THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
The term "sword" serves again as a metaphor for the judgment inflicted upon the Jews and neighboring nations through the Babylonians. It appears that God Himself commands the sword to be honed, to shine forth, to annihilate, and to uproot every tree, indicating that these actions occur by His allowance, not merely through the Babylonians' strength, but through His divine action. Similarly, in Deuteronomy, God declared, “I will shatter My sword like lightning, and My hand shall receive judgment, and I will render vengeance to My enemies, and I will repay those who hate Me. I will make My arrows drunk with blood, and My sword shall consume flesh” (Deuteronomy 32:41, 42). In these pronouncements, the sword and arrows symbolize the authority to deliver just punishment upon those deserving of it. He then continues: