Isaiah 24:10

The city of confusion - That Jerusalem is here intended there can be no doubt. The name 'city of confusion.' is probably given to it by anticipation of what it would be; that is, as it appeared in prophetic vision to Isaiah (see the note at Isaiah 1:1). He gave to it a name that would describe its state when these calamities should have come upon it. The word rendered 'confusion' (תהו tôhû) does not denote disorder or anarchy, but is a word expressive of emptiness, vanity, destitution of form, waste. It occurs Genesis 1:2 : 'And the earth was without form.' In Job 26:7, it is rendered 'the empty place;' in 1 Samuel 12:21; Isaiah 45:18-19, 'in vain;' and usually 'emptiness,' 'vanity', 'confusion' (see Isaiah 24:10; Isaiah 40:17; Isaiah 41:29). In Job 12:24; Psalm 107:40, it denotes a wilderness. Here it means that the city would be desolate, empty, and depopulated.

Is broken down - Its walls and dwellings are in ruins.

Every house is shut up - That is, either because every man, fearful of danger, would fasten his doors so that enemies could not enter; or more probably, the entrance to every house would be so obstructed by ruins as to render it impossible to enter it.

24:10 The city - Jerusalem, and other cities; for the singular word may be here taken collectively. A city of confusion or disorder, breaking all the laws and orders which God had established among them.Shut up - Because the inhabitants are either dead, or gone into captivity.