Bible Strands
Isaiah 24:5
The earth is defiled by its people; they have transgressed the laws; they have overstepped the decrees and broken the everlasting covenant.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet delivers a declarative oracle concerning the earth’s condition, positioned between a description of global decay and a statement about the curse consuming its inhabitants.
The words — חָנְפָה (cha.ne.Fah) denotes a state of being polluted or defiled, while עָבְרוּ ('a.ve.Ru) indicates active transgression or violation of established boundaries.
The thread — The theme of earthly defilement and covenant breach connects to the curse consuming the earth in Isaiah 24:6, while the covenantal language parallels the eternal covenant referenced in Hebrews 13:20 and the creation’s subjection to futility in Romans 8:20.
Why it lands — It requires the reader to recognize that environmental decay and divine judgment originate from human violation of divine law, demanding accountability rather than passive observation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
Cross-references
- Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
- Romans 8:20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope
- Daniel 7:25 He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
- Hebrews 9:1 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.
- Genesis 3:17 And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
- Genesis 6:11 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and full of violence.
- Leviticus 18:24 Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves.
- Leviticus 20:22 You are therefore to keep all My statutes and ordinances, so that the land where I am bringing you to live will not vomit you out.
- Numbers 35:33 Do not pollute the land where you live, for bloodshed pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land on which the blood is shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.
- 2 Kings 17:7 All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods