THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Look, I am opposed to you, O dweller in the firm and level valley, declares the Lord, to you who question, Who can strike us or intrude into our homes? The Lord mentions, I will visit you from above, and those who follow this declaration: according to the outcomes of your deeds, the LXX does not include any of these words. And I will set ablaze, says the Lord, a fire in your land, and it will consume all around you. Instead of the strong and level inhabitant of the valley, the Seventy render it as Behold I am against you, who reside in the valley of Sor. In contrast, Simmachus translates Sor as rock, Theodotion as besieged, the first edition of Aquila as strong, and the second edition as Tup. Sor, or Sur in Hebrew, signifies both Tyre and rock, along with constriction.
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Thus, He addresses besieged Jerusalem, which is surrounded by the Babylonian army like Tyre by the vast sea, unable to flee, or which perceives itself, due to the hardness and enormity of its walls, as insurmountable and powerful like a tough rock, asserting, Who can terrify us, and who can enter our abodes? Yet God counters, I will take note of you; you cannot evade my gaze. I will visit you for ruin, and you will reap the consequences of your deception. I will ignite a fire in your land. It will not be the Babylonian forces, as you presume, nor the king of the Chaldeans, but My fury that will set everything in motion. He refers to Jerusalem and its surrounding area as a forest, as it bears no fruits of righteousness and is thus destined for burning. He aptly designates this region as a level valley, as it is easily traversable by the enemy, unlike a steep mountain that is challenging to ascend. Similarly, Isaiah states, ‘A vision of the valley of Zion’ (Isaiah 22:1). Everything pronounced to the royal lineage and the capital city can also be applied to the ecclesiastical leadership and the church officials who are absorbed in pride, material wealth, and excess. Thus, they will not escape ruin because it is the king’s residence, for even among the lineage of David, very few were pleasing to the Lord, such as David himself, Hezekiah, and Josiah; the majority of the rulers and the royal house incurred the Lord’s wrath upon the entire nation.