צפניה, פרק ב׳, פסוק ו׳

The bustling coastal land, once thriving with cities and a busy maritime industry, is destined for total ruin. Stripped of its former glory, the entire region, whether the land itself or its prominent coastal city, will be transformed into a desolate, temporary grazing ground meant only for flocks [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם].

The specific nature of these new shepherd settlements is understood in two distinct ways. One perspective suggests that the ruined landscape will become a place where shepherds dig out pits and wells. They will hollow out the earth to create crude shelters for themselves, to uncover water sources, or to safely confine and guard their livestock [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, the focus is on the shepherds gathering together. In this view, the desolate area will become a temporary camp where shepherds meet to prepare their morning bread and share a meal, an act that also serves as a symbol of a peace covenant among them [רש״י, מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].

Alongside these humble shepherd camps, simple fenced enclosures will be built to allow the sheep to rest safely [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Ultimately, the grand states and massive cities that once dominated the coastline will be entirely erased, leaving behind nothing more than the fragile, temporary structures of passing shepherds [אברבנאל].