Isaiah 24

Isaiah · Chapter 24

Isaiah 24:20

1Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.2And 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.3The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.4The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.5The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.7The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.8The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.9They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.10The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.11There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.12In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.13When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.14They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.15Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.16From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.17Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.18And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.19The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.20The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.21And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.22And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.23Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
20The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.The earth staggers like a drunkard and sways like a shack. Earth’s rebellion weighs it down, and it falls, never to rise again.The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway to and fro like a hammock; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
wildly staggerנ֣וֹעַNO-a'H5128
to shake

נוּעַ (nu.a) 1) to quiver, totter, shake, reel, stagger, wander, move, sift, make move, wave, waver, tremble 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to wave, quiver, vibrate, swing, stagger, tremble, be unstable 1a2) to totter, go tottering 1a2a) vagabond (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be tossed about or around 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to toss about 1c2) to shake, cause to totter 1c3) to shake, disturb 1c4) to cause to wander

it will staggerתָּנ֤וּעַta-NU-a'H5128
to shake

נוּעַ (nu.a) 1) to quiver, totter, shake, reel, stagger, wander, move, sift, make move, wave, waver, tremble 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to wave, quiver, vibrate, swing, stagger, tremble, be unstable 1a2) to totter, go tottering 1a2a) vagabond (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be tossed about or around 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to toss about 1c2) to shake, cause to totter 1c3) to shake, disturb 1c4) to cause to wander

[the] earthאֶ֙רֶץ֙'e-retzH0776G
land: country/planet

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) : country/field 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth …

like the drunkardכַּשִּׁכּ֔וֹרka-shi-KORH7910
drunken

שִׁכֹּר (shik.kor) 1) drunken 1a) drunken 1b) drunkard, drunken one (subst)

and it will swayוְהִֽתְנוֹדְדָ֖הve-hit-no-DAHH5110
to wander

נוּד (nud) 1) to shake, waver, wander, move to and fro, flutter, show grief, have compassion on 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to move to and fro, wander (aimlessly), take flight 1a2) to flutter 1a3) to waver, wave, shake 1a4) to show grief 1a4a) to lament, condole, show sympathy 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to wander (aimlessly) 1b2) to make a wagging, wag (with the head) 1c) (Hithpolel) 1c1) to move oneself to and fro, sway, totter 1c2) to shake oneself 1c3) to bemoan oneself

like the hutכַּמְּלוּנָ֑הka-me-lu-NAHH4412
lodge

מְלוּנָה (me.lu.nah) lodge, hut

and it will be heavyוְכָבַ֤דve-kha-VADH3513H
to honor: honour

כָּבֵד (ka.vad) : honour/glory 1) to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be heavy 1a2) to be heavy, be insensible, be dull 1a3) to be honoured 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made heavy, be honoured, enjoy honour, be made abundant 1b2) to get oneself glory or honour, gain glory 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to make heavy, make dull, make insensible 1c2) to make honourable, honour, glorify 1d) (Pual) to be made honourable, be honoured 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to make heavy 1e2) to make heavy, make dull, make unresponsive 1e3) to cause to be honoured …

on itעָלֶ֙יהָ֙'a-LEI-haH5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

transgression itsפִּשְׁעָ֔הּpish-'AHH6588
transgression

פֶּ֫שַׁע (pe.sah) 1) transgression, rebellion 1a1) transgression (against individuals) 1a2) transgression (nation against nation) 1a3) transgression (against God) 1a3a) in general 1a3b) as recognised by sinner 1a3c) as God deals with it 1a3d) as God forgives 1a4) guilt of transgression 1a5) punishment for transgression 1a6) offering for transgression

and it will fallוְנָפְלָ֖הve-na-fe-LAHH5307G
to fall: fall

נָפַל (na.phal) : fall/drop/fail 1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to fall 1a2) to fall (of violent death) 1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before 1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of 1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result 1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to 1a7) to lie, lie prostrate 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate 1b2) to overthrow 1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot 1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.) 1b5) to cause to fall …

and notוְלֹא־ve-lo'-H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

it will repeatתֹסִ֥יףto-SIFH3254G
to add: again

יָסַף (ya.saph) : again/continue/more[instances] 1) to add, increase, do again 1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to join, join oneself to 1b2) to be joined, be added to 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to add, increase 1c2) to do more, do again

to riseקֽוּם׃ סKumH6965B
to arise: rise

קוּם (qum) : rise/get_going 1) to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to arise 1a2) to arise (hostile sense) 1a3) to arise, become powerful 1a4) to arise, come on the scene 1a5) to stand 1a5a) to maintain oneself 1a5b) to be established, be confirmed 1a5c) to stand, endure 1a5d) to be fixed 1a5e) to be valid 1a5f) to be proven 1a5g) to be fulfilled 1a5h) to persist 1a5i) to be set, be fixed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to fulfil 1b2) to confirm, ratify, establish, impose 1c) (Polel) to raise up 1d) (Hithpael) to raise oneself, rise up 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause to arise, raise …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.