Discovery BoxIsaiah 24:19-20 
Context24:19 The earth is broken in pieces,
the earth is ripped to shreds,
the earth shakes violently. 1
24:20 The earth will stagger around 2 like a drunk;
it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. 3
Its sin will weigh it down,
and it will fall and never get up again.
1 tn Once more repetition is used to draw attention to a statement. In the Hebrew text each lines ends with אֶרֶץ (’erets, “earth”). Each line also uses a Hitpolel verb form from a geminate root preceded by an emphatic infinitive absolute.
2 tn Heb “staggering, staggers.” The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute before the finite verb for emphasis and sound play.
3 tn The words “in a windstorm” are supplied in the translation to clarify the metaphor.
