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 4, 5.) The earth mourned and declined, and became weak: the world declined, the height of the people of the earth became weak, and the earth was destroyed by its inhabitants. (LXX: The earth mourns, the world is corrupted, the lofty ones of the earth mourn, but the earth acts wickedly due to its inhabitants. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). From the first sentence, it is against those who are lofty in the earth, so that everything that is now strong may be weakened because of those who mixed blood with blood, and caused the blood of the slain to cry out to God in a manner similar to Abel's blood (Gen. 4).
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Summary
Isaiah 24:5 serves as a profound theological indictment, declaring that the very earth itself has become polluted and morally corrupt due to the pervasive sin and deliberate rebellion of its inhabitants. This cosmic defilement stems from humanity's widespread transgression of God's established moral laws, their audacious alteration of divine ordinances, and, most significantly, their fundamental breach of a foundational, universal, and everlasting covenant designed to govern human society and its relationship with the Creator. The verse thus provides the explicit theological rationale for the ensuing global judgment and desolation described in Isaiah's "Little Apocalypse."
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah chapter 24 marks a significant transition in the book, initiating a distinct section often referred to as Isaiah's "Little Apocalypse" (chapters 24-27). This section shifts from prophecies focused on specific nations or Judah to a universal, cosmic declaration of God's impending judgment upon the entire earth. Verse 5 is absolutely pivotal within this context, as it provides the explicit theological rationale for the widespread desolation and upheaval described in the preceding verses and throughout the chapter. It clarifies that the devastation is not arbitrary but a direct, just consequence of humanity's profound moral failure and rebellion against divine standards. The lament of the earth and the "woe" pronounced in Isaiah 24:3 find their direct explanation in the moral failures detailed in verse 5, setting the stage for the earth's groaning and the Lord's ultimate, righteous reign.
Historical & Cultural Context
While many of Isaiah's prophecies are rooted in the specific historical circumstances of Judah and Israel, the scope of Isaiah 24 transcends national boundaries, pointing to a universal moral failure applicable to all humanity. The concepts of "laws," "ordinances," and "covenants" were deeply embedded in ancient Near Eastern thought. Covenants, in particular, were solemn, binding agreements, often between a suzerain (a powerful king) and a vassal (a lesser king or people), outlining mutual obligations and severe consequences for obedience or disobedience. For Israel, the Mosaic Law was a specific covenant, but the "everlasting covenant" mentioned here points to a broader, more foundational agreement applicable to all humanity, such as the Noahic Covenant established after the flood. This covenant, recorded in Genesis 9:1-17, set forth universal principles for human life, justice, and the sanctity of creation, binding all of humanity. The defilement of the earth would have resonated with ancient sensibilities about land pollution due to bloodshed, idolatry, or sexual immorality, but here it is extended to a cosmic scale, reflecting a profound spiritual corruption.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes found throughout Isaiah and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the cosmic consequences of human sin, demonstrating that moral transgression is not merely a personal or societal issue but has repercussions that affect the very fabric of creation, leading to its defilement and groaning, a theme powerfully echoed in Romans 8:22. Secondly, it highlights the theme of divine justice and accountability, revealing God as a righteous judge who holds all humanity responsible for its rebellion against His established moral order. The widespread desolation described in Isaiah 24:1-4 is presented as a direct, just consequence of the moral decay detailed in verse 5. Thirdly, the verse emphasizes the unchanging nature of God's standards and the enduring validity of His covenants. Despite humanity's audacious attempts to "change the ordinance" or "break the everlasting covenant," God's moral principles remain firm, and His justice is certain for those who defy them. This sets the theological stage for the hope of a future restoration under God's righteous rule, a theme that develops later in Isaiah.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
H2610 - This primitive root signifies "to soil, especially in a moral sense; corrupt, defile, pollute, profane." In Isaiah 24:5, it is used in the passive voice, indicating that the earth has become defiled, implying that human actions have rendered it unclean and unfit in God's sight. The defilement is not merely physical but a profound spiritual corruption that has permeated the very ground, reflecting humanity's ungodliness.
H5674 - Literally meaning "to cross over," this word is used widely to describe any transition. In a moral context, it signifies "to go beyond" or "to overstep" a boundary, thus "to transgress" or "violat." The inhabitants of the earth have deliberately crossed the line set by God's "laws" (tôwrâh), indicating a conscious act of rebellion against divine authority and established moral precepts.
H1285 - This term refers to a "compact" or "agreement," often made by "cutting" (referencing ancient rituals where parties passed between cut pieces of flesh). It signifies a solemn, binding agreement, a league, or a confederacy. When paired with "everlasting" (Hebrew, ʻôwlâm' - H5769, meaning "time out of mind," "eternity," "perpetual"), it emphasizes the enduring and foundational nature of this agreement. The "everlasting covenant" here refers to a universal, foundational compact, most likely the Noahic Covenant, which established basic moral and societal norms for all humanity after the flood.
Verse Breakdown
"The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof"
This opening clause establishes the cosmic scope of human sin. It asserts that the very ground, creation itself, bears the stain of humanity's moral impurity. The phrase "under the inhabitants thereof" emphasizes that this defilement is a direct consequence of the actions and pervasive iniquity of those who dwell upon it. The earth, as a silent witness to human behavior, reflects their spiritual state and moral corruption.
"because they have transgressed the laws"
This provides the first specific reason for the earth's defilement. "Laws" (tôwrâh) here refers to God's general moral and ethical commands, His revealed will for humanity. This transgression implies a widespread disregard for divine authority and a conscious deviation from the righteous path God has laid out for human conduct, encompassing both ethical principles and possibly aspects of natural law discernible by all.
"changed the ordinance"
This is the second specific accusation. "Ordinance" (chôq) refers to an enactment, a decree, an appointed statute, or a custom established by divine authority. To "change" (châlaph) it means to alter, pervert, or twist these established divine principles. This suggests a deliberate subversion of God's order, perhaps through the adoption of idolatrous practices, the redefinition of moral truth, or the corruption of justice, replacing divine standards with humanly devised ones.
"broken the everlasting covenant"
This final and most significant charge points to a fundamental breach of a universal, perpetual agreement. As discussed in the context, this most likely refers to the Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9:1-17), which established basic principles for human society, including the sanctity of life, justice, and humanity's stewardship over creation. To "break" (pârar) this covenant means to violate, annul, or render it void. This signifies a profound rejection of the foundational moral framework God established for all humanity, leading to cosmic consequences and justifying universal judgment.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 24:5 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of universal judgment and the profound impact of human sin. The most prominent is Personification, where the earth is depicted as being "defiled" and later in the chapter as "languishing" or "mourning." This imbues the land with a sentient quality, allowing it to react to the moral state of its inhabitants, emphasizing the profound and tangible impact of human sin on creation itself. There is also a clear Cause and Effect relationship explicitly stated, as the earth's defilement is directly attributed "because" of humanity's transgressions. The verse utilizes a powerful form of Parallelism through its tripartite accusation: "transgressed the laws," "changed the ordinance," and "broken the everlasting covenant." While not perfectly synonymous, these three phrases build in intensity and scope, each articulating a distinct yet related form of rebellion against divine authority. This rhetorical layering emphasizes the comprehensive and pervasive nature of humanity's apostasy, from specific statutes to fundamental universal agreements.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 24:5 profoundly connects to the broader biblical narrative of humanity's fall and the pervasive nature of sin. It reveals that the consequences of rebellion against God's order extend far beyond individual lives or national borders, impacting the very created order. The "everlasting covenant" points to a foundational moral framework given to all humanity, implying that even apart from specific Mosaic Law, there is a universal standard of righteousness by which all are accountable. The verse thus highlights God's unwavering justice, demonstrating that His moral expectations are eternal and that defiance of them will inevitably lead to judgment and desolation, both spiritual and physical. This cosmic defilement foreshadows the ultimate need for a new creation and a new covenant, where righteousness will dwell.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 24:5 stands as a sobering reminder that our actions, both individual and collective, have far-reaching consequences that extend beyond ourselves, impacting the very environment and the spiritual health of the world. It challenges us to consider the profound weight of sin, not merely as a personal failing but as a cosmic pollutant that defiles creation and invites divine judgment. In a world grappling with ecological crises, moral relativism, and a disregard for universal truths, this verse calls us to a renewed reverence for God's established order and His unchanging moral laws. It compels us to examine how we, as individuals and societies, might be "transgressing laws," "changing ordinances," or "breaking covenants" through our disregard for justice, truth, the sanctity of life, and our stewardship of creation. True flourishing, for both humanity and the earth, is found in aligning ourselves with God's righteous will and living in accordance with the principles He has eternally established.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "everlasting covenant" mentioned in Isaiah 24:5?
While the term "everlasting covenant" (Hebrew: bᵉrîyth ʻôwlâm) can refer to various perpetual agreements in the Bible (e.g., God's covenant with David or Abraham), in the context of Isaiah 24 and its universal scope of judgment, it is most widely understood to refer to the Noahic Covenant found in Genesis 9:1-17. This covenant was established with Noah and all humanity after the flood, setting forth universal principles for human life, including the sanctity of life, the prohibition against murder, and a basic moral framework for society. Breaking this covenant implies a fundamental rebellion against the foundational order God established for all people, not just Israel.
How does human sin "defile" the earth?
The concept of the earth being "defiled" (Hebrew: chânêph) by human sin is deeply rooted in biblical thought. It signifies a moral and spiritual pollution, not merely a physical one. In the Old Testament, land could be defiled by bloodshed (Numbers 35:33), idolatry (Jeremiah 3:9), or sexual immorality (Leviticus 18:25). Isaiah 24:5 expands this idea to a cosmic scale, suggesting that humanity's widespread transgression of God's laws, alteration of His ordinances, and breaking of the universal covenant have so corrupted the moral atmosphere that the very ground itself is rendered unclean in God's sight. This spiritual defilement is the profound justification for the physical desolation and judgment that follows.
Is this prophecy about a past event or a future one?
Isaiah 24 is often called Isaiah's "Little Apocalypse" because it describes a judgment of universal scope, transcending specific historical events. While some aspects may have found partial fulfillment in historical judgments (e.g., the Assyrian or Babylonian exiles), the language of Isaiah 24 points to a climactic, global, and eschatological judgment at the end of time. The "defilement of the earth" and the "breaking of the everlasting covenant" are presented as universal human conditions that will ultimately culminate in a final, decisive intervention by God, leading to the establishment of His righteous kingdom. Therefore, it has both immediate prophetic implications for Isaiah's audience and ultimate eschatological fulfillment, pointing towards the day when God will fully judge the earth and establish His new creation.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 24:5 paints a bleak picture of a defiled earth under the crushing weight of human sin, highlighting humanity's utter failure to uphold God's laws, respect His ordinances, and honor the everlasting covenant. This profound brokenness and the ensuing cosmic judgment find their ultimate resolution and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Humanity, in the person of Adam, broke the original covenant of works, leading to sin and death for all (Romans 5:12). The Mosaic Law, given to Israel, further exposed humanity's inherent inability to perfectly keep God's commands and its propensity to transgress and alter divine standards. However, Jesus Christ came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it perfectly in every respect (Matthew 5:17). He lived a life of flawless obedience, never transgressing God's laws or changing His ordinances. More significantly, Christ willingly became the curse for our brokenness, taking upon Himself the penalty for humanity's violation of God's covenant (Galatians 3:13). Through His sacrificial death on the cross, He established a "better covenant, founded on better promises" (Hebrews 8:6), a new covenant in His blood that forgives sins and writes God's law on the hearts of believers (Hebrews 8:10-12). Furthermore, Christ's ultimate return will bring about the full restoration of creation, a "new heaven and a new earth" where righteousness dwells and the defilement of sin is no more (Revelation 21:1), thus reversing the cosmic consequences of the broken covenant described in Isaiah and inaugurating an eternal reign of purity and justice.