1 BEHOLD, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. [The Lord seems to be upset in these verses - doesn't sound like something is wrong or just not right here]

2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.

3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: [equivalent to the English "more" or
"very" because he has used the same phrase a couple of times in such a short context . Remember a triple repeat in Hebrew means "most". so we have Isaiah trying to emphasize the scene of absolute desolation.] for the LORD hath spoken this word.

4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, [Compare Hosea 4:1-3 where Hosea states that when the wicked are upon the face of the earth it becomes unproductive. The Lord desires to bless those who keep his commandments and provides no bounty when they do not.] the haughty people of the earth do languish.

5 The earth also is defiled [the reason for the destruction highlighted in vs 1-3] under the inhabitants thereof; [and who defiled it? the people and now we see an explanation of how they did that] because they [1) Israel, 2) all inhabititants of the earth are subject as well. We might ask ourselves why would the Lord punish every one some people do not even know the Law of Moses, but here the Lord is saying that everyone on the earth is at least held to the basic standards under the Noachide covenant imposed on Noah and his offspring applies to all people as all are his descendants Gen. 9:16 describes it as an eternal covenant refered to by Isaiah in 54:9] have [1] transgressed the laws, [2] changed the ordinance, [3] broken the everlasting covenant. [or the Gospel. Joseph Smith interpreted this passage to apply to the Gentiles in general as the gospel had been made available to them under the
New and Everlasting Covenant and they have largely rejected it (TPJS p. 15). Also compare D&C 1:15 and Mormon 8:31. As the conditions of punishment are regulated under some covenant, then the more covenants you are under the more you have at risk as well as to gain.]

6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, [the Lord cleansed the earth once with a flood that covered the whole earth - the next time it will be a cleansing of fire. The first time only those eho were saved were those who entered into the ark, the second time only those who will be saved wre those who can enter his presence.] and few men left.

7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh. [The formerly riotous drunkards are forced to mourn the loss of their elitist lifestyle as famine spreads (cp. 5:9-13)]

8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. [Compare Rev. 18:22]

9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.

10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, [such great destruction that the houses are condemned as living spaces] that no man may come in.

11 There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.

12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction. [Even the gates and doors are battered to uselessness and left that way as there is no one around to fix them]

13 ¶ When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes [denoting a harvest so this is a good sign - It is a harvest of the wicked and the few olives left in the top of the tree are the ones that the harvesters cannot get to. These few remaining in the tree are the righteous remnant. They are also compared to the gleanings, the few grapes left on the vines, after the vintage is gathered. Compare 17:6.] when the vintage is done.

14 ^aThey [the righteous that are left. Now think for a minute about this if your are seeing all of the massive destruction, most likely many people you know are hurting (Remember 911) and you are left and you are singing - what kind of person are you? What kind of belief, hope do you have in the Saviour? just think about it...] shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea. [Remember what the Israelites did as the crossed the Red Sea - singing - using imagery here as it was a pretty glorious day for the Israel then as it will be at this time.]

15 Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea. [this is where scattered Israel is, cp. 11:11, 41:1, 42:4, 51:5, 1 Ne. 22:4, 2 Ne. 10:20-22]

16 ¶ From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, [the righteous that are left are found signing a song with 2 verses as follows] even glory to the righteous. But I said, [verse 1] My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! [Most likely a refrain that says thanks that we are among the redeemed of the Lord] [verse 2] the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. [Those that are wicked have been dealt with by God]

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

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: [in otherword those that try to flee rather that repent will either fall into a pit (symbolic of hell) and die some will fall into the pit but not get hurt only to get out and get caught by the snare. In otherwords there is no escape but to repent] for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.

19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.

20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, [hell] and shall be shut up in the prison, [spirit prison D&C 138:29-32, Isiah 42:5-7, Isiah 49:9-10] and after many days shall they be visited. [the spirit world as a whole is one of imprisonment including both paradise and hell is spirit prison since disembodied spirits cannont gain a fuliness of joy until the ressurrection. It was to the righteous spirits in prison those that were in paradise that the Lord preached while his body was in the tomb (1 Pet. 3:18-21; 4:6 D&C 76:73-74. Those saints were then sent to teach the disobedient and wicked who had rejected the truth.]

23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, [His brightness and glory will put the brightness and glory of these other celestial bodies to shame (cf. D&C 133:49). all of Creation will be deferring to Him at that point] when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.