1 Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants.
Jerome · AD 420 (Chapter 24 - Verses 1 and following) Behold, the Lord will lay waste the earth, and make it desolate, and afflict its face, and scatter its inhabitants.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 565. Behold the Lord. In this part, he threatens the destruction of the entire earth, either that which was carried out in particular kingdoms and different regions, or that which is to come in the day of judgment, according to what is said above, this is the counsel, that I have purposed upon all the earth (Isa 14:26); however, some explain this as pertaining to the land of th…
2 It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest.
Gregory of Nazianzus · AD 390 Nor indeed is there any distinction between the state of the people and that of the priesthood: but it seems to me to be a simple fulfillment of the ancient curse, "As with the people, so with the priest." Nor again are the great and eminent men affected otherwise than the majority; no, they are openly at war with the priest, and the piety of the people is an aid to their power…
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 We are put as guards in the vineyards, but we do not cultivate our own. When we are involved with external affairs, we neglect to watch over our own activities. I think that God suffers greater outrage from no one, dearly beloved, than from priests. Those he has placed to reprove others he sees giving an example of wickedness in their own lives.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 567. Second, the universality of destruction as to those punished, making equal those who differ in rank: as with the people, so with the priest; in condition: as with the servant so with his master; in possession of things: as with the buyer, so with the seller: the small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master (Job 3:19).
3 The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for the Lord has spoken this word.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 As to the diversity of punishments: with desolation, setting out the loss as to immovable things: the earth shall be laid waste; as to movable things: it shall be spoiled: with desolation is all the land made desolate (Jer 12:11).
4 The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 4, 5.) The earth mourned and declined, and became weak: the world declined, the height of the people of the earth became weak, and the earth was destroyed by its inhabitants. (LXX: The earth mourns, the world is corrupted, the lofty ones of the earth mourn, but the earth acts wickedly due to its inhabitants.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 As to the downfall of power, the earth mourned, and faded away, using the past tense for the future, that is, it shall fade away, mourning for its weakness; and this is: is weakened, that this may be said as to the common people; but as to the powerful, the world, that is, leaders of the world, faded away, above: I will visit the evils of the world (Isa 13:11).
5 The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And he sets out the killing of men: and the earth is killed: the land was killed (Ps 106:38). 568. Third, he shows the equity of the punishment: because they have transgressed, and he does this by comparing it to their fault; hence he does two things.
6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Eusebius of Caesarea · AD 339 After he rebukes those of the circumcision who have trespassed the law of the covenant of God and warns them with what he has written, he prophesies that only a small number of them will be saved. These few are those whom the apostle calls "the remnant according to the election of grace."
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 6.) Because they have transgressed the law, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse devours the earth, and those who dwell in it are held guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. LXX: Because they have transgressed the law, changed the ordinances, broken the everlasting covenant.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 569. Second, he threatens a fourfold punishment because of this fault: first, a divine curse: a curse: the land has mourned by reason of cursing (Jer 23:10); second, divine desertion: they shall sin, as if the Lord has abandoned them: for this cause, God delivered them up to shameful affections (Rom 1:26); he that is filthy, let him be filthy still (Rev 22:11); third, they shal…
7 The new wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 7 and following) The grape harvest has failed, the vine is weakened, all those who rejoiced in their hearts have sighed. The joy of the tambourines has ceased, the sound of the rejoicers has quieted, the sweetness of the lyre has been silenced, as those who do not drink wine with singing, bitter will be the drink for those who drink it.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 570. The vintage has mourned. Here he threatens the removal of joys as to the wicked; and second, he sets out the joys of the good: as if a few olives (Isa 24:13). Concerning the first, he does three things.
8 The mirth of tambourines ceases. The sound of those who rejoice ends. The joy of the harp ceases.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Or in the playing of games: the mirth of timbrels has ceased: the voice of harpers, harping on their harps (Rev 14:2).
9 They will not drink wine with a song. Strong drink will be bitter to those who drink it.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Or in the pleasures of feasts: they shall not drink wine with a song, above: the harp, and the lyre, and, the timbrel and the pipe, and wine are in your feasts (Isa 5:12). 571. Second, he sets out the recompense of sadness: the drink shall be bitter, for in their feasts, they will have sadness, against the pleasures of feasts: I will turn your feasts into mourning (Amos 8:10).
10 The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The city of vanity is broken down, against the vanity of games, all things are vanity (Ps 39:5); vanity of vanities, and all is vanity (Eccl 1:2); the city, of Babylon, any soul.
11 There is a crying in the streets because of the wine. All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 There shall be a crying, of those lamenting over the lack of wine, against fertility: in all vineyards there shall be wailing (Amos 5:17). 572. Third, he concludes the exchange: all mirth is forsaken, exchanged for sadness: woe to you that laugh: for you shall weep (Luke 6:25); laughter shall be mingled with sorrow (Prov 14:13).
12 The city is left in desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction.
13 For it will be so in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verses 13-15) Just as when a few olives, which remain, are shaken from the olive tree, and the grape harvest is finished, these will lift up their voice and praise when the Lord is glorified, they will neigh from the sea: therefore, glorify the Lord in your teachings, in the islands of the sea proclaim the name of the Lord God of Israel.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 573. As if. Here he places the joys of the good. And first, he foretells the praise of those to come, whose salvation he foretells: as if a few; few will be saved, in relation to the others, above: the fruit thereof that shall be left upon it, shall be as the shaking of the olive tree, two or three berries in the top of a bough (Isa 17:6).
14 These shall lift up their voice. They will shout for the majesty of the Lord. They cry aloud from the sea.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And he places their praise: these shall give praise; they shall whinny, like horses to signify their great joy, below: the voice of your watchmen: they have lifted up their voice, they shall praise together (Isa 52:8).
15 Therefore glorify the Lord in the east, even the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea!
Eusebius of Caesarea · AD 339 "Therefore, the glory of the Lord is in the islands of the sea." That pertains obviously to the church, which is located in the midst of the godless nations as if an island in the sea. It is in that island that the glory of the Lord shines.
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 "And God remembered Babylon the great, who came into his sight." This designates the confused multitude of all the lost. "That he might give it to drink from the wine of his wrath." The retribution of due punishment to be returned to the wicked is here recorded.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 574. Second, he introduces praise in the present: therefore. And first, he places the precept, glorify the Lord in instruction, that is, in teaching others; another translation has: in praises: glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far exceed (Sir 43:30).
16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs. Glory to the righteous! But I said, "I pine away! I pine away! Woe is me!" The treacherous have dealt treacherously. Yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 16) From the ends of the earth we have heard praises, the glory of the Just One. And I said: My secret to me, my secret to me. Alas for me! LXX: From others we have heard wonders of the earth: the hope of the just, and they say + my mystery to me **.
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 "The Spirit of the Lord filled the world." But that will be done with the broken horns of sinners. The horns of the righteous one are said to be exalted, concerning which Isaiah prophesied: "From the ends of the earth we heard praises announcing the glory of the righteous one." The church is understood to have seven horns, as does every world in which the sevenfold grace of the…
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he designates the fulfillment of the precept: from the ends of the earth we have heard praises, the glory of the just one, that is, Christ, below: behold the Lord has made it to be heard in the ends of the earth (Isa 62:11).
17 Fear, the pit, and the snare, are on you who inhabitant the earth.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 17, 18.) The treacherous have dealt treacherously; indeed, they have dealt treacherously with treachery. Fear, the pit, and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall be that he who flees from the noise of fear shall fall into the pit, and he who comes up from the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he threatens a multitude of dangers. And first, he sets out this multitude: fear. He speaks in likeness to those who flee pursuers because of fear, above: they shall fall, and shall be broken in pieces (Isa 8:15); a voice of terror (Jer 30:5).
18 It will happen that he who flees from the noise of the fear will fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the midst of the pit will be taken in the snare; for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 576. Second, the impossibility of escaping: and it shall come to pass, that he that shall flee from the noise of the fear, shall fall into the pit: as if to say, he will decide upon Scylla, wanting to avoid Charybdis: that which the palmerworm has left, the bruchus has eaten (Joel 1:4).
19 The earth is utterly broken. The earth is torn apart. The earth is shaken violently.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 19, 20.) For the gates from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth will be shaken. The earth will be crushed to pieces, shattered, and shaken. It will be thrown into agitation like a drunkard, and it will be taken away like a temporary shelter, and its own iniquity will weigh it down, and it will fall and not be able to rise again.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 577. Third, he shows the impossibility of reparation under a threefold similitude, namely, of divided things, which are not restored: breaking, as to division into large parts, crushing, as to division into small parts: behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will crush it from the face of the earth (Amos 9:8).
20 The earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will sway back and forth like a hammock. Its disobedience will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And through the similitude of shaken things, which are not made stable: with trembling shall the earth be moved, from place to place, shaken, as if trembling in its own place, as a drunken man, above: they have caused Egypt to err in all its works, as a drunken man staggers and vomits (Isa 19:14); and through the similitude of a traveler's tent, which is not fixed firmly in the…
21 It shall happen in that day that the Lord will punish the army of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 21 onwards) And it will happen in that day, the Lord will visit upon the host of heaven on high, and upon the kings of the earth who are on the earth. And they will be gathered together into one assembly, into a pit, and will be shut up there in prison, and after many days they will be visited.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 578. And it shall come to pass. Here he threatens against the rulers of the people; and concerning this he sets out three things.
22 They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And they shall be gathered together, at the same time in hell: which was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt 25:41); as in the gathering of one bundle: bind it into bundles to burn (Matt 13:30), that they may be alike in punishment who were alike in sin: I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together (Rev 19:19).
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders will be glory.
Jerome · AD 420 He [Isaiah] was pricked by the thorn of sin; you are decked with the flowers of virtue. "The moon shall be ashamed, and the sun confounded, when the Lord shall punish the host of heaven on high." This is explained by another passage.
Bede · AD 735 The stars on the day of judgment will be seen obscurely, not because of a gradual waning of their own light but due to the overwhelming brilliance of the true light, who is the supreme Judge coming in majesty, and the light of the Father and the holy angels.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 580. Third, the glory of him who punishes, and first, of the judge: and the moon shall blush, that is, its splendor shall be thought nothing in comparison to the splendor of the body of Christ: the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood: before the great and dreadful day of the Lord doth come (Joel 2:31); or, the worshippers of the sun and moon.