Psalms 73:15
Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents: thou hast dried up the Ethan rivers.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Tu dirupisti fontes et torrentes ; tu siccasti fluvios Ethan.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- σὺ διέρρηξας πηγὰς καὶ χειμάρρους,
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 74:15
- אַתָּ֣ה בָ֭קַעְתָּ מַעְיָ֣ן וָנָ֑חַל אַתָּ֥ה ה֝וֹבַ֗שְׁתָּ נַהֲר֥וֹת אֵיתָֽן
Haydock's commentary
Ethan rivers. That is, rivers which run with strong streams. This was verified in the Jordan, (Josue iii.) and in the Arnon, Numbers xxi. 14. (Challoner)
Though the latter point is not so clear, God might divide the torrents, or rivers, at the station Ethan, as the Septuagint here read. (Berthier)
Habacuc (iii. 9.) speaks of rivers. But in poetry, the plural is often used for the singular, and the passage of the Jordan may be meant. (Calmet)
God had frequently supplied water from the rock, and gave a passage on dry land, through that river. (Menochius) (Worthington)
Ethan means, "rapid," as the Jordan does also. (Haydock)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
The Apostolic Constitutions Book VIII. Concerning Gifts, and Ordinations, and the Ecclesiastical Canons, Sec. II. Election and Ordination of Bishops: Form of Service on Sundays
Yet of Thy goodness Thou didst not overlook him, nor suffer him to perish utterly, for he was Thy creature; but Thou didst subject the whole creation to him, and didst grant him liberty to procure himself food by his own sweat and labours, whilst Thou didst cause all the fruits of the earth to spring up, to grow, and to ripen. But when Thou hadst laid him asleep for a while, Thou didst with an oath call him to a restoration again, didst loose the bond of death, and promise him life after the resurrection. And not this only; but when Thou hadst increased his posterity to an innumerable multitude, those that continued with Thee Thou didst glorify, and those who did apostatize from Thee Thou didst punish. And while Thou didst accept of the sacrifice of Abel as of an holy person, Thou didst reject the gift of Cain , the murderer of his brother, as of an abhorred wretch. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXXIV
14. “Thou hast cleft the fountains and torrents” ( ver. 15 ): in order that they might flow with the stream of wisdom, might flow with the riches of the faith, might water the saltness of the Gentiles, in order that they might convert all unbelievers into the sweetness of the faith by their watering.…In some men the Word of God becometh a well of water springing up unto life eternal; but others hearing the Word, and not so keeping it as that they live well, yet not keeping silence with tongue, they become torrents. For they are properly called torrents which are not perennial: for sometimes also in a secondary sense torrent is used for river: as hath been said, “with the torrent of Thy pleasures Thou shalt give them to drink.” For that torrent shall not ever be dried up. But torrents properly are those rivers named, which in summer fail, but with winter rains are flooded and run. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXXIV
15. “Thou hast dried up the rivers of Etham” ( ver. 15 ).…What is Etham? For the word is Hebrew. What is Etham interpreted? Strong, stout. Who is this strong and stout one, whose rivers God drieth up? Who but that very dragon? For “no one entereth into the house of a strong man that he may spoil his vessels, unless first he shall have bound fast the strong man.” This is that strong man on his own virtue relying, and forsaking God: this is that strong man, who saith, “I will set my seat by the north, and I will be like the Most High.” Out of that very cup of perverse strength he hath given man to drink. Strong they willed to be, who thought that they would be Gods by means of the forbidden food. …