Babylon Is Fallen 1 An oracle of the Wilderness of the Sea. Like storms in the Negev sweeping through, it comes from the wilderness, from a land of terror.
Jerome · AD 420 (Chapter 21, Verse 1) The burden of the desert of the sea. Unless I were to read the following in the subsequent part of this chapter: Babylon has become a beloved wonder to me. And again: Babylon has fallen, has fallen, and all the carved images of her gods are shattered on the ground.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 507. The burden of the desert of the sea. Here he threatens against the enemies who oppressed them by taking away their goods, although they were joined to them by some treaty. And this is divided into three parts.
2 A hard vision has been told me: the traitor betrays and the devastator devastates. Go up, Elam! Lay siege, Media! All her sighing I have made to cease.
Gregory of Nazianzus · AD 390 We receive the Son's light from the Father's light in the light of the Spirit: that is what we ourselves have seen and what we now proclaim—it is the plain and simple explanation of the Trinity. Let the treacherous deal treacherously, let the transgressor transgress—we shall preach what we know.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 510. Second, he designates the devastator. And first, as to the condition of their leader: in infidelity. Cyrus, he that is unfaithful, that is, unfaithful to his lord Baltasar, rebelling, and besieging Babylon, trusting in his effeminacy, deals unfaithfully, that is, he will deal unfaithfully, seeing that the city cannot be taken by force, fraudulently making peace and command…
3 Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me like the pangs of a woman giving birth. I am too twisted to hear, too terrified to see.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 3, 4.) Therefore my loins are filled with pain: anguish has taken hold of me, like the anguish of a woman in labor: I am bowed down when I hear it, I am troubled when I see it. My heart is faint, darkness has overwhelmed me. Babylon, my beloved, has become a wonder to me. The prophets are therefore obscured, because many individuals are changed in them.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 511. Third, he designates the compassion of the prophet himself, which he designates as to the body, to which the affections of the mind redound, and this as to the feeling of pain: therefore are my loins filled with pain, that is, I suffer thus like one who suffers pain in the kidneys: there were pains as of a woman in labor (Ps 47:7[48:6]); and as to falling: I fell down; and…
4 My heart wanders, shuddering has overwhelmed me; the twilight of my desire he has turned for me into trembling.
Jerome · AD 420 (Vers. 4, 5.) I fell down when I heard, I was troubled when I saw: my heart grew faint, darkness overwhelmed me: Babylon, my beloved, has become a wonder to me. Set the table, watch those who eat and drink: rise up, princes, take the shield.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, as to the affections: my heart, that is, the affections, failed, in sadness: my bowels are in pain (Jer 4:19). Third, as to astounded understanding: darkness, that is, the troubles I have foreseen, amazed me, as if I were in darkness: every one that shall pass by Babylon, shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all her plagues (Jer 50:13).
5 Setting the table, spreading the rug, eating, drinking — Rise, princes! Oil the shield!
Jerome · AD 420 And in testimony of the fact that Babylon was captured during a banquet, Isaiah clearly exhorts her to battle when he writes: "Babylon, my beloved, has become a strange spectacle unto me: set thou the table and behold in the mirrors those who eat and drink; rise up, ye princes, and snatch up your shields!"
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 512. Fourth, he designates the manner and condition of the destruction, saying: O Babylon, prepare the table, inviting Cyrus and Darius to the banquet, contemplate, that is, see, in the watchtower, that is, in the writing of the hand that writes, Mane, Thecel, Phares (Dan 5:25) in the clear light of the Lord; you princes, namely, O Cyrus, O Darius, that eat and drink, with him,…
6 For thus the Lord said to me: Go, station the lookout; what he sees, let him tell.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 6.) For the Lord spoke these words to me: Go and set a watchman, and whatever he sees, let him announce. The reasons for the previous fear are given, why distress has taken hold of him like a woman in labor, and he has fallen down, hearing and trembling, and being surrounded by dark horror.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 515. For thus has the Lord said to me. Here he sets out the manner of accepting this vision, and concerning this, he does four things.
7 And he saw a rider, a pair of horsemen, a rider on a donkey, a rider on a camel; and he listened attentively, with great attention.
Jerome · AD 420 [Daniel 5:1] "Belshazzar the king made a great feast for his one thousand nobles; and each one drank in the order of his age." It should be known that this man was not the son of Nebuchadnezzar, as readers commonly imagine; but according to Berosus, who wrote the history of the Chaldeans, and also Josephus, who follows Berosus, after Nebuchadnezzar's reign of forty-three years,…
Peter Chrysologus · AD 450 [In the Gospels it is said,] "And he began to send them forth two by two." He sent them two by two that no one of them, being abandoned and alone, might fall into a denial, like Peter, or flee, like John. Human frailty quickly falls if it proudly relies on itself, despises companions and is unwilling to have a colleague.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 516. Second, the vision is set out, and first, he sets out the thing that was seen: and he saw a chariot with two horsemen, which was usually pulled by two horses, signifying the army of two kingdoms; a rider, namely of chariots, upon an ass, the kingdom of the Persians, which formerly was ignoble, a camel, the kingdom of the Medes, which was always lofty: as if these two anima…
8 And he called out, “A lion! Upon the watchtower, Lord, I am standing continually by day, and at my post I am stationed all the nights.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 8.) I am a watchman of the Lord, standing continuously during the day, and I am a guard of my duty, standing all through the night. LXX: The Lord said: I have stood throughout the day, and I have stood over the camp throughout the night. The Prophet stands on the lookout of the Lord, and in his light, he sees what is to come.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 517. Third, the declaration is set out: and a lion cried out, a lion according to strength of soul, who formerly was a watchman through eminence of contemplation. And first, he declares his own diligence: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord: I will stand upon my watch (Hab 2:1).
9 And see, this is coming — a rider of a man, a pair of horsemen!” And he answered and said: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon, and all the carved images of her gods he has broken to the ground.”
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 9.) Behold, here comes a rider of a chariot with horsemen, and he answered and said: Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and all the carved images of its gods are shattered on the ground. Therefore, what did the lion call out? Behold, that man comes, the ascender of the chariot of the horsemen; no doubt, Cyrus is indicated.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he declares what he has seen: behold this man comes, as above; third, the punishment of Babylon: Babylon is fallen: you are taken, O Babylon, and you were not aware of it (Jer 50:24).
10 My threshed one, and son of my threshing floor — what I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I have told you.
Eusebius of Caesarea · AD 339 Notice how in this passage he does not call those of the circumcision to hear the un-speakable words, but only those whom he calls "forsaken and tortured." These were those of the time of the apostles who regretted and lamented the evil of humanity.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 10.) My threshing floor and my sons of the barn, what I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you. LXX: Listen, you who have been forsaken, and mourn: listen to what I heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, who has announced to us.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 518. Fourth, the declaration of the prophet to the people is set out: O my thrashing, the words of the prophet, or of Christ, that Jerusalem is to be thrashed with many tribulations, children of my floor, that is, the temple, which is located on the thrashing floor of Ornam (2 Sam 24:18); whatsoever thing he shall answer me, I will declare it to you (Jer 42:4).
The Burden against Edom 11 An oracle of Dumah. To me one calls from Seir: “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 11, 12.) Oracle concerning Dumah. One calls to me from Seir: 'Watchman, what time of the night? Watchman, what time of the night?' The watchman says: 'Morning comes, and also the night.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Again he says, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, 'The morning comes, and also the night.' " For "the watchman came by night," in that the guardian of the human race even showed himself manifest in the flesh, and yet Judea, being close pressed by the darkness of its faithlessness, never knew him.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 519. The burden of Duma. Here he threatens against their friends and relatives. And first, against the Idumeans, who belong to the descendants of Esau the brother of Jacob (Gen 25), and were sometimes friends, as it says in 2 Kings 3:9; I have heard all your reproaches, that you have spoken against the mountains of Israel (Ezek 35:12); second, against the Arabs, who are of the…
12 The watchman said: Morning has come, and also night. If you would inquire, inquire; come back again.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 520. Second, the refusal of their petition is set out: and the watchman, namely, God, said: the morning comes, the time of liberation for the Jews, also the night of captivity still remains for the Idumeans: but over them only was spread a heavy night (Wis 17:20). 521.
The Burden against Arabia 13 An oracle in Arabia. In the scrub in Arabia you will lodge, caravans of Dedanites.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 13.) Burden in Arabia. This is not found in the edition of the Seventy Interpreters: but what follows is: In the evening you shall sleep in the paths of Dodanim, which is connected with the previous vision, so that it is read, if you seek, seek: and dwell with me in the woodland.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 524. The burden in Arabia. Here he threatens against the Arabs. And first, he indicates the cause of destruction: that when they offered bread to the fleeing sons of Israel, they took away their water.
14 To meet the thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitive with bread.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 14, 15.) Bring water to the thirsty, O inhabitants of the land of the South; meet the one fleeing with bread. For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the severity of battle.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Again, by bread is set forth the instruction of heavenly doctrine, as is said by the prophet, "You who dwell in the land of the south, meet with bread him that is flying away." For they dwell in the land of the south who, placed within [the] holy church, are breathed upon by the love of the Spirit from on high.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He exhorts them to mercy: meeting, you Arabs; the land of the south, that is, of the noon, below: deal your bread to the hungry (Isa 58:7).
15 For they have fled from swords — from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the weight of war.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And he places the cause of mercy: for they are fled from before the swords, that they might be moved to mercy: at the voice of the horsemen, and the archers, all the city is fled away (Jer 4:29).
16 For thus the Lord said to me: In yet a year, like the years of a hired worker, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 16, 17.) For thus saith the Lord to me: Within one year, as the years of a hireling, all the glory of Cedar shall be taken away, and the residue of the number of archers of the mighty men of the children of Cedar shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 525. Second, because they refuse to do this, he threatens punishment: for thus says the Lord. And first, by the Assyrians, from whom was authority of destruction of the Jews, and the destruction itself: within a year, according to the years of a hireling, which seems brief to him, in his hope for pay.
17 And the remnant of the number of bows of the mighty men of the sons of Kedar will be few — for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, by the Chaldeans: the residue, left behind by the Assyrians, shall be diminished, by the Chaldeans; Cedar, the son of Ishmael; archers, following the art of their father, where it is said of Ishmael that he became an archer (Gen 21:20).