1Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.24.1 turneth…: Heb. perverteth the face thereof 2And 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.24.2 priest: or, prince 3The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. 4The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.24.4 the haughty…: Heb. the height of the people 5The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore 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. 7The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh. 8The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. 9They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. 10The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in. 11There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. 12In 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. 14They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea. 15Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.24.15 fires: or, valleys
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.24.16 uttermost…: Heb. wing24.16 My leanness: Heb. Leanness to me, or, My secret to me 17Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. 18And 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. 19The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. 20The 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. 21And 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.24.21 punish: Heb. visit upon 22And 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.24.22 as prisoners…: Heb. with the gathering of prisoners24.22 pit: or, dungeon24.22 visited: or, found wanting 23Then 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.24.23 before…: or, there shall be glory before his ancients
Guds dom over Israel og hele verden
1Hør efter! Herren gør jorden24,1 Eller: „Herren gør landet tomt og øde.” Teksten bruger et ord, som kan betyde landet, jorden eller verden. Det er ofte uklart, om der tænkes på Israels land, jorden eller hele verden. tom og øde. Han lægger Israels land øde og spreder dets indbyggere. 2Det går menigmand som præst, slave som herre, slavepige som frue, køber som sælger, udlåner som låner. Ikke en eneste undslipper. 3Landet bliver plyndret totalt og tømt. Det er Herrens ord.
4-5Befolkningen vil lide under følgen af deres synder. Jorden vrider sig i smerte, og afgrøderne visner, for himlen nægter at give regn. Landet er ødelagt af ondskab og forbrydelser. Folket har overtrådt Guds lov og brudt hans ubrydelige pagt. 6Derfor hænger Guds forbandelse over dem, og de må bære straffen for deres synd. Befolkningen svinder ind, og kun få vil overleve.
7Vinhøsten er slået fejl, vinen er brugt op og lystigheden vendt til sorg. 8Harpens melodiøse akkorder og tamburinens lystige rytmer er forstummet, al jubel er ophørt. 9Ingen vin kan inspirere til sang, og øllet smager bittert.
10Tomhedens by er brudt ned. Alle døre er låste og barrikaderede. 11Folk strejfer om i gaderne og råber på vin. Glæden er gået i sort, lystigheden forsvundet. 12Byen er ødelagt, dens porte slået ind. 13Som når man har slået oliven ned fra træets grene eller plukket druer i vinmarken, sådan bliver det blandt alle folkeslagene ud over jorden: kun en rest bliver tilbage.
14Men de, som er tilbage, skal råbe højt af glæde. I Vesten lovsynger de Guds storhed. 15-16I Østen skal lovsangen give ekko tilbage. Fjerne øer skal lovprise Herren, Israels Herre. Fra jordens ender synger de: „Æren er Guds, for han er retfærdig.”
Men mit hjerte er tungt af sorg, jeg holder det ikke ud. Ondskaben vinder stadig frem, troløshed ligger på lur overalt. 17Terror, ulykker og undertrykkelse rammer alle jordens folk. 18Undslipper I terror, vil I styrte i en faldgrube. Kravler I op af faldgruben, bliver I fanget i en fælde.
Straffen kommer ned fra himlen. Jorden ryster i sin grundvold. 19Den slår revner og bryder sammen, ryster og skælver. 20Verden vakler som en beruset, svajer som et faldefærdigt skur. Den segner under vægten af sin skyld og rejser sig ikke igen.
21Til den tid vil Herren straffe himlens åndemagter såvel som jordens stolte herskere. 22De bliver stuvet sammen som fanger og lænket i mørkets hule. Der må de vente til dommens dag. 23Fuldmånen vil skjule sit ansigt og solen gemme sig væk, for Herren, den Almægtige, skal regere fra Zions bjerg i Jerusalem, og hans folks ledere skal se hans herlighed.
