Relying on illusions and false promises inevitably leads to a painful collision with reality. Throughout history, the tragic pursuit of deceptive guidance has left people vulnerable, stripped of direction and hope.
The primary approach among commentators views this tragedy through the lens of the era preceding the national destruction. During that time, the people turned to human-shaped idols used for fortune-telling through witchcraft [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ] and sought the guidance of astrologers and stargazers [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם]. These false prophets, sorcerers, and dreamers offered empty visions of falsehood and chaos [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. They planted false hopes of peace within the nation, which ultimately caused the people to rebel against God [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. When the true prophecies of both destruction and eventual comfort are finally fulfilled, it will become undeniably clear that those early assurances were nothing but empty, false comforts [רד״ק]. This pattern of deception is also expected to repeat in the era just before the arrival of the Messiah, when deceivers will spread illusions until the people finally recognize the falsehood of their words [מלבי״ם].
The pursuit of these empty promises brought swift punishment. Stripped of their land, the Israelites were forced into exile, driven away like a wandering flock of sheep [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. In their displacement, they endured severe affliction, subjugation, and oppression at the hands of their enemies [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This profound vulnerability stemmed directly from the absence of a wise and capable leader who could guide them on the path of Torah and reason [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, מצודת ציון].
In stark contrast to the primary approach, other commentators shift both the historical context and the nature of the events. One perspective places the focus on the Hasmonean wars. In this view, the empty comforts are the taunts of the enemies claiming that Israel will never find a savior. Driven by this despair, the Israelites fled Jerusalem. Rather than describing physical subjugation, the narrative highlights their response: when questioned about their retreat, they simply answered that they were fleeing because they had no leader [אבן עזרא].
Another unique interpretation redirects the focus entirely toward the nations of the world, such as the Greeks. According to this approach, the idols and sorcerers belong to the enemy forces, falsely promising their armies victory over Israel. When these foreign armies inevitably fail, it is the enemies who retreat in powerlessness. Their sorcerers will be forced to admit their failure, answering that their downfall occurred because they no longer have a guiding shepherd. This signifies that their spiritual guardian in heaven has lost its strength, as God dismantles the heavenly powers of the opposing nations during the ultimate redemption [אברבנאל].