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the Assyrians might be destroyed, the remnant of the people who had been taken captive, whom Cyrus sent away free, will not be trusting in the Assyrians who had wronged them, which Ahaz seems to have done, having sent the sacred and royal treasures to the king of the Assyrians, saying: I am your servant. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Syria, and from the hand of the king of Israel, at which time he also came up and seized Damascus, and turned back Rezin. Therefore, not in man, but in God alone will those who are saved be confident. And it might also mean not to pay attention again to the demons to whom they formerly clung, who wronged their souls. But some say that these things were said concerning those who through conversion placed their hope in God. For sinners attach themselves to those who wrong them; but only he trusts in God in truth, who trusts in none of the things that appear, not being divided in his hopes, but has assigned everything to God. But the remnant, concerning which he adds that it will be saved, speaking indefinitely about it, is different from what was said, 'the remnant of Israel will no longer be added'. For this one is the one that returned from captivity; but the first is of this kind, and the sand of the sea is infinite in number, but useless for agriculture. Therefore, when Israel, having been multiplied, becomes useless in the fruitfulness that is according to God, their multitude will perish, but the remnant will be saved. For after the return from Babylon until the Roman times, they increased into a useless multitude, from whom those who believed in Christ were saved. But this, he says, will be, when he makes a shortened word upon the earth. Such as the evangelical one, not containing the commandments from Moses. And these words 2033 Paul cited in his letter to the Romans, having a slight variation; for he did not, as we do, follow the interpreters; but being a Hebrew, he interpreted the saying as it seemed best to him. And the others too rather agreed with the apostolic account. But he says, Do not be surprised if they are few who are written by the child. For many in name, but few in deeds, are inscribed with Christ. But the way of salvation, to comprehend the grace of the law, and the ordinance of the prophets, in the brevity of the Gospel. For you shall love the Lord your God, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. He therefore who accomplishes and brings the word to action, both shortening it and summing up its breadth in the briefest commandments, this is the remnant that is being saved. All things, he says, whatever you wish that men would do to you, so also do you to them. For this is the law and the prophets. Do you see in the natural concept the whole word being both accomplished and shortened, which we said before concerning 'mighty God,' that among the Hebrews 'El' signifies God, this is also now confirmed; for 'upon a mighty God' has the Hebrew 'El'. κδλβʹ. 9Therefore, thus says the Lord Sabaoth: Do not be afraid, my people, who dwell in Zion, of the Assyrians, because with a rod he will strike you; for I will bring a plague upon you, to see the way of Egypt. For yet a little while, and the wrath will cease9, etc. The discourse, having completed the things concerning Jerusalem, that she will suffer things equal to Israel; and what terrible things await the Assyrian, and having spoken about those who would be pious in the future; which indeed happened long times afterward; now he speaks concerning the time of Isaiah, when the Assyrian campaigned against Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah. For to those at that time who were agonizing on account of the impending attack, lest they also suffer things similar to those in Samaria, he exhorts them not to fear the Assyrians. For he will come, he says, and you will experience a brief strike, as if being beaten with a rod, but he will depart unsuccessful, being struck with a more divine blow. And the cause of these things was the pious Hezekiah, not having become like his father Ahaz, and having turned his subjects to piety. Wherefore he says: Do not be afraid, my people. For you will not be struck by war. And the rod against you becomes short-lived. But you will be struck nevertheless, yourself in the way of Egypt by the zeal of

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καταστραφῶσιν Ἀσσύριοι, οἱ περιλειφθέντες τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ αἰχμαλωτισθέντος, οὓς ἐλευθέρους ὁ Κύρος ἀπέπεμψεν, οὐκ ἔσονται πεποιθότες ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἀσσυρίους τοὺς ἠδικηκότας αὐτοὺς, ὅπερ φαίνεται ποιήσας Ἄχαζ, τοὺς ἱεροὺς θησαυροὺς καὶ τοὺς βασιλικοὺς ἀποστείλας τῶν Ἀσσυρίων τῷ βασιλεῖ, λέγων· ∆οῦλός σου ἐγώ. Ἀνάβηθι καὶ σῶσόν με ἐκ χειρὸς βασιλέως Συρίας, καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς βασιλέως Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτε καὶ ἀνελθὼν συνέλαβε ∆αμασκὸν, καὶ τὸν Ῥαασσὼν ἀπέστρεψεν. Οὐκ ἐπ' ἀνθρώπῳ τοίνυν, Θεῷ δὲ μόνον οἵγε σωθέντες θαῤῥήσουσιν. Λέγοι δ' ἂν καὶ τὸ, μὴ πάλιν προσέχειν οἷς πάλαι προσέκειντο δαίμοσιν τοῖς τὰς αὐτῶν ἠδικηκόσι ψυχάς. Τινὲς δέ φασιν εἰρῆσθαι ταῦτα περὶ τῶν δι' ἐπιστροφῆς ἐπὶ Θεῷ τὴν ἐλπίδα θεμένων. Οἱ γὰρ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τοῖς αὐτοὺς ἀδικοῦσι προστίθενται· μόνος δὲ πέποιθεν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ Θεῷ, ὁ μηδενὶ τῶν φαινομένων θαῤῥῶν, ταῖς ἐλπίσι μὴ μεριζόμενος, τὸ δὲ πᾶν ἀπονείμας Θεῷ. Τὸ δὲ κατάλειμμα, περὶ οὗ ἐπιφέρει ὅτι σωθήσεται, ἀορίστως λέγων περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἕτερόν ἐστιν παρὰ τὸ λεχθὲν, οὐκέτι προστεθήσεται τὸ καταλειφθὲν Ἰσραήλ. Τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ, τὸ ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἐπανελθόν· τὸ δὲ πρῶτον τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, καὶ ὁ τῆς θαλάττης ψάμμος ἄπειρος ἀριθμῷ, πρὸς γεωργίαν δὲ ἄχρηστος. Ὅταν οὖν πληθυνθεὶς Ἰσραὴλ ἄχρηστος ἐν τῇ καρποφορίᾳ γένηται τῇ κατὰ Θεὸν, τὸ μὲν πλῆθος αὐτῶν ἀπολεῖται, τὸ κατάλειμμα δὲ σωθήσεται. Μετὰ γὰρ τὴν ἀπὸ Βαβυλῶνος ἐπάνοδον μέχρι τῶν Ῥωμαϊκῶν χρόνων, εἰς πλῆθος ἐπέδωκαν ἄχρηστον, ἐξ ὧν οἱ εἰς Χριστὸν πεπιστευκότες ἐσώθησαν. Τοῦτο δὲ, φησὶν, ἔσται, ἐπειδ' ἂν συντετμημένον ἐπὶ γῆς ποιήσειε λόγον. Οἷος ὁ εὐαγγελικὸς, μὴ περιέχων τὰ παρὰ τῷ Μωϋσεῖ παραγγέλματα. Τὰ δὲ ῥήματα ταῦτα 2033 παρέθηκεν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ὁ Παῦλος, ὀλίγην ἔχοντα τὴν παραλλαγήν· οὐδὲ γὰρ, ὡς ἡμεῖς, ἠκολούθει τοῖς ἑρμηνεύσασιν· Ἑβραῖος δὲ ὑπάρχων, κατὰ τὸ δόξαν αὐτῷ τὴν ῥῆσιν ἑρμήνευσε. Καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι δὲ μᾶλλον τῇ ἀποστολικῇ διηγήσει συνέδραμον. Φησὶ δὲ, Μὴ θαυμάσῃς εἰ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ ὑπὸ τοῦ παιδίου γραφόμενοι. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ὀνόματι, ὀλίγοι δὲ τοῖς ἔργοις τὸν Χριστὸν ἐπιγράφονται. Ὁ δὲ τρόπος τῆς σωτηρίας, τὸ τοῦ μὲν νόμου τὸ χάρισμα, τῶν δὲ προφητῶν τὴν διάταξιν, ἐν τῇ βραχυλογίᾳ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου περιλαβεῖν. Ἀγαπήσεις γὰρ Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου, καὶ ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς ἑαυτόν. Ὁ οὖν συντελῶν καὶ πρὸς ἔργον ἄγων τὸν λόγον, συντεμών τε αὐτὸν καὶ συγκεφαλαιούμενος αὐτοῦ τὸ πλάτος ἐν ταῖς βραχυτάταις ἐντολαῖς, οὗτός ἐστι τὸ κατάλειμμα τὸ σωζόμενον. Πάντα, φησὶν, ὅσα ἐὰν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, κατὰ ταῦτα καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς. Οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται. Ὁρᾷς ἐν τῇ φυσικῇ ἐννοίᾳ ὅλον τὸν λόγον συντελούμενόν τε καὶ συντεμνόμενον, ὅπερ δὲ ἐλέγομεν προλαβόντες περὶ τοῦ Θεὸς ἰσχυρὸς, ὅτι παρ' Ἑβραίοις τὸ Ἤλ σημαίνει Θεὸν, τοῦτο καὶ νῦν βεβαιοῦται· τὸ γὰρ ἐπὶ Θεὸν ἰσχυρὸν, τὸ Ἤλ ἔχει τὸ Ἑβραϊκόν. κδλβʹ. 9∆ιὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος Σαβαώθ· Μὴ φοβοῦ, ὁ λαός μου, οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν Σιὼν, ἀπὸ Ἀσσυρίων, ὅτι ἐν ῥάβδῳ πατάξει σε· πληγὴν γὰρ ἐπάξω ἐπὶ σὲ, τοῦ ἰδεῖν ὁδὸν Αἰγύπτου. Ἔτι γὰρ μικρὸν, καὶ παύσεται ἡ ὀργὴ9, κ.τ.λ. Πληρώσας ὁ λόγος τὰ περὶ τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ὡς ἴσα πείσεται τῷ Ἰσραήλ· καὶ τὸν Ἀσσύριον ὁποῖα μένει δεινὰ, περί τε τῶν ἐς ὕστερον εὐσεβούντων εἰπών· ἃ δὴ μακροῖς ὕστερον συνέβαινε χρόνοις· νῦν περὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν Ἡσαΐαν χρόνου φησὶν, ὅτε κατὰ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὁ Ἀσσύριος ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐζεκίου βασιλείας ἐστράτευσεν. Ἀγωνιῶσι γὰρ τοῖς τότε διὰ τὴν μέλλουσαν ἔφοδον, μὴ καὶ λάθωσι τοῖς ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ πεπονθότες προσόμοια, παραινεῖ μὴ δεδιέναι τοὺς Ἀσσυρίους. Ἥξει μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ βραχείας πειραθήσεσθε τῆς πληγῆς, ὡσανεὶ ῥάβδῳ παιόμενοι, πλὴν ἄπρακτος ἄπεισιν πληγῇ θειοτέρᾳ βαλλόμενος. Αἴτιος δὲ τούτων εὐσεβὴς ὢν Ἐζεκίας, ἀλλ' οὐ κατὰ τὸν Ἄχαζ τὸν πατέρα γενόμενος, καὶ τοὺς ὑπηκόους μεταβαλὼν εἰς εὐσέβειαν. ∆ιό φησιν· Μὴ φοβοῦ, λαός μου. Οὐ πολέμῳ γὰρ πληγήσῃ. Καὶ ἡ κατὰ σοῦ δὲ ῥάβδος ὀλιγοχρόνιος γίνεται. Πληγήσῃ δὲ ὅμως, τῇ ὁδῷ σαυτὸν Αἰγύπτου ζήλῳ τῆς