The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.
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Glossa Ordinaria
AD 1480
MY VIRGINS: the eighth topic of indignation; for virgins cannot defend themselves nor hurt another.
Historical interpretation THE LORD IS JUST: SADE, which is put before, and is interpreted ‘of justice’, means that the justices of the Lord are right, which is well portrayed in these words: THE LORD IS JUST, FOR I HAVE PROVOKED HIS MOUTH TO WRATH, as if she would say: ‘I have duly submitted to the judgement of his mouth. Hence I have not put off confessing that THE LORD IS JUST.’ And note that above Jerusalem or the prophet invites them who passed by the way, as being rather few, to examine her pain, but now everyone is invited together, that theirs be one suffering, whose natural condition is one. Above he lamented the virgins in affliction and the children taken captives, but now also the stronger young men and the captured virgins, and the more evil is accumulated, the more sorrow is increased.
HEAR I PRAY YOU ALL YE PEOPLE AND SEE MY SORROW: with great respect and acute consid...
Sade- ‘of justice’; a deprecation.
Lord is just- in all his ways.
his mouth- the word of the Father or the prophets or preachers or the present.
I have provoked- by sinning.
hear- the ear of the heart.
you people- not passing by the way as above.
see- diligently
my virgins- chaste intentions.
into captivity- the Babylonian.
Here is lamented the captivity itself, and around this idea three propositions are advanced. First is proposed an acknowledgment of the justice from a judge. As expressed: "The Lord is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word." And as the prophet Daniel declares: "for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which he has done" (Dan 9:14).
Secondly, the benevolence of hearers is viewed, provoking them into compassion. As said: "but hear, all you peoples, and behold my suffering." That is: "But hear: cities of Zion, (Judah)." As Jeremiah exclaims: "they shout against the cities of Judah." (Jer 4:l6).
Thirdly, the misery during captivity is lamented. As Verse 18 concludes: "my maidens and my young men have gone into captivity." That is, due to the strength of their age they evade death through famine, as they have gone into captivity." And as Jeremiah 51:34 states: "he has filled his belly with my delicacies, he has rinsed me out."
