TORAH

FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES

NEVI'IM

PROPHETS

KETUVIM

WRITINGS

Chapter 24

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Behold, Hashem will strip the earth bare, And lay it waste, And twist its surface, And scatter its inhabitants.

אהִנֵּה יְהֹוָה בּוֹקֵק הָאָרֶץ וּבוֹלְקָהּ וְעִוָּה פָנֶיהָ וְהֵפִיץ יֹשְׁבֶיהָ׃

2Layman and Kohen shall fare alike, Slave and master, Handmaid and mistress, Buyer and seller, Lender and borrower, Creditor and debtor.

בוְהָיָה כָעָם כַּכֹּהֵן כַּעֶבֶד כַּאדֹנָיו כַּשִּׁפְחָה כַּגְּבִרְתָּהּ כַּקּוֹנֶה כַּמּוֹכֵר כַּמַּלְוֶה כַּלֹּוֶה כַּנֹּשֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר נֹשֶׁא בוֹ׃

3The earth shall be bare, bare; It shall be plundered, plundered; For it is Hashem who spoke this word.

גהִבּוֹק תִּבּוֹק הָאָרֶץ וְהִבּוֹז תִּבּוֹז כִּי יְהֹוָה דִּבֶּר אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה׃

4The earth is withered, sear; The world languishes, it is sear; The most exalted people of the earth languish.

דאָבְלָה נָבְלָה הָאָרֶץ אֻמְלְלָה נָבְלָה תֵּבֵל אֻמְלָלוּ מְרוֹם עַם־הָאָרֶץ׃

5For the earth was defiled Under its inhabitants; Because they transgressed teachings, Violated laws, Broke the ancient covenant.

v'-ha-A-retz kha-n'-FAH TA-khat yo-sh'-VE-ha kee a-v'-RU to-ROT kha-l'-FU KHOK hay-FAY-ru b'-REET o-LAM

הוְהָאָרֶץ חָנְפָה תַּחַת יֹשְׁבֶיהָ כִּי־עָבְרוּ תוֹרֹת חָלְפוּ חֹק הֵפֵרוּ בְּרִית עוֹלָם׃

24:5 For the earth was defiled under its inhabitants

Chapter 24 begins four chapters which describe the total destruction of the earth, for it to then be replaced by a more righteous and just world. Yeshayahu explains why this will occur — it is the same reason that led God to bring about the flood in the times of Noach. Due to man’s wicked behavior, the earth is “defiled” or “polluted” by sin (see Leviticus 18:25, Numbers 35:33), and must be purged. The eternal covenant between Hashem and man was made after the flood between God and Noach (Genesis 9:16). According to Jewish tradition, the Seven Noahide Laws, universal laws applying to all of mankind, were given by God at that time. These laws serve as the foundation of all ethics and morality, and, if followed appropriately, will ensure that the world is filled with justice and righteousness. (For a list of the seven laws, see the commentary to II Kings 10:27).

6That is why a curse consumes the earth, And its inhabitants pay the penalty; That is why earth's dwellers have dwindled, And but few men are left.

ועַל־כֵּן אָלָה אָכְלָה אֶרֶץ וַיֶּאְשְׁמוּ יֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ עַל־כֵּן חָרוּ יֹשְׁבֵי אֶרֶץ וְנִשְׁאַר אֱנוֹשׁ מִזְעָר׃

7The new wine fails, The vine languishes; And all the merry-hearted sigh.

זאָבַל תִּירוֹשׁ אֻמְלְלָה־גָפֶן נֶאֶנְחוּ כָּל־שִׂמְחֵי־לֵב׃

8Stilled is the merriment of timbrels, Ended the clamor of revelers, Stilled the merriment of lyres.

חשָׁבַת מְשׂוֹשׂ תֻּפִּים חָדַל שְׁאוֹן עַלִּיזִים שָׁבַת מְשׂוֹשׂ כִּנּוֹר׃

9They drink their wine without song; Liquor tastes bitter to the drinker.

טבַּשִּׁיר לֹא יִשְׁתּוּ־יָיִן יֵמַר שֵׁכָר לְשֹׁתָיו׃

10Towns are broken, empty; Every house is shut, none enters;

ינִשְׁבְּרָה קִרְיַת־תֹּהוּ סֻגַּר כָּל־בַּיִת מִבּוֹא׃

11Even over wine, a cry goes up in the streets: The sun has set on all joy, The gladness of the earth is banished.

יאצְוָחָה עַל־הַיַּיִן בַּחוּצוֹת עָרְבָה כָּל־שִׂמְחָה גָּלָה מְשׂוֹשׂ הָאָרֶץ׃

12Desolation is left in the town And the gate is battered to ruins.

יבנִשְׁאַר בָּעִיר שַׁמָּה וּשְׁאִיָּה יֻכַּת־שָׁעַר׃

13For thus shall it be among the peoples In the midst of the earth: As when the olive tree is beaten out, Like gleanings when the vintage is over.

יגכִּי כֹה יִהְיֶה בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ בְּתוֹךְ הָעַמִּים כְּנֹקֶף זַיִת כְּעוֹלֵלֹת אִם־כָּלָה בָצִיר׃

14These shall lift up their voices, Exult in the majesty of Hashem. They shall shout from the sea:

ידהֵמָּה יִשְׂאוּ קוֹלָם יָרֹנּוּ בִּגְאוֹן יְהֹוָה צָהֲלוּ מִיָּם׃

15Therefore, honor Hashem with lights In the coastlands of the sea— The name of Hashem, the God of Yisrael.

טועַל־כֵּן בָּאֻרִים כַּבְּדוּ יְהֹוָה בְּאִיֵּי הַיָּם שֵׁם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

16From the end of the earth We hear singing: Glory to the righteous! And I said: I waste away! I waste away! Woe is me! The faithless have acted faithlessly; The faithless have broken faith!

טזמִכְּנַף הָאָרֶץ זְמִרֹת שָׁמַעְנוּ צְבִי לַצַּדִּיק וָאֹמַר רָזִי־לִי רָזִי־לִי אוֹי לִי בֹּגְדִים בָּגָדוּ וּבֶגֶד בּוֹגְדִים בָּגָדוּ׃

17Terror, and pit, and trap Upon you who dwell on earth!

יזפַּחַד וָפַחַת וָפָח עָלֶיךָ יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ׃

18He who flees at the report of the terror Shall fall into the pit; And he who climbs out of the pit Shall be caught in the trap. For sluices are opened on high, And earth's foundations tremble.

יחוְהָיָה הַנָּס מִקּוֹל הַפַּחַד יִפֹּל אֶל־הַפַּחַת וְהָעוֹלֶה מִתּוֹךְ הַפַּחַת יִלָּכֵד בַּפָּח כִּי־אֲרֻבּוֹת מִמָּרוֹם נִפְתָּחוּ וַיִּרְעֲשׁוּ מוֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ׃

19The earth is breaking, breaking; The earth is crumbling, crumbling. The earth is tottering, tottering;

יטרֹעָה הִתְרֹעֲעָה הָאָרֶץ פּוֹר הִתְפּוֹרְרָה אֶרֶץ מוֹט הִתְמוֹטְטָה אָרֶץ׃

20The earth is swaying like a drunkard; It is rocking to and fro like a hut. Its iniquity shall weigh it down, And it shall fall, to rise no more.

כנוֹעַ תָּנוּעַ אֶרֶץ כַּשִּׁכּוֹר וְהִתְנוֹדְדָה כַּמְּלוּנָה וְכָבַד עָלֶיהָ פִּשְׁעָהּ וְנָפְלָה וְלֹא־תֹסִיף קוּם׃

21In that day, Hashem will punish The host of heaven in heaven And the kings of the earth on earth.

כאוְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִפְקֹד יְהֹוָה עַל־צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם וְעַל־מַלְכֵי הָאֲדָמָה עַל־הָאֲדָמָה׃

22They shall be gathered in a dungeon As captives are gathered; And shall be locked up in a prison. But after many days they shall be remembered.

כבוְאֻסְּפוּ אֲסֵפָה אַסִּיר עַל־בּוֹר וְסֻגְּרוּ עַל־מַסְגֵּר וּמֵרֹב יָמִים יִפָּקֵדוּ׃

23Then the moon shall be ashamed, And the sun shall be abashed. For the lord of Hosts will reign On Mount Tzion and in Yerushalayim, And the Presence will be revealed to His elders.

כגוְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה כִּי־מָלַךְ יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת בְּהַר צִיּוֹן וּבִירוּשָׁלַ ִם וְנֶגֶד זְקֵנָיו כָּבוֹד׃