Questions on the Octateuch 4.47–5.12
Greek text: PG 80.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Prologue 4
4.47PG 80 80:397
Τι δήποτε μαρτυρήσας ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς τῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὅτι ἔχει Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ, προσέταξεν τῷ Μωσῇ ἐπιθεῖναι αὐτῷ τὰς χεῖρας; Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Κορνηλίου ἐγένετο. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ λαβεῖν τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος, τότε τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἠξιώθησαν. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς, πάντα τοῦ Πνεύματος τὰ χαρίσματα κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπειον πρὸ ὠδίνων δεξάμενος, τῷ Ἰωάννου βαπτίσματι προσελήλυθε, καὶ ἐπιτεθῆναι αὐτοῦ τῇ κεφαλῇ τὴν τοῦ θεράποντος προσέταξε χεῖρα καὶ ἔδειξε τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς ἐρχόμενον ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. Καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι Πνεῦμα ἅγιον διὰ τοῦ Δεσποτικοῦ λαβόντες ἐμφυσήματος, ἐδέξαντο τὴν οὐρανόθεν ἐπιφοιτήσασαν χάριν. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ γεγένηται. Εἶχε μὲν γὰρ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἵνα δὲ καὶ ὁ λαὸς πιστεύσῃ θεόθεν αὐτὸν τὴν χειροτονίαν τῆς ἡγεμονίας δεδέχθαι, ἐπετέθησαν αὐτῷ τοῦ νομοθέτου αἱ χεῖρες, καὶ τοῦτο δέδρακεν ὁ θεῖος Μωσῆς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ προσταχθείς· Ἐπιθήσεις γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰς χεῖράς σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν· καὶ στήσεις ἐναντίον Ελεάζαρ τοῦ ἱερέως, καὶ ἐντελῇ αὐτῷ ἐναντίον πάσης τῆς συναγωγῆς, καὶ δώσεις τῆς δόξης σου ἐπ' αὐτὸν, ὅπως εἰσακούσωσιν αὐτοῦ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ἐναντίον Ἐλεάζαρ τοῦ ἱερέως στήσεται, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Τὴν ἴσην ἐκείνῳ σχήσει τιμὴν, καὶ διὰ τοῦ λογίου τῆς κρίσεως, ὃ τοῖς ἐκείνου στέρνοις ἐπέκειτο, τὸ πρακτέον μαθήσεται. Μανθάνομεν δὲ ἐντεῦθεν, ὅπως οἱ παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων χειροτονίαν δεχόμενοι τῆς πνευματικῆς μεταλαγχάνουσι χάριτος. Καὶ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ὁ Δεσπότης ἔφη Θεός· Δώσεις τῆς δόξης σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. Θαυμάσαι δὲ ἄξιον τὸν προφήτην, ὅτι καὶ παῖδας ἔχων, καὶ ἀδελφὸν, καὶ ἀδελφιδοῦν, οὐδένα τούτων ἡγεμόνα προὐβάλλετο, ἀλλὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἤρετο, καὶ τὸν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ψηφισθέντα κεχειροτόνηκε. Μετὰ ταῦτα τῶν ἑορτῶν καὶ τῶν θυσιῶν ἀναμνήσας, νομοθετεῖ περὶ τῶν ὑπισχνουμένων τί προσφέρειν τῷ Δεσπότῃ Θεῷ. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν διηγόρευσε πάντα ὑπισχνούμενον ἔργῳ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν ἐμπεδοῦν· τῆς δὲ ὑπὸ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς τελούσης ἐξουσίαν ὑπισχνουμένης τὸν πατέρα βεβαιοῦν τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν· καὶ ἐὰν ἐκεῖνος ταύτης ὑπισχνουμένης ἀνανεύσῃ, μὴ ὑποκεῖσθαι τὴν ὑποσχομένην ἐγκλήματι, ἐὰν δὲ ταύτης ἐπαγγελλομένης ἢ συγκατάθηται ὁ πατὴρ, ἢ σιγήσῃ τὰ ἐπηγγελμένα πληροῦσθαι. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀνδρὶ συνημμένης νενομοθέτηκε, καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς συγκατάθεσιν βεβαιοῦν ἐκέλευσε τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν.
Ti dēpote martyrēsas ho Despotēs Theos tǭ Iēsou, hoti echei Pneuma Theou en autǭ, prosetaxen tǭ Mōsę̄ epitheinai autǭ tas cheiras? Touto kai epi tou Kornēliou egeneto. Meta gar to labein tēn charin tou Pneumatos, tote tou baptismatos ēxiōthēsan. Kai mentoi kai ho Despotēs Christos, panta tou Pneumatos ta charismata kata to anthrōpeion pro ōdinōn dexamenos, tǭ Iōannou baptismati proselēlythe, kai epitethēnai autou tę̄ kephalę̄ tēn tou therapontos prosetaxe cheira kai edeixe to panagion Pneuma en eidei peristeras erchomenon ep᾿ auton. Kai hoi apostoloi Pneuma hagion dia tou Despotikou labontes emphysēmatos, edexanto tēn ouranothen epiphoitēsasan charin. Touto kai epi Iēsou tou Nauē gegenētai. Eiche men gar tēn charin tou Pneumatos hina de kai ho laos pisteusę̄ theothen auton tēn cheirotonian tēs hēgemonias dedechthai, epetethēsan autǭ tou nomothetou hai cheires, kai touto dedraken ho theios Mōsēs hypo tou Theou prostachtheis; Epithēseis gar, phēsi, tas cheiras sou ep᾿ auton; kai stēseis enantion Eleazar tou hiereōs, kai entelę̄ autǭ enantion pasēs tēs synagōgēs, kai dōseis tēs doxēs sou ep' auton, hopōs eisakousōsin autou hoi huioi Israēl; kai enantion Eleazar tou hiereōs stēsetai, anti tou, Tēn isēn ekeinǭ schēsei timēn, kai dia tou logiou tēs kriseōs, ho tois ekeinou sternois epekeito, to prakteon mathēsetai. Manthanomen de enteuthen, hopōs hoi para tōn archiereōn cheirotonian dechomenoi tēs pneumatikēs metalanchanousi charitos. Kai gar entautha ho Despotēs ephē Theos; Dōseis tēs doxēs sou ep᾿ auton. Thaumasai de axion ton prophētēn, hoti kai paidas echōn, kai adelphon, kai adelphidoun, oudena toutōn hēgemona prouballeto, alla ton Theon ēreto, kai ton hyp᾿ autou psēphisthenta kecheirotonēke. Meta tauta tōn heortōn kai tōn thysiōn anamnēsas, nomothetei peri tōn hypischnoumenōn ti prospherein tǭ Despotę̄ Theǭ. Kai prōton men diēgoreuse panta hypischnoumenon ergǭ tēn hyposchesin empedoun; tēs de hypo tēn tou patros telousēs exousian hypischnoumenēs ton patera bebaioun tēn hyposchesin; kai ean ekeinos tautēs hypischnoumenēs ananeusę̄, mē hypokeisthai tēn hyposchomenēn enklēmati, ean de tautēs epangellomenēs ē synkatathētai ho patēr, ē sigēsę̄ ta epēngelmena plērousthai. Touto de kai epi tēs andri synēmmenēs nenomothetēke, kai tēn tou andros synkatathesin bebaioun ekeleuse tēn hyposchesin.
Why, when God the Master had testified of Joshua that he had the Spirit of God in him, did he order Moses to lay his hands on him? This also happened with Cornelius: after receiving the grace of the Spirit, they were then granted baptism. And indeed Christ the Master too, having received all the gifts of the Spirit as man before birth, came to John's baptism and ordered the servant's hand to be laid on his head, and he showed the all-holy Spirit coming upon him in the form of a dove. And the apostles, though they had received the Holy Spirit through the Lord's breathing, received the grace that came down from heaven. This also happened with Joshua son of Nun. He had the grace of the Spirit; but so that the people too would believe that he had received his appointment to leadership from God, the lawgiver's hands were laid on him. The divine Moses did this at God's command: “For you shall lay your hands on him,” it says, “and set him before Eleazar the priest, and give him charge before the whole assembly, and put some of your glory on him, so that the sons of Israel may listen to him; and he shall stand before Eleazar the priest,” that is, he will have equal honour with him, and through the oracle of judgment, which lay on Eleazar's breast, he will learn what is to be done. From this we learn how those who receive ordination from the high priests share in spiritual grace. For here too God the Master said, “Put some of your glory on him.” The prophet deserves admiration because, though he had sons, a brother, and a nephew, he appointed none of them leader, but asked God and ordained the man chosen by him. After this, having recalled the feasts and the sacrifices, he legislates about those who promise to offer something to God the Master. First he directed that everyone who promises fulfil the promise in deed; and that, when a woman still under her father's authority makes a promise, the father confirms the promise: if he refuses when she promises, the woman who promised is not liable to blame; but if, when she makes the vow, the father consents or keeps silent, what was promised is to be fulfilled. He legislated the same for a woman joined to a husband, and commanded that the husband's consent confirm the promise.
Num 27:18–21 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 10:44–48 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 3:13–16 (allusion, high confidence) · John 20:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 2:1–4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 28:30 (allusion, medium confidence) · Num 28:1–29:40 (allusion, medium confidence) · Num 30:2–15 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Joshua, though already filled with the Spirit, received the laying on of hands so that the people would know his appointment came from God; vows of daughters and wives depend on father's or husband's consent.
- Num 27:18–21 (Septuagint); Acts 10:44–48; Matt 3:13–16; John 20:22; Acts 2:1–4. “High priests” means bishops. The “oracle of judgment” is the breastpiece with the Urim (Exod 28:30). Feasts and sacrifices: Num 28–29; vows: Num 30. The edition prints stray numbers and marks and a few words from a neighbouring column here; they are removed. Theodoret's claim that Christ received the Spirit's gifts “before birth” is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (footnote marker; split word; stray letters; stray letters and footnote marker; words from a neighbouring column leaked into the line): ἐπιτεθῆναι ἐ8 αὐτοῦ → ἐπιτεθῆναι αὐτοῦ; στήσεται 50%, → στήσεται,; ἀδελφὸν δι, καὶ ἀδελφιδοῦν 5*, → ἀδελφὸν, καὶ ἀδελφιδοῦν,; ὑπ. ισχνούμενον → ὑπισχνούμενον; τῆς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς Μωϋσῆς. ὑπὸ → τῆς δὲ ὑπὸ.
Topics: Church office, Baptism
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 4.47 (PG 80 80:397; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-47). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-47
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.48PG 80 80:399
Διατί τῶν Μαδιανιτῶν τὰς ἀνδρὶ συνημμένας ὁ νομοθέτης ἀναιρεθῆναι προσέταξεν; Ὡς πεπαιδευμένας τῆς ἀσεβείας τὰ δόγματα, καὶ διαφθείρειν τοὺς ἐξανδραποδίσαντας δυναμένας.
Diati tōn Madianitōn tas andri synēmmenas ho nomothetēs anairethēnai prosetaxen? Hōs pepaideumenas tēs asebeias ta dogmata, kai diaphtheirein tous exandrapodisantas dynamenas.
Why did the lawgiver order the Midianite women who had been joined to a man to be put to death? As women schooled in the doctrines of impiety and able to corrupt those who had enslaved them.
Num 31:15–17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The married Midianite women were killed because they could lead their captors into idolatry.
- Num 31:15–17. Short but complete: one question and its answer.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 4.48 (PG 80 80:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-48). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-48
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.49PG 80 80:399
Διατί τοὺς σταθμοὺς ἀναγράπτους ὁ νομοθέτης πεποίηκεν; Ὥστε τοὺς εἰς ὕστερον ἐσομένους γνῶναι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν κηδεμονίαν· δι' ἀβάτων γὰρ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀνύδρων ὁδηγήσας χωρίων, ἀφθόνως αὐτοῖς τὴν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐχορήγησε χρείαν.
Diati tous stathmous anagraptous ho nomothetēs pepoiēken? Hōste tous eis hysteron esomenous gnōnai tou Theou tēn kēdemonian; di' abatōn gar autous kai anydrōn hodēgēsas chōriōn, aphthonōs autois tēn tōn anankaiōn echorēgēse chreian.
Why did the lawgiver record the stages of the journey? So that those who would live afterwards might know God's care: for having led them through impassable and waterless places, he supplied their needs abundantly.
Num 33:1–49 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The list of encampments records God's care in the wilderness.
- The question is intact; the edition prints it without a question mark. Num 33:1–49.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR punctuation and breathing): πεποίηκεν "Ωστε → πεποίηκεν; Ὥστε.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 4.49 (PG 80 80:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-49). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-49
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.50PG 80 80:399
Τί δήποτε τῷ ἀκουσίως πεφονευκότι μετὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τελευτὴν ὁρίζει τὴν κάθοδον; Ὅτι τοῦ κατὰ τὴν τάξιν τοῦ δὲ Μελχισεδέκ ἀρχιερέως ὁ θάνατος λύσις τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτίας ἐγένετο. Οὗτος εἰς τὸν παράδεισον ἐπανήγαγε τὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἐξορισθέντα. Καὶ κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνον δὲ τὸν καιρὸν ἐμάλαττεν ἡ φυγὴ τοῦ πεφονευκότος τὸν τῶν ἀγχιστευόντων θυμὸν, καὶ τὴν φονικὴν ὁρμὴν αὐτῶν ἐχαλίνου. Τὸ δὲ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ ἱερέως τελευτὴν λυθῆναι τοῖς φεύγουσι τὴν τιμωρίαν, ἱκανὸν ἦν πεῖσαι τοὺς ἀγχιστεύοντας σβέσαι λοιπὸν τὴν ὀργὴν, ὡς τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τετελευτηκότος, ἐφ᾽ οὗ τὸ πλημμέλημα γέγονε· καὶ τοῦ νομοθέτου ταύτην ὁρίσαντος, καὶ τῇ πλημμελείᾳ, καὶ τῇ τιμωρίᾳ τὴν λύσιν.
Ti dēpote tǭ akousiōs pephoneukoti meta tēn tou archiereōs teleutēn horizei tēn kathodon? Hoti tou kata tēn taxin tou de Melchisedek archiereōs ho thanatos lysis tēs tōn anthrōpōn hamartias egeneto. Houtos eis ton paradeison epanēgage ton ekeithen exoristhenta. Kai kat᾿ ekeinon de ton kairon emalatten hē phygē tou pephoneukotos ton tōn anchisteuontōn thymon, kai tēn phonikēn hormēn autōn echalinou. To de meta tēn tou hiereōs teleutēn lythēnai tois pheugousi tēn timōrian, hikanon ēn peisai tous anchisteuontas sbesai loipon tēn orgēn, hōs tou archiereōs teteleutēkotos, eph᾽ hou to plēmmelēma gegone; kai tou nomothetou tautēn horisantos, kai tę̄ plēmmeleią, kai tę̄ timōrią tēn lysin.
Why does he set the return of the one who has killed involuntarily after the death of the high priest? Because the death of the high priest according to the order of Melchizedek became the release from human sin. He brought back into paradise the one who had been banished from it. And at that time the killer's flight also softened the anger of the next of kin and bridled their murderous impulse. That the punishment of the fugitives was ended after the priest's death was enough to persuade the kinsmen to quench their anger at last, since the high priest under whom the offence had taken place had died, and the lawgiver had set this as the end both of the offence and of the punishment.
Num 35:25–28 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 110:4 (109:4 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 7:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 23:43 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The manslayer's return after the high priest's death prefigures Christ's death as release from sin, and also cooled the avengers' anger.
- Num 35:25–28; Ps 110:4; Heb 5:6; 7:17; Luke 23:43.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word; stray letters; stray mark): ἀγχι στευόντων → ἀγχιστευόντων; αὐτῶν – ἐχαλίνου → αὐτῶν ἐχαλίνου; τελευτὴν δε λυθῆναι → τελευτὴν λυθῆναι.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 4.50 (PG 80 80:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-50). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-50
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.51PG 80 80:399
Τίνος χάριν τὰς φυλὰς διακεκρῖσθαι προσέταξεν; ἵνα ἀκέραιον διαφυλαχθῇ τοῦ Ἰούδα τὸ σπέρμα, δι' οὗ τὴν εὐλογίαν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπηγγείλατο. Ἐκοινώνησαν μέντοι ἀλλήλαις ἡ βασιλικὴ καὶ ἡ ἱερατικὴ φυλή· ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς, κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, καὶ βασιλεὺς ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστός.
Tinos charin tas phylas diakekristhai prosetaxen? hina akeraion diaphylachthę̄ tou Iouda to sperma, di' hou tēn eulogian tois ethnesin ho Theos epēngeilato. Ekoinōnēsan mentoi allēlais hē basilikē kai hē hieratikē phylē; epeidē kai archiereus, kata to anthrōpinon, kai basileus ho Despotēs Christos.
For what reason did he order the tribes to be kept distinct? So that the seed of Judah, through which God promised the blessing to the nations, would be preserved unmixed. The royal and the priestly tribes, however, did intermarry, since Christ the Master is both high priest, as man, and king.
Num 36:6–9 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 22:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 6:23 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Tribal inheritance was kept separate to preserve Judah's line, though the royal and priestly tribes intermarried, pointing to Christ as priest and king.
- Num 36:6–9; Exod 6:23 (Aaron married Elisheba of Judah). The words “does not consent” printed at the end come from a neighbouring column and are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (words from a neighbouring column leaked into the line): Χριστός μὴ συγκατάθηται. → Χριστός..
Topics: Christology, Marriage
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 4.51 (PG 80 80:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-51). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/4-51
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Prologue 5
5.1PG 80 80:401
Διατί τὸ πέμπτον βιβλίον τοῦ νομοθέτου Δευτερονόμιον ἐκλήθη; Ἐξαγαγὼν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου τὸν λαὸν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, ἔδωκεν ἐν τῷ Σινᾷ ὄρει τὸν νόμον, καθ' ὃν ἐχρῆν αὐτοὺς πολιτεύεσθαι. Εἶτα τῷ δευτέρῳ ἔτει προσέταξε παραλαβεῖν τὴν γῆν, ἣν τοῖς προγόνοις αὐτῶν ἐπηγγείλατο δώσειν. Ἐκείνων δὲ ἀντειρηκότων, καὶ τοῦτο δράσαι μὴ βουληθέντων, ὤμοσε μηδενὶ τῶν ἀριθμηθέντων ὑπὸ τοῦ νομοθέτου δώσειν ἐκείνην τὴν γῆν, ἀλλὰ τούτους ἅπαντας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καταναλώσειν. Τεσσαράκοντα τοίνυν διεληλυθότων ἐτῶν, κἀκείνων κατὰ τὴν θείαν ψῆφον διολωλότων, ἐκέλευσε τοὺς ἐκείνων ἀριθμηθῆναι παῖδας, τὴν αὐτὴν ἄγοντας ἡλικίαν, ἥνπερ ἦγον ἐκεῖνοι καθ' ὃν ἡριθμήθησαν χρόνον. Τούτους μέλλων εἰσαγαγεῖν ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ἣν ἐπηγγείλατο γῆν, διδάσκει διὰ τοῦ προφήτου τὸν νόμον, ὃν τοῖς παρανόμοις αὐτῶν ἐδεδώκει πατράσι. Τὸ τοίνυν Δευτερονόμιον ἀνακεφαλαίωσιν ἔχει τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ, καὶ τῷ Λευϊτικῷ, καὶ τοῖς ᾿Αριθμοῖς νενομοθετημένων τε καὶ πεπράγμένων, λέγει δὲ καὶ τὸν χρόνον, καὶ τὸν τόπον, καθ᾽ ἂν καὶ ἐν ᾧ τῇ νεολαίᾳ ταύτῃ τὴν διδασκαλίαν προσήνεγκε. Πέραν γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, πρὸς δυσμὰς ἐν τῷ τεσσαρακοστῷ ἔτει, ἐν τῷ ἑνδεκάτῳ μηνὶ, μιᾷ τοῦ μηνὸς, μετὰ τὸ πατάξαι αὐτὸν τὸν Σηὼν βασιλέα τῶν ᾿Αμοῤῥαίων, καὶ τὸν Ὢγ βασιλέα τῆς Βασάν. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ δεύτερον νόμον ἔδωκεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς προτέρας ἀναμιμνήσκει νομοθεσίας, αὐτὸ διδάσκει τοῦ βιβλίου τὸ προοίμιον. Ἥρξατο γὰρ, φησὶ, Μωσῆς διασαφῆσαι τὸν νόμον τοῦτον, λέγων, Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν Χωρήβ Εἶτα εἰρηκὼς, καὶ ὡς προσέταξεν αὐτοὺς εἰσελθόντας κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν, ἐπήγαγεν, ὡς κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνον εἰρήκει τὸν καιρὸν, ὅτι Μόνος ἐγὼ οὐ δύναμαι τοσούτων προστατεύειν μυριάδων· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κατέστησα, φησὶ, χιλιάρχους καὶ ἑκατοντάρχους, ὥστε ἔχειν αὐτοὺς τῆς ἀρχῆς κοινωνούς. Τούτων δὲ τῶν λόγων ἀνέμνησεν, ἐπειδήπερ Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναυῆ κατέστησε τῆς ἡγεμονίας διάδοχον διδάσκων ὡς καὶ ἔτι περιὼν ἑτέροις τὴν προστασίαν ἐπίστευσε, καὶ ὅτι χρὴ καὶ τούτῳ προθύμως ὑπακούειν, καὶ τὰ κελευόμενα δρᾷν. Αναμιμνήσκει δὲ αὐτοὺς, ὅπως μὲν ὁ Θεὸς προσέταξε παραλαβεῖν αὐτοὺς ἣν ἐπηγγείλατο γῆν· ὅπως δὲ κατασκόπους αὐτοὶ πεμφθῆναι προτέρους ἠξίωσαν καὶ ὅτι ἐκείνων ἐπανελθόντων, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς γῆς μεμηνυκότων, ἠπίστησαν μὲν τῷ σεσωκότι Θεῷ, ἀπολαβεῖν δὲ τὴν γῆν οὐκ ἠθέλησαν ὡς χαλεπῆναι μὲν τὸν Δεσπότην Θεὸν, ἀποφήνασθαι δὲ κατὰ πασῶν ἐκείνων τῶν μυριάδων, ὥστε μηδένα ἐκείνων εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν γῆν εἰσελθεῖν, πλὴν Χαλὲβ υἱοῦ Ἰεφωνῆ. Οὗτος, φησὶν, ὄψεται αὐτὴν, καὶ τούτῳ δώσω τὴν γῆν ἐφ᾽ ἣν ἐπέβη, καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, διὰ τὸ προσκεῖσθαι αὐτὸν τὰ πρὸς Κύριον. Τούτου μέντοι ἐμνημόνευσε μόνου καὶ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἔταξεν ὡς ἄρχοντα, καὶ στρατηγὸν, καὶ προφήτην· τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὰ ἑξῆς. Εἰπὼν γὰρ, ὅτι Κἀμοὶ ὠργίσθη δι᾽ ὑμᾶς ὁ Δεσπότης Θεός· ὑμῶν γάρ με θορυβησάντων, οὐ κατὰ λόγον τῷ θείῳ προστάγματι διηκόνησα, καὶ τούτου χάριν εἰσαγαγεῖν ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην κεκώλυμαι. ᾿Ανέμνησε δὲ τῶν παρὰ Θεοῦ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰρημένων· Ἰησοῦς ὁ υἱὸς Ναυῆ, ὁ παρεστηκώς σοι, οὗτος εἰσελεύσεται ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν κατίσχυσον, ὅτι αὐτὸς κατακληρονομήσει αὐτὴν τῷ Ἰσραήλ. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγει, διδάσκων αὐτοὺς, ὡς θεόθεν ὁ στρατηγὸς χειροτονίαν ἐδέξατο, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν περὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς στασιάσωσιν. Διηγεῖται δὲ αὐτοῖς, ὅπως μὲν ὕστερον μεταμεληθέντες ἐβουλήθησαν πολεμῆσαι τοῖς Χαναναίοις· ὅπως δὲ αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς διεκώλυσε· καὶ ὅτι θρασυνόμενοι, καὶ παρὰ τὴν θείαν ἐντολὴν ἀναβάντες καὶ ἡττηθέντες ἐπανῆλθον· καὶ ὅσον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ κατανάλωσαν χρόνον, τὴν ἄβατον γῆν ἐκείνην καὶ ἄνυδρον περιιόντες· τίνα τε Ἰδουμαίοις καὶ Μωαβίταις δεδηλωκότες φιλικῶν οὐκ ἔτυχον ἀποκρίσεων καὶ ὅπως τὸν Σηὼν, καὶ τὸν Ωγ τοὺς βασιλεῖς τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων πανστρατιᾷ μετὰ τῶν τὰς πόλεις καὶ τὰς κώμας οἰκούντων πανωλεθρίᾳ παρέδοσαν Εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ τοῦ σώματος μέγεθος. Ἡ γὰρ κλίνη, φησὶν, Ὧγ σιδηρᾶ, ἐννέα πήχεων τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς, καὶ τεσσάρων πήχεων τὸ εὗρος αὐτῆς. Ἔπειτα παρήνεσε καὶ συνεβούλευσε φυλάττειν ἐπιμελῶς τοῦ Δεσπότου τὰς ἐντολάς. ῎Ακουε γὰρ, φησὶν, τῶν δικαιωμάτων καὶ τῶν ἐκριμάτων, ὅσα ἐγὼ διδάσκω ὑμᾶς σήμερον ποιεῖν, ἵνα ζῆτε, καὶ εἰσελθόντες κληρονομήσητε τὴν γῆν, ἣν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν δίδωσιν ὑμῖν. Εἶτα ἀναγκαίως τοῦ Βεελφεγὼρ εἰς μέσον φέρει τὴν μνήμην, καὶ τῶν δι᾽ ἐκείνην τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ διολωλότων. Ἔπειτα ἐκ παραλλήλου δείκνυσι τὰς θείας εὐεργεσίας. Ποῖον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔθνος μέγα ᾧ ἐστιν αὐτῷ Θεὸς ἐγγίζων αὐτοῖς, ὡς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐν ἅπασιν οἷς ἐὰν αὐτὸν ἐπικαλεσώμεθα ; Κελεύει δὲ μὴ μόνον αὐτοὺς φυλάττειν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοὺς νόμους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς παῖδας καὶ τοὺς ἐκγόνους ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ διατρέφειν, καὶ παιδόθεν τὰς θείας ἐντολὰς ἐκπαιδεύειν. Εἶτα πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἀνέμνησεν, ὅπως αὐτοῖς ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἐπέφανε Θεὸς, λόγους μὲν διὰ πυρὸς ἀφεὶς οὐδὲν δὲ εἶδος ἐπιδεικνύς. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη· Ἐκ μέσου τοῦ πυρὸς φωνὴν ῥημάτων ὑμεῖς ἡκούσατε, καὶ ὁμοίωμα οὐκ ἴδετε, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ φωνήν. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγει παιδεύων αὐτοὺς μηδὲν ἵνδαλμα τεκτήνασθαι, μηδὲ πειραθῆναί ποτε θείαν εἰκόνα κατασκευάσαι, ἐπειδὴ τοῦ ἀρχετύπου τὸ εἶδος οὐχ ἑωράκασιν ὅθεν πάλιν ἐπήγαγε· Μὴ ἀνομήσητε μηδὲ ποιήσητε ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς γλυπτὸν ὁμοίωμα, πᾶσαν εἰκόνα, ὁμοίωμα ἀρσενικοῦ ἢ θηλυκοῦ ὁμοίωμα παντὸς κτήνους, τῶν ὄντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· ὁμοίωμα παντὸς ὀρνέου πετομένου, ὁ πέταται ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν· ὁμοίωμα παντὸς ἑρπετοῦ, ὁ ἕρπει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· ὁμοίωμα παντὸς ἰχθύος, ὅσα ἐστὶν ἐν τοῖς ὕδασιν ὑποκάτω τῆς γῆς.» Ταῦτα πάντα, φησὶν, εἰς χρείαν ὑμετέραν πεποίηκεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνοίας τοίνυν ἐσχάτης, τὸ τὰς εἰκόνας τῶν ὑπηκόων θεοποιεῖν. Προστέθεικε δὲ καὶ ταῦτα· «Μὴ ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ τὴν σελήνην, καὶ πάντα τὸν κόσμον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πλανηθεὶς προσκυνήσῃς αὐτοῖς, καὶ λατρεύσῃς αὐτοῖς, ἃ ἀπένειμε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου αὐτὰ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι τοῖς ὑποκάτω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Ταῦτα γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων χρείαν κατεσκεύασεν ὁ Ποιητής· μὴ τοίνυν ὑπολάβῃς θεοὺς τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἀφορισθέντας ὥστε ταῖς χρείαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων διακονεῖν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἡρμήνευσαν· "Ατινα διεκόσμησεν ὁ Θεός σου εἰς τοὺς λαοὺς ὑφ᾽ ὅλον τὸν οὐρανόν. Εἶτα δεδίττεται αὐτοὺς ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς, ὡς εἰ τολμήσαιεν τὸν θεῖον παραβῆναι νόμον, καί τινος τῶν ὄντων ὁμοίωμα κατασκευάσαι καὶ θεοποιῆσαι, εἰς πᾶσαν αὐτοὺς διασπερεῖ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ὡς δουλεύοντες τοῖς ψευδωνύμοις θεοῖς προσκυνήσουσιν. Ἔπειτα πάλιν ἀπὸ συγκρίσεως δείκνυσι τὸ παντοδύναμον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Επερωτήσατε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡμέρας τὰς ἀρχαίας τὰς γενομένας προτέρας σου, ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ἧς ἔκτισεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἕως ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰ γέγονε κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο, εἰ ἠκούσατε τοιοῦτον, εἰ ἀκήκοεν ἔθνος φωνὴν Θεοῦ ζῶντος λαλοῦντος ἐκ μέσου τοῦ πυρὸς, ὃν τρόπον ἀκήκοας σὺ͵ καὶ ἔζησας. Ἔφη δὲ καὶ ὅπως αὐτοὺς ἡλευθέρωσε τῆς πικρᾶς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων δουλείας. Συνεχῶς μέντοι διδάσκει αὐτοὺς, καὶ ὡς οὐρανόθεν αὐτοῖς ὁ τῶν ὅλων διελέχθη Θεὸς, καὶ ἐκ μέσου τοῦ πυρὸς φωνῇ κεχρημένος νενομοθέτηκεν, ἵνα μηδεμίαν εἰκόνα κατασκευάσωσι τοῦ ἀοράτου Θεοῦ. Διδάσκει δὲ καὶ ὡς πάμπαν ἀμήχανον θείαν εἰκόνα κατασκευάσαι· οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἀόρατον ἔχει τὴν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάμπαν ἀπερίγραφον. Κύριος γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεός σου, οὗτος Θεὸς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κάτω καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πλὴν αὐτοῦ. Ἰστέον μέντοι, ὡς οὐκ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ ταῦτα πάντα ὁ προφήτης τῷ λαῷ διελέχθη, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πολλαῖς αὐτοῖς ἡμέραις τὴν διδασκαλίαν προσήνεγκεν. Ὅθεν πολλάκις τοὺς αὐτοὺς λόγους ἀνακυκλοῖ, ἵνα τῇ συνεχείᾳ παγίαν τὴν μνήμην ἐργάσηται. Αὐτίκα γοῦν μετὰ τὴν διάλεξιν ταύτην, τὰ περὶ τῶν πόλεων ἱστόρησεν εἰς ἃς καταφεύγειν τοὺς ἀκουσίοις περιπεπτωκότας φόνοις ἐκέλευσεν. Εἶτα ἐδίδαξεν ὅτι πάλιν συνήθροισε τὸν λαὸν, καὶ τῶν θεοσδότων ἀνέμνησε νόμων· καὶ ὅτι οὐχ ἕτερον δέδωκε νόμον, ἀλλὰ τὸν πρότερον ἐκπαιδεύει τοὺς τῆς νομοθέσιας ἐκείνης διὰ τὸ τῆς ἡλικίας ἀτελὲς ἐπακοῦσαι μὴ δυνηθέντας, αὐτὰ διδάξει τοῦ προφήτου τὰ ῥήματα. «Κύριος γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν διέθετο πρὸς ὑμᾶς διαθήκην ἐν Χωρήβ. Οὐχὶ τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν διέθετο Κύριος τὴν διαθήκην ταύτην, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι παραβάντες διώλοντο, τούτοις δὲ τὴν τοῖς πατράσιν ἐπηγγελμένην ἐδίδου γῆν· τούτοις ἔφη τὸν νόμον δεδόσθαι. Εἶτα λέγει τὰς ἐντολὰς, ὧν τὸν νοῦν ἀνεπτύξαμεν τὴν Ἔξοδον ἑρμηνεύοντες - ἔδειξε δὲ κάνταῦθα τὸν τῆς ἀργίας τοῦ Σαββάτου σκοπόν. Ἔφη γὰρ, «Ἵνα ἀναπαύσηται ὁ παῖς καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη σου, καὶ τὸ ὑποζύγιόν σου. Καθάπερ, φησὶ, σὺ τούτων ἀπολαύεις διαπαντὸς, οὕτως ἅπαξ γοῦν ἀπολαυσάτωσαν ἐν ταῖς ἑπτὰ τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἡμέραις οἱ θεράποντες, καὶ αἱ θεράπαιναι, καὶ τὰ ὑποζύγια. Ἔπειτα τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ δουλείας τὴν συμπάθειαν πραγματεύεται· Ὅτι οἰκέτης, φησὶν, ἦσθα ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ἐξήγαγέ σε Κύριος ἐκεῖθεν ἐν χειρὶ κραταιᾷ, καὶ ἐν βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ· διὰ τοῦτο συνέταξε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, ὥστε φυλάττεσθαί σε τὴν ἡμέραν τῶν Σαββάτων, καὶ ἁγιάζειν αὐτήν. Τῇ πείρᾳ μεμάθηκας τὸ της δουλείας πικρόν· ἐκείνων ἀναμιμνησκόμενος, ἤμερος γενοῦ τοῖς ὑπηκόοις, καὶ πρᾶος, καὶ ἧς ἀπολαύεις ἀναπαύλης διηνεκῶς, ὁ παῖς σου μετάδος τούτοις ἐν τῇ ἑβδόμῃ τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἡμέρᾳ· Ἐν δὲ τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα τὸ πνευματικὸν οὐκ ἀπηγόρευσεν ἔργον. Ἔφη γάρ· Πᾶν ἔργον λατρευτὸν οὐ ποιήσετε, πλὴν ὅσα ποιηθήσεται ἐπὶ τῇ ψυχῇ, οἷον ἀναγνώσεις θείων λογίων ἀκροάσεις, ψαλμῳδίας, ἱερουργίας καὶ τὰ τούτοις προσόμοια.
Diati to pempton biblion tou nomothetou Deuteronomion eklēthē? Exagagōn ex Aigyptou ton laon ho Despotēs Theos, edōken en tǭ Siną orei ton nomon, kath' hon echrēn autous politeuesthai. Eita tǭ deuterǭ etei prosetaxe paralabein tēn gēn, hēn tois progonois autōn epēngeilato dōsein. Ekeinōn de anteirēkotōn, kai touto drasai mē boulēthentōn, ōmose mēdeni tōn arithmēthentōn hypo tou nomothetou dōsein ekeinēn tēn gēn, alla toutous hapantas en tę̄ erēmǭ katanalōsein. Tessarakonta toinyn dielēlythotōn etōn, kakeinōn kata tēn theian psēphon diolōlotōn, ekeleuse tous ekeinōn arithmēthēnai paidas, tēn autēn agontas hēlikian, hēnper ēgon ekeinoi kath' hon hērithmēthēsan chronon. Toutous mellōn eisagagein ho Theos eis hēn epēngeilato gēn, didaskei dia tou prophētou ton nomon, hon tois paranomois autōn ededōkei patrasi. To toinyn Deuteronomion anakephalaiōsin echei tōn en tę̄ Exodǭ, kai tǭ Leuïtikǭ, kai tois ᾿Arithmois nenomothetēmenōn te kai pepragmenōn, legei de kai ton chronon, kai ton topon, kath᾽ an kai en hǭ tę̄ neolaią tautę̄ tēn didaskalian prosēnenke. Peran gar, phēsi, tou Iordanou, en tę̄ erēmǭ, pros dysmas en tǭ tessarakostǭ etei, en tǭ hendekatǭ mēni, mią tou mēnos, meta to pataxai auton ton Sēōn basilea tōn ᾿Amorrhaiōn, kai ton Ōg basilea tēs Basan. Kai hoti ou deuteron nomon edōken, alla tēs proteras anamimnēskei nomothesias, auto didaskei tou bibliou to prooimion. Hērxato gar, phēsi, Mōsēs diasaphēsai ton nomon touton, legōn, Kyrios ho Theos hēmōn elalēsen hēmin en Chōrēb Eita eirēkōs, kai hōs prosetaxen autous eiselthontas klēronomēsai tēn gēn, epēgagen, hōs kat᾿ ekeinon eirēkei ton kairon, hoti Monos egō ou dynamai tosoutōn prostateuein myriadōn; kai dia touto katestēsa, phēsi, chiliarchous kai hekatontarchous, hōste echein autous tēs archēs koinōnous. Toutōn de tōn logōn anemnēsen, epeidēper Iēsoun ton Nauē katestēse tēs hēgemonias diadochon didaskōn hōs kai eti periōn heterois tēn prostasian episteuse, kai hoti chrē kai toutǭ prothymōs hypakouein, kai ta keleuomena drąn. Anamimnēskei de autous, hopōs men ho Theos prosetaxe paralabein autous hēn epēngeilato gēn; hopōs de kataskopous autoi pemphthēnai proterous ēxiōsan kai hoti ekeinōn epanelthontōn, kai ta peri tēs gēs memēnykotōn, ēpistēsan men tǭ sesōkoti Theǭ, apolabein de tēn gēn ouk ēthelēsan hōs chalepēnai men ton Despotēn Theon, apophēnasthai de kata pasōn ekeinōn tōn myriadōn, hōste mēdena ekeinōn eis ekeinēn tēn gēn eiselthein, plēn Chaleb huiou Iephōnē. Houtos, phēsin, opsetai autēn, kai toutǭ dōsō tēn gēn eph᾽ hēn epebē, kai tois huiois autou, dia to proskeisthai auton ta pros Kyrion. Toutou mentoi emnēmoneuse monou kai ton Iēsoun etaxen hōs archonta, kai stratēgon, kai prophētēn; touto gar dēloi ta hexēs. Eipōn gar, hoti Kamoi ōrgisthē di᾽ hymas ho Despotēs Theos; hymōn gar me thorybēsantōn, ou kata logon tǭ theiǭ prostagmati diēkonēsa, kai toutou charin eisagagein hymas eis tēn gēn ekeinēn kekōlymai. ᾿Anemnēse de tōn para Theou pros auton eirēmenōn; Iēsous ho huios Nauē, ho parestēkōs soi, houtos eiseleusetai ekei auton katischyson, hoti autos kataklēronomēsei autēn tǭ Israēl. Tauta de legei, didaskōn autous, hōs theothen ho stratēgos cheirotonian edexato, hina mē palin peri tēs archēs stasiasōsin. Diēgeitai de autois, hopōs men hysteron metamelēthentes eboulēthēsan polemēsai tois Chananaiois; hopōs de autous ho Theos diekōlyse; kai hoti thrasynomenoi, kai para tēn theian entolēn anabantes kai hēttēthentes epanēlthon; kai hoson en tę̄ erēmǭ katanalōsan chronon, tēn abaton gēn ekeinēn kai anydron periiontes; tina te Idoumaiois kai Mōabitais dedēlōkotes philikōn ouk etychon apokriseōn kai hopōs ton Sēōn, kai ton Ōg tous basileis tōn Amorrhaiōn panstratią meta tōn tas poleis kai tas kōmas oikountōn panōlethrią paredosan Eipe de autou kai to tou sōmatos megethos. Hē gar klinē, phēsin, Hōg sidēra, ennea pēcheōn to mēkos autēs, kai tessarōn pēcheōn to heuros autēs. Epeita parēnese kai synebouleuse phylattein epimelōs tou Despotou tas entolas. ᾿Akoue gar, phēsin, tōn dikaiōmatōn kai tōn ekrimatōn, hosa egō didaskō hymas sēmeron poiein, hina zēte, kai eiselthontes klēronomēsēte tēn gēn, hēn Kyrios ho Theos tōn paterōn hymōn didōsin hymin. Eita anankaiōs tou Beelphegōr eis meson pherei tēn mnēmēn, kai tōn di᾽ ekeinēn tēn asebeian en tę̄ erēmǭ diolōlotōn. Epeita ek parallēlou deiknysi tas theias euergesias. Poion gar, phēsin, ethnos mega hǭ estin autǭ Theos engizōn autois, hōs Kyrios ho Theos hēmōn en hapasin hois ean auton epikalesōmetha ? Keleuei de mē monon autous phylattein tou Theou tous nomous, alla kai tous paidas kai tous ekgonous en eusebeią diatrephein, kai paidothen tas theias entolas ekpaideuein. Eita palin autous anemnēsen, hopōs autois ho tōn holōn epephane Theos, logous men dia pyros apheis ouden de eidos epideiknys. Touto gar ephē; Ek mesou tou pyros phōnēn rhēmatōn hymeis hēkousate, kai homoiōma ouk idete, all᾽ ē phōnēn. Tauta de legei paideuōn autous mēden hindalma tektēnasthai, mēde peirathēnai pote theian eikona kataskeuasai, epeidē tou archetypou to eidos ouch heōrakasin hothen palin epēgage; Mē anomēsēte mēde poiēsēte hymin autois glypton homoiōma, pasan eikona, homoiōma arsenikou ē thēlykou homoiōma pantos ktēnous, tōn ontōn epi tēs gēs; homoiōma pantos orneou petomenou, ho petatai hypo ton ouranon; homoiōma pantos herpetou, ho herpei epi tēs gēs; homoiōma pantos ichthyos, hosa estin en tois hydasin hypokatō tēs gēs.» Tauta panta, phēsin, eis chreian hymeteran pepoiēken ho Theos anoias toinyn eschatēs, to tas eikonas tōn hypēkoōn theopoiein. Prostetheike de kai tauta; «Mē anablepsas eis ton ouranon, kai idōn ton hēlion, kai tēn selēnēn, kai panta ton kosmon tou ouranou planētheis proskynēsę̄s autois, kai latreusę̄s autois, ha apeneime Kyrios ho Theos sou auta pasi tois ethnesi tois hypokatō tou ouranou. Tauta gar, phēsin, eis tēn tōn anthrōpōn chreian kateskeuasen ho Poiētēs; mē toinyn hypolabę̄s theous tous hypo tou Theou tōn holōn aphoristhentas hōste tais chreiais tōn anthrōpōn diakonein. Houtō gar kai hoi loipoi hērmēneusan; "Atina diekosmēsen ho Theos sou eis tous laous hyph᾽ holon ton ouranon. Eita dedittetai autous tais apeilais, hōs ei tolmēsaien ton theion parabēnai nomon, kai tinos tōn ontōn homoiōma kataskeuasai kai theopoiēsai, eis pasan autous diasperei tēn gēn, kai hōs douleuontes tois pseudōnymois theois proskynēsousin. Epeita palin apo synkriseōs deiknysi to pantodynamon tou Theou. Eperōtēsate gar, phēsin, hēmeras tas archaias tas genomenas proteras sou, apo tēs hēmeras hēs ektisen ho Theos ton anthrōpon epi tēs gēs, kai epi to akron tou ouranou heōs akrou tou ouranou ei gegone kata to rhēma touto, ei ēkousate toiouton, ei akēkoen ethnos phōnēn Theou zōntos lalountos ek mesou tou pyros, hon tropon akēkoas sy͵ kai ezēsas. Ephē de kai hopōs autous hēleutherōse tēs pikras tōn Aigyptiōn douleias. Synechōs mentoi didaskei autous, kai hōs ouranothen autois ho tōn holōn dielechthē Theos, kai ek mesou tou pyros phōnę̄ kechrēmenos nenomothetēken, hina mēdemian eikona kataskeuasōsi tou aoratou Theou. Didaskei de kai hōs pampan amēchanon theian eikona kataskeuasai; ou gar monon aoraton echei tēn physin, alla kai pampan aperigraphon. Kyrios gar, phēsin, ho Theos sou, houtos Theos en tǭ ouranǭ anō, kai epi tēs gēs katō kai ouk esti plēn autou. Isteon mentoi, hōs ouk en hēmerą mią tauta panta ho prophētēs tǭ laǭ dielechthē, all᾽ en pollais autois hēmerais tēn didaskalian prosēnenken. Hothen pollakis tous autous logous anakykloi, hina tę̄ synecheią pagian tēn mnēmēn ergasētai. Autika goun meta tēn dialexin tautēn, ta peri tōn poleōn historēsen eis has katapheugein tous akousiois peripeptōkotas phonois ekeleusen. Eita edidaxen hoti palin synēthroise ton laon, kai tōn theosdotōn anemnēse nomōn; kai hoti ouch heteron dedōke nomon, alla ton proteron ekpaideuei tous tēs nomothesias ekeinēs dia to tēs hēlikias ateles epakousai mē dynēthentas, auta didaxei tou prophētou ta rhēmata. «Kyrios gar, phēsin, ho Theos hymōn dietheto pros hymas diathēkēn en Chōrēb. Ouchi tois patrasin hymōn dietheto Kyrios tēn diathēkēn tautēn, alla pros hymas. Epeidē gar ekeinoi parabantes diōlonto, toutois de tēn tois patrasin epēngelmenēn edidou gēn; toutois ephē ton nomon dedosthai. Eita legei tas entolas, hōn ton noun aneptyxamen tēn Exodon hermēneuontes - edeixe de kantautha ton tēs argias tou Sabbatou skopon. Ephē gar, «Hina anapausētai ho pais kai hē paidiskē sou, kai to hypozygion sou. Kathaper, phēsi, sy toutōn apolaueis diapantos, houtōs hapax goun apolausatōsan en tais hepta tēs hebdomados hēmerais hoi therapontes, kai hai therapainai, kai ta hypozygia. Epeita tę̄ mnēmę̄ tēs en Aigyptǭ douleias tēn sympatheian pragmateuetai; Hoti oiketēs, phēsin, ēstha en Aigyptǭ, kai exēgage se Kyrios ekeithen en cheiri krataią, kai en brachioni hypsēlǭ; dia touto synetaxe Kyrios ho Theos sou, hōste phylattesthai se tēn hēmeran tōn Sabbatōn, kai hagiazein autēn. Tę̄ peirą memathēkas to tēs douleias pikron; ekeinōn anamimnēskomenos, ēmeros genou tois hypēkoois, kai praos, kai hēs apolaueis anapaulēs diēnekōs, ho pais sou metados toutois en tę̄ hebdomę̄ tēs hebdomados hēmerą; En de tois meta tauta to pneumatikon ouk apēgoreusen ergon. Ephē gar; Pan ergon latreuton ou poiēsete, plēn hosa poiēthēsetai epi tę̄ psychę̄, hoion anagnōseis theiōn logiōn akroaseis, psalmǭdias, hierourgias kai ta toutois prosomoia.
Why was the lawgiver's fifth book called Deuteronomy? God the Master, having brought the people out of Egypt, gave them on Mount Sinai the law by which they were to live. Then in the second year he ordered them to take the land he had promised to give their forefathers. When they refused and would not do this, he swore that he would give that land to none of those counted by the lawgiver, but would consume them all in the wilderness. When forty years had passed, then, and they had perished according to the divine sentence, he ordered their children to be counted, who were of the same age as their fathers when they were counted. About to bring these into the land he had promised, God teaches them through the prophet the law he had given to their lawless fathers. Deuteronomy, then, contains a recapitulation of what was legislated and done in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers; and it states the time and the place at which, and in which, he offered this teaching to the new generation: “Beyond the Jordan,” it says, “in the wilderness, toward the west, in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, after he had struck Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan.” And that he did not give a second law but recalls the former legislation the very opening of the book teaches: “Moses began,” it says, “to explain this law, saying, The Lord our God spoke to us at Horeb.” Then, having said how he commanded them to go in and inherit the land, he added what he had said at that time: “I alone cannot govern so many tens of thousands, and therefore I appointed,” he says, “commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,” to have them as partners in the government. He recalled these words because he had appointed Joshua son of Nun as successor to the leadership, teaching that even while still alive he had entrusted the care of the people to others, and that they must obey this man readily too and do what he commanded. He reminds them how God ordered them to take the land he had promised; how they themselves asked that spies be sent first; and that when these returned and reported about the land they did not believe the God who had saved them and would not take the land, so that God the Master was angry and pronounced sentence against all those tens of thousands, that none of them would enter that land except Caleb son of Jephunneh: “He,” he says, “shall see it, and to him I will give the land on which he trod, and to his sons, because he followed fully what pertains to the Lord.” He mentioned him alone, and appointed Joshua as ruler, general and prophet; this is what follows shows. For he said, “The Lord was angry with me too because of you,” that is: when you threw me into confusion I did not carry out the divine command as I should, and for this reason I have been prevented from bringing you into that land. And he recalled what God had said to him: “Joshua the son of Nun, who stands by you, he shall go in there; strengthen him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.” He says this to teach them that the general had received his appointment from God, so that they would not rebel again over the leadership. He relates to them how afterwards, repenting, they wished to fight the Canaanites; how God prevented them; and that, behaving insolently and going up against the divine command, they were defeated and came back; and how much time they spent in the wilderness, wandering through that impassable and waterless land; what they said to the Edomites and the Moabites without receiving friendly answers; and how they utterly destroyed Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, with their whole army and the inhabitants of the cities and villages. He also told of the size of Og's body: “For Og's bed,” he says, “was of iron, nine cubits its length and four cubits its breadth.” Then he exhorted and counselled them to keep carefully the commandments of the Master: “Hear,” he says, “the statutes and the judgments which I teach you today to do, that you may live, and go in and inherit the land which the Lord God of your fathers gives you.” Then, of necessity, he brings up the memory of Baal of Peor, and of those who perished in the wilderness because of that impiety. Then, by contrast, he displays the divine benefits: “For what great nation is there,” he says, “that has a god drawing near to them, as the Lord our God is in all things in which we call upon him?” He commands them not only to keep God's laws themselves, but also to bring up their children and descendants in piety and to train them in the divine commandments from childhood. Then he reminded them again how the God of all appeared to them, uttering words through fire but showing no form. For he said this: “You heard the sound of words out of the midst of the fire, and you saw no likeness, only a voice.” He says this to train them not to fashion any image, nor ever to try to make a divine likeness, since they had not seen the form of the archetype. Hence he added again: “Do not act lawlessly and make for yourselves a carved likeness, any image, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any beast on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies under heaven, the likeness of any reptile that creeps on the earth, the likeness of any fish in the waters under the earth.” God made all these things, he means, for your use; it is therefore utter folly to deify the images of what is subject to you. He added this too: “Lest, looking up to heaven and seeing the sun and the moon and all the ornament of heaven, you be led astray and worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has allotted to all the nations under heaven.” For the Maker, he means, fashioned these for the use of human beings; do not suppose, then, that those which the God of all has set apart to serve human needs are gods. So the other translators also rendered it: “which your God has arranged for the peoples under the whole heaven.” Then he frightens them with threats: if they dare to transgress the divine law, and to make a likeness of any created thing and deify it, he will scatter them over the whole earth, and as slaves they will worship the falsely named gods. Then again, by comparison, he shows God's almighty power: “Ask,” he says, “of the former days that were before you, from the day when God created man on the earth, and from one end of heaven to the other, whether anything has happened like this word, whether you have heard of such a thing, whether a nation has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and lived.” He also told how he freed them from the bitter slavery of the Egyptians. He teaches them continually that the God of all spoke to them from heaven and legislated using a voice from the midst of the fire, so that they would make no image of the invisible God. He also teaches that it is altogether impossible to make a divine image, for his nature is not only invisible but altogether uncircumscribed: “For the Lord your God,” he says, “he is God in heaven above and on the earth below, and there is no other besides him.” It must be known, however, that the prophet did not say all these things to the people on one day, but gave them the teaching over many days. Hence he often repeats the same words, so as to make the memory firm by repetition. Immediately after this address, for example, he recorded the matter of the cities to which he commanded those who had fallen into involuntary killing to flee. Then he related that he gathered the people again and reminded them of the God-given laws. And that he did not give another law, but instructs in the former law those who because of their immaturity of age could not hear that legislation, the prophet's very words teach: “For the Lord your God,” he says, “made a covenant with you at Horeb. Not with your fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with you.” For since those had transgressed and perished, and he was giving these the land promised to the fathers, he said that the law had been given to these. Then he states the commandments, whose meaning we unfolded when interpreting Exodus. Here too he showed the purpose of the Sabbath rest. For he said, “So that your manservant and your maidservant and your beast of burden may rest.” As you enjoy these things always, he means, so at least once in the seven days of the week let the menservants and maidservants and beasts of burden enjoy them. Then by the memory of the slavery in Egypt he works for compassion: “Because you were a household slave in Egypt,” he says, “and the Lord brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an uplifted arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day and to sanctify it.” You have learned by experience the bitterness of slavery; remembering it, be gentle and mild to those subject to you, and give them a share, on the seventh day of the week, of the rest you enjoy continually. In what follows, however, he did not forbid spiritual work. For he said, “You shall do no work of service, except what is done for the soul,” such as readings, hearing the divine oracles, psalmody, sacred rites, and things like these.
Deut 1:1–5 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 1:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 1:9–15 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 1:22–35 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 1:36 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 1:37–38 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 1:41–46 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 2:1–3:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 3:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 4:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 4:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 4:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 4:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 4:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 4:16–18 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 4:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 4:25–28 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 4:32–33 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 4:39 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 4:41–43 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 5:2–3 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 5:14–15 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 12:16 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Deuteronomy is not a second law but Moses' recapitulation of the law for the new generation; Theodoret surveys Deut 1–5, stressing the ban on images and the humane purpose of the Sabbath.
- A long survey of Deut 1:1–5:15. Quotations: Deut 1:1–5; 1:9, 15; 1:36; 1:37–38; 3:11; 4:1; 4:7; 4:12; 4:16–18; 4:19; 4:32–33; 4:39; 5:2–3; 5:14–15. “The other translators” are Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion. The last quotation, “except what is done for the soul”, is Exod 12:16 (Septuagint). In the edition several lines of this section are displaced (parts of Deut 4:32 printed inside 4:39, and part of Deut 5:3 printed earlier) and marginal catchwords are mixed into the text; the displaced words are put back and the catchwords removed (logged). The sentence beginning “And that he did not give another law” is loosely constructed in the Greek and is translated by sense. The section ends with a stray letter, removed; nothing seems lost.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter lost; displaced line (Deut 4:32) moved back to its place; displaced line (Deut 5:3) moved back to its place; displaced line (Deut 5:3) restored to its place; marginal catchwords removed; displaced line of the Deut 4:32 quotation restored to its place; split word; stray letter; stray letters): γῆς, ἀνατρέφειν. εἶτα ἐπάγει, ὡς ὁ τῶν ὅλων αὐτοῖς ἐπέφανε Θεός. ἀφιείς. ἡμετέραν. καὶ λατρ. νοῦ εἰ γέγονε → γῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἕως ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰ γέγονε; ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἕως ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρα- κάτω → ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κάτω; Ιστέον μένΟὐχὶ τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν διέθετο Κύριος τὴν διαθήτοι, ὡς → Ἰστέον μέντοι, ὡς; ἐν Χωρήβ. κην ταύτην, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς. → ἐν Χωρήβ. Οὐχὶ τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν διέθετο Κύριος τὴν διαθήκην ταύτην, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὑμᾶς.; νομοθέτου σε δώσειν → νομοθέτου δώσειν; ἑκα τοντάρχους → ἑκατοντάρχους; ἔταξεν σε ὡς → ἔταξεν ὡς; σρατηγὸν → στρατηγὸν; αὐ– τοὺς → αὐτοὺς; Διηγεί ται → Διηγεῖται; κεχρη, μένος → κεχρημένος; προσόμοια σ → προσόμοια..
Topics: Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.1 (PG 80 80:401; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.2PG 80 80:409
Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, «῎Ακουε, Ἰσραὴλ, Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, Κύριος εἰς ἐστιν; Πολλάκις εἰρήκαμεν, ὅτι τὸ Κύριος καὶ Θεὸς, τῆς θείας ἐστὶ φύσεως οὐ τῆς τῶν προσώπων διαιρέσεως δηλωτικά· ὁ δὲ Πατήρ, καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, τῶν ἰδιοτήτων σημαντικά. ᾿Αλλά τοῖς ἀτελέσιν Ἰουδαίοις τὴν ἀκριβῆ θεολογίαν προσενεχθῆναι οὐχ οἷόν τε ἦν· ταύτην γὰρ ἂν πολυθεῖας ἀφορμὴν ἐποιήσαντο. Οὗ δὴ χάριν μοναδικῶς τὸ θεῖον ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ προφέρεται ὄνομα ἔχει δὲ ὅμως τὰ τῆς Τριάδος αἰνίγματα. Τὸ γὰρ, Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου Κύριος εἷς ἐστι, καὶ τὸ τῆς οὐσίας διδάσκει μοναδικὸν, καὶ παραδηλοῖ τῶν προσώπων τὸν ἀριθμόν· ἅπαξ γὰρ τὸ Θεὸς, δὶς δὲ τὸ Κύριος τέθεικεν.
Pōs noēteon to, «᾿Akoue, Israēl, Kyrios ho Theos sou, Kyrios eis estin? Pollakis eirēkamen, hoti to Kyrios kai Theos, tēs theias esti physeōs ou tēs tōn prosōpōn diaireseōs dēlōtika; ho de Patēr, kai ho Huios, kai to Pneuma to hagion, tōn idiotētōn sēmantika. ᾿Alla tois atelesin Ioudaiois tēn akribē theologian prosenechthēnai ouch hoion te ēn; tautēn gar an polytheias aphormēn epoiēsanto. Hou dē charin monadikōs to theion en tę̄ Palaią propheretai onoma echei de homōs ta tēs Triados ainigmata. To gar, Kyrios ho Theos sou Kyrios heis esti, kai to tēs ousias didaskei monadikon, kai paradēloi tōn prosōpōn ton arithmon; hapax gar to Theos, dis de to Kyrios tetheiken.
How is “Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one” to be understood? We have said many times that “Lord” and “God” signify the divine nature, not the distinction of the persons, while “Father,” “Son” and “Holy Spirit” signify the properties. But it was not possible to offer exact theology to the immature Jews, for they would have made it an occasion of polytheism. For this reason the divine name is put forward in the Old Testament in the singular; yet it holds hints of the Trinity. For “The Lord your God, the Lord is one” both teaches the oneness of the being and indicates the number of the persons: for he has put “God” once and “Lord” twice.
Deut 6:4 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The Shema teaches the one divine nature while hinting at the three persons.
- Deut 6:4 (Septuagint). Theodoret's description of the Jews of Moses' time as “immature” is translated as written.
Topics: Trinity
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.2 (PG 80 80:409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.3PG 80 80:409
Τὸ, Ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, πῶς νοητέον Σαφῶς ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος ἐδίδαξεν, ὅτι οὐδεὶς δυσὶ Κυρίοις δουλεύειν δύναται. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν διδασκόμεθα μὴ μερίζειν τὴν ἀγάπην εἰς Θεὸν καὶ χρυσὸν, εἰς Θεὸν καὶ γυναῖκα εἰς Θεὸν καὶ παῖδας, εἰς Θεὸν καὶ φίλους ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν τῆς ἀγάπης τὴν δύναμιν ἀφιεροῦν τῷ πεποιηκότι Θεῷ, μετὰ δὲ γε τὸν ποιητὴν, ἀπονέμειν ἑκάστῳ τὰ πρόσφορα, καὶ γονεῦσι δὲ, καὶ γυναικὶ καὶ παισὶ, καὶ ἀδελφοῖς, καὶ φίλοις. Τῆς γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγάπης καὶ τὸ ταῦτα πληροῦν. Ὁ ἀγαπῶν με γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰς ἐντολάς μου πληρώσει. Αἱ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντολαὶ περὶ τούτων διαγορεύουσιν.
To, Agapēseis Kyrion ton Theon ex holēs tēs kardias sou, kai ta hexēs, pōs noēteon Saphōs hēmas ho Kyrios edidaxen, hoti oudeis dysi Kyriois douleuein dynatai. Kai entautha toinyn didaskometha mē merizein tēn agapēn eis Theon kai chryson, eis Theon kai gynaika eis Theon kai paidas, eis Theon kai philous alla pasan tēs agapēs tēn dynamin aphieroun tǭ pepoiēkoti Theǭ, meta de ge ton poiētēn, aponemein hekastǭ ta prosphora, kai goneusi de, kai gynaiki kai paisi, kai adelphois, kai philois. Tēs gar tou Theou agapēs kai to tauta plēroun. Ho agapōn me gar, phēsi, tas entolas mou plērōsei. Hai de tou Theou entolai peri toutōn diagoreuousin.
How is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,” and what follows, to be understood? The Lord taught us clearly that no one can serve two masters. Here too, then, we are taught not to divide our love between God and gold, God and a wife, God and children, God and friends, but to consecrate the whole power of love to God who made us, and after the Maker to give each their due: parents, wife, children, brothers and friends. For fulfilling these duties too belongs to the love of God: “For whoever loves me,” he says, “will keep my commandments.” And God's commandments give directions about these.
Deut 6:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:24 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:15 (quotation, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Loving God with the whole heart means giving him undivided love and loving others in due order under him.
- The question is intact; the edition prints it with the question mark missing. Deut 6:5; Matt 6:24; John 14:15, 21 (paraphrased).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (footnote marker; stray mark and lost breathing): Τὸ, - Αγαπήσεις → Τὸ, Ἀγαπήσεις; πληρώσει *. → πληρώσει..
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.3 (PG 80 80:409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.4PG 80 80:409
Τι δήποτε κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀμνύναι διαγορεύει ὁ νόμος; ἵνα μὴ κατὰ τῶν ψευδωνύμων ὀμνύωσι θεῶν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου ἔφη· Ἐὰν ἐξάρῃς τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν Βααλεὶμ ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου, καὶ ὀμόσῃς, Ζῇ Κύριος, μετὰ ἀληθείας. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα δὲ εἰρηκὼς, Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου φοβηθήσῃ, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν κολληθήσῃ, καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ὀμῇ, ἐπήγαγεν· Οὐ πορεύσεσθε ὀπίσω Θεῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἀπὸ τῶν Θεῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν περικύκλῳ ὑμῶν.»
Ti dēpote kata tou Theou omnynai diagoreuei ho nomos? hina mē kata tōn pseudōnymōn omnyōsi theōn. Touto gar kai dia tou prophētou ephē; Ean exarę̄s ta onomata tōn Baaleim ek tou stomatos sou, kai omosę̄s, Zę̄ Kyrios, meta alētheias. Kai entautha de eirēkōs, Kyrion ton Theon sou phobēthēsę̄, kai autǭ monǭ latreuseis kai pros auton kollēthēsę̄, kai tǭ onomati autou omę̄, epēgagen; Ou poreusesthe opisō Theōn allotriōn apo tōn Theōn tōn ethnōn tōn perikyklǭ hymōn.»
Why does the law direct them to swear by God? So that they would not swear by the falsely named gods. For he said this through the prophet too: “If you remove the names of the Baals from your mouth, and swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth.” And here too, having said, “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve him alone, and cleave to him, and swear by his name,” he added: “You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the nations around you.”
Hos 2:17 (2:19 LXX) (quotation, medium confidence) · Jer 4:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 6:13–14 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 10:20 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Oaths in God's name were commanded so that Israel would not swear by idols.
- Hos 2:17 combined with Jer 4:2; Deut 6:13–14 (Septuagint, with “cleave to him” from 10:20).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word): ἐξα άρῃς → ἐξάρῃς.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.4 (PG 80 80:409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.5PG 80 80:411
Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου; Ὁ Κύριος αὐτὸ ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ἡρμήνευσε. Τοῦ γὰρ διαβόλου εἰρηκότος, Βάλε σεαυτὸν ἄνωθεν κάτω εἶπεν· Οὐκ ἐκπειράσῃς Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου. Ἐκπειράζει δὲ τὸν Θεὸν ὁ δίχα λογισμοῦ ῥιψοκινδύνως τι πράττων.
Pōs noēteon to, Ouk ekpeiraseis Kyrion ton Theon sou? Ho Kyrios auto en tois hierois Euangeliois hērmēneuse. Tou gar diabolou eirēkotos, Bale seauton anōthen katō eipen; Ouk ekpeirasę̄s Kyrion ton Theon sou. Ekpeirazei de ton Theon ho dicha logismou rhipsokindynōs ti prattōn.
How is “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” to be understood? The Lord explained it in the holy Gospels. For when the devil said, “Throw yourself down,” he said, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” The one who does something recklessly, without reason, puts God to the test.
Deut 6:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 4:6–7 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Testing God means acting recklessly and without reason.
- Deut 6:16; Matt 4:6–7.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word; stray marks): σου ; , Ὁ → σου; Ὁ; λογι σμοῦ → λογισμοῦ.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.5 (PG 80 80:411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-5
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-5-5) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.6PG 80 80:411
Τί δήποτε ἀπαγορεύει ὁ νόμος τὰς πρὸς τοὺς ὁμόρους ἀλλοφύλους ἐπιγαμβρίας; Οὐ δεῖται σαφηνείας ὁ νόμος· ἑαυτὸν γὰρ ἑρμηνεύει. Ἔφη γὰρ, Ὅτι ἀποστήσουσι τὸν υἱόν σου ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ λατρεύσει θεοῖς ἑτέροις.» ᾿Αναγκαίως μέντοι καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν αὐτοὺς τῆς θείας διδάσκει κηδεμονίας Οὐ γὰρ διὰ τὸ πλείους εἶναι, φησὶ, τῶν ἐθνῶν προέκρινεν ὑμᾶς ὁ Θεός· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν τῶν προγόνων εὐσέβειαν, καὶ τὴν γεγενημένην πρὸς ἐκείνους ὑπόσχεσιν. Εἶτα τὸ ἀληθὲς αὐτοῦ δεικνὺς, ἐπήγαγεν· Ὁ Θεὸς πιστὸς φυλάσσων διαθήκην καὶ ἔλεον τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν, καὶ τοῖς φυλάσσουσι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, εἰς χιλίας γενεάς. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἀτελεῖς ἦσαν, καὶ τροφῆς γαλακτώδους ἐδέοντο, καὶ ἀκούειν περὶ τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν οὐκ ἐδύναντο· ὑπισχνεῖται αὐτοῖς πολυγονίαν, καὶ γῆς εὐκαρπίαν, καὶ ποιμνίων καὶ βουκολίων εὐεξίαν, καὶ σωμάτων ὑγείαν, καὶ τὴν ἐν πολέμοις νίκην, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα Ἔπειτα πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἀνέμνησε τῆς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ διαγωγῆς, καὶ τὰς ταύτης αἰτίας ἐδίδαξεν Ἐκάκωσε γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ἐλιμαγχόνησέ σε· καὶ ἐψώμισέ σε τὸ μάννα, ἵνα ἀναγγείλῃ σοι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος Θεοῦ Διὰ μέντοι τούτων καὶ ἡμεῖς παιδευόμεθα μὴ δυσχεραίνειν δυσκολίαις τισὶ περιπεσόντες, ἀλλὰ στέργειν τὰς θείας οἰκονομίας, καὶ προσμένειν τὴν λύσιν τῶν πειρασμῶν. Ἐπιδείκνυσι δὲ καὶ τὰς ἄλλας εὐεργεσίας· Τὰ ἱμάτιά σου οὐ κατετρίβη ἀπὸ σοῦ, οἱ πόδες σου οὐκ ἐτυλώθησαν, ἰδοὺ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη. Καὶ γνώσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι ὡς εἴτις παιδεύσαι ἄνθρωπος τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, οὕτως Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου παιδεύσει σε, καὶ φυλάξεις τὰς ἐντολὰς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, πορεύεσθαι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ φοβεῖσθαι αὐτόν. Μετὰ τὸν πειρασμὸν ἡ παράκλησις· μετὰ τῆς παιδείας ἡ ψυχαγωγία· λιμὸς καὶ τροφή όδοιπορίας πόνος καὶ σώματος εὐπάθεια, σπάνις ἀναγκαίων καὶ τῶν ἀφθάρτων ἱματίων καὶ ὑποδημάτων τὸ διαρκές. Εἶτα παραινεῖ νικῶντας μὴ τῇ οἰκείᾳ ῥώμῃ τὴν νίκην ἐπιγράφειν, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἐπικούρῳ καὶ προμάχῳ Θεῷ
Ti dēpote apagoreuei ho nomos tas pros tous homorous allophylous epigambrias? Ou deitai saphēneias ho nomos; heauton gar hermēneuei. Ephē gar, Hoti apostēsousi ton huion sou ap᾿ emou, kai latreusei theois heterois.» ᾿Anankaiōs mentoi kai tēn aitian autous tēs theias didaskei kēdemonias Ou gar dia to pleious einai, phēsi, tōn ethnōn proekrinen hymas ho Theos; alla dia tēn tōn progonōn eusebeian, kai tēn gegenēmenēn pros ekeinous hyposchesin. Eita to alēthes autou deiknys, epēgagen; Ho Theos pistos phylassōn diathēkēn kai eleon tois agapōsin auton, kai tois phylassousi tas entolas autou, eis chilias geneas. Kai epeidē ateleis ēsan, kai trophēs galaktōdous edeonto, kai akouein peri tōn aiōniōn agathōn ouk edynanto; hypischneitai autois polygonian, kai gēs eukarpian, kai poimniōn kai boukoliōn euexian, kai sōmatōn hygeian, kai tēn en polemois nikēn, kai hosa toiauta Epeita palin autous anemnēse tēs en tę̄ erēmǭ diagōgēs, kai tas tautēs aitias edidaxen Ekakōse gar, phēsi, kai elimanchonēse se; kai epsōmise se to manna, hina anangeilę̄ soi, hoti ouk ep᾿ artǭ monǭ zēsetai anthrōpos, all᾽ epi panti rhēmati ekporeuomenǭ dia stomatos Theou Dia mentoi toutōn kai hēmeis paideuometha mē dyscherainein dyskoliais tisi peripesontes, alla stergein tas theias oikonomias, kai prosmenein tēn lysin tōn peirasmōn. Epideiknysi de kai tas allas euergesias; Ta himatia sou ou katetribē apo sou, hoi podes sou ouk etylōthēsan, idou tessarakonta etē. Kai gnōsę̄ tę̄ kardią sou, hoti hōs eitis paideusai anthrōpos ton huion autou, houtōs Kyrios ho Theos sou paideusei se, kai phylaxeis tas entolas Kyriou tou Theou sou, poreuesthai en pasais tais hodois autou, kai phobeisthai auton. Meta ton peirasmon hē paraklēsis; meta tēs paideias hē psychagōgia; limos kai trophē odoiporias ponos kai sōmatos eupatheia, spanis anankaiōn kai tōn aphthartōn himatiōn kai hypodēmatōn to diarkes. Eita parainei nikōntas mē tę̄ oikeią rhōmę̄ tēn nikēn epigraphein, alla tǭ epikourǭ kai promachǭ Theǭ
Why does the law forbid intermarriage with the neighbouring foreign peoples? The law needs no explanation; it interprets itself. For it said, “Because they will turn your son away from me, and he will serve other gods.” Of necessity, however, it also teaches them the reason for God's care: God preferred you, he says, not because you are more numerous than the nations, but because of your forefathers' piety and the promise made to them. Then, showing his truthfulness, he added: “God is faithful, keeping covenant and mercy with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” And since they were immature and needed milky food and could not hear about eternal goods, he promises them many offspring, fruitful land, thriving flocks and herds, bodily health, victory in war, and all such things. Then again he reminded them of their life in the wilderness and taught the reasons for it: “For he afflicted you,” he says, “and let you hunger, and fed you with manna, to make known to you that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.” Through this we too are trained not to be vexed when we fall into difficulties, but to accept the divine dispensations and to wait for the end of the trials. He also points out the other benefits: “Your garments were not worn out on you, your feet were not calloused; behold, forty years. And you shall know in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God will discipline you; and you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and to fear him.” After the trial comes the consolation, after the discipline the comfort: hunger and food, the toil of the journey and the body's well-being, want of necessities and the endurance of garments and sandals that did not wear out. Then he urges them, when they win, not to ascribe the victory to their own strength but to God, their helper and champion.
Deut 7:3–4 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 7:7–8 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 7:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 7:12–15 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 8:2–3 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 8:4–6 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 8:17–18 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 5:12 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Intermarriage with the nations was forbidden lest Israel turn to idols; God chose Israel for the fathers' sake and trained them in the wilderness as a father trains a son.
- Deut 7:3–4; 7:7–8; 7:9; 7:12–15; 8:2–5; 8:17–18 (Septuagint). In the edition part of Deut 8:4–5 is printed at the start of the answer, out of place, with catchwords from the margin; the displaced words are put back (logged). Theodoret's description of Israel as “immature” is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (displaced line of the Deut 8:4–5 quotation removed here and restored below; marginal catchwords removed; displaced line restored to its place; split word; stray mark): ἐπιγαμβρίας; – τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη. Καὶ γνώσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι Οὐ δεῖται → ἐπιγαμβρίας; Οὐ δεῖται; Ἐκάκωσε " γὰρ → Ἐκάκωσε γὰρ; οὐ κατ-ετρίβη το ἀπὸ σοῦ, οἱ πόδες σου οὐκ ἐτυλώθησαν, ἰδοὺ. ἐκάκωσέ σε. οὐκ ἀπετρίβη. ὡς εἴτις → οὐ κατετρίβη ἀπὸ σοῦ, οἱ πόδες σου οὐκ ἐτυλώθησαν, ἰδοὺ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη. Καὶ γνώσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι ὡς εἴτις; προ μάχῳ → προμάχῳ.
Topics: Marriage
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.6 (PG 80 80:411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-6
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-5-6) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.7PG 80 80:413
Τίνας λέγει υἱοὺς Ἐνάκ, Απόγονοι γιγάντων ἦσαν, ὡς ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει, Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη· Λαὸν πολὺν καὶ εὐμήκη, υἱοὺς Ἐνὰκ, οὓς σὺ οἶσθα καὶ σὺ ἀκήκοας τίς ἀντιστήσεται κατὰ πρόσωπον υἱῶν Ἐνάκ; Τὸ δὲ, Σὺ οἶσθα καὶ ἀκήκοας, τέθεικε, τῶν λόγων ἀναμιμνήσκων τῶν ἐκείνων κατασκοπησάντων τὴν γῆν. Ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ ἔλεγον, ὅτι Ἦμεν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ ἀκρίδες. Οὕτω τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ ῥώμῃ καταστείλας τύφον, διδάσκει αὐτοὺς μηδὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς κατορθώμασι μέγα φρονεῖν. Μὴ εἴπῃς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι Διὰ τὰς δικαιοσύνας μου εἰσήγαγέ με Κύριος κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν τὴν ἀγαθὴν ταύτην. Διὰ γὰρ τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῶν ἐθνῶν τούτων, Κύριος ἐξολοθρεύσει αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ προσώπου σου, οὐχὶ διὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου, οὐδὲ διὰ τὴν ὁσιότητα τῆς καρδίας σου σὺ εἰσπορεύῃ κληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν. Ταῦτα δὲ ἔφη, δύο κατὰ ταυτὸν πραγματευόμενος καὶ μετριάζειν διδάσκων αὐτοὺς, καὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βοηθείᾳ τὸ πᾶν ἐπιγράφειν· καὶ προλέγων, ὡς τὰ παραπλήσια πείσονται τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐκείνοις, εἰ τὰ ὅμοια δράσαιεν. Εἰς καιρὸν δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ παρανομηθέντων ἀνέμνησε, τὸν λόγον ἐκεῖνον κρατύνων, ὡς οὐ διὰ δικαιοσύνας αὐτῶν κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν· Μνήσθητι γὰρ ἔφη, καὶ μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ, ὅσα παρώξυνας Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. Ἤγαγε δὲ εἰς μέσον καὶ νῦν τὴν τοῦ μόσχου λατρείαν· καὶ ὅτι διὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἀσέβειαν τὰς θεοσδότους συνέτριψε πλάκας· καὶ ὡς σπουδαίαν ἱκετείαν προσενεγκὼν ἱλεώσατο τὸν Θεὸν μάλα καὶ αὐτοῖς καὶ τῷ ᾿Ααρὼν ὀργιζόμενον· Ἐπὶ Ἀαρὼν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐθυμώθη Κύριος σφόδρα έξολοθρεῦσαι αὐτὸν, καὶ ηὐξάμην περὶ ᾿Ααρὼν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ. Οὕτω καὶ τὰ ἄλλα γεγενημένα διεξελθών φησι· Καὶ νῦν, Ἰσραὴλ, τί Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αἰτεῖ παρὰ σοῦ, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ φοβεῖσθαι Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν σου, καὶ πορεύεσθαι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ, λατρεύειν Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου; Καὶ ἵνα μὴ τοπάσωσι τὸν Θεὸν ταῦτα νομοθετεῖν, ὡς θυμάτων δεόμενον, ἐπήγαγεν· Ἰδοὺ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου ὁ οὐρανὸς, καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἡ γῆ, καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτοῖς πλὴν τοὺς πατέρας ὑμῶν προείλετο Κύριος ἀγαπᾶν αὐτούς· καὶ ἐξελέξατο τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν μετ᾿ αὐτοὺς, ὑμᾶς παρὰ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη. Διδασκόμεθα δὲ διὰ τούτων, ὡς ἀπολαύουσι παῖδες ἀγαθῶν διὰ τὴν τῶν προγόνων εὐσέβειαν. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ καὶ ποία περιτομὴ τῷ Θεῷ προσφιλής· Περιτεμεῖσθε γὰρ, ἔφη, τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν, καὶ τὸν τράχηλον ὑμῶν οὐ σκληρυνεῖτε ἔτι. Καὶ ταῦτα ἐλέγετο τοῖς μηδέπω τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν περιτμηθεῖσιν Ἰησοῦς γὰρ ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ μετὰ τὸ διαβῆναι τὸν Ἰορδάνην ἐν Γαλγάλοις αὐτοὺς περιέτεμεν. Ἀλλ᾿ ὅμως καὶ ἀπεριτμήτοις οὖσιν οὐκ ἐκέλευσε τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν περιτμηθῆναι, ἀλλὰ τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν καὶ τὸν τράχηλον τὸν σκληρόν. Τοιγάρτοι τιμιωτέρα ἡ τῆς καρδίας περιτομή. Ταύτην δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν κατηγορίαν διὰ Ἱερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς ἐποιήσατο. Πάντα γὰρ, ἔφη, τὰ ἔθνη ἀπερίτμητα σαρκὶ, ὁ δὲ οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ, ἀπερίτμητοι καρδίαι αὐτῶν.
Tinas legei huious Enak, Apogonoi gigantōn ēsan, hōs hē historia didaskei, Touto gar ephē; Laon polyn kai eumēkē, huious Enak, hous sy oistha kai sy akēkoas tis antistēsetai kata prosōpon huiōn Enak? To de, Sy oistha kai akēkoas, tetheike, tōn logōn anamimnēskōn tōn ekeinōn kataskopēsantōn tēn gēn. Ekeinoi gar elegon, hoti Ēmen enōpion autōn hōsei akrides. Houtō ton epi tę̄ rhōmę̄ katasteilas typhon, didaskei autous mēde epi tois tēs psychēs katorthōmasi mega phronein. Mē eipę̄s gar, phēsin, en tę̄ kardią sou, hoti Dia tas dikaiosynas mou eisēgage me Kyrios klēronomēsai tēn gēn tēn agathēn tautēn. Dia gar tēn asebeian tōn ethnōn toutōn, Kyrios exolothreusei autous apo prosōpou sou, ouchi dia tēn dikaiosynēn sou, oude dia tēn hosiotēta tēs kardias sou sy eisporeuę̄ klēronomēsai tēn gēn. Tauta de ephē, dyo kata tauton pragmateuomenos kai metriazein didaskōn autous, kai tę̄ tou Theou boētheią to pan epigraphein; kai prolegōn, hōs ta paraplēsia peisontai tois ethnesin ekeinois, ei ta homoia drasaien. Eis kairon de kai tōn en tę̄ erēmǭ paranomēthentōn anemnēse, ton logon ekeinon kratynōn, hōs ou dia dikaiosynas autōn klēronomēsousi tēn gēn; Mnēsthēti gar ephē, kai mē epilathę̄, hosa parōxynas Kyrion ton Theon sou en tę̄ erēmǭ. Ēgage de eis meson kai nyn tēn tou moschou latreian; kai hoti dia tēn ekeinōn asebeian tas theosdotous synetripse plakas; kai hōs spoudaian hiketeian prosenenkōn hileōsato ton Theon mala kai autois kai tǭ ᾿Aarōn orgizomenon; Epi Aarōn gar, phēsin, ethymōthē Kyrios sphodra exolothreusai auton, kai ēuxamēn peri ᾿Aarōn en tǭ kairǭ ekeinǭ. Houtō kai ta alla gegenēmena diexelthōn phēsi; Kai nyn, Israēl, ti Kyrios ho Theos aitei para sou, all᾿ ē phobeisthai Kyrion ton Theon sou, kai poreuesthai en pasais tais entolais autou, latreuein Kyriǭ tǭ Theǭ sou ex holēs tēs kardias sou? Kai hina mē topasōsi ton Theon tauta nomothetein, hōs thymatōn deomenon, epēgagen; Idou Kyriou tou Theou sou ho ouranos, kai ho ouranos tou ouranou, kai hē gē, kai panta hosa estin en autois plēn tous pateras hymōn proeileto Kyrios agapan autous; kai exelexato to sperma autōn met᾿ autous, hymas para panta ta ethnē. Didaskometha de dia toutōn, hōs apolauousi paides agathōn dia tēn tōn progonōn eusebeian. Edidaxe de kai poia peritomē tǭ Theǭ prosphilēs; Peritemeisthe gar, ephē, tēn sklērokardian hymōn, kai ton trachēlon hymōn ou sklēryneite eti. Kai tauta elegeto tois mēdepō tēn akrobystian peritmētheisin Iēsous gar ho tou Nauē meta to diabēnai ton Iordanēn en Galgalois autous perietemen. All᾿ homōs kai aperitmētois ousin ouk ekeleuse tēn akrobystian peritmēthēnai, alla tēn sklērokardian kai ton trachēlon ton sklēron. Toigartoi timiōtera hē tēs kardias peritomē. Tautēn de autōn tēn katēgorian dia Hieremiou tou prophētou ho Despotēs Theos epoiēsato. Panta gar, ephē, ta ethnē aperitmēta sarki, ho de oikos Israēl, aperitmētoi kardiai autōn.
Whom does he call the sons of Anak? They were descendants of giants, as the history teaches. For he said this: “A people great and tall, sons of Anak, whom you know and of whom you have heard: who will stand against the sons of Anak?” He put “you know and have heard” to recall the words of those who spied out the land; for they said, “We were before them like locusts.” Having thus put down pride in strength, he teaches them not to think highly even of the achievements of the soul: “Do not say in your heart,” he says, “‘Because of my righteous deeds the Lord brought me in to inherit this good land.’ For because of the impiety of these nations the Lord will destroy them before you; not because of your righteousness, nor because of the holiness of your heart, do you go in to inherit the land.” He said this to do two things at once: to teach them moderation and to ascribe everything to God's help, and to foretell that they would suffer the same as those nations if they did the same. At the right moment he also reminded them of the transgressions in the wilderness, confirming the word that they would not inherit the land because of their righteousness: “Remember,” he said, “and do not forget how much you provoked the Lord your God in the wilderness.” And now he brought up the worship of the calf; and that because of their impiety he broke the God-given tablets; and how by offering earnest supplication he appeased God, who was very angry with them and with Aaron: “For the Lord was very angry with Aaron,” he says, “to destroy him, and I prayed for Aaron at that time.” Having gone through the other events in this way, he says: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord God ask of you, but to fear the Lord your God and walk in all his commandments, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart?” And so that they would not suppose God legislated these things because he needed victims, he added: “Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heaven, and the earth and all that is in them; yet the Lord chose your fathers to love them, and chose their seed after them, you, above all the nations.” We are taught by this that children enjoy good things because of their forefathers' piety. He also taught what kind of circumcision is dear to God: “Circumcise your hardness of heart,” he said, “and do not stiffen your neck any longer.” And this was said to those whose foreskin had not yet been circumcised, for Joshua son of Nun circumcised them at Gilgal after crossing the Jordan. Yet, though they were uncircumcised, he did not command the foreskin to be circumcised, but the hardness of heart and the stiff neck. The circumcision of the heart, therefore, is more precious. God the Master made this charge against them through the prophet Jeremiah: “For all the nations,” he said, “are uncircumcised in flesh, but the house of Israel are uncircumcised in their hearts.”
Deut 9:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 13:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 9:4–5 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 9:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 9:8–21 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 9:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 10:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 10:14–15 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 10:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Josh 5:2–9 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 9:26 (9:25 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The Anakim were giants; Moses humbles Israel's pride, recalls the golden calf, and teaches that God values circumcision of the heart above that of the flesh.
- The question is intact; the edition prints it without a question mark. Deut 9:2; Num 13:33; Deut 9:4–5, 7, 8–21, 20; 10:12, 14–15, 16 (Septuagint); Josh 5:2–9; Jer 9:26 (9:25 in the Septuagint). The polemical last sentence is Jeremiah's, quoted by Theodoret.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR punctuation; footnote marker; stray letter; stray letters): ἀκήκοας, ο τέθεικε → ἀκήκοας, τέθεικε; σπουδαίαν 8ε ἱκετείαν → σπουδαίαν ἱκετείαν; μετ᾿ αὐτοὺς. ὑμᾶς → μετ᾿ αὐτοὺς, ὑμᾶς; καρδίαι *" αὐτῶν → καρδίαι αὐτῶν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.7 (PG 80 80:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-7
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-5-7) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.8PG 80 80:415
Πῶς νοητέον, ῾Ὁ γὰρ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, οὗτος Θεὸς τῶν θεῶν, καὶ Κύριος τῶν κυρίων; Θεοὺς τοὺς κριτὰς ὀνομάζει Θεοὺς γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐ κακολογήσεις, καὶ ἄρχοντα τοῦ λαοῦ σου οὐκ ἐρεῖς κακῶς. Καὶ ἔνθα δὲ εἶπον οἱ Ἑβδομήκοντα, "Αξεις αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ κριτήριον, οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἀκύλαν καὶ τὸν Σύμμαχον· ῎Αξεις αὐτὸν πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς ἡρμήνευσαν, θεοὺς τοὺς κριτὰς ὀνομάσαντες. Τούτων αὐτὸν εἶπε θεῶν Θεόν οὐ γάρτοι τῶν ψευδωνύμων. Καὶ ἤδη δὲ διὰ πλειόνων ἡρμηνεύσαμεν ταῦτα.
Pōs noēteon, ῾Ho gar Kyrios ho Theos hymōn, houtos Theos tōn theōn, kai Kyrios tōn kyriōn? Theous tous kritas onomazei Theous gar, phēsin, ou kakologēseis, kai archonta tou laou sou ouk ereis kakōs. Kai entha de eipon hoi Hebdomēkonta, "Axeis auton eis to kritērion, hoi peri ton Akylan kai ton Symmachon; ᾿Axeis auton pros tous theous hērmēneusan, theous tous kritas onomasantes. Toutōn auton eipe theōn Theon ou gartoi tōn pseudōnymōn. Kai ēdē de dia pleionōn hērmēneusamen tauta.
How is “For the Lord your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords” to be understood? He calls the judges “gods”: “You shall not revile gods,” it says, “nor speak evil of a ruler of your people.” And where the Seventy said, “You shall bring him to the court,” Aquila and Symmachus rendered, “You shall bring him to the gods,” calling the judges gods. He said he was God of these gods, not of the falsely named ones. We have already explained this at greater length.
Deut 10:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 22:28 (22:27 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 21:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 22:8 (22:7 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: “God of gods” means God over human judges, whom Scripture calls gods.
- Deut 10:17; Exod 22:28 (22:27 in the Septuagint); Exod 21:6 (and 22:8–9), where the Septuagint has “court” and Aquila and Symmachus, second-century Greek translators, “the gods.”
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.8 (PG 80 80:415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-8
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-5-8) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.9PG 80 80:415
Πῶς νοητέον, «Οὐ ποιήσετε πάντα ἃ ἡμεῖς ποιοῦμεν ὧδε σήμερον ἕκαστον τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ; Ἐν πᾶσιν οἷς κατεσκήνωσαν τόποις, θυσίας προσήνεγκαν τῷ Δεσπότῃ Θεῷ, πρὶν μὲν τὴν σκηνὴν κατασκευάζεσθαι, ἐκ λίθων αὐτοφυῶν οἰκοδομοῦντες θυσιαστήρια, μετὰ δὲ τὴν ταύτης κατασκευὴν, ἐν ταύτῃ τὰς θείας λειτουργίας ἐπιτελοῦντες, οὐκ ἐν ἑνὶ μέντοι τόπῳ ταύτας ἐπετέλουν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἑκάστῳ σταθμῷ. Συνεχῶς γὰρ μετέβαινον. "Ατε δὴ τεσσαρακονταετῆ χρόνον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καταλύσαντες Απαγορεύει τοίνυν ἐν τῇ γῇ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὰ παραπλήσια δρᾶν, ἵνα μὴ πρόφασιν λάβωσι τοῖς ψευδωνύμοις θύειν θεοῖς. Παρεγγυᾷ δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῳ μόνῳ τῷ τόπῳ τὰς θείας ἐπιτελεῖν λειτουργίας, ὃν ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεός. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ τόπῳ καὶ θύειν καὶ εὐωχεῖσθαι παρακελεύεται· Ἔσται γάρ, φησὶν, ὁ τόπος, ὃν ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, ἐπικληθῆναι ἐκεῖ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, ἐκεῖ οἴσετε πάντα ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν σήμερον, τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ θυσιάσματα ὑμῶν τὰ ἐπιδέκατα ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ δόματα ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τὰ δὲ δόματα οἱ λοιποὶ τὰ ἑκούσια ἡρμήνευσαν τουτέστιν, Ὅσα ἂν ἑκόντες προσενεγκεῖν ἐθελήσητε Εἶτα ἀπαγορεύσας τὸ ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ τὰς θυσίας προσφέρειν, εἰ κρεῶν μεταλαβεῖν ἐπιθυμήσαιεν, μεταλαβεῖν συνεχώρησεν, ἐν αἷς κατοικοῦσι πόλεσι· τοῦ μὲν ἱερέως θύοντος, τοῦ δὲ αἵματος εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐκχεομένου· ἐκέλευσε δὲ καὶ τὸν ἀκάθαρτον σὺν τῷ καθαρῷ τῶν τοιούτων ἀδιαφόρως ἀπολαῦσαι κρεῶν· διδάσκων ὡς τὰ τοιαῦτα θύματα κοινά ἐστι, καὶ οὐ θεῖα. Τῶν γὰρ δὴ θυσιῶν οὐκ ἐξὸν ἦν τοῖς ἀκαθάρτοις μεταλαμβάνειν Ὅθεν εἰκότως ἐπήγαγεν· Φάγετε αὐτὸ ὡς δορκάδα ἢ ἔλαφον. Ταῦτα δὲ καθαρὰ μὲν ἦν, εἰς δὲ θυσίαν οὐ προσεφέρετο.
Pōs noēteon, «Ou poiēsete panta ha hēmeis poioumen hōde sēmeron hekaston to areston enōpion autou? En pasin hois kateskēnōsan topois, thysias prosēnenkan tǭ Despotę̄ Theǭ, prin men tēn skēnēn kataskeuazesthai, ek lithōn autophyōn oikodomountes thysiastēria, meta de tēn tautēs kataskeuēn, en tautę̄ tas theias leitourgias epitelountes, ouk en heni mentoi topǭ tautas epeteloun, all᾽ en hekastǭ stathmǭ. Synechōs gar metebainon. "Ate dē tessarakontaetē chronon en tę̄ erēmǭ katalysantes Apagoreuei toinyn en tę̄ gę̄ tēs epangelias ta paraplēsia dran, hina mē prophasin labōsi tois pseudōnymois thyein theois. Parengyą de en ekeinǭ monǭ tǭ topǭ tas theias epitelein leitourgias, hon an eklexētai Kyrios ho Theos. En ekeinǭ tǭ topǭ kai thyein kai euōcheisthai parakeleuetai; Estai gar, phēsin, ho topos, hon an eklexētai Kyrios ho Theos hymōn, epiklēthēnai ekei to onoma autou, ekei oisete panta hosa egō entellomai hymin sēmeron, ta holokautōmata hymōn, kai ta thysiasmata hymōn ta epidekata hymōn, kai tas aparchas tōn cheirōn hymōn kai ta domata hymōn, kai ta hexēs. Ta de domata hoi loipoi ta hekousia hērmēneusan toutestin, Hosa an hekontes prosenenkein ethelēsēte Eita apagoreusas to en panti topǭ tas thysias prospherein, ei kreōn metalabein epithymēsaien, metalabein synechōrēsen, en hais katoikousi polesi; tou men hiereōs thyontos, tou de haimatos eis tēn gēn ekcheomenou; ekeleuse de kai ton akatharton syn tǭ katharǭ tōn toioutōn adiaphorōs apolausai kreōn; didaskōn hōs ta toiauta thymata koina esti, kai ou theia. Tōn gar dē thysiōn ouk exon ēn tois akathartois metalambanein Hothen eikotōs epēgagen; Phagete auto hōs dorkada ē elaphon. Tauta de kathara men ēn, eis de thysian ou prosephereto.
How is “You shall not do all that we are doing here today, each what is pleasing in his own sight” to be understood? In all the places where they encamped they offered sacrifices to God the Master: before the tent was constructed, building altars of natural stones; after its construction, performing the divine services in it. Yet they did not perform them in one place but at each stage, for they were continually moving, having spent forty years in the wilderness. He forbids them, then, to do the same in the land of promise, so that they would not get a pretext for sacrificing to the falsely named gods. He enjoins them to perform the divine services only in the place which the Lord God would choose; in that place he commands them both to sacrifice and to feast: “For the place which the Lord your God chooses, to have his name invoked there, there you shall bring all that I command you today: your whole burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the firstfruits of your hands and your gifts,” and so on. The other translators rendered “gifts” as “freewill offerings,” that is, whatever you are willing to offer freely. Then, having forbidden them to offer sacrifices in every place, he allowed them, if they desired to eat meat, to eat it in the cities where they lived, the priest slaughtering it and the blood being poured out on the ground. He also commanded that the unclean, along with the clean, might eat such meat without distinction, teaching that such slaughterings are common, not sacred; for the unclean were not permitted to share in the sacrifices. Hence he fittingly added, “Eat it like the gazelle or the deer.” These were clean, but were not offered in sacrifice.
Deut 12:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 12:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 12:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 12:15–16 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 12:22 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Israel was to offer sacrifice only at the place God chose, though ordinary slaughter for food was allowed anywhere.
- Deut 12:8, 11, 15–16, 22 (Septuagint). “The other translators” are Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion. Marginal catchwords (“m. each. etc.”) printed inside a word are removed. Theodoret has a priest slaughter the meat eaten in the towns; Deut 12:15 does not mention a priest.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (marginal catchwords leaked into the word; split word and lost accent; stray letters): προσ μ. ἕκαστος. κ. λ. ἡνεγκαν → προσήνεγκαν; την σκηνὴν κατα σκευάζεσθαι → τὴν σκηνὴν κατασκευάζεσθαι; ἦν ἐ', εἰς → ἦν, εἰς.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.9 (PG 80 80:415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-9
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.10PG 80 80:417
Τὰς δεκάτας τοῖς ἱερεῦσι προσφέρειν νομοθετήσας, πῶς ἔφη, Οὐ δυνήσῃ φαγεῖν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου τὰ ἐπιδέκατα τοῦ σίτου σου, καὶ τοῦ ἐλαίου σου; Δύο δεκάτας ἀφιεροῦσθαι τῶν ὄντων προσέταξε καὶ τὴν μὲν τοῖς Λευίταις προσφέρεσθαι, τὴν δὲ ἄλλην διαπιπράσκεσθαι, καὶ τὴν ταύτης τιμὴν εἰς τὴν αὐτῶν εὐωχίαν, καὶ τὴν τῶν χηρῶν, καὶ τῶν ὀρφανῶν, καὶ τῶν προσηλύτων ἀναλίσκεσθαι θεραπείαν. Εὐωχεῖσθαι δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐκέλευσε παρὰ τὸν θεῖον νεών. Ταῦτα δὲ ὁ πάνσοφος νενομοθέτηκε Κύριος, τῆς τῶν ψευδωνύμων αὐτοὺς θεῶν πλάνης ἐλευθερῶν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ τῆς ἀσεβείας διδάσκαλος, διὰ γαστριμαργίας καὶ φιληδονίας ἐξανδραποδίζων τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος, ταῖς δαιμόνων ἑορταῖς πολλὰς ἀνέμιξε παιγνίας, ἐκείνης τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἀπαλλάττων τῆς πλάνης ὁ εὐμήχανος Κύριος καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν ἑορτῶν ἐνομοθέτησε, καὶ τὰς θυσίας συνεχώρησε, καὶ τῶν μουσικῶν ὀργάνων ἠνέσχετο, καὶ εὐωχεῖσθαι προσέταξε, καὶ ταῖς τοιαύταις ψυχαγωγίαις τὴν τῶν εἰδώλων ἐκκόπτων ἀσέβειαν.
Tas dekatas tois hiereusi prospherein nomothetēsas, pōs ephē, Ou dynēsę̄ phagein en tais polesi sou ta epidekata tou sitou sou, kai tou elaiou sou? Dyo dekatas aphierousthai tōn ontōn prosetaxe kai tēn men tois Leuitais prospheresthai, tēn de allēn diapipraskesthai, kai tēn tautēs timēn eis tēn autōn euōchian, kai tēn tōn chērōn, kai tōn orphanōn, kai tōn prosēlytōn analiskesthai therapeian. Euōcheisthai de autous ekeleuse para ton theion neōn. Tauta de ho pansophos nenomothetēke Kyrios, tēs tōn pseudōnymōn autous theōn planēs eleutherōn. Epeidē gar ho tēs asebeias didaskalos, dia gastrimargias kai philēdonias exandrapodizōn tōn anthrōpōn to genos, tais daimonōn heortais pollas anemixe paignias, ekeinēs ton Israēl apallattōn tēs planēs ho eumēchanos Kyrios kai ta peri tōn heortōn enomothetēse, kai tas thysias synechōrēse, kai tōn mousikōn organōn ēnescheto, kai euōcheisthai prosetaxe, kai tais toiautais psychagōgiais tēn tōn eidōlōn ekkoptōn asebeian.
Having legislated that the tithes be brought to the priests, how could he say, “You may not eat in your cities the tithes of your grain and of your oil”? He ordered two tithes of their possessions to be consecrated: one to be brought to the Levites, the other to be sold and its price spent on their own feasting and on the care of the widows, the orphans and the proselytes. He commanded them to feast beside the divine temple. The all-wise Lord legislated these things to free them from the error of the falsely named gods. For since the teacher of impiety, enslaving the human race through gluttony and love of pleasure, had mixed much frivolity into the feasts of demons, the resourceful Lord, freeing Israel from that error, legislated about feasts, allowed sacrifices, tolerated musical instruments and commanded feasting, cutting out the impiety of idols by such diversions.
Deut 12:17–18 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 14:22–29 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Two tithes were levied, one for the Levites and one for feasting at the sanctuary; God allowed feasts and music to wean Israel from idolatrous festivals.
- Deut 12:17–18; 14:22–29. A string of marginal catchwords from the quoted verses printed inside the sentence is removed. “The teacher of impiety” is the devil. Theodoret's view that the sacrificial feasts were a concession to wean Israel from idolatry is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (footnote number; marginal catchwords leaked into the line): ἐλαίου σου³; → ἐλαίου σου;; νενομοθέτηκε ὃν τόπον ἄν. κατασκευάσαι. καταναλώσαντες. καὶ τὰ ἐπιδ. τεσσαράκοντα χρόνους. Κύριος, → νενομοθέτηκε Κύριος,.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.10 (PG 80 80:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-10
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.11PG 80 80:419
Τί δήποτε συνεχῶς ἀπαγορεύει τὴν τοῦ αἵματος βρῶσιν; Ἔφη μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ νομοθέτης, ὅτι τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστι. Πλὴν οἶμαι τὸν νόμον καὶ ἕτερον πραγματεύεσθαι. Τὴν μιαιφόνον γὰρ αὐτῶν ἰατρεύει γνώμην. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ τῶν ἀλόγων αἷμα φαγεῖν, ψυχήν ἐστι φαγεῖν πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἀνόσιον τὸ τὴν λογικὴν ψυχὴν χωρίσαι τοῦ σώματος.
Ti dēpote synechōs apagoreuei tēn tou haimatos brōsin? Ephē men kai autos ho nomothetēs, hoti to haima autou psychē autou esti. Plēn oimai ton nomon kai heteron pragmateuesthai. Tēn miaiphonon gar autōn iatreuei gnōmēn. Ei gar to tōn alogōn haima phagein, psychēn esti phagein pollǭ mallon anosion to tēn logikēn psychēn chōrisai tou sōmatos.
Why does he continually forbid the eating of blood? The lawgiver himself said that its blood is its life. But I think the law also aims at something else: it heals their murderous disposition. For if eating the blood of irrational animals is eating a life, much more unholy is it to separate a rational soul from its body.
Deut 12:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 12:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 17:11 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The ban on eating blood was meant to cure Israel's readiness to kill.
- Deut 12:16, 23; Lev 17:11, 14. The Greek “soul” (psychē) also means “life”. In the edition the lines of this answer are printed out of order; they are put back (logged).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (displaced OCR line removed here and restored below; displaced OCR line restored to its place): βρῶσιν; ἕτερον πραγματεύεσθαι. Τὴν μιαιφόνον γὰρ αὐτῶν Ἔφη μὲν → βρῶσιν; Ἔφη μὲν; τὸν νόμον καὶ ἰατρεύει γνώμην. → τὸν νόμον καὶ ἕτερον πραγματεύεσθαι. Τὴν μιαιφόνον γὰρ αὐτῶν ἰατρεύει γνώμην..
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.11 (PG 80 80:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-11
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.12PG 80 80:419
Ἐκ ποίας δυνάμεως ὁ τὰ ἐναντία διδάσκων προφήτης θαυματουργεῖ; Τοῦ Θεοῦ συγχωροῦντος ἐνεργοῦσιν οἱ δαίμονες. Οὕτω καὶ τοῦ Φαραὼ οἱ φαρμακοὶ, καὶ τὸ τῆς ῥάβδου, καὶ τὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ, καὶ τὸ τῶν βατράχων εἰργάσαντο ἐνδεδωκότος τοῦ πανσόφου Θεοῦ διὰ τὴν τοῦ προστάττοντος ἄνοιαν. Ἐπιτείνειν γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐκέλευσε τὰς θεηλάτους πληγὰς, λύειν μέντοι τὰς τιμωρίας οὐκ ἴσχυον, οὔτε μὴν τὸν σκνίπα ἐξαγαγεῖν ἠδυνήθησαν. "Α γὰρ συνεχώρησεν ὁ Θεὸς εἰργάσαντο μόνα· τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα δεδήλωκεν. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ, Ἑὰν ἀναστῇ ἐν σοὶ προφήτης ἐνυπνιαζόμενος ἐνύπνιον καὶ δώσει σημεῖον ἢ τέρας, καὶ ἔλθῃ τὸ σημεῖον ἢ τὸ τέρας, ὁ ἐλάλησε πρὸς σε· καὶ εἴπῃ, Πορευθῶμεν, καὶ λατρεύσωμεν θεοῖς ἑτέροις οἷς οὐκ οἶδατε οὐκ εἰσακούσεσθε τοῦ προφήτου ἐκείνου, ἢ τοῦ ἐνυπνιαζομένου τὸ ἐνύπνιον ἐκεῖνο, ὅτι πειράζει ὑμᾶς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, εἰ ἀγαπᾶτε Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ὑμῶν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν. Τοιγάρτοι τοῦ Θεοῦ συγχωροῦντος ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης τερατουργεῖ. Διδασκόμεθα δὲ μὴ προσέχειν σημείοις, ὅτ᾽ ἂν ὁ ταῦτα δρῶν ἐναντία τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ διδάσκει. Ἐκέλευσε δὲ καὶ τὸν ψευδοπροφήτην ἀποκτανθῆναι, καὶ τὸν λαὸν τῆς πονηρᾶς διδασκαλίας ἀπαλλαγῆναι. ᾿Αφανιεῖτε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ συνέβαινεν, ἢ ἀδελφὸν, ἢ φίλον, ἢ συγγενῆ τῇ πλάνῃ δεδουλευκότα πειραθῆναι φενακίσαι καὶ ἄλλους, ἀναγκαίως καὶ περὶ τούτου νενομοθέτηκε, καὶ προσέταξε δῆλον ἀποφανθῆναι τὸν τῆς ἀσεβείας διδάσκαλον, καὶ πρῶτον ἀφεῖναι λίθον τὸν τῶν τοιούτων ὑπακούσαντα λόγων εἶθ' οὕτως πάντα τὸν λαὸν καταλεῦσαι τὸν σθῆναι τοὺς ἄλλους.
Ek poias dynameōs ho ta enantia didaskōn prophētēs thaumatourgei? Tou Theou synchōrountos energousin hoi daimones. Houtō kai tou Pharaō hoi pharmakoi, kai to tēs rhabdou, kai to tou potamou, kai to tōn batrachōn eirgasanto endedōkotos tou pansophou Theou dia tēn tou prostattontos anoian. Epiteinein gar autois ekeleuse tas theēlatous plēgas, lyein mentoi tas timōrias ouk ischyon, oute mēn ton sknipa exagagein ēdynēthēsan. "A gar synechōrēsen ho Theos eirgasanto mona; touto kai entautha dedēlōken. Eirēkōs gar, Hean anastę̄ en soi prophētēs enypniazomenos enypnion kai dōsei sēmeion ē teras, kai elthę̄ to sēmeion ē to teras, ho elalēse pros se; kai eipę̄, Poreuthōmen, kai latreusōmen theois heterois hois ouk oidate ouk eisakousesthe tou prophētou ekeinou, ē tou enypniazomenou to enypnion ekeino, hoti peirazei hymas Kyrios ho Theos hymōn, ei agapate Kyrion ton Theon hymōn ex holēs tēs kardias hymōn, kai ex holēs tēs dianoias hymōn. Toigartoi tou Theou synchōrountos ho pseudoprophētēs teratourgei. Didaskometha de mē prosechein sēmeiois, hot᾽ an ho tauta drōn enantia tę̄ eusebeią didaskei. Ekeleuse de kai ton pseudoprophētēn apoktanthēnai, kai ton laon tēs ponēras didaskalias apallagēnai. ᾿Aphanieite gar, phēsi, ton ponēron ex hymōn autōn. Epeidē de kai synebainen, ē adelphon, ē philon, ē syngenē tę̄ planę̄ dedouleukota peirathēnai phenakisai kai allous, anankaiōs kai peri toutou nenomothetēke, kai prosetaxe dēlon apophanthēnai ton tēs asebeias didaskalon, kai prōton apheinai lithon ton tōn toioutōn hypakousanta logōn eith' houtōs panta ton laon kataleusai ton sthēnai tous allous.
By what power does the prophet who teaches the opposite work wonders? The demons act with God's permission. So Pharaoh's sorcerers too performed the feats of the rod, of the river and of the frogs, the all-wise God allowing it because of the folly of the one who gave the orders. For he commanded them to make the plagues sent by God worse; but they were not able to undo the punishments, nor could they produce the gnats. They did only what God allowed. This he showed here too. For having said, “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives a sign or wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass of which he spoke to you, and he says, ‘Let us go and serve other gods, whom you do not know,’ you shall not listen to that prophet or to the dreamer of that dream, for the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind.” So the false prophet works wonders with God's permission. We are taught not to heed signs when the one who performs them teaches what is contrary to piety. He commanded that the false prophet be killed and the people rid of the evil teaching: “For you shall remove the evil from among you,” he says. And since it happened that a brother, or a friend, or a relative enslaved to the error tried to deceive others too, of necessity he legislated about this as well: he ordered that the teacher of impiety be exposed, and that the one to whom such words had been spoken cast the first stone, and then the whole people stone the … the others ….
Exod 7:10–12 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 7:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 8:7 (8:3 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 8:18 (8:14 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 13:1–3 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 13:5 (13:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 13:6–10 (13:7-Deut LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: False prophets work wonders only by God's permission; Israel was to reject them and put to death those who enticed others to idolatry.
- Exod 7–8 (the sorcerers' feats, and their failure with the gnats, 8:18); Deut 13:1–5, 6–10 (Septuagint). The end of the last sentence is garbled in the edition; its missing words are printed at the start of 5.13, where they are translated under “[End of question 12:]”. Laws on death for enticement to idolatry are translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray mark): ἐξαγαγεῖν : ἠδυνήθησαν → ἐξαγαγεῖν ἠδυνήθησαν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. 5.12 (PG 80 80:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum/5-12
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-octateuchum-5-12) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.