Isaiah 47 · Scripture · Fisherman's Friend

1

Come down, sit on the ground, O virgin daughter of Babylon: sit on the ground, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and luxurious.

ΚΑΤΑΒΗΘΙ, κάθισον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, παρθένος, θυγάτηρ Βαβυλῶνος, εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ σκότος, θυγάτηρ Χαλδαίων, ὅτι οὐκέτι προστεθήσῃ κληθῆναι ἁπαλὴ καὶ τρυφερά.

Сни́ди, сѧ́ди на землѝ, дѣ́во, дщѝ вавѷлѡ́нѧ, вни́ди во тьмꙋ̀ {По и҆ны̑мъ: сѧ́ди на зе́млю.}, дщѝ халде́йска, ꙗ҆́кѡ не приложи́ши ксемꙋ̀ прозыва́тисѧ мѧгка̀ и҆ ю҆́на.

Jerome †420

1–3
(Chapter 47, verses 1 and following) Descend, sit in the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon: sit on the ground, there is no throne for the daughter of the Chaldeans, for you shall no longer be called tender and delicate. Take a millstone and grind flour: uncover your nakedness, uncover your shoulder, reveal your legs, cross the rivers. Your shame will be exposed, and your disgrace will be seen; I will take vengeance, and no one will be able to resist me. 70: Descend, sit on the ground, virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground. There is no throne of the daughter of the Chaldeans, for you shall no longer be called delicate and tender. Take the millstone, grind the flour. Uncover your head, strip off your hair, uncover your legs, cross the rivers; your shame will be uncovered, your disgrace will be seen. What is right about you, I will take away; I will not deliver you to men anymore. Just as in Ezekiel under the figure of a ship and all its instruments, the adornments of Tyre are set forth, which were devoted to trading (Ezek. 26), and because of the abundance of water, the king of Egypt is called a dragon, and its scales, reeds, and papyrus, and its fish are described, and Jerusalem, together with idols, testifies to the fornication of harlots and the likeness of a brothel: so in this present place, under the person of a captive woman, who once was a queen, the servitude of Babylon is indicated; and she is told to descend from the pride of her kingdom and to sit on the dust. But she is also called a virgin and a daughter, either because all human beings are creatures of God and therefore not damnable by nature like the heretics of Babylon, or because of the luxury and splendor of the once most powerful city, which, as it grew old and approached its decline, boasted of being a maiden and a girl. Although some interpret the daughter of Babylon, as written in the Septuagint, as not referring to Babylon itself but to the city of Rome, which is specifically called Babylon in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 14) and in the Epistle of Peter (2 Pet. 5), and all that is now said about Babylon testifies to its ruins, it must be understood as the bird and the justice of God. After Zion, that is, the Church, is saved, Babylon should perish forever. Therefore, it is said that the queen and daughter of the Chaldeans (for she was founded by the Chaldeans) is no longer called soft and tender, and abundant in luxuries, which was carried in the hands of all nations; so much so that she could barely leave footprints on the ground: and it is ordered that she removes the mill, and grinds grain, which is a sign of hard captivity and extreme servitude; so that she, who was once a queen, may now serve the work of grinding flour. But because it follows: Strip off your shamefulness, even the mill is understood figuratively by the Hebrews, namely that it should be open to the lust of the conquerors, like a prostitute. And what is written in the Book of Judges about Samson (Judg. 16), that he was condemned by the Philistines to the mill, they want to signify that he was compelled to do this to foreign women as the most powerful of men for offspring. In the place where we have interpreted 'strip off your shamefulness', for which the LXX translated 'reveal your covering', Theodotion put the Hebrew word Samthech; Aquila Semmathech; Symmachus τὸ σιωπηλόν σου: which we can express as 'your silence', which should be kept silent out of shame. Indeed, we also read this in the Song of Songs, where the beauty of the bride is described: at the end it says, 'Without your silence' (Song 4). Those who were unwilling to translate the name, which in Holy Scripture signifies shamefulness, made a valid point. And rightly so, it uses indecent names against Babylon (even though there is no shame in calling a part of the human body by its proper name), to whom it is commanded to bare the breasts, and to open the thighs and expose the woman, and to go into captivity, so that her shame may be seen and her disgrace may be forever exposed. And the Lord says that He has done this in order to take vengeance on her who oppressed His people, and that no one should hear her prayers, who tries to appease the anger of the Lord with their presence. But the angel of the nation of Babylon, who speaks with the other angels, signifies: We took care of Babylon, but she was not healed. And what the Seventy translated as 'I will take away what is just from you' is understood to mean Babylon: or at least this, that what is just has been taken away from Babylon. The Stoic disputants argue that many things that are considered shameful and wrong by human convention are actually morally good, such as parricide, adultery, murder, incest, and other similar acts. Conversely, things that are considered morally good appear shameful in name only, such as procreating children, relieving a swollen stomach with flatulence, emptying the bowels with feces, and urinating to relieve the bladder: in short, we cannot, as we say, turn up our nose at a fart. Therefore, that which Aquila set up, as we have said, is called the venerable woman. Its etymology among them signifies, 'thirsty yours,' indicating the unquenchable pleasure of Babylon.
Commentary on Isaiah

Thomas Aquinas †1274

Come down, sit. Here he foretells the degradation of the kingdom of Babylon. And concerning this, he does three things: first, he threatens the punishment of degradation; second, he shows their fault: I was angry (Isa 47:6); third, he removes their confidence of escape: let now the astrologers (Isa 47:13). Concerning the first, he does three things. First, he foretells their degradation as to the glory which they lost: come down, from the height of your power, sit in the dust, as though vile and abject; virgin, because never before laid waste, or because of the tenderness of her delicacy; throne, her royal dignity; delicate, as queens are accustomed to be: for tenderness she was not able to bear up her own body (Esth 15:6); as if to say: you shall no longer be a queen: he has put down the mighty from their seat and has exalted the humble (Luke 1:52), above: the Lord of hosts has designed it, to pull down the pride of all glory (Isa 23:9).
Commentary on Isaiah

2

Take a millstone, grind meal: remove thy veil, uncover thy white hairs, make bare the leg, pass through the rivers.

λάβε μύλον, ἄλεσον ἄλευρον, ἀποκάλυψαι τὸ κατακάλυμμά σου, ἀνακάλυψαι τὰς πολιάς, ἀνάσυρε τὰς κνήμας, διάβηθι ποταμούς·

Возмѝ же́рновы, мелѝ мꙋкꙋ̀, ѿкры́й покрыва́ло твоѐ, ѿкры́й сѣди̑ны, возсꙋчѝ го́лєни, прейдѝ рѣ́ки:

3

Thy shame shall be uncovered, thy reproaches shall be brought to light: I will exact of thee due vengeance, I will no longer deliver thee to men.

ἀνακαλυφθήσεται ἡ αἰσχύνη σου, φανήσονται οἱ ὀνειδισμοί σου· τὸ δίκαιον ἐκ σοῦ λήψομαι, οὐκέτι μὴ παραδῶ ἀνθρώποις.

ѿкры́етсѧ стꙋ́дъ тво́й, ꙗ҆вѧ́тсѧ ᲂу҆кори̑зны твоѧ̑, пра́ведное ѿ тебє̀ возмꙋ̀, ктомꙋ̀ не преда́мъ человѣ́кѡмъ.

4

Thy deliverer is the Lord of hosts, the Holy One of Israel is his name.

εἶπεν ὁ ῥυσάμενός σε Κύριος σαβαώθ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ ἅγιος ᾿Ισραήλ·

Речѐ и҆зба́вивый тѧ̀ гдⷭ҇ь саваѡ́ѳъ, и҆́мѧ є҆мꙋ̀ ст҃ы́й і҆и҃левъ:

Jerome †420

4–7
(Verse 4 onwards) Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name. Holy One of Israel. Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you shall no longer be called the mistress of kingdoms. I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage, and gave them into your hand: you showed them no mercy. You have made your yoke very heavy on the aged, and you have said, 'I shall be a mistress forever': you did not lay these things to heart, you did not remember their outcome. LXX: The Lord of hosts, his name, the Holy One of Israel, says: Sit down in darkness, daughter of the Chaldeans; you shall no longer be called the strength of the kingdom. I am angry with my people, I have profaned my heritage. I have given them into your hand, but you have shown them no mercy. You have made your yoke exceedingly heavy on the elderly and have said, 'I shall be queen forever'. You did not take these things to heart, nor did you remember the consequences. The first verse is connected to the previous ones according to the Septuagint, with the meaning: And this is what the Lord of hosts, whose name is the Holy One of Israel, will do for you who have been delivered. On the other hand, according to the Hebrew, the Prophet speaks in the person of the people, saying that the Lord of hosts will do these things against Babylon, whose name is the Holy One of Israel. And once again, the discourse is directed towards Babylon itself. Sit in silence, or in remorse, and remember your sins. Enter into darkness, because you cannot bear the light due to confusion and ignominy. You shall no longer be called the mistress of just one kingdom, nor of all kingdoms. And at the same time, because a hidden question was arising: why God was angry against the Chaldeans, whom he himself sent to capture Israel: he answered that he had been angry against his own people, wanting to rebuke them, not to destroy them, to chastise them, not to kill them. But they had abused his cruelty, and had imposed more punishments than the vengeance of God demanded: and it is a great sign of Babylonian cruelty that they had not spared even the old men, whose age is also respected among enemies. But this is also a sign of pride, that, deceived by present happiness, it did not consider the uncertainties of the future. Therefore, in times of prosperity, we must always beware of what is to come: not to oppress those who are entrusted to us, who are taught to become better.
Commentary on Isaiah

Thomas Aquinas †1274

Our redeemer, the voice of the people liberated from servitude to Babylon, above: the Lord will bring the revenge (Isa 35:4).
Commentary on Isaiah

5

Sit thou down pierced with woe, go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: thou shalt no more be called the strength of a kingdom.

κάθισον κατανενυγμένη, εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ σκότος, θυγάτηρ Χαλδαίων, οὐκέτι μὴ κληθήσῃ ἰσχὺς βασιλείας.

сѧ́ди ᲂу҆миле́на, вни́ди во тьмꙋ̀, дщѝ халде́йска, ксемꙋ̀ не прозове́шисѧ крѣ́пость ца́рства.

6

I have been provoked with my people; thou hast defiled mine inheritance: I gave them into thy hand, but thou didst not extend mercy to them: thou madest the yoke of the aged man very heavy,

παρωξύνθην ἐπὶ τῷ λαῷ μου, ἐμίανας τὴν κληρονομίαν μου· ἐγὼ ἔδωκα αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν χεῖρά σου, σὺ δὲ οὐκ ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς ἔλεος, τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου ἐβάρυνας τὸν ζυγὸν σφόδρα.

Разгнѣ́вахсѧ на лю́ди моѧ̑, ѡ҆скверни́ла є҆сѝ наслѣ́дїе моѐ: а҆́зъ вда́хъ ѧ҆̀ въ рꙋ́кꙋ твою̀, ты́ же не дала̀ и҆̀мъ ми́лости, ста́рчїй ꙗ҆ре́мъ ѡ҆тѧгчи́ла є҆сѝ ѕѣлѡ̀

Athanasius of Alexandria †373

But when these accursed ones obtain possession of anyone, they immediately forget not only all others but even themselves. Raising their brow in great haughtiness, they neither grasp the times and seasons nor respect human nature in those whom they injure. Like the tyrant of Babylon, they attack more furiously; they show pity to none. “For they persecute him whom you have smitten, and him whom you have wounded, they afflict still more.” Had they not acted in this manner, had they not driven into banishment those who spoke in my defense against their calumnies, their representations might have appeared to some persons sufficiently plausible.
Defense of His Flight 9

Cyril of Alexandria †444

Out of love God disciplines, then, those who were thoughtless.… They were made docile through their trials. He did this by delivering them into the hands of their enemies or by the affliction of other pains, just as fire and iron often heal a wound where medicine fails. In the same manner our God, a lover of virtue, when he sees a soul rushing onto the rocks with the force of vast waves and getting mixed up in the ways of wickedness, restores that person through harsh punishments.
Commentary on Isaiah 4:3.47:5-7

Theodoret of Cyrus †458

For they have burned the temple of God, they have consecrated the sacred vessels to idols, and they have used cruelty against the prisoners. “I gave them into your hands.” You would not have carried off the victory if I had not willed it. I delivered them [to you] because I wanted to correct them, not exterminate them. “But you did not extend mercy to them; you made the yoke of the aged very heavy.” Even age did not seem to you worthy of respect. [Isaiah] has by this trait shown the extent of their hardness.
Commentary on Isaiah 14:47.6

Thomas Aquinas †1274

I was angry. Here he set out their fault, which is the cause of such a punishment. And he sets out three faults. First, the cruelty of their rule toward the Jews, setting out the power granted them: I was angry with my people, because of their sins, wishing to punish them; I have polluted, allowed to be polluted by you, my inheritance, the people of Israel, above: Israel is my inheritance (Isa 19:25); I have forsaken my house, I have left my inheritance (Jer 12:7); and he sets out their abuse of this power: you have shown no mercy to them: upon the ancient, who should be given mercy even by enemies: they did not respect the persons of the ancients (Lam 5:12).
Commentary on Isaiah

7

and saidst, I shall be a princess for ever: thou didst not perceive these things in thine heart, nor didst thou remember the latter end.

καὶ εἶπας· εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἔσομαι ἄρχουσα· οὐκ ἐνόησας ταῦτα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, οὐδὲ ἐμνήσθης τὰ ἔσχατα.

и҆ рекла̀ є҆сѝ: въ вѣ́къ бꙋ́дꙋ влады́чица: не помы́слила є҆сѝ си́хъ въ се́рдцы твое́мъ, нижѐ помѧнꙋ́ла є҆сѝ послѣ́днихъ:

8

But now hear these words, thou luxurious one, [who art] the one that sits [at ease], that is secure, that says in her heart, I am, and there is not another; I shall not sit a widow, neither shall I know bereavement.

νῦν δὲ ἄκουε ταῦτα, ἡ τρυφερά, ἡ καθημένη πεποιθυῖα, ἡ λέγουσα ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς· ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἑτέρα· οὐ καθιῶ χήρα οὐδὲ γνώσομαι ὀρφανίαν.

нн҃ѣ же слы́ши сїѐ, ю҆́наѧ, сѣдѧ́щаѧ, ᲂу҆пова́ющаѧ, глаго́лющаѧ въ се́рдцы свое́мъ: а҆́зъ є҆́смь, и҆ нѣ́сть и҆ны́ѧ, не сѧ́дꙋ вдово́ю и҆ не позна́ю сиротства̀.

Jerome †420

8–11
(Verse 8, onwards) And now listen to this, you delicate and confident one, who says in your heart: I am, and there is no one besides me; I will not sit as a widow, nor will I know the loss of children. But suddenly these two things will come upon you in one day: widowhood and loss of children. They have come upon you in their entirety because of the multitude of your sorceries and the great abundance of your enchantments. And you have trusted in your wickedness, and you have said: There is no one who sees me. Your wisdom and your knowledge have deceived you, and you have said in your heart: I am, and there is no one else besides me. Evil will come upon you, and you will not know its origin, and calamity will rush upon you, which you will not be able to atone for; suddenly, misery will come upon you, which you will not know. Babylon will come with two things together, sterility and widowhood, so that she will have no children, that is, peoples subject to her; nor a man, whom we can understand as king: while she did not hope for these things, she suddenly endured them. For she could not anticipate that the Persians, of no previous strength, would overcome her, with Cyrus reigning, and subject her to their power. He said, 'The sufferings that you endured were not only because of your pride and abundance of wealth and luxuries, but also because of the multitude of your evils and your enchantments, in which you placed your trust. And a calamity will come upon you that you did not know before, and whose origin you were ignorant of. As the Seventy translated: Destruction will come upon you, and you will not know: a pit, and you will fall into it: so that the evil of captivity that you prepared for all nations, you yourself will fall into the pit that you prepared.' We quickly skim over things that are clear in conversation.
Commentary on Isaiah

Procopius of Gaza †528

Thinking that you would prove to be better than the Persians, you said, “I am and there is no other,” and you were encouraged by the oracles of demons and astrologers. And you called on a hope that was fornication and that was far removed from God. For the association between God and all humanity by nature is very different from that between demons and humans, which provides communion through sorcery. So Paul likens idol worship to a spell when he writes of “idol worship, sorcery.” But for the Babylonians and others, idolatry does not lead to pardon or deliverance but to destruction.
Commentary on Isaiah 47:1-15

Thomas Aquinas †1274

And he sets out the frustration of their hope: and now hear; I shall not sit as a widow, through the deprivation of my kingdom; barrenness, that is, the loss of the people who were born in me.
Commentary on Isaiah

9

But now these two things shall come upon thee suddenly in one day, the loss of children and widowhood shall come suddenly upon thee, for thy sorcery, for the strength of thine enchantments,

νῦν δὲ ἥξει ἐπὶ σὲ τὰ δύο ταῦτα ἐξαίφνης ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾶ· ἀτεκνία καὶ χηρεία ἥξει ἐξαίφνης ἐπὶ σὲ ἐν τῇ φαρμακείᾳ σου, ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ τῶν ἐπαοιδῶν σου σφόδρα,

Нн҃ѣ же прїи́дꙋтъ на тѧ̀ два̀ сїѧ̑ внеза́пꙋ во є҆ди́нъ де́нь, безча́дїе и҆ вдовство̀ внеза́пꙋ прїи́детъ на тѧ̀, въ волше́бствѣ твое́мъ и҆ въ крѣ́пости волхвѡ́въ твои́хъ ѕѣлѡ̀,

10

for thy trusting in wickedness: for thou saidst, I am, and there is not another: know thou, the understanding of these things and thy harlotry shall be thy shame; for thou saidst in thy heart, I am, and there is not another.

τῇ ἐλπίδι τῆς πονηρίας σου· σὺ γὰρ εἶπας· ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἑτέρα. γνῶθι, ὅτι ἡ σύνεσις τούτων καὶ ἡ πορνεία σου ἔσται σοι αἰσχύνη. καὶ εἶπας τῇ καρδίᾳ σου· ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἑτέρα.

въ надѣ́ѧнїи ѕло́бы твоеѧ̀: ты́ бо рекла̀ є҆сѝ: а҆́зъ є҆́смь, и҆ нѣ́сть и҆ны́ѧ: ᲂу҆вѣ́ждь, ꙗ҆́кѡ смышле́нїе си́хъ и҆ блꙋже́нїе твоѐ бꙋ́детъ тебѣ̀ сра́мъ: и҆ рекла̀ є҆сѝ се́рдцемъ свои́мъ: а҆́зъ є҆́смь, и҆ нѣ́сть и҆ны́ѧ.

11

And destruction shall come upon thee, and thou shalt not be aware; [there shall be a] pit, and thou shalt fall into it: and grief shall come upon thee, and thou shalt not be able to be clear; and destruction shall come suddenly upon thee, and thou shalt not know.

καὶ ἥξει ἐπὶ σὲ ἀπώλεια, καὶ οὐ μὴ γνῷς, βόθυνος, καὶ ἐμπεσῇ εἰς αὐτόν· καὶ ἥξει ἐπὶ σὲ ταλαιπωρία, καὶ οὐ μὴ δυνήσῃ καθαρὰ γενέσθαι· καὶ ἥξει ἐπὶ σὲ ἐξ ἀπίνης ἀπώλεια, καὶ οὐ μὴ γνῷς.

И҆ прїи́детъ на тѧ̀ па́гꙋба, и҆ не ᲂу҆вѣ́си, про́пасть, и҆ впаде́ши въ ню̀: и҆ прїи́детъ на тѧ̀ печа́ль, и҆ не возмо́жеши чиста̀ бы́ти: и҆ прїи́детъ на тѧ̀ внеза́пꙋ па́гꙋба, и҆ не ᲂу҆вѣ́си.

12

Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the abundance of thy sorcery, which thou hast learned from thy youth; if thou canst be profited.

στῆθι νῦν ἐν ταῖς ἐπαοιδαῖς σου καὶ ἐν τῇ πολλῇ φαρμακείᾳ σου, ἃ ἐμάνθανες ἐκ νεότητός σου, εἰ δυνήσῃ ὠφεληθῆναι.

Ста́ни нн҃ѣ съ волхвы̑ твои́ми и҆ со мно́гими ча̑ры твои́ми, и҆̀мже наꙋчи́ласѧ є҆сѝ и҆з̾ ю҆́ности твоеѧ̀, а҆́ще возмо́гꙋтъ тѝ помощѝ.

Jerome †420

12–15
(Verse 12 and following) Stand with your sorcerers, and with the multitude of your evil deeds, in which you have labored since your youth, if perhaps it will benefit you, or if you can become stronger. You have failed in the multitude of your plans: let the astrologers of the heavens stand and save you, who observe the stars and calculate the months, to announce to you what is to come. Behold, they have become like stubble, fire has burned them up: they will not deliver their souls from the hand of the flame: there are no coals to warm themselves, nor a fire to sit beside: thus have they become to you in all your labors: each of your merchants has wandered in his own way since your youth: there is no one to save you. LXX: Stand now in your incantations and in your many sorceries, which you have learned from your youth, if they can be of any help to you; and you have labored in your counsels: let the astrologers of the sky stand and save you, those who look at the stars and tell you what is coming upon you. See, they will all be consumed like stubble in the fire; they will not deliver themselves from the flame; for you have coals of fire, and you will sit upon them. They will be for your help. You have labored in your change from youth: man has wandered in himself: but there will be no salvation for you. The reading of the Prophet Daniel proves to have had all of Babylon and all of Chaldea, the study of sorcerers and soothsayers and diviners and exorcists, whom we call haruspices, whom for their advice he recounts as having done all things for the Babylonian kings. Also, because we have interpreted it according to Symmachus and Theodotion: Let the astrologers of the heavens stand and save you, the Seventy have translated more explicitly, Let the astronomers of the heavens stand and make you safe; who are commonly called mathematicians, and by the course and movement of the stars, they judge human affairs to be governed. And so the Magi from the East came, saying that they had seen the Lord's star, either through the knowledge of their art or through the prophecy of their own prophet Balaam, who had said in Numbers: A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a man shall come forth from Israel (Num. XXIV, 17). Therefore, these people who calculate months and count years, and weigh the moments of hours, promise knowledge of the future. Let them tell you what the Lord has thought concerning you. And when they are silent about what is to come, the Prophet responds: Behold, they have become like straw; fire has devoured them. Those who promised salvation to others were ignorant of their own punishment. And there is no doubt that, with the city on fire, its inhabitants were consumed by the voracious flame. And what follows: They are not like prunes that can be heated, nor a hearth for them to sit by, as the Hebrews have taught. They have no knowledge of heat, nor a sense of light that can dispel their darkness and drive out the cold of error. For this reason, I do not know what the Seventy translators intended when they rendered it: You have coals of fire, you shall sit upon them; they shall be a help to you; unless, perhaps, we can say that the fire and burning of Babylon were much more useful than the magi and the Gazarenes, the astrologers and the enchanters. For indeed he provokes them through punishments and penalties to repentance; they, on the other hand, are led into pride by error. All his labor and the merchants of his, whom we understand to be magicians, accomplished this, that each one would wander in his own way; and he himself, being lost, would not offer salvation to another. Let us ask those who assert different natures, whether Babylon is of evil nature or of good? If they say evil, which it is not doubtful that they will answer, how is it provoked to repentance, and it is said to it: Sit in remorse, enter into darkness, daughter of the Chaldeans. After the enumeration of sins and crimes, you have charcoal fires, you will sit upon them: will they be of help to you? And what does it mean that it is mentioned next to them in the Septuagint: You have labored in exchange from youth? What is this exchange? Surely it is for the worse. From which it is clear, that by nature one becomes good, by will one becomes bad. Finally it is said: Man has wandered in himself, not by nature, but by the choice of the mind.
Commentary on Isaiah

Theodoret of Cyrus †458

The prophetic text addresses these words to [Babylon] in an ironic manner: stick to your habitual magic; stick to your customary incantations. It is likely that you will escape from misfortunes that besiege you! Then he proclaims the vainness of these practices.
Commentary on Isaiah 14:47.12

Thomas Aquinas †1274

Stand now with your enchanters. Here he excludes their trust in escape; and concerning this, he does two things. First, he excludes hope from the wise, excluding their help, as to sorcerers: stand now with your enchanters; from your youth, from when they were created, they were full of magical arts, above: and when they shall say to you: seek of pythons, and of diviners (Isa 8:19).
Commentary on Isaiah

13

Thou art wearied in thy counsels. Let now the astrologers of the heaven stand and deliver thee, let them that see the stars tell thee what is about to come upon thee.

κεκοπίακας ἐν ταῖς βουλαῖς σου· στήτωσαν δὴ καὶ σωσάτωσάν σε οἱ ἀστρολόγοι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, οἱ ὁρῶντες τοὺς ἀστέρας ἀναγγειλάτωσάν σοι τί μέλλει ἐπὶ σὲ ἔρχεσθαι.

Оу҆трꙋди́ласѧ є҆сѝ въ совѣ́тѣхъ твои́хъ: да ста́нꙋтъ нн҃ѣ и҆ спасꙋ́тъ тѧ̀ ѕвѣздоче́тцы небесѐ, смотрѧ́ющїи ѕвѣ́здъ, да возвѣстѧ́тъ тѝ, что̀ и҆́мать на тѧ̀ прїитѝ.

14

Behold, they all shall be burnt up as sticks in the fire; neither shall they at all deliver their life from the flame. Because thou hast coals of fire, sit thou upon them;

ἰδοὺ πάντες ὡς φρύγανα ἐπὶ πυρὶ κατακαυθήσονται καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐξέλωνται τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῶν ἐκ φλογός· ὅτι ἔχεις ἄνθρακας πυρός, κάθισαι ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς.

Сѐ, всѝ ꙗ҆́кѡ хвра́стїе ѻ҆гне́мъ погорѧ́тъ и҆ не и҆з̾и́мꙋтъ дꙋшѝ своеѧ̀ и҆з̾ пла́мене, поне́же и҆́маши ᲂу҆́глїе ѻ҆́гненное, сѧ́ди на ни́хъ.

15

these shall be thy help. Thou hast wearied thyself with traffic from thy youth: every man has wandered to his own home, but thou shalt have no deliverance.

οὗτοι ἔσονταί σοι βοήθεια, ἐκοπίασας ἐν τῇ μεταβολῇ ἐκ νεότητος, ἄνθρωπος καθ᾿ ἑαυτὸν ἐπλανήθη, σοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἔσται σωτηρία.

Сі́и бꙋ́дꙋтъ тебѣ̀ по́мощь: трꙋди́ласѧ є҆сѝ въ преложе́нїи ѿ ю҆́ности, человѣ́къ са́мъ въ себѣ̀ прельсти́сѧ, тебѣ́ же не бꙋ́детъ спасе́нїѧ.

Origen of Alexandria †253

And when God afflicts those who deserve punishment, how else is it intended except for their good? It is he who says to the Chaldaeans, “You have coals of fire; sit on them. They shall be a help to you.” Further, let them hear what is related in the seventy-seventh psalm, which is ascribed to Asaph, about those who fell in the desert. It says, “When he slew them, then they sought him.” It does not say that some sought him after others had been killed but that those who were slain perished in such a manner that when put to death they sought God. From all these illustrations it is plain that the just and good God of the Law and the Gospels is one and the same and that he does good with justice and punishes in kindness, since neither goodness without justice nor justice without goodness can describe the dignity of the divine nature.
On First Principles 2:5.3

Eusebius of Caesarea †339

It is known from the writing of Daniel in what manner certain wizards and diviners and potion makers were eminent among those Chaldeans living in Babylon. And they were highly regarded by the king since the kingdom was ordered by them. They did not only dabble with potions and incantations, but through the knowledge of mathematical theorems they thought to understand the heavens, predicting the movement of the stars, their effects on human destiny and their power on the present according to the season, so as to learn to distinguish the things to come. But no mighty person is able to know the future from pondering on these things. Rather, the reward of fire will be received by those who pay too much attention to them.
Commentary on Isaiah 2:32

Gregory of Nazianzus †390

For I know a cleansing fire that Christ came to send on the earth, and he himself is anagogically called a fire. This Fire takes away whatever is material and of evil habit. This [Christ] desires to kindle with all speed, for he longs for speed in doing us good, since he gives us even coals of fire to help us.
On Holy Baptism, Oration 40:36

Theodoret of Cyrus †458

In the other nations likewise, there are people who choose an iniquitous law, he says, but not all embrace this mode of conduct. For your part, you studied iniquity and you practiced the extreme of impiety as if it were the height of piety; therefore you will not enjoy salvation. As for us, instructed by their punishment, let us procure salvation, and may their destruction turn to our advantage! Seeing what payment is reserved for malice, and taking on the opposite mode of conduct and having as a holy anchor trust in the God of the universe, we will obtain his solicitude during the present life, just as we will enjoy the eternal benefits in the life to come by the grace of Christ our Savior. Glory to the Father, together with him, in the unity of the All-Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Commentary on Isaiah 14:47.15

Thomas Aquinas †1274

Second, he excludes hope from their merchants: merchants, in which they also abounded; or wise men (magi), who sold them lies for truth, above: every one shall be amazed at his neighbor, their countenances shall be as faces burnt (Isa 13:8).
Commentary on Isaiah