Logos Bible Study

Isaiah 24:17–21

The NET BibleOther versions

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24:17Terror, pit, and snare

are ready to overtake you inhabitants of the earth!40

24:18The one who runs away from the sound of the terror

will fall into the pit;41

the one who climbs out of the pit,

will be trapped by the snare.

For the floodgates of the heavens42 are opened up43

and the foundations of the earth shake.

24:19The earth is broken in pieces,

the earth is ripped to shreds,

the earth shakes violently.44

24:20The earth will stagger around45 like a drunk;

it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm.46

Its sin will weigh it down,

and it will fall and never get up again.

The Lord Will Become King

24:21At that time47 the Lord will punish48

the heavenly forces in the heavens49

and the earthly kings on the earth.

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Footnotes

  1. 40 Heb “[are] upon you, O inhabitant of the earth.” The first line of v. 17 provides another classic example of Hebrew wordplay. The names of the three instruments of judgment (פָח, פַחַת, פַּחַד [pakhad, fakhat, fakh]) all begin with the letters פח (peh-khet) and the first two end in dental consonants (ת/ד, tet/dalet). Once again the repetition of sound draws attention to the statement and contributes to the theme of the inescapability of judgment. As their similar-sounding names suggest, terror, pit, and snare are allies in destroying the objects of divine wrath.
  2. 41 The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in .
  3. 42 Heb “from the height”; “from on high.”
  4. 43 The language reflects the account of the Noahic Flood (see Gen 7:11).
  5. 44 Once more repetition is used to draw attention to a statement. In the Hebrew text each lines ends with אֶרֶץ (’erets, “earth”). Each line also uses a Hitpolel verb form from a geminate root preceded by an emphatic infinitive absolute.
  6. 45 Heb “staggering, staggers.” The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute before the finite verb for emphasis and sound play.
  7. 46 The words “in a windstorm” are supplied in the translation to clarify the metaphor.
  8. 47 Or “in that day” (so ). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in .
  9. 48 Heb “visit [in judgment].”
  10. 49 Heb “the host of the height in the height.” The “host of the height/heaven” refers to the heavenly luminaries (stars and planets, see, among others, Deut 4:19; 17:3; 2 Kgs 17:16; 21:3, 5; 23:4–5; 2 Chr 33:3, 5) that populate the divine/heavenly assembly in mythological and prescientific Israelite thought (see Job 38:7; Isa 14:13).

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Terror and the pit and the snare

are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!

He who flees at the sound of the terror

shall fall into the pit,

and he who climbs out of the pit

shall be caught in the snare.

For the windows of heaven are opened,

and the foundations of the earth tremble.

The earth is utterly broken,

the earth is split apart,

the earth is violently shaken.

The earth staggers like a drunken man;

it sways like a hut;

its transgression lies heavy upon it,

and it falls, and will not rise again.

On that day the Lord will punish

the host of heaven, in heaven,

and the kings of the earth, on the earth.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Terror and pit and snare await you,

people of the earth.

Whoever flees at the sound of terror

will fall into a pit;

whoever climbs out of the pit

will be caught in a snare.

The floodgates of the heavens are opened,

the foundations of the earth shake.

The earth is broken up,

the earth is split asunder,

the earth is violently shaken.

The earth reels like a drunkard,

it sways like a hut in the wind;

so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion

that it falls—never to rise again.

In that day the Lord will punish

the powers in the heavens above

and the kings on the earth below.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Panic, pit, and trap await you

who dwell on the earth.

Whoever flees at the sound of panic

will fall into a pit,

and whoever escapes from the pit

will be caught in a trap.

For the floodgates on high are opened,

and the foundations of the earth are shaken.

The earth is completely devastated;

the earth is split open;

the earth is violently shaken.

The earth staggers like a drunkard

and sways like a hut.

Earth’s rebellion weighs it down,

and it falls, never to rise again.

On that day the Lord will punish

the army of the heights in the heights

and the kings of the ground on the ground.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

Terror and traps and snares will be your lot,

you people of the earth.

Those who flee in terror will fall into a trap,

and those who escape the trap will be caught in a snare.

Destruction falls like rain from the heavens;

the foundations of the earth shake.

The earth has broken up.

It has utterly collapsed;

it is violently shaken.

The earth staggers like a drunk.

It trembles like a tent in a storm.

It falls and will not rise again,

for the guilt of its rebellion is very heavy.

In that day the Lord will punish the gods in the heavens

and the proud rulers of the nations on earth.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, inhabitants of the earth!

And this shall happen:

The one who flees from the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit,

and the one who goes up from inside the pit shall be caught in the snare,

for the windows from heaven are opened,

and the foundations of the earth tremble.

The earth is utterly broken;

the earth is torn asunder;

the earth is shaken violently.

The earth staggers to and fro like the drunkard,

and it sways like a hut,

and its transgression is heavy upon it,

and it falls and does not rise again.

And this shall happen on that day:

Yahweh will punish the host of heaven in heaven,

and the kings of the earth on the earth.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

Fear, and the pit, and the snare,

Are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit;

And he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare:

For the windows from on high are open,

And the foundations of the earth do shake.

The earth is utterly broken down,

The earth is clean dissolved,

The earth is moved exceedingly.

The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard,

And shall be removed like a cottage;

And the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it;

And it shall fall, and not rise again.

And it shall come to pass in that day,

That the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high,

And the kings of the earth upon the earth.

Public Domain