Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 51:19

"These two things are befallen thee, who shall bemoan thee? desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword; how shall I comfort thee?" — Isaiah 51:19 (ASV)

These two things are come to you – Margin, ‘Happened.’ That is, two sources of calamity have come upon you; namely, famine and the sword, producing desolation and destruction; or desolation by famine, and destruction by the sword (see Lowth on Hebrew Poetry, Lect. xix). The idea here is that far-spread destruction had occurred, caused by the two things: famine and the sword.

Who shall be sorry for you? – That is, who will be so able to pity you as to furnish relief?

Desolation – By famine.

And destruction – Margin, as Hebrew, ‘Breaking.’ This refers to the calamities that would be inflicted by the sword. The land would be desolated, and famine would spread over it. This refers, doubtless, to the series of calamities that would come upon it in connection with the invasion of the Chaldeans.

By whom shall I comfort you? – This intimates a desire on the part of Yahweh to give them consolation. But the idea is that the land would be laid waste, and that those who would have been the natural comforters would be destroyed. There would be no one left to whom they could turn for consolation.