Verse 4: “I will set young ones to be their rulers, pranksters shall rule over them.”

Young ones: The youth. Instead of elders, experienced people, God is going to give them inexperienced people to lead them.

Their: God has removed His presence from them, but even in His language He is distancing Himself from them. He is not speaking to them directly but is speaking about them.

Babes: Literally: Prankster. A jester. Someone who behaves very immaturely and someone who does not take things seriously.


Verse 5: “The people will be oppressed, a man against a man and a man against his neighbour; the child will be insolent toward the elder, and frivolous toward the honourable.”

Insolent: Not showing respect or honour. This leadership does not recognize the qualities that the Torah sees as significant or as preferable, that which has value. They set aside the standards that God has set for a society. As a result, this society becomes one that is in conflict with the righteousness of the law (Romans 8:4).

Frivolous toward the honourable: This society is going to plummet into chaos.

Verse 6: “For a man will see his brother in the house of his father and will say: ‘You have a garment, you be our ruler, let this stumbling block be under your hand’.”

See (and take hold of) his brother in the house of his father: Within the individual households there is going to be desperation. When there is improper leadership in a society it is going to affect individual homes, it will impact family.

Garment: A mantle. This mantle was an instrument or a symbol of authority (2 Kings 2:8-14).

Ruler: A word in Hebrew today that refers to a military officer.

Stumbling block: Society (In Jerusalem and Judah) was spiritually, socially and economically failing.

Verse 7: “He will lift up, on that day, an objection saying: ‘I cannot cure your ills. For in my house there is neither bread nor garment. Do not put me as an official of the people.’”

Lift up… an objection: He is going to protest. He will not want this leadership position as he will not want to be the one to solve this problem.

Do not put me as an official: The situation is so dire that no one wants to run for office, so to speak. Those who could have been leaders in the past feel that have nothing to give (no bread) and that they have no authority (no garment/mantle). Why is the situation so dire?
Because God, the Lord Almighty, has removed Himself from society. These people are now making their decisions on what they think is right, but it is not based on revelation from the Lord. As a result, chaos ensues.

Verse 8: “For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because their tongue and their deeds before the Lord are rebellious before the eyes of His glory.”

Tongue: This relates to their words.

Rebellious: They are acting in opposition to God in their words and by their deeds.

Before the eyes of His glory: God sees what they are doing and it is an affront before His glory.

Verse 9: “The look on their faces testifies against them of, their sin which is like Sodom they announce; they do not hide it. Woe to their soul! They have brought evil upon themselves.”

Their sin … they announce: They enjoy their sin. They are not ashamed of it and nor do they cover it up.

Woe: How awful it is going to be for them if they do not change. This is a word of Divine threat or warning.

They have brought evil upon themselves: God is not acting out of revenge but out of retribution (payback). He is giving them the wages that they have earned. Their behaviour has natural consequences. Their offenses affect their own bodies, they receive in themselves the penalty of their error (Romans 1:27).