The punishment of Egypt: their call to the church.
Further description of the Aegyptians punishment, 17. With their conuersion to Christ in the new Testament.
1The burden of Egypt. Behold the Lord will ascend upon a swift cloud, and will enter into Egypt, and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst thereof.Annunzio pesante contro l'Egitto: Ecco, che il Signore salirà sopra una nuvola leggera, ed entrerà in Egitto, e alla presenza di lui si conturberanno i simolacri d'Egitto, e verrà meno il cuore nel petto all'Egitto.THE burden of Aegypt. Behold our Lord wil ascend vpon a swift cloude, and wil enter into Aegypt, and the idols of Aegypt shal be moued at his presence, & the hart of Aegypt shal melt in the middes therof.Onus Ægypti. Ecce Dominus ascendet super nubem levem, / et ingredietur Ægyptum, / et commovebuntur simulacra Ægypti a facie ejus, / et cor Ægypti tabescet in medio ejus, 2And I will set the Egyptians to fight against the Egyptians: and they shall fight brother against brother, and friend against friend, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.E farò, che vengano alle mani Egiziani con Egiziani, e combatterà l'uomo contro iL proprio fratello, e l'uomo contro del suo amico, città contro città, regno contro regno.And I wil make the Aegyptians to runne together against the Aegyptians: and a man shal fight against his brother, and euerie man against his freind, citie against citie, hingdom against kingdom.et concurrere faciam Ægyptios adversus Ægyptios; / et pugnabit vir contra fratrem suum, et vir contra amicum suum, / civitas adversus civitatem, regnum adversus regnum. 3And the spirit of Egypt shall be broken in the bowels thereof, and I will cast down their counsel: and they shall consult their idols, and their diviners, and their wizards, and soothsayers.E l'Egitto resterà senza spirito nelle sue viscere, e distruggerò i suoi consigli, e consulteranno i loro simulacri, e i loro indovini, e i pitoni, e i maghi.And the spirit of Aegypt shal be broken in the bowels therof, and I wil ouerthrow their counsel headlong: and they shal aske their idols, and their diuiners, and Pythons, and Southsayers.Et dirumpetur spiritus Ægypti in visceribus ejus, / et consilium ejus præcipitabo; / et interrogabunt simulacra sua, et divinos suos, / et pythones, et ariolos. 4And I will deliver Egypt into the hand of cruel masters, and a strong king shall rule over them, saith the Lord the God of hosts.E darò l'Egitto in balia di padroni crudeli, e un re fiero gli dominerà, dice il Signore Dio degli eserciti.And I wil deliuer Aegypt into the hand of cruel masters, and a strong king shal rule ouer them, sayth our Lord the God of hostes.Et tradam Ægyptum in manu dominorum crudelium, / et rex fortis dominabitur eorum, / ait Dominus Deus exercituum.
5And the water of the sea shall be dried up, and the river shall be wasted and dry.E il mare resterà senz'acqua, e il fiume si sperderà, e si seccherà.And the water of the sea shal be dried vp, and the riuer shal be made desolate, and drie.Et arescet aqua de mari, / et fluvius desolabitur atque siccabitur. 6And the rivers shall fail: the streams of the banks shall be diminished, and be dried up. The reed and the bulrush shall wither away.E i fiumi mancheranno, caleranno, e resteranno asciutti i canali arginati, la canna, e il giunco anderanno male:And the riuers shal faile: the riuers of the ramppiers shal be diminished, & dried vp. The reede and bulrush shal wither:Et deficient flumina, / attenuabuntur et siccabuntur rivi aggerum, / calamus et juncus marcescet. 7The channel of the river shall be laid bare from its fountain, and every thing sown by the water shall be dried up, it shall wither away, and shall be no more.Il letto del canale sarà asciutto là, dove comincia, e tutta la semente, che si adacquava, seccherà, diventerà arida, e perirà.the chanel of the riuer shal be spoiled of his fountayne, and al sowne corne filde that is watered shal be dried vp, it shal wither, and shal not be.Nudabitur alveus rivi a fonte suo, / et omnis sementis irrigua / siccabitur, arescet, et non erit. 8The fishers also shall mourn, and all that cast a hook into the river shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish away.E saranno afflitti i pescatori, e piangeranno tutti quelli, che gettan l'amo nel fiume, e que', che stendono la rete sopra le acque, si consumeran di dolore.And the fishers shal lament, and al that cast angle into the riuer shal moorne, and they that sprede net vpon the face of the water shal pine away.Et mœrebunt piscatores, / et lugebunt omnes mittentes in flumen hamum; / et expandentes rete super faciem aquarum emarcescent. 9They shall be confounded that wrought in flax, combing and weaving fine linen.Saranno confusi que', che lavoravano il lino, e lo pettinavano, e ne facevan de' fini lavori.They shal be confounded that wrought twisting flaxe, kombing and weauing fine thinges.Confundentur qui operabantur linum, / pectentes et texentes subtilia. 10And its watery places shall be dry, all they shall mourn that made pools to take fishes.(Perocché i luoghi bagnati dalle acque saranno sfruttati), e tutti que', che facevan fosse per pigliar pesci.And the watred places therof shal be drie, al they that made pooles to take fishes.Et erunt irrigua ejus flaccentia: / omnes qui faciebant lacunas ad capiendos pisces.
11The princes of Tanis are become fools, the wise counsellors of Pharao have given foolish counsel: how will you say to Pharao: I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?Stolti i principi di Tanes, i sapienti consiglieri di Faraone han dato un consiglio stolto. Come suggerirete voi a Faraone (che dica): Io figliuolo de' sapienti, io figliuolo de' regi antichi?The princes of Tanis are fooles, the wise counselers of Pharao haue geuen vnwise counsel: how say ye vnto Pharao: I am the sonne of the wise, the sonne of the ancient kinges?Stulti principes Taneos, / sapientes consiliarii Pharaonis / dederunt consilium insipiens. / Quomodo dicetis Pharaoni: / Filius sapientium ego, / filius regum antiquorum ? 12Where are now thy wise men? let them tell thee, and shew what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.Dove son ora i tuoi sapienti? annunzino a te, e ti espongano quello, che il Signore degli eserciti ha pensato sopra l'Egitto.Where are now thy wise men? let them tel thee, and shew what the Lord of hostes hath thought concerning Aegypt.Ubi nunc sunt sapientes tui ? / annuntient tibi, et indicent / quid cogitaverit Dominus exercituum super Ægyptum. 13The princes of Tanis are become fools, the princes of Memphis are gone astray, they have deceived Egypt, the stay of the people thereof.Stolti son divenuti i principi di Tanes, han perduto il cuore i principi di Memphi, hanno ingannato l'Egitto, capo de' popoli di lui.The princes of Tanis are become fooles, the princes of Nemphis are withered away, they haue deceiued Aegypt, the corner of the peoples therof.Stulti facti sunt principes Taneos, / emarcuerunt principes Mempheos; / deceperunt Ægyptum, angulum populorum ejus. 14The Lord hath mingled in the midst thereof the spirit of giddiness: and they have caused Egypt to err in all its works, as a drunken man staggereth and vomiteth.Il Signore ha diffuso in mezzo a loro lo spirito di vertigine, ed eglino hanno fatto, che l'Egitto erri in tutto quello, ch'ei fa, come va errando un briaco, che vomita.Our Lord hath mingled in the middes therof the spirit of gladnes: and they haue made Aegypt to erre in euerie worke therof, as he erreth that is drunke and vomiteth.Dominus miscuit in medio ejus spiritum vertiginis; / et errare fecerunt Ægyptum in omni opere suo, / sicut errat ebrius et vomens. 15And there shall be no work for Egypt, to make head or tail, him that bendeth down, or that holdeth back.È l'Egitto non farà opera, in cui si distingua il capo, e la coda, il suddito, e il superiore.And Aegypt shal haue no worke, to make the head and the taile the peruerter, and restrayner.Et non erit Ægypto opus / quod faciat caput et caudam, / incurvantem et refrenantem.
16In that day Egypt shall be like unto women, and they shall be amazed, and afraid, because of the moving of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shall move over it.In quel giorno gli Egiziani saran come donne, e diverranno stupidi, e paurosi al movimento della mano del Signore degli eserciti, la quale egli stenderà contro di loro.In that day Aegypt shal be as wemen, and they shal be astonied, and shal be afrayd at the face of the mouing of the hand of the Lord of hostes, which he shal moue ouer it.In die illa erit Ægyptus quasi mulieres; / et stupebunt, et timebunt / a facie commotionis manus Domini exercituum, / quam ipse movebit super eam. 17And the land of Juda shall be a terror to Egypt: everyone that shall remember it shall tremble because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which he hath determined concerning it.E la terra di Giuda sarà riverita dall'Egitto, e ognuno al ricordarsi di lei tremerà a motivo de' disegni formati dal Signor degli eserciti in favore di lei.And the land of Iuda shal be a feare to Aegypt: euerie one, that shal remember it shal quake at the face of the counsel of the Lord of hostes, which he hath thought concerning it.Et erit terra Juda / Ægypto in pavorem; / omnis qui illius fuerit recordatus pavebit / a facie consilii Domini exercituum, / quod ipse cogitavit super eam. 18In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt, speaking the language of Chanaan, and swearing by the Lord of hosts: one shall be called the city of the sun.In quel giorno cinque città saranno nella terra d'Egitto, che parleranno la lingua di Chanaan, e giureranno pel Signor degli eserciti. Una sarà chiamata città del sole.In that day there shal be fiue cities in the land of Aegypt, speakingtongue the of Chanaan, and swearing by the Lord of hostes: one shal be called the citie of the sunne.In die illa erunt quinque civitates / in terra Ægypti / loquentes lingua Chanaan, / et jurantes per Dominum exercituum: / Civitas solis vocabitur una. 19In that day there shall be an altar of the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a monument of the Lord at the borders thereof:In quel giorno sarà nel mezzo della terra d'Egitto l'altare del Signore, e il trofeo del Signore a' suoi confini.In that day there shal be an altar of our Lord in the middes of the land of Aegypt; and a title of our Lord by the border therofIn die illa erit altare Domini / in medio terræ Ægypti, / et titulus Domini juxta terminum ejus. 20It shall be for a sign, and for a testimony to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. For they shall cry to the Lord because of the oppressor, and he shall send them a Saviour and a defender to deliver them.Sarà segno, e testimonianza renduta al Signor degli eserciti nella terra d'Egitto; imperocché invocheranno il Signore contro l'oppressore, ed ei manderà loro un salvatore, e difensore a liberarli.it shal be for a signe, and for a testimonie to the Lord of hostes in the land of Aegypt. For they shal crie to our Lord at the presence of the afflicter, and he shal send them a sauiour and defendet to deliuer them.Erit in signum et in testimonium Domino exercituum / in terra Ægypti; / clamabunt enim ad Dominum a facie tribulationis, / et mittet eis salvatorem / et propugnatorem qui liberet eos.
21And the Lord shall be known by Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall worship him with sacrifices and offerings: and they shall make vows to the Lord, and perform them.E il Signore sarà conosciuto dall'Egitto, e gli Egiziani confesseranno in quel dì il Signore, e lo onoreranno con ostie, e offerte, e faran voti al Signore, e gli adempiranno.And our Lord shal be knowen of Aegypt, and the Aegyptians shal knowe our Lord in that day, and shal worshipe him in hostes and in giftes: and they shal vow vowes to our Lord, and pay them.Et cognoscetur Dominus ab Ægypto, / et cognoscent Ægyptii Dominum / in die illa; / et colent eum in hostiis et in muneribus; / et vota vovebunt Domino, et solvent. 22And the Lord shall strike Egypt with a scourge, and shall heal it, and they shall return to the Lord, and he shall be pacified towards them, and heal them.E il Signore percuoterà l'Egitto con piaga, e lo sanerà, e torneranno al Signore, e si placherà con essi, e li sanerà.And our Lord shal smite Aegypt with a strooke, and heale it, and they shal returne to our Lord, and he shal be pacified towards them, and heale them.Et percutiet Dominus Ægyptum plaga, / et sanabit eam; / et revertentur ad Dominum, / et placabitur eis, et sanabit eos. 23In that day there shall be a way from Egypt to the Assyrians, and the Assyrian shall enter into Egypt, and the Egyptian to the Assyrians, and the Egyptians shall serve the Assyrian.In quel giorno sarà libero il passaggio dall'Egitto all'Assiria, e l'Assiro entrerà nell'Egitto, e l'Egiziano nell'Assiria, e serviranno (il Signore) gli Egiziani coll'Assiro.In that day there shal be a way from Aegypt to the Assirians, and the Assirian shal enter into Aegypt, and the Aegyptians to the Assirians, and the Aegyptians shal serue Assur.In die illa erit via / de Ægypto in Assyrios; / et intrabit Assyrius Ægyptum, / et Ægyptius in Assyrios, / et servient Ægyptii Assur. 24In that day shall Israel be the third to the Egyptian and the Assyrian: a blessing in the midst of the land,In quel giorno Israele sarà in terzo coll'Egiziano, e coll'Assiro; la benedizione sarà in mezzo alla terra,In that day shal Israel be a third to the Aegyptian and the Assirian: a blessing in the middes of the earth,In die illa erit Israël tertius / Ægyptio et Assyrio; / benedictio in medio terræ 25Which the Lord of hosts hath blessed, saying: Blessed be my people of Egypt, and the work of my hands to the Assyrian: but Israel is my inheritance.A cui il Signore ha data benedizione, dicendo: Benedetto il popolo mio dell'Egitto, e l'Assiro, che è opra delle mie mani, e Israele mia eredità.which the Lord of hostes hath blessed, saying: Blessed be my people of Aegypt, and the worke of my hands to the Assirian: but Israel is mine inheritance.cui benedixit Dominus exercituum, dicens: / Benedictus populus meus Ægypti, / et opus manuum mearum Assyrio; / hæreditas autem mea Israël.
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Worthington
Egypt. Many refer this to the coming of Christ, (Calmet) at whose presence the idols fell down, and many saints adorned the country. (Worthington)
But the prophet may also literally refer to the wars of the Assyrians against Egypt. Sabacon having retired, after reigning fifty years, Anysis, and afterwards the priest of Sethon, succeeded to the throne. The latter was attacked by Sennacherib. After his death, twelve kingdoms were formed, but Psammitichus reunited them, and had Nechao for his successor. (Herodotus 2:141, 158.)
Behold. The prophet speaks fourteen years before the attack of Sennacherib.
Menochius
Moved. Plundered by the Assyrians. (Menochius)
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Calmet
Kingdom. Under the twelve kings. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Egypt. Septuagint, "of the Egyptians shall be troubled within them." (Haydock)
Soothsayers. Feeble but too common resource of superstitious people!
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Masters. Twelve kings. Psammitichus, one of them, shall gain the ascendancy.
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Calmet
Dry. The lakes and the Nile shall not afford sufficient moisture. (Calmet)
Pliny
If the Nile rose less than twelve or more than sixteen cubits famine ensued. (Pliny, [Natural History?] 18:18.)
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Calmet
Fountain. The Nile rises in Ethiopia. But the canals alone were left dry. (Calmet)
Haydock
Septuagint, "the achi, every green herb along the river, and every," etc. (Haydock)
19:8
Fishers. The lake Moeris produced a talent every day for the revenue, and so great was the abundance of fish, that they could hardly be salted. The Nile was also well supplied with fish.
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Calmet
Linen. Greek, "silk." Ezechiel 16:10. (Calmet)
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Haydock
All they. Septuagint, "and all who make strong drink (secer) shall be in sorrow, and shall afflict their souls." (Haydock)
Calmet
This version is perhaps the best, as the Egyptians used much ale or wine distilled from barley. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Tanis. Or of the twelve kings, ver. 1. They are disconcerted at the approach of Psammitichus, (Calmet) or at the want of water. (Haydock)
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Memphis. The seat of many kings, and a very ancient city. Hebrew, "Noph."
Stay. Literally, "angle," denoting the chiefs, or all the land, Judges 20:2.
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Calmet
Back. King and subject are equally confused, Isaias 9:14. (Calmet)
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Terror. Hebrew also, "a rejoicing," (St. Jerome) on account of Sennacherib's defeat there, Isaias 18:7.
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Chanaan. Hebrew. The Israelites had a connection with Egypt, which the prophets often blame, Isaias 30:2. Ezechias trusted in their aid, when he refused to pay tribute to the Assyrians. Many at that time, or afterwards, retired thither, and served God unmolested, Isaias 11:2., and Jeremias xlii. More established themselves in the country under Alexander [the Great] and the Ptolemies. (3 Machabees viii.) But this prediction was more fully accomplished by the propagation of the Christian religion. Grace no where shone forth more brightly than in this country, once the seat of superstition.
Calmet
Sun. Hebrew, "of desolation." But the copies have varied. It is supposed to denote the city On, Genesis 41:45. (Calmet)
Kennicott
Prideaux (p. 2. b. 4.) accuses the Jews of willfully corrupting this text in the Septuagint. (Kennicott)
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Josephus
Altar. If the Jews were forbidden to have any other than the one at Jerusalem, how can the prophet announce this as a blessing? Onias being excluded from the high priesthood, retired into Egypt, and obtained leave to build the temple Onion, in the Nome, though not in the city of Helipolis, above Bubaste, on the Nile, alleging that Isaias had foretold this event, and that one was already built at Leontopolis. (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 12:15., and 13:6.)
But we must allow with the fathers and Jews in the days of St. Jerome, that this prediction regarded the Messias, when altars might be lawfully erected in every nation. See Misna, tr. Moneuth, 13:10.
Calmet
Monument. The cross is set up wherever Christ is adored. (Calmet)
Haydock
The Egyptians shall embrace Christianity, and St. Anthony of Thebes, etc., shall live a holy (Worthington) and austere life. (Haydock)
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19:21
Haydock
Egypt. The kings often caused sacrifices to be offered for them; but they were not acceptable, as long as they continued idolaters. The country was converted to Christianity, (Calmet) and the Anchorets performed their vows and penitential exercises, to the admiration of all. (Haydock)
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Calmet
Scourge. By means of Sennacherib, Cambyses, and Ochus. Afterwards the country was quietly subject to the kings of Persia, Alexander the Great, the Ptolemies, and the Romans. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Land. The apostles, who were true Israelites, (Haydock) procured the blessing of faith for these nations, (Calmet) to serve God with concord. (Haydock)
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VVhen our B. Sauiour was caried in his infancie by his mother into Aegypt the idoles of that countrie lost their powre. And the inhabitantes vvere specially blessed, & afterwards very manie beleued in Christ, and sincerely serued him.
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Both Iewes and Christians vnderstand this prophecie of the conuersion of the Aegyptians to Christ. But the Ievves expect it as yet to come, vve know that it is already fulfilled. At least in part. For there vvere sometimes manie Christians in that countrie, yea manie most excellent Sainctes. S. Paul. S. Antonie. S. Hilarion, and innumerable others.
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Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 9
… “I have generated and exalted sons.” So, too, Egypt is sometimes understood to mean the whole world in that prophet, on the count of superstition and malediction.
St Hippolytus † AD 235 On Isaiah 2
Under Egypt he meant the world, and under things made with hands its idolatry, and under the shaking its subversion and dissolution.
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 On the Incarnation of the Word 32
… “Before the Child know how to call father or mother, he shall take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria before the king of Assyria.” 5. That a man, then, shall appear is foretold in those words. But that He that is to come is Lord of all, they predict once more as follows: “Behold
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 10.10
… for the Scripture saith not, they succoured Him, but they ministered unto Him , that is, like servants. When He was about to be born of a Virgin, Gabriel was then His servant, having received His service as a peculiar dignity. When He was about to go into Egypt, that He might overthrow the gods of Egypt made with hands
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 54
Wherefore out of the cloud? Thus doth God ever appear. “For a cloud and darkness are round about Him;” and, “He sitteth on a light cloud;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 2
… “Who maketh the clouds His chariot” ( Ps. civ. 3 ); it is of the Father Himself that this is said. Therefore he says, “on a cloud;” in the symbol, he would say, of the Divine power, for no other Power is seen to appear on a cloud. For hear again what another Prophet says: “The Lord sitteth upon a light cloud” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 8.23
… place, “And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered.” But the holy Isaiah prophesies expressly concerning Egypt in reference to this matter, saying, “And the idols of Egypt shall be moved at His presence, and their heart shall be overcome in them,”
Sozomen † AD 450 The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen 5.21
… It was moved of its own accord; for at the presence of Christ the idols of Egypt were shaken, even as Isaiah
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 1
Of the same from his discourse on the beginning of Isaiah:
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 152
… while the journey of the magi and the guiding of the star and the company of the angels proclaim the Godhead of the unseen. In like manner He makes His escape into Egypt and avoids the fury of Herod by flight, for He was man; but as the Prophet says “He shakes the idols of Egypt,”
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.56
… even though from Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum he had fully preached the Gospel, even though he had been prematurely caught up to the third heaven, and had a vision of Paradise, and had heard unspeakable words. Such was Paul, and everyone of like spirit with him. But we fear that, in comparison with them, we may be foolish princes of Zoan,
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St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 108.14
… Then skirting the country of the Horites and Gittites, Mareshah, Edom, and Lachish, and traversing the lonely wastes of the desert where the tracks of the traveller are lost in the yielding sand, I will come to the river of Egypt called Sihor, that is “the muddy river,” and go through the five cities of Egypt which speak the language of Canaan,
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St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 97.1
… “I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste.” ) Now truly is Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled: “In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the land of Egypt.”
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Theodotus † fl. AD 160 Excerpts of Theodotus 1
XVI. For as cures, and prophecies, and signs are performed by the agency of men, God working in them, so also is Gnostic teaching. For God shows His power through men. And the prophecy rightly says, “I will send to them a man who will save them.”
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St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 123
… ‘In that day shall there be a third Israel among the Assyrians and the Egyptians, blessed in the land which the Lord of Sabaoth hath blessed, saying, blessed shall my people in Egypt and in Assyria be, and Israel mine inheritance.’
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1. The Burden of Egypt. Mystically St. Bernard, On the Burden of Egypt, sermon 5, philosophizes thus: Egypt is interpreted as darkness. But there is the darkness of ignorance, and there is also the darkness of iniquity. Come now, brethren, this is no light burden which we bear from the blindness of our ignorance, not knowing in many things what is expedient, what we should praise, what we should disapprove; so that we often say evil is good, and good is evil. But we also do not know how to pray as we ought, and in the light of the Scriptures we walk as in the night. Those therefore who are of this sort are burdened from Egypt, but they are not burdened with Egypt, that is, with those who are Egypt and darkness, children of darkness, of whom the Lord says in the Gospel: Everyone that doth evil hateth the light. And the Apostle: They that sleep, he says, sleep in the night: and they that are drunk, are drunk in the night. These indeed shall be punished with that weight of penalty with which the Prophet teaches Egypt is to be punished. BEHOLD THE LORD ASCENDETH UPON A LIGHT CLOUD. Cloud is spoken of here symbolically and poetically: for Poets are accustomed, in order to signify the swiftness and heavenly majesty, strength, battle and victory of God, to say that God is borne upon clouds, sits upon clouds and rides upon them, as if from there He hurls storms, winds, hail and thunder upon enemies, if He wills. Thus the Psalmist does, Psalm XVII, 11. Whence St. Athanasius, in the book On the Incarnation of the Word, reads, upon a light cloud. Secondly, "light cloud" signifies the army of the Assyrians, most swift, whose leader and guide was God, who sent them against the Egyptians most swiftly and powerfully, so that like a dense cloud they might hurl lightning, that is, arrows and darts, against the Egyptians and strike them down. Thus St. Jerome, St. Thomas, Haymo, Hugo and Lyra. Egypt was laid waste, both by Sennacherib, as will appear in the following chapter; and by Nebuchadnezzar, as Jeremiah predicted, chapter XLVI, and Ezekiel, chapter XXX. Allegorically, St. Cyril, Jerome, Procopius, Theodoret here, Eusebius, in book II of the Demonstration of Christ, chapter IV, St. Athanasius, Augustine, Bernard, and others whom Leo Castrius cites: Christ will come in a light cloud, or, as Aquila translates it, in light thickness, that is in a body conceived of the Holy Spirit, from the holy Virgin Mary; for just as a cloud is generated from spirit and vapor of the earth: so the body of Christ was formed from the Holy Spirit, and earthly substance tempered by the sun of divinity, by which Christ as a child was borne, fleeing Herod into Egypt, as it were bringing forth rain, that is spiritual doctrine, by which shortly after it rained upon Egypt so many holy shoots of Monks, and so many illustrious flowers of the Church of Alexandria under St. Mark, and thereafter. Secondly, the same St. Jerome, Cyril, Procopius and St. Ambrose, Exhortation to Virgins, teach that "light cloud" is the Blessed Virgin, in whose arms Christ as a child was borne into Egypt, and there immediately He broke the idols of the gods, as St. Jerome and many others relate. See the sayings on Jeremiah chapter XLIV, at the end. Whence Palladius in the Lausiac History, chapter LII, and Rufinus, book II, chapter VII: "We saw," he says, "in the Thebaid in the borders of Hermopolis a temple, into which when the Savior entered the city all the idols fell on their faces upon the ground." Moreover the Blessed Virgin is called a light cloud, because burdened by no concupiscence or weight of marriage, as St. Jerome says, she stood out above all earthly things, like a cloud, as Procopius says, and lightened the world of the burden and weight of sinners' debts. She rained Christ upon us, and through Him moistens the interior of our mind and extinguishes concupiscence. Thus St. Ambrose, in the book On the Institution of Virgins. Thirdly, Procopius understands baptism by cloud. Christ therefore first entered Egypt in a light cloud, when incarnate in body assumed from the Virgin, He was borne by her arms as if by a Cherubic chariot. But afterwards He entered, as it were in a heavy cloud laden with waters, which poured forth the dew and rain of heavenly baptism upon the Egyptians after His ascension. Christ therefore paid a splendid debt to Egypt when He brought that nation, so superstitiously devoted to so many monstrous idols, to the worship and salvation of the one God, and indeed raised up in it such great multitudes of Religious and virgins, that St. Chrysostom says, homily 8 on Matthew, that Egypt was converted by Christ into a paradise, and there innumerable companies of Angels shine forth in mortal bodies: "Not so variously, he says, does heaven shine forth with the choirs of stars, as Egypt is distinguished and illuminated by the innumerable dwellings of monks and virgins." Mercurius Trismegistus in St. Augustine, book VIII On the City of God, chapter XIV: "Egypt, he says, is an image of heaven, indeed the temple of the whole world." This was true not in the time of Trismegistus, but of Christ: for then it was indeed an image of heaven, and of angelic life, and the temple of God. AND THE SIMULACRA OF EGYPT SHALL BE MOVED. That is to say, the Assyrians will plunder and despoil the temples and the golden and silver gods of the Egyptians, and will lead them away captive with the Egyptians to Babylon, as Jeremiah says chapter XLIII, verse 12. Moreover, that idolatry flowed forth from Egypt as from a fountain into the Greeks, Herodotus teaches in the Euterpe. Allegorically, the idols of Egypt fell when Christ the child entered that land, as I have already said: but the Emperor Theodosius perfected this, who in Egypt overthrew the temples of Canopus, Isis, Serapis, and throughout the whole world the shrines of idols, in the year of Christ 379. See Baronius. Again, Egypt is the world, which Christ conquered when through the Apostles he cast down and destroyed its idols, errors and vices: "All Egypt is understood by the expression of superstition and curse," says Tertullian, book Against the Jews, chapter IX. AND THE HEART OF EGYPT SHALL MELT. Vatablus, shall liquefy, that is to say, Just as wax melts, liquefies and flows away before fire: so the soul and spirit of the Egyptians shall be broken, softened and brought low before the Assyrians and Babylonians.
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2. AND I WILL SET THE EGYPTIANS AGAINST THE EGYPTIANS. Because, when the Assyrians invaded Egypt, discord arose among the Egyptians, first of minds, then of arms: for when some wished to surrender to the Assyrians and others wished to resist, sedition arose among them, so that they destroyed each other by mutual slaughter. KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM. The Septuagint, νομὸς ἐπὶ νομόν, which the Interpreter of the Royal Books did not translate well, law against law. For the Septuagint call νομόν metonymically a province, or diocese, which is commonly called a territory, or jurisdiction: for each of these has its own peculiar laws and rights. Thus from Procopius and Epiphanius Leo Castrius. Whence Pliny, and from him Ortelius in the Theatre, interprets nomos as prefectures, which Ortelius counts as sixty-six in Egypt.
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5. And the water shall be dried up from the sea. Scripture calls the abundance of waters the sea. The Nile therefore is here called the sea; for unless it swell above twelve cubits and fill the fields of Egypt, it brings famine to Egypt, as I have said elsewhere from Pliny, book V, chapter IX, that is to say, I will bring a scarcity of water to the Nile, so that it does not overflow, and thus I will bring sterility and famine to Egypt. St. Jerome adds: It is natural, he says, that dryness and pestilence follow the wrath of God and the calamity of a nation, and all the elements rage against sinners. Secondly, these and the following passages up to verse 11 can be understood metaphorically and figuratively, namely so that in the river we understand the kingdom, in the streams the leaders, in the verdure, reed, rush, papyrus, all the abundance and wealth of Egypt, as St. Jerome says, that is to say, All these things are to be dried up by the Assyrians, that is, laid waste and plundered. He names the reed (that is, the cane) and the rush, because Egypt abounds in these and is clothed and adorned with them on the banks of the Nile: and from them it makes ships, sails, ropes, coverings, paper, and even sacks for food, as Pliny testifies, book XIII, chapter XI. Just as therefore the palm is to the Indians a horn of plenty, and supplies them with all things: so the reed is to the Egyptians.
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9. THEY SHALL BE CONFOUNDED THAT WORK FINE LINEN. Egypt produced excellent and fine linen, as Pliny testifies in book XIX, chapter 1, and its use was in sacred things: whence the Egyptian priests are called by Martial the linen-wearers. He says therefore that as the waters dry up, all green things, and the linen in which Egypt glories, will perish, so that the carders of linen, the washers, and the weavers will be impoverished and confounded: and, that is because, its irrigated lands will be dry and flaccid, that is flaccid, or becoming flaccid. He says the same shortly after concerning the fishermen, who make pools near the Nile, so that from the Nile overflowing fish may be carried into them, and there as it flows back may be caught: for these likewise, with the Nile failing and its overflow ceasing, will be impoverished and confounded, and will waste away and wither with hunger and hardships. Note: For "weavers of fine things" in Hebrew it is חוֹרַי chorai, which Vatablus and others translate as "weavers of pierced cloths, or cloths with little holes" (for חוּר chur indeed signifies a hole), that is weavers of nets. But he has already spoken of nets, and in Hebrew it is not churai, but cherai: which signifies fine garments and byssine ones, such as those of heroes and princes. Whence the Septuagint translates, "working byssus." And it is known that the most precious fabrics were made in Egypt. Perhaps also he notes the unseemly and dishonorable luxury of women, who clothed themselves in such fine garments that the nakedness of their limbs showed through them and was displayed.
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11. THE FOOLISH PRINCES OF TANIS. Tanis was the metropolis of Egypt, and the royal seat of Pharaoh, where Moses once disputed with Pharaoh, and inflicted upon him and Egypt the ten plagues, concerning which more is found in Exodus VII, at the end, that is to say. The proud and foolish counsellors and princes of the proud Pharaoh, and therefore foolish, gave counsel to Pharaoh, namely that which follows. That saying of Cicero in the Offices is true: "Arms are weak abroad, unless there be counsel at home;" and that of Vegetius: "The leader of war should be more cunning than strong;" for the enemy is more easily and safely conquered by art than by arms. How will you say (persuade) to Pharaoh (that he himself may think, and say (for it is a mimesis): I AM THE SON OF WISE MEN, THE SON OF ANCIENT KINGS, that is to say, Hereditary and as it were natural from the lineage of so many centuries, wisdom is mine equally with royal majesty; therefore it cannot be taken from me, or be cast down by the Assyrians or Chaldaeans. Thus Haymo, Forerius and Sanchez. He tacitly mocks the Egyptians, who boasted of their antiquity, as if they themselves had been the first of men, and had existed many thousands of years before. Thus Lucian, in the book On Astrology, relates that the Arcadians were held to be stupid for this reason, that they despised astrology, and made themselves older than the moon itself. Whence also they are called προσελήναιοι, that is, antelunares. Aristophanes, in the Birds, mocks with various titles those who boast of their antiquity, and says: You were older than Chronos and the Titans. And another: Older than chaos, and the reign of Saturn. And another: Others think that the counsellors say these things of themselves, as if they themselves had received their wisdom from their ancestors, and were proclaiming their royal lineage before Pharaoh, and thus were securing authority for themselves with him; for, as St. Jerome says, the Egyptians think that the founders of their race, heroes and gods, are theirs, namely Horus, Isis, Osiris, Typhon; and on account of this they boast that they themselves are produced not from royal, but from divine seed; whence also the Septuagint translates, How will you say to the king, We are sons of wise men. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, St. Thomas and Hugh. Truly the Satirist says: "Do not look to the trappings and empty names of Catos." And again: "And lineage, and ancestors, and what we ourselves did not do: I scarcely call these ours." It is a great thing to be noble, not to seem so; to live nobly, not to be born so; to be noble not by birth, not by lineage, but by virtue and deeds.
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13. HE DECEIVED EGYPT, THE CORNER OF HER PEOPLES. Corner, because in a building it holds the principal place, and contains and binds together both walls; hence it is used metaphorically by the Hebrews for a prince, who binds and contains the people by his laws, and is the firmament, pillar and glory of the kingdom and commonwealth. Thus Christ is said to be "made the head of the corner," and to be the cornerstone of the Church, Psalm CXVII, 22, and Matt. cap. XXI, 42. Thus the cantons of the Swiss republic are called Cantons, that is, corners. The sense therefore is, as if to say, The counselors deceived Pharaoh, saying that Egypt is a corner, that is, a prince of peoples, who namely excels neighboring peoples, and whose duty it is to keep them in order and peace, and to protect them against enemies, as if to say: It is your duty, O Pharaoh! to protect the Jews against Nebuchadnezzar; this is your title, this is your ancestral coat of arms; namely, Pharaoh is the corner of peoples, Pharaoh is the defender and protector of the Jews and other neighboring nations. This is their foolish counsel, of which he spoke in verse 11; for by this reasoning they brought destruction upon Pharaoh and Egypt; for they stirred up and provoked the Chaldeans, and their most powerful and warlike king, who thereupon invaded and laid waste Egypt. Others, such as Leo Castrius, Arias and Lyran, understand these things of the destruction of Egypt by the Romans. Whence Lyran argues cleverly: "A corner," he says, "which is made by two concurrent lines, is here said to be the conjunction of Antony and Cleopatra." 14. A SPIRIT OF DIZZINESS, by which the head being disturbed is turned, so that one thinks all things which he sees are spinning and rotating. "A spirit therefore of dizziness" is a spirit disturbed and erroneous. Whence the Chaldean and Septuagint translate it, a spirit of error. Hence also Our Lord soon explains it, adding: "And they caused Egypt to err in all her work," as if to say, God blinded them. God inverted and infatuated their counsel: how God does this, I have said on Can. XXVII.
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15. AND THERE WILL BE NO WORK FOR EGYPT, WHICH MAY MAKE HEAD AND TAIL, as if to say, The counsels and works of the Egyptians will be imprudent, useless and harmful; so that there will be no work of theirs which "may make," that is, prove and demonstrate in its execution that there was a "head," that is, an old man and a wise man; and a "tail," that is, a young man vigorous and strong, who would execute those things which the old men and wise men had prudently decreed. Note the Hebraism: to make head, that is, a prince, is to make the work of a prince, worthy of a prince, on account of which one might deserve to become or be a prince, so that that work appears as if it itself makes the prince. Whence the Antiochene version has: There will be no Egyptian man who becomes a chief (prince) nor a tail, and in that day the Egyptian will be as a woman, he will fear and be afraid from the hand of the mighty God. And the Arabic Alexandrian: There will be no Egyptian man for him, whom he may set as head and tail, first and last. BENDING AND RESTRAINING. It is the same as what preceded, head and tail. Thus the Arabic and Syriac already cited. Whence the Septuagint translates, beginning and end, as if to say, The work of the Egyptians, like that of the Assyrians, will be imprudent, insipid and maimed, not having head and tail, beginning and end. Hear St. Jerome: "The Lord," he says, "mixed a spirit of error in them, and caused Egypt to err in all her works, as a drunkard errs, and one vomiting, who is intoxicated with vices, concerning which drunkards Joel speaks: Woe to you that are drunk without wine! And not only drunk, but also vomiting the fury of dragons, and the fury of serpents incurable, so that after they have vomited forth such wine, they may understand their drunkenness, and may know that as long as they have been drunk, they have had neither beginning nor end, that is, neither head nor tail, but a trunk on both sides an animal. Whence the Septuagint and Symmachus translated, ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος: Aquila, bent and perverted: in the bent wishing to understand the old men, in the perverted the wanton boys who do all things perverted, and through this the sense is that in Egypt not only head and tail are lacking, but also old men and boys, that is, both beginning and end. Young men therefore and boys are called perverted and restraining, because they are driven by the impulses of passions, which ought to be restrained. Pagninus and Vatablus translate these in the nominative, in this manner: Nor will there be work for Egypt, which may make, either head, or tail; either branch, or rush, and thus they explain it, as if to say: "Neither magnates, nor common people will do anything which may benefit the commonwealth, nor will their work or industry be able to free Egypt from the Assyrians: head and branch are men of the first order; tail and rush, common people and ignoble." See the remarks on cap. IX, 14.
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17. The land of Juda shall be a terror to Egypt. That is to say, even the very name of Juda shall be a terror to the Egyptians, because when they wished to help them, they suffered such great disaster from the Assyrians. Whence Aquila translated "terror" as γύρωσιν, "as one who is fearful and trembling casts his eyes about, and dreads the enemy coming upon him," as St. Jerome also says and explains; secondly, St. Cyril: Juda, he says, shall be a terror to the Egyptians, on account of Christ born from it, who later under Josias, whom they defeated in battle, oppressed Judaea, and the king whom Pharao wished he appointed over them. He shall break the idols of the Egyptians; thirdly, and most excellently Sanchez: Terror, he says, signifies reverence, religion, observance and admiration. Whence St. Jerome in his Commentary translated "terror" as solemnity, that is to say, There shall come a time when Egypt shall receive Christian sacred rites, and then it shall observe the same religion and the same festivals which the land of Juda, that is the Church, which began in Sion and Juda, observes. This the Prophet Zacharias explains expressly, chapter XIV, 16. For here the Prophet passes from the calamity of Egypt to its restoration through Christ, so that after the manner he may join joyful things to sad things, and conclude all the ancient deeds of the fathers with the consolation and redemption of Christ the liberator: it is evident from what follows.
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18. IN THAT DAY THERE SHALL BE FIVE CITIES. "Five," that is many; for a definite number is put for an indefinite one, that is to say, The Egyptians now greatly abhor the Jews, and their language and religion, although they are neighbors to them; but it shall come to pass that they themselves shall be zealous for the Hebrew language (which here is called Chanaanite; because the Hebrews inhabited the land, which was once that of the Chanaanites), or the Syriac language akin to it, and not only of the language, but also of the religion. Just as if on the other hand today in Hungary some cities should be found so impious that, wearied of the Christian name, they should aspire so much to Mahometanism that they should commonly learn and speak the very Arabic language, in which the Alcoran of Mahomet is written: "The Chanaanite language," says St. Jerome, "is intermediate between the Egyptian and the Hebrew, and is in great part akin to the Hebrew." Mystically St. Jerome: Some, he says, by these five cities understand five orders of the Church in the time of Christ: namely Bishops, priests, deacons, the faithful and catechumens. Tropologically, Procopius, Ambrose, Augustine, and from them Leo Castrius, say that five cities are the many families of Religious, laurae and mandrae, that is monasteries in Egypt; so much so that in one of its cities, namely Oxyrhynchus, there were twenty thousand monks: one Abbot Or had under him three thousand, Abbot Serapion ten thousand monks; in many other cities of the Thebaid, there were many thousands of them; so that the cities were not so much the dwellings of laymen as of Religious, in which they themselves dwelt like innumerable ants, devoted to the work of their hands and to prayer. These men, with all five senses of body and soul, were borne toward God, and spoke in the Chanaanite language, that is the Judaic, in which they continually sang the psalms and the words of God, and praised God; for the number five signifies the perfection and fullness of the servants and Religious of Christ, as St. Ambrose teaches in Psalm CXVIII, sermon 22, on those words: "I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost;"; and St. Augustine, volume X on Matthew, sermon 23, where he likewise explains mystically in this way the five prudent virgins, of whom Christ speaks in the Gospel. St. Jerome adds that the five senses speak the Egyptian language when they pursue carnal pleasures; but the Chanaanite language when they pursue spiritual ones. See him. SWEARING BY THE LORD, that is worshipping and invoking the Lord. For Scripture by oath signifies all worship of God, namely the whole on the part by synecdoche. Furthermore among those cities of Egypt there shall be one Heliopolis (that is the city of the sun; because in it was the temple of the sun: whence it was dedicated to the worship of the sun, as it were their god). This, says St. Jerome, is evident to have been done even to this day: for the city of Ostracina, and the others near Rhinocorura, and Casium, which are neighbors to Judaea, speak Syriac, and some think that neighboring Syrians were by Nabuchodonosor transferred there; secondly, more truly and clearly these things were fulfilled in the time of Christ, and of St. Mark, as shall be evident verse 19. As if you were to say: Egypt shall receive the faith and worship of Christ, and shall speak piously and Christianly, as the Apostles and other Jews converted to Christ speak. Thus St. Cyril and others everywhere. He numbers five cities, because there were five principal cities, and as it were metropolises in Egypt, which Ezechiel names chapter XXX, namely Memphis, Tanis, Alexandria, Bubastus and Heliopolis. But before others he names Heliopolis, which is situated between Alexandria and Coptos, both because in Heliopolis the worship of the sun and of the gods flourished; whence that city was one of priests, as Strabo testifies in book XVII: for which reason especially it at first resisted the Gospel of Christ, and because subdued by Christ and the Apostles, it became as devoted to Christ as it had been to the sun and to idols, and Christian religion and Monasticism flourished wonderfully in it. Whence Heliopolis, and its monasteries and monks are so often mentioned in Palladius, Rufinus and others. Calvin therefore errs shamefully, who for 'city of the sun' translates: 'City of desolation shall be called one,' and gives this sense: "By these words he designates every sixth city for destruction, signifying that all perish without hope of restoration, who do not turn to God to worship him. For he opposes the cities of Egypt which will begin to acknowledge him to others which are devoted to destruction. For Dan cherem indeed signifies execration and curse, which desolation, that is ruin and eternal death, follows." He errs, I say, for in place of חֶרֶם cherem, that is sun, as St. Jerome, the Septuagint, the Chaldean, Symmachus, Vatablus, and others read and translate everywhere, he reads חֵרֶם, that is anathema; and it is evident from the very series of the text that there is no opposition here, but a continuation of the same matter and meaning. Finally, because the Hebrew cheres signifies not only sun but also potsherd; hence some translate it ὄστρακον, that is potsherd, and through it think the city Ostracinа is signified, as St. Jerome says.
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19. IN THAT DAY. Note: The Prophets say in that day, that is in that time, although it be to happen long afterwards. They call it a day, however, although it unfolds after, or through many years, because in the prescience of God the course of one kingdom, indeed of the whole age, is as it were one and the same: but it refers to the day of the New Testament, of which he treated in verse 17. See Can. IV. Note secondly: Onias, son of Onias the holy high priest, of whom in II Maccabees III and IV, when in the time of the Maccabees he saw Judaea laid waste by the Antiochi, Demetrii, and other kings of Syria, fled into Egypt to Ptolemy Philometor, and alleged to him this passage of Isaiah, as if God here commanded that a temple be built for him in Egypt, and persuaded him of this; who built a temple for the Jews at Heliopolis, and constituted Onias already mentioned as its high priest. Thus Josephus, XIII Antiq. VI. But wrongly; Isaiah wished nothing of the sort, for Onias was blamed by the Jews, who rightly disapproved of this deed of his: because it was not lawful under the old law to erect an altar or temple to God outside Jerusalem, yet these altar-builders are praised by Isaiah. I say therefore that the Prophet flies forward to the times of Christ, whom God sent as redeemer to the Egyptians and to all nations, so much so that in Egypt under St. Mark, and thereafter especially, Christianity flourished, indeed there monastic and religious life began with St. Mark and the Essenes. Thus St. Augustine, lib. I On the Unity of the Church, cap. XIV. For the Evangelical vows (that is concerning the observance of the Evangelical counsels), and especially the monastic vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, are noted here and are asserted to be in Christianity, when the Prophet says: "And they shall vow vows to the Lord, and shall pay them." Calvin therefore strives in vain here to elude them by this title, that they are not consonant with the word of God, but are ἐθελοθρησκεία, which Paul condemns, Colossians II, 23. But this must be proved by Calvin; for the contrary is shown, Colossians II. AND THE TITLE OF THE LORD ACCORDING TO HIS BORDER. He calls titles either temples, as Cyril does, or the cross of Christ, or statues, or columns erected in honor of Christ, as if to say the Egyptians throughout their provinces and borders will erect crosses, temples, altars, etc. to Christ; him indeed, not idols as formerly, will they invoke when they are in tribulation, and he will send them saviors, namely distinguished Prelates and Princes, who will free and defend them from enemies both corporal and spiritual.
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22. And the Lord will strike, as if to say God will lay waste Egypt, both through the Assyrians and through the Chaldeans; but after 40 years he will restore it to himself, as Ezekiel predicted, cap. XXIX, verse 13; secondly, and rather, as if to say God will chastise the Egyptians now made Christians, both for the expiation of sins and for their trial, and their greater crown.
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23. IN THAT DAY THERE SHALL BE A WAY FROM EGYPT INTO ASSYRIA, as if to say in the time of Christ there will be mutual peace, commerce and society among nations once hostile, such as the Egyptians and Assyrians were. For Christianity is the law of peace, which compels and unites hostile nations into one faith, and charity, and Church. AND THE EGYPTIANS SHALL SERVE ASSYRIA, namely in those services by which Christians serve one another through charity, especially by sending thither distinguished preachers and priests. Secondly, it can be translated more plainly from the Hebrew with Vatablus and Montanus: The Egyptians shall worship the Lord with the Assyrians, under which also understand the Babylonians. And thus our Sanchez explains our Version, as if to say: They shall serve (God) Egyptians Assyria, that is together with the Assyrian. Whence it follows:
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24. ON THAT DAY ISRAEL SHALL BE THE THIRD WITH EGYPT. Third, namely, so that just as the Egyptians and Assyrians he may receive faith and worship of Christ, and therefore a blessing, that is, shall be most blessed, as if to say: These three nations, namely, the Israelites, Egyptians and Assyrians, which now fight so among themselves, shall conspire together in Christianity. A BLESSING IN THE MIDST OF THE LAND. Just as Israel was in the middle between the Egyptians and Assyrians, so from him, as the people of God, blessing through Christ shall be poured out upon the Egyptians and other nations. Whence, although other nations are to be blessed by me, nevertheless my inheritance is, and shall be Israel; for just as Israel of old was a people specially chosen by God, so also now shall it be. For from him shall be born Christ, the Blessed Virgin, the Apostles, the first Christians, indeed Christianity itself and the Church of God, "the work of my hands (namely, thou art, God shall say) to the Assyrian."
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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In parte ista comminatur destructionem Aegyptiorum, prosequens modum et ordinem; et dividitur in partes tres: et primo describitur poenae praeparatio; in secunda, ipsa destructio, ibi, Et iradat Aegyptum; in tertia, utilitatis consecutio, ibi,
In die illa erunt quinque civitates. Praeparatio autem poenae describitur quantum ad quatuor. Primo quantum ad dispositionem hostium, Ascendet, inspirando, super nubem, ex qua tempestas, levem, propter agilitatem et promptitudinem: Ps. 96: « Nubes et caligo in circuitu ejus. » Secundo quantum ad stuporem gubernantium deorum. Et movebuntur simulacra: quia contracti sunt ab Assyriis: vel quia dare responsion non potuerunt: vel quia nec codem die apparuerunt. Cor Aegypti, idest rex et principes, ex quibus totus vigor Aegypti. Supra 1: « Omne caput languidum, et omne cor moerens. » Tertio quantum ad dissensionem resistentium: quantum ad exteriuorem contrectationem, Et concurrere, quantum ad extraneos, Aegyptios adversus Aegyptios; quantum ad consanguineos, Pugnabit vir contra fratrem suum; quantum ad notos et amicos, Et vir contra amicum suum; quantum ad diversos populos, Civitas. Ponit voluntatum diversitatem: Dirumpetur, idest dividetur, spiritus, idest voluntas in visceribus ejus, idest in incolis te rae. Matth. 12: « Omne regnum in seipsum divisum desolabitur. » Quarto quantum ad errorem consiliantium hominum, Et consilium. Job 5: « Apprehendit sapientes in astutia eorum, et consilium pravorum dissipat, » idest daemonum. Et interrogabunt, frustra. Supra 8: « Et cum dixerint ad vos: Quaerite a pythonibus, et a divinis, qui occidunt incarnationibus suis. »
Nota super illo verbo, Super nubem, quia est quadruplex nubes. Prima assumptae carnis. Job. 58: « Ubi eras cum ponerem nubem vestimentum ejus, et caligine illud quasi pannis infantiae obvolverem? » Secunda est virginalis ventris. 3 Reg. 18: « Ecce nubecula parva ascendebat de mari. » Tertia est devotae mentis. Ps. 67: « Magnificentia ejus et virtus ejus in nubibus. » Quaria judiciariae sedis. Ps. 96: « Nubes et caligo in circuitu ejus, justitia et judicium praeparatio sedis ejus. »
Item nota, quod de prima nube procedit pluvia sacramentalis vel sanctificationis. Joan. 19: « De latere (Domini) continuo exivit sanguis et aqua. » De secunda procedit cibus consolationis. Sap. 19: « Nubes castra obumbrabat, et ex aqua quae ante erat, terra apparuit arida. » Et infra (ibidem): « Videntes tua mirabilia, et mon— s’ra: tamquam enim qui deaverunt escam. De tertia procedit coruscatio praedicationis. Job 37: Frumentum desiderat nubes, et nub-s spargunt lumen suum. De quarta procedit tempestas damnationis. Ps. 67: Virtus ejus in nubibus.
Item nota super illo verbo, Nubem levem, quod prima dicitur levis propter eminentiam dignitatis. Daniel. 7: Ecce in nubibus similis filio hominis veniebat. Secunda dicitur levis propter virginitatis puritatem Apocal. 14: Et ecce nu bem candidum, et super nubem sedentem similem filio hominis. Tertia dicitur levis propter obedientiae velocitatem. Infra 69: Qui sunt isti qui ut nubes volant? Quarta dicitur levis propter executionis facilitatem. Ecclesi 45: In magnitudine sua posuit nubes, et contracti sunt lapides grandinis.
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Et tradam Aegyptum in manu dominorum crudelum.
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Hic prosequitur ipsam destructionem: et primo quantum ad populi servitutem; secundo quantum ad terrae desolationem, ibi, Et are-scet aqua de mari; tertio quantum ad sapientium stuporem, ibi, Stulti principes Thaneos. In manu dominorum crudelium, Assyriorum scilicet, et Chaldaeorum et Romanorum. Deut. 28: Servies inimico tuo, quem immitte tibi Dominus, in fame et siti, et nuditate, et omni penuria: et ponet jugum ferreum super cervicem tuam, donec te conterat. Destructionem autem terrae designat per siccitatem aquarum, in quibus Aegyptus ornata et dives est: vel quia ira Dei praevenit ut aquae siccarentur, et animalia morerentur: vel loquitur parabolice, quasi dicat: Tanta erit tribulatio quod videbitur etiam aquas siccae. Ponit ergo tria. Primo siccitatis modum, Are-et, idest minuetur, fluvius, Nilus, vel flumina alia. Ezechiël. 50: Faciam alveos fluminum aridos.
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Secundo ponit siccitatis signum, Calamus et juncus, quae nutriuntur in aquis. Infra 55: Orietur vigor calami et jonci. Tertio ponit siccitatis dænum, Nudabitur: primo agriculturae, a fonte. Idest a principio: vel hoc ad finem. Psalm. 106: Posuit flumina in desertum, et exitum aquarum in sitim. Secundo piscatorum, Moerebunt piscatores. Ezec. 29: Proiciam te in desertum, et omnes pisces fluminis tui. Tertio diversorum artificum, Confundentur qui operantur linum, quod nascitur in locis humidis. Flaccensia, idest arenæ: lacunas, vivaria.
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Stulti principes Thaneos. Hic ponit hominum stuporem: et primo quantum ad errorem in consiliis; secundo quantum ad timorem in bellis. ibi, In die illa erit Aegyptus quasi mulieres. Circa primum tria. Primo irridet sapientum stultitiam quantum ad deliberationem: Stulti principes, idest philosophi, Thaneos, ubi vigebat studium: Jerem. 51: A scientia stultus factus est omnis homo: quantum ad consilii promulgationem sapientes, quantum ad sui commendationem, Quomodo dicetis Pharaoni? idest, quomodo poteritis dicere, quando putabit vos male consultisse, hoc quod unusquisque vestrum solebat dicere ad sui commendationem, ut ejus consilio credatur, Filius sapientium; quasi dicat, he editate sapientiam possideo; vel discipulus regum, qui antiquitus Philosophi erant. Job 15: Et senes et antiqui sunt in nobis, multo vetustiores quam pares tui. Secundo irridet regis confidentiam. Ubi nunc. Et primo quaestionem: infra 47: Non est qui salvete; secundo responsionem, Stulti emarcuerunt, idest defecerunt, ut supra; tertio irridet populi decepti ignaviam, De-ceperunt. Hic tria facit. Primo ponit sapientum deceptionem, Deceperunt angulum, idest regnum, in quo multi conjunguntur sicut pariëtes in angulo. Infra 47: Sapientia tua et scientia tua deceptit te. Secundo Dei permissionem, Dominus miscevit: saepe dicitur metaphorice.
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Spiritum vertiginis, idest erroris, ad modum ejus qui patitur vertiginem. 5 Reg. ult.: Dedit Dominus spiritum mendacii in ore omnium prophetarum tuorum. Tertio ipsius populi errorem, Et errare. Caput, videlicet neque quo ad principium; caudam, neque quo ad finem: incuvantem, quo ad senem; refrenant-m, quo ad juvenem, qui refrenatione indiget, vel lascivientem. 2 Tim. 5: Mali autem homines et seductores proficient in pejus. In illa die erit Aegyptus quasi mulieres. Hic comminatur timorem robustorum.
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Et primo ponit timorem, Quasi mulieres, infirmi et imbecilles. Jer. 31: Devoratum est ro-bur eorum, et facti sunt quasi mulieres. Secundo rationem, Erít terra Juda, scilicet memoria malorum quae fecerunt eis avertentes eos a cultu Dei pro quo sciunt iram Dei se incurrissse. 1 Mach. 6: Nunc reminiscor malorum quae feci in Jerusalem.
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In die illa erunt quinque civitates in terra Aegypti. Hic ponitur consecutio, vel consolationis, scilicet eorum conversio. Et primo conversionis signum triplex: quorum primum est juramentum, Jurantes. Infra 63: Jurabit in Deo amem: quia oblivioni traditae sunt angustiae prior-res. Civitas solis, Heliopolis. Linguam Chana-naeam, quae confinis est linguae Judæorum, ut in lingua etiam convenient cum populo Dei. In his enim translati sunt a Nabuchodonosor quidam Syri, qui linguam propriam tenerent.
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Secundum signum est sacrum aedificium, Altare Domini et titulus: quia multos deos coelebant, sicut dicitur Act. 17. Hoc (ut dicunt quidam) impletum est tempore Machabaeorum, quando multis Judaeis fugientibus in Aegyptum, Onias volens implere hane prophetiam, aedificavit altare contra praeceptum legis, quod est contra illud Exod. 20: Non aedificabis mihi altare: de quo arguitur Dan. 11: Filii quoque prævaricatorum populi tui extollentur ut impleant visionem, et corrent. Unde patet quod non est iste intellectus; sed de altari aedificando ad cultum christianum. Tertium signum est quia invocant Dei auxilium, Clamabunt salvatorem, Jesum. Psalm. 90: Clamabit ad me, et ego exau-diam eum. Secundo ponit conversionis modum: et primo quantum ad fidei susceptionem, Cognoscent: Jer. 51: Omnes cognoscent me a minori usque ad maximum, ait Dominus; secundo quantum ad sacrificiorum et votorum oblationem, Et colent: Malach. 1: In omni loco offeretur nomini meo oblatio munda; tertio quantum ad peccatorum remissionem: Et percute-t, primo per multas poenas; et sanabit, a peccato. Job 3: Ipse vulnerat et medetur, percuit et manus ejus sanabunt. Tertio ponit conversionis triplicem effectum: scilicet pacem: In die illa erit via, quod ante non poterat esse per diversa regna, quae nato Domino juncta sunt sub Romanis. Servient, in mercimonis sibi invicem: vel quia milites Syri erant in legionibus Romanorum ad custodiam Aegypti. Supra 2: Non levabit gens contra gentem gladium. Secundo promittit secundum effectum, fidei veritatem: In die illa tertius; simul, et aequaliter Romanis servicens, et in unitate fidei. Joan. 10: « Fiet unum ovile et unus pastor. » Rom. 10: « Non est distinctio Judaei et Graeci. » Tertio ponit tertium effectum, scilicet benedictionem divinam: Erit, scilicet Israel, benedictio, quia per Apostolos totus mundus benedictionem Dei percipiet. Hereditas, quia ibi natus, et mysteria salutis nostrae explevit. Psal. 115: « Benedixit domui Israel. »
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v. 4 « Onus Aegypti. Ecce Dominus ascendet super nubem levem et ingredietur. Aegyptum et. commovebuntur simulacra. Aegypti a. facie eius et cor Aegypti tabescet. in medio eius » ; — etiam hoc loco Isaias statim ab initio paucis complectitur quae in subseq. latius est prosecuturus. Deus iudex nubibus vehi, in nubibus descendere perhibetur (cf. Ps. 17, 10; 96, 2. 2 Reg. 22, 11); ponit enim nubem ascensum suum et ambulat super pennas ventorum (Ps. 103, 3). Nubes levis symbolum est qua celeritate et facilitate subito ad poenas repetendas adsit (Sanct. Mald. Malv. For. Men.Tir.). Quam efficax sit Domini praesentia, pulcherrime demonstratur: Dominus ingreditur Aegyptum et idola contremiscunt, aufugiunt ; cor Aegypti i. e. ea quibus sapientia et potentia et vigor Aegypti quam maxime constituitur, quasi aquae diffluent et in nihilum redigentur, ita ut Aegyptus omni vi et vita destituta iaceat ; cor enim Hebraeis ponitur pro fonte vitae et vigoris et virtutis ac vires omnes et intellectus et voluntatis complectitur. Cum Deus iam olim in deos Aegyptiorum et in Aegyptum iudicia exercuerit (cf. Ex, 12, 12. Num. 33, 4), iure optimo et non sine arte proponuntur idola terrore concuti et virtus Aegypti collabi ac deficere, quam. primum advenientem Dominum suspicantur, cuius potentiam olim adeo experta sunt. Et cum deorum popularium gloria et ipsius populi.prosperitas intime inter se ex gentium opinione connecterentur (cf. quae notavi ad Am. 1, 15. Nah. 1, 14. Hab. 1, 16. Zach. 2, 8), in strage populi clades quoque deorum agnosci debet. Quare in subseq. vates prostrationem populi describens idolorum quoque impotentiam egregie proponit. Primus quasi gressus quo populus interitui obviam fertur est magna inter cives dissensio, sunt inimicitiae et bella civilia quibus inter se discerpunt. Unde sententia iudicis fertur
Sublimi modo describitur ipse Dominus iudex descendens et ingrediens Aegyptum, coram quo idola Aegypti corruunt et omnis Aegyptiorum virtus ac potentia evanescit :
Anc. — Deus in iudicium descendet contra idola et superbiam Aegyptiorum; ipsi odiis ac bellis intestinis inter se concertantes et omnis sani consilii expertes praedae erunt tyranno duro; duram sortem describit vates imagine Nili siccati, qua metaphora omnia defutura minatur, quae usui et voluptati olim fuerint (19, 1-f0). In tale autem infortunium ruent poenas iustas luentes arrogantiae, fastus; stupiditate et terrore ingenti perculsi iam nihil remedii ad stragem avertendam excogitare poterunt, sed cum pavore duram Dei manum in se experientur (19, 41-17). Verum etiam Aegyptiis ruina haec erit in salutem : paulatim enim a parvis initiis cognitio Dei et cultus inter eos spargetur; in tribulatione cognoscent Dominum et colent et ita simul cum Assur et Israel populo Dei accensebuntur (19, 18-25). Hoc quidem pro tempore satis remoto. Quod vaticinium ut confirmetur et via ostendatur, qua impletio erit incipienda, aliud addit vates : iubetur scil. a Deo incedere publice habitu captivi, ut ipse palam omen sit et portentum exhibeat rei mox futurae i. e. Aegyptios et Aethiopes in captivitatem cum ignominia iri abductum ; unde Iudaei pudore suffundantur, quia a talibus opem efflagitaverint (20, 1-6). Quam clarissime ostenditur hoc quoque oraculo, superbiam ac potentiam humanam esse deiiciendam, ut ex illa ruina Dei sublimitas agnoscatur et salus efflorescat. Ergo hic quoque cernitur quod 2, 12 seq. dictum est et illud vincimini quia Emmanuel. Neque minus sedulo vates adnotat, quid emolumenti iam pro aequalibus suis ex vaticinio capiendum sit; id explicite effertur 20, 5. 6; quare bene S. Hier. : « ordo pulcherrimus, ut quomodo in priore visione sermo propheticus Damasco minabatur quod decem tribus in illa habuerint auxilium, sic etiam nunc Aegypto vastitas praedicetur, ob cuius auxilium Dei neglecta sit invocatio ». — Aegyptum autem et Aethiopiam distincte et separatim recenseri, ad temporis conditionem prorsus consentaneum est; simili modo Sennacherib quoque refert se in pugna apud Altaqu (Elthece) aurigas et filios regum Aegypti et aurigas regum Meroe vivos cepisse.
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v. 2 « et concurrere faciam Aegyptios adversus Aegyptios et pugnabit. vir contra fratrem. suum et. vir contra amicum suwm, civitas adversus civitatem, regnum adversus regnum »; — Aegyptum internis dissidiis saepius esse discissam, iam ex pluribus dynastiis quae saepe variis in partibus imperium exercebant, facile colligitur; eius rei aperta quoque exstant testimonia et monumenta historica ; ita iam pro tempore Ramses III id narratur in papyro cui nomen Harris, terram sine rege a principibus regionum vel nomorum esse vexatam, qui inter sese caede grassarentur (cf. Vaeg.). Tempore quoque posteriore Aegyptus media et inferior et praesertim princeps saiticus Tafnecht expugnabatur a Pianchi rege Aethiopum (cf. Stade, De Is. vaticiniis aethiop. Wiedemann, 4Kgypt. Geschichte p. 563 seq.). Etiam maior rerum perturbatio exstitit, cum dynastia aethiopica expulsa Aegyptus in duodecim regna discinderetur, donec Psammetichus dodecarcha pugna ad Momemphim facta ope militam ionicorum, caricorum, graecorum unum regnum constitueret, quod ipse eiusque filius Nechao duro imperio continebant. Has et similes rerum subversiones propheta describit et quantopere Aegyptii consilii expertes impotes futuri sint calamitatibus avertendis pronuntiat
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v. 9 « et dirumpetur spiritus Aegypti in. visceribus eius et. consilium eius praecipitabo et interrogabunt simulacra sua et divinos suos et pythones et ariolos » ; — hebr. evacuabitur spiritus ! i. e. affine est perire, absorberi vel deglutiri consilium, ut neque consilium capere possint neque si ceperint quidquam proficiant aut iuxta consilium efficiant (For. sim. Mar.) vel Aegyptus velut exanimata erit, hyperbole ex comparatione corporis humani desumpta (Malv.). Frustra recurrent ad locupletem idololatriae et, divinationum apparatum, quem ipsa enumeratione longiore vates ridet. Hebr. idola vocantur vana, nihil ; G"2N explicant mussitatores, hebr. nomen a secreto dicitur quod arcanis vel secretis verbis artem suam exercent, vel secreta verba susurrant (For. Malv.) et incantationum formulas mussitant; de 2w cf. 8,19. Ad id ergo sapientia et prudentia recidet Aegyptiorum, ut ad res inanes et ad praestigiatores et circulatores consilii capiendi causa confugiant — praeclaram ironiam et irrisionem falsae ac fucatae sapientiae ! In tanta vero consiliorum inopia — et si quid excogitaverint, illud se destructurum esse Dominus profitetur — facile iugo tyrannorum externorum subiicientur
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v. 4 « e£. tradem Aegyptum in manu. dominorum crudelium et rez fortis dominabitur. eorum, ait Dominus Deus. cxercituum. » ; — Aegyptios multoties ab Assyriis esse devictos, monumenta testantur ; Samaria capta socios quoque Osee regis, inter quos erat Schabaka rex Aegypti, a Sargone esse punitos eiusannalibus proditur; Sennacherib quoque bellum Aegyptiis intulit eosque ad Elthecen devicit ; filius eius et eius nepos, Asarhaddon et Asurbanipal, Aegyptiis clades intulerunt (cf. Stimmen aus Maria-Laach 1873 p. 144. 153; ad Nah. 3, 8. Vigourouz, la Bible et les découvertes mod. IV. p. 198. 162. 996). Hebr. rez durus ; post Assyrios Aegyptus vexabatur a Chaldaeis et ipse quoque Psammetichus rex durus appellari meruit, qui postpositis indigenis extraneos fovebat, ita ut testibus Diodoro (1, 61) et Herodoto (2, 30) ducenta millia militum aegyptiorum in Aethiopiam immigrarent Aegypto relicta (cf. IVaeg.). Sane licet in his quoque et. similibus saltem aliquam cernere verborum prophetae impletionem, quamvis vates non tam facta particularia praedicere quam normam statuere generalem censendus sit; verum non erit inutile paucis indicasse, qua ratione norma illa eventibus mox subsecutis iam in opus deduci coepta sit. Bellis illis atque dissidiis internis etiam damnum non minimum ipsi regioni esse illatum facile liquet. Tempore enim bellorum agriculturam lacere patet, destrui canales, aquaeductus et reliqua quoque instrumenta prosperitatis ac fertilitatis regioni aegyptiacae consentanea in aperto est; unde novarum calamitatum frequens origo cernitur. Hisce si Nili inundationis defectus accesserit atque penuria, multiplici clade terram aegyptiacam iri afflictum manifestum est. Has miserias vates proponit, quibus priores illas civiles àugeat nexumque denuo ostendat qui adsit inler homines et ipsius regionis conditionem : Deus enim ipsis utitur creaturis ad ultionem de inimicis capiendam :
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v. 8 «et arescet aqua de mari et fluvius desolabitur atque siccabitur» ; — maris nomine (cf. 18, 2) Nilus designatur qui eo nomine praesertim tempore inundationis vel eius ratione habita dignus reputatur, quippe qui maris instar totam late regionem occupat a medio mense Augusto usque ad Octobrem, ita ut fere sola oppida et vici insularum instar ex undis emineant. Si vero largi deficiunt imbres quibus Nili fontes alantur augeanturque, tum et ipse fluvius arescere videtur; eius autem inundatione salutifera sublata nulla iam pro Aegypto remanet spes sementis et messis; unde cum fluvio arescente arescunt omnes Aegyptiorum opes ac divitiae misere dispereunt. Simul cum eo canales aquis destituti potius perniciei sunt regioni :
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v. 6 «et deficient flumina; attenuabuntur et siccabuntur rivi aggerum » ; — versionem lat. intelligere poteris de rivis qui aggeribus ad irrigandos agros deducebantur (cf. Mald. Sanct.); hebr. verte : et foetebunt rivi, attenuabuntur. et siccabuntur fluvii Matzor i, e. Aegypti i. e. Yv2 cf. Mich. 7, 12. 2 Reg. 19, 24; S. Hier. vocabulum etymologice vertit; alvei aquis carentes foetorem et putredinem exhalant et sicut antea regioni decori erant et amoenitati, ita nunc horrori et, exitio, Inde fit, ut viror omnis pereat : «calamus et iuncus marcescet ; v. '1 nudabitur alveus rivi a fonte suo et omnis sementis irrigua siccabitur, 'arescet eL non erit» ; — i. e. «neque fons aut caput Nili aquis ut antea fluminis alveum implebit et sementis varia quae a fluminis inundatione vitam et incrementum exspectabat arente Nilo ipsa quoque arescet et peribit» (Sanct.); vel explica a fonte : alveus destituetur aquis quia fons, unde fluunt, arescet (cf. Mald. Sa, Mar. Men.). Hebr. verte : v. "1 gramineta * iuxta. fluvium et ad. os fluvii et omne satum — fluvii (iuxta fluvium) exarescet, corrumpetur (LXX &vsp4702eo» quasi vento) et nullum erit; cf. Vat. For. Mar. Malv. et recentiores. Segetes ergo et prata misere interibunt; etiam ,varii hominum ordines praeter agrorum cultores illa calamitate afflicti necessariis ad vitae sustentationem carebunt. Ita primo et praecipue piscatores
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v. 8 « et moerebunt piscatores et lugebunt omnes mittentes in ftumen hamum et ezpandentes rete super faciem aquarum emarcescent » ; — duos piscandi modos vocabulo generali subiungit vates hamo alterum, alterum retibus exercitum vel nassis; Nilum piscibus abundasse referunt (cf. Herodotus 2, 92); eos fuisse sapidos ex populi in deserto commorantis votis et desideriis elucet (Num. 11, 5). Ariditate et quae inde consequitur sterilitate magnum quoque detrimentum capiunt opifices linorum pexorum
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v. 9 « confundentur qui operabantur limum pectentes et tezentes. subtilia » ; — hebr. qui operantur lina pectinata et. texentes candidum i.e. qui pannos conficiunt ex lino sedula cura pectinibus purgato vel pectinato et qui texunt byssum vel linum album, candidum, pannos byssinos eosque subtiles, Eiusmodi opificiis insignes erant Aegyptii iisque pannis commercia exercebant (cf. Ez. 91, 1). Artem eam texendi apud Aegyptios antiquissimam etiam Israelitas ab iisdem didicisse testimonio sunt aulaea et vela quae v. g. pro tabernaculo foederis in deserto fiebant. Verum non solum opifices, sed optimates quoque rebus adversis affligentur ; in omnes enim serpere calamitatem vates singula complexus hanc partem absolvit in hebr. et erunt. columnae eius (1. e. potentes quibus respublica fulcitur et quasi consistit) contritae et omnes qui mercedem faciunt erunt afftictà animis. Apta est sane conclusio qua summatim comprehenditur quod in antecedentibus de ruina potentiae et culturae opificiorumque Aegyptiorum dictum est. Versio vulg. unam partem ex antecedentibus retractat :
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v. 10 «eterunt irrigua eius flaccentia; omnes qui faciebant lacunas ad capiendos pisces» ; — ad prius membrum vide v. 5. 6 ; alterum explicatur de piscinis vel vivariis (cf. Mald. Mar. Malv. For. Osor. Sasb.) aut deseptis vel caveis ad piscaturam factis vel de stagnis excavatis quae inundatione Nili aquis piscibusque implentur, ex quibus autem aqua recedente pisces iam non exire possunt (cf. Sanct.). Versio S. Hier. inde explicari poterit, quod nn bibere significat et alterum membrum ait se iuxta sensum interpretatum esse; profitetur enim in hebr. et in cunctis interpretibus in loco piscium poni animas; ob oculos ergo habuit Dax paludem, lacum ; interpretationem lacunas fere etiam Chald. exhibet, et similiter hebr. quoque intellexerunt de obicibus quibus aquae concluduntur (cf..*^5D Gen. 8, 2. Ps. 63, 12) et aggeribus Iarchius, Saadias, quos vide apud Ros. — Hebr. 32i de potu intellexerunt LXX et Syrus ; de illis notat S. Hier. : « notandum quod pro lacunis LXX tó6ov transtulerunt quod genus,est potionis ex frugibus aquaque confectum et vulgo in Dalmatiae Pannoniaeque provinciis gentili barbaroque sermone appellatur sabaium ». — Celerum magna cernitur varietas in expositione texlus hebr.; LXX zi Écovza oi Épyatópsvo: £v ó22vm ; videntur intellexisse fextores cf. nn, "nu; Aq. «i &xoünao: «wá; vsraxiivoguiyvai ; fortasse a nw ponere; ad idem respexisse videtur Theod. Tati; ali interpretati sunt de machinis textoriis contritis; ita iam Chald. ; alias explicáüones vide apud Malv. Ros. Ges. Hodie eam sequuntur omnes quamsupra dedi, quae est apta et simplex et facile verbis accommodatur ; nno esse fundamenta, columnàs ; idque dici de proceribus (cf. 3, 1); de DAN cf. Is. 58, 5 et may afflictum esse.
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v. 114 « Stulti principes Taneos, sapienles consiliarii Pharaonis dederunt consilium insipiens ; quomodo dicetis Pharaoni : filius sapientium ego, filius regum antiquorum » 9? — hebr. solummodo stolidi principes Zoan, sapientes consiliariorum Pharaonis ; consilium infatuatum est (obbrutuit; cf. Malv. Vat.). Sapientia Aegyptiorum in proverbium abierat ; unde Salomon laudatur, quod praecedebat eius sapientia sapientiam omnium orientalium et Aegyptiorum (3 Reg. 4, 30) ; eorum sapientiae laudem quoque commemorat Herodotus (2, 6. 11. 160). Tanis vel Zoan, urbs antiquissima (Num. 13, 23), in Delta inter septemtrionem et occidentem spectante sita, inter Nili partem sebennyticam et pelusiacam, eo maiore iure hic nominatur, quia saepius sedes eratregiae dynastiae (21. et 23. secundum Manethonem). Etiam ininscriptionibus assyriacis extempore Sargonis mentio fit regis ex Zoan (cf. Revue arch. Oct. 1871 p. 214). Principes ac consiliarii regis suam iactant sapientiam ex eo quod illam iure quasi hereditario longa generationum serie in suis familiis habeant propriam, immo ex suo ordine, sacerdotali scil., olim reges exstiterint, quibus ipsa antiquitate splendor quidam ac gloria uti fieri solet, facile conciliatur. Quantopere vero aestimata sit sapientia antiquorum, quaein una sapientium stirpe aliena ab extraneorum commixtione ad posteros longa aetate propagetur, lege Iob 8, 8 ; 15, 10. 19. Adnotat Malv. : « nam sacerdotes aegyptii iactabant a primo rege ad Sethonem progenies hominum fuisse trecentas quadraginta unam et totidem in terra pontifices et reges; vide Herodotum 2, 142, et alioqui Aegyptii omnium hominum se primos exstitisse arbitrabantur, ut idem 2, 2 tradit ». Plerique magistratus civiles ex ordine sacerdotali eligebantur ; ex eodem ordine consiliarii regis (qui in monumentis rerum gnari designantur) et iudices assumebantur, a quorum agendi ratione ipse rex ! quam plurimum dependebat (cf. Riehm, Handwoerterb. I p. 326). Ad prima regni aegyptiaci tempora SS. Hier. refert filium. regum antiquorum ; « significat quod Aegyptii heroas et deos auctores suae gentis simulent Oron et Isin et Osirin et Typhonem »; ceterum in dynastia vigesima post Ramses XII Her Hor summus sacerdos thebanus, rerum potitus nomen et insignia regis usurpavit et post ipsum a Pinetsem I et deinceps per septem generationes familia sacerdotalis thronum aegyptiacum (dynastia 21. tanitica) occupabat, contra quam tamen postmodum alia dynastia tanitica bellum gerere incipiebat et demum familiam sacerdotalem throno deiecit. Quare sacerdotes consiliarii merito se dicunt filios regum antiquorum, neque opus est cum Sanct. ea verba ab ipso rege dicta esse affirmare. Verum sapientia eorum egregie confunditur ipsa regni aegypiiaci ruina, cui mederi vel quam cohibere nulla ratione valent. Unde vates mente cernens rerum perturbationem et difficultates, quas modo exposuit, cam ironia regem exagitat
Quod vates in v. 10 hebr. indicaverat de primoribus, iam latius prosequitur; ita enim v. 10 et antecedentia suo modo comprehenduntur et subsequentia praeparantur. Uti Deus Aegyptiorum potentiam et culturam conteret, ita sapientiam et prudentiam de qua superbierunt confundet. ' Est igitur eadem iudicii denuntiatio alio modo facta ;
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v. 49 « ubi munc sunt sapientes tui ? annuntient. tibi et. indicent. quid. cogitaverit. Dominus exercituum. super Aegyptum » ! — si vere sapientes sunt, saltem nunc cum eventus iamiam compleri coepti sint, doceant regem, quo consilio et quo rerum exitu haec fieri incipiant. At cum rerum omnium sortes apud unum Dominum exercituum conditae sint, qui universa pro sua moderatur sapientia et eos prosequitur fines iisque adiumentis quae longissime ab humana prudentia et sapientia absint, fieri nequit, ut sacerdotes idololatrae aptum dent regi consilium. Id enim Deus agit, ut confundat sapientes ; quare illi suis consiliis miseriam non modo non minuunt, verum augent
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v. 13 « stulti facti sunt principes Taneos, emarcuerunt principes Mempheos, deceperunt Aegyptum, angulum populorum eius » ; — Memphis celebris urbs regia Aegypti inferioris est ; unde qui in sedibus regiis sapientia conspicui erant stulte egisse et decepti esse dicuntur, et qui ipsis confidebant, pariter decepti sunj ; angulum populorum explicat S. Hier. : « idioma Scripturarum est, ut angulum pro regno ponant, eo quod populos contineat et quasi in tota domo fortissimus sit » ; alii : deceperunt Aegyptum et praesidia populorum eius, eos qui populis sunt fulcro et adiutorio (Sa, Mar. Calm.) ; alii arete id ad Aegyptum referentes exponunt : quae (Aegyptus) omnium populorum quos sibi subiugaverat aut foedere adiunxerat firmamentum erat et decus (Sanct. Men. Tir. sim. Schegg). Hebr. verte : Aegyptum errare fecerunt anguli tribuum eius i. e. qui putabantur esse angulus et firmamentum, illi sapientes quibus ut angulis firmissimis Aegyptus nitebatur, qui qua$i erant lapides angulares in republica, illi ipsi misere omnem fefellerunt spem (cf. Malv. For. Vat. et recentiores). In hebr. pro Memphis habetur 75 quam vocem multi volunt eandem esse ac zj2 et utramque esse contractam ex 732. Memphin h. l. explicant LXX, Syrus, Chald. et sequuntur Troch. Del. Kn. Drechsl. Naeg. — Sed iam. Brugsch monuit formam n haud posse conciliari cum hieroglyphico Men-nefr, Mennef, nomine urbis Mempheos, sed formam requiri Nepu vel Nep (Die Georisphie des alten Aeg. I p. 290) et revera satis erebro mentio fit in hieroglyphicis urbis Nap, Napi, Napit, Napata (cf. Brugsch |. c. p. 65. 14. 100. 152. 161. 163); erat Nap, Napat metropolis decimae regionis Nubiae aegyptiacae (cf. Brugsch, Dictionnaire géogr. de l'ancienne Égypté p. 336); unde per totam late regionem aegyptiacam usque in Aethiopiam omnia perturbari et. consilia sapientium infatuari asseritur. Vide Revue arch. l. c. p. 215. Cur vero ipsi sapientes in tales miserias populum protruserint, ratio affertur
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v. 14 « Dominus miscuit ài medio eius spiritum vertiginis et errare fecerunt Aegyptum in omni opere suo, sicut errat ebrius et vomens »; — hebr. sicut errat ebrius in vomitu suo ; Deus scil. iramittit in animos eorum spiritum vertiginis; uti alias porrigere dicitur calicem furoris sui, ut bibant et inebrientur et prae terrore et angustiis stupefacti tamquam ebrii omnisque consilii expertes corruant (cf. Ier. 25, 18 ; 49, 12; 51, 1. Ez. 23, 32. Ps. "14, 9), ita hoc loco etiam potum iis miscere perhibetur, quo vertigine correpti ipsi omnia susque deque vertant; in rebus arctis ea capient consilia quibus magis magisque ruinam sibi attrahant, et si ipsi duces ita mente capti sunt, reliquum vulgus nihil quod salutisit vel emolumento posse perficere per se patet. Sunt duces caeci et duces caecorum ; quare utrique in foveam cadent. In ebrio eiusque vomitu cernitur et ablatio omnis considerationis, stupor, hebetudo, omnium sensuum perturbatio et foedissimae ruinae indignitas. In tali autem conditione non adfore remedium, declaratur
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v. 45 « et non . erit Aegypto opus, quod faciat caput et caudam, incurvantem et refremantem » ; — ad verba vide quae notavi ad 9, 14. Hebr. verte e£ non erit Aegypto opus, quod. facit (expedire potest et perficere) caput et cauda, ramus et iuncus i. e. neque principes et nobiles neque plebeii et infimi aliquid quod emolumento sit consilium vel opus excogitare vel efficere possunt (cf. Vat. Pagninus, Malv. Mald. Sanct. Lap. For. Mar. Calm. et recentiores). Secundum quem sensum etiam explica textum lat. : non erit opus, quod vel primoribus et plebeiis, vel subiectis et imperantibus subsidium afferat ; paulo aliter verba interpretatur sua S. Hier. : « nullum habebit Aegyptus opus sive consilium quod aut caput habeat aut finem aut senibus conveniat aut pueris » ; quae tamen explicatio longius recedit a textu originali. Alii verba latina hoe modo sano donare sensa conantur : et non erit in Aegypto opus quod faciat seu ostendat fuisse inter eos caput, hoc est virum cordatum, aut subditos obedientes, aut esse aliquem dominum et servum obsequentem (ef. Lap. Sanct. Men. Tir. Gord.). Etiam LXX habent à zoríset xegaMy xo oügkv, doy?» xoi T5Aog ultima verba eliam ex Sym. afferuntur, dum Theod. verba retinuit hebr. xezok xc àyuiv. S. Cyr. ita sententiam graecam concipit : « nec iuvenilia facinora aggredientur, hoc enim est principium et caput, nec in optatissimum finem occurrent quae geruntur, lioc enim est cauda et finis; omnis enim humana consultatio infructuosa et omne praesidium imbecillum nec ulla ex parte iuvare potest, si Deus poena afficit ». Alii textum lat. ita enodant, ut caput et caudam, incurvantem et refrenantem velint dependere a v. 14 errare fecerunt ; ita Sasb. Pint. Schegg, qui ea de causa reliqua quae interponuntur parenthesi includi vult vel lextum lat. ita corrigere ut scribatur cauda etc. Quanta futura sit deiectio et humiliatio Aegyptiorum qui olim adeo erant, superbi, audaces, immites (S. Cyr.), et per quem sit inferenda, denuo inculcatur
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v. 16 « in die illa erit Aegyptus quasi mulieres et stupebunt et timebunt a facie. commotionis manus Domini exercituum quam ipse movebit super eam » ; — cf. 10, 32. Pulcherrime iam insinuat vates, quomodo etiam illis summa deiectio et imbecillitas via futura sit salutis : incipient enim ac discent timere manum Domini ; iam in tali causa metus et terroris quam sentire et agnoscere docentur germen latet salutis; initium enim sapientiae timor Domini, et vates eo modo docet, uti hominem miseriis afflictum, ita populum quoque gravi calamitate pressum facilius ad Dei cognitionem et cultum adduci, proinde non solum pro Iudaeis valere, verum normam constitui generalem : sola vexatio dabit intellectam (Is. 28, 19). Iis enim nihil valere idola perspicient et calamitates suapte natura hominem inducunt, ut inopiae suae conscius a potentiore numine se percuti sentiat et ad illud supplex confugiat. Hanc autem viam qua ad salutem praeparandi sunt, accuratius delineat
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v. 471 « et erit terra [uda Aegypto in. pavorem ; omnis qui illius fuerit recordatus pavebit a. facie consilii Domini exercituum, quod ipse cogitavit super eam »; — uti olim Aegyptii exclamarunt : fugiamus Israelem, Dominus enim pugnat pro eis contra nos (Ex. 14, 25), ita tunc timor Domini regionem aegyptiacam pervadet, timor scil. Domini irati, adeo ut ipsum [udaeae nomen, ubi scil. Deus colitur et habitare et unde ad ceteras orbis partes proficisci concipitur (For.), iis fiat terrori eisque ultionem Domini quem foeda sua idololatria provocaverant (cf. Ier. 46, 10. 23. Ez. 29, 3-10 ; 30, 13 ; 31, 10 etc.) in memoriam cum pavore reducat. : Vaticinium hoe modo generali illam describit viam et rationem qua Aegyptii sint humiliandi, ut iis quoque aditus ad salutem pateat. Id iam eo ostenditur quia statim fructus ille salutaris subiungitur (praesertim a v. 18), quia vaticinio huie aliud subditur particulare ae determinatum cp. 20 et quia oraculum hoc prophetae subsequentes Ieremias et Ezechiel denuo recolunt et quomodo paulatim et per partes saeculorum decursu implendum sit docent. Porro indolem esse generalem etiam tota hae oraculorum serie suadetur (vide quae dicta sunt ad cp. 13). Unde in invasione Assyriorum aliquid sane cernitur impletionis, neque tamen illa vaticinium exhauritur. Significationem generalem iam rite cernimus intellectam in glossa : multis dominis Aegyptus tradita est : Assyriis, Nabuchodonosori, Alexandro, Romanis. Nihilominus ita conformatum est oraculum, ut in denuntiatione iudicii ea proponatur rerum conditio qua imago quaedam eventuum qui mox in Aegyptum erant devolvendi repraesentetur. Cum enim Schabaca (Sua), a Sargone apud Raphiam devictus fugam cepisset (cf. Vigourowx ]l. c. p. 164), in ipso regno aegyptiaco magna rerum perturbatio est subsecuta (cf. Schrader, Keilinschriften u. A. T. ad Is. 19, 1; JVet. p. 128; Wiedemann, Aegypt. Geschichte p. 584 seq.); ex fastis Asarhaddonis et Asurbanipali pari modo colligitur iis temporibus Aegyptum internis quoque dissidiis fuisse vexatam. Terrae autem proventum et varia quae instituta erant ad regionis fertilitatem promovendam, canales ad aquas Nili inundantis apte distribuendas et longinquis quoque agris. advehendas, opificia et similia multum cepisse detrimenti ex bellis continuis et invasione hostium, nemo negabit. Et si ad haec — id quod cum saepius in Aegypto accidat probabilitate non caret — alia accesserint infortunia v. g. imbrium in regionibus superioribus defectus, ita ut Nili inundationes vel penitus omitterentur vel debitam non attingerent mensuram, iam habes terrae aegyptiacae conditionem talem qualem vaticinatus est Isaias. Verum donec fructus ille salutaris exsisteret, de quo in subseq., eadem norma iudicii et calamitatis et eruditionis iterato erat applicanda, uti oraculis quoque Ieremiae et Ezechielis demonstratur.
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v. 18 « In die illa erunt quinque civitates in terra Aegypti loquentes lingua Chanaan et iurantes per Dominum exercituum; civitas solis vocabitur una » ; — lingua Chanaan loqui est loqui lingua populi electi, veri Dei cultoris, et significatur sensus induere atque animos illius. Loquela enim animi sententiae et affectus panduntur et praeterea unaquaeque lingua peculiaribus vocibus exprimit et declarat gentis indolem et fidem. Unde abiicere notiones idolorum, proscribere superstitiones, novis de Deo rebusque divinis conceptibus animum imbuere et totam loquendi sentiendique de rebus altioribus rationem mutare, verbo fidem terrae Chanaan amplecti apte. exprimitur per metaphoram loqui lingua Chanaan. Gentiles enim etsi sonos verborum eosdem retinent ad unius Dei fidem adducti, tamen iisdem verbis iam alias addunt notiones puriores, sublimiores, haustas ex institutione per veri Dei cultores accepta; unde uti ex modo fidelium iam cogitant, sentiunt, iudicant, ita eorum quoque lingua loqui iure dici possunt. Et cum in vetere foedere veri Dei cultores ex instituto stabili solum invenirentur in gente iudaica quae primarie incolebat Chanaan ut sedem propriam, cum ergo solum in Chanaan theocratia exsisteret, iure adoptatur lingua Chanaan tamquam symbolum et testimonium, quo quis religionem ac fidem Dei amplecti perhibeatur. Vere quoque dicitur lingua populi electi lingua Chanaan ; maiores enim populi israelitici eam usu adoptarunt linguam posterisque legabant, quam in terra Chanaan usu tritam repererunt patrio suo sermone relicto (cf. Gen. 31, 47; uti iam ex rabbi Elia Mar. adnotat et vide Cornely, Introd. I p. 233). Proinde sensus idem est qui habetur apud Soph. 3, 9: reddam populis labium electum. Quam fideliter verosensus religiosos retenturi et opere ostensuri sint, declaratur, dum vocantur iuramento adstricti Domino exercituum (hebr.) ei obstricti, ei fidem dantes (cf. For. Malv. Troch. Drechsl. Kn. Del. Naeg.) eamque fidem sollemni asseveratione et sacro iuramento obsignantes ; textus lat. unum cultus divini genus pro toto effert. Verum etiam in Aegypto salus a parvis initiis orietur; quod pro Israel iam toties vates inculcaverat : reliquiae convertentur, etiam pro Aegypto in quinque civitatibus proponitur. Cum enim plurimae essent urbes Aegyptiorum (cf. Brugsch, Die Geographie des alten Aegypten I), quinque sane pro paucis habendae sunt, ita ut numerus quinarius per modum locutionis fere proverbialis pro aliquibus iisque paucis usurpetur, uti usuvenire videmus Lev. 26, 8. 4 Reg. 21, 3. Is. 30, 17.1 Cor. 14, 19. Sed in parvo etiam numero non deerit eximius religionis ac pietatis splendor. Una enim ex istis paucis vocabitur i. e. erit civitas solis; talem in se exprimet et exhibebit indolem, ut merito appellari possit eo nomine — ea est enim vis phrasis hebr. vocari cf. ad "1, 14 et praeterea 4, 26; 4,3; 9, 6; 32, 5; 35, 8; 41, 4; 54, 6 etc. — Erit igitur una prae ceteris fide àc religione insignis, lucens uti sol et splen - dorem suum longe lateque diffundens ; aliis verbis : in coetu illoaegyptiaco aderunt qui sanctitate fulgebunt. Atque re quidem vera, si in mentem revocaveris quam eximie in primis rei christianae saeculis sanctitas emicuerit anachoretarum in Thebaide, non erit difficile civitatem solis in Aegypto invenire. : Cur numerus ponatur quinarius, alii aliter explicant; ibi enim cernunt expressas aut multas urbes vel omnes (cf. Sanct. Mald. Lap. Men. Tir.) aut quinque urbes determinatas ; ita apud S. Hier. aliqui intelligi volebant civitates iuxta Rhinocoruram et Casium, « quas usque hodie in Aegypto lingua chananitide, hoc est, syra loqui manifestum est, et putant e vicino Syros atque Arabas a Nabuchodonosor in illam terram fuisse translatos » ; sim. S. Cyr. ; alii recensent sex illas urbes in quibus ex Herodoto (2, 69) praecipue celebrantur sollemnitates et coetus festivi (Malv.); alii alias (cf. Hitz.). Alii in numero quinario qui sit dimidia pars denarii, numeri perfectionis, notionem cernunt expressam rei imperfectae, per partes et fragmenta solum exsistentis (Del. RoAl.) vel rei iam dimidiatim acquisitae (Naeg.). Verum expositio simplicissima et aliis locis commendata ea est quam supra dedi. Textus mas. nomen civitatis effert DY11 "7, quae lectio num sit genuina momen istud civitatis solis Iudaeis esset cognitum, et insuper leremias eius destructionem praediceret, facile intelligitur, quomodo fudaei odio illius templi instigati urbem solis in urbem destruetionis, cheres in heres, mutare potuerint. Immo in 6 codd. legitur ann urbs maledictionis. — Hisce igitur rationibus censeo cum veteribus illis testimoniis contra textum mas. o^ esse legendum ; hanc autem vocem cum iisdem ex hebr. esse explicandam, non ex radice arabica urbs custodiae vel protectionis (id quod Ges. Ewald, Maurer, Kn. volunt). LXX habent x6 docóix, i. e. p*3n iustitiae civitas. Censet A4. Scholz (Die alexandrin. Uebersetzung d. Is. p. 10) hanc lectionem esse genuinam. Verum haec sententia id incommodi habet, quod nomen pro salute messianica usitatum et ideo omnibus commune uni tribuitur civitati. Aliud est, si lerusalem simili appellatione decoratur, quia lerusalem non unam aliquam civitatem in regno messianieo exhibet, verum ut theocratiae centrum ipsius regni messianici typum ac figuram in se exprimit. Quod Scholz praeterea addit bà1 ex norma canonis athbasch (de quo. vide Cornely, Introd. I p. 600) esse ortum, est valde mancum ; nam pro tertia litera id nullo pacto valet, pro secunda solum, si schin et sin ut duae literae numerantur ; quod si pro prima litera quoque feceris, non habebis quod haberi oportet. — Sym. legit móc fov; Aq. et Theod. praebent des, quod ex eod. syr. hes. D seribitur (cf. Middeldorpf p. 93. Field ad h. l.). Syrus quoque pro D? testimonium fert. Vocem eam $. Ephr. explicat urbem iustitiae. Hoc sane mirum ; videtur ergo illud 4ccó:x LXX ob oculos habuisse. Barh. vocem explicat Arisch, quam urbem Severus Ant. primam occurrere dicit e Palaestina Aegyptum ingredienti; sequiore aetate ab incolis dictam fuisse Rhinocoruram, postea Phacus vel Phacussam ; in Scripturis vero vocari Bethschemes et positam essein ea Aegypti parte quae subiaceat Heliopoli (cf. S. Ephr. opp. II p. 51). — Longiorem de hoc loco dissertationem scripsit Reinke, Tüb. Quartalschrift 1870 p. 1-31; vide quoque Geiger, Urschrift und UÜbersetz. p. 18. 19. Posiquam v. 18 generali quadam ratione cognitionem Dei et religionem in Aegypto fore dictum est, iam peculiarialquaedam cultus documenta et pietatis testimonia proponuntur
Denuo fit quod vates iam 2, 1'1 statuerat, incurvata hominum sublimitate et altitudine virorum humiliata elevabitur Dominus solus; sed haec gloria Dei est salus hominum vera ablatis humanae superbiae impedimentis ; valet enim illud: vincimini quia Emmanuel (8, 9. 10). Quare propheta postquam v. 16. 11 parva salutis initia ex timore Dei vindicis orta innuit, ea iam per gradus quosdam explicat et quomodo paulatim maiora sint captura incrementa ostendit formula in die illa saepius repetita (cf. v. 16. 18. 19. 23. 24). Et primo quidem aliquos sensus et mentem cultorum Dei esse in se expressuros vates dicit
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v. 19 « n die illa erit altare Domini inm medio terrae Aegypti et. titulus Domini iuxta. terminum eius » ; — cum terra media et terminus, finis terrae, nominetur, cultum Dei per totam late Aegyptum passim esse propagatum innuitur, Mentione facta altaris Domini, 09cwxccáo:co 7372, arctos veteris foederis limites auferri et tempus declarari messianicum constat, cum id terrae alienigenarum attribuatur, quod ex legis mosaicae norma uni solum loco cultui sacro peculiare esse poterat. Ti(ulus i. e. monumentum, columna, memoriale cultus Domini in eius honorem et gloriam erectum ac consecratum exprimit, Dei cognitionem et cultum magni aestimari, laudes Dei publice celebrari, ipsam regionem iam professione publica Deo consecrari. In his duobus igitur religio designatur quae sacrificiis et orationibus laudis ac gratiarum actionis continetur et exercetur. Cum Aegyptus habeat altare Domini. et monumentum eius, quod in laudem ipsius ad victorias celebrandas vel ad gratam beneficiorum recordationem erigi solet, Dominum victoriam reportasse dicitur de idolis, adesse significatur illud tempus quo etiam gentes in suo quaeque loco (cf. ad Soph. 2, 11) Dominum colent cultu sacrificali (cf. ad Mal. 1, 11) et supplicationibus et publicis monumentis magnalia Dei profitebuntur. Unde locus hic insignis quoque est ad indolem religionis cultasque tempore messianico describendam. — Hunc locum Onias IV explicite allegat ad templum leopolitanum aedificandum. . Quia igitur altari et titulo Domini erectis Dominum occupasse Aegyptum et de idolis triumphum egisse manifestum sit,
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v. 20 « erit in signum et in testimonium Domino exercituum in terra Aegypti »; —i.e. ipse ille cultus eiusque professio sollemnis et publica et terra Aegypti, olim solum idolorum templis et monumentis obsita, sed iam divina in se ostentans documenta aperte profitetur miram Dei potentiam et operationem, signum, miraculum a Deo patratum et ita £estimonium redditur praeclarum coram gentibus potentiae ac maiestatis divinae. Tunc autem cultu Dei assumpto iam non frustra, uti antea laboreinutili idola supplices adibant, supplices deprecabuntur : « clamabunt enim ad. Dominum a facie tribulantis et mittet eis salvatorem et pro pugnatorem qui liberet eos» ; —hebr. verte si clamabunt... mittet eis salvatorem et vindicem et liberabit eos ; commercium indicatur familiare inter Deum et populum fidelem ; supplicantibus opem laturus occurrit, uti olim populo iudaico miserat salvatores i. e. iudices, qui eos eriperent ab hostili oppressione; mittet vindices i. e. qui oppressorum causam agant et valide tueantur (cf. Mich. 5, 3. Abd. 21). Ea ratione se Aegyptiis ut Deum potentem opere exhibebit, Aegyptii autem hisce muneribus divinis ditati fervore pietatis eum religiosissime colent ;
19:21
v. 21 « et cognoscetur Dominus ab Aegypto et cognoscent Aegyptii Dominum in die illa et colent eum in hostiis et in muneribus et vota vovebunt Domino et solvent » ; — hebr. explica Deus sese manifestabit Aegyptiis, iis dabit, ut sciant eum i. e. eum tamquam talem experiantur qualis vi nominis sui est (cf. quae notavi ad Os. 2, 20); familiaris ac mutua quasi bonorum communicatio indicatur, qualis inter amicos exsistere solet : Deus se, potentiam, benignitatem, gloriam iis suam exhibebit, illi intimis eum animis cognoscendo et amando complectentur eumque hostiis et oblationibus colent et ultra ea quae debent sponte sua vota vovebunt et. voluntaria illa pietatis officia fideliter persolvent. Tempora cogita Isaiae et Aegyptum ea aetate foeda idololatria foedissime opertam et intelliges, cur vates tanta cum voluptate immoretur deseriptioni pietatis aegyptiacae olim futurae, quae insigni est documento omnibus, quid Deus efficere possit '. In ipsa autem enumeratione considera cultum exhibitum per sacrificia denuo commemoratum (cf. v. 19) et pietatem votis susceptam et declaratam ; habes in utroque quasi imagine depictum illud adorationis genus quod revera Deo offert Ecclesia catholica, quodque cum iam in vetere foedere i. e. in umbra exsisteret, perfectiore ac sublimiore modo in novo exhiberi debet, uti ipsa ratione typi ad impletionem, umbrae ad veritatem suo iure exigitur. Consequuntur autem vi verborum sacrificia et vota Dei cognitionem, idque merito, nam quo perfectius cognoscitur Deus, eo sublimior desideratur cultus quo homo quam maximum Deo rependat honorem et quam plenissime suam testetur devotionem ; utrumque autem perfectissime fieri per sacrificia et vota, ex ipsa horum notione facile colligitur. Unde simul perspicitur verbis prophetae non designari pro tempore messianico cultum solum oratione vel verbi Dei annuntiatione constantem, sed describi adorationem actibus sacrificii ? et votorum praeclaris exhibitam. Cernit vates Aegyptum nunc idolis quam maxime maculatam tempore futuro insignem pietate. Revera haec mutatio dexterae excelsi ! Quam quo pacto Deus sit effecturus paucis complectitur, denuo declarans normam Dei v. 21 servient (hebr.) in hostiis ete. idemque ex v. 93 eruitur. Per viam et mutuum commercium pax et amicitia et familiare inter eos commercium declaratur, neque servitus, sed aequalitas designatur; unde id autem efficiatur, aptissime subiungitur, eo scil. quia in unius Dei cultu ac servitio animi eorum coniuncti sunt; una iam mente et fide eadem Domino servient; inde ergo omnis pendet ibique vertitur pacis atque amiciiiae populorum cardo (cf. Is. 2, 4). Haec sane est pax illa Christi, ut dicit S. Cyr., «non enim modo superioribus administris et sanctis spiritibus terrae incolas coniunxit, sed gentes cum gentibus congredi et celebrare coetus inler se instituit ; antequam enim hoc commercium aliorum cum aliis venirei, separatae erant provinciae et urbes, crebrae seditiones ac turbationes ... et quosvis quibuscumque modis opprimere nobile quiddam et sane quam admirabile ducebatur». Hac pacis imagine post maximam perturbationem (v. 4 seq.) proposita animi alliciantur oportet el edoceantur, ubi tandem vera sit exquirenda beatitas. Via ex Aegypto in Assur sterni debet per terram Iuda et Israel ; quare illa iam imagine familiam Dei quasi in centro constitui ac contineri et iungi per populum electum satis innuitur. Haec autem magna Dei familia iure aequali iam gentes complectens et sollemni Dei declaratione agnita et proclamata nobis exhibetur
19:22
v. 22 «et percutiet Dominus Aegyptum plaga et sanabit eam et revertentur ad Dominum et placabitur eis et sanabit eos»; — ex iudicio scil. salus orietur; « plagam dicit regni privationem, sanationem vero cognitionem Dei; postquam enim illorum regnum evertit, pietatem docuit»; punit enim Deus, ut misereatur (Pint.), qui tandem est omnium iudiciorum Dei finis : vincimini quia Emmanuel (8, 9. 10). Sententia hac ea denuo comprehendi quae toto hoc vaticinio proposita sunt, ipsis verbis iam suadetur : nam percutere plaga 731 vehementem illam ac multiplicem percussionem significat, de qua in priore parte vaticinii sermo fiebat ; sanare vero morbum illum letalem auferri et veram coram Deo donari sanitatem explicat ; converti autem ad Dominum opponitur conditioni aversionis et. ignorantiae rerum divinarum, in qua antea obstringebantur. Neque si revertere dicis, aliam indieas notionem. Nain idola colere semper etiam pro gentibus est idem ac desciscere a Deo ; quare eadem ratione qua Israel idololatra meretrix vocatur, etiam Ninive meretrix appellatur apud Michaeam (1, 7) et Ezechiel Deum a gentibus esse abiectum et spretum dicens foedus illud etiam cum iis olim initum significat (16, 45). Alii versum intelligunt de Aegyptiis iam Deum 1. Bene id sensit S. Cyr. : « emphasim magnam et vim habet haec oratio quippe non siue admiratione dictum. Annon euim est ab opinione ac fide alienum et plane paradoxuin in ipsa regione Aegyptiorum altare Domini videri » ? 2, Bene Theod. : « sacrificium et donum vocat «5» uucctzny Xstcoupyíav ». colentibus, uti a v. 18 describuntur, sed qui si aliquid in Deum peccaverint denuo, ab eo erudientur ac paterne castigabuntur et castigati in gratiam recipientur ; ita Drechsl. Del. Naeg. Net. Hohl. Sed percutere plaga multo plus dicit quam paternam ac benignam castigationem ; qui necesse habent, ut convertant sead Dominum, aversi sunt ab ipso ; quare prior explicatio cum S. Cyr. Theod. Sanct. For. Calm. Troch. est praeferenda ; alii. utramque ex aequo proponunt (Lap. Men. Tir.); S. Hier. verba non ad punitionem, sed ad. probationem piorum refert; « quem enim diligit Dominus corripit, castigat autem omnem filium quem recipit ; persecutio non ad negationem credentium sed ad probationem pertinet et coronam ». Qualis futura sit sanatio, ulterius declaratur ita ut tres illi populi, de quibus in antecedentibus vel implicite vel explicite sermo erat, in summa inter se pace et bonorum communicatione vivere et unum populum Dei constituere dicantur (v. 23-23). In priore oraculi parte implicite As- Syrii qui Aegyptios oppressuri sint designantur, terra Iuda Aegyptiis erit in pavorem (v. 17), sed Deus auctor pacis in suo regno omnes verae amicitiae vinculo inter se adunabit. Si tempora spectantur vel quae fluxerunt vel quae Isaiae aetate fluunt, duo populi Aegyptiorum et Assyriorum quam maxime consistere conspiciuntur inimici theocratiae et ' etiam inter se bellis mutuis grassantes; unde quo maior est illorum a regno Dei abalienatio et inter se infensissimi odii bellorumque discordia, eo sublimius et magnificentius evadere cernitur vaticinium, quo mira illá mutatio et sanatio per dexteram excelsi efficienda praedicitur
19:23
v. 23 « in die illa erit via de Aegypto in Assyrios et intrabit Assyrius Aegyptum et Aegyptius in. Assyrios et servient Aegyptii Assur» ; — ultimum membrum in hebr. potest intelligi et servient Aegyptii cum. Assyriis (scil. Domino), et eo modo commodius explicatur cum Vat. Mald. Osor. Malv. Sanct. Sa, Lap. Men. Tir. Loch, Troch. Net. Rohl. Kn. Drechsl. Naeg. Del. (contra UXX, vulg. Syr. Chald. et aliquos etiam recentiores, uti For. Grotius, Hitz.); respicitur enim ad
19:24
v. 94 « in die illa erit Israel tertius Aegyptio et Assyrio, benedictio in medio terrae,
19:25
v. 25 cui benedixit Dominus exercituum dicens : benedictus populus meus Aegypti et opus manuum mearum. Assyrio, hereditas autem mea Israel » ; — en Dei foedus aequo iure gentes comprehendens; iam non solum Israel est populus Dei, gens electa, sed Israel est tertia pars cum Aegyptio et Assyrio i. e. populus Dei iam pari ratione coalescere cernitur ex iis qui eousque idolorum cultores et inimici theocratiae fuerant et ex populo Israel. Id ergo quo eousque solus Israel erat insignitus iam aequa ratione commune esse intelligitur gentibus; ita Israel in medio populorum collocatus (in umbilico terrae, Ez. 38, 12) revera attulit. benedictionem omnibus promissione quae Abraham facta erat iam opere impleta : in te benedicentur omnes gentes. Etiam nostro loco praeclare innuitur, quomodo benedictio haec primitus patriarchis data etin Israel quasi reposita per Israel cum aliis communicetur ; habes enim v. 41 cognitionem Dei per Iuda aliis indi, habes in via ex Aegypto in Assur terram Iuda tamquam mediam et familiare illud commercium promoventem. Unde quia Dei cognitio in Israel reposita simul cum reliquis bonis in ea una inclusis ad gentes promanavit, iure Israel benedictio dicitur in medio terrae i. e. foedere Dei universali concluso vates populum in eo cernit fastigio ac culmine positum, quod vaticiniis olim patribus benigne concessis erat assignatum. Hac vero benedictionis cum aliis communicatione reliquae gentes ad. eandem cum populo Dei dignitatem evehuntur ; id quod hoc loco ita exprimitur, ut Israel dicatur esse tertia pars cum Aegypto et Assur; ergo separatio illa est amota, « incireumcisi » iam non sunt immundi atque impuri, et simul admonemur ea appellatione et aequiparatione, ne alios locos de servitute vel subiectione perperam intelligamus (cf. ad 44, 2). Huic populo ex tribus illis conflato Dominus iam triplici benedictione bene precatur in modum benedictionis triplicis quam pontifex in populum pronuntiare iussus erat. (Num. 6, 24) : benedictus populus meus Aegyptus et opus manus meae Assur et hereditas mea Israel (hebr.); tituli honorifici eousque Israeli proprii iam etiam in gentes transferuntur : adoptionis gratia tribuitur Aegypto, Assur nova quadam creatione et transformatione a Deo ita constituitur, ut. opus Dei, opus manu divina restitutum dici possit et tamquam tale a Deo agnoscatur; Israeli perpetuo titulus ille servatur qui ei in patribus iam est inditus. Integram hanc familiam una benedictione i. e. aequo favore eademque gratia et benignitate Dominus prosequitur ac complectitur. Ecce ad quem tandem terminum ex Dei voluntate omnium populorum sortes tendunt! Post maximam illam cladem, miseriam, perturbationem summa hic nobis proponitur benedictio quam Dominus in eos pronuntiat quos duris castigationibus prosecutus erat. Uti 14, 32 Philisthaei et 16, 5 Moabitae ad salutem in Sion repositam amandantur, ita hoc loco postquam in antecedentibus et Israeli foedifrago et Assyriis (cp. 17. 18) et Aegyptiis (19, 4 seq.) clades est annuntiata, iisdem vera salus praedicitur. Et quemadmodum in cap. 18 epinicion Domini hostibus prostratis et maiestate Dei iu terris longinquis agnita celebratur, eadem ratione nostro loco in descriptione pacis, in cultus Dei unitate, in beata gentium inter se communicatione, in Dei amore ac benedictione praeclare ostenditur, Dei gloriam ac victoriam quam maxime redundaturam esse in omnium felicitatem et salutem. Nam vincimini, quia Emmanuel (8, 9, 10); ad salutem messianicam omnes gentium sortes divina providentia dirigi et in ea salute omnium reponi bonorum copiam ac summam beatitatem, etiam boc oraculo vates praeclare exhibuit ipsa miseriae priscae et salutis futurae inter se oppositione ac descriptione. Qua in re pro aequalibus Isaiae iam magnum continetur documentum. Aderant enim in aula et Achaz regis et Ezechiae sat multi, qui foedus cum extraneis, cum Assur, cum Aegypto, sibi saluti fore sperabant et summis appetebant votis; iis eo oraculo panditur, qua demum ratione Deus conciliaturus sit foedus Israel cum gentibus in cognitione et cultu Dei firmiter stabilitum ; unde simul elucet ante talem gentium conversionem nihil ab eis exspectari posse nisi miseriam et ruinam; hac enim cum ipsae involvantur ac ruant, etiam eos prosternent qui socieiem fatalem inierint. Quare in onere Aegypti opportunum pro Iuda proponitur documentum. Sensus non mutatur vel si benedictio refertur ad Israel, uti communiter faciunt interpretes et ipsa verborum conformatione et collocatione suadetur, vel si refertur ad numerum ternarium (Naeg.). Eo ipso enim quod [srael sit tertia pars, benedictio adesse dicitur terrae illi, cui antea maledictio erat inflicta ; unde benedictionem in Israel adesse et per Israelem gentium societate effecta in alios redundaturam esse asseritur. Alii quoque verba absolute posita esse concipiunt : exsistet benedictio in medio terrae i. e. in tribus illis regionibus (ef. Kn.). Quod additur cui. benedixit, in textu lat. commode refertur ad terram, cui a Deo benedictio illa in gentium adoptione conclusa iam promittitur ; alii referunt ad Israel vel vertunt : quoniam Dominus ei (Israeli) benedicit (cf. For. Rohl. Del.) ; « expectaret fortasse quispiam ut diceret propheta ; dicendo : Lenedictus populus meus Israel ; verum cum exponere vellet, quo pacto foret media benedictio et ceteri eius benedictionis futuri essent participes, dixit : benedictus populus meus Aegyptius... insinuans ex benedictione [sraelis profectum ut Aegyplii essent benedicti et Assyrii opus manuum Dei dicerentur » (For.).
19:6
(ibid. 7:17-22; cf. 4:9; Ps. 44). At another point there is an allusion to the possibility that the river may remain dry (Is. 19:6); indeed, among the grave threats that resound in the words of Ezekiel (29:1-16) is that of Yahweh to make Egypt arid, desert, uninhabitable because of the pride of the pharaoh, who …
19:8
… Alexandria is entirely surrounded by the waters of the river as well as by the sea (Nah. 3:8), to the hippopotamus and the crocodile of the N. (Job 40:10-28) and perhaps to the dragon (Ex. 32:2; Am. 9:4); as well as to the fishermen with net and hook (Is. 19:8) and to the papyrus boats that come from Ethiopia toward the north (ibid. 18:2). Aristide Calderini
19:11
… Jesus, while asserting that one should give to Caesar what is his due (Mt. 22, 21), while acknowledging in Pilate as judge the power to judge (Is. 19, 11), speaks at the same time of a duty of resistance (Mt. 10, 17 ff.) and of abuse of power. …
… During the XXI dynasty T. was for more than a century the capital of the country, so that Is. 19:11 and 13 gives particular importance to the "princes of T." In 667 B.C. it was sacked by Ashurbanipal and later by Nebuchadnezzar (hence the prophecy of Ez. 30:14-18). In the time of …
19:19
a) Scripture. — In the Old Testament the Fathers found figures (for example, the paschal lamb: Ex. 12:17; Deut. 16; 17) and allusions (for example, Ps. 21:23: "adorabunt et manducabunt"; Is. 19:19: "in illa die erit altare Domini in medio terrae"; Dan. 3:39; 12:11) to the Eucharistic Sacrifice. …
… In the Bible it is commemorative of a divine benefit (Gen. 28, 18, 22; 31, 13; 35, 14), or of a covenant (between Jacob and Laban: Gen. 31, 45, 51 f.; of the covenant of Sinai: Ex. 24, 4); it is a symbol of the worship of the true God (Is. 19, 19). As a funerary stele (II Sam. 18, 18; Gen. 35, 20), it is still in use today among Muslims. …
19:21
… Indeed, already in a text of Is. 19:21 the making of vows and their fulfillment is expressly placed among the ways of honoring God; and this belongs precisely to the virtue of religion (v.). …
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.