ישעיהו, פרק ס״ד, פסוק ט׳

A desperate plea is directed toward God, begging Him to look upon His people and witness the complete devastation of the places once sanctified in His name [אבן עזרא]. The destruction unfolds in a devastating progression, escalating from the general cities of the land inward to the most central and sacred focal points [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The ruin begins with the cities across the entire Land of Israel, as the very soil of the land itself is holy [שד״ל]. Originally, these cities were meant to be places of spiritual purity under God's careful providence, yet they have been reduced to a barren wasteland [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].

From there, the devastation moves deeper to Zion, the seat of the Sanhedrin from which Torah instruction flowed to the people, which has also been left like a desert. Ultimately, the destruction reaches Jerusalem, the historical center of prophecy. Its ruin goes far beyond physical rubble; it represents a profound spiritual collapse where prophets can no longer find vision from God [מלבי״ם].

The true measure of this desolation is not found in broken buildings alone. Even if other nations were to conquer and rebuild Jerusalem in the aftermath, the city remains fundamentally ruined and empty as long as the people of Israel do not live there. This profound emptiness persists continuously as long as its true inhabitants remain in exile [רד״ק].