Isaiah 21:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Yet, neither their kinship nor their close quarters fostered unity among these nations. The Idumeans, influenced by Hellenistic customs and laws, were antagonistic and consistently ravaged Jewish land, seeking to act towards them with the utmost disgrace. When the Israelites were liberated from Egyptian oppression and were on their way to the land their ancestors had been promised, Moses dispatched messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, stating, "Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou weighest all the labour that hath found us: and our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt many days, and the Egyptians and our fathers embittered us: And we cry unto the Lord, and the Lord heareth our voice, and sendeth an angel, and leadeth us out of Egypt: and now we are in the city of Kadesh, at the end of thy borders: that we may pass through thy land: we will not pass through the villages, nor through the vineyards, nor drink of the waters of thy streams: we will walk in the way of the king: we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, till we pass through thy borders." However, Edom responded, "Thou shalt not pass through me: but if thou dost not, I will go out against thee" (Num. 20:14-18). This illustrates the ruthlessness and lack of compassion exhibited by the Edomites towards their kin. Their offenses were not solely confined to this act; they committed further heinous and inhumane deeds. When Babylon conquered Judah, set the temple ablaze, and laid waste to the land of Israel, suffering unthinkable atrocities was inflicted upon its inhabitants. Many who managed to escape the sword of Persia sought refuge in Idumea, viewing it as a neighborly haven with familial ties. Yet, instead of offering assistance to their Jewish brethren, expressing empathy for those in distress, and welcoming them kindly, the Idumeans ruthlessly attacked the refugees. For this, the Almighty held them accountable through the prophet Abijah, who declared, "In that day, saith the Lord, I will destroy the wise from Idumea, and the sense from the mountain of Esau: and thy soldiers shall fear, which are from Theban, that a man may depart from the mountain of Esau. For the sake of the plague and wickedness that is upon thy brother Jacob, the cold shall cover thee, and thou shalt be rejected for ever. From this day thou hast resisted in the days of the foreigners capturing his power, and strangers entered into his gates, and made lots of Jerusalem, and thou wast as one of them" (vv. 8-11). They mirrored the brutality of the Persians, slaying those who sought salvation from them as they arrived as brothers and neighbors. Consequently, when the Babylonians conquered Judah and prepared to return to their homeland, they devastated Idumea during their passing. They took all the cities of Idumea effortlessly, for the wrath of God had fallen upon them. Thus, Abijah again states, "For the day of the Lord is nigh unto all tongues: as thou hast done, if it be done unto thee, thy recompense shall be recompensed upon thy head" (v. 15). This is a concise overview of the vision we aim to elucidate. Now, let us delve into its specific details, following the order in which they are recorded. "Call unto me from Seir" (v. 11). This is the voice of the Almighty, instructing the prophet that as soon as conflict arises in Idumea, its inhabitants will flee. Seir refers to the prominent mountain of the Idumeans, which housed their renowned city. Since the residents of Seir seem poised to flee but have not yet done so, the call is made for those who escape to Idumea. For just as they scorned the fleeing Israelites, so shall they themselves be mocked and suffer equivalent retribution at the hands of the Babylonians.

This people has been discussed in depth in the text of the prophet Abijah, which was necessary to unveil the ancient narrative and to provide testimony with the visions of Ezekiel and Jeremiah, particularly regarding the prophecy against Mount Seir (Ezekiel 25; Ezekiel 35; Jeremiah 35; Jeremiah 49). Furthermore, the Psalms attest: upon Idumea I will extend my hand, and in addition: the towns of Idumea, along with the Ishmaelites, Moab, and the Hagarites, Gebal, Ammon, and Amaliah (Psalms 59:10; Psalms 82:7-8). Amos states, For the three transgressions of Edom, and for the four, I will not revoke my decree, because they pursued their brother with the sword, and rejected his compassion (Amos 1:11), or as Simmachus interprets it, his inner being—indicating that they dared to wage war and act oppressively against their relatives. The land of Esau, however, was situated in Dumah, that is, in the mountains of Seir. We propose, based on the earlier visions, that this area, being the principal one, was conquered by the Assyrians or Nebuchadnezzar, and that recalling its origins, linked to the lineage of Abraham and Isaac, it earnestly sought God’s assistance amid its dire circumstances. Thus, the Lord proclaims: The one besieged in Seir, encircled by foes, entreats My help and exclaims: O Guardian of Israel, You who watch over Your people vigilantly, keeping watch even when they rest, why do You not protect us, who are descendants of His seed? I, the watchman of whom it is said, ‘The guardian of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep’ (Psalm 120:4), respond that dawn approaches for My people, while night descends upon the people of Edom; I shall bring light upon them, yet leave you in darkness. Alternatively, once the night passes, the light emerges. If you cry out for My aid and belong to the tribe of My servant Abraham, do not only seek Me in times of trouble but turn to Me with your whole heart; come, and I will welcome those who repent. Let this be understood historically. Additionally, some among the Hebrews, due to the close resemblance of letters, since Resh and Dalet appear similar, interpreted Roma instead of Duma, intending to direct this prophecy against the Roman Empire, driven by their erroneous belief that the name Idumea consistently relates to the Romans. Duma signifies silence.

The Oracle of Duma calls to me from Seir: Watchman! How long will the night endure? The watchman replied, The dawn is near, yet it remains night; if you seek, pursue and dwell with me. The Hebrew term elai, translated as me, can also be read as eli, meaning my God or my strength. The term we translated as shout or call can also denote a plea due to the ambiguity between the Hebrew and Greek terms, suggesting that God, my protector, calls me continually to repentance, urging me to depart from Seir, meaning braided and hairy, and dwell with Him. Dumah implies either likeness or silence. Idumea denotes earthly. The Lord therefore speaks to the apostles, instructing them, Call unto Me those from Seir, that a multitude of Gentiles may serve Me, who, like Esau, are not gentle, soft, or smooth, but are coarse, wild, and unyielding. And you, apostles, having summoned the nations from Seir to Me, must safeguard the fortifications of the Church, preventing the enemy’s easy invasion, lest the lion, roaming to and fro seeking whom it may devour, ravage the flocks sheltered within the Church's boundaries. Yet the faithful within the Church respond, Not only in joy, but even in affliction, day and night will I keep Your commandments, O God. The Lord then says, If you genuinely seek Me, demonstrate through your actions that you seek Me, and it is insufficient to find Me just once; upon discovering Me, continue to seek Me earnestly, and to hold Me closely—forget your kin and your father’s house, and denying the errors of the nations, dwell alongside Me in the Church. This is consistent with the Septuagint's translation where the oracle is addressed to Idumea, indicating worldly matters, showcasing that those who once served worldly pursuits are being called. Then, according to Aquila, who uses Dumah, meaning silence or likeness, the understanding is that like the people of Israel, the Gentile nations are summoned, and where there was once silence regarding God's law, now shouts of confession resonate, transforming the wild olive into a good one. Moreover, in the Gospel parable, we read of the servants sent to invite both the good and bad to fill the householder’s feast, since the former declined to come (Matthew 12). The Church might assert that the Lord calls to her from Seir, namely from earthly realms, beckoning her towards salvation, while she replies to the Lord, O Watchman, why do You move in darkness when You arise from the night? Why, being sinless, do You inhabit sinful flesh? For what reason have You chosen to assume a human body? The Watchman, symbolizing the Samaritan who assisted the wounded man to the inn (Luke 9), answers: the dawn draws near, yet it remains night. This indicates that for the multitude of Gentiles, the sun of righteousness has risen, whereas for the Jews, darkness has descended—conforming to the scripture: I have come into this world for judgment that those who do not see may gain sight, and those who see may be made blind (John 9:39). The Watchman himself proclaims that morning approaches, yet still night, addressing the multitude of Gentiles, If you seek Me, seek Me with fervor; turn to Me, O children of those who turn, and I will heal your brokenness, and come unto Me. These passages are challenging, and due to their historical complexity, we are compelled to interpret them allegorically.

The Jews witnessed the miracles presented to them, yet they continued to seek Him blindly, asking, "How long wilt thou keep us in perplexity? If thou art the Christ, tell us plainly" (John 10:24). Here, the light of miracles stood before their eyes, yet, caught in the darkness of their hearts, they continued to wander as if they were lost.