KJV ORIGINAL
The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
The roads are empty and abandoned, travelers have stopped traveling. He has broken his promises, he has shown contempt for the cities, he has no respect for anyone.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse describes a time of complete breakdown where someone in power has broken their word and abandoned all care for people and places.
📚 Historical Context
Isaiah was prophesying during a time when the Assyrian Empire was threatening Judah, likely referring to the Assyrian king Sennacherib who had made and broken treaties with various nations. The 'highways lying waste' reflects the dangerous conditions when military campaigns and political instability made travel unsafe and commerce came to a halt.
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