Book 5
Israel is swallowed up, now he has become among the nations as a useless vessel, because they went up to the Assyrians; Ephraim blossomed by himself, he loved gifts, therefore they shall be delivered to the nations. He says that Israel is swallowed up, as having endured a miserable shipwreck, and drowned in the waves of his own sins, and as if shattered against some rock by the movements of divine wrath. Or, in another way, he says he was swallowed up, as by a terrible and insatiable dragon, Nebuchadnezzar; for another of the holy prophets also spoke thus to us, taking on the persona of Israel, being already captured by the spear and serving his captors, "He has devoured me, he has divided me, a subtle darkness has seized me, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has swallowed me like a dragon, he has filled his belly from my delicacies." And in another way it is true, that the many-headed dragon in a way swallows up those who fall away from the love of God, and makes them his own food, whom the voice of the psalmist also says was given as food to the peoples of the Ethiopians. "For you," he says, "shattered the head of the dragon; you gave him as food to the peoples of the Ethiopians." For those who have a most black and lightless mind within themselves, are fittingly both thought of and called Ethiopians both by ourselves and by God. these feed the many-headed dragon, and they in turn are fed upon by him. Therefore Israel is swallowed up, and has become among the nations as a useless vessel. for having been carried away to the Assyrians and Medes, he was made completely useless, having been forced, perhaps, to think the things that seemed right to them. or, because he became a useless vessel, for this reason he was also swallowed up, and leaving the one who bore him, he migrated to the nations. The Master of all says something of this kind also through the voice of Jeremiah concerning one of those who had reigned in Samaria over Israel: "Jeconiah has been dishonored as a vessel for which there is no need, because he was cast out and thrown forth into a land which he did not know. O earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord, write this man down as a proclaimed man." Therefore Israel was made useless. For what need has God of a soul that is wandering, and sin-loving, and easily turning aside to anything whatsoever that is amiss and to that which is beyond all evils, the turning away from slavery under God? What then is the cause of Israel suffering such things? That they themselves went up to the Assyrians. For he all but says, they have run as deserters to the enemy. how or in what way? For fearing their attack, they did not rather seek God's help by repenting, but rather persuaded them with gifts to be quiet for a short time. Then he in a way mocks this kind of consideration, as being rash and useless for them, speaking about those who had reigned from the tribe of Ephraim, who also sent gifts to the tyrants of the Assyrians, Ephraim blossomed by himself. It is as if he were to say: the one from the tribe of Ephraim, about to be cut down like some tree trunk having reigned, and as it were withered by the fire of divine wrath, he sprouted up again by himself, that is, without me, and not having my accord, he thought, it says, that he would live and put down a root deep, and would not slip from his own thrones. For he purchased a temporary and short delay of the evil, by loving gifts; not rather to receive, but to give. And what was the result? No benefit at all, but they will be handed over to the nations, and through the very things that will happen, he might learn that no one can sprout up again by himself; nor would it profit those who offend God to give gifts to their enemies. For they will be subject, and not for long, to justice. Now I will receive them, and they shall cease a little from anointing a king and rulers. Those from the tribe of Ephraim who reigned over them have been, so to speak, the cause of all the depravity of Israel. For first the accursed Jeroboam became the inventor of the apostasy, setting up for them golden calves, and of the so-called high places, that is, of the precincts on mountains and hills, appointing priests, those not from the tribe of Levi, but rather whoever "filled their hand," as it is written. Then after him, when the Assyrians were expected, in the time of the reign of Menahem, they sent money, persuading them to keep away from the land. For this reason, the divine threat has been justly made against the kingdom from the tribe of Ephraim that was established over Israel. For 'now I will receive them,' he says, not as having a good character, nor as having chosen to live best, nor indeed as desiring the polity according to the law, but as a disciplinarian, and demanding justice, and already calling them to judgment. For out of gentleness I allowed the things from divine wrath to be postponed, during the past time, but 'now I will receive them,' he says, so that by the experience of terrible things they may scarcely learn that they are also under a Master, and not outside my hand. And that the things from wrath are no longer postponed, he has confirmed by saying 'now.' Therefore, having been received so that they may be disciplined, they will henceforth cease from anointing a king and rulers. For while serving the Assyrians and Medes, what leisure would they have to perform the works of apostasy? They who indeed were continually lamenting and bewailing the unexpected disaster. But it should be known that after Cyrus son of Cambyses released Israel from captivity, they no longer anointed in Samaria those from the tribe of Ephraim, but all came under one yoke, with those from the tribe of Judah reigning in Jerusalem. For they dwelt no longer dividedly, but all in Jerusalem. And the first to rule after the times of the captivity over the kingdom of both, I mean, of both Israel and Judah, or rather of all twelve tribes without exception, was Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel from the tribe of Judah, with the Levitical orders being led and the ministry of the high priesthood being administered by Jesus son of Jozadak the high priest. Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sins, beloved altars have become his; I will write for him a multitude and his statutes. His beloved altars were accounted as strange things to him. He explains the reason for which he now justly brings upon the rulers the necessity of falling from their rule. For Ephraim has made very many altars for sins. And the discourse rushes also to the first Jeroboam, who reigned from the tribe of Ephraim, and after him to his successors, who, on every mountain and hill setting up altars to demons, persuaded those of Israel to sacrifice. Then, when it was necessary to be grieved at such outrageous undertakings—for they multiplied altars for sins—he says they made them also beloved, and in addition to these things, the beloved altars were accounted as strange to him, it is clear that to Ephraim. And it certainly indicates the things in the ancient tabernacle, that is, in Jerusalem, located in the divine temple. And these were two: the one for burnt offerings in the first tabernacle, and the other, the golden one, for incense, in the second and innermost. Therefore many of those from The crimes of Ephraim when they were kings; first, that they multiplied altars for sins; then that they have also made beloved the things for which it was fitting to lament and mourn, as ones who have given offense; and what is yet greater, as one having turned to despair, he has made alien the beloved altars, which one truly ought to love and hold in all esteem. and he cast in the midst, the "I will write for him the multitude and his laws." and it implies something of this sort: for he says the multitude of the altars made by them for sins, and their laws, that is again, the sacrifices customary for them, or the times or manners of the sacrifices, according to which they offered their profane rites; for they cut themselves over wheat and wine, and were eager to do certain other things like these; "I will write down for them for sins and for crimes." It is therefore a saving thing to hold to the divine altars, and to partake of the things from God, and not to seek the things of others, which are indeed for sin. This is what those who are not genuine Christians do, falling away after the saving baptism to Greek customs and observances, to whom it is fitting to say through the voice of Paul, "You cannot "partake of the Lord's table and the table of demons;" and indeed also those who attach themselves to the unholy heretics, and partake of their altars, for whom in truth the beloved altars have become alien. for they have multiplied for themselves things for sins, sacrificing the lamb outside the sacred and divine court, that is, the Church. Because if they offer a sacrifice and eat meat, the Lord will not accept them; now he will remember their iniquities and will avenge their sins. That the altars for sins have come into being and have been multiplied by Ephraim, he makes very clear also through these things. For what they sacrifice, he says, is offered by them not to God, but rather to the precincts of idols; and even if they celebrate at the sacrifices, filling themselves with food or drink, the matter is nothing to God. For they do not perform the festival for him, because the divine and undefiled nature would in no way accept what is done for the glory of demons, but rather is provoked as having been insulted; and she is all but unwillingly forced to bring down the judgments of wrath upon those who call for this, and to proceed to the remembrance of all, so to speak, of the things committed by those who offend. And when this has happened, sharp is the anger, judgment is at hand, and there is no one who is delivered. "It is therefore a fearful thing "to fall into the hands of the living God." But it is more fitting, and incomparably better, and for us the cause of all prosperity, to offer sacrifices to God, spiritual ones, that is, and for him to fulfill festivals, choosing to live rightly, and earnestly avoiding to fall away at all in any respect. But they returned to Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat unclean things. He again accuses them, as wishing to live in a completely senseless and unholy manner, and as having entirely ignored the path of what is expedient. For I, he says, threatened to bring under my wrath those who had come to this opinion, and to avenge their sins, and to remember all their lawlessness. And in the beginning what was expected to happen was this, with the war already terrifying Israel, and all but attacking the country. Then, when they ought to have been propitiating God with prayers and repentance, and to be re-educated in what seemed good to him, and to put his wrath to shame by their recourse to what is better, as to something exceedingly useful, and able to deliver them, they turned back to Egypt, calling for aid "an Egyptian man "and not God, the flesh of horses," according to what is written. But, "A king is not saved through great power, and a giant "will not be saved in the multitude of his strength. A horse is false for "salvation. It is good to trust in the Lord rather than to trust in "man. It is good to hope in the Lord rather than to hope in "princes." that for them the things of such a kind, he says has resulted from foolish counsel, they will know from experience itself; for being carried off to the Assyrians and Medes, there they will eat unclean things, that is, they will live having cast off the remnant of reverence for the law, and eating whatever is at hand without guard. But perhaps someone will say: then how would this have grieved the from Israel, who chose to worship idols? To these things we say, that they have admittedly been deceived, but there was still in their minds some small care for the law, and they had not completely lost the Jewish customs, even though they worshiped in the temples of idols. For this reason also the blessed prophet Elijah once accused them of limping on two houghs, and of being willing to adhere neither completely to Baal, nor indeed perfectly to God. Therefore Israel, having become captive, has completely cast off reverence for the law, following out of necessity the customs and laws of their rulers. And this I think is what Christ himself said, that "To everyone "who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from "him who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away from him." Therefore we must not despise the divine gifts; but whatever we have from God, we should take the greatest account of; for the gift will dwell with those who care for it; but if we become lazy and negligent concerning it, it will surely fly away. And Israel forgot him who made him, and they built shrines; and Judah made walled cities; and I will send fire upon his cities, and it shall devour their foundations. He rebukes both kingdoms, I mean the one in Samaria, and that of Judah, that is, the one in Jerusalem. For what both have done, it is necessary to observe and to say at the same time. For when the war was expected to happen, and when the terror was practically already at their very gates, when it was necessary for them, both those in Samaria and the kings from the tribe of Judah, to seek help from God the Savior, they turned to strange and useless opinions and, when they ought to have healed with repentance, they provoked against themselves even more greatly the God who rules over all. For Israel, that is, the ten tribes and those who held their power, offered yet more acts of worship, as if to aggrieved demons, or rather to those able to avert the capture and to overturn the phalanxes of the enemies; and as if appeasing them and making them benevolent, they built shrines, and they set up altars, and they honored them with still more sacrifices; but Judah made his own cities more fortified, trusting in stones rather than in God, although He says clearly concerning Jerusalem, that "I will be to her, says the Lord, a wall of fire round about, and I will be for glory in her midst." But this thing did not help Israel at all; and for the future God threatened to bring fire upon the cities of Judah, the Babylonians clearly burning them, who became ministers of His wrath against them. Therefore, nothing at all will save the one who offends God; and it is admittedly a loss and a charge of ignorance for the future, or rather of the highest impiety, to trust in the powers of demons; and with God being grieved and rendering them powerless, it is no less ignorant to be deceived by earthly aids. But rather one must ward off His wrath with prayers and repentance; for He is "merciful "and good and repents of the evils" according to what is written. Do not rejoice, Israel, nor be glad like the peoples, because you have committed fornication against your God; you have loved gifts upon every threshing floor of wheat. The threshing floor and the winepress did not know them, and the wine deceived them. They did not dwell in the Lord’s land; Ephraim dwelt in Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat unclean things. They did not pour out wine to the Lord, and they were not pleasing to him; their sacrifices are to them like bread of mourning, all who eat them will be defiled, because their breads for their souls will not enter the house of the Lord. To the to the herds of the nations, since indeed they suffer from the greatest folly; for they had admittedly gone astray; it was the custom for those beginning their farming and about to plow the earth to offer sacrifices to the demons, and to ask from them the fruitfulness of the fields; and reaping again, when the season called for it, and indeed also putting the grape cluster in the wine-presses, they poured libations, they sacrificed to the seasons, they sang the wine-press songs, offering up their thank-offerings, and they continued rejoicing and making merry. God finds fault with those of Israel for doing this. For he clearly insists that he should not rejoice, just as the rest of the nations. For what reason? For those who were completely ignorant of the God who is by nature and truly is, but were rather born in error, perhaps have a not implausible reason for their weakness or ignorance; but Israel, though instructed by the law, and having known the Master of all, has committed fornication into apostasy. Therefore, he might be understood as being reasonably under a heavier charge, and having an inescapable accusation of impiety; for knowing the will of his Lord, he neglected it, he did not do it. He shall therefore be beaten with many stripes; while the one who did not know, and then did not do it, will be beaten with few, according to the Savior's voice. Therefore, do not rejoice as the peoples, he says. For they have gone astray from the womb; but you, having been instructed by the law, have committed fornication away from God. And what was the manner of his fornication? He loved gifts, he says, not from God rather, but those from the heifers and Baal; although they give nothing to those who ask. And for what things did he seek gifts from them? On every threshing-floor of wheat. For it seemed unholy and foolish to them to ask for the fruitfulness of the fields, as I said, from their empty objects of worship. So, then, did Israel seek gifts from the idols; and did his requests turn out according to his prayer? Not at all; for the threshing-floor and the wine-press did not know them, and the wine failed them. And it is not debatable to any of the more eager students that there were famines in Samaria, and crop failures and long droughts. He therefore missed his hope, not receiving his requests; and in addition to this, they also departed from the holy land, and entered Egypt, as into a land fortified and with even more gods; for there were countless objects of worship in Egypt, and a certain wonderful reputation for power among those who served them, as being able to accomplish all things easily through magical experiences. They therefore gave up dwelling in the land chosen by God, and they exchanged it for the land of idols. But even if they have done this, they will go to the Assyrians. They did not pour out wine to the Lord. For having gathered the fruit of the vine into the wine-presses, they poured out the first-fruits to the demons, and not to God who gave it. And they also offered up loaves, as a first-fruit of the harvest. But the thing will become for them a pollution and a profanation, he says, and what is brought will be reckoned as bread of mourning, that is, detestable and profane and hateful. For what reason? For the law made unclean the one who approached a corpse; approaching, that is, either through blood relationship, or even through physical contact itself. It was therefore necessary for those who were near in kinship, or friends of the deceased, to be defiled in their mourning, attending to the corpse, and wishing to perform the customary rites over it; and all things which they happened to touch were unclean. Therefore, the bread of mourning is that which is set before those who mourn a corpse for food; and to taste of it seemed utterly dreadful to those who had practiced avoiding the pollution associated with a corpse. Therefore, defiled and rejected, he says, are the loaves themselves, which might be brought as a first-fruit of the harvests, and those who eat them will be defiled. But they will be useful rather for their souls, that is, for their own eating. For they will not enter the house of the Lord. But one must know that the law also commanded to bring a first-fruit of the harvest, both sheaves and bread, as a sacrifice. But Israel transferred what was for the glory of God to the carved images, even though God says clearly, "My glory I will not give to another, nor my praises to my carved images." Therefore it is necessary to ask from God the things that give life, and to confess him as the giver and provider of all bodily and spiritual fruitfulness to us. for there is no other besides him who sends rain, according to what is written, but by his commands, the seasonal crops also spring up in the fields, and we are filled with the blessing from above, being nourished by the spiritual bread, and having the wine from heaven, "which gladdens the heart of man." Having chosen to think these things, we will inhabit the holy land. For we will be with God, and we will not eat unclean things among the Assyrians. For "the world-rulers of this age, the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" feed in uncleanness those who approach them. What will you do on the day of a festival and on the days of the feast of the Lord? For since, he says, you have arrived at this point of ill-counsel and impiety, and have become so abominable and hateful, what manner of help will there be for you? or what will you have done and planned to escape so terrible and savage a calamity, when my festival is celebrated, with war consuming those who have caused grief? Therefore God names his own feast, clearly the time in which Israel would be required to pay the penalty for the sins committed against him. Therefore one must not simply and thoughtlessly do what seems best, and take pleasure in present things, being carried away by desires into offending God, but rather to look around at what is to come, and to hasten to escape the things that come from divine wrath. For in this way we will be wise, and knowledgeable of what is beneficial. Therefore behold, they shall go forth from the misery of Egypt, and Memphis shall receive them, and Michmash shall bury them. And destruction shall inherit their silver; thorns shall be in their tents. When the Babylonians were ravaging Samaria, those who were strong enough to escape barely fled to the land of the Egyptians; but also when they captured Jerusalem itself, in the times of the prophecy of Jeremiah, a very small number were left from the tribe of Judah and Benjamin. These entered into Egypt, although God was commanding them through the voice of Jeremiah, and saying clearly, that they should not go to the land of the Egyptians, having abandoned the land that bore them, and he had threatened that if they should do this against his will, they would fall into equal, or even more burdensome things. For what is written is as follows: "Thus says the Lord: If you set your face "toward Egypt and enter there to dwell, the sword "which you fear on its account "will find you in Egypt." For since, taking courage in the help of the Egyptians, they opposed the Babylonians, for this reason being grieved, after the capture of Jerusalem and Samaria, the Babylonians turned against the Egyptians, and conquered them without a struggle, then it happened that the remnants of the Jews perished along with the Egyptians. And indeed those who were strong enough to escape the misery in Egypt, barely fled beyond, going to the land of the Arcadians, and they dwelled in Memphis and Michmash as in a most fortified city; and this is another neighboring city, surely, and more distinguished than the others; and there they died, having clearly passed long periods of time, and not being able to return to Judea. And again the prophet Jeremiah spoke thus: "Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I am setting "my face to destroy all the remnant "in Egypt, and they shall fall by the sword and by famine, "they shall fail, from the least to the greatest, and they shall be for "a reproach and for destruction and for a curse. And I will "visit upon those dwelling in the land of Egypt as I visited "upon Jerusalem with sword and with famine and with "death, and there will be no one saved of the remnant "of Judah who are sojourning in the land of Egypt, to return "to the land of Judah, for which they hope with their souls "to return there; they shall not return." Do you hear that they died in to Egypt, and there the divine wrath was brought upon them? When therefore, shunning the misery in Egypt, they should arrive at Memphis as if to a famous city, it will receive them, but in Machmas they will die. For this is the meaning of "Machmas will bury them." When therefore God pursues, no one will save the one in danger, but wherever one might go, there he will encounter His anger. And he says these things will happen to them in Egypt. But since they have also grieved him with their own wealth; "For their silver and their gold they made for themselves idols," he says; for this reason justly destruction will inherit it, that is, it will be an inheritance for the destroyer. For he calls the Assyrian "destruction," as one who has savagely and cruelly destroyed and fought. and thorns, he says, will grow in their tents. for the cities have come to such a state of desolation as to become full of thorns; and this is a sign of land impassable and uncultivated. When therefore one does not use rightly the good things given by God, whether physical or spiritual, nor indeed for His glory, but thoughtlessly does things by which he might give offense, and is caught grieving Him, he will depart into destruction, and will be an inheritance for the plundering Satan, and a dwelling-place of thorns, that is, of savage and misplaced desires; and he would not have cultivated fruits in his mind. And heretics, before others, would suffer this, impiously spending the use of reason to lead brothers astray; and "to strike their weak conscience," although Christ suffered for us. The days of vengeance have come, the days of your recompense have come, and Israel will be afflicted like the prophet who is out of his mind, the man who is spirit-borne. It was the custom of those of Israel to cast off the words of the holy prophets, and to consider the things from God as nothing, although many times He had foretold that terrible things would happen to them. And indeed the God of all has addressed the prophet Ezekiel somewhere saying, "Son of man, behold the rebellious house of Israel, they are saying, 'The vision which he sees is for many days to come, and he prophesies of times far off.' Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord Adonai: None of my words which I shall speak shall be prolonged any more; for I will speak a word and I will do it, says the Lord Adonai.'" He says something like this here also; for he says the days of vengeance have come. It is as if he were to say, The judgment is near, and the contest is already at the very doors, disaster is a neighbor, and the war is before our eyes. The day of recompense is at hand. And when you are afflicted, he says, O Israel, every false prophet in you will certainly be afflicted with you, and in like manner will partake of the judgment, the man who is out of his mind, that is, the inspired and mad one, and who has lost his senses, whom you have considered to be spirit-borne. For along with the others have perished both the priests of the high places, and the worshipers of idols, and all who were false speakers and false prophets in Israel. For since they pretended to be mad when making their prophecies, and feigned to be inspired, for this reason he also calls such a one a man who is out of his mind. By the multitude of your iniquities your madness was multiplied. He speaks of a multitude of iniquity as it were, the manifold and multiform religion of Israel. For in one word, they were deceived, and all were idolaters. But they divided the ways of their error, some brought their rites to some, others to others, and for those who came to them they made false prophecies. For some served the heifers; others Chemosh, the idol of Moab; and others Astarte. And there were those who served both Baal and the host of heaven. For this reason God reproached them, saying through the voice of Jeremiah, "For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah." For each city among them confessed to having its own god. This very thing he rightly calls a multitude of iniquity. For it is truly an iniquity and an outrage against God, to depart from him, and to adhere to wood and stones, and "to the by the works of their own hands," as it is written. But by madness he means divination. Therefore, since a multitude of iniquity is found in you, he says, for this reason madness has also multiplied in you, that is, false divination, with each of the false diviners likely having his own way by which he prophesied. Truly, therefore, it is absurd and unlawful and profane, and not incapable of grieving and terribly provoking the God of all, to love to adhere to the false words of those accustomed to speak things "from their own heart," as it is written, and not "from the mouth of the Lord." Therefore Christians must guard against this transgression. For to suffer from such things would be fitting only for the servants of demons. A watchman of Ephraim is a prophet with God, a crooked snare over all his ways. It is the custom of divine Scripture to call watchmen those who preside over and are set before the people, and are lifted up high on account of honor, whom one might also look to, if indeed he wished to live a straight and blameless life. And indeed, God said somewhere to the blessed prophet Ezekiel, "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel, and you will hear a word from my mouth, and you will warn them from me." For it is the custom for such watchmen not only to set forth their own life to those being instructed as a model of virtue or lawful conduct, but also to introduce useful things and to interpret rightly what is pleasing to God. But those under good watchmen, going straight toward what is fitting, were saved; but those assigning the inclination of their own mind to wicked and vile men, continued "deceiving and being deceived," and had a mind alienated from all good work and true knowledge. He now also accuses those from the tribe of Ephraim, that is, Israel, of having suffered this. For, he says, a prophet with a god has become a watchman for him. It is as if he were saying, for each of the falsely named gods, there is also a particular false prophet. For as I have already said, they were divided into a manifold error. And some have served Baal; others Chemosh, that is, Baal-peor; and in each sacred precinct something was fabricated, and there was a man-made statue and image, and attending each was a particular false prophet. And the manner of divination among them was varied. And they simply belched out to those who came to them whatever seemed useful and necessary. Therefore, since a particular prophet with each of the falsely named gods has become a watchman for those from Ephraim, for this reason they have now turned aside unrestrainedly to everything that is most shameful. This has become for him also a crooked snare. For it was not possible for those who had slipped into such great polytheism ever to be directed and to be able to walk rightly, so as to have a particular prophet with each god; and in addition, to make a watchman of one who carries them away from piety toward God and casts them into the pits of destruction. Therefore those who wish to live lawfully must pay attention not simply to those who teach, nor to those who speak things from their own heart, but to those for whom the divine and heavenly grace bears witness to the genuineness of their love for God. Therefore Christ also says, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." For speaking truly, we say that the inventors and leaders of unholy heresies differ little from wild beasts, "Those who devour Israel with their whole mouth." For they consume, as it were, the souls of the more simple, crushing them with the teeth of deceit. Let it be said, therefore, also by us, "God will break their teeth in their mouth; the Lord has shattered the molars of the lions. They will be regarded as nothing, like water that passes by; he will bend his bow until they are weakened. Like melting wax they will be destroyed." They have planted madness in the house of the Lord. They were corrupted according to the days of the hill; he will remember his iniquity, he will avenge his sins. Here too, by madness he usually means false divination. And the house of the Lord He names Israel. And so it is said somewhere through the voice of Jeremiah to the Synagogue of the Jews, as from the person of God "Have you not called me as a house and a father and the guide of your virginity?" He is astonished, therefore, at the magnitude of the frenzy, and the excess of their absurd undertakings. For they have reached such a point of impiety, he says, as to establish madness in the house of the Lord, that is, false prophecy, and to transgress what is forbidden by the divine laws. And he says well "they have established"; for what was once dared has not ceased, but the matter of impiety has, as it were, become fixed and entrenched. For Israel has not ceased having false diviners and false prophets. But since they have dared such things, being justly called to account for what they did, they were destroyed in the days of the hill. For He will remember their iniquity, and will avenge all their sins. And what this is, "they were destroyed in the days of the hill," come, let us briefly recall. Something of this sort is written in the book of Judges; I will make the whole narrative cursorily, as is possible, and I will condense it, since it is rather long. "In those days," he says, "there was no king "in Israel; a man did what was right in his own eyes. "And there was a young man from Bethlehem, of the tribe of Judah, and he was "a Levite, and he was sojourning there. And the man went "from Bethlehem, the city of Judah, to sojourn wherever he might find "a place, and he came to the hill country of Ephraim, and to the house of Micah, "to make his way. And Micah said to him, 'Where "do you come from?' And the Levite said to him, 'I am from Bethlehem "of Judah, and I am going to live wherever I might find a place.' "And Micah said to him, 'Stay with me, and be a father and a priest to me, "and I will give you ten pieces of silver "a day and a change of clothes and things for your life.' "And the Levite went, and began to sojourn with the "man. And the young man was with him as one of his sons. "And Micah consecrated the Levite, "and he became his priest, and was in the house of Micah." Micah, then, was an idolater, and yet he hired the one from the blood of Levi, and made him a servant of a graven image, and assigned him to the services of the idols. And what happened after this? The sacred scripture again spoke thus: "And in those days the tribe of Dan was seeking for itself "an inheritance to dwell in, because an inheritance had not fallen to it until "that day among the tribes of Israel." Then selecting five men, they persuaded them to go before them, and to spy out the land which they might be able to take and make their own inheritance. And they came, he says, "to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there." While they were in the house of Micah, they recognized the Levite, as their kinsman, because he used their language. For since they were Hebrews, he spoke as a Hebrew. And having asked the reason, and learned how Micah had hired him, though he was from the tribe of Levi, and had appointed him a priest of his own objects of worship, instead of sympathizing with him as a captive and a deceived and wandering man, they immediately slipped into the snares of deceit, and thought it right for him to speak, inquiring of the idol if their enterprise would turn out according to their mind, I mean the conquering of the land they had come to spy out. And he spoke what seemed good as from God. And when the messengers had spied out the land, they reported to those who had sent them that it was good and fertile, and could be taken without sweat. And when those from the tribe of Dan heard such words, six hundred in number, being in arms, went up. And they themselves also came to the house of Micah. "And the five men," he says, "who had gone to spy out the land "of Laish answered and said to their brothers, 'Do you know that "in this house there is an Ephod and Teraphim and a graven image "and a molten image? And now know what you will do.'" Now Ephod is interpreted as redemption, and Teraphim again as release or one who heals them. For it was an idol, having a false notion about itself, that it was able to heal some. For sometimes the children of the Greeks invest handmade objects with such opinions. Having learned this, those from Dan take up the graven image, and they also persuade the one from the bloodline of Levi to follow them, departing from Micah. And having drawn up for battle and conquered, and having taken the land in hand, they built a city, which they named Dan, inscribing upon it the name of their forefather. For they were of the tribe and blood of Dan, as I said. And having also set up the idol in it, they brought sacrifices, and along with the land they also acquired a god. To this their mind was brought down by foolishness. For this reason God was henceforth indignant, and very rightly so, as having been insulted. Then, when it was necessary for all those of Israel to consider those from Dan as enemies and most hostile, and to demand an account for their impiety towards God, they perhaps even colluded with them, and saw fit to praise them, as having not sinned at all. And what wages came to them for this indifference, come, let us say in order. When Israel remained without a king, a certain Levite man, dwelling in the hill country of Ephraim, took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem. And when the woman ran away to her father, the Levite followed; and he persuades her again to return with him, and to be at home from then on. When this had happened, while going along the middle of the road, he lodged with the woman in Gibeah, which is interpreted as "hill." Now those from the tribe of Benjamin inhabited Gibeah, that is, the hill. And when he was lodging with a certain old man, lawless men from the tribe of Benjamin, coming in the middle of the night, as it is written, wanted to force both the Levite himself and others to lewdness. But having been shamed with difficulty out of the excess of their absurdity, they seize the Levite's concubine, and indeed they killed her, committing lewd acts against the woman all night long. And he, having divided the body into pieces, distributed it to those of the tribes of Israel, making manifest both the sin of those from the tribe of Benjamin against strangers, and their unbridled licentiousness; and that they had imitated the sins of the Sodomites. From this, all Israel, being indignant, was gathered together, and they marched against the tribe of Benjamin in Gibeah, that is, in the hill; and so they destroyed it, although it was very populous, so that very few who were saved barely escaped into the wilderness. And not a few of the fighting men from all Israel also perished. But God would not have allowed those of Israel to clash with each other, if those from Dan had not honored the graven image from Micah's house, and those from the other tribes had not been unreasonably quiet. Something of this sort also happened when God was grieved by the golden calves. For the two tribes of Judah and the ten of Ephraim clashed with each other; and as in the days of the hill, countless numbers fell, and the defeated were destroyed along with the victors, as divine wrath called them to this. And these things were done when Amaziah was reigning over Judah, and Joash over Israel, who so captured Jerusalem as to also tear down a part of the wall for four hundred cubits. I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, and I saw their fathers as the first-ripe fruit on the fig tree; they went in to Baal-peor, and were estranged into shame, and the beloved became as the detested. That their being destroyed did not happen to them in vain, but in justice, he now attempts to teach. For I, he says, chose them, as one finding grapes in a desert, and as one plucking a ripe fig from a fig tree; for I brought them out of the land of the Egyptians, which was entirely idolatrous and deluded, and suffering a great lack of every good thing. What then of the chosen ones, those snatched by my hand? They have attached themselves to Baal-peor, they have departed from intimacy with me into shame. This is the meaning of "they were estranged into shame." And he calls shame the Baal-peor. for he was in the most uncomely form of all the others, and indecent to behold. Therefore, loving to be with God, and honoring him as one who has called and chosen, and as one who has snatched from a desert and thorn-bearing land of the condition in this world, as having loved a grape and an early fig, we will preserve unbreakable the union with him, that is, clearly, the spiritual one. But if there should be some turning away to what is uncomely, and to what grieves him, we will in no way differ from the nations. for we who were loved will be as those who were detested who also have been reasonably hated. "For the righteousness, he says, of the righteous man "will not deliver him, in the day that he sins." and very wisely the blessed Paul writes "Therefore let him who "thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall." Ephraim has flown away like a bird. Such birds as are not tame and domesticated, when caught are kept, and delight their owners. but if an opportunity to escape should arise, without delay it departs, and is carried in swift flight to its accustomed habitat. Therefore Israel was hunted in a certain way through Moses like a bird, and was brought to God, and was in a good state of prosperity, being instructed by the law and enjoying the care and providence from above. But it flew away again to what it was in the beginning, all but escaping the hand of its captor. Or you will also understand what was said in another way. Many birds, not bearing the local winters, migrate to other lands, untaught, having the knowledge of what is beneficial, according to the will of the Creator. But in the same way Ephraim also, fearing the calamities from the war, flew away to the Egyptians. Their glories are from births and pangs and conceptions; because even if they should raise their children, they will be made childless from among men; because woe also is to them. Israel fled to the Egyptians, having left the one who bore it, and called upon the ruler of the country to assist it. Was it because God was weak, and not able to save them? Not at all; for the divine is all-powerful, and not unable to ward off the war of the Assyrians. It happened that those from Ephraim, that is, Israel, suffered such things, because, having abandoned God the Savior, and mocking as stale the idea of being proud in him and in him alone, they thought that on their own they would become terrible and invincible to their enemies, because they had expanded into a great multitude, and had an innumerable abundance of children. For their women gave birth according to the promise, and in the order of blessing, Moses having said before, "There shall not be a barren man or a barren woman among the sons of "Israel." But it was utterly foolish, on account of a multitude of bodies, to disregard the help from God; but they should rather have understood, thinking rightly, that with him and through him "one will chase a thousand, and two will move ten thousand." Therefore, he says, they pride themselves not in God rather, but make their glory the births and conceptions and pangs of their women. Let them know, therefore, that even if they should bear sons, and even if they should labor raising children, they will repent, having labored in vain. For they will in every way and altogether lament their childlessness. And the Babylonian sword will suffice to easily destroy all of their offspring. Because woe also is to them. This is as if he should say, When God casts woe upon them, who will bestow cheerfulness? "For if he shuts up a man, "who can open?" as it is written. "It is therefore a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God;" and it is necessary to appease the one who has been grieved with gentleness, and to seek salvation from him, trusting in no one, but rather crying out, "I will boast in God my Savior; "the Lord God is my strength." My flesh is from them. As God was threatening and indeed saying concerning Ephraim, that is, all of Israel, that it would be utterly destroyed, root and all, and would lament its childlessness, and would labor in vain in the rearing of its children, the prophet withdraws himself from the judgment, and prays to be outside of the wrath, saying My flesh is from them. and you will understand "from them," instead of far from them. For outside of them and far away, he says, may I myself be, and my entire race. For sometimes "flesh" also signifies race. For thus we will correctly interpret what was said through the voice of Paul. For he wrote thus: "But I say to you, the Gentiles: inasmuch therefore as I "am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry, if somehow "I might provoke my own flesh to jealousy and save some of them." It is a custom for the holy prophets, when they often see the accusations of some to be terrible and unbearable, to then separate themselves from their abomination. And so the prophet Jeremiah, seeing the Jews had fallen into so many accusations and had offended God, says, "O Lord "Almighty, I did not sit in the council of those who jest, "but I was in awe before your hand; I sat alone, "because I was filled with bitterness." Therefore, we must indeed marvel at the blessed Paul, when he commands us, saying, "Keep yourself pure, and do not share in the sins of others." Every pious person, therefore, might reasonably say concerning those who offend God and are about to be punished, My flesh is from them. Ephraim, as I saw, has presented his children as prey, and Ephraim to bring out his children for the slaughter. And now the prophet pronounces Ephraim, that is, Israel, wretched, saying that he himself has become the cause of his own childlessness and incurable disaster. For as I have seen, he says, both from your words, O Master, and from the events themselves, Ephraim himself has presented his own children for hunting and for slaughter. And he would not blame others for this, nor would he cry out against the divine wrath, if he should choose to think reasonably; but he will rather blame his own ill counsel and apostasy. For since he has grieved not moderately the God who defends and saves, he has all but willingly handed over his own seed with his own hand to the savagery of the nations, and has presented it for deportation and captivity. For this is "for hunting," and indeed also "for slaughter," that is, for massacre; for some of those from Israel the Babylonians killed, and others they carried away to their own land. Therefore, when we sin, thinking rightly we will blame ourselves rather, and not the divine wrath. For we have despised what is fitting, and have become slothful concerning what is pleasing to God. But it is necessary for the insolent and unbridled one to be punished, the one who all but says to the Master of all, "Depart from me, I do not wish to know your ways." Give them, O Lord; what will you give them? Give them a childless womb and dry breasts. If indeed, he says, those of Israel are not to know God, but are rather to be carried away toward a useless and unprofitable hope, and to think that they will overcome their enemies because of the multitude of their children, and that the fighting race among them is numerous, and for this reason it is not necessary for them to be helped by your hand, let the women among them not give birth at all. For this is the childless womb. And even if they should give birth, let them not be raised, that is, let them be destroyed before their time, and before they come to puberty, let the offspring fall. For with the arrogance that is in them from this cause thus being cut away, and the hope in the multitude of fighters being finally removed, they will have recourse to your mercy, and will acknowledge you as Savior and redeemer. But the prophet says such things even now out of love for God. And at the same time he seeks both the glory of his own Master, and the return out of necessity of those of the blood of Israel, if they do not have the fruit of a good choice. But a childless womb and dry breasts might be fittingly understood also for the workers of evil, and for everyone who deceives and leads astray from the straight path those who are accustomed to walk uprightly, in faith I mean, "and who go straight in their ways." For their mind giving birth to nothing, neither false word nor spurious doctrine, nor could they nourish in error their own children, I mean those in respect to learning, with the breasts of those who practice evil being dry churches, they would not become mothers of the deceived. All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them because of the wickedness of their doings; I will cast them out of my house, I will no longer love them. Again the God of all begins to recount the accusations, and he remembers Gilgal. This is a city, in which the handmade idols were worshipped in a most terrible and strange manner. And what he says is something like this again. For in many ways those of Israel are abominable; but one might see the excess of the worthlessness within them, having considered Gilgal. There I have seen all their wickedness, there I have hated them, not because of the place; for that is foolish; but rather hating the things that happened in it. Therefore, he says, I will banish them, and I will drive them from my court, and I will cast them out of my household. And having hated them justly, I will henceforth oppose them, and I would not change my mind again to choose ever to love those who have committed such sins. But I suppose someone will say, 'How then did he bring them back to Judea from the land of the Assyrians, or how did he release them from captivity?' Was he not changed to gentleness, and deemed them worthy of forbearance and love? Yes, I myself would say that the statement is true. For they have been shown mercy out of gentleness, admittedly. But those against whom the word was spoken went away into captivity, and have died in their judgment, after a long time had passed. And just as he promised through Moses in Egypt to those of Israel, to bring all of them into the land which he swore to their fathers, but some did not enter because they were disobedient, 'whose limbs also fell in the wilderness,' but rather the land was inherited by those born of them; so you will understand it here also. For those against whom the word was spoken have died, but at the appointed times those from among them returned to Judea, when Cyrus reluctantly permitted it, when their seventieth year of dwelling in a foreign land was fulfilled. But they will be cast out of the house of God, or rather have been cast out, both those who dared terrible things against Christ, and impieties beyond all reason, and those who loosed a bitter and blasphemous tongue against him; and they will endure an unchangeable wrath. For they are caught having behaved insolently not against one of the prophets, but against the very Lord of the prophets. Therefore, with their other sins which they have committed against themselves being passed over in silence, one might see all their wickedness and the excess of their depravity, as being in those things alone that were done against Christ. All their rulers are disobedient. Ephraim is afflicted; his roots are dried up, he shall bear no more fruit; wherefore even if they should bear children, I will slay the desired fruit of their womb. God will reject them, because they did not listen to him, and they shall be wanderers among the nations. He says that no one good, that is, obedient and tractable, was found among them, not small, not great, not a leader, not one under authority and subordinate. For this reason he strongly affirms that it must utterly perish, as if uprooted, having henceforth become like withered and stricken trees, which need only to be cut down, as if openly confessing their fruitlessness. And that it is fitting for fruitless trees to be cut down, the Savior himself also taught, commanding that the fig tree which had no fruit, as a type of the Jewish Synagogue, must be cut down; 'For why,' he says, 'does it even make the ground useless?' Therefore Israel, having been found fruitless, he says, would rightly be cut down; for it will not produce fruit. But even if this should happen, he says, I will destroy what is born from them. And this is the desired fruit of their womb. But I think it is also necessary to consider that point, what the matter of the statement is; and why does he say, that all their rulers are disobedient? For why at all did it require the submission of the rulers? Therefore the statement has a reference to a certain history of the ancients. And what this is, I will say again. Israel made a calf in the wilderness, when Moses was absent; for he had gone up on Mount Sinai, to receive the law. Then having come down, he was greatly grieved by the trespass, he smashed the calf, and he in a way appeased an indignant God by his own sincerity and virtue. For he fell down and begged, saying, "If you will forgive them "their sin, forgive it; but if not, blot me also out of "this your book, which you have written." And God granted to the prophet clemency for all, and indeed he said, "I am merciful "to them according to your word." Do you see how much the love of God of the one presiding profited Israel, and one being sufficient on behalf of all to persuade God, through submission and obedience? Therefore he reasonably accuses Israel as having completely turned aside. and then having none of the leaders among them, to rebuke those who stumble, to turn them from error, that is, one able by his own brilliance in manner and virtue to turn away wrath, God having been entreated, just as indeed happened in the times of Moses, for this reason also he says they will be cast out and will be wanderers among the nations. This happened to them both then, when they were carried away to the Assyrians, and now no less, being detested for their outrageous deeds against Christ. For those from Israel continue in the world homeless and as strangers everywhere, and having no city. "For I will scatter them to every "wind," God also said through the holy prophets. If, therefore, we have a care and concern for intimacy with God, let us submit our neck to him, and let us approach Christ who says from good obedience, "Come to me "all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you "rest. Take my yoke upon you." For thus we will be both fruitful and unstricken, our root not withering, our fruit not falling to nothing, not wanderers and far from God, but near him and with him, and having the city that is above and in the heavens, the mother of the first-born, the nurse of the saints, the pure dwelling-place of the spirits above. A luxuriant vine is Israel, whose fruit is abundant; according to the multitude of his fruits he multiplied altars, and according to the goods of his land he built pillars. They have divided their hearts, now they shall be made to disappear; he himself shall tear down their altars, their pillars shall suffer. Having said that the roots of Ephraim were diseased, and that he would be fruitless and like those who have never borne at all, since the savagery of the Assyrians consumes what is born, he shows necessarily both what he was of old, and that he had been fruitful, when he wisely partook of the life in the law. For being seen by the surrounding nations like a beautiful and luxuriant vine, he was reasonably admired. And somewhere concerning it the blessed David says in the book of Psalms to the Savior God of all, "You brought a vine out of Egypt, you cast out nations and "planted it; you prepared the way before it. It "stretched out its branches to the sea, and its shoots to the "rivers." For it was planted "on a horn "and in a fertile place," according to the voice of the prophet. But it did not produce grapes, but rather brought forth thorns. For with the multitude of good things given to it, it showed an injustice as it were concurrent and equal; and it is clear that this was against God. For he multiplied altars and built pillars; and as much as he abounded in the good things from above, so much was he eager for profanation, by worshipping demons and raising altars and as it were dividing his own heart into a polytheistic error. But he says these things will not be so; whence? For he himself will tear down their altars, and their pillars will suffer, that is, being smashed and pulled down. And you will wisely refer "he himself" either to the God who has power over all, or to the person of the Babylonian, as has already been shown many times. For it happened in the cities in Samaria that the temples themselves were burned down along with them, and the carved images were plundered. Therefore we ought, rejoicing in what we might have from God, to kindle the thank-offerings, and not in the breadth having slipped from cheerfulness, to be carried away somewhere toward what is discordant with him; but rather to seek and to hasten to accomplish, and very eagerly, the boasts of virtue, not being divided toward the passions in the world, and submitting the neck to Satan. For what Christ said is true, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other;" but if we are divided, we will also be "portions for foxes," according to the voice of the psalmist; and we shall be in every way and altogether in want of him who knows how to make us glad. Therefore now they will say, We have no king, because we did not fear the Lord. And what will the king do for us? Speaking words, false pretexts, he will make a covenant. He said not only that their altars would be shaken, and their pillars would suffer affliction, but adds that they will also repent and lament over their own evil counsels. And having missed their hope, and been deceived by the falsehoods of their rulers, late and with difficulty will they understand. For those among them who administered the thrones of the kingdom used to say that the golden heifers and the security from other idols would be sufficient for their aid, even if they did not have the divine law, even if they did not choose to do the things through Moses. But experience has shown them to be speaking falsely. For they have seen those who long ago arranged such things for them, and spoke foolishly, fall under the hand of enemies. For this reason they say, We have no king, because we did not fear the Lord. For behold, behold, they say, there is no one to defend us, that is, to stand against the invasions of the Babylonians; but all have become weak, the leaders are undone and have fallen. And the pretext of the weakness for them and for us is not having feared the Lord. What then is the benefit from the rulers? he says. There was nothing then in them, except false words, and the vanity of covenants, that is, of promises. For it is a custom in the divine scripture to call promises covenants. It is wise therefore and full of all praise, to trust rather in God, and not to be carried away by the words of deceivers to the point of offending God, but rather prudently to depart from wrath before experiencing it, and not to lament late after suffering, coming with difficulty to unprofitable afterthought. Judgment shall spring up as couch grass upon the fallow of a field for the calf of the house of On. Couch grass grows in fields, especially in unplowed and fallow ones, and it seizes, and very vigorously, the chance neighboring land. For it somehow spreads out widely, and is moreover difficult to combat for those who wish to check its ever-onward course beyond the adjacent lands. Judgment therefore, he says; and it is clear that it is from God himself; just as couch grass springs up on a fallow field for the calf of the house of On. It is as if he should say: A decree of destruction and a punishing nod will be from me, and it will seize like couch grass upon the calf, that is, of the objects of worship of the existing temple in Bethel. For this is what the house of On signifies. For other interpreters have again rendered it, of the calf of the house of Bethel; but the Seventy, instead of the house of Bethel, have said the house of On. And we have already stated the reason above, but we will not hesitate to remind you. For the Egyptians in their myth-making said that the Apis was a child of the moon, and an offspring of the sun. And according to them, On is the sun. And the heifer which Jeroboam made was a type of the Apis among the Egyptians. Therefore, like couch grass seizing, he says, and overcoming all that lies nearby, judgment will come from me upon the calf of the house of On, that is, Bethel. For the divine is always all-powerful, and to its nods nothing will be able to resist. "For who will turn back the high hand?" according to what is written. The inhabitants of Samaria shall sojourn, because his people mourned for him; and as they provoked him, they shall rejoice over his glory. Behold, he now makes clear the judgment that seizes the calf, and of couch grass punishment is wont to be extended, against whomever God wishes; and now he recalls a story, which it is necessary to tell; for thus, and not otherwise, shall we understand what is prophesied. It was the custom for all idol-worshippers, when time was pressing and enemies were at hand, if they came to be in need of money, to lay hands even on the votive offerings in the sacred precincts. It is written, therefore, in the Books of Kings, that when the king of Syria was besieging the cities in Samaria, Menahem, who was at that time ruling over Israel, then being unable to oppose him with equal forces, sent an embassy to Pul, the king of the Assyrians, and with gifts persuaded him to come to his aid and to make the Syrian withdraw, which indeed was also accomplished. For that one took Damascus by force, and he also slays Ader himself. They say, then, that when a very great weight of gold was sought, matters came to such a necessity for Menahem that he even took one golden calf and sent it along with the ambassadors. And Israel indeed lamented, seeing sent away that which it considered to be a god. Yet he thought, consoling himself with cold reasonings, that it would be in greater and more splendid temples that the Babylonian would enthrone it. And besides these things, he was disposed to think that it would be worshipped also by more nations; for countless are the nations of the Persians and Medes. Menahem, therefore, sent the calf as if it were entirely of gold through and through; but Pul, upon taking it, smashed it to pieces; for among them the object of worship is different, and they do not tolerate a calf. Then, they say, it was found not to be golden, but rather bronze underneath, gilded over with gold. From this, he says, the Assyrian laughed at Ephraim, that is, Menahem who was ruling from the tribe of Ephraim. And in addition to this, he despised the foolish counsels of Israel. Having therefore related the account of the history, that is, of the Hebrew tradition, let us now of necessity run through the text; for the composition of the saying is very difficult to perceive and extremely troublesome. He said therefore that the inhabitants of Samaria will sojourn; the word "will sojourn," instead of "will be removed," that is, they who are now in Samaria will be removed, he says; and he speaks of the calves, or the heifers. For they were sent away, as I said, to the Babylonians. And his people indeed mourned over them. But whose "his"? Is it not clear that it is of the "being," that is, of Apis? Nevertheless, just as they were seen, he says, provoking and dishonoring it by sending it to others, so also they will rejoice over its glory. For they will think that it will be very much more famous, being worshipped by more nations. But they have missed their hope; for it was shattered, and it was an occasion of laughter for the Babylonians. Therefore their monument has suffered miserably according to the voice of the prophet himself. And they provoked the calf, not that it was provoked in truth; for how could insensible matter have suffered this? But because the force of their undertakings would have angered it, if it were truly God and had the sensation to suffer the things that happened. For it was removed from him, and they carried it away bound to the Assyrians as a gift to king Jareb; in a gift Ephraim will receive, and Israel will be ashamed of its counsel. The prophetic word interprets itself for us. For what it has said obscurely, this it attempts to make clear. For the calf was removed from Israel, and having bound it; and the word is being witty; they carried it away as a gift to king Jareb, that is, to an avenger. For he was called for aid, and as it were to avenge Samaria which was being destroyed by the Syrians. But Pul will receive the calf as in a gift from Ephraim. And by Ephraim he means the king of Israel. Nevertheless, he says that Israel will be ashamed of its own counsels. For because, as I said, it had turned away from the all-powerful God, and chose rather to worship calves, it was ridiculous, and was caught having fallen into an old-womanish and cold and unprofitable foolish counsel. Therefore the prophet, or rather God, speaks the truth, if he should say through of the voice of the saints concerning those who have served the works of their own hands, "Behold that their heart is ashes and they go astray." But the saying would also be fitting for those who pervert the correct doctrines of the Church. For just as the heifer, being ground to powder, exposed the foolish counsel of Israel, so too their doctrines, being ground down by investigations and shattered by the power of the truth, will be for the shame and dis- grace of those who composed them, and impiously devised them, and most foolishly receive them into their mind and heart. Samaria has cast off her king like a twig upon the face of the water, and the high places of On, the sins of Israel, shall be destroyed; thorns and thistles shall come up on their altars. This again would easily show both the instability and the unseemliness of the manner of those of Israel, that is, of those in Samaria, even concerning those whom they supposed to be gods. And it is no wonder. For those who impiously insulted the one and true God, God by nature, with apostasies and with running away to everything that is most shameful, how could they have become genuine concerning many and falsely-named gods made of stones or wood? He says, therefore, that the calf was cast off by those in Samaria, the one in glory among them of both God and king; and that it was cast off in such a way, as if a twig, having fallen into the eddies of the waters, would then be carried away to wherever seemed best to those pushing it away. And that the shrines will perish along with their objects of worship, and the altars will be destroyed, and they will become places of thorns, with their whole land having been ravaged—how could it be doubtful? But he calls the altars the sins of Israel, and very appropriately, as they were impiously raised as a memorial of their impiety toward God; and again by On, he named Apis, that is, the heifers in Bethel and Dan, for whose glory the altars also were. Therefore, what God does not establish, this will in every way and altogether be destroyed. And I suppose that what was clearly said through another prophet indicates something of this sort: "They shall build, and I will tear down." And they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us. The carved images were not worshipped in the two cities alone, I mean Dan and Bethel, but here were the golden heifers, and on the mountains and the hills, the objects of worship of the neighboring nations: Baal, Beelphegor, Astarte, and Chemosh. Therefore, through these words he indicates that not only will the altars of On be shaken down, that is, of Apis, or of the heifers, but that in every way and altogether the shrines on the hills and mountains will also fall. For their affairs will be reduced to such a state of misery and terror, that they would choose rather to be under the mountains and hills themselves, than to live to see what they were necessarily, and not willingly, to suffer. But it must be known that Christ himself, announcing to the Jews the calamities that would be brought upon them because of their outrages against him, used the same words. "For then," he says, "you will say to the mountains, Cover us; and "to the hills, Fall on us." For evils that have reached their limit, and the excesses of terrors, although death is bitter, sometimes show it to be most desirable to the many. Therefore, indeed, to the very mountains and hills, in which were the false worships, and where the crimes of impiety against God were committed, he says they will all but say, Fall on us, and anticipate the savagery of the Babylonian sword, and the inglorious and unbearable misery of the captivity. From the time of the hills, Israel has sinned; there they stood. War shall not overtake them on the hill; he has come to chasten them for the children of iniquity; and peoples shall be gathered against them when they are chastened for their two iniquities. He says that the apostasy which took place on the mountains and hills is older than the error concerning the heifers. And indeed, when the ten tribes had taken Samaria, having shaken off the yoke of the kingdom of Rehoboam, then Jeroboam brought in the heifers; in But those in Jerusalem practiced the error in the mountains and on the hills, as Solomon yielded and consented to foreign women, at that time also raising altars and finally precincts for their objects of worship. From the time, therefore, that the hills were devised and the playthings on them, and the false worships, from that time Israel has given offense. And this would be a not-unclear indication of the divine gentleness, which does not endure to punish the impious in a long time, but rather holds back and awaits perhaps the repentance of those who have gone astray. But they were harsher and were found suffering from even worse things. For they added to the hills also the inventions concerning the heifers. And sacrificing to demons in mountains and on hills, and seeming to be pious concerning vain things, perhaps they also thought to themselves, or rather even steadfastly believed, that they would be established in the certainty of prosperity, and would be better than their opponents, and unconquerable by their enemies. And this is a customary sickness for those who go astray. And indeed when they went down into Egypt, after Jerusalem was captured by the Babylonian, the prophet Jeremiah advised them to abstain from sacrificing to idols, so that there might be some mercy upon them from God who is able to save. But they claimed to have fallen into terrible things for this reason, that they had ceased being willing to fulfill the customary rites, and were convicted of neglecting the honor for vain things. And it is written thus: "And all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other "gods, and all the women, a great assembly, and all "the people dwelling in the land of Egypt, in the land of Pathros, "answered Jeremiah, saying, 'The word which you have spoken to us in the name "of the Lord, we will not hear. For we will surely do every "word that shall go forth from our mouth, to burn incense "to the queen of heaven, and to pour out libations to her, "as we have done, we, and our fathers and our kings "and our rulers in the cities of Judah, and "outside Jerusalem; and we were filled with bread, and we were "well, and saw no evil. And when we left off "burning incense to the queen of heaven, we all were diminished, "and perished by the sword and by famine.'" He accuses, therefore, those of Israel of both their frivolous talk and the rottenness of their hope, and he says concerning the hills, that there they stood, that is, that just as they themselves say, or rather think to themselves, by worshiping the carved images there, they have held the security of prosperity, and have stood in unshakable good things. And as they think again, that which is accustomed to cause any grief at all will not seize them on the hill, if they should choose to fulfill the customary rites for the carved images. But he says they have been deceived and have missed the mark of their hope. For war has come upon them, being children of injustice, and through experience itself they will be disciplined, that their unbridled will is bitter. And who would they be, the ones through whom their disciplines will come? A very great assembly of enemies. For this is what it is: 'peoples will be gathered against them,' and the terrible things from the war will certainly happen, when they are disciplined for their two injustices. And what these are, he showed us more clearly through the voice of Jeremiah, saying, "Heaven was astonished at this, and "shuddered much more exceedingly, says the Lord, because two "evil things my people have done: they have forsaken me, a spring "of living water, and have dug for themselves broken cisterns, "which will not be able to hold water." Ephraim is a heifer that has been taught to love victory, but I will come upon the beauty of her neck; I will mount Ephraim, and I will pass over Judah in silence. He compares Ephraim to a calf, very harsh and arrogant, and not knowing how to be checked from its own impulse, which it might happen to make for any reason, that is, not tolerating being tamed, but rather always seeking to win, and to rush with unreproved impulses toward what seems good to it. But even if it is such, he says, it will yield and not willingly. for it will be subdued by the with the onsets of calamities, God bringing them under the yoke, and all but working this Himself, and paralyzing the beauty of its neck, that is, the part in Israel that was especially rebellious. This was the kingdom among them, provoking to apostasy the peoples under their hand. Therefore it will be cast down, with God weighing it down. For I think this is what is indicated by "I will ride upon Ephraim." But he says providentially, that "I will pass over Judah in silence," instead of, "I will postpone Judah for a little while," not submitting them to punishments; not yet bringing on the things that come from wrath; but rather persevering, and gently yielding. And for what reason? For Ephraim, that is, the ten tribes, as I have already said, have completely inclined to choosing to fulfill the works of error; but the two tribes in Jerusalem, I mean Judah and Benjamin, have often been under upright and pious kings, who cast down the trinkets of idolatry, who persuaded them to live reasonably and lawfully; such was Amaziah son of Joash, a pious and just man; likewise Hezekiah, he too admired equally with the aforementioned, zealous and beloved of God. For this reason the ten tribes suffered captivity first; but when the Babylonian campaigned against Jerusalem, he did no harm, but rather went away to his own land, a fugitive and in great fear, at which time also fell in one night by the hand of an angel one hundred and eighty-five thousand of the Assyrians. Since God, then, is forbearing, and bears our weaknesses, let us not be indolent, nor be taken captive by falling back with regard to the need to fulfill the things that seem good and dear to Him. Jacob shall be strong against him. I said that the Assyrian, having campaigned against the multitude under his hand, and having removed all of Samaria, and having burned both the cities themselves and the temples, after this besieged Jerusalem, but in no way took it, since God was its defender. For by an angel in one night one hundred eighty-five thousand were destroyed. This, I think, he now announces beforehand, saying, "Jacob will be strong against him." Against whom, then? Is it not clear that it is against Rabshakeh, who was about to besiege? And he has called "Jacob" those of the blood of Jacob, I mean Judah and Benjamin. The phrase could also go, if one should choose, against all of Israel. Again, the meaning of the prophecy seems to refer us to the memory of an older matter, with God all but fulfilling the promise to the divine Jacob. For when, as a man, he had wrestled with him in the night, beyond the torrent Jabbok, then when dawn finally came, and the day was breaking, God wished to depart, saying, "Let me go, for the dawn has come up," but he said he would not let him go, unless he blessed him, he heard then, "Because you have prevailed with God, and with men you will be powerful." This perhaps the word of prophecy signifies to us for the present, most clearly setting forth the phrase, "Jacob shall be strong against him." But observe the precision of the promise; for not that Jacob will overpower the Assyrians, but "he will be strong," it says; for he was strong in God, not through himself.