You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
10. "Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven:" Thou shalt make them on fire within, by the consciousness of their ungodliness: "In the time of Thy countenance:" in the time of Thy manifestation. "The Lord shall trouble them in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them" (ver. 9). And then, being troubled by the vengeance of the Lord, after the accusation of their conscience, they shall be given up to eternal fire, to be devoured.
Anger. Literally, "face "(vultus.; Haydock) which sometimes intimates favour, ver. 7. This passage may allude to the vengeance (Calmet) which David exercised upon the Ammonites, whom he burnt in kilns, (2 Kings xii. 31.; Geier.; Vat.) or to the destruction of Sodom, Genesis xix. 28., and Lamentations iv. 6. (Calmet)
It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of an angry God, who will punish his enemies in a fire; to which St. Paul (Hebrews x. 27.) attributes rage, (Haydock) or emulation, as it will seem to strive to surpass all others. O that we may meditate on this fire! that the love of God may consume all our defects!
Trouble. Hebrew, "swallow up "which is more energetic.
