Therefore has the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
hath
Isaiah 42:24,25 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law…
Deuteronomy 28:15-20 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: …
Deuteronomy 30:18,19 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it…
and few
Leviticus 26:22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.
Deuteronomy 4:27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.
Deuteronomy 28:62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
and its inhabitants must bear the guilt
The inhabitants of the earth are held accountable for their actions, reflecting the biblical principle that sin has consequences. This phrase underscores the personal responsibility of each individual for their sin, as seen in passages like Ezekiel 18:20, which states that the soul who sins shall die. The guilt borne by the inhabitants is not just a legal standing but a moral and spiritual burden that affects their relationship with God and others.
the earth’s dwellers have been burned
This imagery of burning is often associated with purification and judgment in the Bible. It can be seen in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19) and the refining fire mentioned in Malachi 3:2-3. The burning signifies a purging of sin and a foretaste of the final judgment described in 2 Peter 3:10, where the elements will be destroyed by fire. This serves as a warning of the severity of God's judgment against sin.
and only a few survive
The remnant theme is prevalent throughout Scripture, where God preserves a faithful few amidst widespread judgment. This is seen in the story of Noah and the flood (Genesis 6-9), where only Noah's family was saved. The survival of a few highlights God's mercy and faithfulness to His covenant promises, as He always preserves a remnant for Himself. This remnant is often seen as a type of the faithful church, which endures through trials and tribulations, as described in Revelation 7:14.
• The verse opens with “Therefore,” linking it to verse 5 where mankind “has transgressed laws, violated statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.”
• Cause-and-effect is in view: rebellion brings repercussions (Deuteronomy 11:26-28; Romans 5:12).
• God’s judgments never arise in a vacuum; they flow from His unchanging holiness (Psalm 99:4).
• The “curse” goes back to Genesis 3:17, when the ground was cursed because of Adam’s sin.
• Isaiah pictures that original curse now reaching a climactic, worldwide intensity (Romans 8:20-22 describes creation “subjected to futility”).
• Just as Eden’s ground yielded thorns, the whole earth now groans under accumulated sin, showing that moral choices have environmental consequences (Jeremiah 23:10).
• Humanity cannot shift blame; “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4).
• Guilt is personal and corporate: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), yet whole societies can come under collective judgment (Genesis 18:20-21; Jonah 3:8-9).
• Galatians 3:10 warns, “All who rely on works of the law are under a curse,” highlighting that without atonement every person stands liable.
• Fire is a frequent symbol—and sometimes literal tool—of divine judgment (Genesis 19:24; Amos 1:4).
• Isaiah’s wording anticipates future global purging: “The present heavens and earth are reserved for fire” (2 Peter 3:7).
• Revelation 8:7 foretells a judgment where “a third of the earth was burned up,” echoing Isaiah’s imagery and underscoring that such prophecies point to real, forthcoming events.
• God preserves a remnant, a theme woven through Scripture: Noah and seven others (2 Peter 2:5), the 7,000 in Elijah’s day (1 Kings 19:18; Romans 11:4), and the remnant of Israel (Isaiah 10:22).
• Jesus affirmed this narrow way: “Small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:14).
• The survival of a faithful few magnifies both God’s justice and His mercy, proving He never leaves Himself without witnesses (Revelation 7:3-4).
Isaiah 24:6 declares that because humanity has defiantly broken God’s covenant, a literal, worldwide curse devours the earth, its people shoulder undeniable guilt, fiery judgment sweeps through, and yet God in grace preserves a remnant. The verse stands as a sober reminder that sin always brings consequence, creation itself testifies to mankind’s rebellion, and only those who trust the Lord’s provision of salvation will endure.
(6) Therefore hath the curse . . .--The definite article may be either generic, the curse which always follows on evil-doing, or, more specifically, the curse of the Book of the Covenant, as in Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28. The curse is personified as a beast of prey or a consuming fire, ready to devour. (Comp. Genesis 4:7; Genesis 4:11.)They that dwell therein are desolate.--Better, bear their punishment, or are dealt with as guilty.
Are burned.--The word determines, perhaps, the sense of the word "devour" in the previous clause. The curse, the symbol of the wrath of Jehovah, is the consuming fire that burns.
Verse 6. - The curse; rather, a curse. God has pronounced a curse upon the earth on account of man's perversity; and hence the calamities which the earth is about to suffer. Are desolate; rather, are held as guilty (see Zechariah 11:5; and compare the marginal rendering of Psalm 5:10; Psalm 34:21). Are burned; or, scorched - shriveled up by the "burning anger" (Isaiah 30:27)and "fiery indignation" (Hebrews 10:27) of Jehovah.