“As for you also,
Because of the blood
Of my covenant
With you,
I will set your prisoners free
From the waterless pit.
Return to your stronghold!
O prisoners of hope!
Today I declare
That I will restore to you double.
I have bent Judah
As my bow.
I have made Ephraim
Its arrow.
I will arouse your sons!
O Zion!
Against your sons,
O Greece!
I will wield you
Like a warrior’s sword.”
In this oracle, Yahweh said that he was going to free the prisoners from their dungeons or waterless pits, because of the covenant or blood treaty that he had with Israel. Perhaps, this is an allusion to the Temple sacrifices. The former prisoners of hope or captives would return to their stronghold, since Yahweh was going to double what they had before. He was going to use Judah in the south and Ephraim in the north as a bow and arrow against other countries, such as Greece. Yahweh was going to wield them like a warrior’s sword.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 