Questions on Kings and Chronicles 2.28–2.42 (Questions on Kings and Chronicles)

Theodoret of Cyrus

Questions on Kings and Chronicles 2.28–2.42

Theodoret of Cyrus · Questions on Kings and Chronicles · ca. 453 · Cyrrhus · 15 passages

Greek text: PG 80.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

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Chapter 2

2.28PG 80 80:631

Τὸν Ἰωναδάβ τοῦ Σαμαὰ τὸν υἱὸν τὸ δήποτε φρόνιμον ὠνόμασε, τοιαύταις χρησάμενον συμβουλίαις; Καὶ τὸν ὄφιν οὕτως ὁ Μωσῆς φρονιμώτατον εἶπεν εἶναι πάντων τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Τοιγάρτοι ἰστέον, ὡς οὐ πανταχῆ τὸ φρόνιμον ἐπὶ ἐπαίνου τάττειν εἴωθεν ἡ θεία Γραφή. Σοφοὶ γάρ εἰσι, φησὶ, τοῦ κακοποιῆσαι. Καὶ ἐξελέξατο, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς τὰ μωρὰ τοῦ κόσμου, ἵνα καταισχύνῃ τοὺς σοφούς.» Καὶ ὁ Σολομών ἐσοφίσατο ὑπὲρ πάντας σοφοὺς Αἰγύπτου·» δυσσεβεῖς δὲ ἦσαν οἱ Αἰγύπτου σοφοί. Ἐνταῦθα οὐ τὴν συμβουλὴν τοῦ Ἰωναδάβ ἐπήνεσεν ἡ θεία Γραφή, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἐκείνου φρένας, ὡς ἐπιτηδείως ἐσχηκυίας πρὸς τὸ συνορᾶν τὸ πρακτέον. ᾿Αλλ' οὐκ ἐχρήσατο εἰς δέον τῇ φύσει· ἀλλὰ τῇ τοῦ ᾿Αμνὼν ἀκολασίᾳ συνέπραξε, καὶ τῆς τολμηθείσης παρανομίας μετέλαχεν. Εἰ ἐθεώρεις γὰρ, φησὶ, κλέπτην, συνέτρεχες αὐτῷ, καὶ μετὰ μοιχοῦ τὴν μερίδα σου ἐτίθεις. Τὸν δὲ χιτῶνα τὸν ἀστραγαλωτὸν, ὁ μὲν ᾿Ακύλας καρπωτὸν ἡρμήνευσεν, ἀντὶ τοῦ καρποὺς ἐνυφασμένους ἔχοντα· οἱ νῦν δὲ αὐτὸν καλοῦσι πλουμαρικόν. Ὁ δὲ Ἰώσηπος, τὸν μέχρις ἀστραγάλων διήκοντα. Η μέντοι κατὰ τὴν Θάμαρ ὑπόθεσις ἀρχή τίς ἐστι καὶ ῥίζα τῶν τῆς βασιλικῆς οἰκίας συμφορῶν. Ἤλγησε μὲν γὰρ ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν παρανομίαν μαθών· φιλοστόργως δὲ ὡς περὶ πρωτότοκον υἱὸν τὸν Ἀμνὼν διακείμενος, τῆς πονηρᾶς πράξεως οὐκ εἰσέπραξε δίκας. Ὁ δὲ ὁμογάστριος αὐτῆς ἀδελφὸς, καὶ ἄλλως αὐθάδης ὢν καὶ θρασὺς, παραυτίκα μὲν ἔκρυψε τὴν ὀργὴν, δύο δὲ διεληλυθότων ἐτῶν, εἰς τὴν τῶν προβάτων κουρὰν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς συγκαλέσας, κατέκτεινε τὸν ᾿Αμνών. Εἶτα πρὸς τὸν πάππον ἀπέδραμε τὸν πρὸς μητρός. Μααχὰ γὰρ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ θυγάτηρ ἦν τοῦ Θολμὴ, ὃς τῆς Γεσσὶρ ἐβασίλευσεν. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐθρήνησεν ἀμφοτέρους, καὶ τὸν ἀνῃρηκότα, καὶ τὸν ἀναιρεθέντα. – Τριῶν δὲ διεληλυθότων ἐτῶν, καὶ τῆς ὀργῆς τῷ χρόνῳ σβεσθείσης, μηχανᾶται τοιοῦτόν τι ὁ στρατηγός. Ὑπέθετο γυναικί τινι συνετῇ δρᾶμα διαπλάσας, εἰς οἶκτον ἑλκῦσαι τὸν βασιλέα δυνάμενον. Ἡ δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ προσελθοῦσα, κατὰ τὰς ὑποθήκας τοῦ στρατηγοῦ, χήρα μὲν ἔφησεν εἶναι, δύο δὲ μόνους παῖδας γεγεννηκέναι· τούτους δὲ εἰς ἄνδρας τελέσαντας εἰς ἔριν χαλεπὴν ἐμπεσεῖν, ἐκ δὲ τῆς ἔριδος τεχθῆναι διαμάχην· διαλῦσαι δὲ ταύτην οὐδενὸς ἐθελήσαντος, θάτερον ὑπὸ θατέρου πληγέντα τοῦ βίου τὸ τέλος καταλαβεῖν. Ἀλλ᾽ οἱ τὴν ἔριν ἐκείνην διαλῦσαι μὴ βουληθέντες, νῦν ἀθροισθέντες ἐκδοθῆναι σφίσιν ἀπαιτοῦσι τὸν ἕτερον. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο γένοιτο, ἐγὼ μὲν πρὸς τῇ χηρείᾳ, καὶ τὴν ἀπαιδίαν ὀλοφυρομένη διατελέσω· σβεσθήσεται δὲ παντάπασιν ὁ τοῦ γένους σπινθὴρ, καὶ τοῦ ἀνδρός μου ἡ μνήμη παραδοθήσεται λήθῃ· τὸν βασιλέα δὲ διὰ τούτων ᾐνίττετο, μήτε τὸν Ἀμνὼν κολάσαντα, μήτε τοῦ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ τὴν ἀθυμίαν διασκεδάσαντα ἀνηκέστου δὲ τοῦ πράγματος γεγονότος, διακενῆς ὀργιζόμενον. Τούτοις δὲ ὅμως καταθελχθέντος τοῖς λόγοις τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ προστάξειν ὑπισχνουμένου τῷ στρατηγῷ παύσειν τῶν φυλετῶν τὴν ὁρμὴν, πάλιν ἡ γυνὴ θεραπευτικοῖς ἐχρήσατο λόγοις, κατακηλοῦσα τοῦ βασιλέως τὴν ἀκοήν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὤμοσεν ὁ βασιλεύς Ζῇ γὰρ, ἔφη, Κύριος, εἰ πεσεῖται ἀπὸ τῶν τριχῶν τοῦ υἱοῦ σου ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, εὐθὺς ἐπήγαγεν ἡ γυνὴ, ὡς οὐχ οἷόν τε διαφυγεῖν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὴν σφαγὴν, μὴ πρότερον τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐκ τῆς φυγῆς ἐπανελθόντος. Ἐκεῖνο γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔσται τούτου παράδειγμα. Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνο μὴ γένοιτο, ἀντιλέξουσιν οἱ φυλέται, εὔλογον αἰτίαν ἔχοντες τὴν τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως φυγήν. Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει· Καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή Ἵνα τί ἐλογίσθη οὕτως ἐπὶ λαὸν Κυρίου, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ παρελθεῖν τὸν βασιλέα τὸν λόγον τοῦτον, τοῦ ἐγκρατεύσασθαι τοῦ μὴ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν βασιλέα τὸν ἀπωσμένον ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι τέθνηκεν ὁ υἱός σου; Πῶς δύνασαι, φησὶ, τὸν υἱὸν μου τῆς σφαγῆς ἀπαλλάξαι μὴ ἐπανάγων σου τὸν υἱόν; Εἶτα περὶ τοῦ τεθνηκότος ψυχαγωγεῖ, ὅτι Τέθνηκεν ὁ υἱός σου, καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ἐκχεόμενον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν οὐ συναχθήσεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐλπιεῖ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ψυχή ᾿Αναστῆσαι, φησὶν, ἐκεῖνον οὐ δύνασαι, τί δήποτε καὶ τοῦτον σπεύδεις ἀναιρήσειν, ἵνα ἐστερημένος τῶν δύο βωτεύσῃς; - Οὕτω τὸν περὶ τοῦ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ παρεμβαλοῦσα λόγον, πάλιν περὶ τοῦ οἰκείου δοκεῖ διαλέγεσθαι πάθους ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ ταῦτα ἐξεπίτηδες εἰρηκέναι Καὶ νῦν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἥκω λαλῆσαι πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα τὸν λόγον τοῦτον, καὶ ὄψεταί με ὁ λαὸς καὶ ἐρεῖ ἡ δούλη σου, Λαλησάτω δὴ ἡ δούλη σου πρὸς τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν βασιλέα, εἴ πως ποιήσῃ ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς παιδίσκης αὐτοῦ· ὅτι ἀκούσεται ὁ βασιλεὺς, καὶ ἐξελεῖταί με ἐκ χειρὸς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τοῦ ζητοῦντος ἐξολοθρεῦσαί με, καὶ τὸν υἱόν μου κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ, ἐκ τῆς κληρονομίας Κυρίου. Καὶ ἐρεῖ ἡ δούλη σου· Γενηθήτω δὴ ὁ λόγος τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς θυσίαν ὅτι καθὼς ἄγγελος Κυρίου, οὕτως καὶ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεὺς, τοῦ εἰσακούειν τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ πονηρόν· καὶ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου μετὰ σοῦ ἔσται. Τούτων παρὰ τῆς γυναικὸς εἰρημένων, συνῆκεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ δράματος τὴν ὑπόθεσιν, καὶ ἤρετο τὴν γυναῖκα, εἰ γνώμῃ τοῦ Ἰωὰβ τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις ἐχρήσατο. Ἡ δὲ συνωμολόγησε τούτων ἕκαστον τὸν Ἰωάβ ὑποθέσθαι· Ὅπως, φησὶ, κυκλώσῃ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ λόγου τούτου ὅ ἐποίησεν Ἰωάβ ὁ δοῦλός σου τὸν λόγον τοῦτον. Ἑξ εὐθείας, φησὶν, οὐκ ἦν ἱκετεῦσαί σε· ὅθεν ὑπέθετο χρήσασθαί με τῷ κύκλῳ τῶν λόγων τούτων, ἵνα ἐν τῷ πεπλασμένῳ πάθει τὸ οἰκεῖον ἰδὼν, ἣν ἔμελλες ἐπιθεῖναι θεραπείαν ἐμοὶ, ταύτην ἐπιθῇς σαυτῷ· καὶ ἧς μεταδώσειν ἐπικουρίας ὑπέσχου τῷ ἐμῷ παιδὶ, ταύτης τῷ σῷ μεταδῷς. Τούτοις εἴξας τοῖς λόγοις ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἐπανἐλθεῖν μὲν τὸν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ παρηγγύησεν, ἰδεῖν δὲ αὐτὸν διεκώλυσεν ὕστερον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο δέδρακε, τοῦ Ἰωάβ δεξάμενος τὴν παράκλησιν. ᾿Αλλὰ τεσσάρων διεληλυθότων ἐτῶν, τῇ χρηστότητι τῶν λόγων προκατασκευάσας τὴν τυραννίδα, τῇ σκήψει μὲν τῆς θυσίας εἰς τὴν Χεβρὼν ἀπελήλυθεν· ἐκεῖ δὲ τὴν πατρικὴν ἥρπασε βασιλείαν· ἐμελέτησε δὲ καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς τὴν σφαγήν. Τοῦτο μαθὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς, κατἐλιπε τὴν μητρόπολιν, ἀρίστην ἡγούμενος στρατηγίαν καὶ τὴν εἰς καιρὸν γενομένην φυγήν. Ἠχολούθησε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ τῶν ἀσπιδοφόρων καὶ δορυφόρων πλῆθος. Ἠκολούθησε δὲ καὶ Ἰεθὶ ὁ Γετθαῖος σὺν ἑξακοσίοις λογάσιν, ἄρτι μὲν τὴν οἰκείαν πατρίδα καταλιπών, προσήλυτος δὲ μετὰ τῶν ὑπηκόων γενόμενος. Τοῦτον ὁ βασιλεὺς πεῖσαι μὲν ἐπεχείρησεν ἀναστρέψαι, ἵνα μὴ εὐθὺς αὐτοῖς συνοικήσας πάλιν γένηται μετανάστης· Τί γὰρ, φησί, πορεύῃ σὺ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν; ᾿Ανάστρεφε καὶ κάθισον μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, ὅτι ἀλλότριος σὺ, καὶ ὅτι μετῴκησας ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου σου· εἰ ἐχθὲς παραγέγονας σὺ, καὶ σήμερον κινήσω σε τοῦ πορεύεσθαι μεθ' ἡμῶν· ἐγὼ δὲ πορεύσομαι οὗ ἐὰν πορεύωμαι. Ἐμὲ, φησὶ, ἀνάγκη μεταναστεύειν, σὲ δὲ οὐ δίκαιον ἀρτίως ἀφιγμένον σὺν ἡμῖν ὑπομένειν τὸν πόνον. ῎Αξιον δὲ θαυμάσαι τοῦ Δαβὶδ τὴν πραότητα. Καὶ διωκόμενος γὰρ, καὶ πολεμούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ παμμιάρου παιδὸς, οὐ πατραλοίαν, οὐκ ἀδελφοκτόνον, ἀλλὰ βασιλέα ὠνόμαζε· καὶ πολλῆς δεόμενος βοηθείας, τῆς τοῦ προσηλύτου σωτηρίας ἐφρόντιζεν· ᾿Ανάστρεφε γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ἀπόστρεψον τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ Κύριος ποιήσει μετὰ σοῦ ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθειαν. ᾿Αλλ' ὅσῳ τὴν περὶ αὐτὸν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐδείκνυ κηδεμονίαν, τοσούτῳ ἐκεῖνος μείζονα τὴν εὔνοιαν ἀπεδείκνυτο. Ζῇ γὰρ, φησὶ, Κύριος, καὶ ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου, κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ ἐὰν ἡ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἐάν τε εἰς θάνατον, ἐάν τε εἰς ζωὴν, ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ δοῦλός σου. Τούτων ἕκαστον εἰς ἡμετέραν προεγράφη διδασκαλίαν, ἵνα μάθωμεν, ὡς οὐ χρὴ εὖ μὲν πράττουσι τοῖς φίλοις συνεῖναι, δυσπραγίᾳ δὲ περιπεσόντας ἐᾶν.

Ton Iōnadab tou Samaa ton huion to dēpote phronimon ōnomase, toiautais chrēsamenon symbouliais? Kai ton ophin houtōs ho Mōsēs phronimōtaton eipen einai pantōn tōn thēriōn tōn epi tēs gēs. Toigartoi isteon, hōs ou pantachē to phronimon epi epainou tattein eiōthen hē theia Graphē. Sophoi gar eisi, phēsi, tou kakopoiēsai. Kai exelexato, phēsin, ho Theos ta mōra tou kosmou, hina kataischynę̄ tous sophous.» Kai ho Solomōn esophisato hyper pantas sophous Aigyptou;» dyssebeis de ēsan hoi Aigyptou sophoi. Entautha ou tēn symboulēn tou Iōnadab epēnesen hē theia Graphē, alla tas ekeinou phrenas, hōs epitēdeiōs eschēkuias pros to synoran to prakteon. ᾿All' ouk echrēsato eis deon tę̄ physei; alla tę̄ tou ᾿Amnōn akolasią synepraxe, kai tēs tolmētheisēs paranomias metelachen. Ei etheōreis gar, phēsi, kleptēn, synetreches autǭ, kai meta moichou tēn merida sou etitheis. Ton de chitōna ton astragalōton, ho men ᾿Akylas karpōton hērmēneusen, anti tou karpous enyphasmenous echonta; hoi nyn de auton kalousi ploumarikon. Ho de Iōsēpos, ton mechris astragalōn diēkonta. Ē mentoi kata tēn Thamar hypothesis archē tis esti kai rhiza tōn tēs basilikēs oikias symphorōn. Ēlgēse men gar ho basileus tēn paranomian mathōn; philostorgōs de hōs peri prōtotokon huion ton Amnōn diakeimenos, tēs ponēras praxeōs ouk eisepraxe dikas. Ho de homogastrios autēs adelphos, kai allōs authadēs ōn kai thrasys, parautika men ekrypse tēn orgēn, dyo de dielēlythotōn etōn, eis tēn tōn probatōn kouran tous adelphous synkalesas, katekteine ton ᾿Amnōn. Eita pros ton pappon apedrame ton pros mētros. Maacha gar hē mētēr autou thygatēr ēn tou Tholmē, hos tēs Gessir ebasileusen. Ho de basileus epi pleiston ethrēnēsen amphoterous, kai ton anę̄rēkota, kai ton anairethenta. – Triōn de dielēlythotōn etōn, kai tēs orgēs tǭ chronǭ sbestheisēs, mēchanatai toiouton ti ho stratēgos. Hypetheto gynaiki tini synetę̄ drama diaplasas, eis oikton helkysai ton basilea dynamenon. Hē de tǭ basilei proselthousa, kata tas hypothēkas tou stratēgou, chēra men ephēsen einai, dyo de monous paidas gegennēkenai; toutous de eis andras telesantas eis erin chalepēn empesein, ek de tēs eridos techthēnai diamachēn; dialysai de tautēn oudenos ethelēsantos, thateron hypo thaterou plēgenta tou biou to telos katalabein. All᾽ hoi tēn erin ekeinēn dialysai mē boulēthentes, nyn athroisthentes ekdothēnai sphisin apaitousi ton heteron. Ei de touto genoito, egō men pros tę̄ chēreią, kai tēn apaidian olophyromenē diatelesō; sbesthēsetai de pantapasin ho tou genous spinthēr, kai tou andros mou hē mnēmē paradothēsetai lēthę̄; ton basilea de dia toutōn ę̄nitteto, mēte ton Amnōn kolasanta, mēte tou ᾿Abessalōm tēn athymian diaskedasanta anēkestou de tou pragmatos gegonotos, diakenēs orgizomenon. Toutois de homōs katathelchthentos tois logois tou basileōs, kai prostaxein hypischnoumenou tǭ stratēgǭ pausein tōn phyletōn tēn hormēn, palin hē gynē therapeutikois echrēsato logois, katakēlousa tou basileōs tēn akoēn. Epeidē de ōmosen ho basileus Zę̄ gar, ephē, Kyrios, ei peseitai apo tōn trichōn tou huiou sou epi tēn gēn, euthys epēgagen hē gynē, hōs ouch hoion te diaphygein ton huion autēs tēn sphagēn, mē proteron tou huiou tou basileōs ek tēs phygēs epanelthontos. Ekeino gar, phēsin, estai toutou paradeigma. Ei de ekeino mē genoito, antilexousin hoi phyletai, eulogon aitian echontes tēn tou huiou tou basileōs phygēn. Touto gar legei; Kai eipen hē gynē Hina ti elogisthē houtōs epi laon Kyriou, kai ek tou parelthein ton basilea ton logon touton, tou enkrateusasthai tou mē apostrepsai ton basilea ton apōsmenon ap᾿ autou, hoti tethnēken ho huios sou? Pōs dynasai, phēsi, ton huion mou tēs sphagēs apallaxai mē epanagōn sou ton huion? Eita peri tou tethnēkotos psychagōgei, hoti Tethnēken ho huios sou, kai hōsper to hydōr to ekcheomenon epi tēn gēn ou synachthēsetai, kai ouk elpiei ep᾿ autǭ psychē ᾿Anastēsai, phēsin, ekeinon ou dynasai, ti dēpote kai touton speudeis anairēsein, hina esterēmenos tōn dyo bōteusę̄s? - Houtō ton peri tou ᾿Abessalōm parembalousa logon, palin peri tou oikeiou dokei dialegesthai pathous hina mē doxę̄ tauta exepitēdes eirēkenai Kai nyn hyper hōn hēkō lalēsai pros ton basilea ton logon touton, kai opsetai me ho laos kai erei hē doulē sou, Lalēsatō dē hē doulē sou pros ton kyrion mou ton basilea, ei pōs poiēsę̄ ho basileus to rhēma tēs paidiskēs autou; hoti akousetai ho basileus, kai exeleitai me ek cheiros tou andros tou zētountos exolothreusai me, kai ton huion mou kata to auto, ek tēs klēronomias Kyriou. Kai erei hē doulē sou; Genēthētō dē ho logos tou kyriou mou tou basileōs eis thysian hoti kathōs angelos Kyriou, houtōs kai ho kyrios mou ho basileus, tou eisakouein to agathon kai to ponēron; kai Kyrios ho Theos sou meta sou estai. Toutōn para tēs gynaikos eirēmenōn, synēken ho basileus tou dramatos tēn hypothesin, kai ēreto tēn gynaika, ei gnōmę̄ tou Iōab toisde tois logois echrēsato. Hē de synōmologēse toutōn hekaston ton Iōab hypothesthai; Hopōs, phēsi, kyklōsę̄ to prosōpon tou logou toutou ho epoiēsen Iōab ho doulos sou ton logon touton. Hex eutheias, phēsin, ouk ēn hiketeusai se; hothen hypetheto chrēsasthai me tǭ kyklǭ tōn logōn toutōn, hina en tǭ peplasmenǭ pathei to oikeion idōn, hēn emelles epitheinai therapeian emoi, tautēn epithę̄s sautǭ; kai hēs metadōsein epikourias hypeschou tǭ emǭ paidi, tautēs tǭ sǭ metadǭs. Toutois eixas tois logois ho basileus, epanelthein men ton ᾿Abessalōm parēngyēsen, idein de auton diekōlysen hysteron de kai touto dedrake, tou Iōab dexamenos tēn paraklēsin. ᾿Alla tessarōn dielēlythotōn etōn, tę̄ chrēstotēti tōn logōn prokataskeuasas tēn tyrannida, tę̄ skēpsei men tēs thysias eis tēn Chebrōn apelēlythen; ekei de tēn patrikēn hērpase basileian; emeletēse de kai tou patros tēn sphagēn. Touto mathōn ho basileus, katelipe tēn mētropolin, aristēn hēgoumenos stratēgian kai tēn eis kairon genomenēn phygēn. Ēcholouthēse de autǭ kai tōn aspidophorōn kai doryphorōn plēthos. Ēkolouthēse de kai Iethi ho Getthaios syn hexakosiois logasin, arti men tēn oikeian patrida katalipōn, prosēlytos de meta tōn hypēkoōn genomenos. Touton ho basileus peisai men epecheirēsen anastrepsai, hina mē euthys autois synoikēsas palin genētai metanastēs; Ti gar, phēsi, poreuę̄ sy meth᾽ hēmōn? ᾿Anastrephe kai kathison meta tou basileōs, hoti allotrios sy, kai hoti metǭkēsas ek tou oikou sou; ei echthes paragegonas sy, kai sēmeron kinēsō se tou poreuesthai meth' hēmōn; egō de poreusomai hou ean poreuōmai. Eme, phēsi, anankē metanasteuein, se de ou dikaion artiōs aphigmenon syn hēmin hypomenein ton ponon. ᾿Axion de thaumasai tou Dabid tēn praotēta. Kai diōkomenos gar, kai polemoumenos hypo tou pammiarou paidos, ou patraloian, ouk adelphoktonon, alla basilea ōnomaze; kai pollēs deomenos boētheias, tēs tou prosēlytou sōtērias ephrontizen; ᾿Anastrephe gar, phēsi, kai apostrepson tous adelphous sou meta sou, kai Kyrios poiēsei meta sou eleos kai alētheian. ᾿All' hosǭ tēn peri auton ho basileus edeikny kēdemonian, tosoutǭ ekeinos meizona tēn eunoian apedeiknyto. Zę̄ gar, phēsi, Kyrios, kai zę̄ hē psychē sou, kyrie mou basileu, hoti eis ton topon hou ean hē ho kyrios mou ho basileus, ean te eis thanaton, ean te eis zōēn, ekei estai ho doulos sou. Toutōn hekaston eis hēmeteran proegraphē didaskalian, hina mathōmen, hōs ou chrē eu men prattousi tois philois syneinai, dyspragią de peripesontas ean.

Why did he call Jonadab son of Shimea shrewd, when he gave such advice? Moses too said in this way that the serpent was the shrewdest of all the beasts on the earth. One should know, then, that the divine Scripture does not always use “shrewd” as praise. “They are wise,” it says, “in doing evil.” And, “God chose,” it says, “the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.” And Solomon “was wiser than all the wise men of Egypt”; yet the wise men of Egypt were impious. Here the divine Scripture did not praise Jonadab's advice but his mind, as well suited to seeing what had to be done. But he did not use his nature as he should; he helped Amnon's licentiousness and shared in the lawless deed that was dared. “If you saw a thief,” it says, “you ran along with him, and you cast your lot with the adulterer.” Aquila translated the “tunic reaching to the ankles” as “with fruits,” that is, with fruits woven into it; people today call it “embroidered.” Josephus says it was one reaching down to the ankles. The affair of Tamar was a beginning and root of the calamities of the royal house. The king was grieved when he learned of the lawless deed; but because he loved Amnon dearly as his firstborn son, he did not exact punishment for the wicked act. Her brother by the same mother, who was in any case self-willed and bold, hid his anger for the moment; but when two years had passed, he invited his brothers to the sheep-shearing and killed Amnon. Then he fled to his grandfather on his mother's side; for his mother Maacah was the daughter of Tolmai, who reigned over Geshur. The king mourned both a very long time, the slayer and the slain. When three years had passed and his anger had been quenched by time, the general devised something like this. He coached a clever woman, composing a drama able to move the king to pity. She came to the king according to the general's instructions and said she was a widow and had borne only two sons; when they reached manhood they fell into a bitter quarrel, and from the quarrel a fight arose; and since no one would stop it, one, struck by the other, met the end of his life. But those who were unwilling to settle that quarrel had now gathered and demanded that the other be handed over to them. “If this happens, I shall go on lamenting childlessness besides widowhood; the spark of the family will be quenched altogether, and my husband's memory will be consigned to oblivion.” Through this she was hinting at the king, who had neither punished Amnon nor dispelled Absalom's despondency, but now that the thing could not be undone was angry to no purpose. When the king was charmed by these words and promised to order the general to stop the kinsmen's attack, the woman again used flattering words, soothing the king's ear. And when the king swore, “As the Lord lives,” he said, “not one of your son's hairs shall fall to the ground,” the woman at once added that her son could not escape slaughter unless the king's son first returned from exile. For that, she says, will be a precedent for this; if that does not happen, the kinsmen will object, having a reasonable ground in the exile of the king's son. For this is what it says: “And the woman said, Why have you thought thus against the people of the Lord? And from the king's speaking this word, as one guilty, the king does not bring back his banished one, because your son is dead.” How can you, she says, free my son from slaughter without bringing back your own son? Then she consoles him about the dead son: “Your son is dead, and like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up, and no soul will hope in him.” You cannot raise that one, she says; why do you hasten to destroy this one too, so that you may live deprived of both? Having slipped in this word about Absalom, she again seems to talk about her own misfortune, so as not to seem to have said this on purpose: “And now, as to why I have come to speak this word to the king: the people will see me, and your servant will say, Let your servant speak to my lord the king; perhaps the king will do the word of his maidservant. For the king will hear and deliver me from the hand of the man who seeks to destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of the Lord. And your servant will say, Let the word of my lord the king be for a sacrifice; for as an angel of the Lord, so is my lord the king, to discern good and evil; and the Lord your God will be with you.” When the woman had said these things, the king understood the plot of the drama and asked the woman whether she had used these words by Joab's design. She admitted that Joab had suggested each of them: “In order,” she says, “to bring round the face of this matter your servant Joab has done this thing.” It was not possible, she means, to supplicate you directly; so he advised me to use this roundabout speech, so that, seeing your own case in the invented misfortune, you might apply to yourself the remedy you were going to apply to me, and give your own son the help you promised to my child. Yielding to these words, the king ordered Absalom to return, but forbade him to see him; later he did this too, at Joab's urging. But when four years had passed, having prepared his usurpation by the kindness of his words, he went off to Hebron on the pretext of a sacrifice; there he seized his father's kingdom, and he plotted his father's murder as well. Learning this, the king left the capital, considering a timely flight the best strategy. A crowd of shield-bearers and spearmen followed him. Ittai the Gittite also followed, with six hundred picked men; he had only recently left his own country and had become a proselyte with his subjects. The king tried to persuade him to go back, so that he would not, having only just settled among them, become a wanderer again: “Why are you going with us?” he says. “Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and have migrated from your home. You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander with us? I am going wherever I go.” I must go into exile, he means, but it is not right that you, who have just arrived, should share our hardship with us. David's gentleness deserves admiration. Though pursued and attacked by his utterly vile son, he did not call him parricide or fratricide but king; and though he needed much help, he took thought for the proselyte's safety: “Go back,” he says, “and take your brothers back with you, and the Lord will show you mercy and truth.” But the more care the king showed for him, the greater loyalty Ittai displayed: “As the Lord lives,” he says, “and as your soul lives, my lord the king, wherever my lord the king is, whether for death or for life, there your servant will be.” Each of these things was written beforehand for our instruction, so that we might learn that we must not stay with our friends when they prosper and abandon them when they fall into misfortune.

2 Sam 13:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 3:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 4:22 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 4:30 (3 Kgdms 5:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 50:18 (49:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 13:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 13:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 13:21 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 13:23 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 13:29 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 13:37 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 3:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Sam 13:38 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:5 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:24 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 14:33 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:10 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:19 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 15:4 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jonadab's “shrewdness” served evil; Tamar's rape began the troubles of David's house, leading through Amnon's murder and the Tekoite woman's ruse to Absalom's revolt and David's flight, where Ittai's loyalty is an example.

2 Sam 13–15 (LXX; quotations 13:3; 14:11, 13–14, 15–17, 20; 15:19–21). Gen 3:1; Jer 4:22; 1 Cor 1:27; 1 Kgs 4:30 (LXX 5:10); Ps 50:18 (LXX 49:18); Josephus, Ant. 7.8.1, on Tamar's robe. Several passages printed out of place are put back or removed by logged corrections: a duplicate form of the woman's story (printed inside the sentence on the precedent) is removed, and the closing words of her speech (“and the Lord your God will be with you. When … the woman had said these things”), printed inside the word “speech”, are restored to their place.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (displaced duplicate of the woman's story printed inside the sentence; displaced words restored to their place; displaced words, restored below to their place; lines interleaved by the OCR; word split; repeated article; stray footnote mark; stray letter; stray letters; stray mark; stray marks; word split by the OCR): συμβουλίαις *; → συμβουλίαις;; οὕτως ὁ ὁ Μωσῆς → οὕτως ὁ Μωσῆς; Σοφοὶ γάρ εἰσιν, Καὶ ἐξελέξατο, φηφησὶ, τοῦ κακοποιῆσαι. σὶν, ὁ Θεὸς → Σοφοὶ γάρ εἰσι, φησὶ, τοῦ κακοποιῆσαι. Καὶ ἐξελέξατο, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς; Σολομών ” ἐσοφίσατο → Σολομών ἐσοφίσατο; μετέλαχεν ι Εἰ → μετέλαχεν. Εἰ; Ἰώσηπος, ε τὸν → Ἰώσηπος, τὸν; ἀμ-, φοτέρους → ἀμφοτέρους; ὀργῆς ἐὲ τῷ → ὀργῆς τῷ; εἰς ἄν δρας → εἰς ἄνδρας; Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνο μὴ ἐκεῖθεν δὲ εἰς χαλεπὴν μάχην, οὐκ ἔχοντες τὸν αὐτοὺς διαλύοντα, εἰς ἄκρον διῆς διῆκον κακοῦ, καὶ καὶ ὁ μὲν ἔπληξεν, ὁ δὲ πίπτει νεκρός. ᾿Αλλ' οἱ τὴν ἔριν αὐτῶν διαλῦσαι οὐκ ἐθελήσαντες, νῦν ἐκδοθῆναι θανάτῳ βιάζονται καὶ τὸν γένοιτο → Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνο μὴ γένοιτο; ἐπαν άγων → ἐπανάγων; παρεμβαλοῦσα λό& ριος ὁ Θεός σου μετὰ σοῦ ἔσται. Τούτων παρὰ τῆς γον, → παρεμβαλοῦσα λόγον,; καὶ Κύγυναικὸς εἰρημένων → καὶ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου μετὰ σοῦ ἔσται. Τούτων παρὰ τῆς γυναικὸς εἰρημένων; δορυφό ρων → δορυφόρων; πορεύωμαι ". → πορεύωμαι.; διωκόμενος γὰρ *8, → διωκόμενος γὰρ,; πολλῆς· δο δεόμενος βοηθείας, τῆς τοῦ προσηλύτου σωτηρίας δι ἐφρόντιζεν → πολλῆς δεόμενος βοηθείας, τῆς τοῦ προσηλύτου σωτηρίας ἐφρόντιζεν.

Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, Ant. 7.8.1 (Josephus (works); allusion)

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.28 (PG 80 80:631; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-28

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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.

2.29PG 80 80:637

Τί δήποτε τοὺς ἱερέας καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν ἀκολουθεῖν κεκώλυκεν; Καὶ εὐσεβὴς ὢν, καὶ προφήτης, ᾔδει τί πέπονθεν ἡ κιβωτὸς εἰς ἐπικουρίαν τῶν παρανόμων ληφθεῖσα. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ ἀνῃρέθησαν· αὕτη δὲ δορυάλωτος ἐδόθη τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις. Ταῦτα δεδιδαγμένος, πρὸς Σαδούκ εἶπε τὸν ἱερέα, ᾿Απόστρεψον τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ καθισάτω εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῆς Ἐὰν εὕρω χάριν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, καὶ ἐπιστρέψῃ με, καὶ ὄψομαι αὐτὴν, καὶ τὴν εὐπρέπειαν αὐτῆς· καὶ ἐὰν εἴπῃ μοι, Οὐ τεθέληκά σε, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ, ποιείτω μοι τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ Οὐ δύναμαι, φησὶ, μετ᾿ ἐμαυτοῦ τὸν κατήγορον περιφέρειν. Ἔνδοθεν ἀκούω φθεγγομένου τοῦ νόμου· Οὐ μοιχεύσεις, οὐ φονεύσεις ἐγὼ δὲ τοὺς δύο πεπάτηκα νόμους. Ὅταν ὁ νομοθέτης καθαριεῖ μου τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμὸν, τότε ἰδεῖν δυνήσομαι τὴν εὐπρέπειαν αὐτῆς· ἐὰν δέ με παντάπασι τῆς οἰκείας κηδεμονίας γυμνώσῃ, Δεσπότης ἐστὶν, ἐγὼ δὲ οἰκέτης ἐμαυτὸν ὑποτιθεὶς ταῖς παιδείαις. Ταῦτα δακρύων ἔλεγεν ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ, τὸ πένθιμον περικείμενος σχῆμα· ἐκεκάλυπτο μὲν γὰρ τὴν κεφαλὴν, γυμνοῖς δὲ τοῖς ποσὶ κεχρημένος ἐβάδιζεν· ἐκοινώνει δὲ τοῦ πένθους ἡ στρατιά. Οὕτω φεύγων ἔγνω τοῦ ᾿Αχιτόφελ τὴν προδοσίαν· ἀλλ᾽ εὐθὺς πρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον Δεσπότην κατέφυγεν, οὐ κεραυνοῖς αὐτὸν βληθῆναι παρακαλέσας, ἀλλὰ ματαίαν αὐτοῦ ἀποφανθῆναι τὴν συμβουλήν. Καὶ γὰρ φησὶν, Ὁ Θεός μου, ματαίωσον δὴ τὴν βουλὴν ᾿Αχιτόφελ. Τὸ δὲ ματαίωσον, ὁ Ακύλας, ἀφρόνησον, εἴρηκεν ἀντὶ τοῦ, δεῖξον ἄφρονα καὶ ἀσύνετον. Τὸ δὲ ῥῶς τὴν ἄκραν λέγει. ᾿Ανελθὼν γάρ, φησὶν, εἰς ῥῶς, τουτέστιν εἰς τὴν ἄκραν (λέγει δὲ τὸν ἐλαιῶνα, ἀφ᾿ οὗ ὁ Δεσπότης ἀνελήφθη Χριστὸς), προσεκύνησεν ἐκεῖ τῷ Θεῷ, εἰς τὴν σκηνὴν, ὡς εἰκὸς, ἀποβλέψας, καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν τὴν ἐν αὐτῇ κειμένην.

Ti dēpote tous hiereas kai tēn kibōton akolouthein kekōlyken? Kai eusebēs ōn, kai prophētēs, ę̄dei ti peponthen hē kibōtos eis epikourian tōn paranomōn lēphtheisa. Ekeinoi men gar anę̄rethēsan; hautē de doryalōtos edothē tois allophylois. Tauta dedidagmenos, pros Sadouk eipe ton hierea, ᾿Apostrepson tēn kibōton tou Theou eis tēn polin, kai kathisatō eis ton topon autēs Ean heurō charin enōpion Kyriou, kai epistrepsę̄ me, kai opsomai autēn, kai tēn euprepeian autēs; kai ean eipę̄ moi, Ou tethelēka se, idou egō, poieitō moi to areston enōpion autou Ou dynamai, phēsi, met᾿ emautou ton katēgoron peripherein. Endothen akouō phthengomenou tou nomou; Ou moicheuseis, ou phoneuseis egō de tous dyo pepatēka nomous. Hotan ho nomothetēs kathariei mou ton tēs psychēs ophthalmon, tote idein dynēsomai tēn euprepeian autēs; ean de me pantapasi tēs oikeias kēdemonias gymnōsę̄, Despotēs estin, egō de oiketēs emauton hypotitheis tais paideiais. Tauta dakryōn elegen ho theios anēr, to penthimon perikeimenos schēma; ekekalypto men gar tēn kephalēn, gymnois de tois posi kechrēmenos ebadizen; ekoinōnei de tou penthous hē stratia. Houtō pheugōn egnō tou ᾿Achitophel tēn prodosian; all᾽ euthys pros ton oikeion Despotēn katephygen, ou keraunois auton blēthēnai parakalesas, alla mataian autou apophanthēnai tēn symboulēn. Kai gar phēsin, Ho Theos mou, mataiōson dē tēn boulēn ᾿Achitophel. To de mataiōson, ho Akylas, aphronēson, eirēken anti tou, deixon aphrona kai asyneton. To de rhōs tēn akran legei. ᾿Anelthōn gar, phēsin, eis rhōs, toutestin eis tēn akran (legei de ton elaiōna, aph᾿ hou ho Despotēs anelēphthē Christos), prosekynēsen ekei tǭ Theǭ, eis tēn skēnēn, hōs eikos, apoblepsas, kai tēn kibōton tēn en autę̄ keimenēn.

Why did he prevent the priests and the ark from following him? Being pious and a prophet, he knew what had happened to the ark when it was taken to help the lawless. Those men were killed, and the ark was given as a captive to the foreigners. Taught by this, he said to Zadok the priest, “Take the ark of God back into the city, and let it stay in its place. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, he will bring me back, and I shall see it and its beauty; but if he says to me, I have no pleasure in you, here I am; let him do to me what seems good in his sight.” I cannot, he says, carry my accuser about with me. I hear the law speaking from within: “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder”; and I have trampled both laws. When the Lawgiver cleanses the eye of my soul, then I shall be able to see its beauty; but if he strips me altogether of his care, he is Master and I am a servant, submitting myself to his discipline. The divine man said this weeping, wearing the garb of mourning: his head was covered and he walked barefoot, and the army shared his mourning. While fleeing he learned of Ahithophel's betrayal; but at once he took refuge with his own Master, not asking that he be struck by thunderbolts, but that his counsel be shown to be vain. “My God,” he says, “frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel.” For “frustrate” Aquila said “make foolish,” meaning: show it to be foolish and senseless. By Rhos he means the summit. “Having gone up,” it says, “to Rhos,” that is, to the summit (he means the Mount of Olives, from which Christ the Master was taken up), he worshiped God there, looking, probably, toward the tent and the ark that lay in it.

2 Sam 15:24 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 4:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:30 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:31 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 15:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 1:12 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Remembering the ark's capture when it was misused, David sent it back and submitted to God's judgment for his adultery and murder, praying only that Ahithophel's counsel be frustrated.

2 Sam 15:24–32 (LXX; quotations 15:25–26, 31, 32). The capture of the ark, 1 Sam 4:10–11; Exod 20:13–14; the Ascension from the Mount of Olives, Acts 1:9–12. A displaced passage (a second form of the end of 2.28, on Ittai) printed after the first sentence of the answer is removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (displaced duplicate of the end of question 2.28 printed in the answer; repeated particle; stray column number; stray letters; stray marks; stray syllable; word split by the OCR; word split by the OCR and stray digits): ληφθεῖσα. καὶ δὴ καὶ Ἰεθθὶ ὁ Γετθ. σὺν ἑξακοσίοις λογάσιν, ἄρτι προσήλυτος μετὰ τῶν ὑπηκόων γενόμενος, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν πατρίδα λιπών· ὃν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀναστρέφειν ἐπεχείρει, ἵνα μὴ πρὶν καλῶς οἰκῆσαι, πάλιν γένηται μετανάστης· ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔπειθεν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ βασιλεύς φησιν· Οὐ πορεύσῃ σὺ μεθ' κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ ἐὰν ἡ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἐὰν τε εἰς θάνατον, ἐὰν τε εἰς ζωὴν, λευεν, εἰ καὶ τὸ εὔνουν ἐκείνου ἐπὶ πλέον ἐξεκαλύπτετο καὶ γὰρ συνείπετο. Τούτων ἕκαστον εἰς ἡμετέραν διδασκαλίαν προεγράφη· ἵνα μάθωμεν, ὡς οὐ χρὴ εὖ μὲν πράττουσι συνεῖναι τοῖς φίλοις, ἐὰν δὲ δυσπραγοῦσι. → ληφθεῖσα. ; ἐδόθη 5* τοῖς → ἐδόθη τοῖς; ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ σε, → ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ,; κατ ήγορον → κατήγορον; καθαριεί δε μου → καθαριεῖ μου; ἐὰν δε δὲ με → ἐὰν δέ με; ἀνὴρ δι, τὸ → ἀνὴρ, τὸ; κεχρημένος σε ἐβάδιζεν → κεχρημένος ἐβάδιζεν; αὐτοῦ σε ἀποφανθῆναι → αὐτοῦ ἀποφανθῆναι; ματαίωσον (39΄) δὴ → ματαίωσον δὴ; Δεσπό της ἀνελήφθη Χριστὸς 67) → Δεσπότης ἀνελήφθη Χριστὸς); καὶ σε τὴν κιβωτὸν → καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.29 (PG 80 80:637; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-29

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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.

2.30PG 80 80:639

Τινὲς οὐκ ἐπαινοῦσι τοῦ Χουσὶ τὸ ψεῦδος. Καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ τῶν ἐναντίων τὸν σκοπὸν ἐξετάζειν προσήκει. Οὕτω γὰρ κρίνοντες εὑρήσομεν καὶ κατηγορουμένην ἀλήθειαν. Ὁ γὰρ Ἡρώδης διὰ τοὺς ὅρκους, φησὶ, καὶ τοὺς συνανακειμένους, ἀπέκτεινε τὸν Ἰωάννην. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδεὶς οὕτως ἡλίθιος, ὡς ἐπαινέσαι τὴν ἐπὶ σφαγῇ γεγενημένην ἀλήθειαν. "Αμεινον γὰρ ἦν μὴ ὀμόσαι· ἐπεὶ δὲ ὤμοσε, τὸ ψεῦδος αἱρετώτερον τῆς σφαγῆς. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν ἡ ὑπόκρισις, οὐκ ἐπὶ κέρδει χρημάτων, οὐκ ἐπὶ λύμῃ ἑτέρων, ἀλλ ἐπὶ ζήλῳ προφήτου καὶ βασιλέως εὐσεβοῦντος, ἐγένετο.

Tines ouk epainousi tou Chousi to pseudos. Kai tōn agathōn kai tōn enantiōn ton skopon exetazein prosēkei. Houtō gar krinontes heurēsomen kai katēgoroumenēn alētheian. Ho gar Hērōdēs dia tous horkous, phēsi, kai tous synanakeimenous, apekteine ton Iōannēn. ᾿All' oudeis houtōs hēlithios, hōs epainesai tēn epi sphagę̄ gegenēmenēn alētheian. "Ameinon gar ēn mē omosai; epei de ōmose, to pseudos hairetōteron tēs sphagēs. Kai entautha toinyn hē hypokrisis, ouk epi kerdei chrēmatōn, ouk epi lymę̄ heterōn, all epi zēlǭ prophētou kai basileōs eusebountos, egeneto.

Some do not approve of Hushai's lie. In both good deeds and their opposites one must examine the purpose; judging thus, we shall find that even truth can be blameworthy. For Herod, it says, killed John because of his oaths and his fellow guests. But no one is so foolish as to praise truthfulness that ends in a slaughter. It would have been better not to swear; but once he had sworn, the lie was preferable to the slaughter. Here too, then, the pretense was made not for gain of money, nor to harm others, but out of zeal for a prophet and a pious king.

2 Sam 15:34 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 16:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 14:9 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Hushai's deception is judged by its purpose: it served a pious king, as Herod's “truthful” keeping of an oath to kill John shows that truth can be culpable.

The question is put as an objection; the printed text lacks a question mark. 2 Sam 15:32–37; 16:16–19; Matt 14:9. Theodoret's view on the lie is translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray bracket; word split by the OCR): Ἡρώ δης → Ἡρώδης; ἐπεὶ δὲ ) ὤμοσε → ἐπεὶ δὲ ὤμοσε.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.30 (PG 80 80:639; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-30

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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.

2.31PG 80 80:641

Μέμφονταί τινες τῷ Δαβίδ, ὡς τοῦ Σιβᾶ δεξαμένῳ τοὺς λόγους. Πολλάκις εἶπον, ὡς οὐχ ἅπαντα ἐγίνωσκον οἱ προφῆται· οὗτος δὲ καὶ πιθανοῖς ἐχρήσατο λόγοις. Αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἀφίκετο πρὸς τὸν θεῖον Δαβίδ, ἐκεῖνον δὲ ἔφη τὴν βασιλείαν φαντάζεσθαι. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, καὶ δῶρα προσήνεγκε, τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιδεικνὺς εὔνοιαν. Ὕστερον δὲ καὶ τοῦ Μεμφιβαάλ τοὺς λόγους δεξάμενος, ἀμφοτέροις μὲν τὴν κτῆσιν διένειμεν, ἐκεῖνον δὲ πάλιν τῆς αὐτῆς κηδεμονίας ἠξίωσε· καὶ τοῦ λιμοῦ γενομένου, καὶ τῶν Γαβαωνιτῶν ἑπτὰ τῶν τοῦ Σαοὺλ συγγενῶν αἰτησάντων, οὐκ ἐξέδωκε τὸν Μεμφιβαὰλ, ἀλλὰ τὰς πρὸς τὸν Ἰωνάθαν γεγενημένας συνθήκας ἐπλήρωσεν. ᾿Αξιἀγαστα δὲ τοῦ Δαβὶδ καὶ τὰ περὶ τοῦ Σεμεεὶ πρὸς τὸν ᾿Αβεσσὰ εἰρημένα. Ἐκείνου γὰρ αὐτὸν λίθοις βάλλοντος, καὶ τὸν χοῦν αὐτοῦ καταχέοντος, καὶ λόγοις ἑτέροις τε καὶ ἔργοις προπηλακίζοντος, καὶ ἄνδρα αἱμάτων καὶ παράνομον ἀποκαλοῦντος, ὁ μὲν ᾿Αβεσσὰ ὑποστράτηγος ὢν τὴν παροινίαν οὐκ ἤνεγκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔφη, Ἵνα τί καταρᾶται ὁ κύων ὁ ἐπικατάρατος οὗτος τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν βασιλέα; διελεύσομαι δὴ, καὶ ἀφελῶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ. ᾿Αλλ᾿ ὁ πάντων πραότατος ὑπολαβὼν ἔφη, Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοὶ, υἱὲ Σαρουΐα; ἄφετε αὐτὸν, διότι καταρᾶταί με, ὅτι ὁ Κύριος εἶπεν αὐτῷ κακολογεῖν τὸν Δαβὶδ καὶ τίς ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ, Τί ὅτι πεποίηκας οὕτως; Ἱμάς ἐστιν οὗτος, φησὶ, τοῦ Θεοῦ, ῥάβδος. Οὐχ ὁρῶ τὸν ἱμάντα, ἀλλὰ τὸν μαστιγοῦντα• ταῖς ἐμαυτοῦ παρανομίαις ἐπιγράφω τὰς συμφοράς· οὐχ ἅπτομαι τῆς ῥάβδου, ἵνα μὴ παροξύνω τὸν παίοντα. Συμφωνεῖ δὲ τούτοις δὲ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶ, Δαβὶδ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσὰ καὶ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ, Ἰδοὺ ὁ υἱός μου, ὁ ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας μου, ζητεῖ τὴν ψυχήν μου. Εἰ δὲ καὶ νῦν οὗτος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Ἰεμιναίου, ἄφετε αὐτὸν, καταράσθω δὲ, ὅτι Κύριος εἴρηκεν αὐτῷ, ὅπως ἴδοι τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου, καὶ ἀνταποδώσει μοι Κύριος ἀγαθὰ ἀντὶ τῆς κατάρας αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ. Οὐτος, φησὶν, ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Σαούλ ἐστι συγγενείας, παλαιάν ἔχων περὶ ἐμὲ τὴν δυσμένειαν καὶ εἰκὸς τινας εἰπεῖν, ὅτι καιρὸν εὑρὼν ἐγύμνωσε τὴν ἀπέχθειαν. Τὸν υἱόν μου, τὸν ὑπ᾿ ἐμοῦ καὶ σπαρέντα, καὶ τραφέντα, καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἡλικίας ἐλάσαντα καὶ τιμῆς, τίς ἐκπεπολέμωκέ μοι ; Δῆλον τοίνυν ὡς ἡ ψῆφος ἄνωθεν ἐξενήνεκται· καὶ οἷς προεῖπεν ἐπιφέρει τὸ πέρας. Ἐγὼ δὲ φέρω καὶ τοὺς παροινοῦντας, καὶ τοὺς φονῶντας, ἵνα ταύτῃ πραΰνω τὴν θείαν ὀργήν. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὁ θεῖος οὗτος εἶπεν ἀνήρ. Εἰδέναι δὲ χρὴ, ὡς οὐ τῆς θείας ἐστὶν ἑνεργείας, οὔτε τοῦ Αμνὼν ἡ παράνομος συνουσία, οὔτε τοῦ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ ἡ ἀδελφοκτονία, καὶ ἡ κατὰ τοῦ πατρὸς γεγενημένη μανία ἀλλὰ τῆς θείας Προνοίας ἡ οἰκία γυμνωθεῖσα σκάφος ἀκυβέρνητον ἐμιμείτο, καὶ τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων τὰς τρικυμίας ἐδέχετο.

Memphontai tines tǭ Dabid, hōs tou Siba dexamenǭ tous logous. Pollakis eipon, hōs ouch hapanta eginōskon hoi prophētai; houtos de kai pithanois echrēsato logois. Autos men gar aphiketo pros ton theion Dabid, ekeinon de ephē tēn basileian phantazesthai. Pros de toutois, kai dōra prosēnenke, tēn oikeian epideiknys eunoian. Hysteron de kai tou Memphibaal tous logous dexamenos, amphoterois men tēn ktēsin dieneimen, ekeinon de palin tēs autēs kēdemonias ēxiōse; kai tou limou genomenou, kai tōn Gabaōnitōn hepta tōn tou Saoul syngenōn aitēsantōn, ouk exedōke ton Memphibaal, alla tas pros ton Iōnathan gegenēmenas synthēkas eplērōsen. ᾿Axiagasta de tou Dabid kai ta peri tou Semeei pros ton ᾿Abessa eirēmena. Ekeinou gar auton lithois ballontos, kai ton choun autou katacheontos, kai logois heterois te kai ergois propēlakizontos, kai andra haimatōn kai paranomon apokalountos, ho men ᾿Abessa hypostratēgos ōn tēn paroinian ouk ēnenken, all᾽ ephē, Hina ti kataratai ho kyōn ho epikataratos houtos ton kyrion mou ton basilea? dieleusomai dē, kai aphelō tēn kephalēn autou. ᾿All᾿ ho pantōn praotatos hypolabōn ephē, Ti emoi kai soi, huie Sarouïa? aphete auton, dioti kataratai me, hoti ho Kyrios eipen autǭ kakologein ton Dabid kai tis erei autǭ, Ti hoti pepoiēkas houtōs? Himas estin houtos, phēsi, tou Theou, rhabdos. Ouch horō ton himanta, alla ton mastigounta• tais emautou paranomiais epigraphō tas symphoras; ouch haptomai tēs rhabdou, hina mē paroxynō ton paionta. Symphōnei de toutois de kai ta hexēs; Eipe gar, phēsi, Dabid pros ᾿Abessa kai pros pantas tous paidas autou, Idou ho huios mou, ho exelthōn ek tēs koilias mou, zētei tēn psychēn mou. Ei de kai nyn houtos ho huios tou Ieminaiou, aphete auton, katarasthō de, hoti Kyrios eirēken autǭ, hopōs idoi tēn tapeinōsin mou, kai antapodōsei moi Kyrios agatha anti tēs kataras autou en tę̄ hēmerą tautę̄. Outos, phēsin, ek tēs tou Saoul esti syngeneias, palaian echōn peri eme tēn dysmeneian kai eikos tinas eipein, hoti kairon heurōn egymnōse tēn apechtheian. Ton huion mou, ton hyp᾿ emou kai sparenta, kai traphenta, kai eis touto hēlikias elasanta kai timēs, tis ekpepolemōke moi ? Dēlon toinyn hōs hē psēphos anōthen exenēnektai; kai hois proeipen epipherei to peras. Egō de pherō kai tous paroinountas, kai tous phonōntas, hina tautę̄ praÿnō tēn theian orgēn. Tauta men oun ho theios houtos eipen anēr. Eidenai de chrē, hōs ou tēs theias estin henergeias, oute tou Amnōn hē paranomos synousia, oute tou ᾿Abessalōm hē adelphoktonia, kai hē kata tou patros gegenēmenē mania alla tēs theias Pronoias hē oikia gymnōtheisa skaphos akybernēton emimeito, kai tōn ponērōn daimonōn tas trikymias edecheto.

Some blame David for accepting Ziba's words. I have often said that the prophets did not know everything; and this man used plausible words. He himself came to the divine David, and said that the other was dreaming of the kingdom. Besides, he brought gifts, displaying his own loyalty. Later David accepted Mephibaal's words too and divided the property between them both, and again granted him the same care; and when the famine came, and the Gibeonites demanded seven of Saul's kinsmen, he did not hand over Mephibaal but kept the covenant made with Jonathan. Admirable too are David's words to Abishai about Shimei. When Shimei pelted him with stones, threw dust at him, insulted him with other words and deeds, and called him a man of blood and lawless, Abishai, who was a lieutenant-general, could not bear the insolence, but said, “Why does this cursed dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” But the gentlest of all men answered, “What have I to do with you, son of Zeruiah? Let him alone, because he curses me, since the Lord has told him to curse David; and who shall say to him, Why have you done so?” He is a strap of God, he says, a rod. I do not look at the strap, but at the one who wields the whip; I ascribe my misfortunes to my own lawless deeds; I do not touch the rod, so as not to provoke the one who strikes. What follows agrees with this: “For David said,” it says, “to Abishai and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came out of my body, seeks my life; and now this Benjaminite! Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him, that he may look on my humiliation, and the Lord will repay me good instead of his cursing this day.” This man, he says, is of Saul's family and has an old hostility toward me; and one might well say that, finding his opportunity, he has bared his hatred. But my son, whom I begot and reared, and who has come to this age and honor, who has made him wage war on me? It is clear, then, that the sentence has been pronounced from above, and he is bringing what he foretold to its end. I bear both those who insult me and those who seek my blood, so that in this way I may soften the divine anger. This is what this divine man said. But one must know that neither Amnon's lawless intercourse, nor Absalom's fratricide and his madness against his father, was the work of God; but the household, stripped of divine Providence, was like a ship without a helmsman, and received the great waves of the evil demons.

2 Sam 16:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 16:3 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 19:29 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 21:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 16:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 16:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 16:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 16:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 16:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 16:12 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: David was deceived by Ziba's plausible story but kept faith with Jonathan's son; he bore Shimei's curses as God's discipline, though the crimes of his sons were not God's doing.

The question is put as an objection; the printed text lacks a question mark. 2 Sam 16:1–13 (quotations 16:9–11, 11–12); 19:24–30; 21:1–9. Theodoret's closing qualification (that the sons' crimes were not God's doing) is translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR letter error and stray letters; stray article; stray digits; stray letter; stray letters; stray mark; stray syllable; word split by the OCR): Μέμφονταὶ τὰ τινες → Μέμφονταί τινες; ἐκεῖνον τὸ δὲ ἔφη → ἐκεῖνον δὲ ἔφη; δι ένειμεν → διένειμεν; Σχοὺλ συγγενῶν το αίτησάντων → Σαοὺλ συγγενῶν αἰτησάντων; καὶ ἄν δρα αἱμάτων → καὶ ἄνδρα αἱμάτων; πραότατος δ' ὑπολαβὼν → πραότατος ὑπολαβὼν; κακολογεῖν & τὸν → κακολογεῖν τὸν; ταύτῃ 86., → ταύτῃ.; Ταῦτα θἱ μὲν → Ταῦτα μὲν.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.31 (PG 80 80:641; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-31

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum-2-31) · 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.

2.32PG 80 80:643

Πῶς ἐχρῆτο συμβούλῳ τῷ ᾿Αχιτόφελ ὁ θεῖος Δαβὶδ πονηρὰ συμβουλεύοντι; Οἱ παμπόνηροι ἄνδρες κρύπτουσι τὴν πονηρίαν συνόντες τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς εὑρόντες δέ τινα τοῖς αὐτῶν ἐπιτηδεύμασι χαίροντα, γυμνοῦσι ταύτην, καὶ τὰ πρόσφορα τοῖς ἀκούουσι φθέγγονται. Τοιοῦτος ἦν καὶ οὗτος. Καὶ γὰρ τῷ θείῳ Δαβὶδ πρὸς τὸν ἄριστον αὐτοῦ σκοπὸν τὰς εἰσηγήσεις προσέφερε, καὶ τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ τὰ τῷ τρόπῳ κατάλληλα συνεβούλευε. Δεδιὼς γὰρ μὴ συναγάγῃ πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἡ φύσις, εἶτα τῶν καταλλαγῶν γενομένων δίκας ἀπαιτηθῇ προδοσίας, τὴν ἐσχάτην ἐκείνην παρανομίαν ὑπέθετο, ὥστε μηδεμίαν παρείσδυσιν γενέσθαι καταλλαγῶν. Ἔτισε δὲ παραυτίκα ποινὴν τῆς ἀνοσίας ἐκείνης καὶ πονηρᾶς εἰσηγήσεως καὶ ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ὥπλισε τὸν υἱὸν, αὐτὸς πάλιν καθ' ἑαυτοῦ τὰς χεῖρας καθώπλισε καὶ ταύταις ἐμβαλὼν τῷ τραχήλῳ τὸν βρόχον, τρισάθλιον ὑπέμεινε τέλος. Ἱκανὸς γὰρ ὢν προϊδεῖν τῶν πραττομένων τὸ τέλος, μὴ δεχθείσης τῆς εἰσηγήσεως, ἔγνω τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἐσομένην τὴν νίκην· καὶ δείσας τὴν προδοσίαν, αὐτοχειρίᾳ τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐδέξατο. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ ἡ θεία Γραφή, ὡς ὁ Θεὸς συνέπραξε τῷ Χουσί. Κύριος γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐνετείλατο τοῦ διασκεδάσαι τὴν βουλὴν ᾿Αχιτόφελ τὴν ἀγαθὴν, ἀντὶ τοῦ, τὴν τῇ τυραννίδι συμφέρουσαν. Τούτου χάριν ψάλλων ὁ μακάριος ἔλεγε Δαβίδ· Ἰδοὺ ὠδίνησεν ἀδικίαν, συνέλαβε πόνον, καὶ ἔτεκεν ἀνομίαν. Λάκκον ὤρυξε, καὶ ἀνέσκαψεν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς βόθρον ὃν εἰργάσατο.

Pōs echrēto symboulǭ tǭ ᾿Achitophel ho theios Dabid ponēra symbouleuonti? Hoi pamponēroi andres kryptousi tēn ponērian synontes tois agathois heurontes de tina tois autōn epitēdeumasi chaironta, gymnousi tautēn, kai ta prosphora tois akouousi phthengontai. Toioutos ēn kai houtos. Kai gar tǭ theiǭ Dabid pros ton ariston autou skopon tas eisēgēseis prosephere, kai tǭ ᾿Abessalōm ta tǭ tropǭ katallēla synebouleue. Dediōs gar mē synagagę̄ palin autous hē physis, eita tōn katallagōn genomenōn dikas apaitēthę̄ prodosias, tēn eschatēn ekeinēn paranomian hypetheto, hōste mēdemian pareisdysin genesthai katallagōn. Etise de parautika poinēn tēs anosias ekeinēs kai ponēras eisēgēseōs kai epeidē kata tou patros hōplise ton huion, autos palin kath' heautou tas cheiras kathōplise kai tautais embalōn tǭ trachēlǭ ton brochon, trisathlion hypemeine telos. Hikanos gar ōn proïdein tōn prattomenōn to telos, mē dechtheisēs tēs eisēgēseōs, egnō tou Dabid esomenēn tēn nikēn; kai deisas tēn prodosian, autocheirią tēn timōrian edexato. Edidaxe de hē theia Graphē, hōs ho Theos synepraxe tǭ Chousi. Kyrios gar, phēsin, eneteilato tou diaskedasai tēn boulēn ᾿Achitophel tēn agathēn, anti tou, tēn tę̄ tyrannidi sympherousan. Toutou charin psallōn ho makarios elege Dabid; Idou ōdinēsen adikian, synelabe ponon, kai eteken anomian. Lakkon ōryxe, kai aneskapsen auton, kai empeseitai eis bothron hon eirgasato.

How could the divine David use Ahithophel as a counselor, who gave wicked advice? Thoroughly wicked men hide their wickedness while they are with good men; but when they find someone who delights in their own practices, they bare it and say what suits their hearers. Such was this man. To the divine David he offered suggestions in keeping with his excellent purpose, and to Absalom he gave advice suited to his character. For fearing that nature would bring them together again, and that once they were reconciled he would be called to account for his treachery, he suggested that extreme lawless act, so that no opening for reconciliation would remain. But he paid at once the penalty for that unholy and wicked suggestion: since he had armed the son against the father, he in turn armed his own hands against himself, and putting the noose around his neck with them, met a thrice-wretched end. For being capable of foreseeing the outcome of events, when his suggestion was not accepted he knew that the victory would be David's; and fearing punishment for his treachery, he inflicted the penalty on himself with his own hand. The divine Scripture taught that God worked together with Hushai: “For the Lord,” it says, “commanded to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel,” meaning the counsel that served the usurpation. For this reason the blessed David said in a psalm, “Behold, he was in labor with injustice, he conceived trouble and gave birth to lawlessness. He dug a pit and hollowed it out, and he will fall into the hole he made.”

2 Sam 16:21 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 17:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 17:23 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 7:14 (7:15 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 7:15 (7:16 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Ahithophel hid his wickedness from David; his counsel to Absalom was meant to prevent reconciliation, and when it failed he hanged himself, as God had frustrated his advice.

2 Sam 16:20–17:23 (quotation 17:14); Ps 7:14–15 (LXX 7:15–16). Stray letters at the end are removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR letter errors; stray footnote mark; stray letter; stray letters at the end; stray mark): Ἰκανὸς γὰρ ἂν ὁ προῖδεῖν → Ἱκανὸς γὰρ ὢν προϊδεῖν; ἔγνω* τοῦ → ἔγνω τοῦ; αὐτοχειρίᾳ ὁ τὴν → αὐτοχειρίᾳ τὴν; Δαβίδ ' Ἰδοὺ → Δαβίδ· Ἰδοὺ; εἰργάσατο. ε πέρας οιη. → εἰργάσατο..

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.32 (PG 80 80:643; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-32). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-32

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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.

2.33PG 80 80:645

Τί ἐστι, Καὶ νῦν ἀφαιρεθήσεται ἐξ ἡμῶν ἡ γῆ δέκα χιλιάσι; Κοινωνῆσαι τῆς συμπλοκῆς βουληθέντα τὸν βασιλέα διεκώλυσεν ὁ στρατηγὸς, καὶ δεδιὼς μή τι πάθῃ (εἰκὸς γὰρ ἦν κατ' αὐτοῦ μόνου χωρῆσαι τοὺς δυσμενεῖς), καὶ ἀγωνιῶν μὴ νικήσας οἰκτείρῃ τὸν τύραννον. Ἔφασαν τοίνυν, ὅτι Ἐὰν ἡττηθέντες ἀποδράσωμεν, τὴν ζωὴν ἔχομεν ἀποχρῶσαν παραψυχήν - ἐὰν δὲ τι σὺ πάθῃς, χωρήσει κατὰ πάντων ἡ συμφορά. Σὺ γὰρ μόνος μυρίαις μυριάσιν ὑπερέχεις πάντων ἡμῶν. Ταύτην γὰρ τὴν ἔννοιαν ὁ Σύμμαχος τέθεικεν Καὶ σὺ ὡς ἡμεῖς δέκα χιλιάσιν. Ὁ δὲ δίκαιος Κριτὴς τῷ μὲν Δαβὶδ ταύτας ἐπενεχθῆναι τὰς συμφορὰς συνεχώρησε, τὴν γεγενημένην παρανομίαν ἰώμενος· ἐκεῖνον δὲ τὸν ἀλιτήριον δίκας ἀξίας εἰσέπραξεν. Ἐλαύνοντι γὰρ ἐν τῷ δρυμῷ παρεσκεύασεν ὑπὸ φυτὸν εἰσελθεῖν, ὁ δύο κλάδους εἶχεν ἐπικλινεῖς ἐγκαρσίως βεβλαστηκότας, οὐ πολὺ διεστῶτας ἀλλήλων. Ἐκεῖθεν παριούσης τῆς ἡμιόνου, ἐνεπάρη μὲν μεταξὺ τῶν κλάδων ἡ κεφαλὴ, ἐξηρτήθη δὲ ἅπας διήλασε δὲ τὴν ἡμίονον τῶν φύλλων ὁ κτύπος μεμένηκε δὲ ἐκεῖνος ἐξηρτημένος, ἥδιστον θέαμα τοῖς εὐσεβέσι γενόμενος, καὶ τῆς πάντα πρυτανευούσης Προνοίας τὴν ψῆφον ἐπιδεικνύς. Τοῦτό τις τῶν ἄλλων στρατιωτῶν θεασάμενος, οὐκ ἐτόλμησεν ἐπενεγκεῖν αὐτῷ τὴν πληγὴν· ἐδεδίει γὰρ τοῦ βασιλέως τὸν νόμον. Ὁ δὲ στρατηγὸς, τὸν πατέρα κεχρῆσθαι τῇ εὐσπλαγχνίᾳ καταλιπὼν, ἐν τῇ μυσαρωτάτῃ καρδίᾳ τὰ βέλη κατέπηξεν. Εἶτα καθελὼν, καὶ εἰς τὴν παρακειμένην φάραγγα ῥίψας, τὸν λαὸν ἅπαντα καταλεῦσαι προσέταξεν, ὥστε γενέσθαι αὐτῷ τάφον τὴν τιμωρίαν.

Ti esti, Kai nyn aphairethēsetai ex hēmōn hē gē deka chiliasi? Koinōnēsai tēs symplokēs boulēthenta ton basilea diekōlysen ho stratēgos, kai dediōs mē ti pathę̄ (eikos gar ēn kat' autou monou chōrēsai tous dysmeneis), kai agōniōn mē nikēsas oikteirę̄ ton tyrannon. Ephasan toinyn, hoti Ean hēttēthentes apodrasōmen, tēn zōēn echomen apochrōsan parapsychēn - ean de ti sy pathę̄s, chōrēsei kata pantōn hē symphora. Sy gar monos myriais myriasin hyperecheis pantōn hēmōn. Tautēn gar tēn ennoian ho Symmachos tetheiken Kai sy hōs hēmeis deka chiliasin. Ho de dikaios Kritēs tǭ men Dabid tautas epenechthēnai tas symphoras synechōrēse, tēn gegenēmenēn paranomian iōmenos; ekeinon de ton alitērion dikas axias eisepraxen. Elaunonti gar en tǭ drymǭ pareskeuasen hypo phyton eiselthein, ho dyo kladous eichen epiklineis enkarsiōs beblastēkotas, ou poly diestōtas allēlōn. Ekeithen pariousēs tēs hēmionou, eneparē men metaxy tōn kladōn hē kephalē, exērtēthē de hapas diēlase de tēn hēmionon tōn phyllōn ho ktypos memenēke de ekeinos exērtēmenos, hēdiston theama tois eusebesi genomenos, kai tēs panta prytaneuousēs Pronoias tēn psēphon epideiknys. Touto tis tōn allōn stratiōtōn theasamenos, ouk etolmēsen epenenkein autǭ tēn plēgēn; edediei gar tou basileōs ton nomon. Ho de stratēgos, ton patera kechrēsthai tę̄ eusplanchnią katalipōn, en tę̄ mysarōtatę̄ kardią ta belē katepēxen. Eita kathelōn, kai eis tēn parakeimenēn pharanga rhipsas, ton laon hapanta kataleusai prosetaxen, hōste genesthai autǭ taphon tēn timōrian.

What does “And now the land will be taken from us ten thousand times” mean? The general prevented the king when he wished to take part in the battle, fearing that something might happen to him (for the enemy would probably have advanced against him alone), and anxious lest, after winning, he would pity the usurper. So they said: if we are defeated and flee, we have our life as sufficient consolation; but if anything happens to you, the disaster will fall on all. For you alone surpass all of us ten thousand times over. Symmachus gave this sense: “and you are as ten thousand of us.” The just Judge allowed these misfortunes to come upon David to heal the lawless deed that had been done, but exacted a fitting penalty from that wretch. As he rode through the forest, he caused him to go under a tree that had two branches bending crosswise, not far apart from each other. When the mule passed there, his head was caught between the branches, and he was left hanging entire; the rustling of the leaves drove the mule on, but he remained hanging, a most welcome sight to the pious, displaying the sentence of the Providence that governs all things. One of the other soldiers, seeing this, did not dare to strike him, for he feared the king's order. But the general, leaving the father to show his tender-heartedness, fixed the darts in that most foul heart. Then he took him down, threw him into the nearby ravine, and ordered all the people to stone him, so that his punishment became his tomb.

2 Sam 18:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 18:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 18:5 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 18:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 18:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 18:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 18:17 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: David's men kept him from the battle as worth ten thousand of them; Absalom, caught by the head in a tree, was killed by Joab and buried under stones.

2 Sam 18:2–17 (LXX 18:3); Symmachus's rendering agrees with the Hebrew. The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 43.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray mark; stray marks; word split by the OCR): χιλιάσι ; , → χιλιάσι;; δέκα χι λιάσιν → δέκα χιλιάσιν; τὰ βέλη & κατέπηξεν → τὰ βέλη κατέπηξεν.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.33 (PG 80 80:645; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-33). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-33

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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.

2.34PG 80 80:645

Τι δήποτε ἄνω μὲν ὁ συγγραφεύς εἴρηκεν ὅτι τρεῖς ἔσχεν υἱοὺς, μίαν δὲ θυγατέρα νῦν δὲ τουναντίον δεδήλωκεν, ὅτι στήλην ᾠκοδόμησεν, ὡς υἱὸν οὐκ ἔχων, τὴν δι' αὐτῆς αὐτῷ μηχανώμενος μνήμην; Ἑκάτερον ἀληθές· εἰκὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ παιδοποιῆσαι, καὶ τετελευτηκέναι τοὺς παῖδας. Ἰώσηπος δὲ ἔφη τοῦτο αὐτὸν δεδρακέναι, ὡς τῶν παίδων μὲν ἐπὶ πολὺ διαρκεῖν οὐ δυναμένων, τῆς δὲ οἰκοδομίας μᾶλλον φυλαττούσης τὴν μνήμην.

Ti dēpote anō men ho syngrapheus eirēken hoti treis eschen huious, mian de thygatera nyn de tounantion dedēlōken, hoti stēlēn ǭkodomēsen, hōs huion ouk echōn, tēn di' autēs autǭ mēchanōmenos mnēmēn? Hekateron alēthes; eikos gar auton kai paidopoiēsai, kai teteleutēkenai tous paidas. Iōsēpos de ephē touto auton dedrakenai, hōs tōn paidōn men epi poly diarkein ou dynamenōn, tēs de oikodomias mallon phylattousēs tēn mnēmēn.

Why did the writer say earlier that he had three sons and one daughter, but now has shown the opposite, that he built a pillar as having no son, contriving through it a memorial for himself? Both are true; for he probably had children, and the children died. Josephus said that he did this because children cannot last long, while a building preserves the memory better.

2 Sam 14:27 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 18:18 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Absalom had children who died, so he set up a pillar as his memorial; both statements are true.

2 Sam 14:27; 18:18; Josephus, Ant. 7.10.3. A displaced fragment of 2.33 (“a sight to the pious; one of the soldiers seeing this did not dare to strike the one [hanging] by his hair”) printed after the answer, and a duplicated word in the question, are removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (displaced fragment of question 2.33 printed after the answer; repeated word): υἱὸν οὐκ ἔχων, τ ἔχων, → υἱὸν οὐκ ἔχων,; τοῖς εὐσεβέσι γενόμενος. Τοῦτό τις τῶν στρατιωτῶν θεασάμενος οὐκ ἐτόλμα πληγὴν τῷ διὰ τῆς κόμι όμης → .

Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, Ant. 7.10.3 (Josephus (works); allusion)

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.34 (PG 80 80:645; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-34

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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.

2.35PG 80 80:647

Τίνος ἕνεκεν τοσοῦτον ἐθρήνησεν ὁ Δαβίδ τὸν μιαρώτατον παῖδα; Καὶ φιλόπαις ἦν, καὶ φιλάνθρωπος. Τεκμήριον δὲ τούτου καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ Σαούλ γενόμενον πένθος. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ ἡ φύσις μείζους τὰς ὀδύνας εἰργάσατο. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, ἐθρήνησεν ὡς εὐσεβὴς τὸν διὰ μεταμελείας ἰαθῆναι μηκέτι δυνάμενον. Μετὰ γὰρ δὴ τὴν τελευτὴν ἀνίατος ἡ τῆς ἁμαρτίας πληγή.

Tinos heneken tosouton ethrēnēsen ho Dabid ton miarōtaton paida? Kai philopais ēn, kai philanthrōpos. Tekmērion de toutou kai to epi tou Saoul genomenon penthos. Entautha de kai hē physis meizous tas odynas eirgasato. Pros de toutois, ethrēnēsen hōs eusebēs ton dia metameleias iathēnai mēketi dynamenon. Meta gar dē tēn teleutēn aniatos hē tēs hamartias plēgē.

Why did David lament his utterly vile son so much? He loved his children and loved humankind. A proof of this is his mourning for Saul. Here nature made the pain greater. Besides, as a pious man he lamented one who could no longer be healed by repentance; for after death the wound of sin is incurable.

2 Sam 18:33 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 1:17 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: David mourned Absalom out of fatherly love and because, dead, his son could no longer repent.

2 Sam 18:33 (Hebrew 19:1).

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.35 (PG 80 80:647; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-35

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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.

2.36PG 80 80:647

Τι δήποτε τῷ ᾿Αβεσσα τὴν στρατηγίαν ἐπηγγείλατο, τοῦ Ἰωὰβ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πολλοὺς ὑπομείναντος πόνους καὶ κινδύνους; Τὸ θρασὺ τοῦ Ἰωάβ ἀεὶ μισῶν διετέλεσεν. Ηνέσχετο δὲ αὐτοῦ, διά τε τὴν εὔνοιαν, ἣν εἶχε, καὶ ὑφορώμενος μή τι νεώτερον βουλεύσηται κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Θεασάμενος δὲ τὸν ᾿Αβεσσά· ἀδελφιδοῦς δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὗτος ἐτύγχανεν· ὃν στρατηγὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ τυράννου πάσης χειροτονηθέντα τῆς στρατιᾶς, ἐπέστειλεν, ὑποσχόμενος αὐτῷ παραδώσειν τὴν τοῦ ᾿Ιωάβ στρατηγίαν. Τοῦτο μαθὼν ὁ Ἰωάβ, καὶ τοῦ φθόνου τὴν ἀκίδα δεξάμενος, καὶ πληττόμενος ἐπὶ τοῖς μεμηνυμένοις, ἐπήνεγκεν αὐτῷ τὴν σφαγὴν, εὔνοιαν καὶ φιλίαν ὑποκρινάμενος.

Ti dēpote tǭ ᾿Abessa tēn stratēgian epēngeilato, tou Iōab hyper autou pollous hypomeinantos ponous kai kindynous? To thrasy tou Iōab aei misōn dietelesen. Ēnescheto de autou, dia te tēn eunoian, hēn eiche, kai hyphorōmenos mē ti neōteron bouleusētai kat᾿ autou. Theasamenos de ton ᾿Abessa; adelphidous de autou kai houtos etynchanen; hon stratēgon hypo tou tyrannou pasēs cheirotonēthenta tēs stratias, epesteilen, hyposchomenos autǭ paradōsein tēn tou ᾿Iōab stratēgian. Touto mathōn ho Iōab, kai tou phthonou tēn akida dexamenos, kai plēttomenos epi tois memēnymenois, epēnenken autǭ tēn sphagēn, eunoian kai philian hypokrinamenos.

Why did he promise the command of the army to Amessa, when Joab had endured many labors and dangers on his behalf? He always hated Joab's boldness. He put up with him because of the loyalty he had, and because he suspected that he might plot some revolt against him. But seeing Amessa (he too was his nephew), who had been appointed general of the whole army by the usurper, he sent to him, promising to hand over to him Joab's command. When Joab learned this, he received the sting of envy, and smarting at what had been reported, he murdered him, pretending good will and friendship.

2 Sam 19:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 17:25 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 20:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 20:10 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 3:39 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: David, who disliked Joab's boldness, offered his command to Absalom's general Amasa; Joab, envious, treacherously killed him.

2 Sam 17:25; 19:13; 20:8–10. The printed name Ἀβεσσά (Abishai) must here mean Amasa (LXX Ἀμεσσαΐ), the general of Absalom whom David promised Joab's command; the translation follows the sense. The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 301.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.36 (PG 80 80:647; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-36). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-36

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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.

2.37PG 80 80:647

Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, «Δέκα μοι χεῖρες ἐν τῷ βασιλεῖ; Ἔριδος γενομένης καὶ διαμάχης, καὶ τὴν φυλὴν τοῦ Ἰούδα τῶν ἄλλων αἰτιασαμένων, ὅτι δὴ προλαβοῦσα ὑπήντησε τῷ βασιλεῖ, ὑπολαβόντες ἔφασαν αὐτοὶ, φυλέτην αὐτῶν εἶναι τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτοῖς προσήκειν διὰ τὴν πλησιαιτέραν συγγένειαν. Τούτου χάριν εἰρήκασιν οἱ τῶν ἄλλων φυλῶν, δέκα χεῖρας ἔχειν ἐν τῷ βασιλεῖ. Ἡ γὰρ Βενιαμῖτις τῇ Ἰούδα συνῆπτο. Προσέθηκαν δὲ, ὅτι καὶ τῶν πρωτοτοκίων ἔχουσι τὰ πρεσβεία, διά τε τὸν Ῥουβεὶμ, ὡς φύσει πρωτότοκον, καὶ διὰ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ, ὡς διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῦδε τοῦ κλήρου τετυχηκότα. Διπλῆν γὰρ μοῖραν οἱ πρωτότοκοι τῆς πατρώας κληρονομίας ἐλάμβανον. Διὸ καὶ ὁ πατριάρχης πρὸς τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἔφη, Ἐφραὶμ καὶ Μανασσῆς ὡς Ῥουβεὶμ καὶ Συμεὼν ἔσωνταί μοι. ᾿ Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ Μωσῆς ὁ μέγας, καὶ Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ, ὁ τούτου διάδοχος, διπλοῦν αὐτοῖς ἀπένειμαν κλῆρον.

Pōs noēteon to, «Deka moi cheires en tǭ basilei? Eridos genomenēs kai diamachēs, kai tēn phylēn tou Iouda tōn allōn aitiasamenōn, hoti dē prolabousa hypēntēse tǭ basilei, hypolabontes ephasan autoi, phyletēn autōn einai ton basilea, kai mallon autois prosēkein dia tēn plēsiaiteran syngeneian. Toutou charin eirēkasin hoi tōn allōn phylōn, deka cheiras echein en tǭ basilei. Hē gar Beniamitis tę̄ Iouda synēpto. Prosethēkan de, hoti kai tōn prōtotokiōn echousi ta presbeia, dia te ton Rhoubeim, hōs physei prōtotokon, kai dia ton Iōsēph, hōs dia tēn aretēn toude tou klērou tetychēkota. Diplēn gar moiran hoi prōtotokoi tēs patrōas klēronomias elambanon. Dio kai ho patriarchēs pros ton Iōsēph ephē, Ephraim kai Manassēs hōs Rhoubeim kai Symeōn esōntai moi. ᾿ Autika goun kai Mōsēs ho megas, kai Iēsous ho tou Nauē, ho toutou diadochos, diploun autois apeneiman klēron.

How should “I have ten hands in the king” be understood? When strife and contention arose, and the others blamed the tribe of Judah for having gone ahead to meet the king, the men of Judah answered that the king was their fellow tribesman and belonged more to them because of their nearer kinship. For this reason those of the other tribes said that they had ten hands in the king, for the tribe of Benjamin was joined to Judah. They added that they also held the privilege of the birthright, because of Reuben, as firstborn by nature, and because of Joseph, who obtained this portion because of his virtue. For the firstborn received a double share of their father's inheritance. That is why the patriarch said to Joseph, “Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine as Reuben and Simeon.” Indeed Moses the great, and Joshua son of Nun, his successor, allotted them a double portion.

2 Sam 19:41 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 19:42 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 19:43 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 21:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 48:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Chr 5:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Josh 17:14 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The ten tribes claimed a greater share in the king by number and by the birthright of Reuben and Joseph.

2 Sam 19:41–43 (quotation 19:43, LXX); Gen 48:5; Deut 21:17; Josh 16–17.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.37 (PG 80 80:647; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-37). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-37

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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.

2.38PG 80 80:649

Τίνος χάριν Δαβίδ καθεῖρξε τὰς παλλακὰς παρὰ γνώμην τῷ δυσσεβεῖ τυράννῳ συγγενομένας; ᾿Ανόσιον ὑπέλαβε συνελθεῖν αὐταῖς μετὰ τὴν μυσαρὰν τοῦ παιδὸς συνουσίαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ νόμος ἄντικρυς ἀπηγόρευσεν. Ἑτέρῳ δὲ οὐ συνῆψεν, ἵνα μὴ καὶ τοῦτο πρόφασις γένηται τυραννίδος ἄλλως τε δὲ οὐδὲ γάμος ἦν ὁ τοιοῦτος. Ζῶντος γὰρ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς μοιχαλίς χρηματίζει, ἐὰν γένηται ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ, ᾗ φησιν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὁ νόμος ἐπέτρεπε τὸν ἀπεχθανόμενον τῇ γυναικὶ βιβλίον ἀποστασίου διδόναι· ἀλλ᾽ ἐνταῦθα οὐ μίσος ἐχώριζεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τοῦ παιδὸς παράνομος συνουσία. Τούτου χάριν εἰς ἑτέραν αὐτὰς μετέστησεν οἰκίαν, πάσης ἀξιῶν θεραπείας.

Tinos charin Dabid katheirxe tas pallakas para gnōmēn tǭ dyssebei tyrannǭ syngenomenas? ᾿Anosion hypelabe synelthein autais meta tēn mysaran tou paidos synousian. Touto gar kai ho nomos antikrys apēgoreusen. Heterǭ de ou synēpsen, hina mē kai touto prophasis genētai tyrannidos allōs te de oude gamos ēn ho toioutos. Zōntos gar tou andros moichalis chrēmatizei, ean genētai andri heterǭ, hę̄ phēsin ho theios ᾿Apostolos. Ei de kai ho nomos epetrepe ton apechthanomenon tę̄ gynaiki biblion apostasiou didonai; all᾽ entautha ou misos echōrizen, all᾽ hē tou paidos paranomos synousia. Toutou charin eis heteran autas metestēsen oikian, pasēs axiōn therapeias.

Why did David shut up the concubines who had been with the impious usurper against their will? He considered it unholy to come together with them after his son's foul intercourse; the law too expressly forbade this. He did not join them to another man, so that this too would not become an occasion for usurpation; and besides, such a union would not have been a marriage. For “while her husband is alive she will be called an adulteress if she becomes another man's,” as the divine Apostle says. And even if the law permitted a man who hated his wife to give her a certificate of divorce, here it was not hatred that separated them, but the son's lawless intercourse. For this reason he moved them to another house and granted them every care.

2 Sam 20:3 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 16:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 18:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 7:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 24:1 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: David kept apart, but provided for, the concubines Absalom had violated; he could not lawfully live with them, and giving them to others would have been adultery and a pretext for rebellion.

2 Sam 16:21–22; 20:3. The law: Lev 18:8; 20:11; Rom 7:3; the certificate of divorce, Deut 24:1. Theodoret's reasoning is translated as written.

Topics: Marriage, Divorce and remarriage

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.38 (PG 80 80:649; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-38). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-38

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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.

2.39PG 80 80:649

Πῶς νοητέον, Εἰ ἐξέλιπεν ἃ διέθεντο πιστοὶ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ;» Ὁ Σαβεὲ τυραννήσας, εἶτα φυγὼν, εἰς τὴν ᾿Αβὲλ κατέφυγε πόλιν ἔστι δὲ αὕτη πόλις τῆς Παλαιστίνης, ᾿Αβελᾶ νῦν ὠνομασμένη. Τοῦ στρατηγοῦ τοίνυν εἰς πολιορκίαν τὴν στρατιὰν παραστήσαντος, τῶν θείων αὐτὸν ἀνέμνησε νόμων ἡ σοφωτάτη γυνή. Ὁ γὰρ θεῖος ἐκέλευσε νόμος πρεσβείᾳ κεχρῆσθαι πρότερον, εἶθ᾽ οὕτως τοῖς ἀντιλέγουσι παρατάττεσθαι. Τοῦτο ἔφη καὶ αὕτη· Εἰ ἐξέλιπεν ἃ διέθεντο οἱ πιστοὶ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ;» τουτέστι, μὴ παραβῆναι χρὴ τὰ διηγορευμένα τοῖς νόμοις. Εἶτα ἐπήγαγεν Ἐγὼ δὲ εἰμι εἰρηνικὴ τῶν στηριγμάτων Ἰσραήλ· σὺ δὲ ζητεῖς θανατῶσαι πόλιν καὶ μητρόπολιν Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ἵνα τί ὅτι καταποντίζεις κληρονομίαν Κυρίου; Ἐπειδὴ σὺ, φησὶ, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον νόμον οὐκ ἐχρήσω τῇ πρεσβείᾳ· ἐγώ σε διδάσκω, ὡς πολεμικὸν ἡ πόλις οὐκ ἔχει σκοπὸν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰρήνης ὀρέγεται. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀνάστατον ἀποφήνῃς πόλιν, οὐκ ἀλλόφυλον, ἀλλ᾽ ὁμόφυλον, καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν αὐτὸν τελοῦσαν Θεὸν καὶ Δεσπότην. Τούτων ἀκούσας τῶν λόγων ὁ στρατηγὸς ἔφη, μήτε πολέμου, μήτε πολιορκίας ἐρᾶν μόνον δὲ ἐθέλειν χειρώσασθαι τὸν κατὰ τοῦ βασιλέως τυραννίδι χρησάμενον. Μαθοῦσα τοίνυν τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς πολιορκίας ἡ σοφωτάτη γυνή, τοὺς ἡγουμένους τῆς πόλεως ἔπεισε μὴ περιθεῖναι τῇ πόλει τοῦ πολέμου τὸν κίνδυνον, ἀλλ᾽ ἀναμνησθῆναι τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως εὐσεβείας καὶ εὐνομίας, καὶ τῆς ἐν πολέμοις ἀνδραγαθίας, καὶ ὡς διὰ τοὺς ἐκείνου πόνους εἰρήνης στερῥᾶς ἀπολαύουσι. Τούτοις χρησαμένη τοῖς λόγοις, τοῦ τυράννου τὴν κεφαλὴν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἔῤῥιψε, καὶ τὴν πολιορκίαν διέλυσεν.

Pōs noēteon, Ei exelipen ha diethento pistoi tou Israēl?» Ho Sabee tyrannēsas, eita phygōn, eis tēn ᾿Abel katephyge polin esti de hautē polis tēs Palaistinēs, ᾿Abela nyn ōnomasmenē. Tou stratēgou toinyn eis poliorkian tēn stratian parastēsantos, tōn theiōn auton anemnēse nomōn hē sophōtatē gynē. Ho gar theios ekeleuse nomos presbeią kechrēsthai proteron, eith᾽ houtōs tois antilegousi paratattesthai. Touto ephē kai hautē; Ei exelipen ha diethento hoi pistoi tou Israēl?» toutesti, mē parabēnai chrē ta diēgoreumena tois nomois. Eita epēgagen Egō de eimi eirēnikē tōn stērigmatōn Israēl; sy de zēteis thanatōsai polin kai mētropolin Israēl; kai hina ti hoti katapontizeis klēronomian Kyriou? Epeidē sy, phēsi, kata ton theion nomon ouk echrēsō tę̄ presbeią; egō se didaskō, hōs polemikon hē polis ouk echei skopon, all᾽ eirēnēs oregetai. Mē toinyn anastaton apophēnę̄s polin, ouk allophylon, all᾽ homophylon, kai hypo ton auton telousan Theon kai Despotēn. Toutōn akousas tōn logōn ho stratēgos ephē, mēte polemou, mēte poliorkias eran monon de ethelein cheirōsasthai ton kata tou basileōs tyrannidi chrēsamenon. Mathousa toinyn tēn aitian tēs poliorkias hē sophōtatē gynē, tous hēgoumenous tēs poleōs epeise mē peritheinai tę̄ polei tou polemou ton kindynon, all᾽ anamnēsthēnai tēs tou basileōs eusebeias kai eunomias, kai tēs en polemois andragathias, kai hōs dia tous ekeinou ponous eirēnēs sterrhas apolauousi. Toutois chrēsamenē tois logois, tou tyrannou tēn kephalēn eis to stratopedon errhipse, kai tēn poliorkian dielysen.

How should “Have the things that the faithful of Israel established failed?” be understood? Sheba, having rebelled and then fled, took refuge in the city of Abel; this is a city of Palestine, now called Abela. When the general had drawn up the army for a siege, the most wise woman reminded him of the divine laws. For the divine law commanded that an embassy be used first, and only then that one should fight those who refused. This is what she said: “Have the things that the faithful of Israel established failed?”, that is: one must not transgress what the laws have prescribed. Then she added, “I am one of the peaceable of the supports of Israel; but you seek to put to death a city and a mother-city in Israel. Why do you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?” Since you, she says, did not use an embassy according to the divine law, I teach you that the city has no warlike purpose but longs for peace. Do not, then, lay waste a city that is not foreign but of the same people, and subject to the same God and Master. Hearing these words, the general said that he desired neither war nor siege, but wished only to lay hands on the man who had rebelled against the king. Learning the cause of the siege, the most wise woman persuaded the leaders of the city not to bring the danger of war on the city, but to remember the king's piety and good government and his bravery in war, and that it was through his labors that they enjoyed firm peace. Having used these words, she threw the usurper's head into the camp and ended the siege.

2 Sam 20:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 20:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 20:10 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 20:18 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 20:19 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 20:21 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 20:22 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The wise woman of Abel reminded Joab of the law requiring an offer of peace before a siege, and delivered Sheba's head to save her city.

2 Sam 20:14–22 (LXX; quotations 20:18–19); the law, Deut 20:10. The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 10. A marginal line repeating the lemma printed inside the word “piety” is removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR dropped letters; marginal line printed inside the word; stray bracket; stray marks; word split by the OCR): Τοῦ στρατηγοῦ 3* τοίνυν → Τοῦ στρατηγοῦ τοίνυν; ἃ δι ἐθεντο → ἃ διέθεντο; πόλιν ( καὶ → πόλιν καὶ; τὸν δυνον → τὸν κίνδυνον; εὐσεἐξέλιπεν Ἰσραήλ. βείας → εὐσεβείας; ἀνδραγα - θίας → ἀνδραγαθίας; ἔρα ῥιψε → ἔῤῥιψε.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.39 (PG 80 80:649; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-39

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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.

2.40PG 80 80:651

Τί ἐστιν, Ἐπὶ τοῦ πλινθίου, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δυνατούς Πλινθίον οἶμαι καλεῖσθαι, ὁ παρὰ τοῖς ἔξωθεν συγγραφεῦσι πλαίσιον ὀνομάζεται. Εἶδος τοῦτο στρατιωτικῆς παρατάξεως τετράγωνον ἐχούσης τὸ σχῆμα. Ὥσπερ τοίνυν ὁ νῦν παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις μάγιστρος ὀνομαζόμενος τῶν περὶ τὸν βασιλέα πεζαιτέρων, ἀσπιδηφόρων φημὶ καὶ δορυφόρων, τὴν ἡγεμονίαν πεπίστευται· οὕτως ὁ Βανέας τῶν βασιλικῶν σωματοφυλάκων ἡγεῖτο, τῆς ἄλλης στρατιᾶς τελούσης ὑπὸ τὸν στρατηγὸν Ἰωάβ.

Ti estin, Epi tou plinthiou, kai epi tous dynatous Plinthion oimai kaleisthai, ho para tois exōthen syngrapheusi plaision onomazetai. Eidos touto stratiōtikēs parataxeōs tetragōnon echousēs to schēma. Hōsper toinyn ho nyn para Rhōmaiois magistros onomazomenos tōn peri ton basilea pezaiterōn, aspidēphorōn phēmi kai doryphorōn, tēn hēgemonian pepisteutai; houtōs ho Baneas tōn basilikōn sōmatophylakōn hēgeito, tēs allēs stratias telousēs hypo ton stratēgon Iōab.

What does “over the plinthion and over the mighty men” mean? I think what is called the plinthion is what secular writers call the plaision. This is a kind of military formation with a square shape. As the one now called magister among the Romans is entrusted with command of the foot soldiers around the emperor, I mean the shield-bearers and spearmen, so Benaiah commanded the royal bodyguards, while the rest of the army was under Joab the general.

2 Sam 20:23 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 8:18 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The plinthion is a square formation; Benaiah commanded the royal guard while Joab commanded the army.

2 Sam 20:23 (LXX). The printed question lacks a question mark; the question is present.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.40 (PG 80 80:651; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-40). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-40

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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.

2.41PG 80 80:651

Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Σαδώκ καὶ ᾿Αβιάθαρ ἱερεῖς, καὶ Ἰωδαὲ ὁ Ἰεθὲρ ἦν ἱερεὺς τῷ Δαβίδ ; Ὁ Σαδώκ καὶ ὁ ᾿Αβιάθαρ τὴν ἀρχιερατικὴν εἶχον ἀξίαν οὗτος δὲ ἱερεὺς ὢν ἔνδον ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις διῆγε, τῇ θείᾳ κιβωτῷ προσεδρεύων, καὶ τὰς βασιλικὰς ἱερεύων θυσίας.

Pōs noēteon to, Sadōk kai ᾿Abiathar hiereis, kai Iōdae ho Iether ēn hiereus tǭ Dabid ? Ho Sadōk kai ho ᾿Abiathar tēn archieratikēn eichon axian houtos de hiereus ōn endon en tois basileiois diēge, tę̄ theią kibōtǭ prosedreuōn, kai tas basilikas hiereuōn thysias.

How should “Zadok and Abiathar were priests, and Iodae the Iether was priest to David” be understood? Zadok and Abiathar held the high-priestly rank; but this man, being a priest, lived inside the palace, attending the divine ark and offering the royal sacrifices.

2 Sam 20:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 20:26 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Zadok and Abiathar were high priests, while the other priest served David in the palace.

2 Sam 20:25–26 (the Hebrew names Ira the Jairite; Theodoret's form of the name is translated as printed). This short question holds one question and answer.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray footnote marks): θυσίας **. → θυσίας..

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.41 (PG 80 80:651; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-41). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-41

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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.

2.42PG 80 80:651

Τι δήποτε τοῦ Σαούλ τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας ἀνῃρηκότος, μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου τελευτὴν ὁ λαὸς ἐπαιδεύθη; Ἅπας ὁ λαὸς ἐπεποιήκει τὰς πρὸς τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας συνθήκας· ἐκοινώνησε δὲ τῶν ὄρκων καὶ Ἐλεάζαρ ὁ ἱερεὺς, καὶ Ἰησοῦς ὁ προφήτης. Ἔδει τοίνυν τῶν ὀμωμοκότων τοὺς ἀπογόνους τὰς γεγενημένας μὴ παραβῆναι σπονδὰς, πεῖσαι δὲ καὶ τὸν παρανομοῦντα βασιλέα φυλάξαι τὸν ὅρκον. Τούτου χάριν καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου τελευτὴν, τοῦ λιμοῦ τὴν παιδείαν ὑπέμειναν. Διδάσκει δὲ διὰ τούτων ἡμᾶς ὁ σοφῶς ἅπαντα πρυτανεύων, ὅτι κἂν παραυτίκα μακροθυμήσας μὴ ἐπενέγκῃ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν παραβεβασμένων νόμων ποινὴν, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν ὕστερον δίκας ἀξίας εἰσπράττεται ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ τότε, τεσσαράκοντα ἤδη διεληλυθότων ἐτῶν, ἐπέδησε μὲν τῶν νεφῶν τὰς ὠδῖνας· τῷ δὲ τῆς ἀκαρπίας πάθει τὴν γῆν περιέβαλεν· ἐκόλασε δὲ λιμῷ τοὺς ταύτης οἰκήτορας. ᾿Αγνοῶν δὲ τὴν αἰτίαν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς θεηλάτου πληγῆς, τὸν δίκαιον ἤρετο δικαστήν. Γνοὺς τοίνυν, ὡς τῆς ἀδίκου τῶν Γαβαωνιτῶν ἀναιρέσεως εὐθύνας εἰσπράττεται, αὐτοῖς ἐχρήσατο τοῖς ἡδικημένοις κριταῖς. Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Δαβὶδ πρὸς τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας, Τί ποιήσω ὑμῖν, καὶ ἐν τίνι ἐξιλάσομαι, καὶ εὐλογήσετε τὴν κληρονομίαν Κυρίου;» Ἀλλὰ τούτων οὐκ ἐπακούουσιν Ἰουδαῖοι τῶν λόγων, ὅτι τῆς Χαναναίων εὐλογίας τὸ σπέρμα τοῦ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ ἐδεήθη· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῖς προγόνοις μέγα φρονοῦσι, καὶ συνιδεῖν οὐκ ἐθέλουσιν, ὡς ἀρετὴ πολλῷ περιφανεστέρα προγονικῆς εὐγενείας· καὶ κρινεῖ, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Ἀπόστολον, ἡ ἐκ φύσεως ἀκροβυστία, τὸν νόμον πληροῦσα, τὸν διὰ γράμματος καὶ περιτομῆς παραβάτην νόμου. Ωσπερ τοίνυν οἱ τηνικάδε ἡμαρτηκότες Ἰσραηλῖται τῆς Χαναναίων ἐδεήθησαν εὐλογίας· οὕτω καὶ οἱ τὸν Δεσπότην ἐσταυρωκότες τῆς προγονικῆς ἐξέπεσον εὐλογίας, καὶ τῆς τῶν πεπιστευκότων ἐθνῶν διδασκαλίας προσδέονται. Κἀκεῖνο δὲ πρὸς τούτοις ἐπισημήνασθαι δεῖ, ὡς ὁ Σαούλ ζήλῳ χρησάμενος μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων Χαναναίων τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας κατέκτεινε. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ θεία διδάσκει Γραφή· Οὐκ ἦσαν γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ Γαβαωνῖται ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτι ἀπὸ τῶν καταλοίπων Αμοῤῥαίων ἦσαν· καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ὤμοσαν αὐτοῖς μὴ ἀπολέσαι αὐτούς καὶ ἐζήτησε Σαούλ τοῦ πατάξαι αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαι αὐτὸν τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ Ἰούδα. Διδάσκει τοίνυν ἡμᾶς ὁ λόγος, μὴ παραβαίνειν τὰς ἐπὶ Θεοῦ μεθ' ὅρκων γινομένας συνθήκας, κἂν εἰς ἄλλων ὠφέλειαν ἡ παράβασις γίγνηται· Οἱ μέντοι Γαβαωνῖται ἑπτὰ ᾔτησαν ἄνδρας τῆς Σαούλ συγγενείας, ἰσαρίθμους ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐν αἷς ὁ χρόνος ἀνακυκλεῖται Οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ ἡμῖν, ἔφασαν, ἀργύριον, οὐδὲ χρυσίον μετὰ Σαούλ, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ· καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν θανατῶσαι ἄνδρα ἐκ παντὸς Ἰσραήλ. Ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ συντελέσας ἡμᾶς, καὶ διώξας ἡμᾶς, καὶ ὃς παρελογίσατο ἐξολοθρεῦσαι ἡμᾶς, ἀφανίσομεν αὐτὸν τοῦ μὴ καθίστασθαι αὐτὸν ἐν παντὶ ὁρίῳ Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ δοθήτωσαν ἡμῖν ἑπτὰ ἄνδρες ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξιλασόμεθα ἐν αὐτοῖς τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν τῷ βουνῷ τοῦ Σαούλ ἐκλεκτοὺς τῷ Κυρίῳ. Ἡ οὖν τῶν Γαβαωνιτῶν μητρόπολις Γαβαὼν ἐκαλεῖτο· μεταβαλλόμενον δὲ τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα γλῶσσαν βουνὸς ὀνομάζεται. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τοίνυν τῷ χωρίῳ τοὺς ἐκδοθέντας αὐτοῖς ἀνεσκολόπισαν ἄνδρας, ἐν ᾧ τὰς παρανόμους ἐτόλμησεν ἐκεῖνος σφαγάς. Τὸ γὰρ ἐξηλίασαν, ὁ ᾿Ακύλας ἀνέπηξαν εἶπεν·. Οὗτοι δὲ ἦσαν δύο μὲν υἱοὶ τοῦ Σαούλ νόθοι, πέντε δὲ υἱωνοὶ αὐτοῦ. Ὕστερον δὲ ταφῆς καὶ τούτους ἠξίωσεν ὁ εὐσεβὴς βασιλεύς. Τῆσδε τῆς τιμωρίας γεγενημένης, ἵλεως ὁ Δεσπότης ἐγένετο, καὶ τῶν νεφελῶν ἔλυσε τὰς ὠδῖνας, καὶ Ἡμεῖς δὲ διὰ τοῦτο μανθάνομεν, ὡς γένους ὁ Δε

Ti dēpote tou Saoul tous Gabaōnitas anę̄rēkotos, meta tēn ekeinou teleutēn ho laos epaideuthē? Hapas ho laos epepoiēkei tas pros tous Gabaōnitas synthēkas; ekoinōnēse de tōn orkōn kai Eleazar ho hiereus, kai Iēsous ho prophētēs. Edei toinyn tōn omōmokotōn tous apogonous tas gegenēmenas mē parabēnai spondas, peisai de kai ton paranomounta basilea phylaxai ton horkon. Toutou charin kai meta tēn ekeinou teleutēn, tou limou tēn paideian hypemeinan. Didaskei de dia toutōn hēmas ho sophōs hapanta prytaneuōn, hoti kan parautika makrothymēsas mē epenenkę̄ tēn hyper tōn parabebasmenōn nomōn poinēn, all᾽ oun hysteron dikas axias eisprattetai hōsper amelei kai tote, tessarakonta ēdē dielēlythotōn etōn, epedēse men tōn nephōn tas ōdinas; tǭ de tēs akarpias pathei tēn gēn periebalen; ekolase de limǭ tous tautēs oikētoras. ᾿Agnoōn de tēn aitian ho basileus tēs theēlatou plēgēs, ton dikaion ēreto dikastēn. Gnous toinyn, hōs tēs adikou tōn Gabaōnitōn anaireseōs euthynas eisprattetai, autois echrēsato tois hēdikēmenois kritais. Eipe gar, phēsin, ho Dabid pros tous Gabaōnitas, Ti poiēsō hymin, kai en tini exilasomai, kai eulogēsete tēn klēronomian Kyriou?» Alla toutōn ouk epakouousin Ioudaioi tōn logōn, hoti tēs Chananaiōn eulogias to sperma tou ᾿Abraam edeēthē; all᾽ epi tois progonois mega phronousi, kai synidein ouk ethelousin, hōs aretē pollǭ periphanestera progonikēs eugeneias; kai krinei, kata ton theion Apostolon, hē ek physeōs akrobystia, ton nomon plērousa, ton dia grammatos kai peritomēs parabatēn nomou. Ōsper toinyn hoi tēnikade hēmartēkotes Israēlitai tēs Chananaiōn edeēthēsan eulogias; houtō kai hoi ton Despotēn estaurōkotes tēs progonikēs exepeson eulogias, kai tēs tōn pepisteukotōn ethnōn didaskalias prosdeontai. Kakeino de pros toutois episēmēnasthai dei, hōs ho Saoul zēlǭ chrēsamenos meta tōn allōn Chananaiōn tous Gabaōnitas katekteine. Touto gar hē theia didaskei Graphē; Ouk ēsan gar, phēsin, hoi Gabaōnitai ek tōn huiōn Israēl, hoti apo tōn kataloipōn Amorrhaiōn ēsan; kai hoi huioi Israēl ōmosan autois mē apolesai autous kai ezētēse Saoul tou pataxai autous en tǭ zēlōsai auton tous huious Israēl kai Iouda. Didaskei toinyn hēmas ho logos, mē parabainein tas epi Theou meth' horkōn ginomenas synthēkas, kan eis allōn ōpheleian hē parabasis gignētai; Hoi mentoi Gabaōnitai hepta ę̄tēsan andras tēs Saoul syngeneias, isarithmous tais hēmerais en hais ho chronos anakykleitai Ouk esti gar hēmin, ephasan, argyrion, oude chrysion meta Saoul, kai meta tou oikou autou; kai ouk estin hēmin thanatōsai andra ek pantos Israēl. Ho anēr ho syntelesas hēmas, kai diōxas hēmas, kai hos parelogisato exolothreusai hēmas, aphanisomen auton tou mē kathistasthai auton en panti horiǭ Israēl. Kai dothētōsan hēmin hepta andres ek tōn huiōn autou, kai exilasometha en autois tǭ Kyriǭ en tǭ bounǭ tou Saoul eklektous tǭ Kyriǭ. Hē oun tōn Gabaōnitōn mētropolis Gabaōn ekaleito; metaballomenon de touto to onoma eis tēn Hellada glōssan bounos onomazetai. En ekeinǭ toinyn tǭ chōriǭ tous ekdothentas autois aneskolopisan andras, en hǭ tas paranomous etolmēsen ekeinos sphagas. To gar exēliasan, ho ᾿Akylas anepēxan eipen;. Houtoi de ēsan dyo men huioi tou Saoul nothoi, pente de huiōnoi autou. Hysteron de taphēs kai toutous ēxiōsen ho eusebēs basileus. Tēsde tēs timōrias gegenēmenēs, hileōs ho Despotēs egeneto, kai tōn nephelōn elyse tas ōdinas, kai Hēmeis de dia touto manthanomen, hōs genous ho De

Why, when Saul had killed the Gibeonites, were the people disciplined after his death? The whole people had made the treaty with the Gibeonites; Eleazar the priest and Joshua the prophet had also shared in the oaths. The descendants of those who had sworn, then, ought not to have broken the treaty that had been made, and ought to have persuaded the lawless king to keep the oath. For this reason they suffered the discipline of famine even after his death. Through this the One who governs all things wisely teaches us that, even if in his patience he does not immediately inflict the penalty for laws broken, he later exacts a fitting punishment; as indeed he did then, when forty years had already passed: he stopped the clouds' labor, wrapped the land in barrenness, and punished its inhabitants with famine. The king, not knowing the cause of the God-sent blow, asked the just Judge. Learning that he was exacting account for the unjust killing of the Gibeonites, he used the wronged men themselves as judges. “For David said,” it says, “to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you, and with what shall I make atonement, so that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?” But the Jews do not listen to these words, that the seed of Abraham needed the blessing of Canaanites; they pride themselves on their ancestors and will not see that virtue is far more illustrious than ancestral nobility; and, according to the divine Apostle, “the one who is physically uncircumcised but fulfills the law will judge you who, with the letter and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law.” As, then, the Israelites who sinned at that time needed the blessing of Canaanites, so those who crucified the Master have fallen from their ancestral blessing and need the teaching of the nations that have believed. Besides this, one must note that Saul in zeal killed the Gibeonites together with the other Canaanites. The divine Scripture teaches this: “For the Gibeonites,” it says, “were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the sons of Israel had sworn to them not to destroy them; and Saul sought to strike them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah.” The passage teaches us, then, not to break covenants made with oaths before God, even if the breach is done for the benefit of others. The Gibeonites asked for seven men of Saul's family, equal in number to the days in which time revolves. “We have no silver or gold,” they said, “with Saul and with his house; and it is not for us to put any man in Israel to death. The man who consumed us and pursued us and planned to destroy us, let us wipe him out so that he has no place in all the territory of Israel. Let seven men of his sons be given to us, and we will make atonement with them to the Lord on the hill of Saul, chosen of the Lord.” The chief city of the Gibeonites was called Gabaon; this name, turned into the Greek language, is “hill.” In that place, then, where that man dared his lawless slaughters, they impaled the men handed over to them; for “exposed them to the sun” Aquila said “fixed them up.” These were two illegitimate sons of Saul and five of his grandsons. Later the pious king granted these too a burial. When this punishment had been carried out, the Master became merciful, released the labor of the clouds, and … We learn from this that the Master … of family …

2 Sam 21:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Josh 9:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 21:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 2:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 21:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 21:4 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 21:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 21:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 21:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 21:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 21:14 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Israel was punished with famine for Saul's breach of the oath to the Gibeonites, teaching that sworn covenants must be kept; Theodoret applies the Canaanites' blessing to the Gentile church.

2 Sam 21:1–14 (LXX; quotations 21:3, 2, 4–6); the treaty, Josh 9:15; Rom 2:27. The remarks on the Jews are Theodoret's own; translated as written. The text breaks off in mid-sentence at the end (“and … we learn from this that the Master … of family”), and the closing words are lost; they are marked “…”. Its ending appears, displaced, inside question 2.43 (“…and commanded the earth to give its fruits as usual. We learn from this that the Master knows no distinction of race, but justly defends the wronged, even if they are foreigners”); it is not moved here. A displaced word from the lemma of 2.41 (“the Iarin”) printed in the answer is removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (displaced word from the lemma of the preceding question; stray footnote mark; stray mark; stray syllable; word split by the OCR; word split by the OCR with stray letter): ἀνῃρη· κότος → ἀνῃρηκότος; ὁ σοφῶς* ἅπαντα → ὁ σοφῶς ἅπαντα; Γνοὺς ὁ Ἰαρίν. τοίνυν → Γνοὺς τοίνυν; ἰσαρίθμους– ταῖς → ἰσαρίθμους ταῖς; ἀνεσκολό πισαν → ἀνεσκολόπισαν; ἐκεῖ- η νος → ἐκεῖνος; ἔλυσε δε τὰς → ἔλυσε τὰς.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 2.42 (PG 80 80:651; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-42). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/2-42

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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.