There follow two more rhetorical questions. Both are about the reliability of natural occurrences experienced by the people of Judah. The first is about the snow of Lebanon. Does the snow of Lebanon leave the crags of Sirion?
The implication of the question is that there is a predictability and reliability about the snow that falls on the mountains. This leads to the second question, Do the mountain waters run dry, the cold flowing streams?
The snow that falls melts and provides a constant supply of cool streams of flowing water. The word vanish
which describes what happens to the snow translates a form of the verb azab which means to forsake
and is used to make a deliberate comparison with Judah’s behaviour.1 The melting snow and the cool waters that come from it can be relied upon, but Judah cannot.
There may be another contrast suggested by these questions. Not only is Judah’s behaviour the total opposite to the predictable, faithful streams of cool water that come from the melting snow on the mountains, but this supply of water is ultimately from the Lord and evidence of his faithfulness to the people of Israel. They in turn have been unfaithful and turned to other gods as if these gods provided the water.
13 “Therefore thus says the LORD: Ask among the nations, Who has heard the like of this? The virgin Israel has done a very horrible thing.