John Chrysostom
In those days, the house of Israel will unite with the house of Judah, and they shall act in unison. The pinnacle of goodness is found in harmony and love, which also serves as the root of all evils. Observe how He has orchestrated these events. He did not say, "The house of Judah will come to the house of Israel," but rather, in an unexpected twist, the first person to show indignation—the one who initiated the conflict, the rebellious one, the violent one—will be the one to usher in harmony. This restoration will not wait for their return, but they will begin to act together prior to that return. Look, dear ones, at the blessings that captivity has wrought: it has ended the relentless strife, it has united a once-divided people, it has reconciled citizens previously at odds.
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Nature was in turmoil, the tribes were scattered, and the rightful order of society was disrupted. All of this arose from injustice, and all of it I resolved through captivity. From the north land, note what is affirmed: from the northern territory, certainly not from other nations. He then recalls the ancient narrative: "I will grant the south as a heritage to their forefathers." This declaration is even more extraordinary. When intending to illustrate a miracle, He invokes a historic account or prior miracle. Do you doubt that the ancestors were assembled, that I bequeathed them an inheritance? That those who are dispersed across the earth would be gathered into one location is a miracle indeed.