Commentary on Isaiah (Super Isaiam)

Send ye the lamb. Here he describes the condition of the punishment; and he sets down two conditions: first, equity on the part of the one judging; second, deception on the part of the one suffering, at and it shall be when it shall appear. Now the equity of the punishment is disposed from the fault preceding it; and therefore he sets in order the fault. And he sets down a twofold fault: first, against the contempt of a promised benefit; second, against the contempt of a wholesome counsel given, at take counsel.

Concerning the first he does two things. In the first, he promises the benefit of Christ who was to be born of their nation, that from this they might receive some consolation. For Ruth the Moabitess married Boaz, of whom she conceived Obed, the father of Jesse the father of David, of whom Christ was born; as is said in the last chapter of Ruth. And therefore he says, "O Lord" -- that is, Father -- "the lamb" -- Christ: John 1; "from the rock of the desert" -- concerning Ruth the gentile, whose people is a people of stone, worshiping stone gods, and for this reason deserted by God; "to the mountain" -- Jerusalem, in which he was slain and rose again, or the Church; "the ruler." Apoc. 5: "to him that sitteth upon the throne." Second, he sets down the punishment of those who despise it: it shall be like a bird fleeing -- from whence they had fled, or whence they were led captive. Above, ch. 10: "my hand hath found as a nest the strength of the peoples." Others here wish, though it is a strained reading, to expound this to the letter concerning the tribute of lambs which the king of Moab had withdrawn from the king of Israel; as is said in 4 Kings 3, which is foretold through the prophet to be restored to the king of Jerusalem. The ruler -- as a sign of dominion. From the rock of the desert -- the place in which the sheep were nourished.

Take counsel. Here he sets in order the punishment against the contempt of the counsel given. And it is divided into three: in the first he sets down the counsel; in the second, the contempt of the counsel, at we have heard; in the third, the punishment of those who despise it, at therefore.

Concerning the first he sets down three things. First he exhorts to deliberation, at take counsel, as if to say: deliberate how thou mayest be able to be saved. Counsel (consilium) is the very question that is turned over among those who take counsel; a council (concilium) is a gathering of those who take counsel. Gather -- as it were, holding a close counsel. Prov. 11: "safety is where there are many counsels." Ecclesiasticus 32: "do all things with counsel, and after the deed thou shalt not repent." Second, he sets down the tenor of the counsel: set as night, in which he exhorts to two things. To the receiving of the fleeing Jews, that he prepare a place of hiding: set as night -- that is, prepare thyself to hide them so, in the day, as if it were night; or, at midday, in open persecution, that he may conceal those fleeing. Hide -- that in hiding thou reveal not the wanderers. He exhorts also that he sustain those received in a friendly manner, at they shall dwell. Below, ch. 32: "and there shall be a man." Third, he assigns the reason, at is at an end. And first, as to the destruction of the enemies, lest they should let go their fear of them: the dust is at an end -- the multitude of the army of Sennacherib; is consumed -- that is, slain by his sons; the wretched one -- Sennacherib: below, ch. 37; he failed -- as to power. Second, as to the restoration of the Jews, that they may do it the more willingly: as to the preparation of the kingdom, it shall be prepared -- in the mercy of God, or of a merciful king; the throne -- of the kings of Judah; as to the power of the king: he shall sit -- as one who shall reign in quiet; as to the equity of judgment: judging in truth; as to the pronouncing of the sentence: seeking; as to the discussion of causes: rendering -- as to the execution of the sentence. And this can be expounded of Hezekiah, or of Christ. Above, ch. 9: "he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom."

Note, on that word, send the lamb, that Christ is called a lamb, first, on account of the purity of his life. Exod. 12: "the lamb shall be without blemish, a lamb of one year." Second, on account of the gentleness of his death. Below, ch. 53: "as a lamb before him that shearth it, he opened not his mouth." Third, on account of the expiation of sin. John 1: "behold the Lamb of God, behold him that taketh away the sins of the world." Note, on that word, from the rock of the desert, that the Blessed Virgin is called a rock, first, on account of the firmness of grace. Ecclesiasticus 26: "everlasting foundations." Second, on account of the coldness of continence. Below, ch. 32: "as the shadow of a rock that standeth out in a desert land." Third, on account of the abundance of fruit. Job 29: "the rock poured out rivers of oil." And note, that this rock was the singular one of the desert: because she is foremost as to the first. Canticles 4: "thou art all fair, my love." Second, because she is first as to the second. Canticles 1: "we will run to the odor of thy ointments." Virgin -- as to the third. Above, ch. 7: "behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son." Note, on that word, send -- namely, thou, Father, the Son -- that the Father sent the Son, first, as the sun a ray. Ecclesiasticus 43: "the sun burning the mountains threefold." Second, as a fountain a river. Ecclesiasticus 24: "I, as it were, the river Dorix." Third, as a father a son. John 3: "so God loved the world that he might give the only-begotten."

We have heard. Here he sets down the contempt of the counsel proceeding from pride: hence he describes their pride as to three things. As to its being made public: we have heard, as it were openly; as to its quantity: he is exceeding proud; as to this, that it exceeds his dignity: his pride, by which he exalts himself over goods possessed; arrogance, by which he lays claim to goods not possessed; indignation, by which he presumptuously proposes acts of vengeance, more than... etc.

Therefore. Here he sets down the punishment of those who despise it. And first, the weeping of those to be punished, at Moab to Moab -- that is, to one another; of which enough is said above, ch. 15. Second, he describes the manner of the punishment, at to them that rejoice, and three things are set down. First, the denunciation of the punishment is enjoined upon the prophets or the messengers: who rejoice, glory, and trust in the fortifications of brick walls: Ezech. 33: "if the watchman shall see"... etc. Second, the description of the punishment is set down as to the destruction of the lands. Hesebon -- a city, in whose lands wheat abounded. Sabama -- a neighboring city, in which wine abounded. As to the strength of the enemies: the lords of the nations -- that is, the Assyrians, or the Chaldeans, ruling over many nations; the shoots -- that is, the branches that are at the top of the vine, by which are metaphorically signified the princes and the exalted. Even unto Jazer -- by destroying -- which is in the furthest borders. As to the affliction of men: the wandering of the nations, at they have wandered. Ps. 106: "they wandered in the wilderness, in a place without water." The vileness of those remaining: the shoots -- which remain in the vineyard when the branches have been cut away, without fruit and comeliness. Dan. 4: "leave the stump of its roots in the earth." The carrying away of the captives: they have passed over the sea -- of Moab -- led captive into Babylon. Or the sea -- that is, the Euphrates, according to the custom of the Hebrews. Joel 3: "they shall sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far off." Or it is expounded of the Assyrians passing over the sea, and coming to destroy. Third, the compassion of the prophet is set down; and first, compassion is set down over this, namely the evil of Moab, at I will weep with the weeping of Jazer -- that is, weeping over that city of Moab. And likewise also over the vineyard of Sabama, and Eleale. Second, the reason of the compassion is set down as to the assault of the enemies, at of them that tread down -- that is, of the Assyrians laying waste -- and as to the joy taken away from them, which they had from the abundance of grain, at from Carmel -- that is, from fertility: for Carmel is not in Moab; but the Jews use proper names for common ones. And the joy which they had in the abundance of wine, at in the vineyards. Jer. 48. Third, a conclusion is inferred as it were from the reason: at upon this -- misfortune -- my belly -- that is, my feeling -- as a harp, making a sound unto lamentation. Or because a harp increases joy for the joyful, and sorrow for the sorrowful. Or on account of the harmony of the prophet's powers.

And it shall come to pass. Here he shows their frustration, both concerning the idols to which they sacrificed on the high places, and to which they sacrificed in the temples, when they were in fears. Deut. 32: "where are their gods in whom they had confidence?"

This is the word. Here is the epilogue. From that time -- from the death of king Achaz. And now. Here he shows the brevity of the time. In three years -- which shall be until your destruction, and from the death of Achaz: in his own time was the vision of this second word; or, in which your persecution or assault shall endure. As the years of a hireling: because after these the Lord will render to you a reward for your sins. Or, those which seem great are as the years of a hireling, and to the Lord, small. Job 7: "the life of man upon earth is a warfare; and his days are as the days of a hireling."