THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Will you endure? Did the deities of the nations my ancestors vanquished protect them? This illustrates how even adversaries recognize the immense might of God.
Isaiah 37:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
Have the gods of the nations delivered them whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozam, and Haram, and Reseph, and the children of Eden, that were in Thalassar?
הַהִצִּ֨ילוּ אוֹתָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִשְׁחִ֣יתוּ אֲבוֹתַ֔י אֶת־גּוֹזָ֖ן וְאֶת־חָרָ֑ן וְרֶ֥צֶף וּבְנֵי־עֶ֖דֶן אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּתְלַשָּֽׂר׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Cyrill of Alexandria
After Lachis fell victim to the cruel forces, Lamna faced a siege. It is noted that Rapsacus encountered an Assyrian filled with great dread, as Pharak, the king of Ethiopia, had launched an aggressive campaign against him. Anxious that he would lose his most valuable possessions after conquering the land, he abandoned Judea and rushed back to his homeland, though he did not relinquish his arrogance. Consumed by futile rage due to the refusal of the Israelites and the inhabitants of the holy city to heed Rapsacus and submit to him, the wretched man spoke blasphemous insults against the majesty of God. He instructed some of his servants to quickly approach Hezekiah and relay his words.
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These were indeed blasphemies, for he claimed boldly, ‘Since the gods of other nations have been defeated along with their worshippers, the God of the Hebrews cannot save them from the Assyrians either.’ He then listed the cities he had laid waste, many of which had endured significant suffering. Through this, he incited fear in those who trusted in the Lord, suggesting they too might face destruction.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Gen 11:31And Thare took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Aran, his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, the wife of Abram his son, and brought them out of Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Chanaan: and they came as far as Haran, and dwelt there.
- Acts 7:2Who said: Ye men, brethren and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charan.
- Gen 29:4And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.
- Isa 46:5To whom have you likened me, and made me equal, and compared me, and made me like?
- Isa 46:7They bear him on their shoulders and carry him, and set him in his place, and he shall stand, and shall not stir out of his place. Yea, when they shall cry also unto him, he shall not hear: he shall not save them from tribulation.
- Gen 12:1And the Lord said to Abram: Go forth out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and out of thy father's house, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
- Gen 12:4So Abram went out as the Lord had commanded him, and Lot went with him: Abram was seventy-five years old when he went forth from Haran.
- Amos 1:5And I will break the bar of Damascus: and I will cut off the inhabitants from the plain of the idol, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of pleasure: and the people of Syria shall be carried away to Cyrene, saith the Lord.