: and the idols [0457] of Egypt [04714] shall be moved [05128] at his presence [06440], and the heart [03824] of Egypt [04714] shall melt [04549] in the midst [07130] of it.

¹ The burden [04853] of Damascus [01834]. Behold, Damascus [01834] is taken away [05493] from being a city [05892], and it shall be a ruinous [04654] heap [04596].

¹ For, behold, the Lord [0113], the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], doth take away [05493] from Jerusalem [03389] and from Judah [03063] the stay [04937] and the staff [04938], the whole stay [04937] of bread [03899], and the whole [03605] stay [04937] of water [04325],

¹ Woe [01945] to thee that spoilest [07703], and thou wast not spoiled [07703]; and dealest treacherously [0898], and they dealt not treacherously [0898] with thee! when thou shalt cease [08552] to spoil [07703], thou shalt be spoiled [07703]; and when thou shalt make an end [05239] to deal treacherously [0898], they shall deal treacherously [0898] with thee.

¹ The burden [04853] of Tyre [06865]. Howl [03213], ye ships [0591] of Tarshish [08659]; for it is laid waste [07703], so that there is no house [01004], no entering in [0935]: from the land [0776] of Chittim [03794] it is revealed [01540] to them.

¹ The burden [04853] of Damascus [01834]. Behold, Damascus [01834] is taken away [05493] from being a city [05892], and it shall be a ruinous [04654] heap [04596].

¹ The burden [04853] of Moab [04124]. Because in the night [03915] Ar [06144] of Moab [04124] is laid waste [07703], and brought to silence [01820]; because in the night [03915] Kir [07024] of Moab [04124] is laid waste [07703], and brought to silence [01820];