Commentary for (Isaiah X, 12–20; Genesis VII, 6–9; Proverbs IX, 12

Oleksandr Zhabenko 🇬🇧
Glory Be to Jesus Christ!
🌞

Since in the work published at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
and even earlier in others, published at the links:
https://churchandsociety.org.ua/pdf/projects/zbirnyk.pdf
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/17082024.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/12112025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/27112024.html
it is written that the use of prepositions has important significance for the correct understanding of important and topical questions, particularly the question of power, I am writing comments regarding the use of precisely these prepositions. As advice regarding reading what is written — one can read the verse in translation or/and original (whoever has such possibility), and then the corresponding comment regarding prepositions here. Then it is necessary to understand which part of the verse the comment concerns, and also to consider what essential for understanding it affirms — or more rarely — denies. Such thoughtful reading helps to deepen understanding and protects from the mentioned mistakes.

I prepared an improved version of my research, the presentation of which is available at the link:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/vystup-2025-hypo-genitive-Romans-XIII_1.pdf

The research material is currently being prepared for publication. I hope, God willing, to present fuller results later after the publication comes out.

I will update the list of references regarding prepositions at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/02082025.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/uk/commentaries/Pryjmennyky.html
the latter — once or twice a month (in Ukrainian), to keep the text version current and up to date.

Translated from Ukrainian by Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Anthropic AI), with subsequent editing by me.

Strong's references (note: according to Strong) in the translation of the original text mean that the word is taken from Strong's dictionary, and the specific meaning was chosen following the translation and commentary by Google Gemini Fast 3.

As Great Lent has begun, the readings from the New Testament are replaced with readings from the Old Testament, in order to urge people more towards repentance.

As it is spoken of several Ancient Greek (Koine) prepositions, the Old Testament readings will continue to be commented upon, examining the first complete translation into Ancient Greek — the Septuagint.

The most widely read are the book of the prophet Isaiah, who is also called the Old Testament evangelist on account of the clarity of his prophecies concerning Christ, the book of Genesis, from which we learn much concerning the meaning and the need for salvation and concerning God's will, and the book of the Proverbs of Solomon, which is an instructive canonical book, called to raise a person above the commonplace to the threshold of eternity, to prepare them for the higher through the seeking of wisdom rather than of certain earthly gains. All three books, as indeed the whole of the Old Testament, bear witness to Jesus Christ, notwithstanding that each of the books does so in an entirely different manner.

The theme is very profound, but it must be noted at once that the readers and hearers of the Old Testament in its own time differed from people today. The most essential difference was that the depth of understanding, especially the understanding of repentance, conversion and purification, was being formed at that time, and it is precisely for this reason that the reading of Old Testament books takes place first and foremost in the time of the fast, in the time of repentance and preparation, for that which those people encountered is also relevant today.

At the 6th Hour:
(Isaiah X, 12–20)
Isaiah X, 12 — 'ἐν τῷ ὄρει Σιων καὶ ἐν Ιερουσαλημ' — 'en to orei Sion kai en Hierousalem' - on the mountain of Zion and in Jerusalem; in the mountain of Zion and in Jerusalem.

Isaiah X, 13 — 'ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ ποιήσω καὶ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τῆς συνέσεως' — 'en te ischyi poieso kai en te sophia tes syneseos' - in my might I will act and in the wisdom of understanding; with my might I will act and with the wisdom of understanding (note: according to Strong).

Isaiah X, 15 — 'ἐν αὐτῇ' — 'en aute' - in it; with it. In terms of meaning the second variant is preferable. That is, what is spoken of is the woodcutter who chops with an axe, but viewed from the perspective of the axe itself.

Isaiah X, 16 — 'εἰς τὴν σὴν τιμὴν' — 'eis ten sen timen' - upon your honour (note: according to Strong). 'εἰς τὴν σὴν δόξαν' - 'eis ten sen doxan' - upon your glory. Here in the Greek text this is an address to the Assyrians. The preposition 'eis' indicates whither the Lord will send shame and fire.

Isaiah X, 17 — 'εἰς πῦρ' — 'eis pyr' - as fire; for fire. That is, will become what or in the capacity of what. 'ἐν πυρὶ καιομένῳ' - 'en pyri kaiomeno' - in burning fire; with burning fire. Both translations are possible. Here there may be a prophecy concerning the Sacraments of the Church, concerning baptism with the Spirit and with fire, of which John the Baptist speaks. The Light of Israel, who will become fire may also point to Christ and to the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah X, 18 — 'ἀπὸ ψυχῆς ἕως σαρκῶν' — 'apo psykhes heos sarkon' - from soul even unto fleshes (note: according to Strong). Soul in the singular, flesh in the plural. The preposition 'apo' indicates the starting point of a reckoning. 'ἀπὸ φλογὸς καιομένης' - 'apo phlogos kaiomenes' - from burning (blazing) flame (note: according to Strong). The preposition 'apo' indicates that the flight, the escape from it, will be as a flight from blazing fire. A parallel to this image is found in the Apostle Paul concerning saved, but as through fire. See more at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/06082023.html

Isaiah X, 19 — 'ἀπ' αὐτῶν' — 'ap auton' - from them. The preposition 'apo' in its form before the following vowel indicates that the escape will be complete, total.

Isaiah X, 20 — 'ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ' — 'en te hemera ekeine' - on that day; in that day.

Once again the Greek and Hebrew texts differ, but are close to one another.

Isaiah prophesies that the Assyrian king, whose assault upon Israel and other countries the Lord permitted on account of their sins, will not himself be exalted above the nations and still less above the Lord.

Will the axe glorify itself without the one who chops with it? Or will the saw rise up without the one who works with it? — the key question of the reading. Here it must again be said that Old Testament people did not distinguish between God's direct action and God's permission, when God does not will something but permits it so that the freedom of creation may be realised, so as to put an end to another evil, so as to call to change and repentance, and for other similar reasons.

Concerning freedom see at the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/DialogueOnWordsChristFear.html
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/posts/

And here what is important is that what is spoken of is the impossibility of anything significant coming to pass either without God's will (and then it is good, truly good), or without God's permission (and then it is not truly good, but the Lord permits it by virtue of the reasons mentioned above).

That is, the meaning of the question is that the Assyrian king (here, specifically, but in reality — generally anyone from creation) can do nothing solely of himself, by his own power, if the Lord does not permit it or does not will it.

Someone might say: If the Lord permits something, does that mean he himself does it? — but no, this is not so. More on that at the links above, and also here below.

The Lord does only what He wills to do. It is impossible to compel Him or to switch Him on, to draw Him into anything if He Himself has not willed it. God is never passive in this sense — He is always active. He can never be a victim of manipulations of the cunning sort — here I will do evil, and God will be to blame — no, it is impossible to draw Him into such manipulations where He would be a hostage — a hostage of anything, rather than acting in complete freedom, in His wholly full freedom. God acts actively and freely, doing only what He wills, whilst creation may act in a manner similar to Him freely, if such freedom is foreseen and granted to them by God. In this, it is creation, not the Creator, that is answerable for those actions of its own.

Isaiah X, 16 — a burning fire will be kindled in your glory — the sin that has been committed bears within itself its own punishment, and the Lord will reveal that punishment (here in the form of burning fire).

Words of manifold significance, since they concern the present age, but ultimately — the age to come, the Kingdom of God, where sins will be condemned by God.

Verse 19 — a child — meant here is one who has not yet reached adulthood; the original meaning of the word is a boy, but it may also be a girl.

Verse 20 — those who wronged them — referring to the Assyrians, whose military and political support the Israelites had sought, yet they became the victims of their assault.

At Vespers:
(Genesis VII, 6–9)
Genesis VII, 7, 9 — 'εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν' — 'eis ten kiboton' - into the ark. Whither.

Genesis VII, 8 — 'ἀπὸ τῶν πετεινῶν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν καθαρῶν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν μὴ καθαρῶν καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς' — 'apo ton peteinon kai apo ton ktenon ton katharon kai apo ton ktenon ton me katharon kai apo panton ton herpeton ton epi tes ges' - from the birds, and from the clean draught animals, and from the unclean draught animals, and from all the creeping things upon the earth (note: according to Strong). The preposition 'apo' throughout indicates that a selection was being made from among the animals, and the chosen animals were set apart from the rest, for they were to survive.

The reading concerning how Noah acted according to God's will, and how this saved all of them from the flood, including the animals.

It is not entirely clear how many of each kind of animal were in the ark, since earlier in the text there was a distinction regarding how many of each kind of animal were to be taken. But it is stated plainly that Noah fulfilled God's will.

More concerning the reading see at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/15032023.html

(Proverbs IX, 12–18)
Proverbs IX, 12 — 'ἐν διψώδεσι' — 'en dipsodesi' - in thirst; with thirst (note: according to Strong). It denotes the attempt to gather barren desert lands into one's possession. The latter part of the Greek text here echoes the Gospel passage concerning the evil spirit that went out of a person and wanders through waterless places. Google Gemini Pro 3.1 maintains that Christ more likely spoke of images familiar from other places in Scripture, and that the evangelists made use of the Septuagint when translating His words into Ancient Greek koine.

Proverbs IX, 14 — 'ἐν πλατείαις' — 'en plateiais' - in the streets; with the streets; on the streets (note: according to Strong).

Proverbs IX, 15 — 'ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν' — 'en tais hodois auton' - in their ways (note: according to Strong).

Proverbs IX, 18 — 'παρ' αὐτῇ' — 'par aute' - in the vicinity of her. The preposition 'para' here with the dative case indicates proximity to that foolish woman. 'ἐν τῷ τόπῳ' - 'en to topo' - in the place. 'ἀπὸ δὲ ὕδατος ἀλλοτρίου' - 'apo de hydatos allotriou' - from strange water. 'ἀπὸ πηγῆς ἀλλοτρίας' - 'apo peges allotrias' - from a strange spring. The preposition 'apo' indicates that someone may perceive that water and spring as a gift, something good and given, but in reality it is a deception.

The Greek and Hebrew texts differ, and moreover various manuscripts contain additional verses.

But the main text concerns the universality of wisdom — a wise person is such for all, as well as a warning against fornication. What is important is that the wanton (or even adulterous) woman addresses the same people as wisdom had addressed earlier in the text.

Therefore this woman too may be regarded as a generalised image of sin — sin strives to hold sway over a person in the same place where wisdom ought to be, where the grace of God ought to be, where the Lord himself ought to be. Concerning fidelity see at the links:
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DVQxVNPjche/
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DVCfQjCAjZp/
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DUu8adRDfD0/
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DT6fitxAvd9/
https://www.instagram.com/oleksandr_zhabenko/p/DVnglGNjSaQ/

From the dominion of sin over people, the Lord cautions everyone, each and every one.

More concerning the reading see at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/15032023.html

Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!