Commentary on Isaiah 2.2.19–2.3.4

“This is the counsel which the Lord has counselled against the whole world, and this is the high hand against all the nations of the whole world. For what the holy God has counselled, who will scatter? And the high hand who will turn back?”

It should be known again that the force of the prophecy in these words does not come against the whole world, that is, against everything under heaven; rather the word of the prediction was spoken against the whole land of the Assyrians, which he also calls “world”, because it is great and broad and richly filled with countless nations beyond number. So what has been said, he says, will come against the whole land of the Assyrians … that in every way and altogether what has been announced will come to fulfilment, … and that no one will undo the affliction, or be able to help those who are under divine wrath, he further declares, saying: “For what the holy God has counselled, who will scatter? And the high hand who will turn back?” For he entirely … those of Israel, so that they are firmly disposed and think that in every way and altogether the divine and supreme hand, being all-powerful and ruling over all things, will carry out what has been promised. For since they thought the strength of the Assyrians terrible and irresistible, yielding to no one and refusing defeat, and it was likely that for this reason they would disbelieve the words of the prophecy, for this reason, and very fittingly, he does not let them suffer this; he all but entreats them, and cuts off beforehand the disease of unbelief, saying: “The high hand who will turn back?”

“In the year in which Ahaz died this word came: Do not rejoice, all you …, for the yoke of him who struck you has been broken. For from the seed of serpents will come forth offspring of asps, and their offspring will come forth …”

Different revelations came at different times to the holy prophets, suited to the nature of events, for the benefit of the people of that time. For although Israel had become hardened and had disregarded the divine laws, the God of all wished to reshape them so that they would think better things, benefiting them in many ways, rousing his wrath against those who opposed him, and lifting up to good hopes those who dwelt in the holy city, I mean Jerusalem, so that they might know that the Lord of all is one and alone, and that there is no other besides him. But they, giving reverence to the creature rather than the Creator, and [calling it] gods, gave offence beyond measure. Some such dispensation the [prophecy] before us now [shows] too. But I think it necessary to relate first the events that happened historically, and to set out each one clearly; for in this way what is shown will be most evident to readers. Uzziah, then, who is also Azariah, reigned in Jerusalem over Israel. He was careful of piety; for he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as is written about him.

He was very powerful and quite irresistible to his opponents, that is, to the foreigners, [in strength] in wars; he also sacked cities of the Phylistieim, that is, of the foreigners, that is, of the Palestinians, and some of what is called Coele-Syria. It is written about him thus in the second book of Chronicles: “And he went out and fought against the foreigners, and broke down the walls of Gath, and the walls … among the foreigners. And the Lord strengthened him against the foreigners and against the Arabs who lived on the Rock, and against the Minaeans. And the Minaeans gave gifts to Uzziah, and his name reached as far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong.” When he departed this life, Jotham, who was born of him, succeeded to his kingdom. Then after him Ahaz, a wicked and apostate man, [given] to … and stones, and to all the host of heaven; he also made his son pass through the fire, for he sacrificed him to the demons. It is written thus about him too in the fourth book of Kingdoms: “And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God faithfully, as David his father did; and he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and he even made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel. And he burned incense on the high places and on the hills and under every leafy tree. Then … and the king of Israel went up against Jerusalem to war, and they besieged Ahaz, and were not able to fight.” And after other things: “And Ahaz sent messengers to Theglaphalasar, king of the Assyrians, saying: I am your servant and your son. Come up, save me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me. And Ahaz took the silver and the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent gifts to the king. And the king of the Assyrians listened to him, and came to Damascus, and took it and deported its people, and put Raasson to death.” First, then, Uzziah, who is also Azariah, sacked the foreigners, and, having laid waste all their land, collected tributes and dues. Second, after him, Ahaz … and having uprooted the whole land of the Palestinians (for he says that they are the foreigners), carried off to his own land as captives those who were left from the war. When Ahaz died, the [cities] of the foreigners leapt for joy at this … as though he had laid on them an unbearable yoke of greed. For having once been weakened and sacked by the hand of the Assyrians, they were embittered against Ahaz, but were not able to retaliate. O foreigners, then, he says, since, as you say and think, now that Ahaz is dead, the yoke of him who struck you, that is, crushed you, has been broken, do not rejoice at this.

And yet someone might say that Ahaz was an idolater, profane and hateful to God; how then does God check the laughter of the opponents over him? The laughter, then, was surely not against him; but if anywhere … of the things that usually grieve Judaea happened, … [they mocked] not those who suffered so much as the hand of God that shielded Israel, [deriding] the all-powerful right hand; and they thought that the gods they had were better than the God who guards Israel. So, even if Ahaz was profane, yet since the foreigners, as I said just now, mocked those of Israel, he restrains their gladness and as it were reins in their acclamations, saying that they have not been freed from the oppressing yoke, but rather will suffer things at which, as was likely, they would be greatly distressed against their will. For what does he say? “Do not rejoice … yoke [of him who struck] you.” Know rather that from the seed of a serpent will come forth offspring of asps. You will understand this in two ways. For Uzziah, who is also Azariah, was, as I said, harsh and most warlike, and he subdued them so that [he took] their cities and villages as had not happened before. Then after him Ahaz, if perhaps not by his own hand and with native forces, yet by that of the Assyrians, did the like to them. For Theglaphalasar took Damascus and the cities of the foreigners, and he killed Raasson himself. [When] Ahaz [died], the righteous and pious Hezekiah succeeded to the kingdom. It is written about him too in the fourth book of Kingdoms: “And he rebelled against the king of the Assyrians and did not serve him. He struck the foreigners as far as Gaza and its border, from watchmen's tower to fortified city.” So, as from the seed of a serpent, Uzziah, Ahaz came forth as offspring of an asp; then after him a flying serpent, that is, a swift one, Hezekiah. For in a certain way they bit the foreigners and consumed their cities. And if Uzziah and Hezekiah were called serpents, although they were pious, one should consider very sensibly that the aim of the word is turned and looks above all to depicting the Phylistieim, that is, the foreigners. It had, then, to say that they would be not gentle and mild, but terrible and sharp, accustomed to leap like serpents on their opponents. So you will understand “From the seed of a serpent will come forth offspring of asps” in this way, or in another way too, if you wish. Ahaz hired Theglaphalasar the Assyrian and let him loose on the land of the foreigners; and he laid it all waste and killed, as I said, King Raasson himself.

But in the times of King Hezekiah, Salamanasar the king, who was himself also of the Assyrians, made an expedition against Samaria. Having come first upon the land of the Palestinians, that is, of the foreigners, he worked the deeds of barbarian cruelty against all. So, as from the seed of a serpent, Theglaphalasar, Salamanasar came forth as offspring of an asp, himself too like a serpent, not sluggish in attacks, not slow to move to besiege, but rather swift, and like a bird … the cities.

“And the poor will be fed through him, and poor men will rest in peace; but he will destroy your seed with famine, and your remnant …”

… I said before, that when Ahaz died, [the foreigners] mocked not him so much as the all-powerful right hand of him who saves Israel, I mean God. But that those who fight would not fail even after Uzziah he made very clear, saying that from the seed of a serpent will come forth offspring of asps. And since they had danced in insult over the divine glory, the prophet necessarily shows us in these words both that he who shields Israel will save it, and that he will in every way and altogether bring destruction on its opponents. For Salamanasar besieged Jerusalem after taking the whole land of the Samaritans, as is written, but the God of all saved those of Israel unexpectedly. For the Assyrians fell, the angel of the Lord consuming them; and the seed of the foreigners, and all the remnant from the first siege, which took place in the times of Theglaphalasar, was utterly destroyed and perished entirely, perhaps pressed by famine. For other evils too always somehow follow on the besieging of cities. The poor, then, and modest men will be fed through God, that is, they will possess their own, and will rest in peace; but your seed and remnant he will destroy with famine. It is a fearful thing, then, to mock those who are under the hand of God, and to rise up against those who have come under his care. For he will by no means overlook it, but will surely defend his own, so that the opponents may not laugh broadly and reproach God as unable to save sufficiently.

“… smoke comes from the north, and there is no being.”

“From the seed of a serpent will come forth offspring of asps” it would be fitting to understand as we said in explaining it: that Theglaphalasar sacked the cities of the foreigners and took Damascus; then after him Salamanasar, in the times of Hezekiah's reign, plunged them into still heavier calamities, having besieged and taken the cities of the Samaritans. So, as though the attack had already been organized and the Assyrian army were present, as though the siege-engines had already been brought up to the gates in each city and [the walls] were about to be shaken down, he orders the gates to [howl] and the cities to cry out, no longer exulting over those of the blood of Israel, no longer [mocking the power] of the all-powerful God, but rather practising wailing and laments, and sorrowing not a little at the calamities that will soon be upon them. For why, he says, have I commanded the cities to wail? Because smoke comes from the north, and there is no being. Smoke from the north he here calls what sets out from the land of the Assyrians, either Salamanasar himself or the army with him. For very southern … be able those who might trust in him.

… of the Assyrians. He compares the warlike army to smoke, as causing tears in those who are captured; for smoke always somehow draws tears from the eyes. And it is not unlikely that wars are compared to smoke in another way too. For as smoke, falling on the eyes of the body, takes away entirely the sharpness of their sight, so too the fear of death all but makes the mind drunk and muddies the heart with terrible … Smoke, then, will come from the north. Then what is the end of the attack? No longer being, he says; that is, utter destruction will destroy cities and houses and those in them. … for care those who love him, and to those who …

“And what will the kings of the nations answer? That the Lord has founded Zion, and through him the humble of the people will be saved.”

When the attack of the Assyrians had taken place, the cities of the foreigners were taken, and those of the Samaritans were sacked no less; but Jerusalem alone of them all was saved, beyond all expectation, he who is able to set all things right with ease laying his hand on the armies of the Assyrians. For in one night a hundred and eighty-five thousand of the foreigners died. When, then, those from the north have burned the cities of the foreigners and laid waste the land of the Samaritans, neighbour to Judaea, and then, having surrounded Jerusalem itself, fall in one night with no one fighting against them, then indeed, then, he says, the kings of the nations will confess even against their will that the Lord has founded Zion, and that through him the humble of the people will be saved. By the humble of the people he means those who have set their hope of being saved on him alone, as did Hezekiah himself, the king, and those around him, falling down before God and saying: “Hear, Lord; look, Lord, and see the words of Rabshakeh, which the king of the Assyrians sent to reproach the living God.” And he in turn heard God saying clearly: “Thus says the Lord: I will shield this city for my own sake and for the sake of David my servant.” Good, then, it is to trust in God. And knowing this the blessed prophets say it: Jeremiah, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and the Lord will be his hope”; and the most wise David, “Lord God of powers, blessed is the man who hopes in you.” For no one will destroy one who is helped by his divine nods and well walled about by the favours from above. … to think and to do what seems good to him, to those who are most zealous, he readily grants that their good things be secure.

Having brought the word about the Babylonians and the foreigners to a good conclusion, he turns the prediction again to Moabitis, that is, against the metropolis of the Moabites and their whole land and their kingdom itself. They too are a barbarian nation, hated by God, because they were wholly given to the worship of idols, and especially [practised] the magic art, and rose up against the glory of God, and were among the most hostile of all to those of Israel. Indeed when, freed from the greed of the Egyptians, they were going to the land of promise, they very nearly all perished, as far as the attempt of Balak went, who was then king of the Moabites. It is written thus in Numbers: “And all the sons of Israel encamped on the west of Moab, by the Jordan opposite Jericho. And Balak son of Sepphor, seeing all that Israel had done to the Amorite, — and Moab feared the people greatly, because they were many; and Moab was vexed before the sons of Israel.” Then [he summons] Balaam from Mesopotamia (this man was a false seer and an augur); then he urges him, saying: “Curse Israel for me. For I know,” he says, “that those whom you bless are blessed, and those whom you curse are cursed.” And the methods of sorcery were practised by him, and altars raised up …; [but] Balak [was cheated] of his hope and failed of his purpose, since the one who had been called in to curse unexpectedly blessed Israel. And since his attempt turned out contrary to his hopes, he pursues the business of his perversity against them again in another way. For he netted those of Israel, who were carried away by the beauty of the women into departing from the love of God and choosing to worship Beelphegor; this was an idol of the Moabites. It is written thus again in Numbers: “And Israel stayed in Sattim, and the people were profaned by committing fornication with the daughters of Moab; and they called them to the sacrifices of their idols, and the people ate of their sacrifices and worshipped their idols; and Israel was initiated into Beelphegor, and the Lord was angry with wrath against Israel.” For since Israel was terrible and irresistible while [God] defended him, for this reason, very bitterly and maliciously, wishing to remove his help, they persuaded him to offend … the God over all. And they continued in such a mind for ever after, and if it happened that Israel, having given offence, shared in calamities, they accused God of being able to do nothing at all, God who promises to save those who worship him. Of this the blessed Jeremiah is a witness, saying in the vision against them: “The horn of Moab is broken, … and he magnified himself against the Lord.” And again: “[For] thus said the Lord: Arioth is taken, and the strongholds have been seized. And Moab will perish from being a people, because he magnified himself against the Lord.” For at a certain time … came … Judaea. And he took the cities of Samaria.

… the glory of God. For this reason they too were given over to desolation, and perished utterly together with their cities and people and every house, so that they now seem somehow not even to have existed. The vision before us, then, recalls what befell them, plainly from the wrath from above, and says: “By night the Moabite will perish; for by night the wall of Moabitis will perish.” Some of those who have looked into these things closely have handed down that, when the Babylonians were about to make war on them, … the metropolis of the Moabites, so that its whole wall was shaken down of itself in the night and darkness; and when this had happened, before the attack of the enemy, their hope of safety all but perished. For this reason he says that Moabitis will perish by night. “But grieve,” he says, “over yourselves.” As if he were saying: You who very often raised your brow … now the war is running against you yourselves, and … Grieve, then, not over others but over yourselves. “For Lebedon will perish, where your altar is.” Having trusted in the deceits of demons and thinking through the magic art to prevail over … God would defend; so in the place called Lebedon there was their altar, and a sanctuary not without wonder as far as its construction went. There they performed their divinations, and were very proud, and made the place more revered than the others. But the workshop of your divination too, he says, will perish. “There you will go up to weep over Nabau of Moabitis.” This is a city of the most valiant. “Howl,” he says, “for on every head is baldness.” That is, one dishonour will run over all. “And all arms will be cut” — from beating themselves and lamenting; or because it is the custom of idolaters to make the so-called incisions on their cheeks and arms. You will do this too in vain, then, he says; for the thing is entirely useless. “So in her streets gird yourselves with sackcloth, and beat your breasts on her housetops and in her streets and in her lanes; all of you howl with weeping, because Esebon has cried out, and spoke until her voice was heard.”

The power of the prophecy depicts for us the shape of cities in no small terror. For when war has surrounded them, and the last calamity has been brought on cities and houses, some in the streets … and what is weak and unwarlike, such as the race of women and that of infants, has leapt up on the housetops; it raises wailing and howling, seeing the phalanxes of the enemy and thinking of the slaughter that will soon be upon them. Howl, then; for Esebon has cried out, and spoke until her voice was heard. He says that these are the most warlike cities of Moabitis. But even if they are such, he says, they will make so great a howling as not to weep secretly or in a corner; rather their voice will be heard and they will lament openly, those in them having let go their accustomed courage, and being so broken as to be wholly without strength and boldness, and without thoughts and attempts at valour.

“The loins of Moabitis cry out; her soul will know, and the heart of Moabitis cries out within her as far as Segor; for she is a heifer three years old. And on the ascent toward you, weeping they will go up by the way of Aroniim; there cries out destruction and shaking.”

The attack of [enemies] always brings incurable calamities, and is not unable to break even the boldest heart. Hence, I think, some have gloomy faces, and groans leap up as from the depths, interpreting the heat of the flame within. The loins of Moabitis, then, cry out; that is, she is in pangs, plainly at the rumours, and as she thinks of the war that will soon be upon her. For her soul knew this. And for this reason she laments and has cried out within her as far as Segor, that is, the whole land of Moabitis, as far as its very limits. For they say that Segor lay at the very borders of the Moabites. For what reason, then, will it happen to her to suffer these things? She is a heifer three years old. The third year brings brute animals to their prime, and … that is the time for them to be broken in. As long as the heifer is untried by the yoke, lusty and young, and putting out a newly grown horn, she frisks about the folds and steadings and very often dances over them; such was the [land] of the Moabites … those weaker. They say that it is high, and that those who come from other cities or lands go up to it. On the very ascent of Aroniim, then, he says, they will go up weeping. And the cry of those weeping is destruction and shaking. For they have cried out beforehand the sufferings that will come from the war, which all but shakes everything, cities and houses, and crushes those in them.

“… and will she even so be saved?”

They say that Nebrim is a city that lies at the far edge of the country, near the Red Sea, and is so well watered and has such good pasture that those in it could keep many horses; for this reason they were most warlike, and had a cavalry experienced in war. From divine wrath, then, he says, from the attack of the enemy, it will be bereft of waters and green grass. When this has happened, the skill of its tacticians will surely be powerless, the horses having been destroyed beforehand and perished of hunger. But if this should happen, he says, will she then still think highly of herself? when this has happened, is she going to be saved and escape the hands of the enemy? For when their strength has been taken away beforehand, what hope of safety will there be any longer?

“For I will bring Arabs upon the ravine, and they will take it. The cry has reached the border of … as far as the well of Eleim. And the water of Remmor will be filled with blood; for I will bring Arabs upon Remmor. And I will take away the seed of Moab, and … and the remnant of Adama I will send away like creeping things on the earth.

They say that the countless tribes of the so-called Saracens occupy the most southern parts of the land of the Damascenes, and stretch as far as the land of the Persians. These took up arms with the Babylonians and ravaged the land of the Moabites; for they too followed them, though perhaps they were even of the same race as Moab, and its neighbours. He says, then, that Nebrim will be taken: “For I will bring Arabs upon the ravine, and they will take it.” He calls Nebrim a “ravine”, as is likely, because it lies in a hollow place, whereas the other cities are raised on high and are on mountains. And since it was not a part of Moabitis that was crushed by the war, but the whole of it altogether was shaken and tossed about like a drunkard, for this reason he says that the cry will be joined from end to end, the cry plainly of those who howl and are used to practising the lament for those about to perish. “For the cry has reached the border of Moabitis,” he says, “of Agalleim, and her howling …” He names the outer cities, those that lie at the very limits, I mean Agalleim and the well of Eleim. Having affirmed, as I said, that the lament has been spread over their whole country, he then says: “The water of Remmon will be filled with blood.” Remmon is said to be very well watered. But it will be filled with blood, he says, meaning that in the time of war the blood of the fallen will rival the abundance of the waters: rivers will be seen dyed red, and the water of the land will be spilt, no longer pure, nor having the look of water, but of another colour and like blood. He says that it too will be taken by the Arabs, so that all the seed of Moab and Ariel, that is, … will perish and be consumed. … “But what is left,” he says, “I will send away like creeping things on the earth.” For, though they were always bitter, they will go into captivity like serpents bewitched by someone's charms and as it were drowsing off into a tameness unusual for them. For to say “I will send away” means to send off into exile. For it is the custom of those who take a country or city sometimes not to destroy all utterly, but, when the most warlike part of the multitude has been consumed, to put those who are left in the rank of captives of war. And if one must also apply some necessary word to the histories, it should be known that a soul walled about by the fear of God is strong and hard to capture, and prevails over the hand of those who fight against it. For it conquers rulers and authorities and the world-rulers of this darkness, the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. But if it should turn aside to what is not fitting, and be carried off the straight path, and, passing by what seems good to God, be borne down to the passions of this world, and shake off the yoke of obedience, he strips it of all help, makes it as it were unwalled, leaves it unprotected against its attackers, and smooths the way for the passions' assaults upon it, so that it can in no way escape.