The Earth Laid Bare
24 1 Look — our Father lays the earth waste and leaves it empty; he twists its surface and scatters its inhabitants. 2 It will be the same for the people as for the priest, for the servant as for his master, for the maid as for her mistress, for the buyer as for the seller, for the lender as for the borrower, for the creditor as for the debtor. 3 The earth will be utterly laid waste and utterly plundered, for our Father has spoken this word.
4 The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and withers; the exalted ones of the earth languish. 5 The earth lies defiled beneath its inhabitants, for they have disobeyed the teachings, violated the statute, and broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore a curse devours the earth, and those who dwell in it bear their guilt; therefore the earth's inhabitants are burned away, and few people are left. 7 The new wine mourns, the vine languishes; all the merrymakers sigh. 8 The joy of the tambourines is stilled, the uproar of the revelers has ceased, the joy of the lyre is stilled. 9 No longer do they drink wine with song; strong drink turns bitter to those who drink it. 10 The city of chaos is shattered; every house is shut up, with no way in. 11 In the streets there is an outcry over the wine; all gladness has gone dark, the joy of the earth is driven away. 12 Only desolation is left in the city; the gate is battered to ruins. 13 For so it will be throughout the earth, among the peoples: like an olive tree beaten bare, like the grapes left behind when the harvest is done. a a v13 Olive trees were harvested by beating the branches — only a few scattered olives ever remained behind, picturing the tiny surviving remnant.
14 They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of our Father they cry aloud from the west. 15 Therefore in the east give glory to our Father; on the shores of the sea, glorify the name of the Sovereign Father of Israel. 16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs: "Glory to the Righteous One!" But I said, "I waste away, I waste away — woe to me! The treacherous betray; with treachery the treacherous betray."
17 Terror and pit and snare are upon you, you who dwell on the earth! 18 Whoever flees at the sound of the terror will fall into the pit, and whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. 19 The earth is utterly broken apart, the earth is torn apart, the earth is violently shaken. 20 The earth staggers like a drunkard, it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls and will not rise again.
21 On that day our Father will punish the host of the heights in the heights, and the kings of the earth on the earth. 22 They will be herded together like prisoners into a pit; they will be locked up in a dungeon, and after many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be ashamed and the sun put to shame, for the Father of heaven's armies reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his elders his glory shines.