Sophia Scriptura

Commentary on the Twelve Minor Prophets 0.0.1–1.1.7

Theodoret of Cyrus · Commentary on the Twelve Minor Prophets · probably 430s (before ca. 446) · Cyrrhus · 5 passages

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

Preface 0, chapter 0

0.0.1PG 81

Ἴσως μέν τινες περιττόν τι ποιεῖν καὶ παρέλχον νομιοῦσιν ἡμᾶς τῆς προφητικῆς ἑρμηνείας κατατολμῶντας, ἅτε δὴ καὶ ἄλλων τινῶν τοῦτον διηνυκότων τὸν πόνον " ἀλλ᾽ εἰσὶν οἱ τὰ θεῖα περὶ πολλοῦ ποιούμενοι, καὶ τὴν ἱερὰν ἀκριβῶς πεπαιδευμένοι Γραφὴν, οἳ οὐ μόνον ἡμῖν " οὐ νεμεσήσουσιν", οὐδὲ τοῖς φιλαιτίοις ἐκείνοις παραπλησίως ἐπιμέμψονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀποδέξονται, ὡς εἰκὸς, καὶ ἐπαινέσονται, κἂν μή τι γενναῖον ἐν τοῖς συγγράμμασιν εὕρωσιν. ᾿Απόχρη γὰρ παρὰ τοῖς δικαίοις κριταῖς, καὶ μόνη ἡ προθυμία δρέψασθαι τὴν εὐφημίαν " οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ καὶ Κύριος ἡμῶν, ἐν τοῖς " μὲν ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ἀντ᾽ ὀβολῶν δύο τὴν χήραν ἐκείνην ἐπαινίωσεν ἐγκωμίοις, τῇ ποιότητι τῆς γνώμης, οὐ τῇ τοῦ δώρου ποσότητι τὸν ἔπαινον ψηφισάμενος. Ἐν δὲ τῷ νόμῳ, τοῖς εὐπόροις παρεγγυήσας χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον καὶ λίθους τιμίους εἰς τὴν κατασκευὴν προσενεγκεῖν τῆς σκηνῆς, οὐδὲ τοὺς πενίᾳ συζῶντας τῆς ἐντεῦθεν ἐστέρησεν εὐλογίας " ἀλλὰ προσέταξε τοὺς μὲν δέρματα, τοὺς δὲ τρίχας προσφέρειν " αἱ δὲ καὶ τούτων σπανίζουσαι, τὴν ἰσχὺν καὶ τὴν τέχνην ἀντὶ τούτων προσέφερον, νήθουσαι τὰς τρίχας, καὶ ἐξυφαίνουσαι. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἴσμεν οὐ μόνον Μωσέα τὸν μέγαν χρηματίσαντα προφήτην, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ Ναυῆ ", καὶ Σαμουὴλ, καὶ Δαβὶδ, καὶ Νάθαν, καὶ Γὰδ, καὶ ᾿Αχιὰ, καὶ Ἡλίαν, καὶ Ἐλισσαῖον, καὶ μυρίους πρὸς τούτοις ἑτέρους " καὶ τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν δὲ κήρυγμα οὐ μόνον Πέτρος, καὶ Ἰάκωβος, καὶ Ἰωάννης, καὶ ᾿Ανδρέας, καὶ ἅπας ὁ τῶν ἀποστόλων χορὸς, οὐδὲ Παῦλος καὶ Βαρνάβας, οἱ μετὰ τούτους χειροτονηθέντες, εἰς ἅπαντας διεπόρθμευον ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ καὶ Σίλας, καὶ Τῖτος, καὶ Τιμόθεος, καὶ ᾿Απολλὼς, οἱ τῶν μεγάλων ἐκείνων ἀνδρῶν μαθηταί, ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ μέχρι τούτων ἔστη τῆς διδασκαλίας ἡ χάρις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς τούτων ἐφώτισε διαδόχους, καὶ τοὺς μετ᾽ ἐκείνους. Καὶ μέχρι δὲ νῦν ἐν ταῖς θείαις Ἐκκλησίαις ἡ τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος ἀναβλύζει πηγὴ, καὶ διανέμει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ θεόσδοτα δῶρα. Οὐδὲν οὖν ἀπεικὸς τοῖς ὀρθῇ ψήφῳ καὶ κεχρημένοις ποιήσειν δόξομεν, εἰ καθάπερ τινὰς τρίχας, τὰς τῆς ἡμετέρας διανοίας ὠδῖνας εἰς τὴν τῆς νέας σκηνῆς κατασκευὴν προσενέγκαιμεν, ἣν ἔπηξεν ὁ Κύριος καὶ οὐχ ἄνθρωπος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἑτέρων ἐνθυμήμασί τις ἀκολουθεῖν ἡμᾶς φήσεις, καὶ οὕτως εὑρήσει τὸν δυνατὸν ἡμῖν ἔρανον συνεισφέροντας. Ὁμοίως γὰρ ἐκείναις, αἵ τὰς ὑπ᾽ ἄλλων προσενεχθείσας ἔνησαν καὶ ἐξύφαναν τρίχας, καὶ τὰς τῆς σκηνῆς κατεσκεύασαν δέῤῥεις, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἔνθεν κἀκεῖθεν τὰ καλῶς εἰρημένα συλλέξαντες, ὃν ἐκ πάντων ἐξυφανοῦμεν σὺν Θεῷ φάναι σύγγραμμα, τῶν δυοκαίδεκα προφητῶν δήλην ποιοῦντες τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι τὴν διάνοιαν. Εἰκὸς δὲ, ὅτι καὶ ἡμεῖς οἷόν τινι λύχνῳ τῷ θείῳ κεχρημένοι λόγῳ, εὑρήσομεν ἑρμηνείαν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχομένην. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπέσβη τῆς θείας φιλοτιμίας ἡ χάρις, ἀλλὰ πηγάζει καὶ χορηγεῖ τὰς μεγίστας δωρεὰς, οὐ τοῖς ἀξίοις μόνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς τῆς τελειότητος ἀποδέουσιν. Ὁρῶμεν δὲ καὶ τὸν αἰσθητὸν ἥλιον οὐ μόνον τοῖς παλαιοτάτοις ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς μετ᾽ ἐκείνους καὶ ἡμῖν τοῖς, ὀψιγόνοις, τὰς οἰκείας ἀκτῖνας ἐκπέμποντα, καὶ "͵ ὁμοίως ἅπασαν γῆν καὶ θάλατταν καταυγάζοντα, Τοιγάρτοι πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ τούτου δημιουργὸς, ὁ καὶ τοῦτον διὰ μόνην ἀγαθότητα κτίσας, καὶ τῶν οὕτω πὼς ᾿" πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀναβλέπειν προαιρουμένων καταφωτίζει τὸν νοῦν. Ἐπὶ ταύτης τῆς ἐλπίδος ὀχούμενοι, καὶ τῶν φιλαιτίων οὐδένα λόγον ποιούμενοι, τῆς προφητικῆς ἑρμηνείας καταθαῤῥήσομεν, ὑμῶν τῶν ἐπιταξάντων καὶ εἰς τοῦτον διεγειράντων τὸν πόνον, τὰς προσευχὰς εἰς ἐπικουρίαν καλέσαντες" μικρὰ δὲ πρότερον περὶ τῶν καιρῶν ", ἐν οἷς ἕκαστος προεφήτευσε, διελθόντες, οὕτω τῆς κατὰ μέρος ἑρμηνείας ἁψώμεθα. Περὶ " τῶν καιρῶν, ἐν οἷς ἕκαστος τῶν δυοκαίδεκα προφητῶν προεφήτευσεν. Οἱ δυοκαίδεκα ν" προφῆται οὐχ ὡς ἀλλήλοις συνηκμακότες ν", καὶ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν "" γεγονότες, μίαν ἔχουσι βίβλον· ἐν διαφόροις γὰρ καιροῖς τὰς τῶν μελλόντων ἐποιήσαντο προφητείας. Καὶ ὁ μὲν Ὡσηὲ ἐν βασιλείᾳ Ὀζίου, καὶ Ἰωάθαμ, καὶ Αχαζ, καὶ Ἐζεχίου, οἵ ἐβασίλευσαν τῆς Ἰουδαίας " καὶ ὁ ᾿Αμὼς ὡσαύτως ἐν ἡμέραις Ὀζίου " καὶ μέντοι καὶ ὁ Ἰωὴλ τούτων ὁμόχρονος" ὁ δὲ Μιχαίας εὐθὺς μετὰ τὴν Ὀζίου τελευτὴν τῆς προφητείας ἤρξατο ἐν ἡμέραις Ἰωάθαμ, καὶ “Αχαζ, καὶ Ἐζεχίου. Καὶ Ἰωνᾶς δὲ ταύτης ἐστὶ τῆς συμμορίας - εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ προφητεία τὸν χρόνον ἐσίγησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τῶν Παραλειπομένων βίδλος τοῦτο διδάσκει σαφῶς. Ὁ δὲ Ναοὺμ μετὰ τὸν Ἰωνᾶν τὸ τῆς προφητείας ἐδέξατο χάρισμα " διδάσκει δὲ τοῦτο σαφῶς ἡ τῆς προφητείας ὑπόθεσις. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἰωνᾶς τὴν πανωλεθρίαν κηρύξας τοῖς Νινευίταῖς, τοῖς τῆς μετανοίας αὐτοὺς φαρμάκοις παρεσκεύασε χρήσασθαι - διὸ καὶ πεῖραν οὐχ ἔλαβον τῶν ἀπηχῶν ἐκείνων προῤῥήσεων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰς τὴν προτέραν κακίαν παλινδρομήσαντες ἄξια τιμωρίας ἐσχάτης ἐτόλμησαν, ὁ Ναοὺμ αὐτῶν μετὰ ταῦτα προφητεύει τὸν ὄλεθρον. Ὁ δὲ Ἀβδιοῦ, δι᾽ ὧν τῇ Ἰδουμαίᾳ προηγόρευσεν ἀλγεινῶν, δῆλός ἔστι μετὰ τούτους τῆς προφητείας ἀρξάμενος. Ὁ δὲ Σοφονίας διδάσκει σαφῶς, ὡς ἐπὶ Ἰωσίου τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς θείας ἀποκαλύψεως ἔτυχε" κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν δὲ καιρὸν καὶ ὁ θαυμάσιος Ἱερεμίας. Ὃ δὲ Ἀμβακοὺμ οὐ πολὺ μετὰ τούτους. Ἀγγαῖος δὲ, καὶ Ζαχαρίας, καὶ Μαλαχίας, μετὰ πολλῶν ἐτῶν ἀριθμόν " οὐ γὰρ μόνον “μετὰ τὸν Ἰωσίαν, καὶ τὸν Ἰωακεὶμ, καὶ τὸν Ἶεχονίαν, καὶ τὸν Σεδεκίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τὸν ἐν Βαβυλῶνι τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας χρόνον, καὶ μετὰ Κῦρον τὸν πρῶτον Περσῶν βασιλεύσαντα, ὃς τὸν Ἰσραηλίτην λαὸν " ἐπανελθεῖν παρηγγύησε, καὶ μετὰ Καμβύσην τὸν ἐκείνου παῖδα ἐπὶ Δαρείου τοῦ Ὑστάσπου, τοῦ Ζοροβάβελ ἤδη τὸν θεῖον οἰκοδομοῦντος νεὼν, τὴν προφητείαν ἐποιήσαντο" μεθ᾽ οὓς οὐδεὶς ἕτερος παρ᾽ Ἰουδαίοις προφήτης εὑρίσκεται. Οὐ τοίνυν ὡς κατ᾽ αὐτὸν γεγονότες μίαν ἔχουσι βίδλον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ δι' ὀλίγων ἐποιήσαντο τὰς προῤῥήσεις, καὶ οὐχ ἀπέχρη τούτων ἕκαστος εἰς μιᾶς βίβλου διὰ βραχύτητα κατασχευὴν, εἰκότως οἱ ἀνέκαθεν τῶν θείων πεφροντικότες, τῶν δυοκαίδεκα προφητῶν τὰς προῤῥήσεις συναγαγόντες, μίαν ἀπέφηναν βίδλον. Καιρὸς δὲ λοιπὸν, τῆς κατὰ μέρος ἡμᾶς ἅψασθαι ἑρμηνείας, τῆς Ὡσηὲ προφητείας ἐν κεφαλαίῳ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν προδιδάξαντες.

Isōs men tines peritton ti poiein kai parelchon nomiousin hēmas tēs prophētikēs hermēneias katatolmōntas, hate dē kai allōn tinōn touton diēnykotōn ton ponon " all᾽ eisin hoi ta theia peri pollou poioumenoi, kai tēn hieran akribōs pepaideumenoi Graphēn, hoi ou monon hēmin " ou nemesēsousin", oude tois philaitiois ekeinois paraplēsiōs epimempsontai, alla kai apodexontai, hōs eikos, kai epainesontai, kan mē ti gennaion en tois syngrammasin heurōsin. ᾿Apochrē gar para tois dikaiois kritais, kai monē hē prothymia drepsasthai tēn euphēmian " houtō gar kai ho Sōtēr kai Kyrios hēmōn, en tois " men hierois Euangeliois ant᾽ obolōn dyo tēn chēran ekeinēn epainiōsen enkōmiois, tę̄ poiotēti tēs gnōmēs, ou tę̄ tou dōrou posotēti ton epainon psēphisamenos. En de tǭ nomǭ, tois euporois parengyēsas chryson kai argyron kai lithous timious eis tēn kataskeuēn prosenenkein tēs skēnēs, oude tous penią syzōntas tēs enteuthen esterēsen eulogias " alla prosetaxe tous men dermata, tous de trichas prospherein " hai de kai toutōn spanizousai, tēn ischyn kai tēn technēn anti toutōn prosepheron, nēthousai tas trichas, kai exyphainousai. Pros de toutois ismen ou monon Mōsea ton megan chrēmatisanta prophētēn, alla kai Iēsoun ton tou Nauē ", kai Samouēl, kai Dabid, kai Nathan, kai Gad, kai ᾿Achia, kai Hēlian, kai Elissaion, kai myrious pros toutois heterous " kai to euangelikon de kērygma ou monon Petros, kai Iakōbos, kai Iōannēs, kai ᾿Andreas, kai hapas ho tōn apostolōn choros, oude Paulos kai Barnabas, hoi meta toutous cheirotonēthentes, eis hapantas dieporthmeuon anthrōpous, alla kai Silas, kai Titos, kai Timotheos, kai ᾿Apollōs, hoi tōn megalōn ekeinōn andrōn mathētai, ᾿All᾽ oude mechri toutōn estē tēs didaskalias hē charis, alla kai tous toutōn ephōtise diadochous, kai tous met᾽ ekeinous. Kai mechri de nyn en tais theiais Ekklēsiais hē tou panagiou Pneumatos anablyzei pēgē, kai dianemei tois anthrōpois ta theosdota dōra. Ouden oun apeikos tois orthę̄ psēphǭ kai kechrēmenois poiēsein doxomen, ei kathaper tinas trichas, tas tēs hēmeteras dianoias ōdinas eis tēn tēs neas skēnēs kataskeuēn prosenenkaimen, hēn epēxen ho Kyrios kai ouch anthrōpos. Ei de kai tois heterōn enthymēmasi tis akolouthein hēmas phēseis, kai houtōs heurēsei ton dynaton hēmin eranon syneispherontas. Homoiōs gar ekeinais, hai tas hyp᾽ allōn prosenechtheisas enēsan kai exyphanan trichas, kai tas tēs skēnēs kateskeuasan derrheis, kai hēmeis enthen kakeithen ta kalōs eirēmena syllexantes, hon ek pantōn exyphanoumen syn Theǭ phanai syngramma, tōn dyokaideka prophētōn dēlēn poiountes tois entynchanousi tēn dianoian. Eikos de, hoti kai hēmeis hoion tini lychnǭ tǭ theiǭ kechrēmenoi logǭ, heurēsomen hermēneian tēs alētheias echomenēn. Ou gar apesbē tēs theias philotimias hē charis, alla pēgazei kai chorēgei tas megistas dōreas, ou tois axiois monois, alla kai tois tēs teleiotētos apodeousin. Horōmen de kai ton aisthēton hēlion ou monon tois palaiotatois anthrōpois, alla kai tois met᾽ ekeinous kai hēmin tois, opsigonois, tas oikeias aktinas ekpemponta, kai "͵ homoiōs hapasan gēn kai thalattan kataugazonta, Toigartoi pollǭ mallon ho toutou dēmiourgos, ho kai touton dia monēn agathotēta ktisas, kai tōn houtō pōs ᾿" pros auton anablepein proairoumenōn kataphōtizei ton noun. Epi tautēs tēs elpidos ochoumenoi, kai tōn philaitiōn oudena logon poioumenoi, tēs prophētikēs hermēneias katatharrhēsomen, hymōn tōn epitaxantōn kai eis touton diegeirantōn ton ponon, tas proseuchas eis epikourian kalesantes" mikra de proteron peri tōn kairōn ", en hois hekastos proephēteuse, dielthontes, houtō tēs kata meros hermēneias hapsōmetha. Peri " tōn kairōn, en hois hekastos tōn dyokaideka prophētōn proephēteusen. Hoi dyokaideka n" prophētai ouch hōs allēlois synēkmakotes n", kai kat᾽ auton "" gegonotes, mian echousi biblon; en diaphorois gar kairois tas tōn mellontōn epoiēsanto prophēteias. Kai ho men Hōsēe en basileią Oziou, kai Iōatham, kai Achaz, kai Ezechiou, hoi ebasileusan tēs Ioudaias " kai ho ᾿Amōs hōsautōs en hēmerais Oziou " kai mentoi kai ho Iōēl toutōn homochronos" ho de Michaias euthys meta tēn Oziou teleutēn tēs prophēteias ērxato en hēmerais Iōatham, kai “Achaz, kai Ezechiou. Kai Iōnas de tautēs esti tēs symmorias - ei gar kai hē prophēteia ton chronon esigēsen, all᾽ hē tōn Paraleipomenōn bidlos touto didaskei saphōs. Ho de Naoum meta ton Iōnan to tēs prophēteias edexato charisma " didaskei de touto saphōs hē tēs prophēteias hypothesis. Ho men gar Iōnas tēn panōlethrian kēryxas tois Nineuitais, tois tēs metanoias autous pharmakois pareskeuase chrēsasthai - dio kai peiran ouch elabon tōn apēchōn ekeinōn prorrhēseōn. Epeidē de eis tēn proteran kakian palindromēsantes axia timōrias eschatēs etolmēsan, ho Naoum autōn meta tauta prophēteuei ton olethron. Ho de Abdiou, di᾽ hōn tę̄ Idoumaią proēgoreusen algeinōn, dēlos esti meta toutous tēs prophēteias arxamenos. Ho de Sophonias didaskei saphōs, hōs epi Iōsiou tou basileōs tēs theias apokalypseōs etyche" kata ton auton de kairon kai ho thaumasios Hieremias. Ho de Ambakoum ou poly meta toutous. Angaios de, kai Zacharias, kai Malachias, meta pollōn etōn arithmon " ou gar monon “meta ton Iōsian, kai ton Iōakeim, kai ton Iechonian, kai ton Sedekian, alla kai meta ton en Babylōni tēs aichmalōsias chronon, kai meta Kyron ton prōton Persōn basileusanta, hos ton Israēlitēn laon " epanelthein parēngyēse, kai meta Kambysēn ton ekeinou paida epi Dareiou tou Hystaspou, tou Zorobabel ēdē ton theion oikodomountos neōn, tēn prophēteian epoiēsanto" meth᾽ hous oudeis heteros par᾽ Ioudaiois prophētēs heurisketai. Ou toinyn hōs kat᾽ auton gegonotes mian echousi bidlon, all᾽ epeidē di' oligōn epoiēsanto tas prorrhēseis, kai ouch apechrē toutōn hekastos eis mias biblou dia brachytēta katascheuēn, eikotōs hoi anekathen tōn theiōn pephrontikotes, tōn dyokaideka prophētōn tas prorrhēseis synagagontes, mian apephēnan bidlon. Kairos de loipon, tēs kata meros hēmas hapsasthai hermēneias, tēs Hōsēe prophēteias en kephalaiǭ tēn hypothesin prodidaxantes.

Perhaps some will think that we are doing something superfluous and needless in venturing on the interpretation of the prophets, since others too have already completed this labor. But those who set great store by divine things and have been carefully trained in the sacred Scripture will not only not resent us, nor find fault with us as those fault-finders do; they will even welcome us, as is likely, and praise us, even if they find nothing noble in what we have written. For with just judges eagerness alone is enough to win a good name. So too our Savior and Lord in the holy Gospels honored that widow with praises for her two obols, deciding the praise by the quality of her intention, not by the size of the gift. And in the law, while he charged the wealthy to bring gold and silver and precious stones for the making of the tabernacle, he did not deprive those who lived in poverty of the blessing that came from it: he commanded some to bring skins and others hair; and the women who lacked even these brought their strength and their skill instead, spinning the hair and weaving it.

Besides this, we know that not only Moses the great was a prophet, but also Joshua the son of Nun, and Samuel, and David, and Nathan, and Gad, and Ahijah, and Elijah, and Elisha, and countless others besides; and the preaching of the gospel was carried across to all people not only by Peter and James and John and Andrew and the whole choir of the apostles, nor only by Paul and Barnabas, who were appointed after them, but also by Silas and Titus and Timothy and Apollos, the disciples of those great men. Nor did the grace of teaching stop with them: it enlightened their successors too, and those who came after these. And to this day the spring of the all-holy Spirit wells up in the divine churches and distributes God-given gifts to people. So we shall not seem, to those who judge rightly, to be doing anything unfitting if, like a kind of hair, we bring the labor of our mind to the making of the new tabernacle, which "the Lord pitched, and not man." And if anyone says that we follow the thoughts of others, even so he will find us contributing the share that is within our power. For like those women who spun and wove the hair that others had brought and made the curtains of the tabernacle, we too, gathering from here and there what has been well said, will weave from it all, with God's help, a work, so to speak, that makes plain to readers the meaning of the twelve prophets. And it is likely that we too, using the divine word as a kind of lamp, shall find an interpretation that keeps to the truth. For the grace of the divine generosity has not been quenched; it springs up and supplies the greatest gifts, not to the worthy only, but also to those who fall short of perfection. We see the visible sun too sending out its rays not only on the most ancient people but also on those after them and on us who are born late, and lighting up all land and sea alike. All the more, then, does its Creator, who made it too out of goodness alone, enlighten the mind of those who choose to look up to him in this way. Carried on this hope, and taking no account of the fault-finders, we shall venture boldly on the interpretation of the prophets, calling to our aid the prayers of you who bade us and roused us to this labor. And when we have first gone briefly through the times in which each prophesied, we shall then take up the interpretation in detail.

On the times in which each of the twelve prophets prophesied.

The twelve prophets do not have one book because they flourished together and lived at the same time; for they made their prophecies of things to come at different times. Hosea prophesied in the reign of Uzziah and Jotham and Ahaz and Hezekiah, who reigned over Judea; Amos likewise in the days of Uzziah; and Joel too was their contemporary. Micah began to prophesy immediately after Uzziah's death, in the days of Jotham and Ahaz and Hezekiah. Jonah too belongs to this company: for even if the prophecy is silent about the time, the book of Chronicles teaches it clearly. Nahum received the gift of prophecy after Jonah; the subject of the prophecy teaches this clearly. For Jonah, when he proclaimed utter destruction to the Ninevites, led them to use the remedies of repentance, and so they did not experience those harsh predictions. But since they ran back to their former wickedness and dared deeds deserving the utmost punishment, Nahum after this prophesies their destruction. Obadiah, by the painful things he foretold to Idumea, plainly began to prophesy after these. Zephaniah teaches clearly that he received the divine revelation under King Josiah; and at the same time the wonderful Jeremiah also. Habakkuk came not long after these. Haggai and Zechariah and Malachi came after a great number of years: not only after Josiah and Jehoiakim and Jeconiah and Zedekiah, but also after the time of the captivity in Babylon, and after Cyrus, the first king of the Persians, who commanded the Israelite people to return, and after Cambyses his son; they prophesied under Darius son of Hystaspes, when Zerubbabel was already building the divine temple. After them no other prophet is found among the Jews. So they do not have one book because they lived at the same time; but since they made their predictions in few words, and none of them was enough, because of his brevity, to make up a single book, those who long ago took care of the divine writings rightly gathered the predictions of the twelve prophets together and made them one book. It is time now for us to take up the interpretation in detail, first teaching in summary the subject of the prophecy of Hosea.

Mark 12:42 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 21:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 25:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 35:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 26:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Heb 8:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:105 (118:105 LXX) (echo, low confidence) · Hos 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Amos 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Mic 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 14:25 (allusion, medium confidence) · Jonah 3:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Zeph 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 1:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ezra 1:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Hag 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Zech 1:1 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret defends writing another commentary on the prophets, offering it as the poor offered hair for the tabernacle, and sets out when each of the twelve prophets lived and why their prophecies form one book.

  • Theodoret's general preface to the Twelve Prophets. In the scan it stands after the end of the Commentary on Daniel; Migne's Latin column and apparatus, read as Greek letters, are left out, and garbled words are corrected by logged corrections. "Honored that widow with praises": the verb is garbled in the scan (ἐπαινίωσεν), translated by sense. "Harsh": the scan's ἀπηχῶν is probably a slip for ἀπηνῶν. "You who bade us": the addressees are not named. The widow's two coins: Mark 12:41–44; Luke 21:1–4. The gifts for the tabernacle: Exod 25:3–7; the women spinning goat hair: Exod 35:25–26; the curtains of hair: Exod 26:7. "The Lord pitched, and not man": Heb 8:2. Theodoret dates Jonah from Chronicles; the passage is 2 Kgs 14:25 (4 Kingdoms in the LXX). The prophets' dates follow the superscriptions: Hos 1:1; Amos 1:1; Mic 1:1; Zeph 1:1; Jer 1:2; Hag 1:1; Zech 1:1. Cyrus's decree: Ezra 1:1–3.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's footnote numeral; OCR: accent; OCR: breathing and garbled name; OCR: breathing and ν for υ; OCR: breathing from the line break; OCR: breathing; Migne's footnote numeral; OCR: doubled initial; OCR: garbled initial; OCR: garbled letters; OCR: garbled letters at the line break; OCR: garbled name; OCR: garbled name (Habakkuk) and Migne's footnote numeral; OCR: garbled name (Obadiah); OCR: garbled word; OCR: iota subscript; OCR: split and garbled letters; OCR: split word and garbled letters; OCR: stray bracket; OCR: stray marks; OCR: stray point; OCR: Θ for β; OCR: α for ε; OCR: δ for β; OCR: δ for β; lost punctuation; OCR: ε for ι; OCR: ε for ο; OCR: θ for β, accent; OCR: θ for β, β for μ; OCR: ι for ο; OCR: ξ for β; OCR: π for τ; OCR: π for τ, χ for τ; OCR: ρ for φ; OCR: ς read as :; OCR: ς read as : and ;; OCR: ς read as :, θ for β; OCR: σ for α; OCR: χ for κ; OCR: χ for κ and a stray letter; OCR: χ for κ and breathing; OCR: χ for κ, δ for β; OCR: ϑ for ο; OCR: ϑ for σ): ποιούμένοι → ποιούμενοι; ἀχριθῶς πεπα!δευμένοι ᾿ραφὴν, οἵὗἩ → ἀκριβῶς πεπαιδευμένοι Γραφὴν, οἳ; ἀλλὰ χαὶλ → ἀλλὰ καὶ; ὡς εἰχὸς, → ὡς εἰκὸς,; ὁξολῶν → ὀβολῶν; ἐστέρηϑεν → ἐστέρησεν; σπανίζϑυσαι → σπανίζουσαι; προσἔφερον → προσέφερον; [Πρὸς → Πρὸς; Δαθ)δ → Δαβὶδ; μυρίου: πρὸς τούτοις ἑτέρου; → μυρίους πρὸς τούτοις ἑτέρους; Ἰάχωδος → Ἰάκωβος; Βαρνάθας, οἱ βετὰ → Βαρνάβας, οἱ μετὰ; Τῖτο: → Τῖτος; Τιμέθεος → Τιμόθεος; καὶ ποὺς μετ᾽ → καὶ τοὺς μετ᾽; ᾿ Πνεύ ματος ἀναύλύζειϑ → Πνεύματος ἀναβλύζει; δίξομεν → δόξομεν; ἡ μῖν ἔρανον συνει:τφέρουτας → ἡμῖν ἔρανον συνεισφέροντας; προῦενεχθείσας → προσενεχθείσας; ἐκ πὸν» τῶν → ἐκ πάντων; οἷόν τινε → οἷόν τινι; ἀπέσδη → ἀπέσβη; ἀναδλέπειν → ἀναβλέπειν; τῇς προφητικῆς → τῆς προφητικῆς; πρότερὸν → πρότερον; προρητῶν προερήτευσεν. → προφητῶν προεφήτευσεν.; συνἡχμαχότες → συνηκμακότες; βίδλον ἐν διαφόροις → βίβλον· ἐν διαφόροις; Ὁζίον → Ὀζίου; Ἰωνᾶς δὰ → Ἰωνᾶς δὲ; Πσραλειπομένων → Παραλειπομένων; παρεἐσχεύασε → παρεσκεύασε; ἔλαδον → ἔλαβον; ἀπηχῶν . → ἀπηχῶν; ᾿Αὐδιοῦ → Ἀβδιοῦ; Ἶδουμαίᾳ 15 → Ἰδουμαίᾳ; μετὰ πούχους → μετὰ τούτους; ᾿Αδδαχοὺμ. "7 → Ἀμβακοὺμ; ᾿λγγαῖος → Ἀγγαῖος; ΒαΘυλῶνι → Βαβυλῶνι; ἸΙσραηλίτην → Ἰσραηλίτην; Καμθύσὴν → Καμβύσην; Ζοροβάδελ → Ζοροβάβελ; μεθ᾽ οὖς → μεθ᾽ οὓς; κατ᾽ αὐτὸν .᾽ γεγονότες → κατ᾽ αὐτὸν γεγονότες; εἰς μιᾶ: βίθλου → εἰς μιᾶς βίβλου; πεφροντικότες 35, → πεφροντικότες,; πὰς προῤῥήσεις → τὰς προῤῥήσεις; ἐρμηνείας, τῆς Ὥσηξ → ἑρμηνείας, τῆς Ὡσηὲ.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Proph. min. 0.0.1 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-prophetas-minores/0-0-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

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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.

Preface 1, chapter 0

1.0.1PG 81

Τῆς τοῦ λαοῦ διαιρέσεως ἐπὶ 'Ροδοὰμ τοῦ Σολομῶντος γεγενημένης, τῶν δέκα φυλῶν Ἱεροθοὰμ ὁ Ναδὰτ ἐδασίλευσεν. Οὗτος δείσας μὴ, τῶν κατὰ καιρὸν ἑορτῶν εἰς τὸν ἐν ἹἹεροσολύμοις νεὼν τὸν λαὸν χαλουσῶν, εἰς τὴν Δαδιτιχὴν ν᾿ ἐπανέλθωσιν αἱ δέκα φυλαὶ βασιλείαν, ἣρξε κακῶς τῆς εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ἀσεθείας, καὶ δύο δαμάλεις κατασκευάσας χρυσᾶς, τῇ μὲν ἐν τῇ Δᾶν, τῇ δὲ ἐν τῇ Βαιθὴλ τέμενο; χκατδυσιν, καὶ τοῖς τῶν ὁμόρων ἐθνῶν εἰδώλοις αὐτοὺς λατρεύειν ἐδίδαξεν " εἰς ἔσχατον δὲ παρανομίας ἐλάσαντες τῆς θείας ἐγυμνώθησαν προμηθείας. Καὶ πρῶτος μὲν αὐτοὺς ᾿Αζαὴλ ὁ τῶν Σύρων χατεπολέμησε βασιλεύς " εἶτα Φονὰ ὁ τῶν ᾿Ασσυρίων τηνικάδε τὰ σκῆπτρα κατέχων, φόρον ὅτι πλεῖστον εἰσἑἐπραξε. Μετὰ τοῦτον θεγλαθφαλασὰρ ν" πολλὰς τῶν πόλεων ἀναστάτους πεποιηκὼς, τοὺς μὲν ἀνεῖλε τῶν ἐνοικούντων, τοὺς δὲ δορυαλώτους ἀπέγαγε. Μετὰ τοῦτον Σαλμανασὰρ ν τὴν βασιλείαν διαδεξάμενος, τῶν πόλεων, καὶ διελὼν εἰς πολιορκίαν τὴν στρατιὰν ᾽5, αὔτανδρον ἔλαδε τὴν Σαμάρειαν, καὶ τῶν δέκα φυλῶν τὸ λειπόμενον εἰς τὴν ᾿Ασσυρίαν ἀπρεὶμ κατὰ τῆς Ἰουδαίας στρατεύσας, ἑνίας μὲν εἷλε τῶν πόλεων, πολιορχῇσαι δὲ τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ πειραθεὶς, θεηλάτῳ πληγῇ τὴν σιρατιὰν ᾽ ἀπολέσας, αὐτὸς ἀλώθητος τηνικαῦτα μεμένηχεν, ὡς ἂν γένοιτο κῆρυξ τῆς θείας δυνάμεως " ἐν δὲ τοῖς βασιλείοις γενόμενος, ὑπὸ τῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ φύντων ἐδέξατο τὴν σφαγήν " ἐπειδὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγονὼς κατὰ τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἐλύττησεν. Ὁ τοίνυν θεσπέπτιο; Ὧσηξ τὸ προφητικὸν δεξάμενος χάρισμα, καὶ πόῤῥωθεν ταῦτα τοῖς πνευματικοῖς θεασάμενος ὀφθαλμοῖς, προλέγειν προστάττεται τῷ λαῷ, ἵνα δείσαντες τὰς προῤῥήσεις, φύγωσι τὰς κολάσεις, καὶ πεῖραν μὴ λάδωσι τῶν κακῶν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τούτου χάριν ὁ τῶν ὅλων θεὸς ἀπειλεῖ τὰς τιμωρίας, ἵν᾽ ἐπάγῃ 3 ταύτας οἷς ἀπειλεῖ " ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τῷ φόδῳ καταπλήξας εἰς μεταμέλειαν ἀγάγῃ, καὶ τῆς τολμωμένης πονηρίας ἐλευθερώσας, ὀρέξῃ τὴν σωτηρίαν. Κολάζεῖιν γὰρ βουλόμενος οὐκ ἂν ἡπείλησε κόλασιν " ἀπειλῶν δὲ παραδηλοῖ ὡς σώξειν ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κολάζειν ἐφίεται. Πέμπει τοίνυν τὸν μακάριον ὭσηΣ, καὶ «αἷς δέκα φυλαῖς τὰ συμθησόμενα προειπεῖν, καὶ ταῖς δύο ὡσαύτως “ τὴν τε ἐπὶ τοῦ Σενναχηρεὶμ, γενησομένην σωτηρίαν προαγορεῦσαι, καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ "ἢ ναι. Καλεῖ δὲ τὰς μὲν δύο φυλὰς Ἰούδαν " οὐ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς Βενιαμέτιδος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς ᾿Ιούδα φυλῆς τὸ βασιλικὸν ἐδεδλαστήχει γένος. Καὶ τὰ βασίλεια δὲ ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις ἦν ᾿ Ἰουδαϊκὴ δὲ καὶ αὕτη ἣἧ πόλις. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ πλήθει, καὶ δυνάμει οὐ τούτοὺς μόνους, ἀλλὰ γαὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας ὑπερεἶχον οὗτοι " τούτου χάριν ἀπὸ τῆς δυνατωτέρας φυλῆς τὰς δύο προσαγορεύει. Καὶ τὰς δέκα Ἐφραῖμ ὀνομάζει " ἐπειδὴ καὶ Ἱερυδοὰμ ὁ πρῶτος αὐτῶν βασιλεύσας ἐκ ταύτης ἣν τῆς φυλῆς, καὶ τὰ βασίλεια ἐν τῇ Σαμαρείᾳ κατεστήσατο πόλει, ταύτῃ πάλιν τῇ φυλῇ διαφερούσῃ καὶ ἐν πλήθει δὲ καὶ ἀνδρείᾳ διέπρεπον καὶ οὗτοι. Τούτων τοίνυν ὧδε διηυχρινημένων 5, ἀρκτέον ἤδη τῆς κατὰ μέρος ἑρμηνείας 3".

Tēs tou laou diaireseōs epi 'Rodoam tou Solomōntos gegenēmenēs, tōn deka phylōn Hierothoam ho Nadat edasileusen. Houtos deisas mē, tōn kata kairon heortōn eis ton en HiIerosolymois neōn ton laon chalousōn, eis tēn Daditichēn n᾿ epanelthōsin hai deka phylai basileian, hērxe kakōs tēs eis ton Theon asetheias, kai dyo damaleis kataskeuasas chrysas, tę̄ men en tę̄ Dan, tę̄ de en tę̄ Baithēl temeno? chkatdysin, kai tois tōn homorōn ethnōn eidōlois autous latreuein edidaxen " eis eschaton de paranomias elasantes tēs theias egymnōthēsan promētheias. Kai prōtos men autous ᾿Azaēl ho tōn Syrōn chatepolemēse basileus " eita Phona ho tōn ᾿Assyriōn tēnikade ta skēptra katechōn, phoron hoti pleiston eiseepraxe. Meta touton theglathphalasar n" pollas tōn poleōn anastatous pepoiēkōs, tous men aneile tōn enoikountōn, tous de doryalōtous apegage. Meta touton Salmanasar n tēn basileian diadexamenos, tōn poleōn, kai dielōn eis poliorkian tēn stratian ᾽5, autandron elade tēn Samareian, kai tōn deka phylōn to leipomenon eis tēn ᾿Assyrian apreim kata tēs Ioudaias strateusas, henias men heile tōn poleōn, poliorchę̄sai de tēn Hierousalēm peiratheis, theēlatǭ plēgę̄ tēn siratian ᾽ apolesas, autos alōthētos tēnikauta memenēchen, hōs an genoito kēryx tēs theias dynameōs " en de tois basileiois genomenos, hypo tōn ex autou phyntōn edexato tēn sphagēn " epeidē kai autos hypo tou Theou gegonōs kata tou pepoiēkotos elyttēsen. Ho toinyn thespeptio? Hōsēx to prophētikon dexamenos charisma, kai porrhōthen tauta tois pneumatikois theasamenos ophthalmois, prolegein prostattetai tǭ laǭ, hina deisantes tas prorrhēseis, phygōsi tas kolaseis, kai peiran mē ladōsi tōn kakōn. Oude gar toutou charin ho tōn holōn theos apeilei tas timōrias, hin᾽ epagę̄ 3 tautas hois apeilei " all᾽ hina tǭ phodǭ kataplēxas eis metameleian agagę̄, kai tēs tolmōmenēs ponērias eleutherōsas, orexę̄ tēn sōtērian. Kolazeiin gar boulomenos ouk an hēpeilēse kolasin " apeilōn de paradēloi hōs sōxein all᾽ ou kolazein ephietai. Pempei toinyn ton makarion HōsēS, kai «hais deka phylais ta symthēsomena proeipein, kai tais dyo hōsautōs “ tēn te epi tou Sennachēreim, genēsomenēn sōtērian proagoreusai, kai ton epi "ē nai. Kalei de tas men dyo phylas Ioudan " ou gar ek tēs Beniametidos, all᾽ ek tēs ᾿Iouda phylēs to basilikon ededlastēchei genos. Kai ta basileia de en tois Hierosolymois ēn ᾿ Ioudaïkē de kai hautē hēē polis. Kai mentoi kai plēthei, kai dynamei ou toutous monous, alla gai tous allous hapantas hypereichon houtoi " toutou charin apo tēs dynatōteras phylēs tas dyo prosagoreuei. Kai tas deka Ephraim onomazei " epeidē kai Hierydoam ho prōtos autōn basileusas ek tautēs hēn tēs phylēs, kai ta basileia en tę̄ Samareią katestēsato polei, tautę̄ palin tę̄ phylę̄ diapherousę̄ kai en plēthei de kai andreią dieprepon kai houtoi. Toutōn toinyn hōde diēuchrinēmenōn 5, arkteon ēdē tēs kata meros hermēneias 3".

… When the division of the people had taken place under Rehoboam the son of Solomon, Jeroboam the son of Nebat became king of the ten tribes. He was afraid that the feasts held at their appointed seasons would call the people to the temple in Jerusalem, and that the ten tribes would return to the kingdom of David. So he made a wicked beginning of their impiety toward God: he made two golden heifers, setting up a sacred precinct for one in Dan and for the other in Bethel, and taught them to worship the idols of the neighboring nations. Driven on to the extreme of lawlessness, they were stripped of divine providence. First Hazael, king of the Syrians, made war on them; then Phul, who at that time held the scepter of the Assyrians, exacted as much tribute as he could. After him Tiglath-pileser laid waste many of the cities, killed some of their inhabitants, and carried others away as captives. After him Shalmaneser, succeeding to the kingdom, … of the cities, and, dividing his army for the siege, took Samaria with all its people and [carried] what was left of the ten tribes to Assyria. … [Sennacher]im marched against Judea and took some of its cities; but when he tried to besiege Jerusalem, he lost his army by a blow sent from God, and he himself remained uncaptured at that time, so that he might be a herald of the divine power. But when he was in his palace, he received his death at the hands of his own sons, since he too, made by God, had raged against his Maker. The inspired Hosea, then, received the prophetic gift and, seeing these things from afar with spiritual eyes, is commanded to foretell them to the people, so that, fearing the predictions, they might escape the punishments and not experience the evils. For the God of all does not threaten punishments in order to bring them on those he threatens, but in order to strike them with fear, lead them to repentance, free them from the wickedness they dare, and hold out salvation to them. If he wished to punish, he would not have threatened punishment; by threatening he shows that he desires to save, not to punish. So he sends blessed Hosea to foretell to the ten tribes what would happen to them, and likewise to the two: to announce beforehand the deliverance that would come in the time of Sennacherib, and the … He calls the two tribes Judah, since the royal line had sprung not from the tribe of Benjamin but from the tribe of Judah. The palace too was in Jerusalem, and this city also was Judean. Moreover, these surpassed not only those [of Benjamin] but all the others in number and power; for this reason he names the two after the stronger tribe. And he names the ten Ephraim, since Jeroboam, the first of them to reign, was of this tribe and established his palace in the city of Samaria, which again belonged to this tribe; and these too excelled in number and courage. These things being thus distinguished, we must now begin the detailed interpretation.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

1 Kgs 12:28 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 15:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 15:29 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 17:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 18:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 19:35 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 19:37 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret's introduction to Hosea sets out the history of the northern kingdom from Jeroboam's golden calves to the Assyrian conquest and explains why Hosea calls the two tribes Judah and the ten Ephraim.

  • The scan begins with debris from Migne's Latin column; the opening of the introduction is lost ("…"). The general preface to the Twelve Prophets is not in this section: in the scan it stands at the end of the Commentary on Daniel. Lines are lost in the scan after "succeeding to the kingdom", before "[Sennacher]im marched" (the name is cut), and after "the deliverance that would come in the time of Sennacherib, and the"; they are marked "…" and not supplied. History from 1 Kgs 12:25–33; 2 Kgs 13:3; 15:19, 29; 17:3–6; 18:13–19:37.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Latin column debris inside the Greek; Migne's Latin column and marginal references read as Greek letters by the OCR): ρομα την δὶ Τοιρία Η ΕΓΟΒΟΙΥ πέδη πι ἀ, Ηΐης οτἰ εἰ ποιη δ 0 η5 ἐπι μ᾽οῖΔ5 πη πάτα πὶ τιν 1311 υὐχ : 5115 [οἷς σον 4: ποιάν Ποτοῖ μα 15. ἀἑνι! δὲ οὐ ἀομναπὶ το ἰφ5εῖ, ἃ ἃ ἢ 60 Ἢ! Πορ. χιι, 30, μιχία υχχ. ἀ 04. 26 5644. → ; θεασάμενος Α ϑυυῖγει. Νοιμας ἐγ πὶ ὀφθαλμοῖς → θεασάμενος ὀφθαλμοῖς; «ἰογγοίαοϊοβ δὰ τοβὶρίβοσῃ απ Τανοσεῖ, οἱ, οἷ) ἃ ρα μἶγα νεῖδῖ : οὐ ἃ᾽ οι δὲ. αι ἶα → .

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Proph. min. 1.0.1 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-prophetas-minores/1-0-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-prophetas-minores-1-0-1) · Report an error

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.

Preface 1, chapter 1

1.1.1PG 81

α'. « Λόγος Κυρίου, ὃς ἐγενήθη πρὸς Ὡσηὲ τὸν τοῦ Βεηρὶ, ἐν ἡμέραις Ὀζίου, καὶ Ἰωάθαμ, καὶ ΓΑχαξ, καὶ Ἐξεχίου βασιλέων Ἰούδα, καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις Ἱεροθοὰμ, υἱοῦ Ἰωᾶς, βασιλέως Ἰσραήλ. » Σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν, ὡς τούτων κἀκείνων ἐχειροτονήθη προφήτης" οὗ χάριν οὗ μόνον τῶν τοῦ Ἰούδα βασιωϊέων ἐμνημόνευσεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ Ἱδροδοὰμ, ὃς τοῦ μὲν Ἰωᾶς ἦν υἱὸς, ἔκγονος δὲ τοῦ Ἰωάχαξ, ἀπόγονος δὲ τοῦ Ἰηοῦ, ὃν ὁ θεσπέσιος Ἑλισσαϊος κατὰ θεῖον ἔχρισε νεῦμα, ὥστε καὶ τῷ Ναδουθὲ Οὕτω δηλώσας τὸν χρόνον καὶ τοὺς βασιλέας, ὧν κρατούντων ἐχειροτονήθη προφήτης, ἐπάγει"

a'. « Logos Kyriou, hos egenēthē pros Hōsēe ton tou Beēri, en hēmerais Oziou, kai Iōatham, kai GAchax, kai Exechiou basileōn Iouda, kai en hēmerais Hierothoam, huiou Iōas, basileōs Israēl. » Saphōs hēmas edidaxen, hōs toutōn kakeinōn echeirotonēthē prophētēs" hou charin hou monon tōn tou Iouda basiōïeōn emnēmoneusen, alla kai tou Hidrodoam, hos tou men Iōas ēn huios, ekgonos de tou Iōachax, apogonos de tou Iēou, hon ho thespesios Helissaïos kata theion echrise neuma, hōste kai tǭ Nadouthe Houtō dēlōsas ton chronon kai tous basileas, hōn kratountōn echeirotonēthē prophētēs, epagei"

1. "The word of the Lord that came to Hosea the son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah and Jotham and Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel." He has taught us clearly that he was appointed prophet for both the one kingdom and the other. That is why he mentioned not only the kings of Judah but also Jeroboam, who was the son of Joash, grandson of Jehoahaz, and descendant of Jehu, whom the inspired Elisha anointed at a divine command, so that … Naboth also … Having thus indicated the time and the kings in whose reigns he was appointed prophet, he continues:

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Hos 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 9:6 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Hosea dates his prophecy by the kings of both Judah and Israel, showing that he was sent to both kingdoms.

  • Lemma: Hos 1:1. Lines are lost in the scan after "so that" and after "Naboth also" (Jehu's anointing to avenge Naboth, 2 Kgs 9:1–10, 25–26); marked "…".

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Proph. min. 1.1.1 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-prophetas-minores/1-1-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-prophetas-minores/1-1-1

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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.

1.1.2PG 81

β΄. « ᾿Αρχὴ λόγου Κυρίου πρὸς Ὡσηέ. ν» ᾿Αντὶ τοῦ, Οὐδὲν πρὸ τούτου μοι προσέταξεν ὁ Δεσπότης, ἀλλὰ τῶν πρὸς ἐμὲ λόγων ἀρξάμενος, ἐκέλευσέ με γυναῖκα πορνείας λαθεῖν, καὶ τέχνα πορνείας παιδοποιῆσαι. Προστίθησι δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν " « Διότι πορνεύουσα ἐχπορνεύσεε ἡ γῆ ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν τοῦ Κυρίου. » Τούτοις προστίθησιν, ὡς ἀναμφιθόλως τὸ προσταχθὲν ἔδρασε" λέγει δὲ καὶ τῆς πόρνης τοὔνομα, καὶ ἐκ τίνος ἔφν, καὶ τὴν γενομένην ὄμιλίαν, καὶ τὸν τῆς ὁμιλίας καρπὸν, καὶ τοῦ τεχθέντὸς τὴν προσηγορίαν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τεθεῖσαν τοῦ καὶ Κάλεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἱεξραέλ᾽",,» ᾿Εγὼ δὲ θαυμάζω λίαν τοὺς τετολμηγότας εἰπεῖν, ὡς ῥήματα ταῦτά ἐστιν ἔρημα πραγμάτων, καὶ προσέταξε μὲν ὁ τῶν ὅλων θεὸς, ὁ δὲ προφήτῆς οὐκ ἔλαθεν, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ῥήματα προσεφέρετο,. τὰ δὲ πράγματα αὖκ ἐγίνετο. Ἔδει ὃς συνιδεῖν τοὺ; ταῦτα λέγειν ἐπιχειροῦντας, ὡς πολλὰ τοιαῦτα πολλάκις προσέταξεν ὁ Θεός " τὸν μὲν γὰρ Ἡ σαῖαν λῦσαι τὸν σάκκον ἀπὸ τῆς ὀσφύος ἐκέλευσε, καὶ γυμνὸν τρέχειν, καὶ ἀνυπόδετον ᾽", καὶ οὕτω ποιεῖσθαι τὴν προφητείαν " τῷ δὲ Ἱερεμίᾳ, ποτὲ μὲν ξυλίνους κλοιοὺς τῷ τραχήλῳ περιθεῖναι, ποτὲ δὲ σιδηροῦς παρεγγύησεν δ᾽“ τῷ δὲ Ἰεζεχιῆλ, ἐπὶ τῆς εὐωνύμου ταχλιθῆναι πλευρᾶς πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ἡμέρᾶς προσέταξε, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς δεξιᾶς τεσσαράχοντα, οἱ Β καὶ φαγεῖν τὸν ἄρτον ἐν βολδίτοις κόπρου ἀνθρωπίνης, καὶ λαθεῖν σχεύη αἰχμαλωσίας, καὶ διορύξαι τὸν τοῖχον, καὶ εἰκόνα διαγράψαι φευγόντων, καὶ οὕτω προαγορεῦσαι τὸν τοῦ Σεδεκίου δρασμόν. Καὶ μυρία δὲ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα εὑρήσομεν ἐν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ, ὧν εἴ τις τὸν σκοπὸν ἀγνοήσειεν, ἀνάξια ταῦτα ἂν εἴποι προφητικῆς ἀρετῆς " οἱ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν εἰδότες, καὶ ὡς ἅπαντα πρυτανεύει τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἕνεκα σωτηρίας, ἐντεῦθεν μάλιστα καὶ τὰς τῆς θείας ὑμνῳδίας λαμθάνουσιν ἀφορμὰς, καὶ τοὺ; θεσπεσίους θαυμάζουσι προφήτας, εἰς ἅπαντα εἶξαι τῷ Δεσπότῃ προελομένους. Ὃ γὰρ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἐπειδὴ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ἀναλγησίαν νοσοῦντας τοὺς λόγους ποιούμενος διὰ ῥημάτων οὐκ ἔπειθε, πράγμασί τισιν ἐσχιαγράφει τὰ μέλλοντα, τῷ παραδόξῳ τῶν ὁρωμένων εἰς θεωρίαν τοὺς ἀτεράμονας ἕλκων" οἵ τε γὰρ τὸν Ἡσαῖαν θέοντα γυμνὸν ὁρῶντες ἔδραμον ἂν δήπουθεν εἰς τὴν τοῦ καινοῦ πράγματος θεωρίαν, μαθεῖν ἐφιέμενοι τοῦ τοιούτου δρόμου τὴν πρόφασιν. Καὶ οἱ τὸν Ἰεζεχιὴλ ἐκεῖνα πάντα δρῶντα θεώμενοι, ἤροντο ἄν ὡς εἰκὸς τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν γινομένων. Οὕτω τοίνυν καὶ τὸν μακάριον Ὥτηξ παρασκευάζει τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος, γυναῖκα λαδεῖν ἀκόλαστον, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ γινομένου, καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τὴν ἀσέδειαν ἐλέγξῃ, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν, ἐπιδείξῃ μακροθυμίαν. Εὶ δὲ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τῆς ἀκολάστου καὶ μοιχευτρίας ἠνείχετο Συναγωγῆς, καὶ οὖκ ἐμολύνετο ἡ τῆς ἁγιωσύνης πηγὴ ἐκ τῆς μυ-. σαρᾶς ἐκείνης ὃ) καὶ βδελυρᾶς, οὐδὲ ὁ προφήτης ἐκ Ὁ τῆς ἀσελγοῦς ἐκείνης γυναικὸς κηλίδα ἐδέξατο " οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐπιθυμίᾳ πονηρᾷ δουλεύων, ἀλλὰ τὰ θεόθεν προστεταγμένα πληρῶν, τῆς ὁμιλίας ἐκείνης ἣνἔσχετο. Εἰδέναι δὲ χρὴ, ὡς τῷ σκοπῷ τό τε ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ κακὸν κρίνεται - τούτῳ γὰρ ὁ γάμος τῆς μοιχείας κεχώρισται, καὶ τῆς συνουσίας οὐδεμίαν ἐχούσης διαφορὰν, τῷ σκοπῷ καὶ τῷ νόμῳ τὸ διάφορον δείκνυται, καὶ κατὰ ταῦτᾳ τὸ μὲν ἔννομον, τὸ δὲ παράνομον κρίνεται. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ φόνου σχοπούμενον εὕροι τις ἄν. ᾿Λναιρεῖ γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἂνδρυφόνος, ἀναιρεῖ καὶ, ὁ δικαστῆς " ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν ἐννόμως, ὁ δὲ παρανόμως ᾿ καὶ τὸ μὲν ἔργον ταὐτὸν, τῷ δὲ σκοπῷ διαφέρει. Καὶ ἵνα τοῦτο σαφέστερὸν ἀπὸ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς μεταμάθωμεν "5, σχοκαὶ δόλῳ χρησάμενος " ἐφόνευσε Φινεὲς, ἀλλὰ ζηλώμενος τὴν ἀσέδειαν" καὶ τὸ μὲν ἔργον ταὐτὸ, ὁ δὲ σκοπὸς ἐναντίος ἐκ διαμέτρου. Οὕτω καὶ ἡ κλοπὴ τῶν μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου κατηγορουμένων ἐστίν " ἀλλ᾽ ἔχλεψε τὴν εὐλογίαν ὁ Ἰαχὼδ, καὶ οὐ μόνον τὴν κατηγορίαν διέφυγεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν πάταις ταῖς γενεαῖς. Ἑνήστευσεν Ἡλίας ὁ πάνυ, ἐνήστευσαν δὲ καὶ οἱ τὸν Ναδουθὲ καταλεύσαντες 8. ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν φιλοδοφῶν, οὐ δὲ συκοφαντίαν τυρεύοντες. Ἠλέησεν ὁ Σχοὺλ τὸν ᾿Αγὰγ 3, καὶ ἐγυμνώθη τῆς βασιλείας παράνομος γὰρ ἧν ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἔλεος" ἔσφαξεν ὁ δαμουὴλ τὸν ᾿Αγὰγ, καὶ θεῖον νόμον ἐπλήρωσε. Καὶ ἄλλα δὲ μυρία ἔστιν εὑρεῖν οὐ παρὰ τῇ. θείᾳ μόνῃ Γραφῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν παρ' ἡμῶν γιγνομένοις. Καὶ ὁ θαυμάσιος «οίνυν ὭὯσγὲ, οὐκ ἐπιθυμίᾳ δουλεύσας, ἀλλὰ θείοις νεύμασιν εἴξας, ἔλαθε τὴν πόρνην, καὶ γάμου παντὸς ἦν σεμνοτέρα ἐκείνη ἡ ὁμιλία - οὐ μόνον ὅτι κατὰ θεῖον ἐγίνετο νεῦμα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν τύπον ἐδείκνυ, καὶ ὅπως ὁ ἅγιος καὶ ἐν ἁγίοις ἀναπαυόμενος, νυμφίος τῆς ἀκολάστου πληθύος τῶν αὐτῷ κελεύει προσαγορεῦσαι τὸ τεχθὲν Ἰεξραέλ " « Διότι ἔτι μικρὸν, καὶ" ἐκδικήσω τὸ αἷμα τοῦ βασιλείαν οἴκου Ἰσραήλ. (δ', ε. Καὶ ἔστα', ἐν «ἢ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ συντρίψω τὸ τόξον τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἐν τῇ χοιλάδι κοῦ Ἰεζραέλ. ν» Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν " "Ἱεζραὲ 1 τὸ χωρίον ἐστὶν, ἐν ᾧ Ναθουθὲ τὴν ἄδικον ἐχείνην ὑπέμεινε σφαγήν " ὁ δὲ ᾿Ι]ηοῦ, ὁ τούτου κατὰ θείαν βουλὴν γενόμενος τιμωρὸς, ᾧ ὑπέσχετο ὁ Θεὸς,δεὰ τὰ κατὸ τῆς Ἰεζαδὲλ"" αὐτῷ γεγενημένα, εἰς ᾿τετάρτην γενεὰν διαρχέσειν τὴν βασιλείαν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν οἱ ἐκ τούτου λήθην τῆς θείας ἔλαθον εὐεργεσίας, καὶ τὴν τῶν πρὸ αὐτῶν βεδασιλευκότων ἐζήλωδσαν δυσσέθειαν, ἀπειλεῖ ὁ θεὸς καὶ ταύτην καταπαύσειν τὴν βασιλείαν, καὶ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὸ τόξον συντρίψειν, τουτέστι, χαταλύσειν τὴν δύναμιν ἐν τῇ κοιλάδι τοῦ Ἰεζραέλ᾽ οὐκ ἁπλῶς δὲ τοῦδε τοῦ χώρου τὴν μνήμην ἐποιήσατο, ἀλλὰ τῆς θείας ἀναμιμνήσκων εὐεργεσίας τὸν τηνικάδε βασιλέα, καὶ διδάσκων, ὅἦτι καθάπερ δίκας εἰσέπραξε τοὺς τὸν Ναθουθὲ κατασφάξαντας διὰ τοῦ προπάτορος αὐτοῦ Ἰηοῦ " οὕτω καὶ αὐτοὺς τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἀγνωμοσύνης ἀπαιτήσει ποινήν. Τούτοις ἐπάγει, ὅτι καὶ ἕτερον ἐτέχθη παιδίον, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὴν προσηγορίαν ἀνεδέξατο. Ἐκέλευσε γὰρ αὐτὴν, φησὶν, Οὐκ ἠλεημένην κληθῆναι " τοῦτο διδάσκων, ὡς οὐκέτι τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἀξιώσει φιλανθρωπίας.

b΄. « ᾿Archē logou Kyriou pros Hōsēe. n» ᾿Anti tou, Ouden pro toutou moi prosetaxen ho Despotēs, alla tōn pros eme logōn arxamenos, ekeleuse me gynaika porneias lathein, kai techna porneias paidopoiēsai. Prostithēsi de kai tēn aitian " « Dioti porneuousa echporneusee hē gē apo opisthen tou Kyriou. » Toutois prostithēsin, hōs anamphitholōs to prostachthen edrase" legei de kai tēs pornēs tounoma, kai ek tinos ephn, kai tēn genomenēn omilian, kai ton tēs homilias karpon, kai tou techthentos tēn prosēgorian hyp᾽ autou tetheisan tou kai Kaleson to onoma autou Hiexrael᾽",,» ᾿Egō de thaumazō lian tous tetolmēgotas eipein, hōs rhēmata tauta estin erēma pragmatōn, kai prosetaxe men ho tōn holōn theos, ho de prophētēs ouk elathen, alla ta men rhēmata prosephereto,. ta de pragmata auk egineto. Edei hos synidein tou? tauta legein epicheirountas, hōs polla toiauta pollakis prosetaxen ho Theos " ton men gar Hē saian lysai ton sakkon apo tēs osphyos ekeleuse, kai gymnon trechein, kai anypodeton ᾽", kai houtō poieisthai tēn prophēteian " tǭ de Hieremią, pote men xylinous kloious tǭ trachēlǭ peritheinai, pote de sidērous parengyēsen d᾽“ tǭ de Iezechiēl, epi tēs euōnymou tachlithēnai pleuras pentēkonta kai hekaton hēmeras prosetaxe, kai epi tēs dexias tessarachonta, hoi B kai phagein ton arton en bolditois koprou anthrōpinēs, kai lathein scheuē aichmalōsias, kai dioryxai ton toichon, kai eikona diagrapsai pheugontōn, kai houtō proagoreusai ton tou Sedekiou drasmon. Kai myria de alla toiauta heurēsomen en tę̄ theią Graphę̄, hōn ei tis ton skopon agnoēseien, anaxia tauta an eipoi prophētikēs aretēs " hoi de tou Theou tēn philanthrōpian eidotes, kai hōs hapanta prytaneuei tēs tōn anthrōpōn heneka sōtērias, enteuthen malista kai tas tēs theias hymnǭdias lamthanousin aphormas, kai tou? thespesious thaumazousi prophētas, eis hapanta eixai tǭ Despotę̄ proelomenous. Ho gar tōn holōn Theos, epeidē pros anthrōpous analgēsian nosountas tous logous poioumenos dia rhēmatōn ouk epeithe, pragmasi tisin eschiagraphei ta mellonta, tǭ paradoxǭ tōn horōmenōn eis theōrian tous ateramonas helkōn" hoi te gar ton Hēsaian theonta gymnon horōntes edramon an dēpouthen eis tēn tou kainou pragmatos theōrian, mathein ephiemenoi tou toioutou dromou tēn prophasin. Kai hoi ton Iezechiēl ekeina panta drōnta theōmenoi, ēronto an hōs eikos tēn aitian tōn ginomenōn. Houtō toinyn kai ton makarion Hōtēx paraskeuazei tōn holōn ho Kyrios, gynaika ladein akolaston, hina dia tou ginomenou, kai tou laou tēn asedeian elenxę̄, kai tēn oikeian, epideixę̄ makrothymian. Ei de ho tōn holōn Theos tēs akolastou kai moicheutrias ēneicheto Synagōgēs, kai ouk emolyneto hē tēs hagiōsynēs pēgē ek tēs my-. saras ekeinēs ho) kai bdelyras, oude ho prophētēs ek Ho tēs aselgous ekeinēs gynaikos kēlida edexato " oude gar epithymią ponērą douleuōn, alla ta theothen prostetagmena plērōn, tēs homilias ekeinēs hēnescheto. Eidenai de chrē, hōs tǭ skopǭ to te agathon kai to kakon krinetai - toutǭ gar ho gamos tēs moicheias kechōristai, kai tēs synousias oudemian echousēs diaphoran, tǭ skopǭ kai tǭ nomǭ to diaphoron deiknytai, kai kata tautą to men ennomon, to de paranomon krinetai. Touto kai epi tou phonou schopoumenon heuroi tis an. ᾿Lnairei gar kai ho andryphonos, anairei kai, ho dikastēs " all᾽ ho men ennomōs, ho de paranomōs ᾿ kai to men ergon tauton, tǭ de skopǭ diapherei. Kai hina touto saphesteron apo tēs theias Graphēs metamathōmen "5, schokai dolǭ chrēsamenos " ephoneuse Phinees, alla zēlōmenos tēn asedeian" kai to men ergon tauto, ho de skopos enantios ek diametrou. Houtō kai hē klopē tōn men hypo tou nomou katēgoroumenōn estin " all᾽ echlepse tēn eulogian ho Iachōd, kai ou monon tēn katēgorian diephygen, alla kai en patais tais geneais. Henēsteusen Hēlias ho pany, enēsteusan de kai hoi ton Nadouthe kataleusantes 8. all᾽ ho men philodophōn, ou de sykophantian tyreuontes. Ēleēsen ho Schoul ton ᾿Agag 3, kai egymnōthē tēs basileias paranomos gar hēn ekeinos ho eleos" esphaxen ho damouēl ton ᾿Agag, kai theion nomon eplērōse. Kai alla de myria estin heurein ou para tę̄. theią monę̄ Graphę̄, alla kai en tois kath᾽ hekastēn hēmeran par' hēmōn gignomenois. Kai ho thaumasios «oinyn HōŌsge, ouk epithymią douleusas, alla theiois neumasin eixas, elathe tēn pornēn, kai gamou pantos ēn semnotera ekeinē hē homilia - ou monon hoti kata theion egineto neuma, all᾽ epeidē kai tou Theou ton typon edeikny, kai hopōs ho hagios kai en hagiois anapauomenos, nymphios tēs akolastou plēthyos tōn autǭ keleuei prosagoreusai to techthen Iexrael " « Dioti eti mikron, kai" ekdikēsō to haima tou basileian oikou Israēl. (d', e. Kai esta', en «ē hēmerą ekeinę̄ syntripsō to toxon tou Israēl en tę̄ choiladi kou Iezrael. n» Ho de legei, toiouton estin " "Hiezrae 1 to chōrion estin, en hǭ Nathouthe tēn adikon echeinēn hypemeine sphagēn " ho de ᾿I]ēou, ho toutou kata theian boulēn genomenos timōros, hǭ hypescheto ho Theos,dea ta kato tēs Iezadel"" autǭ gegenēmena, eis ᾿tetartēn genean diarchesein tēn basileian. Epeidē toinyn hoi ek toutou lēthēn tēs theias elathon euergesias, kai tēn tōn pro autōn bedasileukotōn ezēlōdsan dyssetheian, apeilei ho theos kai tautēn katapausein tēn basileian, kai tou Israēl to toxon syntripsein, toutesti, chatalysein tēn dynamin en tę̄ koiladi tou Iezrael᾽ ouk haplōs de toude tou chōrou tēn mnēmēn epoiēsato, alla tēs theias anamimnēskōn euergesias ton tēnikade basilea, kai didaskōn, hoēti kathaper dikas eisepraxe tous ton Nathouthe katasphaxantas dia tou propatoros autou Iēou " houtō kai autous tēs eis auton agnōmosynēs apaitēsei poinēn. Toutois epagei, hoti kai heteron etechthē paidion, kai hypo tou Theou tōn holōn tēn prosēgorian anedexato. Ekeleuse gar autēn, phēsin, Ouk ēleēmenēn klēthēnai " touto didaskōn, hōs ouketi ton Israēl axiōsei philanthrōpias.

2. "The beginning of the word of the Lord to Hosea." That is: the Master commanded me nothing before this, but beginning his words to me he ordered me to take a wife of sexual immorality and to beget children of sexual immorality. And he adds the reason: "For the land will commit gross sexual immorality, turning away from the Lord." To this he adds that he did without hesitation what he was commanded. He tells the prostitute's name, whose daughter she was, their union, the fruit of the union, and the name he gave to the child that was born … "Call his name Jezreel." I am greatly astonished at those who have dared to say that these are words without events: that the God of all gave the command, but the prophet did not take her; that the words were spoken but the deeds were not done. Those who attempt to say this should have observed that God often gave many commands of this kind. He ordered Isaiah to loose the sackcloth from his loins and run naked and barefoot, and so to make his prophecy; he charged Jeremiah to put on his neck yokes, at one time of wood, at another of iron; he commanded Ezekiel to lie on his left side for a hundred and fifty days and on his right for forty, to eat his bread baked on dung of human excrement, to take the baggage of captivity, to dig through the wall, to trace a picture of men in flight, and so to foretell the flight of Zedekiah. We shall find countless other such things in the divine Scripture; anyone who did not know their purpose would say they are unworthy of prophetic virtue. But those who know God's love for humankind, and that he governs all things for the sake of human salvation, take from these very things occasions for divine hymnody, and admire the inspired prophets for choosing to yield to the Master in everything. For since the God of all was speaking to people sick with insensibility, and did not persuade them by words, he sketched the future in certain actions, drawing the hard-hearted to look by the strangeness of what they saw. Those who saw Isaiah running naked would surely have run to look at the novel sight, wanting to learn the reason for such running; and those who watched Ezekiel doing all those things would naturally have asked the cause of what was happening. So too the Lord of all prepares blessed Hosea to take a licentious wife, so that by what was done he might both convict the impiety of the people and display his own long-suffering. If the God of all bore with the licentious and adulterous Synagogue, and the fountain of holiness was not defiled by that foul and loathsome one, neither did the prophet receive a stain from that wanton woman; for he entered that union not as a slave to evil desire but fulfilling what God had commanded. One must know that good and evil are judged by the aim. By this marriage is separated from adultery: though the intercourse has no difference, the difference is shown by the aim and by the law, and accordingly the one is judged lawful, the other unlawful. One could find the same thing on examining killing. The murderer kills, and the judge kills; but the one lawfully, the other unlawfully: the deed is the same, but it differs in its aim. And that we may learn this more clearly from the divine Scripture: … using deceit; Phinehas killed, but out of zeal against impiety: the deed was the same, but the aim directly opposite. So too theft is among the things the law condemns; yet Jacob stole the blessing, and not only escaped condemnation but also … in all generations. Elijah the great fasted, and those who stoned Naboth also fasted: but he as one practicing the love of wisdom, they as contriving a false accusation. Saul pitied Agag and was stripped of the kingdom, for that mercy was unlawful; Samuel slew Agag and fulfilled the divine law. Countless other examples can be found, not only in the divine Scripture but also in what we do every day. So the wonderful Hosea, not as a slave to desire but yielding to divine commands, took the prostitute, and that union was more honorable than any marriage, not only because it came about at a divine command, but also because it displayed a figure of God, and how the Holy One, who rests among the holy, [is] the bridegroom of the licentious multitude … [He] commands him to call the child Jezreel: "For yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of … the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5. And it shall be on that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel." What he says is this. Jezreel is the place where Naboth suffered that unjust slaughter. Jehu, who by the divine will became his avenger, was promised by God that, because of what he had done against Jezebel, the kingdom would last to the fourth generation. Since, then, his descendants forgot the divine benefit and imitated the impiety of those who reigned before them, God threatens to bring this kingdom too to an end and to break the bow of Israel, that is, to destroy its power, in the valley of Jezreel. He did not mention this place idly, but to remind the king of that time of the divine benefit, and to teach that, as he exacted punishment from those who slaughtered Naboth through his forefather Jehu, so he would demand from them too the penalty for their ingratitude toward him. To this he adds that another child was born, and received its name from the God of all. For he commanded, it says, that she be called "Not-pitied", teaching by this that he will no longer count Israel worthy of his loving-kindness.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Hos 1:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 1:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Hos 1:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 1:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 1:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 20:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 27:2 (34:2 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 28:13 (35:13 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ezek 4:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Ezek 4:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Ezek 12:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 25:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 27:35 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 15:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 15:33 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 57:15 (echo, low confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:30 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:13 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret defends the literal reality of Hosea's marriage to a prostitute, arguing that God's symbolic commands to prophets were real actions and that an act is judged good or evil by its aim, and explains the names Jezreel and Not-pitied.

  • Lemmas: Hos 1:2 (with 1:2b); 1:4–5 (the middle of 1:4 is lost in the scan). Hos 1:3 and the start of 1:4 are lost with the debris after "the name he gave to the child"; marked "…". Further lines are lost before "using deceit" (an example of an unlawful killing, perhaps Joab and Abner) and before "in all generations"; marked "…" and not supplied.
  • Theodoret rejects, without naming them, interpreters who held that Hosea's marriage was only a vision or a figure of speech; translated as written.
  • The marriage argument: marriage and adultery (μοιχεία) do not differ in the act but in aim and law; translated exactly. The Synagogue is called "licentious and adulterous" (Theodoret's figure for Israel).
  • "a hundred and fifty days": so the scan; the LXX of Ezek 4:5 has 190 (Hebrew 390). Possibly an OCR or printing slip; translated as printed.
  • "Not-pitied": Οὐκ ἠλεημένη, the LXX rendering of Lo-ruhamah (Hos 1:6).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Latin column debris; Latin column debris at the end of the section; Latin column debris inside the lemma; Latin column debris splitting ἀνθρωπίνης; Latin column debris splitting ἐννόμως; Migne's Latin column and marginal references read as Greek letters; Migne's marginal references, Latin column and apparatus read as Greek letters): εκ. 1. ε« δὰ ποῦ Ον ἰᾳ 1313. υἱ οἱ ΝΑΒΟΙΒυῺ το βοογθία, οἱ 800] εἰ οί → ; ἢ) [ὁγπϊσα τα ἰεγγὰ ροϑὶ Θοπηΐπαπ). » [5] "5. δά- → ; ἐγ οη τ} προ γαγογαί. θ 6558 σα οο4 {15 το! !ᾳυ → ; ἀνθρωοἱ οὶ δίυδά ατηδὰ Εἰ αυὶ πη οδὲ : 06 δά] οτὶο βοὐ υποίυ πὶ οἱ οἱ πίνης → ἀνθρωπίνης; ἐν- Α λιῦοχ : βαἀ δὶς ἰδρὶ τη 8 οἱ γόμως → ἐννόμως; εἴ [λεία Βοη → ; 1 Ορῃ. τ΄, 8. ἵν εἰιΐηνα; οἱ οὕμη δἷῖ ὑπ οἱ ἐἰθ, ορυ 8, 8010 [Δθα 5 ἱ, ἐκ βοῦν ὅλο. (μγαΐίὰ8 οϑὲ αὶ, οἱ 0 12 0.0 γι} ποι ὁδὶ δοειιβαῖυϑ, γ γα εἴη) δ] η- [αἷϊ, εἰ πὶ οἱ ἃ. ἐδινθηίγο ἴα] δϑὶ, θα ι6 ἰ πο 0} πυρι 8. ἰὰ πλητσ οι : οἱ πού ἱπιρίοἰαίοπὶ πη αὶ σρογιιη, παῖ παῖ. λυ} 5. 3. (, καταμάθωμεν. “7 (ἰ οὐτωτί. 35 κατ᾿ {τ᾽ Ὁ, τ πῇ, πὰ Ογϑ αὐ ΟΥ̓ΧῚ Εἶν ργίογ μά οεθαι καί, δ ἔτι μι καί. (. φησί. γι). [0] Α → .

Topics: Marriage, Ethics

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Proph. min. 1.1.2 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-prophetas-minores/1-1-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-prophetas-minores/1-1-2

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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.

1.1.7PG 81

ζ'. « Τοὺς δὲ νἱοὺς Ἰούδα, φησὶν, ἐλεήσω καὶ σώσω αὑτοὺς ἐν Κυρίῳ Θεῷ αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐ σώσω αὑτοὺς ἐν τόξῳ, οὐδὲ ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ, οὐδὲ ἐν πολέμῳ, οὐδὲ ἐν ἵπποις, οὐδὲ ἐν ἱππεῦσι, » Σαφῶς δὲ διὰ τούτων ἐδήλωσε τὰ κατὰ τὸν Σενναχηρεὶμ γεγενημένα " τηνικαῦτα γὰρ οὐ παρατάξεως γενομένης ἡττήθησαν οἱ ᾿Ασσύριοι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀγγελικῇ δυνάμει ἑκατὸν ὀγδοήκοντα πέντε διἐφθάρησαν χιλιάδες. Τούτοις ἐπάγει, ὅτι καὶ ἑτέρου παιδίου τεχθέντος, ἐχέλευσεν ὁ Θεὲς κληθῆναι αὐτὸ Οὐ λαόν μου, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν διδάσκει " ε Διότι ὑμεῖς οὐ λαός μου, καὶ ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὑμῶν. » Καὶ ἵνα μή τις ὑπολάδῃ, ὅτι ὡς εὐαριθμήτους αὑτοὺς καὶ ὀλίγους ἀποπέμπεται, ἁρμοδίως προστέθειχεν "͵ ν΄, « Ὅτι ἦν ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, ὡς ἡ ἄμμὸς τῆς θαλάσσης, ἢ οὐ μετρηθήσεται "5 οὐδὲ ἔξαρεθμηθήσεται. ν» ᾿Αλλ’ οὐ πλήθει καίρει ὁ Θεός " ὅπου δὲ δύο ἣ τρεῖς εἰσι συνηγμένοι εἰς τὸ αὐτοῦ ὄνομα, ἐκεῖ ἐστιν ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν. Οὕτω τὸν Νῶε πάντων ὁμοῦ προτετίμηχε τῶν ἀνθρώπων " οὕτω τὸν ᾿Αδραὰμ, οὕτω τὸν Μωσέα """ τοὺς δὲ ἐχείνων ἀπογόνους, καὶ ἀριθμὸν νιχῶντας, Οὐ «“1αὸν αὑτοῦ καλεῖ διὰ τὴν ἀσέδειαν. ᾿Αλλὰ φιλάνθρωπος ὧν εὐθὺς ἀνεκαλέσατο ( τὴν ἐξενεχθεῖσαν ἀπόφασιν. « Ἔσται γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ᾧ ἐῤῥέθη αὐτοῖς, Οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς, αὐτοὶ" κληθήσονται υἱοὶ Θεοῦ ζῶντος. (ια΄.) Καὶ συναχθήσονται υἱοὶ Ἰούδα, καὶ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ, καὶ θήσονται αὑτοῖς ἀρχὴν μίαν, καὶ ἀναθδήσονται ἐκ τῆς γῆς, διότι μεγάλη ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Ἱεζραέλ. » Διὰ τούτων τὴν ἀπὸ Βαδυλῶνος ἀνάκλησιν προηγόρευσε, καὶ ὅτι μετὰ τὴν ἐλεῖθεν ἐπάνοδον οὐκέτι διῃρημένους ἕξουσι βασιλέας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνωθέντες καὶ συναφθέντες ἕνα σχήσουσιν ἄρχοντα. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ πέρας ἔλαδεν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐπενεχθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τῶν ᾿Ασσυρίων τῷ Ἰσραὴλ συμφορὰν ἐν τῇ χοιλάδι τοῦ Ἰεζραέλς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ, φησὶ, μεγάλην αὐτοῖς ἐπάγω τιμωρίαν, μεγάλης αὖτοὺς ἀξιώσω καὶ σωτηρίας, καὶ τῆς δουλείας ἐλευ» θερώσας, εἰς τὴν πατρῴαν ἐπανάξω πατρίδα. Εἴτα παρακελεύεται αὐτοῖς, ὡς τῶν πραγμάτων μεταδολὴν δεξαμένων ἐναλλάξαι καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα, καὶ καλέσαι τὸν Οὐ λαὸν, Λαὸν", καὶ τὴν Οὐκ ἠγαπημένην, Ἠγαπημένην. Ὑμεῖς γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ τῆς σωτηρίας ἀπολαύσαντες, καὶ ἐκ Βαδυλῶνος θόντες, γένεσθε κριταὶ τῆς μητρὸς ὑμῶν καὶ ἐμοῦ, τουτέστι, τῶν πρηγόνων "6 τῶν εἰς ἐμὲ παρανενομηκότων, ὅτι αὕτη οὐ γυνή μου, καὶ ἐγὼ οὐκ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς. ᾿Αποστάσιον, φησὶν, ἐγένετο τῆς αἰτίας ἐξ ἐκείνης γεγενημένης. Τοιοῦτον εὑρίσκομεν καὶ παρὰ τῷ Ἤσαϊᾳ εἰρημένον" « Καὶ νῦν, οἶκος τοῦ Ἰούδα, καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες Ἱερουσαλὴμ, κρίνατε ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀναμέσον τοῦ ἀμπελῶνός μου " διότι ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλὴν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας. Καὶ ἐνταῦθά φησι"

z'. « Tous de nious Iouda, phēsin, eleēsō kai sōsō hautous en Kyriǭ Theǭ autōn, kai ou sōsō hautous en toxǭ, oude en rhomphaią, oude en polemǭ, oude en hippois, oude en hippeusi, » Saphōs de dia toutōn edēlōse ta kata ton Sennachēreim gegenēmena " tēnikauta gar ou parataxeōs genomenēs hēttēthēsan hoi ᾿Assyrioi, all᾽ angelikę̄ dynamei hekaton ogdoēkonta pente diephtharēsan chiliades. Toutois epagei, hoti kai heterou paidiou techthentos, echeleusen ho Thees klēthēnai auto Ou laon mou, kai tēn aitian didaskei " e Dioti hymeis ou laos mou, kai egō ouk eimi hymōn. » Kai hina mē tis hypoladę̄, hoti hōs euarithmētous hautous kai oligous apopempetai, harmodiōs prostetheichen "͵ n΄, « Hoti ēn ho arithmos tōn huiōn Israēl, hōs hē ammos tēs thalassēs, ē ou metrēthēsetai "5 oude exarethmēthēsetai. n» ᾿All’ ou plēthei kairei ho Theos " hopou de dyo hē treis eisi synēgmenoi eis to autou onoma, ekei estin en mesǭ autōn. Houtō ton Nōe pantōn homou protetimēche tōn anthrōpōn " houtō ton ᾿Adraam, houtō ton Mōsea """ tous de echeinōn apogonous, kai arithmon nichōntas, Ou «“1aon hautou kalei dia tēn asedeian. ᾿Alla philanthrōpos hōn euthys anekalesato ( tēn exenechtheisan apophasin. « Estai gar, phēsin, en tǭ topǭ hǭ errhethē autois, Ou laos mou hymeis, autoi" klēthēsontai huioi Theou zōntos. (ia΄.) Kai synachthēsontai huioi Iouda, kai huioi Israēl epi to auto, kai thēsontai hautois archēn mian, kai anathdēsontai ek tēs gēs, dioti megalē hē hēmera tou Hiezrael. » Dia toutōn tēn apo Badylōnos anaklēsin proēgoreuse, kai hoti meta tēn eleithen epanodon ouketi dię̄rēmenous hexousi basileas, all᾽ enōthentes kai synaphthentes hena schēsousin archonta. Kai touto de peras eladen epi tou epenechtheisan hypo tōn ᾿Assyriōn tǭ Israēl symphoran en tę̄ choiladi tou Iezraels. Epeidē gar, phēsi, megalēn autois epagō timōrian, megalēs autous axiōsō kai sōtērias, kai tēs douleias eleu» therōsas, eis tēn patrǭan epanaxō patrida. Eita parakeleuetai autois, hōs tōn pragmatōn metadolēn dexamenōn enallaxai kai ta onomata, kai kalesai ton Ou laon, Laon", kai tēn Ouk ēgapēmenēn, Ēgapēmenēn. Hymeis gar, phēsin, hoi tēs sōtērias apolausantes, kai ek Badylōnos thontes, genesthe kritai tēs mētros hymōn kai emou, toutesti, tōn prēgonōn "6 tōn eis eme paranenomēkotōn, hoti hautē ou gynē mou, kai egō ouk anēr autēs. ᾿Apostasion, phēsin, egeneto tēs aitias ex ekeinēs gegenēmenēs. Toiouton heuriskomen kai para tǭ Ēsaïą eirēmenon" « Kai nyn, oikos tou Iouda, kai hoi katoikountes Hierousalēm, krinate en emoi kai anameson tou ampelōnos mou " dioti emeina tou poiēsai staphylēn, epoiēse de akanthas. Kai entautha phēsi"

7. "But the sons of Judah," he says, "I will pity, and I will save them by the Lord their God; and I will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by war, nor by horses, nor by horsemen." By this he clearly indicated what happened in the time of Sennacherib. For then the Assyrians were defeated with no battle drawn up: a hundred and eighty-five thousand were destroyed by angelic power. To this he adds that when another child was born, God commanded it to be called "Not-my-people", and he teaches the reason: "For you are not my people, and I am not yours." And so that no one should suppose that he sends them away as few and easily counted, he fittingly added: "10. For the number of the sons of Israel was as the sand of the sea, which will not be measured or counted." But God does not rejoice in numbers: where two or three are gathered in his name, there he is in their midst. So he honored Noah above all human beings together, so Abraham, so Moses; but their descendants, though they surpassed in number, he calls "Not his people" because of their impiety. Yet, being the lover of humankind, he at once recalled the sentence he had pronounced. "For it shall be," he says, "in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they shall be called sons of the living God. 11. And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head, and they shall go up from the land, for great is the day of Jezreel." By this he foretold the recall from Babylon, and that after the return from there they would no longer have divided kings, but, united and joined together, would have one ruler. And this was fulfilled in the time of … the disaster brought on Israel by the Assyrians in the valley of Jezreel. For since, he says, I bring a great punishment on them, I will also count them worthy of a great salvation, and, freeing them from slavery, I will bring them back to their ancestral homeland. Then he urges them, since their circumstances have changed, to change the names too, and to call Not-people "People" and Not-loved "Loved". You, he says, who have enjoyed salvation and come back from Babylon, become judges of your mother and of me, that is, of your forebears who transgressed against me: that "she is not my wife, and I am not her husband." There was a divorce, he says, since the cause of it came from her. We find something similar said in Isaiah: "And now, house of Judah and you who dwell in Jerusalem, judge between me and my vineyard: for I waited for it to make grapes, but it made thorns." And here he says:

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Hos 1:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 1:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 1:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 1:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 2:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Hos 2:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 19:35 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 18:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 5:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 5:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 24:1 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret applies Hosea's promise to Judah to the destruction of Sennacherib's army, explains the name Not-my-people, and reads the reversal of the names as the return from Babylon under one ruler.

  • Lemmas: Hos 1:7; 1:9; 1:10; 1:10b–11 (LXX 2:1–2); 2:1–2 paraphrased. A line is lost after "fulfilled in the time of"; marked "…". The end of the Isaiah quotation ("make grapes, but it made thorns. And here") had been displaced by the scan into the next section but one (Hos 2:6); it is restored here by a logged correction, since the broken word "ἐν-" there continues as "ταῦθα" here.
  • "There was a divorce": ἀποστάσιον, the certificate of divorce (Deut 24:1); God's divorce of Israel, as Theodoret reads Hos 2:2. "Not-loved": so the scan (Οὐκ ἠγαπημένη) for the child called "Not-pitied" earlier.
  • 185,000: 2 Kgs 19:35.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Latin column debris and column number splitting the word; Latin column debris inside the lemma; Migne's Latin column, marginal references and apparatus read as Greek letters; the end of the Isaiah quotation was displaced by the scan into section 1.2.6 ("ποιῆσαι σταφυλὴν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας. Καὶ ἐν-"); restored here, where "ταῦθά φησι" completes the broken word): διότι ἔμεινα τοῦ ταῦθά φησι → διότι ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλὴν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας. Καὶ ἐνταῦθά φησι; παρανενομη- Αὐτοῦ τηθὰ οἱ 620 κότων → παρανενομηκότων; οοδὶς Μοἢ} Ὀεὶ δυὰς οἱ μι νὴ Βα! ποτ Δογμιω, οἱ ἃ βογνίίυιθ ἢ θ6Γαῖο5 ἰῃ ρϑι ΓΙ ἃ πὶ εἰ οὗ → οὐ; 45 οὐ ὁ αὐτοί, Γμἴγτὰ, δὰ οι. ". Ε. 651 ἐκεῖ, "ἴ λαόν. Λαόν Ο υἱγοψυύ ΠῺΟοπν. τα, 40. ες. Ἰεοῖ. ἢ). 1. 651 οὗ. Μ“( Μωῦσέα. " ᾧ → .

Topics: Divorce and remarriage

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Comm. Proph. min. 1.1.7 (PG 81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-prophetas-minores/1-1-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-prophetas-minores/1-1-7

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-prophetas-minores-1-1-7) · Report an error

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.