Fragmenta in Jeremiam

Is this a proof? Even if someone is found who made heaven, this one is the true God, and such as another—such as the prophet also says. Let the children of heretics be ashamed. For all things came to be through him. And, In the beginning you, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth, and the works of your hands are the heavens. This is not a proof, but a condescension. For this is not the great work of God—rather, whether angels, or archangels, or principalities, or powers; but the greater than all is the cross. God who made the earth in his strength. He sets down two things: both the creation and the best harmony. For consider what it was for heaven and earth to be brought forth and simply to lie there; how much more, and better, to raise up heaven cast down to the ground and to put a roof around the earth. And by his understanding he stretched out the heaven. As one constructing a booth, so he set it upright, not putting it together little by little, but bringing all things forth at once, as if making the whole from four whole cubes. And a multitude of water in heaven he made lightnings for rain, and brought out light. Here he speaks of the thunders, and the rain from them; and the wonderful thing, he says, water makes a sound. The clouds make the thunders. For what purpose are the thunders? To strike terror and bring to sobriety. How is the water held, tell me, in the air? How does that which is downward and falling, as if from some machine, become suspended on high? How are the clouds not torn apart when they clash against one another? How does so loose a body, tell me, bear so great a mass—that of the clouds? Did you see the wonder-worker? Did you see the master craftsman?

From above he waters the earth for you, first producing many thunderclaps, so that you may not think anything happens of itself. And he brought up clouds from the end of the earth. That is, he carries these things from one place to another; and it is easy for him to travel there only, wherever he may command. He made lightnings for rain. And indeed rain could come without lightning, and lightning in fair weather. But when we see lightning in fair weather, it is likely that a long storm is coming; lightning goes out over all the earth, and runs over the whole inhabited world; but how it happens, I do not know. See, he does not speak of partial benefits, but of universal ones, since his argument was directed against the gods. Every man was made foolish from knowledge, he was put to shame, because they cast false things. For even if he is very wise, yet he showed himself foolish concerning carved images. They are vain works, in the time of their visitation they will perish. When the city is captured, they too will share in the punishment. Such is not the portion of Jacob. That is, he does not have a handmade God; because he who formed all things, this one is his inheritance. Here the word "inheritance" is used redundantly. And it is interpreted obscurely in the Greek text; but what he wishes to say is this: The portion of Jacob is not such as that of the nations. So as to say, He does not have a God appointed by hand. But whom? The fashioner of all things, that is, the Creator. And Israel is the rod of his inheritance. But he, he says, has Israel, instead of an inheritance, that is, he chose him. And who is this? The Lord of hosts is his name. That is, the Lord of all things. He gathered from outside his substance that dwells.

For he himself shattered them when they were broken apart and scattered; and again he dispersed them, and again he gathered them, showing that he who formerly gathered them is the same who heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds. He brought out your substance abroad. That is, he caused you to carry off another's wealth; for he despoiled the Egyptians. Dweller among the chosen. That is, he caused you to dwell in the finest land. Behold, I will make your stroke to fester, so that your wound may be found. For since they did not attend to them as to men, nor did they think these good things were from God; but they said, In our strength we have horns; and the Lord will neither do good nor do evil; therefore he says, So that your wound may be found. Behold, I will harden those who dwell in the land. That is, I will make them weak. Woe upon your destruction; grievous is your wound. Rightly, when it is from wickedness, when it is from God, when it is according to anger, when it is according to the plotting of men. As from the city he makes his words. And I said, Thus is this my wound. For the other wounds were not bearable, but dreadful. And I said, Thus is my wound. The prophet speaks, lamenting because of the evils of the Jews. Your tent has been brought to misery; it has perished, and all my curtains. That is, it has fallen; and he speaks concerning Jerusalem. That is, the walls could not surround me. That is, they sealed up, they crept in. great are the evils. For they did not so expect the things of the assault. I know, Lord, that a man's way is not his own. He speaks concerning the Babylonian.

CHAPTER 11.

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: Hear the words of this covenant. He has shown that the word of those who say that God will not punish them even when they sin is vain, as he provides for the temple; and that not even from circumcision will they have any benefit when they sin against God. Therefore he threatens them, that you will undergo the final punishment if you do not hear the prophet's exhortation. Cursed is the man who will not hear the word of this covenant, which I commanded to your fathers in the day when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace. The Hebrew says, out of the furnace of iron. So as to say: Your fathers fell into such various evils as iron is softened and beaten in a furnace. How did they hear the Egyptians? How, while being oppressed and slain by the Egyptians, did they hear? So that he may show that it is possible to hear, when they are willing. There was clay and brickmaking, and no one contradicted; there was relief and manna, and they grumbled. But nothing seemed great to the coarser sort. That I might establish my oath which I swore to your fathers, to give. So also in the New Covenant he does: he delivered us from a harsh slavery and an unbearable and terrible tyranny, and though they neither called upon him nor besought him, he gave the law. And again he promises to give the kingdom of heaven. Read these words, etc., and they did not do them. See human compassion: he wishes only that they be shown mercy, not looking to what is just, but to what is kindred. A father spares in one way, a stranger in another. A father often punishes, and is not bent—

But the stranger, seeing it, is bent down. Is he then more affectionate than we are? I set aside all those things from now on; let the ancestral evils be for them a very great example. A conspiracy was found among the men of Judah. He speaks of the entanglement of evils that comes about through sins. They turned back to the injustices of their fathers, those who came before. What excuse is there? What is difficult? What is hard? It is hard to sin. They did not see their forefathers as an example. And do not you pray for this people. Because I will not listen. Did you see the verdict? And yet above you said, "I will not listen to you"; and again you say, "Read these words." And again you give an occasion of salvation, saying, "If you thoroughly correct your ways and your practices." What has the beloved done in my house? An abomination? What sense does the matter have? What occasion would there be for saying this here? Is not a man's way his own? What labors did he not endure? What sweats, what struggles did he not submit to? What slip? He wishes to provoke me. Why did the beloved insult me? For if I did not love her, for whose sake did she insult? That is, Why did she who was so greatly loved by me serve idols in the temple of my worship? Do not prayers and holy meats take away your wickedness from you? That is, Does sacrificing to me cleanse your idolatry, which serves idols? Or will you escape these? That is, by the worship that is through words. Do not prayers and holy meats take them away? And yet they were given for this, that they might take away the bodily and involuntary ones, but not such as these.

The Lord called your name a beautiful olive tree, well-shaded in appearance, at the sound of its circumcision. For I made you always flourishing, like an olive tree. But the phrase, At the sound of its circumcision, means not having fruit uncircumcised, so as to call it unclean. But I adorned you from every side, both with the laws, and with the worship, and with the oversight of the priests, and with my own providence. Fire was kindled against her. But you drew upon yourself, he says, the punishment. And her branches became useless. That is, she remained fruitless. The prophet, hearing these things and falling into greater despondency, kept entreating God on behalf of the people. Having therefore said above, And do not pray for this people; and having added the reproof of these things from the words, What has the beloved done in my house, an abomination? and the following; since he still persisted on behalf of the people, God, wishing to show the wickedness of the multitude, and that they sin without repentance, both disclosed his counsel against them to the prophet, and clearly showed their wickedness to him who disbelieved. By trial at the same hour or in the autumn, he set before him the wealth. The beauty from the tree, the continuity of life, the ever-green. At the sound of its circumcision fire was kindled against her, great is the affliction upon you. That is, You will not pay the penalty even for a short time, but the greatest punishment because of your sins. And the Lord who planted you spoke evil against you, in return for the wickedness of the house of Israel. The greatest wickedness is when such a one is punished, he who displays so great providence, when he himself is the one being punished; for he would not thus suddenly cast away what he loved, unless he knew there was great wickedness.

He who loved them though they had accomplished nothing, and imparted so much care, would not have departed immediately. So this is reasonably a proof of the greatest wickedness. Lord, make known to me, and I shall know. Then I saw their practices. That is, they escaped my notice before you made them known to me. But what were these? When they sinned against me, you did not see; when they committed such outrages, you did not look, but you said: Is not the way of man his own? Why do you not say also now: Is not the way of man his own, but you call their practices? But I, like a harmless lamb led to be sacrificed, did not know; they devised an evil plan against me. Some interpret these things as referring to Christ, but for now let us hold to the history, finding no fault with them. For let the Church be built up from every side. For the second time he has already said to the prophet: Do not pray for them, and he did not say it simply, but also added the reasons. And yet even if he had spoken simply, it ought to have been heard; but now he also states the reasons. Do you not see what they themselves do? Since, then, he did not persuade him by words, he persuaded him by deeds, and showed the outrage against him. You philosophize, he says, in the matters in which I am outraged. Observe the forbearance and the humility. For since it was likely that they, trusting in his prayers, would become worse, but he did not endure

Do not pray for them. Wishing to show him that he is not more philanthropic than God—indeed, not even close by a little—see what He does. He makes their deceits and plans become manifest, parading them publicly: both what they were doing and what they were saying. So that he may learn that it is not because He is at a loss about them that He does not hear, but because they are unworthy He does not show mercy. But I was like an innocent lamb. Admirable is the simplicity of the prophet. God accepts nothing so much as this; therefore even the former things he suffered from a simple attempt. Come, and let us put wood into his bread. What is wood? Let us crucify him, as accursed, and let him not even die a common death—and their wickedness was with one accord. Against me they devised a plan, saying: Come, and let us put wood into his bread, and let us wipe him out from the land of the living. That is, a deadly root; for this is what he calls wood. Lord, judging righteous things. May I see the vengeance from you upon them, because to you I have revealed my right. That is, exact a just penalty from them. For having known their wickedness, he ceased praying. See the boldness plainly: and I suffer these things in vain; I wish vengeance from you, if you will, he says. But it would not come from you, which would not come with justice, as when the demand comes from the judge. He did not say simply judging righteous things, testing kidneys. If anything has been dared against them in secret, if anything in thought, you know, who know the hidden things of all. To you I have revealed my right. That is, I have told you my righteous claims. You, Lord, exact punishment. You see that he does not entrust it to himself, but to God: you have heard my righteous claims; do as you will.

Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek my life, who say, You shall not prophesy in the name of the Lord; but if you do, you shall die, etc. Do you see that the matter tended against God? They were preventing the speaking of the things that come from God. Isaiah also says this: Do not tell us the way of the Lord, but tell us other things. And great is their wickedness, when they do not endure even a voice that is able to heal; and observe the wickedness. Those very citizens who ought to take pride in the prophet, they themselves attempt to destroy him. Where the good sprang up, there the wickedness is greater. Perhaps there was also much envy. Behold, I will visit upon them; and their sons, and their daughters, etc. But observe, they gave a harsher penalty. Why also the children? For what reason? Perhaps they too were wicked, and were not brought to their senses by the example of the men. Do you see how I am indignant when you are insulted? So also you, when I am insulted. Because I will bring evils upon those who dwell in Anathoth in the year of their visitation. Again he brought the word to a delay, when he thus urges the punishment; persuading him and showing how good he is. Not now, he says, will I bring it, but in a year, so that he even gave them a set time for repentance.

CHAPTER 12.

Righteous are you, O Lord. In a rather ordinary way he too raises these questions. He is not dizzy about the nature of the matter, but about the manner, and he says: For we know that you are righteous, but the manner of your righteousness I do not find. As if someone, seeing a builder either demolishing a house or building one, should say: We know that you are a builder, but I do not see the manner of the building or the construction. For this reason he says, and I appeal to you. And after a little: Neither will anyone condemn you as unjust, nor will anyone condemn me as questioning unreasonably. For I will make my defense to you. That is, knowing you to be righteous from what you have taught me, the things that have been decided. I make my defense concerning that for which I besought you. But I will speak judgments with you. The opposite, he says, now I will plead my cause before you, O Master, hastening the punishment of the wicked. Why is the way of the ungodly prosperous? All these things he says concerning those who are still entangled in sins. But then he was at a loss over these things, but now no longer. At any rate David says this, and Job too; but observe when. When their mind was troubled. So then, the things that come from a troubled mind ought not to be held as doctrines. For that one too, when he was reproached by his friends; and this one, when he suffered terrible things from those who were at ease; and David, when he was in great despondency, says: I said in my ecstasy, I am cast away from before your eyes. But also in my ecstasy I said: Every man is a liar. And again: I said in my prosperity, I shall never be shaken. So that, as it were, the reasonings of all who suffer are not even so.

They do not at all endure the punishment of their enemies, but they even hasten it. And again: Why is it that the way of the ungodly prospers? And yet this was promised to the righteous—as when he says elsewhere concerning the righteous man: And all things whatsoever he does shall prosper. Why, then, the way of the ungodly? Here he wishes to learn the cause. All who transgress have prospered; the greater difficulty is that all suffer this, even the Jews. But not so, but with wickedness, as when they say: Everyone who does evil is good before the Lord, and in them he has delighted. Do you see that even if a righteous man does not himself suffer anything, when he sees another suffering he is disheartened as though he himself were suffering? This was their perplexity. Why is it that the way of the ungodly prospers? He speaks concerning the lawless among the people; for having learned of the plot against him, he prays against them, hastening their punishment. You planted them, and they took root. You hear all things at once, even their prayers, yet you do not bring the scourge. For they are not in the trouble of men, says David, and they shall not be scourged with men. And Job says otherwise: Why do the ungodly live? And they have grown old in wealth. But it is worth inquiring from this, for what reason these things happened. For now, indeed, reasonably, since the resurrection ought to become manifest—manifest. But then, what consolation was there, when the wicked were being set right? And do all say the same things? For what reason does one say: I saw the ungodly exalted and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon, and I passed by, and behold, he was not. He says the opposite: He planted them and they took root? And Job: Their cow did not miscarry. How did you pass by, and behold, he was not?

These things also came to pass; he speaks of his sudden destruction, that God destroyed them especially easily, but not little by little, as in the case of the Assyrian. So quickly did I turn, and I did not find him. And you, Lord, know me; you have tested my heart. When someone brings God as witness of his own virtue, what could be equal to this? So the perplexity is double, both because those men prosper and these are in misfortune; and yet even if it were from one side, both that the good man is perplexed and that the good man was unfortunate, he was perplexed. But now, from the opposite, what could one say? Rather, one must not be perplexed. For it does not happen simply, nor by some chance; for it would not be so. But let us say for what reason in ancient times the impious flourished; it seems to me, so that virtue might not be [thought to be] of necessity; lest someone say that virtue is of necessity; or so that even those who sin might recognize the power of God, that he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. Sanctify them for the day of slaughter. Do you see that this is what he desired, that all be destroyed under one stroke? Murderous, he says, is the intention; may it not be. For when he heard from God, when he was prevented from praying for them, then, he says, he sees these things, and awaits the time. How long will the land mourn, and all the grass of the field be dried up. Great is the wickedness, and it has touched the land itself. Do you see from where famines come? From the wickedness of those who dwell there. For what reason does he curse those things continually? They came to be because of these men; therefore because of these men they will be destroyed. Your feet run, and

How do they weary you?" There is much obscurity here. Aquila, another interpreter, says: "They will run together; you ran, and it wearied you." What he means is this: he saw him urgent and pressing on, and not tolerating even the appointed time. Observe, then, how he rebukes him. You have suffered nothing yet, and you speak such things? Are you so disturbed? What then will you do in great matters? If you were not able to run with footmen, how will you run with horsemen, he says? How will you bear the greater things? Or again: If you did not endure your own people, how will you endure the enemies? Are you distressed here? What then will you do when you see the terrible things? Or again, in another sense: Are you dizzy at this dispensation of mine? What if you should learn the more secret things? That even your brothers... And these have dealt treacherously against you. How then did your brothers cry out after you? Without your knowing it, he says, they will speak great things against you, and they will speak dreadful evils to you. Do you see how the prophet is trained, how he learns philosophy, being led to courage through deeds and through words? How will you prepare yourself for horses and in a land of peace? Some have taken these words as spoken to the people, that is: if, fighting against your neighbors, you were unable to withstand them when they were on foot, what will you do when pursued by horsemen? But I do not think this is the meaning that is preserved. Rather, since the prophet, having known their malice against him, cursed them, hastening the punishment against them, he says, hastening that they be destroyed. Having learned of the plot against him, and this while he was in peace, not driven by enemies. What will these do when the enemies stand against them, when they have no time even for flight, the horses overtaking them most swiftly?

You have trusted—how will you do in the swelling of the Jordan? That is to say, you know that you will suffer nothing from it. What will these do when they see the enemy borne against them like a river? How then, as though you had suffered irremediable evils from them, did you invoke evils upon them? That is, you also invoke these things upon them—that is, the evils—having heard of a plot against you. For he calls brothers and kinsmen of the father those of the same race, that is, the Israelites. They were gathered together against you; do not trust them, for they speak good things to you. He says these things: It is not that I do not provide for your safety—for I wish you to trust them in nothing—but wishing that they, through forbearance, might change to the better. They were gathered together from behind you; do not trust in them. Many, as is likely, from the twelve tribes, already washed, were marching together with the enemies. Do not therefore trust them when they speak good things to you. Such a one was Rhampsakes, using the Hebrew tongue and blaspheming against God, and advising them as one sparing them. I have forsaken my house, I have left my inheritance. Know, however, that I have condemned them to complete capture because of the wickedness of their manner. I have given my beloved soul into hands. What do you say? And is love nothing? Is friendship nothing? And yet he did not give it, but says he gave it, lest I give it—if anyone has understanding, if anyone pays heed; the fear of punishment was not so sufficient for them to restore them as the words of God's wisdom are symbols.

My house, my inheritance, my beloved soul—even at the time of punishments he reminds them of former things, wishing to bend them back. He recounts the former things so that it may sting them the more; great was the violence of those who drove him out. And he did not say, "Why do you drive out?" But what was worse and more grievous—they do such things as to abandon me myself. I have forsaken my inheritance. Just as a man, if he is about to approach an inheritance that has many troubles, chooses to leave it, so also God. Perhaps here he means the desire. My inheritance has become to me as a lion in the thicket. Thus it cried out against me, he says; who would wish to inherit such things? "As in a thicket," he says, indicating the great wildness. It gave its voice against me; therefore I hated it. Do you see that the beginnings of wickedness and of hatred come from us? Is not my inheritance to me a hyena's cave? Some interpreted it thus. Since, they say, the hyena is an unclean animal, he wished to say this: that you have filled my house with uncleanness. But the Hebrew reads thus: My inheritance has become to me as a bird of many colors in its feathers—that is, having displayed manifold impiety, it enters into the temple. He calls the uncleanness the beastliness, and "to me who inherits." Let it be for humans—how is it also for me? Does one inherit such things? And he speaks of the external evils, that they had many lurking-places all around, not simply a cave of humans, but of unclean beasts, and more grievous beasts, walking in darkness. Go, gather together all the beasts.

For what reason do you not ravage them yourself, but give them over to others—that is, call the beasts? So that you may learn that he also calls the other nations whenever he wishes, because all are arranged under him; and in another way, equally. But in another way, so that the punishment may become more severe, and so that he may work many wonders, and that those men may become witnesses of what happens to them. Many shepherds have corrupted my vineyard. See how he imitates a man—both one who wishes to punish, and one who grieves over the punishment, and one who seeks to find some small defense, at least from somewhere, for those who are about to be punished. Many shepherds. For what reason, foreknowing these things, did you not destroy them? For what reason did you set such shepherds over them? But I said not to pay attention to them, but to my law. For what reason did you not set admirable teachers over them, and the flock was not corrupted? So that they might learn, even when men are wicked, not to pay attention to them. For what credit is it to them? Was there no law, then? Were there no prophets, then? Did they not leave them desolate? I did not wish them to be good by compulsion. And shortly after: "They defiled my portion." Everywhere he blames the shepherds and the rulers, but he does not acquit the rest. For how could he? Are they, then, irrational sheep? Could he not, then, exalt them? Equally, could they not, then, improve themselves? Was Jeremiah not there, then? For my sake the whole earth was utterly destroyed. What is "for my sake"? For my sake, the prophet. For if I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin. Upon every pass of the wilderness. That is, because of the impiety against me. Since, when they heard of the calamities, they did not change.

Here he speaks of the captivity and the war. See what sort of men such a great threat would not have made better. You sowed wheat, and you reaped thorns. For since I also planted a vine, and it produced bitterness, and I sowed good seed, and it produced the opposite. With reason, then, you also, so that you may learn how great is the loss to a farmer, how great the discouragement, when you bear one thing in place of another. This is worse than famine. Their lots will not profit them. Some say that these lots also refer to the lots of the Church; and I am persuaded of this. For what do they profit us, tell me, who walk unworthily? Will it not rather be even greater condemnation? But let us learn what a lot is altogether, and whence the name comes. For perhaps we may reap some benefit even from the name; and besides, it is a matter of great shame to be ignorant of that by which we are called; for surely we were not allotted by some lot. For a lot is an irrational thing. Whence, then, has "lot" been named, and not only among us? For perhaps one of the younger men has supposed that the name is recent; but that in the beginning the lot of this ministry and apostleship was cast, I think, and that the name comes from that casting of the lot of the first man. Or just as in the Olympic games, one man casts lots to receive this opponent, and another that one; so also here; but by this account the canonical or ecclesiastical lot must also be called. For to each one, he says, as God apportioned; let each walk as the Lord has allotted to him. For in this way also he was allotted. And after a little: Whence, then,

Has the name been applied? For he did not say simply, "the lot of the ministry." For since things assigned by lot do not come from one's own choice, but depend on some other authority, the one allotted must hold the place to which he was allotted, and neither arrange it for himself—for that would not be a lot—nor flee when it is given; for if the things of a lot are authoritative, much more the things of God, when God assigns by lot. But that lot is irrational, whereas here the one who acts must also act without partiality; for this is a lot: not the one he himself wishes, but the one grace gives. So then, as long as the apostles were without the Spirit, they entrusted matters to a lot; but later both to the multitude and to their own grace. A lot is a thing free from grief; it does not allow even those men to grieve as though wronged. A lot has not regard to kinship, nor favor, nor enmity. For since, when there are many, it is not possible for all to be chosen by lot, reasonably we select a few out of many. Be ashamed because of your boasting. Let us be ashamed before God, not before men. What is "because of your boasting"? Either: Be ashamed of the things you boast in—for men often boast of things for which they ought to be ashamed—or: Remembering your boasting, be ashamed. What you once were, and what you are now. From reproach, from those who reproach you—not from the reproach of God. For it is the greatest remedy to know how to be ashamed, and blushing is no small occasion of salvation. And if you take away shame, you have taken away every hope of salvation. I know that it has often prevailed as much as punishment has prevailed. God did not simply implant this in our nature.

But in order always to stir us up, he inserted it, not so that people might feel shame, but also the conscience. Often, even when there is no punishment for a sin, shame alone, and self-condemnation, has restrained it. "For thus says the Lord concerning all the evil neighbors." Here he hints at the Arabians, because they taught them no small evils, on account of which they first spent forty years in the wilderness. For this reason he did not allow them to be mixed with the nations; for this reason he also set laws safer than a wall, not permitting them to mingle with the neighbors. "Behold, I will draw them away." He threatens them with a great threat, so that they too may become better; and he threatens those taken captive. See also how they themselves were brought to their senses by what happened to these; at the same time he gives them a pretext for defense, as though they did not know. Just as you have become the cause of destruction to them, so they will be the cause of salvation to you. Great is the shame of the Jews, if indeed they were going to learn from their neighbors. See how he makes them his own. Was his salvation not for one nation? Do you wish altogether to be friends, and to be of one mind? Therefore for good, not against the salvation of those who agree; therefore it is possible even before this to become better.

CHAPTER 13.

Go and acquire for yourself a linen waistcloth. What the image means is this: the waistcloth is the intimacy, and the linen waistcloth is the priestly character, the inviolable, the comeliness of the people, so as to be corrupted by none of the things that usually do this, neither by time, nor by moth, nor by any such things. The phrase "on the rock" is so that no one might say that it was corrupted through the slackness of nature; so too were the Israelites; for such, he says, are human affairs. Now wars, now battles, now peace, now abundance; from above he made them subject to such a change. "It shall not pass through water," that is, it is new; for if water passes through it, they think it to be old; so that they might not think it was corrupted by growing old, as we say "undyed," "unwetted." For to wet is to moisten, which most people call unwetted.

Such was the word always, if only the people had wished it. For he who has God wrapped around him would not perceive mourning or old age; for there, wearing out comes from use. We, then, use things in such a way that even if it were new we would wear it out; but God uses things in such a way that even if it were old he makes it new. This has also happened in the case of the new covenant: he wrapped them around himself and made them new. He calls it a linen belt; at any rate he adds: And put it around your waist. And he takes the prophet as a type of God. And the waistcloth, as a type of the people. Put it around your waist, then, as I joined my people to myself through the laws. And "it shall not pass through water." Do not wash it away from the filth, just as I did not turn away from a people defiled with the blood of idolatry. Take the waistcloth, and go to the Euphrates.

For what reason did he command him to go to the Euphrates and to walk so great a distance? Was not the river Jordan nearby? But it was to show from where the evils come, and for what reason, and he lets many days pass. And I went, and I hid it. And it came to pass after many days. That you may learn the longsuffering; for lest you should think that the length of days produced the corruption, it is new, and it lies in stone, where no worm came forth from wood. He hid them, that is, he made them secure, as in rock. When he removed it from himself, he frightened, he threatened, and nothing more happened, thereafter they are corrupted. He shows that the corruption is from the wrath of God. They were not destroyed at the same time they were taken from the waist; for God does not destroy us at the same time when he casts us off; we are not punished at the same time we are deemed unworthy of him; but he bears with us a long time, and then brings on the punishment. And acquire for yourself. He did not receive it from someone, nor for his own use; for the prophet did not need it; not that he might be covered, but that he might make it his own. Just as therefore the prophet was neither more glorious when he wore it, nor more inglorious when he put it off, nor did he need it, so neither did God. But observe how he does not learn everything in sequence, but little by little, that you may learn his obedience. He said: Acquire, and put it around you. He did not say, Why? but he obeyed. Again he said: Go to the Euphrates; he did not say, Why? but he was fully assured, and was persuaded. Let us also do this. He did not say, It is shameful, it is ridiculous; but he obeys in all things. For this reason he commands him little by little, that he may learn obedience.

Those who do not wish to obey my words, and who went after foreign gods. Do you see how the intensification brought forth the punishment? Do you see the healing that removes the evils, not simply the people? Then he states the wickedness: Those who do not wish to obey my word, and who went after foreign gods; and that they do not wish it: Behold, neither do others wish it. But these enjoyed benefits. I did not put the nations around myself, but these—yes, not for my own sake, but for theirs. Just as the loincloth clings around a man's waist, so I clung them to myself. The loincloth is an image of the people, and the prophet of God; and just as the first, being clung to the prophet's waist, was undestroyed, but when separated from it was destroyed, so also the people, when it was made kin to God, remained unharmed, but when it stood apart from him, it became entirely useless. That it might become to me a people renowned, and a boast, and a glory. He says these things not as though he himself needed glory, but for the sake of men. So be it: you do not wish to glorify me—for what reason did you dishonor yourselves? And you shall say to this people: Every wineskin will be filled with wine. Again an example: just as the wineskin has come to be for this purpose, to be filled, so also it is necessary for you henceforth, as having come to be for this purpose, to be filled with punishment. For through the two images he shows, not that he punishes, but that he does so with excess, and incurably. And you shall say... Behold, I fill... and their kings. Do not think to have a defense from your ancestors; this most of all accuses you.

And the priests. Do not suppose that you have consolation from your rank; this is what most of all destroys you. And I will scatter them... And their fathers... And I will not relent, and I will not spare. For since we are often accustomed after the punishment to have mercy on those being punished, I, he says, will not do even this. And even if the punishment is great—elders consumed, or rather, wandering—yet this will not bend me, the lover of mankind. Hear, and give ear... for the Lord has spoken. Observe throughout the whole prophet how, even when he speaks of punishment, he always sets down the cause. And not only this, but when he has said, "I will not have mercy, I will not spare," and has spoken as about those given up, he again introduces exhortation. For hear what he says, who has spoken such things and declared them: Hear, and give ear. Do not hear carelessly, and do not be lifted up; for nothing so produces recklessness as not attending to the words of God. For are the threats of men, which it is often possible even to falsify? It is God who is strong, who always brings the end to pass. Give glory to your Lord before it grows dark. Believe what is said; for will you not give it to him? And after these things: But before the experience of terrors, before it grows dark, he hints at the captivity. And before your feet stumble. For such is the nature of terrors: darkness is always accustomed to pour over all eyes. And you will wait for light, and there is the shadow of death, and they will be put into darkness. The day, he says, does not succeed; for it does not happen according to the sequence of nature, but according to the conjunction of customary terrors.

For consider what it meant for them to be led away captive and to be deprived of their homeland. Do you not wish to give glory to God? At least so that you might ward off the terrors. But if you do not listen, your soul will weep in secret. Consider the magnitude of the calamity, when it is not even permitted to weep over one's own sufferings, but they have been deprived even of this liberty. See how from every side... everywhere he magnifies the magnitude of the evils, so that even thus he might win them over. What is worse than this pain—not even to be able to weep over one's own sufferings? But nothing softened their hardness and roughness. Your soul will weep in secret from the face of insolence. That is, you are not permitted even to mourn with freedom in the captivity. Say to the king and to those in power: Be humbled. For he was not speaking to them, but to the multitude. Consider how great is the prophet's boldness, when through his subjects he signals such things to the rulers: Do willingly what will shortly come about by necessity. For will you not be humbled? But let it happen now by you, so that it may not happen by your enemies. Let this also be so with us: let us judge ourselves, so that God may not judge us. Lift up your eyes, Jerusalem. He is now addressing the city itself. He speaks of future things as present; and this is a continuous discourse. And you taught them lessons against yourself, to be your rulers. That is, By calling upon their help, and by practicing idolatry, you prepared them to rule over you. And you taught them. How, tell me, and in what manner? By always fleeing to them, showing that you are weak and have been deprived of the help that comes from God.

You have revealed all the hidden things; these things most of all made you sin, because you continually caused them to be called. And if you say in your heart, "Why has this happened to me?" Observe that sometimes he elevates the nature of the terrors, and sometimes he pricks them through shame and dishonor; for even in terrors, the things of dishonor are accustomed to grieve us no less. And just as in the case of a woman acting shamefully, he set it before them. For the prophet shrinks from saying nothing that is able to touch them; and again: Why do you speak after so many exhortations and prophecies? Do they still not know the cause of what is happening? Yes. For this is the habit of those who are punished—to wish to be ignorant of the causes, and especially when the multitude of terrors has exceeded measure.

If you say in your heart—for you will no longer have the power even to utter a sound. If the Ethiopian changes his skin. For what reason, then, do you bring a charge? For what reason do you send prophets? For what reason do you say, "You were not willing to hear me"? If wickedness is a matter of nature, for what reason do you find fault? Do you see the absurdity? But the absurdity is due to our own folly. For what he wishes to say is this: that you have brought the evil that comes from free choice almost into a fixed state. For to learn is not a matter of nature. The one who learns was previously in ignorance, and he learns. He is not, therefore, wicked by nature; for what is by nature does not need learning. We do not learn that we must sleep, nor that we must see the light. For these things are natural, and we do not wait for a teacher, but whether we wish it or not, they come upon us. But where it is possible to learn, and possible to be ignorant, learning comes from ignorance. What, then, is this? He speaks hyperbolically, just as we also say—

This servant cannot be useful; it is a wicked nature; so that even thus, having been made ashamed, they might change. And I scattered them like dry sticks. Observe how he shows at once the ease and the power, and his wrath, wishing to fill—or rather, to satisfy—another. Thus is your lot, and the portion of your disobedience to me. Such things you will reap from your disobedience, since the false prophets were saying the opposite. As you forgot me, so I also. Observe the cause: Thus I also will do. And I will uncover your backside. You gave me the beginning. I wish to be loved, and you do not wish it. Therefore I will do these things, just like a jealous man who neither wishes to punish the one who insults him, nor is able gently to endure what has happened, and spares no word in what he says to her—he speaks in this way—but speaks as one satisfying his wrath, and by not punishing gratifying his affection, while by insulting he gives himself rest; so also God. And your adulteries, and your neighing, and the alienation of your prostitution. What is neighing? It reveals her madness, her frenzy. On the mountains and in the fields I have seen your abominations. Not in a house, nor in secret; her prostitution is publicized and open to all. Your shame will be paraded—or rather, will parade you. Woe to you, Jerusalem. For he both wishes to punish, and grieves over those who are themselves punished, and laments, and bewails, and has mercy.

CHAPTER 14

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought. He spoke countless things, he threatened, and they did not believe because of the signs—as of the loincloth, as of the almond rod, and the rest. So then he begins the punishments. Judea mourned. He did not say "the marketplace" but "the gates," since there was no one going out, which is the greatest proof of desolation. And the cry of Jerusalem went up. They called upon God; when he killed them, then they sought him out. And her nobles sent their younger men for water. Observe the punishment touching all; for it was not only famine that came, but drought as well. For since it was likely that, with food stored up, they would have the expectation but not the experience of famine, he forestalled their mind by the scarcity of water. They came to the wells and found no water. For since they did not attend to the teachings of the flowing spiritual water, he disciplines them by these things, so that they might not come to the experience of terrible things. Then he speaks also of the constraint of irrational animals. The farmers were put to shame. Reasonably. Tell me, for what reason were they put to shame? Was it not on account of their own cause? Was it not on account of their own negligence? The matter came about from the inclination from above. For what reason, then, were they put to shame? Because they themselves were the cause, through their sins; for to those who sin, no less

Punishment is accompanied by shame. And the phrase "in it" means "because of it" to be punished. And the deer in the field gave birth. For what reason are irrational creatures punished? Because of humans, for their correction, since they also exist for their sake. The wild asses stood at the glens. It should be known that they graze in the more desolate places. What is "they drew in wind"? They were soothing the heat of their thirst. Did you see the wrath of the Master? Did you see the love of humanity together with wrath? He spares the children, and lets his wrath fall upon the servants, so that even in this way they might be brought to their senses. For since these animals are without providence, they perceive famine first. And he does not mention the tame animals—oxen and sheep—but the wild ones, showing the intensity; because even these exist for their sake, if not for use, then for the knowledge of God. The wild asses stood at the glens, they drew in wind like a dragon. The wild ass is a wild animal, and it goes up onto the plains and destroys the crops. He says, then, that from the lack of rain this animal too came to weakness. And the phrase "they drew in wind like a dragon" has in the Hebrew some such meaning: they drew in wind like an animal conceiving by wind. And they say that the sphinx is of such a nature. For just as that creature delights in the blowing of the wind as though it were having intercourse, so, he says, the wild asses also stood facing the wind, having the breeze as a comfort for their want. But one might rather understand it thus: "they drew in wind like a dragon," that is, from their want they brayed; for when food fails, it is the habit of irrational creatures—such as asses, horses, and the like—to cry out. And the wild ass is also accustomed to do this.

The phrase "They drew like a dragon," that is, just as this creature hisses and sends forth its voice far and wide, so too the wild asses will cry out audibly from their lack. But the Syrians say that "like a dragon" is not in the text. Some say that the dragon is by nature nourished by the wind; he therefore compared the wild asses to this creature, in order to show the calamity that comes from the lack of rain. Our sins stood in opposition to us. Observe the supplication made by the prophet, and that they were brought to their senses by those very things, as it were, by the calamity. For sin is truly a great wall, and just as certain soldiers drive away poor and weak men from the rulers when they wish to approach, beating them back with rods, so also do these sins. For when we have nothing of our own, this alone remains as an excuse—the love of God for humanity. Because our sins are many before you. Not before men. For when God examines, the sins appear many. Not because he examines more harshly than men—may it not be! How then do they appear more numerous? Because men are ignorant, but he knows. Therefore each of us can be saved in this way, if we all take refuge in his name. Because we have sinned against you. What is "against you"? Against you who are not provoked as men are. Against you, the Master, who are able to spare, who overlook transgressions. Endurance. That is: You alone, God, make us endure, while men are punished—and the power likewise, according to his power, and the love of humanity. But here he says: No one can undo these blows. Since therefore you alone are able, release them.

We say this law to you and to people often: imitate yourself for your own sake. Do not be like a man who sleeps. Thus, he says, he left us, just as one who destroys cares for nothing. God, then, does not sleep. Do you see how, unnoticed, he reveals to you his impassibility? The power is present in you; but you are able, yet our sins stand in the way—but even if it is because of you. And you are in us, Lord. And your name has been called upon us. He no longer takes refuge in the fathers, but in the name of God; this is what those around Moses also do, so that he not be insulted. Thus says the Lord: They loved to move their feet. That is, nothing is firm among them; they are always leaping about. Elijah also says this: How long will you limp on

both your legs? Thus they loved to move their feet, and they did not spare. That is, they were pleased to run after idols, and they did not repent. And they did not spare. That is, they used the matter insatiably, that is, without sparing. See how he always charges them with the intensity and the excess of their wickedness. Because if they fast, I will not hear. And yet fasting is no small way of life. But hear what their fasts were like. What does Isaiah say? You fast for judgments and quarrels; why do you fast to me? For fasting is not merely abstinence from foods, but philosophy of the soul. For just as virginity is not merely abstinence from marriage, but what most characterizes its virtue—the decorous and well-ordered devotion to the Lord without distraction—so too is fasting. The Ninevites also fasted, but it was not this that most bent God, but what? The change from wickedness.

For what benefit is it, tell me, to abstain from the flesh of irrational animals but to taste human flesh? And not to taste wine, but to be drunk with greed for money? This drunkenness is more grievous than that one; it has not seen fit to yield to sleep, but even when day appears it grows again. I will not listen to their supplication. For their sins are stronger than their prayer. For by sword, and by famine, and by death I will make an end of them. Famine is one thing, sword another, death another; for in that which he says, it is possible neither by famine nor by slaughter, but simply to be destroyed by some death sent from God. And I said: O Lord, you who are, behold, their prophets prophesy, and say: You shall not see. What then, he says, do the prophets foretell these things: There shall be no famine, nor sword? The prophet endured great violence, not by being compelled to speak gloomy things, but also by having those who opposed him, and those who deceived, and who foretold the opposite. Therefore he entreats God: O you who are, Lord Master, in contrast to those who are not. And the Lord said to me: The prophets prophesy falsely in my name. Why did God not remove the false prophets? So that you might not disbelieve his words. And this is like saying, Why did he not remove altogether those who deceive and pervert? Or rather also the demons who lead into every wickedness? But the divine Apostle hints at the solution to these things, saying: For there must also be heresies among you, so that those who are approved may become manifest. For contests always increase virtues, and no one is crowned unless he has competed according to the law.

But the one who contends always struggles against opponents, and these must be according to the law of spiritual wrestling. And thus the love toward God is greater, since many struggles do not overcome it; and the excess of the body's power against him is shown to be equal to the incorporeal and divine power. Just as in Egypt God was shown great, having destroyed the sorcerers who opposed the servant. For nothing is so much shown by itself as by contrast; but the false prophets were convicted by the facts, since they turned out to be contrary to the purpose, but happening otherwise; and by their fruits they were known, if indeed the willing made them, and the not willing made them be persuaded. For each one both wills and is persuaded. That false visions... They prophesy to you. For those also reported visions. As Zedekiah says in the third of Kingdoms. In a diseased death they shall die... And there shall be no one to bury them. Do you see how, from those who have been deceived, the length of the punishment is extended—the disease, and the famine—and those who are persuaded, both they themselves and those who persuade them, shall be unburied, since there is no one to bury them? If I go out into the field, and behold, men slain by the sword. Because a priest. And not even so were they disciplined; for this reason, having shut them in, he destroyed those outside, and those inside, and not even so did they give way. What could be more wicked than those so

since they were disposed thus, that prophet and priest, the very ones most responsible for the evils, are led away into captivity, being taught and teaching the strength of God. Have I utterly rejected Judah, and has my soul departed from Zion? Observe again the prophet making the word his own on their behalf. For the blow came in proportion to the magnitude of the punishments. Why, he says, have you rejected the people utterly? And he names Judah, and the name of the place. He is grieved not only that the people were struck. Have I utterly rejected—these things seem to be said concerning the final abandonment for the sake of Christ; but the magnitude of the evils and the length of time resemble in some way a rejection and a thrusting away; but Paul says, God did not thrust away his people, whom he foreknew. For after the fullness of the Gentiles, all Israel will be saved. Therefore the purpose of God presents the hope of what comes after. We waited for peace, and there were no good things. We expected other things, because we had paid sufficient penalty. We knew, Lord, our sins. He flees to the remaining remedy, the knowledge of sins. The iniquities of our fathers, because we sinned against you. For what reason did he mention the fathers? So great is the negligence of our own affairs among us, that even the things of the fathers run back upon us. That is, not even from there is there hope of salvation for us; we cannot flee to our ancestors; we are betrayed on every side. Cease for your name's sake, do not destroy. Now therefore, says the prophet, even if we are unworthy of such a penalty, yet for the sake of your glory restrain your anger, lest the nations say, Where is their God? Do not destroy the throne of your glory.

Do not scatter your covenant. He speaks of the kingdoms; he introduces the commandments. Do not scatter your covenant. And indeed this was what the covenant contained: If they do not scatter my covenant, I will surely not scatter my mercy from them. He does not deem worthy the not experiencing of evils, but the not being cast off utterly. Is there any among the idols of the nations that gives rain? For even if you cast off, is there not another to whom to flee? he says. And let this encourage you: that you alone are Lord of this. And we will endure you, O Lord, because you have made all these things. For especially in afflictions it is necessary for you, so as not to be lacking in endurance. And if the heaven gives its fullness, is it not you yourself? We know that not even an element is able to do anything by itself. For is there anywhere else to look? Are you not yourself the Lord? For surely you do not change when you forgive sins?

CHAPTER 15.

And the Lord said to me: If Moses and Samuel stand. Since it was likely that he was reasoning that Moses and Samuel had been able to deliver those who had worshipped idols, and that those men by a single intercession accomplished everything, while I, having approached so many times, accomplish nothing, but am often at a loss—so that he might not say these things, hear how he consoles him. If Moses and Samuel stand, he says, not even they will be able to deliver these. Send out this people, and let them go forth. None of these things bent them, none of these things drew them, none made them better; but they remained uncorrected. And I will give them over to necessities among all the kingdoms of the earth. So that no place may be ignorant of the things concerning them. Because of Manasseh.

Do you see the power of repentance? This is Manasseh, on whose account the Jews are scattered everywhere throughout the world; and neither Moses nor Samuel were able to deliver them; this man delivered himself through repentance, and reconciled himself to God. He says that the evils were brought upon them not because of that man's sins, but because they persisted in that man's idolatries. Who will spare you,

Jerusalem? or who will feel dread for you? Great is the wickedness, when a person, even while being punished, does not bring the observers to mercy; and yet surely even those who have been wronged are accustomed to make libations to those who have wronged them, when they see them being punished. But your sins are greater than forgiveness, and than mercy. You have turned away from me, you shall go backward. Do you see how I am not the cause? Their widows were multiplied, even beyond the sand of the sea. They made widows beyond the sand of the sea, they brought in childlessness, and so that they might not think the misery was a matter of nature, a maiming of the body is... or a maiming of the body, they made the woman of many children childless. Misery at midday. See how he brought the punishment, so that these might not be thought to be the usual ones, but truly some sent by God. I cast upon her suddenly trembling and haste. He speaks about the woman of many children. Trembling, that is, fear; haste, so that he might say, confusion. The one who bore seven was emptied. That is, the woman of many children became childless. Her soul grew weary; that is, mourning. The sun went down for her while it was still midday. For the calamity did not allow her even to see the light clearly. Woe is me, as what a man, mother, did you bear me—a man standing trial, and being judged with all the earth?

As long as the prophet had hopes of persuading God, he did not lament in any such way; but when he saw that matters were past hope, being pressed by distress he says these things. What he says is of this sort: I am a worthless man, and lowly, and cast out, having no strength; to what end, then, did you give birth to me, who am about to stand against the whole inhabited world? For since the false prophets say the opposite things, and this man is commanded to say the opposite things, there are disputes and daily battles. I did not profit, nor did anyone profit me. The prophet is in despair, suffering the worst things at the hands of the Jews. Why, he says, was I born each time to fight against the lawless, and to go to law against them, and to convict them of their evils—a man wishing to live in peace, and who never owed anything to anyone, nor had anyone as a debtor? My strength failed among those who curse me. That is, I have grown weary being reproached by them, and struck with countless insults. And yet, the very thing that constitutes all the battles is not present in me: I am clear of debts. To those who accuse, he says, to those who insult, to those who mock, to those who curse. For it is not the part of any chance soul to bear these things, just as not even Job was moved before these things happened. May it be, Master, that they are directing them. What is this? he says. For the thing that especially distressed him, and pained him, was this: that he was conscious of nothing in what was happening to him. That is, if they curse justly, ratify their words. If I did not stand before you in the time of their evils. I do not say, he says, If I spoke against them, but if I did not stand on their behalf when they were about to be punished.

And not only might they be heard in this—that I be punished—but also in that they obtain good things. May their curses prove true; may their good things prove true for them. That is, if you do not testify with me, that when you told me to announce to them the approach of the enemies, I stood praying on their behalf, asking good things for them. If iron shall be known, and your strength a garment of bronze? That is, without iron it has its walls, and if a bronze cloak, it will not even be recognized as equal. And if its walls are of iron, and if a bronze cloak, it will not even be recognized, because this very thing is iron. Such things they shall endure. That is, I will fence you about with my own help, as with an iron or bronze garment. He calls an iron garment the chain-mail tunic; and a bronze one, the breastplate. Just as, then, those clothed in these are outside all harm from the arrow, it not reaching them, so neither shall you suffer anything from them. But some take it concerning the people, that not even so, having fenced themselves about, are they saved. Your strength and your treasures I will give for plunder. As addressed to the people, instead of, because of their evils

I will make them captives. This was spoken as though by the prophet in the person of God to the people. O Lord, remember me, and visit me, and acquit me of those who persecute me, not in longsuffering. For the past is enough. But if you add these things too, who will pay heed? Therefore bring the end upon them, for there is no correction. Acquit me of those who persecute me. Know that. The prophet still holds to the same prayer and prophecy. But this saying seems again to be unphilosophical; yet let us see whether it is from the prophet's weakness, or from something else. First, he does not think them worthy to be destroyed for now, but rather that he himself suffer nothing terrible. Let us see whether it is for his own sake, or for the sake of God's word. For now, he says, Deliver me from those who persecute me. For those who reject your words, make an end of them. You see how he did not say, I will be. But he fears for the word, he trembles for the prophecy, lest it be considered a myth by them and be disbelieved. The word will always be for joy to me. No one will consider me a deceiver or a dissembler any longer. For that he examines these things by themselves and of themselves is clear from the earlier supplications and from God's consolation, which he would not have made to him unless he knew him to be clinging to it vehemently. But if he also makes his petition according to him, this too is wonderful. It is not wonderful: he is changed then, when God also is. Make an end of them, and your word will be to me for joy and gladness of my heart, because your name has been called upon me. That is, that the punishment may not prove false to me.

So that I might appear truthful and a true prophet, since I call upon your name, and it is not possible for me to be proved false. Do you see again that he feared for the sake of the name? I am called a prophet. So that your glory should suffer nothing, I suffered countless things. I profited nothing, but the opposite; deal with them otherwise. I did not sit in the council of those who mocked, but— Do you see that he says this too, that as many things as ought to have happened from me have happened? I did not share with them when I was being insulted, I did not stand apart—I stood by. What then ought to happen? For fear of you I endured all things, and nothing has come of it. I sat alone. I had no one as a partner in what was said. All disbelieved; but nevertheless none of these things turned me aside; nothing of what was from me was left undone. Why do those who grieve me prevail against me? For what reason, he says, do you permit them? What is the gain? For is the benefit theirs? What remains? My wound. Of the soul, clearly. My wound is firm; from where shall I be healed? That is, these are hostile and carry out the deeds of enemies. I do not see the outcome of my words. From nowhere do I have consolation. It has become to me as false water, having no trust. That is, the prophecy. So as to say, it was thought to be false. And just as water has no standing, so neither do they think that truth is present in my words. Just as water flows past and does not stand still, nor remain, so also my words now appear here, now there. And it leaps about and has no trust. Or if not this: the terrible things were, he says, so successive, as water rises, and it did not cease. Therefore thus says the Lord:

If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before my face. That is, it was fitting for you to look to me, not to the opinion of men. If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before my face. Since he had by now turned away from prophecy, since he thought the matter was by now at an end: Change, he says, from this disposition, and see whether you, if you return, should first seek the things that come from the prophet. There is still hope that some may be won. Do not pay attention to my words that carry despair. I say these things for the sake of threat and fear; there are some who are honorable. If you return, I will restore you—to these, he says, you shall stand before my face. This is no small dignity, but angelic, or honor; or my face promises security. And if you bring out

the precious from the worthless, you shall be as my mouth. What virtues, then, are equal to this? Compare whatever you wish to this; for do not look at the one who brings out, but even if he does not bring out, he has done his part. That is, if by waiting with continual words you change some, you shall be imitating me, who by patience strive to lead the race of men to what is better. And they shall turn back to you, and you shall not turn away to them. For the promises of honor would have been superfluous, if he had not also promised security here; that is, they themselves will come to you, and you shall not yield to them; they will beg you, and entreat you. That is, remain firm in piety, so that they may change to what is better, but not that you yourself, through negligence, be changed to their opinion.

And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall, and the rest. That is, if they bring evils upon you, I will defend you, making you stronger than the calamities.

CHAPTER 16.

And you shall not take. It is truly worthy of wonder: for what reason does he command him not to take? So that he might not beget children for calamity. See how the prophet was still young, and this too was so as to assure them concerning the coming terrors. For there was no one who, seeing the prophet not marrying and learning the reason, would not have believed. For in the afflictions that are coming, he says, the people must be lightly equipped, and not be worn down by wife and children. For thus says the Lord. For it is not indeed said concerning sons and daughters, but concerning fathers and mothers, and those who begot them. Therefore he also advises not to marry. In death. He says the same things often; and not even once are they heard, nor does the unburied state reach them, which especially grieved them—famine, diseased death, slaughter, not being buried, being treated with shameless contempt, not even pitied; and in addition to these, becoming food for wild beasts. Who would not be bowed down by these? Thus says the Lord: Do not enter into their assembly, and do not go to mourn, and do not lament for them, because I have taken away my peace from this people, says the Lord, and the rest. In ancient times they practiced mutilations; for from the beginning the devil hastened to bring the work of God into the utmost deformity. For since he lifted up the mind, he also defiles and pollutes the beauty of the body itself. Do you see how many devices he invents? First of lasciviousness, rouges and abrasions, and whatever things are of that sort.

Then of mourning, so as to cut themselves; and each passion has a sympathetic element—there, indeed, fornication, but here, despondency; third, of the festival of Rhea, where it makes them both soft and cut off; no longer, then, hastening to bring it into shapelessness, but also to destroy the very ground of succession. For nothing did he so earnestly pursue as to wipe out our race, and to accuse God as having made certain things superfluous; then adulteries, so that the children might be strangled. That is, Do not enter into their council. For he calls a thiasos the friendly gathering they make, both at banquets and in mourning, for the consolation of the mourner. And you have done evil more than your fathers. When you ought, having feared, not to fall into the same things, you did the opposite; for you have done evil more than your fathers; and how is it not unreasonable that they, sinning, suffered nothing, but we were punished? By no means. For they too will pay the penalty, but not now, while you will both now; for you are worse than they, having used long-suffering for nothing when you ought not. For just as in the case of one

When a person sins and God does not punish him, he must not for this reason become more slack, and so too in the case of other sins. That man sinned and was not chastised; do not you become slack, as though you would not give satisfaction. For if God were not about to do the same in the case of all, we would all have perished sooner. He was long-suffering toward that man, leading him to repentance and making you better. And I will cast you away. He speaks of the cruelty of the chariot of foreign gods. Those gods would not have mercy even on slaves; you insult me, yet I had mercy, so that from the comparison you might learn who I am and who they are. For if one examines the punishments, the long-suffering is no less profitable to the prudent. As the Lord lives. For what reason does he set before them the good things? Not that he might make them slack, but that they might also believe concerning the gloomier things. Or rather, after the descent, that they might have some faith also in the ascent. But as the Lord lives, who brought up. For what reason is this added? For the sake of credibility. For if he was able to give it when those men had done four hundred years, much more to you; for it is enough to cast them into despair. Behold, I send many fishers, says the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after these things I will send many hunters, and they shall hunt them. He speaks concerning the Babylonians, that is, Nebuchadnezzar and his generals. He compared them to fishers and hunters, in order to say: And having tracked down those who hide themselves, he will lead them to punishment. At any rate he says: And I will hunt them upon every mountain and upon every hill and from the holes of the rocks.

For he knows what is done in secret, and is able to hand over those who escape notice—especially when many are the hunters. Some say this also applies to the apostles, and I do not forbid it; but for now let us hold to the historical sense. For when God hands over, no one will any longer stand before him. And I will repay. Perhaps what was said disturbs many, if indeed we do not expect, nor simply believe we shall receive back, trusting in God's love for humanity. But he says, double. And Isaiah too says, She received from the hand of the Lord double for her sins. For so that you might think that what was said was a threat, he testifies that it came to pass. What then? Do humans punish according to the worth of sins, but God beyond their worth? It is not so; but what is it? They sinned doubly, and they shall receive back doubly. Or he calls it double because they are not only deprived of good things, but also undergo countless terrors. Since for us too the punishment becomes double—the loss of the kingdom, and the experience of Gehenna; for each of these, in itself, is a great and unbearable terror. To you, nations. The Jews, having pious fathers, inclined to impiety, but these the opposite. The prophet says this, accusing them, and showing how much profit there will be for others from their punishment, while at the same time pricking the Jews: Those near dishonor you, but those far off shall come to you. Will he do. For how could what is made be God?

CHAPTER 17. Cursed. The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with the point of a diamond, engraved upon the tablet of their heart. He means to say, They have their impiety indelible, as though engraved with diamond and iron upon their own heart. And the phrase, and upon the horns of their altars, is to show their zeal for idols. This is what hope in men does: it leads away from God. Or does he not say this, but rather that hoping in man in such a way as to depart from God? For God desires nothing so much as that we always cling to him. And for this reason he does everything, not to gain anything from us, but to benefit us; for

this reason he also made us needy in all things. Tell me, what is the end? And he shall be like the wild tamarisk in the desert. Here he hints at Zedekiah, who fled to Pharaoh against the Babylonian. This tree is fruitless, and always dwelling in deserts, not brought to any cultivation, nor luxuriant with fruits. — This wood is weak. — And he shall dwell in salt places, in the desert, in a salt land, which is not inhabited. That is, he shall enjoy no good thing; but he shall be barren, and the land salt, which is not inhabited for the bearing of fruit. And blessed. So too David says: He shall be like the tree planted by the channels of waters. He shall not fear; he is outside all irregularity. This Christ through the prophecy has made manifestly clear. Who hoped in the Lord, and was put to shame?

If hope is so powerful, and that without any toil, why do we not always cast our salvation upon him, by whose hope we were saved? Deep is the heart beyond all, and a man, and who will know him? I am the Lord God. The word is directed against those who are secretly impious and think they escape notice. He speaks concerning their counsels, that God knows even those who are hidden. Nothing is so hidden as the heart of man. Therefore another says: The heart is deep, hidden, and man is he, and who will know him? Perhaps you think, he says, that you escape notice. This is not so; I know all that concerns you. A partridge cried out, it gathered what it did not give birth to, making its wealth not with judgment. The word is directed against the covetous. But some interpreted it thus: It is the custom, he says, for partridges, after the eggs are hatched, to call the nestlings by their voice and to strip bare the one who gave birth. So, he says, these also gather another's toil, for which they did not labor. In the half of his days they will leave him. That is, he will not enjoy the things of others. And in his last days he will be foolish. That is, at the end he will know the vanity of his zeal, and leaving his wealth to others. But some interpreted this from the Hebrew thus: A partridge warms, and does not give birth; as though it were accustomed to steal the eggs of the female, then having warmed them and hatched them, leading them to water and giving them drink, it destroys them. In order, then, to say that the covetous man thus gathers wealth in vain: In the half of his days they will leave him. The Hebrew, he says, reads thus:

In half of these days he will leave it, that is, his wealth. And in his last days he will be foolish. The Hebrew says: And his end will be mournful. But I consider the former understanding better and clearer. He is speaking about the Egyptian, at the same time also declaring his lack of conscience; and the phrase "they shall leave," that is, they shall be led away captive. God travailed with them; that one, when he called, was heard only: In the last of his days he will be foolish. That is, he will be convicted of gathering not his own things but another's. For what could be more foolish than the man who prides himself on things that are not his own? Throne of glory. He speaks about the kingdom of God, that it is unassailable and unconquerable, and remains in itself, even if no one exists. Sanctuary. Not a temple, nor anything else of the sort, but God alone. Let them be ashamed. For they have no security. Because they abandoned the fountain of life. This prophet continually calls God this very thing. For what reason? Because all things that produce life come from him, which nothing and no one has failed. Heal me, Lord, and I shall be healed. It is not possible to say this of a man; often the one who is sick is treated but not healed. There is no falling away of the hope that is in you. And what were you suffering, he says, O man? Heal a soul that is sick; for it is likely that he was disturbed by the reproaches. Save me and I shall be saved. This can be said to God alone. Of Origen. Of Chrysostom. Why is this so? Because he continually threatens terrible things, but they disbelieved what was said

Mocking him, they kept saying, "Come." But I, he says, did not grow weary even when reproached. You know the words that proceed from my lips before your face. That is, you know that I speak the truth. Do not become to me a stranger, sparing me in an evil day. That is, let me not be seen speaking falsely, lest at some point they make an end of me. Let those who persecute me be put to shame, and let not I be put to shame. He says these things here not seeking his own; but since the prophecy shared in his shame, for this reason he says it: for if those who persisted in terrible things were going to escape punishment, the prophet would have been put to shame. That is, let these men receive punishment, and let not I be seen speaking falsely. A double crushing. What ever is this? Since he nowhere said, "I will repay the sins of this one double," this word is corrective. Thus says the Lord: Guard your souls, and do not carry burdens on the day of the Sabbaths, and so on. They were commanded to rest on the Sabbath, for the atoning of sins. But they made the day a pretext for trade, and carried on business dealings. He therefore prevents them from this practice.

CHAPTER 18.

Arise. For what reason does he lead him down to the potter's house? Because they were saying, "Where is the word of God? Let it come," and they supposed him unable; he leads him down there. For what reason, then, did he also need the sight? For it was not possible to say, as the potter does, "I shall not be able"? But the sight made the word more credible and more vivid. And he went down. What does the rest—the remolding—mean? That I shall be able to renew you even when you have fallen. Thus it is easy for me to do all things. Behold, as the clay. You also have fallen; I shall be able to set you right. At the end I shall speak. For must it necessarily come to pass because I have spoken once? There is hope of salvation for you, if you attend to yourselves and change. Therefore neither be confident because of good things toward your fathers, nor despair because of the evil things spoken concerning you. For what reason do I still fashion? Do I still reckon, giving you yourselves a set time for repentance? And they said, etc. What could be worse than this? What the virgin Israel has done exceedingly. Just as those things must be, so also must you be; and much more than natural things, this was more necessary, and it cannot fail. Shall the breasts fail from the rock, or the snow from Lebanon? Or shall water turn aside, driven violently by the wind? There was a certain summit of a rock called Breasts. He says, then, that just as it is impossible for water to fail from there, or snow from Lebanon, and water driven violently no one could ever divert so as not to flow straight, so this people both sinned continually and clung vehemently to lawlessness. Because they forgot me. Not as those things are. Not so much. It is amazing if they transgressed as these things do.

For when there is no gain from the apostasy, how is it not astonishing? And they shall grow weak in their ways with eternal cords, so as to set foot on paths that have no way. With cords, that is, the inheritance of the land; having grown weak from this, he says, they shall go out, so that he himself may journey, and a strange way—meaning the way of captivity. Therefore this also happened to them bodily: they traveled such a road, impassable and rough, so that all shook their heads. For when the calamities are great, we do not represent them even by word, but by whistling and shaking of the head. As a wind of burning heat I will scatter them before the face of their enemies. That is, as in a burning heat a hot wind knows how to fiercely scorch things easily broken; so I will consume the Jews. And they said: Come, and let us devise a plan against Jeremiah, for the law shall not fail from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor a word from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and we will not hear all his words. What he says is this: They said, he says, to themselves, that it is not possible for a prophet's word to fail, just as neither the oracle of a priest; for he calls "law" the word spoken through the ephod. So then, he says, lest standing as a reproof among us he reprove our transgressions and speak of our calamities, let us contrive against him and destroy him. And "let us strike him with the tongue" means: let us find in him a sin, either against God or against the king, so that in this plausible way we may bring the verdict against him. See how they believed what was said. O the folly!

He who gave such great strength to the prophet, who was also a priest, will he not much more spare him? You cut down the physician, the teacher, the guide; you extinguish the light so that you may not see—how do they revile? And we shall hear his words from his mouth. He says this: Let us cut off his voice and remove his tongue; let us stop the reproof, let us silence the accuser. For what does Jeremiah cry out with his tongue? Do you not wish to stop hearing the deeds themselves? Cease doing such things for which the prophet accuses you—but now they do these things; just as if someone who is sick were not angry with himself because he has a fever through laziness, but were to pursue and turn away those who reprove him and say how the evil may be stopped. If evil is repaid for good. Great is the wickedness, and the brutality exceeds measure, and it is the utmost limit of evil. For if we are commanded not to repay evil for evil, but even good for evil—if one who has suffered no good but does wrong is unjust, where will such a one be ranked who acts thus despite beneficence? Wickedness has no nature, he says—the wickedness of these men surpasses every account. Because they spoke words against my soul, and they hid their punishment from me. That is, having concealed the penalty, they approached as friends. But some said that they threw a woman at him; but this is stale, for the prophet would not have passed over it in silence. Remember, O Lord. And yet what could be greater than this beneficence—that God, having been made hostile, wished to reconcile them? But they did not wish it. Therefore give their sons. Then he prays certain harsh curses upon them.

For such men, even if they had to be put to death, though he was often plotted against he did not withdraw, and nothing more came of it. Let the women become so. He prays for the complete destruction of some, so that by not persisting they might not harm the rest; and he asks that a cry be raised, so that the calamity may be evident.

CHAPTER 19. Then the Lord said to me: Go, and acquire for yourself a baked earthenware flask. That is, a xestes. And you shall go out to the burial-place of the sons of those who have died, which is at the gates of the gate of Charsis. He calls "burial-place of the dead" the place where the Assyrian was slain, and where many of the Jews perished by the Chaldean. So then, in order to remind them of the place, and of the former beneficence, and of God's turning away afterward, he commanded the prophet to speak in that place the things he was going to say. Rightly does he send him to the place of their sins, where, he says, they burned incense to Baal, and burned their sons with fire. And the kings of Judah filled this place with innocent blood, and built the high places to Baal. "High places," according to the custom of divine Scripture, means the altars. And "Baal" here is the idol itself. To burn their sons in fire, as whole burnt offerings to Baal. Another form of impiety

He says this, which was lamented last. For having brought charges against them, as having made an idol and having busied themselves with the worship of Pluto, after the destruction of Sennacherib: To this idol, then, he says, you were making whole burnt offerings, to that of Pluto, as though you would be stronger than death. And that he is speaking about this, the following words make clear. For he says: Therefore behold, days are coming, says the Lord, and this place shall no longer be called a downfall, and a multitudinous burial place of the son of Hinnom. But the Hebrew has it thus: The downfall of Topheth, which is, the Altar of the maiden. And they interpreted "son of Hinnom" from the fact that the place belongs to Hinnom; but the meaning lies clearer in the Hebrew, refuting their impiety. But the multitudinous burial place of the slaughter, that is, the hollows of slaughter; for thus the Hebrew has it. And it should be noted here too, that the translators rendered "multitudinous burial place" from the multitude of those slain. And that he is now speaking about Topheth, which he interpreted as "son of Hinnom," he makes clear as he proceeds. For having said that he shattered the jar at the command of God, he adds: Thus says the Lord. So that her plague is incurable, I gave you a hope of salvation; I said, I will turn back the nation, and you did not attend to the captivity and the kingdom. I remove this consolation too, I cut off these hopes as well. And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be like the place that falls down. That is, where the barbarians once fell when they came upon the city. All the houses of the kings of Judah shall be like the place of Topheth because of the uncleannesses which they committed in all the houses.

They burned incense on their roofs to all the host of heaven. That is, in this way even now all Judah will fall, and the houses of the kings, because of the place of Topheth, that is, the altar of Pluto, just as those who came against the city fell. And proceeding he says: And in Topheth they shall bury, because there is no place to bury. Since, therefore, they make much of the place, and as worshipping a god, they brought in nothing unclean, he threatens them that they will fill the place with the dead.

CHAPTER 20.

And Pashchur heard. See how great a charge—and he was a priest, and a priest against a priest and a prophet, and one saying such things. Him whom he ought to have mourned, he was learning—that is, he was learning by words and deeds their wickedness, so that he might not marvel at the captivity. And Pashchur struck Jeremiah the prophet, and cast him into the cataract, that is, into the prison. Which was in the gate of Benjamin of the appointed house, of the upper room, which was in the house of the Lord. Of the appointed house, that is, of the guardhouse; and he called it a cataract from its shape; and an upper room, because it was in the courtyard, so as to say, open to the air; and the phrase, which was in the house of the Lord, he says concerning Pashchur, meaning, The priest who had leisure in the house, this man delivered him to the prison. And Jeremiah said to him. How did this man not fear to say these things? And how did that man cast him out? For even if they hated the men—that is, the man—yet they could not display their wickedness any further, their conscience convicting them. So also Herod with John; for he loved him, only so much as not to hear the things said.

Was it not Pashchur that the Lord called your name, but rather a sojourner round about. The Hebrew, he said, used "parable" instead of "sojourner." And "round about" instead of "to all the nations." And the prophecy against him came to pass in the time of Jehoiakim and Jeconiah. You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived. Perhaps to many this prophet seems to speak boldly; but now he says that God deceives and plays with us; but let us not see that he says these things. For the words are from pain; for even if he was a prophet, he was a man. For what reason did you deceive me? he says. As a bronze wall I will make you strong, and they will fight against you, and they shall not prevail against you. Since therefore they shut him up thus, thus they shut him up, he says these things: And yet they did not prevail; for if they had killed him, they would have quenched his boldness. Observe for me the apostolic things figured here, but none of those ever said this, nor lamented. But also the opposite he says, Now I rejoice in my sufferings. For did God promise this, that you should suffer nothing terrible, or that you should be caught without suffering? You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived; you prevailed, and you were strong. The prophet is distressed at the reproaches from the people; for they rushed upon him as on a liar because God did not bring the punishment immediately. Then he adds: I became a laughingstock all the day. I continued being mocked. Then for what things, he adds, You prevailed. You were strong as a mighty one and ordained me unwilling. Not only dangers, nor plots and deaths, but also mockeries, and reproaches, and laughter, and these grieve him no less. For with a little word of mine they will laugh.

That is, for the calamities I foretell I am laughed at, as though I were lying. And he has received the chief cause of his grief from what was done to him by Pashchur. For this man is clearly shown to have cast him into the prison as a bearer of ill tidings and a liar, exacting punishment for the abuse. I will call upon lawlessness and misery. Great is the righteous man's boldness before God. For this is what he means: I cry out to you, as one being constrained by you; for you said to proclaim captivity, and you have set me at nought, not bringing on the punishment and the calamity which I proclaimed to the city. But some have interpreted it thus: Having promised me to make me as a wall of bronze and as a pillar of iron to all the kings, you urged me on, and hoping to proclaim these things by my words, and in some way deceived, I would not have put on prophecy and continue enduring all manner of dreadful things. That is, I shall be laughed at. It was not enough for me, he says, that there was bitterness, but also laughter; the pain of the soul was not enough, but also mockery. Because it came to pass. Why, when all the things foretold did not come to pass, did they mock and laugh? And I said: I will not name. See the philosophy, how he did not conceal so great a defect; how he did not cover over his own weakness; but paraded, as it were on some pillar, the infirmity of his thoughts. And it became as fire. He says this concerning the Spirit. You prevailed, and you cast me in against my will. But perhaps someone might say: And what profit, tell me, is there in prophesying under compulsion? Or what virtue? And after a little: You see that when any of the useful things must be done, God also lays on compulsion.

For it is not right that those who are about to perish should profit—should not profit—because of his weakness. "As a burning fire flaming and confined in my bones, and I am present everywhere, and I cannot bear it, because I heard the reproach of many gathering together against me," and the rest. The phrase "Because I heard the reproach of many gathering together against me," and the rest, is assigned to "And I said: I will surely not name the name of the Lord, and I will surely not name it by his name." For he has set down the cause of the silence. But the phrase "My heart became as a burning fire," and the rest, lies in between; and the meaning is this: that I indeed only resolved to be silent, but immediately it ran through my mind like fire, and I became as one relaxed, that is, like one half-dried, condemned to speechlessness in a certain manner, and unable to move my limbs. And the cause of my silence has been, not to despise God, but to see the great wickedness of my own people. "Take counsel, let us all take counsel together against him, all men who are his friends." That is, they formed a council against me—not ordinary men, but those who seem to be

Friends. Observe his intent, whether he will be deceived and we shall be able to prevail against him. That is, we shall play the hypocrite with him, so as to find some accusation in his deeds. Because I have heard. What could equal this manliness? From there they mocked, from here they suffered terribly. But the Lord is with me. How then did you say, You deceived me, when you were suffering these things? They persecuted, and they could not understand. Did God not foretell these things too? Did he not make known what was to come? The prophet was inexperienced in the beginnings; they did not understand their honors; for it is truly a sin full of shame not to be changed, but to destroy the one who reproves, so that evils may come to be in greater darkness. As a mighty warrior, therefore they persecuted, and they could not recognize. That is, They did not accept God's providence toward me, and they changed their mind, but persisted in wickedness. They were greatly ashamed, because they did not know their dishonors, which through eternity shall not be forgotten. That is, They missed the mark. And not even so did they reckon, that by what they do they bring themselves under judgment more greatly; since God makes no forgetfulness of their wickedness, but demands the penalty for their audacity. Lord, testing righteous things. I say these things, so that when you hear God saying, Do not pray, and you see the prophet praying, you may not think that the man is more philanthropic than God, but not even by a little is he near. See then how he is troubled even by a small outrage, is scandalized, although he knows that he will be in safety and peace, while God is outraged every day, and is mocked with harsh and unbearable outrages.

Cursed be the day on which I was born. Before this he was lamenting his mother, but now he laments the day—not directing his words against God, but against his terrible sufferings, as also another prophet did: Why have you shown me labors and toils? So too Job: Why did knees meet me? So too this man, so too others of the prophets. The prophet is in despair, compelled to speak against the people, and he pleads with God, and seeing that they do not change, and suffering terrible things at the hands of those who hear him, he is compelled again to say similar things. Cursed be the man who. What are you saying? Why do you also curse the man? Did you not say a little before, If you repay evil for good, and you did this in return for good tidings, and you bring a charge that he did not kill? How then do you bring a charge that the Jews wish to destroy you? For if it was good to die then, much more so after the trial. How then do you not wish it? Do you see that the lament has no reason anywhere? For it is a lament, but it is spoken by a soul that is disturbed and has considered nothing, but lives for one thing only—to lay down its burden. And after a little. And not simply to curse that man, but as the cities which God destroyed, and he did not relent—let that one man undergo as great a punishment as all the cities together. What are you saying? Tell me. That he said: For has his saying this been the cause of your being born? Your being born has been the cause of his saying it. But if so, much more the mother who bore you, or the father who sowed you—or rather neither this one nor that one. What drunken man would say such things, and what unjust enemy? What barbarian?

What kind of man is so cruel as to destroy in the womb? But these are the words of one in despair. Why did I come forth for this? No longer, then, does he pray, but he curses the shame and the sin; for there is shame in glory and in grace, and there is shame in sin; for this passion works great and evil things. Do you see that wickedness is not of nature? For no one would ever have possessed a good thing. But this has been implanted in shame from the beginning.

CHAPTER 21.

The word that came. Observe God's love for humanity: he threatened many things through words, but did not persuade them; he afflicted the prophet; he showed him things to come through a type, through a rod, through a cauldron, through a girdle, through the bottle. He promised countless good things; he also brought on the plague of drought; they were still worse. So then he brings wars themselves upon them. For since they were unwilling to yield to the gentle and sweet medicine, he applies a certain cutting. But observe here too the love for humanity; for lest anyone say that he ought also to strike—this too he does, and one may see this happening everywhere. Ask. For they were humbled in their calamities, and only then did they flee to God. And not even then as they ought. For why do you ask, as though you knew, you who know that what is said is altogether true? How then are you not persuaded? But if you hear according to your own judgment, do you praise what is said? But if you learn the truth, are you vexed and indignant? Where, then, are the false prophets who say, There is no war, no battle, neither famine, nor sword? And after a little: Ask the Lord concerning us; from great folly, having shown no change, they expected a change of evils.

From where? Yes, he says: According to all his wonders. They expected the Divine to desire glory; now do you remember the wonders? Now do you know that God can do all things, and, pressed by affliction, you philosophize? Was this not the time for these words now, but when you despised them; when you were urging them on to the oaths against him. See how great is the horror of oaths: he swore to obey; he did not obey, and he is caught. Therefore it was not so that the Barbarian might be avenged, but so that God might not be insulted; so that no other person might transgress the law. And after a little: I do not consider that Nebuchadnezzar trusted in arms so much as in the favor that comes from God. At any rate his eunuch reproaches him for this. Nebuchadnezzar comes as a teacher to the Jews, that they should never perjure themselves. Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will turn. Even if they themselves, he says, wish to withdraw, I will fight against you. And you shall say to this people. Jehoiakim, having deserted to the Babylonian and thereafter having accepted the terms of slavery and fulfilled his oaths, becomes tributary to him. But Zedekiah transgressed the oaths and broke faith; thereafter the Babylonian comes, having a just pretext because of the oath; but not even so does God betray them. But if you wish, he says, to go out, you will be for salvation. What more ought he to have done? They chose to share in the perjury with him; and especially they ought not even to have asked the prophet, namely what the end of the oath would be, when the oaths and the covenants had been trampled underfoot. Nevertheless, so that they might not even have the defense from ignorance, so that the subjects might not have the necessity of the ruler, he rescues these too. He rescues.

The punishment, he says, is at the doors; you are free to escape it. Of what then would those be worthy who, able to escape the destruction at hand, chose neither to swear falsely and be saved, but along with dying to undergo the charge of perjury? And a little after: We ought to know that even if the wronged man is a Greek, God exacts vengeance; for he too is his, and apart from this, he spares his own more; and the one who does wrong is himself the one who is harmed. And the one who goes out to desert to the Chaldeans who have shut you in, shall live, and his soul shall be to him for a profit, and he shall live. The Hebrew has set down the phrase "for a profit" more clearly, but it has "for spoils." And the meaning is this: The one who does not flee, he says, shall die; but the one who flees shall live, becoming spoils of the enemies. The phrase "for a profit," then, means this: he will gain this very thing, namely, to live. O house of the king of Judah, hear the word of the Lord. O house of David, thus says the Lord: Judge a judgment in the morning, and the rest. Having threatened, he exhorts them to change their mind, showing that because they sin without repentance, they

He is punished. Then he adds: And the one who goes out. Who would not have chosen to come over, seeing the plague thus sent by God? For if such terrible things were awaiting those who remained, and they had to perish utterly, for what reason did they not come over? Is it not clear that it was from not believing? House of David. He did not remind them of David without purpose, but so that they might be ashamed of the virtue of their forefather. If nothing else, let them cease being wicked. Hear the word. Not because it has great strength; not because there is no one stronger; not for this reason, but because of your practices. For your sins will be food for this fire. Behold, I am against you who dwell in the valley of Sor, the plain, says the Lord, you who say: Who will terrify us, or who will enter into our dwelling? and the rest. Sor is not well translated in the Greek; for in the Hebrew it is written Sur; and it is translated rock. He indicates Jerusalem, which happens to be on the rock of a valley. He called it the rock of a valley because of the position of the place; since the regions around Jerusalem are enclosed by rocks, and there is also a plain round about. Behold, I. He prophesies terrible things to Tyre, and Ezekiel too says many things, and Isaiah, about Tyre, that it was lifted up, that having the way of teachings from the neighboring Jews, it gained nothing. For indeed for this reason he first touches these nations, because Jerusalem was near them; and going on you hear how he also touches Babylon and all the rest, and you see his universal providence.

CHAPTER 22.

Because thus says the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah, Gilead, you are to me the head of Lebanon, unless I make you a desert, cities that shall not be inhabited. He now calls Jerusalem Gilead, in order to set forth its splendor, since Gilead too is renowned. But the meaning lies obscurely; he wished to speak of it by way of example. This, then, is what he wants to signify: that just as Gilead is the head of Lebanon—for it is renowned beyond all the cities lying by Lebanon—so you too are the head of the remaining cities. But nevertheless, he says, since you have become senseless toward me, I pronounce the sentence against you. Do not weep for the dead, nor lament him; weep with weeping for the one who goes out, for he shall not return again, nor see the land of his fatherland. Joakim, the father of Jechonias, underwent a harsh death; for having been captured by the Babylonian, first he was bound with bronze fetters, then, having been slaughtered, he was cast before the walls, not even deemed worthy of burial by the barbarian. And after these things, after the Babylonian had departed from the city, gathering up his remains, they laid them in the place of his death. God, therefore, through the prophet foretells that the living one shall suffer worse things because of his transgression. The words, therefore, Do not weep for the dead, nor lament him, he speaks concerning Joakim. But the words, Weep with weeping for the one who goes out, for he shall not return again, he speaks concerning Jechonias; for after he had reigned three months, Nabuchodonosor transplanted him to his own land. Perhaps he speaks this on account of Josias.

For he suffered nothing terrible, having had a good life, but was snatched away beforehand from the things to come—to serve and to die in a foreign land. Because thus says the Lord concerning Sellum the son of Josiah the king of Judah, the one reigning instead of Josiah his father. He calls Jeconiah Sellum; for so they called him. And it is translated Peaceful. For since the Babylonian took captive Jehoiakim his father, who had been installed by the Egyptian, and Jeconiah reigned, he names him peaceful, as though the land would no longer be ravaged by the Babylonian, but was under treaty, and he was not choosing to take him as his own captive. Concerning the one who went away to Egypt he says: it is the extremity of misfortune not even, having died, to be able to attain one's fatherland, but even to be cast out unburied; nothing worse than this could happen. He shall not return to it any more; in the place where he removed him, there he shall die, and this land he shall see no more. For they supposed that he would return again, promising to pay tribute, just as Manasseh also returned. He was not, therefore, urging them to hope for these things. So that it is clear that Jeremiah said these things when he was taken captive in the city. And Zedekiah had the beginning of his reign. For Nabuchodonosor appointed him to hold the place. He joined together, then, the things said at the beginning of Zedekiah's reign with the answer that was given to the messengers sent by him to the prophet. As he who builds his house not with righteousness, and the rest.

He speaks concerning Zedekiah, reproaching him for having an excessive splendor of houses, and accusing him because they wrong those who serve and labor. He censures Jehoiakim, because he builds splendid things from robbery and adorns houses, not withholding the wages of the hired laborer. Why do you build the house, and tear down the salvation of your own soul? The neighbor works; for if he were a stranger, he ought not to be deprived of his wages. Will you not reign, because you rival the cedar? That is, Will you not persist in the kingdom, and raise the buildings exceedingly to a height? Did not your father eat and drink, and do judgment and righteousness? Then it was well with him. Your father, that is, that David, did not win approval by having concern for injustice and the care of houses, but by being occupied with the service of God. Either he means Josiah, or Ahaz—the one from nature, the other from manner. Behold, they are not. Do you see where beauty is placed? Not in the form of the limbs, but in good use. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah: They shall not lament, Alas, Lord, and Alas, brother, and the rest. Some said that this is a fragment of the preceding; but I think it stands in sequence; and I consider the meaning to be this: He recalled the things concerning Jehoiakim, which he foretold, so as to persuade them that the things said by him are true. Swept away. What is "swept away"? Symmachus says: Carried off like dung. For the Babylonian, having killed him, threw him out thus, and he was not buried. Or he was buried like a donkey, mixed together with ashes and earth and dust.

For by the uproar his body was neither cut nor washed; for this was the most grievous thing; for this was the most grievous of all. Do you see the prophet's boldness, how he himself foretells and does not shrink back? Go up to Lebanon, and cry out, and into Bashan give your voice, and shout beyond the sea. That is, saying these things I was not heard. Did he then go up? I for my part do not think so, but so that his voice might become plainly evident. Because they were crushed. He means her allies, in whom she trusted. I spoke in your fall, and you said, I will not hear. That is, when evils were at hand, I proclaimed, and they rejected the exhortation of the words. And you said: I will not hear. And what formerly had the reputation of virtue, this too it lost—that when he had killed them, then they sought him. And yet who in affliction would not hear? And not now, but always you have been such. All your shepherds the wind shall shepherd. In those things in which you expected to be in safety. For when we trust in some thing, God destroys it, so that we may no longer hope in it, and expect in it. Because then you shall be ashamed. Not of things appearing, he says, but of things being removed from the midst. As I live, says the Lord. If as one might compress a sling on the hand

Carrying him about, and thus I would have him, not even so will I stand by him; but if God will not stand by him, who will rescue him? And I will deliver you into the hands of those who seek your life. And these things, I think, were spoken in a similar manner. For, he says, they were also saying this concerning Jeconiah. And because they thought he was in safety—this on the one hand, as though he had been established away from the Babylonian, and this on the other, as though being in the temple and in Jerusalem he would suffer nothing—he foretold to him not to be confident in these things, and the event came to pass. The phrase, then, "On my right hand," is so that he might say, "In the temple, where I am accustomed to help those who are there." The mouth that has been despised and shaken out—the man himself, that is, Jeconiah. A mouth despised because of the blasphemy; and shaken out, as one cast away. And I will cast you away. But the Books of Kings say that later he also enjoyed honor, and later his throne was exalted, perhaps because he had become better; so that even when he says, "He shall not sit on the throne from his seed," it is evident that this holds so long as he remains such; for I will speak an end against a kingdom and against a nation to overthrow it, and if they turn back, I will do nothing. Jeconiah was dishonored like a vessel for which there is no need. For taken captive, he came into dishonor, having fallen from the kingdom. For he was also unclean; but also in another way: he became unclean by going into a foreign land. O land, land, hear. Since no one of men would hear, for this reason he converses with the lifeless. And what is "rejected"? Dishonored, he says; Aquila says "unincreased"; but Symmachus: "Empty, alienated." Thus says the Lord:

Write this man down as a man cast out, a man without a way in his days. That is, I call the present generation to witness that God has made this man estranged from himself, and mark this saying. For this is what “write” means; for he urged him to write it for the multitude. And “without a way” he clearly explained by adding: Because no man from his seed shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David. For instead of this, it was not the son who reigned, but the uncle, the brother of Jehoiakim.

CHAPTER 23.

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture. In the same manner, he says, you too, Zedekiah, persist in lawlessness and become the cause of destruction for the multitude. And Ezekiel also says many things against them, and Jeremiah himself, and see the more severe punishment against them. For these perish in a foreign land; but to those who were deceived he promises afterward a return and a release from evils and pure rulers. See everywhere the justice. Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, and I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and a righteous king shall reign. He speaks concerning Zerubbabel. Symmachus says, instead of “a righteous branch,” “a righteous shoot”; this was said concerning Christ, as some say, in a hidden manner. But according to history, it is concerning Josedek. And he gives good rulers at the right time, when he has made them more prudent by their punishment, so that the benefit may also be readily accepted, since sloth and arrogance have been done away with. And this is his name, which the Lord will call him: Josedek.

Among the prophets, “Josedek” is interpreted as “ruler of our righteousness,” so that he might say that, just as the prophets speak according to the mind of God, so he too, having become righteous, will lead the people into righteousness. My heart is crushed. He says this: that I, having seen the glory of God, was beside myself, but these men do not even fear the punishment. And their course became—that is, their zeal was for nothing good. So they were zealous, but not for good things. Because priest and prophet were defiled. It seems to me he is speaking of adulteries in that very house: “priest” from their rank, “in the house” from the place, “wickedness of adultery” from the deed. What is more grievous than this? Even if I disbelieved the others, this alone is sufficient to convict them of their wickedness: they dug through others’ marriages, they were mad after women. Therefore let their way be. See how again he does not bring evil upon them at their heels, but gives them a set time; then, so that delay may not lead them into unbelief and wickedness, he reminds those who committed the same offenses as they did, and suffered worse things. And among the prophets of Samaria. Those men, even if nothing else, put forward Baal; but these men put forward me. And among the false prophets of Jerusalem I have seen dreadful things. The Hebrew says “mingled,” meaning that they say nothing true, but make their words out of vainglory. He says this by comparison with the false prophets in Samaria, because those men at least seemed to speak what they spoke with some order, as having an altar and worshiping calves and seeming to observe the rest of good order, even if lawlessly.

But these men surpassed their wickedness by their lawlessness. For they did not permit the fear of God to settle in the minds of those who heard; they destroyed every basis for becoming better, and they held all people fast in wickedness. And those who take hold. Not only, he says, did they fail to admonish people—for from the part he indicated the whole—to turn away from their wicked deeds, but they even advocated for them, so that by this they were the more worn down into vice. They became to me. What was not sufficient to discipline them? So unpleasant and fearful was the appearance of the land, like a body burned through entirely. Therefore. Not by nature, but by disposition is it emitted. For when it is bitter by nature itself, it is possible to find many consolations: we change places, and receiving from those who have, we bring something else. But when the organ of perception itself is corrupted, there is no longer any healing. Better, then, for the senses to be healthy, than for the elements, when they are bitter, to carry about with themselves what they carry. Because from the prophets, Jerusalem. Again he sets down the cause: it did not suffice for them to establish the terrors as far as the city, but they themselves became the cause of what happened to others. Thus says the Lord. These are declarations; tell me, from where is it clear? Because they speak falsehood, because they intensify evils, because they increase negligence. Because who has stood in the council of the Lord, and seen, and heard his words? That is, who of these who oppose the prophets awaited divine working, and, deemed worthy of the Spirit, spoke these things?

So that he might say, By these very deeds they are shown to be fighting against the divine will, because they fight against the true prophets by cooperating with the worship of idols. That is, who is able to see God? Symmachus says: For who was present in conversation, and who has heard? How then do you say that you have heard? And if they had stood in my substance, and had heard my words, they would have taught my people, and would have turned them from their evil way. That is, If they had remained in my laws, and had awaited the grace that comes from me, they would certainly have taught the people piety. Not a small proof: the boundary distinguishing prophecy and false prophecy is not a random rule. I am a God who draws near, says the Lord, and not a God far off. Will a man hide in secret places, and I will not see him, says the Lord? That is, Speaking to the multitude according to their pleasure, you thought to deceive them; and you lead those who do not know into suspicion, as though you were sent from me. Why do you not reckon my worth, how I am present to each one, so as even to know their counsels? And not, as men are, being far off from your thoughts, do I not know what you do. For who is there among you who plans something according to his will, and

Does it escape me? For this is what it means: Will a man hide himself in secret places, and I shall not see him? That is, does someone wish to hide in the secrecy of his own mind, and does it escape my knowledge? That they have rushed into wickedness, I know. How do I know? I am present; I am present everywhere. For if he grants the prophets who are not present to know things everywhere, often, much more does he himself know. But he does not say this, but, I am a God who is near; I am present everywhere; which was an indisputable proof of knowing all things. And not a God far off. For just as light is present everywhere, so also is God. Do I not fill heaven and earth? I know, he says, how they compose prophecies; the proof of suspicion is that they prophesy evil things to the wicked; then even if one recounts it, it will be evident. What is the chaff to the wheat, says the Lord? Well, by the comparison of the prophets to the false prophets he added this, in place of: There is no comparison of chaff to wheat. For the one is nourishing, and contributes to the constitution of men. But chaff is useful for nothing to men, except it is either thrown away or becomes food for irrational beasts. Thus, he says, the words of the prophets also nourish souls. Yet the word of the false prophets is able to contribute nothing to the profit of men, except perhaps to those who are persuaded by irrationality, it provides some consolation, not profit. And he adds, Not so; that is, no comparison at all. Are not my words like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock? That is, the words through the prophets are true and have power. Behold, I am against the prophets for this reason.

How do some people seem to me to imitate the prophets when they hear them, or when they hear others recounting, like a serpent? Therefore Ezekiel also says, "If a prophet comes," he says, "I, the Lord, have deceived him"—for He no longer permits him to learn; therefore He also says He will remove the "burden." "Behold, I am against the prophets." He calls false prophecies "of the tongue," but true prophecies are not of the tongue. "And those who nod their own nodding." For many practiced forms of prophecy through dreams and through oracles. But they will be comforted for the present. "And the burden of the Lord." And what harm? Since they claimed that he would receive a burden, He abolishes the homonymy. For demons also could "receive" and were thought to receive from God. But this is not so.

CHAPTER 24.

And the Lord showed me two baskets of figs set before the face of the temple of the Lord, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had deported Jechoniah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah. Then after a little: The one basket, of very good figs, like early figs, and the other basket of very bad figs, which could not be eaten because of their badness, and so on. This vision of the prophet has this meaning. That it happened in the time of Zedekiah is clear. And he shows the words. But when those around Jehoiakim had become captives, those in the time of Zedekiah kept saying, "We shall suffer nothing terrible from the Babylonians, since we do what is right, inasmuch as those men became wicked and impious, and our forefathers were taken captive." Therefore through this vision God shows that those were better than these.

And just as, he says, one would value good figs highly, not even wishing to release or throw away any of them, so he also preserved those who had departed; and he says, "a basket of good figs," that is, that colony, since along with the multitude the righteous were also taken, Daniel's house, and the three children, and Ezekiel, and any who were like them.

And just as, he says, the bad ones are thrown away, being in no way useful, so I will destroy all who are useless and have turned aside to impiety, making absolutely no remembrance of their own Master. And he called them a basket of bad figs because no righteous person was found among them. What does the image of the baskets of figs mean, since it is very cheap? But the lowliness is the cause of the cheapness in those times; for elsewhere too, wishing to show his affection for them, he sets forth none of the great and truly desirable things, but figs and grapes: "As I found Israel like a grape in the wilderness, and like the first ripe fruit on a fig tree." Here, then, he presents through the image both his affection for them, which he was about to display toward those, and his hatred toward these. And before the face of the temple of the Lord, so that he might show that the verdict was issued from there. And the Lord said to me. For what reason does he ask him? So that he might make the word trustworthy, and the people might receive the verdict from the answer. And it came to pass. What is more corrective than this manner? He showed the difference. For what if you still have your homeland, but you are corrupted? And what if those are in captivity, but they are dear to me?

He does this so that they may be changed, and not think that they had remained [faithful] by their own virtue. And I will rebuild. Do you see that the "not at all" is not forever? For he also cast them down. And I will give them a heart. If, then, you give the heart, for what reason did you not give it before? For they were not then acceptable before the punishments and the correction. Observe this, the greatest of goods; and he states the reason, that they will turn back; but the image does not allow it. For it is not possible for things once corrupted to return and become beautiful. But the beautiful things, he says, remain; the things that are not beautiful, no longer. But this is taken not of nature but of free choice. For the difference concerns quality, not essence. But if you say: For what reason, then, does he not also give to these good promises? Because for this reason he intensifies fear for them, so that they may not even make trial. And those who dwell. Do not be confident, he says, as though you have an alliance; for they will certainly not stand before you, but they themselves also will be taken; and the evils will proceed not only to captivity, but further. And they shall become a reproach. The memory of your punishment is immortal, and manifest to all people.

CHAPTER 25.

The word that came. He is now about to define the time of the punishment, and to pronounce the sentence. And I spoke to you, rising early. Through one prophet these things were continual; for I also spoke through the others; and I did not cease always speaking, and I spoke nothing burdensome. This is what Christ also does when he is about to hand the city over to the enemies, and, so to speak, he defends himself to them: How often I wished to gather your children, and you did not wish it? and the rest. Therefore thus says the Lord. For did I give for this reason, so that I might take it away again? Did I demand a wage from you? For it was a work of grace; no one takes away what has been given, unless the one who received it is exceedingly unworthy. Behold, I am sending and I will take a family. I will bring, he says, the Babylonians, since you did not believe. Do you see from where their negligence came to them? From unbelief. This is what happens now also concerning Gehenna; for was I not able to punish, if indeed I wished it? But the false prophets are the cause of this. You did not believe the words; believe the deeds. Against all the nations. For what reason? So that you may learn that the providence of God himself is over all things. And they shall serve. The seventy years, being humane, not after the [destruction] of the temple

He counts the destruction only until the return, but also up to the construction of the temple. What I mean is this: before the seventy years he brought them up, and he reckoned also the matters of the return as belonging to the captivity. For where there was no temple, nor priest, nor altar, nor sacrifice, how did they differ from those living in captivity? And this too was of his loving-kindness. Therefore, he says, in the time of Darius, after the return, when so many seasons had passed, he says, "How long, Lord, will you overlook Jerusalem?" This is the seventieth year; then the seventy were fulfilled. He does this also in the case of punishment, saying, "The life of men shall be a hundred and twenty years," and "they shall live a hundred years." He did it also in the case of the resurrection; for having said, "Three days and three nights," on the third day he rises. But that was reasonably an act of loving-kindness; but this, of what sort of loving-kindness? For what reason, then, did he also make it three days? So that it might be believed that he had died; for many things happen for this reason. For what reason, then, did he not fulfill it, saying that he would be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights, or so that the body might not be corrupted? For what? Was he not able to preserve it? He was able, but he wished the nature to be believed, that he enjoyed nothing strange. Some say it was for the sake of the disciples, so as to hold fast their weakness; for indeed for this reason he did not even wait to appear to them himself, but he precedes them in the Gospels, and he loosens their mind: "Go," he says, "tell my brothers"; and yet he was able, appearing immediately, to confirm the saying more; but it was so that their hearing might be prepared beforehand.

For they did not know that he must rise from the dead. Or this is what can be said, that Jonah also did in the belly of the sea monster; for the corruption of the body begins within a single day, so that this is sufficient testimony that he had died. And when he threatens evils, he contracts the time and devises; but when good things, he extends it; for he did not give good things defined, or rather not even manifest. Nowhere does he set a limit to good things, except the free choice of each, but to evils everywhere: "I have given you the land from age to age," he says. Do you see no limit? But when he sends into captivity, he defined it, and observe: the first, four hundred, the second, thirty, the third, three hundred and seventy years. But this one is continuous, the one under Christ; Daniel remembers these years. And when seventy years were fulfilled. He foretells punishment to the Babylonians, so that you may learn that not even now did they do these things by their own strength. And when seventy years were fulfilled, and I will take vengeance on the king of Babylon, and the rest. The seventy years of the captivity are counted from the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, who reigned after Jehoahaz, who was appointed by the Egyptian. Take the cup of unmixed wine from my hand, and you shall make all the nations drink it, to which I send you to them. The Hebrew has "of bitterness" for "of unmixed"; but he sees the vision for the consolation of the people.

For since they fell into reasoning, seeing the Babylonian stronger, that perhaps there was no benefit to them in the service of God, the prophet—or rather God through the prophet—showing that they endure these things because of sin, makes prophecy against the nations, and all the kings, the seventy-seven. And he calls Idumea, which is now called Batanaea, which the people around Reuben formerly held, and half the tribe of Manasseh; and proceeding he says: And these, like those treading the winepress, shall answer to all those sitting upon the earth. The word "these" is not well placed in the Greek text; for "Dad" ought to be placed there. And "Dad" is an adverb of those treading the winepress when they answer to those counting out. Just as, then, he says, saying this adverb they eagerly tread the grape, so the Babylonian shall trample you down, like a winepresser, all the nations.

CHAPTER 26.

Thus said the Lord: Stand in the court of the house of the Lord. So that they might learn that neither did the sight put the prophet to shame; just as if someone, intending to condemn a great and wonderful man, should bring the man himself into the midst. What do you say? Did you not say beforehand, "Just as the bad figs, so will I give them"? How then do you give hope of change? Do not take it away. For what reason do you command? Is it not as though the prophet were doing this? God forbid; but so that he might make the word trustworthy, and more persuade them to pay attention; and generally, since the prophecy was necessary to be spoken. Perhaps they will hear. Often it happens as in the case of things unexpected and despaired of.

This persuades the prophet: "Perhaps they will hear," says the one who foreknows all things, and leading them into hope. "Perhaps it will happen." The word "perhaps" is used in Scripture for certainty. For "perhaps they will be ashamed of my son," instead of "they ought to be ashamed." And "they will turn away." This especially the prophet wished to hear: You wish to run a risk on such a hope; say therefore, "Thus says the Lord." "And I will give the house." This especially pained them, for they thought greatly of the temple. But the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that he should not be delivered into the hands of the people, so that they should not kill him. That is, he disclosed to him the plots, so that he might avoid them. These things are placed in sequence with the prophecy, in which he begins the reign of Jehoiakim, as we noted above, where he prophesied the capture of the city and the temple, just as had already happened before in the case of Shiloh. It is clear, therefore, that the things he said above against Jehoiakim, that "he shall not be buried with a burial," and whatever such things he spoke in this manner against him, were when they wished to seize and kill him, as one who had spoken evils against the city. But the compiler has placed the words of the prophet themselves above, for the reason we stated, so that it is clear that those things have not been cut off from the preceding sequence; but they are placed in the manner we have interpreted. "And now make your ways better." See how, instead of one defending himself, he has taken the rank of a teacher. He does not seek how he might escape the danger, but how he might snatch those men from the terrors. "And hear." For if no punishment were set before them, if no dreadful things had been threatened, ought we not to hear our God? "And it will cease." What is more profitable than this word?

But do you disbelieve? Is it not I who declare these things? It is God. Is it not God? You are doing this against yourselves. And behold, I am in your hands. What then? If I die, will these things not come to pass? They were saying about Stephen: "That he speaks blasphemous words against this holy place." But either having known. Why? For I do not speak from myself, but from God. And the rulers said. See how they make the matter dreadful; they do not wish to say the words, not enduring even to mention them with the tip of their tongue. So also in the case of Stephen, "He speaks blasphemous words." They did not say what the blasphemies were. By omission we often magnify the matter, as when we say: I do not wish to say what he said. And a little later: How were they not going to be credible accusers? For the reverence of the priesthood was sufficient to make them credible; those who ought to have restrained others, these very men inflame the people, these fan the anger of the crowd, and they do not even wait for the verdict of the judges. And they said to the whole assembly of the people. Did he not say something more grievous—not simply a desolation, but a grievous one—and yet was not put to death? But they feared God. This alone, and it dissolved everything; this is what ought to have been done now also—not to bury and destroy the one who speaks dreadful things, but to consider how they might be rid of them. We have committed great evils against our own souls.

So they had to change; therefore he did not accuse them without qualification. For no one could say that the prophet spoke reasonably then, but not now. For we too are liable for great evils. So they changed, and God changed. But we have returned to wickedness.

CHAPTER 27.

Thus says the Lord to me: Make for yourself bonds and yokes, and put them around your neck, and send them to the king of Idumea, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the sons of Ammon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, in the hands of their messengers who come to meet them in Jerusalem, to Zedekiah king of Judah, and so on. One might ask how, while the Jews were being tested in such great misery, the messengers of the neighboring peoples were sent to Zedekiah. The reason, then, is this: from the times of Hezekiah, since he was a pious and renowned man, the surrounding peoples had become tributary, having formed the highest opinion of him and of all the Israelites, because of the sign that had occurred. Wishing therefore to teach all that God is Master of all things, so that they might not think that the people had been taken captive through weakness of the one who provides, and that the temple had been destroyed, he commands the prophet to go to meet them and to disclose the strength of Nebuchadnezzar, urging them not to be persuaded by vain men and false prophets, so that from the events themselves they might know the strength of God, and that it was through sin, not through weakness of the one who provides, that the people had been taken captive.

He calls the yoke a bond, and the collar the pieces of wood fastened around the yoke, which hold together the neck of the oxen. See when he heard, and when he acted. From this it is clear that they did not hear all the prophecies at the proper time. For what reason? So that there might not even be need of the sign, so that men, having learned that this sign was commanded to be performed, might be brought to their senses. You see how God provides for all things. Thus he said: And now I am he, I have not changed, I am of the same power. See how he defends himself. If I did it, I would also be the one to give it. But you do not believe that I did it; you will believe through what comes after. It seemed good to me to give it to Nebuchadnezzar. See how he also puts down their arrogance. For does he come by his own power and prevail over the cities? I from above fashion these things. See how he teaches them the knowledge of God, so that from these things they may also learn the former things. And the beasts. Do not become more senseless than these, nor ungrateful; the irrational creatures obeyed, and do you resist? For do I give you alone? And my city. You see that the things of providence are common to them? For he himself made all men; therefore he provides for all equally; for there is no partiality with him. And the nation. See how great is his boldness, how pitifully he set forth the slavery, by his great confidence in what is said, not in a veiled way: As many as do not put their neck in, he speaks to them as one might about irrational beasts. And do not you listen to the false prophets. You see a tribunal seated, and the testing of divination and prophecy taking place? Those men say these things, but I say the opposite.

Let us see to whom the end bears witness. And the nation which they shall bring in. Does this too have something? Is this too a conjecture? That some are destroyed, while others are let go? Therefore famine also will overtake them. To Zedekiah. Do not think that I speak as an enemy and adversary; I prophesy these things also to those among us. Then observe what happens: the false prophet contradicts. But the devil did this, so as to hinder the

prediction. If they are prophets, and the word of the Lord is in them, let them indeed meet with the Lord of hosts, so that the vessels left in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, may not go to Babylon. Since the false prophets kept saying that those present were suffering nothing, but the opposite, that even those deported would return, the prophet says: If these are truly prophets, and God has sent them, let them indeed meet with the Lord, that is, let them pray to God, so that the things that exist may not be carried away—which is easier than that those deported should return—so that from these we may know that that also will happen. What is this: Let them meet with me, with God, so that the vessels may not be carried away? That is, to hinder God, to persuade him, showing there also the matter of those praying coming to a meeting, lest perhaps it be for war. nor yet for war. or for hindering the Jews from coming against them. I do not say, he says, that Let them persuade to bring back the vessels that were taken; let them be able to hinder the remaining vessels.

CHAPTER 28.

And Jeremiah said. When Hananiah the false prophet had said that after two years the holy vessels would return from Babylon, Jeremiah said that the end would show the truth of the words. Truly, etc. So that you may not think that I am warring against you: I myself wish and pray that this may be so, and that I myself be proved false. But hear. Then, so that he might not make them more careless, see how he frightens them, almost saying that no such thing will happen, and showing that all the prophets who spoke of grievous things—these especially were true. And Hananiah the false prophet took the yokes from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet in the presence of all the people, and broke them, and so on. Jeremiah, bearing the yoke on his neck according to God's command, having prophesied against the nations, also prophesied against Jerusalem. It was the fourth year of Zedekiah, as the prophet himself says. In the fifth month, then, of this year, Hananiah the false prophet came and announced the return of the captives and the destruction of Nebuchadnezzar, and, as if acting according to God's command, broke the yoke. Then came the revelation of Jeremiah against him, and the revelation of the truth of the words; for he says to him: See among us the sins, the reproofs. What then did Jeremiah do? He did nothing more, having shown the reproof to be sufficient. In this year you shall die, because you have wrought vengeance for him, having spoken against the Lord. That is, contrary to the counsel of God, and he adds:

And Hananiah the false prophet died in that year, in the seventh month, two months after the words of the prophet. When these things had happened, Jeremiah writes by the command of God to those in the captivity, that they not be deceived by those who tell them to return, but that they know that those in the land will again be carried away into captivity.

CHAPTER 29.

And these are the words. For what reason, tell me, does he also send to those in Babylon? For did they not have Ezekiel there? What is the purpose of this letter too? It comes from abundance. For since it was likely that they would regard both the one from the temple and the one from the holy things as more worthy of respect, he indicates this. But see the twisted wickedness.

The false prophets were corrupting them there too. Behold, I will give you into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and the rest. These were false prophets, and when Jeremiah after the death of Hananiah had written a letter containing the power which he had foretold to those in the captivity, they prophesied the opposite. Therefore God speaks against them through the prophet, and says: Against Ahab and against Zedekiah. For the one who heard who Ahab was and who this wretched man was who was fried in a pan, learned both the prophecy and their hidden sins. Because of the lawlessness which they committed in Israel, and they committed adultery with the wives of the citizens. For when the Babylonian heard them saying these things, he sent and brought them to Babylon, and frying them in a pan, killed them. But the phrase, they committed adultery with the wives of the citizens, the Hebrew has as of his companions. And I am the knower, and witness, says the Lord.

That is, the things you do in secret, escaping the notice of the many, these I see and I exact from you the penalty. And to Shemaiah. He also tells of what will befall their wives. The Lord has made you a priest. What then—does he send a prophet to this Shemaiah as well? Behold, three prophecies: one, that they will spend seventy years; another, that they will be taken up; another, that those around Ahab will die and become a curse. Because he sent to you in Babylon, saying, "It is far off; build houses," and so on. This Shemaiah was a settler with those who had been carried away; therefore, delighting in the return, he took pleasure in those who said these things. So when the prophet had written that letter and was urging the people to be content with their dwelling in Babylon, he, indignant against Zephaniah, who was priest at that time, first writes these things which I have now cited from the prophecy, reproaching Zephaniah because he had not exacted punishment from Jeremiah for sending these things; and the phrase "into the enclosure of Sinōch," that is, into the enclosure of the prison. For Sinōch means "place of confinement"; for the Hebrew cannot clearly say "prison," but instead of "dungeon" he uses the word "place of confinement." Behold, I will visit. What could be more monstrous than this? Shemaiah was the one who was not going to see the good things of Jerusalem that had come before, and he gave them assurance that these things did not happen of themselves; for since those around Jeconiah had willingly surrendered themselves, so that they might not think they had received less by obeying God: "You shall see," he says, "what will succeed these.

CHAPTER 30

Thus says the Lord. I am so confident, he says, in the prophecy that I wish it to be written down as well, which the outcome especially will demonstrate. You shall hear a sound of fear. Fear dissolves all strength. Great is the philanthropy of God, not only that he brings terrible things, but that even before the terrible things he brings fear; they will turn to the weakness of women. They have turned back. For fear also does this: it does not make one prudent from within, but from those nearby. For great is the day. Great in respect of the excess of terrors—there is no such day. It is said hyperbolically, and the time is short; the matter is not prophecy but experience. I will break the yoke. But nevertheless they will endure it because of the inescapable terrors. And they do not work. How do they work for God? Because they used to bring the firstfruits; so indeed it happens also among us: when we do not work for God, nor offer to him the fruit of the flesh, but [give ourselves] to the passions of the soul, just as those did to idols, another punishment remains. And David. What could be holier than this, when those who were distinguished and had boldness toward God—those around Zerubbabel—this man, great before the

Will they receive the world of God, to be called by the name of David? I have raised up a crushing. As if some master, having handed over to an executioner one of his own household who had sinned, and that executioner having scourged the one handed over beyond measure and contrary to the master's intent, this one who handed him over comes and almost apologizes to the one who was scourged, showing that this did not happen according to his own commission, and examining his wounds carefully, and promising him countless vengeance. So God also does. The crushing is violent. Do you see him apologizing, that the wound he received was severe? For this is what "violent" means—not as much as was necessary, but much more. There is no one judging. That is, no one avenged, no one helped. To suffer some evil is unbearable; but after suffering, not even to have one who consoles is more unbearable. You were healed unto pain. For since he was bringing the captivity upon them like some medical treatment, he says, The treatment inflicted great pain; as in the case of an unskilled physician, who does not know how to cut well. Therefore all who devour you. They will have shame from one another; each will feed his neighbor with his own bodies; they will suffer these very things which they did. For I will bring back. For even if the wound is incurable, yet it is not so for me. For you were called scattered. Others say, girded, since you paid the penalty. It is a great good, not to be saved through punishment and chastisements by God—even the wicked and the despaired—but through virtue and repentance. And they shall come out, singing from them. What then concerning those who are about to be destroyed?

For these things not only did not gladden them, but even grieved them more. For consider a man grown old, hearing that the good things will be after seventy years. For this reason he also lingers on these things, so that he might sting them more; but those in their prime, so that having led them into hopes he might make them more temperate. And they shall enter. See how he speaks of their prosperity, their service, and their security, and that they will be many, and will have the ordinances. For these things were dear to them. That it is wrath. These things, he says, shall be; do not seek these things now; for now is the time of our punishment.

CHAPTER 31.

In the time. When the others perish, he speaks of the matters concerning the Babylonians. Thus says the Lord: I found a warm one in the desert with those who have perished by the sword, going to covenants for Israel. Walk, and do not destroy Israel. This lies very obscurely in the Greek; but this meaning is preserved in the Hebrew: He found grace in me, left remaining from the sword, as in the wholly desolate land, Israel. For what the Greek rendered as "warm," the Hebrew has as "grace"; and from the name the error of the translation has arisen. For the Hebrew word "om," when aspirated, is "warm," but "hen" is "beauty endowed with grace," and "those who have perished by the sword," that is, he who was overtaken by the sword. So as to say, Those who are preserved after death, these I save. And "going to covenants for Israel," that is, When I was going to his rest in the wholly desolate land, which he says more clearly through what follows. Walk, and do not destroy Israel. That is, when I was walking going before him, in order to give him rest.

For thus the Hebrew has it. But "you walked" has been translated obscurely, because he did not preserve the time of the translation—that is, the translator. For instead of "walking," he has "you walked," for thus Moses also appears to say: "If you yourself do not go, do not lead me up." Do you see? Everywhere he is eager to show that the whole is his. He said, when the Babylonians were perishing, you will be saved. Then he shows what is beyond hope, and that it was not [a matter] of human reasonings that they too should not perish. Just as if someone, in the midst of many fallen bodies, should find a certain one boiling hot and still breathing, and cooling, expiring, and then should be able to make such a one labor so much, and to drive the enemies away from him, almost bringing him to life—it would be a marvel. Thus also it has happened in your case, he says. I set you apart from their midst; finding you breathing, from the path of enemies, and those who had rushed forward to strike I prevented, when you had no hope of salvation. *The Lord appeared to him from afar: with an everlasting love I have loved you.* The prophet says these things, that is, God showed me through a vision the things spoken long ago, and from eternity: how out of love he led the people through the wholly desolate place; and he said to me now, That love I loved him with eternally, that is, to the end; and for this cause I do not allow him to be destroyed; but I save the people for the colony. *Therefore I drew you to compassion.* That is, for the sake of that love he deemed him worthy of the present grace, having delivered him from the Babylonians. But "I drew you," so that he might show that one strongly held he snatched away. But "to compassion" means, I clothed him with grace.

Not for a time, as you do, even if you do countless things, do I love you. Showing compassion and mercy, not apportioning according to worth. *For I will build you, and you shall be built. That is, I restore to you again the ancient form, since no one is able to resist. He speaks of great security and deep peace as proofs, and the very words are persuasive and desirable. *Plant plantations, and give praise, for there is a day of consolation for him who makes defense in the mountains of Ephraim. Stand, and let us go up to Zion to the Lord our God. This is the meaning of the Greek: that having returned you will enjoy the fertility of the land, and having possessed the land; for this is what is indicated by "In the mountains of Ephraim," from the particular referring to the whole land, so as to say: With zeal you shall return to the temple, hymning God. But the Hebrew has it thus: And they shall plant and eat the fruit. For it shall be on the day on which those who guard the vineyards shall cry out: Arise and let us go up to Zion. And the same meaning is preserved; for by the benefit of each one he shows the abundant piety. *Because you planted. See everywhere how he mingles with the good things their repentance and turning back. *Rejoice, and be glad, and neigh, at the head of the nations. That is, cry out before the nations, fearing nothing, because of my alliance. *Behold, I bring them from the land of the north, and I will gather them from the farthest part of the earth at the feast of Phasek. That is, as at the feast of Phasek, so I will make them all return eagerly. Then he also speaks of the feast and the time.

You see that it happened at the festival of Pascha, at the time when they were also grieved that they had then been able to depart from Egypt. Not without reason is this time of both the entrance and the exodus. But you who have been initiated know of what this was a type. Then they return a second time. And you shall bear children. Thus also those who were then healed in their bodies, being maimed, shall become fathers. In weeping. For since it was likely that they, knowing both the length and the hardship of the journey, would be dizzy with fear, reasonably he removes this fear too, saying, You shall not come fleeing, nor in confusion, but with honor and consolation and the relaxation that is fitting—although what reasoning will be able to discover this, that when the city had been captured and the masters subdued, the slaves were about to be released by the masters who had subdued them, with honor, to their own land? That I have become. Observe the compelling cause of their salvation, not permitting them to be blinded with pride. For not from their achievements, but from their natural disposition I save them. This he shows, that he will save all. For no father will overlook a firstborn son, and being saved by the Father he would have nothing to boast of. Hear the word. He who has sinned most, he

especially corrupted, and having no hope of salvation. Make the whole inhabited world witness to what is said; thus we are confident about them. Speak, you who have winnowed. See how great a world, when they suffer nothing terrible from men, if anyone disbelieves that the war came from God, seeing the harder thing—that the ascent came from him—let him believe this concerning it. As the one who feeds. You see that it is God's work, when the battle is not evenly matched. He delivered him. See the good things succeeding one another, and the noble things gathered together, and declarations of declarations, and an abundance of declarations, so that they might rejoice not only by the experience of present things but also by the hopes of future things. And their soul shall be like a fruitful tree. That is, they shall be filled with every good thing. But the Hebrew has it thus: like a garden drunk with waters. Then they shall rejoice. That is, there shall be no widowhood then; for now they had neither marriages nor childbearing, but the young were to them a cause of punishment and calamity. And I will make. Every age shall perceive the pleasure. Not the untimely drunkenness, but I will gladden, he says; for this name is applied to them. For since he promised those things from the earth to them, but these had no earth, yet even to these, he says, good things shall flow. Thus says the Lord. This happened in the time of Herod; and it has also already happened. I heard a report of Ephraim lamenting: You chastised me, and I was chastised. Since he indicates the ascent of the two tribes, he shows that the ten tribes also will return, having received no small benefit from the captivity. Like a calf I was not taught.

That is, I became iron, like a calf not submitting to the yoke. The hope of salvation is not small; and this too belongs to the credibility of what is said; for if they were going to repent, it is evident that they are saved. I, like a calf, was not taught. His leapings revealed the irrational age, and the injustice of those who acquired things for evil, the folly that is in youth. For a young one deprived of the yoke and of the rule of reasonings differed in nothing from calves leaping and being carried everywhere at random, nor from those whose eyes do not see even the things before their eyes, but even leap down precipices. Turn me back. Great is virtue, when God turns us back and we turn back. And before I knew, I clapped for a little while. That is, after the captivity I repented. For "I clapped," he said as in the case of those who repent. And indeed I was put to shame, and I yielded to you, because I received reproach from my youth. That is, because I remembered the sin of my youth. And he calls "youth" the things that happened in the time of Jeroboam, as he acted youthfully in the worship of the calves. When you do not punish every sinner, he ought to suffer. For punishment gives a sense of shame, and of many other sins, rather a perception of retribution. But now the opposite happens: when we sin, we are shameless; but when we are punished, we fall down, exchanging the times. But the righteous were not so, but when punished they thought greatly, like the apostles; but in the case of sin they were so ashamed that not only at the time of their transgressions, but even when this had passed and the punishment was released, they mourned and lamented.

And after a little: I groaned in the days of my shame. This is a remedy for sins: groaning both prevents falling into the same sins again and wipes away those that have occurred. And I showed you. Do you see how great a good it is to recognize one's sins? It makes us more submissive to God. I do not mean sinning, but recognizing after sinning. You are a beloved son to me, Ephraim. That is, you are a precious son. A child delighting himself, that is, a child in whom I was comforted; and he took this by metaphor from fathers who play with their small infant children. I will surely remember him. The Hebrew has: Therefore my bowels were troubled for him, and I will have mercy on him, says the Lord. Therefore I visited him, that is, because of my disposition toward him I could not bear to see him in calamities. Did you see what a great change he wrought? Him who was on the earth, the abominable, the adversary, the enemy, he made a beloved child, so that the matter is not only of nature, but also a free and noble child. Set for yourself watchmen, O Zionim. Zionim is interpreted as signs. He says, therefore: Mark the way, as it were setting watchmen in yourself, for through this you will return. And make for her punishment. This lies obscurely in the Greek. For the Hebrew has thus: Set for yourself signs, instead of punishment; perhaps according to the Greek this is the meaning: Set before you the mark, that is, the sign from which you departed when punished, so that returning you may know the greatness of the operation. But one must know that in the Hebrew the word punishment is not present. Give your heart to your shoulders, the way you walked.

That is, consider in your heart this way which you travel with toil. Turn back to your cities mourning. The Hebrew has: Return to these your cities. For instead of "mourning," it has "these"; and here too the name produced the change of interpretation. For ala signifies mourning, but ele signifies this. So the Greek is to be understood thus: Return to your cities, you who mourn—that is, she who now departs with mourning will return with joy. How long will you turn back, dishonored daughter? The Hebrew reads thus: How long will you mock, sinning daughter, or always turning aside—that is, if you repent, God will bring you back from captivity very quickly. For a new planting, in salvation men will come around. That is, God will work you into a new planting. For "new" is instead of "fresh." When, then, will he do this? In the return, when he will provide salvation for you. Not as before, so as to rest again—all those things have been silenced; no longer is there any account of them. And those who dwell. Good things everywhere, even as far as the neighbors; and a righteous and holy mountain; not as though the stones received virtue, but those who dwell there. For the report of the inhabitants is accustomed to share with the places. See the change. And he will be taken up in a flock. That is, he will be gathered like a flock. A great good, not when we enjoy good things, but when according to the mind of God, when this also gladdens him. Therefore I awoke, and I saw, and my sleep became sweet to me. These things, he says, were revealed to me while sleeping and having sweet sleep. And it will be as.

With what zeal I did those things too, and these things, he says, which are more my own; therefore let no one disbelieve. For I, who am so vehement toward punishment—a matter alien to me—am much more stirred up toward what is my own. In those days. Ezekiel also says this. For did it altogether happen before, and did a matter so full of injustice come to pass—tell me—and when fathers sinned, was another punished? And where are these things tolerable, tell me? And after a little: Let us attend to what is said. They shall no more say—he said, they did not say—It shall not come to pass, showing that not even before this did it happen. For if he had said, In those days this shall no longer come to pass, you would rightly say that it happened before this. But if he says, They shall no more say, it is a judgment of their corrupted verdict. But each one shall die in his own sin. It is a prophecy, and a clear one, of which Paul also once made mention, when writing to the Hebrews: Where there is forgiveness of sins, there will no longer be an offering for sin—and he does not say what kind, or when, or after how much time. For he wished these things to be kept in shadow. According to the covenant. Tell me, why do you not give such a covenant? Did he condemn it? It had something incomplete. Therefore it should not have been given even at the beginning. Men establish laws, and wish them to be valid forever, but you no longer. Because they themselves did not

They remained in my covenant, and I neglected them. And after a little: Do you wish me to bring forward the apostolic words, which agree without constraint with what has been said? Why do you force to impose a yoke that your fathers were not able to bear? You see that for this reason grace came, so that by grace the promise might be made firm. Because they themselves did not remain. For not to remain and to transgress are the same thing. Is it, then, one and the same who gives the new and the old? I will make a covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, after those days, says the Lord, giving my laws into their mind, and on the tablet of their heart I will write them. For Moses commanded the law to be read by all, but even every seven years. He says, then, that I provide them with such knowledge of my own, that they do not need reading, but have in their mind the zeal for good things. Nowhere does he mention the nations, so as not to give them a pretext, just as Christ also says, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Giving, I will give. Tell me, where has this happened? For the law was also written; since for us the demonstration of the Spirit has countless testimonies. Jesus handed down nothing in writing: He will remind you of all things. Not stone tablets, nor engraved letters, but their mind will become a pillar for the law that comes from him. And on their heart. For observe: