3:13
(Verse 13) My people, who call you blessed, themselves deceive you, and they scatter or disturb the path of your steps. He had called the scribes and Pharisees tax collectors, not teachers; and above them, the mockers, who, because of gifts that blind even the wise, not only did not correct sinners in the people, but praised them for their wealth and gain: calling them blessed, and pillars of the house of God, and other things that flatterers usually say. He is therefore the Ecclesiastical doctor who provokes tears, not laughter, who rebukes sinners, who says that no one is blessed, no one is happy: nor does he preempt the judgment of his own sentence, as the Holy Scripture says (Eccl. II, 30): Do not call any man blessed before his death. But also in another place we read (Prov. XXVII, 14): He who blesses his friend loudly in the morning is no different from a slanderer. Therefore, despising the judgments of men, let us not boast in their praises, nor be saddened by their criticisms: but let us enter the right way, and the well-trodden paths of the holy prophets: let us hear Jeremiah the prophet saying: Stand in the ways, and see: and ask for the eternal paths of the Lord, which is the good way: and walk in it (Jer. VI, 16). But if at any time we have wandered and, like perverse men, have proceeded along a wrong path, let us await the promises of the Lord through Ezekiel, saying: I will give them another way, and a different heart (Ezek. 36). However, the corruptors and disturbers have perverted the way of the Lord, so that, having the key of knowledge, neither did they enter themselves, nor did they allow the people to enter; but they caused them to lose the way of truth, which speaks in the Gospel: I am the way, and the life, and the truth (John XIV, 6).
3:13-14
(Ver. 13, 14.) The Lord stands to judge: and he stands to judge the people. The Lord will come to judgment with the elders of his people, and with his princes. The people, who were deceived because of their simplicity and lack of knowledge, are still called the people of God: and therefore they are judged, that they may be saved. The Lord does not sit in the attire of a judge, as we read in Daniel: Thrones were set up, and books were opened (Dan. VII, 9): but he stands to judge, and he stands to judge the people, desiring them to stand, whose way had been scattered. But against the leaders and elders of his own people he comes to judgment, not to judge, but to be judged equally, granting them a place of defense if they are able to have a response, according to what is said in the fiftieth psalm: That you may be justified in your words and prevail when you are judged (Verse 6). In the prophet Micah also, we read something similar (Chapter 6), which we have interpreted in its proper place. Therefore, this passage is understood to be directed against the Pharisees and the Second Law scholars. But I think that this existed among the old people between the elders and the leaders, which now exists between the priests and the bishops.
For you have devoured my vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses. Why do you crush my people, and grind the faces of the poor? Thus did the LXX interpret, confuse. He keeps the prophetic custom, to suddenly change faces. For the Lord himself had said: My people, those who bless you deceive you. And later the Prophet added: The Lord stands to judge; the Lord will come to judge. Therefore, after the prophet, the Lord himself, who had come for judgment with the elders of his people and its princes, speaks to them and rebukes the wrongdoers: Why are you grazing my vineyard? about which it is written: You have transplanted a vineyard from Egypt (Ps. LXXIX, 9). And in this same prophet: The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel (Isai. V, 7). The Lord also placed this vineyard in the Gospel in the hands of wicked farmers who killed the son of the householder that was sent to them (Matthew XXVIII). He says: Robbery of the poor in your houses. Receive the poor or the needy simply, who is in need of alms; or certainly the poor in spirit, of whom it is written: Blessed is he who understands the poor and the needy (Ps. 40:1). And the Apostle Paul: Only, he says, that we should be mindful of the poor (Gal. 2:10). And what follows: Why do you trample on my people and crush the faces of the poor, or confuse them, it is clearly said to the leaders of the Jews. But it can also be referred to our leaders, if they crush the subjected plebs, and publicly accuse and embarrass the poor delinquents, but do not dare to even touch the wealthier sinners. And the plunder of the poor is in their own homes, when they fill their treasuries, and they misuse the resources of the Church for their pleasure, and they either keep for themselves or distribute to their relatives the public funds that were given for the support of the poor, thus making the poverty of others their own wealth.
3:15
(Verse 15.) And the Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet, the Lord will strike with a scab the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts. In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves; the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; the signet rings and nose rings; the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils. Instead of perfume there will be rottenness; and instead of a belt, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a skirt of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty. Some believe that the daughters of Zion are truly Jewish women, while others think they are metaphorically referring to the cities of Judea, namely the smaller cities, towns, and villages. This is why in the book of Joshua, the names of the cities are listed according to each tribe, and later on, the villages and castles are described and called daughters. According to another interpretation, women are believed to represent souls. If these souls walk with outstretched necks and conduct themselves in a proud manner, abandoning the strong and masculine virtues and instead adopting the weaknesses of women, they are criticized and lose all the virtues they possessed, which are described as moon-shaped pendants, necklaces, rings, bracelets, headdresses, and other similar adornments. This testimony must be used against the women of the Church who walk with their neck extended, and speak with the gestures of their eyes, and applaud with both hands and feet, and walk with a composed gait, not following the guidance of nature, but buying their teachers from actors.
3:16
(Verse 16) The Lord will make bare the top of the daughters of Zion, and will uncover their hair, and shame will be their adornment. This will also happen to us whose sins are hidden, when that which is written is fulfilled: Nothing hidden that will not be revealed (Luke 8:17). For as long as we are protected by hair and the garment of ignorance, people think of us as whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23), but inside we are full of dead bones, and we appear to have some cleanliness. But when what is hidden is revealed, all the hair will be removed, and ugly baldness will be seen by all.
3:17
(Verse 17) On that day the Lord will take away the ornament of the shoes. On which day? The Jews believe it to be the captivity of Babylon. We are more convinced that it is when they were captured by the Romans and lost all their clothing, gems, gold, jewelry, and various furnishings. Or, by the metaphor of women, it is said that all the adornment of cities was destroyed. Understand the ornaments of cities in the streets and porticoes, in the marketplace and gymnasiums, and in public walls. But if we consider this in relation to the state of souls, let us remember that when he is going to eat the flesh of the lamb and celebrate the Passover, his feet are shod, and as we pass through the wilderness, neither clothes nor shoes are consumed. What are these shoes? Those of which the Apostle writes to the Ephesians: Shod your feet in preparation for the Gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15). These are the shoes of souls that are destined to be lost when they walk with their necks extended and drag their clothes with their feet, and instead of the cleanliness of a matron, they sweep the filth of the earth.
3:18-21
(Verse 18-21.) And necklaces, and torcs, and pendants, and bracelets, and headbands, and diadems, and girdles, and brooches, and perfume vials, and earrings, and rings and gems hanging from the forehead. It describes the necklaces of women, and through these the insignia of cities: or, according to the anagoge, the various ornaments of virtues. Women have tiny bulla-shaped pendants that resemble the moon, which we transfer to the ornaments of the Church, which is illuminated by the sun of justice. Also, the necklaces that hang down to the chest signify understanding and the principal (ruling) faculty of the mind in the heart. And the necklaces indicate all ornaments in one word: and the good works of the bracelets, which Rebecca received in her marriage (Gen. XXIV): and the miters, the ornaments of the head, to distinguish judgment of each person: and the foot-straps, with which our step is adorned, so that we may hear: Your foot shall not stumble (Ps. XC); and: He shall keep my feet from sliding (Ps. LV); and the little walls, which are woven of gold and silver threads, signify sense and the words of the Scriptures: and the sweet-smelling ointments, so that we may be a good odor of Christ (II Cor. II, 15); and the earrings, so that we may not hear the judgment of blood, but the words of the Lord saying: He who has ears to hear, let him hear (Luke VIII, 18); and the rings, with which we are signed for the Lord's army, which God the Father has signed. Where it is said to the prince of Tyre, 'You are the seal of likeness' (Ezek. 28:12). Also, the prodigal son received a ring, a robe, and jewels hanging on his forehead, which decorate our faces (Luke 15). And concerning the ornament of his head, we also read in the psalm: 'Like precious oil upon the head, which runs down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron' (Ps. 133:1). Although the Septuagint, Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion interpret all of these things in different ways, we have woven together what we could from the Hebrew and their translations, and we do not wish to dwell any longer on each one, lest the explanation be trivial and cause annoyance to the discerning reader.
3:22
(Verse 22.) And changes, and cloaks, and coverings. As for 'coverings', the Septuagint translated it as 'clear ethereal garments', signifying the very thin garments with which the bodies of the Spartans, who were very ready for war and had a strict way of life, were covered. Although 'ethereal garments' does not have a Hebrew or any other interpreter. However, 'changes' and 'cloaks', which Symmachus translated more significantly as 'anabolaia', are ornaments of women's clothing that cover the shoulders and chest. The changes according to that anagoge are those of which it is said: They will go from strength to strength (Ps. LXXXIII, 8): and the veils, that we may enjoy the delights of the Lord, as it is written in the Psalms: You will make them drink from the torrent of your pleasure (Ps. XXXV, 9). But all these things have been lost by the daughters of Zion, because they walked with outstretched necks, and with their eyes they flaunted their pride: thinking that what they had was of their own power, and not of the grace of the Lord.
3:23
(Verse 23.) And needles, and mirrors, and linen cloths, and ribbons, and shawls. Women have needles, with which the arrangement of their hair is secured so that it does not flow too freely and become scattered. They also have mirrors, with which they contemplate their appearance and add to their adornment if anything is lacking. They have linen cloths, which are called coverings, and ribbons, with which their hair is tied, which are called ταινίας. They also have shawls, which we can call pallia: with which Rebecca herself was covered. And today also the women of Arabia and Mesopotamia cover themselves: they are called Ardishim in Hebrew, and in Greek θέριστρα: because in summer and heat they protect the bodies of women. Therefore the daughters of Zion have lost the needles, with which the rule of all precepts was strung. They have lost the mirrors, which they offered in Exodus while standing at the doors of the tabernacle to make the laver of the Lord (Exod. XXXVIII): about whom the apostle Paul also spoke: But we see now through a mirror in an enigma (I Cor. XIII, 12). They abandoned their cloaks and headbands, with which they covered their shoulders, and they restrained their wandering mind, which flowed here and there: and they sought refuge in a safe shade, with a protective canopy. We mention these things so that we do not seem to completely ignore the allegory of this place. However, it is a great labor to dwell on individual details and seek a broad explanation.
3:24
(Verse 24.) And it will be for a sweet smell, a stench; and for a belt, a cord. The one repenting of sins speaks of the stench: My scars have putrefied and become corrupted from the face of my foolishness (Psalm 38:6). The Apostle commanded to gird the loins with a belt, saying: Stand with your loins girded in truth (Ephesians 6:14). And we read about the sinner: Each one is bound by the cords of their own sins (Proverbs 5:22). Therefore, for the good smell of virtues, the daughters of Zion will have the putrefaction of sins; and for the belt of truth, they will be bound by the cords of lies, which they had on their heads when they prayed for life from the king of Syria with rags and filth.
And as for the pectoral band, they translated the cilicium. Concerning the pectoral band, which Symmachus interpreted as a tunic of fine purple, that is, adorned with clavi, they translated it as a girdle of exultation, which Aquila expressed. Theodotion himself used the Hebrew word Phthigil (פתיגיל), which is a type of feminine ornament. The pectoral band covers the chest and occupies the same place in women as the Rationale in the Pontiffs. Regarding this pectoral band, Jeremiah said in a mystical discourse: If the bride can forget her attire, or the virgin her pectoral band, then I will forget you, says the Lord (Jer. II, 32). The Virgin, whom the Apostle wants us to present to Christ (2 Cor. 2), as long as she is not corrupted in Egypt, and her breasts, which are bound with a breastband, are not broken, is joined to her spouse; and even though she daily gives birth to sons of virtue, she never ceases to be a virgin. But if she sometimes spreads her legs to all who pass by, and follows her lovers, and according to the prophecy of Hosea, the Lord will hedge her paths and block her ways, she will return to her former husband, and she will hear: 'Put off the garments of mourning and put on the garments of your glory' (Hosea 2).
3:25
(Verse 25.) Your most beautiful men will fall by the sword, and your strong men in battle. For the most beautiful men, they are interpreted as seventy, and your most beautiful son, whom you love, will fall by the sword. But if we understand about the state of the soul, which after virtues has sinned, let us accept the good works, which have fallen by the enemy sword, as the most beautiful son of his. And strong men also perish in battle, because the righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him on any day he wanders (Ezekiel 33:12). But if we follow the story, we will be taught from these words that the discourse is not about the prophetesses, whose husbands fell in battle, but about the cities of Judah, which he called the daughters of Zion, and whose warriors perished in combat. Finally, the following verse speaks about the same Zion.
3:26
(Verse 26.) And her gates will mourn and lament, and the city itself, desolate, will sit upon the earth. Which we see with our own eyes until this day. The interpretation according to tropology is easy, that whoever gives a place to the devil and does not keep their heart guarded with all vigilance, let their gates mourn: and in the absence of the bridegroom, let them always be in mourning, and falling from the heights, let them sit in the dust of the earth.
4:1