Cyril of Alexandria : Israel was destroyed in the war with the Romans, so that very few survived to remain, and the holy city was deserted. But its desert places will rejoice, so it says. For the houses were mournful and filled with dejection for not having inhabitants. But they rejoice as if they have many living there. From the historical sense we can draw something that the spiritual senses can grasp. The church from the nations—that is, those believers from the nations who are called Zion and even Jerusalem—were few in the early days and the holy city of God, the church, was truly like a desert. — COMMENTARY ON Isaiah 5:1.52:9-10 Jerome : (Verse 9, 10.) Rejoice and praise together, O deserted Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has prepared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. LXX: Let the deserted Jerusalem burst into joy together, for the Lord has had mercy on her, and has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord will reveal his holy arm in the sight of all the nations. And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. After the people of Judah were led into captivity and the city was burned, there were few or no inhabitants in Jerusalem. But when the one who spoke through the prophets and was with God in the beginning, the Word of God, dwelt amongst us and became flesh, the deserts of Jerusalem were restored. And he came, of whom it is written: 'He will build my city and bring back the captivity of my people, so that it shall never again be lamented by Jeremiah: How lonely sits the city that was full of people: she has become like a widow who was multiplied among the nations' (Lamentations 1:1). But let David hear the one singing, 'When the Lord restored the captivity of Zion, we became like those who are comforted' (Psalms 126:1, 4). And after a little while: We became joyful. And so that we know that these things are said not about the Jewish people, but about all who will believe in the Lord through the apostles, he sets forth and says: He who comforted her, or had mercy on her, and he who rescued or redeemed her, he himself has prepared or revealed his holy arm, in the sight of all nations: and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. From which it is clear that, after the spiritual Jerusalem, that is, the Church, which was abandoned by the Jews, has been built by the Apostles, the arm of the Lord is revealed to all nations, and all the ends of the earth see his salvation. Which is understood in two ways. Either the Father reveals his arm to all nations, or the Son reveals his strength. Concerning which it is written: For power went out from him and healed all (Luke 6:19). And again: I perceived that power had gone out from me, which healed the woman with an issue of blood (Mark 5:30). But that the Son of God is called the right hand and arm of the Father, there are many testimonies, of which we will mention a few: His right hand and holy arm have worked salvation for him (Psalms 98:2). And elsewhere: In my arm the nations will hope (Isaiah 51:5). Concerning this, Jacob says: To him shall be the expectation of the nations (Genesis 49:10). And the eighty-eighth psalm: Your arm with power. With this arm the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Concerning this, he spoke to the prince of the Apostles: Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 16:17). And the Apostle Paul about himself (Galatians 1:15): When it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, to reveal His Son in me. And what was foretold that He joined together all the ends of the earth, those who are to see the salvation of God, is shown from what is said in another place: Turn to Me from the ends of the earth, and you will be saved (Isaiah 45:22); and through Jeremiah: The nations shall come to you from the ends of the earth (Jeremiah 16:19); and again: All the families of the nations will remember and turn to the Lord, because the kingdom belongs to the Lord, and He shall rule over the nations (Psalms 22:28 and following); so that not only the diversity of individual nations, but also all the corners of the world, who will believe, may be foretold in Christ. According to what he himself says: But when this Gospel has been preached in the whole world, then the end will come (Matthew 24:14). Others understand the highest and farthest parts of the earth to mean those who do not dwell in the middle of the earth, but on its extreme borders like the ends of wheels, leaving low things behind and hastening towards lofty ones. — Commentary on Isaiah