The Meaning of Isaiah 24:18 Explained

Isaiah 24:18

KJV: And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh 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 the earth do shake.

YLT: And it hath come to pass, He who is fleeing from the noise of the fear Doth fall into the snare, And he who is coming up from the midst of the snare, Is captured by the gin, For windows on high have been opened, And shaken are foundations of the land.

Darby: And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the sound of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare; for the windows on high are open, and the foundations of the earth shake.

ASV: And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall come to pass, [that] he who fleeth  from the noise  of the fear  shall fall  into the pit;  and he that cometh 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 the earth  do shake. 

What does Isaiah 24:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 24:14-23 - The Inescapable Penalty Of Sin
There is always a godly remnant, as we are told in Isaiah 24:13, remaining in times of shaking, on the topmost boughs. The survivors who had fled across the seas from the judgments, would adore Jehovah for His goodness and mercy.
The fires of the East are in contrast to the isles of the West, Isaiah 24:15. Perhaps they stand for the fires of tribulation, in which we must glorify God. To whatever part of the earth the fugitives fled, they would be compelled to acknowledge the glory of righteousness, or perhaps of the Righteous One. The dispersion of the Church in the early days carried the message and music of the gospel everywhere. Though we may travel to the limits of sorrow, let us glorify our God.
Note the instability of all earthly things, Isaiah 24:18, etc. Woe to those who trust in them! Remember to build within the borders of the everlasting kingdom of Hebrews 12:23-28. When all the world kingdoms are destroyed, that of Israel, God's ancient choice, shall stand, Isaiah 24:23. May we as the brethren of the King share His glory and reign with Him in those great coming days! In the meanwhile glorify Him in the skies. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 24

1  The doleful judgments of God upon the land
13  A remnant shall joyfully praise him
16  God in his judgments shall advance his kingdom

What do the individual words in Isaiah 24:18 mean?

And it shall be [That] he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit and he who comes up from the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare for the windows from on high are open and are shaken the foundations of the earth
וְֽ֠הָיָה הַנָּ֞ס מִקּ֤וֹל הַפַּ֙חַד֙ יִפֹּ֣ל אֶל־ הַפַּ֔חַת וְהָֽעוֹלֶה֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַפַּ֔חַת יִלָּכֵ֖ד בַּפָּ֑ח כִּֽי־ אֲרֻבּ֤וֹת מִמָּרוֹם֙ נִפְתָּ֔חוּ וַֽיִּרְעֲשׁ֖וּ מ֥וֹסְדֵי אָֽרֶץ

וְֽ֠הָיָה  And  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הַנָּ֞ס  [That]  he  who  flees 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
מִקּ֤וֹל  from  the  noise 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
הַפַּ֙חַד֙  of  the  fear 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּחַד  
Sense: terror, dread.
יִפֹּ֣ל  shall  fall 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַפַּ֔חַת  the  pit 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּחַת  
Sense: pit, hole.
וְהָֽעוֹלֶה֙  and  he  who  comes  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
מִתּ֣וֹךְ  from  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הַפַּ֔חַת  of  the  pit 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּחַת  
Sense: pit, hole.
יִלָּכֵ֖ד  shall  be  caught 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לָכַד  
Sense: to capture, take, seize.
בַּפָּ֑ח  in  the  snare 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּח 
Sense: bird trap, trap, snare.
אֲרֻבּ֤וֹת  the  windows 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֲרֻבָּה  
Sense: lattice, window, sluice.
מִמָּרוֹם֙  from  on  high 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָרֹום  
Sense: height.
נִפְתָּ֔חוּ  are  open 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
וַֽיִּרְעֲשׁ֖וּ  and  are  shaken 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָעַשׁ 
Sense: to quake, shake.
מ֥וֹסְדֵי  the  foundations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֹוסָדָה  
Sense: foundation.
אָֽרֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.