24 Behold,
the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside
down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants 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. 3 The
land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath
spoken this word. 4 The
earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away,
the haughty people of the earth do languish. 5 The
earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have
transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore
hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate:
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. 7 The
new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh. 8 The
mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy
of the harp ceaseth. 9 They
shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them
that drink it. 10 The
city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man
may come in. 11 There
is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of
the land is gone. 12 In
the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.
13
When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall
be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the
vintage is done. 14 They
shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD,
they shall cry aloud from the sea. 15 Wherefore
glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel
in the isles of the sea. 16 From
the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.
But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers
have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. 17 Fear,
and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. 18 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. 19 The
earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is
moved exceedingly. 20 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. 21 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. 22 And
they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and
shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. 23 Then
the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts
shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.