First Reading — Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8
Hippolytus of Rome
On 38:5
When Hezekiah, king of Judah, was still sick and weeping, there came an angel, and said to him: "I have seen thy tears, and I have heard thy voice. Behold, I add unto thy time fifteen years. And this shall be a sign to thee from the Lord: Behold, I turn back the shadow of the degrees of the house of thy father, by which the sun has gone down, the ten degrees by which the shadow has gone down," so that day be a day of thirty-two hours. For when the sun had run its course to the tenth hour, it returned again. And again, when Joshua the son of Nun was fighting against the Amorites, when the sun was now inclining to its setting, and the battle was being pressed closely, Joshua, being anxious lest the heathen host should escape on the descent of night, cried out, saying, "Sun, stand thou still in Gibeon; and thou moon, in the valley of Ajalon," until I vanquish this people. And the sun stood still, and the moon, in their places, so that day was one of twenty-four hours. And in the time of Hezekiah the moon also turned back along with the sun, that there might be no collision between the two elemental bodies, by their bearing against each other in defiance of law. And Merodach the Chaldean, king of Babylon, being struck with amazement at that time-for he studied the science of astrology, and measured the courses of these bodies carefully-on learning the cause, sent a letter and gifts to Hezekiah, just as also the wise men from the east did to Christ.
On 38:8
We find in the commentaries, written by our predecessors, that day had thirty-two hours. For when the sun had run its course, and reached the tenth hour, and the shadow had gone down by the ten degrees in the house of the temple, the sun turned back again by the ten degrees, according to the word of the Lord, and there were thus twenty hours. And again, the sun accomplished its own proper course, according to the common law, and reached its setting. And thus there were thirty-two hours.
Responsorial Psalm — Isaiah 38:10, 11, 12abcd, 16
Rashi
On 38:10
I said, In the desolation of my days (בִּדְמִי) When I saw my days בִּדְמִי, in desolation and in silence. Comp. (Zeph. 1:11) “For the entire people of Canaan has been silenced (נִדְמָה).” That is to say that when I became ill, I said, “I will go into the gates of the grave.” Now I will die, since, until that day, no sick person had recovered. I am deprived of the rest of my years (פֻּקַּדְתִּי) Comp. “(Num. 31:49) No man was missing (נִפְקַד) of us.” I am missing the rest of my years. Jonathan, however, renders: My remembrance has entered for good; years have been added to my years. I have been visited (נִפְקַדְתִּי) for good, and my years have been increased.
On 38:11
[Addendum: I will not see the Eternal (יָהּ) I will no longer use the name יָהּ. in the land of the living The living use it, but the dead are not permitted, as it is said (Ps. 115:17): “The dead shall not praise the Eternal (יָהּ).” It is a rule for the dead that they may never mention the Name consisting of two letters.] in the land of the living in the Temple. I will no longer look upon man (I.e., I will) no longer (look upon) a living (man). with those who dwell in withdrawal (חָדֶל) For I will be with the dead, who dwell in a land withdrawn and withheld from the living.
On 38:12
My generation was removed and exiled from me The people of my generation were removed from me. was removed (נִסַּע) synonymous with נִסְּחוּ. Comp. (supra 33:20) “whose pegs shall never be moved (יִסַּע).” like a shepherd’s tent Like the tent of one who tends animals, which he moves from here and sets up in another pasture when this pasture is depleted. I severed (קִפַּדְתִּי) I severed my life quickly, like a weaver who hastens to weave. All this I thought. Jonathan renders: Like a stream with banks, like a stream that flows between high banks, which does not spread out, and consequently, its water flows swiftly. And I say that it is a swift stream named Oreg, and this is what Job (7:6) said, “My days are lighter than Areg,” also (ibid. 9:26), “They passed with the ships of Ebeh.” from glory He shall deprive me (מִדַּלֶּה יְבַצְּעֵנִי). Jonathan renders: From the glory of my kingdom I am exiled. I thought that now He would deprive me of all my glory. The word דַלָּה is an expression of height. Comp. (Song 7:5) “And the braid (וְדַלַּת) of your head.” from day and night You shall finish me (lit., from day to night.) Comp. (Num. 5:3) “Both male and female,” (lit., from male to female.) That is to say, from days and nights you shall finish me, and so did Jonathan render: My days and my nights are over.
On 38:13
I made [myself] myself all night to suffer the tortures of the illness, and I strengthened myself like a lion to suffer. so it would break my bones Comp. (Ex. 1:12) “So they would multiply and so they would spread.” The more I would strengthen myself, so the illness would overpower me to break all my bones.
On 38:14
like a crane (סוּס) same as (Jer. 8:7), סִיס, and that is the name of a bird. like a crane, a swallow like a crane and a swallow. (Alternatively,) like this bird, seized by the neck, and it screeches. So did Jonathan render: Like a crane that is caught and screeches. Rob me (עָשְׁקָה), like עֲשֹׁק. Rob me, take me out of the hand of the angel of death, and pledge Yourself to save me. This (עָרְבֵנִי) is an expression of surety (garantieh in O.F.). Comp. (Ps. 119) “Pledge Yourself (עֲרוֹב) to Your servant for good.” Rob me (לִי) Rob me from his hand. Comp. (Num. 12:13) “Please cure her (לָהּ),” like, cure her (אוֹתָהּ).
On 38:15
What shall I speak praise and adoration before Him? Behold He promised me consolations, and He fulfilled them. I will cause all my sleep to flee Comp. (Gen. 31:40) “And my sleep fled.” Jonathan renders שְׁנוֹתַי as an expression of years. concerning the bitterness of my soul which was bitter, and You consoled me.
On 38:16
O Lord! Concerning them, [You said] they shall live Jonathan renders: O Lord! Concerning all the dead, You said to resurrect. and before all of them the life of my spirit And before all of them He resurrected the life of my spirit. But I say according to the simple meaning: The Lord is upon them, upon ‘my years’ mentioned above. ‘How can I serve Him and repay Him for all the years,’ He caused His Shechinah and His kindness to rest upon them and said to me through His prophets, that they shall live. and to all upon which the life of my soul depends And to everything upon which the life of my soul depends, the Lord said concerning them and they shall live. and You shall make me well From now on, I know that you shall make me well and give me life. You shall make me well (תַּחְלִימֵנִי) You shall make me well and strengthen me. Comp. (Job 39:4) “Their children shall become strong (יַחְלְמוּ).”
Gospel — Matthew 12:1-8
Hilary of Poitiers
On 12:1
Figuratively; First consider that this discourse was held at that time, namely, when He had given thanks to the Father for giving salvation to the Gentiles. The field is the world, the sabbath is rest, the corn the ripening of them that believe for the harvest; thus His passing through the corn field on the sabbath, is the coming of the Lord into the world in the rest of the Law; the hunger of the disciples is their desire for the salvation of men.
On 12:7
The Pharisees, who thought that the key of the kingdom of heaven was in their hands, accused the disciples of doing what was not lawful to do; whereon the Lord reminded them of deeds in which, under the guise of facts, a prophecy was concealed; and that He might shew the power of all things, He further added, that it contained the form of that work which was to be, Had ye known what that meaneth, I will have mercy; for the work of our salvation is not in the sacrifice of the Law, but in mercy; and the Law having ceased, we are saved by the mercy of God. Which gift if they had understood they would not have condemned the innocent, that is His Apostles, whom in their jealousy they were to accuse of having transgressed the Law, where the old sacrifices having ceased, the new dispensation of mercy came through them to the aid of all.