But to the land whereunto they desire to return,.... Or, "lift up their soul to return" c: either by making supplication to God, for it, Psalms 25:1; or buoying up themselves with vain hopes, founded upon the declarations of the false prophets, that they should return; and to which no doubt they had a natural desire, and comforted themselves with the hopes of it; but all in vain:
thither shall they not return; for they were to die, as before predicted, in another country, as they did, and never saw their own any more.
c מנשאים את נפשם לשוב שם "elevant animam suam", Vatablus, Pagninus; "tollunt animam suam ut revertantlur eo", Schmidt.