Ezekiel 19
Commentary from 1 father
and say, Why is thy mother become a whelp in the midst of lions? in the midst of lions she has multiplied her whelps.
καὶ ἐρεῖς· τί ἡ μήτηρ σου; σκύμνος· ἐν μέσῳ λεόντων ἐγενήθη, ἐν μέσῳ λεόντων ἐπλήθυνε σκύμνους αὐτῆς.
и҆ рече́ши: почто̀ ма́ти твоѧ̀ льви́ца средѣ̀ львѡ́въ почѝ, посредѣ̀ львѡ́въ ᲂу҆мно́жи льви̑чища своѧ̑;
And one of her whelps sprang forth; he became a lion, and learned to take prey, he devoured men.
καὶ ἀπεπήδησεν εἷς τῶν σκύμνων αὐτῆς, λέων ἐγένετο καὶ ἔμαθε τοῦ ἁρπάζειν ἁρπάγματα, ἀνθρώπους ἔφαγε.
И҆ ѿскочѝ є҆ди́нъ ѿ льви́чищъ є҆ѧ̀ и҆ бы́сть ле́въ, и҆ наꙋчи́сѧ восхища́ти восхищє́нїѧ и҆ человѣ́ки снѣдѐ.
And the nations heard a report of him; he was caught in their pit, and they brought him into the land of Egypt in chains.
καὶ ἤκουσαν κατ’ αὐτοῦ ἔθνη, ἐν τῇ διαφθορᾷ αὐτῶν συνελήφθη, καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν ἐν κημῷ εἰς γῆν Αἰγύπτου.
И҆ слы́шаша ѡ҆ не́мъ ꙗ҆зы́цы, и҆ ꙗ҆́тъ бы́сть въ растлѣ́нїи и҆́хъ, и҆ приведо́ша є҆го̀ во ᲂу҆здѣ̀ во є҆гѵ́петъ.
And she saw that he was driven away from her, [and] her hope of him] perished, and she took another of her whelps; she made him a lion.
καὶ εἶδεν ὅτι ἀπῶσται ἀπ’ αὐτῆς, ἀπώλετο ἡ ὑπόστασις αὐτῆς, καὶ ἔλαβεν ἄλλον ἐκ τῶν σκύμνων αὐτῆς, λέοντα ἔταξεν αὐτόν,
И҆ ви́дѣ, ꙗ҆́кѡ ѿведе́нъ бы́сть ѿ неѧ̀, и҆ поги́бе ча́ѧнїе є҆ѧ̀: и҆ взѧ̀ и҆на́го ѿ льви́чищъ свои́хъ и҆ льво́мъ ᲂу҆чинѝ є҆го̀,
And he went up and down in the midst of lions, he became a lion, and learned to take prey, he devoured men.
καὶ ἀνεστρέφετο ἐν μέσῳ λεόντων, λέων ἐγένετο καὶ ἔμαθεν ἁρπάζειν ἁρπάγματα, ἀνθρώπους ἔφαγε·
и҆ живѧ́ше посредѣ̀ львѡ́въ, бы́сть ле́въ и҆ наꙋчи́сѧ восхища́ти восхищє́нїѧ: человѣ́ки и҆з̾ѧдѐ,
And he prowled in his boldness and laid waste their cities, and made the land desolate, and the fullness of it, by the voice of his roaring.
καὶ ἐνέμετο τῷ θράσει αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς πόλεις αὐτῶν ἐξηρήμωσε καὶ ἠφάνισε γῆν καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς ἀπὸ φωνῆς ὠρυώματος αὐτοῦ.
и҆ пасѧ́шесѧ въ лю́тости свое́й, и҆ гра́ды и҆́хъ пꙋ̑сты поста́ви, и҆ погꙋбѝ зе́млю и҆ и҆сполне́нїе є҆ѧ̀ гла́сомъ рыка́нїѧ своегѡ̀.
Then the nations set upon him from the countries round about, and they spread their nets upon him: he was taken in their pit.
καὶ ἔδωκαν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ἔθνη ἐκ χωρῶν κυκλόθεν καὶ ἐξεπέτασαν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν δίκτυα αὐτῶν, ἐν διαφθορᾷ αὐτῶν συνελήφθη·
И҆ да́ша на́нь ꙗ҆зы́цы ѡ҆́крестъ ѿ стра́нъ и҆ простро́ша на́нь мрє́жи своѧ̑, и҆ въ погꙋбле́нїи и҆́хъ ꙗ҆́тъ бы́сть.
And they put him in chains and in a cage, [and] he came to the king of Babylon; and he cast him into prison, that his voice should not be heard on the mountains of Israel.
καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτὸν ἐν κημῷ καὶ ἐν γαλεάγρᾳ, ἦλθε πρὸς βασιλέα Βαβυλῶνος, καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς φυλακήν, ὅπως μὴ ἀκουσθῇ ἡ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ.
И҆ положи́ша є҆го̀ во ᲂу҆здѣ̀ и҆ въ клѣ́ти, приведо́ша є҆го̀ ко царю̀ вавѷлѡ́нскꙋ и҆ вверго́ша є҆го̀ въ темни́цꙋ, ꙗ҆́кѡ да не слы́шитсѧ гла́съ є҆гѡ̀ ктомꙋ̀ на гора́хъ і҆и҃левыхъ.
Thy mother was as a vine and as a blossom on a pomegranate tree, planted by water: her fruit and her shoot abounded by reason of much water.
ἡ μήτηρ σου ὡς ἄμπελος καὶ ὡς ἄνθος ἐν ῥόᾳ ἐν ὕδατι πεφυτευμένη, ὁ καρπὸς αὐτῆς καὶ ὁ βλαστὸς αὐτῆς ἐγένετο ἐξ ὕδατος πολλοῦ.
Ма́ти твоѧ̀ ꙗ҆́кѡ вїногра́дъ и҆ ꙗ҆́кѡ цвѣ́тъ ши́пчанъ на водѣ̀ насажде́нъ, пло́дъ є҆гѡ̀ и҆ ѿра́сль є҆гѡ̀ бы́сть ѿ воды̀ мно́ги.
10–14(Verse 10 and following) Your mother is like a vine planted over the water, your blood. Its fruits and branches grew abundantly from many waters. And solid rods became scepters of rulers for it, and its stature was elevated in its branches. And it saw its height in the multitude of its palm trees. And in anger, it was uprooted and thrown to the ground, and a scorching wind dried up its fruit. Its strong rods withered and dried up, and fire consumed it. And now she has been transplanted into a desert in an impassable land and thirsty. And fire went out from the rod of its branches, which consumed its fruit, and there was no strong branch in it, the scepter of rulers. It lamented, and it will be mourned. Your mother is like a vineyard, like a flower in a pomegranate tree planted in water. Its fruit and offspring came from much water. And a branch of strength was made for it among the tribes of leaders: and it was exalted in its greatness among its branches. And he saw his greatness in the multitude of his palm trees, and it was broken in fury: it was thrown to the ground, and a burning wind dried up its chosen ones. They were avenged, and the rod of his strength was dried up. Fire consumed it, and now they have planted it in a desert, in a land without water, and fire has come out from the rod of its chosen ones, and devoured it, and there was no rod of strength in it. It is a lamentation in three parts, and it will be a mourning. In different speeches, the same thing is said. And just as in previous readings we read that Jerusalem is compared to a beautiful woman, and again a lioness who nursed lions in her lair, now the vine or vineyard is compared to the most beautiful one, which was planted over the waters and therefore the branches, nourished by the moisture, have grown so much that one branch, which Scripture calls a very strong or mighty rod, has become the ruler's scepter. In order to translate the Septuagint into the language of the three leaders, so that kings would be made from it. But the vineyard itself was of such beauty that the splendor of its strength was equal to the flowers of the pomegranate, which in Hebrew is called a vineyard in your blood, compared to the redness of the flowers. Therefore, the lofty and upright vineyard was exalted. For God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). It was uprooted in the anger of the Lord and thrown down to the ground, so that the ruins of Jerusalem would preserve the elegant translation of the vine. However beautiful the vineyard may be, and however far its branches extend, if you take away the poles and stakes, joined to the earth, it withers from the heat, especially if the burning wind, which the Greeks call καύσωμα, dries up its fruit, so that it withers and is consumed as if by the heat of fire. As for the addition in the Septuagint: They have been avenged, instead of what is written in Hebrew, they have withered, I cannot determine what significance it may have. Therefore, how is that vineyard of such fertility and abundance, and of such beauty, now transplanted into a desert, into a rough and thirsty land? However, it signifies the land of Babylon to which they were transplanted, or Egypt to which they fled, or the land of Judah itself, in which a few poor remained, of whom Godolias (also called Gotholias) was appointed governor to gather and govern the remnants of the people (2 Kings 25). Against whom he rose up from the royal stock, and from the branch of the vineyard of Ishmael, who slew him in Maspha (also called Masepha), and ate up all the fruit of the vineyard, and from thence was no strong rod to be left, nor a sceptre of great power (Jeremiah 40 and 41). For no king remained that might govern the people, but they all fled with Johanan the son of Careah into Egypt. Therefore bewail we and lament that the royal race which in Judea hath ceased no more till he come that is to be laid upon it: and he shall be the desire of nations (Genesis 49:10). From this it is clear, both from the previous passage, in which it is said: Why did your mother, a lioness, lie down among lions? and from this passage, in which it is written: Your mother, like a vine planted by the water, belonged to Jerusalem, which lost its lions and its branches, and the rod that would rise among the tribes or the scepter of those in power did not remain in it. For it begins with mourning and ends in mourning. Assume mourning over the leaders of Israel. This is, in the beginning and now at the end, a lamentation; and with lamentation and mourning, the royal line is to be pursued like a parable. Furthermore, according to the allegory, which others refer to heavenly Jerusalem, they say that from it many have fallen into this valley of tears, and kings have ceased to be, and the once beautiful vine has been dried up by the burning wind, so that no green shoots remain in it, which later Jeremiah laments under the form of the city; we understand (Matthew 24) this concerning the Church, because in the last times, with multiplied iniquity, the love of many will grow cold, so that even the chosen ones of God may be tested, and its princes may be caught in the snares of the devil, who is not content with capturing only one king, but hastens to capture kings and princes daily, according to what is written: His chosen food (Habakkuk 1:16). The branches of the Church, which not long ago were equal to flowers and the redness of blood, are now withered by the wind. This interpretation also corresponds to the parable of the Gospel, in which, when the sun rises, what had sprouted withers and dries up suddenly (Mk 4). So that hardly any of the branches remain that can rise up as a rod and become a worthy leader of the people. In other words, this is what Amos speaks of: 'I will send a famine upon the land: not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of God' (Amos 8:11). Where should we mourn and lament over the princes of Israel, through whose fault and pride Judaea was deserted and Jerusalem captured.
Commentary on Ezekiel
And she became a rod for a tribe of princes, and was elevated in her bulk in the midst of [other] trees, and she saw her bulk in the multitude of her branches.
καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτῇ ράβδος ἐπὶ φυλὴν ἡγουμένων, καὶ ὑψώθη τῷ μεγέθει αὐτῆς ἐν μέσῳ στελεχῶν καὶ εἶδε τὸ μέγεθος αὐτῆς ἐν πλήθει κλημάτων αὐτῆς.
И҆ бы́сть є҆мꙋ̀ же́злъ крѣ́пости над̾ пле́менемъ старѣ́йшинъ, и҆ вознесе́сѧ въ вели́чїи свое́мъ средѣ̀ ло́зїѧ: и҆ ви́дѣ вели́чество своѐ во мно́жествѣ ло́зїѧ своегѡ̀,
But she was broken down in wrath, she was cast upon the ground, and the east wind dried up her choice [branches]: vengeance came upon them, and the rod of her strength was withered; fire consumed it.
καὶ κατεκλάσθη ἐν θυμῷ, ἐπὶ γῆν ἐρρίφη, καὶ ἄνεμος ὁ καύσων ἐξήρανε τὰ ἐκλεκτὰ αὐτῆς· ἐξεδικήθη καὶ ἐξηράνθη ἡ ράβδος ἰσχύος αὐτῆς, πῦρ ἀνήλωσεν αὐτήν.
и҆ ѡ҆бломи́сѧ въ ꙗ҆́рости, и҆ на зе́млю пове́рженъ бы́сть, и҆ вѣ́тръ зно́йный и҆зсꙋшѝ плоды̀ є҆гѡ̀: ᲂу҆вѧдо́ша, и҆ и҆́зсше же́злъ крѣ́пости є҆гѡ̀: ѻ҆́гнь потребѝ є҆го̀.
And now they have planted her in the wilderness, in a dry land.
καὶ νῦν πεφύτευκαν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἐν γῇ ἀνύδρῳ·
И҆ нн҃ѣ насади́ша є҆го̀ въ пꙋсты́ни, на землѝ безво́днѣ.
And fire is gone out of a rod of her choice [boughs], and has devoured her; and there was no rod of strength in her. Her race is become a parable of lamentation, and it shall be for a lamentation.
καὶ ἐξῆλθε πῦρ ἐκ ράβδου ἐκλεκτῶν αὐτῆς καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτήν, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῇ ράβδος ἰσχύος. φυλὴ εἰς παραβολὴν θρήνου ἐστὶ καὶ ἔσται εἰς θρῆνον.
И҆ и҆зы́де ѻ҆́гнь ѿ жезла̀ и҆збра́нныхъ є҆гѡ̀ и҆ поѧдѐ и҆̀, и҆ не бѣ̀ въ не́мъ жезла̀ крѣ́пости є҆гѡ̀: пле́мѧ въ при́тчꙋ пла́ча є҆́сть, и҆ бꙋ́детъ пла́чь.
Moreover do thou take up a lamentation for the prince of Israel,
ΚΑΙ σὺ λαβὲ θρῆνον ἐπὶ τὸν ἄρχοντα τοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ
Ты́ же, сы́не человѣ́чь, возмѝ пла́чь на кнѧ̑зи і҆и҃лєвы,