6. Why does Jehovah withdraw his blessing from the land?

⁶ In order that there be no misunderstanding, Isaiah describes the completeness of this coming disaster and explains the reason for it: “The land has gone to mourning, has faded away. The productive land has withered, has faded away. The high ones of the people of the land have withered. And the very land has been polluted under its inhabitants, for they have bypassed the laws, changed the regulation, broken the indefinitely lasting covenant. That is why the curse itself has eaten up the land, and those inhabiting it are held guilty. That is why the inhabitants of the land have decreased in number, and very few mortal men have remained over.” (Isaiah 24:4-6) When the Israelites were given the land of Canaan, they found it to be “a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Deuteronomy 27:3) Still, they continued to be dependent on Jehovah’s blessing. If they faithfully kept his statutes and commandments, the land would “give its yield,” but if they bypassed his laws and commandments, their efforts to cultivate the land would be “expended for nothing” and the earth would “not give its yield.” (Leviticus 26:3-5, 14, 15, 20) Jehovah’s curse would ‘eat up the land.’ (Deuteronomy 28:15-20, 38-42, 62, 63) Judah must now expect to experience that curse.

 8. (a) How have the people “bypassed the laws” and “changed the regulation”? (b) In what ways are “the high ones” the first to ‘wither’?

⁸ But the people have “broken the indefinitely lasting covenant.” They have bypassed the divinely given laws, ignoring them. They have “changed the regulation,” following legal practices different from those that Jehovah gave. (Exodus 22:25; Ezekiel 22:12) Hence, the people will be removed from the land. No mercy will be shown in the coming judgment. Among the first to ‘wither’ because of Jehovah’s withdrawing his protection and favor will be “the high ones,” the nobility. In fulfillment of this, as the destruction of Jerusalem approaches, first the Egyptians and then the Babylonians make Judean kings their vassals. Subsequently, King Jehoiachin and other members of the royal family are among the first ones taken into Babylonian captivity.​—2 Chronicles 36:4, 9, 10.