Thomas Aquinas Commentary Isaiah 21

The burden of the desert of the sea. Here the prophet threatens the enemies who oppressed Israel by taking their goods, even though they were joined to them by a treaty. This is divided into three parts.

• First, against those joined to them by a treaty of friendship.
• Second, against those joined by right of authority: the burden of the valley of vision (Isaiah 22).
• Third, against those joined to them by trade: the burden of Tyre (Isaiah 23).

The first of these is divided into two parts:

• First, he threatens foreign friends, namely, the Babylonians. Although they were friends, they still plundered Israel’s goods, as is evident later (Isaiah 39).
• Second, he threatens friends who were also relatives: the burden of Dumah (Isaiah 21:11).

Concerning the first of these threats, he does two things.

• First, the title is presented: the burden of the sea. This refers to Babylon, called “the sea” because of the sound of its many peoples . It is also called “the desert” because it will be reduced to solitude: I will make her sea desolate, and I will dry up her spring (Jeremiah 51:36). The prophet introduces the threat against them in order to explain the manner of their destruction.

• Second, the prophecy itself is presented. This includes:

  • First, the vision of the threat.
  • Second, the manner of receiving the vision: for thus has the Lord said to me (Isaiah 21:6).

Concerning the first part (the vision of the threat), he specifies four things. First, he indicates the severity of the tribulation by presenting a comparison. Speaking in the voice of Babylon, he says: As whirlwinds come from Africa, from the desert, which was to the south, so devastation comes against me from a land—namely, Persia—that is terrible to me. As it is written, The LORD’s ways are in a tempest, and a whirlwind (Nahum 1:3).

He continues, speaking as Babylon: A hard vision. This is like the reaction in the Gospel: This saying is hard (John 6:61).

Second, he identifies the devastator.

• First, regarding the character of the leader, Cyrus. He is described by his unfaithfulness: he that is unfaithful. This refers to his unfaithfulness to his lord, Belshazzar, against whom he rebelled. Trusting in Belshazzar's weakness, Cyrus besieged Babylon and deals unfaithfully—that is, he acted deceitfully. Seeing that the city could not be taken by force, he fraudulently made peace and pledged homage to the king of Babylon.

  When the king of Babylon invited him to a banquet (see Daniel 5), Cyrus killed him and took the city. He brought his soldiers in through an opening in the city wall where a stream flowed, after they had diverted its water into many channels.Cf. Hugo referencing “Orosium,” which he read in S. Langton (ms. f. 195rb).

  He is also described by his cruelty: he that is a spoiler. As punishment for this cruelty, he was later suffocated in blood, and it was said to him, “You thirsted for blood, so drink blood.”Cf. Hugo on Isaiah 52:14, from P. Comestor Hist. scholastica Daniel chapter 19 (PL 198, 1474C). As it is written, Behold, he that is unbelieving, his soul shall not be right in himself (Habakkuk 2:4).

• Second, regarding his departure from the region. Speaking in the voice of the Lord, the prophet says: Go up, O Elam (a Persian city and province), and you, Medaba (a city in Media), besiege Babylon. This is like the call in Jeremiah: Go up against her, all nations (Jeremiah 51:28).

• Third, regarding the power of the enemy: I have made all the mourning of it to cease. This means the mourning of Babylon will cease, either because they will not even dare to mourn, as stated earlier: There was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or made the least noise (Isaiah 10:14), or because the enemy makes his own people mourn instead.

Third, he describes the compassion of the prophet himself. He shows how the affections of the mind affect the body, first in the feeling of pain: Therefore are my loins filled with pain. This means, “I suffer like one who has pain in the kidneys,” as in the Psalm: There were pains as of a woman in labor (Psalms 48:6). He also describes falling down—I fell down—and having a troubled expression: I was troubled. This is similar to other psalms: I was troubled, and I spoke not (Psalms 77:4), and I am troubled in my exercise (Psalms 55:2).

Second, regarding the affections: My heart failed. That is, his affections failed in sadness, as Jeremiah says, My bowels are in pain (Jeremiah 4:19).

Third, regarding his astonished understanding: Darkness amazed me. This means, “The troubles I have foreseen amazed me,” as if he were in darkness. This reflects the prophecy: Everyone that shall pass by Babylon, shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all her plagues (Jeremiah 50:13). The prophet says, Babylon my beloved—for it was beloved at that time, though it later became an enemy—is set in a wonder, that is, in astonishment. This is like John’s vision: And I wondered, when I had seen her, with great astonishmentAdmiratione. DR: “admiration.” (Revelation 17:6).

Fourth, he describes the manner and condition of the destruction. He says, “O Babylon, prepare the table,” inviting Cyrus and Darius to the banquet. “Contemplate,” that is, “see,” in the watchtower—meaning, in the handwriting on the wall that says, Mene, Tekel, Peres (Daniel 5:25), seen in the clear light of the Lord. Then he says, “You princes—namely, Cyrus and Darius—that eat and drink with him, arise, strengthened by the vision, take up the shield and kill him.” This is like the command in Jeremiah: Prepare the shield and buckler (Jeremiah 46:3).

Alternatively, these could be the words of the Lord to the prophet: “Prepare the table,” meaning, “Announce that it is prepared.” “In the watchtower” refers to the spirit of prophecy, as mentioned before.

Or, they could be the words of Cyrus: “Prepare the table; make haste, you Persians, and give your horses their rations so that you may be prepared. You, watchman, contemplate what may happen in the treaty. You, my princes, eat.” This interpretation holds even if Cyrus and Darius were not at the banquet, as some say. They maintain that a festival was happening in the city, which was given over to pleasure. The people were either reclining at tables because of the festival, because of a truce, or after a victory, when the city was attacked at night.

Note on the words, contemplate in the watchtower,Specula. that a person ought to contemplate in the mirrorSpeculo. of the mind:

1. The sins he has committed, so that he may mourn: Set you up a watchtower, make to you bitterness: direct your heart into the right way (Jeremiah 31:21).
2. The punishments he has deserved, so that he may fear: The day of your inspection, your visitation comes (Micah 7:4).
3. The benefits God has conferred on him, so that he may give thanks, as written later: The voice of your watchmen: they have lifted up their voice, they shall praise together: for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall convert Zion (Isaiah 52:8).
4. The commands God has given, so that he may fulfill them: The watchman of Ephraim (Hosea 9:8).
5. The rewards God has promised, so that he may possess them: We were eyewitnesses of his greatness. For he received from God the Father honor and glory (2 Peter 1:16–17).

For thus has the Lord said to me. Here the prophet presents the manner of receiving this vision. First, the divine command is set out: Go, and set a watchman—either yourself or your disciple, whom the Hebrews say was Habakkuk. He is to report whatever he shall see, whether in the prophetic spirit or with his own eyes. This is like the command: Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel (Ezekiel 3:17).

Second, the vision is presented.

• First, he describes the thing that was seen: And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, which was usually pulled by two horses, signifying the army of two kingdoms. He also saw a rider upon an ass, signifying the kingdom of the Persians, which was formerly humble, and a rider on a camel, signifying the kingdom of the Medes, which was always prominent. It is as if these two animals were yoked together to a chariot instead of two horses.
• Second, he notes the diligence of the one who sees: And he beheld them diligently. This is like the command: Set your heart upon all that I shall show you (Ezekiel 40:4).

Third, the declaration is presented: And a lion cried out. The watchman is called a lion because of his strength of soul, having formerly been a watchman through the prominence of his contemplation.

• First, he declares his own diligence: I am upon the watchtower of the Lord, which is like Habakkuk’s words: I will stand upon my watch (Habakkuk 2:1).
• Second, he declares what he has seen: Behold this man comes, as described above.
• Third, he declares the punishment of Babylon: Babylon is fallen. This fulfills the prophecy: You are taken, O Babylon, and you were not aware of it (Jeremiah 50:24).

Fourth, the prophet’s declaration to the people is presented. These are the words of the prophet, or of Christ: O my threshing, meaning that Jerusalem is to be threshed with many tribulations. He calls them children of my floor, referring to the temple, which is located on the threshing floor of Ornan (2 Samuel 24:18). This is like Jeremiah’s promise: Whatever thing he shall answer me, I will declare it to you (Jeremiah 42:4).

The burden of Dumah. Here the prophet threatens Israel’s friends and relatives.

• First, against the Edomites, who are descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother (Genesis 25). They were sometimes friends (see 2 Kings 3:9), yet God says of them, I have heard all your reproaches, that you have spoken against the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 35:12).
• Second, against the Arabs, who are descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s son (Genesis 16). This is where it says, The burden in Arabia (Isaiah 21:13).

Concerning the first threat (against Edom), he does two things.

• First, the inscription is presented: the burden of Dumah, that is, of Edom.
• Second, the threat is given, which involves three things. First, their prayer is described. These are the words of God about the Edomites: He calls to me out of Seir. This is the cry of the Edomites after the Jews were liberated from seventy years of captivity. They ask, “Watchman, you who guard the people of Israel as though they were sleeping, what of the night?” In other words, “Why do you not free us from the night of captivity, as you do for them?” They show their great desire for liberation through the intensity and repetition of their words. As the Psalm says, Behold he shall neither slumber nor sleep, that keeps Israel (Psalms 121:4).

Second, the refusal of their petition is presented. And the watchman—namely, God—said: The morning comes, which is the time of liberation for the Jews, but also the night of captivity still remains for the Edomites. As it is written, But over them only was spread a heavy night .

Third, he adds the remedy: If you seek me, seek with your whole heart, abandoning idols. This applies in times of tribulation as well as in prosperity, as it is written elsewhere: Seek the LORD, while he may be found (Isaiah 55:6), and Be converted to me with all your heart (Joel 2:12).

Note on the words, Watchman, what of the night? (Isaiah 21:11), that a person ought to guard himself from riches in the day of prosperity:

1. First, so that he does not choose them, considering their worthlessness: The things that were gain to me, the same I have counted loss (Philippians 3:7).
2. Second, so that he does not trust in them, considering their vanity: I saw in all things vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:11).
3. Third, so that he does not boast in them, considering the threat of adversity they contain: In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils .

Also, a person ought to guard himself in the night of adversity, so that he is not broken:

1. First, by considering the affection of the one who strikes him: My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when you are corrected by him (Proverbs 3:11).
2. Second, by considering the example of Christ, who was struck: Think diligently upon him that endured such opposition from sinners against himself (Hebrews 12:3).
3. Third, by considering the fruit of the striking: For that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation works for us above measure, exceedingly an eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

The burden in Arabia. Here he threatens the Arabs.

First, he indicates the cause of their destruction: when the fleeing sons of Israel came to them, they offered them bread but took away their water. Thus, he first describes the flight of the Jews: O you Jews, you will sleep in the forest of Arabia, of Dedan (the name of the place). As the Psalm says, They wandered in a wilderness, in a place without water: they found not the way of a city (Psalms 107:4). He then exhorts the Arabs to mercy: “You Arabs, inhabitants of the land of the south, that is, of the noon,Meridies, which can mean “south” or “noon.” go out meeting the fugitives with bread.” As it is written elsewhere: Deal your bread to the hungry (Isaiah 58:7). He gives the reason for this mercy: For they are fled from before the swords, so that the Arabs might be moved to mercy. As Jeremiah says, At the voice of the horsemen, and the archers, all the city is fled away (Jeremiah 4:29).

Second, because they refuse to do this, he threatens punishment: For thus says the Lord.

First, he threatens destruction by the Assyrians, who had the authority to destroy the Jews, and the destruction itself: Within a year, according to the years of a hireling—which seems brief to the hireling in his hope for pay.

Second, he threatens destruction by the Chaldeans: The residue left behind by the Assyrians shall be diminished by the Chaldeans. This will happen to Kedar, the son of Ishmael, and his archers, who follow the art of their father, of whom it is said that he became an archer (Genesis 21:20).