Chapter 24

Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty,⁶ and maketh it waste,⁶ and turneth¹⁴ it upside down, and scattereth abroad⁵² the inhabitants⁶ thereof.

And 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,⁶ so with the seller;⁶ as with the lender,⁵⁶ so with the borrower;⁵ as with the taker of usury,⁶ so with the giver of usury⁵ to him.

The land shall be utterly⁹ emptied,¹¹ and utterly⁹ spoiled:¹¹ for the LORD hath spoken¹⁴ this word.

The earth mourneth¹ [and] fadeth away,¹ the world languisheth⁴⁹ [and] fadeth away,¹ the haughty people of the earth do languish.⁴⁹

The earth also is defiled¹ under the inhabitants⁶ thereof; because they have transgressed¹ the laws, changed¹ the ordinance, broken⁵² the everlasting covenant.

Therefore hath the curse devoured¹ the earth, and they that dwell⁶ therein are desolate:⁴ therefore the inhabitants⁶ of the earth are burned,¹ and few men left.⁸

The new wine mourneth,¹ the vine languisheth,⁴⁹ all the merryhearted ³⁸²⁰ do sigh.⁸

The mirth of tabrets ceaseth,¹ the noise of them that rejoice endeth,¹ the joy of the harp ceaseth.¹

They shall not drink⁴ wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter⁴ to them that drink⁶ it.

The city of confusion is broken down:⁸ every house is shut up,²⁷ that no man may come in.²

[There is] a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened,¹ the mirth of the land is gone.¹

In the city is left⁸ desolation, and the gate is smitten⁹³ with destruction.

When 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.¹

They shall lift up⁴ their voice, they shall sing⁴ for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud¹ from the sea.

Wherefore glorify¹⁶ ye the LORD in the fires, [even] the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.

From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard¹ songs, [even] glory to the righteous. But I said,⁴ My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers⁶ have dealt treacherously;¹ yea, the treacherous dealers⁶ have dealt very treacherously.¹

Fear, and the pit, and the snare, [are] upon thee, O inhabitant⁶ of the earth.

And it shall come to pass, [that] he who fleeth⁵ from the noise of the fear shall fall⁴ into the pit; and he that cometh up⁶ out of the midst of the pit shall be taken¹¹ in the snare: for the windows from on high are open,⁸ and the foundations of the earth do shake.⁴

The earth is utterly² broken down,¹¹⁰ the earth is clean² dissolved,¹⁰⁵ the earth is moved⁹⁸ exceedingly.²

The earth shall reel⁴ to and fro² like a drunkard, and shall be removed¹¹⁰ like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy¹ upon it; and it shall fall,¹ and not rise² again.⁵⁵

And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall punish⁴ the host of the high ones [that are] on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

And they shall be gathered²⁷ together, [as] prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up²⁷ in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.¹¹

Then the moon shall be confounded,¹ and the sun ashamed,¹ when the LORD of hosts shall reign¹ in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.