Isaiah 24:4
The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
Original Language Analysis
נָבְלָ֖ה
and fadeth away
H5034
נָבְלָ֖ה
and fadeth away
Strong's:
H5034
Word #:
2 of 10
to wilt; generally, to fall away, fail, faint
נָבְלָ֖ה
and fadeth away
H5034
נָבְלָ֖ה
and fadeth away
Strong's:
H5034
Word #:
5 of 10
to wilt; generally, to fall away, fail, faint
תֵּבֵ֑ל
the world
H8398
תֵּבֵ֑ל
the world
Strong's:
H8398
Word #:
6 of 10
the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by extension, the globe; by implication, its inhabitants; specifically, a particular land, as babylonia,
מְר֥וֹם
the haughty
H4791
מְר֥וֹם
the haughty
Strong's:
H4791
Word #:
8 of 10
altitude, i.e., concretely (an elevated place), abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially (aloft)
Cross References
Hosea 4:3Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.Isaiah 3:26And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.Isaiah 33:9The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern cosmology viewed heaven, earth, and underworld as interconnected realms where divine and human actions had cosmic repercussions. Isaiah's depiction of earth 'mourning' would have resonated with his audience's worldview while elevating it—creation doesn't respond to capricious deities but to humanity's covenant fidelity. The 'haughty people' likely refers to imperial powers (Assyria, later Babylon) whose arrogance brought divine resistance (Isa 10:12-19, 14:12-15, 47:7-11).
Questions for Reflection
- How does the personification of creation 'mourning' deepen your understanding of sin's comprehensive devastation?
- What does Romans 8:19-22 add to your reading of this passage about creation's bondage to decay?
- In what ways does pride ('haughtiness') contribute to both personal and societal judgment?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The earth mourneth and fadeth away—abal (אָבַל, "mourn") typically describes human grief but here personifies creation itself lamenting. The verb nabel (נָבֵל, "fade/wither") depicts vegetation dying, echoing the curse after Eden (Gen 3:17-18). Paul develops this in Romans 8:19-22: creation groans under sin's bondage, awaiting redemption. Isaiah envisions cosmic sympathy with humanity's rebellion—sin's consequences transcend human society to afflict the natural order.
The world languisheth uses tebel (תֵּבֵל), meaning the inhabited world, paired with amal (אָמַל, "languish/waste away"). The doubling—ha'aretz (earth/land) and tebel (world)—reinforces universal scope. The haughty people of the earth do languish targets merom am-ha'aretz (מְרוֹם עַם־הָאָרֶץ, "exalted people"), those who elevated themselves through pride. Pride provokes God's judgment (Prov 16:18; Isa 2:11-17); the high are brought low.