New International Version See, the LORD is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants— New Living Translation Look! The LORD is about to destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland. He devastates the surface of the earth and scatters the people. English Standard Version Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. Berean Standard Bible Behold, the LORD lays waste the earth and leaves it in ruins. He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants— Berean Literal Bible Behold, YHWH is emptying the earth, and is making it waste; and He has twisted its surface and has scattered its dwellers. King James Bible Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. New King James Version Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, Distorts its surface And scatters abroad its inhabitants. New American Standard Bible Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, twists its surface, and scatters its inhabitants. NASB 1995 Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants. NASB 1977 Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface, and scatters its inhabitants. Legacy Standard Bible Behold, Yahweh empties the earth to destruction, eviscerates it, distorts its surface, and scatters its inhabitants. Amplified Bible Behold, the LORD lays waste to the earth, devastates it, twists and distorts its face and scatters its inhabitants. Berean Annotated Bible Behold, the LORD {YHWH} lays waste the earth and leaves it in ruins. He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants— Christian Standard Bible Look, the LORD is stripping the earth bare and making it desolate. He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants: Holman Christian Standard Bible Look, the LORD is stripping the earth bare and making it desolate. He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants: American Standard Version Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. Contemporary English Version The LORD is going to twist the earth out of shape and turn it into a desert. Everyone will be scattered, English Revised Version Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. GOD'S WORD® Translation The LORD is going to turn the earth into a desolate wasteland. He will mar the face of the earth and scatter the people living on it. Good News Translation The LORD is going to devastate the earth and leave it desolate. He will twist the earth's surface and scatter its people. International Standard Version "Watch out! The LORD is about to depopulate the land and devastate it; he will turn it upside down and scatter its inhabitants. NET Bible Look, the LORD is ready to devastate the earth and leave it in ruins; he will mar its surface and scatter its inhabitants. New Heart English Bible Look, the LORD makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants. Webster's Bible Translation Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad its inhabitants. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBehold, the LORD lays waste the earth and leaves it in ruins. He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants— World English Bible Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBehold, YHWH is emptying the earth, "" And is making it desolate, "" And has overturned [it on] its face, "" And has scattered its inhabitants. Berean Literal Bible Behold, YHWH is emptying the earth, and is making it waste; and He has twisted its surface and has scattered its dwellers. Young's Literal Translation Lo, Jehovah is emptying the land, And is making it waste, And hath overturned it on its face, And hath scattered its inhabitants. Smith's Literal Translation Behold, Jehovah emptying the earth and making it waste, and subverting its face, and scattering its inhabitants. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBEHOLD the Lord shall lay waste the earth, and shall strip it, and shall afflict the face thereof, and scatter abroad the inhabitants thereof. Catholic Public Domain Version Behold, the Lord will lay waste to the earth, and he will strip it, and he will afflict its surface, and he will scatter its inhabitants. New American Bible See! The LORD is about to empty the earth and lay it waste; he will twist its surface, and scatter its inhabitants: New Revised Standard Version Now the LORD is about to lay waste the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBEHOLD, the LORD shall destroy the earth and lay it waste and turn it upside down and scatter its inhabitants. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Behold LORD JEHOVAH destroys the Earth and breaks it and overturns its surface and scatters its inhabitants OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste, And turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. Brenton Septuagint Translation Behold, the Lord is about to lay waste the world, and will make it desolate, and will lay bare the surface of it, and scatter them that dwell therein. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context God's Judgment on the Earth1Behold, the LORD lays waste the earth and leaves it in ruins. He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants— 2people and priest alike, servant and master, maid and mistress, buyer and seller, lender and borrower, creditor and debtor.… Cross References Behold, the LORD lays waste the earth Zephaniah 1:2-3 “I will completely sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. / “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and the idols with their wicked worshipers. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. Genesis 6:13 Then God said to Noah, “The end of all living creatures has come before Me, because through them the earth is full of violence. Now behold, I will destroy both them and the earth. Jeremiah 4:23 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light. and leaves it in ruins. Ezekiel 33:28 I will make the land a desolate waste, and the pride of her strength will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will become desolate, so that no one will pass through. Jeremiah 4:27 For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction. Isaiah 6:11-12 Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged, / until the LORD has driven men far away and the land is utterly forsaken. He will twist its surface Isaiah 29:16 You have turned things upside down, as if the potter were regarded as clay. Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pottery say of the potter, “He has no understanding”? Job 9:5-6 He moves mountains without their knowledge and overturns them in His anger. / He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble. Psalm 18:7 Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger. and scatter its inhabitants— Deuteronomy 28:64 Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. Ezekiel 12:15 And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries. Genesis 11:8-9 So the LORD scattered them from there over the face of all the earth, and they stopped building the city. / That is why it is called Babel, for there the LORD confused the language of the whole world, and from that place the LORD scattered them over the face of all the earth. Revelation 6:12-14 And I watched as the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, / and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind. / The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ Joel 2:10-11 Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness. / The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. Indeed, His camp is very large, for mighty are those who obey His command. For the Day of the LORD is great and very dreadful. Who can endure it? Nahum 1:5 The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all its dwellers. Treasury of Scripture Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty, and makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters abroad the inhabitants thereof. A. Isaiah 1:7-9 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers… Isaiah 5:6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. Isaiah 6:11,12 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, … turneth it upside down. Isaiah 29:16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? 2 Kings 21:13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. Psalm 146:9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. scattereth Deuteronomy 4:27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. Deuteronomy 28:64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. Deuteronomy 32:26 I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men: Jump to Previous Abroad Desolate Devastate Directions Distorts Earth Empty Emptying Inhabitants Lays Makes Maketh Making Ruin Scatter Scattereth Scatters Sending Surface Thereof Turneth Turning Turns Twist Unpeopled Upside WasteJump to Next Abroad Desolate Devastate Directions Distorts Earth Empty Emptying Inhabitants Lays Makes Maketh Making Ruin Scatter Scattereth Scatters Sending Surface Thereof Turneth Turning Turns Twist Unpeopled Upside WasteIsaiah 24 1. The doleful judgments of God upon the land13. A remnant shall joyfully praise him 16. God in his judgments shall advance his kingdom Behold, the LORD lays waste the earth Yahweh calls all people to face the certainty of His judgment. His authority extends over every nation and all creation, as in the flood of Noah’s day when the violence of humanity brought worldwide judgment. Human rebellion cannot be contained by borders, wealth, power, or religious privilege. Zep 1:2-3 “I will completely sweep away everything,” declares the LORD.… and leaves it in ruins. The devastation portrays creation brought back toward disorder because of sin. Cities, kingdoms, and human achievements that seem secure stand only by God’s sustaining mercy. The warning recalls Sodom’s destruction and anticipates the final judgment of the world. Ezk 33:28 I will make the land a desolate waste, and the pride… He will twist its surface The Lord who formed the earth possesses complete power over it. The stability of the natural world is not independent of its Creator; He can overturn what humanity treats as permanent. Later prophetic and apocalyptic scenes likewise connect divine judgment with upheaval in the created order. Isa 29:16 Shall what is formed say to him who formed it… and scatter its inhabitants— Those gathered in pride, security, and self-rule will be dispersed by the hand of God. The scattering recalls Babel, where the Lord broke human unity built in defiance of Him, and it also foreshadows the exile of covenant-breaking Israel and Judah among the nations. Judgment disrupts homes, communities, and false confidence, yet God remains able to preserve and restore a faithful remnant. Deu 28:64 Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations,… Persons / Places / Events 1. The LORD (Yahweh)The sovereign God of Israel, who is depicted as the one executing judgment upon the earth. 2. The Earth Represents the physical world and its inhabitants, which are subject to God's judgment. 3. Inhabitants of the Earth The people living on the earth who are affected by God's actions of judgment. 4. Isaiah The prophet who delivers this message of impending judgment, serving as God's mouthpiece. 5. Judgment Event A prophetic declaration of a future time when God will bring desolation and upheaval to the earth. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty in JudgmentRecognize that God is sovereign over all creation and has the authority to judge the earth and its inhabitants. The Reality of Divine Judgment Understand that divine judgment is a reality that affects all of creation, calling for a response of repentance and faith. The Call to Holiness As believers, we are called to live holy and godly lives in anticipation of God’s righteous judgment. Hope in Restoration While judgment is certain, God’s ultimate plan includes restoration and renewal for those who are faithful. Urgency of the Gospel The impending judgment should motivate us to share the gospel, urging others to seek salvation through Jesus Christ. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Isaiah 24:1?2. How does Isaiah 24:1 illustrate God's sovereignty over the earth's condition? 3. What actions in Isaiah 24:1 demonstrate God's power to "lay waste the earth"? 4. How can Isaiah 24:1 inspire us to live righteously amid worldly chaos? 5. What other scriptures emphasize God's authority over creation similar to Isaiah 24:1? 6. How should Isaiah 24:1 influence our understanding of God's judgment and mercy today? 7. What does Isaiah 24:1 reveal about God's sovereignty over the earth? 8. How does Isaiah 24:1 align with the concept of divine judgment? 9. What historical events might Isaiah 24:1 be referencing? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 24? What Does Isaiah 24:1 Mean Behold, the LORD lays waste the earth“Behold” grabs our attention; the LORD Himself is the acting subject. • This is not random catastrophe but deliberate, righteous judgment, similar to Genesis 6:13, where God said, “I will destroy them with the earth”. • Revelation 8–9 pictures parallel global upheavals initiated from heaven. • The certainty here assures us that history moves under God’s sovereign hand; nothing escapes His plan (Psalm 33:10-11). and leaves it in ruins. • The verse stresses total devastation, echoing Jeremiah 4:23-26 where the prophet “looked at the earth, and it was formless and void”. • Such ruin reminds us of the curse on creation in Romans 8:20-22; frustration and decay climax in a future, climactic collapse. • Yet even ruin serves God’s redemptive purpose, clearing the stage for the new heavens and new earth promised in Isaiah 65:17 and Revelation 21:1. He will twist its surface • “Twist” conveys violent upheaval—landscape upheaved as in Numbers 16:31-32 when “the ground under them split apart”. • Earthquakes foretold by Jesus in Matthew 24:7 resonate here, signaling the “beginning of birth pains.” • The image warns of the instability of every earthly foundation; only God’s kingdom “cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:26-28). and scatter its inhabitants— • Just as Babel’s builders were scattered (Genesis 11:8-9), end-times judgment disperses every stronghold of human pride. • Luke 21:24 foretells nations led captive and people “falling by the edge of the sword,” mirroring Isaiah’s vision. • Scattering also fulfills the pattern that sin disrupts community, while only Christ gathers His people into one flock (John 11:52). summary Isaiah 24:1 pictures the LORD personally dismantling a rebellious world: wasting the earth, reducing it to ruins, twisting its very surface, and scattering its inhabitants. These actions are consistent with earlier judgments and foreshadow future, worldwide reckoning. While sobering, the passage points beyond destruction to the hope of a renewed creation under God’s unshakable reign. XXIV.(1) Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty . . .—The chapters from 24 to 27, inclusive, are to be taken as a continuous prophecy of the overthrow of the great world-powers which wore arrayed against Jehovah and His people. Of these Assyria was then the most prominent within the horizon of the prophet’s view; but Moab appears in Isaiah 25:10, and the language, with that exception, seems deliberately generalised, as if to paint the general discomfiture in every age (and, above all, in the great age of the future Deliverer) of the enemies of Jehovah and His people. The Hebrew word for “earth” admits (as elsewhere) of the rendering “land”; but here the wider meaning seems to predominate, as in its union with the “world,” in Isaiah 24:4. Verses 1-20. - GOD'S JUDGMENTS ON THE WORLD AT LARGE. From special denunciations of woe upon particular nations - Baby-loll, Assyria, Philistia, Moab, Syria of Damascus, Egypt and Ethiopia, Arabia, Judea, Tyre - the prophet passes to denunciations of a broader character, involving the future of the whole world. This section of his work extends from the commencement of Isaiah 24. to the conclusion of Isaiah 27, thus including four chapters. The world at large is the general subject of the entire prophecy; but the "peculiar people" still maintains a marked and prominent place, as spiritually the leading country, and as one in whose fortunes the world at large would be always vitally concerned (see especially Isaiah 24:23; Isaiah 25:6-8; Isaiah 26:1-4; Isaiah 27:6, 9, 13). Verse 1. - Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty. Several critics (Lowth, Ewald, Gesenius, Knobel) prefer to render, "maketh the land empty;" but the broader view, which is maintained by Rosenmüller, Kay, Cheyne, and others, seems preferable. The mention of "the world" in ver. 4, and of "the-kings of the earth" in ver. 21, implies a wider field of survey than the Holy Land. Of course the expression, "maketh empty," is rhetorical, some remarkable, but not complete, depopulation being pointed at (comp. ver. 6). Turneth it upside down (comp. Ezekiel 21:27). Scattereth abroad the inhabitants. The scanty population left is dispersed, and not allowed to collect into masses.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Behold,הִנֵּ֧ה (hin·nêh) Interjection Strong's 2009: Lo! behold! the LORD יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel lays waste בּוֹקֵ֥ק (bō·w·qêq) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 1238: To pour out, to empty, to depopulate, to spread out to the earth הָאָ֖רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land and leaves it in ruins. וּבֽוֹלְקָ֑הּ (ū·ḇō·wl·qāh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 1110: To waste, lay waste He will twist וְעִוָּ֣ה (wə·‘iw·wāh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5753: To bend, twist its surface פָנֶ֔יהָ (p̄ā·ne·hā) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 6440: The face and scatter וְהֵפִ֖יץ (wə·hê·p̄îṣ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6327: To be dispersed or scattered its inhabitants— יֹשְׁבֶֽיהָ׃ (yō·šə·ḇe·hā) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry Additonal Resources Isaiah 24:1 Blue Letter BibleIsaiah 24:1 Bible Gateway Isaiah 24:1 Bible.com Isaiah 24:1 NIV |
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