A Treatise on the Question Why Certain Names in the Holy Scripture Are Changed.

 I. (1) Abraham was ninety and nine years old and the Lord appeared unto Abraham, and said unto him, I am thy God.[Ge 17:1.] The number of nine, whe

 II. (7) Do not, however, think that the living God, he who is truly living, is ever seen so as to be comprehended by any human being for we have no p

 III. (15) Therefore do not doubt either whether that which is more ancient than any existing thing is indescribable, when his very word is not to be m

 IV. (27) But it is not right to be ignorant of this thing either, that the statement, I am thy God,[Ge 17:1.] is made by a certain figurative misuse

 V. (39) These men then, being mad with this divinely inspired madness, were made more ferocious but there are others who are companions of a more man

 VI. (47) But after he has said, Be thou pleasing to me before me, he adds further, and be thou blameless, using here a natural consequence and con

 VII. (54) And immediately afterwards it is said, And Abraham fell on his face: was he not about, in accordance with the divine promises, to recogniz

 VIII. (57) Therefore admiring this same disposition when thus taking to flight, and submitting to a voluntary fall by reason of the confession which i

 IX. But we may justly, in order to prevent any one else from falling into the same error, eradicate the erroneous notions which have been formed on th

 X. (69) Now the symbols represented by the name of Abram are thus accurately defined those conveyed under the name of Abraham are such as we shall pr

 XI. (77) We will now speak of his wife, Sarah, for she too had her name changed to Sarrah by the addition of the one element, the letter rho. These, t

 XII. (81) But it has also happened that Jacob had his name changed to Israel and this, too, was a felicitous alteration. Why so? Because the name Jac

 XIII. (83) And it is worth while here to raise the question why Abraham, from the time that his name was changed, is always thought worthy of this sam

 XIV. (88) But, there being three leaders and authors of this race, the two at each extremity of it had their names changed, namely Abraham and Jacob:

 XV. (91) Such a person as this, then, Joseph is recognized as being by his distinctive marks and name. Let us now see what sort of person is indicated

 XVI. (97) And what shall we say of the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh? Are they not, in strict accordance with nature, compared to the two eldes

 XVII. (103) And indeed the scriptures at one time call the father-in-law of the first prophets Jother, and at another time Raguel-Jother, when pride i

 XVIII. (106) The main part has now been explained we will now proceed to adduce the proofs. In the first place the scripture represents him as the cu

 XIX. (110) This now is one of the things which are shown by the name of Midian another is that more excellent and judicial species which by the affin

 XX. (115) But while he is taking care of his own flock, all kinds of good things are given all at once to those of the sheep who are obedient, and who

 XXI. (121) Thus much we have thought fit to say on this subject. But, moreover, Moses also changes the name of Hosea into that of Joshua displaying b

 XXII. (125) But it happens to the arch-prophet to have many names: for when he interprets and explains the oracles which are delivered by God, he is c

 XXIII. (130) Having now discussed at sufficient length the subject of change and alteration of names, we will turn to the matters which come next in o

 XXIV. (137) And wisdom, which, after the fashion of a mother, has conceived and brought fourth the self-taught race, points out that it is God who is

 XXV. (141) We have now then explained what is meant by the words, I will give unto thee. We must now explain the words, out of her. Some now have

 XXVI. (145) This then is the meaning of the words, out of her. We must now consider the third point, namely, what that is which is called her son. I

 XXVII. (148) And, says God, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of Nations [genesis 17:16.] because, not only is generic virtue divided into

 XXVIII. (151) Immediately afterwards it is said, And kings of the nations shall be born of her. For those with whom she is pregnant and whom she bri

 XXIX. (154) It was natural then for the mind, being puffed up by these promises, to be elated and raised to an undue height in its own estimation and

 XXX. (161) And the soul is subject to many things of much the same kind. For when something good is hoped for it rejoices beforehand, so that in a man

 XXXI. (166) He laughed then very naturally, even though laughter did not as yet appear to have been scattered among the human race: and not only did h

 XXXII. (172) The mind, then, which is devoted to pleasure, having entertained these hopes, does not think that it is sufficient to attract the younger

 XXXIII. (175) Something like this, then, is the falsely named joy of the foolish. But the true joy has already been described, which is adapted only t

 XXXIV. (181) But, perhaps, some one may say, What then? is he who has once believed bound never to admit the slightest trace, or shadow, or moment of

 XXXV. (186) Abraham therefore believed in God but he believed as a man that you may be aware of the peculiar attribute of mortals, and may learn tha

 XXXVI. (193) Therefore the good man was speaking and saying things which were really good in his mind. But the bad man at times interprets good things

 XXXVII. (201) When, therefore, the virtuous man knew that the promise was uttering things full of reverence and prudent caution, according to his own

 XXXVIII. (210) And he indeed prays that the hearing of sacred words and the learning of sacred doctrine may live, as has been already said but Jacob,

 XXXIX. (216) Very beautifully therefore, do we pray that this Ishmael may live. Therefore, Abraham adds, May he live before God, looking upon it as

 XL. (224) It is right also to praise those inquirers after truth, who have endeavored to tear up and carry off the whole trunk of virtue, root and bra

 XLI. (233) But what makes an impression on me in no ordinary degree is the law which is enacted with respect to those who put off their sins and seem

 XLII. (241) But why it is a more grievous offence to say what is wrong than only to think it, is very easy to see. For some times a person thinks with

 XLIII. (245) Therefore he has called the purifying victims which are to be offered up for the three offenders, the mind, speech, and the action, a she

 XLIV. (252) Since the, the virtuous man has been bred up among and practised in these and similar divisions and discriminations of things, does he not

 XLV. (261) Virtue, therefore, will bring thee forth a legitimate male child, far removed from all effeminate passions and thou shalt call the name of

 XLVI. (264) And at that time, says he, she shall bring forth a son to Thee [Ge 15:10.] that is to say, wisdom shall bring forth joy. What time, O

 XLVII. (267) But by way of amplifying the beauty of the creature to be born, he says that it shall be born the next year, indicating by the term, the

 XLVIII. (270) And the words, He finished speaking to Him,[Ge 17:22.] are equivalent to saying, he made his hearer perfect, though he was devoid of w

XXXIII. (175) Something like this, then, is the falsely named joy of the foolish. But the true joy has already been described, which is adapted only to the virtuous, "Therefore, falling down he Laughed."[Ge 17:17.] Not falling from God, but from himself; for he stood near the unchangeable God, but he fell from his own vain opinion. (176) On which account that pride which was wise in its own conceit, having been thrown down, and the feeling which is devoted to God having been raised in its place, and been established around the only unalterable being, he, immediately laughing, said in his mind, "Shall a child be born to one who is a hundred years old, and shall Sarrah, who is ninety years old, have a child?" (177) Do not fancy, my good friend, that the word, "he said" not with his mouth but "in his Mind,"[Ge 17:20.] has been added for no especial use; on the contrary, it is inserted with great accuracy and propriety. Why so? Because it seems by his saying, "Shall a child be born to him who is a hundred years old?" that he had a doubt about the birth of Isaac, in which he was previously stated to believe; as what was predicted a little before showed, speaking thus, "This child shall not be thy heir, but he who shall come out of thee;" and immediately afterward he says, "Abraham believed in the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteousness." (178) Since then it was not consistent for one who had already believed to doubt, he has represented the doubt as of no long continuance, extending only as far as the mouth of the tongue, and stopping there at the mind which is endowed with such celerity of motion; for, says the scripture, "he said in his mind," which nothing, and no person ever so celebrated for swiftness of foot, could ever be able to outstrip, since it outruns even all the winged natures; (179) on which account the most illustrious of all of the Greek poets appears to me to have said:--

"Swift as a winged bird or fleeter Thought."[homer, Odyssey 8.171.]

Showing by these words the exceeding speed of its promptitude, placing the thought after the winged bird as a sort of climax; for the mind advances at the same moment to very many things and bodies, hurrying on with indescribable impetuosity, and without a moment's lapse of time it speeds at once to the borders of both earth and sea, bringing together and dividing infinite magnitudes by a single word; and at the same time it soars to such a height above the earth, that it penetrates through the air and reaches even the aether, and scarcely stops at the very furthest circle of the fixed stars. (180) For the fervid and glowing heat of that region does not suffer to to rest tranquil; on which account, overleaping many things, it is borne far beyond every boundary perceptible by the outward senses, to that which is compounded of ideas and appearances by the law of kindred. On which account in the good man there is a slight change, indivisible, unapportionable, not perceptible by the outward senses, but only by the intellect, and being in a manner independent of them.