And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls,.... Denoting a large increase of inhabitants, in a literal sense; and may spiritually signify the large numbers of converts, of new born babes, who are regenerated by the grace and Spirit of God, and are accounted of by the Lord for a generation:
playing the streets thereof; being in health and rigour, and in great security. The Targum renders it, "singing" or "praising in the spacious places thereof"; singing the praises of God in Gospel strains; saying their Hosannas to the Son of David; rejoicing in the great salvation by Christ, and magnifying the grace of God, and setting forth the glories of it in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; see
Matthew 11:16. In Jerusalem, literally taken, there were various streets, besides the street of the temple, which led to it,
Ezra 10:9 mention is made of others in Jewish writings, as of the upper street k, and of the street of the butchers, and of the street of those that dealt in wool l.
k Misn. Shekalim, c. 8. sect. 1. l Misn. Erubin, c. 10. sect. 9.