King James Version

What Does Isaiah 24:1 Mean?

Isaiah 24:1 in the King James Version says “Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inha...” — study this verse from Isaiah chapter 24 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. turneth: Heb. perverteth the face thereof”

Isaiah 24:1 · KJV

Context

1

Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. turneth: Heb. perverteth the face thereof

2

And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. priest: or, prince

3

The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste—the Hebrew baqaq (בָּקַק, "empty") and balaq (בָּלַק, "waste") are intensive verbs depicting violent devastation. The threefold action—emptying, wasting, and turneth it upside down (avah, עָוָה, "distort/overturn")—portrays complete reversal of creation order, undoing Genesis 1's organizing work. This cosmic un-creation foreshadows Revelation's final judgment (Rev 21:1).

Scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof uses puts (פּוּץ), the same verb for Babel's scattering (Gen 11:8-9), linking humanity's judgment to covenant rebellion. Isaiah 24-27 (the "Isaiah Apocalypse") universalizes judgment beyond Israel to encompass ha'aretz (הָאָרֶץ, "the earth/land")—both territorial Israel and the entire world. This double reference establishes that local judgments prefigure eschatological consummation when God judges all nations.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Isaiah 24-27 forms a distinct apocalyptic section composed during the Assyrian crisis (745-701 BC), when regional empires threatened Judah's existence. Unlike oracles against specific nations (chapters 13-23), these chapters envision universal judgment. The terminology echoes Deuteronomic covenant curses (Deut 28:63-64) where God promised to scatter covenant-breakers, but Isaiah expands this to cosmic scope—all humanity faces accountability to the Creator.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the image of God 'turning the earth upside down' challenge modern assumptions about human progress and stability?
  2. What connections do you see between the Babel scattering and this universal judgment? How does covenant-breaking lead to dispersion?
  3. In what ways does this passage warn against building security on earthly foundations rather than covenant faithfulness?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 9 words
הִנֵּ֧ה1 of 9
H2009

lo!

יְהוָ֛ה2 of 9

“Behold the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

בּוֹקֵ֥ק3 of 9

“empty”

H1238

to pour out, i.e., to empty, figuratively, to depopulate; by analogy, to spread out (as a fruitful vine)

הָאָ֖רֶץ4 of 9

“maketh the earth”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

וּבֽוֹלְקָ֑הּ5 of 9

“and maketh it waste”

H1110

to annihilate

וְעִוָּ֣ה6 of 9

“and turneth”

H5753

to crook, literally or figuratively

פָנֶ֔יהָ7 of 9

“it upside down”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

וְהֵפִ֖יץ8 of 9

“and scattereth abroad”

H6327

to dash in pieces, literally or figuratively (especially to disperse)

יֹשְׁבֶֽיהָ׃9 of 9

“the inhabitants”

H3427

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Isaiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Isaiah 24:1 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Isaiah 24:1 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Nahum 2:10Isaiah 2:19Isaiah 42:15Isaiah 24:20Isaiah 6:11-12Ezekiel 35:14

Test Your Knowledge

Isaiah 24 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterIsaiah Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

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