THEOSISJerome of Stridon
And the Lord spoke to me, saying, Son of man, direct your gaze toward Jerusalem and deliver a message to the sanctuaries, prophesying to the land of Israel. Say to the land of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, and I will unsheathe my sword, bringing destruction upon both the righteous and the unrighteous among you, for they are all removed from you. My sword shall emerge from its sheath against all humanity, from the south to the north. Every being shall acknowledge that I, the LORD, have drawn my sword from its sheath; it will not return.
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The word of the Lord instructed me to prophesy, so I have set my face toward Jerusalem, observing their holy places, and proclaiming to the land of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Look, I am coming upon you, drawing my sword from its sheath to bring judgment upon the lawless and the unrighteous. My sword shall be drawn against all flesh from the south to the north, and every being shall understand that I, the Lord, have unsheathed my sword; it will not return again.
In the past, they questioned whether I spoke in riddles, and since the people sought clarity, the Lord now articulates more plainly what had previously been conveyed through metaphor or proverb. The reference to the forests of Nagevah, Darom, and Theban signifies Jerusalem, its temple, the holy of holies, and the entirety of the Jewish land. The flame that will consume these forests represents the destructive sword, intended to strike both the just and the wicked. This sword represents both the flourishing and the withered. Thus, the Lord observes, If they do these things in a dry tree, what will happen in the fruitful one?
Although the LXX chose to translate it as ‘lawless and unrighteous,’ it is unclear why, as both terms convey similar meanings. The declaration that all flesh will witness that I, the LORD, have ignited the flame, which shall not be extinguished, is mirrored in the assertion that every being shall know that I, the LORD, have drawn my sword from its sheath; it will not return.