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24:1 Now the LORD is about to lay waste the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. 24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, 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 creditor, so with the debtor. 24:3 The earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly despoiled; for the LORD has spoken this word. 24:4 The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers; the heavens languish together with the earth. 24:5 The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. 24:6 Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth dwindled, and few people are left. 24:7 The wine dries up, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. 24:8 The mirth of the timbrels is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled. 24:9 No longer do they drink wine with singing; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. 24:10 The city of chaos is broken down, every house is shut up so that no one can enter. 24:11 There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has reached its eventide; the gladness of the earth is banished. 24:12 Desolation is left in the city, the gates are battered into ruins. 24:13 For thus it shall be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is ended. 24:14 They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; they shout from the west over the majesty of the LORD. 24:15 Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; in the coastlands of the sea glorify the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 24:16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One. But I say, I pine away, I pine away. Woe is me! For the treacherous deal treacherously, the treacherous deal very treacherously. 24:17 Terror, and the pit, and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! 24:18 Whoever flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit; and whoever climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. 24:19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is torn asunder, the earth is violently shaken. 24:20 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. 24:21 On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven in heaven, and on earth the kings of the earth. 24:22 They will be gathered together like prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. 24:23 Then the moon will be abashed, and the sun ashamed; for the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his elders he will manifest his glory.