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run together. 18In that day there will be five cities in Egypt speaking the Canaanite language and swearing by the name of the Lord of Hosts; one city will be called the City of Asedek. Asedek is interpreted as city of righteousness; for indeed Melchizedek, according to the divine apostle, is called “king of righteousness” |126 a|. And he calls the Hebrew language Canaanite, since the Hebrews inhabited Canaan. Some, however, said that these things happened in the time of the Macedonians, but the interpretation does not agree with the prophecy. For he speaks of a change for the Egyptians, he does not foretell a colonization by the Hebrews. And so these things have reached their fulfillment after the epiphany of our God and Savior. And by the five cities he does not mean a specific number, but he so called the perfect number. For the senses of man are also five: sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. But even if one wishes the number of the five cities to be a specific number, not even so will he attach falsehood to the word; for few <were they who> from the beginning received the saving proclamation, but the seeds of piety grew in turn. And when he speaks of one city called Asedek, that is, a city of righteousness, he does not mean one particular city, but rather each one. 19In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the land of the Egyptians and a pillar at its border to the Lord. But if the Jews should say that the events concerning Onias were foretold, they miss the truth. For since the Law clearly proclaimed that one must not sacrifice to God everywhere, but designated one place for the sacrifices, what happened in Egypt was plainly against the Law. The prophetic word would not have foretold unlawful things as if they were lawful. It is clear, then, that he means our altar and by pillar the divine temple. And he speaks in the singular and not the plural, since he often also names the church throughout the whole world in the singular, the divine apostle says, “which is the church of the living God,” and; “On this rock I will build my church.” And we, when praying, speak of the 'holy, only, catholic, and apostolic church.' So, therefore, here also through the one altar he signifies the many, and through the one pillar the many houses of prayer. 20For they will cry out to the Lord because of those who afflict them, and the Lord will send them a man who will save them, <judging, he will save them>. This also does not fit Onias; nor was he sent for their assistance when the Egyptians supplicated God, but he went away to Egypt as a fugitive. Some of the interpreters, then, have said that the Lord is signified by these words, but I do not accept this thought; for he himself was not sent to Egypt, but he himself sent a man; and before the others, the blessed Mark the Evangelist led them and adorned their sacred throne. 21And the Lord will be known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day, and they will make a sacrifice and a gift. And he calls the time 'day,' and the mystical liturgy 'sacrifice and gift.' And they will make vows to the Lord and will pay them. He calls the promises 'vows,' which many call 'orders.' This the psalmist also makes clear: “I will pay you my vows, which my lips have uttered and my mouth has spoken in my affliction.” And he makes clear what he promised: “I will offer to you burnt offerings full of marrow, with the incense of rams; I will offer to you oxen with goats.” 22And the Lord will strike the Egyptians with a plague and will heal them with a healing; and they will turn to the Lord, and he will listen to them and will heal them. By plague he means the removal of their kingdom, and by healing, the divine knowledge. For by destroying their kingdom, he taught them piety. 23In that day there will be a way from Egypt to the Assyrians, and the Assyrians will come to Egypt, and the Egyptians will go to the Assyrians; and the Egyptians will serve the Assyrians. Of old, the Syrians were also called Assyrians. Therefore, it signifies the

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συντρέχουσιν . 18Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἔσονται πέντε πόλεις ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ λαλοῦσαι τῇ γλώσσῃ τῇ Χανανίτιδι καὶ ὀμνύουσαι τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου Σαβαώθ· Πόλις Ἀσεδὲκ κληθήσεται ἡ μία πόλις. Ἀσεδὲκ πόλις δικαιοσύνης ἑρμηνεύεται· καὶ γὰρ ὁ Μελχισεδὲκ κατὰ τὸν θεῖον ἀπόστολον «βασιλεὺς δικαι οσύνης» |126 a| ὀνομάζεται. Χανανίτιδα δὲ γλῶσσαν τὴν Ἑβραΐδα λέγει, ἐπειδὴ τὴν Χαναναίαν εἰσῴκησαν οἱ Ἑβραῖοι. Τινὲς δὲ ταῦτα ἔφασαν γεγενῆσθαι κατὰ τὸν τῶν Μακεδόνων καιρόν, ἀλλ' οὐ συμβαίνει τῇ προφητείᾳ ἡ ἑρμηνεία. Αἰγυπ τίων γὰρ λέγει μεταβολήν, οὐχ Ἑβραίων ἀποικίαν προλέγει. Καὶ ταῦτα τοίνυν τετύχηκε πέρατος μετὰ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπιφάνειαν. Τὰς δὲ πέντε πόλεις οὐχ ὡρισμένον λέγει τινὰ ἀριθμόν, ἀλλὰ τὸν τέλειον οὕτω ἐκάλεσεν. Πέντε γὰρ καὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου αἰσθήσεις· ὄψις ὄσφρησις γεῦσις ἁφή τε καὶ ἀκοή. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀριθμόν τις βούλεται ὡρισμένον εἶναι τὸν τῶν πέντε πόλεων ἀριθμόν, οὐδὲ οὕτως ψεῦδος περιθήσει τῷ λόγῳ· ὀλίγοι γὰρ <οἱ> ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὸ σωτήριον δεξάμενοι κήρυγμα, ηὐξήθη δὲ κατὰ μέρος τῆς εὐσεβείας τὰ σπέρματα. Μίαν δὲ πόλιν Ἀσεδὲκ καλουμένην, τουτέστι πόλιν δικαιοσύνης, οὐ μίαν τινὰ ἐξαίρετον λέγει ἀλλ' ἀντὶ τοῦ μίαν ἑκάστην. 19Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἔσται θυσιαστήριον τῷ κυρίῳ ἐν χώρᾳ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων καὶ στήλη πρὸς τὸ ὅριον αὐτῆς τῷ κυρίῳ. Εἰ δὲ τὰ ἐπὶ Ὀνίου γεγενημένα φαῖεν Ἰουδαῖοι προηγορεῦσθαι, τῆς ἀληθείας διαμαρτάνουσιν. Τοῦ γὰρ Νόμου σαφῶς διαγορεύσαντος μὴ χρῆναι πανταχοῦ τῷ θεῷ θύειν, ἕνα δὲ ταῖς θυσίαις ἀφορίσαντος τόπον, παράνομον ἦν ἄντικρυς τὸ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ γενόμενον. Οὐκ ἂν δὲ τὰ παράνομα ὡς ἔννομα ὁ προφητικὸς προηγόρευσε λόγος. ∆ῆλον τοίνυν ὡς θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἡμέτερον λέγει καὶ στήλην τὸν θεῖον νεών. Ἑνικῶς δὲ καὶ οὐ πληθυντικῶς λέγει, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν πολλάκις τὴν καθ' ὅλης τῆς οἰκουμένης ἑνικῶς ὀνομάζει «ἥτις ἐστί» φησιν «ἐκκλησία θεοῦ ζῶντος» ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος, καί· «Ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.» Καὶ ἡμεῖς προσευχόμενοι ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁγίας καὶ μόνης καὶ καθολικῆς καὶ ἀποστολικῆς ἐκκλησίας φαμέν. Οὕτω τοίνυν κἀνταῦθα διὰ τοῦ ἑνὸς θυσιαστηρίου τὰ πολλὰ σημαίνει καὶ διὰ τῆς μιᾶς στήλης τοὺς πολλοὺς εὐκτηρίους οἴκους. 20Ὅτι κεκράξονται πρὸς κύριον διὰ τοὺς θλίβοντας αὐτούς, καὶ ἀποστελεῖ αὐτοῖς κύριος ἄνθρωπον ὃς σώσει αὐτούς, <κρίνων σώσει αὐτούς>. Οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἁρμόζει τῷ Ὀνίᾳ· οὐδὲ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων τὸν θεὸν ἱκετευσάντων οὗτος εἰς τὴν ἐκείνων ἐπικουρίαν ἐπέμφθη ἀλλὰ φεύγων εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἀπελήλυθεν. Τινὲς μὲν οὖν τῶν ἑρμηνευτῶν τὸν κύριον ἔφασαν διὰ τούτων σημαίνεσθαι, ἐγὼ δὲ ταύτην οὐ προσίεμαι τὴν διάνοιαν· οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἀπεστάλη εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ἀπέστειλεν ἄνθρωπον· πρὸ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ὁ μακάριος Μᾶρκος ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ἐκείνων ἡγήσατο καὶ τὸν ἱερὸν αὐτῶν διεκόσμησε θρόνον. 21Καὶ γνωστὸς ἔσται κύριος τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις· καὶ γνώ σονται οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τὸν κύριον ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καὶ ποιήσουσι θυσίαν καὶ δῶρον. Ἡμέραν δὲ τὸν καιρὸν καλεῖ, θυσίαν καὶ δῶρον τὴν μυστικὴν λειτουργίαν. Καὶ εὔξονται εὐχὰς τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἀποδώσουσιν. Εὐχὰς καλεῖ τὰς ὑποσ χέ σεις , ἃς οἱ πολλοὶ καλοῦσι τάγματα. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ ψ αλ μῳδὸς δηλοῖ· «Ἀποδώσω σοι τὰς εὐχάς μου, ἃς διέστειλε τὰ χείλη μου καὶ ἐλάλησε τὸ στόμα μου ἐν τῇ θλίψει μου.» Καὶ δηλοῖ τί ἐπηγγείλατο· «Ὁλοκαυτώ ματα μεμυαλωμένα ἀνοίσω σοι μετὰ θυμιάματος καὶ κριῶν, ἀνοίσω σοι βόας μετὰ χιμάρων.» 22Καὶ πατάξει κύριος τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους πληγῇ καὶ ἰάσεται αὐτοὺς ἰάσει, καὶ ἐπιστραφήσονται πρὸς κύριον, καὶ εἰσακούσεται αὐτῶν καὶ ἰάσεται αὐτούς. Πληγὴν λέγει τὴν τῆς βασιλείας ἀφαίρεσιν, ἴασιν δὲ τὴν θείαν ἐπίγνωσιν. Καταλύσας γὰρ αὐτῶν τὴν βασιλείαν ἐδίδαξε τὴν εὐσέβειαν. 23Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἔσται ὁδὸς ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου πρὸς Ἀσσυρίους, καὶ εἰσελεύσονται Ἀσσύριοι πρὸς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ Αἰγύπτιοι πορεύσονται πρὸς Ἀσσυρίους· καὶ δουλεύ σουσιν Αἰγύπτιοι τοῖς Ἀσσυρίοις. Ἀσσύριοι πάλαι καὶ οἱ Σύροι προσηγορεύοντο. Σημαίνει τοίνυν τὴν