who, having made heifers, turned away the ten tribes from the worship of God. For which things they, repenting, rightly lamented and, having been disciplined by the capture, cried out: You have disciplined me, Lord, and I was disciplined. For like a calf that has bolted from the herd, I departed from your pasture, and I ask for your help. For if you do not strengthen me, I am weak for turning back; and though I should have repented before I was captured and obeyed your prophets, I repented after the capture. But knowing this, he groans; for how could one who is ignorant that he is sinning groan, having done things worthy of shame in sins and especially in acts of licentiousness? And I repented so much as to point you out to others. Great was the repentance of Ephraim, so that God took up from his mouth the words of confession, and he himself heard a voice saying: From my youth you are a beloved son, Ephraim. 58 A certain Nebuchadnezzar the Assyrian held all men, from whom Christ redeemed us. Therefore Matthew says from Isaiah: "to proclaim release to the captives"; for he did not preach to captives in a historical sense. But he is also the just and holy mountain; for how could it apply to an inanimate thing? But if we are in him according to "and you in me," let us build on the just mountain. And one does this by being in Judea, which is interpreted as 'Confessing,' confessing his sins to God and giving thanks; for "Tell your iniquities first, that you may be justified." For there are certain cities of God and his buildings and his fields; for Paul also says: "You are God's field, God's building." For in whomever the mysteries concerning God and the ineffable doctrines are built up, in him is a temple of God and the holy of holies, and he is the metropolis of all Judea. 59 The statement, 'I will not reject Israel,' seems to be contrary to what is said to them: 'and the race of Israel will cease.' Perhaps, then, the one was said concerning the carnal, and the other concerning the spiritual Israel. However, the negation 'not' attached to 'I reject' is not found in the other interpreters, but is in the Septuagint. But you will also understand it this way, that now I do reject, but if he is exalted, I will not reject. 60 We are all in prison, and especially those being tempted. Then one acquires a field, but not having departed from the prison; and the acquisition is by the will of God for those who strive well. And Hilkiah, the father of Jeremiah, and Hanamel were brothers, both being sons of Shallum. For the matter of brothers is both peace and a portion of God; for Hilkiah is interpreted 'Portion of God,' and Shallum 'Peace.' And the fruit of the portion of God is 'Exaltation of God'; for so Jeremiah is interpreted. And the fruit of peace is 'Grace of God'; for this is what Hanamel signifies. Therefore the grace of God, being the offspring of peace, offers to the prophet in prison his own field according to the command of God. 61 He makes a book of acquisition, which is perhaps the thoughts, the memories, the doctrines, through which we have acquired the field, that is, the labors of the way of life. For he who is to practice righteousness must know beforehand about righteousness, which may be said also concerning the other virtues. But God takes care that the book be placed in a vessel for a longer preservation. For "we have this treasure in earthen vessels," either our vessels, or the humble style of the scriptural language. Whence the "ruler of this world has been deceived," having despised the word of piety, since it was not in golden vessels embellished with style and persuasiveness of speech; wherefore it also remained for more days. "For my word and my preaching," says the one who has the book of acquisition, "was not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." And having done what was commanded, Jeremiah gives thanks to God. But see the obedience of the prophet before the apparent advantage, which he brings on, prophesying the recovery of the land. For prophecy through deeds makes what is heard visible and the future as if present, signifying the whole in the part. 62 It is not plausible for the prophet to offer such thanksgiving for the small field bought for "ten and seven shekels," he who was "sanctified from the womb" and

ὅστις δαμάλεις ποιήσας ἀπέστησεν ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ λατρείας τὰς δέκα φυλάς. ἐφ' οἷς εἰκότως μετανοοῦντες ὠδύροντο καὶ τῇ ἁλώσει παιδευθέντες ἐβόων· ἐπαίδευσάς με, κύριε, καὶ ἐπαιδεύθην. οἷα γάρ τις μόσχος ἀποσκιρτήσας τοῦ βουκολίου, τῆς σῆς ἀπέστην νομῆς, καὶ δέομαι τῆς σῆς βοηθείας. σοῦ γὰρ μὴ δυναμοῦντος, ἀτονῶ πρὸς ἐπιστροφήν· δέον δέ με μετανοεῖν πρὶν ἁλῶ καὶ πειθαρχεῖν σου τοῖς προφήταις, μετὰ τὴν ἅλωσιν μετε νόησα. γνοὺς δὲ στενάζει· πῶς γὰρ ἄν τις ἀγνοῶν ὡς ἁμαρ τάνει στενάξειεν, ἄξια πράξας αἰσχύνης ἐν ἁμαρτήμασιν καὶ μά λιστα ταῖς ἀσελγείαις; τοσοῦτον δὲ μετενόησα, ὡς ἄλλοις ὑποδεῖξαί σε. μεγάλη τοῦ Ἐφραῒμ ἡ μετάνοια, ὥστε τὸν θεὸν ἀναλαβεῖν ἐκ στόματος αὐτοῦ τοὺς λόγους τῆς ἐξομολογήσεως, αὐτὸν δὲ ἀκοῦσαι φωνῆς τῆς λεγούσης· ἐκ νεότητός μου υἱὸς ἀγαπητὸς εἶ, Ἐφραΐμ. 58 Πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἶχε Ναβουχοδονόσορ τις Ἀσσύριος, ἀφ' οὗ Χριστὸς ἡμᾶς ἐλυτρώσατο. διὸ Ματθαῖος ἐξ Ἡσαΐου φησίν· «κηρύξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν»· οὐ γὰρ καθ' ἱστορίαν αἰχμαλώτοις ἐκήρυξεν. αὐτὸς δὲ καὶ τὸ δίκαιον καὶ ἅγιον ὄρος· ἀψύχῳ γὰρ πῶς ἂν ἁρμόσειεν; εἰ δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν κατὰ τὸ «καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν ἐμοί», οἰκοδομήσωμεν ἐν τῷ δικαίῳ ὄρει. τοῦτο δὲ ποιεῖ τις ἐν Ἰουδαίᾳ γενόμενος, ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται Ἐξομολογουμένη, τῷ θεῷ ἐξομολογούμενος τὰς ἁμαρτίας καὶ εὐχαριστῶν· «λέγε» γὰρ «σὺ πρῶτος τὰς ἀνομίας σου, ἵνα δικαιωθῇς». εἰσὶ γάρ τινες πόλεις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ οἰκοδομαὶ καὶ γεώργια αὐτοῦ· καὶ γὰρ ὁ Παῦλός φησι· «θεοῦ γεώργιον, θεοῦ οἰκοδομή ἐστε». ἐν ᾧ γὰρ οἰκοδομεῖται τὰ περὶ τοῦ θεοῦ μυστήρια καὶ ἄρρητα δόγματα, ἐν τούτῳ ναός ἐστι τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ ὅλης οὗτος τῆς Ἰουδαίας μητρόπολις. 59 ∆οκεῖ τὸ οὐκ ἀποδοκιμῶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐναντίον εἶναι τῷ πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγοντι· καὶ τὸ γένος Ἰσραὴλ παύσεται. μή ποτε τοίνυν τὸ μὲν περὶ τοῦ σαρκικοῦ λέλεκται, τὸ δὲ περὶ τοῦ πνευματικοῦ Ἰσραήλ. πλὴν ἡ οὐκ ἀπόφασις προσκειμένη τῷ ἀπο δοκιμῶ παρὰ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἑρμηνευταῖς οὐκ ἔστιν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τοῖς Ἑβδομήκοντα. νοήσεις δὲ καὶ οὕτως, ὅτι νῦν μὲν ἀποδοκιμῶ, ἐὰν δὲ ὑψωθῇ οὐκ ἀποδοκιμῶ. 60 Ἐν φυλακῇ πάντες ἐσμέν, καὶ μάλιστα πειραζόμενοι. τότε κτᾶταί τις ἀγρόν, ἀλλ' οὐ τῆς φυλακῆς ἐξελθών· ἡ δὲ κτῆσις βουλήματι θεοῦ τοῖς καλῶς ἀγωνιζομένοις. ἀδελφοὶ δὲ Χελκίας ὁ τοῦ Ἱερεμίου πατὴρ καὶ Ἀναμεήλ, ἄμφω παῖδες ὄντες Σαλώμ. ἀδελφῶν γὰρ πρᾶγμα καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ μερὶς θεοῦ· Χελκίας γὰρ ἑρ μηνεύεται Μερὶς θεοῦ, Σαλὼμ δὲ Εἰρήνη. καρπὸς δὲ τῆς μερίδος τοῦ θεοῦ Μετεωρισμὸς θεοῦ· οὕτω γὰρ Ἱερεμίας ἑρμηνεύεται. καρ πὸς δὲ τῆς εἰρήνης Χάρις θεοῦ· τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ Ἀναμεήλ. οὐ κοῦν ἡ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ εἰρήνης γέννημα τυγχάνουσα προσφέρει τῷ ἐν φυλακῇ προφήτῃ τὸν ἴδιον ἀγρὸν κατὰ πρόσταγμα τοῦ θεοῦ. 61 Οὗτος ποιεῖ βιβλίον κτήσεως, ὅπερ ἴσως ἐστὶν αἱ νοή σεις, αἱ μνῆμαι, τὰ δόγματα, δι' ὧν κεκτήμεθα τὸν ἀγρόν, τουτέστι τῆς πολιτείας τοὺς πόνους. δεῖ γὰρ τὸν πράξοντα δικαιοσύνην προ ειδέναι περὶ δικαιοσύνης, ὅπερ λεγέσθω καὶ περὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀρε τῶν. φροντίζει δὲ θεὸς ἐν ἀγγείῳ τὸ βιβλίον βληθῆναι πρὸς διαμονὴν πλείονα. «ἔχομεν» γὰρ «τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρα κίνοις σκεύεσιν», ἢ τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἀγγείοις, ἢ τῷ εὐτελεῖ τῆς γραφικῆς λέξεως. ὅθεν ὁ «ἄρχων ἠπάτηται τοῦ κόσμου τούτου», καταφρονή σας τοῦ λόγου τῆς θεοσεβείας, ἐπεὶ μὴ ἦν ἐν χρυσοῖς σκεύεσι κε καλλωπισμένοις λέξει καὶ πιθανότητι φράσεως· διὸ καὶ πλείους ἡ μέρας διέμεινεν. «ὁ λόγος» γὰρ «καὶ τὸ κήρυγμά μου», φησὶν ὁ ἔχων τὸ βιβλίον τῆς κτήσεως, «οὐκ ἐν πειθοῖ σοφίας λόγοις, ἀλλ' ἐν ἀποδείξει πνεύματος καὶ δυνάμεως». τὸ ἐνταλθὲν δὲ ποιήσας Ἱερεμίας εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ θεῷ. ὅρα δὲ τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ προφήτου πρὸ τοῦ φαινομένου συμφέροντος, ὅπερ ἐπάγει, προθεσπίζων τῆς γῆς τὴν ἀνάκτησιν. ἡ γὰρ δι' ἔργων προφητεία τὸ ἀκουστὸν καθί στησιν ὁρατὸν καὶ τὸ μέλλον οἱονεὶ παρόν, ἐν τῷ μέρει δηλοῦσα τὸ ὅλον. 62 Οὐ πιθανὸν τὸν προφήτην τοσαύτην εὐχαριστίαν προσάγειν ἐπὶ τῷ «δέκα καὶ ἑπτὰ σίκλων» ἐωνημένῳ χωρίῳ, τὸν «ἐκ μή τρας ἁγιασθέντα» καὶ