Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.

ISAIAH 24:17KJV
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Isaiah 24:17 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 24:17 mean?

Isaiah 24:17 warns that fear, a pit, and a snare are coming upon everyone living on the earth. The verse paints a picture of unavoidable danger and judgment that will affect all people, not just a specific group.

Isaiah is speaking to the "inhabitants of the earth" as part of a larger prophecy about coming judgment and devastation. The language suggests a series of escalating troubles—first fear, then falling into a pit, and finally being trapped in a snare—showing that escape will be nearly impossible. This verse is part of a passage where Isaiah describes a time of worldwide upheaval and distress.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 24:17

  • "Fear" (פַּחַד, pachad, H6343) means terror or dread. Its use here emphasizes the overwhelming sense of alarm that will grip people.
  • "Pit" (פַּחַת, pachat, H6354) refers to a literal or figurative trap or hole in the ground. It suggests a hidden danger that people might stumble into while trying to escape.
  • "Snare" (פַּח, pach, H6341) is a word for a trap used to catch animals, highlighting the idea of being caught unexpectedly.
  • "Inhabitant" (יָשַׁב, yashav, H3427) means someone who dwells or lives in a place. Here, it makes clear that this warning is for all people, not just Israel.
  • "Earth" (אֶרֶץ, erets, H776) can mean land or the whole earth. In this context, it points to a global scope for the judgment Isaiah describes.

Why Isaiah 24:17 matters

  • Isaiah 24:17 clarifies that the coming judgment is not limited to a single nation but is aimed at all humanity, stressing the universal scope of the prophecy.
  • The verse highlights how, in times of judgment, each attempt to escape one danger may lead directly into another, underlining the inescapable nature of what is coming.
  • This verse sets the tone for the surrounding passage, helping readers understand the seriousness and totality of the upheaval Isaiah is describing.

Where else these words appear

“pit” Hebrew H6354 · used in 8 verses

  • 2 Samuel 17:9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.
  • Isaiah 24:18 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.
  • Jeremiah 48:43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD.

“snare” Hebrew H6341 · used in 25 verses

  • Exodus 39:3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.
  • Psalms 119:110 The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.
  • Isaiah 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

“Fear” Hebrew H6343 · used in 48 verses

  • Genesis 31:42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
  • Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
  • Psalms 105:38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.