Sophia Scriptura

Commentary on Ezekiel 0.1–0.4

Theodoret of Cyrus · Commentary on Ezekiel · probably 430s (before ca. 446) · Cyrrhus · 4 passages

Greek text: PG 81.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

Part 1

0.1PG 81

Οἱ μὲν τοῦ σώματος ὀφθαλμοὶ, σχημάτων καὶ χρωμάτων ἐδημιουργήθησαν ' δικασταί" καὶ δικάζουσιν ὑγιαίνοντες μὲν, ὀρθῶς καὶ μάλα δικαίως" ἀσθενῶς δὲ διατεθέντες, ἁμαρτάνουσι τοῦ προσήκον» τος, καὶ σφόδρα τῷ δικαίῳ λυμαίνονται " ἢ γὰρ παν- «ελῶς οὐκ ὁρῶσιν, ἣ ἕτερα βλέποντες ἀνθ᾽ ἑτέρων». οὐ διακρίνουσι δ'καίως τῶν ὁρωμένων τὴν φύσιν. Τὸ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς ὀπτιχὸν, χορηγεῖ μὲν καὶ τούτοις ταύτὴν αὐτὴν τὴν ἐνέργειαν" ἐδέξατο δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν παρὰ τοῦ δημιουργήσαντος δύναμιν, δι᾽ ἧς οὐ μόνον σχημάτων, καὶ χρωμάτων, καὶ ἁτμῶν, καὶ γεύσεων, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν τοιούτων τὰς ποιότητας διαχρίγει, ἀλλὰ καὶ λόγοις δικάζει, ἀλλὰ καὶ λογισμοῖς, καὶ τούτων τοὺς δυσσεδεῖς ἀπὸ τῶν εὐσεθῶν νει, καὶ θείων καὶ ἀνθρωπίνων γινώσκει διαφορὰν, καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς κατὰ τὸν σοφὸν Σολομῶντα νοεῖ πᾶραθολὴν, καὶ σκοτεινὸν λόγον, ῥήσεις τὸ σοφῶν καὶ αἰνίγματα. ᾿Αλλὰ τούτων ἕχαστον διακρίνει, εὖ διακείμενον, καὶ ἀπιστίας ἀπηλλαγμένον " ἀχλύος δὲ τοιαύτης ἐπιπροσθούσης ταυτὸν ὑπομένει ᾽ τοῖς τοῦ σώματος ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ ἕτερα ἀνθ᾽ ἑτέρων ὁρᾷ, ἣ παντελῶς οὐκ ὁρᾷ, τοῦ πάθους ἐπιχρατήδαντος. Ταύτῃ περιπεσόντες τῇ νόσῳ τινὲς τῆς θείας Γραφῆς κατ’ ηγορεῖν ἐπεχείρησαν, διαφερόντως δὲ τῶν προφητικῶν θεσπισμάτων, ὡς ἀσαφείᾳ κεχαλυμμένων, Πρὸς οὗς ἂν εἰκότως ὁ θεσπέσιος εἴποι Παῦλος" « Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστι κεκαλυμμένον τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον ἢ μῶν, ἐν τοῖς ἀπολμεν ἐν τοῖς τελείοις.» Συμφωνεῖ δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Δεσπότου καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους ἀποστόλους εἰρημένα" ς« Ὑ μὲν δέδοται γνῶναι τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας ", ἐκείνοις δὲ οὐ δέδοται: ""ν καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν διδάσκων εὐθὺς ἐπάγει, ὅτι " « Βλέποντες οὐ βλέπουτι, καὶ ἀκούοντες οὐ συνιοῦσιν. » Δύτοὶ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἑκόντες ἐπισπῶνται τῆς ἀγνοίας τὸ νέφος ἐὰν γὰρ ἐπιστρέψωσι πρὸς Κύριον, ἧ φησιν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, περιαιρεῖται τὸ κάλυμμα. Οὐ τοίνυν πᾶσίν ἐστιν ἀσαφῆ τὰ θεῖα, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐθελουσίως τυφλώττουσιν: οὺς ἐχρῆν σχοπῆσα:, καὶ συνιδεῖν, ὅτι τῶν τιμίων οὐδὲν πρόχειρον τοῖς ἀνθρώ ποις. Τὰν μὲν γὰρ μαργαρίτην ὁ θαλάσσιος χατακρύπτει βυθὸς, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τῆς βασιλικῆς ἁλουργίδος τὸ ἄνθος “ αἱ δὲ χρυσέτιδες καὶ ἀργυρίτιδες οὐκ ἐπιπολάζουσ’ τῇ γῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῶν ταύτης συγχαλύ. πτονται χύλπων " καὶ ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις δὲ τὰ τιμιώτερα τῶν χρημάτων ἕνδον ἐν ταμείοις φυλάττομεν, δεσμὰ, καὶ τῶν βουλευμάτων τὰ σπουδαιότερα τοῖς γνησιωπέροις τῶν φίλων, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς ἐκφαίνειν εἰώθαμεν. Τούτων δὲ πάντων τῶν εἰρημένων τὰ θεῖα σεδασμιώτερα, καὶ τοσούτῳ κρείττονα, ὅσῳ τῶν ὁρατῶν τὰ ἀόρατα, καὶ τὰ νοητὰ τῶν αἰσθητῶν, καὶ τῶν ῥεόντων τὰ μένοντα. Πλείονος τοίνυν προσέχει ταῦτα φυλακῆς ἀξιοῦσθαι, καὶ Δεσποτικῶς εἰπεῖν, μὴ ῥίπτεσθαι τοὺς μαργαρίτας ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίβων" καὶ γὰρ εὐκαταφρόνητος τῷ ὄντι τῶν προχείρων ἧ κτῆσις " τὰ δὲ σὺν πόνῳ κτώμενα καὶ λίαν ἐ ράσμια. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ ἕτερον δεῖ προσθεῖναι τοῖς εἰρημένοι;, ὅτι τῶν θείων προφητῶν ο οἱ χρησμοὶ κατηγορίαν μὲν ἔχουσι τῆς Ἰουδαίων παρανομίας, ἀγαθῶν δὲ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐπαγγελίαν προσφέρηυσι " καὶ ἀναγκαίως ἔδει συνεσχιᾶσθαι τὴν πρυφητείαν, ἵνα μὴ τῷ φθόνῳ συνήθως δουλεύοντες Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἀγαθοῖς ἐπιδουλεύειν τολμῶντες, τὰς ταῦτα σημαινούσας ἀφανίσωσι βίλους. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς δοκούσης αἴτιον ἀσαφείας, τὰ πράγματα μαρτυρεῖ. Πάλαι γὰρ ἄδηλα ταῦτα τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὄντα ἐτύγχανεν, ἵνα φυλάττηται τῆς περὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐλογίας ἀνάγραπτος ἡ μνήμη.

Hoi men tou sōmatos ophthalmoi, schēmatōn kai chrōmatōn edēmiourgēthēsan ' dikastai" kai dikazousin hygiainontes men, orthōs kai mala dikaiōs" asthenōs de diatethentes, hamartanousi tou prosēkon» tos, kai sphodra tǭ dikaiǭ lymainontai " ē gar pan- «elōs ouk horōsin, hē hetera blepontes anth᾽ heterōn». ou diakrinousi d'kaiōs tōn horōmenōn tēn physin. To de tēs psychēs optichon, chorēgei men kai toutois tautēn autēn tēn energeian" edexato de kai heteran para tou dēmiourgēsantos dynamin, di᾽ hēs ou monon schēmatōn, kai chrōmatōn, kai hatmōn, kai geuseōn, kai tōn allōn tōn toioutōn tas poiotētas diachrigei, alla kai logois dikazei, alla kai logismois, kai toutōn tous dyssedeis apo tōn eusethōn nei, kai theiōn kai anthrōpinōn ginōskei diaphoran, kai hapaxaplōs kata ton sophon Solomōnta noei paratholēn, kai skoteinon logon, rhēseis to sophōn kai ainigmata. ᾿Alla toutōn hechaston diakrinei, eu diakeimenon, kai apistias apēllagmenon " achlyos de toiautēs epiprosthousēs tauton hypomenei ᾽ tois tou sōmatos ophthalmois, kai hetera anth᾽ heterōn horą, hē pantelōs ouk horą, tou pathous epichratēdantos. Tautę̄ peripesontes tę̄ nosǭ tines tēs theias Graphēs kat’ ēgorein epecheirēsan, diapherontōs de tōn prophētikōn thespismatōn, hōs asapheią kechalymmenōn, Pros hous an eikotōs ho thespesios eipoi Paulos" « Ei de kai esti kekalymmenon to Euangelion ē mōn, en tois apolmen en tois teleiois.» Symphōnei de toutois kai ta hypo tou Despotou kai Sōtēros hēmōn pros tous hagious apostolous eirēmena" s« Hy men dedotai gnōnai ta mystēria tēs basileias ", ekeinois de ou dedotai: ""n kai tēn aitian didaskōn euthys epagei, hoti " « Blepontes ou blepouti, kai akouontes ou syniousin. » Dytoi gar, phēsin, hekontes epispōntai tēs agnoias to nephos ean gar epistrepsōsi pros Kyrion, hē phēsin ho theios ᾿Apostolos, periaireitai to kalymma. Ou toinyn pasin estin asaphē ta theia, alla tois ethelousiōs typhlōttousin: ous echrēn schopēsa:, kai synidein, hoti tōn timiōn ouden procheiron tois anthrō pois. Tan men gar margaritēn ho thalassios chatakryptei bythos, hōsautōs de kai tēs basilikēs halourgidos to anthos “ hai de chrysetides kai argyritides ouk epipolazous’ tę̄ gę̄, all᾽ hypo tōn tautēs synchaly. ptontai chylpōn " kai en tais oikiais de ta timiōtera tōn chrēmatōn hendon en tameiois phylattomen, desma, kai tōn bouleumatōn ta spoudaiotera tois gnēsiōperois tōn philōn, all᾽ ou pasin haplōs ekphainein eiōthamen. Toutōn de pantōn tōn eirēmenōn ta theia sedasmiōtera, kai tosoutǭ kreittona, hosǭ tōn horatōn ta aorata, kai ta noēta tōn aisthētōn, kai tōn rheontōn ta menonta. Pleionos toinyn prosechei tauta phylakēs axiousthai, kai Despotikōs eipein, mē rhiptesthai tous margaritas emprosthen tōn choibōn" kai gar eukataphronētos tǭ onti tōn procheirōn hē ktēsis " ta de syn ponǭ ktōmena kai lian e rasmia. Pros de toutois kai heteron dei prostheinai tois eirēmenoi?, hoti tōn theiōn prophētōn o hoi chrēsmoi katēgorian men echousi tēs Ioudaiōn paranomias, agathōn de tois ethnesin epangelian prospherēusi " kai anankaiōs edei syneschiasthai tēn pryphēteian, hina mē tǭ phthonǭ synēthōs douleuontes Ioudaioi, kai tois allotriois agathois epidouleuein tolmōntes, tas tauta sēmainousas aphanisōsi bilous. Hoti de kai touto tēs dokousēs aition asapheias, ta pragmata martyrei. Palai gar adēla tauta tois Ioudaiois onta etynchanen, hina phylattētai tēs peri tōn ethnōn eulogias anagraptos hē mnēmē.

… The eyes of the body were made judges of shapes and colors. When they are healthy they judge rightly and very justly; but when they are in poor condition they miss what is fitting and do great injury to justice: either they do not see at all, or, seeing one thing in place of another, they do not justly distinguish the nature of what is seen. The soul's power of sight supplies these too with this same activity; but it has also received from its Maker another power, by which it not only distinguishes the qualities of shapes and colors, of smells and tastes and all other such things, but also judges words and reasonings, and distinguishes among them the impious from the pious, and knows the difference between things divine and human, and, in a word, as the wise Solomon says, understands "a parable and a dark saying, the sayings of the wise and riddles." It distinguishes each of these when it is in good condition and free of unbelief; but when such a mist comes in front of it, it suffers the same as the eyes of the body: it sees one thing in place of another, or does not see at all, once the affliction has prevailed. Having fallen into this disease, some have set about accusing the divine Scripture, and especially the prophetic oracles, as though veiled in obscurity. To them the inspired Paul might fittingly say: "And even if our gospel is veiled …" … "… among the perfect." With these agree also the words spoken by our Master and Savior to the holy apostles: "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but to them it has not been given"; and teaching the reason he adds at once that "seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not understand." For they themselves, he says, willingly draw the cloud of ignorance over themselves; for if they turn to the Lord, as the divine Apostle says, the veil is taken away. The divine things, then, are not obscure to all, but to those who are willingly blind. These ought to have considered and perceived that nothing precious lies ready to hand for human beings. The depth of the sea hides the pearl, and likewise the bloom of the royal purple; veins of gold and silver do not lie on the surface of the earth but are covered in its folds; in our houses we keep the more valuable of our goods inside in storerooms, under bonds, and the weightier of our plans we are accustomed to disclose to the more genuine of our friends, not to everyone indiscriminately. But the divine things are more venerable than all of these, and as much better as the invisible are than the visible, the intelligible than the sensible, and the abiding than the flowing. They deserve, then, to be kept with greater care, and, to speak in the Master's words, the pearls are not to be thrown before the swine. For in truth the possession of what lies ready to hand is easily despised, while what is gained with toil is greatly loved. Besides this, another point must be added to what has been said: the oracles of the divine prophets contain an accusation of the lawlessness of the Jews but bring a promise of good things to the nations; and the prophecy had to be shadowed, so that the Jews, habitually slaves to envy and daring to plot against the good things of others, might not destroy the books that signify these things. That this too is a cause of the apparent obscurity, the facts bear witness. For long ago these things were unclear to the Jews, so that the record of the blessing of the nations might be kept in writing.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Prov 1:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:6 (quotation, medium confidence) · Matt 13:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 13:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 3:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 7:6 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret begins his preface by explaining why the prophets seem obscure: the soul's sight is clouded by unbelief, precious things are always hidden, and the prophecies were veiled so that the Jews would not destroy books promising blessing to the nations.

  • The section opens with OCR debris (shown as "…"); the opening of the preface may be damaged. Quotations: Prov 1:6; 2 Cor 4:3; Matt 13:11, 13; the veil taken away, 2 Cor 3:16; pearls before swine, Matt 7:6. After the first words of 2 Cor 4:3 the scan has lost one or more lines: the next words, "among the perfect," belong to 1 Cor 2:6, so Theodoret probably went on to quote that verse; the gap is marked "…". "Under bonds" renders δεσμά, which may be damaged in the OCR. Latin debris from Migne's facing column, marginal letters, and stray footnote markers are removed or ignored. Theodoret's remark about the Jews is translated as written; it is his own explanation of prophetic obscurity.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Latin debris from Migne's facing column read as Greek; Migne's marginal letter; OCR debris before the first word): νἱαι} }8105 οἱ → ; εὐσεθῶν Β → εὐσεθῶν ; τς το ]ρϑὶ ο. ν Εὶ εἰ 8}- ΒΠῸ0Ἃοτ. τιν, ὅ. εἴ ὅν. ᾽ν, ὃ. → ; ἁγίους Α → ἁγίους .

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 0.1 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/0-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/0-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

0.2PG 81

Ἐπειδὴ ὃΣ τέλος ἡ πρόῤῥησις ἔλαθε, καὶ τὰ πράγματα τοῖς γράμμασιν ἢκολούθησε, τηνικαῦτα λοιπὸν σαφῇ καὶ δῆλα γέγουε τῶν προφητῶν τὰ θεσπίσματα " οἱ γὰρ τὰς προφητικὰς. ἀναγινώσκοντες βίόλους, ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν ἑρμηνοίαν Μηδεὶς τοίνυν, καὶ μάλιστα τῶν τῆς εὐσεδείας τροφίμων, κατὰ τοῦ θείου Πνεόματος θρασυνέσθω, τοῖς πούτον λόγοις ἀσάφειαν ἐπιμεμφόμενος " ἀλλὰ νοῆσαι τοὺς ἱεροὺς: ἐφιέμενος λόγους μετὰ τοῦ θεσπεσίου βοάτω Δαδίδ᾽ « ᾿Αποκάλυψον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου, καὶ κατανοήσω τὰ θαυμάσια “ἐκ τοῦ νόμου σου. » Τεύξεται γὰρ πάντως τῆς αἰτήσεως, ἐπ᾽ ὠφελείᾳ τὴν γνῶσιν ἐπαγγείλας. Ταύτην γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς τὴν ἰκετείαν τῷ Δεσπότῃ προσφέροντες, ἃς αοφίζει " τοὺς τυφλοὺς, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Δαδὶδ, καὶ τοὺς ἐν σκότει καὶ τῇ ὁμίχλῃ, κατὰ τὸν μακάριον ᾿Βσαῖαν, τῆς τοῦ τῆς προφητείας τὸ βάθος, ὡς ἡμῖν ἐφικτὸν, ἐρευνῇσαι πειρασώμεθα, καὶ κοινὸν ἅπασι προθῆναι τοῖς εὐσεθέσι τὸ ἐντεῦθεν συναγόμενον κέρδος. Φέρε τοίγυν πρὸ τῆς ἑρμηνείας ἐν κεφαλαίῳ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν διεξέλθωμεν. Οὗτος " ὁ προφήτης ἤρξατο τῆς προφητείας ἐν τῷ πέμπτῳ ἔτει τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας Ἰωακεὶμ τοῦ " καὶ Ἰεχονίου" αὕτη δὲ ἡ αἰχμαλωσία οὐ πρώτη γεγένηται, καθά "9 τισιν ἔδοξεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς μὲν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τρίτη, τοῦ δὲ Ἰούδα τετάρτη, παντὸς δὲ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἔκτη. Πρῶτος μὲν γὰρ ὁ τῶν δέκα φυλῶν τὸ πλεῖστον δεύτερος δὲ ὁ Σαλμανασὰρ τὴν Σαμάρειαν, τὰς περὶ αὐτὴν ἐξανδραποδίσας πόλεις ἀπῆλθεν" τρίτος δὲ 1 ὁ Σεναχηρεὶμ τὰς μὲν ἄλλας τῆς ἴουαἰχμαλώτους " ἐπιστρατεῦσαι." δὲ τοῖς ᾿ἱεροσολύμοις μετὰ πολλῆς δυσσεθείας ἐπιχειρήσας, ἐκομίσατο τῆς βλασφημίας τὰ ἐπίχειρα, καὶ θεηλάτῳ πληγῇ τὴν στρατείαν 15 ἀπολέσας μετ᾽ ὀλίγων τὴν ἐνεγχοῦσαν κατέλαδε. Μετὰ τοῦτον τέταρτος "" ὁ Ναδουχοδονόσορ, ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ ἔτει τῆς βασιλείας Ἰωακεὶμ τοῦ "" υἱοῦ Ἰωσίου βασιλεύσας, μετὰ πολλῆς στρατείας εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν ἀφίκετο " καὶ πολλὰ τάλαντα χρυσοῦ "" καὶ ἀργύρου λαδὼν, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ γένους αἰχααλώτους πολλοὺς, καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν σκευῶν ἕνια, ἀνέζευξεν ἐκεῖθεν δεσμὸν ἐπιθεὶς τῷ βασιλεῖ "7. Χρόνου δὲ ὀλίγου διαδραμόντος, ὁ μὲν Ἰωακεὶμ τελέσαι τὸν

Epeidē hoS telos hē prorrhēsis elathe, kai ta pragmata tois grammasin ēkolouthēse, tēnikauta loipon saphę̄ kai dēla gegoue tōn prophētōn ta thespismata " hoi gar tas prophētikas. anaginōskontes biolous, ek tōn pragmatōn tēn hermēnoian Mēdeis toinyn, kai malista tōn tēs eusedeias trophimōn, kata tou theiou Pneomatos thrasynesthō, tois pouton logois asapheian epimemphomenos " alla noēsai tous hierous: ephiemenos logous meta tou thespesiou boatō Dadid᾽ « ᾿Apokalypson tous ophthalmous mou, kai katanoēsō ta thaumasia “ek tou nomou sou. » Teuxetai gar pantōs tēs aitēseōs, ep᾽ ōpheleią tēn gnōsin epangeilas. Tautēn gar kai hēmeis tēn iketeian tǭ Despotę̄ prospherontes, has aophizei " tous typhlous, kata ton theion Dadid, kai tous en skotei kai tę̄ homichlę̄, kata ton makarion ᾿Bsaian, tēs tou tēs prophēteias to bathos, hōs hēmin ephikton, ereunę̄sai peirasōmetha, kai koinon hapasi prothēnai tois eusethesi to enteuthen synagomenon kerdos. Phere toigyn pro tēs hermēneias en kephalaiǭ tēn hypothesin diexelthōmen. Houtos " ho prophētēs ērxato tēs prophēteias en tǭ pemptǭ etei tēs aichmalōsias Iōakeim tou " kai Iechoniou" hautē de hē aichmalōsia ou prōtē gegenētai, katha "9 tisin edoxen, alla tēs men Hierousalēm tritē, tou de Iouda tetartē, pantos de tou Israēl ektē. Prōtos men gar ho tōn deka phylōn to pleiston deuteros de ho Salmanasar tēn Samareian, tas peri autēn exandrapodisas poleis apēlthen" tritos de 1 ho Senachēreim tas men allas tēs iouaichmalōtous " epistrateusai." de tois ᾿hierosolymois meta pollēs dyssetheias epicheirēsas, ekomisato tēs blasphēmias ta epicheira, kai theēlatǭ plēgę̄ tēn strateian 15 apolesas met᾽ oligōn tēn enenchousan katelade. Meta touton tetartos "" ho Nadouchodonosor, en tǭ tritǭ etei tēs basileias Iōakeim tou "" huiou Iōsiou basileusas, meta pollēs strateias eis tēn Ioudaian aphiketo " kai polla talanta chrysou "" kai argyrou ladōn, kai ek tou basilikou genous aichaalōtous pollous, kai tōn hierōn skeuōn henia, anezeuxen ekeithen desmon epitheis tǭ basilei "7. Chronou de oligou diadramontos, ho men Iōakeim telesai ton

But when the prediction reached its fulfilment and the events followed what had been written, then at last the oracles of the prophets became clear and plain; for those who read the prophetic books [learn] the interpretation from the events. … Let no one, then, and especially none of those nurtured in true religion, grow bold against the divine Spirit, blaming his words for obscurity; but let the one who desires to understand the sacred words cry out with the inspired David: "Uncover my eyes, and I shall perceive the wonders of your law." For he will surely obtain his request, since he has asked for knowledge for his benefit. We too offer this supplication to the Master, who "makes the blind wise," according to the divine David, and those "in darkness and gloom," according to the blessed Isaiah; [and so] let us try, as far as we can, to search out the depth of the prophecy, and to set before all the godly in common the gain gathered from it. Come, then, before the interpretation let us go through the subject in summary. This prophet began his prophecy in the fifth year of the captivity of Joakim, who is also Jechoniah. This captivity was not the first, as some have thought, but the third of Jerusalem, the fourth of Judah, and the sixth of all Israel. The first [carried off] the greater part of the ten tribes; the second, Shalmaneser, [took] Samaria, enslaved the cities around it, and departed; the third, Sennacherib, [took] the other cities of Judah captive, and attempting with great impiety to march against Jerusalem he received the wages of his blasphemy: he lost his army by a blow from God and reached the land that bore him with a few. After him the fourth was Nebuchadnezzar, who, in the third year of the reign of Joakim son of Josiah, came into Judea with a great army; taking many talents of gold and silver, many captives of the royal family, and some of the sacred vessels, he withdrew from there, having put the king in fetters. After a short time had passed, Joakim [refused] to pay the

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 119:18 (118:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 146:8 (145:8 LXX) (quotation, medium confidence) · Isa 29:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ezek 1:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 15:29 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 17:3–6 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 18:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 19:35–36 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Chr 36:6–7 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 1:1–2 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret urges readers to pray for understanding rather than blame Scripture for obscurity, then dates Ezekiel's call and lists the earlier captivities of Israel and Judah down to Nebuchadnezzar's first campaign.

  • A line seems lost after "the interpretation from the events" (marked …), and a few words in the account of the first three captivities; supplied words are in brackets. Quotations: Ps 119:18 (LXX 118:18); "makes the blind wise," Ps 146:8 (LXX 145:8: σοφοῖ τυφλούς); "in darkness and gloom," Isa 29:18. The captivities: Tiglath-pileser (2 Kgs 15:29; the name is lost in the scan), Shalmaneser (2 Kgs 17:3–6), Sennacherib (2 Kgs 18:13; 19:35–36), Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chr 36:6–7; Dan 1:1–2). Theodoret uses "Joakim" both for Jehoiakim and, with the addition "who is also Jechoniah," for Jehoiachin. Ezekiel's date: Ezek 1:2. Latin debris and Migne's footnote references are removed.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Latin debris; Latin debris and Migne's footnote references; Latin debris and marginal letter; Latin debris from Migne's facing column read as Greek; Latin debris inside a hyphenated word): ϊπι 581}}αἱ 115 6586 Ὠ}}}}}. Μανγφαν πὶ ἐπί, βίου 67} οἰἰαπὶ οἱ δίδην!ϊογα, 4 Δ η10 οἱ αυα 80 οου]ο05 ποι δι, Ἰων ὰ εἴ, ὧἱ Θοιηΐη! νον ἷβ υἱαγ, ποῖ δηι Ῥγο) οἰ ον 8 δι} οἱ 4} 0}}188[π|ὰ. Ῥυγιδίθγου δὰ ϑὸ απ ἀϊχία δ : ἃς δυ-᾿ ο»- (δι ἀϊα Αἱ οἱ ροῦἢστ ϑρί γί πὸ 81:06 6 ἢ 5, 6115. Ογδιίοιο8. σης 18 δ.» οι δυο πθ 510] 2 Α → ; τοὺς 1οη Ὀν 8. οἱ οα] σία ν᾽ 188 ὁδί, βοὰ → τοὺς ; πλεῖ- "αἰπιδπ) ἀδοοπὶ {τί θαυπι μογίθιῃ γι 8 σορὶι ἃ; 56- Β στον → πλεῖστον; χιὶ τ] }8 Δὲ πὰ «τ, οἱ, → ; οἱ Νὰ- Ο → ; ἱπὶφεῦ! οϑὶ 1158. χχ, 18. ] ᾿Υ̓͂ Βερ. χα, κῖν. ΚΙΥ̓͂ Βὺρ. κν, 1 564. → .

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 0.2 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/0-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/0-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

0.3PG 81

ουγχείμενον οὐκ ἡθέλῃσε φόρον " ὁ δὲ σὸρ τῷ ἐνδεκάτῳ ἕτει τῆς τούτου βασιλείας, ὀγδόῳ δὲ τῆς οἰκείας ἡγεμονίας, πάλιν ἐπιστρατεύει τοῖς σολύμοις καὶ τὸν μὲν Ἰωακεὶμ ἀναιρεῖ, καὶ ἀπὴ τοῦ τείχους ῥιφῆναι ἐκέλευσε "", καὶ ἄταφον ἐπὶ πλεῖστον καταλείπει “5 χρόνον' τοὺς δὲ ἐν τέλει πάντας νήσας βασιλέα Ἰωακειμ, τὸν καὶ "5 Ἰεχονίαν (υἱὸς δὲ οὗτος ν ἦν Ἰωακεὶμ), ἀπῆρεν εἰς Βαδυλῶνα. Τριῶν δὲ μηνῶν πρὸς ὀλίγαις ἡμέραις διελθόντων "", στασιάσαντα τοῦτον μαθὼν, πάλιν ἀφικνεῖται" καὶ τοῦτον μὲν πεδήσας μετὰ πλήθους οὐκ ὀλίγου δορυάλωτον ἀπάγει, καθίστησι δὲ "5 βασιλέα τὸν τούτου μὲν θεῖον, τοῦ δὲ προτέρου ν" Ἰωακεὶμ ἀδελφὸν, Ἰωσίου δὲ υἱὸν, Μαθανίαν, τὸν καὶ Σεδεκίαν, ὄρκους παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ λαθὼν, ὡς καὶ τὴν περὶ αὐτὸν εὔνοιαν ᾿ φυλάξει, καὶ τὸν δασμὸν κατὰ καιρὸν ἀποδώσει. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τούτου πάλιν "5 παραδάντος τοὺς ὄρκους, καὶ μῆτε τὸν δασμὸν ἀποδοῦναι θελήσαντος, μήτε τὴν εὔνοιαν φυλάξαντος, ἀλλ᾽ "" Αἰγυπτίοις προσπεψευ- αὶ Ὑότος, πολλὴν ἀγείρας “Ὁ στρατείαν ἀφίκετο, καὶ αὔτανδρον τὴν πόλιν λαδὼν, τά τε βασίλεια, καὶ τὸν θεξον νεὼν, καὶ πᾶσαν λαμπρὰν ᾽ ἐνέπρησεν οἰκίαν " τοὺς δὲ τὴν τοῦ λιμοῦ φθορὰν, καὶ τὴν πολεμιχὴν διαφυγόντας σφαγὴν, ἅπαντας αἰχμαλώτους ἀπήγαγεν" καὶ τὰ σχεύη δὲ ἅπαντα, οὐ μόνον ὅσα ἐξ ὕλης ἀργύρου 3' καὶ χρυσοῦ ἐπεποίητο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐκ χαλκοῦ χατεσχενασμένους κίονας, καὶ τ᾽ ἄλλα πάντα αἰχμαλωσία οὐ πρώτη ἦν, ὥς τισιν ἔδοξεν, ἀλλὰ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων τρίτη" καὶ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς καὶ ἡ τετάρτη τῶν Βασιλειῶν διδάσκει, καὶ τῶν Παραλειπομένων ἡ βίόλος, καὶ ὁ θεῖος Δανιὴλ ὁ προφήτης " οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τῆ: προφητείας ἄρχεται" ε Ἐν ἔτει τρίτῳ τῆς βασιλείας Ἰωακεὶμ βασιλέως Ἰούδα, ἦλθε Ναδουχοδονόσορ ὁ βασιλεὺς Βαδυλῶνος δ" εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ ἐπολιόρχει αὐτὴν, καὶ ἔδωκε Κύριος ἐν τῇ 35 χειρὶ αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἰωακεὶμ βασιλέα Ἰούδα, καὶ ἀπὸ μέρους τῶν σχενῶν οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ" » καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγα " « Καὶ εἶπε, φησὶν, ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασφανὲξ 3", τῷ ἀρχιευνούχῳ αὑτοῦ, εἰσαγαγεῖν ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τῶν " υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ᾽" καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ σπέρματος τῆς βασιλείας. Πρώτη τοίνυν τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων αἰχμαλωσία ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ ἔτει γεγένηται τῆς βασιλείας Ἶωακεῖμ᾽ τοῦτο δὲ πρῶτον ἕτος τῆς τοῦ Ναδουχοδονόσορ βασιλείας. Καὶ τοῦτο ὁ αὐτὸς ἡμᾶς διδάσκει προφήτῆς λέγων οὑτωσί " « Ἐν τῷ ἕτει τῷ δευτέρῳ τῆς βασιλείας "5 τοῦ Ναθουχοδονόσορ ἐνυπνιάσθη ἐνύπνιον. » Δευτέρα δὲ αἰχμαλωσία, ὡς ἔφην, γεγένηται ἐν τῷ ἐνδεκάτῳ μὲν ἔτει τῆς τοῦ Ἰωακεὶμ βασιλείας, ὀγδόῳ δὲ τῆς τοῦ Ναδουχοδονόσορ ἡγεμονίας " τρίτη 5") δὲ ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ἔτει τῆς ᾿Ιεχονίου τοῦ Ἰωακεὶμ βασιλείας, ἐννάτῳ δὲ τῆς τοῦ Ναδουχοδονόσορ ἡγεμονίας. Διδάσκε: δὲ ἡμᾶς ταῦτα σαφῶς καὶ ὁ μακάριος Ἱερεμίας ὁ προφήτης, καὶ ῥάδιον τῷ βουχομένῳ τοὺς χρόνους συναγαγεῖν, καὶ ἐξ ἐχείνου τοῦ προφήτου σαφῶς ταῦτα καταμαθεῖν. Οὐκοῦν Ἰεζεχιῃ;, τῆς προφητείας ἤρξατο ἐν τῷ πέμπτῳ ἕτει τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ᾿ωαχεὶμ, τοῦ καὶ Ἰεχονίου " πέμπτὸν δὲ ἦν ἕτος καὶ τῆς Σεδεκίου βασιλείας ὃς ἀντὶ τοῦ Ἰεχονίου τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐχεχειροτόνητο βασιλεύς.

ouncheimenon ouk hēthelę̄se phoron " ho de sor tǭ endekatǭ hetei tēs toutou basileias, ogdoǭ de tēs oikeias hēgemonias, palin epistrateuei tois solymois kai ton men Iōakeim anairei, kai apē tou teichous rhiphēnai ekeleuse "", kai ataphon epi pleiston kataleipei “5 chronon' tous de en telei pantas nēsas basilea Iōakeim, ton kai "5 Iechonian (huios de houtos n ēn Iōakeim), apēren eis Badylōna. Triōn de mēnōn pros oligais hēmerais dielthontōn "", stasiasanta touton mathōn, palin aphikneitai" kai touton men pedēsas meta plēthous ouk oligou doryalōton apagei, kathistēsi de "5 basilea ton toutou men theion, tou de proterou n" Iōakeim adelphon, Iōsiou de huion, Mathanian, ton kai Sedekian, orkous par᾽ autou lathōn, hōs kai tēn peri auton eunoian ᾿ phylaxei, kai ton dasmon kata kairon apodōsei. ᾿Alla kai toutou palin "5 paradantos tous orkous, kai mēte ton dasmon apodounai thelēsantos, mēte tēn eunoian phylaxantos, all᾽ "" Aigyptiois prospepseu- ai Hyotos, pollēn ageiras “Ho strateian aphiketo, kai autandron tēn polin ladōn, ta te basileia, kai ton thexon neōn, kai pasan lampran ᾽ eneprēsen oikian " tous de tēn tou limou phthoran, kai tēn polemichēn diaphygontas sphagēn, hapantas aichmalōtous apēgagen" kai ta scheuē de hapanta, ou monon hosa ex hylēs argyrou 3' kai chrysou epepoiēto, alla kai tous ek chalkou chateschenasmenous kionas, kai t᾽ alla panta aichmalōsia ou prōtē ēn, hōs tisin edoxen, alla tōn Hierosolymōn tritē" kai touto hēmas kai hē tetartē tōn Basileiōn didaskei, kai tōn Paraleipomenōn hē biolos, kai ho theios Daniēl ho prophētēs " houtō gar kai tē: prophēteias archetai" e En etei tritǭ tēs basileias Iōakeim basileōs Iouda, ēlthe Nadouchodonosor ho basileus Badylōnos d" eis Hierousalēm, kai epoliorchei autēn, kai edōke Kyrios en tę̄ 35 cheiri autou ton Iōakeim basilea Iouda, kai apo merous tōn schenōn oikou tou Theou" » kai met᾽ oliga " « Kai eipe, phēsin, ho basileus ᾿Asphanex 3", tǭ archieunouchǭ hautou, eisagagein apo tōn huiōn tēs aichmalōsias tōn " huiōn Israēl ᾽" kai apo tou spermatos tēs basileias. Prōtē toinyn tōn Hierosolymōn aichmalōsia en tǭ tritǭ etei gegenētai tēs basileias Iōakeim᾽ touto de prōton hetos tēs tou Nadouchodonosor basileias. Kai touto ho autos hēmas didaskei prophētēs legōn houtōsi " « En tǭ hetei tǭ deuterǭ tēs basileias "5 tou Nathouchodonosor enypniasthē enypnion. » Deutera de aichmalōsia, hōs ephēn, gegenētai en tǭ endekatǭ men etei tēs tou Iōakeim basileias, ogdoǭ de tēs tou Nadouchodonosor hēgemonias " tritē 5") de en tǭ prōtǭ etei tēs ᾿Iechoniou tou Iōakeim basileias, ennatǭ de tēs tou Nadouchodonosor hēgemonias. Didaske: de hēmas tauta saphōs kai ho makarios Hieremias ho prophētēs, kai rhadion tǭ bouchomenǭ tous chronous synagagein, kai ex echeinou tou prophētou saphōs tauta katamathein. Oukoun Iezechię̄?, tēs prophēteias ērxato en tǭ pemptǭ hetei tēs aichmalōsias ᾿ōacheim, tou kai Iechoniou " pempton de ēn hetos kai tēs Sedekiou basileias hos anti tou Iechoniou tōn Ioudaiōn echecheirotonēto basileus.

agreed tribute; and [Nebuchadnez]zar, in the eleventh year of his reign and the eighth of his own rule, again marches against [Jeru]salem; he kills Joakim, ordered him thrown from the wall, and leaves him unburied for a very long time; and [taking captive] all those in authority, [he appointed] as king Joakim, who is also Jechoniah (he was the son of Joakim), and carried [them] off to Babylon. When three months and a few days had passed, learning that he had rebelled, he comes again; he puts him in fetters and leads him away captive with no small multitude, and appoints as king this man's uncle, the brother of the former Joakim and son of Josiah, Mattaniah, who is also Zedekiah, taking oaths from him that he would keep his loyalty to him and pay the tribute at the proper time. But when this man too broke the oaths, and would neither pay the tribute nor keep his loyalty but went over to the Egyptians, he gathered a great army and came, and taking the city together with its people he burned the palace, the divine temple, and every splendid house; all who had escaped destruction by famine and slaughter in war he led away captive; and all the vessels, not only those made of silver and gold, but also the pillars made of bronze and all the other things … captivity was not the first, as some have thought, but the third of Jerusalem. The fourth book of Kingdoms teaches us this, and the book of Chronicles, and the divine prophet Daniel; for so he begins his prophecy: "In the third year of the reign of Joakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it, and the Lord gave Joakim king of Judah into his hand, and part of the vessels of the house of God"; and a little later: "And the king," he says, "told Asphanez his chief eunuch to bring in some of the sons of the captivity of the sons of Israel and of the royal seed." The first captivity of Jerusalem, then, took place in the third year of Joakim's reign, and this was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign. The same prophet teaches us this, speaking thus: "In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar he dreamed a dream." The second captivity, as I said, took place in the eleventh year of Joakim's reign and the eighth of Nebuchadnezzar's rule; the third in the first year of the reign of Jechoniah son of Joakim and the ninth of Nebuchadnezzar's rule. The blessed prophet Jeremiah also teaches us these things clearly, and it is easy for anyone who wishes to reckon the dates and to learn them clearly from that prophet as well. Ezekiel, then, began his prophecy in the fifth year of the captivity of Joakim, who is also Jechoniah; and it was also the fifth year of the reign of Zedekiah, who had been appointed king of the Jews in place of Jechoniah.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

2 Kgs 24:1–20 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 25:1–17 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Chr 36:5–20 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 22:19 (allusion, medium confidence) · Jer 36:30 (allusion, medium confidence) · Dan 1:1–2 (quotation, high confidence) · Dan 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Dan 2:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 1:2 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret recounts the reigns of Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah and the fall of Jerusalem, argues from Kings, Chronicles and Daniel that Jehoiachin's captivity was the third of Jerusalem, and dates Ezekiel's first prophecy to its fifth year.

  • The opening words continue the last sentence of the previous section; the scan has lost the first letters of "Nebuchadnezzar" and "Jerusalem" and a few other words (supplied in brackets). After "all the other things" one or more lines are lost (marked …), and the text resumes in the middle of a restatement. Theodoret's account of Jehoiakim's death (thrown from the wall, unburied) follows Jer 22:19 and 36:30 and Josephus (Ant. 10.97). Quotations: Dan 1:1–2; 1:3 ("Asphanez" as in the Greek); 2:1. Joakim = Jehoiakim; "Joakim, who is also Jechoniah" = Jehoiachin; Theodoret calls Zedekiah Jehoiachin's uncle. A marginal number and Migne's footnote markers are removed or ignored.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (marginal number): τοῦ 33.3.5 → τοῦ .

Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, Ant. 10.97 (Josephus (works); echo)

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 0.3 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/0-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/0-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

0.4PG 81

“Ἔτεσι δὲ "5 δυοκαίδεκα πρότερος ὁ Δανιὴλ τῆς προφητείας ἤρξατο᾽ κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους, οὗτοι μὲν ἐν βαδυλῶνι προεφήτενον᾽ ἐν δὲ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ἢ) Ἵερεμίας, καὶ Συφονίας, καὶ Οὐρίας ὁ Σαμαίου. ᾿Αλλὰ πάλιν κἀκεῖνοι πρεσδύτεροι οὐ μόνον τοῦ Ἶεζεχιὴλ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ Δανιήλ' ἐν γὰρ τῷ τρισκαιδεκάτῳ ἔτει τῆς Ἰωσίου βασιλείας ἤρξατο τῆς προφητίας ὁ μακάριος Ἱερεμίας, καὶ ὁ Σοφονίας δὲ ἐπὶ Ἰωσίου τοῦ βασιλέως πεποιῆσθαι τὴν προφητείαν φησίν. Οὐρίας δὲ ὁ Σαμαίου "" ἐπὶ τοῦ προτέρου Ἰωακεὶμ προφητεύσας καὶ λυπηρὰ προαγορεύσας, τὴν ἄδικον ὑπέμεινεν ὑπὸ τῆς ἐχείνου μιαιφονίας σφαγήν. Τῶν τοίνυν κατὰ τὸν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας προφητευσάντων χαιρὺν, ἔσχατός ἔστι προφήτης ὁ θεῖος Ἰεξεκιήλ. ᾿Αγγαῖος "" δὲ, καὶ Ζαχαρίας, καὶ Μαλαχίας μετὰ τὴν ἐπάνοδον προεφήτευσαν " ὁρᾷ δὲ οὗτος ὁ προφήτης θείας ἀποκαλύψεις δέους καὶ φρίκης μεστάς " προθεσπίτε: δὲ οὐ μόνον " τὴν Ἰουδαίων "" πανωλεθρίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν Τυρίων, καὶ Σιδωνίων, ᾿ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀλλοφύλων, Μωαδιτῶν τε καὶ ᾿λαμανιτῶν, καὶ Ἰδουμαίων, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις Λἰγυπτίων. Προλέγει δὲ καὶ τὴν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπαλλαγὴν, καὶ τοῦ θείου νεὼ τὴν οἰχοδομίαν "7, καὶ ἄλλα μυρία, ἃ τῇ κατὰ μέρος ἑἕρμηνείᾳ " φυλάξομεν, ἵνα μὴ τὴν " ὑπόθεσιν εἰς μῆκος ἐχτείνωμεν δ᾽, Αὐτὸν τοίνυν δ' τὸν τοῦ προφήτου Θεὸν διὰ ποῦ προφήτου παρακαλέσαντες "᾽ τοῦ τῆς γνώσεως ἡμῖν μεταδοῦναι χαρίσματος, φέρε δ᾽ τῆς ἑρμτηνείας "ἀψώμεθα.

“Etesi de "5 dyokaideka proteros ho Daniēl tēs prophēteias ērxato᾽ kata de tous autous chronous, houtoi men en badylōni proephētenon᾽ en de tę̄ Ioudaią ē) Hieremias, kai Syphonias, kai Ourias ho Samaiou. ᾿Alla palin kakeinoi presdyteroi ou monon tou Iezechiēl, alla kai tou Daniēl' en gar tǭ triskaidekatǭ etei tēs Iōsiou basileias ērxato tēs prophētias ho makarios Hieremias, kai ho Sophonias de epi Iōsiou tou basileōs pepoiēsthai tēn prophēteian phēsin. Ourias de ho Samaiou "" epi tou proterou Iōakeim prophēteusas kai lypēra proagoreusas, tēn adikon hypemeinen hypo tēs echeinou miaiphonias sphagēn. Tōn toinyn kata ton tēs aichmalōsias prophēteusantōn chairyn, eschatos esti prophētēs ho theios Iexekiēl. ᾿Angaios "" de, kai Zacharias, kai Malachias meta tēn epanodon proephēteusan " horą de houtos ho prophētēs theias apokalypseis deous kai phrikēs mestas " prothespite: de ou monon " tēn Ioudaiōn "" panōlethrian, alla kai tēn Tyriōn, kai Sidōniōn, ᾿ kai tōn allōn allophylōn, Mōaditōn te kai ᾿lamanitōn, kai Idoumaiōn, kai pros toutois Ligyptiōn. Prolegei de kai tēn tēs aichmalōsias tōn Ioudaiōn apallagēn, kai tou theiou neō tēn oichodomian "7, kai alla myria, ha tę̄ kata meros heermēneią " phylaxomen, hina mē tēn " hypothesin eis mēkos echteinōmen d᾽, Auton toinyn d' ton tou prophētou Theon dia pou prophētou parakalesantes "᾽ tou tēs gnōseōs hēmin metadounai charismatos, phere d᾽ tēs hermtēneias "apsōmetha.

Daniel began his prophecy twelve years earlier; and in the same period these two were prophesying in Babylon, while in Judea [there prophesied] Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and Uriah son of Shemaiah. But these in turn were older not only than Ezekiel but also than Daniel: the blessed Jeremiah began prophesying in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, and Zephaniah says that he made his prophecy in the time of king Josiah. Uriah son of Shemaiah prophesied under the former Joakim and foretold grievous things, and suffered an unjust death through that king's bloodthirstiness. Of those who prophesied at the time of the captivity, then, the divine Ezekiel is the last prophet; Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi prophesied after the return. This prophet sees divine revelations full of fear and trembling; and he foretells not only the utter ruin of the Jews but also that of the Tyrians and Sidonians and the other foreign peoples, the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Idumeans, and besides these the Egyptians. He foretells also the release of the Jews from captivity, the building of the divine temple, and countless other things, which we shall keep for the interpretation in detail, so as not to draw out the summary at length. Having called upon the very God of the prophet, through the prophet, to give us a share in the gift of knowledge, come, let us take up the interpretation.

Jer 1:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Zeph 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 26:20–23 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret places Ezekiel among the prophets of the exile (after Daniel, Jeremiah, Zephaniah and Uriah, before Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi), outlines the book's contents, and prays before beginning.

  • Latin debris and Migne's footnote references (to Jer 1:2; Zeph 1:1; Jer 26) are removed. Uriah: Jer 26:20–23. Jeremiah's call: Jer 1:2; Zephaniah: Zeph 1:1. "Ammonites" renders the damaged ᾿λαμανιτῶν (Ἀμμανιτῶν).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Latin debris; Latin debris and Migne's footnote references): οὗτοι ἴπ υἱ 41- « Εἰ πῶς "ἷς οὐαὶ γὸμὲν → οὗτοι μὲν; προφητείαν κι ρλπ. τ, 1, 9. 1υῖ4. ὅ.., θᾶπ. πν ἢ. Ρ “πα. (δι 5 οἱ Α φησίν → προφητείαν φησίν; προτέρου υἱ ἃ ἴῃ ἤλί, → προτέρου .

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Ezech. 0.4 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/0-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-ezechielem/0-4

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 81 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.