77

For we are taught both through these and through those, not to take revenge on those who do wrong, but to await the divine verdict, which greatly provides for those who are wronged, just as indeed then, while Moses was silent, he brought leprosy upon Miriam. XXIII Why then, of the two who had reviled him, did she alone pay the penalty? First, because the woman's offense was greater; for both nature and the law subject the female to the male. Then, Aaron had some moderate pardon, both as being older, and as having been deemed worthy of the high priesthood. In addition to these things, since the leper was considered to be unclean according to the law, and Aaron was the root and foundation of the priests, so that the reproach might not pass to the whole race, he did not bring an equal punishment upon him, but through his sister he both frightened and instructed him. For the affliction so grieved him, that before she who received it, he himself besought the one who had been wronged to remove the misfortune by his intercession; and he did not neglect it, but immediately offered the supplication. Then the philanthropic Lord taught that he had disciplined her not judicially, but paternally. For he said, "If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be ashamed? She shall be set apart for seven days outside the camp, and after that she shall come in." But honor was also joined to the dishonor; for the people did not depart until she was freed from the affliction. XXIV For what reason did he command spies to be sent? So that having learned beforehand of the land's fertility, they might desire to partake of the praised fruits; and being hesitant and shrinking, they might have no excuse when being punished. XXV Why then, when he sent Hoshea as a spy, did he call him Jesus? Because he was a type of the true Jesus, who imitated the form of spies, managing our salvation. For just as spies use both the appearance and the voice of those nations which they spy on, so the Word of God, having put on human nature and having used its language, managed our salvation. XXVI What does he mean by the race of Anak? This one was most famous and much talked of, as is likely, on account of the size of his body; and the race in every way resembled the forefather. XXVII What is, "the glory of the Lord shall fill all the earth"? 210 It foretells the rejection of the Jews and the salvation of the world; and it adds an oath to the prophecy. "For as I live, he says, and my name lives, the glory of the Lord shall fill all the earth." But according to the other interpreters, that "the glory of the Lord will fill all the earth." Then he passes the sentence against all who were numbered, except Caleb son of Jephunneh, and Jesus son of Nave, who in addition to the truth of their reports, brought pious exhortation to the people. However, it is fitting to compare with this decision the one spoken in the gospels: "The kingdom shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation producing its fruits." For those who fell in the desert through unbelief are a type of the unbelieving Jews; but of the believing nations, the uncircumcised children, who in their place through Jesus received the land promised to their forefathers. XXVIII Why then has he legislated many things concerning the same sacrifices? So that by the continuity of the legislation he might produce a firm memory of the laws. XXIX What is, "a soul who shall do anything with a hand of pride? Having legislated what kind of sacrifice it is necessary to offer for those who have sinned unintentionally, he also legislates concerning those who have sinned intentionally. But sins are different; for some, because of the weakness of the soul, do not bear the uprising of passions, and giving in, they are defeated; but others also fall into sins from another 211 circumstance. But there are those who also are contemptuously disposed toward the divine laws; he said that these sin out of pride, as willingly despising the laws. He said that such a one shall be blotted out, and he added the reason, "because he has scorned the word of the Lord, and has scattered his commandments; that soul shall be utterly cut off; for its sin is in it." For the one through weakness

77

διδασκόμεθα γὰρ καὶ διὰ τούτων καὶ δι' ἐκείνων, μὴ ἀμύ νεσθαι τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας, ἀλλὰ τὴν θείαν ψῆφον προσμένειν, μάλα τῶν ἀδικουμένων προμηθουμένην, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ τότε Μωϋσῆ σιγῶντος τῇ Μαριὰμ τὴν λέπραν ἐπήνεγκεν. XXIII Τί δήποτε τῶν δύο λελοιδορηκότων, ἐκείνη δίκας ἔτισε μόνη; Πρῶτον ἐπειδὴ μεῖζον ἦν τῆς γυναικὸς τὸ πλημμέλημα· τῷ ἄρρενι γὰρ καὶ ἡ φύσις καὶ ὁ νόμος ὑποτάττει τὸ θῆλυ. ἔπειτα εἶχέ τινα μετρίαν συγ γνώμην ὁ Ἀαρών, καὶ ὡς τῷ χρόνῳ πρεσβύτερος, καὶ ὡς ἀρχιερωσύνης ἠξιωμένος. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, ἐπειδὴ ἀκάθαρτος ὁ λεπρὸς ἐδόκει εἶναι κατὰ τὸν νόμον, ῥίζα δὲ τῶν ἱερέων καὶ κρηπὶς ἦν ὁ Ἀαρών, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ἅπαν διαβῇ τὸ γένος τὸ ὄνειδος, τὴν ἴσην οὐκ ἐπήγαγεν αὐτῷ τιμωρίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἐφόβησεν ὁμοῦ καὶ ἐπαίδευσεν. οὕτω γὰρ αὐτὸν τὸ πάθος ἠνίασεν, ὅτι πρὸ τῆς τοῦτο δεξαμένης αὐτὸς τὸν ἠδικημένον ἱκέτευσε λῦσαι τῇ πρεσβείᾳ τὴν συμφοράν· ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἠμέλησεν, ἀλλ' αὐτίκα τὴν ἱκετηρίαν προσήνεγκεν. εἶτα ὁ φιλάνθρωπος ἐδίδαξε Κύριος, ὡς οὐ δικαστικῶς αὐ 9 τήν, ἀλλὰ πατρικῶς ἐπαίδευσεν. ἔφη γάρ, " εἰ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῆς ἐμπτύων ἐνέπτυσεν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς, οὐκ ἐντραπήσεται; ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ἀφορισθήσεται ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰσελεύσεται ". συνέζευκται δὲ καὶ τιμὴ τῇ ἀτιμίᾳ· οὐκ ἀπῆρε γὰρ ὁ λαὸς ἕως ἀπηλλάγη τοῦ πάθους. XXIV Τίνος χάριν κατασκόπους ἀποσταλῆναι προσέταξεν; Ἵνα προμαθόντες τῆς γῆς τὴν εὐκαρπίαν, ἐπιθυμήσωσι μεταλαχεῖν τῶν ἐπαινουμένων καρπῶν· ὀκνοῦντες δὲ καὶ ὀκλάζοντες, μηδεμίαν ἔχωσι παραίτησιν κολαζόμενοι. XXV Τί δήποτε τὸν Αὑσήν, ἡνίκα κατάσκοπον ἔπεμπεν, ἐκάλεσεν Ἰησοῦν; Ὅτι τύπος ἦν τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὃς τὸ τῶν κατασκόπων ἐμιμήσατο σχῆμα, τὴν ἡμετέραν οἰκονομῶν σωτηρίαν. καθάπερ γὰρ οἱ κατάσκοποι τῷ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐκείνων, ἃ κατασκοποῦσι, καὶ σχήματι κέχρηνται καὶ φωνῇ, οὕτως ὁ Θεὸς λόγος τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν περιθέμενος φύσιν, καὶ τῇ ταύτης γλώττῃ χρησάμενος, τὴν ἡμετέραν ᾠκονόμησε σωτηρίαν. XXVI Τίνα λέγει γενεὰν Ἐνάκ; Ὀνομαστότατος οὗτος ἦν καὶ πολυθρύλλητος, ὡς εἰκός, διὰ τὸ τοῦ σώ ματος μέγεθος· καὶ τὸ γένος δὲ πάντως τῷ προγόνῳ ἐῴκει. XXVII Τί ἐστιν, " ἐμπλήσει ἡ δόξα Κυρίου πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν "; 210 Προλέγει τὴν ἰουδαίων ἀποβολὴν καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης τὴν σωτηρίαν· καὶ ὅρκον τῇ προρρήσει προστίθησι. " ζῶ, γάρ φησιν, ἐγώ, καὶ ζῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου, καὶ ἐμπλήσει ἡ δόξα Κυρίου πᾶ σαν τὴν γῆν ". κατὰ δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους ἑρμηνευτάς, ὅτι " ἐμπλήσει πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἡ δόξα Κυρίου ". εἶτα ἐκφέρει τὴν ψῆφον κατὰ τῶν ἀριθμηθέντων ἁπάντων, πλὴν Χαλὲβ υἱοῦ Ἰεφωνῆ, καὶ Ἰησοῦ υἱοῦ Ναυῆ, οἳ πρὸς τῇ ἀληθείᾳ τῶν μηνυμάτων, τὴν εὐσεβῆ παραίνεσιν προσήνεγκαν τῷ λαῷ. ταύτῃ μέντοι παραβαλεῖν προσήκει τῇ ἀποφάσει τὴν ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις εἰρημένην· " ἀρθήσεται ἀφ' ὑμῶν ἡ βασιλεία, καὶ δοθήσεται ἔθνει ποιοῦντι τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς ". τύπος γὰρ τῶν μὲν ἠπιστηκότων ἰουδαίων, οἱ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ πεπτωκότες δι' ἀπιστίαν· τῶν δὲ πεπιστευκότων ἐθνῶν, οἱ ἀπερίτμητοι παῖδες, οἱ ἀντ' ἐκείνων διὰ Ἰησοῦ τὴν γῆν ἀπειληφότες τὴν τοῖς προγόνοις ἐπηγγελμένην. XXVIII Τί δήποτε περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν θυσιῶν πολλὰ νενομοθέτηκεν; Ἵνα τῇ συνεχείᾳ τῆς νομοθεσίας παγίαν τῶν νόμων τὴν μνήμην ἐργά σηται. XXIX Τί ἐστι, " ψυχὴ ἥ τις ποιήσει ἐν χειρὶ ὑπερηφανίαν; Περὶ τῶν ἀκουσίως ἡμαρτηκότων νομοθετήσας ὁποίαν χρὴ θυσίαν προ σενεγκεῖν, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἑκουσίως ἡμαρτηκότων νομοθετεῖ. διάφορα δὲ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα· οἱ μὲν γὰρ οὐ φέρουσι διὰ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσθένειαν τὴν τῶν παθῶν ἐπανάστασιν, καὶ ἐνδιδόντες ἡττῶνται· οἱ δὲ καὶ ἐξ ἑτέρας 211 περιστάσεως ἁμαρτήμασι περιπίπτουσιν. εἰσὶ δέ, οἳ καὶ καταφρονητικῶς περὶ τοὺς θείους διάκεινται νόμους· τούτους ἐξ ὑπερηφανίας ἁμαρτάνειν ἔφη, ὡς ἑκόντας τῶν νόμων καταφρονοῦντας. τὸν τοιοῦτον ἐξαλειφθήσεσ θαι ἔφη, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπήγαγεν, " ὅτι τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου ἐφαύ λισε, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ διεσκέδασεν· ἐκτρί ψει ἐκτριβήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη· ἁμαρτία γὰρ αὐτῆς ἐν αὐτῇ ". ὁ μὲν γὰρ δι' ἀσθένειαν