Primo praedicit filiorum multitudinem, indicens gratiarum actionis laudem: O sterilis, Jerusalem, quae non paris, quia derelicta, deserta, lauda Deum pro concessis beneficiis; laudantium jucunditatem: decanta laudem, est enim canticum mentis exultatio in vocem prorupta; et jucunditatis magnitudinem: hinni, in modum equi, prae magnitudine vocem ad exprimendum formare non potens, Jer. XXXI 7 exulta in laetitia Jacob, Ps. Deo nostro sit jucunda decoraque laudatio. Et promittens filiorum multitudinem: quoniam multi, quasi magis multiplicabuntur filii tui, quamvis sis deserta, quam illarum civitatum quae viros habent ad generandum, I Reg. II 5 donec sterilis peperit plurimos, et quae multos habebat filios infirmata est. First, he foretells a multitude of children, declaring the praise of thanksgiving: O you barren, Jerusalem, that bear not, because you are forsaken and desolate, give praise, to God for the benefits granted to you; the joy of those who give praise: sing forth praise, for a song is an exultation of the mind burst forth into voice; and the greatness of their joy: whinny, in the manner of a horse, from greatness of joy, not being able to form speech to express it: rejoice in joy, Jacob, and neigh before the head of the Gentiles (Jer 31:7); to our God be joyful and comely praise (Ps 146[147]:1). And he promises a multitude of children: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that has a husband; as if to say, though you may be desolate, your children shall be multiplied more than the children of cities which have men to beget them: so that the barren has borne many: and she that had many children is weakened (1 Sam 2:5). 978. Secundo exhortatur ad loci ampliationem sub metaphora tentorii: dilata locum, quantum ad solum quo extenditur; pelles, quibus tegitur; funiculos, quibus paxilli ligantur; clavos, quibus tabulae conjunguntur, vel ipsos paxillos. Et haec leguntur fuisse in tabernaculo foederis, Exo. XXVI et XXXVI. Hac pro multitudine hominum oportet majorem habitationem quaerere quam sit terra promissionis, supra XLIX 20 adhuc dicunt filii sterilitatis etc. 978. Second, he exhorts them to enlarge their place under the metaphor of a tent: enlarge the place, as to the ground over which the tent is extended; and stretch out the skins, with which it is covered; lengthen your cords, with which the stakes are tied; and strengthen your nails, with which the boards are joined, or the stakes themselves. And we read that these things were in the tabernacle of the covenant (Exod 26 and 36). Because of this great multitude of men it is necessary to seek a dwelling larger than the promised land, above: the children of your barrenness shall still say in your ears: the place is too strait for me, make me room to dwell in (Isa 49:20). 979. Tertio praedicit exhortationis impletionem: ad dexteram enim, quasi undique te dilatabis: quod impletum fuit tempore Machabaeorum, quando appositae fuerunt quaedam civitates de regione Samariae et de aliis regno Judaeorum, Gen. XXIV 60 possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum tuorum. 979. Third, he foretells their fulfillment of the exhortation: for you shall pass on to the right hand, and to the left, as if to say: you shall increase in every direction. This was fulfilled in the time of the Maccabees, when certain cities of the region of Samaria and other regions were added to the kingdom of the Jews: may your seed possess the gates of their enemies (Gen 24:60). 980. Noli timere. Hic promittit pristini honoris restitutionem contra confusionem quam prius sustinuerant; 980. Fear not. Here he promises the restoration of their former honor as a remedy against the confusion which they had sustained earlier; secundo promissionis firmitatem: sicut in diebus Noe. second, he sets out the firmness of the promise: this thing is to me as in the days of Noah (Isa 54:9). Circa primum duo facit. Concerning the first, he does two things. Primo promittit pristinae confusionis oblivionem: non confunderis, interius, non erubesces, exterius, pudebit ex consideratione tuae turpitudinis; oblivisceris prae abundantia gloriae, adolescentiae, quando peccasti in deserto, viduitatis, quando fuisti a Deo separata in captivitate Babylonis, supra XLV 17 non confundemini, neque erubescetis, Soph. III 11 in die illa non confunderis super cunctis adinventionibus tuis. First, he promises forgetfulness of their former confusion: you shall not be confounded, inwardly, nor blush, outwardly; you shall not be put to shame, from consideration of your disgrace; you shall forget, because the abundance of your glory, the shame of your youth, when you sinned in the desert, and shall remember no more the reproach of your widowhood, when you were separated from God in the captivity of Babylon, above: you shall not be confounded, and you shall not be ashamed (Isa 45:17); in that day you shall not be ashamed for all your doings (Zeph 3:11). 981. Secundo promittit pristini honoris restitutionem. 981. Second, he promises the restoration of their former honor. Et primo ponit restitutionem quantum ad dominium: quia dominabitur, supra XXVI 13 Domine possederunt nos; et quantum ad conjugium: mulierem derelictam, Jer. III 1 si dimiserit vir uxorem suam, et recedens ab eo duxerit virum alterum, numquid revertetur ad eum ultra? And first, he sets out restoration as to dominion: for he that made you shall rule over you, above: O Lord, other lords besides you have had dominion over us (Isa 26:13); and as to marriage: for the Lord has called you as a woman forsaken: if a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and marry another man, shall he return to her any more? (Jer 3:1). Secundo promittit honoris ampliationem quantum ad honorum multitudinem: dixit Dominus; in modico, pauca passa es respectu eorum quae tibi miserando tribuam, II Cor. IV 17 id enim quod in praesenti est, momentaneum est. Et quantum ad durationem: in momento, quasi dicat: brevi tempore iram meam sensisti respectu ejus in quo tui miserebor, supra XXVI 20 abscondere modicum. Haec autem omnia quae dicta sunt mystice exponuntur de vocatione gentium, quia gentilitas prius sterilis postmodum multos filios congregavit, secundum Glossam. Second, he promises increase of honor as to the great number of honors: said your God, for a small moment, you have suffered in respect of the things which, taking pity, I will grant you: for that which is at present, is momentary (2 Cor 4:17). And as to their duration, in a moment, as if to say: for a short time you have felt my wrath in respect to the time in which I will have mercy on you, above: hide yourself a little for a moment (Isa 26:20). All these things which have been said are mystically explained of the calling of the gentiles, for heathendom was at first barren, but afterwards gathered many children, according to the Gloss. 982. Sicut in diebus. Hic ostendit promissionis firmitatem. 982. This thing is to me as in the days of Noah. Here he shows the firmness of the promise. Et primo ex prioris promissionis similitudine: iuravi, firmiter statui, si tamen in praeceptis meis permanseris, Gen. IX 9 statuam pactum meum vobiscum et cum semine vestro post vos, Eccli. XLIV 19 testamenta saeculi. And first, from a similitude with an earlier promise: to whom I swore, firmly established, if only you remain in my commandments: I will establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you (Gen 9:9); the covenants of the world were made with him, that all flesh should no more be destroyed with the flood (Sir 44:19[18]). Secundo ex creaturarum stabilium operatione: montes enim, quasi dicat: facilius est montes et colles immutari quam verba mea cassari. Vel per montes et colles, mundi potentes, Ps. non timebimus dum turbabitur terra. Second, from the operation of stable creatures: for the mountains shall be moved, as if to say: it is easier for mountains and hills to be changed than for my words to be made void. Or, by mountains and hills, the powerful of the earth are signified: we will not fear, when the earth shall be troubled (Ps 45:3[46:2]). 983. Nota super illo verbo lauda sterilis, quod est sterilitas 983. Note on the words, give praise, O you barren (Isa 54:1), that there is primo perversae actionis, Job XV 34 congregatio hypocritae sterilis; first, the barrenness of perverse action: for the congregation of the hypocrite is barren (Job 15:34); secundo sacrae contemplationis, Gen. XXIX: Rachel erat sterilis; second, of holy contemplation: Rachel was barren (Gen 29:31); tertio temporalis tribulationis, supra XLIX 20 adhuc dicent in auribus tuis filii sterilitatis. third, of temporal tribulation, above: the children of your barrenness shall still say in your ears (Isa 49:20). 984. Item nota super illo dilata tentorium, quod dilatandum est cor 984. Note also on the words: enlarge the place of your tent (Isa 54:2), that the heart is to be enlarged primo propter hospitis magnitudinem, Jer. XXIII 24 numquid non caelum et terram ego impleo, dicit Dominus; first, because of the greatness of its guest: do not I fill heaven and earth, says the Lord? (Jer 23:24); secundo propter munerum multitudinem, infra LX 5 videbis et afflues et dilatabitur cor tuum; second, because of the multitude of his gifts, below: then shall you see, and abound, and your heart shall be enlarged (Isa 60:5); tertio propter viae expletionem, Ps. viam mandatorum tuorum cucurri. third, because of the completion of the way: I have run the way of your commandments, when you didst enlarge my heart (Ps 118[119]:32). 985. Item super illo in miserationibus magnis, quod misericordiae futurae magnae sunt: 985. Note also on the words, with great mercies (Isa 54:7), that the mercies to come are great: primo quia intrinsecae, Ro. VIII 18 existimo quod non sunt condignae passiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam quae revelabitur in nobis; first, because they are interior: for I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that shall be revealed in us (Rom 8:18); secundo quia aeternae, II Cor. IV 18 quae enim videntur temporalia sunt, quae autem non videntur aeterna; second, because they are eternal: for the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen, are eternal (2 Cor 4:18); tertio quia perfectae, Lucae I 48 ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes; third, because they are perfect: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed (Luke 1:48); quarto quia in plures extensae, Lucae XIV 16 homo quidam fecit caenam magnam et vocavit multos; fourth, because they are extended to many: a certain man made a great supper and invited many (Luke 14:16); quinto quia integrae, Apoc. XX absterget Deus omnem lacrymam ab oculis sanctorum. fifth, because they are complete: God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of the saints (Rev 21:4). 986. Paupercula. Hic promittit prosperitatem contra adversitatem. 986. O poor little one. Here he promises prosperity as a remedy against adversity. Et primo commemorat adversitatem pristinam: paupercula, Jerusalem spoliata bonis; tempestate, adversitate, supra XVIII 2 ad gentem convulsam et dilaceratam mittam te. And first, he recalls their former adversity: O poor little one, Jerusalem despoiled of goods; tossed with tempest, of adversity, above: to a nation rent and torn in pieces (Isa 18:2). I will send you. Secundo promittit prosperitatem futuram. Second, he promises future prosperity. Et quantum ad affluentiam bonorum, proponens metaphoram: ecce ego sternam, quasi in pavimento, per lapides pretiosos significans homines virtutibus eminentes, per ordinem unumquemque in ordine suo, Tob. XIII 21 portae Jerusalem. First, as to abundance of goods, setting out a metaphor: behold I will lay, as though in a pavement, your stones, precious stones, signifying men eminent in the virtues, in order, with each one in its order: the gates of Jerusalem shall be built of sapphire, and of emerald, and all the walls thereof round about of precious stones (Tob 13:21). Et explanans ipsam quantum ad scientiae divinae doctrinam: universos, Jer. XXXI 33 dabo legem meam in visceribus eorum, et in corde eorum scribam eam; quantum ad pacis abundantiam: multitudinem, Ps. pax multa diligentibus legem tuam; et quantum ad operum justitiam: et in justitia, supra I 27 Sion in judicio redimetur, et reducent eam in justitiam. And he explains the metaphor as to the teaching of divine knowledge, all your children shall be taught of the Lord: I will give my law in their bowels, and I will write it in their heart (Jer 31:33); as to abundance of peace, and great shall be the peace of your children: much peace have they that love your law (Ps 118[119]:165). And as to justice of works, and you shall be founded in justice, above: Zion shall be redeemed in judgment, and they shall bring her back in justice (Isa 1:27). 987. Secundo quantum ad carentiam malorum, promittens 987. Second, as to freedom from evils, primo periculorum evasionem: recede, id est recedes, quia calumniam non patieris, Ps. humiliabit calumniatores; first, promising deliverance from dangers: depart, that is, you shall depart, for you shall not suffer calumny: he shall humble the calumniators (Ps 71[72]:4); secundo extraneorum adhaesionem: ecce accola, quia multi adhaeserunt de gentibus exeuntibus de captivitate, infra LVI 3 non dicat filius advenae, qui adhaeret Domino, dicens: separatione dividet me Dominus a populo suo; second, the adherence of strangers: behold, an inhabitant shall come, for many from the gentiles adhered to them when they came out of captivity, below: let not the son of the stranger, that adheres to the Lord, speak, saying: the Lord will divide and separate me from his people (Isa 56:3); tertio promittens hostium destructionem: ecce ego. third, he promises the destruction of their enemies: behold, I.