Fragmenta in Jeremiam

OF SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE, THE SURVIVING PORTIONS OF THE COMMENTARY ON THE PROPHET JEREMIAH.

One must state what prophecy is, and when it began, and when it ceased, and for whose sake it came to an end; and what benefit one may derive from it in life. Prophecy, then, is the speaking, or also the figurative showing, of things past, present, and to come. For it is a word, or a matter, that foretells events before they are known. Since indeed by a matter a matter is signified. For the bronze serpent, the lamb in Egypt, Isaac being led forth, were types of what was to come. For these are prophecy, but they do not have the cause, as in the case of Ezekiel being cast out through the wall, is. pulling down the walls. For it has the cause. It is necessary, however, that the types also be useful to those of that time, as in the case of the serpent and the lamb. But the prophets foretell not only when asked, like the outsiders, but for the most part of themselves. For among them too prophets are spoken of by the same name. Therefore Paul also says: One of them, their own prophet, said? But the Egyptians also called the priests prophets. And in general, of prophecies, one is spiritual, another diabolical, and another between these, a certain natural or technical one, and the fourth common and popular. Of the spiritual, then, primarily the saints partake, but by dispensation also those who are not such, as Nebuchadnezzar, and Pharaoh, and Balaam, and Caiaphas; of the diabolical, only those who serve him.

For the flour-diviners themselves, and the Pythia who prophesies through the parts of victims, and the Dodonian priestess who prophesies through the oak, and the one through entrails, and through the flight and cries of birds, and through symbols and sneezes, and through omens and thunder, and through hands, and mice and weasels, and through mutterings and the ringing of ears, and through pulsations of the body, and through pebbles, rods and bark, and through the dead and through the belly, and through names and stars, and through bowls, and countless other such things. For the prophecy through dreams is also among us, through possession. But their foreknowledge is not through virtue, as ours is, but through some base trickery; and they give oracles about money, and diseases, and wars, with no virtue or vice being sought by them; but among us it is for the correction of morals and for change to the better. And those things must come to pass, but these not necessarily. For what profit is there in a foretelling spoken for the benefit of souls, when the things divinely decreed will certainly happen, admitting no change from what is in our power? For God, foretelling, also suggests the release from calamities, if we wish to repent. For this is also the gain of prophecy. But if they do not change, it certainly happens. And those men, having spoken truth in some things by coincidence, erred in most. And they need instruments, and places, and times, and they speak for money; but God is free of these. Such is both divine and diabolical prophecy. But natural prophecy is that of irrational creatures; for swallows sense the approach of winter from swallows, and cranes from cranes, and ants, and hedgehogs and kingfishers, having acquired this by nature.

But technical prophecy is found among doctors, counselors, and pilots; for the former foretell illnesses, the latter the resolutions of these; some foretell changes of winds, while others aim at the future by understanding. There is also a common and popular knowledge of the future, such as that after three months comes winter; for all have foretellings from cycles. So it is no great thing to have foretelling and knowledge, and even demons, since even ants have foretellings from cycles, and men are clever guessers of the future; but not so as to know all things absolutely. Since even the devil prophesied that to know good and evil was good, and it came to pass. And again Balaam foretold: Station harlots, and Israel shall be betrayed through them; and so it came to pass. But this is conjecture, or rather foretellings that contain nothing paradoxical; just as in the case of Christ, the preaching of the Gospel; and, Not one stone shall remain upon another. And shortly after: They say that the blessed Jeremiah must be read before the others, as being clearer than the others. And it is no wonder if some of the prophets are obscure and others clearer, since even in one book of divine Scripture, sometimes, some parts are obscure and some clear, and in the writings of one man some are thus and some otherwise, as in the Psalms and the Epistles of the apostles, and in the sayings of the Lord. For in general obscurity arises either from the nature of the subjects, being strange to the ear, as in the case of the tabernacle-making and the construction of the temple in Ezekiel; or from the hearers, being disposed without understanding.

Therefore Christ spoke the parables deliberately in an unclear manner. And shortly after. Unclearness also arises again from the peculiarity of the speaker, who has a propensity toward this or that manner of declaration. And among the prophets the Spirit spoke only the thoughts, but not also the words; thereafter they themselves expressed them in their own common way. For he did not use them as motionless instruments, as the inspiration of demons does; but he wished them to know what was said, and to speak all things with their own understanding: The Lord will do nothing unless he reveals it to his servants the prophets.

CHAPTER ONE.

Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, from the priests. From the interpretation of the prophet Jeremiah. The time in which the blessed prophet Jeremiah prophesied, and from which king he began, and to which one he prophesied until he died, can be clearly learned in the prologue of the prophet. He makes his whole prophecy against the two tribes, since the ten had already been taken captive by the Assyrian. One can see that the prophecy is of a varied kind: for at one time he convicts them from examples, as when he says: See your ways in the burial place; at another from certain things done by the prophet himself, as when he takes the loincloth and does the things that follow, and the jar which he broke before the face of the people, a sign of the destruction of the multitude, and the yokes which he put around himself. He had much difficulty in his times, since all had already turned aside to impiety, and priests were opposing him, such as Zephaniah was, against whom he is evidently speaking, and certain of those in authority.

And again, addressing Pashhur, and kings least of all receiving the admonition. He makes the rebuke not only from the facts, stating the impieties clearly, but also from certain obedient men, the sons of Jonadab, son of Rechab, by comparison with whom he shows the Jews to be lawless. For this reason he also appears to have suffered the worst things—at one time becoming suspect in regard to the betrayal, at another being shut up in prison, at another being cast into a pit of mire. For this cause, at the very beginning God promises to give him strength, foretelling the terrible things to him while promising to defend him. He speaks also against the nations, for the benefit not only of the Hebrews, but also of those very ones against whom he speaks, so that seeing the outcome they might be persuaded that the God of all is Master. He prophesies also the recall of the people, and sets down the number of years of the captivity. Finally he also composes Lamentations, and sets down an admonition by letter to those who are in the colony, in which he also refutes the vanity of idols and shows God to be Master of all. The word of God which came to Jeremiah. The name Jeremiah, as the Book also says, was of the tribe of Levi, of the fatherland of Anathoth, and he dwelt in the country in Benjamin, from the priestly race. From the priests. Of the righteous and wonderful man. Since others also took their beginning from there, they made the prophecies in the time of righteous men. Observe: God, foreknowing that they would be helped in nothing, sent the prophets; for we reap no small fruit from this. For lest someone say, And what is the benefit?

Just as one might blame a physician who foreknows a man's death for remaining until his last breath—for he did not cease exhorting and advising him in every way. But for what reason did they suffer these things at the hands of the righteous and pious man? Because they were paying the penalty for the sin of the deeds of Manasseh during forty years. The word of God. This is the superscription of the book; and it makes known whose son he is—that he is of Hilkiah; and of what worth—that he is a priest; and where he dwells—that he is in Anathoth; and of what tribe—that he is of Benjamin. And "utterance" and "word" and "vision" and "oracle" are the same thing. And the word came to be, not through a voice, but because the vision speaks more clearly, as a vision having come to pass. What does this word mean? What does it establish? The people were murderers. Isaiah had been sawn asunder, Amos done away with, Zechariah buried alive; training themselves in prophetic blood, like dogs that have tasted blood, thereafter they thirsted for such food; transforming themselves into fits of rage, they did not yet desist. The prophet needed great and mighty resolve when leaping into such a people. As the word of God came to be. And this too belongs to the superscription. And it makes known under which king he began his prophecy, and at what time. For since Josiah was righteous and held a right mind concerning piety, but could not by himself know the good—all his forefathers having turned aside to impiety, and especially since he had been brought to the kingdom while still very young—

From the thirteenth year of his reign, God arranged for Jeremiah to prophesy, so that the king might demonstrate his own zeal for the good by the prophet's reproofs. At any rate, when five years had not yet passed, he had a superfluous zeal for the temple. And it came to pass in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah. And this too belongs to the superscription. He indicates the kings during whose reigns he prophesied. But the phrase, And it came to pass in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, indicates that he was shown to be a prophet and was deemed worthy of spiritual grace in the time of Josiah. But he delivered all these words beginning from Jehoiakim. For then especially they needed exhortation. For if he wished to signify only the time at which he began to prophesy, the mention of Josiah would have sufficed; but if he wished also to name the rest, during whose reigns he prophesied, he ought also to have set down those who remained. So it is clear that this is what he indicates: that he began in the time of Josiah, but at that time he did not require many words or vehement ones, since the ruler was pious and the multitude followed the king. And the word of the Lord came to him, saying. This is the beginning of the book, but not the beginning of the prophecy. For since all had lapsed into impiety, and there were no longer prophets, he wished to send the righteous man to change the people's zeal for impiety by his own words. Before you came forth. So too Paul: He who set me apart from my mother's womb, that I might preach him among the Gentiles. And shortly after: I who formed you from the womb. It is not the work of nature, nor of

of travail. I am the cause of all things. So you would rightly obey me, and the one who gave you existence. Not first, I sanctified you, but first, I know you, and then I sanctified you. Here he showed foreknowledge. After the foreknowledge, then the decree. Because I knew you, I sanctified you. Therefore the Apostle says: Whom he foreknew, he also predestined. He did not say first, he predestined; but, he foreknew, and then, he predestined. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations. For even if he did not go out to Jerusalem, yet he prophesied many things about the nations. He does not send him without reason; for he knew that the difficulty of the time would make him more hesitant about the matter. He speaks, then, words by which he could encourage him: Before your birth, then, I made you my own; for this is the meaning of I know. And when you were formed, I set you apart. Then, since it is possible to be set apart for priesthoods and for certain other services, showing the kind of setting apart, he says, I set you apart for this, to prophesy to the people. For he calls the tribes nations. Therefore he declines, as being not trustworthy to speak to so many, and especially to kings. But God emboldens him. I am too young. Observe the freedom from vanity of the righteous, how they set down their own defects in writing. Who would not blush to hand this over to writing? But they were pure of reputation and ambition; and whatever they said, and whatever they heard, they have set down with all truth. And again: Behold, I do not know how to speak, says the prophet; so that when you see him speaking eloquently, and directing his words to these, you may not think the words are from his own power.

For he anticipated and confessed, saying, I do not know how to speak. The One who is. He knew the one speaking to him. For this very reason he names him from the earlier title. For when Moses once asked and wished to learn the divine name, the Master said: I am the One who is. He also imitates Moses' reverence, saying that youth is not sufficient for prophecy. But the Master instructs him not to put forward youth as an excuse, but to do what was commanded, and he drives out his fear as well. Do not say, I am too young. For when God commands, the Master of nature, both age and speechlessness and all passions give way. I command, and do you put forward youth? Do not make excuses, nor offer pretexts, he says. Do not be afraid. I command, and are you afraid? See the things of the Church prefigured. Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. And I did not say: Where are you sending me? Did you see the middle of the prophets and the apostles? That I am with you, to deliver you. Therefore this does not show that God is with us, namely that he delivers us. For if this were so, he would not have added: to deliver you. So that even when not delivering, he is with us. Since he is also with the martyrs without delivering them; and he is with the righteous, allowing them to struggle, and he was with Job when the devil warred against him. But not from I will be with you, but from to deliver you, you have an invincible weapon and an unconquerable alliance. Do not be afraid. For who, standing on a rock, fears a drop of water? Who, having the king standing with him, fears and trembles?

And he stretched out his hand. The prophet needed this perceptible image, since Christ also did this: He breathed on them, although he did not need the breathing; but bodily images occur for the sake of assurance. Behold, I have set you today. And yet above he said, Before you came forth from the womb I sanctified you. How then does he say here, today? That was by foreknowledge, this by operation. To root out. This is the best kind of farming, to dig out the thorns. What he intends to prophesy, he stated briefly. To root out, that is, to depart from the city; to tear down, that is, the destruction of the temple; and to release, the slaughter of the multitude; and to destroy, the loss of their own people; and to rebuild, the

recall; and to transplant, to dwell safely on the land after the return. And the word of the Lord came. Of Chrysostom, otherwise of Olympiodorus. These things after an interval, when he says: And the word of the Lord came to me, saying; for it was not in sequence, but he was giving insight into what was said. A rod of walnut. For this wood is hard, and heavy, and striking. For what reason did I see these things? Because the matters and the visions were clearer, and struck the hearer more. For the rod is a symbol of a blow. Having urged him to prophecy, he shames him more through the vision. But some interpreted walnut as almond. The Hebrew has it thus: I see a watching rod. For watching and almond are pronounced by the same words in Hebrew. At any rate he adds: And the Lord said to me, You have seen well.

That is: I no longer bear with them, but I bring the vote against them. And he took this from the metaphor of those who watch wrongdoers, finding them in the very act. Some said that a nut was seen, because of the severity of the punishment. That he punishes them, then, he signified through these things; but in what manner, he adds: For behold, I have watched. Since sleep is also predicated of God, it is a kind of longsuffering: How long will you sleep, Lord? That is: I am now withdrawing. I do not persuade by word; be persuaded by the sight of the rod. I do not say it, but I do it. And his face. The face, that is, the kindling of the cauldron. He calls Jerusalem a cauldron, and the calamity a kindling; and from the north, so that he might signify the advance of the Babylonians. That is, there he saw, there he looked, there he was turned. The tumult, the boiling, the pain, the frying, he makes clear through the cauldron. This is the greatest healing: to preserve the sick man, to frighten him, to bring him to his senses, to bring it upon him through the very sight, and to hold back, and to give time for repentance. For neither would he have brought it upon them immediately, so as not to destroy the fruit of repentance; nor did he stand aloof, so as not to relax the fear. You see, then, that each thing is measured, and that the remedy is composed from opposites, as is the case with physicians. For what need was there not to bring it upon them? But they would have become more slack. But to bring it upon them? But they would have gained nothing. Therefore he both stands aloof, and contrives that they be believed through the sight, shaking their mind, and showing the living power of the word. For behold, I summon together. Here he makes clear the war of the kings, that of the Babylonians.

Not one king, or a second, but all. See how he sets the kings themselves upon them, as though there were no war and battle, but as men coming to a plunder already set out, as against ready slaves, as against men captured and subdued. Two things happen here: so that they should not think even these are the strong ones, and persuading—no—but being persuaded that God drives and carries all things; so that those too, lest thinking otherwise, they again declare the war and siege to be spontaneous, may set down their thrones not as warring, but as resting. And I will speak to them with judgment. I will converse with them with my judgment, and having convicted them of their lawlessness, thus I will punish them. By the works of their hands. I do not say another thing, but that it is alien; and not only this, but that they worshipped the works of their hands. Nothing is so unworthy of God as to become; especially indeed to become, but far more so at the hands of men. And you, gird yourself. Cooperate with me, work with me. What is "gird yourself"? For just as a physician commanding a disciple for a great work—for they were not bare words, nor did it need to be said once, nor in a brief time, that is, "Be a man; a battle line is yours, a fight and a war not of the ordinary sort." And arise. Not that he was sitting—for how, seeing such things and hearing such things?—but, Rouse yourself, attend to what is said; you need double the attention, both for the

what is spoken by me, and to convey it to them. Here gently, there forcefully. And they shall fight against you. So that from what you suffer, you harm those who do it rather than yourself endure anything improper. CHAPTER 2. I remembered the mercy of your youth. He speaks of their benefactions, not their praises. For since he spoke of the punishment, in order to show that he brings it justly, he says once, and twice, and many times, I remembered the mercy of your youth, that is, of the mercy; which I showed to you when you were young, I remembered. For just as we have great affection for little children, when they do not yet provoke us; so also God in the beginning, and in the first stages, when he saved them from his grace alone, and did not demand what was from themselves. Nevertheless he shows mercy, but nevertheless you made him fall into forgetfulness after these things. Of your following the Holy One of Israel. That is, In this I showed mercy, in making you follow me, in leading before you, in going away and preparing lodging places in a land not sown; not simply in a wilderness, not left by men, but never having received fruit; there you followed me. Israel is holy to the Lord. That is, There I led before you, and not this only, but also in making you holy, and holy to me. For it is great indeed also to be holy, but when you are also holy to God, consider it for me. From here is the beginning of the words of the prophet to the people; for as if being judged against them he reminds them of his own benefaction, persuading the prophet, that he does not unjustly bring out the verdict against them.

He says, then, that from the beginning you enjoyed much of my care. And by "youth" he means the people's sojourn in Egypt, since they were then chosen by God. And the phrase "of the love of your perfection" is instead of "I loved you perfectly," bestowing all providence upon you; and the proof comes from what follows: "In your following after the Holy One of Israel," he says. Instead of: when you were in need, suffering all sorts of terrible things in Egypt, and I brought you out and led you, showing the way in the wilderness. And I provided you an abundant supply of necessities in an untrodden desert. "Holy to the Lord is Israel." That is, set apart for God. For thus Moses also says: "When the Most High divided the nations, as he scattered the sons of Adam, he set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the angels of God, and the people of his Jacob became the Lord's portion. The firstfruits of his produce." That is, of all men, of the whole inhabited world, although the others are also his. What is therefore called firstborn is not because he was first to be born, nor by nature; for in the case of others, firstborn status creates the love; but here love made him to be firstborn. That is, the firstfruits are proper to God, and cannot be otherwise. So also Israel, having come from all the nations. "All who eat it shall offend; evils shall come upon them." This too is no small gift—that which causes his enemies to be destroyed. For just as the one who tastes of the firstfruits sins, so also the one who offends against you. For this reason long ago I also punished Pharaoh, and all who rose up against them; for he recounts the ancient things.

Now "eating" is used instead of "having eaten," and "they transgress" instead of "they transgressed." Hear the word of the Lord, house of Jacob. He who trusts in his own righteous deeds does not beg off having many hearers. Rather, he is eager everywhere to have a splendid audience, which is exactly what God does, calling not only humans but even inanimate things, and choosing to be judged even in external courts. Let the one who wishes hear, because of the conspicuousness of the righteous; whereas the one who is always suspicious begs off the judges. What transgression did your fathers find in me? What are you saying? After so great a threat, after so great a fear, do you offer a defense? Yes, he says. For such is the lover: he does not endure for long to speak burdensome things to his beloved, but rather grievous things—no, rather weightless and shaming to himself, grieving more over that man's evils. What transgression did your fathers find in me? What is this? Do you bring the fathers forward while holding your argument against these? So that he might show that he benefited these not on account of those, but on account of them, which makes them more liable to punishment. Because they stood far away from me, and went after vain things. Do you see the accusation? Not simply "they stood away," but "far away"; for it is truly a great distance to go from that divine nature to stones. So far a journey are both of these things—no, rather their ends. And they became vain. That is: They found nothing, and not even so did they rise up, nor did they repent. It is great hatred to turn away from the benefactor and to choose those who harm. And they did not say, Where is the Lord?

Not only did they say this without having found it, though they were driven by the necessity of circumstances; for good things, when present, are customarily despised, but when they depart, then especially are they sought after. Here, however, it was not so, though they had sufficient memorials of his beneficence. "He who brought us up out of the land of Egypt." This is a second beneficence—to be led. And for what reason did he bring them up from there? So that they might not again seek Egypt when they saw war. For if he led them around at a distance and persuaded them to remember that land, much more then, when the dangers were fresh and the deliverance and the memory of it remained with them. For God was doing the same thing as if someone, having brought a person to health through great toil, should also devise a means to persuade him to choose what is beneficial. Peacefully he brings forward his own beneficences, and calls that very one as witness to what is said. And he says everything in accordance with what was said above. "And I brought you into Carmel." This too is a very great beneficence: he brought the poor, the naked, into goods belonging to others, though they had done nothing nor worked. But I brought them to a table ready prepared. Not only did I lead them, but I also provided a harbor and rest. What is equal to this kindness? By "the goods of Carmel" he means the great wealth. From the place he means the land of promise. And Carmel had rich soil and bore noble fruits. "And you entered and defiled my land." With these things you repaid the benefactor; by those means by which you ought to have done good, by these you insulted; through those things by which you received good, through these you did evil, and you overturned the grace itself.

See how he makes the place his own, in order to show that their sins were greater. I gave you rest here by bringing you in, but you did the opposite. The priests did not say. Those who especially ought to have been leaders of others too. See the evils from the head. That is, the scribes, the teachers did not know me. Here he means the unclean life. For if none of those things had been, if he had not brought them out of Egypt, they were priests, ought they not to have studied the law? having been honored with rule by me. And the prophets. He means the false prophets here. The priests did not say he speaks concerning those who fulfilled the liturgies. And those who cleave to: he speaks concerning the high priest, who leads the people. Therefore I will yet be judged with you. And indeed there should not be judgment, but sentence, but condemnation. Or this is what he wishes to say, that I have not said all things, but I have other things also to say; I have yet to be judged; or that You have compelled me to go to law with you. And with the sons of your sons I will be judged. Therefore do you not punish these? Yes, he says. He speaks the excess, that Even yet I am judged, and when the claims are not yet, I do not refuse, both with you and with your sons to be judged, and to give account to you and to them. For do not suppose that from the former accusations I condemn them, and I am judged with them, not refusing to be judged with all.

Because they were about to say, "It is nothing to us if the fathers sinned, nor is it just to pay the penalty for the transgressions of others," he wishes to show that these too were not less than their forefathers, and says: I will judge not only them but also you, and not only you but also your descendants—so that he may set forth the greatness of his love for humanity, that having borne with them sinning to such an extent, he did not persuade them to change their mind. Pass over to the islands of the Kittim. And come yourselves, and learn through others; I do not forbid it. I have done no good, I have accomplished nothing. I am a God to you as a father. Imitate the nations, which do not abandon their own, and sometimes an ass and an ox. Then the reproof against them is from an example: that Pass over to the islands of the Kittim. He speaks of a story of this sort here. Kittim—some said the Cyprians, some the Chians; and Kedar is the name of a city of the Saracens. They say that in Chios there is abundant rain, but that rain fails the Saracens. So then, since the land was fruitful from the rain, those who dwell in Kedar, thinking that the rain comes by the providence of the God there, brought their own god—according to some made of gold, according to others even of pearl—to the Chians, who had a god of wood or of clay, as some say, wishing to exchange. But they, not looking to the preciousness of the material, but wholly honoring their own god, did not exchange. This, then, he says: that the other nations have such reverence for their own god that they would not exchange for one of precious material giving a lesser one.

But my people, having enjoyed so great a care from me and having obtained glory, so that even among all peoples the wonders done for them were sung, counting it of no account, came to the worship of idols for the sake of great works, and having no gain in these things. If the nations will change their gods. Because they do not abandon them, having thus a clear conscience toward sin. Do you see the examples also coming from sins? For this is terrible, but nevertheless, since they received them, they also have them. He does not say this to encourage them, but wishing to shame even these. Not accepting them nor admiring them. May it not be. Those men remain with their own even to their harm; but you leap away from your own Master to your harm. Those men, even if some terrible thing should be needed, would not choose to abandon their own; but you, though being benefited, would not choose to remain. Heaven stood amazed and the earth shuddered. For in the case of outrageous things we say that even soulless things stand amazed, by way of hyperbole; so great is the wickedness, that not only men but even the insensate things themselves should be struck with amazement—the sin surpasses every account, every power of thought. The Lord says. He says this everywhere, so that no one may think that the accusation is the prophet's. That my people have done two evil things. Again he calls them his own people, out of longing still and affection; these are the words of one showing mercy, not accusing, of one lamenting, not trampling upon. They abandoned me, the fountain of living water. I do not speak because of friendship, but at least because of their life; for I provided them all good things—the clearness of teaching, and the pure and unclouded, the ever-flowing.

For truly this is God, a fountain of life; all good things gushed forth here. This fountain they did not make themselves, but it was spontaneous; and having abandoned it, whom did they choose? And they dug for themselves broken cisterns—not receiving from others to give, but desolate, naked, and empty of good things; they chose to be in thirst continually, they labored in vain. Reasonably they have nothing good of their own, nor can they receive from another, nor, even if they wish, are they able, nor, even if someone pours something in, do they retain any good. Is not Israel a slave, or is he a homeborn servant? He said that the cisterns cannot—he now states the proof: for from where else have they become slaves, if not from these things? It cannot be said that these are mere words; he all but apologizes that they themselves are the cause. For indeed he was not such from the beginning, but he drew slavery upon himself. Did I despise him as a slave? Did I not care for him as a son? Or is Jacob a homeborn servant? Or did they not also honor his forefather, so as to honor him even after death by remembrance? That is: I from above acquired him in the rank of a son, but he made himself contemptible; therefore he has also become subject to his enemies. And the sons of Memphis, and Taphnas knew you, and they mocked you. It is almost as one lamenting: From where did these things happen to you? As one calling them back: And they mocked you. This especially is accustomed to bite men among misfortunes—the fact that they knew you, like some well-born maiden cast out, and having insulted her, they mocked you. He is speaking about the Egyptians.

But some said that "they knew" means "they will shepherd," using it metaphorically, and he added "they mocked," in order to signify the wickedness of those who afflict. "Have not these things been done to you, because you abandoned me?" Do you see that I say these things not for my own sake, but for yours? From where, then, did these things come about? From where are the cities desolate? From where did the lions rush in? From where did those men mock? If you had not abandoned me, who led you through the desert and prepared you to pass through unharmed. And now what is it to you on the road of Egypt, that you should drink the water of Gihon? Everyone brings this charge and accuses you, that having set God aside, you summoned your enemies and those plotting against you for alliance, and you held them as friends. God is jealous, and he is most indignant above all when we have no need of him; he brings us to necessity, so that we have need of him continually; so greatly does he love us and desire to provide. And if another gives the grace, he is indignant, and overturns what was given, and does not allow it to come to effect. You do not endure the words; you will endure the deeds. He reproaches them, that though they are in better things, they seek the lesser; for Gihon, the Hebrew has Shior, which is translated "channel." For since also in the law the blessed Moses, by comparison with the Egyptians, praised the land of Palestine, as not waiting for a gathering of water so as to irrigate the land like a garden by many hands, but the water is brought from above from heaven, not by human hand, God showing his providence over the land, he mentions those things, reproaching them.

He says these things because often, when the Egyptians and Assyrians were called upon for help—and now, as Joakim was greatly elated over the Egyptian and thought he would suffer nothing from the Babylonian through that one's alliance—when they were being warred against by the Syrians, they called the Assyrians to alliance. But when the Assyrians marched against them, they fled to the Egyptians. For he calls the Nile Geon. "Your apostasy will discipline you." For it is sufficient for discipline to be outside of God. "Says the Lord." Not my words, not a human verdict; he still calls himself her God. "And I did not take pleasure in you." Never, that is, I did not rest. "Because from of old you shattered your yoke." They did not loose it, but shattered it. "You said, I will not serve you, but I will go upon every hill; there I will be poured out in my fornication." Observe him destroying others, kicking against the goad and leaping. Observe hills and groves preferred to God. Do you see that it was not the burdensomeness of rule that she fled, but she waxed insolent? She would not have been so if she had been humbled and subdued; she sought to fornicate, but only for relaxation, and not simply "I will fornicate," but "I will be poured out." So even if it was a yoke and a bond, it reasonably restrained, holding back the disorderly leapings, and not even to defined places, but everywhere, in each region, the pretext of impiety. "I planted you a fruitful vine, wholly true." For do not suppose again that these things came from natural wickedness. Since it was likely that some would be at a loss and say, for what reason from the beginning

Did it leap away? He says: Not because of the vinedresser, but because of the vine—fruitful, true, this genuine one. Here he shows a certain natural virtue. You have no ground to accuse the vinedresser. You turned, and you did not need much labor to be changed. For such is vice—very easy and effortless. The vine is the alien vine. How is it alien? You will henceforth be alien; for it is mine and not mine. Do you see that those who are made God's own are made his own not from their formation but from their works? So too when he says, "Alien sons have lied to me," and, "I do not know you," he does not introduce another creator. For if he himself planted it, how is it alien? But after it turned, it is alien. But I planted you. That is, I made the greatest provision for you. Having brought you out of Egypt, and given you an alien land, and cast out the nations, I settled you there, so that you might give the fruit of piety. And the phrase "every true one" is instead of, I settled you in safety, which Isaiah also says: "A vineyard became to the beloved in a horn, in a fat place." He has not set down "every" without reason, but since there were pious men among them—both the prophets and those who followed them—it is instead of, I wished all of you to be such, and I took care of all equally. And I planted a vine of Sorech—that is, chosen. For what he there calls "chosen," here he calls "true," with reference to the election of the fathers. How did you turn to bitterness, the alien vine? The Hebrew reads, "You have turned to me into the seed of an alien vine," so as to say, You have transgressed my laws, and you have followed the customs of the nations. Which Moses also says:

For their vine is from the vine of Sodom, and their branch is from Gomorrah. Their grape is a grape of gall, their cluster is a cluster of bitterness. Hence they also brought gall to the Master. But since they outraged the divine planting and were turned to bitterness, and instead of a grape brought forth thorns, the Christ from them according to the flesh names himself a true vine, saying: I am the true vine; and those who have believed in him he calls branches. And if you wash yourself with natron. Then, so that you may not think it is natural, You are stained with your injustices. And yet, even if it is acquired, and has been added, and is from injustices, it is possible to scrub it away; for it is possible; for if it were not possible, he would not have said: What have you to do with the way of Egypt? How then does he say: If you multiply grass for yourself, you are stained? As he says: If the Ethiopian changes his skin, and the leopard its spots. For neither there does he set the matter as impossible, and such examples mean this, but the words are of anger. He does not say this, that If you repent, I do not receive you, but that the cleansing through water profits nothing, since they supposed they were cleansed even in this way. He took it from the metaphor of wool hard to wash out, or of bodies dyed, by some gall poured out, or something of the sort. For the natron, and what he calls grass, knows how to wash away the filth on the surface of the body; but a body dyed, and as it were steeped, it does not heal. He wishes then to say this: that you cannot receive forgiveness from the stains of your sins.

For genuine disposition toward the good is required, and a complete turning away from evil. So then, that he might say: Not from being in the land, nor from offering sacrifice, or entering the temple, or keeping the Sabbath, or anything of that sort, do you receive forgiveness, but by pursuing virtue and displaying uprightness in works. And he calls it grass, which in the Syrian tongue they call alaa; in the Hebrew, boreth; in the Greek tongue they name it doryknion. So then, "you are stained," as it were, You are dyed in wickedness, and in your devotion to impiety. How will you say, I have not been defiled? What do you want again? Were you not angry? Did you not cast off? Did you not say that You are stained? Why do you again bring charges? Do you see the words of a wronged lover? How will you say, I have not been defiled? The greatest sin, you transgress in deeds, and you deny in words. This Polyandrion was where the bodies of the children were buried in the time of Manasseh; for he calls the ways here the deeds; for the place stands crying out, nor do you deny the reproof when it is manifest. For must one go far away? And to show that they did not change their mind, he adds: How will you say, I have not been defiled, that is: Sinning, you deny it as though you had done nothing. See your ways in the Polyandrion and know what you have done. That is, Look at the place where you were sinning. But the Hebrew does not have "Polyandrion," but "see the place of Gai"; and he means that in which, having turned aside to the daughters of the Midianites, they fell into idolatry. Consider, then, he says, your transgressions from above; perhaps they translated it "Polyandrion" from the multitude of those slain there. Late in the evening her voice wailed.

He speaks to her as to a drunken woman who does not know what she has done. Everywhere he is eager to learn her sins; for truly we need great wisdom in order to learn our sins, truly great eyes. Who was more understanding than David? And yet he could not perceive his sin, he could not see it clearly. But he needed a prophet to point it out. For the devil is not so vehement in urging us to sin as in preventing us from perceiving the sin, so that we may persist in sinning. She widened her ways upon the waters of the desert. Not as one sinning, nor as one stealing, but with license, with great abundance. The waters of the desert—what does he mean? Impiety, idolatry. In the desires of her soul she was carried about by the spirit. But according to the others, They drew in wind; for having drawn in the unclean spirit, they were made vain. That is, the things which she wished to hear, the false prophets pretended to say; or that, like one possessed, she passed from one desire to another. Everywhere he calls his own teaching waters, but those waters are the teaching of idols, where she was babbling empty things. Observe that nowhere is it from necessity, but everywhere from insolence, in the desires of her soul, when she does evil even with desire. Who will turn her back? You see that this too is said in one way and happens in another. She was not turned back—and yet you turned her back, and she was not even handed over. But he spoke of what had not happened, so that at least in this way she might turn back. In her humiliation they will find him. That is, brought into subjection, bound, handed over. Late did she wail aloud with her voice.

According to the Hebrew it reads thus: Like a firstborn calf she skips. – She made her ways broad upon the waters of the desert. That is to say: She poured out her deeds like waters upon the deserts, serving idols and despising the temple. According to the Hebrew it stands thus: Like a heifer taught to leap in a wholly desolate place. In the desires of her soul. Accordingly the Hebrew has: And in the will of his soul to walk toward every region. Who will turn him back? Accordingly, according to the Hebrew it stands, that is: Since I have pronounced captivity against her, who can help her? All will. The Hebrew: In plowing they will find her; that is, in her corruption. So then it stands according to the Hebrew sense; but the Greek has some such meaning of the words: She will be easily captured, not deemed worthy of my providence. Turn your foot away from the rough road. How again do you exhort? How again do you advise, if she has been defiled? He calls idols rough roads, and showing the thirst, that the matter has no pleasure. For what pleasure is there in sacrificing sons and daughters? And what is rougher than these commands? What pleasure is there in their women fornicating and committing adultery? What pleasure is there in forehearing the future, vainly and to no purpose, benefited nothing by the foretelling? What pleasure is there in cutting themselves and bloodying their hands? Or what pleasure is there in consorting

to irrational creatures; nothing is rougher than this way. Who would not flee a rough way? Who would not depart from thirst? But she did not even after the exhortation that comes from words. What is it, I will act manfully? I will persist in contentiousness. You see that what is written above, that If you wash yourself with nitre, and multiply for yourself herbs, he does not speak of those who turn away from repentance, but he seeks a genuine turning back from sins. Since, therefore, he said above: She made her ways broad upon the waters of the desert, he now exhorts her not to grow weary in the service of idols, seizing the mountains, nor to desire those vain things. For this is what he indicates: Your throat from thirst. According to the Hebrew, however, it reads thus: Turn away your foot from walking barefoot, and your voice from weeping. That is: Change your mind, so as not to become captive and mourn over the evils that have overtaken you; and in both the same thought is preserved. For the one spoke of the outcomes of impiety; the other, the Greek, of the cause of the evils. But she said: I will act manfully. I do not wish, that is, I am sufficient for myself. As the shame of a thief when he is caught, so shall they be ashamed. That is, as a thief caught in the very act cannot deny it, so these too, when calamities overtake them, could not deny the weakness of idols, being ashamed of their service to them. Thus shall the sons of Israel themselves be ashamed, and their kings, and their rulers, and their priests, and their prophets. Since this more than anything disturbs us among punishments, he also sets down this, which happened after the burning.

For when the false prophets were deceiving them to no purpose and blowing the opposite way, it came out and happened, and there was great shame, and the kings were put to shame, as unable to stand forth; the priests, as not obeying the things from God; the prophets, because of the diviners. They said to the wood: You are my father. What is worse than this insensibility? For if they had not forsaken God, what is harsher than this blindness? But it was not to the wood, he says, but to the demon that moves the wood. And they turned their backs to me. This sin is worse. Whom did they forsake? How did they turn away? He continually speaks of their sins. Do you see how great a good evils are, when they make one recognize God? Do you see that the error came from negligence? Do you see that it came from folly? Do you see that besides the other human sins there are other defects? For your gods, O Judah, were as numerous as your cities. Again a reproach, when they are makers of gods. For he cannot say that they are very few, nor that they are far off. For your gods, O Judah, were as numerous as your cities. Why do you speak to me? All of you have acted impiously. It cannot be said that some did, yes, and others did not. So that those who escape the error may become a comfort to others. Therefore, when we act impiously, we are not even worthy to call upon God, nor to pray to him in calamities, when in ease we ignore him, says the Lord. For do I not say it? I, who was insulted, I, who know all things. The sword has devoured your prophets. Your prophets. But it should not have been the children, but those who deceived, and this he did, he says, and not simply, nor by a common death.

So that no one might attribute this to nature, but that they might learn that the wrath came from God. Neither when you were being benefited did you recognize the benefactor, nor when you were being disciplined did you desist from impiety. But I also handed over to slaughter the very authors of the deception. For a sword, he says, devoured them. For some Elijah the prophet handed over to slaughter, others Jehu the king, and others Josiah the pious king. Was I a wilderness to Israel? Was I a wilderness, that is, was I unfruitful? For if I was unfruitful, they ought to have withdrawn. Not even so, then, for one must not serve God for wages. Does a bride forget her adornment? But my people. See again how the word is tempered. What people especially sought, glory, it is not possible to say that we enjoyed good things but were in dishonor. As adornment to the bride, so was I to the people, so that it was difficult to forget. That is, people pursue things that contribute to good order. And a bride loves her adornment, as being beautified by it, and a virgin clings to her breast-band, as having comeliness; but the people, having had both adornment and comeliness from me, and having enjoyed no ordinary glory, calling the ordinance of the laws adornment and comeliness, according to which they appear to be in ordinances lawfully among the rest, being strangers to all greed and wickedness, being taught gentleness and love of humanity, and glory as from God's help when all submitted and marveled at God's care for them—having enjoyed so many things from me, then, they made themselves forgetful of my benefactions.

What good will you practice in your ways, to seek love? That is, how much can you do to wipe out your sins and show her clean, so as to be deemed worthy of love from me? Not so—that is, not even by doing many things can you wash away the multitude of your sins. But you too have done evil to defile your ways. That is, you made this your earnest pursuit, as though striving and practicing to become unclean, so you have done all things. She, then, had such earnestness—what such thing do you have concerning her? And yet, passing over all other things, see what kind he sets forth: in your hands was found the blood of innocent souls. I did not find them in broken-through walls. Ezekiel also says this: This is beyond all your wickedness, that they sacrificed their sons and set nature at war against itself. I say nothing yet of the fact that it was to demons, but that, having nothing to accuse them of, and the terrible thing was done not even in secret, nor by the law of robbery, but under the guise of piety—murders were carried out under the pretext of sanctity—other things were dared. And you said, I am innocent. The shamelessness regarding sins, which especially can kindle the wrath of God—the not even recognizing one's own offenses. But let his wrath be turned away from me. What do you say—that I am angry in vain or enraged to no purpose? Therefore I defend myself, because you have greatly despised me. Behold, I am judged against you in your saying, I have not sinned. If you had not added this, I would not have been judged. Do you see that this is what makes me condemn you, and despise you?

You have placed me in this necessity; you have become the cause of the judgment; you judge this accusation, so that I may defend myself—you stretch out these long speeches. And he did not say, "I accuse you," but, "I am judged against you; I stand up for myself, I plead my own case," so that even if I were judged, I would not only not have accused, unless you were saying this, since you wish to make me liable to a charge. Because you have despised to repeat your ways. Nor do I now hold you accountable for the first sins—you set upon the same things again. And I would not have laid even this as a charge, unless you were again attempting the same things, not from being defeated by passions, but from negligence. Do you see that it is not sinning that provokes God, but falling into the same things and, in contempt, not turning back, since this is also accustomed to provoke us again? And from Egypt you shall be put to shame, just as you were put to shame by Assur. Either because those proved treacherous, or because they were shown to be weak, and the Persian prevailed. The whole thing has come about not from the treachery of the Egyptians or Assyrians, but from God's abandonment—that is, your good things have thrust away your expectation. Their hope was the Egyptians; God thrust it away, and it did not prosper. Why? Because they did not hope for security—"Cursed is the man who hopes in man." Do you see how he does everything, bringing them into the necessity of hoping in

him; but they did not attend, nor were they persuaded. And your hands were upon your head. For this is the manner of those who mourn, when they lament over things that cannot be undone. As formerly, he says, when you called upon the Assyrian, as Ahaz is shown to have done, in the end you suffered all terrible things at the hand of the Assyrian himself; for he not only took the ten tribes, but many cities of Judea. The same things, he says, you will suffer also from the Egyptians, so that he may say: The hope of the Egyptians will be foolishness to you when you say it, for shamelessness is fitting for lawlessness.

CHAPTER 3.

If a man sends away his wife. What does the example mean? First, one great thing: that what a man does not endure, I endured, when you became wives to other men; again I called, again I received you. And yet there the sending away is the man's, when he hates her, but here it is not the man's but the woman's, so that the example is not even equal; for he did not send her away himself, but she abandoned him. And you played the harlot with many shepherds... says the Lord. The word "says" must be read not with what comes before but with what comes after, that is, the Lord says to you. And he has set down the word given by Moses: if a wife who is not pleasing is released from her husband, then she will belong to another, and having been hated and again departing from that one, the former is not permitted to take her. This law, then, he says, lies upon what has been written; but you, he says, having been sent away many times by me because of your lawless deeds, and calling upon strangers, that is, the Assyrians and the Egyptians—

For he always calls kings shepherds. When you were tested in calamities, you fled again to me, as before, and I provided the inclination that came from myself. But some say: Because you shamelessly, being a shameless woman, come into my house while transgressing the law, not even imitating the women, who are ashamed to return to the men who had already sent them away. Every woman who departs from her husband and is joined to another cannot return to the other man, since the law prevents this; but you, having abandoned me, who was joined to you according to the law, were joined to many unholy demons, and then, receiving perception of the harm, you were returning to me, and I did not thrust you away. But if you think I am saying these things without reason, lift up your eyes to the straight way, and see where you have not been defiled. Lift up your eyes to the straight way, and see. Observe, he calls her as a witness of her own sins, he makes her her own accuser; again, he says, she cried out, every road accuses; see where you have not been defiled, do you see how he makes the proofs clearer, and then brings on the penalty? You sat upon the roads. Here he wishes to show the great zeal concerning sins, that she did these things with great eagerness. And you defiled the land in your fornications. And indeed the land would never be defiled by sins, but he says this to elevate the matter. And see where you have not been defiled, you sat upon the roads. Instead of: you were defiled. But you were impious even then, yet you hypocritically pretended honor toward me by your arrival at the temple; but now you have advanced into a boundless abyss of evils, filling every place with your lawlessness.

You sat on her roads, like a desolate crow, that is, you became like an isolated crow, deprived of every good thing; and having become a captive under many enemies, and being plundered by various deaths, you still held fast to wickedness. And you had many shepherds; the look of a harlot became yours. You did not harm me, but you harmed yourself; you suffered the terrible things, for it is the shepherd's task to shepherd, not to hinder. This is the terrible thing, that she did not even take hold of her own sins, nor did she sin with gentleness. Did you not call me as a house and father, and leader? From your own words, from your own disposition toward me, I say these things, which are names of disposition: father, husband, house, leader of virginity. That is, you did not pay attention to how I made you my own, becoming to you in the rank of a father, and of a husband leading a virgin; you did not apply these terms of kinship to me. Will she not remain forever, etc. That is, your fornication, and your doing these things without punishment. That is, if you do not persist in evils, you will not go unpunished, and you will prevail over your enemies, being found in piety. Behold, you have spoken. You see her acting from deliberation and from reflection. And the Lord said to me in the days of Josiah the king. So approved was he, so pious; the time is not added without reason, but it is a greater charge against the Jews: that not even having a ruler who cared for them did they become better. God addresses the prophet, since we too address servants when we are despised by those we love. Have you seen what the dwelling of Israel did to me.

And yet the Divine is impassible, but nevertheless he speaks as one who has been insulted and wronged. The dwelling of Israel was not one, not a second, but the whole multitude; and yet this one did not see—for those things were before him—but this is instead of "You learned." Josiah became righteous and made great zeal for the service of God, so that even the people served with him; but since there were some who were not pursuing piety genuinely, the prophet reproves them through these words, and by the comparison of the ten tribes he shows these to be lawless, since those others were absent—for they were serving in Babylon. And I said, after she had committed fornication, all these things: Return to me. And she did not return. He teaches the prophet the justice of the punishment: She went up on every high mountain. Then he shows his own goodness and love of humanity: And I said, after she had committed fornication. Willingly, therefore, she drew destruction upon herself, neither having embraced from the beginning the conduct according to the law, nor being willing to turn back after her impiety; from this he increases the accusation against the tribe of Judah. And she saw the breach of covenant. Having seen, he says, even the wickedness of her sister, and the punishment brought upon her because of it, she did not flee from the imitation of wickedness, but followed in her footsteps. And her fornication became as nothing. She supposed, he says, that she was doing nothing unlawful; and he calls idolatry fornication—for having abandoned God, who was named their bridegroom, they served idols, and they stained the land with murder by sacrificing their children to demons. And she committed adultery with the wood and the stone.

He made the charge of fornication clear. And in all these things she did not turn back, but to falsehood. For since at that time they seemed to be better, for this reason he says that they turned back to falsehood; for this was a falsehood. And the Lord said to me: Israel has justified her soul, compared with treacherous Judah. He does not praise the sons of Israel as having been justified, but as sinning less, and as first; but these he censures because they did not become better from this chastisement. Then through more words he teaches that she did not abhor her sister's impiety, having seen the utter destruction, and that the ten tribes have some pardon more than the tribe of Judah, since having seen those others' calamities, she continued doing the other causes of calamities. For this very reason the prophet is urged to foretell to them. Go, and read these words toward the north. What ever is this? Is it toward the northern parts of the city? And what does this mean? And why does he speak to Israelites who are not present? Or does he do this toward the northern parts of the city, as if provoking and stinging these men? For the whole through

These, since we too make the living better by blessing those who have died, and we hymn them while provoking them, and we praise them even when absent. So also God, he says, commands the words to be sent, so that both these may become better and those, as Paul says: If by any means I may provoke to jealousy my flesh, and save some of them. So also God stirs up these, by praising those. For since these are now worse than you, I speak to you. For it is not recorded that this prophet went to Persia, nor does he command him to send. For go, he says, and read the words. Unmeasured is the Master's love for humanity; for after much lawlessness he seeks only repentance, and he teaches its manner. Turn back to me, O dwelling of Israel. God seeks only this, that we should at least recognize your sins; what great thing does he demand? On our own behalf, that we may know that it is forgiven, that he is loving toward humanity. Only know your iniquity, that it is against the Lord, etc. See the unrestrainedness: you poured out, and not simply; for the village urged on to impiety. Nor is it possible to say this either, that one ought to have distinguished with whom one should have dealt. Every tree was set forth for impiety. And to strangers, he says, the demons. And it is not possible to say that I did not advise, nor counsel, but that while I was advising you did these things, and did not hear my voice, but attended to the most voiceless. For the beginning of health is perception of sickness, and you poured out your ways. Having abandoned God, and Lord, and Maker, and Benefactor, you were joined to strangers. And who are these?

Under every leafy tree, he showed the profitlessness of the error, for the plants that were made into gods are fruitless. But you did not obey my voice, for in giving the law he said: You shall have no other gods besides me. Return, rebellious sons, says the Lord, for I will rule over you. Observe after the accusation again an exhortation and counsel: if, then, they are rebellious, why do you call them? For I will rule over you, he says, as if it were a necessity of their return. Just as if someone were to say to a servant, You have to serve me, for what reason have you run away? He calls the dwelling his own. And I will take you, one from a city and two from a family. The number saved is small; this also happens in the coming judgment—those who are saved are very few. I will rule over you. That is, being Lord of all, I will be able to bring back even those already taken by the enemies, leaving no one behind. And I will give you shepherds after my heart. This is truly a benefit—to obtain good shepherds—just as, then, the opposite is the greatest punishment; for the shepherd needs much knowledge. For if the bodily shepherd would have checked everything, much more the spiritual one, who truly has much more need of courage than that one, in order to lay down his soul for the sheep. And it shall be, if you are multiplied. For since they were distressed by the words, one from a city and two from a family, he added, Because you are multiplied. It has greater pleasure, after returning, to return and become many at home, than to return from the beginning with a multitude. In those days they shall no longer say. This seems to me to be unclear.

Some say that it will not be fearful, while others say that they will not need the law, as when he says, A new heart, and I will remove the heart of stone—that is, the Spirit will be yours; instead of all things, it will teach and guide us, and it will not be named. It shall not go up, that is, the ark. Nor shall it be named in it, that is, the law. Nor shall it be visited any more, that is, nor shall it be carried. And it shall not be made any more, that is, as it was before, when the priests carried it about everywhere. So as to say: To you who repent, I will provide a return from Babylon more glorious than the exodus from Egypt. And all the nations shall be gathered to it, and they shall no longer walk. Not by the law of war, but by piety calling them, either the citizens

to lament as impious, and the foreigners to remain pious, or this he says, that his name is still strong to gather them, or that it is for piety, and not merely so. And they shall no longer walk after the thoughts of their heart. There will be a life of virtue, and since life is of the best kind, one must also be confident about the things to come, and no longer fear. For the cause of the disease is removed. If anyone is gathered by the name of God, he does not walk after the thoughts of his own evil heart. That is, they will have the genuineness of piety in their soul, so that even by looking at the city alone, they may imagine God. It is also possible to understand this of the times of Christ, as we do not need the legal worship.

In those days the house of Judah shall gather to the house of Israel, and they shall come together to the same place. The chief of good things is concord, is love, since the chief of evils also arose from there. And observe how he has not set it down otherwise. For he did not say, The house of Judah to the house of Israel, but what was far more wondrous: the one who first kicked against the goad, the one who first began the enmity, the disobedient, the stubborn one, he himself shall also begin concord; and not after the return, but they shall come back together before the return. Do you see, beloved, how many good things the captivity has accomplished? It dissolved an immortal enmity, it gathered together peoples that had been torn apart, it reconciled kinsmen and citizens who had been at war; nature appeared mad against itself, the race was torn asunder, the rights of citizenship were divided—all these things injustice wrought, and all these things the captivity dissolved and brought to nothing. From the land of the north. Observe the credibility. From the north—much more than from other lands; and then he also reminds them of ancient accounts. Which I gave as an inheritance to their fathers; for that was more incredible. Whenever he is about to narrate a wonder, he reminds them of the ancient account, or wonder. Do you disbelieve, then, how your fathers came together? How I gave them as an inheritance? For this was the wondrous thing, that those scattered throughout all the earth came together into one place. And I said, May it be, Lord, that I will set you as children. Observe the prophet's paternal care, although he was not going to be subject to those times, nor to be an eyewitness of the good things, but as though he were about to enjoy them himself, so he prays along with them.

This is said in between, as from the prophet, and immediately as from the person of God: "I will set you as children," for it is connected with the sequence of the preceding utterances. The first dignity is the paternal inheritance, although they were casting themselves out of this kinship. They called the stone "father," but nevertheless "I will set you as children." Observe both in the Old and in the New, both from God and from us, that this kinship is established: "I will set you as children"—this is God's; and Paul says: "whose is the adoption." For nothing is equal to this honor. And again: "He gave them authority to become children of God," so as to preserve the order. For when he himself sets us in order, but we abandon it, we are cast out; for he did not say, "I will make you a child," as though of one perishing without restraint, but "I will establish you," in that order as in a dignity; and to preserve it is ours. Do you see how many good things he has passed through? What recompense does he require of them? No toil, no sweat—up to the naming, what labor does the exercise have? For this is a child's part, always to pursue the Father, even when he strikes. Do you not see the little children crying, being rebuked, and clinging to the hem of their mother's garment, and following after? They seek only one thing from us, to be loved. This is connected with "And they shall come to the same place from the land of the north, and from all the countries to the land which I caused their fathers to inherit"; for what lies in between, "And I said, Let it be, Lord," is the prophet's, rejoicing in the promises of God. And he says: "I will bring you into the land of promise, having held you in the order of children," just as also

Long ago, when I brought you out of Egypt. And I said: Call me Father; that is, only be genuinely disposed toward me. But just as a woman is faithless to the one who lives with her, so the house was faithless to me. Recognize your own evils, and I will grant forgetfulness of the offenses already committed. A voice of weeping was heard from the lips. From this we are taught not only to lament and mourn in calamities, but before this to entreat God; for he says, of weeping and supplication; for neither could weeping by itself accomplish anything, nor prayer not set aflame by lamentations—this is the profit of calamities. A voice from the lips. He speaks of the events in the time of Josiah. Sons, turn back by turning, and I will heal your fractures. Behold, we will be servants to you. For it is not enough to weep, nor to supplicate—for this came about from the nature of the terrors—but he requires them to give pledges and accounts for the things to come, so that after release from the terrors they may not return again to their former ways. Let us learn to confess with precision, for these things have not been recorded simply, but so that we too may follow. That is, be genuinely changed; do not, out of fear of the king, feign piety. Truly the hills were for a lie, and the strength of the mountains; except through the Lord our God. They bowed down to sin, they sacrificed to the wicked desires of lust; perhaps the word is also spoken to us: Turn back, sons, by turning. And after a little. Truly the hills were for a lie. When we see the light, then we recognize the darkness.

They knew God, and then they also came to know the demons; so too we shall then truly know sin, not saying it in words but being convinced through deeds. And God left them to learn through works; one must also condemn the former things. Behold again the word "through" is spoken of God: you ought to have learned from other things too—from heaven, and earth, and sea—but now from what was done to them. The ancients did not make only stone images, but they also pursued mountains and hills. The reason: they thought the demons dwelt in high places; for there is no part of creation that the devil did not prepare to be worshiped. And after a little. —Except through the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. For what else does God seek than that you learn that he himself benefits you? This, or nothing more, he requires from you, and he loves this very thing. But shame has consumed the labors of our fathers from their youth. Even if they suffered nothing terrible, shame came after the deeds; they labored in vain and were wretched, and it was nothing other than simply to sacrifice—the sacrifice to the demons, but salvation from God. Sheep. They did not spare even their offspring, and they were ignorant of their nature, plunging into the utmost madness. For the madman does not know what he is doing; but the one who does shameful things, and things worthy of shame, is both in perception and has many to rebuke him; it cannot be said that they did it in secret, but with all watching, since many were going to put them to shame. For we sinned before our God.

The one who confesses must confess in such a way as to magnify the sin from every side, to deprive himself of pardon, so that he may obtain pardon. Until this day. He did not say it simply, not a second time, not a third, but a ten-thousandth time, and it is not possible to say that everywhere they are such. And we did not obey the voice of the Lord. But concerning the demons they are so hot and mad as not even to spare their own entrails, so as even to sacrifice their offspring, but concerning the Master they are so slack, and stubborn, and refractory, as not even to hear his voice, but to disobey.

CHAPTER 4.

And he shall swear: As the Lord lives, with truth. Let no one take from this a pretext for an oath, but let him hear the Gospel, that You have heard that it was said to the ancients: You shall not swear falsely; but I say to you, do not swear at all. Before this, these things were said to the foolish, to those led away from idols, not to those who philosophize, not to those who touch the heavens, not to those who come to full manhood. Thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and to those who dwell in Jerusalem. For the safety of a city is not the joining of its building, nor the size of its stones, but the virtue of its inhabitants. Just as, then, the betrayal of a city is not the weakness of its buildings, but the worthlessness of its citizens. Break up for yourselves fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns. From the experience of farmers the prophet enjoins that this be done for souls, which through much idleness in the past time, having brought forth much wickedness and unfruitful works, he exhorts to partake of the plough of the word. For it is not possible simply to receive the divine seed without first casting out the thorns.

Therefore he says, "Turn away from evil, and do good." Cultivate, he says, our souls; pull up by the root the memory of idols, for these he calls thorns; that is, remove the idols, and so come to God, arriving at the temple. He took this also from the metaphor of farmers. So then, "Do not sow on thorns," that is, do not enter the temple while practicing idolatry. "Be circumcised to your God, and circumcise the hardness of your heart, men of Judah, and you who dwell in Jerusalem." Is he speaking about this circumcision? By no means, but about the circumcision of the soul. Therefore that circumcision is not for God; for he would not have said, "Be circumcised to God." And indeed someone might say, "We are circumcised; for how would it not be his?" I do not want the circumcision that is performed by another, but the one performed by ourselves, of which each man is master. That one is performed by another and takes place in the body; this one does not. Do you see that the old circumcision was a matter of condescension? For he would not have said "to your God" unless he were indicating that that one was not for God. For what benefit does that one bring toward virtue? What does the Jew say here? Do you see that the law hints at something else, and is not by itself sufficient to save, if such is the circumcision? Therefore, with the doors of the New Covenant gently opening, do you see the old one being brought to an end by itself? Paul did not say this about it, O Jew; Peter did not legislate it; Jeremiah said it, whom you still revere even now. I do not bring these things to you from our books; rather from ours than from yours.

For the things of the New Covenant are no less ours than yours, and the things of the Old are no less alien to you; just as you disbelieve those, so also these. So that the Jew has fallen away from both, while we hold fast to both; for in both is the Spirit. Then he teaches what kind of circumcision is God's. And to circumcise the hardness of our heart. He has clearly taught that the visible circumcision is a type of the hidden one, and that the circumcision of the body is superfluous when the inner one exists. Starting from this, the divine Apostle wrote to the Romans: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not from men but from God. For he heard God speaking through the prophet: Circumcise yourselves to your God, men of Judah, and you who dwell in Jerusalem. Let not my wrath go forth like fire, and it shall burn, and there shall be no one to quench it, because of the evil of our practices. He speaks in a human way, wishing to instruct them; therefore he often hangs fear over them, and there shall be no one to quench this dread. For since they often placed their hopes in his love for mankind, he removes this consolation. But to those who do not

He brings the threat upon those who obey: "Lest my anger go forth like fire." For you alone can quench it by repenting, but if you do not possess repentance, no one is able to deliver you from punishment. "Announce in Judah." What is this? Above he said, "Lest my anger be kindled like fire"; now he has kindled it, he sets the terrors before them, and having brought them to the very doors, he does not let the terrors fall upon them. For he does not lead them into the plundering of cities, but sets the enemies at the gates, like the best of teachers, who lowers the strap but does not strike. And frightening them, he urges them to speak to Jerusalem and to every tribe of the Jews, so as to sound the trumpet and signal to all the approach of the enemies, so that they may flee for refuge into the walled cities, and betake themselves to Zion as the more strongly fortified. "Take up and flee to Zion." There is a kind of contradiction here: for these words are those of one who cares and provides, and acts so that nothing improper may happen; but those are of one who wishes to hand them over, and make them a prey, and encompass them with the utmost evils. If you bring the evils from the north, for what reason do you also hasten them? For these are the words of one commanding as general, but those of one standing at the head of enemies. Do you see that it is the part of one correcting and caring, and forcing them to bring what will be to pass into belief? For since words profit them nothing, he almost depicts the things themselves for them. He threatens the assault of the Babylonian and signifies the first captivity, for he speaks for now of the destruction of those outside. For he says: "Flee to Zion, hurry, do not stand.

As though the city were being preserved. A lion has come up from his fold. He also recalled the calamities that befell the brothers. Why do I speak of one city and the smallest tribe? He destroyed whole peoples and cities with all their men. He says these things more figuratively. And he calls Nebuchadnezzar a lion, and Babylon a fold, and says that from there he rushed forth and set the cities on fire and ravaged the lands; for this reason, "gird yourselves," and the rest. After these things, gird yourselves with sackcloth and beat your breasts. For he did not turn away. That is, God did not cease from his anger because of the things that happened under Josiah, but since even after his death you again turned aside to impiety, showing that even the things that had already happened were not done by you with genuine intent, God brought forth his verdict against you. And cry aloud. Not because of the calamities, but because his wrath did not turn away; for truly, truly, one must be distressed not only because of Gehenna, but because God is angry. Not because he was angry, but because he turned away. The heart of the king will perish. For such is the nature of calamities: it deprives one of the natural faculties of the mind. For when fear is excessive, it allows nothing to remain in its place. And the prophets will marvel. That is, the false prophets. Why? Not as though events came out contrary to expectation, but as though they were shown and happened contrary to expectation. And I said: O Lord God. Surely you are deceiving. The prophets often answer God together, as it were in a tent, working the correction of the people. This is what fathers and friends of fathers do with one another, correcting their children.

But where did he say to them, "Peace shall be unto you"? Above, when recounting the good things, he said: "And the house of Israel and Judah shall come together, if they remove their abominations." For what reason, then, does the prophet say these things? For surely he does not speak in ignorance. May it not be so—he who knows all things exactly—but, as I said at the beginning, this: that he answers together with God, which it was fitting for them to say, so that he might again give God a starting point for an answer. "A spirit of wandering in the wilderness." He calls the enemies a spirit of wandering, rightly. Just as the spirit carries the dust everywhere, stirring it up, not depositing it in ordered places, so also it happened to them: that barbarian war, falling upon them like a violent wind, scattered them everywhere over the earth—and yet even to be scattered is grievous, but to suffer this even in disorder is beyond telling. This is the answer to the saying, "You have deceived and misled the people": it was not I who deceived them, but they themselves became the cause to themselves. Since the prophet said, "Have you indeed deceived and misled this people," and, speaking of Jerusalem, "Peace shall be unto you," and behold, the sword has touched their souls—God says that when the evils come upon them, they will know the truth of what was said by you, and that the seers deceived them by the working of demons. And it is similar to what was said by Micah concerning Ahab, that a false spirit went out and was in all the false prophets, to deceive the king. And "of wandering in the wilderness," because they served idols on the mountains. And "the way of the daughter of my people," instead of "their deeds": not into what is pure, nor into what is holy.

Through experience itself, he says, they will learn at the time of their calamities that the spirit speaking through the false prophets was a spirit of deception. "A spirit of fulfillment shall come upon me." That is, I have ceased from rendering to them their terrible things—from their punishments being fulfilled. In place of: it is not completive of the triad, from which the present evils came upon me. "A spirit of fulfillment from these things shall come upon me." But this deception, he says, they endure because they are unclean, practicing idolatry, and filled with defilements, and have no share in my spirit. And the phrase, "From these things shall come upon me," means: for not even because they came into the temple with such great uncleanness do they already obtain grace from me. "But now I will speak my judgments against them." That is, I will punish them; for since he said, "he shall come again," lest the appointed time of the future should make them more careless, he cut short the license arising from the intervening time, saying: "And now I will speak judgments." "Behold, they shall come up like a cloud, and like a tempest." Do you see how he seeks out different, more terrifying images, in order to astound their mind, in order to terrify them, he depicts the army. And what is the gain? He speaks of the swiftness of the coming, but none of these things touched them—such is wickedness. Nevertheless God foretold it, if only they would not yield. "Wash away from wickedness." "How long shall the thoughts of your labors exist within you?" For truly nothing is equal to this misery. We are accustomed to use this expression whenever we see someone given over to a long illness, and never able to recover from that corruption.

For just as a body weakened by fevers is hard to wash clean, so too is a wretched soul by sins. Words are not enough, nor is it enough merely to lament oneself in the Church of the Lord: "Do not weep with tears"; but there is also need of the addition of works. And after a little: "Wash your heart from wickedness." What is this, if he has come up like a lion? if he is present like a cloud? and then terrible things at the doors? What limit of change? What time for change has been left? But observe the love of humanity: he spoke about those things as though present, in order to conceal this negligence and exchange it for zeal, and he spoke again as of things to come, so as not to cast them into despair. Those words belong to the one who pronounced the sentence; these to the one giving time for correction. For no one at once brings on punishment and introduces exhortation. For both of these are contrary: if you advise, relax the punishment; if you punish, how do you exhort those being punished? But nevertheless he says he punishes, so that they may not be negligent; and he says he relaxes, so that they may be corrected. Do you see? This is what Christ also says, and it lies here: "For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts." "How long will they exist?" Do you see God's longsuffering? "How long?" When it was necessary to flee both by nature and by time, what pardon is there? What defense? Let it be: you did not turn away from wickedness by your nature; should you not have done so by time? "Remind the nations, behold, they have come." He shows

because often, having heard, they forgot. He speaks of the freedom and great boldness, that they will not come as by the law of enemies, but as against places already occupied beforehand. As those guarding a field, they became around her in a circle, so that there is no escaping for those who wish it. He also stated the cause of the calamities: "Because you neglected me," says the Lord—reproachfully, "You neglected the Master"—and the credibility of it. Is this not enough for punishment? Is it not harsher than every penalty? For if there were no war, if there were no capture of a city, this very thing alone—to hear the word—how great a punishment does it carry? That is, just as those fruit-watchers, finding someone stealing, shout and throw the thief into fear, and with all eagerness themselves rush on, wishing to seize the one who dared it—so too these merely shout and turn you to flight, as being on foreign ground. "Because you neglected me," says the Lord. You will endure things worthy of what you dared, and you will reap what you sowed. "Your ways and your practices did this." What hope of healing remains, then, when the head and the most governing part has been corrupted? For there is a vice that is not bitter; there is a vice that comes from simplicity, which one might even forgive. This one, he says, is unbearable, because it has also become permanent, and, he says, has reached the heart itself. "I am in pain in my belly." Having foretold these things, the prophet grieves and laments on their behalf, and says: "My belly, my belly, I am in pain, and the senses of my heart." He took this from the metaphor of a woman in labor. "My soul raves," that is, it is troubled, being in agony.

My heart is torn apart, that is, it leaps with fear, all but wishing to depart; it imitates a mother whose womb is torn apart over the destruction of her children. Because my soul has heard the sound of the trumpet. The prophet has become inspired. Not now, but a little before, he said these things, seeing them happen in reality with prophetic eyes—wars, and battle lines, and fights, the blast of trumpets, the din of horses, the assault of enemy men, all the calamities of the Jews. But observe for me the longsuffering of God: he threatened through words, the word did not bite them; he makes the foretelling more trustworthy by making the very one who speaks worthy to be a spectator of what is said. He calls upon destruction, because all the land has been laid waste; suddenly the tent has been laid waste. My curtains have been torn apart. He shows how easily captured it is, calling it a tent; and otherwise one would not err in naming every city and every house by this manner of designation; for the present life is a tent. Nor will the enemies need toil, nor any time, but just as when tearing apart a tent, so they take possession of the walls. But observe also the prophet's affection: he makes the whole city his own, saying that Jerusalem is his house. My curtains have been torn apart. He speaks concerning the remaining cities; and he took this from the metaphor of kings and others pitching tents in their camps. But some said that the tent is the palace, and the curtains the remaining houses of the city. How long shall I see them fleeing, hearing the sound of trumpets? What then, when trumpets are sounding, and there is war and battle, but they do not reach us?

But he added, "The whole earth has been made wretched." Well does he say "has been made wretched," for everywhere he is eager to show that the war was stirred up by God against them for their own sins. For this is what "to be made wretched" means. For they prevailed not only through war and battle, but by coming suddenly and beyond expectation and without warning. He makes him a spectator and a hearer, so that from both sides he might strike them with terror. The prophet saw, so that the Jews might not see. Jeremiah praised the heart, so that he might keep them in safety; in many places he delivers up those who serve him. "Because the leaders of my people did not know me." The greatest accusation, when those who ought to teach others themselves first do not know. Then, when the prophet had spoken in accordance with these things, "How long shall I see them fleeing?" God answers, "Because the leaders of my people did not know me," that is, "Because of their impieties they suffer these things, since even previously one pursued a thousand, and you learned the things in Egypt." He explains also the multitude of those fleeing, and says in the person of God, "Because the leaders of my people did not know me; they are foolish sons, and not understanding." And so that they might not be thought worthy of pardon as being foolish, he immediately added, "They are wise to do evil." For this is the most grievous thing, that they used it for nothing, foolishly, just as drunkards use wine, and murderers use iron. "I looked upon the earth, and behold, there was nothing, and upon the heaven." How nothing? Not sheep, he says, not cattle, not buildings, and walls. For war knows how to make all such things disappear. And upon the heaven, and its lights were not.

He speaks of the seer's perception, not of the nature of the thing. For he does not say it simply, but, "I saw, and his lights were not." For the darkness of night is accustomed to cover the light, but it shows the moon together with the stars; but the night of despondency, which is far harsher than that, makes all the stars disappear, not in their essence, but in the sight of the one who beholds. So that his lights did not appear, and therefore they did not even seem to exist to the beholders. But like one naked and deprived of the light, so he became. A soul that has been darkened suffers something like this; for many who have stepped off the sea have thought they saw the land standing upright, and themselves spinning around. But nature is accustomed to do all these things. For just as fear, falling upon the senses like into clear and standing water, disturbs the land in the deep and confuses it, turning things above below and throwing all order into confusion; so indeed it happens here too: one hears different things and sees different things, and nothing stands on its own proper seat. As in darkness I have become from fear because of the desolation of the city. I saw the mountains, and behold, they were trembling. That is, not even in the mountains that have come to be is there any way to be saved. I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of heaven were terrified. For we do not even think we see those standing near; how then does he say concerning the birds that they were terrified? This too is from the prophet's disposition. For because of the desolation, the birds also abandoned the place. For most animals are by nature said to dwell in remote places. The whole earth shall be desolate. What do you say? Do you weaken the Jewish fear?

For why did you not stand at the former threat? It was enough to say, "All the earth shall be desolate." But immediately he turned the gloomy aspect, bringing in the good. For what reason? So as to make them better in this way too. For when we join harsh things to harsh things and speak, the soul has often fallen into despair; but the soul that has good hopes, even brief ones, will be able quickly to rise up. "On these things let the earth mourn." Well does he call the earth to perception of the things that are going to happen, since men are disposed without perception. "For I have spoken, and I will not repent." Let no one think the matter is a threat; the deed will certainly follow as well. For since he often spoke and, out of love for humanity, did not bring the end, it will not be so now either, but as I spoke, I will also act. "If you clothe yourself in scarlet." What ever is being said? The discourse is metaphorical; the prophet converses continuously as with a dishonored woman, the city, and one playing the harlot. Since he said above, "See your ways in the burial-place," that is, the place where, caught by women, you acted impiously, he says, if you wish to deceive the enemies in the same manner, you will not be able. And "if you anoint yourself with stibium," he means the black stuff with which women are accustomed to color their eyes. As with a prostitute expecting to catch her lovers by the beauty of her appearance, just as Jezebel, just as the daughters of the Jews. But now, with respect to the city, understand every misfortune, when both lovers

so that they might spit upon the beloved woman even as she is adorned; and not only spit upon her, but even desire to destroy her. For I heard a voice as of a woman in travail. And he shall let down her hands. He will no longer be able to accomplish anything against the war itself. Again the prophet saw the things to come. He cannot bear the multitude of the slain; he is beside himself and faints away. But if the sight is unbearable, how much more the experience? First he saw them fleeing, then lamenting, and then also being slain. Proceeding, he says, that no one will even allow you to lament.

CHAPTER 5.

Woe is me, that my soul faints over the slain. Run to and fro in the streets of Jerusalem. Do you see that he does not cast them into despair? And observe God defending himself, and not entrusting the examination to others. Do you yourselves who have suffered evil, seek, he says. I do not entrust the matter to another, not to an enemy, and an adversary, not to one who is negligent and careless of your affairs; but to you yourselves who are in pain and distress. And so that he may not again grow slack, Run to and fro, he says, as though the terrors were near, and he commands that the search be made exact. The word concerns those who lie under the sentence, since there were righteous men among them, such as Jeremiah, and the sons of Rechab, who were priests, and Abimelech the Ethiopian. He speaks, then, concerning the priests, and kings, and false prophets, and the multitude. As the Lord lives, they say; therefore they do not swear falsely. For it is not enough, he says, to swear, but not to perjure oneself. Do you see that everywhere God seeks not only his own good, but also that of his neighbors.

Consider how great a thing it is to swear falsely, how it brought down an entire city; for the one who swears not by God but perhaps by demons—here the outrage is greater, and here too, when we have misused the oath for the injury of others. That is, they swear falsely, thinking it nothing to swear against me, and they have misused the credibility of my name for the practice of evils. Lord, your eyes are for faithfulness. That is, your eye sees nothing contrary. Your judgment is pure. A great accusation, and a proof of the utmost insensibility; that is, you know all things accurately, and the things said by you are true. I scourged them, and they did not grieve; the mark of men who have grown callous, such as were the things of Pharaoh; so that it might be shown that he was not making excuses. This was what it meant to say, Run to and fro; from earlier events he shows his care for them. What is it, you have completed? You killed them all, you brought down the greater part of them, and not even so were they disciplined. For nothing of the things that came upon you has been omitted. Everywhere it is of the will, and not of nature, that, You did not wish to turn back. See wickedness turned into nature. And I said, Perhaps they are poor, because they could not. And what could poverty be as an obstacle? He does not say this, but he removes the pretext of the many, showing that neither were these hindered because of poverty. Against the one who is going to object to us, neither from himself, as one who did not flee from himself, he mentioned poverty beforehand. Because of poverty the many do these things, and wishing to be fed, they have been deceived into impiety.

For the phrase "because they were not able," that is, they did not have the strength to live wisely in the face of poverty, and being deceived, they did not know the way of God. "I will go to the great men." But perhaps even the rich—for neither wealth nor poverty is an obstacle to this. See how from every side he removes their excuses. That is, "I turned aside to the magnates and the kings," thinking that perhaps these act in accordance with the law. But I found them all together turning aside to the worse, and thrusting away the dominion of God and the keeping of the law. For he called the dominion a yoke, and the ordinances of the laws bonds, in which those who are under the law must walk as by a certain rule. If poverty became a provision for these, then wealth ought to have made those better. But neither the one nor the other became better. Therefore a lion from the thicket struck them. All the beasts—he no longer speaks of lions only, but takes up all the beasts. Thus he does everything to increase their fear; and he speaks not as about things to come, but as about things past. The Babylonian. And the wolf and the leopard, those around Tiglath-Pileser. The insatiable, the desolate—when it is permitted to such a one with impunity to advance even to the houses, wishing not only to frighten but also to show the desolation. And the wolf is perhaps Sennacherib, who only snatched and accomplished nothing. But another has called Antiochus a leopard. By which of these shall I be propitious to you? Your sons have forsaken me.

Here he charges them neither with impiety nor with turning away, but with being impious in company with a multitude, and with turning away foolishly. For it is a terrible thing to sin once, but to persist and to add to it is harder still. You have sinned; do not add any more, and pray concerning your former sins. Observe how everywhere, at each punishment, defenses are set in place, and the continuity of the discourse is interrupted—just as one who scourges someone. Then, having rested, he might defend himself to him; and altogether throughout, the prophet takes delight in threat and defense. I filled them, and they committed adultery. Do you see the licentiousness that comes from ease, the uncleanness? For what would you say? What did they have to complain of? A scarcity of necessities? And yet the abundance was so great that they even committed adultery and lodged in the houses of prostitutes. Horses mad after females. See how he set forth their pleasure. See how they fell into licentiousness and dishonored nature itself. See, to mingle shamelessly is the way of irrational beasts. In the Hebrew, they say, the phrase is "drawn and not lying down"; but it can be understood that they were led by their desire. Go up. But make not a full end. Leave remnants of the city, so that there may be for those taken captive a basis for return again; therefore he foretells it, so that when they see that they do not destroy it to the foundations, they may not think it is due to the humanity of those men, but to God's hindrance. For in rejecting they have rejected me. If they belong to the Lord, for whose sake have they suffered these things? Because of those who dwell in it, because they have rejected. That is, they transgressed the covenants made with me, and lapsed utterly into impiety. They lied to the Lord. And they said, These things are not.

Consider how great an evil it is: They did not believe when he threatened, they did not believe when he punished, and even when he chastised them, many even now are of the same mind concerning Gehenna; they are the same ones who speak these things, disbelieving God. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have lied. Our prophets were for the wind. For those who harangued the people with things pleasing to pleasure never allowed them to become better at any time. That is, they expect nothing terrible, but the many say that both the prophets spoke in vain and died, and they said nothing concerning us according to the mind of God. But the phrase, So shall it be to them, means: In like manner to those, you also speak, you who seem to be prophets. For just as when those spoke, the city suffered nothing terrible, so neither will it suffer now. Therefore. Behold, I have given my words into your mouth, fire. The swiftness shows that all things yield to the fire. And behold, I am bringing upon you a nation from afar. So that not even by supplication might one draw down any mercy. But the phrase, And ancient, shows that it is both ancient and fearful, and it shows that it does not come of itself; for they would not have remained quiet for so great a time, and afterward departed. And they shall devour your harvest. He speaks of the time of the invasion, that when you were about to enjoy the fruit, then those who came upon you

They will lay waste the land. And “your bread” means that they will also consume your stored provisions. And it shall be, when you say, “For what reason?” For this too is great insensitivity, to say after suffering, “For what reason did he do it?” But nevertheless the word will then have its season. Therefore he says: “That you may serve in a land not your own, foreign gods”—this he threatens again. “Proclaim these things in the house of Jacob.” Again he reminds them of their ancestors, so that even thus they might be ashamed. Again he brings that patriarch into their midst, a wonderful and great man, saying “the house of Jacob” and “the house of Judah,” so that you may learn how great is God’s power: how through one tribal leader he established whole cities, and peoples, and nations for another tribal leader. “Hear these things, O people.” For what reason does he bring the word insultingly? He wishes to rouse those who have fallen by means of the insult; nothing is worse than this punishment—to be ignorant of God. “They have eyes, and they do not see; they have ears, and they do not hear.” He mentions only these senses, which more than the others lead to the knowledge of God, and which we especially need. “Will you not fear me, says the Lord, who set the sand as a boundary for the sea?” He did not say, “I made the sea,” but, he says, “I bridled it.” For he wishes to be seen not only from creation but also from its ordering. It cannot be said, he says, that it is at rest and in subjection while suffering no force; but even when much necessity pushes it outward and it endures the utmost force, so as to be exhausted, it remains bearing the force, so as not to transgress the command of God.

But perhaps someone might say to this, that these things have been appointed by nature and law; but I have the inclination toward either side, so that if I wish I remain on the better course. For what will you say? That spirit and evil desires drive out the soul? But set against them the commandment of God. Is nature weak? So too is the sand, but it becomes exceedingly strong by divine law. So also you by the fear of God. Nothing is so weak, nothing so impossible, that it does not display a power beyond its own nature through the fear of God. And after other things: Why did he not bring forward another element as an example, but the sea? Since his discourse was about war and battle, and the advance of soldiers, like a cloud, and of a sea that was about to cover the whole city. Wishing, then, to show that it is not from their own strength, nor from power, but from his permission that war comes, he brings the sea into the midst; showing that he who is able always to bridle with fine sand such an element—great, and enormous, and by its violence unbearable, raging and growing wild—will much more be able to restrain your enemies, so that they neither come near nor ravage anything of yours. And I did not say: The one who gives us rain. Let it be. You did not wish it for my sake; it was not needed because of what is mine, not only because of giving rain, but also because of giving it in season? For that was only a demonstration, that I am able to rain. But this is of great providence and tender care. At the time of the fulfillment of the command of harvest. This is said obscurely; but what he means is something like this:

Now, he says, having just gathered the produce of the earth from the threshing floor and having our storehouses full, we enjoy the rains. For he does not wait until these have been consumed to give them then; but no sooner has the harvest ceased, and we have not even made a beginning of consuming what has been stored away, and while the former stores are not yet used up, rain comes down, commanding us to sow other seed. For since human nature is faint-hearted and of little foresight, and trembles not only in want but also in abundance, and fears the future, God, healing this disease, sends down rain upon us in full measure, so that the hopes of new crops may cast out the fear concerning the future consumption of what has been stored. This, then, he hinted at: In the time of the fulfilling of the command of harvest—of the harvest when the fruits are being stored away.

Store up only the fruit, and while they are not yet gathered, he again commands the same ground to bring forth the same things. What is, He has kept for us? Just as a loving father always preserves a portion for his children, so he too preserves the rain for us, and the first winter does not consume the showers, nor the second, but it always remains and is left over. Your lawless deeds turned these aside. Since he had spoken of great prosperity. But when he said these things, famines and plagues came, lest they should object in return; and yet we see neither of these equal to this. For, he says, it is not because God has changed, but also because by your sins you have driven away the beneficence; these things that I say, the good things have departed from you because of your sins. For it is a greater care to give nothing further, than to give.

Just as with a fevered man, the one who indulges him fights against him, while the one who deprives him spares him—only others. Only. "Because they were found in my people." They treated those of their own kind as brute beasts. Do you see how he avenges not only sins against himself, but also those against one's neighbor? They warred against one another, they stood against one another from prosperity. Do you see how he defends them? He means those who worship idols. "And children as a fowler's net." He censures those who take what belongs to others under a pretext. Then he adds: "They set themselves to corrupt a man, and they caught them; as a trap set full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit." That is, in this way they took what belonged to others with wickedness. Then he adds: "They did not judge a judgment." They did not judge the judgment of the orphan and the judgment of the widow—the fair and delicate one. They did not judge the judgment of the orphan. For especially in many places one must pursue justice; but when the wronged person also has something appealing—I mean orphanhood, widowhood—who is so cruel and foolish as not to award such a one justice? For when the very person whom one ought to pity is not even allowed to share in what is just, where are such things tolerable? "Astonishment and horrors came to pass." See how sin runs through all: some did wicked things, others praised what had been done. Therefore Paul also punishes not only those who dare, nor only those who do wicked things, but also those who approve of them. "And my people loved it so." See how wickedness is poured out through all. And what should the ruled have done? Should they not have followed the rulers? Should they not have obeyed the teachers? By no means, but they opposed them.

But now these things did not happen to them by necessity, but they loved them so, they were not deceived. They were not obeying these things out of fear of the rulers. But they themselves also loved these things. And what will you do for the things after these? When there is no longer a time for repentance, when all correction has been done away, when every change toward better things has vanished.

CHAPTER 9

Sound the trumpet, because evils have peered out. See how he gives them a set time for repentance—the phrase "it has peered out from somewhere" appears only in part, and is neither present, so as to cast them into despair, nor indeed absent. It has stood off, so as to make them more careless. But it stands in the middle between presence and absence. It has peered out so that the evils may appear full. For the rest, you are masters of everything returning again backward—you would have the authority. And your height shall be taken away. Why? Because they used these things for wickedness: beauty for fornication, height for arrogance. That is, beautiful and delicate. He calls her beautiful because of the law, and the priesthood, and the rest. And delicate, because she always showed herself stronger than her enemies by the alliance of God. Shepherds shall come to her. This is a symbol of desolation; but it also came to pass upon the apostles. Round about, the Churches

One might reasonably say, as it were, tents pitched everywhere throughout the inhabited world, sheepfolds. Set yourselves in array against her for war; arise, and let us go up against her at midday. See how many things God arranges in order to instill fear in them, since indeed he even fashions words from the enemies as though they were present and exhorting one another. And yet a war would not take place at midday, but this makes clear that they will attack not secretly nor covertly, but with boldness, which is a proof of their greatly trusting in themselves. Woe to us, for the day has declined. For to those under siege every time is especially fearful and suspect, but far more so the time of night; for in the day one can both stand, and take counsel, and go around, and see what is happening; but when night comes on, the war becomes double. Yet they ought to say the opposite: Woe to us, for we have provoked God; they lament the time of punishment. Arise, and let us go up against her by night. From Chrysostom, otherwise Olympiodorus. He calls night and midday the indifferent time of the enemies' assault. Arise and let us go up against her at midday. This is the voice of those who are confident. Woe to us, for the day has been cast down. For as being captured throughout the whole day by the enemies, and when night overtakes them no longer able to flee, they say these things. Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her foundations. So, since the enemies are saying these things, he says this. Hence also those who dwell there have been terrified at the coming of night. Cut down her trees. As against some forest, make her desolate, he says.

Like a forest, you have cut her off root and branch—the men being unfruitful and at the same time hard—and he shows the fierceness of the enemies. O false city, all oppression is in her. Do you see the cause—whence is she false? Because oppression is in her, and she is wholly false. Not that one part of her is sound and another corrupted; she is wholly false. If you wish to look at religion, instead of the true God they set up stone idols. If all matters of life must be examined, here too you will see much falsehood; and wickednesses in dealings with one another, in dealings with the truth; she has corrupted—she has been corrupted—she is wholly false. It cannot be said that they rejected the Master, but in dealings with one another some were just and humane—no, she is wholly false. That is: Make a mound against her, and set the army around. Impiety and misery will be heard in her. He means intensified wickedness. With great diligence they held fast to evils, as though to something good and great; thus they guarded them, as though fearing lest they be lost if the form of wickedness should fail them. Upon her face continually. See how he sets forth her shamelessness. Upon my face—the boldness, the impudence—and continually: no time, no season at all. See how he makes the accusation severe, all but apologizing for the punishment. That is: as the cistern holds the water, so the city holds wickedness, and admits no change. You will be disciplined by toil and scourge. The wound is incurable, having no release, nor any change, such as—such as the sufferings of Sodom, such as those against Gomorrah.

Is the punishment then not for past sins but for future ones, and does the punishment appear to be for past sins? But he punishes. And it seems so that they may not persist in the same things. Be cut off, be cut off. Again he intensifies the punishment, again the fear. I do not spare even the remnants, he says. And yet he said above: You are left as the supports—or supports—of Israel, because they belong to the Lord. And again here: Be cut off, be cut off. He often speaks in contradictions, for her advantage, both rousing their indifference and cutting off their despair. Return like the turtle-dove to its nest. That is, Lay aside the remnants at home. To whom shall I speak, and testify?

The prophet is at a loss as to whom he shall speak. For some are poor, and others have broken the yoke. Behold, the word of the Lord has become to them a reproach. That is, Since I do not bring the evils quickly, they slander me as a liar. Behold, their ears are uncircumcised. And what circumcision of ears could there be? We know uncircumcision. Let a Jew now come forward here into the midst, one who wishes to hear nothing more than the literal sense, one who stands fast in wickedness, one who does not wish to look toward the truth. Let him hear, along with the first, this also: Circumcise the uncircumcision of your heart. You hear here that they are accused, because he says their ears are uncircumcised. When you hear Stephen accusing—or when you hear—: Uncircumcised in heart and in ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit—learn that Jeremiah said these things beforehand. And shortly after: What then is this circumcision? To pay attention to what is said.

For since he stands before us as an equal, he opposes what is heard: "Remove," he says, "the filth, wash it away, and there is no need to take it away." Do you see how otherwise? How useful is circumcision? It does not allow it to remain in the flesh; so too the sacrifices, so too the temple, so too the festivals, so too the idleness; these are types of certain other things, and symbols. The word of the Lord became to them a reproach. Like swine trampling pearls; for godliness is an abomination to sinners. And I filled up my wrath, and I restrained. So that they may learn that they are not punished for not having sinned, but because God is long-suffering, hear what he says: "I filled up my wrath, and I restrained." He uses human words, so that he may frighten. I will pour out upon infants outside, and upon the assembly. See how he presents the vehemence; he says, "I will pour out," so that he may not pour out, and he touches the first age, the age that is able to bend even wild beasts; Are you not pained by your own evils? Take perception from those of others. Since even in the cutting of the body, insensibility—the more insensible members provide us with greater perception. That a man and a woman will be caught together; an elder with one full. Neither gray hair, nor marriage, nor anything else will stand before those then. And their houses will be turned over to others. Since he sees the disposition increasing toward our affairs, so that even when we depart we groan, when we see houses and fields, and wives becoming those of others. That I will stretch out my hand. Do you see the war beginning from above? From there the battle is fanned into flame; heaven warring against them?

You heard from the north; did you despise them as fellow slaves of men? Hear now, that he is about to stretch out his hand. For from the least of them even to the greatest, all have committed lawless deeds. He was speaking of great wickedness; for fathers, even if they themselves happen to be in wickedness, nevertheless would wish their children to be virtuous. But here it is entirely the opposite: they have ignored even nature itself, nor have they shown the affection of fathers. Let it be: you yourself wish to speak of desire, and pleasure, and anger, and wickedness. For what reason do you thrust the child once for all upon the same precipice? And they healed the fracture. Again, the rulers themselves are the cause of the evils. For I do not consider this word to be directed at the ruled, but it applies to us who rule. For he speaks to such as these, to those who gratify, and who converse in ways that please, and who think they are healing the wound but were aggravating the sore. And where is peace? He did not say, "There is no peace," but, "Where is it?" Observe the gentleness: even now, in reproving, I do not take it away. Show in deeds what you promised. I fear lest even now there be room for the saying: And where is peace? For is it because, by the grace of God, all things from the unbelievers have been abolished, and we have obtained pious rulers, and we have houses of prayer, and we think we enjoy peace? This is not the peace that befits the Church; since even the apostles of these

Having nothing, they truly had the peace that God left to them. "My peace," he says, "I leave to you, my peace I give to you." They were put to shame, because. How were they put to shame? That is, they did not come to anything else; the testimony through deeds came to the words. They were convicted by their own works. For even if the war was not present, yet the preludes of war were; and not even in this way did they somehow yield. Do you see that signs are not needed for a soul in a bad condition? Therefore he says, "They shall fall in their fall." "Stand in the ways." Observe the freedom and the absence of compulsion; and how it is not for his own sake, but for ours, that he wishes us to be servants. He permits the choice of the way. "See what kind of way is good"; "Learn all things," he says, "with precision, both mine and not mine, and learn, and do not take mine, but the good one." And you will certainly find that mine is this one; for if I were looking to my own interest, I would say, "Certainly mine"; but now not simply mine, but the one that is advantageous to you. "And see and ask for the eternal paths of the Lord, and see what kind of way is the good one, and walk in it." What he says is this: Become better, and from of old test who is truly Lord; and let the testing be from works. For "the eternal paths of the Lord" means the works of God that have come to be from of old, the law established in creation. And having tested this, turn away from idols and serve God; but nevertheless they did not accept the exhortation. I do not say that you have had experience for so long a time.

But why do I now permit the examination and the choice after so much time? And you will find purification for your souls. Two great goods, than which nothing could ever be equal, rest—or rather, rest not simply for bodies but for souls; for when the soul rests, there is nothing that harms the body—or rather, damages it—just as, when it is oppressed, there is nothing that can give the body rest. I set watchmen over you, that is, prophets. Hear the sound of the trumpet; and they said, We will not hear. That is, the prophets foretold the terrible things, and they were unwilling to be persuaded. So as to say, Throughout, that neither do they accept admonition from their calamities, nor have they become more temperate from the advance of the enemies. Watchmen and trumpets, he calls the prophets; why, or when? Because they foresee the future, because with a great voice they foretell what is to come. Therefore the nations heard. This is a kind of prophecy: while they were alive the Jews did not hear them, and though they are dead we hear them, separated not only by place but also divided by much time. The prophets were sent to others, and they drew others to themselves to whom they were not sent. So useful were they, so beneficial, that those who had no connection heard them. They were given to you, you did not obey, and others heard them. Hear, O earth. Do you see, when they themselves do not hear, how he speaks to the elements? For since they said, We will not hear, he says: Hear, O earth. He does not first bring it upon them, but they themselves draw on the evil. Behold, I. Because they did not attend to my word.

Observe everywhere that not only the non-performance of the legal rites, but also the non-hearing of them, carries punishment. For what expenditure of money, what toil of bodies is required for hearing? Why do you bring me frankincense from Sheba, and cinnamon from a distant land? He means to say: I do not need the offerings, nor is there need of toils, but only of the disposition toward the good. And Sheba is a region of the Indians. Since he said, They have thrust away my law, lest they should object, And how have we thrust away the law, sacrificing every day and burning frankincense? to these things he says: But perhaps you will say, You bring frankincense; I do not seek gifts, but the fragrance of the soul; that spice is sweet to me. For God does not smell bodies, nor perceptible fragrance, but the intelligible fragrance of the soul, sweeter than every incense, which is the soul of the one who offers. Behold, I give weakness upon this people. Lest the sicknesses among them be thought to be from natural sequence, he shows the paradox—that the disease is God-sent, which is characteristic of a plague-like condition; and by his words he frightened them with the threat from above. They did not yield. He sent the prophet in pain, and they did not perceive it; he frightens them henceforth in another way, and brings on disease, in order to remove the greater evil, war. Behold, a people comes from the north. Then also the one from the north—he speaks concerning those from the north, that he does not pity—they shall not pity, nor will they yield to anything else. For when God makes war, men do not even know human passions. For just as it is impossible, he says, to tame wild beasts, so also those who could be bent from home he turns to war.

But perhaps someone might say, And why ever did he not destroy them himself, but brought others against them? Because we too do this in the case of those whom we wish to strike, so that they may have reproach in the midst of their calamities; not less equally. For it does not grieve equally to suffer these things at the hands of others, just as when we set a slave upon a free child. He is reckless, and will not have pity. Do you see how he shows them armed, unmerciful? We heard their report, they were paralyzed. These things are as from the prophet, and from those against them; for he also caused voices to be borne prophetically. Do not go out into the field. Here he speaks of the siege. Observe how little by little he brings on the calamities, and gently. Daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth. For what reason? Because of the evils that are coming. Then he again adds the causes of their wickedness; which he always does, at once defending himself, and at the same time making his word credible. I have given you as a tester among peoples that have been tested. He speaks of the excess of their wickedness, that not even the siege made them better. Behold, he says, I permit you to test them in the time, in which even if they were exceedingly insensible, they would have become exceedingly better. For there is no one, no one, who under fear, even if he be exceedingly rough, is not softened. God speaks to the prophet, convicting their wickedness, so that he might not seem to condemn them unjustly. All disobedient, walking crookedly, bronze and iron. He likened them to bronze and iron, showing their strength and persistence toward sin; and their paths are crooked, abandoning the rule of uprightness. For immediately the Lord, and his ways are straight.

What is this, "as bronze and iron"? It shows their stubbornness, the unchangeableness of their wickedness; for elsewhere too, as when he says, "Your forehead is bronze"—is it not the evil in the flow of bronze, that they have crooked ways, being melted like that one, and in fire and furnace walk perversely? So also these, in their punishments, do not forget their own perversity. "As bronze and iron, all are corrupted." For as those, he says, are consumed by time from rust, so these have been utterly corrupted in their mind of piety by time. "The bellows has failed from the fire. The lead has failed, the silversmith smiths in vain." The Hebrew has "he purifies," "he has," instead of "he smiths." By way of example he indicated their wickedness. For he says that lead is a purifier of silver, and when applied it obscures the solid [silver] and prepares it, so that what is mixed of foreign matter may be sent away; this, then, because every device against them was spent, and they neither listened to the prophets, nor were disciplined by blows, nor became better by anything else. "They were not melted by their wickedness." He has persisted in the metaphor. For as silver, he says, having much bronze, even if it has lead mixed in ten thousand times, remains impure, not being free of bronze, so also these have not departed from their wickedness. "Silver rejected." That is, not receiving correction. A counterfeit not lawfully stamped, not among the

they were brought into the royal treasuries; and for this reason they are useful for nothing, although they even have a royal stamp and letters, since their material has been corrupted. So too these have a form of piety, but they have denied the truth.

CHAPTER 7.

Hear the word of the Lord, all Judea. And yet if they stumble incorrigibly, and are sick incurably, and there will be no consolation of their evils, for what reason does he send the physician again, doing nothing other than increasing their punishment, and abolishing all forgiveness? For he who has heard many times and remained incorrigible has the continuity of the counsel and exhortation as his greatest accuser. Make straight your ways and your practices. That is, your actions, and what you did for the sake of idolatry. For this is what "practices" indicates. And he says these things when the prophets were announcing the captivity. But some of the false prophets kept telling them to be of good courage, saying that they would suffer nothing terrible. For even if God is angry on your account, he would not choose to betray the temple to the enemies for the sake of this cause, and to stand at the gate and tell the prophet to say these things. Going on, then, he says: Do not trust in yourselves in false words, because they will not help you at all when they say: The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord it is. He said it fearfully; for having said, that you commit adultery in your idolatry, and having altogether enumerated the evils, and that after these things they entered into the temple, he says: Do not make it a cave. For this seemed to them to be the greatest thing. For even if they dwelt in it, nevertheless by the sentence of God they had then been cast out.

This very supposition greatly harmed them. For just as Christ says to them—or rather John—"Do not presume to say, 'We have Abraham as our father,'" so too here: "Do not say, 'This is the temple of the Lord.'" For if he himself had need of a house, you would reasonably think this, that I would not have destroyed the house. But if no place contains me, but I am uncontainable by all; and if "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is a footstool for my feet"—or rather, not even these things are as you suppose, for "with my hand I established the heaven"—what house will you build for me? "Do not trust in deceptive words. For unless you thoroughly amend." Those things on which the silversmith labors in vain—you say again, "If you amend"? But it is the custom of those who are angry to say this: "This child has no hope; it is impossible for him to be made useful." Nevertheless we persuade him to become useful, and we do everything, and we exhort him. For the one belongs to anger and wrath, the other to solicitude and exhortation. So then, having been harmed in nothing by those things, do not suppose that the evil is natural. For lest you say this, he adds, "If you amend your ways." "And doing, do judgment between a man and between his neighbor." That is, do not judge with injustice. What does he say? For are those who dispute with one another of another race? Are they not of another kind? Is he your neighbor? You wrong yourself; you preside over him in order to wrong your brother, in order to destroy a member? Even if nothing else, let this persuade you—that a brother goes to law with a brother. "And do not oppress the proselyte, and the orphan, and the widow.

Was there any need of commandments for these things? Does not nature itself suffice to teach this? Do you not see the names are pitiable? Who is so reckless as to be cruel to a stranger? Who is so stone-hearted as not to pity a woman destitute of a man? Who is so inhuman as not to have compassion on one deprived of a father? For he does not say, "Have mercy," but "Do not oppress." Was I not able to prevent it? But I set her before you to be a training-ground for you—to be a training-ground for your love of humanity. And do not go after other gods to your harm. And yet the customary is always dear; so that even if you do not worship him as God, honor him as one accustomed. Do you see that here too there is great leniency? And not only is this sufficient to turn them away—the fact of forsaking one who is familiar, and giving oneself over to strangers and aliens—but also the punishment that follows close at hand. For why has he placed here the words, "that it be evil for you"? So that no one might think that, aiming at his own purpose, I do not wish to do these things to you in order to lead them away from their error. And I will settle you in the place. Is it not, then, the work of a wall, nor of soldiers, nor of weapons, to settle people, but of the help of God? In the land which I gave to your fathers. For what reason did he bring the fathers into the middle? All people are accustomed to cling most of all to ancestral things, so that this too made the land greatly beloved; and this is the greatest accusation against the Jews, that they loved the land as being their fatherland, but fled from God who was ancestral. But if you have trusted in lying words, from which you will not be benefited. Observe the cause of all evils: trusting in oneself.

For cursed is the man who has trusted in man. For nothing so leads away from God as not to refer all things to him. Therefore, since man could be set free from want in many respects, he continually suspends him toward heaven, imposing, as it were, a kind of necessity of continual need to remember the Master. The farmer, the sailor have continual reminders because of their craft; each one, even against his will, is trained to look up to heaven. And you came and stood before me. Great is the shamelessness, after doing these things to stand before the judge who knows all these things, to set foot in his temple, in the holy place. That is, you made covenants with me. For everywhere he is accustomed to judge them from their own promises. Was it not a cave of robbers? For what reason does he say these things? Is it not prepared for prayer, not for plunder, not for adultery, not for uncleanness? For just as Christ says, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a cave of robbers; so also here, because they were forsworn, and made covenants for plunder. Do not think that I share in your evils, and cooperate with you in your injustices, not reproving the evils; that is, Do you not think of me as a chief of robbers? And behold, I myself have seen, says the Lord. That is, the worship of your idols does not escape me. But he called them robbers because of their greed. For you went to the place Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell there formerly. For just as I did not spare that place, so neither will I spare the temple.

And yet that one was older, but they derived no benefit from the place, having appeared unworthy of God. And now, because you have done all these works. He speaks of their great wickedness. Neither will the things concerning the one in Shiloh, nor the place in Shiloh, nor their teaching benefit them at all, he says. For observe with what great zeal he led them away from wickedness. And do not you pray for this people. He says this, not that he should cease praying, but that he might frighten them. For just as when he says to Moses, Let me alone, that he might not let him alone; so also to this one: Do not pray; so that when they hear it, they may be struck with amazement, and may not place their hopes in another. For if he did not wish this, he would not also have set forth the reasons, almost as if defending them. And do not deem them worthy to be pitied. The prophet suffered something when he heard of the capture of the temple. Then God, persuading them, adds: Or do you not see what they themselves are doing in the cities of Judah? For what reason do you not hear, tell me? It was the part of one who was angry not even to state the reasons, but of one who wished to heal and cure, to set forth the pretext, so that they might hasten to remove it. Or do you not see what they themselves are doing?

Since they were near, and were practicing impiety not after a long time. Their sons gather wood, to make chaunōn. Do you see the zeal? Do you see the impiety being done with eagerness? What is chaunōn? Cakes; others say pastries, breads. He showed that all were inclined to evil. But the phrase, They knead fat, they mix, the Hebrew has this: To make chabōn, that is, large loaves. For chabōn is a Hebrew word; it signifies the loaf made from one measure of what is called a modius. And he calls the host of heaven the zodiacal circle. And they poured out libations to foreign gods. Not even poverty hinders the sacrifice. And their women knead dough. They do not have sheep; and yet from what they have they act impiously. To the host of heaven. He means the stars here; but why does he say host of heaven? Showing that the dignity of lordship is not in them, but another is the king. Why then, when he says to the queen of heaven? There he speaks according to their supposition; for theirs is the talk. Do they provoke me to anger? says the Lord. Is it not themselves? For do I suffer any terrible thing? Yes, this, he says. But they, he says, so that they might shame themselves; for the one who insults is the one who suffers, and when the one insulted suffers no terrible thing, he will desist from the insult, as accomplishing nothing more. Therefore thus says the Lord. Everywhere, Says the Lord, so that he may make the word trustworthy; so that again his freedom from anger may not cast them into negligence. Behold, my wrath and fury is poured out. For what reason, then, upon these things? Tell me.

First, because these things were about to become useless; second, so that he might show the vehement impulse of his anger. For if even a man is destroyed and a temple is torn down, he would scarcely spare irrational creatures. "Because I did not speak, and I did not command them." Whatever he does not command according to the preceding word, he says is not even his own counsel; and just as when he says, "Do I will the death of the sinner, but rather that he turn and live?" And yet it is by his will that he is punished. "And they did not hear me." This is a great reward, "And they did not hear me." "And you shall speak this word to them, and they will certainly not hear." That is, they will not turn back. "Shear your head, and take up." This is said to the prophet, which was a symbol of mourning. For since they were insensible to their own evils, he commands him to lament and mourn; this we do also in the case of the insane, sympathizing with them only. "And take up a lamentation on your lips." Well he says, not in your mind; for this he had, and he groaned. But publish it, he says. "And he rejected the generation that does these things, because." Not all simply, but the one that does this. For truly, truly this is worthy of lamentations and wailings, when someone is shown to be reprobate before God. For where will he be approved thereafter? "Because they did these things before me." Not hiding, nor escaping notice; and how could they hide from the unsleeping eye? What then does "before me" hint at? In my temple. "They set their abominations in the house where my name was called, to defile it." Did you see the madness? Did you see the derangement?

They were doing all this not secretly but with boldness, running riot against the glory of God, as if someone were to bring a tyrant into the palace after driving out the king. How then do you say, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord it is"? How will the one who has been wronged stand before you? How will the one who has been insulted save you? He will be a bitter accuser against you. And you shall call them, and they will not answer you. You shall call them, that is, you shall urge them to repentance, and they will have no benefit from your words. And they built the altar of Topheth. That is, the altar of Pluto; as always devoting themselves to death, so as to live long. The altar of Topheth, at some idol in the valley of the son of Hinnom, he calls the olive grove. Observe also the places—not the deserts, but other desolate places—they went about, but in that very land, the most pleasant, near the city. To burn their sons—which I did not command them, and so on. For lest anyone say, "It was to you that I gave these sacrifices," as the other. And that "I did not command them innocent blood, nor did I give a riddle; nor did I wish it, nor simply to sacrifice; but they themselves burned them." Let the fear of God which did not restrain you, the law of nature which did not prevent it—thus they were driven to Bacchic frenzy. Where demons were to be honored, they did not even know nature itself; but where God was to be worshiped, they spared sheep. Who would not be grieved by this sight? Behold, even to us who hear it, it seems dreadful; then do we still wonder, tell me, for whose sake was the destruction? For whose sake the captivity? Was it still good for those who lived thus to live? Therefore the days are coming, says the Lord, and they shall no longer say:

The altar of Topheth. Do you wish, he says, to slaughter? I will bring this about by the law of war. Better that the sons be destroyed in this way than by their fathers' hands. And they shall bury them in Topheth, because there is no place. For where previously, he says, they did not allow even a corpse to come near, since they held the place to be sacred, there the multitude of the dead shall be heaped up. And he says this because the barbarian wrought a great slaughter in that very place. At any rate he adds: And the dead of this people shall be food for the birds of heaven. As those who will not even be deemed worthy of burial—which showed the calamity to be worse.

CHAPTER 8.

And they shall expose them to the sun, and to the moon, and to all the stars. That is, in their sight. For not only will the enemies pay no honor to the dead, but even of those already dead, and deemed worthy of honor, they will dig up the bones—so that they might know that the worship of these idols is of no benefit. They shall expose them to the sun, and the moon, and the stars, which you have loved, he says. As if trampling upon them, so he speaks. Because they shall not spare, they shall not pity those who enjoyed much worship, nor will they be able to prevent the worship of those who loved them from those who loved them; but they overlook the bones of those who were so worshipped being outraged, and they will not defend them. And they shall not be buried. For burial was not a matter of chance among the ancients. Because thus says the Lord: Does not he who falls rise again?

Observe a lover leaping away from his beloved, and thinking that he does not converse with her, does not share speech with her, and after these things being bent back again. Something of this sort is what he introduces—an exhortation and counsel. And yet many of those who are being insulted say: Go, tell this, but as from yourself; do not say that it is from me, so that they may not seem to be insulted. But God does not even do this, but said: I said it. Observe the longing: Does not the one who falls rise again? You see that evils and goods are nowhere natural; for the things of nature are unchangeable. For have you not fallen from a standing? For were you not walking? I do not accuse you, he says, because you fell. But that you remain in the fall—this provokes me. Or does the one who turns away not turn back? He censures them as sinning without repentance. Why did she turn away? A shameless turning away... Because it is from God, because it is upon such things, because it is through everything, because she has nothing to accuse. For truly shameless is the turning away from God. And they were prevailed upon in their own choice. Observe again the will being taken up; nowhere are the things of necessity, nor the things of fate. For were they not such from the beginning? Hearken now, and hear. Do they not speak thus? It must be read with a view to hypocrisy. And this is the meaning, that is, they are conversing about these things

of evils. Then he adds: There is no man who repents of his evil. He does not say, They did not repent, but that There is no man. Another hyperbole again. That one should not rise is grievous, but not so much. But that all should lie down, this is far more grievous. Not only is he not changed, but he does not even accuse himself of what he has sinned, saying: What have I done? Or it must be understood thus: They will not speak thus—that is, so as to turn back; and in either case the same thought stands well. The runner has ceased from his course, as a horse dripping with sweat in his neighing. He compared them to a horse set apart for mating. For the one, he says, grows weary as he mounts, and stops from the work; but these have not ceased from lawlessness. Or it must be understood thus: that just as a horse, having just been released for mating, mounts the females in a frenzy, not giving himself up to the act for nothing; so also these have shown such zeal for evil; and as that one does not cease running in that season, so also these—in order to say, They did not break off their eagerness for evil. But there is an end of all things, he says, yet these alone sin immortally, and have no surfeit of evils—although of natural things. There is a time for those in desire; there is no surfeit even of those in desire, when nature is weary and no longer willing to work, but they wish to rest; but you are not so. No longer is running dear to horses, but they seek rest at some time. All things know change, but you do not, doing evils. And the stork in the heaven knew her season;

The turtledove, and the cicada, and the swallow of the field, the sparrows kept the times for their journey. By comparison with irrational creatures he reproaches them. He calls the stork "asida." But the Hebrew does not have "cicada." Instead of "cicada," it has "crane." He has taken some that appear in summer, others in winter. The swallow and the stork are accustomed to appear in summer, the turtledove and the crane in winter. What he wishes to say, then, is this: that irrational creatures pursue their own advantage, and change suitable places, now here, now there. Some say it is a bird, others a star. But my people did not know the judgments of the Lord. The people did not pursue what was advantageous to themselves. That is, my worship. Then after a little: How will you say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? That is, You set yourselves above not only irrational creatures, but also all the nations, because of the instruction of the law. You who cannot even be compared with irrational creatures. For where they ought to have been free from vainglory, they claimed to be wise themselves, and to have the law of God. Do you see that confession is not enough, but there is need of demonstration through works—both wise from their own resources, and having the wisdom that comes from the law. In vain did the measuring line become a false thing for the scribes. In vain, he says, they received an inheritance, and were honored with precedence without cause; they made neither themselves nor others wise; their teaching is only a name. Therefore in vain did the measuring line become a false thing for the scribes. He often calls the measuring of the land a "measuring line," so as to indicate the land which they inherited, as when he says:

Snares have fallen upon me in my chiefest places. But he means to say: In vain has the inheritance of the land come to be for you and for us who teach—that is, You have not become better even from enjoying the good things that come from me. But the Hebrew says thus: In vain has the teaching come to be for you who are scribes—that is, You have profited nothing by teaching others. Therefore I will give their wives to others—which is more precious than every possession—and their fields to heirs. He calls the enemies heirs. For just as those who have inherited hold securely and firmly, so also these. What then do you give to them? On account of piety? By no means, but in addition to these things, their punishment and vengeance; since even with children we often do this: having dishonored them, we show others in their places, so that they may be stung and grieved not only by the loss of their own good things, but also by the care shown to others. And they healed the crushing of the daughter of my people for dishonor, saying, Peace, peace—but where might it be? The phrase "for dishonor" means "for vanity," so as to say, for no benefit—rather, for harm, and dishonor sufficient to lead away those who are persuaded. There is no grape on the vines, and there are no figs on the fig trees, and the leaves have fallen off, and he gave to them, and he passed them by. He has shown the battle line of war. For above he said: His quiver is as an open tomb; all are mighty, and they shall devour your harvest and your loaves, indicating the time of the visitation.

This, then, is what he means: so much time has passed that even the season of winter has arrived, and we have become no better. For "And he gave to them" means: God handed our good things over to the enemies; and "And it passed them by" means: some things they enjoyed, but others they destroyed. What is this? Either because the enemies took them, or because there was a failure of crops—perhaps also of strength—through the stroke of God. For since by fighting continually they were stripping the land bare, these things happened; and it came about so that they might be disciplined through their crops. And he gave us water of gall to drink. Do you see how great a good affliction is? But what sort of thing would water of gall be? He speaks of the outcome, which he indicates is attested; the prophet, anticipating, says what they were going to say. "Why are we sitting?" That is: We expect none of the fruits of the land. "Gather yourselves, and let us enter the fortified cities, and let us be cast away there." That is: It remains to be saved by getting into a city, since all things outside have been taken by the enemies. "We were gathered into peace, and there were no good things." That is: We fled for refuge into a city, as though we were going to live there in peace, and there too want overtook us. "For a time of healing." That is: so as to be delivered from the enemies. "And behold, haste." Instead of: the disturbance from within is worse than that from outside; for these things were even possible for them, but they were falling into an impossible siege. "From Dan we shall hear the sound of the sharpness of horses." In his punishments God always shows the sight greater than the chastisement. From the outset he makes it fearful, so that this may become a correction.

He heightens it by his words, he heightens it by his deeds, and he shows the beginnings to be grievous, so that, having been frightened and brought to their senses, they may no longer come to the trial of terrible things. From the sound of the neighing of his horses' galloping, all the earth was shaken. That is, it was turned to flight. For behold, I am sending serpents against you. He reminds them of what happened to them in the wilderness; for indeed he was not going to send serpents, but he calls the Persians and the barbarians by this name. And yet he indicates an attack of wild beasts, as in the wilderness, or he set before them the bitterness of the enemies through the example; but that he indicated the array of calamities through what has just been said, he makes clear: for proceeding he says: Which cannot be charmed, and they shall bite. Whence it is not possible to find any consolation for the weakness; for a wild beast is more easily tamed than barbarian rage. Behold, the cry of the voice of the daughter of my people. The prophet again hears them lamenting from the captivity. Or is there no king there? Is there some anarchy among them? From where were they betrayed? They had both God and the king who commanded the city. What is it, Is there no king there? He continually shows this, that God is above kings. Behold, he says, every pretext has been taken away from you; I gave you even a king. What happened, that you imitated the nations, and said: And we shall be as the remaining nations, having a king? You received a king; for what reason did you not remain in your own laws, but acted impiously? At the crushing of the daughter of my people I was darkened. Not because of the

The prophet was lamenting not only the punishment, but because of their incorrigibility. And rightly did he speak of perplexity. For when the sick man does not accept the remedies, what more will there be left? The physician did not cease healing, but nothing more came of it. Is there no balm in Gilead, or is there no physician there? And Gilead was a city of the priests, and it is so. This can be clearly seen from Paralipomenon; for it says thus: To the sons of Merari who were left from the tribe of Zabulon they set apart Remmon and its surrounding towns. Then it says: And from the region beyond the river of Jericho. And having named cities from the tribe of Reuben, he adds: And from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth Gilead. This, then, is what he means: Were there not high priests who were able to instruct? Or who were able to bring profitable words to the people? For he calls balm, as it were, the remedy given for healing. And the physician he calls the priest himself, who is able to heal sins both through admonition and through intercession with God, so as to say: Nothing was lacking of what was owed to come from you; but they did not become better even under exhortation.

CHAPTER 9

Who will give water to my head? I do not have, he says, in my nature a quantity of tears sufficient for the magnitude of the calamity. For since it was the custom of those who chose to mourn, and to lull the greater part of their despondency over another calamity through lamentations, I too wished, he says, to take up something beyond nature, so that the water might be stored up for me, and flow without hindrance; for there was no longer any benefit in weeping, he says. For the wounded of the daughter of my people. What are you saying? Is it these who are entangled in wickedness that ought to weep? Yes, he says, it is these I lament. For what reason? Because it is on such a pretext. Not because they are punished, but because all correction has now been done away with. Either by the enemies, or also by sin. Who will give me in the wilderness a last lodging place, and I will leave my people, and depart from them? The prophet says, Would that they might dwell in the wilderness. For they all commit adultery. A gathering of those who transgress. That is, they have come to an agreement concerning evil, so that they cannot even entreat God on behalf of those who have sinned. Do you abandon these and depart? Yes, he says. If there were anyone who paid heed to what was said, even if it were one, I would not have leapt away; but now it is a gathering of those who transgress. And I will leave my people. For as one who is of the people, he calls his own people those who are his by blood and race. They all commit adultery. What adultery does he mean here? Either clearly that which is from God? For this adultery is grievous and lawless, and more grievous than that one, inasmuch as the one who is outraged is greater, and the covenants and pledges have been made with more parties.

A gathering of those who set aside and always agree together for evil, as also against Christ. And they bent their tongue like a bow. He means their warlike and unchangeable character. Falsehood, and not faith, prevailed on the earth. That is, they are filled with hypocrisy. Each one, be on guard against his neighbor. Do you see the wickedness brought to completion, when they do not even trust their neighbors, when they happen to be set apart from one another? This is the end of the devil's wickedness, to divide the members, when neither brother nor friend nor anyone else is trusted. And do not trust in their brothers. That is: Trust in no one, which is what Christ says: When lawlessness abounds, love will grow cold. Here it is not the abolition of friendship, but the hypocrisy of friendship. Every brother will trip his brother by the heel, each against his friend; they will not speak truth. When wickedness is everywhere, when not even a small healthy part of truth has any truth. They did wrong, and they did not cease. Do you see? The evils are not natural. See how in different ways, sometimes he accuses them of what they do against their neighbor: They did wrong, and they did not cease to turn back. And sometimes he accuses them everywhere of this, that their evils are unchangeable. Their tongue has learned to speak falsehood. For no form of wickedness is so hateful as this, when the face is one thing and the tongue another. Therefore... Behold, I will burn them, and I will test them. The testing is not from inexperience; for he knows that they are wicked; but I will test, I wish to make them approved. Let us not, then, flee punishment, but let us flee sin; for the one makes people unapproved, the other makes them approved. Their tongue is a wounding arrow.

The Hebrew has it, "destroying." How can a tongue ever wound? A tongue wounds more grievously than any arrow; it does not strike the body but reaches the soul itself. The words are treacherous. Everyone brings this charge: treachery, hypocrisy. "Shall I not visit for these things?" He advances the argument by way of question, all but seating them as judges of what has happened. Is it just, he says, to overlook these things? Ought one not to defend oneself against such manifest deeds? And who could say otherwise? "Take up lamentation on the mountains." "Because they have failed." No longer over the men, but over the mountains, which were the occasion of impiety instead of piety, and over the paths, he says, lament. See how from every side he makes his discourse pitiable, when not only men perish, but the earth because of them, and the desert, and the inhabited world, and all the rest. As those who flee will be captured there, because out of fear of the enemies they left the city. And the Lord said: "Because they forsook my law, which I gave before their face." He does not say simply "their face," but while they were present, testifying, praising what was said. He reminds them of the wonders at Sinai, or the mountain of Sinai. "Therefore thus says the Lord." "Thus says the Lord." He did not say, "Thus do," but "thus says." For now they are words, and if you wish, they will be words throughout. For if he speaks for some reason, remove the reason. For if anger were a passion, you would rightly fear; but if he speaks for this reason, remove this, and he will no longer speak. The God of Israel is not alien, is not cruel, is not inhuman.

Remember the time, and from where Israel was called. Behold, I will feed them with necessities, and give them the water of gall to drink. I will make their life most bitter; for the foods of a despondent soul change its nature. Just as eyes see light as darkness, so too the tongue tastes the sweetest things as the most bitter, when the governing principle is corrupted. He does not say this, then, that He changes the nature of the water, but, He says, I will pour out such great despondency that even the elements, remaining in their own nature, will seem to them to be other. For just as to the sick even sweet things appear bitter, so too to the despondent, and to these far more than to those. And I will scatter them among the nations into which, etc. He does not speak of being utterly destroyed, but some among these, some among those; for it was necessary that those taken captive become more prudent, not only by the captivity, but also by the destruction of those being slain. Thus says the Lord: Call the mourning women. What do you say? He commands that wailing women be called from everywhere, and calls them wise? Why ever so? According to their external understanding, wise in their own knowledge. For it is customary to call one who knows something wise; as when it says: She is bewitched, being bewitched by a wise man. And: Where are the wise men of Tanis? For what reason, then, does he urge them to do this? So as to bring them to faith and correction; not that this should happen; for he does not simply wish them to mourn. For in the churches of the Lord do not weep with tears, he says, but for the sake of credibility, and of being fully assured themselves concerning what is to come.

And teach your daughters a lament, and a woman her neighbor a wailing. Having said above, "Call the wailing women, and let them come," he added these things, saying thus: In vain, he says, do you call others to utter the lament, when it would be better for you yourselves to learn these things, since those women are not sufficient for the multitude of those being slain. For death has come up through your windows. Not from the battle lines, nor from the fight and the war. And the dead of men shall be for a spectacle on the face of the plain. The dead shall be unburied; and again this too seemed to be the greatest pollution; for this did not truly happen for want of one to bury. Let not the wise man boast. See where he turns his discourse. Since it is likely, he says, that there are some among you strong, rich, wise, none of this will profit you, he says. See the great and wonderful teachings of philosophy, that it is not worthy of boasting. For when the fear of God is absent, the one is shown to be poverty, the other punishment, the other weakness. For if anyone, he says, is perfect among the sons of men, but the wisdom that is from you is absent—but when your wisdom is absent, it will be reckoned as nothing. To understand and to know. What is it to know God, except to take care for a wonderful life? Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, and I will visit upon all the circumcised their foreskin, upon Egypt, and upon Judah, and upon the sons of Ammon. Up to this point, then, he spoke to those who, on the pretext of the temple, did not expect captivity.

Since they put forward circumcision as a sign of kinship with God, God says, "And upon the remaining nations that are circumcised I will bring punishment." For circumcision does not signify kinship with me, but I seek the manner of life. Then, showing the Jews to be worse than those nations, he adds: "Against Egypt, and against Idumea." For even if they have circumcision, they are uncircumcised in the flesh; for they do not do this according to the law—for the Idumeans too, and the rest, are said to be circumcised. But by as much as the heart is better, by so much is this uncircumcision worse. Some say that the Egyptians were circumcised, and Herodotus records this. It seems to me he means the Saracens. What do you say? They are uncircumcised. Therefore much more are you uncircumcised in heart. But they are circumcised? Just as that benefited them nothing, so neither does it benefit you; you are worse than they. And the phrase "and upon all that is shaved around the face" he speaks concerning the Saracens, who, leaving the hair at the back, shave only the part on the forehead, adorning the hair—these are those now called gentiles. Having said that they are uncircumcised in heart beyond all the nations, showing that what was said is not mere abuse, he adds:

CHAPTER 10.

Thus says the Lord: Do not learn the ways of the nations, and do not be afraid of the signs of heaven. That is: Do not occupy yourselves with the motion of the stars, devising a reckoning from them and a knowledge of things to come. And the phrase, "of the signs of heaven," is as if to say: Do not suppose from the motion of the stars that this or that will happen. "For the customs of the nations are vain." For do I say, "Do not reverence them," because the nations reverence them? No; but because they are vain. By "customs" here he means religion. "Adorned with silver and gold." But again the earth is wrapped around with gold on the outside, again human craft. "They fastened them with hammers and nails." But they stand! But this is a defect; for they do not have their standing from themselves, which is why they cannot even move. What do the nails mean? Who makes a god for himself? When you see it standing, consider the nails that hold it—if you remove them, it will fall on its face. When you see it gleaming with gold, consider those who melted it. When you see it clothed, consider the bare wood, how it has nothing of itself, nor natural beauty. When you see it being carried, consider that this is a sign of weakness. "Silver brought from Tharsis shall come." That is, from the sea. "Gold of Mophath"—from a place. "Do not fear them, for they cannot do harm." What then? Tell me, do they not do harm, nor destroy? Only when God permits. For not even the executioner can do anything unless the judge permits; and this is not a matter of power. "Let the gods who did not make heaven and earth perish from the earth.