Jerome, on Ezek 16:53

“And I will bring back and restore them by bringing back Sodom, with her daughters, and by bringing back Samaria, and her daughters: and I will bring those that return of thee in the midst of them.”

“(Verse 53, 54.) And I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters. And I will restore your own fortune among them, so that you may bear your shame and be confounded in everything you have done, consoling them. LXX: And I will restore their fortunes like the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, I will restore the fortune of Samaria and her daughters, and I will restore your own fortune among them, so that you may bear your punishment and have shame for everything you have done, in order to provoke me to anger. Jerusalem made great progress, that after the confusion and ignominy that was brought upon it by the judgment of God, it willingly accepted and carried, saying: I will bear the wrath of the Lord, for I have sinned against Him, let restoration be promised to it in its former state. But yet, because by the comparison of its crimes, Sodom and Samaria were justified, of which one is on the right and the other on the left; first, the conversion or captivity of Sodom is restored, as Aquila interpreted; secondly, the captivity of Samaria, as Aquila and Symmachus also translated; and lastly, Jerusalem, which was oppressed by greater iniquity, will be restored, and it had shown that its sinful sisters were just in comparison to itself. For of whom is it doubted that among three sinners, rather sinners, a gentile, a heretic, and a churchman, he is more deserving of greater punishments, who is deserving of greater dignity? For the powerful, as we have said, endure torments powerfully (Wisdom 6:7). But he who is least deserving is deserving of mercy. And the servant who knows the will of his master, and does not do it, will be beaten with many (Luke 12:47). Therefore Peter also says: It is time for judgment to begin with God's house (1 Peter 4:17). And in this same place, the prophet commands those who have axes: 'From my saints begin' (Above, IX, 6) , that Jerusalem, having been converted and restored to its former state before its sisters, may bear its own shame, and be confounded, and blush over those things which it has sinned, and in all things may console its sisters, while it endures more weighty things (Jerem. VI) . Or certainly, it is confounded and blushes for this reason, because it has provoked God to anger. From this it is clear that the anger of God is not natural, but rather that the God who is most kind and gentle is provoked to anger by our vices, as the Apostle says: "Do you despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" (Rom. II, 4, 5). You, however, with your hard and impenitent heart, are storing up wrath for yourself, which is not according to the nature of God. And in another place it is written: You have sent forth your wrath, which consumed them like stubble (Exodus 15:7). For what is joined and united in one body cannot be sent, but that which is outside the body. For example, a spear, weapon, arrow, sword. We also read in the Gospel (Matthew 10:15) that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for the one who does not receive the apostles.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.