Isaiah 22:1

The burden of the valley of vision Or, The Oracle "Valley of Vision." The heading (prefixed by an editor) is taken from a phrase in Isaiah 22:5 (see the note).

What aileth thee now Better: What meanest thou, I wonder (cf. ch. Isaiah 3:15).

gone up to the housetops cf. ch. Isaiah 15:3; Judges 16:27; Nehemiah 8:16. The flat roofs of the houses are thronged by excited citizens keeping holiday, perhaps watching some public spectacle. The prophet, wandering disconsolate through the streets, ironically inquires the reason of this unseasonable demonstration.