THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Woe to the one who erects his dwelling in wickedness and his chambers devoid of justice, who exploits his neighbor without recompense, and declares, "I will construct a grand house with spacious rooms." He opens his windows and adorns the ceilings with cedar, painting with vibrant crimson. Do you believe you will reign by placing yourself alongside the cedar? Did not your father partake in eating and drinking, executing justice and righteousness, and was it not well with him? He cared for the plight of the poor and needy, not merely for his own benefit, but because he knew Me, says the Lord. Yet your eyes and heart are directed towards greed, the spilling of innocent blood, slander, and the hastening to commit wrongdoing.
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Oh, you who builds your house without righteousness, and your upper chambers devoid of judgment! You make your neighbor work for free, providing him with no wages. You have constructed a small house, with upper chambers that are ravaged by the wind, divided by windows, adorned with cedar, and coated with red paint. Will you truly reign when you oppose Ahaz your father? You shall neither eat nor drink; it would have been far better for you to execute justice and truth. You have failed to acknowledge or adjudicate the claims of the lowly and the needy. Does this not reveal that you do not know Me, declares the Lord? Behold, your eyes are not right, and your heart is led astray, driven by selfishness, the shedding of innocent blood, injustice, and the murder of the innocent.
I present both versions completely so the truth of the Hebrew text and the perplexities of the Vulgate version can be clearly discerned. This refers to Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, whom Pharaoh Necho of Egypt appointed in place of his brother Jehoahaz, who was taken to Egypt in chains. As revealed in the Book of Kings and Chronicles, Joachim, son of Josiah, ruled eleven years in Jerusalem, ruling oppressively and wickedly before his death; yet no mention is made of his burial. Unlike the other kings, whose deaths and burials are typically recounted in Scripture, it is specifically stated concerning this ruler that he died without a burial, which we will address further.
The lamentation is for this king, who misplaces his hopes, viewing his royal status as everlasting, builds his upper chambers, oppresses his allies, denies wages to his laborers, and perceives his palace as an infinite enterprise. The divine word questions, can you reign indefinitely while attempting to measure yourself against the tall cedar, that is, your father Josiah, the just king? Your father, as it states, both ate and drank, relished the treasures of kings yet remained guiltless before God, instead pleasing Him with his justice and righteousness. Thus, as it was beneficial for him in this life, so too shall it be for him in the age to come. He tended to the needs of the poor and the afflicted, acting for their comfort as well as for his own well-being. All of this was favorable to him because he knew Me, declares the Lord.
But you, Joachim, allow your eyes to be swayed by avarice, indulging in the shedding of innocent blood, slander, and quickly turning to evil. The meaning of this passage in the Septuagint eludes me, as the interconnected elements seem disjointed. Phrases like, "You will not reign because you stand opposed to your father Ahaz," which correlates with the Hebrew 'araz' meaning cedar, lack clear significance, just as the assertions of not eating or drinking seem convoluted without the original Hebrew for proper understanding.
In a figurative sense, this text could also be applicable to heretics who create a dwelling not vast and expansive like the Church, but rather a diminutive one, built without truth and justice, seeking to seize what belongs to others. Hence, it is said, "You have built a small dwelling, with upper rooms subject to the wind, carried off by every doctrine (Eph. 4:14) and fractured by windows," illustrating that heretics lack a solid foundation and permanence. Though their exteriors may appear beautiful, like ceilings of cedar, they will swiftly succumb to the rains and tempests of persecution, decaying and falling apart. Even while they profess to embody the suffering and blood of the Lord, they fail to reign eternally, as they quarrel and provoke wrath against their progenitor, the cedar. Indeed, every heretic is born within the Church but is eventually cast out, disputing and challenging their origin.
In the phrases about not eating or drinking, it refers to the Body and Blood of the Savior and other such holy matters. Their error stems from their lack of knowledge of God; they possess flawed vision, with hearts inclined to greed, seeking to plunder others and to spill the blood of the tempted. This indeed constitutes murder. Delving deeper into these matters may reveal more intricacies.