He reproaches the Jews for their obstinacy: he will deliver them out of their captivity, for his own name’s sake.
The prophet inueigheth against the Iewes vaine boasting of the name of Israel, not hauing true vertues. 3. Onlie God, not idoles, foresheweth thinges to come: 9. for his owne names sake, conserueth his people, 16. Inuiteth them to repent, and to be gratful for his benefites.
1Hear ye these things, O house of Jacob, you that are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Juda, you who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in justice.Ascolta queste cose tu casa di Giacobbe, voi, che prendete il nome d'Israele, e Giuda avete per vostra origine, tu, che fai giuramento nel nome del Signore, e del Dio d'Israele fai menzione non con verità, né con giustizia:HEARE ye these thinges ô house of Iacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come out of the waters of Iuda, which sweare in the name of our Lord, & are mindful of the God of Israel not in truth, nor in iustice.Audite hæc, domus Jacob, / qui vocamini nomine Israël, / et de aquis Juda existis; / qui juratis in nomine Domini, / et Dei Israël recordamini / non in veritate neque in justitia. 2For they are called of the holy city, and are established upon the God of Israel: the Lord of hosts is his name.Imperocché dalla città santa si nomano, e al Dio d'Israele, si appoggiano, che ha nome, Signore degli eserciti.For they are called of the holie citie, and are established vpon the God of Israel: the Lord of hostes is his name.De civitate enim sancta vocati sunt, / et super Deum Israël constabiliti sunt: / Dominus exercituum nomen ejus. 3The former things of old, I have declared, and they went forth out of my mouth, and I have made them to be heard: I did them suddenly and they came to pass.Le precedenti cose io annunziai molto prima, e di mia propria bocca le predissi, e le feci sapere: tutt'ad un tratto io le misi ad effetto, e avvennero;The former thinges of old I haue declared, and they proceded out of my mouth, and I haue made them to be heard: sodenly I haue wrought, and they came.Priora ex tunc annuntiavi, / et ex ore meo exierunt, et audita feci ea: / repente operatus sum, et venerunt. 4For I knew that thou art stubborn, and thy neck is as an iron sinew, and thy forehead as brass.Perocché io sapeva, che tu se' duro, e che nerbo di ferro è la tua cervice, e la tua fronte è di bronzo.For I knew that thou art stubburne, and thy necke is an yron sinew, and thy forehead of brasse.Scivi enim quia durus es tu, / et nervus ferreus cervix tua, / et frons tua ærea. 5I foretold thee of old, before they came to pass I told thee, lest thou shouldst say: My idols have done these things, and my graven and molten things have commanded them.Tel predissi già tempo; tel indicai prima, che avvenisse, affinchè per disgrazia tu non dicessi: I miei idoli han fatte queste cose, e le mie statue di scultura, e di getto hanno disposto così.I foretold thee of old: before they came I told thee, lest perhaps thou shouldest say: My idols haue done these thinges, and my sculptils, and moltens haue commanded these thinges.Prædixi tibi ex tunc; / antequam venirent, indicavi tibi, / ne forte diceres: Idola mea fecerunt hæc, / et sculptilia mea et conflatilia mandaverunt ista.
6See now all the things which thou hast heard: but have you declared them? I have shewn thee new things from that time, and things are kept which thou knowest not:Mira (eseguito) tutto quel, che udisti: e non siete voi quelli, che lo propalaste? Fin d'adesso nuove cose ti ho rivelate, e ne serbo, che tu non sai.See al the thinges which thou hast heard: but haue you declared them? I haue made thee know new thinges of old, and the thinges are kept which thou knowest not:Quæ audisti, vide omnia; / vos autem, num annuntiastis ? / Audita feci tibi nova ex tunc, / et conservata sunt quæ nescis. 7They are created now, and not of old: and before the day, when thou heardest them not, lest thou shouldst say: Behold I knew them.Adesso sono create (queste predizioni), e non in passato, e prima del tempo, e tu non ne hai sentito parlare, affinchè per disgrazia tu non dicessi io mel sapeva.now they are created, and not of old: and before the day, and thou heardest them not, lest perhaps thou mighrest say: Behold I knewe them.Nunc creata sunt et non ex tunc; / et ante diem, et non audisti ea, / ne forte dicas: Ecce ego cognovi ea. 8Thou hast neither heard, nor known, neither was thy ear opened of old. For I know that transgressing thou wilt transgress, and I have called thee a transgressor from the womb.Tu ne le avevi udite, né le sapevi, e non erano allora aperte le tue orecchie: perocché io so, che tu continuerai a prevaricare, e prevaricatore ti chiamai dal sen di tua madre.Thou hast neither heard, nor knowen, neither was thyne eare opened of old. For I know that transgressing thou wilt transgresse, and I haue called thee a transgressour from the wombe.Neque audisti, neque cognovisti, / neque ex tunc aperta est auris tua: / scio enim quia prævaricans prævaricaberis, / et transgressorem ex utero vocavi te. 9For my name’s sake I will remove my wrath far off: and for my praise I will bridle thee, lest thou shouldst perish.Per amore del nome mio conterrò il mio furore: e colla mia gloria ti imbriglierò, perchè tu non perisca.For my names sake I wil make my furie far of: and for my prayse I wil bridle thee, that thou perish not.Propter nomen meum longe faciam furorem meum, / et laude mea infrenabo te, / ne intereas. 10Behold I have refined thee, but not as silver, I have chosen thee in the furnace of poverty.Ecco, che io ti ho purgato col fuoco, ma non come l'argento, no fatto saggio di te nel grogiuolo della povertà.Behold I haue fined thee, but not as siluer, I haue chosen thee in the fornace of pouertie.Ecce excoxi te, sed non quasi argentum; / elegi te in camino paupertatis.
11For my own sake, for my own sake will I do it, that I may not be blasphemed: and I will not give my glory to another.Per causa mia, per causa mia farò questo, perch'io non sia bestemmiato; e ad altri non darò la mia gloria.For myself, for my self wil I do it, that I be not blasphemed: and I wil not geue my glorie to an other.Propter me, propter me faciam, / ut non blasphemer; / et gloriam meam alteri non dabo. 12Hearken to me, O Jacob, and thou Israel whom I call: I am he, I am the first, and I am the last.Ascolta me o Giacobbe, e tu Israele, cui io dò il nome: io stesso, io il primo, ed io l'ultimo.Heare me ô Iacob, and thou Israel whom I cal: I the same, I the first, & I the last.Audi me, Jacob, / et Israël, quem ego voco: / ego ipse, ego primus, / et ego novissimus. 13My hand also hath founded the earth, and my right hand hath measured the heavens: I shall call them, and they shall stand together.La mano mia fu pur quella, che fondò la terra, e la mia destra misurò i cieli: a una voce, che io dia loro, si fermeran tutti insieme.My hand also hath founded the earth, and my right hand hath measured the heauens: I shal cal them, and they shal stand together.Manus quoque mea fundavit terram, / et dextera mea mensa est cælos; / ego vocabo eos, / et stabunt simul. 14Assemble yourselves together, all you, and hear: who among them hath declared these things? the Lord hath loved him, he will do his pleasure in Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.Radunatevi tutti voi, e ascoltate: quali di essi tali cose annunziò? Il Signore ha amato quest'uomo, ei farà il volere di lui in Babilonia, e sarà il suo braccio contro i Caldei.Assemble ye together al you, and heare: which of them hath shewed these thinges? The Lord hath loued him, he wil do his wil in Babylon, and his arme in the Chaldees.Congregamini, omnes vos, et audite: / quis de eis annuntiavit hæc ? / Dominus dilexit eum, faciet voluntatem suam in Babylone, / et brachium suum in Chaldæis. 15I, even I have spoken and called him: I have brought him, and his way is made prosperous.Io, io ho parlato, e lo ho chiamato: lo ho guidato, ed è appianata a lui la sua via.I, euen I haue spoken, and called him: I haue brought him, and his way is directed.Ego, ego locutus sum, et vocavi eum; / adduxi eum, et directa est via ejus. 16Come ye near unto me, and hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning: from the time before it was done, I was there, and now the Lord God hath sent me, and his spirit.Accostatevi a me, e udite questo: Io fin da principio non ho parlato all'oscuro: già tempo, prima che ciò avvenisse, io era colà: e ora mi ha mandato il Signore Dio, e il suo spirito.Come ye to me, and heare this: I haue not spoken in secrete from the begynning, from the time before it was done, I was there, and now the Lord God hath sent me, and his spirite.Accedite ad me et audite hoc: / non a principio in abscondito locutus sum: / ex tempore antequam fieret, ibi eram: / et nunc Dominus Deus misit me, / et spiritus ejus.
17Thus saith the Lord thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord thy God that teach thee profitable things, that govern thee in the way that thou walkest.Queste cose dice il Signore Redentor tuo, il Santo d'Israele: Io Signore Dio tuo, che t'insegno quello, che giova, e ti dirigo nella strada, per cui tu cammini.Thus sayth our Lord thy redemer the holie one of Israel: I the Lord thy God that teach thee profitable thinges, that gouerne thee in the way that thou walkest.Hæc dicit Dominus, redemptor tuus, / Sanctus Israël: / Ego Dominus Deus tuus, / docens te utilia, / gubernans te in via qua ambulas. 18O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments: thy peace had been as a river, and thy justice as the waves of the sea,Avessi tu avuto a cuore i miei precetti: quasi fiume sarebbe la pace tua, e la tua giustizia come i gorghi del mare.I would thou hadst attended to my commandments: thy peace had bene as a floud, and thy iustice as the waues of the sea.Utinam attendisses mandata mea: / facta fuisset sicut flumen pax tua, / et justitia tua sicut gurgites maris: 19And thy seed had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof: his name should not have perished, nor have been destroyed from before my face.E la tua discendenza sarebbe stata come l'arena del mare, e la stirpe del tuo seno come le sue pietruzze: non sarebbe perito, e non sarebbe stato distrutto dinanzi a me il nome di lui.And thy seede had bene as the sand, and the stocke of thy wombe as the grauel stones therof: his name had not perished, neither had it bene destroyed from before my face.et fuisset quasi arena semen tuum, / et stirps uteri tui ut lapilli ejus; / non interisset et non fuisset attritum / nomen ejus a facie mea. 20Come forth out of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, declare it with the voice of joy: make this to be heard, and speak it out even to the ends of the earth. Say: The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.Uscite di Babilonia, fuggite dalla Caldea, con voce di giubilo date questa novella: notificate tal cosa, e fate, che ne giunga notizia fino agli ultimi con fini del mondo, dite: Il Signore ha redento Giacobbe suo servo.Come forth out of Babylon, flee from the Chaldees, shew it forth in the voice of exultation: make this to be heard, and speake it out euen to the endes of the earth. Say: Our Lord hath redemed his seruant Iacob.Egredimini de Babylone, fugite a Chaldæis, / in voce exsultationis annuntiate: / auditum facite hoc, / et efferte illud usque ad extrema terræ. / Dicite: Redemit Dominus / servum suum Jacob.
21They thirsted not in the desert, when he led them out: he brought forth water out of the rock for them, and he clove the rock, and the waters gushed out.Non han patito la sete quand'ei li guidò pel deserto: trasse fuori per loro acque dal sasso, spezzò il sasso, e scaturiron le acque.They thirsted not in the desert, when he brought them forth: water out of the rocke he brought forth to them, and he cloue the rocke, and there flowed waters.Non sitierunt in deserto, cum educeret eos: / aquam de petra produxit eis, / et scidit petram, et fluxerunt aquæ. 22There is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord.Pace non e per gli empi: dice il Signore.There is no peace to the impious, sayth our Lord.Non est pax impiis, dicit Dominus.
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Calmet
Waters; people, (Apocalypse 17:15.; Haydock) or from the stock of Juda, Proverbs 5:15. (Calmet)
Worthington
He claimed the sovereign power, but had not the fortitude or wisdom of Israel. (Worthington)
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Suddenly, when there was no human appearance of the event, as when I foretold the exploits of Cyrus and the ruin of Babylon so long before.
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Calmet
Brass; unblushing, Jeremias 3:3. (Calmet)
Cicero
Os tuum ferreum. (Cicero, contra Pis.)
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Them. Could you have believed them?
Knowest not. He upbraids their ignorance and indocility.
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Calmet
Knew. Therefore I did not speak of the liberation from Egypt, but from Babylon, which is represented as just taking place. (Calmet)
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Opened; docile, (Theodoret) or acquainted with these things. Isaias first made known the captivity of Babylon, and its end; and he insists so much, that people may discern the truth of his predictions, and of religion. No atheist can, with a good conscience, hold out against his arguments, Isaias 40.
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Haydock
Bridle thee, like a headstrong beast, (Calmet) running to its own ruin. (Haydock)
Worthington
God pardons freely, that people may be saved if they will. (Worthington)
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Calmet
Poverty, at Babylon. I have not treated thee with the utmost rigour, nor attempted to render thee free from every imperfection. (Calmet)
Haydock
Septuagint, "Lo, I have sold thee, but not for silver; I have snatched thee from the," etc. (Haydock)
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Things, as I have done respecting Cyrus? (St. Cyril, etc.) who was a figure of Christ, ver. 15.
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Name. The Jews were not forgotten, till they had rejected the Messias.
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St. Jerome
Out. Their return was facilitated. This may easily be applied (Calmet) to the conversion of the Gentiles. (St. Jerome)
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Calmet
Peace. Septuagint, "rejoicing," or prosperity for the Chaldeans or wicked Jews, ver. 18. (Calmet)
Worthington
It is promised only to the penitent. (Worthington)
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By waters in the Hebrew phrase, is here vnderstood the fountaine, or spring, the prophet speaking to those that were of the tribe of Iuda. who especially halenged the preeminences and blessings of Israel the Patriarch, but had not his vertues of fortitude, and internal fight of God, signified by the name Israel.
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God spareth & conserueth his people not for their merites but of his mercie, shevving his benignitie that they may repent if they vvil.
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Concordance Iere. 2•.
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Concordance Exo. 17.
Concordance Nu. 20.
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These promises of reconciliation to God, and of peace perteine to the penitent not to the obstinate in impietie.
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 16.11
11. Perchance He will say to me, who am not reformed even by blows, I know that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew,
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Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 5.15
… It is sufficient, however, for the present to quote the words of Isaiah: “For My name’s sake will I show Mine anger, and My glory I will bring upon thee, that I may not destroy thee.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 5.12
… And this thought is admirably expressed by one of the prophets speaking in the person of God, and saying: “For My name’s sake I will remove My wrath afar off: and with My praise I will bridle thee lest thou shouldest perish,”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 18
But, one says, “the wisdom of the poor man is despised.” ( Eccles. ix. 16 .) And again another says, “Give me neither riches nor poverty” ( Prov. xxx. 8 ), and, “Deliver me from the furnace of poverty.” (See
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 10.37
60. By these temptations, O Lord, are we daily tried; yea, unceasingly are we tried. Our daily “furnace”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.2
… For to the poor one it is said by the Lord through the prophet, Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded ( Isai. liv. 4 ). And not long after, soothing her, He says, O thou poor little one, tossed with tempest ( Ibid. 11 ). And again He comforts her, saying, I have chosen thee in the furnace of poverty (
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 2
… We find the same language everywhere applied to the case of the Israelites. “Do Thou this for us for Thy Name’s sake;” ( Ps. cix. 21 .) and again, God Himself said, “I do it for Mine own sake;” (
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.9
… Bethink you that our Lord Jesus Christ said in Isaiah that He had been sent by the Spirit. Is the Son, therefore, less than the Spirit because He was sent by the Spirit? Thus you have the record, that the Son declares Himself sent by the Father and His Spirit. “I am the beginning,” He saith,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 20.30
… I have spoken, and I have called: I have brought him, and have made his way prosperous. Come ye near unto me, and hear this. I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; when they were made, there was I. And now the Lord God and His Spirit hath sent me.”
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.18
… For through the union it is made clear what either has obtained from the intimate junction with and permeation through the other. For through the union in subsistence the flesh is said to be deified and to become God and to be equally God with the Word; and God the Word is said to be made flesh, and to become man, and is called creature and last
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Tertullian † AD 220 Against Hermogenes 45
… Then that the Word was produced, “through whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made.” Indeed, “by the Word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all their hosts by the breath of His mouth.” He is the Lord’s right hand,
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 De Decretis. (Defence of the Nicene Definition.) 4
… And we have proof of this, not from external sources, but from the Scriptures; for God Himself says by Isaiah the Prophet; ‘My hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand hath spanned the heavens
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.9
… “I have spoken, and I have called; I have brought him, and have made his way to prosper. Draw ye near to Me, and hear these things: not in secret have I spoken from the beginning. When they were made, I was there: and now hath the Lord and His Spirit sent Me.”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus i.46
… And as it is a Jew who is perplexed about the account of the Holy Spirit having descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove, we would say to him, “Sir, who is it that says in Isaiah, ‘And now the Lord hath sent me and His Spirit?’”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 2.6
… There are some passages in which the Spirit is placed above Christ; in Isaiah, for example, Christ declares that He is sent, not by the Father only, but also by the Holy Spirit. “Now the Lord hath sent Me,” He says,
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 13.18
… Now, that the Saviour and the Holy Spirit were sent by the Father for the salvation of men has been declared in Isaiah, in the person of the Saviour, saying, “And now the Lord hath sent me and His Spirit.”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 19
It is the Spirit which says, as the Lord says, “Get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.” Are these the words of an inferior, or of one in dread? “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” Does a slave speak thus? And Isaiah, “The Lord God and His Spirit hath sent me,”
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 16.30
… and the Spirit of the fear of God shall fill Him ; signifying that the Spirit is one and undivided, but His operations various. So again, Jacob My servant ,….. I have put My Spirit upon Him . And again, I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed ; and again, And now the Lord Almighty and His Spirit hath sent Me
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 2.5
… when she asked of the angel, “How shall this be?” “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.” And Matthew says, “She was found with child of the Holy Ghost.” Although, too, in the prophet Isaiah, Christ Himself is understood to say of His own future advent, “And now the Lord God and His Spirit hath sent me.”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.18
Perhaps our readers expect us to say something about this so great delusion wrought by the demons; and what shall we say but that men must fly out of the midst of Babylon?
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 62.8
… “If they shall thirst,” he says, “He shall lead them through the deserts, shall bring forth water for them out of the rock; the rock shall be cloven, and the water shall flow, and my people shall drink;”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 1.13
… “If they thirst, He will lead them through the deserts; He will bring forth water from the rock; the rock shall be cloven, and the water shall flow: and my people shall drink.”
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.16.3
… us, “after a first and second admonition, to avoid.” And John, the disciple of the Lord, has intensified their condemnation, when he desires us not even to address to them the salutation of “good-speed;” for, says he, “He that bids them be of good-speed is a partaker with their evil deeds;” and that with reason, “for there is no good-speed to the ungodly,”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 2
4. Now those who do not observe the feast, continue such as these even to the present day, feigning indeed and devising names of feasts , but rather introducing days of mourning than of gladness; ‘For there is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 3
… And what is that service, but prolonged prayer to God, and unceasing thanksgiving ? The unthankful departing far from these are rightly deprived of the joy springing therefrom: for ‘joy and gladness are taken from their mouth .’ Therefore, the [divine] word doth not allow them to have peace; ‘For there is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 10.22
32. Let it be far, O Lord,—let it be far from the heart of Thy servant who confesseth unto Thee; let it be far from me to think myself happy, be the joy what it may. For there is a joy which is not granted to the “wicked,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 39.16
16. “I became dumb; and I opened not my mouth” ( ver. 9 ). But it was to guard against “the foolish man,” that “I became dumb, and opened not my mouth.” For to whom should I tell what is going on within me? “For I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me; for He will speak peace unto His people.” But “There is no peace,” saith the Lord, “to the wicked.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 87.8
… For if I say joyfulness, men at once think of such joyfulness as men use to have in wine, in feasting, in avarice, and in the world’s distinctions. For men are elated by these things, and mad with a kind of joy: but “there is no joy, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 138.2
2. “And before the Angels will I sing unto Thee.” Not before men will I sing, but before the Angels. My song is my joy; but my joy in things below is before men, my joy in things above before the Angels. For the wicked knoweth not the joy of the just: “There is no joy, saith my God, to the wicked.”
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AND OF THE WATERS OF JUDA THOU COMEST FORTH. — That is, thou who art of the stock of Juda, as a Chaldean. He calls waters the spring and offspring. It is a metaphor, from fountains and streams: for Jacob was as a fountain, from which twelve streams, that is twelve Patriarchs and tribes, flowed forth. But the Jews descended from the noblest stream, namely from Juda. Thus it is said in Psalm LXVII, 27: "In the churches bless ye God the Lord, of the fountains of Israel," that is you who have flowed forth from the fountains, that is streams, of Israel, and are Israelites. Thus St. Jerome, Sanchez and others. REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL (in Hebrew יזכירו iazkiru, that is you commemorate, celebrate, proclaim, as if to say: You who have the name of God, the name Elohim and Adonai, frequently on your lips, and swear by it, but) NOT IN TRUTH, NOR IN JUSTICE, — both because you often swear what is false or unjust, and because you put forward this appearance and mask of religion to your hypocrisy, by which you are far from the truth and justice of God, turning to deceits, frauds, unjust contracts, usuries and robberies. This is what Isaiah cries out to them, chapter XXIX, 13, and from him Christ, Matthew XV, 8: "This people honoreth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me." For these are wicked and unjust, nay rather deceivers: for they take from God in life and morals what they attribute to him in words: and when they chant praise to him with their mouth, they stir others by their life to blaspheme. Thus Forerius. 2. FOR THEY ARE CALLED OF THE HOLY CITY. — From the holy Jerusalem the inhabitants of Jerusalem are called, citizens of the city of God, who are sustained by the God of Israel, as it were his servants and household. To this St. Paul alluded, Ephesians II, 19: "You are fellow citizens of the saints and of the household of God." For the Jews are called from the holy city, Church and temple a holy people.
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(1) What utility the Jews ought to have, says Forerius, both from the consideration of liberation from Babylon and from the prediction of these things, the Lord opens through the Prophet, and prepares the way for clearer prophecies concerning Christ. First, He captures the attention, graphically depicting those to whom He was speaking, and rebuking them vehemently, because although by profession and external rite they seemed to follow true religion and to acknowledge the true God and to rely upon Him, yet for the most part they were in their hearts estranged from Him, and inclined toward the worship of idols and abominable superstitions, 1, 2. Second, He recalls to memory the prediction of evils made by God, to break the obstinacy of the apostates and to prevent the false attribution of events to gods, 3-5, and He demands contemplation of the predictions, now completed in deed, 6-8. Third, to the tacit objection: If transgressors have been called from the beginning with merit, if Thou knowest that they will not desist from their pursuits, why is it that Thou also wishest to lead them out of captivity and to predict this to them? God answers that He is moved by respect for His own honor and glory, so that He might temper His most just severity and indignation with clemency, 9-11. Fourth, then God asserts the authority which He contests, and designates Cyrus as the executor of His will against the Chaldeans, through the Prophet who gains credence for himself and asserts his mission from God, 12-16. His name. 3. I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I made them to be heard: I did the work suddenly, and they came to pass. 4. For I knew that thou art stubborn, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy forehead brass. 5. I foretold thee from the beginning; before they came to pass I told thee, lest thou shouldst say: My idols have done these things, and my graven and molten things have commanded them. 6. Thou hast heard all things, behold all things: and you do not declare them? I have made thee to hear new things from that time, and hidden things, which thou didst not know: 7. They are created now, and not from the beginning: and before the day thou heardest them not, lest thou shouldst say: Behold I knew them. 8. Thou hast neither heard, nor known, nor from the beginning hath thy ear been opened: for I knew that transgressing thou wouldst transgress, and I called thee a transgressor from the womb. 9. For the sake of my name I will remove my anger far off, and my glory I will restrain unto thee, that I cut thee not off. 10. Behold I have refined thee, but not as silver: I have chosen thee in the furnace of poverty. 11. For my own sake, for my own sake will I do it, that my name may not be blasphemed: and my glory I will not give to another. 12. Hear me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I call: I am he, I am the first, and I am the last. 13. My hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: I shall call them, and they shall stand together. 14. Assemble yourselves, all of you, and hear: which of them hath declared these things? The Lord hath loved him, he will do his will in Babylon, and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans. 15. I, I have spoken, and called him: I have brought him, and his way shall be prosperous. 16. Come near unto me, and hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time it was, there am I: and now the Lord God hath sent me, and his spirit. 17. Thus saith the Lord thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord thy God that teach thee profitable things, that govern thee in the way thou goest. 18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments: thy peace had been as a river, and thy justice as the waves of the sea: 19. And thy seed had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the grains thereof: his name should not have been cut off, nor destroyed from before my face. 20. Go forth out of Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, make this to be heard even to the end of the earth. Say ye: The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob. 21. They thirsted not in the desert, when he led them out: he brought forth water out of the rock for them, and he cleft the rock, and the waters gushed out. 22. There is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord. REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL (in Hebrew יזכירו iaskiru, that is, you commemorate, you celebrate, you proclaim, as if to say: You who have the name of God, the name Elohim and Adonai, frequently on your lips, and by it you swear, but) NOT IN TRUTH, NOR IN JUSTICE,—both because you often swear what is false or unjust, and because you put forward this appearance and mask of religion to cover your hypocrisy, by which you are far removed from God's truth and justice toward deceits, frauds, unjust contracts, usuries and robberies. This is what Isaiah cries out to them, chapter XXIX, 13, and from him Christ, Matthew XV, 8: "This people honoreth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me." For these men are wicked and unjust, indeed deceivers: for they take away from God in life and morals what they attribute to Him in words: and when they sing His praise with their mouth, they incite others by their life to blaspheme. Thus Forerius. a faithful and holy people. Whence they thought themselves, on account of God's protection and guardianship, to be impregnable against the arms of the Chaldeans and Romans, from the fact that Isaiah says, chapter LXII, 6: "Upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen;" and from the fact that God promises through David the king, Psalm CXXIV, 1: "He shall not be moved for ever that dwelleth in Jerusalem. Mountains are round about it: and the Lord is round about His people." They called themselves therefore citizens of Jerusalem, or Salem, that is of peace, from which the city had taken its name, and in which Solomon the peaceful, that is the secure, powerful and wealthy king, had reigned, as if to say: We dwell in Salem, that is in peace, in a city to which God has promised peace and all prosperous things: we rely upon the God of Israel, as His own and peculiar people; therefore there is no reason that we should fear an enemy or destruction. But truly these names of yours, O Jews, are empty and vain without substance. For your life does not correspond worthily to these names: "Do not," says the Poet, "look to the smoke and vain names of Catos. It is a great thing to be a Christian, not to be called one," says St. Jerome, in his letter to Paulinus.
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THE LORD OF HOSTS IS HIS NAME. — By this name the Jews gloried greatly, that they were of the house of the most powerful God, who has ready the hosts of Angels, men and all creatures. Rightly, if they had persisted in His worship faithfully.
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3. I HAVE DECLARED THE FORMER THINGS FROM THE BEGINNING, — that is to say, "The former things," which have already come to pass, those "from the beginning," that is from of old, I foretold, and as I foretold I did, and wrought, so that they happened suddenly, that is unexpectedly, beyond the course of things and nature, for example that Abraham from Sarah an old woman and barren should beget Isaac, whose seed would be as the stars of heaven; that his descendants should serve in Egypt for 400 years, and after them in the utmost desperation of affairs, I would free them, so that they would go forth thence into Chanaan and occupy it, that I would exalt you into my commonwealth and kingdom, etc. Behold, all these things I foretold, as they came to pass: therefore from this gather and believe, that likewise that which I now foretell will come to pass, namely that the Chaldeans will be overcome by Cyrus and the Persians, and you will be freed from thence. Thus St. Jerome. He repeatedly repeats and urges that his prediction concerning future things has certainly come to pass, as an infallible argument of his divinity and providence. Note on suddenly. For in Scripture that is called sudden which comes unexpectedly, or when things are desperate or unprepared, even if it was foretold and promised long before. Thus in I Thessalonians V, 2, it is said that "the day of the Lord, as a thief in the night, so shall it come. For when they shall say, peace, and security; then shall sudden destruction come upon them."
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4. FOR I KNEW THAT THOU ART STUBBORN. — The word stubborn denotes the unteachableness of the Jews; a neck of iron their disobedience, obstinacy and perversity; a brow of brass their shamelessness, as if to say: Because you are unteachable, perverse and brazen-faced and shameless; hence I will so often throw it in your face, and beat it with the repetition of the preceding predictions and benefits which I have bestowed upon you, so that at length I may teach you, soften you and put you to shame, and thus at last you may acknowledge that not idols, but I have done these things for you. The Chaldean translator renders it: It is manifest before me that thou art rebellious, and thy neck is hard as iron, and thy brow is strong as brass. Concerning which see what is said at Ezekiel chapter III, 7, and chapter II, 4. 6. THOU HAST HEARD ALL THESE THINGS: BUT HAVE YOU NOT DECLARED THEM? — Thus it should be read interrogatively with the Romans. He speaks of the people as a multitude, now in the plural, now in the singular, as if to say: You see that the things which you heard from me are completed. For you yourselves daily announce and commemorate them, and you celebrate feasts instituted in their memory, for example the feast of Passover, in memory of the liberation from Egypt, and while you sing psalms; for these often inculcate to you the past benefits. Thus Forerius, Adams, Vatablus and Sanchez. But St. Jerome, Haymo and Dionysius, reading without interrogation, and not for "have you not," explain it as if to say: You see that the things which I foretold are fulfilled, and which you heard, but you have not announced them to your posterity, you have not divulged them, to my glory, so that your sons and descendants might know from them that I am the truest source of prophecy, and consequently the true God.
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I HAVE MADE KNOWN TO YOU NEW THINGS FROM NOW (it seems it should be read from now: for thus the Hebrew, Septuagint, Chaldean, Forerius, Vatablus and others have it; whence also St. Jerome thus explains it, that is to say, I do not bring forward old things to establish faith, but new things which I am about to do against the Babylonians I announce) WHICH HAVE BEEN PRESERVED (that is, reserved, hidden) — with me. 7 and 8. Now they are created (that is, now they have been decreed by me, that is to say, Now a sentence concerning the destruction of Babylon has been pronounced by me, since now I proclaim and predict it through Isaiah; thus Vatablus); AND BEFORE THE DAY (which namely it will happen, this destruction of it, lest you think me to prophesy of things past), and you have not heard, etc. (that is to say, I predict these things to you, when you know nothing of them, you have never heard anything of them, either from idols, or from others, since) neither from that time has your ear been opened, — that is, since no report or knowledge of this matter has come to your ears, not even "from that time" that is from of old. He repeatedly emphasizes this foreknowledge and prediction of future things, lest the Jews about to go into Babylon attribute their captivity and their liberation from it to the gods of Babylon, not to their God. For to open the ear in Hebrew is to reveal and make known something to someone, or to cause someone to hear or understand something. For one who is ignorant and has not heard seems to have closed or obstructed ears, which he who causes them to hear and know opens as it were. FOR I KNOW THAT YOU WILL SURELY TRANSGRESS, — that is to say, I so often inculcate these signs of my divinity to you, because I know that you will transgress, that is, you will fail, you will be a deserter and apostate: for you will desert me in your manner to idols. AND A TRANSGRESSOR FROM THE WOMB I CALLED YOU, — that is to say, From your very birth and conception, namely, when I
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formed my Church and as it were brought you forth at Sinai, giving you the law through Moses, you were a transgressor, so that you might deservedly be called by me "a transgressor from the womb." For at Sinai you were cast and worshipped the golden calf. This is what St. Stephen reproaches them with, Acts VII, 51: "You always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do you also." 9. FOR MY NAME'S SAKE. — It is a prolepsis or anticipation: for he meets a tacit objection, that is to say, You will say to me: If you know us to be so impious, unstable, ungrateful and transgressive, why do you labor so anxiously about us and our liberation from Babylon? why do you proclaim and inculcate this so zealously? God answers: I do this not for your sake, and your merits, but "for my name's sake," namely lest the Gentiles blaspheme it, if they see me abandoning my people in captivity. I WILL PUT FAR AWAY (in Hebrew אאריך aarich, that is, I will prolong, I will remove far away, I will put far away, that is, I will take away, I will remove) MY WRATH. — Otherwise Forerius and Vatablus: I will prolong, they say, that is, I will defer vengeance for a long time, until namely they fill up the measure of their sins, which they will do when they kill Christ. Wherefore then I will fully punish all their wickedness, and will cut them off. AND BY MY PRAISE I WILL BRIDLE YOU, LEST YOU PERISH. — Thus the Roman edition, and everywhere all the Bibles, although Arias wishes it to be read passively, so that it means the same as what preceded, that is to say, "By my praise," that is, for the sake of my praise and glory, I God will be bridled, and I will restrain my wrath, lest I destroy you. Whence Vatablus translates, For my name's sake I will defer my wrath, and for my praise's sake I will put a bridle on myself, for your sake, lest I utterly cut you off. But it should be read actively, "I will bridle you." Which first, thus St. Thomas and Haymo explain it, that is to say, When you have returned from Babylon into Judea, I will put the bridle of my law and religion upon you, and I will compel you to my worship, so that in the temple in the accustomed manner you may praise me through psalms, prayers, sacrifices and sacred ceremonies, lest you go astray to the worship and praise of idols. Secondly, more simply and significantly and more genuinely, this praise by which God bridled the Jews was God's indulgence and mercy toward them, or the very benefits of God toward them. For nothing so commends a prince, and more God, and makes him praiseworthy, as clemency and beneficence, which is the proper virtue of kings and princes; and which bridles subjects, and compels them to love and obey them. Moreover this praise or bridle of God, namely beneficence, was twofold. The first was tribulation, namely the Babylonian captivity. For by this as by a bridle God bridled the people rushing into wickedness and destruction, and drew them back from idolatry and other wickedness alike, and from destruction, and recalled them to himself. Whence St. Jerome: "I will bridle you," he says, "so that even unwilling, like a beast, you may follow me your master;" this captivity therefore was a great benefit of God. Whence you will learn that tribulations are great God's gifts, and proceed from the mind of God benevolent and beneficent, willing, namely, to tame, restrain and cut back our luxury and wantonness. Tribulation therefore is praise of God, and accordingly in it with Job, Tobias and the Martyrs we ought not to murmur, but to praise God and give Him thanks. On the other hand, an evident sign of God's anger is when He loosens the reins for someone, and allows him to follow his desires, so that like a wanton horse without a bridle he rushes to destruction. Thus Haymo, Adam, Dionysius and Sanchez. The latter praise of God was the benefit of the liberation of the Jews from Babylon; for from it preceded: "For my name's sake I will remove my wrath far off;" just as from the former, namely from the captivity itself, follows: "Behold I have refined thee, but not as silver: I have chosen thee in the furnace of poverty." For this sentence: "With my praise I will bridle thee," since it is in the middle between these two, pertains to both, and embraces both. The sense therefore is, as if to say: O my people! thou art stiff-necked and a transgressor from the womb: I will therefore put a bridle upon thee, lest like an unbridled and furious horse thou precipitate thyself and perish: this bridle shall be my praise, namely my royal beneficence, to wit paternal chastisement, namely the Babylonian captivity, but brief and shortened, and soon to be loosened by God; this captivity therefore was not my wrath or fury, but my praise, love and favor toward thee: for I could have made it perpetual, destroyed thee and utterly blotted thee out, as thou didst deserve: but for the sake of the praise of my beneficence and clemency I was unwilling, nay rather lest thou shouldst perish in it, after a short time I freed thee from it, and thence led thee back to thy country like a horse already broken in by the yoke of affliction, so that henceforth led by the bridle of my will, thou mightest perpetually follow me and learn to praise me, while thou seest such great love, care and kindness of mine toward thee: which is the sum of my praise. Hence Thirdly, from the Hebrew piously translates Forerius: I will seal my praise upon thee, lest thou be destroyed, as if to say: Since thou hast nothing from thyself by which thou canst move my mercy, I will put on my praise, as it were my cloak upon thee, and seal thee with it as with my sign and character, so that thou mayest appear to me as the matter, reason and cause of my praise, and thus this praise of mine may intercede for thee, and always accompany, cover and protect thee, nay rather make thee beautiful and lovable in my eyes, and strike them so that, if I wish to destroy thee, I cannot, but immediately remember that my praise would likewise perish; for when I behold thee, I behold my praise. Hence Fourthly, the Septuagint translates: I will put my glory upon thee. Glory, that is the glorious liberation from Babylon, says St. Cyril, who adds: "God's glory is to be able to rule over all without labor, to preserve and to have mercy." Allegorically Leo Castrius, as if to say: "With my praise," etc., that is, I will show forth so many glorious signs and miracles through Christ and the Apostles, that I will put a bridle upon your infidelity and blasphemies, O Jews, and will convert many of you to the faith of Christ and save them. Tropologically St. Bernard, sermon 11 in the Canticles, as if to say: "Lest by excessive sadness for sins thou despair with Cain, and like an unbridled horse rush headlong, I will restrain thee with the bridle of my indulgence, and will lift thee up with my praises, and thou shalt breathe in my blessings, who art confounded by thy evils, while thou shalt find me truly more benign than thee culpable." Thus by the praise of God was bridled that religious disciple of St. Dominic, Vincent, a man of singular learning, humility, self-denial, and love of God, wonderfully devoted to the Blessed Virgin, so that he never preached without always saying something in her praise, who when he fell into sickness, and thence into grave and prolonged melancholy, at the end of his life, having seen the Blessed Virgin, began to exult and rejoice in the Spirit: and when his companion was reciting Matins and Lauds, and had reached the end, and was saying the last verse of the last psalm: "Let every spirit praise the Lord;" he himself, sick and in agony, ordered his companion to stop, and many times repeating and jubilating: "Let every spirit praise the Lord," he gave up his spirit to heaven, to praise the Lord perpetually: as Ferdinand Castiglione relates, History of the Order of St. Dominic, part I, book I, chapter LXI.
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10. BEHOLD I HAVE REFINED THEE, BUT NOT AS SILVER, I HAVE CHOSEN THEE IN THE FURNACE OF POVERTY. — Forerius and Vatablus translate clearly from the Hebrew: behold I have melted, burned, or refined thee, not in the furnace of silver, I have chosen thee in the furnace of want and affliction; that is to say, I have refined thee not as a silversmith refines silver in a most ardent furnace, so that fire separates from it all tin, lead and dross, so that pure and unmixed silver remains. For if I had refined thee thus, I would surely have consumed thee, since thou art nothing but the dross of sins (for this is what he said in chapter I, 22: "Thy silver is turned into dross"), but I have purified thee in a milder furnace and purgatorial way, namely, through poverty, servitude and hardships in Babylon; and thus I have brought it about that thou shouldst correct thy ways, and shouldst again make thyself from dross through my grace into silver, that is, faithful, just and pious; whence thus purified "in the furnace of poverty I have chosen thee:" just as in a furnace the dross is separated, pure silver is chosen and gathered by the silversmith. Thus St. Cyril and Procopius. Jeremiah uses a similar and illustrious metaphor of a refiner in chapter VI, 27. See the remarks there. Mystically Forerius says: Silver, he says, is the Gospel and the words of God, according to that passage in Psalm XI, 7: "The words of the Lord, pure words: silver tried in the fire, proved upon the earth, purified sevenfold," that is to say, I have refined thee through poverty, but not through the Gospel of Christ: for I reserve that full purification for a happier time, which will be in the law of grace. The Septuagint translates: behold I have sold thee not for silver, I have drawn thee out of the furnace of poverty, that is to say, I have delivered thee to the Chaldeans, and again freed thee from there, not seeking silver from it (for I have received silver neither from the Babylonians nor from thee), but seeking thy good, namely thy expiation and purification, so that I might restore thee to thy former brightness of faith and religion, and of a pure conscience.
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11. THAT HE MAY NOT BLASPHEME, — by the Gentiles saying: The God of the Hebrews is powerless, or unfaithful and cruel, in that He permits His people to be oppressed by enemies; our gods are themselves stronger and more favorable. Just as the Turks, having obtained so many victories against Christians, blaspheme and say that Mahomet is more powerful than Christ. MY GLORY I WILL NOT GIVE TO ANOTHER. — I will not permit idols to appear more powerful than me, as if they had delivered my people to the Chaldeans, when I myself did this. For by destroying the Chaldeans and liberating the Jews, I will show myself to be the God and Lord of both the Chaldeans and the Jews alike, and that I delivered the Hebrews to them for a time, that they might be chastened, and then would liberate them with greater glory. Thus St. Cyril, St. Thomas and others. ISRAEL, WHOM I CALL. — First, Forerius, whom I call, that is whom I have as familiar and domestic, in that I always have his name in my mouth, so that I cannot forget him. Second, Haymo and Hugo, whom I call, namely to repentance, or rather, as St. Jerome and Cyril say, to peculiar worship of me, to my Church, grace and salvation. Third, most excellently the Hebrew מקראי mecerai is translated by Symmachus, Aquila, Vatablus and others, my called one, or called of me, that is to say, Whom I Israel call, to whom I have given the name Israel. He objects to Israel his own name, that from it he may know himself to be God's, and that he ought to worship God, not idols. For this is the argument of God: You ought to worship and adore as God him from whom your father Jacob, or Israel, received his name, and whom he carries about and prefers in his name: but I am he who called him Israel, that is one who prevails with God, whence he always carries and prefers me in his name, and who called you from him and call you Israel; therefore I am your God, to be loved and worshipped by you, that is to say, Do you wish to know your God, look upon your name and that of your father. For as I am El, that is God, so you are called Israel, that is one who prevails with God. For just as soldiers were called Caesariani from Caesar; Pompeiani from Pompey: so Israel was called from El, just as Christian from Christ. Thus Sanchez. For it seems he says the same thing here as what he said in verse 1: "Hear these things, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel." To this add fourth, God calls Israel his called one, that is his servant. For just as nobles are called forth by the king to service, both domestic and public, especially military, so that they may serve the king and kingdom in these things (whence also the Spanish glory that they are creados del Rey, that is servants called and summoned by the King): so God had called forth Israel to his service and worship. To this St. Paul alludes, who calls both himself and the faithful called ones, or vocational ones of God: "Paul," he says, "a servant of Jesus Christ, called an Apostle, etc. In whom you also are called of Jesus Christ," Rom. cap. I, 1 and 6; for Israel and his calling were a type of St. Paul and the faithful, and their calling. I MYSELF, I FIRST, AND I LAST, — that is to say, I was before heaven and earth, before the world and the Angels. I was from eternity, and shall be unto eternity; I am the possessor and lord of eternity. Second, that is to say, I am the beginning and end of all things, from which all things are, and into which all things are. Thus Forerius. Sanchez notes that in the threefold repetition of the word I is hinted the mystery of the Holy Trinity. 13. MY RIGHT HAND HAS MEASURED THE HEAVENS. — For measured the Hebrew is טפחה tippecha, which can be translated second, my right hand with palm has measured the heavens, that is to say, I am so great that I measure and comprehend the vastness of the heavens with my palm. Thus Vatablus. Third, it can be translated, my right hand with palm unfolded, unrolled and stretched out the heavens. Thus Forerius. Fourth, my right hand formed the heavens, my right hand conformed the heavens into this form, appearance, figure and beauty. See what is said at Lamentations II, 20. I WILL CALL THEM (the heavens with their stars, and the earth), AND THEY SHALL STAND TOGETHER, — that is to say, If I call them, straightway at my voice they shall stand, just as servants run at the voice of their master, and stand, ready to receive orders, and straightway execute them. This was made manifest under Joshua, when the sun, moon and heavens stood still, Joshua cap. X, verse 13; and under Hezekiah, when they turned their course and went backward, Isaiah cap. XXXVIII, verse 8.
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14. Gather yourselves together all of you (O Israelites) and hear: Who of them (the gods of the Gentiles, whom I have so often named and refuted here: it could also be translated, who of the astrologers, from them, namely from the heavens and stars, divining; for he acted against astrologers in the preceding cap., verse 12) has announced these things, — which I predict concerning Cyrus and the destruction of Babylon? concerning your captivity, that in it I shall be your guide and one who brings you back? THE LORD HAS LOVED HIM, — Cyrus, concerning whom in cap. XLI, cap. XLIV and the following passages he treats throughout, and who shall accomplish this destruction of the Chaldeans, of which I speak continually. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril and the Hebrews. God loved Cyrus, because He chose him as the minister of His vengeance. Forerius adds that Cyrus was truly and properly loved by God, because he became his worshipper, I Esdras I. How this is true I have said above.
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HE SHALL DO HIS WILL IN BABYLON (CAN BE TRANSLATED FROM THE HEBREW: He (Cyrus) shall do his (God's) will in Babylon), AND HIS ARM (power and mighty vengeance) IN THE CHALDEANS. — But in translating, his will, here there is a threefold sense. First, concerning Cyrus, that is to say Cyrus shall do in Babylon his will, that is whatever he shall please, and shall stretch forth his arm against the Chaldeans. Thus Forerius. Second, concerning God: God shall make Cyrus in destroying Babylon do his will, and shall make him his arm against the Chaldeans. Thus Sanchez. But because it is harsh that Cyrus is called the will of God, hence Third, most plainly you may expound it, that is to say God through Cyrus shall do his will and vengeance in Babylon, and his arm, that is his mighty blow, in the Chaldeans. Allegorically, Cyrus is Christ, whom the Father loved, who did all the will of the Father, and who in Babylon, that is in the confusion of this world, overthrew the Chaldeans, that is the demons, says St. Jerome. Also Christ's "way was made straight," because the Father through all difficult and hard things directed and led him strongly and happily, much more than Cyrus. 16. NOT FROM THE BEGINNING IN SECRET HAVE I SPOKEN, — that is to say From the time I began to prophesy concerning the destruction of Babylon, not in corners ambiguously and perplexedly, but publicly, clearly and openly have I spoken of it. From the time before it was made, — before namely Babylon was overthrown, I Isaiah was there present in spirit, and I saw and beheld the series, manner and order of the thing to be done. Ineptly therefore R. Solomon and R. Tanhuma among Galatinus, lib. II, cap. III, from the time before it was made, I was there, thus interpret it, that is to say I Isaiah, and all the Prophets, as to the soul were together and stood at mount Sinai, when the law was given there to Moses, and then there we received our prophecies. For from this it follows that their souls were long before their bodies: which is the error of Origen and the Pythagoreans. AND NOW THE LORD GOD HATH SENT ME, AND HIS SPIRIT, — that what he had before revealed to me concerning Cyrus and Babylon, I should now make known and speak forth. For these words are not of Cyrus, as some wish among Procopius; but of Isaiah, who was sent as a Prophet and herald, by God and the spirit of God, to prophesy these things. Thus St. Jerome, the Chaldean, Vatablus, Forerius, Sanchez and others. Whence mystically St. Jerome, Cyril, Procopius, Haymo, Hugo, St. Thomas, here, and St. Basil, Eusebius, Origen, Augustine, Chrysostom, Nyssenus, whom Leo Castrius cites, likewise Galatinus, lib. II, cap. III, teach that here is signified the Holy Trinity, namely the Son, who was sent by the Father and his Spirit, that is by the Holy Spirit, namely as he is man, for the redemption of men. (1) It is remarkable that he so often commemorates his power by which he created the earth and the heavens. Certainly it was a matter with unbelievers, of whom a great part worshipped idols, and paid honor to the gods of the gentiles. (Forerius.)
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Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me thy justifications. Remove from me the way of iniquity, and have mercy on me in thy law. Let my heart be unspotted in thy justifications, that I be not confounded, etc. For this is every man. Whether God is, and the Word of the Father, as He proceedeth from the Father alone, so also He can be sent by Him alone, as St. Thomas and the Scholastics teach, I part., Quest. XLIII, art. 8. And St. Anselm, in the book On the Procession of the Holy Ghost, saith: "But if they say that the Holy Ghost also sendeth the Son, as He Himself saith through the Prophet: And now the Lord, etc., this must be understood according to the man whom He bore, because by one will and disposition of the Father and the Holy Ghost, being about to redeem the world, He appeared to the world." Galatinus and others wish this sense to be literal; but from what hath been said it is plain to be allegorical: for Isaiah here was a type and allegory of Christ. Again, from this mystical sense, Paschasius proveth, in the book On the Holy Ghost, cap. VII, that the Holy Ghost subsisteth, and hath a hypostasis in the Holy Trinity; for he saith: "Therefore the Lord Father is one in person, and the Spirit of God the Father is another. And so, while the Son is read to be sent by the Father and the Holy Ghost, under the name of three persons, the Holy Ghost subsisteth from itself (that is, by itself), is plainly revealed." Again, that he saith, sent, not they sent, signifieth the unity of the divine essence in the Holy Trinity. 17. TEACHING THEE THINGS THAT ARE PROFITABLE, — not things curious, not vain, not ridiculous, not pompous, and seeking applause; but such as profit thy present and eternal salvation. Let preachers note this, and imitate it, if they wish to be heralds, not of vanity, but of God. GUIDING THEE IN THE WAY THAT THOU WALKEST. — "Guiding," not despotically as a beast, but politically, as his man and citizen, through counsel, command and direction; yet thou, being free, canst resist and oppose. Thus He guided Israel in the desert for forty years, and led them into Chanaan. Thus He guided David: "The Lord," saith he, "ruleth me (as a shepherd a sheep), and I shall want nothing," etc., Psal. XXII, 2. O blessed are they whom God guideth, and who follow the guidance of God, and suffer themselves to be ruled by Him in all things! These cannot fall; for they are ruled by the wisest and most powerful guide. Where note: The most wholesome and useful counsel, and likewise the means, of reaching the port of salvation is, if one should pray to God continually: "Lord, rule me as a pedagogue ruleth a child, who knoweth not the entrance and exit of his way, what way he ought to go: lead me through those ways, states, offices, companions, etc., in which thou foreseest I shall not have the scandal of sin and falling, but shall go straight and surely and arrive at eternal life;" or: "Lord, give me always and everywhere congruous grace; for this shall be efficacious, and shall efficaciously lead me to the end and to salvation." This we pray in almost every verse of Psal. CXVIII, which we recite in parts, at Prime, Terce, Sext and None: "O that my ways were directed to keep thy justifications! 18. O THAT THOU HADST HEARKENED TO MY COMMANDMENTS! THY PEACE HAD BEEN AS A RIVER: — "Peace" to the Hebrews is not only rest, but also prosperity, and abundance and affluence of all things. Whence it is compared here to a perennial river, which never drieth up, but always bringeth and floweth other and other waters. Cyril and Procopius add that peace is here compared to torrents and waves, which are so violent that nothing can resist them, nay, they even break and level mountains and rocks, as if to say: Thus thou, O Israel! wouldst have been to the Assyrians, Chaldeans and other enemies not only impregnable, but also terrible, victorious and a trampler, if thou hadst obeyed the laws of God. AND THY JUSTICE AS THE WAVES OF THE SEA. — "Justice" is called by metonymy the reward of justice, namely the peace already mentioned: as on the other hand iniquity is often called the punishment of iniquity. Thus Jacob saith: "My justice shall answer for me to morrow," that is, the reward of my just labour, Gen. cap. XXX, 33. Thus Samuel saith, I Kings, cap. XII, vers. 7: "Stand, that I may plead with you before the Lord, concerning all the mercies (benefits) of the Lord (in Hebrew, concerning the justices of the Lord)." Thus Daniel, cap. IV, 24: "Redeem thy sins with alms, and thy iniquities with mercies (in Hebrew, justices) to the poor." For it is most fitting for the just and holy to show mercy, and so this is their genuine virtue and mark. Secondly, "justice" can be taken properly as the companion and effect of peace. For in peace justice flourisheth, which in time of war often is banished. It also respecteth Christ, who brought both justice and peace to the world. Thirdly, Salmeron, tom. IX, tract. 54: Justice, he saith, is like the sea, peace like a river; because, as rivers spring from the sea, Eccles. cap. I, 7, so peace springeth from justice, according to that of Isaiah cap. XXXII: "And the work of justice shall be peace, and the service of justice silence."
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19. AND THY SEED SHALL BE AS THE SAND, — as I promised to Abraham thy father, Genesis cap. XXII, 17, and to David, saying, Psalm LXXX, 14: "Israel, if thou hadst walked in my ways, I would have humbled thy enemies for nothing," enemies would fawn upon him, he would live perpetually, "I would feed him with the fat of wheat," etc. Thus Forerius. AND HIS NAME SHALL NOT BE DESTROYED, — namely of Israel. For when a nation is destroyed, its name and fame are equally worn away, as also the kingdom of the nation is worn away. Thus the kingdom of Judah and Israel in Babylon was destroyed and as it were perished. Thus the Jews formerly among the Gentiles were vile, ignoble, indeed a reproach, as they still are among Christians. Hence that saying: "He is circumcised; let the Jew Apella believe it: circumcised, to me through Anchialus." And Juvenal, Satyr. 2: Temples are rented to Jews, whose basket and hay are their furniture. And Martial, lib. XII, epigram. 57, relates that Jews from boyhood were accustomed to beg: A Jew taught by his mother neither to ask nor a bleary-eyed seller of sulphured goods. Thus we see them here in Rome selling sulphured goods and scraps, and exchanging them for broken glass.
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20. GO YE OUT FROM BABYLON. — According to the letter, St. Cyril and Procopius say, the Prophet exhorts the Jews captive and afflicted in Babylon, that leaving the unfaithful and impious, as well as tyrannical Babylon and its vices, they return to Judea, to the temple of God, worship and ancestral piety. Allegorically, he exhorts all, that from the captivity of sin, and from the kingdom of the devil, not under Cyrus, but under Christ as leader, they go forth into the state of grace, liberty and adoption of the sons of God. For no region is more full of confusion than sin; no Chaldeans harm the sons of God more than sins: this is Babylon, these are the Chaldeans, whence the Lord commands His own to flee. See cap. LII, 11: "Depart, go ye out from thence." Hence tropologically the Apostle adapts these words to the faithful, to this end, that they not mix marriages and commerce with the unfaithful and impious, II Cor. cap. VI, 17. For the following things are so joyful and auspicious, that they are fulfilled more through Christ than through Cyrus. Rightly Forerius: "Whenever," he says, "I read in the Prophets these denunciations, exultations and ovations, to all nations, and to the ends of the earth, so often do I not doubt that the Prophets make mention of universal redemption (through Christ). These things look to, not merely one, an exiled and vile race of Jews." Thirdly, he censures carnal, abject and impious Jews, who, delighted either with idols and vices, or with the peace and riches of Babylon, wished to fix their seat in it, and did not wish to return to their homeland, given the power by Cyrus. To these he predicts that they shall not have true peace in Babylon. Moreover, it is clear from Ezra, cap. II, that many remained there, since he describes a small number, and few names of those returning, and says, cap. I, vers. 5, that only those returned whose God had touched their heart and spirit. Indeed, many Hebrews teach that none of those who were captured with Zedekiah returned to their homeland, as St. Jerome reports in Ezech. XI, 17. Thus Sanchez.
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21. THEY DID NOT THIRST IN THE DESERT. — He recalls to the Jews the benefits bestowed upon them in the desert under Moses, Exod. cap. XVII, 6, and under these, figuratively by proverb and by hyperbole, he signifies that God showed similar care and providence to the Jews returning from Babylon, namely that he cared for them both by himself and through the edict of Cyrus and Darius, I Esdras, cap. VI, 8, lest anything be lacking on the way for the relief of hunger and thirst, or otherwise necessary, as if to say Cyril says: Celebrate God, O Jews returning from exile! who, as once he redeemed you from Egypt, led you unharmed through the desert, fed you daily with manna from heaven, gave you water from the rock: so now he has freed you from Babylon, and led you through the desert, and gave you food and drink, and brought you safe to your homeland, that you might dwell there in peace, which you did not have in Chaldea; for: "There is no peace for the wicked, says the Lord." Mystically, Christ much more redeemed us, and leads us through the desert of this life to heaven and gives us the manna of the Eucharist, and waters from the rock. For "his side" wounded and opened by the lance, "flowed with water and blood, dedicating to us baptism and martyrdom," says St. Jerome. 22. THERE IS NO PEACE FOR THE WICKED, SAYS THE LORD. — Because the wicked follow their desires, which generate a thousand wars both in the soul itself and in public affairs, and by the just judgment of God, when they sow iniquities, they reap sorrows. Whence cap. LVII, last verse, the Septuagint translates: There is no rejoicing for the wicked, says the Lord. Why does the Prophet say this? What does this have to do with the preceding? I answer first, it looks back to verse 18: "O that you had hearkened to my commandments! your peace would have been as a river." For he gives the reason for that here, by antithesis; because "there is no peace for the wicked," and all things turn to evil for them. This therefore is the lot of the wicked, which he opposes to the lot of the good. Thus Forerius. Second, it looks back to verse 20: "Go out from Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans." Why? "Because there is no peace for the wicked." Truly Horace, lib. II, ode 16: Who, an exile from his country, flees himself? Vicious care climbs the brazen ships; nor does it leave the troops of horsemen, swifter than stags, and driving clouds swifter than the East wind. Finally mystically, says Forerius, these words are of the Prophet grieving and indignant, from the fact that he foresaw that Christ would call the Israelites in vain, that they might return from the Babylon of sin to him in Jerusalem, that is the Church; for they were about to despise him calling, so that there be correction, as if to say Why do I delay? Why do I call them from the devil's kingdom? Why do I speak to stones? They are wicked and obstinate in Judaism and vices, and therefore unworthy of the peace and happiness which is offered to them. Wherefore Christ, passing over to the Gentiles, and turning himself, says in the following chapter: "Hear, O islands, and attend, O peoples from afar." Thus we see them here in Rome selling sulphur matches and old wares, and bartering them for broken glass.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Ille promittit populi liberationem. Et dividitur in duas. In prima promittit liberationem; in secunda
exequitur liberationis ordinem, infra 49: «Audite insulae, et attendite populi de longe.» Prima in duas. In prima excitat attentionem, commemorans tria in quibus gloriabantur; scilicet dignitatem generis, qua ex sanctis patribus: De aquis, idest semine. Contra quod Matth. 5: «Ne velitis dicere: Patrem habemus Abraham.» Privilegium divinae cognitionis: Qui juratis, invocantes nomen ejus, recordamini, quantum ad cognitionem ejus, non in veritate, cordis, neque in justitia, operis. Supra 29: «Populus hic labiis me honorat, cor autem eorum longe est a me.» Cultum sacrae religionis: De civitate sancta, scilicet Jerusalem, in qua cultus sacrificiorum, vocati, Jerusalem muri. 2 Machab. 5: «Non propter locum gentem, sed propter gentem locum elegit Dominus.» Secundo promittit liberationem: Priora ex tunc annuntiavi: et circa hoc duo facit. Primo ostendit Dei promittentis majestatem ex praenuntiatione futurorum; secundo ex creatione rerum, ibi, Audi me, Jacob, et Israel, quem ego voco. Circa primum tria. Primo assignat praenuntiationis quorumdam futurorum rationem, ponens ipsam praenuntiationem: Priora, quae scilicet jam praeterierunt, ex tunc, quando adhuc erant futura, repetent, quantum ad alios quibus non sunt praenuntiata. Eccli. 42: «Annuntians quae praeterierunt, et quae superventura sunt; revelans vestigia occultorum.» Ponens hujus rationem quae sumitur ex eorum conditione: quam primo ponit, Scivi enim, ab aeterno.
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Durus ad respiscendcum a malis; cervix, idest cervicositas proprii sensus; nervus ferreus, qui non potest flecti, frons tua, propter inverecundiam.
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Act. 7: «Dura cervice, et increcumeisi cordibus et auribus. vos semper Spiritui sancto restitistis. » Deuter. 51: » Ego scio contentionem tuam, et cervicem tuam » durissimam. » Jerem. 5: » Frons meretricis facta » est ei, noluit erubescere. » Et deinde ex hoc elicit rationem, Praedixi; quasi dicat: Quia pronus eras ad idolatriam, praedixi tibi, ne beneficia mea idolis ascriberes. Oseae 2: » Vadam post amatores » meos, qui dant panes mihi. » Ponens praenun- tiatorum manifestationem, Quia audisti, a me prae- dicta tibi, vide, impleta. Psalm. 47: » Sicut audi- » vimus sic vidimus in civitate Domini virtutum. » Secundo assignat rationem absconsionis quorumdam futurorum, ponens primo ipsam absconsionem. Si- cut dictum est, quaedam futura praedixi; sed quae- dam futura conservata sunt, idest in mea prae- scientia, quae nescio, quia non tibi revelavi.
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Nunc, idest in tempore, creata sunt, idest in effectum producta, et non ex hunc, quando praescivi ea; et ante diem, impletionis ipsorum, et non audisti, nec a me, nec ab idolis. 4 Reg. 4: » Dominus celavit » a me, et non indicavit mihi. » Assignat etiam hujus rationem, Ne forte; quasi dicat: Ideo non revelavi ut sentires defectum tuum, et deorum tuo- rum, in hoc quod de futuris non potes sentire vel praescire, nisi quae tibi revelabo. Cognovi, propria industria, Nec audisti, ab idolis, aperta a me. Psalm. 65: » Accedet homo ad cor altum, et exaltabitur » Deus. » Ponit etiam eorum conditionem, ex qua dicta ratio elicitor, Scio enim. Ex ventre, idest a tempore quando portabam te per desertum sicut in ventre. Exod. 32: » Cerno quod populus iste » populus duræ cervicis sit. » Praevacatorem ex ultero vocavi te. Tertio excludit quamdam objection- nem, ibi, Propter nomen meum. Posset enim ali- quis quaerere: Ex quo tam duri sunt, quare ergo eis bona promittis, et fecisti? Et hujus objectionis primo ponit responsionem, commemorans tria be- neficia eis exhibita: Propter nomen meum, non propter meritum tuum, longe faciam, vel feci, li- berando a poenis.
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Ezech. 56: » Non propter vos » faciam, domus Israel, sed propter nomen meum, » quod polluistis in gentibus ad quas intrastis. » Et laude mea infrenabo te; idest obligavi te ad caeremonias et laudes meas, ne sacrificia idolis offerens interieres.
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Psalm. 51: » In camo et freno » maxillas eorum constringe, qui non approximant » ad te. » Ego excorsi, volens purgare per tribula- tiones, sed non quasi argentum, quod purgatur. Tu autem non correctus es. Jerem. 6: » Frusura con- » flavit conflator. » Elegi, purgans scilicet te per paupertatem, puniens te spoliatione rerum. Grego- rius: » Quos infirmatas rerum vulnerat, medicina » paupertatis sanat. » Et hoc paternè corrigendo. Secundo ponit responsionem expositionem: Propter me . . . ut non blasphemetur, ne dicar imponens salvare populum quem elegi mihi; et gloriam, ne scilicet idola me fortiora judicentur.
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Supra 42: » Gloriam meam alteri non dabo, et laudem meam » sculptilibus. » Audi me Jacob et Israel quem ego voco. Hic ostendit divinam majestatem ex crea- tione rerum. Proprium opus vocabo, imponens pro- prium nomen: stabunt, parati ad obediendum. Supra 40: » Quis appendift molem terrae tribus digitis? » Congregamini omnes vos, et audite. Hic praedicit ipsis prosperitatem; et primo ostendit hujus facti aliis absconsionem, Quis de eis? scilicet idolis; qua- si dicat, nullus. Supra 41: » Quis annuntiavit ab » exordio, ut sciamus? » Secundo ipse praedicit
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ipsis prosperitatem: Dominus dilexit eum, scilicet Cÿrum, promovens ipsum in regnum, in Babylone, capiens ipsum, brachium, idest per virtutem meam interficiens eos.
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Tertio ostendit prosperitatis ra- tionem ex divino auxilio: Ego ego locutus sum, et vocavi eum. Directa, non simpliciter, sed ad hoc quod Babylonem destrueret; alias non posset exponi de Cyro, sed tantum de Christo, nec de Jerusa- lem, quia ille idolatra fuit. Psalm. 106: » Deduxit » eos in viam rectam, ut irent in civitatem ha- » bitationis. » Accedite ad me, et audite hoc. Hic promittit liberationem: et circa hoc tria facit. Primo excitat attentionem, ponens divinam aucto- ritatem: Non in abscondito, sed tunc populus au- diebat voces: Exod. 20. A principio, legis datae. Ex tempore, praeterito, antequam fierent, quae prae- dicta sunt, ibi eram, praesens illis futuris, per idem nunc aeternitatis manens in tota successione temporis. Vel in persona filii, ibi eram, scilicet in tempore, secundum divinitatem. Ponens prophetiae veritatem; quia scilicet a Deo missus, Et nunc me. Isaiam, vel me Christum hominem factum, Deus, Pater, misit, et spiritus ejus: unde tres personae designatur. Infra 61: » Spiritus Domini super me, eo » quod unxerit Dominus me: evangelizare pauperibus » misit me. » Secundo, ibi, Haec dicit Dominus, ponit captivitatis rationem, ostendens ex parte Dei paratum auxilium. Docens, contra ignorantiam, et gubernas te in via, operum, contra infirmitatem operandi. Psalm. 51: » Intellectum tibi dabo, et in- » struam te in via hac quam ingredieris. » Osten- dens etiam ex culpa Judaeorum damnum.
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Utinam attendisses mandata mea, servans ea, sicut flumen abundans, sicut gurgites. Psalm. 80: » Si populus » meus audisset me, et Israel si in viis meis ambu- » lasset; pro nihilo forsitan inimicos eorum humi- » liassem, et super tribulantes eos misissem manum » meam. » Tertio ibi, Egredimini de Babylone, prae- dicit liberationem: et circa hoc tria facit. Primo indicat eis a captivitate exitum, ita certus de libe- ratione ac si esset praesens. Egredimini, Apoc. 18: » Egredimini de illa omnes qui habitatis in illa. » Et indicit quod annuntiant Dei beneficium. Annun- tiate, Jer. 50: » Vox fugientium, et eorum qui » evaserunt de terra Babylonis, ut annuntient in Sion » ultionem Dei nostri. » Secundo designat libertatis et consolationis praestitum beneficium, Non sitie- runt: idest, ita in omnibus eis Dominus providit vel providebit, sicut quando egressi sunt de Aegy- pto. Psalm. 104: » Percussit petram, et fluxerunt a- quae. » Tertio aufert pacis solatium, Non est pax. 4 Reg. 9: » Quid tibi et paci? respon- » dit Jehu. »
Nota super illo verbo, Elegi te in camino pau- pertatis, quia paupertas confert multa. Primo pec- catorum recognitionem. Secundo virtutum conser- vationem. Eccli. 10: » Pauper gloriatur pro disci- » plinam et timorem suum. » Tertio cordis quiete- tem. Tob. 5: » Sufficiebat nobis paupertas nostra, » ut divitias computaremus hoc quod videbamus, » filium nostrum. » Quarto desiderii impletionem. Psalm. 9: » Desiderium pauperum exaudivit Domi- » nus. » Quinto divinae dulcedinis participationem. Psalm. 67: » Parasti in dulcedine tua pauperi, Deus. »
minit, infra 63, Spiritus Domini super me, et spiritus ejus, evangelizare pauperibus misit me.
Sexto exaltationem. 1 Reg. 2: « Suscitans de pulvere egenum. » Septimo caelestem hereditatem.
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Sollemni compellatione insignes illi tituli enumerantur quibus appareat quam carus sit populus electus summo regi suo et Deo ; inde elucet ex una parte cur Deus per saecula tam sedulam huius populi curam gesserit, et ex altera parte quantopere ingrati sint. qui tali Deo repugnent et in quantum eos deceat Deo loquenti se obsequentes exhibere. Magna igitur attestatione eos alloquitur vates Dei nomine v. 1 « Audite haec dom»s lacob, qui vocamini nomine Israel et de aquis Iuda ezisis, qui iuratis in nomine Domini et Dei Israel recordamini — non in veritate neque in iustitia »! — posteri sunt Iacob eiusque familiam constituunt ; ergo iure nativitatis ad Dei populum elec'um pertinent; nomine appellantur Israel, quo patris Iacob fides, patientia, obedientia et praeprimis eius desiderium divinae benedictionis continetur et magnifica quoque promissa quibusa Deo donatus est (cf. Gen. 38, 29. Os. 12, 4). Ut tales qui in finibus Ierusalem (v. 2) habitant, posteri sunt Iuda, cui sceptrum regale aeternum erat promissum (Gen. 49, 10); ergo habent cur Dominus eorum curam gerat; sed ipsi quoque num digne titulis istis vivunt ? Fidem utique in Dominum profitentur ; dum enim iurant per Iahve, eum ut Deum suum palam et publice agnoscunt (cf. 19, 18; 45, 24); etiam recordantur magnalium quae Deus Israel olim pro populo patravit et de iis gloriantur et suam prae ceteris electionem superbe commemorant; verum iste cultus et haec recordatio Dei non est in veritate, id quod externe profitentur non animis gerunt ; actus quidem cultus divini exercent, sed hi actus quibus animorum sensus non respondent, mendaces sunt; proinde neque fiunt in tustitia eo quo oportet modo, animo sincero, ad iustitiae opera intento et sanctitatis pletatisque appetente; ergo non fiunt recto modo, ita ut ex norma rectitudinis Deo possint placere et censeri actus probi. Deum enim, ut S. Thom. notat, neque in veritate cordis neque in iustitia operis colunt; « valde apposite mentionem facit patrum nobilitatis, in moribus, inquam, ac vitae consuetudine, ad pudorem eorum qui lapsi sunt » (S. Cyr.). Dicuntur exiisse ex aquis luda, i. e. a luda qui ut principium et fons familiae consideratur ; cf. Num. 24, 7. Deut. 33, 98 hebr. Ps. 67, 7. Prov. 5, 15-18. Magnalia Dei iactant, recordantur, verum eo modo quo apud Ieremiam (1, 4) templum Domini usurpant, ut falsam sibi promittant securitatem ; cf. Mich. 3, 11. Iam quomodo Dei Israel recordentur, ulterius explicatur v.2 « de civitate enim sancta. vocati sunt, et. super. Dewm Israel constabiliti sunt ; Dominus exercituum nomen eius »; — ab urbe sancta 1. e. lerusalem nominantur, cives sunt et esse gloriantur eius urbis in qua Deus templum suum ac solium collocavit, quam igitur prae caeteris sibi elegit et ideo nomine sanctae urbis, Deo sacrae, insignivit (cf. 52, 1. Neh. 14, 1. 18. Dan. 9, 24. Matth. 4, 5; 21, 53) sicut mons templi saepe mons sanctus dicitur. Praeterea habent Deum quasi petram, in qua domus Israel firmiter et inconcusso modo est ae lificata et stabilita; Deus enim se petram Israel vocat (cf. 4], 10; 30, 29. Deut. 32, 27) et ideo sibi stabilitatem et securitatem imperturbatam promittunt; et quomodo hanc fiduciam exprimant, nomine Dei exercituum continetur, cui scil. omnia agmina coelestia et. terrestria praesto adsunt. Hisce veri tituli Israelita- . rum constituuntur et vera beneficia quibus a Deo donati sunt recensentur; et ita membra haec ulterius exhibent, cur Deus eorum curam gerat adeo assiduam et ipsi teneantur, ut audiant Dominum (cf. Osor. For. Sanct. Tir.), sed simul nexus enim ad antecedentia et enallage personae (sunt, non iam estis) optime servatur, si veri isti tituli ita exhibentur, ut Israelitae iis uti dicantur, quibus Dei cultum externe profiteantur, glorientur de sua electione et securitatem sibi promittant. Iam igitur illa animorum habitudo cernitur," quam acriter perstringit S. Paulus (Rom. 2, 1'1 seq.). Quare accusatio hypocrisis quam antecedentia enuntiant, etiam hic indirecte subesse videtur (cf. S. Hier. Mald. Malv.). Quid audire (v. 1) et perpendere debeant exponitur, Deum scil. se semper tamquam Deum vivum ac verum demonstrasse
Anc. — Denuo magna cum emphasi admonentur ludaei, tot titulis Deo obstricti, ut ad. vaticinia olim data et eventu completa animos dirigant atque ex iis Domini numen discant ; tali enim divinitatis argumento Deus saepius usus est propter populi pervicaciam et obdurationem. Iam nunc nova addit oracula, ut hac manifestatione divina ad Deum reducantur. Quamvis minime digni sint divina miseratione, Deus tamen propter gloriam nominis sui populum liberabit (48, 1-11). Adducet enim Deus omnipotens, sicut annuntiavit, Cyrum contra Babylonios, qui Dei voluntatem in eos complebit; ita Deus se ostendit benignum sui populi redemptorem ; utinam populus semper mandata Dei observasset, tum perpetua floruisset felicitate! Redemptione autem a Domino oblata ut. utantur, demum monentur; praemia obsequentibus proponuntur, mala contumacibus (48, 12-22). Haec oratio considerari potest tamquam epilogus huius sectionis, quo ea praesertim recoluntur quae de priore liberatione dicta sunt in antecedentibus. Denuo graviter inculeatur, quomodo Deus et in praeteritis generationibus se Deum vivum et populi sui curam gerentem exhibuerit oraculis datis quae eventu sint comprobata, ut ea gubernandi ratione: populum a cultu idolorum retraheret. Eundem modum nunc tenet ; nova annuntiantur, plane incognita, quae nemo ex rerum cursu vel causis naturalibus coniicere vel praesagire potest. Hac divinitatis ostensione eos ad se reducere vult. Et propter nominis sui gloriam, non propter populi merita quae plane non adsunt, populum interire non permittet. Quae de Dei potentia proposita sunt, denuo breviter recoluntur, item quae de Cyro eiusque munere annuntiata sunt. Ex iis ad oculum cernunt benignam Dei providentiam ; hac utique semper frui potuissent abundantissime, dummodo mandatis eius fuissent obsecuti. Hanc ergo providentiam ut complectantur, serio admonentur ; fugiant ergo ex Babylone; redeant quando exsilio soluto opportunitas adest in patriam; et Dominus erit ductor viae ac remunerator ; vae impiis ! Ita vates summatim dieta recolit et quae ex doctrina proposita colligantur et pro aequalibus et pro iis qui vaticiniorum de Cyro impletionem visuri sunt, breviter et nervose exponit gravi adhortatione addita. Totam vero orationem pervadit firma illa persuasio Deum oraculis diu ante impletionem datis et olim et tunc se demonstrare verum Deum vivum. Quare haec quoque orat;o documentum est insigne oracula de Cyro data esse diu ante Cyrum ; quomodo enim secus provocatio adeo sollemnis fieri posset, uti hic repetito fit ?
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v. 3 « priora ex tunc annuntiavi et ex ore meo exierunt et audita feci ea; repente operatus sum et venerunt »; — iam olim Deus dederat oracula eaque clare, - distincte, palam proposuit; unde triplici modo se edixisse enuntiat, et quando ei visum fuit et tempus impletionis advenit, subito ea perfecit - ut ita sicut praedictum erat res eveniret; priora cf. 41, 92 ; 42, 9; 43, 9. 18; 46, 9. Sunt facta praeterita, quibus v. 6 nova oracula, recentia opponuntur; ez tunci. e. olim, antiquitus; cf. 44, 8; 45, 21. Ita eos adhortatur, ut antiquam populi historiam perlustrent; ergo nota supponuntur facta illa in Pentateucho et antiquis libris historicis narrata; secus enim talis provocatio sensu careret. Adverte quantopere inculcetur oracula illa revera nota fuisse ; illud annuntiavi ac si non sufficeret ad. vim efferendam, in duas partes dividens exponit : prolata sunt a Deo et Israel ea audivit; eodem modo urgetur adfuisse impletionem. Haec quam vera sint de ipso quoque Isaiae tempore, recogita bellum ephraimiticum, Samariae cladem, invasionem Assyriorum eorumque fugam et miram liberationem urbis sanctae. Cur autem ea Deus annuntiaverit, affertur ratio, ut populus durus et contumax rei evidentia victus maiestatem Dei agnosceret idolis contemptis
48:4
v. 4 « scivi enim quia durus es tu et nervus ferreus cerviz tua et frons tua aerea ;
48:5
v. 3 praedizi tibi ex (unc, antequam venirent indicavi tibi, ne forte diceres : idola mea fecerunt haec et. sculptilia mea et conflatilia mandaverunt ista, »; — hebr. quia scivi... (ideo) praedizi libi... ne igitur eventus referrentur idolis: accepti, Deus rerum exitus praedixit, antequam evenirent. Hisce verae prophetiae indoles et finis clare describitur; eadem ergo valere debent de oraculis Cyrum spectantibus quae etiam eodem modo contra idola facta esse dicuntur. Mores populi iis nominibus describuntur quibus iam in libris Moysis exhibentur (cf. Ex. 32, 9; 33, 3. 5 ; 34, 9. Deut. 9, 6. 13; 31, 27) ; animi eorum duri, intractabiles, impervii, quibus monitiones illabi non possunt ; cervix est ferrea, quia collum non ad iugum Domini suscipiendum inflectere volunt, nec se regere sinunt a Deo; frons aerea constantiam inconcussam et imperturbatam declarat (cf. Ez. 2, 4; 3, 8) malo utique sensu, ergo contumaciam, obdurationem ; « rigidos eos et pertinaces notat »-(For.). Quod alii interpretantur de impudentia (cf. Osor. Mald. Sanct. Or.), id potius fronte meretricis exprimitur (Ier. 3, 3). Fatalem ad idololatriam inclinationem et superstitionem semper adfuisse in populo declaratur, contra quam tamquam remedium a Deo adhibitum apparet munus propheticum ; proinde simul innuitur quanta vis insit vaiiciniis ad probandum numen divinum. Quantopere serpserit idololatria nihilominus, v. 5 triplici nomine indicatur : idolum meum effecit ea, seulptum meum simulacrum et fusum meum ea mandarunt (hebr.); cf. Os. 2, 6. Ier. 44, 18. Haec ut serio perpendant admonentur et pro Deo secundum veritatem testentur; ad priora autem Deus iam nova addit oracula
48:6
v. 6 « quae. audisti, vide omnia! vos autem num annuntiastis ? audita feci tibi nova ex tunc et conservata sunt quae nescis » ; — clarius verte ex hebr. audisti, vide omnia illa! et vos nonne annuntiabitis? i. e. oracula audierunt, cernunt illa omnia impleta ; vide energica est affirmatio illa esse impleta et adhortatio, ut haec mente et animo perspiciant et nexum illum quem Deus vult attendant. Idem sequenti interrogatione exprimitur : quid facietis haec conspicientes ? nonne decet, ut annuntietis rem ita esse, Deum scil. praedixisse et ita res evenisse. Agnoscant ergo priora oracula eorumque impletionem et hoc quod cognoverint etiam palam profiteantur Deoque honorem attribuant! Hic sensus est membri prioris. In altero dicit Deus : audire te feci nova ex nunc ! et recondita et quae nesciebas (hebr.) ; prioribus oraculis iam opponuntur nova, quae audire facit Deus a nunc, a tempore praesenti, dum illa ab olim annuntiavit (v. 5) ; haec nova autem sunt, abscondita vel recondita, quae in rerum cursu vel ex causis naturalibus cognosci nequeunt et quae Israel revera non cognoscit, talia ergo quae in seipsis omnino latebant neque ab ullo cognoscebantur. Haec nova ea sunt, de quibus in antecedentibus eodem nomine mentio infertur ; cf. 42, 9; 43, 19; 44, 94 etc. 45, 4 etc. 11. 19; 46, 41. Et tam gravi affirmatione et descriptione iterum elucet, vaticinia de Cyro edita et nota fuisse diu antequam complerentur ; quomodo enim secus abscondita et talia quae populus nesciebat populo annuntiarentur? Nova sunt « quae contra Babylonem ffcturus sum » (S. Hier. sim. Sasb. For. Lap. Men. Tir. Rohl. Troch.). Rationalistae (cf. Ges. Kn.) intelligunt facinora Cyri priora et posteriora. Verum in ea quoque acceptione negari non potest, si verbis suus relinquitur sensus, ea non posse esse dicta, postquam Cyrus iam aliquas clades Babyloniis intulerit, Nam tum populus non potuit admoneri, ut has victorias olim praedictas nunc agnoscat, neque futurarum victoriarum praedictio post tale initium dici potest novum adeo, ut sit plane absconditum et humanae scientiae impervium. Et quid magis ridiculum esset, quam si vates tali assertioni, Cyrum post faustum initium prospere esse acturum, tantum argumenti pondus pro numine divino superstrueret, praesertim cuim prior pars ex praeterito petita in hace acceptione esset prorsus futilis. Haec nova et abscondita nunc patefiunt per prophetiam
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v. 1 « mune creata sunt et mon ex tunc, et ante diem et non audisti ea, ne forte dicas : ecce ego cognovi ea » ; — 1. e. nunc ea in lucem eduntur tamquam a Deo decreta et innotescunt per prophetiam et hoc sensu creantur, tamquam res quae futurae sunt inoipiunt exsistere in mente et cogitatone eorum, quibus antea plane ignota erant ; idque declaratur membro subsequenti : ante diem i. e. antea, prius ea non audisti; opponitur ergo inter se nunc creantur et ea non. audisti ante eum diem ; ex qua oppositione apparet creari intelligendum esse sensu explicato, non de vera in rerum natura effectione ; nam et antea (41, 23-96 ; 43, 9. 10) et hoc ipso loco quam maxime inculcatur, res eas esse praedictas diu antequam evenerint (46, 9-11). Et ita creata sunt rite explicant S. Hier. Osor. For. Malv. Sanct. Vat. Lap. Men. Tir. Rohl. Troch. Ros. Ges. Del. Naeg. et ita iam intellexerunt rabbini quoque, de quibus vide Ges. et Ros. : « recte Kimchi : tempus quo prodeunt ex ore Dei est tempus creationis eorum ». Cum autem in fine dicatur, ne forte dicas... cum pondere quodam et epitasi repetitur quod v. 6 est dictum, res annuntiatas tales esse quas nemo ex se nosse vel sua prudentia et. sagacitate attingere potuisset. Idem denuo asseritur
48:8
v. 8 « neque audisti, neque cognovisti neque ez tunc aperta est auris tua » ; — en, quantopere vates Dei nomine efferat vaticinium hoc novum nunc dari ita, ut res eo comprehensa nullo modo neque per famam aliunde acceptam neque per ratiocinationem vel sagacitatem mentis neque per priorem aliquam revelationem : liam fuerit ab ullo cognita. Videtur «uris aperta idem significare quod alias dicitur aurem revelare; cf. 50, 8 (uti iam Sanct. bene monet ; idem Ges.). ribus demonstrare. Ergo hanc tentemus et sententias aliter iungamus! neque textus hebr. ullo modo repugnat, verum facile se huie iunctioni accommodat. Postquam propheta explicuit plane nova a Deo iam dari populo suo vaticinia, ad alterum transit ; ne populus de iis vane et stulte sibi blandiatur et tam insignem Dei favorem suis attribuat meritis, graviter effert quam indignus ea benignitate sit populus et quomodo Deus solum propter suam gloriam populum nolit interire. Apta sane monitio pro iis, qui Dei favores iactant (v. 2) ; monet igitur hoc loco quod supra etiam 43, 22 seq. propositum est. Et iste nexus adest in hebr. textu quem verte: quia scio te esse praevaricatorem et apostatam vocari te a vulva, propter nomen meum utar longanimilate (clementia); aliter quidem videri possit in vulg. : « scio enim quia praevaricans praevaricaberis et trans- (ressorem ex utero vocavi te,
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v. 9 propter nomen mewm longe faciam furorem meum et laude mea infrenabo te, ne intereas » ; — sed si enim explicamus eo modo quo omnino licet, ut sit particula affirmationis (ita etiam 2): profecto scio, verba vulg. etiam si nexum spectaveris, eundem fundunt sensum quem in hebr. exposui et qui bene aptus est. Novit utique Deus populum agere perfide vel perfide deficere a Deo suo (cf. 723) et iure vocari peccatorem vel apostatam ex utero 1. e. ex prima sua origine; plerique egressum ex Aegypto quasi tempus nativitatis populi h. l. statuant. (S. Ephr. Hier. Thom. For. Sanct. Men. Tir. Roll. Troch.), alii ut S. Cyr. desingulis accipiunt, qui quasi a pueris idola colere docti sint ; sed etiam hic poteris (uti 44, 9. 94; 46, 3) priscum patriarcharum tempus intelligere et ipsum tempus in Aegypto peractum, quo a filiis Iacob et a populo iam satis multum peccatum est (cf. Ez. 23, 3. 19; 20, 6. 7). Infidelitatem populi effert Deus longa generationum serie inolitam et inveteratam eamque se optime perspicere asserit explicite, quo magis beneficium gratuito datum emineat. Non igitur propter populi merita, sed solum propter nomen suwm i. e. propter decus et gloriam nominis sui, propter ea quae in nomine /aAve continentur, quia est Deus foederis, immutabilis, fideliter exsequens promissa et maiestatem suam infinitam hominibus manifestans, utetur clementia et longanimitate (S. Ephr.) ne populum perdat, iram suam cohibet, et propter laudem suam, ne laudis splendor indigno convicio maculetur (Osor.), freno retinet et coercet populum ne impetu suo peccatorumque pondere in exitium vel praecipitium ruat. Eo aptius nomen Iahve infertur, quia in primis iam promissionibus ER lahve nominatur atque ab eo illa proficisci dicuntur (cf. Gen. 19, 1; 18, 18; 92, 17; 26, 2; 21, 21; 28, 13 etc. vide ad Os. 2, 20; 12, 5). Ipse S. Hier. explicat laude mea ob laudem meam. Populum quem semel elegit non potest plane abiicere, ne gentes ipsum quasi de impotentia blasphement. Hebr. infrenabo tibi scil. furorem meum freno cohibebo tua causa, in tuum commodum (cf. Mar. Sanct. et recentiores). Propter eundem finem populum variis iam suppliciis et poenis exercuit, quae tamen debitum emendationis fructum non attulerunt ; fit vero comparatio metallorum quae excoctione purgantur a scoriis ;
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v. 10. « ecce excoxi te, sed mon quasi argentum ; elegi te in camino pauperlatis » ; — hebr. en excoxi te et now ad. argentum ; quae hic Isaias brevius dicit et obscurius, explicatius et clarius prosequitur Ieremias ; varias enim poenas quibus Deus populum ad resipiscentiam frustra adducere tentabat, ita describit : « defecit sufflatorium in igne, consumptum est plumbum, frustra conflavit conflator, malitiae enim eorum. non sunt consumptae ; argentum reprobum vocate eos » (ler. 6, 29) ; in ea conflatione tantum posuit Deus studium, ut sufflatorium vi flammae sit adustum (hebr.), ut follis sit adustus, ut plumbum quod ad liquanda metalla admiscetur iam omne sit consumptum et tamen nihil sit effectum; scoriae non sunt remotae, argentum purum non est eliquatum ; quare tota massa iam vocatur argentum reprobum. Hisce puto Ieremiam ad nostrum respicere locum eumque more suo explicare. Breviloquentia Isaiae erit igitur ita explicanda : excoxi te sed baec excoctio non desiit in argento, non tetendit vel pervenit ad argentum eliquandum. Quod sequitur elegi te in camino miseriae (hebr.) describit excoctionem illam quae facta sit miseria et afflictione et. indicat in elegi te benevolentis- .Ssimum Dei consilium qui castigatione immissa populum ad meliorem frugem voluit reducere neque eum in miseria constitutum abiecit neque deseruit sed in ipso infortunio benigne sustinuit. Unde populus in ipsa castigatione non ita dicitur emendatus, ut ex suo merito dignus esset quem Deus redimeret. Quae sententia generalis facile ad exsilii tempus applicatur ; quod etsi aliqua apud plures emendatio sit effecta, haec tamen nullo modo erat universalis (cf. Ez. 20, 30 seq.) neque eiusmodi, ut propter eam meriti sint liberationem. Quare concluditur
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v. 11 « propter me, propter me faciam, ut non blasphemer, et gloriam meam alteri non dabo » ; — hebr. propter me, propter me faciam, nam quomodo profanatur ? (scil. nomen meum ; v. 9), uti LXX similiter : quia nomen meum polluitur. Cum pondere inculcatur, Deum sua ipsius causa id perfecturum de quo in tota hac sectione sermo erat; et ratio additur : quomodo enim patiar, ut nomen meum male audiat apud gentes? In populi enim miseria cernunt dei tutelaris impotentiam (cf. Osor. Sanct. Mald. Mar. Men.) ; faciet ergo, « ne blasphemetur nomen meum in gentibus et putent vos non mea ira, sed idolorum suorum. auxilio esse superatos » (S. Hier.); unde si populum desereret, gloriam suam daret idolis, in gentium aestimatione idola censerentur Deo fortiora (S. Thom.), e& populum quem ad suae gloriae manifestat:onem creavit (cf. 43, 6. '7) propterea non potest sub servitute gentium relinquere, ut serviant diis alienis, quia ita revera gloriam suam traderet idolis; cf. 42, 8. Ez. 36, 19-23. Bene adnotat For.: « vim habet haec interrogatio quia quomodo profanatur? ex qua nos fiduciam concipientes ea frequenter in nostris orationibus uti deberemus, sicut Moyses et losue et alii; annon nomen Christi ab inimicis blasphematur »? Similiter Isaias argumentatur 32, 5. 6. Quod in v. 10 habetur varie accipiunt. Aliqui sententiam referunt ad tempus futurum : iam te suppliciis exerueiabo (cf. Osor. Mald. Pint. Sa, Hahn); sed melius retinetur tempus perfectum vel id quo exprimitur, quomodo Deus eousque iam saepius cum populo egerit et generatim agere soleat; neque obstat nn ecce, quae particula etiam ad vere perfecta adiungitur ; cf. Is. 6, 7; 20, 6; 3T, 11; 42, 9; 48, 1. Magna diversitas cernitur in addito illa »222 in argento explicando. Aliqui 20n quasi argentum concipiunt ; non ita te excoxi, ut solet exeoqui argentum, i. e. non dura fornace, non iznis magna vi qualis esse solet et debet ad liquefaciendum argentum (ef. Sanct. Osor. Mar. For. Men.), si enim sie excoxissem, utique consumpsissem te, cum non sis nisi mera peccatorum scoria (Lap. Tir. Calm.) ; melius Sasb. : excoxi te per afflictionem, sed non ad purum; in argento enim quando excoquitur, omnis scoria removetur ; lioc non factum est in te. Utramque explicationem Pint. coniungit. Etiam hebr. non in argento explicat Ros. de afflictione leviori, « non ea ignis vi quae necessaria est ad argentum excoquendum »; sensu contrario : non tali igne, scd multo vehementiore Stier. Alii in argento pretium cernunt expressum, scil. non ut argentuin acquirerem tamquam — operae pretium (cf. Sanct. Umbreit, Ewald), sim. Kn.; Del. et Naeg. intelligunt beth essentiae tamquam argentum, sed id Del. Or. explicant de exeoctione altiore.et spirituali; hoc autem per sc intelligitur excoetionem populi non fuisse veram excoctionem argenti, neque ut hoc innueret propheta, opus erat illo additamento. Aliter JVaeg. excoctionem pro argento non esse probrosam, esse autem pro populo. Magnam sane subtilitatem ! Demum Hahn conditionem populi vult designari « non argenteam » sed « aeream », quae conditio excoctione sit mutanda. — Generaüm verbum ^13 h. l. notione ezaminandi, explorandi accipiunt ac si esset 133 ; at eum haec notio pro hoc loco statuatur et alibi minime inveniatur, potius efficta esse videtur, quo facilior fluat explicatio. LXX z&eOdpoy et vulg. elegi te illam notionem retinent quae sola verbo inest. Syrus et Cha!d. verbum hebr. "ra retinuerunt. Hahn ei vindicat notionem facio te electum, purgatum, eliquatum. In tanta opinionum varietate ea proposui supra, quae et verbis optime Is. 48, 19-14 291 aptari et ex contextu facillime fluere videbantur. Sane quod leremias habet (6, 29, omnino ad hunc locum videtur referri. Simili loeutione utitur [saias 1, 22. 26 ; cf. Ez. 92, 48. Demum placuit verbum "n2 in ea significatione retinere, quae in hebr. uuice probari potest ; in aramaico utique ?r1i2 idem est quod 7a exploràre. Sed num in hebr. quoque ? afferunt quidem Iob 31, 4, qui tamen locus minime illam notionem fiovam exigit, neque ea ex 2 Chron. 34, 6 quod Sein. vult colligi potest. Deus qui propter nominis sui gloriam promissa se impleturum spoponderat, haec promissa ut altis animis recondant adhortatur; in iis divinam elucere maiestatem, potentiam, omniscientiam, quia solus Deus talia praenuntiavit. Unde animos populi ad seinclinare et flectere studet ;
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v. 12 « Audi me lacob et Israel quem ego voco; ego ipse, ego primus et ego novissimus » ! — hebr. et [srael vocate mi ; cur. auscultare debeat Deo, rationes afferuntur nomine Iacob et Israel, uti saepius antea iam vidimus ; additur quo jue ratio speciali electione, quae huic populo prae aliis contigit; deinde praecipuae rationes petuntur ex ipsa Dei loquentis maiestate : ex D»i immutabilitate et aeternitate, qui ut est omnium ,/rimus ita quoque ultimus, omnes et omnia complectens longeque . excedens (cf. 41, 4; A4, 6) iisque ut sint praebens, omnia tamen longissime superans et omnis vitae fontes in se concludens inexhaustos, dum ut primus a nullo habeat quidquam et ut ultimus a nullo dependeat (Sanct.), e contra sit ipse omnium rerum principium et terminus ultimus A et Q (cf. Apoc. 1, 8), vel uti LXX habent: ego sum primus et ego sum in aeternum. Dein maiestatem suam declarat ex operibus
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v. 13 « manus quoque mea fuadivit terram et dextera mea mensa est coelos ego vocabo eos el stabunt simul » ; — hebr. expandit coelos ; vocans ego ad eos et stant simul ; quanta facilitate ingentem terrae molem fundavit et coelos immensos expandit ! et ista ei promptissimam exhibent obedientiam ad nutum obsequentia ; ergo in exemplum simul proferuntur pro Iuda (cf. 40, 92; 42, 5; 44, 22). Talem autem Deum adeo sublimem in se (v. 12) et magnificum in operibus (v. 13) eo magis debent audire et venerari, quia insigni modo se populi sui curatorem praestitit
48:14
v. 14 « congregamini omnes vos et audite : quis de eis annuntiavit haec ? Dominus dilexit eum; faciet voluntatem suam in Babylone et brachium suum in Chaldaeis » ; —. cum nemo ex incantatoribus vel idolis talia ediderit vaticinia, iam Dei sui potentiam et curam cernunt, qui solus se vivum Deum demonstrat (cf. 41, 1 seq. 21. 26; 43, 9; 44, "1 seq. 24. 45, 20; 46, 9); ergo iterum vim urget vaticiniorum et ad populi testimonium fidenter provocat. Quale vero oraculum intelligat statim adiungit : oraculum de Cyro. Hoc bene perpendant qui putant ea oracula solum in fine exsilii esse data ! Si hoc, dein responsio necessario esset : utique non ,idola sed neque Dominum quidquam antea annuntiasse; ergo ex argumentatione prophetae idola et Dominum esse in eodem censu et ordine ! Cyrus ut a Domino vocatus et electus prae aliis et victoriis thesaurisque auctus et ornatus (43, 4 seq. 46, 11) eo ipse est etiam dilectus; Dei enim beneficia sunt totidem dilectiones ,Dei homini impensae. Cyrus exsequetur voluntatem Dei adversus Babylonem; idem in membro parallelo: et brachium eius exsequetur illud Dei beneplacitum adversus Chaldaeos , vel brachium eius erit in Chaldaeos (cf. For. Mar.). Alii sane durius accipiunt : brachium ipse faciet in Chaldaeos i. e. potentiam, fortitudinem exercebit (cf. Sanct. Mald. Sa, Men. Tir. Rol. Hitz. Sein. Stier, Naeg.); at brachium facere est plane inusitatum, etsi brachium sit symbolum et instrumentum fortitudinis, vindictae. In hoc autem eventu peculiarem cernere oportet Dei providentiam et sollicitudinem
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v. 43 « ego, ego locutus. sum et vocavi eum; adduxi ewm et directa, est via eius » ; — hebr. et prospera est via eius; in omnibus habebit prosperum successum. In Dei locutione magnum iterum ponitur momentum : hac enim Cyrum annuntiavit. Iam quae sit eiusmodi Dei locutio, clarius definitur
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v. 16 « accedite ad me et audite hoc : non a principio in abscondito locutus sum ; ex tempore antequam fieret ibi eram » ; —accedere, audire iubentur, quo magis desiderium Dei exprimatur, ut rem propositam accurate inspiciant et perpendant. Locutio Dei faeta est a principio, a tempore primo et a prima populi origine (cf. 46, 9. 10; 48, 3; 42, 9; 43, 9. 12) neque unquam in secreto, sed palam ; oracula nota erant. Id effertur quod in disceptatione cum idolis iam toties inculeabatur ; sed de hac re erat monendum, ut Deum esse loquentem sine haesitatione tibi persuadeas multis licet aliud opinantibus. Deum loquentem etiam produnt quae sequuntur : ex tempore quo ezsistebant ea. ibi eram (hebr.) i. e. Deus non solum edidit palam oracula, sed quando aderat tempus, quando illa esse, exsistere, in opus deduci oportebat, ibi erat, in ipsis rerum eventibus agnosci poterat divinum numen, eius operatio, cura, providentia ; aliis verbis : uti dedit vaticinia, ita ea implevit. Illa dedit per prophetas ; similiter in rerum cursu continuo per prophetas populum edocuit, ad quem tandem omnia prospera et adversa essent referenda, cuius vel merces vel poena in variis rerum casibus esset agnoscenda. Continuo ergo tamquam Deus vivus adstitit populo et eo quidem modo, ut Deum ignorare non possent, « ne diceres in corde tuo : fortitudo mea et robur manus meae haec mihi omnia praestiterunt; sed recorderis Domini Dei tui, quod ipse tibi vires praebuerit » (Deut. 8, 17. 18). Verba vulg. magis efferunt Deum se operantem demonstrasse iam antequam oracula implerentur; ergo res omnes itain suo cursu ordinasse et direxisse, ut tandem in oraculorum impletionem cuncta evaderent. Ita igitur Deus de seipso testimonium exhibuit a principio et in aperto. Atque idem testimonium etiam nunc exhibet mittens prophetam et per eum oracula fundens; quare propheta ipse pergit : « et nunc Dominus Deus misit me et. spiritus eius »; — i. e. idem Dominus, idem spiritus propheticus qui temporibus anteactis praesens aderat in populo per Dei legatos et prophetas, etiam hic et nunc se manifestat in missione Isaiae. Apte id ad antecedentia additur. Postquam enim supra saepius (cf. 48, 3) declaravit Dei curam et providentiam temporibus anteactis eamque in vaticiniis praesertim esse exhibitam ostendit, postquam oracula de tempore futuro iam proposuit, nemo poterit mirari, quod propheta ut pondus addat et auctoritatem verbis suis, sollemni modo suam a Deo missionem et spiritum a Deo acceptum propheticum declarat. Idque facit eo aptius, postquam coram omnibus ad oracula de futuro data provocavit, seipsum iam tamquam testem vivum Dei vaticinantis in medio quasi collocans. Hanc acceptationem iam proponit Chald. scribens : « et dixit propheta : et nunc Iahve Deus misit me et Verbum (Memra) eius ». Haec porro expositio sola verbis apte respondet neque aliquis alius nisi ipse propheta ita ex abrupto potest induci loquens, neque alius ita simpliciter de se dici potest se missum esse a Deo et spiritu eius. Eo ipso enim quod spiritus Dei mentio fit, iam munus propheticum aliqua ratione nobis obtenditur, cum eo modo praecipuo quodam iure istud munus. describatur; cf. Num. 11, 17. 26. 4 Reg. 10, 6. 10; 19, 90. 23. 9 Reg. 93, 2. 3 Reg. 22, 24. 2 Par. 15, 1; 18, 23; 20, 14; 24, 20 etc. Vel quis alius loquens hic posset deprehendi? Num Cyrus, ut putat S. Cyr.? Verum quomodo subito Cyrum loquentem audiamus, nemo explicabit. Neque Messias, quem alii intelligunt (S. Hier. Pint. Osor. For. Sa, Gord. Calm. Rohl.) ita repente loquens inducitur,quia de ipso neque in antecedentibus neque in subsequentibus sermo instituitur; ergo nullo modo cernitur, quomodo subito possit loquens induci. Adde quod alibi quoque Isaias de se prima loquatur persona ; vide 5, 1; 6, 1. 5 seq. 8,4 seq. 17. 18. 21, 6; 40, 6; unde quod Del. obiicit Isaiam nunquam se ipsum ita in sermone efferre corruit. Quare h. l. prophetam loqui S. Ephr. Theod. Sasb. Sanct. Malv. Mar. Lap. Men. Tir. Loch, Troch. Sein. recte asserunt, dum alii vel prophetam vel Christum ibi 'loqui dicant (S. Thom. Mald.). Neque desunt qui totum v. 16 a propheta suo. nomine dici censeant ; ita v. g. Sanct. Mar. Malv. Lap. Clarius, Men. Tir. Hilz. Umbreit, Kn. Naeg.; dicere scil. prophetam : ex quo coepi prophetare de excidio Bubylonis non in angulis ambigue et perplexe, sed clare et aperte de eo locutus sum ; ex eo scil. tempore quo haec res mihi revelata est, spiritu prophetico ibi eram praesens et videbam rei gerendae seriem. Verba ea JVaeg. censet a propheta dicta ad familiares discipulos, qui mirati sint quod tam explicite exsilium babylonicum et liberationem per Cyrum nunc praedixerit ; quibus respondeat se ab initio muneris prophetici de ea re nihil scivisse neque illud oraeulum in abscondito antea iam annuntiasse tamquam rem secretam paucisque notam, verum se solum loqui de eo a tempore quo ipsi oraculum hoc factum sit a Deo; id enim significari verbo illo: a tempore quo exsistit ibi eram. Sed difficile mihi videtur, in priore parte prophetam loquentem agnoscere. Nam accedite ad me eadem est invitatio qua v. 14 et saepius in hac parte Deus gentes convocat ad disceptationem ; unde ergo hoc loco subito de familiaribus [saiae discipulis erit cogitandum, quibus respondeat ad quaestionem, de qua neque hic neque alibi quidquam detegi possit? Quando aliquid discipulis est commendandum prae ceteris, discipuli nominantur ; vide 8, 16. Modus loquendi ibi eram, hebr. ibi ego a tempore quo res exstitit, si de propheta dicitur, valde est singularis et eget interpretatione satis coacta : esse, exsistere debet intelligi de revelatione rei ; ibi ego de mente prophetae qui rem revelatam secum perpendat ; porro ab initio ita absolute positum potius refertur ad id de quo toties iam sermo faclus est, Deum scil. ab initio oracula dedisse ; cf. 43, 13 ; 45, 21 ; 45, 10; 43, 3.3; eodem modo de Deo iam dictum est 45, 19: non in abscondito locutus sum; ergo cum idem nunc repetatur, de Leo simul erit cogitandum. Quamvis fatendum sit loquendi modum : non ab initio in abscondito loeutus sum i. e. parliculae non collocationem (pro : ab iuitio locutus sum non in abscondito vel : non in abscondito ab initio locutus sum) posse accommodari alteri de [saiae interpretationi. Neque Messias (ut alii voluut ; cf. S. Hier. Pint. Calm.) hic loquens censeri potest ; nam eous [ue per totam orationem fahve loquitur neque ullum est mutatae personae indicium, neque ip um argumentum exposeit mutationem, ergo lahve loqui pergit (cf. S. Cyr. Mald. Sasb. Schegg, Loch, Troch. Ges. Ewald, Hahn, Del.). Proaomen suffixum an ny5 refertur non ad v. 13 ex quo coeli facti sunt effundi dieitur ; semel Zach. 7, 12 : verba quae misit Deus in spiritu suo (per - spiritum suum) per manum prophetarum ; nunquam alias dicitur spiritus Domini mittere prophetas, neque 61, 1 quem locum vide. Quare interpretatio haec satis commendari videtur. Prophetam suam a Deo missionem ultimo membro asseruisse etiam eo suadetur quia ad verba Domini inferenda novo utitur prooemio
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v. 17 « haec dicit Dominus redemptor tuus, Sanctus Israel : ego Dominus Deus tuus docens te utilia, gubernans te in via qua ambulas » ; — eo quod mittit prophetam docet populum quae ei prosunt et ad verum eius commodum cedunt, eodem modo viam demonstrat qua sit incedendum. Id semper praestitit et iam praestat pro tempore calamitatis et exsilii, quia annuntiat et quem in finem et quo modo subire oporteat declarat piosque spe liberationis et salutis solatur. Hae cura assidua se praebet redemptorem qui iura populi tuetur eumque solvit a captivitate, se praebet Sanctum, qui vindicta de peccatis sumpta sanctitatem et gloriam suam in populo denuo erigit et stabilit. Quantopere autem populus sibi ipsi damnum inferat si Deum ea quae e re sunt docentem relinquat, explicatur
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v. 18 « utinam attendisses mandata mea, facta f'uisset sicut flumen paz tua et iustitia tua, sicut. gurgites maris
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v. 19 et fuisset quasi arena semen tuwm et stirps uteri tui ut. lapilli eius; non interiisset et non fuisset attritum nomen eius a facie mea » ; — promissa dedit Deus magnifica et tempore anteacto et pro tempore futuro. Iam normam ponit secundum quam et de miseria praesenti iudicrum ferre possint et de ambitu quo bona promissa sibi sint attribuenda. Conditio declaratur quae impleatur oportet. Praeceptis Dei scil. debent obsequi; tunc abundantia pacis aderit, tunc iustitia illa quam Deus care constituit summa copia et affluentia perpetua ad instar fluctuum maris qui nunquam deficiunt, imminuuntur nunquam, verum perpetuo amplissimum maris sinum perfecte implent, tibi praesto erit; tum promissio illa patriarchis data : multiplicabo semen tuum velut arenam quae est in litore maris (Gen. 39. 11; 39, 12; cf. Is. 10, 22. Os. 1, 10), revera sine ullo obstaculo plene et integre in opus deducetür, neque unquam populus miseria attritus a Deo proiicietur. Locus hic bene notandus est, quia normam Dei pro plerisque promissis vel saltem pro modo et ambitu impletionis nobis clare exhibet; unde concludere oportet etsi multa absolute promittantur, tamen conditione posita esse accipienda (de qua re vide quae dixi ad Zach. 6, 45; 8, 17 ; Proph. min. II p. 292. 301). Quare doctrina haec optime quoque inservit ad alios locos rite intelligendos v. g. 2, 4; 80, 21:32, 1 etc. Abundantiam eadem maris comparatione habes do- Quomodo textus hebr. accurate vertendus sit, non consentiunt; vertunt enim aliqui : si atlendisses, facta fuisset... uti vulg. exprimit; ita Ges. Ewald, Naeg.; vel si attendisses, esset sicut flumen paz tua; ità Umbreit, Stier; vel utinam attenderes... esset paz tua; ita Sein. sim. Or. Alii autem sententiam ad tempus futurum referunt : si attenderis, paz tua erit ut flumen... ita Hahn, Del. Cum in v. 19 sequatur n»*w5, expositio haec posterior, quam Hitz. Km. Hahn, Del. Or. proponunt, non potest plane repudiari. Sed tempore perfecto et *i1' ipsa forma magis commendatur explicatio : utinam attendisses, tum esset ut flumen pax tua; vide Ewald, Lchrb. d. hebr. Spr. 2. 358 a. Ceterum sensus non multum mutatur, quia in omni casu norma Dei statuitur generalis, quae valet et pro praeterito et pro futuro. — Hebr. v. 19 verte : et genimina viscerum tuorum sicut lapilli eius; ita veteres verbum Yniyo intellexerunt; cf. LXX, Syrus, vulg. Chald. et ot ;o:xot apud Procop. ediderunt viyygot eodem sensu. Alterius explicationis, vocem illam poni pro Yym et esse vertendum ; genimina viscerum tuorum sicul viscera eius (scil. maris), iam meminit Malv. et eam adoptant ex recentioribus Hitz. Kn. Naeg. et explicant de animalibus innumeris in sinu maris; at ea comparatio minime placet neque ulla adest ratio a veterum concordi aeceplione recedendi, quae acceplio concors sane maximi est ponderis, cum de áz. ^ev. agatur. "Uti exsilium babylonicum vaticinatur et liberationem annuntiat, ita plane consonum est, ut graviter moneat propheta hoc beneficio divino utendum esse. Modo v. 18. 19 ostendit quid boni eos maneat qui Deo obsequuntur, quid vero mali contumacibus ingruat. Iam aliquam exhibet conditionem quam implere debeant, si promissionum Dei participes se reddere volunt ;
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v. 20 « egredimini de Babylone, fugite a. Chaldaeis, in voce exsultationis! anmuntiate, auditum facite hoc et efferte illud usque ad exirema lerrae! dicite : redemit Dominus servum suum Iacob »! -— optime concluditur hac adhortatione sectio haec : finitus est labor. Si ergo Cyrus a Deo missus reditum permittit, laetis animis festinent in patriam et citato cursu e medio gentilium egrediantur. Ea enim separatione sese populum Dei probabunt et opus Dei per Cyrum in suam convertent utilitatem. Hanc redemptionem et ipsi summa animorum exsultatione, ut decet tale Dei beneficium, amplectantur et opus Dei gloriosum ubique usque ad extremas terrae oras praedicent et laudibus extollant. Id autem [iet si dispersi in omnem terrae plagam nuntio de reditu accepto et Dei clementiam celebrent et ipsi quoque se ad remeandum in patriam accingant. Haec adhortatio congruit iis quae antea de fine operis Cyri dicta sunt; cf. 41, 9; 45, 6; et ipsi Cyri edicto. Quo libentius voci Dei invitantis obsequantur, vates in memoriam revocat quam benigne et mirabiliter eos olim per desertum duxerit, paratus scil. iisdem miraculis si opus fuerit reditum iuvare et exornare v. 91 « non sitierunt àn deserto, cum educeret eos; aquam de petra. produzit eis el scidit petram et. fluzerunt aquae » ; — cf. Ex. 11, 6. Num. 20, 12 et vide supra similia de reditu promissa 41, 19 ; 43, 20; 44, 3. Nihil ergo eis defuturum esse ea allusione spondet (cf. Mald, Lap. Men. Tir.); iter fore prosperum et itinerantibus omnia ad usum necessaria large iri suppeditatum promittit, uti factum est referente Esdra 4, 4. 6 seq. 8, 31 etc. (cf. Sanct. Mar.). Bene notat de sensu promissionis S. Cyr. : « dictum est singulari consilio, ut viderent Deum qui olim fuit nunc esse et aequali potentia et consimilibus miraculis uii posse et inviolabilem habere fortitudinem » (sim. TAeod.). Dum autem obsequentes tanta circumdat clementia, extremum instat exitium et supplicium .contumacibus; isti perpetua tempestate et turbatione iactabuntur
48:22
v. 22 « non est pax impiis, dicit Dominus »; — cf. 46, 8; pax omnium bonorum cumulum et tranquillam possessionem ac fruitionem dicit, neque raro ipsam salutem messianicam designat (cf. 9, 7. Mich. 5, 4). Certe ad animos commovendos factum est quod adhortatio absolvitur. et fuleitur demonstrato supplicio ac cruciatu eorum qui Deo obsequi renuunt. Ex eo enim clare infertur in Domino solo esse salutem positam; quam si reiecerint, iam Dominum iis fore sua ipsorum culpa in ruinam et perd:tionem (cf. 7, 9; 28, 16). Uti in cap. 34 et 35, uti iam 8, 20-22 et 9, 1-1 et 1, 19. 20 et saepius salutem et supplicium inter se opponit, utrumque iis propositum esse dicit; alterutrum eligant necesse est, dum iis loquitur tamquam alter Moyses : « considera quod hodie proposuerim in conspectu tuo vitam et bonum, et e contrario mortem et malum; elige ergo vitam ut tu vivas et semen tuum » (Deut. 30, 15. 19). Hac sectione absoluta patet eam bene inscribi : finitus est labor. Agitur enim in ea potissimam de liberatione ex exsilio et ultima quae cons deravimus verba : egredimini de Babylone, ad primam illam annuntiationem omnino redeunt. Praeterea totum huius sectionis argumentum in his tribus continetur : a) Deus potest et vult liberationem concedere; ita cap. 40; b) dein duo nobis exhibentur, per quos Deus liberationem, salutem, gloriam populo concedere vult; ita 41, 1-44, 23; c) demum prior ille heros, de quo 41, 2 et opus eius accuratius pertractatur; ita 44, 294-48, 22. Quae omnia propheta ita describit, ut oracula simul reddat aequalibus utilia, ut normam Dei universalem, qua eodem salutis consilio omnia tempora complectatur et in rerum cursu futura quoque adutmbret et praeparet, continuo proponat et explicet, lll. — sECUNDA SERIES ORATIONUM. CAP. 49-57. Expiata est iniquitas. 1. Oratio prima 49,1-26. Anc. — Servus Domini populis convocatis enarrat, quomodo a Deo electus et instructus sit ad suum opus peragendum, sed simul conqueritur quod in vacuum laboraverit; quare causam suam Domino iudici committit (49, 1-4). Quem Dominus solatur ostendens ei laboris fructum, quo revera salus continget orbi universo, sed ita ut ipsius servi gloria ex maxima eius enascatur humilitate (49, 5-7). Tempore enim angustiae Deus ei potenter aderit; restituet hereditatem dissipatam, populum captivum reducet mira protectione, et de omni terrae plaga confluent ad Deum laudibus celebrandum (49, 8-13). Sionem quae se a Domino relictam conqueritur maximi amoris significatione Deus solatur; matrem illam fore praedicit populi innumerabilis cum ingenti suo gaudio et admiratione (49, 14-21). Deus enim gentibus mandabit, ut Sionem maxima veneratione colant eique filios afferant; nam tamquam heros potens auferet praedam ab hostibus et hostes horrendo supplicio castigabit, ita omnibus ostendens se esse redemptorem suorum (49, 92-96). Duo in hac oratione eminent : servus Domini, de quo 1-13, et Sion, de qua 14-22 agitur. Servus Domini autem ita describitur, ut summa Dei protectione instructus sit, in quo Deus se glorificari vult. At ter exhibetur in statu laboris, humiliationis, angustiae (v. 4. 7. 8), quem tamen statum et summa gloria pro ipso subsequetur et salus ac beatitudo per orbem enata, ad quam efficiendam ipse a Domino sit adiutus et constitutus. In altera sermonis parte oratio convertitur ad Sionem ; derelictam se credit Sion ; eam tenerrimi amoris exhibitione Dominus confortat; denuo eam dicit iri aedificatum multo gloriosius et spatio amplissimo, quam gentium reges supplices venerabuntur. Verum est quod Malv. affert : « hoc autem caput quaedam est veluti praefatio ac potius summum argumentum eorum quae sequuntur omnium ». Nam uti haec oratio duabus partibus servum Domini et Sionem nobis proponit, ita eap. 50-53 servus Domini in sua humilitate describitur simul cum fructu qui ex eius laboribus et doloribus enascetur, a cap. 54 Sionis gloria futura proponitur. Qualis autem exsistat nexus inter servum Domini et Sionem, orationum progressu magis magisque declaratur; servus enim Domini sua obedientia, perpessionibus, dira morte expiat erimina populi et hac expiatione sibi gloriam meretur, cuius pars eximia in Sionis gloria illustratur, ita ut gloria Sionis instauratae opus sit servi Domini et in eius quoque gloriam redundet. Quemadmodum vates a 44, 24 et deinceps priorem illum heroem eiusque opus de quo 41, 2 mentio facta est, latius descripsit et explicuit, ita nunc ad alterum quem 42, 1 seq. nobis exhibuit orationem transfert ordine aeque perspicuo quam conspicuo.
48:9
… Sinaitic covenant, announce its consequences, and give its ultimate purpose: a) Judah, for the honor and the justice of Yahweh, must be destroyed (Ez. 7; 14, 12-21; 15; 16; etc.; Jer. 8, 4-12; 11, 9-17; 16, 10-17; etc.); b) in order to realize his designs (Is. 48, 9 ff.; Ez. 20, 22-44; 36, 21-32), Yahweh however does not annihilate it; he reserves a "remnant," which he will purify in the long exile and lead back to Palestine to reconstitute the new …
48:12
As for the concept, the Apocalypse seems directly linked to Is. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12, where God promises redemption by defining himself: "I am the first and the last" (words with which the Apocalypse explains the formula "A-Ω" in 21:8 and 22:13), as a guarantee of …
48:21
… Many prophecies of the Old Testament announce that from the Messiah must gush torrents of graces, rivers of living water (Is. 12, 3; 55, 1; 48, 21; Zach. 12, 10). St. Paul presents the Messiah as the miraculous rock, which gives the refreshing water to the Hebrews in the desert (I Cor. 10, 4). St. John emphasizes that the rivers …
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.