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The Oracle of the Valley of Vision
v. 1. The burden of the Valley of Vision, literally, "of the Valley of Visions," that is, Jerusalem, where God vouchsafed revelations and visions in larger number than elsewhere, for which reason Jerome called the city the nursery of prophets: What aileth thee now, the people of Jerusalem being addressed here collectively, as one person, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops? the former insolence of the inhabitants having been changed to terror and panic.
v. 2. Thou that art, rather, "wert," full of stirs, of noisy and joyful tumult and excitement, a tumultuous city, a joyous city, a fortress filled with jubilating people, thy slain men are not slain with the sword, in open and honorable warfare, nor dead in battle, rather by the famine and pestilence caused by the siege of the city which the prophet sees before the eyes of his mind. The reference is probably to the time of Sennacherib, when the Assyrians overran the country and a secret understanding with Egypt was being prepared.
v. 3. All thy rulers, the officers of the Jewish army, are fled together, they are bound by the archers, taken captive with ease, because they are without weapons, they do not even draw a bow to defend themselves; all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far, having come a long distance to find security in the capital, but sadly disappointed in their hopes. All this fills the prophet with deep grief.
v. 4. Therefore said I, Look away from me, leaving him alone in his deep mourning; I will weep bitterly, literally, "that I may be bitter in my weeping. " Labor not to comfort me, such attempts being resented by him, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people, since Jerusalem, the daughter of Zion, is so deeply humiliated by the enemy.
v. 5. For it is a day of trouble, of noisy tumult, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord God of hosts In the Valley of Vision, in the entire city of Jerusalem, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains, the mournful cries re-echoing among the hills.
v. 6. And Elam, the warriors of the country east of the lower Tigris, later a province of Persia, bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, as a part of the Assyrian army, and Kir, another country subject to Assyria, between the Caspian and the Black Sea, uncovered the shield, by taking off its leather covering in preparation for the battle. Thus the coming of Israel's enemies is described.
v. 7. And it shall come to pass that thy choicest valleys, the most fruitful sections of Judah, shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate, ready to storm the city. Meanwhile the people of the city are aroused to the danger which is threatening them.
v. 8. And He, the Lord God, discovered the covering of Judah, taking from the inhabitants of the country the veil which caused their blindness, and thou, Judah, didst look in that day to the armor of the house of the forest, examining the weapons stored in the great armory built by Solomon, 1Ki_7:2; 1Ki_10:17-21.
v. 9. Ye have seen also the breaches of the City of David, where the fortifications were in poor condition, that they are many; and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool, getting ready to withstand a siege. Cf 2Ki_20:20; 2Ch_32:3-5.
v. 10. And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, examining them for purposes of defense, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall, repairing the breaches of the walls with the stones from the houses razed with that object in mind.
v. 11. Ye made also a ditch between the two walls, those of the city proper and of the fortress, for the water of the old pool, also known as the upper pool, west of the city, thus making careful provisions for all emergencies, as they thought; but ye have not looked unto the Maker thereof, neither had respect unto Him that fashioned it long ago; in their calculations and plans they disregarded the Lord altogether, although it was He at whose command the defenses were originally made and who caused the fountains to flow; it was He also who was preparing a severe punishment upon Jerusalem.
v. 12. And in that day did the Lord God of hosts, the mighty Commander of the heavenly armies, call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, the artificial baldness which was a sign of grief, and to girding with sackcloth, urging the people to give evidence of the sorrow and grief of their hearts in this manner;
v. 13. and, behold, instead of such repentance and mourning, joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine, in obstinate and reckless revelry: Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die, such being the invitation with which the sinful Jews urged one another to a shameful disregard of the Lord's call through His faithful prophets.
v. 14. And It was revealed In mine ears by the Lord of hosts, who, in His word to the prophet, makes Himself known, reveals His will, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, death being the sentence of God upon the willful sinner, saith the Lord God of hosts. The idea of death, eternal death, as a form of punishment, is by no means found only in the New Testament, but is plainly shown in the Old Testament as well.