The prophet prayeth for Christ’s coming. The affliction of the Moabites for their pride.
The prophet prayeth for, and prophecieth Christs coming: 6. adding more of the affliction of the Moabites for their pride.
1Send forth, O Lord, the lamb, the ruler of the earth, from Petra of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Sion.Manda, o Signore, l'Agnello dominatore della terra, dalla pietra del deserto al monte della figliuola di Sion.SEND forth ô Lord the lambe the dominatour of the earth, from the Rocke of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Sion.Emitte agnum, Domine, dominatorem terræ, / de petra deserti / ad montem filiæ Sion. 2And it shall come to pass, that as a bird fleeing away, and as young ones flying out of the nest, so shall the daughters of Moab be in the passage of Arnon.E saranno le figlie di Moab al passaggio del Arnon, come un uccello, che fugge, e come i pulcini, che volano fuori del nido.And he shal be as a bird fleing, and the yong flying out of the nest, so shal the daughters of Moab be in the passage of Arnon.Et erit: sicut avis fugiens, / et pulli de nido avolantes, / sic erunt filiæ Moab / in transcensu Arnon. 3Take counsel, gather a council: make thy shadow as the night in the midday: hide them that flee, and betray not them that wander about.Fa consulte, aduna consigli; fa si, che la tua ombra sia di mezzo giorno come una notte, nascondi i fuggitivi, e non tradire i vagabondi.Take counsel, gather a councel: set thy shadow in the midday as it were night: hide them that flee, and them that wander bewray not.Ini consilium, / coge concilium; / pone quasi noctem umbram tuam / in meridie; / absconde fugientes, et vagos ne prodas. 4My fugitives shall dwell with thee: O Moab, be thou a covert to them from the face of the destroyer: for the dust is at an end, the wretch is consumed: he hath failed, that trod the earth under foot.Abbiano abitazione presso di te i miei fuggitivi. Sii tu, o Moab, il lor nascondiglio contro il devastatore; imperocché la polvere è finita, quel miserabile è perito, è venuto meno colui che conculcava la terra.My fugitiues shal dwel with thee: Moab be thou their couert from the face of the destroyer: for the dust is ended, the wretch is come to naught: he hath failed, that trode downe the earth.Habitabunt apud te profugi mei; / Moab, esto latibulum eorum a facie vastatoris: / finitus est enim pulvis, consummatus est miser, / defecit qui conculcabat terram. 5And a throne shall be prepared in mercy, and one shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment and quickly rendering that which is just.E sarà stabilito il trono sopra la misericordia, e sopra di esso sederà nella casa di David un giudice verace, e amante della giustizia, ed il quale farà con prontezza quello, che è giusto.And a throne shal be prepared in mercie, and there shal sit vpon it, in truth in the tabernacle of Dauid, he that iudgeth and seketh iudgement, and quickly rendereth that which is iust.Et præparabitur in misericordia solium, / et sedebit super illud in veritate / in tabernaculo David, / judicans et quærens judicium, / et velociter reddens quod justum est.
6We have heard of the pride of Moab, he is exceeding proud: his pride and his arrogancy, and his indignation is more than his strength.Abbiam sentito parlare della superbia di Moab; egli è grandemente superbo: la sua superbia, e l'arroganza, e l'impetuosità di lui passano la sua possanza.We haue heard the pride of Moab, he is proud excedingly: his pride and his arrogancie, and his indignation is more then his strength.Audivimus superbiam Moab: / superbus est valde; / superbia ejus, et arrogantia ejus, et indignatio ejus / plus quam fortitudo ejus. 7Therefore shall Moab howl to Moab, every one shall howl: to them that rejoice upon the brick walls, tell ye their stripes.Per questo Moab urlerà contro di Moab, urleranno tutti quanti. A que', che vanno superbi per muraglie di mattoni cotti al fuoco, annunziate le loro piaghe.Therfore shal Moab howle to Moab, al shal howle: to them, that reioyce vpon the walles of baqued bricke, tel ye their plagues.Idcirco ululabit Moab ad Moab; / universus ululabit: / his qui lætantur super muros cocti lateris, / loquimini plagas suas. 8For the suburbs of Hesebon are desolate, and the lords of the nations have destroyed the vineyard of Sabama: the branches thereof have reached even to Jazer: they have wandered in the wilderness, the branches thereof are left, they are gone over the sea.Perocché i sobborghi di Hesebon son deserti, è stata troncata dai principi delle nazioni la vigna di Sabama, i tralci di cui son arrivati fino a Jazer, si sono aggirati pel deserto; le sue propagini, che rimanevano, son passate di là dal mare.Because the suburbes of Hesebon are desolate, and the vineyard of Sabama the lords of the Nations haue cut of: the branches therof haue reached to Iazer: they wandered in the desert, the branches therof are leaft, they passed ouer the sea.Quoniam suburbana Hesebon deserta sunt, / et vineam Sabama / domini gentium exciderunt: / flagella ejus usque ad Jazer pervenerunt, / erraverunt in deserto; / propagines ejus relictæ sunt, / transierunt mare. 9Therefore I will lament with the weeping of Jazer the vineyard of Sabama: I will water thee with my tears, O Hesebon, and Eleale: for the voice of the treaders hath rushed in upon thy vintage, and upon thy harvest.Per questo io piangerò al pianto di Jazer, piangerò la vigna di Sabama; te bagnerò io colle mie lagrime, o Hesebon, e te, o Eleala; perocché a conculcare le tue vendemmie, e le tue messi son venuti con furore, e con istrida (i nemici.)For this I wil lament in the weeping of Iazer the yineyard of Sabama: I wil inebriate thee with my teare ô Hesebon, and Elealé: because the voice of the treaders is rush• in vpon thy vintage, and vpon thy haruest.Super hoc plorabo in fletu Jazer / vineam Sabama; / inebriabo de lacrima mea, / Hesebon et Eleale, / quoniam super vindemiam tuam et super messem tuam / vox calcantium irruit.
10And gladness and joy shall be taken away from Carmel, and there shall be no rejoicing nor shouting in the vineyards. He shall not tread out wine in the press that was wont to tread it out: the voice of the treaders I have taken away.E fuggirà la letizia, e l'esultazione dal Carmelo, e non sarà più festa, né giubilo; e colui, che soleva premere il vino nello strettoio, più noi premerà: ed ho tolte via le sue canzoni.And gladnes and ioy shal be taken away from Carmelus, and it shal not reioyce nor make iubilation in vineyards. He shal not treade wine in the presse that was wonte to treade: the voice of the treaders I haue taken away.Et auferetur lætitia et exsultatio de Carmelo, / et in vineis non exsultabit neque jubilabit. / Vinum in torculari non calcabit qui calcare consueverat; / vocem calcantium abstuli. 11Wherefore my bowels shall sound like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for the brick wall.Per questo le mie interiora, e le mie viscere daranno suono lugubre quasi cetra sulle sciagure di Moab, e sulla rovina della muraglia di mattone cotto al fuoco.For this my bellie shal sound as an harpe to Moab, & my bowels to the wal of baqued bricke.Super hoc venter meus ad Moab / quasi cithara sonabit, / et viscera mea ad murum cocti lateris. 12And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is wearied on his high places, that he shall go in to his sanctuaries to pray, and shall not prevail.E avverrà, che quando Moab si sarà stancato ne' suoi luoghi eccelsi, anderà per orare ne' suoi santuari, e non potrà.And it •shal be: when it shal appeare that Moab hath laboured for his excelses, he shal goe in to his sanctuaries to pray, & shal not preuaile.Et erit: cum apparuerit quod laboravit Moab / super excelsis suis, / ingredietur ad sancta sua ut obsecret, / et non valebit. 13This is the word, that the Lord spoke to Moab from that time:Questa è la parola, che il Signore parlò già tempo riguardo a Moab.This is the word, that our Lord spake to Moab from that time:Hoc verbum quod locutus est Dominus ad Moab ex tunc. 14And now the Lord hath spoken, saying: In three years, as the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab shall be taken away for all the multitude of the people, and it shall be left small and feeble, not many.E ora ha parlato il Signore, dicendo: In tre anni, come anni del bracciante, sarà tolta a Moab la gloria di tutto quel suo gran popolo, e pochi rimarranno, e piccoli, e non robusti.and now our Lord hath spoken, saying: In three yeares, as the yeares of an hired seruant, the glorie of Moab shal be taken away vpon al the multitude of people, and it shal be leaft litle and smal, not much.Et nunc locutus est Dominus, dicens: In tribus annis, quasi anni mercenarii, auferetur gloria Moab super omni populo multo, et relinquetur parvus et modicus, nequaquam multus.
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Haydock
Petra. Hebrew selah, "the rock." (Haydock)
Menochius
Our Saviour sprung from Ruth, the Moabitess. (Menochius)
Calmet
The original may insinuate, that the king of the country had neglected to pay the usual tribute to Juda, 4 Kings 3:4. (Calmet)
Worthington
"Send the lamb to the ruler," etc. (Tournemine.) Amid scenes of distress, the prophet perceives that the Saviour will proceed from one of this nation. (Worthington)
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Arnon. They shall not be able to fly over, or to escape the conqueror.
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Calmet
Dust. Theglathphalassar. I need not exhort you to receive my people, as I know your dispositions, and they are out of danger. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Walls. Hebrew, "Kir-hareseth," Isaias 15:1. (Haydock)
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Calmet
Lords. Princes of Jerusalem, (Lamentations 1:1.) or of Assyria. (Calmet)
Calmet
Sea. Of Sodom, even as far as Jazer, (Haydock) in the tribe of Ruben. (Calmet)
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Haydock
My tears. Isaias 15:5. (Haydock)
Calmet
I announce a different sort of music from that which is customary in times of harvest, and of vintage. The liquor shall be tears, Isaias 63:2., and Jeremias 48:32, 33. (Calmet)
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Challoner
Carmel. This name is often taken to signify a fair and fruitful hill or field, such as Mount Carmel is. (Challoner)
Calmet
It means, "the vine of God." (Calmet)
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Calmet
Wall. Kir-hareseth, ver. 7. I am grieved at your misfortunes. (Calmet)
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Prevail. Chamos shall not be able to help them.
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That time. A long while ago, Psalm 92:2.
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Calmet
Not many. It was laid waste in the third year of Ezechias. But its final destruction took place only five years after that of Jerusalem. (Calmet)
Worthington
The wars against Moab continued three years, after which it was reduced to servitude. (Worthington)
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Carmel.... This name is often taken to signify a fair and fruitful hill or field, such as mount Carmel is.
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In the great miserie of he Moabites, the Prophet saw one special cause of consolation, that Christ the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world, should be borne of their lineage, by one of thier progenie.
Of Ruth a Moabite, who was maried to Booz, and so was Dauids great grandmother. Ruth, 4. See the argument of Ruth.
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The vvarres against Moab continued three yeares,
In vvhich it was brought into seruitude.
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St Barnabas † AD 61 The Epistle of Barnabas 11
… they have forsaken Me, a living fountain, and have hewn out for themselves broken cisterns. Is my holy hill Zion a desolate rock? For ye shall be as the fledglings of a bird, which fly away when the nest is removed.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 53.8
… In the book of Judges every one of the popular leaders is a type. Ruth the Moabitess fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah:—“Send thou a lamb, O Lord, as ruler of the land from the rock of the wilderness to the mount of the daughter of Zion.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 54.17
… “Send out the lamb, O Lord, to rule over the land from the rock of the desert to the mount of the daughter of Zion.”
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 40
… the other is a deceitful and meddling one, quite contrary to the true light, though pretending to be that light, that it may cheat us by its appearance. This really is darkness, yet has the appearance of noonday, the high perfection of light. And so I read that passage of those who continually flee in darkness at noonday;
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St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 2
Is. xvi. 6 . His strength (Moab’s) is by no means according to his arrogance.
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1. SEND THE LAMB. — The Septuagint codices of Sixtus, Basil and Cyril have: I will send as it were creeping things upon the earth, that is, I will send serpents into Moab; namely in the Hebrew for כר משל ארץ car mosel arets, that is, a lamb ruling the earth, they read by diastole כרמש לארץ keremes laurets, that is, as a creeping thing of the earth. Secondly, the Hebrews and R. Solomon from the Hebrew translate: Send the lamb to the ruler of the earth, and they interpret it thus, that, since the Moabites had been accustomed to pay to the king of Israel an annual tribute of a hundred thousand lambs, after the death of Ahaz they refused it, IV Kings III. Wherefore under Hezekiah the pious and fortunate king, Israel resuming courage and strength, now insulting the Moabites says: Send, O Moabites! as you are accustomed, the tribute, namely lambs, to the ruler of the earth, that is, to the new and mighty king Hezekiah, from the Rock of the desert, that is, from Moab. But truly this is wrested in vain by Christ to Hezekiah; for neither was Hezekiah king of Israel, but of Judah: much less can he be called ruler of the earth, nor is it read in Scripture that he himself waged war against the Moabites or imposed tribute upon them. Add that both the Septuagint and our version translate: "Send the lamb ruler (not, to the ruler) of the earth." Leo Castrius refutes this by many arguments. Much less can this place be understood of Hosea the last king of Israel: because he was already slain, and the kingdom of Israel overthrown, not by the Moabites, but by the Assyrians. Thirdly, some Hebrews and Forerius for "lamb" translate, ram, and by ram they understand either war machines, which from their likeness to rams are called rams, or strong leaders and soldiers like rams, as if by irony and mockery the Prophet should say: O Moabites! prepare rams, leaders and soldiers to attack Sion, who may rule the holy earth and subject it to themselves; but you will do this in vain, nay rather you will pay the penalty for your arrogance. But I say with St. Jerome, Hugh, Lyran, Adam, Vatablus and others, that by "lamb" here is understood Christ, who was born from Ruth the Moabitess. For when Isaiah prophesied concerning the destruction of Moab and saw the nation nearly perishing, he grieved. Whence seeing on the other hand that from Ruth the Moabitess Christ was to be born, he flies to him after his manner (whence the Plantin Bible encloses this verse in parentheses), and by his nativity consoles both himself and the Moabites, and thence immediately returns to the appointed narrative and to the burdens of Moab: See Can. IV, q. d. Send, O Lord! or, as it is in Hebrew, שלחו scilchu, that is, send, and rain down, namely, O heavens! or you, O Father! O Son! O Holy Spirit! not those dumb and tributary lambs of the Moabites, but the lamb ruler of the earth, that is, Christ, who as the Lamb of God takes away the sins of the world, and rules over the whole Church and world: send, I say, him from the Rock, the city of the desert, which is in Moab, namely from Ruth the Moabitess, who born in this city, long ago departed from it to the Jews. Wherefore what Vatablus thus expounds: O Lord! do not destroy the Moabites, so that at length the Messiah may be born, should be understood thus, namely so that the Messiah may be born, who may save his own kinsmen, namely the Moabites. For he himself will be born from Ruth, who of old by this counsel of God passed from Moab to the Jews, so that namely from her Christ might descend, who would bring salvation to the Moabites. For otherwise even if all the Moabites had been destroyed, still Christ would have descended from David and Ruth; inasmuch as she had long before this calamity been joined to the people of the Jews. For Boaz from Ruth begat Obed, Obed begat Jesse, Jesse begat David, from whom Christ was born. He calls Christ "lamb" or "ram": for both the Hebrew כר car signifies. First, because it alludes to the tribute of lambs which the Moabites paid to the king of Israel. Secondly, because the Moabites were most devoted to cattle raising and very rich in sheep. Thirdly, because the lambs and rams of Moab surpassed in body and strength the lambs and rams of other provinces, and were as it were leaders of flocks: whence rightly lamb or ram here signifies the leader and ruler Christ. Whence the Syriac translates: Send the Messiah ruler of the earth. The Arabic Alexandrian wrongly translates: I will send to them flies or locusts; and the Antiochene: I will send to them those ruling over the earth. Furthermore, what some Hebrews hand down, that Ruth was the daughter of the king of Moab, named Eglon, whom the judge Aod slew, is a Hebrew fable; for between Eglon and Ruth there elapsed 230 years, nor is it credible that a king would have given his daughter as wife to a man of plebeian rank, such as was the husband of Ruth. Thus Abulensis and Lyran. Finally, for "dominator" it can be translated, O dominator! For the Hebrews, since they lack cases, use the same noun for any case, as if to say, O dominator of the earth! send us the Lamb, that is your beloved son, who as a lamb of expiation may redeem and save us. CONCERNING THE ROCK OF THE DESERT. — This city was called Petra, because it is walled round about with cliffs and precipices, says Strabo, book XVI, and from it the whole region was called Arabia Petraea. This city was enlarged by King Baldwin after the holy war. Then the Sultan, having recovered it, placed there the treasure of Egypt and Arabia. Thus Adrichomius. Note: Christ is said to be sent from the Rock of Moab, not in himself, but in his ancestress Ruth; for she came from there to Sion as if sent by God: just as the descendants of Judah are said to have gone out from Canaan and entered into Egypt, not in themselves, but in their ancestor Jacob; for they themselves were born after their ancestor's entry into Egypt. See what is said in Genesis XLVI. Mystically, the Rock of the desert is the Blessed Virgin, who is a protection like a rock to those who are abandoned from all help, says Hugh; for she brought forth to us this Lamb more directly than Ruth. See Viegas, Apocalypse XII, Commentary III, section XXIV. Finally, Christ was sent to Moab, that is to the destruction of sin. Thus Alcazar notes in Apocalypse XIV, 1, note 1, where he contends that this sense is literal; but from what has been said it is clear that it is mystical.
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2. AND IT SHALL BE: AS A BIRD. — The Prophet returns after the parenthesis, in which he briefly sighed and flew away to Christ, to the begun destruction and captivity of Moab, as if to say, The Moabites beyond the river Arnon, where the borders of Moab are, will be violently and swiftly carried away into Babylon, and there will be scattered, just as birds are scattered flying away from the nest, when some plunderer invades the nest.
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3. Take counsel — as if to say, St. Jerome says, Do you wish to escape ruin, O Moab! and to render God propitious and your protector, take your counsel from your own people, but rather from me; do, I say, what I suggest; as I add below: Make as the night. — Symbolically, just as midday and heat signify great affliction and calamity, because the sun burns most intensely at midday; so shadow and night signify its remedy, refuge and refreshment. Whence, in chapter IV, verse 6, it is said: "It shall be a tabernacle in the daytime from the heat." The sense therefore is, as if to say, O Moabites! do you wish to be saved, do you wish to escape the hands of Nebuchadnezzar? Do what I say: namely, receive the Israelites, your kinsmen and neighbors, exiles and fugitives from their homeland, both on account of fear of Sennacherib, and on account of other tyrants, and especially on account of the devastation by Nebuchadnezzar, with humanity, cherish them, protect them, and repay them in kind. For thus Abraham their father received Lot your father, helped him, cherished him, and freed him when captured by Chedorlaomer. Moreover, he demands shadow as if night, that is, the densest shadow, as if to say: Your reception, piety and humanity should not be slight, narrow and brief, but abundant, generous and liberal. Tropologically, note here that the best remedy for escaping imminent affliction and God's vengeance is mercy: do you wish to escape misery? be merciful to the wretched; do you wish to be received in heaven? receive the stranger with hospitality: for "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Hence St. Gregory of Nazianzus says: "Be merciful to the afflicted, and you will find the Lord as God in affliction," and Daniel advised Nebuchadnezzar, that he might escape impending destruction: "Redeem your sins with alms, and your iniquities with the mercies of the poor." Thus Lot in Sodom received Angels in hospitality, thinking them to be foreign men, and defended them against the insolence of the Sodomites as best he could. Whence he was freed and led out by them from the burning of Sodom, Genesis XIX. Rahab received the spies, whom Joshua had sent into Jericho, in hospitality, and faithfully kept and sent them away. Therefore her whole house alone was preserved by the Hebrews in the destruction of Jericho, Joshua II and VI. The Shunamite woman received Elisha passing through in hospitality, and on account of this he obtained a son for her, and raised him when dead, IV Kings IV. Zacchaeus gladly received Christ in his house, and therefore heard from him: "This day is salvation come to this house," Luke XIX. St. Gregory relates, in book III of the Dialogues, chapter XI, that Cerbonius, Bishop of Populonia, received certain soldiers passing through in hospitality, and hid them from the Goths coming upon them, and preserved them in life. When Totila king of the Goths heard this, he ordered him to be thrown to bears before all the people, that he might be devoured by them. But the bear sent upon him, forgetting its ferocity, with neck bent and head humbly lowered, began to lick the feet of the Bishop: "So that it might be plainly given to all to understand that toward that man of God both the hearts of men were savage, and those of beasts were as if human." Wherefore the people and the king himself were moved to veneration of him. The same Gregory, in homily 23 on the Gospel, relates of a certain man very hospitable, who by hospitality merited to receive Christ in his own person, from whom he heard by vision: "On other days you received me in my members, yesterday you received me." St. Augustine relates, in book XXII of the City of God, chapter VIII, that a certain Innocent, devoted to hospitality, was miraculously healed of a most dangerous wound. Leo IX the Pontiff was a man of remarkable hospitality, so much so that, when once he found a leper at his doors, he ordered him to be placed in his own bed: but when the janitor opened the doors in the morning, the leper was nowhere found: it was believed that Christ in the guise of the poor man had lain in that place. Thus Platina and others in his Life, under the year of the Lord 1050.
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4. FOR THE DUST IS FINISHED. — Martin of Roa, a learned man, in book IV of his Singularities, chapter III, explains it thus, as if to say: Miserable and vile is your condition, O Moab! likewise your mourning has departed, servitude has been driven away, and the enemy has failed, to whom you were forced to supplicate by sitting in dust, or by touching the ground and dust with your forehead. For all these things are signified by dust among the Hebrews, Romans and Greeks: for all in mourning sprinkled dust upon their head; or sat in it. But the following verses show that the matter here is not about the dust of Moab and his friends, but of Sennacherib and the enemies. For although the Prophet speaks of the destruction of Moab accomplished not by Sennacherib, but by Nebuchadnezzar; nevertheless he remembers Sennacherib threatening Judaea, because many from Judaea were being driven as fugitives into Moab on account of him. Isaiah therefore admonishes the Moabites, that they receive them humanely, if they wish to merit the grace and aid of God. For if they should be harsh and cruel toward them, on account of this sin and many others, the measure being at length filled up, they will experience God's vengeance, and will be laid waste without mercy likewise by Nebuchadnezzar. The sense therefore is, as if to say: Do not excuse yourself, O Moab! from receiving the Hebrew fugitives, saying that you fear Sennacherib, or some other enemy and devastator of theirs, because he will shortly be finished and vanish like dust, and will quickly be consumed, wretched one: "and there shall be prepared," etc., that is, and the ancient throne of the kingdom shall be prepared for Jerusalem, and for Hezekiah the just and good king, and his posterity, that is it shall be confirmed and strengthened, in, that is through, the mercy of God. Thus Adam and others. Allegorically, this throne is that of King Christ, who judges both poor and rich in judgment and justice, Psalm LXXXVIII. Indeed Sanchez and others wish this sense concerning Christ to be literal; but it is more truly and plainly allegorical. Note, that by Hebraism the mark of similitude is understood as "like"; for thus these things are to be explained: the devastator is finished, as dust. Sennacherib and his like are compared to dust. First, on account of the innumerable army, which appeared to be like sand or dust. Second, because he was struck by a light blow of the Angel, just as by a light breath of wind all dust is scattered and dispersed, so that the solid and shining earth appears, as if it had been swept with brooms.
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6. We have heard the pride of Moab. — This pride overthrew Moab: for it was overthrown, because being proud and trusting in its own arms and brick walls it despised an enemy more powerful than itself. See what is said in Jeremiah XLVIII, 29. 7. THEREFORE SHALL MOAB HOWL TO MOAB, — as if to say: one shall howl to another, citizens of one city to citizens of another. Second, "Moab to Moab," that is the surviving Moabites shall mourn the slain Moabites, says Vatablus. Otherwise Sanchez: "Moab to Moab," he says, that is, Moab to itself, or shall howl with itself, as those mourning and despairing are accustomed to do. UPON THE WALLS OF BRICK, — upon the brick walls. Second, and better, this is the proper name of a city, which in Hebrew is called קיר חרשת kir charescet, that is having brick walls. This is evident from IV Kings III, 25, where when the writer had said: "So that only the brick walls remained," he adds: "And the city was besieged by the slingers:" which words plainly signify that the brick walls are of the city already mentioned Kircharescet, to which as being most fortified the king of Moab fled in his final extremity. The sense therefore is, as if to say: Tell the Moabites, that Kircharescet, which is to them an impregnable fortress, in which they are proud, will not protect them, but shall be taken by the enemy.
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8. AND THE VINE OF SABAMA. — Scripture is accustomed to call cities vineyards, both on account of the offspring of sons and families, and on account of fertility; as Moab was fertile in vineyards, wine and fruits: to which Jeremiah alluded, chapter XLVIII, verse 11. This vineyard therefore, that is the city of Sabama, the "lords of the nations," that is princes, or Sennacherib, or rather Nebuchadnezzar, have cut down. Her branches extended unto Jazer. — "Branches" of a vineyard or vine are called its shoots and tendrils winding about, by which the vine binds and holds itself to a stake or tree lest it fall: whence they are also called claspers. But by these branches metaphorically is understood the people of Moab as fugitives, who crossed the sea, when they were led away into Babylon. Thus St. Jerome. See what is said in Jeremiah XLVIII, 31.
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9. I will weep in the weeping of Jazer. — Jazer was the last city of Moab near the Jordan, which appears to have been laid waste before Hesbon and Sabama; for Isaiah says he will weep at the destruction of Sabama, as it was wept over at the destruction of Jazer. The voice of those treading (that is, of the Chaldeans plundering your harvest and vintage, and treading and pressing it) has rushed in. — Note: The devastation of enemies is rightly compared metaphorically to the treading of grapes and grain. Jeremiah expresses all these things more fully and clearly in chapter XLVIII, 10. JOY SHALL BE TAKEN AWAY, etc., FROM CARMEL. — Carmel is not in Moab, but in Judaea; but, as St. Jerome notes, Scripture is accustomed to signify proverbially by Carmel any fertile and fruitful place: for such is Mount Carmel. "From Carmel" therefore, that is, from the rich and fertile fields of Moab, "joy shall be taken away," for vintners are accustomed to rejoice and exult in the abundance of the vintage, and reapers in a plentiful harvest. I HAVE TAKEN AWAY THE VOICE OF THOSE TREADING. — Jeremiah has: "No longer shall the treader of grapes sing the accustomed song." See what is said there.
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11. UPON THIS MY BELLY SHALL SOUND LIKE A HARP FOR MOAB, — that is to say, My inmost bowels, touched by sorrow, shall utter a mournful song and groans on account of the devastation of the Moabites, though they are our enemies; just as a harp, struck by a plectrum, gives forth a sound in a funeral dirge. Jeremiah has: "My heart shall sound for Moab like pipes." Note: Harps and pipes, because they produce a mournful sound, were formerly employed for mourning and funerals, as I said in Jeremiah chapter XLVIII, 36.
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12. AND IT SHALL BE: WHEN IT SHALL APPEAR (that is, Moab, when the enemy comes, seeing itself laboring in vain in its high places, in worshipping altars and idols, and receiving no help from them, shall go to) holy (places, namely its public temples), HE SHALL ENTER (that is, he shall attempt to enter, that he may beseech his gods; but) HE SHALL NOT BE ABLE, — partly on account of fear, weariness and loss of strength; partly on account of the sudden assault of the enemy, which will overwhelm him.
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Vers. 13. This is the word, — that is to say, Thus far have I set forth the oracles and threats against Moab; this is what Jeremiah says in chapter XLVIII: "Thus far the judgments of Moab." WHICH HE SPOKE, etc., FROM THAT TIME, — that is, of old, long ago, namely through Amos, who in chapter II, before Isaiah, foretold the same destruction of Moab. Vers. 13. This is the word, — that is to say, Thus far have I set forth the oracles and threats against Moab; this is what Jeremiah says in chapter XLVIII: "Thus far the judgments of Moab." WHICH HE SPOKE, etc., FROM THAT TIME, — that is, of old, long ago, namely through Amos, who in chapter II, before Isaiah, foretold the same destruction of Moab. 14. IN THREE YEARS. — Not that this calamity of Moab was brought about by Sennacherib, three years after this prophecy: for it was brought about by Nebuchadnezzar, as I said at the beginning of the chapter; but that Nebuchadnezzar, three years after he had destroyed Jerusalem, that is, in the fifth year from its devastation, devastated Moab: for this Josephus teaches expressly, book X of the Antiquities, chapter XI, or certainly that within the space of three years he harassed and devastated Moab. Thus St. Jerome, Hugo, Pintus, Leo Castrius and others. Hear St. Jerome: "It can," he says, "also be predicted concerning the Babylonian captivity, that after Jerusalem was captured, three years having passed, Moab was devastated by the Chaldeans; or that within the space of three years no rest was given to it." As the years of a hireling. — That is, which (namely the three years just mentioned) are "as the years of a hireling," that is, fixed, complete and certain, to which nothing can be added or taken away. For to hirelings a certain time is appointed, to which they suffer nothing to be added; nor does he who hires them allow anything to be taken from it. Thus Vatablus, Forerius, Arias, Osorius and others, indeed St. Cyril. Secondly, just as a hireling, when his years of hire are finished, departs, so likewise the consolation and glory of Moab shall depart and be taken away, so that scarcely a cluster shall remain in it, as follows. Thirdly, properly these years of the plundering of Moab are called hireling's years, because for these, as it were in payment for the destruction of Jerusalem by himself and the exercise of divine vengeance, Nebuchadnezzar shall receive the kingdom and spoils of Moab, says St. Jerome, just as he likewise received Egypt as a kind of payment from God for the conquest of Tyre, Ezekiel XXIX. Fourthly, these years are called hireling's years, that is, laborious and troublesome from the enemy harassing and plundering. For thus a hireling spends a laborious and toilsome day, with the master always present and urging him to work. Thus Sanchez and Adamus. See Pinedan in Job VII, 2. Symbolically, St. Basil, who here ends his Commentary on Isaiah: Those who, he says, do good works to capture the glory of the people, their glory shall be turned into shame in three years, that is, in all the dimension of time, namely past, present and future. UPON ALL THE PEOPLE, — of so numerous a people of Moab, in which he himself glories, after this calamity very few shall be left, just as very few grapes are left after the vintage. Whence some codices read: There shall be left as a small cluster. See here in Moab the vanity of kingdoms, and all pomp and pride. For in a short time, God punishing, their glory is turned into disgrace, their multitude into fewness, their power into weakness, their wisdom into folly, their riches into poverty, their magnificence into filth, their excellence into humility, their favor into hatred, their security into anguish, their peace into a thousand perils. Like the years of a hireling. — That is, which (namely the three years already mentioned) are "like the years of a hireling," that is, fixed, complete and certain, to which nothing can be added or taken away. For to hirelings a certain time is appointed, to which they suffer nothing to be added; nor does he who hires them suffer anything to be taken from it. Thus Vatablus, Forerius, Arias, Osorius and others, indeed St. Cyril. Secondly, just as a hireling, when the years of his hiring are finished, departs, so likewise shall the consolation and glory of Moab depart and be taken away, so that scarcely a cluster remains in it, as follows. Thirdly, properly these years of the plundering of Moab are called hireling's years, because by these, as it were for a reward, Jerusalem being avenged and divine vengeance exercised, Nebuchadnezzar shall receive the kingdom and spoils of Moab, says St. Jerome, just as he likewise received Egypt as a reward, as it were from God, for the conquest of Tyre, Ezech. XXIX. Fourthly, these years are called hireling's years, that is, laborious and troublesome from the enemy vexing and plundering. For thus a hireling passes a laborious and toilsome day, with the master always present and urging him to work. Thus Sanchez and Adams. See Pinedan in Job. VII, 2. Symbolically, St. Basil, who here concludes his Commentary on Isaiah: Those who, says he, do good works to capture the glory of the people, their glory shall be turned to shame in three years, that is, in all the dimension of time, namely past, present and future. OVER ALL THE PEOPLE, — of so numerous a people of Moab, in which he himself glories, after this calamity very few shall remain, just as very few grapes remain after the vintage. Whence some codices read: There shall remain as a small cluster. See here in Moab the vanity of kingdoms, and of all pomp and pride. For in a short time, when God punishes, their glory is changed to disgrace, their multitude to fewness, power to weakness, wisdom to foolishness, wealth to poverty, magnificence to squalor, excellence to humiliation, favor to hatred, security to distress, peace to a thousand dangers.
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See here in Moab the vanity of kingdoms, and of all pomp and pride. For in a short time, when God punishes, their glory is changed to disgrace, their multitude to fewness, power to weakness, wisdom to foolishness, wealth to poverty, magnificence to squalor, excellence to humiliation, favor to hatred, security to distress, peace to a thousand dangers.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
16:1
Hic describit poenae conditionem; et ponit duas conditiones. Primo aequitatem ex parte judicantis: secundo deceptionem ex parte patientis, ibi, Et erit cum apparuerit quod laboravit Moab super excelsis suis. Aequitas autem poenae disponitur ex culpa praecedente; et ideo ordinat culpam. Ponit autem duplicem culpam. Primo contra praeceptum pro- missi beneficii; secundo contra praeceptum salubris dati consilii, ibi, Ini consilium, coge concilium. Circa primum duo facit. In prima promittit bene- ficium Christi nascituri de eorum gente, ut ex hoc
aliquam consolationem accipiant. Ruth enim Moa- bites nupsit Boozi, ex quo concipit Obed patrem Jesse patris David, de quo natus est Christus; ut dicitur Ruth ultim. Et ideo dicit, O Domine, Pater, Agnum, Christum: Joan. 1: De petra deserti, de Ruth gentili, cujus populus lapideus est, deos la- pideos adorans: et ob hoc a Deo desertus. Ad mon- tem, Jerusalem, in quo occisis est et resurrexit, vel Ecclesiam. Dominatorem. Apoc. 4: « Dabant « gloriam et honorem et benedictionem sedenti « super thronum. » Secundo ponitur poena con- tinentium: Erit sicut avis fugiens, et pulli de nido avolantes, unde fugerunt, vel quia captivi du- cebantur. Supra 10: « Invenit quasi nidum manus « mea fortitudinem populorum. » Alii hic volunt, licet extorte, ad litteram exponere de tributo agnorum, quod rex Moab subtraxerat a rege Israel; sicut di- citur 4 Reg. 5, quod per prophetam praedictur restituendum regi Jerusalem. Dominatorem, in si- gnum dominii, de petra deserti, locus in quo nu- tricabantu oves. Ini consilium, coge concilium. Hic ordinat poenam contra contemptum dati consilii. Et dividitur in tres partes. In prima ponit consi- lium; in secunda consilii contemptum, ibi, Audivi- mus superbiam Moab; in tertia poenam contem- nentium, ibi, idcirco ululabit Moab. Circa primum tria ponit. Primo hortatur ad liberationem, ibi, Ini consilium etc. quasi dicit: Delibera qualiter salviri possit. Consilium est ipsa quaestio quae vertitur inter consiliantes: concilium congregatio consiliato- rum. Coge, quasi strictum consilium habens.
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Prov. 14: « Salus ubi multa consilia. » Eccl. 52: « Om- « nia fac eum consilio, et post factum non poe- « nitetis. » Secundo ponit consilii tenorem: Pone quasi noctem: in quo hortatur ad duo. Ad rece- ptionem Judaeorum fugientium, ut locum abscon- sionis praeparet. Pone quasi noctem, idest præpa- ra te ad occultandum eos ita in die ac si in nocte: vel in meridie, aperta persecutione, ut fugientes celes. Absconde, ut abscondens non reveles vagos. Hortatur etiam ut receptos amicabiliter sustentet, Habitabunt. Infra 52: « Et erit vir sicut qui abscon- ditur a vento, et celat se a tempestate. » Tertio as- signat rationem, ibi, Finitus est enim pulvis.
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Et primo ponit quantum ad hostium destructionem, ne corum timore dimutiat: Finitus est pulvis, mul- titudo exercitus Senacherib, consummatus est, idest occisus a filiis, miser, Senacherib: infra 37: « Defecit, quantum ad potentiam. » Secundo quantum ad Judaeorum restaurationem, ut libertius faciat: quan- tum ad regni præparationem, Præparabitur, in misericordia Dei, vel regis misericordis: Solium, regum Juda; quantum ad regis potestatem: Sedebit, quia quiete regnabit, quantum ad judicii æquitatem: In veritate judicans, quantum ad sententiae pro- lationem: Quaerens, quantum ad causarum discus- sionem: Reddens, quantum ad sententiae executio- nem. Et hoc potest exponi de Ezechie, vel de Chri- sto. Supra 9: « Super solium David et super regnum ejus sedebit. »
Nota super illo verbo, Emitte agnum, quia Chri- stus dicitur agnus primo propter vitæ puritatem. Exod. 12: « Erit agnus sine macula, masculus, anniculus. » Secundo propter mortis mansuetu- dinem. Infra 53: « Quasi agnus coram tendente se non aperuit os suum. » Tertio propter peccati expia- tionem. Joan. 1: « Ecce agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi. »
Nota super illo verbo, De petra deserti, quod beata Virgo dicitur petra primo propter gratiæ firmitatem, Eccl. 16: « Fundamenta aeterna. » Secundo propter continentiae frigiditatem. Infra 52: « Sicut umbra petra prominentis in terra deserta. » Tertio propter fructus ubertatem. Job 59: « Petra fundebat rivos olei. »
Et nota, quod ista petra fuit singularis deserti: quia præcipua quantum ad primum. Can. 4: « Tota pulchra es, amica mea. » Secundo, quia prima quantum ad secundum. Can. 1: « Curremus in odorem unguentorum tuorum. » Virgo quantum ad tertium. Supra 7: « Ecce virgo concipiet et pa- riet filium. »
Nota super illo verbo, Emitte, scilicet tu Pater Filium, quod Pater misit Filium primo sicut sol radium. Eccl. 43: « Tripliciter sol exurens montes. » Secundo sicut fons fluvium. Eccl. 24: « Ego quasi fluvius Dorix. » Tertio sicut pater filium. Joan. 5: « Sie Deus dilexit mundum ut Filium unigeni- tum daret. »
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Audivimus superbiam Moab. Hic ponit contem- ptum consilii ex superbia procedentem: unde de- scribit eorum superbiam quantum ad tria. Primo quantum ad divulgationem, Audivimus, quasi pu- blicum; quantum ad quantitatem, Superbus est valde; quantum ad hoc quod excedit ejus di- gnitatem, Superbia ejus, qua de bonis habitis se extollit, et arrogantia, qua non habita prætendit, indignatio, qua vindictas præsumptuose proponit, plusquam fortitudo ejus. Heicrco ululabit Moab. Hic ponit poenam contemptum.
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Et primo pu- niendorum fletum, Moab ad Moab, idest ad invi- cem; de quo supra 15, satis dicitur. « Secundo describit poenam modum: His qui tantantur, loqui- mini plagas suas: gloriantur, et confidunt de mu- nitionibus ex muris lateritiis: Ezech. 55: « Si spi- culator viderit gladium venientem, et non inse- nuerit buccina, et populus se non custodierit, venerique gladius, et tulerit de eis animam; il- le quidem in iniquitate sua caput est, sanguis nem autem ejus de manu speculatoris requiram. » Secundo ponitur poenæ descriptio quantum adde- structionem terrarum. Esebon, civitas, in cujus terris abundabat triticum. Sabama, civitas vicina, in qua abundabat vinum.
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Quantum ad hostium fortitudinem, Domini gentium, idest Assyrii, vel Chaldaei, multis gentibus dominantes, Flagella, idest palmites qui sunt in summitate vitis, per quos me- taphorice significantur principes et sublimes. Us- que ad Jazer, destruendo, quæ est in ultimis fini- bus, quantum ad affectionem hominum. Errorem gentium, Erraverunt. Ps. 106: « Erraverunt in solitudine, in inaquoso. » Vilitatem remanentium, Propagines, quæ remanent in vinea excisis flagel- lis, sine fructu et decore. Dan. 4: « Germen radi- cum ejus, in terra sitite. » Elongationem capti- vorum: Transierunt mare, Moabiticum, ducti ca- ptivi in Babyloniam. Vel mare, idest Euphratem, secundum consuetudinem Hebraeorum. Joel. 5: « Ve- nundabant eos Sabacis genti longinquæ. » Vel exponitur de Assyriis mare transeuntibus, et ve- nientibus ad destruendum. Tertio ponitur prophe- tæ compassio; et primo ponitur compassio super hoc, scilicet malum Moab, plorabo in fletu Jazer, idest flens illam civitatem Moab.
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Et similiter etiam vineam Sabama, et Elcal. Secundo ponitur com- passionis ratio quantum ad hostium impetum, Cal- cantium, idest Assyriorum devastantium. Et quan- tum ad sublatum ab eis gaudium, quod habebant de abundantia frumenti, De Carmelo, idest de fer- tilitate: Carmelus enim est in Moab; sed utuntur Judæi nominibus propriis pro appellativis. Gaudium quod habebant in abundantia vini, In vineis.
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Tertio infertur quasi ex ratione conclusio: Super hoc, in- fortunio, venter, idest sensus, meus quasi cithara, faciens sonum ad planetum. Vel quia cithara auget gaudium laetis, et tristitiam tristibus. Vel propter concordiam virtute prophetæ.
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Et erit cum appa- ruerit quod laboravit Moab super excelsis suis. Hic ostendit frustrationes eorum, Super excelsis, idest de idolis, quibus sacrificabant in excelsis, et quibus sacrificabant in templis, quando erant in timoribus.
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Deut. 52: « Ubi sunt dii eorum in qui- bus habebant fiduciam? » Hoc verbum quod lo- cutus est Dominus ad Moab. Hic est epilogus. Et tunc, a morte regis Achaz. Et nunc. Hic ostendit brevitatem temporis.
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In tribus annis, qui erunt usque ad destructionem vestram, et a morte Achaz: suo tempore fuit visio hujus secundi verbi: vel in quibus durabit vestra persecutio vel impugnatio. Anni mercenarii: quia post hos Dominus reddet vobis mercedem pro peccatis vestris. Vel qui vi- dentur magni, mercenarii sunt, et domino parvi. Job 7: « Militia est vita hominis super terram; et quasi mercenarii dies ejus. »
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v. 4 « Emitte agmum, Domine, dominatorem terrae de Petra deserti ad. montem filiae Sion » ; — S. Hier. ipse agnoscit. textum hebr. etiam verti posse ita, ut quem dedimus sensus habeatur: notat enim : « hoc quod de hebraeo interpretati sumus emitte agnum. dominatorem terrae potest ita legi emitte agnum dominatori terrae » ; ipse vero explicat sensu messianico de agno qui ipse sit dominator terrae vel dominatori terrae immoletur. Domine quod in vulg. legitur glossa est quae apud S. Hier. non invenitur; sed haec glossa multum contulit, ut explicatio de azno messianico apud multos altas ageret radices. Sensum messianicum ita enucleat S. Hier. : « o Moab, habeto solatium hoc : egredietur de te agnus immaculatus qui tollat peccata mundi, qui dominetur in orbe terrarum ; de petra deserti, hoc est de Ruth quae mariti morte viduata de Booz genuit Obed et de Obed Iesse et de Iesse David et de David Christum ». Ita ille. Verum bene iam advertit Sasb. : talem explicandi modum « in ipso mirandum esse, cum in his decem oneribus non ferat commentarios qui absque urgente necessitate a litera discedant »; urget enim saepius in istis de gentibus oraculis seriem historiae esse retinendam ; verum in hoc loco cursum modumque consuetum subito relinqueus scribit : « quod interpretamur, non est historia, sed prophetia ; omnis autem prophetia aenigmatibus involvitur et praecisis sententiis, dum de alio loquitur transit ad aliud, ne si ordinem Scripturae conservet, non sit vaticinium sed narratio ». Verum explicatio haec adeo mira et a reliquis vaticiniis aliena continet modumque loquendi adeo insolitum postulat, ut admitti nullo pacto possit. Nanr plane inauditum est rogari Dominum ut Messiam mittat ex regione Edom ad Ierusalem. Neque quod S. Jfier. habet, probari potest : Messiam egredi de Moab; petram deserti esse Ruth; quis enim hoc contextu in « petra deserti » Ruth deprehendere potest? Nulla quippe allusione vel ad nomen vel ad rem aliquam gestam facta ostendi potest, quis nexus adsit inter petram deserti et Ruth. Accedit quod Petra urbs quae h. 1. intellieitur, non sit in Moab, sed in Edom sita; quare ne illud quidem remanet simile Ruth esse Moabitidem et petram deserti esse in Moab sitam. Neque iuvat quod alii, ut deserti petram Ruth esse suadeant, ad 1s. 51, 1 provocent; ibi enim attendite ad petram unde excisi estis statim declaratur membro adiecta : attendite ad Abraham patrem vestrum. Quare etsi concesseris agnwm esse Messiam, nondum sequitur petram deserti intelligi posse de Ruth. Saepe enim praedicitur Messiam esse oriundum de domo David, eum esse oriundum de Ruth, nunquam dicitur; quomodo ergo in petra deserti Ruth deprehenditur? Porro adverti oportet esse prorsus insolitum, ut Messias sine ulla praevia declaratione vocetur ^2; nomen hoc de Messia neque antea neque postea occurrit, ergo de eo nequit intelligi. Immerito ut hoc argumentum eludant, provocant aliqui ad Is. 53, 1; nam hoc loco non Messias ovis dicitur, sed adest comparatio : sicut ovis ad occisionem ducetur. Nomina quae Messiae induntur, uti David, Germen, in ipsa vaticiniorum serie sedulo praeparantur, explicantur (cf. quae latius exposui ad Agg. 2, 1), sed ubi ?2 ut tale nomen apparet? Adde ipsum hoc nomen ineptum esse ad Messiam adumbrandum, quia proprie dicit arietem eumque saginatum — et arietem S. Hier. vocem transtulit 1 Reg. 15, 9 — et sensu translato machinam designat bellicam, arietem ferreum, xpoié», qua moenia urbium expugnandarum concutiebantur. Verba igitur vulg. sensu quem dicunt accommodato de Messia usurpari possunt, et eo sensu adhibentur in liturgia ecclesiastica, in qua quoties solo sensu accommodato verba s. Scripturae proferantur satis.superque est notum; quare ex eo usu nihil colligi posse pro explicatione constat; de qua re vide Cornely, Introd. I p. 541. Versiones graeca et syriaca in sensu satis differunt ; attamen ex iis elucet fere eundem textum hebr. si consonantes solas spectes supponi. Habet graeca : &mooreAG) i Épmerk imi cw Yvs wh mivpx tpmuóg écTt Tb Ópog Üuyuzpb; Xwbv; prior pars referri debet in hac translatione ut sensus adsit ad 15, 9 scil. et residuum Adama mittam tamquam reptilia super terram (cf. S. Cyr.). Quomodo haec versio ex consonantibus textus hebr. orta sit, iam satis bene explicat Sanct. ; advertit consonantes easdem aliter inter se iunctas alia effecisse vocabula; ita legisse graecum vos V275 pro mas. v" 5uy 32. Primam personam mittam etiam effert Syrus, qui insuper non 7» legit sed parva literae mutatione "3 : mittam filium, uti aliqui etiam codd. apud de fossi praebent. S. Ephr. ita textum syr. exponit : filius dominatoris terrae redibit et ascendet contra reliquias terrae quae fugerint. — Numerum singularem nov quam habet vulg. etiam praebet talmud babylonieum (cf. de Rossi). Ceterum vix opus erit h. l. monere, editionem vulg. non eo sensu esse decla- ratam authenticam in sessione IV Concilii tridentini, quasi S. Hier. ubique in sua versione sensum textus originalis rite esset assecutus; ipse enim S. Hier. aliquoties fatetur se dum celeriter verteret esse deceptum ; dein distinguere oportet inter versionem ipsam et ipsius explicationem. Quandoque enim textum originalem non tam vertit, quam suam textus originalis acceptionem proponit (cf. ad 41, 10; vide quae notavi ad Hab. 3, 5. 18. Agg. 2, 8). Declaratione Ecclesiae certi reddimur, in versionem vulg. nullos irrepsisse errores in rebus fidei et morum, minime autem in locis obscuris ac difficilibus eam solam textus originalis explanationem, quam secutus sit interpres vulg., esse genuinam. De vi et ambitu decreti tridentini vide Cornely, Introd. I p. 440-460; praesertim quae p. 499 seq. de limitibus authentiae vulg. disseruntur. Ceterum quo sensu locus sit messianicus, in ipsa explicatione et in titulo hisce versibus inscripto iam indicatum est atque etiam clarius cernitur v. 5. Admonitionem ut gratiam sibi et auxilium concilient regis iudaici fulcit propheta describens ! miseram Moabitarum conditionem (v. 2) et docens (v. 3. 4), quomodo auxilium et quam instanter efflagitent ;
Miseria et ruina quae Moabitis instet descripta vates monet, ubi pro Moabitis quoque auxilium et salus reponatur. In Sione et in throno davidico talem salutem pro omnibus esse conclusam et proinde omnibus auxilii flagitandi causa ad Ierusalem esse confugiendum, facile ex iis consequitur quae propheta iam in antecedentibus docuit; cf. 9, 1; 11, 14; 14, 1. 32; idem colligitur ex norma generali quae pro Israel et pro gentibus iam statuta est, per miseriam et castigationem ad salutem esse perveniendum (cf. 4, 91; 9, 12 seq.); idem conficitur ex 8, 9. 10 : vincimini, quia Emmanuel; nam victoria Emmanuel in eo con- 'Sistere facile concipitur ut fastu et peccato destructo salus afferatur. Unde quae nunc fit admonitio bene est praeparata et plane consequens ad consilium propheticum. Eam autem ita vestit propheta, ut modo ad historiam anteactam consentaneo efferatur, cf. 2 Reg. 8, 2 : factus est Moab David serviens sub tributo et 4 Reg. 3, 4: solvebat enim Mesa rex Moab regi Israel tamquam vectigal centum millia agnorum et centum millia arietum ; ipsi autem Moabitae fuga meridiem versus arrepta iam usque ad civitatem principalem Edomitarum pervenisse censentur. Quae si attenderis, facile fluit textus hebr. 16, 4 : mittite agnum (vel quod ?2 proprie significat : arietem saginatum) dominatoris terrae & Sela (Petra) desertum versus ad montem filiae Sion i. e. mittite arietum tributum ad dominatorem terrae, ad montem filiae Sion ; ut hac tributi pensione, uti olim 'se subditos professi sunt regi Israel (4 Reg. 3, 4), iam se dicant subdere sese regi Iuda eiusque opem vectigali soluto implorare. Sela, vel Petra, urbs est Edomitarum (cf. 2 Reg. 14, '1 hebr.) quam Amasias rex expugnatam vastavit; quare postmodum Bosra urbs locum obtinuit praecipuum — unde etiam non defuerunt qui unam urbem nomine Bosrath ha Sela eas constituisse velint — at communiter et recte utraque urbs distinguitur. Via a Sela Ierusalem versus ducit per desertum. Ipsa urbs trium vel quattuor dierum itinere a Ierichunte et trecentis stadiis meridiem versus a mari mortuo distat ; cernuntur ruinae eius prope Wadi Musa medio fere itinere inter summam partem sinus aelanitici et infimam maris mortui loco quam maxime tuto et hostium incursioni impervio (cf. Winer s. v. Riehm l. c. p. 1454; Riess, bibl. Geogr.); unde explicatur, cur fugitivi ibi constitisse censeantur refugium quaesituri. — lta textum esse accipiendum, inter veteres iam viderunt et agnoverunt Pagninus, For. Malv. Mar. Osor. Sasb. Vat. Clarius, Houbig. (eius acceptionis mentionem facit neque tamen approbat S. Thom.) et recentiores fere omnes ex quibus nominare sufficiat catholicos : Reinke, Schegg, Loch, Net. RoM. Troch. Cornely (Introd. I p. 421). Eandem acceptionem iam exprimit Chald. : defevent tributa uncto Israel, qui potens est super eos in deserto, ad montem coetus Sion. In vulg. legitur
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v. 2 « et erit, sicut avis fugiens et pulli de nido volantes, sic erunt filiae Moab in transcensu Arnon » ; — filia apud Hebr. dicitur saepe habitatio l. e. habitatores, incolae ; idem hoc loco valet estque magis consentaneum quam explicare de viris qui timore correpti iam mulierum in modum paveant. Comparationibus avis vagae et nidi disiecti (hebr.) bene adumbratur pavor, anxietas, destitutio auxilii, desperatio. Scena haec, una ex multis — nam 15, 8 clamorem audiri in omnibus finibus Moab discimus — ad vada fluvii Arnon describitur ; ergo media in illa regione quam tum Moabitae occupabant; olim enim Arnon fluvio fines Moabitarum septemtrionem versus concludebantur et ab Amorrhaeis (Num. 21, 13. Deut. 3, 8), postea ab Israelitis (Ios. 12, 1) dividebantur. Cam hostis ingruat a septemtrione, eorum qui adhuc in media terra versantur terror ac perturbatio facile concipitur; insuper quia vult adhortationem suam confirmare propheta, eam seligit conditionem Moabitarum qua maxime eos auxilio indigere repraesentatur. Vel cum Arnon sit praecipuus ditionis moabiticae fluvius, eo nomine prolato generatim designari regionem moabiticam, cum AoAl. dicere potueris ; vel cur eius fluvii mentio fiat repete ex 45, 9 : aquae Dibon repletae sunt sanguine. Quo adhortatio sit magis vivida et efficax, vates statim ipsam precandi formulam Moabitas docet qua adeant filiam Sion (v. 4), simul in membris concisis ac brevibus bene delineans anxietatem, desiderii impetum, animorum commotionem
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v. 3 « ini consilium, coge consilium ! pone quasi noctem umbram tuam. in meridie ! absconde fugientes et vagos ne prodas !
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v. 4 habitabunt apud. te profugi mei ! Moab esto latibulum eorum a facie vastatoris » ! — hebr. affer consilium, fac decisionem i. e. rogant, ut Sion in rerum perturbatione consilio et opere se adiuvet, et anxie flagitant, ne cunctetur, ne detrectet opem, verum celeriter illam praestare constituat. Dein quam magnam opem desiderent, hyperbolice ut animorum commotio fert exprimunt imagine densissimae umbrae qua in aestu calamitatis obtegi ac recreari desiderant ; umbram enim (cf. 30, 2; 32, 2) « non utcumque, ut in umbraculis esse solet raptim constructis, sed qualis esse solet nox, quae totius terrae umbra est, tam capax et potens ut neminem excludat, tam densa atque opaca ut nullum solis radium admittat » (Sanct.), efflagitant i. e. susceptionem: ac defensionem copiosam acliberalem (Sasb.). Petitionem iterato proponunt, uti est instanter flagitantium, positive, negative; per modum petitionis, tum suspirii vel desiderii (per imperativum, optativum) ; Moab v. 4 emphasis gratia praeponitur ; explica : esto pro Moab, esto latibulum. Cum dicitur profugi mei, grata varietate atque elegantia regio moabitica tamquam supplex pro suis incolis describitur infelicibus. ta, quia regnum luda a Deo sub Ezechia sit confirmatum (For.). — Verum istis explanationibus varia supponuntur, quae vel gratis finguntur vel seriem orationis interrumpunt neque ipsis verbis facile accommodantur. Cum Assyrii terram palaestinensem invaderent, ipsi Moabitae, ut nostrum oraculum prodit, valde affliguntur; quomodo ergo Iudaeis auxilium praestabunt? Si autem scelera recenserentur Moabitarum olim in Iudaeos commissa; modus in v. 3. 4 conspicuus satis mirus esset ad talem reprehensionem. Neque illa ironia admitti potest, quia de miseriis Iudaeorum in antecedentibus non est sermo, verum de fuga et afflictione Moabitarum. Quare explicatio proposita et se ipsa et nexu apto et refutatione aliarum commendatur. Admonitionem Moabitis factam vates ulterius urget et commendat et quam recte fiat probat eo quod Deus Sionem miro modo protegit ibique thronum iustitiae stabilem collocat. Ratio est eadem quae iam 14, 32 affertur, qua addita simul elucet non Moabitas se ipsos (v. 1) exhortari (Kn.), verum verba esse prophetae quippe qui bene noscat quid salutis in Sion a Deo sit repositum. Adeant ergo Sionem supplices, neve ullo pacto deterreantur eo quod Sion quoque eidem sorti oppressionis et afflictionis cui ceterae nationes subiacent videtur esse obnoxia ; nam non est ita ; « finitus est enim pulvis, consummatus est miser, defecit qui conculcabat terram »; — exclamatio est triumphantis qui docet impetum assyriacum ac tumultum egregie concidisse (cf. 10, 16. 33). Bene exponit S. Hier. pulverem « impetum vastatoris » et « depopulator terrae qui eam conculcabat et suis pedibus subiiciebat aura flante disperiet ». Hebr. nam desinit oppressor, cessat vastatio, absumuntur conculcatores e terra ; ità Assyrii designantur cf. 10 '1 : ad conterendum erit cor eius et ad internecionem gentium non paucarum. Insignis ergo illa clades Assyriis divinitus inflicta praeclaro erit gentibus documento et pignori protectionis qua Deus Sionem circumdat et proinde eos quoque qui ibi refugium quaerunt. Et eum fructum revera ex clade illa exstitisse, discimus ex 2 Par. 32, 23: « multietiam deferebant hostias et sacrificia Domino in lerusalem et munera Ezechiae regi Iuda, qui exaltatus est post haec coram cunctis gentibus ». Cur autem Sion tali protectione Dei cingatur et in ea pro omnibus auxilium reponatur et salus, vates repetit ex vaticiniis iam olim Sioni et domui Davidis datis
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v. 8 « et praeparabitur in misericordia solium et sedebit super illud. in veritate in. tabernaculo David iudicans et quaerens iudicium et velociter reddens quod iustum est » ; — nexus cum antecedentibus est idem qui habetur 8, 10; 9,6; 141, 4: oppressio cessat, potestas Deo adversaria deiicitur, quia regnum Dei erit stabiliendum. Idque h. 1. eo clarius effertur, quia ipsa illa verba repetuntur, quibus olim promissio Davidi data est de throno aeterno ; cf. 2 Reg. 7, 12. 1 Par. 171, 19. Ps. 88, 5. 30. 38. Thronus ille paratur, firmatur, stabilitur. (hebr.) n gratia (hebr.), quia est gratuita Dei promissio ex sola benignitate et clementia in Davidem facta; "Dn iam declarat indolem regni theocratici et bona in eo conclusain oppositione ad oppressionem, vastationem, conculcationem, qua potestas Deo inimica describitur. Qui in illo throno sedet, designatur tamquam heres Davidis qui vere laudes Davidi datas in se exhibet, qui ergo ut David rex vir sit secundum cor Dei et Dei voluntatem implens et ut talis non cum pompa et fastu agit, sed sedet in tabernaculo David i. e. cum mansuetudine, clementia et sine Superbia et elatione regnum administrat. Tamquam talis erit iudex omnibus numeris absolutus : ius dicet, lites omnes ex norma iuris et iustitiae dirimit; dein quaerens i. e. ubique magno studio id unum spectat, ut ius et iustitia, status ille rectus quem Deus adesse vult, stabiliatur; et demum id quod vult etiam potest exsequi prompté et efficaciter ; unde festinus, promptus in ?ustitia (hebr.). Quare dubitari nequit quin vates hic speciem quandam et formam regis davidici delineet, quam demum Messias rex in se exprimet. Id iam suadetur verbis ex 2 Reg. 1, 12. etc. depromptis; id ostenditur eo quod status iudicii ac iustitiae per talem regem revocatur, sicuti in oraculis praecedentibus per Messiam fieri ostensum est ; vide 2, 4 ; 4, 35 9, 1; 14, 4 seq. ad quae h. Il. allusionem fieri certum est. Unde plerique etiam interpretes hic Messiam regem agnoscunt. Ita S. Hier. : « nec est ulla dubitatio quin capitulum hoc de Christo vaticinetur »; ita Euseb. Basil. Procop. Iaim. lerv. Sanct. For. Mald. Vat. Sa, Loch, Drechsl. Del. Naeg. Neque obstat quod admonitio datur eo tempore quo ipse Messias adhuc longissime abest. Sensus enim adhortationis est, ut iam nunc in Sion opem quaerant, quia ibi thronus gratiae Dei stabilitus est. Uti scil. vates in antecedentibus ubique ad altissimas rerum causas penetrans propter Messiam regem jam praesentes calamitates superandas et parvi pendendas esse docet, ita hic quoque plane ad modum propheticum accommodatum est, ut ratio reddatur auxilii efflagitandi sublimissima. Sed dum vates vaticinia domui David data considerat in ultima sua perfectione et absolutione, nullo modo negat unumquemque regem theocraticum et sedere in tabernaculo David et ius ac iustitiam colere debere et exercere. Unde verba haec etiam ita accipi possunt, ut quid vi regni theocratici in Sion adesse debeat describant et ideo innuant ac promittant regem theocraticum qui ea mente res administret. Quare a vero non plane aberrare censendi sunt qui v. 5 Ezechiam regem designari opinantur (S. Ephr. Theod. Sasb. Pint. Lap. Men. Tir. Reinke, Net.), in quo quae h. l. dicuntur aliqua ratione adumbrata cernuntur et laudibus in s. literis ei attributis confirmantar (cf. 4 Reg. 18, 3; 20, 3. 2 Par. 29, 2; 31, 20). Igitur Ezechias tamquam typus quidam et imago imperfecta veri regis theocratici considerari potest, in quo aliqua ratione verba ista completa sunt; ita rem concipere videntur qui locum vel de Ezechia vel de Christo accipiendum esse docent (cf. S. Thom. Mar. Malv.). Atque revera saepius complectuntur prophetae ea quibus initia quaedam regni Dei et inchoatio constituuntur et absolutam eius regni perfectionem una quadam formula generali (cf. quae notavi ad Os. 11, 11. Soph. 3, 20. Zach. 2, 4; 10, 10-12). Sed quocumque demum modo verba acceperis vel unice de Christo vel complexu quodam generali de rege theocratico et Christo summo eius apice, id oraculo nostro modo excellenti in medium profertur, dum omnia corruant et miseriis tabescant, unum eminere Messiam, spem ac solatium et salutis fontem pro omnibus, et. ipsas afflictiones ea de causa divinitus immitti, ut via sternatur ad Messiam.
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v. 6 « Audivimus superbiam Moab, superbus est valde; superbia eius et arrogantia et indignalio eius plus quam fortitudo eius »; — cf. Ier. 48, 14. 21-30. Soph. 2, 8. In hebr. fastum Moab... fastum eius et arrogantiam eius et furorem eius et futiles iactationes; Moab superbia valde est elatus, furore agitur et indignatione in Iudaeos; ex iis vane ac superbe se iactat, magniloquus est, nullo se periculo tangi confidit, nullius ope se indigere summo omnium contemptu iactat. Nota quanta emphasi in hebr. fastus describatur : fastum audivimus, fastuosus est valde et duplici adhuc repetitione. Huic adiungunt inimicitias, excandescentiam (hebr.) in Iudaeos ; de vocibus YiN3 et n?s3 cf. 2, 10; 4, 2; 9, 8; 13, 3. 11. 19; 25, 11. Ex ea animorum dispositione et iis affectibus vaniloquia oriuntur. Sed sicut eorum insolentia omnem supergreditur mensuram, ita pariter castigatio erit omni exspectatione maior et quae fomenta erant pompae et superbiae, ea omnia misere concident; v. "| « idcirco ululabit Moab ad Moab, universus ululabit; his qui laetantur super muros cocti lateris loquimini plagas suas »! — alternis ululatibus patriae occasum deplorabunt ; alii alios ad ploratum excitabunt (Osor.); « populus ad urbem vel metropolis ad provinciam et cuncta ululatibus terra resonabit » S. Hier. Ex textu lat. iis qui moenibus suis et arcibus et urbibus opulentis confisi (ler. 48, 7. 11) superbiebant horum omnium ruina est annuntianda. Interpres « vulgatus nominis interpretationem posuit proipso nomine proprio, quod alibi non infrequenter ab ipso factum est » (Men. Lap. Tir. Malv. Sanct. For.); hebr. in altero membro vitae commoditatem et luxuriem iis iri ademptum exemplo declaratur: de libis uvarum Qir chareseth, gemetis valde contristati ; liborum ex uvis passis confectorum mentionem fieri ex subseq. facile explicatur, cum de vineis olim florentissimis sermo inferatur. Qir chareseth eandem arcem communiter censent ac Qir Moab (cf. 15, 1), hodie Kerek vel Kerak, quae regio hodiedum adhuc uvarum ferax est. S. Hier. in sua versione secutus est Symmachum : xoi; e92oxtvoutvot; y tà «sis *ip doxpaxíwe güfytacüs. Veteres vocem "UN varie vertunt. LXX legerunt *3!" ; vertunt enim «oi; xxtoixoücw. Sym. vocem sane derivavit à Cw laetari; Syrus praebet : super fundamenta i. e. super ruinas gemelis ; forte vocem retulit ad DN Ier. 50, 15, et eandem significationem repetunt Sanct. Vat. Clarius et recentiores ex arabico Ges. Fürst. Chald. praebet : super viros; an ergo legit wjzx uti revera legitur in loco parallelo Ier. 48, 31 vel vocemwhebr. ita explicavit ? Hos. explanat fortes provocans ad 46, 8. Sed ubicumque haec vox invenitur denotat liba qualia ex uvis passis in certam quandam formam conslipalis parare solebant; ita 2 Sam. 6, 19. 4 Chron. 16, 3. Os. 3, 1. Cant. 2, 5 (cf. Ges. Thes. 166). Unde recentiores etiam hoc loco certam hanc significalionem retinendam esse censent (Ewald, Kn. Drechsl. Del. Naeg. Net. Roh. Troch.), quae propter subsequentia satis etiam h. l. commendatur. Nomen (Hr chareseth etymologice transtulerunt Aq. Sym. S. Hier. neque Syrus neque Chald. nomen proprium agnovorunt. Vitae commoda esse ablata (cf. v. '] hebr.), cum regio olim florentissima misere sit vastata, declaratur
Sed Moab tale consilium adhuc spernit. Ieremias enim idem recolens vaticinium miseriam iri devolutum in Moabitas praedicit et solum pro novissimis diebus meliorem spem ostendit : « convertam captivitatem Moab in novissimis diebus » (Ier. 48, 4). Illam animorum obfirmationem et superbiam etiam Isaias accusat et inde necesse esse deducit, ut repetitis ictibus Moab concidatur et conteratur. Cum fastu enim et indignatione adhortationem vatis repudiant. Unde
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v. 8 « quoniam suburbana Hesebon deserta sunt. et vineam Sabama domini gentium exciderunt; flagella eius usque ad. Iazer pervenerunt ; erraverunt. in deserto, propagines eius relictae sunt, transierunt mare » ; — hebr. nam campi Hesebon elanguerunt; de urbe cf. Num. 21, 25. Deut. 2, 26. Ios. 12, 2; 13, 17. 96 ; 91, 39. « Inter Esebon et Sabama vix quingenti passus sunt et per metaphoram vineae omnis provinciae significat vastitatem » (S. Hier.). Quo melius pateat qualis sit vineae excisio ' terraeque vastatio ab inimicis invecta, vates describit, per quem ambitum vinea Sabama (Sibma) generosas suas propagines et vites nobiles extenderit i. e. quantopere per regionem moabiticam vites generosae cultae fuerint. Septemtrionem versus palmites generosi (cf. hebr.) ascendebant usque ad lazer « decimo lapide Philadelphiae ad solis occasum trans Iordanem... distat ab Esebon millibus quindecim » (0nom.). Ad orientem versus errabant, extendebantur usque in desertum et meridiem versus adeo propagabantur, ut mare mortuum transirent; relictae sunt i. e. ubique relictae, diffusae sunt. « Mare transisse hyperbole erit, aut vere ii palmites ob nobilitatem deferebantur ad alias urbes et ultra mare » (Mar. Malv.). Magnam ubertatem et prosperitatem vates describit, ita ut non solum campi et arva laetos attulerint fructus, verum in ipsum desertum vineae dicantur penetrasse, immo mare transiisse. Cum de propagatione septemtrionem et orientem versus iam dictum sit, restat, ut mare eam indicet quae meridiem versus vel in regione meridiem inter et occidentem spectante facta sit; ibi autem mare mortuum est, ergo hoc transiisse palmites dicuntur; idque eo melius, quia in litore occidentali eiusdem Engaddi regio vineis celeberrima (Cant. 14, 13) et aliquot millibus passuum occidentem versus distans ab eodem mari Hebron inveniebatur palmitibus insignis (Num. 13, 23). Neque obstat quod Ier. 48, 32 dicatur: « usque ad mare lazer pervenerunt » nam membro - hoc prius illud apud ler. « propagines tuae transierunt mare » declarari minime constat, quia hae duae enuntiationes satis inter se differunt neque pervenire ad mare idem est ac mare transire; unde perperam aliqui contendunt mare quod nostro loco apud Is. legatur explicari a Ier. mare Iazer. Pristina conditione florenti et vastitate iamiam ab hostibus ingruente inter se comparata animus prophetae dolore tangitur, cuius significatione quanta sit vastitatis miseria quam visione prophetica aspexerit, magna vi nec minore elegantia proponitur
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v. 9 « super hoc plorabo in fletu Iazer vineam Sabama, inebriabo te lacrima mea, Hesebon et Eleale, quoniam super vindemiam tuam et messem tuam voz calcantium irruit »; — suas vates lacrimas commiscet cum ploratu incolarum Iazer de destructione et ruina illata ; fletibus profusissimis calamitates deplorat quibus Hesebon et Eleale (cf. 15, 4) prosternuntur; quam subito et quam inexspectato medias inter vitae voluptates et delicias clamores hostiles iasonuerint, vates declarat dicens super vindemiam eorum et messem irruisse celeusma, i. e. « non quidem iubilus aut laeta exclamatio calcantium uvas seu vindemias agentium, sed barbaricus hostium clamor in te ruet » (Malv.); cf. ler. 48, 39. Tempore messisi. e. in ipso laetitiae tempore captivitatis tempus adveniet (S. Hier.); et super messem, super opes et divitias Moabitarum Deus alios mittet messores ac vindemiatores hostiles, ita ut pro iubila- - tione vindemiantium et laetainter seaeclamatione eorum qui uvas calcant, pro hedad vindemiatorum et torculariorum, clamores audiantur militum cuncta devastantium et conculeantium (cf. Sanct. Mald. Sa, Mar. Calm.). Unde Ier. 48, 33 eleganter dicit hedad illud non fore Aedad (hebr.); cf. Ier. 25, 30; 51, 14. Atque torcularii isti quos Dominus mittet (vel Dominus ipse, uti LXX habent xazxx37450 V. 9) maximo studio et successu. suo funguntur munere, ita ut ubi illi caleaverint, iam vastitate et desolatione cuncta iaceant conculcata
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v. 10 « et auferetur laetitia et exsultatio de carmelo et in vineis non exsultabit neque iubilabit ; vinum in torculari non calcabit qui calcare consueverat; vocem calcantium abstuli »; — ex carmelo i. e. ex regione fertili ; cf. 10, 48; « idioma Scripturarum est quod semper Carmelum montem opimum ac nemorosum... fertilitati et abundantiae comparat ac per hoc significat omnem laetitiam et fertilitatem de uberrimis quondam urbibus auferendam » (S. Hier.). Arva et vineae iacent deserta; « non erunt qui laetitiae vocem iaciant in vindemia, qui gaudio efferantur in maxima vini copia, qui in plenis torcularibus sese ad caleandas uvas mutuis clamoribus exhortentur et exsultent. » (Osor.). Bene dicitur : hedad (celeusma) cessare feci, ut Dominus rerum omnium administrator qui hostibus utitur tamquam vindictae suae ministris, belli dux et castigationis auctor declaretur. — De tanta rerum conversione et ruina vates non potest non ingemiscere
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v. 1l « super hoc venter meus ad: Moab quasi cithara sonabit et. viscera mea ad, murum cocti lateris »; — hebr. ad. Qir cheres ; cf. 19, 1; 16, 1; bene S. Hier.: « ne quis putaret planctum prophetae exsultationis indictum per quam inimicos populi Israel gauderet esse captivos, ex affectu et ex intimo cordis dolore et potentissimam quondam urbem subrutam lugere se dicit »; «intima viscera mea tacta dolore et miseratione lugubrem in vestra clade sonum edunt » (Men.) ut cithara verberata et pulsata (Malv. sim. Osor. Sanct.); cf. 15, 5; 16, 9. Quemadmodum v. 9 maximam doloris significationem externis manifestationibus declaravit, ita nunc se intimo quoque affectu tangi eorum miseriis explicite asserit. Id quod vates visione perceptum exposuit, iam ita fore nova confirmatione asseverat : Moab calamitate ingruente frustra ad idola sua et sanctuaria confugiet; nam uti olim Deus in Aegypto iudicium suum exercuit contra idola Aegypti (Ex. 12, 12), ita in gentium afflictione simul ad oculum demonstrare gestit quam infirma sint atque imbecilla gentium idola. Unde
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v. 12 « Et erit, cum apparuerit quod. laboravit Moab super excelsis suis, ingredietur ad sancta sua ut obsecret, et non valebit »; — hebr. cum apparuerit, cum laboraverit Moab ... et ingrediatur ad. sancta sua obsecrandi causa — nil valebit, nihil obtinebit i. e. Moabitae ingruente periculo studio ac devotione sanctuaria visitabunt, immo pietatis exercitiis delassabuntur, sese fatigabunt — at frustra; « ultima miseria est nec in his quos semper venerata est, habere subsidium...pergesadidola, delubra veneraberis, nec in illis reperies auxilium, quibus vastitas tecum communis adveniet» (S. Hier.). Excelsa hic quoque intellige sanctuaria idolorum (cf. 15, 2). Hac sententia adiecta firmum Dei declaratur propositum quo statuerit poenas illas a Moabitis repetere. Proinde in hac iteratione indicium habemus et documentum quo cognoscamus oraeulum datum non iam a conditione quadam dependere, verum omnino iri impletum (cf. ad Ioel 2, 1. 19. Ion. 3, 10. Hab. 2, 3). Altera additur confirmatio, qua simul determinatur accurate, quando humiliatio illa Moabitis in universum praedicta sua sit captura initia :
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v. 48 «Aoc verbum quod. locutus est Dominus ad. Moab ex tunc; v. A4 et nunc. locutus est Dominus | dicens : in tribus annis, quasi anni mercenarii, auferetur gloria Moab super omni populo multo et relinquetur parvus et modicus, nequaquam multus» ; — oppositioneinter hos duos versus aperte declaratur, oraculum antecedens iam olim esse datum, nunc autem repeti eique addi novam hanc temporis determinationem qua humiliatio proxime instans et primus quasi ad oraculum opere implendum gradus designetur. Cum igitur vates ipse oraculum hoc de Moab designet ut antiquitus ian: editum, omnino assumendum erit, uti illud cp. 2 de monte Domini a Michaea prolatum usurpavit, ita hoc quoque oraculum ab aliis olim prophetis editum in suum usum convertisse Isaiam. Qua re simul optime explicaveris, cur in hoc vaticinio genus dicendi non semel deprehendatur satis a consueto alienum. Quando autem et per quos annuntiationes hoc oraculo expressae traditae sint, accuratius definiri non potest. Minis istis antiquis nunc confirmationis loco additur instare impletionem opere futuram. Ergo hic quoque vaticinium generale confirmatur speciali addito (cf. 14, 94; 90, 1). Cum mercenarius definitum tempus exspectet (Theod.), anni mercenarii ii sunt, quibus nihil deest neque superest ; mercenario enim certum tempus praestituitur neque patitur sibi aliquid addi, neque conductor quidquam demi patitar (Malv. sim. Pint. Sasb. For. Mald. Mar. Net. Rohl. Troch.). Eo tempore gloria Moab, omnis eius potentia, splendor, pompa vilescet. (hebr.) cum omni illa copia et multitudine magna vel cum omni illo strepitu quo olim Moabitae intumuerunt; residuum autem quod relinquetur perpaucum erit : reliquiae tenues atque imbecillae (Osor.). Ita demum complebitur in Moab quoque : «oculi sublimes hominis humiliati sunt et incurvabitur altitudo virorum » (2, 11). Ex quo tempore tres anni sint numerandi, nescimus. Haud improbabiliter tamen cum JVet. dixeris quia oraculum subsequitur mortem Achaz (14, 98), spatium designatum haberi temporeillo quo Salmanasar vel Sargon contra Samariam et Aegyptum, cum cuius rege Osee foedus inierat, bellum movit ; ea temporis conditione facile fieri potuisse ut Moabitae ab Assyriis affligerentur, cum inter ditionem regni israelitici et Arabiam septemtrionalem quam Sargon in suam redegisset potestatem sedes haberent suas. Cum de plurimis eorum temporum eventibus vel admodum pauca vel plane nihil ad nos perlatum sit, mirum non est quod qua ratione hoc oraculum re sit completum per singula ostendi nequeat. Qua autem mente rationalistae in sacros prophetas invehantur, disce h. l. ex assertione aeque impia ac gratuita quam Kn. profert : probabiliter vatieinium hoc Isaiae non esse impletum, cum de ea impletione libris historicis nihil prodatur. Quid haec valeat ratio, modo dixi. Tempore ab Isaia assignato inchoatam esse Moabitarum humiliationem neque tamen eos plane prostratos, ex eo colliges quia Ieremias denuo vaticinium idem Moabitis annuntiat. Quod in aliis valere videmus etiam in hoc obtinet : norma statuitur generalis, quae ut opere compleatur saepe multis repetitisque casibus et longo temporis intervallo opus est (cf. oraculum de Babel). nem satis patet. Alii ex tunc referunt ad Am. 2, 4-3; ita Sanct. Lap. Tir.; sed cum tam explicite dicatur Aoc verbum quod locutus est, iure consequi videtur, in prisco illo oraculo similia praedicta esse iisdem fere verbis; at in -vaticinio Amos nihil legitur tale, ut idem dici possit oraculum cum nostro. Eadem ratio etiam valet contra eos qui omnia oracula contra Moab in s. literis iam consignata intelligunt Num. 91, 27-30 ; 24, 17. Am. 2, 1-3. Ps. 59, 10; 82, 7 (Haevernick, Drechsl.) ; nam nemo dixerit oraculum hoc ad illorum imitationem esse expressum, cum ne minima quidem ad illa allusio in hoc vaticinio deprehendatur. Ut quid rei sit maiore cum probabilitate investigemus, notandum est Isaiam etiam 2, 2 seq. prophetiam iam ab alio editam in suum adhibuisse usum; unde cum hoc loco ipse nobis dieat (quod 2, 9 non dixit) oraculum iam olim esse editum, facile quis sibi persuaserit vaticinium antiquum ab Isaia denuo propoui. [dque eo confirmatur quia haud pauca in eo inveniuntur, quae a modo quo Isaias loqui solet satis recedunt, Id quidem illi ipsi fatentur qui soli Isaiae oraeulum adseribunt ; et revera carmen adeo lugubre in quo íanta vatis commotio, fletus, dolor exprimatur, iam non invenies apud Isaiam ; nunquam apud Isaiam deprehendes tot sententias particulis *2, DOw.5 inter se iunctas ; accedunt phrases sat multae quae huic vaticinio omnino peculiares sunt (domini gentium, "rn, additamentum, y'2. oppressor, HTpP opes, facultates, n3Y N'2n afferre consilium, nb*bs n'y decisionem facere, Pap 5x me ponere umbram, np: ww clamorem excitare, clamor contritionis; aliaque quae vide apud Kn. Del.). Neque haec ea sunt, ut soli argumento peculiari adscribi queant, quod cum alibi Isaias non pertraetaret simile, iam non similia adhibere potuerit. Nam vaticinia de vastationibus et infortuniis non desunt. Ex altera parte complura etiam leguntur, quae omnino ad Isaiae genus dicendi exacta sunt; ita 10, 4-5 esse ad Isaiam referendum, Ewald omnino consentit; item vide 16, 6. 10; v- 13. 14 esse omnino Isaiae omnes concedunt. Quae si consideraveris, omnino suaderi videtur, Isaiam olim editum imitatione expressisse ita ut quae illi pecu. liaria essent aliquo modo retineret ; unde,vere dici potuit : hoc est verbum quod locutus est Dominus ez furic ; simul tamen priseum illud ita ad suam prophetiam accommodavit, ut normae illi substaret quam in hae oraculorum serie prosequitur. Neque obiici potest de tali vaticinio alteri prophetae facto nihil aliunde constare. Nam respondeo, etiam de prophetia ab Enoch edita nobis nil notum esse nisi ex assertione et verbis Iudae apostoli in sua epistola catholica v. 14; si ergo prophetia ab Enoch edita ad nos transmittitar per Iudam, multo facilius coneipi potest, antiquum oraculum ab Isaia nobis esse conservatum. Insuper advertere iuvat etiam apud Iudaeos varia esse certa traditione conservata quae in sacris literis non continentur ; ita v. g. quae idem ludas v. 9 nar-, rat : « cum Michael archangelus eum diabolo disputans altercaretur de Moysi corpore, non est ausus iudicium inferre blasphemiae, sed dixit : imperet tibi Deus », ita nomina magorum aegyptiacorum qui restiterunt Moysi 2 Tim. 3, 8. Quis autem fuerit vetus ille propheta, euius oraculum [Isaias in mentem revocaverit, frustra quaeritur. Ex 4 Reg. 14, 95, leroboam restituisse terminos Israel « ab introitu Emath usque ad mare solitudinis iuxta sermonem Domini Dei Israel quem locutus est per servum suum lonam filium Amathi » Hitz. evincere studet oraculum hoc de humiliatione Moab a Iona esse editum; sed quam infirma haec sit coniectura, facile patet; nam utut Ionas in illo vaticinio aliquam Moabitarum humiliationem per Ieroboam praedixerit, quis inde inferre potest talem ut h. 1. legimus esse praedictam, quae tempore leroboam nullo modo opere est completa ? Dein etiam valde dubitare licet, num Ionas qui Ninivitas ab exitio salvari aegre fert talem animi teneritudinem erga Moabitas exhibuisse et tot de iis fudisse lacrimas censeri merito possit. Nihilominus Ionam habent auetorem Kn. Maurer, Gust. Baur, Thenius (apud Del.). Ceterum de Iona propheta eodem qui 4 Reg. 14, 25 nominatur et qui Ninivitis praedicare iussus est deque eius moribus vide quae notavi in Comment. in Proph. min. I p. 351. 366. 386 seq. Anc. — Annuntiatur ruina Damasci talis ut solum damascenum non tam sit hominibus futurum domicilium quam pecoris stabulatio aut ferarum latibulum (Sanct.). Simul cum regno foederato Israel ita concidet, ut parvae solum reliquiae remaneant ; ea demum castigatione adducentur, ut relicta idololatria Sanctum Israel agnoscant (17, 1-8). Denuo recitatur causa ruinae, Dei scil. oblivio et idololatria ab alienigenis transsumpta, qua fatales illi fructus editi sint (11, 9-11). Quare Israelitae sunt castigandi ; verum ipsi huius castigationis exsecutoresa Deo egregie erunt deiiciendi et subito prosternendi ; unde ex ipsa punitione spes adest pro populo Dei (17, 12-14). — Hoc vaticinio ea complentur quae iam 1, 8 de Damasco praedicta sunt ; ibi Damascus a spe ditionis suae dilatandae deiiciebatur; iam ei interitus regni praedicitur. Simul cum Damasco minas intentari regno israelitico foedere antitheocratico in regni iudaici perniciem cum damasceno impie sociato, ex iis quaecp. '1exponuntur facile fluit. Qualis autem fructus futurum sit ut enascatur ex iudicio inflicto, propheta hoc oraculo eodem modo enuntiat, uti in hac serie fieri solet (cf. 14, 1. 2. 39 ; 16, 5 ; 19, 32 ; 20, 6 etc.) et uti ex norma in vaticiniis praecedentibus statuta consequitur (cf. 1, 27; 4, 279, Diete.
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… Kar is the male lamb fairly developed, not yet a ram, considered a choice food (Deut. 32, 14; Am. 6, 4), coveted booty (I Sam. 15, 9), and is the tribute paid by Moab (Is. 16, 1; II Reg. 3, 4: Meša). …
… There are few cases in which St. Jerome misunderstood the text (cf. Gen. 49, 2; Jer. 31, 15, etc.); more often he supposes (cf. Is. 16, 1) or accentuates (cf. Is. 11, 10; 12, 3; 51, 5) the messianic sense.
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Heshbon (Hebrew: Heshbōn; Septuagint: Ἐσβοῦς)
… situated on the border of Gad (v.), it was taken by the latter tribe and assigned to the Levites (Josh. 21:37; 1 Chron. 6:81). In the times of Isaiah and Jeremiah it was in the hands of the Moabites and appears often in their oracles (Isa. 15:4; 16:8; Jer. 48:2, 34; 49:3).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.