24:1 Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down (168 degrees), and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

This chapter, and the three following, to the end of the twenty-seventh, seem to have been uttered about the same time, and perhaps may be regarded as constituting one vision, or prophecy. So Noyes, Lowth, and Rosenmuller, regard it. If these chapters be included in the prophecy, then it consists

On the whole, it seems to me, that the prophecy relates to the calamities that would come upon the nation by the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, and the carrying away to Babylon, and the subsequent deliverance from the oppressive bondage, and the joy consequent on that. According to this interpretation, the twenty-fourth chapter is occupied mainly with the description of the calamities that would come upon the land by the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar; the twenty-fifth describes the deliverance from that oppressive bondage, and the re-establishment of the true religion on Mount Zion, with a rapid glance at the ultimate prevalence of religion trader the Messiah, suggested by the deliverance from the Babylonian bondage; the twentysixth chapter is a song expressive of joy at this signal deliverance - in language, in the main, so general that it is as applicable to the redemption under the Messiah as to the deliverance from Babylon; and the twenty-seventh chapter is descriptive of the effect of this captivity and subsequent deliverance in purifying Jacob Isaiah 27:6-9, and recovering the nation to righteousness.

Isa 24:13-17 contains a statement by the prophet that a few would be left in the land amidst the general desolation, and that they would be filled with joy that they had escaped. From their retreats and refuges, their fastnesses and places of security, they would lift up the song of praise that they had been preserved.

Maketh the earth empty - That is, will depopulate it, or take away its inhabitants, and its wealth. The word 'earth' here ( 'a¯rets) is used evidently not to denote the whole world, but the land to which the prophet particularly refers - the land of Judea. It should have been translated the land (see Joel 1:2). It is possible, however, that the word here may be intended to include so much of the nations that surrounded Palestine as were allied with it, or as were connected with it in the desolations under Nebuchadnezzar.
And turneth it upside down - Margin, 'Perverteth the face thereof.' That is, everything is thrown into confusion; the civil and religious institutions are disorganized, and derangement everywhere prevails.

And scattereth abroad ... - This was done in the invasion by the Chaldeans by the carrying away of the inhabitants into their long and painful captivity.

2 And it shall be, as with the people (Gemini), so with the priest (Ophiuchus); as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid (Virgo), so with her mistress (Cassiopeia); 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 (Gold coin being taken from Castor and given to Pollux).

all would be involved in the same calamity, and there would be no favored class that would escape.

3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word (black Zodiac).

The land - Hebrew, 'The earth,' as in Isaiah 24:1. It is here rendered correctly 'the land,' as it should have been there - meaning the land of Canaan.

4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away (to pink from a bright red), the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

The earth mourneth - The word 'earth' here, as in Isaiah 24:1, means the land of Judea, or that and so much of the adjacent countries as would be subject to the desolation described. The figure here is taken from flowers when they lose their beauty and languish; or when the plant that lacks moisture, or is cut down, loses its vigor and its vitality, and soon withers (compare the note at Isaiah 1:30; Isaiah 34:4; Psalm 1:3).
The world - (??? têbêl). Literally, the inhabitable world, but used here as synonymous with the 'land,' and denoting the kingdoms of Judah and Israel (compare the note at Isaiah 13:11)

The haughty people - Margin, as in the Hebrew, 'Height of the people.' It denotes the great, the nobles, the princes of the land. The phrase is expressive of rank, not of their moral character.

5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have (red radius line) transgressed the laws, (red radius line) changed the ordinance, (red radius line) broken the everlasting covenant.

Changed the ordinance - Or, the statute (chôq). This word, from châqaq, to engrave, and then to make or institute a law or an ordinance, is usually applied to the positive statutes appointed by Moses. The word statute accurately expresses the idea. These they had changed by introducing new statutes, and had in fact, if not in form, repealed the laws of Moses, and introduced others.

6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth(Scorpio's black stinger crescent), and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left (Fire in Gemini -- the few men left).

He is speaking of the effect of wrath or the curse, and that effect is often described in the Scriptures as burning, or consuming, as a fire does. The sense is, that the inhabitants of the land are brought under the withering, burning, consuming effect of that wrath; and the same effects are produced by it as are seen when a fire runs over a field or a forest. Hence, the word here used (chârâh, "to burn, to be kindled") is often used in connection with wrath, to denote burning or raging anger. Exodus 22:23 : 'His anger burns.' Genesis 30:2 : 'And the anger of Jacob was kindled against Rachel; Genesis 44:18; Job 27:2-3; Job 42:7; Genesis 31:6

7 The new wine mourneth (pink moon with Scorpio's black stinger in it), the (Milky Way) vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.

8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the (Milky Way) harp (with one red radius line string) 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.

The word rendered 'confusion' (tôhû) does not denote disorder or anarchy, but is a word expressive of emptiness, vanity, destitution of form, waste. It occurs Genesis 1:2 : 'And the earth was without form.'

11 There is a (red radius line) 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 (red radius line through sun) smitten with destruction.

the gates of the city, once so secure, are now battered down and demolished, so that the enemy can enter freely.

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 (Two unripe olives or two unripe grapes).

14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea.

They who are left in the land; or who are not carried away to Babylon. 'To lift up the voice' in the Scriptures may denote either grief or joy; compare Genesis 21:6; 1 Samuel 24:16; Judges 2:4; Ruth 1:9, ..., where to lift up the voice is conected with weeping; and Ezekiel 21:22; Psalm 93:3; Isaiah 40:29; Isaiah 42:11, etc., where it is connected with exultation and joy. The latter is evidently the idea here, that the few who would escape from captivity by fleeing to neighboring countries, would lift up their voice with exultation that they had escaped.

15 Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires (sun in Gemini), even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea (pink moon in Milky Way).

The proper meaning of the word is, however, light, and it usually and naturally suggests the idea of the morning light, the aurora; perhaps, also, the northern light, or the aurora borealis. It in no instance means caves, or valleys. Vitringa supposed it referred to caves, and that the address was to the "Troglodytes," or those who had been driven from their homes, and compelled to take up their residence in caves. The word probably refers either to the regions of the morning light, the rising of the sun;

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.

Yet amidst these desolations, their confidence in God is unshaken; their reliance on him is firm. They still believe that there shall be honor and glory to the just, and that God will be their protector and avenger. These assurances served to sustain them in their afflictions, and to shed a mild and cheering influence on their saddened hearts.

17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth (lunar pit or snare for Ophiuchus).

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 (85 revolutions; pole shift?).

20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard (Ophiuchus), and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again (Will it go from a 365.24-day year back to a 360-day year? Will the month change back to 30 from a 29.5-day month?).

Sometimes these cottages were erected in the form of a hut; and sometimes they were a species of hanging bed or couch, that was suspended from the limbs of trees. (Milky Way hanging between Mulberry tree and Palm tree). They were made either by interweaving the limbs of a tree, or by suspending them by cords from the branches of trees, or by extending a cord or cords from one tree to another, and laying a couch or bed on the cords. They were thus made to afford a convenient place for observation, and also to afford security from the access of wild beasts. Travelers in the East even now resort to such a temporary lodge for security (see Niebuhr's Description of Arabia). These lodges were easily moved to and fro, and swung about by the wind - and this is the idea in the verse before us. The whole land was agitated as with an earthquake; it reeled like a drunkard; it moved, and was unsettled, as the hanging couch on the trees was driven to and fro by the wind.

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 (Cepheus) kings of the earth upon the earth.

22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the (Milky Way) pit, and shall be shut up in the (red radius line) prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

The reference is to the custom of collecting captives taken in war, and chaining them together by the hands and feet, and thrusting them in large companies into a prison.
In the pit - Margin, 'Dungeon.' The sense is, that he rulers of the land should be made captive, and treated as prisoners of war. This was undoubtedly true in the captivity under Nebuchadnezzar. The people were assembled; were regarded as captives; and were conveyed together to a distant land.

And shall be shut up in the prison - Probably this is not intended to be taken literally, but to denote that they would be as secure as if they were shut up in prison. Their prison-house would be Babylon, where they were enclosed as in a prison seventy years.

And after many days - If this refers, as I have supposed, to the captivity at Babylon, then these 'many days' refer to the period of seventy years.

23 Then the moon shall be confounded (moon blushing pink), and the sun (red radius line) ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously (glorious sun before the Gemini ancients).

in Isaiah 24:23, that Yahweh would reign with a glory that would obscure the brightness of the sun and the moon on Mount Zion.

That is, shall appear to shine with diminished beauty, as if it were ashamed in the superior glory that would shine around it. The sense is, that when the people should be returned to their land, the theocracy would be restored, and the magnificence of the kings and other civil rulers would be dimmed in the superior splendor of the reign of God. Probably there is reference here to the time when Yahweh would reign in Jerusalem through, or by means of, the messiah.

25:1 O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

It is a song of praise to God for the anticipated deliverance of his people from the bondage in Babylon. The desolation of Jerusalem and Judah had been described in Isaiah 24; that chapter had closed with an intimation that Yahweh would again reign in glory on Mount Zion Isaiah 24:23;he sees Isaiah 25:6 that he would provide a way by which the darkness might be removed from all nations Isaiah 25:7; that he would originate that plan by which death would be swallowed up in victory Isaiah 25:8; and that there he would execute a plan by which all his enemies would be laid low Isaiah 25:9-12. The hymn is designed, therefore, to celebrate the faithfulness of God in fulfilling his ancient promises, and delivering his people from their long captivity by the destruction of Babylon Isaiah 25:1-5;

2For thou hast made of a city an (Milky Way) heap (black Zodiac); of a defenced city a ruin (black Zodiac): a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.

The ruin of Babylon commenced when it was taken by Cyrus, and the Jews were set at liberty; it was not completed until many centuries after. The form of the Hebrew here is, 'Thou hast placed from a city to a ruin:' that is, thou hast changed it from being a city to a pile of ruins.

Of a defensed city - A city fortified, and made strong against the approach of an enemy. How true this was of Babylon may be seen in the description prefixed to Isaiah 13.

A palace - This word properly signifies the residence of a prince or monarch Jeremiah 30:18; Amos 1:4, Amos 1:7, Amos 1:10, Amos 1:12. Here it is applied to Babylon on account of its splendor, as if it were a vast palace, the residence of princes.

Of strangers - Foreigners; a term often given to the inhabitants of foreign lands, and especially to the Babylonians (see the note at Isaiah 1:7; compare Ezekiel 28:7; Joel 3:17). It means that this was, by way of eminence, The city of the foreigners; the capital of the whole Pagan world; the city where foreigners congregated and dwelt.

It shall never be built - (See the notes at Isaiah 13:19-22). This identifies the subject as the fall of Babylon in 539 B.C.

3Therefore shall the strong people (Gemini) glorify thee (sun), the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.

The strong people - The reference here is not probably to the Babylonians, but to the surrounding nations. The deliverance of the Jews, and the destruction of Babylon, would be such striking events that they would lead the surrounding nations to acknowledge that it was the hand of God.
The city of the terrible nations - The word 'city' here is taken probably in a collective sense, to denote the cities or the strong places of the surrounding nations which would be brought thus to tremble before God. The destruction of a city so proud and wicked as Babylon would alarm them, and would lead them to fear that they might share the same fate, especially as many of them had been associated in oppressing the now delivered people of the land of Judea.

4For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a (lunar) shadow (of Ophiuchus) from the (solar) heat, when the (solar) blast of the terrible ones (Gemini) is as a storm against the (Milky Way) wall.

By the 'poor' and the 'needy' here undoubtedly are mean; the captive Jews who had been stripped of their wealth, and carried from their homes, and confined in Babylon.

5Thou shalt bring down the noise of (Gemini) strangers, as the (solar) heat in a dry place; even the heat with the (lunar) shadow of a (lunar pink) cloud: the (Milky Way or red radius line) branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

The idea thus is plain. Heat pours down intensely on the earth, and if unabated would wither up every green thing, and dry up every stream and fountain. But a cloud intervenes, and checks the burning rays of the sun. So the wrath of the 'terrible ones,' the anger of the Babylonians, raged against the Jews. But the mercy of God interposed. It was like the intervening of a cloud to shut out the burning rays of the sun. It stayed the fury of their wrath, "and rendered them impotent to do injury, just as the intense burning rays of the sun are completely checked by an interposing cloud.

The branch of the terrible ones - This is a very unhappy translation. The word zâmiyr is indeed used to denote a branch, or bough, as derived from zâmar, "to prune a vine;" but it also has the I sense of "a song;" a song of praise, or a song of exultation, from a second signification of zâmar, "to sing; perhaps" from the song with which the work of the vineyard was usually accompanied. See the verb used in this sense in Judges 5:3; Psalm 9:12; Psalm 30:5; Psalm 47:7; and the word which occurs here (zamir) used in the sense of a song in Psalm 119:54; 2 Samuel 23:1; Job 35:10. Here it is undoubtedly used in the sense of a song, meaning either a shout of victory or of revelry; and the idea of the prophet is, that this would be brought low by the destruction of Babylon, and by the return of the captive Jews to their own land.

6And in this (Milky Way) mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things (pink bone marrow), a feast of wines on the lees (pink wine cup), of fat things full of marrow (Milky
Way marrow bone with pink center), of wines on the lees well refined (both white and pink rose wines).

A pink rose and a white one. A feast of wines on the lees - The word which is used here (shemâriym) is derived from shâmar, to keep, preserve, retain, and is applied usually to the lees or dregs of wine, because they retain the strength and color of the wine which is left to stand on them. It is also in this place applied to wine which has been kept on the lees, and is therefore synonymous with old wine; or wine of a rich color and flavor. This fact, that the color and strength of wine are retained by its being suffered to remain without being poured from one vessel into another, is more fully expressed in Jeremiah 48:11 :

7And he will destroy in this mountain the (solar and lunar eye and a milky Way smiling) face of the (red radius line) covering cast over all people (contented ignorance), and the (red radius line) vail that is spread over all nations .

8He will swallow up death in victory (pink lunar tongue coming out of Milky Way mouth); and the Lord GOD will wipe away (glistening star) tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

9And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

10For in this mountain (Milky Way hump) shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill (pink moon trodden down by Ophiuchus; yellow straw sun trodden by Gemini).

The image is one that is not of unfrequent occurrence in the Scriptures, to denote the complete and disgraceful prostration of an enemy (see Psalm 83:10; 2 Kings 9:37; Jeremiah 8:2; Jeremiah 9:22; Jeremiah 16:4; Jeremiah 25:33).

11And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim (Aquarius, Orion, Perseus, Bootes, Cepheus, Scorpio, Pegasus, Andromeda, etc.): and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.

It is that of a swimmer who extends his hands and arms as far as possible, and who by force removes all that is in his way in passing through the water. So Yahweh would extend his hands over all Moab. He would not confine the desolation to any one place, but it would be complete and entire. He would subject all to himself, as easily as a swimmer makes his way through the waters.

12And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down (red radius line walls flat), lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust (black Zodiac).

26:1In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

2Open ye the gates (solar and lunar), that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may (red radius line flood enters) enter in.

3Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

4Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

5For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, (red radius line) even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust (black Zodiac).

6The foot shall tread it down (pink moon trodden down by Ophiuchus; yellow sun trodden by Gemini), even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy (sun under Gemini's feet).

7The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just (in the Milky Way red radius line scale -- lunar weight compared to solar weight).

8Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

9With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

10Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.

11LORD, when thy (Orion) hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be (red radius line) ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the (sun) fire of thine (Gemini) enemies shall devour them.

12LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

13O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

14They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

15Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

16LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

17Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.

18We have been with (pink lunar) child (Milky Way placenta afterbirth), we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

19Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy (solar and lunar) dew is as the dew of (Milky Way) herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead (black Zodiac).

20Come, my people, enter thou into thy (solar entrance) chambers, and shut thy (moon) doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

21For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place (Ophiuchus out of the lunar door) to punish the (Gemini) inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her (red radius line) blood, and shall no more cover her slain (Black Zodiac constellations resurrected in 2026 A.D.).

27:1In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong (red radius line) sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent (Milky Way levithan with head chopped off and only lunar neck showing), even leviathan that crooked serpent (Hydra, Serpens and Drago); and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea (Cetus).

2In that day sing ye unto her, A (Milky Way) vineyard of red wine (pink lunar moon).

3I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it (lunar) night and (solar) day.

4Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together (sun burns Milky Way vine).

5Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.

6He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit (Milky Way vine produces lunar pink blossom).

7Hath he (red radius line) smitten him, as he (red radius line) smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the (red radius line) slaughter of them that are slain by him?

8In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.

9By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.

10Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the (Taurus) calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the (green Milky Way) branches thereof.

11When the (Milky Way red radius line) boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire (sun): for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.

12And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.

13And it shall come to pass in that day, that the (red radius line tube with sun or moon bell end) great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria (Gemini captives burned by sun), and the outcasts in the land of Egypt (Ophiuchus and Hercules), and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.