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in that day where there will be a thousand vines for a thousand shekels, they shall become wasteland and thorn. With arrow and bow they will enter there, because all the land will be wasteland and thorn. And this is a sign of great misfortune, when not mountains and valleys, but the very deep-soiled land which enjoys much care, bears thorns. For he did not simply state the value of the vines, but in order to show both the nature of the land and the great care of the farmers. But nevertheless, he says, those things that so flourish and enjoy the hands of farmers, will be reduced to such desolation, as to bear thorns instead of vines, and to cause such fear to those who enter, that no one dares to enter naked and unarmed. He says this, showing the desolation of the place and the great number of wild beasts dwelling there. Having then shaken their mind and having precisely worked them with fear, again he relaxes a little, mixing in good things and the change for the better, so that from both sides they might learn the strength of God. But he dwells on the fearful things, and having said the good things, he quickly departs. Why then? Because they were then especially in need of this medicine of reproof; therefore, having applied it generously, so as to allow them to breathe a little and in this way to call them again to virtue, he also mixes in the good things, saying: Every mountain that is plowed will be plowed. For just as in the wrath of God even the deep-soiled land will be desolate, so also in reconciliation again even the rough land will show the qualities of fertile land, receiving the plow and seeds. And when these things have happened, all that comes from them will also happen, peace and security and courage and not being afraid, as before. For fear, he says, shall not come there. But from the wasteland and from the thorn it shall become pasture for sheep and a treading-place for cattle. And through these things again he alludes to abundance, just as he also says further on before: Blessed is he who sows upon all water, where ox and ass tread. For just as, when he wishes to represent desolation, he brings Sirens and Onocentaurs into the account; so, when he means peace and safety, he everywhere shows us these tame and gentle animals, which cooperate with us in agricultural work, appearing, from these showing what comes from them, farming and their other service.

8.t CHAPTER 8

8.1 And the Lord said to me: Take for yourself a new, large roll of paper, and

write in it with a man's pen, to make a swift plunder of spoils. For it is at hand; and make for me faithful men as witnesses, Uriah the priest, and Zacharias the son of Barachias. And I went to the prophetess and she conceived and bore a son. And the Lord said to me: Call his name, quickly despoil, swiftly plunder. Because before the child knows to call father or mother, he will take the power of Damascus, and the spoils of Samaria before the king of the Assyrians. These two commands seem to be disconnected in their wording, and to have nothing in common with each other; but if one examines the force of the thoughts accurately, he will see much connection and a single purpose. But it is necessary first to say, for what reason the form of prophecy was introduced into the life of men. [For what reason then it was introduced, it is necessary to say.] God is accustomed to delay and to be slow to the punishments of sinners, just as He is quick and swift to the good deeds of the righteous. This causes the more indolent to fall away, that punishment does not follow on the heels of transgressions. In order, then, that God might show His long-suffering and that they might not become more indolent from this, He prepares the medicine of prophecy, not by the experience of punishments, but by foreknowledge educating the sinners for the time being, so that, if indeed

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ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ οὗ ἐὰν ὦσι χίλιαι ἄμπελοι χιλίων σίκλων, εἰς χέρσον ἔσονται καὶ εἰς ἄκανθαν. Μετὰ βέλους καὶ τοξεύματος εἰσελεύσονται ἐκεῖ, ὅτι χέρσος καὶ ἄκανθα ἔσται πᾶσα ἡ γῆ. Πολλῆς καὶ τοῦτο δυσπραγίας σημεῖον, ὅταν μὴ ὄρη καὶ νάπαι, ἀλλ' αὐτὴ ἡ βαθύγειος καὶ πολλῆς ἀπολαύουσα τῆς ἐπιμελείας ἀκάνθας φέρῃ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁπλῶς τὸ τίμημα τῶν ἀμπέλων τέθεικεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ τὴν φύσιν τῆς γῆς ἐπιδείξηται καὶ τὴν πολλὴν τῶν γεωργῶν ἐπιμέλειαν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐκεῖνα τὰ οὕτως εὐθηνούμενα, φησί, καὶ γεωργικῶν ἀπολαύοντα χειρῶν, εἰς τοσαύτην καταστρέψει τὴν ἐρημίαν, ὡς ἀκάνθας μὲν ἀντὶ ἀμπέλων φέρειν, τοσοῦτον δὲ παρέχειν τοῖς εἰσιοῦσι τὸν φόβον, ὡς μηδένα τολμᾷν γυμνὸν καὶ ἄοπλον εἰσιέναι. Τοῦτο δὲ λέγει, τὴν ἐρημίαν ἐμφαίνων τοῦ τόπου καὶ τὴν πολλὴν αὐτόθι τῶν θηρίων διατριβήν. Κατασείσας τοίνυν αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ μετὰ ἀκριβείας κατεργασάμενος αὐτοὺς τῷ φόβῳ, πάλιν ἀνίησιν ὀλίγον, τὰ χρηστὰ ἀναμίξας καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον μεταβολήν, ἵνα ἑκατέρωθεν μάθωσι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἰσχύν. Ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν φοβεροῖς ἐνδιατρίβει, τὰ δὲ χρηστὰ εὐθέως εἰπὼν ἀπαλλάττεται. Τί δήποτε; Ὅτι τούτου μάλιστα ἐδέοντο τῆς ἐπιτιμήσεως τοῦ φαρμάκου τότε· διὸ δὴ αὐτὸ μετὰ δαψιλείας ἐπιθείς, ὥστε ἐνδοῦναι μικρὸν ἀναπνεῦσαι καὶ ταύτῃ πάλιν εἰς ἀρετὴν ἐκκαλέσασθαι, καὶ τὰ χρηστὰ ἀναμίγνυσι, λέγων· Πᾶν ὄρος ἀροτριώμενον ἀροτριωθήσεται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἡ βαθύγειος ἔρημος ἔσται, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ καταλλαγῇ πάλιν καὶ ἡ τραχεῖα τὰ τῆς λιπαρᾶς ἐπιδείξεται γῆς, ἄροτρον δεχομένη καὶ σπέρματα. Τούτων δὲ γενομένων, καὶ τὰ ἐκ τούτων ἅπαντα ἔσται, εἰρήνη καὶ ἄδεια καὶ τὸ θαρσεῖν καὶ μὴ δεδοικέναι, καθάπερ ἔμπροσθεν. Οὐ γὰρ μὴ ἐπέλθῃ, φησίν, ἐκεῖ φόβος. Ἔσται δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς χέρσου καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀκάνθης εἰς βόσκημα προβάτου καὶ πάτημα βοός. Καὶ διὰ τούτων πάλιν τὴν εὐθηνίαν αἰνίττεται, ὥσπερ καὶ ἔμπροσθεν προϊὼν λέγει· Μακάριος ὁ σπείρων ἐπὶ πᾶν ὕδωρ, οὗ βοῦς καὶ ὄνος πατεῖ. Ὥσπερ γάρ, ὅταν ἐρημίαν παραστῆσαι βούληται, Σειρῆνας καὶ Ὀνοκενταύρους εἰς μέσον ἄγει τῷ λόγῳ· οὕτως, ὅταν εἰρήνην καὶ ἀσφάλειαν, τὰ χειροήθη καὶ τιθασσὰ τῶν ζώων καὶ συνεφαπτόμενα τῶν γεωργικῶν ἔργων ἡμῖν ταῦτα πανταχοῦ δείκνυσι φαινόμενα, ἀπὸ τούτων τὰ ἐκ τούτων ἐμφαίνων, γεωργίαν καὶ τὴν ἄλλην αὐτῶν διακονίαν.

8.τ ΚΕΦΑΛ. Ηʹ

8.1 Καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρός με· λαβὲ σεαυτῷ τόμον χάρτου καινόν, μέγαν, καὶ

γράψον εἰς αὐτὸν γραφίδι ἀνθρώπου, τοῦ ὀξέως προνομὴν ποιῆσαι σκύλων. Πάρεστι γάρ· καὶ μάρτυράς μοι ποίησον πιστοὺς ἀνθρώπους, τὸν Οὐρίαν τὸν ἱερέα, καὶ Ζαχαρίαν υἱὸν Βαραχίου. Καὶ προσῆλθον πρὸς τὴν προφῆτιν καὶ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβε καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱόν. Καὶ εἰπέ μοι Κύριος· Κάλεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, ταχέως σκύλευσον, ὀξέως προνόμευσον. ∆ιότι πρὶν ἢ γνῶναι τὸ παιδίον καλεῖν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα, λήψεται δύναμιν ∆αμασκοῦ, καὶ τὰ σκῦλα Σαμαρείας ἔναντι βασιλέως Ἀσσυρίων. ∆οκεῖ μὲν ἀπηρτῆσθαι κατὰ τὴν λέξιν ταυτὶ τὰ δύο προστάγματα, καὶ μηδὲν κοινὸν ἔχειν πρὸς ἄλληλα· εἰ δέ τις ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσειε τῶν νοημάτων τὴν δύναμιν, πολλὴν ὄψεται τὴν συνέχειαν καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν ἕνα. Ἀναγκαῖον δὲ πρῶτον εἰπεῖν, τίνος ἕνεκεν τὸ τῆς προφητείας εἶδος εἰς τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰσηνέχθη βίον. [Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν εἰσηνέχθη, ἀναγκαῖον εἰπεῖν.] Μέλλειν εἴωθεν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ βραδύνειν πρὸς τὰς τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων τιμωρίας, ὥσπερ οὖν ταχύς ἐστι καὶ ὀξὺς εἰς τὰς τῶν κατορθούντων εὐεργεσίας. Τοῦτο τοὺς ῥᾳθυμοτέρους ἀναπίπτειν παρασκευάζει, τὸ μὴ κατὰ πόδας ἕπεσθαι τῶν πλημμελημάτων τὴν δίκην. Ἵνα οὖν καὶ ὁ Θεὸς τὴν μακροθυμίαν ἐπιδεικνύηται τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ μηδὲν ἐντεῦθεν ἐκεῖνοι γένωνται ῥᾳθυμότεροι, τὸ τῆς προφητείας κατα σκευάζει φάρμακον οὐ τῇ πείρᾳ τῶν κολάσεων, ἀλλὰ τῇ προγνώσει παιδεύων τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας τέως, ἵνα, ἂν μὲν