Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 24:19
The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
19. is clean dissolved ] Better, is utterly shivered. For is moved render staggereth.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The earth is utterly broken down – The effect as it were of an earthquake where everything is thrown into commotion and ruin.
The earth is moved exceedingly – Everything in this verse is intense and emphatic. The verbs are in the strongest form of emphasis: By breaking, the land is broken; by scattering, the land is scattered; by commotion, the land is moved. The repetition also of the expression in the same sense three times, is a strong form of emphasis; and the whole passage is designed to denote the utter desolation and ruin that had come upon the land.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. The earth – “The land”] haarets, forte delendum he, ut ex praecedente ortum. Vid. seqq. – Secker. “Probably the he, in haarets, should be blotted out, as having arisen from the preceding.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This is repeated again, partly to show the dreadfulness and certainty of these judgments, and partly to awaken and affect the stupid Israelites, who greatly needed it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. earththe land: image froman earthquake.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The earth is utterly broken down,…. Still alluding to the deluge, when the earth broke in upon the waters under it, if Mr. Burnet’s theory of the earth can be supported:
the earth is clean dissolved; it will be an entire dissolution, nothing shall remain; all these things, as Peter says, the heavens and the earth, and all in them, shall be dissolved, 2Pe 3:11:
the earth is moved exceedingly; out of its place and form, and shall fall into its original chaos and confusion. The Targum is,
“moving, the earth shall be moved; agitating, the earth shall be agitated; breaking or dissolving, the earth shall be broken or dissolved;”
which seems to express the more gradual and natural dissolution of the world. These expressions are used, and repeated, to declare the certain and complete destruction of it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
19. By breaking down is the earth broken down. He heightens his description of punishments by using various modes of expression. A little afterwards he will point out the cause of this “shaking,” which is, that men by their sins had drawn down on themselves such destruction. He now declares that this evil is incurable. We have formerly said that the Prophet explains the same thing in various ways, and for the purpose of striking and arousing those minds which are naturally very sluggish; for there is in the flesh a carelessness which produces contempt of God, and we have too much experience of it both in ourselves and in others. In order, therefore, that the prophets might arouse those who were careless and asleep in their vices, they adorn their style; not because they cared about being thought eloquent, but that they might make their hearers more attentive, and sting them to the quick. Hence the allusions of which these verses are full; hence the brilliant metaphors in the style; hence the threatenings and terrors announced in various ways; the object of all is, that careless men may be aroused.
Now, this doctrine ought to be limited to the wicked; not because the godly are exempted from those evils, for they are afflicted as well as other men; but because, when the godly betake themselves to God, and rely wholly upon him, they are not shaken in this manner, and remain firm and steadfast against every assault; while wicked men, who despised the judgments of God, and took unbounded liberties in transgression, are terrified and alarmed, and never find rest.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(19) The earth is utterly broken . . .We note the characteristic form of Hebrew emphasis in the threefold iteration of the earth. (Comp. Isa. 6:3; Jer. 22:29.) There the form (more visibly in the Hebrew than in the English) is a climax representing the three stages of an earthquake: the first cleavage of the ground; the wide open gaping; the final shattering convulsion. The rhythm of the whole passage is almost an echo of the crashes.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 24:19-20. The earth is utterly broken down The prophet here, in the most chosen metaphorical expressions, describes a mighty earthquake, by which the land of Asia, Syria, Judaea, depressed by the divine judgments, should be vehemently shaken. The 20th verse should be rendered in the present tense, like the 19th. The land reels to and fro like a drunkard, and is shaken like a cottage in a garden; [chap. Isa 1:8.] because the transgression thereof is heavy upon it, and it falls, and shall not rise again. Earthquakes, metaphorically taken in Scripture, denote those great and hurtful changes which happen in the world or the church. We learn, however, that at the period here referred to there was a remarkably great earthquake, by which, as Justin informs us, lib. 40: cap. 2 a hundred and seventy thousand men and many cities were destroyed.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 24:19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
Ver. 19. The earth is utterly broken down. ] This he had said before. Oil, if not well rubbed in, pierceth not the skin. Menaces must be inculcated, or else they will be but little regarded. Let preachers press matters to the utmost, drive the nail home to the head; not forbearing through faint-heartedness, nor languishing through lukewarmness.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
utterly broken down. Note Figure of speech Polyptoton. Hebrew breaking, breaks up. Same Figure of speech below.
clean dissolved. Hebrew bursting, bursts up.
moved exceedingly. Hebrew tottering, tottereth.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Isa 24:1-5, Isa 34:4-10, Jer 4:23-28, Nah 1:5, Hab 3:6, Mat 24:3, Rev 20:11
Reciprocal: Gen 7:11 – all Gen 7:21 – General Deu 32:22 – shall consume Job 9:6 – shaketh Psa 97:5 – hills Psa 99:1 – be moved Isa 33:9 – earth Amo 8:8 – the land Mat 24:7 – famines 2Pe 3:11 – all these
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 24:19-20. The earth is utterly broken down This is repeated again, to show the dreadfulness and certainty of these judgments, and to awaken the stupid Israelites. The earth shall reel to and fro The people of the earth, the inhabitants of the land, shall be sorely perplexed and distressed, not knowing what to do, or whither to go. Or rather, the prophet here, in metaphorical expressions, borrowed from an earthquake, signifies how terribly Judea should be shaken by wars, desolations, and other divine judgments, to the entire overthrow of their church and commonwealth; and shall be removed The people shall be removed, or their constitution, civil and religious, like a cottage Or, like a lodge in a garden, of which this word is used, Isa 1:8, which is soon taken down and set up in another place: or, like a tent, which is easily and commonly carried from place to place. And the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it Upon their state and nation, especially the sin of crucifying the Lord of glory. And it shall fall Their government shall be overturned, their state dissolved, and their nation ruined; and not rise again Not till the latter days, when they shall believe in and receive Him whom they rejected and crucified.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Like a tall building in an earthquake, the earth will crack, begin to sway, and break apart (cf. Rev 6:12-15). What God had created in the ordered world, would again become chaos (Heb. tohu, cf. Isa 24:10).
"This is what they chose: a world without the ordering hand of God and this, in faithful divine justice, is what they got." [Note: Motyer, p. 204.]