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
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
After he rebukes those of the circumcision who have trespassed the law of the covenant of God and warns them with what he has written, he prophesies that only a small number of them will be saved. These few are those whom the apostle calls “the remnant according to the election of grace.”
(Verse 6.) Because they have transgressed the law, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse devours the earth, and those who dwell in it are held guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. LXX: Because they have transgressed the law, changed the ordinances, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse devours the earth, because its inhabitants have sinned. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth shall be poor, and few men shall be left. Let the Jews listen, who boast that they alone have received the law of the Lord, that the whole world and all nations first received the natural law, and therefore the law was later given through Moses, because the first law was dispersed. Concerning this, the Apostle says: For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they, not having the law, are a law to themselves; who show the work of the law written on their hearts (Rom. II, 14). Therefore, those who observe these laws will receive rewards: but those who neglect them will suffer the punishments that the prophetic word now pronounces. And just as at the beginning God blessed all the creatures He had made (Genesis 1): so at the end of the world He will curse those who are earthly and have not been pilgrims, but residents of the earth, and have sinned in it; those who have forgotten their condition and have raged against each other in mutual fury. And only a few will remain who have the image of the heavenly: or, according to the Septuagint, the poor will be the inhabitants of the earth, because they have lost the spiritual riches.
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Summary
Isaiah 24:6 powerfully depicts the devastating and universal consequences of divine judgment upon a world steeped in sin, portraying a widespread desolation where the earth is consumed by a curse and its inhabitants are drastically reduced. This verse underscores the severity of God's righteous wrath against global rebellion, illustrating a landscape of ruin where only a small remnant of humanity survives, thereby highlighting the profound and destructive impact of iniquity on both creation and human life.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 24:6 is a pivotal verse within a significant prophetic section often termed "Isaiah's Apocalypse" (chapters 24-27), which broadens the scope of judgment from specific nations to encompass the entire earth. The preceding verses Isaiah 24:1-5 establish the premise for this universal devastation, declaring that the Lord will lay waste to the earth because its inhabitants have "transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant" Isaiah 24:5. Verse 6 then functions as the direct and amplified consequence of this declaration, detailing the extent of the curse and the resulting demographic collapse. It sets the somber tone for the lament and sorrow described in subsequent verses, leading into a broader narrative of cosmic upheaval and eventual eschatological restoration.
Historical & Cultural Context
While the immediate historical trigger for this sweeping prophecy is not explicitly stated, the imagery draws upon common ancient Near Eastern concepts of divine judgment, where widespread natural disasters, famine, and warfare were frequently understood as direct manifestations of divine displeasure. The "curse" (Hebrew: 'âlâh') mentioned here resonates deeply with the covenant curses found in Mosaic law (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:15-68), which promised desolation and destruction for persistent disobedience. The concept of the earth suffering due to human sin was also prevalent, reflecting a holistic understanding of creation where humanity's actions had profound cosmic repercussions. The term "earth" ('erets') in this context, when viewed with the surrounding verses in Isaiah 24, clearly indicates a universal scope, transcending national boundaries to encompass all humanity.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully articulates several core themes central to Isaiah's prophecy and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights Universal Divine Judgment, emphasizing that God's justice is not confined to Israel but extends over all creation and humanity, holding all accountable for rebellion against His moral order. Secondly, the theme of The Curse and Desolation is paramount, illustrating the direct and devastating impact of sin on both humanity and the physical world, leading to widespread ruin and emptiness. This echoes the original curse on creation due to human sin in Genesis 3:17-19. Lastly, the phrase "few men left" introduces the recurring prophetic theme of a Remnant, suggesting that even in the most severe judgments, God preserves a small portion, often for His redemptive purposes. This theme is crucial throughout Isaiah, pointing to a future hope beyond immediate destruction, as seen in passages like Isaiah 10:20-22.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term signifies an imprecation, a solemn execration, or an oath. In this context, it is not merely a spoken word but an active, potent force of divine judgment that brings about desolation. It implies a binding, inescapable consequence for covenant-breaking and widespread iniquity, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to justice and the severe repercussions of human rebellion.
Derived from the primitive root H398, meaning "to eat" or "consume," this verb vividly personifies the curse as an active agent that literally consumes the earth. This imagery suggests a thorough, destructive, and all-encompassing process, leaving nothing untouched. It conveys the totality of the judgment, as if the land itself is being consumed by an insatiable force of divine wrath.
Meaning "to glow, melt, burn, or dry up," this word describes the intense and destructive effect of the judgment on the inhabitants. It evokes imagery of scorching heat or intense fire, indicating severe suffering, purification, or utter destruction. The burning implies an intense, inescapable affliction that drastically reduces the population, aligning with the idea of a fiery, purifying judgment.
Verse Breakdown
"Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth,"
This opening clause establishes a direct causal link between the widespread sin and covenant-breaking described in the preceding verses and the resulting devastation. The "curse" is personified as a ravenous entity, actively consuming the earth, signifying that the physical world itself is suffering under the weight of human iniquity and the ensuing divine judgment.
"and they that dwell therein are desolate:"
This phrase immediately follows, illustrating the direct and immediate impact of the curse on humanity. The inhabitants are not merely affected but are rendered "desolate," implying a state of ruin, emptiness, and profound despair. Their desolation is a direct and unavoidable consequence of the earth's consumption by the divine curse.
"therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned,"
This clause reiterates the causal link with "therefore" and introduces a new, intense image of destruction. The "inhabitants" are subjected to a fiery judgment, which can imply literal burning, intense suffering, or a process of purification and annihilation, further emphasizing the severity and universality of the divine judgment.
"and few men left."
This final, stark phrase delivers the ultimate, horrifying consequence: a drastic reduction in the human population. It signifies a near-total annihilation, leaving only a tiny, almost insignificant number remaining. This highlights the comprehensive nature of God's judgment and subtly introduces the prophetic theme of a surviving remnant.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 24:6 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of widespread judgment and desolation. Personification is strikingly evident in "the curse devoured the earth," endowing the abstract concept of a curse with an active, destructive agency, as if it were a ravenous beast consuming everything in its path. The verse also utilizes Hyperbole to emphasize the extreme nature of the destruction; while not every single person is necessarily literally burned, the language conveys a sense of near-total annihilation and overwhelming devastation. There is a strong sense of Parallelism, particularly in the repetition of "therefore," which structurally links the cause (sin and curse) with the profound effects (desolation and burning). The vivid Imagery of a "devoured earth" and "burned inhabitants" creates a stark and unforgettable picture of ruin, appealing powerfully to the reader's senses to underscore the severity of the divine reckoning. The stark contrast between the vastness of "the earth" and the scarcity of "few men left" also employs Juxtaposition to highlight the catastrophic scale of the judgment.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 24:6 stands as a stark testament to the biblical truth that sin has profound and devastating consequences, not only for humanity but for creation itself. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty and His unwavering commitment to justice, demonstrating that rebellion against His divine order will inevitably lead to judgment. The universal scope of this judgment reflects the pervasive nature of human sin, which has corrupted all aspects of creation since the Fall. Yet, even within this severe pronouncement, the mention of "few men left" subtly introduces the crucial biblical theme of a remnant, hinting at God's ultimate plan of preservation and redemption amidst widespread destruction. This foreshadows the eschatological hope where God will establish a new heaven and new earth, purged of sin and its effects, ushering in an era of righteousness and peace.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 24:6 serves as a sobering reminder of the gravity of sin and the certainty of God's righteous judgment. It compels us to confront the reality that our actions, both individual and collective, have far-reaching consequences, impacting not only our personal lives but also the broader world and even the very fabric of creation. This verse challenges any casual view of sin, impressing upon us the profound holiness of God who cannot tolerate unrighteousness indefinitely. It calls us to a deep sense of humility, prompting us to acknowledge our culpability and our absolute dependence on divine mercy. Furthermore, it prompts us to consider our stewardship of the earth, understanding that its groaning is often tied to human rebellion and a broken relationship with its Creator. The mention of a "remnant" also offers a glimmer of hope, reminding us that even in judgment, God's purposes of salvation endure, preserving a people for Himself and pointing towards ultimate restoration.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "curse" that devours the earth in Isaiah 24:6?
The "curse" (Hebrew: 'âlâh') refers to a divine imprecation or judgment, a direct and inevitable consequence of humanity's widespread transgression of God's laws and the breaking of His everlasting covenant, as explicitly mentioned in Isaiah 24:5. It is not merely a spoken word but an active, destructive force unleashed by God's righteous wrath, leading to profound desolation and ruin across the entire earth. It signifies the severe and inescapable repercussions of universal sin.
Does "burned" imply literal fire, or is it symbolic?
While the imagery of "burned" (Hebrew: chârar') can certainly evoke literal fire and its destructive power, in prophetic literature, it often functions symbolically to represent intense suffering, purification, or complete annihilation. Given the context of a global judgment, it most likely signifies a devastating and widespread affliction that drastically reduces the population, akin to a scorching heat that leaves little behind. It emphasizes the severity and thoroughness of the divine judgment upon the inhabitants of the earth rather than solely a specific method of destruction.
What is the significance of "few men left"?
The phrase "few men left" highlights the extreme severity and comprehensive nature of the judgment described in the verse. It indicates a near-total annihilation of the earth's population, underscoring the devastating impact of God's wrath against sin. Theologically, it also introduces the recurring biblical theme of a "remnant"—a small, preserved portion of humanity chosen and sustained by God, often for His redemptive purposes. This remnant concept is crucial throughout Isaiah and points to God's faithfulness even amidst judgment, as seen in passages like Isaiah 1:9, demonstrating that His ultimate plans will not be thwarted.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 24:6, with its stark depiction of a curse devouring the earth and its inhabitants being burned, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The curse that consumes the world is the just consequence of humanity's rebellion against God, a curse that Christ Himself bore on the cross. Galatians 3:13 powerfully declares that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." He absorbed the full weight of divine judgment, enduring the "burning" wrath of God and the ultimate desolation of separation from the Father, so that all who believe in Him might be spared from this condemnation. The "few men left" points to the concept of a remnant, which in the New Testament is understood as the church—those chosen and preserved by God through faith in Christ, forming a new humanity redeemed from the world's condemnation Romans 9:27-29. While Isaiah foresees a physical desolation, the ultimate "burning" and consumption of sin and death are accomplished through Christ's atoning sacrifice, paving the way for a new creation where the curse is no more Revelation 22:3. Thus, the terrifying judgment of Isaiah 24:6 ultimately magnifies the redemptive work of Christ, who transforms the curse into blessing and offers salvation and eternal life to all who believe.