Zion’s roads mourn; gates gone; priests and virgins led away

The sense toward the wording is this. The law saying, “Three times in the year every male of yours shall appear before the Lord your God,” those from the people were eager, after the temple was built in Zion from Solomon’s time, to accomplish what was commanded. And the cities of Judea being round about Jerusalem, from everywhere there were roads leading upon Zion. These roads, then, the prophet says mourn because of the captivity—looking gloomy and being in complete desolation—and in those times when there was much gladness and cheerfulness in them, when the Jews from everywhere were hastening unto a feast upon the mountain of Zion. And many being the gates built in Zion from all the quarters, the word says all have been made to vanish, and the priests unable to accomplish the other days—either because they have been taken captive or because there is no one approaching them and requiring the priestly liturgies. But also the virgins of Zion, it says, are being led away—clearly by the conquering enemies.