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So it is necessary to change; so he did not accuse simply. For one could not say that the prophet spoke reasonably then, but not now. For we too are responsible for great evils. So they changed, and God changed. But we have returned to wickedness.

CHAPTER 27.

*Thus said the Lord to me: Make for yourself bonds and collars, and put them around your neck, and you shall send them to the king of Idumea, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the son of Ammon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, in the hands of their messengers who are coming to meet them in Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah, and what follows. One might ask how, with the Jews being tried in so great a hardship, their neighbors sent messengers to Zedekiah. So this is the reason: From the time of Hezekiah, since he was a pious and glorious man, the neighbors became allies, perhaps, having the greatest opinion of him, and of all the Israelites, on account of the sign that had occurred. Therefore, wishing to instruct all that God is the Master of all things, so that they might not think the people became captive and the temple, perhaps, was destroyed through the weakness of the one providing, he commands the prophet to go to meet them and announce the strength of Nebuchadnezzar, advising them not to obey the ma 64.961 vain and the false prophets; so that from the events themselves they might know the strength of God, and that the people became captive through sin, not through the weakness of the one providing; and he calls the yoke a bond, and the collar he calls the pieces of wood fastened around the yoke, which restrain the neck of the oxen. See when he heard, and when he did it. From this it is clear that they did not hear all the prophecies at the time. For what reason? So that there might be no need of the sign, so that people, learning that this sign was commanded to be done, might be brought to their senses. Do you see how God provides for all things? Thus he said. And now I am, I have not changed, I am of the same power. See how he justifies himself. If I made it, I would also be lord to give it. But you do not believe that I made it; you will believe through what comes after. It seemed good to me to give it to Nebuchadnezzar. See how he also suppresses their pride. For does he come by his own power, and overcome the cities? I myself from above fashion these things. See how he teaches them the knowledge of God, so that from these things they may also learn the former things. And the beasts. Do not become more foolish than these nor more ungrateful; the irrational animals obeyed, but you resist? For do I give you alone? And my city. Do you see the common things of providence for them? For he himself made all people; therefore he provides for all equally; for there is no partiality with him. And the nation. See with what great boldness, how pitiably he revealed the slavery, by being exceedingly confident in what was said, not obscurely; Whoever does not put his neck under, as if speaking about some irrational animals, so he speaks. And do not you listen to the false prophets. Do you see a tribunal sitting, and a test of divination and prophecy taking place? They say these things, but I the opposite; let us see to which the end bears witness. And the nation which it might bring in. Does this too have something? Is this too a conjecture? That some are destroyed, while others are let go? Therefore famine also will seize them. To Zedekiah. Do not think that I speak as an enemy and a foe; I also prophesy these things to those among us. Then see what happens; the false prophet speaks against it. And the devil did this, so as to hinder the

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Ὥστε μεταβάλλεσθαι χρή· ὥστε οὐχ ἁπλῶς κατηγόρησεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔχοι τις ἂν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι τότε μὲν ὁ προφήτης ἔλεγεν εἰκότως, νῦν δὲ οὐχί. Καὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς μεγάλων ἐσμὲν ὑπεύθυνοι κακῶν. Μετεβάλλοντο οὖν ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ μετεβάλλετο ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τὴν κακίαν ἐπανήλθομεν.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΖʹ.

*Οὕτως εἶπε Κύριος πρός με· Ποίησον σεαυτῷ δεσμοὺς, καὶ κλοιοὺς, καὶ περίθου περὶ τὸν τράχηλόν σου, καὶ ἀποστελεῖς αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Ἰδουμαίας, καὶ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Μωὰβ, καὶ πρὸς βασιλέα υἱὸν Ἀμμὼν, καὶ πρὸς βασιλέα Τύρου, καὶ πρὸς βασιλέα Σιδῶνος, ἐν χερσὶν ἀγγέλων αὐτῶν τῶν ἐρχομένων εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτῶν ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ πρὸς Σεδεκίαν βασιλέα Ἰούδα, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ζητήσειεν ἄν τις, ὅπως ἐν τοσαύτῃ ταλαιπωρίᾳ Ἰουδαίοις ἐξεταζομένοις, οἱ τῶν ὁμόρων ἀγγέλους ἀπέστελλον πρὸς Σεδεκίαν. Ἔστιν οὖν ἡ αἰτία αὕτη· Ἀπὸ τῶν χρόνων Ἐζεκίου, ἐπειδὴ εὐσεβὴς ἦν ἐκεῖνος καὶ ἐπίδοξος ἀνὴρ, ὑπόσπονδοι γεγόνασιν οὐ ἴσ. οἱ περίοικοι, μεγίστην τὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐσχηκότες δόξαν, καὶ πάντων τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν, διὰ τὸ γεγενημένον σημεῖον. Βουλόμενος τοίνυν παιδεῦσαι πάντας, ὡς ∆εσπότης ἐστὶν τῶν ἁπάντων Θεὸς, ὅπως ἂν μὴ νομίζοιεν ἀσθενείᾳ τοῦ προνοοῦντος αἰχμάλωτον γενέσθαι τὸν λαὸν, καὶ τὸν ἴσ. ναὸν ἃ καταστρέφεσθαι, κελεύει τῷ προφήτῃ εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτῶν ἐλθεῖν, καὶ μηνῦσαι τὴν ἰσχὺν τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσορ, παραινῶν αὐτοῖς, μὴ πείθεσθαι τοῖς μα 64.961 ταίοις καὶ τοῖς ψευδοπροφήταις· ὡς ἂν ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων γνοῖεν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἰσχὺν, καὶ ὡς δι' ἁμαρτίας ὁ λαὸς, οὐχ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀσθενείας, τοῦ προνοοῦντος αἰχμάλωτος γέγονε· δεσμὸν δὲ τὸν ζυγὸν, κλοιὸν δὲ λέγει τὰ περισφιγγόμενα περὶ τὸν ζυγὸν ξύλα, ἃ συνέχει τῶν βοῶν τὸν αὐχένα. Ὅρα, πότε ἤκουσε, καὶ πότε ἐποίησεν. Ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὅτι οὐ πάσας τὰς προφητείας κατὰ καιρὸν ἤκουον. Τίνος ἕνεκεν; ἵνα μηδὲ τοῦ σημείου γένηται χρεία, ἵνα μαθόντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ὅτι τόδε ἐκελεύσθη τὸ σημεῖον ποιῆσαι, σωφρονισθῶσιν. Ὁρᾷς πῶς πάντων προνοεῖ ὁ Θεός. Οὕτως εἶπε. Καὶ νῦν ἐγώ εἰμι, οὐ μεταβέβλημαι, ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτῆς δυνάμεώς εἰμι. Ὅρα, πῶς δικαιολογεῖται. Εἰ ἐγὼ ἐποίησα, καὶ δοῦναι κύριος ἂν εἴην. Ἀλλ' οὐ πιστεύεις ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐποίησα, πιστεύσεις διὰ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα. Ἔδοξέ μοι δοῦναι αὐτὴν τῷ Ναβουχοδονόσορ. Ὅρα, πῶς αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν τύφον καταστέλλει. Μὴ γὰρ οἰκείᾳ παραγίνεται δυνάμει, καὶ τῶν πόλεων περιγίνεται; Αὐτὸς ἄνωθεν ταῦτα τυπῶ. Ὅρα, πῶς αὐτοὺς παιδεύει θεογνωσίαν, ἵνα ἐκ τούτων καὶ τὰ πρότερα μάθωσιν. Καὶ τὰ θηρία. Μὴ γίνεσθε τούτων ἀνοητότεροι μηδὲ ἀχάριστοι· τὰ ἄλογα ὑπήκουσαν, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἀνθίστασθε; μὴ γὰρ ὑμᾶς δίδωμι μόνους; καὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἐμήν. Ὁρᾷς κοινὰ τὰ τῆς προνοίας αὐτοῖς; Πάντας γὰρ ἀνθρώπους αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν· οὐκοῦν πάντων ἴσως προνοεῖ· οὐ γάρ ἐστι προσωποληψία παρ' αὐτῷ. Καὶ τὸ ἔθνος. Ὅρα πῶς πόση περ παῤῥησία, πῶς ἐλεεινῶς τὴν δουλείαν ἐνέφηνε, τῷ σφόδρα θαῤῥεῖν τοῖς λεγομένοις, οὐκ ἐπεσκιασμένως· Ὅσοι μὴ ἐμβάλωσι τὸν τράχηλον, καθάπερ περὶ ἀλόγων τινῶν, οὕτω διαλέγεται. Καὶ ὑμεῖς μὴ ἀκούετε τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν. Ὁρᾷς δικαστήριον καθήμενον, καὶ βάσανον γινομένην μαντείας καὶ προφητείας; Ταῦτα ἐκεῖνοι λέγουσιν, ἐγὼ δὲ τἀναντία· ἴδωμεν τίνι μαρτυρεῖ τὸ τέλος. Καὶ τὸ ἔθνος ὃ ἐὰν εἰσαγάγῃ. Μὴ καὶ τοῦτο ἔχει τι; μὴ καὶ τοῦτο στοχασμός; τὸ τοὺς μὲν ἀναιρεῖσθαι, τοὺς δὲ ἀφίεσθαι; διὸ καὶ λιμὸς αὐτοὺς καταλήψεται. Πρὸς Σεδεκίαν. Μὴ νομίσητε, ὅτι ὡς ἐχθρὸς λέγω καὶ πολέμιος· καὶ τοῖς παρ' ἡμῖν ταῦτα προφητεύω. Εἶτα ὅρα, τί γίνεται· ἀντιλέγει ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίησεν ὁ διάβολος, ὥστε ἐμποδίσαι τῇ