TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 24:1–12. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
It is a very dark and melancholy scene that this prophecy presents to our view; turn our eyes which way we will, every thing looks dismal. The threatened desolations are here described in a great variety of expressions to the same purport, and all aggravating.
I.The earth is stripped of all its ornaments and looks as if it were taken off its basis; it is made empty and waste (Isa 24:1), as if it were reduced to its first chaos, Tohu and Bohu, nothing but confusion and emptiness again (Gen 1:2), without form and void. It is true earth sometimes signifies the land, and so the same word eretz is here translated (Isa 24:3): The land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled; but I see not why it should not there, as well as Isa 24:1, be translated the earth; for most commonly, if not always, where it signifies some one particular land it has something joined to it, or at least not far from it, which does so appropriate it; as the land (or earth) of Egypt, or Canaan, or this land, or ours, or yours, or the like. It might indeed refer to some particular country, and an ambiguous word might be used to warrant such an application; for it is good to apply to ourselves, and our own hands, what the scripture says in general of the vanity and vexation of spirit that attend all things here below; but it should seem designed to speak what often happens to many countries, and will do while the world stands, and what may, we know not how soon, happen to our own, and what is the general character of all earthly things: they are empty of all solid comfort and satisfaction; a little thing makes them waste. We often see numerous families, and plentiful estates, utterly emptied and utterly spoiled, by one judgment or other, or perhaps only by a gradual and insensible decay. Sin has turned the earth upside down; the earth has become quite a different thing to man from what it was when God made it to be his habitation. Sin has also scattered abroad the inhabitants thereof. The rebellion at Babel was the occasion of the dispersion there. How many ways are there in which the inhabitants both of towns and of private houses are scattered abroad, so that near relations and old neighbours know nothing of one another! To the same purport is Isa 24:4. The earth mourns, and fades away; it disappoints those that placed their happiness in it and raised their expectations high from it, and proves not what they promised themselves it would be. The whole world languishes and fades away, as hastening towards a dissolution. It is, at the best, like a flower, which withers in the hands of those that please themselves too much with it, and lay it in their bosoms. And, as the earth itself grows old, so those that dwell therein are desolate; men carry crazy sickly bodies along with them, are often solitary, and confined by affliction, Isa 24:6. When the earth languishes, and is not so fruitful as it used to be, then those that dwell therein, that make it their home, and rest, and portion, are desolate; whereas those that by faith dwell in God can rejoice in him even when the fir-tree does not blossom. If we look abroad, and see in how many places pestilences and burning fevers rage, and what multitudes are swept away by them in a little time, so that sometimes the living scarcely suffice to bury the dead, perhaps we shall understand what the prophet means when he says, The inhabitants of the earth are burned, or consumed, some by one disease, others by another, and there are but few men left, in comparison. Note, The world we live in is a world of disappointment, a vale of tears, and a dying world; and the children of men in it are but of few days, and full of trouble.
II.It is God that brings all these calamities upon the earth.
The Lord that made the earth, and made it fruitful and beautiful, for the service and comfort of man, now makes it empty and waste (Isa 24:1), for its Creator is and will be its Judge; he has an incontestable right to pass sentence upon it and an irresistible power to execute that sentence. It is the Lord that has spoken this word, and he will do the work (Isa 24:3); it is his curse that has devoured the earth (Isa 24:6), the general curse which sin brought upon the ground for man's sake (Gen 3:17), and all the particular curses which families and countries bring upon themselves by their enormous wickedness. See the power of God's curse, how it makes all empty and lays all waste; those whom he curses are cursed indeed.
III.Persons of all ranks and conditions shall share in these calamities (Isa 24:2):
It shall be as with the people, so with the priest, etc. This is true of many of the common calamities of human life; all are subject to the same diseases of body, sorrows of mind, afflictions in relations, and the like. There is one event to those of very different stations; time and chance happen to them all. It is in a special manner true of the destroying judgments which God sometimes brings upon sinful nations; when he pleases he can make them universal, so that none shall escape them or be exempt from them; whether men have little or much, they shall lose it all. Those of the meaner rank smart first by famine; but those of the higher rank go first into captivity, while the poor of the land are left. It shall be all alike,
1.With high and low: As with the people, so with the priest, or prince. The dignity of magistrates and ministers, and the respect and reverence due to both, shall not secure them. The faces of elders are not honoured, Lam 5:12. The priests had been as corrupt and wicked as the people; and, if their character served not to restrain them from sin, how can they expect it should serve to secure them from judgments? In both it is like people, like priest, Hos 4:8, Hos 4:9.
2.With bond and free: As with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress. They have all corrupted their way, and therefore will all be made miserable when the earth is made waste.
3.With rich and poor. Those that have money before-hand, that are purchasing, and letting out money to interest, will fare no better than those that are so impoverished that they are forced to sell their estates and take up money at interest. There are judgments short of the great day of judgment in which rich and poor meet together. Let not those that are advanced in the world set their inferiors at too great a distance, because they know not how soon they may be set upon a level with them. The rich man's wealth is his strong city in his own conceit; but it does not always prove so.
IV.It is sin that brings these calamities upon the earth.
The earth is made empty, and fades away, because it is defiled under the inhabitants thereof (Isa 24:5); it is polluted by the sins of men, and therefore it is made desolate by the judgments of God. Such is the filthy nature of sin that it defiles the earth itself under the sinful inhabitants thereof, and it is rendered unpleasant in the eyes of God and good men. See Lev 18:25, Lev 18:27, Lev 18:28. Blood, in particular, defiles the land, Num 35:33. The earth never spues out its inhabitants till they have first defiled it by their sins. Why, what have they done?
1.They have transgressed the laws of their creation, not answered the ends of it. The bonds of the law of nature have been broken by them, and they have cast from them the cords of their obligations to the God of nature.
2.They have changed the ordinances of revealed religion, those of them that have had the benefit of that. They have neglected the ordinances (so some read it), and have made no conscience of observing them. They have passed over the laws, in the commission of sin, and have passed by the ordinance, in the omission of duty.
3.Herein they have broken the everlasting covenant, which is a perpetual bond and will be to those that keep it a perpetual blessing. It is God's wonderful condescension that he is pleased to deal with men in a covenant-way, to do them good, and thereby oblige them to do him service. Even those that had no benefit by God's covenant with Abraham had benefit by his covenant with Noah and his sons, which is called an everlasting covenant, his covenant with day and night; but they observe not the precepts of the sons of Noah, they acknowledge not God's goodness in the day and night, nor study to make him any grateful returns, and so break the everlasting covenant and defeat the gracious designs and intentions of it.
V.These judgments shall humble men's pride and mar their mirth. When the earth is made empty,
1.It is a great mortification to men's pride (Isa 24:4): The haughty people of the earth do languish; for they have lost that which supported their pride, and for which they magnified themselves. As for those that have held their heads highest, God can make them hang the head.
2.It is a great damp to men's jollity. This is enlarged upon much (Isa 24:7-9): All the merry-hearted do sigh. Such is the nature of carnal mirth, it is but as the crackling of thorns under a pot, Ecc 7:6. Great laughters commonly end in a sigh. Those that make the world their chief joy cannot rejoice ever more. When God sends his judgments into the earth he designs thereby to make those serious that were wholly addicted to their pleasures. Let your laughter be turned into mourning. When the earth is emptied the noise of those that rejoice in it ends. Carnal joy is a noisy thing; but the noise of it will soon be at an end, and the end of it is heaviness. Two things are made use of to excite and express vain mirth, and the jovial crew is here deprived of both: - (1.) Drinking: The new wine mourns; it has grown sour for want of drinking; for, how proper soever it may be for the heavy heart (Pro 31:6), it does not relish to them as it does to the merry-hearted. The vine languishes, and gives little hopes of a vintage, and therefore the merry-hearted do sigh; for they know no other gladness than that of their corn, and wine, and oil increasing (Psa 4:7), and, if you destroy their vines and their fig-trees, you make all their mirth to cease, Hos 2:11, Hos 2:12. They shall not now drink wine with a song and with huzzas, as they used to, but rather drink it with a sigh; nay, Strong drink shall be bitter to those that drink it, because they cannot but mingle their tears with it; or, through sickness, they have lost the relish of it. God has many ways to embitter wine and strong drink to those that love them and have the highest gust of them: distemper of body, anguish of mind, the ruin of the estate or country, will make the strong drink bitter and all the delights of sense tasteless and insipid. (2.) Music: The mirth of tabrets ceases, and the joy of the harp, which used to be at their feasts, Isa 5:12. The captives in Babylon hang their harps on the willow trees. In short, All joy is darkened; there is not a pleasant look to be seen, nor has any one power to force a smile; all the mirth of the land is gone (Isa 24:11); and, if it was that mirth which Solomon calls madness, there is no great loss of it.
VI.The cities will in a particular manner feel from these desolations of the country (Isa 24:10):
The city of confusion is broken, is broken down (so we read it); it lies exposed to invading powers, not only by the breaking down of its walls, but by the confusion that the inhabitants are in. Every house is shut up, perhaps by reason of the plague, which has burned or consumed the inhabitants, so that there are few men left, Isa 24:6. Houses infected are usually shut up that no man may come in. Or they are shut up because they are deserted and uninhabited. There is a crying for wine, that is, for the spoiling of the vintage, so that there is likely to be no wine. In the city, in Jerusalem itself, that had been so much frequented, there shall be left nothing but desolation; grass shall grow in the streets, and the gate is smitten with destruction (Isa 24:12); all that used to pass and repass through the gate are smitten, and all the strength of the city is cut off. How soon can God make a city of order a city of confusion, and then it will soon be a city of desolation!
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
(Verse 7 and following) The grape harvest has failed, the vine is weakened, all those who rejoiced in their hearts have sighed. The joy of the tambourines has ceased, the sound of the rejoicers has quieted, the sweetness of the lyre has been silenced, as those who do not drink wine with singing, bitter will be the drink for those who drink it. The city of vanity is worn away, every house is closed with no one entering. There will be a cry over wine in the streets, all joy is deserted, the pleasure of the land has been moved elsewhere. And the solitude was left in the city, and calamity will oppress the gates: for these will be in the midst of the earth, in the midst of the people. In the end of the world, the remembrance of past delights will be the material of torments. Wherefore even that rich man, clothed in purple at a banquet, who had received his good things in his life, lifting up his eyes from hell, sees Lazarus in rest (Luke XVI). And the Lord, reproving the rich and luxurious and laughing, speaks in the Gospel: Woe to you who are rich, because you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are now satisfied, for you will hunger. Woe to you who are now laughing, for you will mourn and weep (Luke 6:25). Therefore, when the resurrection of the dead will have occurred, and the day of judgment will have come, then the wine and the harvest will mourn, of which Moses speaks: Their vine is from Sodom, their vineyard is from Gomorrah. Their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter. The fury of dragons is their wine, and the incurable fury of asps (Deuteronomy 32:33). Then every drink, or as it is said in Hebrew, 'sycerah', that is, drunkenness, which overturns the state of the mind and does not allow people to stay awake, will be changed into bitterness, which deceives those who use it with its sweetness for a time, and in the end is found to be more bitter than gall. Then all the sweetness of those who rejoice and the sounds of tambourines and lyres will be turned into mourning and groaning. Let us present this testimony to those who in banquets not only indulge in gluttony and drunkenness but also in the luxuries of the ears, so that strength of the soul may soften through all the senses. The city of vanity is destroyed, that is, every city, or spiritual Babylon, which sits on seven purple mountains, whose punishments we read about in the Apocalypse of John (Apoc. XVIII). It is well said, the city of vanity. For if it is said of heaven and earth, and of all things that are earthly: Vanity of vanities and all is vanity (Eccl. I, 2); how much more should this be said of one city, which is a small part of the whole world! Then the houses, whose ceilings are now gilded, and the poor without shelter and dying in hovels, will be adorned with marble veneers and shining ivory panels, but they will remain empty. There will be clamor in the streets over wine, not on the narrow and cramped road that leads to life, but on the wide and spacious road that leads to death (Matthew 7). Their error is over wine and drunkenness, those who have fallen asleep in their slumber, and all the wealthy men found nothing in their hands (Psalm 75). For indeed the joy of the earth has been translated to the heavens, and the once famous solitude is left in the abandoned city, and calamity will oppress the inhabitants of the crowded gateways through which the streams of peoples used to flow. And in order that we may know clearly the news of the destruction of the whole world, it added, These things shall happen in the midst of the earth: in the midst of nations or peoples.
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Summary
Isaiah 24:12 powerfully depicts the comprehensive and irreversible devastation that befalls a city under divine judgment. It portrays an urban center, once a symbol of human security and vitality, reduced to utter emptiness and ruin, with its primary point of defense, the gate, violently shattered. This verse encapsulates the widespread and inescapable nature of God's righteous wrath against a world steeped in rebellion, leaving behind a stark landscape of desolation and brokenness that underscores the fragility of all human constructs.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 24:12 is embedded within a profound prophetic section of the book of Isaiah, often referred to as the "Little Apocalypse" (chapters 24-27). This particular chapter commences with a sweeping declaration of God's intent to lay waste to the entire earth, emptying it and scattering its inhabitants (Isaiah 24:1). The preceding verses detail the earth's defilement due to the transgression of God's laws and the breaking of the everlasting covenant (Isaiah 24:5). The immediate context (Isaiah 24:7-11) vividly describes the cessation of all joy, music, and revelry—the mourning of the land, the silence of the tambourines, and the bitterness of wine. Verse 12 serves as a chilling summary of this widespread ruin, specifically focusing on the urban landscape, which symbolizes human civilization and its perceived security. The desolation of the city and the destruction of its gate are direct consequences of the universal judgment described in the earlier verses, emphasizing the totality of the divine reckoning and the inescapable nature of God's wrath.
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Near Eastern societies, cities were not merely collections of buildings but vital centers of life, commerce, governance, and defense. The "gate" of a city was particularly significant; it served as the primary point of entry and exit, a place for legal proceedings, business transactions, social gatherings, and military defense. A city's strength and security were directly tied to the integrity of its walls and gates. To speak of a city's gate being "smitten with destruction" (as in Isaiah 24:12) was to describe its utter vulnerability and the complete collapse of its protective mechanisms. The imagery evokes a scene of post-siege devastation, where an enemy has breached the defenses and left the city in ruins. While Isaiah's prophecy often has a global, eschatological scope, it draws upon the very real historical experiences of cities being conquered and destroyed by invading armies, a common occurrence in the volatile geopolitical landscape of the ancient world. This cultural understanding of a city's importance and a gate's function amplifies the horror of the described desolation, making the divine judgment tangible and terrifying.
Key Themes
The overarching theme in Isaiah 24 is Universal Judgment, where God's righteous wrath extends across the entire earth, not just specific nations. Verse 12 powerfully contributes to this by depicting the desolation of the "city," a metonym for human civilization and its perceived centers of power and security. This highlights the Total Devastation that results from God's judgment, emphasizing that no human construct, however mighty, can withstand divine reckoning. The phrase "the gate is smitten with destruction" underscores the theme of Loss of Security and Order, as the primary defense and administrative hub of the city is utterly destroyed, leaving its inhabitants exposed and vulnerable. This speaks to the fragility of human systems when they operate outside of God's covenant. Furthermore, the broader context of Isaiah 24:5 firmly establishes Consequences of Sin and Covenant Breaking as the underlying cause for this widespread desolation, linking humanity's rebellion directly to the ensuing cosmic and societal upheaval. The chapter also touches on the Remnant (Isaiah 24:13) who will be preserved amidst the devastation, offering a glimmer of hope within the pervasive judgment.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term refers to a city in its widest sense, often implying a guarded or watched place. In Isaiah 24:12, its desolation signifies the collapse of human civilization, order, and security, as the very heart of human habitation and societal structure is rendered empty and ruined. The choice of this general term emphasizes that no city, no matter how fortified, is exempt from this divine judgment.
Derived from a root meaning "to be desolate," this word denotes ruin, waste, and by implication, consternation or astonishment. Its use in this context powerfully conveys the utter emptiness and shocking devastation that has become the city's new reality, replacing all former life, joy, and prosperity with a profound sense of abandonment and horror.
A primitive root meaning "to bruise or violently strike," "beat to pieces," or "destroy." This verb conveys a forceful, decisive, and destructive blow, indicating that the gate's ruin is not accidental or gradual decay but the result of a powerful, intentional act of judgment, demonstrating overwhelming force and complete demolition.
Verse Breakdown
"In the city is left desolation"
This clause paints a vivid and chilling picture of utter emptiness and ruin within what was once a vibrant urban center. The phrase "is left desolation" emphasizes that desolation is the sole remaining inhabitant or condition of the city, implying that all life, activity, and prosperity have been stripped away. This speaks to the comprehensive nature of the judgment, resulting in a stark, uninhabited waste where vitality once thrived. It signifies the complete reversal of the city's purpose and its former state of being.
"and the gate is smitten with destruction"
This second clause specifies the nature and extent of the devastation, focusing on the city's most critical point of defense and civic life. The "gate" symbolizes security, commerce, and governance, often being the place of public assembly and legal proceedings. Its being "smitten" (violently struck or crushed) with "destruction" signifies the complete collapse of protection, order, and the ability for the city to function or defend itself. This highlights the profound vulnerability and utter ruin that has befallen the urban stronghold, leaving it exposed, defenseless, and utterly incapable of its former functions.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 24:12 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of profound devastation. Metonymy is evident in the use of "the city" and "the gate" to represent not just physical structures, but the entire human civilization, its systems of governance, security, and social life. The desolation of these key urban elements symbolizes the collapse of society itself. Personification is subtly present as "desolation" is depicted as being "left" in the city, almost as an active entity that has taken residence, replacing its former inhabitants. The phrase "smitten with destruction" utilizes hyperbole to emphasize the absolute and overwhelming nature of the blow, suggesting a force so immense that it utterly shatters the gate beyond repair, leaving no hope of restoration. The stark, concise language contributes to a sense of pathos, evoking a feeling of profound loss and despair at the complete ruin described, underscoring the severity of divine judgment.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 24:12 serves as a powerful theological statement on the consequences of human rebellion against divine law and covenant. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty and His righteous judgment over all creation, demonstrating that no human construct, no matter how mighty or secure it seems, can ultimately withstand divine reckoning. The desolation of the city and the destruction of its gate symbolize the futility of placing ultimate trust in human achievements, security, or power apart from God. This verse reminds us that all earthly structures are ultimately fragile and subject to divine judgment. It points to a universal judgment that impacts not just individuals or nations, but the very fabric of human civilization when it stands in opposition to the Creator's will. The theme of comprehensive ruin serves as a stark warning and a call to humility before the Almighty, emphasizing that true and lasting security can only be found in God.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 24:12, though a depiction of ancient judgment, holds profound relevance for contemporary reflection and application. It challenges our inherent human tendency to place ultimate security and hope in temporal constructs—our cities, economies, technological advancements, or political systems. The vivid image of a desolate city with a shattered gate serves as a potent reminder that true and lasting security is not found in these transient structures, which are ultimately vulnerable to decay and divine judgment. For believers, this verse prompts a crucial re-evaluation of where our trust truly lies. Are we building our lives on the shifting sands of human achievement, or on the unshakeable foundation of God's eternal kingdom and His unfailing promises? It compels us to consider the fragility of life apart from God's grace and to cultivate a posture of humility, repentance, and complete dependence on Him. Furthermore, recognizing the ultimate destiny of a world apart from God can inspire a renewed urgency to live out and share the Gospel, offering the enduring hope of Christ in a world that, like the city in Isaiah, is ultimately destined for judgment apart from Him. This passage calls us to invest in what is eternal and to align our priorities with God's kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the "gate" being smitten in this verse?
In ancient cities, the gate was far more than just an entrance; it was the primary point of defense, commerce, and governance. Legal disputes were settled there, business transactions took place, and elders often gathered to make decisions (Ruth 4:1-11). Therefore, the "gate being smitten with destruction" in Isaiah 24:12 signifies the complete collapse of the city's security, its economic life, and its social and political order. It represents the utter vulnerability and ruin of the entire urban center, leaving it defenseless and its inhabitants exposed to further calamity, symbolizing the complete breakdown of all that provided order and protection.
Does this prophecy refer to a specific historical event or a future judgment?
While Isaiah's prophecies often have immediate historical fulfillments (e.g., the fall of Jerusalem or Babylon), the language and sweeping scope of Isaiah 24, particularly within the "Little Apocalypse" (chapters 24-27), strongly suggest a broader, more universal, and eschatological judgment. The description of the earth being "emptied" and "laid waste" (Isaiah 24:1) and the cosmic imagery points beyond any single historical event to a future, global divine reckoning. Many scholars interpret this as a prophecy referring to the ultimate judgment of God upon the entire world at the end of time, or a series of judgments culminating in the eschatological Day of the Lord, rather than a singular historical event.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 24:12, with its stark portrayal of a desolate city and a shattered gate, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment not in a literal urban ruin but in the spiritual desolation that sin brings and the ultimate triumph of Christ over all such brokenness. Humanity, in its rebellion against God, built its own "cities" of self-reliance and worldly security, only to find them ultimately vulnerable and subject to divine judgment, leading to spiritual "desolation." Christ, however, enters this desolate landscape as the one who rebuilds and restores. He is the true and unshakeable "gate" (John 10:9) through whom humanity can find true security and abundant life, in stark contrast to the "smitten" gates of human devising. His atoning sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate "smitten" act, where He bore the destruction and desolation of sin upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21), allowing those who believe to escape the judgment depicted in Isaiah. Through His glorious resurrection, He established a new, eternal city, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2), whose gates will never be shut (Revelation 21:25) and where there will be no more desolation, destruction, or sorrow (Revelation 21:4). Thus, the desolation of Isaiah 24:12 foreshadows the spiritual ruin from which Christ delivers us, and points to the glorious, secure, and eternally vibrant kingdom He establishes for His redeemed people.