Questions on Kings and Chronicles 2.19–2.27
Greek text: PG 80.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 2
2.19PG 80 80:609
Τίνος ἕνεκεν ὁ ᾿Οζᾶν θεηλάτῳ πληγῇ ἐτελεύτησεν ; Τινὲς μὲν προπετείας αὐτὸν δοῦναι δίκας εἶπον, ὡς ἐπαμῦναι πειραθέντα τῇ κιβωτῷ, ἢ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ προστατεύουσα, τῆς ἑτέρων ἐπικουρίας οὐκ ἔχρηζεν. Ἰώσηπος δέ φησιν, ἐπειδὴ Λευΐτης οὐκ ἂν ἑτόλμησεν ἅψασθαι τῆς κιβωτοῦ, τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐδέξατο· τοῦτο δὲ ψευδὲς ἄντικρυς τοῦ γὰρ Αμιναδάβ ἦν υἱὸς, ᾧ παρέδοσαν τὴν κιβωτὸν οἱ ἐν Βεθσάμοις, ἀφεθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τῆς δὲ Λευιτικῆς ἦν οὗτος φυλῆς· καὶ τοῦτο ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει Καὶ ἡγίασε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ Ἑλεάζαρ, φυλάσσειν τὴν κιβωτὸν διαθήκης Κυρίου. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ οὗτος τοῦ ᾿Αμιναδάβ ἦν υἱὸς, ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει Καὶ ἐπεβίβασαν τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ ἄμαξαν καινὴν, καὶ ἦραν αὐτὴν ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου Ἀμιναδάβ τοῦ ἐν τῷ βουνῷ· καὶ Ὀζᾶν, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Αμιναδάβ, ἦγον τὴν ἄμαξαν σὺν τῇ κιβωτῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ Ὀζᾶν, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπορεύοντο ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ ἐκ πλαγίων τῆς κιβωτοῦ. Οὐκ ἐξ ἄλλης τοιγαροῦν ἦν φυλῆς, ὡς ὁ Ἰώσηπος ἔφη, ἀλλὰ καὶ Λευΐτης ἦν. Οὔτε μὴν διὰ προπέτειαν τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐδέξατο. Κλιθείσης γὰρ τῆς ἁμάξης, ἐχρῆν προσερεῖσαι τὴν χεῖρα ἀλλ᾽ ἑτέρας παρανομίας ἔτισε δίκας. Τοῦ γὰρ Θεοῦ προστεταχότος τοὺς ἱερεῖς ἐπ᾽ ὤμων φέρειν τὴν κιβωτὸν, παρὰ τὸν νόμον ἐφ᾿ ἀμάξης ἑκόμισαν. Ἐξηπάτησε δὲ αὐτοὺς τὸ παρὰ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων οὕτως ἐκπεμφθεῖσαν μηδένα λυμήνασθαι. Ἀλλ᾿ ἐχρῆν συνιδεῖν, ὡς οὔτε τὸν νόμον ᾔδεισαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι, καὶ ἱερεῖς οὐ παρῆσαν, ἵνα κατὰ τὸν νόμον αὐτὴν μετενέγκωσιν. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτο ἀληθὲς, τὰ ἑξῆς διδάσκει. Τοῦ γὰρ Ὀζᾶν πεπτωκότος, δείσας ὁ βασιλεὺς οὐκ εἰς τὰ βασίλεια τὴν κιβωτὸν ἐξενήνοχεν, ἔνθα καὶ τὴν θείαν κατεσκευάκει σκηνὴν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸν οἶκον ᾿Αβεδδαρά Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἶδε παντοδαπῆς εὐλογίας ἐν τρισὶ μησὶ τὴν οἰκίαν πλησθεῖσαν ἐκείνην, εὐθὺς αὐτὴν εἰς τὰ βασίλεια μετεκόμισεν, οὐχ ἁμάξῃ χρησάμενος, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι κατὰ τὸν νόμον. Ἧσαν γὰρ, φησὶ, μετ' αὐτῶν οἱ αἴροντες τὴν κιβωτὸν Κυρίου ἑπτὰ χοροὶ, καὶ θῦμα μόσχου καὶ ἀρνός καὶ Δαβὶδ ἀνεκρούετο ἐν ὀργάνοις ἡρμοσμένοις ἐνώπιον Κυρίου καὶ αὐτὸς ἐνδεδυμένος στολὴν ἔξαλλον·, οὕτω δὲ τὴν ποικίλην ὠνόμασε. Σαφέστερον δὲ τοῦτο ἐδίδαξεν ἡ βίβλος τῶν Παραλειπομένων· Ἥραν γὰρ, φησὶ, τὴν κιβωτὸν, ὡς ἐνετείλατο Μωσῆς ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου Θεοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, ἐπ᾿ ἀναφορεῦσι, κατὰ τὴν γραφὴν, ἐν ὤμοις αὐτῶν.
Tinos heneken ho ᾿Ozan theēlatǭ plēgę̄ eteleutēsen ? Tines men propeteias auton dounai dikas eipon, hōs epamynai peirathenta tę̄ kibōtǭ, ē pantos tou laou prostateuousa, tēs heterōn epikourias ouk echrēzen. Iōsēpos de phēsin, epeidē Leuïtēs ouk an hetolmēsen hapsasthai tēs kibōtou, tēn timōrian edexato; touto de pseudes antikrys tou gar Aminadab ēn huios, hǭ paredosan tēn kibōton hoi en Bethsamois, aphetheisan hypo tōn allophylōn tēs de Leuitikēs ēn houtos phylēs; kai touto hē historia didaskei Kai hēgiase gar, phēsi, ton huion autou Heleazar, phylassein tēn kibōton diathēkēs Kyriou. Hoti de kai houtos tou ᾿Aminadab ēn huios, hē historia didaskei Kai epebibasan tēn kibōton tou Theou epi amaxan kainēn, kai ēran autēn ek tou oikou Aminadab tou en tǭ bounǭ; kai Ozan, kai hoi adelphoi autou hoi huioi ᾿Aminadab, ēgon tēn amaxan syn tę̄ kibōtǭ tou Theou. Kai Ozan, kai hoi adelphoi autou eporeuonto emprosthen, kai ek plagiōn tēs kibōtou. Ouk ex allēs toigaroun ēn phylēs, hōs ho Iōsēpos ephē, alla kai Leuïtēs ēn. Oute mēn dia propeteian tēn timōrian edexato. Klitheisēs gar tēs hamaxēs, echrēn prosereisai tēn cheira all᾽ heteras paranomias etise dikas. Tou gar Theou prostetachotos tous hiereis ep᾽ ōmōn pherein tēn kibōton, para ton nomon eph᾿ amaxēs hekomisan. Exēpatēse de autous to para tōn allophylōn houtōs ekpemphtheisan mēdena lymēnasthai. All᾿ echrēn synidein, hōs oute ton nomon ę̄deisan hoi allophyloi, kai hiereis ou parēsan, hina kata ton nomon autēn metenenkōsin. Hoti de touto alēthes, ta hexēs didaskei. Tou gar Ozan peptōkotos, deisas ho basileus ouk eis ta basileia tēn kibōton exenēnochen, entha kai tēn theian kateskeuakei skēnēn, all᾽ eis ton oikon ᾿Abeddara Epeidē de eide pantodapēs eulogias en trisi mēsi tēn oikian plēstheisan ekeinēn, euthys autēn eis ta basileia metekomisen, ouch hamaxę̄ chrēsamenos, alla tois hiereusi kata ton nomon. Hēsan gar, phēsi, met' autōn hoi airontes tēn kibōton Kyriou hepta choroi, kai thyma moschou kai arnos kai Dabid anekroueto en organois hērmosmenois enōpion Kyriou kai autos endedymenos stolēn exallon;, houtō de tēn poikilēn ōnomase. Saphesteron de touto edidaxen hē biblos tōn Paraleipomenōn; Hēran gar, phēsi, tēn kibōton, hōs eneteilato Mōsēs en logǭ Kyriou Theou Israēl, ep᾿ anaphoreusi, kata tēn graphēn, en ōmois autōn.
Why did Uzzah die by a blow from God? Some said that he paid the penalty for rashness, as having tried to help the ark, which, as protector of the whole people, did not need others' help. Josephus says that he received the punishment because, not being a Levite, he dared to touch the ark. But this is plainly false. For he was a son of Aminadab, to whom the people of Beth-shemesh handed over the ark when the foreigners released it; and Aminadab was of the tribe of Levi. The history teaches this: “For he consecrated,” it says, “his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the covenant of the Lord.” That this man too was a son of Aminadab the history teaches: “And they set the ark of God on a new cart and took it from the house of Aminadab on the hill; and Uzzah and his brothers, the sons of Aminadab, drove the cart with the ark of God. And Uzzah and his brothers went in front and at the sides of the ark.” So he was not of another tribe, as Josephus said, but was a Levite. Nor did he receive the punishment for rashness; for when the cart tilted he had to put out his hand to steady it. But he paid the penalty for another lawless act. For when God had commanded the priests to carry the ark on their shoulders, they brought it on a cart against the law. What deceived them was that no one had harmed the ark when it was sent away in this way by the foreigners. But they should have seen that the foreigners did not know the law, and that no priests were present to carry it according to the law. That this is true is taught by what follows. For when Uzzah had fallen, the king in fear did not bring the ark to the palace, where he had prepared the divine tent, but to the house of Abeddara. But when he saw that household filled with every kind of blessing within three months, he at once brought it to the palace, using not a cart but the priests, according to the law. “For there were with them,” it says, “those who carried the ark of the Lord, seven choirs, and a sacrifice of a calf and a lamb; and David played on tuned instruments before the Lord, and he was wearing a splendid robe” (he so named the embroidered one). The book of Chronicles taught this more clearly: “For they carried the ark,” it says, “as Moses commanded by the word of the Lord God of Israel, with poles, according to the scripture, on their shoulders.”
2 Sam 6:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 6:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 7:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 6:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 6:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 4:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 7:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Sam 6:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Sam 6:10 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 6:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 6:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 6:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 6:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Chr 15:15 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Uzzah, a Levite, died not for rashness but because the ark was carried on a cart against the law; David then had the priests carry it on their shoulders.
- 2 Sam 6:1–14 (LXX; quotations 1 Sam 7:1; 2 Sam 6:3–4, 13–14); 1 Chr 15:15. The law of carrying: Num 4:15; 7:9. Josephus, Ant. 7.4.2. Theodoret's statement that Aminadab was a Levite is his own inference from 1 Sam 7:1. A displaced passage (a second copy of the Aquila note on 2 Sam 5:8 from question 2.16) had been printed inside the first sentence of the answer and is removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (displaced duplicate of the Aquila note from question 2.16 printed inside the sentence; stray letter): εἶπον, κέναι ἀντὶ Πᾶς τύπτων Ἰεβουσαῖον ἀπτέσθω ἐν παραξιφίδι, ἀπτόμενος ἐν κρουνῷ· τοῦτο λέγων, ὅτι φειδόμενος Δαβὶὸ τοῦ τείχους τῆς πόλεως, διὰ τοῦ ὅλκου τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπέταττε τοῖς ὁπλισταῖς εἴσω → εἶπον, ; ἐν Ο λόγῳ → ἐν λόγῳ.
Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, Ant. 7.4.2 (Josephus (works); allusion)
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.19 (PG 80 80:609; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-19
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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.
2.20PG 80 80:613
Διατί κατεγέλασεν ἡ Μελχὼλ τοῦ Δαβίδ ; Ψήθη βασιλέως ἀλλότριον τὸ δημοσίᾳ χορεύειν οὐ γὰρ ᾔδει τοῦ θείου πόθου τὰ κέντρα. "Οθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς σφοδρότερον ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῇ· Ἐναντίον γὰρ, φησὶ, Κυρίου ὀρχήσομαι καὶ παίξομαι ζῇ Κύριος, ὃς ἐξελέξατό με ὑπὲρ τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντα τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, τοῦ καταστῆσαί με εἰς ἡγούμενον ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει διάνοιαν. Εἶτα ἐδίδαξεν ἡ ἱστορία, ὅτι τῇ Μελχώλ θυγατρὶ Σαούλ οὐκ ἐγένετο παιδίον, ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν αὐτήν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐ μόνον διὰ ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν στεῖρα μεμένηκεν ἀλλ' ὥστε μηδένα ἐξ ἐκείνου βασιλεῦσαι τοῦ σπέρματος. Εἰκὸς γὰρ ἦν, τὸν λαὸν τὸν ἑκατέρωθεν εὐγενείᾳ λάμποντα προτιμῆσαι τῶν ἄλλων.
Diati kategelasen hē Melchōl tou Dabid ? Psēthē basileōs allotrion to dēmosią choreuein ou gar ę̄dei tou theiou pothou ta kentra. "Othen ho basileus sphodroteron epetimēsen autę̄; Enantion gar, phēsi, Kyriou orchēsomai kai paixomai zę̄ Kyrios, hos exelexato me hyper ton patera sou kai hyper panta ton oikon autou, tou katastēsai me eis hēgoumenon epi panta ton laon autou ton Israēl. Kai ta hexēs de tēn autēn echei dianoian. Eita edidaxen hē historia, hoti tę̄ Melchōl thygatri Saoul ouk egeneto paidion, heōs tēs hēmeras tou apothanein autēn. ᾿All᾽ ou monon dia tautēn tēn aitian steira memenēken all' hōste mēdena ex ekeinou basileusai tou spermatos. Eikos gar ēn, ton laon ton hekaterōthen eugeneią lamponta protimēsai tōn allōn.
Why did Michal laugh at David? She thought that dancing in public was unworthy of a king, for she did not know the goads of divine longing. That is why the king rebuked her rather sharply: “Before the Lord,” he says, “I will dance and play. As the Lord lives, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me leader over all his people Israel.” What follows has the same sense. Then the history taught that Michal, Saul's daughter, had no child until the day of her death. But she remained barren not only for this reason, but so that no one from that seed would reign. For the people would probably have preferred one shining with noble birth on both sides to the others.
2 Sam 6:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 6:21 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 6:23 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Michal despised David's dancing for God; her childlessness was a punishment and also kept Saul's line from the throne.
- 2 Sam 6:16–23 (quotations 6:21, 23, LXX).
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.20 (PG 80 80:613; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-20
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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.
2.21PG 80 80:613
Προφήτης ὢν ὁ Νάθαν πῶς ἠγνόησε τὸ βούλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῷ Δαβὶδ οἰκοδομῆσαι τὸν θεῖον οἶκον προσέταξεν; Καὶ ἤδη ἔφην, ὡς οὐκ ᾔδεισαν ἅπαντα οἱ προφῆται, ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ ἡ θεία χάρις αὐτοῖς ἀπεκάλυπτεν. Οὕτως ὁ Σαμουήλ ἠγνόει τίνα χρίσαι προσήκει οὕτως ὁ Ἑλισσαῖος τὸ τῆς Σωμανίτιδος πάθος· ῎Αφες γὰρ αὐτὴν, ἔφη, ὅτι κατώδυνος ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῆς, καὶ Κύριος ἀπέκρυψεν ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Νάθαν ἐπαινέσας τὸν τοῦ βασιλέως σκοπὸν, ἐνόμισεν ἀρέσκειν τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ. Ὅθεν εἶπε· Πάντα ὅσα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου βάδιζε καὶ ποίει, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς μετὰ σοῦ. ᾿Αλλὰ νύκτωρ ἐπιφανεὶς ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς ταῦτα ἔφη πρὸς τὸν Νάθαν· Поρεύου, καὶ εἰπὲ τῷ δούλῳ μου Δαβίδ· Τάδε λέγει Κύριος Οὐ σὺ οἰκοδομήσεις οἶκον τοῦ κατοικῆσαι με, ὅτι οὐ κατῴκηκα ἐν οἴκῳ, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἡμέρας ἀνήγαγον τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.» Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἐψυχαγώγησεν αὐτὸν τῇ τῆς δουλείας προσηγορίᾳ· Εἰπὲ γὰρ, φησὶ, τῷ Δαβὶδ τῷ δούλῳ μου· ἄκρα δὲ τιμὴ τὸ δοῦλον ὀνομασθῆναι Θεοῦ. Ἔπειτα τὸ ἀνενδεὲς τῆς οἰκείας ἐδίδαξε φύσεως· Οὐ κατώκηκα γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν οἴκῳ. Τὸ δὲ, ᾿Αφ᾿ ἧς ἡμέρας ἀνήγαγον τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, ἀντὶ τοῦ, πάντα χρόνον ὃν συνεγενόμην ὑμῖν, ἔν τε τῇ ἐρήμῳ, καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ γῇ. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐδὲ πρὸ τούτου τοῦ χρόνου νεὼν ἔσχεν, αἱ πάλαι διδάσκουσιν ίστοριαι. Εἶτα τὴν ἄπειρον δύναμιν καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν δεικνὺς, ἐπήγαγε Καὶ ἤμην ἐμπεριπατῶν ἐν καταλύματι, καὶ ἐν σκηνῇ, ἐν πᾶσιν οἷς διῆλθον ἐν παντὶ Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ προστέθεικεν, ὡς οὐδενὶ τῶν κριτῶν, οἱ ἐκ διαφόρων ἦσαν φυλῶν, ἢ προσέταξεν οἰκοδομῆσαι ναὸν, ἢ ἐνεκάλεσεν ὡς τοῦτο μὴ δεδρακότι. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν Εἰ λαλῶν ἐλάλησα πρὸς μίαν φυλὴν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, ᾧ ἐνετειλάμην ποιμαίνειν τὸν λαὸν μου τὸν Ἰσραὴλ λέγων· Τί ὅτι οὐκ ᾠκοδομήσατέ μοι οἶκον κέδρινον; Ἔπειτα τῷ τῆς εὐνοίας χρησάμενος ὀνόματι, καὶ δοῦλον αὐτοῦ προσαγορεύσας, ἀνέμνησε τῆς προβατείας, καὶ τῆς ἄλλης πενίας· ἐπέδειξε δὲ τῆς βασιλείας τὸ ὕψος, καὶ τὴν τῆς ἄλλης κηδεμονίας φιλοτιμίαν. Ἤμην γὰρ, φησὶ, μετὰ σοῦ ἐν πᾶσιν οἷς ἐπορεύου καὶ ἐξωλόθρευσα πάντας τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ἀπὸ προσώπου σου, καὶ ἐποίησά σοι ὄνομα μέγα κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα τῶν μεγάλων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Ταῦτα δὲ εἰς τὴν τῆς εὐσεβείας καὶ εὐνομίας βεβαίωσιν εἴρηκεν, ἵνα τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν μεμνημένος θεραπεύῃ τὸν εὐεργέτην. Ὑπέσχετο δὲ καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ προμηθεῖσθαι· Θήσομαι γὰρ, φησὶ, τόπον τῷ λαῷ μου Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ καταφυτεύσω αὐτὸν, καὶ κατασκηνώσει καθ' ἑαυτόν Κατὰ τὸν θεῖον γὰρ πολιτευόμενος νόμον, τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν ἐκεχώριστο. Τὸ δὲ, Οὐ προσθήσει υἱὸς ἀδικίας τοῦ ταπεινῶσαι αὐτὸν, τὰ ἑξῆς ἑρμηνεύει καθὼς ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς, φησὶ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἡμερῶν ὧν ἔταξα κριτὰς ἐπὶ τὸν λαόν μου Ἰσραήλ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῶν κριτῶν, ποτὲ μὲν ᾿Αμμανίταις καὶ Μωαβίταις, ποτὲ δὲ Μαδιηνίταις καὶ ἀλλοφύλοις ἐδούλευσαν, ὑπέσχετο αὐτοῖς ἀκεραίαν σώζειν τὴν βασιλείαν, καὶ τῶν συχνῶν τούτων ἀπαλλάξειν μεταβολῶν. Εἶτα τὸν λογικὸν, καὶ θεῖον, καὶ σωτήριον αὐτοις οἰκοδομήσειν ναὸν ἐπηγγείλατο. Καὶ ἀπαγγελεῖ σοι γὰρ, φησὶ, Κύριος, ὅτι οἰκοδομήσει οἶκον ἑαυτῷ Ὅτι δὲ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας Παρθένου σάρκα καὶ αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησε, καὶ αὐτὴν ναὸν προσηγόρευσεν, ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ἡμᾶς Ἰωάννης ἐδίδαξε, τὴν Ἰουδαίων ἐρώτησιν καὶ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν τῇ συγγραφῇ τῶν ἱερῶν Εὐαγγελίων ἐντεθεικώς. Τῶν γὰρ Ἰουδαίων εἰρηκότων· Τί σημεῖον δεικνύεις ἡμῖν ὅτι ταῦτα ποιεῖς; ὑπολαβὼν ὁ Κύριος ἔφη· Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν. Τοπασάντων δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων περὶ τοῦ ἀψύχου ταῦτα εἰρῆσθαι ναοῦ, ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ἐπήγαγεν Αὐτὸς δὲ ἔλεγε περὶ τοῦ ναοῦ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὅτε ἠγέρθη ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἔγνωσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι τοῦτο εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν τῇ Γραφῇ, καὶ τῷ λόγῳ ᾧ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. ῾Ὁ δὲ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος καὶ τῶν πιστῶν τὸν σύλλογον οἶκον Θεοῦ προσηγόρευσε. Χριστὸς γὰρ, φησὶν, ὡς υἱὸς ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, οὗ ὁ οἶκός ἐσμεν ἡμεῖς. Ταῦτα προηγόρευσεν ὁ προφήτης· Καὶ ἀπαγγελεῖ σοι Κύριος, ὅτι οἶκον οἰκοδομήσει ἑαυτῷ. Περὶ δὲ τοῦ χειροποιήτου νεὼ οὕτως ἔφη· Καὶ ἔσται ὡς ἂν πληρωθῶσιν αἱ ἡμέραι σου, καὶ κοιμηθῇς μετὰ τῶν πατέρων σου, καὶ ἀναστήσω τὸ σπέρμα σου μετὰ σε ὃς ἔσται ὁ ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας σου· καὶ ἑτοιμάσω τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ. ὁ Οὗτος οἰκοδομήσει οἶκον τῷ ὀνόματί μου. Ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ Σολομῶντος εἰπὼν ἀναμίγνυσι τῇ προῤῥήσει τὰ περὶ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ· ᾿Ανορθώσω γὰρ, ἔφη, τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ ἕως εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν. "Ὅτι δὲ ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ Δεσπότου ἐῤῥέθη Χριστοῦ, μάρτυς ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, οὕτως εἰπὼν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολῇ· Τίνι γάρ ποτε τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ εἶπεν, Υἱός μου εἶ σὺ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε;» καὶ πάλιν, Ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν; Εἶτα διδάσκει πόσης διὰ τοῦτον τὸν υἱὸν οἱ κατὰ σάρκα πρόγονοι καὶ παρανομοῦντες ἀπολαύουσι προμηθείας. Ἁμαρτάνοντας γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐλέγξω μὲν καὶ παιδεύσω· τὸν δὲ ἔλεόν μου οὐκ ἀποστήσω ἀπ' αὐτῶν, καθὼς ἀπέστησα ἀφ᾿ ὧν ἀπέστησα Τὸ δὲ, Ἐν ἀφαῖς υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ταῖς δι' ἀνθρώπων παιδείαις, τέθεικεν ἐπειδὴ διὰ χειρῶν καὶ ἡ ἀφὴ, καὶ ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη σφαγή. Καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς δὲ πάλιν ἥκιστα μὲν τοῖς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ βασιλεῦσιν ἁρμόττει ἐπὶ δὲ μόνου τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ τὸ ἀληθὲς αὐτῶν δείκνυται. Πιστωθήσεται γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ οἶκος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ ἕως αἰῶνος ἐνώπιόν μου, καὶ ὁ θρόνος αὐτοῦ ἔσται ἀνωρθωμένος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ὁ δὲ Σολομών οὐδὲ τὸ μακρόβιον τῶν ἄλλων ἔσχεν ἀνθρώπων, οὐδὲ εἰς τὸ τοῦ πατρὸς ἔφθασε γῆρας καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τούτου δὲ ἅπαντας κοινὸν διεδέξατο τέλος. Δυοῖν τοίνων θάτερον ἀνάγκη· ἢ τῷ Δεσπότη ταῦτα ἁρμόσαι Χριστῷ, ἢ ψευδῆ φάναι τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὴν πρόῤῥησιν ἀλλὰ τοῦτο δυσσεβὲς καὶ ἀνόσιον. ᾿Ανάγκη τοίνυν, κἂν μὴ θέλωσιν Ἰουδαῖοι, τὸ ἕτερον δέξασθαι. Τούτων ἀκούσας ὁ βασιλεὺς, τὸν μεγαλόδωρον ὕμνησε Κύριον· καὶ πρῶτον ὡμολόγησε τὴν οἰκείαν εὐτέλειαν· Τίς εἰμι ἐγὼ, Κύριέ μου, Κύριε, καὶ τίς ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρός μου, ὅτι ἡγάπησάς με ἕως τούτου;» Δηλοῖ δὲ ὁ λόγος τῶν δωρεῶν τὸ μέγεθος. Εἶτα τὸ παντοδύναμον τοῦ Δεσπότου διδάσκων ἐπήγαγε· Καὶ κατεσμίκρυνται σμικρὰ ταῦτα ἐνώπιόν σου, Κύριέ μου, Κύριε. Ἐθαύμασα, φησὶ, τὴν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ὑπερβολήν, εἰς ἐμαυτὸν ἀποβλέψας· σμικρὰ δὲ ταῦτα τῇ σῇ δυνάμει παραβαλλόμενα. Επειτα τὸν ὕμνον ἐκτείνας, καὶ βεβαιωθῆναι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀντιβολήσας, Καὶ νῦν, Κύριέ μου, Κύριε, τὸ ῥῆμα ὁ ἐλάλησας ὑπὲρ τοῦ δούλου σου, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ πιστωθήτω ἕως αἰῶνος. Καὶ ὅτι τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν ἐκείνην ἱκέτευε βεβαιωθῆναι, τὰ ἐπαγόμενα μαρτυρεῖ· Ὅτι σὺ, Κύριε παντοκράτωρ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, ἀπεκάλυψας τὸ ὡτίον τοῦ δούλου σου λέγων, Οἶκον ἐκεῖνον οἰκοδομήσω σοι. Σὺ, φησὶν, ἀγνοοῦντα ἐδίδαξας, ὅτι τὸν οἶκον ἐκεῖνον οἰκοδομήσεις, δι' οὗ περίβλεπτος ἔσομαι πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις - ταύτην ἐμπεδωθῆναι τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν παρακαλῶ.
Prophētēs ōn ho Nathan pōs ēgnoēse to boulēma tou Theou, kai tǭ Dabid oikodomēsai ton theion oikon prosetaxen? Kai ēdē ephēn, hōs ouk ę̄deisan hapanta hoi prophētai, all᾽ hōsper hē theia charis autois apekalypten. Houtōs ho Samouēl ēgnoei tina chrisai prosēkei houtōs ho Helissaios to tēs Sōmanitidos pathos; ᾿Aphes gar autēn, ephē, hoti katōdynos hē psychē autēs, kai Kyrios apekrypsen ap᾿ emou. Houtō kai ho Nathan epainesas ton tou basileōs skopon, enomisen areskein tǭ tōn holōn Theǭ. Hothen eipe; Panta hosa en tę̄ kardią sou badize kai poiei, hoti ho Theos meta sou. ᾿Alla nyktōr epiphaneis ho Despotēs Theos tauta ephē pros ton Nathan; Поreuou, kai eipe tǭ doulǭ mou Dabid; Tade legei Kyrios Ou sy oikodomēseis oikon tou katoikēsai me, hoti ou katǭkēka en oikǭ, aph᾿ hēs hēmeras anēgagon tous huious Israēl ex Aigyptou, heōs tēs hēmeras tautēs.» Kai prōton men epsychagōgēsen auton tę̄ tēs douleias prosēgorią; Eipe gar, phēsi, tǭ Dabid tǭ doulǭ mou; akra de timē to doulon onomasthēnai Theou. Epeita to anendees tēs oikeias edidaxe physeōs; Ou katōkēka gar, phēsin, en oikǭ. To de, ᾿Aph᾿ hēs hēmeras anēgagon tous huious Israēl ex Aigyptou, anti tou, panta chronon hon synegenomēn hymin, en te tę̄ erēmǭ, kai en tautę̄ tę̄ gę̄. Hoti gar oude pro toutou tou chronou neōn eschen, hai palai didaskousin istoriai. Eita tēn apeiron dynamin kai philanthrōpian deiknys, epēgage Kai ēmēn emperipatōn en katalymati, kai en skēnę̄, en pasin hois diēlthon en panti Israēl. Kai prostetheiken, hōs oudeni tōn kritōn, hoi ek diaphorōn ēsan phylōn, ē prosetaxen oikodomēsai naon, ē enekalesen hōs touto mē dedrakoti. Touto gar eipen Ei lalōn elalēsa pros mian phylēn tou Israēl, hǭ eneteilamēn poimainein ton laon mou ton Israēl legōn; Ti hoti ouk ǭkodomēsate moi oikon kedrinon? Epeita tǭ tēs eunoias chrēsamenos onomati, kai doulon autou prosagoreusas, anemnēse tēs probateias, kai tēs allēs penias; epedeixe de tēs basileias to hypsos, kai tēn tēs allēs kēdemonias philotimian. Ēmēn gar, phēsi, meta sou en pasin hois eporeuou kai exōlothreusa pantas tous echthrous sou apo prosōpou sou, kai epoiēsa soi onoma mega kata to onoma tōn megalōn tōn epi tēs gēs. Tauta de eis tēn tēs eusebeias kai eunomias bebaiōsin eirēken, hina tōn euergesiōn memnēmenos therapeuę̄ ton euergetēn. Hypescheto de kai tou laou promētheisthai; Thēsomai gar, phēsi, topon tǭ laǭ mou Israēl, kai kataphyteusō auton, kai kataskēnōsei kath' heauton Kata ton theion gar politeuomenos nomon, tōn allōn ethnōn ekechōristo. To de, Ou prosthēsei huios adikias tou tapeinōsai auton, ta hexēs hermēneuei kathōs ap᾿ archēs, phēsi, kai apo tōn hēmerōn hōn etaxa kritas epi ton laon mou Israēl. Epeidē gar en tǭ kairǭ tōn kritōn, pote men ᾿Ammanitais kai Mōabitais, pote de Madiēnitais kai allophylois edouleusan, hypescheto autois akeraian sōzein tēn basileian, kai tōn sychnōn toutōn apallaxein metabolōn. Eita ton logikon, kai theion, kai sōtērion autois oikodomēsein naon epēngeilato. Kai apangelei soi gar, phēsi, Kyrios, hoti oikodomēsei oikon heautǭ Hoti de tēn ek tēs hagias Parthenou sarka kai autos ǭkodomēse, kai autēn naon prosēgoreusen, ho euangelistēs hēmas Iōannēs edidaxe, tēn Ioudaiōn erōtēsin kai tou Despotou Christou tēn apokrisin tę̄ syngraphę̄ tōn hierōn Euangeliōn entetheikōs. Tōn gar Ioudaiōn eirēkotōn; Ti sēmeion deiknyeis hēmin hoti tauta poieis? hypolabōn ho Kyrios ephē; Lysate ton naon touton, kai en trisin hēmerais egerō auton. Topasantōn de tōn Ioudaiōn peri tou apsychou tauta eirēsthai naou, ho euangelistēs epēgagen Autos de elege peri tou naou tou sōmatos autou. Kai hote ēgerthē ek tōn nekrōn, egnōsan hoi mathētai autou, hoti touto eipen ho Iēsous, kai episteusan tę̄ Graphę̄, kai tǭ logǭ hǭ eipen ho Iēsous. ῾Ho de theios ᾿Apostolos kai tōn pistōn ton syllogon oikon Theou prosēgoreuse. Christos gar, phēsin, hōs huios epi ton oikon autou, hou ho oikos esmen hēmeis. Tauta proēgoreusen ho prophētēs; Kai apangelei soi Kyrios, hoti oikon oikodomēsei heautǭ. Peri de tou cheiropoiētou neō houtōs ephē; Kai estai hōs an plērōthōsin hai hēmerai sou, kai koimēthę̄s meta tōn paterōn sou, kai anastēsō to sperma sou meta se hos estai ho ek tēs koilias sou; kai hetoimasō tēn basileian autou. ho Houtos oikodomēsei oikon tǭ onomati mou. Tauta peri tou Solomōntos eipōn anamignysi tę̄ prorrhēsei ta peri tou Despotou Christou; ᾿Anorthōsō gar, ephē, ton thronon autou heōs eis ton aiōna kai egō esomai autǭ eis patera, kai autos estai moi eis huion. "Hoti de tauta peri tou Despotou errhethē Christou, martys ho theios ᾿Apostolos, houtōs eipōn en tę̄ pros Hebraious Epistolę̄; Tini gar pote tōn angelōn autou eipen, Huios mou ei sy, egō sēmeron gegennēka se?» kai palin, Egō esomai autǭ eis patera, kai autos estai moi eis huion? Eita didaskei posēs dia touton ton huion hoi kata sarka progonoi kai paranomountes apolauousi promētheias. Hamartanontas gar, phēsin, elenxō men kai paideusō; ton de eleon mou ouk apostēsō ap' autōn, kathōs apestēsa aph᾿ hōn apestēsa To de, En aphais huiōn anthrōpōn, anti tou, Tais di' anthrōpōn paideiais, tetheiken epeidē dia cheirōn kai hē aphē, kai hē anthrōpinē sphagē. Kai ta hexēs de palin hēkista men tois tou Israēl basileusin harmottei epi de monou tou Despotou Christou to alēthes autōn deiknytai. Pistōthēsetai gar, phēsin, ho oikos autou, kai hē basileia autou heōs aiōnos enōpion mou, kai ho thronos autou estai anōrthōmenos eis ton aiōna. Ho de Solomōn oude to makrobion tōn allōn eschen anthrōpōn, oude eis to tou patros ephthase gēras kai tous ek toutou de hapantas koinon diedexato telos. Dyoin toinōn thateron anankē; ē tǭ Despotē tauta harmosai Christǭ, ē pseudē phanai tou Theou tōn holōn tēn prorrhēsin alla touto dyssebes kai anosion. ᾿Anankē toinyn, kan mē thelōsin Ioudaioi, to heteron dexasthai. Toutōn akousas ho basileus, ton megalodōron hymnēse Kyrion; kai prōton hōmologēse tēn oikeian euteleian; Tis eimi egō, Kyrie mou, Kyrie, kai tis ho oikos tou patros mou, hoti hēgapēsas me heōs toutou?» Dēloi de ho logos tōn dōreōn to megethos. Eita to pantodynamon tou Despotou didaskōn epēgage; Kai katesmikryntai smikra tauta enōpion sou, Kyrie mou, Kyrie. Ethaumasa, phēsi, tēn tōn epēngelmenōn hyperbolēn, eis emauton apoblepsas; smikra de tauta tę̄ sę̄ dynamei paraballomena. Epeita ton hymnon ekteinas, kai bebaiōthēnai tas epangelias antibolēsas, Kai nyn, Kyrie mou, Kyrie, to rhēma ho elalēsas hyper tou doulou sou, kai hyper tou oikou autou pistōthētō heōs aiōnos. Kai hoti tēn epangelian ekeinēn hiketeue bebaiōthēnai, ta epagomena martyrei; Hoti sy, Kyrie pantokratōr ho Theos Israēl, apekalypsas to hōtion tou doulou sou legōn, Oikon ekeinon oikodomēsō soi. Sy, phēsin, agnoounta edidaxas, hoti ton oikon ekeinon oikodomēseis, di' hou peribleptos esomai pasin anthrōpois - tautēn empedōthēnai tēn epangelian parakalō.
How did Nathan, a prophet, fail to know God's will and tell David to build the divine house? I have already said that the prophets did not know everything, but only what divine grace revealed to them. So Samuel did not know whom he should anoint; so Elisha did not know the Shunammite's grief: “Let her alone,” he said, “for her soul is in anguish, and the Lord has hidden it from me.” So Nathan too, praising the king's intention, thought it pleased the God of the universe. That is why he said, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.” But God the Master appeared at night and said this to Nathan: “Go and say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord: You shall not build me a house to dwell in, for I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought the sons of Israel up out of Egypt to this day.” First he comforted him with the title of servant: “Say,” he says, “to David my servant”; and to be called God's servant is the highest honor. Then he taught that his own nature needs nothing: “For I have not dwelt,” he says, “in a house.” “Since the day I brought the sons of Israel up out of Egypt” means: all the time I have been with you, both in the wilderness and in this land. That he had no temple before that time either the ancient histories teach. Then, showing his boundless power and love for humankind, he added, “And I have been moving about in a lodging and in a tent, in all places where I went among all Israel.” And he added that he had neither commanded any of the judges, who came from various tribes, to build a temple, nor reproached them for not doing so. For he said this: “Did I ever speak a word to one tribe of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” Then, using the name of good will and calling him his servant, he reminded him of his shepherding and his former poverty, and showed him the height of his kingship and the generosity of his other care: “For I was with you,” he says, “wherever you went, and I destroyed all your enemies before you, and made you a great name like the name of the great ones on the earth.” He said this to strengthen his piety and good order, so that, remembering the benefits, he might serve the benefactor. He also promised to provide for the people: “For I will appoint a place for my people Israel,” he says, “and plant them, and they shall dwell by themselves”; for living by the divine law, they were set apart from the other nations. “The son of injustice shall not again afflict them” is explained by what follows: “as from the beginning,” he says, “and from the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel.” For since in the time of the judges they were enslaved now to Ammonites and Moabites, now to Midianites and foreigners, he promised to keep their kingdom intact and to free them from these frequent reversals. Then he promised to build for them the rational, divine and saving temple: “And the Lord will declare to you,” he says, “that he will build a house for himself.” That he himself built the flesh from the holy Virgin and called it a temple, the evangelist John taught us, by including in the writing of the holy Gospels the question of the Jews and the answer of Christ the Master. For when the Jews said, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?”, the Lord answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” And when the Jews guessed that this was said of the lifeless temple, the evangelist added, “But he spoke of the temple of his body. So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that Jesus said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.” And the divine Apostle called the assembly of the faithful too the house of God: “But Christ,” he says, “as a son over his house, whose house we are.” This is what the prophet foretold: “And the Lord will declare to you that he will build a house for himself.” Concerning the temple made with hands he said this: “And when your days are fulfilled and you sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, who shall come from your body, and I will prepare his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name.” Having said this about Solomon, he mixes with the prophecy what concerns Christ the Master: “I will establish his throne forever,” he said, “and I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.” That this was said of Christ the Master the divine Apostle is witness, saying thus in the Letter to the Hebrews: “For to which of the angels did he ever say, You are my Son, today I have begotten you? And again, I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?” Then he teaches how great a providence the ancestors according to the flesh enjoy because of this Son, even when they break the law: “If they sin,” he says, “I will reprove and discipline them, but I will not take my mercy away from them, as I took it from those from whom I took it.” “With the strokes of the sons of men” he put for “with discipline through human beings,” since both striking and human slaughter are done with the hands. What follows again fits the kings of Israel very little, but its truth is shown in Christ the Master alone: “His house,” he says, “shall be made sure, and his kingdom forever before me, and his throne shall be established forever.” But Solomon did not even have the long life of other men; he did not reach his father's old age; and all his descendants met the common end. One of two things, then, is necessary: either to apply these words to Christ the Master, or to call the prophecy of the God of the universe false; but that is impious and unholy. So the other must be accepted, even if the Jews do not wish it. Hearing these things, the king praised the generous Lord, and first confessed his own lowliness: “Who am I, my Lord, Lord, and what is my father's house, that you have loved me so far?” The saying shows the greatness of the gifts. Then, teaching the omnipotence of the Master, he added, “And these small things have been made smaller still in your sight, my Lord, Lord.” I marveled, he says, at the abundance of the promises when I looked at myself; but these things are small compared with your power. Then, prolonging the hymn, and pleading that the promises be confirmed: “And now, my Lord, Lord, let the word you spoke concerning your servant and his house be made sure forever.” That he was begging that that promise be confirmed is attested by what follows: “For you, Lord Almighty, God of Israel, have uncovered the ear of your servant, saying, I will build you a house.” You, he says, taught me, who did not know it, that you will build that house through which I shall be renowned among all people; I beg that this promise may be made firm.
2 Sam 7:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 16:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:11 (quotation, high confidence) · John 2:18 (quotation, high confidence) · John 2:19 (quotation, high confidence) · John 2:21 (quotation, high confidence) · John 2:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 3:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:12 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 1:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:18 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:19 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:27 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Nathan, not knowing God's will, approved David's plan; God's promise of a house points beyond Solomon's temple to Christ's body and the church, and to Christ's eternal kingdom.
- 2 Sam 7 (LXX; quotations 7:3, 5–6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12–13, 13–14, 14–15, 16, 18, 19, 25, 27); 2 Kgs 4:27; John 2:18–22; Heb 3:6; Heb 1:5. The application of the promise to Christ and the remark about the Jews are Theodoret's own; translated as written. Stray marks and a marginal fragment (“from Saul”) printed inside the word “apply” are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (marginal fragment printed inside the word ἁρμόσαι; marginal line printed inside the word τρισὶν; stray letter; stray marks; stray syllable; word split by the OCR; word split by the OCR with stray letter): ἕως δ* τῆς → ἕως τῆς; ἐνετειλάμην θε ποιμαίνειν → ἐνετειλάμην ποιμαίνειν; Τί σηΗ μεῖον → Τί σημεῖον; ἔφη· ε Λύσατε → ἔφη· Λύσατε; ἐν τριἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου αὐτοῦ, σὶν ἡμέραις → ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις; αὐτοῦ ὁ εἶπεν → αὐτοῦ εἶπεν; πρόγονοι. καὶ παρανομοῦντες ', ἀπολαύουσι → πρόγονοι καὶ παρανομοῦντες ἀπολαύουσι; γὰρο, φησὶν → γὰρ, φησὶν; ἀρμοπαρὰ Σαούλ. σαι → ἁρμόσαι; ἐπαγγε λίαν → ἐπαγγελίαν.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.21 (PG 80 80:613; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-21
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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.
2.22PG 80 80:619
Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Ἑπάταξε Δαβὶδ τὴν Μωάβ, καὶ διεμέτρησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν σχοινίῳ, κοιμίσας αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ; Τοσοῦτον ἦν τῆς νίκης τὸ κράτος, καὶ τοσοῦτον τῶν ζωγρηθέντων τὸ πλῆθος, ὡς μὴ ἀνασχέσθαι τούτους ὑποβαλεῖν ἀριθμῷ. Ἐκέλευσε γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καταβληθῆναι πρηνεῖς, τριχῆ διελών καὶ τὰς μὲν δύο μοίρας κατέκτεινε· τὴν δὲ μίαν ἐζώγρησε, καὶ φόρον φέρειν ἐκέλευσε. Τοὺς μέντοι χλιδῶνας τῶν Σύρων τοὺς χρυσοῦς κλοιοὺς ὁ ᾿Ακύλας ἡρμήνευσεν Ἐμὰθ δὲ τὴν Ἑπιφάνειαν τῆς Συρίας
Pōs noēteon to, Hepataxe Dabid tēn Mōab, kai diemetrēsen autous en schoiniǭ, koimisas autous epi tēn gēn ? Tosouton ēn tēs nikēs to kratos, kai tosouton tōn zōgrēthentōn to plēthos, hōs mē anaschesthai toutous hypobalein arithmǭ. Ekeleuse gar autous epi tēs gēs katablēthēnai prēneis, trichē dielōn kai tas men dyo moiras katekteine; tēn de mian ezōgrēse, kai phoron pherein ekeleuse. Tous mentoi chlidōnas tōn Syrōn tous chrysous kloious ho ᾿Akylas hērmēneusen Emath de tēn Hepiphaneian tēs Syrias
How should “David struck Moab and measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground” be understood? So great was the force of the victory, and so great the number of prisoners, that he did not bother to count them. He ordered them to be thrown face down on the ground, divided them into three, killed two parts and kept one alive, and ordered them to pay tribute. Aquila rendered the chlidons of the Syrians as golden collars; and Hemath as Epiphania of Syria.
2 Sam 8:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 8:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 8:9 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: David's measuring of the Moabite prisoners shows the size of his victory; Aquila's renderings of two words are noted.
- 2 Sam 8:2, 7, 9 (LXX). The LXX of 8:2 differs from the Hebrew in the proportion spared; Theodoret's account is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error and split word; word split by the OCR): κοιμί σας → κοιμίσας; Τοὺς μένω τοι χλιδῶνας → Τοὺς μέντοι χλιδῶνας.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.22 (PG 80 80:619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-22
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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.
2.23PG 80 80:619
Τί δήτοτε τὰ ἅρματα τῶν Σύρων τὰ πλεῖστα διέλυσεν ; Ὁ θεῖος παρακελεύεται νόμος, μὴ πολλοῖς ἵπποις κεχρῆσθαι τοὺς βασιλέας, ἵνα μὴ αὐτοῖς, ἀλλὰ τῇ θείᾳ δυνάμει θαῤῥῶσι. Τοῦτον τηρῶν τὸν νόμον, τὰ πλεῖστα τῶν ἁρμάτων διέλυσεν. Ἔστι δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀκοῦσαι καὶ ἐν τοῖς Ψαλμοῖς μελῳδοῦντος, καὶ λέγοντος . Οὐ σώζεται βασιλεὺς διὰ πολλὴν δύναμιν, καὶ γίγας οὐ σωθήσεται ἐν πλήθει ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ. Ψευδὴς ἵππος εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἐν δὲ πλήθει δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ οὐ σωθήσεται. Πεπλήρωκε δὲ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ πατριάρχου τὴν εὐλογίαν τὴν τῷ Ἰακὼβ δοθεῖσαν· Γίνου γὰρ, ἔφη, κύριος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου. Αὐτὸς δὲ τὴν Ἰδουμαίαν ἐπάταξε, καὶ ἔθετο φρουρὰν ἐν αὐτῇ. Τὸ δὲ, «Πάσῃ τῇ Ἰδουμαίᾳ ἔθηκεν ἐστηλωμένους δηλοῖ ὡς ἐν ἑκάστῃ πόλει κατέστησε τοὺς φρουρούς. Οὓς γάρ τινες καλοῦσιν ἐγκαθέτους, ἐστηλωμένους ὠνόμασεν. Εἶτα ἐπἡγαγε· Καὶ ἐγένοντο, φησὶ, πάντες οἱ Ἰδουμαῖοι δοῦλοι τῷ Δαβίδ. Ἐπέθηκε τοίνυν τῇ προγονικῇ προῤῥήσει τὸ τέλος. Ὁ δὲ συγγραφεὺς διηγεῖσθαι μέλλων τὴν παρανομίαν, ᾗ περιπέπτωκεν ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ, ἀναγκαῖον ψήθη πρῶτον ἐπιδεῖξαι τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀρετήν ἵνα γνῶμεν ὡς οὐ γνώμης ἦν, ἀλλὰ περιστάσεως τὸ πλημμέλημα. Ην γὰρ, φησὶ, Δαβὶδ ποιῶν κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην εἰς πάντα τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ. Εἶτα λέγει τοὺς ἄρχοντας, ὅτι ὁ δεῖνα μὲν τήνδε τὴν ἀρχὴν, ὁ δεῖνα δὲ τήνδε ἐπιστεύθη. Ἐμνήσθη δὲ καὶ τῶν ἱερέων, τοῦ Σαδώκ καὶ τοῦ ᾿Αβιάθαρ. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οἶμαι γραφικὸν εἶναι ἁμάρτημα. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ᾿Αχιμέλεχ υἱὸς ᾿Αβιάθαρ, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ᾿Αβιάθαρ υἱὸς Αχιμέλεχ Τὸν δὲ Φελεθὶ καὶ τὸν Χερεθὶ, τοὺς σφενδονήτας καὶ τοὺς τοξότας καλεῖ Ὁ δὲ περὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς φιλάνθρωπος, οὐκ ἄρα ἤμελλεν ἀμνημονήσειν τῶν φίλων. Ὅθεν ἤρετο, Εἰ ἔστι τις ἔτι ὑπολελειμμένος τῷ οἴκῳ Σαούλ, καὶ ποιήσω μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἔλεος ἕνεκεν Ἰωνάθαν; Διὰ γὰρ τὴν περὶ τοῦτον εὔνοιαν παρεώρα τὴν ἐκείνου δυσμένειαν. Εἶτα ἀξιοῖ τὸν Μεμφιβαάλ θεραπείας, πάντων μὲν αὐτὸν ἀποφήνας εἶναι τῶν τοῦ Σαούλ κτημάτων δεσπότην συνεῖναι δὲ αὐτῷ κελεύσας, καὶ ὁμοδίαιτον εἶναι διηνεκῶς.
Ti dētote ta harmata tōn Syrōn ta pleista dielysen ? Ho theios parakeleuetai nomos, mē pollois hippois kechrēsthai tous basileas, hina mē autois, alla tę̄ theią dynamei tharrhōsi. Touton tērōn ton nomon, ta pleista tōn harmatōn dielysen. Esti de autou akousai kai en tois Psalmois melǭdountos, kai legontos . Ou sōzetai basileus dia pollēn dynamin, kai gigas ou sōthēsetai en plēthei ischyos autou. Pseudēs hippos eis sōtērian, en de plēthei dynameōs autou ou sōthēsetai. Peplērōke de kai Isaak tou patriarchou tēn eulogian tēn tǭ Iakōb dotheisan; Ginou gar, ephē, kyrios tou adelphou sou. Autos de tēn Idoumaian epataxe, kai etheto phrouran en autę̄. To de, «Pasę̄ tę̄ Idoumaią ethēken estēlōmenous dēloi hōs en hekastę̄ polei katestēse tous phrourous. Hous gar tines kalousin enkathetous, estēlōmenous ōnomasen. Eita epēgage; Kai egenonto, phēsi, pantes hoi Idoumaioi douloi tǭ Dabid. Epethēke toinyn tę̄ progonikę̄ prorrhēsei to telos. Ho de syngrapheus diēgeisthai mellōn tēn paranomian, hę̄ peripeptōken ho theios anēr, anankaion psēthē prōton epideixai tēn tou andros aretēn hina gnōmen hōs ou gnōmēs ēn, alla peristaseōs to plēmmelēma. Ēn gar, phēsi, Dabid poiōn krima kai dikaiosynēn eis panta ton laon autou. Eita legei tous archontas, hoti ho deina men tēnde tēn archēn, ho deina de tēnde episteuthē. Emnēsthē de kai tōn hiereōn, tou Sadōk kai tou ᾿Abiathar. Entautha de oimai graphikon einai hamartēma. Ou gar ho ᾿Achimelech huios ᾿Abiathar, all᾿ ho ᾿Abiathar huios Achimelech Ton de Phelethi kai ton Cherethi, tous sphendonētas kai tous toxotas kalei Ho de peri tous echthrous philanthrōpos, ouk ara ēmellen amnēmonēsein tōn philōn. Hothen ēreto, Ei esti tis eti hypoleleimmenos tǭ oikǭ Saoul, kai poiēsō met᾿ autou eleos heneken Iōnathan? Dia gar tēn peri touton eunoian pareōra tēn ekeinou dysmeneian. Eita axioi ton Memphibaal therapeias, pantōn men auton apophēnas einai tōn tou Saoul ktēmatōn despotēn syneinai de autǭ keleusas, kai homodiaiton einai diēnekōs.
Why did he disable most of the Syrians' chariots? The divine law directs kings not to use many horses, so that they will trust not in them but in divine power. Keeping this law, he disabled most of the chariots. One can hear him singing in the Psalms too and saying, “A king is not saved by great power, and a giant will not be saved by the greatness of his strength. A horse is a false hope for safety, and by the greatness of its power it will not save.” He also fulfilled the blessing of the patriarch Isaac given to Jacob: “Be lord of your brother,” he said. For he struck Idumea and set a garrison in it. “He set men posted in all Idumea” shows that he stationed guards in each city; those whom some call agents he called “men posted.” Then he added, “And all the Idumeans became David's servants.” So he brought his forefather's prophecy to its fulfillment. The writer, being about to narrate the lawless deed into which the divine man fell, thought it necessary first to show the man's virtue, so that we might know that the offense came from circumstance, not from settled intent. “For David,” it says, “was doing justice and righteousness for all his people.” Then it names the officials: this one was entrusted with this office, that one with that. It also mentioned the priests, Zadok and Abiathar. Here I think there is a scribal error; for Ahimelech was not Abiathar's son, but Abiathar was Ahimelech's son. The Pelethites and Cherethites it calls slingers and archers. The man who was kind to his enemies was not going to forget his friends. So he asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” For his affection for Jonathan made him overlook Saul's hostility. Then he honors Mephibaal, making him master of all Saul's property and ordering him to be with him and share his table always.
2 Sam 8:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 17:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 33:16 (32:16 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 33:17 (32:17 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 27:29 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 8:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 8:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 8:17 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 22:20 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Sam 8:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 9:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 9:7 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: David obeyed the law against many horses, fulfilled Isaac's blessing over Edom, ruled justly, and honored Jonathan's son Mephibaal.
- 2 Sam 8:4–18; 9:1–13 (quotations 8:14, 15; 9:1, LXX). The law, Deut 17:16; Ps 33:16–17 (LXX 32:16–17); Isaac's blessing, Gen 27:29. On Ahimelech and Abiathar compare 2 Sam 8:17 with 1 Sam 22:20. Marginal notes printed after the answer (on the officials of the royal household, called “domestics” in Chronicles, and on the spelling Mephibaal in the Hexapla) are removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (marginal notes printed after the answer): κατάστασιν ἔχοντες τῆς βασιλικῆς οἰκίας, ἐν δὲ ταῖς Παραλειπομέναις φησὶ δομέστικοι. ἐν τῷ Ἑξαπλῷ παρὰ πᾶσιν· ἐν ἄλλῳ δὲ Μεμφιβαάλ. → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.23 (PG 80 80:619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-23
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum-2-23) · 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.
2.24PG 80 80:623
Πῶς τοῦ ᾿Αδρααζὰρ τὴν πανωλεθρίαν προειρηκώς, πάλιν αὐτὸν εἶπεν εἰς συμμαχίαν τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν ἀφικέσθαι ; Τοῦ ᾿Αδρααζὰρ ἦτταν εἶπε, σφαγὴν οὐκ εἶπε. Συνάδει δὲ καὶ τὰ νῦν εἰρημένα τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν. ᾿Απέστειλε γὰρ, φησὶν, ᾿Αδρααζάρ, καὶ ἐξήγαγε τὸν Σύρον, τὸν ἐν τῷ πέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ Χαλαμά. Εἰ δὲ δύναμιν εἶχεν οἰκείαν, οὐκ ἂν ἑτέρας προσεδεήθη. Ὅσον μέντοι ὀνίνησι συμφορά, καὶ θλίψις, καὶ μέριμνα, καὶ ἐκ τῆσδε τῆς ἱστορίας μανθάνομεν. Διωκόμενος γὰρ, φησὶν, ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαούλ ὁ θεῖος Δαβίδ, πᾶσαν κατώρθου φιλοσοφίαν καὶ παραταττόμενος δὲ, καὶ ταῖς φροντίσι τῶν πολέμων ἐνασχολῶν τὴν διάνοιαν, κατὰ τοὺς θείους ἐπολιτεύετο νόμους. Ἀνακωχῆς δὲ ὀλίγης τυχὼν, τὸν ὅλισθον ἐκεῖνον ὑπέμεινεν· Ἐγένετο γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς δείλης καὶ ἀνέστη Δαβὶδ ἀπὸ τῆς κοίτης αὐτοῦ, καὶ περιεπάτει ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος τοῦ οἴκου τῶν βασιλείων, καὶ εἶδεν ἀπὸ τοῦ δώματος γυναῖκα λουομένην, καὶ ἡ γυνὴ καλὴ τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα. Πολὺς ὁ πόλεμος καὶ σφοδρὸς, ἄνεσις καὶ τρυφή, καὶ βασιλεία, καὶ ἐξουσία, καὶ σώματος ὥρα, καὶ μετὰ τροφῆς κόρον ἡ προσβολή· ὅτε καὶ τοῖς ἀσκοῦσιν ὁ σπινθήρ ὑποτύφεται, οἷον ἀρδείαν ἐλαίου δεχόμενος τὴν τροφήν. Δῆλος δέ ἐστι καὶ σφοδρότερον [ἢ] κατὰ φύσιν ἐσχηκὼς τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τὸ πάθος. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν πλείοσιν ἐχρήσατο γυναιξὶ, μὴ τῆς φύσεως τοῦτο δρᾶσαι βιασαμένης. ᾿Αλλ' ἐκεῖνο μὲν οὐδεὶς ἐκώλυσε νόμος· τοῦτο δὲ γε ἄντικρυς ὁ θεῖος ἀπηγόρευσε νόμος. Διακύψας τοίνυν ἁπλοϊκῶς, οὐ περιέργως, Εἶδε τὸ γύναιον λουόμενον·· ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔφυγε τὴν θέαν, ὡς ὀλεθρίαν· ἀλλὰ καταθελχθεὶς τῷ τῆς ὥρας δελέατι, τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας κατέπιεν ἄγκιστρον. Καὶ ταύτην μὲν αὐτῷ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἡ ἐπιθυμία προὐξένησεν· τὴν δὲ ἑτέραν αἰδώς. Κύειν γὰρ τὴν γυναῖκα μεμαθηκώς, ὑπείδετο μὲν τὸν ἔλεγχον, πᾶσαν δὲ μηχανὴν ἐκίνησεν, ὥστε τῇ δευτέρᾳ μὴ περιπεσεῖν ἀδικίᾳ. Μετεπέμψατο γὰρ τὸν Οὐρίαν, ὑπολαβὼν ὅτι διὰ χρόνου τὴν πόλιν καταλαβὼν συνελθεῖν ἐπιθυμήσει τῇ γυναικί. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐκεῖνος τὴν σωφροσύνην, καὶ τὴν ἀνδρείαν, καὶ τὴν περὶ αὐτὸν εὔνοιαν ἔδειξεν (ἐν γὰρ τοῖς προδόμοις τῶν βασιλείων μετὰ τῶν σωματοφυλάκων τὸν ὕπνον ἐδέξατο), μετεπέμψατο μὲν αὐτὸν τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ· ἐμέμψατο δὲ ὅτι τὸ σῶμα τῆς προσηκούσης οὐκ ἠξίωσε παραμυθίας. Ὁ δὲ, Οὐ δίκαιον ὑπολαμβάνω, φησὶ, τοῦ στρατηγοῦ καὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἀπάσης ἐν πολέμῳ καὶ πολιορκίᾳ ταλαιπωρούντων, ἐμέ τινα τῷ σώματι προσενεγκεῖν θεραπείαν καὶ τόνδε τὸν λόγον ἐβεβαίωσεν ὄρκῳ. ᾿Αλλ' ὁ βασιλεὺς πάλιν ἐπιμεῖναι αὐτὸν προστάξας ἐστίασε, καὶ ταῖς συχναῖς φιλοτησίαις πέραν τοῦ μέτρου πιεῖν κατηνάγκασεν, ἵνα τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἀρδεύσας ὁ οἶνος αὐτὸν ἐρεθίσῃ πρὸς κοινωνίαν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἅπαντα εἶδεν ἀσθενῆ τὰ σοφίσματα (πάλιν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἐν τῷ προδόμῳ τῶν βασιλείων σὺν τοῖς βασιλικοῖς ἐκαθεύδησε δορυφόροις), ὑπὸ τῆς αἰσχύνης κεντούμενός τε καὶ βιαζόμενος, τὰ πρὸς τὸν στρατηγὸν ὑπηγόρευσε γράμματα. Ὁ δὲ τῶν γεγραμμένων οὐδὲν ἐπιστάμενος ἀπῄει, τὸ ξίφος φέρων τῆς οἰκείας σφαγῆς. Εἶτα μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου τελευτὴν, καὶ τὸ πένθος τῆς γυναικὸς, ὁ γάμος ἐγένετο. ᾿Αλλ' οὐκ εἴασε τὸ πάθος ἀνίατον ὁ τῶν ψυχῶν ἰατρὸς, οὐδὲ τὴν ἄδικον τελευτὴν περιεῖδεν οὐδὲ διὰ τὴν ἄλλην τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἀρετὴν τὸν ἠδικημένον εἴασεν ἀνεκδίκητον. Ἐφάνη γὰρ, φησὶ, πονηρὸν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐνώπιον Κυρίου. Ἐπέμφθη τοίνυν Νάθαν ὁ προφήτης κατηγορία περιθεὶς εὐπρεπὲς προσωπεῖον. Ἑτέρως γὰρ ἐν ἄλλοις θεωροῦμεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ ἄλλως θεωροῦμεν τὰ οἰκεῖα κακά. Ὅθεν οὐχ ὁμοίως ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις δικάζομεν. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλων δικαίαν τὴν ψῆφον ἐκφέρομεν πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ὠμοτέραν τὴν πληγὴν ἐπιφέρομεν. Αὐτοὶ δὲ πλημμελοῦντες, ἢ παντάπασι τὴν αἴσθησιν τῆς διανοίας ἐκβάλλομεν, ἢ ὁρῶντες τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, συγγνώμην ὀρέγομεν. Τούτου χάριν ὁ προφήτης τὸ τοῦ πλουσίου καὶ τοῦ πένητος συντέθεικε δρᾶμα· καὶ τοῦ μὲν τὸν πλοῦτον διέγραψε, τοῦ δὲ τὴν ἐσχάτην πενίαν ἐλεεινῶς ἐτραγῴδησεν· Οὐκ ἦν γὰρ αὐτῷ, φησὶν, ἄλλο οὐδὲν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ μία ἀμνὰς μικρὰ, ἣν ἐκτήσατο, καὶ περιεποιήσατο, καὶ ἐξέθρεψεν· καὶ συνανεστράφη μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ μετὰ τῶν τέκνων αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό. Ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου αὐτοῦ ἥσθιε, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου αὐτοῦ ἔπινε, καὶ ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ αὐτοῦ ἐκάθευδε, καὶ ἦν αὐτῷ ὡς θυγάτηρ αὐτοῦ. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα διέξεισι, δεῖξαι βουλόμενος τὴν τῆς παρανομίας ὑπερβολήν. Ἐν δέ γε τοῖς ἑξῆς ἀπολογίαν τινὰ συνυφαίνει τοῖς λόγοις. Ὁδοιπόρον γὰρ τὴν κακὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ὠνόμασεν· ὡς νῦν μὲν παρὰ τοῦτον, νῦν δὲ παρ᾽ ἐκεῖνον φοιτῶσαν. Ξένον δὲ πάλιν αὐτὴν προσηγόρευσεν, ὡς ἀήθη τοῦ Δαβὶδ, καὶ γνώριμον οὐδὲ πώποτε γεγενημένην. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτὸν τῆς συγγνώμης μεταλαχεῖν παρεσκεύασεν. Οὐ γὰρ πονηροῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ἐνετράφη, οὐδὲ ἐκ γνώμης, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ περιστάσεως ἐδέξατο τὴν πληγήν· καὶ ῥαθυμίας ἦν, οὐ κακοηθείας, ἡ ἁμαρτία. ᾿Αλλ' ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς τὴν κατηγορίαν ηὔξησεν. Ἔδει γὰρ ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων θῦσαι, καὶ μὴ τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν καὶ μόνην ἀμνάδα. Οὕτω τῆς γραφῆς ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ γεγενημένης προσώπῳ, ὁ δικαστὴς δικαίαν τὴν ψῆφον ἐξήνεγκε· Ζῇ γὰρ, ἔφη, Κύριος, ὅτι ἄξιος θανάτου ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ποιήσας τοῦτο καὶ τὴν ἀμνάδα ἀποτίσει τετραπλασίονα ἀνθ' ὧν ἐποίησε τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο, καὶ ὑπὲρ οὗ οὐκ ἐφείσατο. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ κατηγορούμενος τὴν καθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἀπόφασιν ἐξενήνοχε, τότε λοιπὸν ῥίψας ὁ προφήτης τὸ προσωπείον, γυμνὸν ἔδειξε τοῦ κατηγορουμένου τὸ πρόσωπον. Ἔφη γὰρ, Τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραήλ· Ἐγὼ ἔχρισά σε εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἐγὼ ἐξειλόμην σε ἐκ χειρὸς Σαούλ, καὶ ἔδωκά σοι τὰ πάντα τοῦ κυρίου σου, καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου· καὶ ἔδωκά σοι τὸν οἶκον Ἰσραὴλ καὶ Ἰούδα. Εἶτα ἐδήλωσε τῆς φιλοτιμίας τὸ ἄμετρον - Καὶ εἰ ὀλίγα σοἱ ἐστι, προσθήσω καθὼς ταῦτα. Πρὸ τῆς τομῆς ἡ θεραπεία, πρὸ τῆς τιμωρίας ἡ ψυχαγωγία· Καὶ εἰ ὀλίγα σοί ἐστι, προσθήσω καθὼς ταῦτα. Ἔπειτα τῆς κατηγορίας ὁ ἔλεγχος· «Καὶ ὅτι ἐξουδένωσας τὸν Κύριον τοῦ ποιεῖν πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. Κατεφρόνησάς μου τῶν νόμων, οὐκ ᾠήθης ἐφορᾶν με τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰς πράξεις ὑπερετρύφησάς μου τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς, κατ᾿ ἐμοῦ τοῦ δεδωκότος ἐσκίρτησας. Τὸν Οὐρίαν τὸν Χετθαῖον ἐπάταξας ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ, καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ ἔλαβες σεαυτῷ γυναῖκα, καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπέκτεινας ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Αμμών. Τὸν οὕτως εὔνουν περὶ σὲ γεγενημένον τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐξέδωκας, καὶ δι᾿ ἡδονὴν ὀλίγην δύο πεπάτηκας νόμους. Εἶτα ἡ τιμωρία· Καὶ νῦν οὐκ ἐξαρθήσεται. ῥομφαία ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ἕνεκεν τούτου οὗ ἐξουδένωσάς με, καὶ ἔλαβες τὴν γυναῖκα Οὐρίου τοῦ Χετθαίου σαυτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα. Αἰνίττεται δὲ ὁ λόγος, ὅτι πλέον ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς ἐχαλέπηνεν ἐπὶ τῷ γάμῳ, ἢ τῇ πρὸ τούτου γενομένῃ μοιχείᾳ. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ ἐπιθυμίας ἦν σφοδροτάτης κάρον ἐργασαμένης τῷ λογισμῷ· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ λογισμοῦ τὴν συγκατάθεσιν ἔχει, ὃν ἐχρῆν μετὰ τὸν ἄδικον φόνον θρηνεῖν καὶ στένειν, οὐ γάμῳ συναινεῖν παρανόμῳ. Εἶτα τὰς χαλεπὰς ἀπειλεῖ τιμωρίας, αἱ λαμπρότερον ἔδειξαν τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ βασιλέως τὸ κλέος. Αἱ γὰρ θεήλατοι πληγαὶ τὴν νόσον ἐκείνην ἐξήλασαν, καὶ τὴν προτέραν ὑγείαν ἀπέδοσαν. Τούτου γὰρ δὴ χάριν αὐτὰς ἐπενήνοχεν ὁ τῶν ψυχῶν ἰατρός. Προσέθηκε δὲ ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς, ὅτι Σὺ μὲν ἐποίησας ἐν κρυπτῷ· ἐγὼ δὲ ποιήσω τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου. Λαθεῖν, φησὶν, ἐθέλησας, τὸν φόνον ἐκάττυσας· ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ σου τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἅπασι ποιήσω κατάδηλον. Τούτων ὁ Δαβὶδ ἀκούσας τῶν λόγων, οὐκ ἐδυσφόρησεν ὡς ὑπ' ἀνδρὸς πένητος ἐλεγχόμενος. Ἤδει γὰρ τὸν διὰ τούτου φθεγγόμενον, καὶ ἐβόησεν· Ἡμάρτηκα τῷ Κυρίῳ. ᾿Αλλ᾿ εὐθὺς ὁ προφήτης, τὴν τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὁμολογίαν δεξάμενος, καὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίᾳ θαῤῥήσας, ἐπήγαγε Καὶ Κύριος ἀφεῖλε τὸ ἁμάρτημά σου, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς. Διπλοῦν ὤφειλε θάνατον· καὶ γὰρ ὁ μοιχὸς καὶ ὁ ἀνδροφόνος ἀνῃροῦντο κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἀλλ᾽ ἔλυσε τοῦ θανάτου τὴν ψῆφον ἡ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὁμολογία. Παντοδαπαῖς δὲ αὐτὸν, οἷα δὴ πάνσοφος ἰατρὸς, παιδείαις ὑπέβαλε· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ ὁ προφήτης, Οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς, ἐπήγαγε Πλὴν ὅτι παροργίζων παρώργισας ἐν τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις τὸν Κύριον ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τουτῳ Τοῦτο δὲ σαφέστερον ὁ ᾿Ακύλας ἡρμήνευσε, Παροξύνων παρώξυνας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς Κυρίου., Γυμνωθεὶς γὰρ τῆς θείας κηδεμονίας, παρεσκεύασε τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους νικᾶν, καὶ μέγα φρονεῖν κατὰ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ. Πρῶτον μέντοι τὸ μοιχίδιον παιδίον ἐπάταξεν ὁ Θεός. Ὁ δὲ Οὐρίας ἔοικεν ἐκ μὲν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ὡρμῆσθαι, προσήλυτος δὲ γεγενῆσθαι Χετθαῖον γὰρ αὐτὸν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς προσηγόρευσε· καὶ ἔδειξεν ὡς ἀδικούμενον οὐδένα περιορᾷ, ἀλλὰ κἂν ἀλλόφυλος ὁ ἀδικούμενος ᾖ, ὁ δὲ ἀδικῶν Ἑβραῖος, ἐκείνῳ μὲν ἐπαμύνει, τὸν δὲ ἀδικοῦντα κολάζει.
Pōs tou ᾿Adraazar tēn panōlethrian proeirēkōs, palin auton eipen eis symmachian tōn Ammanitōn aphikesthai ? Tou ᾿Adraazar ēttan eipe, sphagēn ouk eipe. Synadei de kai ta nyn eirēmena tois emprosthen. ᾿Apesteile gar, phēsin, ᾿Adraazar, kai exēgage ton Syron, ton en tǭ peran tou potamou Chalama. Ei de dynamin eichen oikeian, ouk an heteras prosedeēthē. Hoson mentoi oninēsi symphora, kai thlipsis, kai merimna, kai ek tēsde tēs historias manthanomen. Diōkomenos gar, phēsin, hypo tou Saoul ho theios Dabid, pasan katōrthou philosophian kai paratattomenos de, kai tais phrontisi tōn polemōn enascholōn tēn dianoian, kata tous theious epoliteueto nomous. Anakōchēs de oligēs tychōn, ton holisthon ekeinon hypemeinen; Egeneto gar, phēsin, en tǭ kairǭ tēs deilēs kai anestē Dabid apo tēs koitēs autou, kai periepatei epi tou dōmatos tou oikou tōn basileiōn, kai eiden apo tou dōmatos gynaika louomenēn, kai hē gynē kalē tę̄ opsei sphodra. Polys ho polemos kai sphodros, anesis kai tryphē, kai basileia, kai exousia, kai sōmatos hōra, kai meta trophēs koron hē prosbolē; hote kai tois askousin ho spinthēr hypotyphetai, hoion ardeian elaiou dechomenos tēn trophēn. Dēlos de esti kai sphodroteron [ē] kata physin eschēkōs tēs epithymias to pathos. Ou gar an pleiosin echrēsato gynaixi, mē tēs physeōs touto drasai biasamenēs. ᾿All' ekeino men oudeis ekōlyse nomos; touto de ge antikrys ho theios apēgoreuse nomos. Diakypsas toinyn haploïkōs, ou periergōs, Eide to gynaion louomenon;; all᾽ ouk ephyge tēn thean, hōs olethrian; alla katathelchtheis tǭ tēs hōras deleati, to tēs hamartias katepien ankistron. Kai tautēn men autǭ tēn hamartian hē epithymia prouxenēsen; tēn de heteran aidōs. Kyein gar tēn gynaika memathēkōs, hypeideto men ton elenchon, pasan de mēchanēn ekinēsen, hōste tę̄ deuterą mē peripesein adikią. Metepempsato gar ton Ourian, hypolabōn hoti dia chronou tēn polin katalabōn synelthein epithymēsei tę̄ gynaiki. Epei de ekeinos tēn sōphrosynēn, kai tēn andreian, kai tēn peri auton eunoian edeixen (en gar tois prodomois tōn basileiōn meta tōn sōmatophylakōn ton hypnon edexato), metepempsato men auton tę̄ hysteraią; emempsato de hoti to sōma tēs prosēkousēs ouk ēxiōse paramythias. Ho de, Ou dikaion hypolambanō, phēsi, tou stratēgou kai tēs stratias apasēs en polemǭ kai poliorkią talaipōrountōn, eme tina tǭ sōmati prosenenkein therapeian kai tonde ton logon ebebaiōsen orkǭ. ᾿All' ho basileus palin epimeinai auton prostaxas estiase, kai tais sychnais philotēsiais peran tou metrou piein katēnankasen, hina tēn epithymian ardeusas ho oinos auton erethisę̄ pros koinōnian. Epei de hapanta eiden asthenē ta sophismata (palin gar ekeinos en tǭ prodomǭ tōn basileiōn syn tois basilikois ekatheudēse doryphorois), hypo tēs aischynēs kentoumenos te kai biazomenos, ta pros ton stratēgon hypēgoreuse grammata. Ho de tōn gegrammenōn ouden epistamenos apę̄ei, to xiphos pherōn tēs oikeias sphagēs. Eita meta tēn ekeinou teleutēn, kai to penthos tēs gynaikos, ho gamos egeneto. ᾿All' ouk eiase to pathos aniaton ho tōn psychōn iatros, oude tēn adikon teleutēn perieiden oude dia tēn allēn tou Dabid aretēn ton ēdikēmenon eiasen anekdikēton. Ephanē gar, phēsi, ponēron to pragma enōpion Kyriou. Epemphthē toinyn Nathan ho prophētēs katēgoria peritheis euprepes prosōpeion. Heterōs gar en allois theōroumen tēn hamartian, kai allōs theōroumen ta oikeia kaka. Hothen ouch homoiōs hēmin autois kai tois allois dikazomen. Epi men gar allōn dikaian tēn psēphon ekpheromen pollakis de kai ōmoteran tēn plēgēn epipheromen. Autoi de plēmmelountes, ē pantapasi tēn aisthēsin tēs dianoias ekballomen, ē horōntes tēn hamartian, syngnōmēn oregomen. Toutou charin ho prophētēs to tou plousiou kai tou penētos syntetheike drama; kai tou men ton plouton diegrapse, tou de tēn eschatēn penian eleeinōs etragǭdēsen; Ouk ēn gar autǭ, phēsin, allo ouden, all᾽ hē mia amnas mikra, hēn ektēsato, kai periepoiēsato, kai exethrepsen; kai synanestraphē met᾿ autou, kai meta tōn teknōn autou epi to auto. Ek tou artou autou hēsthie, kai ek tou potēriou autou epine, kai en tǭ kolpǭ autou ekatheude, kai ēn autǭ hōs thygatēr autou. Tauta de panta diexeisi, deixai boulomenos tēn tēs paranomias hyperbolēn. En de ge tois hexēs apologian tina synyphainei tois logois. Hodoiporon gar tēn kakēn epithymian ōnomasen; hōs nyn men para touton, nyn de par᾽ ekeinon phoitōsan. Xenon de palin autēn prosēgoreusen, hōs aēthē tou Dabid, kai gnōrimon oude pōpote gegenēmenēn. Touto gar auton tēs syngnōmēs metalachein pareskeuasen. Ou gar ponērois epitēdeumasin enetraphē, oude ek gnōmēs, all᾽ ek peristaseōs edexato tēn plēgēn; kai rhathymias ēn, ou kakoētheias, hē hamartia. ᾿All' en tois hexēs tēn katēgorian ēuxēsen. Edei gar ek tōn oikeiōn thysai, kai mē tēn allotrian kai monēn amnada. Houtō tēs graphēs en allotriǭ gegenēmenēs prosōpǭ, ho dikastēs dikaian tēn psēphon exēnenke; Zę̄ gar, ephē, Kyrios, hoti axios thanatou ho anēr ho poiēsas touto kai tēn amnada apotisei tetraplasiona anth' hōn epoiēse to pragma touto, kai hyper hou ouk epheisato. Epeidē ho katēgoroumenos tēn kath' heautou apophasin exenēnoche, tote loipon rhipsas ho prophētēs to prosōpeion, gymnon edeixe tou katēgoroumenou to prosōpon. Ephē gar, Tade legei Kyrios ho Theos Israēl; Egō echrisa se eis basilea epi Israēl, kai egō exeilomēn se ek cheiros Saoul, kai edōka soi ta panta tou kyriou sou, kai tas gynaikas autou eis ton kolpon sou; kai edōka soi ton oikon Israēl kai Iouda. Eita edēlōse tēs philotimias to ametron - Kai ei oliga soi esti, prosthēsō kathōs tauta. Pro tēs tomēs hē therapeia, pro tēs timōrias hē psychagōgia; Kai ei oliga soi esti, prosthēsō kathōs tauta. Epeita tēs katēgorias ho elenchos; «Kai hoti exoudenōsas ton Kyrion tou poiein ponēron enōpion autou. Katephronēsas mou tōn nomōn, ouk ǭēthēs ephoran me tōn anthrōpōn tas praxeis hyperetryphēsas mou tois agathois, kat᾿ emou tou dedōkotos eskirtēsas. Ton Ourian ton Chetthaion epataxas en rhomphaią, kai tēn gynaika autou elabes seautǭ gynaika, kai auton apekteinas en rhomphaią tōn huiōn ᾿Ammōn. Ton houtōs eunoun peri se gegenēmenon tois polemiois exedōkas, kai di᾿ hēdonēn oligēn dyo pepatēkas nomous. Eita hē timōria; Kai nyn ouk exarthēsetai. rhomphaia ek tou oikou sou eis ton aiōna. Heneken toutou hou exoudenōsas me, kai elabes tēn gynaika Ouriou tou Chetthaiou sautǭ eis gynaika. Ainittetai de ho logos, hoti pleon ho Despotēs Theos echalepēnen epi tǭ gamǭ, ē tę̄ pro toutou genomenę̄ moicheią. Ekeino men gar epithymias ēn sphodrotatēs karon ergasamenēs tǭ logismǭ; touto de kai autou tou logismou tēn synkatathesin echei, hon echrēn meta ton adikon phonon thrēnein kai stenein, ou gamǭ synainein paranomǭ. Eita tas chalepas apeilei timōrias, hai lamproteron edeixan tou thaumastou basileōs to kleos. Hai gar theēlatoi plēgai tēn noson ekeinēn exēlasan, kai tēn proteran hygeian apedosan. Toutou gar dē charin autas epenēnochen ho tōn psychōn iatros. Prosethēke de tais apeilais, hoti Sy men epoiēsas en kryptǭ; egō de poiēsō to rhēma touto enōpion pantos tou laou toutou. Lathein, phēsin, ethelēsas, ton phonon ekattysas; all᾽ egō sou tēn hamartian hapasi poiēsō katadēlon. Toutōn ho Dabid akousas tōn logōn, ouk edysphorēsen hōs hyp' andros penētos elenchomenos. Ēdei gar ton dia toutou phthengomenon, kai eboēsen; Hēmartēka tǭ Kyriǭ. ᾿All᾿ euthys ho prophētēs, tēn tēs hamartias homologian dexamenos, kai tę̄ tou Theou philanthrōpią tharrhēsas, epēgage Kai Kyrios apheile to hamartēma sou, ou mē apothanę̄s. Diploun ōpheile thanaton; kai gar ho moichos kai ho androphonos anę̄rounto kata ton nomon all᾽ elyse tou thanatou tēn psēphon hē tēs hamartias homologia. Pantodapais de auton, hoia dē pansophos iatros, paideiais hypebale; touto gar kai hē historia didaskei. Eirēkōs gar ho prophētēs, Ou mē apothanę̄s, epēgage Plēn hoti parorgizōn parōrgisas en tois hypenantiois ton Kyrion en tǭ logǭ toutǭ Touto de saphesteron ho ᾿Akylas hērmēneuse, Paroxynōn parōxynas tous echthrous Kyriou., Gymnōtheis gar tēs theias kēdemonias, pareskeuase tous allophylous nikan, kai mega phronein kata tou tōn holōn Theou. Prōton mentoi to moichidion paidion epataxen ho Theos. Ho de Ourias eoiken ek men tōn allophylōn hōrmēsthai, prosēlytos de gegenēsthai Chetthaion gar auton ho tōn holōn Theos prosēgoreuse; kai edeixen hōs adikoumenon oudena periorą, alla kan allophylos ho adikoumenos ę̄, ho de adikōn Hebraios, ekeinǭ men epamynei, ton de adikounta kolazei.
How could he say that Hadadezer came again as an ally of the Ammonites, having earlier spoken of his utter destruction? He spoke of Hadadezer's defeat, not of his slaughter. And what is said now agrees with what was said before: “For Hadadezer sent,” it says, “and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the river Chalama.” If he had had a force of his own, he would not have needed another. How much misfortune, affliction and anxiety benefit us, we learn from this history too. While he was being pursued by Saul, the divine David practiced every kind of wisdom; and while fighting, and occupying his mind with the cares of war, he lived according to the divine laws. But when he obtained a little respite, he suffered that fall: “It came to pass,” it says, “at evening, that David rose from his bed and walked on the roof of the royal house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.” Great and violent is the war: ease and luxury, kingship and power, the bloom of the body, and the assault coming after a full meal; at such a time the spark smolders even in ascetics, receiving its fuel like a watering of oil. He clearly also had the passion of desire more violently than is natural; for he would not have used several wives if nature had not forced him to do so. But no law forbade that; this, however, the divine law expressly prohibited. So, stooping to look out innocently, not out of curiosity, he saw the woman bathing; but he did not flee the sight as deadly, but, bewitched by the bait of her beauty, he swallowed the hook of sin. Desire procured this sin for him; shame, the other. For learning that the woman was pregnant, he dreaded being exposed, and tried every device so as not to fall into the second injustice. He sent for Uriah, supposing that after a long absence, on reaching the city he would desire to come together with his wife. But when Uriah showed his self-control, his courage and his loyalty to him (for he slept in the vestibule of the palace with the bodyguards), he sent for him the next day and reproached him for not granting his body the proper relief. Uriah said, “I do not think it right, while the general and the whole army are suffering hardship in war and siege, that I should give my body any comfort,” and he confirmed this word with an oath. But the king, ordering him to stay again, feasted him and with frequent toasts forced him to drink beyond measure, so that the wine, watering his desire, might rouse him to intercourse. And when he saw all his tricks fail (for again Uriah slept in the vestibule of the palace with the royal guards), stung and driven by shame, he dictated the letter to the general. Uriah, knowing nothing of what was written, went off carrying the sword of his own slaughter. Then, after his death and his wife's mourning, the marriage took place. But the physician of souls did not leave the disease uncured, nor overlook the unjust death, nor, because of David's virtue in other respects, leave the wronged man unavenged. “For the deed appeared evil in the sight of the Lord,” it says. So Nathan the prophet was sent, putting a becoming mask on the accusation. For we view sin in others one way, and view our own evils another; so we do not judge ourselves and others alike. In the case of others we pronounce a just verdict, and often even inflict too harsh a blow; but when we ourselves offend, we either cast out all awareness from our mind, or, seeing the sin, we reach for pardon. For this reason the prophet composed the drama of the rich man and the poor man: he described the wealth of the one, and depicted the extreme poverty of the other with pathos: “For he had nothing else,” he says, “but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and kept and reared; and it grew up with him and with his children together. It ate of his bread and drank from his cup and slept in his bosom, and it was to him like a daughter.” He goes through all this to show the excess of the lawless deed. In what follows he weaves a certain defense into his words. He called evil desire a traveler, as visiting now this man, now that; again he called it a stranger, as unaccustomed to David and never before known to him. This is what enabled him to obtain pardon: he had not been brought up in wicked practices, and he received the blow not from settled intent but from circumstance; the sin was one of carelessness, not of malice. But in what follows he increased the accusation: he ought to have sacrificed from his own flock, and not the other man's only lamb. When the charge had thus been made in another person's name, the judge pronounced a just verdict: “As the Lord lives,” he said, “the man who did this deserves to die, and he shall repay the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.” When the accused had pronounced the sentence against himself, then at last the prophet threw off the mask and showed the face of the accused uncovered. For he said, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul, and gave you all that was your lord's, and his wives into your bosom; and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah.” Then he showed the boundlessness of his generosity: “And if these are few for you, I will add as much again.” Before the cutting, the treatment; before the punishment, the comfort: “And if these are few for you, I will add as much again.” Then the proof of the charge: “Why have you despised the Lord, to do evil in his sight?” You despised my laws, you did not think I watch the deeds of human beings; you grew wanton on my good things and kicked against me, the giver. “You struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and took his wife as your wife, and killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.” The man so loyal to you you betrayed to the enemy, and for a little pleasure you trampled two laws. Then the punishment: “And now the sword shall not depart from your house forever, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.” The saying hints that God the Master was angrier at the marriage than at the adultery that came before it. For that was the work of a most violent desire that had stupefied his reason; but this had the consent of reason itself, which ought, after the unjust murder, to have lamented and groaned, not agreed to a lawless marriage. Then he threatens the severe punishments, which made the admirable king's glory shine more brightly. For the blows sent by God drove out that disease and restored his former health; for this reason the physician of souls brought them on him. To the threats he added, “For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all this people.” You wished to escape notice, he says, and contrived the murder; but I will make your sin plain to all. Hearing these words, David was not offended at being rebuked by a poor man; for he knew who was speaking through him, and he cried out, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And at once the prophet, accepting the confession of the sin and trusting in God's love for humankind, added, “And the Lord has taken away your sin; you shall not die.” He owed a double death, for both the adulterer and the murderer were put to death according to the law; but the confession of the sin undid the sentence of death. But like a most wise physician he subjected him to all kinds of discipline, as the history too teaches. For the prophet, having said “You shall not die,” added, “Nevertheless, because by this deed you have greatly provoked the Lord among his adversaries.” Aquila rendered this more clearly: “you have greatly provoked the enemies of the Lord.” For, stripped of divine care, he enabled the foreigners to win and to be arrogant against the God of the universe. First, however, God struck the child of the adultery. Uriah seems to have come from the foreigners but to have become a proselyte; for the God of the universe called him a Hittite, and showed that he overlooks no one who is wronged; even if the one wronged is a foreigner and the wrongdoer a Hebrew, he defends the one and punishes the wrongdoer.
2 Sam 10:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:4 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:5 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:4 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:12 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Lev 20:10 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 21:12 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: In a time of ease David fell into adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah; Nathan's parable led him to confess, and God forgave the death penalty but disciplined him.
- 2 Sam 10:16; 11–12 (LXX; quotations 10:16; 11:2, 11, 27; 12:3, 5–6, 7–10, 12, 13, 14). The law: Lev 20:10; Exod 21:12. Theodoret's statements that David had a stronger than natural desire, and that God was angrier at the marriage than at the adultery, are his own; translated as written. The square brackets around ἢ (“than”) in the edition are kept in sense. A displaced fragment of the quotation of 12:10 (“you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hit[tite]”) had been printed inside an earlier sentence; it is put back in its place by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR capital letter; OCR letter error; displaced words restored to their place; displaced words, restored below to their place in the quotation of 12:10; stray footnote marks; stray letter; stray letters; stray letters and word split by the OCR; stray mark; stray mark inside the word; stray marks; stray marks and OCR letter error; word split by the OCR): Χαλαμά **. → Χαλαμά.; παραταττόμενος " δὲ → παραταττόμενος δὲ; κόρον 5ο ἡ προσβολή → κόρον ἡ προσβολή; τὴν τροφήν δι. → τὴν τροφήν.; ἐχρήσα& το → ἐχρήσατο; οὐ 5* περιέργως → οὐ περιέργως; καταλαΕὼν → καταλαβὼν; παραμυθίας **. → παραμυθίας.; ταλαιπωρούντων δ, → ταλαιπωρούντων,; βουλόμενος νωσάς με, καὶ ἔλαβες τὴν γυναῖκα Οὐρίου τοῦ Χεττὴν τῆς → βουλόμενος τὴν τῆς; καὶ το μόνην → καὶ μόνην; ἀπο τίσει → ἀποτίσει; προσθήσω το καθὼς ταῦ τα → προσθήσω καθὼς ταῦτα; ἐφορᾶν το με → ἐφορᾶν με; γυναῖκα 8ἱ αὐτοῦ ἔλα6ες → γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ ἔλαβες; ᾿Αμμών **. → ᾿Αμμών.; οὗ ἐξουδέ θαίου → οὗ ἐξουδένωσάς με, καὶ ἔλαβες τὴν γυναῖκα Οὐρίου τοῦ Χετθαίου; Εκάττυσας → ἐκάττυσας; περιορᾷ **, → περιορᾷ,.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.24 (PG 80 80:623; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-24
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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.
2.25PG 80 80:629
Τί δήποτε τὸ ἀρτιγενὲς παιδίον θανάτῳ παρέδωκεν ὁ Θεός; Ἤμελλεν εἶναι ζῶν τῆς παρανομίας ἔλεγχος, καὶ τοῦ εὐσεβοῦς βασιλέως ὄνειδος. Τοῦ προφήτου τοίνυν κηδόμενος, ζῇν αὐτὸ οὐκ εἴασεν ὁ Δεσπότης.
Ti dēpote to artigenes paidion thanatǭ paredōken ho Theos? Ēmellen einai zōn tēs paranomias elenchos, kai tou eusebous basileōs oneidos. Tou prophētou toinyn kēdomenos, zę̄n auto ouk eiasen ho Despotēs.
Why did God hand the newborn child over to death? If he lived he would be a proof of the lawless deed and a reproach to the pious king. Caring for the prophet, then, the Master did not let him live.
2 Sam 12:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:18 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God took the child of David's adultery so that it would not remain a living reproach to the king.
- 2 Sam 12:14–18. A marginal line repeating the words “the enemies of the Lord in this deed” (from 2.24) printed inside the answer is removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (marginal line from the preceding question printed in the text): ἔλεγχος, τοὺς ἐχθροὺς Κυρίου ἐν τῷ ῥήματι τούτῳ. τοὺς ἐχθροὺς Κυσίου. καὶ → ἔλεγχος, καὶ.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.25 (PG 80 80:629; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-25
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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.
2.26PG 80 80:631
Τί ἑρμηνεύεται τὸ Ἰεδδίδει; Ὁ Ἀκύλας, ἕνεκεν Κυρίου ἡρμήνευσεν· ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος, εἰς βασιλέα ἀφωρισμένον
Ti hermēneuetai to Ieddidei? Ho Akylas, heneken Kyriou hērmēneusen; ho de Symmachos, eis basilea aphōrismenon
What does Jedidi mean? Aquila translated it “for the Lord's sake”; Symmachus, “set apart as king.”
2 Sam 12:25 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Solomon's name Jedidiah is explained from Aquila and Symmachus.
- 2 Sam 12:25 (LXX Ἰεδδεδί). This short question holds one question and answer. The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 320.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.26 (PG 80 80:631; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-26
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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.
2.27PG 80 80:631
Τινὲς ὡς ἀπηνῆ τὸν Δαβὶδ ἐπιμέμφονται τοιαύταις τιμωρίαις τοὺς ᾿Αμμανίτας κολάσαντα. ᾿Αναμεμνῆσθαι δεῖ ὧν κατὰ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τετολμήκασι Τοὺς δεξιοὺς γὰρ αὐτῶν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐξώρυττον· καὶ τὰς ἄλλας δὲ αὐτῶν ὠμότητας οἱ προφῆται διδάσκουσι. Τὴν ἴσην τοίνυν ὧν ἐτόλμησαν ἔτισαν ποινήν.
Tines hōs apēnē ton Dabid epimemphontai toiautais timōriais tous ᾿Ammanitas kolasanta. ᾿Anamemnēsthai dei hōn kata tou Israēl tetolmēkasi Tous dexious gar autōn ophthalmous exōrytton; kai tas allas de autōn ōmotētas hoi prophētai didaskousi. Tēn isēn toinyn hōn etolmēsan etisan poinēn.
Some blame David as harsh for punishing the Ammonites with such punishments. One must remember what they had dared against Israel: they gouged out their right eyes, and the prophets tell of their other cruelties. So they paid a penalty equal to what they had dared.
2 Sam 12:31 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 11:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Amos 1:13 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: David's harsh treatment of the Ammonites repaid their own cruelty to Israel.
- The question is put as an objection; the printed text lacks a question mark. 2 Sam 12:31; 1 Sam 11:2; Amos 1:13.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray mark): κολάσαντα'. → κολάσαντα..
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.27 (PG 80 80:631; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-27
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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.