THEOSISJerome of Stridon
The Lord's message came to me, asking why the people of Israel proclaim that prophecies will be postponed and that visions will come to nothing. Therefore, declare to them that the Sovereign Lord says He will put an end to such declarations, and they will no longer be uttered in Israel. Instead, tell them that the fulfillment of every vision is imminent. No longer will any prophetic message remain unaccomplished, nor will the predictions be unclear among the people of Israel. I, the Lord, will speak, and every word I declare will come to pass. There will be no more delay; in your days, O house of reproach, I will declare a message, and I will bring it to fruition, says the Sovereign Lord.
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Then the Lord spoke to me again, saying, "Son of man, the house of Israel claims that the visions they see will only come true after a long time, and they prophesy about far-off events." Therefore, tell them that the Sovereign Lord says His messages will no longer be postponed; the words I speak will certainly be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord. The saying we use translates as “proverb,” while others render it “parable,” which is termed "masal" in Hebrew. In our text, where it states that the prophecies will not be uncertain, the Septuagint translates it to indicate that those who proclaim pleasant things do so deceptively, which we interpret as “uncertain,” to reflect the nature of the prophets misleading their audience. This context is not merely a reflection of the situation. Earlier, prophecies were made against the leader in Jerusalem, followed by warnings of impending famine and severe thirst. Dismissing these, the people resorted to the old adage that predictions are if delayed, and visions will ultimately fade away, as they believe such messages are futile, or according to Symmachus, that they will dissipate like fleeting winds.