For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing,.... Because of the desolation of them; because no pasture upon them, nor flocks feeding there; or "concerning" them, as the Arabic version; or "upon" them , in order to cause the lamentation to be heard the further; but the former sense seems best, as appears by what follows.
The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read it as an exhortation to others, "take up a weeping": but they are the words of the prophet, declaring what he would do.And for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation; for the cottages of the shepherds, erected for their convenience, to look after their flocks, feeding on the mountains, and in the valleys; for the wilderness does not denote barren places, but pastures:because they are burnt up; by the fire of the Chaldeans, who burnt the cottages, and drove off the cattle:so that none can pass through them; or there is none that passes through; as no inhabitant there, so no passenger that way; which shows how very desolate these places were:neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; the lowing of the oxen, or the bleating of the sheep, there being none to be heard, being all carried off; and indeed no men to hear them, had there been any:both the fowl of the heavens and the beasts are fled, they are gone; or, "from the fowl of the heavens to the beasts", &c.
, the places lying waste and uncultivated; there were no seed for the fowls to pick up, which generally frequent places where there is sowing, and where fruit is brought to perfection; and no pasture for the beasts to feed upon.
Kimchi says these words are an hyperbole. The word hmhb, "beast", being by geometry, or numerically, fifty two, the Jews gather from hence, that for the space of fifty two years no man passed through the land of Judah; which they reckon from the time that Zedekiah was carried captive, to the commandment of Cyrus.
Myrhh le "super montibus", Cocceius; "super montes", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus. hmhb red Mymvh Pwem "ab ave coelorum usque ad bestiam", Schmidt. T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 145. 2. & Gloss. in ib. Vid. T. Bab.
Megilla, fol. 11.