26 Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.
(Verse 26.) Disturbance will come upon disturbance, and hearing upon hearing. LXX: Woe upon woe will be, and message upon message. Just as it is said to the saints: Rejoice, again I say rejoice (Philippians IV, 2); and concerning them it is written: They will go from strength to strength (Psalm LXXXIII, 8), so that present good things may abound with future good things: likewise, for those upon whom distress comes, and who sought peace but did not find it, disturbance will come upon disturbance, or woe upon woe, as it is also written in the Apocalypse: woe has gone away, and woe will come quickly (Apocalypse IX, 12). And news will come upon news, and message upon message; according to the blessed Job: While one was still speaking, another messenger came (Job 1:16), increasing evils with evils, and describing the noise and tumult of approaching Babylonians.
And they will seek a vision from the Prophet: and the law will perish from the Priest, and counsel from the elders. Specifically, each individual seeks specific things. The prophet seeks the prophecy of the future. The interpretation of the law is the duty of the priest. The prudent counsel is sought by those of mature age; according to what is written: In the counsel of the saints (or the just) and the assembly, are the great works of the Lord (Ps. CX, 1, 2). However, these things were not only sought by the prophets, priests, and elders when the Babylonian army came against Jerusalem, but they are sought daily in the churches. But if they have lost sight, law, and counsel, in vain do they boast of having prophets, priests, and elders.
[AD 420] Jerome on Ezekiel 7:26
And they will seek a vision from the Prophet: and the law will perish from the Priest, and counsel from the elders. Specifically, each individual seeks specific things. The prophet seeks the prophecy of the future. The interpretation of the law is the duty of the priest. The prudent counsel is sought by those of mature age; according to what is written: In the counsel of the saints (or the just) and the assembly, are the great works of the Lord (Ps. CX, 1, 2). However, these things were not only sought by the prophets, priests, and elders when the Babylonian army came against Jerusalem, but they are sought daily in the churches. But if they have lost sight, law, and counsel, in vain do they boast of having prophets, priests, and elders.