There is none that shall faint, nor labour among them: they shall not slumber nor sleep, neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken.
אֵין־עָיֵ֤ף וְאֵין־כּוֹשֵׁל֙ בּ֔וֹ לֹ֥א יָנ֖וּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן וְלֹ֤א נִפְתַּח֙ אֵז֣וֹר חֲלָצָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א נִתַּ֖ק שְׂר֥וֹךְ נְעָלָֽיו׃
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
This is expressed in an exaggerated manner. Is it truly conceivable that they would not experience hunger or the need for sleep, given their humanity and the common realities of existence? Through this depiction, as previously mentioned, he conveys the rapidity of the forces, along with their agility and pace.
In all these matters, His wrath remains unrelenting, and His power is still formidable. He will raise a signal among the nations, reaching even those far away, and they will respond swiftly and without burden. They will not complain, tire, slumber, or sleep; their belts will be fastened, and their boots will remain secure. Their arrows will be sharp, and their beams will be straightened. The hooves of their steeds will resemble solid rocks, and their chariot wheels will roll with the force of a storm. They will be fierce like lions and appear as lionesses ready to roar. They will advance with a fearsome cry as a wild animal does, charging forth without hesitation.
In that day, He will lift His voice for their sake, akin to the tumult of the sea, and they will observe the earth, realizing that darkness envelops them amidst their confusion.
The repercussions of the righteous Judge’s wrath will not be limited to this; they will extend much further, as is evident from the following declaration. Despite the profound desolation they have faced, suffering from hunger, thirst, and the devastation of war, they have remained estranged from God, thus remaining under His displeasure. This interpretation aligns with the statement that His hand is high, as it strikes those who have sinned; indeed, the hand of the one who strikes is ever lifted. The anguish of the mountains, which will enact their wrath, is profound; with an unexpected boldness and cruelty, they will approach, as indicated by the phrase that He will raise a signal among distant people.
Those who laid waste to Judah and burned Jerusalem and its cities were not neighbors, as they came from far-off lands across the earth. The signal will be given, akin to a battle cry; for it is customary for generals to signal their troops by hoisting banners high. Isaiah also refers to this, stating that "He will be seized like a flag on the mountain, and like a banner carried on the hill" (Isaiah 30:17). The banners raised on high hills can be positioned upright, tilted, or adorned with something for the army to acknowledge. This conveys the will of the commander. Thus, He will raise a signal and behold them.
This is further illustrated by the way beekeepers summon bees, whistling to lead them from their hives to flowers and back again. They will come swiftly and effortlessly, with little concern for hunger, undeterred by toil or sleep, fully prepared for battle on their steadfast steeds, surging forward like a tempest and behaving as predatory beasts. They will be fearsome and unstoppable; without need for a direct encounter, they will achieve victory since none will withstand them or muster adequate support.
In that time, there will be cries of mourning and distress, akin to the sound of the sea flooding the land of Judah. Darkness will reign, not one of fog or night, but the oppressive darkness of fear and confusion, as severe calamities engulf the mind. Therefore, our sovereign God provides us with insight into all matters; it is not in vain that He foretells future events or reveals the magnitude of forthcoming tribulations. He does this so that, even as we often ignore His calls to repentance and disregard His words, we might, out of fear of such dire consequences, cultivate the fear of God within us, turning away from evil and ultimately directing our hearts toward righteousness.
In a direct interpretation, this term appears to predict the Roman legions that besieged Jerusalem at the end of the conflict. On this occasion, their ranks were filled with soldiers from distant and nearby regions, including Syria, Arabia, and other neighboring nations who were enlisted in the Roman forces. A sign manifested among the Gentiles, specifically, the sign of the Cross that emerged. Thus, the Gentiles are summoned to believe, while Jerusalem faces impending destruction. They advance with remarkable speed and fervor for battle, oblivious to their nourishment, impatient for supplies, never needing rest, and remaining clad in their battle garments (see Isaiah 5:27). They are as unyielding as stone, and their chariots move like a tempest (cf. Is. 5:28). Their might and speed are akin to lions; their roar echoes like the thundering sea. Consequently, the people encamped with the army will see nothing but an overwhelming darkness enveloping the land (cf. Is. 5:29-30).
The prophet spoke these words to incite jealousy among the Israelites and to bring them to shame. The blessings they once received in the wilderness, where their clothes did not wear out and the soles of their shoes remained intact (Deuteronomy 8:4), were now being granted not to them, but to their oppressors.
He will not grow weary or fatigued, nor will he nod off or fall into slumber, nor will the belt around his waist come undone, nor will the strap of his sandal break. Hence, Italy, where Hesperus, the evening star, sets, was historically known as Heteria, or the evening land. When these events unfolded, the people were deeply anguished, and the mountains of Judea were severely shaken, as Theodotion and Symmachus express, or stirred, as Aquila describes, or troubled, according to the Septuagint, to the extent that the streets were filled with the slain from the assaults of their adversaries.
Thus, the Divine's words illustrate the swiftness of the advancing host, which came not by its own intention, but rather through the direction of the Lord, or more accurately, summoned by His call; it emphasizes that the army did not grow weary or fatigued from the arduous journey, nor did it lose sleep out of greed, and their footwear remained intact.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS