he who does not circumcise the contrary and unclean words. Thus it is also possible to speak of being uncircumcised in the flesh, one who does not circumcise carnal matters; and uncircumcised in the eyes, one who sees what he should not, and does not purify the faculty of sight; and uncircumcised in the flesh, one who does what he should not. “And the sons of Israel, having set out from Succoth, encamped in Etham beside the wilderness.” In Numbers it is stated, “from Butha to the mouth of Iroth; which is opposite Beelsepron, next to the North,” that the sons of Israel had encamped. “And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the cavalry of the Egyptians, and captains over them all.” Those able to fight against three, or those who in the battle-line, after the front-rank man and the second-rank man, stand in the third rank. But others say that they made large chariots for the hands of the warriors, so that even three could fit, in order that one might drive, and the other two might fight; or those mounted on three horses. For the ancients in wars, the charioteers going out were carried on two or three horses. Or he calls "tristates" the one who, when the king is seated, stands third, or has the third seat; such as David was with Saul, as you will find in the first book of Kings. “There God set for him statutes and ordinances, and there he tested him.” When God tests, He tests for benefit, not to do evil; wherefore it was also said, that “God is untried by evil things,” as the word also brings on after a little: “If you will diligently hearken to the Lord your God, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases which I brought upon the 12.289 Egyptians.” Therefore, the one who bears temptations nobly is crowned. But it is another matter in the case of the devil; for he tests, in order that he may kill those who obey him; and God tests not being ignorant of what will be, but giving to man to do what he wishes on account of his free will. “This is the word that the Lord has spoken: Sabbaths, a holy rest to the Lord is tomorrow.” I write down the things said concerning the sabbath; first according to the literal sense, that they may see what the letter signifies; and second according to the allegorical sense, according to which I would say that a day of sabbath is present for the righteous one who has ceased from the works of the world, and glorifies God, and is at leisure, neither departing from the place in which he stands, which is of Christ; nor kindling a fire, according to committing no sin; nor carrying burdens. Every sin is a burden heavier than a mountain; wherefore the Psalmist said: “Like a heavy burden they were made heavy upon me.” And there would be another description of the sabbath, according to which “there remains a sabbath-rest for the people of God,” a sacred and holy rest. But he who has done all his works is judged worthy of that sabbath; being at leisure for nothing but the contemplation of truth and of wisdom. But these things we have set forth because Moses here makes mention of keeping the sabbath. “And you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it.” Christ is likened to a rock because of His unshakeable and immoveable nature. For the divine and supreme nature is established in good things. “For I am the Lord your God, a jealous God, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing mercy to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Whom has this saying not disturbed? If the father sinned, but the son, and the third, and the fourth generation receive the sin, so that some accuse even the God who gave the laws; while others do not accuse, but truly hope for and expect such things, that their sons receive their sins. The Jews think these things, without distinguishing another god. The Samaritans suppose these things, as they too profess to have a share in the one God. Those from the heresies, not being pleased that God could be good or just, who repays the sins of fathers into the bosom of their children, say that the God of the law is not just, is not good, repaying the sins of the fathers upon the sons; but that there is some god greater than he. But the man of the Church, neither carnally like a Jew

ὁ μὴ περιτεμνόμενος τοὺς λόγους τοὺς ἐναντίους καὶ ἀκαθάρτους. Οὕτως ἔστι καὶ ἀπερίτμητον τῇ σαρκὶ εἰπεῖν, τὸν μὴ περιτεμνό μενον τὰ σαρκικὰ πράγματα· καὶ ἀπερίτμητον ὀφθαλμοῖς, τὸν βλέποντα ἃ μὴ δεῖ, καὶ μὴ καθαίροντα τὸ ὁρατικόν· καὶ ἀπερίτμητον σαρκὶ, τὸν πράττοντα ἃ μὴ δεῖ. «Ἐξάραντες δὲ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ Σοκχὼθ, ἐστρατοπέδευσαν ἐν Ὀθὼμ παρὰ τὴν ἔρημον.» Ἐν τοῖς Ἀριθμοῖς κεῖται, «ἀπὸ Βουθὰ ἐπὶ στόμα Ἰρώθ· ὅ ἐστιν ἀπέναντι Βεελσεπρὼν ἐχόμενα τοῦ Βοῤῥᾶ,» παρεμβεβληκέναι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ. «Καὶ ἔλαβε ἑξακόσια ἅρματα ἐκλεκτὰ, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἵππον τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, καὶ τριστάτας ἐπὶ πάντων.» Τοὺς πρὸς τρεῖς δυναμένους μάχεσθαι, ἢ τοὺς ἐν τῇ παρατάξει μετὰ τὸν πρωτοστάτην καὶ τὸν δευτεροστάτην ἱσταμένους ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ τάξει. Ἄλλοι δέ φασιν, ὡς εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῶν πολεμίων ἅρματα ἐποίουν μεγάλα, ὥστε καὶ τρεῖς χωρεῖν, ἵνα ὁ μὲν εἷς ἡνιοχεῖ, οἱ δὲ δύο πολεμοῦσιν· ἢ τοὺς ἐπὶ τριῶν ἵππων βεβηκότας. Οἱ γὰρ παλαιοὶ ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις ἐπὶ δύο ἢ τριῶν ἵππων ἐπωχοῦντο ἐξιόντες ἁρματηλάται. Ἢ τριστάτην λέ γει τὸν ἐν τῷ καθέζεσθαι τὸν βασιλέα, τρίτον ἱστά μενον, ἤτοι τρίτην ἔχοντα καθέδραν· οἷος ἦν ὁ ∆αυῒδ παρὰ Σαοὺλ, ὡς ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ τῶν Βασιλειῶν εὑ ρήσεις. «Ἐκεῖ ἔθετο αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς δικαιώματα καὶ κρίσεις, καὶ ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ἐπείρασε.» Ὅτε Θεὸς πειράζει, ἐπ' ὠφελείᾳ πειράζει, οὐκ ἐπὶ τῷ κακοποιῆσαι· διὸ καὶ ἐλέχθη, ὅτι «Ὁ Θεὸς ἀπείραστός ἐστι κακῶν,» ὡς καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα ἐπάγει ὁ λόγος· «Ἐὰν ἀκοῇ ἀκούσῃς Κυ ρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, πᾶσαν νόσον, ἣν ἐπήγαγον τοῖς 12.289 Αἰγυπτίοις, οὐκ ἐπάξω ἐπὶ σέ.» Ὁ οὖν φέρων τοὺς πειρασμοὺς γενναίως, στεφανοῦται. Ἄλλο δέ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ διαβόλου· ἐκεῖνος γὰρ πειράζει, ἵνα τοὺς πειθομένους αὐτῷ θανατώσῃ· καὶ ὁ μὲν Θεὸς πει ράζει οὐκ ἀγνοῶν τὸ ἐσόμενον, πλὴν διδοὺς τῷ ἀν θρώπῳ πράττειν ὃ θέλει διὰ τὸ αὐτεξούσιον. «Τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐλάλησε Κύριος· Σάββατα, ἀνά παυσις ἁγία τῷ Κυρίῳ αὔριον.» Ἀπογράφομαι τὰ περὶ τοῦ σαββάτου εἰρημένα· πρῶτον κατὰ τὸ ῥητὸν, ἵν' ἴδωσι τί σημαίνει τὸ γράμμα· δεύτερον δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἀναγωγὴν, καθ' ἣν εἴποιμι ἂν ἡμέραν σαββά του ἐνεστηκέναι τῷ δικαίῳ καταλύσαντι τὰ τοῦ κόσμου ἔργα, καὶ δοξάζοντι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ σχολάζοντι, μήτε τοῦ τόπου ἐν ᾧ ἕστηκε τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀφιστα μένῳ· μήτε πῦρ καίοντι, κατὰ τὸ μηδὲν ἁμαρτάνειν· μήτε βαστάγματα αἴροντι. Βάσταγμα ὄρους βαρύτε ρον πᾶσα ἁμαρτία· διὸ ἔλεγεν ὁ Ὑμνῳδὸς· «Ὡσεὶ φορτίον βαρὺ ἐβαρύνθησαν ἐπ' ἐμέ.» Ἑτέρα δὲ ἀπογραφὴ ἂν εἴη σαββάτου, καθ' ἣν «ἀπολείπεται σαββατισμὸς τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ,» ἀνάπαυσις ἱερὰ καὶ ἁγία. Ὁ δὲ ποιήσας πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, ἄξιος κρίνεται ἐκείνου τοῦ σαββάτου· σχολάζων οὐδενὶ ἢ τῇ θεωρίᾳ τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ τῆς σοφίας. Ταῦτα δὲ διὰ τὸ μεμνῆσθαι ἐνταῦθα τὸν Μωϋσέα περὶ τοῦ σαββατίζειν, παρεθέμεθα. «Καὶ πατάξεις τὴν πέτραν, καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ἐξ αὐτῆς ὕδωρ.» Πέτρᾳ παρεικάζεται ὁ Χριστὸς διὰ τὸ ἄσειστον καὶ ἀκλόνητον. Ἐρήρεισται γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἀγα θοῖς ἡ θεία τε καὶ ὑπερτάτη φύσις. «Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, Θεὸς ζηλωτὴς, ἀποδιδοὺς ἁμαρτίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα, ἐπὶ τρίτην καὶ τετάρτην γενεὰν τοῖς μισοῦσί με, καὶ ποιῶν ἔλεος εἰς χιλιάδας τοῖς ἀγαπῶσί με, καὶ τοῖς φυλάσσουσι τὰ προστάγματά μου.» Τίνα τοῦτο τὸ ῥητὸν οὐκ ἐτάραξεν; Εἰ ἥμαρτε μὲν ὁ πατὴρ, ὁ δὲ υἱὸς, καὶ ἡ τρίτη, καὶ ἡ τετάρτη γενεὰ ἀπολαμβάνει τὴν ἁμαρ τίαν, ὡς τοὺς μὲν κατηγορῆσαι καὶ τοῦ δεδωκότος τοὺς νόμους Θεοῦ· τοὺς δὲ μὴ κατηγορῆσαι μὲν, ἀλη θῶς δὲ ἐλπίζειν τοιαῦτά τινα, καὶ προσδοκᾷν, ὅτι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα αὐτῶν οἱ υἱοὶ ἀπολαμβάνουσιν. Ἰουδαῖοι ταῦτα νομίζουσιν, οὐκ ἀπαλλάττοντες ἄλλον θεόν. Σαμαρεῖς ταῦτα ὑπολαμβάνουσιν, ὡς καὶ αὐτοὶ δο ξάζοντες μετεσχηκέναι τοῦ ἑνὸς Θεοῦ. Οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν αἱ ρέσεων οὐκ ἀρεσκόμενοι τῷ ἀγαθὸν ἢ δίκαιον εἶναι Θεὸν δύνασθαι, τὸν ἀποδιδόντα ἁμαρτίας πατέρων εἰς κόλπον τέκνων αὐτῶν, λέγουσιν, ὅτι ὁ τοῦ νόμου Θεὸς οὐκ ἔστι δίκαιος, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀγαθὸς, ἀποδιδοὺς τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τῶν πατέρων ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱούς· ἀλλά τις ἐστὶν ἐκείνου μείζων θεός. Ὁ δὲ ἐκκλησιαστικὸς, οὔτε ὡς Ἰουδαῖος σωματικῶς