My people are gone into captivity. — The great captivity of Judah lay as yet far off, but the prophet may be speaking of it as already present in his vision of the future. Probably, however, the disastrous wars of Ahaz had involved many captures of the kind referred to (2 Chronicles 28:5; 2 Chronicles 28:8; 2 Chronicles 28:17-18).
Because they have no knowledge. — Better, and they knew not — i.e., did not foresee that this must be the outcome of their conduct. The “honourable men” and the “multitude” are named as representing all classes of society.