Isaiah 31
Commentary from 6 fathers
Therefore he has wisely brought evils upon them, and his word shall not be frustrated; and he shall rise up against the houses of wicked men, and against their vain hope,
καὶ αὐτὸς σοφῶς ἦγεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς κακά, καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ ἀθετηθῇ, καὶ ἐπαναστήσεται ἐπ᾿ οἴκους ἀνθρώπων πονηρῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα αὐτῶν τὴν ματαίαν,
То́йже премⷣрѣ наведѐ на ни́хъ ѕла̑ѧ, и҆ сло́во є҆гѡ̀ не ѿри́нетсѧ, и҆ воста́нетъ на до́мы человѣ́кѡвъ ѕлы́хъ и҆ на наде́ждꙋ и҆́хъ тще́тнꙋю,
694. Second, he threatens the punishment: but he.
And first, against their contempt of divine help he sets out the wisdom of God, and the firmness of the sentence: the wise one has brought evil, and has not removed his words, that is, he has not made void what he threatened through the prophets: God is not a man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should be changed (Num 23:19); and he adds the punishment: and he will rise up.
Commentary on Isaiah
[even] an Egyptian, a man, and not God; the flesh of horses, and there is no help [in them]: but the Lord shall bring his hand upon them, and the helpers shall fail, and all shall perish together.
Αἰγύπτιον ἄνθρωπον καὶ οὐ Θεόν, ἵππων σάρκας καὶ οὐκ ἔστι βοήθεια· ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἐπάξει τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς, καὶ κοπιάσουσιν οἱ βοηθοῦντες, καὶ ἅμα πάντες ἀπολοῦνται.
є҆гѵ́птѧнина человѣ́ка, а҆ не бг҃а, кѡ́нски плѡ́ти, и҆ не бꙋ́детъ по́мощи: гдⷭ҇ь же наведе́тъ рꙋ́кꙋ свою̀ на нѧ̀, и҆ ᲂу҆трꙋдѧ́тсѧ помага́ющїи, и҆ всѝ вкꙋ́пѣ поги́бнꙋтъ.
Second, against trust in human help, he sets out their weakness: Egypt is man: whereas you are a man, and not God, in the hand of them that slay you (Ezek 28:9–10); and he adds the punishment: and the helper shall fall: they that dwell in houses of clay, who have an earthly foundation (Job 4:19).
Commentary on Isaiah
For thus said the Lord to me, As a lion would roar, or a lion’s whelp over prey which he has taken, and cry over it, until the mountains are filled with his voice, and [the animals] are awe-struck and tremble at the fierceness of his wrath: so the Lord of hosts shall descend to fight upon the mount Sion, [even] upon her mountains.
ὅτι οὕτως εἶπέ μοι Κύριος· ὃν τρόπον ἐὰν βοήσῃ ὁ λέων ἢ ὁ σκύμνος ἐπὶ τῇ θύρᾳ, ᾗ ἔλαβε, καὶ κεκράξῃ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ, ἓως ἂν ἐμπλησθῇ τὰ ὄρη τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡττήθησαν καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ θυμοῦ ἐπτοήθησαν, οὕτως καταβήσεται Κύριος σαβαὼθ ἐπιστρατεῦσαι ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Σιών, ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη αὐτῆς.
Зане́же та́кѡ речѐ мнѣ̀ гдⷭ҇ь: ꙗ҆́коже возреве́тъ ле́въ, и҆лѝ льви́чищь ѡ҆ лови́твѣ, ю҆́же и҆́метъ, и҆ возопїе́тъ над̾ не́ю, до́ндеже напо́лнѧтсѧ го́ры гла́са є҆гѡ̀, и҆ побѣди́шасѧ и҆ мно́жества ꙗ҆́рости ᲂу҆боѧ́шасѧ: та́кѡ гдⷭ҇ь саваѡ́ѳъ сни́детъ на го́рꙋ сїѡ́ню и҆ на го́ры є҆гѡ̀ воева́ти.
4–5(Verses 4, 5.) For thus says the Lord to me: Just as when a lion roars, and a lion cub over its prey, when a multitude of shepherds come against it, it will not be afraid of their voices, nor terrified by their numbers; so the Lord of hosts will come down to fight upon Mount Zion and its hill. Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem, protecting and delivering, passing over and saving. In manifestis unam ponimus editionem, maxime ubi nulla diversitas sensuum est. Caesis in Aegypto Israelitis et Aegyptiis, in quorum auxilio confidebant, revertentur (( Al. revertuntur)) in Jerusalem, Cyro regnante, captivi. Et per duas similitudines, Domini, qui se fore adjutorem promiserat, fortitudo monstratur. Sicut leo et catulus leonis esuriens, si cernat ovium gregem, nulla pastorum voce terretur, et multitudinem eorum conscius virium suarum despicit: sic Dominus exercituum praeliabitur, non contra montem Sion et collem ejus, super montem Sion contra adversarios illius. Let us give another comparison: Just as birds defend their offspring by flying over their nests, and whether they see a snake or a human, the birds and others approach their chicks, forgetting their weakness, they fight with their beaks and claws, and with a chattering voice they express their anguish: so the Lord will protect Jerusalem and deliver it by passing over, and He will save it. For 'passing over' in Hebrew is 'Phase', and it is translated as 'ὑπερβαίνων' by the interpreters, apart from the Septuagint. From which it is clear that Pascha, that is, the Lord's Passover, does not signify His passion, but His passage. Moreover, that the Lord acted as the protector in the likeness of birds over Jerusalem, He Himself testifies in the Gospel: 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you' (Matt. XXIII, 37): how often have I desired to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing? And in Deuteronomy it is said of the Lord: He spread his wings and took them, and carried them on his shoulders (Deut. XXXII, 11).
Commentary on Isaiah
695. For thus says the Lord. Here he sets out the consolation, promising liberation by God from their enemies, from whom they could not be liberated by the Egyptians. And concerning this, he does three things.
First, he sets out the defense of the Jews under the likeness of a defending lion, saying: you and the Egyptians in whom you trusted in contempt of me will perish: for thus says the Lord, who alone saves; so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight, as a defender against those who hindered the building of the temple after the return from captivity; or against the Assyrians: and I will be to them as a lioness, as a leopard in the way of the Assyrians (Hos 13:7).
Commentary on Isaiah
As birds flying, so shall the Lord of hosts defend; he shall defend Jerusalem, and he shall rescue, and save and deliver.
ὡς ὄρνεα πετόμενα, οὕτως ὑπερασπιεῖ Κύριος σαβαὼθ ὑπὲρ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, ὑπερασπιεῖ καὶ ἐξελεῖται καὶ περιποιήσεται καὶ σώσει.
Ꙗ҆́коже пти̑цы парѧ́щыѧ, си́це защи́титъ гдⷭ҇ь саваѡ́ѳъ ѡ҆ і҆ерⷭ҇ли́мѣ, защи́титъ и҆ и҆зба́витъ, и҆ снабди́тъ и҆ сп҃се́тъ.
And under the likeness of a protecting bird: as birds: how often would I have gathered together your children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and you wouldst not? (Matt 23:37); as the eagle enticing her young to fly, and hovering over them (Deut 32:11).
Commentary on Isaiah
Turn, ye children of Israel, who devise a deep and sinful counsel.
ἐπιστράφητε, οἱ τὴν βαθεῖαν βουλὴν βουλευόμενοι καὶ ἄνομον.
Ѡ҆брати́тесѧ, совѣщава́ющїи глꙋбо́къ совѣ́тъ и҆ беззако́ненъ, сы́нове і҆и҃лєвы:
6–9(Verse 6 onwards) Return, as you have deeply strayed, O children of Israel. For on that day a man will cast away the idols of his silver and the idols of his gold, which your own hands have made for yourselves to sin. And Assur will fall by the sword, not of a man; and a sword, not of a human, will devour him. He will flee not from the face of the sword, and his young men will become forced labor. His strength will pass away in terror, and his fleeing princes will be filled with fear, says the Lord, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem. LXX: Return, O children of Israel, as you have gone deep into sin. For on that day every man will throw away the idols of his silver and the idols of his gold that your own hands have made for your own sins. And Assyria will fall by the sword, not of a man, and a sword, not of a human, will devour him; he will flee, but not from the face of the sword; his young men will be defeated; they will be surrounded like a wall, and they will be conquered; but whoever flees will be captured. Thus says the Lord: Blessed is he who has offspring in Zion and who has a household in Jerusalem. While the Lord fights against his adversaries on Mount Zion and protects it like a rampart, O children of Israel, turn back! As Symmachus translated it: Repent, you who have strayed from the Lord due to deep counsel and sin. For if you do this, casting aside the golden and silver idols that have been a cause of sin for you, because of which your city was captured, Assyria will fall, from whose fear you now flee, not by the sword of men or the strength of an army, but by the power of God. But it signifies that an angel, by whom 185,000 Assyrians were destroyed in one night. Also, the Assyrian king himself will not flee from the sword of men, but from the wrath of God, so that his young and strong men will become tributaries to the Medes, of whom it is said above, in opposition to Babylon: Behold, I will raise up the Medes against you. And the might of Assyria will pass by with the terror of the Lord, and all its princes will tremble. For the Lord has spoken and promised, and what He has said, He has done: and He who has fire in Zion and a furnace in Jerusalem, so that He may consume His adversaries like straw and wood coming out of Jerusalem. Another thing that is said: On that day, a man will throw away his idols of silver and the rest, it is interpreted in such a way that it testifies that after the return from the Babylonian captivity until the coming of Christ, the children of Israel never worshiped idols. Assyria is also signified in the present place, not by an angel, but by the Medes, because it was the most ancient and once powerful kingdom, which was destroyed after offending the Lord, and served the conquerors. The Nazarenes understand this place thus: O children of Israel, who denied the Son of God with wicked counsel, return to Him and His Apostles. For if you do this, you will cast away all the idols that were previously a sin for you, and the devil will fall to you, not by your strength, but by the mercy of God; and its young men who once fought for it will be subjects of the Church, and all its strength and rock will be passed to it; even the philosophers and every perverse doctrine will turn their backs to the sign of the cross. For the opinion of the Lord is that this should be done: whose fire or light is in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem. Fire and light are written in Hebrew with the same letters Aleph, Vau, Res; if it is read as Ur, it means fire: if Or, it means light. This is said because for the fire, which Symmachus alone interprets, Aquila and Theodotion translate it as light. But I do not know what is meant by what is read in the Septuagint: They will be surrounded like a wall by rock, and they will be conquered: but whoever flees will be captured. Unless perhaps we can say this, that the young men of the Assyrian king who are to be conquered and captured, are surrounded like a rock, that is, by the strength of the Lord, just as a city is surrounded by a wall. Furthermore, what follows: Blessed is the one who has offspring in Zion, and domestic servants in Jerusalem, we can interpret it in such a way as to say that it agrees with the meaning of this place, that the divine word exhorts those who are fleeing to Egypt to return to Jerusalem and to bear children. To whom such great blessedness is promised, that it may be defended and protected by the help of the Lord. And in another place it is written about it: The glory of this last house shall be greater than the glory of the former (Haggai 2:10). Which can also be referred to the Church, the vision of peace and the watchtower, of which it is written: Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God (Psalm 87:2). And elsewhere: The streams of the river make glad the city of God (Psalm 46:3). For in it there is fire and a furnace that shall devour the sinners, and shall consume the wood, hay, and stubble; or it is a light and an oven, that the brightness of the righteous, and the punishment of the wicked, may be shown.
Commentary on Isaiah
In place of the last clause [“But you have played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, says the Lord.”] the true Hebrew text (which is not preserved in the Greek and Latin versions) gives the following: “you have forsaken me, yet return, and I will receive you, says the Lord.” Isaiah also speaking in the same sense uses almost the same words: “Return,” he cries, “O children of Israel, you who devise a deep and sinful counsel. Return to me, and I will redeem you. I am God, and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Savior; there is nothing beside me. Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth.” Remember this and show yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O you transgressors. Return in heart and remember the former things of old: for I am God and there is none else.”
Letter 122.2
696. Second, he sets out the destruction of their enemies, promising counsel for meriting this: return, to me: the wicked man, when he is come into the depths of sins, contemns (Prov 18:3); as you have yielded your members to serve iniquity, unto iniquity: so now yield your members to serve cleanness, unto sanctification (Rom 6:19).
Commentary on Isaiah
For in that day men shall renounce their silver idols and [their] golden idols, which their hands made.
ὅτι τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἀπαρνήσονται οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὰ χειροποίητα αὐτῶν τὰ ἀργυρᾶ καὶ τὰ χειροποίητα τὰ χρυσᾶ, ἃ ἐποίησαν αἱ χεῖρες αὐτῶν.
ꙗ҆́кѡ въ то́й де́нь ѿве́ргꙋтъ человѣ́цы рꙋкотворє́ннаѧ своѧ̑ срє́брѧнаѧ и҆ рꙋкотворє́ннаѧ злата̑ѧ, ꙗ҆̀же сотвори́ша рꙋ́ки и҆́хъ.
And he sets out the completion of the counsel: in that day, above: in that day a man shall cast away his idols (Isa 2:20).
Commentary on Isaiah
And the Assyrian shall fall: not the sword of a great man, nor the sword of a mean man shall devour him; neither shall he flee from the face of the sword: but the young men shall be overthrown:
καὶ πεσεῖται ᾿Ασσούρ· οὐ μάχαιρα ἀνδρός, οὐδὲ μάχαιρα ἀνθρώπου καταφάγεται αὐτόν, καὶ φεύξεται οὐκ ἀπὸ προσώπου μαχαίρας· οἱ δὲ νεανίσκοι ἔσονται εἰς ἥττημα,
И҆ паде́тъ а҆ссꙋ́ръ не мече́мъ человѣ́ческимъ, ни ме́чь мꙋ́жескїй поѧ́стъ є҆го̀, и҆ побѣ́гнетъ не ѿ лица̀ меча̀: ю҆́нѡты же бꙋ́дꙋтъ въ побѣжде́нїе.
And he sets out the fruit, namely, the destruction itself as to the death of the slain: by the sword: my sword shall devour flesh (Deut 32:42); and as to the removal of the survivors in flight, fear, and servitude, for his young men shall be tributaries, afterwards, to the Babylonians.
Commentary on Isaiah
for they shall be compassed with rocks as with a trench, and shall be worsted; and he that flees shall be taken. Thus saith the Lord, Blessed is he that has a seed in Sion, and household friends in Jerusalem.
πέτρᾳ γὰρ περιληφθήσονται ὡς χάρακι καὶ ἡττηθήσονται, ὁ δὲ φεύγων ἁλώσεται. Τάδε λέγει Κύριος· μακάριος ὃς ἔχει ἐν Σιὼν σπέρμα καὶ οἰκείους ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.
Ка́менїемъ бо ѡ҆б̾и́мꙋтсѧ ꙗ҆́кѡ ѻ҆стро́гомъ и҆ побѣжде́ни бꙋ́дꙋтъ, а҆ бѣжа́й плѣне́нъ бꙋ́детъ. Сїѧ̑ гл҃етъ гдⷭ҇ь: (бл҃же́нъ,) и҆́же и҆мѣ́етъ пле́мѧ въ сїѡ́нѣ и҆ ю҆́жики во і҆ерⷭ҇ли́мѣ.
Of this love that is begun here to be perfected from the sight of the Lord in the eternal kingdom Isaiah rightly speaks, saying, “The Lord lives, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.” It is, however, greater to be a furnace than a fire because a fire can also be small, but a larger flame is kindled in a furnace. Zion truly is said to be speculation but Jerusalem the vision of peace. Truly we sometimes catch a glimpse of our peace here in order there later to see it fully. Therefore through the Lord’s love the fire is in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem because here we burn in some measure with the flames of his love when we glimpse him, but there we shall burn totally when we shall fully see him whom we love.
Homilies on Ezekiel 2.9.10
If the breads of the furnace that were baked in secret signify the interior devotion of the mind of the faithful confirmed by the fire of charity, breads which were also commanded by the law to be offered in the sacrifice of the Lord, it is most fitting that the hearts which were made to burn constantly with the flame of intimate love and virtue and to beget words are symbolized through the furnaces in which the same breads were baked. The prophet spoke beautifully about these things when he referred to “the Lord whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.” It is also written: “Did our hearts not burn within us when he spoke along the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah 3
The prescription of the law must be taken in the more spiritual sense. For there is a spiritual seed which through charity and the fear of God is conceived in the womb of the soul, which in turn travails and brings forth the spirit of salvation. It is in this sense that the passage is to be taken which reads, “Blessed is he who has seed in Zion and kindred in Jerusalem.” What, indeed! Even though one is a fornicator, a drunkard or an idolater, will he be blessed, provided only that he has seed in Zion and kindred in Jerusalem? No one in his right mind would say that.
Orthodox Faith 4:24
697. Third, he sets out the strengthening of both: the Lord has said it, whose fire, burning the Assyrians, above: the light of Israel shall be as a fire, and the Holy One thereof as a flame (Isa 10:17); or the fire on the altar of incense; his furnace, on the altar of holocausts: the fire on the altar shall always burn (Lev 6:12); or the fire of charity burning imperfectly in the Church militant, but a furnace burning perfectly in the Church triumphant.
698. Note also that charity is called a fire: see the collation preceding this chapter.
Commentary on Isaiah
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, who trust in horses and chariots, for they are many; and in horses, [which are] a great multitude; and have not trusted in the Holy One of Israel, and have not sought the Lord.
ΟΥΑΙ οἱ καταβαίνοντες εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐπὶ βοήθειαν, οἱ ἐφ᾿ ἵπποις πεποιθότες καὶ ἐφ᾿ ἅρμασιν, ἔστι γὰρ πολλά, καὶ ἐφ᾿ ἵπποις, πλῆθος σφόδρα, καὶ οὐκ ἦσαν πεποιθότες ἐπὶ τὸν ἅγιον τοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ τὸν Κύριον οὐκ ἐζήτησαν.
Го́ре сходѧ́щымъ во є҆гѵ́петъ по́мощи ра́ди, ᲂу҆пова́ющымъ на ко́ни и҆ на колесни̑цы: сꙋ́ть бо мнѡ́га, и҆ ко́нническое мно́жество мно́го ѕѣлѡ̀: и҆ не бѣ́ша ᲂу҆пова́юще на ст҃а́го і҆и҃лева, и҆ бг҃а не взыска́ша.