73

wishes. Hear, men, hear, women, the affection of spouses, which they showed to one another even to the point of danger. For after Abraham had settled in Gerar, he said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister; for he was afraid to say, She is my wife, lest the men of the city kill him on account of her. And Abimelech the king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. Consider for me the tempest of thoughts which the just man endured, seeing his wife being led away, and being able to do nothing to help. For he bore all things in silence, knowing that the Lord would not overlook him, but would provide swift assistance. And one must also admire Sarah's great affection, which she showed in order to snatch the just man from danger. For it was possible for her, by revealing the scheme, to escape the agreed-upon outrage; but she endured all things nobly, in order to secure salvation for the just man; and that which was spoken was fulfilled, that The two shall become one flesh. For as if they were one flesh, so they cared for each other's salvation, and showed such harmony, as if they were one body and one soul. Let men hear these things, let women hear, so that these women may also show such affection for their husbands, and these men may have so much goodwill for them, and as having one soul, and being one body, so they may do all things. And God came to Abimelech in the night, and said: Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is married to a husband. See the loving-kindness of God; since He saw the just man, through fear of death, nobly bearing the removal of Sarah, and the king taking her as the just man's sister, He then displays His own providence, at the same time both revealing the just man more clearly, and freeing Sarah from outrage, and delivering the king from his transgression. But Abimelech, it says, had not touched her, but also makes his defense for the bold act, and says: Lord, will you destroy a righteous and ignorant nation? For have I done this not knowing she was his wife? Was it because I wanted to wrong the stranger? Was it as taking away a wife? I did this intending to take her as a sister, thinking that in this way I would honor him. Did he not himself tell me, She is my sister? And she also told me, He is my brother? What then did the philanthropic Lord say? I too knew that you did this in the integrity of your heart, that they themselves devised this scheme, and that you did this, being deceived by what was said by them; and for this reason, so that you would not sin because of their deceit, I kept you from sinning against Me. Do not therefore treat the man simply as one of the common people, but learn that he is one of those highly esteemed by Me, and one of those who has great intimacy with Me. Now therefore, restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. For he, fearing death from you, prepared this scheme, and all but cooperated in the outrage against Sarah; but know, that his prayers will grant you life 63.662. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you, and all that is yours. For not only you yourself will suffer the punishment for the disobedience, but also all that is yours. And Abimelech rose up and called his servants, and spoke all these words in their ears; then he also called Abraham. Consider for me with how much prominence the just man is now brought before the king, he who a little before was considered contemptible, and knowing none of these things. He was now learning from the king himself the things that had been done to him by God on his account; for he said to him, What is this you have done to us? How have we sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? For was the punishment, he says, to stop with me? My entire kingdom was about to be utterly destroyed because of the deceit that came from you. What then did you see to make you do this thing? For what reason? What were you thinking? What then did Abraham say? I was in agony, he says,

73

βούλεται. Ἀκούσατε, ἄνδρες, ἀκούσατε, γυναῖκες, φιλοστοργίαν συζύγων, ἣν πρὸς ἀλλήλους μέχρι κινδύνων αὐτῶν ἐπεδείξαντο. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ κατοικῆσαι τὸν Ἀβραὰμ ἐν Γεράροις, εἶπε περὶ Σάῤῥας τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ, Ἀδελφή μού ἐστιν· ἐφοβήθη γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Γυνή μού ἐστι, μήποτε ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως δι' αὐτήν. Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ἀβιμέλεκ ὁ βασιλεὺς Γεράρων, καὶ ἔλαβε τὴν Σάῤῥαν. Ἐννόησόν μοι τὸν χειμῶνα τῶν λογισμῶν, ὃν ὑπέμενεν ὁ δίκαιος, ὁρῶν αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα ἀπαγομένην, καὶ οὐδὲν δυνάμενος ἐπαμῦναι. Σιγῇ γὰρ ἅπαντα ἔφερεν, εἰδὼς ὅτι οὐ περιόψεται αὐτὸν ὁ ∆εσπότης, ἀλλὰ ταχεῖαν παρέξει τὴν συμμαχίαν. Καὶ τῆς Σάῤῥας δὲ θαυμάσαι ἔστι τὴν πολλὴν φιλοστοργίαν, ἣν, ἵνα τοῦ κινδύνου τὸν δίκαιον ἐξαρπάσῃ, ἐπεδείξατο. Ἐξῆν γὰρ αὐτὴν ἐκκαλύψασαν τὸ δρᾶμα, διαφυγεῖν τὴν ὡμολογημένην ὕβριν· ἀλλ' ὑπέμεινεν ἅπαντα γενναίως, ἵνα τὴν σωτηρίαν τῷ δικαίῳ πραγματεύσηται· καὶ ἐπληροῦτο ἐκεῖνο τὸ εἰρημένον, ὅτι Ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ μία σὰρξ ὄντες, οὕτω τῆς ἀλλήλων σωτηρίας ἐκήδοντο, καὶ τοσαύτην ἐπεδείκνυντο τὴν ὁμόνοιαν, ὡς ἓν σῶμα τυγχάνοντες καὶ μία ψυχή. Ταῦτα ἀκουέτωσαν ἄνδρες, ἀκουέτωσαν γυναῖκες, ἵνα καὶ αὗται τοσαύτην περὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας φιλοστοργίαν ἐπιδείκνυνται, καὶ οὗτοι οὕτω πολλὴν τὴν περὶ αὐτὰς εὔνοιαν ἔχωσι, καὶ ὡς μίαν ψυχὴν κεκτημένοι, καὶ ἓν σῶμα ὄντες, οὕτω πάντα διαπράττωνται. Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Ἀβιμέλεκ τὴν νύκτα, καὶ εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺἀποθνήσκεις περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ἧς ἔλαβες· αὕτη δέ ἐστι συνῳκηκυῖα ἀνδρί. Ὅρα Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν· ἐπειδὴ εἶδε τὸν δίκαιον διὰ τὸν τοῦ θανάτου φόβον γενναίως τῆς Σάῤῥας ἐνεγκόντα τὴν ἀφαίρεσιν, καὶ τὸν βασιλέα ὡς ἀδελφὴν τοῦ δικαίου οὕτως αὐτὴν ἀγόμενον, λοιπὸν τὴν οἰκείαν πρόνοιαν ἐπιδείκνυται, ὁμοῦ καὶ τὸν δίκαιον περιφανέστερον ἀποδεικνὺς, καὶ τὴν Σάῤῥαν τῆς ὕβρεως ἐλευθερῶν, καὶ μετὰ βασιλέα ἀπαλλάττων τῆς παρανομίας. Ἀβιμέλεκ δὲ, φησὶν, οὐχ ἥψατο αὐτῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπολογεῖται ὑπὲρ τοῦ τολμήματος, καί φησι· Κύριε, ἔθνος δίκαιον καὶ ἀγνοοῦν ἀπολεῖς; Μὴ γὰρ εἰδὼς γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ τοῦτο πεποίηκα; μὴ γὰρ ἀδικῆσαι βουλόμενος τὸν ξένον; μὴ γὰρ ὡς γυναῖκα ἀφαιρούμενος; ὡς ἀδελφὴν μέλλων λαμβάνειν τοῦτο διεπραξάμην, νομίζων καὶ ταύτῃ τιμήσειν αὐτόν. Οὐκ αὐτός μοι εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἀδελφή μού ἐστι; καὶ αὕτη μοι εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἀδελφός μού ἐστι; Τί οὖν ὁ φιλάνθρωπος ∆εσπότης; Κἀγὼ ἔγνων, ὅτι ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ ἐποίησας τοῦτο, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τοῦτο τὸ δρᾶμα κατεσκεύασαν, καὶ ὅτι ἀπατηθεὶς τοῖς παρ' αὐτῶν λεγομένοις, τοῦτο πεποίηκας· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, ἵνα μὴ διὰ τὴν ἀπάτην ἐκείνων ἁμάρτῃς, ἐφεισάμην τοῦ μὴ ἁμαρτεῖν σε εἰς ἐμέ. Μὴ δὴ ἁπλῶς, ὡς ἑνὶ τῶν τυχόντων, πρόσεχε τῷ ἀνδρὶ, ἀλλὰ μάνθανε ὅτι τῶν ἐμοὶ περισπουδάστων ἐστὶ, καὶ τῶν πολλὴν ἐχόντων πρὸς ἐμὲ τὴν οἰκείωσιν. Ἀπόδος τοίνυν τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ὅτι προφήτης ἐστὶ, καὶ προσεύξεται περὶ σοῦ, καὶ ζήσῃ. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ δεδοικὼς τὸν παρὰ σοῦ θάνατον, τὸ δρᾶμα τοῦτο παρεσκεύασε, καὶ μονονουχὶ συνέπραξε πρὸς τὴν τῆς Σάῤῥας ὕβριν· γίνωσκε δὲ, ὅτι αἱ παρ' ἐκείνου προσευχαὶ τὴν ζωήν 63.662 σοι παρέξουσιν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀποδῷς, γνῶθι ὅτι ἀποθανῇ σὺ, καὶ πάντα τὰ σά. Οὐ μόνον γὰρ αὐτὸς τῆς παρακοῆς ὑφέξεις τὴν τιμωρίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντα τὰ σά. Ἐγερθεὶς δὲ Ἀβιμέλεκ ἐκάλεσε τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλάλησε πάντα τὰ ῥήματα εἰς τὰ ὦτα αὐτῶν· εἶτα ἐκάλεσε καὶ τὸν Ἀβραάμ. Ἐννόει μοι μεθ' ὅσης λοιπὸν τῆς περιφανείας εἰσάγεται ὁ δίκαιος πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, ὁ πρὸ μικροῦ εὐκαταφρόνητος νομιζόμενος, καὶ οὐδὲν τούτων εἰδώς. Ἐμάνθανε λοιπὸν παρ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ δι' αὐτὸν εἰς ἐκεῖνον γεγενημένα· εἶπε γὰρ αὐτῷ, Τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας ἡμῖν; τί ἡμάρτομεν εἰς σὲ, ὅτι ἐπήγαγες ἐπ' ἐμὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλείαν μου ἁμαρτίαν μεγάλην; Μὴ γὰρ μέχρις ἐμοῦ, φησὶν, εἶχε στῆναι τὰ τῆς τιμωρίας; πᾶσά μου ἡ βασιλεία ἄρδην ἔμελλεν ἀφανίζεσθαι ἐκ τῆς ἀπάτης τῆς παρὰ σοῦ γεγενημένης. Τί οὖν ἐνιδὼν ἐποίησας τοῦτο; τίνος ἕνεκεν; τί ἐννοήσας; Τί οὖν ὁ Ἀβραάμ; Ἐναγώνιος, φησὶ, γέγονα,