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They stood, he says, in my counsel, and had they listened to my words, they would have taught my people, and turned them from their evil way, and from their evil practices. But I clearly forbade the forms of wickedness through the law; if, therefore, they had followed my words, they would have condemned the 81.632 lawlessness of the people, and would have guided them to the straight path. And he teaches them, that he is ignorant of none of the hidden things. 23, 24. For I am a God at hand, he says, and not a God afar off. If a man shall hide himself, shall I not see him? says the Lord. Then he teaches his uncircumscribed nature. "Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord." If, therefore, I am present everywhere, how do men think that I am ignorant of any of the things that happen? And again he intensifies the accusation against the false prophets, as narrating dreams, and deceiving the people, and daring to do things similar to the prophets of Baal. Then he commands a comparison to be made between the prophet and the false prophet. 28. The prophet, he says, in whom there is a dream, let him tell his dream; and he in whom is my word, let him speak my word in truth. And he teaches the difference figuratively. "What is the chaff to the wheat? says the Lord." 29. Are not my words thus, like fire, says the Lord? and like a hammer that breaks a rock? Through the parables he showed the power of the divine word. Then he teaches the difference of the false prophets; for some, he says, like certain clothes-stealers, steal some prophetic words, and corrupt them with perversions; others fabricate a false prophecy; others narrate dreams which they have not seen and in various ways beguiling the thrice-wretched people, they prepare them to persist in wickedness. Then he commands the prophet: 33, 34. If this people, priest or prophet, asks, saying, What is the burden of the Lord? you shall say to them: You are the burden of the Lord, and I will cast you off, says the Lord. And the prophet, and the priest, who shall say, 'The burden of the Lord,' I will punish that man, and his house. The impious called the prophets 'seized ones', and prophecy 'a burden'. Therefore God exhorts not to use this appellation, and threatens punishment to those who do not obey. And he commands them to inquire thus, "What has the Lord answered? What has the Lord spoken?" and to no longer name 'the burden of the Lord'; but to those who transgress the commands he threatens, saying: 39, 40. Behold I take you up as a burden, and I will cast you, and the city, which I gave to you 81.633 and to your fathers, from my presence. And I will bring upon you an everlasting reproach, and an everlasting dishonor, which shall not be forgotten. And the Lord God commanded this, both cutting out the customs of superstition, and teaching that the prophets are not mad, but are ministers of the divine oracles; and having threatened captivity, he also promises the return, and says that it will be so remarkable, that the exodus from Egypt will be given over to oblivion, on account of its splendor. But let us, I exhort, follow both the prophetic and the apostolic words, and let us worship him who spoke through the former and the latter, and let us keep his life-giving laws; that we may enjoy the promised good things, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father, together with the all-holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. VOLUME 66.

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ἔστησαν, φησὶ, ἐν τῇ ὑποστάσει μου, καὶ ἤκουσαν τῶν λόγων μου, ἐδίδαξαν ἂν τὸν λαόν μου, καὶ ἀπέστρεφον αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ αὐτῶν τῆς πονηρᾶς, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πονη ρῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων αὐτῶν. Ἐγὼ δὲ σαφῶς διὰ τοῦ νόμου ἀπηγόρευσα τῆς πονηρίας τὰ εἴδη· εἰ τοί νυν τοῖς ἐμοῖς εἵποντο λόγοις, κατηγόρησαν ἂν τῆς 81.632 τοῦ λαοῦ παρανομίας, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν εὐθεῖαν ἐποδήγησαν. ∆ιδάσκει δὲ αὐτοὺς, ὡς οὐδὲν ἀγνοεῖ τῶν κεκρυμμένων. κγʹ, κδʹ. Θεὸς γὰρ ἐγγίζων, φησὶν, εἰμὶ καὶ οὐχὶ Θεὸς πόῤῥωθεν. Εἰ κρυβήσεται ἄνθρωπος, κἀγὼ οὐκ ὄψομαι αὐτόν; λέγει Κύριος. Εἶτα δι δάσκει τὸ ἀπερίγραπτον. "Μὴ οὐχὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν ἐγὼ πληρῶ; λέγει Κύριος." Εἰ τοίνυν παν ταχοῦ παρῶ, πῶς οἴονταί με οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀγνοῆσαί τι τῶν γιγνομένων; Ἐπιτείνει δὲ πάλιν τὴν κατὰ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν κατηγορίαν, ὡς ἐνύπνια δι ηγουμένων, καὶ τὸν λαὸν ἐξαπατώντων, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια τοῖς τῆς Βάαλ προφήταις ποιεῖν τολμώντων. Εἶτα κελεύει γενέσθαι τὴν σύγκρισιν τοῦ τε προφήτου καὶ τοῦ ψευδοπροφήτου. κηʹ. Ὁ προφήτης, φησὶν, ἐν ᾧ τὸ ἐνύπνιόν ἐστι, διηγησάσθω τὸ ἐνύπνιον αὑτοῦ· καὶ ἐν ᾧ ὁ λόγος μου πρὸς αὐτὸν, διηγησάσθω τὸν λόγον μου ἐπ' ἀληθείας. Καὶ διδάσκει τροπικῶς τὸ διά φορον. "Τί τὸ ἄχυρον πρὸς τὸν σῖτον; φησὶν ὁ Κύριος." κθʹ. Οὐχ οὕτως οἱ λόγοι μου, ὡς πῦρ, λέγει Κύριος; καὶ ὡς πέλυξ κόπτων πέτραν; Ἔδειξε διὰ τῶν παραβολῶν τοῦ θείου λόγου τὴν δύναμιν. Εἶτα τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν διδάσκει τὴν διαφοράν· οἱ μὲν γὰρ οἷόν τινες, φησὶ, λωποδῦται κλέπτουσί τινας προφητικοὺς λόγους, καὶ τούτους ταῖς παρατροπαῖς διαφθείρουσιν· οἱ δὲ πλάττουσι προφητείαν ψευδῆ· οἱ δὲ ἐνύπνια, ἃ μὴ ἑωράκασι, διηγοῦνται καὶ δια φόρως τὸν τρισάθλιον ὑποβουκολοῦντες λαὸν, ἐπιμένειν τῇ πονηρίᾳ παρασκευάζουσιν. Ἔπειτα κελεύει τῷ προφήτῃ· λγʹ, λδʹ. Ἐὰν ἐρωτήσῃ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος, ἱερεὺς ἢ προφήτης, λέγων, Τί τὸ λῆμμα Κυρίου; ἐρεῖς αὐτοῖς· Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ λῆμμα Κυρίου, καὶ ῥίψω ὑμᾶς, λέγει Κύριος. Καὶ ὁ προφήτης, καὶ ἱε ρεὺς, οἳ ἂν εἴπωσι Λῆμμα Κυρίου, ἐκδικήσω τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. Ἐπιλήπτους ἐκάλουν τοὺς προφήτας οἱ δυσσεβεῖς, καὶ λῆμμα τὴν προφητείαν. Παρακελεύεται τοίνυν ὁ Θεὸς, τούτῳ τῷ προσρήματι μὴ κεχρῆσθαι, καὶ τοῖς μὴ πειθομένοις ἀπειλεῖ τιμωρίαν. Κελεύει δὲ αὐτοῖς οὕτω πυνθάνεσθαι, "Τί ἀπεκρίθη Κύριος; Τί ἐλά λησε Κύριος;" καὶ λῆμμα Κυρίου μὴ ὀνομάζειν ἔτι· τοῖς δὲ τὰ προστεταγμένα παραβαίνουσιν ἀπ ειλεῖ, λέγων· λθʹ, μʹ. Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ λαμβάνω ὑμᾶς λήμματι, καὶ ῥίψω ὑμᾶς, καὶ τὴν πόλιν, ἣν ἔδωκα ὑμῖν 81.633 καὶ τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν, ἀπὸ προσώπου μου. Καὶ δώσω ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ὀνειδισμὸν αἰώνιον, καὶ ἀτιμίαν αἰωνίαν, ἥτις οὐκ ἐπιλησθήσεται. Τοῦτο δὲ προσ έταξεν ὁ ∆εσπότης Θεὸς, καὶ τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας ἐκκό πτων τὰ ἔθη, καὶ διδάσκων, ὡς οὐ μεμήνασιν οἱ προ φῆται, ἀλλὰ τῶν θείων λογίων εἰσὶν ὑπουργοί· ἀπει λήσας δέ γε τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν, ὑπισχνεῖται καὶ τὴν ἐπάνοδον, καὶ οὕτως αὐτὴν ἐπίσημον λέγει γενήσε σθαι, ὡς λήθῃ παραδοθῆναι τὴν ἔξοδον τὴν ἐξ Αἰγύ πτου γεγενημένην, διὰ τὴν ταύτης λαμπρότητα. Ἡμεῖς δὲ, παρακαλῶ, καὶ τοῖς προφητικοῖς, καὶ τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς ἀκολουθήσωμεν λόγοις, καὶ τὸν δι' ἐκεί νων καὶ τούτων φθεγξάμενον προσκυνήσωμεν, καὶ τοὺς ζωοποιοὺς αὐτοῦ φυλάξωμεν νόμους· ἵνα τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀπολαύσωμεν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, σὺν τῷ παναγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. ΤΟΜΟΣ ςϛʹ.