Isaiah 24:6 · Bible study
Isaiah 24:6 Commentary: The Curse That Consumes
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 24:6 explains the curse of covenant judgment that devours the earth, the burning as God's consuming wrath, and the remnant left.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Human covenant breaking brings God’s curse, which devours the earth like a consuming fire, reducing the population to a mere remnant.
- Key words: ālāh (curse/oath), 'ākhal (consume/devour), chārû (burned/parched); miz‘ār (a few/remnant).
- Main debate: Whether the burning refers to literal fire or describes the parching, consuming effect of divine wrath (consensus: metaphorical).
- Theological theme: Covenant judgment and remnant hope, God’s justice is thorough, yet He preserves a people for restoration.
- Best use: To teach the seriousness of sin within God’s covenant and to point forward to Christ, who bore the curse and secures the ultimate remnant.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Therefore a curse has consumed the earth, and its inhabitants must bear the guilt; the earth’s dwellers have been burned, and only a few survive.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
KJV King James Version 1769
Therefore 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Therefore a curse hath consumed the land, And the inhabitants in it are become desolate, Therefore consumed have been inhabitants of the land, And few men have been left.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Therefore doth the curse devour the earth, and they that dwell therein are held guilty; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are consumed, and few men are left.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Therefore shall a curse devour the earth, and the inhabitants thereof shall sin: and therefore they that dwell therein shall be mad, and few men shall be left.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Por esta causa la maldición consumió la tierra, y sus moradores fueron asolados; por esta causa fueron consumidos los habitantes de la tierra, y se disminuyeron los hombres.
Pois isso, a maldição consome a terra; e os que nela habitam pagam por sua culpa; por isso serão queimados os moradores da terra, e poucos homens restarão.
C’est pourquoi la malédiction dévore le pays,
Darum frißt der Fluch das Land; denn sie verschulden' s, die darin wohnen. Darum verdorren die Einwohner des Landes, also daß wenig Leute übrigbleiben.
Daarom verteert de vloek het land, en die daarin wonen, zullen verwoest worden; daarom zullen de inwoners des lands verbrand worden, en er zullen weinig mensen overblijven.
Perciò una maledizione ha divorato la terra, e i suoi abitanti ne portan la pena; perciò gli abitanti della terra son consumati, e poca è la gente che v’è rimasta.
Dla tego przeklęstwo pożre ziemię, a zniszczeją obywatele jej; dlatego popaleni będą obywatele ziemi, a mało ludzi zostanie.
За то проклятие поедает землю, и несут наказание живущие на ней; за то сожжены обитатели земли, и немного осталось людей.
所以，地 被咒詛 吞滅；住 在其上的 顯為有罪。 地上 的居民 被火焚燒，剩下的 人 稀少。
For this cause the earth is given up to the curse, and those in it are judged as sinners: for this cause those living on the earth are burned up, and the rest are small in number.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 24:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that the 'curse' in this verse is the covenant judgment threatened in the Law (Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28). Calvin states that the word ālāh (curse) 'alludes to those curses which Moses in the law threatens against wicked men.' Matthew Henry, Gill and Barnes echo this: it is God’s curse on a people who have broken the everlasting covenant (Isaiah 24:5).
The burning of the inhabitants (חָרוּ, chārû) is almost universally taken as figurative. Barnes notes the verb means 'to burn, to be kindled' and describes 'the withering, burning, consuming effect of that wrath.' Calvin and Cambridge agree: the destruction is compared to a conflagration, not literal fire. The result, 'few men are left,' points to a surviving remnant, a key Isaianic theme confirmed by the Babylonian exile (Barnes points to 2 Kings 24:14, 16).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal fire interpretation: Some readers take the burning at face value, citing similar imagery in Deuteronomy 32:22 and Revelation 20:9–10, but this view is rare among commentators.
- Metaphorical consuming wrath: Barnes, Calvin, Cambridge and most commentators read the burning as a figure for the parching, devastating effect of God’s anger, supported by the verb <em>chārar</em> meaning 'to be hot' and its use in descriptions of anger (Exod 22:23).
- Textual emendation to 'destroyed': Clarke and Lowth propose reading חרבו instead of חרו, supported by the Septuagint and Syriac. This yields 'the inhabitants are destroyed' rather than 'burned,' but lacks manuscript confirmation.
What is clear: The verse describes a divine judgment—a curse—that brings devastation to the land and its people, leaving only a remnant. The precise nature of the 'burning' (literal or figurative) is the primary point of debate, but all agree it signifies God’s righteous punishment for covenant breaking.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the curse | It is God's judgment for covenant violation, alluding to the Mosaic curses (Lev 26; Deut 28). | Some (e.g., Targum, Gill) see it specifically as the curse of perjury/oath-breaking; others (Calvin, Matthew Henry) see it as the general curse of the law; still others tie it to the Edenic curse on the ground (Gen 3:17, 18). |
| Nature of the burning | The burning is a figure for the consuming effect of God's wrath, not literal fire. | A few interpreters (Lowth, following versions) propose emending 'burned' to 'destroyed' (חרבו instead of חרו), but most see the parching/burning metaphor as original and fitting. |
| Identity of the inhabitants | The inhabitants are those who have broken the covenant (v. 5); thus the people of Israel/Judah are primarily in view. | Some commentators (Keil & Delitzsch, Poole) argue that the language extends to humanity at large ('the earth' in a cosmic sense), while others (Matthew Henry, Barnes) apply it specifically to the land of Judah. |
| The remnant ('few men left') | The phrase indicates that judgment is not total annihilation; a remnant survives. | Theological debate centers on whether the remnant represents a literal historical survival (e.g., after the exile) or a prophetic type of the faithful end-time community preserved through eschatological judgment. |
| Historical fulfillment | The Babylonian conquest of Judah (586 BC) is a primary historical referent. | Some (e.g., Gill) see additional fulfillment in the end-time judgments of Revelation (vials, etc.), while others (Ellicott, Calvin) emphasize the immediate historical context without excluding future applications. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 24 sits within a larger prophecy often called 'Isaiah's Apocalypse' (chapters 24, 27), a vision of world judgment that draws on the language of Israel’s covenant. The immediate context (v. 5) states that inhabitants 'have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.' That covenant, the Sinai agreement, included detailed blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:15, 68).
The Hebrew word for 'curse' here is ālāh, which can also mean 'oath' (Genesis 26:28; Deuteronomy 29:12). In the covenant context, it likely refers to the imprecations sworn by the people, the self-maledictory promises that activated the curses if the covenant was broken. This term, combined with the verb 'ākhelāh ('has consumed/eaten,' a common metaphor for total destruction), evokes the image of a hungry force devouring the land.
Historically, many scholars (Matthew Henry, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) see the immediate background as the Babylonian invasion of Judah (586 BC). Jeremiah 44:22 describes the land as 'a desolation, without inhabitant' because of the people's sins. The verb chārû ('burned' or 'parched') in verse 6 may reflect the actual scorching of the land by war and drought (Joel 1:10, 12). Yet the description transcends any single event; Isaiah's language takes on cosmic dimensions, as the earth itself mourns and the judgment affects all levels of society (v. 2).
Textual Notes
The word translated 'burned' (חָרוּ, chārû) in the Masoretic Text has been questioned by some scholars. Adam Clarke notes that Lowth proposed reading חָרְבוּ (chārĕvû, 'are destroyed'), based on the Septuagint, Syriac, and Targum. The LXX reads 'the inhabitants of the land shall be poor' (πτωχεύσουσιν), apparently reflecting a different Vorlage. However, Barnes argues there is no manuscript authority for the change, and the text as it stands is well supported. The verb chārû (from חָרַר, to be hot, scorched) is used elsewhere with the sense of burning anger (Exodus 22:23). Most modern translations retain 'burned' or 'are scorched,' understanding it metaphorically. No significant textual variant affects the verse’s overall meaning.
Reception History
Early Christian writers (e.g., Jerome) interpreted Isaiah 24:6 as prophecy of universal judgment for sin, often linking the 'curse' to Adam’s fall. In the Reformation, Calvin saw the verse as a sobering reminder of God’s wrath against covenant breakers, while Matthew Henry applied it to the destruction of Jerusalem under the Romans. Later, Baptist commentator John Gill connected the 'burned' imagery to the vials of Revelation (16:8), an eschatological reading shared by some prophetic traditions. The verse has been cited in hymns of judgment and in sermons on the remnant, most famously by Charles Spurgeon in his sermons on Isaiah. Across traditions, the verse has served as a warning against presuming on God’s grace and as a pointer to the hope of restoration for the faithful few.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The curse is triggered by covenant breaking, God’s judgment is not arbitrary. Verse 5 identifies the cause: laws transgressed, the everlasting covenant broken. The curse is a direct response to sin (Deuteronomy 28:15).
- The curse consumes completely, The earth is devoured, the inhabitants burned, few left. The verb 'consumes' (אָכְלָה) suggests a fire or a beast that leaves nothing. This is the full weight of divine wrath, in figurative but devastating terms.
- Yet a remnant remains, The last phrase, 'few men are left,' is a thread of hope. Even in the worst judgment, God preserves a seed. This remnant theme runs through Isaiah (6:13; 10:20, 22).
Five-point outline
- The cause: transgression of laws, violation of statutes, broken covenant (v. 5).
- The agent: the curse, God’s pledged judgment activated by disobedience (v. 6a).
- The scope: the earth (אֶרֶץ, land or world) is devoured; all classes suffer (v. 2).
- The severity: the inhabitants are 'burned', consumed by wrath like a forest fire (v. 6b).
- The survival: a remnant, few, but left, pointing to future restoration (v. 6c, cf. 27:12, 13).
Illustration hooks
- A drought in a farming community, A long dry spell withers crops, and livelihoods are lost. Just as the land physically suffers, Isaiah pictures sin bringing a spiritual drought that consumes all joy (v. 7, 9).
- A huge fire that starts from a single match, One spark can consume a forest. The curse is like that spark: the breaking of God’s law sets off a chain of devastation far beyond the original sin.
- The aftermath of a war, Reports of cities reduced to rubble, a few survivors wandering. That stark image mirrors the prophecy’s 'few men left' and reminds us of God’s sobering judgment.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is God unfair to punish so severely?, The verse shows that punishment comes only after persistent covenant breaking (v. 5). God’s judgment is consistently presented as just response, not caprice.
- Does this curse apply to us today?, Christians read this in light of Christ, who bore the curse for us (Galatians 3:13). The passage warns that sin still brings consequences, but believers are under no condemnation (Romans 8:1).
- What does it mean that 'few men are left'?, This is the remnant theme: God never completely destroys. Even in judgment, He saves a people for Himself. It points to the hope of restoration in the new creation.
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the climax of a sweeping judgment prophecy. The core question is: what is the 'curse' that devours the earth, and does the burning describe literal fire or God’s consuming wrath? As you explore the text, consider how the covenant relationship between God and His people provides the framework for understanding divine judgment, and the surprising mercy that preserves a remnant.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What does verse 6 say happens to the earth and its inhabitants? List the three actions described.
- Interpretation: The word 'curse' (אָלָה, ālāh) can also mean 'oath.' How does that double meaning connect to the covenant language in verse 5? (See Deuteronomy 28:15, 20).
- Interpretation: The verb for 'burned' (חָרוּ, chārû) means 'to be hot, scorched, parched.' Barnes and Calvin both read it as a figure for God’s wrath. Why would the prophet choose this word instead of one for destruction by fire?
- Interpretation: Verse 6 ends with 'few men are left.' In the context of Isaiah’s larger message, what does this remnant signify? (Cross-reference Isaiah 10:20, 22; 11:11, 16).
- Application: How does knowing that God judges covenant-breaking sin affect your view of personal and national sin today? Does it make God seem harsh, or does it highlight His holiness?
- Connection to Christ: Galatians 3:13 says 'Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.' How does this New Testament claim shape the way Christians read Isaiah 24:6?
- Hope: Even in this bleak verse, 'few men are left' is a shred of hope. Where do you see glimpses of God’s mercy in the midst of judgment in your own life?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 26:22 | I will send the wild animals among you, which will rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number. Your roads will become desolate. |
| Deuteronomy 4:27 | Yahweh will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where Yahweh will lead you away. |
| Deuteronomy 28:15 | But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come on you and overtake you. |
| Deuteronomy 28:20 | Yahweh will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you put your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the evil of your doings, by which you have forsaken me. |
| Deuteronomy 28:62 | You will be left few in number, even though you were as the stars of the sky for multitude, because you didn’t listen to Yahweh your God’s voice. |
| Deuteronomy 29:22 | The generation to come—your children who will rise up after you, and the foreigner who will come from a far land—will say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses with which Yahweh has made it sick, |
| Deuteronomy 29:28 | Yahweh rooted them out of their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and thrust them into another land, as it is today.” |
| Deuteronomy 30:18 | I declare to you today that you will surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Are burned "Are destroyed" - For חרו charu, read חרבו charebu. See the Septuagint, Syriac, Chaldee and Symmachus.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists that the prophet's language about burning and devouring is figurative, not literal. He rejects a proposed change to the Hebrew text, arguing that the existing words correctly describe the consuming effect of God's wrath like a fire. The result was literally fulfilled when the Babylonian invasion left few survivors.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the Hebrew word for curse in this verse deliberately echoes the curses Moses pronounced in the Law against covenant-breakers. Though God softened the original curse on the ground after Adam's fall, persistent human sin provokes a renewed, visible barrenness, and the inhabitants are consumed as if by fire.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the Hebrew verb usually translated "burned" actually means "to glow" or "be parched," not "burned up." The curse on the earth expresses divine wrath as a drying judgment. The depopulation from prolonged wars is severe but not complete.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that the curse actively devours the earth and its inhabitants, leaving them desolate and burned up. The result is a severe depopulation, with only a few people remaining. This is a direct consequence of divine judgment.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill interprets the curse as a specific judgment for perjury and false swearing, linking it to the notorious oaths broken by popes, cardinals and Jesuit leaders. He sees the resulting desolation, burning and scarcity of survivors as the direct outpouring of God's vial judgments on corrupt religious powers.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the burning of the land pictures God's consuming wrath, either as an internal burning like Job's fever-darkened skin, or as the withering drought that Joel describes consuming the doomed land's harvest.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stresses that the earth itself shares in the curse because it became wicked through human sin. They see the earth mourning like a withered plant, and the curse devours it like fire. The divine law broken here includes the universal covenant with Noah, not just Israel's law, so all humanity is guilty.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Isaiah 24-27 describes the actual end of the world, not any past historical event. He points to the earth's irreversible shaking, judgment on heavenly powers, the abolition of death, and the resurrection of the dead as proof that this prophecy looks beyond this age entirely.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that God's judgment falls without distinction on every rank and station, making the devastation complete. He notes the prophecy piles up image after image to drive home one point: human sin has defiled the earth itself, and the curse consumes everything, leaving only a few survivors.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley links the curse directly to God’s wrath against those who break His law. He reads "burned" not as literal fire but as a vivid picture of being consumed by divine anger, a common biblical image for judgment.