In chapter twenty-four we also see Jehovah's reaction to Israel's degradation.
Jehovah makes the earth desolate and lays it waste; He distorts the surface and scatters its inhabitants (vv. 1, 4). This means that He makes the land of Israel's habitation a chaos.
According to verse 6, a curse devours the earth, and the inhabitants of it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
The city of chaos is broken down, and every house is shut up that none may enter. In the city desolation remains, and the gate is crushed to ruins (vv. 10, 12). This indicates that the entire city is destroyed.
The foundations of the earth shake. The earth is broken asunder, it is split through and through, it is shaken violently, and it staggers back and forth like a drunkard and sways about like a field hut (vv. 18b-20a).
The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, and all the merryhearted sigh (v. 7). The mirth of the tambourines ceases, the noise of those who exult stops, and the mirth of the harp ceases (v. 8). Men do not drink wine in song, and liquor is bitter to those who drink it (v. 9). A cry for wine is in the streets, all joy is darkened, and the mirth of the land is departed (v. 11).