Art - gone up to the house-tops "Are gone up to the house-tops" - The houses in the east were in ancient times, as they are still, generally, built in one and the same uniform manner. The roof or top of the house is always flat, covered with broad stones, or a strong plaster of terrace, and guarded on every side with a low parapet wall; see Deuteronomy 22:8. The terrace is frequented as much as any part of the house. On this, as the season favors, they walk, they eat, they sleep, they transact business, (1 Samuel 9:25, see also the Septuagint in that place), they perform their devotions Acts 10:9. The house is built with a court within, into which chiefly the windows open: those that open to the street are so obstructed with lattice-work that no one either without or within can see through them. Whenever, therefore, any thing is to be seen or heard in the streets, any public spectacle, any alarm of a public nature, every one immediately goes up to the house-top to satisfy his curiosity. In the same manner, when any one has occasion to make any thing public, the readiest and most effectual way of doing it is to proclaim it from the house-tops to the people in the streets. "What ye hear in the ear, that publish ye on the house-top," saith our Savior, Matthew 10:27. The people running all to the tops of their houses gives a lively image of a sudden general alarm. Sir John Chardin's MS. note on this place is as follows: "Dans les festes pour voir passer quelque chose, et dans les maladies pour les annoncer aux voisins en allumant des lumieres, le peuple monte sur les terrasses." "In festivals, in order to see what is going forward, and in times of sickness, in order to indicate them to neighbors by lighting of candles, the people go up to the house-tops."

A.M.cir.3292. B.C.cir.712
the valley. Jerusalem being situated in the midst of surrounding hills, and the seat of Divine revelation, is here termed 'the valley of vision'. This prophecy foretells the invasion of Jerusalem by the Assyrians under Sennacherib; and probably also, by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar.

Psalm 125:2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from now on even for ever.

of vision

1 Samuel 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

Psalm 147:19,20 He shows his word to Jacob, his statutes and his judgments to Israel...

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he.

Micah 3:6 Therefore night shall be to you, that you shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark to you, that you shall not divine...

Romans 3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that to them were committed the oracles of God.

Romans 9:4,5 Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God...

what

Genesis 21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, What ails you, Hagar? fear not...

Judges 18:23 And they cried to the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said to Micah, What ails you...

1 Samuel 11:5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What ails the people that they weep?...

2 Samuel 14:5 And the king said to her, What ails you? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and my husband is dead.

2 Kings 6:28 And the king said to her, What ails you? And she answered, This woman said to me, Give your son, that we may eat him to day...

Psalm 114:5 What ailed you, O you sea, that you fled? you Jordan, that you were driven back?

that thou. The eastern houses are built with a court within, into which chiefly the windows open; those that open to the street being so obstructed with lattice work, that no one can see through them. Whenever, therefore, anything is to be seen or heard in the streets, any public spectacle, or any alarm, everyone immediately goes up to the house-top to satisfy his curiosity. Hence all the people running to the top of their houses, gives a lively image of a sudden general alarm.

Isaiah 15:3 In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl...

Deuteronomy 22:8 When you build a new house, then you shall make a battlement for your roof, that you bring not blood on your house...

Jeremiah 48:38 There shall be lamentation generally on all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof...

Sennacherib (705-681 B. C. )
The struggle of Sennacherib with Judaea and Egypt--Destruction of Babylon. Sennacherib either failed to inherit his father's good fortune, or lacked his ability.* He was not deficient in military genius, nor in the energy necessary to withstand the various enemies who rose against him at widely removed points of his frontier, but he had neither the adaptability of character nor the delicate tact required to manage successfully the heterogeneous elements combined under his sway. * The two principal …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8