Yeshayahu's "little apocalypse" (24-27) desolate Paletine after Babylonian invasion picture distress in the tribulation.
24:1 Hinnei, ADONAI (יהוה) makes ha eretz empty, and maketh it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters abroad the inhabitants thereof.
24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the kohen; as with the eved, 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.
24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for ADONAI (יהוה) has spoken this word.
24:4 Ha eretz mourneth [and] fades away, the olam languisheth [and] fades away, the haughty people of ha eretz do languish.
24:5 Ha eretz also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the torot, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
24:6 Therefore has the curse devoured ha eretz, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of ha eretz are burned, and few men left.
24:7 The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the simchei-lev (merryhearted) do sigh.
24:8 The simcha of tambourines ceases, the noise of them that rejoice ends, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
24:9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
24:10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
24:11 [There is] a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
24:12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.
24:13 When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, [there shall be] as the shamelekh an olive tree, [and] as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.
24:14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of ADONAI (יהוה), they shall cry aloud from the sea.
24:15 Wherefore glorify ye ADONAI (יהוה) in the fires, [even] the Name of ADONAI (יהוה) Elohim (אלהים) of Yisrael in the isles of the sea.
24:16 From the uttermost part of ha eretz have we heard songs, [even] glory to the Tzaddik. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe to me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
24:17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, [are] upon you, O inhabitant of ha eretz.
24:18 And it shall come to pass, [that] he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that comes 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 ha eretz do shake.
24:19 Ha eretz is utterly broken down, ha eretz is clean dissolved, ha eretz is moved exceedingly.
24:20 Ha eretz 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.
24:21 And it shall come to pass b'Yom ha hu, [that] ADONAI (יהוה) shall punish the host of the high ones [that are] on high, and the melachim ha adamah upon ha eretz.
24:22 And 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.
24:23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when ADONAI (יהוה) Tzva'ot shall reign in Har Tziyon, and in Yerushalayim, and before his ancients gloriously.