SUMMARY
These verses are a loosely connected sequence of poetic lines that focuses generally on judgment against Jerusalem and JudahJudah was the name of Jacob's fourth son and one of the 12 tribes. More for their sins.
ANALYSIS
These verses describe judgment in terms of social collapse. The unit begins with God removing “support,” “staff,” “bread,” and “water” (v. 1). The poem goes on to clarify that these symbols from everyday life parallel specific positions in society: warrior, soldier, judge, prophet, diviner, elder, captain, dignitary, counselor, magician, and enchanter.
The people will be without protection, governance, order, or access to divine insight. It is no accident that most of the vacancies are from the divinatory vocations: prophet, diviner, magician, and enchanter. Divine silence will be part of God’s judgment.
Governance and social structure will give way to lawlessness. The people will be oppressed, not by foreign powers but by one another and by the ensuing disorder (v. 5). Desperation for leadership will be so high that people will settle for anyone with a cloak (v. 6).
The desolation that falls on God’s people is not an external intervention—lightning from the clouds, as it were. According to this text, “they have brought it on themselves” (v. 7). The people of God are eating the fruit of their own labors (v. 8). “What their hands have done shall be done to them” (v. 11).
The oracleAn oracle is a divine utterance of guidance, promise, or judgment delivered to humans through an intermediary (who is often also called an oracle). In the Bible oracles are given by Balaam (in the book of Numbers) and by David (in 2 Samuel). A number... More concludes with a series of accusations against “eldersElders are leaders who exercise wisdom or leadership by virtue of their age and experience. In the New Testament elders, along with the chief priests and scribes, constituted the primary opposition to Jesus when he taught in Jerusalem. More and princes” who have “devoured the vineyard,” robbed the “poor” (v. 14), and pressed the “face of the poor” into the ground (v. 15). Those with leadership positions are held particularly accountable.
