The land; rather, the earth. The same word is used as in Isaiah 24:1 (arets). Utterly spoiled; i.e. "wasted by rival armies, which have carried fire and sword over the whole of it." Compare the declaration of our Lord, "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.; all these are the beginning of sorrows" (Matthew 24:6-8).