Isaías 39
Jerome · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Isaías 39:1-2
(Chapter 39, verses 1 onwards) At that time Merodach Baladan, son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and gifts to Hezekiah, for he had heard that he had been sick and had recovered. And Hezekiah was pleased with them; and he showed them his treasury, the house of his precious things, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did not show them. Above we read that in the fourteenth year of the reign of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians, ascended over all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. Then he besieged Lachish, passed through Libnah, sent part of his army to Jerusalem, and slaughtered one hundred and eighty-five thousand of his soldiers. He himself fled to Nineveh and was killed by his sons in the temple of his god. After that, his son Esarhaddon reigned in his place. Hezekiah became sick but was saved by a message from the prophet. A remarkable sign occurred when the sun turned back ten hours and nearly became a two-day event. Now we read that in that time, that is, in the same year in which all these things happened, Merodach Baladan, son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent books and gifts to Hezekiah; not Assaraddon, who had succeeded his father Sennacherib as king of the Assyrians, of whose death or life Scripture is silent. From this it is clear that there was another kingdom of the Assyrians and another of the Babylonians at that time. Finally, the Assyrians captured Samaria, that is, the ten tribes. But we read that Jerusalem was later conquered by the Chaldeans, whose king was Nebuchadnezzar. And because they practice the observation of the stars and have acquired knowledge of the courses of the stars through long use and exercise, which is also demonstrated in the birth of the Lord: they understood that the sun had reversed its course, the length of the day doubled, and they believed that it served the only true God. And when they investigated the causes and reason for this miracle, with the rumor spreading to all nations, they learned that due to the illness of the king of Judah, even the course of the most brilliant constellation had changed. That it is not my opinion, but the faith of the Holy Scriptures, which testify with the words of Isaiah, who said among other things: Hezekiah himself, who closed the upper springs of the waters of Gihon and diverted them below to the west of the city of David. In all his works he prospered in whatever he desired; however, when the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him to inquire about the sign that had happened on the earth, God left him to be tested and to make known all that was in his heart (2 Chronicles 32:30, 31). Therefore, he was left to temptation because after such a great victory, and the return of the sun, and the congratulations of the most powerful kingdom, his heart was lifted up. Finally, in the same volume it is written: Many brought offerings and sacrifices to the Lord in Jerusalem, and gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah, and he was exalted in the sight of all the nations. In those days he became sick unto death, and he prayed to the Lord, and He heard him, and gave him a sign; but He did not repay him according to the benefits he had received, for his heart was lifted up and wrath came upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 32:23-24). And the holy Scripture again says that the exaltation of his heart was tempered by repentance, stating: 'And he was humbled thereafter, because his heart was lifted up, both he, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and therefore the Lord's wrath came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.' So he rejoiced at the arrival of the ambassadors of Merodach, whom the Hebrews consider to have been the father of Nebuchadnezzar; and in the bringing of gifts, and in the celebration of his health. And he showed them the house next to the Septuagint, which was translated by Symmachus for his spices; and the treasures of silver, and gold, and fragrances, and the best ointment: which is written in Hebrew, good oil; and all the treasures of the vessels of the treasure, or, as it is read there, of his vessels. But in the Persian language, riches are called Gaza: it is not a Hebrew word, but a Barbarian one. He said, there was no word (which according to Hebrew custom is often taken for a thing), that he did not show them in his house and in all his power. Wherefore God's most just wrath, since he manifested not only his treasures and palaces, but also the Temple: which surely was in his power, from whose gates he had already taken sheets of gold. — Commentary on Isaiah
Isaías 39:3
(Verse 3) Then Isaiah the Prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him: What did these men say, and where did they come from to you? And Hezekiah said: They have come to me from a distant land, from Babylon. The Hebrews report that Hezekiah fell ill for this reason: because after the unheard of victory of the Jews and the death of the Assyrian king, he did not sing praises to the Lord, which Moses sang after the drowning of Pharaoh (Exod. XV), and Deborah after the killing of Sisera (Judges IV), and Anna after the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel II). Hence, he was reminded of his weakness. And again, after regaining his health and the greatness of the sign, he offered another opportunity for pride, which as a wise man and worshiper of God, he should have avoided; not showing his wealth to foreigners, which he possessed by the grace of God. From which, according to the Laws of tropology, we learn that we should not throw pearls before swine, nor give what is holy to dogs (Matth. VII). For whoever has a faithful spirit conceals his affairs; and whoever does not do this, all his power is weakened; and his posterity perishes, and with the loss of manly strength, he is reduced to feminine softness (Prov. XI, 13-15). Therefore, Isaiah enters the king's presence and inquires as if unaware. What did these men say, and where did they come from? Two questions, what they said and where they came from, were asked. He responded to one, ignoring the other: this must be read with emphasis and a raised eyebrow: They came from a distant land, from Babylon: the longer the distance from where they came, the more glorious they are because of whom they came to see. And he said, they came to me; he should have said, they came to glorify God for the greatness of the sign, from Babylon, which is the most powerful city in the whole world. — Commentary on Isaiah
Isaías 39:4
(Verse 4) And he said: What did they see in your house? And Hezekiah said: They saw everything that is in my house; there was nothing, neither word nor thing, that I did not show them in my treasures. And Isaiah said again, 'What did they see in your house?' And he answered truthfully that they had seen everything in his house, and that he had not withheld anything from them in his treasuries. But he kept silent about the other, which he feared would offend them, because he had shown them everything he had in his power, undoubtedly including the furnishings of the Temple. — Commentary on Isaiah
Isaías 39:5-7
(Verses 5-7) And Isaiah said to Hezekiah: Listen to the word of the Lord of hosts. Behold, the day will come, and everything that is in your house, and what your fathers have laid up until this day, will be carried away to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. And of your sons who shall come forth out of you, whom you shall beget, they will take away, and they will be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Therefore, Isaiah delivers the judgment of God's word: 'Listen to the word of the Lord of Hosts: A time will come when all these things that are in your house, acquired not by your own labor but by the labor of your fathers, will be transferred to Babylon, and from your descendants they will become eunuchs in the royal palace.' From where the Hebrews want Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were of royal descent, to become eunuchs, it is beyond doubt that they served in the ministry of King Nebuchadnezzar. — Commentary on Isaiah
Isaías 39:7
Verse 3. "And the king said to Ashpenaz the overseer of his eunuchs, that he should out of the number of the children of Israel and, of the royal seed and (the seed of) the rulers bring in some young lads who were free from all blemish." Instead of Ashpenaz ("Asphanez") I found Abriesdri written in the Vulgate edition. For the word phorlhommin which Theodotion uses, the Septuagint and Aquila translated "the chosen ones," whereas Symmachus rendered "Parthians," understanding it as the name of a nation instead of a common noun. This is in disagreement with the Hebrew edition as it is accurately read; I have translated it as "rulers," especially because it is preceded by the words "of the seed royal." From this passage the Hebrews think that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were eunuchs, thus fulfilling that prophecy which is spoken by Isaiah regarding Hezekiah: "And they shall take of thy seed and make eunuchs of them in the house of the king of Babylon" (Isaiah 39:7). If however they were of the seed royal, there is no doubt but what they were of the line of David. But perhaps the following words are opposed to this interpretation: "...lads, or youths, who were free from all blemish, in order that he might teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans." Philo supposes that Chaldee is the same thing as the Hebrew language, because Abraham came from the Chaldeans. But if we accept this we must ask how the Hebrew lads could now be bidden to be taught a language which they already knew; unless, perchance, we should say, as some believe, that Abraham was acquainted with two languages. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER ONE
Isaías 39:7-8
Isaiah offered this thought by the word of God: "Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 'A time will come when all this that is in your house, not you, but the goods acquired through the labor of your fathers, will be taken to Babylon, and some of your children will be made eunuchs in its royal court.' " From this the Hebrews want Daniel, Ananiah, Mishael, Hazariah (each of them belonging to the royal line, who were without doubt in the service of King Nebuchadnezzar) to be made eunuchs. This is why Hezekiah said, "The word of the Lord which was spoken is good," a statement for which he is reproached by the Hebrews, who ask why he should not have imitated the goodness of Moses, who said to the Lord: "Either forgive them for this crime or, if you will not, then remove me from the book which you have written." Thus also the apostle Paul wished to be anathema to Christ for his brethren who belong to Israel. Hezekiah, therefore, who subsequently said: "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God," is not reproved by this address from God for not interceding that the people be consoled by the Lord's mercy. — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 11:39.3-8
Isaías 39:8
(Verse 8) And Hezekiah said to Isaiah: Good is the word of the Lord which he has spoken. And he said: Let there be only peace and truth in my days. So Hezekiah said: It is a good word of the Lord that he has spoken. In this, he is criticized by the Hebrews for not imitating the goodness of Moses, who said to the Lord: Either forgive them this crime, or if you do not, then erase me from your book which you have written (Exodus 32:32). And so the Apostle Paul wishes to be accursed from Christ for his brethren who are Israelites (Rom. IX); and therefore, Hezekiah was not approved by God in His words who spoke in the following: 'Console, console my people,' says your God, so that by whom He had not prayed, they may be consoled by the mercy of the Lord. — Commentary on Isaiah