Questions on Kings and Chronicles 3.58–4.18
Greek text: PG 80.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 3
3.58PG 80 80:729
Τίνος ἕνεκα τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τοῦ Βάαλ τὸν πίονα βοῦν ἐκλέξασθαι, καὶ πρώτοις ἐπιτελέσαι τήν θυσίαν προσέταξεν; Ὁ ὅντως Θεὸς οὐδενὸς τούτων ἐνδεής ἐστιν. Ἵνα τοίνυν καταισχυνθέντες οἱ τοῦ ψεύδους ὑπηρέται μὴ εἶπωσι χαλεπαίνειν τὸν Βάαλ, ὡς μὴ τὸ πρῶτον δεξάμενον γέρας, τῶν πρωτείων αὐτοῖς παρεχώρησεν. Επεὶ δὲ καὶ τούτων γεγενημένων οὐδὲν ἐπέραινον· τὰ γὰρ εἴδωλα τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον, ἔργα χειρῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὦτα ἔχουσι καὶ οὐκ ἀκούσονται ἐπικερτομῶν αὐτοῖς ἔλεγεν ὁ προφήτης· Επικαλεῖσθε ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἅμα, μήποτε ἀδολεσχία τις αὐτῷ ἐστι μήποτε χρηματίζει αὐτὸς, ἢ μήποτε καθεύδει, καὶ ἐξαναστήσεται. Εἰκὸς αὐτὸν, φησὶ, καθεύδειν, ἢ ἕτερά τινα πρυτανεύειν, ἢ περὶ ἄλλα σχολάζειν, ὅθεν ἑνὸς οὐκ ἐπαΐῃ καλοῦντος. Προσήκει τοίνυν κοινῇ πάντας βοῆσαι, ἵνα τὸ μέγα τῆς βοῆς ἐξελάσῃ τὸν ὕπνον. Ὑπήχθησαν δὲ τοῖς λόγοις οἱ λίαν ἀνόητοι, καὶ κοινὴν ἀφῆκαν βοὴν, καὶ κατετέμνοντο ἐν μαχαίραις καὶ σειρομάσταις ἑαυτοὺς ἕως ἐκχύσεως αἵματος. Μιαιφόνοι γὰρ ὄντες οἱ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀλάστορες τοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων αἴμασιν ἐπιτέρπονται. Οὗ δὴ χάριν τοῦτον αὐτοὺς τὸν τρόπον οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐθεράπευον. Καὶ τοῦτο δεδήλωκεν ὁ συγγραφεὺς εἰρηκὼς, Κατετέμνοντο κατὰ τὸν ἐθισμὸν αὐτῶν. Τούτων οὕτως τὴν ἀπάτην γυμνώσας, καὶ τῷ τῶν πρωτείων παραχωρῆσαι, καὶ τῷ πᾶσαν αὐτοῖς σχεδὸν τὴν ἡμέραν ἐνδοῦναι, περὶ αὐτὰς τὰς ἡλίου δυσμάς τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ ἱστορία δεδήλωκεν ὡς Εγένετο γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ καιρὸς τοῦ ἀναβῆναι τὴν θυσίαν· συνήθροισε μὲν ἅπαντα τὸν λαὸν, ἰσαρίθμους δὲ τῶν φυλῶν αὐτῶν, οὐ τῶν δέκα, ἀλλὰ τῶν δυοκαίδεκα λίθους κομισθῆναι κελεύσας, τὸ κατεσκαμμένον τοῦ Θεοῦ θυσιαστήριον ᾠκοδόμησε· καὶ τὰ ξύλα συντεθεικὼς, τὸ ἱερεῖον ἐπέθηκεν. Ἐν κύκλῳ δὲ διορύξας, δοχεῖον ἐποίησεν ὕδατος. Τοῦτο ὁ μὲν Ἑβραῖος θααλά προσηγόρευσεν ὁ δὲ Ἰώσηπος δεξαμενήν. Προσήνεγκε δὲ οὐ πῦρ, ἀλλ᾽ ὕδωρ τοῖς ξύλοις. Ἰσαρίθμους γὰρ πάλιν τῶν φυλῶν ἀμφορέας ἐνεχθῆναι κελεύσας, καὶ τούτους ὕδατος ἐμπλήσας, ἐπέχεεν τῇ θυσίᾳ. Οὐχὶ ἅπαξ δὲ μόνον, οὐδὲ δὶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τρὶς τοῦτο πεποίηκε, τῆς προσκυνουμένης πάλιν Τριάδος ἐμφαίνων τὸν ἀριθμόν. Βοῇ δὲ χρησάμενος ἱκέτευσε τὸν τῶν πατέρων Θεὸν δεῖξαι τὸ διάφορον, καὶ τὸν ἐξαπατημένον ἐπιστρέψαι λαὸν, καὶ θεοσδότῳ πυρὶ τὴν θυσίαν ὁλοκαυτῶσαι· καὶ τῆς εὐχῆς μηδέπω δεξαμένης τὸ πέρας, κατηνέχθη τὸ πῦρ, ὃ καὶ κατηνάλωσεν οὐ μόνον τὰ ξύλα καὶ τὸ θῦμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν χοῦν, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ τοὺς λίθους· ὥστε μὴ καθυβρισθῆναι τὸ θεῖον θυσιαστήριον, τῶν δυσσεβῶν ἐν ἐκείνῳ προσφερόντων θυσίας τοῖς δαίμοσι. Τούτου γενομένου τοῦ θαύματος, προσέταξεν ἀναιρεθῆναι τοὺς τοῦ ψεύδους τεχνίτας, καὶ τότε τῶν νεφῶν ἔλυσε τὰς ὠδῖνας.
Tinos heneka tois hiereusi tou Baal ton piona boun eklexasthai, kai prōtois epitelesai tēn thysian prosetaxen? Ho hontōs Theos oudenos toutōn endeēs estin. Hina toinyn kataischynthentes hoi tou pseudous hypēretai mē eipōsi chalepainein ton Baal, hōs mē to prōton dexamenon geras, tōn prōteiōn autois parechōrēsen. Epei de kai toutōn gegenēmenōn ouden eperainon; ta gar eidōla tōn ethnōn argyrion kai chrysion, erga cheirōn anthrōpōn, ōta echousi kai ouk akousontai epikertomōn autois elegen ho prophētēs; Epikaleisthe en phōnę̄ megalę̄ hama, mēpote adoleschia tis autǭ esti mēpote chrēmatizei autos, ē mēpote katheudei, kai exanastēsetai. Eikos auton, phēsi, katheudein, ē hetera tina prytaneuein, ē peri alla scholazein, hothen henos ouk epaïę̄ kalountos. Prosēkei toinyn koinę̄ pantas boēsai, hina to mega tēs boēs exelasę̄ ton hypnon. Hypēchthēsan de tois logois hoi lian anoētoi, kai koinēn aphēkan boēn, kai katetemnonto en machairais kai seiromastais heautous heōs ekchyseōs haimatos. Miaiphonoi gar ontes hoi tōn anthrōpōn alastores tois tōn anthrōpōn aimasin epiterpontai. Hou dē charin touton autous ton tropon hoi hiereis etherapeuon. Kai touto dedēlōken ho syngrapheus eirēkōs, Katetemnonto kata ton ethismon autōn. Toutōn houtōs tēn apatēn gymnōsas, kai tǭ tōn prōteiōn parachōrēsai, kai tǭ pasan autois schedon tēn hēmeran endounai, peri autas tas hēliou dysmas touto gar hē historia dedēlōken hōs Egeneto gar, phēsin, ho kairos tou anabēnai tēn thysian; synēthroise men hapanta ton laon, isarithmous de tōn phylōn autōn, ou tōn deka, alla tōn dyokaideka lithous komisthēnai keleusas, to kateskammenon tou Theou thysiastērion ǭkodomēse; kai ta xyla syntetheikōs, to hiereion epethēken. En kyklǭ de dioryxas, docheion epoiēsen hydatos. Touto ho men Hebraios thaala prosēgoreusen ho de Iōsēpos dexamenēn. Prosēnenke de ou pyr, all᾽ hydōr tois xylois. Isarithmous gar palin tōn phylōn amphoreas enechthēnai keleusas, kai toutous hydatos emplēsas, epecheen tę̄ thysią. Ouchi hapax de monon, oude dis, alla kai tris touto pepoiēke, tēs proskynoumenēs palin Triados emphainōn ton arithmon. Boę̄ de chrēsamenos hiketeuse ton tōn paterōn Theon deixai to diaphoron, kai ton exapatēmenon epistrepsai laon, kai theosdotǭ pyri tēn thysian holokautōsai; kai tēs euchēs mēdepō dexamenēs to peras, katēnechthē to pyr, ho kai katēnalōsen ou monon ta xyla kai to thyma, alla kai ton choun, kai to hydōr, kai tous lithous; hōste mē kathybristhēnai to theion thysiastērion, tōn dyssebōn en ekeinǭ prospherontōn thysias tois daimosi. Toutou genomenou tou thaumatos, prosetaxen anairethēnai tous tou pseudous technitas, kai tote tōn nephōn elyse tas ōdinas.
Why did he order the priests of Baal to choose the fat bull and to perform their sacrifice first? The true God needs none of these things. So that the servants of falsehood, when put to shame, would not say that Baal was angry at not receiving the first honor, he yielded first place to them. And when, even after this, they accomplished nothing (for “the idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands; they have ears and will not hear”), the prophet mocked them and said, “Call with a loud voice together; perhaps he is chatting, perhaps he is doing business, or perhaps he is asleep and will wake up.” He is probably sleeping, he means, or managing other affairs, or busy with other things; so he does not hear one person calling. You should all shout together, so that the loudness of the shout drives away his sleep. The very foolish men were led on by the words, raised a common shout, and cut themselves with knives and lances until the blood poured out. For the avenging spirits that destroy human beings, being murderous, delight in human blood; for this reason the priests served them in this way. The writer showed this too by saying, “They cut themselves according to their custom.” Having thus exposed their deception, both by yielding first place to them and by giving them almost the whole day, around sunset itself (for the history showed this: “For it was,” it says, “the time of offering the sacrifice”) he gathered all the people, ordered stones to be brought equal in number to their tribes, not the ten but the twelve, and rebuilt the altar of God that had been torn down; and having arranged the wood, he laid the victim on it. Digging around it, he made a channel for water. The Hebrew called this thaala, and Josephus a reservoir. He brought not fire but water to the wood. For he ordered jars equal in number to the tribes to be brought, filled them with water, and poured it on the sacrifice. He did this not once, nor twice, but three times, again showing the number of the worshiped Trinity. Crying out, he begged the God of the fathers to show the difference, to turn back the deceived people, and to consume the sacrifice with God-given fire; and before the prayer was even finished, the fire came down, which consumed not only the wood and the victim but also the dust, the water and the stones, so that the divine altar would not be outraged by the impious offering sacrifices to the demons on it. When this miracle had happened, he ordered the craftsmen of falsehood to be killed, and then released the labor of the clouds.
1 Kgs 18:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 115:4 (113:12 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 115:6 (113:14 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:26 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:28 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:29 (quotation, medium confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:31 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:32 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:33 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:34 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:36 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:37 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:38 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:40 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:45 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Elijah gave Baal's prophets every advantage, mocked their failure, and then, after drenching the sacrifice three times, called down fire from God, before ending the drought.
- 1 Kgs 18:25–45 (LXX; quotations 18:27, 28, 29 (36), 32 θααλά); Ps 115:4–6 (LXX 113:12–14); Josephus, Ant. 8.13.5. The reading of the threefold pouring as a sign of the Trinity is Theodoret's; translated as written. A stray line from 3.57 (“how long will you go lame on two, doubting?”) printed inside the word “yielded” is removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR breathing error; stray line from the preceding question printed inside the word; stray mark; stray repeated word): προσέταξεν "; → προσέταξεν;; παρεχώρηπότε χωλαίνετε ἐπὶ δυσὶν ἀμφιβόλως; σεν. → παρεχώρησεν.; ἑκχύσεως → ἐκχύσεως; κατηνέχθη τὸ πῦρ, δεξαμενήν. Ο καὶ → κατηνέχθη τὸ πῦρ, ὃ καὶ.
Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, Ant. 8.13.5 (Josephus (works); allusion)
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.58 (PG 80 80:729; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-58). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-58
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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.
3.59PG 80 80:731
Τίνος ἕνεκεν τοσαύτην ἔχων δύναμιν ἐφοβήθη μόνην τὴν Ἰεζάβελ; Ὅτι οὐ μόνον προφήτης, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἦν· ἄλλως τε καὶ τῆς θείας ἦν οἰκονομίας τὸ δέος. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ τῆς θαυματουργίας τὸ μέγεθος ἐπάρῃ τὸ φρόνημα, ἐνδέδωκεν ἡ χάρις φύσει τὴν δειλίαν εἰσδέξασθαι, ἵνα ἐπιγνῷ τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσθένειαν. Τούτου χάριν αὐτῷ καὶ μεμήνυκεν ὁ Δεσπότης, ὅτι χιλιάδες ἑπτὰ διέμειναν τῆς ἀσεβείας ἐλεύθεραι. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἐδίδαξεν αὐτὸν, ὡς ἡμερότητι καὶ μακροθυμίᾳ πρυτανεύειν ἐδοκίμασε τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος καὶ ὅτι ῥάδιον ἦν αὐτῷ, καὶ κεραυνοὺς καὶ σκηπτοὺς ἐπιπέμψαι τοῖς δυσσεβέσι, καὶ κλονῆσαι τὴν γῆν, καὶ τάφον αὐτοῖς αὐτοσχέδιον ἀποφῆναι, καὶ βιαίοις ἀνέμοις ἄρδην ἅπαντας διολέσαι. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφη· Καὶ πνεῦμα μέγα κραταιὸν, καὶ διαλύον ὅρη, καὶ συντρίβον πέτρας, ἐνώπιον Κυρίου· οὐκ ἐν τῷ πνεύματι Κύριος· καὶ μετὰ τὸ πνεῦμα, συσσεισμὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἐν τῷ συσσεισμῷ Κύριος· καὶ μετὰ τὸν συσσεισμὸν πῦρ, καὶ οὐκ ἐν τῷ πυρὶ Κύριος· καὶ μετὰ τὸ πῦρ φωνὴ αὔρας λεπτῆς. Διὰ δὲ τούτων ἔδειξεν, ὅτι μακροθυμία καὶ φιλανθρωπία μόνη φίλη Θεῷ ἕκαστον δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἡ πονηρία τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐφέλκεται.
Tinos heneken tosautēn echōn dynamin ephobēthē monēn tēn Iezabel? Hoti ou monon prophētēs, alla kai anthrōpos ēn; allōs te kai tēs theias ēn oikonomias to deos. Hina gar mē tēs thaumatourgias to megethos eparę̄ to phronēma, endedōken hē charis physei tēn deilian eisdexasthai, hina epignǭ tēn oikeian astheneian. Toutou charin autǭ kai memēnyken ho Despotēs, hoti chiliades hepta diemeinan tēs asebeias eleutherai. Pros de toutois edidaxen auton, hōs hēmerotēti kai makrothymią prytaneuein edokimase tōn anthrōpōn to genos kai hoti rhadion ēn autǭ, kai keraunous kai skēptous epipempsai tois dyssebesi, kai klonēsai tēn gēn, kai taphon autois autoschedion apophēnai, kai biaiois anemois ardēn hapantas diolesai. Touto gar ephē; Kai pneuma mega krataion, kai dialyon horē, kai syntribon petras, enōpion Kyriou; ouk en tǭ pneumati Kyrios; kai meta to pneuma, sysseismos, kai ouk en tǭ sysseismǭ Kyrios; kai meta ton sysseismon pyr, kai ouk en tǭ pyri Kyrios; kai meta to pyr phōnē auras leptēs. Dia de toutōn edeixen, hoti makrothymia kai philanthrōpia monē philē Theǭ hekaston de tōn allōn hē ponēria tōn anthrōpōn ephelketai.
Why, having such great power, did he fear Jezebel alone? Because he was not only a prophet but also a human being; and besides, the fear was part of God's dispensation. So that the greatness of his miracles would not puff up his mind, grace allowed nature to receive fear, so that he would recognize his own weakness. For this reason the Master also told him that seven thousand had remained free from impiety. Besides, he taught him that he had chosen to govern the human race with gentleness and patience, and that it would have been easy for him to send thunderbolts and lightning on the impious, to shake the earth and make for them an improvised grave, and to destroy them all utterly with violent winds. For he said this: “And a great and strong wind, splitting mountains and shattering rocks, before the Lord; the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, and the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, and the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a gentle breeze.” By these he showed that patience and love for humankind alone are dear to God; each of the others is drawn down by human wickedness.
1 Kgs 19:3 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:12 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God let Elijah fear Jezebel to keep him humble, and showed him at Horeb that he governs by gentleness and patience rather than by wind, earthquake and fire.
- 1 Kgs 19:3, 11–12 (quotation, LXX), 18.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray footnote mark): ἐλεύθεραι *. → ἐλεύθεραι..
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.59 (PG 80 80:731; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-59). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-59
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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.
3.60PG 80 80:733
Τι δήποτε τὸν ᾿Αζαὴλ, καὶ τὸν Ἰοὺ, καὶ τὸν Ἑλισσαῖον χρίσαι προσταχθεὶς, μόνον τὸν προφήτην ἔχρισεν ; Εἰ τὸν προφήτην ἔχρισε, καὶ τῆς πνευματικῆς αὐτῷ μετέδωκε χάριτος, ταύτῃ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἔχρισε. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Ἑλισσαῖος, δι' αὐτοῦ τὴν προφητικὴν δεξάμενος χάριν, προσήνεγκεν ἐκείνοις τὸ χάρισμα, καὶ τῆς βασιλικῆς αὐτοῖς μετέδωκε χάρίτος.
Ti dēpote ton ᾿Azaēl, kai ton Iou, kai ton Helissaion chrisai prostachtheis, monon ton prophētēn echrisen ? Ei ton prophētēn echrise, kai tēs pneumatikēs autǭ metedōke charitos, tautę̄ kai tous allous echrise. Kai gar ho Helissaios, di' autou tēn prophētikēn dexamenos charin, prosēnenken ekeinois to charisma, kai tēs basilikēs autois metedōke charitos.
Why, having been ordered to anoint Hazael, Jehu and Elisha, did he anoint only the prophet? If he anointed the prophet and gave him a share of spiritual grace, through him he anointed the others too. For Elisha, having received prophetic grace through him, brought the gift to them and gave them a share of royal grace.
1 Kgs 19:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 9:6 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: By anointing Elisha, Elijah anointed Hazael and Jehu too, for Elisha later conferred their kingship.
- 1 Kgs 19:15–16, 19; 2 Kgs 8:13; 9:1–6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray mark; word split by the OCR): τὸν Ἰοὺ ", → τὸν Ἰοὺ,; προφη - τικὴν → προφητικὴν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.60 (PG 80 80:733; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-60). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-60
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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.
3.61PG 80 80:733
Τί ἐστιν· Εὐλόγησε Ναβουθαὶ Θεὸν καὶ βασιλέα Η παμμίαρος Ἰεζάβελ τὴν συκοφαντίαν ἐξέφηνε. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν τῆς συνήθους ἀξιωθῆναι τιμῆς, καὶ προεδρεῦσαι τῶν ἄλλων· εἶτα τοὺς συκοφάντας εἰσενεγκεῖν, καὶ τὴν τῆς βλασφημίας γραφὴν προθέσθαι· εὐφήμως γὰρ τὸ Εὐλόγησε τέθεικεν, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐβλασφήμησε. Τὴν δὲ νηστείαν γενέσθαι προσέταξεν, ὥστε ταύτῃ δεῖξαι τοῦ φόνου τὸ δίκαιον.
Ti estin; Eulogēse Nabouthai Theon kai basilea Ē pammiaros Iezabel tēn sykophantian exephēne. kai prōton men ekeleusen auton tēs synēthous axiōthēnai timēs, kai proedreusai tōn allōn; eita tous sykophantas eisenenkein, kai tēn tēs blasphēmias graphēn prothesthai; euphēmōs gar to Eulogēse tetheiken, anti tou eblasphēmēse. Tēn de nēsteian genesthai prosetaxen, hōste tautę̄ deixai tou phonou to dikaion.
What does “Naboth blessed God and the king” mean? The utterly vile Jezebel laid out the false accusation. First she ordered that he be granted his customary honor and seated before the others; then that the false accusers be brought in and the charge of blasphemy be laid. For “blessed” is put euphemistically for “blasphemed.” She ordered the fast to be held, so as to show by it that the murder was just.
1 Kgs 21:9 (3 Kgdms 20:9 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:10 (3 Kgdms 20:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:13 (3 Kgdms 20:13 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Jezebel staged a fast and a false charge that Naboth had “blessed” (that is, cursed) God and the king, to give his murder a show of justice.
- 1 Kgs 21:9–13 (LXX 20:9–13; the Septuagint places the story of Naboth before Ahab's Syrian wars). The printed question lacks a question mark; the question is present.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letters): εἰσενεγκεῖν ἐι, καὶ → εἰσενεγκεῖν, καὶ.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.61 (PG 80 80:733; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-61). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-61
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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.
3.62PG 80 80:733
Πῶς ὁ ᾿Αχαὰβ ὀρεχθεὶς τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος, καὶ δυσχεράνας ὅτι δὴ τοῦτον οὐκ ἔλαβεν, ἤλγησεν ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ Ναβουθαὶ τελευτῇ; Κοῦφος ἦν ὁ τρισάθλιος, καὶ ῥᾳδίως τῇδε κἀκεῖσε μεταφερόμενος ὅθεν αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ παμπόνηρον γύναιον εἰς τὸ τῆς ἀσεβείας ἐμβέβληκε βάραθρον. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει· - Δωρεάν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐπράθη ὁ ᾿Αχαάβ τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ὡς μετέστησεν αὐτὸν Ἰεζάβελ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἑβδελύχθη ὀπίσω τῶν βδελυγμάτων, κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἁμοῤῥαῖος, ὃν ἐξωλόθρευσε Κύριος ἀπὸ προσώπου τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. Τὸν δὲ Ἀμοῤῥαῖον ἐνταῦθα οὐ τὸ ἔθνος λέγει, ἀλλὰ πάντας τοὺς Χαναναίους. Ἀμοῤῥαῖος γὰρ τῇ Ἑβραίων φωνῇ καὶ ὁ κατοικῶν ὀνομάζεται. Ἡ δὲ τῆς ἀγαθότητος ἄβυσσος ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, διὰ μὲν τὴν μιαιφονίαν τὴν πανωλεθρίαν ἠπείλησε· διὰ δὲ τὸν ἐπὶ τῷ φόνῳ θρῆνον, τὴν τῆς τιμωρίας ἀναβολὴν ἐχαρίσατο. Αὐτίκα γοῦν τῶν Σύρων πολλὰς κατ' αὐτοῦ μυριάδας συνειληχότων, καὶ βρενθυομένων, καὶ λεγόντων, Εἰ ἐκποιήσει ὁ χοῦς Σαμαρείας ταῖς δραξὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τοῖς πεζοῖς μου; ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγον ἀπειλοῦντες τῆς πολιορκίας τὰ χώματα τὸν προφήτην ἀποστείλας ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς, διέλυσε τοῦ τρισαθλίου βασιλέως τὸ δέος, τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις χρησάμενος· Ἑώρακας πάντα τὸν ἦχον τὸν μέγαν τοῦτον. Ἰδοὺ δίδωμι αὐτὸν ἐγὼ εἰς τὰς χεῖράς σου, καὶ γνώσῃ, ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος. Μάλα δὲ ἁρμοδίως ἦχον ὠνόμασε τῶν ἀπειλητικῶν ῥημάτων τὸν ψόφον διελύθη γὰρ συντόμως τῇ θείᾳ ῥοπῇ.
Pōs ho ᾿Achaab orechtheis tou ampelōnos, kai dyscheranas hoti dē touton ouk elaben, ēlgēsen epi tę̄ tou Nabouthai teleutę̄? Kouphos ēn ho trisathlios, kai rhądiōs tę̄de kakeise metapheromenos hothen auton kai to pamponēron gynaion eis to tēs asebeias embeblēke barathron. Touto gar kai hē historia didaskei; - Dōrean gar, phēsin, eprathē ho ᾿Achaab tou poiēsai to ponēron enōpion Kyriou, hōs metestēsen auton Iezabel hē gynē autou; kai hebdelychthē opisō tōn bdelygmatōn, kata panta hosa epoiēsen ho Hamorrhaios, hon exōlothreuse Kyrios apo prosōpou tōn huiōn Israēl. Ton de Amorrhaion entautha ou to ethnos legei, alla pantas tous Chananaious. Amorrhaios gar tę̄ Hebraiōn phōnę̄ kai ho katoikōn onomazetai. Hē de tēs agathotētos abyssos ho Despotēs Theos, dia men tēn miaiphonian tēn panōlethrian ēpeilēse; dia de ton epi tǭ phonǭ thrēnon, tēn tēs timōrias anabolēn echarisato. Autika goun tōn Syrōn pollas kat' autou myriadas syneilēchotōn, kai brenthyomenōn, kai legontōn, Ei ekpoiēsei ho chous Samareias tais draxi panti tǭ laǭ tois pezois mou? tauta de elegon apeilountes tēs poliorkias ta chōmata ton prophētēn aposteilas ho Despotēs Theos, dielyse tou trisathliou basileōs to deos, toisde tois logois chrēsamenos; Heōrakas panta ton ēchon ton megan touton. Idou didōmi auton egō eis tas cheiras sou, kai gnōsę̄, hoti egō Kyrios. Mala de harmodiōs ēchon ōnomase tōn apeilētikōn rhēmatōn ton psophon dielythē gar syntomōs tę̄ theią rhopę̄.
How could Ahab, who longed for the vineyard and was vexed at not getting it, grieve over Naboth's death? The thrice-wretched man was fickle and easily carried this way and that; that is how his utterly wicked wife threw him into the pit of impiety. The history teaches this: “For Ahab sold himself for nothing,” it says, “to do evil in the sight of the Lord, as Jezebel his wife changed him; and he became abominable in following abominations, according to all that the Amorite did, whom the Lord destroyed before the sons of Israel.” By “the Amorite” here it means not the nation but all the Canaanites; for in the Hebrew language “Amorite” also means inhabitant. God the Master, that abyss of goodness, threatened utter destruction because of the murder, but because of Ahab's lament over the murder granted a postponement of the punishment. At once, at any rate, when the Syrians had gathered many tens of thousands against him and were boasting, saying, “Will the dust of Samaria suffice for handfuls for all my foot soldiers?” (they said this threatening siege mounds), God the Master sent the prophet and dispelled the fear of the thrice-wretched king, using these words: “Have you seen all this great noise? Behold, I give it into your hands, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” Very aptly he called the din of the threatening words a noise, for it was quickly dissolved by divine power.
1 Kgs 21:27 (3 Kgdms 20:27 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:25 (3 Kgdms 20:25 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:26 (3 Kgdms 20:26 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:29 (3 Kgdms 20:29 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:10 (3 Kgdms 21:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:13 (3 Kgdms 21:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Fickle Ahab, led into sin by Jezebel, mourned Naboth, and God postponed his punishment and even gave him victory over the boasting Syrians.
- 1 Kgs 21:25–29 (LXX 20:25–29; quotation 21:25–26); 20:10, 13 (LXX 21:10, 13). Theodoret's explanation of “Amorite” is his own; translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by the OCR): ὁ Δεσπό της Θεὸς → ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.62 (PG 80 80:733; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-62). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-62
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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.
3.63PG 80 80:735
Πῶς νοητέον τὸ· «Ἐν τοῖς παιδαρίοις τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν χωρῶν; Οὐ χρήζω πλήθους, φησὶν, ἐγώ. Ἐν ὀλίγοις γὰρ μειρακίοις, καὶ πολέμων ἀπείροις, τὴν παμπόλλην ταύτην στρατιὰν διολέσω. ᾿Αριθμήσας γοῦν αὐτοὺς Αχαάβ τριάκοντα καὶ διακοσίους εὖρε. Διὰ τούτων ὁ παντοδύναμος Κύριος τριάκοντα καὶ δύο βασιλέων διέλυσε στρατιάν. Τούτῳ δὲ κατακράτος νενικηκότι προμηνύει τῶν Σύρων τὴν ἔφοδον, τὴν ἐσομένην εἰς νέωτα. Ἐροῦσι γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ Σύροι· Θεὸς ὀρέων ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ οὐ Θεὸς κοιλάδων τουτέστιν, ἐν τοῖς ὅρεσιν ἔχει τὴν δύναμιν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς πεδίοις ἡττᾶται. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοιούτους εἶναι τοὺς οἰκείους θεοὺς ὑπελάμβανον, ψήθησαν καὶ τὸν ἀληθινὸν τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸν μερικὸν εἶναι Θεόν. ᾿Αλλ' ἔδειξε καὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις, καὶ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις, τὴν ἰδίαν ἰσχύν. Τῆς γὰρ συμπλοκῆς ἐν πεδίῳ γεγενημένης, δυοκαίδεκα μυριάδας τῶν ἀντιπάλων ὁ Ἰσραὴλ κατηκόντισεν. Ἵνα δὲ κἀκεῖνοι καὶ οὗτοι μάθωσιν, ὡς θεήλατος ή πληγὴ, τῶν διαφυγόντων εἰς τὴν ᾿Αφηκὰ πόλιν καταπεφευγότων καταπεσὸν τὸ τεῖχος ἑπτὰ καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδας κατέχωσεν.
Pōs noēteon to; «En tois paidariois tōn archontōn tōn chōrōn? Ou chrēzō plēthous, phēsin, egō. En oligois gar meirakiois, kai polemōn apeirois, tēn pampollēn tautēn stratian diolesō. ᾿Arithmēsas goun autous Achaab triakonta kai diakosious eure. Dia toutōn ho pantodynamos Kyrios triakonta kai dyo basileōn dielyse stratian. Toutǭ de katakratos nenikēkoti promēnyei tōn Syrōn tēn ephodon, tēn esomenēn eis neōta. Erousi gar, phēsin, hoi Syroi; Theos oreōn ho Theos Israēl, kai ou Theos koiladōn toutestin, en tois horesin echei tēn dynamin, en de tois pediois hēttatai. Epeidē gar toioutous einai tous oikeious theous hypelambanon, psēthēsan kai ton alēthinon tōn holōn dēmiourgon merikon einai Theon. ᾿All' edeixe kai tois oikeiois, kai tois allotriois, tēn idian ischyn. Tēs gar symplokēs en pediǭ gegenēmenēs, dyokaideka myriadas tōn antipalōn ho Israēl katēkontisen. Hina de kakeinoi kai houtoi mathōsin, hōs theēlatos ē plēgē, tōn diaphygontōn eis tēn ᾿Aphēka polin katapepheugotōn katapeson to teichos hepta kai eikosi chiliadas katechōsen.
How should “By the young men of the governors of the provinces” be understood? I do not need numbers, he says; with a few young men inexperienced in war I will destroy this enormous army. When Ahab counted them, he found two hundred and thirty. Through these the almighty Lord broke up the army of thirty-two kings. To him, after his decisive victory, he foretold the attack of the Syrians that would come the next year: “For the Syrians will say,” he says, “The God of Israel is a God of the mountains, and not a God of the valleys”; that is, he has power in the mountains but is defeated in the plains. Since they supposed their own gods to be like that, they thought that the true Creator of the universe too was a local god. But he showed his own strength both to his own people and to the foreigners. For when the battle took place in the plain, Israel cut down a hundred and twenty thousand of the enemy. And so that both they and these might learn that the blow was from God, when those who escaped fled to the city of Aphek, the wall fell and buried twenty-seven thousand.
1 Kgs 20:14 (3 Kgdms 21:14 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:15 (3 Kgdms 21:15 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:16 (3 Kgdms 21:16 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:22 (3 Kgdms 21:22 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:23 (3 Kgdms 21:23 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:28 (3 Kgdms 21:28 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:29 (3 Kgdms 21:29 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:30 (3 Kgdms 21:30 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God defeated the Syrians first with a handful of young men, then in the plain, to show that he is not a local god of the hills.
- 1 Kgs 20:14–30 (LXX 21:14–30; quotations 20:14, 28). The LXX numbers differ in places from the Hebrew; Theodoret's figures are translated as printed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray abbreviation; stray footnote marks; word split by the OCR): εἰς νέωτα **. → εἰς νέωτα.; Τῆς γὰρ κ. λ. συμπλοκῆς → Τῆς γὰρ συμπλοκῆς; και ταπεφευγότων → καταπεφευγότων.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.63 (PG 80 80:735; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-63). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-63
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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.
3.64PG 80 80:737
Διατί παραβολαῖς οἱ προφῆται κεχρημένοι τὰς θείας προῤῥήσεις προφέρουσιν; ἵνα ἀγνοοῦντες οἱ τῶνδε τῶν λόγων ἀκούοντες, ὡς καθ' ἑαυτῶν τὴν ψῆφον ἐκφέρουσι, δικαίως ψηφίσωνται. Αλλως γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἄλλως ἐν ἄλλοις τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ὁρῶμεν. Ταῦτα καὶ Νάθαν πεποίηκεν. Οὐ γὰρ εὐθὺς τῷ Δαβὶδ τὸν ἔλεγχον προσενήνοχεν· ἀλλὰ πρότερον τοῦ πένητος τὴν συμφορὰν διηγήσατο· εἶτα δικαίαν τὴν ψῆφον ἰδὼν, τὸ τῆς κατηγορίας ἐγύμνωσε πρόσωπον. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα πεποίηκεν ὁ προφήτης. Τελαμῶνι γὰρ τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ τὰς ὀφρῦς συγκαλύψας, τῷ ᾿Αχαάβ προσελήλυθεν. Εἶτα ἐδίδαξεν, ὡς ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ δορυάλωτος αὐτῷ παρεδόθη, φυλάξαι τοῦτον τοῦ παραδεδωκότος κελεύσαντος, καὶ προσαπειλήσαντος, ὡς εἰ φύγοι θανάτῳ ζημιωθήσεται. Ἐμοῦ δὲ, φησὶ, τὴν παράταξιν θεωμένου, πέφευγε χώραν λαβών. Τούτων ἀκούσας ὁ ᾿Αχαάβ, ἀνδροφόνον αὐτὸν ἀπεκάλεσεν. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, φησὶ, δικαστής σὺ παρ' ἐμοὶ ἐφόνευσας πολέμιον γὰρ ἀπέλυσας, ἵνα πολλοὺς ἐκεῖνος πάλιν ἐργάσηται φόνους. Τότε λοιπὸν ὁ προφήτης τελαμῶνα λύσας, ἔδειξεν ὅστις ἐστί καὶ προσήνεγκε τὴν θείαν ἀπόφασιν Τάδε λέγει Κύριος· Διότι ἐξαπέστειλας ἄνδρα ὀλέθριον ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου, ἰδοὺ ἡ ψυχή σου αὐτοῦ.
Diati parabolais hoi prophētai kechrēmenoi tas theias prorrhēseis propherousin? hina agnoountes hoi tōnde tōn logōn akouontes, hōs kath' heautōn tēn psēphon ekpherousi, dikaiōs psēphisōntai. Allōs gar en heautois, kai allōs en allois tēn hamartian horōmen. Tauta kai Nathan pepoiēken. Ou gar euthys tǭ Dabid ton elenchon prosenēnochen; alla proteron tou penētos tēn symphoran diēgēsato; eita dikaian tēn psēphon idōn, to tēs katēgorias egymnōse prosōpon. Touto kai entautha pepoiēken ho prophētēs. Telamōni gar to prosōpon, kai tas ophrys synkalypsas, tǭ ᾿Achaab proselēlythen. Eita edidaxen, hōs en tǭ polemǭ doryalōtos autǭ paredothē, phylaxai touton tou paradedōkotos keleusantos, kai prosapeilēsantos, hōs ei phygoi thanatǭ zēmiōthēsetai. Emou de, phēsi, tēn parataxin theōmenou, pepheuge chōran labōn. Toutōn akousas ho ᾿Achaab, androphonon auton apekalesen. Idou gar, phēsi, dikastēs sy par' emoi ephoneusas polemion gar apelysas, hina pollous ekeinos palin ergasētai phonous. Tote loipon ho prophētēs telamōna lysas, edeixen hostis esti kai prosēnenke tēn theian apophasin Tade legei Kyrios; Dioti exapesteilas andra olethrion ek tēs cheiros sou, idou hē psychē sou autou.
Why do the prophets use parables when they deliver the divine prophecies? So that those who hear these words, not knowing that they are pronouncing sentence against themselves, may judge justly. For we see sin one way in ourselves and another way in others. Nathan did this: he did not bring the rebuke to David at once, but first told the misfortune of the poor man; then, seeing the sentence was just, he uncovered the face of the accusation. The prophet did this here too. Covering his face and eyebrows with a bandage, he came to Ahab. Then he told him how a prisoner of war had been handed over to him in the battle, the one who handed him over ordering him to guard him and threatening that if he escaped he would be punished with death; “but while I was watching the battle,” he says, “he took the chance and escaped.” Hearing this, Ahab called him a murderer: “Behold,” he says, “you have killed the judge with me”; for you let an enemy go, so that he would commit many murders again. Then at last the prophet loosed the bandage, showed who he was, and delivered the divine sentence: “Thus says the Lord: Because you let go out of your hand a man doomed to destruction, behold, your life for his …”
2 Sam 12:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:38 (3 Kgdms 21:38 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:39 (3 Kgdms 21:39 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:40 (3 Kgdms 21:40 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:41 (3 Kgdms 21:41 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:42 (3 Kgdms 21:42 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Prophets use parables so that hearers condemn themselves; so the disguised prophet led Ahab to condemn himself for releasing Ben-hadad.
- 1 Kgs 20:38–42 (LXX 21:38–42; quotations 20:40, 42, LXX); 2 Sam 12:1–7. The quotation of 20:42 breaks off here; its continuation (“…life, and your people for his people”) is printed at the beginning of question 3.65, so the boundary between 3.64 and 3.65 appears misplaced by a few words; the text is not moved.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; stray marks; stray particle): ἀγνοοῦντες 5ο οἱ → ἀγνοοῦντες οἱ; ἐν ἄλλοις δὲ τὴν → ἐν ἄλλοις τὴν; Γάδε λέγει → Τάδε λέγει.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.64 (PG 80 80:737; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-64). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-64
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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.
3.65PG 80 80:737
ἀντὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ λαός σου ἀντὶ τοῦ λαοῦ Καὶ διατί φιλανθρωπίας ἀπῃτήθη δίκας; Ὅτι χρὴ τῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ συγκιρνᾶν τὸ δίκαιον. Ουτος δὲ ὠμότητι χρησάμενος κατὰ τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ πάντας ἄρδην βουληθεὶς διαφθεῖραι, καὶ τοὺς ἁλόντας ἀνελὼν ἅπαντας, περὶ τὸν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ πολέμιον τὸ ἥμερον ἔδειξεν. "Ὅτι δὲ πλεῖστα ἐξήμαρτε διὰ τὴν εὐκολίαν τῆς γνώμης, τὰ ἑξῆς μαρτυρεῖ. ᾿Απῆλθε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ συνεχόμενος καὶ κλαίων. Πεῖραν γὰρ τῶν θείων ἔχων προῤῥήσεων· δὶς γὰρ ἐνίκησε κατὰ τοὺς θείους χρησμούς. τὴν προσενεχθεῖσαν ἔδεισεν ἀπειλήν ἀλλ᾽ εὐθὺς πάλιν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπανῆλθεν ἀσέβειαν.
anti tēs psychēs autou, kai ho laos sou anti tou laou Kai diati philanthrōpias apę̄tēthē dikas? Hoti chrē tę̄ philanthrōpią synkirnan to dikaion. Outos de ōmotēti chrēsamenos kata tōn prophētōn, kai pantas ardēn boulētheis diaphtheirai, kai tous halontas anelōn hapantas, peri ton tou Israēl polemion to hēmeron edeixen. "Hoti de pleista exēmarte dia tēn eukolian tēs gnōmēs, ta hexēs martyrei. ᾿Apēlthe gar, phēsin, ho basileus Israēl synechomenos kai klaiōn. Peiran gar tōn theiōn echōn prorrhēseōn; dis gar enikēse kata tous theious chrēsmous. tēn prosenechtheisan edeisen apeilēn all᾽ euthys palin eis tēn oikeian epanēlthen asebeian.
[… life, and your people for his people.] And why was he made to pay a penalty for an act of kindness? Because justice must be mixed with kindness. This man, who used cruelty against the prophets, wished to destroy them all utterly, and killed all who were caught, showed gentleness toward the enemy of Israel. That he sinned very often through the fickleness of his mind is attested by what follows: “For the king of Israel went away,” it says, “troubled and weeping.” Having experience of the divine prophecies (for he had twice won victories according to the divine oracles), he feared the threat that had been delivered; but at once he returned again to his own impiety.
1 Kgs 20:42 (3 Kgdms 21:42 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:43 (3 Kgdms 21:43 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:4 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Ahab was punished for sparing Ben-hadad because kindness to Israel's enemy, from a man cruel to the prophets, was injustice.
- The bracketed opening words are the end of the quotation of 1 Kgs 20:42 begun in question 3.64; they are printed at the head of this question in the edition and are translated where they stand. 1 Kgs 20:43 (LXX 21:43, quoted); 18:4, 13. Stray marginal words at the end are removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray marginal words at the end): ἀσέβειαν. συγγνώμης. θείους θεσμούς. → ἀσέβειαν..
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.65 (PG 80 80:737; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-65). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-65
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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.
3.66PG 80 80:739
Πῶς νοητέον· Πάταξόν με ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου Οὐκ ἐγώ σοι, φησὶν, ἐπιτάσσω, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐν ἐμοὶ Πνεῦμα. Διὸ δὴ τῷ ἀντειπόντι τὸν διὰ τοῦ λέοντος ἐπήνεγκεν ὄλεθρον. ῎Ἄλλος δὲ τοῦτο δρᾶσαι κελευσθεὶς πιστῶς ὑπήκουσε, καὶ πατάξας συνέτριψε, τουτέστιν ἐτραυμάτισεν.
Pōs noēteon; Pataxon me en logǭ Kyriou Ouk egō soi, phēsin, epitassō, alla to en emoi Pneuma. Dio dē tǭ anteiponti ton dia tou leontos epēnenken olethron. ᾿Allos de touto drasai keleustheis pistōs hypēkouse, kai pataxas synetripse, toutestin etraumatisen.
How should “Strike me by the word of the Lord” be understood? It is not I, he says, who command you, but the Spirit in me. That is why he brought destruction by the lion on the one who refused. Another, ordered to do this, obeyed faithfully, and striking him, “crushed” him, that is, wounded him.
1 Kgs 20:35 (3 Kgdms 21:35 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:36 (3 Kgdms 21:36 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:37 (3 Kgdms 21:37 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The prophet's order to strike him came from the Spirit, so the man who refused was killed by a lion.
- 1 Kgs 20:35–37 (LXX 21:35–37). The printed question lacks a question mark; the staging notes that the OCR read its number as 305. Since this question comes after 3.64–3.65 although it concerns the verses before them, the order of 3.64–3.66 in the edition may not be the original order; the text is not moved.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray mark): Πάταξόν " με → Πάταξόν με.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.66 (PG 80 80:739; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-66). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-66
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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.
3.67PG 80 80:739
Πῶς νοητέον· Καθὼς σὺ, οὕτω κἀγώ· καὶ καθὼς ὁ λαός σου, οὕτως καὶ ὁ λαός μου;» Παρακληθεὶς ὁ Ἰωσαφάτ κοινωνῆσαι τῆς παρατάξεως τοῦτο δράσειν ὑπέσχετο. Τὰ αὐτά σοι, φησὶ, δράσω ὡς παρατάττῃ παρατάττομαι· καὶ ὡς ὁ λαός σου, καὶ ὁ ἐμὸς πολεμήσει. Ἔδειξε δ' ὅμως αὐτοῦ τὴν εὐσέβειαν πυθέσθαι γὰρ πρότερον τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἀναγκαῖον ὑπέλαβεν Εἶπε γὰρ, φησί, πρὸς Ἀχαάβ· Ἐρωτήσωμεν δὴ τὸν Κύριον. Ἐκείνου δὲ τοὺς προφήτας τοῦ Βαὰλ ἀθροίσαντος, πάλιν ὁ Ἰωσαφάτ ἐκείνους μὲν ἐβδελύξατο, θεῖον δὲ προφήτην εὐσεβῶς ἐπεζήτησεν Οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ, φησὶν, ὧδε προφήτης Κυρίου, καὶ ἐπερωτήσομεν τὸν Κύριον δι᾿ αὐτοῦ; Ἐκείνου δὲ εἰρηκότος εἶναι μὲν, καὶ Μιχαίαν κεκλῆσθαι· ἐχθραίνειν δὲ αὐτῷ, ὡς οὐ τὰ θυμήρη χρησμολογοῦντα, ὁ Ἰωσαφάτ εὐλαβῶς ἀπεκρίνατο· Μὴ λεγέτω οὕτως ὁ βασιλεύς. ᾿Αλλ' ἐν τούτοις μὲν ἀξιέπαινος. Ἐλωβήσατο δὲ αὐτοῦ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἡ φιλία καὶ ἡ συγγένεια τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ τῶν Παραλειπομένων ἱστόρησε βίβλος. Ὁ δὲ προφήτης Μιχαίας, καὶ τοῦ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀποσταλέντος εὐνούχου χρηστὰ ἀπαγγείλαι παρεγγυήσαντος, οὐκ ἠνέσχετο χαρίσασθαι τὸ ψεῦδος τῷ βασιλεῖ. Ζῇ γὰρ, ἔφη, ὁ Κύριος, ὅτι ἃ ἂν εἴπῃ Κύριος πρός με, ταῦτα λαλήσω.
Pōs noēteon; Kathōs sy, houtō kagō; kai kathōs ho laos sou, houtōs kai ho laos mou?» Paraklētheis ho Iōsaphat koinōnēsai tēs parataxeōs touto drasein hypescheto. Ta auta soi, phēsi, drasō hōs paratattę̄ paratattomai; kai hōs ho laos sou, kai ho emos polemēsei. Edeixe d' homōs autou tēn eusebeian pythesthai gar proteron tou Theou tōn holōn anankaion hypelaben Eipe gar, phēsi, pros Achaab; Erōtēsōmen dē ton Kyrion. Ekeinou de tous prophētas tou Baal athroisantos, palin ho Iōsaphat ekeinous men ebdelyxato, theion de prophētēn eusebōs epezētēsen Ouk esti gar, phēsin, hōde prophētēs Kyriou, kai eperōtēsomen ton Kyrion di᾿ autou? Ekeinou de eirēkotos einai men, kai Michaian keklēsthai; echthrainein de autǭ, hōs ou ta thymērē chrēsmologounta, ho Iōsaphat eulabōs apekrinato; Mē legetō houtōs ho basileus. ᾿All' en toutois men axiepainos. Elōbēsato de autou tēn eusebeian hē philia kai hē syngeneia touto gar hē tōn Paraleipomenōn historēse biblos. Ho de prophētēs Michaias, kai tou pros auton apostalentos eunouchou chrēsta apangeilai parengyēsantos, ouk ēnescheto charisasthai to pseudos tǭ basilei. Zę̄ gar, ephē, ho Kyrios, hoti ha an eipę̄ Kyrios pros me, tauta lalēsō.
How should “As you are, so am I; and as your people, so is my people” be understood? Jehoshaphat, asked to join in the campaign, promised to do so. I will do the same as you, he means: as you take the field, I take the field; and as your people, so mine will fight. Yet he showed his piety; for he thought it necessary first to inquire of the God of the universe: “For he said,” it says, “to Ahab, Let us inquire of the Lord.” And when Ahab gathered the prophets of Baal, Jehoshaphat again loathed them and piously asked for a divine prophet: “Is there not here,” he says, “a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord through him?” When Ahab said there was, called Micaiah, but that he hated him because he did not utter pleasing oracles, Jehoshaphat answered reverently, “Let the king not say so.” In these things he was praiseworthy; but friendship and kinship marred his piety, as the book of Chronicles related. The prophet Micaiah, when the eunuch sent to him urged him to announce good things, could not bring himself to grant the king a lie: “As the Lord lives,” he said, “whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”
1 Kgs 22:4 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 18:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Chr 19:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:14 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Jehoshaphat agreed to join Ahab but piously insisted on consulting a true prophet; Micaiah refused to flatter the king.
- 1 Kgs 22:4–8, 13–14 (quotations 22:4, 5, 7, 8, 14); 2 Chr 18:1; 19:2. The prophets gathered by Ahab are called prophets of Baal by Theodoret.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.67 (PG 80 80:739; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-67). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-67
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum-3-67) · 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.
3.68PG 80 80:739
Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν ἐρωτηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀχαὰβ, Ἵνα ἀναβῶ εἰς ῾Ῥαμώθ Γαλαάδ, ἔφη, Ανάβαινε, καὶ εὐοδώσει Κύριος ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ βασιλέως; ᾿Ανέμεινεν ὀρκωθῆναι, εἶθ' οὕτω φάναι τὸ ἀληθές. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑπελάμβανεν ᾿Αχαάβ διὰ μίσος τὸν προφήτην προλέγειν τὰ λυπηρά, πρότερον τὰ καταθύμια εἴρηκεν. Εἶτα ὁρκωθεὶς τὰ θεῖα μεμήνυκε. Τοῦ γὰρ ᾿Αχαάβ εἰρηκότος· Ποσάκις ὀρκίζω σε ἐγὼ, ὅπως λαλήσῃς πρός με ἀλήθειαν ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου; τὸ δὲ ποσάκις ἀντὶ τοῦ πολλάκις τέθεικεν ἐπήγαγεν ὁ Μιχαίας Οὐχ οὕτως, ἀντὶ τοῦ, οὐ καλῶς, ἔφην ἐκεῖνα. Εώρακα γὰρ πάντα τὸν Ἰσραὴλ διεσπαρμένον ἐν τοῖς ὅρεσιν, ὡς πρόβατα οἷς οὐκ ἔστι ποιμήν. Δηλοῖ δὲ διὰ τούτων, ὡς ἡ ἐκείνου πονηρία τὴν ἧτταν ἐργάζεται· εἰ γὰρ ποιμένος ἔτυχον εὐσεβοῦς, κατακράτος ἂν τοὺς πολεμίους ἐνίκησαν. Εἶτα καὶ τρόπον ἀποδείκνυσι σωτηρίας. Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶ, Κύριος· Εἰ κυρίως αὐτοὶ πρὸς Θεὸν ἀποστραφήτω δὴ ἕκαστος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτου ἐν εἰρήνῃ. Εἰ πιστεύοντες τῷ Θεῷ μαθεῖν βούλεσθε παρ' αὐτοῦ τὸ πρακτέον, τὴν στρατιάν διαλύσατε. Τοῦ δὲ ᾿Αχαάβ πρὸς τὸν Ἰωσαφὰτ εἰρηκότος Οὐκ εἶπόν σοι, ὅτι οὐ προφητεύει οὗτος ἐμοὶ καλὰ, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ κακά; εἶπεν ὁ προφήτης· «Οὐκ ἐγώ ἄκουσον τὸν λόγον Κυρίου. Εἶδον Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν Ἰσραὴλ καθήμενον ἐπὶ θρόνου αὐτοῦ, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ στρατιὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἰστήκει περὶ αὐτὸν ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπε· Τίς ἀπατήσει τὸν ᾿Αχαάβ βασιλέα Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἀναβήσεται εἰς Ῥαμώθ Γαλαάδ, καὶ πεσεῖται ἐκεῖ; Καὶ εἶπεν οὕτως οὗτος, καὶ οὗτος οὕτως. Καὶ εἶπεν, Οὐ δυνήσῃ Καὶ ἐξῆλθε πνεῦμα, καὶ ἔστη ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, καὶ εἶπεν Ἐγὼ ἀπατήσω αὐτόν. Καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς αὐτὸν, Ἐν τίνι; Καὶ εἶπεν· Ἐξελεύσομαι, καὶ ἔσομαι πνεῦμα ψευδὲς ἐν στόματι πάντων αὐτοῦ τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ ἀπατήσω αὐτόν. Καὶ εἶπε, Δυνήσῃ, ἔξελθε καὶ ποίησον. Ταῦτα δὲ προσωποποιία τίς ἐστι, διδάσκουσα τὴν θείαν συγχώρησιν. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἀληθῶς Θεὸς καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας διδάσκαλος προσέταττεν ἀπατηθῆναι τὸν ᾿Αχαάβ, ὁ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου εἰπών Εἰ κυρίως αὐτοὶ πρὸς Θεὸν, ἀναστραφήτω δὴ ἕκαστος εἰς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ οἶκον ἐν εἰρήνῃ. Διὰ τούτων τοίνυν ὁ προφήτης ἐδίδαξεν, ὡς τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀπάτης, ὀργάνοις χρώμενον τοῖς δυσσεβέσιν ἀνθρώποις, ψευδῶς ὑπισχνεῖται τὴν νίκην. Τοῦτο δὲ γίνεται τοῦ Θεοῦ συγχωρήσαντος. Κωλῦσαι γὰρ δυνάμενος, οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν, ἐπείπερ ὁ ᾿Αχαὰβ τῆς θείας ἦν κηδεμονίας ἀνάξιος. Ὁ δὲ Ἰώσηπος τὸν Μιχαίαν ἔφησεν εἶναι, τὸν ἤδη πρότερον τῷ τελαμῶνι χρησάμενον, καὶ τὰ λυπηρὰ τῷ ᾿Αχαάβ προαγγείλαντα, τεκμαιρόμενος τῷ φάναι τὸν ᾿Αχαάβ, ὅτι Μεμίσηκα αὐτὸν, ὅτι οὐ λέγει περὶ ἐμοῦ ἀγαθὰ, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ κακά. Καὶ νῦν δὲ αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον ἔπεμψεν, τροφῆς αὐτὸν ὀλίγης ἄγαν μεταλαμβάνειν προστεταχὼς, ᾗ μόνον κωλύειν ἔμελλε τὴν ἐκ λιμοῦ τελευτήν. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδὲ οὕτως ὁ προφήτης ἐξέστη τῆς παῤῥησίας, ἀλλ᾿ ἔφη βοῶν· Ἐὰν ἐπιστρέφων ἐπιστρέφῃς ἐν εἰρήνῃ. οὐ λελάληκε Κύριος ἐν ἐμοί. Καὶ τούτων δὲ ἀκούσας τῶν λόγων ὥρμησεν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον· συναπῆρε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ὁ Ἰωσαφὰτ, τῆς οἰκείας εὐσεβείας ἀνάξια δεδρακώς. Ἐπιζητήσας γὰρ προφήτην, καὶ τοὺς ψευδοπροφήτας ἀποπεμψάμενος, καὶ τὸ πρακτέον παρὰ τοῦ Μιχαίου μεμαθηκὼς, τῆς εὐσεβείας προτετίμηκε τὴν φιλίαν. Πλὴν διὰ τὴν ἄλλην αὐτοῦ ἀρετὴν τῆς θείας κηδεμονίας ἀπήλαυσε. Τῶν γὰρ Σύρων ἐκ τῆς βασιλικῆς ἀμπεχόνης τοπασάντων αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν βασιλέα Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ χωρησάντων, ὁ μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἐπικουρίαν ἐκάλεσεν ὁ δὲ συντόμως αὐτῷ τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐπόρισεν. Ἡ δὲ θεία πρόῤῥησις τὸ πέρας ἐδέξατο. Τρωθεὶς γὰρ ὁ ᾿Αχαάβ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἑστὼς ἐπὶ τοῦ ἅρματος διετέλεσεν, ἵνα μὴ τροπὴν ἐργάζηται τῇ φυγῇ· τὸ δὲ αἷμα φερόμενον ἐνεπάγη τῷ ἄρματι. Τοῦτο παρὰ κρήνην τινὰ τῷ ἄστει πελάζουσαν ὁ ἡνίοχος ἔπλυνεν· οἱ δὲ κύνες ἐξέλειχον. Αἱ δὲ πόρναι ὑπὸ τὴν ἕω κατὰ τὸ ἔθος ἐλούσαντο, οὐκ ἐξεπίτηδες εἰς τὸ αἷμα βουλόμεναι λούσασθαι, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ πηγαῖον ὡς εἰώθησαν ὕδωρ Τοῦτο δὲ ἦν κεχρωσμένον τῷ αἵματι.
Tinos oun heneken erōtētheis hypo tou Achaab, Hina anabō eis ῾Rhamōth Galaad, ephē, Anabaine, kai euodōsei Kyrios en cheiri tou basileōs? ᾿Anemeinen orkōthēnai, eith' houtō phanai to alēthes. Epeidē gar hypelambanen ᾿Achaab dia misos ton prophētēn prolegein ta lypēra, proteron ta katathymia eirēken. Eita horkōtheis ta theia memēnyke. Tou gar ᾿Achaab eirēkotos; Posakis orkizō se egō, hopōs lalēsę̄s pros me alētheian en onomati Kyriou? to de posakis anti tou pollakis tetheiken epēgagen ho Michaias Ouch houtōs, anti tou, ou kalōs, ephēn ekeina. Eōraka gar panta ton Israēl diesparmenon en tois horesin, hōs probata hois ouk esti poimēn. Dēloi de dia toutōn, hōs hē ekeinou ponēria tēn hēttan ergazetai; ei gar poimenos etychon eusebous, katakratos an tous polemious enikēsan. Eita kai tropon apodeiknysi sōtērias. Eipe gar, phēsi, Kyrios; Ei kyriōs autoi pros Theon apostraphētō dē hekastos eis ton oikon autou en eirēnę̄. Ei pisteuontes tǭ Theǭ mathein boulesthe par' autou to prakteon, tēn stratian dialysate. Tou de ᾿Achaab pros ton Iōsaphat eirēkotos Ouk eipon soi, hoti ou prophēteuei houtos emoi kala, all᾽ ē kaka? eipen ho prophētēs; «Ouk egō akouson ton logon Kyriou. Eidon Kyrion ton Theon Israēl kathēmenon epi thronou autou, kai pasa hē stratia tou ouranou eistēkei peri auton ek dexiōn autou, kai ex euōnymōn autou, kai eipe; Tis apatēsei ton ᾿Achaab basilea Israēl, kai anabēsetai eis Rhamōth Galaad, kai peseitai ekei? Kai eipen houtōs houtos, kai houtos houtōs. Kai eipen, Ou dynēsę̄ Kai exēlthe pneuma, kai estē enōpion Kyriou, kai eipen Egō apatēsō auton. Kai eipe Kyrios pros auton, En tini? Kai eipen; Exeleusomai, kai esomai pneuma pseudes en stomati pantōn autou tōn prophētōn, kai apatēsō auton. Kai eipe, Dynēsę̄, exelthe kai poiēson. Tauta de prosōpopoiia tis esti, didaskousa tēn theian synchōrēsin. Ou gar ho alēthōs Theos kai tēs alētheias didaskalos prosetatten apatēthēnai ton ᾿Achaab, ho dia tou prophētou eipōn Ei kyriōs autoi pros Theon, anastraphētō dē hekastos eis ton heautou oikon en eirēnę̄. Dia toutōn toinyn ho prophētēs edidaxen, hōs to pneuma tēs apatēs, organois chrōmenon tois dyssebesin anthrōpois, pseudōs hypischneitai tēn nikēn. Touto de ginetai tou Theou synchōrēsantos. Kōlysai gar dynamenos, ouk ekōlysen, epeiper ho ᾿Achaab tēs theias ēn kēdemonias anaxios. Ho de Iōsēpos ton Michaian ephēsen einai, ton ēdē proteron tǭ telamōni chrēsamenon, kai ta lypēra tǭ ᾿Achaab proangeilanta, tekmairomenos tǭ phanai ton ᾿Achaab, hoti Memisēka auton, hoti ou legei peri emou agatha, all᾽ ē kaka. Kai nyn de auton eis to desmōtērion epempsen, trophēs auton oligēs agan metalambanein prostetachōs, hę̄ monon kōlyein emelle tēn ek limou teleutēn. ᾿All' oude houtōs ho prophētēs exestē tēs parrhēsias, all᾿ ephē boōn; Ean epistrephōn epistrephę̄s en eirēnę̄. ou lelalēke Kyrios en emoi. Kai toutōn de akousas tōn logōn hōrmēsen eis ton polemon; synapēre de autǭ kai ho Iōsaphat, tēs oikeias eusebeias anaxia dedrakōs. Epizētēsas gar prophētēn, kai tous pseudoprophētas apopempsamenos, kai to prakteon para tou Michaiou memathēkōs, tēs eusebeias protetimēke tēn philian. Plēn dia tēn allēn autou aretēn tēs theias kēdemonias apēlause. Tōn gar Syrōn ek tēs basilikēs ampechonēs topasantōn auton einai ton basilea Israēl, kai kat᾿ autou chōrēsantōn, ho men tou Theou tēn epikourian ekalesen ho de syntomōs autǭ tēn sōtērian eporisen. Hē de theia prorrhēsis to peras edexato. Trōtheis gar ho ᾿Achaab epi pleiston hestōs epi tou harmatos dietelesen, hina mē tropēn ergazētai tę̄ phygę̄; to de haima pheromenon enepagē tǭ armati. Touto para krēnēn tina tǭ astei pelazousan ho hēniochos eplynen; hoi de kynes exeleichon. Hai de pornai hypo tēn heō kata to ethos elousanto, ouk exepitēdes eis to haima boulomenai lousasthai, all᾽ eis to pēgaion hōs eiōthēsan hydōr Touto de ēn kechrōsmenon tǭ haimati.
Why then, when Ahab asked him, “Shall I go up to Ramoth-gilead?”, did he say, “Go up, and the Lord will give it into the king's hand”? He waited to be put on oath, and then to speak the truth. Since Ahab supposed that the prophet foretold sad things out of hatred, he first said what was pleasing; then, put on oath, he made known the divine message. For when Ahab said, “How many times shall I adjure you to speak the truth to me in the name of the Lord?” (he put “how many times” for “many times”), Micaiah added, “Not so,” meaning: I did not say those things rightly. “For I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd.” By this he shows that Ahab's wickedness was causing the defeat; for if they had had a pious shepherd, they would have defeated the enemy by force. Then he also points out a way of salvation: “For the Lord said: If they are truly turned to God, let each return to his house in peace.” If, trusting in God, you wish to learn from him what to do, disband the army. When Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that this man does not prophesy good about me, but only evil?”, the prophet said, “Not I; hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord God of Israel sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left; and he said, Who will deceive Ahab king of Israel, so that he goes up to Ramoth-gilead and falls there? And this one spoke thus, and that one thus. And he said, You will not be able. And a spirit came out and stood before the Lord and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said to him, By what means? And he said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets, and I will deceive him. And he said, You will be able; go out and do so.” This is a kind of personification, teaching God's permission. For the true God, the teacher of truth, did not command Ahab to be deceived, he who through the prophet had said, “If they are truly turned to God, let each return to his own house in peace.” Through these words, then, the prophet taught that the spirit of deceit, using impious men as instruments, falsely promises the victory; and this happens by God's permission. For though he could have prevented it, he did not, since Ahab was unworthy of divine care. Josephus said that Micaiah was the one who earlier used the bandage and foretold sad things to Ahab, inferring this from Ahab's saying, “I hate him, because he does not speak good concerning me, but only evil.” And now Ahab sent him to prison, ordering that he be given very little food, only enough to prevent death from starvation. But even so the prophet did not abandon his boldness, but said, crying out, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And having heard these words too, he set out for the war; and Jehoshaphat set out with him, doing what was unworthy of his own piety. For having asked for a prophet, sent away the false prophets, and learned from Micaiah what to do, he preferred friendship to piety. Yet because of his virtue in other respects he enjoyed divine care. For when the Syrians, guessing from the royal robe that he was the king of Israel, advanced against him, he called on God's help, and God quickly provided him salvation. And the divine prophecy was fulfilled. For Ahab, wounded, stood in his chariot a very long time, so as not to cause a rout by fleeing; and the blood that flowed congealed in the chariot. The charioteer washed it at a spring near the city, and the dogs licked it. The harlots bathed there at dawn according to custom, not wishing deliberately to bathe in the blood, but in the spring water as they were used to; but this was stained with the blood.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
1 Kgs 22:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:18 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:19 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:21 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:22 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:38 (3 Kgdms 21:38 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:27 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:28 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:29 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:32 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Chr 18:31 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:35 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 22:38 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:19 (3 Kgdms 20:19 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Micaiah first mocked Ahab with the false prophets' answer, then under oath foretold his defeat; the vision of the lying spirit expresses God's permission, not his command; Ahab died as foretold, and Jehoshaphat, rescued by God, erred in preferring friendship to piety.
- 1 Kgs 22:15–38 (LXX; quotations 22:15, 16, 17, 18, 19–23, 28); 2 Chr 18:31; Josephus, Ant. 8.14.5. Theodoret's form of 22:17 (“If they are truly turned to God…”) differs from the extant texts and is translated as he gives it. The view that the vision of the lying spirit is a personification of God's permission is Theodoret's; translated as written. A long passage printed inside the quotation of 22:22 is removed by a logged correction: it is a separate scholion on visions (visions show God's will in bodily forms and human words; the Spirit is not a dove; the lying spirit and Job's tempter act by God's permission), apparently by another writer, with corrupt and repeated words. A displaced phrase of the sentence on Josephus is restored to its place by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; a separate scholion on visions (by another writer) printed inside the quotation; displaced words (restored above) printed inside the word ἀρετὴν; displaced words restored to their place; stray footnote mark; stray letter; stray letters; stray mark; word split by the OCR): ὀρκίζω σε ῃ ἐγὼ → ὀρκίζω σε ἐγὼ; Κύριος τι Εἰ κυρίως → Κύριος· Εἰ κυρίως; θρόνου τα αὐτοῦ → θρόνου αὐτοῦ; Ῥαμώθ* Γαλαάδ → Ῥαμώθ Γαλαάδ; πρὸς αὐτὸς, Ἐν τίνι → πρὸς αὐτὸν, Ἐν τίνι; αὐτόν. κα λεγόμενον, Πέμψει ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης τοῖς τὴν ἀλήθειαν μὴ παραδεξαμένοις. Αλλ' έρμηνεῖαι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ βουλήσεως τυγχάνουσιν αἱ ὀπτασίαι, οὐχ ὅπερ ἐστὶν αὐτὸ δεικνύουσαι, σωμας τικοῖς δὲ σχήμασι καὶ ἀνθρωπίνοις λόγοις διατυποῦσαι τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκονομίας, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ Θεός φησιν· Ἐγὼ ὁράσεις ἐπλήθυνα, καὶ ἐν χερσὶ προφητῶν ὡμοιώθην. Οὐκ αὐτὸς φαίνεται, ἀλλ᾽ ὁράσεις πληθύνει, καὶ ὁμοίωμα δείκνυσι τοῖς προφήταις. Βασιλείας μὲν, ὅταν ἐπὶ θρόνου καθεζόμενον ὁρῶσι, καὶ περὶ αὐτὸν τὴν οὐράνιον στρατιάν· κρίσεως δὲ, ὅταν πολιὸν βλέπουσι λευκοῖς ἱματίοις κοσμούμενον, διὰ τὸ τῆς κρίσεως σοφόν τε ἅμα καὶ καθαρόν. Ὁρᾷ καὶ Ζαχαρίας ἀνέμους ἀνθρωπίνῃ φωνῇ χρωμένους, καὶ Περιωδεύσαμεν τὴν τε καὶ εἰρήνην, νικὴν καὶ φιλίαν, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα σχηματίζουσιν εἰς ἀνθρωπείων σωμάτων εἰκόνας, τοῖς τοιούτοις ὁμοιώμασι τὸ βούλημα δεικνύντες δεικνύντες ἐναργέστερον· κα ν· κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ καὶ αὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον προφήταις τε κα ἀποστόλοις τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὴν δόξαν, καὶ τὴν οἰκονομίαν, καὶ τὴν ἀρὰν τὴν κατὰ τῶν ἐπιόρκων καὶ ἑτέρων τινῶν ἐμψύχων ἢ ἀψύχων. Καὶ ὅπερ βούλεται μὲν ὁ Θεὸς πληρῶσαι, αἱ δὲ ἑξῆς δυνάμεις πληροῦσιν· ἢ ὅσα τολμᾷ μὲν ὁ διάβολος ἐπιβουλεύειν, συγχωρεῖ δὲ Θεὸς, ταῦτα τυποῖ διὰ τῶν ὀπτασιῶν, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰώβ. Αἱ γὰρ ὁπτασίαι, καὶ τὰ ἐν ταῖς ὀπτασίαις ῥήματα μέρος ἐστὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ συγκαταβάσεως· οὔτε γὰρ περιστερὰ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, οὔτε εἰς τὸς ὡς ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃς καὶ ἐντυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἐντυχίας. Κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον οὐδὲ αἱ τῶν προφητῶν ὀπτασίαι καὶ αἱ φωναὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἦσαν ὅπερ ἐδείκνυντο, τοῦ δὲ Θεοῦ τὴν βούλησιν ἐσήμαινον ἢ τὴν συγχώρησιν, καὶ τὴν ὑπακοὴν τῶν ὑπακουόντων, καὶ τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν τῶν τολμώντων, ὥς που καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ψευσάμενον διὰ στόματος τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, Θεοῦ Θεοῦ συγχωρήσαντος, ος, καὶ ὁ πειράσας δὲ τὸν Ἰὼβ διάβολος, Θεοῦ μὴ κωλύσαντος· δι᾿ οὔπερ ἐδίδαξεν ἡμᾶς ἡ ἡ Γραφή, ὡς τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ κτίσεώς ἐστι καὶ τῆς δεσποτείας, παρεστὼς τῷ πάντων Δεσπότῃ, οὐ τῇ τῆς προθέσεως ὑπακοῆ, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῆς γενετῆς φύσεως ἀκολουθία, τὴν μὲν γνώμην ἀλλοτριωΚαὶ εἶπε, Δυνήσῃ, το ἔξελθε → αὐτόν. Καὶ εἶπε, Δυνήσῃ, ἔξελθε; ἀληθῶς Θεὸς” καὶ → ἀληθῶς Θεὸς καὶ; ὑπισχνεῖ ται → ὑπισχνεῖται; ἐπείπερ το ὁ → ἐπείπερ ὁ; καὶ τὰ τῷ φάναι → καὶ τὰ λυπηρὰ τῷ ᾿Αχαάβ προαγγείλαντα, τεκμαιρόμενος τῷ φάναι; ᾗ μόνον δι κωλύειν → ᾗ μόνον κωλύειν; ἀρε- λυπηρὰ τῷ ᾿Αχαάβ προαγγείλαντα, τεκμαιρόμενος Ο τὴν τῆς → ἀρετὴν τῆς; ἐπίρισεν → ἐπόρισεν.
Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, Ant. 8.14.5 (Josephus (works); allusion)
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 3.68 (PG 80 80:739; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-68). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/3-68
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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.
Chapter 4
4.1PG 80 80:745
Πῶς νοητέον τό· ᾿Ἠθέτησε Μωάβ ἐν Ἰσραήλ; Δασμὸν ἔφερον οἱ Μωαβίται τῷ ᾿Αχαάβ, ὡς ὑπήκοοι· τελευτήσαντος δὲ ἐκείνου, κατεφρόνησαν τοῦ υἱέος, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν ἄρχεσθαι.
Pōs noēteon to; ᾿Ēthetēse Mōab en Israēl? Dasmon epheron hoi Mōabitai tǭ ᾿Achaab, hōs hypēkooi; teleutēsantos de ekeinou, katephronēsan tou huieos, kai ouk ēthelēsan archesthai.
How should “Moab rebelled against Israel” be understood? The Moabites paid tribute to Ahab as subjects; but when he died, they despised his son and refused to be ruled.
2 Kgs 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 3:5 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Moab rebelled after Ahab's death, despising his son.
- 2 Kgs 1:1; 3:4–5. This short question holds one question and answer.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray footnote mark): υἱέος 8*, → υἱέος,.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.1 (PG 80 80:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.2PG 80 80:745
Ὁποῖόν ἐστι τὸ δικτυωτὸν ὑπερῷον; Οἶκος ἦν ὥρᾳ θέρους ἐπιτήδειος πολλὰς ἔχων φωταγωγοὺς δικτυοειδῶς κατεσκευασμένας, ἃς διατρήτους ὀνομάζουσιν οἱ πολλοί.
Hopoion esti to diktyōton hyperǭon? Oikos ēn hōrą therous epitēdeios pollas echōn phōtagōgous diktyoeidōs kateskeuasmenas, has diatrētous onomazousin hoi polloi.
What sort of thing is the latticed upper room? It was a room suited to the summer season, with many windows made in lattice form, which most people call “pierced.”
2 Kgs 1:2 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The latticed upper room was a summer room with many lattice windows.
- 2 Kgs 1:2. This short question holds one question and answer.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.2 (PG 80 80:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.3PG 80 80:745
Προσοχθίσαι τί ἐστι; Καὶ προσοχθίσματα καὶ βδελύγματα, τὰ εἴδωλα προσαγορεύειν εἴωθεν ἡ θεία Γραφή. Καὶ γὰρ βδελυγμίας μεστὰ, καὶ μίσους ἄξια. Τὸ γὰρ προσόχθισμα τὸ μίσος δηλοῖ. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ εἴρηκεν ὁ Ἰσαάκ· Προσώχθισα τῇ ψυχῇ μου διὰ τὰς θυγατέρας τῶν Χαναναίων·, τουτέστι, μεμίσηκα. Καὶ ὁ μακάριος Δαβὶδ ἔφη Παρέστη πάσῃ ὁδῷ οὐκ ἀγαθῇ, κακίᾳ δὲ οὐ προσώχθισε· τουτέστιν, Οὐκ ἐμίσησε τὴν κακίαν. "Αξιον δὲ θρηνῆσαι τῶν δυσσεβῶν τὴν ἀλογίαν. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον τὰ μέγιστα τῶν ζώων ἐθεοποίησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ σμικρότατα καὶ εὐτελέστατα, καὶ μύσους μεστά. Τί γὰρ μυσαρώτερον μυίας; ᾿Αλλ' ὅμως τὴν εἰκόνα ταύτης θεὸν ἀνηγόρευσαν, καὶ τὸν ὄντως καταλελοιπότες Θεὸν, τὸ αὐτῆς ἴνδαλμα περὶ ζωῆς ἐπηρώτων· καὶ ἣν ζῶσαν ταῖς ῥιπίσιν ἐλαύνουσι, ταύτης τὸν τύπον θεὸν προσηγόρευσαν.
Prosochthisai ti esti? Kai prosochthismata kai bdelygmata, ta eidōla prosagoreuein eiōthen hē theia Graphē. Kai gar bdelygmias mesta, kai misous axia. To gar prosochthisma to misos dēloi. Houtō gar kai eirēken ho Isaak; Prosōchthisa tę̄ psychę̄ mou dia tas thygateras tōn Chananaiōn;, toutesti, memisēka. Kai ho makarios Dabid ephē Parestē pasę̄ hodǭ ouk agathę̄, kakią de ou prosōchthise; toutestin, Ouk emisēse tēn kakian. "Axion de thrēnēsai tōn dyssebōn tēn alogian. Ou gar monon ta megista tōn zōōn etheopoiēsan, alla kai ta smikrotata kai eutelestata, kai mysous mesta. Ti gar mysarōteron muias? ᾿All' homōs tēn eikona tautēs theon anēgoreusan, kai ton ontōs kataleloipotes Theon, to autēs indalma peri zōēs epērōtōn; kai hēn zōsan tais rhipisin elaunousi, tautēs ton typon theon prosēgoreusan.
What is “to loathe”? The divine Scripture usually calls idols “loathsome things” and “abominations,” for they are full of abomination and worthy of hatred. For “loathing” signifies hatred. So Isaac said, “I loathe my life because of the daughters of the Canaanites,” that is, I hate it. And the blessed David said, “He set himself on every way that is not good, and did not loathe evil,” that is, he did not hate evil. One should lament the senselessness of the impious. They deified not only the largest animals but also the smallest and most worthless, full of filth. For what is filthier than a fly? Yet they proclaimed its image a god, and, having forsaken the true God, they inquired of its likeness about life; and the creature they drive off with fans while it lives, its image they called a god.
1 Kgs 11:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 27:46 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 36:4 (35:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:3 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Scripture calls idols “loathsome”; Theodoret laments those who made a god of the fly (Baal-zebub).
- The term is used of idols, e.g. 1 Kgs 11:5, 7; Gen 27:46; Ps 36:4 (LXX 35:5). The fly-god is Baal-zebub, 2 Kgs 1:2–3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letters): τὸν ὄντως οι καταλελοιπότες → τὸν ὄντως καταλελοιπότες.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.3 (PG 80 80:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.4PG 80 80:745
Τινὲς ὠμότητα τοῦ προφήτου κατηγόρησαν, ὅτι δὴ τοὺς δύο πεντηκοντάρχους μετὰ τῶν ὑπηκόων οὐρανίῳ πυρὶ παραδέδωκεν. Οἱ τοῦ προφήτου κατηγοροῦντες κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ προφήτου κινοῦσι τὰς γλώττας· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐπαφῆκε τὸ πῦρ. Τολμηρὸν τοίνυν ἄγαν τὸ νεμεσῆσαι ταῖς θείαις οἰκονομίαις. Χρὴ γὰρ εἰδέναι τῆς θείας προμηθείας τὸ δίκαιον, καὶ ὡς ἐνδίκως κολάζει τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας, καὶ εὐεργετεῖ τοὺς θεραπεύοντας. Δῆλοι δὲ ἦσαν οἱ πεντηκόνταρχοι, καὶ οἱ τούτων ὑπήκοοι, συμβαίνοντες τῷ σκοπῷ τοῦ πεπομφότος. Ὅθεν καὶ τὰς θεηλάτους τιμωρίας ὑπέμειναν. Ὁ γὰρ τρίτος πεντηκόνταρχος, ἐπιεικείᾳ καὶ πίστει κοσμούμενος, καὶ τῇ πείρᾳ μαθὼν τοῦ προφήτου τὴν δύναμιν, ἠπίοις λόγοις χρησάμενος τὴν τιμωρίαν διέφυγεν.
Tines ōmotēta tou prophētou katēgorēsan, hoti dē tous dyo pentēkontarchous meta tōn hypēkoōn ouraniǭ pyri paradedōken. Hoi tou prophētou katēgorountes kata tou Theou tou prophētou kinousi tas glōttas; autos gar epaphēke to pyr. Tolmēron toinyn agan to nemesēsai tais theiais oikonomiais. Chrē gar eidenai tēs theias promētheias to dikaion, kai hōs endikōs kolazei tous hamartanontas, kai euergetei tous therapeuontas. Dēloi de ēsan hoi pentēkontarchoi, kai hoi toutōn hypēkooi, symbainontes tǭ skopǭ tou pepomphotos. Hothen kai tas theēlatous timōrias hypemeinan. Ho gar tritos pentēkontarchos, epieikeią kai pistei kosmoumenos, kai tę̄ peirą mathōn tou prophētou tēn dynamin, ēpiois logois chrēsamenos tēn timōrian diephygen.
Some have accused the prophet of cruelty for delivering the two captains of fifty, with their men, to fire from heaven. Those who accuse the prophet move their tongues against the prophet's God; for he it was who sent the fire. So it is very rash to be indignant at God's dispensations. One must know the justice of divine providence, that it justly punishes sinners and does good to those who serve him. The captains of fifty and their men evidently agreed with the purpose of the one who had sent them; so they also suffered the God-sent punishments. For the third captain of fifty, adorned with reasonableness and faith, and having learned the prophet's power by experience, used gentle words and escaped the punishment.
2 Kgs 1:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:10 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:15 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God, not Elijah, sent the fire on the captains who shared the king's hostile purpose; the third, who approached humbly, was spared.
- The question is put as an objection; the printed text lacks a question mark. 2 Kgs 1:9–15.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR accent error; word split by the OCR): νεμεσὴσαι → νεμεσῆσαι; ὑπ ήκοοι → ὑπήκοοι; δι έφυγεν → διέφυγεν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.4 (PG 80 80:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.5PG 80 80:747
Πῶς νοητέον τό· Τότε ἐβασίλευσεν ἐπὶ Ἰσραὴλ Ἰωρὰμ ἀδελφὸς Ὀχοσίου ἀντ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὐκ ἦν αὐτῷ υἱός;» Νόμος ἦν τῶν βασιλέων τοὺς παῖδας τὴν βασιλείαν κληρονομεῖν. Παίδων δὲ οὐκ ὄντων, τὸν πρεσβύτατον ἀδελφὸν, ἢ τὸν ἐπιτηδειότατον. Αὐτίκα γοῦν τὴν Δαβιδικὴν βασιλείαν μέχρι τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας παῖς παρὰ πατρὸς παραλαμβάνοντες, διετέλεσαν οἰκονομοῦντες. Τοῦ δὲ Ἰεχονίου πρὸ τῆς παιδοποιίας δορυαλώτου ληφθέντος Μετθανίας, ὁ καὶ Σεδεκίας, κατέσχε τὴν βασιλείαν, θεῖος αὐτοῦ ὢν πρὸς πατρός.
Pōs noēteon to; Tote ebasileusen epi Israēl Iōram adelphos Ochosiou ant᾽ autou, hoti ouk ēn autǭ huios?» Nomos ēn tōn basileōn tous paidas tēn basileian klēronomein. Paidōn de ouk ontōn, ton presbytaton adelphon, ē ton epitēdeiotaton. Autika goun tēn Dabidikēn basileian mechri tēs aichmalōsias pais para patros paralambanontes, dietelesan oikonomountes. Tou de Iechoniou pro tēs paidopoiias doryalōtou lēphthentos Metthanias, ho kai Sedekias, katesche tēn basileian, theios autou ōn pros patros.
How should “Then Joram the brother of Ahaziah reigned over Israel in his place, because he had no son” be understood? It was a law that the sons of kings inherit the kingdom; but if there were no sons, the eldest brother, or the most suitable one. Indeed, they continued to administer the kingdom of David, son receiving it from father, until the captivity. But when Jeconiah was taken captive before he had children, Matthaniah, also called Zedekiah, held the kingdom, being his uncle on his father's side.
2 Kgs 1:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 24:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 24:17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: In the absence of a son, the throne passed to a brother, as later from Jeconiah to his uncle Zedekiah.
- 2 Kgs 1:17 (LXX); 24:17. The printed text of the question has a mark after it but no question mark; the question is present.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; word split by the OCR): διετέλεσαν οι κονομοῦντες → διετέλεσαν οἰκονομοῦντες; παιδοποιία; δορυαλώτου → παιδοποιίας δορυαλώτου; Σεδε· κίας → Σεδεκίας.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.5 (PG 80 80:747; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-5
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.6PG 80 80:747
Τίνας υἱοὺς τῶν προφητῶν ἡ θεία προσαγορεύει Γραφή; Αὐτοὺς τοὺς προφήτας, κατὰ τὸ Ἑβραίων καὶ Σύρων ἰδίωμα. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἴωθεν ὀνομάζειν. Υἱοὶ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀνθρώπων, ἕως πότε βαρυκάρδιοι; Καί· Κατὰ τὸ ὕψος σου ἐπολυώρησας τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων·, τουτέστι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. Δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ ὁ λόγος πολλοὺς γεγενῆσθαι προφήτας. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ τὴν Ἱεριχὼ καὶ τὴν Βαιθήλ οἰκοῦντες, καὶ προεγνώκεισαν καὶ προειρήκεισαν τὴν τοῦ μεγάλου Ἠλιοῦ ἀνάληψιν. Ἐγνώκει δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ τῶν ὅλων πρωτεύων Ἑλισσαῖος ὁ πάνυ. Διὸ καὶ τούτοις ἔφη κάκείνοις· Καί γε ἐγὼ ἔγνωκα, σιωπᾶτε. Τοσοῦτον δὲ ἦν τῶν προφητῶν τὸ πλῆθος, ὅτι πεντήκοντα μὲν αὐτοῖς πόῤῥωθεν ἠκολούθησαν. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν Ἠλιοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου ἀνάληψιν, τὸν τῆς χάριτος κληρονόμον συναθροισθέντες ἔπεισαν ἀποστεῖλαί τινας εἰς ἐπιζήτησιν τοῦ κοινοῦ διδασκάλου· καὶ ἀπέστειλαν εὐζώνους πεντήκοντα· τοὺς γὰρ τοιούτους υἱοὺς δυνάμεως προσηγόρευσεν, ἀντὶ τοῦ, δυνατούς. Ἐκ δὲ τῶν ἀποσταλέντων σκοπητέον τῶν ἀποστειλάντων τὸ πλῆθος.
Tinas huious tōn prophētōn hē theia prosagoreuei Graphē? Autous tous prophētas, kata to Hebraiōn kai Syrōn idiōma. Houtō gar kai tous anthrōpous eiōthen onomazein. Huioi gar, phēsin, anthrōpōn, heōs pote barykardioi? Kai; Kata to hypsos sou epolyōrēsas tous huious tōn anthrōpōn;, toutesti tous anthrōpous. Dēloi de kai ho logos pollous gegenēsthai prophētas. Kai gar hoi tēn Hierichō kai tēn Baithēl oikountes, kai proegnōkeisan kai proeirēkeisan tēn tou megalou Ēliou analēpsin. Egnōkei de touto kai ho tōn holōn prōteuōn Helissaios ho pany. Dio kai toutois ephē kakeinois; Kai ge egō egnōka, siōpate. Tosouton de ēn tōn prophētōn to plēthos, hoti pentēkonta men autois porrhōthen ēkolouthēsan. Meta de tēn Ēliou tou megalou analēpsin, ton tēs charitos klēronomon synathroisthentes epeisan aposteilai tinas eis epizētēsin tou koinou didaskalou; kai apesteilan euzōnous pentēkonta; tous gar toioutous huious dynameōs prosēgoreusen, anti tou, dynatous. Ek de tōn apostalentōn skopēteon tōn aposteilantōn to plēthos.
Whom does the divine Scripture call “sons of the prophets”? The prophets themselves, according to the idiom of the Hebrews and the Syrians. For it usually names human beings so too: “Sons of men,” it says, “how long will you be heavy-hearted?” And, “According to your height you have cared for the sons of men,” that is, for human beings. The passage also shows that there were many prophets. For those living in Jericho and Bethel both foreknew and foretold the taking up of the great Elijah. And Elisha, the very first of them all, knew this too; so he said to both, “I too know it; be silent.” So great was the number of the prophets that fifty followed them at a distance. After the taking up of the great Elijah, they gathered and persuaded the heir of his grace to send some to search for their common teacher; and they sent fifty strong men (he called such men “sons of power,” that is, strong men). From those sent one should reckon the number of those who sent them.
2 Kgs 2:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 4:2 (4:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 12:8 (11:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:5 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: “Sons of the prophets” means prophets, by Hebrew idiom; the many prophets of Bethel and Jericho foreknew Elijah's assumption.
- 2 Kgs 2:3–7, 15–17 (quotation 2:3, 5); Ps 4:2 (LXX 4:3); Ps 12:8 (LXX 11:9). The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray mark): Βαιθήλ' οἰκοῦντες → Βαιθήλ οἰκοῦντες; Ἑλισσαῖος· ὁ πάνυ → Ἑλισσαῖος ὁ πάνυ.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.6 (PG 80 80:747; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-6
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.7PG 80 80:749
Τι δήποτε, τοῦ Ελισσαίου διπλὴν τοῦ πνεύματος τὴν χάριν αίτησαμένου, ὁ μέγας εἶπεν Ἠλίας, Ἐσκλήρυνας τοῦ αἰτῆσαι; Οὐ φθονῶν τῆς χάριτος τῷ μαθητῇ τοῦτο ἔφη, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων κηδόμενος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τρισὶν ἔτεσι καὶ μησὶν ἓξ λιμῷ δυσσεβοῦντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐπαίδευσεν· ἀνάγκη δὲ ἦν, τὸν τῆς διπλῆς κληρονομοῦντα χάριτος διπλάσια ἐργάσασθαι θαύματα· ἓν δὲ τούτων ἦν ἡ διὰ τοῦ λιμοῦ τιμωρία φειδοῖ κεχρημένος εἶπεν· Ἐσκλήρυνας τοῦ αἰτῆσαι. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἱστορίας μανθάνομεν. Ἑπτὰ γὰρ ἔτεσιν ἐπηνέχθη τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἡ τιμωρία.
Ti dēpote, tou Elissaiou diplēn tou pneumatos tēn charin aitēsamenou, ho megas eipen Ēlias, Esklērynas tou aitēsai? Ou phthonōn tēs charitos tǭ mathētę̄ touto ephē, alla tōn allōn anthrōpōn kēdomenos. Epeidē gar trisin etesi kai mēsin hex limǭ dyssebountas tous anthrōpous epaideusen; anankē de ēn, ton tēs diplēs klēronomounta charitos diplasia ergasasthai thaumata; hen de toutōn ēn hē dia tou limou timōria pheidoi kechrēmenos eipen; Esklērynas tou aitēsai. Touto de kai ek tēs historias manthanomen. Hepta gar etesin epēnechthē tois anthrōpois hē timōria.
Why, when Elisha asked for a double share of the spirit's grace, did the great Elijah say, “You have asked a hard thing”? He did not say this begrudging his disciple the grace, but caring for other people. For since he had disciplined the impious people with famine for three years and six months, and the heir of a double grace had to work twice as many miracles, one of which was punishment by famine, he spoke out of compassion: “You have asked a hard thing.” We learn this from the history too: for the punishment was brought upon the people for seven years.
2 Kgs 2:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 4:25 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:1 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Elijah called Elisha's request hard out of concern for the people, since a double portion would mean double punishments such as a seven-year famine.
- 2 Kgs 2:9–10 (LXX); the three and a half years, 1 Kgs 17–18 with Luke 4:25; the seven-year famine, 2 Kgs 8:1.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR accent error; stray letter; stray mark): τρισὶν ἔτεσιὰ καὶ → τρισὶν ἔτεσι καὶ; ἓν δὲ τουτων → ἓν δὲ τούτων; ἔτεσιν· ἐπηνέχθη → ἔτεσιν ἐπηνέχθη; τιμωρία". → τιμωρία..
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.7 (PG 80 80:749; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-7
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.8PG 80 80:749
Πῶς νοητέον· Πάτερ, πάτερ, ἄρμα Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἱππεὺς αὐτοῦ; Οἱ τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν βασιλεῖς ἵπποις κεχρημένοι καὶ ἅρμασι παρετάττοντο. Τούτου χάριν τὸν μέγαν Ἠλίαν ἄρμα Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἱππέα προσηγόρευσεν, ὡς ἀποχρῶντα καὶ μόνον καταλῦσαι τοὺς πολεμίους, καὶ παρασχεῖν τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις τὴν νίκην.
Pōs noēteon; Pater, pater, arma Israēl, kai hippeus autou? Hoi tōn allōn ethnōn basileis hippois kechrēmenoi kai harmasi paretattonto. Toutou charin ton megan Ēlian arma Israēl kai hippea prosēgoreusen, hōs apochrōnta kai monon katalysai tous polemious, kai paraschein tois homophylois tēn nikēn.
How should “Father, father, the chariot of Israel and its horseman” be understood? The kings of the other nations went into battle using horses and chariots. For this reason he called the great Elijah the chariot and horseman of Israel, as being enough by himself to destroy the enemies and give his countrymen the victory.
2 Kgs 2:12 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Elisha called Elijah Israel's chariot and horseman because he alone was worth an army.
- 2 Kgs 2:12.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray mark): ἱππέα & προσηγόρευσεν → ἱππέα προσηγόρευσεν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.8 (PG 80 80:749; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-8
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.9PG 80 80:749
Πῶς νοητέον· Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς Ἠλιοῦ ἀφφῶ Διαβῆναι βουληθεὶς τὸν Ἰορδάνην ὁ προφήτης ἐμιμήσατο τὸν διδάσκαλον, καὶ τῇ μηλωτῇ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπάταξεν οὐδὲν εἰρηκὼς, ἀλλ᾿ ἀποχρῇν νομίσας εἰς θαυματουργίαν τὴν μηλωτήν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐχ ὑπήκουσε τῶν ὑδάτων ἡ φύσις, ἐκάλεσε τὸν τοῦ διδασκάλου Θεὸν, τὸν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀόρατον καὶ ἀνέφικτον. ᾿Αφφὼ γὰρ ὁ κρύφιος ἑρμηνεύεται, κατὰ τὴν ἔκδοσιν τῶν ἄλλων ἑρμηνευτῶν
Pōs noēteon; Pou estin ho Theos Ēliou aphphō Diabēnai boulētheis ton Iordanēn ho prophētēs emimēsato ton didaskalon, kai tę̄ mēlōtę̄ to hydōr epataxen ouden eirēkōs, all᾿ apochrę̄n nomisas eis thaumatourgian tēn mēlōtēn. Epeidē de ouch hypēkouse tōn hydatōn hē physis, ekalese ton tou didaskalou Theon, ton tois anthrōpois aoraton kai anephikton. ᾿Aphphō gar ho kryphios hermēneuetai, kata tēn ekdosin tōn allōn hermēneutōn
How should “Where is the God of Elijah, aphpho?” be understood? Wishing to cross the Jordan, the prophet imitated his teacher and struck the water with the mantle, saying nothing, but thinking the mantle sufficient for the miracle. When the nature of the waters did not obey, he called on his teacher's God, who is invisible and inaccessible to human beings. For aphpho means “the hidden one,” according to the version of the other translators.
2 Kgs 2:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:8 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Elisha, finding the mantle alone ineffective, invoked Elijah's God, “the hidden one.”
- 2 Kgs 2:14 (LXX ἀφφώ). The printed question lacks a question mark; the question is present.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray mark): ἀνέφικτον. – ᾿Αφφὼ → ἀνέφικτον. ᾿Αφφὼ; κατὰ τὴν - ἔκδοσιν → κατὰ τὴν ἔκδοσιν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.9 (PG 80 80:749; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-9
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.10PG 80 80:749
Τίνος χάριν δι' ἀλῶν τὴν πικρὰν τῶν ὑδάτων ἰάσατο φύσιν ; Μωσῆς ὁ μέγας ξύλον ἐμβαλὼν τὴν πικρὰν τῶν ὑδάτων ποιότητα εἰς γλυκεῖαν μετέβαλεν. Οὗτος δὲ τοῖς ἀλσὶ τῆς λυμαντικῆς ἠλευθέρωσεν ἐνεργείας. Ῥάδιον γὰρ τῷ Δεσπότῃ Θεῷ καὶ βουλήσει, καὶ λόγῳ, καὶ δι᾽ ὧν ἐθέλει, μεταβάλλειν τῶν στοιχείων τὰς φύσεις.
Tinos charin di' alōn tēn pikran tōn hydatōn iasato physin ? Mōsēs ho megas xylon embalōn tēn pikran tōn hydatōn poiotēta eis glykeian metebalen. Houtos de tois alsi tēs lymantikēs ēleutherōsen energeias. Rhadion gar tǭ Despotę̄ Theǭ kai boulēsei, kai logǭ, kai di᾽ hōn ethelei, metaballein tōn stoicheiōn tas physeis.
Why did he heal the bitter nature of the waters with salt? The great Moses, by throwing in a piece of wood, changed the bitter quality of the waters into sweetness; this man freed them from their harmful action with salt. For it is easy for God the Master to change the natures of the elements by his will, by his word, and by whatever means he wishes.
2 Kgs 2:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 15:25 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Elisha healed the waters with salt as Moses did with wood; God can change nature by any means.
- 2 Kgs 2:19–22; Exod 15:25.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.10 (PG 80 80:749; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-10
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.11PG 80 80:749
Τί ἐστι· Καὶ Μωσὰ βασιλεὺς Μωάβ ἦν νωκηδεί; Οἱ ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταὶ τὸ νωκηδεὶ ἀρχιποιμένα, ἡρμήνευσαν. Δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, Καὶ ἦν φέρων φόρον τῷ βασιλεῖ. Ἰσραὴλ ἑκατὸν χιλιάδας ἀρνῶν, καὶ ἑκατὸν χιλιάδας κριῶν ἐπιπόκων. Ἀντὶ ἐγκωμίου μέντοι περὶ τοῦ Ἑλισσαίου εἰρήκασιν, ὅτι ἐπέχεεν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας Ἠλιοῦ. Τοσοῦτον εἶχον θαῦμα τοῦ μεγάλου προφήτου. Ἡ δὲ χρεία καὶ τοὺς δυσσεβοῦντας βασιλέας ἠνάγκασε πρὸς τὸν πανεύφημον Ἑλισσαῖον δραμεῖν. Ὁ δὲ τῇ τοῦ διδασκάλου παῤῥησίᾳ χρησάμενος, Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοὶ, ἔφη; Δεῦρο πρὸς τοὺς προφήτας τοῦ πατρός σου, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς προφήτας τῆς μητρός σου. Ἡ δὲ ἀνάγκη καὶ τοὺς θρασεῖς ἐπιεικεῖς ἀπεργάζεται. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ὁ Ἰωρὰμ πράως ὑπολαβὼν ἔφη Μὴ ὅτι κέκληκε Κύριος τοὺς τρεῖς βασιλεῖς τούτους, τοῦ παραδοῦναι αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῖρας Μωάβ; ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἔπεισε τὸν προφήτην, μὴ διελέγξαι αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀσέβειαν. Ἔφη γάρ· Ζῇ Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων, ᾧ παρέστην ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, ὅτι εἰ μὴ πρόσωπον Ἰωσαφάτ βασιλέως Ἰούδα ἐγὼ λαμβάνω, εἰ ἐπἐβλεψα ἂν πρὸς σὲ, καὶ εἶδόν σε.» Τῆς χρείας οὖν κατενεγκάσης τῆς δυναστείας τὸν τύφον, εἰς καιρὸν ὁ ἔλεγχος προσεφέρετο.
Ti esti; Kai Mōsa basileus Mōab ēn nōkēdei? Hoi alloi hermēneutai to nōkēdei archipoimena, hērmēneusan. Dēloi de kai ta hexēs, Kai ēn pherōn phoron tǭ basilei. Israēl hekaton chiliadas arnōn, kai hekaton chiliadas kriōn epipokōn. Anti enkōmiou mentoi peri tou Helissaiou eirēkasin, hoti epecheen hydōr epi cheiras Ēliou. Tosouton eichon thauma tou megalou prophētou. Hē de chreia kai tous dyssebountas basileas ēnankase pros ton paneuphēmon Helissaion dramein. Ho de tę̄ tou didaskalou parrhēsią chrēsamenos, Ti emoi kai soi, ephē? Deuro pros tous prophētas tou patros sou, kai pros tous prophētas tēs mētros sou. Hē de anankē kai tous thraseis epieikeis apergazetai. Autika goun ho Iōram praōs hypolabōn ephē Mē hoti keklēke Kyrios tous treis basileis toutous, tou paradounai autous eis cheiras Mōab? ᾿All᾽ oude houtōs epeise ton prophētēn, mē dielenxai autou tēn asebeian. Ephē gar; Zę̄ Kyrios tōn dynameōn, hǭ parestēn enōpion autou, hoti ei mē prosōpon Iōsaphat basileōs Iouda egō lambanō, ei epeblepsa an pros se, kai eidon se.» Tēs chreias oun katenenkasēs tēs dynasteias ton typhon, eis kairon ho elenchos prosephereto.
What does “And Mesha king of Moab was a nokedei” mean? The other translators rendered nokedei as “chief shepherd.” What follows shows it too: “And he brought as tribute to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams with their wool.” By way of praise they said of Elisha that he “poured water on the hands of Elijah,” such admiration did they have for the great prophet. Need compelled even impious kings to run to the all-praised Elisha. He, using his teacher's boldness, said, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” Necessity makes even the bold reasonable. At once, at any rate, Joram answered mildly, “No; for the Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab?” But even so he did not persuade the prophet not to expose his impiety. For he said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I respect Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or see you.” Since need had brought down the arrogance of power, the rebuke was delivered at the right moment.
2 Kgs 3:4 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 3:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 3:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 3:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 3:14 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Mesha was a sheep-breeder paying tribute; the kings in need came to Elisha, who rebuked Joram and helped only for Jehoshaphat's sake.
- 2 Kgs 3:4–14 (LXX; quotations 3:4, 11, 13, 14).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray abbreviation): φέρων ἔτ. φόρον → φέρων φόρον.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.11 (PG 80 80:749; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-11
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.12PG 80 80:751
Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Λάβετέ μοι ψάλλοντα;» Ὁ θειότατος Δαβίδ, καὶ βασιλικῆς καὶ προφητικῆς χάριτος ἠξιωμένος, καὶ τὴν ἱερατικὴν σοφῶς ἔταξε λειτουργίαν, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἱερέας κατὰ τὸν Μωσαϊκὸν νόμον ταῖς σάλπιγξι κεχρῆσθαι προσέταξε, τοὺς δὲ Λευΐτας ταῖς κινύραις, καὶ νάβλαις, καὶ κυμβάλοις, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ὀργάνοις. Ἐχρῶντο δὲ οὗτοι τῇ πνευματικῇ τοῦ Δαβὶδ μελῳδίᾳ. Τούτων ἕνα μετακληθῆναι προσέταξεν ὁ προφήτης. Ἐκείνου δὲ ψάλλοντος, ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος χάρις τὸ πρακτέον ἐσήμαινεν· ἐν γὰρ τῷ χειμάῤῥῳ βόθρους μεγίστους ὀρυγῆναι προσέταξεν ἵνα τῆς χαράδρας πόῤῥωθεν ἐνεχθείσης, πληρωθῶσιν οἱ βόθροι τοῦ ὕδατος, καὶ τὴν χρείαν παράσχωσι τῷ στρατῷ. Ἐπισημαντέον δὲ, ὡς χεῖρα Κυρίου τὴν πνευματικὴν ὠνόμασε χάριν. Ἐγένετο γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν χεὶρ Κυρίου, καὶ εἶπε· Τάδε λέγει Κύριος.
Pōs noēteon to, Labete moi psallonta?» Ho theiotatos Dabid, kai basilikēs kai prophētikēs charitos ēxiōmenos, kai tēn hieratikēn sophōs etaxe leitourgian, kai tous men hiereas kata ton Mōsaïkon nomon tais salpinxi kechrēsthai prosetaxe, tous de Leuïtas tais kinyrais, kai nablais, kai kymbalois, kai tois allois organois. Echrōnto de houtoi tę̄ pneumatikę̄ tou Dabid melǭdią. Toutōn hena metaklēthēnai prosetaxen ho prophētēs. Ekeinou de psallontos, hē tou pneumatos charis to prakteon esēmainen; en gar tǭ cheimarrhǭ bothrous megistous orygēnai prosetaxen hina tēs charadras porrhōthen enechtheisēs, plērōthōsin hoi bothroi tou hydatos, kai tēn chreian paraschōsi tǭ stratǭ. Episēmanteon de, hōs cheira Kyriou tēn pneumatikēn ōnomase charin. Egeneto gar, phēsin, ep᾿ auton cheir Kyriou, kai eipe; Tade legei Kyrios.
How should “Bring me a harpist” be understood? The most divine David, who had been granted both royal and prophetic grace, also wisely arranged the priestly liturgy: he ordered the priests to use trumpets according to the law of Moses, and the Levites lyres, harps, cymbals and the other instruments. They used David's spiritual song. The prophet ordered one of these to be summoned. While he played, the grace of the spirit indicated what was to be done: he ordered very large pits to be dug in the wadi, so that when the torrent came from far off the pits would be filled with water and supply the army's need. One should note that he called the spiritual grace “the hand of the Lord.” “For the hand of the Lord came upon him,” it says, “and he said, Thus says the Lord.”
2 Kgs 3:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Chr 15:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Chr 16:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Num 10:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 3:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 3:17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Elisha called for a Levite musician, and while he played the Spirit (“the hand of the Lord”) told him to have pits dug to receive water.
- 2 Kgs 3:15–17 (quotations 3:15–16); 1 Chr 15:16–24; 16:4–6; Num 10:8.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.12 (PG 80 80:751; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-12
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.13PG 80 80:751
Πῶς νοητέον· Καὶ ἐγένετο μετάμελος μέγας ἐπὶ Ἰσραήλ; Τῶν Μωαβιτῶν ἄρδην ἀναιρουμένων, ἐπειράθη μὲν τούτων φυγεῖν ὁ βασιλεύς. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ στεῤῥὸν καὶ γενναῖον τῆς φάλαγγος οὐκ ἐνδέδωκε, τὸν πρωτότοκον υἱὸν, ὃν τῆς βασιλείας εἶχε διάδοχον, ἐπί τινος ὡλοκαύτωσε πύργου. Τοῦτο θεασάμενον τῶν πολεμίων τὸ πλῆθος, ᾤκτειρε τὸ πάθος καὶ τὴν πολιορκίαν κατέλυσεν.
Pōs noēteon; Kai egeneto metamelos megas epi Israēl? Tōn Mōabitōn ardēn anairoumenōn, epeirathē men toutōn phygein ho basileus. Epeidē de to sterrhon kai gennaion tēs phalangos ouk endedōke, ton prōtotokon huion, hon tēs basileias eiche diadochon, epi tinos hōlokautōse pyrgou. Touto theasamenon tōn polemiōn to plēthos, ǭkteire to pathos kai tēn poliorkian katelysen.
How should “And there was great regret upon Israel” be understood? As the Moabites were being destroyed utterly, the king tried to escape them. But since the firm and noble phalanx did not give way, he offered his firstborn son, whom he had as successor to the kingdom, as a whole burnt offering on a tower. When the mass of the enemy saw this, they pitied his suffering and broke off the siege.
2 Kgs 3:26 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 3:27 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The besiegers withdrew in pity when the king of Moab sacrificed his heir on the wall.
- 2 Kgs 3:26–27 (LXX μετάμελος). Theodoret explains the withdrawal as the besiegers' pity; translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray digits; stray letter; word split by the OCR): Ἰσραήλ; ι Τῶν → Ἰσραήλ; Τῶν; στερ ῥὸν → στεῤῥὸν; κατέλυσεν18. → κατέλυσεν..
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.13 (PG 80 80:751; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-13
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.14PG 80 80:753
Περὶ τίνος ἔφησεν ἡ γυνή· ῾Ο δοῦλός σου ἀνήρ μου τετελεύτηκε, καὶ σὺ· οἶδας, ὅτι δοῦλος ἦν τοῦ Κυρίου ; Τινές φασι τὸν ᾿Αβδιοῦ εἶναι τὸν οἰκονόμον τοῦ Ἀχαάβ, ὃς τοὺς ἑκατὸν ἄνδρας ἐν δυσὶ κατακρύψας σπηλαίοις, διέθρεψεν αὐτοὺς ἄρτῳ καὶ ὕδατι καὶ τὸ χρέος διὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἐπιμέλειαν γεγενῆσθαι. Θαυμάσαι δὲ ἄξιον τῶν προφητῶν τὴν δύναμιν, ὅτι τὰ ὄντα πηγάζειν παρασκευάζοντες, παρέχουσι τοῦ βίου τὰς ἀφορμάς. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ μέγας Ἠλίας τὸ βραχύτατον ἄλευρόν τε καὶ ἔλαιον ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐξαρκέσαι πεποίηκε· καὶ ὁ διπλασίαν τὴν ἐκείνου χάριν δεξάμενος, τῆς ἑτέρας χήρας τὸ ὀλίγιστον ἔλαιον παμπόλλοις ἀγγείοις ἐμβληθῆναι κελεύσας, καὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐξέτισε τὸ χρέος, καὶ αὐτὴν καὶ τοὺς παῖδας διέθρεψε. Καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δὲ ῥάδιον γνῶναι, ὡς καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ παρανομοῦντος, καὶ δυσσεβούντων τῶν βασιλέων, ἦσάν τινες εὐσεβεῖς. Ἐκ τούτων γὰρ ὁ ᾿Αβδιοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἑπτακισχίλιοι, οἱ μὴ κάμψαντες γόνυ τῇ Βάαλ· καὶ ἡ θαυμασία Σωμανίτις, ἣ πολλῆς θεραπείας τὸν προφήτην ἠξίου. Ἧς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἀμειβόμενος ὁ προφήτης, ἤρετο εἰ ἔστιν αὐτῇ λόγος λαλῆσαι πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, ἢ πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς δυνάμεως· καὶ δυνάμενος αὐτῇ παρασχεῖν τὴν θείαν ἐπικουρίαν, καὶ θείας.
Peri tinos ephēsen hē gynē; ῾O doulos sou anēr mou teteleutēke, kai sy; oidas, hoti doulos ēn tou Kyriou ? Tines phasi ton ᾿Abdiou einai ton oikonomon tou Achaab, hos tous hekaton andras en dysi katakrypsas spēlaiois, diethrepsen autous artǭ kai hydati kai to chreos dia tēn ekeinōn epimeleian gegenēsthai. Thaumasai de axion tōn prophētōn tēn dynamin, hoti ta onta pēgazein paraskeuazontes, parechousi tou biou tas aphormas. Kai gar ho megas Ēlias to brachytaton aleuron te kai elaion epi pleiston exarkesai pepoiēke; kai ho diplasian tēn ekeinou charin dexamenos, tēs heteras chēras to oligiston elaion pampollois angeiois emblēthēnai keleusas, kai tou andros exetise to chreos, kai autēn kai tous paidas diethrepse. Kai enteuthen de rhadion gnōnai, hōs kai tou laou paranomountos, kai dyssebountōn tōn basileōn, ēsan tines eusebeis. Ek toutōn gar ho ᾿Abdiou, kai hoi heptakischilioi, hoi mē kampsantes gony tę̄ Baal; kai hē thaumasia Sōmanitis, hē pollēs therapeias ton prophētēn ēxiou. Hēs tēn epimeleian ameibomenos ho prophētēs, ēreto ei estin autę̄ logos lalēsai pros ton basilea, ē pros ton archonta tēs dynameōs; kai dynamenos autę̄ paraschein tēn theian epikourian, kai theias.
About whom did the woman say, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he was a servant of the Lord”? Some say it was Obadiah, Ahab's steward, who hid the hundred men in two caves and fed them with bread and water, and that the debt arose from his care of them. One should admire the power of the prophets, who make existing things gush forth and supply the means of life. For the great Elijah made the very little flour and oil suffice for a very long time; and the one who received double his grace ordered the other widow's tiny amount of oil to be poured into very many vessels, and both paid her husband's debt and fed her and her children. From this too it is easy to know that, even while the people broke the law and the kings acted impiously, there were some pious people. Among them were Obadiah, the seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal, and the admirable Shunammite, who gave the prophet great care. Repaying her care, the prophet asked whether she had any matter to speak of to the king or to the commander of the army; and being able to provide her divine help, and divine …
2 Kgs 4:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 18:4 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 17:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:13 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The widow's husband is identified by some with Obadiah; Elisha multiplied her oil, and the passage shows that pious people remained even under impious kings.
- 2 Kgs 4:1–7, 8–13 (quotations 4:1, 13); 1 Kgs 18:4; 17:16; 19:18. The answer breaks off in mid-sentence at the end (“and divine …”); the rest is lost and is marked “…”. A fragment that seems to continue it (“…he wishes to grant her human provi[dence]”) is printed at the start of question 4.16 and is not moved here.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR accent error; stray letters): τῇ Βάαλετ· → τῇ Βάαλ·; Σωμανίτις, ἢ πολλῆς → Σωμανίτις, ἣ πολλῆς.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.14 (PG 80 80:753; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-14
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.15PG 80 80:753
Τί ἐστιν· Ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ λαοῦ μου ἐγὼ κατοικῶ; ᾿Απραγμοσύνῃ, φησὶ, χαίρω, καὶ εἰρηνικῶς διάγω, καὶ πρός τινα ἔχειν ἀμφισβήτησιν οὐκ ἀνέχομαι.
Ti estin; En mesǭ tou laou mou egō katoikō? ᾿Apragmosynę̄, phēsi, chairō, kai eirēnikōs diagō, kai pros tina echein amphisbētēsin ouk anechomai.
What does “I dwell in the midst of my people” mean? I am content with a quiet life, she says, and live peaceably, and do not care to have a dispute with anyone.
2 Kgs 4:13 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The Shunammite meant that she lived quietly and needed no favors.
- 2 Kgs 4:13. This short question holds one question and answer.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by the OCR): κατ - οικῶ → κατοικῶ.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.15 (PG 80 80:753; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-15
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.16PG 80 80:753
Πῶς νοητέον· Κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον, ὡς ἡ ὥρα αὕτη, ζῶσα σὺ, καὶ συμπεριειληφυῖα υἱόν; Τοῦτο καὶ πρὸς τὸν πατριάρχην ᾿Ἀβραὰμ ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἔφη Θεός· Κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐλεύσομαι, καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάῤῥᾳ υἱός. Δηλοῖ τοίνυν δι' ὧν εἴρηκεν ὁ προφήτης, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐφθέγγετο δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Κύριος. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ ἀποφαντικῶς δέδωκε τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν ὑπερβαίνουσαν τῆς φύσεως τὴν ἀσθένειαν. Τῇ πείρᾳ μέντοι μαθοῦσα τοῦ προφήτου τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ τελευτῆσαν τὸ παιδίον ἤλπισεν ἀναστήσεσθαι. Ἐν τῇ κλίνῃ γὰρ τοῦτο τοῦ προφήτου νεκρὸν κατακλίνασα, καὶ τὴν θύραν ἀποκλείσασα βαδίζουσα πρὸς τὸν προφήτην ἀφίκετο, οὐδὲ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς ἀποδημίας μηνύσασα. Ἐκεῖνος οὖν ἀγνοῶν ἤρετο· Τί ὅτι σὺ πορεύῃ σήμερον πρὸς αὐτόν; Οὐ νουμηνία, οὐδὲ Σάββατον. Καὶ ἐν τοῖς Σάββασι, καὶ ἐν ταῖς νουμηνίαις γὰρ ἑορτάζειν εἰώθεισαν. Ἡ δὲ εἶπεν, Εἰρήνη· προσειπεῖν αὐτὸν, φησὶ, βούλομαι. Πόῤῥωθεν δὲ αὐτὴν ὁ προφήτης ἰδὼν, ἤρετο διὰ τοῦ Γιεζεὶ ὅπως ἔχουσι καὶ αὐτὴ, καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, καὶ τὸ παιδάριον τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ, Εἰρήνη σοί; εἰρήνη τῷ ἀνδρί σου; εἰρήνη τῷ παιδαρίῳ; ἀντὶ τοῦ, Καλῶς διάγετε, ὑγιαίνετε; Ἡ δὲ πρὸς μὲν τὸν Γιεζεὶ εἶπεν, Εἰρήνη, τῶν δὲ τοῦ προφήτου ποδῶν ἐπιλαβομένη, τὸ πάθος ἐμήνυσεν. Ἐδήλου δὲ τὴν ὀδύνην τὰ δάκρυα. ᾿Αναστῆσαι δὲ αὐτὴν πειρωμένου τοῦ Γιεζεὶ, ὁ προφήτης εἶπεν· «῎Αφες αὐτὴν, ὅτι κατώδυνος ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῆς, καὶ Κύριος ἀπέκρυψεν ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἀνήγγειλέ μοι. Δῆλον τοίνυν κἀντεῦθεν, ὡς οὐχ ἅπαντα προήδεισαν οἱ προφῆται, ἀλλ᾽ ἅπερ ἡ θεία χάρις αὐτοῖς ἀπεκάλυπτεν.
Pōs noēteon; Kata ton kairon touton, hōs hē hōra hautē, zōsa sy, kai symperieilēphuia huion? Touto kai pros ton patriarchēn ᾿Abraam ho tōn holōn ephē Theos; Kata ton kairon touton eleusomai, kai estai tę̄ Sarrhą huios. Dēloi toinyn di' hōn eirēken ho prophētēs, hōs autos ephthengeto di᾿ autou ho tōn holōn Kyrios. Hou dē charin kai apophantikōs dedōke tēn hyposchesin hyperbainousan tēs physeōs tēn astheneian. Tę̄ peirą mentoi mathousa tou prophētou tēn dynamin, kai teleutēsan to paidion ēlpisen anastēsesthai. En tę̄ klinę̄ gar touto tou prophētou nekron kataklinasa, kai tēn thyran apokleisasa badizousa pros ton prophētēn aphiketo, oude tǭ andri tēn aitian tēs apodēmias mēnysasa. Ekeinos oun agnoōn ēreto; Ti hoti sy poreuę̄ sēmeron pros auton? Ou noumēnia, oude Sabbaton. Kai en tois Sabbasi, kai en tais noumēniais gar heortazein eiōtheisan. Hē de eipen, Eirēnē; proseipein auton, phēsi, boulomai. Porrhōthen de autēn ho prophētēs idōn, ēreto dia tou Giezei hopōs echousi kai autē, kai ho anēr autēs, kai to paidarion touto gar dēloi to, Eirēnē soi? eirēnē tǭ andri sou? eirēnē tǭ paidariǭ? anti tou, Kalōs diagete, hygiainete? Hē de pros men ton Giezei eipen, Eirēnē, tōn de tou prophētou podōn epilabomenē, to pathos emēnysen. Edēlou de tēn odynēn ta dakrya. ᾿Anastēsai de autēn peirōmenou tou Giezei, ho prophētēs eipen; «᾿Aphes autēn, hoti katōdynos hē psychē autēs, kai Kyrios apekrypsen ap᾿ emou, kai ouk anēngeile moi. Dēlon toinyn kanteuthen, hōs ouch hapanta proēdeisan hoi prophētai, all᾽ haper hē theia charis autois apekalypten.
How should “At this season, about this time, you will be alive and embracing a son” be understood? The God of the universe said this to the patriarch Abraham too: “At this season I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.” By what he said, then, the prophet showed that the Lord of the universe himself spoke through him. That is why he gave the promise categorically, though it surpassed the weakness of nature. Having learned the prophet's power by experience, she hoped that the child, when he died, would be raised. For she laid him dead on the prophet's bed, shut the door, and went to the prophet, not even telling her husband the reason for her journey. He, not knowing, asked, “Why are you going to him today? It is not new moon or Sabbath.” For they used to keep festival on Sabbaths and new moons. She said, “Peace”: I wish to greet him, she means. The prophet, seeing her from afar, asked through Gehazi how she, her husband and the child were; for this is what “Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?” shows, meaning, “Are you getting on well, are you in health?” To Gehazi she said, “Well”; but taking hold of the prophet's feet she disclosed her suffering. Her tears showed her pain. When Gehazi tried to make her get up, the prophet said, “Let her alone, for her soul is in anguish, and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me.” It is clear from this too that the prophets did not foreknow everything, but only what divine grace revealed to them.
2 Kgs 4:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 18:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:21 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:22 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:23 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:26 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:27 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Elisha's categorical promise of a son shows God speaking through him; the Shunammite trusted him to raise her dead child, though God had not revealed her grief to him.
- 2 Kgs 4:16–28 (quotations 4:16, 23, 26, 27); Gen 18:10. A displaced fragment (“…he wishes to grant her human provi[dence]”), apparently the continuation of the broken last sentence of question 4.14, is printed at the start of this answer and is removed by a logged correction; it is not moved to 4.14. The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 13.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (displaced fragment (from the end of question 4.14) printed at the start of the answer; stray marks and letter; word cut off by the OCR): υἱόν; τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης αὐτὴν ἀξιῶσαι βούλεται προμη Τοῦτο → υἱόν; Τοῦτο; τὰ δά᾿Αναστῆσαι → τὰ δάκρυα. ᾿Αναστῆσαι; αὐτὴν **, ὅτι κατώδυνος Βἡ → αὐτὴν, ὅτι κατώδυνος ἡ.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.16 (PG 80 80:753; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-16
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.17PG 80 80:755
Τί δήποτε εἰς τὴν ἀνάστασιν τοῦ παιδὸς ἀποστείλας τὸν Γιεζεί, παρηγγύησεν αὐτῷ· Ἐὰν εὕρῃς τινὰ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, μὴ εὐλογήσῃς αὐτὸν· καὶ ἐὰν εὐλογήσῃ σε τις, μὴ ἀποκριθῇς αὐτῷ; Ἤδει αὐτὸν φιλότιμον καὶ κενόδοξον, καὶ ὅτι τοῖς κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐντυγχάνουσι τοῦ δρόμου τὴν αἰτίαν ἐρεῖ· ἡ δὲ κενοδοξία τὴν θαυματουργίαν κωλύει.
Ti dēpote eis tēn anastasin tou paidos aposteilas ton Giezei, parēngyēsen autǭ; Ean heurę̄s tina en tę̄ hodǭ, mē eulogēsę̄s auton; kai ean eulogēsę̄ se tis, mē apokrithę̄s autǭ? Ēdei auton philotimon kai kenodoxon, kai hoti tois kata tēn hodon entynchanousi tou dromou tēn aitian erei; hē de kenodoxia tēn thaumatourgian kōlyei.
Why, when he sent Gehazi to raise the boy, did he charge him, “If you meet anyone on the road, do not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him”? He knew that he was ambitious and vainglorious, and that he would tell those he met on the way the reason for his errand; and vainglory hinders miracles.
2 Kgs 4:29 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:31 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Elisha forbade Gehazi to greet anyone because his vanity would make him boast and hinder the miracle.
- 2 Kgs 4:29. This short question holds one question and answer.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.17 (PG 80 80:755; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-17
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
4.18PG 80 80:755
Τί δηλοῖ τὸ, «Ἐλαὰδ ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν ; Τοῦτο οἱ ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταὶ ἐνεφύσησεν εἰρήκασιν. Ωσπερ γὰρ τῶν ὅλων ὁ ποιητὴς τοῦ ᾿Ἀδὰμ τὸ σῶμα δημιουργήσας, διὰ τοῦ ἐμφυσήματος ἐνεφύσησε τὴν ψυχήν· οὕτως ὁ προφήτης ἐμφυσήσας ἀνέστησε τὸ μειράκιον. ᾿Αλλ᾿ ὁ μὲν δημιουργὸς ἐμφυσήσας ἐδημιούργησε τὴν οὐκ οὖσαν ψυχήν· ὁ δὲ γε προφήτης τὴν οὖσαν εἰς τὸ οἰκεῖον ἐπανήγαγε σῶμα. Τὸ δὲ ἐνέπνευσεν ἐπ' αὐτὸν, συνεκάλυψεν οἱ ἄλλοι εἰρήκασι Τὰ δὲ οἰκεῖα αἰσθητήρια τοῖς ἐκείνου προσήρμοσεν, ὀφθαλμοὺς ὀφθαλμοῖς, στόμα στόματι, χεῖρας χερσίν ἵνα τῆς τοῦ ζῶντος ὁ τεθνεὼς μεταλάβῃ ζωῆς, τῆς πνευματικῆς δηλονότι χάριτος τὴν ζωὴν χορηγούσης.
Ti dēloi to, «Elaad ep᾿ auton ? Touto hoi alloi hermēneutai enephysēsen eirēkasin. Ōsper gar tōn holōn ho poiētēs tou ᾿Adam to sōma dēmiourgēsas, dia tou emphysēmatos enephysēse tēn psychēn; houtōs ho prophētēs emphysēsas anestēse to meirakion. ᾿All᾿ ho men dēmiourgos emphysēsas edēmiourgēse tēn ouk ousan psychēn; ho de ge prophētēs tēn ousan eis to oikeion epanēgage sōma. To de enepneusen ep' auton, synekalypsen hoi alloi eirēkasi Ta de oikeia aisthētēria tois ekeinou prosērmosen, ophthalmous ophthalmois, stoma stomati, cheiras chersin hina tēs tou zōntos ho tethneōs metalabę̄ zōēs, tēs pneumatikēs dēlonoti charitos tēn zōēn chorēgousēs.
What does “Elaad upon him” signify? The other translators said “he breathed into.” For as the Maker of the universe, having fashioned Adam's body, breathed the soul into it by his breath, so the prophet, breathing, raised the youth. But the Creator by breathing created the soul that did not exist; the prophet brought back the existing soul into its own body. For “he breathed upon him” the others said “he bent over.” He fitted his own sense organs to the boy's, eyes to eyes, mouth to mouth, hands to hands, so that the dead might share in the life of the living, the spiritual grace, of course, supplying the life.
2 Kgs 4:34 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:35 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 2:7 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Elisha's breathing on the dead boy echoes God's breathing life into Adam, though the prophet only restored an existing soul.
- 2 Kgs 4:34–35 (LXX transliterates; ἐλαάδ); Gen 2:7.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.18 (PG 80 80:755; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-18
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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.