Questions on Kings and Chronicles 4.19–4.48 (Questions on Kings and Chronicles)

Theodoret of Cyrus

Questions on Kings and Chronicles 4.19–4.48

Theodoret of Cyrus · Questions on Kings and Chronicles · ca. 453 · Cyrrhus · 30 passages

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

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Chapter 4

4.19PG 80 80:757

Τί ἐστι· συλλέξαι ἀριώθ;, Οἱ ἄλλοι ἄγρια λάχανα ταῦτα ἡρμήνευσαν. Τούτοις τὴν τολύπην οἱ συλλέγοντες ἀγνοοῦντες ἀνέμιξαν· ἀλλὰ τοῦ δηλητηρίου τὴν ἐνέργειαν ἤμβλυνεν ὁ προφήτης, ἄλευρον ἐπιβληθῆναι κελεύσας τῷ λέβητι. Ἤμβλυνε δὲ οὐχ ἡ τοῦ ἀλεύρου φύσις, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τοῦ προφήτου χάρις. Οὕτω καὶ τῶν ὑδάτων ἀγονίαν εἰς πολυγονίαν οὐχ οἱ ἅλες μετέβαλον, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ τοῦ προφητικοῦ πνεύματος δύναμις. Τῶν μέντοι προφητῶν τὸν ἀκτήμονα βίον ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει. Ὁ γὰρ τούτων πρωτεύων νῦν μὲν ἀγρίοις αὐτοὺς λαχάνοις εἰστίασε· νῦν δὲ κριθίνους εἴκοσιν ἑκατὸν ἀνδράσι παρέθηκε, καὶ τούτους ὑφ᾽ ἑτέρων προσενεχθέντας. Τοσαύτης δὲ αὐτοῖς εὐλογίας μετέδωκεν, ὡς καὶ τῶν ἑκατὸν πληρῶσαι τὴν χρείαν, καὶ μετὰ τὸν ἐκείνων κόρον ἱκανοὺς περιττεῦσαι. Τοσαύτη δὲ ἦν τῆς πενίας ἐκείνης ἡ δύναμις, ὡς τὸν βασιλέα τῶν Σύρων ἐκείνης δεηθῆναι τῆς χάριτος, καὶ Νεεμὰν ἀποστεῖλαι τὸν στρατηγὸν, ὥστε αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς προφητικῆς προσευχῆς ἀπαλλαγῆναι τῆς λέπρας· καὶ ὁ μὲν βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ τοῖς τοῦ Σύρου ἐντυχὼν γράμμασι, δι' ἀπορίαν τὴν ἐσθῆτα διέῤῥηξεν. Ὁ δέ γε προφήτης ὁ πένης αὐτῷ μὲν ἐνεμέσησεν· ἀποσταλῆναι δὲ αὐτῷ τὸν Νεεμάν παρηγγύησε, καὶ ἰδεῖν μὲν αὐτὸν, ὡς λεπρὸν, οὐκ ἠνέσχετο τὸν νόμον φυλάττων, ὡς ὑπὸ τῷ νόμῳ πολιτευόμενος· ἑπτάκις δὲ λούσασθαι ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ αὐτὸν προσέταξε ποταμῷ. Σώματος δὲ ἦν ἡ λέπρα· ἐκ δὲ τῶν τεσσάρων τοῦτο στοιχείων συνέστηκεν· ἐν ἑπτὰ δὲ ἡμέραις ὁ παρὼν βίος ἀνακυκλοῦται. Τῆς δὲ ψυχῆς ἡ κάθαρσις κατὰ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῆς ἁγίας ἀποτελεῖται Τριάδος. Ὁ δὲ Νεεμὰν τὸ πρῶτον μὲν ἀντεῖπε, βελτίους εἶναι τοὺς Δαμασκοῦ ποταμοὺς εἰρηκώς· τὴν εἰσήγησιν δὲ τῶν οἰκείων δεξάμενος, ἀπελήλυθε· καὶ τοῦ πάθους ἀπαλλαγεὶς προσελήλυθε τῷ προφήτῃ. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν αὐτῷ τὰ πολύτιμα προσενήνοχε δῶρα· ὁ δὲ προφήτης τὴν πολυπόθητον πενίαν παντὸς προτετίμηκε πλούτου, καὶ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν νομοθεσίαν πρὸ τῆς νομοθεσίας πεπλήρωκε. Δωρεάν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐλάβετε, δωρεάν δότε. Ὁ δὲ θαυμάσιος ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ, καὶ αὐτὴν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὴν γῆν ἡγιᾶσθαι πιστεύων, ἠξίωσε δύο γόμους ἡμιονικοὺς ἐκ ταύτης λαβεῖν, ὥστε ἐπὶ ταύτης μόνῳ προσφέρειν τῷ Δεσπότῃ Θεῷ τὰς νενομισμένας θυσίας. Οὐ γὰρ ποιήσει, φησὶν, ὁ δοῦλός σου ὁλοκαύτωμα ἢ θυσίαν θεοῖς ἑτέροις, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ τῷ Κυρίῳ μόνῳ. Καὶ περὶ τοῦ λόγου τούτου ἱλάσεταί μοι Κύριος τῷ δούλῳ σου, καὶ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαι τὸν κύριόν μου εἰς οἶκον Ῥεεμάν προσκυνῆσαι ἐκεῖ, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐπαναπαύεται ἐπὶ τῆς χειρός μου· καὶ ἐν τῷ προσκυνεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον Ῥεεμάν, προσκυνήσω ἅμα αὐτῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἱλάσεται Κύριος τῷ δούλῳ σου περὶ τοῦ λόγου τούτου. Ἀνάγκη με, φησί, συνεισιέναι τῷ βασιλεῖ τὸν ψευδώνυμον θεὸν προσκυνεῖν βουλομένῳ. ᾿Αλλ' εἰσιὼν ἐγὼ τὸν ἀληθινὸν προσκυνήσω Θεόν· συγγνώμης τυχεῖν ἱκετεύων, ὅτι δὴ διὰ τὴν βασιλικὴν ἀνάγκην εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς τὸν ψευδώνυμον θεὸν ἀναγκάζομαι. Τοῦτο γὰρ δεδήλωκεν, εἰρηκώς· Ἱλάσεταί μοι Κύριος τῷ δούλῳ σου περὶ τοῦ λόγου τούτου. Ταῦτα δὲ τὰ ῥήματα τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς πληθύος κατηγορεῖ, ὅτι καὶ νόμον ἔχοντες, καὶ προφήτας, καὶ ἱερέας, καὶ θαυματουργίας καὶ θεοσημίας ὁρῶντες, τὴν τῶν εἰδώλων θεραπείαν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ προτετιμήκασι θεραπείας. ῎Αξιον δὲ θαυμάσαι τοῦ προφήτου καὶ τῆς χάριτος τὴν ἰσχὺν, καὶ τῆς ψήφου τὸ δίκαιον. Καὶ γὰρ ἔγνω τοῦ Γιεζεὶ τὴν κλοπὴν, καὶ τὴν λέπραν αὐτῷ τοῦ Νεεμὰν ἀπεκλήρωσεν. Οὐχὶ ἡ καρδία μου, φησὶν, ἦν μετὰ σοῦ, ὅτε κατεπήδησε Νεεμὰν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἅρματος αὐτοῦ εἰς συνάντησίν σου; Καὶ νῦν ἔλαβες τὸ ἀργύριον, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια, καὶ λήψῃ ἐν αὐτῷ κήπους, καὶ ἐλαιῶνας, καὶ ἀμπελῶνας, καὶ ποίμνια, καὶ βουκόλια, καὶ δούλους, καὶ δούλας· καὶ ἡ λέπρα Νεεμὰν κολληθήσεται ἐν σοὶ, καὶ ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου ἕως αἰῶνος. Αλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἐραστὴς χρημάτων γεγονὼς ἀπεφάνθη λεπρός· ὁ δὲ τῶν προφητῶν χορὸς τὴν ἐσχάτην πενίαν ἠσπάσατο. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οἰκίας εἶχον, ἀλλὰ καλύβαις ἐχρῶντο. Διὸ τὸν μέγαν προφήτην ἱκέτευσαν συναπελθεῖν αὐτοῖς ξύλα τέμνουσιν εἰς τὴν τούτων κατασκευήν. Τοσαύτῃ δὲ ἐχρῶντο πενίᾳ, ὡς μηδὲ ἀξίνην ἀνέχεσθαι κτήσασθαι. Αὐτίκα γουν μιᾶς εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν ἐμπεσούσης, εἴρηκεν ὁ ταύτην χρησάμενος, Ὦ δὴ Κύριε, καὶ αὐτὸ κεχρημένον.» ᾿Αλλὰ μηδεὶς ἡγείσθω βλάσφημον τὴν φωνήν. Ἐπει καὶ ὁ προφήτης Δαβὶδ ἐν τῇ πνευματικῇ μελῳδίᾳ φησίν· Ὦ Κύριε, σῶσον δὴ, ὦ Κύριε, εὐόδωσον δή. Παραδόξως δὲ ἄγαν ὁ προφήτης ἀνήγαγε τὸ σιδήριον. Ξύλον γὰρ ἐμβαλὼν, παρεσκεύασεν ἐπιπολάσαι τὸ σιδήριον. Τοῦτο δὲ πάλιν προετύπου τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν οἰκονομίαν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ μὲν κουφότατον ξύλον ὑποβρύχιον γέγονεν, τὸ δὲ βαρύτατον ἐπεπόλασε σιδήριον οὕτω τῆς θείας φύσεως ἡ κατάβασις τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως ἐπραγματεύσατο τὴν ἀνάβασιν.

Ti esti; syllexai ariōth?, Hoi alloi agria lachana tauta hērmēneusan. Toutois tēn tolypēn hoi syllegontes agnoountes anemixan; alla tou dēlētēriou tēn energeian ēmblynen ho prophētēs, aleuron epiblēthēnai keleusas tǭ lebēti. Ēmblyne de ouch hē tou aleurou physis, all᾽ hē tou prophētou charis. Houtō kai tōn hydatōn agonian eis polygonian ouch hoi hales metebalon, all᾿ hē tou prophētikou pneumatos dynamis. Tōn mentoi prophētōn ton aktēmona bion hē historia didaskei. Ho gar toutōn prōteuōn nyn men agriois autous lachanois eistiase; nyn de krithinous eikosin hekaton andrasi parethēke, kai toutous hyph᾽ heterōn prosenechthentas. Tosautēs de autois eulogias metedōken, hōs kai tōn hekaton plērōsai tēn chreian, kai meta ton ekeinōn koron hikanous peritteusai. Tosautē de ēn tēs penias ekeinēs hē dynamis, hōs ton basilea tōn Syrōn ekeinēs deēthēnai tēs charitos, kai Neeman aposteilai ton stratēgon, hōste auton dia tēs prophētikēs proseuchēs apallagēnai tēs lepras; kai ho men basileus Israēl tois tou Syrou entychōn grammasi, di' aporian tēn esthēta dierrhēxen. Ho de ge prophētēs ho penēs autǭ men enemesēsen; apostalēnai de autǭ ton Neeman parēngyēse, kai idein men auton, hōs lepron, ouk ēnescheto ton nomon phylattōn, hōs hypo tǭ nomǭ politeuomenos; heptakis de lousasthai en tǭ Iordanę̄ auton prosetaxe potamǭ. Sōmatos de ēn hē lepra; ek de tōn tessarōn touto stoicheiōn synestēken; en hepta de hēmerais ho parōn bios anakykloutai. Tēs de psychēs hē katharsis kata ton arithmon tēs hagias apoteleitai Triados. Ho de Neeman to prōton men anteipe, beltious einai tous Damaskou potamous eirēkōs; tēn eisēgēsin de tōn oikeiōn dexamenos, apelēlythe; kai tou pathous apallageis proselēlythe tǭ prophētę̄. Kai prōton men autǭ ta polytima prosenēnoche dōra; ho de prophētēs tēn polypothēton penian pantos protetimēke ploutou, kai tēn euangelikēn nomothesian pro tēs nomothesias peplērōke. Dōrean gar, phēsin, elabete, dōrean dote. Ho de thaumasios ekeinos anēr, kai autēn tou Israēl tēn gēn hēgiasthai pisteuōn, ēxiōse dyo gomous hēmionikous ek tautēs labein, hōste epi tautēs monǭ prospherein tǭ Despotę̄ Theǭ tas nenomismenas thysias. Ou gar poiēsei, phēsin, ho doulos sou holokautōma ē thysian theois heterois, all᾽ ē tǭ Kyriǭ monǭ. Kai peri tou logou toutou hilasetai moi Kyrios tǭ doulǭ sou, kai en tǭ eisporeuesthai ton kyrion mou eis oikon Rheeman proskynēsai ekei, hoti autos epanapauetai epi tēs cheiros mou; kai en tǭ proskynein auton eis oikon Rheeman, proskynēsō hama autǭ Kyriǭ tǭ Theǭ, kai hilasetai Kyrios tǭ doulǭ sou peri tou logou toutou. Anankē me, phēsi, syneisienai tǭ basilei ton pseudōnymon theon proskynein boulomenǭ. ᾿All' eisiōn egō ton alēthinon proskynēsō Theon; syngnōmēs tychein hiketeuōn, hoti dē dia tēn basilikēn anankēn eiselthein pros ton pseudōnymon theon anankazomai. Touto gar dedēlōken, eirēkōs; Hilasetai moi Kyrios tǭ doulǭ sou peri tou logou toutou. Tauta de ta rhēmata tēs Ioudaïkēs plēthyos katēgorei, hoti kai nomon echontes, kai prophētas, kai hiereas, kai thaumatourgias kai theosēmias horōntes, tēn tōn eidōlōn therapeian tēs tou Theou protetimēkasi therapeias. ᾿Axion de thaumasai tou prophētou kai tēs charitos tēn ischyn, kai tēs psēphou to dikaion. Kai gar egnō tou Giezei tēn klopēn, kai tēn lepran autǭ tou Neeman apeklērōsen. Ouchi hē kardia mou, phēsin, ēn meta sou, hote katepēdēse Neeman apo tou harmatos autou eis synantēsin sou? Kai nyn elabes to argyrion, kai ta himatia, kai lēpsę̄ en autǭ kēpous, kai elaiōnas, kai ampelōnas, kai poimnia, kai boukolia, kai doulous, kai doulas; kai hē lepra Neeman kollēthēsetai en soi, kai en tǭ spermati sou heōs aiōnos. All᾽ ekeinos men erastēs chrēmatōn gegonōs apephanthē lepros; ho de tōn prophētōn choros tēn eschatēn penian ēspasato. Oude gar oikias eichon, alla kalybais echrōnto. Dio ton megan prophētēn hiketeusan synapelthein autois xyla temnousin eis tēn toutōn kataskeuēn. Tosautę̄ de echrōnto penią, hōs mēde axinēn anechesthai ktēsasthai. Autika goun mias eis ton potamon empesousēs, eirēken ho tautēn chrēsamenos, Ō dē Kyrie, kai auto kechrēmenon.» ᾿Alla mēdeis hēgeisthō blasphēmon tēn phōnēn. Epei kai ho prophētēs Dabid en tę̄ pneumatikę̄ melǭdią phēsin; Ō Kyrie, sōson dē, ō Kyrie, euodōson dē. Paradoxōs de agan ho prophētēs anēgage to sidērion. Xylon gar embalōn, pareskeuasen epipolasai to sidērion. Touto de palin proetypou tēn tou Sōtēros hēmōn oikonomian. Hōsper gar to men kouphotaton xylon hypobrychion gegonen, to de barytaton epepolase sidērion houtō tēs theias physeōs hē katabasis tēs anthrōpinēs physeōs epragmateusato tēn anabasin.

What does “to gather arioth” mean? The others translated these as wild herbs. Those gathering them unknowingly mixed in the wild gourd; but the prophet blunted the action of the poison by ordering flour to be thrown into the pot. It was not the nature of the flour that blunted it, but the prophet's grace. So too it was not the salt that changed the barrenness of the waters into fruitfulness, but the power of the prophetic spirit. The history teaches the propertyless life of the prophets. For their leader at one time feasted them on wild herbs, and at another set twenty barley loaves before a hundred men, and these brought by others. He gave them such a blessing that they met the need of the hundred, and after they were satisfied enough was left over. So great was the power of that poverty that the king of the Syrians needed that grace and sent Naaman his general, so that he might be freed from leprosy through the prophet's prayer. The king of Israel, on reading the Syrian's letter, tore his clothes in perplexity. But the poor prophet was indignant with him and told him to send Naaman to him; he would not see him, as a leper, keeping the law, as one who lived under the law; and he ordered him to wash seven times in the river Jordan. The leprosy was of the body, and the body is composed of the four elements; and the present life revolves in seven days. But the purification of the soul is completed according to the number of the Holy Trinity. Naaman at first objected, saying that the rivers of Damascus were better; but accepting the advice of his servants, he went, and freed of his affliction came to the prophet. First he offered him very valuable gifts; but the prophet preferred much-desired poverty to all wealth, and fulfilled the evangelical law before it was given: “Freely,” he says, “you have received; freely give.” That admirable man, believing that the very land of Israel was sanctified, asked to take two mule-loads of it, so as to offer the customary sacrifices to God the Master alone upon it: “For your servant,” he says, “will no longer offer whole burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but only to the Lord. In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my lord goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I worship in the house of Rimmon with him, I will worship the Lord God; and may the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.” I am obliged, he says, to go in with the king when he wishes to worship the falsely named god; but when I go in I will worship the true God, asking for pardon because I am compelled by royal necessity to go in to the falsely named god. For he showed this by saying, “May the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.” These words accuse the multitude of the Jews, who, having the law, prophets, priests, and seeing miracles and divine signs, preferred the worship of idols to the worship of God. One should admire the strength of the prophet's grace and the justice of his sentence. For he knew of Gehazi's theft and allotted Naaman's leprosy to him: “Did not my heart go with you,” he says, “when Naaman sprang down from his chariot to meet you? And now you have taken the silver and the garments, and with it you will acquire gardens, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, male and female slaves; and the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your seed forever.” He, having become a lover of money, was made a leper; but the choir of the prophets embraced extreme poverty. They did not even have houses, but used huts. So they begged the great prophet to go with them as they cut timber to build them. They lived in such poverty that they could not even own an axe. At once, at any rate, when one fell into the river, the man who had used it said, “Alas, Lord, and it was borrowed!” Let no one think the word blasphemous; for the prophet David too says in his spiritual song, “O Lord, save now; O Lord, prosper now.” The prophet brought up the iron in a very wonderful way: throwing in a piece of wood, he made the iron float. This again prefigured the dispensation of our Savior. For as the lightest wood went under the water and the heaviest iron floated, so the descent of the divine nature brought about the ascent of human nature.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

2 Kgs 4:39 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:41 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:21 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:42 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:43 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:44 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 13:46 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:18 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:26 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 5:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 118:25 (117:25 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:6 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The prophets' poverty was powerful: Elisha cured the poisoned pot, fed a hundred, healed Naaman and refused his gifts, punished Gehazi's greed, and made the axe-head float, a figure of the incarnation.

2 Kgs 4:38–44; 5:1–27; 6:1–7 (LXX; quotations 4:39 ἀριώθ, 5:17–18, 26–27; 6:5); Matt 10:8; Ps 118:25 (LXX 117:25); the leper law, Lev 13:46. The symbolic readings (the four elements, seven days, the Trinity; the axe-head as the incarnation) are Theodoret's; translated as written. Displaced lines are removed by logged corrections: a variant form of the note in 4.18 (“…he bent over, the others said”) printed after “that admirable”, and a phrase of 5:17 (“to your servant a load of a pair of mules”) printed inside the word “think”.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR breathing error; OCR dropped a letter; OCR letter error; displaced phrase of 2 Kgs 5:17 printed inside the word ἡγείσθω; displaced variant line from question 4.18 printed inside the sentence; stray footnote mark; stray letters and word split by the OCR; stray mark; stray marks; stray particle; stray syllable; word split by the OCR): ἤμΈλυνεν → ἤμβλυνεν; ἐπιβληθῆναι· κελεύσας → ἐπιβληθῆναι κελεύσας; ἀνδράσι σε παρέθηκε → ἀνδράσι παρέθηκε; Ἰσραὴλδὲ τοῖς → Ἰσραὴλ τοῖς; αὐτὸνδε προσέταξε → αὐτὸν προσέταξε; ἦν 5' ἡ λέπρα → ἦν ἡ λέπρα; καὶ τοῦ δὲ πάθους → καὶ τοῦ πάθους; Ὁ δὲ θαυμάσιος δὲ ἐνεγύωσεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν, συνέκαμψεν οἱ ἄλλοι εἰρήκασιν, ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ → Ὁ δὲ θαυμάσιος ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ; ἐπαναπαύεται δὲ ἐπὶ → ἐπαναπαύεται ἐπὶ; Ανάγκη με *, φησί → Ἀνάγκη με, φησί; ἄρ– ματος → ἅρματος; σπέρματ σου → σπέρματί σου; τὸ ἐραστὴς χρη μάτων τι γεγονὼς → ἐραστὴς χρημάτων γεγονὼς; ἡγείδὴ τῷ δούλῳ σου γόμος ζεύγος ἡμιόνων. σθω → ἡγείσθω; ἑπραγματεύσατο → ἐπραγματεύσατο.

Topics: Christology, Trinity

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.19 (PG 80 80:757; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-19

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.20PG 80 80:761

Τί ἐστιν· Εἰς τὸν τόπον τὸν Φελμουνί; Ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι, Εἰς τόνδε τὸν τόπον τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ φελμουνί ᾿Αξιάγαστον δὲ τοῦ προφήτου καὶ τοῦτο. Θηρευθεὶς γὰρ ἐθήρευσε τοὺς θηρεύσαντας, καὶ ἀχλὺν τοῖς τούτων ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐπαγαγὼν, εἰς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν αὐτοὺς εἰσήγαγε πόλιν. Εἶτα τὴν ἀχλὺν ἀποσκεδάσαι τὸν Θεὸν ἱκετεύσας, γνῶναι παρεσκεύασεν ὡς εἴσω τῶν ἀρκύων ἐλήφθησαν· καὶ ὅτι ζωγρῆσαι πειραθέντες ἐζώγρηνται. ᾿Αξιέπαινον δὲ αὐτοῦ κἀκεῖνο. Τοῦ γὰρ βασιλέως ἀνελεῖν πειραθέντος, ἔφη· Οὐ πατάξεις οὓς οὐκ ἠχμαλώτευσας ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ σου καὶ τόξῳ σου. Παράθες αὐτοῖς ἄρτους καὶ ὕδωρ, καὶ φαγέτωσαν, καὶ πιέτωσαν, καὶ ἀποστατήτωσαν πρὸς τὸν κύριον αὐτῶν. Εἰ σφαγεῖεν, φησὶν, οὐ γνωσθήσεται τῆς θαυματουργίας τὸ μέγεθος· εἰ δὲ ὑγιεῖς ἀπέλθοιεν πρὸς τὸν ἀποστείλαντα, μαθήσεται κἀκεῖνος τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἡμετέρου τὴν δύναμιν.

Ti estin; Eis ton topon ton Phelmouni? Hōs an tis eipoi, Eis tonde ton topon touto gar dēloi to phelmouni ᾿Axiagaston de tou prophētou kai touto. Thēreutheis gar ethēreuse tous thēreusantas, kai achlyn tois toutōn ophthalmois epagagōn, eis tēn basileuousan autous eisēgage polin. Eita tēn achlyn aposkedasai ton Theon hiketeusas, gnōnai pareskeuasen hōs eisō tōn arkyōn elēphthēsan; kai hoti zōgrēsai peirathentes ezōgrēntai. ᾿Axiepainon de autou kakeino. Tou gar basileōs anelein peirathentos, ephē; Ou pataxeis hous ouk ēchmalōteusas en rhomphaią sou kai toxǭ sou. Parathes autois artous kai hydōr, kai phagetōsan, kai pietōsan, kai apostatētōsan pros ton kyrion autōn. Ei sphageien, phēsin, ou gnōsthēsetai tēs thaumatourgias to megethos; ei de hygieis apelthoien pros ton aposteilanta, mathēsetai kakeinos tou Theou tou hēmeterou tēn dynamin.

What does “to the place Phelmouni” mean? As one might say, “to such and such a place”; for this is what phelmouni signifies. This too of the prophet is admirable: being hunted, he hunted the hunters, and bringing a mist over their eyes, he led them into the royal city. Then, praying God to scatter the mist, he made them realize that they had been caught inside the nets, and that those who had tried to take him captive had been taken captive. This too of his is praiseworthy: when the king tried to kill them, he said, “You shall not strike those whom you have not taken captive with your sword and your bow. Set bread and water before them, and let them eat and drink and go back to their master.” If they were slaughtered, he means, the greatness of the miracle would not be known; but if they went back unharmed to the one who sent them, he too would learn the power of our God.

2 Kgs 6:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:20 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:21 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:22 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:23 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: “Phelmouni” means “such a place”; Elisha blinded the Syrians who came to seize him, led them into Samaria, and had them fed and released so that their king would learn God's power.

2 Kgs 6:8–23 (LXX; quotations 6:8, 22).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray marks; word split by the OCR): Φελμουνί ;, Ὡς → Φελμουνί; Ὡς; ἱκε· τεύσας → ἱκετεύσας.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.20 (PG 80 80:761; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-20

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.21PG 80 80:761

Ἡ κόπρος τῶν περιστερῶν ποίαν χρείαν ἐπλήρου; Ἡ τῆς πολιορκίας ἀνάγκη, καὶ τοῦ λιμοῦ τὸ μέγεθος, ἠνάγκασεν αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ ἁλῶν κεχρῆσθαι τῇ κόπρῳ.

Hē kopros tōn peristerōn poian chreian eplērou? Hē tēs poliorkias anankē, kai tou limou to megethos, ēnankasen autous anti halōn kechrēsthai tę̄ koprǭ.

What need did the dove's dung meet? The necessity of the siege and the severity of the famine forced them to use the dung instead of salt.

2 Kgs 6:25 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: During the siege, dove's dung was used as a substitute for salt.

2 Kgs 6:25. This short question holds one question and answer.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.21 (PG 80 80:761; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-21

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.22PG 80 80:761

Τι δήποτε προσέταξεν ὁ προφήτης κλεισθῆναι τὴν θύραν, καὶ ἐπισχεθῆναι τὸν παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως σταλέντα ; Ὁ ἐμβρόντητος βασιλεὺς, τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τῆς μητρὸς τὴν μιαιφονίαν ἐζηλωκὼς, προσέταξεν ἀποτεμεῖν τοῦ προφήτου τὴν κεφαλὴν· καὶ ταῦτα σάκκον περιβεβλημένος, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἱκετεύων λῦσαι καὶ σκεδάσαι τὸ στυγνὸν ἐκεῖνο νέφος καὶ τετρηγός. Καὶ δέον ἱκετεῦσαι τὸν προφήτην, ὥστε τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πρεσβείαν προσενεγκεῖν τῷ Θεῷ, τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἐποίησεν, ἠπείλησε δὲ κατασφάττειν ὡς ἀμελοῦντα, ἢ ὡς ἑκόντα παρορῶντα τῆς συμφορᾶς τὴν ὑπερβολήν. Ἀλλ᾿ εὐθὺς μεταμεληθεὶς ἔδραμεν ἐπέχων τὸν φόνον. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ προφήτης δεδήλωκεν Εἰ ἑωράκατε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ φονευτοῦ οὗτος ἀφελεῖν τὴν κεφαλήν μου; Ἴδετε ὡς ἐὰν εἰσέλθῃ ὁ ἄγγελος, ἀποκλείσατε τὴν θύραν, καὶ ἐκθλίψατε αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ θύρᾳ· οὐκ ἰδοὺ ἡ φωνὴ τῶν ποδῶν τοῦ Κυρίου αὐτοῦ κατόπισθεν αὐτοῦ; ῎Αλλ᾿ ὅμως καὶ ταῦτα πάσχων ὁ προφήτης ἱκέτευσε τὸν Δεσπότην, καὶ τὴν πολιορκίαν ἀθρόως διέλυσε. Μετὰ τοῦτο τὸ διήγημα, ὁ τὴν ἱστορίαν συγγράψας ἐδίδαξεν ἡμᾶς, ὡς τῇ Σωμανίτιδι τὸν ἐσόμενον λιμὸν ὁ προφήτης προείρηκεν. Μεμήνυκε δὲ καὶ τὸν χρόνον. Κύριος γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκάλεσε λιμὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ παρέσται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἑπτὰ ἔτη. Αἰνίττεται δὲ ὁ λόγος, ὡς ὁ Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ λιμοῦ τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐδέξατο. Διὸ δὴ τῇ Σωμανίτιδι παρεγγύησε λέγων· ᾿Ανάστηθι καὶ πορεύου σὺ, καὶ ὁ υἱός σου καὶ ὁ οἶκός σου καὶ παροίκει οὗ ἐὰν εὕρῃς ἐκεῖ Εἰ δὲ κοινὸς ἦν πάσης τῆς γῆς ὁ λιμὸς, οὐκ ἂν αὐτὴν ἑτέρωσε ἀπεστάλκει. Δῆλον τοίνυν, ὡς ὁ Ἰσραὴλ ταῖς θεηλάτοις πληγαῖς ἐπαιδεύετο, ὡς μετὰ τοσαύτην ἐπιμέλειαν δυσσεβῶς πολιτευόμενος. Μανθάνομεν δὲ καὶ ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς διπλῆς τετύχηκε χάριτος ὁ προφήτης τοῦδε γὰρ τοῦ λιμοῦ ὁ χρόνος διπλάσιος.

Ti dēpote prosetaxen ho prophētēs kleisthēnai tēn thyran, kai epischethēnai ton para tou basileōs stalenta ? Ho embrontētos basileus, tou patros kai tēs mētros tēn miaiphonian ezēlōkōs, prosetaxen apotemein tou prophētou tēn kephalēn; kai tauta sakkon peribeblēmenos, kai ton Theon hiketeuōn lysai kai skedasai to stygnon ekeino nephos kai tetrēgos. Kai deon hiketeusai ton prophētēn, hōste tēn hyper autou presbeian prosenenkein tǭ Theǭ, touto men ouk epoiēsen, ēpeilēse de katasphattein hōs amelounta, ē hōs hekonta parorōnta tēs symphoras tēn hyperbolēn. All᾿ euthys metamelētheis edramen epechōn ton phonon. Touto gar kai ho prophētēs dedēlōken Ei heōrakate gar, phēsin, hoti kai apesteilen ho huios tou phoneutou houtos aphelein tēn kephalēn mou? Idete hōs ean eiselthę̄ ho angelos, apokleisate tēn thyran, kai ekthlipsate auton en tę̄ thyrą; ouk idou hē phōnē tōn podōn tou Kyriou autou katopisthen autou? ᾿All᾿ homōs kai tauta paschōn ho prophētēs hiketeuse ton Despotēn, kai tēn poliorkian athroōs dielyse. Meta touto to diēgēma, ho tēn historian syngrapsas edidaxen hēmas, hōs tę̄ Sōmanitidi ton esomenon limon ho prophētēs proeirēken. Memēnyke de kai ton chronon. Kyrios gar, phēsin, ekalese limon epi tēn gēn, kai parestai epi tēn gēn hepta etē. Ainittetai de ho logos, hōs ho Israēl tou limou tēn timōrian edexato. Dio dē tę̄ Sōmanitidi parengyēse legōn; ᾿Anastēthi kai poreuou sy, kai ho huios sou kai ho oikos sou kai paroikei hou ean heurę̄s ekei Ei de koinos ēn pasēs tēs gēs ho limos, ouk an autēn heterōse apestalkei. Dēlon toinyn, hōs ho Israēl tais theēlatois plēgais epaideueto, hōs meta tosautēn epimeleian dyssebōs politeuomenos. Manthanomen de kai enteuthen, hōs diplēs tetychēke charitos ho prophētēs toude gar tou limou ho chronos diplasios.

Why did the prophet order the door to be shut and the man sent by the king to be held back? The thunderstruck king, imitating the murderousness of his father and mother, ordered the prophet's head to be cut off; and this while wearing sackcloth and begging God to dissolve and scatter that gloomy, harsh cloud. When he ought to have begged the prophet to intercede with God for him, he did not do this, but threatened to slay him as negligent, or as willingly overlooking the extremity of the calamity. But at once, repenting, he ran after him to stop the murder. The prophet showed this: “Do you see,” he says, “that this son of a murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and press him back at the door; is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?” Yet even suffering this, the prophet begged the Master, and ended the siege all at once. After this story, the writer of the history taught us that the prophet foretold to the Shunammite the coming famine, and stated its length: “For the Lord,” he says, “has called a famine upon the land, and it will come upon the land seven years.” The passage hints that Israel received the punishment of the famine. That is why he charged the Shunammite, “Arise and go, you and your son and your household, and sojourn wherever you can.” If the famine had been common to the whole earth, he would not have sent her elsewhere. It is clear, then, that Israel was being disciplined by God-sent blows, as living impiously after so much care. We learn from this too that the prophet had received double grace; for the duration of this famine was double.

2 Kgs 6:30 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:31 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 6:32 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 7:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:2 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Elisha had the door barred against the king's executioner, yet prayed and ended the siege; he warned the Shunammite of a seven-year famine on Israel, twice the length of Elijah's.

2 Kgs 6:30–7:20; 8:1–2 (quotations 6:32; 8:1). The phrase “of our God and Savior”, printed inside the word ὑπερβολήν, is a stray line and is removed by a logged correction together with other slips.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; repeated particle and Latin letter; stray line printed inside the sentence; word split by the OCR; word split by the OCR): τὴν α τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν. ὑπερβολήν. Ἀλλ᾿ εὐθὺς μεταμεληθεὶς ἔδραμεν ἐπ έχων → τὴν ὑπερβολήν. Ἀλλ᾿ εὐθὺς μεταμεληθεὶς ἔδραμεν ἐπέχων; δεδήλωΧεν → δεδήλωκεν; ἀπέστει λεν → ἀπέστειλεν; Αἰνίττεται δὲ δὲ ὁ λόγος, ὡς Bὁ Ἰσραὴλ → Αἰνίττεται δὲ ὁ λόγος, ὡς ὁ Ἰσραὴλ.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.22 (PG 80 80:761; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-22

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.23PG 80 80:763

Τί δήποτε τοῦ Βαραδάδ ὁ προφήτης τὴν τελευτὴν προειπὼν τῷ ᾿Αζαὴλ, παρεσκευάσατο εἰπεῖν αὐτῷ, Ζωῇ ζήση; Ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς Ἠλίᾳ τῷ μεγάλῳ παρεκελεύσατο χρίσαι μὲν τὸν Ἑλισσαῖον προφήτην, τὸν δὲ ᾿Αζαὴλ εἰς βασιλέα Συρίας, καὶ τὸν Ἰηοῦ εἰς βασιλέα Ἰσραήλ. ᾿Αλλὰ τὸν μὲν Ἑλισσαῖον ἔχρισεν, ὡς προσετάχθη, τοὺς βασιλεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἔχρισεν ἔφθασε γὰρ ἀναληφθῆναι, Ὁ δὲ Ἑλισσαῖος, διπλὴν τὴν ἐκείνου χάριν δεξάμενος, πρῶτον εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν ἀπελήλυθεν, ὥστε χρίσαι τὸν ᾿Αζαήλ. Ο τοίνυν Βαραδάδ (ἓν γάρ ἐστιν ὄνομα, υἱὸς "Αδερ), μαθὼν τοῦ προφήτου τὴν παρουσίαν, ἀπέστειλε τὸν ᾿Αζαήλ, καὶ δῶρα πολυτελῆ καὶ φιλότιμα, ὥστε μαθεῖν εἰ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας ἀπαλλαγήσεται. Αφικομένῳ τοίνυν τῷ ᾿Αζαὴλ ὁ προφήτης προεῖπε καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ βασιλείαν, καὶ τοῦ πεπομφότος τὸν θάνατον. Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ, μὴ μηνῦσαι τὸν θάνατον, ἵνα μὴ ἀθυμῶν ὑπεξέλθῃ τοῦ βίου. Ἰδὼν μέντοι τὸν ᾿Αζαὴλ ὁ προφήτης, τὰς τῶν δακρύων ἀφῆκε λιβάδας προεώρα γὰρ τὰς ἐσομένας δι᾿ αὐτοῦ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ συμφοράς Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ αὐτῷ προμεμήνυκεν.

Ti dēpote tou Baradad ho prophētēs tēn teleutēn proeipōn tǭ ᾿Azaēl, pareskeuasato eipein autǭ, Zōę̄ zēsē? Ho tōn holōn Theos Ēlią tǭ megalǭ parekeleusato chrisai men ton Helissaion prophētēn, ton de ᾿Azaēl eis basilea Syrias, kai ton Iēou eis basilea Israēl. ᾿Alla ton men Helissaion echrisen, hōs prosetachthē, tous basileis de ouk echrisen ephthase gar analēphthēnai, Ho de Helissaios, diplēn tēn ekeinou charin dexamenos, prōton eis tēn Damaskon apelēlythen, hōste chrisai ton ᾿Azaēl. O toinyn Baradad (hen gar estin onoma, huios "Ader), mathōn tou prophētou tēn parousian, apesteile ton ᾿Azaēl, kai dōra polytelē kai philotima, hōste mathein ei tēs arrhōstias apallagēsetai. Aphikomenǭ toinyn tǭ ᾿Azaēl ho prophētēs proeipe kai tēn autou basileian, kai tou pepomphotos ton thanaton. Eipe de autǭ, mē mēnysai ton thanaton, hina mē athymōn hypexelthę̄ tou biou. Idōn mentoi ton ᾿Azaēl ho prophētēs, tas tōn dakryōn aphēke libadas proeōra gar tas esomenas di᾿ autou tǭ Israēl symphoras Touto gar kai autǭ promemēnyken.

Why did the prophet, having foretold Ben-hadad's death to Hazael, have him say to Ben-hadad, “You shall surely live”? The God of the universe ordered the great Elijah to anoint Elisha as prophet, Hazael as king of Syria, and Jehu as king of Israel. He anointed Elisha, as he was commanded, but not the kings, for he was taken up first. Elisha, having received his double grace, first went to Damascus to anoint Hazael. Ben-hadad (for it is one name, son of Ader), learning of the prophet's arrival, sent Hazael with costly and generous gifts to learn whether he would recover from his illness. When Hazael arrived, the prophet foretold both his kingship and the death of the one who sent him. But he told him not to announce the death, so that the king would not depart this life in despondency. Seeing Hazael, the prophet shed streams of tears, for he foresaw the calamities that would come upon Israel through him; and he told him this too.

2 Kgs 8:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:13 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Elisha, completing Elijah's commission, told Hazael he would be king and that Ben-hadad would die, but had him spare the sick king despair; he wept foreseeing Hazael's cruelty to Israel.

2 Kgs 8:7–13; 1 Kgs 19:15–16. Stray words from the quotation in 4.22 (“wherever you can sojourn”) at the end are removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray footnote mark; stray letter; stray words from the preceding question at the end; word split by the OCR; words joined by the OCR): Ἑλισσαῖος *, → Ἑλισσαῖος,; προ φήτου → προφήτου; καὶδῶρα → καὶ δῶρα; προφήτης, Η τὰς → προφήτης, τὰς; προμεμήνυκεν. ἂν εὔρῃς παροικεῖν. → προμεμήνυκεν..

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.23 (PG 80 80:763; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-23

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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.

4.24PG 80 80:765

Πῶς νοητέον τό· ῎Ελαβε τὸ στρῶμα καὶ ἔβαψεν αὐτὸ ὕδατι, καὶ ἐπέβαλεν ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ; Ὁ Ἰώσηπος τὸν ᾿Αζαὴλ εἴρηκε τοῦτο πεποιηκέναι, καὶ βιαίαν ἐπενεγκεῖν αὐτῷ τελευτήν Δυσσεβὴς γὰρ ἦν καὶ μιαιφόνος. Αὐτὸς γὰρ εἴρηκε· Θεὸς ὀρέων ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ οὐ Θεὸς κοιλάδων καὶ σωθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ ᾿Αχαάβ ἀχάριστος περὶ τὸν εὐεργέτην ἐγένετο. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ ἡμᾶς ἡ ἱστορία τῆς κακῆς συγγενείας τὴν βλάβην· ὁ γὰρ ἕτερος Ἰωρὰμ, ὁ τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς βασιλεὺς, ἔφυ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ Ἰωσαφάτ ἀνδρὸς εὐσεβοῦς τοῖς δὲ τῆς ὁμοζύγου ὑπαχθεὶς λόγοις, τῆς ἀσεβείας μετέλαχεν Ἐπορεύθη γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν ὁδῷ τῶν βασιλέων Ἰσραὴλ, καθὼς ἐποίησεν ὁ οἶκος ᾿Αχαάβ, ὅτι θυγάτηρ ᾿Αχαάβ ἦν αὐτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα, καὶ ἐποίει τὸ πονηρὸν ἔναντι Κυρίου.

Pōs noēteon to; ᾿Elabe to strōma kai ebapsen auto hydati, kai epebalen epi to prosōpon autou, kai apethanen ? Ho Iōsēpos ton ᾿Azaēl eirēke touto pepoiēkenai, kai biaian epenenkein autǭ teleutēn Dyssebēs gar ēn kai miaiphonos. Autos gar eirēke; Theos oreōn ho Theos Israēl, kai ou Theos koiladōn kai sōtheis hypo tou ᾿Achaab acharistos peri ton euergetēn egeneto. Edidaxe de hēmas hē historia tēs kakēs syngeneias tēn blabēn; ho gar heteros Iōram, ho tēs Iouda phylēs basileus, ephy men ek tou Iōsaphat andros eusebous tois de tēs homozygou hypachtheis logois, tēs asebeias metelachen Eporeuthē gar, phēsin, en hodǭ tōn basileōn Israēl, kathōs epoiēsen ho oikos ᾿Achaab, hoti thygatēr ᾿Achaab ēn autǭ eis gynaika, kai epoiei to ponēron enanti Kyriou.

How should “He took the coverlet and dipped it in water and spread it over his face, and he died” be understood? Josephus said that Hazael did this and brought on him a violent death. For he was impious and murderous: he it was who said, “The God of Israel is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” and, after being saved by Ahab, he was ungrateful to his benefactor. The history taught us the harm of an evil kinship. For the other Joram, king of the tribe of Judah, was born of Jehoshaphat, a pious man; but, led on by the words of his wife, he shared in impiety: “For he walked,” it says, “in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab did, for Ahab's daughter was his wife, and he did evil before the Lord.”

2 Kgs 8:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:28 (3 Kgdms 21:28 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 20:34 (3 Kgdms 21:34 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:18 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Hazael smothered Ben-hadad, a fitting end for an impious ingrate; Joram of Judah, married to Ahab's daughter, followed Ahab's impiety.

2 Kgs 8:15–18 (quotations 8:15, 18); Josephus, Ant. 9.4.6. Theodoret ascribes the boast and the ingratitude to the dying king; compare 1 Kgs 20:23, 28, 31–34 (LXX 21).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR accent error; OCR letter error; stray mark): πρόστἶπον → πρόσωπον; ὁμόζύγου → ὁμοζύγου; ἐν᾿ ὁδῷ → ἐν ὁδῷ.

Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, Ant. 9.4.6 (Josephus (works); allusion)

Topics: Marriage

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.24 (PG 80 80:765; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-24

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.25PG 80 80:765

Πῶς νοητέον τό· Ἐπάταξε τὸν Ἐδὼμ, καὶ τὸν λαὸν τὸν κυκλοῦντα αὐτὸν, καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας μετὰ τῶν ἁρμάτων, καὶ ἔφυγεν ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὰ σκηνώματα αὐτοῦ; Ἦρχε τῶν Ἰδουμαίων ὁ τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς βασιλεύς· ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ πατριάρχου Ἰσαὰκ προφητείαν, τὴν τῆς δουλείας ἀπεσείσαντο ζεύγλην. Ἔσται γὰρ, φησὶ, καιρὸς, ἡνίκα ἂν καθέλῃς τὸν ζυγὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ τραχήλου σου. Στρατεύσαντες τοίνυν κατ᾿ αὐτῶν, ἐκείνους μὲν ἀνεῖλον, καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπανῆλθον γῆν. Οἱ δὲ Ἰδουμαῖοι καὶ νικηθέντες ἄρχεσθαι λοιπὸν οὐκ ἠνέσχοντο.

Pōs noēteon to; Epataxe ton Edōm, kai ton laon ton kyklounta auton, kai tous archontas meta tōn harmatōn, kai ephygen ho laos eis ta skēnōmata autou? Ērche tōn Idoumaiōn ho tēs Iouda phylēs basileus; alla kata tēn tou patriarchou Isaak prophēteian, tēn tēs douleias apeseisanto zeuglēn. Estai gar, phēsi, kairos, hēnika an kathelę̄s ton zygon autou apo tou trachēlou sou. Strateusantes toinyn kat᾿ autōn, ekeinous men aneilon, kai eis tēn oikeian epanēlthon gēn. Hoi de Idoumaioi kai nikēthentes archesthai loipon ouk ēneschonto.

How should “He struck Edom, and the people surrounding him, and the commanders with the chariots, and the people fled to their tents” be understood? The king of the tribe of Judah ruled the Idumeans; but, according to the prophecy of the patriarch Isaac, they shook off the yoke of slavery: “There will come a time,” he says, “when you will break his yoke from your neck.” So they campaigned against them, killed those, and returned to their own land. But the Idumeans, even though defeated, would no longer submit to be ruled.

2 Kgs 8:20 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:21 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 27:40 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Edom's revolt from Judah fulfilled Isaac's prophecy to Esau.

2 Kgs 8:20–22 (quotation 8:21, LXX); Gen 27:40.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray letter; stray mark): τό· ι Ἐπάταξε → τό· Ἐπάταξε; προφητείαν', τὴν → προφητείαν, τὴν.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.25 (PG 80 80:765; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-25

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.26PG 80 80:765

Τίνος χάριν δι' ἄλλου προφήτου τὸν Ἰηοῦ κέχρικεν ὁ Ἑλισσαῖος; Λάθρα τοῦτο γενέσθαι συνέφερεν, ὥστε συντόμως ἀναιρεθῆναι τὸν Ἰωράμ· εἰ γὰρ προῄσθετο, παρετάξατο ἄν. Ἐν δὲ τῇ παρατάξει, καὶ πολλοὺς ἦν ἀνάγκη πεσεῖν ἑκατέρωθεν.

Tinos charin di' allou prophētou ton Iēou kechriken ho Helissaios? Lathra touto genesthai synepheren, hōste syntomōs anairethēnai ton Iōram; ei gar proę̄stheto, paretaxato an. En de tę̄ parataxei, kai pollous ēn anankē pesein hekaterōthen.

Why did Elisha anoint Jehu through another prophet? It was expedient that this be done secretly, so that Joram would be killed quickly; for if he had perceived it in advance, he would have drawn up for battle, and in a battle many would necessarily have fallen on both sides.

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

Notes and citation

Summary: Elisha had Jehu anointed secretly by a disciple so that Joram could be removed swiftly without a war.

2 Kgs 9:1–10. This short question holds one question and answer. The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 320.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR letter error): ὁ Ἑλισσαιέ; → ὁ Ἑλισσαῖος;.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.26 (PG 80 80:765; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-26

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.27PG 80 80:765

Διατί δὲ χρίσαντα φυγεῖν εὐθὺς παρηγγύησεν; ἵνα μὴ συλληφθεὶς κινδυνεύσῃ· βούλεται γὰρ ἡμᾶς Δεσπότης Θεὸς καὶ ἀνθρωπίναις οἰκονομίαις κεχρῆσθαι. Τοὺς γὰρ λόγῳ τιμηθέντας εἰς δέον προσήκει κεχρῆσθαι τῷ λόγῳ.

Diati de chrisanta phygein euthys parēngyēsen? hina mē syllēphtheis kindyneusę̄; bouletai gar hēmas Despotēs Theos kai anthrōpinais oikonomiais kechrēsthai. Tous gar logǭ timēthentas eis deon prosēkei kechrēsthai tǭ logǭ.

Why did he charge the one who anointed him to flee at once? So that he would not be caught and endangered. For God the Master wishes us to use human prudence too; those honored with reason ought to use reason as is fitting.

2 Kgs 9:3 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 9:10 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The young prophet was to flee immediately, since God wants us to use ordinary prudence.

2 Kgs 9:3, 10. This short question holds one question and answer.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.27 (PG 80 80:765; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-27

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.28PG 80 80:765

Διατί ἐπίληπτον τὸν προφήτην ἐκάλεσαν; Ὡς δυσσεβοῦντες ὕβριζον τοὺς θεράποντας τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ μαινομένους ἐκάλουν, ὡς παῤῥησίᾳ χρωμένους· ὁ δὲ Ἰηοῦ οὐχ ὡς παροινῶν ἀδολέσχην ὠνόμασεν, ἀλλὰ κρύψαι τὰ εἰρημένα πειρώμενος. Ἐπεὶ δὲ εἶδεν ἐπικειμένους, ἐμήνυσεν.

Diati epilēpton ton prophētēn ekalesan? Hōs dyssebountes hybrizon tous therapontas tou Theou; kai mainomenous ekaloun, hōs parrhēsią chrōmenous; ho de Iēou ouch hōs paroinōn adoleschēn ōnomasen, alla krypsai ta eirēmena peirōmenos. Epei de eiden epikeimenous, emēnysen.

Why did they call the prophet “epileptic”? As impious men they insulted the servants of God, and called them mad because they spoke freely. Jehu called him a babbler not out of insolence, but trying to hide what had been said. But when he saw them pressing him, he disclosed it.

2 Kgs 9:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 9:12 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jehu's officers mocked the prophet as mad; Jehu at first concealed his anointing, then revealed it.

2 Kgs 9:11–12 (LXX ἐπίληπτος). This short question holds one question and answer. A stray phrase (“before the Lord”) printed inside the word “called” is removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray mark; stray phrase printed inside the word): ὠνόἐνώπιον Κυρίου. μασεν → ὠνόμασεν; πειρώμενος". → πειρώμενος.; εἶδεν͵ ἐπικειμένους → εἶδεν ἐπικειμένους.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.28 (PG 80 80:765; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-28

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.29PG 80 80:767

Τι ἐστι· Καὶ ἔλαβεν ἀνὴρ τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔθηκεν ὑποκάτωθεν Ἰηοῦ ἐφ᾽ ἓν τῶν γαρείμ; Τὰ ἑξῆς ἑρμηνεύει τοῦ λόγου τὸ ἀσαφές· Ἐπήγαγεν· ἐπὶ μίαν τῶν ἀναβαθμίδων Γνόντες δὲ τὴν θείαν χειροτονίαν, ὡς βασιλεῖ προσήνεγκαν τὴν τιμήν. Αραμεὶν δὲ τοὺς Σύρους ἐκάλεσεν· ᾿Αραμὰ γὰρ οἱ Σύροι Οὕτω δὲ καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι ἡρμήνευσαν.

Ti esti; Kai elaben anēr to himation autou, kai ethēken hypokatōthen Iēou eph᾽ hen tōn gareim? Ta hexēs hermēneuei tou logou to asaphes; Epēgagen; epi mian tōn anabathmidōn Gnontes de tēn theian cheirotonian, hōs basilei prosēnenkan tēn timēn. Aramein de tous Syrous ekalesen; ᾿Arama gar hoi Syroi Houtō de kai hoi alloi hērmēneusan.

What does “And each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on one of the garem” mean? What follows explains the obscurity of the passage; for he added, “on one of the steps.” Knowing of the divine appointment, they paid him honor as king. He called the Syrians Aramein; for the Syrians are Aram. So the other translators too rendered it.

2 Kgs 9:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:28 (allusion, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The officers spread their cloaks on the steps for Jehu as king; Aram means the Syrians.

2 Kgs 9:13 (LXX γαρεμ); the remark on the Syrians refers to 2 Kgs 8:28–29 (LXX). This short question holds one question and answer, with a note on another word.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR accent error and stray letter; stray mark): Τι ἐστι· Καὶ ' ἔλαβεν → Τι ἐστι· Καὶ ἔλαβεν; γαρείμ;, Τὰ → γαρείμ; Τὰ; Ἐπἡγαγεν ὁ ἐπὶ → Ἐπήγαγεν· ἐπὶ.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.29 (PG 80 80:767; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-29

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.30PG 80 80:767

Πῶς νοητέον· Καὶ ἡ ἀγωγὴ, ἀγωγὴ Ἰηοῦ υἱοῦ Ναμεση διότι ἡ παραλλαγὴ ἦγεν; Πόῤῥωθεν ὁ σκοπὸς θεασάμενος, ὡς οἱ μὲν ἀποσταλέντες οὐκ ἀνέστρεψαν, ὁ δὲ τοῦ πλήθους ἡγούμενος ἐῴκει εἶναι Ἰηοῦ (τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα ἐδήλου), ἐμήνυσεν ὅπερ ἑώρακεν. Ἔνια μέντοι τῶν ἀντιγράφων ἔχει, Καὶ ὁ ἄγων ἦγε τὸν Ἰηοῦ», τουτέστιν ὁ Θεός

Pōs noēteon; Kai hē agōgē, agōgē Iēou huiou Namesē dioti hē parallagē ēgen? Porrhōthen ho skopos theasamenos, hōs hoi men apostalentes ouk anestrepsan, ho de tou plēthous hēgoumenos eǭkei einai Iēou (touto gar to schēma edēlou), emēnysen hoper heōraken. Enia mentoi tōn antigraphōn echei, Kai ho agōn ēge ton Iēou», toutestin ho Theos

How should “And the driving is the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi, for he drove furiously” be understood? The watchman, seeing from afar that those sent had not returned, and that the leader of the troop seemed to be Jehu (for his manner showed this), reported what he had seen. Some copies, however, have “and the driver was driving Jehu,” that is, God.

2 Kgs 9:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 9:18 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The watchman recognized Jehu by his furious driving; some copies read that God was driving him.

2 Kgs 9:20 (LXX).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray mark): ἐῴκει" εἶναι → ἐῴκει εἶναι.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.30 (PG 80 80:767; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-30

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.31PG 80 80:767

Τί ἐστι, Καὶ Κύριος ἐλάλησεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν τὸ λῆμμα τοῦτο; Τὰς προφητείας καὶ ὁράσεις ἐκάλουν καὶ λήμματα. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῶν προφητῶν ἢ δι᾽ ἐνυπνίων, ἢ ὕπαρ ἑώρων τινά· καὶ τοῦτο τὸ εἶδος ὄρασις ἐκαλεῖτο. Τινὲς δὲ τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος δι᾿ αὐτῶν ἐνεργοῦντος ἐφθέγγοντο, καὶ προὔλεγον τὰ ἐσόμενα· τοῦτο ἐκάλουν λῆμμα. ᾿Ανεμίμνησκε τοίνυν ὁ Ἰηοῦ τῆς Ἠλιοὺ τοῦ μεγάλου προῤῥήσεως, ὅτι ἔνθα τοῦ Ναβουθὲ ἔλειξαν οἱ κύνες τὸ αἷμα, ἐκεῖ τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ᾿Αχαάβ λείξουσιν. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ τοῦ Ἰωρὰμ ἐκεῖ τὸ σῶμα ῥιφῆναι προσέταξε· καὶ τῆς Ἰεζάβελ δὲ τὸ σῶμα μεμαθηκὼς ὑπὸ κυνῶν ἀνηλῶσθαι, ἐθαύμασεν ὁ Ἰηοῦ τὸ τῆς προῤῥήσεως ἀψευδές. Ἐν τῇ μερίδι γὰρ, ἔφη, Ἰεσδραήλ καταφάγονται οἱ κύνες τὰς σάρκας Ἰεζάβελ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τῶν δὲ ἄλλων παίδων τοῦ ᾿Αχαάβ ἀναιρεθέντων ὑπὸ τῶν θρεψαμένων, σοφῶς ἄγαν πρὸς τὸν λαὸν ὁ Ἰηοῦ ἔφη Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ συνεστράφην ἐπὶ τὸν ἐμαυτοῦ κύριον, καὶ ἀπέκτεινα αὐτὸν, καὶ τούτους πάντας τίς ἐπάταξεν ; Ἴδετε ἀφφὼ, ὅτι οὐ πεσεῖται ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων Κυρίου ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ὧν ἐλάλησε κατὰ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Ἀχαάβ. Ἐγὼ, φησὶν, ὡς τυραννῆσαι βουλόμενος ἀνεῖλον τὸν Ἰωράμ· τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ ἑβδομήκοντα ὄντας τὸν ἀριθμὸν τίς ἀνεῖλεν; Οὐχὶ ἡ θεήλατος ὀργὴ τοῖς οἰκειοτάτοις ὑπουργοῖς χρησαμένη; ᾿Αψευδεῖς ἄρα τῶν προφητῶν αἱ προῤῥήσεις.

Ti esti, Kai Kyrios elalēsen ep᾿ auton to lēmma touto? Tas prophēteias kai horaseis ekaloun kai lēmmata. Hoi men gar tōn prophētōn ē di᾽ enypniōn, ē hypar heōrōn tina; kai touto to eidos orasis ekaleito. Tines de tou theiou Pneumatos di᾿ autōn energountos ephthengonto, kai proulegon ta esomena; touto ekaloun lēmma. ᾿Anemimnēske toinyn ho Iēou tēs Ēliou tou megalou prorrhēseōs, hoti entha tou Nabouthe eleixan hoi kynes to haima, ekei to haima tou ᾿Achaab leixousin. Hou dē charin kai tou Iōram ekei to sōma rhiphēnai prosetaxe; kai tēs Iezabel de to sōma memathēkōs hypo kynōn anēlōsthai, ethaumasen ho Iēou to tēs prorrhēseōs apseudes. En tę̄ meridi gar, ephē, Iesdraēl kataphagontai hoi kynes tas sarkas Iezabel, kai ta hexēs. Tōn de allōn paidōn tou ᾿Achaab anairethentōn hypo tōn threpsamenōn, sophōs agan pros ton laon ho Iēou ephē Idou egō synestraphēn epi ton emautou kyrion, kai apekteina auton, kai toutous pantas tis epataxen ? Idete aphphō, hoti ou peseitai apo tōn logōn Kyriou epi tēn gēn, hōn elalēse kata tou oikou tou Achaab. Egō, phēsin, hōs tyrannēsai boulomenos aneilon ton Iōram; tous adelphous autou hebdomēkonta ontas ton arithmon tis aneilen? Ouchi hē theēlatos orgē tois oikeiotatois hypourgois chrēsamenē? ᾿Apseudeis ara tōn prophētōn hai prorrhēseis.

What does “And the Lord spoke this burden against him” mean? They called prophecies and visions “burdens” too. For some of the prophets saw something either in dreams or awake, and this kind was called a vision; others spoke through the working of the divine Spirit in them and foretold the future, and this they called a burden. So Jehu was recalling the prophecy of the great Elijah, that where the dogs licked Naboth's blood, there they would lick Ahab's blood. That is why he ordered Joram's body to be thrown there; and when he learned that Jezebel's body had been consumed by dogs, Jehu marveled at the truthfulness of the prophecy: “In the portion of Jezreel,” he said, “the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel,” and so on. When Ahab's other sons had been killed by those who reared them, Jehu very wisely said to the people, “Behold, I conspired against my lord and killed him; but who struck all these? See, aphpho, that nothing will fall to the ground of the words of the Lord which he spoke against the house of Ahab.” I, he means, killed Joram as one who wished to usurp; but who killed his brothers, seventy in number? Was it not the God-sent wrath, using as its servants those closest to them? So the prophecies of the prophets are unfailing.

2 Kgs 9:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 9:26 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:19 (3 Kgdms 20:19 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 9:36 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 9:37 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 21:23 (3 Kgdms 20:23 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:10 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: A “burden” is a prophecy spoken by the Spirit; Jehu saw Elijah's oracles against Ahab's house fulfilled in Joram, Jezebel and Ahab's seventy sons.

2 Kgs 9:25–26, 36–37; 10:6–10 (LXX; quotations 9:25, 36; 10:9–10); 1 Kgs 21:19, 23 (LXX 20). A stray line (a gloss on 9:20, “he was driving Jehu son of Nimshi”) printed inside the word “shall eat” is removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR punctuation error; repeated mark; stray gloss printed inside the word; stray letter): τοῦτο ; ι Τὰς → τοῦτο; Τὰς; ὁ Ἰηοῦ Ο τῆς → ὁ Ἰηοῦ τῆς; καταφάγονἦγε τὸν Ἰησοῦ υἱὸν Ναμεσσί. ται → καταφάγονται; Ἰεζάβελ,, → Ἰεζάβελ,; τίς ἀνεῖλεν: Οὐχὶ → τίς ἀνεῖλεν; Οὐχὶ.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.31 (PG 80 80:767; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-31

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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.

4.32PG 80 80:769

Γνώστας τίνας καλεῖ; Τοὺς μάντεις, τοὺς οἰομένους εἰδέναι τὰ μέλλοντα. Ωσπερ γὰρ ὁρῶντας καὶ βλέποντας τοὺς προφήτας ὠνόμαζον, ὡς τὰ μέλλοντα προορῶντας· οὕτω καὶ τοὺς μάντεις γνώστας ἐκάλουν, ὡς καὶ γινώσκειν τὰ κεκρυμμένα οἰομένους, καὶ προγινώσκειν τὰ μηδέπω γεγενημένα.

Gnōstas tinas kalei? Tous manteis, tous oiomenous eidenai ta mellonta. Ōsper gar horōntas kai blepontas tous prophētas ōnomazon, hōs ta mellonta proorōntas; houtō kai tous manteis gnōstas ekaloun, hōs kai ginōskein ta kekrymmena oiomenous, kai proginōskein ta mēdepō gegenēmena.

Whom does he call “knowers”? The soothsayers, who think they know the future. As they named the prophets “seers” and “those who see,” as foreseeing the future, so they called the soothsayers “knowers,” as thinking they know what is hidden and foreknow what has not yet happened.

2 Kgs 21:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 23:24 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Sam 9:9 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The “knowers” are soothsayers who claim to know the future.

The LXX γνώσται, e.g. 2 Kgs 21:6; 23:24; 1 Sam 28:3. The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 3.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.32 (PG 80 80:769; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-32). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-32

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.33PG 80 80:769

Τί ἐστιν Ἰωναδάβ ὁ τοῦ ῾Ρηχάβ; Εὐσεβὴς ἀνὴρ ἦν καὶ αὐτὸς, καὶ τὸ γένος αὐτοῦ. Ἐν σκηναῖς γὰρ διετέλεσαν κατοικοῦντες, καὶ τῆς τοῦ οἴνου πόσεως ἀπεχόμενοι. Τούτων καὶ ὁ προφήτης Ἱερεμίας σὺν ἐπαίνοις ἐμνήσθη. Καὶ αὐτὰ δὲ ἡ ἱστορία δηλοῖ αὐτῶν τὴν εὐσέβειαν. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰηοῦ εὐλόγησεν αὐτὸν, τουτέστι προσεῖπεν αὐτῷ. Εἶτα ἤρετο· Εἱ ἔστιν εὐθεῖα ἡ καρδία σου μετὰ τῆς καρδίας μου, καθώς ἐστιν ἡ καρδία μου μετὰ τῆς καρδίας σου; Τοῦ δὲ εἰρηκότος· Ἔστιν, εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰηοῦ· Εἰ ἔστι, δὸς τὴν χεῖρά σου. Ἔπειτα αὐτὸν σύνεδρον εἰς τὸ ἅρμα αὐτοῦ λαβὼν ἔφη Δεῦρο μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἴδε ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαί με τῷ Κυρίῳ· καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ἅρματι αὑτοῦ. Καὶ ἐντεῦθεν τοίνυν δῆλον, ὡς καὶ ἐν ταῖς δέκα φυλαῖς ἦσαν τινες εὐσεβείᾳ κοσμούμενοι, δι' οὓς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὁ σοφῶς πάντα πρυτανεύων ἠνείχετο.

Ti estin Iōnadab ho tou ῾Rēchab? Eusebēs anēr ēn kai autos, kai to genos autou. En skēnais gar dietelesan katoikountes, kai tēs tou oinou poseōs apechomenoi. Toutōn kai ho prophētēs Hieremias syn epainois emnēsthē. Kai auta de hē historia dēloi autōn tēn eusebeian. Prōton men gar idōn auton ho basileus Iēou eulogēsen auton, toutesti proseipen autǭ. Eita ēreto; Hei estin eutheia hē kardia sou meta tēs kardias mou, kathōs estin hē kardia mou meta tēs kardias sou? Tou de eirēkotos; Estin, eipen autǭ ho Iēou; Ei esti, dos tēn cheira sou. Epeita auton synedron eis to harma autou labōn ephē Deuro met᾿ emou, kai ide en tǭ zēlōsai me tǭ Kyriǭ; kai epekathisen auton en tǭ harmati hautou. Kai enteuthen toinyn dēlon, hōs kai en tais deka phylais ēsan tines eusebeią kosmoumenoi, di' hous kai tōn allōn ho sophōs panta prytaneuōn ēneicheto.

What is Jonadab son of Rechab? He too was a pious man, and so was his family. They lived continually in tents and abstained from drinking wine. The prophet Jeremiah mentioned them with praise. The history itself shows their piety. First, King Jehu, on seeing him, “blessed” him, that is, greeted him. Then he asked, “Is your heart right with my heart, as my heart is with your heart?” When he said, “It is,” Jehu said to him, “If it is, give me your hand.” Then, taking him as companion in his chariot, he said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord”; and he made him ride in his chariot. From this too it is clear that even among the ten tribes there were some adorned with piety, for whose sake the One who governs all things wisely bore with the others.

2 Kgs 10:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 35:6 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jonadab son of Rechab, whose family lived in tents and abstained from wine, was a pious man whom Jehu honored; there were godly people even in Israel.

2 Kgs 10:15–16 (quotations); Jer 35:1–19.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray footnote marks and accent; stray mark; stray marks; word split by the OCR; word split by the OCR with stray mark): εὐλό γησεν → εὐλόγησεν; προσεἶπεν αὐτῷ **. → προσεῖπεν αὐτῷ.; καρδίας – μου → καρδίας μου; ἐν-* τεῦθεν → ἐντεῦθεν; κοσμούμενοι 2", → κοσμούμενοι,.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.33 (PG 80 80:769; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-33). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-33

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.34PG 80 80:769

Τι δήποτε μέλλων κατασφάττειν τῶν εἰδώλων τοὺς ἱερεῖς ἐψεύσατο; "Εφη γάρ· ᾿Αχαάβ ἐδούλευσε τῷ Βάαλ ὀλίγα, καί γε ἐγὼ δουλεύσω αὐτῷ πολλά. Καὶ τῶν λόγων καὶ τῶν ἔργων τὸν σκοπὸν ἐξετάζειν δεῖ. Τοῦτο κἀνταῦθα ποιητέον. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Ἰηοῦ μηδένα διαφυγεῖν βουλόμενος τὴν σφαγὴν, ἐκείνοις ἐχρήσατο τοῖς λόγοις, ἵνα θαῤῥήσαντες πάντες παραγένωνται. Ἵνα δὲ μήτις τῶν θείων ἱερέων μεταλάχῃ τῆς τιμωρίας, ὡς ἀναξίους δῆθεν τῆς ἑορτῆς ἐξελαθῆναι προσέταξεν· εἶθ' οὕτω μόνους ἐκείνους κατηκόντισεν ἅπαντας. Καὶ τοῦ Βάαλ δὲ τὴν στήλην ἐνέπρησε, καὶ τὰ ἄλση ἐξέκοψε, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων εἰδώλων πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἠλευθέρωσε. Τὰς δέ γε χρυσᾶς δαμάλεις σέβων διατετέλεκε. Βααλεὶμ δὲ τὸν τοῦ Βάαλ σηκὸν προσηγόρευσεν.

Ti dēpote mellōn katasphattein tōn eidōlōn tous hiereis epseusato? "Ephē gar; ᾿Achaab edouleuse tǭ Baal oliga, kai ge egō douleusō autǭ polla. Kai tōn logōn kai tōn ergōn ton skopon exetazein dei. Touto kantautha poiēteon. Kai gar ho Iēou mēdena diaphygein boulomenos tēn sphagēn, ekeinois echrēsato tois logois, hina tharrhēsantes pantes paragenōntai. Hina de mētis tōn theiōn hiereōn metalachę̄ tēs timōrias, hōs anaxious dēthen tēs heortēs exelathēnai prosetaxen; eith' houtō monous ekeinous katēkontisen hapantas. Kai tou Baal de tēn stēlēn eneprēse, kai ta alsē exekopse, kai tōn allōn eidōlōn pasan tēn gēn tou Israēl ēleutherōse. Tas de ge chrysas damaleis sebōn diateteleke. Baaleim de ton tou Baal sēkon prosēgoreusen.

Why, when about to slaughter the priests of the idols, did he lie? For he said, “Ahab served Baal a little; but I will serve him much.” The purpose of both words and deeds must be examined; this must be done here too. For Jehu, wishing that none should escape the slaughter, used those words so that all would come with confidence. And so that none of the priests of God would share in the punishment, he ordered them to be driven out as supposedly unworthy of the feast; and then he cut down those alone, all of them. He burned the pillar of Baal, cut down the groves, and freed the whole land of Israel from the other idols. But he continued to worship the golden heifers. He called the precinct of Baal Baaleim.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

2 Kgs 10:18 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:23 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:25 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:26 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:27 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:28 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 10:29 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jehu's pretended devotion to Baal served to gather and destroy all Baal's priests; he removed Baal worship but kept the golden calves.

2 Kgs 10:18–29 (quotation 10:18). Theodoret's judgment on Jehu's deception is translated as written. Displaced words are put back in their place by logged corrections: a variant phrase (“it is right to examine”) and words belonging to the end of the answer (“he freed… he continued to worship the golden heifers… he called”) had been printed inside the sentence on Jehu's purpose.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (displaced words (restored below) and a marginal variant printed inside the sentence; displaced words restored to their place; stray marks): Καὶ γὰρ ὁ τάζειν δίκαιον. Ἰηοῦ μηδένα διαφυγεῖν βουλόμενος τὴν σφαγὴν, ἠλευθέρωσε. Τὰς δέ γε χρυσᾶς δαμάλεις σέβων ηγόρευσεν. ἐκείνοις → Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Ἰηοῦ μηδένα διαφυγεῖν βουλόμενος τὴν σφαγὴν, ἐκείνοις; τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ διατετέλεκε *3. Βααλεὶμ δὲ τὸν τοῦ Βάαλ σηκὸν προσ → τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἠλευθέρωσε. Τὰς δέ γε χρυσᾶς δαμάλεις σέβων διατετέλεκε. Βααλεὶμ δὲ τὸν τοῦ Βάαλ σηκὸν προσηγόρευσεν..

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.34 (PG 80 80:769; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-34

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.35PG 80 80:771

Τίνος χάριν ἡ Γοθολία καὶ τοὺς ἐκγόνους ἀνεῖλεν ; Ὡς δυσσεβὴς καὶ τυραννικὴ, ἅπαν τοῦ Δαβίδ τὸ γένος, ὡς εὐσεβὲς, ἐκκόψαι πρόῤῥιζον ἠβουλήθη· ἵνα ἐπειλημμένη τῆς δυναστείας ἐκπαιδεύσῃ τὸν λαὸν τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσέβειαν. ᾿Αλλ᾿ ὁ πάντα σοφῶς ἰθύνων Δεσπότης παρεσκεύασεν αὖθις τῇ βασιλικῇ τὴν ἱερατικὴν μιγῆναι φυλὴν, καὶ τὸν Ἰωδαὲ τὸν σοφώτατον ἱερέα γῆμαι τὴν Ἰωσαβεὲ τοῦ Ἰωρὰμ τὴν θυγατέρα, ἵνα φυλαχθῇ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ σπέρματος ὁ σπινθήρ. Αὕτη γὰρ ὁρῶσα τὸ βασιλικὸν ἀναιρούμενον γένος, καὶ ἔκλεψε καὶ ἔκρυψε τὸν ἀδελφιδοῦν Ἰωὰς, καὶ διετέλεσεν ἔνδον ἐν τῷ ναῷ διατρέφουσα, καὶ ἓξ μὲν ἔτη κατέσχε διέπουσα τὴν βασιλείαν ἡ μιαρωτάτη Γοθολία· τῷ ἑβδόμῳ δὲ ἔτει ὁ πάνσοφος ἀρχιερεὺς τὴν βασιλείαν εἰς τὸ βασιλικὸν ἐπανήγαγε γένος.

Tinos charin hē Gotholia kai tous ekgonous aneilen ? Hōs dyssebēs kai tyrannikē, hapan tou Dabid to genos, hōs eusebes, ekkopsai prorrhizon ēboulēthē; hina epeilēmmenē tēs dynasteias ekpaideusę̄ ton laon tēn oikeian asebeian. ᾿All᾿ ho panta sophōs ithynōn Despotēs pareskeuasen authis tę̄ basilikę̄ tēn hieratikēn migēnai phylēn, kai ton Iōdae ton sophōtaton hierea gēmai tēn Iōsabee tou Iōram tēn thygatera, hina phylachthę̄ tou basilikou spermatos ho spinthēr. Hautē gar horōsa to basilikon anairoumenon genos, kai eklepse kai ekrypse ton adelphidoun Iōas, kai dietelesen endon en tǭ naǭ diatrephousa, kai hex men etē katesche diepousa tēn basileian hē miarōtatē Gotholia; tǭ hebdomǭ de etei ho pansophos archiereus tēn basileian eis to basilikon epanēgage genos.

Why did Athaliah kill even her grandsons? As an impious and tyrannical woman, she wished to cut off the whole family of David root and branch, as pious, so that, having seized power, she might train the people in her own impiety. But the Master who governs all things wisely had arranged in turn that the priestly tribe be mixed with the royal one, and that Jehoiada, the most wise priest, marry Jehosheba the daughter of Joram, so that the spark of the royal seed might be preserved. For she, seeing the royal family being killed, stole and hid her nephew Joash, and kept him inside the temple, rearing him; and for six years the most foul Athaliah held and ran the kingdom; but in the seventh year the all-wise high priest brought the kingdom back to the royal family.

2 Kgs 11:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Chr 22:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:3 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:4 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Athaliah tried to exterminate David's line, but God had joined the priestly and royal families, and Jehosheba and Jehoiada saved and crowned Joash.

2 Kgs 11:1–4; 2 Chr 22:10–12 (Jehosheba as Jehoiada's wife).

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.35 (PG 80 80:771; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-35

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.36PG 80 80:771

Παρατρέχοντας τίνας καλεῖ; Τοὺς ἡγουμένους τοῦ βασιλέως· Χοῤῥὶ δὲ καὶ Ῥασεὶμ ἀσπιδηφόρους καὶ δορυφόρους. Τούτους τριχῆ διελὼν, τοὺς μὲν ἐκέλευσε φυλάσσειν τοῦ βασιλέως τὸν οἶκον, τοὺς δὲ τὴν εἴσοδον τοῦ θείου ναοῦ, τοὺς δὲ τὴν πύλην τὴν ἑτέραν.

Paratrechontas tinas kalei? Tous hēgoumenous tou basileōs; Chorrhi de kai Rhaseim aspidēphorous kai doryphorous. Toutous trichē dielōn, tous men ekeleuse phylassein tou basileōs ton oikon, tous de tēn eisodon tou theiou naou, tous de tēn pylēn tēn heteran.

Whom does he call “runners”? Those who go before the king; and the Chorri and Rasim are shield-bearers and spearmen. Dividing these into three, he ordered some to guard the king's house, others the entrance of the divine temple, and others the other gate.

2 Kgs 11:4 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:5 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:6 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The runners and guards were divided into three groups to secure the palace and temple gates.

2 Kgs 11:4–6 (LXX). This short question holds one question and answer. The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 301.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.36 (PG 80 80:771; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-36). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-36

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.37PG 80 80:771

Τι σημαίνει τό· Φυλάξατε τὴν φυλακὴν τοῦ οἴκου μεσσαέ; Τὸ μεσσαὲ οἱ λοιποὶ ἑρμηνευταὶ ἀπὸ διαφθορᾶς εἰρήκασι τουτέστι μετὰ πάσης φυλακῆς, ὥστε μηδεμίαν γίνεσθαι βλάβην ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τῷ θείῳ. Τὸ δὲ, Δύο χεῖρες ὑμῖν ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἄρτιοί ἐστε καὶ ὑγιεῖς, καὶ ἱκανοὶ φυλάξαι καὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὸν τοῦ βασιλέως. Ἐκέλευσε δὲ τοὺς Λευΐτας μαχαιροφόρους εἶναι, καὶ τὸν βασιλέα φρουρεῖν. Τὸ δὲ, Εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὰ σαδηρώθ ἀποθανεῖται, τῶν Παραλειπομένων ἡ βίβλος οὕτως ἔχει Εἰσπορευόμενος εἰς τὸν οἶκον ἀποθανεῖται. Οὕτω δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰώσηπος εἴρηκε. Τὸ δὲ, «Ἀπὸ τῆς ὠμίας τοῦ οἴκου τῆς δεξιᾶς, ἕως ὠμίας τοῦ οἴκου τῆς ἀριστερᾶς, δηλοῖ ὡς μονοειδὲς σχῆμα οἱ Λευῖται πεποιηκότες, τὰ κέρατα εἶχον συνημμένα τῷ οἴκῳ, καὶ ἐν μέσῳ δὲ ὄντα τὸν βασιλέα ἐφρούρουν, ὁ δὲ στρατὸς ὁπλοφόρων ἔξω εἰστήκει, τοὺς εἰσιέναι πειρωμένους ἐπέχων.

Ti sēmainei to; Phylaxate tēn phylakēn tou oikou messae? To messae hoi loipoi hermēneutai apo diaphthoras eirēkasi toutesti meta pasēs phylakēs, hōste mēdemian ginesthai blabēn en tǭ oikǭ tǭ theiǭ. To de, Dyo cheires hymin anti tou, artioi este kai hygieis, kai hikanoi phylaxai kai ton oikon tou Theou, kai ton tou basileōs. Ekeleuse de tous Leuïtas machairophorous einai, kai ton basilea phrourein. To de, Eiserchomenos eis ta sadērōth apothaneitai, tōn Paraleipomenōn hē biblos houtōs echei Eisporeuomenos eis ton oikon apothaneitai. Houtō de kai ho Iōsēpos eirēke. To de, «Apo tēs ōmias tou oikou tēs dexias, heōs ōmias tou oikou tēs aristeras, dēloi hōs monoeides schēma hoi Leuitai pepoiēkotes, ta kerata eichon synēmmena tǭ oikǭ, kai en mesǭ de onta ton basilea ephrouroun, ho de stratos hoplophorōn exō eistēkei, tous eisienai peirōmenous epechōn.

What does “Keep the watch of the house messae” signify? The remaining translators rendered messae “from destruction,” that is, with all vigilance, so that no harm would happen in the divine house. “Two hands are yours” means: you are fit and sound and able to guard both the house of God and that of the king. He ordered the Levites to bear swords and guard the king. For “Whoever enters the saderoth shall die,” the book of Chronicles has, “Whoever enters the house shall die”; and Josephus said so too. “From the right corner of the house to the left corner of the house” shows that the Levites, having formed a single line, had its ends joined to the house and guarded the king in the middle, while the army of armed men stood outside, holding back any who tried to enter.

2 Kgs 11:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 23:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:11 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret explains the guard arrangements at Joash's coronation, with help from the other translators, Chronicles and Josephus.

2 Kgs 11:6–11 (LXX; quotations 11:6, 7, 8, 11); 2 Chr 23:7; Josephus, Ant. 9.7.2.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray letters inside the word; stray marks): μεσσαέ ;, Τὸ → μεσσαέ; Τὸ; ἀποθανεῖοἱ Ο. ται → ἀποθανεῖται.

Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, Ant. 9.7.2 (Josephus (works); allusion)

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.37 (PG 80 80:771; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-37). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-37

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.38PG 80 80:773

Τι ἐστιν· "Εδωκεν ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὸ ἁγίασμα καὶ τὸ μαρτύριον ; Ἡ βίβλος τῶν Παραλειπομένων οὕτως ἔχει· Ἔδωκεν ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὸ βασίλειον, καὶ τὸ μαρτύριον· καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔχρισαν αὐτὸν Ἰωδαὲ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπον, Ζήτω ὁ βασιλεύς. Ὡς εἶναι δῆλον, ὅτι τὸ μὲν ἁγίασμα χρίσμα ἐκάλεσε· μαρτύριον δὲ τὸν βασιλικὸν στέφανον, ὡς τῆς βασιλείας δηλωτικόν σύνδεσμον δὲ τὴν τυραννίδα εἰώθασιν ὀνομάζειν Τοιαύτη δὲ ἦν τῆς Γοθολίας ἡ πονηρία, ὅτι τὸν ἔκγονον βεβασιλευκότα θεασαμένη, καὶ τὴν ἐσθῆτα διέρρηξε, καὶ ἐβόησε· Σύνδεσμος, σύνδεσμος. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἑκατοντάρχοις ἐκέλευσεν ὁ σοφώτατος ἱερεὺς ἔξω τῶν ἱερῶν ἀνελεῖν αὐτὴν περιβόλων. Κἀνταῦθα δὲ ἡ μὲν τῶν Βασιλειῶν βίβλος, ἔξωθεν τῶν σαδηρώθ, ἔχει, τῶν δὲ Παραλειπομένων, ἐκτὸς τοῦ οἴκου.

Ti estin; "Edōken ep' auton to hagiasma kai to martyrion ? Hē biblos tōn Paraleipomenōn houtōs echei; Edōken ep' auton to basileion, kai to martyrion; kai ebasileusan auton, kai echrisan auton Iōdae kai hoi huioi autou, kai eipon, Zētō ho basileus. Hōs einai dēlon, hoti to men hagiasma chrisma ekalese; martyrion de ton basilikon stephanon, hōs tēs basileias dēlōtikon syndesmon de tēn tyrannida eiōthasin onomazein Toiautē de ēn tēs Gotholias hē ponēria, hoti ton ekgonon bebasileukota theasamenē, kai tēn esthēta dierrēxe, kai eboēse; Syndesmos, syndesmos. ᾿Alla kai tois hekatontarchois ekeleusen ho sophōtatos hiereus exō tōn hierōn anelein autēn peribolōn. Kantautha de hē men tōn Basileiōn biblos, exōthen tōn sadērōth, echei, tōn de Paraleipomenōn, ektos tou oikou.

What does “He put upon him the holy thing and the testimony” mean? The book of Chronicles has this: “He put upon him the crown and the testimony; and they made him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, Long live the king.” So it is clear that he called the anointing the holy thing, and the royal crown the testimony, as signifying the kingship. They usually call usurpation “conspiracy.” Such was Athaliah's wickedness that, seeing her grandson made king, she tore her clothes and cried, “Conspiracy, conspiracy.” But the most wise priest ordered the centurions to kill her outside the sacred precincts. Here too the book of Kingdoms has “outside the saderoth,” and that of Chronicles “outside the house.”

2 Kgs 11:12 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 23:11 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 23:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 11:16 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The “holy thing” was the anointing and the “testimony” the crown; Athaliah, crying “conspiracy,” was executed outside the temple.

2 Kgs 11:12–16 (LXX; quotations 11:12, 14, 15); 2 Chr 23:11, 13–14.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray letter): Παραλειπομένων, ε ἐκτὸς → Παραλειπομένων, ἐκτὸς.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.38 (PG 80 80:773; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-38). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-38

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.39PG 80 80:773

Πῶς νοητέον τό· Διέθετο Ιωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεὺς διαθήκην ἀναμέσον Κυρίου, καὶ ἀναμέσον τοῦ λαοῦ, τοῦ εἶναι εἰς λαὸν Κυρίου; Τὴν διαθήκην πανταχοῦ οἱ ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταὶ συνθήκην εἰρήκασι. Τέθεικε, φησὶ, καὶ ὅρους καὶ νόμους, καὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ τῷ λαῷ, ὥστε μόνῳ τῷ Κυρίῳ δουλεύειν, καὶ κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοῦ πολιτεύεσθαι νόμους. Ὅσον δὲ ὀνίνησι διδάσκαλος εὐσεβὴς, καὶ ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει· Εποίησε γὰρ, φησὶ, Ἰωὰς τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἃς ἐφώτισεν αὐτὸν Ἰωδαὲ ὁ ἱερεύς. Τὸ δὲ ἀτελὲς καὶ τοῦδε τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ, ὁ ἱστοριογράφος ἐδίδαξεν. Ἐπήγαγε γάρ «Πλὴν τῶν ὑψηλῶν οὐκ ἀπέστησαν ἔτι ὁ λαὸς ἐθυσίαζον καὶ ἐθυμίων ἐν τοῖς μετεώροις. Οἶμαι δὲ νῦν μὴ τῶν ψευδωνύμων αὐτοῖς θεῶν ἐπιμέμφεσθαι λατρείαν, ἀλλὰ τὰς παρὰ τὸν Μωσαϊκὸν νόμον ἔξω τοῦ Θεοῦ νεὼ γεγενημένας θυσίας.

Pōs noēteon to; Dietheto Iōdae ho hiereus diathēkēn anameson Kyriou, kai anameson tou laou, tou einai eis laon Kyriou? Tēn diathēkēn pantachou hoi alloi hermēneutai synthēkēn eirēkasi. Tetheike, phēsi, kai horous kai nomous, kai tǭ basilei kai tǭ laǭ, hōste monǭ tǭ Kyriǭ douleuein, kai kata tous autou politeuesthai nomous. Hoson de oninēsi didaskalos eusebēs, kai hē historia didaskei; Epoiēse gar, phēsi, Iōas to euthes enōpion Kyriou pasas tas hēmeras, has ephōtisen auton Iōdae ho hiereus. To de ateles kai toude tou basileōs, kai tou laou, ho historiographos edidaxen. Epēgage gar «Plēn tōn hypsēlōn ouk apestēsan eti ho laos ethysiazon kai ethymiōn en tois meteōrois. Oimai de nyn mē tōn pseudōnymōn autois theōn epimemphesthai latreian, alla tas para ton Mōsaïkon nomon exō tou Theou neō gegenēmenas thysias.

How should “Jehoiada the priest made a covenant between the Lord and the people, that they should be the Lord's people” be understood? The other translators everywhere rendered “covenant” as “compact.” He laid down, he means, both boundaries and laws, for the king and the people, so that they would serve the Lord alone and live by his laws. How much a pious teacher benefits, the history too teaches: “For Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days that Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” The writer also taught the imperfection of this king and of the people; for he added, “Only they did not remove the high places; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the heights.” I think that he does not now blame them for worship of the falsely named gods, but for sacrifices offered outside God's temple contrary to the law of Moses.

2 Kgs 11:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 12:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 12:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 12:13 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jehoiada bound king and people by covenant to serve the Lord; Joash did right while Jehoiada taught him, though sacrifice on the high places continued.

2 Kgs 11:17; 12:2–3 (LXX; quotations). The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 10.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray footnote marks): λαὸν Κυρίου **; → λαὸν Κυρίου;.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.39 (PG 80 80:773; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-39

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.40PG 80 80:775

Τι ἐστι· «᾿Αργύριον συντιμήσεως ἀνδρὸς, ἀργύριον συντιμήσεως ψυχῶν , Τούτων τὸν νοῦν τὸ Δευτερονόμιον ἑρμηνεύοντες δεδηλώκαμεν. Προσέταξε γὰρ ὁ Δεσπότης τοὺς ὑπισχνουμένους τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν τιμὴν προσφέρειν τῷ Σωτῆρι Θεῷ πόσους σίκλους προσήκει διδόναι. Ἐκέλευσε τοίνυν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰωὰς ἅπαν τὸ προσφερόμενον ἀργύριον τοὺς ἱερέας κομίσασθαι, καὶ αὐτοὺς ποιεῖσθαι τὴν προσήκουσαν θεραπείαν τοῦ νεώ. Τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει, Αὐτοὶ κραταιώσουσι τὸ βεδὲκ οἴκου Κυρίου, εἰς πάντα οὗ ἐὰν εὑρεθῇ ἐκεῖ. Βεδὲκ δὲ καλεῖ τῶν ἐφθαρμένων ξύλων ἢ λίθων τὴν θεραπείαν Ἡ δὲ τῶν Παραλειπομένων βίβλος ἀντὶ τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ βεδέκ, ἐπισκευάσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου,» λέγει, καὶ πάλιν, τοῦ θεραπεῦσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου.

Ti esti; «᾿Argyrion syntimēseōs andros, argyrion syntimēseōs psychōn , Toutōn ton noun to Deuteronomion hermēneuontes dedēlōkamen. Prosetaxe gar ho Despotēs tous hypischnoumenous tēn hyper autōn timēn prospherein tǭ Sōtēri Theǭ posous siklous prosēkei didonai. Ekeleuse toinyn ho basileus Iōas hapan to prospheromenon argyrion tous hiereas komisasthai, kai autous poieisthai tēn prosēkousan therapeian tou neō. Touto gar legei, Autoi krataiōsousi to bedek oikou Kyriou, eis panta hou ean heurethę̄ ekei. Bedek de kalei tōn ephtharmenōn xylōn ē lithōn tēn therapeian Hē de tōn Paraleipomenōn biblos anti tou poiēsai to bedek, episkeuasai ton oikon Kyriou,» legei, kai palin, tou therapeusai ton oikon Kyriou.

What does “the silver of a man's valuation, the silver of valuation of souls” mean? We explained its sense when interpreting Deuteronomy. For the Master commanded how many shekels those who vowed to offer their own value to God the Savior should give. So King Joash ordered the priests to receive all the silver offered and to make the necessary repairs to the temple. For this is what he says: “They shall repair the bedek of the house of the Lord, wherever any is found there.” He calls “bedek” the repair of decayed timbers or stones. The book of Chronicles, instead of “to make the bedek,” says “to repair the house of the Lord,” and again, “to restore the house of the Lord.”

2 Kgs 12:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Lev 27:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 12:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 24:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 24:12 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The “silver of valuation” was money from vows, which Joash had the priests use for repairing the temple's damage (bedek).

2 Kgs 12:4–5 (LXX; quotations); Lev 27:1–8; 2 Chr 24:4–5, 12. Theodoret refers to his own Questions on the Octateuch (on the vow-valuations). The printed question lacks a question mark; the question is present.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray letters; word split by the OCR): προσφε ρόμενον → προσφερόμενον; ποιῆσαι τὸ σο βεδέκ → ποιῆσαι τὸ βεδέκ.

Extrabiblical texts: Theodoret, Quaest. Oct. (Questions on the Octateuch; allusion)

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.40 (PG 80 80:775; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-40). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-40

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.41PG 80 80:775

Πῶς νοητέον Καὶ μετεμελήθη Κύριος, καὶ ᾤκτειρεν αὐτοὺς διὰ τὴν διαθήκην αὐτοῦ πρὸς ᾿Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Ἰακώβ Ἰωάχας ὁ τοῦ Ἰηοῦ υἱὸς, ὁ τῶν δέκα φυλῶν βασιλεὺς, εἰς ἀσέβειαν ἀποκλίνας, κοινωνὸν ἔσχε τὸν λαὸν τῆς τῶν εἰδώλων λατρείας. Δίκας τοίνυν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς εἰσπραττόμενος, τῷ ᾿Αζαὴλ παρέδωκεν ὃν χειροτονῶν βασιλέα Συρίας Ἑλισσαῖος ὁ μέγας πλεῖστα ἐξέχεε δάκρυα· ἅτε δὴ προβλέπων τὸν ὅλεθρον, ὃν ἔμελλεν ποιήσων ταῖς δέκα φυλαῖς. Οὕτω γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀνήλωσεν, ὡς ἱππεῖς μὲν αὐτοῖς ὑπολειφθῆναι πεντήκοντα, ἅρματα δὲ δέκα, πεζοὺς δὲ μυρίους. Πλείους δὲ πολλάκις τῶν ἑκατὸν ἐσχήκασι μυριάδων. ᾿Αλλ' ᾤκτειρε πάλιν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τὰς οἰκείας αὐτοῖς ἀποδέδωκε πόλεις. Ταύτην ἐκάλεσεν ὁ συγγραφεὺς μεταμέλειαν, τουτέστιν, ἀπὸ τῆς δυσκληρίας εἰς εὐκληρίαν μεταβολήν.

Pōs noēteon Kai metemelēthē Kyrios, kai ǭkteiren autous dia tēn diathēkēn autou pros ᾿Abraam, kai Isaak, kai Iakōb Iōachas ho tou Iēou huios, ho tōn deka phylōn basileus, eis asebeian apoklinas, koinōnon esche ton laon tēs tōn eidōlōn latreias. Dikas toinyn autous ho Theos eisprattomenos, tǭ ᾿Azaēl paredōken hon cheirotonōn basilea Syrias Helissaios ho megas pleista exechee dakrya; hate dē problepōn ton holethron, hon emellen poiēsōn tais deka phylais. Houtō gar autous anēlōsen, hōs hippeis men autois hypoleiphthēnai pentēkonta, harmata de deka, pezous de myrious. Pleious de pollakis tōn hekaton eschēkasi myriadōn. ᾿All' ǭkteire palin autous ho Theos, kai tas oikeias autois apodedōke poleis. Tautēn ekalesen ho syngrapheus metameleian, toutestin, apo tēs dysklērias eis euklērian metabolēn.

How should “And the Lord repented and had compassion on them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” be understood? Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of the ten tribes, turned aside to impiety and had the people as his partner in the worship of idols. So God, exacting punishment from them, handed them over to Hazael, at whose appointment as king of Syria the great Elisha shed many tears, foreseeing the destruction he would bring on the ten tribes. He so wasted them that they were left fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, when they had often had more than a million. But God had compassion on them again and gave them back their cities. The writer called this “repentance,” that is, a change from misfortune to good fortune.

2 Kgs 13:23 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:3 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 8:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:25 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: God's “repentance” toward Israel was his change from punishment to restoration after Hazael had nearly destroyed them.

2 Kgs 13:1–7, 22–25 (quotation 13:23, LXX); 8:11–12. The printed question lacks a question mark; the question is present.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray marks; stray syllable): ᾿Ἀβραὰμ δ', καὶ → ᾿Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ; οἰκείας δε αὐτοῖς → οἰκείας αὐτοῖς.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.41 (PG 80 80:775; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-41). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-41

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.42PG 80 80:775

Τί δήποτε μέλλων τελευτᾷν ὁ προφήτης Ἰωάχας τῷ τοῦ Ἰωᾶς ὑἱῷ διὰ τόξου καὶ βέλους τὴν ἐσομένην ἐμήνυσε νίκην ; Οὐχ οὕτως ἐπίστευεν τοῖς λόγοις, ὡς ταῖς δι᾿ ἔργων προῤῥήσεσιν. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ τόξον τεῖναι ἐκέλευσε, καὶ προσαρμόσαι τούτῳ τὸ βέλος. Ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὡς αὐτομάτως ἀφήσει πολλά, ἔφη τοῦ πρώτου πεμφθέντος, Βέλος σωτηρίας Κυρίῳ, καὶ βέλος σωτηρίας ἐν Ἰσραὴλ καὶ πατάξεις τὴν Συρίαν ἐν ᾿Αφὲκ ἕως συντελείας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τρία μόνον ἐξέπεμψεν, ἠχθέσθη λίαν ὁ προφήτης, ὡς τρὶς τῆς Συρίας μόνον ἡττωμένης, καὶ πανωλεθρίαν οὐ δεχομένης. Ὁ δὲ προφήτης καὶ τελευτήσας τὸν νεκρόν ἀνέστησε τὸν πελάσαντα· ἵνα καὶ τοῦτο μαρτυρῇ τὸ θαῦμα, ὡς διπλασίαν τοῦ διδασκάλου τὴν χάριν ἐδέξατο.

Ti dēpote mellōn teleutąn ho prophētēs Iōachas tǭ tou Iōas huiǭ dia toxou kai belous tēn esomenēn emēnyse nikēn ? Ouch houtōs episteuen tois logois, hōs tais di᾿ ergōn prorrhēsesin. Hou dē charin kai toxon teinai ekeleuse, kai prosarmosai toutǭ to belos. Hypolabōn de hōs automatōs aphēsei polla, ephē tou prōtou pemphthentos, Belos sōtērias Kyriǭ, kai belos sōtērias en Israēl kai pataxeis tēn Syrian en ᾿Aphek heōs synteleias. Epeidē de tria monon exepempsen, ēchthesthē lian ho prophētēs, hōs tris tēs Syrias monon hēttōmenēs, kai panōlethrian ou dechomenēs. Ho de prophētēs kai teleutēsas ton nekron anestēse ton pelasanta; hina kai touto martyrę̄ to thauma, hōs diplasian tou didaskalou tēn charin edexato.

Why did the prophet, when about to die, show Joash son of Jehoahaz the coming victory by means of a bow and arrow? He did not trust words as much as predictions made through actions. That is why he ordered him to draw the bow and fit the arrow to it. Supposing that he would shoot many of his own accord, he said of the first one shot, “An arrow of salvation for the Lord, and an arrow of salvation in Israel; and you shall strike Syria in Aphek to the end.” But since he shot only three, the prophet was very vexed, since Syria would be defeated only three times and would not suffer utter destruction. The prophet, even after his death, raised the dead man who touched him, so that this miracle too might testify that he had received double his teacher's grace.

2 Kgs 13:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:21 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:9 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Elisha's sign of the arrows foretold Joash's victories, limited to three by his half-hearted striking; even dead, Elisha raised a man, proving his double portion.

2 Kgs 13:14–21 (quotation 13:17, LXX). The printed question reads “Jehoahaz the son of Joash”, reversing the names; the king was Joash son of Jehoahaz, and the translation follows the sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR accent error; OCR breathing error; stray marks): ἐσομένην εμήνυσε → ἐσομένην ἐμήνυσε; αὐτομάτως *᾿ ἀφήσει → αὐτομάτως ἀφήσει; ἐξἐπεμψεν → ἐξέπεμψεν.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.42 (PG 80 80:775; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-42). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-42

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.43PG 80 80:777

Τί δηλοῖ ἡ παραβολὴ τοῦ ἄκαν, καὶ τῆς κέδρου ; Ὁ ᾿Αμεσσίας τῶν Ἰδουμαίων πολέμου νόμῳ κρατήσας, ἤλπισε καὶ τὰς δέκα νικήσειν φυλὰς, καὶ τὸν ἐκείνων εἰς μάχην προὐκαλέσατο βασιλέα. Ἐκεῖνος δὲ ἀντεδήλωσεν, ὡς ὁ ἄκαν τῇ κέδρῳ δεδήλωκε κατεγγυῆσαι τῷ παιδὶ τὴν θυγατέρα. Τῶν δὲ περὶ τοῦ γάμου γινομένων λόγων, τὰ θηρία διελθόντα συνεπάτησε τὸν ἄκαν καὶ διέφθειρε. Διὰ δὲ τούτων τῶν λόγων ἀπείκασεν ἑαυτὸν μὲν τῇ κέδρῳ, τὸν δὲ ᾿Αμεσσίαν τῷ ἄκαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὰ ἑξῆς· Πατάξας γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐπάταξας τὴν Ἰδουμαίαν, καὶ ἐπῆρε σε ἡ καρδία σου ἡ βαρεία ἐνδοξάσθητι, ἐνδοξάσθητι ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου. Καὶ ἵνα τί ἐρίζεις ἐν κακίᾳ; Καὶ πεσῇ σὺ, καὶ ὁ Ἰούδας μετὰ σοῦ. Αὕτη δὲ ἡ παραίνεσις ἀλαζονικὴ μὲν, συμφέρουσα δέ· καὶ τὸ τέλος ἐδίδαξε. Μή πεισθεὶς γὰρ ὁ ᾿Αμεσσίας παρετάξατο μὲν, ἡττηθεὶς δὲ καὶ δορυάλωτος γενόμενος, εἰσαγαγεῖν τὸν πολέμιον εἰς τὴν πόλιν τὴν βασιλικὴν ἠναγκάσθη. Ὁ δὲ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων γενόμενος ἐγκρατὴς, τετρακοσίους πήχεις τῶν περιβόλων κατέλυσε, καὶ τοὺς θείους θησαυροὺς, καὶ τοὺς βασιλικοὺς συλήσας ἀνέστρεψεν. Ἔλαβε δὲ καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν συμμίξεων τῶν βδελυγμάτων τουτέστι τοὺς τῶν ψευδωνύμων θεῶν ἱερέας.

Ti dēloi hē parabolē tou akan, kai tēs kedrou ? Ho ᾿Amessias tōn Idoumaiōn polemou nomǭ kratēsas, ēlpise kai tas deka nikēsein phylas, kai ton ekeinōn eis machēn proukalesato basilea. Ekeinos de antedēlōsen, hōs ho akan tę̄ kedrǭ dedēlōke katengyēsai tǭ paidi tēn thygatera. Tōn de peri tou gamou ginomenōn logōn, ta thēria dielthonta synepatēse ton akan kai diephtheire. Dia de toutōn tōn logōn apeikasen heauton men tę̄ kedrǭ, ton de ᾿Amessian tǭ akan. Touto gar dēloi ta hexēs; Pataxas gar, phēsin, epataxas tēn Idoumaian, kai epēre se hē kardia sou hē bareia endoxasthēti, endoxasthēti en tǭ oikǭ sou. Kai hina ti erizeis en kakią? Kai pesę̄ sy, kai ho Ioudas meta sou. Hautē de hē parainesis alazonikē men, sympherousa de; kai to telos edidaxe. Mē peistheis gar ho ᾿Amessias paretaxato men, hēttētheis de kai doryalōtos genomenos, eisagagein ton polemion eis tēn polin tēn basilikēn ēnankasthē. Ho de tōn Hierosolymōn genomenos enkratēs, tetrakosious pēcheis tōn peribolōn katelyse, kai tous theious thēsaurous, kai tous basilikous sylēsas anestrepsen. Elabe de kai tous huious tōn symmixeōn tōn bdelygmatōn toutesti tous tōn pseudōnymōn theōn hiereas.

What does the parable of the thistle and the cedar signify? Amaziah, having conquered the Idumeans by the law of war, hoped to defeat the ten tribes as well, and challenged their king to battle. He replied that the thistle sent to the cedar asking it to betroth its daughter to his son; but while the talk of marriage was going on, the wild beasts passed by, trampled the thistle and destroyed it. By these words he likened himself to the cedar and Amaziah to the thistle. What follows shows this: “You have indeed struck Idumea,” he says, “and your heavy heart has lifted you up. Be glorified, be glorified in your house. Why do you contend in evil? You will fall, and Judah with you.” This advice was arrogant but useful; and the outcome showed it. For Amaziah, not persuaded, joined battle, was defeated and taken prisoner, and was forced to bring the enemy into the royal city. The enemy, master of Jerusalem, tore down four hundred cubits of the walls, plundered the divine and royal treasures, and returned. He also took “the sons of the minglings,” that is, of the abominations, the priests of the falsely named gods.

2 Kgs 14:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 14:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 14:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 14:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 14:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 14:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 14:14 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jehoash's parable of the thistle and the cedar warned proud Amaziah, who ignored it and was defeated, with Jerusalem plundered.

2 Kgs 14:7–14 (LXX; quotations 14:9–10, 14 “sons of the minglings”, i.e. hostages). Theodoret's explanation of “sons of the minglings” as idol-priests is his own; translated as written. The sentence describing the thistle's message is garbled in the printed text (ὡς ὁ ἄκαν τῇ κέδρῳ δεδήλωκε κατεγγυῆσαι…) and is translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray digits; stray footnote marks; stray letters): Ἐκεῖνος,538 δὲ → Ἐκεῖνος δὲ; ἡττηθεὶς ἐἱ δὲ → ἡττηθεὶς δὲ; ἠναγκάσθη **. → ἠναγκάσθη..

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.43 (PG 80 80:777; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-43). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-43

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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.

4.44PG 80 80:777

Ποία πόλις Αἰλών; Ἣν νῦν ὀνομάζουσιν Αἰλάν. Κεῖται δὲ ἐν τῷ στόματι τοῦ ᾿Αραβικοῦ κόλπου, ὃν Ἑρυθρὰν προσαγορεύουσι θάλασσαν.

Poia polis Ailōn? Hēn nyn onomazousin Ailan. Keitai de en tǭ stomati tou ᾿Arabikou kolpou, hon Herythran prosagoreuousi thalassan.

What city is Ailon? The one now called Ailan. It lies at the mouth of the Arabian gulf, which they call the Red Sea.

2 Kgs 14:22 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 16:6 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Elath (Ailon) is the city of Aila on the Red Sea gulf.

2 Kgs 14:22; 16:6. This short question holds one question and answer.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misread the relative pronoun): Αἰλών ; ὧν νῦν → Αἰλών; Ἣν νῦν.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.44 (PG 80 80:777; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-44). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-44

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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.

4.45PG 80 80:777

Τὴν ταῖς Βασιλείαις ἐγκειμένην προφητείαν τοῦ Ἰωνᾶ οὐχ εὔρομεν ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ τοῦ Ἰωνᾶ. Τὰ κατὰ τὴν Νινευὴ ἐν ἐκείνῃ μόνα συνέγραψε· τούτου χάριν ἑτέραν οὐ συνῆψε προφητείαν ἐκείνοις.

Tēn tais Basileiais enkeimenēn prophēteian tou Iōna ouch euromen en tę̄ biblǭ tou Iōna. Ta kata tēn Nineuē en ekeinę̄ mona synegrapse; toutou charin heteran ou synēpse prophēteian ekeinois.

We did not find the prophecy of Jonah contained in the Kingdoms in the book of Jonah. In that book he wrote only what concerned Nineveh; for this reason he did not attach another prophecy to it.

2 Kgs 14:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Jonah 1:2 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jonah's prophecy about Jeroboam II's borders is not in the book of Jonah, which records only the Nineveh episode.

2 Kgs 14:25. The question is put as a statement (a difficulty), and the printed text lacks a question mark; this short item holds one question and answer.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray marks): συνέγραψε 6* - → συνέγραψε·.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.45 (PG 80 80:777; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-45). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-45

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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.

4.46PG 80 80:779

Διατί ᾿Οζίας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐλεπρώθη; Σαφέστερον τὰ κατὰ τοῦτον ἡ τῶν Παραλειπομένων ἐδίδαξε βίβλος. Ἐκείνην τοίνυν ἑρμηνεύοντες, σὺν Θεῷ φάναι, τὴν αἰτίαν ἐροῦμεν. Τὸ δὲ, Ἐκάθητο ἐν οἴκῳ ᾿Αφφουσὼθ κρυφαίως οἱ λοιποὶ ἐκδεδώκασι· τουτέστιν, ἔνδον ἐν θαλάμῳ ὑπ᾿ οὐδενὸς ὁρώμενος. Ἴθυνε δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν Ἰωαθὰμ ὁ τούτου υἱός· καὶ ταῦτα δύο καὶ πεντήκοντα τοῦ Ὀζίου βασιλεύσαντος ἔτη. Καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς δὲ τελευτήσαντος, αὐτὸς τῆς βασιλείας ἐγένετο κληρονόμος, καὶ τῆς μὲν ἄλλης ἀσεβείας τὸν λαὸν ἠλευθέρωσε, καὶ τοῦ θείου νεὼ τὴν πύλην τὴν ὑψηλὴν ᾠκοδόμησε. Τελείαν δὲ οὐκ εἶχε τὴν εὐφημίαν· τὴν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς λατρείαν οὐκ ἔπαυσεν. "Αχαζ δὲ ὁ τούτου υἱὸς τῇ τῆς δυσσεβείας ὑπερβολῇ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπέκρυψε τὴν ἀσέβειαν.

Diati ᾿Ozias ho basileus eleprōthē? Saphesteron ta kata touton hē tōn Paraleipomenōn edidaxe biblos. Ekeinēn toinyn hermēneuontes, syn Theǭ phanai, tēn aitian eroumen. To de, Ekathēto en oikǭ ᾿Aphphousōth kryphaiōs hoi loipoi ekdedōkasi; toutestin, endon en thalamǭ hyp᾿ oudenos horōmenos. Ithyne de tēn basileian Iōatham ho toutou huios; kai tauta dyo kai pentēkonta tou Oziou basileusantos etē. Kai tou patros de teleutēsantos, autos tēs basileias egeneto klēronomos, kai tēs men allēs asebeias ton laon ēleutherōse, kai tou theiou neō tēn pylēn tēn hypsēlēn ǭkodomēse. Teleian de ouk eiche tēn euphēmian; tēn gar en tois hypsēlois latreian ouk epausen. "Achaz de ho toutou huios tę̄ tēs dyssebeias hyperbolę̄ tōn allōn apekrypse tēn asebeian.

Why was King Uzziah struck with leprosy? The book of Chronicles taught the events concerning him more clearly; so, God willing, we shall state the reason when we interpret it. For “He lived in a house apphousoth” the others rendered “secretly,” that is, inside a chamber, seen by no one. His son Jotham directed the kingdom, though Uzziah reigned fifty-two years. And when his father died, he became heir of the kingdom, freed the people from other impiety, and built the upper gate of the divine temple. But he did not have perfect praise, for he did not stop the worship on the high places. Ahaz his son, by the excess of his impiety, eclipsed the impiety of the others.

2 Kgs 15:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 26:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 15:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 15:34 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 15:35 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 16:2 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 16:3 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Uzziah's leprosy is explained in Chronicles; Jotham ruled well but left the high places, and Ahaz surpassed all in impiety.

2 Kgs 15:5, 32–35; 16:2–3 (LXX ἀφφουσώθ); 2 Chr 26:16–21. Theodoret refers to his questions on Chronicles. The staging notes that the OCR read the question number as 45.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR punctuation error): ἐλεπρώθη: Σαφέστερον → ἐλεπρώθη; Σαφέστερον.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.46 (PG 80 80:779; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-46). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-46

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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.

4.47PG 80 80:779

Πῶς νοητέον τὸ, Διῆγε τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐν πυρί ; Ὁ μὲν Ἰώσηπος ἔφη, καὶ τὸν ἕνα αὐτῶν τῶν υἱέων ὁλοκαυτῶσαι τῷ Βάαλ. Ἐγὼ δὲ οἶμαι τὸ μέχρις ἡμῶν φθάσαν τῆς πλάνης εἶδος τὸν λόγον αἰνίττεσθαι. Εἶδον γὰρ ἔν τισι πόλεσιν ἅπαξ τοῦ ἔτους ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἁπτομένας πυρὰς, καὶ ταύτας τινὰς ὑπεραλλομένους, καὶ πηδῶντας, οὐ μόνον παῖδας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνδρας· τὰ δέ γε βρέφη παρὰ τῶν μητέρων παραφερόμενα διὰ τῆς φλογός. Ἐδόκει δὲ τοῦτο ἀποτροπιασμὸς εἶναι καὶ κάθαρσις. Ταύτην οἶμαι καὶ τοῦ ῎Αχαζ γεγενῆσθαι τὴν κατηγορίαν.

Pōs noēteon to, Diēge tous huious autou en pyri ? Ho men Iōsēpos ephē, kai ton hena autōn tōn huieōn holokautōsai tǭ Baal. Egō de oimai to mechris hēmōn phthasan tēs planēs eidos ton logon ainittesthai. Eidon gar en tisi polesin hapax tou etous en tais plateiais haptomenas pyras, kai tautas tinas hyperallomenous, kai pēdōntas, ou monon paidas, alla kai andras; ta de ge brephē para tōn mēterōn parapheromena dia tēs phlogos. Edokei de touto apotropiasmos einai kai katharsis. Tautēn oimai kai tou ᾿Achaz gegenēsthai tēn katēgorian.

How should “He made his sons pass through fire” be understood? Josephus said that he burned one of his sons as a whole burnt offering to Baal. But I think the passage hints at a form of the error that has come down to our own time. For I have seen in some cities, once a year, fires lit in the squares, and some leaping and jumping over them, not only children but also men; and infants were carried through the flame by their mothers. This was thought to be a rite of aversion and purification. I think this is the charge against Ahaz too.

2 Kgs 16:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 18:10 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Ahaz's passing his sons through fire is compared with a fire-leaping purification rite Theodoret had seen in his own day.

2 Kgs 16:3; Josephus, Ant. 9.12.1. Theodoret's eyewitness description is his own; translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin letters inside the word; stray letters): εἶδος το τὸν λόγον → εἶδος τὸν λόγον; παῖflam-δας → παῖδας; κατηγορίαν το. → κατηγορίαν..

Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, Ant. 9.12.1 (Josephus (works); allusion)

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.47 (PG 80 80:779; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-47). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-47

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

4.48PG 80 80:779

Τίνι τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἐπέταξεν ὁ Ἄχαζ οἰκοδομηθῆναι ἐν τῷ θείῳ νεῷ; Οὐκ οἶμαι αὐτὸ τῷ τῶν ὅλων κατεσκευακέναι Θεῷ, ἀλλὰ τινὶ τῶν ψευδωνύμων θεῶν. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ τῶν Παραλειπομένων αἰνίττεται βίβλος. Λέγει δὲ οὗτως· Καὶ προσέθηκεν "Αχαζ ἀποστῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ῎Αχαζ, Ζητήσω τοὺς θεοὺς Δαμασκοῦ τοὺς τύπτοντάς με· καὶ εἶπεν, ὅτι Θεοὶ βασιλέως Συρίας κατισχύουσιν αὐτούς. Τοίνυν θύσω αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἀντιλήψονταί μου. Καὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ αὐτοὶ εἰς σκῶλον, καὶ παντὶ Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς δὲ τοῦτο δηλοῖ· Καὶ ἀπέστησεν "Αχαζ τὰ σκεύη οἴκου Κυρίου, καὶ κατέκοψεν αὐτὰ, καὶ ἀπέκλεισε τὰς θύρας οἴκου Κυρίου, καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ θυσιαστήριον ἐν πάσῃ γωνία Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ταῦτα καὶ τούτοις ἀκόλουθα διεπράττετο. Καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ τῶν Βασιλειῶν βίβλος τοῦτο σημαίνει. Ἐπορεύθη γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ βασιλεὺς ῎Αχαζ ἐπὶ συνάντησιν τῷ Θεγλαθφαλασάρ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ασσυρίων εἰς Δαμασκόν καὶ εἶδε τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἐν Δαμασκῷ, καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς "Αχαζ πρὸς Οὐρίαν τὸν ἱερέα τὸ μέτρον, καὶ τὴν ὁμοίωσιν καὶ τὸν ῥυθμὸν αὐτοῦ κατὰ πᾶσαν ποίησιν αὐτοῦ. Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ τὸ χαλκοῦν θυσιαστήριον, ὃ Σολομὼν κατεσκευάκει, μετέθηκε τὸ δὲ νεοποίητον ἐν τῷ ἐκείνου ἔθηκε τόπῳ. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ αἱ μεχωνώθ βάσεις ἦσαν τὰ ἑξῆς διδάσκει. Συνέκοψε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ βασιλεὺς "Αχαζ τὰ συγκλείσματα τῶν μεχωνὼθ, καὶ μετῆρεν ἀπ' αὐτῶν τὸν λουτῆρα. Ἐτόλμησε δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν ἀσέβειαν. Τῶν γὰρ βασιλείων τὴν θύραν ἔνδον ἐν τῷ θείῳ ναῷ μετέθηκε, τὴν δίοδον διὰ τῶν ἱερῶν περιβόλων ποιούμενος. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ἡμᾶς ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει, ὡς ᾿Αδραμέλεχ ὁ Αἰθίοψ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ κατώκει. Μαναὰ δὲ δῶρα ἡρμήνευσαν οἱ λοιποί

Tini to thysiastērion epetaxen ho Achaz oikodomēthēnai en tǭ theiǭ neǭ? Ouk oimai auto tǭ tōn holōn kateskeuakenai Theǭ, alla tini tōn pseudōnymōn theōn. Touto gar hē tōn Paraleipomenōn ainittetai biblos. Legei de houtōs; Kai prosethēken "Achaz apostēnai apo tou Kyriou, kai eipen ho basileus ᾿Achaz, Zētēsō tous theous Damaskou tous typtontas me; kai eipen, hoti Theoi basileōs Syrias katischyousin autous. Toinyn thysō autois, kai antilēpsontai mou. Kai egenonto autǭ autoi eis skōlon, kai panti Israēl. Kai ta hexēs de touto dēloi; Kai apestēsen "Achaz ta skeuē oikou Kyriou, kai katekopsen auta, kai apekleise tas thyras oikou Kyriou, kai epoiēsen heautǭ thysiastērion en pasę̄ gōnia Hierousalēm. Tauta kai toutois akoloutha diepratteto. Kai autē de hē tōn Basileiōn biblos touto sēmainei. Eporeuthē gar, phēsin, ho basileus ᾿Achaz epi synantēsin tǭ Theglathphalasar basilei ᾿Assyriōn eis Damaskon kai eide to thysiastērion to en Damaskǭ, kai apesteilen ho basileus "Achaz pros Ourian ton hierea to metron, kai tēn homoiōsin kai ton rhythmon autou kata pasan poiēsin autou. Autika goun kai to chalkoun thysiastērion, ho Solomōn kateskeuakei, metethēke to de neopoiēton en tǭ ekeinou ethēke topǭ. Hoti de kai hai mechōnōth baseis ēsan ta hexēs didaskei. Synekopse gar, phēsin, ho basileus "Achaz ta synkleismata tōn mechōnōth, kai metēren ap' autōn ton loutēra. Etolmēse de kai heteran asebeian. Tōn gar basileiōn tēn thyran endon en tǭ theiǭ naǭ metethēke, tēn diodon dia tōn hierōn peribolōn poioumenos. Kai touto de hēmas hē historia didaskei, hōs ᾿Adramelech ho Aithiops en Aigyptǭ katōkei. Manaa de dōra hērmēneusan hoi loipoi

To whom did Ahaz order the altar to be built in the divine temple? I do not think he made it for the God of the universe, but for one of the falsely named gods. The book of Chronicles hints at this. It says thus: “And Ahaz added to his apostasy from the Lord, and King Ahaz said, I will seek the gods of Damascus who strike me; and he said, The gods of the king of Syria strengthen them; so I will sacrifice to them and they will help me. And they became a stumbling block to him and to all Israel.” What follows shows this too: “And Ahaz removed the vessels of the house of the Lord and cut them up, and shut the doors of the house of the Lord, and made himself an altar in every corner of Jerusalem.” These and similar things he did. The book of Kingdoms itself indicates this too: “For King Ahaz went to meet Tiglath-pileser king of the Assyrians at Damascus, and saw the altar that was in Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest its measure and likeness and pattern, according to all its workmanship.” At once, at any rate, he moved the bronze altar that Solomon had made, and put the newly made one in its place. That the mechonoth were bases is taught by what follows: “For King Ahaz cut off the panels of the mechonoth and removed the basin from them.” He dared another impiety too: he moved the door of the palace inside the divine temple, making his passage through the sacred precincts. The history also teaches us that Adrammelech the Ethiopian lived in Egypt. The others translated manaa as “gifts.”

2 Kgs 16:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 28:22 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 28:23 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Chr 28:24 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 16:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 16:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 16:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 16:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 17:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 17:3 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Ahaz's new altar, copied from Damascus, was for foreign gods, as Chronicles confirms; he also dismantled temple furnishings and profaned the precincts.

2 Kgs 16:10–18 (quotations 16:10, 17); 2 Chr 28:22–24 (quoted); 2 Kgs 17:3–4 (LXX μανααν; some Greek manuscripts name “Adrammelech the Ethiopian living in Egypt”).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR accent errors; OCR breathing error; stray mark; stray marks): οίκοδομηθῆναι ἐν τῷ θεἰῳ → οἰκοδομηθῆναι ἐν τῷ θείῳ; αὐτὸ " τῷ → αὐτὸ τῷ; καὶ·κατέκοψεν → καὶ κατέκοψεν; μετέθηκε 3*, → μετέθηκε,; Ἑτόλμησε δὲ → Ἐτόλμησε δὲ.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Quaest. Reg. 4.48 (PG 80 80:779; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-48). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-quaestiones-regnorum/4-48

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.