Jerome : (Verse 16, 17.) On that day Egypt will be like women, and they will be astonished and afraid because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he will bring against them. And the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt; everyone who mentions it will fear because of the purpose of the Lord of hosts, which he has planned against it. I think it is better to correct one's own mistakes than to persist in error while being embarrassed to admit one's ignorance. In what I have translated, And the land of Judah shall be for Egypt a joy, for a joy is read in Hebrew Hagga (), which can be interpreted as both a festival (hence Haggai is translated as festival) and fear, which is more significantly translated by Aquila as 'shaking', when someone is fearful and trembling and turns their eyes around, and fears the approaching enemy. Therefore, if we want to take it in a positive sense, that the remembrance of Judah being for Egypt is a joy, it is rightly called a festival. But if, as I think, it turns into fear for the festival, let us understand fear or dread, that when Nebuchadnezzar comes, and all the hands of strong men will be loosened like those of women, even the word Judah is a terror to Egypt, because while they wanted to offer help, they have suffered so many evils. No one doubts in our times that, in comparison to Christians, all the pagans are like women, having weak opinions, and whatever they say is turned into foolishness, while they are astonished at such a great conversion of the people, and they marvel and understand the hand of the Lord, and whoever, of those who bear the name of Christians among the Gentiles, remembers the weakness of idolatry, confesses it out of fear. — Commentary on Isaiah Jerome : (Verse 16, 17.) On that day, Egypt will be like women, and it will be astonished and afraid because of the shaking hand of the Lord of hosts, which he will bring down on it. And the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt; everyone who thinks of it will fear because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which he has determined against it. At that time, which is now, as we have frequently mentioned, it signifies the day when the Lord will send the spirit of error and confusion, so that Egypt will vomit out the wine of dragons and the incurable madness of asps, understanding its own error and its former drunkenness. Egypt will be afraid like a woman, not with the usual fear that anyone may experience, whom Egypt does not love but suffocates and kills; but with a feminine fear, for Egypt alone does Pharaoh desire to live. But when the commotion, or raising up, of the hand of the Lord, by which punishments are demonstrated, moves and lifts up, in order to strike Egypt. Then the land of Judah, that is, the knowledge of the Scriptures, the law and the prophets, the Gospels and the Epistles of the Apostles, will be a cause for celebration for Egypt, if they recognize them: or a cause for fear, if by comparing their teachings and truths, they understand that they have held falsehood. All who remember this land will tremble with the fear that leads to life: For the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord (Prov. 9:10). And not only in the consummation of the world, but also in the present time, we can receive this; which, every heretic should fear and be frightened by, as it is a teaching of a man knowledgeable in heavenly doctrines. But he will fear and dread the counsel of the Lord, which he has conceived upon Egypt of this world. We briefly go over each thing, in order to move on to the rest. — Commentary on Isaiah