Isaiah 24:10
New International Version
The ruined city lies desolate; the entrance to every house is barred.

New Living Translation
The city writhes in chaos; every home is locked to keep out intruders.

English Standard Version
The wasted city is broken down; every house is shut up so that none can enter.

Berean Standard Bible
The city of chaos is shattered; every house is closed to entry.

King James Bible
The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

New King James Version
The city of confusion is broken down; Every house is shut up, so that none may go in.

New American Standard Bible
The city of chaos is broken down; Every house is shut up so that no one may enter.

NASB 1995
The city of chaos is broken down; Every house is shut up so that none may enter.

NASB 1977
The city of chaos is broken down; Every house is shut up so that none may enter.

Legacy Standard Bible
The city of chaos is broken down; Every house is shut up so that none may enter.

Amplified Bible
The city of chaos is broken down; Every house is shut up so that no one may enter.

Christian Standard Bible
The city of chaos is shattered; every house is closed to entry.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The city of chaos is shattered; every house is closed to entry.

American Standard Version
The waste city is broken down; every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

Contemporary English Version
Towns are crushed and in chaos; houses are locked tight.

English Revised Version
The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The ruined city lies desolate. The entrance to every house is barred shut.

Good News Translation
In the city everything is in chaos, and people lock themselves in their houses for safety.

International Standard Version
The chaotic city lies broken down; every house is closed up so that no one can enter them.

Majority Standard Bible
The city of chaos is shattered; every house is closed to entry.

NET Bible
The ruined town is shattered; all of the houses are shut up tight.

New Heart English Bible
The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.

Webster's Bible Translation
The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may enter.

World English Bible
The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
It was broken down—a city of emptiness, "" Every house has been shut from [its] entrance.

Young's Literal Translation
It was broken down -- a city of emptiness, Shut hath been every house from entrance.

Smith's Literal Translation
The city of desolation was broken down: every house was shut up from coining in.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The city of vanity is broken down, every house is shut up, no man cometh in.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The city of vanity has been worn away. Every house has been closed up; no one enters.

New American Bible
Broken down is the city of chaos, every house is shut against entry.

New Revised Standard Version
The city of chaos is broken down, every house is shut up so that no one can enter.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The city is plundered, every wine cellar is shut up, so that no one may come in.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The city is plundered and every house with wine cellars is captured
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Broken down is the city of wasteness; Every house is shut up, that none may come in.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
All the city has become desolate: one shall shut his house so that none shall enter.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Judgment on the Earth
9They no longer sing and drink wine; strong drink is bitter to those who consume it. 10The city of chaos is shattered; every house is closed to entry. 11In the streets they cry out for wine. All joy turns to gloom; rejoicing is exiled from the land.…

Cross References
Revelation 18:2
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.

Jeremiah 51:29
The earth quakes and writhes because the LORD’s intentions against Babylon stand: to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.

Revelation 16:19
The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.

Jeremiah 50:15
Raise a war cry against her on every side! She has thrown up her hands in surrender; her towers have fallen; her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD, take out your vengeance upon her; as she has done, do the same to her.

Ezekiel 26:2
“Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken; it has swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will be filled,’

Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

Jeremiah 51:58
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Babylon’s thick walls will be leveled, and her high gates consumed by fire. So the labor of the people will be for nothing; the nations will exhaust themselves to fuel the flames.”

Nahum 3:1-7
Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without prey. / The crack of the whip, the rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! / Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end—they stumble over their dead— ...

Zephaniah 1:11
Wail, O dwellers of the Hollow, for all your merchants will be silenced; all who weigh out silver will be cut off.

Lamentations 2:9
Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and shattered their bars. Her king and her princes are exiled among the nations, the law is no more, and even her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

Revelation 11:13
And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Jeremiah 25:10
Moreover, I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp.

Ezekiel 27:26-27
Your oarsmen have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind will shatter you in the heart of the sea. / Your wealth, wares, and merchandise, your sailors, captains, and shipwrights, your merchants and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.

Revelation 18:21-24
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again. / And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again. / The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.” ...

Isaiah 25:2
Indeed, You have made the city a heap of rubble, the fortified town a ruin. The fortress of strangers is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.


Treasury of Scripture

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

city

Isaiah 24:12
In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

Isaiah 25:2
For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.

Isaiah 27:10
Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof.

of confusion

Genesis 11:9
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Jeremiah 9:25,26
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; …

Matthew 23:34,35
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: …

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Barred Broken Chaos City Confused Confusion Desolate Emptiness Enter Entereth Entrance House Lies Ruined Shut Solitude Waste Wasteness
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Barred Broken Chaos City Confused Confusion Desolate Emptiness Enter Entereth Entrance House Lies Ruined Shut Solitude Waste Wasteness
Isaiah 24
1. The doleful judgments of God upon the land
13. A remnant shall joyfully praise him
16. God in his judgments shall advance his kingdom














The city of chaos
The phrase "the city of chaos" in Isaiah 24:10 refers to a place of utter disorder and confusion. The Hebrew word for "chaos" here is "tohu," which is also used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the earth as "formless and void" before God brought order through creation. This suggests a return to a state of primordial disorder, symbolizing divine judgment. Historically, cities were centers of civilization and order, so describing a city as chaotic implies a complete breakdown of societal structures. From a conservative Christian perspective, this can be seen as a warning against turning away from God's order and the resulting spiritual and moral decay.

is broken down
The phrase "is broken down" indicates a state of destruction and ruin. The Hebrew root "shabar" conveys the idea of something being shattered or demolished. This imagery is often used in the Old Testament to describe the consequences of sin and rebellion against God. Archaeologically, the destruction of ancient cities often left them in ruins, serving as a physical testament to divine judgment. In a spiritual sense, this breaking down can be seen as the inevitable result of a society that rejects God's laws and principles.

every house
"Every house" emphasizes the totality of the destruction. The Hebrew word "bayit" for house can refer to both physical dwellings and familial or dynastic lines. This suggests that the judgment affects all levels of society, from individual homes to entire communities. In biblical times, houses were not just physical structures but also represented the stability and continuity of family life. The destruction of "every house" signifies a complete upheaval of social and familial order, underscoring the comprehensive nature of divine judgment.

is barred
The phrase "is barred" implies that the houses are closed off, inaccessible, and perhaps abandoned. The Hebrew word "sagar" means to shut or close, often used in contexts where access is denied. This can symbolize the loss of security and refuge that homes typically provide. In a spiritual context, it may represent the closing off of hearts to God's presence and truth, leading to isolation and desolation. The barring of houses serves as a metaphor for the spiritual barrenness that results from turning away from God.

to entry
"To entry" highlights the exclusion and inaccessibility resulting from the judgment. The Hebrew concept here involves the prevention of movement or access, suggesting that what was once open and welcoming is now closed and hostile. This can be seen as a metaphor for the spiritual state of those who have rejected God, where the path to peace and salvation is obstructed. In a broader sense, it reflects the consequences of sin, which creates barriers between individuals and God, as well as between people themselves.

(10) The city of confusion.--Better, the city of chaos, the tohu of Genesis 1:2, "without form and void." The world should be cast back out of its cosmos into its primeval chaos. The word is a favourite one with Isaiah (Isaiah 34:11; Isaiah 59:4, and nine other passages).

Every house is shut up--i.e., to complete the picture, not because its gates are barred, but because its own ruins block up the entrance.

Verse 10. - The city of confusion is broken down. No special city seems to be intended. "Est urbis nomen collective capiendum" (Rosenmüller). Chaos (tohu) reigns in the cities, where there is no civic life, no government, no order, nothing but confusion. Every house is shut up; bolted and barred against intruders. There is no confidence, no friendly intercourse, no visiting.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The city
קִרְיַת־ (qir·yaṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7151: A town, city

of chaos
תֹּ֑הוּ (tō·hū)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8414: A desolation, desert, a worthless thing, in vain

is shattered;
נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה (niš·bə·rāh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

house
בַּ֖יִת (ba·yiṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

is closed
סֻגַּ֥ר (sug·gar)
Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5462: To shut up, to surrender

to entry.
מִבּֽוֹא׃ (mib·bō·w)
Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 24:10 The confused city is broken down (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 24:9
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