HistoricalChristian.Faith

Wisdom 18:17

17 Then suddenly visions of horrible dreams troubled them sore, and terrors came upon them unlooked for.
Commentaries
Rabanus Mauruson Wisdom 18:17-19AD 856
In the middle of the night, he says that the almighty God sends a word from heaven, from royal seats, a harsh conqueror, to leap into the midst of the land of destruction, and to exercise the judgment of death powerfully upon the wicked. For what is the word of the Lord, if not the Son of God? Of whom John says: In the beginning was the Word, and it is rightly said that the visions of evil dreams and unexpected fears disturbed the enemies of the people of God, so that neither to those awake nor to those sleeping was any rest given, who, because of their crimes, were destined for perpetual torments. But the very plagues warned the guilty so that they might recognize why they suffered evils, lest they perish in ignorance; this is the goodness of God, who therefore chastises sinners so that they may restrain themselves from sins and repent of past evils; but if they persist in evil and abuse the patience of God for the increase of their crimes, condemned by the just judgment of God, they will be punished without excuse in the future.
Bonaventureon Wisdom 18:17AD 1257
Then immediately, namely at the very hour of the slaying, visions of evil dreams, that is, of terrible ones, disturbed them, namely those sleeping: the Gloss: "So that neither to those awake nor to those sleeping was rest given." And unforeseen fears, that is, sudden ones, came upon them, namely upon them: Job 7: "You will terrify me through dreams, and shake me with horror through visions"; Job 4: "In the horror of a nocturnal vision, when deep sleep is wont to seize men, dread took hold of me."