When thou shalt pour out thy soul to the hungry, and shalt satisfy the afflicted soul then shall thy light rise up in darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday.

“[My father] actually treated his own property as if it were another's, of which he was but the steward, relieving poverty as far as he could and expending not only his superfluities but his necessities—a manifest proof of love for the poor, giving a portion not only to seven, according to the injunction of Solomon, but if an eighth came forward, not even in his case being stingy but more pleased to dispose of his wealth than we know others are to acquire it.… This is what most people do: they give indeed, but without that readiness that is a greater and more perfect thing than the mere offering. For he thought it much better to be generous even to the undeserving for the sake of the deserving than from fear of the undeserving to deprive those who were deserving. And this seems to be the duty of casting our bread on the waters, since it will not be swept away or perish in the eyes of the just Investigator but will arrive yonder where all that is ours is laid up and will meet with us in due time, even though we think it not. But what is best and greatest of all, [my father's] magnanimity was accompanied by freedom from ambition.”

“ותפק And if thou draw out. Comp. ויפק and obtaineth (Prov. 8:35.) נפשך Thy soul. It is, as it were, in the objective case. נענה Afflicted. ענה נפש means always to fast, as may in this case be inferred from the expression תשביע thou wilt satisfy, which follows. Then shall thy light, etc. Thy light shall shine even in darkness; when evil afflicts mankind, thou wilt be delivered.”

“Cry out, do not cease. Here he excludes the useless remedy by which they wished to prepare themselves for salvation. And first he enjoins the office of denunciation, setting down the manner of denouncing: that it be loud, without a fear that weighs down: cry out. Above, 40: lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings to Zion. That it be continuous: do not cease. Below, 62: upon your walls, Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they shall not be silent. That it be clear and open, as a trumpet. Hosea 8: let there be a trumpet in your throat. And the word of denunciation: declare crimes — as to the greater ones; sins — as to the common ones. Above, 16: to those who rejoice over the walls of baked brick, speak of their wounds. Secondly the prophet excludes, in the person of the Lord, the useless remedy: for indeed me. And concerning this he does two things. First he excludes the remedy in which they trusted; secondly he exhorts to those things in which they were lacking: is not this. Concerning the first, two things. First he shows the presumption of their confidence as to three things in which they trusted: namely, in the inquiry of sacred knowledge: for indeed they seek me — in the Scriptures — my ways, my precepts and my wills, as a nation, that is, as if they were prepared to do them. Ezekiel 33: they say, one to another. Again in prayer: they ask of me judgments, that is, that I should judge for them against their adversaries, to draw near, with the mouth. Above, 29: this people draws near with its mouth. Again they trusted in the observance of fasts: why have we fasted, and you have not regarded it, as if it were pleasing; we have humbled ourselves — as to the circumstance surrounding the fast, in exterior humiliation — you have not known, with the knowledge of approval. Malachi 3: vain is he who serves God: and what profit is it, that we have kept his precepts? Secondly he shows the reprobation of the goods just mentioned. And first the cause of the reprobation, which is the fault of pleasure: behold, in the day — the will, in those things which please the flesh. Ecclesiasticus 18: go not after your lusts. Likewise the fault of cruelty: and all debtors — literally, so that they might persist for a long time in pursuing lawsuits, or with reference to what follows from it. James 4: you quarrel and you fight. Likewise the fault of vanity: do not fast that you may be heard — for the sake of human praise. Matthew 6: but when you pray, enter into your chamber, and having shut the door, pray to your Father. Or, that it may be heard; that is, if you wish that your prayer be heard by God. Psalm 101: Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you. Secondly he shows the insufficiency of the goods: is such — because God does not choose your punishment for its own sake, nor for the affliction of the flesh, which he touches in what he says: through the day, the whole day, to afflict. Nor as to the abjection of exterior humility, which he touches in what he says, as a circle; that is, bowing the head to the feet, or turning it about, as monks do, not insofar as it is ordered to the virtue of the mind. Matthew 6: when you fast, do not become sad like the hypocrites. Joel 2: rend your hearts, and not your garments. Is not this. Here he applies useful counsel: and first as to the zeal of piety toward one's neighbor; secondly as to the worship of religion toward God, if you turn away. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the counsel of piety, that they should give up calumny: bonds — false causes, by which they cunningly bound the poor as usurers do; bundles — the same, weighing down, as to the penalties to which they bound them. Who are broken — by long servitude; burden — of servitude. Matthew 23: they bind heavy and unbearable burdens; but with their own finger they are unwilling to move them. And that they may attend to mercy, exhorting to mercy: as to the hungry, break — that is, even if you have but little; as to the wandering, and the needy; as to the naked, when you see. Job 31: if I have denied what they wished. And he sets down the cause of the exhortation: and the flesh — because, namely, it is of the same species as you. Job 5: visiting your species. Secondly he shows the fruit of the counsel: and it shall break forth. And first as to the efficacy of merits. Then as to the works of virtue: as the morning, your light; that is, your merits shall clearly appear in their rewards, which now you complain are not regarded by the Lord. It shall gather — from captivity, or in the protection of mercy. Psalm 36: he will bring forth your justice as the light. Then as to the support of prayer: then you shall call upon. Above, 30: at the voice of your cry, as soon as he hears it, he will answer you. Secondly as to the attainment of goods. And first he resumes the merit: if you take away the chain — with which you oppress the poor; to stretch out the finger — by detracting and threatening; when you shall have poured out — through compassion; you shall have filled — through the supplying of necessities. Secondly he promises the reward: it shall rise. And first as to the multiplication of goods, setting down deliverance from evils: it shall rise in the darkness — adversity shall be changed into the light of prosperity, ignorance into the light of knowledge, or sin into the light of knowledge, as to spiritual things. And rest — as to temporal evils. 2 Corinthians 4: God, who said, out of darkness. The multiplication of interior spiritual goods: he will fill with splendors — namely, with virtues or consolations; and your bones — as to bodily things. Ecclesiasticus 30: a splendid and good heart. And of exterior goods: and you shall be as a garden — on account of prosperity, or the unfailingness of all goods. Numbers 24: how beautiful are your tabernacles, Jacob. Secondly as to the rebuilding of the homeland: and there shall be built, after the return from captivity, of the ages — that is, the cities deserted in former ages — you shall raise up, by building upon the ancient foundations. Above, 44: who say to Jerusalem, you shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, you shall be built. Thirdly as to the restoration of reputation: and you shall be called the builder of hedges, that is, of the obstacles of sin; of iniquities; or into rest — namely, converting the paths of sin into rest. Hosea 2: I will hedge up your ways with thorns. If you turn away. Here he sets down counsel as to the worship of religion in the observance of the sabbath. And first he sets down the counsel: the foot — lest you do forbidden works. You shall be called the sabbath, that is, one celebrating this sabbath, as to the exercise of good works. Exodus 20: remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Another text has: you shall have called; and the sense is the same. Secondly he sets down the fruit: then you shall delight — as to spiritual goods; I will lift you up — by bringing you back into your land, which is mountainous; I will feed you — as to the enjoyment of the goods of the land. Job 22: then you shall abound with delights over the Almighty. Note, on that word, lift up like a trumpet, that preaching is a trumpet. First, because it rouses to the state of life. 1 Corinthians 15: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise incorrupt. Secondly, because it exhorts to battle. 1 Corinthians 14: if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle? Thirdly, because it announces the approach of a man. Above, 27: it shall be sounded with trumpets. Fourthly, because it calls to counsel. Hosea 8: let there be a trumpet in your throat. Fifthly, because it invites to a feast. Psalm 80: blow the trumpet at the new moon. Likewise note, on that passage, if you take away from your midst the chain, what a chain is. First, of piety. Ephesians, last chapter: for which I perform an embassy in this chain. Secondly, of iniquity. Wisdom 17: for they were all bound together by one chain of darkness. Thirdly, of poverty. Job 36: if they shall have been bound. Fourthly, of servitude. Jeremiah 28: wooden chains. Fifthly, of prison. Ecclesiastes 4: for out of prison and chains one sometimes comes forth to a kingdom.”

“And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry,.... Not only deal out thy bread, but thy soul also, to him; that is, give him food cheerfully, with a good will, expressing a hearty love and affection for him; do it heartily, as to the Lord; let thy soul go along with it; and this is true of affectionate ministers of the Gospel, who not only impart that, but their own souls also, Th1 2:8, and satisfy the afflicted soul; distressed for want of food; not only give it food, but to the full; not only just enough to support life, but to satisfaction; or so as to be filled with good things, or however a sufficiency of them: then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday; in the midst of darkness of affliction, or desertion, the light of prosperity and joy shall spring up, and a dark night of sorrow and distress become a clear day of peace and comfort; see Psa 112:4, at evening time it shall be light, Zac 14:7.”