“Yes!
O people in Zion!
Inhabitants of Jerusalem!
You shall weep no more!
He will surely be gracious to you
At the sound of your cry.
When he hears it,
He will answer you.
Even though Yahweh may give you
The bread of adversity
With the water of affliction,
Yet your teacher
Will not hide himself any more.
But your eyes shall see your teacher.
When you turn to the right
Or when you turn to the left,
Your ears shall hear
A word behind you,
Saying.
‘This is the way!
Walk in it!’
Then you will defile
Your silver-covered idols.
Then you will defile
Your gold-plated images.
You will scatter them
Like filthy rags.
You will say to them.
‘Away with you!’”
This seems to be an oracle from the time of the Exile about the future restoration of Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem will weep no more, because Yahweh will be gracious to their cry and answer them. There will be adversity and affliction. However, your teacher will no longer hide himself from you as you will be able to see him. This teacher may have been a prophet. Then as you turn to the right or the left, you will hear his words from behind you telling you the correct way to walk on the straight path. That is when you will defile the silver and golden idols and images that you had. You will scatter them like filthy rages as you will throw them away. Apparently idol worship was prevalent in Jerusalem itself.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 