--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The earth lies defiled under its…" description: "\"“The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/crossway-14085_nature_the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabit_1151900.jpg" --- # The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they… ![“The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left.” quote by Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/crossway-14085_nature_the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabit_1151900.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/crossway-14085_nature_the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabit_1151900.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/crossway-14085_nature_the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabit_1151900.jpg) > ““The earth lies defiled         under its inhabitants;     for they have transgressed the laws,         violated the statutes,         broken the everlasting covenant.     6 Therefore a curse devours the earth,         and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;     therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,         and few men are left.”” [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human wrongdoing corrupts the earth, leading to divine punishment and suffering for its people. **In simple terms:** Bad actions damage the world and cause suffering. Key Takeaway Live responsibly to protect the planet. Themes environment morality consequences Mood somber reflective Type moral spiritual When to use this quote - environmental policy - personal ethics - community stewardship Key Concepts covenant divine justice human impact Questions to Reflect On - How do our daily choices affect the Earth? - What can we do to repair damage? A Different Perspective Punishment may not change behavior without repentance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Covenant Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant-curse-3259905/) [Defiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defiled-1305191/) [Defiled Inhabitants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defiled-inhabitants-3259906/) [Earth Inhabitants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-inhabitants-1132670/) [Earth Scorched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-scorched-2616494/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) ## Related quotes > [“Like after a prairie fire...It seems like the end of the world. The earth is all scorched and black and everything green is gone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celeste-ng/like-after-a-prairie-fire-it-seems-like-the-end-of-the-world-the/) [Celeste Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celeste-ng/) > [And the skies shall be set ablaze with fire, and darkness shall seethe with flames. And the land with burn, and the earth will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-the-skies-shall-be-set-ablaze-with-fire-and-darkness-shall-seethe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If the earth does grow inhospitable toward human presence, it is primarily because we have lost our sense of courtesy toward the earth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/if-the-earth-does-grow-inhospitable-toward-human-presence-it-is/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [Most of the earth's inhabitants work to get by. They work because they have to. They didn't pick this or that kind of job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wislawa-szymborska/most-of-the-earth-s-inhabitants-work-to-get-by-they-work-because-they/) [Wislawa Szymborska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wislawa-szymborska/) > [Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah/therefore-a-curse-consumes-the-earth-its-people-must-bear-their-guilt/) [Isaiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah/) > [I don’t know how to save the world. I don’t have the answers or The Answer. I hold no secret knowledge as to how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/i-don-t-know-how-to-save-the-world-i-don-t-have-the-answers-or-the/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [The real survivors are the Earth inhabitants that have lived millions of years without consuming their ecological capital, the base from which all abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/the-real-survivors-are-the-earth-inhabitants-that-have-lived-millions/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) > [Once you are defiled, you won't get back your purity by any means, instead, you will only look for ways to be defiled over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/once-you-are-defiled-you-won-t-get-back-your-purity-by-any-means/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [They that touch pitch will be defiled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/they-that-touch-pitch-will-be-defiled/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Once you are defiled, you can't get back your purity by any means, instead, you will only look for ways to be defiled over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/once-you-are-defiled-you-can-t-get-back-your-purity-by-any-means/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“O Lord, turned me back upon myself. You took me from behind my own back, where I had placed myself because I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/o-lord-turned-me-back-upon-myself-you-took-me-from-behind-my-own-back/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [“No, I don't think I've been defiled. But I haven't been saved, either. There's nobody who can save me right now, Mr. Wind-Up Bird.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/no-i-don-t-think-i-ve-been-defiled-but-i-haven-t-been-saved-either/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [We are a water-drinking people, and we are allowing every brook to be defiled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bird-grinnell/we-are-a-water-drinking-people-and-we-are-allowing-every-brook-to-be/) [George Bird Grinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bird-grinnell/) > [In truth, it is I who have defiled myself, for one is one s own fiercest enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ding-ling/in-truth-it-is-i-who-have-defiled-myself-for-one-is-one-s-own/) [Ding Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ding-ling/) > [He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/he-that-toucheth-pitch-shall-be-defiled-therewith/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More by Crossway > [“When he killed them, they sought him;         they repented and sought God earnestly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/when-he-killed-them-they-sought-him-they-repented-and-sought-god/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/to-him-who-loves-us-and-has-freed-us-from-our-sins-by-his-blood/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [ “therefore thus says the Lord GOD,     “Behold, I am the one who has laid \[3\] as a foundation in Zion,         a stone, a tested stone,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/therefore-thus-says-the-lord-god-behold-i-am-the-one-who-has-laid-3/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“7It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/7it-was-not-because-you-were-more-in-number-than-any-other-people/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“You keep him in perfect peace         whose mind is stayed on you,         because he trusts in you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/you-keep-him-in-perfect-peace-whose-mind-is-stayed-on-you-because-he/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high;         he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness,     6 and he will be the stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/the-lord-is-exalted-for-he-dwells-on-high-he-will-fill-zion-with/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“Gladden the soul of your servant,         for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.     5 For you, O Lord, are good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/gladden-the-soul-of-your-servant-for-to-you-o-lord-do-i-lift-up-my/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“Love Your Enemies 27“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/love-your-enemies-27-but-i-say-to-you-who-hear-love-your-enemies-do/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“The living, the living, he thanks you,         as I do this day;     the father makes known to the children         your faithfulness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/the-living-the-living-he-thanks-you-as-i-do-this-day-the-father-makes/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,         and I will glorify your name forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/i-give-thanks-to-you-o-lord-my-god-with-my-whole-heart-and-i-will/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“6“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/6-for-you-are-a-people-holy-to-the-lord-your-god-the-lord-your-god/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“Behold my servant, whom I uphold,         my chosen, in whom my soul delights;     I have put my Spirit upon him;         he will bring forth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/behold-my-servant-whom-i-uphold-my-chosen-in-whom-my-soul-delights-i/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“They remembered that God was their rock,         the Most High God their redeemer.     36 But they flattered him with their mouths;         they lied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/they-remembered-that-god-was-their-rock-the-most-high-god-their/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“You are not your own, 20for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/you-are-not-your-own-20for-you-were-bought-with-a-price-so-glorify/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“If I were hungry, I would not tell you,         for the world and its fullness are mine.     13 Do I eat the flesh of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/if-i-were-hungry-i-would-not-tell-you-for-the-world-and-its-fullness/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) [Explore all 48 Crossway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) ## More Nature quotes > [It is indeed a surprising and fortunate fact that nature can be expressed by relatively low-order mathematical functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-carnap/it-is-indeed-a-surprising-and-fortunate-fact-that-nature-can-be/) [Rudolf Carnap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-carnap/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“Men mistook measurement for understanding. And they always had to put themselves at the center of everything. That was their greatest conceit. The earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/men-mistook-measurement-for-understanding-and-they-always-had-to-put/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“She was, he knew- and had known very early, he supposed- one of those rare and always lovely humans whose moral nature was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/she-was-he-knew-and-had-known-very-early-he-supposed-one-of-those/) [John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/) > [“When the water covers the earth the sun will vanish the darkess and the cold will come.When the last dragon and the last Elf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvana-de-mari/when-the-water-covers-the-earth-the-sun-will-vanish-the-darkess-and/) [Silvana de Mari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvana-de-mari/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [“It is not the force of the wind, but the depth of the roots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/it-is-not-the-force-of-the-wind-but-the-depth-of-the-roots/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) [Browse all 47,383 Nature quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The earth lies defiled         under its inhabitants;     for they have transgressed the laws,         violated the statutes,         broken the everlasting covenant.     6 Therefore a curse devours the earth,         and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;     therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,         and few men are left.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Crossway" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabitants-for-they-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Nature" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabitants-for-they-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/crossway-14085_nature_the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabit_1151900.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/crossway-14085_nature_the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabit_1151900.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c3/crossway-14085_nature_the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabit_1151900.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes…” — Crossway", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Crossway", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The earth lies defiled         under its...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabitants-for-they-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/the-earth-lies-defiled-under-its-inhabitants-for-they-have/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```