Isaiah 33:8

Translation
King James Version
The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.
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KJV (with Strong's)
The highways H4546 lie waste H8074, the wayfaring man H5674 H734 ceaseth H7673: he hath broken H6565 the covenant H1285, he hath despised H3988 the cities H5892, he regardeth H2803 no man H582.
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Complete Jewish Bible
The highways are deserted, there are no travelers. He has broken the covenant, despised the cities; he has no regard for human life.
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Berean Standard Bible
The highways are deserted; travel has ceased. The treaty has been broken, the witnesses are despised, and human life is disregarded.
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American Standard Version
The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: the enemy hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth not man.
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World English Bible Messianic
The highways are desolate. The traveling man ceases. The covenant is broken. He has despised the cities. He doesn’t respect man.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
The pathes are waste: the wayfaring man ceaseth: hee hath broken the couenant: hee hath contemned the cities: he regarded no man.
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Young's Literal Translation
Desolated have been highways, Ceased hath he who passeth along the path, He hath broken covenant, He hath despised enemies, He hath not esteemed a man.
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See also
Judges 5:6Isaiah 35:82 Kings 18:202 Kings 18:21Isaiah 10:13Isaiah 10:141 Samuel 17:26
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In the KJVVerse 18,288 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Isaiah 33:8 powerfully depicts a land plunged into chaos and desolation by an oppressive power. This verse paints a vivid picture of a society paralyzed by fear and instability, where the normal rhythms of life have ceased due to the ruthless actions of an aggressor. This enemy has flagrantly violated sacred agreements, shown utter contempt for established communities, and demonstrated a complete and chilling disregard for human life and dignity. It encapsulates the profound societal breakdown and moral decay that inevitably ensue when trust is shattered and the inherent value of humanity is denied.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Isaiah 33 is a prophetic oracle that oscillates between lament over Judah's dire situation and confident assurance of God's righteous judgment and ultimate deliverance. The preceding verses (Isaiah 33:1-7) vividly describe the treachery and devastation wrought by the "destroyer" (identified as Assyria), contrasting their perfidy with God's steadfastness. Isaiah 33:8 serves as a chilling, concrete description of the Assyrian invasion's immediate consequences, detailing the societal collapse and moral vacuum created by their actions. This verse justifies the divine intervention promised in the subsequent verses, where God declares His intention to rise up and scatter the nations (Isaiah 33:9-13), setting the stage for the dramatic shift from despair to the glorious vision of Zion's restoration and God's sovereignty (Isaiah 33:14-24).
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The historical setting for Isaiah 33 is the Assyrian invasion of Judah under King Sennacherib in 701 BC, a pivotal moment in Judah's history. Assyria was an empire renowned for its brutal military campaigns, including siege warfare, mass deportations, and a policy of terror designed to break the will of its adversaries. In the ancient Near East, covenants (Hebrew: bᵉrîyth) were sacred and foundational to inter-state relations, often sealed with solemn oaths, divine witnesses, and severe curses for their violation. The accusation "he hath broken the covenant" most likely refers to Sennacherib's betrayal of a treaty or agreement with King Hezekiah of Judah, perhaps after Hezekiah had paid a substantial tribute in an attempt to secure peace (as documented in 2 Kings 18:14-16). The phrase "the highways lie waste" vividly portrays the disruption of trade, travel, and public safety, a common and devastating consequence of war and insecurity, where major routes become impassable and dangerous, echoing similar descriptions of desolation in times of conflict, such as those found in Judges 5:6. The contempt for cities and human life reflects the Assyrian practice of utterly destroying conquered urban centers and their inhabitants, aiming to instill fear and eliminate resistance.
  • Key Themes: Isaiah 33:8 powerfully articulates several pervasive themes within Isaiah and the broader prophetic corpus. It underscores the theme of divine judgment against oppressors who act with injustice, treachery, and cruelty, demonstrating God's unwavering opposition to those who violate His moral order and disregard human dignity. The vivid depiction of desolation highlights the theme of societal collapse as a consequence of sin and injustice, particularly when those in power disregard fundamental principles of trust, integrity, and human value. This verse also implicitly sets the stage for the counter-theme of God's ultimate faithfulness and restoration, as the very chaos described necessitates God's intervention to bring about true peace, security, and righteousness. This promise of divine intervention and a renewed creation resonates throughout Isaiah's prophecies of a new heaven and new earth. The breaking of covenants, whether divine or human, is a recurring concern in the Old Testament, emphasizing the sanctity of oaths and agreements, a principle also powerfully articulated in Psalm 55:20.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • highways (Hebrew, mᵉçillâh', H4546): From the root meaning "to turnpike," this term (H4546) refers to a thoroughfare or a well-constructed road, often elevated or paved. Its description as "waste" (H8074, shâmêm) indicates not merely disuse but utter devastation, symbolizing the complete breakdown of commerce, communication, and public safety. The destruction of these vital arteries signifies the paralysis of normal life and the pervasive reach of the oppressor's destructive power.
  • broken (Hebrew, pârar', H6565): This primitive root (H6565) means "to break up," "to violate," "to frustrate," or "to make of none effect." Here, it signifies the deliberate and forceful annulment of a binding agreement. This is not a mere oversight but an active act of treachery, rendering the covenant null and void and demonstrating a profound lack of integrity and trustworthiness. It speaks to a fundamental rupture of trust.
  • regardeth (Hebrew, châshab', H2803): This root (H2803) properly means "to plait or interpenetrate," extending to "to think," "to consider," "to value," or "to compute." When negated ("regardeth no man"), it indicates a complete absence of consideration, esteem, or value for human beings (H582, ʼĕnôwsh). It speaks to a profound dehumanization and indifference to the suffering, rights, or very existence of others, highlighting the oppressor's utter arrogance, cruelty, and moral bankruptcy.

Verse Breakdown

  • "The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth": This opening clause paints a stark and immediate picture of desolation and pervasive fear. The major roads, which were the lifeblood of ancient societies for trade, travel, and communication, are depicted as ruined and deserted. The "wayfaring man" – the traveler, merchant, or pilgrim – has ceased to move, indicating that public safety has completely collapsed. This imagery conveys a land under siege, where movement is too dangerous to contemplate, and the normal rhythms of economic and social life have been violently interrupted.
  • "he hath broken the covenant": This is the central accusation of perfidy and betrayal. The "he" refers to the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, who had likely entered into a solemn treaty or agreement with Judah, perhaps involving tribute or a promise of peace, only to flagrantly violate its terms. This act of breaking a binding covenant, often sealed with divine witnesses and solemn oaths, was considered a grave offense, undermining the very foundation of international relations, trust, and moral order in the ancient world.
  • "he hath despised the cities": This phrase highlights the oppressor's profound contempt for established human communities and their inhabitants. "Despised" (H3988, mâʼaç) means to spurn, reject, or treat with disdain. This is not merely military conquest but a deliberate act of devaluing and destroying urban centers (H5892, ʻîyr), which were the hubs of culture, economy, and social life. It demonstrates a ruthless disregard for the lives, heritage, and well-being contained within these communities, reflecting a policy of terror and annihilation.
  • "he regardeth no man": This final clause underscores the ultimate moral depravity and dehumanization exhibited by the oppressor. It signifies a complete lack of respect, consideration, or empathy for individual human beings (H582, ʼĕnôwsh). The aggressor views people not as valuable creations with inherent rights and dignity but as mere obstacles or pawns, to be exploited, terrorized, or eliminated without a second thought. This profound indifference to human life is the root cause of the widespread suffering and devastation described in the preceding clauses.

Literary Devices

Isaiah 33:8 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of desolation, moral outrage, and the profound consequences of oppression. Imagery is prominently used, with phrases like "highways lie waste" and "the wayfaring man ceaseth" creating a vivid mental picture of a paralyzed and dangerous landscape. This imagery is not merely descriptive but also deeply symbolic, representing the complete breakdown of societal order, security, and normal human interaction. The verse also utilizes Synecdoche, where "the wayfaring man" stands for all people and their normal activities, and "the cities" represent all human habitation and societal structures, encompassing the full scope of the oppressor's destructive reach. Furthermore, the strong, active verbs "broken," "despised," and "regardeth no man" contribute to a powerful sense of Climax, building from physical desolation to moral depravity, culminating in the oppressor's utter and chilling disregard for humanity. This progression emphasizes the profound wickedness and comprehensive nature of the aggressor's actions.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Isaiah 33:8 serves as a poignant and sobering reminder of the devastating consequences when human beings, particularly those in positions of power, reject the fundamental principles of justice, integrity, and respect for life. The breaking of covenants and the despising of humanity are not merely political or military acts but profound moral and theological offenses. Such actions invite divine judgment because they directly violate the very character of God, who is eternally faithful to His covenants and deeply values human life, created in His own image. This verse underscores that true peace, security, and flourishing are impossible where treachery, contempt for others, and a lack of accountability prevail, highlighting the urgent need for divine intervention to restore order, uphold righteousness, and re-establish justice.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Isaiah 33:8 speaks powerfully to the chaos and suffering that result from broken trust and a profound disregard for human dignity, whether on a global scale, within communities, or in our personal spheres. It challenges us to consider the far-reaching impact of our words and actions, particularly our commitments and how we treat others. When covenants are broken, whether formal agreements or informal promises, the very fabric of relationships and society begins to unravel, leading to insecurity, despair, and a loss of hope. This verse calls us, as followers of God, to be people of unwavering integrity, to honor our word, and to cultivate a deep and abiding respect for every individual, recognizing their inherent worth as image-bearers of God. In a world often marked by broken promises, contempt for the vulnerable, and the dehumanization of others, our commitment to justice, compassion, and faithfulness can be a powerful witness to God's character and a transformative force for healing and restoration.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways do I see "highways lying waste" or "wayfaring men ceasing" in my own community or the broader world today, due to broken trust, injustice, or a disregard for others?
  • How does my own integrity, or lack thereof, impact the "covenants" (promises, agreements, and relationships) in my personal and professional life?
  • What does it mean to "regard no man" in contemporary society, and how can I actively counter such attitudes in myself and others, promoting dignity and respect?

FAQ

What is the "covenant" referred to in Isaiah 33:8?

Answer: The "covenant" (Hebrew: bᵉrîyth) in this context most likely refers to a political treaty or agreement between the Assyrian king Sennacherib and King Hezekiah of Judah. Historical accounts, such as those found in 2 Kings 18, suggest that after Hezekiah paid a heavy tribute to Sennacherib, the Assyrian king still proceeded with his invasion, effectively breaking any implicit or explicit agreement for peace or withdrawal. This act of treachery was a grave offense in the ancient Near East, where covenants were solemn and binding, often invoked with divine witnesses. It highlights the Assyrian's perfidy and profound disregard for international law and trust.

Who is the "he" that is described as breaking the covenant and despising cities?

Answer: The "he" in Isaiah 33:8 refers to the oppressive foreign power, specifically the Assyrian king Sennacherib. This chapter, and indeed much of Isaiah's prophecy, is set against the backdrop of the Assyrian invasion of Judah in the late 8th century BC. Sennacherib's military campaigns were notorious for their brutality, including the destruction of cities, the plundering of resources, and a general disregard for human life and dignity, which aligns perfectly with the actions described in this verse. His actions against Judah, despite previous agreements, are a key part of the historical context of Isaiah 33 and illustrate the profound injustice that God would ultimately judge.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Isaiah 33:8, with its lament over a broken covenant and a world where "no man" is regarded, finds its ultimate answer and reversal in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "broken covenant" of human treachery and sin, which led to widespread desolation, fear, and a profound disregard for both God and neighbor, is perfectly remedied by the new covenant established through Christ's shed blood (Luke 22:20). Unlike the faithless oppressor who violated agreements, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the covenant of grace, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice to reconcile humanity to God and to each other (Hebrews 9:15). Furthermore, where the oppressor "regardeth no man," Jesus demonstrates the ultimate and unfathomable regard for humanity. He did not despise cities or human life; rather, He entered into human brokenness, healed the sick, fed the hungry, restored the marginalized, and ultimately laid down His life for all, proving that God "so loved the world" (John 3:16). Through His sacrifice, the "highways" of access to God are no longer waste but are made open, secure, and living, allowing "wayfaring men" to journey safely into eternal life and intimate fellowship with God (Hebrews 10:19-22). In Christ, the desolation of sin is overcome by the abundance of grace, and the contempt for humanity is transformed into divine love, redemption, and the promise of a restored creation.

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Commentary on Isaiah 33 verses 1–12

Here we have,

I. The proud and false Assyrian justly reckoned with for all his fraud and violence, and laid under a woe, Isa 33:1. Observe, 1. The sin which the enemy had been guilty of. He had spoiled the people of God, and made a prey of them, and herein had broken his treaty of peace with them, and dealt treacherously. Truth and mercy are two such sacred things, and have so much of God in them, that those cannot but be under the wrath of God that make conscience of neither, but are perfectly lost to both, that care not what mischief they do, what spoil they make, what dissimulations they are guilty of, nor what solemn engagements they violate, to compass their own wicked designs. Bloody and deceitful men are the worst of men. 2. The aggravation of this sin. He spoiled those that had never done him any injury and that he had no pretence to quarrel with, and dealt treacherously with those that had always dealt faithfully with him. Note, The less provocation we have from men to do a wrong thing the more provocation we give to God by doing it. 3. The punishment he should fall under for this sin. He that spoiled the cities of Judah shall have his own army destroyed by an angel and his camp plundered by those whom he had made a prey of. The Chaldeans shall deal treacherously with the Assyrians and revolt from them. Two of Sennacherib's own sons shall deal treacherously with him and basely murder him at his devotions. Note, The righteous God often pays sinners in their own coin. He that leads into captivity shall go into captivity, Rev 13:10; Rev 18:6. 4. The time when he shall be thus dealt with. When he shall make an end to spoil, and to deal treacherously, not by repentance and reformation, which might prevent his ruin (Dan 4:27), but when he shall have done his worst, when he shall have gone as far as God would permit him to go, to the utmost of his tether, then the cup of trembling shall be put into his hand. When he shall have arrived at his full stature in impiety, shall have filled up the measure of his iniquity, then all shall be called over again. When he has done God will begin, for his day is coming.

II. The praying people of God earnest at the throne of grace for mercy for the land now in its distress (Isa 33:2): "O Lord! be merciful to us. Men are cruel; be thou gracious. We have deserved thy wrath, but we entreat thy favour; and, if we may find the propitious to us, we are happy; the trouble we are in cannot hurt us, shall not ruin us. It is in vain to expect relief from creatures; we have no confidence in the Egyptians, but we have waited for thee only, resolving to submit to thee, whatever the issue of the trouble be, and hoping that it shall be a comfortable issue." Those that by faith humbly wait for God shall certainly find him gracious to them. They prayed, 1. For those that were employed in military services for them: "Be thou their arm every morning. Hezekiah, and his princes, and all the men of war, need continual supplies of strength and courage from thee; supply their need therefore, and be to them a God all-sufficient. Every morning, when they go forth upon the business of the day, and perhaps have new work to do and new difficulties to encounter, let them be afresh animated and invigorated, and, as the day, so let the strength be." In our spiritual warfare our own hands are not sufficient for us, nor can we bring any thing to pass unless God not only strengthen our arms (Gen 49:24), but be himself our arm; so entirely do we depend upon him as our arm every morning, so constantly do we depend upon his power, as well as his compassions, which are new every morning, Lam 3:23. If God leaves us to ourselves any morning, we are undone; we must therefore every morning commit ourselves to him, and go forth in his strength to do the work of the day in its day. 2. For the body of the people: "Be thou our salvation also in the time of trouble, ours who sit still, and do not venture into the high places of the field." They depend upon God not only as their Saviour, to work deliverance for them, but as their salvation itself; for, whatever becomes of their secular interests, they will reckon themselves safe and saved if they have him for their God. If he undertake to be their Saviour, he will be their salvation; for as for God his work is perfect. Some read it thus: "Thou who wast their arm every morning, who wast the continual strength and help of our fathers before us, be thou our salvation also in time of trouble. Help us as thou helpedst them; they looked unto thee and were lightened (Psa 34:5); let us then not walk in darkness."

III. The Assyrian army ruined and their camp made a rich but cheap and easy prey to Judah and Jerusalem. No sooner is the prayer made (Isa 33:2) than it is answered (Isa 33:3), nay, it is outdone. They prayed that God would save them from their enemies; but he did more than that; he gave them victory over their enemies and abundant cause to triumph; for, 1. The strength of the Assyrian camp was broken (Isa 33:3) when the destroying angel slew so many thousands of them: At the noise of the tumult, of the shrieks of the dying men (who, we may suppose, did not die silently), the rest of the people fled, and shifted every one for his own safety. When God did thus lift up himself the several nations, or clans, of which the army was composed, were scattered. It was time to stir when such an unprecedented plague broke out among them. When God arises his enemies are scattered, Psa 68:1. 2. The spoil of the Assyrian camp is seized, by way of reprisal, for all the desolations of the defenced cities of Judah (Isa 33:4): Your spoil shall be gathered by the inhabitants of Jerusalem, like the gathering of the caterpillar, and as the running to and fro of locusts, that is, the spoilers shall as easily and as quickly make themselves masters of the riches of the Assyrians as a host of caterpillars, or locusts, make a field, or a tree, bare. Thus the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just and Israel is enriched with the spoil of the Egyptians. Some make the Assyrians to be the caterpillars and locusts, which, when they are killed, are gathered together in heaps, as the frogs of Egypt, and are run upon, and trodden to dirt.

IV. God and his Israel glorified and exalted hereby. When the spoil of the enemy is thus gathered, 1. God will have the praise of it (Isa 33:5): The Lord is exalted. It is his honour thus to abase proud men, and hide them in the dust, together; thus he magnifies his own name, and his people give him the glory of it, as Israel when the Egyptians were drowned, Exo 15:1, Exo 15:2, etc. He is exalted as one that dwells on high, out of the reach of their blasphemies, and that has an over-ruling power over them, and wherein they deal proudly delights to show himself above them - that does what he will, and they cannot resist him. 2. His people will have the blessing of it. When God lifts up himself to scatter the nations that are in confederacy against Jerusalem (Isa 33:3) then, as a preparative for that, or as the fruit and product of it, he has filled Zion with judgment and righteousness, not only with a sense of justice, but with a zeal for it and a universal care that it be duly administered. It shall again be called, The city of righteousness, Isa 1:26. In this the grace of God is exalted, as much as his providence was in the destruction of the Assyrian army. We may conclude God has mercy in store for a people when he fills them with judgment and righteousness, when all sorts of people, and all their actions and affairs, are governed by them, and they are so full of them that no other considerations can crowd in to sway them against these. Hezekiah and his people are encouraged (Isa 33:6) with an assurance that God would stand by them in their distress. Here is, (1.) A gracious promise of God for them to stay themselves upon: Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation. Here is a desirable end proposed, and that is the stability of our times, that things be not disturbed and unhinged at home, and the strength of salvation, deliverance from, and success against, enemies abroad. The salvation that God ordains for his people has strength in it; it is a horn of salvation. And here are the way and means for obtaining this end - wisdom and knowledge, not only piety, but prudence. That is it which, by the blessing of God, will be the stability of our times and the strength of salvation, that wisdom which is first pure, then peaceable, and which sacrifices private interests to a public good; such prudence as this will establish truth and peace, and fortify the bulwarks in defence of them. (2.) A pious maxim of state for Hezekiah and his people to govern themselves by: The fear of the Lord is his treasure. It is God's treasure in the world, from which he receives his tribute; or, rather, it is the prince's treasure. A good prince accounts it so (that wisdom is better than gold) and he shall find it so. Note, True religion is the true treasure of any prince or people; it denominates them rich. Those places that have plenty of Bibles, and ministers, and serious good people, are really rich; and it contributes to that which makes a nation rich in this world. It is therefore the interest of a people to support religion among them and to take heed of every thing that threatens to hinder it.

V. The great distress that Jerusalem was brought into described, that those who believed the prophet might know beforehand what troubles were coming and might provide accordingly, and that when the foregoing promise of their deliverance should have its accomplishment the remembrance of the extremity of their case might help to magnify God in it and make them the more thankful, Isa 33:7-9. It is here foretold, 1. That the enemy would be very insolent and abusive and there would be no dealing with him, either by treaties of peace (for he has broken the covenant without any hesitation, as if it were below him to be a servant to his word), or by the preparations of war, for he has despised the cities; he scorns to take notice either of their appeals to justice or of their petitions for mercy. He makes himself master of them so easily (though they are called fenced cities), and meets with so little resistance, that he despises them, and has no relentings when he puts all to the sword; for he regards no man, has no pity or concern, no, not for those that he is under particular obligations to. He neither fears God nor regards man, but is haughty and imperious to every one. There are those that take a pride in trampling upon all mankind, and have neither veneration for the honourable nor compassion for the miserable. 2. That therefore he would not be brought to any terms of reconciliation: The valiant ones of Jerusalem, being unable to make their parts good with him, must be contentedly run down with noise and insolence, which will make them cry without, because they cannot serve their country as they might have done against a fair adversary. The ambassadors sent by Hezekiah to treat of peace, finding him so haughty and unmanageable, shall weep bitterly for vexation at the disappointment they had met with in their negotiations; they shall weep like children, as despairing to find out any expedient to pacify him. 3. That the country should be made quite desolate for a time by his army. (1.) No man durst travel the roads; so that a stop was put to trade and commerce, and (which was worse) no man could safely go up to Jerusalem, to keep the solemn feasts: The highways lie waste. While the fields lie waste, trodden like the highways, the highways lie waste, untrodden like the fields, for the traveller ceases. (2.) No man had any profit from the grounds, Isa 33:9. The earth used to rejoice in its own productions for the service of God's Israel, but now the enemies of Israel eat them up, or tread them down: it mourns and languishes; the country looks melancholy and the country people have misery in their countenances, wanting necessary food for themselves and their families; the wonted joy of harvest is turned into lamentation, so withering and uncertain are all worldly joys. The desolation is universal. That part of the country which belonged to the ten tribes was already laid waste: "Lebanon famed for cedars, Sharon for roses, Bashan for cattle, Carmel for corn, all very fruitful, have now become like wildernesses, are ashamed to be called by their old names, they are so unlike what they were. They shake off their fruits before their time into the hand of the spoiler, which used to be gathered seasonably by the hand of the owner."

VI. God appearing, at length, in his glory against his proud invader, Isa 33:10-12. When things are brought thus to the last extremity, 1. God will magnify himself. He had seemed to sit by as an unconcerned spectator: "But now will I arise, saith the Lord; now will I appear and act, and therein I will be not only evidenced, but exalted." He will not only demonstrate that there is a God that judges in the earth, but that he is God over all, and higher than the highest. "Now will I lift up myself, will prepare for action, will act vigorously, and will be glorified in it." God's time to appear for his people is when their affairs are reduced to the lowest ebb, when their strength is gone and there is none shut up nor left, Deu 32:36. When all other helpers fail, then is God's time to help. 2. He will bring down the Assyrian: "You, O Assyrians! are big with hopes that you shall have all the wealth of Jerusalem for your own, and are in pain till it be so; but all your hopes shall come to nothing: You shall conceive chaff, and bring forth stubble, which is not only worthless and good for nothing, but combustible and proper fuel for the fire, which it cannot escape, when your own breath as fire shall devour you, that is, the breath of God's wrath, provoked against you by the breath of your sins - your malignant breath, the threatenings and slaughter you breathe out against the people of God, this shall devour you, and your blasphemous breath against God and his name." God would make their own tongues to fall upon them, and their own breath to blow the fire that should consume them; and then no wonder that the people are as the burnings of lime in a lime-kiln, all on fire together, and as thorns cut up, which are dried and withered, and therefore easily take fire and are soon burnt up. Such was the destruction of the Assyrian army; it was like the burning up of thorns, which can well be spared, or the burning of lime, which makes it good for something. The burning of that army enlightened the world with the knowledge of God's power and made his name shine brightly.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–12. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 7 and following) Behold, those who see will cry out: The angels of peace will weep bitterly. The roads are abandoned, the passer-by has ceased on the path, the pact has become void, cities have been thrown down, men have not been regarded. The land has mourned and languished, Lebanon is confused and darkened, Sharon has become like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel have been shaken. Now I will arise, says the Lord: now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up. You will conceive chaff, you will give birth to stubble; your spirit will devour you like fire. And the peoples shall be like ashes from a fire: thorns gathered together shall be burned with fire. The Hebrew word Arellam (), which Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion interpreted, I will reveal to them, dividing the final syllable and reading it as Are Lahem (), the Hebrews believe it signifies Angels, and is a prophecy concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and the wealth of the Church, and the destruction of the Temple, which the Angels shall lament, not dwelling within but departing from it: and those who were previously messengers of peace shall bitterly weep. Whether the apostles themselves who were sent to announce peace to Jerusalem, to which the Lord spoke, 'If you also knew the things that are for your peace' (Luke 19:42): at which the Lord appeared to them, in order to comfort them with His presence, Jerusalem will weep, because it did not receive His preaching, because the ways have been scattered, and the one passing by the righteous path has ceased, according to what is said in the Lamentations of Jeremiah: The ways of Zion mourn, because there are none who come to the solemnity (Lamentations 1:4). The covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was also made void: He cast out the cities of Judah: He did not consider the people, who by their own fault wanted to be beasts. The land mourned and grew weak for those who lived in it (Genesis XV and 22). Lebanon is confused and darkened, undoubtedly signifying the Temple, as we read in Zechariah. Open, Lebanon, your gates, so that fire may devour your cedars (Zechariah XI, 1). Or Jerusalem, which is called Libanus in Ezekiel, the Prophet saying: A great eagle, with great wings, which has the ability to enter into Lebanon (Ezekiel II, 3); which afterwards, the divine word interpreting, says: when Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem, he clearly referred to the eagle as the king of Babylon, and to Lebanon as Jerusalem. Sharon became like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel were shaken. As for Bashan, the Seventy translated it as Galilee, a province, for one place of the province. But the region around Joppa and Lydda, also called Saron (or Saronas), is a place where wide and fertile fields extend. There is also the region of Basan beyond the Jordan, which was possessed by two and a half tribes and is interpreted as the most fertile and abundant (Deut. III): and Carmel, of which we have spoken above. Therefore, the once fertile lands of Judea will be turned into desolation, through which metaphorically the entire wealth of the Jews will be exchanged for poverty and scarcity. Therefore, since they refused to accept the words of the Apostles, Lebanon was confounded, and Sharon became a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel were shaken. Therefore, the Lord says that either because of his excessive patience or because he will rise from the dead, he will be exalted among the nations and lifted up on the cross. And he addresses the Jews themselves, saying, 'You will conceive burning anger and bring forth stubble, and your breath will ignite a fire that will devour you as the flames consume what is conceived and born.' And there shall be, he said, the people of the Jews showing the magnitude of their misfortune through the ashes remaining from the fire. For the thorns of their sins, which have been gathered in great numbers, shall be consumed by the fire, which many interpret as referring to the ultimate captivity and destruction of Jerusalem. Others affirm that it shall happen more fully and completely in the time of judgment.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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