Commentary on Isaiah (Super Isaiam)

In that day. In this part he recalls the divine and paternal correction: first by scourges from others; second by his own scourges, "in that day"; hence it is said in Wisdom 11: these indeed, as a father admonishing, you did test.

Concerning the first he sets down the scourge of Babylon. With the sword, that is, vengeance; Leviathan, that is, Nebuchadnezzar, on account of the addition of kingdoms which he had subjugated to himself; the serpent, on account of his virulent tyranny; the bar, on account of the correction of peoples by God. Above, ch. 10: woe to Assyria, the rod of my fury; the twisted one, on account of infidelity, Job 40: behold, he will swallow up a river and not marvel; the whale, Ezekiel 28: I sat in the heart of the sea.

In that day. Here is set down the correction by his own scourges. Hence he first pursues the chastisement; second, the consolation, and it shall be in the day.

Concerning the first he does two things. First the chastisement is foretold; second the manner of it is inquired into, indignation.

Concerning the first, three things. First he foretells the song of sorrow, the vineyard — formerly among the prophets and patriarchs — of pure wine. Above, ch. 5: the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel.

Second he sets down the purpose of the one punishing: I the Lord, who keep, below, ch. 51: you have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath.

Third he sets down the benefit to which they were ungrateful: lest perhaps it be visited. Wisdom 16: your word, O Lord, which heals all things.

Indignation. Here the manner of the punishment is inquired into: and first the deliberation of the judge is set down; second the execution of what was deliberated, the city.

Concerning the first, three things. First he sets forth the severe judgment, proposing the anger of one raging, there is no indignation in me; as if to say: rather I am justly indignant, because they were ungrateful for benefits. Below, ch. 51: full of the indignation of the Lord.

And from his wrath he determines a hard punishment: who will give me the thorn and the brier? As to the preceding distresses commonly arising among them against one another. Above, ch. 5: briers and thorns will come up over it. In battle, as to the assault of enemies. Jeremiah 21: I will fight against; I will burn, as to the destruction of houses and cities. Jeremiah 51: go forth, etc.

Second he sets down the tempering of the sentence: or shall I rather hold? As if to say: I will hold back my wrath by its contrary. Jeremiah 30: the Lord will not turn away. And he sets down the fruit of the tempering as to the good, which each one will make in comparison to God, he will make peace; as if to say: he will make peace with me by good works. Below, ch. 32: the work of justice shall be peace. In comparison to himself, he shall flourish, by faith, or by good purpose; he shall bud, by the completion of the work. Below, ch. 35: Jerusalem shall flourish like the lily. And in comparison to his neighbor, they shall fill the face; those who shall go forth, namely the apostles. Above, ch. 2: out of Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Psalm 18: their sound has gone forth into all the earth.

He also sets down the supplement of the punishment as to the ungrateful. Is it according to? In which he reproaches them with the benefit of the tempered punishment. Psalm 102: you will not deal with us according to our sins. In measure, in which he threatens a proportioned judgment, when cast off, from the worship of God through unbelief, not believing in Christ. Deuteronomy 25: according to the measure of the sin shall be also the manner of the stripes.

He has pondered, in which he shows the firmness of the sentence. Hard, because he will not be appeased. Above, ch. 2: cease therefore from the man, whose breath is in his nostrils.

Third he explains the motive for tempering, lest he should then destroy them entirely — namely, because from that people Christ and the apostles were still to descend, through whose preaching the worship of idols was to be abandoned. And this is what he says, when he shall have set. Above, ch. 17: man shall bow down to his maker, and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel.

The city. (Here is set down the execution of what was deliberated, and concerning this he does three things. First he sets down the punishment of destruction: the city), namely Jerusalem. Lamentations 1: how does the city sit solitary, full of people? As to the power of the enemies, there he shall be fed, as one resting without fear, the calf, the army of the enemies; the tops, metaphorically, that is, the ears of corn, by which the princes are signified. Above, ch. 13: beasts shall rest there. Or literally, that it may be a sign of desolation. 1 Maccabees 4: they saw the porches torn down.

And the destruction of men, in dryness; it is a metaphor, that is, as ears of corn are threshed in the dryness of summer. The women teaching, by whom especially the people was cast headlong into sins. Above, ch. 3: my people, their exactors have despoiled them. Or because the women themselves taught them, as Deborah, Judges 4, and Huldah, 4 Kings 22.

Second he sets down the equity of the punishment by comparison to the fault: for it is not a people. Above, ch. 5: therefore my people is led captive, because he had not knowledge.

Third, the magnitude of the destruction. And as to the universality of the places, and it shall be in the day, that is, from one end to the other. Above, ch. 1: from the sole of the foot even to the crown of the head there is no soundness in it. And as to the fewness of the men remaining, and you shall be gathered. Deuteronomy 28: you shall remain few in number.

And it shall be. Here he sets down the consolation through the bringing back to it. The trumpet, the command of the king. Above, ch. 11: he shall lift up a sign unto the nations, and shall gather together the fugitives of Israel.

Note, on that word, the Lord will visit with the sword, that the vengeance of God is called a sword: first, hard, on account of the bitterness of the punishment. Second, great, on account of the universality of those punished. Apocalypse 6: a great sword was given to him. Third, strong, on account of the power of the one punishing. Job 19: flee from before the sword. Fourth, sharp, on account of its penetrability, because it reaches even to the soul. Hebrews 4: the word of God is living and effective, and more penetrating than any two-edged sword. Fifth, shining, on account of its evident equity. Nahum 3: you shall perish by the sword; it shall devour you like the locust.

Likewise, on that word, Leviathan, note that the Devil is called Leviathan, because he adds: first, to human wickedness. Psalm 68: add iniquity upon iniquity. Second, to his own power. Matthew 4: all these will I give you, if falling down you will adore me. Third, to divine justice. Genesis 4: my iniquity is greater than that I should deserve pardon. Fourth, to divine mercy. Genesis 34: the sorrowful one, with flatteries.

Likewise note, on that word, serpent, that the Devil is called a serpent: first, on account of his cunning of renewal. 2 Corinthians 11: Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Second, on account of his manner of going about. Job 1: I have gone about the earth, and walked through it. Third, on account of his venomous bite. Proverbs 23: at the last, the snake shall bite him. Fourth, on account of his manner of coiling. Job 40: he wraps his tail like a cedar.