God is to be sought to, and not idols. The victories of his church, which shall arise originally from the Jewish nation.
The Iewes are exhorted to aske good thinges of God: 4. of their nation cometh the Redemer of al men, 5. and of the same are the Apostles, spiritual masters of the whole world. 6. The whole nation shal at last be conuerted.
1Ask ye of the Lord rain in the latter season, and the Lord will make snows, and will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.Domandate al Signore la pioggia serotina, e il Signore manderà la neve, e darà a voi nuove piogge, e a ciascuno di voi erba ne' campi;ASKE of our Lord rayne in the lateward time, and our Lord wil make snowes, and wil geue them rayne of showers, to euerie one grasse in the filde.Petite a Domino pluviam in tempore serotino, / et Dominus faciet nives: / et pluviam imbris dabit eis, / singulis herbam in agro. 2For the idols have spoken what was unprofitable, and the diviners have seen a lie, and the dreamers have spoken vanity: they comforted in vain: therefore they were led away as a flock: they shall be afflicted, because they have no shepherd.Imperocché i simolacri hanno date risposte vane, e gl'indovini hanno visioni bugiarde, e gl'interpreti de' sogni parlano senza fondamento, e danno consolazioni vane: per queste cose quelli furon menati via come pecore, perchè erano senza pastore.Because the idols spake that which was vnprofitable, and the deuiners saw a lie, & the dreamers spake in vayne: they comforted vaynely: therfore are they led away as a flock: they shal be afflicted, because they haue no pastour.Quia simulacra locuta sunt inutile, / et divini viderunt mendacium: / et somniatores locuti sunt frustra, / vane consolabantur: / idcirco abducti sunt quasi grex: / affligentur, quia non est eis pastor. 3My wrath is kindled against the shepherds, and I will visit upon the buck goats: for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock, the house of Juda, and hath made them as the horse of his glory in the battle.Contro i pastori si è acceso il mio furore, e visiterò i caproni; perocché il Signore degli eserciti avrà cura del suo gregge, della casa di Giuda; e ne farà come il suo cavallo di rispetto nel la guerra.Vpon the pastours my furie is wrath, and vpon the buckgoates I wil visite: because the Lord of hosts hath visited his flocke, the house of Iuda, and hath made them as the horse of his glorie in the battel,Super pastores iratus est furor meus, / et super hircos visitabo: / quia visitavit Dominus exercituum gregem suum, domum Juda, / et posuit eos quasi equum gloriæ suæ in bello. 4Out of him shall come forth the corner, out of him the pin, out of him the bow of battle, out of him ever exacter together.Da lui l'angolo, da lui il chiodo, da lui l'arco guerriero, da lui parimente usciranno gli esattori.Of him the corner, of him the pinne, of him the bow of battel, of him shal come forth euerie exactour together.Ex ipso angelus, ex ipso paxillas, / ex ipso arcus prælii, / ex ipso egredietur omnis exactor simul.
5And they shall be as mighty men, treading under foot the mire of the ways in battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders of horses shall be confounded.E saranno i campioni, che calpesteranno in battaglia (il nimico) come il fango delle piazze, e combatteranno, avendo seco il Signore, e i domatori de' cavalli saranno svergognati.And they shal be as valients, treading the myre of the wayes in battel: and they shal fight, because our Lord is with them: and the riders of horses shal be confounded.Et erunt quasi fortes conculcantes lutum viarum in prælio, / et bellabunt, quia Dominus cum eis: / et confundentur ascensores equorum. 6And I will strengthen the house of Juda, and save the house of Joseph: and I will bring them back again, because I will have mercy on them: and they shall be as they were when I had not cast them off, for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them.Ed io farò forte la casa di Giuda, e salverò la casa di Giuseppe; e farolli tornare, perchè avrò pietà di essi; e saranno com' erano prima che io li rigettassi: conciossiachè io sono il Signore Dio loro, e gli esaudirò.And I wil strengthen the house of Iuda, and the house of Ioseph I wil saue: and I wil conuert them, because I wil haue mercie on them: and they shal be as they were when I had not cast them of, for I am the Lord their God, and wil heare them.Et confortabo domum Juda, / et domum Joseph salvabo: / et convertam eos, quia miserebor eorum: / et erunt sicut fuerunt quando non projeceram eos: / ego enim Dominus Deus eorum, et exaudiam eos. 7And they shall be as the valiant men of Ephraim, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: and their children shall see, and shall rejoice, and their heart shall be joyful in the Lord.E saranno come gli eroi di Ephraim; e saranno ilari di cuore come chi bevve vino; e i loro figli in veggendoli faranno festa, e si allegrerà il cuor loro nel Signore.And they shal be as the valients of Ephraim, & their hart shal reioyce as it were of wine: and their children shal see, and shal reioyce, & their hart shal be ioyful in our Lord.Et erunt quasi fortes Ephraim, / et lætabitur cor eorum quasi a vino: / et filii eorum videbunt, et lætabuntur, / et exsultabit cor eorum in Domino. 8I will whistle for them, and I will gather them together, because I have redeemed them: and I will multiply them as they were multiplied before.Io li radunerò con un fischio, perchè io gli ho riscattati, e li moltiplicherò, come lo erano pell'avanti.I wil hisse to them, and wil gather them together, because I haue redemed them: and I wil multiplie them as they were multiplied before.Sibilabo eis, et congregabo illos, / quia redemi eos: / et multiplicabo eos sicut ante fuerant multiplicati.
9And I will sow them among peoples: and from afar they shall remember me: and they shall live with their children, and shall return.E li spargerò tralle genti, e anche ne' luoghi più rimoti si ricorderanno di me, e viveranno insieme co' loro figli, e faranno ritorno.And I wil saw them among peoples, and from a far they shal remember me: and they shal liue with their children, and shal returne.Et seminabo eos in populis, / et de longe recordabuntur mei: / et vivent cum filiis suis, et revertentur. 10And I will bring them back out of the land of Egypt, and I will gather them from among the Assyrians: and will bring them to the land of Galaad, and Libanus, and place shall not be found for them.E li ricondurrò dalla terra d'Egitto, e dall'Assiria li ragunerò, e li menerò nella terra di Galaad, e del Libano, e non si troverà luogo per essi:And I wil bring them backe out of the Land of Aegypt, and out of the Assyrians I wil gather them: and to the Land of Galaad, & Libanus I wil bring them, and there shal not be found place for them.Et reducam eos de terra Ægypti, / et de Assyriis congregabo eos, / et ad terram Galaad et Libani adducam eos, / et non invenietur eis locus: 11And he shall pass over the strait of the sea, and shall strike the waves in the sea, and all the depths of the river shall be confounded, and the pride of Assyria shall be humbled, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart.E passeranno lo stretto del mare, e percuoterà il Signore i flutti del mare, e tutti i fiumi profondi saranno abbassati, e sarà umiliata la superbia di Assur, e la tirannide d'Egitto passerà.And he shal passe ouer in the strayte of the sea, and shal strike the waues in the sea, and al the depths of the riuer shal be confounded, and the pride of Assur shal be humbled, and the scepter of Aegypt shal depart.et transibit in maris freto, / et percutiet in mari fluctus, / et confundentur omnia profunda fluminis: / et humiliabitur superbia Assur, / et sceptrum Ægypti recedet. 12I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk in his name, saith the Lord.E forti li farò nel Signore, e nel nome mio anderanno avanti, dice il Signore.I wil strengthen them in the Lord, and in his name they shal walke: sayth our Lord.Confortabo eos in Domino, / et in nomine ejus ambulabunt, dicit Dominus.
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Haydock
Snows. Protestants, "Bright clouds," or "lightnings." (Haydock)
Calmet
God will presently grant your requests, after the persecution of Epiphanes. (Calmet)
Worthington
The latter season is when fruit ripens, the acceptable time to sue for grace. (Worthington)
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Calmet
Goats; the leaders of the people, Jeremias 50:8. (Calmet)
Virgil
Vir gregis ipse caper. (Virgil, Ec. vii.)
Jason died in exile, Lysimachus was slain in the temple, Alcimus perished miserably, and Menelaus was hurled among ashes, 2 Machabees 5:5., and 4:39., and 13:4., and 1 Machabees 9:54.
Battle. The apostates have suffered: God will not abandon his flock, but raises up Mathathias, etc.
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Corner, to connect the building. The Machabees were not of the tribe of Juda; but it was the chief, and gave name to the rest. Judas was also a figure of Christ, the chief corner-stone, and he should be born of that tribe.
Pin, to fasten down the tent, or to hang things upon. These comparisons were not deemed mean, 1 Esdras 9:8., and Isaias 22:23.
Calmet
Exactor. The term may have a good as well as a bad sense. Taxes must be paid for the support of lawful governments. Judas forced other nations to pay tribute. (Calmet)
De Dieu
The same term in Ethiopia, means "a king." (De Dieu)
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Calmet
Riders. The Syrians, with (Haydock) all their cavalry, were routed by a few ill-armed infantry. (Calmet)
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Worthington
Joseph. All the tribes shall embrace the gospel at last. (Worthington)
Back, from the caverns to which they had fled.
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Calmet
Valiant. Ephraim was a powerful and valiant tribe, Deuteronomy 33:17. (Calmet)
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Worthington
Whistle. Christians are sweetly drawn by inspirations, without clamorous words. (St. Cyril) (Worthington)
Calmet
This expression shews the sovereign dominion of God. (Calmet)
Haydock
Septuagint, "I will give them a sign." (Haydock)
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Me. The Jews were spread throughout the world, and adhered to their own customs. (Philo) See Acts 2:8.
While they enjoyed the greatest prosperity, they kept together in a small territory. It is wonderful how they have since increased.
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Calmet
For them. They returned from the places to which they had been dispersed during former wars, when Judas had liberated his country. (Calmet)
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St. Jerome
Sea. The Jews pretend that the Bosphorus' straits were dried up, to afford them a passage. (St. Jerome)
But they must produce some stronger text to prove such a miracle. No obstacles shall be able to retard God's people, Isaias 11:16.
Assyria. After Epiphanes, the kingdom subsisted only about seventy years.
Calmet
Egypt. The Ptolemies excluded the natural princes, who have never regained the throne. They who had so often disturbed the Jews, were deprived of their power over them by the Syrians, and never could prevail there again after the Machabees. (Calmet)
Worthington
When the faithful are confirmed in their religion, the enemy cannot hurt them. (Worthington)
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Latevvard time is vvhen fruite vvaxeth ripe, and so is here taken for the time of grace vvhich S. Paul calleth the acceptable time: & therfore this prophet exhorteth to aske this grace; and al spiritual benefites of God.
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Not only the tvvo tribes,
but also the tenne shal be conuerted at last to Christ.
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Christians are svvetely dravvne by internal inspiration vvithout clamorus, and violent persvvasion of vvordes. S. Cyril.
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Concordance Isa. 11.
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VVhen the faithful are multiplied & confirmed in religion, their enimies can not hurt them.
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St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 210
… Every dream is not a prophecy, as says Zechariah, “The Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain,…for the idols have spoken vanity and the diviners have told false dreams.”
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.63
… Therefore, I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord Almighty. And again: Awake, O sword, against the shepherds, and smite the shepherds, and scatter the sheep, and I will turn My Hand upon the shepherds; and, Mine anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will visit the lambs:
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.7
… “And they shall cross over through the narrow sea, and they shall smite the waves in the sea, and they shall dry up all the depths of the rivers; and all the haughtiness of the Assyrians shall be confounded, and the sceptre of Egypt shall be taken away. And I will strengthen them in the Lord their God, and in His name shall they glory, saith the Lord.”
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1. ASK OF THE LORD RAIN IN THE LATTER TIME. — Thus the Hebrew, Chaldean and others. But the Septuagint through τῷ in tempore, understand the morning rain; whence they translate: Ask of the Lord opportune rain, morning and latter. Morning rain, rain, or early, that is timely, in Palestine is called that which rains timely and in the morning, that is at the time of sowing in October, to water the seeds: latter, which rains late, that is at the time of harvest approaching, in April to thicken and ripen the crops, as I said in Hosea VI, 3. God therefore commands here the Jews to ask for rain fructifying the fields, not from dumb and vain idols, but from himself, as creator and governor of all things, and giver of all good. Thus the Hebrews, Theodoret, Albert and others. This prophecy appears to have been uttered by Zechariah after the time of sowing in winter: because he commands to ask for latter rain only, not morning rain, as if its time had already passed. Physically and rustically note here, that fields and crops should have serenity through winter, but in advanced spring (which borders closely on summer) the same need rain, by which they are nourished and grow. Whence Macrobius lib. V Saturn. cap. XX, cites this ancient common rustic song: Winter dust, spring mud, great grain, Camillus, you will reap. Mystically, by rain is signified doctrine: for this waters and makes fertile minds, as rain does earth and seeds, according to that in Deuteronomy XXXII, 1: "Let my doctrine grow as rain, let my speech flow as dew." Morning rain was the law of Moses, and the doctrine of the Prophets, which first gave seeds of faith and virtue to the rude Jews: latter is the law and Gospel of Christ and the Apostles, which teaches perfect faith and virtue. Thus St. Cyril, St. Jerome, Remigius and Rupert. Furthermore, he admonishes here that only the latter rain is to be sought from God, because they had already the early rain, as if to say: You, O Jews, have received from Moses the old law, as it were morning rain: now ask of God the Gospel law which Christ will bring, as it were latter rain, which will lead you to true and perfect justice and happiness. AND THE LORD SHALL MAKE SNOWS. — Pagninus, Mariana, Ribera, Sanchez and others think it should be read clouds, not snows. But the Roman Bible and others throughout, indeed even St. Jerome in his Commentary, constantly read snows, not clouds. In Hebrew it is the word חזיז chaziz, that is vision, appearance, brightness, splendor, lightning, coruscation. The Septuagint translates it phantasias, that is coruscations and lightnings, says Cyril and Theodoret, because they appear and disappear suddenly, like aerial phenomena, and because lightning is seen before thunder is heard, although the collision of clouds and thunder is prior, indeed the cause of lightning. The Chaldean translates it winds; Pagninus, coruscations; the Zurich Bible, flashes; others, lightnings; our translator, in Job XXVIII, 26, translates it storms; because lightning and thunder bring storm and violent rain. Here it correctly translates snows: for the Hebrew chaziz is derived from חזה chaza, that is to see: whence chaziz is a visible thing striking the eyes, such as light and coruscation, and bright coruscation: snow therefore, because it gleams and shines with its brightness, flashes and strikes the eyes, and dazzles them, hence is rightly called chaziz. Heraclitus added that snow is chaziz, that is vision and appearance, because it is not truly white, but appears white to us. But this is his paradox. Moreover chaziz signifies snows rather than clouds: for it properly signifies something bright and flashing striking the sight, such as snows are, not clouds. Chaziz therefore sometimes signifies clouds, not as clouds, but as flashing and lightening. Whence the Chaldean, in Job XXXVIII, 25, for what we have: "The way of the sounding thunder," translates the Hebrew chaziz: The way for clouds by which they cast down water with thunders and lightnings. You will say: At the time of latter rain, namely in April and spring, there are not snows, but clouds. I answer, the sense of this verse is, as if to say: After the morning rain, that is after seed cast in autumn, ask of God that he give rain for the latter time, which may lead it to ears and grain, and God assenting to your requests will exceed your prayers. For he will give in winter snows, which will cover your seeds, root them and make them fertile; and then in spring he will give latter rain, and at the same time will melt and resolve the snows which remain on Libanus, Carmel, and other mountains of Judaea (as they are in the Alps, and on the whole Apennine all year) into water, which flowing down into the valleys and plains of Judaea, will water your crops and enrich them. Whence the Septuagint translates: He will give them winter rain. Moreover, that snows lying long upon the earth make it fertile and give abundance of fruits is established by experience. Whence it is a common axiom: "A year of snows is a year of fruits." Pliny gives the reason, lib. XVII, cap. III: "The prayers of trees are common, and snows to lie long. The cause is, not only because they enclose and compress the breath of the earth evaporating by exhalation, and drive it back into the strength of fruits and roots; but also because they provide moisture gradually, pure moreover and most light, since snow is the foam of heavenly waters. Therefore the moisture from these, not all at once swallowed up and diluting, but distilling as it is desired, like from a breast nourishes all things which it does not inundate: and the earth in that manner ferments, and full of juices, and sufficiently not exhausted with milky abundance, when time opens, smiles upon the warm gardens." Thus symbolically, a year or day of tribulations is a year or day of merits and virtues. For tribulations cause, first, that man does not pour himself out toward external things, nor vanish away in his own estimation. Second, that he may turn to his heart and dwell with himself, and in it fix deep roots of patience, humility, charity and other virtues. Third, they irrigate it with pious and heavenly thoughts, which either tribulation suggests, or God sends concerning the vanity and miseries of the world, concerning the happiness of heavenly glory, concerning fear of judgment, of hell, etc., concerning the dignity of the cross, of fortitude, of patience, etc. Mystically, the Apostles and preachers are חזיזים chazizim, that is, first, snows, both because just as snows the earth by their irrigation, so they themselves filled men, made them fertile, made them joyful, and cooled them from the heat of concupiscence, according to that Prov. XXV, 13: "As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sent him." Second, they are chazizim, that is, clouds heavy and flashing, which give abundant rain of wisdom and spirit, so that they might germinate and produce fruits of virtues, according to that Isa. V, 6: "I will command the clouds to rain no rain upon it." And Psalm XCVI, 1: "Clouds and darkness are round about him." See St. Jerome in both places. Third, they are chazizim, that is, winds, as the Chaldean translates, because as winds they ran swiftly about evangelizing through the whole world, as angels of God, of whom the Psalmist and the Apostle say, Hebr. I, 7: "Who maketh his angels spirits (that is, winds) and his ministers a flame of fire." Fourth, they are chazizim, that is, storms, which shook the hard hearts of men with terror, and by the weight of threats of the wrath of God, of judgment and of hell, laid low and broke them, according to that Job XXVIII, 26: "When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the sounding storms." Fifth, properly they are chazizim, that is, thundering lightnings and thundering thunders, because they thundered with their mouth, they flashed with their life (which Nazianzenus says of St. Basil), and with divine irradiations they struck, illuminated and inflamed the minds of men. Thus St. James and St. John were called by Christ Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder, that is, lightnings, or thundering and flashing ones, Mark III, 17. AND HE SHALL GIVE THEM RAIN OF SHOWERS. — Others translate: Rain of rain, or shower of showers, that is, abundant rain, copious shower shall he give them. The Septuagint translates: Winter rain shall he give them; for winter rain is both copious and cooling. And from this rain he shall give to each herb in the field, the Chaldean: That he may give them grain to eat, and herb to beasts in the field; the Hebrew: He shall give them to each, that is, to each one, herb in the field. It is an enallage of person; for it passes from the second to the third. To them therefore, that is, to you, namely to each of you, or to individuals: thus Vatablus. Mystically, as if to say, God to all who ask shall give herb, or seeds of salvation in hearts; because he shall inspire in them pious thoughts, affections, impulses, desires, etc., which as seeds shall produce abundance of fruits of good and heroic works.
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2. BECAUSE IDOLS (the word because gives the reason why rain and the fertility of the earth should be sought from God, not from idols, nor from the diviners whom the Jews were accustomed to consult, especially before the Babylonian captivity, says St. Jerome. The reason is), BECAUSE IDOLS HAVE SPOKEN WHAT IS UNPROFITABLE, etc. — that is to say, Idols do not profit, but harm; they bring damage, not utility. For demons, when consulted concerning abundance or scarcity of things, give through them unprofitable answers, indeed false and harmful ones. Whence the Septuagint translates: Because those who spoke have spoken labors and sorrows; the Chaldee: Because the worshippers of idols speak rapine. For the Hebrew און aven signifies unprofitable, vain, iniquity, rapine. For demons, since they burn with envy and zeal for harming men, when consulted are accustomed to persuade rapines and crimes, as if through these men might conciliate their gods to themselves, and obtain from them abundance of fruits, or whatever they request. The same do their ministers and interpreters, namely magicians and diviners. Whence concerning them he adds: "The diviners have seen a lie." The Septuagint: False visions; the Chaldee: The diviners prophesy falsehood and console in vain. Experience teaches those who consult demons through magicians and diviners that they receive vain, indeed most harmful consolation, because for the small good which the demon grants them, he soon brings upon them great disasters and damages, both of soul and body, as Delrio teaches with many examples in his Magics. AND DREAMERS. — Thus he calls diviners who divined from dreams, or sold their own dreams as oracles. Whence the Hebrew versions, Pagninus and Tigurinus word for word thus translate: The diviners have seen a lie, they have spoken vain dreams; the Septuagint: The diviners saw false visions and spoke false dreams; the Chaldee: The false prophet in his prophecy speaks false lies. THEREFORE THEY ARE CARRIED AWAY AS A FLOCK. — Thus the Roman version, that is to say, Because the Jews recently gave credence to idols, diviners and dreamers, therefore they were carried away captive like a flock of sheep into Babylon. THEY SHALL BE AFFLICTED, BECAUSE THERE IS NO SHEPHERD FOR THEM, that is to say, And there they were afflicted and as it were given as prey to wolves, namely the Chaldeans, because they lacked a true shepherd who would protect them, and they followed these diviners and dreamers, who were false shepherds, seeing the wolf and fleeing, and delivering the sheep to him. Whence the Chaldee translates: Therefore they are scattered as sheep are scattered; they are carried away, because there is no king for them. Mystically, that is to say, Therefore the Jews were carried away into various errors and the worship of demons, because they did not have a true shepherd, namely Christ, but false and lying ones, such as were the Scribes and Pharisees in the time of Christ, against whom Christ thunders in Matthew, XXIII. Wherefore:
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3. UPON THE SHEPHERDS MY WRATH IS KINDLED (that is, I will punish these false shepherds, who have destroyed the flock of my people). AND UPON (Vatablus, against) THE GOATS I WILL VISIT. — He says the same thing by another metaphor: for he calls the false shepherds goats, both on account of their foul and goatish manners, and because they would beget to themselves kids like themselves, that is, wicked men by word and example, and would go before them as leaders to every wickedness, just as goats go before she-goats and kids. BECAUSE THE LORD OF HOSTS HATH VISITED HIS FLOCK, THE HOUSE OF JUDA. — The word visited is here taken in a contrary sense. For: "Upon the goats I will visit," is the same as I will punish the goats, that is, the leaders and false shepherds, I will stretch forth my avenging hand upon them, and inflict sharp blows upon their backs. But here: "The Lord hath visited his flock," so that he may protect it, and from it establish leaders who may defend it. Whence follows: AND HE HATH SET THEM AS THE HORSE OF HIS GLORY, — that is, Because these false leaders and shepherds have destroyed my flock, for this reason God will visit it, and from it will establish true princes and shepherds, worthy of that rank, namely Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, who as noble horses of God, may go forth to wars for the people, and may overthrow his enemies, namely Antiochus and his commanders. Thus St. Jerome, Theodoret, Remigius, Hugh and others. You will say: Judas and the Maccabees were descended from the tribe of Levi, not Juda: for they were priests and pontiffs, who all descend from Levi, as is evident from I Maccabees II, 1. Some answer that they descended from Levi on the paternal side, but from Juda on the maternal side. But I say that Juda is here and elsewhere called the whole nation of the Jews, as it is distinguished from Israel and the ten tribes, which made a schism from Juda. But this nation was mixed from the tribe of Juda, Levi, Benjamin and others, but was called Juda from the principal part, especially because the scepter was promised and given to Juda even unto Christ by the patriarch Jacob, Genesis XLIX, 10. The Maccabees therefore, descended from Levi, are said to come forth from Juda, that is, from the Jewish nation, not however from the tribe of Juda. Mystically, the Jews and our Maccabees are Christ and the Apostles, who, sprung from the stock of the Jews, as noble horses joined battle with kings, princes, philosophers, and the whole infidel world, and trampled it down, and subjected it to themselves and to Christ: thus Remigius, Haymo and Lyran. Whence also the Chaldean translator renders it: From him his king: from him his Christ: from him the strength of his war: from him shall all his rulers be magnified together. Furthermore, "the horse of his glory," that is, glorious, beautiful, comely, illustrious, as the Syrian translator renders it, and prompt and vigorous in war, as the Arabic translator renders it, is a hieroglyphic sign of the apostle and apostolic man, who as a horse everywhere carries Christ the rider, as a knight trampling down infidelity and vices, subjugating kings and princes, courageously, so that he is wearied by no labors, yields to no dangers, terrors, enemies, difficulties, but generously leaps over and subjugates all things, according to that which Job says of the war horse, chapter XXXIX, 20: "The glory of his nostrils is terrible. He diggeth up the earth with his hoof, he exulteth boldly, he goeth forward to meet armed men: he mocketh at fear, nor yieldeth to the sword," etc. Such was Bucephalus of Alexander the Great, whom he himself used in battles, and conquered by, of which Pliny in book VIII, chapter XLI: "To the same Alexander," he says, "there also happened a great rarity of a horse. They called him Bucephalus, either from his fierce appearance, or from a remarkable impression of a bull's head on his shoulder. They say he was bought for sixteen talents from the herd of Philonicus of Pharsalus. No one else but Alexander, equipped with royal ornament, did this horse receive into his seat, rejecting others everywhere. The same is reported to have been of memorable service in battles, wounded in the siege of Thebes, he did not allow Alexander to mount another, and many other things of this kind, on account of which the king, when he died, held his funeral, and surrounded the tomb with a city named after him," namely which he called Bucephalia from Bucephalus. Moreover St. Gregory, in book XXXI of the Morals, cap. XI and following, explaining the words of Job, says: "A horse is a preacher who has fortitude, because he constantly bears adversities. He has a neigh, because calling to heavenly things he allures: the Lord ministers to his horse both the fortitude of action with the neigh of voice, and the fortitude of action with the neigh of voice. He digs the earth with his hoof, that is, whatever earthly thing he perceives turning in his mind, this indeed he breaks with the hard blows of superimposed penance." He adds that such a horse was St. Paul for the glory of God, and continues: "God's horse exults boldly, and does not fear external torments, because he seeks internal delight: he does not dread the wrath of the powers of the world, because he tramples under foot even the desire of this present life through the excess of mind. He goes forth to meet the armed. It is pleasant to behold him excited by the spurs of his rider against armed enemies, how great a fervor would kindle Paul, when at Ephesus the flame of zeal seized him to burst into the theatre crowds, Acts XIX, and Acts XXI: I am ready, he says, not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. He despises fear, nor does he yield to the sword." For he says in Rom. VIII: "Who shall separate us from the charity of God? Tribulation, or distress, or famine, or persecution?" Thus much and more St. Gregory. What are we to this? Horses, not Trojan, but of Sejanus, nay rather from horses sluggish, slow-moving and of wretched lot asses. The horse of Sejanus is said to have destroyed his heroes and riders, Sejus, then Dolabella, then Cassius, finally Antonius; thus we often lose rather than propagate the kingdom of Christ. See what I have said concerning the white horse and its rider Christ in Apocalypse VI, 2. FROM HIM (namely from Judah) SHALL COME FORTH AN ANGLE. — Thus it should be read with the Hebrew, Chaldean and Romans; therefore it is read wrongly in some Bibles as an angel. Moreover an angle is called metaphorically a prince, who holds the commonwealth, binds it, looks after it and strengthens it, just as an angle holds both walls in a house. Thus St. Jerome. See the sayings of Isaiah XIX, 13. Again an angle is called metonymically a tower, which is accustomed to be erected in the angles of walls for the protection of a house, fortress, or city, according to that of Zephaniah I, 13: "A day of trumpet and clamor over the fortified cities, and over the high angles." A tower moreover denotes princes, concerning which in Canticles IV: "A thousand shields hang from it." Literally this angle, that is a prince coming forth from Judah, was Judas Maccabaeus, allegorically Christ and the Apostles. For Christ is the corner stone of the house of God, that is of the Church, who holds both walls, that is the Jews and the Gentiles, and upon whom as upon a foundation the whole fabric of the Church rests and is supported, as the Apostle teaches in Ephesians II, at the end of the chapter.
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4. FROM HIM A PEG. — He says the same thing by another metaphor. For a prince in a commonwealth is what a corner is in a building, and what a peg is in a wall, from which any arms and vessels whatsoever hang suspended; thus from a prince all the people hang, are ruled and sustained. Thus Eliacim is called a peg, Isaiah XXII, 23. Thus from the Maccabees the Jewish people hung, from Christ and the Apostles the Christian people. FROM HIM THE BOW OF BATTLE. — This is the third metaphor here. For just as he called the prince a corner and a peg a little before, so here he calls him the bow of battle, which namely fights strongly for the people, and prostrates its enemies with his bow and that of his men, as Judas Maccabeus did literally; mystically Christ and the Apostles. But St. Jerome distinguishes these three thus: "From him a corner," that is from Judah and the Jews, he says, royal power will go forth; for they had David, Solomon and their successors as kings: "From him a peg," that is the priesthood: "From him the bow of battle," that is military strength, namely strong soldiers and commanders. For these three things, namely kingdom, priesthood and military force, are the strength, firmament, honor and glory of any commonwealth, equally as of the Church. FROM HIM SHALL GO FORTH EVERY EXACTOR. — The Septuagint: driver away; the Chaldean: governor; Pagninus: prefect, who namely exacts both taxes and rights and services from subjects, or from enemies subdued to the prince of the commonwealth, or owed to God, such as religion, worship of God, observance of laws. Such were the Maccabees, but especially Christ and the Apostles. For an exactor properly is a victor, and thence a prince, who imposes laws, burdens and tributes on the conquered and subdued, which properly befits Judas Maccabeus, and more Christ. Morally, let princes, magistrates and prelates learn here that they ought to prove themselves in the commonwealth, college or congregation over which they preside, first, as a corner proves itself in a house, namely that they support it, bind it together, unite it; secondly, as a peg proves itself in a wall, so that in its manner firm and unmoved they strengthen and sustain others, so that the highest, middle and lowest hang from them; thirdly, as a bow proves itself in battle, so that, just as it drives away and prostrates enemies, so they defend and protect the commonwealth, and drive away and repel all enemies from it; fourthly, as an exactor proves himself in a toll-house or debt, namely that they constantly urge discipline and the keeping of laws, both divine and human, and if it has collapsed, restore and renew it, even if the hatred of many must be endured, and the levity of the crowd must often be resisted. Thus that word of Isaiah LVIII, 12 will be fulfilled in them: "And the deserts of ages shall be built in thee, thou shalt raise up the foundations of generation and generation, and thou shalt be called the repairer of the fences, turning thy paths into rest." Wisely Cicero, book I of the Offices: "Altogether," he says, "those who preside over the commonwealth should hold two precepts of Plato: one, that they protect the advantage of the citizens so that whatever they do, they refer it to that, forgetting their own benefits; the other, that they care for the whole body of the commonwealth, lest while protecting some part, they abandon the rest. For just as guardianship, so the administration of the commonwealth ought to be conducted for the advantage of those who are entrusted to it, not for those to whom it is entrusted." And with some things interjected: "It is the proper duty of a magistrate to understand that he bears the person of the city, and ought to sustain its dignity and honor, preserve laws, describe rights, and remember that these are committed to his faith." The same, book III of the Laws: "A magistrate," he says, "is a law speaking," just as conversely a law is a magistrate silent and mute. "As the whole city is usually infected by the desires and vices of princes, so it is corrected and amended by continence." Thucydides, book VI: "A magistrate," he says, "is a physician of the city;" with what art, care, sincerity and fortitude therefore a physician cures a sick man, for example a frenzied and unwilling one, with the same a magistrate should cure the city. Agesilaus, as Plutarch testifies in the Laconian, said that the duty of a magistrate was "to use boldness toward the rebellious, benevolence toward the subject;" just as Virgil in the sixth Aeneid said that the parts of a prince are: To spare the subjected, and to subdue the proud. Agathon used to say that a magistrate ought to remember three things: first, that he commands men; secondly, that he commands according to laws; thirdly, that he does not always command: thus Stobaeus, sermon 43. Plato, book IV of the Laws, thinks that a magistrate should be deferred to not by those who excel in wealth, strength, beauty, nobility, but especially by those who obey the laws, and by this matter excel others in the state. Cato, seeking the censorship, when he saw his competitors as suppliants to the people, and grasping him after the custom, exclaimed to the people that they needed a stern physician and strong remedies, and therefore they should choose not one who would be most flattering, but one who would be inexorable, and saying these things, he was created censor before all others. The people recognized their disease; and by this Cato prevailed more by rebuking than others by flattering, says Plutarch in the Roman Apophthegms. For just as our bodies cannot stand without mind, so a state cannot stand without laws. Solon, being asked how a state could be well governed, replied: If the prince and the greater men live according to law, says Valerius, book III, chapter IX. Again, if citizens obey the magistrate, and the magistrate obeys the laws, as Stobaeus reports, discourse 41. Heraclitus said that citizens ought no less to fight for laws than for walls; because without laws a state cannot in any way be safe, though it can be without walls. Thus Laertius, book IX, chapter 1. Hence that saying of Maro: And laws to men, and walls shall he impart. Pittacus, when Croesus asked him what was the greatest empire, replied: Where laws rule. For where the authority of laws is supreme, there is the least tyranny. Thus Laertius, book I, chapter V. Demosthenes said that laws were the soul of the state: For just as a body lacking a soul falls, so a state administered by no laws collapses of its own accord. Thus Maximus, discourse 68. Cleon said that the condition of a state which, though using inferior men, uses firm laws, was much better than that of one which uses good men indeed, but ineffectual laws. Thus Thucydides, book III. Archidamus, when asked who were the prefects of the city of Sparta, replied: Laws and lawful magistrates; thinking that in a well-constituted republic supreme authority ought to be deferred to laws, the second to magistrates; and therefore they ought to be guardians and avengers of laws, not lords, nor dispensers, that is, squanderers. Louis XII, king of the Gauls, condemned a subprefect of Orléans, whom he had once been familiar with and had often freed from the charge of injustice, saying: "As a private man I contended for a friend, but having obtained the kingdom, the laws must be guarded by me." Thus the Annals of France. Divine St. Bernard, book IV On Consideration, chapter IV, to Pope Eugenius, teaches him what kind of prelates he ought to create or form: "That they be," he says, "upright in judgment, prudent in counsel, discreet in commanding, diligent in arranging, vigorous in acting, etc., who do not esteem gain as a legation, nor seek a gift, but fruit. Who exhibit John to kings, Moses to Egyptians, Phinehas to fornicators, Elijah to idolaters, Elisha to the avaricious, Peter to liars, Christ to merchants. Who do not despise the common people, but teach them; do not flatter the rich, but terrify them; do not burden the poor, but cherish them; do not fear the threats of princes, but despise them; who do not enter with the crowd, nor go out with anger; who do not despoil churches, but correct them. Who do not drain purses, but refresh hearts, and correct crimes; provide for their own reputation, nor envy that of others. Who have the study and practice of prayer, and trust more in prayer than in their own industry or labor concerning all things. Whose entrance is peaceful, whose exit not troublesome. Whose speech is edification, whose life is justice, whose presence is grace, whose memory is in blessing. Who show themselves lovable not in word, but in deed; show themselves worthy of reverence, but by action, not by pomp. Who are humble with the humble, and innocent with the innocent, who rebuke the hard harshly, restrain the malignant, render retribution to the proud. Who do not hasten to enrich themselves or their own from the dowry of the widow and the patrimony of the crucified, giving freely what they freely received, freely making judgment for those suffering injury, vengeance upon nations, rebukes upon peoples." And chapter VII, he concludes the book thus: "Where malice is joined with power, something must be presumed by you over man. Let thy countenance be upon those who do evil. Let him fear the spirit of thy wrath, who fears not man, dreads not the sword. Let him fear prayer, who has despised admonition. Whom thou art angry with, let him think God is angry with him, not man. Who has not heard thee, will hear God, and let him fear against himself." And a little before he thus depicts the idea of a perfect Pontiff: "For the rest, you ought to consider yourself the form of justice, the mirror of holiness, the example of piety, the defender of truth, the protector of faith, the teacher of the gentiles, the leader of Christians, the friend of the Bridegroom, the bridesman of the Bride, the ordainer of the clergy, the shepherd of peoples, the teacher of the unwise, the refuge of the oppressed, the advocate of the poor, the hope of the wretched, the guardian of orphans, the judge of widows, the eye of the blind, the tongue of the dumb, the staff of the aged, the avenger of crimes, the fear of the wicked, the glory of the good, the rod of the mighty, the hammer of tyrants, the father of kings, the moderator of laws, the dispenser of canons, the salt of the earth, the light of the world, the priest of the Most High, the vicar of Christ, the Christ of the Lord, finally the God of Pharaoh."
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5. AND THEY SHALL BE AS MIGHTY MEN TREADING DOWN THE MUD (that is, enemies like mud) OF THE WAYS IN BATTLE. (For mighty men, in Hebrew it is גבורים gibborim, that is, prevailing, all-powerful, heroes, giants, Gabriels. Literally it denotes the Maccabees, who by their strength trampled down the enemies of Israel like mud) BECAUSE THE LORD IS WITH THEM. — Thus in the books of the Maccabees we read that Judas Maccabeus never entered into battle (except the last, in which it is not recorded that he prayed; wherefore also he fell) unless he first invoked the aid of God, which God also granted to him; wherefore he sent to him the Prophet Jeremiah from limbo, who would give him a sword, and would say: "Take this holy sword, a gift from God, by which thou shalt strike down the adversaries of my people Israel," II Maccabees XV, 13. Hence also Judas Maccabeus, that is, Maccabeus, was named from the initial letters of the eleventh verse of Exodus chapter XV: מי כמוך mi camocha baelim Jehova, that is, who is like thee among the mighty, O Lord? Which as it were a token of war and an omen of victory he bore on his standards and insignia, as I said in Exodus XV; whence it follows: AND THE RIDERS OF HORSES SHALL BE CONFOUNDED, — namely the leaders and soldiers of Antiochus, who excelled and gloried in cavalry, while the Maccabees fought as foot soldiers, as also David and the other pious kings of the Jews, according to the law of Deuteronomy XVII, 16, as I said there. Whence the more inferior their lot and condition was, in that foot soldiers fought against horsemen, so much more noble was their victory obtained over them by the aid of God, so much more glorious their triumph. Hence the Chaldean renders: And the mighty men of the house of Israel shall thresh the slain of the peoples, like the mud of the ways in war, and shall join battle; because the word of the Lord shall be in their aid. Mystically these things are more truly fulfilled in the spiritual battle, by which Christ and the Apostles conquered the world and tartarus. AND I WILL STRENGTHEN THE HOUSE OF JUDA, AND I WILL SAVE THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH. — The house of Juda are two tribes; the house of Joseph the ten remaining, whose head was the tribe of Ephraim, son of Joseph, from whom also Jeroboam was descended, as well as the other kings of Israel. Moreover many of the ten tribes partly already before joined themselves to the Jews, partly afterwards when they saw or heard of the victories and trophies of the Maccabees, joined themselves to them, that under their leadership and protection they might live safe and happy. Thus St. Jerome. Mystically, this was more truly fulfilled in the conversion both of Israelites and of Jews to Christ, which was begun by the Apostles, but shall be perfected by Elias and Enoch at the end of the world: for then all Israel shall be saved. Thus Remigius, Lyra and Arias. For I will strengthen, in Hebrew it is גברתי ghibbarti, that is, I will make them manly, strong, robust, and as it were Gabriels. For from גבר gabar, that is, a strong man, was derived the name Gabriel, that is, strong or the strength of God. AND I WILL CONVERT THEM, — so that from the places in which they were scattered by captivity, they may return to their ancestral seats in Judea. Whence the Septuagint renders: And I will cause them to dwell; the Chaldean: I will gather their captivity; more fully the Zurich Bible: And I will place them returned; and Vatablus: And I will cause them converted to dwell. For the Hebrew הושבתים hoscebotim is of mixed conjugation, as it were compounded from השיב hescib, that is, he caused to be converted or returned; and from הושיב hoscib, that is, he caused to dwell, he placed. THEY SHALL BE AS THEY WERE, WHEN I HAD NOT CAST THEM OFF, — that is, They shall be as they were before the captivity, both the Babylonian and the Assyrian. Hence it is clear that the Prophet speaks literally of the Jews, Israelites and Maccabees. The same is evident from the names of the house of Juda, the house of Joseph, Ephraim, etc.
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7. THEY SHALL BE AS MIGHTY MEN (in Hebrew gibborim, of which I spoke in verse 5) OF EPHRAIM, that is, They shall be as heroes of Ephraim, fighting mightily the battles of the Lord. For the tribe of Ephraim among the ten tribes was the mightiest; whence also it gave continuous kings to the other tribes. Hence that passage in Psalm LXXVII, 9: "The children of Ephrem bending and shooting with the bow, turned back in the day of battle." THEIR HEART SHALL REJOICE AS WITH WINE, — that is, From continual victories they shall exult as those exult who having drunk strong wine become merry, or, that is, In battles they shall be bold, unafraid, and as it were lions breathing fire, just as if they were filled with generous wine and burned with the hottest spirits; as now the Cossacks, the Irish, the Dutch, and other nations fill themselves with burnt wine before battle, so that burning with the hottest spirits they may be bold, and rush unafraid upon swords and blades. AND THEIR CHILDREN, — that is, Their sons, grandsons and descendants shall see and hear the trophies of their fathers and grandfathers, and from this shall exult in the Lord, and shall be incited to pursue the same things heroically. Thus by the trophies of Miltiades Themistocles, of Achilles Alexander the Great, of Alexander the Great Julius Caesar, of Cyrus Scipio, were excited to pursue the same things through heroic deeds, as Plutarch relates in their Lives.
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8. I WILL HISS AT THEM, AND I WILL GATHER THEM TOGETHER. — As if by a hiss I will gather and call them together, just as sheep in Jerusalem, as it were a Synagogue; and in the time of Christ into the Church, in which the hiss will be evangelical preaching, says Vatablus. It is a catachresis: for a hiss is put in place of a convocation, because this is done in sheep by the shepherd with a hiss. It is a hendiadys, for one thing is said through two: "I will hiss and I will gather," that is, as if by hissing I will gather. In a similar manner Isaiah says, chapter VII, 18: "The Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria." See the things said there.
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9. (1) FROM AFAR THEY SHALL REMEMBER ME, — as if to say, The Jews and Israelites dwelling in remote places, where they heard of the law of God, the worship and the Synagogue restored in Judea by the Maccabees, shall remember me, so that they may invoke and worship me after the manner of their fathers, and therefore, strong and rejoicing with their children, they shall return to Jerusalem.
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10. AND I WILL BRING THEM BACK FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT AND FROM THE ASSYRIANS. — He alludes to the Assyrian and Babylonian captivity, fleeing from which many of Israel, as was customary, fled into Egypt, as is evident from Jeremiah XLIV, as if to say, I will release them from all their captivity in exile and dispersion, and I will cause them to return safe and free to their homeland, and to me and my temple and Church. Thus St. Jerome, Albert and Hugh. To this pertains what Josephus in book XI of the Antiquities, chapter II, writes, that Ptolemy Philadelphus, who succeeded Ptolemy Lagi in the kingdom of Egypt after Alexander the Great, released one hundred twenty thousand Jews from Egypt with liberty and sent them back to Judea, and by this beneficence obtained from Eleazar the high priest seventy-two Interpreters, who would transfer the Holy Scripture from the Hebrew into the Greek language. TO THE LAND OF GALAAD AND LEBANON I WILL BRING THEM, — namely into Judea, whose boundaries are Lebanon and Galaad. Mystically, into the Church of Christ which is fertile, beautiful and pleasant, as Galaad, Lebanon, and all the land once promised to the Jews. Whence follows: "And there shall not be found for them a place," namely, sufficient, as if to say, There will be a very great multitude of the faithful, both of Jews under the Maccabees, and more especially of Christians under Christ and the Apostles, so much so that temples and Churches cannot contain them; secondly, according to Sanchez, as if to say, there shall not be found for them a place, that is, they themselves shall not be found in their former place, namely in Egypt and Assyria, because they will return to Jerusalem. Whence the Septuagint translates: None of them shall be left; so that it is a hypallage. Anagogically, as if to say, The place of the faithful after death, and after the day of judgment shall not be found any longer on earth, because they themselves shall be transferred from earth into heaven.
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11. AND HE SHALL PASS THROUGH THE SEA STRAIT. — Various men explain this variously. First, the Jews expect these things literally, as if portents were to be made and done by their Messiah, as they were done by Moses in the Red Sea. But because this chapter deals literally with the Maccabees and their portentous victories, hence secondly, what the ancient Hebrews hand down according to St. Jerome and Remigius and Hugo is more suited to this place, namely that Jews once fleeing into Greece, in the time of the Maccabees, crossed through the narrow strait of the Propontis, which separates Chalcedon from Constantinople, so that they might return to Judea. But nowhere do we read that this strait was struck and dried up by God, so that the Jews might cross with dry feet. Thirdly, others think that Alexander the Great is noted here, who with his army crossed the sea of Pamphylia with dry feet, going against Darius and the Persians, as Josephus testifies in book II of the Antiquities, last chapter. But this seems fabulous to learned men; and Josephus, although he relates it from others, does not however approve it. Add, what does this have to do with the Jews and the Maccabees? I say therefore that there is here a continuous metaphor or allegory, by which under the figure of the miraculous passage of the Hebrews through the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses, and through the Jordan under the leadership of Joshua into the promised land, he describes a similar passage of the Jews dispersed throughout the whole world through seas and nations, not miraculous but wonderful, and a happy return to Judea, when they shall have heard of its happiness and the victories won by the Maccabees, as if to say: I will make it so that for the Jews returning to Jerusalem all ways, seas and rivers are passable; I will remove all obstacles and hindrances, and so if need be, I will dry up the sea and rivers, as I dried them under Moses, when he himself struck the Red Sea with his rod, and under Joshua, when I confounded, divided and dried up the depths of the river Jordan; indeed I will also humble the pride and power of the Assyrians, Egyptians, and other hostile nations, and I will make it so that they cannot hold back or hinder my people from this return of theirs to Judea. He names the Egyptians and Assyrians before others, because these once frequently and vehemently afflicted the Israelites and held them in captivity. Thus Theodoret. Mystically, this is more truly in the Apostles and their followers, to whom God opened a way through lands, seas and rivers, so that all nations might approach and be gathered into the Church, according to that of Isaiah XI, 15: "And the Lord dried up the tongue of the sea of Egypt, and lifted up his hand over the river in the strength of his spirit: and he shall strike it into seven streams, so that men may cross over it shod:" as happened to Augustus Caesar invading Egypt, and opening a way through his monarchy into Egypt and into all nations for the Apostles, as I said there. Thus St. Jerome, Cyril, Clarius, Arias, Vatablus and others. Where note: In the Scriptures the enemies of the Church of God are called Egyptians, Assyrians, Chaldeans: because these were enemies of Israel and the Synagogue, which was as it were the dawn and mother of the Church. ALL THE DEPTHS OF THE RIVER SHALL BE CONFOUNDED. — "Of the river," that is of the rivers, but he says "of the river" because he alludes to the Jordan dried up by Joshua. You will say: What is the meaning of "shall be confounded"? Some answer, they shall be confounded, that is mixed together, as the waters of the Jordan divided by Joshua, held back, and forced into one place, swelling up, confounded, that is mixed and rolled together. But the Hebrew בוש bos does not signify to mix together, but to confound, that is to put to shame. I say therefore that rivers are said metaphorically to be confounded and put to shame, when they are deprived of their bed, as it were their right and inheritance, against nature, and are driven out from it by force. For if they had sense and blood, surely on account of this force and as it were ignominy, which they unwillingly undergo, they would be put to shame and blush, because they ought to exceed their place violently, and yield it to men, namely the Hebrews. Thus an angry man is confounded, when he cannot vent his anger, while it is repressed and broken by some more powerful one. To confound therefore the depths of the river is the same as to dry it up. Whence for "shall be confounded," Pagninus and the Zurich Bible translate "shall be dried up," and thus it is now to the letter in the Hebrew. For הובישו hobiscu is properly derived from יבש iabese, that is to dry; our translator derived it from בוש bos, that is to be confounded, to be put to shame; wherefore he seems to have read it with another pointing הובישו hebiscu, although the orders of imperfect verbs among the Hebrews are often confused, and verbs quiescent in aleph-vav borrow their tenses from those quiescent in pe-yodh, such as bos from iabas, and thus hobiscu is put for hebiscu. In a similar way Joel said in chapter I, 10: "The wine is confounded," and verse 12: "The vineyard is confounded," that is it is dried up, it languishes, it vanishes. See what is said there. Now the sense of this place is that which I assigned in the preceding paragraph.
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12. I WILL STRENGTHEN THEM IN THE LORD (in me, who am the Lord. It is an enallage, for God speaks of himself in the third person) AND IN HIS NAME (that is in his virtue, power and invocation) THEY SHALL WALK, — and the Jews shall go forth strenuously and cheerfully to Jerusalem, the faithful into the Church militant on earth, and from it into the Church triumphant in heaven.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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v. 2 « quia simulacra locuta sunt inutile et. divini viderunt mendacium et somniatores locuti sunt frustra ; vane consolabantur ; idcirco abducti sunt quasi grex, affligentur, qu:a non est eis pastor » ; — brevi : omnis miseria, qua olim pressi sunt et cuius reliquiis et sequelis etiamtum affliguntur, ex idololatria et superstitione originem duxit; una salus est in solo Domino. Hebr. teraphim, idola ad oracula danda adhibita, tamquam lares et penates, ut aliis placet ; cf. Os. 3, 4 ; dévinatores vel arioli, proprie (ut videtur ex Ez. 21, 26) sortilegi, falsa vaticinati sunt ; som- Q^iorum conieclores vana, inania loquebantur ; eorum consolatio futilis erat, re et effectu tamquam vana deprehendebatur. Ea superstitionis genera et olim populum e sedibus suis eiecerunt et praesentem miseriam advexerunt; ad ea autem populus delapsus est culpa et negligentia eorum, qui ut principes et doctores populo providere debebant. Haec de malis pastoribus querela et accusatio frequens est apud prophetas ; cf. Is. 56, 11. Ier. 2, 8; 10, 21 ; 23, 41. Ez. 34, 2. Tria superstitionum genera recensentur vel tres ordines hominum enumerantur in textu lat. (et apud LXX ?) et Chald. et itá etiam textus hebr. intelligi debet : et somnia vanum loquebantur, inaniter consolabantur (cf. Nos. Hits. Pressel) ; neque enim vertendum est :um Keil «| divini loquuntur somnia (raudis, vane consolabantur ; id enim collocauone verborum prohibetur, aeque tot addi attributa ad unum substantivum, satis est concinnum, praesertim cum ad teraphim unum tantum adiiciatur. Accedit, quod de divinatoribus potius verbum 1890 vel 13a exspectares, ut Hitz. monet. Textum graecum «à évórvia eub? àAdAouv Theod. interpretatur de somniorum coniectoribus , ad explicandum versum enim affert cox WAvtet, toU; dotspou fvrtt;, Tou; ÓvtxponüAow , S. Cyr. quidem dicit — arioli etiam somnia falsa loquebantur — at mox ipse quoque tres ordines enumerat et monet, ne dvozviaotxt, attendatur. Chald. h. |. recenset cultores idolorum, divinatores, pseudoprophetas. — Ceterum notum est, somnia vatidica etjam in s. literis agnosci (Num. 19, 6. 1 Reg. 98, 6. Dan. 2, 1. loe! 2, 28) eaque in patriarcharum rebus gestis non ultimum occupare locum (cf. Gen. 31, 10; 37, 19, 40, 8, 41, 4 ; 42, 9); quare non mirum, si superstitio quoque fis abutatur, qtu ubique cernere est. Deus malos pastores et duces populi, malorum auctores et fautores, punitos amovebit et sua cura gregi impensa populum reddet gloriosum :
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v. 9 « Super pastores 1ratus est furor meus et super hircos visitabo ; quia visitavit Domus exercituum gregem suum, domum fudo , et! posuitcos quasi equum | gloriae suae in. bello » ; — quia Deus teneram habuit semperque habet curam populi su1 in malos pastores animadvertit, qui gregem negligunt eumque ab oppressoribus vexari sinunt; hirci suut qui, ut Ez. 354, 21 rem illusvat. lateribus et humeris impingunt, corhibus venulanv omnia infirma pecora; quales sint pastores, vide ibidem 34, 4-5 Cum emphas) adhibetur visitare sensu duplici. Equi pulchri, egregie instrucu et ornat, fortis velocis, intrepid! (cf. Iob 39, 19-23) comparatione praeclare illustratur populi conditio tlorens ei gloriosa. Quod v. 3 in universum dictum est de gloria et fortitudine, per singula in subsequentibus declaratur. Et primo quidem ostenditur, quam firmiter status theocratiae in se futurus sit interna sua constitutione :
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v. 4 «ez ipso angulus, ez ipso paxillus, ez ipso arcus proelii, ex $pso egredietur omnis exactor simul » ; — aderit scil. firmus lapis angularis, cui aedificium securo innititur; aderit paxillus, qui ad tabernaculum erigendum et firmandum requiritur ; aderit bellica fortitudo et peritia et aderit qui hostes fortiter reprimet ab iisque tributa et vectigalia exiget, neque unquam tali düce destituentur. Prior pars ea effert, quae ad aedificium et tabernaculum firmiter stabiliendum necessaria sunt. Unde munera ea designantur, quae rempublicam vel theocratiam in se firmam reddunt atque fulciunt; ergo potestas capitis vel ducis et quod aliqui addunt (etiam Ephr. Barh.) sacerdotii dignitas. Et cum ex 9, 13 seq. incursus hostiles instent, etiam bellici apparatus mentio fit et in exactore omni (scil. ubicumque requirit necessitas) gloriosi certaminum exitus pignus asseritur. Interpretaberis ex ipso (cum plerisque) ex Iuda, ex populo, de quo scil. v. 3 sermo fuit (ita S. Ephr. Cyr. Theod. Theod. M. Sanct. Rib. Lap. Sa, Men. Tir. Calm. Patrit. Trochon), non ex Domino (cum Schegg, Reinke, Pressel), nam de homine dici nequit : e Domino egreditur; id unice dici potest de eo, cuius egressus est a diebus aeternitatis (Mich. 5, 2). Ita firmiter instructa theocratia fortiter ac feliciter bella gerent
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v. 9 « et erunt quasi fortes conculcantes lutum viarum in proelio et bellabunt, quia Dominus cum eis et. confundentur ascensores equorum »; — comparationis particula videtur subintelligenda : hostes conculcabunt sicut lutum ; cf. Ps. 17, 43 « ut lutum platearum delebo eos » et Mich. "l, 10 « nunc erit in conculcationem ut lutum platearum »; ita Chald. quoque locum nostrum explanat : fortes domus Iuda conculcabunt interfectos populorum sicut lutum viarum. Alii volunt dici : fortiter et alacriter incedent; sed quorsum dein conculcare lutum? et loci allati aliam explicationem omnino suadent. Bella diuturniora fore indicatur eo quod conculeatis hostibus addatur adhuc e£ bellabunt ; hostes tamquam equites, ergo veloces et ad vastandum et impetus faciendos apti et instructi designantur. Vix errabimus, si propter 9, 43 cum S. Ephraem potissimum de iis cogitamus ex tertio regno quod vidit Daniel. Simul cum Iuda etiam li qui ex aliis tribubus adsunt, gloriae, victoriae, salutis erunt participes :
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V. 6 « et confortabo domum Iuda et domum Ioseph salvabo et convertam eos, quia miserebor eorum ; et erunt sicut fuerunt, quando non proieceram eos; ego enim Dominus Deus eorum et exaudiam eos » ; — qui ex reliquis tribubus erant, de domo Ephraim vel de domo Ioseph, patris Ephraim et Manasse, esse dicuntur, sicut saepe regnum israeliticum eodem nomine quasi a parte potiore appellabatur. Hebr. potius verte cum LXX et habitare eos faciam ' i. e. salute et victoria concessa tuto habitabunt et prospere agent ; et erunt quasi non proiecerim illos ? i. e. nova instauratio suis bonis oblivionem veteris poenae et calamitatis inducet (cf. Os. 2, 19-24. Is. 43, 18. 19). "ota domus Israel et Iuda, uti erit fortitudinis eiusdem ac victoriae ! diceps, ita eiusdem triumphi et laetitiae : v. '1 « et erunt quasi fortes laetabuntur et exsultabit cor eorum in. Domino » ; — « Ephraim in itum venient gaudii, ut eos vino madidos arbitreris; filii quoque eom cernent patrum triumphos et in Domino laetabuntur, quo praebente » .ctoriam consecuti sunt » (S. Hier.). De quonam tempore hoc vaticinium a v. 3 et deinceps sit explicandum vel quosnam eventus sermo propheticus immediate attingat, controvertitur. Sunt qui tempus messianicum immediate spectari et directe asserant; ita Rib. Sa, Est. Schegg, Trochon ; alii illam periodum attingi volunt typice vel ut S. Cyr. loquitur, secundum spiritualem theoriam vel mystice (Sanct. Lap.). Plerique tamen de tempore Machabaeorum ea omnia dici et intelligi debere censent; ita Alb. Sanct. Lap. Men. Tir. Gord. Calm. Reinke, Patrit. Eam explicationem etiam a veteribus Iudaeis esse propositam et adoptatam nos docent S. Hier. et S. Cyr. ; at simul a S. ier. discimus, ab aliis Iudaeis haec censeri in adventu Christi esse complenda. Ipse vero S. Hier. de loci obscuritate conquestus, debet nobis, inquit, lector ignoscere, si in his quae ambigua sunt, et nos pendulo incedimus gradu. Refert dein explicationem de Macha— baeis, quam saltem ad v. 6. '1 amplecti videtur, cum scribat : « quaeramus historiam quando Iudas et Israel adversum Graecos pariter dimicarint vel quo tempore Ephraim de captivitate Assyria sit reversus ». Potissimum tamen sequitur explicationem « iuxta tropologiam ». Certe haud pauca sunt, quae in tempus Machabaeorum plane congruunt. Ea diligenter collegit et subtiliter exposuit inter veteres S. Hier. sub Iudaeorum nomine, inter recentiores autem praeprimis Patritius. Ad ea tempora iam refert v. 2; « peccatum enim cuius poenas Iudaei sub primam Hasmonaeorum aetatem dedere ea perpessi quae. in eos re- 1. Forma O'niagn est omnino singularis et anomalos. Placuit aliquibus (etiam Rot.) eam coalescere ex utroque verbo 3*yej et 2vj*, ut artificio quodam vates utatur et dicat: ges Seleucidae impie crudeliterque commisere, illud studium fuit, quo idololatrarum mores ac disciplinas adsciscere ac sequi instituerant 4 Mach. 1, 12-16 ; 2 Mach. 4, '1-11. Haec autem committere ille ipse ausus est qui pontificatum pretio sibi comparaverat 2 Mach. 4, '1. 8. 10. 43 ceteris sacerdotibus administris (ib. 4, 14), quae quidem res aperte declarat illa verba : quia non est eis pastor; super pastores iratus est. fuv meus ». lisdem temporibus impletam cernit laudem bellicam, de qua v. liberam ac plenam abroxpattaw v. &, victorias v. D, salutem ceteram tribuum per Iudaeos asserendam, potentiam ac securitatem v. 6. « Primo enim nota sunt bella a Iuda Machabaeo, ab Ionatha et Simo [udae fra:ribus, a Ioanne Hyrcano Simonis filio, a rege Alexandro Ia naeo gesta. Secundo vel primos ipsos de genere Hasmonaeorum nunqua.u Syriae reges subigere potuerunt, quamquam eorum nonnullos fraude aut dolo sustulerint, eoque res perducta tandem fuit, ut Iudaei illorum ductu iugum excuterent seque in libertatem adsererent 4 Mach. 13, 41. 42 ac plenam aixoxgaxiav adipiscerentur, cuius quattuor praecipuae partes, imperium, inquam, magistratus, res militaris atque aerarium, a Zacharia singillatim enumeratae fuerunt in 9, 4..... Tertio haec omnia Iudaei plurimis triumphis, quos Hasmonaei de Sy: iae regibus deque aliis hostibus gessere, consecuti sunt. Quarto regiones transiordanicae, quae Galaatidis, et cisiordanicae, quae iam Galilaea vocabatur, olim a decem tribubus posessae, per Hasmonaeos primo ab hostium infestationibus liberatae 4 Mach. B, 9 seq., deinde Iudaeae sunt contributae. Quinto ex omnibus Israelitarum tribubus in unam gentem ut ab initio coniunctis regnum Hasmonaeorum est constitutum. Sexto alias urbes regionesque e Philisthaea et Samaria Iudaei obtinuerunt... 4 Mach. 10, 38 coll. 41, 98. 84 ; 10, 89. '16 coll. 15, 28. 38 ; 13, 54 coll. 14, 34 et 45, 28. 35. Septimo, qua felicitate et securitate Iudaei frui coeperint sub Simone Iudae Machabaei fratre, legimus in 4 Mach. 14, 4-15, eamque novis incrementis auctam sub Ioanne Hyrcano Simonis filio et successore subque insecutis regibus horum posteris Iosephus descripsit (Antiq. l. 13) ». Haec non sine magna veritatis specie dicuntur. Sane ita sunt verba prophetae selecta et posita, ut ea latius prosequi et declarare videantur quae iam 9, 13 et seq. tacta sunt. Admonitio illa, ut caveant a superstitione, ut omni tempori congruit, ita a tempore Machabaeorum non est aliena ; et quod Deus animadvertat in pastores, id uti de anteactis temporibus dici potuit, ita tempore quoque Hasmonaeorum veritatem habet et habet potissimum etiam in periodo messianica (cf. 14, 4. 9. 8. 19 seq.). Quae de victoriis et triumphis celebrantur, ita generalia sunt et ampla ' et tam insignis salutis descriptio exhibetur, ut si ea ad sola Machabaeo. rum tempora retuleris, simul fateri cogaris, promissionem re ipsa esse ampliorem ac sublimiorem. Neque tamen eo statim efficitur, omnia $£mmediate et unice esse ad periodum messianicam sensu spirituali transferenda. Potest enim propheta periodum instaurationis ita describere, ut quae historice et inchoatione quadam in parte praeparatoria gerenda sint ea sublimiore modo et impletione ad indolem regni messianici adaptata simul valeant de vera et perfecta instauratione. Simile aliquid v. g. iis in locis habes, in quibus Isaias postquam de duplice liberatione sermonem intulit, mox utramque liberationem uno dicendi describendique genere celebrat (cf. quae notavi ad Is. 42, 43 seq. Erklaerung p. $00 seq., et ad cp. 24 p. 289 seq.). Alia quoque consideratione adhibita res declarari potest. Ex iis enim, quae Ier. 18, 1-10. Ez. 33, 13-16 statuuntur, apparet, vaticinia quae-. dam dari posse absolute quidem et nulla conditione adiecta, at in mode. et ambitu impletionis perquam multum dependere a libero hominum arbitrio. Haec norma fortasse etiam hoc loco adhiberi poterit. Quae si tibi placuerit, dices vatem describere tempus instaurationis eo splendore qui znfeger ac plenus secuturus fuisset, si reduces ex exsilio omni qua decuit pietate ac fidelitate cum pientissimis Dei consiliis fuissent cooperati. Revera autem minus splendida periodus contigit, quae minori ac languidiori populi electi pietati respondebat. Igitur propheta delineavi ea, quae Deus dare voluit ac paratus erat ; quo ambitu et qua perfectione vero ea opere sint complenda, a populi fidelitate et cooperatione dependere voluit (cf. quae dictasunt ad 6, 15. Mich. 4, 3 et ad Is. 2, 41. c. p. 65). In quam rem utilis est ac lucida norma a Lap. statuta : « cum Deus aliquid synagogae vel Ecclesiae promittit, quamvis amplis et universalibus verbis, id tamen de bonis ac probis tantum, qui foedus et amicitiam cum Deo promittente et paciscente servant, intelligendum est » (ad Is. 2, 4). Quid alii censeant et quid ipse sentiam, proposui; seligat prudens rerum ac sententiarum aestimator, quid attenta serie vaticinii atque oraculorum indole perpensa et ratione propheticae praedictionis in universum considerata sibi probabilius videatur. lllud solum memoriae obversari volo, quamvis aliquae praedictiones particulares et. maxime definitae et ad unum eventum singularem conformatae agnosci debeant omnino, in universum tamen modum visionis ac dictionis propheticae non ita arcte ad unam rem particularem designandam adstringi. Quare equidem non ausim affirmare, omnes illos eventus particulares, quos Patritius recenset, ita distincte ac fere per singula esse praedictos. Alius est stilus historiographi, alius et longe alius prophetae. Ceterum verba S. Hier. adscribere denuo placet, ne quis de tam ancipiti ac dubia interpretandi ratione conqueratur ? « debet nobis lector ignoscere, si in his quae ambigua sunt, et nos pendulo incedimus gradu ». Instaurationis pars non minima est exsulum reductio. Quare et propheta promissionibus propositis ad reditum invitat dispersos (cf. 2, 6; 9, 19) et Deum reditum esse effecturum docet
10:8
v. 8 « Sibilabo eis et congregabo illos, quia redemi eos ; et multiplicabo eos, sicut ante fuerant multiplicati » ; — cf. Is. 5, 96; "1, 18; sibilare facilitatem designat, qua Deus efficere potest ut ad levissimum eius nutum quasi ad exiguum sonum et fere insensibilem (Rib.) omnia voluntati ipsius obsequantur. Instaurationem multitudine insignem fore constanter apud prophetas efferri solet (cf. Is. 94, 2. Ier. 32, 22. Ez. 36, 11. Os. 1, 10. Mich. 2, 12 etc.) ; idque iure ; nam ea promissio iam Abraham sollemniter est facta Gen. 13, 16; 15, 5; 1'1, 2 etc. Immo in ipsa inter alios populos commoratione Deus providebit, ut dispersi et numero crescant et Dei cultum ac religionem retineant, donec tandem ad terram suam reducantur :
10:9
v. 9 « et seminabo eos 1n populis et de longe recordabuntur mei et vivent cum filais suis et revertentur » ; — seminare non est dispergere, sed, uti iam Theod. vim comparationis latentis explanat, in magnam multitudinem augeri * fecunditatis benedictione percepta (cf. Calm. Reinke, Schegg, Trochon). Yta inter gentes augescent et in regionibus alienis Domini in Ierusalem habitantis recordabuntur ; e longinqua terra animo et desiderio ferentur in Dei sanctuarium (unde sensu emphatico de longe in vulg.). Hac vero recordatone Dei quam diligenter servant, propheta optime describit munus & divina providentia Iudaeis dispersis impositum, Dei veri cognitionem spargendi inter gentes et evangelicae praedicationi i.e. regno messianico viam parandi. Quo fructu id factum fuerit, ostenditur numero synagogarum et proselytarum ubique terrarum, quando annuntiatio apostolica de regno Messiae ad gentes est perlata. Si Israelitae ita Dominum fideliter inter gentes confessi fuerint, vitam sortientur longaevam, felicem, : laeta prole iucundam i. e. vivent cum filiis suis et demum ad patriam remeabunt (cf. Is. 35, 40). Atque ad talem reditum efficiendum Deus est paratissimus ope sua potentissima oblata :
10:10
v. 10 «ef reducam eos de terra Aegypts& et de Assyriis congregabo eos et ad terram Galaad et Libani adducam eos, 1. Pro notione dispergendi quam voci yy zu unum huno locum communiter citant ; et non invenrutei eis locus » ; — dubium non est, quin tempore Zachariae multi Iudaeorum et Aegyptum incoluerint — frequentissimi enim postea ibi inveniuntur, ita ut ibi versionem graecam s. Scripturae sibi adornarint; et iam urbe capta multi illuc migrarunt; cf. ler. 43, 6 — et etiam ex variis tribubus iis in regionibus sint commorati, in quas jam per Assyrios maiores eorum erant deportati. Multorum reditu regiones Palaestinae etiam transiordanicae (Gilead, Galaad) et septemtrionales (Libani) ita habitatoribus implebuntur, ut ultra terminos olim occupatos sedes sint fixuri, ut propria terra iam non sufficiat, q. d. ut non inveniatur eis locus (cf. Ephr. Theod. Theod. M. Sanct.). Atque re quidem vera multi Iudaeorum tempore Machabaeorum videntur remeasse in patriam (cf. 4 Mach. 14, 7) ; magnum enim cernitur eo tempore populi augmentum, et inter alia Galaad et Baesn postmodum in bello iudaico incolis hebraeis completa erant, Galilaea autem teste Iosepho numerabat 204 urbes et, vicos (losephus, de bello iud. 9, 3. 3; 4, 1. 1-10; 71. 3-6; Patrit.). Adde quod Iudaei ex omni orbis terrarum parte pietatis causa ad festa celebranda in urbem convenire solebant (cf. Act. 2, 5-11). Deus autem ut populum suum ad instaurationem theocratiae congreget, ubi opus fuerit, paratus est mirabilia quibus olim populum e servitute aegyptiaca vindicavit et in suam hereditatem introduxit, superatis impedimentis omnibus renovare :
10:11
v. 14 «et transibit in. maris freto et percutiet 4n mari fluctus et confundentur omnia, profunda ftu- Tminis et humiliabitur superbia Assur. et sceptrum Aegypti recedet ;
10:12
v. 19 confortabo eos in. Domino et $n nomine eius ambulabunt, dicit Dominus » ; — in aperto est allusio ad Ex. 14, 21; 15, 8. Ios. 3, 13. 16 ; atque uti olim virga Aegypti et oppressio eius recessit ab Israel et confracta est (cf. Is. 10, 24), ita quaecumque regna nunc vel septemtrionem versus vel ad meridiem Dei populum servitute constringere voluerint et a Domini religione abstrahere, adigentur, ut libertatem eis concedant; cultores vero Dei, Iudaei, confortati a Domino et eius nominis gloria et protectione securi et ornati vitae suae rationem ex Dei cultu instituent q. d. ambulare in nomine eius. idque explicavit per maris fretum ; refert ad hane versionem, Hebraeos narrare captivum populum etiam in Bosphorum et septemtrionalem plagam esse translstum et postea eos ex parte revocatos ; quare hoc loco commemorari Propontidis angustias, quae Chalcedonem et quondam Byzantium brevi freto dividant. Unde satis ratio eius versionis perspicitur. — Alii vocem additam per modum exclamationis concipiunt : per mare, o angustiam! sed quam inepte! cum populus mare transiens minime angustiis premeretur ; alii demum ad tantas angustias sunt redacti, ut ad cbaldaicum N? secat, findit recurrerint et verterint : transibit per mare quod findit vel dividit. De explicandi ratione et varietate similia in hac parte notanda sunt sicut supra ad v. 9-7. Qui de Machabaeorum tempore ea explicant, ea cernunt impleta in reditu multorum ludaeorum ex regionibus aegyptiaca et assyriaca ; quae v. 11 dicuntur, exempli causa et ad consolationem afferri dicunt (cf. Sanct. Lap. Men. Reinke) ; aliis in mari et fluminibus vel gentes inimicas vel varia pericula designari placet (cf. S. Ephr. Theod. Theod. M.). Singulari ratione v. 11 explicat Patritius ; censet enim « neminem non sentire describi Hellesponti traiectum, quo Romani ducibus Scipionibus Syriae regi Antiocho Magno bellum primo intulerunt. Contra Aegyptum autem mari item iverunt nobilique navali proelio ad Actium Antonio et Cleopatra profligatis, anno insequente iterum mari transmisso Octavius Caesar Aegypto potitus est * eamque in provinciae formulam redegit. Aegyptiaci quoque regni casus praedicitur una eum casu regni Seleucidarum, quia etsi plura et graviora ab his, non levia tamen ab illis quoque mala Iudaeis post aetatem Alexandri illata fuerunt ». Calm. priorem versus partem in universum et sub conditione dictam accipit : «si traiiciendum sit Israeli mare patriam repetenti, maris fluctus sedabit Deus iisque transeuntibus quietos continebit; si tranandi sint amnes, illos Deus arefaciet (cf. Is. 11, 15) » ; alteram vero partem historice ac definite interpretatur de Syriae (quod Assur h. 1. vocetur) regno post Antiochum Epiphanem prostrato ; « Áegyti regno in Ptolemaeos translato Aegyptii indigenae patrio imperio eiecti fuere ; iidemque illi Aegyptiorum reges qui Iudaeos e captivitate reversos ,frequenter vexaverant, auctoritate quam in ludaeos exercuerant a Syriae regibus exuti nunquam post aetatem Machabaeorum recuperavere ». Qui omnia immediate ad tempora messianica transferunt, in hac parte cernunt promissionem divinam, Israelitas in exsilio positos non interituros, sed denique magnis miraculis iri reductum ; prophetam vero specialem facere mentionem Aegypti et Assur, quia cum Cyri decretum de his regionibus non valeret, Iudaeis nondum integrum fuerit e provincia Ássur et ex Aegypto reverti in patriam (Schegg) ; vel etiam magis generaliter de piis et electis ea dici sentiunt : « faciet Deus mirabilia portenta, ut eos liberet a captivitate diaboli et in terram viventium perducat » (Rib.), et per Assyrios et Aegyptios omnes regni Dei hostes intelligun visibiles atque invisibiles (cf S. Hier. S. Cyr. Rib. $a). Propter ea, quae ep. 41 sequuntur, ego in eam inclipo sententiam quam Caím. innuit, contineri promissa Dei sub. conditione quadam implenda : Deum ez se paratum esse exsules dummodo velint obsequi, ad theocratiae instaurationem magnis etiam potentiae suae manifestationibus reducere; reducibus promitti statum felicem, dummodo in nomtne Dei ambulent. Aliquatenus reditum illum post Zachariam esse effectum, cum multi Iudaeorum in patriam sint reversi ; prophetam loqui de theocratiae instauratione in universum, ad quam omnes ubique dispersos invitet. Ita et illa quae tempore Machabaeorum gesta sunt, inchoatione quadam comprehenduntur, neque ea quae tempore messianico fiunt excluduntur. Norma proponitur generalis qua Deus in theocratia instauranda usurus est ; sicut igitur instauratio illa tempore Zachariae facta praevia quaedam est et inchoatio et praeparatio, ita ea quae de instauratione in universum dicuntur, de illa eius parte necesse est impleri ac fieri inchoatione quadam et similitudine, plene vero ac perfecte in regno messianico modo spirituali, qui scil. regni indoli congruat et necessario totius regni constitutione postuletur. Hac consideratione adhibita fortasse explicari potest, cur in verbis propheticis ea cernantur ac deprehendantur lineamenta, quae secundum quid. tempora Machabaeorum et res ibi gestas referre videantur, dum tamen dicendi color et promissionum amplitudo atque sublimitas illius temporis angustiis capi atque includi minime possit. Ceterum non est oblivioni dandum, quod Rib. monet, promitti talia Dei cultoribus et ad praescriptum eius viventibus, i. e. aliis verbis ambitum impletionis (plus vel minus) dependere ab hominum libera cooperatione. Insuper vide quae notavi ad Os. 11, 141. Soph. 3, 20.
10:2
In two prophetic passages, Ezek. 21:26 (Vulg. idola) and Zech. 10:2 (Vulg. simulacra), the t. are mentioned as means for obtaining oracles, in the first case on the part of the king of Babylon, in the second as deceptive (cf. Judg. 17:5 etc.); which …
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.