A Righteous King 1 See, for righteousness a king will reign, and princes will rule for justice.
Jerome · AD 420 (Chapter 32, Verses 1 onwards) Behold, the king shall reign with justice, and princes shall rule with judgment. And a man shall be like one who hides from the wind, and conceals himself from the storm: like streams of water in a dry place, and the shadow of a towering rock in a barren land.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 This is the third part of the threatening, in which he describes their liberation from the enemies who were threatening them then. And first, he foretells the liberation in the manner of prophecy, second, he recounts it in the manner of history: and it came to pass (ch. 36).
2 And each will be like a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the downpour, like channels of water in a parched place, like the shade of a heavy crag in a weary land.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 As to consolation in tribulation: and a man shall be as when one is hid from the wind, above: there shall be a tabernacle for a shade in the daytime from the heat (Isa 4:6).
3 And the eyes of those who see will not be smeared over, and the ears of those who hear will listen.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 As to amendment in spiritual matters: the eyes of them that see, namely, the prophets, shall not be dim, as before, because of the sins of the king and the people, but shall receive clear visions from the Lord; and the ears, namely, of their subjects, shall hearken, fulfilling the precepts of the Lord given by the prophets.
4 And the heart of the hasty will understand knowledge, and the tongue of stammerers will hurry to speak clearly.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The heart of fools, who formerly erred following idols; and the tongue of stammerers, the prophets, who formerly spoke obscurely and enigmatically: wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent (Wis 10:21).
5 A senseless fool will no longer be called noble, and a knave will not be said to be gracious.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And also as to their consequent liberty, namely, from tyrants: the fool shall no more be called prince, namely, Sennacherib, to whom formerly they paid tribute, as is evident in 2 Kings 18:14. I will deliver them out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians (Ezek 24).
6 For a senseless fool speaks senselessness, and his heart does iniquity — to practice godlessness and to speak error against the LORD, to leave the soul of the hungry empty, and to make the drink of the thirsty fail.
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 And they [our opponents] even joined in censuring us, as if we thought the opposite to the things that we have already written. But I learn that they say this also, namely, that recently we have accepted a doctrinal statement, or a new creed, perhaps, I suppose, because we lightly esteem the ancient and august one.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he describes the manner of liberation: for the fool. And first, he describes the affliction; second, the liberation: until the spirit be poured upon us (Isa 32:15). Concerning the first, he does two things: first, he describes the enemy who persecutes them; second, the persecution: rise up, you rich women (Isa 32:9). Concerning the first, he sets out three things.
7 And a knave — his instruments are evil; he counsels schemes to ruin the afflicted with words of falsehood, even when the needy speaks justice.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, the malice of his princes: the vessels, that is, the messengers and princes, of the deceitful, namely, of Sennacherib: a prince that gladly hears lying words, has all his servants wicked (Prov 29:12); and the execution of their malice: for he, namely, Rabsaces, about whom, see below (36), will frame (concinnabit), that is, compose, devices—cinnus is a kind of drink comp…
8 But the noble counsels noble things, and on noble things he stands.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Third, the prudence of Ezechias in his reign: the prince, for Ezechias commanded that no one should respond to Sennacherib, above: I will restore your princes as they were before (Isa 1:26).
The Women of Jerusalem 9 Women at ease, rise, hear my voice! Confident daughters, give ear to my word!
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 9 and following) Women of wealth, rise up and listen to my voice: confident daughters, hear my words. After days and years, you will be troubled, O confident ones: for the harvest is complete, and there will be no more gathering. O women of wealth, be astounded, be troubled: strip yourselves and be ashamed. As Symmachus interpreted, expose yourselves: it continues.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Here he describes the persecution inflicted on them as to three things. First, as to the loss of fruits, stirring up attention: you women, who cry easily, rich, who have reason to cry from the ruin of their goods; or you women, that is, you feeble Jews: they that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches (Ps 48:7[49:6]).
10 In days beyond a year you will shudder, confident ones — for the vintage has failed, the gathering will not come.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And he sets out the determination of the time: after several days and one year: for tribulation is very near: for there is none to help me (Ps 21:12[22:11]). And he sets out the loss of fruits: the vintage is at an end, destroyed, the gathering, of crops, shall come no more, into our houses from the fields: the joy of the vintage is taken away (Jer 48:33).
11 Tremble, women at ease! Shudder, confident ones! Strip and make yourselves bare, and gird sackcloth on the loins.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, as to the devastation of the fields, he prescribes mourning, be astonished: I have put off the robe of peace (Bar 4:20), above: and the Lord in that day shall call to weeping (Isa 22:12).
12 Beating the breasts for the fields of delight, for the fruitful vine —
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And he foretells harm: upon the land, above: briers and thorns shall come up (Isa 5:6) over it.
13 on the ground of my people thorn and brier come up, indeed on all the houses of rejoicing in the exulting town.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 If those very persons, who amid the darkness of the present life shine bright by virtuous attainments—if they also cannot be void of contagion, with what guilt of wickedness are those bound, who still live after the flesh?
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Third, as to the desolation of their cities and houses, he sets out the desolation itself: how much more, namely, to be wept for, the city that rejoiced, namely, Jerusalem, whose lower part was handed over to the Assyrians, above: a populous city, a joyous city (Isa 22:2).
14 For the citadel is abandoned, the roar of the city forsaken; the hill and the watchtower have become caves forever, the rejoicing of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks —
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And the magnitude of the desolation as to the houses, for they were reduced to perpetual darkness, as happens to ruined buildings: and darkness: they shall grope in the dark, and not in the light (Job 12:25); and as to their fields: a joy of wild asses, which dwell in great wildernesses: a wild ass accustomed to the wilderness (Jer 2:24).
15 until a spirit is poured out upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes the fruitful field, and the fruitful field is reckoned as the forest.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Here he describes their liberation. And first, he sets out the consolation of the Jews; second, the destruction of their enemies: but hail (Isa 32:19); third, the prophet's congratulation: blessed are you that sow (Isa 32:20). Concerning the first, he sets out three things.
16 And justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness will settle in the fruitful field.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 As the observation of justice: and judgment shall dwell, above: Zion shall be redeemed in judgment (Isa 1:27).
17 And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness quietness and trust forever.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 He that suffers from a flux of seed is pronounced unclean, because, being addicted to much speaking, he defiles himself by that which, had it been orderly issued, might have produced the offspring of right thought in the hearts of hearers; and, while he incautiously spends himself in loquacity, he sheds his seed not so as to serve for generation, but unto uncleanness.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And as to the tranquility of peace: and the work, that is, the effect, of justice shall be peace, and the service of justice quietness, for it will be without the tumult of contentions and wars, above: Lord, you will give us peace (Isa 26:12).
18 And my people will dwell in a pasture of peace, and in dwellings of trust, and in quiet resting places.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Third, he sets out the pleasant enjoyment of divine consolation: and my people shall sit in the beauty of peace: but he that shall hear me, shall rest without terror, and shall enjoy abundance (Prov 1:33).
19 And it will hail when the forest comes down, and the city will be laid low in the lowland.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Hail, namely, of tribulation, in the descent of the forest, that is, it shall descend from the Lord upon your enemies; the city, Ninive, above: the high city he shall lay low (Isa 26:5).
20 Happy are you who sow beside all waters, who let the foot of the ox and the donkey range free.
Clement of Alexandria · AD 215 The prophet says, "Blessed is he that sows into all waters, whose ox and donkey tread," [that is] the people, from the law and from the Gentiles, gathered into one faith.
Jerome · AD 420 Let them take as much pleasure as they please in their Gallican geldings; we will be satisfied with the simple "donkey" of Zechariah, loosed from its halter and made ready for the Savior's service, which received the Lord on its back and so fulfilled Isaiah's prediction: "Blessed is he that sows beside all waters, where the ox and the donkey tread under foot."
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Note also on the words, blessed are you that sow upon waters, that the teaching of the Lord is water: first, because it abounds: I, wisdom, have poured out rivers (Sir 24:40); second, because it cools: as cold water to a thirsty soul (Prov 25:25); third, because it makes fruitful, below: as the rain comes down from heaven, and returns no more thither, but soaks the earth, and m…