Commentary on Isaiah, Discourses 1–19

Commentary on Isaiah, Discourses 1–19

continued

Discourse 11

1 Behold, the Lord sits upon a light cloud, and shall come into Egypt, and the man-made things of Egypt shall be shaken at His presence, and their heart shall be defeated within them. In what way, then, the land of the Egyptians was saved and caught in the net for piety, clearly through faith in Christ, although it was polytheistic and grievously sick with error, the prophet attempts to teach in these words. For they were as if in deep darkness, being completely ignorant of the one who is by nature God and truly the creator and Lord of all, but attributing reverence to creation; and what is even more irrational than this, showing themselves to be craftsmen of their own gods, and having a multiform swarm of idols in their temples, so as to fashion types of irrational animals, and setting up altars to sacrifice to them. Therefore, where sin abounded in them, it was necessary for grace to abound all the more, and for the physician to shine upon those who were so grievously sick, and for the divine and heavenly light to flash upon those whose hearts were darkened. Behold therefore, he says, the Lord sits upon a light cloud, and shall come into Egypt. But what would he want to indicate by the Lord being seen upon a light cloud? Let us speak as we are able; Some of the interpreters have said that the light cloud is the holy flesh of the Lord, that is, the temple taken from the Virgin;

2 and they compare it to a cloud, perhaps because of its being freed from the more earthly movements and desires, above and as it were on high. For truly all-holy and freed from all earthly impurity is the holy body of the Savior of us all, Christ. Others, again, have supposed that the holy Virgin was named the light cloud. But I think that perhaps his saying that He sits upon a light cloud may also suggest to us a breadth of other thoughts. For in many ways the blessed prophets, contemplating the glory of God, have written down their visions. For Isaiah says he has seen the Lord Sabaoth on a high and exalted throne, with the highest rational powers standing around in a circle, singing hymns to Him, and saying that heaven and earth are full of His glory. But the all-wise Daniel seats an Ancient of Days upon a throne; and he maintains that a thousand thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood around Him; and he says he also saw one like a Son of man with the coming on clouds, and has placed these things in succession. And Ezekiel likewise saw, he says, a firmament, with the Seraphim beneath; and on a throne he beheld a man, or rather the form of a man, whose upper parts, he says, resembled electrum, but from the loins to the feet was like the appearance of fire.

3 And in each of such visions, some indication of the glory befitting God, and of the mystery concerning Christ, is cleverly hinted at for us. Therefore nothing prevents understanding in this case also, that the Lord was seen upon a light cloud, both most usefully and necessarily. For the cloud fulfills for us the type of both rain and spiritual dew, and of saving baptism itself. And indeed the blessed Paul says that those of the blood of Israel were baptized in the cloud and in the sea; it hung over them as they were crossing that deep desert, the cloud by day; and a pillar of fire led the way by night. And Christ was prefigured by both, that is, the mystery concerning him, namely, as in faith and holy baptism, justification and sanctification. It was necessary, therefore, for the Lord, coming for the cleansing and transformation of the Egyptians, clearly in a manner befitting God and spiritually, to be seen upon a light cloud. For it was not possible otherwise to wipe away from the soul of those who are astray the stain ingrained in it, except through holy baptism. Of which we also define the cloud to be a type. And the cloud is called light and has been very appropriately named so.

4 For we are baptized for the putting away of sin, and turning away from impiety as from a truly hard-to-bear burden, through this we become in a manner winged, and learn to set our minds on things above, and to have our hearts on high. But that the Lord sits upon the cloud, I think it means this: The sitting signifies for us either rest, or authority. Therefore Christ rests, not at all in the worship according to the law, but rather in the perfection through holy baptism. And thus he has become king of those on the earth. And he says that the man-made things of Egypt will be shaken from his presence. For with holy baptism already revealed, and Christ henceforth shining forth, it is in every way necessary for the playthings of the ancient deceit to disappear, and the snares of the devil to be seen shattered. And it has ensnared to destruction and ruin every nation and race, so to speak, but especially the Egyptians more than others. For they became more superstitious than others, and perhaps even surpassing in error both Persians and Assyrians; although the divinely-inspired Scripture says about their land, that it is a land of graven images. And he says that the heart of the Egyptians will be conquered, yielding, as I think, the need to be overcome by the evangelical proclamations, although it was long ago warring against God, and opposing the words of truth. Therefore we will find Pharaoh to be clearly such. For the hierophant Moses said clearly:

5 "The God of the Hebrews has sent us to you, saying: Send forth my people, that they may serve me in the wilderness. But he to them: "Who is he, that I should listen to his voice? I do not know the Lord, and I will not send forth Israel. For their heart within them will be conquered, that is, it will not remain unbreakable, nor hard, nor unadmonished; but rather it will accept the saving proclamation. And Egyptians shall rise up against Egyptians, and a man shall fight his brother, and a man his neighbor. And city shall rise up against city, and nome against nome. And the spirit of the Egyptians within them shall be troubled, and I will scatter their counsel. This, I think, is clearly nothing other than that which Christ said: "Do not think that I came to bring peace to the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and all a man's enemies are the men of his own household. For with the already having been proclaimed of the divine and evangelical proclamation, and of the respect for their parents, these men, having been neglectful, have thought hostile and hateful things toward them, and having all but prepared the law of war, have risen up against their brothers.

6 For some, advocating for the ancient error, and having unrestrainedly devoted themselves to the deceits of idols, make the word of faith unacceptable. But others, considering it a ridiculous and entirely unholy thing to choose to worship gods crafted by them, have run to the words of truth, and once being far off, have come near, and having been shown to be of the household of Christ through faith, have come within the hope of the saints, and have been made heirs of life eternal. Therefore, when the handmade things of Egypt are shaken, he says, because the Lord has come into it on a light cloud, there will be a great uprising both of family and of kin, and wars both one by one and in multitude, so that even city and nome will make attacks upon nome. And among those who inhabit the land of the Egyptians, a 'nome' is what each city and its surrounding areas and the villages under it are called; and such a term is common among them. Then he says, that The spirit of the Egyptians will be troubled within them, and I will scatter their counsel. And we say that having a different mind against one another, they have been troubled not moderately; but those who are in error, planning uprisings and battles against those who have believed, will find the God of all warring against them and resisting them.

7 For I will scatter their counsels, he says, that is, I will show all their deliberation to be in vain, and their undertakings against those who have run to me to be entirely unprofitable. And they will consult their gods, and their images, and those who speak from the earth, and the ventriloquists, and the diviners. And I will deliver Egypt into the hands of harsh lords; and harsh kings shall rule over them. In what manner, or at what time at all, the Egyptians were enriched by the saving proclamation, the prophet is eager to make clear. And the account of the history is not unprofitable for those who have once chosen to learn what is useful. Therefore, Vespasian, having laid waste the land of the Jews and having burned Jerusalem, came down with his whole army into the land of the Egyptians, to subdue it also. And he did this according to the will of God, who was subjecting all lands and cities alike to the scepters of the Romans. But the Egyptians thought they could easily escape the yoke of slavery, and be completely invincible, because their country was girded about with very many waters. But they missed their hope. For when God wills to accomplish something, all things yield easily, and things that are unattainable and hard to achieve are paradoxically made easy. For who will turn back the high hand? as it is written.

8 It happened, therefore, that all their bodies of water, both in lakes and indeed in rivers, completely vanished, so that they could be crossed on foot. And thus, finding the land of the Egyptians stripped of every difficulty, Vespasian conquered it. At that very time, therefore, it happened that those who ministered the divine and saving proclamation entered into the land of the Egyptians, and who were catching the nations through faith in Christ for the knowledge of the truth. Therefore the Egyptians, he says, having learned of the all-powerful and irresistible assault of the Roman army, and being greatly disturbed, and wishing to find out what ever would be the outcome of the matter for them, will consult their gods, and their images, and those who speak from the earth, and the ventriloquists, and indeed the diviners. For among them there were different kinds of false prophecy, and fabricated prophets. Some pretending to consult the dead; others also belching out words from their own hearts. And others also diviners, that is, those who curiously examine the smoke from sacrifices, and the twitching in the livers of the slaughtered animals wickedly. But there will be no benefit for them, he says, from divination; nor indeed will they find those who were considered to be gods able to help them. For I will deliver Egypt into the hands of harsh masters, and harsh kings will rule over them.

9 And when you hear "harsh," do not think of the most cruel, but rather of the unbreakable, and those who know not how to concede victory to anyone. For such have been the most glorious kings of the Romans, with divine and secret counsel, as I said, subjecting all things to them. And so they have prevailed over all under heaven. Thus says the Lord Sabaoth: And the Egyptians will drink the water that is by the sea; but the river will fail, and will be dried up. The rivers and canals of the river will fail, and every gathering of water will be dried up, in every marsh of reed, and papyrus, and the green marsh-grass, everything around the river, everything sown by the river will be dried up by the wind-blight. And the fishermen will groan, all who cast a hook into the river will groan, and those who cast drag-nets, and those who cast cast-nets will mourn. And shame will seize those who work the combed flax, and those who work the fine linen; and those who work them will be in pain, and all who make beer will be grieved, and their souls will be in anguish. You will connect these things also to what we have just said. For the all-powerful God made the land of the Egyptians, which is so very moist, so dry, that it was passable without sweat for those wishing to go through the lakes and rivers. But the country of the Egyptians is divided in a way;

10 and some have the arable and most fertile land, and are especially caretakers of vineyards. But others live by the lakes themselves, reaping the things from them. For they are fish-hunters, and cutting papyrus, they are also makers of paper, and they work the combed flax. And the marsh-men, that is, the herdsmen, are so-called; for among them the herds of cattle are beyond number; and the scarcity of bread and wine and other things is very great. Therefore, when the waters fail, he says, they will drink water. For sometimes, digging on the shores, some draw up potable water. But the rivers will fail and will be dried up, and all the canals. And there will be a scarcity of water in every marsh of reed and papyrus. And everything that grows in the waters will be dried up, he says, so that even the hunters of fish will groan, and those who work the combed flax, and those who work them will be in great pain; and in addition to these, those who prepare their beer. For with the waters having failed, they will be in want of everything that knows how to give cheer, and that provides richly the necessities for their life. And these things, as far as pertains to what is signified from the history, have been clearly stated.

11 But if someone should choose to take the scarcity of waters in another way, and to delve into the depth of more subtle thoughts, he will not go astray from the mark, by comparing to waters the word among the wise men of the Greeks, which is old-womanish and foolish; and comparing to fish the multitude of men, and indeed also to papyrus, reed, and the rest, of which the nature of the waters is the nurse. And indeed to fishermen, and to those whose work would be with the things in the waters, those who know how to net the crowd of the common people, and prepare them to be entangled as if in some nets by the words that carry them away into deceit. These will groan and be grieved, and their souls will be in anguish, since the word that is among them is now in some way ineffectual; which we clearly affirmed, comparing it to waters, because it has completely failed, and all things nourished by it will be dried up. These make the beer; for they do not bring forth the wine that gladdens the heart of man, but a certain counterfeit and useless teaching, and they think they are dignifying it, as it were, with subtle words. For it hints at this, I think, that they say they work the fine linen, which is exceedingly fine. And the combed flax. For their teachings are like splinters of meager speech; but entirely unprofitable, and filling one with cold theorems. For beer is cold ........ ...........................

12 And the princes of Tanis will be fools, the wise counselors of the king, their counsel will be made foolish. For when the inescapable disaster was hanging over the Egyptians, and the country was about to be captured, and on the point of submitting its neck to the yokes of others, even if perhaps they did not wish it, he who was chosen to lead, being not moderately disturbed and terrified by unbearable fears, gathered together the so-called wise men, that is, the magicians; and he asked very earnestly in what direction the end of their affairs would go, and in what way they might repel the attack of the war. But they, he says, were so far from being able to say anything of the necessary, that is, true things, that they were even condemned for utter folly. For when God wishes to do harm, the counsel and power of any man would be ineffective. For if he shuts a man up, who will open? according to what is written. Therefore, he calls the false prophets and the caretakers of the temples in it the wise men of Tanis. Who, though thinking highly of their magical art, were proven by the events themselves to be absolutely nothing. How will you say to the king: We are sons of the wise, sons of kings from the beginning? Where are your wise men now? And let them tell you, and let them say: What has the Lord Sabaoth planned against Egypt? On what achievements, he says, will you raise your eyebrow?

13 Having profited the land of the Egyptians in what way will you be admired by them, or what words do you use, captivating the king; saying that 'We are sons of the wise,' that is, of prophets? Magicians and from magicians; who have all but ruled the whole country, having a famous reputation among the worshipers of idols, and always being with and living with the rulers; since indeed they were accustomed to introduce counsels on all matters to be done, with the falsely named gods whispering to them the hunt for what is advantageous. When therefore you are convicted of speaking falsely, he says, and knowing nothing of the truth, how will you say to the king: 'We are sons of the wise? sons of kings from the beginning?' And in these things the prophetic word has been for us, as it were, against those who seem to be wise; then he turns to the person of him chosen to lead, and says: 'Where are your wise men now? and let them tell you, and let them say what the Lord Sabaoth has planned against Egypt.' For if they are not impostors, he says, or deceivers and buffoons, and accustomed to speaking falsely, and speaking things only from their own heart, and not from the mouth of the Lord; learn from them the things hanging over the Egyptians, and which will very soon come to pass through the counsel of the Lord Sabaoth.

14 But the word, as it were, mocks those who do not know God, but are lying as it were in deep darkness, because they are fond of adhering to the worship of idols. Therefore, it is a dreadful thing, or rather also entirely vain, to trust in the deceits of the false prophets; for knowing absolutely nothing at all, either of the things that will be, or of what God may bring, they make false prophecy a pretext for collecting money, and pretending to hear from God, they disgorge things from their own counsel alone, and bewitch the minds of those who adhere to them. For they speak whatever one might wish, and they say only that which they would judge to be pleasing to their hearers. But the divine law commands us to depart from such things. For it is thus: "When you enter into the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you one who purifies his son or his daughter in fire, one who practices divination, one who uses omens, and one who interprets signs, a sorcerer, a charmer, a ventriloquist, and a diviner of wonders, and one who questions the dead. For everyone who does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God. And to these things he adds and says: "You shall be perfect before the Lord your God. The For these nations, whom you are dispossessing, will listen to omens and divinations.

15 But not so has the Lord your God given to you; "A prophet from your brothers will the Lord your God raise up for you, him you shall hear according to all that he will speak to you. For he who pays attention to divinations and omens, to bird-omens and the deceptions of sorcerers, will be entirely ungodly and bare of the boasts of piety. But truly full of good hope is he who pays attention with his mind to the evangelical decrees, and to what Christ might say, casting the vote for truth. For he is the Lord of prophets, and the provider of all knowledge, even if he has been named a prophet, on account of the measure of his humanity. The princes of Tanis have failed, and the princes of Memphis are exalted, and they will lead Egypt astray by tribes. For the Lord has mingled for them a spirit of error, and they led Egypt astray in all their works, as a drunkard goes astray, and he who vomits at the same time. And there will be for the Egyptians no work which shall make head and tail, beginning and end. In a way, the prophetic word smiles for us in these things at the trifles and empty talk of the liars. The ruler of the Egyptians asked his constant companions, the sorcerers and false prophets, who were also called wise men, to what end the things he expected would come for him.

16 But since they were failing in counsel, and were convicted of speaking falsely, and there was no one for them to bring in a way of helpful counsel and beneficial thoughts; they were indeed reckoned as nothing, and so other wise men were sought; and indeed some have admired the rulers of Memphis, that is, the priests and magi, those, I say, in Memphis. For they seemed to be as it were select at that time, and having reached the pinnacle of magical experience, they appeared to the idolaters worthy of all account. Therefore, he says, the rulers of Memphis have failed, that is, they were reckoned as nothing, though the leaders of Memphis seemed to be lofty and admired by both the king and all those around him. Nevertheless, they too have led Egypt astray by tribes, that is, by cities and villages; and not just one by one, but indeed also in multitudes. For they have trusted them, although they have nothing of what is necessary to say; for in what way have they trusted? For the Lord, he says, has mingled for them a spirit of error, that is, he has shaken every word of truth from their tongue, so that they were unable to understand or speak anything of the truth. For it was not fitting for the truth to dwell on the tongues of idolaters. Therefore they have led Egypt astray, as a drunkard goes astray, and he who vomits at the same time.

17 For it is the custom of drunkards to fall into the filth from their vomit. For this reason he says: There will be for the Egyptians no work which shall make head and tail, beginning and end. For they will not undertake bold enterprises. For this is a beginning and a head. Nor indeed will the things done come to a most desired end for them; for this is the tail and the end; for every thought of men is useless, and every aid is unsound, and able to help in no way; For when God brings evil, as I said, and brings his all-powerful hand upon those who leap away, and changes the natures of things to what seems good to him. And in that day the Egyptians will be as women in fear and in trembling, from before the hand of the Lord of Sabaoth, which he himself will bring upon them. And the land of the Judeans will be a terror to the Egyptians. Everyone who names it to them will be afraid, because of the counsel which the Lord has counseled against it. For those who were formerly bold and savage, and despisers of all danger, will be terrified, he says, and will find their heart broken within them, so as to be in no way different from the weakest of women, but as it were to slip into womanly unmanliness.

18 And the cause of their dread, and of the terror at this, will be the hand of the Lord of Sabaoth, which he himself will bring upon He will cast upon them. And in these things, the hand of the Lord of Sabaoth is defined as the all-powerful will of God, bringing the nation of the Egyptians under the dominion of the Romans. And the divine counsel is altogether invincible, and by all means it is necessary that what seems good to the counsels of the highest nature be accomplished. And in addition to this, the land of the Jews will be a cause of terror to the Egyptians; and what indeed he means by this, let us see precisely; for what is being shown is very obscure. Therefore, the land of the Jews was formerly saved by God defending it, and He rendered it unconquerable, so to speak, to all the surrounding kingdoms of the nations. But although it had so great a helper, it was captured and came under the Romans, and every city has been burned, and the houses and villages have remained empty of men. And what was the reason for them to be captured? Clearly the counsel of the Lord, which he had also counseled concerning it. For it too, along with the others, was handed over to the most powerful hand of the Romans. Therefore, the land of the Jews will be a cause of terror to the Egyptians.

19 For the words of the false prophets wished to encourage them, that they would be superior to the hand of their attackers, and that they would prevail by resisting. But the very fact that the land of the Jews was handed over to them, even though it once had God as its champion, instilled a terrible fear in them. For from this they expected to be completely and entirely subject to those who wished to lay waste, since the land of the Jews also suffered this, as I said, not because the one who saves had grown weak, but because he was subjecting it to his own commands and bringing it under the scepters of the Romans. But it seems to some to understand the preceding text in another way. For since the God of all visited the Egyptians, and transferred them from darkness to light, and made them cease from the customs of idolatry, and granted them to know at last, who is by nature and in truth God, and the creator of all. For they have believed in Christ; and they have known the Father through him and in him. For this reason, he says, out of very great gentleness and reverence, the land of the Jews will be to them a cause of terror. And when he says "a cause of terror," you will understand the fear that comes from reverence.

20 For all honor Jerusalem, because Christ was born there, and endured the cross for the salvation of the world, and was laid in a tomb, and rose again, and ascended to the Father. In the past, therefore, the land of the Jews was hated by the Egyptians; for their manner of worship was at war with them. For the former worshiped creation, and the works of their own hands; but the latter have served the all-holy God, and being governed by his laws, have become caretakers of a pious commonwealth. Therefore the land once hated will be to them a cause of terror, as it were, and a basis for reverence, because Christ was born in it, as I said, who called them out of darkness into his marvelous light. In that day there shall be five cities in Egypt speaking the Canaanite language, and swearing by the name of the Lord. One city shall be called Asedek. One might very reasonably marvel at the blessed prophet for his brevity in these matters, for he was ignorant of nothing that would happen in the land of the Egyptians at the time of the visitation, but he proclaimed each detail, clearly declaring in what manner the evangelical proclamation was revealed. There shall be, therefore, he says, five cities in Egypt speaking the Canaanite language, that is, Syriac, or that of Palestine. For the Phoenicians and Palestinians speak one language.

21 And again, the Palestinians and Egyptians are neighbors to one another, and there is nothing in between, but at the borders of Egypt, those which I mean are towards the east, and the sea of the land of the Palestinians, the first entrances, then, appear. Therefore, the land of the Egyptians is adjacent to that of the Canaanites. For this reason also the cities at the borders of Egypt, first receive the saving proclamation; and these are five, of which we say the first is now that of the Rhinocolurites. They also speak in the Canaanite tongue. For it has been the custom for those in these cities, not to adopt the Egyptian language so much as that of the Syrians. Some say that Josephus clearly recorded in his own writings that after departing the land of the Jews, a certain man named Ionias, who was of the blood of Levi and honored with the priesthood according to the law, took possession of these five cities as being neighbors of the Canaanites, having contended with some of his kinsmen, or perhaps even having endured persecution. This man, he says, having gathered an innumerable multitude of Jews, settled in one of these five cities, which has also been named the city of Asedek, that is, of righteousness. From this, they say, those at the borders of the Egyptians have become accustomed and fond of speaking in the language of the Canaanites. And they will learn, he says, also to swear by the name of the Lord. And this too is remarkable.

22 For it is the custom for the worshippers of vanities to make an oath by whatever seems best to each of the elements of the world. For some name the heaven, others the sun, and others the man-made things in shrines; but they in no way remember the true God; for they have not known him. But for those who have now known and believed, it is their custom also to swear by his name. Thus also the all-wise Moses brought Israel, who had departed from the worship in Egypt, to the knowledge of the true God, saying: "You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. And he added to this, that You shall also swear by his name. Therefore, a clear proof of these five cities having accepted the faith is that they swear by none of the vanities, but rather accept the name of the Lord for the purpose of an oath. In that day there shall be an altar to the Lord in the land of Egypt, and a pillar at its border to the Lord; and it shall be for a sign forever to the Lord in the land of Egypt. For the whole land of the Egyptians was filled with sacred precincts and full of altars; and there were libations and sacrifices everywhere, offered by them on the one hand to the elements of the world; and on the other hand, as I said, also to the images set up in shrines, that is, and to the pillars of demons.

23 And why do I say this, when, having set up images of irrational animals, they bestowed on them the glory due to God? See, therefore, from what to what the affairs of the Egyptians have changed. For those who were of old more superstitious than all others, and had unbridledly inclined to what is excessive, in that day, he says, that is, at that time, when the saving proclamation shall shine upon them, will accept the worship of the God who is by nature and truly is. For there shall be an altar to the Lord in the land of the Egyptians. The saying has great emphasis. For it is spoken with wonder. For how is it not remarkable that even in the land of the Egyptians itself, an altar of the Lord should be seen? And in addition to this, also a pillar at its border to the Lord. And by pillar in these words, he means, as it seems to me, either a holy temple of God, that is, the Church, or perhaps also the first of others raised at its border, that is, the sign of the holy cross, with which it is the custom for believers to be protected. For we always use this thing, overturning every diabolical influence, and repelling the attacks of demons. For the cross is an unbreakable wall for us, and the boast in it is truly saving; "But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of Christ.

24 Remarkable, therefore, are the things foretold from the prophecy at that time, but which have now indeed come to fulfillment. For an altar to the Lord; and very many things, and more than can be numbered, throughout the land of the Egyptians; and the sign of the cross is an object of worship for the inhabitants. For they have believed in our Lord Jesus Christ. But it seemed to some of the exegetes, instead of the pillar, an inscription to name, and they say that this is the holy Gospel. But let the prudent man again glorify what seems to be best and well. Because they will cry out to the Lord because of those who afflict them, and the Lord will send them a man who will save them. And the Lord will be known to the Egyptians. And the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day. And they will make sacrifices, and will vow vows to the Lord, and will pay them. Behold for me again the soberness of the prophetic skill. For as if someone were inquiring and saying: What is this matter? And what was the reason for the Lord to come into Egypt on a swift cloud, and to grant them this and that? the prophet, taking up the discourse, answers and says: Because they will cry out to the Lord because of those who afflict them, and the Lord will send them a man who will save them.

25 For the father of sin, that is Satan, had leapt upon those throughout the whole earth, and placing the yoke of his own wickedness upon all, he beguiled them from the love for God. Having them all but bound under himself, he oppressed them bitterly and unholily; but the nature of the matter, having a terrible and unbearable greed, cried out against his tyranny. Thus you will understand the Egyptians as crying out. And yet how is it not true to say that, not having known the Master of all by nature, they would not have cried out to him at all? But just as the blood of Abel is said to cry out to God, and surely not it itself, having its own voice; but as it were God detesting the very absurdity of the matter; in the same way, I think, one might understand it also in the case of those accustomed to worship the unclean demons. For even if they do not know the God of all, yet because they have been oppressed by Satan, they have cried out in a certain way through the matter itself, surely asking for help for themselves. Thus we say that the Egyptians also cried out to God, because of those who afflict them, that is, those who have made them their own possession, and have oppressed them as with a most bitter slavery, clearly the unclean demons. But the Lord will send them a man who will save them. And who is the man, if not clearly Christ?

26 that is, the only-begotten Word of God appearing in human form; he has saved not only the Egyptians, but indeed the whole earth. And he has saved by judging; and what is this, 'judging'? Instead of, passing a just judgment upon them. For having subjected Satan who had oppressed them, and with him the unclean demons, to holy decrees, having cast them into Tartarus with chains of darkness, he delivered them to be kept for judgment on the great day to be punished. But those who endured such an unbearable oppression, he both saved and rescued, and made his own worshipers, having flashed the light of truth upon them; and having clothed them with the boasts of freedom. Thus the Savior Himself also says somewhere: "Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up, will draw all men to myself. You see that he has judged the world, and has cast out Satan who long tyrannized over it, and has drawn all to himself. For the Egyptians also have known him. And indeed, having come to know him, they make sacrifices, and they also vow vows, and bring to fulfillment what they have promised. For this is what is sung through the voice of David: "Vow, and pay to the Lord our God. See, therefore, the newness of things. For those formerly accustomed to sacrificing to demons, those who offered worship to Satan and dedicated thank-offerings, and indeed also vows, that is, diligently fulfilling promises;

27 having been enlightened in mind through Christ, and made radiant by the doctrines of truth, they will flee from the ancient error, and having once known the Creator and Lord of all, to him they offer worship in spirit, fulfilling all-holy vows, and offering sacrifices, no longer those of blood and the slaughter of irrational animals; spiritual rather, as I said, and well-pleasing on account of being blameless. And the Lord will strike the Egyptians with a great plague, and he will heal them with a healing; and they will turn to the Lord, and he will listen to them, and he will heal them. When God visits, he sometimes strikes those who have acted unholily, and executes the judgments for the ways they have provoked him, but he helps them greatly in this way. For he does not inflict the scourge because he is defeated, but rather to change them for the better. For either he transfers them from error to truth, or he teaches those who are uncontrollably inclined to sin the more shameful things to unlearn, and to hasten to turn to what is pleasing to him. Therefore, knowing that this thing is beneficial, I mean being disciplined, the blessed prophets have cried out to him: "Discipline us, O Lord, but in judgment, and not in wrath. And again: "O Lord, in affliction we remembered you, in little affliction was your discipline to us. And he said somewhere also to the synagogue of the Jews: You will be disciplined with pain and scourge, Jerusalem.

28 Therefore, he disciplines those whom he would choose and loves. The prophet says that he will grant this also to the Egyptians: For the Lord will strike them with a great plague, and he will heal them with a healing. For even if they have been given perchance to the Roman generals, and their spearmen, armed with the law of war, have conquered the land, nevertheless having found a place among them for the divine proclamation, they have cast off the loss from having been led astray, and have passed over to the divine and heavenly light, and having rejected that ancient opinion, they have henceforth a sound heart. For they will turn to the Lord, and he will listen to them, that is, those who formerly on account of much impiety were in aversion from God, will learn henceforth no longer to bring their supplications to abominations, making them perhaps for what they would choose, but will rather cry out to him who heals the brokenhearted. And he will not be slow for them, but God will be rather ready to assent, both gracious and well-disposed. Therefore, the cause of every good for every person would be to know the one who is God by nature and in truth, and the Creator and Lord of all things. In that day there will be a highway for the Egyptians to the Assyrians. And the Assyrians will enter into Egypt, and the Egyptians will go to the Assyrians, and the Egyptians will serve the Assyrians.

29 The blessed Paul writes concerning Christ, the Savior of us all, that he himself is our peace. For not only did he join those on earth with the ministering and holy spirits above, but he also prepared for nations to come together with nations. For before his coming, of intermingling with one another, country and city were estranged, and there were frequent uprisings and assaults of wars everywhere, and the prizes of the strong were the things of the vanquished, and greed was unadmonished, and to wrong whomever one could was considered something glorious, and one of the most admirable things. But peace has come to us, and in this respect, Christ. For since, flashing forth under heaven with the evangelical decrees, he taught everyone the way of piety, and to hold fast to the love for God and for one another, those former things have long since ceased, and the old things have passed away, and have become new, as it is written. For peace has prevailed everywhere. And this, I think, is what the prophet Isaiah also says somewhere else concerning all the nations: "And they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sickles, and nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

30 For having all come under one yoke, spiritually the one under God, and bodily the one under the Romans, they live a quiet and undisturbed life, without war, so that with all fear removed, even those formerly most hostile to one another agree in unity of mind. For the Egyptians, he says, will have a road to the Assyrians, and the Assyrians to the Egyptians. And the Egyptians will go to the Assyrians, and the Egyptians will serve the Assyrians, not with the latter imposing a yoke of slavery, but being bound by the bonds of love, and making their interactions most pleasant. Indeed, he names as Assyrians those inhabiting the eastern country. In that day Israel will be a third with the Assyrians and with the Egyptians, blessed in the land, which the Lord of Sabaoth has blessed, saying: Blessed is my people in Egypt, and in Assyria, and my inheritance Israel. Israel was indeed named firstborn among the children. But since he has provoked Christ, he has been placed behind the gentiles, and has, as it were, inherited a second rank. For the time of his conversion has also been kept for him. For it is written that, "When the fullness of the gentiles has come in, then all Israel will be saved. See then, see him named third among these, among the Assyrians and Egyptians.

31 And by Assyrians among these he means, as I said, those throughout all the eastern land, but especially Mesopotamia, in which they also say there are genuine worshippers, practicing an asceticism that is a sister and neighbor to that of the Egyptians, so as to have an equal desire and zeal for anything good whatsoever, and indeed also virtue. Therefore the God of all says: Blessed is my people, who are in Egypt and in Assyria; and Israel is numbered third. For he adds that, And my inheritance Israel. And the argument has previously shown us the reason for this; for he has killed the Lord and has been set behind, as David says. And the firstborn has become among the last. In the year that Tanathan came to Azotus, when he was sent by Arna king of the Assyrians, and warred against Azotus, and took it, at that time the Lord spoke to Isaiah, saying: Go and take off the sackcloth from your loins, and loose your sandals from your feet; and he did so, walking naked and barefoot. And the Lord said: Just as my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot, for three years there shall be signs and wonders to the Egyptians and Ethiopians; for so shall the king of the Assyrians lead away the captivity of Egypt and of the Ethiopians, young men and old, naked and barefoot, with their shame uncovered, the shame of Egypt.

32 Having quite finished the discourse concerning the Egyptians, and having foretold in what manner they will be called through faith to the knowledge of the truth, he again arranges something of what was useful and necessary for the benefit of those from Israel; and what these things are, I shall say in brief. For having spared not even the reverence for the law through Moses, and indeed having disregarded love for God, they were most unwisely carried away to the point of arriving at polytheistic error, and of worshipping the works of their own hands. And for those who had once slipped into this opinion, no evil was unpracticed. For this reason, the God of all very often sent upon them wars and battles, on the one hand, those from the neighboring nations, on the other hand, those from the Persians and Medes; and those who rose up against Judea, sometimes first ravaging the other nations, caused those of Israel to consort with terrible and unbearable fears.

33 But they, although it was necessary to propitiate the God of all, and to withdraw from unholy pursuits, and rather to turn to what was pleasing to Him, and to make amends to Him whom they had grieved, by turning from worse things to what is better, and thus to seek salvation from Him alone, and His ever-saving and defending hand—the wretched ones did not do this, but collecting for themselves aid from men, at one time they would call upon some of the neighboring peoples for this, at another time their neighbors the Egyptians, adding iniquity upon their iniquity, as it is written, and whetting as it were to wrath on this very account the all-powerful God. And indeed He said through one of the holy prophets: "And Ephraim was a senseless dove, and not having a heart; she called upon Egypt, and they went to the Assyrians. And indeed also through the prophet Isaiah himself: "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who trust in horses and in chariots. For there are many, and a very great multitude on horses; and they did not trust in the Holy One of Israel, and they did not seek God; and he is wise, he brought evils upon them, and his word shall not be set aside. Therefore, when Tanathan, who was a general of the king of the Assyrians, warred against Ashdod, and took it by force; and this was a neighbor to the land of the Jews;

34 those from Israel expected immediately and very easily to suffer the same things themselves. And for this reason, hiring the hand of the Egyptians to defend them, they wished to lead them out against the phalanxes of the Assyrians. God, therefore, shows their hope to be in vain; and he foretells clearly, that they themselves will be the work [prey] of the Assyrian power, and they will be captured in due time, and they will be in the rank of the spear-won. For they say that in due time the land of the Egyptians came under the hand of the king of the Assyrians; and in a few years, three, having established himself in it, and having taken it all by force, having a very great number of captives, he returned to his own land. God therefore commands the prophet to take on the appearance that is fitting and customary for captives; that is, nakedness and being barefoot. For those who have conquered have little regard for the captured; but those who have fallen into this misery, whether they are some of the nobly born according to the flesh, or whether of the common multitude, are bound by one bond of wretchedness, having no garment, or rather, anything else contributing to their adornment or rest, but are thus carelessly at the whim of their captors for anything whatever, as coming by necessity.

35 Therefore, as I said, the divine prophet is commanded to take off the sackcloth from his loins, and to take off his sandals, and to go through the middle of Jerusalem naked and barefoot. And he did this, not being very concerned about seeming respectable, and adding nothing to the things that please God, even if something might seem grievous and full of blame. But perhaps someone will say to this: Why did he not rather only foretell to those of Israel the things that would happen to the Egyptians in due time? But the one renowned among the prophets has gone thus naked and barefoot, having spared not the seemliness befitting him. To this, then, we say that they were not persuaded by the words of the prophets, but rather even rebuked those willing to foretell the things that would be, saying: "Speak to us other things, and report to us another deceit. For this reason, indeed, and very clearly, the temperate one, the decent one, and full of all virtue, the one crowned with prophetic grace, and renowned in discipline, even takes off his sackcloth, not a delicate garment, but rather thick and cheap; and he removes the sandals from his feet, and walks in such an appearance; so that those who see him, marveling at this very thing, may inquire about the reasons, and being eager to know for what purpose he has done this, they might be fully informed; that they have a vain hope in men;

36 and that it was necessary for them rather to desire prosperity from above, and to love to make their helper the God who has always saved. Therefore, while the blessed prophet was wandering through Judea naked and barefoot, and no small terror arose among those who saw him, the Lord said, it says: In the manner that Isaiah my servant has walked, naked and barefoot, for three years there shall be signs and wonders for the Egyptians and the Ethiopians. For as I have already said, in a few years, three, the king of the Assyrians, having laid waste the land of the Egyptians, and indeed also the Ethiopians dwelling near it, and neighbors to the Thebans, having a very great number of captives, and having reveled in the misfortunes of the Egyptians; then indeed, then, he returned home again brilliantly. And the Egyptians will be defeated, being ashamed on account of the Ethiopians, in whom the Egyptians had trusted; for they were to them be glory. And the inhabitants of this island will say: Behold, we were trusting to flee to them for help, and they were not able to be saved from the king of the Assyrians, and how shall we be saved? The barbarian nations neighboring the Thebans, these are the Blemmyes, who are also Ethiopians, have practiced most skillfully the removal of arrows. But anointing them with a most deadly poison, they shoot them at their combatants;

37 and if they should but touch, the one who is struck will surely die, and as if bitten by a snake, he will fall immediately. It was therefore customary and practiced for the Egyptians, when war and battle were imminent, both to hire the phalanxes of the Ethiopians and to be very proud of them; but they were captured with them, being defeated by the valor of the Assyrians. Therefore the Egyptians will be ashamed, he says, of the Ethiopians in whom they trusted. For when they too have been seized and conquered, the inhabitants of this island will say: Behold, we were once trusting to flee to them for help, who were not able to be saved from the king of the Assyrians; and how shall we be saved? Therefore he calls Egypt an island, because it is surrounded by rivers and encircled everywhere with lakes of water; but he introduces its inhabitants as condemning their hope in the Ethiopians. For if they themselves were captured, he says, how could they save those who trusted in them? It is good, therefore, to hope in the Lord, rather than to trust in man; and as the prophet Jeremiah says: "Cursed is the man who has hope in man, and makes flesh his arm; but blessed is he who trusts in the Lord, and the Lord will be his hope. And in some way the prophetic word always benefits us;

38 even if the history should not happen to have the form of a spiritual narrative, yet the benefit from it is not small. For Paul says that these things happened to the ancients as types, but were written for our instruction.

Discourse 12

1 Having very well finished the discourse concerning the Egyptians, I say, when and how they will be called through faith to the knowledge of the true God, the prophet, having declared, passes on to another vision concerning the desert. And in this he does not simply make mention to us of an uninhabited and desolate land; but he calls the land of the Babylonians a desert, which once had inhabitants greater in number, both terrible and most warlike; but it was so desolated, when the wrath from above was brought upon it, that it remained completely devoid of men when Cyrus, the son of Cambyses, campaigned against the Babylonians. Of whom the prophet also makes mention elsewhere, saying: "Thus says the Lord to my anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him. Cities shall not be shut. He took by force the one that was once arrogant and lifted up against every nation, and invincible in battle, I mean Babylon. The prophet now also makes mention of it, and calls it a desert. And in what manner of misery it slipped into this state, he relates clearly for two reasons, as I suppose. Either to make the Jews desist from their hope; "For Ephraim was a silly dove," as one of the holy prophets says; "He called upon Egypt, and went to the Assyrians;

2 or to comfort those who were grieved, because their country had been ravaged, and the temple itself had been burned, and they had been carried off as captives to Babylon along with their wives and children. This was clearly teaching, that God would also rise up against those who had ravaged them, if they should choose to live according to the law, and become genuine keepers of His divine commandments. Therefore the prophet narrates. However, the loftiness of the vision has changes of persons. For at one time, as an eyewitness of things to come, and having already become a spectator, he explains the things shown to him by God; And at times with a prophetic spirit he proclaims beforehand what will happen in due season; and sometimes he also introduces the person of the Babylonians lamenting themselves over such terrible and unexpected calamities. Thus, as one who has seen the expedition of the Persians and Medes, and indeed also of the Elamites against Babylon, he says thus: They will ride through and pass through the desert. "As if a whirlwind of winds should pass through a desert. The dust rising up, and almost confounding everything. And he adds: "Because a dreadful and harsh vision was announced to me. For the sight alone of the enemies is exceedingly sufficient, and the most valiant multitude of fighters prepared for war, to create a harsh dread in those who behold them. But he says he has not only seen, but also, ‘It was announced to me,’ he says;

3 for along with the sight, he was also taught the outcome of the events, clearly by God. "He who deals treacherously, deals treacherously, and he who acts lawlessly, acts lawlessly. Unrebuked, he says, is the audacity of the attackers. For they are not kindled to gentleness by human reasonings; nor does any of them consider any of the things that have come to pass; but he acts lawlessly without restraint, and deals treacherously according to what seems good to him, with no mercy whatsoever; For they do not look to mercy, but their zealous work will be, he says, to act lawlessly and to deal treacherously. He said something like this also through the voice of the same, to the inhabitants of Assyria: Behold, I am bringing upon you the Medes, who do not reckon silver, nor do they have need of gold. They will shatter the arrows of young men. For when God brings wrath upon the transgressors, there will be nothing that can help. Rather, a beast-like mind dwells in those who wish to ravage those against whom they might run. Upon me are the Elamites, and the ambassadors of the Persians are coming against me. Now I will groan, and comfort myself. Therefore my loins were filled with feebleness, and pangs seized me, as a woman in labor; I have done wrong in not hearing, I have hastened in not seeing. My heart wanders, and iniquity overwhelms me, my soul is set in fear. The speech in these things has the power of personification.

4 For the Assyrian is introduced, both fearing the attack, and not ignorant of the phalanxes of the enemies, and against whom is the purpose of the war for them. For not against any others, but 'against me,' he says, 'have the Elamites rushed, and the noblest of the Persians.' I will groan then and comfort myself. For to those who are in extreme calamity, there seems to be a certain kind of comfort, to lament and to wail. For a tear is squeezed out from pain. But it is a strange thing if the Assyrians lament, having always been hard and arrogant, exceedingly disdainful toward all the nations, and thinking that resistance would not be easily met. But those so bold and puffed up with superhuman thoughts, they receive womanly tears, and compose a lament for themselves, being broken into weakness before the experience of war. For my loins were filled with feebleness, and pangs seized me as a woman in labor. But for what reason will such things happen to you, he says, O Assyrian? You might say to the one asking: 'Yes,' he says; 'for I know that I have offended the God who rules all things through much sin.' I have done wrong in not hearing, I have hastened in not seeing. In this, he says, I have wronged myself, because I have greatly practiced being hard of hearing, and I made it a work of haste not to see, that is, who is by nature and truly God.

5 For I heard of the worship of the Jews, I took the holy city by force, I have sacked the temple. I had from hearsay moderate knowledge of the things commanded to those of Israel. Rather, also the prophet Jonah was sent from God, preaching and saying: "Yet three days, and Nineveh will be overthrown; and having been terrified at once by the threat, I repented, but I did wrong again by not hearing, and I have made it a matter of haste not to see what it was necessary to see. For my heart has wandered. And sin has made me submerged, burying me in a way. For this very reason my soul has stood in fear; for I have come to be in dread of the last things. These, then, would be the voices of the Assyrians. For it is the custom of the holy prophets to personify the voices, for the benefit of those who hear. Prepare a table, drink, eat. Arise, O rulers, prepare shields. I said that the word of prophecy is at times very artfully varied into many different persons; and it is absolutely necessary for those who would choose to understand and to report correctly to observe such things accurately. For thus the knowledge would become clear, and have nothing steep or difficult regarding what is said. It has therefore introduced the person of the Assyrians weeping for themselves, and crushed into cowardice, and travailing in unbearable dread of the evils that are about to be.

6 Then it mentions the time when it will happen that they are captured and fall into incurable calamities; and indeed it also makes clear the cause of the [wrath] that came upon them. For the blessed Daniel has written that "Belshazzar the king made a feast for his nobles, for a thousand of them; before the thousand was the wine. Then he says that he also impiously brought forth the holy vessels taken from Jerusalem at that time, and he himself drank from them, and his concubines, and his wives. This was nothing other than boasting against the glory of God; and exalting himself over the one who presides over those from Israel, as one who had been unable in any way to help his own people. So while Belshazzar was drinking, and, so to speak, mocking the holy vessels; There appeared, he says, the knuckle of a hand, and it wrote on the wall, Mene, Tekel, Peres; interpreting the writing, the divine Daniel said to the Assyrian; God has torn apart your kingdom, and has divided it, and it has been given to the Medes and Persians. Of this very history, I think, he now makes mention, and the prophet says as if to the rulers themselves, that is, the nobles, and indeed to Belshazzar; Prepare a table, drink, eat; arise, O rulers, prepare shields; live lavishly, he says, at riotous tables; the saying is in a way customary; be sated, drinking insatiably. And what after this?

7 Wars will succeed the festival, and the suffering will not be long in coming; but from the drinking itself you will run to arms, and you will seek for shields. For it is truly very hard to exalt oneself against God, and to be insolent against the glory beyond which there is nothing of all that exists. For Israel was given to the Assyrians; since God had inflicted upon them the necessity of suffering captivity because of their great sin. But it was not right for those who had conquered to fall into such ignorance and senseless thoughts, as to suppose and think they had overcome the hand of him who willed to save them, and had become better than the ineffable power of the one who is above all and who has raised up creation as God. For thus said the Lord to me: Go, set a watchman for yourself; and whatever you see, report it. And I saw two horsemen riders; a rider on a donkey, and a rider on a camel. It is the custom for the holy prophets at the time of the vision of God, or of the visions, to collect their mind as if within themselves, and with undistracted thought to contemplate the things shown by God, and as if having come to be on high and in a certain secret watchtower, to hearken to the divine words. And so one of the holy prophets said:

8 "I will stand on my watch, and I will mount upon a rock, and I will look out to see what he will say in me, and what I shall answer to my reproof. The prophet now teaches something of this sort, and says that he heard from God: Go, set a watchman for yourself, and whatever you see, report it; and he was not commanded to set up some other watchman, but surely to prepare himself for a vision of God, and as some watchman having come on high with his mind, to look down upon the things that will be, and to receive with sight the spectacle of the events. I saw therefore, he says, two horsemen riders; a rider on a donkey, and a rider of a camel. And what this is, the lament of the Assyrians will teach clearly. For it said: Against me are the Elamites, and the ambassadors of the Persians come to me; and the Elamites are a barbarian nation, practiced in riding on camels. But who else could the rider of the donkey be but the chosen men of the Persians? whom they say indeed go to battle mounted on mules and with canopies, so that no toil might unnerve them. But when they see the place of battle, then, having leaped down from the canopies, they use chosen horses. Therefore, he calls the one who rides on mules the rider of a donkey.

9 Although it is also likely that the prophet saw, in another way, the band of enemies mounted on horses, and a following multitude of camels and mules, prepared perhaps for the transport of the spoils. For elsewhere he says this somewhere: "In the affliction and the distress, a lion and a lion's whelp; from there also vipers and the offspring of flying vipers, who carried their wealth upon donkeys and camels; For he called Cyrus a lion and a lion's whelp, and the Persians and Medes under him. But vipers and the offspring of flying vipers: this is, those from other nations practiced in darting swiftly and moving as if flying, for whom riding camels is a custom and practice. Listen to a great hearing, and call Uriah to the Lord's watchtower. The prophet has confessed that he saw some two horsemen, of a camel and of a donkey; and who these might be, we have already said before. But since he has seen, he is then commanded to hasten to learn the things resulting from the attack, and the terrible accounts of the Chaldeans' calamity. For such a hearing is great indeed. Therefore the things that happened to Babylon were dreadful, and beyond all description, and reaching the extreme of evils. For Cyrus took it in such a way as to make it completely desolate, and to destroy those in it, and netting even from the caves those who had expected to be able to hide at all.

10 And indeed the God of all said to him, that I will give you dark, hidden, unseen treasures; I will open them to you. And somewhere the person of Jerusalem is introduced, speaking to Babylon: Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, because I have fallen and I will rise again; for if I sit in darkness, the Lord will give me light. I will bear the Lord's wrath, because I have sinned against him, until he vindicates my righteousness, and executes my judgment, and brings me out into the light; and I will see his righteousness. And my enemy will see, and shame will cover her, who says to me, Where is the Lord your God? my eyes will look upon her. Now she will be for trampling like mud in the streets. Days of smearing brick, that day is your erasure; on which, clearly, it was sacked by the Persians and Medes and Elamites, and was made desolate, as I said. Listen therefore, he says, to a great hearing, that is, the long and terrible accounts of the capture, and call Uriah to the Lord's watchtower. They say that a certain Uriah was one of the most distinguished among the priests according to the Law. Take, therefore, he says, Uriah as a witness of the watch, that is, the vision, shown to you, and let him be taught by you the things that are to come. For since, disbelieving the prophets' accounts, they were saying:

11 "Speak other things to us, and announce to us another delusion," for this very reason and very providentially, the God of all made the most honored among the Jews witnesses of the things shown at times, as in a prophetic vision, to those who have the spirit of prophecy, so that if they were not willing to be persuaded by their words, they might at least trust those who were honored among them with the priesthood according to the Law. And he said: I stood all day, and in the camp I stood all night; and he himself comes, a rider of a pair of horses. The prophet, having been commanded to set up a watch for himself, and to announce clearly what was shown to him by God; I have stood, he says, continually by day, and through the whole night; and behold, he himself comes, a rider of a pair of horses. Who then is he? The Persian and the Elamite, that is, the leader of the army, that is, Cyrus. And he answered and said: "Babylon is fallen, and all her images, and her handmade things have been shattered to the ground. The prophet saying, "Behold, he himself comes, a rider of a pair of horses," in what way the things of the assault will be done, and having seen it very well not long after, then God answers and says: "Babylon is fallen," that is, the arrogant one, the insolent one, the hammer of the whole earth, as Jeremiah says;

12 the one treading upon all nations like a wild beast, the one raising a proud neck, devastating countries and cities. "Is fallen," he says, that is, she has perished utterly; she is gone and has been trampled, and is seen utterly cast down, lying henceforth under the feet of her captors. And all her images and handmade things have also been shattered. For it is a land of graven images, as another of the holy prophets says; but she trusted greatly in falsely-named gods; and expecting to be saved by their aid, she has been trampled with them, and together with her own objects of worship has been shattered. "Hear, you who are left behind, and are in pain, hear what I heard from the Lord Sabaoth, the God of Israel has announced to us. Israel was carried away captive, and served the Babylonians, God permitting him to be entangled in such long calamities on account of his great sin. However, many had remained both in Jerusalem and in Judea; but they continued groaning and suffering, their land having been ravaged; and the temple itself having been burned, and Jerusalem utterly laid waste. The prophet, therefore, usefully weaves the vision as a remedy of aid for their consolation, and says to them: "Hear, you who are left behind and are in pain, hear what I heard from the Lord Sabaoth. The God of Israel has announced it to us.

13 For he knew, he knew that the calamity of the Babylonians would be a cause of joy for them, and that the accounts of what happened to those who had grieved them would be a manner of consolation to those who had been so ravaged.

Discourse 13

1 And I think it is necessary to first set forth the subject of the vision before us. For thus and not otherwise will those who encounter it understand. Therefore, two sons were born to Isaac, Esau and Jacob; and Esau was called Edom, that is, earthly; for such was his life, and for one meal he sold his birthright, as it is written. But Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in a house; for so the holy Scripture said concerning him; And from Jacob, who was also renamed Israel, came the Jews; and from Esau, that is, Edom, the Idumeans, that is, the Hagarenes, and these are Saracens. Therefore, the Idumeans were brothers and kinsmen to those of Israel; and the land of the Jews and the land of the Idumeans were bordering and adjacent to each other. But neither their kinship, nor their being neighbors to one another, awarded harmony to the peoples. For the Idumeans, living according to the customs and laws of the Greeks, were at variance, and they frequently plundered the land of the Jews, and dared to do the most shameful things to them. And indeed, when those of Israel, having cast off the yoke of the Egyptians' oppression, were returning to the land promised to their fathers, "Moses," it says, "sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: 'Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that has found us; and our fathers went down into Egypt, and we sojourned in Egypt for many days;

2 and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers; and we cried out to the Lord, and the Lord heard our voice, and sending an angel, he brought us out of Egypt; and now we are in the city of Kadesh, from part of your borders: We will pass through your land; we will not pass through fields, nor through vineyards; nor will we drink water from your cistern; we will go by the king's highway; we will not turn aside to the right, nor to the left, until we have passed your borders. And Edom said to him: You shall not pass through me; but if not, I will come out against you with war. Do you see how hard and unmerciful the Idumaeans have become, and this toward their brothers? But their crimes are not limited to these things; for they have also done something else unholy and cruel. For the Babylonian captured the land of the Jews, and after burning the temple and ravaging Israel, he wrought things beyond all description against the inhabitants. Then some of those who had escaped from the Persian sword, as to a neighboring country of the Jews, and as with brothers and kinsmen were eager to take refuge; but they, although it was necessary to help them as brothers, and to pity them for having suffered miserably, and indeed also to receive them kindly, they leaped upon them like wild beasts. And they made the fugitives the work of their own cruelty.

3 And for this very reason, the God of all strongly accused them through the voice of the prophet Obadiah, for it is written thus: "In that day, says the Lord, I will destroy the wise men out of Idumaea, and understanding from the mount of Esau; and your mighty men from Teman shall be dismayed, to the end that every one from the mount of Esau may be cut off, by slaughter and for the impiety against your brother Jacob. And shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever, from the day that you stood on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces; and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem; even you were as one of them. See then how they became imitators of the Persian cruelty, and those who expected to be saved, going for this reason as to brothers and neighbors, they killed pitilessly. So then, after the Babylonians had captured the land of the Jews, and were returning at last to their own land, they made the ravaging of Idumaea a byproduct of their journey. For they took them all, and very easily, God letting loose his wrath upon them. And so he said again through the voice of Obadiah: "For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, so shall it be to you; your recompense shall be returned upon your own head. This then, in brief, is the subject of the vision before us.

4 And indeed we must proceed to each point, to speak of what is written, as far as is possible. Call to me from Seir. This is the voice of the all-ruling God saying to the prophet, that as soon as war descends upon the land of the Idumaeans, all who inhabit it will turn to flight. And Seir is a very large mountain of Idumaea, under which is said to be a splendid city among them. Therefore, as those from Mount Seir, that is, the Idumaeans, are about to be put to flight as never before, he says, Call to me, that is, let those fleeing from there come to Judea. For just as they mocked those from Israel taking refuge among them, so they will be mocked, he says, for doing the same things, and being overcome by the hand of the Babylonians. Guard the battlements, I will keep watch in the morning and at night. The word is to the Idumaeans, with God all but reproaching them for the futility of their labors, namely, those for repelling their enemies, while in no way striving for salvation and help from him. For when the attack of the Assyrians was about to happen, and they were blocking the entrances to the cities, they were guarding the battlements. But the matter was useless to them. For their cities were captured, and there was absolutely no one who was saved. Therefore the word from God to them was made in character:

5 "Yes," he says, "you are planning right and proper things, guard the battlements. Then, as if from them, "I keep watch in the morning, and at night. "But unless the Lord guards the city, in in vain the watchman kept awake. For it was necessary rather to seek help from above and from God, and not indeed rather to trust in stones. For thus they say the walls of their cities have been shaken down, so that a stone was not seen lying upon a stone. If you seek, seek, and dwell with me, in the evening you will sleep in the thicket. For if indeed you wish, he says, to seek help, seek it from me who am able to save, and dwell with me, that is, you will be mine and think my thoughts, removing yourself from the worship of falsely-named gods. The Savior says something of this sort: "He who loves me, let him follow me, and where I am, there also let my servant be. Therefore, when the phalanx of the enemies is overrunning, he says, all the land of the Jews, outside of houses or cities, you will also sleep in the evening in the thicket, that is, you will lodge together with the wild beasts; and you will encamp also in the marshes, and thus finally you will pay the penalty for your cruelty towards your brothers.

6 In the way of Dedan, bring water to meet the thirsty, you who dwell in the land of Teman, meet with bread those who flee because of the multitude of the 70,500 fleeing, and because of the multitude of the wandering, and because of the multitude of the sword, and because of the multitude of the drawn bows, and because of the multitude of the fallen in the war. He accuses the Idumeans of having committed unholy acts, just as I have already said before, also through the voice of Obadiah the prophet. For although it was necessary to help the people of Israel who had fallen into incurable misfortunes, having compassion on them, this they did not do; but they appeared unloving and harsh, and wilder than the cruelty of the Assyrians, cruelly slaughtering those who had managed to escape their hands at all. Therefore, what they should have done to be well-pleasing, having not done this ..... saying: In the way of Dedan bring water to meet the thirsty, you who dwell in the land of Teman, meet with bread those who flee.

7 For it was necessary, it was necessary, he says, for you, who hold the southern country—for Teman is interpreted as South—to bring bread and water to those fleeing and wandering in the way of Dedan, and to be eager rather to accomplish the things befitting the love owed to brothers, and not to oppose like beasts those who have already suffered, leaping upon them in a way, and burdening the yoke of those already oppressed by such bitter and untamable misfortunes. Therefore it was necessary to meet the fugitives kindly. For they were turned to flight, disregarding houses and cities, because of the multitude of the sword and of the terrible bows; and because they have fallen in great numbers, and the dead among them have become more than can be numbered. For thus the Lord said to me: Yet a year, as the year of a hireling, the glory of Kedar will fail, and the remnant of the bows of the mighty sons; Kedar will be small, because the Lord the God of Israel has spoken. That the destruction of Idumea has drawn near, and has, as it were, come within the doors, and that they will altogether and in every way dwell for destruction, as the Babylonians burn down their cities and ravage the whole country, he clearly foretells; For there will be, he says, one year in between, and the archers of Kedar, although, he says, having a reputation not unadmired for this very thing, will fail and perish; and the prophecy is true.

8 For the Lord the God of Israel has spoken; and the truth will in no way lie. Moreover, by the year of a hireling he means that which is precisely measured out. For one who has entered into the toils of service, and has hired himself out to another, always somehow examines minutely and precisely the measure of the time of his hire. And let these things be said now, as far as pertains to the letter and indeed the history. But applying the power of the word to the holy Church and her nurslings, and indeed also to the flocks of the heretics, we say this: that very often the hordes of the Greeks attack those who are accustomed to think rightly, and the creator and Lord of all things by nature and in truth of those who chose to worship. Then, subjecting them to bitter persecutions, they sometimes inflict unbearable labors upon them. And likewise also those who have the poison of unholy heresies in their mind and heart, and although they steal the name of Christians, and feign brotherhood toward us, sometimes surpass the cruelties of the enemies, being both unloving and harsh. For are they not, being of such a kind, convicted of these things by the facts themselves? But God will not endure them forever, nor will He at all tolerate the exceedingly unloving, but will rather bring upon them the things that come from wrath and justice.