A dramatic shift in power and fortune awaits, painting a picture of total social reversal where the oppressed inherit the earth, or nature reclaims the ruins of corrupt empires.
The primary approach among commentators views this vision as a moral and social allegory. The righteous, the poor, and the vulnerable, who were previously driven from their homes by cruel oppressors, are likened to a gentle flock. In the future, these innocent people will live in perfect peace, conducting themselves with their usual honesty and enjoying the comforting promises once made to them [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודות]. Conversely, a more literal reading suggests that the once bustling, corrupt cities will be completely destroyed and transformed into quiet pastures. Real sheep will graze freely in these ruins, wandering comfortably as though the fallen cities were always their natural feeding grounds [שד״ל, אבן עזרא, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
The ultimate fate of the wealthy and wicked is woven into the ruins of their own luxury. Following the allegorical path, the destroyed, opulent mansions of the corrupt elite will be left behind for the taking. Homeless wanderers, the very same righteous poor who were displaced by the rich, will return to consume what remains and rightfully inherit these grand estates [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודות, שד״ל]. Other scholars interpret these wanderers differently, viewing them as foreign invaders or even wild animals overrunning the desolate land. These foreign forces will either consume the remaining livestock [אבן עזרא] or plunder the hidden treasures left behind in the ruined mansions, discovering wealth as rich and hidden as the fatty marrow inside a bone [אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
A unique perspective presents the prophecy as a parable of two sheep. One is accustomed to finding its own food in a simple field, while the other is heavily fattened at a feeding trough [מלבי״ם]. When a severe famine strikes, the ordinary sheep knows how to survive, while the pampered, fattened sheep quickly perishes. In this view, the coming drought will specifically dry up the very bones and marrow of the overfed flock. The underlying message is that when God ultimately restores true justice, simple, hardworking people will easily find their livelihood and continue their lives as usual. However, the wealthy elite, who grew comfortable living off theft and corruption, will suddenly lose their stolen resources, leaving them to wither and fade away.