Thou shalt make a way that the sword may come to Rabbath of the children of Ammon, and to Juda unto Jerusalem the strong city.
לְמַ֣עַן ׀ לָמ֣וּג לֵ֗ב וְהַרְבֵּה֙ הַמִּכְשֹׁלִ֔ים עַ֚ל כָּל־שַׁ֣עֲרֵיהֶ֔ם נָתַ֖תִּי אִבְחַת־חָ֑רֶב אָ֛ח עֲשׂוּיָ֥ה לְבָרָ֖ק מְעֻטָּ֥ה לְטָֽבַח׃
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Prepare a path for the sword to enter Rabbath, the city of the sons of Ammon, signifying the approach of the king of Babylon’s sword. This implies that Nebuchadnezzar will advance toward the Ammonite city of Rabbath, situated by the coastline near Antioch. Indeed, Nebuchadnezzar arrived and set up camp at Emus, also referred to as Amy, which lies close to Antioch. Consequently, he continues to elaborate further.
The Lord spoke to me, saying: You, mortal man, are to create two pathways for yourself, allowing you to approach the sword of the king of Babylon. From one location shall arise the beginnings of these two routes, enabling you to position the hand that strikes at the onset of the path leading to the city, which strikes from the initial course. For the sword will come upon Rabbah, the descendants of Ammon, and upon Judah in Jerusalem. Imagine a scene where one path bifurcates into two—one leading directly to Jerusalem, and the other to Rabbah of the Ammonites. As it was prophesied, Nebuchadnezzar, while advancing from Babylon, would confront both Judah and the Ammonites. God revealed these events through the Prophet.
He referred to Rabbah of the sons of Ammon to distinguish it from another city of the same name, or Rabbah of Ammon. This latter city, known as Ammon, has been identified by some as Philadelphia, currently recognized in Arabia and still referred to in the local language as the city of Ammon. To this, God adds:
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS