O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord.
אֶ֥רֶץ אֶ֖רֶץ אָ֑רֶץ שִׁמְעִ֖י דְּבַר־יְהוָֽה׃
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Listen, O earth, for the people have turned a deaf ear to the message. This call is directed not just to humanity, but to the lifeless creation. What is implied by the term rejected? It signifies being stripped of dignity. Aquila refers to it as ‘unmultiplied,’ while Symmachus describes it as ‘empty and alienated.’
These statements relate to the previous context, where the prophet admonishes the Israelites for their lack of compassion, declaring, I have communicated with you in your prosperity, yet you have not listened. The prophet eloquently urges the earth to pay attention to his message, illustrating that the Israelites, who ought to have heeded his words, resembled a callous and unresponsive land. They were as unresponsive as the earth itself. When the prophet delivered his message, it was as though he were addressing the ground. The Israelites failed to heed the warnings that Jeremiah conveyed to them.
Earth, earth, earth! Listen to the message of the Lord. Thus says the Lord, Record this man as one who bears no fruit, a man who will not thrive in his time: for from his lineage there will no longer be one to reign on the throne of David or rule in Judah. To thoroughly explore the changes or omissions made by the LXX would be extensive, especially since the attentive reader can discern what has been altered, added, or left out in both versions. The Hebrew uses the term agiri instead of fruitless, with Aquila's first translation rendering it as fruitless, while the second version describes it as ἀναύξητον, meaning not increasing. Simmachus calls it idle, the Seventy refer to it as abominable, and Theodotion terms it rejected.
The question then arises: How can the prophecy be fulfilled that states from his tribe no one will be born who would sit upon David’s throne and rule in Judah, when the Lord and Savior was born from his seed? Gabriel tells Mary, "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:31-33).
In response, we can clarify that the issue for the uninformed is addressed by the words omitted by the Seventy, indicating that during his lifetime, he will not have success, or his lineage will not flourish. The Seventy further translate, "Record this husband as a rejected man, for there will not arise a man from his seed to sit on the throne of David, nor be a ruler in Judah." This concept is reiterated in the Hebrew text, and the early scribes, believing this repetition was extraneous in the Greek versions, left out the phrase, "In his days he shall not prosper."
Thus, the resolution is that during Jehoiakim's reign, no descendant will succeed him to sit on his throne, yet much later, one from his lineage will emerge who will reign. This dilemma can be resolved by recognizing that while no earthly man will sit on David’s throne, God Himself will reign, and His kingdom will not be temporary as David’s was but everlasting and divine, in accordance with Scripture: "He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:33).
Jechoniah descended from Jehoiakim, and from Jechoniah came Salathiel, who then fathered Zerubbabel, leading all the way to Christ. However, during Jechoniah's reign, no son took the throne as he succeeded his father; both Salathiel and Zerubbabel were taken into captivity, and before Christ, none wielded the authority of kingship. This is reflected in the Hebrew, which states that in his days, no one will sit upon David’s throne. All were in captivity, and afterwards, no member of the Davidic line held supreme power in Judah. Consequently, Josephus indicates that the rulers were drawn from the priestly line of Levi, to whom Herod—son of Antipater the proselyte—succeeded, and later, under Vespasian, the royal pretense of this lineage was completely dismantled.
The Lord declares that this man shall be written down as one who is cast aside, a man destined not to flourish in his time. However, from his lineage, a descendant will eventually take his place on David's throne, gaining authority in Judah. He has demonstrated the conclusion of Judah's reign, and this message is true. Let no one refer to Zerubbabel, for he did not hold dominion over the people; rather, he was a leader and guide for them. Indeed, while he descended from the flesh, the Lord has not established His reign on David's throne; instead, He is exalted above all principalities, powers, and might, as well as every title that exists, not just in this present age but also in the age to come (Eph. 1:21). Thus, this foreknowledge is indeed true.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS