And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
Read Chapter 72
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
17. "And He shall live, and there shall be given to Him of the gold of Arabia" (ver. 15). There would not have been said, "and He shall live" (for of whom could not this be said, though living for ever so brief a space of time on this earth?) unless that life were being recommended to our notice, wherein He "dieth no more, and death over Him shall have no more dominion." And thus, "and He shall live," that was despised in death: for, as another Prophet saith, "there shall be taken away from the earth the life of Him." But what is, "and there shall be given to Him of the gold of Arabia"? For the fact that from thence even the former Salomon received gold, in this Psalm hath been in a figure transferred unto another true Salomon, that is, the true Peace-maker. For the former did not have dominion "from the river even unto the ends of the round world." Thus then hath been prophesied, that even the wise men of this world in Christ would believe. But by Arabia we understand the Gentiles; by...
A firmament on the earth This may be understood of the Church of Christ, ever firm and visible: and of the flourishing condition of its congregation. (Challoner)
The strength or staff of bread shall not fail, Psalm civ. 16., and Isaias iii. 1. (Calmet)
Protestants, "there shall be a handful of corn in the "(Haydock)
Thus moderns follow the Rabbins, who greatly exaggerate the abundance which will take place under the Messias, as expecting that wheat will then grow as high as cedars. The country was indeed very luxuriant and populous in the reign of Solomon. But the fathers explain this of the Church, founded on Christ, the rock, and enriched with all virtues, (Calmet) and the most efficacious sacraments, particularly with the holy Eucharist, to which St. Jerome may allude: "there shall be memorable wheat "(Haydock)
By these hyperbolical allegories, the abundance enjoyed in the Church was denoted. (Menochius)
