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The prophet has a very startling message to deliver: that God will besiege His own city, the city of David! Before God can make her in truth His own, make her verify her name, He will have to beleaguer and reduce her. For so novel and startling an intimation the prophet pleads a precedent: "City which David" himself "beleaguered." Once before in thy history, ere the first time thou wast made God's own hearth, thou hadst to be besieged. As then, so now. Before thou canst again be a true Ari-El I must "beleaguer thee like David." This reading and interpretation gives to the enigma a reason and a force which it does not otherwise possess.

(Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)

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KJV: Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.

WEB: Woe to Ariel! Ariel, the city where David encamped! Add year to year; let the feasts come around;