Thomas Aquinas Commentary Isaiah 16

1. Send forth, O Lord, the lamb. Here he describes the state of their punishment, and he sets out two conditions:

• First, the equity on the part of the one who judges.
• Second, the futility on the part of the one who suffers the punishment: and it shall come to pass, when it is seen (Isaiah 16:12).

Now, the equity of a punishment is determined by the preceding fault, and therefore it addresses the fault. He sets out a double fault:

• First, their contempt for the benefit they were promised.
• Second, their contempt for the sound counsel they were given: take counsel (Isaiah 16:3).

2. Concerning the first point, he does two things.

First, he promises the benefit of Christ, who would be born from their people, so that they might receive some comfort. For Ruth the Moabitess married Boaz, by whom she conceived Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David, from whom Christ was born, as stated in Ruth 4:17. Therefore, he says: O Lord, the Father, send the lamb, who is Christ (John 1:29), from the rock of the desert—that is, from Ruth the Gentile, whose people were of stone, worshiping gods of stone, and for this reason were deserted by God. Send him to the mount—that is, to Jerusalem, where Christ was killed and rose again, or to the Church—as the ruler, as it is written, to him that sits on the throne (Revelation 4:9).

Second, the punishment for those who hold this promise in contempt is set forth: and it shall come to pass, that as a bird fleeing away. This refers to the place from where they fled or were led captive, as mentioned above: my hand has found the strength of the people as a nest (Isaiah 10:14).

3. Others, though with a strained interpretation, wish to explain this literally as referring to the tribute of lambs that the king of Moab demanded from the king of Israel, as it says in 2 Kings 3:4. The prophet foretells that this tribute will be restored to the king of Jerusalem, the ruler, as a sign of his lordship, sent from Petra of the desert, a place where sheep are raised.

4. Take counsel. Here he sets forth the punishment for their contempt for the counsel they were given. This is divided into three parts:

1. He sets out the counsel.
2. He describes their contempt for the counsel: we have heard of the pride of Moab (Isaiah 16:6).
3. He declares the punishment for those who hold it in contempt, at the verse, therefore shall Moab howl (Isaiah 16:7).

Concerning the first part, he sets out three things.

1. He exhorts them to deliberation: take counsel, as if to say, "Deliberate on how you might be saved." The counsel is the question itself being discussed among those deliberating; the council is the assembly of those deliberating. Gather a council, meaning, hold a formal council. As it is written, there is safety where there is much counsel (Proverbs 11:14), and do everything with counsel,Omnia fac cum consilio. Vg.: sine consilio nihil facias. DR: “do thou nothing without counsel.” and you shall not repent when you have done it .
2. He explains the content of the counsel: make your shadow as the night, in which he exhorts them to two things.
   1. To receive the fleeing Jews, so that they might prepare a hiding place for them: make your shadow as the night in the midday. That is, prepare to hide them so that they will be as hidden in the day as if it were night. Or, in the midday, meaning in a time of open persecution, you should conceal them that flee. Hide them, so that in hiding them, you do not betray them that wander about.
   2. He also exhorts them to support amicably those they have received: my fugitives shall dwell with you, as stated below: and a man shall be as when one is hid from the wind (Isaiah 32:2).
3. He gives the reason: for the dust is at an end.
   1. Regarding the destruction of the enemy, so that they do not turn away the Jews out of fear of them: the dust is at an end, meaning the multitude of Sennacherib's army. Consumed is the wretch, that is, the wretch Sennacherib is killed by his sons, as stated below in Isaiah 37:38. He has failed (Isaiah 14) regarding his power.
   2. Regarding the restoration of the Jews, so that they might act freely. This concerns the preparation of the kingdom: a throne of the kings of Judah shall be prepared in mercy—the mercy of God, or from a merciful king. It also concerns the power of the king: one shall sit, meaning he will reign peacefully. It also concerns the equity of his judgments: he will sit in truth, judging (regarding the pronouncing of sentences), seeking (regarding the examination of cases), and rendering (regarding the execution of sentences). This can be explained as referring to Hezekiah or to Christ, as stated above: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom (Isaiah 9:7).

7. Note on the words, send forth the lamb (Isaiah 16:1), that Christ is called a lamb for three reasons:

1. Because of the purity of his life: it shall be a lamb without blemish, a male, of one year (Exodus 12:5).
2. Because of the meekness in his death, as stated below: as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth (Isaiah 53:7).
3. Because of his atonement for sin: behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

8. Note on the words, from the rock of the desert (Isaiah 16:1), that the Blessed Virgin is called a rock for three reasons:

1. Because of the firmness of her grace: as everlasting foundations upon a solid rock .
2. Because of the coolness of her continence, as stated below: as the shadow of a rock that stands out in a desert land (Isaiah 32:2).
3. Because of the fruitfulness of her womb: the rock poured me out rivers of oil (Job 29:6).

And note that this rock alone was "of the desert." First, corresponding to her firmness of grace, because she was before all others: you are all fair, O my love (Song of Solomon 4:7). Second, corresponding to her continence, because she was first: we will run to the odor of your ointments (Song of Solomon 1:3). Third, corresponding to the fruit of her womb, because she was a virgin, as stated above: behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son (Isaiah 7:14).

9. Note on the words, send forth (Isaiah 16:1), namely, that you, Father, send the Son:

1. As the sun sends a ray: the sun three times as much, burns the mountains .
2. As a spring sends a stream: I, like a channel of a river .
3. As a father sends a son: God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son (John 3:16).

10. We have heard. Here he describes their contempt for the counsel, which proceeds from their pride. Hence he describes their pride in three ways:

1. Regarding it being commonly known: we have heard, as if it were public knowledge.
2. Regarding its magnitude: he is exceeding proud.
3. Regarding how it exceeds their actual standing: his pride, by which he extols himself for the gifts he possesses, and his arrogancy, by which he claims gifts he does not possess, and his indignation, by which he presumptuously threatens vengeance, is more than his strength.

11. Therefore. Here he sets forth the punishment for those who hold the counsel in contempt.

First is the weeping of those who will be punished: shall Moab howl to Moab, that is, they will howl to each other, which was discussed sufficiently above (chapter 15).

Second, he describes the nature of the punishment: to them that rejoice. He sets out three things.

First, the announcement of punishment is proclaimed by prophets or messengers: them that rejoice, they glory and trust in the fortifications of their brick walls. As it is written, if the watchman see the sword coming (Ezekiel 33:6).

12. Second, the description of the punishment is detailed, beginning with the destruction of the lands: Hesebon, a city in whose territory wheat was abundant, and Sabama, a neighboring city where wine was abundant. Regarding the strength of their enemies: the lords of the nations, that is, the lords of Assyria or Chaldea, who rule over many nations, have cut down the branches, that is, the shoots at the top of a vine, which metaphorically signify princes and distinguished people. This destruction reaches even to Jazer—which is on the farthest border. Regarding the affliction of the people: the lords of the nations have wandered, as it is written, they wandered in a wilderness, in a place without water (Psalms 107:4). Regarding the lowly state of those who remain: the branches thereof are those that remain on the vine when the shoots have been cut off, left without fruit or beauty, as it says, leave the stump of its roots in the earth (Daniel 4:12). Regarding the removal of the captives: they are gone over the Moabite sea, as they are led captive into Babylon. Or the sea refers to the Euphrates, according to Hebrew custom, as in, they shall sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far off (Joel 3:8). Alternatively, this is interpreted as the Assyrians crossing the sea to come and destroy.

13. Third, the prophet's compassion is described.

First, his compassion is shown: over this, namely, over the misfortune of Moab, I will lament with the weeping of Jazer. That is, I will weep as Jazer weeps for that city of Moab, and likewise for the vineyard of Sabama, and Eleale.

Second, the reason for his compassion is given, concerning the attack of their enemies: the treaders, that is, the attack of the ravaging Assyrians. It is also because of the removal of the joy they had from an abundance of grain: from Carmel, that is, from the land's fertility—for Carmel is not in Moab, but the Jews sometimes use proper nouns as common nouns. It is also for the joy they had from an abundance of wine: in the vineyards .

Third, the conclusion is drawn as if from a proof: over this misfortune, my bowels, that is, my inner being, shall sound like a harp, making a sound for lamentation. This is either because a harp increases joy in the cheerful and sadness in the sad, or because of the harmony of the prophet's virtues.

14. And it shall come to pass. Here he shows their futility. This concerns both the idols to which they sacrificed on high places and those to which they sacrificed in temples when they were afraid: where are their gods, in whom they trusted? (Deuteronomy 32:37).

15. This is the word. This is the epilogue. From that time means from the time of the death of King Ahaz.

16. And now. Here he indicates the brevity of the time: in three years, which is the time until their destruction, measured from the death of Ahaz, in whose time the vision of this second prophecy occurred. Alternatively, it is the time your persecution or battle will last. These are the years of a hireling, for after these years, the Lord will repay you the wages for your sins. Alternatively, it means that those who seem great are merely hirelings and small in the Lord's sight, as it is written: the life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling (Job 7:1).