{"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/0":{"o":"Καὶ ἄλλοι μὲν φιλομαθεῖς ἄνδρες ἐπηγγείλαντο διαλῦσαι τῆς θείας Γραφῆς τὰ δοκοῦντα εἶναι ζητήματα· καὶ τῶν μὲν ἀναπτύξαι τὸν νοῦν· τῶν δὲ τὰς αἰτίας δηλῶσαι· καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς ἀποφῆναι σαφῆ τὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς οὐ τοιαῦτα φαινόμενα. Σὺ δὲ διαφερόντως, φίλτατε παίδων Ὑπάτιε, τοῦτό με πρᾶξαι παρώτρυνας· πολλοῖς ὠφέλιμον ἔσεσθαι καὶ τόδε τὸ σύγγραμμα λίαν ἰσχυρισάμενος. Οὗ δὴ ἕνεκα, καίτοι τοῦ σώματος οὐκ εὖ μοι διακειμένου, τόνδε προειλόμην τὸν πόνον· οὐκ ἐμαυτῷ γε θαῤῥῶν, ἀλλὰ τῷ ταῦθ' οὕτω συγγραφῆναι προστεταχότι. Αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐστιν ἐπιδεῖξαι τὴν ἐν τῷ γράμματι κεκρυμμένην διάνοιαν. Αὐτὸς γὰρ κὰν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις, καὶ παραβολικῶς τὴν διδασκαλίαν προσέφερε· καὶ τῶν αἰνιγματωδῶς εἰρημένων ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ἑρμηνείαν. Παρ' αὐτοῦ τοίνυν τῆς νοερᾶς ἀκτῖνος ἀντιβολήσας τυχεῖν, τῶν τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος ἀδύτων κατατολμῆσαι πειράσομαι. Ἰστέον δὲ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων, ὡς οὐχ ἅπαντες σύμφωνον ἔχουσι τῆς ἐρωτήσεως τὸν σκοπόν. ᾿Αλλ' οἱ μὲν δυσσεβῶς ἐρωτῶσι, διελέγχειν οἰόμενοι τὴν θείαν Γραφήν νῦν μὲν, ὡς οὐκ ὀρθὰ παιδεύουσαν· νῦν δὲ, ὡς ἐναντία διδάσκουσαν. Οἱ δὲ φιλομαθῶς ζητοῦσι, καὶ ποθοῦσιν εὑρεῖν τὸ ζητούμενον. Κάκείνων τοίνυν ἐμφράξομεν, σὺν Θεῷ φάναι, τὰ βλάσφημα στόματα, τῆς θείας ἐπιδεικνύντες Γραφῆς καὶ τὴν συμφωνίαν, καὶ τὴν ἀρίστην διδασκαλίαν· καὶ τούτοις ὡς οἷόν τε τῶν ἐπαπορουμένων τὴν λύσιν προσοίσομεν. Ἀρχὴν δὲ τούτων ποιήσομαι τῆς κτίσεως τὴν ἀρχήν. Αὕτη γὰρ ἀρχὴ καὶ προοίμιον τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς.","t":"Other studious men too have undertaken to resolve what seem to be problems in the divine Scripture: to unfold the meaning of some, to show the reasons for others, and, in a word, to make plain what does not appear plain to most people. But you in particular, Hypatius, dearest of sons, have urged me to do this, insisting strongly that this treatise too would be of benefit to many. For this reason, although my body is not in good health, I have taken on this labor, trusting not in myself but in him who commanded that these things be written as they are. For it belongs to him to show the meaning hidden in the letter. He himself, in the holy Gospels, both offered his teaching in parables and gave the interpretation of what was said in riddles. Having begged, then, to receive from him the ray of understanding, I shall try to venture into the inner sanctuary of the all-holy Spirit. Before all else it must be known that not all who ask questions have the same aim. Some ask impiously, thinking to refute the divine Scripture, now as teaching what is not right, now as teaching contradictory things. Others inquire out of love of learning and long to find what they are seeking. With God's help, then, we shall stop the blasphemous mouths of the former, showing both the harmony of the divine Scripture and its excellent teaching; and to the latter we shall offer, as far as we can, the solution of their difficulties. I shall make the beginning of creation the beginning of these questions; for it is the beginning and prologue of the inspired Scripture.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> pref. (PG 80 80:75; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/0)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.1":{"o":"Τί δή ποτε μὴ προτέταχε τῆς τῶν ὅλων δημιουργίας θεολογίαν ὁ συγγραφεύς; Μετρεῖν εἴωθε τοῖς παιδευομένοις ἡ θεία Γραφὴ τὰ μαθήματα· καὶ τοῖς μὲν τελείοις προσφέρειν τὰ τέλεια, τοῖς ἀτελέσι δὲ τὰ στοιχειώδη, καὶ τῇ σφῶν δυνάμει συμβαίνοντα. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν Αἰγύπτιοι τὴν ὀρωμένην κτίσιν ἐθεοποιοῦντο, τούτοις δὲ συνδιἀγων ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ὁ Ἰσραὴλ ταύτης τῆς δυσσεβείας μετέλαχεν, ἀναγκαίως τὰ περὶ τῆς κτίσεως αὐτοῖς προσφέρει μαθήματα, καὶ διδάσκει διαῤῥήδην, ὅτι καὶ ἀρχὴν ἔσχε τοῦ εἶναι, καὶ ὅτι ποιητὴν ἔχει τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεόν. Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τὸν τῆς θεολογίας παραλέλοιπε λόγον. Τὸ γὰρ φάναι, τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τῆς κτίσεως μόρια γεγονέναι, καὶ δεῖξαι τούτων δημιουργὸν τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, ἀρκοῦσαν τοῖς τότε θεολογίαν ἐπήνεγκε. Τῶν μὲν γὰρ ἐδήλωσε τὴν ἀρχήν· τοῦ δὲ εὑρεῖν οὐκ ἴσχυσε τὴν ἀρχήν. Καὶ ἀΐδιον τοίνυν ἐγνωκὼς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ποιητὴν τοῦ παντὸς ὀνομάσας, καὶ ἀγαθὸν ποιητὴν, τῷ φυσιολογικῷ τὸ θεολογικὸν μάλα σοφῶς· συνήρμοσεν. ῎Αλλως δὲ προμεμαθήκεσαν οἱ ταῦτα διδασκόμενοι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἀἴδιον. Ἀποσταλεὶς γὰρ εἰς Αἴγυπτον παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ὁ θεσπέσιος Μωϋσῆς, προσετάχθη τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις εἰπεῖν, Ὁ ὢν ἀπέσταλκέ με πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Τὸ δὲ «Ὁ ὢν, τοῦ ἀϊδίου δηλωτικόν ἐστι. Δῆλον δὲ τοῖς φιλομαθέσιν, ὡς ἐκεῖνα πρὸ τούτων ἐῤῥέθη. Ἐκείνην γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὴν διδασκαλίαν ἔτι τὴν Αἴγυπτον οἰκοῦσι προσήνεγκε· ταῦτα δὲ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ συνέγραφε.","t":"Why did the writer not place teaching about God before the creation of the universe? The divine Scripture usually measures its lessons to those being taught: to the perfect it offers what is perfect, to the imperfect what is elementary and suited to their capacity. Since, then, the Egyptians deified the visible creation, and Israel, after living among them for a very long time, had come to share in this impiety, he necessarily offers them lessons about creation, and teaches expressly both that it had a beginning of its existence and that it has the God of the universe as its maker. Yet he has not left out the teaching about God either. For by saying that heaven and earth and the other parts of creation came into being, and by showing that their creator is the God of the universe, he provided a teaching about God sufficient for the people of that time. He showed the beginning of the creatures, but could find no beginning of God. Knowing God, then, to be eternal, and naming him maker of the universe, and a good maker, he very wisely joined teaching about God to teaching about nature. Besides, those who were being taught these things had already learned that God is eternal. For when the inspired Moses was sent to Egypt by the God of the universe, he was commanded to say to his kinsmen, “He Who Is has sent me to you.” And “He Who Is” signifies the eternal. It is clear to the studious that those words were spoken before these; for he gave them that teaching while they still lived in Egypt, but wrote these things in the desert.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.1 (PG 80 80:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-1)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.10":{"o":"Διατί τέθεικεν ὁ συγγραφεὺς τὸ ι Εἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι καλόν ; Ἵνα πείσῃ τοὺς ἀχαρίστους μὴ ψέγειν ἅπερ ἡ θεία ψῆφος ὀνομάζει καλά.","t":"Why did the writer put, “God saw that it was good”? To persuade the ungrateful not to find fault with what the divine verdict names good.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.10 (PG 80 80:89; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-10)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.100":{"o":"Oὐκοῦν οὐκ ἐξήμαρτον οἱ ἀδελφοὶ οἰκονομίᾳ ὑπουργήσαντες θείᾳ. Τὸ μὲν ἐκείνων ἔργον βασκανίας καὶ φθόνου, σοφὸς δὲ ὧν ὁ Θεὸς, τῇ πονηρίᾳ τῇ ἐκείνων εἰς τουναντίον ἐχρήσατο. Δι' ὧν γὰρ ἐπειράθησαν κωλῦσαι τῶν ὀνείρων τὴν ἔκβασιν, διὰ τούτων ἐπιτέθεικε τοῖς ὀνείροις τὸ τέλος.","t":"Then the brothers did not sin, since they served the divine dispensation? Their act was the work of malice and envy; but God, being wise, used their wickedness for the opposite end. By the very means by which they tried to prevent the fulfilment of the dreams, he brought the dreams to fulfilment.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.100 (PG 80 80:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-100)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.101":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν εὐθὺς ὀφθεῖσι τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὠμότερον Μεμνημένος τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν γεγενημένων, καὶ τὸν Βενιαμὶν οὐκ ἰδὼν, ὑπετόπασε κἀκεῖνον ταὐτὰ παρ᾿ αὐτῶν πεπονθέναι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ζῶντα τὸν ἀδελφὸν εἶδε, καὶ συγγνώμης, καὶ παντοδαποῦς κηδεμονίας ἠξίωσε.","t":"Why did he treat his brothers so harshly as soon as they appeared? Remembering what had been done to him, and not seeing Benjamin, he suspected that Benjamin too had suffered the same at their hands. But when he saw his brother alive, he counted them worthy of pardon and of every kind of care.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.101 (PG 80 80:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-101)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.102":{"o":"Τίνα ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει, τὸ Ψομιθόμ φαμνέχ;) Τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων ἑρμηνευτὴν αὐτὸν κέκληκεν, ὡς τοὺς ὀνείρους διασαφήσαντα.","t":"What is the meaning of “Psomthom phanech”? He called him an interpreter of secret things, since he had explained the dreams.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.102 (PG 80 80:209; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-102)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.103":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκεν τὸν δεύτερον, καὶ οὐ τὸν πρῶτον, τῶν ἀδελφῶν καθειρχθῆναι προσέταξεν ; Ἐγνώκει τοῦ Ῥουβὴν τὸν σκοπὸν καὶ ᾔδει σαφῶς ὁπόσους ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἐποιήσατο λόγους, καὶ ὅσην ὑπὲρ τῆς αὐτοῦ σωτηρίας εἰσενηνόχει σπουδήν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν οὐ συνήργησεν ὁ Συμεὼν τῷ Ῥουβήν, μάλα δικαίως αὐτὸν καθειρχθῆναι προσέταξεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκδεδημηκότων τῶν ἀδελφῶν, πάσης αὐτὸν θεραπείας ἠξίωσε. Τούτων μέντοι γινομένων, ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν τὸ συνειδὸς οὐκ ἠνείχετο, ἀλλὰ τῆς γεγενημένης εἰς τὸν ἀδελφὸν παρανομίας ἀνέμνησεν. Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ Ναὶ, ἐν ἁμαρτίαις γάρ ἐσμεν περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ὑπερείδομεν τὴν θλίψιν τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, ὅτε κατεδέετο ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐκ εἰσηκούσαμεν αὐτοῦ. Ἔνεκεν τούτου ἐπῆλθεν ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς πᾶσα ἡ θλίψις αὕτη.» Καὶ ὁ Ῥουβὴν δὲ εἰς καιρὸν ἐπάγει τὸν ἔλεγχον «Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶν, αὐτοῖς, Οὐκ ἐλάλησα ὑμῖν, λέγων, Μὴ ἀδικήσητε τὸ παιδάριον, καὶ οὐκ εἰσηκούσατέ μου; Καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐκζητεῖται. Ἐντεῦθεν ἔστι γνῶναι σαφῶς τὸ ἀκλινὲς τοῦ συνειδότος κριτήριον. Τῆς γὰρ πρὸ δύο καὶ εἴκοσι ἐτῶν γεγενημένης ἀναμιμνήσκει παρανομίας.","t":"Why did he order the second of the brothers, and not the first, to be imprisoned? He knew Reuben's intention, and knew clearly how many words he had spoken on his behalf to the brothers, and how much effort he had made for his safety. Since Simeon had not cooperated with Reuben, he very justly ordered him to be imprisoned; but once the brothers had gone away, he counted him worthy of every attention. While this was happening, their conscience would not keep quiet, but reminded them of the lawless deed done against their brother. “Each said to his brother,” it says, “Yes, we are in sins concerning our brother, because we overlooked the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we did not listen to him. On account of this all this anguish has come upon us.” And Reuben brings in the reproof at the right moment: “He said to them,” it says, “Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not wrong the boy, and you did not listen to me? And see, his blood is required.” From this one can know clearly the unswerving tribunal of conscience; for it reminds them of a lawless deed done twenty-two years before.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.103 (PG 80 80:209; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-103)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.104":{"o":"Διατί τῷ Ῥουβὴν οὐκ ἐθάῤῥησε δοῦναι τὸν Βενιαμὶν ὁ πατήρ ; Ὕποπτος ἦν αὐτῷ διὰ τὴν παράνομον συνουσίαν, καὶ τῆς εὐνῆς παροινίαν· ἡγνόει δὲ καὶ ὅσην ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ εἰσενηνόχει σπουδήν.","t":"Why did the father not dare to entrust Benjamin to Reuben? Reuben was suspect to him because of his unlawful intercourse and his outrage against his father's bed; and Jacob did not know how much effort he had made for Joseph.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.104 (PG 80 80:209; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-104)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.105":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Οἰωνισμῷ οἰωνίζεται ἐν αὐτῷ ; Αὐξῆσαι τῆς δοκούσης κλοπῆς τὸ ἔγκλημα βουληθέντες, μαντείας ὄργανον τὸ ποτήριον ὀνομάζουσι. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔφη ὁ Ἰωσήφ· Οὐκ οἶδατε ὅτι οἱωνισμῷ οἰωνίζεται ἄνθρωπος οἷος ἐγώ;» Ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγεν, οὐ μαντείᾳ καὶ οἰωνοῖς κεχρημένος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν προκειμένην ὑπόθεσιν σχηματίζων τοὺς λόγους. \"Αξιον δὲ αὐτοῦ θαυμάσαι τῶν λόγων τὸ ἀκριβές. Οὐδὲ ἀδελφοὺς γὰρ ὑποκρινόμενος ἠνέσχετο ἑαυτῷ τὸν οἰωνισμὸν περιθεῖναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἄλλῳ τινὶ τὴν αὐτὴν πεπιστευμένῳ ἀρχήν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, οἰωνίζομαι, ἀλλ᾽, «οἰωνισμῷ οἰωνίζεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος οἷος ἐγώ.","t":"What does “He divines by divination with it” mean? Wishing to increase the charge of the apparent theft, they call the cup an instrument of divination. Joseph himself said this too: “Do you not know that a man like me divines by divination?” He said this not because he used divination and omens, but shaping his words to the matter in hand. One should admire the precision of his words. Not even while playing a part before his brothers did he consent to attribute divination to himself, but rather to someone else entrusted with the same office. For he did not say, “I divine,” but “a man such as I divines by divination.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.105 (PG 80 80:209; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-105)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.106":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τὸ κατὰ τὸ κόνδυ κατεσκεύασε δρᾶμα; Βασανίσαι τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡβουλήθη τὴν γνώμην, καὶ γνῶναι σαφῶς, εἰ τῷ Βενιαμὶν συκοφαντουμένῳ συναγωνίζονται· διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ εἰς τὸν ἐκείνου σάκκον τὸ κόνδυ κατέκρυψεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐχ ἁπλῶς συνηγοροῦντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπερμαχοῦντας ἐθεάσατο, ῥίψας τὸ προσωπεῖον τὸ ἀρχικὸν, τὸ ἀδελφικὸν ἐπέδειξε πρόσωπον. Ἐκείνων δὲ καταπτηξάντων, καὶ μονονουχὶ χάναι αὐτοῖς βουληθέντων τὴν γῆν, αὐτὸς παραθαῤῥύνει λέγων· «Νῦν οὖν μὴ λυπεῖσθε μηδὲ σκληρὸν ὑμῖν φανήτω ὅτι ἀπέδοσθέ με ὧδε Εἰς γὰρ ζωὴν ἀπέσταλκέ με ὁ Θεὸς ἔμπροσθεν ὑμῶν. Μάλα δὲ χαριέντως καὶ προπέμπων αὐτοὺς παρήνεσεν. Μὴ ὀργίζεσθε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Μὴ τοιαῦτα δράσητε, οἷα εἰς ἐμὲ τετολμήκατε.","t":"Why did he contrive the drama of the cup? He wished to test his brothers' disposition and to know clearly whether they would stand by Benjamin when he was falsely accused; that is why he hid the cup in his sack. When he saw them not merely speaking in his defense but fighting for him, he threw off the mask of the ruler and showed his brother's face. When they cowered and all but wished the earth to open for them, he encouraged them, saying: “Now do not be grieved, and let it not seem hard to you that you sold me here; for God has sent me before you for life.” And very graciously, when sending them off, he advised them: “Do not quarrel on the way,” meaning, “Do not do such things as you dared against me.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.106 (PG 80 80:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-106)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.107":{"o":"Τί δήποτε καὶ τὴν γῆν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, καὶ τὰ κτήνη προσεπόρισε τῷ βασιλεῖ; Οὔτε τὰ κτήνη θρέψαι οἷοί τε ἦσαν ἐν σιτοδείᾳ καὶ σπανοσιτίᾳ, οὔτε σπεῖραι τὴν γῆν. Ταῦτα τοίνυν λαβὼν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τοῦ λιμοῦ ὕστερον ἀποδέδωκε, τῆς προσόδου τὸ πέμπτον εἰσφέρειν νομοθετήσας, ἵνα ἐν ταῖς ἐνδείαις ἀποκειμένας ἔχωσι τὰς τῆς ζωῆς ἀφορμάς. Εἰς θεραπείαν δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως τὴν ἱερατικὴν γῆν ἀτελῆ καταλέλοιπε μόνην. Ταύτης δὲ τῆς τιμῆς οἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὄντος οὐκ ἀπολαύουσιν ἱερεῖς. Τοσοῦτον οἱ δυσσεβεῖς τοῖς οὐκ οὖσι θεοῖς ἀπένεμον σέβας.","t":"Why did he also acquire for the king the land of the Egyptians and their cattle? In the dearth and scarcity of grain they could neither feed their cattle nor sow the land. So he took these in the time of famine and gave them back afterwards, making it law that they should pay a fifth of the produce, so that in times of want they might have the means of life stored up. He left only the priests' land exempt from service to the king. The priests of the true God do not enjoy this honor; so great was the reverence that the impious gave to gods that do not exist.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.107 (PG 80 80:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-107)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.108":{"o":"Διατί ὁ Ἰακώβ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν Χεβρών ταφῆναι κελεύει; Οὐ τάφου φροντίζων, ὥς τινες ὑπειλήφασιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ γένος ψυχαγωγῶν, καὶ διδάσκων ὡς ἅπαντας αὐτοὺς ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς μεταστήσει τῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην αὐτοῖς ἀποδώσει γῆν. Τοῦτον δὲ σαφέστερον τὸν λόγον ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπέφηνε· τελευτῶν γὰρ οὕτως ἔφη· Ἐγὼ ἀποθνήσκω, ἐπισκοπῇ δὲ ἐπισκέψεται ὑμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἀνάξει ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ταύτης εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἣν ὤμοσεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν, τῷ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Ἰακώβ. Καὶ ὥρκισεν Ἰωσὴφ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ λέγων· τῇ ἐπισκοπῇ, ᾗ ἐπισκέψεται ὑμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ συνανοίσετε τὰ ὀστᾶ μου ἐντεῦθεν μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν, ὡς εἶναι δῆλον, ὅτι κἀκεῖνος, καὶ οὗτος, τὴν ἐπάνοδον προαγορεύοντες τὰ περὶ τῆς ταφῆς ἐνετείλαντο","t":"Why does Jacob command that his body be buried in Hebron? Not out of concern for a tomb, as some have supposed, but to encourage his race and to teach that God the Master would remove them all from Egypt and give them the promised land. Joseph made this word clearer; for when dying he said: “I am dying; but God will surely visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that God swore to our fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “At the visitation with which God will visit you, you shall carry up my bones from here with you.” So it is plain that both of them, in foretelling the return, gave their commands about burial.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.108 (PG 80 80:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-108)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.109":{"o":"Τι ἐστι· Προσεκύνησεν Ἰσραὴλ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου αὐτοῦ;, Καὶ πρεσβύτης ὢν, καὶ ἀσθενῶς διακείμενος, ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης κατέκειτο. Γνοὺς δὲ τοῦ παιδὸς τὴν παρουσίαν, ἐξαναστὰς ἐκαθέσθη· βακτηρίᾳ δὲ κεχρημένος ἐπεστηρίζετο αὐτῇ, τοῦ μὲν ἄκρου ταύτης ἐπειλημμένος τῇ δεξιᾷ, ἐπικείμενον δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον ἔχων. Ἡσθεὶς τοίνυν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ, καὶ τῇ τῆς ταφῆς ἐπαγγελίᾳ, προσεκύνησεν ἐπικλίνας τῇ ράβδῳ τὴν κεφαλήν. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν τὸ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἐνύπνιον τὸ πέρας ἐδέξατο· Εἶδε γὰρ τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ τὴν σελήνην, καὶ ἕνδεκα ἀστέρας προσκυνοῦντας αὐτῷ Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, προαγορεύει καὶ τῆς Ἐφραὶμ φυλῆς τὴν βασιλείαν, καὶ τῶν δέκα φυλῶν τὴν ὑποταγήν. Ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ἔφη Πίστει Ἰακὼβ ἕκαστον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰωσὴφ εὐλόγησε, καὶ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου αὐτοῦ. Δέδωκε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ κλῆρον διπλοῦν. Ἐφραὶμ γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ Μανασσῆς ὡς Ῥουβεὶμ καὶ Συμεὼν ἔσονταί -μοι. Προφητικῶς δὲ προέταξε τοῦ Μανασσῆ τὸν Ἐφραΐμ. Καὶ γὰρ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, ὡς πρωτοτόκῳ τῷ Μανασσῇ τὰ πρεσβεία φυλάξαντος, καὶ κατὰ τάξιν ἑκάτερον στήσαντος, ἐναλλάξας ὁ πατριάρχης τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιτέθεικε, τῷ νεωτέρῳ τὴν δεξιὰν, τὴν εὐώνυμον δὲ τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Εἶτα νομίσας ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἐξ ἀγνοίας δεδρακέναι τοῦτο τὸν Ἰακώβ, καὶ τοπάσας τοῦ πάθους εἶναι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὴν αἰτίαν, καὶ εἰρηκώς· Οὐχ οὕτως, πάτερ, οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ πρεσβύ τερος· ἤκουσεν· Οἶδα, τέκνον, οἶδα καὶ οὗτος ἔσται εἰς λαὸν **, καὶ οὗτος ὑψωθήσεταί, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἀδελ φὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ νεώτερος μείζων αὐτοῦ, ἔσται. Ἐπισημαντέον δὲ ὅτι πανταχοῦ τῶν πρωτοτόκων οἱ μετ' αὐτοὺς προτιμῶνται· καὶ γὰρ τοῦ Κάϊν προεκρίθη ὁ ῎Αβελ, καὶ τοῦ Ἰάφεθ ὁ Σήμ δεύτερος ὤν· ᾿Αδελφὸς γὰρ, φησὶν, Ἰάφεθ τοῦ μείζονος. τοῦ Ἰσμαὴλ ὁ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ ὁ Ἰακώβ, καὶ τοῦ Ῥουβὴν καὶ Ἰούδα ὁ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ τοῦ Μανασσῆ ὁ Ἐφραὶμ. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα εὔροι τις ἄν. Καὶ γὰρ τοῦ ᾿Ααρὼν ὁ Μωσῆς προετάχθη, καὶ Δαβὶδ ὁ νεώτατος ὢν τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀδελφῶν. Ὁ μέντοι πατριάρχης Ἰακὼβ ἐδίδαξε διὰ τῆς προῤῥήσεως τῆς ταφῆς τὴν αἰτίαν. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, ἔφην ἐγὼ ἀποθνήσκω, καὶ ἔσται ὁ Θεὸς μεθ' ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀποστρέψει ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν γῆν τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν.","t":"What does “Israel bowed down upon the top of his staff” mean? Being old and weak, he was lying on his bed. Learning that his son had come, he rose and sat up; and using a staff he leaned on it, holding its top with his right hand and resting his face on it. Delighted with his son and with the promise of burial, he bowed down, inclining his head upon the staff. In this, first of all, Joseph's dream received its fulfilment; for he had seen the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowing down to him. Besides this, he foretells the kingship of the tribe of Ephraim and the subjection of the ten tribes. The divine Apostle too said this: “By faith Jacob blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed down upon the top of his staff.” He also gave him a double portion: “Ephraim and Manasseh,” he says, “shall be mine as Reuben and Simeon.” And prophetically he set Ephraim before Manasseh. For when Joseph had kept the privileges for Manasseh as firstborn and placed each in order, the patriarch crossed his hands and laid them on them, the right on the younger and the left on the elder. Then Joseph, thinking that Jacob had done this from ignorance, and supposing that the affliction of his eyes was the cause, said, “Not so, father, for this one is the elder”; and he heard: “I know, child, I know; this one too shall become a people, and this one too shall be exalted; but his younger brother shall be greater than he.” One must note that everywhere those born after the firstborn are preferred. Abel was preferred to Cain; Shem to Japheth, though he was second (for “brother of Japheth the elder,” it says); Isaac to Ishmael; Jacob to Esau; Joseph to Reuben and Judah; and Ephraim to Manasseh. One could find this in later times too: Moses was set before Aaron, and David, though the youngest of seven brothers. The patriarch Jacob, however, taught the reason for the burial by his prophecy: “See,” he said, “I am dying; and God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of our fathers.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.109 (PG 80 80:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-109)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.11":{"o":"Εἷς οὐρανὸς, ἢ δύο εἰσίν; Τῆς θείας διδασκούσης Γραφῆς, ὡς ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὴν γῆν, εἶτα μετὰ τὴν τοῦ φωτὸς δημιουργίαν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ λεγούσης ἡμέρᾳ τὸ στερέωμα γεγενῆσθαι, πολλὴν ἡ ἐρώτησις τῶν πυνθανομένων ἐμφαίνει τὴν ἄνοιαν. Ἔδει γὰρ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ καιροῦ, καὶ μέντοι καὶ ἐκ τοῦ τρόπου τῆς δημιουργίας, τὸ διάφορον γνῶναι. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πρὸ τοῦ φωτὸς, ὁ δὲ μετὰ τὸ φῶς. Καὶ ὁ μὲν οὐκ ἔκ τινος ὁ δὲ ἐξ ὑδάτων. «Γενηθήτω γὰρ, φησὶ, στερέωμα ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ὕδατος, καὶ ἔστω διαχωρίζον ἀνὰ μέσον ὕδατος καὶ ὕδατος. Εἶτα εἰπὼν ὡς ὁ λόγος ἔργον ἐγένετο τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως· διδάσκει καὶ πῶς ἐγένετο. Ἐποίησε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα· καὶ διεχώρισεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ὕδατος ὃ ἦν ὑποκάτω τοῦ στερεώματος, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ἐπάνω τοῦ στερεώματος. Καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα οὐρανόν. Ὁ δὲ πρό τερος οὐρανὸς οὐκ ἐκλήθη στερέωμα, ἀλλ' οὐρανὸς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὠνομάσθη. Οὗτος γὰρ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πράγματος τὴν προσηγορίαν ἐδέξατο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ῥοώδους τῶν ὑδάτων οὐσίας συνέστη, καὶ ἡ ῥυτὴ φύσις στεγανωτάτη γέγονε καὶ στερέμνιος, προσηγορεύθη στερέωμα. Εἶτα ὡς ἄνωθεν ἐπικείμενος, καὶ προτέρου οὐρανοῦ τὴν χρείαν ἡμῖν πληρῶν, οὐρανὸς προσωνομάσθη. Διχῆ δὲ διεῖλε τῶν ὑδάτων τὴν φύσιν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός· καὶ τὰ μὲν ἄνωθεν ἐπιτέθεικε τῷ στερεώματι, τὰ δὲ κάτω καταλέλοιπεν· ἵνα τὰ μὲν ἄνωθεν ἐπικείμενα τῇ τε ὑγρότητι καὶ ψυχρότητι μὴ συγχωρῇ τῷ πυρὶ τῶν φωστήρων λωβᾶσθαι τὸ στερέωμα· τὰ δὲ κάτω μεμενηκότα διατρέφῃ τοῖς ἀτ· μοῖς τὸν ἀέρα διαυαινόμενον, καὶ ξηραινόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ ἄνωθεν ἐπικειμένου πυρός. Τοιγαροῦν καὶ ὁ τῷ δευτέρῳ διαπιστῶν οὐρανῷ ἔξω βαίνει τῆς εὐθείας ὁδοῦ· καὶ ὁ πλείους πειρώμενος ἀριθμεῖν μύθοις ἕπεται, τῆς τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος διδασκαλίας καταφρονῶν. Πληθυντικῶς δὲ ἡ θεία Γραφὴ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ὀνομάζει, λέγουσα· Οἱ οὐρανοὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν·, ἐπειδὴ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἡ γλῶττα οὔτε τὸν οὐρανὸν, οὔτε τὸ ὕδωρ οἶδεν ἑνικῶς ὀνομάσαι. Εὔροι δ᾽ ἄν τις τοιαῦτα πολλὰ καὶ παρὰ τῇ Ἑλλάδι φωνῇ. ᾿Αθήναν γὰρ τὴν πόλιν οὐδεὶς ἑνικῶς ὀνομάζει, ἀλλ᾿ ᾿Αθήνας πληθυντικῶς. Καὶ Δελφῶν πάλιν τὴν πόλιν οὐδεὶς Δελφὸν, ἀλλὰ Δελφοὺς πληθυντικῶς. Οὐ τοίνυν ὡς πολλῶν ὄντων οὐρανῶν ἡ θεία πληθυντικῶς εἶπε Γραφή· ἀλλὰ τὸ ἰδίωμα φυλάξασα τῆς Ἑβραΐδος φωνῆς. Ἐπεὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ ψαλμῷ σαφέστερον ἡμᾶς τοῦτο διδάσκουσα, καὶ παραλιποῦσα τὸ τῆς γλώττης ἐκείνης ἰδίωμα, οὕτως ἔφη· Ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῦ οὐρα νοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ. Ὡς εἶναι δῆλον, ὅτι καθάπερ οὗτος ὁ οὐρανὸς ἡμῖν ἐστιν ὄροφος, ἡ δὲ γῆ ἔδαφος, οὕτως ὁ ὁρώμενος οὐρανὸς ὄροφον ἔχει τὸν ὑπερκείμενον οὐρανόν.","t":"Is there one heaven, or are there two? Since the divine Scripture teaches that in the beginning God made heaven and earth, and then says that after the creation of light, on the second day, the firmament came into being, the question shows great folly in those who ask it. They ought to have recognized the difference both from the time and from the manner of creation. The one was before the light, the other after the light; the one was made from nothing, the other from waters. “Let there be,” it says, “a firmament in the middle of the water, and let it separate between water and water.” Then, having said that the word became deed (for this is what “and it was so” shows), it teaches also how it came to be: “God made the firmament; and God separated between the water that was under the firmament and the water above the firmament. And God called the firmament heaven.” But the first heaven was not called firmament; it was named heaven from the beginning. This one received its name from the thing itself. Since it was formed from the flowing substance of the waters, and the fluid nature became very tight and solid, it was called firmament. Then, as lying above us and fulfilling for us the use of the former heaven, it was named heaven as well. The God of the universe divided the nature of the waters in two: some he set above the firmament, some he left below, so that the waters lying above, by their moisture and coldness, might not allow the fire of the luminaries to harm the firmament, and those remaining below might nourish with their vapors the air, which is dried out and parched by the fire lying above. So the one who disbelieves in the second heaven goes off the straight road, and the one who tries to count more heavens follows myths, despising the teaching of the divine Spirit. The divine Scripture names the heavens in the plural, saying, “The heavens of the heavens,” because the language of the Hebrews cannot name either heaven or water in the singular. One could find many such cases in Greek too. No one names the city of Athens in the singular, but always in the plural; and again no one calls the city of Delphi by a singular name, but always in the plural. So the divine Scripture spoke in the plural not because there are many heavens, but keeping the idiom of the Hebrew tongue. For in another psalm it teaches us this more clearly, leaving aside the idiom of that tongue, and says, “The heaven of heaven is the Lord's.” So it is plain that just as this heaven is a roof for us and the earth a floor, so the visible heaven has the heaven lying above it as its roof.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.11 (PG 80 80:91; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-11)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.110":{"o":"Πῶς εὐλογῆσαι λέγεται τοὺς παῖδας ὁ Ἰακώβ ἐνίοις ἐπαρασάμενος; Οὔτε ἀραί εἰσιν, οὔτε εὐλογίαι, ἀλλὰ προῤῥήσεις οἱ τελευταῖοι τοῦ πατριάρχου λόγοι. Συνάχθητε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἵνα ἀπαγγείλω ὑμῖν τί ἀπαντήσεται ὑμῖν ἐπ' ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν. Ἐμνήσθη δὲ καὶ τῶν παρ᾿ ἐνίων γεγενημένων οὐκ ἐπειδὴ δίκας οἱ παῖδες εἰσεπράττοντο τῶν πατρικῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, ἀλλὰ σχηματίζων εἰς ἀρὰν καὶ εὐλογίαν τοὺς λόγους, εἰς κοινὴν τῶν ἐντευξομένων ὠφέλειαν. Καὶ τῷ μὲν Ῥουβὴν αὐθάδειαν ἐπιμέμφεται καὶ θρασύτητα, καὶ τὴν εἰς τὴν πατρώαν εὐνὴν παροινίαν οὗ δὴ χάριν ὀλίγους αὐτοῦ γεγενῆσθαι τοὺς ἀπογόνους προλέγει. Τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ, Ὡς ὕδωρ μὴ ἐκζέσῃς, ὁ ἀντὶ τοῦ, μὴ πληθυνθείης εἰς πολυγονίαν Νεμεσᾶ δὲ καὶ τῷ Συμεὼν, καὶ τῷ Λευΐ, τῶν Σικιμιτῶν ἄδικον τὸν ὄλεθρον ὀδυρόμενος, καὶ εὔχεται μηδεμίαν κοινωνίαν εἰς τὴν παρανομίαν ἔχειν ἐκείνην. Ἐπαρᾶται μέντοι οὐκ αὐτοῖς, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πονηροῖς αὐτῶν πάθεσι, τῇ ὀργῇ, τῇ μήνιδι. Ἐπιθυμίαν δὲ τὴν ὀργὴν ἐκάλεσεν ἐκ ταύτης γὰρ καὶ ἡ ὀργὴ τὴν ἐτυμολογίαν ἔχει· ὀρέγεται γὰρ ὁ ὀργιζόμενος ἀμύνασθαι τὸν ἐχθρόν. Καὶ αὕτη δὲ ἡ τιμωρία πρόῤῥησις ἦν· Διαμεριῶ γὰρ αὐτοὺς, φησὶν, ἐν Ἰακώβ, καὶ διασπερῶ αὐτοὺς ἐν Ἰσραήλ.» ᾿Αλλ᾿ ἡ τοῦ Λευί φυλὴ διὰ τὴν ἄκραν διεσπάρη τιμὴν, ὡς ἑκάστῃ φυλῇ συνεῖναι Λευίτας καὶ ἱερέας, καὶ τὴν παρ' αὐτῶν ὠφέλειαν καρποῦσθαι. Οὐκ ἔλαβον ἴδιον κλῆρον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἑκάστῃ φυλῇ τινες αὐτοῖς ἀπενεμήθησαν πόλεις, καὶ τῆς προαστείου γῆς ὡρισμένος πήχεων ἀριθμός. Καὶ ἡ τοῦ Συμεὼν δὲ φυλὴ οὐκ εἶχε κλῆρον κεχωρισμένον, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ πατριάρχου πρόῤῥησιν, μεταξὺ τῶν ἄλλων διεσπάρη φυλῶν Τοῦ δὲ Ἰούδα πολλοὺς ἐπαίνους διέξεισιν Ἰούδα, σὲ αἰνέσειαν οἱ ἀδελφοί του αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐπὶ νώτου τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου. Προσκυνήσουσί σοι οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρός σου. Σκύμνος λέοντος Ἰούδα. Ἐκ βλαστοῦ, υἱέ μου, ἀνέβης, ἀναπεσών ἐκοιμήθης ὡς λέων, καὶ ὡς σκύμνος. Τίς ἐγερεῖ αὐτόν; ᾿Αλλὰ τούτων οὐδὲν τῷ Ἰούδα ἁρμόττει, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ τῇ ἐκ τούτου βλαστησάσῃ φυλῇ. Βασιλικὴ γὰρ ἦν αὕτη, πρώτου μὲν τοῦ Δαβὶδ βασιλεύσαντος, εἶτα τῶν ἐξ ἐκείνου· καὶ πασῶν δὲ τῶν ἄλλων φυλῶν ἦν δυνατωτάτη. Καὶ γὰρ ἡνίκα Δαβὶδ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀριθμηθῆναι προσέταξε τὸν λαὸν, τετρακοσίας τοῦ Ἰούδα χιλιάδας εὖρε, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων φυλῶν ἐννακοσίας. Καὶ μέντοι κὰν τῇ ἐρήμῳ διαριθμηθέντες \" πλείους ὤφθησαν τῶν ἄλλων φυλῶν. Ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀκριδὲς τῆς προῤῥήσεως τὴν ἔκβασιν ἔλαβεν ἐπὶ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ, ὃς ἐκ βλαστοῦ ἀνέτειλε, κατὰ τὸν πατριάρχην Ἰακώβ, καὶ κατὰ τὸν προφήτην Ἡσαΐαν· Ἐξῆλθε ῥάβδος ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης Ἰεσσαὶ, καὶ ἄνθος ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης ἀνέβη. Αὐτῷ δὲ καὶ τό· ᾿Αvaπεσὼν ἐκοιμήθη ὡς λέων, ἁρμόττει, καὶ ὡς σκύμνος λέοντος. Ωσπερ γὰρ ὁ λέων καὶ καθεύδων ἐστι φοβερὸς, οὕτως ὁ δεσποτικὸς θάνατος φοβερὸς καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ καὶ τῷ διαβόλῳ γεγένηται. Λέοντα δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ σκύμνον κέκληκε λέοντος, ὡς βασιλέα καὶ βασιλέως υἱὸν, καὶ Θεὸν καὶ Θεοῦ Υἱόν· καὶ κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἐβλάστησε, καὶ ὡς Θεὸς πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐγεννήθη. Καὶ τὸ, Τίς ἐγερεῖ αὐτόν; τὴν ἄφατον αὐτοῦ δείκνυσι δύναμιν. Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἑαυτὸν ἀνέστησε, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ πρόῤῥησιν. «Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν. Προαγορεύει καὶ τῆς ἐπιφανείας αὐτοῦ τὸν καιρόν· Οὐκ ἐκλείψει ἄρχων ἐξ Ἰούδα, κxal ἡγούμενος ἐκ τῶν μηρῶν αὐτοῦ, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ᾧ ἀπόκειται, καὶ αὐτὸς προσδοκία ἐθνῶν. Τοῦτο τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου παρουσίας σημεῖον σαφέστατον. Ἐξέλιπον γὰρ τῶν Ἰουδαίων οὐχ οἱ βασιλεῖς μόνον 5ο, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς, καὶ οἱ προφῆται, ὥστε δειχθῆναι τὸ τῆς προῤῥήσεως τέλος. Τοῦ γὰρ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν τίκτεσθαι μέλλοντος, ἀλλόφυλοι αὐτῶν ἐκράτησαν βασιλεῖς, ἕνα ὁ αἰώνιος δειχθῇ βασιλεὺς, ἡ τῶν ἐθνῶν προσδοκία, κατὰ τὴν δοθεῖσαν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τοῖς πατριάρχαις ἐπαγγελίαν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τῷ ᾿Αβραάμ, καὶ τῷ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ τῷ Ἰακὼβ ὑπέσχετο ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἐν τῷ σπέρματι αὐτῶν εὐλογήσειν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα παρεδήλωσε τὸν Ἰούδαν εὐλογῶν ὁ Ἰακὼβ ὁ πατριάρχης. Οὐκ ἐκλείψει γὰρ, φησὶν, ἄρχων ἐξ Ἰούδα, καὶ ἡγούμενος ἐκ τῶν μηρῶν αὐτοῦ, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὦ ἀπόκειται, καὶ αὐτὸς προσδοκία ἐθνῶν. Εἶτα δεικνὺς τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν καὶ Ἰουδαίων συστάντα λαόν· Δεσμεύων πρὸς ἄμπελον τὸν ὄνον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῇ ἔλικι τῆς ἀμπέλου τὸν πῶλον τῆς ὄνου αὐτοῦ. Ὅτι δὲ ἄμπελος ὁ Ἰσραὴλ ὠνομάζετο, ἅπαντες οἱ προφῆται διδάσκουσι. Καὶ γὰρ Δαβίδ φησιν ῎Αμπελον ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετῆρας, καὶ τα ἑξῆς. Καὶ ὁ Ἡσαΐας· Αμπελὼν ἐγενήθη τῷ ἡγαπημένῳ ἐν κέρατι, ἐν τόπῳ πίονι. Καὶ διὰ τοῦ Ἱερεμίου ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἔφη Θεός· Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐφύτευσά σε ἄμπελον καρποφόρον, πᾶσαν ἀληθινήν. Καὶ διὰ τοῦ νομοθέτου· Ἐκ γὰρ ἀμπέλου Σοδό μων ἡ ἄμπελος αὐτῶν. Καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις· ῎Ανθρωπός τις ἐφύτευσεν ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ ἐξέδοτο αὐτὸν γεωργοῖς, καὶ ἀπεδήμησεν. Πῶλον δὲ τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν ὀνομάζει λαὸν, ὡς ἀδάμαστον ὄντα, καὶ πωλοδάμνην οὐκ ἐσχηκότα. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἠνίξατο τοῖς ἀποστόλοις προστεταχώς Ἐἰς τὴν κατέναντι κώμην δε ἀπελθεῖν, καὶ λῦσαι τὴν ὄνον τὴν δεδεμένην, καὶ τὸν ταύτης πῶλον, ἐφ᾿ ὂν φησιν οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων ἐκάθισεν. Οὔτε γὰρ πατριάρχης, οὔτε νομοθέτης, οὔτε προφήτης, τῆς τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐφρόντισε σωτηρίας. Οἱ δὲ θεῖοι ἀπόστολοι προσταχθέντες μαθητεῦσαι πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ βαπτίσαι εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ἔλυσαν μὲν τὴν ὄνον, τουτέστι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν φύσιν, τὴν δεδεμένην ταῖς τῆς ἁμαρτίας σειραῖς· ἔλυσαν δὲ καὶ τὸν πῶλον, τὸν ἐκ ταύτης βεβλαστηκότα λαόν καὶ ἐπιθέντες αὐτῷ τὰ ἱμάτια τὰ ἑαυτῶν, τουτέστι τὴν χάριν ἧς ἔτυχον Ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθησαν, Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσαντο·, καὶ εὐήνιον ἀπέφησαν τὸν ἀδάμαστον πῶλον, καὶ ἐπεκάθισαν αὐτῷ τὸν Δεσπότην, καὶ προσέδησαν αὐτὸν τῇ ἀμπέλῳ, τουτέστιν ἑαυτοῖς. Ἐξ Ἰουδαίων γὰρ οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οὐ μόνον αὐτοὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἑβδομήκοντα μαθηταὶ, καὶ οἱ τρισχίλιοι, οὓς κατὰ ταὐτὸν ἐσαγήνευσε τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁ πρῶτος, καὶ οἱ πεντακισχίλιοι, καὶ αἱ πολλαὶ μυριάδες, περὶ ὧν ὁ τρισμακάριος Ἰάκωβος τῷ θειοτάτῳ διελέχθη Παύλῳ. Οὐ μόνον τοίνυν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις συνήφθησαν οἱ πεπιστευκότες, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς τῶν ἀποστόλων μαθηταῖς· καὶ τοῦτο προορῶν ὁ πατριάρχης ἔφη· Δεσμεύων πρὸς ἄμπελον τὸν πῶλον αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῇ ἔλικι τῆς ἀμπέλου τὸν πῶλον τῆς ὄνου αὐτοῦ. Εἶτα καὶ τὸ πάθος προλέγει Πλυνεῖ ἐν οἴνῳ τὴν στολὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν αἴματι σταφυλῆς τὴν περιβολὴν αὐτοῦ, χαροποιοί οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ οἴνου, καὶ λευκοὶ οἱ ὀδόντες αὐτοῦ ἢ γάλα. Καὶ τὸ μὲν σῶμα αὐτοῦ στολὴν ὀνομάζει, τὸ δὲ αἷμα οἶνον· ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὸν μυστικὸν οἶνον αἷμα κέκληκεν ὁ Δεσπότης. Ακούομεν δὲ καὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ Ἰωάννου διδάσκοντος, ὡς τοῦ στρατιώτου νύξαντος αὐτοῦ τὴν πλευρὰν ἐξῆλθεν αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ. Οὗτοι δὲ οἱ κρουνοὶ διὰ τοῦ σώματος κατεῤῥύησαν. Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ὁ πατριάρχης· Πλυνεῖ ἐν οἴνῳ τὴν στολὴν αὐτοῦ. Εἶτα δείκνυσι δε τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ πάθους γενησομένην εὐφροσύνην δ8. Χαροποιοὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ οἶνου. Εὐφροσύνη γὰρ τῆς οἰκουμένης, τὸ σωτήριον πάθος. Ὅτι \" δὲ οὕτω τὸ πάθος ἐκάλεσε, μάρτυς αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος λέγων· «Πάτερ, εἰ δυνατὸν, παρελθέτω τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. Οὕτω καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς ἔφη Ζεβεδαίου Δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὁ ἐγὼ μέλλω πιεῖν Τὸ τοίνυν χαροποιὸν τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὴν μετὰ τὸ πάθος εὐφροσύνην δηλοῖ. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ πάθος καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, εἰς πᾶσαν ἀπεστάλησαν τὴν οἰκουμένην οἱ μαθηταὶ, τὴν σωτηρίαν προσφέροντες τοῖς πιστεύουσι. Τῆς δέ γε διδασκαλίας τὸ διειδές, καὶ τὸ διαφανές, λευκοτάτοις ὀδοῦσιν ἀπείκασεν Λευκοὶ γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ ὀδόντες αὐτοῦ ἢ γάλα. Τοσαῦτα προείρηκεν ὁ πατριάρχης εὐλογῶν τὸν Ἰούδαν τοῦ δὲ Ζαβουλὼν προείπε τὴν παράλιον οἴκησιν· τοῦ δὲ Ἰσσάχαρ τὴν γηπονίαν· τοῦ δὲ Δᾶν, κατὰ μέν τινας, τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαμψών γεγενημένα. Ἐκ ταύτης γὰρ ἦν τῆς φυλῆς· συνηρίθμηται δὲ καὶ τοῖς κριταῖς· καὶ διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· «Δᾶν κρινεῖ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ λαὸν, ὡσεὶ καὶ μία φυλὴ ἐν Ἰσραήλ. Ἔνιοι δέ φασι, τὰ κατὰ τὴν Λάϊσαν τὴν νῦν Πανεάδα καλουμένην προαγορεῦσαι. Ἐξαπίνης γάρ τινες ἀπὸ ταύτης ὁρμώμενοι τῆς φυλῆς ταύτῃ προσβαλόντες τῇ πόλει, εἶλόν τε κατακράτος, καὶ ᾤκησαν, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν αὐτῇ προσηγορίαν ἐπέθηκαν Δᾶν γὰρ αὐτὴν ἐκάλεσαν. Ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι, τὸ θεῖον Πνεῦμα τὰ κατὰ τὸν Σωτῆρα τὸν ἡμέτερον διὰ τοῦ πατριάρχου προθεσπίσαν, καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὸν ᾿Αντίχριστον διὰ ταύτης εἰπεῖν τῆς προῤῥήσεως. Σφόδρα δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ γεγραμμένα ἁρμόττει. Δᾶν γὰρ, φησὶ, κρινεῖ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ λαὸν, ὡσεὶ καὶ μία φυλὴ ἐν Ἰσραήλ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Ἰούδα φυλῆς ὁ Σωτὴρ καὶ Κύριος ἡμῶν βλαστήσας διασώσει τὴν οἰκουμένην, οὕτως ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Δᾶν φυλῆς ὄφις ὀλέθριος ἐξελεύσεται. Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει Καὶ γενηθήτω Δᾶν ὄφις ἐφ᾽ ὁδοῦ, ἐγκαθήμενος ἐπὶ τρίβου, δάκνων πτέρναν ἵππου, καὶ πεσεῖται ὁ ἱππεὺς εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω τὴν σωτηρίαν περιμένων Κυρίου. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀπάταις παντοδαπαῖς κεχρημένος, πειρᾶται τοὺς φενακιζομένους ἀγρεύειν εἰς ὅλεθρον, ὄφει τινὶ αὐτὸν ἀπεικάζει παρά τινα τρίβον φωλεύοντι, καὶ τοῖς παριοῦσι λυμαινομένῳ· ἵππον δὲ οἶμαι και λεῖν αὐτὸν τὸ σῶμα, ἐπιβάτην δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν τὸ δὲ εἰς τοὐπίσω πεσεῖν, τουτέστιν ὕπτιον κεῖσθαι, τὸν σχῆμα. Διὰ δὲ τῆς πτέρνης τὴν ἀπάτην ᾐνίξατο. θάνατον παραδηλοῖ. Τοιοῦτο γὰρ τῶν τεθνεώτων τὸ Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοὺς μὲν ἐξαπατᾷ τοῖς δὲ, παγχαλέπας ἐπιφέρει κολάσεις, διὰ τοῦ ἵππου τὸ σῶμα δεδήλωκεν, οὗ δακνομένου καὶ διαφθειρομένου ὁ θάνατος γίνεται, τοὺς τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῖς ὑπομένουσι κομίζων καρπούς καρπὸς δὲ τῆς τοιαύτης ἐλπίδος ἡ σωτηρία. Προλέγει καὶ τῷ Γὰδ τὰς ἐσομένας αὐτῷ παρὰ τῶν ληστρικῶν ἐφόδων ἐπιβουλάς. Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει, Πειρατήριον πειρατεύσει αὐτόν. Προαγορεύει δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐσομένην αὐτοῦ νίκην. «Καὶ αὐτὸς γὰρ, φησὶ πειρατεύσει αὐτὸν κατὰ πόδας.» Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τοῦ ᾿Ασὴρ τὴν σιτοφόρον χώραν, καὶ τοῦ Νεφθαλεὶμ τὴν εἰς πλῆθος ἐπίδοσιν. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη Στέλεχος ἀνειμένον ἐπιδιδοὺς ἐν τῷ γεννήματι κάλλος. Εἶτα τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ τὸν φθόνον καὶ τὰς παντοδαπὰς ἐπιδείξας ἐπιβουλὰς, τὴν θείαν ὑμνεῖ κηδεμονίαν, δι' ἧς τοὺς πεπολεμηκότας νενίκηκε. Συνετρίβη γὰρ, φησὶ, μετὰ κράτους τὰ τόξα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐξελύθη νεῦρα βραχιόνων χειρῶν αὐτῶν διὰ “χεῖρα δυνατοῦ σε Ἰακώβ. Ἐκεῖθεν ὁ κατισχύ σας Ἰσραὴλ παρὰ Θεοῦ τοῦ πατρός σου. Καὶ ἐβοήθησέ σοι ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἐμὸς, καὶ εὐλόγησε σε εὐλογίαν οὐρανοῦ ἄνωθεν, καὶ εὐλογίαν γῆς ἐχούσης πάντα. Ἕνεκεν εὐλογίας μασθῶν καὶ μήτρας, εὐλογίας πατρός σου, καὶ μητρός σου, ὑπερίσχυσας ὑπὲρ εὐλογίας ὀρέων μονίμων, καὶ ἐπιθυμίας θινῶν αἰωνίων ἔσονται ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ ἐπὶ κορυφῆς ὧν ἡγήσατο ἀδελφῶν. Διὰ πάντων δὲ τούτων ὕμνησε τὸν οἰκεῖον Θεὸν, ὃς καὶ αὐτὸν κρείττονα τοῦ πεπολεμηκότος ἀπέφηνεν ἀδελφοῦ, καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἄμαχον ἔδειξεν παρὰ τοσούτων ἀδελφῶν ἐπιβουλευθέντα. Ταύτης δέ φησι τῆς κηδεμονίας τετύχηκας, τῆς εἰς τοὺς γεγεννηκότας θεραπείας μισθὸν κομισάμενος. Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει· Ἕνεκεν εὐλογίας μασθῶν καὶ μήτρας, εὐλογίας πατρός σου καὶ μητρός σου. Γηροκόμος γὰρ σπουδαῖος ἐγεγόνει τοῦ πατρός. Τὰ δὲ εἰς αὐτὸν γεγενημένα κοινὰ αὐτοῦ τε καὶ τῆς μητρὸς εἶναί φησιν. Τῆς γὰρ αὐτῆς ἂν κἀκείνη τῆς κηδεμονίας ἀπήλαυσεν, εἰ μὴ θᾶττον ὑπεξῆλθε τὸν βίον. Εἶτα ἐπεύχεται αὐτῷ περιφάνειαν, ὥστε γενέσθαι αὐτὸν παρὰ πᾶσιν ἐπίσημον. Ὑπερίσχυσας γὰρ, φησὶν, ὑπὲρ εὐλογίας ὀρέων μονίμων, καὶ ἐπιθυμίας θινῶν αἰωνίων. Ἔσονται ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ ἐπὶ κορυφῆς 5ο ὧν ἡγήσατο ἀδελφῶν.» Τοὺς δὴ θῖνας ὁ ᾿Ακύλας βουνοὺς ἡρμήνευσεν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν πόῤῥωθεν ὁρῶνται καὶ οἱ βουνοὶ, καὶ τὰ ὄρη, τούτοις παραπλησίως εὔχεται γνώριμον αὐτὸν γενέσθαι, καὶ πάντων περιφανέστατον. Τὸν δὲ Βενιαμὶν λύκον ἅρπαγα - κέκληκε, διὰ τὸ συμβεβηκὸς πάθος τῇ τούτου φυλῇ. Διὸἐπήγαγε Τὸ πρωϊνὸν ἔδεται, καὶ εἰς τὸ ἑσπέρας διαδώσει τροφήν.» Ἐν γὰρ τῇ πρώτῃ καὶ τῇ δευτέρᾳ συμπλοκῇ νενικηκότες, ὕστερον ἄρδην ἀπώλοντο, πλὴν ὀλίγων τινῶν ἄγαν εὐαριθμήτων, οὓς οἱ νενικηκότες οἰκτείραντες, δοῦναι μὲν αὐτοῖς γυναῖκας διὰ τὸν ὄρκον ὑπείδοντο, ἑτέρως δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸν γάμον ἐμηχανήσαντο. Εἰδέναι δὲ χρὴ, ὥς τινες εἰς τὸν θεσπέσιον Παῦλον τήνδε τὴν πρόῤῥησιν είλκυσαν· λύκου γὰρ δίκην ἐλυμαίνετο τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν κατὰ τοὺς οἴκους εἰσπορευόμενος· ὕστερον δὲ τὴν πνευματικὴν τροφὴν τῇ οἰκουμένῃ διέδωκε. Ταῦτα τοῦ Ἰακὼβ εἰρηκότος, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν τελευτὴν μεμηνυκότος, ὁ συγγραφεὺς ἔφη˙ «Καὶ ἐξάρας τοὺς πόδας ἐπὶ τὴν κλίνην ἐξέλιπε, καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ· διὰ δὲ τούτων τῶν λόγων ἠνίξατο τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Εἰ γὰρ παντάπασι διεφθείροντο, καὶ μὴ εἰς ἕτερον μετέβαινον βίον, οὐκ ἂν εἶπε, Προσετέθη πρὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ἀβραὰμ αὐτὸς ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ἔφη Σὺ δὲ ἀπελεύσῃ πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας σου ἐν εἰρήνῃ τραφεὶς ἐν γήρει καλῷ. Ἐντεῦθεν δὲ καὶ ὁ Κύριος τὴν τῶν Σαδδουκαίων ἀπιστίαν διήλεγξεν, εἰρηκώς· «Ὅτι δὲ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροὶ, οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε Ἐγὼ ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ; οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς Θεὸς νεκρῶν, ἀλλὰ ζώντων δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ἀμήν.","t":"How is Jacob said to bless his sons, when he cursed some of them? The patriarch's last words are neither curses nor blessings, but prophecies. “Gather together,” he says, “that I may tell you what will befall you in the last days.” He also mentioned what some of them had done, not because the sons would pay the penalty for their fathers' sins, but shaping his words into curse and blessing for the common benefit of those who would read them. He blames Reuben for his self-will and rashness, and for his outrage against his father's bed; for this reason he foretells that his descendants will be few. This is what “Do not boil over like water” shows, meaning, “May you not multiply into many offspring.” He is indignant with Simeon and Levi too, lamenting the unjust destruction of the Shechemites, and he prays to have no share in that lawlessness. Yet he curses not them, but their wicked passions, their anger and their wrath. He called anger “desire”; for anger (orgē) takes its etymology from it: the angry man desires (oregetai) to repel his enemy. And this punishment too was a prophecy: “I will divide them in Jacob,” he says, “and scatter them in Israel.” But the tribe of Levi was scattered because of its high honor, so that Levites and priests would be with every tribe and the tribes would reap benefit from them. They did not receive an allotment of their own, but in each tribe certain cities were assigned to them, with a fixed number of cubits of the surrounding land. The tribe of Simeon too had no separate allotment, but, according to the patriarch's prophecy, was scattered among the other tribes. Of Judah he recounts many praises: “Judah, may your brothers praise you; your hands shall be on the back of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a lion's whelp; from a shoot, my son, you went up; lying down you slept like a lion and like a whelp; who will rouse him?” None of this fits Judah himself, but rather the tribe that sprang from him. For it was royal, since David reigned first and then his descendants; and it was the strongest of all the tribes. When King David ordered the people to be counted, he found four hundred thousand of Judah, and nine hundred thousand of the other tribes. And in the desert too, when they were counted, they were found more numerous than the other tribes. But the precise fulfilment of the prophecy came in Christ the Master, who sprang up from a shoot, according to the patriarch Jacob and the prophet Isaiah: “A rod came out from the root of Jesse, and a flower came up from the root.” To him also fits “Lying down he slept like a lion, and like a lion's whelp.” For just as the lion is fearsome even asleep, so the Lord's death became fearsome both to death and to the devil. He called him lion and lion's whelp, as king and son of a king, as God and Son of God; for according to his humanity he sprang from David, and as God he was begotten from the Father before the ages. And “Who will rouse him?” shows his ineffable power; for he raised himself, according to his own prophecy: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it.” He also foretells the time of his appearing: “A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a leader from his thighs, until he comes for whom it is laid up; and he is the expectation of the nations.” This is a very clear sign of the Lord's coming. For not only the kings of the Jews failed, but also the high priests and the prophets, so that the fulfilment of the prophecy would be shown. When our Savior was about to be born, foreign kings ruled them, so that the eternal king might be shown, the expectation of the nations, according to the promise given by the God of the universe to the patriarchs. For the God of the universe promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that in their seed he would bless all the nations of the earth. The patriarch Jacob indicated this here too when blessing Judah: “A ruler shall not fail from Judah,” he says, “nor a leader from his thighs, until he comes for whom it is laid up; and he is the expectation of the nations.” Then, pointing to the people formed from nations and Jews: “Binding his ass to the vine, and the foal of his ass to the tendril of the vine.” That Israel was named a vine, all the prophets teach. David says, “You brought a vine out of Egypt,” and so on; Isaiah, “The beloved had a vineyard on a hill, in a fertile place”; through Jeremiah the God of the universe said, “I planted you a fruitful vine, wholly true”; through the lawgiver, “For their vine is from the vine of Sodom”; and the Lord in the holy Gospels: “A man planted a vineyard, let it out to tenants, and went abroad.” He names the people from the nations a foal, as being untamed and never having had a breaker of colts. The Lord too hinted at this when he commanded the apostles to go into the village opposite and untie the ass that was tied and its foal, “on which,” he says, “no one has ever sat.” For neither patriarch, nor lawgiver, nor prophet took care for the salvation of the nations. But the divine apostles, commanded to make disciples of all nations and to baptize them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, untied the ass, that is, the nature of human beings, bound by the cords of sin; and they untied the foal too, the people sprung from it. Putting on it their own garments, that is, the grace they had received (“for as many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ”), they made the untamed foal docile, set the Master on it, and tied it to the vine, that is, to themselves. For the apostles were from the Jews; and not only they, but also the seventy disciples, and the three thousand whom the first of the apostles caught in his net at one time, and the five thousand, and the many myriads of whom the thrice-blessed James spoke to the most divine Paul. So the believers were joined not only to the apostles but also to the apostles' disciples; and foreseeing this, the patriarch said: “Binding his foal to the vine, and the foal of his ass to the tendril of the vine.” Then he foretells the passion too: “He will wash his robe in wine, and his garment in the blood of the grape; his eyes are gladdening from wine, and his teeth white as milk.” He names his body a robe and his blood wine, since the Master too called the mystical wine blood. And we hear the evangelist John teaching that when the soldier pierced his side, blood and water came out; and these streams ran down over the body. That is why the patriarch says, “He will wash his robe in wine.” Then he shows the gladness that would come from the passion: “His eyes are gladdening from wine”; for the saving passion is the gladness of the world. That he called the passion so, the Lord himself is witness, saying, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me”; and he said in the same way to the sons of Zebedee, “Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?” The gladdening of the eyes, then, signifies the gladness after the passion. For after the passion and the resurrection the disciples were sent into the whole world, offering salvation to those who believe. The clarity and transparency of the teaching he likened to very white teeth: “His teeth,” he says, “are white as milk.” So much the patriarch foretold in blessing Judah. Of Zebulun he foretold the dwelling by the sea, and of Issachar the tilling of the land. Of Dan, according to some, he foretold the deeds of Samson; for Samson was from this tribe and is counted among the judges, and that is why he says, “Dan shall judge his own people, as one tribe in Israel.” Others say that he foretold the events of Laisa, which is now called Paneas: certain men setting out from this tribe suddenly attacked this city, took it by force, settled in it, and gave it their own name, calling it Dan. But I think that the divine Spirit, having foretold through the patriarch what concerns our Savior, spoke through this prophecy of what concerns the Antichrist as well. What is written fits him very well: “Dan shall judge his own people, as one tribe in Israel.” For just as from the tribe of Judah our Savior and Lord sprang and will save the world, so from the tribe of Dan a deadly serpent will come forth. This is what he says: “And let Dan be a serpent on the way, lying in wait on the path, biting the horse's heel, and the rider will fall backward, waiting for the salvation of the Lord.” Since he uses deceits of every kind and tries to hunt those he deludes to destruction, he likens him to a serpent lurking beside a path and harming passers-by. By the horse I think he means the body, and by the rider the soul; and “to fall backward,” that is, to lie on one's back, indicates death, for such is the posture of the dead. By the heel he hinted at the deceit. Since he deceives some and inflicts very grievous punishments on others, he has indicated the body by the horse, by whose biting and destruction death comes about … bringing the fruits of hope to those who endure; and the fruit of such hope is salvation. He foretells to Gad the plots that would come upon him from raiding bands; this is what he says: “A band of raiders will raid him.” And he foretells his coming victory: “And he will raid them at their heels.” Likewise he foretells the grain-bearing country of Asher, and the growth of Naphtali into a multitude; this is what he said: “A stem let loose, giving beauty in its offspring.” Then, having shown the envy against Joseph and the plots of every kind, he hymns the divine care by which Joseph overcame those who warred against him: “Their bows were broken with might, and the sinews of their arms were loosened by the hand of the mighty one of Jacob. From there is he who strengthened Israel, from the God of your father. And my God helped you, and blessed you with the blessing of heaven above, and the blessing of the earth that has all things. Because of the blessing of breasts and womb, the blessing of your father and your mother, you have prevailed above the blessing of the enduring mountains and the desire of the everlasting hills; they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the brothers whom he led.” Through all this he hymned his own God, who had made him stronger than the brother who warred against him, and had shown his son invincible though plotted against by so many brothers. “You obtained this care,” he says, “receiving the reward for your service to your parents.” This is what he says: “Because of the blessing of breasts and womb, the blessing of your father and your mother.” For he had been an earnest nurse of his father's old age. And he says that what was done for him was shared by Joseph and his mother; for she too would have enjoyed the same care had she not departed this life sooner. Then he prays for distinction for him, so that he might be renowned among all: “You have prevailed,” he says, “above the blessing of the enduring mountains and the desire of the everlasting hills; they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the brothers whom he led.” The “hills” Aquila translated “mounds.” Since mounds and mountains are seen from afar, he prays that Joseph may become known like them, and the most distinguished of all. Benjamin he called a ravening wolf because of what befell his tribe. That is why he added, “In the morning he will eat, and in the evening he will give out food.” For having won in the first and second engagements, they afterwards perished utterly, except for a very few, whom the victors pitied; they shrank from giving them wives because of their oath, but contrived marriage for them in another way. One must know that some have applied this prophecy to the inspired Paul; for like a wolf he ravaged the church, entering house after house, but afterwards gave out spiritual food to the world. When Jacob had said this and announced his own death, the writer said: “And lifting up his feet onto the bed, he expired and was added to his people.” By these words he hinted at the hope of the resurrection. For if they were utterly destroyed and did not pass into another life, he would not have said, “He was added to his people.” The God of the universe himself said this to Abraham too: “You shall go to your fathers in peace, nourished in a good old age.” From this the Lord too refuted the unbelief of the Sadducees, saying: “That the dead are raised, have you not read, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Glory for ever. Amen.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.110 (PG 80 80:215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-110)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.12":{"o":"Τι δή ποτε μίαν εἰπὼν τὴν τῶν ὑδάτων συναγωγὴν, πολλὰς μετὰ ταῦτα δηλοῖ; - Συναχθήτω γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ὑποκάτω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς αὐτῶν. Μία μέν ἐστι τῶν ὑδάτων συναγωγή τὰ πελάγη γὰρ ἀλλήλοις συνήρμοσται· τὰ μὲν κάτωθεν διά τινων ὑπογείων πόρων· τὰ δὲ καὶ κατ᾿ αὐτὴν τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν. Πληθυντικῶς δὲ πάλιν τὰς συναγωγὰς ὠνόμασεν· ἐπειδὴ ἄλλο μὲν τὸ Ἰνδικὸν πέλαγος, ἄλλο δὲ τὸ Ποντικὸν, καὶ τὸ Τυῤῥηνικὸν ἕτερον. Καὶ ἄλλη μὲν ἡ Προποντὶς, ἄλλος δὲ ὁ Ἑλλήσποντος. Καὶ ὁ Αἰγαῖος ἕτερος, καὶ ἄλλος πάλιν ὁ Ἰώνιος κόλπος. Ἔξωθεν δὲ πάλιν ἐπίκειται τὸ μέγιστον πέλαγος, ὅ τινες μὲν Ατλαντικὸν, τινὲς δὲ Ὠκεανὸν ὀνομάζουσι. Τούτου χάριν, ὡς μὲν συνημμένην, συναγωγὴν μίαν ὠνόμασεν· ὡς δὲ διῃρημένας, συναγωγάς.","t":"Why, after speaking of one gathering of the waters, does he afterwards indicate many? For he says, “Let the water under heaven be gathered into their gatherings.” There is one gathering of the waters, for the seas are joined to one another, some below through underground channels, others at the very surface. But again he named the gatherings in the plural, since the Indian Sea is one, the Pontic another, and the Tyrrhenian another; the Propontis is one and the Hellespont another; the Aegean is another, and again the Ionian Gulf another. And outside these lies the greatest sea, which some name the Atlantic and others Ocean. For this reason he named it one gathering as joined together, and gatherings as divided.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.12 (PG 80 80:93; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-12)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.13":{"o":"Τί δή ποτε τας ουκ ἐδωδίμους βοτάνας βλαστῆσαι προσέταξεν ὁ Θεός; Πολλὰ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων τὰ γένη· τὰ μὲν θηρία, τὰ δὲ κτήνη προσαγορευόμενα· καὶ τὰ μὲν ἑρπετὰ, τὰ δὲ πτηνά. Τούτοις ἅπασι τροφὴν προηυτρέπισεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἕνεκα πεποίηκε χρείας. Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ δι' ἡμᾶς αὐτά ·φησι διατρέφεσθαι. Τῷ ἐξανατέλλοντι γὰρ, φησί, χόρτον τοῖς κτήνεσι, καὶ χλόην τῇ δουλείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Τὸ τοίνυν τούτῳ ἄχρηστον, ἐκείνῳ χρήσιμον, καὶ τὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις οὐκ ἀναγκαῖα & τοῖς δι' ἄνθρωπον γεγενημένοις ἁρμόδια. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, προορῶν ὁ Κύριος, ὅτι καὶ πάθη προσγενήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἅ τε δὴ διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν δεξαμένοις τοῦ θανάτου τὸν ὄρον, οὐ μόνον ἐδωδίμους, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀλεξικάκους τῶν παθημάτων βοτάνας βλαστῆσαι τῇ γῇ προσέταξε. Καὶ τοῦτο μάθοι τις ἂν ἀκριβέστερον παρὰ τῶν τὴν ἰατρικὴν ἠσκημένων τέχνην· ὅτι καὶ τὰ δοκοῦντα εἶναι δηλητήρια, παθῶν ἐστιν ἰατήρια κεραννύμενα γὰρ ἑτέραις βοτάναις ἀλεξίκακα γίνεται, καὶ ὑνείας παρεκτικά","t":"Why did God command plants that are not edible to spring up? There are many kinds of irrational animals: some are called wild beasts, others cattle; some are creeping things, others winged. For all of these God prepared food beforehand, and these too he made for the use of human beings. Indeed he says that they too are fed for our sake: “who makes grass spring up for the cattle, and green plants for the service of men.” What is useless to one, then, is useful to another, and what is not needed by human beings suits the creatures made for humanity's sake. Besides this, the Lord, foreseeing that sicknesses would also befall human beings, since because of sin they had received the sentence of death, commanded the earth to put forth not only edible plants but also plants that ward off sicknesses. One could learn this more exactly from those trained in the art of medicine: even what seem to be poisons are remedies for sicknesses; for mixed with other herbs they become protective and productive of health.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.13 (PG 80 80:93; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-13)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.14":{"o":"Τῶν φωστήρων δημιουργηθέντων, τί γέγονε τὸ πρότερον φῶς; Ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς καὶ ἐκ μὴ ὄντων ποιεῖ, καὶ ἐξ ὄντων δημιουργεῖ· τὸν μὲν γὰρ πρότερον οὐρανὸν ἐκ μὴ ἄντων ἐδημιούργησε· τὸν δὲ δεύτερον ἐξ ὑδά των ἐποίησεν. Οὕτω τὴν γῆν μὴ οὖσαν παρήγαγεν τὰ γένη δὲ τῶν δένδρων καὶ τῶν σπερμάτων αὐτῇ βλαστῆσαι προσέταξεν. Καὶ τὸ φῶς τοίνυν ἐδημιούργησεν ὡς ἠθέλησεν. Ωσπερ δὲ τῷ στερεώματι διεῖλε τῶν ὑδάτων τὴν φύσιν, καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐπιτέθεικεν ἄνωθεν, τὰ δὲ κάτωθεν καταλέλοιπεν· οὕτως ἐκεῖνο τὸ φῶς διελὼν ὡς ἠθέλησεν, τοὺς φωστῆρας τοὺς μεγάλους καὶ τοὺς μικροὺς κατεσκεύασεν.","t":"When the luminaries had been created, what became of the earlier light? God the Master both makes things from what does not exist and creates from what exists. The first heaven he created from nothing; the second he made from waters. So too he brought forth the earth when it did not exist, but commanded it to put forth the kinds of trees and seeds. In the same way he created the light as he willed. And just as by the firmament he divided the nature of the waters, setting some above and leaving some below, so, dividing that light as he willed, he fashioned the luminaries, the great and the small.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.14 (PG 80 80:93; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-14)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.15":{"o":"Τί ἐστι τὸ Εἰς σημεῖα, καὶ εις καιροὺς, καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτοὺς, καὶ εἰς ἡμέρας Ὁ ἥλιος ἀνίσχων μὲν καὶ δυόμενος τὰς ἡμέρας ποιεῖ· εἰς δὲ τὰ νότια καὶ τὰ βόρεια μέρη διατρέχων, τὸν ἐνιαύσιον κύκλον ἀποτελεῖ. Οὗτος καὶ τὰς τροπὰς ἐργάζεται, ἂς καιροὺς ὠνόμασεν ἡ θεία Γραφή. Ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ ἰσημερινοῦ τόπου πρὸς τὰ βόρεια μεταβαίνων, τὸ ἔαρ ποιεῖ· εἶτα ἐκεῖθεν ἐπανιὼν μέχρι τούτων τῶν ὅρων, τὴν θερινὴν κατασκευάζει τροπήν προϊόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐντεῦθεν ἐπὶ τὰ νότια, τὸ μετόπωρον γίνεται· ἐπανιὼν δὲ αὖθις, τὸν χειμῶνα ποιεῖ. Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ δρόμου τῆς σελήνης τὸν τῶν μηνῶν μανθάνομεν ἀριθμόν. Διὰ τριάκοντα γὰρ ἡμερῶν, ἐξ ὡρῶν δεουσῶν, τὸν οἰκεῖον δρό μον πληροί. Οὗ δὴ χάριν τὸν τῶν τοσούτων ἡμερῶν ἀριθμὸν μῆνα προσαγορεύομεν. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν σε λήνην ὀνομάζουσι μήνην. Τὸ δὲ εἰς σημεῖα, οὐ κατὰ τοὺς ἀνοήτους νοοῦμεν ἡμεῖς. Τῆς γὰρ γενεθλιαλογίας τὴν ματαιολογίαν, οὐδὲ Πυθαγόρας, οὐδὲ Σωκράτης, οὐδὲ Πλάτων, οὐδὲ οἱ Στωϊκοὶ προσεδέξαντο. Εἰ δὲ οἱ τοῖς μύθοις ἐντεθραμμένοι τοῦδε τοῦ μύθου τὸ ἀσεβὲς ἐβδελύξαντο· τίς ἂν τοῖς θείοις πιστεύων λογίοις, τῶν οὐ δυσσεβῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν ἀνοήτων ἀνάσχοιτο λόγων; Σημεῖα τοίνυν ἡ θεία καλεῖ Γραφή, τὸ εἰδέναι σπόρου καιρὸν, τοῦ φυτεῦσαι, τοῦ καθάραι, τοῦ ξύλα τεμεῖν εἰς ναυπηγίαν καὶ οἰκοδομίαν ἐπιτήδεια. Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ οἱ ναυτιλίᾳ χρώμενοι μεμαθήκασι, πότε μὲν ἀπάραι, πότε δὲ καθορμίσαι τὸ σκάφος προσήκει· καὶ πότε μὲν πετάσαι δεῖ τὸ ἱστίον, πότε δὲ καθελεῖν. Ἡ πεῖρα γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐξεπαίδευσε τὰς τῶν ἀστέρων ἀνατολάς τε καὶ δύσεις· πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς κομήτην, ἢ πωγωνίτην, ἢ δοκίδην ἰδόντες, ἢ πολεμίων ἔγνωμεν προσβολὴν, ἢ ἀκρίδος ἐμβολὴν, ἢ κτηνῶν ἢ ἀνθρώπων φθοράν. Ταῦτα τοίνυν σημεῖα ἐκάλεσεν, οὐκ ἐκεῖνα τὰ πάσης ἀνοίας καὶ δυσσεβείας μεστά.","t":"What does “for signs, and for seasons, and for years, and for days” mean? The sun, by rising and setting, makes the days; and by running to the southern and northern regions it completes the yearly cycle. It also produces the turnings, which the divine Scripture called seasons. Passing from the region of the equinox toward the north, it makes spring; then, going on from there up to those limits, it produces the summer solstice; as it proceeds from there toward the south, autumn comes; and returning again, it makes winter. From the course of the moon we learn the number of the months; for it completes its own course in thirty days, less six hours. For this reason we call the number of so many days a month (mēn), since they also call the moon mēnē. But we do not understand “for signs” as the senseless do. For not even Pythagoras, nor Socrates, nor Plato, nor the Stoics accepted the idle talk of casting nativities. If those brought up on myths loathed the impiety of this myth, who that believes the divine oracles would put up with words that are not only impious but utterly senseless? By signs, then, the divine Scripture means knowing the time for sowing, for planting, for pruning, and for cutting wood fit for shipbuilding and house building. From this too seafarers have learned when they should set sail and when bring the vessel into harbor, when they must spread the sail and when take it down; for experience has taught them the risings and settings of the stars. And often we too, on seeing a comet, or a bearded star, or a beam-shaped meteor, have recognized an attack of enemies, or an invasion of locusts, or a destruction of cattle or of men. These, then, it called signs, not those things full of every folly and impiety.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.15 (PG 80 80:95; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-15)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.16":{"o":"Τί δή ποτε τὰ μὲν φυτὰ πρὸ τῶν φωστήρων ἐποίησε, τὰ δὲ ζῶα μετὰ τούτους; Ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχει τὰ ζῶα, καὶ τοῦ φωτὸς τὴν ὑπερβολὴν οὐκ ἂν ἤνεγκε. Τοῦτο δὲ διανεμηθὲν εἰς τοὺς μικροὺς καὶ μεγάλους φωστῆρας σύμμετρον τῇ ὅψει τῶν ζώων ἀφίησιν αἴγλην. Τῶν δὲ φυτῶν ἡ φύσις αἰσθήσεως ἄμοιρος.","t":"Why did he make the plants before the luminaries, and the animals after them? Animals have eyes, and would not have borne the excess of the light. But this light, divided among the small and great luminaries, sends out a brightness proportioned to the sight of animals. The nature of plants has no share in sensation.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.16 (PG 80 80:95; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-16)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.17":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν τὰ μεν φυτὰ οὐκ ηὐλόγησε, τοῖς δὲ ζώοις ἔφη - Αὐξάνεσθε, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς; Τῶν λειμώνων, καὶ τῶν ληΐων, καὶ παντοδαπῶν βοτανῶν καὶ δένδρων εὐθὺς ἐθελήσας τὴν γῆν ἐπλήρωσεν ἅπασαν τὰ δέ γε ἄλογα ζῶα ἀνὰ δύο παρήγαγεν. Εἰκότως τοίνυν αὐτοῖς τὴν εὐλογίαν προσήνεγκεν ἵνα διὰ τῆς πολυγονίας τὰ μὲν πελάγη, καὶ λίμνας, καὶ ποταμοὺς, τὰ δὲ τὸν ἀέρα, τὰ δὲ πληρώσῃ τὴν γῆν.","t":"Why did he not bless the plants, but said to the animals, “Increase,” and so on? By his will he filled the whole earth at once with meadows and crops and plants and trees of every kind; but the irrational animals he brought forth two by two. Fittingly, then, he gave them the blessing, so that through their fruitfulness some might fill the seas and lakes and rivers, others the air, and others the earth.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.17 (PG 80 80:97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-17)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.18":{"o":"Διὰ τι τὰ θηρία, καὶ τὰ ἑρπετὰ πεποίηκεν ὁ Θεός; Δεῖται τὰ παιδία καὶ μορμολυκείων, καὶ ἱμάντων, καὶ ῥάβδων· καὶ τοῖς μὲν αὐτὰ δεδιττόμεθα, τοῖς δὲ καὶ παιδεύομεν· ἑκάτερα δὲ δρῶμεν, πᾶσαν αὐτοῖς εὐταξίαν πραγματευόμενοι. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν προήδει ἡμᾶς ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς εἰς ῥαθυμίαν ἐκκλινοῦντας, οἷον ἱμάντας τινὰς καὶ μορμολυκεῖα προκατεσκεύασε τὰ θηρία ἵνα τούτοις ἡμᾶς δεδιττόμενος, πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἕλκῃ, καὶ καλεῖν εἰς συμμαχίαν παρασκευάζῃ. ᾿Αλλ' ὥσπερ οἱ τέλειοι καὶ τῶν μορμολυκείων, καὶ τῶν ἱμάντων καταφρονοῦσιν, οὗτως οἱ τῆς ἀρετῆς τρόφιμοι τὰς τῶν θηρίων οὐ δειμαίνουσι προσβολάς. Καὶ γὰρ τῷ Ἀδὰμ πρὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας παρεστήκει τὰ θηρία τὴν δουλείαν ὁμολογοῦντα, καὶ τῷ Νῶε πάλιν εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν εἰσιόντι, δίκην προβάτων καὶ λέων ἠκολούθει, καὶ πάρδαλις, καὶ τῶν ἑρπετῶν τὰ πικρότατα καὶ τῷ Δανιὴλ παρεστήκεισαν οἱ λέοντες, ὀρεγόμενοι μὲν τροφῆς, πελάσαι δὲ μὴ τολμῶντες. Τοὺς γὰρ θεοειδεῖς τῆς θείας εἰκόνος ἑώρων ἐν αὐτῷ χαρακτῆρας οὕτως ἔχις τῇ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου χειρὶ τοὺς ὀδόντας ἐμβαλοῦσα, καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸ χαῦνον καὶ χαλαρὸν οὐχ εὑροῦσα, ἀπεπήδησε παραυτίκα, καὶ κατὰ τῆς πυρᾶς ἥλατο, ὥσπερ δίκας ἑαυτὴν εἰσπραττομένη, ὅτι τῷ μηδαμόθεν προσήκοντι προσεβάλετο σώματι. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὰ θηρία δεδοίκαμεν, ἐπειδὴ τῆς ἀρετῆς τὴν πολιτείαν οὐκ ἔχομεν. Καὶ οὕτω δὲ ῥαθυμούντων κηδόμενος ὁ Θεὸς, τοὺς ἐρημοτέρους ἐκείνοις ἀπεκλήρωσε τόπους, καὶ τὸν τῆς νυκτὸς αὐτοῖς καιρὸν ἀπένειμεν εἰς διατροφήν Ἐν αὐτῇ γὰρ, φησὶ, διελεύσονται πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ δρυμοῦ. Τοῖς ἑρπετοῖς δὲ, τοὺς ἐν τῇ γῇ δέδωκε χηραμούς, ὅπως ἐν ἐκείνοις ἐγκρυπτόμενα μὴ λυμαίνωσι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος. Ἵνα δὲ μὴ παντάπασιν ἀλώβητοι διαμένοντες καταφρονῶμεν αὐτῶν, ὡς βλάπτειν ἥκιστα δυναμένων· ἔστιν ὅτε συγχωρεῖ δύο τινὰς ἢ τρεῖς ἐκ πολλῶν μυριάδων, ὁ σοφῶς τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς πρυτανεύων, ἢ ὑπὸ σκορπίων κεντᾶσθαι, ἢ ὑπὸ ὄφεων δάκνεσθαι ἵν᾿ ἡμεῖς, ὡς δεδιότες μη τι παραπλήσιον πάθοιμὲν, εἰς ἐπικουρίαν καλῶμεν τὸν πεποιηκότα Θεὸν, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς παναλκοῦς ἐκείνης προμηθείας φρουρεῖσθαι παρακαλῶμεν. \"Αλλως τε οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἡμῖν ἄχρηστα τὰ θηρία. Πολλά γὰρ καὶ ἐκ τούτων ἀλεξίκακα ἰατρῶν παῖδες κατασκευάζουσι φάρμακα. Μηδεὶς τοίνυν αὐτὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸ τὸ θηρίον ἐξετάζων ἐπιμεμφέσθω τῷ ποιητῇ, ἀλλὰ τὴν χρείαν ἐπιζητείτω. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἀνθρώπινον πολλὴν ἔχει καὶ ὥραν, καὶ ἁρμονίαν, καὶ τῶν μορίων τὴν χρείαν· ἀλλ᾽ ἔχει καὶ κόρυζαν καὶ πτύελον, καὶ δυσώδη κόπρον ἐκκρινομένην. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδεὶς εὖ φρονῶν ἀπὸ τούτων διαβάλλει τὸ ζῶον. Δίχα γὰρ τούτων βιῶναι τῶν ἀδυνάτων - διὰ γὰρ τούτων ἀρδευόμενον τέθηλεν. Χρήζει γὰρ καὶ φλέγματος, καὶ αἵματος καὶ χολῆς ἑκατέρας. ᾿Αλλ' ὥσπερ διὰ τούτων συνέστηκεν, οὕτως καὶ διὰ τούτων διόλλυται. Ἑνὸς γὰρ τῶν εἰρημένων ἢ πλεονασμός, ἢ ἔνδεια, διόλλυσι τὸ ζῶον. Οὕτω πάλιν εἴ τις μίαν τῶν δακτύλων ἐκτέμῃ σκυταλίδα, ὄψεται παντελῶς αὐτὴν ἄχρηστον ἀλλὰ συνημμένη πλείστην παρέχει τῷ σώματι τὴν χρείαν. Οὕτω τοίνυν καὶ ἡμᾶς προσήκει ποιεῖν· μὴ αὐτὸ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸ ἕκαστον μέρος ἐξετάζει τῆς κτίσεως· ἀλλὰ ζητεῖν εἰ τῷ παντὶ χρήσιμον. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸ πῦρ καυστικόν ἐστι· καὶ οὐ μόνον σώματα διαφθείρει, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἴκους ἐμπίπρησι, καὶ πλοῖα, καὶ λήῖα. ᾿Αλλ' ὅμως ἕν ἐστι τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων, δι' ὧν τὰ πάντα συνήρμοσται καὶ δίχα τούτου τὴν θνητὴν φύσιν διαβιῶναι τῶν ἀδυνάτων. Καὶ ὕδωρ ὡσαύτως ἐπικλύζει τὴν γῆν, οἰκίας καταλύει, παμπόλλους τῶν ναυτιλλομένων διόλλυσι. Λυμαίνεται δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀκαίρως καὶ ἀμέτρως πίνειν ἀνεχομένους. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδεὶς μὴ κομιδή παραπαίων ὀλέθριον τὸ ὕδωρ ὠνόμασε. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τὴν γῆν ἄρδει, καὶ τὰ φυτὰ τρέφει, καὶ τὰ ἄλογα ζῶα, καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν φύσιν. Οὕτω τοίνυν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἕκαστον ἐξετάζομεν, μὴ αὐτὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸ βασανίζοντες, εἴ τε λυμαντικόν ἐστιν, εἴ τε ὠφέλιμον ἀλλ᾽ εἰ τῷ κοινῷ συντελεῖ τινα χρείαν. Καὶ θηρία γὰρ αἰδεῖται μὲν τὸν ἄνθρωπον διὰ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐξουσίαν· ὡς παραβεβηκότος δὲ τὸν θεῖον νόμον, ἔστιν ὅτε καταφρονεῖ· καὶ Η γὰρ καὶ οἱ πονηροὶ δοῦλοι διαπτύειν εἰώθασι τοὺς ὅταν ἴδωσι διὰ πλημμελήματα παῤῥησίας ἐστερη","t":"Why did God make wild beasts and creeping things? Children need bogeys and straps and rods; with the first we frighten them, with the others we discipline them, and we do both to secure good order in them. Since, then, God the Master foreknew that we would decline into laziness, he prepared the wild beasts beforehand as a kind of straps and bogeys, so that by frightening us with them he might draw us to himself and prepare us to call on him as our ally. But just as grown men despise both bogeys and straps, so those reared in virtue do not fear the attacks of wild beasts. For the wild beasts stood by Adam before the sin, acknowledging their servitude; and again, when Noah entered the ark, the lion and the leopard and the most deadly of the creeping things followed him like sheep; and the lions stood by Daniel, craving food but not daring to approach, for they saw in him the godlike features of the divine image. So too the viper, sinking its teeth into the Apostle's hand and not finding the slackness and looseness of sin, sprang away at once and leapt into the fire, as if exacting punishment from itself for having attacked a body in no way its own. We, however, fear the wild beasts because we do not live the life of virtue. Even so, God, caring for us in our laziness, allotted them the more deserted places and assigned them the night for feeding: “In it,” he says, “all the beasts of the forest will go about.” To the creeping things he gave the holes in the earth, so that, hiding in them, they might not harm the human race. But so that we might not, remaining entirely unharmed, despise them as quite unable to harm, he who wisely governs our affairs sometimes permits two or three out of many myriads to be stung by scorpions or bitten by snakes, so that we, fearing to suffer something similar, may call on God our maker for help and beg to be guarded by his almighty providence. Besides, wild beasts are not useless to us in other ways either; for from them too the physicians prepare many protective remedies. Let no one, then, examining a wild beast by itself, find fault with the maker; let him look for its use. For the human body too has much beauty and harmony and usefulness in its parts; but it also has mucus and spittle, and the foul-smelling excrement it discharges. Yet no one in his right mind disparages the living creature on that account. It is impossible to live without these things; watered by them, it flourishes. It needs phlegm and blood and both kinds of bile. But just as it is constituted by these, so it is also destroyed by them; for an excess or a deficiency of any one of them destroys the creature. So again, if someone cuts off one joint of a finger, he will see that it is quite useless; but joined to the rest it gives the body very great use. So we too ought to act: not to examine each part of creation by itself, but to ask whether it is useful to the whole. Fire too burns, and not only destroys bodies but also sets fire to houses and ships and crops. Yet it is one of the four elements of which all things are composed, and without it mortal nature cannot live. Water likewise floods the earth, destroys houses, and drowns very many seafarers. It also harms those who choose to drink out of season and beyond measure. Yet no one who is not completely out of his mind has called water deadly; for it waters the earth and nourishes the plants, the irrational animals, and human nature. So, then, we examine each of the other things too, not testing it by itself to see whether it is harmful or beneficial, but asking whether it contributes some use to the common good. For the wild beasts respect man because of the authority over them given him from the beginning; but since he has transgressed the divine law, they sometimes despise him. For wicked slaves too are accustomed to spurn those whom they see deprived of freedom of speech because of offences …","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.18 (PG 80 80:97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-18)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.19":{"o":"Τίνι ὁ Θεὸς εἴρηκε, Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ εἰκόνα καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν ἡμετέραν ; Τινὲς μὲν τῶν δυσωνύμων αἱρετικῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτὸν εἰρηκέναι, καὶ τοὺς πονηροὺς δαίμονας ἔφασαν οὐ συνιέντες οἱ ἐμβρόντητοι τὸ Κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν. Θεοῦ γὰρ οὐσία καὶ ἀγγέλων οὐ μία οὔτε εἰκὼν ἡ αὐτή· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀἴδιον ἔχει τὴν φύσιν· οἱ δὲ αὐτὸν ἔχουσι ποιητὴν καὶ δημιουρ γὸν, παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ δεδεγμένοι τὸ εἶναι, οἱ δὲ δαίμονες καὶ εἰς πονηρίαν ἑκόντες ἐτράπησαν. ᾿Ανοίας τοίνυν ἐσχάτης, τὸ μίαν ὑπολαβεῖν εἰκόνα τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων, καὶ τοῦ πελάγους τῆς ἀγαθότητος. Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ εἰς ἑτέραν ἐξώκειλαν παραφροσύνην. Φασὶ γὰρ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν εἰρηκέναι τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν τὸ Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον, κατά τινα μίμησιν τῶν τὰς μεγάλας πεπιστευμένων ἀρχάς. Καὶ γὰρ ὕπαρχοι καὶ στρατηγοὶ πληθυντικῶς εἰώθασι λέγειν τό· Κελεύομεν, καὶ γράφομεν, καὶ προστάττομεν, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα. Καὶ οὐ συνεῖδον οἱ παραπλῆγες, ὡς ἑνικῶς τὰ πλεῖστα ὁ τῶν ὅλων λέγει Θεός. Καιρὸς γὰρ, φησὶ, παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἥκει ἐναντίον μου, Καὶ Ἐνεθυμήθην ὅτι ἐποίησα τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ᾿Απαλείψω τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Καὶ, Οὐκ ἔσονταί, σοι θεοὶ ἕτεροι πλὴν ἐμοῦ, καὶ, Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ποιῶ καινὰ, ἃ νῦν ἀνατέλλει, καὶ, ᾿Ανοίξω ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων πηγὰς, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν βουνῶν ποταμούς. Καὶ ἐν πάσῃ δὲ ὡς ἐπίπαν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ ἑνικῶς ἔστιν ἀκοῦσαι τοῦ τῶν ὅλων διαλεγομένου Θεοῦ. Ὀλιγάκις δὲ πληθυντικῶς τὴν διάλεξιν σχηματίζει, τῶν τῆς Τριάδος προσώπων ἐμφαίνων τὸν ἀριθμόν. Καὶ γὰρ ἡνίκα τὰς γλώσσας συνέχεεν, οὐχ ἐνικῶς εἶπε, Καταβήσομαι, καὶ συγχεῶ τὰς γλώσσας» ἀλλὰ, «Δεῦτε, καταβάντες συγχέωμεν αὐτῶν τὰς γλώσσας \". Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ λογικὸν διέπλαττε ζῶον, ὁ μετὰ πολλὰς ἀνακαινίζειν ἥμελλε γενεάς· ταῖς τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος ἐπικλήσεσι τελεσιουργῶν τὸ πανάγιον βάπτισμα· μέλλων δημιουργεῖν τὴν ἐκεῖνα παραληψομένην τὰ μυστήρια φύσιν αἰνιγματωδῶς καὶ τὸ ταυτὸν τῆς οὐσίας, καὶ τὸν τῶν προσώπων παρεδήλωσεν ἀριθμόν. Τῷ φάναι μὲν γὰρ, εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς, τὸ κοινὸν τῆς θείας ἐδήλωσε φύσεως· ἐπαγαγὼν δὲ τὸ ποιήσωμεν, ἐνέφηνε τῶν προσώπων τὸν ἀριθμόν. Οὕτω πάλιν ἑνικῶς μὲν εἰπὼν τὴν εἰκόνα, τὸ ταυτὸν τῆς φύσεως ἔδειξεν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε κατ' εἰκόνας, ἀλλὰ Κατ' εἰκόνα. Ἡμετέραν δὲ εἰρηκὼς, τὸν τῶν ὑποστάσεων δεδήλωκεν ἀριθμόν. \"Απαντα γὰρ προορῶν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ἤδη γεγενημένα τὰ μήπω γενόμενα, καὶ προθεωρῶν τὴν τοῦ Μονογενοῦς σάρκωσίν τε καὶ ἐνανθρώπησιν, καὶ ὡς ταύτην τὴν φύσιν ἐκ Παρθένου λήψεται, καὶ οὕτως ἑαυτῷ συνἀψει τε καὶ ἑνώσει, ὡς ἓν πρόσωπον Θεοῦ τε καὶ ἀνθρώπου νοεῖσθαι, καὶ μίαν αὐτῷ προσκύνησιν παρὰ τῆς κτίσεως ἁπάσης προσφέρεσθαι· μάλα εἰκότως καὶ αὐτὴν τοῦ γένους τὴν κρηπίδα τιμῆς μεγίστης ἠξίωσε. Καὶ πρῶτον βουλὴν τῆς δημιουργίας προτάξας ἵνα τοῦ δημιουργουμένου τὸ λογικὸν προσημάνῃ· ἵνα τῶν προσώπων παραδηλώσας τὸν ἀριθμὸν, ἵνα τοὺς ὕμνους ὁ μέλλων προσφέρειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, λάβῃ θεολογίας αἰνίγματα· καὶ οἱονεὶ αὐτουργὸς τῆς διαπλάσεως γενόμενος, ἔδείξε τὴν πλείονα περὶ τὸ πλάσμα φιλοστοργίαν. Τοῦτο καὶ Ἰὼβ ὁ γενναῖος πρὸς αὐτὸν βοᾷ λέγων, Αἱ χεῖρές σου ἐποίησάν με, καὶ ἔπλασάν με. Τούτοις ἐχρήσατο τοῖς λόγοις καὶ ὁ θεῖος Δαβίδ, καὶ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος ἀξιούμενος γινώσκεῖ σαφῶς, ὡς ὁ πλάσας διέσωσε, καὶ ὁ σώσας διέπλασε: Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Δημιουργὸς, καὶ διὰ Ἱερεμίου, καὶ διὰ Ἡσαΐου φησὶν, «Ὅτι ἡμεῖς πηλὸς, αὐτὸς δὲ πλάστης ἡμῶν. ᾿Αλλ' οὔτε χεῖ ρας ἔχειν τὸ θεῖον οὔτε δεῖσθαι βουλῆς τινος καὶ προθεωρίας φαμὲν, ἵνα κατὰ τοὺς Πλάτωνος μύθους, πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἐνθυμήσεως ἰδέαν κατασκευάσῃ τὸ ποίημα ἀλλὰ τούτων ἕκαστον τὴν πλείονα τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ τόδε τὸ ζῶον κηδεμονίαν δηλοῖ.","t":"To whom did God say, “Let us make man according to our image and according to likeness”? Some of the heretics of ill-omened name said that he said this to the angels and to the wicked demons, the thunderstruck fools not understanding “according to our image.” For God and the angels do not have one substance, nor the same image: he has an eternal nature, while they have him as their maker and creator, having received their being from him; and the demons, besides, turned to wickedness of their own will. It is the height of folly, then, to suppose that the wicked demons and the ocean of goodness have one image. The Jews ran aground on another madness. They say that the God of the universe said “Let us make man” to himself, in imitation of those entrusted with high office; for prefects and generals usually say in the plural, “We order,” “we write,” “we command,” and the like. And the crazed men did not see that the God of the universe says most things in the singular: “The time of every man has come before me,” and “I have considered that I made man,” and “I will wipe out man”; and “You shall have no other gods besides me”; and “See, I am doing new things, which now spring up”; and “I will open fountains on the mountains and rivers on the hills.” Throughout the divine Scripture, generally speaking, one can hear the God of the universe speaking in the singular. Rarely does he frame his speech in the plural, indicating the number of the persons of the Trinity. For when he confused the tongues, he did not say in the singular, “I will go down and confuse the tongues,” but, “Come, let us go down and confuse their tongues.” Here too, then, since he was fashioning the rational living being, which he was going to renew after many generations, perfecting the all-holy baptism by the invocations of the Holy Trinity, when about to create the nature that would receive those mysteries he indicated in a riddle both the sameness of the substance and the number of the persons. By saying “God said” he showed what is common to the divine nature; by adding “let us make” he revealed the number of the persons. So again, by saying “image” in the singular he showed the sameness of the nature; for he did not say “according to images,” but “according to image”; and by saying “our” he indicated the number of the hypostases. For the God of the universe, foreseeing as already done all that had not yet happened, and foreseeing the enfleshment and becoming man of the Only-begotten, and how he would take this nature from a Virgin, and so join and unite it to himself that one person of God and man would be understood, and one worship would be offered to him by the whole creation, very fittingly honored with the greatest honor the very foundation of the race. First he set a deliberation before the act of creation, to indicate in advance the rational nature of what was being created, and to indicate the number of the persons, so that the one who would offer hymns on earth might receive hints of the teaching about God; and, as though becoming the craftsman of the forming with his own hands, he showed his greater affection for what he formed. This is what the noble Job cries out to him, saying, “Your hands made me and formed me.” The divine David too used these words; and the one who is counted worthy of holy baptism knows clearly that the one who formed him saved him, and the one who saved him formed him. Besides this, the Creator himself says through both Jeremiah and Isaiah, “For we are clay, and he is our potter.” But we do not say that the divine has hands, or needs any deliberation and forethought, so as to fashion its work, as in Plato's myths, according to the idea in its mind; each of these things shows God's greater care for this living being.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.19 (PG 80 80:99; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-19)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.2":{"o":"Τι δή ποτε τῆς τῶν ἀγγέλων οὐκ ἐμνήσθη δημιουργίας; Οὐδὲν στεῤῥὸν εἶχον οὐδὲ βέβαιον οἱ νομοθετούμενοι· αὐτίκα γοῦν μετὰ τὰ πολλὰ καὶ ἄφραστα θαύματα, τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ μόσχου Θεὸν ἀνηγόρευσαν οἱ δὲ τὰ τῶν κτηνῶν ἰνδάλματα ῥᾳδίως οὕτως θεοποιήσαντες, τί οὐκ ἂν ἔδρασαν, εἰ τῶν ἀοράτων φύσεων τὴν γνῶσιν ἐδέξαντο; Τούτου χάριν μέχρι τῆς τοῦ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ τελειότητος, οὐδενὶ τῶν πάλαι ἀνθρώ πων δι' ἀγγέλου ὁ τῶν ὅλων διελέχθη Θεός· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ᾿Αγαρ πρῶτον ἀγγέλου μνήμην ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐποιήσατο Μωϋσῆς· καὶ μάλα εἰκότως τύπος γὰρ ἡ Ἄγαρ τῆς παλαιᾶς διαθήκης κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Ἀποστολον. Τὸ γὰρ ῎Αγαρ, φησὶ, Σινᾶ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ ᾿Αραβίᾳ, συστοιχεῖ δὲ τῇ νῦν Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν δι' ἀγγέλων ὁ νόμος ἐδόθη Διαταγεὶς γὰρ, φησὶ, δι᾽ ἀγγέλων ἐν χειρὶ μεσίτου καὶ πάλιν, Εἰ ὁ δι' ἀγγέλων λαληθεὶς λόγος ἐγένετο βέβαιος·, καὶ μάλα προσφόρως ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς δι' ἀγγέλου καὶ τῆς δουλείας ἀνέμνησε, καὶ τὰ περὶ τοῦ τεχθησομένου παιδὸς προηγόρευσεν. Ὅτι δὲ κτιστὴν ἔχουσι φύσιν καὶ ἄγγελοι καὶ ἀρχάγγελοι, καὶ εἴ τι ἕτερόν ἐστιν ἀσώματον, πλὴν τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος, ἡ θεία σαφῶς ἡμᾶς διδάσκει Γραφή. Ὑμνεῖν γὰρ καὶ τούτοις Δαβὶδ παρακελεύεται ὁ προφήτης Αἰνεῖτε γὰρ αὐτὸν, φησὶ, πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ· αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις αὐ· τοῦ. Καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν διδάσκων ἐπήγαγεν «Ὅτι αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν.» Καὶ πάλιν ἐν ἑτέρῳ ψαλμῷ, Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουρ γοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα. Καὶ οἱ τρεῖς μακάριοι παῖδες ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ τὸν θεῖον ὕμνον ὑφαίνοντες, καὶ τὸ πανάριστον ἐκεῖνο καὶ λίαν ἁρμόδιον εἰρηκότες προοίμιον· Εὐλογεῖτε πάντα τὰ ἔργα Κυρίοι τὸν Κύριον, Εὐθὺς ἐπήγαγον, Εὐλογεῖτε ἄγγελοι Κυρίου τὸν Κύριον, πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις Κυρίου τὸν Κύριον. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ παρέλκον οἷμαι περὶ τούτων μακρηγορεῖν· πᾶσα γὰρ ἡ θεόπνευστος Γραφὴ τῆς δε τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀνάπλεως.","t":"Why did he not mention the creation of the angels? Those who received the Law had nothing firm or steady about them. At any rate, straight after the many indescribable miracles they proclaimed the image of the calf to be God. Those who so easily deified the likenesses of cattle, what would they not have done if they had received knowledge of the invisible natures? For this reason, until the perfection of Abraham, the God of the universe spoke to none of the people of old through an angel; and it was in the case of Hagar that the inspired Moses first mentioned an angel, and very fittingly, for Hagar is a type of the old covenant, according to the divine Apostle: “For Hagar,” he says, “is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem.” Since, then, the Law was given through angels (“ordained,” he says, “through angels by the hand of a mediator,” and again, “If the word spoken through angels proved firm”), very fittingly the God of the universe, through an angel, both reminded her of her servitude and foretold what concerned the child who was to be born. That angels and archangels, and anything else that is incorporeal, except the Holy Trinity, have a created nature, the divine Scripture clearly teaches us. For the prophet David urges these too to sing hymns: “Praise him,” he says, “all his angels; praise him, all his powers.” And, teaching the reason, he added: “For he spoke, and they came into being; he commanded, and they were created.” And again in another psalm: “He who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” And the three blessed young men, weaving the divine hymn in the furnace, after saying that most excellent and very fitting opening, “Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,” added at once, “Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord, all you powers of the Lord.” But I think it superfluous to speak at length about this; the whole inspired Scripture is full of this teaching.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.2 (PG 80 80:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-2)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.20":{"o":"Τί ἐστι τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα ; Τινὲς τὸ ἀόρατον τῆς ψυχῆς εἰκόνα Θεοῦ κεκλήκασιν· ἀλλὰ οὐκ ἀληθῶς εἰρήκασιν. Εἰ γὰρ εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ ἀόρατον, μᾶλλον εἰκόνες τοῦ Θεοῦ κληθεῖεν ἄγγελοι καὶ ἀρχάγγελοι, καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἀσώματοι καὶ ἅγιαι φύσεις· ὅτε δὲ παντάπασι σωμάτων ἀπηλλαγμέναι, καὶ ἀμιγὲς τὸ ἀόρατον ἔχουσαι. Τινὲς δὲ ὑπὸ πολλῆς εὐηθείας τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἀνθρώπινον κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γεγενῆσθαί φασιν· ἐπειδὴ τῆς θείας λεγούσης ἐπακούουσι φωνῆς· ῎Ανοιξον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου, καὶ ἴδε, καὶ κλῖνον τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ ἄκουσον· καὶ, Ὠσφράνθη Κύριος ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας· καὶ, Τὸ στόμα Κυρίου ἐλάλησε ταῦτα, καὶ, Ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα. Καὶ οὐ συνεῖδον οἱ ἄγαν ἡλίθιοι, ὡς ἀνθρώποις δι' ἀνθρώπων διαλεγόμενος ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, τῇ τῶν ἀκουόντων ἀσθενείᾳ τοὺς λόγους μετρεῖ. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ δι' ὀφθαλμῶν ὀρῶμεν ἡμεῖς, τὴν ὀπτικὴν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν ὀφθαλμοὺς ὀνομάζει· καὶ αὐ πάλιν τὴν ἀκουστικὴν, ὦτα, ἐπειδὴ διὰ τούτων τῶν μορίων ἀκούομεν καὶ τὸ πρόσταγμα, στόμα. Ἔδει δὲ αὐτοὺς μὴ τούτων μόνον ἀκούειν τῶν λόγων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν τὸ ἀπερίγραφον τοῦ Θεοῦ διδασκόντων. Ποῦ γὰρ, φησὶ, πορευθῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός σου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου ποῦ φύγω; Ἐὰν ἀναβῶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, σὺ ἐκεῖ εἶ· ἐὰν καταβῶ εἰς τὸν ἄδην, πάρει·, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ τῇ Σαμαρείτιδι ὁ Κύριος ἔφη, Πνεῦμα ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτὸν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ δεῖ προσκυνεῖν. Εἰ δὲ πνεῦμα ὁ Θεὸς, ἁπλοῦς ἄρα, καὶ ἀσύνθετος, καὶ ἀσχημάτιστος. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ περιττὸν τοῦτον μηκύνειν τὸν λόγον δήλη γὰρ τούτων ἡ ἄνοια. Τὸ τοίνυν, Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν, τινὲς τῶν διδασκάλων οὕτως ἐνόησαν· ὅτι τὴν κτίσιν τὴν αἰσθητήν τε καὶ νοητὴν πεποιηκὼς ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, τὸν ἄνθρωπον διέπλασεν ἔσχατον, οἷόν τινα εἰκόνα ἑαυτοῦ ἐν μέσῳ τεθεικὼς τῶν ἀψύχων τε καὶ ἐμψύχων, καὶ αἰσθητῶν καὶ νοητῶν· ἵνα τὰ μὲν ἄψυχά τε καὶ ἔμψυχα τούτῳ προσφέρῃ, ὥσπερ τινὰ φόρον, τὴν χρείαν· αἱ δὲ νοηταὶ φύσεις, ἐν τῇ περὶ τοῦτον κηδεμονίᾳ τὴν περὶ τὸν πεποιηκότα δεικνύωσιν εὔνοιαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ἔφη· «Οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν; Καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις, «Ορᾶτε μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν μικρῶν τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων. Ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ὁρῶσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς. Τινὲς δὲ, κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ» κατὰ τὸ ἀρχικὸν γεγενῆσθαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἔφασαν, σαφεστάτῳ κεχρημένοι τεκμηρίῳ, τῷ τὸν Ποιητὴν ἐπαγαγεῖν, Καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν, καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἐρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Ὥσπερ γὰρ αὐτὸς τῶν ὅλων ἔχει τὴν δεσποτείαν οὕτω δέδωκε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων τὴν ἐξουσίαν. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλα εὑρεῖν ὡς ἀρχετύπου μιμήματα. Δημιουργεῖ γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ πεποιηκότος Θεοῦ, καὶ οἰκίας, καὶ τείχη, καὶ πόλεις, καὶ λιμένας, καὶ ναῦς, καὶ νεώρια, καὶ ἅρματα, καὶ ἕτερα μυρία οἷον οὐρανοῦ ἐκτυπώματα, καὶ ἡλίου, καὶ σελήνης, καὶ ἀστέρων, καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἰνδάλματα, καὶ ζώων ἀλόγων εἰκόνας· ἀλλ᾽ ἄπειρον τὸ τῆς δημιουργίας διάφορον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς καὶ ἐξ ὄντων καὶ ἐκ μὴ ὄντων δημιουργεῖ, καὶ δίχα πόνου καὶ χρόνου· ἅμα γὰρ τῷ βουληθῆναι παράγει τὸ δόξαν· ἄνθρωπος δὲ δεῖται μὲν ὕλης, δεῖται δὲ καὶ ὀργάνων, καὶ βουλῆς, καὶ ἐνθυμήσεων, καὶ χρόνου, καὶ πόνου, καὶ τεχνῶν ἑτέρων εἰς τὴν τοῦ γενομένου κατασκευήν. Ὁ γὰρ οἰκοδόμος δεῖται χαλκέως, καὶ ὁ χαλκεὺς μεταλλέως καὶ ἀνθρακέως· καὶ πάντες ὁμοῦ τῶν ὑλοτόμων καὶ οἱ ὑλοτόμοι τῶν φυτουργῶν τε καὶ γεωργῶν· καὶ οὕτως ἑκάστη τέχνη παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων τεχνῶν τὴν οἰκείαν ἐρανίζεται χρείαν. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ οὕτω δημιουργῶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος μιμεῖται ἀμηγέπη τὸν Ποιητὴν, ὡς εἰκὼν τὸ ἀρχέτυπον· καὶ γὰρ ἡ εἰκὼν ἔχει τὰ τοῦ ἀρχετύπου ἰνδάλματα. ᾿Αλλὰ τὸ μὲν τῶν μορίων εἶδος ἔχει, τὰς δὲ ἐνεργείας οὐκ ἔχει ἐστέρηται γὰρ ψυχῆς, δι' ἧς κινεῖται τὸ σῶμα. Οὕτω πάλιν καὶ βασιλεύει ὁ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ κρίνει κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ. Ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μὲν Θεὸς οὐ κατηγόρων, οὐ μαρτύρων δεῖται δικάζων· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τὸν Κάϊν κατέκρινεν, ὡς αὐτόπτης τοῦ μύσους γεγενημένος. Ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος κρίνων καὶ μαρτύρων δεῖται, καὶ κατηγόρων· ἀγνοεῖ γὰρ τὰ γεγενημένα. Οὕτω καὶ Θεὸς ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὠνομάσθη, ἐπειδὴ εἰκὼν προσηγορεύθη Θεοῦ ᾿Ανὴρ γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐκ ὀφείλει κατακαλύπτεσθαι τὴν κεφαλὴν, εἰκὼν καὶ δόξα Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων.» ᾿Αλλὰ πάλιν ὁ μὲν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς φύσιν ἔχει θείαν, οὐ προσηγορίαν ψιλήν· ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος, ὡς εἰκὼν, τοὔνομα ἔχει μόνον, ἐστερημένος τοῦ πράγματος. Οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἀπερίγραφον ἀληθῶς μὲν καὶ κυρίως ἐστὶ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ. Μιμεῖται δὲ οὕτω πως αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ νοῦς ὁ ἀνθρώπινος· ἐν ἀκαρεῖ γὰρ περινοστεῖ καὶ τὰ ἑῷα, καὶ τὰ ἑσπέρια, καὶ τὰ βόρεια, καὶ τὰ νότια, καὶ τὰ ἐπουράνια, καὶ τὰ ὑποχθόνια ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τῇ οὐ· σίᾳ, μόνῃ δὲ τῇ τοῦ λογισμοῦ φαντασίᾳ. Ὁ δέ γε Θεὸς καὶ τῇ οὐσίᾳ καὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ, καὶ τῇ δυνάμει τὸ ἀπερίγραφον ἔχει. Εὔροι δ' ἄν τις καὶ ἑτέραν μίμησιν ἀκριβεστέραν ἐν τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πάλιν ψυχῇ. Ἔχει γὰρ αὐτὴ καὶ τὸ λογικὸν, καὶ τὸ ζωτικὸν ἐν ἑαυτῇ. Καὶ γεννᾷ μὲν ὁ νοῦς τὸν λόγον, συμπρόεισι δὲ τῷ λόγῳ πνεῦμα, οὐ γεννώμενον καθάπερ ὁ λόγος· συμπαρομαρτοῦν δὲ ἀεὶ τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ συμπροῖὸν γεννωμένῳ. ᾿Αλλὰ ταῦτα ὡς ἐν εἰκόνι πρόσεστι τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ· οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ ἀνυπόστατος ὁ λόγος ἐστὶ, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος τρεῖς νοοῦμεν τὰς ὑποστάσεις, καὶ ἀσυγχύτως ήνω μένας, καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὰς ὑφεστώσας. Γεγέννηται μὲν γὰρ πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος: ἀχώριστος δὲ ἐστι τοῦ γεννήσαντος· καὶ ἐκπορεύεται ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα· νοεῖται δὲ καὶ ἐν ἰδίᾳ ὑποστάσει. Πάντα γὰρ ἐνεργεῖ, φησὶ, τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα, διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται. Ἀλλὰ περὶ τούτων μηκύνειν τὸν λόγον οὐ δεῖ· μυρίας γὰρ ἔστιν εὑρεῖν ἀποδείξεις τούτου παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ.","t":"What does “according to the image” mean? Some have called the invisibility of the soul the image of God; but they have not spoken truly. For if the invisibility of the soul were the image of God, angels and archangels and all the incorporeal and holy natures would have a better claim to be called images of God, since they are entirely free of bodies and have an unmixed invisibility. Others, out of great simplicity, say that the human body came into being according to the image of God, since they hear the divine voice saying, “Open your eyes and see, and incline your ear and hear,” and “The Lord smelled a fragrant odor,” and “The mouth of the Lord has spoken these things,” and “In his hand are the ends of the earth,” and the like. And the very foolish people did not see that God the Master, speaking to human beings through human beings, measures his words to the weakness of the hearers. Since we see through eyes, he calls his power of sight eyes; and again his power of hearing ears, since we hear through these parts; and his command a mouth. They ought to have listened not only to these words, but also to those that teach that God is uncircumscribed: “Where shall I go from your Spirit,” it says, “and where shall I flee from your face? If I go up into heaven, you are there; if I go down into Hades, you are present,” and so on. And the Lord said to the Samaritan woman, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” If God is spirit, then he is simple, uncompounded, and without shape. But it is superfluous to lengthen this discussion; their folly is plain. Some of the teachers, then, have understood “Let us make man according to our image and according to likeness” in this way: that the God of the universe, having made the creation, both perceptible and intelligible, formed man last, setting him as a kind of image of himself in the midst of things lifeless and living, perceptible and intelligible, so that the lifeless and the living might bring him their usefulness as a kind of tribute, while the intelligible natures, in their care for him, might show their goodwill toward the one who made him. For this is what the divine Apostle said: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out for service, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” And the Lord in the Gospels: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, the least. For truly I tell you that their angels daily see the face of my Father in heaven.” Others have said that man came into being according to the image of God in respect of rule, using a very clear proof: that the Maker added, “And let them rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of heaven, and the cattle, and all the earth, and all the creeping things that creep on the earth.” For just as he himself has lordship over the universe, so he has given man authority over the irrational animals. One can find other imitations too, as of an archetype. Man too creates, in imitation of God who made him: houses and walls and cities and harbors and ships and dockyards and chariots and countless other things, copies, as it were, of heaven, and likenesses of sun and moon and stars and men, and images of irrational animals. But the difference in the creating is infinite. The God of the universe creates both from what exists and from what does not, and without toil or time; for as soon as he wills, he brings forth what he has resolved. Man needs matter, needs tools, needs deliberation and thought and time and toil, and other crafts, for making what is made. The builder needs the smith, and the smith the miner and the charcoal-burner; all of them together need the woodcutters, and the woodcutters the planters and farmers; and so each craft gathers what it needs from the other crafts. Yet even creating in this way, man imitates the Maker in some fashion, as an image does its archetype; for an image too has the likenesses of its archetype. It has the form of the parts, but not their activities; for it lacks a soul, by which the body is moved. So again, man also reigns and judges in imitation of the God of the universe. But God, when he judges, needs neither accusers nor witnesses; that is how he condemned Cain, having himself been eyewitness of the crime. Man, when he judges, needs both witnesses and accusers, for he does not know what has happened. So too man was named god, since he was called the image of God: “For a man,” it says, “ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God.” But again, the God of the universe has a divine nature, not a bare title; man, as an image, has only the name, without the reality. So too being uncircumscribed belongs truly and properly to the God of the universe; yet the human mind imitates it in a way, for in an instant it travels around the east and the west, the north and the south, the regions above the heavens and those beneath the earth, not in its substance, but only by the imagination of thought. God, however, is uncircumscribed in substance, in wisdom, and in power. One could find another, more exact imitation in the soul of man. It has in itself both the rational and the vital. The mind begets the word; and a spirit goes forth with the word, not begotten as the word is, but always accompanying the word and going forth with it as it is begotten. But these belong to man as in an image; for this reason the word and the spirit in him have no subsistence of their own. In the Holy Trinity, on the other hand, we understand three hypostases, united without confusion and each subsisting by itself. For God the Word was begotten from the Father before the ages, yet is inseparable from the one who begot him; and the all-holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father, and is also understood in its own hypostasis. “For all these,” it says, “the one and the same Spirit works, distributing to each individually as he wills.” But there is no need to lengthen the discussion about these things; one can find countless proofs of this in the divine Scripture.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.20 (PG 80 80:103; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-20)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.21":{"o":"Τι δή ποτε διαφερόντως τὴν ἑβδόμην ἡμέραν εὐλόγησεν ὁ Θεός; Ἑκάστη τῶν ἄλλων ἡμερῶν ἰδίαν τινὰ δημιουργίαν ἐδέξατο. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν μέχρι ταύτης αύμπασαν τὴν κτίσιν ἐδημιούργησε, δέδωκεν ἀντὶ δημιουργίας τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἡμέρᾳ τὴν εὐλογίαν· ἵνα μὴ μόνη παρὰ τὰς ἄλλας ἀγέραστος διαμείνῃ. Τὸ μέντοι, Ἡγίασεν αὐτὴν,» ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀφώρισεν τέθεικε. Πολλαχοῦ γὰρ οὕτω τοῦτο νοούμενον ἔστιν εὑρεῖν παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ. Καὶ γὰρ περὶ τῶν Μήδων φησὶν, Ἡγιασμένοι εἰσὶ, καὶ ἐγὼ ἄγω αὐτούς τουτἐστιν, εἰς τοῦτο ἀφωρισμένοι. \"Αλλως τε καὶ Ἱouδαίοις ταῦτα γράφων, ἀναγκαίως τὸ, Ἡγίασεν αὐτὴν, τέθεικεν, ἵνα πλεῖον σέβας ἀπονείμωσι τῷ Σαββάτῳ. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ νομοθετῶν ἔφη, ὅτι, Ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ' τὴν γῆν· τῇ δὲ ἑβδόμῃ ἡμέρᾳ κατέπαυσεν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ὧν ἐποίησεν, καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν.","t":"Why did God bless the seventh day in particular? Each of the other days received a creation of its own. Since, then, he had created the whole creation by this day, he gave the seventh day a blessing instead of a creation, so that it alone, unlike the others, might not remain without honor. But he put “He sanctified it” in the sense of “he set it apart”; for one can find it understood in this way in many places in the divine Scripture. Of the Medes, for instance, he says, “They are sanctified, and I lead them,” that is, set apart for this purpose. Besides, since he was writing these things for Jews, he necessarily put “He sanctified it,” so that they would give greater reverence to the Sabbath. For this is what he said when giving the law: “In six days the Lord your God made heaven and earth; and on the seventh day he rested from all his works that he had made, and sanctified it.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.21 (PG 80 80:117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-21)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.22":{"o":"Τι ἐστι, Πηγή δὲ ἀνέβαινεν ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπότιζε πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς; Ἐν κεφαλαίῳ πάλιν ὁ συγγραφεὺς τὰ περὶ τῆς κτίσεως διηγήσατο· καὶ ἐδίδαξεν, ὅτι μὴ ὄντα τὰ στοιχεῖα παρήγαγεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων διεχώρισε, καὶ ὅτι ἕκαστον τούτων διεκόσμησεν ὡς ἠθέλησε, καὶ ὅτι μήτε τοῦ ἀνθρώπου γεωργοῦντος τὴν γῆν, μήτε τῶν νεφῶν τὸν ὑετὸν ὠδι - νούντων 3*, βεβλάστηκεν ὡς ὁ δημιουργήσας ἠθέλησεν, ἀρδείαν ἔχουσα τὴν μετὰ τὸν χωρισμὸν τῶν ὑδάτων ἐναπομείνασαν αὐτῇ νοτίδα τε καὶ ἰκμάδα οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ᾿Ακύλας ἡρμήνευσε, καὶ ἐπιβλυσμὸς ἀνέβη ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπότισε πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς χθονός.","t":"What does “A spring went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the earth” mean? Here the writer again recounted in summary what concerns the creation. He taught that God brought forth the elements when they did not exist, that he separated them from one another, that he adorned each of them as he willed, and that, with neither man tilling the earth nor the clouds in labor with rain, the earth put forth plants as its creator willed, having as its watering the moisture and dampness left in it after the separation of the waters. For so Aquila too translated: “And a welling-up went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.22 (PG 80 80:119; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-22)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.23":{"o":"Εἰ ἐκ τοῦ θείου ἐμφυσήματος γέγονεν ἡ ψυχὴ, ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας ἄρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν ἡ ψυχή; Ασεβείας ἐσχάτης καὶ βλασφημίας ἡ τοιαύτη ἔννοια. Τῆς γὰρ δημιουργίας τὴν εὐκολίαν ἔδειξε διὰ τούτου ἡ θεία Γραφή. Πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ, καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν φύσιν αἰνίττεται, ὅτι πνεῦμά ἐστι κτιστὸν, ἀόρατὸν τε καὶ νοερὸν, τῆς τῶν σωμάτων ἀπηλλαγμένον παχύτητος. Κἀκεῖνο δὲ χρὴ συνιδεῖν, ὅτι δεῖ πρότερον νοῆσαι πνεύμονα, καὶ τοὺς ἀποθλίβοντας τοῦτον μῆς, καὶ συστέλλοντας, καὶ τὴν συμπεφυκυίαν ἀρτηρίαν τῷ πνεύμονι, καὶ ὑπερῴαν, καὶ στόμα, εἶθ᾿ οὕτως δέξασθαι τὸ ἐμφύσημα. Εἰ δὲ τὸ Θεῖον ἀσώ - ματον, θεοπρεπῶς ἄρα καὶ τὸ ἐμφύσημα νοη – τέον","t":"If the soul came from the divine breathing, is the soul then from the substance of God? Such a notion belongs to the height of impiety and blasphemy. By this the divine Scripture showed the ease of the creation. Besides this, it hints at the nature of the soul: that it is a created spirit, invisible and intelligent, free from the grossness of bodies. And one must see this too: one would first have to conceive of lungs, and the muscles that compress and contract them, and the windpipe joined to the lungs, and a palate and a mouth, and only then accept the breathing. But if the divine is incorporeal, then the breathing too must be understood in a manner befitting God.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.23 (PG 80 80:121; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-23)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.24":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τὸν παράδεισον ἐφύτευσεν ὁ Θεὸς μέλλων ἐκεῖθεν τὸν ᾿Ἀδὰμ διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν εὐθὺς ἐξορίζειν ; Πρῶτον οὐκ ἀνέχεται ἐκ προγνώσεως κατακρίναι ὁ δεσπότης Θεός. Διὸ καὶ τὴν παράβασιν προορῶν, τῶν ἀγαθῶν αὐτῷ μεταδέδωκεν. Ἔπειτα καὶ γνῶναι αὐτὸν τὰς θείας δωρεὰς ἡβουλήθη ἵνα τούτων στερηθεὶς μισήσῃ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ὡς τοσούτων αὐτὸν γυμνώσασαν ἀγαθῶν. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, ἔδει τὸν δίκαιον ἀγωνοθέτην τοῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθληταῖς προθεῖναι τῆς νίκης τὰ ἄθλα. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ περὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἔφη· Δεῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου.","t":"Why did God plant paradise, when he was going to banish Adam from it at once because of sin? First, God the Master does not consent to condemn on the basis of foreknowledge. That is why, though he foresaw the transgression, he gave him a share in the good things. Then, he also wished him to know the divine gifts, so that, once deprived of them, he might hate sin for having stripped him of such great goods. Besides this, the just president of the games had to set before the athletes of virtue the prizes of victory. For this reason he said about the kingdom too: “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.24 (PG 80 80:121; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-24)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.25":{"o":"Τινὲς ἐν οὐρανῷ φασι τὸν παράδεισον εἶναι. Τῆς θείας λεγούσης Γραφῆς· Ἐξανέτειλεν ἔτι ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῆς γῆς πᾶν ξύλον ὡραῖον εἰς ὅρασιν, καὶ καλὸν εἰς βρῶσιν τολμηρὸν ἄγαν τὸ τοῖς οἰκείοις ἀκολουθεῖν λογισμοῖς, καταλιπόντας τὴν διδασκαλίαν τοῦ Πνεύματος.","t":"Some say that paradise is in heaven. Since the divine Scripture says, “God made to spring up further from the earth every tree beautiful to the sight and good for food,” it is very rash to follow one's own reasonings and abandon the teaching of the Spirit.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.25 (PG 80 80:121; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-25)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.26":{"o":"Τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ τὸ ξύλον τοῦ εἰδέναι γνωστὸν καλοῦ καὶ πονηροῦ νοητὰ χρὴ λέγειν, ἢ αἰσθητά ; Ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ταῦτα βεβλαστηκέναι εἶπεν ἡ θεία Γραφή οὐ τοίνυν ἑτέραν τινὰ φύσιν ἔχει παρὰ τὰ ἄλλα φυτά. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ ξύλον ξύλον ἐστὶ, καὶ σωτήριον ὀνομάζεται, διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς περὶ αὐτὸ πίστεως σωτηρίαν προσγινομένην· οὕτω καὶ ταῦτα φυτὰ μέν ἐστιν ἐκ τῆς γῆς βεβλαστηκότα διὰ δὲ τὸν θεῖον ὅρον, θάτερον αὐτῶν ξύλον ζωῆς ὠνομάσθη· τὸ δὲ ἕτερον, διὰ τὸ περὶ αὐτὸ γενέσθαι τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν αἴσθησιν, ξύλον ἐκλήθη «γνωστὸν καλοῦ καὶ πονηροῦ. Καὶ περὶ τούτου μὲν προετέθη ὁ ἀγὼν τῷ ᾿Αδάμ· τὸ δὲ τῆς ζωῆς οἷόν τι ἔπαθλον προὔκειτο τετηρηκότι τὴν ἐντολήν. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ πατριάρχαι, καὶ χωρίοις καὶ φρέασι τὰς ἐπωνυμίας ἐπέθηκαν. Καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐκάλεσαν φρέαρ ὁράσεως οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ὁρατικὴν δύναμιν ἐχαρίζετο, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ὤφθη παρ᾿ αὐτῷ τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος. Καὶ φρέαρ εὐρυχωρίας· ἐπειδὴ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων φρεάτων πολλάκις οἱ ἀπὸ Γεράρων διαμαχεσάμενοι, οὐκ ἠνώχλησαν τοῖς τοῦτο κατεσκευακόσι τὸ φρέαρ. Οὕτω φρέαρ ὅρκου, διὰ τὸ παρ᾿ αὐτῷ γεγενῆσθαι τοὺς ὅρκους. Οὕτως ἡ Λουζὰ Βαιθήλ ὠνομάσθη, τουτέστιν οἶκος Θεοῦ· ἐπειδὴ ὤφθη τῷ Ἰακὼβ ἐν ἐκείνῳ γε τῷ χωρίῳ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Ποιητής. Ο Καὶ βουνὸς μάρτυς· οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ἔμψυχος ἦν ὁ βουνὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χωρίῳ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐπεποίηντο τὰς συνθήκας· οὕτως ὕδωρ ζῶν καλεῖται τὸ βάπτισμα· οὐκ ἐπειδὴ φύσιν ἑτέραν ἔχει τοῦ βαπτίσματος ὕδωρ, ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι δι᾽ ἐκείνου τοῦ ὕδατος ἡ θεία χάρις τὴν αἰώνιον δωρεῖται ζωήν. Οὕτω καὶ ξύλον ζωῆς» διὰ τὸν θεῖον ὅρον ἐκλήθη καὶ ξύλον γνώσεως διὰ τὴν περὶ τοῦτο γεγενημένην αἴσθησιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Οὐδέπω γὰρ πεῖραν εἰληφότες τῆς ἁμαρτίας εἶτα τοῦ ἀπειρημένου μετειληχότες καρποῦ, ὡς παραβεβηκότες τὴν ἐντολὴν, τὰς τοῦ συνειδότος ἀκίδας ἐδέξαντο.","t":"Should the tree of life and the tree of knowing what is known of good and evil be called intelligible or perceptible? The divine Scripture said that these too sprang from the earth; so they do not have a nature different from the other plants. Just as the wood of the cross is wood, and is called saving because of the salvation that comes through faith in it, so these too are plants that sprang from the earth; but because of the divine decree one of them was named the tree of life, while the other, because the awareness of sin came about in connection with it, was called the tree “of knowing good and evil.” The contest set before Adam concerned this one; the tree of life lay ready as a kind of prize for him if he kept the commandment. So too the patriarchs gave names to places and wells. They called one the well of vision, not because it bestowed the power of sight, but because the Lord of the universe appeared beside it; and the well of broad room, because the men of Gerar, who had often fought over the other wells, did not trouble those who dug this one. So too the well of the oath, because the oaths were sworn beside it. So Luz was named Bethel, that is, house of God, because the maker of the universe appeared to Jacob in that very place. And the hill of witness, not because the hill was alive, but because they made their agreements with one another in that place. So baptism is called living water, not because the water of baptism has a different nature, but because through that water the divine grace grants eternal life. So too the one was called “tree of life” because of the divine decree, and the other tree of knowledge because of the awareness of sin that arose in connection with it. For they had not yet had experience of sin; then, having partaken of the forbidden fruit, as transgressors of the commandment they felt the stings of conscience.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.26 (PG 80 80:123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-26)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.27":{"o":"Οὐκ οὖν εἶχον τὴν γνωσιν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ τοῦ κακοῦ, πρὸ τῆς τοῦ ἀπειρημένου καρποῦ μεΚαὶ πῶς οἷόν τε ἦν, τοὺς λόγῳ τετιμημένους, καὶ κατ' εἰκόνα θείαν γεγενημένους, οὐκ ἔχειν διάκρισιν ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ; Πῶς δ᾽ ἂν αὐτοῖς ἐτεθείκει νόμον τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἡ ἄβυσσος, ταύτην οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἐν τῇ φύσει τὴν γνῶσιν· μηδὲ γινώσκουσιν ὡς ἀγαθὸν μὲν τὸ φυλάξαι τὴν ἐντολὴν, ὀλέθριον δὲ τὸ παραβῆναι; Εἶχον οὖν ἄρα τὴν γνῶσιν· τὴν δὲ πεῖραν προσέλαβον ὕστερον.","t":"Did they not, then, have knowledge of good and evil before partaking of the forbidden fruit? And how could those honored with reason and made according to the divine image not have had discernment of good and evil? How would the abyss of righteousness have laid down a law for them, if they did not have this knowledge in their nature, nor knew that keeping the commandment was good and transgressing it ruinous? They had the knowledge, then; the experience they acquired later.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.27 (PG 80 80:123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-27)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.28":{"o":"Πῶς οὖν μετὰ τὴν βρῶσιν ἔγνωσαν ὅτι γυμνοὶ ἦσαν· πρὸ γὰρ τῆς βρώσεως ταύτην οὐκ εἶχον τὴν αἴσθησιν; Οὐδὲ τὰ κομιδῆ νέα παιδία ἐρυθριᾷν πέφυκε τῆς ἐσθῆτος γεγυμνωμένα κατὰ βραχὺ δὲ τοῦ σώματος αὐξανομένου, καὶ τοῦ νοῦ λοιπὸν ἀρχομένου τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν ἐπιδεικνύναι, οὐκέτι λοιπὸν φορητή τοῖς μειρακίοις ἡ γύμνωσις, ἀλλ' ἐρυθριῶσι, καὶ περιβάλλονται, κἄν τις ἀφέληται τὴν ἐσθῆτα, ταῖς χερσὶ τὰ παιδογόνα καλύπτουσι μόρια. Πολλῶν δὲ καὶ τὸ ἔθος ἀφαιρεῖται ταύτην τὴν αἰσχύνην. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ ναῦται γυμνοὶ πλέοντες, καὶ οἱ λουόμενοι γυμνοὶ ὑπ' ἀλλήλων δρώμενοι, ταύτην ἐνταῦθα τὴν αἰσχύνην οὐκ ἔχουσιν. Ἐὰν δὲ τις ἔξω τῶν βαλανείων γυμνὸς ᾖ, λίαν ἐρυθριᾷ· οὕτω καὶ οἱ περὶ τὸν ᾿Αδάμ, εὐθὺς μὲν διαπλασθέντες, οἷα δὴ νήπιοι, καὶ εὐθυγενεῖς καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀμύητοι, οὐκ ἠσχύνοντο δίχα περιβολαίων διάγοντες. Μετά δὲ τὴν πεῖραν, τοῖς φύλλοις ἔνια τοῦ σώματος συνεκάλυψαν μόρια.","t":"How then did they know after eating that they were naked? Before eating they did not have this awareness. Very young children are not naturally ashamed when stripped of their clothing; but as the body gradually grows and the mind begins to show its own nature, nakedness is no longer bearable to the young; they blush and cover themselves, and if someone takes their clothing away, they cover their private parts with their hands. In many people, habit removes this shame. Sailors who sail naked, and bathers who are seen naked by one another, do not feel this shame there; but if someone is naked outside the baths, he blushes deeply. So too Adam and his wife, as soon as they were formed, being like infants, newly made and uninitiated in sin, were not ashamed to live without clothing; but after the experience they covered some parts of the body with leaves.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.28 (PG 80 80:125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-28)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.29":{"o":"Πῶς ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου φησὶν ὁ Μωϋσῆς τὸν Τίγρην ἐξιέναι, καὶ τὸν Εὐφράτην, οὔς φασί τινες ἐκ τῶν ὀρῶν ἀναβλύζειν τῆς ᾿Αρμενίας; Ἔστιν ἰδεῖν καὶ ἄλλους ποταμοὺς ἑτέρωθεν μὲν ἐξιόντας· ἔπειτα δὲ εἰς τὴν γῆν διά τινων καταδύσεων χωροῦντας, καὶ πάλιν ἄνωθεν ἀναβλύζοντας. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων γεγένηται τῶν ποταμῶν. Ἐξίασι μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖθεν, ὥς φησιν ἡ θεία Γραφή εἶτα διά τίνων ὑπογείων διιόντες πόρων, ἑτέρας ἀρχὰς ἐνταῦθα λαμβάνουσι. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐ μάτην οὕτως ψκονόμησεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἀλλὰ τὴν περιττὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πολυπραγμοσύνην ἐκκόπτων Εἰ γὰρ δῆλος ἦν αὐτῶν ἅπας ὁ πόρος ἐπειράθησαν μὲν ἄν τινες, παρὰ τὰς τούτων ὄχθας ὁδεύοντες, τὸ τοῦ παραδείσου κατοπτεῦσαι χωρίον. Διημάρτανον δὲ τοῦ ποθουμένου καὶ τῷ μήκει τῆς ὁδοιπορίας κοπτόμενοι, καὶ τῇ σπάνει τῶν ἀναγκαίων διαφθειρόμενοι· καὶ νῦν μὲν εἰς δυσχωρίας, νῦν δὲ εἰς ἐρημίας ἐμπίπτοντες· ἔστι δὲ ὅτε καὶ ἀπηνέσι· καὶ βαρβάροις ἀνθρώποις περιπίπτοντες. Καὶ τούτων τοίνυν προμηθούμενος ὁ φιλοικτίρμων Θεὸς, ἀδήλους αὐτῶν τοὺς πόρους ἀπέφηνεν.","t":"How does Moses say that the Tigris and the Euphrates go out of paradise, when some say that they gush up from the mountains of Armenia? One can see other rivers too that come out in one place, then pass into the earth through certain sinkholes and gush up again further on. This has happened with these rivers too. They go out from there, as the divine Scripture says; then, passing through underground channels, they take other sources here. The God of the universe did not arrange this without purpose; he did it to cut off the superfluous curiosity of human beings. If their whole course were visible, some would have tried, travelling along their banks, to spy out the place of paradise. They would have failed in what they longed for, worn out by the length of the journey and perishing for lack of necessities, falling now into rough country, now into deserts, and at times even falling among cruel and barbarous men. Taking forethought for them, then, the compassionate God made the courses of these rivers hidden.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.29 (PG 80 80:125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-29)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.3":{"o":"Προϋπάρχουσιν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς ἄγγελοι, ἢ σὺν αὐτοῖς ἐγένοντο. Περιττὰς μὲν ἐγὼ τὰς τοιαύτας ζητήσεις ὑπείληφα. Τίς γὰρ ὄνησις προσγενήσεται τοῖς ἐγνωκόσι τὸν τῆς τῶν ἀγγέλων δημιουργίας καιρόν; Οἶδα δὲ καὶ τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον τῷ θαυμασίῳ Τιμοθέῳ παρεγγυῶντα· «Παραγγεῖλαί τισι, μὴ ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν, μηδὲ προσέχειν μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογίαις ἀπε· ράντοις. Ἐρῶ δὲ ὅμως ὅπερ συμβαίνειν ὑπείληφα τῷ σκοπῷ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς. Απερίγραφον μόνην ἐδιδάχθημεν εἶναι τὴν θείαν φυσιν· ἄτε δὴ ἄκτιστον οὖσαν, καὶ ἄναρχον, καὶ ἀἴδιον· τὰ δὲ γε ἀρξάμενα τοῦ εἶναι περιγεγραμμένον ἔχει δηλονότι τὸ εἶναι. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἀσώματον λέγοντες εἶναι τῶν ἀγγέλων τὴν φύσιν, περιγεγράφθαι φαμὲν αὐτῶν τὴν ὑπόστασιν. Πῶς γὰρ ἄν τις νοήσαι χιλίας χιλιάδας κal μυρίας μυριάδας, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Δανιήλ, μὴ ἕκαστον λογιζόμενος ἐν ἰδίᾳ εἶναι περιγραφῇ; ᾿Αλλ᾿ ὅτι μὲν περιγεγραμμένην ἔχουσιν οἱ ἄγγελοι τὴν οὐσίαν, οὐδένα ἀντερεῖν οἶμαι. Καὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἕκaστον ὑφ᾽ ἑνὸς ἔφη τετάχθαι κηδεμονίαν ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστός «Ὁρᾶτε γὰρ, φησὶ, μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν ἐλαχίστων τῶν πιστευόντων εἰς ἐμέ ὅτι οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν διαπαντὸς τὸ πρόσωπον ὁρῶσι τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς.» Καὶ ἑκάστῳ δὲ ἔθνει ἄγγε-, λον ἐφεστάναι φησὶν ἡ θεία Γραφή. Ὁ γὰρ τῷ προφήτῃ Δανιήλ συνδιαλεγόμενος ἄγγελος, καὶ ἄρχοντα Περσῶν εἴρηκε, καὶ ἄρχοντα Ἑλλήνων, καὶ Μιχαὴλ ἄρχοντα τῶν Ἰουδαίων. Καὶ Μωσῆς δὲ ὁ μέγας ἐν τῇ ᾠδῇ φησιν Ὅτε διεμέριζεν ὁ Ὕψιστος ἔθνη, ὡς διέσπειρεν υἱοὺς ᾿Αδάμ, ἔστησεν ὅρια ἐθνῶν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων Θεοῦ. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ μὲν τούτων, ὁ δὲ ἐκείνων ἄρχειν ὁ ἐτάχθη, ἕκαστος δὲ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπὸ τὴν ἑνὸς φροντίδα τελεῖ, εὔδηλον ὡς περιγεγραμμένην ἔχουσι τὴν οὐσίαν. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο γοῦν ἀληθὲς, ὥσπερ καὶ ἀληθὲς\", τόπου ἄρα προσδέονται. Μόνον γὰρ τὸ θεῖον, ὡς ἀπερίγραφον, οὐκ ἐν τόπῳ. Εἰ δὲ τὸ περιγεγραμμένον ἐν τόπῳ, πῶς οἷόν τε προϋπάρχειν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς τοὺς ἀγγέλους; Οὐ γὰρ ὄντος τοῦ φέροντος, πῶς ἔνεστι τὸ φερόμενον εἶναι;","t":"Do the angels exist before heaven and earth, or did they come into being with them? I for my part have taken such inquiries to be superfluous. What profit will come to those who know the time when the angels were created? I know, too, that the divine Apostle charges the admirable Timothy “to instruct certain people not to teach a different doctrine, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies.” Yet I will say what I have taken to agree with the aim of the divine Scripture. We have been taught that the divine nature alone is uncircumscribed, inasmuch as it is uncreated, without beginning, and eternal; but things that began to exist plainly have a circumscribed existence. So when we say that the nature of angels is incorporeal, we say that their being is circumscribed. For how could anyone conceive of “thousands of thousands and myriads of myriads,” as the divine Daniel says, without reckoning each to be within its own bounds? But that the angels have a circumscribed substance no one, I think, will deny. For Christ the Master said that each human being is assigned to the care of one: “See,” he says, “that you do not despise one of the least of those who believe in me; for their angels always see the face of my Father in heaven.” And the divine Scripture says that an angel is set over each nation. For the angel conversing with the prophet Daniel spoke of a prince of the Persians, and a prince of the Greeks, and Michael, prince of the Jews. And the great Moses says in his song: “When the Most High divided the nations, when he scattered the sons of Adam, he set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the angels of God.” If, then, one was appointed to rule these and another those, and each human being is under the care of one, it is plain that they have a circumscribed substance. And if this is true, as indeed it is, they need a place. For only the divine, being uncircumscribed, is not in a place. But if what is circumscribed is in a place, how could the angels exist before heaven and earth? If what bears them did not exist, how could what is borne exist?","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.3 (PG 80 80:79; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-3)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.30":{"o":"Τί δή ποτε ἀπὸ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ ᾿Αδάμ τὴν γυναῖκα διέπλασεν; Εἰς ὁμόνοιαν ἡβουλήθη τὰ γένη συναγαγεῖν ὁ τῆς φύσεως Ποιητής. Τούτου χάριν τὸν μὲν ᾿Ἀδὰμ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς διέπλασεν, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ᾿Ἀδὰμ τὴν γυναϊκά ἵνα καὶ τὸ ταυτὸν ἐπιδείξῃ τῆς φύσεως· καὶ φυσικήν τινα φιλοστοργίαν αὐτοῖς περὶ ἀλλήλους ἐμφύσῃ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τούτων οὕτω γεγενημένων, καὶ ἄνδρες γυναιξὶ διαμάχονται, καὶ γυναῖκες ἀνδράσιν, τί οὐκ ἂν ἔδρασαν, εἰ ἑτέρωθέν ποθεν τὴν γυναῖκα διἐπλασε; Σοφῶς οὖν ἄρα καὶ διεῖλε, καὶ πάλιν συνήρμοσεν. Ὁ γὰρ γάμος εἰς ἓν συνάγει τὰ γένη Ἔσονται γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο ἀληθὲς, μαρτυρεῖ τὸ γενόμενον. Διὰ γὰρ τῆς γαμικῆς ὁμιλίας εἷς ἐξ ἀμφοῖν βλαστάνει καρπὸς, ἐκ μὲν τούτου σπειρόμενος, ἐκ δὲ ταύτης τρέφόμενος, τελεσιουργούμενος δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ τῆς φύσεως Δημιουργοῦ.","t":"Why did he form the woman from Adam's side? The maker of nature wished to bring the sexes together in concord. For this reason he formed Adam from the earth, and the woman from Adam, in order both to show the sameness of their nature and to implant in them a natural affection for each other. If, even though they came into being in this way, men quarrel with women and women with men, what would they not have done if he had formed the woman from some other source? Wisely, then, he both divided and joined together again. For marriage brings the sexes into one: “For the two,” it says, “shall become one flesh.” That this is true, what happens bears witness: through marital union one fruit springs from both, sown by him, nourished by her, and brought to completion by the creator of nature.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.30 (PG 80 80:127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-30)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.31":{"o":"φρόνιμος ὁ ὄφις, καὶ ἐπαινούμενος· μόριον γὰρ ἡ φρόνησις ἀρετῆς. Πολλὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων ὁμωνύμως προφέρεται καὶ γὰρ τὰ εἴδωλα τῶν ἐθνῶν θεοὺς ὠνομάκασι. Τοῦτο δέ γε ἀκριβέστερον περὶ τοῦ ἐν ἐκείνῳ ἐνεργήσαντος εἴρηται δαίμονος. Ἀμαθῶς δὲ οἱ ἀνόητοι καὶ τοὺς περὶ τοὺς μύθους ἐσχολακότας, σοφοὺς προσηγόρευσαν. Οὕτω καὶ ἡ θεία Γραφή λέγει, Ἐξελέξατο ὁ Θεὸς τὰ μωρὰ τοῦ κόσμου, ἵνα καταισχύνῃ τοὺς σοφούς. Καὶ πάλιν· Ποῦ σοφός; καὶ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου· Σοφοί εἰσι τοῦ κακοποιῆσαι. Τοιγάρτοι κἀνταῦθα φρόνιμον τὸν ὄφιν ὠνόμασεν, ὡς πανοῦργον. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὁ ᾿Ακύλας ἡρμήνευσεν Καὶ ὁ ὄφις ἦν πανοῦργος ἀπὸ παντὸς ζώου τῆς χώρας, οὗ ἐποίησεν Κύριος ὁ Θεός.,","t":"… the serpent prudent, and is it praised? For prudence is a part of virtue. Many names are used equivocally: they have named the idols of the nations gods. This was said, more precisely, about the demon who worked in that serpent. And the foolish have ignorantly called those who occupy themselves with myths wise. So too the divine Scripture says, “God chose the foolish things of the world to put the wise to shame”; and again, “Where is the wise man?”; and through the prophet, “They are wise in doing evil.” So here too it called the serpent “prudent” in the sense of crafty. For so Aquila too translated: “And the serpent was crafty beyond every living thing of the field that the Lord God had made.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.31 (PG 80 80:127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-31)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.32":{"o":"Ἄλογος ὢν ὁ ὄφις πῶς διελέχθη τῇ Εὔᾳ; ῎Οργανον ἦν αὐτὸς τοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθροῦ. Καὶ τοῦτο δεδήλωκεν ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς θείοις Εὐαγγελίοις. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις· Ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστὲ, ἐπήγαγεν· Ἐκεῖνος ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἦν ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς.» Οὗτος τοίνυν διὰ τοῦ ὄφεως διελέχθη τῇ Εὔᾳ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῶν ἀλόγων ἁπάντων παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὴν ἡγεμονίαν εἰλήφεισαν, δι᾽ ἑνὸς αὐτῇ τῶν ὑπηκόων τὴν παγίδα προσήνεγκε, πιθανωτέραν οὕτω τὴν ἀπάτην κατασκευάζων. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν διὰ τοῦ ὄφεως ἐνεργήσαντα, ὄφιν ἡ θεία προσαγορεύει Γραφή, μάρτυς Ἡσαΐας. ὁ προφήτης βοῶν, Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἔπάξει ὁ Θεὸς τὴν μάχαιραν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἁγίαν, τὴν μεγάλην, καὶ τὴν ἰσχυρὰν, ἐπὶ τὸν δράκοντα τὸν ὄφιν, τὸν σκολιὸν καὶ ἰσχυρόν· ἐπὶ τὸν δράκοντα τὸν ὄφιν τὸν φεύγοντα, τὸν ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ Καὶ ὁ Κύριος δὲ τοῖς ἱεροῖς εἴρηκε : μαθηταῖς· Ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ὑμῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων, καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ.","t":"How did the serpent, being irrational, converse with Eve? It was the instrument of the enemy of the truth. The Lord made this plain in the divine Gospels; for having said to the Jews, “You are of your father the devil,” he added, “He was a murderer from the beginning.” It was he, then, who conversed with Eve through the serpent. Since they had received from the God of the universe the rule over all the irrational animals, he brought the snare to her through one of their subjects, so making the deceit more persuasive. That the divine Scripture also calls the one who worked through the serpent a serpent, the prophet Isaiah is witness, crying out: “On that day God will bring his holy sword, the great and strong, upon the dragon, the serpent, the crooked and strong; upon the dragon, the fleeing serpent, the one in the sea.” And the Lord said to the holy disciples, “See, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.32 (PG 80 80:129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-32)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.33":{"o":"Τί ἐστι - Διηνοίχθησαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν δύο;» Ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τῆς βρώσεως οὐ μεμυκότας εἶχον τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, δῆλον τοῖς προσέχειν ἐθέλουσι. Πῶς γὰρ εἶδεν ἡ γυνὴ τὸ ξύλον, ὅτι καλὸν εἰς βρῶσιν, καὶ ἀρεστὸν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἰδεῖν, καὶ ὡραῖόν ἐστι τοῦ κατανοῆσαι, εἰ μὴ ἀνεῳγότας εἶχον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς; Οὐκοῦν τὴν μετὰ ἁμαρτίαν αἴσθησιν οὕτω κέκληκεν ἡ θεία Γραφή. Εὐθὺς γὰρ μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν κεντᾶται τὸ συνειδός.","t":"What does “The eyes of the two were opened” mean? That even before eating they did not have their eyes shut is plain to those willing to pay attention. How did the woman see that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes to look at, and beautiful to contemplate, unless they had their eyes open? So it is the awareness that came after the sin that the divine Scripture called by this name; for immediately after sin the conscience is stung.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.33 (PG 80 80:129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-33)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.34":{"o":"Τι δή ποτε τοῦ διαβόλου τὴν ἀπάτην προσενεγκόντος ὁ ὄφις κολάζεται; Κυρίως μὲν τὴν ἀρὰν τῷ ἐνεργήσαντι προσενήνοχεν ὁ Θεός. Όφις γὰρ κἀκεῖνος ὠνόμασται· οὐ ταύτην παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὴν φύσιν δεξάμενος· ἀγαθὸς γὰρ ἐκτίσθη, καὶ τοῖς ἀσωμάτοις συνεδημιουργήθη δυνάμεσιν ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἑκὼν εἰς πονηρίαν ἀπέκλινε, καὶ τῆς τιμῆς ἧς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλαχεν ἐστερήθη, καὶ εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀπεῤῥίφη. Καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ ζῶον εἰς ὅνησιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐδέξατο τὴν ἀράν. Ὁρῶντες γὰρ τὸν ὄφιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς συρόμενόν τε καὶ ἰλυσσώμενον, τῆς ἀρχαίας ἀρᾶς ἀναμιμνησκόμεθα· καὶ μανθάνομεν ὡς ἡλίκων πρόξε νος ἡ ἁμαρτία κακῶν, οὐ μόνον τοῖς ταύτην ἐνεργοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ὑπουργοῦσι. Καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ὁ ὄφις οὐδεμίαν ἐντεῦθεν δέχεται βλάβην, οὕτω βαδίζειν πεφυκώς· ἐν τῇ φύσει γὰρ ἔχει τὸ τοιόνδε τῆς κινήσεως εἶδος· οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν φυσικῶν φορτικὸν εἶναι δοκεῖ. Ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος πολλὴν ἐντεῦθεν ὠφέλειαν καρποῦται.","t":"Why is the serpent punished, when it was the devil who brought about the deceit? Properly speaking, God brought the curse upon the one who worked through it. For he too has been named serpent; not that he received this nature from the God of the universe, for he was created good and was created together with the incorporeal powers; but since he turned to wickedness of his own will, he was deprived of the honor he had received from the beginning and was cast down to the earth. And the animal itself received the curse for the benefit of human beings. For when we see the serpent dragging itself along the ground and writhing, we are reminded of the ancient curse, and we learn what great evils sin brings, not only to those who commit it but also to those who assist in it. The serpent itself receives no harm from this, since it is naturally made to move in this way; it has this kind of motion in its nature, and nothing natural seems burdensome. But man reaps much benefit from it.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.34 (PG 80 80:129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-34)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.35":{"o":"Διὰ τί δὲ τὸν ὄφιν ἐδημιούργησεν ὁ Θεὸς, ὅργανον αὐτὸν προειδὼς τῆς πονηρίας ἐσόμενον; Τοῦτο ἄν τις εἴποι καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου προᾔδει γὰρ ὡς καὶ οὗτος τὴν ἐντολὴν παραβήσεται. \"Αλλως τε ῥάδιον ἦν τῷ διαβόλῳ, καὶ δι᾽ ἑτέρου θηρίου τὴν ἀπάτην προσενεγκεῖν.","t":"Why did God create the serpent, foreseeing that it would be the instrument of wickedness? One could say this about man too; for he foreknew that man also would transgress the commandment. Besides, it would have been easy for the devil to bring about the deceit through another beast as well.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.35 (PG 80 80:131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-35)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.36":{"o":"Διὰ τί δὲ τὸν διάβολον ἐποίησεν, εἰδὼς τοιοῦτον ἐσόμενον ; Ὁ Θεὸς πᾶσαν τῶν ἀσωμάτων τὴν φύσιν ἐδημιούργησε, λογικὴν αὐτὴν καὶ ἀθάνατον ἀποφήνας· τοῦ λογικοῦ δὲ τὸ αὐτεξούσιον ἴδιον. Τούτων δὲ οἱ μὲν τὴν περὶ τὸν ποιητὴν ἐφύλαξαν εὔνοιαν, οἱ δὲ εἰς πονηρίαν ἀπέκλιναν. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔστιν εὑρεῖν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ εἰσι τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐρασταὶ, οἱ δὲ τῆς κακίας ἐργάται. Εἰ τοίνυν μέμφεταί τις τῇ τῶν πονηρῶν δημιουργίᾳ, ἀποστερεῖ ἄρα τῶν τῆς νίκης βραβείων τοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθλητὰς **. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐν τῇ αἱρέσει τῆς γνώμης εἶχον τὸν πόθον τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀλλὰ ἐμπεφυκὸς τὸ ἄτρεπτον, ἔλαθον ἂν οἱ ἀξιόνικοι τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀγωνισταί· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν αἵρεσιν τῶν ἀγαθῶν, καὶ τῶν ἐναντίων, ἔχει ἡ γνώμη, δικαίως καὶ οὗτοι τυγχάνουσι τῶν νικηφόρων στεφάνων, κἀκεῖνοι δίκας τιννύουσιν ὑπὲρ ὧν κατὰ γνώμην ἐξήμαρτον.","t":"Why did he make the devil, knowing that he would be such? God created the whole nature of the incorporeal beings, making it rational and immortal; and free will is proper to what is rational. Of these, some kept their goodwill toward their maker, while others turned aside to wickedness. One can find this among human beings too: some are lovers of virtue, others workers of vice. If, then, anyone finds fault with the creation of the wicked, he deprives the athletes of virtue of the prizes of victory. For if they had possessed the love of virtue not in the choice of their will, but as an unchangeableness implanted by nature, the contenders for piety who are worthy of victory would have gone unnoticed. But since the will has the choice between good things and their opposites, these justly obtain the crowns of victory, and those pay the penalty for the sins they committed by their own will.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.36 (PG 80 80:131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-36)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.37":{"o":"Ἀγαθὸν τὸν Θεὸν ὀνομάζοντες, πῶς αὐτῷ περιάπτετε τοσαύτην ἀποτομίαν; Ωμότητος γὰρ καὶ ἀπηνίας, τὸ διὰ βρῶσιν ὀλίγην τοσαύτην ἐπενεγκεῖν τιμωρίαν, οὐ τοῖς ἡμαρτηκόσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐξ ἐκείνων βεβλαστηκόσι. Πρῶτον πεπεῖσθαι προσήκει τοὺς εὐσεβεῖν προαιρουμένους, ὡς πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων γινόμενον ἢ κελευόμενον, καὶ ὅσιον, καὶ δίκαιον, καὶ ἀγαθὸν, καὶ φιλάνθρωπον. Εἰ γὰρ ταῦτα πάντα ἔχειν αὐτὸν ὁμολογοῦμεν· καὶ τὰ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ οἰκονομούμενά τε καὶ προσταττόμενα χρὴ τοιαῦτα εἶναι νομίζειν. \"Έπειτα εἰδέναι δεῖ, ὡς πᾶς νόμος, κἂν περὶ σμικρῶν. τινων διαγορεύῃ, τὴν ἴσην ἔχει δύναμιν τῷ τὰ μέγιστα κελεύοντι ποιεῖν, ἢ ἀπαγορεύοντι δρᾷν· καὶ διαφερόντως πᾶς θεῖος νόμος. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ὁ περιτέμνεσθαι κελεύων, οὐδεμίαν παραβαινόμενος τῷ πέλας ἐργάζεται βλάβην. Αλλ' ὅμως ὁ νομοθέτης φησὶν, ὅτι Πᾶς ἀπερίτμητος ἄρσην, ὃς οὐ περιτμηθήσεται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται. Καὶ ἣν ὥρισε τοῖς ἀνδροφόνοις καὶ τοῖς μοιχοῖς τιμωρίαν, ταύτην καὶ τούτῳ ἐκλήρωσεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰκὸς τοὺς δυσωνύμους αἱρετικοὺς, ἄντικρυς τῇ παλαιᾷ πολεμοῦντας Γραφῇ, καὶ τοῦδε κατηγορῆσαι τοῦ νόμου. ἐκ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς νομοθεσίας τὰς ἀποδείξεις ποιήσομαι. Εὑρίσκομεν γὰρ ἐν ἐκείνοις τοῖς νόμοις, τὸν λάγνως ὁρῶντα γύναιον μοιχείας κρινόμενον· καὶ τὸν εἰκῆ ὀργιζόμενον, ἔνοχον ὄντα τῇ κρίσει· τὸν δὲ ῥακὰ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὀνομάζοντα, γραφῆς πάλιν ὑπεύθυνον· τὸν δὲ μωρὸν ἀποκαλοῦντα, τῆς γεέννης ἄξιον· καὶ τὸν ὀμνύντα, κἂν ἀληθεύων ὀμνύῃ, τῆς διαβολικῆς ὄντα συμμορίας. Τί δή ποτε τοίνυν τοῦτον μὲν ἀγαθὸν ὀνομάζουσιν, ἀπηνῆ δὲ τὸν τῆς παλαιᾶς νομοθέτην; ταῦτα γὰρ ἐκείνων κατὰ τὸν τούτων ὅρον ὠμότερα. ᾿Αλλὰ τῆς ἐκείνων ταῦτα βλασφημίας τολμᾷν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ κἀκείνους καὶ τούτους τοὺς νόμους ἑνὸς ἴσμεν Θεοῦ· τὸ δὲ διάφορον ἡ τῶν νομοθετουμένων ποιότης εἰργάσατο. Οἷα γὰρ σοφὸς διδάσκαλος, τοῖς μὲν ἀτελέσι τὰ ἀτελῆ, τοῖς δὲ τελείοις τὰ τέλεια προσενήνοχε. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις σκοπητέον καὶ τοῦτο, ὡς τοῖς πρώτοις παραβαίνουσι τοὺς νόμους ἐπιφέρονται δίχα συγγνώμης τιμωρίαι· ὥστε τοὺς ἄλλους ὁρῶντας τὴν κόλασιν, μὴ τολμᾶν τὴν παράβα-, σιν. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ Σαββάτου νομοθεσίας ἐγένετο· τὸν γὰρ ἐν Σαββάτῳ τὰ ξύλα συλλέξαι τετολμηκότα, καὶ πρῶτον τὸν περὶ τούτου παραβεβηκότα νόμον, ἅπας κατέλευσεν ὁ λαός· τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦτο προστεταχότος, ἵνα αὐτουργοὶ τῆς τιμωρίας γενόμενοι, φρίττωσι τὴν παρανομίαν, ὡς τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐπάγουσαν. Χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον, πολλῶν τὸν περὶ τοῦ Σαββάτου παραβεβηκότων νόμον, μακροθύμως ὁ νομοθέτης ἤνεγκε τὴν παράβασιν. Οὕτω τὸν Κάϊν πρῶτον πεφονευκότα ταῖς ἀνηκέστοις ὑπέβαλε τιμωρίαις· ἵνα τοὺς ἐπ᾿ ἐκείνου, καὶ μετ᾿ ἐκεῖνον γεγενημένους, δεδίξηται τὰ παραπλήσια μὴ τολμᾷν. Πολλῶν δὲ ὕστερον ἀνδροφόνων γεγενημένων, οὐ παραυτίκα τὰς τιμωρίας ἐπήγαγεν. Ἔδει τοίνυν καὶ τὸν ᾿Ἀδὰμ, πρῶτον δεξάμενον νόμον, καὶ νόμον κουφότατον· τῶν παντοδαπῶν γὰρ αὐτῷ καρπῶν ἐδεδώκει τὴν ἀφθονίαν, ἑνὸς δὲ μόνου τὴν ἐδωδὴν ἀπηγορεύκει δοῦναι δίκην τοῦ πλημμελήματος εἰς ὠφέλειαν τοῦ γένους. Εἰ δὲ δυσόργητος ὢν, ὡς ὁ δυσώνυμος ἔφη Μαρκίων, διὰ βρῶσιν ὀλίγην τὴν τοῦ θανάτου τιμωρίαν ἐπήνεγκε, πῶς ἀνθρώπων ἁπάντων εἰς ἀσέβειαν καὶ παρανομίαν ἐξωκειλάντων, ἐσχάτην οὐ πανωλεθρίαν ἐπήνεγκεν ἀλλὰ τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ δέδωκε, καὶ τὴν διὰ σταυροῦ καὶ πάθους έδωμένους ὀργῇ τινι ταῦτα δεδρακέναι τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, καὶ ἀγνοοῦντας τὸ τῆς οἰκονομίας μυστήριον· δῆλον γὰρ οἶμαι τοῖς τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένοις, ὡς οὐδὲν ἐκ μεταμελείας εἴωθε ποιεῖν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός· τοῦτο γὰρ δὴ τὸ πάθος ἴδιον τῶν τρεπτὴν ἐχόντων τὴν φύσιν, καὶ νῦν μὲν τούτοις, νῦν δὲ ἐκείνοις ἀρεσκομένων, καὶ τὸ μέλλον ἔσεσθαι παντάπασιν ἀγνοούντων, Ὁ δὲ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ἄτρεπτον μὲν ἔχει τὴν φύσιν οἶδε δὲ, ὡς ἤδη γεγενημένα, τὰ 'μήπω γεγενημένα. Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἀδὰμ προορῶν, καὶ προγινώσκων ὡς θνητὸς γενήσεται τὴν ἐντολὴν παραβάς, τοιαύτην αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν φύσιν προκατεσκεύασεν· εἰς ἄῤῥεν γὰρ καὶ θῆλυ τοῦ σώματος ἐσχημάτισε τὴν διάπλασιν τῶν ρήσατο σωτηρίαν; Καὶ ταῦτα λέγω πρὸς τοὺς οἰοδὲ θνητῶν, καὶ παιδοποιίας δεομένων εἰς τὴν τοῦ γένους διαμονὴν, ἡ τοιαύτη τῶν σωμάτων κατασκευή. Ἡ γὰρ ἀθάνατος φύσις οὐ δεῖται τοῦ θήλεος τούτου χάριν ὁ ποιητὴς ὁμοῦ τὸν τῶν ἀσωμάτων παρήγαγεν ἀριθμόν **. Τῶν δὲ θνητῶν ζώων ἀνὰ δύο καθ᾿ ἕκα - στον ἐδημιούργησε γένος, ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ καὶ τῆς αὐξήσεως αὐτοῖς τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐπήνεγκεν. Αὐξάνεσθε, καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν, καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς. Ταῦτα τοίνυν προορῶν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, οὐ μόνον αὐτοὺς οὕτω διέπλασεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ τῆς βρώσεως αὐτοῖς δέδωκε νόμον. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, φησὶ, δέδωκα ὑμῖν πάντα χόρτον σπόριμον σπεῖρον σπέρμα, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπάνω τῆς γῆς· καὶ πᾶν ξύλον, ὅ ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ καρπὸν σπέρματος σπόριμον *3, ὑμῖν ἔσται εἰς βρῶσιν, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς **, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ παντὶ ἑρπετῷ ἕρποντι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὁ ἔχει ἐν αὐτῷ ψυχὴν ζωῆς· καὶ πάντα χόρτον χλωρόν ὑμῖν δέδωκα εἰς βρῶσιν. Ταῦτα γὰρ πρὸ τῆς ἐντολῆς πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ἀδὰμ ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἔφη Θεός. Θνητῶν δὲ ἡ βρῶσις· ἀθάνατος γὰρ φύσις οὐ δεῖται τροφῆς. Καὶ τοῦτο διδάσκων ὁ Κύριος ἔφη, ὅτι Μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν οὔτε γαμοῦσιν οὔτε γαμίσκονται, ἀλλ᾽ εἰσὶν ὡς ἄγγελοι ἐν τοῖς οὐρα νοῖς Οὐ τοίνυν ὀργῆς ἡ τιμωρία, ἀλλ᾽ οἰκονομία σοφίας μεγίστης. Ἵνα γὰρ μισῇ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος, ὡς αἰτίαν θανάτου γεγενημένην, μετὰ τὴν παράβασιν τῆς ἐντολῆς ἐπιφέρει τοῦ θανάτου τὴν ψῆφον ὁ πάνσοφος. Τούτῳ μὲν τὸ περὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μηχανώμενος μίσος, προευτρεπίζων δὲ τῷ γένει τῆς σωτηρίας τὸ φάρμακον, τὸ διὰ τῆς τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἐνανθρωπήσεως, τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν, καὶ τὴν ἀθανασίαν πραγματευσάμενον **. Τί δὲ ἀπηνὲς ἡ ἀπόφασις ἔχει, Γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ; Ἀπὸ γῆς σε, φησὶν, ἔπλασα, καὶ εἰς ἀμείνω πολλῷ μετεσκεύασα φύσιν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ φυλάξαι μου τὴν ἐντολὴν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, πρὸς τὴν προτέραν ἐπάνελθε φύσιν. 'Ανθ' ὅτου δὲ σμικρὸν εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ ἁμάρτημα; Πάντων αὐτῷ τῶν φυτῶν ἐδεδώκει τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἑνὸς δὲ μόνου τὴν ἐδωδὴν ἀπηγορεύκει. Ὁ δὲ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα καταλιπών, τοῦτον καὶ πρῶτον καὶ μόνον ἐτρύγησε τὸν καρπόν. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτῷ καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς ἐμέμψατο Τις γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀνήγγειλέ σοι ὅτι γυ-, μνὸς εἶ, εἰ μὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, οὗ ἐνετειλάμην σοι τούτου μόνου μὴ φαγεῖν, ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἔφαγες; Δεδήλωκε δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ διάβολος δι' ὧν ἔφη τῇ Εὔᾳ· Τί ὅτι εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς, οὐ μὴ φάγητε ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύ. λου τοῦ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ; Εἰ δὲ εἶδεν ἐδηδοκότας, οὐκ ἂν ᾠήθη περὶ πάντων αὐτοὺς τῶν δένδρων είληφέναι τὴν ἐντολήν. Οὐ σμικρὰ τοιγαροῦν ἡ παράβασις. Πρώτου γὰρ μετέλαβον, οὗ μόνου μὴ μετασχεῖν ἐκελεύσθησαν.","t":"You call God good: how then do you attach such severity to him? It is cruel and harsh to inflict so great a punishment for a little food, not only on those who sinned but also on those who sprang from them. First, those who choose to be pious must be convinced that whatever is done or commanded by the God of the universe is holy, just, good, and loving toward humankind. If we confess that he has all these qualities, we must think that what he arranges and commands is of the same kind. Next, one must know that every law, even if it gives directions about small matters, has equal force with one that commands the greatest things to be done, or forbids them; and this is especially true of every divine law. The law commanding circumcision, for example, does no harm to one's neighbor when it is transgressed. Yet the lawgiver says, “Every uncircumcised male who is not circumcised on the eighth day shall be destroyed”; and the punishment he fixed for murderers and adulterers he assigned to this too. But since the heretics of ill-omened name, who openly make war on the Old Scripture, are likely to accuse this law too, I shall make my proofs from the legislation of the Gospel. For in those laws we find that the one who looks lustfully at a woman is judged guilty of adultery; the one who is angry without cause is liable to judgment; the one who calls his brother “Raca” is answerable to the court; the one who calls him “fool” deserves Gehenna; and the one who swears, even if he swears truly, belongs to the devil's company. Why then do they call this lawgiver good, but the lawgiver of the Old Testament harsh? By their own standard these laws are harsher than those. But daring such things belongs to their blasphemy. We know that both these laws and those come from one God; the difference was produced by the character of those who received the law. Like a wise teacher, he offered imperfect things to the imperfect and perfect things to the perfect. Besides this, one must consider that punishments are inflicted without pardon on the first transgressors of laws, so that others, seeing the punishment, may not dare the transgression. This happened with the law of the Sabbath: the man who dared to gather wood on the Sabbath, the first to transgress the law about it, was stoned by the whole people at God's command, so that, having carried out the punishment with their own hands, they might shudder at lawlessness as something that brings punishment. Later, when many transgressed the law of the Sabbath, the lawgiver bore the transgression patiently. So too he subjected Cain, the first murderer, to incurable punishments, to frighten those of his time and those after him from daring anything similar; but later, when there had been many murderers, he did not bring the punishments at once. So Adam too, who first received a law, and a very light law (for he had given him an abundance of fruits of every kind, and forbidden him to eat of one only), had to pay the penalty of his offence for the benefit of the race. But if, being irascible, as Marcion of ill-omened name said, he inflicted the punishment of death for a little food, how is it that, when all human beings had run aground in impiety and lawlessness, he did not bring final and total destruction upon them, but gave his Son and procured salvation through the cross and passion? I say this to those who think that the God of the universe did these things out of some anger, and who do not know the mystery of the dispensation. It is plain, I think, to those taught in divine things that the God of the universe never does anything out of regret; this passion is proper to those who have a changeable nature, who are pleased now with one thing and now with another, and are wholly ignorant of what will be. But the God of the universe has an unchangeable nature, and knows what has not yet happened as already done. So, foreseeing what concerned Adam, and foreknowing that he would become mortal by transgressing the commandment, he prepared his nature beforehand to suit; for he shaped the formation of the body into male and female. Such a constitution of bodies belongs to mortals, who need childbearing for the continuance of the race. Immortal nature does not need the female; that is why the maker brought forth the whole number of the incorporeal beings at once. But of the mortal animals he created male and female, two by two in each kind, and gave them the blessing of increase: “Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and have dominion over it.” Foreseeing this, then, the God of the universe not only formed them in this way, but also gave them the law about food: “See,” he says, “I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the earth, and every tree that has in itself fruit of seed for sowing; it shall be food for you, and for all the beasts of the earth, and all the birds of heaven, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, which has in it the breath of life; and I have given you every green plant for food.” The God of the universe said this to Adam before the commandment. But food belongs to mortals; immortal nature needs no nourishment. And the Lord, teaching this, said that after the resurrection “they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” The punishment, then, was not the work of anger, but a dispensation of the greatest wisdom. So that the human race might hate sin as the cause of death, the all-wise one brings the sentence of death after the transgression of the commandment. By this he contrives hatred of sin, while preparing beforehand for the race the remedy of salvation, which, through the becoming man of the Only-begotten, procured the resurrection from the dead and immortality. And what is harsh in the sentence, “You are earth, and to earth you will return”? “I formed you from earth,” he says, “and changed you into a far better nature; but since you would not keep my commandment, return to your former nature.” And why should the sin seem small? He had given him authority over all the plants, and forbidden him to eat from one alone. But he, leaving all the others, plucked this fruit first and only. This is what God the Master reproached him with: “Who told you,” he says, “that you were naked, unless you have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat from this alone?” The devil too made this plain by what he said to Eve: “Why is it that God said, You shall not eat from every tree in the paradise?” If he had seen them eating, he would not have thought that they had received the commandment about all the trees. The transgression, then, was not small: they partook first of the one tree from which alone they had been commanded not to partake.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.37 (PG 80 80:131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-37)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.38":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκα, τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰρηκότος, ᾗ δ᾽ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, θανάτῳ ἀποθανῇ, οὐκ εὐθὺς ἀπέθανε τὴν ἐντολὴν παραβάς *'; Ἐναντία αὕτη κατηγορία. Πρὸ βραχέος γὰρ ἀπηνῆ τὸν Θεὸν ἀποκαλοῦντες, νῦν αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν κατηγορεῖτε. Ὑμνεῖν δὲ μᾶλλον ἐχρῆν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κατηγορεῖν τῆς ἀγαθότητος τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἴωθε γὰρ μείζονα μὲν ἀπειλεῖν, ἐλάττους δὲ τῶν ἀπειλῶν τὰς τιμωρίας ἐπάγειν. Καὶ τοῦτο πολλαχῆ ἔστιν εὑρεῖν παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ. Ἐνταῦθα μέντοι τὸν τῆς θνητότητος ὄρον ὠνόμασε θάνατον· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὁ Σύμμαχος ἠρμήνευσεν· «Ἡ δ᾽ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, θνητὸς ἔσῃ. Μετὰ γὰρ δὴ τὴν θείαν ἀπόφασιν, καθ' ἑκάστην, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ἡμέραν τὸν θάνατον προσεδέχετο οὕτως οἱ πεπιστευκότες τῷ Δεσπότῃ Χριστῷ, καὶ σφαττόμενοι ζῶσι, προσμένοντες τὴν ἀνάστασιν, καὶ τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν. Τῇ γὰρ ἐλπίδι ἐσώθημεν.","t":"Why, when God had said, “On whatever day you eat from the tree, you shall surely die,” did he not die at once when he transgressed the commandment? This accusation is the opposite of the last. A little before, you called God harsh; now you accuse his love for humankind. You ought rather to praise the goodness of God, not accuse it. For he usually threatens greater things but brings punishments smaller than the threats; and one can find this in many places in the divine Scripture. Here, however, he called the sentence of mortality death; for so Symmachus too translated: “On whatever day you eat from the tree, you will be mortal.” After the divine sentence he expected death every day, so to speak. So too those who have believed in Christ the Master live even while being slaughtered, awaiting the resurrection and the kingdom of heaven. “For in hope we were saved.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.38 (PG 80 80:137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-38)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.39":{"o":"Τοὺς χιτῶνας τοὺς δερματίνους τί νοητέον; Οἱ μὲν ἀλληγορηταὶ τὴν θνητὴν σάρκα φασὶ τὰ δέρματα ἄλλοι δέ τινες ἀπὸ φλοιῶν δένδρων τούτους κατεσκευᾶσθαι εἰρήκασιν. Ἐγὼ δὲ γε οὐδέτερον τούτων προσίεμαι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ περίεργον, τὸ δὲ ἄγαν μυθῶδες. Τῆς γὰρ θείας Γραφῆς καὶ πρὸ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ σῶμα διαπεπλᾶσθαι φησάσης, πῶς οὐ μυθῶδες τὸ λέγειν μετὰ τὴν παράβασιν τῆς ἐντολῆς σάρκα αὐτοὺς εἰληφέναι θνητήν; Τὸ δέ γε πολυπραγμονεῖν, πόθεν τῷ Θεῷ δέρματα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καινὸν εἶδος περιβολαίων ἐπινοεῖν, περιττὸν εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ. Χρὴ τοίνυν στέργειν τὰ γεγραμμένα, καὶ εἰδέναι ὡς οὐδὲν ἄπορον τῷ τῶν ὅλων Δημιουργῷ, καὶ θαυμάζειν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἄπειρον ἀγαθότητα· ὅτι καὶ παραβεβηκότων ἐπιμελεῖται καὶ δεηθέντων περιβολαίου οὐ περιεῖδε γυμνούς **.","t":"How should the garments of skin be understood? The allegorists say that the skins are mortal flesh; others have said that they were made from the bark of trees. I accept neither of these; the one is overly curious, the other very fabulous. Since the divine Scripture says that the body was formed even before the soul, how is it not fabulous to say that after transgressing the commandment they received mortal flesh? And to busy oneself about where God got skins, and on that account to invent a new kind of clothing, seems to me superfluous. One must be content with what is written, and know that nothing is impossible for the creator of the universe, and marvel at his boundless goodness: he cares for them even after their transgression, and when they needed clothing he did not overlook them in their nakedness.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.39 (PG 80 80:137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-39)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.4":{"o":"Ἀλλὰ, φασί τινες, χρῆναι λέγειν προϋπάρχειν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς τοὺς ἀγγέλους. ᾿Αγγέλων γὰρ, φασὶν, οὐκ ὄντων πῶς ὁ τῶν ὅλων ὑμνεῖτο Θεός; Ἀλλ᾿ οἱ ταῦτα λέγοντες, ἀγνοοῦσιν ὡς καὶ ἀνάρχους αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀϊδίους οὗτος ὁ λόγος ποιεῖ. Εἰ γὰρ ἐδεῖτο τῶν ὑμνούντων ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἀεὶ δὲ τούτους εἶχεν ὑμνοῦντας, συναΐδιοι ἄρα οἱ ἄγγελοι τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ. Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἀεὶ, ἀλλ' ὅτε περ ἠβουλήθη τούτους ἐδημιούργησεν, ἦν ἄρα τις αἰὼν, ἐν ᾧπερ τοὺς ὑμνοῦντας οὐκ εἶχεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός. ἷόν τε. Οὐκοῦν οὐ δὲῖται τῶν ὑμνούντων ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός ἀνενδεῆ γὰρ ἔχει τὴν φύσιν. Δι' ἀγαθότητα δὲ μόνην καὶ ἀγγέλοις, καὶ ἀρχαγγέλοις, καὶ πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει τὸ εἶναι δεδώρηται· ποίαν δὲ καὶ λειτουργίαν εἶχον πρὸ τῆς κτίσεως ὄντες, οὐδενὸς ὄντος τοῦ τῆς τούτων ὠφελείας προσδεομένου; Ὅτι γὰρ εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων κηδεμονίαν ὑπουργοῦσι τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ, μάρτυς ὁ θεῖος Απόστολος βοῶν· Οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν; Οὐκοῦν εὔδηλον, ὡς ἡμεῖς μὲν τῆς ἐκείνων ἐπικουρίας δεόμεθα· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἥκιστα μέν τινος ἐνδεής ἄβυσσος δὲ ὧν ἀγαθότητος, ἡβουλήθη καὶ τοῖς μηδαμῆ μηδαμῶς οὖσι μεταδοῦναι τοῦ εἶναι. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ οἱ προϋπάρχειν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς τοὺς ἀγγέλους ἰσχυριζόμενοι, ὡς ἰσχυρὸν ἡμῖν καὶ ἅμαχον προβάλλονται ἐκεῖνο τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων πρὸς τὸν Ἰὼβ εἰρημένον Ὅτε ἐποίουν ἄστρα, ἰῇνεσάν με πάντες ἄγγελοί μου. Καὶ οὐ συνορῶσιν, ὡς τῇ τετάρτῃ ἡμέρᾳ σὺν τῷ ἡλίῳ καὶ τῇ σελήνῃ τὰ ἄστρα παρήγαγεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός. Εἰκὸς δὲ τοὺς ἀγγέλους σὺν οὐρανῷ δημιουργηθῆναι καὶ γῇ, ἵνα καὶ τὸ φῶς ὁρῶν τες ἐξ οὐδενὸς ὑποκειμένου δημιουργούμενον, καὶ τὸ στερέωμα ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ὕδατος συμπηγνύμενον, καὶ τὴν ὑγρὰν οὐσίαν χωριζομένην τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὴν γῆν ἅμα τῷ θείῳ λόγῳ παντοδαπῶς διακοσμουμένην βλαστήμασι, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα πρὸς τὸ θεῖον γινόμενα βούλημα, γνῶσι δι' ὧν ὁρῶσιν, ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ κτιστὴν ἔχουσι τὴν φύσιν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ τὸ εἶναι δεξάμενοι. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος τῷ κόσμῳ αὐτοὺς συζεύγνυσι, λέγων, ὅτι Θέατρον ἐγενήθημεν τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ἀγγέλοις καὶ ἀνθρώποις. Ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦτα οὐκ ἀποφαινόμενος λέγω· τολμηρὸν γὰρ ἀποφαντικῶς οἶμαι λέγειν, περὶ ὧν ἡ θεία διαῤῥή δην οὐ λέγει Γραφή· ἀλλ᾿ ὅπερ τοῖς εὐσεβέσι λογι σμοῖς ἁρμόττειν ὑπέλαβον, εἴρηκα. Ἐκεῖνο μέντοι ἀναγκαῖον εἰδέναι, ὡς πάντα τὰ ὄντα, πλὴν τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος, κτιστὴν ἔχει τὴν φύσιν. Συνομολογουμένου δὲ τούτου, τῷ τῆς εὐσεβείας οὐ λυμαίνεται λόγῳ, τὸ πρὸ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς γεγενῆσθαι λέγειν τῶν ἀγγέλων τοὺς δήμους. Τὸ δὲ λογομαχεῖν εἰς οὐδὲν χρήσιμον ἐπὶ καταστροφῇ τῶν ἀκουόντων, ἀπαγορεύει διαῤῥήδην ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος.","t":"“But,” some say, “one must say that the angels existed before heaven and earth. For if there were no angels,” they say, “how was the God of the universe hymned?” But those who say this do not see that this argument makes them both without beginning and eternal. For if the God of the universe needed those who hymn him, and always had them hymning him, then the angels are coeternal with the God of the universe. But if not always, and he created them when he willed, then there was an age in which the God of the universe did not have those who hymn him. … possible. Therefore God the Master does not need those who hymn him, for he has a nature free of need. Out of goodness alone he has granted being to angels and archangels and the whole creation. And what ministry would they have had, existing before creation, when there was no one in need of their help? For that they serve the God of the universe in caring for human beings, the divine Apostle is witness, crying out: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out for service, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” It is plain, then, that we need their help, while God is in no way in need of anything; but, being an abyss of goodness, he willed to give a share in being even to what in no way existed. But those who insist that the angels existed before heaven and earth put forward against us, as strong and unanswerable, what the God of the universe said to Job: “When I made the stars, all my angels praised me.” And they do not see that the God of the universe brought forth the stars on the fourth day, together with the sun and the moon. It is likely that the angels were created together with heaven and earth, so that, seeing the light created from no underlying matter, and the firmament made solid in the middle of the water, and the watery substance separated from the earth, and the earth adorned with plants of every kind at the divine word, and all the other things coming to be at the divine will, they might know through what they saw that they too have a created nature, having received their being from him. For the divine Apostle too joins them to the world, saying, “We have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.” I say this not as a pronouncement; I think it rash to pronounce on what the divine Scripture does not expressly say; but I have said what I took to fit pious reasoning. This, however, it is necessary to know: everything that exists, except the Holy Trinity, has a created nature. Once this is agreed, it does no harm to the doctrine of piety to say that the hosts of angels came into being before heaven and earth. But wrangling over words, which is useful for nothing and ruins those who listen, the divine Apostle expressly forbids.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.4 (PG 80 80:81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-4)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.40":{"o":"Τί ἐστι τὸ,‹ Ἰδοὺ γέγονεν ᾿Αδὰμ ὡς εἰς ἐξ ἡμῶν ; Ἐπειδὴ ὁ διάβολος εἶπεν, «Ἔσεσθε ὡς θεοὶ για κύσκοντες καλὸν καὶ πονηρὸν, ἐδέξατο δὲ τοῦ θανάτου τὸν ὄρον τὴν ἐντολὴν παραβὰς, εἰρωνικῶς τοῦτο εἴρηκεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, δεικνὺς τῆς διαβολικῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ψεῦδος. Μεταλαβεῖν δὲ αὐτὸν τοῦ καρποῦ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς διεκώλυσεν· οὐ φθονῶν αὐτῷ τῆς ἀθανάτου ζωῆς, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐπέχων τὸν δρόμον. Ἰατρεία τοίνυν ὁ θάνατος, οὐ τιμωρία ἐστίν. Ἐπέχει γὰρ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν ὁρμήν. Ὁ γὰρ ἀποθανὼν, φησὶ, δεδικαίωται ἀπὸ ς τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Καταντικρὺ δὲ τοῦ παραδείσου διάγειν αὐτὸν προσέταξεν· ἵνα τῆς ἀλύπου βιοτῆς εἰς μνήμην ἐρχόμενος, μισῇ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ὡς πρόξενον τῆς ἐπιπόνου ζωῆς.","t":"What does “See, Adam has become like one of us” mean? Since the devil had said, “You will be like gods, knowing good and evil,” and Adam had received the sentence of death for transgressing the commandment, the God of the universe said this ironically, showing the falsehood of the devil's promise. He prevented him from partaking of the fruit of the tree of life, not because he grudged him immortal life, but to check the course of sin. Death, then, is a cure, not a punishment; for it checks the impulse of sin. “For the one who has died,” it says, “has been justified from sin.” He commanded him to live opposite paradise, so that, remembering the life free of pain, he might hate sin as the cause of a life of toil.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.40 (PG 80 80:141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-40)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.41":{"o":"Εἰ ἐλυπήθη Κάϊν μὴ δεχθέντων τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ προσενεχθέντων, δῆλον ὅτι μετεμελήθη· τῶν γὰρ μεταμελουμένων ἡ λύπη. Ἡνίασεν αὐτὸν οὐχ ἡ αὐτοῦ πλημμέλεια, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ εὐπραξία. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ ᾿Ακύλας ᾐνίξατο ἔφη δὲ οὕτως, «Καὶ ὀργίλον τῷ Κάϊν σφόδρα, καὶ ἔπεσε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Κάϊν, Εἰς τί τὸ ὀργίλον σοι;","t":"If Cain was grieved because his offerings were not accepted, it is plain that he repented; for grief belongs to those who repent. What vexed him was not his own fault, but his brother's success. Aquila too hinted at this; he put it so: “And Cain was very angry, and his face fell. And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry?”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.41 (PG 80 80:143; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-41)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.42":{"o":"Ποῖον σημεῖον ἔθετο τῷ Κάϊν ὁ Θεός; Αὐτὸς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὄρος σημεῖον ἦν, κωλύων αὐτὸν ἀναιρεθῆναι καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ τῶν μελῶν ὁ κλόνος ἐπίσημον αὐτὸν καὶ δῆλον εἰργάζετο.","t":"What sign did God put on Cain? God's decree itself was a sign, preventing him from being killed; and the trembling of his limbs made him marked and conspicuous.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.42 (PG 80 80:143; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-42)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.43":{"o":"Τίνα ὁ Κάϊν ἔσχε γυναῖκα ; Δῆλον ὅτι τὴν ἀδελφήν οὐκ ἦν δὲ τοῦτο τηνικαῦτα κατηγορία, οὐδενὸς ἀπαγορεύοντος νόμου. ῎Αλλως τε οὐδὲ οἷόν τε ἦν ἄλλως αὐξηθῆναι τὸ γένος. Ἠβουλήθη δὲ ὁ Θεὸς, ἐξ ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς καὶ ἐκ μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἅπαντα συστῆσαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ ἔθνη· πρῶτον ἵνα τὸ ταυτὸν τῆς φύσεως γινώσκωσιν, ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς ζεύγους βεβλαστηκότες ἔπειτα καὶ εἰς ὁμόνοιαν συνάπτωνται ὡς ἐκ μιᾶς ῥίζης ἠνθηκότες. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τούτων παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων πρυτανευθέντων μυρίαι τολμῶνται σφαγαὶ, τί οὐκ ἂν ἐτόλμησαν, εἰ ἐκ διαφόρων βεβλαστηκέναι πατέρων ᾠήθησαν; Τούτου χάριν ἕνα μὲν ἐκ τῆς γῆς διέπλασεν ἄνδρα ἐκ δὲ τούτου μίαν ἐδημιούργησε γυναῖκα ἐκ δὲ τούτων πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην τοῦ γένους ἐπλήρωσε. Διὰ τήνδε τοίνυν τὴν αἰτίαν, συνεχώρησεν ἐν ἀρχῇ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὴν ἐπιμιξίαν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ηὐξήθη τὸ γένος, ὡς παράνομον τοῦτον ἀπαγορεύει τὸν γάμον. Διά τοι τοῦτο σὺν τῷ Νῶε καὶ τοῖς υἱέσι, καὶ τὰς ἐκείνων γυναῖκας διέσωσεν ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ, ἵνα ταῖς ἀνεψιαῖς οἱ ἐκείνων συναφθῶσι παῖδες.","t":"Whom did Cain have as wife? His sister, clearly; but this was not then a charge against him, since no law forbade it. Besides, the race could not have increased otherwise. God wished to establish all the nations of human beings from one man and one woman: first, so that they might recognize the sameness of their nature, as sprung from one couple; then, so that they might be joined in concord, as having flowered from one root. For if, even with these things so governed by the God of the universe, countless slaughters are dared, what would they not have dared if they had thought that they had sprung from different fathers? For this reason he formed one man from the earth, made one woman from him, and from them filled the whole world with the race. For this reason, then, he permitted at the beginning the union of brothers and sisters; but when the race had increased, he forbids this marriage as unlawful. That is why, with Noah and his sons, he also saved their wives in the ark, so that their children might be joined to their cousins.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.43 (PG 80 80:143; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-43)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.44":{"o":"Τίνας ἀνεῖλεν ὁ Λάμεχ ; Οὐ δύο, καθά τινες ὑπειλήφασιν οὐδὲ τὸν Κάϊν, ὡς ἕτεροι μεμυθολογήκασιν ἀλλ᾿ ἕνα, καὶ τοῦτον νέον. \"Ανδρα γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀπέκτεινα εἰς τραῦμα ἐμοὶ, καὶ νεανίσκον εἰς μώλωπα ἐμοί· τουτέστιν, ἄνδρα νέαν ἄγοντα τὴν ἡλικίαν. Διέφυγε μέντοι τὴν τιμωρίαν, διὰ τὴν τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὁμολογίαν καὶ καθ' ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ψῆφον ἐξενεγκών, τὴν θείαν διεκώλυσε ψῆφον.","t":"Whom did Lamech kill? Not two, as some have supposed, nor Cain, as others have told in their myths, but one, and a young man at that. “For I have killed a man,” he says, “to my wounding, and a youth to my bruising”; that is, a man young in age. He escaped punishment, however, because he confessed his sin: by pronouncing sentence against himself he prevented the divine sentence.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.44 (PG 80 80:145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-44)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.45":{"o":"Ποῦ μετέθηκεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τὸν Ἐνώχ; Οὐ δεῖ ζητεῖν τὰ σεσιγημένα· στέργειν δὲ προσἡκει τὰ γεγραμμένα. Ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι τοῦτο πεποιηκέναι τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, εἰς ψυχαγωγίαν τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθλητῶν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ ῎Αβελ, πρῶτος γεγονὼς τῆς δικαιοσύνης καρπὸς, πρόωρός τε καὶ πρόβ. ῥιζος ἐξεκόπη ἐλπὶς δὲ τῆς ἀναστάσεως οὐδέπω, τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐψυχαγώγει, μετέθηκεν εὐαρεστήσαντα τὸν Ἐνὼχ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, καὶ τῆς τῶν θνητῶν ἐχώρισε βιοτῆς ἵνα ἕκαστος τῶν εὐσεβεῖν προαιρουμένων λογίζηται, οἷα δὴ λόγῳ τετιμημένος, ὡς ὁ τοῦτον τετιμηκὼς, ἀγέραστον οὐκ ἐάσει τὸν ῎Αβελ, ἅτε δὴ δίκαιος ὢν, καὶ δικαίως ἰθύνων τὰ σύμπαντα. Τούτου δὴ χάριν, τὸν μὲν παρεῖδεν ἀναιρούμενον, τὸν δὲ μετέθηκεν ἵνα τῇ ἀναῤῥήσει τῇ τούτου μηνύσῃ τὴν ἐσομένην ἀνάστασιν. Ὁ γὰρ κατὰ τόνδε τὸν βίον τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς μὴ τετυχηκὼς ἀντιδόσεων, δῆλον ὡς ἐν ἑτέρῳ τούτων ἀπολαύσεται βίῳ.","t":"Where did the God of the universe translate Enoch? One must not seek what has been passed over in silence, but be content with what is written. I think, though, that the God of the universe did this to encourage the athletes of virtue. Abel, the first fruit of righteousness, had been cut down before his time and by the roots, and the hope of the resurrection did not yet encourage human beings; so the God of the universe translated Enoch, who had pleased him, and removed him from the life of mortals, so that each of those who choose piety, being honored with reason, might reckon that he who honored Enoch would not leave Abel without honor, since he is just and governs all things justly. For this reason he allowed the one to be killed and translated the other, to signify by his taking-up the resurrection to come. For the one who did not obtain the rewards of virtue in this life will clearly enjoy them in another life.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.45 (PG 80 80:145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-45)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.46":{"o":"Τι δὴ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἡμαρτηκότος \"Αβελ ὁ δίκαιος ἐτελεύτησε πρῶτος ; Σαθρὸν ἠβουλήθη ὁ Θεὸς γενέσθαι τὸν τοῦ θανάτου θεμέλιον. Εἰ γὰρ ᾿Ἀδὰμ πρότερος ἐτελεύτησεν, ἔσχεν ἂν ἐκεῖνος ἰσχυρὰν τὴν κρηπίδα, πρῶτον νεκρὸν τὸν ἡμαρτηκότα δεξάμενος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸν ἀδίκως ἀνῃρημένον ἐδέξατο πρῶτον, σφαλερὸν τὸ θεμέλιον ἔχει.","t":"Why, when it was Adam who had sinned, did Abel the righteous die first? God wished the foundation of death to be rotten. If Adam had died first, death would have had a strong base, receiving the sinner as its first dead. But since it received first one who was unjustly killed, it has an insecure foundation.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.46 (PG 80 80:145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-46)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.47":{"o":"Τίνας υἱοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ κέκληκεν ὁ Μωσῆς; Ἐμβρόντητοί τινες καὶ ἄγαν ἠλίθιοι, ἀγγέλους τούτους ὑπέλαβον, τῆς οἰκείας ἴσως ἀκολασίας ἀπολογίαν σχήσειν ἡγούμενοι, εἰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τοιαῦτα κατηγοροῖεν. \"Ἔδει δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀκοῦσαι τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων λέγοντος Οὐ μὴ καταμείνῃ τὸ Πνεῦμά μου ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς σάρκας· ἔσονται δὲ αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτῶν ἔτη έκατὸν εἴκοσι καὶ συνιδεῖν ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς οὔτε σάρκας ἔχει τῶν ἀσωμάτων ἡ φύσις, οὔτε χρόνῳ ῥητῷ περιωρισμένην ἔχουσι τὴν ζωήν· ἀθάνατοι γὰρ ἐκτίσθησαν. Καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει διάνοιαν Ἱδὼν γὰρ, φησὶ, Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι ἐπληθύνθησαν αἱ κακίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ πᾶς τις διανοεῖται ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐπιμελῶς ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας καὶ ἐνεθυμήθη ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι ἐποίησε τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἀπαλείψω τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὃν ἐποίησα ἀπὸ προσὡπου τῆς γῆς, ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους, καὶ ἀπὸ ἑρπετῶν ἕως πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅτι ἐνεθυπά θην ὅτι ἐποίησα αὐτούς. Καὶ τῷ Νῶε πάλιν ἔφη· Καιρὸς παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἥκει ἐναντίον μου ὅτι ἐπλήσθη ἡ γῆ ἀδικίας ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ ἰδοὺ καταφθείρω αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὴν γῆν. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ἀνθρώπους εἶναι δηλοῖ, τοὺς τὸν παράνομον βίον ήγαπηκότας. Εἰ δὲ ἄγγελοι ταῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπεμίγησαν θυγατράσιν, ἠδίκηνται οἱ ἄνθρωποι παρὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων βία γὰρ δηλονότι τὰς τούτων θυγατέρας διέφθειραν· ἡδίκηνται δὲ καὶ παρὰ τοῦ πεποιηκότος Θεοῦ, ὑπὲρ ἀγγέλων λελαγνευκότων αὐτοὶ κολαζόμενοι. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα οὐδὲ αὐτὸν οἶμαι φάναι τολμῆσαι τὸν τοῦ ψεύδους πατέρα. Διὰ πολλῶν γὰρ ἐδίδαξεν ἡ θεία Γραφή, καὶ ἀνθρώπους ἡμαρτηκέναι, καὶ κατ' ἀνθρώπων τὴν θείαν ἐξενηνέχθαι ψῆφον. Ποιεῖ δὲ τοῖς πολλοῖς τὴν ἄγνοιαν τὸ παρέργως ἀναγινώσκειν τὴν θείαν Γραφήν. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ ὁ συγγραφεὺς, ὅπως ἐκ μὲν τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ὁ Σὴθ ἐγεννήθη, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Σὴθ ὁ Ἐνὼς, προσέθηκεν, Οὗτος ἤλπισεν ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ Ὁ δὲ ᾿Ακύλας οὕτως τοῦτο ἡρμήνευσεν, Τότε ἤρχθη τοῦ καλεῖσθαι τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου αἰνίττεται δὲ ὁ λόγος, ὡς διὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν οὗτος πρῶτος τῆς θείας προσηγορίας τετύχηκε, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν συγγενῶν ὠνομάσθη Θεός· ὅθεν οἱ ἐκ τούτου φύντες υἱοὶ Θεοῦ ἐχρη| μάτιζον· ὥσπερ δὴ κι καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ προσηγορίας Χριστιανοὶ καλούμεθα. Εἰ δέ τις ταύτην οὐ δέχεται τὴν διάνοιαν, διὰ τὸ τὸν Ἀκύλαν οὕτως ἡρμηνευκέναι, ἀκουσάτω τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ Δαβὶδ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος Ἐγὼ εἶπα, Θεοί ἐστε, καὶ υἱοὶ Ὑψίστου πάντες. Καὶ, Ὁ Θεὸς ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρινεῖ. Οὕτω δὲ ὀνομάζει τοὺς ἄρχοντας, ὡς δηλοῖ τὰ ἑξῆς, Ἕως πότε κρίνετε ἀδικίαν, καὶ πρόσωπα ἁμαρτωλῶν λαμβάνετε; Κρίνετε ὀρφανῷ καὶ πτωχῷ, ταπεινὸν καὶ πένητα δικαιώσατε, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ αὖθις, Θεὸς θεῶν Κύριος ἐλάλησε, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὴν γῆν. Τούτων αὐτῶν δηλονότι τῶν χάριτι τῆς προσηγορίας ταύτης ἠξιωμένων. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ νομοθέτης φησὶ, Θεοὺς οὐ κακολογήσεις, καὶ ἄρχοντας τοῦ λαοῦ σου οὐκ ἐρεῖς κακῶς. Κἀκεῖνοι τοίνυν ὡς εὐσεβεῖς ὠνομάσθησαν υἱοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐκεχώριστο γὰρ τοῦ Σὴθ τὸ γένος, καὶ οὐκ ἐπεμίγνυτο τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ Κάϊν, διὰ τὴν ἐπενεχθεῖσαν αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἀράν. ᾿Αλλὰ χρόνου συχνοῦ διελθόντος· (μετά πλείονα γὰρ ἢ δισχίλια ἔτη τὸν κατακλυσμὸν ἐπήγαγεν ὁ Θεὸς), εὐειδεῖς θεασάμενοι τῆς τοῦ Κάϊν συγγενείας τὰς θυγατέρας, καὶ καταθελχθέντες, ὡς εἰκὸς, τοῖς παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐπινοηθεῖσι μουσικοῖς ὀργάνοις (ὁ γὰρ Ἰουβάλ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀνθήσας, ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθάραν κατέδειξεν), ἐπεμίγησαν αὐταῖς, καὶ διέφθειραν τὴν οἰκείαν εὐγένειαν καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις ὑπέμειναν, οἱ ταῖς τῶν Μαδιανιτῶν θυγατράσι μιγέντες, καὶ τῆς ἐκείνων δυσσεβείας μετέσχον, καὶ θεήλατον τιμωρίαν ἐδέξαντο. Περὶ τούτων καὶ ὁ θεῖος ἔφη Δαβίδ, Καὶ ἐμίγησαν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἔμαθον τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐδούλευσαν τοῖς γλυπτοῖς αὐτῶν. Οὕτως οἱ ἐκ τοῦ Σὴθ τὸ γένος κατάγοντες, πάλαι μὲν ὡς ἀρετῆς ἐπιμελούμενοι υἱοὶ Θεοῦ ἐχρημάτιζον· ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς ὥρας τῶν ἀνοσίων γυναικῶν δελεασθέντες, συνέχειαν μὲν διακεκριμένα τὰ γένη καρπὸν δὲ κληρονομίας τὴν πανωλεθρίαν ἐδέξαντο. Ἐκεῖνο μέντοι ἐπισημήνασθαι χρή, ὡς οὐχ ἁπλῶς αὐτῶν ἁμαρτίαν ὁ θεῖος λόγος κατηγορεῖ ἀλλὰ τὴν μετ᾿ ἐπιμελείας καὶ σπουδῆς παρανομίαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ, Πᾶς τις διανοεῖται ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐπιμελῶς ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ δυσχεραίνοντες τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν προσβολὴν, ἡττώμενοι δὲ διὰ τὴν τοῦ νοῦ ῥαθυμίαν τῇ πονηρίᾳ, εἶθ᾽ ὕστερον ἀλγοῦντες καὶ στένοντες, ἔχουσί τινα μετρίαν ἀμηγέπη παραίτησιν οἱ δὲ εἰς ἀκολασίαν καὶ πονηρίαν παντάπασιν ἀποκλίνοντες, καὶ δοῦλον τῶν παθῶν τὸν λογισμὸν ἀποφαίνοντες, ὥστε καὶ προσεπινοεῖν ἑτέρας κακίας ἰδέας, καὶ τοῦτο οὐχ ἅπαξ ἢ δὶς, ἀλλὰ παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον, ποίας ἄξιοι συγγνώμης; ποία δὲ κόλασις οὐ σμικρὰ τοῖς οὕτω σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐκδεδωκόσιν εἰς ὄλεθρον ;","t":"Whom has Moses called sons of God? Some thunderstruck and very foolish people took them to be angels, thinking perhaps that they would have an excuse for their own licentiousness if they accused the angels of such things. They ought to have heard the God of the universe saying, “My Spirit shall not remain among these men for ever, because they are flesh; but their days shall be a hundred and twenty years,” and seen from this that the nature of incorporeal beings has no flesh, and that their life is not bounded by a fixed time; for they were created immortal. What follows has the same sense: “The Lord God, seeing that the wickednesses of men were multiplied on the earth, and that everyone was diligently planning evil in his heart all his days, God considered that he had made man on the earth. And God said, I will wipe out man whom I made from the face of the earth, from man to cattle, and from creeping things to the birds of heaven; for I have considered that I made them.” And again he said to Noah, “The time of every man has come before me, for the earth has been filled with injustice by them; and see, I am destroying them and the earth.” All this shows that they were human beings, who had loved the lawless life. If angels had mingled with the daughters of men, then men were wronged by the angels (for they plainly corrupted their daughters by force), and they were wronged also by God who made them, since they themselves were punished for the lust of the angels. But I think that not even the father of lies himself would dare to say this. The divine Scripture has taught in many ways both that human beings sinned and that the divine sentence was pronounced against human beings. What makes many ignorant is reading the divine Scripture carelessly. For having said that Seth was born from Adam and Enosh from Seth, the writer added: “He hoped to call upon the name of the Lord God.” Aquila translated it in this way: “Then it was begun to be called by the name of the Lord.” The text hints that because of his piety he was the first to obtain the divine name, and was named “God” by his kinsmen; hence those who sprang from him were called sons of God, just as we are called Christians from the name of Christ the Master. If anyone does not accept this interpretation because it rests on Aquila's translation, let him hear God saying through the prophet David: “I said, You are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High”; and, “God stood in the assembly of gods; in their midst he judges gods.” He gives this name to the rulers, as what follows shows: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to sinners? Judge for the orphan and the poor; do justice to the lowly and the needy,” and so on. And again: “The God of gods, the Lord, has spoken and called the earth”; that is, plainly, the God of these very men who by grace have been counted worthy of this title. So too the lawgiver says, “You shall not revile gods, and you shall not speak evil of the rulers of your people.” Those men, then, as pious, were named sons of God. For the race of Seth had been kept apart and did not mingle with the descendants of Cain, because of the curse brought on him by the God of the universe. But after a long time had passed (for God brought the flood after more than two thousand years), seeing that the daughters of Cain's kindred were beautiful, and charmed, as is likely, by the musical instruments they had invented (for Jubal, who sprang from them, introduced the harp and the lyre), they mingled with them and corrupted their own nobility. They suffered the same as the Israelites who mingled with the daughters of the Midianites, shared their impiety, and received punishment from God. Of these the divine David too said, “And they mingled with the nations and learned their works, and served their carved images.” So those who traced their descent from Seth were formerly called sons of God as men devoted to virtue; but, enticed by the beauty of the unholy women, they confounded the races that had been kept distinct, and received total destruction as the fruit of their inheritance. One must note, however, that the divine word does not accuse them simply of sin, but of lawlessness pursued with diligence and zeal. This is what “everyone was diligently planning evil in his heart all his days” shows. Those who resent the assault of sin but are overcome by wickedness through the slackness of their mind, and afterwards grieve and groan, have some moderate excuse in a way; but those who incline wholly to licentiousness and wickedness, and make their reason the slave of the passions, so as even to invent further forms of vice, and this not once or twice but all their life long, what pardon do they deserve? And what punishment is not small for those who have so given themselves up to destruction?","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.47 (PG 80 80:147; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-47)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.48":{"o":"Τίνας καλεῖ γίγαντας ἡ θεία Γραφή; Τινές φασι τοὺς ἔτη πολλὰ βεβιωκότας τινὲς δὲ τοὺς θεομισεῖς καὶ ἀντιθέους ἀνθρώπους. Οἱ ταῦτα οὕτω νενοηκότες, οὗ φασι τούτους μείζονα τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων σώματα ἐσχηκέναι. Ἐγὼ δὲ ὅταν ἀκούσω τῆς θείας Γραφῆς λεγούσης περὶ τοῦ Ἐνὰκ, ὅτι· ἀπόγονος ἦν τῶν γιγάντων καὶ περὶ τοῦ Ὤγ, ὅτι ἡ κλίνη αὐτοῦ σιδηρᾶ ἦν, ἐννέα πηχῶν τὸ μῆκος, καὶ τεσσάρων πήχεων τὸ εὗρος· καὶ ὅτι οὗτος ἐκ τῶν Ῥαφαῖν ὑπελείφθη. Καὶ τῶν κατασκόπων διηγουμένων, ὅτι ἦμεν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ ἀκρίδες καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ βεβαιοῦντος τοὺς λόγους, καὶ λέγοντος, ὅτι Παραδέδωκά σοι τὸν Ἀμοῤῥαῖον, οὗ τὸ ὕψος ἦν ὡς κέδρου, καὶ ἰσχυρὸς ἦν ὡς δρῦς· καὶ περὶ τοῦ Γολιὰδ, ὅτι τεσσάρων πήχεων καὶ σπιθαμῆς τὸ μῆκος εἶχεν· ἡγοῦμαι γεγενῆσθαι τινὰς παμμεγέθεις ἀνθρώπους. Τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦτο σοφῶς πρυτανεύσαντος, ἵνα γνῶσιν ὡς οὐκ ἀσθενῶν ὁ Δημιουργὸς τοσοῦτον τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀπένειμε μέτρον ῥάδιον γὰρ ἦν αὐτῷ καὶ μείζους δημιουργῆσαι· ἀλλὰ τὸν τύφον ἐκκόπτων, καὶ τὴν ἀλαζονείαν κωλύων, μέγιστα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις οὐκ ἔδωκε σώματα. Εἰ γὰρ ἐν σμικροῖς σώμασιν οὐ κατ' ἀλλήλων, ἀλλὰ κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ μεγαλαυχοῦσι τοῦ ποιητοῦ, τί οὐκ ἂν ἔδρασαν εἰ μεγίστων σωμάτων μετέλαχον;","t":"Whom does the divine Scripture call giants? Some say those who lived many years; others, men hateful to God and opposed to God. Those who understand it in this way say that these men did not have larger bodies than other men. But when I hear the divine Scripture saying of Anak that he was a descendant of the giants; and of Og, that his bed was of iron, nine cubits long and four cubits wide, and that he was left from the Rephaim; and the spies relating, “We were before them like locusts”; and God confirming their words and saying, “I have delivered to you the Amorite, whose height was like a cedar's, and he was strong as an oak”; and of Goliath, that he was four cubits and a span in height: I think that some men of enormous size did exist. God governed this too wisely, so that people might know that it was not from weakness that the creator assigned human beings their measure (for it would have been easy for him to create them larger); but to cut off pride and hinder arrogance, he did not give human beings very large bodies. If in small bodies they boast, not against one another, but against the maker himself, what would they not have done if they had received very large bodies?","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.48 (PG 80 80:151; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-48)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.49":{"o":"Διατί πολὺν χρόνον ἔζων οἱ παλαιοί; \"Ωστε αὐξηθῆναι τῷ πλείονι χρόνῳ· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πολλαῖς συνήπτοντο γυναιξίν. Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ μετὰ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν μέχρι τῶν πατριαρχῶν μακρόβιοι ἦσαν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐπλήρωσαν, ἠλαττώθη λοιπὸν ὁ τῶν ἐτῶν ἀριθμός.","t":"Why did the ancients live a long time? So that the race might increase in the longer time; for this reason too they were joined to many wives. Indeed, even after the flood, down to the patriarchs, they were long-lived; but when they had filled the world, the number of years was reduced.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.49 (PG 80 80:151; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-49)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.5":{"o":"Εἰ ἦν ἡ γῆ, πῶς ἐγένετο; λέγει γαρ ὁ συγγραφεύς. Ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν. Ἠλίθιον ἄγαν καὶ ἀνόητον τὸ ἐρώτημα. Ὁ γὰρ εἰπὼν Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν, οὐκ ἀΐδιον ἔφη τὴν γῆν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἢ σὺν τῷ οὐρανῷ δεξαμένην τὸ εἶναι. ῎Αλλως τε οὐδὲ ἀπολύτως εἶπεν ὁ συγγραφεύς, Η δὲ γῆ ἦν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἑξῆς συναρμόσας, ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἐγένετο μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ· ἔτι δὲ ἀόρατος ἦν ἐπικειμένου τοῦ ὕδατος, καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος, μηδέπω κοσμηθεῖσα τῇ βλάστη, μηδὲ ἀνθήσασα λειμῶνας, καὶ ἄλση καὶ λήῖα.","t":"If the earth already was, how did it come into being? For the writer says, “And the earth was.” The question is very silly and senseless. For he who said, “In the beginning God made heaven and earth,” did not say that the earth was eternal, but that it received its being after heaven, or together with heaven. Besides, the writer did not say absolutely, “And the earth was,” but joined to it what follows, “And the earth was invisible and unformed”; that is, it had come into being by the act of the God of the universe, but it was still invisible, since the water lay upon it, and unformed, since it was not yet adorned with plants, nor blooming with meadows, groves, and crops.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.5 (PG 80 80:83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-5)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.50":{"o":"Τι δήποτε τῷ κατακλυσμῷ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πλήθη διέφθειρεν ; Ἐξαλείψαι τοῦ Κάϊν τὸ γένος ἠθέλησεν· ἀνεμίγη δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ τῶν εὐσεβῶν ἡ φυλή· διὸ καὶ τῆς τιμωρίας μετέσχηκεν. Ἀρχὴν δὲ τινα καινοῦ βίου ποιήσασθαι βουληθεὶς, τὸν Νῶε καὶ τοὺς ἐκείνου παῖδας σὺν ταῖς γυναιξὶ διετήρησεν, εὐσεβῆ τε ὄντα καὶ δίκαιον, ἐκ τῆς τῶν εὐσεβῶν συγγενείας βλαστήσαντα, καὶ τὴν τῆς παρανομίας ἐπιμιξίαν μισήσαντα. Οὐ μὴν, ὡς τινές φασιν, ὀργῇ τινι, καὶ μεταμελείᾳ ταῦτα πεποίηκε. Ταῦτα γάρ τοι ἀνθρώπινα πάθη· ἡ δὲ θεία φύσις ἐλευθέρα παθῶν. ῎Αλλως τε ἡ μεταμέλεια τοῖς μετὰ τὴν πεῖραν μανθάνουσι τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν φύσιν κατάλληλος· ἀγνοοῦντες γὰρ τὸ ἐσόμενον, προβουλεύονται εἶτα τῇ πείρᾳ μανθάνοντες, ὡς οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἐβουλεύσαντο, μεταμέλονται. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς οὕτως ὁρᾷ τὰ μετὰ πολλὰς ἐσόμενα γενεὰς, ὡς ἤδη γεγενημένα. Ὡς προορῶν τοίνυν καὶ προγινώσκων, οὕτως ἅπαντα πρυτανεύει. Τί δήποτε τοίνυν μεταμελεῖται, ἅπαντα πρὸς τὴν πρόγνωσιν τὴν οἰκείαν οἰκονομῶν; οὐκοῦν ἐπὶ Θεοῦ μεταμέλεια οἰκονομίας ἐστὶ μεταβολή. Μεταμεμέλημαι γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι κέχρικα τὸν Σαούλ εἰς βασιλέα, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ἐδοκίμασα μὲν παῦσαι τοῦτον, ἕτερον δὲ χειροτονῆσαι. Οὕτω κάνταῦθα, ἐνεθυμήθην ὅτι ἐποίησα τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἐδοκίμασα διολέσαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος· ἀλλὰ φιλάνθρωπος ὢν σπέρμα τὸν Νῶε τῇ φύσει τετήρηκεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων τὰ γένη τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἕνεκα δεδημιούργηται χρείας, καὶ ταῦτα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνδιεφθάρη, πλὴν τῶν ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ σὺν τῷ Νῶε διασωθέντων. Ἐκέλευσε γὰρ ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς ἀνὰ δύο μὲν ἐξ ἑκάστου γένους τῶν δοκούντων ἀκαθάρτων διασωθῆναι, ἀνὰ ἑπτὰ δὲ τῶν καθαρῶν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἤμελλε συγχωρεῖν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις μεταλαμβάνειν κρεῶν, ἤμελλον δὲ καὶ θυσίας αὐτῷ προσφέρειν τῆς εὐσεβείας οἱ τρόφιμοι, πλείονα τὰ καθαρὰ φυλαχθῆναι προσέταξε· τὰς μὲν τρεῖς συζυγίας εἰς τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ γένους· τὸ δὲ ἐν τὸ περιττὸν εἰς θυσίαν. Εὐθὺς γὰρ ὁ Νῶε, μετὰ τὴν παῦλαν τῆς τιμωρίας, θυσίαν τῷ Θεῷ χαριστήριον προσενήνοχεν· ἀπὸ πάντων, φησὶ, τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν καθαρῶν, καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν πετεινῶν τῶν καθαρῶν. Ὡς εἶναι δῆλον, ὅτι τούτουγε χάριν ἀνὰ ἑπτὰ προσέταξεν ἐξ ἑκάστου γένους τῶν καθαρῶν εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν εἰσαχθῆναι, ἵνα τὸ ἓν ζῶον ἐξἑκάστου γένους ὁ Νῶε προσφέρων μὴ διαφθείρῃ τὰς συζυγίας.","t":"Why did he destroy the multitudes of men by the flood? He wished to wipe out the race of Cain; but the tribe of the pious had mingled with it, and so it shared in the punishment too. Wishing to make a beginning of a new life, he preserved Noah and his sons with their wives, since Noah was pious and righteous, had sprung from the kindred of the pious, and had hated that lawless mingling. Yet he did not do this, as some say, out of some anger and regret; these are human passions, and the divine nature is free of passions. Besides, regret suits those who learn the nature of things by experience: not knowing what will be, they deliberate beforehand, and then, learning by experience that they did not deliberate rightly, they regret it. But God sees what will be after many generations as already done. Foreseeing and foreknowing, then, he governs all things accordingly. Why, then, should he regret, when he arranges all things according to his own foreknowledge? In God, then, regret is a change of dispensation. “I regret,” he says, “that I anointed Saul king”; that is, “I have resolved to depose him and appoint another.” So here too, “I have considered that I made man” means “I have resolved to destroy the human race”; but being loving toward humankind, he preserved Noah as a seed for nature. And since the kinds of irrational animals were created for human use, they too were destroyed together with the human beings, except those preserved with Noah in the ark. For God the Master ordered two of each kind of those considered unclean to be preserved, but seven of the clean. Since he was going to permit human beings to eat meat, and the nurslings of piety were going to offer him sacrifices, he commanded more of the clean to be kept: the three pairs for the increase of the kind, and the one left over for sacrifice. For as soon as the punishment ceased, Noah offered God a sacrifice of thanksgiving: “from all the clean cattle,” it says, “and from all the clean birds.” So it is plain that the reason he commanded seven of each clean kind to be brought into the ark was this: so that Noah, offering one animal of each kind, would not destroy the pairs.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.50 (PG 80 80:151; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-50)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.51":{"o":"Τι ἤσθιεν ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ τὰ θηρία; Δῆλον ὅτι χιλόν τε καὶ σπέρματα. Ἔφη γὰρ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός· Σὺ δὲ λήψῃ σεαυτῷ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν βρωμάτων ὧν ἔδεσθε, καὶ ᾿συνάξεις πρὸς ἑαυ τὸν, καὶ ἔσται σοὶ καὶ ἐκείνοις φαγεῖν. Ταυτὸ δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐσθίειν ἐνομοθέτησεν· Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, φησὶ, δέδωκα ὑμῖν πάντα χόρτον σπόριμον σπεῖρον σπέρμα ὅ ἐστιν. ἐπάνω πάσης τῆς γῆς· καὶ πᾶν ξύλον, ὅ ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ καρπὸν σπέρματος σπόριμον, ὑμῖν ἔσται εἰς βρῶσιν, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἑρπετῷ ἔρποντι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὁ ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ ψυχὴν ζωῆς, καὶ πάντα χόρτον χλωρὸν εἰς βρῶσιν. Ὡς εἶναι δῆλον, ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ τὰ ζῶα κρεωφαγίας ἀπείχοντο, τροφὴν δὲ εἶχον τοὺς ἀπὸ γῆς φυομένους καρπούς. Τὸ δὲ «σπεῖρον σπέρμα,» «σπερμαῖνον σπέρμα ὁ ᾿Ακύλας ἡρμήνευσεν.","t":"What did the wild beasts eat in the ark? Clearly fodder and seeds. For God said to Noah, “You shall take for yourself of all the foods that you eat, and gather them to yourself, and it shall be food for you and for them.” He prescribed the same food for human beings too: “See,” he says, “I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon all the earth, and every tree that has in itself fruit of seed for sowing; it shall be food for you, and for all the beasts of the earth, and all the birds of heaven, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, which has in itself the breath of life; and every green plant for food.” So it is plain that both human beings and animals abstained from eating meat and had as their food the fruits that grow from the earth. For “yielding seed” Aquila translated “seeding seed.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.51 (PG 80 80:153; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-51)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.52":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Ἐμνήσθη Κύριος τοῦ Νῶε;» Προσφόρως τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἡ θεία Γραφή διαλέγεται καὶ ὡς ἀκούειν δύνανται μετασχηματίζει τοὺς λόγους. Ωσπερ τοίνυν ἐπὶ Θεοῦ ἡ μεταμέλεια οἰκονομίας ἐστὶ διαφορά Μεταμεμέλημαι γὰρ ὅτι κέχρικα τὸν Σαοὺλ εἰς βασιλέα, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ἐδοκίματα ἄλλον ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ καταστῆσαι· οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα νοητέον, Ἐνεθυμήθην ὅτι ἐποίησα τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ἑδοκίμασα εἰς αὐτοὺς πανωλεθρίαν ἐπαγαγεῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο τοίνυν τὸ,« Ἐμνήσθη ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Νῶε, οὐ προτέραν λήθην αἰνίττεται, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄῤῥητον αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν δηλοῖ· ὅτι διὰ τὴν περὶ ἐκεῖνον φιλοστοργίαν προσέταξεν ὡς τάχιστα καταποθῆναι τὸ ἄπειρον ἐκεῖνο καὶ ἀμέτρητον ὕδωρ. Δήλην δὲ αὐτοῦ ποιῶν τὴν ἄφραστον ἀγαθότητα, προσέθηκεν, ὅτι Καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν, καὶ πάντων τῶν πετεινῶν, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν, ὅσα ἦν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ. Ἡμῶν δὲ χάριν καὶ ταῦτα προμηθείας ἠξίωσεν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ μέγας Δαβὶδ βοᾷ· Ὁ ἐξανατέλλων χόρτον τοῖς κτήνεσι, καὶ χλόην τῇ δουλείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ πάλιν· ᾿Ανθρώπους καὶ κτήνη σώσεις, Κύριε. Δι' ἡμᾶς γὰρ καὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐπιμελεῖται.","t":"How should “The Lord remembered Noah” be understood? The divine Scripture speaks to human beings in a way suited to them, and reshapes its words so that they can take them in. Just as in God regret is a change of dispensation (“I regret that I anointed Saul king,” meaning, “I have resolved to set up another in his place”), so here too “I have considered that I made man” must be understood as “I have resolved to bring total destruction on them.” And so this “God remembered Noah” does not hint at a previous forgetting; it shows his ineffable love for humankind: because of his affection for Noah he commanded that boundless and immeasurable water to be swallowed up as quickly as possible. Making his indescribable goodness plain, it added, “and all the cattle, and all the birds, and all the creeping things that were with him in the ark.” For our sake he counted these too worthy of his providence. This is what the great David cries: “who makes grass spring up for the cattle, and green plants for the service of men”; and again, “Men and cattle you will save, O Lord.” For on our account he cares for what is ours as well.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.52 (PG 80 80:155; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-52)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.53":{"o":"Τι ἐστιν, Ωσφράνθη Κύριος ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας ; Ὑπεδέξατο τοῦ Νῶε τὸ εὔγνωμον, οὐ τῇ κνίσσῃ τερφθείς· ὀστῶν γὰρ καιομένων οὐδὲν δυσωδέστερον· ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ προσενηνοχότος ἐπαινέσας γνώμην. Οὐ γὰρ σωματικὰ ἔχει μόρια, ἵνα καὶ ῥίνας αὐτῷ περιθῶμεν· διὰ ῥινῶν γὰρ ἡ ὄσφρησις. Ἀμείβεται οὖν αὐτὸν τῇ εὐλογίᾳ· καὶ ἐπειδὴ σπέρμα τοῦ γένους ἦν, καὶ ῥίζα τῆς φύσεως, καὶ δεύτερος ᾿Αδάμ, δίδωσιν αὐτῷ τὴν εὐλογίαν, ἧς ἐκεῖνος εὐθὺς δια πλασθεὶς ἀπολελαύκει· Αὐξάνεσθε, καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν, καὶ κατακυριεύσατέ αὐτῆς καὶ ὁ φόβος ὑμῶν καὶ ὁ τρόμος ὑμῶν ἔσται ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ κινούμενα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἰχθύας τῆς θαλάσ σης, ἃ ὑπὸ χεῖρα ὑμῖν δέδωκα. Καὶ ὁ λόγος ἔργον γέγονε δέδιε γὰρ ἅπαντα καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σκιὰν, καὶ τὰ νηκτὰ, καὶ τὰ χερσαῖα, καὶ᾿ τὰ πτηνά. Εἶτα τὸν περὶ τῆς κρεωφαγίας αὐτῷ δέδωκε νόμον, ὡς λαχάνων τῶν κρεῶν ἀπολαύειν κελεύσας.","t":"What does “The Lord smelled a fragrant odor” mean? He accepted Noah's gratitude; not that he was delighted by the savor of the fat (nothing smells worse than burning bones), but he praised the intention of the one who offered it. For he does not have bodily parts, that we should attribute nostrils to him; smelling is done through nostrils. So he repays him with a blessing; and since Noah was the seed of the race, the root of nature, and a second Adam, he gives him the blessing that Adam had enjoyed as soon as he was formed: “Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and have dominion over it; and the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds of heaven, and on all that moves on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea; I have given them under your hand.” And the word became deed: all things fear even the shadow of man, creatures of the water, of the land, and of the air. Then he gave him the law about eating meat, bidding him enjoy meat as he would vegetables.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.53 (PG 80 80:155; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-53)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.54":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν ἀπαγορεύει τοῦ αἵματος τὴν μετάληψιν Σαφέστερον ἐδίδαξεν ἐν τῷ νόμῳ· Ὅπερ γάρ ἐστι, φησὶν, ἀνθρώπῳ ψυχὴ, τοῦτο τοῖς ἀλόγοις τὸ αἷμα. Δίχα τοίνυν τοῦ αἵματος τῶν κρεῶν μεταλαμβάνων, ὡς λαχάνων δήπουθεν μεταλήψῃ· ἄψυχον γὰρ τὸ λάχανον. Εἰ δὲ μετὰ τοῦ αἵματος μεταλάβοις, ψυχὴν ἐσθίεις. Διὸ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἔφη, Πλὴν κρέας ἐν αἴματι ψυχῆς οὐκ ἔδεσθε. Καὶ γὰρ ὑμέτερον αἷμα τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν ἐκζητήσω ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν θηρίων ἐκζητήσω αὐτό· ἐκ χειρὸς ἀνθρώπου ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐκζητήσω τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ. Ἐνταῦθα αἰνίττεται τὴν ἀνάστασιν· οὐχ ὡς τὰ θηρία παράξων εἰς τὸ κριτήριον, καὶ δίκας τῆς ἀνθρωποφαγίας εἰσπραξάμενος· ἀλλ᾿ ὡς τὰ ὑπὸ τούτων καταναλωθέντα σώματα συνάξων τε καὶ συναναστήσων. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς·· καὶ ῥᾴδιον αὐτῷ πάντοθεν συναγαγεῖν τὸ ἡμέτερον σῶμα· ἐνταῦθα μὲν αἰνιγματωδῶς τοῦτο δεδήλωκε. διὰ δὲ Ἰεζεκιήλ σαφέστερον ἐκήρυξε τὴν ἀνάστασιν.","t":"Why does he forbid partaking of blood? He taught this more clearly in the Law: “What the soul is to a man,” he says, “the blood is to the irrational animals.” If, then, you partake of meat without the blood, you partake of it as you would of vegetables, for a vegetable has no soul. But if you partake of it with the blood, you eat a soul. That is why here too he said: “Only flesh with the blood of its life you shall not eat. For your blood, the blood of your lives, I will require; from the hand of all the wild beasts I will require it; from the hand of a man's brother I will require his life.” Here he hints at the resurrection: not that he will bring the wild beasts to judgment and exact a penalty for eating men, but that he will gather together and raise up the bodies consumed by them. For “in his hand are the ends of the earth,” and it is easy for him to gather our body from everywhere. Here he has shown this in a riddle; through Ezekiel he proclaimed the resurrection more clearly.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.54 (PG 80 80:157; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-54)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.55":{"o":"Διατί δὲ ὅλως τὴν κρεωφαγίαν ἐνομοθέτησεν ; Εὐθὺς δημιουργήσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον, τῆς γῆς αὐτῷ τοὺς καρποὺς ἐδωρήσατο, ἀπὸ σπερμάτων καὶ δένδρων βιοτεύειν κελεύσας· μετὰ δὲ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν, πλείονι τοῦτον φιλοτιμεῖται τρυφῇ. καὶ πετεινὰ καὶ νηκτὰ καὶ χερσαία ζῶα θύειν τε καὶ ἐσθίειν κελεύσας· πάθει πάθος ἐξελαύνων, καὶ τῷ ἐλάττονι θεραπεύων τὸ μείζον. Προορῶν γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα θεοποιήσουσιν οἱ εἰς ἐσχάτην ἀλογίαν ἐκπεπτωκότες, συγχωρεῖ τὴν βρῶσιν, ἵνα τὴν ἀσέβειαν παύσῃ. ᾿Αβελτηρίας γὰρ ἐσχάτης, τὸ ἐσθιόμενον προσκυνεῖν. Διά τοι τοῦτο, τὰ μὲν ἀκάθαρτα τῶν ζώων λέγει, τὰ δὲ καθαρά ἵνὰ τὰ μὲν ὡς ἀκάθαρτα βδελυττόμενοι μὴ θεοποιῶσι, τὰ δὲ μὴ προσκυνῶσιν ἐσθιόμενα.","t":"Why did he legislate the eating of meat at all? As soon as he created man, he gave him the fruits of the earth, bidding him live on seeds and trees; but after the flood he honors him with greater luxury, bidding him sacrifice and eat birds and fish and land animals. He was driving out one passion with another, and healing the greater with the lesser. For God, foreseeing that those who had fallen into extreme irrationality would deify all these creatures, permits eating them in order to put an end to the impiety; it is the height of stupidity to worship what one eats. For this reason he calls some animals unclean and others clean, so that they would not deify the former, loathing them as unclean, and would not worship the latter, since they eat them.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.55 (PG 80 80:157; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-55)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.56":{"o":"Τι δήποτε οὐκ ἐμέμφθη Νῶε μέθῃ περιπεσών, ᾿Απειρίας ἦν οὐκ ἀκρασίας τὸ πάθος. Πρῶτος γὰρ ἀνθρώπων ἀποθλίψας τὸν τῆς ἀμπέλου καρπὸν, καὶ ἀγνοῶν οὐ μόνον τὸ ποσὸν τῆς πόσεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς μεταλήψεως, ὅτι δεῖ κεράσαι πρότερον, εἶθ' οὕτω πιεῖν, τὸν κάρον ὑπέμεινε. Καινὸν δὲ οὐδὲν πέπονθε γυμνωθείς. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ νῦν τινες γυμνοῦνται καθεύδοντες, ἀφαιρουμένου τοῦ ὕπνου τὴν αἴσθησιν· τῷ ὕπνῳ δὲ ἡ μέθη προσγινομένη, πιθανωτέραν τῆς γυμνώσεως τὴν ἀπολογίαν ποιεῖ.","t":"Why was Noah not blamed when he fell into drunkenness? The failing was one of inexperience, not of intemperance. He was the first of men to press the fruit of the vine, and since he knew neither the measure of drinking nor the manner of partaking (that one must first mix the wine with water and then drink), he suffered the stupor. And there was nothing strange in his being uncovered: even now some uncover themselves while sleeping, since sleep takes away perception; and drunkenness added to sleep makes the excuse for the uncovering more plausible.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.56 (PG 80 80:159; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-56)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.57":{"o":"Τοῦ νόμου μηδέπω τεθέντος, ὃς διαγορεύει τιμᾶν τὸν πατέρα, καὶ τὴν μητέρα, διὰ τι ὁ Χάμ ὡς πατραλοίας κρίνεται; Τῇ φύσει τοὺς ἀναγκαίους τέθεικε νόμους ὁ ποιητής. Οὕτω τὸν Κάϊν κατέκρινεν, ἐπειδήπερ αὐτὸν ἡ φύσις ἐδίδασκεν, ὡς ὁ φόνος παράνομος. Αὐτίκα γοῦν δόλῳ χρησάμενος συνεργῷ, πόῤῥω τῶν γεγεννηκότων ἀπαγαγὼν, ἀνεῖλε τὸν ἀδελφὸν, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ πυνθανομένου, Ποῦ ῎Αβελ ὁ ἀδελφός σου; ἠρνήθη. Δῆλον δὲ ὡς ἐπιστάμενος ὅτι κακὸν τὸ γεγενημένον, ἠρνήσατο τὸ τολμηθέν. Ἐλεγχθεὶς δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ, ὡμολόγησεν ὑπὲρ συγγνώμην ἡμαρτηκέναι. Μείζων γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ ἁμαρτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ ὁ ᾿Ἀδὰμ τῆς θείας ἐπιφανείας αἰσθόμενος ἐπειράθη λαθεῖν, ὡς εἰδὼς ὅτι δὴ τὸ κλέπτειν κακόν· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χὰμ τὴν τοῦ πατραλοίου κατηγορίαν ἐδέξατο, ὡς παραβὰς τὸν τῆς φύσεως νόμον. Ὅτι γὰρ καὶ τὸ γεραίρειν τοὺς γεγεννηκότας ἡ φύσις ἐδίδασκε, μαρτυροῦσιν οἱ τοῦ Χὰμ ἀδελφοὶ, οἱ παρ' ἐκείνου τὸ πάθος μεμαθηκότες τοῦ πατρὸς, μετὰ πολλῆς αἰδοῦς εἰς τοὐπίσω βαδίζοντες συνεκάλυψαν τὸν πατέρα, ὡς ἂν ἥκιστα ἴδοιεν ὅθεν σπαρέντες ἐβλάστησαν. Τοιγάρ τοι καὶ μάλα εἰκότως καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐδρέψαντο","t":"Since the law commanding honor to father and mother had not yet been given, why is Ham judged as one who outraged his father? The creator placed the necessary laws in nature. So he condemned Cain, since nature taught him that murder is unlawful. At any rate, using guile as his accomplice, he led his brother far from their parents and killed him; and when God asked, “Where is Abel your brother?” he denied it. Plainly, knowing that what had happened was evil, he denied the deed he had dared. And when convicted by the just judge, he confessed that he had sinned beyond pardon: “My sin,” he says, “is too great to be forgiven.” Adam too, perceiving the divine presence, tried to hide, as knowing that stealing is evil. So too Ham received the charge of outraging his father, as one who had transgressed the law of nature. That nature also taught honoring parents is attested by Ham's brothers: having learned from him of their father's condition, they walked backward with great modesty and covered their father, so as not to see that from which they had been sown and sprung. Very fittingly, therefore, they reaped their father's blessing.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.57 (PG 80 80:159; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-57)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.58":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τοῦ Χὰμ ἐπταικότος, ὁ ἐκείνου παῖς ἐδέξατο τὴν ἀράν; Κοινῇ πάντες μετὰ τὴν τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ παῦλαν τῆς θείας μετέλαχον εὐλογίας. Τολμηρὸν τοίνυν ὑπέλαβεν ὁ Νῶε, ἐπαγαγεῖν ἀρὰν τῷ τῆς θείας εὐλογίας μετειληχότι· τούτου χάριν τῷ ἐκείνου παιδὶ περιτέθεικε τὴν ἀράν. Ἔχει δὲ καὶ ἡ τιμωρία τὸ δίκαιον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ υἱὸς ὢν ἐξήμαρτεν εἰς πατέρα, διὰ τῆς τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ ἀρᾶς δέχεται τὴν τιμωρίαν. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις σκοπητέον κἀκεῖνο, ὡς εἰ αὐτὸς ὁ Χὰμ ἐδέξατο τὴν ἀρὰν, εἰς ὅλον ἂν διέβη τὸ γένος ἡ τιμωρία εἰς δὲ τὸν νεώτατον υἱὸν τὴν παιδείαν παρέπεμψε τ8, καὶ τοῦτο δὲ δεῖ εἰδέναι, ὡς πρόῤῥησίς ἐστιν, οὐκ ἀρὰ, τοῦ δικαίου τὰ ῥήματα ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἤμελλεν ὁ Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ τοῦ Σὴμ κατάγων τὸ γένος, τῆς Παλαιστίνης παραλαμβάνειν τὴν δεσποτείαν· ταύτην δὲ πάλαι ᾤκουν οἱ ἐκ τοῦ Χαναάν βεβλαστηκότες· εἰς ἀρὰν σχηματίζει τὴν πρόῤῥησιν, προαγορεύων μὲν τὰ ἐσόμενα, δεδιττόμενος δὲ τοὺς ὕστερον ἐσομένους, μὴ πλημμελεῖν εἰς γονέας. Καὶ τοῦτο σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ἡ τοῦ Σὴμ εὐλογία διδάσκει. Εὐλογητὸς γὰρ, φησὶ, Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Σήμ·· καὶ ἔσται Χαναὰν παῖς αὐτοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ τοῖς δύο τοῦτον ὑπέταξεν ἀλλὰ μόνῳ τῷ Σήμ. Καὶ τοῦ μὲν Ἰάφεθ τὴν πολυγονίαν προείρηκε, τοῦ δὲ Σημ τὴν εὐσέβειαν· τὸν γὰρ Θεὸν ἐν τοῖς σκηνώμασι τοῦ Σήμ κατοικήσειν προείρηκε. Κατῴκησε δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ Σὴμ πατριάρχαις, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐκ τούτων βεβλαστηκόσι προφήταις· καὶ ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ πρότερον· καὶ ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ὕστερον. Ακριβὲς δὲ τέλος ἔσχεν ἡ προφητεία τὸ τῆς οἰκονομίας μυστήριον· ὅτε αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος, ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς Υἱὸς μονογενὴς, ἐσαρκώθη καὶ ἐνηνθρώπησε καὶ ναὸν ἑαυτοῦ προσηγόρευσεν, ἣν ἐκ σπέρματος Δαβὶδ καὶ Ἀβραὰμ ἔλαβε σάρκα. Ἐκ τοῦ Σὴμ γὰρ καὶ οὗτοι Ο κατῆγον τὸ γένος. Ἡ δὲ τοῦ Χαναὰν δουλεία ἐν τοῖς Γαβαωνίταις τὸ τέλος ἐδέξατο.","t":"Why, when Ham had sinned, did his son receive the curse? After the flood ceased, all together had shared in the divine blessing. Noah therefore thought it rash to bring a curse on one who had shared in the divine blessing; for this reason he put the curse on Ham's son. And the punishment has its justice too: since Ham sinned against his father as a son, he receives the punishment through the curse on his son. Besides this, one must consider that if Ham himself had received the curse, the punishment would have passed to his whole race; but he passed the chastisement on to the youngest son. And this too one must know: the righteous man's words are a prophecy, not a curse. Since Israel, which traced its descent from Shem, was going to take possession of Palestine, and those sprung from Canaan had long inhabited it, he shapes the prophecy as a curse, foretelling what would be, and frightening those who would come later from offending against their parents. The blessing of Shem teaches us this clearly: “Blessed,” he says, “be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.” He did not subject him to both brothers, but to Shem alone. And he foretold numerous offspring for Japheth, and piety for Shem; for he foretold that God would dwell in the tents of Shem. He did dwell among the patriarchs descended from Shem, and among the prophets who sprang from them; first in the tabernacle, and later in Jerusalem. But the prophecy had its exact fulfilment in the mystery of the dispensation, when God the Word himself, the only-begotten Son of God the Father, became flesh and became man, and called his temple the flesh that he took from the seed of David and Abraham; for these too traced their descent from Shem. The servitude of Canaan found its fulfilment in the Gibeonites.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.58 (PG 80 80:161; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-58)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.59":{"o":"Τὴν ἄσφαλτόν τινες τῶν διδασκάλων ἔφασαν ἄσβεστον εἶναι. Οἱ ἀγνοοῦντες, ὡς εἰκὸς, τὰς ἐν τῇ ᾿Ασσυρίᾳ πηγὰς, ψήθησαν ἀσβέστῳ τὸν πύργον ᾠκοδομεῖσθαι. ᾿Ακριβῶς δὲ παρὰ τῶν ἐκεῖθεν ἀφικομένων μεμάθηκα, ὡς εἰσὶ πηγαὶ ταύτην ἀναβλύζουσαι τὴν ὕλην μεθ᾽ ὕδατος· καὶ ὅτι ταύτην ταῖς οἰκοδομίαις συνυφαίνοντες, ἐπὶ ταύτης τὴν ὠπτημένην συνετίθεσαν πλίνθον. Οὕτω καὶ τὸν πύργον ᾠκοδομῆσθαί φασι, καὶ οἱ αὐτόπται τούτου διαῤῥῆξαί, τι μέρος το ἰσχυρίσαντο, καὶ ἀκριβῶς διαγνῶναι, ὡς ἄσφαλτος ταῖς ὠπτημέναις ὑπέστρωται πλίνθοις. ῎Ἄλλως τε καὶ λίθων εἶναι σπάνιν ἐν τῇ ᾿Ασσυρίᾳ φασὶ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ταῖς πλίνθοις ἀντὶ λίθων κεχρῆσθαι· λίθων δὲ δίχα πῶς ἂν γένοιτο ἄσβεστος;","t":"Some of the teachers have said that the bitumen was lime. Those who said this did not know, as is likely, the springs in Assyria, and thought that the tower was built with lime. But I have learned precisely from those who have come from there that there are springs that gush up this substance with water, and that people work it into their buildings and lay baked brick upon it. They say that the tower too was built in this way; and eyewitnesses insisted that they broke off a part of it and established precisely that bitumen is laid under the baked bricks. Besides, they say that stone is scarce in Assyria, and that for this reason they used bricks instead of stones; and without stones how could there be lime?","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.59 (PG 80 80:163; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-59)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.6":{"o":"Οὐκ ἐδίδαξεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Μωϋσῆς, ὅτι καὶ τὰ ὕδατα ἐδημιούργησεν ὁ Θεός. Καὶ μὴν εἰρηκώς, Ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος, καὶ σκότος ἐπάνω τῆς ἀβύσσου, ἔδειξε μετὰ τῆς γῆς δημιουργηθεῖσαν τῶν ὑδάτων τὴν φύσιν. Καὶ περὶ τοῦ Σαββάτου δὲ νομοθετῶν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς οὕτως ἔφη, Ἕξ ἡμέραις ἐργᾷ, τῇ δὲ ἑβδόμῃ Σάββατον, ἀνάπαυσις Κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ σου. Ἐν γὰρ ἓξ ἡμέραις ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν, πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς. Ὡς εἶναι δῆλον, ὅτι πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἐν τούτοις ὂν, ἢ ὁρατὸν, ἢ ἀόρατον, ἢ αἰσθητὸν ἢ νοητὸν, πλὴν τῆς θείας οὐσίας, κτιστὴν ἔχει τὴν φύσιν. Καὶ ὁ θειότατος δὲ Δαβὶδ εἰρηκώς· Μακάριος, οὗ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακὼβ βοηθὸς αὐτοῦ, ἡ ἐλπὶς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῦ, τὸν ποιήσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν· «ἐπήγαγε,, τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς","t":"Did Moses not teach us that God created the waters too? Yes, he did: by saying, “The earth was invisible and unformed, and darkness was over the abyss,” he showed that the nature of the waters was created together with the earth. And the God of the universe, giving the law about the Sabbath, said: “Six days you shall work, but the seventh is a Sabbath, a rest to the Lord your God. For in six days the Lord God made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them.” So it is plain that anything at all that is in these, whether visible or invisible, perceptible or intelligible, except the divine substance, has a created nature. And the most divine David, having said, “Blessed is he whose helper is the God of Jacob, his hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth,” added, “the sea, and all that is in them.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.6 (PG 80 80:85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-6)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.6.1":{"o":"Ποίου τοίνυν φωτὸς ἄμοιρος αἰφνιδίως ὁ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τόπος εὑρέθη, ὥστε τὸ σκότος ἐπάνω εἶναι τοῦ ὕδατος; Λογιζόμεθα, ὅτι εἴπερ τι ἦν πρὸ τούτου τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ κόσμου, ἐν φωτὶ ἂν ἦν δηλονότι. Οὔτε γὰρ αἱ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἀξίαι οὔτε πᾶσαι αἱ ἐπουράνιοι στρατιαὶ ἐν σκότει διῆγον Ἀλλ᾿ ἐν φωτὶ καὶ πάσῃ εὐφροσύνῃ πνευματικῇ. Καὶ τούτοις οὐδεὶς ἀντερεῖ, ὅστις τὸ ὑπερουράνιον φῶς ἐν ταῖς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐπαγγελίαις ἐκδέχεται, περὶ οὗ Σολομών φησι· Φῶς δικαίοις διαπαντός. Καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος· «Εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Πατρὶ τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ἡμᾶς ἐν τῇ μερίδι τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐγένετο ὁ οὐρανὸς προστάγματι Θεοῦ ἀθρόως περιταθεὶς τοῖς ἐντὸς ὑπὸ τῆς οἰκείας αὐτοῦ περιφερείας ἀπειλημμένοις, σῶμα ἔχων δὲ συνεχές, ἱκανὸν τῶν ἔνδον διαστῆσαι τὰ ἔξω· ἀναγκαίως τὸν ἐναπολειφθέντα τόπον αὐτῷ ἀφεγγῆ κατέστησε τὴν ἔξωθεν αὐγὴν διακόψας. Τρία γὰρ δεῖ συνδραμεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς σκιᾶς, τὸ φῶς, τὸ σῶμα, τὸν ἀλαμπῆ τόπον. Τὸ τοίνυν ἐγκόσμιον σκότος τῇ σκιᾷ τοῦ οὐρανίου σώματος παρυπέστη.","t":"What kind of light, then, was the place within the world suddenly found to lack, so that darkness was over the water? We reason that if anything existed before this perceptible world, it was plainly in light. For neither the ranks of the angels nor all the heavenly hosts passed their existence in darkness, but in light and all spiritual joy. And no one will contradict this who expects the light above the heavens among the promised good things, about which Solomon says, “Light for the righteous always,” and the Apostle, “giving thanks to the Father who has made us fit for a share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.” Since, then, the heaven came into being at God's command, stretched all at once around what was enclosed within its circumference, and having a continuous body able to separate what is inside from what is outside, it necessarily left the space within it without light, cutting off the brightness from outside. For three things must come together for a shadow: the light, the body, and the unlit place. The darkness within the world, then, came about as the shadow of the heavenly body.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.6.1 (PG 80 80:85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-6-1)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.60":{"o":"Ποία γλῶσσα ἀρχαιοτέρα, Δηλοῖ τὰ ὀνύματα. ᾿Αδὰμ γὰρ, καὶ Κάῖν, καὶ ῎Αβελ, καὶ Νῶε, τῆς Σύρων ἴδια γλώττης. ᾿Αδαμθά γὰρ τὴν ἐρυθρὰν γῆν ἔθος τοῖς Σύροις καλεῖν. ᾿Αδάμ τοίνυν, ἢ ὁ γήϊνος, ἢ ὁ χοϊκὸς ἑρμηνεύεται. Καὶ Κάϊν κτῆσις, τοῦτο δὲ Ἀδὰμ ὑμνῶν Θεὸν εἴρηκεν. Ἐκτησάμην ἄνθρωπον διὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ῎Αβελ πένθος πρῶτος γὰρ οὗτος ὤφθη νεκρός. Καὶ πρῶτος τοῖς γεγεννηκόσι προὐξένησε πένθος· καὶ Νῶς, ἀνάπαυσις.","t":"Which language is older? The names show it. Adam, Cain, Abel, and Noah belong to the Syriac language. The Syrians usually call red earth adamtha; Adam, then, is interpreted “the earthy” or “the one made of dust.” Cain is “acquisition”; Adam said this when praising God: “I have acquired a man through God.” Abel is “mourning,” for he was the first to be seen dead, and the first to bring mourning to his parents. And Noah is “rest.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.60 (PG 80 80:165; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-60)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.61":{"o":"Ἡ ουν ῾Εβραία πόθεν ἤρξατο; Οἶμαι αὐτὴν ἱερὰν εἶναι φωνήν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς Ἑλληνικοῖς ναοῖς ἴδιοί τινες ἦσαν χαρακτῆρες γραμμάτων, οὓς ἱερατικοὺς προσηγόρευον οὕτω διὰ τοῦ Μωσέως ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ταύτην ἔδωκε τὴν γλῶτταν, διδακτὴν οὖσαν, οὐ φυσικήν. Τοιγάρτοι τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων κατὰ τὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐν οἷς ἂν γεννηθῶσι φθεγγομένων φωνὴν καὶ τῶν μὲν ἐν΄ Ἰταλίᾳ τικτομένων, τῇ Ἰταλῶν κεχρημένων· τῶν δὲ ἐν τῇ Ἑλλάδι τῇ Ἑλλήνων· καὶ τῶν ἐν Περσίδι τῇ Περσῶν, καὶ τῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τῇ Αἰγυπτίων· τὰ Ἑβραίων παιδία οὐ τῇ Ἑβραίων ἔστιν εὑρεῖν εὐθὺς κεχρημένα φωνῇ, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐκείνων παρ' οἷς ἐγεννήθησαν· εἶτα μειράκια γενόμενα, διδάσκεται τῶν γραμμάτων τοὺς χαρακτῆρας· μανθάνει δὲ διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων τὴν θείαν Γραφὴν, τῇ Ἑβραΐδι γεγραμμένην φωνῇ. Οἶμαι δὲ τοῦτο αἰνίττεσθαι καὶ τὸν μακάριον Δαβὶδ ἐν τῷ ὀγδοηκοστῷ ψαλμῷ· Γλῶσσαν ἣν οὐκ ἔγνω ἤκουσεν. Αλλά τινές φασιν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἔβερ Ἑβραίαν κεκλῆσθαι τὴν γλῶσσαν. Ἐκεῖνον γὰρ μόνον ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ μεῖναι φωνῆ, καὶ ἐκεῖθεν Ἑβραίους ὀνομασθῆναι Ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι Ἑβραίους ὀνομασθῆναι ἐκ τοῦ τὸν πατριάρχην Ἀβραὰμ ἀπὸ τῆς Χαλδαίων· χώρας εἰς τὴν Παλαιστίνην ἐλθεῖν τὸν Εὐφράτην ποταμὸν διαβάντα. Ἑβρᾶ γὰρι τῇ Σύρων φωνῇ ὁ περάτης ὀνομάζεται. Εἰ δὲ ἐκ τοῦ Ἔβερ Ἑβραῖοι καλοῦνται, οὐ μόνους ἐχρῆν τούτους οὕτω προσαγορεύεσθαι. Πολλὰ γὰρ ἔθνη έκι τοῦ Ἕβερ κατάγει τὸ γένος· καὶ ἵνα τοὺς ἄλλους πάντας παρῶ, ἐκ τούτου εἰσὶν Ἰσμαηλῖται, καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Χεττούρας, καὶ Ἰδουμαῖοι, καὶ ᾿Αμαληκίται, καὶ Μωαβίται, καὶ Ἀμμανῖται, καὶ οἱ τὰς Κάῤῥας οἰκοῦντες· ἐκ τοῦ γὰρ Ναχώρ καὶ τοῦ Λάβαν τὸ γένος κατάγουσιν. Αλλ' οὐδεὶς τούτων τῇ Ἑβραΐδι κέχρηται φωνῇ. Οὕτω δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ἐκαλεῖτο. Καὶ μάρτυς ἡ θεία Γραφή. Μετά γὰρ τὴν τοῦ Λώτ αἰχμαλωσίαν, ἐλθών τις, φησὶν, ἀνήγγειλε τῷ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ τῷ περάτῃ. Τοῦτο δὲ παρὰ τῷ Ἑβραίῳ κείμενον εὗρον Ἑβρεῖ. Τὸ δὲ Ἑβρεῖ ἐξελληνιζόμενον, Ἑβραῖος γίνεται. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χωρίῳ, ἔνθα ἡ Αἰγυπτία περὶ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἔφη· Εἰσήγαγες ἡμῖν παῖδα Ἑβραῖον ἐμπαίζειν ἡμῖν· παρὰ τῷ Ἑβραίῳ Ἑβρεῖ κεῖται. Ἀλλὰ περὶ τούτου ζυγομαχεῖν περιττόν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τῷ λόγῳ τῆς εὐσεβείας λυμαίνεται, κἄν τε τοῦτο, κἄν τε ἐκεῖνο δεξώμεθα.","t":"Where, then, did Hebrew begin? I think that it is a sacred language. Just as in the Greek temples there were certain special characters of letters, which they called hieratic, so the God of the universe gave this language through Moses: a language that is taught, not natural. Thus, while all others speak the language of the nations among which they are born (those born in Italy using that of the Italians, those in Greece that of the Greeks, those in Persia that of the Persians, and those in Egypt that of the Egyptians), the children of the Hebrews are not found using the Hebrew language from the start, but that of those among whom they were born; then, when they become youths, they are taught the characters of the letters, and through the letters they learn the divine Scripture, written in the Hebrew language. I think the blessed David too hints at this in the eightieth psalm: “He heard a language that he did not know.” But some say that the language was called Hebrew from Eber, since he alone remained in the former language, and that the Hebrews were named from him. I, however, think that they were named Hebrews because the patriarch Abraham came from the land of the Chaldeans into Palestine, crossing the river Euphrates; for in the Syriac language one who crosses over is called ebra. If they were called Hebrews from Eber, then not only these ought to have been so called. For many nations trace their descent from Eber; to pass over all the others, from him come the Ishmaelites, the descendants of Keturah, the Idumeans, the Amalekites, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and those who live in Carrhae, for they trace their descent from Nahor and Laban. Yet none of these uses the Hebrew language. Abraham himself was called so, and the divine Scripture is witness: after the capture of Lot, “someone came,” it says, “and told Abraham the crosser.” I found this word given in the Hebrew as hebrei; and hebrei put into Greek becomes Hebraios. So too in the passage where the Egyptian woman said of Joseph, “You have brought in to us a Hebrew servant to mock us,” the Hebrew has hebrei. But it is superfluous to wrangle about this; it does no harm to the doctrine of piety whichever we accept.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.61 (PG 80 80:165; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-61)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.62":{"o":"Τινές φασι τῇ Σάῤῥᾳ μιγῆναι τὸν Φαραώ \" Ποίας οὖν κηδεμονίας ἀπήλαυσεν ᾿Αβραάμ παρὰ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ, εἰ περιεῖδεν αὐτοῦ μοιχευομένην τὴν γαμετήν; τί δήποτε δὲ καὶ ἤτασεν ἐτασμοῖς μεγάλοις καὶ φοβεροῖς τ8 τὸν Φαραὼ, καὶ ἅπαντα τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, εἰ μὴ κωλῦσαι τὴν παράνομον ἠβούλετο συναφήν; Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Φαραὼ τὴν ἄγνοιαν εἰς ἀπολογίαν προβάλλεται καὶ· μέμφεται τῷ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ ἀδελφὴν κεκληκότι τὴν γαμετήν· καὶ διδάσκει ὡς οὐχ ὑβρίσαι αὐτὴν, ἀλλὰ γῆμαι βουλόμενος ἔλαβε. Τί τοῦτο γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐποίησάς μοι, ὅτι γυνή σού ἐστιν; Ἵνα τί εἶπας, ᾿Αδελφή μού ἐστι, καὶ ἔλαβον αὐτὴν ἐμαυτῷ εἰς γυν ναῖκα καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἡ γυνή σου, ἐναντίον σου, λαβὼν ἀπότρεχε. Καὶ οὐ μόνον εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ, ἔπραξε, καὶ παντοδαπῆς κηδεμονίας ἠξίωσεν Ἐνετείλατο γὰρ, φησὶ, Φαραὼ ἀνδράσι περὶ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ συμπροπέμψαι αὐτὸν, καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἦν αὐτῷ. Δῆλον τοίνυν, ὡς εὐθὺς ἁρπασθείσης τῆς Σάῤῥας, ἐπέδησε τῇ νόσῳ τὸν Φαραὼ τῶν ὅλων ὁ Πρύτανις· ἡ δὲ νόσος τὴν ὄρεξιν ἤμβλυνεν· καὶ τῶν δικτύων εἴσω τὴν θήραν ἔχων ὁ θηρευτής, οὐκ ἀπήλαυσε τῆς ἄγρας· ἡ γὰρ νόσος ἐκώλυσε.","t":"Some say that Pharaoh had intercourse with Sarah. What care, then, did Abraham enjoy from the God of the universe, if God overlooked his wife being made an adulteress? And why did he afflict Pharaoh and his whole house with great and terrible afflictions, if he did not wish to prevent the unlawful union? Pharaoh himself puts forward his ignorance as a defense, blames Abraham for calling his wife his sister, and shows that he took her not to outrage her but wishing to marry her: “What is this,” he says, “that you have done to me, that she is your wife? Why did you say, She is my sister, so that I took her for myself as wife? And now, see, your wife is before you; take her and be off.” And he not only said this but acted on it, and counted him worthy of every kind of care: “Pharaoh,” it says, “commanded men concerning Abraham to escort him, and his wife, and all that he had.” It is plain, then, that as soon as Sarah was seized, the ruler of the universe bound Pharaoh with sickness; the sickness dulled his desire, and the hunter, though he had the prey within his nets, did not enjoy the catch, for the sickness prevented it.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.62 (PG 80 80:167; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-62)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.63":{"o":"Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν ἐνταῦθα μὲν ἐσίγησεν ἡ Γραφὴ τὸ φυλαχθῆναι τὴν Σάῤῥαν ἀλώβητον, ἐν δὲ τῷ κατὰ τὸν Ἀβιμέλεχ διηγήματι, σαφῶς τοῦτο δεδήλωκε ; Ἔμελλεν ἡ Σάῤῥα τηνικαῦτα τίκτειν τὸν Ἰσαάκ. Ἵνα τοίνυν μὴ ὕποπτον γένηται τὸ σπέρμα τοῦ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ, σαφῶς ἐκεῖ δεδήλωκεν ἡ θεία Γραφή, ὅτι οὐχ ἥψατο αὐτῆς ᾿Αβιμέλεχ. Καὶ ἐντεῦθεν μέντοι κἀκεῖθεν ἰστέον, ὡς καὶ τοὺς Βαρβάρους ἡ φύσις ἐδίδαξεν, ὅτι πονηρὸν ἡ μοιχεία, καὶ τιμωρίας ἄξιον. Καὶ γὰρ γε ὁ Φαραὼ τοῦτο δεδήλωκεν ἐπιμεμψάμενος τῷ ᾿Αβραάμ· καὶ ὁ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ πρὸς τὸν τῶν ὅλων ἔφη Θεόν Κύριε, ἔθνος ἀγνοοῦν καὶ δίκαιον ἀποκτενεῖς; Οὐκ αὐτός μοι εἶπεν, ὅτι ᾿Αδελ φή μού ἐστι, καὶ αὐτή μοι εἶπεν, ὅτι ᾿Αδελφός μου ἐστιν; Ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ, καὶ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ χειρῶν ἐποίησα τοῦτο. Τέθεικε δὲ ὁ συγγραφεὺς καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν. Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ καθ᾽ ὕπνον. Κἀγὼ ἔγνων ὅτι ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ ἐποίησας τοῦτο, καὶ ἐφεισάμην σου τοῦ μὴ ἅψασθαι αὐτῆς τοῦ μὴ ἁμαρτεῖν εἰς ἐμέ· ἕνεκεν τούτου οὐκ ἀφῆκά σε ἅψασθαι αὐτῆς. Νῦν οὖν ἀπόδος τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ὅτι προφήτης ἐστὶ, καὶ προσεύξεται περὶ σοῦ, καὶ σωθήσῃ, σὺ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκός σου Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀποδίδως, γνῶθι ὅτι ἀποθανῇ σύ. Διδάσκει δὲ ἡμᾶς ὁ θεῖος λόγος, ὅτι τῆς δικαιοσύνης τοὺς ἐραστὰς πλημμελεῖν ἐξ ἀγνοίας μέλλοντας οὐκ ἐᾷ. Δῆλον τοίνυν, ὡς καὶ τὸν Φαραὼ κεκώλυκεν ἁμαρτεῖν, ὡς ἀδελφὴν τοῦ ᾿Αβραάμ νόμῳ γάμου εἰληφότα Ἐπειδὴ δὲ κρείττωνἦν, ὡς εἰκὸς, ὁ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ τοῦ Φαραὼ, ἐκεῖνον μὲν διὰ παιδείας τῆς παρανομίας ἀπεῖρξεν τούτῳ δὲ καὶ τῆς αἰκίας καὶ τοῦ πλημμελήματος οὐκ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸς τὴν συγχώρησιν· ἀλλὰ τὸν ἠδικημένον αἰτῆσαι ταύτην ἀνέμεινεν· ἐπιφανείας τε ἡμέρως ἠξίωσε, καὶ λόγοις ἡπίοις ἐπέδειξε τὴν τετολμημένην παρανομίαν. Εἶπε δὲ το ᾿Αβιμέλεχ τῷ \"Αβραμ· Τί ἐνιδὼν ἐποίησας τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο; Εἶπε δὲ \"Αβραμ· Εἶπον γὰρ, μήποτε οὐκ ἔστιν θεοσέβεια ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ, ἐμέ τε ἀποκτενοῦσιν ἕνεκεν τῆς γυναικός μου. Καὶ γὰρ ἀληθῶς ἀδελφή μού ἐστιν ἀδελφή μου, θυγάτηρ πατρός μού ἐστιν, πλὴν ἐκ πατρὸς, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐκ͵ μητρός. Καὶ γὰρ ἀληθῶς οὐ θυγάτηρ μητρός μου.","t":"And why did Scripture keep silent here about Sarah's being kept unharmed, while in the account of Abimelech it showed this clearly? Sarah was at that time about to bear Isaac. So, in order that Abraham's seed should not be suspect, the divine Scripture showed clearly there that Abimelech did not touch her. And from both passages one must learn that nature has taught even barbarians that adultery is evil and deserves punishment. Pharaoh showed this by reproaching Abraham; and Abimelech said to the God of the universe: “Lord, will you kill a nation that is ignorant and righteous? Did he not himself say to me, She is my sister, and did she not herself say to me, He is my brother? With a pure heart and with righteousness of hands I did this.” The writer has also put down God's answer: “God said to Abimelech in sleep, I too knew that you did this with a pure heart, and I spared you, so that you should not touch her, so as not to sin against me; for this reason I did not let you touch her. Now, then, give the man back his wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will be saved, you and all your house. But if you do not give her back, know that you will die.” The divine word teaches us that he does not let lovers of righteousness offend through ignorance. It is plain, then, that he prevented Pharaoh too from sinning, since he had taken her by the law of marriage as Abraham's sister. But since Abimelech was better than Pharaoh, as is likely, he kept Pharaoh from lawlessness by chastisement; to Abimelech he did not himself grant pardon for the injury and the offence, but waited for the injured man to ask for it; he counted him worthy of a gentle appearance, and with mild words showed him the lawless thing he had dared. “Abimelech said to Abraham, What did you have in view, that you did this thing? And Abraham said, For I said, Perhaps there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. For truly she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.63 (PG 80 80:169; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-63)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.64":{"o":"Ὁ Μελχισεδέχ πόθεν κατῆγε τὸ γένος; Τοῦ θεσπεσίου λέγοντος Παύλου, ᾿Απάτωρ, ἀμήτωρ, ἀγενεαλόγητος, τίς ἂν γνοίη τὸ ἀληθές; Εἰκὸς δὲ αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐκείνων εἶναι τῶν τὴν Παλαιστίνην οἰκούντων. Ἐκείνων γὰρ καὶ βαισιλεὺς καὶ ἱερεὺς ἐτύγχανεν ὢν, ἱερεὺς δὲ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ. Ἧν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἱερεὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου. Ὅθεν αὐτῷ καὶ ᾿Αβραάμ ὁ πατριάρχης προσενήνοχε τὰς τῶν λαφύρων δεκάτας. Καὶ δίκαιος ὢν, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ φίλος, παρ' ἐκείνου τὴν εὐλογίαν καρποῦται. Τῆς γὰρ Δεσποτικῆς εἶχεν ἱερωσύνης τὸν τύπον. Διὸ δὴ καὶ ἄρτους τῷ Ἀβραάμ, καὶ οἶνον ἀντέδωκεν· ὡς τοιαῦτα τυχὸν προσφέρειν, εἰωθὼς τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ. Ἔδει γὰρ κὰν τούτῳ δειχθῆναι, τὸν τύπον.","t":"From whom did Melchizedek trace his descent? Since the inspired Paul says, “Without father, without mother, without genealogy,” who could know the truth? It is likely that he was from those nations that inhabited Palestine. For he was king and priest of those nations, but priest of the God of the universe: “He was,” it says, “priest of God Most High.” That is why the patriarch Abraham offered him the tithes of the spoils; and, righteous as he was and the friend of God, he received the blessing from him; for Melchizedek bore the type of the Lord's priesthood. That is why he gave Abraham bread and wine in return, as one perhaps accustomed to offer such things to the God of the universe. For the type had to be shown in this too.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.64 (PG 80 80:171; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-64)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.65":{"o":"Πῶς ᾿Ἀβραὰμ πιστὸς ὀνομάζεται εἰρηκὼς τῷ θεῷ, Κατὰ τί γνώσομαι τοῦτο, ὅτι κληρονομήσω αὐτήν; Τὸ, Κατὰ τί γνώσομαι τοῦτο, οὐκ ἀπιστοῦντός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ μαθεῖν ποθοῦντος τῆς κληρονομίας τὸν τρόπον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἑώρα πλήθη μυρία τὴν Παλαιστίνην οἰκοῦντα, μαθεῖν ἡβούλετο τίνι τρόπῳ παραλήψεται τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης τὴν δεσποτείαν πολέ μου νόμῳ, ἢ δίχα πολέμου· ζώντων ἐκείνων, ἢ ἀναιρουμένων ἢ ἐξελαυνομένων. Τούτου χάριν μετὰ τὴν θυσίαν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ἔφη Γινώσκων γνώσῃ, ὅτι πάροικον ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου ἐν τῇ γῇ οὐκ ἰδίᾳ· καὶ δουλώσουσιν αὐτοὺς, καὶ κακώσουσιν αὐτοὺς, καὶ ταπεινώσουσιν ἔτη τετρακόσια. Τὸ δὲ ἔθνος, ᾧ ἐὰν δουλεύσωσι, κρινῶ ἐγώ. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐξελεύσονται ὧδε μετὰ ἀποσκευῆς πολλῆς· σὺ δὲ ἀπελεύσει πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας σου ἐν εἰρήνῃ, τραφεὶς ἐν γήρει καλῷ. Τετάρτῃ δὲ γενεᾷ στραφήσονται ὧδε οὔπω γὰρ ἀναπεπλήρωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. τῶν ᾿Αμοῤῥαίων ἕως τοῦ νῦν. Ἐκ τῆς θείας ἀποκρίσεως ἔστι γνῶναι τὸν τρόπον τῆς ἐρωτήσεως. Ἐπειδὴ εἶπε, Κατὰ τί γνώσομαι ὅτι ..ηρονομήσω αὐτὴν, ἐδιδάχθη ὅσον μὲν παροικήσουσι χρόνον, καὶ ὅπως ταλαιπωρήσουσιν, ὅσης τε ἀξιω· θήσονται προμηθείας, τῶν μὲν πολεμήσειν ἐθελόντων αὐτοῖς κολασθησομένων, τούτων δὲ τὰ ἐκείνων καρπωσαμένων· καὶ ὅτι τούτων αὐτὸς οὐδεμίαν πεῖραν λαβὼν, ἐν εἰρήνῃ καταλύσει τὸν βίον. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ καὶ τῆς ἀναβολῆς τὴν αἰτίαν, ἵνα μή τις τοπάσῃ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἐνοικούντων μὴ δυνηθῆναι τὸν Δεσπότην Θεὸν τῆς γῆς ἐκείνην αὐτοῖς παραδοῦναι τὴν δεσποτείαν. Ἔφη δὲ οὕτως· Οὔπω γὰρ ἀναπεπλήρωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων ἕως τοῦ νῦν. Οὐδέπω, φησὶν, ἄξια πανωλεθρίας πεπράχασιν· οὐ χρὴ δὲ πρὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐκ προγνώσεως ἐπενεχθῆναι τὴν τιμωρίαν. Ὅτι δὲ ὑπῆρχον κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν εὐσεβεῖς, δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ Μελχισεδέκ, καὶ τοῦ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ, καὶ τῶν τὴν Χεβρών οἰκούντων. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι πολλῆς τὸν πατριάρχην θεραπείας ἠξίωσαν· καὶ ἔστιν ἀκοῦσαι αὐτῶν βοώντῶν· Βασιλεὺς εἶ σὺ παρὰ Θεοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν. Ἐν τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς μνημείοις ἡμῶν θάψον τὸν νεκρόν σου.»","t":"How is Abraham named faithful, when he said to God, “By what shall I know that I shall inherit it?” The words “By what shall I know this” are not those of one who disbelieves, but of one who longs to learn the manner of the inheritance. Since he saw countless multitudes inhabiting Palestine, he wished to learn in what way he would take possession of that land: by the law of war or without war; with its inhabitants living, or killed, or driven out. For this reason, after the sacrifice, the God of the universe said: “Know for certain that your seed will be a sojourner in a land not its own; and they will enslave them and afflict them and humble them for four hundred years. But the nation they serve I will judge. After this they will come out here with many possessions. But you shall go to your fathers in peace, nourished in a good old age. And in the fourth generation they will return here; for the sins of the Amorites are not yet filled up until now.” From the divine answer one can learn the manner of the question. Since he said, “By what shall I know that I shall inherit it?” he was taught how long they would sojourn, how they would suffer hardship, and what providence they would be counted worthy of: those who chose to make war on them would be punished, and his descendants would reap the fruits of their enemies' labors; and he himself, having no experience of these things, would end his life in peace. He also taught the reason for the delay, so that no one might suppose that God the Master was unable to hand over the possession of that land to them because of the number of its inhabitants. He said: “For the sins of the Amorites are not yet filled up until now.” “They have not yet,” he says, “done what deserves total destruction; and punishment must not be inflicted from foreknowledge before the sin.” That there were pious people at that time is clear from Melchizedek, from Abimelech, and from those who lived in Hebron. For they too honored the patriarch with much attention, and one can hear them crying, “You are a king from God among us. Bury your dead in our choice tombs.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.65 (PG 80 80:171; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-65)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.66":{"o":"Διατί δὲ τυθῆναι προσέταξε δάμαλιν τριετίζουσαν, καὶ κριὸν τριετίζοντα, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς; Αἰνίγματα ταῦτα ἦν τῶν τῷ γένει συμβησομένων. Τοιγάρτοι μετὰ τὰς θυσίας ἐπήγαγε· Γινώσκων γνώσῃ ὅτι πάροικον ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου ἐν γῇ οὐκ ἰδίᾳ. Καὶ προσέθηκε· Τετάρτῃ δὲ γενεᾷ ἀποστραφήσονται ὧδε. Διὰ τοῦτο τρία τῶν καθαρῶν τετραπόδων, καὶ ἕκαστον τριετὲς τυθῆναι προσέταξε, τῶν τριῶν γενεῶν εἰς δήλωσιν, αϊ παροικοῦσαι διατελέσουσιν· ἡ δὲ τρυγὼν τὴν γενεὰν ἐκείνην ἐνέφηνε, τὴν οἰονεὶ ἀποπτᾶσαν μὲν καὶ ἐξελθοῦσαν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐρήμῳ κατασκηνώσασαν• φιλέρημον γὰρ τόδε τὸ ὄρνεον. Ἡ δὲ περιστερὰ τὴν ἄλλην γενεὰν παρεδήλου, ἢ τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην ἀπελάμβανε γῆν· ἥμερον γὰρ τὸ ζῶον, καὶ ταῖς οἰκίαις ἐμφιλοχωροῦν. Διά τοι τοῦτο, τὰ μὲν οὐ διεῖλεν, ὡς τὴν τῆς δουλείας ἀπαλλαγὴν αἰνιττόμενα. Τὰ δὲ τετράποδα διεῖλεν, ἐπεὶ τὴν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ κακουχίαν ἐσήμαινε. Τὰ δέ γε ἐφιπτάμενα τοῖς διχοτομήμασιν ὄρνεα, ἅπερ ὁ πατριάρχης ἐκ τῶν ἱερείων ἐξήλαυνε, τὴν φονικὴν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων προῃνίττετο γνώμην· ἣν ἄπρακτον ἀπέφηνεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, τὰς πρὸς τὸν Ἀβραὰμ ἐμπεδῶν ὑποσχέσεις· ὥσπερ γὰρἐν τῷ τύπῳ τοὺς σαρκοβόρους ὄρνεις ἐξήλαυνεν ᾿Αβραάμ, οὕτως ἡ τιμὴ τοῦ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ἐκόλασε. Τὸ δὲ περὶ ἡλίου δυσμὰς ὀφθῆναι τὸν καπνιζόμενον κλίβανον, καὶ τὰς τοῦ πυρὸς λαμπάδας, ἐδήλου μὲν καὶ τὸ δεχθῆναι τὰ θύματα· προεσήμαινε δὲ καὶ τὴν παρὰ τὸ τέλος τοῦ προῤῥηθέντος χρόνου ἐσομένην ἐπιφάνειαν τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ. Διὰ πυρὸς γὰρ ἐφάνη καὶ Μωσῇ τῷ νομοθέτῃ, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα παντὶ τῷ λαῷ. Ἐδίδασκε δὲ πρὸς τούτοις, καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα ὕστερον νομοθετήσει τὰ ζῶα προσφέρεσθαι. Τινὲς δὲ φασιν, ὅτι βεβαίαν δεῖξαι βουλόμενος ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν, κατὰ τὸ κρατοῦν ἔθος ἐποιήσατο τὰς συνθήκας. Εἰώθασι γὰρ, ὥς φασι, διχῆ τὰ ἱερεῖα διαιροῦντες, οὕτω ποιεῖσθαι τοὺς ὅρκους. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ταῦτα κἀκεῖνα τέθεικα, ἵνα τὸ δοκοῦν ἀληθέστερον οἱ ἐντυγχάνοντες δέξωνται.","t":"Why did he command a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old ram, and the rest to be sacrificed? These were riddles of what would happen to the race. So after the sacrifices he added: “Know for certain that your seed will be a sojourner in a land not its own,” and further, “In the fourth generation they will return here.” For this reason he commanded three of the clean four-footed animals, each three years old, to be sacrificed, to indicate the three generations that would continue in sojourning. The turtledove showed the generation that, as it were, flew away and left Egypt and encamped in the desert; for this bird loves the desert. The dove indicated the other generation, which received the promised land; for this creature is tame and loves to dwell in houses. That is why he did not divide the birds, since they hinted at release from slavery; but he divided the four-footed animals, since they signified the ill-treatment in Egypt. The birds that swooped on the divided pieces, which the patriarch drove away from the victims, foreshadowed the murderous intent of the Egyptians, which God the Master made ineffective, confirming his promises to Abraham; for just as Abraham in the type drove away the carrion birds, so the honor in which Abraham was held brought punishment on the Egyptians. The smoking furnace and the torches of fire seen about sunset showed that the victims were accepted, and foretold the appearing of the God of the universe that would take place near the end of the foretold time; for he appeared through fire both to Moses the lawgiver and afterwards to the whole people. Besides this, he was teaching that he would later prescribe that these animals be offered. Some say that God, wishing to show that his promise was sure, made the covenant according to the prevailing custom; for people used, they say, to make their oaths by dividing the victims in two. I have set down both views, so that readers may accept whichever seems truer.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.66 (PG 80 80:173; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-66)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.67":{"o":"Πολλοὶ τῶν ἀκολάστων ἀφορμὴν εἰς λαγνείαν λαμβάνουσι τὸν πατριάρχην ᾿Αβραάμ παλλακὴν ἐσχηκότα. Ἕκαστον τῶν πραττομένων ἐκ τοῦ σκοποῦ κρίνεται τῶν διαπραττομένων. Οὕτω τρίνυν καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν ᾿Αγαρ σκοπήσωμεν. Κἂν ἐπιθυμίᾳ δεδουλευκότα τὸν πατριάρχην ἴδωμεν, νεμεσητὸν πρᾶγμα καλέσωμεν. Εἰ δὲ τῆς ὁμοζύγου τῆς φύσεως ἐπιδειξάσης τὸ πάθος, καὶ τὸν ποιητὴν ἄγονον δεδημιουργηκέναι τὴν μήτραν εἰρηκυίας, καὶ τῆς παιδοποιίας δηλωσάσης τὸν πόθον, καὶ τούτου χάριν ἱκετευσάσης ὁμιλῆσαι τῇ ῎Αγαρ, ἵνα αὐτῇ ἐκεῖθεν παιδίον ἐπινοήσῃ τί ἐξήμαρτεν Ἀβραὰμ, οὔτε τῆς φύσεως, οὔτε νόμου τινὸς ἐγγράφου τηνικαῦτα τὴν πολυγαμίαν κωλύοντος, τῆς δὲ ὁμοζύγου στείρας μὲν οὔσης, λιπαρησάσης δὲ τὸν ἄνδρα τῇ παιδίσκῃ μιγῆναι, οὐχ ἵνα ἡδυπαθείᾳ δουλεύσῃ, ἀλλ᾿ ὅπως αὐτὸς μὲν φύσει, αὐτὴ δὲ θέσει, κληθῶσι γεννήτορες; \"Ὅτι γὰρ κρείττων ἦν αἰσχρᾶς ἡδονῆς ὁ θεῖος ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ, οὐ μόνον ταῦτα ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς μαρτυρεῖ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐγκύμων ἡ ᾿Αγαρ γενομένη μεγαλαυχίας πρόφασιν ἔσχε τὴν κύησιν, καὶ κατὰ τῆς δεσποίνης ἐλύττησεν, ἐδυσχέραινε μὲν ἡ Σάῤῥα, καὶ τοῦ πατριάρχου κατεβόησεν οὐκ ὀρθῶς· ὁ δὲ μάλα – ἠπίως τὴν παροινίαν δεξάμενος, ἐξέδωκεν αὐτῇ τὴν παιδίσκην εἰς τιμωρίαν, οὐδὲ τεχθῆναι προσμείνας τὸ κυοφορούμενον βρέφος· Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ παιδίσκη σου ἐν ταῖς χερσί σου, χρῶ αὐτῇ ὡς ἄν σοι ἀρεστὸν ᾖ.","t":"Many licentious people take the patriarch Abraham's having a concubine as an occasion for lust. Each action is judged by the aim of those who do it. Let us, then, consider the matter of Hagar in this way too. If we see the patriarch enslaved to desire, let us call it a blameworthy thing. But his wife had shown the affliction of her nature, saying that the maker had created her womb barren; she had made plain her longing for children, and for this reason had begged him to have relations with Hagar, so that she might obtain a child through her. What sin, then, did Abraham commit? At that time neither nature nor any written law forbade having more than one wife; and his wife, being barren, entreated her husband to have relations with the maidservant, not so that he might be enslaved to pleasure, but so that he by nature and she by adoption might be called parents. That that divine man was superior to shameful pleasure is attested not only by this but also by what follows. When Hagar conceived, she took her pregnancy as an occasion for boasting and raged against her mistress; Sarah was indignant and cried out against the patriarch unjustly; but he, receiving her outburst very gently, handed the maidservant over to her for punishment, without even waiting for the child in the womb to be born: “See,” he says, “your maidservant is in your hands; treat her as you please.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.67 (PG 80 80:175; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-67)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.68":{"o":"Τί. δήποτε περιτμηθῆναι αὐτὸν προσέταξεν ὁ Θεός; Προειπὼν τὴν παροικίαν, φυλακήν τινα μηχανᾶται τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ, ἵνα τοῖς δυσσεβέσιν ἀνθρώποις ἀναμιγέντες, μὴ διαφθείρωσι τὴν εὐγένειαν, ἀλλὰ εἰς τὸ σημεῖον ὁρῶντες, ἄσβεστον τοῦ δεδωκότος τοῦτο τὴν μνήμην φυλάττωσι. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, ἡ ἔρημος μάρτυς Τεσσαράκοντα γὰρ χρόνους ἐν αὐτῇ διατρίψαντες, περιττὴν ἐνόμιζον τὴν περιτομὴν, τῶν ἐθνῶν κεχωρισμένοι, καὶ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς πολιτευόμενοι. Ἡνίκα δὲ λοιπὸν εἰς τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην εἰσήγοντο γῆν, τηνικαῦτα πάλιν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς Ἰησοῦ τῷ τοῦ Ναυῆ προσέταξε περιτεμεῖν ἅπαντας· καὶ οὕτω τῆς γῆς παραδοῦναι τὴν δεσποτείαν. Ἔμελλον γὰρ ἔθνεσιν ἀλλοφύλοις προσπελάζειν οὗ δὴ χάριν ἀναγκαίως τῆς σφραγίδος ἐδέοντο, τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλλογενῶν αὐτοὺς χωριζούσης ἐθνῶν. Εἰ δὲ μέγα φρονοῦσιν ἐπὶ τῇ περιτομῇ Ἰουδαῖοι, μαθέτωσαν ὅτι οὐ μόνος ὁ πατριάρχης περιετμήθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἰσμαὴλ ὁ ἡμίδουλος, καὶ οἱ οἰκογενεῖς οἰκέται, καὶ οἱ ἀργυρώνητοι, καὶ οἱ Ἰδουμαῖοι, καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Χεττούρας. Ἔμαθον δὲ ἐκ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν καὶ Αἰγύπτιοι περιτέμνεσθαι. Οὐ τοίνυν ἡ περιτομὴ δικαίους ἐργάζεται. Οὗτοι γὰρ ἅπαντες, ὡς δυσσεβεῖς, ὑπὸ τῆς θείας κατηγοροῦνται Γραφῆς. Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲ τὸν ᾿Ἀβραὰμ ἡ περιτομὴ ἐδικαίω - σεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ μὲν πίστις ἀπέφηνε δίκαιον· λαμπρότερον δὲ ἡ ἀρετὴ κατεσκεύασεν. Ἡ δὲ περιτομή σημεῖον ἐδόθη τῆς πίστεως.","t":"Why did God command him to be circumcised? Having foretold the sojourning, he devises a safeguard for piety, so that when they mingled with impious men they might not corrupt their nobility, but, looking at the sign, might keep an inextinguishable memory of the one who gave it. That this is true, the desert is witness. Having spent forty years in it, they thought circumcision superfluous, since they were separated from the nations and lived by themselves. But when at length they were being brought into the promised land, the God of the universe commanded Joshua son of Nun to circumcise them all, and so to hand over the possession of the land. For they were about to come near to foreign nations, and so they needed the seal that separated them from the alien peoples. If the Jews pride themselves on circumcision, let them learn that not only the patriarch was circumcised, but also Ishmael, the son of a slave woman, the servants born in the household, those bought with money, the Idumeans, and the descendants of Keturah. The Egyptians too learned from the Israelites to be circumcised. Circumcision, then, does not make people righteous; for all these are accused by the divine Scripture as impious. Nor, then, did circumcision justify Abraham: faith declared him righteous, and virtue made him more illustrious. Circumcision was given as a sign of faith.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.68 (PG 80 80:177; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-68)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.69":{"o":"Ἡ θεία Γραφὴ λέγει, ὅτι ἔφαγον οἱ ἄγγελοι ἐγ τῇ σκηνῇ τοῦ ᾿Αβραάμ. Καὶ ἡ αὐτὴ λέγει Γραφή, ὅτι ἄνδρας εἶδεν Αβραάμ. Εἰ τοίνυν γυμνῷ προσεκτέον τῷ γράμματι, ἄνδρες, οὐκ ἄγγελοι ἔφαγον εἰ δὲ τὸν νοῦν ἀναπτύσσωμεν, ὡς ὤφθησαν ἔφαγον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀσώματον ἔχοντες φύσιν. καὶ αὐτοὶ, καὶ ὁ τούτων Δεσπότης, σώματα ἔχειν ἔδοξαν, οὕτως γὰρ ἑωράθησαν οὕτως ἐσθίοντες ὤφθησαν, οὐ στόματι καὶ γαστρὶ τὴν τροφὴν προσενεγκόντες· οὔτε γὰρ εἶχον σώματα· ἀναλώσαντες δὲ αὐτὴν ὡς ἠθέλησαν. ᾿Ανοίας γὰρ ἐσχάτης τὸ πολυπραγμονεῖσθαι τῶν ἀῤῥήτων τὸν τρόπον.","t":"The divine Scripture says that the angels ate in Abraham's tent. And the same Scripture says that Abraham saw men. If, then, one is to attend to the bare letter, men, not angels, ate; but if we unfold the meaning, they ate in the way they were seen. Just as they, and their Master with them, having an incorporeal nature, seemed to have bodies (for so they were seen), so they were seen eating; they did not take the food with mouth and stomach, for they did not have bodies, but consumed it as they willed. It is the height of folly to busy oneself with the manner of things that cannot be told.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.69 (PG 80 80:177; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-69)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.7":{"o":"Εἰ τὸ φῶς ὁ Θεὸς ἐδημιούργησε, πῶς αὐτὸς τὸ σκότος ἐποίησεν; ἐναντία γὰρ ταῦτα ἀλλήλοις. Ἐναντία μὲν ἀλλήλοις, ἀλλ᾽ ἀναγκαῖα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀμφότερα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς ἐργασίαν τε καὶ φιλοπονίαν συνεργεῖ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, καὶ ὑποδείκνυσι τὰ ὁρώμενα, καὶ τὸν τούτων ποιητὴν ὑμνεῖσθαι παρασκευάζει. Τὸ δὲ διαπαύει καὶ νεουργεῖ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἐργασίας ἐγγινόμενον διαλύει πόνον. Καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μὲν οἶκαδε συναγείρει, τοῖς δὲ γε θηρίοις ἄδειαν παρέχει νομῆς. Καὶ τοῦτο σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεῖος διδάσκει Δαβίδ. Ἔθου γὰρ, φησὶ, σκότος, καὶ ἐγένετο νὺξ, ἐν αὐτῇ διελεύσονται πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ. Σκύμνοι ὠρυόμενοι τοῦ ἁρπάσαι, καὶ ζητῆσαι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ βρῶσιν αὐτοῖς. Ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος, καὶ συνήχθησαν, καὶ εἰς τὰς μάνδρας αὐτῶν κοιτασθήσονται. Ἐξελεύσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐργασίαν αὐτοῦ ἕως ἑσπέρας. Οὕτως ταῦτα εἰπὼν τὴν τοῦ ποιητοῦ θαυμάζει μεγαλουργίαν, καί φησιν, Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου, Κύριε, πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἀναγκαῖον τὸ σκότος, ἀκριβῶς μεμαθήκαμεν. Ὅτι δὲ οὐκ οὐσία τίς ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ πρᾶγμα συμβεβηκὸς, καταμαθεῖν εὐπετές. Οὐρανοῦ γὰρ καὶ γῆς ἐστιν ἀποσκίασμα διά τοι τοῦτο φροῦδον γίνεται τοῦ φωτὸς ἀνίσχοντος. Τὸ δὲ φῶς οὐσία ἐστὶ καὶ ὑφέστηκε· καὶ δυόμενον ἀνίσχει, καὶ ἀπιὸν ἐπανέρχεται. Ωσπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἡμέτερον οὐσία τίς ἐστιν, ἡ δὲ διὰ τούτου ἀποτελουμένη σκιά συμβεβηκός ἐστιν, οὐκ οὐσία· οὕτως ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, τὰ μέγιστα σώματα, οὐσίαι εἰσὶ διάφοροι· ἡ δὲ ἐκ τούτων ἀποτελουμένη σκιά, τοῦ φωτὸς οὐ παρόντος, ὀνομάζεται σκότος εἰσελθὸν δὲ τὸ φῶς ἀφανίζει τὸ σκότος. Τοῦτο δὲ γνοίη τις ἂν καὶ ἑτέρωθεν. Οἶκος γὰρ οὐκ ἔχων φωταγωγοὺς σκότους ἐστὶν ἀνάπλεως. Εἰσκομισθείσης δὲ λαμπάδος φωτίζεται οὐ τοῦ σκότους ἄλλοσε μεταβαίνοντος· οὐ γὰρ ὑφέστηκεν, ἀνυπόστατον δὲ χρῆμά ἐστιν· ἀλλὰ πάμπαν διολλυμένου τῇ τοῦ φωτὸς παρουσίᾳ. Σκιὰ γάρ ἐστι διὰ τῆς ὀροφῆς, καὶ τοῦ ἐδάφους, καὶ τῶν τοίχων συνισταμένη, εἶτα ταῖς τοῦ φωτὸς δια λυομένη μαρμαρυγαῖς. Τοῦτο καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ὁρῶμεν ἐπιτελούμενον. Ὑποχωροῦντος γὰρ τοῦ φω· τὸς, οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς ἡ σκιὰ τὸ σκότος ἀποτελεῖ ἀνίσχοντος δὲ πάλιν, διαλύεται τοῦτο. Οὐ τοίνυν ἀγένητος οὐσία τὸ σκότος, οὔτε μὴν γενητή τις ὑπόστασις· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῶν γενητῶν συνισταμένη χρῆσις ἀναγκαία, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν σοφίαν κηρύττουσα. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ὁ προφήτης τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ὑμνεῖ. Ὁ ποιήσας γὰρ, φησὶ, φῶς, καὶ κατασκευάσας σκότος. Αρμοδίως δὲ ἄγαν ἑκάτερα τέθεικεν· τὸ μὲν ποιήσας ἐπὶ τοῦ φωτὸς, τὸ δὲ κατασκευάσας ἐπὶ τοῦ σκότους· συμβεβηκὸς γάρ ἐστι, συνιστάμενον καὶ διαλυόμενον. Καὶ οἱ τρεῖς δὲ μακάριοι παῖδες πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν εἰς ὑμνῳδίαν καλέσαντες, τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τὴν νύκτα συνέζευξαν, καὶ τῷ φωτὶ τὸ σκότος συνήρμοσαν. Ἐπὶ δὲ ταῖς τούτων διαδοχαῖς, καὶ ὁ χρόνος μετρεῖται, καὶ ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων συνίσταται βίος.","t":"If God created light, how did he himself make darkness? For these are opposed to each other. Opposed to each other, yes, but both are necessary for human beings. The one assists people in work and industry, shows what is seen, and prepares them to hymn the maker of these things. The other gives people rest and renews them, and dissolves the weariness that comes from work. It gathers people home, and gives the wild beasts freedom to feed. The divine David teaches us this clearly: “You made darkness,” he says, “and it became night; in it all the beasts of the field will go about; young lions roaring to seize prey and to seek their food from God. The sun rose, and they gathered together, and they will lie down in their dens. Man will go out to his work and to his labor until evening.” Having said this, he marvels at the maker's mighty work and says, “How great are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you have made them all.” That darkness is necessary, then, we have learned precisely. That it is not a substance, but an accident, is easy to see. It is the shadow of heaven and earth; that is why it vanishes when the light rises. But light is a substance and has real existence: when it sets it rises again, and when it departs it returns. For just as our body is a substance, while the shadow it casts is an accident, not a substance, so heaven and earth, the greatest bodies, are distinct substances; but the shadow cast by them when the light is not present is called darkness, and when the light comes in, it does away with the darkness. One could learn this from another quarter too. A house without windows is full of darkness. When a lamp is brought in, it is lit, not because the darkness moves elsewhere (for it has no real existence; it is a thing without substance), but because it is wholly destroyed by the presence of the light. For it is a shadow formed by the roof, the floor, and the walls, and then dissolved by the gleams of the light. We see this happening every day. When the light withdraws, the shadow of heaven and earth produces darkness; when it rises again, this is dissolved. Darkness, then, is neither an uncreated substance nor a created reality, but a necessary condition arising from created things and proclaiming the wisdom of God. So the prophet hymns the God of the universe for this too: “He who made light,” he says, “and fashioned darkness.” He set each word very fittingly: “made” of the light, “fashioned” of the darkness; for it is an accident, arising and dissolving. And the three blessed young men, calling the whole creation to sing hymns, joined night to day and darkness to light. By their succession time is measured and human life is sustained.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.7 (PG 80 80:87; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-7)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.70":{"o":"Διατί ὁ Λὼτ οὐκ ἐνεκλήθη ταῖς θυγατράσι μιγείς; Ἐπειδὴ τοῦ ἐξ ἀγνοίας πλημμελουμένοις καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι συγγινώσκειν εἰώθασιν· οὐ τοίνυν οὐδὲ τῷ Λώτ ἐπεμέμψαιτο ἄν τις δικαίως τῆς μίξεως ἕνεκα. Ἠγνόει γὰρ τὸ πραττόμενον. Τὸ δὲ τῆς μέθης ἔχει τινὰ μέμψιν κεκραμένην συγγνώμῃ. ᾿Αδημονῶν γὰρ κομιδῇ καὶ ἀλύων, ὡς πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν ὄντων γεγυμνωμένος, καὶ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασι, καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς ὁμοζύγου, ἠνέσχετο τῶν θυγατέρων τὸν οἶνον προσφερουσῶν περαιτέρω τῆς χρείας· ἅτε δὴ τὸ μὲν κατασκευαζόμενον ἀγνοῶν, ψυχαγωγίαν δὲ καὶ παραμυθίαν τὸ δρώμενον ὑποπτεύων. Ἐκεῖναι δὲ παντάπασίν εἰσι κατηγορίας ἀθῶοι θεασάμεναι γὰρ τὰς μὲν τέσσαρας πόλεις, καὶ τὰς κώμας ἁπάσας ἐμπρησθείσας τῷ ὑετῷ τοῦ πυρὸς, τοὺς δὲ τὴν Σηγὼρ οἰκοῦντας καταποθέντας (τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει καὶ τοῦνομα· κατάποσις γὰρ ἡ Σηγὼρ ἑρμηνεύεται), ἐτόπασαν πᾶσαν ἄρδην ἀπολωλέναι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν φύσιν· καὶ τὴν κατέχουσαν ἐρημίαν ὁρῶσαι, καὶ τοῦ γήρως προθεωρήσασαι τὴν ἀσθένειαν, ἠβουλήθησαν ἐπινοῆσαι καὶ σπέρμα τῷ γένει, καὶ ἑαυταῖς ψυχαγωγίαν τινά. Τούτῳ χρησάμεναι τῷ λογισμῷ, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιθυμίᾳ δουλεύσασαι, τὸν μὲν οἶνον ἔλαβον συνεργὸν, ἔκλεψαν δὲ τῇ πλείονι πόσει τοῦ γεγεννηκότος τὴν αἴσθησιν, ἀπέφηναν δὲ τὸν πατέρα σπορέα.","t":"Why was Lot not accused for having intercourse with his daughters? Since even human beings usually pardon offences committed in ignorance, no one could justly blame Lot for the intercourse; for he did not know what was being done. His drunkenness, though, has some blame mixed with pardon. In deep distress and bewilderment, as one stripped of all he had, and besides everything else of his very wife, he let his daughters offer him wine beyond his need, not knowing what was being contrived, but supposing that what was done was meant for his comfort and consolation. The daughters, however, are wholly free from blame. Having seen the four cities and all the villages burned by the rain of fire, and the inhabitants of Segor swallowed up (the name too signifies this, for Segor is interpreted “swallowing”), they supposed that the whole of human nature had utterly perished. Seeing the desolation that prevailed, and foreseeing the weakness of old age, they wished to contrive both seed for the race and some comfort for themselves. Using this reasoning, and not enslaved to desire, they took the wine as their accomplice, stole their father's perception by making him drink more, and made their father the sower.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.70 (PG 80 80:177; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-70)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.71":{"o":"Τι δήποτε ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐκώλυσε τὴν παρανομον μίξιν ; Προεώρα τὴν τοῦ γένους ἀσέβειαν. Μωαβῖται μὲν γὰρ ἐδούλευον τῷ Χαμῶς, τῷ δὲ Μελχώλ ᾿Αμμανίται Ἵνα οὖν μὴ ὡς συγγενέσιν οἱ Ἰσραηλίται μετάσχωσι τῆς ἀσεβείας, οὐκ ἐκώλυσε τὸν παράνομον γάμον· ὅπως ταύτῃ γοῦν μυσαροὺς αὐτοὺς ἀποφήνῃ καὶ βδελυκτοὺς Ἰουδαίοις. Δηλοῖ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς διὰ Μωσέως τοῦ νομοθέτου διαγορεύων· Αμμανίτης καὶ Μωαβίτης οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς Ἐκκλησίαν Κυρίου ἕως δεκάτης γενεᾶς, καὶ ἕως εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.","t":"Why did God not prevent the unlawful intercourse? He foresaw the impiety of the race. The Moabites served Chemosh, and the Ammonites Melchol. So that the Israelites would not share their impiety as kinsmen, he did not prevent the unlawful union, so that in this way at least he might make them abominable and loathsome to the Jews. The God of the universe shows this too when he ordains through Moses the lawgiver: “An Ammonite and a Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord, even to the tenth generation, and for ever.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.71 (PG 80 80:179; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-71)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.72":{"o":"Ὠμὸν ἄγαν εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ νέον ὄντα τὸν ·Ἰσμαὴλ ἐξελαθῆναι τῆς πατρικῆς οἰκίας, μετὰ μόνης τῆς μητρὸς, καὶ τοῦ ἀσκοῦ τοῦ ὕδατος. Καὶ τοῦτο ἄντικρυς δείκνυσι τὴν τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἀρετήν. Τῆς μὲν γὰρ Σάῤῥας εἰρηκυίας, Ἔκβαλε τὴν παιδίσκην, καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς, ὁ οὐχ ὑπήκουσε τοῦ Θεοῦ δὲ κελεύσαντος, εὐθὺς τῷ λόγῳ τὸ ἔργον ἐπέθηκε καὶ ταῦτα φιλοστόργως περὶ τὸν Ἰσμαὴλ διακείμενος. Καὶ γὰρ ἡνίκα τὴν ἐκ τῆς Σάῤῥας παιδοποιίαν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπηγγείλατο, αὐτὸς ἔφη Ἰσμαὴλ οὗτος ζήτω ἐναντίον σου. ᾿Αλλ' ὅμως καὶ στέργων κομιδῇ τὸ παιδίον, πεποίηκεν ὅπερ ὁ Δεσπότης προσέταξεν. Οὕτω δὲ ταῖς θείαις ἐπαγγελίαις ἐπίστευσεν ὅτι οὐ παῖδας, οὐ παιδίσκας, οὐ χρυσὸν, οὐκ ἄργυρον δεδωκὼς, ἀπέλυσε τῆς οἰκίας τὸ παιδίον· ἀλλ᾽ ἄρτους ὀλίγους, καὶ ἀσκὸν ὕδατος, καὶ τὴν μητέρα. Ἤδει γὰρ ὡς ἀψευδὴς ἡ τοῦ προστεταχότος ὑπόσχεσις. Ὑπέσχετο δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ἔθνος μέγα ποιήσειν αὐτὸν, ἅτε δὴ τῆς αὐτοῦ γεωργίας ἠξιωμένον. Ο δὴ καὶ πεπλήρωκεν. Ἅμα γὰρ ἔκλαυσε τὸ παιδίον πόματος ἐφιέμενον, καὶ ἄγγελος θεόθεν ἀποσταλεὶς φρέαρ ὑπέδειξε ποτίμου ὕδατος πλῆρες. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τῆς παιδοποιίας τὸ πλῆθος δέδωκεν ὡς ὑπέσχετο, μαρτυρεῖ τὰ ὁρώμενα. Ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν ὄρων Αἰγύπτου μέχρι Βαβυλῶνος, τοῦδε τοῦ γένους ἡ ἔρημος πλήρης. Ὁ μέντοι ᾿Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τοῖς τόποις ἐκ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐπιτέθεικε τὰ ὀνόματα. Φυτεύσας γὰρ ἄρουραν ἐπὶ τῷ φρέατι τοῦ ὅρκου, ἐπεκαλέσατο τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Θεὸς αἰώνιος.","t":"It seems very cruel that Ishmael, young as he was, should be driven from his father's house with only his mother and the skin of water. This plainly shows Abraham's virtue. When Sarah said, “Cast out the maidservant and her son,” he did not obey; but when God commanded it, he at once added the deed to the word, and that though he felt tender affection for Ishmael. For when God promised the birth of a child from Sarah, he himself said, “May this Ishmael live before you.” Yet, though he loved the child dearly, he did what the Master commanded. And he so believed the divine promises that he sent the child from the house without giving him male or female servants, gold or silver, but a few loaves, a skin of water, and his mother. For he knew that the promise of the one who had given the command was without falsehood. God had promised to make him a great nation, since he had been counted worthy of God's tending; and this he fulfilled. As soon as the child cried, longing for a drink, an angel sent from God showed a well full of drinking water. That God also gave the multitude of offspring as he had promised, what is seen bears witness: from the borders of Egypt to Babylon the desert is full of this race. Abraham, for his part, gave names to places out of piety: having planted a field at the well of the oath, he called the name of that place “Eternal God.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.72 (PG 80 80:179; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-72)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.73":{"o":"Εἰ πάντα ὁ Θεὸς προγινώσκει, τίνος ἕνεκα τor Ἀβραὰμ ἐπείρασε ; Οὐχ ἵνα αὐτὸς ἄπερ ἠπίστατο μάθῃ· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας διδάξῃ, ὡς μάλα δικαίως τὸν πατριάρχην ἠγάπησε. Τούτου χάριν ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις καὶ τοσαύταις νυξὶ τὸν θεῖον ἐβασάνιζε πόθον. Μέσος γὰρ ἂν ὁ πατριάρχης φύσεώς τε καὶ πίστεως, καὶ νυττόμενος ἑκατέρωθεν, ἔδωκε τῇ πίστει τὰ νικητήρια. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς δείξας αὐτοῦ τὴν εὐσέβειαν, τὴν θυσίαν ἐκώλυσεν· ὁ γὰρ καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀλόγων ἀπαγορεύων θυσίας, πῶς ἂν τοιαύτης ἱερουργίας ἠνέσχετο; Τοῦτο γὰρ Ἰουδαίων κατηγορῶν διετέλεσε, καὶ διὰ μὲν Δαβιδ τοῦ προφήτου βοᾷ· Ἔθυσαν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν τοῖς δαιμονίοις, καὶ ἐξέχεαν αἷμα ἀθῶον, αἷμα υἱῶν αὐτῶν καὶ θυγατέρων, ὧν ἔθυσαν τοῖς γλυπτοῖς Χαναάν. Διὰ δὲ τοῦ Ἰεζεκιήλ· Καὶ ἔλαβες τοὺς υἱοὺς σου, καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας σου, οὓς ἐγέννησάς μοι, καὶ προσήνεγκας αὐτοὺς τοῖς ἐρασταῖς σου. Εἶτα δεικνὺς τὴν τῆς ἀτοπίας ὑπερβολὴν, ἐπήγαγε τοῦτο· Παρὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πορνείαν σου. Ὁ τοίνυν τῶν ταῦτα τολμώντων κατηγορῶν, πῶς ἂν αὐτὸς ἠνέσχετο δέξασθαι παῖδα μονογενῆ παρὰ πατρὸς προσφερόμενον; Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ταῦτα σκιὰ ἦν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν γεγενημένης οἰκονομίας. Ὑπὲρ γὰρ τῆς οἰκουμένης τὸν ἀγαπητὸν Υἱὸν ὁ Πατήρ προσενήΘεὸς αἰώνιος. Τύπος γὰρ τῆς μὲν θεότητος ὁ Ἰσαάκ· τῆς δὲ ἀνθρωπότητος ὁ κριός. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ χρόνος ἰσάριθμος. Τρεῖς γὰρ ἡμέραι καὶ νύκτες τρεῖς, καὶ ἐνταῦθα κἀκεῖ","t":"If God foreknows all things, why did he test Abraham? Not so that he himself might learn what he already knew, but to teach those who did not know that he had loved the patriarch very justly. For this reason he put the man's love for God to the test for three days and as many nights. Standing between nature and faith, and pricked from both sides, the patriarch gave the victory to faith. God, having shown his piety, prevented the sacrifice; for he who forbids even the sacrifices of irrational animals, how would he have tolerated such a rite? He continually accused the Jews of this, crying out through David the prophet: “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the carved images of Canaan”; and through Ezekiel: “And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to me, and offered them to your lovers.” Then, showing the excess of the outrage, he added: “beyond all your sexual immorality.” He who accuses those who dare such things, how would he himself have tolerated receiving an only son offered by his father? But these things were a shadow of the dispensation carried out for us. For the Father offered his beloved Son for the world. Isaac was a type of the divinity, and the ram of the humanity. And the time too is equal in number: three days and three nights, both here and there …","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.73 (PG 80 80:181; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-73)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.74":{"o":"Τί έστι, Θὲς τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐπὶ τὸν μηρόν μου; Ἀλλ᾿ ὁ πατριάρχης Ἀβραὰμ Ἐπὶ γάμον ἀπέστελλεν τῶν οἰκετῶν τὸν ἡγούμενον· ἐπάρατον μὲν ἐπιστάμενος τοῦ Χαναὰν τὸ γένος, εὐλογίας δὲ ἠξιωμένην τὴν οἰκείαν συγγένειαν. Έπειδὴ τοίνυν ἐν τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν εὐλογίαν, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐπαγγελίαν ἐδέξατο, ἐκεῖ θεἶναι τὸν παῖδα τὴν χεῖρα προσέταξεν, ἔνθα καὶ τῆς πίστεως τὸ σημεῖον ἐδέξατο. Πιστεύσας γὰρ ταῖς θείαις ἐπαγγελίαις ἔλαβε τῆς περιτομῆς τὴν σφραγίδα. Ἐκεῖ δὲ θεῖναι τὴν χεῖρα προσέταξεν, ἵνα καὶ τῆς θείας ἐπαγ γελίας καὶ τῆς περιτομῆς μεμνημένος, ἀλλοφύλῳ γάμῳ τὴν Δεσποτικὴν εὐγένειαν μὴ λωβήσηται. Ἰστέον δὲ ὡς ἡ μὲν χεὶρ ὑπὸ τὸν μηρὸν ἐτέθη, ὁ δὲ ὅρκος κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἐγένετο· Ορκίζω σε γὰρ, ἔφη, Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ἵνα μὴ λάβῃς γυναῖκα τῷ υἱῷ μου Ἰσαὰκ ἀπὸ τῶν θυγατέρων τῶν Χαναναίων, μεθ᾽ ὧν ἐγὼ οἰκῶ ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Σοφωτάτη δὲ ἄγαν καὶ τοῦ παιδὸς ἡ ἐρώτησις· δείσας γὰρ τὸν ὅρκον, δήλους αὐτῷ γενέσθαι παρεκάλει τοῦ γάμου τοὺς ὅρους. Εἰ γὰρ φησί, μὴ ἕλοιτο ἐνταῦθα ἐλθεῖν ἡ μνηστευομένη κόρη, ἀλλὰ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἀπελθεῖν τὸν μνηστῆρα κελεύει, προστάττεις τὸν υἱὸν εἰς ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἔθνος ἀνελθεῖν; Ὁ δὲ εἰδὼς, ὡς ἐκεῖθεν μὲν αὐτὸν ἡ θεία κλῆσις ἐξήγαγε, περὶ δὲ τοῦ γάμου νόμον οὐκ ἐδέξατο θεῖον αὐτὸς δὲ ὡς εὐσεβείᾳ συντεθραμμένος, ἠθέλησεν ἐκ τῆς συγγενικῆς οἰκίας τῷ παιδὶ κατεγγυῆσαι γυναῖκα· ἐκεῖνο μὲν ἀπαγορεύει γενέσθαι, ἅτε δὴ θείῳ νόμῳ κεκωλυμένον· τοῦτο δὲ θείᾳ ἐγχειρίζει κηδεμονίᾳ. Ταύτῃ θαῤῥήσας ὁ παῖς ἐξεδήμησεν. Ἐκείνην δὲ τὴν εὐχὴν οὐ συμβολικῶς προσενήνοχεν, ὡς τινες τῶν ἄγαν ἠλιθίων ὑπέλαβον· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ τὸν Θεὸν συνεργὸν ἔλαβε τῆς μνηστείας σημεῖά τινα αὐτῷ δειχθῆναι ἱκέτευε δι' ὧν ἡβούλετο γνῶναι, εἰ ἀρέσκει τῷ Θεῷ ἡ μνηστεία. Τὸ δὲ σημεῖον ἦν, οὐχ ὥρα σώματος, οὐδὲ περιφάνεια γένους, οὐδὲ ἄλλο τι τῶν δοκούντων λαμπρῶν, ἀλλὰ φιλοξενία, καὶ φιλοφροσύνη, καὶ ἠπιότης φρονήματος. Ἔσται γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ ᾿παρθένος, ᾗ ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω, Ἐπίκλινόν μοι τὴν ὑδρίαν σου ἵνα πίω, καὶ εἴπῃ μοι, Πίε, κύριε, καὶ τὰς καμήλους σου ποτιῶ ἕως ἂν παύσωνται πιεῖν ταύτην ἡτοίμασας τῷ παιδί σου Ἰσαάκ· καὶ ἐν τούτῳ γνώσομαι, ὅτι ἐποίησας ἔλεον μετὰ τοῦ κυρίου μου Ἀβραάμ., Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τούτοις ἐκοσμεῖτο τοῖς πλεονεκτήμασι διαφερόντως ὁ πατριάρχης, ἠβουλήθη καὶ τὴν νύμφην συμβαίνειν τῷ τρόπῳ τοῦ κηδεστοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἔριν τινὰ καὶ φιλονεικίαν ὁ σκοπὸς ἐργάσηται. Ὅτι δὲ οὐ συμβολικά ταῦτα ἦν, ἀλλὰ πίστεως καὶ εὐσεβείας δηλωτικά, πρῶτον διδάσκει τὸ σπουδαῖον τῆς προσευχῆς· ἔπειτα τὸ προσμένειν αὐτὸν τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ· τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ θεία διδάσκει Γραφή - Ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος κατεμάνθανεν αὐτὴν, καὶ παρεσιώπα τοῦ γνῶναι εἰ εὐώδωκε Κύριος τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ, ἢ οὗ. Ἐκείνης – γὰρ τὸ ὕδωρ ἀρυομένης, καὶ ταῖς καμήλοις προσφερούσης τὸ νᾶμα, ἀνέμενεν οὗτος ἰδεῖν εἰ πάσαις παράσχῃ τὴν χρείαν κατὰ τὴν αἴτησιν. Πιουσῶν δὲ τῶν καμήλων, εὐθὺς προσενήνοχε τῆς μνηστείας τὰ σύμβολα Γνοὺς δὲ τὸ γένος, καὶ τὴν δεσποτικὴν συγγένειαν, εὐδοκήσας, φησὶν, ὁ ἄνθρωπος προσεκύνησε τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ εἶπεν· Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ κυρίου μου Ἀβραάμ, ὃς οὐκ ἐγκατέλιπε τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸν ἔλεον αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου μου. Κἀμὲ ἐν ὁδῷ ἤγαγε κύριος εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ κυρίου μου. Καὶ πᾶσα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἡ διάλεξις, τὸ εὐσεβὲς κηρύττει τῆς γνώμης. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ μετὰ τὴν διάλεξιν, τὸν αὐτὸν σημαίνει σκοπόν. Συνθεμένων γὰρ τῶν τὴν κόρην γεγεννηκότων τὸν γάμον, εὐθὺς αὐτὸς Προσεκύνησε, φησὶν, ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τῷ Κυρίῳ. Καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς δὲ τῆς αὐτῆς ἔχεται διανοίας· Μὴ κατέχετε γάρ με, φησὶ, καὶ Κύριος εὐώδωσε τὴν ὁδόν μου.","t":"What does “Put your hand under my thigh” mean? The patriarch Abraham was sending the chief of his servants to arrange a marriage, knowing that the race of Canaan was accursed and that his own kindred had been counted worthy of blessing. Since, then, he had received both the blessing and the promise of good things in his seed, he commanded the servant to put his hand there, where he had received the sign of faith; for having believed the divine promises, he received the seal of circumcision. He commanded him to put his hand there so that, remembering both the divine promise and circumcision, he might not spoil his master's noble lineage by a foreign marriage. One must know that the hand was put under the thigh, but the oath was taken by the God of the universe: “I make you swear,” he said, “by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,” and so on. The servant's question too is very wise: fearing the oath, he asked that the terms of the marriage be made clear to him. “If,” he says, “the betrothed girl does not choose to come here, but bids the suitor go to her, do you command your son to go up to that nation?” Abraham knew that the divine call had brought him out of there, and that he had received no divine law about marriage, but that he himself, as one brought up in piety, wished to betroth his son to a wife from his kindred's household; so he forbids the former, as forbidden by divine law, and entrusts the latter to divine care. Trusting in this, the servant set out. He did not offer that prayer as an omen, as some very foolish people supposed; but since he had taken God as his helper in the betrothal, he begged that certain signs be shown him by which he might know whether the betrothal pleased God. The sign was not beauty of body, nor distinction of family, nor anything else that seems splendid, but hospitality, kindness, and gentleness of mind. “Let it be,” he says, “that the maiden to whom I say, Tip your jar that I may drink, and she says to me, Drink, sir, and I will water your camels until they have finished drinking: this one you have prepared for your servant Isaac; and by this I shall know that you have shown mercy to my master Abraham.” Since the patriarch was especially adorned with these advantages, he wished the bride too to match the character of her father-in-law, so that a difference might not produce strife and contention. That these were not omens, but indications of faith and piety, is shown first by the earnestness of the prayer, and then by his waiting for the will of God. For the divine Scripture teaches this: “The man was watching her closely and kept silent, to know whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.” While she drew the water and offered it to the camels, he waited to see whether she would supply all of them as he had asked. When the camels had drunk, he at once offered the tokens of betrothal. And on learning her family and her kinship with his master, “the man,” it says, “was well pleased, and bowed down to the Lord, and said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his righteousness and his mercy toward my master. And the Lord has led me on the way to the house of my master's brother.” His whole speech proclaims the piety of his mind. And after the speech too he shows the same aim; for when the girl's parents agreed to the marriage, at once “he bowed down,” it says, “to the ground before the Lord.” What follows has the same sense: “Do not detain me,” he says, “for the Lord has prospered my way.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.74 (PG 80 80:183; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-74)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.75":{"o":"Διατί τῶν πατριαρχῶν αἱ γυναῖκες στεῖραι; Καὶ γὰρ Σάῤῥα στεῖρα, καὶ ἡ ᾿Ρεβέκκα ὡσαύτως, καὶ ἡ ᾿Ῥαχὴλ μέντοι, καὶ ἡ Λεία. Ἰδὼν γὰρ, φησὶ, Κύριος, ὅτι μισεῖται ἡ Λεία, ἀνέῳξε αὐτῆς τὴν μήτραν. Τὸ Ἰσραηλιτικὸν συστῆσαι γένος βουληθεὶς ὁ Θεὸς, δείκνυσιν οὐ κατὰ φύσεως ἀκολουθίαν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν τῆς χάριτος φιλοτιμίαν τὴν πολυγονίαν δεξάμενον. Ταύτης δὲ τῆς κηδεμονίας ἐκεῖνο τὸ γένος τετύχηκεν, ἐπειδήπερ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς, ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς, ἐκεῖθεν ἔμελλε τὸ κατὰ σάρκα βλαστήσειν.","t":"Why were the wives of the patriarchs barren? Sarah was barren, and Rebecca likewise, and Rachel too, and Leah: “For the Lord,” it says, “seeing that Leah was hated, opened her womb.” God, wishing to establish the Israelite race, shows that it received its many offspring not by the course of nature but by the generosity of grace. That race obtained this care because Christ the Master, the only-begotten Son of God, was going to spring from it according to the flesh.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.75 (PG 80 80:185; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-75)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.76":{"o":"Διὰ τίνος μαθεῖν ἠθέλησεν ἡ ᾿Ῥεβέκκα τὰ περὶ τῶν κυοφορουμένων παιδίων; Τινές φασι πρὸς τὸν Μελχισεδέκ αὐτὴν ἀπεληλυ θέναι, ἅτε δὴ καὶ ἀρχιερέα ὄντα τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου, καὶ ἐπίσημον ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ, καὶ λίαν περιφανῆ. Ἑπειδὴ δὲ εἰώθεισαν οἱ πατριάρχαι καὶ θυσιαστήρια τῷ Θεῷ κατασκευάζειν ἐν οἷς ἐσκήνουν χωρίοις, εἰκὸς παρ' ἓν τούτων ἀπελθοῦσαν αὐτὴν ἱκετεῦσαι τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, καὶ γνωρίσαι τὰ συμβησόμενα.","t":"Through whom did Rebecca wish to learn about the children she was carrying? Some say that she went to Melchizedek, since he was high priest of God Most High, distinguished in piety and very famous. But since the patriarchs used to build altars to God in the places where they encamped, it is likely that she went to one of these, prayed to the God of the universe, and learned what would happen.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.76 (PG 80 80:187; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-76)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.77":{"o":"Διατί κωλύει τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὴν Αἴγυ πτον ἀποδημῆσαι τοῦ λιμοῦ τοῦτο πρᾶξαι καταναγκάζοντος *; Τὴν οἰκείαν σοφίαν τε καὶ κηδεμονίαν διὰ πάντων δηλοῖ ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός· καὶ γὰρ τὸν πατριάρχην ᾿Αβραάμ, οὐχ ὡς ἀπορῶν ἐν τῇ Παλαιστίνῃ διαθρέψαι, συνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἀπελθεῖν ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις ἐπιδείξῃ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τὴν εὐσέβειαν, καὶ ζηλῶσαι προτρέψῃ τοῦ πατριάρχου τὴν ἀρετήν. Τὸν δὲ Ἰσαὰκ αὐτοῦ μεῖναι προσέταξε, καὶ τῇ τῶν ἀναγκαίων αὐτὸν περιέκλυσεν ἀφθονίᾳ, δεικνὺς ὡς καὶ τῷ πατρὶ ταῦτα παρασχεῖν οἷός τε ἦν, ἃ καὶ αὐτῷ ἔδωκε φιλοτίμως. Πάντων γὰρ ἐν ἐνδείᾳ ὄντων, καὶ σπάνει τῶν ἀναγκαίων, καὶ τῆς γῆς ἀγόνου γεγενημένης, αὐτὸς σπείρας πολύχουν ἔλαβε τὸν καρπόν.","t":"Why does God prevent Isaac from going to Egypt, when the famine was forcing him to do so? God the Master shows his wisdom and care through everything. He allowed the patriarch Abraham to go to Egypt, not because he was unable to feed him in Palestine, but to show the Egyptians the man's piety and to urge them to emulate the patriarch's virtue. But he commanded Isaac to stay where he was, and flooded him with an abundance of necessities, showing that he could have provided for his father too what he generously gave to Isaac. For when everyone was in want and short of necessities, and the land had become barren, Isaac sowed and received an abundant harvest.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.77 (PG 80 80:187; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-77)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.78":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκεν ὁ Ἰσαὰκ τῷ Ἡσαῦ δοῦναι τὴν εὐλογίαν ἠβούλετο; Κατὰ τὸν νόμον τῆς φύσεως· πρωτότοκος γὰρ ἦν. Οἱ δὲ πρωτότοκοι καὶ πρῶτοι, καὶ διπλῆν ἐλάμβανον μοῖραν. Ηὔξησε δὲ καὶ ἡ θεραπεία τὸ φίλτρον· Ἡ γὰρ θήρα αὐτοῦ βρῶσις αὐτῷ. Ἧν ἱκανὴ δὲ ἡ θεραπεία καὶ τοὺς ὠμοτάτους ἐκμειλίξασθαι μήτι γε δὴ πατέρα, καὶ πατέρα φιλόστοργον. Εὕροι δ᾽ ἄν τις, καὶ τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον πλείσταις ὅσαις εὐλογίαις τοὺς τεθεραπευκότας αὐτὸν ἀμειψά","t":"Why did Isaac wish to give the blessing to Esau? According to the law of nature, for he was the firstborn; and the firstborn held the first place and received a double portion. His service also increased his father's affection: “For his game was food for him.” Service can soften even the cruellest, let alone a father, and an affectionate father. One could find the divine Apostle too repaying with very many blessings those who had served him …","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.78 (PG 80 80:187; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-78)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.79":{"o":"Πόθεν ἡ ῾Ρεβέκκα τεθάῤῥηκεν, ὅτι δὴ τεύξεται τῆς εὐλογίας ὁ Ἰακώβ· καὶ οὕτω τεθάῤῥηκεν, ὡς εἰπεῖν, Ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἡ κατάρα σου, τέκνον, μόνον ἐπάκουσον τῆς φωνῆς μου ; Προεγνώκει καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων, ὅτι ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι. Ἐκείνῃ τῇ προῤῥήσει πιστεύουσα, πάντα ἐκίνησεν πόρον, ὡς τὸν Ἰακώβ τὴν πατρικὴν εὐλογίαν λαβεῖν.","t":"From where did Rebecca get her confidence that Jacob would obtain the blessing, and such confidence as to say, “Upon me be your curse, child; only obey my voice”? She had learned beforehand from the God of the universe that the elder would serve the younger. Believing that prediction, she tried every means so that Jacob would receive his father's blessing.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.79 (PG 80 80:187; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-79)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.8":{"o":"Ποῖον πνεῦμα ἐπεφέρετο ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος; Τισὶ δοκεῖ τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα ζωογονοῦν τῶν ὑδάτων τὴν φύσιν, καὶ διαγράφον τὴν τοῦ βαπτίσματος χάριν. ᾿Αληθέστερον μέντοι ἐκεῖνον οἶμαι τὸν λόγον, ὅτι τὸ πνεῦμα ἐνταῦθα τὸν ἀέρα καλεῖ. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ὅτι τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν ἐποίησε, καὶ τῶν ὑδάτων διὰ τῆς ἀβύσσου μνησθεὶς, ἀναγκαίως καὶ τοῦ ἀέρος ἐμνήσθη, ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπιφανείας μέχρι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ διήκοντος. ᾿Αέρος γὰρ φύσις, τὸ τοῖς κάτω κειμένοις ἐπιφέρεσθαι σώμασι. Μάλα δὲ ἁρμοδίως τὸ ἐπεφέρετο, καὶ οὐκ ἐπέκειτο εἴρηκε· τὸ γὰρ ἐπεφέρετο τὴν κινητικὴν τοῦ ἀέρος οὐσίαν παρεδήλου. Εἰ δέ τις τοῦτον οὐ προσἱεται τὸν λόγον, ἐπειδὴ γέγραπται· «Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπεφέρετο ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος, ἀκουέτω τοῦ μακαρίου Δαβίδ λέγοντος περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων· Πνεύσει τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ῥυήσεται ὕδατα. Ὅτι δὲ τὸν ἄνεμον οὕτως ἐκάλεσε, δῆλόν ἐστι κἂν μὴ λέγω· Εὔρου γὰρ ἢ Νότου πνέοντος, τὸ πεπηγὸς ὕδωρ διαλύεσθαι πέφυκεν.","t":"What spirit was borne over the water? Some think it is the all-holy Spirit, giving life to the nature of the waters and prefiguring the grace of baptism. But I think the other explanation is truer: that here he calls the air “spirit.” For having said that he made heaven and earth, and having mentioned the waters by speaking of the abyss, he necessarily mentioned the air too, which extends from the surface of the water up to heaven. It is the nature of air to be borne over the bodies lying below. And he said very aptly “was borne” and not “lay upon”; for “was borne” indicated the mobile substance of the air. If anyone does not accept this explanation, because it is written, “The Spirit of God was borne over the water,” let him hear blessed David saying of the God of the universe, “He will blow his wind, and waters will flow.” That he called the wind so is clear even if I do not say it; for when the east wind or the south wind blows, frozen water naturally melts.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.8 (PG 80 80:89; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-8)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.80":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τῷ Ἰσαὰκ τὸ βούλημα τὸ οἰκεῖον οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψεν ὁ Θεός; Ἵνα ἐναργὴς γένηται ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ τὸν Ἰακώβ κηδεμονία. Δείκνυσι δὲ τοῦτο, τὸ τὸν μὲν Ἰσαάκ ἐσπουδακέναι τὸν Ἡσαῦ εὐλογῆσαι· τὴν δὲ θείαν χάριν, καὶ παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ, ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἑλκῦσαι τὴν εὐλογίαν. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς συνἥκεν ὁ Ἰσαάκ. Ὡς γὰρ πάντα πόρον ἐκίνησε, καὶ ἀπέστειλε τὸν Ἡσαῦ ἐπὶ τὴν θήραν, καὶ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ τὴν τροφὴν προσενηνοχότος, πολλάκις ἤρετο εἰ αὐτὸς εἴη Ἡσαῦ ὁ πρωτότοκος καὶ οὐ μόνον ἤρετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας τῷ σώματι προσενήνοχεν. Εἶτα τοῦ Ἡσαῦ εἰσεληλυθότος, τὸ γεγενημένον καταπλαγεὶς οὐκ ἐχαλέπηνεν ὡς παρὰ παιδὸς ἐξαπατηθεὶς, ἀλλὰ τὸν θεῖον ἔγνω σκοπὸν, καὶ ἣν ἔδωκεν ἐβεβαίωσεν εὐλογίαν.","t":"Why did God not reveal his own will to Isaac? So that God's care for Jacob might become evident. This is shown by Isaac's being eager to bless Esau, while the divine grace drew the blessing to Jacob even against Isaac's intention. Isaac himself understood this. For he had tried every means: he sent Esau to the hunt; and when Jacob brought the food, he asked several times whether he was Esau the firstborn, and not only asked but also put his hands to his body. Then, when Esau came in, astounded at what had happened, he was not angry at having been deceived by his son, but recognized the divine aim and confirmed the blessing he had given.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.80 (PG 80 80:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-80)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.81":{"o":"Εἶτα οὐ δοκεῖ ἐψεῦσθαι ὁ Ἰακὼβ εἰπὼν, Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἡσαῦ ὁ πρωτότοκός σου; Πριάμενος ἦν τὰ τῶν πρωτοτοκίων πρεσβείας ᾿Αληθεύων τοιγαροῦν ἑαυτὸν ἀπεκάλει πρωτότοκον.","t":"Then does Jacob not seem to have lied in saying, “I am Esau your firstborn”? He had bought the privileges of the birthright. In calling himself firstborn, therefore, he was telling the truth.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.81 (PG 80 80:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-81)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.82":{"o":"Τίς δὲ τῆς εὐλογίας ἡ ἑρμηνεία; Ἔμελλεν ἐξ αὐτοῦ κατὰ σάρκα βλαστήσειν ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς, ἡ τῶν ἐθνῶν προσδοκία, ὁ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης καὶ Σωτὴρ καὶ Δεσπότης. Ταῦτα προορῶν ὁ πατριάρχης, φησίν· Ἰδοὺ ὀσμὴ τοῦ υἱοῦ μου, ὡς ὀσμὴ ἀγροῦ πλήρους, ὃν εὐλόγησε Κύριος. Ὅτι δὲ πολλάκις ἀγρὸν τὸν κόσμον ἡ θεία καλεῖ Γραφή, μάρτυς ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις τὴν παραβολὴν ἑρμηνεύων· ᾿Αγρὸς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔστιν ὁ κόσμος. Ὁ δὲ σπείρων τὸ καλὸν σπέρμα ἔστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.» \"Ὅρα τοιγαροῦν ἐν τῷ Ἰακὼβ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης τὴν σωτηρίαν. Διό ἐπεύχεται αὐτῷ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὴν δρόσον, καὶ τῆς γῆς τὴν πιότητα. \"Α κατὰ μὲν τὸ πρόχειρον καὶ ἐπιπόλαιον τοῦ γράμματος νόημα, δηλοῖ τὴν ἄνωθεν χάριν, καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς ἀγαθῶν τὴν ἀφθονίαν· κατὰ δὲ τὴν τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἑρμηνείαν, αἰνίττεται τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ, διὰ τῆς δρόσου μὲν τὴν θεότητα, διὰ δὲ τῆς πιότητος τῆς γῆς τὴν ἐξ ἡμῶν ἀνθρωπότητα. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ μακάριος Δαβὶδ ταῦτα προαγορεύων ἔφη· Καταβήσεται ὡς ὑετὸς ἐπὶ πόκον, καὶ ὡσεὶ σταγόνες στάζουσαι ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ δρόσος ἀοράτως μὲν κάτεισι, κάτω δὲ συνισταμένη γίνεται δήλη· οὕτως ἀόρατος ὢν ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος διὰ τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπὶ γῆς ὤφθη, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανεστράφη, καὶ ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκὶ, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Ἀπόστολον. Καὶ ὁ σἶτος δὲ καὶ ὁ οἶνος τῶν θείων ἐστὶ μυστηρίων αἴνιγμα· τούτῳ συμφωνεῖ τῷ λόγῳ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· Καὶ δουλευσάτωσάν σοι ἔθνη. Πάντα γὰρ τὰ ἔθνη δουλεύσουσιν αὐτῷ, φησὶν ὁ θεῖος Δαβίδ. Καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν οἱ ἄρχοντες. Βασιλεῖς γὰρ, φησί, Θαρσεῖς καὶ νῆσοι δῶρα προσοίσουσι. Βασιλεῖς ᾿Αράβων καὶ Σαβὰ δῶρα προσάξουσι, καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν αὐτῷ πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς.» Ταύτην ἐκράτυνε τὴν εὐλογίαν, καὶ ἡνίκα αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν ἐξέπεμψεν. Ἔσῃ γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰς συναγωγὰς ἐθνῶν, καὶ δῴη σοι Κύριος τὴν εὐλογίαν Ἀβραὰμ τοῦ πατρός σου Τίς δὲ ἡ εὐλογία, ῥάδιον τῷ βουλομένῳ καταμαθεῖν. Τῷ γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἔφη Θεός· Ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου εύλογηθήσεται πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς.","t":"What is the interpretation of the blessing? Christ the Master, the expectation of the nations, the Savior and Master of the whole world, was going to spring from him according to the flesh. Foreseeing this, the patriarch says: “See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a full field which the Lord has blessed.” That the divine Scripture often calls the world a field, the Lord is witness in the holy Gospels when interpreting the parable: “The field,” he says, “is the world; the one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.” See, then, in Jacob the salvation of the whole world. That is why he prays for him the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth. According to the obvious and surface sense of the letter, these signify the grace from above and the abundance of good things from the earth; but according to the interpretation of the field, they hint at Christ the Master: through the dew his divinity, and through the fatness of the earth the humanity taken from us. For the blessed David, foretelling this, said: “He will come down like rain upon a fleece, and like drops falling on the earth.” For just as dew comes down invisibly, but becomes visible when it gathers below, so God the Word, being invisible, was seen on earth through the flesh, and lived among human beings, and was manifested in the flesh, according to the divine Apostle. And the grain and the wine are a riddle of the divine mysteries. What follows agrees with this sense: “And let nations serve you”; for “all the nations will serve him,” says the divine David. “And let rulers bow down to you”; for “the kings of Tarshish and the islands,” he says, “will offer gifts; the kings of the Arabians and of Saba will bring gifts, and all the kings of the earth will bow down to him.” He confirmed this blessing when he sent Jacob to Mesopotamia: “You will become,” he says, “assemblies of nations, and may the Lord give you the blessing of Abraham your father.” What that blessing is, is easy to learn for anyone who wishes; for the God of the universe said to Abraham: “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.82 (PG 80 80:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-82)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.83":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τοσαύτας εὐλογίας λαβὼν ὁ Ἰακώβ ἀποδιδράσκει τὸν ἀδελφὸν, καὶ μόνος ἀποδημεῖ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐστερημένος; Εναργέστερον ἐν ταῖς δοκούσαις κακοπραγίαις ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ κηδεμονία δηλοῦται. Οἱ γὰρ ἐν εὐκληρίᾳ ὄντες οὐχ οὕτως ἴσασιν ὅσων ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύουσι. Τούτου χάριν ἀποδιδράσκει, καὶ μόνος ἀποδημεί, ἵνα μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς περιουσίας ἐπανελθών, καὶ αὐτὸς γνῷ, ὅση τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἡ προμήθεια, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους διδάξῃ. Ταύτην αὐτοῦ τὴν κηδεμονίαν παραυτίκα διὰ τῆς ἐπιφανείας ἐδήλωσεν. Ἐπέδειξε μὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ κλίμακα μέχρις αὐτοῦ διικνουμένην τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τοὺς δὲ ἁγίους ἀγγέλους ἀνιόντας καὶ κατιόντας. Αὐτὸς δὲ ἄνωθεν ἐφεστὼς παρεθάῤῥυνέ τε καὶ τὸ δέος ἐξήλαυνεν Ἐδήλουν δὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι τὴν θείαν διακονίαν. Περὶ τούτων γὰρ καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἔφη Παῦλος, Οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν; Τούτων δὲ ἔκαστον ἱκανὸν ἦν θάρσος ἐνθεῖναι τῷ πατριάρχῃ· διδάσκεται γὰρ, ὡς οὐδὲν ἀτημέλητον, οὐδὲ ἀκηδεμόνευτον παρὰ τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ· ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἅπαντα πρυτανεύει, διακόνοις χρώμενος τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀγγέλοις. Ἔδωκε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν εὐλογίαν, ἣν καὶ τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ προπάτορι ἐδεδώκει, περί τε τῆς τοῦ σπέρματος πολυγονίας, καὶ περὶ τοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης Δεσπότου. Ενευλογηθήσονται γάρ, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς.» Εἶτα ὑπισχνεῖται αὐτῷ, καὶ τὴν ἐν τοῖς προκειμένοις κηδεμονίαν. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, φησί, μετὰ σοῦ εἰμι διαφυλάσσων σε ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἡ ἐὰν πορευθῇς, καὶ ἀποστρέψω σε εἰς τὴν γῆν ταύτην, ὅτι οὐ μὴ σε ἐγκαταλείψω ἕως τοῦ ποιῆσαί με πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησα.»","t":"Why, after receiving so many blessings, does Jacob run away from his brother and travel alone, deprived of necessities? God's care is shown more clearly in what seem to be misfortunes; those who are in good fortune do not know so well how many goods they enjoy. For this reason he runs away and travels alone, so that, returning with great wealth, he himself might know how great the providence of the God of the universe is, and might teach others. God showed him this care at once through his appearing. He showed him a ladder reaching up to heaven itself, and the holy angels going up and coming down; and he himself, standing above, encouraged him and drove out his fear. The angels signified the divine ministry; for of these the blessed Paul said, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out for service, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” Each of these things was enough to put courage into the patriarch; for he is taught that nothing is neglected or uncared for by the God of the universe, but that he himself governs all things, using the holy angels as ministers. He also gave him the blessing he had given to his father and grandfather, concerning the many offspring of his seed and concerning the Master of the world: “For in your seed,” he says, “all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed.” Then he promises him care in the matters at hand: “See, I am with you, guarding you on every way you go, and I will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done all that I have spoken.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.83 (PG 80 80:191; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-83)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.84":{"o":"Διατί τὸν λίθον ἀλείφει ὁ Ἰακώβ ; Οἷς εἶχε τὸν μεγαλόδωρον ἡμείψατο Κύριον. Ορθώσας γὰρ τὸν λίθον, ὃν ὑπέθηκε τῇ κεφαλῇ', κατέχεεν αὐτοῦ ἔλαιον. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ νῦν ἔστιν εὑρεῖν παρὰ πολλῶν γυναίων τῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ πεπιστευ κότων γινόμενον. Εἰώθασι γὰρ ἐν τοῖς θείοις σηκοῖς ἐλαίῳ χρίειν τὰς τῶν ἀνακτόρων κιγκλίδας, καὶ τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων τὰς θήκας. Δηλοῖ δὲ τοῦτο τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν εὐγένειαν Δέχεται δὲ καὶ τὰ σμικρὰ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Κύριος, ἀποδεχόμενος τὸν τοῦ γινομένου σκοπόν.","t":"Why does Jacob anoint the stone? He repaid the generous Lord with what he had. Setting up the stone that he had put under his head, he poured oil on it. One can find this done even now by many women who believe in the Lord: they usually anoint with oil, in the divine sanctuaries, the railings of the sanctuary and the shrines of the holy martyrs. This shows the nobility of the soul; and the Lord who loves humankind accepts even small things, welcoming the intention of what is done.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.84 (PG 80 80:193; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-84)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.85":{"o":"Πολλοὶ πρόφασιν ἀκολασίας & ποιοῦνται τὸ τέτταρας ἐσχηκέναι γυναῖκας τὸν Ἰακώβ. Τὸν σκοπὸν ἑκάστου τῶν γινομένων ἐξετάζειν προσήκει. Οὕτω γὰρ κρίνοντες εὑρήσομεν καὶ Ἰακὼβ τὸν πατριάρχην, τὴν μὲν Ῥαχὴλ μνηστευσάμενον μόνην, παρὰ γνώμην δὲ συναφθέντα τῇ Λείᾳ. Παραυτίκα γοῦν τῆς ἀπάτης αἰσθόμενος καὶ ἐδυσχέρα [ι]νε, καὶ τοῦ κηδεστοῦ κατεβόησε. Τῇ δὲ Βαλλᾷ οὐ διὰ φιληδονίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν τῆς ὁμοζύγου παραμυθίαν ἐμίγη Τῆς γὰρ Ῥαχὴλ διὰ τὴν ἀπαιδίαν ἀνιωμένης, καὶ ἀλογίστως λεγούσης· «Δός μοι τέκνα εἰ δὲ μή γε, ἀποθανοῦμαι· ἐπέπληξε μὲν εὐσεβῶς ὁ πατριάρχης, καὶ ἔδειξε τὸν τῆς φύσεως ποιητὴν, καὶ ὅτι οὐχ ὁ γάμος ἐστὶ παίδων δημιουργός, ἀλλὰ ὁ τοῦ γάμου νομοθέτης Θεός. Ἔφη – γὰρ πρὸς αὐτήν· Μὴ ἀντὶ Θεοῦ σοἱ εἰμι ἐγὼ, ὃς ἐστέρησε σε καρπὸν κοιλίας; Ψυχαγωγῶν δὲ ὅμως αὐτὴν, ἠνέσχετο τῆς αἰτήσεως, ᾔτησε δὲ αὐτὸν τῇ παιδίσκῃ μιγῆναι, ἵνα τὸ ἐξ αὐτῆς φυόμενον οἰκεῖον ἀποκαλέσῃ παιδίον. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Ζέλφας ἐγένετο. Πάλιν γὰρ ἡ Λεία παυσαμένη τοῦ τίκτειν, ἠντιβόλησεν αὐτὸν εἰς ἐκείνην σπεῖραι τὴν ἄρουραν. Ταῦτα φιληδονίαν μὲν οὐδεμίαν αἰνίττεται, τὴν δὲ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐπιείκειαν δείκνυσι, καὶ ὅπως τὰς γυναῖκας ἐσπούδαζε θεραπεύειν. Πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ κάκεῖνο σκοπητέον, ὅτι νόμος οὐδεὶς τηνικαῦτα ἦν τὴν πολυγαμίαν κωλύων. Καὶ ὡς τρισολβίους ὑπελάμβανον τότε τοὺς πολλῶν παίδων γιγνομένους πατέρας. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, αἱ θεῖαι μαρτυροῦσιν ἐπαγγελίαι. Τῷ γὰρ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἔφη Θεός. ᾿Ανάβλεψον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ἴδε τοὺς ἀστέρας, Εli- εἰ δυνήσῃ ἐξαριθμῆσαι αὐτούς, καὶ ἐπήγαγεν «Οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου. Καὶ πάλιν· Ποιήσω τὸ σπέρμα σου, ὡς ἡ ἄμμος ἡ παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης, ἥτις οὐκ ἐξαριθμηθήσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους. Οὐκ ἂν δὲ αὐτῷ ταύτην ἔδωκε τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν, εἰ μὴ τὴν πολυγονίαν μέγιστον ἐνόμιζεν εἶναι ἀγαθόν.","t":"Many make Jacob's having had four wives a pretext for licentiousness. One must examine the aim of each thing that is done. Judging in this way, we shall find that the patriarch Jacob betrothed himself to Rachel alone, and was joined to Leah against his will. At any rate, as soon as he perceived the deceit, he was indignant and cried out against his father-in-law. He had relations with Bilhah not from love of pleasure but to console his wife. For when Rachel was grieved at her childlessness and said unreasonably, “Give me children, or else I shall die,” the patriarch rebuked her piously and pointed to the maker of nature, showing that it is not marriage that creates children, but God, the lawgiver of marriage. He said to her, “Am I in God's place, who has deprived you of the fruit of the womb?” Yet to comfort her he yielded to her request; she had asked him to have relations with her maidservant, so that she might call the child born of her her own. The same happened with Zilpah: Leah, having ceased bearing, again entreated him to sow in that field. These things hint at no love of pleasure; they show the man's reasonableness, and how eager he was to care for his wives. Besides this, one must consider that at that time there was no law forbidding polygamy, and that people then thought those who became fathers of many children thrice blessed. That this is true, the divine promises bear witness. For the God of the universe said to Abraham, “Look up to heaven and see the stars, if you can count them,” and added, “So shall your seed be”; and again, “I will make your seed like the sand by the shore of the sea, which cannot be counted for multitude.” He would not have given him this promise if he had not considered many offspring a very great good.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.85 (PG 80 80:193; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-85)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.86":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν αἱ γυναῖκες ἐζηλοτύπουν ἀλλήλας; Ατελεῖς ἦσαν, καὶ δυσσεβοῦς ἀνδρὸς θυγατέρες, τὰ ξόανα θεοὺς ὀνομάζοντος. Τούτου ἕνεκεν νομοθετῶν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν τοιοῦτον ἀπαγορεύει γάμον «Οὐ λήψη γὰρ, φησὶ, γυναῖκα ἐπ᾿ ἀδελφῇ αὐτῆς ἀντίζηλον αὐτῆς.","t":"Why were the wives jealous of each other? They were imperfect, and daughters of an impious man who named carved images gods. For this reason God, when giving the law, forbids such a marriage: “You shall not take,” he says, “a woman as a rival to her sister.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.86 (PG 80 80:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-86)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.87":{"o":"Διατί ἡ Γραφὴ μέμνηται τύχης; Ἴδια τῆς Γραφῆς, τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος λόγια, αἱ θεῖαι διατάξεις, τῶν εὐσεβῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ ῥήματα· τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ἱστορικῶς λέγει. Χρὴ τοίνυν μὴ μόνον προσέχειν τῷ λόγῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ λέγοντος. Τὸ τοίνυν εὐτύχημα οὐ τοῦ Ἰακώβ ἐστι ῥῆμα, ἀλλὰ τῆς Λείας γυναικὸς, ὡς ἔφην, ἐν δυσσεβείᾳ τραφείσης, καὶ κατὰ βραχὺ τὰ θεῖα παιδευομένης. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ ταύτης πατὴρ ἔφη τὸ, Οἰωνισάμην. ᾿Αλλ' ὁ θεῖος ἀπαγορεύει νόμος τοῖς οἰωνοῖς κεχρῆσθαι. Μηδεὶς οὖν τοὺς τοιούτους λόγους τῆς θείας νομιζέτω Γραφῆς. Τὰ γὰρ παρὰ τῶν οὐκ εὐσεβῶν εἰρημένα τίθησιν ὁ συγγραφεὺς, ἅτε δὴ ἱστορίαν συγγράφων· οὕτω τέθεικεν ὁ θειότατος Μωσῆς καὶ τοῦ Φαραὼ τὸν βλάσφημον λόγον Οὐκ οἶδα τὸν Κύριον, καὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ οὐκ ἐξαποστέλλω ᾿Αλλ' οὐ τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος οὗτος ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ δυσσεβοῦς βασιλέως. Οὕτω πάλιν ἀκούομεν τοῦ Σεναχηρεὶμ λέγοντος· «Μή σε άπατάτω ὁ Θεός σου ἐφ᾽ ᾧ σὺ πέποιθας ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ, λέγων ὅτι Ῥύσεται Κύριος τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ ἐκ χειρός μου.» ᾿Αλλ' οὐ βλασφημεῖν ἐντεῦθεν μανθάνομεν, ἀλλὰ βλασφημίας κατηγορεῖν.","t":"Why does Scripture mention fortune? Proper to Scripture are the oracles of the Spirit, the divine ordinances, and the words of pious men; the rest it relates as history. One must attend, then, not only to the word but also to the person who speaks it. “Good fortune” is not Jacob's word but Leah's, a woman, as I said, brought up in impiety and only gradually being taught divine things. So too her father said, “I have learned by divination.” But the divine law forbids the use of divination. Let no one, then, think that such words belong to the divine Scripture. The writer sets down what was said by those who were not pious, since he is writing history. So the most divine Moses set down Pharaoh's blasphemous word too: “I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.” But this word is not the divine Spirit's, but the impious king's. So again we hear Sennacherib saying, “Let not your God, in whom you trust, deceive you, saying, The Lord will deliver Jerusalem out of my hand.” But from this we learn not to blaspheme, but to accuse blasphemy.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.87 (PG 80 80:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-87)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.88":{"o":"Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Ἰακὼβ ἔφη τῷ Λάβαν· «Εὐλόγησέ σε Κύριος ἐπὶ τῷ ποδί μου. Δήλη τοῦ ῥητοῦ ἡ διάνοια. Πόδα γὰρ τὴν παρουσίαν ἐκάλεσεν· ἀντὶ τοῦ, διὰ τῆς ἐμῆς παρουσίας, καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς κηδεμονίας, τῶν θεοσδότων ἀπήλαυσας –ἀγαθῶν. Εἰς γὰρ τὴν ἐμὴνεὐσέβειαν ἀφορῶν ὁ Θεὸς, τὰ ἐγχειρισθέντα μαι παρὰ σοῦ πάσης εὐλογίας ἠξίωσεν.","t":"But Jacob himself said to Laban, “The Lord has blessed you at my foot.” The meaning of the phrase is clear. He called his coming a “foot”: that is, “through my coming and my care you have enjoyed God-given goods; for God, looking to my piety, counted what you entrusted to me worthy of every blessing.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.88 (PG 80 80:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-88)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.89":{"o":"Τίνος ένεκεν τὰς ῥάβδους λεπίσας πίνουσιν ἔθηκε τοῖς προβάτοις ; Ὥσπερ ἠγάγετο μὲν γυναῖκας παιδοποιῆσαι ποθῶν, οὐκ ἐν τῷ γάμῳ δὲ εἶχε τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς παιδοποιίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ τοῦ γάμου νομοθέτῃ Θεῷ· οὕτω καὶ τὰς ῥάβδους ἐλέπισεν, οὐ ταύταις θαῤῥῶν, ἀλλὰ τὴν θείαν ἐπικουρίαν προσμένων. Ὅθεν καὶ τῆς θείας ἐπιφανείας τετύχηκε, καὶ λέγοντος ἤκουσεν ᾿Ανάβλεψον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς σου, καὶ ἴδε τοὺς τράγους, καὶ τοὺς κριοὺς ἀναβαίνοντας ἐπὶ τὰς αἶγας, διαλεύκους καὶ ποικίλους, καὶ σποδοειδεῖς ῥαντούς. Εώρακα γὰρ, ὅσα σοι Λάβαν ποιεῖ. Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός σου ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τόπῳ Θεοῦ, οὗ ἤλειψάς μοι ἐκεῖστήλην, καὶ ηὔξω μοι εὐχήν.» Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὰ φαιὰ καὶ τὰ ποικίλα τοῖς υἱέσι τοῦ Λάβαν ἐνεχειρίσθη, καὶ τριῶν ἡμερῶν ὁδὸν ἀφεστήκεσαν ἐκεῖναι τούτων αἱ ποίμναι· δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ τῶν ἀδικουμένων ὁ πρόμαχος ποικίλους κριοὺς καὶ τράγους ὀχεύοντας, ἵνα τῇ πείρᾳ μάθῃ ὅσης ἀπολαύουσι προμηθείας οἱ τεθαῤῥηκότες τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ. Ἐπισημήνασθαι δὲ προσήκει, ὡς ἄγγελον εἰρηκὼς τὸν ἄνω ὀφθέντα, ἔδειξεν τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ Θεόν· Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι, φησὶν ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ. Εἶδε δὲ ἀγγέλους μὲν ἀνιόντας καὶ κατιόντας διὰ τῆς κλίμακος, τὸν δὲ Κύριον ἄνω ἐστηριγμένον τοῦτον ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἄγγελον ὠνόμασε, καὶ Θεόν Θεὸν μὲν, τοῦτο τὴν φύσιν ὄντα ῎Αγγελον δὲ, ἵνα γνῶμεν ὡς οὐχ ὁ Πατήρ ἐστιν ὁ ὀφθεὶς, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱός. Τίνος γὰρ ἄγγελος ὁ Πατήρ; Ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς, καὶ Θεὸς, καὶ μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελος. Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἡμῖν ἀπήγγειλε τοῦ Πατρὸς τὰ μυστήρια. \"Α γὰρ ἤκουσα, φησὶ, παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός μου, ἐγνώρισα ὑμῖν. Οὕτω καὶ τὸν κεκληκότα τὸν ᾿Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ἄγγελον ὠνόμασε, καὶ Θεόν.","t":"Why did he peel the rods and put them where the sheep drank? Just as he married wives because he longed for children, yet placed his hope of children not in marriage but in God, the lawgiver of marriage, so too he peeled the rods, not trusting in them, but awaiting divine help. Hence he also obtained a divine appearing and heard God saying: “Lift up your eyes and see the he-goats and the rams mounting the she-goats, white-striped, speckled, and spotted with grey. For I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am your God, who appeared to you in the place of God, where you anointed a pillar for me and vowed me a vow.” For since the dark and the speckled animals had been entrusted to Laban's sons, and their flocks were three days' journey away, the champion of the wronged shows him speckled rams and he-goats mating, so that he might learn by experience how much providence those enjoy who trust in the God of the universe. One must note that, having called the one seen above an angel, Scripture showed that the same one was also God: “For I am,” says God, “the one who appeared to you on the way.” He saw angels going up and down by the ladder, and the Lord fixed above; this one he here named both angel and God: God, as being God by nature; angel, so that we may know that it was not the Father who appeared, but the only-begotten Son. For whose angel is the Father? But the Son is both God and “angel of great counsel”; for he announced to us the mysteries of the Father: “What I have heard,” he says, “from my Father I have made known to you.” So too he named the one who called Abraham both angel and God.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.89 (PG 80 80:197; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-89)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.9":{"o":"Τίνι λέγει ὁ Θεός «Γενηθήτω φῶς, καὶ,› γενηθήτω στερέωμα ; Οὐκ ἄλλῳ τινὶ κελεύει δημιουργεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὴ ὄντα καλεῖ ἐνταῦθα δὲ πρόσταγμα τὸ βούλημα. Πάντα γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅσα ἠθέλησεν, ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησεν.» Εἰ δὲ καὶ φωνῇ τινι ἐχρήσατο, δῆλον ὡς οὐ τῶν ἀψύχων ἕνεκα στοιχείων, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀοράτων χάριν δυνάμεων· ἵνα γνῶσιν, ὡς αὐτοῦ κελεύοντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα συνίσταται.","t":"To whom does God say, “Let there be light,” and “Let there be a firmament”? He does not command anyone else to create; he calls the things that are not. Here the command is the will; for “whatever God willed,” it says, “he has done.” And if he did use some voice, it was plainly not for the sake of the lifeless elements, but for the sake of the invisible powers, so that they might know that at his command what is not comes to be.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.9 (PG 80 80:89; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-9)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.90":{"o":"Τις σκοπὸς τῆς τῶν εἰδώλων κλοπῆς; Τινὲς ἔφασαν, ἔτι διακειμένην περὶ αὐτὰ τὴν Ῥαχὴλ κεκλοφέναι αὐτά· ἐγὼ δὲ τοὐναντίον ὑπολαμβάνω, ὅτι καὶ τὸν πατέρα τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας ἐλευθερῶσαι βουλομένη σεσύληκεν αὐτά. Τὸ γὰρ εὐσεβὲς αὐτῆς ἡ θεία διδάσκει Γραφή· Ἐμνήσθη γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς, Ῥαχὴλ, καὶ ἐπήκουσεν αὐτῆς ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἀνέῳξεν αὐτῆς τὴν μήτραν. Ακούσασα γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ Ἰακώβ, Μὴ ἀντὶ Θεοῦ σοι ἐγώ εἰμι, ὃς ἐστέρησέν σε καρπὸν κοιλίας; δηλονότι σπουδαιοτέραν τῷ Θεῷ προσενήνοχε προσευχὴν, καὶ τετύχηκε τῆς αἰτήσεως. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ τεκοῦσα δεδήλωκε τὴν εὐσέβειαν Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶ, Ῥαχήλ Ἀφεϊλέ μου, ὁ Θεὸς, τὸ ὄνειδος καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰωσήφ, λέγουσα· Προσθήτω μοι ὁ Θεὸς υἱὸν ἕτερον. Πῶς τοίνυν ταύτην ἔχουσα περὶ τὸν Θεὸν τὴν διάθεσιν, τοῖς οὐκ οὖσι θεοῖς δουλεύειν ἠνέσχετο ; Ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι καὶ ἕτερον ἐντεῦθεν προδηλοῦσθαι. Τύπον γὰρ εἶχεν ὁ Ἰακὼβ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ. Δύο γὰρ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἔσχε λαούς· τὸν μὲν πρεσβύτερον, κάλυμμα ἔχοντα ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν· τὸν δὲ νεώτερον, τὸ τῆς πίστεως περικείμενον κάλλος. Καὶ ὁ Ἰακὼβ δύο γυναῖκας· τὴν μὲν Λείαν ἀσθενεῖς ἔχουσαν ὀφθαλμοὺς, τὴν δὲ Ῥαχὴλ καλὴν τῷ εἶδει, καὶ ὡραίαν τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα καὶ πολύπαιδα μὲν τὴν πρεσβυτέραν, στερίφην δὲ τὴν νεωτέραν. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ ἐξ ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησία στεῖρα ἦν πάλαι ἀλλ᾽ ἐγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα πολύπαις. Εὐφράνθητι γὰρ, φησὶ, στεῖρα ἡ οὐ τίκτουσα, ῥῆξον καὶ βόησον ἡ οὐκ ὠδίνουσα ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου, μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα.» Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἡ Ἐκκλησία τῷ Σωτῆρι πεπιστευκυῖα Θεῷ, τὴν προγονικὴν πρόῤῥιζον ἀνέσπασε πλάνην, τύπος δὲ ταύτης ἐτύγχανεν οὖσα ἡ Ῥαχὴλ, κέκλοφε τὰ εἴδωλα τοῦ πατρὸς, ἵνα τὴν ἀλήθειαν κὰν τούτῳ σκιαγραφήσῃ.","t":"What was the aim of stealing the idols? Some have said that Rachel stole them because she was still devoted to them; but I take the opposite view, that she carried them off wishing to free her father too from superstition. For the divine Scripture teaches her piety: “God remembered Rachel,” it says, “and God heard her and opened her womb.” Having heard Jacob say, “Am I in God's place, who has deprived you of the fruit of the womb?”, she clearly offered a more earnest prayer to God and obtained her request. And when she gave birth she showed her piety: “Rachel said,” it says, “God has taken away my reproach; and she called his name Joseph, saying, May God add to me another son.” How, then, having such a disposition toward God, would she have endured serving gods that do not exist? I think something else too is foreshadowed here. Jacob bore the type of the God of the universe. For God too had two peoples: the elder, with a veil over its heart; the younger, clothed with the beauty of faith. And Jacob had two wives: Leah with weak eyes, and Rachel beautiful in form and very lovely in appearance; the elder with many children, the younger barren. For the church from the nations was barren of old, but afterwards became the mother of many children: “Rejoice,” it says, “O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her who has a husband.” Since, then, the church, having believed in God the Savior, tore out by the roots the error of its ancestors, and Rachel was its type, she stole her father's idols, to sketch out the truth in this too.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.90 (PG 80 80:197; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-90)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.91":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Ώμοσεν Ἰακὼβ κατὰ τοῦ φόβου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ἰσαάκ ;» Φόβον τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐκάλεσε, τουτἐστι τὸν Θεὸν, οὗ τὸν φόβον ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ περιέφερεν","t":"What does “Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac” mean? He called Isaac's piety “Fear”; that is, God, whose fear Isaac carried about in his soul.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.91 (PG 80 80:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-91)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.92":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκεν παλαίει τῷ Ἰακὼβ ὁ ἄγγελος; Δεδιότι τὸν ἀδελφὸν θάρσος ἐντίθησι· διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τῆς νίκης αὐτῷ παρεχώρησε, λέγων μονονουχί Ἐμὲ νενίκηκας, καὶ ἄνθρωπον δέδοικα;; Ἵνα δὲ μὴ μέγα φρονῇ δόξας νενικηκέναι Θεὸν, τῇ ἀφῇ τοῦ μηροῦ τὸ ἐθελούσιον τῆς ἥττης ἐδήλωσε. Τῇ γὰρ ἀφῇ τὴν νάρκην εἰργάσατο. Γνοὺς δὲ τοῦ ἐπιφανέντος τὴν δύναμιν, τὴν εὐλογίαν αἰτεῖ· ὁ δὲ καὶ τὴν αἴτησιν δίδωσι. Καὶ τὴν προσηγορίαν ἀμεί6ει· Οὐκέτι γὰρ, φησὶ, κληθήσεται τὸ ὄνομά σου Ἰακώβ, ἀλλ᾽ Ἰσραὴλ ἔσται τὸ ὄνομά σου, ὅτι ἐνίσχυσας μετὰ Θεοῦ, καὶ μετὰ ἀνθρώπων δυνατὸς ἔσῃ Ἔδειξε δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς νίκης. Μὴ δείσῃς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἄνθρωπον ἐμοῦ σοι τῆς νίκης παραχωρησαντος. Διέμεινε δὲ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐγρήγορσιν ὁ μηρὸς ναρκῶν τε καὶ ὑποσκάζων, ἵνα μὴ φαν. τασίαν ὑπολάβῃ τὴν ὄψιν, ἀλλ᾿ ἀκριβέστερον γνῷ τοῦ ἐνυπνίου τὸ ἀληθές. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐρωτήσας τίνα προσηγορίαν εἶχεν, οὐ μόνον διαμαρτάνει τῆς αἰτήσεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπιπλήττεται, ὡς ὑπερβὰς τὰ μέτρα τῆς φύσεως. Ἵνα τί γὰρ ἐρωτᾷς, φησὶ, τὸ ὄνομά μου; καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι θαυμαστόν Ἐπισημαντέον δὲ κἀνταῦθα, ὡς τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἐκάλεσε, καὶ Θεόν. Ἐνίσχυσας γὰρ, ἔφη, μετὰ Θεοῦ, καὶ μετὰ ἀνθρώπων ἔσῃ δυνατός. Καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Εἶδος Θεοῦ Εἶδον γὰρ Θεὸν πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον, καὶ ἐσώθη μου ἡ ψυχή. Καὶ πάλιν· «΄᾿Ανέτειλεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ἥλιος, ἡνίκα παρῆλθε τὸ Εἶδος τοῦ Θεοῦ. Διὰ τούτων δὲ πάντων μανθάνομεν, ὡς ὁ μονογενής Υἱὸς Θεοῦ καὶ Θεὸς ἐπεφάνη κἀνταῦθα τῷ Ἰακώβ. Τί η ἐστιν, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ᾿Αϊναὸς εὗρεν τὸν Ἰαμὴν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ὅτε ἐνεμεν τὰ ὑποζύγια Σεβεγὼν τοῦ πατρός ;› Ὁ Σύρος λέγει, πηγήν· ἡ γὰρ πηγή καλεῖται τῇ Σύρων φωνῇ.","t":"Why does the angel wrestle with Jacob? He puts courage into one who feared his brother. That is why he even yielded him the victory, all but saying, “You have beaten me, and are you afraid of a man?” But so that he might not become proud, thinking that he had beaten God, he showed by touching his thigh that the defeat was voluntary; for by the touch he produced numbness. Recognizing the power of the one who appeared, Jacob asks for the blessing; and he grants the request and changes his name: “No longer,” he says, “shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name; for you have prevailed with God, and with men you will be strong.” He also showed the reason for the victory: “Do not fear a man,” he means, “since I have yielded you the victory.” The thigh remained numb and limping even after he awoke, so that he would not take the vision for a fantasy, but would know more precisely the truth of the dream. For this reason too, when he asked what name the other had, he not only failed to obtain his request but was rebuked as having overstepped the limits of nature: “Why do you ask my name?” he says; “it too is wonderful.” Here too one must note that he called the same one both man and God: “You have prevailed,” he said, “with God, and with men you will be strong.” “And he called the name of that place Form of God; for I have seen God face to face, and my life was preserved.” And again: “The sun rose on him as he passed the Form of God.” Through all these we learn that the only-begotten Son of God, who is God, appeared here too to Jacob. What does “This is Ana, who found Iamin in the desert, when he was pasturing the beasts of burden of Sebegon his father” mean? The Syrian says “a spring”; for a spring is called so in the Syriac language.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.92 (PG 80 80:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-92)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.93":{"o":"Ὁ Ἰὼβ πόθεν κατάγει τὸ γένος; Ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἡ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν ἱστορία διδάσκει. ῎Ανθρωπος γὰρ ἦν, φησὶν, ἐν χώρᾳ τῇ Αὐσίτιδι. Δεδήλωκε δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος Μωσῆς τῶν γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ βεβασιλευκότων τὰς διαδοχὰς συγγράφων, οὕτως ἔφη· ᾿Απέθανε δὲ Βαλάκ καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ Ἰωβὰβ, υἱὸς Ζαρὰ ἐκ Βοσόρας·, συμφωνεῖ δὲ ταῦτα τῇ τοῦ Ἰὼβ ἱστορίᾳ.","t":"From whom does Job trace his descent? From Esau. His own history teaches this: “There was a man,” it says, “in the land of Ausitis.” The blessed Moses too showed this; for, writing the succession of those who reigned from Esau's line, he said: “Balak died, and Jobab son of Zara from Bosora reigned in his place.” This agrees with the history of Job.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.93 (PG 80 80:201; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-93)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.94":{"o":"Διατί ἐφθόνησαν τῷ Ἰωσὴφ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ; Ἠγαπᾶτο παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς, καὶ ὡς ὀψίγονος, καὶ ὡς τῆς Ῥαχὴλ υἱὸς, καὶ ὡς ἀρετῇ διαπρέπων· ἐβάσκαινον τοίνυν ὁρῶντες αὐτὸν προτιμώμενον. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἐπειράθησαν κακῶς αὐτὸν παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ διαθεῖναι, πολλαῖς κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ λοιδορίαις χρώμενοι τοῦ σκοποῦ δὲ διαμαρτόντες, ἀνελεῖν ἠβουλήθησαν. Εἶτα συμβουλευθέντες ἀπέδοντο. Τὸ δὲ τῶν δραγμάτων ὄναρ προσημαίνει τὴν διὰ τῶν πυρῶν γεγενημένην προσκύνησιν· σιτοδοχίας γὰρ χάριν εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον εἰσελθόντες, κατὰ τὴν","t":"Why were Joseph's brothers envious of him? He was loved by his father, as born late, as Rachel's son, and as outstanding in virtue; so they were envious, seeing him preferred. First they tried to set their father against him, using much abuse against him; failing in their aim, they wished to kill him. Then, after taking counsel, they sold him. The dream of the sheaves foretold the obeisance made on account of the grain; for having come into Egypt to buy grain, according to the …","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.94 (PG 80 80:203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-94)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.95":{"o":"Τί δήποτε ἡ Θάμαρ ἐταιρικὸν σχῆμα περιθεμένη τὸν κηδεστὴν ἐξηπάτησεν ; Περιφανὲς ἄγαν ἐγεγόνει τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ τὸ γένος, δι' ἣν εἶχεν εὐσέβειαν. Τοῦτο ἡ Θάμαρ εἰδυῖα, σπουδὴν ἔσχεν ἐξ ἐκείνου παιδοποιῆσαι τοῦ γένους. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν αὐτὴν ὁ κηδεστὴς οὐ κατηγ γύησε τῷ νεωτάτῳ παιδὶ, δείσας μὴ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς καὶ αὐτὸς παραπλησίως τελευτήσῃ, ἠναγκάσθη κλέψαι τῆς παιδοποιΐας τὰς ἀφορμὰς, ἐπειδὴ προφανῶς λαβεῖν αὐτὰς ἐκωλύετο. Πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ καὶ ἐλέγχει τὸν κηδεστὴν, ὡς αὐτὸν μὲν οὐ σωφρονοῦντα, αὐτὴν δὲ σωφρονεῖν ἀναγκάζοντα. Τοῦτο δὲ κἀκεῖνος κρίνων ἐδήλωσε· κύουσαν μὲν γὰρ αὐτὴν μεμαθηκώς, κατεψηφίσατο θάνατον· γνοὺς δὲ ὅθεν ἐκύησε, τὴν μὲν· ἀθῶον ἀπέφηνεν, ἑαυτὸν δὲ κατέκρινε. Δεδικαίωται γὰρ, ἔφη, Θάμαρ ἢ ἐγὼ, οὗ ἕνεκεν οὐ δέδωκα αὐτὴν Σηλώμ τῷ υἱῷ μου. Ὅτι δὲ παιδοποιΐας χάριν, καὶ οὐ φιληδονίας, τοῦτο ἡ Θάμαρ ἐμηχανήσατο, τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα δηλοῖ. Οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ, οὔτε τῷ Ἰούδᾳ, οὔτε ἄλλῳ συνήφθη τινὶ, ἠρκέσθη δὲ μήτηρ κληθῆναι τῶν ἐξ ἐκείνου βεβλαστηκότων τοῦ σπέρ","t":"Why did Tamar put on a harlot's dress and deceive her father-in-law? Abraham's race had become very famous because of its piety. Knowing this, Tamar was eager to bear children from that race. Since her father-in-law did not betroth her to his youngest son, fearing that he too would die like his brothers, she was forced to steal the means of bearing children, since she was prevented from obtaining them openly. Besides this, she convicts her father-in-law of not being chaste himself while compelling her to be chaste. He too showed this by his judgment: on learning that she was pregnant, he condemned her to death; but on learning from whom she had conceived, he declared her innocent and condemned himself: “Tamar is more righteous than I,” he said, “because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” That Tamar contrived this for the sake of children and not of pleasure, what followed shows: she was no longer joined either to Judah or to anyone else, but was content to be called the mother of those sprung from that seed …","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.95 (PG 80 80:203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-95)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.96":{"o":"Τίνος ἦν μήνυμα τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ζαρὰ καὶ τὸν Τῶν δύο λαῶν, ὁ Φαρὲς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ ὁ Ζαρὰ τῶν ἐξ ἐθνῶν πεπιστευκότων. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸ τοῦ νόμου ἦσαν πολλοὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας οἱ τρόφιμοι, κατὰ πίστιν, οὐ κατὰ νόμον πολιτευόμενοι. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Ζαρὰ προεξήνεγκε τὴν χεῖρα, τὴν πρὸ τοῦ νoμου πολιτείαν, δεικνύς· εὐσεβεῖς γὰρ καὶ ἐνάρετοι γεγόνασι καὶ πρὸ νόμου πολλοί. Τὸ δὲ κόκκινον σπαρτίον μήνυμα ἦν τῶν παλαιῶν θυσιῶν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι θυσίαις τὸν Θεὸν ἐξιλεοῦντο καὶ ῎Αβελ, καὶ Ἐνὼχ, καὶ Νῶε, καὶ Μελχισεδέκ, καὶ ᾿Αβραάμ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Ἰακώβ. Εἶτα ἐκείνου τὴν χεῖρα συστείλαντος, ἐξῆλθεν ὁ Φαρές· μέσος γὰρ ὁ νόμος τῶν πρὸ νόμου, καὶ μετὰ νόμον. Διὸ καὶ ὁ μακάριος λέγει Παῦλος· Νόμος δὲ παρεισῆλθε·, διδάσκων, ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τοῦ νόμου κατὰ πίστιν ἐδικαιοῦντο, καὶ μετὰ τὸν νόμον ἡ χάρις διέλαμψε. Καὶ ὁ Κύριος δὲ κατὰ σάρκα ἐκ τοῦ Φαρὲς ἐβλάστησεν. Ων γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ πατέρες καὶ ἐξ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, ὁ ὢν ἐπὶ πάντων Θεός. Καὶ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους Πρόδηλον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέθαλκεν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος Ματθαῖος τὴν γενεαλογίαν συγγράφων ἐδίδαξε. Τοῦτο μέντοι τὸ διήγημα τέθεικεν ὁ μακάριος Μωσῆς διδάσκων Ἰουδαίους, ὡς τοῦ Δαβὶδ τὸ πολυθρύλλητον γένος ἐκ γυναικῶν ἀλλοφύλων συνέστη· ἵνα μὴ κατὰ τῶν ἐξ ἐθνῶν πεπιστευκότων ἀλαζονεύωνται, ὡς ἀκήρατον φυλάξαντες τὴν εὐγένειαν.","t":"What did the events concerning Zerah and Perez signify? The two peoples: Perez the Jews, and Zerah those who believed from the nations. For before the Law too there were many nurslings of piety, living by faith, not by law. That is why Zerah put out his hand first, showing the way of life before the Law; for many were pious and virtuous even before the Law. The scarlet thread was a sign of the ancient sacrifices; for those men too propitiated God with sacrifices: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then, when he drew back his hand, Perez came out; for the Law stands between those before the Law and those after it. That is why the blessed Paul says, “The Law came in besides,” teaching that before the Law too people were justified by faith, and after the Law grace shone forth. And the Lord sprang from Perez according to the flesh: “Of whom,” he says, “are the fathers, and from whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is God over all”; and in the Letter to the Hebrews: “For it is evident that our Lord Jesus Christ has sprung from Judah.” The blessed Matthew too taught this when writing the genealogy. The blessed Moses set down this story to teach the Jews that the much-celebrated race of David was formed from foreign women, so that they would not boast against those who believed from the nations, as though they had kept their noble descent unmixed.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.96 (PG 80 80:203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-96)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.97":{"o":"Θῶμεν τὴν Λείαν, ὡς ἀτελῆ κατὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν, εἰρηκέναι τό· «Ηὐτύχηκα πῶς ὁ ἱστοριογράφος τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ συγγράφων εἶπε τὸ, - ὧν ἀνὴρ ἐπιτυγχάνων;» ᾿Ανάγνωθι τὸ προτεταγμένον ῥητὸν, καὶ εὐρήσεις τὴν λύσιν· εἰπὼν γὰρ, «Ἧν Κύριος μετὰ Ἰωσὴφ, ἐπήγαγε, Καὶ ἦν ἀνὴρ ἐπιτυγχάνων· καὶ προστέθεικε, Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ παρὰ τῷ κυρίῳ τῷ Αἰγυπτίῳ. Ἤδει δὲ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ, ὅτι Κύριος μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅσα ἂν ποιεῖ Κύριος εὐοδοῖ. Οὐκοῦν εἰς ἅπαντα ἐπετύγχανεν, ἐπεὶ Κύριος ἦν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ· αὐτὸς γὰρ εὐώδου τὰ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ γιγνόμενα. Τοῦτο καὶ τὰ κατὰ δεσμωτήριον διηγούμενος ἔφη· Πάντα γὰρ ἦν, φησὶ, διὰ χειρὸς Ἰωσὴφ, διὰ τὸ τὸν Κύριον μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ εἶναι, καὶ ὅσα αὐτὸς ἐποίει Κύριος εὐώδου ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ.","t":"Granted that Leah, being imperfect in piety, said, “I have had good fortune,” how is it that the historian, writing about Joseph, said, “being a man who succeeded”? Read the preceding phrase and you will find the solution. Having said, “The Lord was with Joseph,” he added, “and he was a man who succeeded”; and he went on, “and he was in the house with his master the Egyptian. His master knew that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord prospers whatever he does.” So he succeeded in everything because the Lord was with him; for he prospered what Joseph did. He said this too when narrating the events in the prison: “For all things were in Joseph's hand, because the Lord was with him, and whatever he did, the Lord prospered in his hands.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.97 (PG 80 80:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-97)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.98":{"o":"Πῶς εὐνοῦχος ὢν ὁ ἀρχιμάγειρος γυναῖκa εἶχεν; Μάλιστα μὲν οὖν καὶ τοὺς εὐνούχους καὶ τοὺς ἐκτομίας όμωνύμως καλοῦσιν. Οὐδὲν δὲ ἦν ἀπεικὸς, καὶ εὐνοῦχον ὄντα γυναῖκα ἔχειν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, τῶν ἔνδον ἐπιμελουμένην πραγμάτων.","t":"How did the chief cook, being a eunuch, have a wife? In particular, they call both eunuchs and those who are castrated by the same name. And it was not unlikely for one who was a eunuch to have a wife in the house to take care of household affairs.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.98 (PG 80 80:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-98)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1.99":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκεν, χρόνου τοσούτου παρεληλυθό τος οὔτε Ἰωσὴφ τῷ πατρὶ τὴν δουλείαν ἐγνώρισεν, οὔτε ὁ Θεὸς δι' ἀποκαλύψεως ἐδήλωσε τοῦτο τῷ Ἰακώβ; Ἔδει κατὰ τὴν πρόῤῥησιν, τὴν πρὸς τὸν ᾿Αβραάμ γεγενημένην, τὸν Ἰακὼβ μετὰ τῶν παίδων, καὶ τῶν ἐκγόνων εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον κατελθεῖν. Εἰ δὲ τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἐγνώκει, πάντως ἂν αὐτὸν λύτρα πεπομφὼς ἐπανήγαγε. Τούτου χάριν αὐτὸν ἀθυμοῦντα παρεῖδεν, ἵνα καὶ τὴν οἰκονομίαν πληρώσῃ, καὶ θυμηρεστέραν αὐτῷ μετὰ ταῦτα τὴν ζωὴν καταστήσῃ. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν οἰκονομίαν διδάσκει τοὺς ἀδελφούς· Εἰς γὰρ ζωὴν, φησὶν, ἀπέσταλκέ με ὁ Θεὸς ἔμπροσθεν ὑμῶν, τοῦ διαθρέψαι λαὸν πολύν. Καὶ ὁ Δαβὶδ ταῦτά φησι· Καὶ ἐκάλεσε λιμὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, πᾶν στήριγμα ἄρτου συνέτριψεν, ἀπέστειλεν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν ἄνθρωπον, εἰς δοῦλον ἐπράθη Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Εἰ δὲ ὁ πατριάρχης τοῦ παιδὸς τὴν δουλείαν ἐγνώκει, πάντως ἂν αὐτὸν ἐλυτρώσατο· λυτρωθεὶς δὲ οὐκ ἂν τὸ δεσμωτήριον ᾤκει. Εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτο ἐγεγόνει, οὐκ ἂν τοὺς ὀνείρους τοῖς οἰκέταις ἐκείνοις ἡρμήνευσεν· μὴ ἑρμηνεύσας δὲ, γνώριμος οὐκ ἂν ἐγεγόνει τῷ Φαραώ· γνώριμος δὲ μὴ γενόμενος, οὐκ ἂν τὴν διὰ τῶν ὀνείρων ἐσαφήνισε πρόῤῥησιν. Τοῦτο δὲ μὴ δεδρακὼς, οὐκ ἂν ἐπιστεύθη τῆς Αἰγύπτου τὰς ἡνίας. Τῆς Αἰγύπτου δὲ μὴ παραλαβὼν τὴν ἀμχὴν, οὐκ ἂν τὸν πατριάρχην μετὰ τοῦ γένους εἰσήγαγεν εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον. Ἐκ τοῦ τέλους δὴ οὖν γίνεται δῆλος τῆς θείας οἰκονομίας ὁ σκοπός.","t":"Why, when so much time had passed, did Joseph not make his slavery known to his father, nor God reveal it to Jacob by a revelation? According to the prophecy given to Abraham, Jacob had to go down into Egypt with his sons and descendants. If he had known what had happened to Joseph, he would surely have sent a ransom and brought him back. For this reason God overlooked his despondency, both to fulfil the dispensation and to make his life afterwards more delightful. Joseph himself teaches his brothers the dispensation of God: “For God has sent me before you for life,” he says, “to nourish a great people.” And David says this: “And he called a famine on the land; he broke every support of bread; he sent a man before them; Joseph was sold as a slave,” and so on. If the patriarch had known of his son's slavery, he would surely have ransomed him; and if he had been ransomed, he would not have lived in prison. If that had not happened, he would not have interpreted the dreams of those servants; not having interpreted them, he would not have become known to Pharaoh; not having become known, he would not have explained the prophecy given through the dreams; not having done this, he would not have been entrusted with the reins of Egypt; and not having received the rule of Egypt, he would not have brought the patriarch with his race into Egypt. From the outcome, then, the aim of the divine dispensation becomes clear.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 1.99 (PG 80 80:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/1-99)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.1":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τό· Χυδαῖοι ἐγένοντο ; ι Οὐχ ὡς τινες νενοήκασιν ὑβριστικῶς αὐτὸ τέθεικεν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πλῆθος δδήλωκεν. Οὕτως γὰρ, φησὶν, ηυξήθησαν, ὡς κατὰ πάσης ἐκείνης ἐκχεθῆναι τῆς γῆς. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ περὶ τὸν ᾿Ακύλαν ἡρμήνευσαν Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς δηλοῖς Ἐπλήθυνε γάρ, φησὶν, ἡ γῆ αὐτούς. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα Καθότι δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐταπείνουν, τοσοῦτον πλείους ἐγίνοντο, καὶἴσχυον σφόδρα, σφόδρα","t":"How should “They became a multitude” be understood? He did not put it insultingly, as some have understood it, but indicated their great number. “They increased so much,” he means, “as to be poured out over all that land.” So too Aquila and his associates translated. What follows shows this too: “For the land multiplied them,” he says; and shortly after, “But the more they afflicted them, the more numerous they became, and they grew very, very strong.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.1 (PG 80 80:225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-1)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.10":{"o":"Ἡ λέπρωσις τῆς χειρὸς τί δηλοῖ; Ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ τραφὲν τὸ γένος τοῦ Ἰακὼβ εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον εἰσελήλυθεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων μετέμαθε τὴν ἀσέβειαν· τῆς ἐκείνων δὲ δουλείας ἀπαλλαγὲν, τὸν τῶν ὅλων ἑπέγνω Θεόν. Δεδήλωκε τοίνυν διὰ τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως τῆς χειρὸς τὴν λέπρωσιν αὐτῶν, καὶ τὴν κατὰ τοῦτο κάθαρσιν. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ ἕτερον ὁ Δεσπότης ᾠκονόμει Θεός. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἤμελλε τὸν περὶ τῶν λεπρῶν τιθέναι Η νόμον, καὶ ἀκαθάρτους τούτους προσαγορεύειν οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν ἀκουσίων ἀκάθαρτον· ἕτερα διὰ τούτων οἰκονομῶν, τούτοις ἐχρήσατο τοῖς νόμοις ἅπερ ἐν ἐκείνοις γενόμενοι τοῖς χωρίοις σὺν Θεῷ φάναι δηλώσομεν. Ἐλέπρωσε τοῦ νομοθέτου τὴν χεῖρα, τοὺς τὰ τέλεια πεπαιδευμένους διδάσκων, ὡς οὐδὲν των τοιούτων ἀκάθαρτον. Ἡ γὰρ τὰ θαύματα ἐκεῖνα ἐργασαμένη δεξιά, λεπρὰ πρότερον γενομένη ταῖς θεοσημείαις ὑπούργησε, καὶ τὰ στοι χεῖα μετέβαλεν Ἐκ τούτου δὲ καὶ τὸν νομοθέτην ἐπαίδευε μὴ μέγα φρονεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰδέναι τὴν φύσιν τῆς λεπρωθείσης ἀναμιμνησκόμενον δεξιᾶς.","t":"What does the leprosy of the hand signify? The race of Jacob, reared in piety, entered Egypt; but there it learned the impiety of the Egyptians; and when freed from slavery to them, it recognized the God of the universe. By the change of the hand, then, he showed their leprosy and their cleansing from it. Besides this, God the Master was arranging something else too. Since he was going to lay down the law about lepers and call them unclean, though nothing involuntary is unclean, he used those laws to arrange other things, which we shall explain, God willing, when we come to those passages. He made the lawgiver's hand leprous, teaching those instructed in perfect things that nothing of this kind is unclean. For the right hand that worked those miracles had first become leprous, and then served the divine signs and changed the elements. By this he also taught the lawgiver not to be proud, but to know his nature by remembering the hand that had become leprous.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.10 (PG 80 80:231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-10)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.11":{"o":"Ὑπουργῷ κεχρημένος τῷ Μωσῇ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τί δήποτε ἰσχνόφωνον αὐτὸν διέπλασε καὶ βραδύγλωσσον; Ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο μᾶλλον τὴν δύναμιν ἐδείκνυ τὴν θείαν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἁλιέας, καὶ τελώνας, καὶ σκυτοτόμους, κήρυκας ἀληθείας καὶ διδασκάλους εὐσεδείας ἐχειροτόνησεν, οὕτω διὰ φωνῆς ἀσθενοῦς, καὶ γλώσσης βραδείας, κατήσχυνε τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους σοφούς.","t":"Since the God of the universe used Moses as his minister, why did he make him weak-voiced and slow of tongue? Because this showed the divine power the more. Just as he appointed fishermen, tax collectors, and leatherworkers as heralds of the truth and teachers of piety, so through a weak voice and a slow tongue he put the wise men of Egypt to shame.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.11 (PG 80 80:233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-11)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.12":{"o":"Τὸ, Ἐγὼ σκληρυνῶ τὴν καρδίαν Φαραώ, πῶς νοητέον; Μάλα βάδιον ἦν τῷ Θεῷ, μετὰ τὴν πρώτην ἀπείθειαν πανωλεθρίαν ἐπαγαγεῖν· ἀλλὰ ἀφράστῳ κεχρημένος μακροθυμίᾳ μετρίας αὐτῷ παιδείας ἐπήγαγε. Ταῦτα δὲ ἀντίτυπον ἐποίει τὴν ἐκείνου καρδίαν· οἰόμενος γὰρ μὴ δύνασθαι τὸν Θεὸν μείζοσι χρήσασθαι τιμωρίαις, τῶν μετρίων κατεφρόνει μαστίγων. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τῶν θείων ἐκείνων ἐπακούσας ῥημάτων, Ἐξαπόστειλον τὸν λαὸν μου, ἵνα μοι λατρεύσωσιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ὑπολαβών ἔφη· Τίς ἐστι Κύριος οὗ εἰσακούσομαι τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ; οὐκ οἶδα τὸν Κύριον, καὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ οὐκ ἐξαποστέλῶ. Ἔπειτα δὲ τῆς ῥάβδου μεταβληθείσης εἰς ὄφιν, φησὶν ἡ θεία Γραφή - Καὶ κατίσχυσεν ἡ καρδία Φαραὼ, καὶ οὐκ εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν, καθάπερ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς Κύριος. Καὶ εὐθὺς ἐπάγει. Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωσῆν· Βεβάρηται ἡ καρδία Φαραὼ τοῦ μὴ ἐξαποστεῖλαι τὸν λαόν. Αμφότερα δὲ σημαίνει τὸ τῆς γνώμης αὐθαίρετον, καὶ τὸ, Κατίσχυσεν ἡ καρδία Φαραὼ, καὶ τὸ, Βεβάρηται ἡ καρδία Φαραώ βαρύνεται μὲν γὰρ καρδία ὑπὸ πονηρίας καθελκομένη. Καὶ τοῦτο σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ὁ μακάριος διδάσκει Δαβίδ· Αἱ ἀνομίαι μου ὑπερῆραν τὴν κεφαλήν μου, ὡσεὶ φορτίον βαρὺ ἐβαρύνθησαν ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ. Καὶ ὁ Ζακχαρίας τὴν ἀνομίαν ἐθεάσατο μολίβδου τάλαντον ἐν τῷ στόματι φέρουσαν. Ἡ δέ γε ἀπονοίᾳ χρωμένη καρδία κατισχύειν λέγεται, ὡς ἀνθισταμένη τῷ Δεσπότῃ Θεῷ καὶ νικᾷν αὐτοῦ νεανιευομένη τὴν δύναμιν. Ἡ γὰρ εὐσεβὴς ὑποτάττεται κατὰ τὴν προφητικὴν παραίνεσιν, τὴν λέγουσαν, Ὑποτάγηθι τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἱκέτευσον αὐτόν. Ἡ δέ γε ἀντίτυπος καὶ οἱονεὶ λιθίνη σκληρύνεται. Ὅθεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Ἰεζεκιήλ περὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἔφη· Καὶ ἐκσπάσω τὴν καρδίαν τὴν λιθίνην ἐξ αὐτῶν. ε Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος Μωσῆς, τὴν ἐπινίκιον ᾄδων ᾠδὴν περὶ τοῦ Φαραὼ καὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, εἴρηκε· Κατέδυσαν εἰς βυθὸν ὡσεὶ λίθος. Καὶ πάλιν· Ἔδυσαν ὡσεὶ μόλιβδος ἐν ὕδατι σφοδρῷ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐβάρυναν ἑαυτῶν τὴν καρδίαν, ἔδυσαν ὡσεὶ μόλιβδος· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἐσκλήρυναν κατέδυσαν εἰς βυθὸν ὡσεὶ λίθος. Ὅτι δὲ ἡ ἀντιτυπία τῆς καρδίας, καὶ ἡ σκληρότης, ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν γίγνεται, μάρτυς ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος λέγων· ᾿Αγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει· κατὰ δὲ τὴν σκληρότητά σου, καὶ ἀμετανόητον καρδίαν, θησαυρίζεις σεαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως, καὶ δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃς ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις κἀκεῖνο σκοπητέον, ὡς εἰ φύσει πονηρὸς ἦν ὁ Φαραὼ, οὐκ ἂν αὐτοῦ τὴν γνώμην ἐνήλλαξε νῦν δὲ ὁρῶμεν ὑπὸ μὲν τῆς παιδείας αὐτὸν μαλαττόμενον, ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς μακροθυμίας σκληρυνόμενον. Παιδευόμενος γὰρ ἡντιβόλει τὸν νομοθέτην, Προσεύξασθε περὶ ἐμοῦ, λέγων· καὶ πάλιν, Ὁ Κύ( ριος δίκαιος, ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ λαός μου ἀσεβής Τῆς δὲ τιμωρίας παυομένης ἐβαρύνετο\", καὶ τοῖς προστάγμασι τοῖς θείοις ἀντέλεγε· καὶ τῆς μὲν κυνομυίας ἐπενεχθείσης, ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ θῦσαι προσέταξε τῷ Θεῷ· τοῦ θειοτάτου δὲ Μωσέως εἰρηκότος μὴ δύνασθαι τοῦτο δρᾶσαι διὰ τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους· Τὰ γὰρ ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνων, φησὶ, θεοποιούμενα θύσομεν, καὶ καταλεύοντες ἡμᾶς ἀποκτενοῦσιν· ἐπέτρεψεν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἀπελθεῖν, καὶ τὰς θυσίας ἐπιτελέσαι. Ἐπὶ τούτοις τοῦ προφήτου προσευξαμένου, καὶ τὴν κυνόμυιαν ἀποφήναντος φροῦδον, Ἐβάρυνε, φησὶ, τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τούτου τοῦ καιροῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ἐξαποστεῖλαι τὸν λαόν.» Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ λοιμοῦ γεγένηται τῶν κτηνῶν Εἶδε γὰρ, φησὶ, Φαραὼ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐτελεύτησεν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ οὐδὲν καὶ ἐβαρύνθη ἡ καρδία Φαραὼ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξαπέστειλε τὸν λαόν· ἐν τούτοις ἅπασι δείξας τὸ τῆς γνώμης αὐθαίρετον. Καὶ διδάξας ὅπως αὐτοῖς ἐπηνέχθη τῶν φλυκταινῶν τὸ πάθος, καὶ ὅτι καὶ τοῖς φαρμακοῖς ἡ νόσος ἐπέσκηψε, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο οἱ φαρμακοὶ στῆναι ἐναντίον Μωσῆ διὰ τὰ ἕλκη ἠσχύνοντο γὰρ καθηλκωμένοι, καὶ σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἐπαμῦναι μὴ δυνάμενοι, ἐπήγαγε· Καὶ ἐσκλήρυνε Κύριος τὴν καρδίαν Φαραὼ, καὶ οὐκ εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν, καθὰ συνέταξεν αὐτοῖς Κύριος. Καὶ μετ᾿ ὀλίγα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔφη τὸν Φαραώ· Ἕνεκεν τούτου διετηρήθης, ἵνα ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν ἰσχύν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν τάσῃ τῇ γῇ. Καὶ αὖθις μετ᾿ ὀλίγα, καὶ ταῦτα ἔφη Ἰδὼν γὰρ, φησὶ, Φαραὼ ὅτι πέπαυται ὁ ὑετὸς, καὶ ἡ χάλαζα, καὶ αἱ φωναὶ, καὶ προσέθετο Φαραὼ τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν· καὶ ἐβάρυνε τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῶν· θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐσκλήρυνε τὴν καρδίαν Φαραὼ”, καὶ οὐκ ἐξαπέστειλε τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ, καθάπερ ἐλάλησε Κύριος τῷ Μωσῇ. Τὸ δὲ, καθάπερ ἐλάλησε, τὴν πρόγνωσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ δηλοῖ, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Οὐδὲν τούτων ἡγνόησεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξαρχῆς προείρηκε. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα διεξήλθον, δεῖξαι βουλόμενος, ὡς οὔτε φύσεως ἦν ὁ Φαραὼ πονηρᾶς, οὔτε ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς σκληράν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀντίτυπον τὴν γνώμην εἰργάσατο· ὁ γὰρ νῦν μὲν εἰς τοῦτο ῥέπων, νῦν δὲ εἰς ἐκεῖνο, δείκνυσι τὸ τῆς γνώμης αὐθαίρετον. Ἵνα δὲ καὶ ἔκ τινος εἰκόνος τὸ ἀμφιβαλλόμενον διαλύσωμεν· ὁ ἥλιος τῇ τῆς θέρμης ἐνεργείᾳ τὸν μὲν κηρὸν ὑγραίνει, τὸν δὲ πηλὸν ξηραίνει, καὶ τὸν μὲν μαλάττει, τὸν δὲ σκληρύνει. \"Ωσπερ τοίνυν οὗτος τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τῇ μιᾷ τὰ ἐναντία ποιεῖ, οὕτω τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων μακροθυμίᾳ, οἱ μὲν ὠφέλειαν, οἱ δὲ βλάβην καρποῦνται· καὶ οἱ μὲν μαλάττονται, οἱ δὲ σκληρύνονται. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις δεδήλωκεν. Εἰς κρίμα γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐγὼ εἰς τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον ἦλθον, ἵνα οἱ μὴ βλέποντες βλέπωσι, καὶ οἱ βλέποντες τυφλοὶ γένωνται. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐ τοῦ Δεσπότου δηλοῖ τὸν σκοπόν. οὐδὲ γὰρ τούτου χάριν ἐλήλυθεν, ἵνα τυφλοὺς ἀποφήνῃ τοὺς βλέποντας· ἀλλὰ τὸ γεγενημένον δεδήλωκεν. Αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ βούλεται πάντας ἀνθρώπους σωθῆναι, καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ αὐθαίρετον ἔχει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ φύσις, οἱ μὲν πεπιστευκότες σωτηρίας ἀπήλαυσαν, οἱ δὲ ἀπιστήσαντες πρόξενοι ἑαυτοῖς τῆς γεέννης γεγένηνται. Οὕτως ὁ Ἰούδας βλέπων (ἀπόστολος γὰρ ἦν), ὕστερον ἐτυφλώθη· ὁ δὲ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος τυφλὸς ὧν πρότερον, ἀνέβλεψεν ὕστερον. Οὕτω διὰ τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπιφανείας, ἐτυφλώθησαν μὲν τῶν Ἰουδαίων οἱ πλεῖστοι, ἀνέβλεψαν δὲ τὰ ἔθνη. Οὐ μὴν, ἐπειδή τινες ἔμελλον ἀπιστήσειν, ἐχρῆν μὴ γενέσθαι τὴν κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν οἰκονομίαν· τοῦτο γὰρ ἀπεστέρει τὴν οἰκουμένην τῆς σωτηρίας. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ θειότατος ἔφη Συμεών· Ἰδοὺ οὗτος κεῖται εἰς πτῶσιν καὶ ἀνάστασιν πολλῶν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ εἰς σημεῖον ἀντιλεγόμενον. Κἀκεῖνο μέντοι εἰδέναι χρή, ὡς τὸν παρόντα βίον ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς στάδιον τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀπέφηνεν, ἵν᾿ ἐν τούτῳ ἀγωνιζόμενοι, δηλώσωσι τὸν οἰκεῖον σκοπόν· ἐν δὲ γε τῷ μέλλοντι τὴν δικαίαν ποιούμενος κρίσιν, τοὺς μὲν ὡς νικηφόρους ἀγωνιστὰς στεφανώσῃ, τοὺς δὲ κολάσῃ ὡς τῆς κακίας ἐργάτας γεγενημένους. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐχ ἅπαντες τῷ μέλλοντι πιστεύουσι βίῳ, μάλα σοφῶς ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς καὶ κολάζει τινὰς ἐν τῷδε τῷ βίῳ πονηρίᾳ συνεζηκότας, καὶ αὖ πάλιν ἄλλους ἀνακηρύττει εὐσεβείας πεφροντικότας ὡς μάλιστα. Τούτου χάριν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, τινὰς μὲν σκεύη ὀργῆς, τινὰς δὲ σκεύη ἐλέους ὠνόμασεν, ἐπειδὴ δι᾽ ἐκείνων τ* μὲν δῆλος γίνεται κολάζων ἐνδίχως ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός· διὰ δὲ τούτων ἐπιμελείας παντοδαπῆς ἀξιῶν καὶ προμηθείας τοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθλητάς. Ἴδοι δ᾽ ἄν τις καὶ τῶν σωμάτων τοὺς ἰατροὺς τομαῖς καὶ καυτῆρσι χρωμένους, καὶ τοὺς κεκρυμμένους χυμοὺς καὶ χαλεπὴν τὴν νόσον ἐργαζομένους, ἀναμοχλεύοντας καὶ ἐξἀγοντας, καὶ τὰ λανθάνοντα πάθη δῆλα ποιοῦντας. Οὕτως καὶ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τῶν λογισμῶν τὴν πονηρίαν ταῖς παιδείαις γυμνοί. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῷ Δευτερονομίῳ πρὸς τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἔφη· «Καὶ μνησθήσῃ πᾶσαν τὴν ὁδὸν, ἣν ἤγαγέ σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τεσσαρακοστὸν ἔτος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ὅπως κακώσῃ σε καὶ πειράσῃ σε, καὶ διαγνωσθῇ τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, εἰ φυλάξῃ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ἢ οὔ. Καὶ ἐκάκωσέ σε, καὶ ἐλιμαγχόνησε σε, > καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καθάπερ δὲ πάλιν οἱ ἰατροὶ τοὺς ἀνηκέστως διακειμένους πολλῶν παρόντων τέμνουσιν, οὐκ ἐκείνοις τοσοῦτον ἐπικουροῦντες (ἴσασι γὰρ αὐτῶν τὴν νόσον ἀνίατον), ἀλλὰ τοὺς φοιτητὰς τὸν τῆς ἰατρείας διδάσκοντες τρόπον· οὕτω καὶ τὸν Φαραὼ ὠμοτάτη καὶ θηριώδει χρησάμενον γνώμῃ ταῖς παντοδαπαῖς τιμωρίαις ὑπέβαλεν ὁ Θεὸς, πάντας ὡς ἐπίπαν διδάσκων ἀνθρώπους, ὡς αὐτὸς ἰθύνει τὴν κτίσιν, καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἀδικουμένοις ἐπαμύνει δικαίως, κολάζει δὲ τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας ἐνδίκως Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔφη τὸν Φαραὼ, Ἕνεκεν τούτου διετηρήθης, ἵνα ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν ἰσχύν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. Ὅτι δὲ πάντοσε διέδραμε τῶν πεπραγμένων ἡ μνήμη, μάρτυς ἡ Ῥαάθ ἡ πόρνη εἰποῦσα τοῖς κατασκόποις, ὅτι Ὁ φόβος ὑμῶν καὶ ὁ τρόμος ὑμῶν ἐπέπεσεν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς ἠκούσαμεν γὰρ ὅτι κατεξήρανε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν πρὸ προσώπου ὑμῶν μαρτυροῦσι δὲ καὶ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι πόρ ῥωθεν τὴν κιβωτὸν θεασάμενοι, καὶ βοήσαντες, Οὐαὶ ἡμῖν οὗτος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ πατάξας τὴν Αἴγυπτον.)","t":"How should “I will harden Pharaoh's heart” be understood? It would have been very easy for God to bring total destruction on him after his first disobedience; but using indescribable long-suffering, he brought moderate chastisements upon him. These made his heart resistant; for, thinking that God could not use greater punishments, he despised the moderate scourges. That this is so the history teaches. First, on hearing those divine words, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the desert,” he answered, “Who is the Lord, that I should listen to his voice? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.” Then, when the rod was changed into a serpent, the divine Scripture says, “And Pharaoh's heart prevailed, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had told them.” And at once it adds: “And the Lord said to Moses, Pharaoh's heart is made heavy, so as not to let the people go.” Both “Pharaoh's heart prevailed” and “Pharaoh's heart is made heavy” signify that his will was self-chosen; for a heart is made heavy when it is dragged down by wickedness. The blessed David teaches us this clearly: “My iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they weigh heavily upon me.” And Zechariah saw iniquity bearing a talent of lead in its mouth. The heart that acts in arrogance is said to “prevail,” as resisting God the Master and brashly trying to overcome his power. For the pious heart submits, according to the prophetic exhortation that says, “Submit to the Lord and entreat him.” But the resistant heart, stony as it were, is hardened. Hence the God of the universe said through the prophet Ezekiel about the Jews, “And I will draw out the stony heart from them.” For this reason too the blessed Moses, singing the song of victory over Pharaoh and the Egyptians, said, “They sank into the deep like a stone”; and again, “They sank like lead in the mighty water.” Since they made their heart heavy, they sank like lead; and since they also hardened it, they sank into the deep like a stone. That resistance and hardness of heart come from ourselves, the divine Apostle is witness, saying: “Not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But by your hardness and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will repay each according to his works.” Besides this, one must consider that if Pharaoh had been wicked by nature, he would not have changed his mind; but we see him softened by chastisement and hardened by long-suffering. For when chastised, he entreated the lawgiver, saying, “Pray for me”; and again, “The Lord is righteous; I and my people are impious.” But when the punishment ceased, he grew heavy and spoke against the divine commands. When the dog-fly was brought upon them, he ordered them to sacrifice to God in Egypt; and when the most divine Moses said that this could not be done because of the Egyptians (“for we shall sacrifice,” he says, “what they deify, and they will stone us and kill us”), he allowed them to go into the desert and perform the sacrifices. When upon this the prophet prayed and made the dog-fly vanish, “he made his heart heavy,” it says, “at this time also, and would not let the people go.” The same happened with the plague of the cattle: “Pharaoh saw,” it says, “that not one of all the cattle of the sons of Israel had died; and Pharaoh's heart was made heavy, and he did not let the people go.” In all these things Scripture showed that his will was self-chosen. And after teaching how the affliction of the boils came upon them, and that the sickness struck the sorcerers too, and that the sorcerers could not stand before Moses because of the sores (for they were ashamed, covered with sores and unable to help themselves), it added: “And the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had ordered them.” And shortly after he said to Pharaoh himself: “For this reason you have been preserved, that I may show my strength in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” And again, shortly after, it said this too: “When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders had ceased, Pharaoh went on sinning; and he made his heart heavy, and that of his servants; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not let the sons of Israel go, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.” “As he had spoken” shows God's foreknowledge; that is, the God of the universe was ignorant of none of these things, but foretold them from the beginning. I have gone through all this wishing to show that Pharaoh was not of a wicked nature, and that God the Master did not make his will hard and resistant; for one who inclines now this way and now that shows that his will is self-chosen. And to resolve the difficulty by an image as well: the sun, by the action of its heat, melts wax and dries clay; it softens the one and hardens the other. Just as the sun produces opposite effects by one action, so through the long-suffering of the God of the universe some reap benefit and others harm; some are softened and others hardened. The Lord showed this in the holy Gospels: “For judgment,” he says, “I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” This does not show the Master's aim, for he did not come in order to make those who see blind; it declares what happened. He himself wills all human beings to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. But since human nature has free choice, those who believed enjoyed salvation, while those who disbelieved brought Gehenna upon themselves. So Judas, who saw (for he was an apostle), was later blinded; while the inspired Paul, blind before, afterwards received his sight. So, through the appearing of the Savior, most of the Jews were blinded, while the nations received sight. Yet it was not right that, because some were going to disbelieve, our Savior's dispensation in the flesh should not take place; for that would have deprived the world of salvation. So too the most divine Simeon said, “See, this one is set for the fall and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against.” One must also know that the God of the universe has made the present life a stadium for human beings, so that, contending in it, they may show their own aim; and in the life to come, making a just judgment, he will crown some as victorious contenders and punish others as having become workers of vice. But since not everyone believes in the life to come, the God of the universe very wisely both punishes in this life some who have lived in wickedness, and proclaims others who have cared most for piety. For this reason the divine Apostle named some vessels of wrath and others vessels of mercy, since through the former God the Master is shown punishing justly, and through the latter counting the athletes of virtue worthy of every care and providence. One may see the physicians of bodies too using incisions and cautery to draw up and draw out the hidden humors that cause a grievous disease, and making hidden affections manifest. So too the God of the universe lays bare the wickedness of thoughts by chastisements. For he said this to Israel too in Deuteronomy: “And you shall remember the whole way by which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the desert, to afflict you and test you, and that what was in your heart might be made known, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he afflicted you and let you hunger,” and so on. And again, just as physicians operate on the incurably sick in the presence of many, not so much to help them (for they know that their disease is incurable) as to teach their students the method of healing, so too God subjected Pharaoh, who had a very cruel and beastly mind, to punishments of every kind, teaching all human beings generally that he himself governs creation, and justly defends the wronged, and justly punishes the wrongdoers. This is what he said to Pharaoh himself: “For this reason you have been preserved, that I may show my strength in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” That the memory of what was done spread everywhere, Rahab the harlot is witness, saying to the spies, “The fear of you and the dread of you has fallen upon us; for we have heard that the Lord your God dried up the Red Sea before you”; and the foreigners too bear witness, who, seeing the ark from afar, cried out, “Woe to us; this is the God who struck Egypt.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.12 (PG 80 80:233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-12)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.13":{"o":"Διατί δὲ συνεχώρησεν ὁ Θεὸς ταῦτα παθεῖν τὸν λαόν ; Ἵνα μὴ μόνον τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐκείνων μισήσωσι θεοὺς, ὡς τοιαῦτα παρ᾿ αὐτῶν πεπονθότες· καὶ ἵνα συντόμως ὑπακούσωσιν ἐξελθεῖν κελευόμενοι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τούτων οὕτω γεγενημένων ἀνεμιμνήσκοντο τῆς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τρυφῆς”, καὶ πολλάκις ἐπειράθησαν ἀναστρέψαι, τίς ἂν αὐτοὺς ἔπεισε καταλιπεῖν τὴν Αἴγυπτον μηδὲν παρ᾿ αὐτῶν πεπονθότας δεινόν;","t":"Why did God allow the people to suffer these things? So that they would hate not only the Egyptians but also their gods, as having suffered such things from them; and so that they would obey promptly when ordered to leave. For if, even after these things had happened, they remembered the luxury of Egypt and often tried to turn back, who would have persuaded them to leave Egypt if they had suffered nothing terrible there?","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.13 (PG 80 80:241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-13)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.14":{"o":"Διατί ήβουλήθη ὁ ἄγγελος ἀνελεῖν τὸν Μωσῆν; Ἡ γυνὴ μὲν ἐτόπασε διὰ τὸ θάτερον τῶν παιδίων μὴ περιτμηθῆναι κατὰ τὸν τῶν Ἑβραίων νόμον· παραυτίκα γοῦν αὐτῷ τὴν περιτομὴν προσενήνοχε. Τινὲς δὲ φασιν, ἐπειδὴ πεμφθεὶς ἐπ᾿ ἐλευθερίᾳ τῶν ὁμοφύλων κοινωνὸν εἶχε τῆς ὁδοῦ τὴν ὁμόζυγον Οὓς ἐχρῆν συνιδεῖν, ὅτι πρὸς τὸ πεῖσαι τὸν κηδεστὴν ὡς οὐ καταφρονήσει τῆς γυναικὸς, οὐδὲ ἑτέραν αὐτῆς προτιμήσει, λαβεῖν αὐτὴν ἡναγκάσθη, ἀλλ' οὐ καταφρονητικῶς διακονῶν τῷ θείῳ προστάγματι. Αὐτίκα γοῦν λαβὼν τὴν ἀφορμὴν τοῦ ἀγγέλου, τὴν γυναῖκα πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους ἀναστρέψαι προσέταξε. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει. Μετὰ γὰρ τὴν ἔξοδον τὴν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, διαβάντων αὐτῶν τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν, καὶ εἰς τὸ Σίναιον παραγενομένων ὄρος, ἀφίκετο σὺν τῇ γυναικὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ κηδεστής. Λέγει δὲ οὕτως ἡ ἱστορία· «Ἔλαβε δὲ Ἰοθὼρ ὁ πενθερός Μωσῆ Σεπφώραν τὴν γυναῖκα Μωσῆ, μετὰ τὴν ἄφεσιν αὐτῆς, καὶ τοὺς δύο υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν Μωσῆν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον. Τοιγάρτοι ἄλλο τι κατασκευάζων ὁ ἄγγελος ἔδειξε τὴν ῥομφαίαν γυμνήν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ μέγας Μωσῆς ἐδεδίει τὸν Φαραὼ, καὶ πολλάκις τοῦτο τὸ δέος ἐδήλωσε, νῦν μὲν λέγων, Τίς εἰμι ἐγὼ, ὅτι πορεύσομαι πρὸς Φαραὼ βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου; νῦν, Προχείρισαι ἄλλον δυνάμενον ὃν ἐξαποστελεῖς· καὶ πάλιν, Ἰσχνόφωνος καὶ βραδύγλωσσος ἐγώ εἰμι· ἀπειλεῖ αὐτῷ τιμωρίαν ὁ ἄγγελος, φόβῳ φόβον ἐξελαύνων, τῷ μείζονι τὸν ἐλάττονα μονονουχὶ λέγων διὰ τῆς γεγυμνωμένης ῥομφαίας, Εἰ τὸν Φαραὼ δέδοικας, μᾶλλον δεῖσον ἐμὲ τὸν καὶ ἀοράτως σοι τὴν πληγὴν ἐπενεγκεῖν δυνάμενον.","t":"Why did the angel wish to kill Moses? His wife supposed that it was because one of the children had not been circumcised according to the law of the Hebrews; at any rate, she at once performed the circumcision on him. Some say that it was because, though he had been sent to free his kinsmen, he had his wife as companion on the journey. They ought to have seen that he was forced to take her in order to convince his father-in-law that he would not despise his wife nor prefer another to her, and not because he served the divine command contemptuously. Indeed, taking the angel as occasion, he ordered his wife to return to her own people. That this is true, the history teaches. For after the exodus from Egypt, when they had crossed the Red Sea and come to Mount Sinai, his father-in-law came to him with his wife. The history says: “Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after she had been sent away, and his two sons, and came to Moses in the desert.” So the angel showed his naked sword to bring about something else. Since the great Moses was afraid of Pharaoh, and often showed this fear, saying now, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh king of Egypt?” and now, “Appoint another who is able, whom you will send,” and again, “I am weak-voiced and slow of tongue,” the angel threatens him with punishment, driving out fear by fear, the lesser by the greater, and all but saying through the naked sword: “If you fear Pharaoh, fear me more, who can strike you even invisibly.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.14 (PG 80 80:241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-14)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.15":{"o":"Τί ἐστι, Καὶ τὸ ὄνομά μου Κύριος οὐκ ἐδήλωσα αὐτοῖς;» Διδάσκει πόσης αὐτὸν καὶ τιμῆς καὶ εὐμενείας ἠξίωσεν. \"Ο γὰρ τοῖς πατριάρχαις οὐκ ἐδήλωσεν ὄνομα, τοῦτο αὐτῷ δῆλον ἐποίησεν ἔφῃ γὰρ πρὸς αὐτὸν, Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν. Τοῦτο δὲ παρ' Ἑβραίοις ἄφραστον ὀνομάζεται ἀπείρηται γὰρ αὐτοῖς τοῦτο διὰ τῆς γλώττης προφέρειν. Γράφεται δὲ διὰ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων διὸ καὶ τετράγραμμον αὐτὸ λέγουσι. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τῷ πετάλῳ ἐπεγέγραπτο τῷ χρυσῷ, ὁ τῷ μετώπῳ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως ἐπετίθετο τῇ ταινίᾳ τῆς κεφαλῆς προσδεσμούμενον. Καλοῦσι δὲ αὐτὸ Σαμαρείται μὲν Ἰαβὲ, Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ","t":"What does “And my name, Lord, I did not make known to them” mean? It teaches with how much honor and favor God counted Moses worthy. The name he had not made known to the patriarchs, he made plain to him; for he said to him, “I am He Who Is.” Among the Hebrews this is called the unutterable name, for they are forbidden to pronounce it with the tongue. It is written with four letters, which is why they call it the tetragram. It was also inscribed on the golden plate that was placed on the high priest's forehead, tied to the band around his head. The Samaritans call it Iabe, and the Jews …","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.15 (PG 80 80:243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-15)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.16":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τῆς τοῦ ᾿Ααρὼν γυναικὸς, οὐ τὸν πατέρα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν δῆλον ἡμῖν πεποίηκεν ; Τῆς βασιλικῆς καὶ τῆς ἱερατικῆς φυλῆς τὴν ἐπιμιξίαν διδάσκει. Ὁ γὰρ Ναασσῶν υἱὸς τοῦ ᾿Αμιναδάβ· ὁ δὲ ᾿Αμιναδάβ τοῦ ᾿Αράμ· ὁ δὲ Ἀρὰμ τοῦ Ἐσρών ὁ δὲ Ἐσρὼν τοῦ Φαρές· ὁ δὲ Φαρὲς τοῦ Ἰούδα. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ναασσῶν φύλαρχος ἦν τοῦ Ἰούδα. Ἐκ τῆς τούτων συγγενείας ὁ Κύριος κατὰ σάρκα γεγέννηται. Οὐ μάτην τοίνυν τῆς βασιλικῆς καὶ τῆς ἱερατικῆς φυλῆς τὴν ἐπιμιξίαν ἐδίδαξεν· ἀλλὰ δεικνὺς ὡς ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων ἐβλάστησεν, ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἱερεὺς κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον χρηματίσας","t":"Why did he make known to us not only the father but also the brother of Aaron's wife? He teaches the intermingling of the royal and the priestly tribes. For Nahshon was the son of Amminadab, Amminadab of Aram, Aram of Hezron, Hezron of Perez, and Perez of Judah. Nahshon himself was leader of the tribe of Judah. From their kindred the Lord was born according to the flesh. Not without purpose, then, did he teach the intermingling of the royal and priestly tribes, but to show that Christ the Master sprang from both, being styled both king and priest according to his humanity.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.16 (PG 80 80:243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-16)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.17":{"o":"Πῶς ἐγένετο τοῦ ᾿Ααρών θεὸς ὁ Μωσῆς; Ὥσπερ ὁ Θεὸς προσέταττε τῷ Μωσῇ, οὕτως ὁ Μωσῆς τῷ ᾿Ααρών· διὸ δὴ καὶ προφήτης ὁ ᾿Ααρὼν προσηγορεύθη τοῦ Μωσέως.","t":"How did Moses become Aaron's god? Just as God gave commands to Moses, so Moses gave commands to Aaron; that is why Aaron was called Moses' prophet.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.17 (PG 80 80:243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-17)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.18":{"o":"Τί δήποτε συνεχώρησεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς φαρμα κοῖς ταὐτὰ δρᾶσαι τῷ Μωσῇ; Εἰσί τινες καὶ νῦν τῶν δυσσεβείᾳ συζώντων, οἵ φασι γοητείᾳ τεθαυματουργηκέναι τὸν θεσπέσιον Μωσῆν. Τούτου χάριν ὁ Θεὸς ἐνδέδωκε τοῖς φαρμακοῖς ἔνια δρᾶσαι, ἵνα δειχθῇ τὸ διάφορον. Μετέβαλον μὲν γὰρ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὰς ῥάβδους εἰς ὄφεις ἀλλ᾿ ἡ Μωσέως ῥάβδος τὰς ἐκείνων κατέπιεν, καὶ μετἐβαλον κἀκεῖνοι εἰς αἷμα τὸ ὕδωρ, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν προτέραν ἐπαναγαγεῖν τὸ ὕδωρ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν φύσιν. Καὶ τοὺς βατράχους ἐξήγαγον, οὐ μὴν καὶ ἀπαλλάξαι αὐτῶν τὰς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἡδυνήθησαν οἰκίας. Καὶ εἰς μὲν τὸ παιδεύειν τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους, καὶ τοῖς φαρμακοῖς ἐνεργεῖν ἐνεδίδου· εἰς δὲ τὸ παύειν τὴν τιμωρίαν οὐκέτι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ κολαζό-μενος τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ὁ βασιλεὺς, οὐκ ἠρκεῖτο ταῖς θεηλάτοις πληγαῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς φαρμακοῖς αὔξειν τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐκέλευεν καὶ διὰ τούτων αὐτὸν ἐκόλα - ζεν ὁ Θεὸς, μονονουχί λέγων, Ἐπειδὴ τέρπη κολαζόμενος, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἐμῶν θεραπόντων παιδεύω, καὶ διὰ τῶν σῶν σε κολάζω· ἰδὼν δὲ πλέον αὐτὸν σκληρυνόμενον, ἐκώλυσε τὴν ἐνέργειαν ἐκείνων· καὶ οἱ τὸ μείζον ζῶον ἐξαγαγόντες τὸν βάτραχον, τὸν σκνίπα τὸν σμικρότατον ἐξαγαγεῖν οὐκ ἴσχυσαν, ἀλλὰ δάκτυλον Θεοῦ τὴν πληγὴν προσηγό. ρευσαν. Τὰς μέντοι φλυκταίνας καὶ τοῖς ἐκείνων ἐπήνεγκε σώμασιν, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ μάθωσι, καὶ ὁ ἀνόητος αὐτῶν βασιλεὺς, ὡς οὐ μόνον ἐπέχειν οὐ δύνανται τὰς θεηλάτους πληγὰς, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ συντιμωροῦνται τοῖς ἄλλοις. ᾿Αναιδείας τοίνυν τὸ λέγειν μαγγανείᾳ τινὶ τεθαυματουργηκέναι τὸν Μωσῆν, τῶν μάγων βοώντων ὅτι θείας ἦν δυνάμεως τὰ σημεῖα. Εἰ γὰρ φαντασία ἦν τὸ παρ' αὐτοῦ δρώμενον, ἔδει κἀκείνους φαντάσαι, καὶ τὸν ὀμότεχνον διελέγξαι νῦν δὲ διαῤῥήδην βοῶσι Δάκτυλος Θεοῦ ἐστι τοῦτο.","t":"Why did God allow the sorcerers to do the same things as Moses? There are some even now among those who live in impiety who say that the inspired Moses worked his miracles by sorcery. For this reason God allowed the sorcerers to do some things, so that the difference might be shown. They too changed their rods into serpents, but Moses' rod swallowed theirs; they too changed water into blood, but could not bring the water back to its former nature; they brought out the frogs, but could not rid the houses of the Egyptians of them. For chastising the Egyptians he allowed the sorcerers to act too, but not for stopping the punishment. For since the king of the Egyptians, being punished by God, was not content with the plagues sent from God, but ordered the sorcerers too to increase the punishment, God punished him through them as well, all but saying, “Since you delight in being punished, I chastise you through my servants and punish you through yours.” But seeing him hardened the more, he stopped their activity; and those who had brought out the frog, the larger creature, could not bring out the gnat, the smallest, but called the plague the finger of God. He also brought the boils on their bodies, so that they and their senseless king might learn that they could not only not check the plagues sent by God, but were themselves punished along with the rest. It is shameless, then, to say that Moses worked his miracles by trickery, when the magicians cry out that the signs were the work of divine power. If what he did had been illusion, they too should have produced illusions and exposed their fellow craftsman; but in fact they cry out plainly, “This is the finger of God.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.18 (PG 80 80:243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-18)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.19":{"o":"Τί δήποτε πρώτην αὐτοῖς τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος αυτοις ἐπήγαγε πληγήν; Πρῶτον ἐπειδὴ μέγα ἐφρόνουν ἐπὶ τῷ ποταμῷ, καὶ Θεὸν τοῦτον ἐνόμιζον, τὴν τῶν νεφῶν αὐτοῖς παρέχοντα χρείαν ἔπειτα καὶ διὰ τὰ βρέφη τῶν Ἰουδαίων εἰς τοῦτον παραπεμφθέντα μεταβληθεὶς γὰρ εἰς αἷμα, τῆς γεγενημένης κατηγορεῖ παιδοκτονίας. Τούτου χάριν καὶ τοὺς βατράχους ἀνέβλυσε τὰ ὕδατα, ἀντὶ τῶν ἐν ἐκείνοις ἀποπνιγέντων ἀνάδοθέντας παιδίων. Μιμεῖται γάρ πως τὰ βρέφη τοὺς βατράχους βαδίζοντα· μηδέπω γὰρ τοῖς ποσὶ μόνοις κεχρῆσθαι δυνάμενα, ταῖς χερσὶν ἐπαμύνει τῇ τῶν ποδῶν ἀσθενείᾳ. Προσώζεσε δὲ ἐκ τῶν βατράχων ἡ γῆ· ἐπειδὴ προσώζεσαν καὶ ἐσάπησαν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων οἱ μώλωπες ἐκ τῆς παμπόλλης πονηρίας.","t":"Why did he bring upon them first the plague of the water? First, because they prided themselves on the river and thought it a god, since it supplied them what clouds supply; then because of the babies of the Jews that had been thrown into it. For when changed into blood it accuses the child-murder that had been committed. For this reason too the waters gushed forth the frogs, sent up in place of the children drowned in them; for babies, when they walk, somehow imitate frogs: not yet able to use their feet alone, they help the weakness of their feet with their hands. And the land stank of the frogs, since the wounds of the Egyptians stank and festered from their very great wickedness.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.19 (PG 80 80:245; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-19)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.2":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Ἐπειδὴ ἐφοβοῦντο αἱ μαῖαι τὸν Θεὸν, ἐποίησαν ἑαυταῖς οἰκίας; Τοῦ Φαραὼ κελεύσαντος διαφθείρειν τὰ ἄῤῥενα, ἐκεῖναι δι᾽ εὐλάβειαν ὑπουργῆσαι τῷ τῆς παιδοκτονίας οὐκ ἠνέσχοντο νόμῳ. Οὗ δὴ χάριν ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὰς ἀμειβόμενος, ἀφθονίαν αὐταῖς ἀγαθῶν ἐδωρή – σατο.","t":"What does “Because the midwives feared God, they made houses for themselves” mean? When Pharaoh ordered the males to be killed, they out of reverence would not serve the law of child-murder. For this reason God repaid them and gave them an abundance of good things.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.2 (PG 80 80:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-2)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.20":{"o":"Εἰ ὅλον τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς αἶμα μετεβλήθη, πως ἐποίησαν οἱ ἐπαοιδοὶ τῶν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων᾽ Αἰγυπτίων ταῖς φαρμακείαις αὐτῶν ὡσαύτως; Ἐπέλαζεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἡ θάλαττα, τὸ δὲ πότιμον ὕδωρ εἰς αἷμα μετεβλήθη μόνον Ηδύναντο τοίνυν μετακομίσαι θαλάττιον ὕδωρ εἰς τὰ βασίλεια, καὶ μεταβαλεῖν εἰς τὴν τοῦ αἵματος χροιάν Τοῦ Θεοῦ δηλονότι συγχωροῦντος αὐτοῖς ἐνεργεῖν δι᾽ ἂς εἰρήκαμεν αἰτίας Επισημήνασθαι μέντοι καὶ τοῦτο δεῖ, ὡς τοὺς μὲν βατράχους ἐκ τῶν ὑδάτων ἐξήγαγε, τοὺς δὲ σκνίπας ἐκ τοῦ χώματος, τὴν δὲ κυνόμυιαν ὅθεν ἠθέλησεν, ἵνα μάθωσιν, ὡς ῥάδιον ἦν τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ δίχα γῆς, καὶ δίχα ὑδάτων, παραγαγεῖν ἃ βούλεται. Τούτου χάριν καὶ προλέγει τὰς τιμωρίας, ἵνα μὴ ἀπὸ ταυτομάτου ταῦτα συμβαίνειν τοπάσωσιν, ἀλλὰ ἔγνῶσι θεηλάτους εἶναι πληγάς. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ μακάριος εἴρηκε Μωσῆς καὶ σὺ, καὶ οἱ θεράποντές σου.","t":"If all the water was changed into blood, how did the enchanters of the Egyptians do the same with their sorceries? The sea lay near them too, and only the drinking water was changed into blood. They could therefore bring seawater to the palace and change it to the color of blood, God, clearly, allowing them to act for the reasons we have given. One must also note that he brought the frogs out of the waters, the gnats out of the dust, and the dog-fly from wherever he wished, so that they might learn that it was easy for God to bring forth what he wills both without earth and without waters. For this reason too he foretells the punishments, so that they would not suppose that these things happened by chance, but would know that they were plagues sent by God. For the blessed Moses too said this: “… both you and your servants.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.20 (PG 80 80:247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-20)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.21":{"o":"Τί δήποτε μέλλων ἐπιφέρειν τὴν χάλαζαν παρηγγύησεν αὐτοῖς εἰς τοὺς οἴκους τὰ κτήνη συναγαγεῖ συναγαγεῖν; Φιλάνθρωπος ὢν ὁ Δεσπότης, ἐλέῳ τὰς τιμωρίας κεράννυσιν. Ἄλλως τε καὶ ᾔδει τινὰς ἀξίους φειδοῦς τοῦτο γὰρ, καὶ ἡ θεία διδάσκει Γραφή Ὁ φοβούμενος γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου τῶν θερα πόντων Φαραώ, συνήγαγε τὰ κτήνη αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς οἴκους· ὃς δὲ οὐ προσέσχε τῇ διανοίᾳ εἰς τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου, ἀφῆκε τὰ κτήνη ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις. Τὴν δὲ χάλαζαν καὶ τοὺς σκηπτοὺς αὐτοῖς ἐπενήνοχε, δεικνὺς, ὡς αὐτός ἐστι τῶν στοιχείων ἁπάντων Δεσπότης. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καὶ Αἰγύπτιοι, καὶ Ἕλληνες, ἐνόμιζον τοὺς μὲν οὐρανίους, τοὺς δὲ ἐπιγείους, τοὺς δὲ ὑποχθονίους εἶναι θεούς· καὶ τοὺς μὲν τῆς γῆς, τοὺς δὲ τῆς θαλάσσης δεσπόζειν· καὶ τοὺς μὲν τῶν ὀρέων, τοὺς δὲ τῶν πεδίων ἔχειν τὴν ἐξουσίαν ( διὸ καὶ οἱ Σύροι ἔλεγον, Θεὸς ὀρέων ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ οὐ Θεὸς κοιλάδων)· ἀναγκαίως ἄγαν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς οὐ μόνον αὐτοὺς διὰ τοῦ ποταμοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τοῦ ἀέρος καὶ τῆς θαλάσσης ἐπαί δευσε· καὶ οὐρανόθεν αὐτοῖς κεραυνοὺς ἐπαφῆκε, διδάσκων ὡς αὐτός ἐστι τῶν ὅλων ποιητὴς καὶ πρὸς αὐτόν Ἵνα γνῶς ὅτι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ γῆ,","t":"Why, when about to bring the hail, did he warn them to gather their cattle into the houses? The Master, loving humankind, mixes mercy with his punishments. Besides, he knew that some deserved to be spared; the divine Scripture teaches this: “Whoever of Pharaoh's servants feared the word of the Lord gathered his cattle into the houses; but whoever did not pay heed to the word of the Lord left his cattle in the fields.” He brought the hail and the thunderbolts on them to show that he is Master of all the elements. For since both Egyptians and Greeks thought that some gods were heavenly, others earthly, and others beneath the earth; that some ruled the land and others the sea; and that some had authority over the mountains and others over the plains (which is why the Syrians said, “The God of Israel is a God of mountains and not a God of valleys”), the God of the universe very necessarily chastised them not only through the river and the land, but also through the air and the sea, and sent down thunderbolts on them from heaven, teaching that he is the maker of all things; and he said to Pharaoh, “That you may know that the earth is the Lord's …”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.21 (PG 80 80:247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-21)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.22":{"o":"Διατί τὰ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἀνεῖλε πρωτότοκα \"; Ἐπειδὴ πρωτόγονον ὄντα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἄγαν σκληρῶς ἐκεῖνος ἐδουλαγώγει· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς εἴρηκεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός Υἱὸς πρωτότοκός & μου Ἰσραὴλ· μάλα δικαίως τὰ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων πρωτότοκα θανάτῳ παρέπεμψεν. Ἰστέον μέντοι, ὡς ὁ πρωτόγονος καὶ ἀδελφοὺς ἔχει, Ὁ γὰρ πρωτόγονος, ἢ πρωτότοκος, πολλῶν ἐστι πρῶτος. Γινωσκέτω τοίνυν ὁ Ἰσραὴλ, ὡς πρῶτος μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ λαὸς ἐχρημάτισε. Πεπιστευκότα δὲ τὰ ἔθνη οὐ μόνον τῆς σωτηρίας τετύχηκεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν πρωτοτοκίων ἀπήλαυσε - Λαὸς γὰρ, φησὶ, λαοῦ ὑπερέξει· καὶ ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι.","t":"Why did he kill the firstborn of the Egyptians? Since Pharaoh had enslaved Israel, God's first-begotten, very harshly (for God the Master himself said, “Israel is my firstborn son”), he very justly sent the firstborn of the Egyptians to death. One must know, however, that the first-begotten also has brothers; for the first-begotten, or firstborn, is the first of many. Let Israel know, then, that it was named God's first people; but the nations, having believed, not only obtained salvation but also enjoyed the rights of the firstborn: “For one people shall surpass a people,” it says, “and the elder shall serve the younger.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.22 (PG 80 80:247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-22)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.23":{"o":"Τί αἰτιῶνταί τινες, τὸ προστεταχέναι τὸν Θεὸν τοῖς Ἑβραίοις αἰτῆσαι τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ, καὶ ἐσθῆτα καὶ σκυ λεῦσαι τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους; οὕτω γὰρ ὁ Σύμμαχος τὸ σκευάσασθαι, ήρμήνευσεν. Πολὺν ἐν Αἰγυπτῳ χρόνον ὑπέμεινεν ὁ λαὸς πλινθουργῶν, καὶ τειχοποιῶν, καὶ πόλεις οἰκοδομῶν. Ἠβουλήθη τοίνυν μισθὸν αὐτοὺς τῶν πόνων λαβεῖν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός. Διὸ δὴ καὶ ταῦτα δρᾶσαι προσέταξε. Καὶ μηδεὶς ἄδικον νομιζέτω, τοῦ Φαραὼ τὸν λαὸν ἠδικηκότος, τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους τὸν μισθόν εἰσπραχθῆναι. Ἐκοινώνουν γὰρ κἀκεῖνοι τῆς ἀδικίας, μιμούμενοι τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως ὠμότητα.","t":"Why do some find fault with God's having commanded the Hebrews to ask the Egyptians for vessels of gold and silver and clothing, and to despoil the Egyptians? (For so Symmachus translated “to equip themselves.”) The people endured a long time in Egypt making bricks, building walls, and building cities. God the Master wished them to receive a wage for their labors; that is why he commanded them to do this. And let no one think it unjust that, though it was Pharaoh who had wronged the people, the wage was exacted from the Egyptians; for they too shared in the injustice, imitating the cruelty of their king.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.23 (PG 80 80:249; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-23)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.24":{"o":"Διατί φεύγουσιν ἐπιτελέσαι προσέταξε τὴν τοῦ Πάσχα ἑορτήν ; ᾿Αείμνηστον ἠβουλήθη φυλαχθῆναι τῆς σωτηρίας τὴν μνήμην. Διάτοι τοῦτο καὶ νομοθετῶν ἔλεγεν Ἐὰν ἐρωτήσῃ σε ὁ Υἱός σου λέγων, Τί ἐστιν τὸ Πάσχα; ἐρεῖς, ὅτι Ἐν τῇ σήμερον ἡμέρᾳ ἐξήγαγε τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῆς γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐῤῥύσατο τὰ πρωτότοκα ἡμῶν, ἡνίκα ὁ ὀλοθρεύων ἐπάταξε τὰ πρωτότοκα τῶν Αἰγυπτίων. Τούτου χάριν παρακελεύεται ταύτην ἐπιτελοῦντας τὴν ἑορτὴν τῆς ὁδοιπορίας περικεῖσθαι τὸ σχῆμα. Ἔστωσαν γὰρ, φησὶν, αἱ ὀσφύες ὑμῶν περιεζωσμέναι, καὶ τὰ ὑποδήματα ὑμῶν ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν ὑμῶν, καὶ αἱ βακτηρίαι ὑμῶν ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν, καὶ ἔδεσθε αὐτὸ μετὰ σπουδῆς. Πάσχα γάρ ἐστι Κυρίου. Τὸ δὲ πάσχα μὲν Φίλων ἡρμήνευσε διαβατήρια· ὁ δὲ Ἰώσηπος ὑπέρβασιν· ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος ὑπερβάσεις· ὁ δὲ Θεοδοτίων φασὲχ, αὐτὴν τὴν Ἑβραίων τεθεικὼς φωνήν Σημαίνει δὲ τὸ ὄνομα τῶν Ἑβραίων, πρωτοτόκων τὴν σωτηρίαν. Παρεκελεύσατο γὰρ δέσμην ὑσσώπου λαβεῖν, καὶ τῷ αἵματι τοῦ θυομένου προβάτου ἐμβάψαντας τοὺς στα*θμοὺς ἐπιχρίσαι καὶ τὴν φλιὰν, ἵν᾿ ὅταν εἰσέλθῃ ὁ ὀλοθρεύων πατάξαι τὰ πρωτότοκα τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, ἰδὼν τὸ αἷμα ὑπερβῇ τῶν Ἑβραίων τὰς οἰκίας. Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τοιούτων ἐδεῖτο σημείων ἡ ἀσώματος φύσις, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι διὰ τοῦ συμβόλου κἀκείνους ἔδει μαθεῖν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ κηδεμονίαν· καὶ ἡμᾶς τοὺς τὸν ἄμωμον ἀμνὸν θύοντας γνῶναι προδιαγραφέντα τὸν τύπον. Κελεύει τοίνυν αὐτοῖς λαβεῖν οὐ μόνον ἐκ τῶν προβάτων ἄρνας ἐνιαυσίους, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῶν αἰγῶν ἐρίφους οὐχ ἵνα κατὰ ταυτὸν τοῦτον κάκεῖνον θύσωσιν· ἀλλ᾽ ἕνα ὁ μὲν πρόβατον ἔχων, βύσῃ τοῦτο· ὁ δὲ σπανίζων προβάτου, τὸν ἔριφον. Παρεγγυᾷ δὲ τοῦτο λαβεῖν τῇ δεκάτῃ τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς, ἵν' εὐτρεπίσῃ πρὸ τῆς ἑορτῆς· τῇ δὲ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ πρὸς ἑσπέραν τυθῆναι. Κατὰ ταύτην γὰρ τὴν ἑσπέραν καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς παρεδόθη τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις. Μετὰ πικρίδων δὲ αὐτὸ βρωθῆναι προσέταξεν, εἰς ἀνάμνησιν τῆς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ πικροτάτης ζωῆς, καὶ τῆς χαλεπωτάτης δουλείας. Διὰ δὲ τῶν ͵ ἀζύμων ἐμφαίνει οὐ μόνον τῆς ὁδοιπορίας τὸ σύντονον, καὶ τὸ τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοσχέδιον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅτι προσήκει μηδὲ ἴχνος τῆς Αἰγυπτιακῆς ἐπιφέρεσθαι πολιτείας. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ἡρμήνευσε, Προσέχετε, λέγων, ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης τῶν Γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων. Ἐκέλευσε δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀρκοῦντας εἰς ἐδωδὴν προβάτου κατὰ ταυτὸν θῦσαι τὸ πάσχα, φιλαδελφίαν αὐτοὺς ἐκπαιδεύων, καὶ τὸν εἰς τοὺς πένητας ἔλεον. Διὰ τοῦτο παρακελεύεται καὶ τὰ περιττεύοντα τῶν κρεῶν κατακαίεσθαι, καὶ εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν μὴ φυλάττεσθαι· ταύτῃ καταναγκάζων αὐτοὺς καλεῖν τοὺς δεομένους εἰς κοινωνίαν τῆς ἑορτῆς. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐστὶ μυστηρίων αἰνίγματα. Χρίομεν γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς τῷ αἵματι τοῦ ἡμετέρου ἀμνοῦ, οὐ μόνον τὴν φλιὰν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς δύο σταθμούς· κατὰ μὲν τὸ ὁρώμενον, τὴν γλῶτταν καὶ τὰ χείλη καθαίροντές τε καὶ ἁγιάζοντες· κατὰ δὲ τὸ νοούμενον, ἀντὶ μὲν φλιᾶς τὸ λογικὸν, ἀντὶ δὲ τῶν δύο σταθμῶν τὸ θυμοιειδὲς καὶ τὸ ἐπιθυμητικόν. Ἁρμόττει δὲ ἡμῖν καὶ τὸ μήτε ὠμὰ μήτε ἐψημένα ἐσθίειν, ἀλλὰ ὀπτὰ πυρί. Οὔτε γὰρ μόνον τῷ γράμματι προσβλέπομεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν διάνοιαν ἐρευνῶμεν. Οὔτε μὴν ἀνθρωπίνους λογισμοὺς τοῖς θείοις ἐπεισάγομενλογίοις τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ Ἡσαΐας τινῶν κατηγόρησεν, ὡς ἀναμιγνύντων ὕδατι τὸν οἶνον. Ἀλλὰ μόνον χρώμεθα τῷ θείῳ πυρὶ, τῇ τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος χάριτι. Τὸ δὲ μὴ καταλιπεῖν τι τῶν κρεῶν εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν, οὕτω νοοῦμεν, ὅτι ὁ μέλλων βίος τῶν συμβόλων οὐ δεῖται· αὐτὰ γὰρ ὁρῶμεν ἐν ἐκείνῳ τὰ πράγματα. Τὰ δὲ ὀστᾶ τοῦ προβάτου συντρίβουσιν οἱ κακῶς τὰ θεῖα νοοῦντες λόγια, καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν αὐτὰ πειρώμενοι μεταφέρειν ἀσέβειαν. Τὸ δὲ μὴ μόνον ἐκ προβάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ ἐρίφων λαμβάνειν, τὴν θείαν πάλιν κηρύττει φιλανθρωπίαν. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὑπὲρ δικαίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτωλῶν ὁ Δεσπότης Χριτὸς τὸ σωτήριον ὑπομεμένηκε πάθος. Οὕτω δὲ νοεῖν αὐτὸς ἡμᾶς ἐξεπαίδευσεν. ᾿Αμνοῖς μὲν γὰρ τὸν τῶν ἁγίων ἀπείκασε σύλλογον· τὸ δὲ σύστημα τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐρίφοις· ἔριφον γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας ὁ νόμος προσφέρειν ἐκέλευσε. Καὶ τῶν θείων δὲ μυστηρίων οἱ μεταλαμβάνοντες, οἱ μὲν ὡς προβάτου μεταλαμβάνουσιν, ἅτε δὴ τελείαν τὴν ἀρετὴν κεκτημένοι οἱ δὲ ὡς ἐρίφου, διὰ μετανοίας ἐξαλείφοντες τὰς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων κηλίδας. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Σωτήρ ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἐκ σιτίνων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ κριθίνων ( ἄρτων τοὺς συνεληλυθότας διέθρεψε. Καὶ ἡμῖν δὲ ὁ Δεσπότης ἐκέλευσενἔχειν τὰς ὀσφύας περιεζωσμένας, καὶ τοὺς πόδας ὑποδεδεμένους, καὶ τοὺς λύχνους καιομένους, ὡς οἰκέτας δεσπότην προσμένοντας. Ἀλλ᾿ Ἑβραῖοι μὲν, ὡς Αἰγυπτίων ἀπαλλαττόμενοι, καὶ εἰς τὴν Χαναναίαν γῆν εἰσαγόμενοι, τοῦτο εἶχον τὸ σχῆμα ἡμεῖς δὲ, ὡς ἐντεῦθεν εἰς ἕτερον μεθιστάμενοι βίον. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμῖν ὁ θεῖος παρακελεύεται Παῦλος, βοῶν, Ἐκκαθάρατε τὴν παλαιὰν ζύμην, ἵνα ἦτε νέον φύραμα, καθώς ἐστε ἄζυμοι. Καὶ ἐπήγαγε Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ πάσχα ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐτύθη Χριστός. Καὶ προστέθεικεν ι \"Ωστε ἑορτάζωμεν, μὴ ἐν ζύμῃ παλαιᾷ, μηδὲ ἐν ζύμῃ κακίας καὶ πονηρίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἀζύμοις εἰλικρινείας καὶ ἀληθείας. \"Ανωθεν δὲ προμεμήνυκε τὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν σωτηρίαν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός. Καὶ γὰρ τοὺς προσηλύτους μεταλαγχάνειν τοῦ πάσχα προσέταξε. Γειώραν γὰρ τὸν προσήλυτον ἐκάλεσε καὶ ἰσονομίας αὐτῷ μεταδέδωκεν· Ἔσται γὰρ, φησὶν, ὡς ὁ αὐτόχθων τῆς γῆς.» Καὶ τὸ, Ἐν οἰκίᾳ μιᾷ βρωθήσεται,» φυλάττουσιν οἱ πιστοὶ, ἐν μόνῃ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῶν θείων μεταλαμβάνοντες μυστηρίων, τὰς δὲ τῶν αἱρετικῶν συναγωγὰς βδελυττόμενοι. Τὰ μέντοι πτωτότοκα καὶ τῶν βοῶν καὶ τῶν προβάτων προσφέρεσθαι νενομοθέτηκεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, τῆς τῶν πρωτοτόκων αὐτῶν σωτηρίας ἀναμιμνήσκων οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτὸς τῶν θυμάτων ἐδεῖτο, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ὠφέλειαν ἐπραγματεύετο. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ νόμος δηλοῖ. Ἐὰν ἐρωτήσῃ σε ὁ υἱός σου Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὅτι Ἐν χειρὶ κραταιᾷ ἐξήγαγεν ἡμᾶς Κύριος ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἐξ οἴκου δουλείας. Ἡνίκα δὲ ἐσκλήρυνε Φαραώ ετ - ἐξαποστεῖλαι ἡμᾶς, ἀπέκτεινε Κύριος πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἀπὸ πρωτοτόκου ἀνθρώπων, ἕως πρωτοτόκου κτηνῶν. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐγὼ θύω τῷ Κυρίῳ πᾶν διανοῖγον μήτραν, τὰ ἀρσενικά· καὶ πᾶν πρωτότοκον τῶν υἱῶν μου λυτρώσομαι. Καὶ ἔσται εἰς σημεῖον ἐπὶ τῆς χειρός σου, καὶ ἀσάλευτον πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν σου. Ἐν γὰρ χειρὶ κραταιᾷ ἐξήγαγέ σε Κύριος ἐξ Αἰγύπτου. Τοιγάρτοι τούτων ἕκαστον οὐ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ χρείας ἕνεκεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς τοῦ λαοῦ ἐγίνετο ὠφελείας.","t":"Why did he command them to celebrate the feast of the Passover as they were fleeing? He wished the memory of their salvation to be kept forever. That is why, when legislating, he said: “If your son asks you, saying, What is the Passover? you shall say, On this day the Lord God brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt and rescued our firstborn, when the destroyer struck the firstborn of the Egyptians.” For this reason he bids those who celebrate this feast to put on the dress of travelers: “Let your loins be girded,” he says, “and your sandals on your feet, and your staffs in your hands; and you shall eat it in haste; for it is the Lord's Passover.” Philo translated pascha as “crossing-feast,” Josephus as “passing over,” Symmachus as “passings over,” while Theodotion put “phasech,” setting down the Hebrew word itself. The Hebrew name signifies the salvation of the firstborn. For he bade them take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood of the sacrificed sheep, and smear the doorposts and the lintel, so that when the destroyer came in to strike the firstborn of the Egyptians, he would see the blood and pass over the houses of the Hebrews. Not that the incorporeal nature needed such signs; but through the symbol they had to learn God's care, and we, who sacrifice the spotless lamb, had to know that the type had been sketched in advance. He commands them to take not only yearling lambs from the sheep but also kids from the goats: not that they should sacrifice both together, but that one who had a sheep should sacrifice it, and one who lacked a sheep, the kid. He directs them to take it on the tenth of the first month, so as to prepare it before the feast, and to sacrifice it on the fourteenth toward evening; for on this evening Christ the Master too was handed over to the Jews. He ordered it to be eaten with bitter herbs, in remembrance of their very bitter life in Egypt and their very harsh slavery. By the unleavened bread he indicates not only the urgency of the journey and the makeshift nature of the food, but also that they must not carry with them even a trace of the Egyptian way of life. For so the Lord interpreted it in the Gospels, saying, “Beware of the leaven of the scribes and Pharisees.” He also commanded as many as sufficed to eat a sheep to sacrifice the Passover together, training them in brotherly love and in mercy toward the poor. For this reason too he bids that the meat left over be burned and not kept for the next day, thereby compelling them to invite the needy to share in the feast. All these things are riddles of our mysteries. For we too anoint with the blood of our lamb not only the lintel but also the two doorposts: visibly, cleansing and sanctifying the tongue and the lips; spiritually, the rational part in place of the lintel, and the spirited and the desiring parts in place of the two doorposts. It suits us too to eat neither raw nor boiled, but roasted with fire. For we neither look only to the letter, but search out the meaning; nor do we bring human reasonings into the divine oracles (Isaiah accused some of this, as mixing wine with water); we use only the divine fire, the grace of the all-holy Spirit. Leaving none of the meat for the next day we understand in this way: the life to come needs no symbols, for in it we see the realities themselves. Those who understand the divine oracles badly and try to carry them over to their own impiety break the bones of the sheep. Taking not only from the sheep but also from the goats proclaims, again, the divine love for humankind; for Christ the Master underwent the saving passion not only for the righteous but also for sinners. He himself taught us to understand it so: he likened the assembly of the saints to lambs and the company of sinners to goats; and the law commanded a goat to be offered for sin. And of those who partake of the divine mysteries, some partake as of a sheep, having acquired perfect virtue; others as of a kid, wiping out the stains of their sins through repentance. So too our Savior fed the crowds who had gathered not only from wheat loaves but also from barley loaves. And the Master commanded us too to have our loins girded, our feet shod, and our lamps burning, as servants awaiting their master. But the Hebrews had this dress as men released from the Egyptians and being brought into the land of Canaan; we have it as those removing from here to another life. That is why the divine Paul too exhorts us, crying, “Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened”; and he added, “For our Passover too, Christ, was sacrificed for us”; and went on, “So let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” From of old the God of the universe announced beforehand the salvation of the nations; for he commanded proselytes too to share in the Passover. He called the proselyte geiōras and gave him equal rights: “He shall be,” he says, “like a native of the land.” And “It shall be eaten in one house” the faithful observe, partaking of the divine mysteries in the one church of God alone, and loathing the assemblies of the heretics. God the Master also legislated that the firstborn of both cattle and sheep be offered, reminding them of the salvation of their own firstborn; for he himself did not need the sacrifices, but was procuring their benefit. The law itself shows this: “If your son asks you, What is this? you shall say to him, With a strong hand the Lord brought us out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. When Pharaoh was hard-hearted about letting us go, the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of men to the firstborn of cattle. For this reason I sacrifice to the Lord every male that opens the womb, and every firstborn of my sons I will redeem. And it shall be a sign on your hand and immovable before your eyes; for with a strong hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt.” So each of these things was done not for any need of God's, but for the benefit of the people.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.24 (PG 80 80:249; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-24)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.25":{"o":"Τινές φασιν, εἰς δώδεκα διαιρέσεις διαιρεθῆναι τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ ἑκάστην φυλὴν καθ' ἑαυτὴν διαβῆναι· καὶ τοῦτο νομίζουσι τὸν μακάριον εἰρηκέναι Δαβίδ, Τῷ καταδιελόντι τὴν Ερυθρὰν θάλασσαν εἰς διαιρέσεις. Ἐγὼ δὲ διχῆ νομίζω τμηθῆναι τὸιπέλαγος· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἡ θεία διδάσκει Γραφή Τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ αὐτοῖς τεῖχος ἐκ δεξιῶν, καὶ τεῖχος ἐξ εὐωνύμων.» Τὴν δὲ ὁδὸν εὑρεῖαν γενέσθαι, σύμμετρον τῷ πλήθει τῶν παριόντων. Ωδήγησε γὰρ, φησὶν, αὐτοὺς ἐν ἀβύσσῳ, ὡς ἐν ἐρήμῳ. Τοῦτο δὲ τῆς ὁδοῦ τὴν εὐρυχωρίαν δηλοῖ. Οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνος μέντοι ὁ λόγος τῷ τῆς εὐσε βείας λυμαίνεται λόγῳ. Κἀκεῖνο γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς θείας ἔργον θαυματουργίας χρὴ μέντοι ἀκολουθεῖν τῇ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς ἀληθείᾳ. Τῇ δὲ δι' ὕδατος πανωλεθρίᾳ τὸν Φαραὼ πανστρατὶ παρέδωκεν ὁ δικαιότατος δικαστὴς, ἐπειδήπερ δι' ὕδατος ἀνεῖλε τὰ τῶν Ἑβραίων βρέφη.","t":"Some say that the sea was divided into twelve divisions, and that each tribe crossed by itself; and they think that the blessed David said this: “To him who divided the Red Sea into divisions.” But I think that the sea was cut in two; for the divine Scripture teaches this: “And the water was a wall to them on the right and a wall on the left.” The road became broad, proportioned to the multitude passing through: “He led them through the deep,” it says, “as through a desert”; and this shows the breadth of the road. Yet that view does no harm to the doctrine of piety either; both this and that are the work of divine wonder-working. One must, however, follow the truth of the divine Scripture. The most just judge gave Pharaoh, with his whole army, over to total destruction by water, since he had killed the babies of the Hebrews by water.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.25 (PG 80 80:255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-25)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.26":{"o":"Ποῖον ἦν τὸ ξύλον, τὸ γλυκᾶναν ἐν τῇ Μεῤῥᾷ τὸ ὕδωρ ; Περιττὸν καὶ ἀνόνητον τὸ τὰ σεσιγημένα ζητεῖν. Ἀρκεῖ δὲ ἡμῖν μαθεῖν, ὡς διὰ τοῦ ξύλου τὸ πικρὸν ὕδωρ εἰς γλυκεῖαν μετεβλήθη ποιότητα. Καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ τὴν ἡμετέραν προδηλοῖ σωτηρίαν. Τὸ γὰρ σωτήριον τοῦ σταυροῦ ξύλον τὴν πικρὰν τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐγλύκανε θάλατταν.","t":"What was the wood that sweetened the water at Marah? It is superfluous and useless to seek what has been passed over in silence. It is enough for us to learn that through the wood the bitter water was changed to a sweet quality. This too foreshadows our salvation; for the saving wood of the cross sweetened the bitter sea of the nations.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.26 (PG 80 80:255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-26)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.27":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου εἰρημένον, Πάντες εἰς τὸν Μωσῆν ἐβαπτίσθησαν ἐν τῇ νεφέλῃ, καὶ ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ· καὶ πάντες τὸ αὐτὸ βρῶμα πνευματικὸν ἔφαγον, καὶ πάντες τὸ αὐτὸ πόμα πνευματικὸν ἔπιον· ἔπινον γὰρ ἐκ πνευματικῆς ἀκολουθούσης πέτρας· ἡ δὲ πέτρα ἦν ὁ Χριστός; Τύπος ην τῶν νέων τὰ παλαιά καὶ σκιὰ μὲν ὁ νόμος Μωσέως, σῶμα δὲ ἡ χάρις. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἐδίωκον τοὺς Ἑβραίους οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι, διαβάντες δὲ τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλατταν οἱ Ἑβραῖοι τῆς πικρᾶς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἀπηλλάγησαν δεσποτείας· τύπον ἔχει τῆς κολυμβήθρας ἡ θάλαττα· ἡ δὲ νεφέλη, τοῦ πνεύματος· ὁ δὲ Μωσῆς, τοῦ Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ τοῦ σταυροῦ δὲ, ἡ ῥάβδος· τοῦ διαβόλου, ὁ Φαραώ τῶν δαιμόνων, οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι· τὸ δὲ μάννα, τῆς θείας τροφῆς τὸ δὲ τῆς πέτρας ὕδωρ, τοῦ σωτηρίου αἵματος. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι μετὰ τὸ διαβῆναι τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν, καὶ τῆς ξένης τροφῆς, καὶ τοῦ παραδόξου ἀπήλαυσαν νάματος οὕτως ἡμεῖς μετὰ τὸ σωτήριον βάπτισμα τῶν θείων μεταλαμβάνομεν μυστηρίων.","t":"How should the Apostle's saying be understood: “All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ”? The old things were a type of the new; the law of Moses was a shadow, and grace the body. Since the Egyptians pursued the Hebrews, and the Hebrews, having crossed the Red Sea, were freed from the bitter dominion of the Egyptians, the sea bears the type of the font; the cloud, of the Spirit; Moses, of Christ the Savior; the rod, of the cross; Pharaoh, of the devil; the Egyptians, of the demons; the manna, of the divine food; and the water from the rock, of the saving blood. For just as they, after crossing the Red Sea, enjoyed a strange food and an extraordinary stream, so we, after saving baptism, partake of the divine mysteries.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.27 (PG 80 80:257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-27)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.28":{"o":"Διατί ἡ πέτρα Χριστὸς ὡνομάσθη; Ὡς τύπος γενομένη τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ. Οὕτω καὶ ἡ θάλαττα βάπτισμα προσηγορεύθη, καίτοι οὐδενὸς ἐν αὐτῇ βαπτισθέντος κεκονιαμένος γὰρ μᾶλλον αὐτὴν, ἢ διάβροχος, διῆλθεν Ἰσραήλ *.","t":"Why was the rock named Christ? As having become a type of Christ the Master. So too the sea was called baptism, although no one was baptized in it; for Israel passed through it covered with dust rather than drenched.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.28 (PG 80 80:257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-28)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.29":{"o":"Διατί ἄρτον ἀγγέλων τὸ μάννα προσηγόρευσεν ὁ προφήτης \"; Ὡς ἀγγέλων τῇ τούτου δωρεᾷ διακεκονηκότων. Ἡ γὰρ ἀσώματος φύσις οὐ δεῖται τροφῆς. Οὕτως ἄρτος οὐρανοῦ προσηγορεύθη, ἐπειδὴ ἄνωθεν κατηνέχθη· οὐκ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ ἀέρος. Οὕτω καὶ πετεινὰ οὐρανοῦ προσηγόρευται τὰ τὸν ἀέρα διαπερῶντα.","t":"Why did the prophet call the manna the bread of angels? Because angels had ministered the gift of it; for the incorporeal nature needs no food. So too it was called bread of heaven, since it was brought down from above; not from heaven itself, but from the air. So too the creatures that pass through the air are called birds of heaven.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.29 (PG 80 80:257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-29)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.3":{"o":"Πόθεν ἔγνω ἡ θυγάτηρ τοῦ Φαραὼ, ὅτι ῾Ἑβραῖον ἦν τὸ παιδίον; Ἡ περιτομὴ τοῦτο δεδήλωκεν. Ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὡς Αἰγύπτιοι κατ' ἐκεῖνον οὔπω περιετέμνοντο τὸν καιρόν ὕστερον δὲ τοὺς Ἑβραίους ζηλώσαντες τὸν τῆς περιτομῆς ἠσπάσαντο νόμον. Ὅθεν καὶ διὰ Ἱερεμίου ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἔφη Θεός· Ἐπισκέψομαι ἐπὶ πάντας περιτετμημένους ἀκροβυστίας αὐτῶν, ἐπ᾿ Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἐδὼμ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.","t":"How did Pharaoh's daughter know that the child was a Hebrew? Circumcision showed it. Hence it is clear that the Egyptians were not yet circumcised at that time, but later, emulating the Hebrews, embraced the law of circumcision. Hence too the God of the universe said through Jeremiah, “I will visit all who are circumcised in their foreskins: Egypt, and the sons of Edom,” and so on.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.3 (PG 80 80:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-3)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.30":{"o":"Διατί μάννα ἐκλήθη; Εὐθὺς αὐτὸ θεασάμενοι ἀλλήλους ἠρώτων, . Τι τοῦτο; Ἐπέθεσαν τοίνυν αὐτῷ προσηγορίαν, Τι τοῦτο; τοῦτο γὰρ ἐρμηνεύει τὸ μάννα. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει. Ἰδόντες γὰρ, φησὶν υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ εἶπον ἕτερος τῷ ἑτέρῳ, Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; Ού γὰρ ἤδεσαν τί ἦν. Ἐγένετο τοίνυν ἡ ἐρώτησις ὄνομα. Τὸ δὲ, «ὡς ἔγκρις ἐν μέλιτι, ὁ Σύμμαχος οὕτως ἡρμήνευσεν, ὡς ἄμυλος ἐν μέλιτι. Τὸ δὲ γόμορ μέτρον ἦν Ἑβραϊκόν. Διδάσκει δὲ ὁ νομοθέτης, ὅτι τὸ δέκατον ἦν τῶν τριῶν μέτρων·, ὡς δὲ Ἰώσηπος ἔφη, τρεῖς ἥμισυ κοτύλας Αττικὰς","t":"Why was it called manna? As soon as they saw it, they asked one another, “What is this?” So they gave it the name “What is this?”, for this is what “manna” means. The history teaches this too: “When the sons of Israel saw it,” it says, “they said to one another, What is this? For they did not know what it was.” So the question became a name. “Like a cake in honey” Symmachus translated “like a starch cake in honey.” The gomor was a Hebrew measure. The lawgiver teaches that it was the tenth of three measures; as Josephus said, three and a half Attic kotylai …","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.30 (PG 80 80:259; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-30)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.31":{"o":"Διατί τὸ καταλειφθὲν εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν τοῦ μάννα διεφθάρη; Ἐπειδὴ νόμου παράβασις ἦν. Διδάσκων γὰρ αὐτοὺς τῶν φροντίδων ἐλεύθερον βίον, ὑπέσχετο καθ' ἑκάστην αὐτοῖς ἡμέραν παρέχειν τὴν ἀναγκαίαν τροφήν· ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἀπιστήσαντες, μέρος τι τοῦ συλλεγέντος εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν ἐφύλαξαν διὰ τοῦτο ἐπώζεσεν. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ τῆς τοῦ μάννα φύσεως ἦν τὸ πάθος, μαρτυρεῖ τὸ Σάββατον, ἐν ᾧ ἀλώβητον διετηρήθη τὸ τῇ παρασκευῇ συλλεγέν. Μαρτυρεῖ δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ ἐπὶ πολλαῖς διαφυλαχθὲν γε-· νεαῖς.","t":"Why did the manna left until the next day spoil? Because it was a transgression of the law. Teaching them a life free from cares, God promised to supply them each day with the food they needed; but they, disbelieving, kept part of what they had gathered until the next day, and for this reason it stank. That the spoiling did not belong to the nature of the manna is attested by the Sabbath, on which what had been gathered on the day of preparation was kept unspoiled; and it is attested also by what was kept in the ark for many generations.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.31 (PG 80 80:259; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-31)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.32":{"o":"Διατί ἐν τοῖς Σάββασιν οὐ παρεῖχε τὸ μάννα ; Ἐπειδὴ μόνοις αὐτοῖς τοῦ Σαββάτου τὴν ἀργίαν ἐνομοθέτησεν, ἔργῳ αὐτοὺς ἐδίδασκε φυλάττειν τὴν ἐντολήν. Τὸν δὲ τῆς φύσεως οὐκ ἐκώλυσε δρό μον. Ανίσχει γὰρ ἥλιος καὶ σελήνη, ὡσαύτως καὶ τὰ νέφη τὸν ὑετὸν ὠδίνει, καὶ ἄνεμοι πνέουσι, καὶ γυναῖκες τίκτουσι, καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων τὰ γένη.","t":"Why did he not provide the manna on the Sabbaths? Since he legislated the Sabbath rest for them alone, he taught them by deed to keep the commandment. But he did not hinder the course of nature: the sun and the moon rise, the clouds likewise are in labor with rain, winds blow, women give birth, and so do the kinds of irrational animals.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.32 (PG 80 80:259; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-32)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.33":{"o":"Ποίοις ὅπλοις ἐχρῶντο τῷ ᾿Αμαλήκ πολεμοῦν τες ; Τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ὑποβρυχίων γεγενημένων, ἐξεβράσθη αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν ἠϊόνα μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων τὰ σώματα ταῦτα σκυλεύσαντες, ἐχρῶντο τούτοις ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις.","t":"What weapons did they use in fighting Amalek? When the Egyptians had been drowned, their bodies were cast up on the shore with their weapons; having stripped them, the Israelites used these in their wars.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.33 (PG 80 80:259; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-33)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.34":{"o":"Διατί τῶν Μωσέως χειρῶν ἐκτεταμένων ἐνίκα ὁ Ἰσραὴλ, καθιεμένων δὲ ἡττᾶτο; Τοῦ σταυρωθέντος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν᾽ ἐπλήρου τὸν τύπον ἐκτείνων τὰς χεῖρας. Ἐδείχθη τοίνυν καὶ ἐν τῷ τύπῳ τῆς ἀληθείας ἡ δύναμις. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τοῦ θεράποντος τὰς χεῖρας ἐκτείνοντος ἔπεσεν ᾿Αμαλήκ· οὕτως τοῦ Δεσπότου τὰς χεῖρας ἐκτείνοντος, κατελύθη τοῦ διαβόλου τὸ στίφος. Καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῳ δὲ τῷ πολέμῳ ὁ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ὁμώνυμος τὸ τρόπαιον ἔστησε τότε ταύτην τὴν προσηγορίαν λαβών, καὶ τοῖς λογάσι χρησάμενος συνεργοῖς, ὡς ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς ὑπουργοῖς τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἀποστόλοις.","t":"Why did Israel win when Moses' hands were stretched out, and lose when they were lowered? By stretching out his hands he fulfilled the type of the one who was crucified for us. So the power of the truth was shown even in the type. For just as Amalek fell when the servant stretched out his hands, so when the Master stretched out his hands the host of the devil was destroyed. And in that war the namesake of our Savior set up the trophy, having then received this name, and used picked men as his helpers, as Christ the Master used the holy apostles as his ministers.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.34 (PG 80 80:259; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-34)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.35":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, \"Εσεσθέ μοι λαὸς περιούσιος ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν· ἐμὴ γὰρ ἐστι πᾶσα ἡ γῆ; Πάντων εἰμὶ, φησὶ, ποιητὴς καὶ Δεσπότης, καὶ πάντων ὡς ποιητὴς προμηθοῦμαι· ὑμᾶς δὲ οἷόν τινα λαὸν ἐξαίρετον ἐμαυτῷ ἀφιέρωσα. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπἡγαγεν· «Ὑμεῖς δὲ ἔσεσθέ μοι εἰς βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἔθνος ἅγιον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τοὺς Λευΐτας, Ἰσραηλίτας ὄντας, τῶν ἄλλων φυλῶν προτετίμηκε, καὶ εἰς τὴν θείαν ἀφιέρωσε λειτουργίαν - οὐ τῶν ἄλλων ἀμελῶν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τούτων τὴν ἐκείνων ποιούμενος ἐπιμέλειαν· οὕτω τὸ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Ἰακώβ, ἐξελέξατο σπέρμα· πρῶτον ἐπειδὴ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἤμελλε κατὰ σάρκα βλαστάνειν ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστός· ἔπειτα διὰ τῶν εἰς τούτους γινομένων τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιδεικνὺς δύναμιν, καὶ πάντας ἀνθρώπους διδάσκων τὴν τῆς θεογνωσίας ὁδόν. Τούτων μέντοι εἰρημένων· ᾿Απεκρίθη πᾶς ὁ λαὸς, καὶ εἶπε· Πάντα ὅσα εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς ποιήσομεν, καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα. Αὕτη δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ ἡ συνθήκη ὑπογραφῇ τινι ἔοικε γραμματίου· ὅθεν τὴν οἰκείαν παραβάντες ὁμολογίαν, ταῖς τῆς νομοθεσίας ἀραῖς ὑπεβλήθησαν, ὧν τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν πεπιστευκότας ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς ἠλευθέρωσε. Χριστὸς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐξηγόρασεν ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς κατάρας τοῦ νόμου, γενόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα. Τὸ μέντοι περιούσιος, ἐξαίρετος ὁ Σύμμαχος ἡρμήνευσεν.","t":"What does “You shall be to me a special people out of all the nations; for all the earth is mine” mean? “I am the maker and Master of all,” he says, “and as maker I provide for all; but I have consecrated you to myself as a chosen people.” For he added: “You shall be to me a royal priesthood, a holy nation.” Just as he honored the Levites, who were Israelites, above the other tribes and consecrated them to the divine liturgy, not neglecting the others but caring for them through these, so he chose the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: first, since Christ the Master was going to spring from them according to the flesh; then, so as to show his own power through what was done for them, and to teach all human beings the way of the knowledge of God. When this had been said, “All the people answered and said, All that God has said we will do and obey.” This agreement of the people is like the signature on a written bond; hence, having transgressed their own agreement, they were subjected to the curses of the legislation, from which Christ the Master freed those who believed in him: “Christ redeemed us,” it says, “from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.” “Special” Symmachus translated “chosen.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.35 (PG 80 80:261; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-35)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.36":{"o":"Τί δήποτε οὐ μόνον ἀγνισθῆναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλῦναι τὰ ἱμάτια προσετάχθησαν, ἡνίκα τὸν νόμον ἐδέχοντο; Διὰ τῶν σωματικῶν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὰ πνευματικά ποδηγεῖ, καὶ δέος ἐντίθησι, καὶ εὐλαβεστέρους ποιεῖ. Ἐλογίζοντο γὰρ ἐκ τούτων, ὡς πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὴν ) διάνοιαν καθαρεύειν προσήκει. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ σαλπίγγων φωναὶ, καὶ κτύποι βροντῶν, καὶ γνόφος, καὶ θύελλα, καὶ πῦρ ἐν τῇ τοῦ ὄρους ἀκρωρείᾳ, καὶ καπνὸς ἄφατος ἐκπεμπόμενος· ἵνα διὰ τούτων ἁπάντων τὴν λιθίνὴν αὐτῶν καταμαλάξῃ καρδίαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὰς μὲν τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις ἐπενεχθείσας ἐθεάσαντο τιμωρίας, αὐτοὶ δὲ πεῖραν τῆς παιδείας oὐκ ἔλαβον, διὰ τούτων δεδίττεται, οἷα δὴ παῖδας ὥστε μὴ μόνον ἀγαπᾶν διὰ τὰς ἀῤῥήτους εὐεργεσίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ δεδιέναι διὰ τὰς τιμωρίας. Τούτου χάριν καὶ περὶ τῶν ἱερέων ἔφη - «Οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ ἐγγίζοντες Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἁγιασθήτωσαν, μή ποτε ἀπαλλάξῃ ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν Κύριος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτοὺς θαῤῥεῖν, ἅτε δὴ τὴν θείαν λειτουργίαν πεπιστευμέ νους, διδάσκει ὡς διαφερόντως τοὺς λειτουργεῖν Θεῷ πεπιστευμένους ὑπερτέρους εἶναι τῶν γηίνων προσήκει.","t":"Why were they commanded not only to purify themselves but also to wash their clothes when they were receiving the Law? Through bodily things he leads them to spiritual things, puts fear in them, and makes them more reverent. For they reasoned from these that it was much more fitting for the mind to be clean. For this reason too there were sounds of trumpets, crashes of thunder, darkness, storm, fire on the summit of the mountain, and indescribable smoke sent forth, so that by all these he might soften their stony heart. For since they had seen the punishments brought on the Egyptians but had themselves had no experience of chastisement, he frightens them by these, as children, so that they might not only love him for his ineffable benefits but also fear him because of his punishments. For this reason too he said of the priests: “Let the priests who draw near to the Lord God be sanctified, lest the Lord do away with them.” Since they were likely to be overconfident, having been entrusted with the divine liturgy, he teaches that those entrusted with ministering to God ought especially to be above earthly things.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.36 (PG 80 80:261; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-36)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.37":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Οὐκ ἔσονταί σοι θεοί πλὴν ἐμοῦ; Οἱ μίαν οὐσίαν τῆς Τριάδος ὁμολογοῦντες φυλάττουσι τὸν νόμον τῆς θείας φωνῆς. ῎Αλλο γάρ τι παρὰ τὴν θείαν φύσιν θεοποιεῖν οὐκ ἀνέχονται. Οἱ δὲ τὴν ᾿Αρείου καὶ Εὐνομίου περικείμενοι λώβην, τὸν θεῖον νόμον ἄντικρυς παραβαίνουσιν Θεὸν μὲν τὸν Υἱὸν ὁμολογοῦντες, κτιστὸν δὲ ἀποκαλοῦντες, καὶ τῆς θείας οὐσίας ἀλλότριον. Τοῦ γὰρ Θεοῦ λέγοντος, Οὐκ ἔσονταί σοι θεοὶ ἕτεροι πλὴν ἐμοῦ, οὗτοι Θεὸν ἕτερον ἐπεισάγουσιν.","t":"How should “You shall have no gods besides me” be understood? Those who confess one substance of the Trinity keep the law of the divine voice; for they do not consent to deify anything other than the divine nature. But those clothed in the defilement of Arius and Eunomius openly transgress the divine law, confessing the Son to be God but calling him created and foreign to the divine substance. For when God says, “You shall have no other gods besides me,” these bring in another God.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.37 (PG 80 80:263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-37)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.38":{"o":"Εἴδωλον καὶ ὁμοίωμα ποίαν ἔχει διαφοράν; Τὸ εἴδωλον οὐδεμίαν ὑπόστασιν ἔχει τὸ δὲ ὁμοίωμα, τινός ἐστιν ἵνδαλμα καὶ ἀπείκασμα. Ἐπειδή τοίνυν Ἕλληνες ἀναπλάττουσι τὰς οὐχ ὑφεστώσας Μορφὰς, Σφίγγας, καὶ Τρίτωνας, καὶ Κενταύ ρους καὶ Αἰγύπτιοι Κυνοπροσώπους, καὶ Βουκεφάλους εἴδωλα καλεῖ τὰ τῶν οὐχ ὑφεστώτων μιμήματα· ὁμοιώματα δὲ τὰ τῶν ὑφεστώτων εἰκάσματα\", οἷον ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης, ἀστέρων, ἀνθρώπων, θηρίων, ἑρπετῶν, καὶ τῶν τούτοις παραπλησίων. Τούτοις κελεύει μήτε προσκυνεῖν, μήτε λατρεύειν. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ ἀπαγορεύει ἀμφότερα ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ συμβαίνει τινὰς προσκυνῆσαι μὲν διὰ φόβον ἀνθρώπινον, οὐ μὴν καὶ λατρεῦσαι κατὰ ψυχὴν, ἐδίδαξεν ὡς ἑκάτερον ἀσεβές.","t":"What difference is there between an idol and a likeness? An idol has no real existence; a likeness is the image and copy of something. Since the Greeks fashion forms that do not exist, Sphinxes, Tritons, and Centaurs, and the Egyptians dog-faced and bull-headed figures, he calls the imitations of things that do not exist idols, and the copies of things that do exist likenesses, such as images of the sun and moon, stars, men, beasts, creeping things, and the like. He commands them neither to bow down to these nor to serve them. He forbids both not without reason: since it happens that some bow down out of human fear without serving in their soul, he taught that each is impious.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.38 (PG 80 80:263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-38)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.39":{"o":"Τί τὸ, ὁ Θεὸς ζηλωτής ἐστι; Ὁ νόμος τάξιν ἐπέχει ἀνδρὸς, ὁ δὲ λαὸς γυναικός. Καὶ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς διὰ μὲν Ἡσαΐου λέγων Ποῖον τοῦτο τὸ βιβλίον τοῦ ἀποστασίου τῆς μητρὸς ὑμῶν;» Διὰ δὲ Ἱερεμίου• Καθὼς ἀθετεῖ γυνὴ εἰς τὸν συνόντα αὐτῇ, οὕτως ἠθέτησεν εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ὁ οἶκος Ἰούδα, λέγει Κύριος. Καὶ πάλιν Ἐὰν ἀποστείλῃ ἀνὴρ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ πορευθεῖσα γένηται ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ, μὴ ἀνακάμπτουσα ἀνακάμψει πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔτι; οὐ μιαινομένη μιανθήσεται ἡ γυνὴ ἐκείνη; Σὺ δὲ ἐξεπόρνευσας εἰς ποιμένας πολλοὺς, καὶ ἀνέκαμπτες πρός με, λέγει Κύριος. Καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος δέ φησιν, ὅτι Ὁ νόμος κυριεύει τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐφ᾿ ὅσον χρόνον ζῇ. Ἡ γὰρ ὕπανδρος γυνὴ τῷ ζῶντι ἀνδρὶ δέδεται νόμῳ ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ, κατήργηται ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, τοῦ μὴ εἶναι αὐτὴν μοιχαλίδα γενομένην ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ. Οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐθανατώθητε τῷ νόμῳ διὰ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι ὑμᾶς ἑτέρῳ τῷ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγερθέντι. Τούτου χάριν Θεὸν ζηλωτὴν ὀνομάζει ἑαυτόν τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις μὲν κεχρημένος ὀνόμασι, δεδιττόμενος δὲ αὐτοὺς, καὶ σωφρονεῖν ἀναγκάζων, ὥσπερ ἀνὴρ ῥάθυμον ἔχων γυναῖκα παραινῶν αὐτῇ λέγει Ζηλότυπός εἰμι, οὐ δύναμαι βλέπειν σε ἄλλῳ προσδιαλεγομένην ἀνδρί οὕτως ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς τῆς δεσιδαιμονίας αὐτοὺς ἀπαλλάξαι βουλόμενος, οὐ μόνον ζηλωτὴν ἑαυτὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πῦρ καταναλίσκον ἐκάλεσεν. Ὅτι δὲ φιλοστοργίας ὁ τοσοῦτος ζῆλος, αὐτὸς τοῦτο δεδήλωκεν ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τοῦ Ἰεζεκιὴλ εἰπών· Διὰ τοῦτο ἀποστήσεται ὁ ζῆλός μου ἀπὸ σοῦ· τουτέστιν, ὅτε ἠγάπων, ἐχρώμην τῷ ζήλῳ· ἀπωσά- - μενος δὲ σε, καὶ τὸν ζῆλον ἔσβεσα. Τοῦτο καὶ δι' ἑτέρου προφήτου δεδήλωκεν· Οὐκ ἐπισκέψομαι ἐπὶ τὰς θυγατέρας ὑμῶν ὅταν πορνεύσωσι, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς νύμφας ὑμῶν ὅταν μοιχεύσωσιν. ᾿Αγάπης τοίνυν ὁ ζῆλος δηλωτικός.","t":"What does “God is jealous” mean? The Law holds the place of a husband, and the people that of a wife. God the Master taught us this, saying through Isaiah, “What is this certificate of divorce of your mother?” and through Jeremiah, “As a woman is faithless to the one who lives with her, so the house of Israel and the house of Judah have been faithless to me, says the Lord”; and again, “If a man sends away his wife, and she goes and becomes another man's, will she ever return to him? Will not that woman be utterly defiled? But you have played the harlot with many shepherds, and you returned to me, says the Lord.” And the Apostle says: “The law rules over a person as long as he lives. For the married woman is bound by law to her living husband; but if the husband dies, she is released from the law of the husband, so that she is not an adulteress if she becomes another man's. So you too were put to death to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead.” For this reason he names himself a jealous God, using human names, frightening them and compelling them to be chaste. Just as a husband with a careless wife admonishes her, saying, “I am jealous; I cannot bear to see you talking with another man,” so God the Master, wishing to free them from superstition, called himself not only jealous but also a consuming fire. That such jealousy belongs to affection God himself showed through Ezekiel, saying, “Therefore my jealousy will depart from you”; that is, “When I loved you, I was jealous; having rejected you, I have quenched my jealousy too.” He showed this also through another prophet: “I will not punish your daughters when they commit sexual immorality, nor your brides when they commit adultery.” Jealousy, then, is a sign of love.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.39 (PG 80 80:263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-39)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.4":{"o":"Διατί ἀλλόφυλον γυναῖκα ἔγημεν ὁ Μωσῆς Τύπος ἦν τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ, ὃς ἐξ Ἰουδαίων – κατὰ σάρκα βεβλαστηκώς, τὴν ἐξ ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησίαν νύμφην ἑαυτοῦ προσηγόρευσεν.","t":"Why did Moses marry a foreign wife? He was a type of Christ the Master, who, having sprung from the Jews according to the flesh, called the church from the nations his bride.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.4 (PG 80 80:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-4)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.40":{"o":"Πῶς τὸ δίκαιον σώζεται, τῶν παίδων ὑπὲρ τῶν πατέρων κολαζομένων; Μείζους αἱ ἀπειλαὶ τῶν κολάσεων παρὰ τῷ Δεσπότῇ Θεῷ. Καὶ τοῦτο ῥάδιον μαθεῖν παρὰ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς· Πᾶς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀπερίτμητος ἄρσην, ὃς οὐ περιτμηθήσεται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται. ᾿Αλλ' ἔστιν εὑρεῖν τοὺς μὲν περιτετμημένους ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ διαφόρως ἀναιρεθέντας τοὺς δὲ ἀπεριτμήτους μεμενηκότας τῆς τῶν προγόνων ἐπαγγελίας τετυχηκότας τούτους γὰρ ἐν Γαλγάλοις Ἰησοῦς περιέτεμεν. Οὕτω ταῖς ἐχούσαις ζύμην οἰκίαις πανωλεθρίαν ἠπείλησεν· ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐπήγαγε τὴν τιμωρίαν κατὰ τὴν ἀπειλήν. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν. ὡς τεται ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς, καί φησιν· ᾿Αποδιδοὺς ἁμαρτίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα ἐπὶ τρίτην καὶ τετάρτην γενεὰν τοῖς μισοῦσί με. Ὅτι γὰρ τὸ γυμνῷ προσέχειν τῷ γράμματι δυσσεβὲς, αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς διδάσκει τάναντία νομοθετῶν· Οὐκ ἀποθανοῦνται γὰρ, φησὶ, παῖδες ὑπὲρ πατέρων, οὐδὲ πατέρες ὑπὲρ παίδων ἀλλ᾽ ἕκαστος ἐν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀποθανεῖται. Καὶ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Ἰεζεκιήλ φησι Τίς ὑμῖν ἡ παραβολὴ αὕτη λεγόντων Οἱ πατέρες ἔφαγον ὄμφακα, καὶ οἱ ὀδόντες τῶν τέκνων ἡμωδίασαν Ζῶ γὰρ ἐγὼ, λέγει Κύριος, εἰ ἔσται ἡ παραβολὴ αὕτη, ἀλλὰ τῶν φαγόντων τὸν ὄμφακα αἱμωδιάσουσιν οἱ ὀδόντες ὅτι πᾶσαι αἱ ψυχαὶ ἐμαί εἰσι. Καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει διάνοιαν. Ἐγὼ δὲ φιλόπαιδας καὶ φιλοπαιδίας πεφροντικοτας δεδίς οἶμαι μᾶλλον τὴν θείαν φιλανθρωπίαν ἐμφαίνειν τὴν ἀπειλήν. Πρόσκειται γάρ Τοῖς μισοῦσι με τουτέστι, μακροθυμῶ τοῖς πατράσιν ήμαρτηκόσι μακροθυμῶ καὶ παισίν. Εἰ δὲ οἱ ἔκγονοι καὶ οἱ ἀπέκγονοι τὴν τῶν πατέρων καὶ προγόνων ζηλώσαιεν πονηρίαν, ἐπάξω τὴν τιμωρίαν· ἡ δὲ τῶν προγόνων εὐσέβεια μέχρι πολλοῦ τῷ γένει προξενήσει τὴν σωτηρίαν Ποιῶν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔλεον εἰς χιλιάδας καὶ μυριάδας τοῖς ἀγαπῶσί με, καὶ τοῖς φυλάττουσι τὰ προστάγματά μου. Εὕροι δ᾽ ἄν τις κὰν τῇ ἱστορίᾳ τὴν τῶν θείων λογίων ἀλήθειαν Πέμπτῃ γὰρ γενεᾷ, φησὶν, ἀνέβησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου. Ἀλλὰ τοῖς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ δεδουλευκότες θεοῖς, οὐκ ἔτισαν δίκας οὔτε οἱ πατέ( ρες αὐτῶν, οὔτε οἱ προπάτορες αὐτῶν· αὐτοὶ δὲ ζηλώσαντες τὴν ἐκείνων ἀσέβειαν ἐκολάσθησαν· ὡς μετὰ τοσαύτην εὐεργεσίαν, καὶ τὰ μυρία θαύματα τὴν ἀσέβειαν οὐκ ἐκπτύσαντες. Οἱ δὲ τούτων παῖδες, τὸν Σωτῆρα Θεὸν ἠγαπηκότες, τῆς προγονικῆς ἀπήλαυσαν ὑποσχέσεως. Καὶ ὁρῶμεν τὸ ἀψευδὲς τῆς πρὸς τοὺς πατριάρχας γεγενημένης ἐπαγγελίας τὰ γὰρ ἔθνη διὰ τοῦ σπέρματος Ἀβραὰμ τῆς εὐλογίας τετύχηκεν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν τὸν μόσχον ἤμελλον προσκυνεῖν, τὴν τιμωρίαν προσαπειλεί.","t":"How is justice preserved when children are punished for their fathers? With God the Master the threats are greater than the punishments. This is easy to learn from the divine Scripture: “Every uncircumcised male,” it says, “who is not circumcised on the eighth day shall be destroyed.” Yet one finds that those who had been circumcised were killed in various ways in the desert, while those who remained uncircumcised obtained the promise made to their ancestors; for Joshua circumcised them at Gilgal. So too he threatened houses that had leaven with total destruction, but did not bring the punishment as threatened. Here too, then, he uses threats, and says: “Repaying the sins of fathers upon children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.” That attending to the bare letter is impious, God himself teaches by legislating the opposite: “Children shall not die for fathers, nor fathers for children; but each shall die in his own sin.” And through the prophet Ezekiel he says: “What is this parable of yours, who say, The fathers ate sour grapes, and the children's teeth were set on edge? As I live, says the Lord, this parable shall no longer be; but the teeth of those who ate the sour grapes shall be set on edge; for all souls are mine.” What follows has the same sense. But I think that the threat, by frightening those who love their children and care about having children, rather displays the divine love for humankind. For “of those who hate me” is added; that is: “I am patient with fathers who have sinned, and I am patient with their children too; but if the descendants and their offspring emulate the wickedness of their fathers and ancestors, I will bring the punishment; while the piety of the ancestors will procure salvation for the race for a long time.” For he says, “showing mercy to thousands and myriads of those who love me and keep my commandments.” One could find the truth of the divine oracles in the history too: “In the fifth generation,” it says, “the sons of Israel went up out of Egypt.” Although they had served the gods of the Egyptians in Egypt, neither their fathers nor their forefathers paid the penalty; but they themselves, emulating their impiety, were punished, as men who had not spat out their impiety after such great benefits and countless miracles. Their children, having loved God the Savior, enjoyed the promise made to their ancestors. And we see the truthfulness of the promise made to the patriarchs; for the nations obtained the blessing through the seed of Abraham. Since, then, they were going to worship the calf, he added the threat of punishment.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.40 (PG 80 80:265; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-40)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.41":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν· «Οὐ λήψῃ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου ἐπὶ ματαίω; τινὲς δὲ τὸ ὀμωμοκότα ψεύσασθαι. Ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι, Τινές φασιν ἀπαγορεύειν τὸ ἐπιθεῖναι τοῖς ματαίοις, τουτέστι τοῖς εἰδώλοις, τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ Θεοῦ προσηγορίαν Υλι τὸν θεῖον παρακελεύεσθαι νόμον, δίχα διδασκαλίας, ἢ προσευχῆς, ἢ ἀναγκαίας τινὸς χρείας, τὴν θείαν μὴ προφέρειν προσηγορίαν. Καὶ γὰρ εἰώθασί τινες, καὶ παίζοντες, καὶ γελῶντες, προφέρειν ὡς ἔτυχε διὰ τῆς γλώττης τὸ σεβάσμιον ὄνομα. Τοῦτο οἶμαι τὸν θεῖον νόμον ἀπαγορεύειν. Εἰ γὰρ τὴν πολυτελεστέραν ἐσθῆτα ταῖς ἑορταῖς φυλάττειν εἰώθασιν οἱ πολλοὶ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸ θεῖον ὄνομα ποοσευχαῖς καὶ διδασκαλίαι· ἀφιεροῦν δίκαιον.","t":"What does “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” mean? Some say that it forbids giving God's title to vain things, that is, to idols; others, that it forbids lying after swearing an oath. But I think that the divine law commands us not to utter the divine title except in teaching, or prayer, or some necessary need. For some are accustomed, even while joking and laughing, to bring the venerable name onto their tongues at random. This, I think, is what the divine law forbids. If most people usually keep their more costly clothing for feasts, it is much more right to dedicate the divine name to prayers and teaching.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.41 (PG 80 80:267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-41)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.42":{"o":"Διατι τὸ Σάββατον τῇ ἀργίᾳ τετιμηκεν; Φιλανθρωπίαν τὸν λαὸν ἐξεπαίδευσεν. Ἐπήγαγε γάρ· ἵνα ἀναπαύσηται ὁ παῖς σου, καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη σου, ὁ βοῦς σου, καὶ τὸ ὑποζύγιόν σου, καὶ πᾶν ᾿ κτῆνός σου, καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος ὁ παοοικῶν ἐν σοί.","t":"Why did he honor the Sabbath with rest? He was training the people in kindness. For he added: “that your servant and your maidservant may rest, your ox and your beast of burden and all your cattle, and the proselyte who sojourns among you.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.42 (PG 80 80:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-42)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.43":{"o":"Καὶ διατί μὴ ἐν ἄλλῃ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦτο γενέσθαι προσέταξεν ; Τοῦτο ἄν τις εἶπε καὶ περὶ ἄλλης ἡμέρας, τί δήποτε ταύτην ἐξελέξατο, καὶ οὐχ ἑτέραν. Εἶχε δὲ ὅμως αὕτη λόγον τινὰ πεῖσαι δυνάμενον τὴν Ἰουδαίων ὠμότητα, τῷ τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις τὰ πάντα δημιουργῆσαι, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ μηδὲν ποιῆσαι, εὐλογίᾳ δὲ ταύτην τιμῆσαι. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη Μωσῆς ὅτι Ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς· καὶ κατέπαυσε τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ, καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν.","t":"And why did he not command this to be done on another day? One could say the same about any other day: why did he choose this one and not another? Yet this day had a reason able to persuade the harshness of the Jews: that the God of the universe created all things in six days, did nothing on the seventh, and honored it with a blessing. For this is what Moses said: “In six days the Lord your God made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them; and he rested on the seventh day and sanctified it.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.43 (PG 80 80:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-43)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.44":{"o":"Τί εστιν Ἐὰν δὲ θυσιαστήριον ἐκ λίθων ποιῇς μοι, οὐκ οἰκοδομήσεις αὐτοὺς τμητούς. Τὸ γὰρ ἐγχειρίδιόν σου ἐπιβέβληκας ἐπ' αὐτὸ καὶ μεμίανται;, Ὅτι σιδήρῳ ἐχρῶντο, καὶ οἱ τὰ ξύλα τῆς σκηνῆς τεκτηνάμενοι καὶ οἱ τὸν χρυσὸν, καὶ τὸν ἄργυρον, καὶ τὸν χαλκὸν ἐργασάμενοι, οὐδένα ἀντερεῖν οἶμαι. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς ταῖς μαχαίραις ἱεράτευον τὰς θυσίας, καὶ ἀπέδερον, καὶ ἔτεμνον, ἀναμφίλεκτον εἶναι οἶμαι καὶ τοῦτο. Ζητητέον τοίνυν, πῶς ταῦτα μὲν ὁ σίδηρος οὐκ ἐμίαινε τοὺς δὲ τμητοὺς ἐμίαινε λίθους. Τοιγάρτοι δῆλόν ἐστιν ὡς ἄλλα δι᾽ ἄλλων κατασκευάζει. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τεσσαράκοντα διετέλεσαν ἔτη, συνεχῶς ἀπαίροντες, καὶ τοὺς τόπους ἀμείβοντες, ἀπαγορεύει ἐκ λίθων εἰργασμένων θυσιαστήρια οἰκοδομεῖσθαι, ἵνα μὴ τούτων τὴν γῆν τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην ἀπειληφότων, ἐν τοῖς θυσιαστηρίοις τούτοις οἱ πλησιόχωροι τὰς τῶν δαιμόνων θυσίας ἐπιτελέσωσι. Διὰ τοῦτο προσέταξεν, ἢ ἐκ γῆς, ἢ ἐξ αὐτοφυῶν λίθων ταῦτα κατασκευάζεσθαι· ἐπειδήπερ εκάτερον εὐδιάλυτον. Ὅτι δὲ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ ναοῦ κατασκευὴν οὐκ ἐξῆν ἑτέρωθι θύειν, αὐτὸς ὁ νόμος διδάσκει. Εἰ δὲ θύειν ἔξω τοῦ ναοῦ ὁ νόμος ἀπεῖργε, καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον οἰκοδομεῖν ὡσαύτως ἐκώλυσεν αὐτίκα γοῦν εἰς ἔλεγχον τῶν ἀσεβούντων, Ἠλίας ὁ πάνυ προσενεγκεῖν ἐν τῷ Καρμήλῳ θυσίαν ἀναγκασθεὶς, ἰσαρίθμους τῶν φυλῶν αὐτοφυεῖς συνέθηκε λίθους, καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων τὴν θυσίαν προσήνεγκεν, ὥστε τὴν οἰκοδομίαν εὐθὺς διαλυθῆναι, καὶ μηδένα ἕτερον ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χωρίῳ θυσίαν προσενεγκεῖν.","t":"What does “If you make me an altar of stones, you shall not build them hewn; for you have put your blade upon it, and it is defiled” mean? That both those who made the wooden parts of the tabernacle and those who worked the gold, silver, and bronze used iron, no one, I think, will deny. And that the priests performed the sacrifices with knives, flaying and cutting, I think is also beyond dispute. One must ask, then, how iron did not defile these things, yet defiled hewn stones. It is clear that he arranges some things by means of others. Since they spent forty years in the desert, continually setting out and changing places, he forbids altars to be built of worked stones, so that, once they had taken the promised land, the neighboring peoples would not perform sacrifices to demons on these altars. For this reason he commanded them to be made either of earth or of natural stones, since each is easily dismantled. That after the building of the temple it was not permitted to sacrifice anywhere else, the law itself teaches; and if the law forbade sacrificing outside the temple, it likewise prevented building an altar. So, to convict the impious, the great Elijah, compelled to offer a sacrifice on Carmel, put together natural stones equal in number to the tribes and offered the sacrifice on them, so that the structure was at once dismantled and no one else offered sacrifice in that place.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.44 (PG 80 80:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-44)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.45":{"o":"Διατί τοῦ Ἑβραίου, τοῦ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν δέξασθαι μὴ βουλομένου, διατρηθῆναι τὸ ὡτίον προσέταξεν ; Πάντων αὐτοὺς προτιμᾶν τὴν ἐλευθερίαν διδάσκει. Τὸν τοίνυν ταύτης οὐκ ἀντεχόμενον, ἀλλὰ τὴν δουλείαν ἀσπαζόμενον, εἰς αἰσχύνην τοῦτο λαβεῖν τὸ σημεῖον παρακελεύεται. Πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ, καὶ τὴν ὑπακοὴν διὰ τῆς ἀκοῆς τὸ σημεῖον ἐμφαίνει, καὶ τὸ παρὰ τὴν θύραν τὸ μὴ ἐξεῖναι προβαίνειν οὐκ ἐπιτρέποντος τοῦ δεσπότου.","t":"Why did he command that the ear of the Hebrew who did not wish to receive his freedom be pierced? He teaches them to prize freedom above all things. The one who does not hold fast to it but embraces slavery he bids receive this sign as a disgrace. Besides this, the sign through the ear indicates obedience, and its being made at the door indicates that he may not go out unless his master permits.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.45 (PG 80 80:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-45)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.46":{"o":"Διατί πρόσκειται Καὶ δουλεύσει αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, δήλης οὔσης τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ζωῆς;» Ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὡς οὐ πανταχοῦ ὁ αἰὼν τοῦ ἀπείρου δηλωτικὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ἔστιν ὅτε καὶ ὡρισμένου χρόνου σημαντικός. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ μακάριος λέγει Δαβίδ· «Ὁ αἰὼν ἡμῶν εἰς φωτισμὸν τοῦ προσώπου σου. Τὸν δὲ ἀνθρώπινον οὕτως ὠνόμασε βίον","t":"Why is “and he shall serve him forever” added, when human life plainly has its limits? From this it is clear that “forever” does not everywhere signify the infinite, but sometimes also signifies a fixed time. So too the blessed David says, “Our lifetime is in the light of your face,” giving this name to human life.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.46 (PG 80 80:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-46)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.47":{"o":"Τὸν ἀκουσίως πεφονευκότα, διὰ τὶ φεύγειν παρακελεύεται **. Τὴν φονικὴν αὐτῶν ἰατρεύων γνώμην, καὶ διδάσκων, ὡς εἰ τὸ παρὰ γνώμην ἀνελεῖν ἕνοχον τῇ τιμωρίᾳ ποιεῖ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸ γνώμῃ φονεύειν κολάσεως ἄξιον. Πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ, καὶ τοὺς τέμνοντας ξύλα, καὶ τοὺς ἀκοντίζοντας λίθους 3*, προμηθεστέρους ἐργάζεται, καὶ μέντοι καὶ τοὺς ἄλλο τι τοιοῦτο δρῶντας παρασκευάζει δεδιέναι καὶ τρέμειν, ἵνα μὴ παρὰ γνώμην τινὰ τῶν πελαζόντων ἢ πόῤῥωθεν ὄντων πημαίνωσι. Χαλινοῖ δὲ καὶ τὸν τῶν συγγενῶν τοῦ πεφονευμένου θυμὸν τῇ τοῦ πεφονευκότος φυγῇ.","t":"Why does he bid one who has killed involuntarily to flee? He is healing their murderous disposition, and teaching that if killing against one's will makes one liable to punishment, much more does murder by intention deserve punishment. Besides this, he makes those who cut wood and those who throw stones more careful, and prepares others who do anything of the kind to fear and tremble, lest they harm, against their will, someone near them or far away. And by the flight of the killer he bridles the anger of the relatives of the one killed.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.47 (PG 80 80:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-47)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.48":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν ἐξεικονισμένον; Φασὶ τοῦ σώματος ἐν τῇ μήτρᾳ τελείου διαπλασθέντος, τότε ἐμψυχοῦσθαι τὸ ἔμβρυον. Καὶ γὰρ τοῦ ᾿Ἀδὰμ τὸ σῶμα πρότερον ὁ ποιητὴς διαπλάσας, τότε ἐνεφύσησε τὴν ψυχήν. Κελεύει τοίνυν ὁ νομοθέτης, γυναικὸς ἐγκύμονος ἀμβλωσάσης ἐν μάχῃ, εἰ μὲν ἐξεικονισμένον ἐξέλθοι τὸ βρέφος, τουτέστι μεμορφωμένον, φόνον τὸ πρᾶγμα καλεῖσθαι, καὶ τὴν ἴσην ὑπέχειν τιμωρίαν τὸν δεδρακότα· εἰ δὲ μὴ ἐξέλθοι μεμορφωμένον, μὴ λογίζεσθαι φόνον, ἐπειδήπερ εὐδέπω ψυχωθὲν ἐξημβλώθη· ἀλλὰ ζημίαν τιννύειν τὸν αἴτιον.","t":"What does “fully formed” mean? They say that when the body has been completely formed in the womb, the embryo is then given a soul. For the maker too first formed Adam's body and then breathed in the soul. The lawgiver, then, commands that when a pregnant woman miscarries in a fight, if the baby comes out fully formed, that is, shaped, the deed is to be called murder and the one who did it is to undergo the equal punishment; but if it does not come out formed, it is not to be reckoned murder, since it miscarried before receiving a soul, but the one responsible is to pay a fine.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.48 (PG 80 80:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-48)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.49":{"o":"Διατί τὸν κερατιστὴν ταῦρον ἀναιρεῖσθαι κελεύει; Καὶ διὰ τῶν ἀλόγων παιδευων τοὺς λογικοὺς ἡλίκον ὁ φόνος κακόν","t":"Why does he command the goring bull to be killed? Even through irrational animals he is teaching the rational how great an evil murder is.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.49 (PG 80 80:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-49)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.5":{"o":"Τινές φασιν ἄγγελον ὀφθῆναι τῷ Μωσῇ ἐν τῷ Ἡ ἀνάγνωσις τοῦ χωρίου τὸν ὀφθέντα δηλοῖ. Ωφθη γὰρ, φησὶν, αὐτῷ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐν φλογί πυρὸς ἐκ τοῦ βάτου.» Καὶ μετ᾿ ὀλίγα· Ὡς δὲ εἶδε Κύριος ὅτι προσάγει ἰδεῖν, ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν Κύριος ἐκ τοῦ βάτου. Καὶ πάλιν μετὰ βραχέα· Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. Καὶ εὐθὺς ἐπήγαγεν· ᾿Απέστρεψε δὲ Μωσῆς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ· ηὐλαβεῖτο γὰρ καταβλέψαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἐπισυνῆψεν Ἰδὼν εἶδον τὴν κάκωσιν τοῦ λαοῦ μου τοῦ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ τῆς κραυγῆς αὐτῶν ἤκουσα· καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς. Καὶ αὖθις Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν. Τάδε ἐρεῖς τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ· Ὁ ὢν ἀπέσταλκέ με πρὸς ὑμᾶς.» Καὶ ὅλον δὲ τὸ χωρίον δείκνυσι Θεὸν ὄντα τὸν ὀφθέντα. Κέκληκε δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ ἄγγελον, ἵνα γνῶμεν ὡς ὁ ὀφθεὶς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατήρ· τίνος γὰρ ἄγγελος ὁ Πατήρ; ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μονογενής Υἱὸς, ὁ μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελος· ὁ τοῖς ἱεροῖς μαθηταῖς εἰρηκώς Πάντα ὅσα ἤκουσα παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός μου, δεδή - λωκα ὑμῖν. Ωσπερ δὲ τὸ ἄγγελος ὄνομα τέθεικεν, οὐχ ὑπουργίαν τινὰ σημαίνων, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἐμφαίνων τὸ πρόσωπον οὕτω πάλιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν κηρύττει, λέγων αὐτὸν εἰρηκέναι, Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὢν, καὶ ἐγὼ ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Αβραάμ, καὶ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ· τοῦτό μοι ὄνομα αἰώνιον καὶ μνημόσυνον γενεῶν. Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ τὴν θείαν οὐσίαν δηλοῖ, καὶ τὸ αἰώνιον καὶ τὸ ἀΐδιον δείκνυσιν.","t":"Some say that it was an angel who appeared to Moses in the bush. Reading the passage shows who appeared. “An angel of the Lord appeared to him,” it says, “in a flame of fire out of the bush.” And shortly after: “When the Lord saw that he was coming near to see, the Lord called him from the bush.” And again shortly after: “And he said to him, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And at once it added: “Moses turned away his face; for he was afraid to look at God.” And it went on: “I have surely seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry,” and so on. And again: “I am He Who Is. Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, He Who Is has sent me to you.” The whole passage shows that the one who appeared was God. But it also called him an angel, so that we may know that the one who appeared is not God the Father (for whose angel is the Father?), but the only-begotten Son, the angel of great counsel, who said to the holy disciples, “All that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” Just as it put the name angel not to signify some subordinate service but to indicate the person of the Only-begotten, so again it proclaims his nature and his authority, saying that he said, “I am He Who Is,” and “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; this is my eternal name and memorial for generations.” These words both show the divine substance and indicate the eternal and the everlasting.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.5 (PG 80 80:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-5)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.50":{"o":"Διατί ὁ μόσχον κεκλοφὼς πενταπλάσια ἀπαιτεῖσθαι. κελεύεται, ὁ δὲ πρόβατον τετραπλάσια; Ὅτι τὰ μείζονα τῶν αμαρτημάτων μειζόνων ἄξια τιμημάτων οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐδίδαξεν· «Ὦ μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, πολὺ δοθήσεται, πολὺ καὶ ἀπαιτήσουσι παρ' αὐτοῦ.»","t":"Why is one who has stolen a calf required to repay fivefold, and one who has stolen a sheep fourfold? Because greater sins deserve greater penalties. So too the Lord taught: “To whom much is given, from him much will be required.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.50 (PG 80 80:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-50)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.51":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον το Θεοὺς οὐ κακολογήσεις; Τοὺς κριτὰς ὀνομάζει θεοὺς, ὡς κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ κρίνειν πεπιστευμένους. Καὶ τοῦτο σαφέστερον ἐδίδαξεν ὁ προφήτης Δαβίδ· εἰπὼν γὰρ, Ὁ Θεὸς ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρίνει ἐπήγαγεν· Ἕως πότε κρίνετε άδικίαν, καὶ πρόσωπα ἁμαρτωλῶν λαμβάνετε; Κρίνατε ὀρφανῷ καὶ πτωχῷ, ταπεινὸν καὶ πένητα δικαιώσατε. Ἐξέλεσθε πένητα καὶ πτωχόν· ἐκ χειρὸς ἁμαρτωλοῦ ῥύσασθε αὐτόν.» Εἶτα κατηγορῶν προστέθεικεν· Οὐκ ἔγνωσαν, οὐδὲ συνῆκαν, ἐν σκότει διαπορεύονται. Ἐπιδείκνυσι δὲ καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν φιλοτιμίαν. Ἐγὼ γὰρ, φησὶν, εἶπον θεοί ἐστε, καὶ υἱοὶ Ὑψίστου πάντες. Ὑμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἄνθρωποι ἀποθνήσκετε, καὶ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων πίπτετε. Οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα, θεοὺς οὐ κακολογήσεις, καὶ ἄρχοντα τοῦ λαοῦ σου οὐκ ἐρεῖς κακῶς.","t":"How should “You shall not revile gods” be understood? He calls the judges gods, as men entrusted with judging in imitation of the God of the universe. The prophet David taught this more clearly; for having said, “God stood in the assembly of gods; in their midst he judges gods,” he added: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to sinners? Judge for the orphan and the poor; do justice to the lowly and needy. Rescue the needy and poor; deliver him from the hand of the sinner.” Then, accusing them, he added: “They have not known nor understood; they walk about in darkness.” And he shows his own generosity: “I said, You are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High; but you die like men, and fall like one of the rulers.” So here too: “You shall not revile gods, and you shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.51 (PG 80 80:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-51)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.52":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκεν θηριάλωτα κρέα ἐσθίειν ἀπαγορεύει; Λογικωτέραν αὐτοὺς διδάσκει ζωὴν, καὶ μηδὲν ἔχειν παρεγγυᾷ θηριῶδες. Τὰ γὰρ θηρία οὐ θύει πρότερον, εἶθ᾽ οὕτως ἐσθίει Διὰ τοῦτο μετ᾿ ὀλίγα καὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐπιμελεῖσθαι κελεύει, καὶ τοῦ δυσμενῶς διακειμένου τὸν βοῦν πλανώμενον μὴ παρορᾶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιστρέφειν εἰς τὴν τοῦ δυσμενοῦς οἰκίαν, καὶ τὸ ὑποζύγιον τὸ πεπτωκὸς ἀνιστάναι· καὶ ταῖς τοιαύταις εὐεργεσίαις τὰς καταλλαγὰς μηχανᾶσθαι. Διδάσκει δὲ διὰ τούτων, ὡς εἷς Παλαιᾶς καὶ Καινῆς Διαθήκης νομοθέτης, καὶ ὁ τοῦτον δεδωκὼς τὸν νόμον, καὶ τὸν εὐαγγελικὸν ἐδωρήσατο.","t":"Why does he forbid eating meat torn by beasts? He teaches them a more rational life and directs them to have nothing beastly about them; for beasts do not first slaughter and then eat. For this reason, shortly after, he also commands them to care for their enemies: not to overlook the straying ox of one who is hostile, but to bring it back to the enemy's house, and to raise up the fallen beast of burden, and by such kindnesses to contrive reconciliation. By these he teaches that the lawgiver of the Old and New Testaments is one, and that he who gave this law also bestowed the law of the Gospel.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.52 (PG 80 80:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-52)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.53":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν· Οὐκ ὀφθήσῃ ἐνώπιον Κυρίου Θεοῦ σου κενός; Απιὼν προσκυνῆσαι τῷ Δεσπότῃ Θεῷ, τὰ δυνατά σοι πρόσφερε δῶρα. Ἡμᾶς δὲ ὁ λόγος διδάσκει, εἰ μὲν χρήματα ἔχοιμεν, μετὰ τῆς τῶν πενήτων θεραπείας προσεύχεσθαι τῷ Θεῷ· εἰ δὲ τὸν ἀκτήμονα προαιρούμεθα βίον, μὴ κενὴν ἔχειν τῶν ἀγαθῶν· τὴν ψυχὴν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔχουσαν τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς ἀρετῆς.","t":"What does “You shall not appear before the Lord your God empty” mean? When you go to worship God the Master, bring the gifts you can. The word teaches us that, if we have money, we should pray to God together with care for the poor; and if we choose the life without possessions, we should not have a soul empty of good things, but one that has the wealth of virtue.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.53 (PG 80 80:275; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-53)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.54":{"o":"Ποία ἐστὶν ἑορτὴ ἡ τοῦ θερισμοῦ τῶν πρωτογενημάτων, καὶ ποία ἑορτὴ συντελείας ἐπ᾿ ἐξὀδῳ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ; Ἑορτὴν πρωτογενημάτων τὴν Πεντηκοστὴν καλεῖ ἑορτὴν δὲ συντελείας ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ, τὴν τῆς Σκηνοπηγίας. Καὶ τοῦτο διδάσκων ἐπήγαγε ε Τρεῖς καιροὺς τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ὀφθήσεται πᾶν ἀρσενικόν σου ἐνώπιον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου·, τουτέστι τῇ ἑορτῇ τοῦ Πάσχα, καὶ τῇ Πεντηκοστῇ καὶ τῇ Σκηνοπηγίᾳ ᾿Αναμιμνήσκει δὲ τὸ μὲν Πάσχα, τῆς ἐξόδου τῆς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ τῆς παρασχεθείσης ἐλευθερίας· ἡ δὲ Πεντηκοστή, τῆς εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας εἰσόδου. Ἐκεῖ γὰρ σπείροντες, τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν γενημάτων προσέφερον. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἐρήμῳ τὸν ἄσπορον καὶ ἀνήροτον ἤσθιον ἄρτον. Ἡ δ σκηνοπηγία τὴν ἐν ἐρήμῳ διαγωγὴν ὑπογράφει. Ἐν σκηναῖς γὰρ οἰκοῦντες τεσσαράκοντα διετέλεσαν ἔτη. Ἐν ταύταις ταῖς ἑορταῖς συντρέχειν εἰς τὸν θεῖον νεὼ παρεγγύησεν· ἵνα καὶ τῶν θείων ἀναμιμνήσκωνται δωρεῶν, καὶ εἰς ὁμόνοιαν καὶ φιλίαν συνάπτωνται· καὶ φιλεορτασταὶ ὄντες, μὴ περὶ τὰ τεμένη τῶν δαιμόνων τρυφῶσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ πεποιηκότος, καὶ τὰ ἀγαθὰ χορηγοῦντος, τῆς ἑορταστικῆς ἀπολαύωσιν εὐωχίας.","t":"What is the feast of the harvest of the firstfruits, and what is the feast of completion at the end of the year? He calls Pentecost the feast of the firstfruits, and the feast of Tabernacles the feast of completion at the end of the year. Teaching this, he added: “Three times in the year every male of yours shall appear before the Lord your God,” that is, at the feast of the Passover, at Pentecost, and at Tabernacles. The Passover reminds them of the exodus from Egypt and the freedom given them; Pentecost, of the entry into the land of promise, for there they sowed and offered the firstfruits of their produce, whereas in the desert they ate bread that was neither sown nor ploughed; and Tabernacles depicts the life in the desert, for they lived forty years in tents. He bade them gather at the divine temple at these feasts, so that they might remember the divine gifts and be joined in concord and friendship, and, being lovers of feasts, might not revel around the precincts of demons, but enjoy the festal banquet in the temple of him who made them and supplies their good things.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.54 (PG 80 80:275; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-54)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.55":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν· Οὐ θύσεις ἐπὶ ζύμη, αἶμα θυσιάσμα τός μου ; Αζύμους ἄρτους τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ προσέφερον· ζυμίτας δὲ ἀπαγορεύει προσφέρειν· διὰ τῶν αἰσθητῶν διδάσκων τὰ νοητά. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ ἄζυμος ἄρτος αὐτοσχέδιός ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ ζυμίτης ἔχει τι τῆς ζύμης τῆς παλαιᾶς· ἀπαγορεύει ὁ νόμος, μηδὲν τοῖς θείοις τῆς Αἰγυπτιακῆς ἀναμιγνῦναι διδασκαλίας. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος τοῖς ἱεροῖς λέγει μαθηταῖς· Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης τῶν Γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων","t":"What does “You shall not sacrifice the blood of my sacrifice with leaven” mean? They offered unleavened loaves at the altar; he forbids offering leavened ones, teaching intelligible things through perceptible ones. Since unleavened bread is made on the spot, while leavened bread has something of the old leaven, the law forbids mixing anything of Egyptian teaching with divine things. So too the Lord says to the holy disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the scribes and Pharisees.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.55 (PG 80 80:275; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-55)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.56":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, ι Οὐκ ἐψήσεις ἄρνα ἐν γάλακτι μητρὸς αὐτοῦ; Πολλάκις ἔφην, ὅτι διὰ πάντων αὐτοὺς φιλανθρω πίαν διδάσκει. Τινὲς οὖν φασιν ἀπαγορεύειν τὸν νόμον τὸ εὐθυγενὲς ἐσθίειν τινὲς δὲ τῷ μητρῴῳ γάλακτι μὴ συνεψεῖν τρόπον γάρ τινα καὶ τὴν μητέρα συνεψεῖ. ᾿Απαγορεύει δὲ καὶ τὸ τῷ Θεῷ προσφέρειν κατὰ ταυτὸν μητέρα, καὶ τὸ τεχθὲν ἐξ αὐτῆς. Καὶ αὐτοῖς δὲ παρεκελεύσατο στρουθῶν εὑρηκόσι τὴν νεοττίαν, μὴ συνθηρεύειν τοῖς νεοττοῖς τὴν μητέρα· τοῦτο γὰρ ἐστιν ἐξαλεῖψαι τῶν ὀρνέων τὸ γένος.","t":"How should “You shall not boil a lamb in its mother's milk” be understood? I have often said that through everything he teaches them kindness. Some say that the law forbids eating the newborn; others, that it forbids boiling it in its mother's milk, for in a way one boils the mother along with it. He also forbids offering to God at the same time a mother and its offspring. And he commanded them, when they found a sparrows' nest, not to catch the mother together with the young; for this would be to wipe out the kind of birds.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.56 (PG 80 80:277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-56)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.57":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον, Τὸν ἀριθμὸν των ετων σου ἀναπληρώσω; ι Τὴν ὡρισμένην φησὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ζωήν· τουτἐστιν, εἰς γῆρας μακρὸν ἐλθεῖν σε παρασκευάσω.","t":"How should “I will fulfil the number of your days” be understood? He means the life allotted to human beings; that is, “I will make you reach a long old age.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.57 (PG 80 80:277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-57)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.58":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Ἀποστελῶ τὰς σφηκίας προτέρας σου; ι Ὡς τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις βατράχους, καὶ σκνίπας, καὶ κυνόμυιαν ἔπεμψεν, οὕτω τοῖς Χαναναίοις, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἔθνεσι, τὰς σφηκίας. Τοῦτο δὲ δηλοῖ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅτι καὶ διὰ τῶν σμικρῶν ζωῦφίων, καὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις ἐπικουρεῖ, καὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐπάγει τὸν ὄλεθρον. Τοῦτο καὶ διὰ τοῦ μακαρίου λέγει Δαβίδ· Εἰ ὁ λαός μου ἤκουσέ μου, Ἰσραὴλ ταῖς ὁδοῖς μου εἰ ἐπορεύθη, ἐν τῷ μηδενὶ ἂν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτῶν ἐταπείνωσα ἀντὶ τοῦ, εὐπετῶς ἂν μάλα καὶ ῥᾳδίως τοὺς πολεμοῦντας αὐτοὺς ἐξωλόθρευσα.","t":"What does “I will send the hornets before you” mean? As he sent frogs and gnats and the dog-fly on the Egyptians, so he sent the hornets on the Canaanites and the other nations. This shows the surpassing power of God, that even through small creatures he both helps his own and brings destruction on their opponents. He says this through the blessed David too: “If my people had listened to me, if Israel had walked in my ways, I would have humbled their enemies as nothing”; meaning, “I would very easily and readily have destroyed those who warred against them.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.58 (PG 80 80:277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-58)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.59":{"o":"Πῶς ἐπαγγειλάμενος ὁ Θεὸς μέχρι τοῦ Εὐφράτου τοῦ ποταμοῦ παραδώσειν αὐτοῖς τὴν γῆν, οὐκ ἐπλήρωσε τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν; Διὰ Ἱερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου τουτο σαφεστερον πεποίηκεν ὁ Θεός Πέρας γὰρ, φησὶ, λαλήσω ἐπὶ ἔθνος καὶ βασιλείαν, τοῦ οἰκοδομεῖν καὶ καταφυτεύειν· καὶ ἔσται, ἐὰν στραφὲν τὸ ἔθνος ἐκεῖνο ποιήσῃ πονηρά, οὐ μὴ ἐπαγάγω ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ πάντα τὰ ἀγαθὰ ὅσα ἐλάλησα, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Εἰσήγαγε τοίνυν ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ἣν ἐπηγγείλατο γῆν. Ἐπειδη δὲ φυλάξαι τὸν θεῖον οὐκ ἠβουλήθησαν νόμον, οὐ πᾶσαν αὐτοῖς παρέδωκεν, ἀλλ᾽ εἴασέ τινας διηνεκῶς αὐτοῖς πολεμοῦντας, ἵνα πολεμούμενοι τὴν θείαν αἰτῶσι βοήθειαν. Καὶ τοῦτο διαφερόντως ἡ τῶν Κριτῶν ἱστορία διδάσκει. Δαβὶδ μέντοι τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ τούτους ὑπέταξε. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι φόρους ἐδίδοσαν· καὶ Συρία Δαμασκοῦ, καὶ Συρία Σουβᾶ. Καὶ Σολομῶν δὲ, ἕως ηὐσέβει, ταύτην εἶχε τὴν δυναστείαν· ἀποκλίνας δὲ εἰς ἀσέβειαν, τῆς ἐξουσίας ἐξέπεσε. Καὶ τούτοις δὲ δώσειν ἐπηγγείλατο, τὰς ἐντολὰς καὶ τὸν νόμον φυλάττουσιν.","t":"How is it that God, having promised to give them the land as far as the river Euphrates, did not fulfil the promise? God made this clearer through the prophet Jeremiah: “I will finally speak,” he says, “concerning a nation and a kingdom, to build and to plant; and if that nation turns and does evil, I will not bring upon it all the good things that I have spoken,” and so on. God did bring them into the land he had promised; but since they would not keep the divine law, he did not hand all of it over to them, but left some nations to make war on them continually, so that, being warred against, they would ask for divine help. The history of the Judges teaches this especially. Yet he subjected even these nations to King David: the foreigners paid him tribute, and so did Syria of Damascus and Syria of Soba. Solomon too had this dominion as long as he was pious, but when he turned aside to impiety he fell from his power. He had promised to give them this land on condition that they kept the commandments and the law.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.59 (PG 80 80:277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-59)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.6":{"o":"Τί δηλοῖ τὸ, τὸν βάτον καίεσθαι, καὶ μὴ κατακαίεσθαι ; Τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμιν καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν κηρύττει, ὅτι δὴ φρυγανώδη οὖσαν τὸ ἄσβεστον οὐκ ἀνήλισκε πῦρ *, οἶμαι δὲ καὶ ἕτερα διὰ τούτου παραδηλοῦσθαι. Καὶ ὅτι ὁ Ἰσραὴλὑπὸ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἐπιβουλευόμενος οὐκ ἀναλωθήσεται, ἀλλὰ κρείττων ἔσται τῶν πολεμούντων. Καὶ ὡς ὁ Μονογενὴς ἐνανθρωπήσας, καὶ παρθενικὴν οἰκήσας νηδὺν, φυλάξει τὴν παρθενίαν ἀκήρατον. Φασὶ δὲ τινες, ἐν βάτῳ φανῆναι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ οὐκ ἐν ἄλλῳ φυτῷ, διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαί τινα ἐκ βάτου γλύψαι Θεόν. Εἰκὸς γὰρ ἦν Ἰουδαίους καὶ τοῦτο τολμῆσαι, εἴπερ ἐν ἄλλῳ ὤφθη φυτῷ.","t":"What does it signify that the bush was burning and not consumed? It proclaims the power and love of God, in that the inextinguishable fire did not consume the brushwood. I think other things too are indicated by this: that Israel, plotted against by the Egyptians, would not be consumed, but would be stronger than those who warred against it; and that the Only-begotten, becoming man and dwelling in a virgin's womb, would keep her virginity intact. Some say that God appeared in a bush and not in another plant because no one can carve a god out of a bush; for it was likely that the Jews would dare even this if he had been seen in another plant.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.6 (PG 80 80:229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-6)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.60":{"o":"Τὴν σκηνὴν τί δήποτε προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς Αὐτὸς ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς τὴν αἰτίαν δεδήλωκεν ἔφη δὲ οὕτω «Καὶ ποιήσεις μοι ἁγίασμα, καὶ ὀφθήσο μαι ἐν ὑμῖν. Καὶ ποιήσεις κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐγὼ δείκνυμί σοι ἐν τῷ ὄρει, τὸ παράδειγμα τῆς σκηνῆς, καὶ τὸ παράδειγμα πάντων 3ι τῶν σκευῶν αὐτῆς.» Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Σινᾶ ὄρει τὸν νόμον ἐδεδώκει, εἰκὸς δὲ ἦν τινας ὑποτοπῆσαι περιγεγράφθαι τὸ Θεῖον, ἐκέλευσε γενέσθαι σκηνήν· ἵν᾽ ἐκεῖθεν τὴν οἰκείαν ποιούμενος ἐπιφάνειαν, ἐκπαιδεύῃ τὸν λαὸν τὴν εὐσέβειαν Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην αὐτῶν ἀπειληφότων γῆν, τὸν νεὼν γενέσθαι προσέταξε, καὶ τὰς θείας ἐκεῖ γίνεσθαι λειτουργίας ἐνομοθέτησεν· ἵνα μὴ ἀδεῶς τοῦτο δρῶντες, τῇ τῶν ἀλιτηρίων δαιμόνων περιπέσωσι πλάνῃ· οὕτως ὁδοιποροῦσι, και τὴν ἔρημον διαβαίνουσι, σκηνὴν ποιῆσαι προσέταξε, μεταβῆναι καὶ αὐτὴν δυναμένην· ἵνα καὶ τὰς προσευχὰς, καὶ τὰς ἱερουργίας ἐν ταύτῃ προσφέρωσι. Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τῆς αὐτῶν ἕνεκα γεγένηται χρείας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τοῦ μεγάλου Μω σέως πλείους διατρίψαντος ἡμέρας, πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ααρὼν ἔφασαν· Ποίησον ἡμῖν θεοὺς, οἱ προπορεύσονται ἡμῶν· καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ μόσχου κατασκευάσαντες, ἐβόων χορεύοντες· Οὗτοι οἱ θεοί σου Ἰσραὴλ, οἱ ἐξαγαγόντες σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου. Τὴν σκηνὴν ταύτην γενέσθαι προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἀπαιρόντων ἡγεῖσθαι νενομοθέτηκε, καὶ αὐλιζομένων ἴστασθαι· ὥστε καὶ τοὺς ἱερέας ἐν αὐτῇ τὰς θυσίας ἐπιτελεῖν· εἶχε δὲ αὐτὴ τῆς κτίσεως τὴν εἰκόνα. Ωσπερ γὰρ τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν ὁ Δεσπότης δημιουργήσας Θεὸς, μέσον πάλιν ἐξέτεινε τὸ στερέωμα, καὶ διώρισε τὰ ὑπερῷα τῶν κάτω· οὕτω μίαν μὲν προσέταξε γενέσθαι τὴν σκηνὴν, τριάκοντα μὲν πήχεων τὸ μῆκος, δέκα δὲ τὸ εὗρος ἔχουσαν· ἐν μέσῳ δὲ τὸ καταπέτασμα διατείνας, ἐν τύπῳ τοῦ στερεώματος, διχῇ διεῖλεν αὐτὴν, καὶ τὸ μὲν παρὰ τὴν θύραν μέρος ἐκάλεσεν ἅγια, τὸ δὲ τοῦ καταπετάσματος ἔνδον, ῞Αγια ἁγίων ὠνόμασε. Καὶ ὥσπερ λέγει Δαβίδ· «Ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ, τὴν δὲ γῆν ἔδωκε τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· οὕτως ἔξω μὲν τοῦ καταπετάσματος εἰσιτητὸς ἦν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι· τὸ δὲ ἔνδον ἄψαυστα ἦν, καὶ ἄδυτα, καὶ ἀνάκτορα. Τὸν ἀρχιερέα γὰρ μόνον ἅπαξ τοῦ ἔτους νόμος ἦν εἰσιέναι. Ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖ τὰ τῶν Χερουβίμ εἰκάσματα, τύπον τῶν ἀσωμάτων δυνάμεων ἔχοντα· ἐν μέσῳ δὲ τούτων ἡ κιβωτὸς ἔκειτο, τὰς πλάκας ἔχουσα τοῦ νόμου, καὶ τὴν στάμνον τοῦ μάννα, καὶ τὴν ῥάβδον Ααρὼν τὴν βλαστήσασαν. Ἐπέκειτο δὲ ταύτῃ τὸ ἱλαστήριον, ταῖς πτέρυξι τῶν Χερουβίμ σκιαζόμενον ἐν τούτῳ δὲ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιφάνειαν ἐποιεῖτο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ θεία φύσις ἀνείδεός τε καὶ ἀσχημάτιστος, ἀόρατός τε καὶ ἀπερίληπτος, καὶ τῆς τοιαύτης οὐσίας εἰκόνα τεκτήνασθαι παντάπασι τῶν ἀδυνάτων, τὰ σύμβολα τῶν μεγίστων αὐτοῦ δωρεῶν ἔνδον κεῖσθαι προσἐταξεν. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ πλάκες τὴν νομοθεσίαν ἐδήλουν, τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἡ ῥάβδος, τὸ δὲ μάννα τὴν ἐν ἐρήμῳ τροφὴν καὶ τὸν ἀχειροποίητον ἄρτον· τὸ δέ γε ίλαστήριον τῆς προφητείας σύμβολον ἦν· ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ αἱ προῤῥήσεις ἐγίνοντο. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐκ μεγέθους καὶ καλλονῆς κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως ὁ γενεσιουργός αὐτῶν θεωρεῖται, οὕτω διὰ τούτων ὁ μεγαλόδωρος ἐγνωρίζετο. Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἔνδον τῆς σκηνῆς τῶν ἐπουρανίων εἶχε τὸν τύπον 3*, διὸ καὶ ῞Αγια τῶν ἁγίων ὠνόμαστο. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο ἀληθὲς, μάρτυς ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος οὐτωσὶ λέγων· Οὐ γὰρ εἰς χειροποίητα ῞Αγια εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀντίτυπα τῶν ἀληθινῶν· ἀλλ᾽ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν, νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Καὶ πάλιν, περὶ τῆς θείας ἐλπίδος διαλεγόμενος καὶ ταῦτα προστέθεικεν· Ἡν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν, καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ και ταπετάσματος, ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, γενόμενος ἀρχιερεὺς κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ. Οὐκοῦν τὰ μὲν ἔνδον τοῦ καταπετάσματος τὴν τῶν ἐπουρανίων εἶχεν εἰκόνα· τὰ δὲ ρον τοῦ καταπετάσματος τὴν τῶν ν ἐκτὸς, των επίγειων· οιο καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι διηνεκως ἦν βατά. Εἶχε δὲ ταῦτα λυχνίαν μὲν ἐν τῷ νοτίῳ μέρει κειμένην ἑπτάκαυλον, ἰσαρίθμους ἔχουσα λύχνους ἐπικειμένους. Ἐδήλουν δὲ οὗτοι τῶν ἡμερῶν τῆς ἑβδομάδος τὸν ἀριθμόν. Τράπεζαν δὲ ἐν τῷ βορείῳ χρυσῆν, ἐφ᾿ ἧς ἄρτους προκεῖσθαι προσέταξε δυοκαίδεκα, καὶ φιάλας χρυσᾶς, πλήρεις λιβανωτοῦ καὶ ἁλῶν. Ἐν δὲ τῷ μέσῳ τῆς τε λυχνίας καὶ τῆς τραπέζης, χρυσοῦν ἔκειτο θυμιατήριον. Ταῦτα δὲ ἦν αἰνίγματα τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δεδωρημένων καρπῶν. Πρὸ δὲ τῆς σκηνῆς ἔξω τὸ χαλκοῦν ἦν θυσιαστήριον, τὸ τὰ προσφερόμενα δεχόμενον θύματα. Δηλοῖ δὲ τοῦτο, περιττὰ εἶναι ταῦτα, καὶ μὴ ἀρεστὰ τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ. Ὅθεν ἐπιτελεῖσθαι αὐτὰ συνεχώρησε, διὰ τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀσθένειαν· ἔξω δὲ τῆς σκηνῆς ἱερουργεῖσθαι προσέταξεν, ὡς τοῖς ἔνδον οὐκ ἀναγκαῖα. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν τοῖς ἔνδον ἀπονεμηθεῖσαν λειτουργίαν ἐπιτελοῦμεν. Θυμίαμα γὰρ καὶ λυχνιαῖον φῶς προσφέρομεν τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ τὴν μυστικὴν τῆς ἁγίας τραπέζης ἱερουργίαν. Ὅτι δὲ τριάκοντα πήχεων ἦν τὸ μῆκος τῆς σκηνῆς, καὶ δέκα τὸ εὗρος, καταμαθεῖν εὐπετές. Εἴκοσι γὰρ σανίδας εἶχε τὸ νότιον μέρος, καὶ τοσαύτας τὸ βόρειον. Σανίδας γὰρ τοὺς στύλους ὠνόμασαν οἱ ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταί. Ἑκάστης δὲ σανίδος πῆχυν ἐχούσης καὶ ἥμισυ πήχεως, τριάκοντα πήχεις αἱ εἴκοσι σανίδες ἐπλήρουν. Οὕτω πάλιν τὸ πρὸς δυσμὰς ἀποβλέπον ἕξ εἶχε σανίδας τὸ αὐτὸ μέτρον ἐχούσας, καὶ δύο ἐν ταῖς γωνίαις Δώδεκα. οὖν πήχεις οἱ ἐκ τούτων συναγόμενοι, οἱ μὲν δέκα τὸ ἔνδον εὗρος ἐπλήρουν, οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι δύο, τῶν ἑκατέρωθεν πλευρῶν τὰς ἁρμονίας ἐδέχοντο. Ἐκ μέντοι τοῦ ἑῴου μέρους τὴν θύραν γενέσθαι προσέταξεν, ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς ἀνίσχων ὁ ἥλιος οἷόν τινα προσκύνησιν προσφέροι τοῖς προπυλαίοις εὐθὺς ἐκεῖσε τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐκπέμπων· καὶ οἱ τῷ Θεῷ μόνῳ λατρεύειν προστεταγμένοι ὅπισθεν τὸν ἥλιον ἔχωσι πρὸς τὴν σκηνὴν τετραμμένοι, καὶ μὴ τοῦτον, ἀλλὰ τὸν τούτου ποιητὴν προσκυνῶσι. Δρυφάκτῳ τοίνυν ἡ σκηνὴ προσεῴκει, σανίδας ἔχουσα πάντοθεν συνηρμοσμένας ἀλλήλαις. Εἶχον δὲ καὶ τὰς βάσεις ἀργυρᾶς, καὶ τὰς κεφαλίδας ὡσαύτως· καὶ αὐταὶ δὲ καὶ ἔνδοθεν καὶ ἔξωθεν ἦσαν ἠλειμμέναι χρυσῷ· τὸν δὲ ὄροφον εἶχον ἐξ ὑφασμάτων ποικίλων, ἐκ διαφόρων κατεσκευασμένων χρωμάτων. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἦν ἀλουργικὸν, τὸ δὲ ῥοδοειδὲς, ἢ κοκκοβαφὲς, τὸ δὲ ὑακίνθῳ προσεοικός· ἡ δὲ βύσσος τὴν λευκὴν εἶχε χροιάν. Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων ἦν αἰνίγματα. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ὑάκινθος τῷ ἀἐρι προσέοικε τὸ δὲ ῥοδοειδὲς ἢ κοκκοβαφὲς τῷ πυρί· τὸ δὲ ἀλουργικὸν μηνύει τὴν θάλατταν· ἐκείνη γὰρ τρέφει τὸν κόχλον, ἐξ οὗ τὸ τοιοῦτον γίνεται χρῶμα· ἡ δὲ βύσσος, τὴν γῆν· ἐκ ταύτης γὰρ φύεσθαι λέγεται. Καὶ δέῤῥεις δὲ εἶχε τριχίνας ἐπικειμένας, καὶ μέντοι καὶ διφθέρας ποικίλας, ὥστε καὶ τὸν ὑετὸν ἀπείργειν, καὶ τὸν φλογμόν. Καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι δὲ παντοδαπὸν περιτέθεικε κόσμον· τὸν μὲν λαὸν καταπλήττοντα τῷ διαφόρῳ τοῦ σχήματος, αὐτοὺς δὲ τοὺς ἱερέας διδάσκοντα ὅπως χρὴ τὴν ψυχὴν ὡραῖζειν, καὶ τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς αὐτῇ κόσμον περιτιθέναι. Ὑποδύτην δὲ καλεῖ τὸν ἐνδότερον χιτωνίσκον· ἐπενδύτην δὲ, τὸν χιτῶνα τὸν ἔξωθεν, ὑακίνθινον δὲ τοῦτον γενέσθαι προσέταξε, καὶ ποδήρη προσηγόρευσεν, ὡς μέχρις ἄκρων διήκοντα τῶν πο δῶν. ᾿Απήρτησε δὲ τούτου καὶ κώδωνας χρυσοῦς, καὶ ῥοΐσκους ἵνα εἰς τὸ ἄδυτον καὶ ἀνάκτορον τῆς σκηνῆς εἰσιὼν, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τούτων ἀποτελουμένην ἠχὴν εἰσδεχόμενος μετὰ δέους τὴν λειτουργίαν ἐπιτελῇ εἰς μνήμην λαμβάνων τὸν ταῦτα προστεταχότα, καὶ τὴν προσφερομένην ἱερουργίαν δεχόμενον. Διά τοι τοῦτο γὰρ τοῦ ἀέρος ὁ ποδήρης εἶχε τὸ χρῶμα· ὑάκινθος δὲ ἦν, ὡς ἂν καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἀφορῶν μετάρσιος γένηται. Ἐπέκειτο δὲ τῇ κεφαλῇ κίδαρις τὸν οὐρανὸν μιμουμένη. Ἐκάλυπτε δὲ καὶ ταινία τὸ μέτωπον, ἣν μίτραν εἶπον οἱ Ἑβδομήκοντα. Εἶχε δὲ ἐν μέσῳ πέταλον αὕτη χρυσοῦν, ἐγγεγραμμένον ἔχον τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἄφραστον ὄνομα, ὃ καλοῦσιν Ἑβραῖοι τετράγραμμον Εὐλάβειαν δὲ τὸν λαὸν ἐκπαιδεύων ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, δι' αἰνίγματος τοῦτο δεδήλωκεν· Ἑπιγράψεις αὐτὸ φησὶν, ἁγίασμα Κυρίου. Ἐκέλευσε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ἐφεστρίδα γενέσθαι, ἣν οἱ Ἑβδομήκοντα ἐπωμίδα ἐκάλεσαν· ἐν δὲ ταῖς Βασιλείαις εὑρίσκομεν ἐφοὐδ αὐτὴν κατὰ τὴν τῶν Ἑβραίων γλῶτταν ὠνομασμένην. Αὕτη εἶχεν ἐφ᾽ ἐκατέρου μὲν ὤμου δύο λίθους πολυτελεῖς, ἔχοντας τῶν φυλῶν τὰς προσηγορίας ἐγγεγραμμένας. Ἐπὶ τῷ στήθει τὸ καλούμενον λόγιον τὴν λογικὴν συγκαλύπτον καρδίαν. Εἶχε δὲ καὶ τοῦτο δυοκαίδεκα λίθους προσηρμοσμένους διάφορον ἔχοντας χροιὰν διὰ δὲ τούτων ἐδηλοῦτο πολέμου συγκροτηθέντος ἢ νίκη, ἢ ἧττα· καὶ τοῦτο τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἡ ἱστορία διδασκει. Ἐπιστρατευσάντων γὰρ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, οὐ πρότερον ἐτόλμησεν ὁ Σαούλ παρατάξασθαι ἕως εἶδε τὰ τῆς νίκῃς μηνύματα. Προσάγαγε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸ Ἐφούδ. Εἶτα τὴν νίκην μαθὼν, ἐπήγαγε· Συνάγαγε τὸ Ἐφούδ· καὶ οὕτως ἐξώπλισε τὸν - λαόν. Διὰ τοῦτο εἰρηκὼς ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός· Καὶ ἐπιθήσεις τὸ λόγιον τῆς κρίσεως ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος ᾿Ααρὼν, καὶ συνάψεις αὐτὸ πρὸς τὴν ἐπωμίδα, ἐπήγαγε· καὶ ἐπιθήσεις αὐτῷ τὴν δήλωσιν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Καὶ δήλωσιν μὲν ἐκάλεσε τὰ ἐκεῖθεν μηνύματα· ἀλήθειαν δὲ τῶν μηνυμάτων τὸ ἀψευδές. Ἰστέον μέντοι, ὡς παχυτέροις οὖσι τοῖς τηνικαῦτα, καὶ τῶν νοητῶν ἐφικέσθαι μὴ δυναμένοις, διὰ τῶν σωματικῶν συμβόλων τὴν ὠφέλειαν ὁ πάνσοφος Δεσπότης ἐπραγματεύετο, Ἡμεῖς δὲ νοοῦμεν διὰ μὲν τοῦ λογίου, τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν νοητῶν· διὰ δὲ τῆς ἐπωμίδος, τὴν ἐργασίαν τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ τὴν τοῦ λογίου καὶ τῆς ἐπωμίδος ἁρμονίαν τε καὶ συνάφειαν εἰς τὴν τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἀγαθῆς πράξεως λαμβάνομεν συμφωνίαν. Τὸ δὲ πρώτην ἐπιτίθεσθαι τὴν ἐπωμίδα, εἶθ' οὕτω ταύτῃ τὸ λόγιον συνάπτεσθαι, τὸ τὴν ἀγαθὴν πρᾶξιν ὑποβάθραν εἶναι τῆς θεωρίας.","t":"Why did God command the tabernacle to be made? God the Master himself showed the reason; he said: “And you shall make me a sanctuary, and I will be seen among you. And you shall make it according to all that I show you on the mountain, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its vessels.” Since he had given the Law on Mount Sinai, and some were likely to suppose that the divine was circumscribed, he ordered a tabernacle to be made, so that, making his appearing from there, he might train the people in piety. For just as, when they had taken the promised land, he ordered the temple to be built and legislated that the divine liturgies should take place there, so that they would not do this freely and fall into the error of the accursed demons, so, while they were travelling and crossing the desert, he ordered a tabernacle to be made that could itself move, so that they might offer their prayers and sacred rites in it. These things too were done because of their need. For when the great Moses spent several days on the mountain, they said to Aaron, “Make us gods who will go before us”; and having fashioned the image of the calf, they cried out as they danced, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” God ordered this tabernacle to be made, and legislated that it should lead them when they set out and stand when they encamped, so that the priests might perform the sacrifices in it. It bore the image of creation. For just as God the Master, having created heaven and earth, stretched out the firmament in the middle and divided the upper regions from the lower, so he commanded the tabernacle to be one, thirty cubits long and ten wide; and stretching the veil in the middle, as a type of the firmament, he divided it in two, and called the part by the door the holy place, and named the part within the veil the holy of holies. And as David says, “The heaven of heaven is the Lord's, but the earth he has given to the sons of men,” so the part outside the veil was accessible to the priests, while the part within was untouchable, inaccessible, a sanctuary; for the law was that only the high priest entered, once a year. There were the images of the cherubim, bearing the type of the incorporeal powers; between them lay the ark, holding the tablets of the Law, the jar of manna, and Aaron's rod that had budded. On the ark lay the mercy seat, shaded by the wings of the cherubim; in it the God of the universe made his appearing. Since the divine nature is without form and shape, invisible and incomprehensible, and it is wholly impossible to fashion an image of such a substance, he ordered the symbols of his greatest gifts to lie within. The tablets indicated the legislation; the rod, the priesthood; the manna, the food in the desert and the bread not made by hands; and the mercy seat was the symbol of prophecy, for the prophecies came from there. For just as from the greatness and beauty of created things their creator is perceived by analogy, so through these the generous giver was made known. The things within the tabernacle, then, bore the type of heavenly things; that is why it was named the holy of holies. That this is true, the divine Apostle is witness, saying: “For Christ did not enter a holy place made by hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us.” And again, discussing the divine hope, he added this: “which we have as an anchor, sure and steadfast, entering into the inner place behind the veil, where Jesus has entered as forerunner for us, having become a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” So the things within the veil bore the image of the heavenly things, and those outside the veil that of the earthly; that is why they were continually accessible to the priests. These included a lampstand placed on the south side, with seven branches and as many lamps set on them; these indicated the number of the days of the week. On the north side was a golden table, on which he ordered twelve loaves to be set out, and golden bowls full of frankincense and salt. Between the lampstand and the table lay a golden altar of incense. These were riddles of the fruits given to human beings from the earth. Before the tabernacle, outside, was the bronze altar, which received the victims that were offered. This shows that these were superfluous and not pleasing to the God of the universe. Hence he allowed them to be performed because of the weakness of the Jews, but ordered them to be offered outside the tabernacle, as not necessary to those within. We, however, perform the liturgy assigned to those within; for we offer God incense and lamplight, and the mystical sacred rite of the holy table. That the tabernacle was thirty cubits long and ten wide is easy to learn. The south side had twenty boards, and the north side as many (the other translators called the boards pillars). Since each board was a cubit and a half, the twenty boards made up thirty cubits. So again the side facing west had six boards of the same measure, and two at the corners. Of the twelve cubits made up by these, ten made up the inner width, and the other two received the joints of the sides on each side. He commanded the door to be made on the east side, so that the rising sun itself might offer a kind of obeisance to the entrance, sending its rays straight there; and so that those who were commanded to serve God alone would have the sun behind them as they turned toward the tabernacle, and would worship not the sun but its maker. The tabernacle, then, was like an enclosure, with boards fitted to one another on all sides. They had silver bases, and capitals likewise; and the boards themselves were overlaid with gold inside and out. The roof was of embroidered fabrics made in various colors: one was purple, another rose or scarlet, another like hyacinth; and the fine linen had a white color. These too were riddles of the four elements: the hyacinth resembles the air; the rose or scarlet, fire; the purple signifies the sea, since it nourishes the shellfish from which this color comes; and the linen signifies the earth, from which it is said to grow. It also had skins of hair-cloth laid over it, and colored hides, to keep off both rain and heat. On the priests too he put adornment of every kind, both to amaze the people by the variety of the dress and to teach the priests themselves how they must beautify the soul and clothe it with the adornment of virtue. He calls the inner tunic hypodytēs and the outer tunic ependytēs; he ordered the latter to be hyacinth-colored and called it podērēs, since it reached to the tips of the feet. From it he hung golden bells and pomegranates, so that when the high priest entered the inaccessible sanctuary of the tabernacle and heard the sound they made, he might perform the liturgy with fear, bringing to mind the one who had commanded these things and who received the sacred rite that was offered. For this reason the long robe had the color of the air; it was hyacinth, so that by looking at it he might be lifted up. On his head lay a turban imitating heaven. A band, which the Seventy called mitra, covered his forehead; it had in its middle a golden plate bearing inscribed the unutterable name of God, which the Hebrews call the tetragram. God the Master, training the people in reverence, showed this in a riddle: “You shall engrave on it,” he says, “Holiness of the Lord.” He also ordered an over-garment to be made for him, which the Seventy called epōmis; in the books of Kingdoms we find it named ephod, according to the Hebrew language. It had on each shoulder two precious stones with the names of the tribes engraved on them. On the breast was the so-called logion, covering the rational heart. It too had twelve stones fitted to it, of different colors; through these, when a war was joined, either victory or defeat was shown, as the history of Kingdoms teaches. For when the foreigners marched against Israel, Saul did not dare to draw up for battle until he saw the signs of victory: “Bring the ephod,” he says. Then, learning of the victory, he added, “Draw in the ephod,” and so he armed the people. For this reason the God of the universe, having said, “And you shall put the oracle of judgment on Aaron's breast, and join it to the shoulder-piece,” added: “and you shall put on it the Manifestation and the Truth.” He called the signs given from it “Manifestation,” and the infallibility of the signs “Truth.” One must know, however, that since the people of that time were rather gross and unable to reach intelligible things, the all-wise Master procured their benefit through bodily symbols. We understand by the oracle the contemplation of intelligible things, and by the shoulder-piece the practice of virtue; and in the fitting together and joining of the oracle and the shoulder-piece we take the harmony of faith and good action. And the shoulder-piece's being put on first, and the oracle then joined to it, means that good action is the foundation of contemplation.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.60 (PG 80 80:279; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-60)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.61":{"o":"Διατί οἱ ἱερεῖς τοῖς ἱερείοις τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιτιθέντες οὕτως ἱέρευον ; Οὐ πᾶσι τοῖς ἱερείοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν προσφερομένοις, καὶ μάλιστα τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας. Τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις αὐτοὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἐπετίθεσαν οἱ προσφέροντες. ὧν δὲ τοῦτο σύμβολον τοῦ τὸ ἱερεῖον τὸν τόπον πληροῦν τοῦ προσφέροντος τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ δεχόμενον σφαγήν. Ἐπισημήνασθαι δὲ προσήκει, ὡς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως προσεφέρετο μόσχος· ὑπὲρ δὲ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ πάλιν μόσχος· ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦ ἄρ χοντος χίμαρος ὑπὲρ ἑκάστου δὲ ἀνδρὸς χίμαιρα. Πρόσφορον γὰρ τῷ μὲν ἄρχοντι τὸ ἄῤῥεν, τῷ δὲ ἀρχομένῳ τὸ θῆλυ. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ ᾿Ἀδὰμ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑπέταξεν ὁ Θεός. Ὁ δὲ μόσχος ὁ περὶ ἁμαρτίας θυόμενος ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς κατεκαίετο. Τούτου χάριν καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς, ᾗ φησιν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, ἔξω τῆς πύλης ἔπαθε, καὶ τῷ τύπῳ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐπιτέθεικε. Τῷ δὲ θυσιαστηρίῳ προσεφέρετο τὸ ἐπίπλουν Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει, Τὸ στέαρ τὸ ἐπὶ τῆς κοιλίας, καὶ οἱ δύο νεφροὶ, καὶ στέαρ τὸ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν, καὶ ὁ τοῦ ἤπατος λοβός·, ὅπερ οἱ ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταὶ περιττὸν προσΗ ηγόρευσαν. Αἰνίγματα δὲ ταῦτα τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν παθημάτων. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ στέαρ τὸ τὴν κοιλίαν καλύπτον, σημαίνει τῆς γαστριμαργίας τὴν νόσον· οἱ δὲ νεφροὶ τὰς ὑπογαστρίους ἡδονάς· ὁ δὲ λοβὸς τοῦ ἤπατος τὸ θυμοειδές. Ἐκείνῳ γὰρ συνῆπται τὸ χοληδόχον ἀγγεῖον. Ταῦτα δὲ καθιεροῦν κελεύει, καὶ οἱονεὶ νεκρὰς αὐτῶν ἀποφαίνειν τὰς πονηρὰς ἐνεργείας. Τοῦ δὲ τῆς τελειώσεως κριοῦ τὸν βραχίονα τὸν δεξιὸν προσενεγκεῖν διηγόρευσε, τὴν πρακτικὴν ἀρετὴν δεξιὰν οὖσαν, καὶ ἀρεστὴν τῷ Θεῷ. προσφέρειν κελεύων. Ὁ δὲ ἄρτος, καὶ τὸ λάγανον, καὶ ἡ τοῦ οἴνου σπονδὴ, τοὺς ἀπὸ γῆς φυομένους δηλοῦσι καρποὺς, ὧν τὰς ἀπαο ὰς προσφέρειν ὅσιον τῷ Θεῷ.","t":"Why did the priests lay their hands on the victims before sacrificing them? Not on all the victims, but on those offered for themselves, and especially those offered for sin. On the others the offerers themselves laid their hands. This is a symbol of the victim's filling the place of the offerer, receiving slaughter on his behalf. One must note that for the high priest a calf was offered, and again a calf for the whole people; for a ruler a he-goat, and for each individual a she-goat. For the male suits the ruler, and the female the one who is ruled, since from the beginning God subjected the woman to Adam. The calf sacrificed for sin was burned outside the camp; for this reason Christ the Master too, as the divine Apostle says, suffered outside the gate, and set the truth upon the type. To the altar was offered the omentum; this is what it means by “the fat on the belly, and the two kidneys, and the fat on them, and the lobe of the liver,” which the other translators called the “appendage.” These are riddles of the passions within us. The fat covering the belly signifies the disease of gluttony; the kidneys, the pleasures below the belly; and the lobe of the liver, the spirited part, for the gall bladder is joined to it. He commands these to be consecrated, and their wicked activities to be made, as it were, dead. Of the ram of consecration he ordered the right shoulder to be offered, commanding them to offer practical virtue, which is right and pleasing to God. The bread, the cake, and the libation of wine indicate the fruits growing from the earth, whose firstfruits it is holy to offer to God.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.61 (PG 80 80:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-61)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.62":{"o":"Τι ἐστιν, «εἰς᾿ ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας κάρπωμά ἐστι τῷ Κυρίῳ ; Διὰ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων τὰ θεῖα διδάσκει. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡμεῖς ταῖς εὐοσμίαις τερπόμεθα, τὴν κατὰ νόμον γενομένην ἱερουργίαν ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας ὠνόμασεν. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ δεῖ γυμνῷ προσέχειν τῷ γράμματι, καὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ φύσις διδάσκει· ἀσώματος γάρ· καὶ ἡ δυσοσμία τῶν καιομένων ὀστῶν. Τί γὰρ ἐκείνων ἐστὶ δυσωδέστερον; Οἱ μέντοι ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταὶ εὐαρεστήσεως ἀντὶ εὐωδίας τεθείκασιν.","t":"What does “it is a burnt offering for a fragrant odor to the Lord” mean? He teaches divine things through human ones. Since we delight in fragrances, he named the sacred rite performed according to the law a fragrant odor. That one must not attend to the bare letter is taught both by the nature of God, for it is incorporeal, and by the foul smell of burning bones; for what smells worse than they? The other translators, however, put “of good pleasure” instead of “of fragrance.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.62 (PG 80 80:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-62)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.63":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν ἐξ ἑκάστης θυσίας ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας προσφερομένης τὸν ἱερέα λαμβάνειν τὸν βραχίονα τὸν δεξιὸν, καὶ τὸ στηθύνιον προσέταξε Διὰ τοῦ στηθυνίου τὸ λογικὸν καὶ τὸ θεωρητικὸν ἀπαιτεῖ τὸν ἱερέα· κάλυμμα γὰρ τὸ στηθύνιον τῆς καρδίας. Διὰ δὲ τοῦ δεξιοῦ βραχίονος, τὴν πρᾶξιν τὴν δεξιάν. Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ γὰρ ἡ πίστις εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ δεῖται τῶν ἔργων εἰς τελειότητα","t":"Why did he command the priest to take the right shoulder and the breast from each sacrifice of salvation that was offered? By the breast he requires of the priest the rational and the contemplative; for the breast is the covering of the heart. By the right shoulder he requires right action. For faith is not enough for salvation; it needs works for perfection.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.63 (PG 80 80:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-63)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.64":{"o":"Τί ἐστι τὸ εἶν Μέτρον Ἑβραϊκὸν οἶνου καὶ ἐλαίου. Δέχεται δὲ, ὣς φησιν Ἰώσηπος, δύο χοᾶς Ἀττικούς. Πιστευτέον δὲ ἐν τούτοις αὐτῷ, ἀκριβῶς τοῦ ἔθνους τὰ μέτρα ἐπισταμένῳ.","t":"What is the hin? A Hebrew measure of wine and oil. It holds, as Josephus says, two Attic choes. In these matters one must believe him, since he knew the measures of the nation precisely.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.64 (PG 80 80:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-64)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.65":{"o":"Περὶ τῶν Σαββάτων νομοθετῶν ἔφη· ῎Εστι γάρ σημεῖον ἐμοὶ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν· πῶς οὖν τοῦτο νοήσομεν ; Ὥσπερ τῷ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ τὴν περιτομὴν διδοὺς ἔφη Καὶ ἔσται εἰς σημεῖον ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν· οὕτω καὶ περὶ Σαββάτου νομοθετῶν ἔφη· Ἔστι γὰρ σημεῖον ἐμοὶ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν. Τὸ γὰρ καινὸν τῆς πολιτείας ἀεὶ τοῦ νομοθέτου τὴν μνήμην ἀνθεῖν παρεσκεύαζε, καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν ἄλλων ἐχώριζε Καθάπερ γὰρ τὰς ποίμνας καὶ τὰς ἀγέλας αἱ σφραγίδες δηλοῦσι· οὕτω τὰ τῆς τῶν Ἑβραίων πολιτείας ἐξαίρετα, καὶ τῶν λλων αὐτοὺς διεῖργε, καὶ τὸν νομοθέτην προσδρεύειν ἐδίδασκεν.","t":"Legislating about the Sabbaths he said, “For it is a sign between me and the sons of Israel throughout your generations.” How then shall we understand this? Just as, when giving circumcision to Abraham, he said, “And it shall be a sign between me and you,” so too, legislating about the Sabbath, he said, “For it is a sign between me and the sons of Israel throughout your generations.” The newness of their way of life always kept the memory of the lawgiver flourishing, and separated them from the other nations. For just as seals mark out flocks and herds, so the distinctive features of the Hebrews' way of life both separated them from the others and taught them to wait upon the lawgiver.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.65 (PG 80 80:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-65)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.66":{"o":"Τί δήποτε ὁ Ἀαρὼν τῷ λαῷ τὸν μοσχον διέγλυψεν; Τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ γινομένου προσήκει ζητεῖν. Οὕτω γὰρ ἐξετάζοντες, εὑρήσομεν αὐτὸν οὐ παντάπασι συγγνώμης ἐστερημένον. Τοῦ γὰρ ἀδελφοῦ τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας διατρίψαντος ἐν τῇ τοῦ ὄρους ἀκρονυχίᾳ, καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ λυττήσαντος, καὶ εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἀναστρέψαι ὁρμήσαντος. Πρῶτον μὲν ἐπειράθη λόγοις αὐτῶν τὴν ὀρμὴν χαλινῶσαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπειθοῦντας εἶδεν, ᾔτησε τῶν γυναικῶν τὰ χρυσία, πάθει πάθος ἀντιστρατεύσας, τὸ φιλόκοσμον καὶ φιλοχρήματον τῇ τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας μανίᾳ. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτο τὸ μηχάνημα τὴν ἐκείνων ἔσβεσε λύτταν. Ὅθεν ήναγκάσθη διαγλύψαι τὸν μόσχον. Καὶ τοιούτῳ δὲ σκοπῷ χρησάμενος, τῆς θείας ἐδεήθη φιλανθρωπίας, ὥστε τὴν τιμωρίαν διαφυγεῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο Μωσῆς ὁ θειότατος ἐν τῷ Δευτερονομίῳ δεδήλωκεν· Ἐδεήθην γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ *3 μου περὶ ᾿Ααοὼν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέθανεν.","t":"Why did Aaron carve the calf for the people? One must look for the aim of what was done. Examining it in this way, we shall find him not wholly without excuse. When his brother had spent forty days on the summit of the mountain, and the people went mad and set out to return to Egypt, he first tried to bridle their impulse with words. When he saw them disobedient, he asked for the women's gold ornaments, setting passion against passion, the love of adornment and of money against the madness of superstition. But not even this device quenched their frenzy; hence he was forced to carve the calf. And though he had such an aim, he needed the divine love for humankind to escape punishment. The most divine Moses showed this in Deuteronomy: “For I prayed,” he says, “to the Lord my God for Aaron my brother, and he did not die.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.66 (PG 80 80:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-66)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.67":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τό· Καὶ νῦν ἔασόν με, καὶ θυμω θεὶς ὀργῇ εἰς αὐτοὺς, ἐκτρίψω αὐτοὺς, καὶ ποιήσω σε εἰς ἔθνος μέγα;, Καὶ τὸ ἀπαθὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὸ φιλάνθρωπον ὁλόγος δηλοῖ. Ὁ γὰρ θυμῷ τι πράττων, καὶ τοὺς παρακαλοῦντας δυσχεραίνει· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἔφη· Ἔασόν με, καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὀργῇ εἰς αὐτοὺς, ἐκτρίψω αὐτούς. Οὐδεὶς δὲ ἀναμένει τοὺς παρακαλοῦντας, ἵνα ὀργισθῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα παρακληθῇ. Τὸ οὖν· Ἔασόν με, ἀντὶ τοῦ, κώλυσόν με, εἴρηκεν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡγνόει Μωσῆς ὁ μέγας τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ παρανομίαν, καὶ ταύτην αὐτῷ δεδήλωκεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ εἰς πρεσβείαν διήγειρε· τὸ δὲ· Ποιήσω σε εἰς ἔθνος μέγα, τὰ ἡμέτερα προσημαίνει. Ὅπερ γὰρ τότε οὐ γέγονε, μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπιφάνειαν γέγονεν. Ὁ μέντοι νομοθέτης, καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀρκεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ πρεσβείαν εἰρηκότος, οὐχ ὑπέλαβεν ἱκανὸς εἶναι παῦσαι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ὀργὴν· ὅθεν τῶν πατρι αρχῶν τὰς προσηγορίας ἀνθ' ἱκετηρίας προσήγαγε καὶ τῶν πρὸς ἐκείνους ὄρχων ὑπέμνητῇ τῶν πατριαρχῶν προσηγορίᾳ καὶ ἱκετηρίας προσσε καὶ τὰς γεγενημένας συνθήκας ἐμπεδωθῆναι ἱκέτευσεν.","t":"How should “And now let me alone, and, being angered with wrath against them, I will destroy them, and I will make you a great nation” be understood? The word shows both God's impassibility and his love for humankind. One who acts in anger is annoyed even with those who intercede; but God said, “Let me alone, and, being angered with wrath against them, I will destroy them.” No one waits for intercessors in order to be angry, but in order to be appeased. So he said “Let me alone” in the sense of “Stop me.” For since the great Moses did not know of the people's lawlessness, God both made it known to him and roused him to intercede. “I will make you a great nation” foreshadows what concerns us; for what did not happen then has happened after the appearing of our Savior. The lawgiver, even though God had said that he was sufficient to intercede for the people, did not think himself able to stop God's wrath; hence he brought forward the names of the patriarchs as a suppliant's branch, reminded God of the oaths made to them, and begged that the covenants made with them be confirmed.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.67 (PG 80 80:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-67)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.68":{"o":"Διατί τὰς πλάκας συνέτριψεν; Ανάξιον κρίνας τὸν λαὸν τῆς θείας νομοθεσίας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ προικῴων γραμματείων τύπον εἶχον αἱ πλάκες, ἡ δὲ νύμφη πρὸ τῆς παστάδος εἰς μοιχείαν ἀπέκλινε, μάλα εἰκότως τὸ προικῷον διέῤῥηξε γραμματεῖον. Ἐπισημήνασθαι δὲ προσήκει, ὡς τότε μὲν δεξάμενος τὴν ἱκετείαν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἀνεβάλετο τὴν τιμωρίαν. Προστέθεικε δὲ, Ἧ δ' ἂν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπισκέπτωμαι, ἐπάξω ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς πᾶσαν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτῶν. Ἔοικε δὲ τοῦτο τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου εἰρημένοις ᾿Αγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει· κατὰ δὲ τὴν σκληρότητά σου, καὶ ἀμετανόητον καρδίαν, θησαυρίζεις σεαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς, καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως, καὶ δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃς ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Ὁ μέντοι νομοθέτης ἀκούσας, ὡς οὐκ ἀνέξεται συνεἶναι αὐτοῖς ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς διὰ τὸ σκληρὸν αὐτῶν καὶ ἀντίτυπον, ἀλλ᾽ ἄγγελον αὐτοῖς ἐπιστήσει· ᾔτησε μὲν γνῶναι, τίς ὁ τὴν κηδεμονίαν αὐτῶν πιστευθείς· ἠντιβόλησε δὲ μὴ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς ὁμόδουλον ἡγεμόνα, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸν αὐτῶν ἡγήσασθαι τὸν Δεσπότην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ταύτην ὑπέσχετο δώσειν αὐτῷ ἐς τὴν χάριν ὁ ἀγαθὸς Θεὸς, ἔρωτι μεθύων ἐπαινουμένῳ, τῶν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἠράσθη, καὶ τὴν ἀθέατον φύσιν ἰδεῖν ἐπεθύμησεν· ἀλλὰ μεμάθηκεν, ὡς ἐκείνην ἰδεῖν τὴν οὐσίαν ἀδύνατον. Τὸν Θεὸν γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου φωνήν τὰς δὲ θείας οἰκονομίας τε καὶ ἐνεργείας· οὕτω γὰρ προσἡκει νοεῖν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ ὀπίσθια· θεωρῆσαι δυνατὸν τοῖς κατὰ Μωσέα τελείοις τὴν ἀρετήν· καὶ οὐδὲ τούτοις ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν πέτραν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τεθειμένοις Σημαίνει δὲ αὕτη τῆς πίστεως τὸ στεῤῥὸν καὶ ἀκράδαντον· καὶ διὰ τῆς ὀπῆς τῆς πέτρας· δηλοῖ δὲ αὕτη τὸν τῆς πίστεως ὀφθαλμὸν θεωροῦντα τὰ τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀνέφικτα καὶ ἀθέατα.","t":"Why did he break the tablets? He judged the people unworthy of the divine legislation. Since the tablets had the form of a dowry contract, and the bride had turned aside to adultery before the bridal chamber, he very fittingly tore up the dowry contract. One must note that on that occasion the God of the universe, accepting the supplication, postponed the punishment; but he added, “On whatever day I visit, I will bring upon them all their sin.” This resembles what the Apostle said: “Not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But by your hardness and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will repay each according to his works.” The lawgiver, hearing that the God of the universe would not consent to be with them because of their hardness and resistance, but would set an angel over them, asked to know who had been entrusted with their care, and begged not to be given a fellow-servant as leader, but that the Master himself would lead them. When the good God promised to grant him this favor too, he, drunk with a praiseworthy love, longed for things beyond human reach and desired to see the invisible nature; but he learned that it is impossible to see that substance. “For no one has ever seen God,” according to the Lord's word. But the divine dispensations and operations (for this is how one should understand God's “back parts”) can be contemplated by those who, like Moses, are perfect in virtue; and not even by them at random, but by those placed on the rock by God himself. The rock signifies the firmness and steadfastness of faith; and so too does the cleft of the rock, which indicates the eye of faith, contemplating what is inaccessible and invisible to the eyes of sense.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.68 (PG 80 80:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-68)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.69":{"o":"Τι σημαίνει τὸ κάλυμμα τὸ ἐπιτεθὲν τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ νομοθέτου; Ἔχομεν τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου τὴν ἑρμηνείαν Μέχρι γὰρ, φησὶ, τῆς σήμερον, ἡνίκα ἀναγινώσκηται Μωσῆς, κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν κεῖται μὴ ἀνα καλυπτόμενον, ὅ τι ἐν Χριστῷ καταργεῖται Ἡνίκα δ᾽ ἂν ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς Κύριον, περιαιρεῖται Παῦλος· Ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντες ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσται, ὁ δὲ ἐν ἡλίῳ, ἡλιοειδὴς καὶ φωτοειδής· οὕτως ρας. τὸ κάλυμμα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τότε θείας ἐνεπλήσθη δόξης τοῦ νομοθέτου τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ τὸ σέλας ἐκεῖθεν *\" ὑπὲρ ἀστραπὴν ἐκπεμπόμενον, ἀντιβλέπειν οὐκ εἴα τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας, ἀλλ' ἢ ἑτέρωσε τὰ πρόσωπα τρέπειν, ἢ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς μύειν ἡνάγκαζε. Καὶ τούτου χάριν ἀεὶ ἐχρῆτο τῷ προκαλύμματι τῷ λαῷ διαλεγόμενος πρὸς δὲ τὸν Θεὸν ἐπιστρέφων, γυμνὸν εἶχε τὸ πρόσωπον· οὕτως Ἰουδαῖοι τῷ τοῦ νόμου προσέχοντες γράμματι, τὴν μὲν δόξαν οὐχ ὁρῶσι, μόνον δὲ τὸ κάλυμμα βλέπουσι. Τῇ δὲ τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος χάριτι προσιόντες, ἀπαλλάσσον ται μὲν τοῦ προκαλύμματος, θεωροῦσι δὲ τὴν δόξαν, ἧς Μωσῆς ἐνεπλήσθη. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος λέγει ώπῳ τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου κατοπτριζόμενοι, εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μεταμορφούμεθα ἀπὸ δόξης εἰς δόξαν **, καθάπερ ἀπὸ Κυρίου Πνεύματος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὰ διειδῆ κάτοπτρα τῶν εἰσορώντων τοὺς τύπους ἐκμάττεται, οὕτως αἱ καθαραὶ καρδίαι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δόξαν εἰσδέχονται. Διὸ δὴ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἔφη «Μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὄψονται. Καὶ ὥσπερ Ἰούδας τὸν διάβολον εἰσ· δεξάμενος, τὴν ἐκείνου πονηρίαν ἐνετύπωσεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ· οὕτως ὁ τῇ θείᾳ χάριτι προσιὼν, ταῖς ἐκεῖθεν φερομέναις μαρμαρυγαῖς καταυγάζεται. Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ ἐν σκότει καθήμενος σκοτοειδὴς γίνεὁ τῷ Θεῷ προσεδρεύων θεοειδεῖς δέχεται χαρακτῆ.","t":"What does the veil placed on the lawgiver's face signify? We have the Apostle's interpretation: “For to this day,” he says, “whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart, not being lifted, because it is abolished in Christ; but whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” For just as the lawgiver's face was then filled with divine glory, and the radiance sent out from it, brighter than lightning, did not allow those who met him to look at him, but forced them either to turn their faces elsewhere or to shut their eyes, and for this reason he always used the veil when speaking to the people but had his face bare when he turned to God; so the Jews, attending to the letter of the law, do not see the glory but see only the veil. But when they come to the grace of the all-holy Spirit, they are freed from the veil and behold the glory with which Moses was filled. The blessed Paul says this too: “And we all, with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord, the Spirit.” For just as clear mirrors take the impression of those who look into them, so pure hearts receive the glory of God. That is why the Lord said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” And just as Judas, having received the devil, imprinted his wickedness in himself, so the one who approaches divine grace is illumined by the rays that come from it. And just as one who sits in darkness becomes dark, while one in the sun becomes like the sun and full of light, so the one who waits upon God receives godlike features.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.69 (PG 80 80:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-69)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.7":{"o":"Διατί προσετάχθη ὁ Μωσῆς τὸ ὑπόδημα λῦσαι; Τινές φασιν, ἵνα τὰς βιωτικὰς ἀπορρίψῃ μερίμνας, τὰς τῷ θνητῷ βίῳ συνεζευγμένας. Νεκρὰ γὰρ τῶν ὑποδημάτων τὰ δέρματα. Τινὲς δὲ, ἵνα γυμνοῖς, φασὶ, τοῖς ποσὶν ἁγιάσῃ τὴν γῆν. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐδέτερον τούτων προσίεμαι. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ, οὐδέπω οὔτε ἀρχιερεὺς, οὔτε προφήτης ἐκεχειροτόνητο. Ἔπειτα δὲ, τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν τόπον καθιερώσαντος, καὶ τούτου χάριν ἅγιον ὀνομάσαντος, περιττὸν οἶμαι λέγειν Μωσέα τοῖς ποσὶν ἁγιάσαι τὸν τόπον. Δύο τοίνυν ἡγοῦμαι διὰ τούτου δηλοῦσθαι. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ εὐλαβέστερον αὐτὸν τῷδε τῷ λόγῳ καθίστησιν, ὥστε μὴ καταφλέγεσθαι. σὲ καὶ τοῦτον ἅγιον μετὰ δέους τῶν προσταττομένων ἀκοῦσαι· Ἔπειτα προπαιδεύεται πῶς χρὴ τοὺς ἱερέας ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ λειτουργεῖν. Γυμνοῖς γὰρ κἀκεῖνοι ποσὶ τὰς λειτουργίας ἐπετέλουν, καὶ τὰς θυσίας","t":"Why was Moses commanded to take off his sandal? Some say that it was so that he might throw off the cares of this world, which are bound up with mortal life; for the leather of sandals is dead. Others say that it was so that he might sanctify the ground with bare feet. I accept neither of these. First, he had not yet been appointed either high priest or prophet. Then, since God had consecrated the place and for this reason called it holy, I think it superfluous to say that Moses sanctified the place with his feet. I think that two things are shown by this. First, by this word he makes him more reverent, so that he might not … but might hear the commands with fear as in a holy place. Then, he is taught in advance how the priests must minister in the tabernacle; for they too performed the liturgies with bare feet, and the sacrifices …","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.7 (PG 80 80:229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-7)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.70":{"o":"Πόθεν εἶχον τὰ ξύλα τὰ ἄσηπτα, Σανίδες ἦσαν δεκαπήχεις· εἰκὸς τοίνυν ταύτας ἐσχηκέναι τοὺς εὐπορωτέρους ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετενεγκόντας, ἡνίκα ἐκεῖθεν ἐξῆλθον. Τοὺς δὲ πολυτιμήτους λίθους, καὶ τὸν χρυσὸν, καὶ τὸν ἄργυρον, καὶ τὸν χαλκόν, παρ' Αἰγυπτίων λαβόντες, ἀπῆραν· κατὰ γὰρ τὴν θείαν ἐντολὴν «Ἤτησε γυνὴ παρὰ γείτονος καὶ συσκήνου αὐτῆς σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ καὶ χρυσᾶ, καὶ ἱματισμὸν, καὶ ἐσκύλευσαν τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους. Διὸ δὴ καὶ τὰ προσφερόμενα ἀπαρχὰς προσηγόρευσεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ὡς ἀκροθίνια σκύλων.","t":"Where did they get the incorruptible wood? The boards were ten cubits long; it is likely, then, that the wealthier among them had brought them from Egypt when they came out. The precious stones, the gold, the silver, and the bronze they took from the Egyptians when they departed; for according to the divine command, “a woman asked of her neighbor and of her fellow-lodger vessels of silver and gold, and clothing, and they despoiled the Egyptians.” That is why the God of the universe called what was offered firstfruits, as the choicest portion of the spoils.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.70 (PG 80 80:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-70)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.71":{"o":"Ποίου χαρίσματος οἱ περὶ τὸν Βεσελεήλ ἔτυχον, Σοφίας ἀρχιτεκτονικῆς. Ἔστι γὰρ σοφία ὑφαντική, καὶ σοφία γεωργικὴ, καὶ σοφία ἰατρική. Ἔκαστον δὲ τούτων δῶρον Θεοῦ, εἰς χρῆσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δεδωρημένον.","t":"What gift did Bezalel and his companions receive? Wisdom in master-building. For there is a wisdom of weaving, a wisdom of farming, and a wisdom of medicine; and each of these is a gift of God, given to human beings for their use.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.71 (PG 80 80:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-71)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.72":{"o":"Διατὶ τῇ νουμηνίᾳ τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς στῆσαι τὴν σκηνὴν προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Μωσῇ Ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν καιρὸν τὴν κτίσιν ἐδημιούργησε. Καὶ μαρτυρεῖ τῷδε τῷ λόγῳ τῶν δένδρων ἡ βλάστησις Βλαστησάτω γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου, σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατά γένος καὶ καθ' ὁμοιότητα, καὶ ξύλον κάρπιμον ποιοῦν καρπὸν, οὗ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ὁμοιότητα σε κατὰ γένος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Αρχομένου δὲ τοῦ ἔαρος καὶ οἱ λειμῶνες ἀνθοῦσι, καὶ κυμαίνει τὰ λήῖα, καὶ τὰ δένδρα φύει καρπόν. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ τουτονὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἠλευθέρωσε τῆς Αἰγυπτίων δουλείας· καὶ τῇ ἁγίᾳ Παρθένῳ Γαβριὴλ ὁ ἀρχάγγελος ἐκόμισε τῶν παραδόξων ὠδίνων τὰ εὐαγγέλια. Κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν καιρὸν καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς τὸ σωτήριον ὑπέμεινε πάθος. Μάλα τοίνυν εἰκότως τῇ μιᾷ τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς στῆναι τὴν σκηνὴν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Δεσπότης δε Θεὸς προσέταξε· καὶ ὅτι τοῦ κόσμου παντὸς ἐκτύπωμα ἦν· καὶ ἵνα εὐτρεπίσῃ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Πάσχα ἑορτὴν ἔδ, ἣν πρώτην ἐπιτελεῖν νόμος ἦν Ἰουδαίοις. Τότε δὲ καὶ πρῶτον ταύτην ἔμελλον ἑορτάζειν τὴν ἑορτὴν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. Δεύτερον γὰρ ἦν ἔτος μετὰ τὴν τῆς δουλείας ἀπαλλαγήν.","t":"Why did God command Moses to set up the tabernacle on the new moon of the first month? Because it was at this season that he created the creation. The sprouting of the trees bears witness to this account: “Let the earth sprout,” he says, “the green plant, sowing seed according to kind and according to likeness, and the fruit tree bearing fruit, whose seed is in it according to likeness, according to kind, on the earth.” At the beginning of spring the meadows bloom, the crops wave, and the trees put forth fruit. For this reason too he freed Israel from slavery to the Egyptians at this season; and Gabriel the archangel brought the holy Virgin the good news of the extraordinary birth. At this season too Christ the Master underwent the saving passion. Very fittingly, then, God the Master of the universe commanded the tabernacle to be set up on the first of the first month: both because it was an image of the whole world, and so as to prepare for the feast of the Passover, which the law required the Jews to celebrate first. Then too they were going to celebrate this feast in the desert for the first time; for it was the second year after their release from slavery.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.72 (PG 80 80:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-72)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.8":{"o":"Προειδὼς ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Φαραὼ τὸ δυσπειθὲς, τί δήποτε μὴ ἐξαρχῆς αὐτὸν ἐκόλασεν, Ὅτι προήδει δεδήλωκεν. Οἶδα γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι οὐ προήσεται ὑμᾶς Φαραὼ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου, εἰ μὴ μετὰ χειρὸς κραταιᾶς. Καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα, πατάξω τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους· ᾿Αλλ' ὅμως ἀγαθὸς ὡν καὶ φιλάνθρωπος κολάζειν ἐκ μόνης προγνώσεως οὐκ ἀνέχεται ἀλλὰ ἀναμένει τῶν πραγμάτων τὸ τέλος, καὶ δείκνυσιν ἅπασι τῆς τιμωρίας τὸ δίκαιον. ῎Αλλως τε καὶ πολλῷ δικαιότερον, τὸ τὴν ἐκείνου γυμνωθῆναι κακίαν καὶ πονηρίαν, τοῦ τὸν Θεὸν ἀπηνῆ νομισθῆναι. Εἰ γὰρ πρὸ τῶν ἑλέγχων ἑκόλασεν, ἔδοξεν ἂν καὶ ὠμὸς εἶναι καὶ ἄδικος· νῦν δὲ καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ μακρόθυμον δέδεκται, κἀκείνου τὸ δυσσεβὲς καὶ θηριῶδες ἐλήλεγκται.","t":"Since God foreknew Pharaoh's disobedience, why did he not punish him from the beginning? He showed that he foreknew it: “I know,” he says, “that Pharaoh king of Egypt will not let you go except with a mighty hand. And stretching out my hand I will strike the Egyptians.” Yet, being good and loving toward humankind, he does not consent to punish on the basis of foreknowledge alone, but waits for the outcome of events and shows everyone the justice of the punishment. Besides, it is much more just that Pharaoh's vice and wickedness be laid bare than that God be thought harsh. If he had punished him before the proofs, he would have seemed both cruel and unjust; but now God's long-suffering has been shown, and Pharaoh's impiety and brutality have been exposed.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.8 (PG 80 80:231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-8)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2.9":{"o":"Διατί πρῶτον σημεῖον δέδωκε τῆς ῥάβδου τὴν εἰς ὄφιν μεταβολήν; Ἐπειδὴ λογικῆς ὁ Φαραὼ φύσεως ὢν ὠμότητι κατὰ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἐχρήσατο, καὶ τὸ θεοειδές θηριῶδες ἀπέφηνε, τὴν ῥάβδον δι᾿ ἧς αὐτὸν ἐμαστίγωσεν, εἰς ὅφιν μεταβληθῆναι προσέταξεν· εἰς ἔλεγχον μὲν τῆς ἐκείνου θηριωδίας, ἔμφασιν δὲ τῆς δυσμενείας. Καὶ γὰρ τῇ τοῦ ὄφεως ἀρᾷ καὶ τοῦτο προστέθεικεν· Ἔχθραν θήσω ἀναμέσον τοῦ καὶ ἀναμέσον τῆς γυναικὸς, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.","t":"Why did he give as the first sign the change of the rod into a serpent? Since Pharaoh, being of a rational nature, used cruelty against the Hebrews and made what was godlike in him beastly, God commanded the rod with which he would scourge him to be changed into a serpent, to convict his brutality and to signify his hostility. For to the curse on the serpent he had added this too: “I will put enmity between you and the woman,” and so on.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 2.9 (PG 80 80:231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/2-9)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.1":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκεν τὰς θυσίας προσφέρεσθαι προσέταξεν ὁ Θεός; Πολλαχοῦ μὲν ἡμῖν εἴρηται περὶ τούτων, καν τοῖς πρὸς Ἕλληνας συγγεγραμμένοις, κὰν τοῖς πρὸς τὰς αἱρέσεις, καὶ μέντοι κὰν τοῖς πρὸς τοὺς μάγους πρὸς δὲ τούτοις κὰν ταῖς τῶν προφητῶν ἑρμηνείαις, καὶ τοῖς τῶν ἀποστολικῶν Ἐπιστολῶν ὑπομνήμασιν. Ἐρῷ δὲ ὅμως κἀνταῦθα ἐν κεφαλαίῳ, ὅτι μὲν ἀνενδεὴς ὁ Θεὸς, οὐκ οἶμαι οὐδὲ τοὺς ἄγαν ἀντερεῖν ἀνοήτους. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τὰς τοιαύτας οὐ προσίεται θυσίας, διὰ τῶν πλείστων ἐδίδαξε προφητῶν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ χρόνον συχνὸν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ διατετελεκὼς ὁ λαὸς θύειν δαίμοσιν ἐδιδάχθη, συνεχώρησε τὰς θυσίας, ἵνα τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας ἐλευθερώσῃ. Ὅτι γὰρ ταύταις ἔχαιρον, μαρτυρεῖ τὰ περὶ τὸν μόσχον γεγενημένα. Τοῦτο καὶ διὰ Ἰεζεκιὴλ τοῦ προφήτου δεδήλωκεν. Εἶδον γάρ σε, φησὶ, πεφυρμένην ἐν τῷ αἵματί σου, καὶ εἶπόν σοι· Ἐν τῷ αἴματί σου ζωή, πληθύνου. Λέγει δὲ ὅτι θεασάμενός σε τῷ τῶν θυσιῶν αἵματι χαίρουσαν, συνεχώρησά σοι τῆς τοιαύτης ἀπολαύειν ἐπιθυμίας. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, καὶ ἕτερον αὐτοῖς ἀλεξίκακον διὰ τούτου κατεσκεύασε φάρμακον. Θύεσθαι γὰρ αὐτῷ προσέταξε τὰ παρ' Αίγυπτίων θεοποιούμενα· ἀπὸ μὲν τῶν τετραπόδων, μόσχον καὶ τράγον, καὶ πρόβατον· ἀπὸ δὲ των πτηνῶν, τρυγόνα καὶ περιστερῶν νεοττούς. Οὐκ αγνοοῦμεν οὖν, ὅτι καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ ἐθεοποίουν Αἰγύπτιοι· ἀλλὰ τῶν θεοποιουμένων τὰ ἡμερώτερα ταῖς θυσίαις ἀπένειμε· τὰ ἄλλα δὲ ἀκάθαρτα προσηγόρευσεν ἵνα τὰ μὲν ὡς ἀκάθαρτα βδελυττόμενοι μὴ θεοποιήσωσι· τὰ δὲ ὡς θύοντες μὴ θεοὺς ὑπολάβωσιν· ἀλλὰ μόνον προσκυνῶσι τὸν ᾧ ταῦτα προσφέρεσθαι χρή. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν ἦσαν ἐν εὐπορίᾳ χρημάτων, οἱ δὲ πενίᾳ συνέζων, τοῖς μὲν μόσχον προσφέ– ρειν, ἢ ἀρνίον ἢ αἶγα προσέταξε, τοῖς δὲ δύο τρυγόνας, ἢ δύο νεοττοὺς περιστερῶν· τοῖς δὲ γε πενεστάτοις, σεμίδαλιν ὀλίγην ἀναμεμιγμένην ἐλαίῳ. Σύμμετρα γὰρ τῇ δυνάμει νομοθετῶν τούτων τὰ μὲν δῶρα προσηγόρευσεν, ὡς οὐκ ἐκ νομικῆς ἀνάγκης, ἀλλὰ ἐκ φιλοθέου προσφερόμενα γνώμης· τὰς δὲ θυσίας σωτηρίου· δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ τοὔνομα ἀῤῥωστίας, ἢ χαλεπῶν τινων ἑτέρων ἀπαλλαγήν. Προσεφέροντο δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας, καὶ πλημμελείας, καὶ ἀγνοίας ἱερουργίαι. Δηλοῖ ὁὲ ἡ μὲν ἁμαρτία νόμου τινὸς παράβασιν ἐθελούσιον ἡ δὲ πλημμέλεια, τὴν ἐκ περιστάσεώς τινος γεγενημένην παρανομίαν. Συνέβαινε γάρ τινα παρὰ γνώμην ἢ λεπρῷ πελάσαι, ἢ νεκρῷ, ἢ γονοῤῥυεῖ. Ἡ δὲ ἄγνοια σαφῆ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει· οὐ γὰρ πάντες ἅπαντας τοὺς νόμους ἠπίσταντο. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ψυχῆς ἁμαρτήματα καὶ ἡ φύσις ἐδίδασκε. Ταῦτα δέ γε, ἃ μόνοις ἤρμοττεν Ἰουδαίοις, διδασκάλων ἐδεῖτο. Καὶ τούτων δὲ τῶν θυμάτων, τὰ μὲν ὁλοτελῆ κατεκαίετο· τῶν δὲ σμικρά τινα μόρια, ὁ τῆς κοιλίας ἐπίπλους, καὶ οἱ νεφροὶ, καὶ τὸ ἐπικείμενον αὐτοῖς στέαρ, καὶ τοῦ ἤπατος ὁ λοβός. Εἴρηται δὲ ἡμῖν τίνων ταῦτα δηλωτικά. Ἡ δὲ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας προσφερομένη θυσία, δίχα ἐλαίου καὶ λιβανωτοῦ προσεφέρετο. Οὐ γὰρ ἔχουσι τοῦ φωτὸς τὴν τροφὴν οἱ ἐν τῷ σκότῳ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καθήμενοι. οὐδὲ τὸ ἱλαρὸν, οἱ στένειν ὀφείλοντες· κατὰ γὰρ τὸν προφήτην, Τὸ πρόσωπον ἱλαρύνει τὸ ἔλαιον· οὐδὲ τὸ εὐῶδες, οἱ τῆς πονηρίας μὴ ἀφιέντες τὴν δυσοσμίαν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ σκιὰν εἶχε τῶν μελλόντων ὁ νόμος, καὶ οὐκ αὐτὴν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν πραγμάτων, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Ἀπόστολον, καὶ ὡς ὑποδείγματι καὶ σκιᾷ τῶν ἐπουρανίων λατρεύειν ἔδει τοὺς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ· οὐκ ἀπὸ τρόπου νομίζω τι δρᾶν, ταῖς τῶν ἀλόγων ἱερείων διαφοραῖς ἐοικέναι λέγων τοὺς ἑαυτοὺς τῷ Θεῷ προσφέροντας. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὸν ἀκτήμονα καὶ φροντίδων ἐλεύθερον ἀσπαζόμενοι βίον, ὅλους ἑαυτοὺς ἀφιεροῦσι τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ, καὶ σφὰς αὐτοὺς ἀποφαίνουσιν ὁλοκαύτωμά τε καὶ ὀλοκάρπωμα· οὐδὲν τῷ παρόντι καταλείποντες βίῳ, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν ἀγήρω πάντα μετατιθέντες ζωήν. Οἱ δὲ τούτων ἐλάττους, τὰ μὲν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ, τὰ δὲ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τῇ τοῦ σώματος ἀπονέμουσι χρείᾳ. Καὶ οἱ μὲν προσφέρουσι τῶν προβάτων τὴν ἐπιείκειαν· οἱ δὲ τοῖς εὐπειθέσι μόσχοις παραπλησίως, φέρουσιν ἀσπασίως τὸν χρηστὸν τοῦ Κυρίου ζυγόν· ἄλλοι δέ τινες τὰς αἶγας μιμούμενοι, οἷόν τι γάλα, τοῖς δεομένοις παρέχουσι τῆς χρείας τὰ περιττὰ, κατὰ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν νομοθεσίαν τὴν λέγουσαν ι Τὸ ὑμῶν περίσσευμα εἰς τὸ ἐκείνων ὑστέρημα. Οἱ δὲ προσκομίζουσι τῶν τρυγόνων τὸ σῶφρον, καὶ φεύγουσιν ὡσαύτως τοῦ δευτέρου γάμου τὴν ζεύγλην· οἱ δὲ ἁπλότητι κal ἀκακίᾳ κοσμοῦσι τὴν γνώμην, μιμούμενοι τοὺς τῶν περιστερῶν νεοττούς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τελείας θύεσθαι ταύτας ἐνομοθέτησεν· ἐπειδὴ τόδε τὸ ζῶον περὶ τὰς μίξεις θερμότατον· ἀλλὰ τούτων τοὺς νεοττοὺς, ἀκακίᾳ μὲν χρωμένους, συμπλοκῆς δὲ οὐ γεγευμένους. Τὰ μέντοι πτηνὰ οὔτε ὁ πατριάρχης διεῖλεν, οὔτε ὁ νομοθέτης διαιρεθῆναι κελεύει. Οἱ γὰρ πτηνοί τὴν διάνοιαν, ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας ἀγαπῶντες τὸν Θεὸν, οὐ διαιροῦσιν αὐτὴν εἰς τὰ γήϊνα καὶ οὐράνια, ἀλλ᾿ ὅλην ἀναπέμπουσιν ἄνω. Οὕτω τὰ περὶ τῶν θυσιῶν νοοῦντες, εὑρήσομεν καὶ τῇ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀσθενείᾳ τὸν περὶ τούτων νόμον ἁρμόδιον· καὶ τῇ εὐαγγελικῇ τελειότητι τὴν τοιαύτην νομοθεσίαν οὐ περιττήν. Οὕτω δὲ ταῦτα νοεῖν καὶ ὁ θεῖος ἡμᾶς ἐξεπαίδευσε Παῦλος· τεθεικὼς γὰρ τὸν περὶ τῶν βοῶν νόμον, ὃς ἀπαγορεύει τοὺς βοῦς ἀλοῶντας κημοῦν ἐπήγαγε Μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ; δι' ἡμᾶς πάντως λέγει· δι' ἡμᾶς γὰρ ἐγράφη, ὅτι ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ὁ ἀροτριῶν ἀροτριᾷ καὶ ὁ ἀλοῶν τῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτοῦ μετέχει ἐν εἰρήνῃ. Οὐκοῦν τοῦ νόμου τὸ μὲν αἰσθητὸν καὶ ἐπιπόλαιον, Ἰουδαίοις κατάλληλον, τὸ δὲ πνευματι κὸν τοῖς τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν πολιτείαν ἀσπαζομένοις. Ἰστέον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὡς τὰ μὲν ὁλοκαυτούμενα ἄρσενα ἦν· ἀνδρῶν γὰρ ἡ τελειότης· τὰ δὲ περὶ ἁμαρτίας θυόμενα, θήλεα· ἀσθενοῦντος γὰρ τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν ἡγεμονικοῦ, τὰ πάθη κρατεῖ. Ἐπισημήνασθαι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο δεῖ, ὡς ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ ἀμνοὶ, ἀλλὰ χίμαροι προσεφέροντο. Δηλοῖ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις τοὺς μὲν δικαίους ἀμνοῖς, τοὺς δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἐρίφοις ἀπεικάσας. Προσεφέρετο δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πτηνῶν ὁλοκαυτώματα. Πρόειται γὰρ καὶ τοῖς πενομένοις ὁ τέλειος καὶ φιλόσοφος βίος. Ωσπερ δὲ τῶν τετραπόδων οὔτε τὸ δέρμα, οὔτε ἡ κόπρος τῷ Θεῷ προσεφέρετο οὕτω καὶ τῶν πτηνῶν ὁ πρόλοβος 65\", καὶ τὰ πτίλα, πόῤῥω τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἐξεβάλλετο καὶ οὐδὲ ταῦτα ὡς ἔτυχεν ἐῤῥίπτετο, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν καθαρῷ τινι χωρίῳ, ᾧ καὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ τὴν κόνιν ἐνέβαλλον. Πρόλοβον δὲ ὁ Θεοδοτίων τὴν φύσαν ἐκάλεσεν ᾿Ακύλας δὲ τὴν σιτίζουσαν. Ἐκείνη γὰρ τὴν τροφὴν δεχομένη τῷ λοιπῷ σώματι χορηγεῖ· ὅθεν καὶ οἱ Ἑβδομήκοντα πρόλοβον αὐτὴν προσηγόρευσαν, ἅτε δὴ προϋποδεχομένην τὴν τροφήν. Ἐπισημήνασθαι δὲ προσήκει, ὡς καὶ τὴν προσφερομένην σεμίδαλιν, καὶ τοὺς κλιβανίτας ἄρτους, καὶ τοὺς ἐσχαρίτας, καὶ τὰ ἀπὸ τηγάνου λάγανα, θυσίαν κα λεῖ, ψυχαγωγῶν τῷ ὀνόματι τοὺς πενίᾳ συζῶντας, ἵνα μὴ δυσχεραίνωσιν ὡς ζώων σπανίζοντες. Ἐπισημαντέον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὡς τὸν προσφέροντα ζῶον, ἄνθρωπον ὀνομάζει· ῎Ανθρωπος γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐξ ὑμῶν, ὃς ἐὰν προσφέρῃ δῶρον τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἀπὸ τῶν κτηνῶν, ἀπὸ τῶν βοῶν, ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν προβάτων, προσοίσεται αὐτῷ. Τὸν δὲ σεμίδαλιν προσκομίζοντα ψυχὴν καλεῖ· Ἐὰν γὰρ ἡ ψυχή, φησί, προσφέρῃ δῶρον θυσίας τῷ Κυρίῳ, σεμίδαλις ἔσται τὸ δῶρον αὐτοῦ. Ὁ λογικὸς γὰρ τὸ ἄλογον προσφέρει· ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ τὸ ἄψυχον. ᾿Απαγορεύει δὲ ζυμίτας ἄρτους προσφέρεσθαι, δι᾽ ἣν ἔφην αἰτίαν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἔχειν δεῖ τῆς Αἰγυπτιακῆς πολιτείας. ᾿Απαγορευει καὶ μέλι προσφέρεσθαι τῷ βωμῷ· καὶ τινες μέν φασιν, ὡς τῆς μελίττης καὶ ἀκαθάρτοις τόποις ἐφιζανούσης, καὶ πάντοθεν ἀθροιζούσης τῆς μελιτουργίας τὰς ἀφορμάς τινὲς δὲ διδάσκεσθαι ἡμᾶς εἰρήκασιν, ἐξ οἰκείων πόνων τὰς θυσίας ἐπιτελεῖν, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Σολομῶντος παραίνεσιν, τὴν λέγουσαν· Τίμα τὸν Κύριον ἀπὸ σῶν δικαίων πόνων, καὶ ἀπάρχου αὐτῷ ἀπὸ σῶν καρπῶν δικαιοσύνης. Ὁ δὲ τῆς μελίττης καρπὸς, οὐχ ἡμέτερος, φασὶ, πόνος. ᾿Αλλ' οὗτος ὁ λόγος οὐκ ἔχει τὸ ἀκριβές. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ μελιτουργία τῶν ἀνθρώπων φιλοπονία. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ γηπονίας, οἱ δὲ προβατείας φροντίζουσι· καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐμπορίας, οἱ δὲ μελιτουργίας. Οἶμαι τοίνυν, διὰ μὲν τῆς ζύμης, τὴν παλαιότητα τῆς πονηρίας αἰνίττεσθαι· διὰ δὲ τοῦ μέλιτος, τὴν ἡδονὴν ἀπαγορεύεσθαι. Τοῖς μέντοι ἱερεῦσι καὶ τὰς τούτων ἐκέλευσε προσφέρειν ἀπαρχάς· ουτοι γὰρ τὰς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁμαρτημάτων πρεσβείας προσφέρουσιν ὅθεν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου ἔφη περὶ αὐτῶν· ῾Ἁμαρτίας λαοῦ μου φάγονται. Τοὺς δὲ ἄλας ἐπιβάλλεσθαι τοῖς ἱερείοις κελεύει, τὸ διακριτικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς διὰ τούτων σημαίνων. Τούτου ἐστέρητο ἡ τοῦ Κάϊν θυσία· διὸ ἤκουσε παρά τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ Οὐκ ἂν ὀρθῶς προσενέγκῃς, ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς. Καὶ ὁ θεῖος Απόστολος νομοθετεῖ λέγων Ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν ἔστω πάντοτε ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος. Καὶ ὁ Κύριος τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ἔφη Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἄλας τῆς γῆς· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἄλας μωρανθῇ, ἐν τίνι ἀλισθήσεται;» ᾿Ασινῆ δὲ καὶ ἅμωμα προσφέρειν ἅπαντα κελεύει τὰ θύματα καίτοι διάφορα ὄντα, καὶ κατὰ διαφόρους προσφερόμενα τρόπους. Διδάσκει δὲ διὰ τούτων τοὺς ἑκάστῃ πολιτείᾳ, τὸ ἄμωμον ἔχειν. Καὶ τοὺς παρθενίαν ἀσπαζομένους κατὰ τοὺς ταύτης πολιτεύεσθαι νόμους· τοὺς τοῦ γάμου τὸν ζυγὸν αἱρουμένους, τῇ πρὸς ἀλλήλους κοινωνίᾳ μὴ διαφθείραι τούτου τὴν ζεύγλην· τοὺς τὴν ἀσκητικὴν βιοτὴν προτιμῶντας, τὸν τῆς τελειότητος διαφυλάττειν κανόνα. Καὶ συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν, τοὺς ἐν πλούτῳ, τοὺς ἐν πενίᾳ, τοὺς ἐν δουλείᾳ, τοὺς ἐν δυναστείᾳ, ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις τάγματι τὸ ἀλώβητον ἔχειν καὶ ἄμωμον.Τῶν δὲ θυομένων, πλὴν τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων, τὰ μὲν τῷ βωμῷ προσεφέρετο, τὰ δὲ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἐδέδοτο· διὸ συμμερίζεσθαι αὐτοὺς τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ὁ θεῖος εἶπεν ᾿Απόστολος. Τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τῶν κρεῶν τῇ τῶν προσφερόντων ἀπενέμετο χρείᾳ. Τοῖς μέντοι ὁλοκαυτώμασιν ἐπετίθετο τὰ μερικώς προσφερόμενα, οἷον οἱ νεφροὶ, καὶ ἡ πιμελή, καὶ ὁ τοῦ ἤπατος λοβός· ἐξ ἐνίων δὲ ἱερείων καὶ ἡ ὀσφὺς, ἢ κατὰ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐρμηνευτὰς ἡ κέρκος. Ἐπειδὴ τοῖς ἐν ἀρετῇ τελείοις οἱ ἀτελεῖς χρώμεθα πρεσβευταῖς καὶ δι᾽ ἐκείνων τὰς ἡμετέρας προσφέρομεν προσευχάς. Ἐπετίθες δὲ ὁ προσφέρων τῷ ἱερείῳ τὰς χεῖρας, οἱονεὶ τὰς ἑαυτοῦ πράξεις· τῶν γὰρ πράξεων σἱ χεῖρες δηλωτικαί ὑπὲρ δὲ τούτων τὸ θῦμα προσέφερεν. Αἷματος δὲ καὶ στέατος ἀπέχεσθαι κελεύει, καὶ ἀμφότερα τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ διαγορεύει προσφέρεσθαι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ζωῆς αἴτιον· τὸδὲ ἀρετῆς δηλωτικόν· ἀμφότερα δὲ ἀνατιθέναι τῷ Θεῷ δικαιότατον. Τὸν δὲ ἀρχιερέα νόμον τινὰ παραβεβηκότα, μόσχον ἄμωμον ἱερευειν κελεύει· καὶ τῷ μὲν θυσιαστηρίῳ προσφέρειν ἃ προειρήκαμεν· τὰ δὲ κρέα, καὶ τὸ δέρμα, σὺν τῇ κόπρῳ, ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς κατακαίειν. Τοῦτο δὲ δηλοῖ τὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀλλοτρίαν εἶναι τῶν ἱερῶν περιβόλων. Καὶ παντὸς δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ τοιαύτην τινὰ παρανομίαν τετολμηκότος, τὴν ἴσην προσενεχθῆναι θυσίαν νενομοθέτηκε διδάσκων ἡλίκον τῆς ἱερωσύ νης τὸ γέρας· ἀντίῤῥοπον γὰρ αὐτὸ παντὸς τέθεικε τοῦ λαοῦ. Τὸν δὲ ἄρχοντα παραβάντα τινὰ νόμον, οὐ μόσχον, ἀλλὰ χίμαρον, τουτέστιν ἔριφον ἐνιαυσιαῖον προσενεγκεῖν διηγόρευσε. Τοσοῦτον ἀποδεῖ τῆς ἀρχιερατικῆς ἀξίας ὁ τὴν σωματικὴν πεπιστευμένος ἀρχήν. Τὸν δὲ μήτε ἱερέα ὄντα, μήτε ἄρχοντα, ἡμαρτηκότα δὲ, χίμαιραν θῦσαι προσέταξε. Πρόσφορον γὰρ τῷ μὲν ἄρχοντι τὸ ἄῤῥεν, τῷ δὲ ἀρχομένῳ τὸ θῆλυ, ὡς ἐν τοῖς πρόσθεν εἰρήκαμεν. Τὸν δέ γε ἡ ἀκαθάρτου τινὸς τῶν ἀπειρημένων ἁψάμενον, ἤ τινος ὀμωμοκότος ἀκούσαντα, καὶ τὸν παραβεβηκότα τὸν ὄρκον μὴ διελέγξαντα ἢ αὐτὸν ὑποσχόμενον τὶ πράξειν, ἢ τῷ Θεῷ προσοίσειν τὶ καὶ ὄρκῳ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν βεβαιώσαντα, τὸ δὲ ἔργον μὴ ἐπιθέντα τῷ λόγῳ· πρῶτον ἐξαγορεῦσαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν κελεύει, ἔπειτα προσενεγκεῖν ἢ ἀμνάδα, ἢ χίμαιραν, καὶ τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ τὸν Θεὸν ἱλεώσασθαι. Εἰ δὲ πένης ᾖ, ἢ δύο τρυγόνας κελεύει προσενεγκεῖν, ἢ δύο νεοττοὺς περιστερῶν. Εἰ δὲ μηδὲ τούτων εὐπομοίη, μικρὰν σεμίδαλιν ἐλαίου δίχα καὶ λιβανωτου προσκομίσαι. Τὸ γὰρ ἔλαιον ἱλαρότητος δηλωτικόν· ὁ δὲ λιβανωτὸς εὐωδίας· ἀμφοτέρων δὲ ἡ ἁμαρτία γεγύμνωται. Μάλα δὲ ἁρμοδίως τὸ ἅψασθαι ἀκαθάρτου, καὶ τ κρύψαι τοῦ ὀμωμοκότος καὶ ψευσαμένου τὴν ἁμαρτίαν συνέζευξεν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ καθαρὸς ἀπτόμενος τῶν ἀκαθάρτων μολύνεται· καὶ ὁ μὴ ὀμόσας ψευσαμένῳ κοινωνεί τῆς ἁμαρτίας μὴ διελέγχων τὸ ψεῦδος· ἄξιον δὲ θαυμάσαι τοῦ Δεσπότου τὴν ἀγαθότητα, ὅτι τὸν ἐπαγγειλάμενόν τι προσενεγκεῖν, καὶ ὅρκῳ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν κυρώσαντα, τῷ ἔργῳ δὲ μὴ πληρώσαντα, οὔτε ὡς ἀχάριστον, οὔτε ὡς ἐπίορκον τιμωρεῖται. ἀλλὰ μικρᾷ θεραπεύει ζημία. ","t":"Why did God command the sacrifices to be offered? We have spoken about this in many places: in the works written against the Greeks, against the heresies, and against the magi, and besides these in the commentaries on the prophets and on the apostolic letters. Yet I shall say here too, in summary: that God is without need, not even the very foolish, I think, will deny; and that he does not accept such sacrifices either, he taught through very many of the prophets. But since the people, having spent a long time in Egypt, had been taught to sacrifice to demons, he allowed the sacrifices in order to free them from superstition. That they delighted in them, what happened with the calf bears witness. He showed this through the prophet Ezekiel too: “I saw you,” he says, “weltering in your blood, and I said to you, In your blood is life; multiply”; that is, “Seeing you delighting in the blood of sacrifices, I allowed you to enjoy this desire.” Besides this, he also prepared through it another remedy to ward off harm from them. He commanded that what the Egyptians deified be sacrificed to him: of the four-footed animals, the calf, the goat, and the sheep; of the birds, the turtledove and the young of pigeons. We are not unaware that the Egyptians deified many other creatures too; but of the deified creatures he assigned the tamer ones to the sacrifices and called the others unclean, so that they would neither deify the latter, loathing them as unclean, nor take the former for gods, since they sacrificed them, but would worship only him to whom these had to be offered. Since some of them were rich and others lived in poverty, he commanded some to offer a calf, or a lamb, or a goat; others, two turtledoves or two young pigeons; and the very poorest, a little fine flour mixed with oil. Legislating in proportion to their means, he called some of these offerings gifts, as offered not from legal compulsion but from a God-loving intention, and others sacrifices of salvation; the name indicates deliverance from sickness or from other hardships. Sacred rites were also offered for sin, for trespass, and for ignorance. Sin indicates a voluntary transgression of some law; trespass, a lawless act committed through some circumstance, for it happened that someone against his will came near a leper, or a corpse, or one with a discharge. Ignorance has a clear meaning, for not all knew all the laws. The sins of the soul nature itself taught; but these laws, which suited only the Jews, needed teachers. Of these victims some were burned whole; of others only small parts were burned: the omentum of the belly, the kidneys, the fat on them, and the lobe of the liver. We have said what these signify. The sacrifice offered for sin was offered without oil and frankincense. For those who sit in the darkness of sin do not have the nourishment of light; nor do those who ought to groan have cheerfulness (for according to the prophet, “oil makes the face cheerful”); nor do those who have not put away the stench of wickedness have fragrance. Since the law had a shadow of the things to come and not the very image of the realities, according to the divine Apostle, and those under the law had to serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, I do not think I act amiss in saying that those who offer themselves to God resemble the differences among the irrational victims. Those who embrace the life without possessions and free from cares dedicate themselves wholly to the God of the universe, and make themselves a whole burnt offering and a whole sacrifice, leaving nothing to the present life but transferring everything to the ageless life. Those who are lesser than these assign some things to the altar, some to the priests, and the rest to the needs of the body. Some offer the gentleness of sheep; others, like docile calves, gladly bear the Lord's kindly yoke; others, imitating goats, supply the surplus of their needs, like milk, to those in want, according to the apostolic legislation that says, “Your abundance for their lack.” Others bring the chastity of turtledoves, and likewise flee the yoke of a second marriage; others adorn their mind with simplicity and innocence, imitating the young of pigeons. For he did not legislate that full-grown pigeons be sacrificed, since this creature is very hot in mating, but their young, who have innocence and have not tasted intercourse. Neither the patriarch divided the birds, nor does the lawgiver command them to be divided. For those who are winged in mind, loving God with their whole heart, do not divide it between earthly and heavenly things, but send it all upward. Understanding the sacrifices in this way, we shall find the law about them suited to the weakness of the Jews, and such legislation not superfluous for the perfection of the Gospel. The divine Paul too taught us to understand these things so; for having set down the law about oxen, which forbids muzzling oxen when they thresh, he added: “Is it for oxen that God cares? Surely he speaks for our sake; for it was written for our sake, that the ploughman should plough in hope, and the thresher share in his hope in peace.” So the perceptible and surface part of the law suited the Jews, and the spiritual part suits those who embrace the Gospel way of life. One must know this too: the victims burned whole were male, for perfection belongs to men; those sacrificed for sin were female, for when the ruling part in us is weak, the passions prevail. One must note this as well: for sin not lambs but he-goats were offered. Christ the Master shows this too in the Gospels, likening the righteous to lambs and sinners to kids. Whole burnt offerings were also offered from birds; for the perfect and philosophic life is set before the poor as well. Just as of the four-footed animals neither the skin nor the dung was offered to God, so of the birds the crop and the feathers were thrown out far from the camp; and not even these at random, but in a clean place, into which they also threw the ashes of the altar. The crop Theodotion called the “bellows,” and Aquila the “feeder,” for it receives the food and supplies it to the rest of the body; hence the Seventy too called it prolobos, as receiving the food in advance. One must note also that he calls the fine flour offered, and the oven loaves, the griddle loaves, and the cakes from the pan, a sacrifice, comforting by the name those who live in poverty, so that they would not be distressed at lacking animals. One must note this too: he names the one offering an animal “man”: “A man from among you,” he says, “who offers a gift to the Lord from the cattle, from the oxen or from the sheep, shall offer it”; but the one who brings fine flour he calls “soul”: “If a soul,” he says, “offers a gift of sacrifice to the Lord, fine flour shall be his gift.” For the rational offers the irrational, and the soul the soulless. He forbids leavened loaves to be offered, for the reason I gave; for nothing of the Egyptian way of life must be kept. He forbids honey too to be offered on the altar. Some say this is because the bee settles even on unclean places and gathers the materials of honey-making from everywhere; others have said that we are taught to perform sacrifices from our own labors, according to Solomon's exhortation that says, “Honor the Lord from your just labors, and give him the firstfruits of your fruits of righteousness”; and the bee's fruit, they say, is not our labor. But this account is not exact; for honey-making too is human industry: some attend to farming, others to shepherding, some to trade, and others to honey-making. I think, then, that by the leaven the oldness of wickedness is hinted at, and by the honey pleasure is forbidden. Yet he commanded the firstfruits of these to be offered to the priests; for they offer intercessions for our sins, which is why he said of them through the prophet, “They will eat the sins of my people.” He commands salt to be put on the victims, signifying by it the discernment of the soul. Cain's sacrifice lacked this; that is why he heard from the God of the universe, “If you have offered rightly, but have not divided rightly …” And the divine Apostle legislates, saying, “Let your speech always be seasoned with salt”; and the Lord said to the apostles, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt becomes tasteless, with what will it be salted?” He commands all the victims to be offered unblemished and without fault, though they are different and offered in different ways. By these he teaches those in each way of life to be blameless: those who embrace virginity, to live by its laws; those who choose the yoke of marriage, not to corrupt its bond in their partnership with each other; those who prefer the ascetic life, to keep the rule of perfection; and, in short, those in wealth, in poverty, in slavery, and in power, to keep themselves unharmed and blameless in their own rank. Of the victims, except the whole burnt offerings, some parts were offered on the altar and others given to the priests; that is why the divine Apostle said that they share with the altar. The rest of the meat was assigned to the needs of the offerers. On the whole burnt offerings were laid the parts offered from other sacrifices, such as the kidneys, the fat, and the lobe of the liver, and from some victims also the loin, or, according to the other translators, the tail. For we who are imperfect use those perfect in virtue as intercessors, and offer our prayers through them. The offerer laid his hands on the victim as if laying on it his own actions, for hands signify actions; and he offered the victim for these. He commands them to abstain from blood and from fat, and directs both to be offered at the altar; for the one is the cause of life and the other a sign of virtue, and it is most just to dedicate both to God. He commands the high priest who has transgressed some law to sacrifice an unblemished calf, to offer at the altar the parts we have mentioned, and to burn the flesh and the skin, with the dung, outside the camp. This shows that sin is foreign to the sacred precincts. And if the whole people has dared some such lawlessness, he legislated that an equal sacrifice be offered, teaching how great is the dignity of the priesthood; for he made it equal in weight to the whole people. A ruler who has transgressed some law he directed to offer not a calf but a he-goat, that is, a yearling kid; so far does one entrusted with bodily rule fall short of the high-priestly dignity. One who is neither priest nor ruler, but has sinned, he commanded to sacrifice a she-goat; for the male suits the ruler and the female the ruled, as we said earlier. One who has touched something unclean among the forbidden things; or who has heard someone swearing and has not exposed the one who broke his oath; or who has himself promised to do something or to offer something to God and confirmed the promise with an oath, but has not added the deed to the word: such a one he commands first to confess the sin, and then to offer a ewe-lamb or a she-goat, and in this way to propitiate God. If he is poor, he commands him to offer two turtledoves or two young pigeons; and if he cannot afford even these, to bring a little fine flour without oil and frankincense. For oil signifies cheerfulness and frankincense fragrance, and sin is stripped of both. Very fittingly he joined touching something unclean with concealing the sin of one who swore and lied. For the clean man who touches unclean things is defiled; and one who did not swear, by not exposing the lie, shares in the sin of the one who lied. One should admire the Master's goodness: one who promised to offer something and confirmed the promise with an oath, but did not fulfil it in deed, he punishes neither as ungrateful nor as a perjurer, but heals him with a small penalty.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.1 (PG 80 80:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-1)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.10":{"o":"Διατί τοὺς ἱερέας οἴνου κωλύει μεταλαμβάνειν; Οὐ παντάπασιν ἀπηγόρευσε τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν τῆς λειτουργίας καιρόν· κατὰ γὰρ διαδοχὰς ἐλειτούργουν, οἱ μὲν ἐν ταύταις ταῖς ἡμέραις, οἱ δὲ ἐν ἄλλαις. Νηφάλαιον δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος τὸν ἱερέα εἶναι κελεύει, καὶ τοὺς διακόνους μὴ οἵνῳ πολλῷ προσέχοντας. Καὶ τῷ Τιμοθέῳ γράφων, οἴνῳ ὀλίγῳ κεχρῆσθαι προσέταξε διὰ τὰς συχνὰς ἀσθενείας. Τέλειον γὰρ εἶναι τὸν ἱερέα προσήκει, ὡς τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ πρεσβείαν πεπιστευμένον. Αὐτίκα γοῦν Μωσῆς ὁ νομοθέτης, θεασάμενος τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁμαρτιας προσενεχθέντα χίμαρον ὁλοκαυτωθέντα παρὰ τὸν θεῖον νόμον ὠργίσθη τῷ τε Ἐλεάζαρ καὶ τῷ Ἰθάμαρ λέγων· Διατί οὐκ ἐφάγετε τὰ περὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐν τόπῳ ἁγίῳ, ὅτι γὰρ ῞Αγια ἁγίων ἐστίν ; οὐ τοῦτο ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν Κύριος φαγεῖν, ἵνα ἀφέλητε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τῆς συναγωγῆς, καὶ ἐξιλάσησθε (περὶ αὐτῶν ἔναντι Κυρίου ; »¦ Διδασκόμεθα δὲ πάλιν ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς τὰ παρὰ τοῦ λαοῦ προσφερόμενα ἐσθίοντες, καὶ μὴ ἐννόμως ζῶντες, μηδὲ σπουδαίως τὰς ὑπὲρ τούτων προσφέροντες προσευχὰς, δίκας ὑπέχομεν τῷ Θεῷ. Τοῦτο αἰνιττόμενος ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, διὰ τοῦ προφήτου ἔφη· Αμαρτίας λαοῦ μου φάγονται. )","t":"Why does he forbid the priests to drink wine? He did not forbid it entirely, but only at the time of their ministry; for they ministered in turns, some on these days and others on others. The Apostle too commands the priest to be sober, and the deacons not to be given to much wine; and writing to Timothy, he directed him to use a little wine because of his frequent illnesses. For the priest must be perfect, since he has been entrusted with intercession for the people. Indeed, Moses the lawgiver, seeing that the he-goat offered for sin had been wholly burned contrary to the divine law, was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, saying: “Why did you not eat the sin offering in a holy place? For it is holy of holies. Did not the Lord give you this to eat, that you might take away the sin of the congregation and make atonement for them before the Lord?” We are taught again from this that if we eat what is offered by the people, and do not live lawfully nor offer prayers earnestly on their behalf, we are answerable to God. God the Master hinted at this when he said through the prophet, “They will eat the sins of my people.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.10 (PG 80 80:313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-10)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.11":{"o":"Τί σημαίνει τὸ διχηλοῦν καὶ μηρυκώμενον; Τὸ μὲν διχηλοῦν οἶμαι δηλοῦν τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν πράξεων, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἐναντίων διάκρισιν· πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ, τὸ μὴ μόνον τῷ παρόντι βίῳ ζῇν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ μέλλοντι· καὶ τούτῳ μὲν ἀπονέμειν τὰ ἀναγκαῖα, ἐκείνῳ δὲ πάντα, τουτέστι καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ τὸ σῶμα, καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸ σῶμα. Τὸ δὲ μηρυκώμενον τὴν τῶν θείων λογίων σημαίνει μελέτην. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ πρόβατον, καὶ τὰ τούτῳ προσόμοια, διηνεκῶς ἀναπεμπάζεται τὴν τροφὴν· οὕτως ὁ ἐμμελὴς καὶ φιλόθεος πρὸς τὸν τῶν ὅλων βοᾷ Θεόν· Ὡς ἠγάπησα τὸν νόμον σου, Κύριε, ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν μελέτη μού ἐστιν. Καθάπερ γὰρ τῶν ζώων τὰ μὲν διχηλεῖ, καὶ τὴν τροφὴν ἀναπεμπάζεται· τὰ δὲ οὐδέτερον αὐτῶν ποιεῖ· ὡς ὄνος, καὶ ἡμίονος, καὶ ἵππος, καὶ τὰ θηρία ἄλλα δὲ διχηλεῖ μὲν, οὐκ ἀναπεμπάζεται δὲ τὴν τροφὴν, ὥσπερ, ὖς ἕτερα δὲ μηρυκᾶται μὲν, οὐ διχηλεῖ δὲ, ὡς κάμηλος καὶ λαγωός οὕτως ἔστι καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εὑρεῖν, τοὺς μὲν τελείους, καὶ τῶν θείων λογίων τὴν μελέτην ἀσπαζομένους, καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπιμελῶς - μετιόντας· τοὺς δὲ ἀτελεῖς, καὶ τὰ μὲν θεῖα λόγια διὰ - τῆς γλώττης προσφέροντας, διχηλεῖν δὲ οὐκ ἀνεχομένους, καὶ τῇ καμήλῳ προσεοικότας· τινὰς δὲ τῆς εὐσεβείας οὐδέπω γεγευμένους, τὰ μὲν θεῖα λόγια μὴ προσιεμένους, ἔργων δὲ ἀξιεπαίνων φροντίζοντας· ἄλλους δὲ καὶ πίστεως ἐρήμους, καὶ πράξεως ἀγαθῆς παντελῶς γεγυμνωμένους. Τῶν δὲ ἐνύδρων καθαρὰ εἶναι λέγει τὰ λεπίδας ἔχοντα, καὶ πτερύγια· ταῦτα γὰρ ἄνω τοῖς ὕδασιν ἐπινήχεται. Τὰ γὰρ οὐ τοιαῦτα κάτω περὶ τὴν ἰλὺν ἐγκαλινδεῖται. Καθαροὶ τοίνυν κὰν τοῖς λογικοῖς, οἱ μὴ τοῖς γηΐνοις προστετηκότες, ἀλλὰ τὰ πτερὰ τῆς πίστεως ἔχοντες, καὶ τῇ τῆς ἀρετῆς πεφραγμένοι σκέπη Όπερ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ λεπὶς τοῖς ἰχθύσι, τοῦτο τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἡ πίστις. Ταῦτα δὲ ἡμῖν ὁ μακάριος περιτίθησι Παῦλος, τὰ πτερὰ λέγων τῆς χάριτος, καὶ τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ πνεύματος. Τῶν δὲ πτηνῶν ἀκάθαρτα εἶναί φησι τὰ ἁρπακτικὰ καὶ νεκροβόρα, καὶ τὰ τῷ σκότει χαίροντα διδάσκων ἡμᾶς, καὶ πλεονεξίας ἀπέχεσθαι, καὶ τὴν δυσώδη τῆς ἁμαρτίας τροφὴν ἀποστρέφεσθαι, καὶ τὸ σκότος μισεῖν. Ὅτι δὲ οὐκ ἀπὸ τρόπου ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχειν νενοήκαμεν, μαρτυρεῖ τῶν Πράξεων ἡ ἱστορία· Εἶδε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ μακάριος Πέτρος σινδόνα τέσσαρσιν ἀρχαῖς καθιεμένην, ἐν ᾗ ἦν πάντα τὰ τετράποδα τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ· καὶ ἤκουσε φωνῆς λεγούσης ᾿Αναστὰς, Πέτρε, θῦσον καὶ φάγε. Εἶτα εἰρηκότος ἐκείνου, Μηδαμῶς, Κύριε, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἔφαγον πᾶν κοινὸν ἢ ἀκάθαρτον· ἔφη ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός· «῞Α ὁ Θεὸς ἐκαθάρισε, σὺ μὴ κοίνου.» Ὅτι δὲ τοῦ Κορνηλίου χάριν ταῦτα ἐῤῥήθη, ἐθνικοῦ γε ὄντος καὶ σωτηρίας ἐφιεμένου, δηλοῖ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ ὁ Κύριος δὲ τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ἔφη· Πολλοὶ ἐλεύσονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασι προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δὲ εἰσι λύκοι ἅρπαγες. Καὶ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις Γεννήματα έχιδνῶν. Καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος· Βλέπετε τοὺς κύνας. Καὶ τοῖς Ἐφεσίων πρεσβυτέροις· Οἶδα ὅτι μετὰ τὴν ἄφιξίν μου εἰσελεύσονται λύκοι βαρεῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς, μὴ φειδόμενοι τοῦ ποιμνίου Καὶ οἱ προφῆται, τοὺς μὲν ἵππους θηλυμανεῖς ὀνομάζουσι, τοὺς δὲ ὄφεις καὶ ἔκγονα ἀσπίδων πετομένων. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ Κύριος· Ωμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν σαγήνῃ βληθείσῃ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ ἐκ παντὸς γένους Ιχθύων συναγαγούσῃ Καὶ, Ὅπου τὸ πτῶμα, ἐκεῖ συναχθήσονται οἱ ἀετοί. Συνάδει τοίνυν ἡ ἑρμηνεία τῇ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς διανοίᾳ. Ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν ταύτην λαμβάνομεν ἐκ τούτων τὴν ὄνησιν. Ἰουδαίοις γὰρ διὰ τούτων αὐτῶν ἕτερον ὠφελείας προσενήνοχεν εἶδος. Διχῆ γὰρ διελὼν καὶ τὰ χερσαία ζῶα, καὶ τὰ πτηνὰ, καὶ τὰ ἔνυδρα καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀκάθαρτα, τὰ δὲ καθαρὰ προσειπών, πείθει μηδὲν τούτων ἡγεῖσθαι Θεόν. Πῶς γὰρ ἄν τις σωφρονῶν, ἢ τὸ ἀκάθαρτον ὀνομάσοι Θεὸν, ὃ μυσαττόμενος ἀποστρέφεται, ἢ τὸ τῷ ἀληθινῷ Θεῷ προσφερόμενον, καὶ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐσθιόμενον;","t":"What does parting the hoof and chewing the cud signify? Parting the hoof, I think, shows the discernment between good actions and their opposites; and besides, living not only for the present life but also for the life to come, assigning to this one what is necessary, and to that one everything, that is, the soul, the body, and what concerns the body. Chewing the cud signifies meditation on the divine oracles. For as the sheep and the animals like it continually bring up their food again, so the diligent and God-loving man cries to the God of the universe, “How I have loved your law, O Lord! It is my meditation all the day.” Among animals some part the hoof and bring up their food; others do neither, like the ass, the mule, the horse, and the wild beasts; others part the hoof but do not bring up their food, like the pig; others chew the cud but do not part the hoof, like the camel and the hare. So too one can find among human beings the perfect, who embrace meditation on the divine oracles and diligently pursue virtue; the imperfect, who bring forth the divine oracles with the tongue but do not consent to part the hoof, and so resemble the camel; some who have not yet tasted piety, who do not accept the divine oracles but care for praiseworthy works; and others who are both empty of faith and wholly stripped of good action. Of the water creatures he says that those with scales and fins are clean, for these swim above in the waters, while the others roll about below in the mud. Among rational beings too, then, the clean are those not attached to earthly things, but having the wings of faith and fenced about with the covering of virtue; for what the scale is to fish, faith is to men. The blessed Paul puts these on us, speaking of the wings of grace and the weapons of the Spirit. Of the birds he says that the unclean are the predatory, the carrion-eating, and those that delight in darkness, teaching us to abstain from greed, to turn away from the foul-smelling food of sin, and to hate darkness. That we have not understood this amiss, the history of the Acts bears witness: “The blessed Peter saw,” it says, “a sheet let down by four corners, in which were all the four-footed animals of the earth and the birds of heaven; and he heard a voice saying, Rise, Peter, kill and eat.” Then, when he said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common or unclean,” God the Master said, “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.” That this was said for the sake of Cornelius, who was a gentile and desired salvation, what follows shows. And the Lord said to the apostles, “Many will come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”; and to the Jews, “Brood of vipers.” And the Apostle says, “Beware of the dogs”; and to the presbyters of Ephesus, “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” And the prophets name some men horses mad for females, and others serpents and offspring of flying asps. And again the Lord says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea and gathering fish of every kind”; and, “Where the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered.” This interpretation, then, agrees with the sense of the divine Scripture. We draw this benefit from these things; but to the Jews he offered another kind of benefit through them. Dividing the land animals, the birds, and the water creatures into two, and calling some unclean and others clean, he persuades them to regard none of these as God. For how could anyone in his senses name as God either what is unclean, which he loathes and turns away from, or what is offered to the true God and eaten by him?","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.11 (PG 80 80:313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-11)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.12":{"o":"Τί δήποτε ἐὰν μὲν εἰς ὀστράκινον σκεῦος έμπέσῃ τι τῶν ἀκαθάρτων, συντρίβεσθαι τοῦτο κελεύει· ἂν δὲ εἰς χαλκοῦν, ἢ ξύλινον, ἢ σάκκον, ἢ ἱμάτιον, ὕδατι πλύνεσθαι ; Καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὡς οὐδὲν φύσει ἀκάθαρτον, ἀλλὰ διὰ τινα αἰτίαν, τὰ μὲν εἶπεν ἀκάθαρτα, τὰ δὲ καθαρά· εἰ δὲ φύσει ἀκάθαρτα ἦν, ἔδει καὶ τὰ χαλκᾶ συντρίβεσθαι, καὶ τὰ ξύλινα. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ δι᾽ ἑτέραν αἰτίαν ἀκάθαρτα αὐτὰ προσηγόρευσε, τὰ μὲν πλείονος ἄξια ὄντα τιμῆς, πλύνεσθαι κελεύει, τὰ εὔωνα δὲ συντρίβεσθαι· ταύτῃ μὲν τὸν περὶ τοῦ ἀκαaθάρτου νόμον κρατύνων· ἐκείνῃ δὲ παραδηλῶν τὸν τοῦ νόμου σκοπόν. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ κλιβάνους καὶ χυτρόποδας καθαιρεῖσθαι κελεύει, εἴ τι τούτων ἐμπέσοι αὐτοῖς τῶν ζώων· καὶ τὸ ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις ὕδωρ ἀκάθαρτον ὀνομάζει ἐμπεσόντος αὐτοῖς θνησιμαίου. Τὸ δὲ πηγαῖον ὕδωρ οὐκέτι, οὐδὲ τὸ λάκκιον μικραῖς γὰρ ζημίαις τὰ τοιαῦτα περιορίζει. Μανθάνομεν δὲ πάλιν ἡμεῖς, ἡλίκον ἡ ἁμαρτία κακόν· τὸν γὰρ ἀληθῆ μολυσμὸν ἐκείν· προστρίβεται.","t":"Why does he command an earthen vessel to be broken if one of the unclean things falls into it, but a bronze or wooden vessel, or a sack or a garment, to be washed with water? From this too it is clear that nothing is unclean by nature, but that he called some things unclean and others clean for some purpose. If they were unclean by nature, the bronze and wooden things too would have had to be broken. But since he called them unclean for another reason, he commands those of greater value to be washed and the cheap ones to be broken: by the latter strengthening the law about the unclean, by the former indicating the aim of the law. For this reason too he commands ovens and pot-stands to be pulled down if any of these creatures falls on them; and he calls the water in vessels unclean if a carcass falls into it, but not spring water or cistern water; for he limits such things to small losses. We, in turn, learn how great an evil sin is; for it is sin that imparts the true defilement.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.12 (PG 80 80:317; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-12)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.13":{"o":"Διατί, τί, ἂν δ μὲν δίχα ὕδατος σπέρματι σπ ἐμπέση θνησιμαῖον, ον, οὐ οὐ μιαίνει, ·, ἂν δὲ μετὰ ὕδατος, ος, ἀκάθαρτον ἀποφαίνει; Ἐπειδὴ ἡ ὑγρότης τοῦ ἰχῶρος μεταλαμβάνειν παρασκευάζει τὸ σπέρμα. Διαφερόντως δὲ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς κοιλίας ἰλυσπώμενα ἀκάθαρτα εἶναί φησιν· ἀρχέκακος γὰρ ὁ ὄφις, καὶ τῆς διαβολικῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ὑπουργός.","t":"Why does a carcass that falls on seed not defile it if there is no water, but make it unclean if there is water? Because the moisture makes the seed take in the fluid of decay. He says especially that the creatures that crawl on their belly are unclean; for the serpent is the author of evil and the servant of the devil's plot.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.13 (PG 80 80:317; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-13)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.14":{"o":"Διατί τὴν τεκοῦσαν ἄῤῥεν τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας ἀκάθαρτον εἶναί φησι, τὴν δὲ θῆλυ δὶς τοσαύτας; Δεῖ τοῦ νόμου τὸν σκοπὸν ἐξετάζειν. Πολλάκις γὰρ ἕτερα ἀνθ' ἑτέρων διδάσκει, καὶ τοῦτο ῥάδιον ἐντεῦθεν καταμαθεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ τεκοῦσα ἀκάθαρτος, καὶ ἡ ἐγκύμων ἀκάθαρτος. Οἶμαι τοίνυν τὸν νόμον διαναπαύεσθαι κελεύειν αὐτὴν, ὡς σφόδρα πεπονηκυῖαν, καὶ τῶν πικρῶν ὠδίνων ἀνασχομένην. ᾿Αλλ' εἰ τοῦτο ἁπλῶς οὕτως διηγόρευσεν, οὐκ ἂν ἐκράτησαν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας οἱ ἄνδρες· ἀκάθαρτον δὲ αὐτὴν διδασκόμενοι, φεύγουσι τὴν κοινωνίαν, ἵνα μὴ τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας μετάσχωσιν. Οὐκοῦν ὁ νόμος τῷ τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας λόγῳ τὴν ὄρεξιν σβέννυσι. Τὴν δὲ διαφορὰν τῶν ἡμερῶν τινὲς οὕτως ἡρμήνευσαν, ὅτι πλείονα πόνον ὑπομένουσιν αἱ γυναῖκες γεννῶσαι τὰ θήλεα· διὸ διπλάσιον αὐταῖς εἰς ἀνάπαυλαν ἀπένειμε χρόνον.","t":"Why does he say that a woman who has borne a male is unclean for forty days, and one who has borne a female for twice as many? One must examine the aim of the law. It often teaches some things in place of others, and this is easy to learn here. If the woman who has given birth is unclean, the pregnant woman would be unclean too. I think, then, that the law commands her to rest, as one who has toiled greatly and endured the bitter pains of labor. But if it had simply prescribed this, the men would not have mastered their desire; whereas, being taught that she is unclean, they avoid intercourse, so as not to share in the uncleanness. So the law quenches desire by the principle of uncleanness. The difference in the days some have explained thus: that women endure greater pain in bearing females; so he assigned them twice the time for rest.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.14 (PG 80 80:319; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-14)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.15":{"o":"Τι βούλεται ὁ περὶ τῆς λέπρας νόμος ; Διὰ τῶν σωματικῶν παθημάτων τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιδείκνυσι τὰ νοσήματα· καὶ διὰ τῶν ἀκουσίων τῶν ἑκουσίων κατηγορεῖ. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ φυσικὰ δοκεῖ πως εἶναι ἀκάθαρτα, πολλῷ μάλλον τὰ γνωμικά Λέγει δὲ καὶ λέπρας διαφοράν ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἁμαρτημάτων ἐστὶ διαφορά· καὶ ἀρχὴ λέπρας, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἀρχὴ ἁμαρτίας. ᾿Αλλ' ὥσπερ τὴν λέπραν ὁ ἱερεὺς διακρίνει, οὕτως χρὴ καὶ τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς ἁμαρτη( μάτων αὐτὸν εἶναι κριτήν. Λεπρὸν δὲ καλεῖται τὸ ποικίλον τοῦ χρώματος· οὕτω κακία προσγενομένη ψυχῇ, λεπρὰν αὐτὴν ἀπεργάζεται.","t":"What does the law about leprosy mean? Through bodily afflictions he shows the diseases of the soul, and through the involuntary he accuses the voluntary. If natural things seem in some way unclean, much more those of the will. He speaks of differences of leprosy, since there are differences of sins; and of the beginning of leprosy, since there is a beginning of sin. And just as the priest distinguishes the leprosy, so he must also be the judge of the sins of the soul. What is varied in color is called leprous; so too vice, coming upon a soul, makes it leprous.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.15 (PG 80 80:319; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-15)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.16":{"o":"Διατὶ τὸν ὅλον λεπρὸν γενόμενον καθαρὸν ὀνομάζει; Φιλανθρωπίας καὶ οὗτος ὁ νόμος μεστής. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ θνησιμαίου διηγόρευσεν, εἰ μὲν εἰς ἀγγεῖον ἐμπέσοι, ἀκάθαρτον εἶναι· εἰ δὲ εἰς πηγὴν, ἢ λάκκον, οὐκέτι· οὕτω τὸν ποικίλον δεξάμενον χρῶμα τῶν ἄλλων ἀποκρίνει, ὡς ἐλπίδα καθάρσεως ἔχοντα· τὸν δὲ ὀλόλευκον γενόμενον, ἀναμίγνυσθαι κελεύει τοῖς ἄλλοις, ἵνα μὴ παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων κεχωρισμένος διάγῃ. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν ἐστι τύπος. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ πιστοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν οὐδὲ συνεσθίειν ὁ θεῖος κελεύει νόμος τοῖς δέ γε ἀπίστοις εἰς ἑστίασιν καλοῦσιν οὐ κωλύει συνεστιᾶσθαι. Λέγει δὲ οὕτως ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος Ἐὰν τις καλῇ ὑμᾶς τῶν ἀπίστων, καὶ θέλετε πορεύεσθαι, πᾶν τὸ παρατιθέμενον ὑμῖν ἐσθίετε, μηδὲν ἀνακρίνοντες, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Περὶ δὲ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων πιστων ουτως εφη· Ἐάν τις ἀδελφὸς όνομαζόμενος ᾗ πόρνος, ἢ πλεονέκτης, ἢ εἰδωλολάτρης, ἢ μέθυσος, ἢ λοίδορος, ἢ ἄρπαξ τῷ τοιούτῳ μὴ συνεσθίειν. Καὶ πάλιν Στέλλεσθε ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀδελφοῦ ἀτάκτως περιπατοῦντος. Οὗτος τοίνυν ἔοικε τῷ ἐκ μέρους λεπρῷ· ὁ δὲ ἄπιστος τῷ πᾶσαν τὴν φυσικὴν ἀπολέσαντι χρόαν **. ᾿Αλλὰ τούτοις καὶ προσδιαλεγόμεθα, καὶ συναναστρεφόμεθα· ἐκεινοις δὲ οὐκέτι. Καὶ τούτου μάρτυς ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος Ἔγραψα γὰρ ὑμῖν, φησὶ, μὴ συναναμίγνυσθαι πόρνοις καὶ οὐ πάντως τοῖς πόρνοις τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, ἢ τοῖς πλεονέκταις, ἢ ἄρπαξιν, ἢ εἰδωλολά τραις ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις ἀδελφὸς ὀνομαζόμενος, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καθαρὸν μέντοι κέκληκε τὸν ὅλον γενόμενον λευκὸν, οὐχ ὡς ὑγιὲς ἔχοντα τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλ᾿ ὡς μηκέτι τοὺς πελάζοντας κατὰ τὸν νόμον μολύνοντα.","t":"Why does he call one who has become wholly leprous clean? This law too is full of kindness. Just as he prescribed concerning a carcass that if it falls into a vessel the vessel is unclean, but not if it falls into a spring or a cistern, so he separates from the others one who has received a varied color, as having hope of cleansing; but one who has become entirely white he commands to mix with the others, so that he might not live his whole life separated from other people. This too is a type of spiritual things. The divine law commands us not even to eat with believers who sin; but it does not forbid dining with unbelievers who invite us to a meal. The divine Apostle says: “If one of the unbelievers invites you and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising questions,” and so on. But about believers who sin he said: “If anyone who is called a brother is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or a drunkard, or a reviler, or a robber, not even to eat with such a one”; and again, “Keep away from every brother who walks disorderly.” Such a one, then, resembles the partly leprous; the unbeliever resembles one who has lost all his natural color. With the latter we converse and associate, but not with the former. The divine Apostle is witness: “I wrote to you,” he says, “not to associate with the sexually immoral; not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy, or robbers, or idolaters; but if anyone who is called a brother,” and so on. He called clean the one who had become wholly white, not as having a healthy body, but as no longer defiling, according to the law, those who came near him.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.16 (PG 80 80:319; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-16)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.17":{"o":"Διατί τοῦ λεπροῦ ἀκάλυπτον” εἶναι κελεύει τὴν κεφαλὴν, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια παραλελυμένα Ἵνα γνώριμος ᾖ, καὶ μὴ μεταλαγχάνωσι τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας οἱ πελάζοντες. Οὕτως ὁ ᾿Απόστολος περ. τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων ἔφη· Στέλλεσθε ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀδελφοῦ ἀτάκτως περιπατοῦντος, καὶ μὴ κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν, ἣν παρελάβετε παρ' ἡμῶν. Καί Ἐάν τις ἀδελφὸς ὀνομαζόμενος ᾗ πόρνος, ἢ πλεονέκτης, ἢ εἰδωλολάτρης, ἢ μέθυσος, ἢ λοίδορος, ἢ ἄρπαξ τῷ τοιούτῳ μὴ συνεσθίειν.","t":"Why does he command the leper's head to be uncovered and his garments loosened? So that he might be recognized, and those who came near him might not share in the uncleanness. So the Apostle said about sinners: “Keep away from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition you received from us”; and, “If anyone who is called a brother is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or a drunkard, or a reviler, or a robber, not even to eat with such a one.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.17 (PG 80 80:321; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-17)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.18":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον ἱματίοις λέπραν ἐγγενέσθαι **; Πολλὰς ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῖς τοιαύτας παιδείας ἐπήγαγεν αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ περὶ λεπρῶν οίκων οὕτως ἔφη· Ὡς ἂν εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν γῆν τῶν Χαναναίων, ἣν ἐγὼ δίδωμι ὑμῖν, καὶ δώσω ἀφὴν λέπρας ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις τῆς γῆς τῆς ἐγκτήτου ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Διδάσκει δὲ διὰ τούτων, ὅτι θεήλατοι ἦσαν πληγαὶ, ποτὲ μὲν κατὰ ἱματίων ποτὲ δὲ κατὰ οἰκιῶν φερόμεναι. Ταῦτα δὲ τὴν ἄφατον φιλανθρωπίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ δηλοῖς. Τῶν γὰρ ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτανόντων ἱματίοις καὶ οἰκίαις ἐπέφερε· τὰς πληγὰς, διὰ τούτων τοῖς ταῦτα κεκτημένοις τὴν θεραπείαν προσφέρων. Ἔοικε δὲ τῷ λεπρῶντι οἴκῳ ὁ οἶκος τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, οὗ πολλάκις μὲν ἐξῃρέθησαν, καθάπερ λίθοι τινὲς λεπρῶντες, οἱ πλημμελήσαντες, ποτέ μὲν δι' ᾿Ασσυρίων, ποτὲ δὲ διὰ Βαβυλωνίων, ἄλλοτε δὲ διὰ Μακεδόνων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ παγίαν ἔσχον τὴν λέπραν, ἄρδην καταλυθῆναι τὴν οἰκίαν ὁ νομοθέτης ἐκέλευσεν. Ακάθαρτοι οὖν εἰσιν οἱ εἰς τὰς τούτων συναγωγὰς εἰσιόντες”, ὡς εἰς λεπρῶσαν οἰκίαν εἰσιόντες.","t":"How should it be understood that leprosy arose in garments? God brought many such chastisements on them. Indeed, about leprous houses too he said this: “When you enter the land of the Canaanites, which I am giving you, and I put a plague of leprosy in the houses of the land you possess,” and so on. By these he teaches that they were plagues sent by God, coming now upon garments and now upon houses. These show God's ineffable love for humankind; for when human beings sinned, he brought the plagues upon garments and houses, offering healing through these to those who owned them. The house of Israel resembles the leprous house: often the offenders were taken out of it like leprous stones, now by the Assyrians, now by the Babylonians, at another time by the Macedonians. But since they had an ingrained leprosy, the lawgiver commanded the house to be torn down completely. Unclean, then, are those who enter their synagogues, as entering a leprous house.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.18 (PG 80 80:321; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-18)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.19":{"o":"Τι σημαίνει, τὰ δύο ὀρνίθια τὰ ὑπὲρ τοῦ καθαριζομένου λεπρού προσφερόμενα; Τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους περιέχει τὸν τύπον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τούτων τὸ μὲν ἐθύετο τὸ δὲ εἰς τὸ τοῦ τυθέντος αἷμα βαπτόμενον ὁ ἁπελύετο, οὕτως ὑπὲρ τῆς λεπρώσης ἀνθρωπότητος ὁ Δεσπότης ἐσταυρώθη Χριστὸς, τῆς μὲν σαρκὸς δεξαμένης τὸν θάνατον, τῆς δὲ θεότητος οἰκειωσαμένης τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος πάθος. Καὶ καθάπερ ὕδατι καθαρῷ τοῦ σφαγέντος ὀρνιθίου τὸ αἷμα μιγνύμενον διὰ κεδρίνου ξύλου καὶ ὑσσώπου, καὶ κοκκίνου κεκλωσμένου περιραινόμενος ὁ λεπρὸς λαμπρός τε καὶ καθαρὸς ἀπεδείκνυτο οὕτως ὁ τῷ Σωτῆρι πιστεύων Χριστῷ, καὶ τῷ τοῦ παναγίου βαπτίσματος ὕδατι καθαιρόμενος, τὰς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀποβάλλει κηλίδας. Σύμβολον δὲ τὸ μὲν κέδρινον ξύλον τῆς ἀπαθοῦς θεότητος. ἄσηπτον Ο γὰρ τόδε τὸ ξύλον· τὸ δὲ κόκκινον τὸ κλωστὸν, τῆς ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος ἀνθρωπότητος· τὸ δὲ ὕσσωπον, τῆς τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος θερμότητός τε καὶ εὐοσμίας. Διὰ τούτων γὰρ οἱ βαπτιζόμενοι τῆς ψυχικῆς ἀπαλλάττονται λέπρας. Καὶ ἡ κοτύλη δὲ τοῦ ἐλαίου, τοῦ πνευματικοῦ μύρου σημαντική. Δηλοῖ δὲ τὸ ἐπιχριόμενον ἔλαιον τῷ ὠτίῳ τῷ δεξιῷ, καὶ τῇ δεξιᾷ χειρὶ, καὶ τῷ δεξιῷ ποδὶ, τὸ τὴν μὲν ἀκοὴν τοῖς δεξιοῖς ἀφορίζεσθαι λόγοις, τὴν δὲ χεῖραῖκαὶ τὸν πόδα ταῖς δεξιαῖς πράξεσιν· ἐπιβαλλόμενον δὲ καὶ τῇ κεφαλῇ, δηλοῖ τὴν ἀφιέρωσιν τοῦ λογικοῦ. Ὁ μέντοι διαμείνας λεπρὸς, ἔξω διῆγε τῆς παρεμβολῆς· ὡς ὁ ἀμεταμέλητα πταίων τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐκβάλλεται","t":"What do the two little birds offered for the leper who is being cleansed signify? This contains the type of the saving passion. For just as one of them was sacrificed, and the other, dipped in the blood of the one sacrificed, was set free, so for leprous humanity Christ the Master was crucified, the flesh receiving death, and the divinity making the suffering of the humanity its own. And just as the leper, sprinkled with the blood of the slaughtered bird mixed with pure water by means of cedar wood, hyssop, and spun scarlet, was shown bright and clean, so one who believes in Christ the Savior and is cleansed by the water of all-holy baptism casts off the stains of sins. The cedar wood is a symbol of the impassible divinity, for this wood does not rot; the spun scarlet, of the humanity composed of soul and body; and the hyssop, of the warmth and fragrance of the all-holy Spirit; for through these the baptized are freed from the leprosy of the soul. The kotylē of oil signifies the spiritual myrrh. The oil smeared on the right ear, the right hand, and the right foot shows that the hearing is set apart for right words, and the hand and the foot for right actions; and poured on the head, it shows the dedication of the rational part. The one who remained leprous lived outside the camp, as one who sins without repentance is cast out of the church.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.19 (PG 80 80:323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-19)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.2":{"o":"Τί ἐστι, Ψυχὴ ἐὰν λάθῃ αὐτὴν λήθη καὶ ἁμάρτῃ ἀκουσίως ἀπὸ τῶν ἁγίων Κυμίου\"; Συνέβαινε πολλάκις ἀσχολίᾳ τινὰ περιπεσόντα μὴ προσενεγκεῖν εἰς καιρὸν τὰ τῷ Θεῷ ἀφιερωμένα, οἷον τὰ πρωτότοκα, ἢ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς, ἢ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας. Τὸν ταύτῃ τοίνυν περιπεπτωκότα τῇ πλημμελείᾳ μείζονι ὑποβάλλει ζημίᾳ. Κελεύει γὰρ αὐτὸν πρότερον ἐκτίσαι τὸ θεῖον ὄφλημα, τῆς ἀξίας τιμῆς τὸ πέμπτον προστεθεικότα εἶθ' οὕτως ὑπὲρ τῆς πλημμελείας κριὸν πεντήκοντα σίκλων ἄξιον προσενεγκεῖν εἰς ἱερουργίαν, καὶ οὕτως λαβεῖν τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν ἄφεσιν. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια περὶ τῶν ἀκουσίως ἡμαρτηκότων νομοθετήσας, κελεύει καὶ τοὺς ἑκόντας ἡμαρτηκοτας, καὶ ἢ παρακαταθήκην δεξαμένους καὶ ψευσαμένους, ἢ ἀδικίᾳ τινὶ χρησαμένους, καὶ ὅρκῳ ψευδεῖ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τ8 αὐξήσαντας, πρῶτον ἀποδοῦναι τοῖς ἡδικημένοις & παρανόμως ἀφεῖλον καὶ προσθεῖναι τῷ κεφαλαίῳ τὸ πέμπτον· εἶθ' οὕτω κριὸν προσενεγκεῖν, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἱλεώσασθαι. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος Ζακχαῖος πεποίηκεν. Απέδωκε γὰρ ἅπερ ἠδίκησε τετραπλάσια· εἶθ' οὕτως τὰ ἡμίση τῶν οἰκείων τοῖς πενομένοις δέδωκε.","t":"What does “If a soul is overtaken by forgetfulness and sins involuntarily in the holy things of the Lord” mean? It often happened that someone, caught up in some business, did not offer at the proper time what had been consecrated to God, such as the firstborn, the firstfruits, or what had been vowed. One who fell into this offence he subjects to a greater penalty. He commands him first to pay the divine debt, adding a fifth of its value, and then to offer for the trespass a ram worth fifty shekels as a sacrifice, and so to receive forgiveness of the sin. Having legislated these and similar things about those who sinned involuntarily, he commands those who sinned willingly too, who received a deposit and lied about it, or committed some injustice and increased the sin by a false oath, first to give back to those they wronged what they had unlawfully taken, adding a fifth to the principal, and then to offer a ram and propitiate God. The blessed Zacchaeus did this too: he gave back fourfold what he had wrongfully taken, and then gave half of his goods to the poor.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.2 (PG 80 80:309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-2)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.20":{"o":"Διατί τὸν γονοῤῥυῆ ἀκάθαρτον ὀνομάζει; Καὶ ἤδη ἔφην, ὅτι διὰ τῶν φυσικῶν παιδεύει τὰ γνωμικά, καὶ διδάσκει διὰ τούτων, ὅπως ἐνεῖνα παγχάλεπα. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ κατὰ φύσιν γινομένη ῥύσις ἀκάθαρτος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡ λαγνεία παράνομος '. Διδάσκει δὲ πάλιν ἡμᾶς φεύγειν τῶν τοιούτων τὰς συνουσίας Ἔφη γὰρ ἀκάθαρτον εἶναι τὸν τῷ γονοῤῥυεῖ προσπελάζοντα. Ὅτι δὲ τῶν κατὰ φύσιν γιγνομένων οὐδὲν ἀληθῶς ἀκάθαρτον, αὐτὸς ὁ νόμος δηλοῖ. Εἰ γὰρ,ὀστρακίνου σκεύους ἅψαιτο ὁ γονοῤῥυὴς, συντρίβεσθαι τοῦτο κελεύει εἰ δὲ χαλκοῦ, ἢ ξυλίνου, ὕδατι ἀποσμήχεσθαι. Ἔδει δὲ καὶ ταῦτα παραπλησίως τοῖς ὀστρακίνοις συντρίβεσθαι, εἴπερ ἄρα τῷ ὄντι ἀκάθαρτος ἦν, ᾧ τόδε τὸ πάθος συνέβαινεν. Οὕτω καὶ τὸν ὀνειρώττοντα ἀκάθαρτον εἶναί φησι, καὶ τοὺς νόμῳ ὁ γάμου συναπτομένους καίτοι αὐτοῦ τὸν περὶ τοῦ γάμου τεθεικότος νόμον, καὶ πρῶτον νόμον ᾿Αντὶ τούτου γὰρ, ἔψη, καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν. Πῶς οὖν ἀκάθαρτον καλεῖ τὸν κατὰ τὸν νόμον μιγνύμενον; ᾿Αλλὰ δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὡς καὶ τῆς κατὰ νόμον μίξεως τὴν συμμετρίαν διδάσκει, καὶ παιδεύει παιδογονίας χάριν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ φιληδονίας γίνεσθαι τὴν συνάφειαν. Διὰ τοῦτο τοὺς μιγνυμένους ἀκαθάρτους καλεῖ καὶ κελεύει καθαίρεσθαι ἵνα κωλύῃ τῆς συνουσίας τὸ συνεχὲς ἡ περὶ τὴν κάθαρσιν ἀσχολία. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος τοῖς τελείοις γράφων Τίμιος ὁ γάμος καὶ ἡ κοίτη ἀμίαντος πόρνους δὲ καὶ μοιχοὺς κρινεῖ ὁ Θεός.","t":"Why does he call a man with a discharge unclean? I have already said that through natural things he teaches things of the will, and teaches by them how very grievous the latter are. If a flow that occurs by nature is unclean, much more is unlawful lust. He also teaches us again to avoid intercourse with such people; for he said that one who comes near a man with a discharge is unclean. That none of the things that happen by nature is truly unclean, the law itself shows. If a man with a discharge touches an earthen vessel, he commands it to be broken; but if a bronze or wooden one, to be scoured with water. These too should have been broken like the earthen ones, if the one to whom this affliction happened were really unclean. So too he says that one who has a nocturnal emission is unclean, and those who are joined by the law of marriage, although he himself laid down the law about marriage, and that as the first law: “For this reason,” he said, “a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” How, then, does he call unclean one who has intercourse according to the law? It is clear that he teaches moderation even in lawful intercourse, and trains them to make their union for the sake of begetting children and not for love of pleasure. For this reason he calls those who have intercourse unclean and commands them to be purified, so that the trouble of purification might prevent continual intercourse. But the divine Apostle writes to the perfect: “Marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled; but the sexually immoral and adulterers God will judge.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.20 (PG 80 80:323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-20)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.21":{"o":"Διατὶ τὴν τὸ περιττὸν τοῦ αἵματος κατά φύσιν 1ο ἐκκρίνουσαν ἀκάθαρτον ὀνομάζει; \"Α περὶ τοῦ γονοῤῥυοῦς ἱεἰρήκαμεν, ταῦτα καὶ περὶ ταύτης φαμέν. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, ἵνα μηδεὶς ταῖς τοιαύταις συνάπτηται. Φασὶ γάρ τινες ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης συναφείας καὶ λώβην καὶ λέπραν ἀπογεννᾶσθαι, τοῦ περιττώματος ἐκείνου τὰ διαπλαττόμενα πημαίνοντος σώματα. Τούτου χάριν ἀκάθαρτον εἶνal φησι τὸν τῇ τοιαύτῃ συναπτόμενον. Συντόμως δὲ τῶν τοιούτων νόμων τὰς αἰτίας ἐδίδαξεν, εἰρηκώς· Καὶ εὐλαβεῖς ποιήσετε τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀκαθαρσιῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἀποθανοῦνται διὰ τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ μιαίνειν αὐτοὺς τὴν σκηνήν μου τὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς. Εἰ δὲ τὰ ἀκούσια μιαίνειν ἔφη δῆλον, ὅτι πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐναγῆ τὰ ἡ ἑκούσια Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ μάλα ἥρμοττεν ἐκείνοις λαγνιστάτοις οὖσι καὶ κακομάχλοις Τό τε γὰρ παραβαινόμενον οὐ μέγα, καὶ τηρούμενον ἐπιτηδειοτέρους εἰργάζετο πρὸς τὰ τέλεια.","t":"Why does he call unclean a woman who discharges the excess blood according to nature? What we have said about the man with a discharge we say about her too. Besides this, it is so that no one might have intercourse with such women. For some say that from such intercourse both disfigurement and leprosy are produced, since that excess harms the bodies being formed. For this reason he says that one who has intercourse with such a woman is unclean. He taught the reasons for such laws briefly, saying: “And you shall make the sons of Israel reverent concerning their uncleannesses, and they shall not die because of their uncleanness, by defiling my tabernacle that is among them.” If he said that involuntary things defile, it is clear that voluntary things are much more accursed. These laws were very suitable for them, who were most lustful and lewd; for transgressing them was no great matter, and keeping them made them more fit for perfect things.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.21 (PG 80 80:325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-21)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.22":{"o":"Πότε ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἰς τὰ \"Αγια τῶν ἁγίων εἰσῄει; Ἐν τῇ τοῦ ἱλασμοῦ ἡμέρᾳ, ἣν ἐπιτελεῖσθαι προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς τῇ δεκάτῃ τοῦ ἑβδόμου μηνός Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶ, Κύριος πρὸς Μωσῆν· Λάλησον πρὸς 'Ααρὼν τὸν ἀδελφόν σου, καὶ μὴ εἰσπορευέσθω πᾶσαν ὥραν εἰς τὸ ἅγιον ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος, εἰς πρόσωπον τοῦ ἱλαστηρίου, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῆς κιβωτοῦ τοῦ μαρτυρίου, καὶ οὐκ ἀποθανεῖται ἐν γὰρ νεφέλῃ ὀφθήσομαι ἐπὶ τοῦ ἱλαστηρίου. Ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὡς ἐν τῷ ἱλαστηρίῳ τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιφάνειαν ὁ Δεσπότης ἐποιεῖτο Θεός καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ἐμφαίνων ἀγαθότητα, οὐκἐν γνόφῳ καὶ καπνῷ, καὶ πυρὶ, καθάπερ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν νεφέλῃ φωτοειδεῖ ἑωρᾶτο. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ καὶ τῶν θυσιῶν τὸν τρόπον, αἷς ἔδει τὸν ἀρχιερέα χρησάμενον τῶν ἀδύτων κατατολμῆσαι. Ἐκέλευσε γὰρ μόσχον μὲν ἱερεῦσαι περὶ ἁμαρτίας, κριὸν δὲ ὁλοκαυτῶσαι· καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ προσενεγκεῖν, ὑπὲρ δὲ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ δύο τράγους περὶ ἁμαρτίας λαβεῖν, καὶ ἕνα κριὸν εἰς ὁλοκαύτωμα. Προσέταξε δὲ καὶ κλήρῳ διελεῖν τοὺς τράγους, καὶ τὸν μὲν ἱερεῦσαι, τὸν δὲ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἀποστεῖλαι. Τοῦτο δὲ τινες ἀνοήτως νενοηκότες δαίμονά τινα ἀποπομπαῖον ἐνόμισαν, ἐπειδὴ ἔφη Ἕνα τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἕνα τῷ ἀποπομ( παίῳ. Τοῦτο δέ γε ἐκ πολλῆς ὑπέλαβον εὐηθείας. Πῶς γὰρ οἷόν τε ἦν τὸν εἰρηκότα· Οὐκ ἔσονταί σοι θεοὶ ἕτεροι πλὴν ἐμοῦ, καὶ οὐ προσκυνήσεις οὐδὲ λατρεύσεις Θεῷ ἑτέρῳ πλὴν ἐμοῦ δαίμονί τινι τὴν ἴσην ἀπονεῖμαι κελεῦσαι θυσίαν; Ἔδει δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐπιστῆσαι τὸν νοῦν, ὅτι καὶ τὸν ἀπολυόμενον τράγον ἑαυτῷ προσενεχθῆναι προσέταξε. Λήψῃ γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν τράγον τὸν ζῶντα ἔναντι Κυρίου, τοῦ ἐξιλάσασθαι ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, τοῦ ἐξαποστεῖλαι αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἀποπομπὴν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον. Τοῦτο δὲ δηλοῖ, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ τράγος ἀποπομπαῖος ἐκλήθη, ὡς ἀποπεμπόμενος εἰς τὴν ἔρημον. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς δηλοῖ· Καὶ λήψεται ὁ τράγος ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν ἄβατον. Καὶ ὁ Σύμμαχος δὲ τὸν ἀποπομπαῖον οὕτως ἡρμήνευσεν, Εἰς τράγον ἀπερχόμενον, ὥστε ἀποστεῖλαι αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν άποπομπήν· ὁ δὲ ᾿Ακύλας, Εἰς τράγον ἀπολυόμενον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον. Οὐ τοίνυν Θεῷ τινι, ἢ δαίμονι ἀπεστέλλετο, ἀλλ᾿ ἀμφότεροι μὲν τῷ Θεῷ προσεφέροντο τοῦ δὲ ἑνὸς θυομένου, ὁ ἕτερος τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ λαοῦ ἀναλαμβάνων εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἀπεπέμπετο. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ καθαιρομένου λεπροῦ, τοῦ ἑνὸς ὀρνιθίου θυομένου, τὸ ἕτερον, εἰς τὸ τούτου αἷμα βαπτόμενον ἀπελύετο· οὕτως ὑπὲρ τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ ἁμαρτημάτων δύο τράγων προσφερομένων, ὁ μὲν ἐθύετο, ὁ δὲ ἀπεπέμπετο. Τύποι δὲ ταῦτα πάλιν τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ τῶν δύο τούτων ζώων οὐκ εἰς δύο πρόσωπα, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς δύο φύσεις λαμβανομένων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐχ οἷόν τε ἦν ἐν ἑνὶ τράγῳ σκιογραφηθῆναι καὶ τὸ θνητὸν, καὶ τὸ ἀθάνατον τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ (θνητὸς γὰρ μόνον ὁ τράγος), ἀναγκαίως δύο προσαχθῆναι προσέταξεν· ἵνα ὁ μὲν θυόμενος, τῆς σαρκὸς τὸ παθητὸν προτυπώσῃ· ὁ δὲ ἀπολυόμενος δηλώσῃ τὸ ἀπαθὲς τῆς θεότητος. Οὕτως καὶ ὁ μακάριος Δαβὶδ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ τὸ πάθος, καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, καὶ τὴν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνάβασιν προθεσπίζων ἔφη Ο Θεὸς, ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε ἐνώπιον τοῦ λαοῦ σου, ἐν τῷ διαβαίνειν σε ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ γῇ ἐσείσθη· καὶ γὰρ οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἔσταξαν. Ἐδιδάχθημεν δὲ ὡς τοῦ Δεσπότου σταυρουμένου Χριστοῦ, καὶ γῆ ἐσείσθη, καὶ αἱ πέτραι ἐῤῥάγησαν, ὁ δὲ οὐρανὸς διὰ τοῦ σκο τισθέντος ἡλίου ἐμήνυσε τὴν τῆς ἀσεβείας ὑπερίολήν. Ἡ δέ γε ἔρημος τοῦ θανάτου τύπος. Τούτου γὰρ χάριν ἔφη Ἐν τῷ διαβαίνειν σε ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. ᾿Αλλὰ μηδεὶς ἀνάρμοστον ὑπολάβοι τὸ τράγους προτυποῦν τοῦ Σωτῆρος τὸ πάθος, ἐπειδήπερ ἀμνὸν – αὐτὸν ὁ μέγας προσηγόρευσεν Ἰωάννης· σκοπησάτω δὲ, ὡς οὐ μόνον ὑπὲρ δικαίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἑαυτὸν προσενήνοχεν. Ἐρίφοις δὲ τὴν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν συμμορίαν αὐτὸς ἀπείκασεν ὁ Δεσπότης· Στήσει γὰρ, ἔφη τοὺς μὲν ἀμνοὺς ἐκ δεξιῶν, τοὺς δὲ ἐρίφους ἐξ εὐωνύμων. Καὶ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ δὲ περὶ ἁμαρτίας ἔριφος προσεφέρετο, Αὐτὸ; δέ γε ὁ Κύριος τὸν χαλκοῦν ὄφιν τύπον ἑαυτοῦ κέκληκεν· Καθὼς γὰρ, φησὶ, Μωσῆς ὕψωσε τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται, ἀλλ᾽ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀνάρμοστος τῶν τράγων ὁ τύπος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ τοῦ ὄφεως. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν προεδίδασκε τῆς οἰκουμένης τὴν σωτηρίαν. Ἰουδαίους δὲ οἷα δὴ νηπίους ἐψυχαγώγει, τὸ τὸν τράγον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἀπάγεὶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν Ανεμίμνησκε γὰρ αὐτοὺς τῆς πολλάκις τολμηθείσης ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ παρανομίας· καὶ τῆς ἀῤῥήτου τοῦ Δεσπότου φιλανθρωπίας, δι᾽ ἣν τὰς ἐνδίκους τιμωρίας διαφυγόντες, εἰς τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην εἰσεληλύθασι γῆν. Οὕτω ταῦτα γενέσθαι κελεύσας, διδάσκει καὶ ὅπως εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὰ ῞Αγια τῶν ἁγίων τὸν ἀρχιερέα προσήκει. Προσάξει γὰρ, φησὶν, Ἀαρὼν τὸν μόσχον τὸν περὶ ἁμαρτίας τὸν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἐξιλάσεται περὶ ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ καὶ σφάξει τὸν μόσχον τὸν περὶ ἁμαρτίας τὸν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ λήψεται πλῆρες τὸ πυρεῖον ἀνθράκων πυρὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τοῦ ἀπέναντι Κυρίου, καὶ πλήσει τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ θυμιάματος συθέσεως λεπτῆς, καὶ εἰσοίσει ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος καὶ ἐπιθήσει τὸ θυμίαμα ἐπὶ τὸ πῦρ ἔναντι Κυρίου· καὶ καλύψει ἡ ἀτμὶς τοῦ θυμιάματος τὸ ἱλαστήριον τὸ ἐπὶ τῶν μαρτυρίων, καὶ οὐκ ἀποθανεῖται. Δῆλον ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς ἐκτὸς τοῦ καταπετάσματος τὸ θυσιαστήριον τοῦ θυμιάματος ἔκειτο. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν, εἴπερ ἔνδον ἦν, εἰς τὸ πυρεῖον τοὺς ἄνθρακας λαβεῖν ἐκελεύσθη, καὶ τοῦτο εἶσω τοῦ καταπετάσματος ἐμβαλεῖν τὸ θυμίαμα. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς καὶ ὁ μακάριος Λουκᾶς, τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ζαχαρίαν διηγού μενος, τὸν Ἰωάννου τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ πατέρα. Κατὰ τοῦτον γὰρ κἀκεῖνος τὸν καιρὸν εἰς τὰ ῞Αγια τῶν ἁγίων εἰσελήλυθε καὶ τῆς ἀγγελικῆς ὀπτασίας ἀπήλαυσε Ἑκέλευσε δὲ καὶ διαῤῥᾶναι τῷ δακτύλῳ ἑπτάκις πρὸ τοῦ ἱλαστηρίου τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ τε μόσχου καὶ τοῦ τράγου. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν ἑπτὰ ἡμέραις ὁ βίος ἀνακυκλεῖται, καθ' ἑκάστην δε, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ἡμέραν, ἢ σμικρὰ, ἢ μεγάλα πλημμε“λοῦμεν, ἰσάριθμος προσεφέρετο ταῖς ἡμέραις ὁ τοῦ αἵματος ῥαντισμὸς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν ταύταις γιγνομένων πλημμελημάτων. Λέγει δὲ τοῦτο, μὴ μόνον αὐτοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν καθαίρειν. «Ἐξιλάσεται γὰρ, φησὶ, περὶ τῶν ἁγίων ἀπὸ τῶν ἀκαθαρσιῶν τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδικημάτων αὐτῶν περὶ πασῶν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν· καὶ οὕτω ποιήσει τῇ σκηνῇ τοῦ μαρτυρίου τῇ ἐκτισμένῃ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐν μέσῳ τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτῶν. Ἐκέλευσε δὲ μηδένα παρ εἶναι ταύτης ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως γινομένης τῆς λειτουργίας. Λέγει δὲ καὶ τὸν καιρὸν, καθ' ὃν προσήκει καὶ ταῦτα γενέσθαι. Δεκάτῃ γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦ μηνὸς κακώσετε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν· καὶ πᾶν ἔργον οὐ ποιήσετε, ὁ αὐτόχθων, καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος ὁ προσκείμενος ἐν ὑμῖν. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἐξιλάσεται περὶ ὑμῶν καθαρίσαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὑμῶν ἔναντι Κυρίου, καὶ καθαρισθήσεσθε. Σάββατα Σαββάτων ἀνάπαυσις αὕτη ἔσται ὑμῖν, καὶ κακώσετε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν νόμιμον αἰώνιον. Σάββατα δὲ Σαββάτων, ὡς ῞Αγια ἁγίων, ἐκάλεσε· πολλῷ γὰρ τοῦ Σαββάτου αὕτη σεβασμιωτέρα ἡ ἑορτή. Κάκωσιν δὲ τὴν νηστείαν ὠνόμασεν. Εἶτα ἐπάγει ῞Απαξ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ποιηθήσεται καθάπερ συνέταξε Κύριος τῷ Μωσῇ. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ προτυποῖ τὴν κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν οἰκονομίαν. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἅπαξ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἰς τὰ Ἄγια τῶν ἁγίων εἰσιὼν ταύτην ἐπετέλει τὴν λειτουργίαν, οὕτως ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς, ἅπαξ τὸ σωτήριον πάθος ὑπομείνας, εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνελήλυθεν, αἰωνίαν λύτρωσιν εὑράμενος, ᾗ φησιν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος.","t":"When did the high priest enter the holy of holies? On the day of atonement, which God commanded to be held on the tenth of the seventh month. “The Lord said to Moses,” it says, “Speak to Aaron your brother, and let him not go at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony, and he shall not die; for I will appear in a cloud upon the mercy seat.” From this it is clear that God the Master made his appearing on the mercy seat; and, showing his own goodness, he was seen not in darkness and smoke and fire, as by Israel, but in a luminous cloud. He also taught the manner of the sacrifices with which the high priest had to venture into the inner sanctuary. He commanded him to sacrifice a calf for sin and offer a ram as a whole burnt offering, and to offer these for himself; and for the whole people to take two he-goats for sin and one ram for a whole burnt offering. He also commanded the goats to be divided by lot, and one to be sacrificed and the other sent away into the desert. Some, understanding this foolishly, thought there was a demon called Apopompaios (the Averter), since he said, “One for the Lord and one for the sending-away.” This they supposed out of great simplicity. For how could he who said, “You shall have no other gods besides me, and you shall not bow down to or serve another god besides me,” command an equal sacrifice to be assigned to a demon? They ought to have noticed that he commanded the goat that was released to be offered to himself as well: “You shall take the living goat before the Lord,” it says, “to make atonement over it, to send it away for the sending-away into the desert.” This shows that the goat itself was called apopompaios, as being sent away into the desert. What follows shows this too: “And the goat shall bear their iniquities upon itself into the untrodden land.” Symmachus too translated apopompaios thus: “for the goat that goes away, so as to send it away for the sending-away”; and Aquila: “for the goat released into the desert.” It was not sent, then, to some god or demon; both were offered to God, and while one was sacrificed, the other, taking up the sins of the people, was sent away into the desert. For just as in the case of the leper being cleansed, one bird was sacrificed and the other, dipped in its blood, was released, so for the sins of the people two goats were offered: one was sacrificed and the other sent away. These again are types of Christ the Master, the two animals being taken to represent not two persons but two natures. Since it was not possible to sketch in one goat both what is mortal and what is immortal in Christ the Master (for the goat is only mortal), he necessarily commanded two to be brought, so that the one sacrificed might prefigure the passibility of the flesh, while the one released might show the impassibility of the divinity. So too the blessed David, foretelling the passion of Christ the Master, his resurrection, and his ascension into heaven, said: “O God, when you went out before your people, when you passed through the desert, the earth shook, and the heavens poured down.” We have been taught that when Christ the Master was crucified, the earth shook and the rocks were split, and heaven, through the darkened sun, announced the excess of the impiety. The desert is a type of death; for this reason he said, “when you passed through the desert.” Let no one suppose it unfitting that goats should prefigure the Savior's passion, since the great John called him a lamb; let him consider that he offered himself not only for the righteous but also for sinners. The Master himself likened the company of sinners to kids: “He will set the lambs on his right,” he said, “and the kids on his left.” And in the law a kid was offered for sin. The Lord himself also called the bronze serpent a type of himself: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,” he says, “so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.” If the type of the goats is unfitting, much more is that of the serpent. These things, then, taught beforehand the salvation of the world. The Jews, as infants, he encouraged by the goat's carrying their sin away into the desert; for it reminded them of the lawlessness they had often dared in the desert, and of the Master's ineffable love for humankind, through which they escaped the punishments they deserved and entered the promised land. Having commanded these things to be done so, he also teaches how the high priest should enter the holy of holies: “Aaron shall bring the calf for sin that is for himself, and make atonement for himself and his house; and he shall slaughter the calf for sin that is his own, and take the censer full of coals of fire from the altar that is before the Lord, and fill his hands with finely compounded incense, and bring it inside the veil, and put the incense on the fire before the Lord; and the vapor of the incense shall cover the mercy seat that is over the testimonies, and he shall not die.” It is clear from this that the altar of incense lay outside the veil; for if it had been inside, he would not have been commanded to take the coals into the censer and to throw the incense on them inside the veil. The blessed Luke too taught us this when narrating the story of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist; for he too entered the holy of holies at this time and enjoyed the angelic vision. He also commanded him to sprinkle with his finger seven times before the mercy seat the blood of both the calf and the goat. Since life revolves in seven days, and every day, so to speak, we commit offences small or great, the sprinkling of blood was offered equal in number to the days, for the offences committed in them. He says that this cleanses not only them but also the tabernacle: “He shall make atonement for the holy place from the uncleannesses of the sons of Israel and from their wrongdoings in all their sins; and so he shall do for the tent of testimony established among them in the midst of their uncleanness.” He commanded that no one be present while the high priest performed this liturgy. He also gives the time at which these things must be done: “On the tenth of the month,” it says, “you shall afflict your souls, and you shall do no work, the native and the proselyte who sojourns among you. For on this day he shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you from all your sins before the Lord, and you shall be cleansed. It shall be a Sabbath of Sabbaths, a rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls; a perpetual statute.” He called it a Sabbath of Sabbaths, as one says holy of holies; for this feast is far more venerable than the Sabbath. By “affliction” he meant fasting. Then he adds: “It shall be done once a year, as the Lord commanded Moses.” This too prefigures our Savior's dispensation in the flesh. For just as the high priest entered the holy of holies once a year and performed this liturgy, so Christ the Master, having once endured the saving passion, ascended into heaven, having obtained eternal redemption, as the divine Apostle says.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.22 (PG 80 80:327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-22)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.23":{"o":"Διατί ἀπαγορεύει πόῤῥω τῆς σκηνῆς θύεσθαι τὰ ἐσθιόμενα θρέμματα ; Ἤδει τὴν ἐνίων ἀσέβειαν, καὶ ὅτι τοῖς δαίμοσι θυσίας προσοίσουσι. Προσέταξε τοίνυν πάντα θῦσαι βουλόμενον ἢ μόσχον, ἢ πρόβατον, ἢ αἶγα, παρὰ τὴν θύραν τῆς σκηνῆς ἀγαγεῖν, καὶ τὸ αἷμα ἐκχέαι, καὶ μεταλαβεῖν οἴκαδε τῶν κρεῶν· τὸν δὲ τοῦτο μὴ δρῶντα, ὡς φόνου ἕνοχον κατηγορεῖσθαι ἐκέλευσεν. Αἷμα γὰρ, φησὶ, λογισθήσεται τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ· αἷμα ἐξέχεεν, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτῆς. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν σκοπὸν ὃν ἔφην ὁ νόμος, διδάξει τὰ ἑξῆς· ᾿Ανοίσει γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ ἱερεὺς τὸ στέαρ εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας τῷ Κυρίῳ. Καὶ οὐ θύσουσιν ἔτι τὰς θυσίας αὐτῶν τοῖς ματαίοις, ὧν αὐτοὶ ἐκπορνεύουσιν ὀπίσω αὐτῶν. Νόμιμον αἰώνιον ἔσται ὑμῖν εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν. Οὗτος ὁ νόμος μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις κρατεῖ. Ὁ γὰρ ἱερεὺς θύει τὰ ἐσθιόμενα ζῶα. ᾿Απηγόρευσε δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐσθίειν αἷμα, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐδίδαξεν Ἡ γὰρ ψυχὴ, φησὶ, πάσης σαρκὸς αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐστιν, καὶ ἐγὼ δέδωκα ὑμῖν αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἐξιλάσκεσθαι περὶ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν· τὸ γὰρ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἀντὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐξιλάσεται. Διὰ τοῦτο εἴρηκα τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ· Πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἐξ ὑμῶν οὐ φάγεται αἷμα καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος ὁ προσκείμενος ὑμῖν οὐ φάγεται αἷμα Ὥσπερ, φησὶ, σὺ ψυχὴν ἀθάνατον ἔχεις, οὕτω τὸ ἄλογον ζῶον ἀντὶ ψυχῆς ἔχει τὸ αἷμα. Οὗ δὴ χάριν κελεύει τὴν τοῦ ἀλόγου ψυχὴν, τουτέστι τὸ αἷμα, ἀντὶ τῆς σῆς προσενεχθῆναι ψυχῆς τῆς ἀθανάτου καὶ λογικῆς. Ἐὰν δὲ τοῦτο φάγῃς, ψυχὴν ἐσθίεις· λογικῆς γὰρ ψυχῆς τοῦτο τάξιν πληροῖ. Διὸ καὶ φόνον τὴν βρῶσιν ὠνόμασε. Τούτου ἕνεκεν καὶ τὰ τεθνηκότα τῶν ζώων ἀπαγορεύει ἐσθίειν, ὡς τοῦ αἵματος μὴ χωρισθέντος τοῦ σώματος","t":"Why does he forbid animals for eating to be slaughtered far from the tabernacle? He knew the impiety of some, and that they would offer sacrifices to demons. He commanded, then, that anyone who wished to slaughter a calf, a sheep, or a goat should bring it to the door of the tabernacle, pour out the blood, and take the meat home; and he commanded that one who did not do this should be charged as guilty of murder: “Blood,” he says, “shall be reckoned to that man; he has shed blood; that soul shall be destroyed from its people.” That the law has the aim I have stated, what follows shows: “The priest,” he says, “shall offer the fat for a fragrant odor to the Lord. And they shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the vain things after which they play the harlot. It shall be a perpetual statute for you throughout your generations.” This law prevails among the Jews to the present; for the priest slaughters the animals that are to be eaten. He also forbade eating blood and taught the reason: “For the soul of all flesh is its blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for its blood shall make atonement in place of its soul. Therefore I have said to the sons of Israel, No soul among you shall eat blood, and the proselyte who sojourns among you shall not eat blood.” He means: “Just as you have an immortal soul, so the irrational animal has its blood in place of a soul. For this reason he commands the irrational creature's soul, that is, its blood, to be offered in place of your immortal and rational soul. If you eat it, you eat a soul; for it fills the place of a rational soul.” That is why he called the eating of it murder. For this reason he also forbids eating animals that have died, since their blood has not been separated from the body.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.23 (PG 80 80:333; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-23)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.24":{"o":"Τινές μέμφονται ταῖς περὶ τῶν γάμων νομοθεσίαις, λέγοντες ἀπαγορεῦσαι τὸν Θεὸν τὰ μηδαμή μηδαμῶς γινόμενα Τίς γὰρ, φησίν, ἠνέσχετο τῇ ἑαυτοῦ μιγῆναι μητρί; ἢ τίς πώποτε συνεγένετο κτήνει ; Οὐκ ἂν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ παρ' οὐδενὸς τολμηθὲν ἀπηγόρευσε καὶ ὅτι ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, μαρτυρεῖ τὸ τοῦδε τοῦ νόμου προοίμιον. Ἔφη γὰρ οὕτως Κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα τῆς Αἰγύπτου ἐν ᾗ παρῳκήσατε ἐν αὐτῇ, οὐ ποιήσετε, καὶ κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα τῆς γῆς Χαναὰν, εἰς ἣν ἐγὼ εἰσάγω ὑμᾶς, οὐ ποιήσετε, καὶ τοῖς νόμοις αὐτῶν οὐ πορεύσεσθε. Οὕτω ταῦτα εἰπὼν, διδάσκει τὰ ὑπ᾿ ἐκείνων τολμηθέντα, καὶ τὴν τοιαύτην ἀπαγορεύει πρᾶξιν. Ὅτι δὲ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα τολμᾶται, μαρτυροῦσι καὶ Πέρσαι μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος, οὐ μόνον ἀδελφαῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ μητράσι καὶ θυγατράσι νόμῳ γάμου μιγνύμενοι καὶ τὰς ἄλλας δὲ παρανομίας τολμῶσι πολλοί.","t":"Some find fault with the laws about marriages, saying that God forbade things that never happen at all: “Who,” they say, “ever consented to have intercourse with his own mother? Or who ever had intercourse with an animal?” God would not have forbidden what no one had dared; and that this is so, the preface of this law bears witness. For he said: “You shall not do according to the practices of Egypt, in which you sojourned, and you shall not do according to the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you, and you shall not walk in their laws.” Having said this, he teaches what they had dared, and forbids such conduct. That many such things are dared, the Persians too bear witness to the present day, joining themselves by the law of marriage not only to sisters but also to mothers and daughters; and many dare the other lawless acts as well.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.24 (PG 80 80:335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-24)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.25":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν· ᾿Απὸ τοῦ σπέρματός σου ου δώσεις λατρεύειν ἄρχοντι, καὶ οὐ βεβηλώσεις τὸ ὄνoμά μου τὸ ἅγιον· ἐγὼ Κύριος; Τὸ Ἑβραϊκὸν τὸ Μολόχ ἔχει, καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ δὲ ἑρμηνευταὶ τοῦτο τεθείκασιν. Εἴδωλον δὲ τοῦτο ἦν. Διὸ καὶ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου φησὶν ὁ Θεός Μὴ σφάγια καὶ θυσίας προσηνέγκατέ μοι ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἔτη τεσσαράκοντα, υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ; Καὶ ἀνελάβετε τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ Μολόχ καὶ τὸ ἄστρον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν Ῥεφὰν, τοὺς τύπους οὓς ἐποιήσατε προσκυνεῖν αὐτοῖς Απαγορεύει τοίνυν τὸ τοὺς παῖδας ἱεροδούλους τοῖς εἰδώλοις προσφέρειν ὡς δὲ τινές φασι, τὸ τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις ἄρχουσι μὴ διδόναι τοὺς παῖδας, ὥστε εἶναι αὐτῶν οἰκέτας, ἢ δορυφόρους, ἵνα μὴ τῆς ἐκείνων μεταλάχωσιν ἀσεβείας”.","t":"What does “You shall not give any of your seed to serve a ruler, and you shall not profane my holy name; I am the Lord” mean? The Hebrew has “Molech,” and the other translators put this too. This was an idol. That is why God says through the prophet: “Did you offer me victims and sacrifices in the desert forty years, sons of Israel? And you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the figures you made to worship them.” He forbids, then, offering children as temple servants to idols; or, as some say, giving children to foreign rulers to be their servants or bodyguards, so that they would not share their impiety.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.25 (PG 80 80:335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-25)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.26":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν· «Ἵνα μὴ προσοχθίσῃ ὑμῖν ἡ γῆ ἐν τῷ μιαίνειν ὑ ὑμᾶς αὐτὴν, ὃν τρόπον προσώχθισε τοῖς ἔθνεσι τοῖς πρὸ ὑμῶν; ;, Μὴ βδελύξηται ὑμᾶς, φησὶν, ὡς ἐβδελύξατο τοὺς Χαναναίους ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ὥσπερ ἐκείνους διὰ τὰς πολλὰς αὐτῶν παρανομίας πανωλεθρίᾳ παραδοὺς, ὑμῖν τὴν γῆν παραδέδωκα, οὕτως ὑμᾶς τὰ ὅμοια δράσαντας τιμωρήσομαι.","t":"What does “that the land may not loathe you when you defile it, as it loathed the nations before you” mean? “May it not abhor you,” he says, “as it abhorred the Canaanites”; that is, “Just as I gave them over to total destruction for their many transgressions and gave the land to you, so I will punish you if you do the same.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.26 (PG 80 80:335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-26)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.27":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον· Τὰ κτήνη σου οὐ κατοχεύσεις ἑτέρῳ ζυγῷ καὶ τὸν ἀμπελῶνά σου οὐ κατασπερεῖς διάφορον; Καὶ, Ἱμάτιον ἐκ δύο ὑφασμένον κίβδηλον οὐκ ἐπιβαλεῖς σεαυτῷ; Πολλάκις ἔφην, ὅτι διὰ τῶν αἰσθητῶν διδάσκει τὰ νοητά. Απαγορεύει τοίνυν τῶν ἑτερογενῶν τὴν ὀχείαν· οἷον ἵππου καὶ ὄνου· ἵνα μὴ διαβῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλόγων εἰς τοὺς λογικοὺς ἡ παράνομος μίξις. Τούτου χάριν καὶ τὸ ἐξ ἐρίου καὶ λίνου ὑφασμένον ἱμάτιον κίβδηλον ὀνομάζει· διδάσκων πράξεις ἐναντίας μηδαμῶς ἐπιτηδεύειν. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ τὸ ἱμάτιον κίβδηλον λέγει, ἀλλὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν διὰ τούτου δηλοῖ, μαρτυρεῖ τῆς σκηνῆς τὰ καλύμματα ἐκ διαφόρων κατασκευασθέντα νημάτων. Οὕτω νοητέον καὶ τὰ περὶ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος. Καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος δὲ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἀπίστους κοινωνίαν ἀπαγορεύει λέγων· Μὴ γίνεσθε ἑτεροζυγοῦντες ἀπίστοις.","t":"How should “You shall not breed your cattle with another yoke, and you shall not sow your vineyard with a different kind” and “You shall not put on yourself a counterfeit garment woven of two kinds” be understood? I have often said that through perceptible things he teaches intelligible ones. He forbids the mating of different kinds, such as the horse and the ass, so that unlawful intercourse might not pass from the irrational to the rational. For this reason too he calls the garment woven of wool and linen counterfeit, teaching never to pursue contrary actions. That he is not calling the garment counterfeit, but indicating the action through it, the coverings of the tabernacle bear witness, made of various threads. So too must the law about the vineyard be understood. And the Apostle forbids partnership with unbelievers, saying, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.27 (PG 80 80:337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-27)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.28":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν· Οὐ ποιήσετε σισόην ἐκ τῆς κόμης τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν, οὐδὲ φθερεῖτε τὴν ὄψιν τοῦ πώγωνος ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐντομίδας ἐπὶ ψυχῇ οὐ ποιήσετε τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν, καὶ γράμματα στικτὰ οὐ ποιήσετε ἐν ὑμῖν; Τινὲς τὸ σισόην τὰς ἐξ ἐπιτηδεύσεως οὖλας γινομένας τρίχας ἡρμήνευσαν. Ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι τὸν νόμον ἀπαγορεύειν ἄλλο. Εἰώθασιν Ἕλληνες μὴ ἀποκείρειν τῶν παιδίων τὰς κορυφὰς, ἀλλὰ μαλλοὺς ἐᾶν καὶ τούτους μετὰ χρόνον ἀνατιθέναι τοῖς δαίμοσιν Εἰώθασι δὲ καὶ τὰ γένεια ξυρᾶσθαι ἡνίκα ἐπένθουν, καὶ τέμνεσθαι τὰς παρειὰς εἰς τὴν τῶν τετελευτηκότων τιμήν. Καί τινα δὲ τοῦ σώματος μόρια βελόναις ἐκέντουν, καὶ μέλαν ἐπέβαλλον, εἰς θεραπείαν τῶν δαιμόνων. Ταῦτα οὖν ὁ θεῖος νόμος ἀπαγορεύει.","t":"What does “You shall not make a sisoē of the hair of your head, nor mar the appearance of your beard; and you shall not make cuttings on your body for a soul, nor make tattooed letters on yourselves” mean? Some have interpreted sisoē as hair curled by art. But I think the law forbids something else. The Greeks used not to cut the crowns of children's heads but to leave locks there, and after a time to dedicate them to the demons. They also used to shave their beards when they mourned and to cut their cheeks in honor of the dead. And they pricked certain parts of the body with needles and rubbed in ink, in the service of the demons. These things, then, the divine law forbids.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.28 (PG 80 80:337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-28)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.29":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν ἐγγαστρίμυθος; Τινὲς ὑπὸ δαιμόνων ἐνεργούμενοι ἐξηπάτουν πολλοὺς τῶν ἀνοήτων, ὡς δῆθεν προαγορεύοντες οὓς ἐντερομάντεις οἱ Ἕλληνες προσηγόρευον ὡς ἔνδοθεν δοκοῦντος τοῦ δαίμονος φθέγγεσθαι.","t":"What is a ventriloquist? Some, worked on by demons, deceived many of the foolish, as though they were prophesying; the Greeks called them belly-diviners, since the demon seemed to speak from within.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.29 (PG 80 80:337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-29)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.3":{"o":"Διατί τοῦ ἱερέως τὴν θυσίαν ὁλοκαυτοῦσθαι προσέταξεν ; Τέλειον εἶναι διδάσκων τὸν ἱερέα, καὶ μὴ μερικῶς, ἀλλ᾽ ὅλον ἑαυτὸν ἀναθεῖναι τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ. (","t":"Why did he command the priest's sacrifice to be wholly burned? He was teaching that the priest must be perfect, and dedicate himself to the God of the universe not partially but wholly.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.3 (PG 80 80:309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-3)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.30":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι περὶ τῶν γάμων διαφερόντως νομοθετεῖ; Ἔδει τύπον εἶναι τὸν ἱερέα σωφροσύνης, καὶ ἵνα τὸ γένος ἀκραιφνὲς διαμείνῃ, μηδεμίαν ὕβρεως ἀφορμὴν τοῖς λοιδορεῖσθαι βουλομένοις παρέχον. Διὸ καὶ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ἀγαθὴν ἔχειν μαρτυρίαν καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν τὸν τῷ Θεῷ λειτουργοῦντα διαγορεύει Ἵνα μὴ εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν ἐμπέσῃ καὶ παγίδα τοῦ διαβόλου. Τούτου χάριν τὴν μὲν Ἰσραηλῖτιν πορνεύουσαν ἀναιρεῖσθαι κελεύει. Τὴν δὲ τοῦ ἱερέως θυγατέρα παραπλήσια τολμῶσαν ἐμπιπρᾶσθαι. Διὰ δὲ τὸ Ἰουδαίων μεμψίμοιρον, οὐδὲ τοὺς ἔχοντάς τινα μῶμον σωματικὸν λειτουργεῖν συγχωρεῖ, διὰ τῶν ἀκουσίων παθημάτων ἀπαγορεύων τὰ γνωμικά. Τυφλότης μὲν γὰρ ὀφθαλμῶν τὴν τῆς γνώσεως αἰνίττεται στέρησιν· ἐκτομὴ δὲ ὠτὸς, τὴν παρακοήν· ῥινὸς δὲ ἀφαίρεσις, τοῦ διακριτικοῦ τὴν ἀφαίρεσιν· ἀποκοπὴ δὲ χειρὸς, τὴν ἀργίαν τοῦ πρακτικοῦ οὕτω καὶ τὰ ἄλλα νοητέον. Τούτου χάριν ἀρτιμελῆ κελεύει καὶ τὰ ἱερεῖᾳ προσφέρειν, τοὺς προσφέροντας διὰ τῶν προσφερομένων παιδεύων ὑγιεῖς ἔχειν τὰς τῆς ψυχῆς ἐνεργείας. ᾿Απαγορεύει δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ τὸν ἐκτομίαν, καὶ τὸν θλα· δίαν. Γόνιμον μὲν γὰρ εἶναι δεῖ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὸν τῆς θείας θεραπείας φροντίζοντα.","t":"Why does he legislate about the marriages of the priests in particular? The priest had to be a model of chastity, and his race had to remain pure, giving those who wished to revile no occasion for insult. That is why the divine Apostle too directs that one who ministers to God should have a good testimony even from outsiders, “so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” For this reason he commands that an Israelite woman who commits sexual immorality be put to death, but that the priest's daughter who dares the like be burned. Because of the fault-finding of the Jews, he does not allow even those who have some bodily blemish to minister, forbidding through involuntary afflictions those of the will. For blindness of the eyes hints at the lack of knowledge; the cutting off of an ear, at disobedience; the removal of the nose, at the removal of discernment; the cutting off of a hand, at the idleness of the practical part; and the others must be understood in the same way. For this reason too he commands that the victims offered be whole of limb, training the offerers through what is offered to keep the activities of the soul healthy. Among the others he excludes the castrated man and the one with crushed testicles; for one who cares for the divine service must be fruitful in good things.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.30 (PG 80 80:339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-30)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.31":{"o":"Διατί τὰ πρωτότοκα τῶν θρεμμάτων εἰς τὴν ὀγδόην ἡμέραν προσφέρεσθαι διηγόρευσεν; Ἤδει τὴν ἐνίων ἀσέβειαν 'καὶ γαστριμαργίαν καὶ ὅτι τυχὸν εὐτραφὲς αὐτὸ καὶ εὐειδὲς θεασάμε· νοι, τοῦτο μὲν καθέξουσιν, ἕτερον δὲ προσοίσουσι τούτου χάριν εὐθυγενῆ προσενεχθῆναι προσ έταξεν.","t":"Why did he direct the firstborn of the flocks to be offered on the eighth day? He knew the impiety and the gluttony of some, and that if they saw that the animal was well fed and handsome, they would perhaps keep it and offer another; for this reason he commanded it to be offered while newborn.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.31 (PG 80 80:339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-31)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.32":{"o":"Τί ἐστι, Πεφρυγμένα νέ νέα χίδρα οὐ φάγεσθε, ἔ ἕως ἂν προσενέγκητε ὑμεῖς τὰ δῶρα τῷ δώρα τῷ Θεῷ ὑμῶν; Τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἡ γῆ θερμοτέρα οὖσα πρωΐμους φέρει καρπούς. Κελεύει τοίνων μὴ πρότερόν τινα νέους ἀστάχυς ἀφεῦσαι, καὶ φρύξαι, καὶ φαγεῖν, ἕως ἂν ἐκ τούτων προσενέγκωσι τῷ Θεῷ δράγμα Κελεύει δὲ τοῦτο προσενεχθῆναι τῇ τοῦ Πάσχα ἡμέρᾳ· εἶτα ἐκ ταύτης ἑπτὰ ἑβδομάδας ἀριθμῆσαι, καὶ τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς ἐκτελέσαι τὴν ἑορτήν. Οὕτω γὰρ ἔφη Καὶ ἀριθμήσετε ὑμῖν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπαύριον τῶν Σαββάτων, ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ἧς ἂν προσενέγκητε τὸ δράγμα τοῦ ἀφορίσματος ἑπτὰ ἑνδομάδας ὁλοκλήρους. Ἡ δὲ τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς ἑορτὴ, μνήμη ἦν τῆς εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας εἰσόδου. Τότε γὰρ καὶ ἔσπειρον καὶ ἐθέριζον· ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἐρήμῳ τὸ μάννα ἤσθιον οὐρανόθεν φερόμενον. Οὕτω διδάξας ὅπως χρὴ καὶ τοῦ Πάσχα καὶ τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς ἐπιτελέσαι τὴν ἑορτὴν, διδάσκει καὶ τίνα χρή πρᾶξαι τῷ ἑβδόμῳ μηνί. Καὶ τῇ μὲν νουμηνίᾳ, τῶν σαλπίγγων τὴν ἑορτὴν ἐπιτελέσαι κελεύει ἀνεμίμνησκον δὲ αὗται τῶν ἐν τῷ Σινᾷ ὄρει γεγενημένων σαλπίγγων, ἡνίκα τὸν νόμον ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἐδεδώκει Θεός. Φωνὴ γὰρ, φησὶ, τῆς σάλπιγγος ἤχει μέγα. Τῇ δεκάτῃ δὲ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ ἑβδόμου νηστεῦσαι κελεύει. Ταύτην γὰρ τὴν ἡμέραν ἱλασμοῦ ἡμέραν καλεῖ. Ταπεινώσετε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰς ψυ χὰς ὑμῶν, ἀπὸ ἐννάτης τοῦ μηνὸς ἀπὸ ἑσπέρας, ἕως δεκάτης τοῦ μηνὸς ἑσπέρας, σαββατιεῖτε τὰ Σάββατα ὑμῶν Καὶ πᾶσα ψυχὴ, ἥτις μὴ ταπεινωθήσεται ἐν αὐτῇ, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἡ ψυχή ἐκείνη ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτῆς.» ᾿Αλλ' οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι κατ᾿ αὐτὴν τὴν ἡμέραν οὐ σκυθρωπάζουσιν, ἀλλὰ γελῶσι καὶ παίζουσι καὶ χορεύουσι, καὶ ἀκολά· στοις ῥήμασι καὶ πράγμασι κέχρηνται, ἄντικρυς τῷ νόμῳ μαχόμενοι. Τῇ δὲ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ, τὴν ἑορτὴν τῶν Σκηνῶν ἑορτάσαι νομοθετεῖ, οὐ μέχρι τῆς ἑβδόμης, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἑορτῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ὀγδόην ταῖς ἑπτὰ προσθεῖναι κελεύει Καὶ ἡ ἡμέρα γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ ὀγδόη ἡ κλητὴ ἁγία ἔσται ὑμῖν, καὶ ( προσάξετε ὁλοκαυτώματα Κυρίῳ ἐξόδιόν ἐστι· πᾶν ἔργον λατρευτὸν οὐ ποιήσετε Τὸ δὲ ἐξόδιον τὸ τέλος σημαίνει τῶν ἑορτῶν ἡ δὲ τῶν Σκηνῶν ἑορτὴ, τῆς ἐν ἐρήμῳ διαγωγῆς ἀνεμίμνησκεν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ νομοθετῶν ἔφη Ὅτι ἐν σκηναῖς κατῴκισα τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῖν με αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου. Τούτου χάριν κλάδοις δένδρων τὰς οἰκίας κοσμεῖν διηγόρευσε· συνηρίθμησε δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις κλάδοις καὶ τὸν ἄγνον, ὡς σωφροσύνης δηλωτικὸν, καὶ ἡδονῆς σβεστικόν Φασὶ γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐσθιόμενον, καὶ ὑποστρωννύμενον σβεννύναι τὴν φλόγα τῶν ἡδονῶν. Ἀλλὰ τοῦ - τοις οὐκ ἰατρικῶς προσέταξε χρήσασθαι τοῖς τοῦ ἄγνου κλάδους, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐνιεὶς τῆς σωφροσύνης τὴν μνήμην.","t":"What does “You shall not eat roasted new green grain until you offer the gifts to your God” mean? The land of Palestine, being warmer, bears early fruits. He commands, then, that no one should first pluck new ears, roast them, and eat them, until they have offered God a sheaf of them. He commands this to be offered on the day of the Passover, and then seven weeks to be counted from it, and the feast of Pentecost to be celebrated. For he said: “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day you offer the sheaf of the set-apart offering, seven full weeks.” The feast of Pentecost was a memorial of the entry into the land of promise; for then they both sowed and reaped, whereas in the desert they ate the manna brought from heaven. Having taught in this way how the feasts of the Passover and Pentecost must be celebrated, he teaches also what must be done in the seventh month. On the new moon he commands them to celebrate the feast of Trumpets; these reminded them of the trumpets on Mount Sinai, when the God of the universe gave the law: “The sound of the trumpet,” it says, “resounded loudly.” On the tenth of the seventh month he commands them to fast, for he calls this day the day of atonement: “You shall humble your souls,” he says, “from the ninth of the month in the evening until the tenth of the month in the evening; you shall keep your Sabbaths. And every soul that is not humbled on it, that soul shall be destroyed from its people.” But the Jews on this very day are not gloomy; they laugh and play and dance, and use licentious words and deeds, fighting directly against the law. On the fifteenth he legislates that they celebrate the feast of Tabernacles, not until the seventh day, as with the other feasts, but he commands them to add the eighth day to the seven: “And the eighth day,” he says, “shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall offer whole burnt offerings to the Lord; it is the closing; you shall do no servile work.” The closing signifies the end of the feasts; and the feast of Tabernacles reminded them of their life in the desert. The lawgiver said this too: “For I made the sons of Israel dwell in tents when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.” For this reason he directed them to adorn their houses with branches of trees; and among the other branches he included the chaste-tree, as a sign of chastity and a quencher of pleasure. For they say that, whether eaten or spread beneath one, it quenches the flame of pleasures. But he did not command them to use the branches of the chaste-tree medicinally, but through its name to instill the memory of chastity.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.32 (PG 80 80:339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-32)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.33":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ \"Ος ἂν καταράσηται Θεὸν, ἁμαρτίαν λήψεται, ὀνομάζων δὲ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου θανάτῳ θανατούσθω; Ἑάλω τις βλασφημήσας τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, οὐδέπω δὲ περὶ βλασφημίας ἐγέγραπτο νόμος τούτου χάριν ὁ νομοθέτης, τοῦτον μὲν φυλαχθῆναι προσέταξεν. \"Ἥρετο δὲ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ Μωσῆς τὸν Δεσπότην Θεὸν τί χρὴ παθεῖν τὸν ἀλάστορα. Ὁ δὲ τὸν μὲν καταλευσθῆναι προσέταξε, τῶν ἀκηκοότων τῆς βλασφημίας πρώτων ἀφιέντων τοὺς λίθους. Ἔθηκε δὲ τὸν περὶ τῆς βλασφημίας νόμον. Καὶ Θεὸν μὲν ὁμωνύμως ἐκάλεσε τὸν ψευδώνυμον· τὸν δὲ τούτῳ λοιδορούμενον ἁμαρτάνειν μὲν ἔφη, κολάσεως δὲ οὐκ ἔκρινεν ἄξιον ῾Αμαρτάνει μὲν οὐχ ὁ εὐσεβὴς τὸν ψευδώνυμον βλασφημῶν Θεὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἐκείνῳ πιστεύων μὲν, λοιδορούμενος δέ· βλασφημεῖ γὰρ δ σέβει Αμαρτίαν τοίνυν τὴν τοιαύτην ἐκάλεσε βλασφημίαν, οὐ διὰ τὴν τοῦ βλασφημουμένου ἀξίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν τοῦ βλασφημοῦντος ὑπόληψιν. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς ψευδώνυμον, ἀλλ᾿ ὡς ἀληθῆ Θεὸν βλασφημεῖ. Τὸν μέντοι τὸν ἀληθινὸν βλασφημοῦντα Θεὸν λίθοις ἀναιρεῖσθαι προσέταξε. Μάλα δὲ εἰκότως τοῖς περὶ τῆς βλασφημίας νόμοις, καὶ τὸν περὶ τοῦ φόνου συνῆψεν· ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ βλασφημῶν ἀνελεῖν μὴ δυνάμενος, τῇ γλώττῃ βάλλει τὸν Ποιητήν.","t":"How should “Whoever curses God shall bear sin, and whoever names the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death” be understood? Someone was caught blaspheming the God of the universe, and no law had yet been written about blasphemy; for this reason the lawgiver commanded him to be kept in custody. The next day Moses asked God the Master what the accursed man should suffer. He commanded him to be stoned, those who had heard the blasphemy throwing the stones first. And he laid down the law about blasphemy. He called the falsely named god by the same name “God”; and he said that one who reviles him sins, but did not judge him deserving of punishment. It is not the pious man who blasphemes the falsely named god who sins, but the one who believes in him and yet reviles him; for he blasphemes what he reveres. He called such blasphemy sin, then, not because of the worth of the one blasphemed, but because of the opinion of the blasphemer; for he blasphemes him not as a falsely named god but as a true one. But the one who blasphemes the true God he commanded to be killed with stones. Very fittingly he joined the law about murder to the laws about blasphemy; for the blasphemer too, unable to kill, strikes the maker with his tongue.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.33 (PG 80 80:343; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-33)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.34":{"o":"Διατί ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ἐκκόπτεσθαι, καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα προσ( έταξεν; Οὐχ ἵνα πάσχωσι ταῦτα νενομοθέτηκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ πράττωσι. Τοῦ γὰρ πάθους τὸ δέος τὴν πρᾶξιν ἐκώλυσεν.","t":"Why did he command an eye to be put out for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and the like? He legislated this not so that they would suffer these things, but so that they would not do them; for the fear of suffering prevented the deed.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.34 (PG 80 80:343; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-34)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.35":{"o":"Διατί τῷ ἑβδόμῳ ἔτει σπειραι τὴν γῆν ἀπαγορεύει ; Τὸ ἄπληστον αὐτῶν κολάζει τῷ νόμῳ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῦ πλείονος ἐφιέμενοι διηνεκῶς ἔσπειρον μὴ διαναπαυομένη δὲ ἡ γῆ ἐξιτήλους ἔφερε τοὺς καρποὺς· τῷ ἑβδόμω ἔτει ἄσπαρτον ἐᾶσαι τὴν γῆν διηγόρευσε· τὰ δὲ αὐτομάτως φυόμενα τρυγᾷν ἢ θερί ζειν ἐκώλυσε, φιλανθρωπίαν ἐκπαιδεύων αὐτούς. Ἐκέλευσε γὰρ ἐε σὺν αὐτοῖς καὶ χήρας, καὶ ὀρφανοὺς, καὶ προσηλύτους ἔξωθεν μεταλαβεῖν τῶν καρπῶν. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, καὶ ἕτερον πραγματεύεται· καὶ γὰρ ἄφεσις ὀφλημάτων κατὰ τόδε τὸ ἔτος ἐγίνετο, καὶ τῶν δουλευόντων Ἑβραίων ἐλευθερία. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τὸν Ἰοβηλαῖον ἀργεῖν ἐνομοθέτησεν· ἐλευ - θερίαν δὲ καὶ ἄφεσιν σημαίνει τὸ ὄνομα. Ἰοβηλαῖον δὲ τὸ πεντηκοστὸν προσαγορεύουσιν ἔτος Ἑπτὰ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἑβδομάδας ἐτῶν ἀριθμήσεις, καὶ διαγγελεῖτε σάλπιγγος φωνῇ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ ὑμῶν τῇ δεκάτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ ἐξιλασμοῦ ἐν ᾖ, φησὶν, ἡμέρᾳ ἱλεοῦμαι ὑμῖν, καὶ τὰ πεπλημμελημένα ὑμῖν ἀφίημι. Ἐν ταύτῃ μηνύσατε τὸ τῆς ἀφέσεως ἔτος. Εἶτα κελεύει ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ἔτει, καὶ τὸν ἀγρὸν ἀναλαμβάνειν τὸν πεπρακότα, καὶ τὰς ἐν τοῖς ἀγροῖς οἰκίας, καὶ χρεῶν ἀποκοπὰς γενέσθαι, καὶ παίδων Ἑβραίων ἐλευθερίας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰκὸς ἦν τινας ἐνοχλεῖν τοῖς ὀφείλουσιν, ὡς τοῦ τῆς ἀφέσεως ἔτους πελάζοντος, ἀπηγόρευσε καὶ τοῦτο γίνεσθαι παρ᾿ αὐτῶν. \"Ωστε δὲ περὶ τῆς ἀναγ- - καίας μὴ ἐνδοιάζειν τροφῆς, ἅτε δὴ μὴ γεωργοῦντας τὴν γῆν ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἀφέσεως ἔτεσι, ταῖς φιλοτίμοις ἐψυχαγώγησεν ὑποσχέσεσιν. Ἐπηγγείλατο γὰρ ἐν τῷ ἔκτῳ ἔτει οὐ διπλασίαν πρόσοδον χορηγήσειν μόνην ἀλλὰ καὶ τριπλασίαν αὐτοῖς ἀποχρῶσαν καὶ ἐν τῷ ἔκτῳ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἑβδόμῳ ἔτει διαθρέψαι τ ἀλλὰ καὶ μέχρι τοῦ ὀγδόου διαρκοῦσαν. Σπερεῖτε γὰρ, φησὶν, τὸ ἔτος τὸ ὄγδοον, καὶ ψάγεσθε ἀπὸ τῶν γεν[ν]ημάτων παλαιὰ ἕως τοῦ ἔτους τοῦ ἐννάτου, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ τὰ γεν[ν]ήματα αὐτῆς, φάγεσθε παλαιὰ παλαιῶν. Εἶτα τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς δεσποτείας κρατύνει τὸν νόμον. Ἐμὴ γάρ ἐστι, φησὶν, ἡ γῆ, διότι προσήλυτοι καὶ πάροικοι ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐναντίον μου. Ἐγὼ, φησὶ, ταύτην ὑμῖν ἐδωρησάμην, τοιγάρτοι ὡς Δεσπότης νομοθετῶ.","t":"Why does he forbid sowing the land in the seventh year? By this law he chastises their insatiability. Since, desiring more, they sowed continually, and the land, never resting, bore exhausted crops, he directed them to leave the land unsown in the seventh year; and he forbade them to gather or reap what grew of itself, training them in kindness, for he commanded that widows, orphans, and proselytes from outside should share the fruits with them. Besides this, he brings about something else too: in this year there was a release of debts and freedom for Hebrew slaves. For this reason too he legislated that the Jubilee be a year of rest; the name signifies freedom and release. They call the fiftieth year the Jubilee: “You shall count seven weeks of years,” he says, “and you shall proclaim with the sound of the trumpet in all your land on the tenth of the month, on the day of atonement”; on which day, he means, “I am propitiated toward you and forgive your offences; on this day announce the year of release.” Then he commands that in this year the one who sold a field should take it back, and likewise the houses in the fields; that debts be cancelled; and that Hebrew servants be set free. Since some were likely to press their debtors as the year of release drew near, he forbade them to do this too. And so that they would not be anxious about the food they needed, since they would not farm the land in the years of release, he encouraged them with generous promises. He promised that in the sixth year he would supply not only a double but even a triple yield, enough to feed them in the sixth and seventh years and lasting even to the eighth: “You shall sow,” he says, “in the eighth year, and eat old produce until the ninth year; until its produce comes, you shall eat the oldest of the old.” Then he strengthens the law by the memory of his lordship: “For the land is mine,” he says, “because you are proselytes and sojourners before me”; that is, “I gave it to you, and therefore I legislate as its Master.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.35 (PG 80 80:343; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-35)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.36":{"o":"Τι ἐστι, Πέψουσι δέκα γυναῖκες τοὺς ἄρτους αὐτῶν ἐν κλιβάνῳ ἑνὶ Ὡς περὶ τὴν γῆν κεχηνόσι, καὶ νομοθετεῖ, καὶ ἀπειλεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ ἐννόμως πολιτευομένοις, τῆς γῆς αὐτοῖς ἐπαγγέλλεται τὴν εὐκαρπίαν καὶ αὖ πάλιν παραβαίνουσι, καὶ γῆς ἀκαρπίαν, καὶ πολεμίων ἔφοδον ἀπειλεῖ, καὶ πενίαν ἐσχάτην. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα δηλοῖ, ὅτι Ὑμᾶς τοσαύτη καταλήψεται πενία, ὡς δέκα γυναῖκας ἐν ἑνὶ κλιβάνῳ τοὺς ἄρτους ποιεῖν διὰ τὴν σπάνιν τῶν ἀναγκαίων τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐπήγαγε Καὶ φάγεσθε, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐμπλην σθῆτε","t":"What does “Ten women shall bake their bread in one oven” mean? To those who gape after the land he both legislates and threatens. To those who live lawfully he promises the fruitfulness of the land; and again, to transgressors he threatens barrenness of the land, invasion by enemies, and extreme poverty. He shows this here too: “So great a poverty will overtake you that ten women will make their bread in one oven, because of the scarcity of necessities.” For he added this: “And you shall eat and not be satisfied.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.36 (PG 80 80:345; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-36)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.37":{"o":"Τί ἐστι, Τότε Σαββατιεῖ ἡ γῆ, καὶ εὐδοκήσει τὰ Σάββατα αὐτῆς πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ἐρημώσεως αὐτῆς; Τὸ ἐπαγόμενον ἑρμηνεία τούτου ἐστίν. Ἔφη γάρ· Καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔσεσθε ἐν τῇ γῇ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὑμῶν. Ἐν Βαβυλῶνι γὰρὲ βδομήκοντα ἔτη δουλεύοντες διετέλεσαν. Ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς τοῦ Σαούλ βασιλείας, μέχρι τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τετρακόσια καὶ ἐνενήκοντα συνάγεται ἔτη· τούτων δὲ τὸ ἔβδομον ἑβδομήκοντα. Τοῦτο τοίνυν φησίν, ὅτι ἄσπαρτος ἡ γῆ μενεῖ, καὶ ἀνήροτος ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη, ὑμῶν τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν ἐνοικούντων ἐπειδὴ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων νόμων 5ο παρέβητε καὶ τοῦ Σαββάτου τὴν ἐντολήν. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπήγαγε Καὶ σαββατιεῖ ἡ γῆ, ἃ οὐκ ἐσαββάτισεν, ἡνίκα . κατῳκεῖτε αὐτήν. Προστέθεικε δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν ἀπειλήν. Καὶ τοῖς καταλειφθεῖσιν ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐπάξω δειλίαν εἰς τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν δ' ἐν τῇ γῇ τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν· καὶ διώξεται αὐτοὺς φωνὴ φύλλου φερομένου, καὶ φεύξονται ὡς φεύγοντες ἀπὸ πολέμου, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ αὕτη δὲ ἡ πρόῤῥησις πέρας ἔλαβεν. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ τῶν Χαλδαίων πολιορκίᾳ, πολλῶν μὲν ἐν ταῖς συμπλοκαῖς ἀναιρεθέντων, πολλῶν δὲ λιμῷ διαφθαρέντων, τῶν ἀνδραποδισθέντων δὲ εἰς Βαβυλῶνα μετοικισθέντων οἱ τὰς τῶν πολεμίων χεῖρας δια - φυγόντες εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἔφυγον, δείσαντες τῶν Χαλδαίων τὴν ἔφοδον. Καὶ τοῦτο σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ἡ τοῦ θειοτάτου Ἱερεμίου προφητεία διδάσκει. Μετὰ μέντοι τὰς ἀπειλὰς ὑπέσχετο καὶ χρηστὰ, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἐπάνοδον ἐπηγγείλατο, οὐ διὰ τὴν αὐτῶν ἀξίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν τῶν προγόνων εὐσέβειαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη· Καὶ μνησθήσομαι τῆς διαθήκης Ἰακώβ, καὶ τῆς διαθήκης Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ τῆς διαθήκης ᾿Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ μνησθήσομαι αὐτῶν διαθήκης τῆς π προτέρας, ὅτε ἐξήγαγον αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἐξ οἴκου δουλείας ἐναντίον πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναι αὐτῶν Θεός· ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος. Εδίδαξε δὲ διὰ τούτων τὰς τῆς φιλανθρωπίας αἰτίας. Διὰ γὰρ τὰς πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτῶν ἐπαγγελίας, φησὶ, τῆς τούτων ἀνέχομαι παρανομίας καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἔγνω πάντα τὰ ἔθνη διὰ τῶν παραδόξων θαυμάτων, ὅτι διαφερόντως τούτων ἐπιμελοῦμαι, καὶ λαὸς ἐμὸς χρηματίζουσι. Τοῦ μέντοι Ἰακὼβ ἐμνημόνευσε πρώτ του, ἐπειδὴ τούτων ἁπάντων μόνος ἦν πρόγο νος Ὁ γὰρ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ τῶν Ἰδουμαίων, ὁ δὲ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν, καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ Χεττούρας κάτωθεν τοίνυν ἀρξάμενος, κατὰ τάξιν ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ἀβραὰμ ἀνελήλυθε, πρὸς ὃν ἐξαρχῆς ἐπεποίητο τὰς συνθήκας.","t":"What does “Then the land shall keep its Sabbaths and enjoy its Sabbaths all the days of its desolation” mean? What follows is its interpretation; for he said, “And you shall be in the land of your enemies.” They continued seventy years in slavery in Babylon. From the reign of Saul to the captivity, four hundred and ninety years are counted, and a seventh of these is seventy. This, then, is what he means: that the land will remain unsown and unploughed for seventy years while you live in a foreign land, since along with the other laws you transgressed the commandment of the Sabbath too. For he added this: “And the land shall keep the Sabbaths which it did not keep when you lived in it.” He added another threat too: “And on those of you who are left I will bring cowardice into their heart in the land of their enemies; and the sound of a leaf blown about will chase them, and they will flee as men fleeing from war,” and so on. This prophecy too was fulfilled. In the Chaldean siege many were killed in the engagements, many perished by famine, and those who were enslaved were deported to Babylon; and those who escaped the hands of the enemy fled to Egypt, fearing the attack of the Chaldeans. The prophecy of the most divine Jeremiah teaches us this clearly. After the threats, however, he also promised good things, and announced the return from captivity, not because of their worth but because of the piety of their ancestors. For he said: “And I will remember the covenant of Jacob, and the covenant of Isaac, and the covenant of Abraham; and I will remember their former covenant, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, before all the nations, to be their God; I am the Lord.” By these he taught the reasons for his love for humankind: “Because of the promises to their fathers,” he means, “I bear with their lawlessness; and because all the nations have learned through the extraordinary miracles that I care especially for them, and they are called my people.” He mentioned Jacob first, since he alone was ancestor of all of them; for Isaac was ancestor of the Idumeans too, and Abraham of the Ishmaelites and of the descendants of Keturah. Beginning, then, from below, he went up in order to Abraham, with whom he had made the covenants from the beginning.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.37 (PG 80 80:347; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-37)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.38":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Ὃς ἂν εὔξηται εὐχὴν ὥστε δοῦναι τιμὴν τῆς εὐχῆς αὐτοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ; Εὐχὴν καλεῖ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν, ὃ πολλοὶ τάγμα προσαγορεύουσι τοῦτον δὲ τὸν νόμον ἔστι καὶ νῦν παρ' ἐνίοις Βαρβάροις εὑρεῖν φυλαττόμενον. Οἱ γὰρ πλεῖστοι τῶν Νομάδων, λέγω δὲ τοὺς ἀπογόνους τοῦ Ἰσμαὴλ, ἀντιταλαντεύουσι τοῖς εὐθυγενέσι βρέφεσιν ἄργυρον καὶ τοῦτον προσκομίζουσι τῷ Θεῷ. Περὶ τούτου νενομοθέτηκεν ὁ Θεός· καὶ γινώσκων ὡς Θεὸς, ὅτι τῶν ὑπισχνουμένων τινὲς δώσειν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτῶν τιμὴν τῷ Θεῷ, παραβήσονται τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν σμικρύνοντες τὴν τιμὴν, ἐκέλευσε πεντήκοντα εἶναι δίδραχμα τοῦ ἄῤῥενος τὴν τιμὴν, τῆς δὲ θηλείας τριάκοντα καὶ τῶν ἀκμαζόντων, καὶ τῶν γεγηρακότων ὑπεξῃρημένων. Τὴν γὰρ μέσην περιώρισεν ἡλικίαν ἀπὸ εἰκοσαετοῦς εἰρηκώς ἕως ἑξηκονταετοῦς δε τοῖς γὰρ τούτων νεωτέροις, καὶ πρεσβυτέροις, ἄλλην ὥρισε τιμήν. Τοὺς δὲ πένητας ὑπὸ τὴν τῶν ἱερέων καταλέλοιπε κρίσιν· ἵν, ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς τὰς δυνάμεις ὁρίζωσι τὰς τιμάς τὰ δὲ ἀφιερούμενα ἄλογα ἐναλλάττεσθαι παρὰ τῶν προσφερόντων ἀπαγορεύει καὶ ὥστε μὴ τοῦτο δρᾶν, τὴν τῆς ζημίας αὐτοῖς ἐπιτίθησιν ἀνάγκην· Ἐὰν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀλλάσσων ἀλλάξῃ αὐτὸ, ἔσται αὐτὸ καὶ τὸ ἄλλαγμα αὐτοῦ ἅγιον. Τῶν μέντοι ἀκαθάρτων κτηνῶν ὁρίσαι τὴν τιμὴν τὸν ἱερέα ἐκέλευσε. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ οἰκίας, καὶ ἀγροῦ γενέσθαι ἐκέλευσεν. \"Ὥρισε δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ διδράχμου ποσότητα· εἴκοσι γὰρ ἐκέλευσεν ἕλκειν ὀβολούς· τὸ δὲ δίδραχμον τινὲς τῶν ἑρμηνευτῶν στατῆρα ἐκάλεσαν. Τὰ μέντοι ἀνα - τεθειμένα τῷ Θεῷ προσέταξε μὴ λυτροῦσθαι.","t":"What does “Whoever vows a vow so as to give the price of his vow to the Lord” mean? He calls the promise a vow, which many call a pledge. This law one can find kept even now among some barbarians; for most of the Nomads, I mean the descendants of Ishmael, weigh out silver against their newborn infants and bring it to God. God legislated about this; and knowing, as God, that some of those who promised to give a price for themselves to God would transgress their promise by lessening the price, he commanded the price of a male to be fifty didrachms and of a female thirty, this for those in their prime, the young and the old being excepted. For he defined the middle age as from twenty to sixty years; for those younger and older than these he fixed another price. The poor he left to the judgment of the priests, so that they would fix the prices according to their means. He forbids those who offer dedicated animals to exchange them, and to keep them from doing this he imposes on them the compulsion of a penalty: “If he does exchange it,” he says, “both it and its exchange shall be holy.” He commanded the priest to fix the price of unclean cattle, and commanded the same to be done for a house and for a field. He also defined the amount of the didrachm; for he commanded it to weigh twenty obols; some of the translators called the didrachm a stater. And what had been devoted to God he commanded not to be redeemed.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.38 (PG 80 80:349; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-38)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.4":{"o":"Διατί ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων, καὶ τὰς περὶ ἁμαρτίας θυσίας ἱέρευον; Εἰς ψυχαγωγίαν τῶν προσφερόντων ἵνα γνῶσιν ὡς οὐκ εἰσὶ τῶν ἁγίων ἀλλότριοι διὰ μετανοίας ἰατρευόμενοι. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Ἅγια ἁγίων αὐτὰ προσ ηγόρευσεν.","t":"Why did they sacrifice the sin offerings too in the place of the whole burnt offerings? To encourage the offerers, so that they might know that, being healed by repentance, they are not strangers to the holy things. For this reason too he called them holy of holies.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.4 (PG 80 80:309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-4)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.5":{"o":"Τί ἐστι, Πᾶς ὁ ἀπτόμενος τῶν κρεῶν αὐτῆς ἁγιασθήσεται ; Εὐλάβειαν αὐτοὺς διδάσκει, καὶ μετὰ δέους τοῖς θείοις προσιέναι κελεύει, καὶ πόῤῥω τῶν ἱερῶν ἑἐστάναι διαγορεύει τὸν δὲ πελάζειν τολμῶντα, εἶτα τοῦ αἵματος ῥανίδα δεχόμενον τῷ ναῷ προσεδρεύειν κελεύει, ὡς οὐκέτι ἑαυτου κύριον ὄντα. Προσεδρεύειν δὲ, οὐχ ἱερουργοῦντα, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄλλην λειτουργίαν ἐπιτελοῦντα. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια τὰ τοῦ αἵματος ἐκείνου τὰς ῥανίδας δεχόμενα πλύνεσθαι κελεύει· τὰ δὲ σκεύη, εἰ μὲν χαλκᾶ εἴη, ἐπιμελῶς ἀποσμήχεσθαι· εἰ δὲ κεράμεα, συντρί βεσθαι.","t":"What does “Everyone who touches its flesh shall be sanctified” mean? He teaches them reverence, commands them to approach divine things with fear, and directs them to stand far from the holy things. One who dares to come near, and then receives a drop of the blood, he commands to attend upon the temple, as being no longer his own master; to attend upon it not as a sacrificing priest, but by performing the other service. For this reason too he commands the garments that receive drops of that blood to be washed, and the vessels, if they are bronze, to be scoured carefully, and if earthenware, to be broken.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.5 (PG 80 80:309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-5)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.6":{"o":"Διατί μετὰ τὴν τρίτην ἡμέραν οὐ κελεύει τῶν Ιερείων ἐσθίειν, τῷ δὲ παραβαίνοντι τὸν νόμον ἐπιφέρει ζημίαν, ἄθυτον εἶναι λέγων τὴν θυσίαν ἐκείνην; Βούλεται μὴ μόνους αὐτοὺς εὐωχεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐνδεέσι τῶν κρεῶν μεταδιδόναι. Τούτου χάριν τῇ πρώτῃ, καὶ τῇ δευτέρᾳ ἡμέρᾳ, τῶν κρεῶν ἐκείBΒ νων μεταλαμβάνειν κελεύει· τὰ δὲ περιττεύοντα ἀποκαίεσθαι ἵνα ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ταύτης ὠθούμενοι, κοινωνοὺς ἔχωσι τοὺς πένητας τῆς εὐωχίας.","t":"Why does he not permit eating of the victims after the third day, and impose a penalty on one who transgresses this law, saying that the sacrifice is not accepted? He wishes them not to feast alone but also to share the meat with the needy. For this reason he commands them to partake of that meat on the first and the second day, and the rest to be burned, so that, pushed by this necessity, they might have the poor as partners in the feast.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.6 (PG 80 80:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-6)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.7":{"o":"Διατί τὸν γονοῤῥνοῦς, ἢ λεπροῦ, ἢ θνησιμαίου, ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς ἁψάμενον τῶν καλουμένωr ἀκαθάρτων, ἀπαγορεύει τῶν τῆς θυσίας μεταλαμβάνειν κρεῶν; Διὰ τῶν σμικρῶν τούτων τὰ μεγάλα θεράπευε παθήματα. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ φυσικὰ μιαίνει κατὰ τὸν νόμον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὰ γνωμικὰ, ἃ κυρίως καλεῖται παράνομα. Ὅτι δὲ ταῦτα τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον, τὰ ἑξῆς μαρτυρεῖ. Κελεύσας γὰρ πᾶν΄ στέαρ τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ προσφέρεσθαι, τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων χρείᾳ τὸ τῶν θνησιμαίων καὶ θηριαλώτων ( ἀφώρισε στέαρ ᾿Ακάθαρτος οὖν ἄρα ἦν καὶ ὁ τοιούτου γε ἀπτόμενος Δῆλον τοίνυν κἀντεῦθεν, ὡς ἄλλα δι᾽ ἄλλων νομοθετεῖ.","t":"Why does he forbid one who has touched a person with a discharge, or a leper, or a carcass, or anything else of those called unclean, to partake of the flesh of the sacrifice? Through these small things he was healing great passions. If natural things defile according to the law, much more do things of the will, which are properly called lawless. That this is so, what follows bears witness. Having commanded all the fat to be offered at the altar, he set apart for human use the fat of carcasses and of animals torn by beasts. Was the one who touched such fat unclean, then? It is clear from this too that he legislates some things by means of others.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.7 (PG 80 80:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-7)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.8":{"o":"Διατί αἵματι καὶ ἐλαίῳ καὶ τὴν ἀκοὴν τοῦ ἱερέως τὴν δεξιὰν ἔχρισε, καὶ τὴν χεῖοι τὴν δεξιὰν, καὶ τὸν πόδα ὡσαύτως; Τύπος ταῦτα τῶν ἡμετέρων ἀγαθῶν· τὸ μὲν αἷμα τοῦ σωτηρίου αἵματος, τὸ δὲ ἔλαιον τοῦ παναγίου χρίσματος. Ἡ δὲ δεξιὰ ἀκοὴ σύμβολον τῆς ἐπαινουμένης ὑπακοῆς· ἡ δὲ χεὶρ καὶ ὁ ποῦς, τῶν ἁγαθῶν πράξεων. Διὰ γάρ τοι τοῦτο χεὶρ ἡ δεξιὰ, καὶ ποῦς ὁ δεξιὸς ἐχρίσθη. Εἰσὶ γὰρ καὶ εὐώνυμοι πράξεις, καὶ ὑπακοή βλαβερά.","t":"Why did he anoint with blood and oil the priest's right ear, and his right hand, and likewise his foot? These are a type of our good things: the blood of the saving blood, and the oil of the all-holy chrism. The right ear is a symbol of praiseworthy obedience, and the hand and the foot of good actions. For this reason the right hand and the right foot were anointed; for there are also left-handed actions, and harmful obedience.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.8 (PG 80 80:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-8)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3.9":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἀλλότριον, Ἐδίδαξεν ἡμᾶς ἡ ἱστορία, ὡς τῆς πρώτης επιτελουμένης θυσίας, τῷ θείῳ πυρὶ κατηναλώθη” τὰ ἱερεῖα. Τοῦτο ἄσβεστον διαφυλαχθῆναι προσέταξεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, καὶ νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν ξύλα τῷ πυρὶ χορηγεῖσθαι· ἵνα μὴ χειροποίητον πῦρ ἀναμιγῇ τῷ θείῳ πυρί. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν τοῦτον παρέβησαν τὸν νόμον Ναδάβ καὶ Ἀβιοὺδ, τοῦ ᾿Ααρὼν οἱ·παῖδες, καὶ πῦρ εἰσήνεγκαν χειροποίητον, τὸ θεῖον αὐτοὺς κατηνάλωσε πῦρ. Ἡμεῖς δὲ παιδευόμεθα διὰ τούτων, μὴ σβεννύναι τὸ πνεῦμα, ἀλλ᾿ ἀναζωπορεῖν ἣν ἐλάβομεν χάριν· καὶ μηδὲν ἀλλότριον ἐπεισάγειν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀρκεῖσθαι τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τοῦ Πνεύματος, καὶ μυσάττεσθαι τὰς αἱρέσεις, ὧν οἱ μὲν μύθους τοῖς θείοις λογίοις προσέθεσαν οἱ δὲ τοὺς δυσσεβεῖς αὐτῶν λογισμοὺς τῆς Γραφικῆς προετίμησαν διανοίας.","t":"How should the strange fire be understood? The history taught us that when the first sacrifice was performed, the victims were consumed by divine fire. God the Master commanded this to be kept unquenched, and wood to be supplied to the fire night and day, so that hand-made fire would not be mixed with the divine fire. Since Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, transgressed this law and brought in hand-made fire, the divine fire consumed them. We are taught by these things not to quench the Spirit, but to rekindle the grace we have received; to bring nothing foreign into the divine Scripture, but to be content with the teaching of the Spirit; and to loathe the heresies, of which some added myths to the divine oracles, while others preferred their own impious reasonings to the sense of Scripture.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 3.9 (PG 80 80:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/3-9)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.1":{"o":"Διατί προσέταξεν ἀριθμηθῆναι τὸν λαὸν ὁ Θεός; Ἵνα τῆς οἰκείας ἐπαγγελίας δείξῃ τὸ ἀληθές. Ὑπισχνούμενος γὰρ τῷ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ ἔφη Πληθύνων πληθυνῶ τὸ σπέρμα σου, ὡς τοὺς ἀστέρας τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ὡς τὴν ἄμμον τὴν παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης. Ἔδειξε δὲ τὴν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἀλήθειαν· ἐκ πέντε γὰρ καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα τῶν εἰς Αἴγυπτον κατεληλυθότων, ἑξακόσιαι χιλιάδες καὶ τρισχίλιοι καὶ πεντακόσιοι καὶ πεντήκοντα ἠριθμήθησαν ἐν ὀλίγοις ἔτεσιν ἄνδρες δυνάμενοι πολεμεῖν, καὶ τῆς ἐξώρου ἡλικίας καὶ τῆς ἀώρου κεχωρισμένης, καὶ μέντοι καὶ τοῦ θήλεως γένους, καὶ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς φυλῆς· οὐδὲ γὰρ αὕτη ταῖς λοιπαῖς συνηριθμήθη. Ταύτην αὐτοῦ διδάσκων τὴν δύναμιν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, καὶ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Ἠσαΐου ἔφη Ἐμβλέψατε εἰς ᾿Αβραὰμ τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν, καὶ εἰς Σάῤῥαν τὴν ὠδίνουσαν ὑμᾶς, ὅτι εἷς ἦν, καὶ ἐκάλεσα αὐτὸν, καὶ εὐλόγησα αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐπλήθυνα αὐτόν.","t":"Why did God order the people to be counted? To show the truth of his own promise. For when he made the promise to Abraham he said, “I will surely multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven and like the sand along the shore of the sea.” And he showed the truth of the promise: from the seventy-five who had gone down into Egypt, within a few years six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men able to fight were counted, and that with the over-aged and the under-aged set apart, and the female sex as well, and the tribe of Levi, for that tribe was not counted with the others. Teaching this power of his, God the Master also said through the prophet Isaiah, “Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you in pain, for he was one, and I called him and blessed him and multiplied him.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.1 (PG 80 80:349; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-1)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.10":{"o":"Διατί ἄλευρον κρίθινον ὑπὸ τῆς ὑποπτευομένης μοιχευθῆναι προσεκομίζετο; Αὐτὸς ὁ Δεσπότης ἠρμήνευσεν. Ἔστι γὰρ, ἔφη, θυσία ζηλοτυπίας, θυσία μνημοσύνου, θυσία ἀναμιμνήσκουσα ἁμαρτίαν. Ὅθεν οὐδὲ ἔλαιον αὐτὴν, οὐδὲ λιβανωτὸν ἔχειν προσέταξεν· ἐστέρητο γὰρ καὶ τῆς εὐωδίας, καὶ τοῦ τῆς δικαιοσύνης φωτός. Τοῦτο μέντοι γίνεσθαι νενομοθέτηκεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, τὴν μιαιφόνον αὐτῶν ἐπιστάμενος γνώμην. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ ἐξ ὑποψίας ἀποκτείνωσι τὰς ὁμοζύγους, ἐκέλευσε τὴν ὑποπτευομένην αὐτῷ προσενεχθῆναι, ἅτε δὴ πάντα σαφῶς ἐπισταμένῳ, καὶ τὰ λάθρα γιγνόμενα. Προσάξει γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ ἱερεὺς, καὶ στήσει ἔναντι Κυρίου τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ λήψεται ὁ ἱερεὺς ὕδωρ καθαρὸν ζῶν ἔναντι Κυρίου ἐν ἀγγείῳ ὀστρακίνῳ, καὶ τῆς γῆς τῆς οὔσης ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐδάφους τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου· καὶ λαβὼν ὁ ἱερεὺς ἐμβαλεῖ εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ στήσει ὁ ἱερεὺς τὴν γυναῖκα ἔναντι Κυρίου, καὶ ἀποκαλύψει τὴν κεφαλὴν τῆς γυναικος, καὶ δώσει ἐπὶ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς τὴν θυσίαν τοῦ μνημοσύνου, τὴν θυσίαν τῆς ζηλοτυπίας· ἐν δὲ τῇ χειρὶ τοῦ ἱερέως ἔσται τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦ ἐλεγμοῦ τοῦ ἐπικαταρωμένου τούτου Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα γενέσθαι προσέταξε, τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν ὑποπτευομένην ἐκδειματῶν, ἵν᾽ εἰ ἐξήμαρτεν ὁμολογήσει, καὶ διὰ μεταμελείας λάβῃ τὴν ἄφεσιν. Τούτου χάριν ἀκάλυπτον αὐτὴν τῷ Θεῷ προσενεχθῆναι κελεύει, διδάσκων ὅτι γυμνὰ πάντα καὶ τετραχηλισμένα ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτὸν λέληθε τῶν παρ' ἡμῶν γιγνομένων. Ὅτι δὲ ταῦτα δεδιττόμενος αὐτὴν γενέσθαι κεκέλευκε, τὰ ἑξῆς δηλοῖ. Καὶ ὁρκιεῖ αὐτὴν ὁ ἱερεὺς, καὶ ἐρεῖ τῇ γυναικί· Εἰ μὴ κεκοίμηταί τις μετὰ σοῦ, εἰ μὴ παραβέβηκας μιανθῆναι ὑπὸ τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν σεαυτῆς ἀθῶος ἴσθι ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ἐλεγμοῦ τοῦ ἐπικαταρωμένου τούτου· εἰ δὲ σὺ παραβέβηκας ὕπανδρος οὖσα. ἢ σὺ μεμίανσαι, ἢ ἔδωκέ τις τὴν κοίτην ἐν σοὶ πλὴν τοῦ ἀνδρός σου, δῴη σε Κύριος ἐν ἀρᾷ, καὶ ἐνόρκιον ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ λαοῦ σου, ἐν τῷ δοῦναι Κύριον τὸν μηρόν σου διαπεπτωκότα καὶ τὴν κοιλίαν πεπρησμένην. Ἐκέλευσε δὲ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα συντίθεσθαι τῇ ἀρᾷ, καὶ λέγειν· Γένοιτο, γένοιτο· καὶ γραφῆναι δὲ τὴν ἀρὰν προσέταξε, καὶ ἐξαλειφθῆναι ὕδατι, καὶ πιεῖν τὴν γυναῖκα τὸ ὕδωρ πρότερον δὲ τὴν θυσίαν προσενεχθῆναι, τουτέστι τὸ κρίθινον ἄλευρον. Εἶτα διδάσκει ὡς ἀθῶος μὲν οὖσα ὑγιὴς φυλαχθήσεται ἔνοχος δὲ οὖσα, καὶ κρύπτουσα, τῇ πείρᾳ μαθήσεται τῆς ἀρᾶς τὴν ἰσχὺν, καὶ τῆς κοιλίας διαρρηγνυμένης, καὶ τοῦ μηροῦ διαπίπτοντος. Δι' ὧν γὰρ ἡ ἁμαρτία, διὰ τούτων ἡ τιμωρία. Τὸ δὲ ἐνόρκιον οὕτω νοητέον Ὅτ' ἄν τις δεινὰ καὶ ἀνήκεστα πάθῃ, εἰώθασί τινες ὀμνύντες λέγειν· Μὴ πάθοιμι ἃ ὁ δεῖνα πέπονθεν.","t":"Why was barley meal brought by the woman suspected of adultery? The Master himself has explained it: “For it is,” he said, “a sacrifice of jealousy, a sacrifice of remembrance, a sacrifice recalling sin.” Hence he ordered it to have neither oil nor frankincense, for it was deprived both of fragrance and of the light of righteousness. God the Master legislated that this be done because he knew their murderous disposition: so that they would not kill their wives on suspicion, he ordered the suspected woman to be brought to him, since he knows all things clearly, even what is done in secret. “For the priest,” it says, “shall bring the woman and set her before the Lord; and the priest shall take pure running water in an earthen vessel, and some of the earth on the floor of the tent of witness, and the priest shall take it and put it into the water; and the priest shall set the woman before the Lord and uncover the woman's head, and put on her hands the sacrifice of remembrance, the sacrifice of jealousy; and in the priest's hand shall be the water of proof that brings this curse.” He ordered all this to be done to frighten the suspected woman, so that, if she had sinned, she would confess and receive forgiveness through repentance. For this reason he commands that she be brought to God uncovered, teaching that all things are naked and laid bare before him and nothing we do escapes him. That he ordered this done to frighten her, what follows shows: “And the priest shall put her under oath and say to the woman: If no one has lain with you, if you have not transgressed to be defiled while under your own husband, be free from this water of proof that brings the curse. But if you have transgressed while under a husband, or have been defiled, or someone besides your husband has lain with you, may the Lord make you a curse and an oath in the midst of your people, when the Lord makes your thigh fall away and your belly swell.” He also ordered the woman to assent to the curse and say, “So be it, so be it”; and he ordered the curse to be written and wiped off into water and the woman to drink the water, but the sacrifice, that is, the barley meal, to be offered first. Then he teaches that if she is innocent she will be kept healthy, but if guilty and concealing it she will learn the force of the curse by experience, her belly bursting and her thigh falling away. For through the members by which the sin came, through them the punishment comes. The “oath” is to be understood thus: when someone suffers terrible and incurable things, some are accustomed to say when they swear, “May I not suffer what so-and-so has suffered.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.10 (PG 80 80:357; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-10)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.11":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, \"Ὃς ἂν μεγάλως εὔξηται εὐχὴν γνίσασθαι το ἁγνείαν τῷ Κυρίῳ; Πολλὰ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας εἴδη. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ θυσίας ἐπηγέλλοντο, οἱ δὲ χρήματα, οἱ δὲ καὶ τη ἑαυτοὺς οἱ δὲ ῥητῶν ἡμερῶν ἀριθμὸν μὴ πιεῖν οἶνον, μὴ κείρασθαι τὴν κεφαλήν. Τοιοῦτοι ἦσαν, περὶ ὧν ὁ θεῖος εἶπεν Ἰάκωβος τῷ θεσπεσίῳ Παύλῳ· Εἰσί τινες εὐχὴν ἔχοντες ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς· τούτους παραλαβὼν ἀγνίσθητι σὺν αὐτοῖς, καὶ δαπάνησον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς· τουτέστι, τὰς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν προσφερομένας κατὰ τὸν νόμον θυσίας σὺ πάρασχε, ἵνα λύσῃς τὴν ὑποψίαν. Περὶ τούτων ἐνταῦθα ὁ νόμος διαγορεύει, καὶ κελεύει, τοὺς ταύτην ὑπισχνουμένους τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, καὶ ὅξους ἀπέχεσθαι, καὶ σταφυλῆς καὶ στεμφύλων, πάσας τῆς εὐχῆς τὰς ἡμέρας· εὐχὴν δὲ καλεῖ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν· καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν μὴ κείρασθαι, ἕως ἂν πληρωθῶσιν αἱ ἡμέραι ὅσας ηὔξατο τῷ Κυρίῳ. \"Αγιον δὲ καλεῖ τὸν τρέφοντα κόμην, ὡς τῷ Θεῷ τὴν κόμην ἀφιερώσαντα. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν· ῞Αγιος ἔσται ὁ τρέφων κόμην τρίχα κεφαλῆς, πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς εὐχῆς αὐτοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἃς ἀφιέρωσας τῷ Θεῷ, μὴ κείρῃς ἕως ἂν δῷς τῇ ὑποσχέσει τὸ πέρας. Κελεύει δὲ αὐτὸν μὴ πατρὶ τετελευτηκότι πελάζειν, μὴ ἀδελφῷ, μὴ ἑτέρῳ τινί. Κἂν γὰρ ἐξαπίνης, φησὶ, τελευτήσαντός τινος παρεῖναι τοῦτον συμβῇ, ἀνάγκη πᾶσαν ἀφελεῖν τὴν τρίχα καὶ οὐ τῇ πρώτῃ μόνον ἡμέρᾳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ· ἵνα καὶ αἱ διαφυγοῦσαι τὸν ξυρὸν τρίχες, ἐν ταῖς ἑπτὰ αὐξηθεῖσαι ἡμέραις περιαιρεθῶσιν· ἔπειτα τῇ ὀγδόῃ δύο τρυγόνας προσενεγκεῖν· τὴν μὲν περὶ ἁμαρτίας, τὴν δὲ εἰς ὀλοκαύτωσιν καὶ ἀμνὸν ἕνα περὶ πλημμελείας. Ἐντεῦθεν δὲ μανθάνομεν ἀκριβέστερον, ὡς περὶ πλημμελείας τὴν τῶν ἀκουσίων ἁμαρτημάτων καλεῖ· ἀκούσιον γὰρ καὶ τὸ τούτῳ συμβάν· ἐξαπίνης γάρ τινος τελευτήσαντος ὑπέμεινε μολυσμόν. ῎Ανωθεν δὲ αὐτὸν ἀριθμῆσαι κελεύει τὸν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἡμερῶν ἀριθμόν· ᾿Αλόγιστοι γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔσονται αὐτῶν αἱ πρότεραι ἡμέραι, ὅτι ἐμιάνθη ἡ κεφαλὴ τῆς εὐχῆς αὐτοῦ Ἐδίδαξε δὲ καὶ τίνας προσήκει θυσίας προσενεγκεῖν τὸν τοῦ ἁγνισμοῦ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν πεπληρωκότα ἀμνὸν μὲν εἰς ὁλοκαύτωσιν, ἀμνάδα δὲ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας· θήλεα γὰρ τὰ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας ἱερεῖα, ἐπειδὴ χαυνουμένου τοῦ λογικοῦ ἡ ἁμαρτία τολμᾶται. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ κριὸν ἄμωμον εἰς σωτηρίαν, καὶ κανοῦν ἀζύμων προσενεγκεῖν διηγόρευσεν· εἶτα τῆς θυσίας ἐπιτελουμένης, τὰς τρίχας ἐπιθεῖναι τῇ θυσίᾳ τοῦ σωτηρίου. Ὁ δὲ βραχίων ὁ ἐφθὸς, ὁ ἐπιτιθέμενος ταῖς τοῦ εὐξαμένου χερσὶ, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ ἱερέως λαμβανόμενος, δηλοῖ τελεσθεῖσαν τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην πρᾶξιν πράξεως γὰρ γεγενημένης ὁ ἐφθὸς βραχίων δηλωτικός. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐ μάτην νενομοθέτηκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀκριβείας ἐπιμελεῖσθαι διδάσκων, καὶ μήτε ὡς ἔτυχεν ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι, καὶ ὑπισχνουμένους τὰ ἐπηγγελμένα πληροῦν. Παιδεύει δὲ καὶ ἡμᾶς διὰ τούτων καὶ τὸν ἁγιασμὸν φυλάττειν ἀμόλυντον· ὁ γὰρ κηλίδα δεχόμενος τῆς ἄνωθεν δεῖται καθάρσεως, καὶ τῆς διὰ μετανοίας τῶν μολυσμῶν ἀφαιρέσεως. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ Γαλάταις ἐπιστέλλων ὁ μακάριος ἔλεγε Παῦλος· Τεκνία μου, οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω, ἄχρις οὗ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν. Μετὰ ταῦτα διδάσκει πῶς εὐλογεῖν προσήκει τοὺς ἱερέας, καὶ ὡς τὸ θεῖον ὄνομα χορηγεῖ τοῖς προσιοῦσιν εὐλογίαν. Ἐπιθήσουσι γάρ, φησὶ, τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἐγὼ Κύριος εὐλογήσω αὐτούς. Λέγει δὲ καὶ αὐτὰ τῆς εὐλογίας τὰ ῥήματα Εὐλογήσαι σε Κύριος, καὶ φυλάξαι σε, ἐπιφάναι Κύριος τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σὲ, καὶ ἐλεήσαι σε· ἐπάραι Κύριος τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σοὶ, καὶ δῴη σοι εἰρήνην. Διδασκόμεθα δὲ διὰ τούτων, ὡς χρὴ πρότερον τοῖς εὐλογημένοις τὰς θείας αἰτεῖν δωρεάς· τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει τὸ, Εὐλογήσαι σε·, εἶτα τὰ διδόμενα φυλαχθῆναι· ἐπήγαγε γὰρ, Καὶ φυλάξαι σε. Ἡ δὲ δευτέρα εὐλογία τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπιφάνειαν προθεσπίζει,· Ἐπιφάναι γὰρ, φησὶν, Κύριος τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σὲ δ', καὶ ἐλεήσας σε·· ἐλέου γὰρ μεστὴ ἡ κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν οἰκονομία. Διὸ καὶ τὰς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῖν καταλλαγὰς ἐδωρήσατο· τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ ἑξῆς εἰλογία διδάσκει· Ἐπάραι Κύριος τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σοὶ, καὶ δώῃ σοι εἰρήνην. Περὶ ταύτης τῆς εἰρήνης καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος ἔφη Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἔν, καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ Ταῦτα περὶ τῆς εὐλογίας διδαχθεὶς ὁ προφήτης, καὶ διηγησάμενος ὅπως καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν ἔχρισε, καὶ τίνα οἱ φύλαρχοι προσεκόμισαν ἐδίδαξεν ὅπως θείαν φωνὴν τοῖς ἰσὶν εἰσεδέξατο ἐκ τοῦ ἱλαστηρίου φερομένην ὑπέκειτο μὲν τῇ κιβωτῷ, ταῖς δὲ τῶν Χερουβίμ συνεκαλύπτετο πτέρυξι. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐ φιλοτιμούμενος γέγραφεν, ἀλλὰ διδάσκων ὡς ἐκεῖθεν τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσιν ἅπαξ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ εἰσιοῦσι τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιδείξει δόξαν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, ὅπως ἦν ἰδεῖν οἷά τε τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ φύσις.","t":"What does “Whoever makes a great vow to vow a purification to the Lord” mean? There are many kinds of promise. Some promised sacrifices, others money, others even themselves; others, for a set number of days, not to drink wine and not to cut the hair of the head. Such were those of whom the divine James said to the inspired Paul: “There are some who have a vow on themselves; take them and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses,” that is, you provide the sacrifices offered for them according to the law, so as to dispel the suspicion. About these the law here gives directions, and it commands those who make this promise to abstain from vinegar, grapes and grape-skins all the days of the vow (he calls the promise a “vow”), and not to cut the hair of the head until the days are fulfilled that he vowed to the Lord. He calls “holy” the one who lets his hair grow, as one who has consecrated his hair to God. For this is what he said: “He who lets the hair of his head grow shall be holy all the days of his vow to the Lord,” that is: do not cut the hair you consecrated to God until you have brought your promise to its end. And he commands him not to approach a dead father, or brother, or anyone else. Even if, it says, someone dies suddenly and he happens to be present, he must remove all his hair, not on the first day only but on the seventh too, so that the hairs that escaped the razor and grew during the seven days may also be removed; then on the eighth day he is to offer two turtledoves, one for sin and the other as a whole burnt offering, and one lamb for trespass. From this we learn more precisely that he calls the offering for involuntary sins one “for trespass”: for what happened to this man was involuntary, since someone died suddenly and he incurred defilement. And he commands him to count the number of promised days from the beginning: “For the former days,” it says, “shall not be reckoned, because the head of his vow was defiled.” He also taught what sacrifices the one who has fulfilled the promise of purification ought to offer: a lamb for a whole burnt offering and a ewe-lamb for sin (the victims for sin are female, since sin is dared when the rational part grows slack), and also an unblemished ram for a peace offering and a basket of unleavened bread; then, as the sacrifice is performed, he is to put the hair on the sacrifice of the peace offering. The boiled shoulder, placed in the hands of the one who made the vow and taken by the priest, shows that the promised deed has been accomplished; for the boiled shoulder signifies a deed done. He did not legislate these things for nothing, but to teach care for exactness: not to make promises at random, and to fulfil what has been promised. Through them he also trains us to keep our sanctification undefiled; for whoever receives a stain needs cleansing from above and the removal of the defilements through repentance. This is what the blessed Paul said writing to the Galatians: “My little children, with whom I am again in labour until Christ is formed in you.” After this he teaches how the priests ought to bless, and that the divine name supplies blessing to those who approach. “For they shall put my name,” it says, “on the sons of Israel, and I the Lord will bless them.” He also gives the very words of the blessing: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face appear upon you and have mercy on you; the Lord lift up his face upon you and give you peace.” By these we are taught that one must first ask the divine gifts for those being blessed (this is what “bless you” means), and then that what is given be kept, for he added, “and keep you.” The second blessing foretells the appearing of our God and Saviour: “The Lord make his face appear,” it says, “upon you and have mercy on you”; for the economy of our God and Saviour in the flesh is full of mercy. Therefore he also granted us reconciliation with God; this is what the next blessing teaches: “The Lord lift up his face upon you and give you peace.” Of this peace the blessed Paul also said, “For he is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the fence, the enmity, in his flesh.” Having been taught these things about the blessing, and having related how he anointed the tent and what the tribal leaders brought, the prophet taught how he received with his ears the divine voice coming from the mercy seat. It rested on the ark and was covered by the wings of the cherubim. He did not write this out of vanity, but to teach that from there God the Master would show his own glory to the high priests who entered once a year, as far as human nature could see it.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.11 (PG 80 80:361; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-11)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.12":{"o":"Τι δήποτε τοὺς Λευΐτας ἀγιασθῆναι κελεύσας, ἅπαν τὸ σῶμα τῶν τριχῶν γυμνωθῆναι προσέταξεν ; Αἱ τρίχες τῆς νεκρώσεως σύμβολον νεκραὶ γὰρ αὗται, καὶ ὀδύνης αἴσθησιν οὐ δεχόμεναι. Τὴν ἀληθῆ τοίνυν ζωὴν ἔχειν κελεύει τοὺς τῷ Θεῷ λειτουργοῦντας, καὶ μηδὲν νεκρὸν ἔχειν, μηδὲ δυσῶδες. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος ἡμᾶς διδάσκει Παῦλος· Χριστῷ γὰρ, φησὶ, συνεσταύρωμαι· ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγὼ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός. Ταῖς γὰρ θείαις, φησὶ, ἐνεργείαις ἐμαυτὸν ἀφιέρωσα.","t":"Why, when he ordered the Levites to be sanctified, did he command that the whole body be stripped of hair? Hair is a symbol of deadness, for it is dead and feels no pain. He commands those who minister to God, then, to have true life and to have nothing dead or foul-smelling. This the inspired Paul also teaches us: “For I have been crucified with Christ,” he says; “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” For I have consecrated myself, he means, to the divine energies.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.12 (PG 80 80:365; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-12)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.13":{"o":"Διατί μετὰ πέμπτον καὶ εἰκοστὸν ἔτος μέχρι τοῦ πεντηκοστοῦ λειτουργεῖν τοὺς Λευίτας κελεύει; Ἑπειδὴ ἡ μὲν πρώτη ἡλικία τελείαν οὐκ ἔχει τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ κακων τὴν διάκρισιν. Ἡ τελευταία δὲ ἀσθενέστερον ἔχει τὸ σῶμα. Ἀποκρίνει τοίνυν καὶ τὴν νεότητα, καὶ τὸ γήρας· τὴν μὲν διὰ τὸ ἀτελὲς τῆς ψυχῆς, τὸ δὲ διὰ τὸ τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενές.","t":"Why does he command the Levites to minister from the twenty-fifth year up to the fiftieth? Because the first age does not have full discernment of good and evil, and the last has a weaker body. So he excludes both youth and old age: the one for the immaturity of the soul, the other for the weakness of the body.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.13 (PG 80 80:365; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-13)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.14":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν οὐκ ἠδύναντο ἐπιτελέσαι τὸ Πάσχα οἱ ἀκάθαρτοι ἐπὶ ψυχῇ Συνῆπται ἡ αἰτία τῇ παραιτήσει. Ὡς γὰρ ἀπὸ κήδους ὄντες, καί τινας τῶν οἰκείων ταφῇ παραδεδωκότες, ἀκάθαρτοι κατὰ τὴν τοῦ νόμου διαγόρευσιν ἦσαν. Δεδιότες τοίνυν, μὴ τοῦ Πάσχα πληροῦντες τὴν ἐντολὴν, παραβῶσι τὴν περὶ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων κειμένην, καὶ ἀντινομίᾳ περιπέσωσι, τὴν αἰτίαν τὸν νομοθέτην ἐδίδαξαν ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ οὗτος ἐτόλμήσεν ἀποκρίνασθαι ἕως τὸν Δεσπότην ἠρώτησε. Ταύτῃ γὰρ τῇ πλημμελείᾳ Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ περιπέπτωκε, πρὸ τῆς ἐρωτήσεως τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας δεξάμενος. Προσέταξε τοίνυν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς τοὺς τῷ μιασμῷ τούτῳ περιπίπτοντας, ἢ πόῤῥωθεν οἱκοῦντας, καὶ τούτου χάριν τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς ἐπιτελέσαι τὸ Πάσχα μὴ δυναμένους, τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ δευτέρου μηνὸς ἐπιτελέσαι τὸ Πάσχα· ἐκέλευσε δὲ καὶ τοὺς προσηλύτους τῶν ἴσων μεταλαχεῖν. Νόμος γὰρ, φησὶν, εἷς ἔσται ὑμῖν, καὶ τῷ προσηλύτῳ, καὶ τῷ αὐτόχθονι τῆς γῆς. Διὰ δὲ τούτων τῶν ἐθνῶν προμηνύει τὴν κλῆσιν.","t":"For what reason could those unclean by reason of a soul not celebrate the Passover? The reason is given with their excuse. Being in mourning, and having given some of their family to burial, they were unclean according to the direction of the law. Fearing, then, that in fulfilling the commandment of the Passover they would transgress the one laid down about the unclean and fall into a conflict of laws, they told the lawgiver the reason. But not even he dared to answer until he had asked the Master. For Joshua son of Nun fell into this fault, receiving the Gibeonites before asking. God the Master therefore ordered that those who fell into this defilement, or lived far away, and for that reason could not celebrate the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month, should celebrate the Passover on the fourteenth of the second month; and he ordered the proselytes too to share in the same. “For there shall be one law for you,” it says, “both for the proselyte and for the native of the land.” Through these he foreshadows the calling of the nations.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.14 (PG 80 80:365; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-14)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.15":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Σημασίᾳ σαλπιεῖτε ἐν τῇ ἐξάρσει ὑμῶν καὶ ὅταν συναγάγητε τὴν συναγωγήν, σαλπιεῖτε καὶ οὐ σημασία;» Ὁ πάνσοφος λέγει Παῦλος. Ἐὰν μὴ εὔσημον σάλπιγξ φωνὴν δῷ, τίς παρασκευάσεται εἰς πόλεμον; Διαφοραὶ τοίνυν ἦσαν ἠχῆς, καὶ ἡ μὲν τὴν ἀνάπαυλαν, ἡ δὲ τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν ἐδήλουν· καὶ μία μὲν ἠχοῦσα σάλπιγξ ἐκάλει τοὺς ἄρχοντας, αἱ δὲ δύο τὸν λαὸν καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας. Τὸ μὲν σαλπίζειν μόνοις ἀπενεμήθη τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν, ἐπειδὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν κλῆσιν ἡ σάλπιγξ ἐμήνυε. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπήγαγεν· Ἐὰν δὲ ἐξέλθητε εἰς πόλεμον ἐν τῇ γῇ ὑμῶν πρὸς τοὺς ὑπεναντίους τοὺς ἀνθεστηκότας ὑμῖν, καὶ σημανεῖτε ταῖς σάλπιγξιν, καὶ ἀναμνησθήσεσθε ἔναντι Κυρίου, καὶ διασωθήσεσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὑμῶν. Καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς εὐφροσύνης ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐν ταῖς νεομηνίαις ὑμῶν, σαλπιεῖτε ταῖς σάλπιγξιν ἐπὶ τοῖς ὁλοκαυτώμασι, καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις τῶν σωτηρίων ὑμῶν, καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν ἀνάμνησις ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν, ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ νομοθετῶν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῷ Σινᾷ ὄρει μεγίστῃ σαλπίγγων ἠχῇ τὰς ἀκοὰς αὐτῶν κατεκτύπησε, τῆς ἐπιφανείας αὐτοὺς ἐκείνης ἀναμιμνήσκει διὰ τῆς τῶν σαλπίγγων ἠχῆς· ὅθεν ὁ μακάριος Δαβὶδ μελῳδῶν ἔφη· Σαλπίσατε ἐν νεομηνίᾳ σάλπιγγι, ἐν εὐσήμῳ ἡμέρᾳ ἑορτῆς ὑμῶν. Διὰ δὲ τούτων καὶ ἡμεῖς διδασκόμεθα πᾶσαν ἀθροίζοντες τοῦ λαοῦ τὴν συναγωγὴν σάλπιγξι καὶ οὐ σημασίαις ᾿Ασήμως γὰρ διὰ τοὺς ἀμυήτους περὶ τῶν θείων διαλεγόμεθα μυστηρίων· τούτων δὲ χωριζομένων, σαφῶς τοὺς μεμυημένους διδάσκομεν.","t":"How is “You shall sound the trumpet with a signal when you set out; and when you gather the assembly, you shall sound the trumpet, but not with a signal” to be understood? The all-wise Paul says, “If the trumpet gives an indistinct sound, who will prepare for battle?” There were, then, differences of sound: one signalled a halt, another a march; and one trumpet sounding summoned the leaders, two the people and the leaders. Sounding the trumpet was assigned to the priests alone, since the trumpet announced the summons of God. For he added this: “And if you go out to war in your land against the adversaries who oppose you, you shall signal with the trumpets, and you shall be remembered before the Lord and be saved from your enemies. And on the days of your gladness, and at your feasts, and at your new moons, you shall sound the trumpets over the whole burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings, and it shall be a remembrance for you before your God; I am the Lord your God.” For since God, when he gave the law on Mount Sinai, struck their ears with a very great sound of trumpets, he reminds them of that appearing through the sound of the trumpets. Hence the blessed David said in song, “Sound the trumpet at the new moon, on the well-marked day of your feast.” Through these things we too are taught, when we gather the whole assembly of the people, to use trumpets but not signals: for because of the uninitiated we speak about the divine mysteries without plain signs, but when they have been dismissed we teach the initiated clearly.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.15 (PG 80 80:367; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-15)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.16":{"o":"Διατί τὸν κηδεστὴν ὁ θεῖος Μωσῆς Ἰοθὼρ ὀνομάσας ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ, νῦν αὐτὸν ἐκάλεσε ῾Ραγουήλ; Διώνυμος ἦν, ὡς Ἰακὼβ καὶ Ἰσραὴλ, ὡς Σίμων Πέτρος, ὡς Θωμᾶς ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος, ὡς Θαδδαίος ὁ καὶ Λεββαῖος Τούτου υἱὸς ἦν ὁ Ὠδάβ","t":"Why did the divine Moses, who called his father-in-law Jethro in Exodus, now call him Raguel? He had two names, like Jacob and Israel, like Simon Peter, like Thomas who is called Didymus, like Thaddaeus who is also Lebbaeus. His son was Hobab.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.16 (PG 80 80:367; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-16)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.17":{"o":"Τίς ἦν ὁ τοῦ λαοῦ γογγυσμός; Τὸν τῆς ὁδοιπορίας ἐδυσχέραινον πόνον.","t":"What was the people's grumbling? They resented the toil of the journey.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.17 (PG 80 80:369; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-17)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.18":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἁμαρτάνουσιν εὐθὺς ἐπάγει τὰς τιμωρίας. Ἀρχὴν εἶχεν ὁ νόμος. Ἔδει τοίνυν τῇ τῶν παραβαινόντων τιμωρίᾳ σωφρονίζεσθαι τοὺς λοιπούς· ἁρμόδιος γὰρ τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ὁ φόβος· συνέζευκτο μέντοι τῇ τιμωρίᾳ φιλανθρωπία. Μεταμελούμενοι γὰρ εὐμενείας ἀπήλαυον. Αὐτίκα γοῦν τοῦ θεηλάτου πυρὸς μέρος τι τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἀναλώσαντος, εἶτα πάντων συνδεδραμηκότων εἰς δέησιν, ᾔτησε μὲν ὁ νομοθέτης τὴν ἄφεσιν, παρέσχε δὲ ταύτην ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Κύριος. Ὅτι δὲ ἀναγκαίως αὐτοῖς αἱ τιμωρίαι προσήγοντο, τὰ ἑξῆς μαρτυρεῖ. Εὐθὺς γὰρ μετὰ τὴν παῦλαν τῆς τιμωρίας, τῆς Αἰγύπτου τὴν μνήμην ἀνενεώσαντο, καὶ τῶν κρομμύων, καὶ τῶν σκορόδων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων, ὧν τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς γαστριμαργίας τὸ πάθος ἐπύρσευσε. Μάλα τοίνυν εἰκότως τῇ ἐκείνων ἀχαριστίᾳ τὴν θείαν συνῆψε φιλοτιμίαν ὁ συγγραφεὺς τὰ περὶ τοῦ μάννα διηγησάμενος, καὶ ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἄρτου χρείαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὄψου ἐπλήρου. Ἤλεθον γὰρ αὐτὸ φησὶν, ἐν τῷ μύλῳ, καὶ ἔτριβον ἐν τῇ θυείᾳ καὶ ἥψουν ἐν τῇ χύτρᾳ, καὶ ἐποίουν ἐγκρυφίας. Ἐκείνων· δὲ ὀλοφυρομένων, χαλεπαίνει μὲν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, δυσχεραίνει δὲ ὁ προφήτης, καὶ βοᾷ λέγων· Ἵνα τί ἐκάκωσας τὸν θεράποντά σου ἐπιθεῖναι τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ; μὴ ἐγὼ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβον τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ἢ ἐγὼ ἔτεκον αὐτὸν, ὅτι λέγεις μοι, Λάβε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου, ὡσεὶ λάβοι τιθηνὸς τὸν θηλάζοντα, εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἣν ὤμοσας τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν;» Δεδήλωκε δὲ διὰ τούτων τὸ ἀτελὲς αὐτῶν καὶ νηπιῶδες· θηλάζοντι γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀπείκασεν, ἄλλο μὲν οὐδὲν ἐργάσασθαι δυναμένῳ, ἐκμυζᾶν δὲ μόνον βουλομένῳ τὸ γάλα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ σφόδρα ἦν τὰ ῥήματα δυσχεραίνοντος· καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς γὰρ τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν νοῦν· διδάσκεται παρὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου Θεοῦ, ὡς οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνῃ δυνάμει, θείᾳ δὲ χάριτι τὸν λαὸν κυβερνᾷ. Ἔφη γὰρ πρὸς αὐτόν· Συνἀγαγέ μοι ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων Ἰσραὴλ, οὓς αὐτὸς οἶδας ὅτι αὐτοὶ εἰσι πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν καὶ ἄξεις αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου· καὶ στήσονται ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ καταβήσομαι, καὶ λαλήσω ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ ἀφελῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐπὶ σοὶ, καὶ ἐπιθήσω ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς· καὶ συναντιλήψονται μετὰ σοῦ τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ οὐκ οἴσεις αὐτοὺς σὺ μόνος. Μεμάθηκε δὲ διὰ τούτων τῶν λόγων ὁ νομοθέτης, ὡς ἀποχρῶσαν ἔλαβε τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ τὴν χάριν. Διὰ τοῦτο εἶπεν· Αφελῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐπὶ σοί. Οὐ γὰρ σπανίζων ἑτέρας δυνάμεως, ἢ χάριτος, τοῦτο ἔφη, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνον διδάσκων ὡς εἰλήφει δύναμιν ἀρκοῦσαν τῇ χρείᾳ. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα δοὺς οὐκ ἐμείωσε τούτου τὴν χάριν, τὰ πράγματα μαρτυρεῖ· τὰ αὐτὰ γὰρ καὶ οἰκονομῶν, καὶ θαυματουργῶν διετέλει, ὁ καὶ πρότερον ἐπετέλει. \"Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐκ μιᾶς θρυαλλίδος μυρίας τίς ἐξάπτων, οὔτε ταύτην μειοῖ, κἀκείνοις μεταδίδωσι τοῦ φωτός οὕτως ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τῆς τούτου χάριτος τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα μεταδιδοὺς, τὴν τούτῳ δοθεῖσαν οὐκ ἠλάττωσε χάριν. Τοῦτο καὶ νῦν ὁρῶμεν γινόμενον. Πολλαὶ γὰρ ἀνθρώπων μυριάδες᾽ ὑπὸ ἱερέως ἑνὸς βαπτιζόμεναι, καὶ τὴν θείαν δεχόμεναι δωρεάν, οὐ σμικρύνουσι τοῦ ἱερέως τὴν χάριν· καὶ πάμπολλοι παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων χειροτονούμενοι, καὶ τὴν ἱερατικὴν ἀξίαν δεχόμενοι, τοῦ χειροτονοῦντος οὐκ ἐλαττοῦσι τὴν δωρεάν. Μεμαρτύρηκε μέντοι ὁ Δεσπότης τῇ τοῦ θεράποντος ψήφῳ· ἔφη γὰρ αὐτῷ, Ἔκλεξαι οὓς αὐτὸς οἶδας.","t":"For what reason does he bring punishments at once on those who sin? The law was at its beginning. The rest, then, had to be brought to their senses by the punishment of the transgressors, for fear suits beginners. Yet kindness was joined to the punishment: when they repented, they enjoyed his goodwill. Thus, when the fire sent by God had consumed part of the camp and then all ran together in supplication, the lawgiver asked forgiveness and the loving Lord granted it. That the punishments were necessarily brought on them, what follows bears witness. For immediately after the punishment stopped, they revived the memory of Egypt, and of the onions and the garlic and the rest, the desire for which the passion of gluttony had kindled. Quite fittingly, then, the writer set God's generosity beside their ingratitude, relating the account of the manna and that it supplied not only the need for bread but also for relish: “For they ground it,” he says, “in the mill, and pounded it in the mortar, and boiled it in the pot, and made cakes of it.” And when they lamented, God the Master was angry, and the prophet was distressed and cried out, saying, “Why have you afflicted your servant, to lay the burden of this people on me? Did I conceive this people in the womb, or did I give birth to them, that you say to me, ‘Take them in your bosom, as a nurse would take a suckling child,’ into the land which you swore to their fathers?” By these words he showed their immaturity and childishness; for he likened them to a suckling child, which can do nothing else but only wants to suck milk. And since the words were those of a man greatly distressed (and what follows has the same sense), he is taught by God the Master that he governs the people not by human power but by divine grace. For he said to him: “Gather for me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you yourself know to be elders of the people and their scribes, and you shall bring them to the tent of witness; and they shall stand there with you, and I will come down and speak there with you, and I will take some of the spirit that is upon you and put it upon them; and they shall bear with you the burden of this people, and you shall not bear them alone.” By these words the lawgiver learned that he had received grace sufficient for his task. That is why he said, “I will take some of the spirit that is upon you.” He did not say this because he was short of some other power or grace, but to teach Moses that he had received power sufficient for the need. That in giving to the seventy he did not diminish Moses' grace, the facts bear witness: for he went on governing and working wonders just as he had done before. For as someone who lights countless lamps from one wick neither diminishes it and yet shares its light with them, so the God of all, in giving the seventy a share of Moses' grace, did not lessen the grace given to him. This we see happening now as well. For many tens of thousands of people baptized by one priest and receiving the divine gift do not diminish the priest's grace; and very many ordained by the high priests and receiving priestly rank do not lessen the gift of the one who ordains. The Master, however, confirmed his servant's choice, for he said to him, “Choose those whom you yourself know.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.18 (PG 80 80:369; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-18)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.19":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑποσχομένου δώσειν κρέα, ὁ προφήτης ἀμφέβαλλεν ; Ἐπειδὴ οὐ μόνον προφήτης, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἦν. Ἐδιδάχθη δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου Θεοῦ μὴ ἐνδοιάζειν ὑπισχνουμένου Θεοῦ. Ἔφη γὰρ πρὸς αὐτόν· Μὴ ἡ χεὶρ Κυρίου οὐκ ἐξαρκέσει; ἤδη γνώσῃ εἰ ἐπικαταλήψεταί σε ὁ λόγος μου, ἢ οὔ. Ὑπισχνούμενος μέντοι δώσειν, τῇ φιλοτιμίᾳ τιμωρίαν συνῆψεν. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ὅτι Ἕως μηνὸς φάγεσθε κρέα, ἕως ἂν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τῶν μυκτήρων ὑμῶν, ἐπήγαγε· Καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν εἰς χολέραν, ἢ ὡς ὁ Σύμμαχος, «εἰς ἀπεψίαν. Ἡ γὰρ ἀδηφαγία τὴν νόσον ἐπήγαγε, καὶ πολλοῖς τὸν θάνατον ἡ θεήλατος πληγή. Διὸ καὶ ὁ θεῖος ἔφη Δαβίδ· Ἔτι τῆς βρώσεως οὔσης ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν, καὶ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνέβη ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν τοῖς πλείοσιν αὐτῶν. Εἰκότως τοίνυν ὁ πάνσοφος παραινεῖ Παῦλος· Μὴ ποιεῖσθε τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν.","t":"Why did the prophet doubt when God promised to give meat? Because he was not only a prophet but also a man. But he was taught by God the Master not to hesitate when God promises. For he said to him, “Will the hand of the Lord not suffice? Now you shall know whether my word will overtake you or not.” In promising to give, however, he joined punishment to the generosity. For having said, “You shall eat meat for a month, until it comes out of your nostrils,” he added, “and it shall be to you for cholera,” or, as Symmachus has it, “for indigestion.” For the gluttony brought on the disease, and the stroke sent by God brought death to many. This is why the divine David also said, “While the food was still in their mouth, the wrath of God also came upon them and killed many of them.” Fittingly, then, the all-wise Paul urges, “Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.19 (PG 80 80:371; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-19)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.2":{"o":"Διατί ἐλάττων ἐστὶν ὁ τῶν Λευϊτῶν ἀριθμός; Ὡς ἀρχόντων· δεῖ γὰρ τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἐλάττους εἶναι τῶν ἀρχομένων. ῎Αλλως τε καὶ τοῦ πολεμεῖν ἦσαν ἀπηλλαγμένοι, καὶ μόνῃ τῇ θείᾳ λατρείᾳ προσήδρευον.","t":"Why is the number of the Levites smaller? Because they were rulers, and rulers must be fewer than those they rule. Besides, they were exempt from fighting and attended only on the divine worship.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.2 (PG 80 80:351; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-2)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.20":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν εὐθὺς μὲν προβληθέντες οἱ ἑβδομήκοντα προεφήτευσαν μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα οὐκέτι; Ὅτι οὐ προφητείας χάριν, ἀλλ᾽ οἰκονομίας αὐτοὺς προυβάλετο τῶν δὲ τοῦ Πνεύματος χαρισμάτων καὶ τοῦτο. Ὅθεν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, καὶ τοῖς προφήταις, καὶ τοῖς διδασκάλοις, καὶ τοῖς χαρίσμασι τῶν ἰαμάτων, τὰς ἀντιλήψεις καὶ κυβερνήσεις συνέταξε. Τούτου οἱ ἑβδομήκοντα τοῦ χαρίσματος ἠξιώθησαν. Ἵνα δὲ δῆλοι γένωνται τῷ λαῷ, ὅτι δὴ τῆς θείας ἀπήλαυσαν δωρεᾶς, εὐθύς τινα προηγόρευσαν.","t":"For what reason did the seventy prophesy as soon as they were appointed, but not afterwards? Because he appointed them not for prophecy but for administration; and this too is one of the gifts of the Spirit. Hence the blessed Paul ranked helps and administrations with the apostles and the prophets and the teachers and the gifts of healing. The seventy were granted this gift. But so that it would be clear to the people that they had indeed received the divine gift, they at once foretold certain things.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.20 (PG 80 80:371; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-20)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.21":{"o":"Ἐλδάδ καὶ Μωδάβ τί δήποτε προεφήτευσαν μὴ συναριθμηθέντες τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα; Εἰκὸς αὐτοὺς ἴσους εἶναι τὴν ἀξίαν τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα, καὶ τούτου χάριν ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς δωρεᾶς. Αἰνίττεται δὲ ὁ λόγος, ὅτι πολλάκις τοὺς ἀδοκίμους παρὰ ἀνθρώποις νομιζομένους δοκίμους οἶδεν ὁ τὰ κεκρυμμένα γινώσκων Οὕτως ἐπὶ τοῦ Κορνηλίου προύλαβε τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων διακονίαν ἡ θεία φιλοτιμία· πρὸ γὰρ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος. Ἐδείχθη δὲ κάνταῦθα τοῦ νομοθέτου τὸ ἄφθονον. Τοῦ γὰρ Ἱησοῦ εἰρηκότος, Κύριε Μωσῆ, κώλυσον αὐτοὺς, ὑπολαβὼν ἔφη, Μὴ ζηλοῖς σύ μοι καὶ τίς ἂν δῴη πάντα τὸν λαὸν Κυρίου προφήτας, ὅταν δῷ Κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς; Καὶ ὁ πανεύφημος δὲ Ἰησοῦς οὐ τοῦ φθόνου τὸ πάθος ἐδέξατο, ἀλλ᾿ αὐθάδειαν καὶ τυραννίδα τὸ πρᾶγμα νομίσας, τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις ἐχρήσατο. Ὅτι γὰρ τούτου τοῦ πάθους ἐλεύθερος ἦν, ὁ ἔπαινος μαρτυρεῖ. Οὕτω γὰρ ἔφη· Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ ὁ παρεστηκὼς Μωσῇ ὁ ἐκλεκτὸς εἶπεν, Κύριε Μωσῆ, κώλυσον αὐτούς.","t":"Why did Eldad and Modad prophesy, though they were not counted with the seventy? It is likely that they were equal in rank to the seventy and for that reason received the gift. The account also hints that he who knows hidden things often knows to be approved those whom men think unapproved. So too in the case of Cornelius the divine generosity anticipated the ministry of men: for before baptism he gave him the grace of the Spirit. Here too the lawgiver's freedom from envy was shown. For when Joshua said, “My lord Moses, stop them,” he replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, when the Lord gives his spirit upon them!” Nor did the all-praiseworthy Joshua feel the passion of envy; but thinking the matter presumption and a grab for power, he used these words. That he was free of this passion his praise bears witness, for it says, “And Joshua the son of Nun, who attended Moses, the chosen one, answered and said, ‘My lord Moses, stop them.’”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.21 (PG 80 80:373; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-21)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.22":{"o":"Τίνα χρὴ νοῆσαι τὴν Αἰθιόπισσαν γυναῖκα, ἣν ἔλαβε Μωσῆς; Ἰώσηπος μὲν εἶπεν, ὡς ἡνίκα ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις ἐτρέφετο, στρατηγὸς εἰς τὸν κατὰ τῶν Αἰθιόπων χειροτονηθεὶς πόλεμον, εἶτα νικήσας, ἠγάγετο τοῦ βασιλέως ἐκείνου τὴν θυγατέρα. Καὶ Ἀπολινάριος δὲ μῦθον ἀνέπλασε πολλῷ μυθωδέστερον τούτου. Ἔφη γὰρ μετὰ τὴν Σεπφώραν ἄλλην αὐτὸν Αἰθιόπισσαν γῆμαι· ἵνα, φησὶ, γένηται τύπος τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ, ὃς μετὰ τὴν Ἰσραηλῖτιν τὴν ἐξ ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησίαν ἐμνήστευσεν. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἡ Σεπφώρα ἀλλόφυλος ἦν. Τὸ τοίνυν πλάττειν μύθους, οὐ τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐναντίου. Τοσαύτης γὰρ ἁγνείας μετὰ τὴν κλῆσιν ὁ νομοθέτης ἐφρόντισεν, ὅτι καὶ τὴν Σεπφώραν κατέλιπεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον εἰσιών. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἔξοδον, ἀφίκετο πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ κηδεστὴς ἄγων ἐκείνην μετὰ τῶν παιδίων, καὶ προστέθεικεν ὅτι μετὰ τὴν ἄφεσιν ἤγαγεν αὐτήν. Τὴν Σεπφώραν τοίνυν ὠνόμασεν Αἰθιόπισσαν· τὸ γὰρ Σαβά ἔθνος Αἰθιοπικόν ἐστιν. Ὁ γὰρ Εὐαγγελιστής φησιν· Βασίλισσα Αἰθιόπων ἀναστήσεται, καὶ κατακρινεῖ τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην. Ἀλλ᾿ ἡ τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἱστορία βασίλισσαν Σαβὰ προσηγόρευσε ταύτην. Σαβά δὲ καλεῖται τῶν Ὁμηριτῶν τὸ ἔθνος· τούτοις οἱ Μαδιηναῖοι πελάζουσιν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ὁ ᾿Ααρὼν Ἰσραηλῖτιν ἠγάγετο, τὴν ἀλλόφυλον δὲ ὁ Μωσῆς, μικροψυχίας γενομένης, ταύτην αὐτῷ τὴν λοιδορίαν προσήνεγκαν. Καὶ μαρτυρεῖ δὲ τῇ τελειοτάτῃ ἀρετῇ τοῦ νομοθέτου τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡ παροινία ἀπορήσαντες γὰρ δηλονότι κατηγορίας ἑτέρας, τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτῷ τὸν ψόγον ἐπήνεγκαν. Μαρτυρεῖ δὲ μου τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ἡ ψῆφος τοῦ δικαιοτάτου κριτοῦ· ἔφη γάρ Ἐὰν γένηται προφήτης ὑμῖν, ἐν ὀράματι αὐτῷ γνωσθήσομαι, καὶ ἐν ὕπνῳ λαλήσῳ· οὐχ οὕτως ὡς ὁ θεράπων μου Μωσῆς ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ οἴκῳ μου πιστός ἐστι· στόμα κατὰ στόμα λαλήσω αὐτῷ, ἐν εἴδει, καὶ οὐ δι' αἰνιγμάτων, καὶ τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου εἶδε Καὶ διατί οὐκ ἐφοβήθητε καταλαλῆσαι τοῦ θεράποντός μου Μωσέως;, ᾿Αληθὴς ἄρα ὁ λόγος ἐκεῖνος, ὁ φάσκων· Ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις, ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω, λέγει Κύριος. Διδασκόμεθα γὰρ καὶ διὰ τούτων, καὶ δι' ἐκείνων, μὴ ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας, ἀλλὰ τὴν θείαν ψῆφον προσμένειν, ὡς μάλα τῶν ἀδικουμένων προμηθουμένην, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ τότε Μωσέως σιγῶντος τῇ Μαριὰμ τὴν λέπραν ἐπήνεγκεν.","t":"Who is to be understood as the Ethiopian wife whom Moses took? Josephus said that while he was being brought up in the palace, he was appointed general for the war against the Ethiopians, and then, having won, he married the daughter of that king. And Apollinarius made up a tale much more fabulous than this. For he said that after Zipporah Moses married another, an Ethiopian woman, so that, he says, he might become a type of Christ the Master, who after the Israelite woman betrothed the church from the nations. But Zipporah too was a foreigner. To make up tales, then, is the work not of the divine Spirit but of the opposite one. For the lawgiver cared for purity so much after his calling that he even left Zipporah behind when he went into Egypt. After the departure from there, his father-in-law came to him bringing her with the children, and he added that he brought her after she had been sent away. So he called Zipporah the Ethiopian; for the nation of Saba is Ethiopian. For the Evangelist says, “The queen of the Ethiopians will rise up and condemn this generation,” but the history of the Kingdoms called her the queen of Saba. Saba is the name of the nation of the Homerites, and the Midianites border on them. Since, then, Aaron had married an Israelite woman, but Moses a foreigner, in a fit of pettiness they brought this reproach against him. The brothers' insolence in fact bears witness to the lawgiver's most perfect virtue: plainly at a loss for any other charge, they brought against him the reproach about his wife. And the verdict of the most just judge bears witness to my account, for he said: “If there is a prophet among you, I will be known to him in a vision and speak to him in sleep. Not so with my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. Mouth to mouth I will speak to him, in visible form and not in riddles, and he has seen the glory of the Lord. And why were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” True, then, is that saying: “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” For we are taught by these things and by those not to retaliate against those who wrong us, but to await the divine verdict, since it takes great care for the wronged, just as then, while Moses kept silent, he brought leprosy on Miriam.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.22 (PG 80 80:373; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-22)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.23":{"o":"Τι δήποτε τῶν δύο λελοιδορηκότων· ἐκείνη δίκας ἔτισε μόνη, Πρῶτον ἐπειδὴ μεῖζον ἦν τῆς γυναικὸς τὸ πλημμέλημα· τῷ ἄῤῥενι γὰρ καὶ ἡ φύσις καὶ ὁ νόμος ὑποτάττει τὸ θῆλυ Ἔπειτα εἶχέ τινα μετρίαν συγγνώμην ὁ ᾿Ααρών, καὶ ὡς τῷ χρόνῳ πρεσβύτερος, καὶ ὡς ἀρχιερωσύνης ἠξιωμένος. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, ἐπειδὴ ἀκάθαρτος ὁ λεπρὸς ἐδόκει εἶναι κατὰ τὸν νόμον, ῥίζα δὲ τῶν ἱερέων καὶ κρηπὶς ἦν ὁ ᾿Ααρὼν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ἅπαν διαβῇ τὸ γένος τὸ ὄνειδος, τὴν ἴσην οὐκ ἐπήγαγεν αὐτῷ τιμωρίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἐφόβησεν ὁμοῦ καὶ ἐπαίδευσεν. Οὕτω γὰρ αὐτὸν τὸ πάθος ἠνίασεν ὅτι πρὸ τῆς τοῦτο δεξαμένης αὐτὸς τὸν ἠδικημένον ἱκέτευσε λῦσαι τῇ πρεσβείᾳ τὴν συμφοράν· ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἠμέλησεν ἀλλ᾿ αὐτίκα τὴν ἱκετηρίαν προσήνεγκεν. Εἶτα ὁ φιλἄνθρωπος ἐδίδαξε Κύριος, ὡς οὐ δικαστικῶς αὐτὴν, ἀλλὰ πατρικῶς ἐπαίδευσεν. Ἔφη γὰρ, Εἰ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῆς πτύων ἐνέπτυσεν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς, οὐκ ἐντραπήσεται Ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ἀφορισθήσεται ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰσελεύσεται. Συνέζευκται δὲ καὶ τιμὴ τῇ ἀτιμίᾳ· οὐκ ἀπῆρε γὰρ ὁ λαὸς ἕως ἀπηλλάγη τοῦ πάθους.","t":"Why, when two had spoken abusively, did she alone pay the penalty? First, because the woman's fault was greater: for both nature and the law subject the female to the male. Then Aaron had some measure of excuse, both as older in years and as one honoured with the high priesthood. Besides this, since the leper was held to be unclean according to the law, and Aaron was the root and foundation of the priests, so that the disgrace would not pass to the whole family, he did not bring the same punishment on him, but through his sister he both frightened and corrected him. For the affliction grieved him so much that, before she who had received it, he himself begged the man he had wronged to end the calamity by his intercession; and Moses did not neglect it, but at once offered the supplication. Then the loving Lord taught that he had corrected her not as a judge but as a father. For he said, “If her father had spat in her face, would she not be ashamed? She shall be put out of the camp for seven days, and after that she shall come in.” Honour too was joined to the dishonour: for the people did not set out until she was freed from the affliction.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.23 (PG 80 80:375; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-23)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.24":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν κατασκόπους ἀποσταλῆναι προσέταξεν ὁ Θεός Ἵνα προμαθόντες τῆς γῆς τὴν εὐκαρπίαν, ἐπιθυμήσωσι μεταλαχεῖν τῶν ἐπαινουμένων καρπῶν· ὀκνοῦντες δὲ καὶ ὀκλάζοντες, μηδεμίαν ἔχωσι παραίτησιν κολαζόμενοι.","t":"For what reason did God order spies to be sent? So that, learning in advance the fertility of the land, they would desire to share its praised fruits; and if they shrank back and faltered, they would have no excuse when punished.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.24 (PG 80 80:377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-24)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.25":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τὸν Αὐσὴν, ἡνίκα κατάσκοπον ἔπεμπεν, ἐκάλεσεν Ἰησοῦν; Ὅτι τύπος ἦν τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὃς τὸ τῶν κατασκόπων ἐμιμήσατο σχῆμα, τὴν ἡμετέραν οἰκονομῶν σωτηρίαν. Καθάπερ γὰρ οἱ κατάσκοποι τῷ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐκείνων, ἃ κατασκοποῦσι, καὶ σχήματι κέχρηνται καὶ φωνῇ, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν περιθέμενος φύσιν, καὶ τῇ ταύτης γλώττῃ χρησάμενος, τὴν ἡμετέραν ᾠκονόμησε σωτηρίαν.","t":"Why, when he sent Hoshea as a spy, did he call him Joshua? Because he was a type of the true Jesus, who imitated the guise of the spies when he administered our salvation. For as spies use the dress and the language of the nations they are spying on, so too God the Word, putting on human nature and using its tongue, administered our salvation.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.25 (PG 80 80:377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-25)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.26":{"o":"Τίνα λέγει γενεὰν Ἐνάκ; Ὀνομαστότατος ἦν οὗτος, καὶ πολυθρύλλητος, ὡς εἰκὸς, διὰ τὸ τοῦ σώματος μέγεθος· καὶ τὸ γένος δὲ πάντως τῷ προγόνῳ ἐῴκει.","t":"What does he mean by the race of Anak? He was very famous and much talked of, probably because of the size of his body; and the race no doubt resembled its ancestor.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.26 (PG 80 80:377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-26)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.27":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Ἐμπλήσει ἡ δόξα Κυρίου πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν; Προλέγει τὴν Ἰουδαίων ἀποβολὴν, καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης τὴν σωτηρίαν· καὶ ὅρκον τῇ προῤῥήσει προστίθησι. Ζῶ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐγὼ, καὶ ζῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου, καὶ ἐμπλήσει ἡ δόξα Κυρίου πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν. Εἶτα ἐκφέρει τὴν ψῆφον κατὰ τῶν ἀριθμηθέντων ἀπάντων, πλὴν Χαλὲβ υἱοῦ Ἰεφωνῆ, καὶ Ἰησοῦ υἱοῦ Ναυῆ, οἱ πρὸς τῇ ἀληθείᾳ τῶν μηνυμάτων, τὴν εὐσεβῆ παραίνεσιν προσήνεγκαν τῷ λαῷ Ταύτῃ μέντοι παραβαλεῖν προσήκει τῇ ἀποφάσει τὴν ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις εἰρημένην· Αρθήσεται ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν ἡ βασιλεία, καὶ δοθήσεται ἔθνει ποιοῦντι τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς. Τύπος γὰρ τῶν μὲν ἠπιστηκότων Ἰουδαίων οἱ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ πεπτωκότες δι' ἀπιστίαν· τῶν δὲ πεπιστευκότων ἐθνῶν, οἱ ἀπερίτμητοι παῖδες, οἱ ἀντ᾿ ἐκείνων διὰ Ἰησοῦ τὴν γῆν ἀπειληφότες τὴν τοῖς προγόνοις ἐπηγγελμένην.","t":"What is the meaning of “The glory of the Lord will fill the whole earth”? He foretells the rejection of the Jews and the salvation of the world, and he adds an oath to the prediction: “For as I live,” he says, “and as my name lives, the glory of the Lord will fill the whole earth.” Then he pronounces the sentence against all who were counted, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun, who, besides the truth of their report, gave the people pious counsel. With this sentence one should compare the one spoken in the Gospels: “The kingdom will be taken from you and given to a nation producing its fruits.” For those who fell in the wilderness through unbelief were a type of the Jews who did not believe, and the uncircumcised children, who in their place received through Joshua the land promised to their forefathers, were a type of the nations who believed.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.27 (PG 80 80:377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-27)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.28":{"o":"Τί δήποτε περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν θυσιῶν πολλὰ νενομοθέτηκεν ; Ἵνα τῇ συνεχείᾳ τῆς νομοθεσίας παγίαν τῶν νόμων τὴν μνήμην ἐργάσηται.","t":"Why did he legislate so much about the same sacrifices? So that by the repetition of the legislation he would make the memory of the laws firm.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.28 (PG 80 80:379; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-28)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.29":{"o":"Τί ἐστι, Ψυχὴ ἢ τις ποιήσει ἐν χειρὶ ὑπερηφανίαν; Περὶ τῶν ἀκουσίως ἡμαρτηκότων νομοθετήσας ὁποίαν χρὴ θυσίαν προσενεγκεῖν, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἑκουσίως τι ἡμαρτηκότων νομοθετεῖ. Διάφορα δὲ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα· οἱ μὲν γὰρ οὐ φέρουσι διὰ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσθένειαν τὴν τῶν παθῶν ἐπανάστασιν, καὶ ἐνδιδόντες ἡττῶνται· οἱ δὲ καὶ ἐξ ἑτέρας περιστάσεως ἁμαρτήμασι περιπίπτουσιν. Εἰσὶ δὲ, οἱ τινες καὶ καταφρονητικῶς περὶ τοὺς θείους διάκεινται νόμους τούτους ἐξ ὑπερηφανίας ἁμαρτάνειν ἔφη, ὡς ἑκόντας τῶν νόμων καταφρονοῦντας. Τὸν τοιοῦτον ἐξαλειφθήσεσθαι ἔφη, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπήγαγεν· «Ὅτι τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου ἐφαύλισε, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ διεσκέδασεν· ἐκτρίψει ἐκτριβήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἁμαρτία γὰρ αὐτῆς ἐν αὐτῇ. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ δι᾽ ἀσθένειαν ἡττώμενος τῶν παθῶν, εἶτα στένων καὶ ὀδυρόμενος, ἔχει τινὰ γοῦν σμικρὰν συγγνώμην· ὁ δὲ τὰ πονηρὰ ἀσπαζόμενος, καὶ τῶν θείων καταφρονῶν ἐντολῶν, πάσης ἀπολογίας ἐστέρηται.","t":"What is the meaning of “A soul that acts with a high hand in arrogance”? Having legislated what sacrifice those who sinned involuntarily must offer, he also legislates about those who have sinned voluntarily. Sins differ. Some, because of weakness of soul, cannot bear the uprising of the passions, and give way and are defeated; others fall into sins from some other circumstance. And there are some who are disposed contemptuously toward the divine laws: these he said sin out of arrogance, as despising the laws willingly. Such a one, he said, will be blotted out, and he added the reason: “Because he has despised the word of the Lord and scattered his commandments, that soul shall be utterly destroyed; its sin is upon it.” For the one who is overcome by the passions through weakness, and then groans and laments, has at least some small excuse; but the one who embraces evil and despises the divine commandments is deprived of every defence.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.29 (PG 80 80:379; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-29)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.3":{"o":"Πῶς οὖν ἡ τοῦ Ἰούδα φυλὴ ὑπερέβαλε πάσας τὸν ἀριθμὸν, καίτοι οὖσα βασιλική; Ἐκ τῆς βασιλικῆς εἷς ἀνὴρ ἐβασίλευεν· οἱ δὲ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς ἅπαντες ἐλειτούργουν· οἱ μὲν ἱερατεύοντες οἱ δὲ τούτοις διακονοῦντες. Ἔδει δὲ καὶ τὴν βασιλικὴν ὑπερέχειν τῷ ἀριθμῷ, καὶ διὰ τὴν εὐλογίαν τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ ἐξ αὐτῆς γὰρ ἔμελλεν κατὰ σάρκα βλαστάνειν· καὶ ὥστε τοὺς ἐξ αὐτῆς χειροτονουμένους βασιλέας ἀρκοῦσαν ἔχειν τῶν φυλετῶν τὴν ἐπικουρίαν. Συνέταξε δὲ κάνταῦθα τῇ βασιλικῇ φυλῇ τοὺς ἱερέας· πρὸς ἥλιον γὰρ ἀνίσχοντα τὴν Ἰούδα τάξας φυλήν, συνῆψεν αὐτοῖς τοὺς ἱερέας μετὰ τῆς κιβωτοῦ. Τῷ μέντοι Δὰν τὸ βόρειον ἀπεκλήρωσε κλίμα Ἀπὸ προσώπου γὰρ, φησὶ, βοῤῥᾶ ἐκκαυθήσεται τὰ κακά ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν.» Εἴρηται. δὲ ἡμῖν ἐν ταῖς τοῦ Ἰακὼβ εὐλογίαις, ὡς ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Δὰν φυλῆς ὁ ἀλάστωρ τεχθήσεται, ὁ Χριστὸν μὲν ἑαυτὸν ὀνομάζων, τἀναντία δὲ τῇ προσηγορίᾳ διαπραττόμενος, καὶ σφετεριζόμενος τὰ μηδαμόθεν προσήκοντα. Καὶ τῷ Ἰούδᾳ δὲ μάλα εἰκότως τὸ ἑῷον ἀπένειμεν ἐπειδὴ καὶ περὶ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ οἱ θεῖοι βοῶσι προφῆται· Ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ, ᾿Ανατολὴ ὄνομα αὐτῷ· καί· Τοῖς φοβουμένοις με ἀνατελεῖ ἥλιος δικαιοσύνης· καὶ ἴασις ἐν ταῖς πτέρυξιν αὐτοῦ. Καί· Τοῖς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένοις φῶς ἀνέτειλεν αὐτοῖς.","t":"How then did the tribe of Judah surpass all the others in number, though it was royal? From the royal tribe one man reigned, but of the Levitical tribe all ministered, some serving as priests and others assisting them. And the royal tribe had to exceed in number, both because of the blessing of Christ the Master, for he was to spring from it according to the flesh, and so that the kings appointed from it would have sufficient support from their fellow tribesmen. Here too he ranged the priests with the royal tribe: for he set the tribe of Judah toward the rising sun and joined the priests with the ark to them. To Dan, however, he allotted the northern quarter: “For from the face of the north,” it says, “evils will be kindled upon all who inhabit the land.” We have said in the blessings of Jacob that the destroyer will be born of the tribe of Dan, who will call himself Christ but do the opposite of the name, and lay claim to what in no way belongs to him. And quite fittingly he assigned the east to Judah, since the divine prophets cry out concerning Christ the Master: “Behold a man, Dawn is his name”; and, “To those who fear me a sun of righteousness will rise, and healing in its wings”; and, “To those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death a light has dawned.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.3 (PG 80 80:351; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-3)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.30":{"o":"Διατί τὸν ἐν τῷ Σαββάτῳ συλλέξαντα ξύλα καταλευσθῆναι προσέταξεν; Ὡς πρῶτον τοῦτον παραβεβηκότα τὸν νόμον, ἵνα μὴ γένηται παρανομίας ἀρχέτυπον· ἡ γὰρ τούτου τιμωρία δέος ἐνέθηκεν ἅπασιν.","t":"Why did he order the man who gathered wood on the Sabbath to be stoned? As the first to have transgressed this law, so that he would not become a model of lawbreaking; for his punishment put fear into everyone.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.30 (PG 80 80:379; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-30)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.31":{"o":"Τι δήποτε προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῖς τοῖς κρασπέδοις τῶν ἱματίων κλῶσμα ὑακίνθινον ἐπιθεῖναι; Τὸ ὑακίνθινον κλῶσμα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ μιμείται τὴν χρόαν. Ανεμίμνησκε τοίνυν αὐτοὺς τοῦ νομοθέτου, ὃς πληροῖ μὲν τὰ πάντα, οἰκεῖν δὲ δοκεῖ τὸν οὐρανόν. ῾Ὁ οὐρανὸς γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ. Καὶ, Ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἐκγελάσεται αὐτούς. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ νόμος διδάσκει· Οψεσθε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ κράσπεδα, καὶ ἀναμνησθήσεσθε πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς Κυρίου ποιῆσαι αὐτὰς, καὶ οὐ διαστραφήσεσθε ὀπίσω τῶν διανοιῶν ὑμῶν, καὶ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, ἐν οἷς ὑμεῖς ἐκπορνεύετε ὀπίσω αὐτῶν.","t":"Why did God order them to put a hyacinth-blue thread on the very tassels of their garments? The hyacinth thread imitates the colour of heaven. It reminded them, then, of the lawgiver, who fills all things but is thought to dwell in heaven. For “the heaven of heaven,” it says, “belongs to the Lord”; and, “He who dwells in the heavens will laugh at them.” The law too teaches this: “For you shall see the tassels,” it says, “and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, and you shall not turn aside after your thoughts and your eyes, after which you go whoring.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.31 (PG 80 80:379; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-31)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.32":{"o":"Τὸ μέντοι Κορὲ στασιάσαι κατὰ τοῦ νομοθέτου ἔχει τινὰ λόγον· ἐκ γὰρ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς ὑπῆρχε φυλῆς· Δαθὰν δὲ, καὶ ᾿Αβείρων, καὶ Ἐλιὰβ, ἐκ τοῦ ῾Ρουβὴν τὸ γένος κατάγοντες, ποίαν ἔχουσι τῆς στάσεως ἀφορμήν; Πρωτότοκος ἦν ὁ Ῥουβήν· καὶ ψήθησαν πρωτοτόκοις τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἀρμόττειν· καὶ οὐκ ἐσκόπησαν, ὡς ὁ πρόγονος αὐτῶν τῶν πρωτοτοκίων διὰ τὴν παρανομίαν ἐξέπεσεν.","t":"Korah's rebellion against the lawgiver has some reason, for he was of the Levitical tribe. But Dathan, Abiram and Eliab, who traced their descent from Reuben, what pretext had they for rebellion? Reuben was the firstborn; and they thought that the priesthood belonged to the firstborn. They did not consider that their ancestor had lost the rights of the firstborn because of his lawlessness.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.32 (PG 80 80:381; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-32)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.33":{"o":"Τί ἐστι, Μὴ πρόσχῃς εἰς τὴν θυσίαν αὐτῶν; ῎Αγὼν περὶ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐγίνετο· καὶ μέλλοντες κἀκεῖνοι καὶ οὗτοι προσφέρειν θυμίαμα, κριτῇ ἐχρῶντο τῷ Δεσπότῃ Θεῷ. Ἀθυμήσας τοίνυν ὁ προφήτης διὰ τοὺς τῆς στάσεως ἀρχηγοὺς, ἱκέτευε τὸν Κριτὴν, μὴ δέξασθαι τὸ παρανόμως ὑπὸ τῶν στασιαστῶν προσφερόμενον, καὶ εἰς μαρτυρίαν αὐτὸν τῆς οἰκείας ἐπιεικείας καλεῖ Μὴ πρόσχῃς γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰς τὴν θυσίαν αὐτῶν· οὐκ ἐπιθύμημα οὐδενὸς αὐτῶν εἴληφα, οὐδὲ ἐκάκωσα οὐδένα αὐτῶν. Ἔργῳ δὲ τὴν μαρτυρίαν αὐτῶν ἐβεβαίωσεν ὁ Κριτής. ᾿Αποσχίσθητε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς ταύτης, καὶ ἐξαναλώσω αὐτοὺς εἰσάπαξ. Δεδήλωκε δὲ πάλιν ὁ πανεύφημος Μωσῆς τὴν οἰκείαν πραότητα. Προκυλινδούμενος γὰρ τοῦ Κριτοῦ ἐβόᾳ· ῾Ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πνευμάτων, καὶ πάσης σαρκὸς, εἰ ἄνθρωπος εἷς ἥμαρτεν, ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν συναγωγὴν ἡ ὀργὴ Κυρίου; Δεξάμενος δὲ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Κύριος τὴν τοῦ θεράποντος ἱκετείαν, τῶν μὲν στασιαστῶν ἀποκριθῆναι κελεύει τοὺς ἄλλους· χῆναι δὲ κελεύσας τὴν γῆν αὐτάνδρους τὰς σκηνὰς ὑποβρυχίους ἀπέφηνε· καὶ οἱ διὰ μέσης θαλάσσης ὁδεύσαντες, ἐν τῇ γῇ κατεπόθησαν. Ῥάδιον γὰρ τῷ Ποιητῇ καὶ ξηρὰν ὁδὸν ἐν τῇ θαλάττῃ δημιουργεῖν, καὶ τῇ γῇ πάλιν εἰς τιμωρίαν ἀντὶ θαλάσσης κεχρῆσθαι. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ Αἰγυπτίοις τὸν δι᾽ ὕδατος ἐπήγαγεν ὅλεθρον τὸν δὲ Δαθὰν καὶ ᾿Αβειρὼν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους, τοῖς γῆς συνεκάλυψε κύμασι. Τούτους μὲν οὖν ζῶντας τῷ ᾅδῃ παρέπεμψε, τοῦ δὲ Κορὲ τὴν συναγωγὴν πυρὶ κατηνάλωσεν.","t":"What does “Do not regard their sacrifice” mean? A contest about the priesthood was taking place, and since both sides were about to offer incense, they had God the Master as judge. The prophet, then, disheartened because of the leaders of the rebellion, begged the Judge not to accept what the rebels were unlawfully offering, and he calls him to witness to his own fairness: “Do not regard their sacrifice,” he says; “I have not taken the desirable thing of any one of them, nor have I harmed any one of them.” And the Judge confirmed their testimony by deed: “Separate yourselves,” he says, “from the midst of this assembly, and I will consume them at once.” Again the all-praiseworthy Moses showed his own gentleness. For, falling down before the Judge, he cried, “O God of the spirits and of all flesh, if one man has sinned, is the wrath of the Lord on the whole assembly?” The loving Lord, accepting his servant's supplication, commands the others to separate themselves from the rebels; and commanding the earth to open, he sent the tents with their men to the depths; and those who had walked through the midst of the sea were swallowed up in the earth. For it is easy for the Maker both to make a dry road in the sea and again to use the earth instead of the sea for punishment. On the Egyptians he brought destruction by water, but Dathan and Abiram and the others he covered with waves of earth. These, then, he sent alive to Hades, and he consumed Korah's company with fire.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.33 (PG 80 80:381; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-33)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.34":{"o":"Διατί προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ τῶν θυσιαστῶν πυρεῖα τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ γενέσθαι περίθεμα, Εἰς ἔλεγχον τῶν κατὰ τῆς ἱερωσύνης θρασυνομένων, καὶ βεβαίωσιν τῶν ἱερουργεῖν προστεταγμένων. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπήγαγε· Μνημόσυνον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, ὅπως ἂν μὴ προσέλθῃ μηδεὶς ἀλλογενὴς, ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος ᾿Ααρών, ἐπιθεῖναι θυμίαμα ἔναντι Κυρίου.» Τούτου χάριν καὶ τὴν βλαστήσασαν ῥάβδον ἐντεθῆναι προσέταξεν εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν καὶ πάλιν ἐνομοθέτησε, τοὺς μὲν ἱερέας ἱερουργεῖν, τοὺς δὲ Λευΐτας ὑπουργεῖν, μήτε τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ, μήτε τοῖς ἱεροῖς πελάζοντας σκεύεσιν. Εἶτα διδάσκει καὶ τίνα χρὴ τοὺς ἱερέας λαμβάνειν. Τὰς γὰρ αὐτῷ προσφερομένας ἀπαρχὰς οἴνου καὶ σίτου, καὶ ἐλαίου, καὶ ἄρτων, αὐτοὺς ἐσθίειν ἐκέλευσε. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὰ ἀναθήματα, καὶ τὰ πρωτότοκα αὐτοὺς πάλιν λαμβάνειν διηγόρευσε τῶν μὲν ἀκαθάρτων κτηνῶν ὁρίσας τὰ λύτρα. Ἡ λύτρωσις γὰρ αὐτοῦ, φησὶν, ἀπὸ μηνιαίου ἡ συντίμησις πέντε σίκλων, κατὰ τὸν σίκλον τὸν ἅγιον, εἴκοσι ὀβολοί εἰσι.» Τῶν δὲ καθαρῶν πρωτοτόκων τὸ μὲν αἷμα ἐκχεθῆναι προσέταξε παρὰ τὴν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου βάσιν, τὸ δὲ στέαρ προσενεχθῆναι, τὰ δὲ κρέα αὐτοὺς λαμβάνειν, ὥσπερ δὴ τὸ στηθύνιον, καὶ τὸν βραχίονα, ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων θυμάτων κομίζονται. Διαθήκην δὲ ἀλὸς τὴν κοινωνίαν ἐκάλεσεν, ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Ἀπόστολον, Οἱ τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ προσεδρεύοντες τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ συμμερίζονται. Τινές δέ φασιν ἐπειδὴ ταῖς θυσίαις ἐπιβάλλεσθαι τοὺς ἄλας προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς, διαθήκην ἀλὸς τὰ ἀφιερωμένα τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ὠνόμασεν Εἶτα διδάσκει, καὶ τοὺς ἱερέας, καὶ τοὺς Λευΐτας ὡς οὐ βούλεται αὐτοὺς κλῆρον λαβεῖν, ὡς τὰς ἄλλας φυλάς· ἀλλὰ παρὰ παντὸς κομίζεσθαι τοῦ λαοῦ τοὺς Λευΐτας καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς φυομένων τὰς δεκάτας, καὶ τῶν ἐκ ποιμνίων καὶ βουκολίων προσγιγνομένων κερδῶν, καὶ τῶν ἐξ ἐμπορίας, ἢ ἑτέρας τινὸς χρείας. Τοὺς δὲ Λευΐτας τῶν δεκατῶν τὰς δεκάτας προσφέρειν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι καὶ τούτων μὲν ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ κελεύει μεταλαγχάνειν τὰ δὲ γε ἐκ τῶν θυσιῶν ἀφωρισμένα αὐτοῖς ἔνδον ἐσθίειν ἐν τῷ ναῷ. Καλεῖ δὲ καὶ τὰς δεκάτας μισθὸν εἰς τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ ὠφέλειαν. Ὑμῶν γὰρ, φησὶν, γεωργούντων ἢ ἐμπορευομένων, ἢ οἴκοι διαγόντων, οὗτοι ἀντὶ πάντων ὑμῶν τῇ ἐμῇ προσεδρεύουσι λειτουργίᾳ. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη, ὅτι Μισθὸς ὑμῶν οὗτός ἐστιν ἀντὶ τῶν λειτουργιῶν ὑμῶν, τῶν ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ τοῦ μαρτυρίου.","t":"Why did God order the censers of those who offered incense to become a covering for the altar? To convict those who were insolent against the priesthood and to confirm those appointed to perform the sacred rites. For he added this: “A memorial for the sons of Israel, so that no outsider who is not of the seed of Aaron may come near to offer incense before the Lord.” For this reason he also ordered the rod that had budded to be placed in the ark; and he legislated again that the priests should perform the sacred rites and the Levites assist, approaching neither the altar nor the sacred vessels. Then he also teaches what the priests ought to receive. He commanded them to eat the firstfruits of wine and grain and oil and bread offered to him. And he also directed that they receive the votive offerings and the firstborn, setting the ransom for the unclean animals: “Its redemption,” he says, “from a month old, the valuation is five shekels, by the holy shekel; they are twenty obols.” Of the clean firstborn he ordered the blood to be poured out at the base of the altar, the fat to be offered, and the meat to be taken by the priests, just as they receive the breast and the shoulder from the other victims. He called the sharing a “covenant of salt,” since, according to the divine Apostle, “those who attend the altar share with the altar.” Some say that, since God ordered salt to be put on the sacrifices, he called what was consecrated to the priests a covenant of salt. Then he teaches both priests and Levites that he does not want them to receive an allotment of land like the other tribes, but that the Levites should receive from all the people the tithes of what grows from the ground, of the profits from flocks and herds, and of trade or any other occupation; and the Levites should offer the tithes of the tithes to the priests. He commands that they partake of these in any place, but eat what is set apart for them from the sacrifices inside the sanctuary. He also calls the tithes a wage for the people's benefit: “While you farm, or trade, or stay at home,” he says, “these attend on my service in place of all of you.” For he said this: “This is your wage in return for your services in the tent of witness.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.34 (PG 80 80:383; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-34)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.35":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὰ περὶ τῆς πυῤῥᾶς δαμάλεως διηγορευμένα; Προσενεχθῆναι μὲν ταύτην ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ λαοῦ ἁμαρτίας νενομοθέτηκε προτυποῖ δὲ τὸ σωτήριον πάθος, ὃ τοῦ κόσμου παντὸς ἦρε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Πυρρὰν δὲ προσκομισθῆναι κελεύει δάμαλιν, ἵνα προτυπώσῃ τὸ γήϊνον σῶμα καὶ γὰρ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἡ προσηγορία τὴν ἐρυθρὰν αἰνίττεται γῆν, ἐξ ἧς αὐτοῦ διεπλάσθη τὸ σῶμα. Καὶ τὸ ἄμωμον δὲ τῆς δαμάλεως, τὸ ἀναμάρτητον προδηλοῖ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ. Καὶ τὸ ἄζυγα εἶναι τὴν δάμαλιν, τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐλευθερίαν αἰνίττεται. Ὁ γὰρ ζυγὸς τὴν δουλείαν δηλοῖ ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὸ δίδραχμον ἀπαιτούμενος ἔφη, ῎Αρα γε ἐλεύθεροί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοί. Ἡ δὲ ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς σφαγὴ τῆς δαμάλεως, τὸ ἔξω τῆς πύλης γενόμενον τοῦ Σωτῆρος πάθος. Ταῦτα δὲ σαφέστερον διδάσκει ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολῇ. Πᾶσαν δὲ τὴν δάμαλιν σὺν τῷ δέρματι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις κατακαυθῆναι προσέταξεν ἐπειδὴ πάντα καθαρὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ. Τὸ δὲ ξύλον τὸ κέδρινον τοῦ σταυροῦ σύμβολον ἦν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τοῦτο ἄσηπτον, οὕτως ἐκεῖνο ζωοποιόν. Τὸ δὲ κόκκινον, τοῦ Δεσποτικοῦ αἵματος. Τὸ δέ γε ὕσσωπον, ὅτι ἡ ζωτικὴ θερμότης διέλυσε τοῦ θανάτου τὴν ψυχρότητα. Τὸν μέντοι κατακαίοντα τὴν δάμαλιν ἀκάθαρτον μέχρις ἑσπέρας φησὶν εἶναι, εἰς τύπον τῶν τὸν Δεσπότην ἐσταυρωκότων Χριστόν. Ταύτῃ δὲ τῇ σποδῷ μεθ᾽ ὕδατος χρωμένους ἐκέλευσε περιῤῥαίνεσθαι τοὺς τῷ τεθνηκότι πελάζοντας, ἢ ὀστῶν ἀπτομένους, ἢ ἄλλῳ τινὶ τοιούτῳ μολυνομένους. Καὶ ἄνθρωπος, φησὶν, ὃς ἐὰν μὴ ἀφαγνισθῇ, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς, ὅτι ὕδωρ ῥαντισμοῦ οὐ περιεῤῥαντίσθη ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ἔφη, Ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.»","t":"How are the directions about the red heifer to be understood? He legislated that it be offered for the sin of the people; but it prefigures the saving passion, which took away the sin of the whole world. He commands a red heifer to be brought, to prefigure the earthly body; for the name of Adam too hints at the red earth from which his body was formed. The heifer's being without blemish foreshows the sinlessness of Christ the Master. And the heifer's never having borne a yoke hints at our Saviour's freedom: for the yoke signifies slavery, and the Lord, when the didrachm was demanded of him, said, “Then the sons are free.” The slaughter of the heifer outside the camp is the Saviour's passion that took place outside the gate. The divine Apostle teaches this more clearly in the Letter to the Hebrews. He ordered the whole heifer to be burned with its hide and the rest, since all that belongs to Christ the Master is pure. The cedar wood was a symbol of the cross: for as cedar does not rot, so the cross gives life. The scarlet was a symbol of the Lord's blood, and the hyssop of the fact that life-giving warmth dissolved the coldness of death. He says, however, that the one who burns the heifer is unclean until evening, as a type of those who crucified Christ the Master. He commanded those who came near a dead person, or touched bones, or were defiled by anything else of the kind, to be sprinkled with this ash mixed with water. “And a man,” he says, “who is not purified, that soul shall be destroyed from the midst of the assembly, because the water of sprinkling was not sprinkled on him.” So also the Lord said in the holy Gospels, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.35 (PG 80 80:385; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-35)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.36":{"o":"Διατί ἀκάθαρτον εἶναι λέγει μέχρις ἑσπέρας καὶ τὸν περιῤῥαίνοντα καὶ τὸν περιῤῥαινόμενον ; Ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἀκάθαρτος ἦν ὁ ἁπτόμενος ὀστέου νεκροῦ. Οὐκοῦν ἡ κάθαρσις τῇ ἀληθείᾳ συμβαίνει· διὰ Χριστοῦ γὰρ ἡ κάθαρσις· τὸ δὲ ἀκάθαρτον εἶναι τῷ νόμῳ· ὁ δὲ νόμος προετύπου τὴν χάριν. Καὶ οὗτοι δὲ ἀκάθαρτοι ἦσαν μέχρις ἑσπέρας, τουτέστι μέχρι τοῦ τέλους τοῦ νόμου. Ὄρθρῳ γὰρ ἔοικεν ἡ Δεσποτική παρουσία. Τοῖς γὰρ ἐν σκότῳ, καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένοις φῶς ἀνέτειλεν, ᾗ φησιν ὁ προφήτης Ησαΐας. Καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ δὲ αὐτὸς εἴρηκεν ὁ Θεός· Τοῖς δὲ φοβουμένοις με ἀνατελεῖ Ἥλιος δικαιοσύνης, καὶ ἴασις ἐν ταῖς πτέρυξιν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν· Ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ᾿Ανατολὴ ὄνομα αὐτῷ.","t":"Why does he say that both the one who sprinkles and the one who is sprinkled are unclean until evening? Since according to the law the one who touched a dead man's bone was unclean. So the cleansing belongs to the reality, for the cleansing is through Christ; but being unclean belongs to the law, and the law prefigured grace. And these were unclean until evening, that is, until the end of the law. For the Lord's coming resembles dawn: “To those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death a light has dawned,” as the prophet Isaiah says. And elsewhere God himself said, “But to those who fear me a sun of righteousness will rise, and healing in its wings.” And again, “Behold a man, Dawn is his name.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.36 (PG 80 80:385; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-36)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.37":{"o":"Τί δήποτε ὠργίσθη τῷ Μωσῇ καὶ τῷ Ἀαρὼν Δεσπότης Θεὸς, ἡνίκα τὸ ὕδωρ ἐκ τῆς πέτρας ἐξήγαγον Ἀθυμοῦσιν αὐτοῖς διὰ τὴν τῆς ἀδελφῆς τελευτὴν ἐπέκειντο, διὰ τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος στασιάζοντες σπάνιν. Δυσχεραίνοντες οὖν τὴν πολλὴν αὐτῶν ἀκρασίαν, ἀμφιβόλοις ἐχρήσαντο ῥήμασιν τὸ ὕδωρ ἐξαγαγόντες. Ἔφη γὰρ οὕτως ὁ νομοθέτης· Ακούσατέ μου, οἱ ἀπειθεῖς, Μὴ ἐκ τῆς πέτρας ταύτης ἐξάξω ὑμῖν ὕδωρ Τούτου χάριν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς τὴν κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐξενήνοχε ψῆφον· ἔφη δὲ οὕτως· Ὅτι οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατέ μοι, ἁγιάσαι με ἐναντίον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ εἰσάξετε ὑμεῖς τὴν συναγωγὴν ταύτην εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἣν ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς. Τοῦτο καὶ μελῳδῶν ὁ θεῖος εἶπε Δαβίδ· Καὶ ἐκακώθη Μωσῆς δι᾿ αὐτοὺς, ὅτι παρεπίκραναν τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ, Διέστειλεν ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτοῦ. Ὀργιζόμενος γὰρ ἐκείνοις, ἀμφιβόλως τὸν λόγον προήνεγκε· καὶ ἦν οὐ τῆς ψυχῆς, ἀλλὰ τῆς γλώττης ἡ ἀμφιβολία. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη, Διέστειλεν ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτοῦ. Ἰστέον μέντοι, ὡς ἕτερον οἰκονομῶν ὁ Θεὸς ταύτην ἐξενήνοχε τὴν ἀπόφασιν ὅπερ εἰς καιρὸν δηλώσομεν.","t":"Why was God the Master angry with Moses and Aaron when they brought the water out of the rock? While they were disheartened over their sister's death, the people pressed on them, rebelling over the lack of water. Vexed, then, at their great lack of self-control, they used ambiguous words when they brought out the water. For the lawgiver said, “Listen to me, you disobedient ones: shall I bring water for you out of this rock?” For this reason God the Master pronounced the sentence against them, speaking thus: “Because you did not believe me, to sanctify me before the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” The divine David too said this in song: “And Moses was afflicted on their account, because they embittered his spirit,” and, “He made a distinction with his lips.” Being angry with them, he uttered the word ambiguously; and the ambiguity was not of the soul but of the tongue. This is what “he made a distinction with his lips” means. It must be known, however, that God pronounced this sentence in managing something else, which we shall show in due time.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.37 (PG 80 80:387; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-37)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.38":{"o":"Τι δήποτε διὰ τοῦ χαλκοῦ ὄφεως θεραπεῦσαι προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ τῶν ὄφεων δήγματα; Προτυποῖ καὶ τοῦτο τὸ σωτήριον πάθος. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦ ὄφεως ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐβλάστησεν· ὅθεν καὶ τὴν κατάραν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἐδέξατο. Τύπος τοίνυν καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ τῆς κατάρας ὁ ὄφις. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας, ᾗ φησιν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, ἐπεφάνη· σῶμα μὲν γὰρ ἀληθῶς ἔλαβεν, ἁμαρτίαν δὲ οὐκ ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ εὑρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ προτυποῦται τὸ σωτήριον πάθος ἐν τῷ ὄφει τῷ χαλκῷ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ χαλκοῦς ὄφις ἵνδαλμα μὲν τῶν ὄφεων ἦν, οὐκ εἶχε δὲ τῶν ὄφεων τὸν ἰόν· οὕτως ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς σῶμα μὲν εἶχεν ἀνθρώπινον, κηλίδα δὲ ἁμαρτημάτων οὐκ εἶχε. Καὶ καθάπερ οἱ ὑπὸ τῶν ὄφεων δακνόμενοι, τὸν χαλκοῦν ἀποβλέποντες ὄφιν σωτηρίας ἀπήλαυον, οὕτως οἱ ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας πληττόμενοι, τῷ πάθει τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀνενδοιάστως πιστεύοντες, κρείττους ἀποφαίνονται τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς ἀπολαύουσιν.","t":"Why did God order the snakebites to be healed through the bronze serpent? This too prefigures the saving passion. For sin sprang up through the serpent, which is why it received the curse from the God of all. The serpent, then, is a type both of sin and of the curse. Since Christ the Master appeared “in the likeness of sinful flesh,” as the divine Apostle says (for he truly took a body, but “did no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth”), the saving passion is prefigured in the bronze serpent. For as the bronze serpent was an image of the serpents but did not have the serpents' venom, so the only-begotten Son had a human body but had no stain of sins. And as those bitten by the serpents were saved by looking at the bronze serpent, so those struck by sin, believing without hesitation in our Saviour's passion, are shown to be stronger than death and enjoy eternal life.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.38 (PG 80 80:387; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-38)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.39":{"o":"Εἰ μάντις ἦν ὁ Βαλαάμ, τί δήποτε τὸν Κύριον ἠρώτα; Ἐκεῖνος μὲν οὐ τὸν ἀληθινὸν ἠρώτα Θεόν· ἀπεκρίνατο δὲ αὐτῷ, οὐχ ὁ παρ᾿ αὐτῷ καλούμενος, ἀλλ' ὁ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἀγνοούμενος. Ἦλθε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Βαλαάμ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τί οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι παρὰ σοί; Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς ἐκείνων παρουσίας ἡγνόει ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα παρὰ τοῦ μάντεως λαβὼν ἀφορμὴν τὸ πρακτέον κελεύσῃ.","t":"If Balaam was a diviner, why did he ask the Lord? He did not ask the true God; yet it was not the one he called upon who answered him, but the one unknown to him. “For God came to Balaam,” it says, “and said to him, ‘Who are these men with you?’” Not because he did not know the reason for their coming, but so that, taking his occasion from the diviner, he might command what was to be done.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.39 (PG 80 80:389; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-39)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.4":{"o":"Τίνα ἦν τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἱερέων, καὶ τίνα τὰ τῶν Λευϊτῶν ; Αὐτὸς ὁ τῶν ὅλων διδάσκει Θεός. Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶ, Κύριος πρὸς Μωσῆν Λάβε τὴν φυλὴν τοῦ Λευῖ, καὶ στήσεις αὐτὴν ἐναντίον ᾿Ααρὼν τοῦ ἱερέως· καὶ λειτουργήσουσιν αὐτῷ, καὶ φυλάξουσι τὰς φυλακὰς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰς φυλακὰς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἐναντίον τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου, ἐργάζεσθαι τὰ ἔργα τῆς σκηνῆς· καὶ φυλάξουσι πάντα τὰ σκεύη τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου, καὶ τὰς φυλακὰς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ δώσεις τοὺς Λευΐτας Ααρὼν τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι. Δόμα δεδομένον εἰσὶν οὗτοι ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ᾿Ααρών καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ καταστήσεις ἐπὶ τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου· καὶ φυλάξουσι τὴν ἱερατείαν αὐτῶν, καὶ πάντα τὰ κατὰ τὸν βωμὸν, καὶ τὰ ἔσω τοῦ καταπετάσματος. Καὶ ὁ ἀλλογενὴς ὁ ἀπτόμενος ἀποθανεῖται. Μεμαθήκαμεν οὖν ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς οἱ μὲν ἱερεῖς τὰς θυσίας προσέφερον, οἱ δὲ Λευῖται τῶν μὲν ἱερέων ὑπουργοὶ, τῆς δὲ σκηνῆς κατέστησαν φύλακες. Διδάσκει δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς, τίνα μὲν ἔδει φέρειν τοῦ Καὰθ τὸν δῆμον, τίνα δὲ τὸν Γεδσὼν τίνα δὲ τὸν Μεραρί.","t":"What were the works of the priests, and what those of the Levites? The God of all himself teaches it. “For the Lord said,” it says, “to Moses: Take the tribe of Levi and set it before Aaron the priest, and they shall minister to him and keep his charges and the charges of the sons of Israel before the tent of witness, to do the works of the tent; and they shall keep all the vessels of the tent of witness and the charges of the sons of Israel, all the works of the tent. And you shall give the Levites to Aaron your brother and to his sons the priests; these are a gift given from the sons of Israel. And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons over the tent of witness, and they shall keep their priesthood and all that concerns the altar and what is within the veil; and the outsider who touches shall die.” From this, then, we have learned that the priests offered the sacrifices, while the Levites were appointed assistants of the priests and guardians of the tent. And in what follows he teaches what the clan of Kohath had to carry, what the clan of Gershon, and what that of Merari.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.4 (PG 80 80:353; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-4)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.40":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν κελεύσας αὐτῷ μὴ ἀπελθεῖν, πάλιν ἐκέλευσεν ἀπελθεῖν; Ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἐπαγγελθέντων χρημάτων ὁ Βαλαάμ ἐρασθεὶς, ἤρετο πάλιν, εἰ χρὴ τοῖς ἀποσταλεῖσιν αὐτῷ συναπελθεῖν, νομίσας μεταμελείᾳ κεχρῆσθαι τὸν Δεσπότην Θεὸν, ἐπέτρεψεν ἀπελθεῖν, μονονουχί λέγων· ῎Απελθε μὲν, ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο πρᾶξαι ποθεῖς, ἔσθι μέντοι, ὡς ἅπερ ἂν ἐθελήσω λαλήσεις","t":"For what reason, having commanded him not to go, did he command him again to go? Since Balaam, in love with the money promised, asked again whether he should go with those sent to him, supposing that God the Master had changed his mind, he permitted him to go, all but saying, “Go, then, since you long to do this; but know that you will say whatever I wish.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.40 (PG 80 80:389; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-40)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.41":{"o":"Διατί κελεύσας ἀπελθεῖν, διὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου τὴν πορείαν κωλύει; Δεδίττεται αὐτὸν καὶ τῇ τῆς ὄνου φωνῇ παρὰ φύσιν γεγενημένῃ, καὶ τῇ τοῦ ἀγγέλου θεωρίᾳ, ἵνα γνῷ πόσην ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ λαοῦ ποιεῖται κηδεμονίαν. Φασὶ δὲ τινες, τὸν ἄγγελον Μιχαὴλ τὸν τοῦ λαοῦ προστατεύοντα εἶναι.","t":"Why, having commanded him to go, does he hinder the journey through the angel? He frightens him both by the voice of the donkey, which came about against nature, and by the sight of the angel, so that he would know how much care God takes of the people. Some say that the angel was Michael, the protector of the people.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.41 (PG 80 80:389; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-41)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.42":{"o":"Καὶ ποίαν ἰσχὺν εἶχεν ἡ τοῦ μάντεως ἀρὰ μὴ βουλομένου Θεοῦ; Ἰσχὺν μὲν εἶχεν οὐδεμίαν· ψευδὴς γὰρ ἦν ἡ περὶ αὐτοῦ κατέχουσα δόξα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ συνεχῶς παρανομῶν ὁ λαὸς ὑπέμενεν θεηλάτους πληγὰς, πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων ἀσθένειαν τὰ κατὰ τὸν Βαλαὰμ ᾠκονόμησεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ νομίσωσι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ παιδευόμενοι, διὰ τὰς τοῦ μάντεως ἀρὰς συμφοραῖς περιπίπτειν, οὐκ εἴασε τὸν μάντιν χρήσασθαι ταῖς ἀραῖς, τὰς τῶν ἀνοήτων ἀφορμὰς περικόπτων. Ὅτι γὰρ, εἰ καὶ ἰσχύν τινα εἶχον αἱ τοῦ μάντεως ἀραὶ, ῥάδιον ἦν τῷ τὰ πάντα τεκτηναμένῳ ταύτας ἀποφῆναι ματαίας, δῆλον τοῖς τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένοις. Κύριος γὰρ, φησὶ, διασκεδάζει βουλὰς ἐθνῶν, ἀθετεῖ δὲ λογισμοὺς λαῶν, καὶ ἀθετεῖ βουλὰς ἀρχόντων· ἡ δὲ βουλὴ τοῦ Κυρίου μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ὁ μέντοι Βαλαάμ, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν κηδεμονίαν μεμαθηκὼς, ταῖς θυσίαις μεταπείσαι πειρᾶται· ἕνα τῶν ψευδωνύμων εἶναι τοπάζων, οὓς καὶ τρεπτοὺς ὀνομάζουσιν οἱ τούτων θεραπευταί. Τὸ δὲ, Ἐπορεύθη ἐπ᾿ εὐθεῖαν,, δηλοῖ ὅτι ἀληθῶς τὸ πρακτέον ἠβουλήθη μαθεῖν. Τούτου χάριν τὸ ἀκάθαρτον στόμα τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος ἐδέξατο τὴν ἐνέργειαν, καὶ φθέγγεται ἃ μὴ βούλεται· καὶ βοᾷ, Τί ἀράσομαι ὂν μὴ ἀρᾶται Κύριος, καὶ τί καταράσομαι ὃν μὴ καταρᾶται Θεός;» καὶ προαγορεύει τὰ ἐσόμενα· Ἰδοὺ λαὸς μόνος κατοικήσει, καὶ ἐν ἔθνεσιν οὐ συλλογισθήσεται. Τίς ἐξηκριβώσατο σπέρμα Ἰακώβ, καὶ τίς δήμους Ἰσραήλ; Εἶτα αἰτεῖ τῆς ἐκείνων μετασχεῖν κοινωνίας· ᾿Αποθάνοι ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν ψυχαῖς δικαίων· καὶ γένοιτο τὸ σπέρμα μου ὡς τὸ σπέρμα τούτων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ δυσχεράνας ὁ Βαλάκ, καὶ τοπάσας ὅτι τῶν Ἑβραίων τὸ πλῆθος ἰδὼν, τὴν εὐλογίαν προσήνεγκεν, εἰς ἕτερον αὐτὸν ἀπήγαγε τόπον, ἐξ οὗ μέρος οἷόν τε ἦν ἰδεῖν τοῦ λαοῦ, εἰκότως πάλιν τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα δι᾽ ἐκείνου φησίν· Οὐχ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὁ Θεὸς διαρτηθῆναι οὐδὲ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἀπειληθῆναι· αὐτὸς εἰπὼν οὐχὶ ποιήσει; λαλήσει, καὶ οὐκ ἐμμενεῖ; ῎Ατρεπτος, φησὶν, ὦ Βαλάκ καὶ ἀναλλοίωτος ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ φύσις· οὐκ ἔχει γνώμην τρεπτὴν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παραπλησίως. Ἰδοὺ εὐλογεῖν παρείλημμαι· εὐλογήσω, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστραφῶ.","t":"And what power did the diviner's curse have if God did not will it? It had none, for the opinion held about him was false. But since the people, continually breaking the law, were suffering blows sent by God, God the Master arranged the affair of Balaam to suit their weakness. So that, when they were being chastised by God, they would not think they were falling into calamities because of the diviner's curses, he did not let the diviner use his curses, cutting off the pretexts of the foolish. For it is clear to those instructed in divine things that, even if the diviner's curses had some power, it was easy for the one who fashioned all things to show them to be empty. “For the Lord,” it says, “scatters the counsels of nations; he frustrates the reasonings of peoples, and frustrates the counsels of rulers; but the counsel of the Lord abides for ever.” Balaam, however, though he had learned God's care, tries to change his mind by sacrifices, supposing him to be one of the falsely named gods, whom their worshippers also call changeable. “He went straight on” shows that he truly wished to learn what was to be done. For this reason his unclean mouth received the working of the all-holy Spirit, and he utters what he does not wish, and cries out, “How shall I curse whom the Lord does not curse, and how shall I denounce whom God does not denounce?” And he foretells what will be: “Behold, a people will dwell alone and will not be reckoned among the nations. Who has counted exactly the seed of Jacob, and who the clans of Israel?” Then he asks to share their lot: “Let my soul die among the souls of the righteous, and let my seed be like their seed.” And when Balak, vexed and supposing that he had given the blessing because he saw the multitude of the Hebrews, took him to another place from which only part of the people could be seen, fittingly the all-holy Spirit again says through him: “God is not like a man, to waver, nor like a son of man, to be threatened. Has he said, and will he not do? Will he speak, and not abide by it?” The nature of God, he means, O Balak, is unchangeable and unalterable; it does not have a changeable will like human beings. “Behold, I have been taken to bless; I will bless, and I will not turn back.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.42 (PG 80 80:389; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-42)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.43":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, «῾Ως δόξα μονοκέρωτος αὐτῷ;› Ὁ μονόκερως ζῶόν ἐστιν ἓν ἔχων κέρας ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ. Περὶ τούτου καὶ πρὸς τὸν Ἰὼβ ὁ Δεσπότης ἔφη Θεός· Βουλήσεται δέ σοι μονόκερως δουλεῦσαι;» διὰ τούτου διδάσκων καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ζώου, καὶ τὸ ἀδούλωτον. Τινὲς μὲν οὖν τούτῳ ἀπείκασαν τὸν Δεσπότην Θεόν· ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦτο εἰρῆσθαι, ὅτι καθάπερ ὁ μονόκερως ἓν ἔχει κέρας, οὕτως ὁ εὐσεβὴς λαὸς ἕνα προσκυνεῖ Θεόν. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Δαβὶδ ὁ μακάριος λέγει Ἐν σοὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν κερατιοῦμεν. Πῶς δὲ νοητέον τὸν ἕνα Θεὸν, πολλάκις εἰρήκαμεν. Τὸ δὲ, Οὐκ ἔσται οἰωνισμὸς ἐν Ἰακώβ, οὐδὲ μαντεία ἐν Ἰσραήλ· κατὰ καιρὸν ῥηθήσεται τῷ Ἰακώβ, καὶ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ,. τί ἐπιτελέσει ὁ Θεός· Οὕτω νοητέον, ὅτι κατὰ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τί ἐπιτελέσει ὁ Θεὸς οὔτε μαντεία ἰσχύει, οὔτε οἰωνῶν παρατήρησις προειπεῖν Ὁ γὰρ Δεσπότης Θεὸς διὰ τῶν οἰκείων προφητῶν καὶ τὰ ἐσόμενα αὐτῷ προλέγει, καὶ ὑποτίθεται τὸ πρακτέον.","t":"What is the meaning of “Like the glory of a unicorn to him”? The unicorn is an animal with one horn on its head. About it God the Master also said to Job, “Will the unicorn be willing to serve you?”, teaching by this both the animal's strength and its untameableness. Some have likened God the Master to it; but I think this was said about the people: as the unicorn has one horn, so the pious people worships one God. Hence the blessed David also says, “In you we will gore our enemies.” How the one God is to be understood we have said many times. And “There shall be no augury in Jacob, nor divination in Israel; in due time it shall be told to Jacob and to Israel what God will accomplish” is to be understood thus: that neither divination nor the observation of birds has power to foretell what God will accomplish against Israel. For God the Master both foretells to Israel what will be through his own prophets and suggests what is to be done.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.43 (PG 80 80:391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-43)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.44":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Οὐκ ἐπορεύθη Βαλαὰμ κατὰ τὸ εἰωθός εἰς συνάντησιν τοῖς οἰωνοῖς; Τῇ πείρα μαθὼν, ὡς οὐδὲν ὀνίνησι τῇ ματαίᾳ χρώμενος τέχνῃ· ἀπείρῳ γὰρ τῷ μέτρῳ δυνατώτερος ὁ μεταφέρων αὐτοῦ τὴν γλῶτταν εἰς ἅπερ ἐθέλει· οὐκέτι τοῖς συνήθεσι συμβόλοις ἐχρήσατο, ἀλλ' εἰς ὑπουργίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν γλῶτταν ἀφώρισεν. Ἰστέον μέντοι, ὡς τισιν ἔδοξε μηδὲν αὐτὸν περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν προειρηκέναι, οὓς ἐχρῆν συνιδεῖν, ὅτι καὶ τῷ Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἄγαν ὄντι δυσσεβεῖ, τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀπεκάλυψε παρουσίαν. Εἶδε γὰρ λίθον τμηθέντα ἄνευ χειρῶν, καὶ πατάξαντα τὴν εἰκόνα, καὶ συντρίψαντα τὸν χρυσὸν, τὸν ἄργυρον, τὸν χαλκὸν, τὸν σίδηρον, τὸ ὄστρακον, καὶ γενόμενον ὄρος μέγα, καὶ καλύψαντα πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν Ο τοίνυν ἐκεῖνα δι᾽ ἐκείνου προαγορεύσας, καὶ διὰ τούτου προείρηκε τῆς οἰκουμένης τὴν σωτηρίαν· ἵνα καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν αἱ τοιαῦται προῤῥήσεις φυλάττωνται. Μαρτυρεῖ δὲ τῇδε τῇ προῤῥήσει τῶν πραγμάτων τὸ τέλος. Ὁ γὰρ ἐξ Ἰούδα κατὰ σάρκα βλαστήσας, οὐ μόνον τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς Μωάβ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς Σὴθ προενόμευσεν· υἱοὶ δὲ τοῦ Σὴθ ἅπαντες ἄνθρωποι. Απόγονος γὰρ ὁ Νῶς τοῦ Σήθ· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Νῶε ἅπασα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ φύσις. Προεῖπε δὲ καὶ τὴν Μακεδόνων κατὰ Περσῶν νίκην· Ἐξελεύσεται γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκ χειρὸς Χετιὴμ καὶ κακωσουσιν ᾿Ασσοὺρ, καὶ κακώσουσιν Ἑβραίους. ᾿Αλέξανδρος μέντοι τὴν Περσῶν κατέλυσε βασιλείαν· Αντίοχος δὲ Ἰουδαίοις ἐπιστρατεύσας, καὶ τὴν μητρόπολιν αὐτῶν εἶλε, καὶ τὸν θεῖον νεὼν ἀπέφηνεν ἔρημον. Αἱ μέντοι προῤῥήσεις αὗται οὐ τῆς ψευδοῦς εἰσι μαντείας ἀλλὰ τῆς τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος ἐνεργείας. Ὁ γὰρ τὴν ὄνον ἀνθρωπείᾳ χρήσασθαι φωνῇ παρὰ φύσιν κελεύσας, οὗτος καὶ διὰ τῆς γλώττης τοῦ μάντεως τὰ ἐσόμενα προηγόρευσεν. Ἐγένετο γὰρ, φησὶ, Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ. Τοῦτο γέγονε καὶ ἐν τῷ παρανόμῳ Σαούλ· ὅθεν διὰ τὸ παράδοξον καὶ ἡ παροιμία ἐγένετο, Εἰ καὶ Σαούλ ἐν προφήταις;» Τοσαύτην μέντοι πεῖραν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ λαβὼν ὁ ψευδόμαντις, ἑτέρας ἐτεκτήνατο κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ μηχανάς. Συννοήσας γὰρ ὡς ἄμαχον ἔχουσι δύναμιν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τειχιζόμενοι, τὴν διὰ τῆς ἀκολασίας αὐτοῖς ἀσέβειαν ἐπενόησεν ἵνα διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῆς θείας γυμνωθέντες ἐπικουρίας εὐάλωτοι γένωνται. Καὶ τοῖς Μαδιανίταις ὑπέθετο, μὴ τοὺς ἄνδρας κατ' αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ τὰς γυναῖκας ὁπλίσαι, γενέσθαι δὲ αὐτοῖς ὅπλον τὴν τοῦ σώματος ὥραν, καὶ τῶν λόγων τὸ δέλεαρ, ἵνα δελεασθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ κάλλους, καὶ τοῖς λόγοις καταθελχθέντες, τοῖς ἐκείνων εἰδώλοις λατρεύσωσι. Καὶ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ὁ μακάριος ἐδίδαξε Μωσῆς, μετὰ τὴν κατὰ τῶν Μαδιανιτῶν νίκην ἐπιμεμψάμενος τοῖς τὰς γυναῖκας ζωγρήσασιν. Ἔφη γὰρ οὕτως· Ἵνα τί ἐζωγρήσατε πᾶν θῆλυ; αὗται γὰρ ἦσαν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα Βαλαὰμ, τοῦ ἀποστῆναι, καὶ ὑπεριδεῖν τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου ἕνεκεν Φογὼρ καὶ ἐγένετο πληγή ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ Κυρίου. Φογὼρ δὲ τοῦ εἰδώλου τὸ ὄνομα. Ταύτης τῆς ἀσεβείας καὶ ὁ θεῖος ἐμνήσθη Δαβίδ· Καὶ ἐτελέσθησαν τῷ Βεελφεγώρ καὶ ἔφαγον θυσίας νεκρῶν. Τούτου χάριν καὶ ἐχθραίνειν τοῖς Μαδιηναίοις προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς, Ὅτι ἐχθραίνουσιν αὐτοὶ, φησὶν, ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς ἐν δολιότητι διὰ Φογώρ..» Τοῦ μέντοι λαοῦ ἡμαρτηκότος, οἱ ἄρχοντες ἐκρεμάσθησαν, ὡς ὁ Σύμμαχος ἔφη, ὡς μὴ ἐξάραντες τὸ πονηρὸν ἐξ αὐτῶν. Τὸ δὲ, «Ὑψωθήσεται ἡ Γὼγ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ, ὁ Σύμμαχος οὕτως ἡρμήνευσεν· Καὶ ὑψωθήσεται ὑπὲρ Ὢγ βασιλεὺς αὐτοῦ. Δηλοῖ δὲ ὁ λόγος, ὅτι καὶ τοῦ Ὢγ ἐπιστρατεύσαντος περιέσονται διὰ τὸν ἐξ αὐτῶν κατὰ σάρκα βλαστήσοντα βασιλέα.","t":"What is the meaning of “Balaam did not go as usual to meet the omens”? Having learned by experience that he gained nothing by using his vain art, since the one who turned his tongue to whatever he wished was immeasurably more powerful, he no longer used the customary signs but set his tongue apart for the service of God. It must be known, however, that some thought he foretold nothing about our Saviour. They ought to have noticed that God revealed the coming of our God and Saviour even to Nebuchadnezzar, who was very impious. For he saw a stone cut without hands, striking the image and crushing the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the clay, and becoming a great mountain and covering the whole earth. He who foretold those things through him also foretold the salvation of the world through this man, so that such predictions might be preserved among the nations too. The outcome of events bears witness to this prediction. For he who sprang from Judah according to the flesh plundered not only the leaders of Moab but all the sons of Seth; and all human beings are sons of Seth, for Noah was a descendant of Seth, and the whole of human nature is from Noah. He also foretold the victory of the Macedonians over the Persians: “For one shall come out,” it says, “from the hand of Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur, and they shall afflict the Hebrews.” Alexander indeed destroyed the kingdom of the Persians; and Antiochus, campaigning against the Jews, took their capital and made the divine temple desolate. These predictions, however, do not belong to false divination but to the working of the all-holy Spirit. For he who commanded the donkey to use a human voice against nature also foretold the future through the diviner's tongue: “For the Spirit of God,” it says, “came upon him.” This happened also in the lawless Saul; hence, because of the strangeness of it, the proverb arose, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” Having had such experience from God, the false diviner devised other schemes against God. Realizing that, walled about by God, they had invincible power, he contrived for them impiety through licentiousness, so that, stripped of divine help because of their impiety, they would be easily taken. He advised the Midianites to arm against them not their men but their women, and to make the beauty of their bodies and the bait of their words their weapon, so that, enticed by their beauty and charmed by their words, they would worship their idols. This the blessed Moses taught us, when after the victory over the Midianites he rebuked those who had taken the women alive. For he said, “Why have you saved every female alive? For these were, by the word of Balaam, the cause of the sons of Israel's falling away and disregarding the word of the Lord for Phogor's sake, and the plague came on the assembly of the Lord.” Phogor is the name of the idol. Of this impiety the divine David also made mention: “And they were initiated into Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices of the dead.” For this reason God also ordered them to be hostile to the Midianites, “because they are hostile to you,” he says, “by deceit, through Phogor.” When the people had sinned, the leaders were hanged, as Symmachus said, as not having removed the evil from among them. And “The kingdom of Gog will be exalted” Symmachus rendered thus: “And his king will be exalted above Og.” The saying shows that even when Og attacked they would prevail, because of the king who would spring from them according to the flesh.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.44 (PG 80 80:393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-44)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.45":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκα πάλιν ἀριθμηθῆναι προσέταξε τὸν λαὸν ὁ Θεός; Ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τῶν ἀριθμηθέντων ἤδη τὴν ψῆφον ἐξήνεγκεν, ἔμελλεν δὲ τοὺς ἐκείνων παῖδας εἰς τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην εἰσαγαγεῖν γῆν, περὶ ὧν εἶπον ἐκεῖνοι ὅτι αἰχμάλωτοι ἔσονται· ἐκέλευσεν ἀριθμηθῆναι καὶ τούτους, ἵνα δείξῃ τῆς οἰκείας εὐλογίας τὴν δύναμιν, ὅτι καὶ τῶν πατέρων ἀναιρεθέντων ὁ αὐτὸς διέμεινεν ἀριθμός.","t":"For what reason did God order the people to be counted again? Since he had already pronounced sentence against those who had been counted, and was about to bring their children, of whom they had said that they would become captives, into the promised land, he ordered these too to be counted, to show the power of his own blessing: even though the fathers had been destroyed, the number remained the same.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.45 (PG 80 80:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-45)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.46":{"o":"Τι δήποτε κλήρῳ μερισθῆναι τὴν γῆν προσέταξεν ὁ Θεός; Ὥστε πᾶσαν ἔριν καὶ φιλονεικίαν σβέσαι, ὡς τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ κλήρου τὴν γῆν διανέμοντος· οὔτε γὰρ τύχῃ τινὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα πιστεῦσαι προσέταξε. Τοῦτο πεποιήκασι καὶ οἱ θεῖοι ἀπόστολοι πρὶν ἐπιφοιτῆσαι τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα· κλήρους γὰρ βαλόντες, ικέτευσαν τὸν ἅπαντα σαφῶς ἐπιστάμενον, δεῖξαι τὸν ἀξιώτερον. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ θεῖος Παῦλος περὶ ἡμῶν ἔφη· Ἐν ᾧ ἐκληρώθημεν προορισθέντες, κατὰ πρόθεσιν τοῦ πάντα ἐνεργοῦντος κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ.","t":"Why did God order the land to be divided by lot? So as to quench all strife and contention, since God was distributing the land through the lot; for he did not order the matter to be entrusted to some chance. The divine apostles also did this before the all-holy Spirit came upon them: casting lots, they begged the one who knows all things clearly to show the worthier man. So too the divine Paul said about us: “In whom we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.46 (PG 80 80:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-46)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.47":{"o":"Τι δήποτε μαρτυρήσας ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς τῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὅτι ἔχει Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ, προσέταξεν τῷ Μωσῇ ἐπιθεῖναι αὐτῷ τὰς χεῖρας; Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Κορνηλίου ἐγένετο. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ λαβεῖν τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος, τότε τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἠξιώθησαν. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς, πάντα τοῦ Πνεύματος τὰ χαρίσματα κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπειον πρὸ ὠδίνων δεξάμενος, τῷ Ἰωάννου βαπτίσματι προσελήλυθε, καὶ ἐπιτεθῆναι αὐτοῦ τῇ κεφαλῇ τὴν τοῦ θεράποντος προσέταξε χεῖρα καὶ ἔδειξε τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς ἐρχόμενον ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. Καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι Πνεῦμα ἅγιον διὰ τοῦ Δεσποτικοῦ λαβόντες ἐμφυσήματος, ἐδέξαντο τὴν οὐρανόθεν ἐπιφοιτήσασαν χάριν. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ γεγένηται. Εἶχε μὲν γὰρ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἵνα δὲ καὶ ὁ λαὸς πιστεύσῃ θεόθεν αὐτὸν τὴν χειροτονίαν τῆς ἡγεμονίας δεδέχθαι, ἐπετέθησαν αὐτῷ τοῦ νομοθέτου αἱ χεῖρες, καὶ τοῦτο δέδρακεν ὁ θεῖος Μωσῆς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ προσταχθείς· Ἐπιθήσεις γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰς χεῖράς σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν· καὶ στήσεις ἐναντίον Ελεάζαρ τοῦ ἱερέως, καὶ ἐντελῇ αὐτῷ ἐναντίον πάσης τῆς συναγωγῆς, καὶ δώσεις τῆς δόξης σου ἐπ' αὐτὸν, ὅπως εἰσακούσωσιν αὐτοῦ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ἐναντίον Ἐλεάζαρ τοῦ ἱερέως στήσεται, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Τὴν ἴσην ἐκείνῳ σχήσει τιμὴν, καὶ διὰ τοῦ λογίου τῆς κρίσεως, ὃ τοῖς ἐκείνου στέρνοις ἐπέκειτο, τὸ πρακτέον μαθήσεται. Μανθάνομεν δὲ ἐντεῦθεν, ὅπως οἱ παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων χειροτονίαν δεχόμενοι τῆς πνευματικῆς μεταλαγχάνουσι χάριτος. Καὶ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ὁ Δεσπότης ἔφη Θεός· Δώσεις τῆς δόξης σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. Θαυμάσαι δὲ ἄξιον τὸν προφήτην, ὅτι καὶ παῖδας ἔχων, καὶ ἀδελφὸν, καὶ ἀδελφιδοῦν, οὐδένα τούτων ἡγεμόνα προὐβάλλετο, ἀλλὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἤρετο, καὶ τὸν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ψηφισθέντα κεχειροτόνηκε. Μετὰ ταῦτα τῶν ἑορτῶν καὶ τῶν θυσιῶν ἀναμνήσας, νομοθετεῖ περὶ τῶν ὑπισχνουμένων τί προσφέρειν τῷ Δεσπότῃ Θεῷ. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν διηγόρευσε πάντα ὑπισχνούμενον ἔργῳ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν ἐμπεδοῦν· τῆς δὲ ὑπὸ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς τελούσης ἐξουσίαν ὑπισχνουμένης τὸν πατέρα βεβαιοῦν τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν· καὶ ἐὰν ἐκεῖνος ταύτης ὑπισχνουμένης ἀνανεύσῃ, μὴ ὑποκεῖσθαι τὴν ὑποσχομένην ἐγκλήματι, ἐὰν δὲ ταύτης ἐπαγγελλομένης ἢ συγκατάθηται ὁ πατὴρ, ἢ σιγήσῃ τὰ ἐπηγγελμένα πληροῦσθαι. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀνδρὶ συνημμένης νενομοθέτηκε, καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς συγκατάθεσιν βεβαιοῦν ἐκέλευσε τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν.","t":"Why, when God the Master had testified of Joshua that he had the Spirit of God in him, did he order Moses to lay his hands on him? This also happened with Cornelius: after receiving the grace of the Spirit, they were then granted baptism. And indeed Christ the Master too, having received all the gifts of the Spirit as man before birth, came to John's baptism and ordered the servant's hand to be laid on his head, and he showed the all-holy Spirit coming upon him in the form of a dove. And the apostles, though they had received the Holy Spirit through the Lord's breathing, received the grace that came down from heaven. This also happened with Joshua son of Nun. He had the grace of the Spirit; but so that the people too would believe that he had received his appointment to leadership from God, the lawgiver's hands were laid on him. The divine Moses did this at God's command: “For you shall lay your hands on him,” it says, “and set him before Eleazar the priest, and give him charge before the whole assembly, and put some of your glory on him, so that the sons of Israel may listen to him; and he shall stand before Eleazar the priest,” that is, he will have equal honour with him, and through the oracle of judgment, which lay on Eleazar's breast, he will learn what is to be done. From this we learn how those who receive ordination from the high priests share in spiritual grace. For here too God the Master said, “Put some of your glory on him.” The prophet deserves admiration because, though he had sons, a brother, and a nephew, he appointed none of them leader, but asked God and ordained the man chosen by him. After this, having recalled the feasts and the sacrifices, he legislates about those who promise to offer something to God the Master. First he directed that everyone who promises fulfil the promise in deed; and that, when a woman still under her father's authority makes a promise, the father confirms the promise: if he refuses when she promises, the woman who promised is not liable to blame; but if, when she makes the vow, the father consents or keeps silent, what was promised is to be fulfilled. He legislated the same for a woman joined to a husband, and commanded that the husband's consent confirm the promise.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.47 (PG 80 80:397; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-47)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.48":{"o":"Διατί τῶν Μαδιανιτῶν τὰς ἀνδρὶ συνημμένας ὁ νομοθέτης ἀναιρεθῆναι προσέταξεν; Ὡς πεπαιδευμένας τῆς ἀσεβείας τὰ δόγματα, καὶ διαφθείρειν τοὺς ἐξανδραποδίσαντας δυναμένας.","t":"Why did the lawgiver order the Midianite women who had been joined to a man to be put to death? As women schooled in the doctrines of impiety and able to corrupt those who had enslaved them.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.48 (PG 80 80:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-48)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.49":{"o":"Διατί τοὺς σταθμοὺς ἀναγράπτους ὁ νομοθέτης πεποίηκεν; Ὥστε τοὺς εἰς ὕστερον ἐσομένους γνῶναι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν κηδεμονίαν· δι' ἀβάτων γὰρ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀνύδρων ὁδηγήσας χωρίων, ἀφθόνως αὐτοῖς τὴν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐχορήγησε χρείαν.","t":"Why did the lawgiver record the stages of the journey? So that those who would live afterwards might know God's care: for having led them through impassable and waterless places, he supplied their needs abundantly.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.49 (PG 80 80:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-49)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.5":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκεν προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀριθμηθῆναι τοῦ λαοῦ τὰ πρωτότοκα; Ἐπειδὴ πᾶσαν τοῦ Λευῖ τὴν φυλὴν ταῖς θείαις ἀφιέρωσε λειτουργίαις, καὶ τοῦ πολεμεῖν ἡλευθέρωσεν, εἰκὸς δὲ ἦν δυσχεραίνειν τῶν ἄλλων τινὰς, ὡς τούτων προτιμηθέντων· πείθει τοὺς δυσχεραίροντας ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, ὡς οὐδὲν προσέταξεν ἄδικον. Ἡνίκα γὰρ, φησὶν, ὑμῶν χάριν ἀνῃρέθη τὰ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων πρωτότοκα, τὰ ὑμέτερα διεσώθη πρωτότοκα. ᾿Αντὶ τούτων τοίνυν τὴν Λευϊτικὴν φυλὴν ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἀπεκλήρωσα λειτουργίαις καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν ὑμετέρων κτηνῶν, τῶν Λευϊτῶν τὰ πρωτότοκα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πλείους ὤφθησαν τῶν Λευϊτῶν τῶν ἄλλων φυλῶν οἱ πρωτότοκοι, προσέταξεν ἕκαστον τῶν μετὰ τὸν ἴσον ἀριθμὸν, πέντε δοῦναι σίκλους τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν· εἴκοσι ὀβολοὺς ὁρίσας ἔχειν τὸν σίκλον, καὶ τὸν τοιοῦτον ἀριθμὸν ἅγιον ὀνομάσας, ὡς τοῖς θείοις ἀφωρισμένον, καὶ οὐ παρὰ πᾶσι πολιτευόμένον. Ἀλλαχοῦ μέντοι δίδραχμον ὀνομάζει τοὺς εἴκοσι ὀβολούς τοῦτο τὸ δίδραχμον καὶ ὁ Κύριος ὡς πρωτότοκος ἀπηρ τήθη.","t":"For what reason did God order the firstborn of the people to be counted? Since he had consecrated the whole tribe of Levi to the divine ministries and freed it from fighting, and it was likely that some of the others would be aggrieved, as if these had been preferred, God the Master persuades the aggrieved that he had ordered nothing unjust. “When,” he says, “the firstborn of the Egyptians were destroyed for your sake, your firstborn were saved. In return for them, then, I have allotted the Levitical tribe to my ministries; and in return for the firstborn of your cattle, the firstborn of the Levites.” And since the firstborn of the other tribes proved to be more than the Levites, he ordered that each of those beyond the equal number give five shekels to the priests, fixing the shekel at twenty obols and calling this measure “holy,” as set apart for divine things and not current among all. Elsewhere, however, he calls the twenty obols a didrachm; this didrachm was also demanded of the Lord, as a firstborn.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.5 (PG 80 80:353; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-5)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.50":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τῷ ἀκουσίως πεφονευκότι μετὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τελευτὴν ὁρίζει τὴν κάθοδον; Ὅτι τοῦ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν τοῦ δὲ Μελχισεδέκ ἀρχιερέως ὁ θάνατος λύσις τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτίας ἐγένετο. Οὗτος εἰς τὸν παράδεισον ἐπανήγαγε τὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἐξορισθέντα. Καὶ κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνον δὲ τὸν καιρὸν ἐμάλαττεν ἡ φυγὴ τοῦ πεφονευκότος τὸν τῶν ἀγχιστευόντων θυμὸν, καὶ τὴν φονικὴν ὁρμὴν αὐτῶν ἐχαλίνου. Τὸ δὲ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ ἱερέως τελευτὴν λυθῆναι τοῖς φεύγουσι τὴν τιμωρίαν, ἱκανὸν ἦν πεῖσαι τοὺς ἀγχιστεύοντας σβέσαι λοιπὸν τὴν ὀργὴν, ὡς τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τετελευτηκότος, ἐφ᾽ οὗ τὸ πλημμέλημα γέγονε· καὶ τοῦ νομοθέτου ταύτην ὁρίσαντος, καὶ τῇ πλημμελείᾳ, καὶ τῇ τιμωρίᾳ τὴν λύσιν.","t":"Why does he set the return of the one who has killed involuntarily after the death of the high priest? Because the death of the high priest according to the order of Melchizedek became the release from human sin. He brought back into paradise the one who had been banished from it. And at that time the killer's flight also softened the anger of the next of kin and bridled their murderous impulse. That the punishment of the fugitives was ended after the priest's death was enough to persuade the kinsmen to quench their anger at last, since the high priest under whom the offence had taken place had died, and the lawgiver had set this as the end both of the offence and of the punishment.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.50 (PG 80 80:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-50)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.51":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν τὰς φυλὰς διακεκρῖσθαι προσέταξεν; ἵνα ἀκέραιον διαφυλαχθῇ τοῦ Ἰούδα τὸ σπέρμα, δι' οὗ τὴν εὐλογίαν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπηγγείλατο. Ἐκοινώνησαν μέντοι ἀλλήλαις ἡ βασιλικὴ καὶ ἡ ἱερατικὴ φυλή· ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς, κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, καὶ βασιλεὺς ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστός.","t":"For what reason did he order the tribes to be kept distinct? So that the seed of Judah, through which God promised the blessing to the nations, would be preserved unmixed. The royal and the priestly tribes, however, did intermarry, since Christ the Master is both high priest, as man, and king.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.51 (PG 80 80:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-51)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.6":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τισὶ μὲν τῶν ἱερῶν σκευῶν ὑακίνθινα προσέταξεν ἐπιβληθῆναι καλύμματα, τισὶ δὲ πορφυρᾶ; Τῶν τιμιωτέρων ὑακίνθινα μόνα τὰ καλύμματα ἦν. Αἰνίττεται δὲ ἡ χρόα τὸν οὐρανόν τούτου χάριν τὰ μὲν ἐντὸς τοῦ καταπετάσματος, ἐπιβλήμασιν ὑακινθίνοις καλυφθῆναι προσέταξε, τὰ δὲ ἐκτὸς καὶ πορφυροῖς, καὶ τοιούτοις Ὁ μὲν γὰρ οὐρανὸς τιμωρίας οὐκ ἔχει· ἡ δὲ γῆ διὰ τὰς τῶν νόμων παραβάσεις δέχεται καὶ κολάσεις. Τῆς δὲ βασιλείας ἡ πορφύρα δηλωτική. Θεία δὲ καὶ ἄναρχος, καὶ ἀνώλεθρος ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ βασιλεία. Τούτου χάριν τὰ ἔξω τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ πορφυροῖς καὶ ὑακινθίνοις ἐπιβλήμασιν ἐκαλύπτετο. Προμηθούμενος δὲ τοῦ δήμου τοῦ Καάθ, προσέταξε πρότερον τοὺς ἱερέας εἴσω τῶν ἀδύτων γενομένους, καλύπτειν τὴν κιβωτὸν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα σκεύη τοῖς προειρημένοις καλύμμασιν· εἶθ' οὕτω τοῦ Καὰθ τὸν δῆμον ταῦτα μετακομίζειν, ἵνα μὴ τὰ ἄψαυστα καὶ ἀθέατα θεασάμενοι, ἐκ τῆς παραδόξου θέας ὑπομείνωσιν ὄλεθρον.","t":"Why did he order hyacinth-blue coverings to be put on some of the sacred vessels, and purple on others? The coverings of the more precious ones were of hyacinth only. The colour hints at heaven; for this reason he ordered the things within the veil to be covered with hyacinth coverings, and those outside with purple as well, and the like. For heaven has no punishments, but the earth, because of transgressions of the laws, receives chastisements too. Purple signifies kingship; and God's kingship is divine, without beginning and indestructible. For this reason the things outside the tent were covered with both purple and hyacinth coverings. Taking forethought for the clan of Kohath, he ordered the priests first to go into the inner sanctuary and cover the ark and the other vessels with the coverings mentioned, and only then the clan of Kohath to carry them, so that they would not see what may not be touched or seen and suffer destruction from the extraordinary sight.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.6 (PG 80 80:355; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-6)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.7":{"o":"Τίνα καλεῖ ἀκάθαρτον ἐπὶ ψυχῇ; Τὸν τοῦ τεθνηκότος ἁψάμενον, ἢ ὀστέοις νεκροῦ πελάσαντα.","t":"Whom does he call “unclean by reason of a soul”? The one who has touched a dead person or come near the bones of a corpse.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.7 (PG 80 80:355; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-7)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.8":{"o":"Τί δήποτε καὶ τούτους, καὶ τοὺς λεπροὺς, καὶ τοὺς γονοῤῥυεῖς, ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς διάγειν ἐκέλευσεν ; Ἀπὸ τῶν σμικρῶν τὰ μεγάλα παιδεύων. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ ἀπτόμενος νεκροῦ ἀκάθαρτος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ νεκρὸν εἰργασάμενος διὰ μιαιφονίας. Καὶ εἰ ὁ λεπρὸς ἀκάθαρτος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ τὰ ποικίλα τῆς κακίας ἐργαζόμενος εἴδη. Οὕτω διὰ τοῦ γονοῤῥυοῦς ἡ μοιχεία κατηγορεῖται. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ ἀκούσιον μυσαρὸν, πολλῷ δήπουθεν τὸ κατὰ γνώμην τολμώμενον.","t":"Why did he order these, and the lepers, and those with a discharge, to live outside the camp? Teaching great things through small ones. For if the one who touches a corpse is unclean, much more the one who has made a corpse by murder. And if the leper is unclean, much more the one who works the varied forms of wickedness. So too, through the man with a discharge, adultery is condemned: for if what is involuntary is loathsome, surely much more what is dared by choice.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.8 (PG 80 80:355; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-8)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4.9":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνὴ εἰ τις ποιήσοι ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων; Τὰ σμικρότερα τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀνθρώπινα κέκληκεν ἐπειδὴ τρεπτὴν οὖσαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν φύσιν πάντων ἀπηλλάχθαι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων οὐχ οἷόν τε. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ, φησὶ, καθαρὸς ἀπὸ ῥύπου, οὐδ' ἂν μία ἡμέρα ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ. Τούτου χάριν καὶ ὁ θεῖος βοᾷ Δαβίδ· Μὴ εἰσέλθῃς εἰς κρίσιν μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου, ὅτι οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐνώπιόν σου πᾶς ζῶν. Μόνος γὰρ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς, καὶ ὡς ἄνθρωπος, καὶ ὡς Θεὸς τὸ ἄμωμον ἔχει. Καὶ τοῦτο προορῶν ὁ προφήτης Ησαΐας ἐβόα . \"Ὃς ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ εὐρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ Τούτου χάριν καὶ τὰς ἄλλων ἁμαρτίας ἀνέλαβεν, οἰκείας οὐκ ἔχων. Οὗτος γάρ φησι· Τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν φέρει, καὶ τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν ὀδυνᾶται Καὶ ὁ μέγας Ἰωάννης Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ κόσμου. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐν νεκροῖς ἐλεύθερος, ὡς ἀδίκως ὑπομείνας τὸν θάνατον. Διδάσκει τοίνυν ὁ θεῖος νόμος πῶς θεραπευτέον τοὺς τὰ μέτρια πλημμελήσαντας. Κελεύει γὰρ τὸν ἔν τισι συμβολαίοις ἠδικηκότα, πρότερον τε ἐξαγορεῦσαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, εἶτα τῷ ἡδικημένῳ τὸ ληφθὲν ἀποδοῦναι προστεθεικότα τῷ κεφαλαίῳ τὸ πέμπτον. Εἰ δὲ συμβαίη τὸν ἠδικημένον πρὸ τῆς τοῦ ἠδικηκότος μεταμελείας καταλῦσαι τὸν βίον, ἐκτῖσαι ταῦτα τῷ ἀγχιστεύοντι. ᾿Αγχιστεύοντα δὲ καλεῖ τὸν τῷ γένει προσήκοντα. Ἡ δὲ τάξις τοῦ γένους αὕτη Πρῶτος υἱὸς, εἶτα θυγάτηρ, εἶτα ὁ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀδελφὸς, ἔπειτα ὁ τοῦ πάππου. Εἰ δὲ τούτων μηδεὶς εἴη, ὁ πλησιέστερος συγγενής. Εἰ δὲ μὴ εὑρίσκοιτο συγγενής, τῷ Θεῷ τὰ προῤῥηθέντα προσενεγκεῖν διηγόρευσε. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν· Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἀγχιστεύων, ὥστε ἀποδοῦναι αὐτῷ τὸ πλημμέλημα τὸ πρὸς αὐτὸν, τὸ πλημμέλημα τὸ ἀποδιδόμενον τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ ἱερεῖ ἔσται, πλὴν τοῦ κριοῦ τοῦ ἱλασμοῦ, δι' οὗ ἐξιλάσεται περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ. Προσέταξε δὲ καὶ τὰς προσφερομένας ἀπαρχὰς τοὺς ἱερέας ἐσθίειν. ᾿Απαρχὴ γὰρ ἦσαν τοῦ μὲν λαοῦ οἱ Λευἶται, τῶν δὲ Λευῖτῶν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς Ὡς ἀπαρχαὶ τοίνυν τὰς ἀπαρχὰς ἐκομίζοντο.","t":"What does “A man or woman who commits any of all the human sins” mean? He has called the lesser sins “human,” since, human nature being changeable, it is impossible to be free of all sins. “For no one,” it says, “is clean from filth, not even if his life is one day.” For this reason the divine David also cries, “Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for no one living will be justified before you.” For Christ the Master alone, both as man and as God, is blameless. Foreseeing this, the prophet Isaiah cried, “Who did no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.” For this reason he also took up the sins of others, having none of his own. For it says, “He bears our sins and suffers pain for us.” And the great John: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” This is why he is also “free among the dead,” as one who underwent death unjustly. The divine law, then, teaches how those who have committed moderate offences are to be healed. It commands the one who has done wrong in some dealings first to confess the sin, then to restore what was taken to the one wronged, adding a fifth to the principal. And if the wronged party should happen to end his life before the wrongdoer repents, he is to repay it to the next of kin. By “next of kin” he means the one related by family. The order of kinship is this: first a son, then a daughter, then the father's brother, then the grandfather's. If there is none of these, the nearest relative. And if no relative is found, he directed that what was mentioned be offered to God. For he said this: “If the man has no next of kin, so as to repay the trespass to him, the trespass repaid to the Lord shall be the priest's, besides the ram of atonement, by which he will make atonement for him.” He also ordered the priests to eat the firstfruits that were offered. For the Levites were the firstfruits of the people, and the high priests the firstfruits of the Levites; as firstfruits, then, they received the firstfruits.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 4.9 (PG 80 80:355; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-9)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.1":{"o":"Διατί τὸ πέμπτον βιβλίον τοῦ νομοθέτου Δευτερονόμιον ἐκλήθη; Ἐξαγαγὼν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου τὸν λαὸν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, ἔδωκεν ἐν τῷ Σινᾷ ὄρει τὸν νόμον, καθ' ὃν ἐχρῆν αὐτοὺς πολιτεύεσθαι. Εἶτα τῷ δευτέρῳ ἔτει προσέταξε παραλαβεῖν τὴν γῆν, ἣν τοῖς προγόνοις αὐτῶν ἐπηγγείλατο δώσειν. Ἐκείνων δὲ ἀντειρηκότων, καὶ τοῦτο δράσαι μὴ βουληθέντων, ὤμοσε μηδενὶ τῶν ἀριθμηθέντων ὑπὸ τοῦ νομοθέτου δώσειν ἐκείνην τὴν γῆν, ἀλλὰ τούτους ἅπαντας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καταναλώσειν. Τεσσαράκοντα τοίνυν διεληλυθότων ἐτῶν, κἀκείνων κατὰ τὴν θείαν ψῆφον διολωλότων, ἐκέλευσε τοὺς ἐκείνων ἀριθμηθῆναι παῖδας, τὴν αὐτὴν ἄγοντας ἡλικίαν, ἥνπερ ἦγον ἐκεῖνοι καθ' ὃν ἡριθμήθησαν χρόνον. Τούτους μέλλων εἰσαγαγεῖν ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ἣν ἐπηγγείλατο γῆν, διδάσκει διὰ τοῦ προφήτου τὸν νόμον, ὃν τοῖς παρανόμοις αὐτῶν ἐδεδώκει πατράσι. Τὸ τοίνυν Δευτερονόμιον ἀνακεφαλαίωσιν ἔχει τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ, καὶ τῷ Λευϊτικῷ, καὶ τοῖς ᾿Αριθμοῖς νενομοθετημένων τε καὶ πεπράγμένων, λέγει δὲ καὶ τὸν χρόνον, καὶ τὸν τόπον, καθ᾽ ἂν καὶ ἐν ᾧ τῇ νεολαίᾳ ταύτῃ τὴν διδασκαλίαν προσήνεγκε. Πέραν γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, πρὸς δυσμὰς ἐν τῷ τεσσαρακοστῷ ἔτει, ἐν τῷ ἑνδεκάτῳ μηνὶ, μιᾷ τοῦ μηνὸς, μετὰ τὸ πατάξαι αὐτὸν τὸν Σηὼν βασιλέα τῶν ᾿Αμοῤῥαίων, καὶ τὸν Ὢγ βασιλέα τῆς Βασάν. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ δεύτερον νόμον ἔδωκεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς προτέρας ἀναμιμνήσκει νομοθεσίας, αὐτὸ διδάσκει τοῦ βιβλίου τὸ προοίμιον. Ἥρξατο γὰρ, φησὶ, Μωσῆς διασαφῆσαι τὸν νόμον τοῦτον, λέγων, Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν Χωρήβ Εἶτα εἰρηκὼς, καὶ ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτοὺς εἰσελθόντας κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν, ἐπήγαγεν, ὡς κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνον εἰρήκει τὸν καιρὸν, ὅτι Μόνος ἐγὼ οὐ δύναμαι τοσούτων προστατεύειν μυριάδων· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κατέστησα, φησὶ, χιλιάρχους καὶ ἑκατοντάρχους, ὥστε ἔχειν αὐτοὺς τῆς ἀρχῆς κοινωνούς. Τούτων δὲ τῶν λόγων ἀνέμνησεν, ἐπειδήπερ Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναυῆ κατέστησε τῆς ἡγεμονίας διάδοχον διδάσκων ὡς καὶ ἔτι περιὼν ἑτέροις τὴν προστασίαν ἐπίστευσε, καὶ ὅτι χρὴ καὶ τούτῳ προθύμως ὑπακούειν, καὶ τὰ κελευόμενα δρᾷν. Αναμιμνήσκει δὲ αὐτοὺς, ὅπως μὲν ὁ Θεὸς προσέταξε παραλαβεῖν αὐτοὺς ἣν ἐπηγγείλατο γῆν· ὅπως δὲ κατασκόπους αὐτοὶ πεμφθῆναι προτέρους ἠξίωσαν καὶ ὅτι ἐκείνων ἐπανελθόντων, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς γῆς μεμηνυκότων, ἠπίστησαν μὲν τῷ σεσωκότι Θεῷ, ἀπολαβεῖν δὲ τὴν γῆν οὐκ ἠθέλησαν ὡς χαλεπῆναι μὲν τὸν Δεσπότην Θεὸν, ἀποφήνασθαι δὲ κατὰ πασῶν ἐκείνων τῶν μυριάδων, ὥστε μηδένα ἐκείνων εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν γῆν εἰσελθεῖν, πλὴν Χαλὲβ υἱοῦ Ἰεφωνῆ. Οὗτος, φησὶν, ὄψεται αὐτὴν, καὶ τούτῳ δώσω τὴν γῆν ἐφ᾽ ἣν ἐπέβη, καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, διὰ τὸ προσκεῖσθαι αὐτὸν τὰ πρὸς Κύριον. Τούτου μέντοι ἐμνημόνευσε μόνου καὶ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἔταξεν ὡς ἄρχοντα, καὶ στρατηγὸν, καὶ προφήτην· τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὰ ἑξῆς. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ὅτι Κἀμοὶ ὠργίσθη δι᾽ ὑμᾶς ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός· ὑμῶν γάρ με θορυβησάντων, οὐ κατὰ λόγον τῷ θείῳ προστάγματι διηκόνησα, καὶ τούτου χάριν εἰσαγαγεῖν ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην κεκώλυμαι. ᾿Ανέμνησε δὲ τῶν παρὰ Θεοῦ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰρημένων· Ἰησοῦς ὁ υἱὸς Ναυῆ, ὁ παρεστηκώς σοι, οὗτος εἰσελεύσεται ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν κατίσχυσον, ὅτι αὐτὸς κατακληρονομήσει αὐτὴν τῷ Ἰσραήλ. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγει, διδάσκων αὐτοὺς, ὡς θεόθεν ὁ στρατηγὸς χειροτονίαν ἐδέξατο, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν περὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς στασιάσωσιν. Διηγεῖται δὲ αὐτοῖς, ὅπως μὲν ὕστερον μεταμεληθέντες ἐβουλήθησαν πολεμῆσαι τοῖς Χαναναίοις· ὅπως δὲ αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς διεκώλυσε· καὶ ὅτι θρασυνόμενοι, καὶ παρὰ τὴν θείαν ἐντολὴν ἀναβάντες καὶ ἡττηθέντες ἐπανῆλθον· καὶ ὅσον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ κατανάλωσαν χρόνον, τὴν ἄβατον γῆν ἐκείνην καὶ ἄνυδρον περιιόντες· τίνα τε Ἰδουμαίοις καὶ Μωαβίταις δεδηλωκότες φιλικῶν οὐκ ἔτυχον ἀποκρίσεων καὶ ὅπως τὸν Σηὼν, καὶ τὸν Ωγ τοὺς βασιλεῖς τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων πανστρατιᾷ μετὰ τῶν τὰς πόλεις καὶ τὰς κώμας οἰκούντων πανωλεθρίᾳ παρέδοσαν Εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ τοῦ σώματος μέγεθος. Ἡ γὰρ κλίνη, φησὶν, Ὧγ σιδηρᾶ, ἐννέα πήχεων τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς, καὶ τεσσάρων πήχεων τὸ εὗρος αὐτῆς. Ἔπειτα παρήνεσε καὶ συνεβούλευσε φυλάττειν ἐπιμελῶς τοῦ Δεσπότου τὰς ἐντολάς. ῎Ακουε γὰρ, φησὶν, τῶν δικαιωμάτων καὶ τῶν ἐκριμάτων, ὅσα ἐγὼ διδάσκω ὑμᾶς σήμερον ποιεῖν, ἵνα ζῆτε, καὶ εἰσελθόντες κληρονομήσητε τὴν γῆν, ἣν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν δίδωσιν ὑμῖν. Εἶτα ἀναγκαίως τοῦ Βεελφεγὼρ εἰς μέσον φέρει τὴν μνήμην, καὶ τῶν δι᾽ ἐκείνην τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ διολωλότων. Ἔπειτα ἐκ παραλλήλου δείκνυσι τὰς θείας εὐεργεσίας. Ποῖον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔθνος μέγα ᾧ ἐστιν αὐτῷ Θεὸς ἐγγίζων αὐτοῖς, ὡς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐν ἅπασιν οἷς ἐὰν αὐτὸν ἐπικαλεσώμεθα ; Κελεύει δὲ μὴ μόνον αὐτοὺς φυλάττειν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοὺς νόμους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς παῖδας καὶ τοὺς ἐκγόνους ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ διατρέφειν, καὶ παιδόθεν τὰς θείας ἐντολὰς ἐκπαιδεύειν. Εἶτα πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἀνέμνησεν, ὅπως αὐτοῖς ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἐπέφανε Θεὸς, λόγους μὲν διὰ πυρὸς ἀφεὶς οὐδὲν δὲ εἶδος ἐπιδεικνύς. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη· Ἐκ μέσου τοῦ πυρὸς φωνὴν ῥημάτων ὑμεῖς ἡκούσατε, καὶ ὁμοίωμα οὐκ ἴδετε, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ φωνήν. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγει παιδεύων αὐτοὺς μηδὲν ἵνδαλμα τεκτήνασθαι, μηδὲ πειραθῆναί ποτε θείαν εἰκόνα κατασκευάσαι, ἐπειδὴ τοῦ ἀρχετύπου τὸ εἶδος οὐχ ἑωράκασιν ὅθεν πάλιν ἐπήγαγε· Μὴ ἀνομήσητε μηδὲ ποιήσητε ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς γλυπτὸν ὁμοίωμα, πᾶσαν εἰκόνα, ὁμοίωμα ἀρσενικοῦ ἢ θηλυκοῦ ὁμοίωμα παντὸς κτήνους, τῶν ὄντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· ὁμοίωμα παντὸς ὀρνέου πετομένου, ὁ πέταται ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν· ὁμοίωμα παντὸς ἑρπετοῦ, ὁ ἕρπει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· ὁμοίωμα παντὸς ἰχθύος, ὅσα ἐστὶν ἐν τοῖς ὕδασιν ὑποκάτω τῆς γῆς.» Ταῦτα πάντα, φησὶν, εἰς χρείαν ὑμετέραν πεποίηκεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνοίας τοίνυν ἐσχάτης, τὸ τὰς εἰκόνας τῶν ὑπηκόων θεοποιεῖν. Προστέθεικε δὲ καὶ ταῦτα· «Μὴ ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ τὴν σελήνην, καὶ πάντα τὸν κόσμον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πλανηθεὶς προσκυνήσῃς αὐτοῖς, καὶ λατρεύσῃς αὐτοῖς, ἃ ἀπένειμε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου αὐτὰ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι τοῖς ὑποκάτω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Ταῦτα γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων χρείαν κατεσκεύασεν ὁ Ποιητής· μὴ τοίνυν ὑπολάβῃς θεοὺς τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἀφορισθέντας ὥστε ταῖς χρείαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων διακονεῖν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἡρμήνευσαν· \"Ατινα διεκόσμησεν ὁ Θεός σου εἰς τοὺς λαοὺς ὑφ᾽ ὅλον τὸν οὐρανόν. Εἶτα δεδίττεται αὐτοὺς ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς, ὡς εἰ τολμήσαιεν τὸν θεῖον παραβῆναι νόμον, καί τινος τῶν ὄντων ὁμοίωμα κατασκευάσαι καὶ θεοποιῆσαι, εἰς πᾶσαν αὐτοὺς διασπερεῖ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ὡς δουλεύοντες τοῖς ψευδωνύμοις θεοῖς προσκυνήσουσιν. Ἔπειτα πάλιν ἀπὸ συγκρίσεως δείκνυσι τὸ παντοδύναμον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Επερωτήσατε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡμέρας τὰς ἀρχαίας τὰς γενομένας προτέρας σου, ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ἧς ἔκτισεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἕως ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰ γέγονε κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο, εἰ ἠκούσατε τοιοῦτον, εἰ ἀκήκοεν ἔθνος φωνὴν Θεοῦ ζῶντος λαλοῦντος ἐκ μέσου τοῦ πυρὸς, ὃν τρόπον ἀκήκοας σὺ͵ καὶ ἔζησας. Ἔφη δὲ καὶ ὅπως αὐτοὺς ἡλευθέρωσε τῆς πικρᾶς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων δουλείας. Συνεχῶς μέντοι διδάσκει αὐτοὺς, καὶ ὡς οὐρανόθεν αὐτοῖς ὁ τῶν ὅλων διελέχθη Θεὸς, καὶ ἐκ μέσου τοῦ πυρὸς φωνῇ κεχρημένος νενομοθέτηκεν, ἵνα μηδεμίαν εἰκόνα κατασκευάσωσι τοῦ ἀοράτου Θεοῦ. Διδάσκει δὲ καὶ ὡς πάμπαν ἀμήχανον θείαν εἰκόνα κατασκευάσαι· οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἀόρατον ἔχει τὴν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάμπαν ἀπερίγραφον. Κύριος γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεός σου, οὗτος Θεὸς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κάτω καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πλὴν αὐτοῦ. Ἰστέον μέντοι, ὡς οὐκ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ ταῦτα πάντα ὁ προφήτης τῷ λαῷ διελέχθη, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πολλαῖς αὐτοῖς ἡμέραις τὴν διδασκαλίαν προσήνεγκεν. Ὅθεν πολλάκις τοὺς αὐτοὺς λόγους ἀνακυκλοῖ, ἵνα τῇ συνεχείᾳ παγίαν τὴν μνήμην ἐργάσηται. Αὐτίκα γοῦν μετὰ τὴν διάλεξιν ταύτην, τὰ περὶ τῶν πόλεων ἱστόρησεν εἰς ἃς καταφεύγειν τοὺς ἀκουσίοις περιπεπτωκότας φόνοις ἐκέλευσεν. Εἶτα ἐδίδαξεν ὅτι πάλιν συνήθροισε τὸν λαὸν, καὶ τῶν θεοσδότων ἀνέμνησε νόμων· καὶ ὅτι οὐχ ἕτερον δέδωκε νόμον, ἀλλὰ τὸν πρότερον ἐκπαιδεύει τοὺς τῆς νομοθέσιας ἐκείνης διὰ τὸ τῆς ἡλικίας ἀτελὲς ἐπακοῦσαι μὴ δυνηθέντας, αὐτὰ διδάξει τοῦ προφήτου τὰ ῥήματα. «Κύριος γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν διέθετο πρὸς ὑμᾶς διαθήκην ἐν Χωρήβ. Οὐχὶ τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν διέθετο Κύριος τὴν διαθήκην ταύτην, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι παραβάντες διώλοντο, τούτοις δὲ τὴν τοῖς πατράσιν ἐπηγγελμένην ἐδίδου γῆν· τούτοις ἔφη τὸν νόμον δεδόσθαι. Εἶτα λέγει τὰς ἐντολὰς, ὧν τὸν νοῦν ἀνεπτύξαμεν τὴν Ἔξοδον ἑρμηνεύοντες - ἔδειξε δὲ κάνταῦθα τὸν τῆς ἀργίας τοῦ Σαββάτου σκοπόν. Ἔφη γὰρ, «Ἵνα ἀναπαύσηται ὁ παῖς καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη σου, καὶ τὸ ὑποζύγιόν σου. Καθάπερ, φησὶ, σὺ τούτων ἀπολαύεις διαπαντὸς, οὕτως ἅπαξ γοῦν ἀπολαυσάτωσαν ἐν ταῖς ἑπτὰ τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἡμέραις οἱ θεράποντες, καὶ αἱ θεράπαιναι, καὶ τὰ ὑποζύγια. Ἔπειτα τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ δουλείας τὴν συμπάθειαν πραγματεύεται· Ὅτι οἰκέτης, φησὶν, ἦσθα ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ἐξήγαγέ σε Κύριος ἐκεῖθεν ἐν χειρὶ κραταιᾷ, καὶ ἐν βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ· διὰ τοῦτο συνέταξε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, ὥστε φυλάττεσθαί σε τὴν ἡμέραν τῶν Σαββάτων, καὶ ἁγιάζειν αὐτήν. Τῇ πείρᾳ μεμάθηκας τὸ της δουλείας πικρόν· ἐκείνων ἀναμιμνησκόμενος, ἤμερος γενοῦ τοῖς ὑπηκόοις, καὶ πρᾶος, καὶ ἧς ἀπολαύεις ἀναπαύλης διηνεκῶς, ὁ παῖς σου μετάδος τούτοις ἐν τῇ ἑβδόμῃ τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἡμέρᾳ· Ἐν δὲ τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα τὸ πνευματικὸν οὐκ ἀπηγόρευσεν ἔργον. Ἔφη γάρ· Πᾶν ἔργον λατρευτὸν οὐ ποιήσετε, πλὴν ὅσα ποιηθήσεται ἐπὶ τῇ ψυχῇ, οἷον ἀναγνώσεις θείων λογίων ἀκροάσεις, ψαλμῳδίας, ἱερουργίας καὶ τὰ τούτοις προσόμοια.","t":"Why was the lawgiver's fifth book called Deuteronomy? God the Master, having brought the people out of Egypt, gave them on Mount Sinai the law by which they were to live. Then in the second year he ordered them to take the land he had promised to give their forefathers. When they refused and would not do this, he swore that he would give that land to none of those counted by the lawgiver, but would consume them all in the wilderness. When forty years had passed, then, and they had perished according to the divine sentence, he ordered their children to be counted, who were of the same age as their fathers when they were counted. About to bring these into the land he had promised, God teaches them through the prophet the law he had given to their lawless fathers. Deuteronomy, then, contains a recapitulation of what was legislated and done in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers; and it states the time and the place at which, and in which, he offered this teaching to the new generation: “Beyond the Jordan,” it says, “in the wilderness, toward the west, in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, after he had struck Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan.” And that he did not give a second law but recalls the former legislation the very opening of the book teaches: “Moses began,” it says, “to explain this law, saying, The Lord our God spoke to us at Horeb.” Then, having said how he commanded them to go in and inherit the land, he added what he had said at that time: “I alone cannot govern so many tens of thousands, and therefore I appointed,” he says, “commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,” to have them as partners in the government. He recalled these words because he had appointed Joshua son of Nun as successor to the leadership, teaching that even while still alive he had entrusted the care of the people to others, and that they must obey this man readily too and do what he commanded. He reminds them how God ordered them to take the land he had promised; how they themselves asked that spies be sent first; and that when these returned and reported about the land they did not believe the God who had saved them and would not take the land, so that God the Master was angry and pronounced sentence against all those tens of thousands, that none of them would enter that land except Caleb son of Jephunneh: “He,” he says, “shall see it, and to him I will give the land on which he trod, and to his sons, because he followed fully what pertains to the Lord.” He mentioned him alone, and appointed Joshua as ruler, general and prophet; this is what follows shows. For he said, “The Lord was angry with me too because of you,” that is: when you threw me into confusion I did not carry out the divine command as I should, and for this reason I have been prevented from bringing you into that land. And he recalled what God had said to him: “Joshua the son of Nun, who stands by you, he shall go in there; strengthen him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.” He says this to teach them that the general had received his appointment from God, so that they would not rebel again over the leadership. He relates to them how afterwards, repenting, they wished to fight the Canaanites; how God prevented them; and that, behaving insolently and going up against the divine command, they were defeated and came back; and how much time they spent in the wilderness, wandering through that impassable and waterless land; what they said to the Edomites and the Moabites without receiving friendly answers; and how they utterly destroyed Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, with their whole army and the inhabitants of the cities and villages. He also told of the size of Og's body: “For Og's bed,” he says, “was of iron, nine cubits its length and four cubits its breadth.” Then he exhorted and counselled them to keep carefully the commandments of the Master: “Hear,” he says, “the statutes and the judgments which I teach you today to do, that you may live, and go in and inherit the land which the Lord God of your fathers gives you.” Then, of necessity, he brings up the memory of Baal of Peor, and of those who perished in the wilderness because of that impiety. Then, by contrast, he displays the divine benefits: “For what great nation is there,” he says, “that has a god drawing near to them, as the Lord our God is in all things in which we call upon him?” He commands them not only to keep God's laws themselves, but also to bring up their children and descendants in piety and to train them in the divine commandments from childhood. Then he reminded them again how the God of all appeared to them, uttering words through fire but showing no form. For he said this: “You heard the sound of words out of the midst of the fire, and you saw no likeness, only a voice.” He says this to train them not to fashion any image, nor ever to try to make a divine likeness, since they had not seen the form of the archetype. Hence he added again: “Do not act lawlessly and make for yourselves a carved likeness, any image, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any beast on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies under heaven, the likeness of any reptile that creeps on the earth, the likeness of any fish in the waters under the earth.” God made all these things, he means, for your use; it is therefore utter folly to deify the images of what is subject to you. He added this too: “Lest, looking up to heaven and seeing the sun and the moon and all the ornament of heaven, you be led astray and worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has allotted to all the nations under heaven.” For the Maker, he means, fashioned these for the use of human beings; do not suppose, then, that those which the God of all has set apart to serve human needs are gods. So the other translators also rendered it: “which your God has arranged for the peoples under the whole heaven.” Then he frightens them with threats: if they dare to transgress the divine law, and to make a likeness of any created thing and deify it, he will scatter them over the whole earth, and as slaves they will worship the falsely named gods. Then again, by comparison, he shows God's almighty power: “Ask,” he says, “of the former days that were before you, from the day when God created man on the earth, and from one end of heaven to the other, whether anything has happened like this word, whether you have heard of such a thing, whether a nation has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and lived.” He also told how he freed them from the bitter slavery of the Egyptians. He teaches them continually that the God of all spoke to them from heaven and legislated using a voice from the midst of the fire, so that they would make no image of the invisible God. He also teaches that it is altogether impossible to make a divine image, for his nature is not only invisible but altogether uncircumscribed: “For the Lord your God,” he says, “he is God in heaven above and on the earth below, and there is no other besides him.” It must be known, however, that the prophet did not say all these things to the people on one day, but gave them the teaching over many days. Hence he often repeats the same words, so as to make the memory firm by repetition. Immediately after this address, for example, he recorded the matter of the cities to which he commanded those who had fallen into involuntary killing to flee. Then he related that he gathered the people again and reminded them of the God-given laws. And that he did not give another law, but instructs in the former law those who because of their immaturity of age could not hear that legislation, the prophet's very words teach: “For the Lord your God,” he says, “made a covenant with you at Horeb. Not with your fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with you.” For since those had transgressed and perished, and he was giving these the land promised to the fathers, he said that the law had been given to these. Then he states the commandments, whose meaning we unfolded when interpreting Exodus. Here too he showed the purpose of the Sabbath rest. For he said, “So that your manservant and your maidservant and your beast of burden may rest.” As you enjoy these things always, he means, so at least once in the seven days of the week let the menservants and maidservants and beasts of burden enjoy them. Then by the memory of the slavery in Egypt he works for compassion: “Because you were a household slave in Egypt,” he says, “and the Lord brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an uplifted arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day and to sanctify it.” You have learned by experience the bitterness of slavery; remembering it, be gentle and mild to those subject to you, and give them a share, on the seventh day of the week, of the rest you enjoy continually. In what follows, however, he did not forbid spiritual work. For he said, “You shall do no work of service, except what is done for the soul,” such as readings, hearing the divine oracles, psalmody, sacred rites, and things like these.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.1 (PG 80 80:401; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-1)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.10":{"o":"Τὰς δεκάτας τοῖς ἱερεῦσι προσφέρειν νομοθετήσας, πῶς ἔφη, Οὐ δυνήσῃ φαγεῖν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου τὰ ἐπιδέκατα τοῦ σίτου σου, καὶ τοῦ ἐλαίου σου; Δύο δεκάτας ἀφιεροῦσθαι τῶν ὄντων προσέταξε καὶ τὴν μὲν τοῖς Λευίταις προσφέρεσθαι, τὴν δὲ ἄλλην διαπιπράσκεσθαι, καὶ τὴν ταύτης τιμὴν εἰς τὴν αὐτῶν εὐωχίαν, καὶ τὴν τῶν χηρῶν, καὶ τῶν ὀρφανῶν, καὶ τῶν προσηλύτων ἀναλίσκεσθαι θεραπείαν. Εὐωχεῖσθαι δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐκέλευσε παρὰ τὸν θεῖον νεών. Ταῦτα δὲ ὁ πάνσοφος νενομοθέτηκε Κύριος, τῆς τῶν ψευδωνύμων αὐτοὺς θεῶν πλάνης ἐλευθερῶν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ τῆς ἀσεβείας διδάσκαλος, διὰ γαστριμαργίας καὶ φιληδονίας ἐξανδραποδίζων τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος, ταῖς δαιμόνων ἑορταῖς πολλὰς ἀνέμιξε παιγνίας, ἐκείνης τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἀπαλλάττων τῆς πλάνης ὁ εὐμήχανος Κύριος καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν ἑορτῶν ἐνομοθέτησε, καὶ τὰς θυσίας συνεχώρησε, καὶ τῶν μουσικῶν ὀργάνων ἠνέσχετο, καὶ εὐωχεῖσθαι προσέταξε, καὶ ταῖς τοιαύταις ψυχαγωγίαις τὴν τῶν εἰδώλων ἐκκόπτων ἀσέβειαν.","t":"Having legislated that the tithes be brought to the priests, how could he say, “You may not eat in your cities the tithes of your grain and of your oil”? He ordered two tithes of their possessions to be consecrated: one to be brought to the Levites, the other to be sold and its price spent on their own feasting and on the care of the widows, the orphans and the proselytes. He commanded them to feast beside the divine temple. The all-wise Lord legislated these things to free them from the error of the falsely named gods. For since the teacher of impiety, enslaving the human race through gluttony and love of pleasure, had mixed much frivolity into the feasts of demons, the resourceful Lord, freeing Israel from that error, legislated about feasts, allowed sacrifices, tolerated musical instruments and commanded feasting, cutting out the impiety of idols by such diversions.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.10 (PG 80 80:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-10)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.11":{"o":"Τί δήποτε συνεχῶς ἀπαγορεύει τὴν τοῦ αἵματος βρῶσιν; Ἔφη μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ νομοθέτης, ὅτι τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστι. Πλὴν οἶμαι τὸν νόμον καὶ ἕτερον πραγματεύεσθαι. Τὴν μιαιφόνον γὰρ αὐτῶν ἰατρεύει γνώμην. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ τῶν ἀλόγων αἷμα φαγεῖν, ψυχήν ἐστι φαγεῖν πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἀνόσιον τὸ τὴν λογικὴν ψυχὴν χωρίσαι τοῦ σώματος.","t":"Why does he continually forbid the eating of blood? The lawgiver himself said that its blood is its life. But I think the law also aims at something else: it heals their murderous disposition. For if eating the blood of irrational animals is eating a life, much more unholy is it to separate a rational soul from its body.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.11 (PG 80 80:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-11)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.12":{"o":"Ἐκ ποίας δυνάμεως ὁ τὰ ἐναντία διδάσκων προφήτης θαυματουργεῖ; Τοῦ Θεοῦ συγχωροῦντος ἐνεργοῦσιν οἱ δαίμονες. Οὕτω καὶ τοῦ Φαραὼ οἱ φαρμακοὶ, καὶ τὸ τῆς ῥάβδου, καὶ τὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ, καὶ τὸ τῶν βατράχων εἰργάσαντο ἐνδεδωκότος τοῦ πανσόφου Θεοῦ διὰ τὴν τοῦ προστάττοντος ἄνοιαν. Ἐπιτείνειν γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐκέλευσε τὰς θεηλάτους πληγὰς, λύειν μέντοι τὰς τιμωρίας οὐκ ἴσχυον, οὔτε μὴν τὸν σκνίπα ἐξαγαγεῖν ἠδυνήθησαν. \"Α γὰρ συνεχώρησεν ὁ Θεὸς εἰργάσαντο μόνα· τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα δεδήλωκεν. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ, Ἑὰν ἀναστῇ ἐν σοὶ προφήτης ἐνυπνιαζόμενος ἐνύπνιον καὶ δώσει σημεῖον ἢ τέρας, καὶ ἔλθῃ τὸ σημεῖον ἢ τὸ τέρας, ὁ ἐλάλησε πρὸς σε· καὶ εἴπῃ, Πορευθῶμεν, καὶ λατρεύσωμεν θεοῖς ἑτέροις οἷς οὐκ οἶδατε οὐκ εἰσακούσεσθε τοῦ προφήτου ἐκείνου, ἢ τοῦ ἐνυπνιαζομένου τὸ ἐνύπνιον ἐκεῖνο, ὅτι πειράζει ὑμᾶς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, εἰ ἀγαπᾶτε Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ὑμῶν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν. Τοιγάρτοι τοῦ Θεοῦ συγχωροῦντος ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης τερατουργεῖ. Διδασκόμεθα δὲ μὴ προσέχειν σημείοις, ὅτ᾽ ἂν ὁ ταῦτα δρῶν ἐναντία τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ διδάσκει. Ἐκέλευσε δὲ καὶ τὸν ψευδοπροφήτην ἀποκτανθῆναι, καὶ τὸν λαὸν τῆς πονηρᾶς διδασκαλίας ἀπαλλαγῆναι. ᾿Αφανιεῖτε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ συνέβαινεν, ἢ ἀδελφὸν, ἢ φίλον, ἢ συγγενῆ τῇ πλάνῃ δεδουλευκότα πειραθῆναι φενακίσαι καὶ ἄλλους, ἀναγκαίως καὶ περὶ τούτου νενομοθέτηκε, καὶ προσέταξε δῆλον ἀποφανθῆναι τὸν τῆς ἀσεβείας διδάσκαλον, καὶ πρῶτον ἀφεῖναι λίθον τὸν τῶν τοιούτων ὑπακούσαντα λόγων εἶθ' οὕτως πάντα τὸν λαὸν καταλεῦσαι τὸν σθῆναι τοὺς ἄλλους.","t":"By what power does the prophet who teaches the opposite work wonders? The demons act with God's permission. So Pharaoh's sorcerers too performed the feats of the rod, of the river and of the frogs, the all-wise God allowing it because of the folly of the one who gave the orders. For he commanded them to make the plagues sent by God worse; but they were not able to undo the punishments, nor could they produce the gnats. They did only what God allowed. This he showed here too. For having said, “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives a sign or wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass of which he spoke to you, and he says, ‘Let us go and serve other gods, whom you do not know,’ you shall not listen to that prophet or to the dreamer of that dream, for the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind.” So the false prophet works wonders with God's permission. We are taught not to heed signs when the one who performs them teaches what is contrary to piety. He commanded that the false prophet be killed and the people rid of the evil teaching: “For you shall remove the evil from among you,” he says. And since it happened that a brother, or a friend, or a relative enslaved to the error tried to deceive others too, of necessity he legislated about this as well: he ordered that the teacher of impiety be exposed, and that the one to whom such words had been spoken cast the first stone, and then the whole people stone the … the others ….","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.12 (PG 80 80:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-12)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.13":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Οὐ φοιβήσετε καὶ οὐκ ἐπιθήσετε φαλάκρωμα ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὑμῶν ἐπὶ νεκρῷ; ἀλιτήριον, καὶ τῇ τούτων τιμωρίᾳ ὁ σωφρονι… Τῶν δυσσεβῶν ἐθνῶν ἀπαγορεύει τὰ ἔθη καὶ διὰ μὲν τοῦ, Οὐ φοιβήσετε, τὰς μαντείας ἐξέβαλε. Φοῖβον γὰρ τὸν ψευδόμαντιν ἐκάλουν τὸν Πύθιον. Διὰ δὲ τοῦ, Οὐ ποιήσετε φαλάκρωμα ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὑμῶν ἐπὶ νεκρῷ, τὴν τοῦ πένθους ἀπηγόρευσεν ἀμετρίαν. Τινὲς μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἐθνῶν τὰς τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀπεκείροντο τρίχας, καὶ ταύτας προσέφερον τοῖς νεκροῖς τινὲς δὲ τὰς τῶν γενείων, ἄλλοι τὰς τῶν ὀφρύων. Ταῦτα γίνεσθαι ὁ θεῖος ἀπηγόρευσε νόμος. Ὅτι δὲ δύο δεκάτας ἀφορίζεσθαι πάντων προσέταξε, σαφῶς ἐνταῦθα δεδήλωκε Δεκάτην γάρ, φησὶν, ἀποδεκατώσεις παντὸς γεννήματος τοῦ σπέρματός σου· τὸ γέννημα τοῦ ἀγροῦ σου ἐνιαυτὸν κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτόν καὶ φαγῇ αὐτὸ ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ᾧ ἐὰν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐπικληθῆναι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖ. Εἰ δὲ μία δεκάτη ἦν, πῶς οἷόν τε καὶ τοὺς Λευΐτας λαμβάνειν καὶ τοὺς προσκομίζοντας εὐωχεῖσθαι; ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὡς τοῖς μὲν Λευῖταις μίαν δεκάτην ἀπένειμεν, ταῖς δὲ τῶν προσφερόντων εὐωχίαις ἑτέραν. Τοῦτο δὲ δηλοῖ καὶ τὰ ἐπαγόμενα. Ἐὰν γὰρ, φησὶν, ᾗ ἡ ὁδὸς μακρὰν ἀπὸ σοῦ, διαπώλησον, καὶ λαβὼν τὴν τιμὴν, εἰς ἐκεῖνον ἴθι τὸν τόπον ὂν ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, καὶ δὸς τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς πᾶν ὁ ἐπιθυμεῖ ἡ ψυχή σου, ἐπὶ βουσὶν, ἢ ἐπὶ προβάτοις, ἢ ἐπὶ οἴνῳ, ἢ ἐπὶ σίκερᾳ, ἢ ἐπὶ παντὶ ᾧ ἐπιθυμεῖ ἡ ψυχή σου καὶ φαγῇ ἐκεῖ ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, σὺ καὶ ὁ οἶκός σου, καὶ ὁ Λευίτης ὁ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῷ μερὶς οὐδὲ κλῆρος μετὰ σοῦ. Εἶτα περὶ τῶν ὀφειλόντων δοθῆναι τοῖς Λευίταις νομοθετεῖ. Μετὰ τρία ἔτη ἐξοίσεις πᾶν τὸ ἐπιδέκατον τῶν γεννημάτων σου ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ ἐκείνῳ· καὶ θήσεις αὐτὸ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου καὶ ἐλεύσεται ὁ Λευίτης ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῳ μερὶς οὐδὲ κλῆρος μετὰ σοῦ· καὶ ὁ προσήλυτος, καὶ ὁ ὀρφανὸς, καὶ ἡ χήρα, οἱ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου καὶ φάγονται, καὶ ἐμπλησθήσονται, ἵνα εὐλογήσῃ σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου οἷς ἂν ποιῇς. Ἰστέον δὲ ὡς Ιώσηππος, ἐντεῦθεν λαβὼν ἀφορμὴν, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ τὸ Ἰουδαίων ἐπιστάμενος ἔθος ὡς Ἰουδαῖος, τρεῖς ἔφη δεκάτας προστεταχέναι τὸν νόμον προσφέρεσθαι, τὴν μὲν τοῖς Λευΐταις, τὴν δὲ τοῖς ὀρφανοῖς καὶ ταῖς χήραις, τὴν δὲ ἄλλην ταῖς τῶν προσφερόντων εὐωχίαις.","t":"What is the meaning of “You shall not practise Phoebus-divination, and you shall not make a bald patch between your eyes for the dead”? [End of question 12:] … the wretch, and by their punishment … brought to their senses. [Answer:] He forbids the customs of the impious nations. By “You shall not practise Phoebus-divination” he expelled divinations, for they called the false prophet Pythian Apollo “Phoebus.” By “You shall not make a bald patch between your eyes for the dead” he forbade excess in mourning. For some of the foreign nations cut off the hair of their heads and offered it to the dead; some that of their beards, others that of their eyebrows. The divine law forbade these things to be done. That he ordered two tithes of everything to be set apart he has shown clearly here: “You shall tithe a tithe of all the produce of your seed, the produce of your field year by year, and you shall eat it before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord your God chooses to have his name invoked there.” If there were one tithe, how could both the Levites receive it and those bringing it feast on it? Clearly, he assigned one tithe to the Levites and another to the feasts of those who brought it. What follows shows this too: “If the way is too long for you,” he says, “sell it, and taking the price go to the place which the Lord your God chooses, and spend the money on whatever your soul desires, on oxen or sheep, on wine or strong drink, or on whatever your soul desires; and you shall eat there before the Lord your God, you and your household, and the Levite who is in your cities, for he has no portion or inheritance with you.” Then he legislates about what is owed to the Levites: “After three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and lay it up in your cities; and the Levite shall come, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the proselyte, the orphan and the widow who are in your cities, and they shall eat and be filled, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the works that you do.” It should be known that Josephus, taking his starting point from this, or rather knowing the custom of the Jews as a Jew, said that the law ordered three tithes to be brought: one to the Levites, another to the orphans and widows, and another to the feasts of those who brought it.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.13 (PG 80 80:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-13)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.14":{"o":"Διατί τὸ πεπηρωμένον πρωτότοκον ἀπαγορεύει προσφέρειν ; Διὰ τῶν ἀλόγων παιδεύων τοὺς λογικοὺς, ἄρτιον ἔχειν τὸ φρόνημα, πρὸς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐξηρτισμένον.","t":"Why does he forbid offering a maimed firstborn? Through the irrational animals he teaches rational beings to have a sound mind, fully equipped for every good work.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.14 (PG 80 80:423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-14)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.15":{"o":"Τίς ὁ τῶν ἀζύμων λόγος, Ὁ νόμος ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν. Ἔφη γὰρ, Ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας φαγῇ ἄρτον κακώσεως, ὅτι ἐν σπουδῇ ἐξήλθετε ἐξ Αἰγύπτου. Αποχρώντως δὲ καὶ περὶ τούτου εἰρήκαμεν ἤδη τὴν Ἔξοδον ἑρμηνεύοντες.","t":"What is the reason for the unleavened bread? The law has taught us. For it said, “Seven days you shall eat the bread of affliction, because you came out of Egypt in haste.” We have already spoken sufficiently about this too when interpreting Exodus.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.15 (PG 80 80:423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-15)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.16":{"o":"Τί ἐστι, Δικαίως τὸ δίκαιον διώξετε; Κατὰ τὸν τοῦ δικαίου, φησὶ, σκοπὸν, μὴ διὰ δόξαν κενὴν, μηδὲ διὰ θεραπείαν ἀνθρωπίνην, ἀλλὰ δι᾿ αὐτὸ τὸ ἀγαθὸν, μετέρχου τὸ ἀγαθόν Εἰσὶ γάρ τινες, γνώμῃ μὲν οὐ τιμῶντες τὸ δίκαιον, διὰ δὲ τοὺς ἀληθῶς τιμῶντας τὸ δίκαιον, ὑποκρινόμενοι τιμᾶν τὸ δίκαιον.","t":"What is the meaning of “You shall pursue what is just justly”? According to the aim of justice, he means: pursue the good not for vainglory, nor to court men, but for the sake of the good itself. For there are some who do not honour justice in their hearts but, because of those who truly honour justice, pretend to honour it.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.16 (PG 80 80:423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-16)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.17":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Ἐὰν ἀδυνατήσῃ ἀπὸ σοῦ ῥῆμα ἐν κρίσει ἀνὰ μέσον αἵματος, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον κρίσεως, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον ἀφῆς, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς; Ἐὰν, φησὶ, μὴ δυνηθῇς εὑρεῖν τὸ ἀληθὲς δικάζων, ἢ τὸ σῶμα τὸ λεπρὸν δοκιμάζων· τοῦτο γὰρ ἀφὴν καλεῖ· μηδὲ διαγνῷς εἴτε ἀλφός ἐστιν εἴτε λέπρα, μήτε κρίνῃς, μήτε δικάσῃς ἐξ ὑποψίας, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸν θεῖον νεὼν ἄπιθι, καὶ δίδαξον ταῦτα τὸν ἱερέα, ἢ τὸν κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν τὴν δημαγωγίαν πεπιστευμένον, καὶ τὸ κελευόμενον πλήρωσον. Εἰ δὲ τις τύφῳ χρώμενος τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, ἢ τοῦ κριτοῦ λεγομένοις ἀντείποι, θανάτῳ ζημιούσθω, καὶ γινέσθω τοῖς ἄλλοις ὠφελείας ἀρχέτυπον.","t":"What is the meaning of “If a matter in judgment is too hard for you, between blood and blood, between judgment and judgment, between stroke and stroke,” and what follows? If, he says, you cannot find the truth when judging, or when examining a leprous body (for this is what he calls a “stroke”) you cannot tell whether it is a white patch or leprosy, neither decide nor judge on suspicion, but go to the divine temple, inform the priest of these things, or the one entrusted at that time with leading the people, and do what is commanded. And if anyone, out of arrogance, contradicts what is said by the high priest or the judge, let him be punished with death and become an example for the benefit of the others.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.17 (PG 80 80:423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-17)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.18":{"o":"Τι δήποτε κελεύει τὸν ἄρχοντα ἵππους μη πληθύνειν; Βούλεται αὐτοὺς τῷ Θεῷ μόνῳ θαῤῥεῖν. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ Δαβὶδ ὁ μακάριος ἐβόα· Οὐ σώζεται βασιλεὺς διὰ πολλὴν δύναμιν, καὶ γίγας οὐ σωθήσεται ἐν πλήθει ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ. Ψευδὴς ἵππος εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἐν δὲ πλήθει δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ οὐ σωθήσεται.","t":"Why does he command the ruler not to multiply horses? He wants them to trust in God alone. For this reason the blessed David also cried, “A king is not saved by great power, and a giant will not be saved by the greatness of his strength. A horse is a false hope for salvation, and by the greatness of its power it will not be saved.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.18 (PG 80 80:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-18)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.19":{"o":"Διατί τὴν αἰχμάλωτον θρηνεῖν τοὺς οἰκείους κελεύει ῥητὸν ἡμερῶν ἀριθμὸν εἶθ' οὕτω συναφθῆναι τῷ ταύτην ἀνδραποδίσαντι; Οὐ βούλεται ἀναμιγῆναι θρῆνον εὐφροσύνῃ, οὐδὲ μειδιάματι δάκρυον. Τούτου χάριν προσέταξε καιρὸν αὐτὴν τοῦ πένθους λαβεῖν τριάκοντα ἡμέρας, εἶθ' οὕτως τοῦ πένθους ἀπαλλαγεῖσαν μεταλαχεῖν τῆς γαμικῆς ὁμιλίας. Πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τὴν ἐκείνου κολάζει, κελεύων μὴ τῆς ἡδονῆς τὸ πάθος, ἀλλὰ τὸν λογισμὸν τῆς κοινωνίας ἡγήσασθαι. Ἐὰν δὲ μετὰ τὴν κοινωνίαν παραιτήσηται τὸν γάμον, ἀπολυθῆναι προσέταξε, μισθὸν τῆς κοινωνίας τὴν ἐλευθερίαν λαβοῦσαν.","t":"Why does he command the captive woman to mourn her family for a set number of days and only then be joined to the man who took her captive? He does not want lament mingled with gladness, nor tears with smiles. For this reason he ordered her to have a time of mourning of thirty days, and then, released from mourning, to share in married intercourse. Besides this, he also curbs the man's desire, commanding that not the passion of pleasure but the reasoned choice of partnership should lead. And if after their union he refuses the marriage, he ordered her to be released, receiving her freedom as the price of the union.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.19 (PG 80 80:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-19)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.2":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, «῎Ακουε, Ἰσραὴλ, Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, Κύριος εἰς ἐστιν; Πολλάκις εἰρήκαμεν, ὅτι τὸ Κύριος καὶ Θεὸς, τῆς θείας ἐστὶ φύσεως οὐ τῆς τῶν προσώπων διαιρέσεως δηλωτικά· ὁ δὲ Πατήρ, καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, τῶν ἰδιοτήτων σημαντικά. ᾿Αλλά τοῖς ἀτελέσιν Ἰουδαίοις τὴν ἀκριβῆ θεολογίαν προσενεχθῆναι οὐχ οἷόν τε ἦν· ταύτην γὰρ ἂν πολυθεῖας ἀφορμὴν ἐποιήσαντο. Οὗ δὴ χάριν μοναδικῶς τὸ θεῖον ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ προφέρεται ὄνομα ἔχει δὲ ὅμως τὰ τῆς Τριάδος αἰνίγματα. Τὸ γὰρ, Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου Κύριος εἷς ἐστι, καὶ τὸ τῆς οὐσίας διδάσκει μοναδικὸν, καὶ παραδηλοῖ τῶν προσώπων τὸν ἀριθμόν· ἅπαξ γὰρ τὸ Θεὸς, δὶς δὲ τὸ Κύριος τέθεικεν.","t":"How is “Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one” to be understood? We have said many times that “Lord” and “God” signify the divine nature, not the distinction of the persons, while “Father,” “Son” and “Holy Spirit” signify the properties. But it was not possible to offer exact theology to the immature Jews, for they would have made it an occasion of polytheism. For this reason the divine name is put forward in the Old Testament in the singular; yet it holds hints of the Trinity. For “The Lord your God, the Lord is one” both teaches the oneness of the being and indicates the number of the persons: for he has put “God” once and “Lord” twice.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.2 (PG 80 80:409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-2)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.20":{"o":"Διατί κοινὴν εἶναι βούλεται τὴν τῶν γονέων κατηγορίαν κατὰ παιδὸς γιγνομένην; Ἐπειδὴ μαρτυρεῖ τῇ τῆς κατηγορίας ἀληθείᾳ τῶν κατηγορούντων ἡ συμφωνία. Συμβαίνει γὰρ πολλάκις, μάτην τοῦ πατρὸς κατηγοροῦντος, ἀντειπεῖν τὴν μητέρα· ἢ τῆς μητρὸς αἰτιωμένης, ἀντειπεῖν τὸν πατέρα. Τὰ αὐτὰ μέντοι καὶ ἀμφοτέρων κατηγορούντων, δῆλον ἔσται τῆς κατηγορίας τὸ ἀληθές. Οὗ δὴ χάριν ἀναιρεῖσθαι κελεύει τὸν οὕτω κατηγορούμενον.","t":"Why does he want the accusation against a son to be made by both parents together? Because the agreement of the accusers bears witness to the truth of the accusation. For it often happens that when the father accuses without cause the mother contradicts, or when the mother blames, the father contradicts. But when both make the same accusation, the truth of the charge will be clear. For this reason he commands that the son so accused be put to death.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.20 (PG 80 80:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-20)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.21":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τὸν νεοττοὺς ὀρνίθων εὑρηκότα, τούτους μὲν κελεύει λαβεῖν, τοὺς δὲ γεγεννηκότας ἀφεῖναι; Φιλανθρωπίαν παιδεύει. Εἰ γὰρ τοὺς τεκόντας λάβοι, καὶ καταλίποι τοὺς νεοττοὺς, ἀπολοῦνται πάντως, οὐκ ὄντος τοῦ τρέφοντος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τούτους κάκείνους θηρεύσοι, διαφθαρήσεται δηλονότι τῶν ὀρνίθων τὸ γένος, εἰ πάντες τὰ ὅμοια δράσαιεν.","t":"Why does he command the one who has found young birds to take them but let the parents go? He teaches kindness. For if he takes the parents and leaves the young, they will certainly perish, there being no one to feed them. And if he catches both these and those, the race of birds will clearly be destroyed, if everyone does the same.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.21 (PG 80 80:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-21)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.22":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν στεφάνην τῷ δώματι γενέσθαι παρεκελεύσατο; Ἐδίδαξε τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἔφη γάρ· Καὶ οὐ ποιήσεις φόνον ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ σου, ἐὰν πέσοι ὁ πεσὼν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Λόγῳ γὰρ ἡμᾶς τιμήσας, βούλεται τούτῳ εἰς δέον κεχρῆσθαι, καὶ πάντων προμηθεῖσθαι, καὶ μὴ ἀνοήτως πάντων παραχωρεῖν τῷ Θεῷ· ἀλλὰ τὰ παρ᾿ ἑαυτῶν συνεισφέροντας ἀναμένειν τὴν ἐκεῖθεν βοήθειαν. Οὕτω σπείροντες οὐ θαῤῥοῦμεν τῇ γῇ, ἀλλὰ τὴν θείαν φιλανθρωπίαν προσμένομεν· καὶ χρώμενοι ἰατροῖς, ἴσμεν ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ διὰ τούτων ἰάσασθαι. Τοσαῦτα γὰρ ἡ τέχνη δύναται, ὅσαπερ ὁ ταύτην δεδωκὼς βούλεται.","t":"For what reason did he enjoin that a parapet be made for the roof? He taught it in what follows. For he said, “And you shall not bring bloodshed on your house, if anyone falls from it.” Having honoured us with reason, he wants us to use it as we ought, to take forethought for everything, and not foolishly to leave everything to God, but to contribute our own part and then wait for help from above. So when we sow, we do not trust in the earth but await the divine kindness; and when we use physicians, we know that it is God's work to heal through them. For the art can do as much as the one who gave it wills.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.22 (PG 80 80:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-22)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.23":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Οὐ κατασπερεῖς τὸν ἀμπελῶνά σου διάφορον, ἵνα μὴ ἁγιασθῇ τὸ γέννημα, καὶ τὸ σπέρμα, ὃ ἂν σπείρῃς μετὰ τοῦ γεννήματος τοῦ ἀμπελῶνός σου; Καὶ τὴν ἀπληστίαν ἐκκόπτει, καὶ αὐτῶν προμηθεῖται τῶν γεωργούντων. Πλείονα γὰρ ἡ γῆ σπέρματα δεχομένη, ἐξιτήλους δίδωσι τοὺς καρπούς. Κελεύει τοίνυν μήτε ἀναμεμιγμένα σπέρματα καταβαλεῖν μήτε μὴν τὰς ἀμπέλους σπείρειν. Εἶτα τῷ παραβαίνοντι δίδωσιν ἐπιτίμιον, τὴν τοῦ κέρδους κολάζων ἐπιθυμίαν. Ἐκέλευσε γὰρ ἑαυτῷ τὰ τοιαῦτα προσφέρεσθαι. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν, Ἵνα μὴ ἁγιασθῇ τὸ γέννημα.","t":"What is the meaning of “You shall not sow your vineyard with a different kind, lest the produce be made holy, and the seed which you sow with the produce of your vineyard”? He both cuts out greed and takes thought for the farmers themselves. For when the earth receives more seeds, it yields feeble fruits. He commands, then, neither to sow mixed seeds nor to sow among the vines. Then he sets a penalty for the transgressor, curbing the desire for gain: he ordered such produce to be offered to himself. For this is what he said: “lest the produce be made holy.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.23 (PG 80 80:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-23)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.24":{"o":"Διατί τῷ μοιχῷ παραπλησίως κολάζεσθαι κελεύει τὸν φθείροντα τὴν ἄλλῳ μεμνηστευμένην; Ἐπειδὴ τὰ τῆς μνηστείας αὐτῇ συνήρμοσεν σύμβολα· ὅθεν καὶ γυναῖκα αὐτὴν προσηγόρευσεν. Ἐταπείνωσε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ πλησίον. Κατὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡ ἁγία Παρθένος γυνὴ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἐχρημάτισεν. Μὴ φοβηθῇς γὰρ, φησί, παραλαβεῖν Μαριάμ τὴν γυναϊκά σου.","t":"Why does he command that the man who violates a woman betrothed to another be punished like an adulterer? Because she had received the tokens of betrothal; that is why he also called her a wife: “For he humbled his neighbour's wife,” it says. In the same way the holy Virgin too was called Joseph's wife: “Do not be afraid,” it says, “to take Mary your wife.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.24 (PG 80 80:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-24)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.25":{"o":"Διατί τὸν θλαδίαν καὶ τὸν ἐκτομίαν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἀπαγορεύει; Τὸ ἄγονον τῆς ψυχῆς διὰ τούτων αἰνίττεται. ᾿Αλλοτρία γὰρ Θεοῦ ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀκαρπία. \"Αλλως δὲ οὐ μόνον ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κτηνῶν ἀπαγορεύει τὰ τοιαῦτα ποιεῖν· εἰς γὰρ τὴν τοῦ γένους αὔξησιν τὰ γεννητικὰ δεδημιούργηται μόρια. Ωσπερ δὲ τὴν ἀκαρπίαν ἀπαγορεύει, οὕτως καὶ τὸν πονηρὸν ἐκβάλλει καρπόν. Οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται γὰρ φησὶν, ἐκ πόρνης εἰς Ἐκκλησίαν Κυρίου.","t":"Why does he forbid the man with crushed testicles and the eunuch to enter the assembly? Through them he hints at the barrenness of the soul; for unfruitfulness in good things is foreign to God. Moreover, he forbids doing such things not only to human beings but also to animals; for the organs of generation were made for the increase of the race. And as he forbids barrenness, so he also casts out evil fruit: “For one born of a harlot,” he says, “shall not enter the assembly of the Lord.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.25 (PG 80 80:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-25)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.26":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τὴν πρὸς Μωαβίτας καὶ Ἀμμανίτας ἐπιμιξίαν κωλύει, οὐ κατὰ ῥητόν τινα χρόνον, ἀλλ᾽ ἕως εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα; Πρῶτον διὰ τὴν παράνομον αὐτῶν ῥίζαν· ἐκ παρανόμου γὰρ γεγέννηται συνουσίας. Ἔπειτα διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν, ἧς καὶ τοὺς Ἰσραηλίτας μεταλαχεῖν παρεσκεύασαν, ὡραῖσαντες τὰς γυναῖκας, καὶ διὰ τούτων αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν τῶν εἰδώλων λατρείαν ἀγρεύσαντες. Τὸν μέντοι Ἰδουμαῖον, καὶ τὸν Αἰγύπτιον, μετὰ τρίτην κελεύει προσίεσθαι γενεάν· τὸν μὲν ὡς ἀδελφὸν, τὸν δὲ ὡς εὐεργέτην ἐν καιρῷ γεγενημένον. Λιμοῦ γὰρ προσπεσόντος, εἰς Αἴγυπτον εἰσελθόντες οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν διετράφησαν. Διδάσκει, τοίνυν ἡμᾶς ὁ νόμος μηδὲ παλαιᾶς εὐεργεσίας ἀμνημονεῖν","t":"Why does he forbid mixing with the Moabites and Ammonites, not for a set time but for ever? First because of their lawless root, for they were born of a lawless intercourse. Then because of the impiety in which they made the Israelites share, by adorning their women and through them ensnaring them into the worship of idols. The Edomite and the Egyptian, however, he commands to be admitted after the third generation: the one as a brother, the other as having been a benefactor in time of need. For when famine struck, their fathers went into Egypt and were fed. The law, then, teaches us not to forget even an old kindness.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.26 (PG 80 80:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-26)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.27":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, \"Ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐμπεριπατεῖ ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ σου; Οἶδε πολλάκις δυσοσμίας ὁ ἀὴρ ἐμπιπλάμενος λοιμὸν ἐμποιεῖν. Ἐκέλευσε τοίνυν αὐτοῖς στρατοπεδευομένοις τὴν ἐκκρινομένην καταχωννύναι κόπρον. Ἵνα δὲ μὴ ἀπειθήσαντες βλάβην εἰσδέξωνται, ἀναγκαίως ἐπήγαγεν Ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐμπεριπατεῖ ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ σου, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν διδάσκει· Ἐξελέσθαι σε καὶ παραδοῦναι τὸν ἐχθρόν σου πρὸ προσώπου σου. Διὰ δὲ τούτου παιδεύει μηδὲν πράττειν παράνομον. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπάγει Καὶ ἔσται ἡ παρεμβολή σου ἁγία, καὶ οὐχ εὑρεθήσεται ἐν σοὶ ἀσχημοσύνη πράγματος.»","t":"What is the meaning of “For the Lord your God walks in your camp”? Air filled with foul smells often causes plague. He commanded them, then, when encamped, to cover up the excrement they discharged. And so that they would not disobey and suffer harm, he necessarily added, “For the Lord your God walks in your camp,” and he teaches the reason: “to deliver you and give up your enemy before you.” Through this he trains them to do nothing lawless; for he adds, “And your camp shall be holy, and no indecent thing shall be found among you.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.27 (PG 80 80:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-27)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.28":{"o":"Τι ἐστι τελεσφόρος, καὶ τελισκόμενος, καὶ τελισκομένη Ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς πιστοὺς ὀνομάζομεν τοὺς τῶν θείων μυστηρίων μετέχοντας, οὕτως τετελεσμένους ἐκάλει τὰ ἔθνη τοὺς δαιμόνων τινῶν διδασκομένους μυστήρια. Τελεσφόρον τοίνυν καλεῖ τὸν μυσταγωγοῦντα, τελισκόμενον δὲ τὸν μυσταγωγούμενον.","t":"What is meant by “one who performs initiations,” and “a man being initiated,” and “a woman being initiated”? As we call those who share in the divine mysteries “the faithful,” so the nations called those taught the mysteries of certain demons “the initiated.” He calls “one who performs initiations,” then, the one who conducts the mystery rites, and “one being initiated” the one who is led into them.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.28 (PG 80 80:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-28)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.29":{"o":"Τίνα ἐστὶ, Τὰ ἐκπορευόμενα διὰ τῶν χειλέων σου φυλάξῃ; Ἐπαγγελλόμενος τῷ Θεῷ, χρέος νόμιζε τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν. Σπούδασον τοίνυν ταύτην ἀποδοῦναι συντόμως. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη Οὐ χρονιεῖς ἀποδοῦναι τὴν εὐχήν σου, ὅτι ἐκζητῶν ἐκζητήσει Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου παρὰ σοῦ, καὶ ἔσται σοι ἁμαρτία. Εἶτα διδάσκων, ὅτι τῆς ἐξουσίας ἐστὶ τῆς γνώμης τὸ ὑποσχέσθαι ἢ μὴ, ἐπήγαγεν· Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ θελήσῃς εὔξασθαι, οὐκ ἔσται σοι ἁμαρτία. Ὅθεν καὶ ὁ μακάριος Δαβίδ· ᾿Αποδώσω σοι τὰς εὐχάς μου, ἂς διέστειλε τὰ χείλη μου, καὶ ἐλάλησε τὸ στόμα μου ἐν τῇ θλίψει μου. Πάλιν μέντοι τὸν περὶ τῆς λέπρας τεθεικὼς νόμον, τῆς Μαρίας ἀνέμνησε, λέγων Μνήσθητι ὅσα ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τῇ Μαρίᾳ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ·» διδάσκων ὡς θεήλατος ἡ πληγή, καὶ ταύτην αὐτοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν ἐπέφερεν ὁ Θεός· καὶ αὖ πάλιν μεταμελουμένων ἔπαυσε. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ περὶ τῆς τῶν παίδων ἀπειλῆς τὸ ἀμφίβολον ἔλυσεν. Ἔφη γάρ· Οὐκ ἀποθανοῦνται πατέρες ὑπὲρ τέκνων, οὐδὲ τέκνα ὑπὲρ πατέρων. Ἕκαστος τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀποθανεῖται. Εἰκὸς γὰρ καὶ πατέρας συμβουλεῦσαι μὲν παισὶ τὰ συμφέροντα μηδὲν δὲ διὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἀπείθειαν ὀνῆσαι· καὶ παῖδας κρείττους τῶν πατέρων γενέσθαι.","t":"What is meant by “You shall keep what goes out through your lips”? When you make a promise to God, consider the promise a debt; be eager, then, to pay it quickly. For he said this: “You shall not delay to pay your vow, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and it will be sin in you.” Then, teaching that it is in the power of one's will to promise or not, he added: “But if you do not wish to vow, there will be no sin in you.” Hence the blessed David too says: “I will pay you my vows, which my lips uttered and my mouth spoke in my affliction.” Again, having set down the law about leprosy, he recalled Miriam, saying, “Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the way,” teaching that the stroke was sent by God, and that God brought it on them when they sinned and again stopped it when they repented. He also resolved the ambiguity of the threat about children. For he said, “Fathers shall not die for children, nor children for fathers; each shall die for his own sin.” For it is likely both that fathers advise their children well but gain nothing because of their disobedience, and that children become better than their fathers.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.29 (PG 80 80:431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-29)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.3":{"o":"Τὸ, Ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, πῶς νοητέον Σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος ἐδίδαξεν, ὅτι οὐδεὶς δυσὶ Κυρίοις δουλεύειν δύναται. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν διδασκόμεθα μὴ μερίζειν τὴν ἀγάπην εἰς Θεὸν καὶ χρυσὸν, εἰς Θεὸν καὶ γυναῖκα εἰς Θεὸν καὶ παῖδας, εἰς Θεὸν καὶ φίλους ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν τῆς ἀγάπης τὴν δύναμιν ἀφιεροῦν τῷ πεποιηκότι Θεῷ, μετὰ δὲ γε τὸν ποιητὴν, ἀπονέμειν ἑκάστῳ τὰ πρόσφορα, καὶ γονεῦσι δὲ, καὶ γυναικὶ καὶ παισὶ, καὶ ἀδελφοῖς, καὶ φίλοις. Τῆς γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγάπης καὶ τὸ ταῦτα πληροῦν. Ὁ ἀγαπῶν με γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰς ἐντολάς μου πληρώσει. Αἱ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντολαὶ περὶ τούτων διαγορεύουσιν.","t":"How is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,” and what follows, to be understood? The Lord taught us clearly that no one can serve two masters. Here too, then, we are taught not to divide our love between God and gold, God and a wife, God and children, God and friends, but to consecrate the whole power of love to God who made us, and after the Maker to give each their due: parents, wife, children, brothers and friends. For fulfilling these duties too belongs to the love of God: “For whoever loves me,” he says, “will keep my commandments.” And God's commandments give directions about these.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.3 (PG 80 80:409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-3)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.30":{"o":"Τι δήποτε τοῦ Θεοῦ κελεύσαντος τεσσαράκοντα λαμβάνειν τὸν πλημμελήσαντα μάστιγας παρὰ μίαν πληγὴν ἐπιφέρουσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι; Ἐπειδὴ ὁ πλείων ἀριθμὸς τὸν αἰκιζόμενον ἀτιμοῖ Ἐὰν γὰρ προσθῶσι μαστιγῶσαι αὐτὸν, ἀσχημονήσει ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἐναντίον σου. Παρὰ μίαν διδόασιν, ἵνα μὴ τὸν ἀκριβῆ φυλάττοντες ἀριθμὸν, καὶ ἄκοντες τὸν τυπτόμενον ἀτιμάσωσι, τὸν περιττὸν ἐπιφέροντες.","t":"Why, when God commanded that the offender receive forty lashes, do the Jews inflict one less? Since a larger number dishonours the one being punished: “For if they add to the lashing of him, your brother will be disgraced before you.” They give one less so that, while keeping to the exact number, they do not unwittingly dishonour the one beaten by inflicting an extra one.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.30 (PG 80 80:431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-30)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.31":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν, Οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα; Τὸ μὲν τῆς ἀναγωγῆς νόημα σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος Καὶ αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ πρόχειρον εὐσεβές. \"Αδικον γὰρ τὸν ἀρόσαντα τὴν γῆν, καὶ τὰ δράγματα σὺν πόνῳ τέμνοντα, μὴ μετασχεῖν τοῦ καρποῦ.","t":"What is the meaning of “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is threshing”? The divine Apostle taught us clearly the higher meaning; but the plain sense too is pious. For it is unjust that the one who ploughed the land and cut the sheaves with toil should not share in the fruit.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.31 (PG 80 80:431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-31)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.32":{"o":"Τί δήποτε ἐμπτύεσθαι κελεύει τὸν τοῦ ἄπαιδος ἀδελφοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα μὴ βουλόμενον γήμαι; ᾿Ανάγκην αὐτοῖς διὰ τῆς ἀτιμίας φιλαδελφίας. ῎Ἄμεινον μὲν γὰρ ἦν διὰ τὴν φύσιν προμηθεῖσθαι τοῦ τεθνηκότος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐχ ἅπαντες αἱδοῦνται τὸν τῆς φύσεως νόμον, τὴν τῆς ἀτιμίας αὐτοῖς ἀνάγκην ἐπέθηκεν.","t":"Why does he command that the man who will not marry the wife of his childless brother be spat upon? Through the dishonour he laid on them a compulsion to brotherly love. It would have been better to provide for the dead man out of natural affection. But since not all respect the law of nature, he imposed on them the compulsion of dishonour.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.32 (PG 80 80:431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-32)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.33":{"o":"Διατί πανωλεθρίᾳ κελεύει παραδοῦναι τὸν ᾿Αμαλήκ; Καὶ δυσσεβεῖς ἦσαν, καὶ μισάδελφοι. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ κατάγοντες τὸ γένος, πρῶτοι τὸν κατὰ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἀνεδέξαντο πόλεμον, καὶ ταῦτα πόρῥωθεν ὄντος, καὶ τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῶν μὴ πελάσαντος. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ πάλιν σαφέστερον, ὡς δύο ἀφορίζεσθαι δεκάτας προσέταξεν. Ἐφη δὲ οὕτως· Ἐὰν δὲ συντελέσῃς ἀποδεκατῶσαι πᾶν τὸ ἐπιδέκατον τῶν γεννημάτων τῆς γῆς σου, ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῷ τρίτῳ, τὸ δεύτερον ἐπιδέκατον δώσεις τῷ Λευΐτῃ, καὶ τῷ προσηλύτῳ, καὶ τῇ χήρᾳ, καὶ τῷ ὀρφανῷ καὶ φάγονται ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου καὶ ἐμπλησθήσονται \"Ὅτι μέντοι οὐκ ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ τῷ λαῷ ταύτην τὴν διδασκαλίαν ὁ προφήτης προσήνεγκε, καὶ ταῦτα δηλοῖ. Προσέταξε γὰρ, φησὶ, Μωσῆς καὶ ἡ γερουσία Ἰσραὴλ, λέγοντες· Φυλάσσεσθε ποιεῖν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς ταύτας, ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν σήμερον. Εἶτα ἐκέλευσεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, μετὰ τὸ διαβῆναι τὸν Ἰορδάνην, δύο στῆσαι λίθους μεγάλους, καὶ κονιάσαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ αὐτοῖς ἐπιγράψαι τὰς ἐντολάς· ἔπειτα ἐκ λίθων αὐτοφυῶν οἰκοδομῆσαι θυσιαστήριον ἐν τῷ ὄρει Γεβάλ, καὶ τὰς νενομισμένας ἐπιτελέσαι θυσίας· καὶ πρὸς ταῖς ἄλλαις, οἷόν τινα χαριστήριον, τὴν τοῦ σωτηρίου καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εὐωχηθῆναι, τὸν εὐεργέτην ἀνυμνοῦντας Θεόν.","t":"Why does he command Amalek to be given over to utter destruction? Because they were impious and hated their brothers. For, tracing their descent from Esau, they were the first to take up war against Israel, and that when Israel was far away and had not come near their borders. He taught again, more clearly, that he had ordered two tithes to be set apart. He spoke thus: “When you have finished tithing all the tithe of the produce of your land in the third year, you shall give the second tithe to the Levite, and to the proselyte, and to the widow, and to the orphan, and they shall eat in your cities and be filled.” That the prophet did not give the people this teaching on one day, this too shows: “Moses and the council of elders of Israel commanded,” it says, “saying, ‘Take care to do all these commandments which I command you today.’” Then God the Master commanded that after crossing the Jordan they should set up two great stones, plaster them, and write the commandments on them; then build an altar of natural stones on Mount Ebal and perform the customary sacrifices; and, besides the others, the peace offering as a kind of thank offering, and afterwards feast, singing hymns to God their benefactor.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.33 (PG 80 80:433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-33)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.34":{"o":"Τί δήποτε κατάραις αὐτοὺς καὶ εὐλογίαις ὑπέβαλεν ; Ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς τὰ τέλεια μαθήματα τοῖς τελείοις προσενεγκών, βασιλείαν μὲν οὐρανῶν τοῖς ταῦτα πληροῦσιν ὑπέσχετο, ἠπείλησε δὲ τοῖς παραβαίνουσι γέενναν. Ἰουδαίοις δὲ χαμαιπετὲς ἔχουσι καὶ χαμαίζηλον φρόνημα, τὰς τῇ γῇ προσηκούσας ἀρὰς καὶ εὐλογίας ἀπένειμεν. Οἱ γὰρ μηδὲ τοῖς ὀρωμένοις πιστεύσαντες θαύμασι, πῶς ἂν ἐδέξαντο τὰ τῷ μέλλοντι βίῳ προσήκοντα; Ἐπισημήνασθαι δὲ χρὴ, ὡς τὰς μὲν εὐλογίας ταῖς ἐκ τῶν ἐλευθέρων βεβλαστηκυίαις φυλαῖς ἀπένειμε, καὶ τὴν ἱερατικὴν ἐνταῦθα τῷ λαῷ συνηρίθμησε καὶ τὴν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ διπλῆν οὖσαν, ὡς μιαν προσέταξεν εὐλογεῖν, Τὰς δὲ κατάρας τοῖς ἡμιδούλοις ἐκλήρωσε συντάξας αὐτοῖς διὰ τὸν τῶν φυλῶν ἀριθμὸν, τὸν Ῥουβεὶν καὶ τὸν Ζαβουλών· τὸν μὲν ὡς ἁμαρτία περιπεπτωκότα, τὸν δὲ ὡς ἔσχατον τῶν τῆς Λείας υἱῶν Ἐπαρᾶσθαι δὲ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων πάντων ἐκέλευσε τοῖς εἰς τὸ Θεῖον ἀσεβοῦσι, καὶ τὰ χειροποίητα προσκυνοῦσιν ἀγάλματα. Εἶτα τοῖς εἰς τοὺς πατέρας παρανομοῦσι. Μετὰ γὰρ τὰ θεῖα δίκαιον θεραπεύειν τούτους, δι' ὧν εἰς τὸ εἶναι παρήχθημεν. Ἔπειτα τοῖς ἐπικερτομοῦσι τοὺς τὸ βλέπειν ἀφῃρημένους, καὶ τῆς εὐθείας αὐτοὺς ἐκτρέπειν ὁδοῦ πειρωμένοις· καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς τοῖς τὰς προειρημένας παραβαίνουσιν ἐντολάς. Ταῦτα δὲ τῶν ἱερέων λεγόντων, ἐπιλέγειν ἐκέλευσε τὸν λαὸν, Γένοιτο, γένοιτο οἷον ὑπογραφήν τινα γραμματείου ταύτην παρ' αὐτῶν κομιζόμενος τὴν φωνήν. Τοῖς δὲ τὰς θείας φυλάττουσιν ἐντολὰς, τὰς παντοδαπὰς δέδωκεν εὐλογίας, καὶ τοῖς τὰς πόλεις καὶ τὰς κώμας οἰκοῦσιν εὐπαιδίαν, πολυπαιδίαν, ποιμνίων καὶ βουκολίων πολυγονίαν, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ γῆς εὐκαρπίαν, τὴν εν εἰρήνῃ διαγωγὴν, τὴν ἐν πολέμοις νίκην· καὶ τὰ τούτοις προσόμοια. Ταῖς δὲ σωματικαῖς καὶ πνευματικὴν εὐλογίαν προστέθεικεν ᾿Αναστήσαι σε Κύριος ἑαυτῷ λαὸν ἄγιον, ὃν τρόπον ὤμοσε τοῖς πατράσι σου. Καὶ τοῦτον δὲ προστέθεικε τὸν διορισμόν Ἐὰν εἰσακούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, καὶ πορευθῇς ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ. Ταῦτα γὰρ οἱ μὲν ὁρῶντες, οἱ δὲ ἀκούοντες φοβηθήσονται, λογιζόμενοι τὴν θείαν κηδεμονίαν ἧς ἀπολαύετε Τὸ μέντοι, Γενέσθαι εἰς κεφαλὴν, καὶ μὴ εἰς οὐρὰν, ἄρχοντα λέγει καὶ μὴ δουλεύοντα. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπήγαγε· Καὶ ἔσῃ τότε ἐπάνω, καὶ οὐχ ὑποκάτω. Εἶτα πάλιν ἐπιφέρει τὰς ἀρὰς τἀναντία τῶν προβῥηθεισῶν ἐχούσας εὐλογιῶν, ἀγονίαν δυσκληρίαν, ἔνδειαν, νόσους, ταλαιπωρίαν, λιμὸν, λοιμὸν, πόλεμον, ἧτταν, ἀνομβρίαν, γῆς ἀκαρπίαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ σιδηρᾶ γῆ δηλοῖ, καὶ ὁ χαλκοῦς οὐρανός. Ἔπειτα τὰ ἐν πολιορκίᾳ γινόμενα· Γυναῖκα λήψῃ, καὶ ἀνὴρ ἕτερος ἤξει καὶ ἄξει αὐτήν· οἰκίαν οἰκοδομήσεις, καὶ οὐκ ἐνοικήσεις ἐν αὐτῇ· ἀμπελῶνα φυτεύσεις, καὶ οὐ τρυγήσεις αὐτόν· ὁ μόσχος σου ἐσφαγμένος ἐναντίον σου, καὶ μὴ φάγῃ ἐξ αὐτοῦ· καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει διάνοιαν. Προστίθησι δὲ καὶ ἑλκῶν ἀπειλὰς, καὶ παθημάτων διαφορὰς, καὶ ἀνδραποδισμοὺς, καὶ τὸ πάντων χαλεπώτατον· Ὁ προσήλυτος, φησὶν, ὅστις ἔστι σοι ἀναβήσεται ἐπὶ σὲ ἄνω, σὺ δὲ καταβήσῃ κάτω. Αἰνίττεται δὲ διὰ τούτων τῶν ἐθνῶν τὴν εὐσέβειαν, καὶ τὴν αὐτῶν ἀπιστίαν προείπεν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὴν ὑπὸ ᾿Ασσυρίων, καὶ Βαβυλωνίων, καὶ Μακεδόνων, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον τῆς ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων γεγενημένης πολιορκίας τὰς συμφοράς. Φαγῇ γὰρ, ἔφη, τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου, κρέα υἱῶν σου καὶ θυγατέρων σου, ὅσα ἔδωκέ σοι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν τῇ στενοχωρίᾳ σου, καὶ ἐν τῇ θλίψει σου, ᾗ θλίψει σε ὁ ἐχθρός σου καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα μετὰ τὴν πεῖραν ὁ προφήτης Ἱερεμίας ἔφη τοὺς θρήνους συγγράφων. Ἠπείλησε δὲ οὐ μόνον ταύτας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρας πολλαπλασίας ἐποίσειν αὐτοῖς τιμωρίας, τὰς θείας παραβαίνουσιν ἐντολάς. Ἠπείλησεν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὴν Αἰγυπτίων δουλείαν, ἧς πεῖραν λαβόντες ἕναυλον εἶχον τὴν μνήμην. Οἱ γὰρ ἐξανδραποδίζοντές σε, φησὶν, ἐκεῖνοί σε ἀποδώσονται.","t":"Why did he subject them to curses and blessings? Christ the Master, offering perfect teachings to the perfect, promised the kingdom of heaven to those who fulfil them and threatened Gehenna to those who transgress. But to the Jews, whose mind was low and grovelling, he assigned curses and blessings belonging to the earth. For those who did not believe even the wonders they saw, how would they have accepted what belongs to the life to come? One should note that he assigned the blessings to the tribes sprung from the free wives (and here he counted the priestly tribe with the people, and ordered Joseph's tribe, though double, to bless as one), and allotted the curses to the half-slave tribes, ranging with them, to make up the number of the tribes, Reuben and Zebulun: the one as having fallen into sin, the other as the last of Leah's sons. He ordered them to curse first of all those who are impious toward the Divine and worship handmade images; then those who sin against their fathers, for after divine things it is right to honour those through whom we were brought into being; then those who mock people deprived of sight and try to turn them from the straight road; and, in short, those who transgress the aforementioned commandments. As the priests said these things, he commanded the people to respond, “So be it, so be it,” receiving this word from them like a signature on a document. To those who keep the divine commandments he gave blessings of every kind: to those living in the cities and villages, good children and many children, abundant increase of flocks and herds, fruitfulness from the earth, life in peace, victory in war, and the like. To the bodily blessings he also added a spiritual one: “May the Lord raise you up for himself as a holy people, as he swore to your fathers.” And he added this condition: “If you listen to the voice of the Lord your God and walk in his ways.” For some seeing these things and others hearing of them will fear, considering the divine care you enjoy. “To be the head and not the tail” means a ruler and not a slave; for he added, “And you shall then be above and not below.” Then he brings on the curses, which are the opposite of the blessings mentioned: childlessness, misfortune, want, disease, misery, famine, plague, war, defeat, drought, barrenness of the earth; for this is what the iron earth and the bronze heaven mean. Then what happens in a siege: “You shall take a wife, and another man shall come and take her; you shall build a house and not live in it; you shall plant a vineyard and not gather its grapes; your calf shall be slaughtered before you, and you shall not eat of it,” and what follows has the same sense. He adds threats of sores, various sufferings, enslavements, and the hardest of all: “The proselyte who is with you,” he says, “shall go up above you, and you shall go down below.” Through these he hints at the piety of the nations; and he foretold to them their unbelief, and the calamities under the Assyrians, the Babylonians and the Macedonians, and finally those of the siege by the Romans. “For you shall eat,” he said, “the offspring of your womb, the flesh of your sons and your daughters, whom the Lord your God has given you, in the distress and in the affliction with which your enemy will afflict you,” and the other things that the prophet Jeremiah spoke of after experiencing them, when he wrote the Lamentations. And he threatened to bring on them not only these but many more punishments if they transgressed the divine commandments. He also threatened them with slavery in Egypt, of which, having experienced it, they kept a fresh memory: “For those who enslave you,” he says, “will sell you.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.34 (PG 80 80:433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-34)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.35":{"o":"Ταύτας τὰς ἀρὰς, καὶ τὰς εὐλογίας τοῖς τούτων οὐκ ἐδεδώκει πατράσιν. Ἔχει τοίνυν ἡ βίβλος αὕτη καινήν τινα παρὰ τὰς ἄλλας διδασκαλίαν. Ἐπεσημήνατο τοῦτο καὶ ὁ προφήτης. Πεπληρωκὼς γὰρ τὸν περὶ τῶν ἀρῶν καὶ τῶν εὐλογιῶν λόγον, ἐπήγαγεν Οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι τῆς διαθήκης, ἧς ἐνετείλατο Κύριος τῷ Μωσῇ στῆσαι τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ ἐν γῇ Μωάβ, πλὴν τῆς διαθήκης ἧς διέθετο αὐτοῖς ἐν Χωρήβ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔμελλεν αὐτοὺς εἰσάγειν εἰς ἣν ἐπηγγείλατο γῆν, ἀναγκαίως καὶ ταῖς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐπαγγελίαις προτρέπει, καὶ ταῖς τῶν τιμωριῶν ἀπειλαῖς καταπλήττει, καὶ πάντα κινεῖ πόρον εἰς τὴν τῶν ψυχῶν αὐτῶν ἰατρείαν.","t":"These curses and blessings he had not given to their fathers. This book, then, contains some teaching new in comparison with the others. The prophet too pointed this out. For having finished the account of the curses and the blessings, he added: “These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to establish with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he made with them at Horeb.” For since he was about to bring them into the land he had promised, he necessarily both urges them on with promises of good things and strikes them with threats of punishments, and tries every means for the healing of their souls.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.35 (PG 80 80:437; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-35)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.36":{"o":"Τί δήποτε πλείους τῶν εὐλογιῶν αἱ ἀραί; Τοὺς πονηροὺς οἰκέτας οὐ τοσοῦτον ὠφελοῦσιν αἱ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἐπαγγελίαι, ὅσον τῶν μαστίγων αἱ ἀπειλαί.","t":"Why are the curses more numerous than the blessings? Promises of freedom do not help bad servants as much as threats of the whip.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.36 (PG 80 80:437; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-36)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.37":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Οὐκ ἔδωκε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῖν καρδίαν εἰδέναι, καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς βλέπειν, καὶ ὦτα ἀκούειν, ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης; Ὡς τὸ, Παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν·, καὶ, Παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας, καὶ, Ἑσκλήρυνε Κύριος τὴν καρδίαν Φαραώ.» ᾿Αγαθῶν γὰρ αἴτιος ὁ Θεὸς, κακῶν δὲ ἀναίτιος. Ἐπιδείκνυσι γὰρ τὸ πρακτέον καὶ ἀποτρέπει μὲν τῶν ἐναντίων, οὐ βιάζεται δὲ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν γνώμην, ἀλλὰ τῷ αὐτεξουσίῳ παραχωρεῖ. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ συγχωρεῖ γενέσθαι τἀναντία κωλῦσαι δυνάμενος, οὐκ ἀνέχεται δὲ κωλύειν, ἵνα μὴ βίᾳ καὶ ἀνάγκῃ γένηται τὸ πραττόμενον (τὸ γὰρ ἐθελούσιον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀξιέπαινον), τὴν συγχώρησιν αἰτίαν ἐκάλεσε. Τούτῳ ἔοικε τὸ ἐν τοῖς θείοις Εὐαγγελίοις εἰρημένον Τετύφλωκεν αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, καὶ πεπώρωκεν αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν. Καὶ μὴν πάντα πόρον ἐκίνησεν, ὥστε αὐτοὺς ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς σωτηρίας· θαυματουργῶν, τὰ πεπηρωμένα μέλη θεραπεύων, ἐν ἐρήμῳ τρέφων, τοῖς στοιχείοις κελεύων. Οὐ τοίνυν αὐτὸς τῆς ἐκείνων αἴτιος ἀπιστίας. Τί δήποτε τοίνυν ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς τὴν προφητικὴν τέθεικε μαρτυρίαν; Ἵνα δείξῃ ὡς οὐδὲν τούτων ἠγνόησεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός· ἀλλὰ πόῤῥωθεν αὐτὰ προηγόρευσεν. ᾿Ακοῇ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε. Οὕτω νοητέον καὶ τὸ ἐνταῦθα κείμενον Οὐκ ἔδωκε Κύριος ὑμῖν καρδίαν εἰδέναι, καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς βλέπειν, καὶ ὦτα ἀκούειν, ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.» Εἰ δὲ αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἔδωκε τὸ βλέπειν, καὶ τὸ ἀκούειν, καὶ τὸ λογίζεσθαι, τί δήποτε καὶ ἐπαρᾶται, καὶ τιμωρεῖται τοὺς οὐχ ἑκόντας παρανομήσαντας; Ἀλλὰ περιττὸν οἶμαι περὶ τούτου μηκύνειν. Δῆλον γὰρ καὶ τοῖς ἄγαν ἀνοήτοις, ὡς ὁ τοιαύτην διδασκαλίαν προσενεγκὼν, οὐκ ἀφαιρεῖται τὸ βλέπειν, ἀλλὰ ποδηγεῖ, καὶ φωτίζει, καὶ τὴν εὐθεῖαν ὁδὸν ἐπιδείκνυσι. Διδάσκει δὲ τοῦτο καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· Οὐχ ὑμῖν γὰρ μόνοις ἐγὼ διατίθεμαι τὴν διαθήκην ταύτην καὶ τὴν ἀρὰν ταύτην, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ὁδεύουσι μεθ' ὑμῶν σήμερον ἔναντι Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν, καὶ τοῖς μὴ οὖσιν ὧδε μεθ' ὑμῶν σήμερον. Ὁ δὲ καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἔσεσθαι προμηθούμενος, πῶς ἂν τῶν παρόντων καὶ δεχομένων τὸν νόμον ἡμέλησε; Τί δήποτε δὲ καὶ ἐνομοθέτει τοῖς συνιέναι μὴ δυναμένοις; Ἰστέον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὡς καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις πολλάκις οἱ προφῆται κέχρηνται λόγοις, ὡς μᾶλλον γνωριμωτέροις. Εἰώθασι δέ τινες καὶ οἰκέταις ἐγκαλοῦντες, καὶ μαθηταῖς, λέγειν Ἐτύφλωσεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν καρδίαν σου, ἐκώφωσεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ ὦτά σου. Τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ ἐνταῦθα ὁ προφήτης πεποίηκε, καὶ διὰ τῶν συνήθων λόγων τῆς ἀνοίας αὐτῶν κατηγόρησε.","t":"How is “The Lord your God has not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, until this day” to be understood? Like “He gave them up to a debased mind,” and “He gave them up to dishonourable passions,” and “The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart.” For God is the cause of good things but not the cause of evil ones. He shows what should be done and turns people away from the opposite, but he does not force human will; he leaves it to its free choice. And since he permits the opposite to happen, though able to prevent it, and does not consent to prevent it, so that what is done may not be done by force and compulsion (for it is the voluntary character of virtue that is praiseworthy), Scripture has called the permission a cause. Like this is the saying in the divine Gospels: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart.” And yet he tried every means so that they might enjoy salvation: working wonders, healing maimed limbs, feeding them in the wilderness, giving orders to the elements. So he is not the cause of their unbelief. Why then did the evangelist set down the prophetic testimony? To show that God the Master was ignorant of none of these things but foretold them long before: “For you will indeed hear,” he says, “and not understand, and you will indeed see and not perceive.” So also the present text is to be understood: “The Lord has not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, until this day.” If he had not given them sight and hearing and reasoning, why does he curse and punish those who broke the law unwillingly? But I think it superfluous to say more about this. It is clear even to the very foolish that the one who offered such teaching does not take away sight, but guides, enlightens and shows the straight road. What follows also teaches this: “For not with you alone do I make this covenant and this curse, but also with those who travel with you today before the Lord your God, and with those who are not here with you today.” He who takes thought even for those who will exist in the future, how could he have neglected those present and receiving the law? And why would he legislate for those unable to understand? This too should be known: the prophets often use human expressions, as more familiar. Some, when reproaching servants or pupils, are accustomed to say, “God has blinded your heart, God has deafened your ears.” Something like this the prophet has done here too, accusing them of folly in customary words.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.37 (PG 80 80:437; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-37)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.38":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον, Ἐάν τις ἀκούσῃ τὰ ῥήματα τῆς ἀρᾶς ταύτης, καὶ ἐπιφημίσηται ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, λέγων· \"Ὅσιά μοι γένοιτο, ὅτι ἐν τῇ ἀποπλανήσει τῆς καρδίας μου πορεύσομαι; Τὸν κατὰ τῶν θείων θρασυνόμενον ἐντολῶν ὁ λόγος διέγραψε. Πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ διὰ ῥαθυμίαν τὸν θεῖον παραβαίνουσι νόμον. Πολλοὶ δὲ δι' αὐθάδειαν καὶ τῦφον καταφρονοῦσι τῶν ἐντολῶν. Τοῦτον ἐνταῦθα δεδήλωκεν, ὡς τὴν ἐναντίαν ὁδὸν προαιρούμενον, καὶ τὴν πλανῶσαν τῆς εὐθείας προκρίνοντα. Τούτῳ τὸν ἔσχατον ἠπείλησεν ὄλεθρον· ὥστε καὶ τοῖς ὁρῶσι, καὶ τοῖς ἀκούουσιν, ἀσεβείας γενέσθαι παράδειγμα. Διδάσκων δὲ αὐτοὺς ὡς οὐδὲν ἀγνοεῖ τῶν λάθρα γιγνομένων, ἐπήγαγε Τὰ κρυπτὰ Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ὑμῶν τὰ δὲ φανερὰ ὑμῖν καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν. Ὥσπερ, φησὶν, ὑμεῖς γιγνώσκετε τὰ προφανῶς γιγνόμενα, οὕτως ἐμοὶ δῆλα καὶ αὐτὰ τῶν λογισμῶν τὰ κινήματα. Εἰσάγει δὲ καὶ τὸν περὶ μετανοίας λόγον. Ἐὰν γὰρ, φησὶν, τὰς θείας παραβεβηκὼς ἐντολὰς ταύταις ταῖς ἀραῖς περιπέσῃς, καὶ δορυάλωτος γενόμενος τὸν τῆς δουλείας δέξῃ ζυγόν· εἶτα σώφρονι χρησάμενος λογισμῷ, τὰς τῆς ξυλείας αἰτίας ἐπιζητήσῃς, καὶ ἐξιλεώσῃ τὸν νομοθέτην, οἴκτῳ χρώμενος ἐπανάξει σε, καὶ τὴν πατρῴαν ἀποδώσει σοι γῆν. Καὶ τοῦτο πολλάκις γεγένηται, καὶ διδάσκει σαφῶς καὶ τῶν Κριτῶν ἡ βίβλος, καὶ τῶν Βασιλειῶν, καὶ τῶν Παραλειπομένων ἡ ἱστορία Ὕστερον μέντοι κατὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος λυττήσαντες εἰς ἅπασαν μὲν γῆν καὶ θάλατταν διεσπάρησαν τετρακοσίων δὲ διεληλυθότων ἐτῶν οὐκ ἔτυχον ἀνακλήσεως. Ἐπέδειξε δὲ καὶ τῆς τῶν νόμων φυλακῆς τὴν εὐκολίαν Ἡ ἐντολὴ γὰρ, φησὶν, αὕτη, ἣν ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, οὐχ ὑπέρογκος, οὐδὲ μακράν ἐστιν ἀπὸ σοῦ οὐκ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἐστι, λέγων· Τίς ἀναβήσεται εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ λήψεται ἡμῖν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἀκούσαντες αὐτὴν ποιήσομεν; οὐδὲ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης, λέγων· Τις διαπεράσει εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ λήψεται ἡμῖν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἀκουστὴν ἡμῖν ποιήσει αὐτὴν, καὶ ποιήσομεν;» Οὔτε πτερῶν σοι, φησὶ, χρεία εἰς πτῆσιν, οὔτε πλοίων εἰς ἀποδημίαν, ἵνα διδαχδῇς τὸ πρακτέον ᾿Αλλ' ἐγγύς σου τὸ ῥῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου, καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, καὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσί σου ποιεῖν αὐτό. Δηλοῖ δὲ διὰ μὲν τοῦ στόματος, τὴν τῶν θείων λογίων μελέτην διὰ δὲ τῆς καρδίας, τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς προθυμίαν· διὰ δὲ τῶν χειρῶν, τὴν πρᾶξιν τῶν ἐντολῶν. Ταύτῃ τῇ μαρτυρίᾳ καὶ ὁ θεῖος ἐχρήσατο Παῦλος Ἐὰν γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁμολογήσῃς ἐν τῷ στόματί σου Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, καὶ πιστεύσῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, σωθήσῃ. Καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην· στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν. Τέθεικε δὲ καὶ τῆς τῶν νόμων φυλακῆς καὶ τῆς παραβάσεως τὰ ἄθλα, καὶ τὴν ζωὴν, καὶ τὸν θάνατον.","t":"How is “If anyone hears the words of this curse and blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘May holy things be mine, for I will walk in the wandering of my heart’” to be understood? The passage describes the one who is insolent toward the divine commandments. Many transgress the divine law through carelessness; but many despise the commandments through self-will and pride. It is this man he has shown here, as one who chooses the opposite road and prefers the one that leads astray to the straight one. He threatened him with utter destruction, so that he would become an example of impiety to those who see and those who hear. Teaching them that he knows everything done in secret, he added: “The hidden things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things to you and your children.” As you know what is done openly, he means, so the very movements of thoughts are plain to me. He also introduces the teaching about repentance. If, he says, having transgressed the divine commandments, you fall under these curses and, taken captive, receive the yoke of slavery, and then, using sober reasoning, seek out the causes of your slavery and appease the lawgiver, he will have pity and bring you back and restore to you your ancestral land. This happened many times, as the book of Judges and the history of the Kingdoms and of the Chronicles clearly teach. Later, however, having raged against the Saviour, they were scattered over all land and sea, and though four hundred years have passed they have not obtained a recall. He also showed how easy it is to keep the laws: “For this commandment,” he says, “which I command you today, is not too heavy, nor is it far from you. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven and get it for us, so that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us, and make it heard by us, and we will do it?’” You need neither wings for flight, he means, nor ships for a voyage, to be taught what you must do; “but the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart and in your hands, to do it.” By the mouth he means meditation on the divine oracles; by the heart, the eagerness of the soul; by the hands, the doing of the commandments. The divine Paul also used this testimony: “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.” He has also set out the prizes for keeping the laws and for transgressing them: life and death.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.38 (PG 80 80:441; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-38)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.39":{"o":"Τί δήποτε μετὰ ἑπτὰ ἔτη προσέταξεν ὁ νομοθέτης ταύτην αὐτοῖς ἀναγνωσθῆναι τὴν βίβλον ; Οὐκ ἦγον σχολὴν πολεμοῦντες, καὶ τὰς πόλεις πολιορκοῦντες καὶ μέντοι, καὶ μετὰ τὴν νίκην, κατὰ φυλὰς τὴν γῆν μεριζόμενοι, καὶ κατὰ δήμους, καὶ πατριὰς, καὶ καθ᾽ ἕνα· εἶτα οἰκοδομοῦντες, καὶ γεωργοῦντες, καὶ τ᾿ ἄλλα ποιοῦντες, ὅσα πράττειν ἀνάγκη τοὺς ξένης γῆς τὴν δεσποτείαν παρειληφότας. Τούτου χάριν τῷ ἑβδόμῳ ἔτει, μετὰ τὴν τούτων ἀπαλλαγὴν, γενέσθαι προσέταξε τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν.","t":"Why did the lawgiver order this book to be read to them after seven years? They had no leisure while they were fighting and besieging the cities; and also after the victory, while they were dividing the land by tribes, by clans, by families and by individuals; then building, farming and doing all the other things that those who have taken possession of a foreign land must do. For this reason he ordered the reading to take place in the seventh year, after they were free of these tasks.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.39 (PG 80 80:443; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-39)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.4":{"o":"Τι δήποτε κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀμνύναι διαγορεύει ὁ νόμος; ἵνα μὴ κατὰ τῶν ψευδωνύμων ὀμνύωσι θεῶν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου ἔφη· Ἐὰν ἐξάρῃς τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν Βααλεὶμ ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου, καὶ ὀμόσῃς, Ζῇ Κύριος, μετὰ ἀληθείας. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα δὲ εἰρηκὼς, Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου φοβηθήσῃ, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν κολληθήσῃ, καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ὀμῇ, ἐπήγαγεν· Οὐ πορεύσεσθε ὀπίσω Θεῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἀπὸ τῶν Θεῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν περικύκλῳ ὑμῶν.»","t":"Why does the law direct them to swear by God? So that they would not swear by the falsely named gods. For he said this through the prophet too: “If you remove the names of the Baals from your mouth, and swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth.” And here too, having said, “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve him alone, and cleave to him, and swear by his name,” he added: “You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the nations around you.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.4 (PG 80 80:409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-4)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.40":{"o":"Διατί τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν διαμαρτύρεσθαι προσετάχθη ; Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ἔμψυχα ταῦτα καὶ λογικά, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι πάντων ἐστὶ τῶν κτισμάτων περιεκτικά. Τοῦτο καὶ Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης πεποίηκεν· \"Ακουε γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐρανέ, καὶ ἐνωτίζου, γῆ, ὅτι Κύριος ἐλάλησε. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἱερεμίας Ἐξέστη γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ οὐρανὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ, καὶ ἔφριξεν ἐπιπλεῖον ἡ γῆ, λέγει Κύριος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰς μαρτυρίαν αὐτὰ τῆς ἀπειλῆς ὁ νομοθέτης ἐκάλεσεν, εἰκότως μετὰ τὴν τῶν νόμων παράβασιν, καὶ φρίξαι λέγεται, καὶ ἐκστῆναι. Οὕτω καὶ Ἰακὼβ καὶ ὁ Λάβαν τὸν βουνὸν ὠνόμασαν βουνὸν τῆς μαρτυρίας καὶ Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πατριάρχης, καὶ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ τῶν Γεράρων ὁ βασιλεὺς, φρέαρ τοῦ ὅρκου· ὡς ἐκεῖ μεθ᾽ ὅρκου ποιησάμενοι τὰς συνθήκας.","t":"Why was he commanded to call heaven and earth to witness? Not because they are living and rational, but because they contain all created things. The prophet Isaiah also did this: “Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken.” So did the divine Jeremiah: “Heaven was astonished at this, and the earth shuddered greatly, says the Lord.” For since the lawgiver called them as witnesses of the threat, fittingly, after the transgression of the laws, they are said to shudder and be astonished. So too Jacob and Laban named the hill “the hill of witness,” and Abraham the patriarch and Abimelech king of Gerar named the well “the well of the oath,” as having made their agreements there with an oath.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.40 (PG 80 80:443; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-40)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.41":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Ἐγὼ παραζηλώσω ὑμᾶς ἐπ᾿ οὐκ ἔθνει, ἐπ᾿ ἔθνει ἀσυνέτῳ παροργιῶ ὑμᾶς ; Οὐκ ἔθνος ἓν οἱ τῷ Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ πεπιστευκότες, ἀλλὰ μυρία. Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ ποτε ἀσύνετα ἦν, καὶ ἀνόητα, ᾗ φησιν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος· Ἦμεν γάρ ποτε καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀνόητοι, ἀπειθεῖς, πλανώμενοι, δουλεύοντες ἐπιθυμίαις καὶ ἡδοναῖς ποικίλαις, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ωσπερ τοίνυν, φησὶν, ὑμεῖς τὸν ἕνα καταλιπόντες Θεὸν, πολλοὺς ψευδωνύμους προτετιμήκατε οὕτως ἐγὼ τὸν ἕνα λαὸν ἀποῤῥίψας, πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι παρέξω τὴν σωτηρίαν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὑμεῖς μὲν, τοὺς οὐχ ὄντας τετιμηκότες θεοὺς οὐκ ἀπεφήνατε θεούς. Ἐγὼ δὲ τὰ ἀσύνετα ἔθνη θείας ἐμπλήσω σοφίας· ὑμεῖς δὲ ὁρῶντες τῷ φθόνῳ τακήσεσθε.","t":"How is “I will make you jealous with what is no nation; with a foolish nation I will provoke you” to be understood? Those who have believed in Christ the Saviour are not one nation but countless ones. And these were once foolish and senseless, as the blessed Paul says: “For we too were once senseless, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various desires and pleasures,” and so on. As you, he means, abandoned the one God and preferred many falsely named ones, so I will reject the one people and give salvation to all the nations. But you, though you honoured those who are not gods, did not make them gods; whereas I will fill the foolish nations with divine wisdom, and you, seeing it, will waste away with envy.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.41 (PG 80 80:443; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-41)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.42":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Εὐφράνθητε, ἔθνη, μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐνισχυσάτωσαν αὐτοὺς πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ Καὶ ἐξ Ἰουδαίων πολλαὶ μυριάδες ἐπίστευσαν τῷ Δεσπότη Χριστῷ, καὶ τὸ πλεῖστον τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐθνῶν· ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἔθνεσι τὴν διδασκαλίαν οἱ ἐξ Ἰουδαίων πεπιστευκότες παρέδωκαν Ἐξ Ἰουδαίων γὰρ οἱ θεῖοι ἀπόστολοι. Ταῦτα τοίνυν προθεσπίζων ὁ προφήτης ἔφη· Εὐφράνθητε, ἔθνη, μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ, τουτέστι τῶν ἐξ Ἰουδαίων πεπιστευκότων καὶ ἐνισχυσάτωσαν αὐτοὺς πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ, τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν πεπιστευκότας. Καὶ γὰρ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν γεννηθέντος, χορὸς ἀγγέλων ὑμνεῖ τὴν θείαν φιλανθρωπίαν, βοῶν Δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις Θεῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη, ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία.» Καὶ τὰς ἀσπάρτους δὲ καὶ ἀλοχεύτους ἐκείνας ὠδῖνας Γαβριήλ προείρηκεν ὁ ἀρχάγγελος. Κὰν τῷ πρὸς τὸν διάβολον ἀγῶνι παρῆσαν τῶν ἀγγέλων οἱ δῆμοι. Προσελθόντες γὰρ, φησὶν, ἄγγελοι διηκόνουν αὐτῷ. Καὶ τῷ πάθει δὲ παρῆσαν, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν τῷ τάφῳ προσήδρευον, καὶ ταῖς γυναιξὶν ἔλεγον· Τί ζητεῖτε τὸν ζῶντα μετὰ τῶν νεκρῶν; Καὶ μετὰ τὴν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἄνοδον τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἔφασαν ἀποστόλοις· Τί ἑστήκατε ἐμβλέποντες εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν; οὗτος ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὁ ἀναληφθεὶς ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, οὕτως ἐλεύσεται, ὃν τρόπον ἐθεάσασθε αὐτὸν πορευόμενον εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. Καὶ τῷ Κορνηλίῳ ἄγγελος τὰ κατὰ τὸν μέγαν Πέτρον ἐμήνυσε. Καὶ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ τοῖς συμπλέουσιν ἔφη Ὤφθη μοι ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ οὗ είμι. Καὶ πολλὰ δὲ τοιαῦτα εὕροι τις ἂν, εἴπερ ἐθέλῃ Ταῦτα μέντοι περὶ τῶν πεπιστευκότων εἰπὼν ὁ προφήτης, προλέγει καὶ τῶν ἀπίστων τὰς τιμωρίας, καὶ δήλας τούτων τὰς αἰτίας ποιεῖ. Ἔφη γὰρ οὕτως Ὅτι τὸ αἷμα τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκδικεῖται, καὶ ἐκδικήσει, καὶ ἀνταποδώσει δίκην τοῖς ἐχθροῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῖς μισοῦσιν αὐτὸν ἀνταποδώσει καὶ ἐκκαθαριεῖ Κύριος τὴν γῆν τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ. Υἱοὺς δὲ νῦν τοῦ Θεοῦ κέκληκε τοὺς ἁγίους, οὓς ἀνεῖλον οἱ μιαιφόνοι. Ἵνα γὰρ τῶν προφητῶν τὰς σφαγὰς καταλίπω, καὶ τοῦ Δεσπότου τὸ σωτήριον πάθος, τὸν μὲν καλλίνικον κατέλευσαν Στέφανον, ξύλῳ δὲ τὸν μέγαν ἀνεῖλον Ἰάκωβον· εἰς θεραπείαν δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν ἕτερον Ἰάκωβον Ἡρώδης ἀπετυμπάνισε, καὶ πολλὰς δὲ ἄλλας μιαιφονίας ἐτόλμησαν καὶ τῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ πεπιστευκότων τὰς οἰκίας ἐξεπόρθησαν. Καὶ τοῦτο δε δεδήλωκεν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολῇ· Καὶ τὴν ἁρπαγὴν τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ὑμῶν μετὰ χαρᾶς προσεδέξασθε. Καὶ Θεσσαλονικεῦσι δὲ ἐπιστέλλων οὕτως ἔφη· Μιμηταὶ γὰρ ἐγένεσθε τῶν ἁγίων τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ. Τὰ γὰρ αὐτὰ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπάθετε ὑπὸ τῶν ἰδίων συμφυλετῶν, καθάπερ ἐκεῖνοι ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, τῶν καὶ τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν ἀποκτεινάντων, καὶ τοὺς ἰδίους προφήτας, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκδιωξάντων, καὶ Θεῷ μὴ ἀρεσκόντων, καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐναντίων. Ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Κύριος αὐτῶν κατηγόρησεν ἐν τῇ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος παραβολῇ, ὅτι τῶν δούλων ὃν μὲν ἔδειραν, ὃν δὲ ἀπέκτειναν, ὃν δὲ ἐλιθοβόλησαν· τούτου χάριν αὐτοὺς εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην διέσπειρεν.","t":"How is “Rejoice, O nations, with his people, and let all the angels of God strengthen them” to be understood? Many tens of thousands of the Jews too believed in Christ the Master, and most of the nations throughout the world; but it was those of the Jews who believed who handed on the teaching to the nations, for the divine apostles were from the Jews. Foretelling these things, then, the prophet said: “Rejoice, O nations, with his people,” that is, with those of the Jews who believed; “and let all the angels of God strengthen them,” that is, those who believed in him. For when our Saviour was born, a choir of angels sang of the divine kindness, crying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men.” And Gabriel the archangel foretold that birth without seed and without labour. And in the contest with the devil the companies of angels were present: “For angels came,” it says, “and ministered to him.” They were present at the passion too, and after the resurrection they attended the tomb and said to the women, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” And after the ascension into heaven they said to the holy apostles, “Why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him going into heaven.” And an angel told Cornelius about the great Peter. And the divine Apostle on the ship said to those sailing with him, “There appeared to me an angel of the God to whom I belong.” One could find many such things if one wished. Having said these things about the believers, the prophet also foretells the punishments of the unbelievers and makes their causes plain. For he spoke thus: “For the blood of his sons is avenged, and he will avenge and repay justice to his enemies, and repay those who hate him; and the Lord will cleanse the land of his people.” He has here called the saints whom the murderers killed “sons of God.” To pass over the slaughter of the prophets and the saving passion of the Master, they stoned the victorious Stephen, they killed the great James with a club, and to please them Herod beheaded the other James; they dared many other murders and plundered the houses of those who believed in the Lord. The divine Apostle showed this too in the Letter to the Hebrews: “And you accepted joyfully the plundering of your property.” And writing to the Thessalonians he said: “For you became imitators of the saints in Judea; for you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and do not please God, and oppose all men.” The Lord too accused them of this in the parable of the vineyard: of the servants, they beat one, killed another and stoned another. For this reason he scattered them over the whole world.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.42 (PG 80 80:445; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-42)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.43":{"o":"Τι δήποτε διὰ σμικρὰν πλημμέλειαν πόρρωθεν ἰδεῖν ὁ Μωσῆς προσετάχθη τὴν γῆν, εἰσαγαγεῖν δὲ τὸν λαὸν ἐκωλύθη; Διδάσκει διὰ τούτων ἡμᾶς ὁ Δεσπότης, ὡς τοὺς ἐν ἀρετῇ τελείους τὴν ἄκραν ἀρετὴν ἀπαιτεῖ, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις μεγάλα παρανομοῦσι μακροθυμῶν, τοῖς ἁγίοις ταύτης οὐ μεταδίδωσι τῆς συγγνώμης. Τοῦτο καὶ σοφός τις ἔφη Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐλάχιστος συγγνωστός ἐστιν ἐλέους, δυνατοὶ δὲ δυνατῶς ἑτασθήσονται. Καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις· Ὦ μὲν γὰρ ὀλίγον δοθήσεται, ὀλίγον καὶ ἀπαιτήσουσι παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ᾧ δὲ πολὺ δοθήσεται, πολὺ ἀπαιτήσουσι παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ Ἰστέον μέντοι καὶ τοῦτο, ὡς ἕτερα δι᾽ ἑτέρων ὁ Δεσπότης οἰκονομεῖ. Ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ τουτονὶ τὸν μέγαν προφήτην οὐκ εἴασεν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐπαγαγεῖν τὸν λαὸν, ἵνα μὴ ὡς Θεὸν αὐτὸν σεβασθῶσιν οἱ Ἰσραηλῖται οἱ γὰρ τὰ ἄψυχα θεοποιήσαντες, καὶ μόσχου εἰκόνα Θεὸν ὀνομάσαντες, δῆλον ὅτι πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὡς Θεὸν ἂν ἐσεβάσθησαν τὸν τοσούτων αὐτοῖς ἀγαθῶν γεγενημένον διάκονον τούτου χάριν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν τάφον ἄδηλον πεποίηκεν ὁ σοφῶς τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς πρυτανεύων Θεός. Εἰδέναι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο προσήκει, ὡς ὁ Μωσῆς τύπον ἔχει τοῦ νόμου, διὸ καὶ Μωσῆς τὴν προσηγορίαν ὁ νόμος ἔχει· Ἔχουσι γὰρ, φησὶ, Μωσέα, καὶ τοὺς προφήτας. Καί· Ἕως σήμερον ἡνίκα ἀναγινώσκεται Μωσῆς. Καί Ἑβασίλευσεν ὁ θάνατος ἀπὸ Ἀδὰμ μέχρι Μωσέως. Ὥσπερ γὰρ Ἡσαΐαν καλοῦμεν οὐ τὸν προφήτην μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἐκείνου βιβλίον· καὶ Ἱερεμίαν, καὶ Ἰεζεκιήλ, οὐ τοὺς ἄνδρας μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐκείνων βιβλία· καὶ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον, οὐ μόνον αὐτὸν τῆς ἀληθείας τὸν κήρυκα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἐκείνου βιβλίον οὕτω Μωσῆς ὁ νόμος ὠνόμασται, Ἰησοῦς δὲ ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ, τύπος τοῦ Σωτῆρος τῆς οἰκουμένης. Ωσπερ τοίνυν Μωσῆς μὲν ἐξήγαγε τὸν λαὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, Ἰησοῦς δὲ αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην εἰσήγαγε γῆν· οὕτως ὁ νόμος μὲν τῆς ἀσεβείας ἀπαλλάττει τοὺς πειθομένους, ἡ δὲ τῶν οὐρανῶν.","t":"Why, for a small fault, was Moses ordered to see the land from afar but prevented from bringing the people in? Through these things the Master teaches us that he requires the highest virtue of those perfect in virtue; and while he is patient with other people who commit great transgressions, he does not grant this indulgence to the saints. A certain wise man said this too: “For the least is pardonable in mercy, but the mighty will be mightily tested.” And the Lord in the holy Gospels: “From the one to whom little is given, little will be required; but from the one to whom much is given, much will be required.” This too must be known: the Master arranges some things through others. So too he did not let this great prophet bring the people into the land of promise, so that the Israelites would not worship him as a god; for those who deified lifeless things and called the image of a calf a god would clearly have worshipped much more as a god the man who had been the minister of so many good things to them. For this reason God, who wisely governs our affairs, also made his tomb unknown. One should also know that Moses is a type of the law; hence the law too has the name “Moses”: “They have Moses,” it says, “and the prophets”; and, “To this day, whenever Moses is read”; and, “Death reigned from Adam until Moses.” For as we call “Isaiah” not only the prophet but also his book, and Jeremiah and Ezekiel not only the men but also their books, and “the Apostle” not only the herald of truth himself but also his book, so the law is named Moses, while Joshua son of Nun is a type of the Saviour of the world. As, then, Moses brought the people out of Egypt but Joshua brought them into the promised land, so the law frees those who obey it from impiety, but the grace … of heaven.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.43 (PG 80 80:447; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-43)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.44":{"o":"Εὐαγγελίων χάρις εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν εἰσάγει τῶν Πῶς νοητέον τὰς τῶν φυλῶν εὐλογίας ; Πρῶτον ἀνέμνησεν ὁ προφήτης τῆς θείας ἐπιφανείας τῆς ἐν τῷ Σινᾷ ὄρει γεγενημένης . Κύριος γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν Σινᾷ ἥκει καὶ ἐπέφανεν ἡμῖν ἐκ Σιεὶρ, καὶ κατέκαυσεν ἐξ ὄρους Φαρὰν σὺν μυριάσι Κάδης ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ ἄγγελοι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῇ Φαρὰν, καὶ ἐν τῷ Σιεὶρ, τῆς θείας κηδεμονίας ἀπήλαυσαν. Κάδης δὲ ἐνταῦθα οὐ τὴν ἔρημον λέγει, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ ὀνόματος ἑρμηνείαν. Τὸ γὰρ Κάδης τῇ Ἑβραίων φωνῇ τὸ ἅγιον δηλοῖ Ἔφη τοίνυν, ὅτι πολλαὶ μυριάδες ἁγίων ἀγγέλων τῷ ἁγίῳ Δεσπότῃ συνῆσαν, τῆς οἰκείας αὐτοὺς ἀξιοῦντι κηδεμονίας. ᾿Αναγκαίως δὲ προστέθεικε Καὶ πάντες ἡγιασμένοι ὑπὸ τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὗτοι ὑπὸ σὲ εἰσιν. Εἰ γὰρ μὲν ἀόρατον ἔχουσι τὴν φύσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν δεσποτείαν τελοῦσι· σὲ γὰρ ἔχουσι ποιητήν. Προλέγει δὲ ὅτι ὁ νῦν τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκλεξάμενος, μικρὸν ὕστερον καὶ πάντα καλέσει τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ τούτων κάκείνων αὐτὸς ἔσται ἄρχων καὶ βασιλεύς. Ἔσται γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ ἡγαπημένῳ ἄρχων, συναχθέντων λαῶν ἅμα φυλαῖς Ἰσραήλ. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν, πρῶτον εὐλογεῖ τὸν Ῥουβὴν, καὶ λύει τὴν πατρῴαν ἀρὰν, ἀντιτάξας τὴν φιλαδελφίαν τῇ περὶ τὸν πατέρα παρανομίᾳ. Ἐξῆν δὲ ὡς νομοθέτῃ εἰς εὐλογίαν τὴν ἀρὰν μεταθεῖναι. Ζήτω Ῥουβὴν, καὶ μὴ ἀποθανέτω, καὶ ἔσται πολὺς ἐν ἀριθμῷ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ εἶπεν Ὡς ὕδωρ μὴ ἐκζέσῃς, τουτέστι, Μὴ θερμανθῇς εἰς πολυγονίαν, εἰκότως αὐτῷ τῶν ἀπογόνων τὸ πλῆθος ἐπηύξατο. Εἶτα τὴν τάξιν ὑπερβὰς, τῷ Ἰούδα τὴν εὐλογίαν προσφέρει, διὰ τὸν ἐκεῖθεν κατὰ σάρκα βεβλαστηκότα Δεσπότην. Πρόδηλον γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος, ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ Κύριος ἡμων. Προλέγει δὲ καὶ τὴν Δαβιτικὴν βασιλείαν. Εἰσάκουσον γαρ, φησὶ, Κύριε, φωνῆς Ἰούδα, καὶ εἰς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἔλθοιεν αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ διακρινοῦσιν αὐτῷ, καὶ βοηθὸς ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ ἔσῃ. Οὕτω τὴν βασιλικὴν εὐλογήσας φυλὴν, εἰς τὴν ἱερατικὴν μεταβαίνει· Δότε Λευί δήλους αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀλήθειαν αὐτοῦ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ὁσίῳ. Τῷ στέρνῳ τοῦ ἱερέως τὸ λόγιον ἐπέκειτο εἶχε δὲ τοῦτο τὴν δήλωσιν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν· πολλὰ γὰρ ἐκεῖθεν προεδηλοῦτο· συνῆπται δὲ τοῖς δήλοις ἡ ἀλήθεια, διὰ τὸ ἀψευδὲς τῶν δηλουμένων. Ὃν ἐπείρασαν αὐτὸν ἐν πείρᾳ, ἐλοιδόρησαν αὐτὸν ἐφ᾿ ὕδατος ἀντιλογίας. Τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν γεγενημένων ἀνέμνησεν· Ὁ λέγων τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ, Οὐχ ἑώρακά σε· καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐπέγνω, καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ ἀπέγνω· ἐφύλαξε τὰ λόγιά σου, καὶ τὴν διαθήκην σου διετήρησε. Τὸ τέλειον τῶν ἱερέων ὁ λόγος διδάσκει. Πάντων γὰρ τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον καταφρονεῖν προσήκει τὸν ἱερέα, καὶ τῇ θείᾳ προσεδρεύειν ἱερουργίᾳ. Τούτου χάριν οὐδὲ κλῆρον αὐτοῖς ἀπένειμεν, οὐδὲ κτῆσιν ἔχειν ἐνομοθέτησεν, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς καὶ τὰς δεκάτας παρὰ παντὸς κομίζεσθαι τοῦ λαοῦ, ἵνα τῶν βιωτικῶν ἀπηλλαγμένοι φροντίδων, ἁγίως τὴν ἐγκεχειρισμένην ἀγιστείαν ἐπιτελῶσιν. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ᾿Ααρὼν ὁ πρῶτος ἀρχιερεὺς, οὔτε κηδεῦσαι τοὺς τεθνηκότας συνεχωρήθη παῖδας. Οὕτω δέ φησιν· Ἑαυτοὺς τελειώσαντες δηλώσουσι τὰ δικαιώματά σου τῷ Ἰακώβ, καὶ τὸν νόμον σου τῷ Ἰσραήλ· ἐπιθήσουσι θυμίαμα ἐν ὀργῇ σου διὰ παντὸς ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριόν σου. Τοῦτο καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τιμωρουμένου γεγένηται. Ὁ γὰρ ᾿Ααρὼν προσενεγκὼν τὸ θυμίαμα τὸν θεήλατον ἐκώλυσε θάνατον. Εἶτα τὴν θείαν αὐτοῖς εὐλογίαν αἰτεῖ· Εὐλόγησον, Κύριε, τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ δέξαι. Χρεία γὰρ καὶ σωματικῆς δυνάμεως τοῖς λειτουργοῦσιν, ἵνα μηδὲν ἐμποδὼν γένηται τῇ προθυμίᾳ. Κάταξον ὀσφὺν ἀνθεστηκότων ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ μισοῦντες αὐτὸν μὴ ἀναστήτωσαν. Διὰ δὲ τούτων χαλινοῖ τῶν τυραννούντων τὸ θράσος· ἀναμιμνήσκει δὲ καὶ ὧν ἔπαθε Κορὲ, καὶ Δαθὰν, καὶ Ἀβηρὼν, τὴν στάσιν κατὰ τῶν ἱερέων κινήσαντες.","t":"[End of question 43:] … of the Gospels brings into the kingdom of … [Question 44:] How are the blessings of the tribes to be understood? First the prophet recalled the divine appearing on Mount Sinai: “The Lord came from Sinai,” he says, “and appeared to us from Seir, and hastened from Mount Paran with the myriads of Kadesh; at his right hand angels with him.” In the wilderness of Paran and in Seir they enjoyed the divine care. Here “Kadesh” does not mean the wilderness but the meaning of the name; for in the Hebrew language “Kadesh” means “holy.” He said, then, that many myriads of holy angels were with the holy Master as he granted them his care. And of necessity he added: “And all the sanctified are under his hands, and these are under you.” For even if they have an invisible nature, they are subject to your lordship, for they have you as their maker. He foretells that the one who has now chosen Israel will shortly call all the nations too, and will himself be ruler and king of both: “For there shall be a ruler in the beloved,” he says, “when the peoples are gathered together with the tribes of Israel.” Having said this, he first blesses Reuben and lifts the father's curse, setting his love for his brothers against his lawless act toward his father; and as lawgiver he was free to change the curse into a blessing. “Let Reuben live and not die, and let him be many in number.” For since his father had said, “Do not boil over like water,” that is, do not grow warm in fruitfulness, fittingly he prayed for a multitude of descendants for him. Then, passing over the order, he gives the blessing to Judah, because of the Master who sprang from there according to the flesh. “For it is evident,” says the divine Apostle, “that our Lord arose from Judah.” He also foretells the kingdom of David: “Hear, O Lord,” he says, “the voice of Judah, and may they come to his people; his hands will contend for him, and you will be a help against his enemies.” Having thus blessed the royal tribe, he passes to the priestly one: “Give to Levi his manifestations and his truth, to the holy man.” The oracle lay on the priest's breast, and it held the manifestation and the truth; for many things were made manifest from it; and truth is joined to manifestation because what was manifested did not lie. “Whom they tested with a test, they reviled him at the water of contradiction.” He recalled what had been done to him and his brother. “He who says to his father and his mother, ‘I have not seen you,’ and did not recognize his brothers, and disowned his sons, kept your oracles and guarded your covenant.” The passage teaches the perfection of the priests. For the priest must despise all the things of this life and devote himself to the divine service. For this reason he gave them no allotment and did not legislate that they have property, but that they receive the firstfruits and the tithes from all the people, so that, freed from the cares of life, they might perform the sacred office entrusted to them in holiness. Thus Aaron, the first high priest, was not even allowed to bury his dead sons. And he says this: “Having made themselves perfect, they will make known your judgments to Jacob and your law to Israel; they will put incense in your wrath continually on your altar.” This also happened when the people were being punished: Aaron, by offering the incense, stopped the death sent by God. Then he asks the divine blessing for them: “Bless, O Lord, his strength, and accept the works of his hands.” For those who minister need bodily strength too, so that nothing may hinder their eagerness. “Break the loins of the enemies who rise against him, and let those who hate him not rise up.” By these words he curbs the boldness of those who seize power, and recalls what Korah, Dathan and Abiram suffered when they stirred up rebellion against the priests.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.44 (PG 80 80:449; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-44)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.45":{"o":"Τίνος χάριν ἔσχατον ὄντα τέταρτον ἔταξε τὸν Βενιαμίν; Ταύτης ἦν τῆς φυλῆς ἡ μητρόπολις· ἐν ἐκείνῃ δὲ ὁ ναὸς ἐδομήθη. Τοιγάρτοι εἰκότως τῇ ἱερατικῇ φυλῇ τὸν ἱερὸν συνέταξε τόπον. Καὶ ἡ εὐλογία δὲ τοῦτο προαγορεύει. Ἠγαπημένος γὰρ, φησὶν, ὑπὸ Κυρίου, κατασκηνώσει πεποιθώς. Ἔδειξε δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς πεποιθήσεως· καὶ ὁ ριος1 σκιάζει ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, καὶ ἀναμέσον τῶν ὤμων αὐτοῦ κατέπαυσε. Πελάζων γὰρ τῷ θείῳ νεῷ διηνεκῶς τῆς θείας κηδεμονίας ἀπήλαυσε. Τὸ δὲ, Ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ὤμων αὐτοῦ κατέπαυσε, περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔφη, ὃς ἐν τῇ Ἱερουσαλήμ τὸν ναὸν οἰκοδομηθῆναι κελεύσας, ἐν ἐκείνῳ τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιφάνειαν ἐποιεῖτο. Μετὰ ταύτας τὰς φυλὰς, τὸν Ἰωσὴφ εὐλόγησε, καὶ ταῖς δύο φυλαῖς κατὰ ταυτὸν τὴν εὐλογίαν προσήνεγκεν. ᾿Απ' εὐλογίας Κυρίου ἡ γῆ αὐτοῦ· ἀπὸ ὡρῶν οὐρανοῦ καὶ δρόσου, καὶ ἀπὸ ἀβύσσων πηγῶν κάτωθεν, καὶ καθ' ὥραν γεννημάτων ἡλίου τροπῶν, καὶ ἀπὸ συνόδου μηνῶν, καὶ ἀπὸ κορυφῆς ὀρῶν ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἀπὸ κορυφῆς βουνῶν ἀεννάων. Ἤτησεν αὐτῷ τὰ οὐρανόθεν δωρούμενα ἀγαθὰ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς παρεχομένους καρπούς οὓς ἄρδουσι μὲν ὑετοὶ, τρέφουσι δὲ δρόσοι, πεπαίνει δὲ ἥλιος κατὰ τὰς τῶν ὡρῶν καὶ μηνῶν περιόδους. Φέρει δὲ τούτους οὐ μόνον ἡ ὑπτία γῆ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ὄρειος εἰς βεβαίωσιν δὲ τῆς εὐλογίας ἀνέμνησε τοῦ ὀφθέντος ἐν τῷ βάτῳ Θεοῦ. Λέγει δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ τῶν πρωτοτοκίων τετυχηκέναι, καὶ τούτου χάριν διχῆ τὴν φυλὴν μερισθῆναι, καὶ δύο τὴν μίαν γενέσθαι• ἐπειδὴ διπλῆν μοῖραν ἐλάμβανον οἱ πρωτότοκοι. Καὶ τὸ δυνατὸν δὲ τῶν φυλῶν διδάσκων, μονοκέρωτι καὶ ταύρῳ ἀπείκασε· καὶ προτέταχε τοῦ Μανασσῆ τὸν Ἐφραὶμ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ προπάτορος εὐλογίαν. Τῷ δὲ Ζαβουλὼν, καὶ τῷ Ἰσσάχαρ, τῷ μὲν ὡς τὴν παραλίαν οἰκοῦντι, τῷ δὲ ὡς γειτονεύοντι, καὶ τὴν ἐν πολέμοις ἐπηύξατο νίκην, καὶ τὴν θείαν ἐπικουρίαν, καὶ τὰ ἀπὸ θαλάσσης ἀγαθά. Ἔθνη γὰρ, φησὶ, ἐξολοθρεύσουσι, καὶ ἐπικαλέσονται ἐκεῖ, καὶ θύσουσι θυσίαν δικαιοσύνης, καὶ πλοῦτον θαλάσσης θηλάσουσι, καὶ ἐμπορίαν παραλίαν κατοικούντων. Οἱ γὰρ τῇ θαλάττῃ πελάζοντες, οὐ μόνον τῶν οἰκείων καρπῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν πάντοθεν φερομένων ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύουσι. Τὸν δὲ Γὰδ ἀπείκασε λέοντι οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὁ πατριάρχης Ἰακὼβ ἔφη· Γάδ πειρατήριον πειρατεύσει αὐτὸν, καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ πειρατεύσει αὐτὸν κατὰ πόδας Σκύμνον δὲ τὸν Δὰν ὠνόμασεν ἐκπηδῶντα ἐκ τοῦ Βασάν· ἐπειδὴ ἐξαπίνης τῇ Λαῖσσᾷ προσβαλόντες πόλει, καὶ αὐτὴν εἶλον, καὶ τοὺς ἐνοικοῦντας ἀνεῖλον, καὶ οἰκεῖον ἀπέφηναν οἰκητήριον. Καὶ τῷ Νεφθαλεὶμ δὲ τὴν ἀπὸ γῆς καὶ θαλάττης εὐπορίαν ἀπήγγειλεν· πρόσοικος γὰρ καὶ οὗτος ἦν τῆς θαλάσσης, ἔχων ἀπὸ νότου τὴν Γαλιλαίαν τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ προφήτης, καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ἔφη· Γῆ Ζαβουλὼν, καὶ γῆ Νεφθαλείμ, καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ οἱ τὴν παραλίαν κατοικοῦντες Γαλιλαίαν τε τῶν ἐθνῶν· ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότει εἶδε φῶς μέγα. Τὸ μέντοι, πλησμονή δεκτῶν, πλησμονὴ εὐδοκίας ὁ Σύμμαχος ἡρμήνευσε· τὴν δὲ αὐτὴν ἔχει διάνοιαν δεκτὰ γὰρ τὰ εὐδοκούμενα. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ τῷ ᾿Ασὴρ, καὶ τῆς γῆς τὴν εὐκαρπίαν, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ θαλάττης εὐπορίαν αἰτεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ Βάψει ἐν ἐλαίῳ τὸν πόδα αὐτοῦ, καὶ σίδηρος καὶ χαλκὸς τὸ ὑπόδημα αὐτοῦ, τὴν ἀφθονίαν τῶν ἀγαθῶν δηλοῖ.","t":"For what reason did he put Benjamin, the last, in fourth place? The capital belonged to this tribe, and the temple was built in it. Fittingly, therefore, he ranked the sacred place with the priestly tribe. The blessing too foretells this: “Beloved by the Lord,” he says, “he will dwell in confidence.” He also showed the cause of the confidence: “And the Lord overshadows him all the days, and he has rested between his shoulders.” For being near the divine temple he continually enjoyed the divine care. “He has rested between his shoulders” he said of God, who, having commanded the temple to be built in Jerusalem, made his own appearing there. After these tribes he blessed Joseph, and offered the blessing to the two tribes together: “From the blessing of the Lord is his land: from the seasons of heaven and dew, and from the springs of the deep below, and from the produce of the sun's turnings in their season, and from the conjunctions of the months, and from the top of the ancient mountains, and from the top of the everlasting hills.” He asked for him the good things given from heaven, the fruits supplied by the earth, which the rains water, the dews nourish and the sun ripens through the cycles of seasons and months; and not only the plain bears them but the mountain land too. To confirm the blessing he recalled the God who appeared in the bush. He says that Joseph also obtained the birthright, and that for this reason the tribe was divided in two and the one became two, since the firstborn received a double share. Teaching the strength of the tribes, he likened them to a unicorn and a bull; and he put Ephraim before Manasseh according to the forefather's blessing. For Zebulun and Issachar, the one living on the coast and the other as its neighbour, he prayed for victory in war, divine help and the good things of the sea: “For they will destroy nations,” he says, “and call there, and offer a sacrifice of righteousness, and they will suck the wealth of the sea and the trade of those who live on the coast.” For those near the sea enjoy not only their own fruits but also the goods brought from everywhere. He likened Gad to a lion; for so too the patriarch Jacob said: “Gad, a raiding band shall raid him, and he shall raid them at their heels.” He called Dan a lion's whelp leaping out of Bashan, since they suddenly attacked the city of Laish, took it, killed its inhabitants and made it their own dwelling. To Naphtali too he announced plenty from land and sea; for he too was a neighbour of the sea, having Galilee to the south. This the prophet and the evangelist also said: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, and the rest who live on the coast, and Galilee of the nations: the people who sat in darkness saw a great light.” “Fullness of acceptable things” Symmachus rendered “fullness of good pleasure”; it has the same sense, for acceptable things are those that please. For Asher too he asks both fruitfulness of land and plenty from the sea. For “He will dip his foot in oil, and his sandal will be iron and bronze” shows the abundance of good things.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.45 (PG 80 80:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-45)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.46":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τὸν Συμεὼν οὐκ εὐλόγησεν ; Ὁ Ῥουβὴν ἔσχε τὴν φιλαδελφίαν ἀφορμὴν εὐλογίας. Διὰ γὰρ ἐκείνης τῆς ἀρᾶς ἀπηλλάγη καὶ ὁ Λευΐ, διὰ Μωσῆν τὸν μέγαν τῆς εὐλογίας τετύχηκεν - ἡ γὰρ τοῖς ἄλλοις λύουσα τὰς ἀρὰς πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔλυε τὴν οἰκείαν. Ὁ δὲ Συμεὼν οὐδεμίαν ἔσχε πρόφασιν ὥστε τῆς εὐλογίας τυχεῖν. Οἶμαι δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ ἀρχηγὸν τῆς κατὰ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἐπιβουλῆς γεγενῆσθαι· καὶ τούτου τεκμήριον, τὸ τὸν ἀξιάγαστον ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους ἅπαντας ἀπολῦσαι, τοῦτον δὲ μόνον συλληφθῆναι, καὶ δεθῆναι, καὶ καθειρχθῆναι κελεῦσαι. Μετέσχε δὲ ὅμως καὶ οὗτος τῆς εὐλογίας οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἰδίαν ἑκάστῃ φυλῇ δέδωκεν εὐλογίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κοινὴν παντὶ τῷ λαῷ. Κατασκηνώσει γὰρ, φησὶν, Ἰσραὴλ πεποιθὼς μόνος ἐπὶ γῆς Ἰακώβ, ἐπὶ γῆς σίτου καὶ οἴνου καὶ ὁ οὐρανός σοι συννεφὴς δρόσῳ. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλα τῇ κοινῇ εὐλογίᾳ προσέθηκε Μετὰ μέντοι τὰς εὐλογίας, ἔδειξεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς τῷ προφήτῃ τὴν γῆν ἅπασαν εἰσελθεῖν δὲ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ διεκώλυσεν. Προτυποῖ δὲ τοῦτο τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν εἰρημένον Πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν· ἃ βλέπετε, καὶ οὐκ εἶδον, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε, καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν.","t":"Why did he not bless Simeon? Reuben had his brotherly love as an occasion for blessing, for through it he was freed from that curse; and Levi obtained the blessing because of the great Moses, for the one who lifted the curses from others much more lifted his own. But Simeon had no ground for obtaining the blessing. I think he was also the ringleader of the plot against Joseph; evidence of this is that that admirable man let all the others go but ordered this one alone to be seized, bound and imprisoned. Yet he too shared in the blessing; for he gave not only a particular blessing to each tribe, but also a common one to the whole people: “For Israel will dwell in confidence, alone, on the land of Jacob, on a land of grain and wine, and the heaven will be cloudy with dew for you.” And he added much else to the common blessing. After the blessings, God the Master showed the prophet the whole land but prevented him from entering it. This prefigures what was said by our Saviour: “Many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.46 (PG 80 80:455; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-46)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.5":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου; Ὁ Κύριος αὐτὸ ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ἡρμήνευσε. Τοῦ γὰρ διαβόλου εἰρηκότος, Βάλε σεαυτὸν ἄνωθεν κάτω εἶπεν· Οὐκ ἐκπειράσῃς Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου. Ἐκπειράζει δὲ τὸν Θεὸν ὁ δίχα λογισμοῦ ῥιψοκινδύνως τι πράττων.","t":"How is “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” to be understood? The Lord explained it in the holy Gospels. For when the devil said, “Throw yourself down,” he said, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” The one who does something recklessly, without reason, puts God to the test.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.5 (PG 80 80:411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-5)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.6":{"o":"Τί δήποτε ἀπαγορεύει ὁ νόμος τὰς πρὸς τοὺς ὁμόρους ἀλλοφύλους ἐπιγαμβρίας; Οὐ δεῖται σαφηνείας ὁ νόμος· ἑαυτὸν γὰρ ἑρμηνεύει. Ἔφη γὰρ, Ὅτι ἀποστήσουσι τὸν υἱόν σου ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ λατρεύσει θεοῖς ἑτέροις.» ᾿Αναγκαίως μέντοι καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν αὐτοὺς τῆς θείας διδάσκει κηδεμονίας Οὐ γὰρ διὰ τὸ πλείους εἶναι, φησὶ, τῶν ἐθνῶν προέκρινεν ὑμᾶς ὁ Θεός· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν τῶν προγόνων εὐσέβειαν, καὶ τὴν γεγενημένην πρὸς ἐκείνους ὑπόσχεσιν. Εἶτα τὸ ἀληθὲς αὐτοῦ δεικνὺς, ἐπήγαγεν· Ὁ Θεὸς πιστὸς φυλάσσων διαθήκην καὶ ἔλεον τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν, καὶ τοῖς φυλάσσουσι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, εἰς χιλίας γενεάς. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἀτελεῖς ἦσαν, καὶ τροφῆς γαλακτώδους ἐδέοντο, καὶ ἀκούειν περὶ τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν οὐκ ἐδύναντο· ὑπισχνεῖται αὐτοῖς πολυγονίαν, καὶ γῆς εὐκαρπίαν, καὶ ποιμνίων καὶ βουκολίων εὐεξίαν, καὶ σωμάτων ὑγείαν, καὶ τὴν ἐν πολέμοις νίκην, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα Ἔπειτα πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἀνέμνησε τῆς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ διαγωγῆς, καὶ τὰς ταύτης αἰτίας ἐδίδαξεν Ἐκάκωσε γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ἐλιμαγχόνησέ σε· καὶ ἐψώμισέ σε τὸ μάννα, ἵνα ἀναγγείλῃ σοι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος Θεοῦ Διὰ μέντοι τούτων καὶ ἡμεῖς παιδευόμεθα μὴ δυσχεραίνειν δυσκολίαις τισὶ περιπεσόντες, ἀλλὰ στέργειν τὰς θείας οἰκονομίας, καὶ προσμένειν τὴν λύσιν τῶν πειρασμῶν. Ἐπιδείκνυσι δὲ καὶ τὰς ἄλλας εὐεργεσίας· Τὰ ἱμάτιά σου οὐ κατετρίβη ἀπὸ σοῦ, οἱ πόδες σου οὐκ ἐτυλώθησαν, ἰδοὺ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη. Καὶ γνώσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι ὡς εἴτις παιδεύσαι ἄνθρωπος τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, οὕτως Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου παιδεύσει σε, καὶ φυλάξεις τὰς ἐντολὰς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, πορεύεσθαι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ φοβεῖσθαι αὐτόν. Μετὰ τὸν πειρασμὸν ἡ παράκλησις· μετὰ τῆς παιδείας ἡ ψυχαγωγία· λιμὸς καὶ τροφή όδοιπορίας πόνος καὶ σώματος εὐπάθεια, σπάνις ἀναγκαίων καὶ τῶν ἀφθάρτων ἱματίων καὶ ὑποδημάτων τὸ διαρκές. Εἶτα παραινεῖ νικῶντας μὴ τῇ οἰκείᾳ ῥώμῃ τὴν νίκην ἐπιγράφειν, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἐπικούρῳ καὶ προμάχῳ Θεῷ","t":"Why does the law forbid intermarriage with the neighbouring foreign peoples? The law needs no explanation; it interprets itself. For it said, “Because they will turn your son away from me, and he will serve other gods.” Of necessity, however, it also teaches them the reason for God's care: God preferred you, he says, not because you are more numerous than the nations, but because of your forefathers' piety and the promise made to them. Then, showing his truthfulness, he added: “God is faithful, keeping covenant and mercy with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” And since they were immature and needed milky food and could not hear about eternal goods, he promises them many offspring, fruitful land, thriving flocks and herds, bodily health, victory in war, and all such things. Then again he reminded them of their life in the wilderness and taught the reasons for it: “For he afflicted you,” he says, “and let you hunger, and fed you with manna, to make known to you that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.” Through this we too are trained not to be vexed when we fall into difficulties, but to accept the divine dispensations and to wait for the end of the trials. He also points out the other benefits: “Your garments were not worn out on you, your feet were not calloused; behold, forty years. And you shall know in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God will discipline you; and you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and to fear him.” After the trial comes the consolation, after the discipline the comfort: hunger and food, the toil of the journey and the body's well-being, want of necessities and the endurance of garments and sandals that did not wear out. Then he urges them, when they win, not to ascribe the victory to their own strength but to God, their helper and champion.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.6 (PG 80 80:411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-6)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.7":{"o":"Τίνας λέγει υἱοὺς Ἐνάκ, Απόγονοι γιγάντων ἦσαν, ὡς ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει, Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη· Λαὸν πολὺν καὶ εὐμήκη, υἱοὺς Ἐνὰκ, οὓς σὺ οἶσθα καὶ σὺ ἀκήκοας τίς ἀντιστήσεται κατὰ πρόσωπον υἱῶν Ἐνάκ; Τὸ δὲ, Σὺ οἶσθα καὶ ἀκήκοας, τέθεικε, τῶν λόγων ἀναμιμνήσκων τῶν ἐκείνων κατασκοπησάντων τὴν γῆν. Ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ ἔλεγον, ὅτι Ἦμεν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ ἀκρίδες. Οὕτω τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ ῥώμῃ καταστείλας τύφον, διδάσκει αὐτοὺς μηδὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς κατορθώμασι μέγα φρονεῖν. Μὴ εἴπῃς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι Διὰ τὰς δικαιοσύνας μου εἰσήγαγέ με Κύριος κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν τὴν ἀγαθὴν ταύτην. Διὰ γὰρ τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῶν ἐθνῶν τούτων, Κύριος ἐξολοθρεύσει αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ προσώπου σου, οὐχὶ διὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου, οὐδὲ διὰ τὴν ὁσιότητα τῆς καρδίας σου σὺ εἰσπορεύῃ κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν. Ταῦτα δὲ ἔφη, δύο κατὰ ταυτὸν πραγματευόμενος καὶ μετριάζειν διδάσκων αὐτοὺς, καὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βοηθείᾳ τὸ πᾶν ἐπιγράφειν· καὶ προλέγων, ὡς τὰ παραπλήσια πείσονται τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐκείνοις, εἰ τὰ ὅμοια δράσαιεν. Εἰς καιρὸν δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ παρανομηθέντων ἀνέμνησε, τὸν λόγον ἐκεῖνον κρατύνων, ὡς οὐ διὰ δικαιοσύνας αὐτῶν κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν· Μνήσθητι γὰρ ἔφη, καὶ μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ, ὅσα παρώξυνας Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. Ἤγαγε δὲ εἰς μέσον καὶ νῦν τὴν τοῦ μόσχου λατρείαν· καὶ ὅτι διὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἀσέβειαν τὰς θεοσδότους συνέτριψε πλάκας· καὶ ὡς σπουδαίαν ἱκετείαν προσενεγκὼν ἱλεώσατο τὸν Θεὸν μάλα καὶ αὐτοῖς καὶ τῷ ᾿Ααρὼν ὀργιζόμενον· Ἐπὶ Ἀαρὼν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐθυμώθη Κύριος σφόδρα έξολοθρεῦσαι αὐτὸν, καὶ ηὐξάμην περὶ ᾿Ααρὼν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ. Οὕτω καὶ τὰ ἄλλα γεγενημένα διεξελθών φησι· Καὶ νῦν, Ἰσραὴλ, τί Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αἰτεῖ παρὰ σοῦ, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ φοβεῖσθαι Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν σου, καὶ πορεύεσθαι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ, λατρεύειν Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου; Καὶ ἵνα μὴ τοπάσωσι τὸν Θεὸν ταῦτα νομοθετεῖν, ὡς θυμάτων δεόμενον, ἐπήγαγεν· Ἰδοὺ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου ὁ οὐρανὸς, καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἡ γῆ, καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτοῖς πλὴν τοὺς πατέρας ὑμῶν προείλετο Κύριος ἀγαπᾶν αὐτούς· καὶ ἐξελέξατο τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν μετ᾿ αὐτοὺς, ὑμᾶς παρὰ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη. Διδασκόμεθα δὲ διὰ τούτων, ὡς ἀπολαύουσι παῖδες ἀγαθῶν διὰ τὴν τῶν προγόνων εὐσέβειαν. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ καὶ ποία περιτομὴ τῷ Θεῷ προσφιλής· Περιτεμεῖσθε γὰρ, ἔφη, τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν, καὶ τὸν τράχηλον ὑμῶν οὐ σκληρυνεῖτε ἔτι. Καὶ ταῦτα ἐλέγετο τοῖς μηδέπω τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν περιτμηθεῖσιν Ἰησοῦς γὰρ ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ μετὰ τὸ διαβῆναι τὸν Ἰορδάνην ἐν Γαλγάλοις αὐτοὺς περιέτεμεν. Ἀλλ᾿ ὅμως καὶ ἀπεριτμήτοις οὖσιν οὐκ ἐκέλευσε τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν περιτμηθῆναι, ἀλλὰ τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν καὶ τὸν τράχηλον τὸν σκληρόν. Τοιγάρτοι τιμιωτέρα ἡ τῆς καρδίας περιτομή. Ταύτην δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν κατηγορίαν διὰ Ἱερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς ἐποιήσατο. Πάντα γὰρ, ἔφη, τὰ ἔθνη ἀπερίτμητα σαρκὶ, ὁ δὲ οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ, ἀπερίτμητοι καρδίαι αὐτῶν.","t":"Whom does he call the sons of Anak? They were descendants of giants, as the history teaches. For he said this: “A people great and tall, sons of Anak, whom you know and of whom you have heard: who will stand against the sons of Anak?” He put “you know and have heard” to recall the words of those who spied out the land; for they said, “We were before them like locusts.” Having thus put down pride in strength, he teaches them not to think highly even of the achievements of the soul: “Do not say in your heart,” he says, “‘Because of my righteous deeds the Lord brought me in to inherit this good land.’ For because of the impiety of these nations the Lord will destroy them before you; not because of your righteousness, nor because of the holiness of your heart, do you go in to inherit the land.” He said this to do two things at once: to teach them moderation and to ascribe everything to God's help, and to foretell that they would suffer the same as those nations if they did the same. At the right moment he also reminded them of the transgressions in the wilderness, confirming the word that they would not inherit the land because of their righteousness: “Remember,” he said, “and do not forget how much you provoked the Lord your God in the wilderness.” And now he brought up the worship of the calf; and that because of their impiety he broke the God-given tablets; and how by offering earnest supplication he appeased God, who was very angry with them and with Aaron: “For the Lord was very angry with Aaron,” he says, “to destroy him, and I prayed for Aaron at that time.” Having gone through the other events in this way, he says: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord God ask of you, but to fear the Lord your God and walk in all his commandments, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart?” And so that they would not suppose God legislated these things because he needed victims, he added: “Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heaven, and the earth and all that is in them; yet the Lord chose your fathers to love them, and chose their seed after them, you, above all the nations.” We are taught by this that children enjoy good things because of their forefathers' piety. He also taught what kind of circumcision is dear to God: “Circumcise your hardness of heart,” he said, “and do not stiffen your neck any longer.” And this was said to those whose foreskin had not yet been circumcised, for Joshua son of Nun circumcised them at Gilgal after crossing the Jordan. Yet, though they were uncircumcised, he did not command the foreskin to be circumcised, but the hardness of heart and the stiff neck. The circumcision of the heart, therefore, is more precious. God the Master made this charge against them through the prophet Jeremiah: “For all the nations,” he said, “are uncircumcised in flesh, but the house of Israel are uncircumcised in their hearts.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.7 (PG 80 80:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-7)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.8":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον, ῾Ὁ γὰρ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, οὗτος Θεὸς τῶν θεῶν, καὶ Κύριος τῶν κυρίων; Θεοὺς τοὺς κριτὰς ὀνομάζει Θεοὺς γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐ κακολογήσεις, καὶ ἄρχοντα τοῦ λαοῦ σου οὐκ ἐρεῖς κακῶς. Καὶ ἔνθα δὲ εἶπον οἱ Ἑβδομήκοντα, \"Αξεις αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ κριτήριον, οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἀκύλαν καὶ τὸν Σύμμαχον· ῎Αξεις αὐτὸν πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς ἡρμήνευσαν, θεοὺς τοὺς κριτὰς ὀνομάσαντες. Τούτων αὐτὸν εἶπε θεῶν Θεόν οὐ γάρτοι τῶν ψευδωνύμων. Καὶ ἤδη δὲ διὰ πλειόνων ἡρμηνεύσαμεν ταῦτα.","t":"How is “For the Lord your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords” to be understood? He calls the judges “gods”: “You shall not revile gods,” it says, “nor speak evil of a ruler of your people.” And where the Seventy said, “You shall bring him to the court,” Aquila and Symmachus rendered, “You shall bring him to the gods,” calling the judges gods. He said he was God of these gods, not of the falsely named ones. We have already explained this at greater length.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.8 (PG 80 80:415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-8)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5.9":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον, «Οὐ ποιήσετε πάντα ἃ ἡμεῖς ποιοῦμεν ὧδε σήμερον ἕκαστον τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ; Ἐν πᾶσιν οἷς κατεσκήνωσαν τόποις, θυσίας προσήνεγκαν τῷ Δεσπότῃ Θεῷ, πρὶν μὲν τὴν σκηνὴν κατασκευάζεσθαι, ἐκ λίθων αὐτοφυῶν οἰκοδομοῦντες θυσιαστήρια, μετὰ δὲ τὴν ταύτης κατασκευὴν, ἐν ταύτῃ τὰς θείας λειτουργίας ἐπιτελοῦντες, οὐκ ἐν ἑνὶ μέντοι τόπῳ ταύτας ἐπετέλουν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἑκάστῳ σταθμῷ. Συνεχῶς γὰρ μετέβαινον. \"Ατε δὴ τεσσαρακονταετῆ χρόνον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καταλύσαντες Απαγορεύει τοίνυν ἐν τῇ γῇ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὰ παραπλήσια δρᾶν, ἵνα μὴ πρόφασιν λάβωσι τοῖς ψευδωνύμοις θύειν θεοῖς. Παρεγγυᾷ δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῳ μόνῳ τῷ τόπῳ τὰς θείας ἐπιτελεῖν λειτουργίας, ὃν ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεός. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ τόπῳ καὶ θύειν καὶ εὐωχεῖσθαι παρακελεύεται· Ἔσται γάρ, φησὶν, ὁ τόπος, ὃν ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, ἐπικληθῆναι ἐκεῖ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, ἐκεῖ οἴσετε πάντα ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν σήμερον, τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ θυσιάσματα ὑμῶν τὰ ἐπιδέκατα ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ δόματα ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τὰ δὲ δόματα οἱ λοιποὶ τὰ ἑκούσια ἡρμήνευσαν τουτέστιν, Ὅσα ἂν ἑκόντες προσενεγκεῖν ἐθελήσητε Εἶτα ἀπαγορεύσας τὸ ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ τὰς θυσίας προσφέρειν, εἰ κρεῶν μεταλαβεῖν ἐπιθυμήσαιεν, μεταλαβεῖν συνεχώρησεν, ἐν αἷς κατοικοῦσι πόλεσι· τοῦ μὲν ἱερέως θύοντος, τοῦ δὲ αἵματος εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐκχεομένου· ἐκέλευσε δὲ καὶ τὸν ἀκάθαρτον σὺν τῷ καθαρῷ τῶν τοιούτων ἀδιαφόρως ἀπολαῦσαι κρεῶν· διδάσκων ὡς τὰ τοιαῦτα θύματα κοινά ἐστι, καὶ οὐ θεῖα. Τῶν γὰρ δὴ θυσιῶν οὐκ ἐξὸν ἦν τοῖς ἀκαθάρτοις μεταλαμβάνειν Ὅθεν εἰκότως ἐπήγαγεν· Φάγετε αὐτὸ ὡς δορκάδα ἢ ἔλαφον. Ταῦτα δὲ καθαρὰ μὲν ἦν, εἰς δὲ θυσίαν οὐ προσεφέρετο.","t":"How is “You shall not do all that we are doing here today, each what is pleasing in his own sight” to be understood? In all the places where they encamped they offered sacrifices to God the Master: before the tent was constructed, building altars of natural stones; after its construction, performing the divine services in it. Yet they did not perform them in one place but at each stage, for they were continually moving, having spent forty years in the wilderness. He forbids them, then, to do the same in the land of promise, so that they would not get a pretext for sacrificing to the falsely named gods. He enjoins them to perform the divine services only in the place which the Lord God would choose; in that place he commands them both to sacrifice and to feast: “For the place which the Lord your God chooses, to have his name invoked there, there you shall bring all that I command you today: your whole burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the firstfruits of your hands and your gifts,” and so on. The other translators rendered “gifts” as “freewill offerings,” that is, whatever you are willing to offer freely. Then, having forbidden them to offer sacrifices in every place, he allowed them, if they desired to eat meat, to eat it in the cities where they lived, the priest slaughtering it and the blood being poured out on the ground. He also commanded that the unclean, along with the clean, might eat such meat without distinction, teaching that such slaughterings are common, not sacred; for the unclean were not permitted to share in the sacrifices. Hence he fittingly added, “Eat it like the gazelle or the deer.” These were clean, but were not offered in sacrifice.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 5.9 (PG 80 80:415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-9)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.1":{"o":"Καὶ πῶς ἀρμόττει τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ τὸ τῆς ὑπουργίας ὄνομα; περὶ γὰρ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ ἔφη. Εἶπε Κύριος Ἰησοῦ υἱῷ Ναυῆ τῷ ὑπουργῷ Μωσῆ. ᾿Ακούομεν καὶ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λέγοντος· Λέγω δὲ Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν διάκονον γεγενῆσθαι περιτομῆς ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας Θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ βεβαιῶσαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας τῶν πατέρων. Καὶ πάλιν· Ὅτε δὲ ἦλθε τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γεννώμενον ἐκ γυναικὸς, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον, ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον ἐξαγοράσηται, ἵνα τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπολάβωμεν. Ὡς ὑπὸ νόμον τοίνυν γενόμενος, οὕτω καὶ διάκονος ἐδείχθη περιτομῆς. Οὕτω καὶ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἔφη Εἰ πιστεύετε Μωσῇ ἐπιστεύετε ἂν ἐμοί περὶ γὰρ ἐμοῦ ἐκεῖνος ἐλάλησεν.» Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς Ἰησοῦν εἰρήκεισαν τὸν Ναυῆ, Κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἠκούσαμεν Μωσῆ, ἀκουσόμεθα καὶ σοῦ.","t":"And how does the name “minister” fit our Lord Jesus Christ? For it said about Joshua son of Nun, “The Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, the minister of Moses.” We also hear the Apostle saying, “For I say that Christ Jesus became a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises given to the fathers.” And again: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” As one born under the law, then, he was also shown to be a minister of the circumcision. So too he said to the Jews, “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me.” And indeed they had said to Joshua son of Nun, “In everything that we heard from Moses, we will hear you too.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.1 (PG 80 80:459; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-1)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.10":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τοῦ Ἄχαρ κεκλοφότος ἄπας ὁ λαὸς ἐπαιδεύθη; Ὑπέλαβεν ὁ κεκλοφὼς, ὥσπερ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, οὕτω δὴ λήσειν καὶ τὸν Θεόν. Ἠβουλήθη τοίνυν κἀκεῖνον διελέγξαι, καὶ πᾶσιν ἐνθεῖναι δέος, ὅπως οἱ τοὺς θείους νόμους φυλάττοντες τοὺς παραβαίνοντας διελέγχωσιν, ὡς τῆς ἐπαχθησομένης μεθέξοντες τιμωρίας. Τὴν δὲ ψιλὴν ὁ ᾿Ακύλας στολὴν ἡρμήνευσεν· ὁ δὲ Ἰώσηπος, χλανίδα· τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν, μάζαν χρυσῆν. Δῆλον δὲ ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν καλουμένη κοιλὰς Ἀχὼρ, αὕτη ἐστὶν ἐν ᾗ ὁ ῎Αχαρ κατελεύσθη. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ Ἐμεκαχώρ φάραγξ Ἀχώρ ἑρμηνεύεται.","t":"Why, when Achan stole, was the whole people chastised? The thief supposed that he would escape God's notice as he escaped men's. God wished, then, both to expose him and to put fear into all, so that those who keep the divine laws would expose those who transgress them, since they would share in the punishment that would follow. Aquila rendered the “mantle” as “robe,” and Josephus as “cloak”; and the “tongue” as “a mass of gold.” It is clear from this that the valley the prophets call the valley of Achor is the one in which Achan was stoned; for “Emekachor” means “valley of Achor.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.10 (PG 80 80:471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-10)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.11":{"o":"Διατί προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς προλοχῆσαι τὴν Γαΐ; Διδάσκει καὶ ταῖς ἀνθρωπίναις ἐπινοίαις κεχρῆσθαι, πιστεύοντας δηλονότι τῇ θείᾳ ῥοπῇ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ διὰ μόνης τῆς τῶν σαλπίγγων ἠχῆς εἶλον τὴν πρώτην πόλιν, μάλα εἰκότως μανθάνουσιν ἀγωνίζεσθαι καὶ πονεῖν, καὶ τὴν θείαν προσμένειν ἐπικουρίαν. Αὐτίκα γοῦν πολεμοῦσιν αὐτοῖς ἐπεκούρησε, καὶ τοὺς πεφευγότας σκηπτοῖς καὶ χαλάζῃ κατηνάλωσεν ἅπαντας. Τὸ μέντοι γαίσον ᾧ τοὺς λοχῶντας διήγειρεν Ἰησοῦς, ἀσπίδα ἠρμήνευσεν ὁ Ἰώσηπος, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ὁ Σύμμαχος.","t":"Why did God order an ambush to be laid against Ai? He teaches them to use human ingenuity too, trusting, of course, in the divine influence. For since they had taken the first city by the sound of the trumpets alone, they very fittingly learn to struggle and toil and to wait for the divine help. And indeed, when they fought, he helped them and destroyed all who fled with thunderbolts and hail. The javelin with which Joshua roused the men in ambush Josephus rendered “shield,” and Symmachus likewise.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.11 (PG 80 80:471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-11)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.12":{"o":"Τινὲς ὠμότητα τοῦ προφήτου κατηγοροῦσιν, ὅτι καὶ πάντας ἄρδην ἀνήρει, καὶ τοὺς βασιλέας ἐσταύρου. Ὁ τοῦ προφήτου κατηγορῶν, τοῦ ταῦτα προστεταχότος κατηγορεῖ. Αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς διὰ Μωσέως τοῦ νομοθέτου προσέταξε, πάντας ἄρδην ἀναιρεθῆναι τοὺς τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην οἰκήσαντας ἅτε δὴ πανωλεθρίας ἄξια πεπραχότας, καὶ εἰς ἔσχατον παρανομίας ἐλάσαντας. Τούτου χάριν καὶ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν ἐπενήνοχε πάλαι, καὶ τὰ Σόδομα καὶ τὰ Γόμοῤῥα πυρὶ κατηνάλωσε· καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας δὲ προσέταξεν ὁ προφήτης ἐπιθεῖναι τοὺς πόδας τοῖς τῶν βασιλέων τραχήλοις ἵνα θαῤῥήσαντες προθυμότερον παρατάξωνται. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν προσέταξεν Ἰησοῦς. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, ἔφη, δέδωκα ὑμῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ. Εἴη τοίνυν καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐπιθεῖναι τοὺς πόδας ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τοὺς τραχήλους τῶν ἀντικειμένων πνευμάτων.","t":"Some accuse the prophet of cruelty, because he killed everyone without exception and hanged the kings. Whoever accuses the prophet accuses the one who commanded these things. For the God of all himself, through Moses the lawgiver, commanded that all who had lived in that land be killed without exception, since they had done deeds worthy of utter destruction and had driven on to the extremity of lawlessness. For this reason too he brought the flood long ago, and consumed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. And the prophet ordered the leaders to put their feet on the necks of the kings, so that, taking courage, they would draw up for battle more eagerly. This our Lord Jesus also commanded: “Behold,” he said, “I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.” May we too, then, put our feet on the necks of the hostile spirits.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.12 (PG 80 80:473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-12)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.13":{"o":"Διατί ξυλοκόπους καὶ ὑδροφόρους τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας ἀπέφηνεν ; Ἐξηπάτησαν καὶ τῷ σχήματι, καὶ τῷ ψεύδει τῶν λόγων. Καὶ δέον ἔρεσθαι τὸν Δεσπότην Θεὸν, εἶθ᾽ οὕτως τὰς πρὸς αὐτοὺς συνθήκας ποιήσασθαι τοῖς ψευδέσι λόγοις αὐτῶν πεπιστευκότες ἐπείσαντο, καὶ τὰς συνθήκας ἐκράτυναν ὄρκῳ. Προσετετάχει δὲ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς πάντας ἐκείνους παραδοθῆναι θανάτῳ. Τῆς θείας τοίνυν ἐντολῆς, καὶ τῶν ὅρκων μέσος ἀποληφθεὶς, ὑπηρέτας αὐτοὺς τῆς ἱερᾶς λειτουργίας ἀπέφηνεν. Οὐκ ἀτιμία δὲ τὸ διακονεῖν τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλὰ μεγίστη τιμή. Ἔδει δὲ καὶ τοῦ Νῶε τὴν πρόῤῥησιν πέρας λαβεῖν. Ἔφη γὰρ, Επικατάρατος Χαναὰν παῖς, οἰκέτης ἔσται τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ. Ἐν δὲ τοῖς Γαβαωνίταις ἡ πρόῤῥησις τὸ πέρας ἐδέξατο","t":"Why did he make the Gibeonites hewers of wood and drawers of water? They deceived both by their appearance and by the falsehood of their words. And when they should have asked God the Master and only then made agreements with them, they trusted their false words, were persuaded, and confirmed the agreements by oath. But the God of all had commanded that all those peoples be put to death. Caught, then, between the divine command and the oaths, he made them servants of the sacred ministry. To serve God is not a dishonour but the greatest honour. And Noah's prediction had to reach its fulfilment: for he said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant he shall be to his brothers.” In the Gibeonites the prediction reached its fulfilment.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.13 (PG 80 80:473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-13)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.14":{"o":"Τί ἐστι τὸ, Οὐχὶ τοῦτο γέγραπται ἐπὶ τὸ βιβλίον τὸ εὑρεθέν Διδάξας ἡμᾶς ὁ συγγραφεὺς τοῦ προφήτου τὴν δύναμιν, ὅτι λόγῳ μόνῳ χρησάμενος προβῆναι τοὺς μεγάλους φωστῆρας κεκώλυκεν, ἕως κατὰ κράτος ἐνίκησεν, ὑπειδόμενος μή τις ἀπιστήσῃ τῷ λόγῳ ἔφη τοῦτο ἐν τῷ παλαιῷ εὑρεθῆναι συγγράμματι. Δῆλον, τοίνυν κάντεῦθεν, ὡς ἄλλος τις τῶν μεταγενεστέρων τὴν βίβλον ταύτην συνέγραψε, λαβὼν ἐξ ἑτέρας βίβλου τὰς ἀφορμάς. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ προτυποῖ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος θαυματουργίαν. Ωσπερ γὰρ τοῦ προφήτου πολεμοῦντος ὁ ἥλιος ἔστη, οὕτω τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θανάτῳ τὸν θάνατον καταλύοντος, ἐπέσχε τὰς ἀκτῖνας ὁ ἥλιος καὶ σκότους ἐν μεσημβρίᾳ τὴν οἰκουμένης ἐπλήρωσε.","t":"What is the meaning of “Is this not written in the book that was found”? Having taught us the prophet's power, that by a word alone he stopped the great lights from moving until he had won a complete victory, the writer, suspecting that someone might not believe the account, said that it was found in the old writing. It is clear from this too that someone else of a later time wrote this book, taking its materials from another book. This too prefigures the Saviour's wonder-working. For as the sun stood still while the prophet fought, so when our Saviour was destroying death by death, the sun held back its rays and filled the world with darkness at midday.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.14 (PG 80 80:473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-14)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.15":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Παρὰ Κυρίου έγενετο κατισχύσαι τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν, ὥστε συναντᾷν αὐτοὺς εἰς πόλεμον ἐπὶ Ἰσραὴλ, ἵνα ἐξολοθρευθῶσι, καὶ ὅπως μὴ δοθῇ αὐτοῖς ἔλεος τοῦ ἀφανισθῆναι αὐτοὺς, ὃν τρόπον εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Μωσῆν; Περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν ἐνομοθέτησε τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ὁ Θεός ὥστε εἰ πολιορκούντων αὐτῶν τὴν πόλιν πρεσβεύσαιντο ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ φιλίαν ἀσπάσαιντο, δέξασθαι τὴν πρεσβείαν, καὶ λῦσαι τὴν πολιορκίαν. καὶ σπείσασθαι τὴν εἰρήνην. Διδάσκει τοίνυν ἡμᾶς ὁ λόγος, ὡς σταθμῷ καὶ μέτρῳ πάντα πρυτανεύων ὁ Θεὸς συνεχώρει τούτοις ἀντιπαρατάττεσθαι τῷ λαῷ, ἵνα μηδεμιᾶς ἀξιωθῶσι φειδοῦς, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν θεῖον ὅρον ἀναιρεθῶσιν.","t":"How is “It came from the Lord to harden their heart, so that they would come out to war against Israel, that they might be utterly destroyed, and that no mercy might be given them, so that they would be wiped out, as the Lord said to Moses” to be understood? Concerning the other nations God legislated for Israel that, if while they were besieging a city its people sent envoys and sought friendship, they should receive the embassy, lift the siege and make peace. The passage teaches us, then, that God, who governs all things by weight and measure, allowed these to draw up against the people so that they would be granted no mercy but be destroyed according to the divine decree.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.15 (PG 80 80:475; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-15)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.16":{"o":"Διατί τοῖς μὲν Μωσῆς διανέμει τοὺς κλήρους τῆς γῆς, τοῖς δὲ Ἰησοῦς Καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν προτυποῖ τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἐπέκεινα τοῦ Ἰορδάνου Μωσῆς διεῖλε τὴν γῆν τοῖς δὲ μετὰ τὸν Ἰορδάνην ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Καὶ τῶν μὲν Ἰουδαίων ἔχουσι τὸν τύπον οἱ διὰ Μωσέως εἰληφότες τοὺς κλήρους οἱ δέ γε διὰ Ἰησοῦ, τῶν πεπιστευκότων ἐθνῶν. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ πρωτότοκος ὁ Ἰσραὴλ, οἱ πρωτότοκοι διὰ Μωσέως τοὺς κλήρους ἐδέξαντο, Ῥουβὴν, καὶ Γὰδ, καὶ Μανασσῆς. Διαβαίνουσι μέντοι καὶ οὗτοι εὔζωνοι πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων. Οἱ γὰρ ἐξ Ἰουδαίων πεπιστευκότες τοῖς ἔθνεσι τὴν σωτηρίαν προσήνεγκαν. Κατελείφθησαν δὲ ὅμως καὶ Ἰεβουσαῖοι, καὶ Χαναναῖοι, καὶ ἕτερα ἔθνη τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ συνῴκουν τῷ Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ τούτου δὲ τοῦ τύπου τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔστιν εὑρεῖν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἅπαντες τὸν σωτήριον ἐδέξαντο λόγον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπέμειναν ἀντιλέγοντες καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ Ἕλληνες, τὰς αὐτὰς ἡμῖν καὶ πόλεις καὶ κώμας οἰκοῦντες οὓς οὐκ ἄν τις ἀποσφαλείη Χαναναίους, καὶ Χετταίους, καὶ Ἱεβουσαίους ὀνομάζων. Ταύτης δὲ ἄξιοι τῆς προσηγορίας καὶ οἱ τὰ μυσαρὰ τῶν αἱρέσεων θρησκεύοντες δόγματα. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ἔφη· Νῦν δὲ οὕπω ὁρῶμεν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ὑποτεταγμένα. Καὶ πάλιν Δεί γὰρ αὐτὸν βασιλεύειν ἄχρις οὗ θῇ πάντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ.","t":"Why does Moses distribute the allotments of the land to some, and Joshua to others? This too prefigures the reality. To those beyond the Jordan Moses divided the land, to those across the Jordan Joshua. Those who received their allotments through Moses are a type of the Jews, those who received them through Joshua a type of the nations who believed. And since Israel is the firstborn, the firstborn received their allotments through Moses: Reuben, Gad and Manasseh. Yet these too cross over, armed, before the others; for those of the Jews who believed brought salvation to the nations. The Jebusites, the Canaanites and other foreign nations, however, were left and lived with Israel. Of this type too one can find the reality. For not all received the saving word: both Jews and Greeks continued to contradict it, living in the same cities and villages as we; and one would not go wrong in calling them Canaanites, Hittites and Jebusites. Those who hold the loathsome doctrines of the heresies also deserve this name. For this reason the divine Apostle said, “But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him”; and again, “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.16 (PG 80 80:475; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-16)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.17":{"o":"Τι δήποτε τὴν Χεβρὼν ὁ Χαλέβ ᾔτησεν ; Εὐσεβείᾳ κοσμούμενος πάντων προτέταχε τὴν πόλιν, ἐν ᾗ παρῴκησαν οἱ παντάριστοι πατριάρχαι, καὶ ταφῇ παρεδόθησαν. Δηλοῖ δὲ ὁ τούτου λόγος, ὡς ἐπταετῆ πολεμήσαντες χρόνον τὴν γῆν διενείμαντο. Ἔφη γὰρ οὕτως ὁ Χαλέβ· Τεσσαράκοντα ἐτῶν ἤμην, ὅτε ἀπέστειλέ με Μωσῆς ὁ παῖς Κυρίου ἐκ Κάδης Βαρνῆ κατασκοπεῦσαι τὴν γῆν, καὶ νῦν διέθρεψέ με Κύριος ὃν τρόπον εἶπε. Τοῦτο τεσσαρακοστὸν καὶ πέμπτον ἔτος ἀφ᾿ οὗ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωσῆν. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν τῶν ἑξακοσίων χιλιάδων ἀπόφασιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τριάκοντα καὶ ὀκτὼ διετέλεσαν ἔτη ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ διάγοντες ἑπτὰ τοίνυν ἐστὶ τὰ λειπόμενα τοῖς πέντε καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Δεσπότης διὰ τοῦ θειοτάτου προείρηκε Μωσέως· Ὡς ἂν εἰσαγάγῃ σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ἐπηγγείλατο τοῖς πατράσι σου, μετὰ ἑπτὰ ἔτη ἀναγνώσῃ τὸν νόμον τοῦτον παντὶ τῷ λαῷ. Ἐπισημήνασθαι δὲ προσήκει, ὡς τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ Ἰεβοῦς ὀνομάζει καὶ ταύτην λέγει τῷ Βενιαμίν κληρωθῆναι. Ὁ δὲ γε Συμεὼν κατὰ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς πρόῤῥησιν διεσπαρμένον ἔσχε τὸν κλῆρον. Ἐγενήθη γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ κληρονομία αὐτοῦ ἀνὰ μέσον κλήρου υἱῶν Ἰούδα. Εἶτα τὰς πόλεις εἰπὼν, ἐπήγαγεν Αὕτη ἡ κληρονομία φυλῆς υἱῶν Συμεών. Ὅτι ἐγενήθη ἡ μερὶς τῆς κληρονομίας υἱῶν Ἰούδα μείζων αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐκληρονόμησαν υἱοὶ Συμεὼν ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ κλήρου αὐτῶν.","t":"Why did Caleb ask for Hebron? Adorned with piety, he preferred above all others the city in which the most excellent patriarchs had sojourned and been buried. His words show that they divided the land after fighting for seven years. For Caleb spoke thus: “I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land; and now the Lord has kept me alive, as he said. This is the forty-fifth year since the Lord spoke to Moses.” After God's sentence on the six hundred thousand, they spent thirty-eight years living in the wilderness; so seven are what remain of the forty-five. This the Master of all had also foretold through the most divine Moses: “When the Lord your God brings you into the land which he promised to your fathers, after seven years you shall read this law to all the people.” One should note that he calls Jerusalem Jebus and says that it was allotted to Benjamin. Simeon, according to his father's prediction, had a scattered allotment: “For his inheritance,” it says, “was in the midst of the allotment of the sons of Judah.” Then, having named the cities, he added: “This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon. For the portion of the inheritance of the sons of Judah was greater than theirs, and the sons of Simeon inherited in the midst of their allotment.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.17 (PG 80 80:477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-17)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.18":{"o":"Τίνος ἕνεκα τοῖς ἄλλοις διανείμας τὴν γῆν ὁ θειότατος Ἰησοῦς, οὐκ ἀπένειμεν ἑαυτῷ κλῆρον, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τοῦ λαοῦ τὴν Θαμνασαχὰρ ἐκομίσατο; Μιμεῖται κὰν τούτῳ τοῦ Δεσπότου τὴν μετριότητα. Μάθετε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πρᾶός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ εὑρήσετε ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν. Καὶ τὴν ἐσχάτην δὲ μετῆλθε πενίαν, ὡς μηδὲ οἰκίας εὐπορῆσαι. Ὁ γὰρ Υἱός φησι τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἔχει ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίναι.» Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν τύπος αὐτοῦ ἦν ὁ ὁμώνυμος Ἰησοῦς, οὐκ ἀπένειμεν ἑαυτῷ κλῆρον, τὸν δὲ προσενεχθέντα ἐδέξατο διδάσκων τοὺς ἀρχήν τινα πεπιστευμένους, μὴ τῆς οἰκείας θεραπείας, ἀλλὰ τῆς τῶν ὑπηκόων ὠφελείας φροντίζειν.","t":"For what reason did the most divine Joshua, having distributed the land to the others, not assign an allotment to himself, but received Thamnasachar from the people? In this too he imitates the Master's humility: “Learn from me,” he says, “for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” And he embraced the utmost poverty, so as not even to have a house: “For the Son of Man,” he says, “has nowhere to lay his head.” Since, then, his namesake Joshua was a type of him, he did not assign himself an allotment, but accepted the one offered him, teaching those entrusted with any rule to care not for their own interest but for the benefit of their subjects.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.18 (PG 80 80:477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-18)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.19":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἐν τῇ Ἰούδα φυλῇ, καὶ τῇ Βενιαμίν, καὶ τῇ Συμεὼν, τὰς πόλεις ἀπένειμεν; Κὰν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τὴν πορείαν ποιούμενοι τῇ Ἰούδα φυλῇ συνεζεύχθησαν. Τὸ γὰρ ἐῷον ἕλαχον τμῆμα, καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ ἡ Ἰούδα φυλή καὶ ἐνταῦθα πάλιν συνεκληρώθησαν τῇ Ἰούδα φυλῇ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἐπιμιξία τούτων ἐγένετο τῶν φυλῶν. Ἀαρὼν γὰρ ὁ πρῶτος ἀρχιερεὺς τὴν τοῦ Ἀμιναδάβ ἠγάγετο θυγατέρα καὶ Ἰωδαὲ ὁ πανεύφημος ἀρχιερεὺς τοῦ Ὀχοζίου τὴν ἀδελφήν. Συνεχώρησε δὲ τὰς φυλὰς ταύτας ὁ Δεσπότης ἐπιμιγῆναι, ὃς ἐκ τῆς Ἰούδα' κατὰ σάρκα βλαστήσας, οὐ βασιλεὺς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς ἐχρημάτισεν. Ἔδει δὲ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐν τῇ Βενιαμίτιδι φυλῇ κατοικεῖν· ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ θεῖος νεὼς ἐν τῇ ἐκείνων ἔμελλεν οἰκοδομεῖσθαι φυλῇ. Ἔλαβον δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῆς Συμεωνίτιδος φυλῆς ἐνίας πόλεις ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ τούτων κλῆρος ἐπέλαζε τῷ νεῷ. Καθάπερ γὰρ τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς καρπῶν καὶ τῶν βοσκημάτων τὰς δεκάτας τοῖς ἱερεῦσι καὶ τοῖς Λευίταις ἀπένειμεν οὕτω καὶ τῶν πόλεων οἱονεὶ δεκάτας αὐτοῖς δοθῆναι προσέταξε. Ταύτας μέντοι δώσειν τῷ Θεῷ τὰς δεκάτας ὁ πατριάρχης Ἰακὼβ ἐπηγγείλατο. Πάντων γὰρ, ἔφη, ὧν ἐάν μοι δῷς, δεκάτην ἀποδεκατώσω αὐτά σοι. Χρέος τοίνυν πατρῷον ἐξέτινεν ὁ λαὸς, οὐ δῶρον προσέφερε. Πρὸς δὲ τούτῳ, κατείχεν αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν κλῆρον τῆς γῆς. Παυσαμένου μέντοι τοῦ πολέμου, καὶ τῆς διαιρέσεως γενομένης, ἀπελύθησαν μὲν οἱ πέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοὺς κλήρους εἰληφότες, Πρὶν δέ γε διαβῆναι τὸν ποταμὸν, βωμὸν ᾠκοδόμησαν μέγιστον. Τὸν δὲ τῆς οἰκοδομίας ἠγνοηκότες σκοπὸν οἱ τῶν ἐννέα φυλῶν, ἀσεβείας δὲ ἀρχὴν τὴν οἰκοδομίαν τοπάσαντες, πανδημεὶ στρατεῦσαι κατ' αὐτῶν ἠβουλήθησαν, τῆς συγγενείας προτιμήσαντες τὴν εὐσέβειαν· ἀλλ᾽ οἱ πάνσοφοι Ἰησοῦς καὶ Ἐλεάζαρ τὸν Φινεὲς ἀπέστειλαν, ὡς τῷ ζήλῳ κατὰ τῆς ἀσεβείας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ χρησάμενον ὥστε καὶ τῶν προγόνων, καὶ τῶν θεοσδότων ἀγαθῶν ἀναμνῆσαι, καὶ τὴν τολμηθεῖσαν παῦσαι παρανομίαν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπελθόντες ἔγνωσαν οὐ θρησκείας χάριν τολμηθεῖσαν τὴν καινοτομίαν ἀλλὰ τῆς περὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν κοινωνίας μνημεῖον κληθῆναι τὸν γεγενημένον συνεῖδον βωμόν· ἵν᾿ ἔχοιεν οἱ ἀπόγονοι δεικνύναι τοῦτον εἰς ἔλεγχον τῶν ἀπείργειν αὐτοὺς τῶν θείων πανηγύρεων πειρωμένων, ἀνέστρεψαν γεγηθότες, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἀνυμνοῦντες ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἀδελφων εὐσεβείᾳ, καὶ τῇ κοινῇ πάντων εἰρήνῃ. Τοῦτο ἐχρῆν καὶ τοὺς νῦν Ἰουδαίους εἰδέναι τε καὶ λέγειν, ὡς ὁ βωμὸς αὐτῶν οὐ τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἦν θυσιαστήριον, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀληθινὸν προετύπου. Μέλλων τοίνυν τὸν βίον ὁ προφήτης ὑπεξιέναι, συνεκάλεσε πάντα τὸν λαὸν καὶ παρήνει αὐτοῖς ὥστε μηδεμίαν πρὸς ἐγχωρίους ἐπιγαμίαν ποιήσασθαι, ὡς τῆς τοιαύτης ἐπιμιξίας τὰς τῆς ἀσεβείας παρεχούσης προφάσεις προστέθεικε δὲ τῇ παραινέσει καὶ ἀπειλάς· Ἐὰν γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦτο ποιήσητε, γινώσκετε ὅτι οὐ μὴ προσθῇ Κύριος ἐξολοθρεῦσαι τὰ ἔθνη ταῦτα ἀπὸ προσώπου ὑμῶν· καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν εἰς παγίδας, καὶ εἰς σκάνδαλα ἐν ταῖς πλευραῖς ὑμῶν, καὶ σκῶλα ἐν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν, ἕως ἂν ἀπόλησθε ἐκ τῆς γῆς τῆς ἀγαθῆς ταύτης, ἣν ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν. Ταῦτα δὲ σαφέστερον ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν ἡ τῶν Κριτῶν ἱστορία. Ἔγνωμεν δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν, δι᾽ ἣν κατὰ τὴν θείαν ἐπαγγελίαν οὐχ ἁπάσης τῆς γῆς τὴν δεσποτείαν παρέλαβον. Ασπασάμενοι γὰρ τῶν δυσσεβῶν ἐθνῶν τὴν συγγένειαν, καὶ μιμησάμενοι τὴν ἀσέβειαν, τῆς θείας ἐγυμνώθησαν προμηθείας, καὶ δουλεύειν αὐτοῖς ἠναγκάζοντο. Θαυμαστὸς δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ φιλόσοφος καὶ ὁ περὶ θανάτου λόγος· Ἐγὼ γὰρ, ἔφη, ἀποτρέχω τὴν ὁδὸν καθὼς πάντες οἱ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Δείκνυσι δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸ τῆς θείας προῤῥήσεως ἀψευδές· Καὶ γνώσεσθε ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν, διότι οὐ διέπεσε λόγος εἷς ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν λόγων τῶν καλῶν, ὧν εἶπε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς πάντα ἃ εἴρηκεν ἡμῖν, δέδωκεν ἡμῖν οὐδὲν διαπεφώνηκεν ἐξ αὐτῶν. Τὸ ἀληθὲς, φησὶ, τῶν θείων ἐπαγγελιῶν ἐκ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν μεμαθήκατε. Πεπλήρωκε γὰρ ἅπερ ὑπἑσχετο. Τοιγαροῦν ἐντεῦθεν μάθετε καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀπειλῶν ἀψευδές. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπήγαγεν· Καὶ ἔσται ὃν τρόπον ἦλθεν ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τὰ καλὰ, ἃ ἐλάλησε Κύριος ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς οὕτως ἐπάξει Κύριος ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς πάντα ῥήματα τὰ πονηρὰ, ἕως ἂν ἐξολοθρεύσῃ ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς τῆς ἀγαθῆς ταύτης, ἧς ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν Κύριος, ἐν τῷ παραβῆναι ὑμᾶς τὴν διαθήκην Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν, ἣν ἐνετείλατο ὑμῖν. Διδάσκων δὲ ὡς οὐκ ἀνθρώπινα ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα, ἐπήγαγεν· Ὅτι τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἀναμιμνήσκει Θάῤῥα τοῦ πατρὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ναχώρ· τέθεικε δὲ τὸν Ναχὼρ διὰ τὸ μητρῷον γένος· ἐξ ἐκείνου γὰρ ἡ Ρεβέκκα, καὶ ἡ Λεία, καὶ ἡ Ραχήλ. Εἶτα διδάσκει, ὡς ὁ Θάρρα θεοῖς ἑτέροις ἐλάτρευσε, καὶ ὡς τούτου χάριν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς χωρίσας τὸν Ἀβραὰμ εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην μετέστησεν. Προστέθεικε δὲ καὶ τὴν εἰς Αἴγυπτον τοῦ Ἰακὼβ κάθοδον καὶ τὴν διὰ Μωσέως γεγενημένην ἔξοδον· καὶ τῆς θαλάττης τὸ θαῦμα καὶ τὴν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ διαγωγὴν, καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων πανωλεθρίαν· καὶ τὰς τοῦ Βαλὰκ ἐπινοίας, καὶ τὰς παρὰ γνώμην τοῦ Βαλαάμ εὐλογίας· καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὴν ξένην διάβασιν· καὶ τὴν τῶν ἐπαναστάντων πολεμίων ἀναίρεσιν· καὶ τὴν τῶν παντοδαπῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπόλαυσιν. Καὶ παραινεῖ, τῆς μὲν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων θεῶν ἀπαλλαγῆναι δουλείας, μόνῳ δὲ λατρεύειν τῷ πεποιηκότι καὶ σεσωκότι Θεῷ. Προστέθεικε δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ αἴρεσιν Ἐκλέξασθε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς σήμερον, τίνι λατρεύσητε εἴτε τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν τοῖς ἐν τῷ πέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ· εἴτε τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν ᾿Αμοῤῥαίων, ἐν οἷς ὑμεῖς κατοικεῖτε ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτῶν. Οὕτω τοῖς ἄλλοις προστεθεικώς τὴν αἵρεσιν, αὐτὸς τὸ τῆς οἰκείας γνώμης ἐπέδειξεν εὐσεβές. Ἔφη γάρ· Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ἡ οἰκία μου λατρεύσομεν Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ὅτι ἅγιός ἐστιν. Εἶτα τοῦ λαοῦ ὑποσχομένου δὲ μόνῳ δουλεύειν τῷ σεσωκότι Θεῷ, ὑπολαβὼν ὁ θειότατος Ἰησοῦς ἔφη πρὸς αὐτούς· «Οὐ μὴ δυνήσησθε λατρεύειν Κυρίῳ, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἄγιός ἐστι· καὶ ὁ ζηλώσας ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἀνοίσει ὑμῶν τὰ ἀνομήματα, καὶ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ὑμῶν, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐγκαταλίπητε Κύριον, καὶ λατρεύσητε θεοῖς ἑτέροις· καὶ ἀπελθὼν κακώσει ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἐξαναλώσει ὑμᾶς, ἀνθ᾽ ὧν εὖ ἐποίησεν ὑμῖν. Μὴ προσδοκήσητε, φησὶν, ὅτι καὶ παρανομοῦντες τῶν αὐτῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύσεσθε. Οἶδε γὰρ οὐ μόνον εὐεργετεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κολάζειν τοὺς παραβαίνοντας ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός. Ἐκείνων δὲ καὶ ταύτην δεξαμένων τὴν πρότασιν, καὶ ὑποσχομένων τῷ Κυρίῳ δουλεύειν, ἀναγκαίως ἐπήγαγε· Μάρτυρες ὑμεῖς καθ' ὑμῶν ὅτι ὑμεῖς ἐξελέξασθε Κύριον λατρεύειν αὐτῷ. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ καὶ ταῦτα ἡ ἱστορία, ὡς παραινέσας αὐτοῖς τῆς τῶν ἀλλοτρίων θεῶν ἀπαλλαγῆναι λατρείας, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας νομοθετήσας, οὐκ ἄγραφα ταῦτα κατέλιπεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνάγραπτον αὐτῶν τὴν μνήμην ἐποίησεν.","t":"Why did he assign cities to the priests in the tribe of Judah, of Benjamin and of Simeon? In the wilderness too, when they journeyed, they were joined with the tribe of Judah, for both the priests and the tribe of Judah received the eastern section; and here again they were allotted together with the tribe of Judah, since there had also been intermarriage between these tribes. Aaron, the first high priest, married the daughter of Amminadab, and Jehoiada, the all-praiseworthy high priest, the sister of Ahaziah. The Master allowed these tribes to intermarry, he who, sprung from Judah according to the flesh, was called not only king but also high priest. They also had to live in the tribe of Benjamin, since the divine temple was to be built in their tribe. And they took some cities from the tribe of Simeon too, since its allotment was also near the temple. For as he assigned to the priests and Levites the tithes of the fruits of the earth and of the cattle, so he commanded that tithes, as it were, of the cities be given them. The patriarch Jacob promised to give these tithes to God: “Of all that you give me,” he said, “I will give a tenth to you.” The people, then, was paying an ancestral debt, not offering a gift. Besides this, it held their allotment of the land. When the war had ended and the division had been made, those who had received their allotments beyond the river were dismissed. Before they crossed the river, they built a very great altar. The nine tribes, not knowing the purpose of the building and supposing it to be the beginning of impiety, wished to march against them in full force, preferring piety to kinship. But the all-wise Joshua and Eleazar sent Phinehas, as one who had shown zeal against impiety in the wilderness, to remind them of their forefathers and of the God-given benefits and to stop the lawlessness they had dared. When they went and learned that the innovation had not been dared for the sake of worship, but realized that the altar had been built to be called a memorial of their fellowship in piety, so that their descendants could point to it to refute those who might try to exclude them from the divine festivals, they returned rejoicing, praising God for the piety of their brothers and the common peace of all. The Jews of today should know and say this too: that their altar was not the true altar but prefigured the true one. When the prophet was about to depart this life, he called together all the people and urged them to make no marriages with the inhabitants of the land, since such mixing provides occasions of impiety. And he added threats to the exhortation: “For if you do this,” he says, “know that the Lord will not again destroy these nations before you; and they will be snares and stumbling blocks to you, nails in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.” The history of the Judges taught us this more clearly. We have also learned the reason why they did not take possession of the whole land according to the divine promise: for embracing kinship with the impious nations and imitating their impiety, they were stripped of divine providence and forced to serve them. His saying about death is admirable and philosophical: “For I,” he said, “am going the way of all the earth.” He also shows them that the divine prediction does not lie: “And you shall know in your heart and in your soul that not one word has failed of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke to you; all that he said to us he has given us; not one of them has failed.” You have learned, he means, the truth of the divine promises from the benefits; for he has fulfilled what he promised. Learn from this, therefore, that the threats too do not lie. For he added: “And as all the good words which the Lord spoke concerning you have come upon you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the evil words, until he destroys you from this good land which the Lord has given you, when you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God which he commanded you.” Teaching that these words are not human, he added: “For thus says the Lord God of Israel.” And he recalls Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor. He mentioned Nahor because of the maternal line, for from him came Rebekah, Leah and Rachel. Then he teaches that Terah served other gods, and that for this reason God the Master separated Abraham and moved him to that land. He added the descent of Jacob into Egypt and the exodus through Moses; the wonder of the sea and the life in the wilderness; the destruction of the Amorites; the schemes of Balak and the blessings of Balaam against his will; the strange crossing of the river; the destruction of the enemies who rose up; and the enjoyment of every kind of good thing. And he urges them to be freed from the service of foreign gods and to serve only the God who made and saved them. He also set before them a choice: “Choose for yourselves today,” he says, “whom you will serve: whether the gods of your fathers beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.” Having thus put the choice to the others, he showed the piety of his own mind: “But I and my house will serve the Lord God, for he is holy.” Then, when the people promised to serve only the God who had saved them, the most divine Joshua answered them: “You will not be able to serve the Lord, for God is holy; and, being jealous, he will not bear your lawless deeds and your sins when you forsake the Lord and serve other gods; and he will turn and harm you and consume you, after having done you good.” Do not expect, he means, that you will enjoy the same good things while breaking the law; for God the Master knows not only how to do good but also how to punish transgressors. When they accepted this proposal too and promised to serve the Lord, he necessarily added: “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” The history has also taught that, having urged them to be freed from the worship of foreign gods and having legislated about piety, he did not leave these things unwritten, but made a written record of them.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.19 (PG 80 80:479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-19)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.2":{"o":"Τί δήποτε ὑποσχόμενος ὁ Θεὸς πάντα τόπον δώσειν αὐτοῖς, οὗ ἂν ἐπιβῶσι τῷ ἴχνει τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ τὴν ἔρημον, καὶ τὸν ᾿Αντιλίβανον ἕως τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου Εὐφράτου, οὐκ ἐπλήρωσε τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν; Σαφὴς ὁ λόγος, καὶ οὐ πολλῆς ἑρμηνείας δεόμενος. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ εἴρηται, ὅτι Πᾶς τόπος οὗ ἐὰν ἐπιβῆτε τῷ ἴχνει τῶν ποδῶν ὑμῶν, ὑμῖν δώσω αὐτόν. Εἰκὸς οὖν αὐτοὺς μὴ ἐπιβῆναι τῆς ἄλλης γῆς Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ στρατηγοῦντος. Ἡ ἐπαγωγὴ δὲ τέλεον λύει τὸ ζήτημα. Επήγαγε γὰρ, Ὃν τρόπον εἴρηκα τῷ Μωσῇ· οὐκ ἀορίστως δὲ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἐποιήσατο τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν, ἀλλ' Ἐὰν φυλάξητε τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ δικαιώματά μου.» Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν, ὡς εὐθὺς παραβεβηκότες τὸν νόμον, τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τελείας οὐκ ἔτυχον. Οἱ δὲ θεῖοι ἀπόστολοι οὐ μόνον ἐκείνων τῶν τόπων ἐκράτησαν ὧν ἐπέβησαν, ἀλλὰ κἀκείνων ἐν οἷς αὐτῶν ἀνεγνώσθη τὰ πάνσοφα γράμματα καὶ τὴν πάλαι ἔρημον παράδεισον ἀπέφηναν θεῖον· περὶ ταύτης τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ ὁ προφήτης ἔλεγεν Ἡσαΐας· Εὐφράνθητι, ἔρημος διψῶσα καὶ εὐφράνθητι, ἔρημος, καὶ αἱ κῶμαι αὐτῆς. Καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς διὰ τῆς ἐκείνου γλώττης ὑπέσχετο ποιήσειν τὴν ἔρημον εἰς ἕλη, καὶ τὴν διψῶσαν γῆν ἐν ὑδραγωγοῖς. Ταύτην πάλιν γενήσεσθαι τὴν ἔρημον ὡς τὸν Κάρμηλον ἔφη. Ἐκληρονόμησαν δὲ καὶ τὸν ᾿Αντιλίβανον τῆς ἀληθείας οἱ κήρυκες· αἰνίττεται δὲ καὶ οὗτος τὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν σωτηρίαν· ἐπειδὴ καὶ Λίβανος ἡ Ἱερουσαλήμ ὠνομάσθη. Ὁ ἀετὸς γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ μεγαλοπτέρυγος, ὃς ἔχει τὸ ἤγημα εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν Λίβανον, καὶ ἀπέκνισε τὰ ἀπαλὰ τῆς κέδρου, καὶ τῆς κυπαρίστου. ᾿Αετὸν γὰρ Βαβυλώνιον κέκληκε, Λίβανον δὲ τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ· τὰ ἀπαλὰ δὲ τῆς κέδρου καὶ τῆς κυπαρίσσου, τὸν βασιλέα καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας. Τούτους οὐ μόνον κατασκόπους, ἀλλὰ καὶ στρατηγοὺς ὁ ἡμέτερος ἀπέστειλεν Ἰησοῦς. Καθάπερ δὲ οἱ παρὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ πεμφθέντες κατάσκοποι τὴν πεπιστευκυῖαν διέσωσαν πόρνην, σύμβολον αὐτῇ σωτηρίας δεδωκότες τὸ σπαρτίον τὸ κόκκινον· οὕτω οἱ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀπόστολοι τὴν πάλαι πόρνην, τὴν διαφόροις εἰδώλοις ἀνακειμένην Εκκλησίαν, καὶ τῆς προτέρας ἀκολασίας ἀπέστησαν, καὶ τῶν αἰωνίων ἠξίωσαν ἀγαθῶν· οὐ σπαρτίῳ κοκκίνῳ συμβόλῳ χρησάμενοι, ἀλλὰ τῷ παναγίῳ αἵματι τὴν σωτηρίαν πραγματευσάμενοι. Μηδεὶς οὖν νομιζέτω ἀνάξιον εἶναι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς Ῥαὰβ, τὸν τύπον· ἀκουσάτω δὲ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου λέγοντος, Ημεν γάρ ποτε καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀνόητοι, ἀπειθεῖς, πλανώμενοι, δουλεύοντες ἐπιθυμίαις καὶ ἡδοναῖς ποικίλαις, ἐν κακίᾳ καὶ φθόνῳ διάγοντες, στυγητοί, μισοῦντες ἀλλήλους. Καὶ πάλιν· ᾿Αλλὰ τότε μὲν ὡς οὐκ εἰδότες Θεὸν ἐδουλεύσατε τοῖς μὴ οὖσι φύσει θεοῖς. Καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ· Ἦτε γάρ ποτε σκότος, νῦν δὲ φῶς ἐν Κυρίῳ. Καὶ ἑτέρωθι· Μὴ πλανᾶσθε, οὔτε πόρνοι, οὔτε μοιχοὶ, οὔτε μαλακοὶ, οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται, οὔτε εἰδωλολάτραι, οὔτε πλεονέκται, οὔτε κλέπται, οὔτε λοίδοροι, οὔτε μέθυσοι, οὐχ ἄρπαγες, βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομήσουσιν Εἶτα ἐπήγαγε· Καὶ ταῦτά τινες ἦτε, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπελούσασθε, ἀλλ᾽ ἡγιάσθητε, ἀλλ᾽ ἐδικαιώθητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· καὶ ἐν τῷ Πνεύματι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἡμῶν. Οὕτω καὶ Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη τὸ πρότερον ἦν, ὑπεδέξατο δὲ τοὺς κατασκόπους πιστῶς, καὶ βασιλέως παραδοθῆναι τούτους προστεταχότος, οὐκ εἶξεν, ἀλλὰ κατέκρυψεν· ἐπίστευσε γὰρ τῷ τῶν Ἑβραίων Θεῷ, καὶ δηλοῖ τὴν πίστιν τὰ ῥήματα· Επίσταμαι γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι παρέδωκε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν τὴν γῆν. Ἐπιπέπτωκε γὰρ ὁ φόβος ὑμῶν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς. ᾿Ακηκόαμεν γὰρ ὅτι κατεξήρανε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὴν θάλασσαν τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν ἀπὸ προσώπου ὑμῶν, ὅτε ἐξεπορεύεσθε ἐξ Αἰγύπτου· καὶ ὅσα ἐποιήσατε τοῖς δυσὶ βασιλεῦσι τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων, οἱ ἦσαν πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, Σηὼν καὶ Ὢγ, οὓς ἐξωλοθρεύσατε αὐτοὺς. Καὶ ἀκούσαντες ἡμεῖς ἐξέστημεν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πνεῦμα ἐν οὐδενὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου ὑμῶν, ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, Θεὸς ἐν οὐρανῷ ἄνω, καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς κάτω. ᾿Αληθὴς ἄρα ὁ λόγος ἐκεῖνος, ὃν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς περὶ τοῦ Φαραὼ ἔφη· Εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐξήγειρά σε, ὅπως ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν δύναμίν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. Διὰ γὰρ τούτων τῶν εἰς ἐκεῖνον γεγενημένων δῆλος ἅπασι γέγονεν ὁ Ἑβραίων Θεός. Καὶ αἱ συνθῆκαι δὲ τῶν κατασκόπων σφόδρα τῇ ἀληθείᾳ συμφωνοῦσι Πᾶς γὰρ, ἔφασαν, ὃς ἂν ἐξέλθῃ τὴν θύραν τῆς οἰκίας σου ἔξω, ἔνοχος ἑαυτῷ ἔσται, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀθῶοι τῷ λόγῳ σου τούτῳ. Καὶ ἡμῖν δὲ σωτηρία διὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας προσγίνεται οἱ δὲ ταύτης ἐκτὸς, οὐκ ἀπολαύουσι τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς. Καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ δὲ τῆς ἱστορίας προδιέγραφε τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ἡνίκα γὰρ ἤμελλον διαβαίνειν τὸν Ἰορδάνην, εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος πρὸς Ἰησοῦν Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἄρχομαι ὑψῶσαί σε κατενώπιον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐγένετο. Ωσπερ γὰρ ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ Ἰησοῦς ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν Ἰορδάνην θαύματος δῆλος γέγονε θεοφιλὴς ὢν ἀνήρ· οὕτως καὶ ὁ ἡμέτερος Ἰησοῦς μετὰ τὸν Ἰορδάνην, καὶ τὸ Ἰωάννου βάπτισμα, τῆς διδασκαλίας καὶ τῶν θαυμάτων τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐποιήσατο. Ἀλλ᾽ ἴσως τισὶν ἀνάρμοστον εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ, «Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἄρχομαι ὑψῶσαί σε, ἐπὶ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν τιθέμενον. ᾿Αλλ' ἀκουσάτωσαν αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα λέγοντος· Πάτερ, δόξασόν με τῇ δόξῃ ᾗ εἶχον παρὰ σοὶ πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον εἶναι. Καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος δέ φησι· Διὸ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσεν, καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ ὄνομα τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα. Ὑψωθεὶς δὲ οὐκ ἔλαβεν ὁ μὴ εἶχεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἔδειξεν ὅπερ εἶχεν· ἀγνοούμενος γὰρ ὅτι Υιός ἐστι τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ, ἐδείχθη τοῦτο ὢν, τοῦ Πατρὸς παρὰ τὸν Ἰορδάνην εἰρηκότος· Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υιός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα. Προτυποῦσε δὲ καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ αἴροντες τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου τὸν Βαπτιστὴν Ἰωάννην. Ἱερεὺς γὰρ κἀκεῖνος, καὶ ἀρχιερέως υἱός. Ωσπερ τοίνυν τῶν ἱερέων τὴν κιβωτὸν φερόντων, καὶ πρῶτον εἰς τὸν Ἰορδάνην εἰσεληλυθότων, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ προφήτου καὶ στρατηγοῦ ἅπας διελήλυθεν ὁ λαὸς, οὕτως Ἰωάννου τοῦ πάνυ βαπτίζειν ἀρξαμένου, καὶ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἁγιάσαντος τῶν ὑδάτων τὴν φύσιν, ὁ εὐσεβὴς λαὸς διὰ τοῦ παναγίου βαπτίσματος εἰς τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν εἴσεισι βασιλείαν. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ οἱ δώδεκα ἄνδρες, καὶ οἱ ἰσάριθμοι λίθοι, τὸν θεῖον προετύπωσαν τῶν ἀποστόλων χορόν. Οἱ γὰρ αὐτοὶ καὶ οἰκοδόμοι, καὶ θεμέλιοι Οἰκοδομηθέντες γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ προφητῶν. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς ᾿Απόστολος ἔφη· Ἐγὼ ὡς σοφὸς ἀρχιτέκτων θεμέλιον τέθεικα.» Τὸ μέντοι πῆγμα, ἄσκωμα ὁ Σύμμαχος ἡρμήνευσεν, Ἐπεχομένη γὰρ τῶν ὑδάτων ἡ ῥύμη οἷον ἡσκοῦτο, καὶ ἐκορυφοῦτο παντὸς γὰρ ἀδαμαντίνου τείχους πλέον ἐπεἶχεν αὐτὴν ὁ τοῦ δημιουργήσαντος ὄρος. Καὶ πρὸ τοῦ πάσχα δὲ γέγονεν ἡ διάβασις· τῇ δεκάτῃ γὰρ διαβάντες, ἐπετέλεσαν τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ Πάσχα τὴν ἑορτήν. Ἐπειδὴ κὰν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ μετὰ τὸ σωτήριον βάπτισμα ἡ τοῦ ἀμώμου ἀμνοῦ μετάληψις γίνεται.","t":"Why, when God promised to give them every place on which the sole of their feet would tread, and the wilderness and the Anti-Lebanon as far as the great river Euphrates, did he not fulfil the promise? The text is clear and does not need much interpretation. First it is said, “Every place on which you tread with the sole of your feet I will give you.” It is likely, then, that under Joshua's command they did not tread on the rest of the land. And what follows settles the question completely. For he added, “As I said to Moses”; and he did not make the promise to him unconditionally, but “if you keep my commandments and my judgments.” They, then, as having transgressed the law at once, did not obtain the promise in full. But the divine apostles took possession not only of the places on which they trod, but also of those in which their all-wise writings were read; and they made the former wilderness a divine paradise. Of this wilderness the prophet Isaiah also said, “Rejoice, thirsty wilderness; rejoice, wilderness, and its villages.” And God the Master promised through his tongue that he would make the wilderness into marshes and the thirsty land into water channels; and he said that this wilderness would again become like Carmel. The heralds of the truth also inherited the Anti-Lebanon; and this too hints at the salvation of the nations, since Jerusalem was called Lebanon: “The great-winged eagle,” it says, “which has the leading to enter Lebanon, and he cropped the tender shoots of the cedar and the cypress.” He called the Babylonian an eagle, Jerusalem Lebanon, and the king and the rulers the tender shoots of the cedar and the cypress. These our Jesus sent out not only as spies but also as generals. And as the spies sent by Joshua son of Nun saved the harlot who believed, giving her the scarlet cord as a sign of salvation, so the apostles of our Saviour turned the church, once a harlot devoted to various idols, from its former licentiousness and granted it eternal good things, using not a scarlet cord as a sign but procuring salvation by the all-holy blood. Let no one think that Rahab is a type unworthy of the church; let him hear the Apostle saying, “For we too were once senseless, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.” And again: “But then, not knowing God, you were slaves to those that by nature are not gods.” And elsewhere: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” And in another place: “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor men who lie with men, nor idolaters, nor the greedy, nor thieves, nor revilers, nor drunkards, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.” Then he added, “And such were some of you; but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” So too Rahab was formerly a harlot, but she received the spies faithfully, and when the king ordered them to be handed over she did not yield but hid them; for she believed in the God of the Hebrews, and her words show her faith: “For I know,” she says, “that the Lord your God has given you the land; for the fear of you has fallen upon us. For we have heard that the Lord God dried up the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And when we heard it our hearts were astonished, and there is no spirit left in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.” True, then, is that word which God the Master spoke about Pharaoh: “For this very purpose I raised you up, to show my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” For through what was done to him the God of the Hebrews became known to all. And the agreement of the spies agrees closely with the reality: “Anyone,” they said, “who goes out of the door of your house shall be responsible for himself, and we shall be guiltless of this oath of yours.” For us too salvation comes through the church; those outside it do not enjoy eternal life. And the rest of the history too sketched the reality in advance. For when they were about to cross the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “On this day I begin to exalt you before the sons of Israel.” This happened in the reality too. For as Joshua son of Nun was shown by the miracle at the Jordan to be a man dear to God, so also our Jesus, after the Jordan and John's baptism, began his teaching and his miracles. But perhaps to some it seems unfitting that “On this day I begin to exalt you” should be applied to our Lord and Saviour. Let them hear him saying to the Father, “Father, glorify me with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” And the Apostle says: “Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name.” But in being exalted he did not receive what he did not have; he showed what he had. For, while it was not known that he is the Son of the God of all, he was shown to be this when the Father said at the Jordan, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord also prefigured John the Baptist; for he too was a priest and a high priest's son. As, then, when the priests carrying the ark had gone first into the Jordan, the whole people crossed over with Joshua the prophet and general, so, when the illustrious John began to baptize and Jesus the Saviour sanctified the nature of the waters, the pious people enter the kingdom of heaven through all-holy baptism. And the twelve men and the twelve stones prefigured the divine company of the apostles; for the same men are both builders and foundations: “Built,” it says, “on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” And again the same Apostle said, “As a wise master builder I have laid a foundation.” The “heap” Symmachus rendered “swelling”: for the rush of the waters, held back, as it were swelled up and rose to a crest; for the boundary set by the Creator held it back more strongly than any wall of adamant. The crossing took place before the Passover: they crossed on the tenth and celebrated the feast of the Passover on the fourteenth. For in the reality too, the partaking of the spotless lamb follows saving baptism.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.2 (PG 80 80:459; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-2)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.20":{"o":"Τι δήποτε τὸν λίθον στήσας εἴρηκεν· Ἰδού ὁ λίθος οὗτος ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον, ὅτι οὗτος ἀκήκοε πάντα τὰ λεχθέντα παρὰ Κυρίου, ἃ ἐλάλησε πρὸς ὑμᾶς σήμερον ; ῎Αψυχος μὲν ὁ λίθος εἰς ἔλεγχον δὲ τῶν ἐμψύχων καὶ λογικῶν, διὰ τῶν ἀψύχων μαρτύρεται· ἐχρήσατο δὲ καὶ τῷ ἔθει τῷ παλαιῷ. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Ἰακώβ καὶ ὁ Λάβαν ποιησάμενοι τὰς συνθήκας, τὸν βουνὸν ἐκάλεσαν μάρτυρα τῶν συνθηκῶν. Ὅσον μέντοι ὀνίνησιν ἄρχων εὐσεβὴς καὶ φιλόθεος, ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει. Ἑλάτρευσε γὰρ, φησὶν, Ἰσραὴλ τῷ Κυρίῳ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας Ἰησοῦ, καὶ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, ὅσοι ἐφείλκυσαν τὸν χρόνον μετὰ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ὅσοι εἶδον πάντα τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου, ὅσα ἐποίησε μετὰ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν τούτων τελευτὴν, ἀπέκλιναν εἰς ἀσέβειαν· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τῆς ἱστορίας τὸ τέλος ἐδίδαξεν. ᾿Αλλ' ἔδοσαν δίκας τῆς ἀσεβείας· τῆς γὰρ θείας γυμνωθέντες κηδεμονίας, ὑπεβλήθησαν τῷ τῆς δουλείας ζυγῷ, καὶ Δεσπότην ἔσχον τὸν τῶν Μωαβιτῶν βασιλέα. ᾿Αλλ᾿ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Κύριος, τῆς πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας μεμνημένος ἐπαγγελίας, ὀκτωκαιδεκαετεῖ χρόνῳ περιώρισε τὴν δουλείαν.","t":"Why, having set up the stone, did he say, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness among you, for it has heard all that was said by the Lord, which he spoke to you today”? The stone is lifeless, but to convict living and rational beings he calls lifeless things to witness; and he used the ancient custom. For Jacob and Laban, having made their agreement, called the hill a witness of the agreement. How much a pious and God-loving ruler benefits his people the history teaches: “For Israel served the Lord,” it says, “all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, and who had seen all the works of the Lord which he did with Israel.” After their death they turned aside to impiety; for the end of the history taught this too. But they paid the penalty for their impiety: stripped of divine care, they were put under the yoke of slavery and had the king of the Moabites as their master. But the loving Lord, remembering his promise to the fathers, limited the slavery to a period of eighteen years.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.20 (PG 80 80:485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-20)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.3":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Περιέτεμε τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ ἐκ δευτέρου ; Τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὅτι μάλιστα οὗτος ὁ λόγος προδιαγράφει. Τοῖς γὰρ τὴν Μωσαϊκὴν δεξαμένοις περιτομὴν τὴν πνευματικὴν προσήνεγκαν περιτομὴν τῶν Εὐαγγελίων οἱ κήρυκες. Πιστεύσατε γὰρ, έλεγον, καὶ βαπτισθήτω ἕκαστος ὑμῶν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ λήψεσθε τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. Ταύτην ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ἀχειροποίητον περιτομὴν προσηγόρευσε. Καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ, Περιτομὴ γὰρ, φησὶ, καρδίας ἐν πνεύματι, οὐ γράμματι. Οἱ τοίνυν ἐξ Ἰουδαίων τῷ Σωτῆρι πεπιστευκότες, τὴν Μωσαϊκὴν περιτομὴν ἔχοντες, προσέλαβον τὴν πνευματικήν. Τὸ τοίνυν ἐκ δευτέρου τὴν ἀλήθειαν προτυποῖ· τὴν γὰρ σάρκα δὶς περιτμηθῆναι τῶν ἀδυνάτων. Ἡ δὲ ἐξεπιπολῆς τοῦ γράμματος διάνοια τοῦτο δηλοῖ· ὅτι καθάπερ τῷ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ τοῦτον ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὁ Θεὸς ἐδεδώκει τὸν νόμον, οὕτως ἐκ δευτέρου προσέταξε τῷ Ἰησοῦ τοὺς ἀπεριτμήτους περιτεμεῖν. Θρηνῆσαι δὲ ἄξιον Ἰουδαίους, συνιδεῖν οὐ δυναμένους, ὡς οἱ περιτετμημένοι μὲν ἀνῃρέθησαν διαφόροις τιμωρίαις περιπεσόντες, οἱ δὲ ἀπερίτμητοι διεσώθησαν καὶ οἱ μὲν πατέρες διώλοντο, οἱ δὲ παῖδες τὴν ἀπαγγελίαν ἐδέξαντο. Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς παῖδες ὄντες τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν προσδεχόμεθα βασιλείαν Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ τάξιν ἔχοντες πατέρων τῶν αἰωνίων ἐξέπεσον ἀγαθῶν, καὶ τῆς τῶν πατριαρχῶν ἐξεβλήθησαν συγγενείας. Ἐχρῆν τοίνυν αὐτοὺς διὰ τούτων μαθεῖν, ὡς οὐκ ἀεὶ τῆς περιτομῆς ἀναγκαῖον τὸ χρῆμα. Προμηνύσας γὰρ τῷ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ τῆς παροικίας τὸν χρόνον ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, περιτμηθῆναι προσέταξε τῆς Αἰγυπτίων δὲ δουλείας ἀπαλλαγέντας, καὶ ἐν ἐρήμῳ διάγοντας, οὐκ ἀπήτησε τοῦ νόμου τὴν φυλακήν, οὐδὲ τῆς παραβάσεως εἰσέπραξε δίκας. Ἐπειδὴ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ζῶντες, καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἐθνῶν ἐπιμιξίας ἀπηλλαγμένοι, τοῦ σημείου τῆς περιτομῆς οὐκ ἐδέοντο. Ὅτε δὲ λοιπὸν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην εἰσήγαγε γῆν περιτμηθῆναι προσέταξεν, ἵνα μὴ ἡ ἐπιμιξία τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ λυμήνηται. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ συνέβαινε περιπεσεῖν ἀπάτῃ τινὰ, ῥάδιον ἦν τὸ σημεῖον ἰδεῖν, καὶ τὴν ἀγέλην καταλαβεῖν· τὰ γὰρ ἐσφραγισμένα πρόβατα, κἂν ἀπόληται, ῥᾳδίως εὑρίσκεται.","t":"How is “He circumcised the sons of Israel a second time” to be understood? This saying foreshadows the reality above all. For to those who had received the Mosaic circumcision the heralds of the Gospels brought the spiritual circumcision: “Believe,” they said, “and let each of you be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and you will receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.” The divine Apostle called this the circumcision made without hands; and elsewhere: “For circumcision is of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter.” Those of the Jews, then, who believed in the Saviour, having the Mosaic circumcision, received the spiritual one besides. The “second time,” then, prefigures the reality, for it is impossible for the flesh to be circumcised twice. The surface meaning of the letter shows this: as God had given this law to Abraham at the beginning, so a second time he commanded Joshua to circumcise the uncircumcised. The Jews deserve to be lamented, since they cannot see that the circumcised were destroyed, falling into various punishments, while the uncircumcised were saved; the fathers perished, while the children received the promise. So we too, being children, receive the kingdom of heaven, while the Jews, who have the rank of fathers, have fallen from the eternal good things and been cast out of kinship with the patriarchs. They should have learned from this that circumcision is not always necessary. For God the Master, having foretold to Abraham the time of the sojourning, commanded circumcision; but when they had been freed from slavery in Egypt and were living in the wilderness, he did not require the keeping of this law nor exact a penalty for its transgression. For since they were living by themselves, free from mixing with foreign nations, they did not need the sign of circumcision. But when at last he brought them into the promised land, he commanded them to be circumcised, so that mixing would not ruin their piety. For if anyone happened to be led astray by deceit, it was easy to see the sign and to recognize the flock; for marked sheep, even if they get lost, are easily found.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.3 (PG 80 80:465; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-3)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.4":{"o":"Διατὶ μαχαίραις αὐτοὺς πετρίναις περιτμηθῆναι προσέταξεν ; Πάμπολυ πλῆθος ἦν τὸ περιτεμνόμενον, καὶ συντόμως ἔδει περιτμηθῆναι, καὶ ἐπιτελέσαι τοῦ Πάσχα τὴν ἑορτήν. Εἰκὸς οὖν ἦν, τοὺς ἐν ἐρήμῳ τοσοῦτον διάγοντας χρόνον μὴ ἔχειν πολλὰς ἐκ σιδήρου κατασκευασμένας μαχαίρας. ῎Αλλως τε καὶ προτυποῦσιν αἱ πέτριναι μάχαιραι τὴν ἡμετέραν περιτομήν. Πέτρα γὰρ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστός. Ἔπινον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκ πνευματικῆς ἀκολουθούσης πέτρας· ἡ δὲ πέτρα ἦν ὁ Χριστός. Ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς καὶ μάχαιρα κέκληται· Ζῶν γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐνεργής, καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον. Ἡ δὲ σωτήριος αὐτοῦ διδασκαλία τὴν πνευματικὴν ἡμῖν προσφέρει περιτομήν. Ἡ μέντοι ἱστορία ἐδίδαξεν, ὅτι πολλοὶ καὶ τῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τεχθέντων τὴν περιτομὴν οὐκ ἐδέξαντο, δεισάντων, ὡς εἰκὸς, τῶν ἐκείνους γεγεννηκότων, διὰ τὴν τῶν βρεφῶν ἀναίρεσιν, προσενεγκεῖν αὐτοῖς τὴν περιτομὴν. \"Απαντες δὲ, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, πλὴν ὀλίγων, οἱ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ φύντες ἀπερίτμητοι μεμενήκασι. Γάλγαλα δὲ ὁ τόπος ὠνομάσθη, τοὔνομα δὲ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν δηλοῖ. Τότε ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἔφη Θεός· Ἐν τῇ σήμερον ἡμέρᾳ ἀφεῖλον τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν Αἰγύπτου ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν. Δηλοῖ δὲ ὁ λόγος τὴν τῆς Αἰγυπτιακῆς δουλείας καὶ δυσσεβείας ἀπαλλαγὴν, καὶ τῆς ἐπηγγελμένης γῆς τὴν ἀπόληψιν. Καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ μανθάνομεν, ὡς ὁ τοῦ παναγίου βαπτίσματος ἀξιούμενος, καὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν περιτομὴν δεχόμενος, τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὄνειδος ἀποτίθεται.","t":"Why did he order them to be circumcised with knives of stone? The crowd being circumcised was very great, and they had to be circumcised quickly and celebrate the feast of the Passover. It was likely, then, that people who had spent so long in the wilderness did not have many knives made of iron. Besides, the stone knives prefigure our circumcision. For Christ the Master is a rock: “For they drank,” it says, “from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.” And the same is also called a sword: “For the Word of God,” it says, “is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” His saving teaching brings us the spiritual circumcision. The history taught that many of those born in Egypt too had not received circumcision, their parents, as is likely, being afraid to circumcise them because of the killing of the infants; and all, one might say, except a few of those born in the wilderness remained uncircumcised. The place was named Gilgal, and the name means freedom. Then the God of all said, “This day I have taken away the reproach of Egypt from you.” The saying signifies release from Egyptian slavery and impiety, and the taking of the promised land. And we learn that the one who is granted all-holy baptism and receives the spiritual circumcision puts off the reproach of sin.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.4 (PG 80 80:467; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-4)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.5":{"o":"Τίνα νοητέον τὸν ἀρχιστράτηγον τῆς δυνάμεως Κυρίου; Τινές φασι τὸν Θεὸν Λόγον ὀφθῆναι ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι Μιχαὴλ τὸν ἀρχάγγελον εἶναι. Ἡνίκα γὰρ ἐπλημμέλησαν, ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἔφη Θεός· Οὐ μὴ συναναβῶ μετὰ σοῦ διὰ τὸ τὸν λαὸν σκληροτράχηλον εἶναι· ἀλλ' ἀποστελῶ τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου πρότερόν σου. Τοῦτον οἶμαι νῦν ὀφθῆναι τῷ Ἰησοῦ παραθαῤῥύνοντα, καὶ τὴν θείαν βοήθειαν προσημαίνοντα.","t":"Who is to be understood as the commander of the army of the Lord? Some say it was God the Word who appeared; but I think it was Michael the archangel. For when they sinned, the God of all said, “I will not go up with you, because the people is stiff-necked; but I will send my angel before your face, ahead of you.” I think it was he who now appeared to Joshua, encouraging him and signalling the divine help.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.5 (PG 80 80:467; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-5)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.6":{"o":"Πῶς τοίνυν τοῖς θείοις ἐχρήσατο ῥήμασι; Λῦσον γὰρ, φησί, τὸ ὑπόδημα ἐκ τῶν ποδῶν σου· ὁ γὰρ τόπος ἐφ᾽ ᾧ σὺ ἔστηκας ἅγιός ἐστιν. Ἐπειδὴ ἔφη πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, Ὡς ἐγενόμην μετὰ Μωσῆ, ἔσομαι καὶ μετὰ σοῦ. Τούτου χάριν ὧν ἤκουσεν ἐκεῖνος, ἀκούει καὶ οὗτος, ἵνα θαρσαλεώτερος γένηται, ὡς τῆς αὐτῆς ἀξίας τετυχηκώς.","t":"How then did he use the divine words, “Loose the sandal from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy”? Since the God of all had said to him, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you,” for this reason Joshua hears what Moses heard, so that he might become bolder, as having obtained the same dignity.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.6 (PG 80 80:469; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-6)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.7":{"o":"Διατί τὴν Ἱεριχὼ πόλιν ἀναθεματισθῆναι προσέταξεν ; Πρώτην ταύτην εἶλον πόλιν μετὰ τὸ διαβῆναι τὸν ποταμόν. Ὥσπερ τοίνυν προσέταξεν αὐτοὺς τῶν καρπῶν προσφέρειν τὰς ἀπαρχάς οὕτως ἐκέλευσεν καὶ τὰ τῶν σκύλων προσενεγκεῖν ἀκροθίνια. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, καὶ γυμνάζει αὐτοὺς διὰ τούτων τῶν νόμων, ὥστε τοὺς ἀναγκαίους νόμους διατηρεῖν. Τὴν οἰκείαν δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐπιδεικνὺς δύναμιν, τὴν πρώτην πόλιν δίχα ὅπλων καὶ μηχανημάτων ἑλεῖν παρεσκεύασε, καὶ μόνῃ κατέλυσε τῇ τῶν σαλπίγγων ἠχῇ· ἶν᾿ ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἡττηθῶσι παραταττόμενοι, γνῶσιν ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρέσχον τῆς ἥττης τὰς ἀφορμὰς, τῶν θείων νόμων καταφρονήσαντες.","t":"Why did he order the city of Jericho to be devoted to destruction? This was the first city they took after crossing the river. As, then, he commanded them to offer the firstfruits of their crops, so he ordered them to offer the first share of the spoils. Besides this, he exercises them through these laws in keeping the necessary laws. And showing them his own power, he arranged for them to take the first city without weapons or siege engines, and destroyed it by the sound of the trumpets alone, so that whenever they were defeated in battle they would know that they themselves had given the occasion for defeat by despising the divine laws.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.7 (PG 80 80:469; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-7)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.8":{"o":"Τι δήποτε ἀλλόφυλος οὖσα ἡ ᾿Ῥαάβ κατώκησεν ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, ὡς ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει ; Καὶ τοῦτο προτυποῖ τὰ ἡμέτερα. Ἔφη γὰρ ὁ Δεσπότης· Καὶ ἄλλα πρόβατα ἔχω, ἃ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τῆς αὐλῆς ταύτης, κἀκεῖνά με δεῖ ἀγαγεῖν, καὶ τῆς φωνῆς μου ἀκούσουσι, καὶ γενήσεται μία ποίμνη, καὶ εἷς ποιμήν. Τούτου χάριν καὶ νομοθετῶν ἔφη· Εἰς νόμος ἔσται τῷ προσηλύτῳ, καὶ τῷ αὐτόχθονι. Διὰ τοῦτο δὲ Μωσῆς ὁ νομοθέτης οὐκ ἐκώλυσε τῶν Αἰγυπτίων τοὺς συναπάραι αὐτοῖς ἐθελήσαντας. Ἔδει δὲ καὶ ὡς ἀγριέλαιον ἐγκεντρισθῆναι εἰς τὴν καλλιέλαιον, ᾗ φησιν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος.","t":"Why did Rahab, though a foreigner, live among the sons of Israel, as the history teaches? This too prefigures our situation. For the Master said, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them too, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.” For this reason, when he gave the law, he said, “There shall be one law for the proselyte and for the native.” And for this reason Moses the lawgiver did not prevent those of the Egyptians who wished to set out with them. And the wild olive had to be grafted into the cultivated olive, as the blessed Paul says.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.8 (PG 80 80:469; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-8)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6.9":{"o":"Τι ἐστιν, Ἐν τῷ πρωτοτόκῳ αὐτοῦ θεμελιώσει αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐλαχίστῳ ἐπιστήσει τὰς πύλας αὐτῆς; Ἐπειδὴ τὴν πόλιν ἀνέθηκε τῷ Θεῷ, εἰκότως αὐτὴν κατέσκαψεν ἄτοπον ἡγησάμενος οἰκητήριον γενέσθαι κοινὸν τὸ τῷ Θεῷ ἀπονεμηθέν. Ἐπηράσατο δὲ τοῖς ταύτην οἰκοδομοῦσιν ὥστε τὸν ἐπιχειροῦντα παραβῆναι τὸν ὄρον, τὰ θεμέλια μὲν πηγνύντα, τῶν υἱέων ἀποβαλεῖν τὸν πρωτότοκον τὰς δὲ πύλας ἐπιτιθέντα, τὸν ἔσχατον. Μέμνηται δὲ τῆς ἀρᾶς καὶ ἡ τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἱστορία.","t":"What is the meaning of “With his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with his youngest he will set up its gates”? Since he had dedicated the city to God, he fittingly razed it, thinking it improper that what had been assigned to God should become a common dwelling. And he cursed those who would rebuild it, so that the one who tried to cross the boundary would lose the firstborn of his sons when laying the foundations, and the last when setting up the gates. The history of the Kingdoms also mentions the curse.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 6.9 (PG 80 80:471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/6-9)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.1":{"o":"Διατί Κριταὶ τὸ βιβλίον ὠνόμασται; \"Ωσπερ τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἡ βίβλος πολλὰ μὲν ἔχει καὶ διάφορα διηγήματα, ὠνομάσθη δὲ Βάσιλεῖαι, ἐπειδὴ τὰ τῷ λαῷ συμβεβηκότα κατὰ τὸν τῶν βασιλέων καιρὸν ἱστορεῖ· οὕτω καὶ τὸ προκείμενον βιβλίον προσηγορεύθη Κριτῶν, ἐπειδὴ τὰ κατὰ τὸν τῆς δημαγωγίας καιρὸν γεγενημένα διδάσκει. Τὴν μέντοι τῆσδε τῆς ἱστορίας ἀρχὴν ἀνακεφαλαίωσιν οἶμαι εἶναι τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ κατορθωμένων. Μέμνηται γὰρ καὶ τοῦ ᾿Αδωνιβεζὲκ, καὶ τοῦ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν πολέμου, καὶ τῆς ἥττης αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἀναιρέσεως. Μέμνηται δὲ καὶ τῆς Χεβρών, ὡς ἀπονεμηθείσης τῷ Χαλὲβ, καὶ τῆς τῶν τριῶν γιγάντων ἀναιρέσεως, τοῦ Ἐσσὶ, καὶ τοῦ Ἀχμὰν, καὶ τοῦ Θολομῖ οὓς τοῦ Ἐνὰκ ἀπογόνους ὠνόμασεν. Εἰκὸς δὲ τότε μὲν προῤῥηθῆναι τὴν τούτων ἀναίρεσιν, ὕστερον δὲ λαβεῖν τὴν πρόῤῥησιν τέλος.","t":"Why is the book called Judges? As the book of the Kingdoms contains many different narratives but was named Kingdoms because it recounts what happened to the people in the time of the kings, so the present book was called Judges because it teaches what happened in the time of the judges' leadership. The beginning of this history, however, I think is a recapitulation of what was achieved by Joshua son of Nun. For it mentions Adonibezek, the war against him, his defeat and his death. It also mentions Hebron as assigned to Caleb, and the killing of the three giants, Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, whom it called descendants of Anak. It is likely that their killing was foretold then and the prediction fulfilled later.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.1 (PG 80 80:485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-1)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.10":{"o":"Τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἱαβὶν τὸν βασιλέα ᾿Ασὼρ ἱστορεῖ καὶ ἡ ἱστορία τοῦ Ἰησοῦ· εἰ τοίνυν ἐπ᾿ ἐκείνου ἀνῃρέθη, πῶς μετὰ πολὺν χρόνον ἐπανέστη τῷ Ἰσραήλ; ῎Ἄλλος ἦν ἐκεῖνος, καὶ ἄλλος οὗτος· ὁμώνυμοι δὲ ἦσαν, τὴν αὐτὴν ἐσχηκότες βασιλείαν. Εἰκὸς δὲ τοῦτον καὶ υἱὸν ἐκείνου γενέσθαι. Ἔστι γὰρ πολλοὺς εὐρεῖν τὰς τῶν πατέρων ἐσχηκότας προσηγορίας. αὐτίκα γοῦν Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ βασιλέως ὁ πρῶτος υἱὸς Κωνσταντῖνος ὠνόμασται.","t":"The story of Jabin king of Hazor is also told by the history of Joshua. If, then, he was killed in Joshua's time, how did he rise against Israel long afterwards? That one was one man and this another; they had the same name and held the same kingdom. It is likely that this one was even the son of that one. For one can find many who have their fathers' names; thus, for example, the first son of the emperor Constantine was named Constantine.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.10 (PG 80 80:497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-10)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.11":{"o":"᾿Αλλ' ἡ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἱστορία οὐ μόνον τὸν Ἰαβὶν εἶπεν ἀναιρεθῆναι ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν Ασὼρ ἐμπρησθῆναι. Οὐδὲν ἀπεικὸς καὶ τότε κατασκαφῆναι, καὶ αὖθις οἰκοδομηθῆναι. Πλὴν ἐνταῦθα μέμνηται μὲν τῆς Ἀσὼρ, οὐ μὴν ἐν αὐτῇ κατοικεῖν αὐτὸν ἔφησεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ᾿Ασηρώθ Ἐπισημαντέον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὅτι Κιναίους τοὺς ἀπογόνους τοῦ Ἰοθὼρ καλεῖ.","t":"But the history of Joshua said not only that Jabin was killed but also that Hazor was burned. There is nothing improbable in its being razed then and built again. Yet here it mentions Hazor, but did not say that he lived in it, but in Haseroth. One should also note that it calls the descendants of Jethro Kenites.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.11 (PG 80 80:497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-11)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.12":{"o":"Τί δήποτε γυνή προφητευει ; Ἐπειδὴ ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν μία ἡ φύσις. Ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ ᾿Ἀδὰμ ἡ γυνὴ διεπλάσθη, καὶ λόγου μετείληχεν ὡς ἐκεῖνος. Διὸ καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολός φησιν, Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ οὐκ ἔνι ἄῤῥεν καὶ θῆλυ. Οὕτω καὶ Μωσῆς προφήτης, καὶ Μαριάμ προφῆτις. Οἶμαι δὲ καὶ τὴν Δεββώραν εἰς ἔλεγχον τῶν τότε ἀνδρῶν τῆς προφητείας ἀξιωθῆναι. Οὐδενὸς γὰρ ἐξ ἐκείνων εὐρεθέντος ἀξίου τῆς χάριτος, αὕτη τῆς τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος τετύχηκε δωρεᾶς καὶ οὕτω δήλη ἦν, ὅτι τῆς ἄνωθεν ἠξίωτο χάριτος, ὡς τὸν Βαρὰκ μὴ τολμῆσαι δίχα ταύτης εἰς τὴν παράταξιν ἐξελθεῖν τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ ᾠδῇ αὐτῆς ἔφη Ἐξέλιπον οἱ κρατοῦντες ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, ἕως οὗ ἐξανέστη Δεββώρα μήτηρ ἐν Ἰσραήλ. Λέγει δὲ καὶ τὴν τῶν ὁμοφύλων ἀσέβειαν· Ἡρέτισαν θεοὺς κενοὺς ὡς ἄρτον κρίθινον Τὴν πολλὴν αὐτῶν ἀφροσύνην διὰ τῆς εἰκόνος διήλεγξεν Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀνόητος ὁ τῶν πυρίνων ἄρτων προτιμῶν τοὺς κριθίνους, οὕτως ἄγαν ἐμβρόντητος, ὁ τοὺς ψευδωνύμους Θεοὺς τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ προτιθείς. Δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ τὸ πιστὸν τῆς γνώμης· Ἐὰν γὰρ ἴδω, φησὶ, σειρομαστῶν τεσσαράκοντα χιλιάδας ἡ καρδία μου ἐπὶ τὰ διατεταγμένα τῷ Ἰσραήλ. Ταῦτα δὲ ὁ θεῖος διηγόρευσε νόμος. Ἐὰν γὰρ, φησὶν ἴδῃς πλῆθος πολεμίων, καὶ ἵππων, καὶ ἁρμάτων μὴ φοβηθῇς, ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ. Κελεύει δὲ οὐ μόνον τοῖς πένησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐπὶ πλούτῳ μέγα φρονοῦσιν, ὑμνεῖν τὸν Θεόν. Οἱ δυνάσται γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦ λαοῦ εὐλογεῖτε τὸν Κύριον, ἐπιβεβηκότες ἐπὶ ὑποζυγίων, καθήμενοι ἐπὶ λαμπίνων· καὶ φθέγξασθε φωνὴν ἀνακρουομένων ἀναμέσον εὐφραινομένων. Ἐκεῖ δώσουσι δικαιοσύνην τῷ Θεῷ Μοσφαθὲμ δὲ, ἀγροὶ ἐρμηνεύονται, μαδαρὼθ δὲ, ἀβλεψία. Τὸ δὲ καταράσασθαι μαζὼρ καταράσασθαι ἐν τῷ κραταιῷ. Διδασκόμεθα δὲ διὰ τῆς ἱστορίας, ὡς πατρικῇ φιλοστοργίᾳ κεχρημένος ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, καὶ παρανομοῦντα τὸν λαὸν παρεδίδου τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις οἷόν τινι ῥάβδῳ κεχρημένος, καὶ μάστιγι· καὶ πάλιν μεταμελόμενος ἐλέει, καὶ παντοδαπῆς ἠξίου κηδεμονίας. Αὐτίκα γοῦν μετὰ τὴν διὰ τῆς Δεββώρας εὐεργεσίαν, εἰς ἀσέβειαν ἐξωκείλαντα Μαδιηναίοις παρέδωκεν. Εἶτα μετὰ τὴν παιδείαν, τῆς ἐπικουρίας ἠξίωσε. Διά τινος δὲ τοῦ προφήτου πρῶτον ἐξήλεγξεν αὐτῶν τὴν ἀσέβειαν. ᾿Ανέμνησε δὲ καὶ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν ὧν ἀπήλαυσαν· εἶτα διά τινος ἀγγέλου τὸν Γεδεὼν παραθαῤῥύνας παρατάξασθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐκέλευσεν.","t":"Why does a woman prophesy? Because men and women have one nature. For the woman was formed from Adam and shares in reason as he does. Hence the Apostle too says, “In Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female.” So too Moses was a prophet and Miriam a prophetess. I think Deborah was granted prophecy to shame the men of that time; for since none of them was found worthy of the grace, she obtained the gift of the all-holy Spirit. And it was so clear that she had been granted grace from above that Barak did not dare go out to battle without her. She said this in her song too: “The rulers in Israel ceased, until Deborah arose, a mother in Israel.” She also speaks of the impiety of her countrymen: “They chose new gods like barley bread.” By the image she exposed their great folly: as he is foolish who prefers barley loaves to wheat ones, so he is utterly thunderstruck who puts the falsely named gods before the true one. She also shows the faithfulness of her mind: “If I see forty thousand spearmen, my heart is toward what is ordained for Israel.” The divine law prescribed this: “If you see a multitude of enemies, horses and chariots, do not be afraid, for the Lord your God will fight for you.” She commands not only the poor but also those proud of their wealth to praise God: “You mighty ones of the people,” she says, “bless the Lord, riding on beasts of burden, seated on carriages; and utter the sound of those who strike up music amid those who rejoice. There they will ascribe righteousness to the Lord.” “Mosphathem” means fields, and “madaroth” blindness. And “curse Mazor” means “curse in the mighty one.” We are taught by the history that God the Master, using a father's affection, handed the people over to foreigners when they transgressed, as if using a rod and a whip, and again, when they repented, had mercy and granted them every kind of care. Immediately after the benefit through Deborah, for example, when they ran aground on impiety, he handed them over to the Midianites; then, after the chastisement, he granted them help. Through a certain prophet he first exposed their impiety and reminded them of the benefits they had enjoyed; then through an angel he encouraged Gideon and commanded him to draw up against the enemy.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.12 (PG 80 80:497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-12)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.13":{"o":"Τι ἐστι· Πορεύου ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου ταύτῃ, καὶ σώσεις τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ χειρὸς Μαδιάμ ; Προτραπεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγγέλου στρατηγῆσαι, καὶ τοῦ πολέμου καταθαῤῥῆσαι ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· Καὶ εἰ ἔστι Κύριος ἐν ἡμῖν, ἵνα τί εὗρεν ἡμᾶς πάντα τὰ κακὰ ταῦτα; Καὶ ποῦ ἐστι τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ, ὅσα διηγήσαντο ἡμῖν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν, λέγοντες ὅτι ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἀνήγαγεν ἡμᾶς Κύριος. Καὶ νῦν ἀπώσατο ἡμᾶς Κύριος, καὶ παρέδωκεν ἡμᾶς εἰς χεῖρας Μαδιάμ. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἔσχε τὴν μνήμην τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ θαυματουργίας, καὶ βεβαίαν ἐκέκτητο τὴν περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξαν, ὅτι ῥάδιον αὐτῷ βουληθέντι τῶν κατεχουσῶν αὐτοὺς συμφορῶν ἀπαλλάξαι, ἔφη ὁ ἄγγελος· Πορεύου ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου ταύτῃ, καὶ σώσεις τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ χειρὸς Μαδιάμ· ἀντὶ τοῦ, Μετὰ ταύτης παράταξαι τῆς πίστεως, καὶ νικήσεις. Μηδεὶς δὲ τοῖς ἑξῆς ἐπιμεμφέσθω. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς τῷ Θεῷ ἀπιστῶν ἔφη Ἡ χιλιάς μου ταπεινοτέρα ἐστὶν ἐν Μανασσῇ· καὶ ἐγὼ σμικρότερος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρός μου· ἀλλὰ μετρίῳ κεχρημένος φρονήματι. Ὅθεν ὑπολαβὼν ὁ ἄγγελος ἔφη· ὅτι Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ ἀποκτενεῖς τὸν Μαδιὰμ ὡσεὶ ἄνδρα ἕνα. Εὐθὺς γοῦν πιστεύσας θυσίαν προσήνεγκεν. Ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος οὐχ ἥρπασε τὴν θείαν τιμήν· ἀλλ᾽ ἱερέως χρείαν ἐπλήρωσε, καὶ ῥάβδῳ πατάξας τὴν πέτραν, ὡλοκαύτωσε τὴν θυσίαν παραδόξῳ πυρί.","t":"What is the meaning of “Go in this strength of yours, and you will save Israel from the hand of Midian”? When the angel urged him to take command and be confident about the war, he said to him: “If the Lord is with us, why have all these evils found us? And where are his wonders which our fathers told us of, saying that the Lord brought us up out of Egypt? And now the Lord has cast us off and given us into the hands of Midian.” Since, then, he kept the memory of God's wonders and held a firm belief about God, that it was easy for him, if he wished, to free them from the calamities that held them, the angel said, “Go in this strength of yours, and you will save Israel from the hand of Midian,” that is, draw up for battle with this faith, and you will win. Let no one find fault with what follows. For he did not say “My thousand is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house” as one who distrusted God, but out of a modest mind. Hence the angel answered, “Because the Lord is with you, you will strike Midian as one man.” At once, then, believing, he offered a sacrifice. The angel did not seize the divine honour, but fulfilled the office of a priest: striking the rock with his staff, he consumed the sacrifice with a miraculous fire.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.13 (PG 80 80:501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-13)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.14":{"o":"Τί δήποτε τὸν τῷ Βαὰλ τρεφόμενον μόσχον τῷ Θεῷ προσενεχθῆναι προσέταξε; Μετατιθεὶς αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς πλάνης πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τὸν ἐκείνου βωμὸν κατασκαφῆναι παρηγγύησε, καὶ τὸ ἄλσος ἐκκοπῆναι. Ἕδει γὰρ τὸν τῆς τοιαύτης χάριτος ἀξιωθέντα, μὴ μόνον εὐσεβεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλων γενέσθαι διδάσκαλον.","t":"Why did he order the bull being raised for Baal to be offered to God? To move them from error to the truth. For this reason he also commanded Baal's altar to be torn down and the grove cut down. For the man granted such grace had not only to be pious himself but to become a teacher of others.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.14 (PG 80 80:501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-14)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.15":{"o":"Τίνος σύμβολον ὁ πόκος ὁ τὴν δρόσον δεξάμενος; Πρῶτον ᾔτησεν ὁ Γεδεὼν ἐν τῷ πόκῳ γενέσθαι τὴν δρόσον, πᾶσαν δὲ τὴν γῆν διαμεῖναι ξηράν μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα, τὴν μὲν γῆν ὑδρανθῆναι, μόνον δὲ τὸν πόκον ἄμοιρον διαμεῖναι τῆς δρόσου. Δηλοῖ δὲ ὁ λόγος, ὡς πάλαι μὲν ὁ Ἰσραὴλ τῆς θείας ἀπήλαυσε χάριτος,ὡς ὁ πόκος τῆς δρόσου· ὕστερον δὲ πᾶσα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ φύσις τῶν πνευματικῶν τετύχηκε δωρεῶν. Ἔρημος δὲ τούτων ὁ Ἰσραὴλ γέγονε, καθάπερ ὁ πόκος ἐστερήθη τῆς δρόσου.","t":"What is the fleece that received the dew a symbol of? First Gideon asked that the dew be on the fleece and all the ground remain dry; and after that, that the ground be watered and only the fleece remain without dew. The passage shows that formerly Israel enjoyed divine grace as the fleece the dew; but later the whole of human nature obtained the spiritual gifts, and Israel became bereft of them, as the fleece was deprived of the dew.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.15 (PG 80 80:501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-15)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.16":{"o":"Τι δήποτε τοὺς κυνὶ παραπλησίως πηπωκότας μόνους ἐκέλευσε παρατάξασθαι; Δεδήλωκε τὴν αἰτίαν αὐτὸς ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός. Πολὺς γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ ὄχλος ὁ μετὰ σοῦ, ὥστε παραδοῦναί με τὴν Μαδιὰμ ἐν χειρὶ αὐτῶν, μήποτε καυχήσηται Ἰσραὴλ ἐπ' ἐμὲ, λέγων· Ἡ χείρ μου ἔσωσέ με. Τῶν πλείστων τοίνυν ἀπολυθέντων, τοὺς ὑπολειφθέντας τῷ ποταμῷ προσαχθῆναι προσέταξεν, εἶτα τῶν πλειόνων εἰς γόνυ κλιθέντων, καὶ πεπωκότων συντόμως τῶν δὲ τριακοσίων τοῦτο μὲν δι᾽ ὅκνον οὐ πεποιηκότων, τῇ δὲ χειρὶ τὸ νᾶμα προσενεγκόντων τῷ στόματι, τούτους μόνους ἐκέλευσεν, ὡς ἀργοὺς καὶ νωθεῖς, κατὰ τῶν ἀντιπάλων ὁρμῆσαι· ἵνα γένηται δήλη πᾶσιν ἡ θεία ῥοπή. Οὕτω καὶ διὰ δώδεκα ἁλιέων καὶ τελωνῶν, καὶ σκυτοτόμου ἑνὸς, τὴν τῶν δαιμόνων κατέλυσε φάλαγγα, καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν φύσιν διέσωσε. Τούτου χάριν ὁ προφήτης Ησαΐας τούτοις ἐκεῖνα παρέβαλλεν καὶ ἔφη· Τὴν γὰρ ῥάβδον τῶν ἀπειθούντων διεσκέδασε Κύριος, ὡς τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἐπὶ Μαδιάμ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα γυμνοῖς ἐχρήσατο στρατιώταις, τῇ μὲν λαιᾷ φέρουσι κεκρυμμένας ἐν ἀμφορεῦσι λαμπάδας· τῇ δεξιᾷ δὲ τὰς σάλπιγγας οὕτω τοὺς ἀπέστειλε, φέροντας τὴν λαμπάδα τῶν θαυμάτων, καὶ ἱεροὺς ἀποστόλους γυμνοὺς εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην τὴν σάλπιγγα τῶν κηρυγμάτων.","t":"Why did he order only those who had drunk like a dog to go into battle? God the Master himself showed the reason: “The people with you are too many,” he says, “for me to give Midian into their hand, lest Israel boast against me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’” When most had been sent away, he ordered those left to be brought to the river; then, when the majority knelt and drank quickly, while the three hundred, out of sluggishness, did not do so but brought the water to their mouths with their hand, he ordered these alone, as idle and sluggish, to attack the enemy, so that the divine influence would be plain to all. So too through twelve fishermen and tax collectors, and one leather-worker, he destroyed the phalanx of the demons and saved human nature. For this reason the prophet Isaiah compared those events with these and said, “For the Lord has scattered the rod of the disobedient, as on the day of Midian.” For as here he used unarmed soldiers, carrying in the left hand torches hidden in jars and in the right the trumpets, so he sent the holy apostles unarmed into the world, carrying the torch of the miracles and the trumpet of the preaching.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.16 (PG 80 80:503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-16)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.17":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν· Ἐποίησεν αὐτὰ Γεδεὼν εἰς ἐφοὺδ, καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ πόλει αὐτοῦ ἐν Εφραθά; Παράνομον μὲν τὸ γεγονός. Τῷ γὰρ ἐφοὐδ μόνοις ἐξῆν κεχρῆσθαι τοῖς ἱερεῦσι· δι' ἐκείνου γὰρ τὸ πρακτέον ἀπεκαλύπτετο. Ὁ μέντοι τοῦ Γεδεὼν σκοπὸς οὐκ εἰς ἀσέβειαν ἀπέκλινεν, ἀλλ᾿ ὡς ἄρχων καὶ στρατηγὸς ἐβούλετο διὰ τοῦ ἐφοὺδ τὸ πρακτέον μανθάνειν· τῷ δὲ λαῷ πρόξενον παρανομίας ἐγένετο. Ἐξεπόρνευσε γὰρ, φησὶ, πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖ· καὶ ἐγενέτο τῷ Γεδεών, καὶ τὰ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ, εἰς σκάνδαλον. Τὸ δὲ ἐφοὐδ, ἐπωμίδα ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ ἡρμήνευσεν, ᾗ τὸ λόγιον συνήπτετο· δι' ἐκείνου δὲ ἡ ἐν πολέμοις ἐδηλοῦτο νίκη. Ἡ δὲ τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἱστορία σαφέστερον τοῦτο διδάσκει. Τῶν γὰρ ἀλλοφύλων συνηθροισμένων, ἐκέλευσεν ὁ Σαούλ ἆραι τὸ ἐφοὺδ τὸν ἱερέα εἶτα τεταραγμένους τοὺς πολεμίους ἰδὼν, καὶ τὴν νίκην δεδηλωμένην Συνάγαγε, φησὶ, τὸ ἐφούδ. Δῆλον τοίνυν ὡς καὶ ὕφασμα ἦν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι περιτιθέμενον, καὶ προμηνύον τὸ πρακτέον, καὶ ὁ ᾿Ακύλας δὲ ἐπένδυμα αὐτὸ κέκληκεν. Τὰ δὲ κατὰ τὸν ᾿Αβιμέλεχ, καὶ τοὺς Σικημίτας, διδάσκει ἡμᾶς, ὡς ἡ πονηρά συμφωνία τοῖς χρωμένοις ἐπάγει πανωλεθρίαν εἰς διχόνοιαν τελευτῶσα. Κοινῇ γὰρ τοῦ Γεδεὼν ἀνελόντες τοὺς παῖδας, ὑπ᾿ ἀλλήλων διώλοντο.","t":"What is the meaning of “Gideon made them into an ephod and set it up in his city, in Ephratha”? What was done was against the law. For only the priests were allowed to use the ephod, since through it what was to be done was revealed. Gideon's aim, however, did not incline to impiety; as ruler and general he wished to learn through the ephod what was to be done. But for the people it became the occasion of lawlessness: “For all Israel went whoring after it there,” it says, “and it became a stumbling block to Gideon and to his house.” In Exodus the ephod was rendered “shoulder-piece,” to which the oracle was attached; and through it victory in war was made known. The history of the Kingdoms teaches this more clearly. For when the foreigners had gathered, Saul ordered the priest to bring up the ephod; then, seeing the enemy thrown into confusion and the victory made plain, he said, “Withdraw the ephod.” It is clear, then, that it was both a woven garment put on the priests and something that indicated beforehand what was to be done; and Aquila called it a “cloak.” The story of Abimelech and the Shechemites teaches us that an evil concord brings utter destruction on those who use it, ending in discord: for having together killed Gideon's sons, they were destroyed by one another.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.17 (PG 80 80:503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-17)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.18":{"o":"Τι ἐστιν· ῎Εσπειρεν ἐν αὐτῇ ἄλας; Τὴν ἀκαρπίαν τοῦτο δηλοῖ οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἁλῶν φύεται. Ἐπισημήνασθαι δὲ δεῖ, ὅτι μικρᾶς ἀνακωχῆς ἀπολαύοντες, εὐθὺς τοῖς εἰδώλοις ἐλάτρευον· Προσέθεντο γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἔναντι Κυρίου, καὶ ἐλάτρευσαν τοῖς Βααλεὶμ, καὶ τοῖς ᾿Ασταρὼθ, καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς Σιδῶνος, καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς Μωάβ, καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς Ἀμμὼν, καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν ἀλλοφύλων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ Θεὸς ἐπέστησεν αὐτοῖς τὸν τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν βασιλέα, ἐβόησαν μὲν πρὸς τὸν σωτῆρα Θεὸν, καὶ σφῶν αὐτῶν κατηγόρησαν, ὅτι τὸν εὐεργέτην καταλιπόντες, καὶ ἀληθινὸν Θεόν τε καὶ Κύριον, τοῖς ψευδωνύμοις ἐλάτρευσαν εἶτα διελέγξας αὐτῶν ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Κύριος τὴν ἀχάριστον γνώμην πολλῆς γὰρ πολλάκις ἀπολαύσαντες κηδεμονίας, τὴν τῶν εἰδώλων προετίμησαν θεραπείαν· καὶ ἀπειλήσας ὡς οὐδεμιᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀξιώσει κηδεμονίας. Οὐ προσθήσω γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔτι σῶσαι ὑμᾶς, βαδίζετε καὶ βοᾶτε πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς οὓς ἐξελέξασθε ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ αὐτοὶ σωσάτωσαν ὑμᾶς ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως ὑμῶν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν καὶ τὰς οἰκείας ὡμολόγησαν παρανομίας, καὶ μετέστησαν τοὺς θεοὺς τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους ὀπίσω αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐλάτρευσαν τῷ Κυρίῳ, τῆς παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ βοηθείας ἀπήλαυσαν.","t":"What is the meaning of “He sowed it with salt”? This signifies barrenness, for nothing grows from salt. One should note that, enjoying a little respite, they at once served idols: “For the sons of Israel again did evil before the Lord,” it says, “and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of Ammon and the gods of the foreigners.” When God in anger set the king of the Ammonites over them, they cried to God their Saviour and accused themselves, that they had abandoned their benefactor, the true God and Lord, and served the falsely named gods. Then the loving Lord exposed their ungrateful mind (for though they had often enjoyed great care, they preferred the worship of idols) and threatened that he would grant them no care: “For I will not save you again,” he says; “go and cry to the gods you have chosen for yourselves, and let them save you in the time of your affliction.” When, then, they both confessed their own transgressions and removed the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, they enjoyed his help.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.18 (PG 80 80:505; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-18)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.19":{"o":"Τι ἐστιν· Εἴπατε δὴ σύνθημα Οἱ τῆς Ἐφραὶμ φυλῆς ἐπεστράτευσαν τῷ Ἰεφθάε, χαλεπαίνοντες ὅτι δὴ τῆς κατὰ τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν οὐκ ἐκοινώνησαν νίκης εἶτα δυσπραγήσαντες ἔφυγον. ᾿Αλλὰ λόχον τινὰ τῶν συστρατευομένων ἀποστείλας ὁ Ἰεφθάε διαβῆναι τὸν ποταμὸν αὐτοὺς διεκώλυσεν. Ἔπειτα πειρωμένους ἐξαπατῆσαι, καὶ λέγοντας ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων εἶναι φυλῶν, ἐκέλευσεν ἐπερωτᾶσθαί τινα λόγον, ὃς ἐπέφερε διὰ τῆς γλώττης τὸν ἔλεγχον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ Ὀσροηνοὶ, καὶ Σύροι, καὶ Εὐφρατήσιοι, καὶ Παλαιστίνοι, καὶ Φοίνικες, τῇ Σύρων χρῶνται φωνῇ· πολλὴν δὲ ὅμως ἡ διάλεξις ἔχει διαφοράν· οὕτως Ἑβραῖοι μὲν ἦσαν αἱ δυοκαίδεκα φυλαὶ, εἶχον δέ τινα ὡς εἰκὸς ἰδιώματα, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ αὕτη. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ Σύρος φησὶ, τῶν ἄλλων τὸν ἄσταχυν ἐμβλὰ καλούντων, οἱ τοῦ Ἐφραὶμ ἔκ τινος συνηθείας ἐμβελὼ ἔλεγον. Τοῦτο γινώσκων Ἰεφθάε λέγειν ἐκέλευσε, καὶ διελεγχομένους ἀνήρει.","t":"What is the meaning of “Say now ‘Shibboleth’”? The men of the tribe of Ephraim marched against Jephthah, angry that they had not shared in the victory over the Ammonites; then, faring badly, they fled. But Jephthah sent a detachment of his troops and prevented them from crossing the river. Then, when they tried to deceive and said they were of the other tribes, he ordered them to be asked a certain word, which brought their exposure through the tongue. For as the Osrhoenians, the Syrians, the people of the Euphrates region, the Palestinians and the Phoenicians use the Syrian language, yet their speech has many differences, so the twelve tribes were Hebrews but probably had certain peculiarities, like this one. For, as the Syrian says, while the others called an ear of grain “shebla,” the men of Ephraim from some habit said “sebelo.” Knowing this, Jephthah ordered them to say it and killed those who were exposed.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.19 (PG 80 80:505; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-19)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.2":{"o":"Εἰ κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ἀνάστατος Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐγεγόνει, πῶς ὕστερον αὐτὴν βασιλεύων ὁ Δαβὶδ εἶλε πολιορκία; Πολλὰς ἔσχε μεταβολὰς ὁ λαὸς, ὡς ἡ τῶν Κριτῶν ἱστορία διδάσκει. Ποτὲ μὲν γὰρ ἐνίκων, ποτὲ δὲ ἡττῶντο καὶ ποτὲ μὲν ἦρχον τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, ποτὲ δὲ ἐδούλευον. Δῆλον τοίνυν, ὡς ἐμπρησθεῖσαν τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ πάλιν ἀνῳκοδόμησαν οἱ Ἱεβουσαῖοι, τῆς τοῦ λαοῦ δυσκληρίας ἐπιλαβόμενοι. Καὶ ταύτην δὲ ὕστερον οἶμαι συγγραφῆναι τὴν βίβλον, τεκμηρίῳ χρώμενος τῷ τήνδε τὴν πόλιν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὀνομάζειν τὴν ἱστορίαν· ὕστερον γὰρ ταύτην ἔσχε τὴν προσηγορίαν, Ἱεβοῦς ὠνομασμένη","t":"If Jerusalem was laid waste at that time, how did David, when he was king, take it later by siege? The people underwent many changes, as the history of the Judges teaches: sometimes they won and sometimes they were defeated, sometimes they ruled the foreigners and sometimes they served them. It is clear, then, that after Jerusalem was burned the Jebusites rebuilt it, taking advantage of the people's misfortune. I think this book too was written later, using as evidence the fact that the history names this city Jerusalem; for it received this name later, having been called Jebus.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.2 (PG 80 80:487; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-2)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.20":{"o":"Τι δήποτε συνεχώρησεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός τοῦ Ἰεφθάε σφαγῆναι τὴν θυγατέρα; ᾿Ανόητος ἄγαν ἡ τοῦ Ἰεφθάε ὑπόσχεσις. Ἔδει γὰρ αὐτὸν συνιδεῖν, ὡς εἰκὸς, κύνα πρῶτον ἢ ὅνον συναντῆσαι, τὰ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἀκάθαρτα. Παιδεύων τοίνυν δι' ἐκείνου τοὺς ἄλλους ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, ὥστε μετὰ συνέσεώς τε καὶ γνώσεως ποιεῖσθαι τὰς ὑποσχέσεις, οὐκ ἐκώλυσε τὴν σφαγήν. Ὅτι γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων θυμάτων κατηγορεῖ, μάρτυς ὁ μακάριος Δαβίδ βοῶν· Καὶ ἔθυσαν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν τοῖς δαιμονίοις καὶ ἐξέχεαν αἷμα ἀθῶον, αἷμα υἱῶν αὐτῶν καὶ θυγατέρων, ὧν ἔθυσαν τοῖς γλυπτοῖς Χαναάν καὶ ἐφονοκτονήθη ἡ γῆ ἐν τοῖς αἵμασι, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς δι' Ἰεζεκιὴλ τοῦ προφήτου φησί Καὶ ἔλαβες τοὺς υἱούς σου, καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας σου, οὓς ἐγέννησάς μοι, καὶ προσήνεγκας αὐτοὺς τοῖς ἐρασταῖς σου· τοῦτο παρὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πορνείαν σου. Καὶ δεικνὺς τὴν τῆς ἀσεβείας ὑπερβολήν, προσέθηκεν· Ὃ οὐκ ἐνεθυμήθην, οὐδὲ ἀνέβη εἰς τὴν καρδίαν μου. Καὶ τοῦ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ δὲ γυμνᾶσαι τὸ φιλόθεον βουληθεὶς, προσέταξε μὲν τὸν υἱὸν ἱερεῦσαι· δείξας δὲ τοῦ δικαίου τὴν γνώμην, ἐκώλυσε τὴν σφαγήν. Δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς τοῦ Ἰεφθάε τὸ ἀτελές. Ὑποσχόμενος γὰρ πᾶν πρῶτον ὑπαντῶν εἰς θυσίαν προσοίσειν, εἶτα τὴν παῖδα τοῦτο δράσασαν θεασάμενος, καὶ τὴν ἐσθῆτα διέρρηξε, καὶ πικρῶς ὠλοφύρατο, καὶ θρηνῆσαι αὐτῇ συνεχώρησε πρότερον, εἶθ' οὕτω κατέθυσεν. Αμείνων δὲ αὐτοῦ ἡ θυγάτηρ πολλῷ· «Εἰ ἐν ἐμοὶ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἤνοιξας τὸ στόμα σου πρὸς Κύριον, ποίει μοι ὃν τρόπον ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου, ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐποίησέ σοι Κύριος ἐκδίκησιν ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου, ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Αμμών.» Διδάσκων τοίνυν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, πῶς δεῖ ποιεῖσθαι τὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑποσχέσεις, οὐκ ἐκώλυσε τὴν σφαγήν. Μετὰ ταῦτα διδάσκει ἡμᾶς ἡ ἱστορία τῶν ἀγγέλων τὴν περὶ τὸν Θεὸν εὔνοιαν. Τοῦ Μανωὲ γὰρ ἔριφον αὐτῷ προσενεγκεῖν ἐθελήσαντος, ἔφη ὁ θεῖος ἄγγελος· Ἐὰν παραβιάσῃ με, οὐ φάγομαι τῶν ἄρτων σου. Καὶ ἐὰν ποιήσῃς ὁλοκαύτωμα, τῷ Κυρίῳ ἀνοίσεις αὐτό. Τροφῆς, φησὶν, οὐ δέομαι· θυσίαν οὐ δέχομαι. Τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ Θεοῦ, ἐκεῖνο δὲ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως ἴδιον. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὔτε ὡς ἄνθρωπος χρήζω τροφῆς, οὔτε τὴν θείαν ἁρπάζω τιμήν. Καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὡς οἱ ὑπὸ τοῦ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ δεξιωθέντες, ἑτέρῳ τινὶ τρόπῳ τὴν παρατεθεῖσαν τροφὴν κατηνάλωσαν","t":"Why did God the Master allow Jephthah's daughter to be slaughtered? Jephthah's promise was very foolish. He ought to have considered that a dog, or a donkey, unclean animals according to the law, might well meet him first. Training others through him, then, to make their promises with understanding and knowledge, God the Master did not prevent the slaughter. That he condemns such sacrifices the blessed David testifies, crying: “And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the carved images of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood,” and so on. And God the Master himself says through the prophet Ezekiel: “And you took your sons and your daughters whom you bore to me, and offered them to your lovers; this beyond all your harlotry.” And showing the excess of the impiety, he added, “which I did not think of, nor did it come into my heart.” Wishing to exercise Abraham's love for God, he commanded him to sacrifice his son; but having shown the righteous man's mind, he prevented the slaughter. What follows also shows Jephthah's immaturity. For having promised to offer as a sacrifice whatever met him first, and then seeing that his daughter had done so, he tore his clothes and lamented bitterly, allowed her first to mourn, and then sacrificed her. His daughter was far better than he: “If you have opened your mouth to the Lord concerning me,” she says, “do to me as it went out of your mouth, since the Lord has taken vengeance for you on your enemies, on the sons of Ammon.” Teaching, then, how promises to him should be made, God the Master did not prevent the slaughter. After this the history teaches us the goodwill of the angels toward God. For when Manoah wished to offer him a kid, the divine angel said: “If you constrain me, I will not eat your bread; and if you make a whole burnt offering, you shall offer it to the Lord.” I do not need food, he means; I do not accept sacrifice. For the latter belongs to God, the former to human nature. I neither need food as a man nor seize the divine honour. From this too it is clear that those whom Abraham entertained consumed the food set before them in some other way.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.20 (PG 80 80:507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-20)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.21":{"o":"Πῶς ὁ Σαμψὼν ἐκδεδιῃτημένως καὶ παρανόμως ζῶν πνευματικῆς ἀπήλαυσε χάριτος; Καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὡς καὶ ἀναξίοις ὁ Δεσπότης ἑτέρας χάριν οἰκονομίας τῆς θείας μεταδίδωσι δωρεᾶς. Τοῦτο κὰν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις δείκνυσιν ὁ Σωτὴρ «Πολλοὶ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐλεύσονται ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ ἐροῦσί μοι Κύριε, Κύριε, οὐ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι προεφητεύσαμεν, καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δυνάμεις πολλὰς ἐποιήσαμεν ; καὶ ἐρῶ αὐτοῖς· ᾿Αποχωρεῖτε ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν οὐκ οἶδα τίνες ἐστέ. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα πεποίηκεν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός. Τῶν γὰρ ἀλλοφύλων ἐθελήσας καταλῦσαι τὸ κράτος, διὰ τῆς πνευματικῆς χάριτος ῥώμην αὐτῷ καὶ δύναμιν ἐδωρήσατο. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ συνεχώρησεν αὐτὸν ἀλλόφυλον γῆμαι γυναῖκα. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει· Καὶ ὁ πατήρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν, ὅτι παρὰ Κυρίου ἐστὶν, ὅτι ἀνταπόδομα αὐτῷ ζητεῖ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων. Τὸ δὲ Παρὰ Κυρίου ἐστὶν, οὐ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τὴν θείαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν συνχώρησιν τὴν θείαν δηλοῖ","t":"How did Samson, living a dissolute and lawless life, enjoy spiritual grace? From this too it is clear that the Master, for the sake of another dispensation, gives a share of the divine gift even to the unworthy. The Saviour shows this in the holy Gospels: “For many,” he says, “will come on that day and say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And I will say to them, ‘Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness; I do not know who you are.’” God the Master did this here too. For wishing to destroy the power of the foreigners, he gave him strength and might through spiritual grace. For this reason he also allowed him to marry a foreign woman. The history teaches this too: “And his father and his mother did not know that it was from the Lord, that he was seeking an occasion against the foreigners.” “It was from the Lord” signifies not the divine working but the divine permission.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.21 (PG 80 80:509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-21)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.22":{"o":"Τι δήποτε καὶ Ναζηραῖος ὢν, καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν νόμον τελῶν, ἔφαγε τὰ ἐν τῷ στόματι τοῦ λέοντος, καὶ νεκροῦ ὄντος, κατασκευασθέντα κηρία. Δηλοῖ καὶ τοῦτο τῶν τοιούτων νόμων οὐ πᾶσιν ἀναγκαίαν τὴν χρείαν Οὐδεὶς γὰρ τῶν τοὺς τοιούτους παραβεβηκότων νόμους εἰσεπράχθη δίκας· Εἰ δὲ τις ὑπείληφε τοῦτο πεπραχέναι τὸν Σαμψών, ὡς οὐκ ἀκριβῆ φύλακα τοῦ νόμου γεγενημένον, σκοπησάτω πάλιν, ὡς διψήσαντι νᾶμα δέδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς, τὸ κοῖλον τῆς τοῦ ὄνου σιαγῶνος ἀναβλῦσαι κελεύσας. Αὕτη δὲ κατὰ τὸν νόμον τριπλῆς μετεῖχεν ἀκαθαρσίας. Καὶ γὰρ ζῶν ὁ ὄνος ἀκάθαρτος, καὶ νεκρὸς πάλιν ἀκάθαρτος, καὶ τὸ φονικὸν γενόμενον ὄργανον, καὶ χιλίους κατακοντίσαν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, ἄλλην εἶχεν ἀκαθαρσίαν Ἀλλ᾿ ὅμως ὁ τοῦ νόμου νομοθέτης ἐντεῦθεν αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐκ ἄλλοθεν, παρέσχε τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος χρείαν ᾿Ἀλλὰ τοῦτον τὸν ἀχείρωτον, τὸν ἀήττητον, ὃν πάλαι τὸν ἀλλοφύλων ἔφριξαν μυριάδες, ἑταιρικὸν ἐξηνδραπόδισε γύναιον. Τοσοῦτον χαλεπώτερος τῆς ἐν πολέμοις παρατάξεως τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ὁ πόλεμος. Τὸν γὰρ οὕτω γενναίως ἠριστευκότα, καὶ διὰ τῆς ὑπερφυοῦς ἀνδραγαθίας πολυθρύλλητον γεγενημένον, δορυάλωτον ἀπέφηνεν ἡ ἡδονή. Αὕτη καὶ τῆς θείας τοῦτον ἐγύμνωσε χάριτος. Ἐξηγέρθη γὰρ, φησὶ, Σαμψὼν ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν· Ἐξελεύσομαι, καὶ ποιήσω καθὼς ἀεὶ, καὶ ἀποτινάξομαι. Καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἔγνω ὅτι ἀπέστη Κύριος ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ οὐ παντελῶς δὲ αὐτὸν καταλέλοιπεν ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Θεός· ἀλλ᾿ ἰδὼν ἐπικερτομούμενον, ᾤκτειρε καὶ εὐξαμένου ἐπήκουσε καὶ τοσαύτην ἰσχὺν ἐχορήγησεν, ὡς κλονῆσαι τοὺς φέροντας κίονας τὸν τῶν εἰδώλων σηκὸν συναπενεγκεῖν δὲ τούτοις τὸν ὄροφον, καὶ τρισχιλίους ἄνδρας συγχῶσαι καὶ γυναικῶν πολλαπλασίονα ἀριθμόν.","t":"Why, though he was a Nazirite and under the law, did he eat the honeycomb made in the mouth of the lion, which was dead? This too shows that the observance of such laws was not necessary for all. For none of those who transgressed such laws was made to pay a penalty. If anyone supposes that Samson did this as one who was not an exact keeper of the law, let him consider again that when he was thirsty God gave him water, commanding the hollow of the donkey's jawbone to gush forth. According to the law this had a threefold uncleanness: the donkey was unclean when alive, unclean again when dead, and, having become an instrument of slaughter and struck down a thousand foreigners, it had another uncleanness. Yet the lawgiver himself supplied him with water from there and from nowhere else. But this unconquered, invincible man, at whom the myriads of foreigners had long shuddered, a harlot of a woman enslaved. So much harder than the battle line in war is the war of desire. Pleasure made a captive of the man who had fought so nobly and become famous for his extraordinary valour. It also stripped him of divine grace: “For Samson awoke from his sleep,” it says, “and said, ‘I will go out and do as always, and shake myself free.’ And he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.” But the loving God did not abandon him entirely; seeing him mocked, he had pity, heard him when he prayed, and supplied such strength that he shook the columns that bore the house of the idols and brought the roof down with them, burying three thousand men and a far greater number of women.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.22 (PG 80 80:509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-22)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.23":{"o":"Πόθεν ὁ Σαμψὼν τοσαύτας ἀλώπεκας ἤγρευσεν; Ὄρος ἐστὶ παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς πολλὰς ἀλώπεκας τρέφον καὶ τοῦτο ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει· Ἤρξατο γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ ᾿Αμοῤῥαῖος τοῦ κατοικεῖν ἐν τῷ ὄρει τοῦ μυρσινῶνος· οὗ οἱ ἄρκοι καὶ αἱ ἀλώπεκες","t":"Where did Samson catch so many foxes? There is a mountain in their country that breeds many foxes; and the history teaches this: “For the Amorite began,” it says, “to live on the mountain of the myrtle grove, where there are bears and foxes.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.23 (PG 80 80:511; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-23)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.24":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν· Ἐποίησε Μιχὰ ἐφοὺδ καὶ θεραφίν ; Περὶ τοῦ ἐφοὐδ πολλάκις εἴρηκα, καὶ ὅτι ὕφασμα ἦν ἱερατικὸν, καὶ δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ὁ Θεὸς τὸ πρακτέον ἐδήλου. Τὸ δὲ θεραφίμ τοιουτότροπόν τι ἦν εἰδώλοις, ἀλλὰ οὐ τῷ Θεῷ ἀνακείμενον. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει. Ἐποίησε γὰρ, φησὶ, γλυπτὸν καὶ χωνευτόν. Εἶτα ἐπάγει· Καὶ ἐποίησε Μιχά ἐφοὺδ καὶ θεραφὶμ, καὶ ἔπλησε τὴν χεῖρα ἑνὸς τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ εἰς ἱερέα. Τῆς δὲ Λευϊτικῆς οὐκ ἦν οὗτος φυλῆς, ἀλλὰ τῆς τοῦ Ἐφραΐμ. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς παρανομίας. Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκείναις οὐκ ἦν βασιλεὺς ἐν Ἰσραήλ· ἀνὴρ ἕκαστος τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐποίει. Τοσαύτης πρόξενος βλάβης ἡ ἀναρχία.","t":"What is the meaning of “Micah made an ephod and teraphim”? I have often spoken about the ephod: that it was a priestly woven garment and that through it God made known what was to be done. The teraphim was something of the same kind, but dedicated to idols, not to God. The history teaches this here too: “For he made,” it says, “a carved and a molten image.” Then it adds: “And Micah made an ephod and teraphim, and filled the hand of one of his sons, and he became his priest.” He was not of the Levitical tribe but of Ephraim. It also taught the cause of the lawlessness: “For in those days,” it says, “there was no king in Israel; each man did what was right in his own eyes.” Of so much harm is anarchy the cause.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.24 (PG 80 80:511; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-24)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.25":{"o":"Τὰ ἑξῆς πολλὴν ἔχει ἀμφιβολίαν· Ἧν γὰρ, φησί, παιδάριον ἐκ Βηθλεέμ δήμου Ἰούδα, ἐκ συγγενείας Ἰούδα, καὶ αὐτὸς Λευΐτης καὶ αὐτὸς παρῴκει ἐκεῖ. Εἰ γὰρ Λευίτης, πῶς ἐκ συγγενείας Ἰούδα ; Δῆμον Ἰούδα τὴν Βηθλεὲμ ὠνόμασεν· ὡς δὲ νομίζω, καὶ συγγένειαν Ἰούδα τὴν αὐτὴν προσηγόρευσε κώμην. Εἰρήκαμεν δὲ ὡς τοῖς ἱερεῦσι καὶ Λευίταις ἴδιον κλῆρον οὐκ ἀφώρισεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλ᾿ ἐν ἁπάσαις αὐτοὺς διέσπειρε ταῖς φυλαῖς, ἵν᾽ ἔχωσιν ἅπαντες τῆς εὐσεβείας διδασκάλους. Τοιγάρτοι καὶ οὗτος Λευΐτης ὢν ᾤκει τὴν Βηθλεέμ, οὖσαν τοῦ δήμου καὶ τῆς συγγενείας Ἰούδα. Εἰ δέ τις βεβιασμένην ταύτην ὑπείληφε τὴν ἑρμηνείαν, ἀναμνησθήτω τῶν ἤδη παρ' ἡμῶν εἰρημένων, ὡς ἐπεμίγησαν ἀλλήλαις αἱ δύο φυλαὶ, ἢ τε βασιλική, καὶ ἡ ἱερατική. Εἰκὸς δὲ τοῦτον Λευΐτην μὲν εἶναι πατρόθεν, μητέρα δὲ ἐκ τῆς Ἰούδα ἐσχηκέναι φυλῆς. Πολλὴ μέντοι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἡ παρανομία. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν σκηνὴν ἐν τῇ Σιλὼμ πήξαντος, ἐν ἑτέρῳ παρὰ τὸν θεῖον νόμον ἐλειτούργει χωρίῳ. Ἔπειτα χειροποιήτοις εἰδώλοις (τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ γλυπτὸν καὶ τὸ χωνευτόν), τὰς θυσίας προσέφερε. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ ἄλλην ἐτόλμα παράβασιν. Ἱερᾶσθαι γὰρ τοὺς Λευΐτας ὁ νόμος ἐκώλυε· τοῖς δὲ ἱερεῦσιν ἐκέλευε λειτουργεῖν. Τοιγαροῦν καὶ τοῦτον παρέβη τὸν νόμον ἱερατεῦσαι τολμήσας. Αχάριστος δὲ καὶ περὶ τὸν τεθεραπευκότα γεγένηται• λαβὼν γὰρ τῆς ἀπάτης τὰ ὄργανα, τοῖς ἐκ τῆς Δάν φυλῆς ἠκολούθησε, καὶ τῆς περὶ τὰ εἴδωλα πλάνης ἐγένετο πρόξενος.","t":"What follows involves much ambiguity: “There was a young man from Bethlehem, of the people of Judah, of the kindred of Judah, and he was a Levite, and he sojourned there.” For if he was a Levite, how was he of the kindred of Judah? He called Bethlehem “the people of Judah”; and, as I think, he also named the same village “the kindred of Judah.” We have said that God did not set apart a separate allotment for the priests and Levites, but scattered them among all the tribes, so that all might have teachers of piety. So this man, being a Levite, lived in Bethlehem, which belonged to the people and kindred of Judah. If anyone thinks this interpretation forced, let him remember what we have already said: that the two tribes, the royal and the priestly, intermarried. It is likely that this man was a Levite on his father's side but had a mother from the tribe of Judah. Great, however, was the man's lawlessness. First, though God had pitched the tabernacle at Shiloh, he ministered in another place, contrary to the divine law. Then he offered sacrifices to handmade idols (for this is what “the carved and the molten image” means). Besides this he dared another transgression: the law forbade the Levites to act as priests and commanded the priests to minister; so he transgressed this law too by daring to act as priest. He also became ungrateful to the man who had looked after him: taking the instruments of the deceit, he followed those of the tribe of Dan and became the agent of their error concerning idols.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.25 (PG 80 80:513; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-25)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.26":{"o":"Τί ἐστιν· Ἐν κοιλάδι ἢ ἦν τοῦ οἴκου Ρηχάβ; Παρ' ἐκείνην, ὡς εἰκὸς, τὴν πόλιν ᾤκησεν ὁ Ῥηχάβ. Αὕτη δὲ πάλαι μὲν Λαϊσὰ προσηγόρευται πολιορκηθεῖσα δὲ ὑπὸ τούτων μετεκλήθη Δάν νῦν δὲ Πανεὰς ὀνομάζεται. Ἐνταῦθα μέντοι τοῦδε τοῦ Λευΐτου τὸ γένος σαφῶς μεμαθήκαμεν. Ἰωνάθαν γὰρ, φησὶν, υἱὸς Μανασσῆ, υἱοῦ Γηρσὼμ, υἱοῦ Μωσῆ, αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ, ἦσαν ἱερεῖς τῇ φυλῇ Δὰν, ἕως τῆς μετοικεσίας τῆς γῆς. Καὶ ἔταξεν αὐτοῖς τὸ γλυπτὸν Μιχὰ, ὅ ἐποίησε, πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ὅσας ἦν ὁ οἶκος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Σιλώμ. Παρανόμως τοιγαροῦν ἱεράτευον, οὐ μόνον εἰδώλοις λατρεύοντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἱερατικὸν ἔργον τολμῶντες πληροῦν. Λευΐται γὰρ ἦσαν, οὐχ ἱερεῖς· μόνον γὰρ τοῦ ᾿Ααρὼν τὸ γένος ἱερατεύειν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς διηγόρευσε. Καὶ νομίζω διὰ τὸ ἀλλόφυλον ἀγαγέσθαι γυναῖκα τὸν νομοθέτην, τοὺς ἐκ τούτου φύντας τοῖς Λευΐταις συνταχθῆναι, καὶ οὐ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι προσέταξεν· ἵνα μὴ τὸ ἱερατικὸν ἀξίωμα καθυβρίζηται ὀνειδιζόμενον τὴν συγγένειαν. Εἰ γὰρ ἀδελφὸς καὶ ἀδελφὴ ταύτην τῷ νομοθέτῃ τὴν λοιδορίαν ἐπήνεγκαν, τί οὐκ ἂν ἐτόλμησαν οἱ περὶ τὸ στασιάζειν καὶ τυραννεῖν προχειρότεροι; Οἱ γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ ᾿Ααρών θρασυνόμενοι, ὃς κόρην ἔγημεν ἐκ τῆς βασιλικῆς βεβλαστηκυίαν φυλῆς, τί οὐκ ἂν ἔδρασαν κατὰ τῶν Μωσῆ παίδων, ὃς Μαδιηναίου καὶ εἰδώλων ἱερέως ἤγαγε θυγατέρα;","t":"What is the meaning of “In the valley which belonged to the house of Rechab”? Rechab probably lived near that city. In ancient times it was called Laish; when it had been besieged by these men it was renamed Dan; and now it is called Paneas. Here, however, we have clearly learned this Levite's descent: “Jonathan,” it says, “son of Manasseh, son of Gershom, son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the captivity of the land. And they set up for themselves Micah's carved image which he had made, all the days that the house of God was in Shiloh.” They acted as priests unlawfully, then, not only serving idols but also daring to perform the priestly work. For they were Levites, not priests; God the Master directed that only the family of Aaron should act as priests. And I think that, because the lawgiver had married a foreign woman, he ordered those born of him to be ranked with the Levites and not with the priests, so that the priestly dignity would not be insulted by reproaches about the kinship. For if a brother and sister brought this reproach against the lawgiver, what would those more prone to rebellion and usurpation not have dared? Those who were insolent against Aaron, who married a girl sprung from the royal tribe, what would they not have done against the sons of Moses, who married the daughter of a Midianite priest of idols?","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.26 (PG 80 80:513; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-26)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.27":{"o":"Τι δήποτε ζήλῳ κινηθεὶς ὁ Ἰσραὴλ τῆς συγγενείας τὴν εὐσέβειαν προτιμήσας ἡττήθη; Ὅτι ταῖς ὁμοίαις παρανομίαις ἐκέχρηντο, καὶ τὰς μὲν τῶν ἄλλων ἀκολασίας ἑώρων, παρεώρων δὲ τὰς οἰκείας. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος ἔφη· Ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίνεις τὸν ἕτερον, σεαυτὸν κατακρίνεις· τὰ γὰρ αὐτὰ πράττεις ὁ κρίνων. Καὶ πάλιν· Λογίζῃ δὲ τοῦτο, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, ὁ κρίνων τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα πράττοντας, καὶ ποιῶν αὐτὰ, ὅτι ἐκφεύξῃ τὸ κρίμα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἢ τοῦ πλούτου τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἀνοχῆς, καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας καταφρονεῖς, ἀγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει; Κατὰ δὲ τὴν σκληρότητά σου, καὶ ἀμετανόητον καρδίαν, θησαυρίζεις σεαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως, καὶ δικαιοκρισίας Θεοῦ, ὃς ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Τοῦτο καὶ οὗτοι πεπόνθασι. Δικαίῳ γὰρ χρησάμενοι κατὰ τῶν ἐν τῇ Γαβαὼν παρανομησάντων θυμῷ, τὰς τετρακοσίας ἐξώπλισαν χιλιάδας· παιδεῦσαι δὲ αὐτοὺς βουληθεὶς ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς τὰ ὅμοια δρῶντας, καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις μὲν τὸ κακὸν θεωροῦντας, ἐν ἑαυτοῖς δὲ τοῦτο ποιεῖν οὐκ ἐθέλοντας καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς συνεχώρησεν ἡττηθῆναι, καὶ πολλὰς αὐτῶν χιλιάδας ἀναιρεθῆναι Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἶδε καὶ τὴν παιδείαν δεξαμένους καὶ ποτνιωμένους, καὶ πολλὰ προχέοντας δάκρυα, συνήργησε τῇ προθυμίᾳ, καὶ τὴν παράνομον φυλὴν ἄρδην ἀπώλεσε, πλὴν ὀλίγων ἄγαν εὐαριθμήτων. Καὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀκολάστων χείρους οἱ ἐκείνων προκινδυνεύσαντες. Ἐξαιτούντων γὰρ τῶν ὁμοφύλων τοὺς τὴν παρανομίαν τετολμηκότας, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐξέδοσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ προθύμως αὐτῶν ὑπερήσπισαν Οὗ δὴ χάριν κοινὸν ὑπέμειναν ὄλεθρον. Οἶμαι δὲ τοῦτον τὸν πόλεμον πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων γεγενῆσθαι πολέμων, οὐ μετὰ πολὺν χρόνον τῆς Ἰησοῦ τελευτῆς Φινεὲς γὰρ, φησὶν, υἱὸς Ἑλεάζαρ, υἱοῦ ᾿Ααρὼν τοῦ ἱερέως, παρειστήκει ἐνώπιον τῆς κιβωτοῦ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις. Ὁ δὲ Ελεάζαρ εὐθὺς μετὰ τὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸ τέλος τῆς ζωῆς ἐδέξατο· διεδέξατο δὲ τὴν ἱερωσύνην ὁ Φινεές. Καὶ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξε τὸ τέλος τῆς Ἰησοῦ Ναυῆ συγγραφῆς. Οἷμαι τοίνυν τήνδε τὴν ἱστορίαν συγγεγραφηκότα οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχε τάξαι τελευταία τὰ πρῶτα γεγενημένα. Ἠβουλήθη γὰρ τὰς τῶν Κριτῶν ἡμῖν πρότερον διαδοχὰς ἐπιδεῖξαι, καὶ τίς πρῶτος, τίς δεύτερος, τίς τρίτος ἡγήσατο· εἶθ' οὕτω τὰ δύο ταῦτα Λαῖσὰν, καὶ τὸ κατὰ τὸ γύναιον, ὅπερ ἡ μανικὴ τῶν ἀκολάστων ἀνεῖλε λαγνεία.","t":"Why was Israel defeated, when it was moved by zeal and preferred piety to kinship? Because they practised similar lawlessness, and saw the licentiousness of others but overlooked their own. The divine Apostle also said this: “For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, for you, the judge, do the same things.” And again: “Do you suppose, O man, you who judge those who do such things and do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness leads you to repentance? But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will repay each according to his works.” This is what these men suffered. For, using a just anger against those who had broken the law at Gibeah, they armed the four hundred thousand; but God, wishing to chastise them as doing the same things, seeing the evil in others but unwilling to see it in themselves, allowed them to be defeated once and twice, and many thousands of them to be killed. But when he saw that they had accepted the chastisement and were imploring him and shedding many tears, he assisted their eagerness and utterly destroyed the lawless tribe, except for a very few who could easily be counted. For those who fought for the licentious men were worse than the licentious themselves: when their kinsmen demanded those who had dared the outrage, they not only did not hand them over but eagerly defended them. For this reason they suffered common destruction. I think this war took place before the other wars, not long after Joshua's death. For “Phinehas,” it says, “son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, stood before the ark in those days.” Eleazar ended his life immediately after Joshua, and Phinehas succeeded to the priesthood; the end of the book of Joshua son of Nun taught us this. I think, then, that the one who wrote this history did not arrange at random, putting last what happened first. He wished first to show us the succession of the Judges, who led first, who second, who third; and then to set down these two narratives …, Laish, and the story of the woman whom the frenzied lust of the licentious killed.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.27 (PG 80 80:515; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-27)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.28":{"o":"Τί δήποτε προσέταξαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ τοῖς διακοσίοις τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ Βενιαμίν, ἐκ τῶν ἐν Σιλὼμ χορευουσῶν παρθένων ἁρπάσαι τε καὶ γῆμαι; Αἱ τῆς φυλῆς αὐτῶν γυναῖκες ἅπασαι κατεσφάγησαν. Αὐτοὶ δὲ ὀμωμόκεισαν μὴ κατεγγυῆσαι αὐτοῖς τὰς ἑαυτῶν θυγατέρας. Ἵνα τοίνυν μὴ βιασθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἀλλοφύλους γυναῖκας ἀγάγωνται, πόρον εὖρον ἐν ἀπόροις, καὶ τὴν ἁρπαγὴν ἐπενόησαν. διηγήματα θεῖναι· τό, τε κατὰ Μιχὰν, καὶ τὴν χρημένους καὶ ὀλοφυρομένους.","t":"Why did the sons of Israel command the two hundred of Benjamin to seize and marry some of the maidens dancing at Shiloh? All the women of their tribe had been slaughtered; and the others had sworn not to give them their own daughters in marriage. So that they would not, forced by necessity, take foreign wives, they found a way out of an impasse and devised the seizure. [End of question 27:] … narratives: the story of Micah, and the … using and lamenting.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.28 (PG 80 80:517; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-28)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.3":{"o":"Τί έστι, Δός μοι λύτρωσιν ὕδατος, καὶ λύτρωσιν μετεώρων, καὶ λύτρωσιν ταπεινῶν ; Οἱ περὶ τὸν Σύμμαχον ἀρδείαν ὕδατος καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ ταπεινῶν, πεδινῶν ἡρμήνευσαν. Ὑπεβλήθη δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Γοθονιὴλ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς ἡ Ἁσχὰν αἰτῆσαι ἀγρόν ἤτῆσε τοίνυν ἀρδείαν ὕδατος καὶ ἔλαβεν ὥσπερ ᾔτησεν οὐ μόνον πεδιάδα γῆν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὄρειον. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῆς, τὸ καταθύμιον σημαίνει. Μετέωρα δὲ τὰ ὄρεια κέκληκε, ταπεινὰ δὲ τὰ ὕπτια.","t":"What is the meaning of “Give me the redemption of water, the redemption of the high places and the redemption of the low places”? Symmachus and the others rendered “a watering of water,” and instead of “low places,” “plains.” Achsah was prompted by Othniel her husband to ask for a field. She asked, then, for a watering of water, and received, as she asked, not only plain land but also hill land. “According to her heart” means what she desired. He called the hill country “high places” and the flat land “low places.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.3 (PG 80 80:487; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-3)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.4":{"o":"Πῶς ἐνταῦθα τοῦ νομοθέτου τὸν κηδεστὴν Ἰωβὰβ ὠνόμασεν, Ἰοθὼρ καὶ Ῥαγουὴλ ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἱστορίαις ὠνομασμένον; Καὶ ἤδη ἔφην ὡς ὁ Ἰωβὰβ ἐκείνου ἦν υἱός· πενθερὸν δὲ αὐτὸν κέκληκεν, ὡς τῆς γαμετῆς ἀδελφόν. Καὶ γὰρ νῦν πολλοὶ τοὺς τοιούτους πενθερίδας καλοῦσι. Τοῦ Ἰωβὰβ τοίνυν οἱ παῖδες ἔκγονοι τοῦ Ἰοθώρ εἰσιν.","t":"How does he here name the lawgiver's father-in-law Hobab, when he was named Jethro and Raguel in those histories? I have already said that Hobab was his son. He called him “father-in-law” as the brother of his wife; for even now many call such men “in-laws.” The sons of Hobab, then, are descendants of Jethro.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.4 (PG 80 80:487; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-4)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.5":{"o":"Πόλιν φοινίκων ποίαν καλεῖ; Τὴν Ἱεριχώ. Νομίζω δὲ οὕτως αὐτὴν προσαγορεύεσθαι διὰ τὸν τῶν φοινίκων καρπόν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν τῇ πρὸ ταύτης βίβλῳ, εὐθὺς τοῦ λαοῦ διαβάντος τὸν Ἰορδάνην, ὁ συγγραφεὺς ἔφη ὅτι· Ἔφαγον ἀπὸ τοῦ καρποῦ τῆς γῆς ἄζυμα καινὰ, καὶ ὅτι ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐξέλιπε τὸ μάννα, μετὰ τὸ βεβρωκέναι αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ σίτου τῆς γῆς. Καὶ οὐκ ἔτι ὑπῆρχε τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ μάννα· ἐκαρπώσαντο δὲ τὴν γῆν τῶν φοινίκων ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ ἐκείνῳ. Καὶ ἡ δευτέρα δὲ τῶν Παραλειπομένων περὶ ὧν ἠχμαλώτευσαν ἐκ τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς αἱ δέκα φυλαὶ διηγουμένη οὕτως ἔφη Καὶ κατέστησαν αὐτοὺς εἰς Ἱεριχὼ τὴν πόλιν τῶν φοινίκων πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν.»","t":"Which city does he call the city of palms? Jericho. I think it was so called because of the fruit of the palm trees. For in the book before this one, as soon as the people had crossed the Jordan, the writer said, “They ate of the fruit of the land, new unleavened bread,” and that on that very day the manna ceased, after they had eaten of the grain of the land; “and the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they reaped the land of the palms in that year.” And the second book of Chronicles, relating the matter of those whom the ten tribes took captive from the tribe of Judah, said thus: “And they settled them in Jericho, the city of palms, with their brothers.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.5 (PG 80 80:489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-5)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.6":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον, Καὶ ἦν Κύριος μετὰ Ἰούδα, καὶ ἐκληρονόμησε τὸ ὄρος, ὅτι οὐκ ἐδύνατο κληρονομῆσαι τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν κοιλάδα, ὅτι ῾Ρηχάβ διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς Τοῦ Ῥηχὰβ, ὡς εὐσεβοῦς ἄγαν πολλαχοῦ ἡ θεία μνημονεύει Γραφή· καὶ ὅτι μέχρι τῶν ἀπογόνων αὐτοῦ διέδραμεν ἡ εὐσέβεια· τοῦτον εἰσηγήσασθαι λέγει τῇ Ἰούδα φυλῇ, τὴν κοιλάδα καταλιπεῖν, καὶ τὸ ὄρος οἰκῆσαι. Ἦν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς, ὡς ἡ τῶν Παραλιπομένων διδάσκει βίβλος. Οἶμαι δὲ αὐτὸν συμβεβουλευκέναι τὴν κοιλάδα φυγεῖν διὰ τὴν τῶν περιοίκων ἀσέβειαν καὶ μέντοι καὶ διὰ τὸ τῆς θαλάττης γειτόνημα. Οἱ γὰρ θαλάττῃ πελάζοντες, καὶ τοὺς πόῤῥωθεν καταπλέοντας δέχονται, καὶ αὐτοὶ ναυτιλίας ὀρέγονται. Ἡ δὲ τῶν ἀλλογενῶν ἐπιμιξία, τὴν νομικὴν ἐλυμαίνετο πολιτείαν.","t":"How is “And the Lord was with Judah, and he inherited the hill country, for he could not inherit those living in the valley, because Rechab had given them instructions” to be understood? The divine Scripture mentions Rechab in many places as very pious, and says that his piety reached even his descendants. It says that he advised the tribe of Judah to leave the valley and live in the hill country. He too was of the tribe of Judah, as the book of Chronicles teaches. I think he advised them to avoid the valley because of the impiety of the neighbouring peoples, and also because of the nearness of the sea. For those near the sea both receive people who sail in from far away and themselves are drawn to seafaring; and mixing with foreigners was ruining the life of the law.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.6 (PG 80 80:489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-6)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.7":{"o":"Τί δήποτε μὴ πάσας εἶλον τὰς πόλεις, ἀλλὰ πλῆθος αὐτοῖς συνῴκει τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἐθνῶν; Πρῶτον διὰ νωθείαν πάσης τῆς γῆς οὐκ ἐκράτησαν· ἔπειτα καὶ διὰ πλεονεξίαν. Ἔθετο γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν Χαναναῖον εἰς φόρον, καὶ ἐξαίρων οὐκ ἐξῆρεν αὐτόν. Καὶ τοῦτο περὶ ἑκάστης ὁ συγγραφεὺς εἶπε φυλῆς. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, τὸν θεῖον παραβάντες νόμον, καὶ τοῖς τῶν ἀλλοφύλων δεδουλευκότες θεοῖς, τῆς θείας ἐγυμνώθησαν προμηθείας Οὗ δὴ χάριν ὁ πάνσοφος Κύριος οὐκ ἄρδην τὸ τῶν Χαναναίων ἐθνῶν διέφθειρε γένος· ἀλλ' εἴασε πολλοὺς γειτονεύειν αὐτοῖς· ἵνα πολεμούμενοι, καὶ δουλεύειν ἀναγκαζόμενοι, αἰσθάνωνται μὲν τῆς ἀπὸ τῆς πλάνης γεγενημένης βλάβης, προσθῶσι δὲ τῷ σεσωκότι Θεῷ, καὶ τῆς παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ῥοπῆς ἀπολαύωσι. Καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα οὐ λογισμοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις κεχρημένος λέγω, ἀλλὰ παρ᾿ αὐτῆς διδαχθεὶς τῆς ἱστορίας, αὐτίκα δηλώσω. ᾿Ανέβη γὰρ, φησὶν, ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἀπὸ Γαλγάλ ἐπὶ τὸν κλαυθμῶνα, καὶ ἐπὶ Βαιθήλ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Ἰσραὴλ ἀπὸ Γαλγάλων. Καὶ Γάλγαλ δὲ ὁ τῶν ἀκροβυστιῶν ὠνομάσθη τόπος. Δηλοῖ δὲ τοὔνομα κατὰ τὴν Ἑβραίων φωνὴν, τὴν ἐλευθερίαν. Ἐκεῖθεν πέμπει τὸν ἄγγελον· ἀναμιμνήσκων αὐτοὺς τῆς τε τοῦ ποταμοῦ διαβάσεως, καὶ τῆς γεγενημένης περιτομῆς. Εἶτα λέγει καὶ τίνα τὰ ῥηθέντα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγγέλου· Κύριος ἀνήγαγεν ὑμᾶς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ εἰσήγαγεν ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἣν ὤμοσε τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν δοῦναι ὑμῖν, καὶ εἶπεν ὑμῖν, Οὐ μὴ διασκεδάσω τὴν διαθήκην μου τὴν μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὐ διαθήσεσθε διαθήκην τοῖς ἐγκαθημένοις ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ, οὐδὲ τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτῶν οὐ μὴ προσκυνήσετε ἀλλὰ τὰ γλυπτὰ αὐτῶν συντρίψετε, καὶ τὰ θυσιαστήρια αὐτῶν κατασκάψετε· καὶ οὐκ εἰσηκούσατε τῆς φωνῆς μοῦ, ὅτε ταῦτα ἐποιήσατε. Καὶ ἐγὼ, φησὶν, οὐ προσθήσω τοῦ μετοικίσαι τὸν λαὸν, ὃν εἶπον τοῦ ἐξῶσαι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ προσώπου ὑμῶν καὶ ἔσονται ὑμῖν εἰς συνοχάς· καὶ οἱ θεοὶ αὐτῶν ἔσονται ὑμῖν εἰς σκάνδαλον. Παρέβητέ μου, φησὶ, νόμον, οὐκ ἐφυλάξατε τὰς ἐντολάς μου εἰρήνην ἐσπείσασθε πρὸς τοὺς τῆς ἁμαρτίας διδασκάλους, καὶ τοῖς τούτων θεοῖς ἐδουλεύσατε. ᾿Απολαύετε τοιγαροῦν ὧν ἐποθήσατε, καὶ ἀμήσατε τῶν σπερμάτων ὑμῶν τὰ δράγματα. Οἵ τε γὰρ διαφυγόντες τὸν ἐκ πολέμου θάνατον, πολεμοῦντες ὑμῖν διατελέσουσι· καὶ οἱ τούτων θεοὶ τὰς ὑμετέρας ἐξανδραποδιοῦσι ψυχάς. Τούτων ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ῥηθέντων, ἐθρήνησεν ὁ λαός· ὅθεν καὶ ὁ τόπος ὠνομάσθη κλαυθμών. Ἐντεῦθεν ὑπέλαβον τὰ πλείονα τῶν εἰρημένων ἀνακεφαλαίωσιν εἶναι τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ πεπραγμένων. Ἔφη γὰρ ὁ συγγραφεύς· Καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν Ἰησοῦς τὸν λαὸν, καὶ ἀπῆλθον οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἕκαστος εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν κληρονομίαν αὐτοῦ, κατακληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν Καὶ ἐδούλευσεν ὁ λαὸς τῷ Κυρίῳ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, ὅσοι ἐμακροημέρευσαν μετὰ Ἰησοῦν· ὅσοι ἔγνωσαν πᾶν τὸ ἔργον Κυρίου τὸ μέγα, ὁ ἐποίησε τῷ Ἰσραήλ. Λέγει δὲ καὶ ὅσων ἐτῶν ἐτελεύτησε, καὶ ἔνθα ἕκαστος ἐτάφη· καὶ προστέθεικεν, ὅτι ἀνέστη γενεὰ ἑτέρα μετ᾿ αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὸν Κύριον, καὶ τὸ ἔργον ὁ ἐποίησε τῷ Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ὅτι τοῖς Χαναναίοις, καὶ τοῖς Φερεζαίοις, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις συνοικοῦντες ἀλλοφύλοις, τάς τε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐπιγαμίας ἐποιήσαντο, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐπιγαμίας τῆς ἀσεβείας μετέλαχον. Ἐλάτρευσαν γὰρ τοῖς Βααλεὶμ, καὶ τοῖς ᾿Ασταρώθ. Διδασκόμεθα δὲ διὰ τούτων, ὅσον τοὺς ὑπηκόους ὀνίνησιν ἡ τῶν ἀρχόντων εὐσέβεια, καὶ ὅσον ἡ ἀναρχία λυμαίνεται, καὶ αὖ πάλιν ἡ τῶν πονηρῶν ἡγεμονία. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἥδε ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει. Ἤγειρε γὰρ αὐτοῖς, φησὶ, Κύριος Κριτάς, καὶ ἔσωσεν αὐτοὺς ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν προνομευσάντων αὐτούς. Καὶ ὅτε ἤγειρεν αὐτοῖς τοὺς Κριτὰς, καὶ ἦν Κύριος μετὰ τοῦ Κριτοῦ, καὶ ἔσωσεν αὐτοὺς ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ Κριτοῦ. Καὶ μετ᾿ ὀλίγα Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἀπέθνησκεν ὁ Κριτὴς, καὶ ἀπέστρεφον καὶ διέφθειρον πάλιν ὑπὲρ τοὺς πατέρας αὐτῶν τοῦ πορευθῆναι ὀπίσω θεῶν ἑτέρων, τοῦ λατρεύειν αὐτοῖς, καὶ προσκυνεῖν αὐτοῖς. Οἶμαι δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν αἰτίαν εἶναι, δι᾽ ἣν οὐ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην ἐκομίσαντο γῆν· ἔστι δὲ αὕτη. Στενωτάτης ἐδεῖτο γῆς τῆς νομικῆς πολιτείας ἡ φυλακή· τρὶς γὰρ τοῦ ἔτους ἑορτάζειν ὁ νόμος ἐκέλευσεν εἰς ἓν πάντας χωρίον συντρέχοντας, ἐν ᾧ τὸν θεῖον νεὼν ἐδομήσαντο. Ἐκεῖ καὶ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς, καὶ τὰς δεκάτας, καὶ τὰ τῶν θρεμμάτων πρωτότοκα, καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὰς ἄλλας θυσίας κομίζειν ἐκέλευσεν. Εἰκότως τοίνυν αὐτοὺς σμικρῷ περιώρισε τόπῳ, ὥστε ῥᾳδίως καὶ τοὺς νωθεῖς εἰς τὸν ἀφιερωμένον νεὼν συναγείρεσθαι.","t":"Why did they not take all the cities, but a multitude of foreign nations lived with them? First, they did not gain control of the whole land through sluggishness; then also through greed. “For he put the Canaanite under tribute,” it says, “and did not drive him out completely.” The writer said this about each tribe. Besides this, having transgressed the divine law and served the gods of the foreigners, they were stripped of divine providence. For this reason the all-wise Lord did not utterly destroy the race of the Canaanite nations, but let many live near them, so that, being warred upon and forced to serve, they would perceive the harm that came from their error, turn to the God who had saved them, and enjoy his aid. And that I say this not using human reasonings but taught by the history itself I will show at once. “For an angel of the Lord,” it says, “went up from Gilgal to the place of weeping, and to Bethel, and to the house of Israel, from Gilgal.” Gilgal was the name given to the place of the foreskins; and in the Hebrew language the name means freedom. He sends the angel from there, reminding them both of the crossing of the river and of the circumcision that took place. Then he tells what the angel said: “The Lord brought you up out of Egypt and brought you into the land which he swore to your fathers to give you, and said to you, ‘I will never break my covenant with you; and you shall make no covenant with those who dwell in this land, nor worship their gods, but you shall break their carved images and tear down their altars.’ But you did not listen to my voice when you did these things. And I,” he says, “will no longer drive out the people whom I said I would expel before you; and they will be troubles to you, and their gods will be a stumbling block to you.” You have transgressed my law, he means, you have not kept my commandments; you have made peace with the teachers of sin and served their gods. Enjoy, therefore, what you longed for, and reap the sheaves of your own seed. For those who escaped death in war will go on making war on you, and their gods will enslave your souls. When the angel had said these things the people wept; hence the place was named Weeping. From this I supposed that most of what was said is a recapitulation of what was done under Joshua. For the writer said: “And Joshua sent the people away, and the sons of Israel went each to his place and each to his inheritance, to inherit the land. And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who knew all the great work of the Lord which he did for Israel.” He also tells at what age Joshua died and where each was buried; and he added that another generation arose after them that did not know the Lord or the work he had done for Israel; and that, living with the Canaanites, the Perizzites and the other foreigners, they intermarried with them and through intermarriage shared in their impiety: for they served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. We are taught by these things how much the piety of rulers benefits their subjects, how much anarchy ruins them, and again the rule of the wicked. This history too teaches it: “For the Lord raised up judges for them,” it says, “and saved them from the hand of those who plundered them. And when he raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge.” And a little later: “And when the judge died, they turned back and acted more corruptly than their fathers, going after other gods to serve them and worship them.” I think there is also another reason why they did not receive the whole promised land, namely this: the keeping of the life of the law required a very small land. For the law commanded them to keep festival three times a year, all running together to one place, in which they built the divine temple. There he commanded them to bring the firstfruits, the tithes, the firstborn of the flocks and the other sacrifices. Fittingly, then, he confined them to a small area, so that even the sluggish could easily gather at the consecrated temple.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.7 (PG 80 80:489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-7)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.8":{"o":"Πῶς νοητέον τόδε τὸ χωρίον, Ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ἀφῆκεν Ἰησοῦς, ὥστε πειρᾶσαι ἐν αὐτοῖς τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, πάντας τοὺς μὴ ἐγνωκότας τοὺς πολέμους Χαναάν· πλὴν διὰ τὰς γενεὰς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, τοῦ διδάξαι αὐτοὺς πολεμεῖν πλὴν οἱ ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἔγνωσαν αὐτά; Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ στρατηγοῦντος οὐ κατὰ πολεμικὴν τέχνην ὁ λαὸς ἐνίκα παραταττόμενος, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἄνωθεν ἀπολαύων ἐπικουρίας· ᾿Αποστελῶ γὰρ, ἔφη, τὰς σφηκίας ἔμπροσθεν ὑμῶν· καὶ ἐξολοθρεύσει τὸν Χαναναῖον, καὶ τὸν Χετταῖον, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ σκηπτοὺς ἄνωθεν ἀφιεὶς, καὶ χάλαζαν λίθων ἔχουσαν μέτρον, τοὺς πολεμίους ἀνήλισκε. Λέγει τοίνυν, ὅτι τούτου χάριν οὐ πάντας ἄρδην διώλεσε τοὺς τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην οἰκοῦντας Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ στρατηγοῦντος, ἵνα καὶ οἱ μετ᾿ ἐκεῖνον τῇ πειρᾳ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ διδαχθῶσι κηδεμονίαν, καὶ διὰ τὴν πολεμικὴν ἀνάγκην τὸν Δεσπότην καλῶσιν εἰς συμμαχίαν. Τὸ μέντοι πειρᾶσαι ὁ Σύμμαχος ἀσκῆσαι φησιν αὐτοὺς ἡβουλήθη, καὶ διδάξαι τοῦ πολέμου τὴν τέχνην. Καὶ τὸ πειρᾶσαι δὲ κατὰ τοὺς Ἑβδομήκοντα κείμενον, οὐ τὴν ἄγνοιαν τοῦ Θεοῦ δηλοῖ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸν ᾿Ἀβραὰμ τούτου χάριν ἐπείραζεν, ἵνα μάθῃ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ τὴν γνώμην. Κἀκεῖ γὰρ ἐδίδαξεν, ὅτι ᾔδει ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι συντάξει ᾿Ἀβραὰμ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτὸν, φυλάσσειν πάντα τὰ κρίματα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐχ ἵνα τοίνυν αὐτὸς μάθῃ πειράζει, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας διδάξῃ. \"Ωσπερ τοίνυν εἰς γυμνασίαν τοῦ λογικοῦ τῷ Ἀδὰμ ἐδεδώκει τὴν ἐντολήν· οὕτω κἀνταῦθα ἔνια τῶν ἐθνῶν καταλέλοιπεν· ὥστε τῶν μὲν δεῖξαι τὸ εὐσεβὲς, τῶν δὲ διελέγξαι τὸ δυσσεβές. Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει Ὥστε πειρᾶσαι ἐν αὐτοῖς τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, τοῦ γνῶναι εἰ ἀκούσονται τὰς ἐντολὰς, ἃς ἐνετείλατο τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν ἐν χειρὶ Μωσῆ.» Καὶ αὐτὰ δὲ διδάσκει τὰ πράγματα, ὡς αὐτοὶ αἴτιοι γεγένηνται τῶν μὴ παντάπασιν ἀπαλλαγῆναι τῶν δυσσεβῶν ἐκείνων ἐθνῶν. Ἐννέα γὰρ καὶ εἴκοσι βασιλέας, δίχα τῶν τῆς Ἱεριχοῦς καὶ τῆς Γαὶ στρατηγῶν, ὁ Ἰησοῦς σὺν ταῖς στρατείαις αὐτῶν κατηκόντισε, μὴ πόλιν ἔχων, μὴ ὁρμητήριον, μὴ στρατιώτας ἐμπειρίαν ἠσκημένους πολεμικήν. Οἱ δέ γε μετ᾿ ἐκεῖνον, καὶ πόλεις ὀχυρὰς ἐσχηκότες, καὶ πλοῦτον ὅτι μάλιστα πλεῖστον ἐκ τῶν λαφύρων κτησάμενοι, καὶ πανοπλίας ἔχοντες, καὶ τείχη καὶ περιβόλους, περιγενέσθαι τῶν ὑπολειφθέντων οὐκ ἴσχυσαν διὰ τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσέβειαν.","t":"How is this passage to be understood: “These are the nations Joshua left, to test Israel by them, all those who had not known the wars of Canaan; only for the sake of the generations of the sons of Israel, to teach them war; only those before them did not know them”? When Joshua son of Nun was general, the people did not win their battles by the art of war but by enjoying help from above: “For I will send the hornets before you,” he said, “and they will destroy the Canaanite and the Hittite,” and so on. And indeed, sending thunderbolts from above and hailstones of great size, he destroyed the enemy. He says, then, that for this reason he did not utterly destroy all who inhabited that land while Joshua son of Nun was general, so that those after him too might be taught God's care by experience and, through the necessity of war, call on the Master as their ally. Symmachus says that he wished to train them by “testing” and to teach them the art of war. And “to test,” as it stands in the Seventy, does not indicate ignorance on God's part. For he did not test Abraham in order to learn Abraham's mind; there too it taught that God knew that Abraham would command his sons and his household after him to keep all the judgments of the Lord God. He does not test, then, so that he himself may learn, but to teach those who do not know. As, then, he had given Adam the commandment to exercise his reason, so here he left some of the nations, to show the piety of some and to expose the impiety of others. For this is what it says: “To test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the commandments which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.” The events themselves also teach that they were the cause of their not being entirely freed from those impious nations. For Joshua struck down twenty-nine kings with their armies, besides the commanders of Jericho and Ai, though he had no city, no base of operations, no soldiers trained in the experience of war. But those after him, though they had strong cities, had gained very great wealth from the spoils, had full armour, walls and ramparts, could not overcome those who were left, because of their own impiety.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.8 (PG 80 80:493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-8)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7.9":{"o":"Πῶς ὁ Γοθονιὴλ καὶ τοῦ Χαλέβ ἀδελφὸς, καὶ τοῦ Κενὲζ υἱός; ὁ γὰρ Χαλέβ Ἰεφονή υἱὸς ἦν Εἰκὸς καὶ διώνυμον εἶναι τὸν Ἰεφωνῆ, καὶ καλεῖσθαι καὶ Κενέζ. Εἰκὸς καὶ ἐκ διαφόρων εἶναι πατέρων αὐτοὺς, μιᾶς δὲ μητρός καὶ τὸν μὲν Χαλὲβ τὸν Ἰεφωνῆ ἐσχηκέναι πατέρα· μετὰ δὲ τὴν τούτου τελευτὴν γήμασθαι τὴν αὐτοῦ μητέρα τῷ Κενὲζ, καὶ τεκεῖν τὸν Γοθονιήλ. Ὅτι μέντοι τὴν Ἱεριχὼ τὴν πόλιν φοινίκων ὠνόμασε, τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἐγλὼμ διδάσκει. Ἐπορεύθη γὰρ, φησὶν, Ἐγλὼμ, καὶ ἐπάταξε τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἐκληρονόμησε τὴν πόλιν τῶν φοινίκων. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· «Καὶ Ἐγλώμ ἀνέστρεψεν ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων τῶν ἐν Γαλγάλοις. Καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αὼδ τῷ Ἐγλώμ Λόγος μοι κρύφιος πρὸς σὲ, βασιλεῦ. Ἡ δὲ Γάλγαλα τῇ Ἱεριχὼ πελάζει. Φλόγα δὲ τὸ σιδήριον τῆς μαχαίρας ὠνόμασε, παραξιφίδα δὲ τὴν λαβήν. Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει· Καὶ ἔλαβε τὴν μάχαιραν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ μηροῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ δεξιοῦ, καὶ ἐνέπηξεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν Ἑγλὼμ, καὶ ἐπεισήνεγκεν καὶ τὴν λαβὴν ὀπίσω τῆς φλογὸς, καὶ ἀπέκλεισε τὸ στέαρ τὴν παραξιφίδα","t":"How is Othniel both Caleb's brother and the son of Kenaz? For Caleb was the son of Jephunneh. It is likely that Jephunneh had two names and was also called Kenaz. It is also likely that they were of different fathers but one mother: that Caleb had Jephunneh as father, and that after his death his mother married Kenaz and bore Othniel. That he called Jericho the city of palms, the account of Eglon teaches: “Eglon went,” it says, “and struck the sons of Israel and took possession of the city of palms.” And a little later: “And Eglon returned from the idols at Gilgal. And Ehud said to Eglon, ‘I have a secret word for you, O king.’” Gilgal is near Jericho. He called the iron of the sword its “flame” and the hilt its “guard.” For this is what he says: “And he took his sword from his right thigh and thrust it into Eglon's belly, and drove in the hilt also after the flame, and the fat closed over the guard.”","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 7.9 (PG 80 80:495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/7-9)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/8.1":{"o":"Τι δήποτε τὸ κατὰ τὴν Ῥούθ συνεγράφη; Πρῶτον μὲν διὰ τὸν Δεσπότην Χριστόν. Ἐξ αὐτῆς γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα βεβλάστηκε Διὸ δὴ καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ματθαῖος τὴν γενεαλογίαν συγγράφων, τὰς μὲν ἐπ᾿ ἀρετῇ πολυθρυλλήτους γυναῖκας κατέλιπε, τὴν Σάῤῥαν, καὶ τὴν Ῥεβέκκαν, καὶ τὰς ἄλλας· τῆς δέ γε Θάμαρ ἐμνημόνευσε, καὶ τῆς Ῥαάβ, καὶ τῆς ῾Ῥούθ· καὶ μέντοι καὶ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου, διδάσκων ὡς πάντων ἀνθρώπων χάριν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς ἐνηνθρώπησε, καὶ Ἰουδαίων, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν, ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ δικαίων Ἡ μὲν γὰρ Ῥοὐθ Μωαβίτις, ἡ δὲ γε Βερσαβεὲ παρανόμως συνήφθη τῷ βασιλεῖ. πόρνη δὲ καὶ ἡ ῾Ῥαὰβ, ἀλλὰ διὰ πίστεως τῆς σωτηρίας τετύχηκε· καὶ ἡ Θάμαρ δὲ ταύτῃ λαμπρύνεται. Οὐ γὰρ ἀκολασίας ἕνεκα τῷ κηδεστῇ κεκοινώνηκεν· ἀλλ᾽ ὁρῶσα μὴ βουλόμενον αὐτῇ συνάψαι τὸν παῖδα, ἔκλεψε τὴν γεωργίαν, ἵνα βλαστήσῃ τὴν εὐλογίαν. Αὐτίκα γοῦν μετὰ τοῦτον τὸν σπόρον ἄλλον οὐκ ἐδέξατο σπόρον, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀγαμίαν ἠγάπησεν. Ἴδοι δ᾽ ἄν τις καὶ τὴν Ῥούθ, διὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν, τοὺς μὲν γεγεννηκότας καταλιποῦσαν, ἀκολουθήσασαν δὲ τῇ πενθερᾷ. Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ Ῥούθ· Μή μοι γένοιτο τοῦ καταλιπεῖν σε, ἢ τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι ὄπισθέν σου, ὅτι οὗ ἐὰν πορευθῇς σὺ, πορεύσομαι· καὶ οὗ ἐὰν αὐλισθῇς αὐλισθήσομαι ἐκεῖ ὅτι ὁ λαός σου λαός μου· καὶ οὗ ἂν ἀποθάνῃς ἀποθανοῦμαι, καὶ ἐκεῖ ταφήσομαι. Τάδε ποιήσαι μοι Κύριος, καὶ τάδε προσθείη, ὅτι ὁ θάνατος διαστελεῖ ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ. Καὶ ταῦτα εἴρηκε πολλάκις ὑπὸ τῆς κηδεστρίας παρακληθεῖσα πρὸς τοὺς γεγεννηκότας ἐπανελθεῖν· ᾿Αποστράφητε γὰρ, ἔφη, θυγατέρες μου· καὶ ἵνα τί πορεύεσθε μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ; Μὴ ἔτι μοι υἱοὶ ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ μου, καὶ ἔσονται ὑμῖν εἰς ἄνδρας; Αποστράφητε δὴ θυγατέρες μου, ὅτι γεγήρακα, τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ἀνδρὶ, καὶ ὅτι εἶπον οὐκέτι μοι ὑπόστασις τοῦ γενέσθαι με ἀνδρί. Καὶ τέξομαι υἱοὺς, μὴ αὐτοὺς προσδέξεσθε ἕως οὗ ἀνδρυνθῶσιν, ἢ αὐτοῖς κατασχεθήσεσθε τοῦ μὴ γενέσθαι ἀνδρί; Μὴ δὴ θυγατέρες μου, ὅτι ἐπικράνθη μοι ὑπὲρ ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἐξῆλθεν ἐν ἐμοὶ χεὶρ Κυρίου. Οὔτε, φησὶν, ἐγκύμων εἰμὶ, ἵνα τοῖς ὑπ᾿ ἐμοῦ τεχθησομένοις ἀναμείνητε συναφῆναι, οὔτε ἀνδρί με γήμασθαι δυνατὸν διὰ τὸ γῆρας ἵνα προσμένητέ μου τὸν γάμον, καὶ τὴν παιδοποιίαν, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων ἀναστροφήν. Ἐγὼ γὰρ θεήλατον ἐδεξάμην πληγήν. Ἔδει μὲν οὖν καὶ διὰ τὸν Δεσπότην ἀνάγραπτον γενέσθαι τῆς Ῥούθ τὸ διήγημα ἱκανὴ δὲ ὅμως καὶ αὐτὴ κατ᾿ αὐτὴν ἡ ἱστορία πᾶσαν προσενεγκεῖν ὠφέλειαν τοῖς τὰ τοιαῦτα κερδαίνειν ἐπισταμένοις. Διδάσκει γὰρ ἡμᾶς καὶ τῆς Νοεμὶν τὰς χαλεπάς συμφορὰς, καὶ τὴν ἐπαινετὴν καρτερίαν, καὶ τῶν νυμφῶν τὴν τε σωφροσύνην, καὶ τὴν περὶ τὴν πενθερὰν φιλοστοργίαν· καὶ διαφερόντως τῆς Ῥούθ, ἡ γεγηρακυῖαν γυναῖκα καὶ πεπονημένην τῶν γεγεννηκότων προϋτίμησε διὰ τὴν τῆς γνώμης εὐσέβειαν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ ὁμοζύγου μνήμην. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ ἡμᾶς καὶ τοῦ Βοὸς τὴν ἀρετήν. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον φιλοτίμως τῇ Ῥούθ τοῦ καρποῦ μετέδωκεν ἀλλὰ καὶ λόγοις ἐψυχαγώγησε. Μὴ πορευθῇς γὰρ, ἔφη, θύγατερ, ἐν ἀγρῷ ἑτέρῳ συλλέξαι· ἀλλ᾽ ὧδε κολλήθητι μετὰ τῶν κορασίων μου. Κελεύσας δὲ αὐτῇ καὶ συνεσθίειν καὶ συμπίνειν τοῖς θερίζουσιν, ἐπήγαγεν Απαγγελίᾳ ἀπηγγέλη μοι, ὅσα πεποίηκας μετὰ τῆς πενθερᾶς σου, μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν ἄνδρα σου, καὶ πῶς κατἐλιπες τὸν πατέρα σου, καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου, καὶ τὴν γῆν τῆς γενέσεώς σου, καὶ ἐπορεύθης πρὸς λαὸν, ὃν οὐκ ᾔδεις ἐχθὲς καὶ τρίτης Αποτίσαι σοι Κύριος τὴν ἐργασίαν σου, καὶ γένοιτο ὁ μισθός σου πλήρης παρὰ Κυρίου Θεοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, πρὸς ὃν ἦλθες πεποιθέναι ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ. Καὶ τετύχηκεν ἡ εὐλογία τέλους. Ἔλαβε γὰρ τὸν μισθὸν πλήρη παρὰ Κυρίου, πρόγονος γενομένη τῆς τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐλογίας. Οὐ μόνον δὲ αὐτῇ τροφῆς μετέδωκεν ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτουργὸς τῆς θεραπείας ἐγένετο· οὐκ ἄλλῳ διακονῆσαι προστάξας, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸς κατασκευάσας τὰ ἄλφιτα, καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους μάλα φιλοτίμως προσενεγκών. Κορεσθεῖσα γὰρ ἀπήνεγκε τὸ περιττεῦσαν τῇ πενθερᾷ. Εὐγνωμόνως δὲ καὶ ἡ κηδέστρια τὸν ἀπόντα εὐεργέτην ταῖς εὐλογίαις ἡμείψατο. Ἔφη γὰρ, Εἴη ὁ ἐπιγνούς σε εὐλογημένος, ὅτι ἐχόρτασε ψυχὴν κενὴν, καθὼς ἐποίησε μεθ᾽ οὗ ἐποίησεν Οὐ γὰρ εἰς τὴν σὴν, φησὶ, πενίαν ἀπέβλεψεν· ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸν νομοθέτην, ὃς διηγόρευσε πᾶσαν ποιῆσαι τῶν χηρῶν ἐπιμέλειαν.","t":"Why was the story of Ruth written? First, because of Christ the Master; for he sprang from her according to the flesh. For this reason the divine Matthew, writing the genealogy, left out the women famous for virtue, Sarah, Rebekah and the others, but mentioned Tamar, Rahab and Ruth, and also the wife of Uriah, teaching that the only-begotten Son of God became man for the sake of all human beings, Jews and the other nations, sinners and righteous. For Ruth was a Moabite, and Bathsheba was joined to the king unlawfully. Rahab too was a harlot, but obtained salvation through faith; and Tamar is made illustrious by the same. For she did not have relations with her father-in-law out of licentiousness; but seeing that he was unwilling to join his son to her, she stole the tillage so that the blessing might spring up. And indeed, after this sowing she received no other seed, but loved the unmarried state. One can also see Ruth, because of her piety, leaving her parents and following her mother-in-law. “For Ruth said,” it says, “‘Far be it from me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people; and where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also, if anything but death separates me from you.’” And she said this though often urged by her mother-in-law to return to her parents: “Turn back, my daughters,” she said; “why do you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, for I am too old to have a husband; for I said, ‘I have no hope of having a husband.’ And if I bear sons, would you wait for them until they are grown, or would you refrain for them from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it is more bitter for me than for you, for the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” I am neither pregnant, she means, so that you might wait to be joined to those born of me, nor can I marry because of old age, so that you might wait for my marriage, the begetting of children and their growing up; for I have received a blow sent by God. The story of Ruth had to be written because of the Master; yet the history in itself is enough to bring every benefit to those who know how to profit from such things. It teaches us Naomi's hard calamities and praiseworthy endurance, and the daughters-in-law's chastity and affection for their mother-in-law, and especially Ruth's, who preferred an old and afflicted woman to her parents because of the piety of her mind and the memory of her husband. It has also taught us the virtue of Boaz. For he not only generously gave Ruth a share of the crop, but also comforted her with words: “Do not go to glean in another field, daughter,” he said, “but stay here with my young women.” And having bidden her eat and drink with the reapers, he added: “It has been fully told me all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not know before. May the Lord repay your work, and may your reward be full from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to trust.” And the blessing reached its fulfilment: she received a full reward from the Lord, becoming the ancestress of the blessing of the nations. He not only gave her food but served her himself, ordering no one else to wait on her, but himself preparing the roasted grain and very generously offering the loaves. For when she was satisfied she took what was left over to her mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law too gratefully repaid the absent benefactor with blessings: “Blessed be he who took notice of you,” she said, “for he has filled an empty soul, as he did with the one with whom he did it.” For he did not look at your poverty, she means, but at the lawgiver, who directed that every care be taken of widows.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 8.1 (PG 80 80:517; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/8-1)."},"theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/8.2":{"o":"Ἐπιμέμφονταί τινες καὶ τῇ Νοεμὶν καὶ τῇ ῾Ῥούθ, τῇ μὲν ὡς ὑποθεμένῃ, τῇ δὲ ὡς ὑπακουσάση τε καὶ πραξάσῃ, καὶ παρὰ τοὺς πόδας καθευδησάσῃ τοῦ Βοόζ Ακούσασα ἡ Ῥοὐθ εἰρηκυίας τῆς πενθερᾶς, ὅτι ἐγγίζει ἡμῖν ὁ ἀνὴρ, ἐκ τῶν ἀγχιστευόντων ἡμῖν ἐστι, τῆς πολλῆς ἀνεμνήσθη θεραπείας, καὶ ᾠήθη τὸν Βοὸζ, ὡς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς συγγενῆ συναφθῆναι αὐτῇ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἐθέλειν, ὥστε τοῦ τετελευτηκότος φυλάξαι τὴν μνήμην. Τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὰ ἑξῆς. Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶ, Ῥοϋθ πρὸς τὴν πενθερὰν αὐτῆς καὶ ὅτι εἶπε, Μετὰ τῶν κορασίων μου κολλήθητι, ἕως ἂν τελέσωσιν ὅλον τὸν ἀμητὸν τὸν ὑπάρχοντά μοι. Τούτων ἀκούσασα τῶν λόγων ἡ Νοεμὶν, ὑποτίθεται αὐτῇ παρὰ τοὺς πόδας καθευδῆσαι τοῦ Βοὸζ, οὐχ ἵνα τὴν ὥραν ἀποδῶται· τοὐναντίον γὰρ δηλοῖ τὰ τῆς εἰσηγήσεως ῥήματα. Ἐλεύσῃ γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις τὰ περὶ ποδῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ κοιμηθήσῃ. καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπαγγελεῖ σοι ἃ ποιήσεις. Οὕτως ἐθάρῥει τῇ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ σωφροσύνῃ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ. Ἐβεβαίωσαν δὲ τοὺς λόγους αἱ πράξεις. Κατὰ γὰρ τὰς ὑποθημοσύνας τῆς πενθερᾶς, πάντων ὕπνῳ κατεχομένων, προσεκλίθη παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Βοὸζ ἡ Ῥούθ· ὁ δὲ ἤρετο τίς εἴη· ἡ δὲ τῆς τοῦ τετελευτηκότος συγγενείας ἀνέμνησεν. Ὁ δὲ τὸ μὲν πραχθὲν ἐπήνεσε, τὴν δὲ σωφροσύνην οὐ προὔδωκεν, ἀλλὰ τῷ νόμῳ τὴν γαμικὴν διετήρησεν ὁμιλίαν. Εὐλογημένη γὰρ, ἔφη, σὺ τῷ Κυρίῳ Θεῷ, θύγατερ, ὅτι ἠγάθυνας τὸν ἕλεόν σου τὸν ἔσχατον ὑπὲρ τὸν πρῶτον, τοῦ μὴ πορευθῆναί σε ὀπίσω νεανίσκων, ἤτοι πτωχῶν, ἤτοι πλουσίων Δεδήλωκας, φησὶ, δι' ὧν ἔπραξας, ὡς οὐκ ἐπιθυμίᾳ δουλεύσασα τοῦτο δέδρακας. Ἢ γὰρ ἂν πρὸς τοὺς νέαν ἄγοντας ἡλικίαν ἐφοίτησας, οὐ πλοῦτον, οὐ πενίαν, ἀλλὰ μόνην λογιζομένη τῆς ἡδονῆς τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν. ᾿Αλλ' ἐλήλυθας πρὸς ἄνδρα πατρός σου τάξιν πληροῦντα. Τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει τὸ θύγατερ. Καὶ δις δὲ αὐτὴν οὕτω κέκληκε Καὶ νῦν, θύγατερ, μὴ φοβοῦ πάντα ὅσα ἂν εἴπῃς ποιήσω σοι. Οἶδε γὰρ πᾶσα φυλὴ τοῦ λαοῦ μου, ὅτι γυνὴ δυνάμεως εἶ σὺ, καὶ ὅτι ἀληθῶς ἀγχιστεὺς ἐγώ εἰμι. Οὐδείς μοι, φησὶν, ἐπιμέμψεται σύ τε γὰρ ἐπαινῇ παρὰ πάντων κἀγὼ διὰ τὴν συγγένειαν, οὐ διὰ τὴν ἀκολασίαν, τὸν γάμον ποιήσομαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐστιν ἕτερος πλησιαίτερος συγγενὴς, ἐκείνῳ με δεῖ πρότερον διαλεχθῆναι, ἵνα εἰ μὲν ἕλοιτο, γήμῃ κατὰ τὸν νόμον . εἰ δ᾽ οὐ, ἐγὼ δή σοι τότε τὸν γαμικὸν ἐπιθήσω ζυγόν. Τοσαύτη ἡ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀρετὴ, ὅτι κόρης νέας εὐπρεποῦς νύκτωρ πρὸς αὐτὸν φοιτησάσης, τὴν σωφροσύνην ἐφύλαξε, καὶ τῷ νόμῳ τὸ πρᾶγμα τετήρηκε, καὶ οὐδὲ τῷ γάμῳ παρὰ τὸν νόμον προσἐδραμεν, ἀλλὰ τῷ πλησιαιτέρῳ τοὺς περὶ τοῦ γάμου προσενήνοχε λόγους εἶτ᾿ ἐκείνου παραιτησαμένου τὸν γάμον, τότε λοιπὸν τῇ ἀξιεπαίνῳ γυναικὶ συνηρμόσθη. ᾿Αξιάγαστα δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ῥήματα. Οὐ γὰρ πρώτους αὐτῷ τοὺς περὶ τοῦ γάμου προσενήνοχε λόγους· ἀλλὰ περὶ τῆς τῶν ἀγρῶν κτήσεως διελέχθη. Ἔπειτα ἐκείνου τὸ συμβόλαιον ἀσπαστῶς δεξαμένου, τὸν περὶ τοῦ γάμου λόγον προστέθεικεν εἰρηκὼς δίκαιον εἶναι τὸν τοῦ τετελευτηκότος κτώμενον τοὺς ἀγροὺς, γῆμαι καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ φυλάξαι τῇ παιδοποιίᾳ τοῦ κατοιχομένου τὴν μνήμην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ διὰ τὸν γάμον καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀγρῶν ἐκεῖνος ἡρνήσατο συμβόλαιον, ὑπελύσατο μὲν κατὰ τὸν νόμον καὶ τὸ ὑπόδημα δέδωκεν ἠγάγετο δὲ ὁ Βοὸζ τὴν Ῥούθ. Ὅτι δὲ οὐχ ἡδονῇ δουλεύων ἠνέσχετο γῆμαι, δηλοῖ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἀξιέπαινα ῥήματα. Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶ, Βοὸζ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις, καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ· Μάρτυρες ὑμεῖς σήμερον, ὅτι κέκτημαι πάντα τὰ τοῦ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ καὶ πάντα ὅσα ὑπάρχει τῷ Μααλὼν, καὶ τῷ Χελεὼν ἐκ χειρὸς Νοεμίν· καί γε Ῥοὺς τὴν Μωαβίτιν, τὴν γυναῖκα Μααλών, κέκτημαι ἐμαυτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα, τοῦ ἀναστῆσαι τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τεθνηκότος ἐπὶ τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξολοθρευθήσεται τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τεθνηκότος ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς αὐτοῦ. ῎Αξιον θαυμάσαι τῶν εἰρημένων καὶ τὸ εὐσεβὲς, καὶ τὸ ἀκριβές. Οὐ παραβαίνω γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν νόμον, Μωαβῖτιν γυναῖκα λαμβάνων, ἀλλὰ τὸν θεῖον νόμον πληρῶ, τοῦ τετελευτηκότος ἄσβεστον φυλαχθῆναι τὴν μνήμην σπουδάζων. Ἐκράτυναν δὲ καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τῇ εὐλογίᾳ τὸν γάμον. Εἶπον δὲ οὕτως Δῴη Κύριος τὴν γυναῖκά σου τὴν εἰσπορευομένην εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου, ὡς Ῥαχήλ καὶ Λείαν, αἳ ᾠκοδόμησαν ἀμφότεραι τὸν οἶκον Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ποιήσαι δύναμιν ἐν Ἐφραθᾷ καὶ ἔσται ὄνομα ἐν Βηθλεέμ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀοίδιμον ἀνθρώποις. Καὶ γένοιτο ὁ οἶκός σου, ὡς οἶκος Φαρές, ὃν ἔτεκε Θάμαρ τῷ Ἰούδᾳ, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματός σου δῴη σοι Κύριος ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης ταύτης. Αἰνίττονται τῆς εὐλογίας οἱ λόγοι καὶ ἑτέραν αὐτὸν ἐσχηκέναι γυναῖκα. Διὸ καὶ τῆς Ῥαχήλ, καὶ τῆς Λείας, κατὰ ταυτὸν ἐμνημόνευσαν, καὶ ἐπήγαγον, Αἳ ᾠκοδόμησαν ἀμφότεραι τὸν οἶκον Ἰσραήλ. Τὸ δὲ, ποιήσαι δύναμιν ἐν Ἐφραθᾷ, καὶ ἔσται ὄνομα ἐν Βηθλεέμ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἀοίδιμον, τὸν σωτήριον προθεσπίζει τόκον, δι' ὃν γέγονεν ἡ Βηθλεὲμ ἀοίδιμος παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις. Τῆς δὲ Θάμαρ ἐμνημόνευσαν, ἐπειδὴ κἀκείνη ἀλλόφυλος οὖσα τὸν Φαρὲς γεγέννηκεν, ἐξ οὗ Δαβὶδ ὁ βασιλεὺς κατάγει τὸ γένος καὶ ὁ τούτου ἀπόγονος, καὶ δεσπότης, καὶ υἱὸς, καὶ Κύριος. Ἐκ ταύτης ὁ Ὠβὴδ ἐγεννήθη τοῦ Ἰεσσαὶ ὁ πατὴρ, ὃς ἔφυσε τὸν Δαβίδ. Τοῦτο τὸ βρέφος αἱ γυναῖκες προσενεγκοῦσαι τῇ Νοεμὶν ἔφασαν, Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος, ὃς οὐ κατέλυσέ σοι σήμερον τὸν ἀγχιστεύοντα καλέσαι τὸ ὄνομά σου ἐν Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἔσται εἰς ἐπιστρέφοντα ψυχήν. Τοῦτο δὲ, κατὰ μὲν τὸ πρόχειρον νόημα, τὴν ἐκείνης ψυχαγωγίαν δηλοῖ κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, τὴν τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐπιστροφήν. Ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ ἤνθησε τῆς οἰκουμένης ἡ σωτηρία. Ἐπειδὴ τῆς θείας χάριτος ἀπολαύσαντες, Μωσέως τοῦ νομοθέτου βίβλον καὶ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ προφήτου, καὶ τῶν Κριτῶν, καὶ τῆς Ῥούθ ἡρμηνεύσαμεν, φέρε πάλιν τοῦδε τοῦ φωτὸς τὴν αἴγλην λαβεῖν ἱκετεύσαντες, τὰς τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἀναπτύξωμεν ἱστορίας· τὰ μὲν σαφῆ παριόντες, τὰ δὲ σαφηνείας δεόμενα δῆλα τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν ἀποφαίνοντες· ἵνα σου τὴν αἴτησιν, ἐρασμιώτατε παίδων Ὑπάτιε, μὴ καταλείπωμεν ἀτελῆ. Αἴτιον δὲ γε τῆς ἀσαφείας, καὶ τὸ σπουδάσαι τοὺς ἑρμηνεύσαντας περὶ πόδα τὴν ἑρμηνείαν ποιήσασθαι ταυτὸ δὲ τοῦτο πάσχουσι καὶ οἱ τὴν Ἰταλῶν φωνὴν εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα μεταφέροντες γλώτταν. Πολλῆς γὰρ ἀσαφείας ἐκεῖνα μεστά. Πρῶτον δὲ τῆς ἱστορίας ἐρῶ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν Πλείστοι προφῆται γεγένηνται, ὧν τὰς μὲν βίβλους οὐχ εὕρομεν, τὰς δὲ προσηγορίας ἐκ τῆς τῶν Παραλειπομένων μεμαθήκαμεν ἱστορίας. Τούτων ἕκαστος εἰώθει συγγράφειν ὅσα συνέβαινε γίνεσθαι κατὰ τὸν οἰκεῖον καιρόν. Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ ἡ πρώτη τῶν Βασιλειῶν, καὶ παρ' Ἑβραίοις, καὶ παρὰ Σύροις, προφητεία Σαμουήλ ὀνομάζεται. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο γνῶναι ῥάδιον τῷ βουλομένῳ τὸ προειρημένον ἀναγνῶναι βιβλίον. Οἱ τοίνυν τῶν Βασιλειῶν τὴν βίβλον συγγεγραφότες, ἐξ ἐκείνων τῶν βιβλίων τὰς ἀφορμὰς εἰληφότες, μετὰ πλεῖστον συνέγραψαν χρόνον. Πῶς γὰρ οἷόν τε ἦν τῷ Σαούλ, ἢ τῷ Δαβὶδ συνηκμακότι τὰ ἐπὶ Ἐζεκίου καὶ Ἰωσίου γεγονότα συγγράψαι καὶ τὴν τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσορ στρατιάν, καὶ τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ τὴν πολιορκίαν, καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τὸν ἀνδραποδισμὸν, καὶ τὴν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα μετάστασιν, καὶ τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσορ τὴν τελευτήν; Δῆλον τοίνυν, ὡς τῶν προφητῶν ἕκαστος συνέγραψε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις πεπραγμένα καιροῖς. ῎Ἄλλοι δέ τινες ἐκεῖνα συναγαγόντες, τὴν τῶν Βασιλειῶν συντεθείκασι βίβλον. Καὶ αὖ πάλιν, τῶν ὑπὸ τούτων παραλειφθέντων ἕτεροί τινες ἱστοριογράφοι γεγένηνται· καὶ τὴν παρὰ σφῶν συγγραφεῖσαν Παραλειπομένων προσηγόρευσαν βίβλον· ὡς τὰ παρὰ τῶν προτέρων παραλειφθέντα διδάσκουσαν.","t":"Some find fault with both Naomi and Ruth: with the one as having advised, with the other as having obeyed and acted and lain down at the feet of Boaz. When Ruth heard her mother-in-law say, “The man is near to us; he is one of our next of kin,” she remembered his great care and supposed that Boaz, as a relative of her husband, wished to be joined to her according to the law, so as to preserve the memory of the dead man. What follows shows this: “For Ruth said to her mother-in-law,” it says, “‘He also said, Stay close to my young women until they have finished all my harvest.’” Hearing these words, Naomi advises her to lie at the feet of Boaz, not to sell her youthful beauty; the words of the advice show the opposite: “You will go,” she says, “and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” So confident was she in the man's chastity and justice. And the deeds confirmed the words. Following her mother-in-law's advice, when all were asleep Ruth lay down at the feet of Boaz. He asked who she was; she reminded him of the kinship of the dead man. He praised what she had done, but did not betray his chastity; he kept marital intercourse for the law. “Blessed are you of the Lord God, daughter,” he said, “for you have made your last kindness better than the first, in not going after young men, whether poor or rich.” You have shown, he means, by what you did, that you did not do this as a slave to desire. Otherwise you would have gone to those of young age, considering neither wealth nor poverty, but only the enjoyment of pleasure. But you have come to a man who stands in the place of your father; this is what “daughter” signifies. And twice he called her so: “And now, daughter, do not fear; all that you say I will do for you. For the whole tribe of my people knows that you are a woman of worth, and that I am truly a kinsman.” No one will blame me, he means: you are praised by all, and I will make the marriage because of kinship, not because of licentiousness. But since there is another, nearer relative, I must speak with him first, so that if he chooses he may marry according to the law; and if not, then I will put the yoke of marriage on you. So great was the man's virtue that, when a young and beautiful girl came to him by night, he kept his chastity and kept the matter for the law; nor did he rush into marriage contrary to the law, but put the proposal of marriage to the nearer relative; and when he declined the marriage, then at last he was joined to the praiseworthy woman. His words to that man are also admirable. He did not first put the proposal of marriage to him, but spoke about the purchase of the fields. Then, when the other gladly accepted the contract, he added the matter of the marriage, saying that it was right that the one who acquired the dead man's fields should also marry his wife and preserve the dead man's memory by begetting children. And since because of the marriage that man refused the contract for the fields too, he took off his sandal according to the law and gave it, and Boaz married Ruth. That he did not consent to marry as a slave to pleasure his praiseworthy words also show: “For Boaz said,” it says, “to the elders and to all the people, ‘You are witnesses today that I have acquired all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Mahlon and Chilion from the hand of Naomi; and also Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, I have acquired for myself as wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, and the name of the dead shall not be cut off from among his brothers and from his tribe.’” One should admire both the piety and the exactness of what was said. For I do not transgress the law, he means, in taking a Moabite wife; I fulfil the divine law, striving that the memory of the dead be kept unquenched. The elders confirmed the marriage with a blessing. They spoke thus: “May the Lord make your wife who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who both built the house of Israel, and may you do worthily in Ephratha, and there shall be a name in Bethlehem renowned among all people. And may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, from the seed which the Lord will give you from this young woman.” The words of the blessing hint that he had another wife too; that is why they mentioned Rachel and Leah together and added, “who both built the house of Israel.” And “may you do worthily in Ephratha, and there shall be a name in Bethlehem renowned among all people” foretells the saving birth, through which Bethlehem became renowned among all people. They mentioned Tamar because she too, being a foreigner, bore Perez, from whom David the king traces his descent, and his descendant, who is also his Master, his Son and his Lord. From Ruth was born Obed, the father of Jesse, who begot David. The women brought this child to Naomi and said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a kinsman, to make your name called in Israel; and he shall be to you a restorer of the soul.” According to the plain sense this signifies her comfort, but according to the reality, the turning of the world; for from there the salvation of the world blossomed. Since, enjoying divine grace, we have interpreted the book of Moses the lawgiver, of Joshua the prophet, of the Judges and of Ruth, come, begging again to receive the radiance of the same light, let us unfold the histories of the Kingdoms, passing over what is clear and making plain to readers what needs clarification, so that we may not leave your request unfulfilled, Hypatius, dearest of sons. A cause of the obscurity is that the translators took pains to make their translation word for word; the same thing happens to those who render the Italian language into Greek, for those works are full of obscurity. First I will state the subject of the history. There have been very many prophets whose books we have not found, but whose names we have learned from the history of the Chronicles. Each of them used to write down what happened in his own time. Thus the first book of Kingdoms, both among the Hebrews and among the Syrians, is called the prophecy of Samuel. But this is easy to learn for anyone who wishes to read the book mentioned. Those, then, who wrote the book of Kingdoms took their materials from those books and wrote a very long time later. For how could someone who flourished with Saul or David have written of what happened under Hezekiah and Josiah, and the campaign of Nebuchadnezzar, the siege of Jerusalem, the enslavement of the people, the deportation to Babylon and the death of Nebuchadnezzar? It is clear, then, that each of the prophets wrote what was done in his own times, and others, collecting those writings, composed the book of Kingdoms. And again, others became historians of what these had left out, and they called what they wrote the book of Paraleipomena, as teaching what the earlier writers had left out.","f":"Theodoret, <i>Quaest. Oct.</i> 8.2 (PG 80 80:521; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/8-2)."}}