For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and salvation from mount Sion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.
כִּ֤י מִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ תֵּצֵ֣א שְׁאֵרִ֔ית וּפְלֵיטָ֖ה מֵהַ֣ר צִיּ֑וֹן קִנְאַ֛ת יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־זֹּֽאת׃
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The fervor of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. The prophet consistently cautioned the king not to believe that his righteousness would earn him salvation, emphasizing that it is solely due to God's grace. Yet, he succumbed to arrogance.
In stating that the Assyrian will return to his homeland and leave the territory of Judah, the timing is clarified with the declaration, "I will reap this summer, which thou hast fulfilled." It remains ambiguous to whom this sign is directed, whether it is Sennacherib or Hezekiah along with his followers. We will elucidate the implications of the text and subsequently determine to whom it pertains. Should we interpret the sign as meant for Hezekiah, the context is as follows: Jerusalem was under siege, and as a massive Assyrian force was poised to set it ablaze and seize it, there was an extraordinary stockpile of provisions and an abundance of produce, providing sustenance for those within Jerusalem who would be saved.
Thus, you, Hezekiah, along with all your people, shall partake this summer of what you have gathered; in the following summer, you will have the remainder, and in the third summer, you shall sow and cultivate vineyards. The Assyrian laid waste the land of the Samaritans for two full years. Yet, by the time the third year arrived, he retreated from his siege, having faced severe losses near Jerusalem. Therefore, it is declared that in the third year there shall be deliverance, and the farmers and vineyard keepers will experience abundance, provided they have the courage to plant their grapes, signifying that peace will also bring them security.
That those who endured the war and remained will dwell in joy and safety is suggested by the imagery of trees, which will take root below and yield seed above. Their secure dwelling and freedom from fear are implied by the detail of their roots extending deep into the ground. Furthermore, the prosperity that will eventually flourish is acknowledged by the phrase: they will bear fruit high above. It is asserted that this shall occur through the zeal of the Lord of hosts.
In contrast, the Assyrian blasphemed against God, equating Him with false deities, and boasted, "God will not rescue Jerusalem from my grasp." All these prophecies will be fulfilled, for the fervor of the Almighty has been ignited. If we take the saying, "I will eat this summer, which thou hast assigned, and in the second summer, resist Sennacherib," we may assert that those accustomed to warfare, when the siege weakens and conflict drags on, would turn to agriculture for sustenance. This interpretation will similarly apply to him.
This serves as a sign to you that in the coming summer, you will reap the harvest of your planting, and in the following summer, you will benefit from what has sprung up on its own... for a remnant will emerge from Jerusalem. Following his foretelling of the downfall of the Assyrians, the prophet brings another message of joy to Hezekiah, declaring that the Lord will increase the yield of the land: for two years, there will be no requirement to till or sow the soil, as all will partake of the natural bounty produced by the earth.
This shall serve as a signal for you, indicating, 'In this year consume the produce of the land, and in the second year indulge in legumes; yet in the third year, sow and harvest, plant vineyards, and enjoy their fruits. The remnant from the house of Judah will take root from below and yield fruit from above, for out of Jerusalem will emerge those who remain and deliverance from Mount Zion. The fervor of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this. All these words the prophet conveyed to Hezekiah through the envoys, recounting what Sennacherib had declared and what the Lord had communicated in response. Now he addressed Hezekiah personally, ensuring that there would be no doubt regarding the fulfillment of these promises.
It was particularly due to the faith of the people in the messages of the prophets that they spoke not only of events far in the future but also of those that would soon come to pass, predicting that within two years the king of Assyria would meet his demise, and that Jerusalem would again find safety. The future sign I proclaim to you, he says, is that this year you shall consume what is produced, or as the Seventy translate, what is gathered first. In the second year, as Symmachus indicates, you will eat legumes, or as his translation suggests, those that sprouted from the former planting and the seeds that fell to the ground. And in the third year, after the Assyrians have retreated and the siege has ended, you will thresh, reap, plant vineyards, and feast on their yield. For the remnant of this small city, now encircled by the enemy, which many doubt will be saved, shall possess such abundance and fertility that it will be filled with numerous fruits, like a tree with deep roots. Indeed, from Jerusalem and Mount Zion will come forth a remnant, filling the land of the Jews, not because of their own merit, but due to the merciful, or rather zealous, nature of God, who was passionate in His defense of His people against the wicked.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS