Bible Verses and Early Church Commentary | Historical Christian Faith

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:1

In a certain way, there is a circumcision that is both carnal and spiritual. Concerning the spiritual circumcision, it is said by the apostle Paul, “For we are of the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh.” And further, for the sake of distinguishing the spiritual Israel, it is said of the carnal, “You see Israel according to the flesh,” and “You are Gentiles according to the flesh.” Thus Moab is to be taken here in a spiritual sense, which is interpreted as “from the father,” that is, “the paternal waters,” conceived by incest and drunkenness, because he was brought forth when the father was in a certain sense absent, that is, unawares. In many places of Scripture we read concerning Moab, especially in the book of Numbers, where Balak, the king of the Moabites, invited Balaam the soothsayer for the purpose of cursing. Balaam prophesied mystically, among other things, against Moab: “A star will arise from Jacob, and a man will rise up out of Israel, and he will strike the leaders of Moab.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 6:15

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:1

(Chapter 15, Verse 1) Burden of Moab: because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, it is silent; because in the night the wall of Moab is laid waste, it is silent. It is enough to have said once about the burden and weight. I only briefly remind you that burdens always bring about sadness. However, visions are either immediately joyful or joyful after sadness. Moab is a province of the Arabs, where Balak son of Beor was (Numbers 22); he hired the diviner Balaam from Mesopotamia to curse Israel, where the people were initiated into the worship of Baal (ibid., 25). The city of this metropolis is called Ar ( ), which is now composed of Hebrew and Greek language and is called Areopolis; not as most people think, that it is the city of Mars, which is interpreted as Ar and ἀντίδικος, meaning adversary. However, Jeremiah testifies to the extent of its power (Jeremiah 48:2, 7 ff.), saying: There is no longer rejoicing in Moab. And again: You have trusted in your fortresses and in your treasures. And again: Moab was fertile from his youth, and he rested in his own filth, neither was he poured out from vessel to vessel, neither did he go into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent was not changed. And in another place (Ibid., 25): How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod? And a little later: We have heard of the pride of Moab, he is very proud: his haughtiness, and his arrogance, and his pride, and the loftiness of his heart, I know it, saith the Lord, and his boastfulness. Just as the Prophet prophesied against Babylon and the Philistines, that they would oppress the people of Judah; so now the devastation of the Moabites, that is, the Arabs, is predicted by the Assyrians and Babylonians. For they were devastated by both nations, at the time when Sennacherib took Israel captive, and when Nebuchadnezzar overthrew Jerusalem (2 Kings 17 and 25). For Ephraim and Judah had insulted both enemies, as Jeremiah said: Moab will be like vomit in their own mouths, and will be ridiculed as well. For he has made a mockery of you, O Israel, as if you had found him among thieves (Jeremiah 68:26, 27). Because of your words, which you spoke against him, you will be led captive. And as for what he says: 'Ar is destroyed, Moab is silent, the beginning of the invader's splendor, in darkness they shall be destroyed; he who was conceived in incest by his father at night.' Unless we take night to mean the magnitude of terror: and it should be believed, that he trusted in his walls, but she was overcome by ambush and tunnels. I heard that a certain Areapolites, but also the whole city is a witness, experienced a great earthquake in my childhood, when the seas crossed the entire shore of the world, and on the same night the walls of this city collapsed.

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:1

(Chapter 15, Verse 1) The burden of Moab. LXX: A word against Moab. Symmachus and Theodotion: The assumption of Moab. How circumcision is both physical and spiritual and is spoken of in a spiritual sense by the Apostle: For we are the circumcision, who serve by the Spirit of God, and boast in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3); and again, to distinguish the spiritual Israelites, it is said of the physical: See Israel according to the flesh (1 Corinthians 10:18); and, You Gentiles in the flesh (Ephesians 2:11); thus Moab is to be understood spiritually, which is interpreted as from the father, or paternal water, conceived from incest and drunkenness, in such a way that he seemed to be generated in the absence or even ignorance of his father. In many places in the Scriptures we read about Moab, especially in the book of Numbers, when Balak, the king of the Moabites, invited the magician Balaam to curse them. Among other things, Balaam also prophesied against Moab, saying: 'A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a man shall come forth from Israel, and he shall strike down the princes of Moab' (Num. XXIV, 17).

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:1

(Verse 1) Because at night Ar was devastated, Moab was silent; because at night the wall was devastated, Moab was silent. LXX: Moab perished at night, for the wall of Moab. Regarding Ar (), which Theodotion alone has placed in this way, as is read in Hebrew, Aquila and Symmachus have translated as 'city', not considering that between Ain and Res the Hebrew elements do not have the letter Yod, which if it were present, would correctly be called a city. Secular wisdom, of which the Lord speaks through the Prophet: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart (Obadiah 8; 1 Corinthians 1:19). For it has the author of its existence, being generated from the condition of God. It seems to be born from the father, which is interpreted as Moab; but because it is illegitimate and an adversary of the people of God, it is generated from incest and the den and the night. Therefore, it perishes in eternal darkness, namely in error. And the Egyptians in the Red Sea in the morning watch, which indicates the night time, were overwhelmed by the waves (Exodus 14). And Lot, when the people of Sodom perished in the night, came to Zoar, and the sun rose for him (Genesis 19). And understanding this, the blessed Apostle writes about the holy and perfect (I Thessalonians 5:6-7): We are not of the night, nor of darkness, but we are sons of the day. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But we, who are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and charity, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to the purchasing of salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us; that, whether we watch or sleep, we may live together with him. For therefore Christ died and rose again; that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But thou, why judgest thou thy brother? Or thou, why dost thou despise thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Therefore every one of us shall render account to God for himself. Let us not therefore judge one another any more. But judge this rather, that you put not a stumblingblock or a scandal in your brother's way. Furthermore, Ar, which is interpreted as ἀντίδικος, that is, adversary, shows this, that this wisdom, which is the adversary of God, has been overcome by the opposing Ecclesiastical discourse.

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:2

(Vers. 2.) The house ascends, and Dibon ascends to the heights in lamentation over Nabo, and over Medaba Moab will howl. Do not be troubled that I am proceeding along the path of history, for you yourself desired that I do so. It is understood, however, that the royal house and the city of Dibon ascend to the idols that are placed on the heights: over Nabo and over Medaba, distinguished cities, the entire province will wail. For in Nabo there was consecrated the idol Chamos, which is called by another name Beelphegor.

In all its chapters, there is baldness; every beard will be shaved off. Among the ancients, the shaving of the beard and head was a sign of mourning. By these things, therefore, the magnitude of sorrow is shown, with Jeremiah proclaiming against Moab: Every head is bald, and every beard is shaved off, and there is binding of the hands on every side, and sackcloth on every back (Jeremiah 48:37).

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:2

(Ver. 2.) The house ascends, and Dimon goes up to the high places to mourn. LXX: Be sad for yourselves, for Dimon will perish, where the altar is; there you shall go up to lament. The whole house of adversarial wisdom, and Dibon, which means their downfall, ascends to the high places, where it had pridefully exalted itself: not to offer sacrifices, but to mourn for the sins it had committed before. And truly, falsehood passes like a river, and flows by, and can never stay in a stable dwelling. But the word of God, which is compacted, is stable. And so the manna, which appears like ice upon the face of the earth, does not overflow, but remains. Furthermore, according to the Septuagint, the Moabites are commanded to mourn and lament, not for others, for this is the privilege of the perfected ones over themselves, because even their Dibon, that is, their composed word, which flowed like a torrent, will perish: in which they had as it were an altar of their consecration, and all secular riches. And in the psalm it is said: If riches abound, do not set your heart upon them. But the beginning of salvation is to understand one's own sins and to weep over them.

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:3-9

(Verse 3 and following) Over Nebo and over Medeba, Moab will wail; on every head there is baldness, every beard is shaved off. In its streets they are dressed in sackcloth; on its rooftops and in its squares everyone wails and goes down in weeping. Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voices are heard as far as Jahaz; therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; his soul trembles. My heart cries out for Moab; its bars are dragged away, to Luhith and to Heshbon they come, crying; on the way to Horonaim they raise a cry of destruction; the waters of Nimrim are a desolation; the grass is withered, the vegetation fails, the greenery is no more. According to the magnitude of their work and their visitation, they shall be led to the torrent of the willows; because a cry hath gone round the border of Moab unto Eglaim, the howling thereof unto Beer Elim. For the waters of Dimon have been filled with blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon them that shall flee out of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land. Therefore, since every teaching contrary to the truth, which is born without the inspiration of God from human understanding in the darkness of error, has been laid waste by the night, and its arguments, which are understood as walls, have been destroyed by the words of Ecclesiastes; so that they fall into eternal silence, to such an extent that their entire faction turns to repentance and tears, over Nabo, that is, over prophecy and authority, that is, over their leaders, and over Medaba, where there are no fruitful trees, but barren thickets, in which beasts dwell, as it is written in the twenty-eighth psalm: And he will reveal the hidden things of the forest: there will be wailing and lamentation, and all the ornaments of eloquence will be taken away from their heads, so that they remain naked and deformed. And if anything seemed to have masculinity in a beard, when shaved by a Ecclesiastical man, it is considered effeminate and weak. In their crossroads, that is, the byways of errors, while each one fabricates according to his own will, he is equipped with the sack of penance, and over the roofs and tamed places, in which they first believed themselves to be lofty; and in the streets (because they do not enter by the narrow way, which leads to life, but by the broad way, which leads to death) there will be wailing. And they shall by no means ascend into pride, but descend into weeping. Then they shall understand all their vain thoughts, which are interpreted as Esbon, and the futile ascent of pride, which sounds like Eleale, so that the voice of their deeds may be heard, and the commandment they thought was from God, condemning themselves by their own confession. Therefore, the bars, that is, those who were strong in Moab and understood their error, shall howl, and they who had hopes will begin to have regrets when their soul howls to itself. Where the Prophet speaks with compassionate affection to those whose souls cried out to him, and says: My heart will cry out to Moab, that I may provoke them to repentance. But their beams and all the foundations, which seemed to have support in their heresies, will reach as far as Segor, that is, to the little one: and it will be shown that they are not strong, but fragile. And this Segor, that is, the small repentance, if it perseveres, will lead them to perfect salvation: which is signified by the three-year-old heifer, as we read in Genesis, where Abraham is commanded to offer a calf, a ram, and a three-year-old goat, a perfect sacrifice, that he may deservedly be the heir of the Lord (Genesis 15). And when they have repented, through tears of sorrow, that is, the tears of their cheeks, they will ascend to higher things. And through this as if through a hole and entrance of sorrow, they will raise the cry of contrition to the Lord, so that they may say: Sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit: a contrite and humble heart God will not despise (Ps. 50:19). And this will happen because the waters of Nemrim, that is, the teachings of heretics, which are compared to leopards and transgressors, will be deserted and brought to nothing. They are stubborn, whose variations and blemishes are not changed (Jeremiah XIII), and apostates, of whom we read in the Psalms, I have regarded all the sinners of the earth as transgressors (Psalm CXVIII, 119). Also, every plant and sprout, and everything that seemed green in their speech, withered. And they were visited by God according to the magnitude of their sins, so that those whom they had not felt through blessings, they would come to know through afflictions. Finally, they will be led to the valley or torrent of willows, so that no fruit remains in them. For they say that this is the nature of the seeds of these trees, that whoever drinks it in a cup will be barren. Hence the holy ones who, because of their sins, began to be in the confusion of this world, hang their organs in the willows of the Babylonian rivers (Ps. CXXXVI). The cry of the Moabites goes around all the borders, either calling for repentance or mourning for the error, so that they can offer through their wailing the calves of their lips and reach the spring of the Lord's rams, or the mighty ones, because Elim signifies both. But the waters of Dimon, which is interpreted as sufficient pain or sorrow, which had polluted many with its sprinkling, will be accused by deceived peoples of not being for their salvation, but for their bloodshed. Hence the prophetic speech promises that over flowing tears, which is interpreted as Dibon, they will accumulate not just one sorrow, but multiple additions of sorrow: so that after they have fully repented and fled from the Moabite lion, they may have God as their leader, whom the Septuagint called Ariel, which is interpreted as lion of God: I will refrain from discussing their translation in this place, because it disagrees with the Hebrew truth in many places, and from what we have interpreted, the sense of that can also be understood.

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:3

(Version 3.) In the crossroads of it, they are girded with sacks; over its roofs, and in its streets, all wailing will descend into weeping. Private tears will not exist, public mourning will echo with public laments; neither married women, nor young maidens, nor the small age of children, nor the faltering steps of the elderly will be held back in their houses, extreme captivity will not know shame and weakness.

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 552] Verecundus of Junca on Isaiah 15:3

Indeed, it is not inappropriate that the author of the abyss, the devil, should be identified with the abyss, as he is also called death, being the head of death: “Where, O death, is your sting?” And the voice of death or the abyss groans with pain, since he sees that the power to prey upon the people he possessed from the beginning is being taken away. But if, perchance, you have little faith in my own words, we can produce the testimony of Isaiah: “Shall the prey be taken from the strong, or will the captive be rescued from the mighty? But thus says the Lord: ‘The captives will indeed be taken away from the strong, and what was stolen by the mighty will be rescued.’ ” For no one denies that the mighty cry in protest and suffer as a result of losing their spoils, except those who think that the devil is of lesser malice or that he is altogether uninvolved. But persons with such opinions are inept and deceived. Turn instead to the teachers of truth, whose knowledge I can only introduce to you, that it might be yours, reader, to explore within more attentively. Jeremiah uses Moab as a figure for the prince of the world in describing his devastation and groaning: “There is lamentation in all the dwellings of Moab and in its streets, for I have shattered Moab like a useless vessel, said the Lord.” Isaiah also bears witness to the coming destruction: “Moreover, Moab’s army wails; its soul groans for itself,” and again: “Everyone wails upon its roofs and in its streets.” In this way, they suffer that they were despoiled of the people. Daily they groan over their plundering. Consequently, they do not cease to attack us also, in the hopes that they can recapture something of what was taken from them.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE CANTICLE OF HABAKKUK 6:12

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:4

(Verse 4.) Esbon and Eleale will cry out. These are the names of cities in the province of Moab, of which Esbon was once the city of the Amorite king. Concerning this city, Jeremiah also said, 'Fire has come out of Esbon, and a flame from the midst of Seon.' The name Esbon means 'thought' and therefore, Jeremiah, alluding to the name, says against Esbon, 'they have devised evil.' (Jeremiah XLV.)

The voice of them was heard even to Jaza. The city of Jaza (also known as Jasa) lies close to the Dead Sea, where the border of the Moabite province is. This indicates that the wailing of the province will resound to the very ends of the land. Hence, Jeremiah also says: From the outcry of Heshbon, even to Eleale and Jaza, they have raised their voice (Jeremiah 48:34).

Therefore the Moabites will wail, every one will wail for himself; for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth you shall mourn, utterly stricken. But if, as Aquila wanted, they are understood to be exerting their shoulders, that suggests to us the feeling that everyone has bared their chests to mourn.

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:5

(Verse 5) My heart will cry out to Moab. The prophet speaks with a lamenting affection, either because even the enemies are creatures of God, on whom so many evils come upon, or because they are to be overwhelmed with such calamities that even their enemies will become pitiable. Jeremiah also says the same: Therefore my heart will resound like a flute to Moab.

They extend their borders from Segor to a calf in labor. And Jeremiah: From Segor, he says, to Oronaim, a calf in labor. We have spoken about this in the books of Hebrew Questions, and now we briefly note that it is the fifth city after Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which were preserved for the sake of Lot's prayers. It is called Bala, that is, swallowed up, according to the Hebrews, because it was overthrown by the third earthquake. It is called Zoora (also Zora) in the Syriac language and Segor in Hebrew, both meaning 'little'. We can consider her to be a perfect age calf. Just as the thirtieth year is the strongest in humans, so is the third year in cattle and horses. The boundaries are also indicated by stakes, and by strength we mean that Segor is situated in the borders of the Moabites, separating their land from the Philistines.

For Luith will ascend weeping by way of ascent. And Jeremiah: Luith will ascend weeping by way of ascent, into mourning. However, we understand the ascent to be the path that leads to the Assyrians, and by this, captivity is signified.

And on the way to Oronaim, they will relieve the cry of contrition. Again Jeremiah: The voice of the cry of Oronaim, devastation, and great contrition. It would be long if I wanted to speak about each one, since it is clear that there are either the names of cities in Moab or the names of places that the transmigrants have abandoned.

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:6

(Verse 6) For the waters of Nemrim will be deserted. This town is on the Dead Sea, with salty waters, and even this itself is barren. Whether it alludes to the name, or whether it happened after the devastation, that even the waters turned bitter.

Because the grass has withered, the bud has failed, all the greenness has perished. Not as some think, truly because the waters of Nemrim were barren, all the grass has dried up, but Scripture speaks metaphorically. And the meaning is, in all of Moab the waters of Nemrim will be salty and bitter; just as no grass sprouts there, so the whole province will suffer from drought, that is, from Segor to Oronaim, from borders to borders. The same thing is said by Jeremiah: The waters of Nemrim will be very bad (Jerem. XLVIII, 34).

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:7

(Verse 7.) According to the magnitude of the work and the visitation of them: lead them to the river of willows. Concerning the willows, we read in Hebrew Arabim (), which can be understood both as Arabs and as Orvim (), that is, a village situated on their borders, of which it is said by many inhabitants that it provided sustenance to the prophet Elijah on Mount Horeb: this name is transferred due to ambiguity to both crows and the West, and to open places. The meaning, however, is: the visitation will correspond to the magnitude of the illness. Receive this visitation not for healing, but for punishment. I will visit, He says, with a rod their iniquities, and with stripes their sins (Ps. 88:33). Receive the rivers of Babylon, like a torrent of willows, concerning which David said, In the midst thereof we have hung up our organs on the willows (Ps. 136:2); or the valley of Arabia, through which one must pass to the Assyrians.

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:8

(Verse 8) Because the cry has gone around the territory of Moab, even to Eglaim its wailing, and even to Beer Elim its outcry. The same things are described by Jeremiah. And there are cities and places of the Moabites, where the cry and lamentation of the captive people are described.

Source: Commentary on Isaiah

[AD 420] Jerome on Isaiah 15:9

(Verse 9) Because the waters of Dibon are filled with blood. Where there was once luxury due to fertile fields and constantly flowing springs, there the streams of blood will flow due to the multitude of those killed.

For I will set upon Dibon additional things for those who have fled from Moab, a lion, and the remnants of the land. Lest anyone think it is a mistake of the scribe, and wishes to correct the error, let it be known that the name is written with both the letter M and the letter B: E of which Dimon is interpreted as silence; Dibon, flowing. With both names given because of the quietly flowing waters, to this day this small town is called both Dimon and Dibon interchangeably. As for the statement: I will set upon Dibon additional things, and seemed to ask a question about what it was, he explained in the following verse, saying: For those who have fled from Moab, a lion, and the remnants of the land: so that even those who have escaped in flight may be consumed by beasts. Although we can also understand the lion, the king of the enemies, through a metaphor, so that no one can escape his power, as if it were a roar.

Source: Commentary on Isaiah