Fathers

Isaiah 32

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Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice. A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the storm, as streams of water in a dry place, as the shade of a large rock in a weary land. The eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The heart of the rash will understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly. The fool will no longer be called noble, nor the scoundrel be highly respected. For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice profanity, and to utter error against Yahweh, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. The ways of the scoundrel are evil. He devises wicked plans to destroy the humble with lying words, even when the needy speaks right. But the noble devises noble things; and he will continue in noble things. Rise up, you women who are at ease! Hear my voice! You careless daughters, give ear to my speech! For days beyond a year you will be troubled, you careless women; for the vintage will fail. The harvest won’t come. Tremble, you women who are at ease! Be troubled, you careless ones! Strip yourselves, make yourselves naked, and put sackcloth on your waist. Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. Thorns and briers will come up on my people’s land; yes, on all the houses of joy in the joyous city. For the palace will be forsaken. The populous city will be deserted. The hill and the watchtower will be for dens forever, a delight for wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks, until the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is considered a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in a peaceful habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting places, though hail flattens the forest, and the city is leveled completely. Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send out the feet of the ox and the donkey.

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What the Fathers say

Isaiah 32:20

Eastern Fathers

Clement of Alexandria

The prophet says, "Blessed is he that sows into all waters, whose ox and donkey tread," [that is] the people, from the law and from the Gentiles, gathered into one faith.

The Stromata Book 6 ↗

Western Saints

Ambrose of Milan

Accordingly, like a perfect man learned in the law and made firm in the gospel, accept the faith of both Testaments, for, as we read today, "Blessed is he who sows upon every water, where the ox and the donkey tread," that is, who sows upon the people who follow the teaching of both Testaments. This is the ploughman's ox, wearing the yoke of the law, of which the law says, "You shall not muzzle the ox that treads out your corn," for this ox has the horns of holy Scripture. …

Letter 63.88 ↗

Jerome

Let them take as much pleasure as they please in their Gallican geldings; we will be satisfied with the simple "donkey" of Zechariah, loosed from its halter and made ready for the Savior's service, which received the Lord on its back and so fulfilled Isaiah's prediction: "Blessed is he that sows beside all waters, where the ox and the donkey tread under foot."

Letter 27.3 ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

By water peoples are denoted, as it is said by John, "Now the waters are peoples." By water likewise not only the tide of peoples drifting away, but also the minds of good men that follow the preachings of faith, are denoted, as the Prophet saith, "Blessed are ye that sow upon all waters." And it is said by the Psalmist; "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters."

Morals on the Book of Job, Book 19 ↗