13 For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.
(Verse 13). The one who buys should not rejoice, and the one who sells should not mourn. It is natural to rejoice in the purchase of possessions and mourn in their sale. However, when slavery and captivity are imminent, both joy and sorrow are in vain. Hence, the Apostle says: Time is shortened. Henceforth, those who have wives should live as if they did not have them, those who weep as if they did not weep, those who rejoice as if they did not rejoice, those who buy as if they did not possess, and those who use this world as if they did not make full use of it (I Cor. VII, 29 seqq.). For just as the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24)
Because his anger is upon all his people. This is found in the Septuagint. For the word 'people' can also be understood as 'multitude' and 'crowd' according to the Hebrew, for it signifies 'Amona.' And the reason is clear: that the one who buys should not rejoice, and the one who sells should cease mourning, because the anger of God will soon come upon all the multitude of the land of Judah, or Jerusalem. For it is understood from the preceding text, in which it is written: Thus says the Lord God of the land of Israel, etc.
(Verse 13.) Because the one who sells will not return to that which he sold. He speaks according to the Hebrew custom. For every sale was returned to the seller in the fiftieth year of remission, which among them is called the Jubilee. Therefore, before the year of remission comes, when possessions return to their previous owners, captivity will come upon them, which will take away all the city's customs. Moreover, what the Seventy translated as: Because the buyer will not return to the seller, although it does not completely agree with the historical account, according to allegory, it can have this meaning: that we can say that the one who was deceived by a heretical error, when he understands the deceit of the teacher, will by no means return to the seller, that is, to the teacher; but will despise and reject him.
And yet in the lives of those still living, because the vision will not return to the entire multitude. Just as possession does not return to the previous owner with the imminent destruction of a city, so the prophetic vision and warning, which is directed to the entire multitude of the city, will by no means return and will become invalid; but it will be fulfilled in the remaining days, to those to whom the prophetic message is directed. However, he says this in order to show the impending captivity, lest they should say according to custom: This vision will be for a long time, and will be fulfilled after many years. We can say this, that after the prophetic vision has departed from the Jews, the Law and the Prophets do not return to them, nor do they deserve to have prophets anymore after the killing of the Savior. And significantly, he says that the vision will not return to any multitude. Therefore, it will return to those who believed in the Lord, namely the apostles and the remnant of the Jewish people who have been saved from Israel. But these two verses are not found in the Septuagint edition.
And a man in the wickedness of his life will not be strengthened. LXX: And a man in the eyes of his life will not obtain. And the meaning according to the Hebrew: His wickedness will not benefit a man, nor will it provide him with any strength. According to the Septuagint: And a man, who desired what he thought to be precious in the world, will not obtain it; but with freedom perishing, everything that is beautiful will be lost. However, the ambiguity of the Hebrew letters Yod and Vav, which are distinguished only by their size, caused some to interpret it as wickedness and others as eyes.
[AD 420] Jerome on Ezekiel 7:13
Because his anger is upon all his people. This is found in the Septuagint. For the word 'people' can also be understood as 'multitude' and 'crowd' according to the Hebrew, for it signifies 'Amona.' And the reason is clear: that the one who buys should not rejoice, and the one who sells should cease mourning, because the anger of God will soon come upon all the multitude of the land of Judah, or Jerusalem. For it is understood from the preceding text, in which it is written: Thus says the Lord God of the land of Israel, etc.