Lectio 1 Lecture 1 9:1 Primo tempore alleviata est terra Zabulon et terra Nephthalim, et novissimo aggravata est via maris trans Jordanem Galilææ gentium. 9:1 At the first time the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephtali was lightly touched: and at the last the way of the sea beyond the Jordan of the Galilee of the Gentiles was heavily loaded. 9:2 Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris vidit lucem magnam; habitantibus in regione umbræ mortis, lux orta est eis. 9:2 The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen. 9:3 Multiplicasti gentem, non magnificasti lætitiam. Lætabuntur coram te sicut qui lætantur in messe, sicut exsultant victores capta præda quando dividunt spolia. 9:3 You have multiplied the nation, and have not increased the joy. They shall rejoice before you, as they that rejoice in the harvest, as conquerors rejoice after taking a prey, when they divide the spoils. 9:4 Jugum enim oneris ejus superasti et virgam humeri ejus et sceptrum exactoris ejus sicut in die Madian. 9:4 For the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and the scepter of their exactor you have overcome, as in the day of Madian. 9:5 Quia omnis violentia prædatio cum tumultu, et vestimentum mistum sanguine erit in combustionem et cibus ignis. 9:5 For every violent taking of spoils, with tumult, and garment mingled with blood, shall be burnt, and be fuel for the fire. 297. Primo tempore alleviata est terra. Hic ponit destructionis modum et ordinem: 297. At the first time the land of Zabulon. Here he sets out the mode and order of destruction: et primo secundum diversitatem punitorum; and first, according to the diversity of punishers; secundo secundum diversitatem poenarum, ibi verbum misit. second according to the diversity of punishments, where it says, the Lord sent (Isa 9:8). Prima in tres, secundum tres persecutiones factas ab Assyriis in terram promissionis. The first of these is divided into three, according to the three persecutions made by the Assyrians into the land of the promise. 298. Primo enim Teglathphalasar, regnante Phacee in Samaria, captivavit duas tribus et dimidiam quae erant ultra Jordanem respectu Jerusalem, et de tribu Zabulon et Nephtalim, quae erant citra Jordanem, tantum quod posset aequiparari dimidiae tribui. Et quantum ad hoc dicit primo tempore, id est tempore primae captivitatis, terra Zabulon et terra Nepthalim alleviata, id est minorata habitatoribus suis, quod forte remanentibus non fuit multum grave, quia remanserunt eis plures possessiones. Et de hoc dicitur IV Reg. XV 29.- 298. For first, Theglathphalasar, in the reign of Phacee in Samaria, captured the two and half tribes which were across the Jordan in respect to Jerusalem, and from the tribes of Zabulon and Nephtali, which were on the near side of the Jordan, only what could equal a half tribe. And as to this he says, at the first time, that is, at the time of the first captivity, the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephtali was lightly touched, that is, was reduced in its inhabitants, which was perhaps not too grave for those who remained because more possessions remained for them. And this is spoken of in 2 Kings 15:29. 299. Secundo venit Salmanasar nono anno Oseae et captivavit residuos ex decem tribubus qui erant citra Jordanem respectu Judaeae. Et quantum ad hoc dicit novissimo, id est in ultima captivitate generali decem tribuum; via maris, id est regio per quam itur ad mare Genesareth; Galilaeae, id est quae est in Galilaea, gentium, quae est trans Jordanem respectu Assyriorum, quamvis citra respectu Judaeae; aggravata, id est gravi pondere tribulationis pressa. Est autem duplex Galilaea: una in tribu Zabulon, alia in tribu Nephtalim, vicina Tyriis, et dicitur gentium ista vel propter multas gentes quae habitabant ibi, vel propter dominium, quia dederat eam Salomon regi Tyri, IV Reg. XVII. 299. Second, Salmanasar came in the ninth year of Osee and captured the rest of the ten tribes, who were on the near side of the Jordan in respect to Judaea. And as to this he says, at the last, that is, at the last general captivity of the ten tribes, the way of the sea, that is, the region through which one goes to the sea of Genesareth; of the Galilee, that is, which is in Galilee, of the Gentiles, which is across the Jordan, in respect to the Assyrians, although on the near side in respect to Judaea; was heavily loaded, that is, pressed by the heavy weight of tribulation. Now Galilee is divided in two: one part in the tribe of Zabulon, the other in the tribe of Nephtali, near Tyre, and it is said to be of the Gentiles, either because of the many gentiles which lived there, or because it was ruled by gentiles, for Solomon had given it to the king of Tyre (2 Kings 17). 300. Tertio venit Senacherib et civitates Juda cepit et Jerusalem obsedit, sicut dicitur IV Reg. XVIII 13, 17. Et de ista tertia persecutione loquitur hic propheta dicens populus, et promittit Judaeis salutem. Unde duo facit: 300. Third, Sennacherib came and took the cities of Judah and besieged Jerusalem, as is said in 2 Kings 18:13, 17. And the prophet speaks here of this third persecution saying, the people, and he promises salvation to the Jews. Hence he does two things: primo promittit salutis gratiam, first, he promises the grace of salvation, secundo assignat causam: zelus Domini exercituum. second, he assigns the cause: the zeal of the Lord of hosts (Isa 9:7). Circa primum tria facit: Concerning the first, he does three things: primo promittit salutem; first, he promises salvation; secundo prosequitur salvationis ordinem, ibi multiplicasti; second, he describes the order of salvation, where it says, you have multiplied (Isa 9:3); tertio describit ipsum Salvatorem, ibi parvulus. third, he describes the savior himself, where it says, for a child is born to us (Isa 9:6). 301. Promittit autem eis salutem contra duo: 301. And he promises them salvation from two things: contra perplexitatem, et quantum ad hoc dicit populus, Judaeae, qui ambulabat, id est procedebat in negotiis suis, in tenebris dubietatis, vidit lucem magnam, diem consolationis; from confusion, and as to this he says: the people, of Judaea, that walked, that is, that proceeded in their affairs, in darkness, of doubt, have seen a great light, the day of comfort; contra poenae gravitatem: habitantibus in regione umbrae mortis, id est Judaeae, quae propter gravem persecutionem erat similitudo mortis, lux orta est eis, divinae consolationis, infra LX 1 surge, illuminare Jerusalem, quia venit lumen tuum et gloria Domini super te orta est. and from gravity of punishment: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, that is, Judaea, which because of grave persecution was a similitude of death, light is risen, of divine comfort, below: arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you (Isa 60:1). 302. Multiplicasti gentem. Hic ponit salvationis processum et ordinem quantum ad quatuor. 302. You have multiplied the nation. Here he sets out the process and order of salvation as to four things. Primo quantum ad hostium frustrationem, et quantum ad hoc dicit multiplicasti gentem, in exercitu Senacherib, et non magnificasti eis laetitiam ut implerent quod proposuerant, Job V 13 consilia pravorum dissipat. First, as to the frustration of the enemy, and as to this he says, you have multiplied the nation, in the army of Sennacherib, and have not increased, in them, the joy, that they might complete what they had proposed: he disappoints the counsels of the wicked (Job 5:13). Secundo hostium spoliationem, quod fuit quando, illis interfectis ab angelo, sicut dicitur infra XXXVI, populus egressus est ad colligenda eorum spolia; unde comparatur messoribus et victoribus: laetabuntur, infra XXXV 10 gaudium et laetitiam obtinebunt et fugiet ab eis dolor et gemitus. Second, the plundering of the enemy, which happened when the people went out to collect their spoils after they had been killed by the angel, as is said below (Isa 37:36); hence they are compared to harvesters and victors: they shall rejoice, below: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away from them (Isa 35:10). Tertio servitutis liberationem: tyranni enim onerant praeceptis, et quantum ad hoc dicit jugum enim oneris ejus, Senacherib, quod deposuit; affligunt poenis, et quantum ad hoc dicit et virgam humeri ejus, id est qua humeros verberabant; spoliant rebus, et ideo dicit sceptrum exactoris ejus, infra XIV 4 quomodo cessavit exactor, quievit tributum?; ita faciliter hoc fiet sicut in die Madian, id est sicut Gedeon Madianitas dejecit, Judicum VII 19–22. Third, the liberation of slaves: for tyrants burden with precepts, and as to this he says, for the yoke of their burden, that which Sennacherib laid on them; they afflict with punishments, and as to this he says, and the rod of their shoulder, that is, with which they beat their shoulders; they plunder goods, and therefore he says, the scepter of their exactor, below: how is the exactor come to nothing, the tribute has ceased? (Isa 14:4); this may happen so easily, as in the day of Madian, that is, as Gideon overthrew the Madianites (Judg 7:19–22). Quarto quantum ad hostium punitionem; et haec evenient quia omnis violenta praedatio, id est violenti praedatores, quantum ad nocumentum quod inferebant in rebus, et vestimentum mixtum sanguine, eorum quos occidebant, quantum ad nocumentum inflictum in personis, erit in combustione, ad litteram enim combusti fuerunt, infra X 16 et subtus gloriam ejus ardebit succensa quasi combustio ignis. Fourth, as to the punishment of the enemy: and these things happen, for every violent taking of spoils, with tumult, that is, violent despoilers, as to the damage which they inflict on goods, and garment mingled with blood, of those whom they killed, as to damage inflicted on persons, shall be burnt, for, literally, they were burnt, below: and under his glory shall be kindled a burning, as it were the burning of a fire (Isa 10:16). Lectio 2 Lecture 2 9:6 Parvulus enim natus est nobis et filius datus est nobis, et factus est principatus super humerum ejus. Et vocabitur nomen ejus admirabilis, consiliarius, Deus, fortis, pater futuri sæculi, princeps pacis. 9:6 For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called wonderful, counsellor, God the mighty, the father of the world to come, the prince of peace. 9:7 Multiplicabitur ejus imperium, et pacis non erit finis. Super solium David et super regnum ejus sedebit, ut confirmet illud et corroboret in judicio et justitia, amodo et usque in sempiternum. Zelus Domini exercituum faciet hoc. 9:7 His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it in judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. 303. Parvulus enim natus est nobis. Hic describit Salvatorem. 303. For a child is born to us. Here he describes the Savior. Et primo quantum ad receptionem; And first, as to his reception; secundo quantum ad nominationem, ibi et vocabitur; second, as to his naming, where it says, and his name shall be called (Isa 9:6); tertio quantum ad potestatem, ibi multiplicabitur ejus imperium. third, as to his power, where it says, his empire shall be multiplied (Isa 9:7).