Isaiah 24:4

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

The earth mourneth [and] fadeth away, the world languisheth [and] fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

Complete Jewish Bible:

The land fades and withers, the world wilts and withers, the exalted of the land languish.

Berean Standard Bible:

The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and fades; the exalted of the earth waste away.

American Standard Version:

The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the lofty people of the earth do languish.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

The earth^{H776} mourneth^{H56} and fadeth away^{H5034}, the world^{H8398} languisheth^{H535} and fadeth away^{H5034}, the haughty^{H4791} people^{H5971} of the earth^{H776} do languish^{H535}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Isaiah 24:4

Isaiah 24:4 is part of a larger apocalyptic passage in the book of Isaiah, often referred to as the "Isaiah Apocalypse" (Isaiah 24-27). This section is known for its vivid portrayal of judgment and the end times. The verse itself speaks to the theme of global devastation and the consequences of human sinfulness.

In the historical context, Isaiah was a prophet during the 8th century BCE, a time of great political upheaval and moral decline in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. His prophecies often addressed the immediate concerns of his time, including the threat of Assyrian invasion, while also speaking to broader themes of justice, righteousness, and the ultimate fate of the world.

The specific text of Isaiah 24:4 uses strong poetic language to describe the earth as mourning and fading away, the world languishing and decaying. The "haughty people of the earth" refers to those who are proud and arrogant, likely the powerful and the oppressors who have not lived according to God's laws. Their languishing suggests that they too will suffer the consequences of their actions. The verse reflects a theme found throughout the prophetic literature of the Bible: that creation itself suffers due to human disobedience, and that there will be a time of reckoning when the wrongs will be righted.

This verse, and the chapters surrounding it, also prefigure New Testament eschatology, resonating with Christian beliefs about the end times and the final judgment. The imagery of a world in decay anticipates a future restoration and renewal, which is a hope that is revisited in the book of Revelation and other New Testament writings. In summary, Isaiah 24:4 encapsulates the prophetic warning of divine judgment on a sinful world, the moral responsibility of the powerful, and the anticipation of a future divine intervention that will restore the earth.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H776
   There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶרֶץ
   Transliteration: ʼerets
   Pronunciation: eh'-rets
   Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
   
2. Strong's Number: H56
   There are 2796 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָבַל
   Transliteration: ʼâbal
   Pronunciation: aw-bal'
   Description: a primitive root; to bewail; lament, mourn.
   
3. Strong's Number: H5034
   There are 21 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָבֵל
   Transliteration: nâbêl
   Pronunciation: naw-bale'
   Description: a primitive root; to wilt; generally, to fall away, fail, faint; figuratively, to be foolish or (morally) wicked; causatively, to despise, disgrace; disgrace, dishounour, lightly esteem, fade (away, -ing), fall (down, -ling, off), do foolishly, come to nought, [idiom] surely, make vile, wither.
   
4. Strong's Number: H8398
   There are 36 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תֵּבֵל
   Transliteration: têbêl
   Pronunciation: tay-bale'
   Description: from יָבַל; the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by extension, the globe; by implication, its inhabitants; specifically, a particular land, as Babylonia, Palestine; habitable part, world.
   
5. Strong's Number: H535
   There are 147 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַל
   Transliteration: ʼâmal
   Pronunciation: aw-mal'
   Description: a primitive root; to droop; by implication to be sick, to mourn; languish, be weak, wax feeble.
   
6. Strong's Number: H4791
   There are 52 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָרוֹם
   Transliteration: mârôwm
   Pronunciation: maw-rome'
   Description: from רוּם; altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place), abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially (aloft); (far) above, dignity, haughty, height, (most, on) high (one, place), loftily, upward.
   
7. Strong's Number: H5971
   There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עַם
   Transliteration: ʻam
   Pronunciation: am
   Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people.