ישעיהו, פרק ו׳, פסוק י״ב

The impending national tragedy goes far beyond a simple defeat or a temporary departure from the homeland. It is a complete uprooting designed to sever any lingering hope of a quick return. The warnings of a sweeping removal of people do not refer to the human race as a whole, but serve as a collective description specifically for the Israelites [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].

The primary approach among commentators is that God will drive the people into an exile that is incredibly far away [אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This severe distancing is meant to shatter a comforting illusion held by the nation. They might have hoped to be relocated somewhere nearby, allowing for an easy and swift return to their homes. Instead, God will banish them to the distant corners of the earth, a reality that ultimately unfolds with the exile of the Ten Tribes to Assyria and the exile of Judah to Babylon [רד״ק, מלבי״ם, צאינה וראינה]. However, an alternative perspective suggests that this intense distancing does not refer to a foreign exile at all. Rather, it describes a tragic reality within the borders of the homeland. The population will diminish so drastically that the survivors will be scattered widely across the country. People will find themselves living far apart from one another, leaving each individual profoundly isolated and alone [שד״ל].

The inevitable result of this removal is a profound state of abandonment throughout the country. Widespread desolation will take hold, leaving behind countless deserted places and a sense of complete lawlessness [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. As the country empties of its inhabitants, even the poorest citizens who are initially left behind to work the soil will eventually give up and leave of their own accord [מלבי״ם]. This immense emptiness is not only a measure of how many places are deserted, but also a measure of time. The land is destined to remain in this abandoned, desolate state for a very long and drawn-out period [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].