Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 3:26

"And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be desolate and sit upon the ground." — Isaiah 3:26 (ASV)

And her gates - Cities were surrounded with walls and were entered through gates opening into the principal streets. Those gates became, of course, the places of chief confluence and of business; and the expression here means that in all the places of confluence, or amidst the assembled people, there will be lamentation on account of the slain in battle and the loss of their mighty men in war.

And she - Jerusalem is often represented as a female distinguished for beauty. It is here represented as a female sitting in a posture of grief.

Being desolate, shall sit upon the ground - To sit on the ground, or in the dust, was the usual posture of grief and mourning, denoting great depression and humiliation (Lamentations 2:10; Lamentations 3:28; Jeremiah 15:17; Job 3:13; Ezra 9:3–5).

It is a remarkable coincidence that in medals struck by the Romans to commemorate the captivity of Judea and Jerusalem, Judea is represented as a female figure sitting in a posture of grief under a palm tree, with the inscription - "Judea Capta."

The passage here, however, refers not to this Roman captivity, but to the earlier destruction by Nebuchadnezzar.

It is a tender and most affecting image of desolation. During the captivity in Babylon, this prophecy was completely fulfilled; and for many ages since then, Judea could be appropriately represented by a captive female sitting pensively on the ground.