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my miseries in Babylon, she who dwells in Zion will say; and my blood, upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, Jerusalem will say. My blood, he says, will be avenged on them, and they will pay the penalty for the things they transgressed 81.753 against me. Thus the prophet shows the things concerning Jerusalem, and the just verdict brought forth from God. λϛʹ. Therefore thus says the Lord; Behold, I will judge your adversary, and I will execute your vengeance. Since you knew the harm that comes from sin. "And I will desolate her sea." That is, the multitude of subjects. "And I will dry up her spring." The kingdom, and the dominion over all. Then he also says the things peculiar to desolation, about which we have often spoken; "It will not be inhabited again." For it now has few houses, and these scattered. And having compared her champions to lions, he foretells both their cowardice and their destruction. λθʹ, μʹ. For I will give them, he says, a drink, and I will make them drunk, so that they may fall into a stupor, and sleep an eternal sleep, and not be awakened, says the Lord. And I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, and like rams with kids. Both the rulers and the ruled, and with the king the subjects; for he called the subjects lambs and kids, and the rulers rams. μαʹ. How has Sheshach been captured, and the boast of all the earth been seized? He calls Babylon thus. For in the preceding interpretations he called her king Sheshach. It is likely that it was named thus of old, and was renamed Babylon. For that he calls the city thus, what follows testifies. "How has Babylon become a desolation among all the nations?" He also shows the multitude of those who campaigned against it. μβʹ. The sea has come up against Babylon; she was overwhelmed in the sound of its waves. Then having foretold the desolation, he again brings Bel into the midst. μδʹ. For I will take vengeance, he says, on Bel in Babylon, and I will bring out what he has swallowed from his mouth; and the nations shall no longer be gathered to him. Daniel also remembers the food offered to it, and how the priests consumed it. But the prophetic word also foretells the cessation of the error; and he also encourages the people, and exhorts them not to fear the evils coming upon Babylon, and teaches that these things were announced long ago. 81.756 μϛʹ. For in the same year the report will come, and after it in the year the report and the injustice in the land. And ruler upon ruler, and parable upon parable. For though the attack of the enemies was announced one and two years before, they persisted in doing wrong and transgressing as usual. For this very reason he threatens destruction both to the graven images that are worshipped and to those who worship them, and he says that all creation rejoices at her utter ruin; and he also teaches the justice of the punishment. μθʹ. And yet in Babylon, for the slain of Israel to fall in her. And so the slain of Babylon shall fall throughout all the earth; for what she did to Israel, she will suffer from others. νʹ. You who are being saved from the land, go, and do not stand still; remember, you who are far off, the Lord. He says these things to the captive Jews. "And let Jerusalem come up upon your heart." Do not forget the city that is dedicated to God. Then from their person: ναʹ. We were ashamed, because we heard our reproach. Dishonor covered our face. Foreigners have entered into our holy places, into the house of the Lord. As they were thus lamenting, the Master said: νβʹ, νγʹ. Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, and I will take vengeance upon her graven images, and in all her land the slain shall fall. Because if Babylon should ascend like heaven, and if she should fortify the height of her strength, from me shall come those who will utterly destroy her, says the Lord. It had very great and exceedingly high walls; the Lord God therefore teaches that they will reap no benefit from them,

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ταλαιπω ρίαι μου εἰς Βαβυλῶνα, ἐρεῖ κατοικοῦσα Σιών· καὶ τὸ αἷμά μου, ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Χαλδαίαν, ἐρεῖ Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ἐκδικηθήσεται, φησὶ, τὸ αἷμά μου παρ' αὐτῶν, καὶ δίκας τίσουσιν ὧν παρηνόμησαν 81.753 εἰς ἐμέ. Οὕτω τὰ περὶ τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὁ προφήτης δείκνυσι, καὶ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξενεχθεῖσαν δι καίαν ψῆφον. λϛʹ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος· Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ κρινῶ τὸν ἀντίδικόν σου, καὶ ἐκδικήσω τὴν ἐκδίκησίν σου. Ἐπειδὴ ἔγνως τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐγγιγνομέ νην βλάβην. "Καὶ ἐρημώσω τὴν θάλασσαν αὐτῆς." Τουτέστι, τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ὑπηκόων. "Καὶ ξηρανῶ τὴν πηγὴν αὐτῆς." Τὴν βασιλείαν, καὶ τὴν κατὰ πάν των δυναστείαν. Εἶτα λέγει καὶ τὰ τῆς ἐρημίας ἴδια, περὶ ὧν πολλάκις εἰρήκαμεν· "Οὐ κατοικηθήσεται δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό." Ὀλίγας γὰρ ἔχει νῦν οἰκίας, καὶ ταύτας ἐσκεδασμένας. Ἀπεικάσας δὲ λέουσι τοὺς ἀριστέας αὐτῆς, προλέγει αὐτῶν τήν τε δειλίαν, καὶ τὸν ὄλεθρον. λθʹ, μʹ. ∆ώσω γὰρ, φησὶ, πότημα αὐτοῖς, καὶ με θύσω αὐτοὺς, ὅπως καρωθῶσι, καὶ ὑπνώσωσιν ὕπνον αἰώνιον, καὶ οὐ μὴ διεγερθῶσι, λέγει Κύριος. Καὶ καταβιβάσω αὐτοὺς ὡς ἄρνας εἰς σφαγὴν, καὶ ὡς κριοὺς μετ' ἐρίφων. Τούς τε ἄρχοντας καὶ ἀρχομένους, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ βα σιλέως τοὺς ὑπηκόους· ἄρνας γὰρ καὶ ἐρίφους τοὺς ὑπηκόους ἐκάλεσε, κριοὺς δὲ τοὺς ἄρχοντας. μαʹ. Πῶς ἑάλω Σεσὰχ, καὶ ἐθηρεύθη τὸ καύ χημα πάσης τῆς γῆς; Αὐτὴν οὕτω καλεῖ τὴν Βαβυ λῶνα. Καὶ γὰρ τὸν ταύτης βασιλέα Σεσὰχ ἐν τοῖς πρόσθεν ἑρμηνευομένοις προσηγόρευσε. Εἰκὸς δὲ αὐτὴν οὕτως ὀνομασθῆναι πάλαι, μετονομασθῆναι δὲ Βαβυλῶνα. Ὅτι γὰρ τὴν πόλιν οὕτω καλεῖ, τὰ ἐπαγόμενα μαρτυρεῖ. "Πῶς ἐγένετο Βαβυλὼν εἰς ἀφανισμὸν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι;" ∆είκνυσι καὶ τῶν ἐπιστρατευσάντων τὸ πλῆθος. μβʹ. Ἀνέβη ἐπὶ Βαβυλῶνα ἡ θάλασσα· ἐν ἤχῳ κυμάτων αὐτῆς κατελήφθη. Εἶτα προαγο ρεύσας τὴν ἐρημίαν, πάλιν εἰς μέσον φέρει τὸν Βήλ. μδʹ. Ἐκδικήσω γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐπὶ τὸν Βὴλ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι, καὶ ἐξοίσω ἃ κατέπιεν ἐκ τοῦ στόμα τος αὐτοῦ· καὶ οὐ μὴ συναχθῶσι πρὸς αὐ τὸν ἔτι τὰ ἔθνη. Μέμνηται καὶ ὁ ∆ανιὴλ τῆς προσφερομένης αὐτῷ τροφῆς, καὶ ὅπως ταύτην οἱ ἱερεῖς κατηνάλισκον. Προλέγει δὲ ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος καὶ τῆς πλάνης τὴν παῦλαν· ψυχαγωγεῖ δὲ καὶ τὸν λαὸν, καὶ παρακελεύεται μὴ δεῖσαι τὰ ἐπερχόμενα τῇ Βαβυλῶνι κακὰ, καὶ διδάσκει ὡς πρὸ πολλοῦ ταῦτα μεμήνυται. 81.756 μϛʹ. Εἰσελεύσεται γὰρ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐνιαυτῷ ἡ ἀκοὴ, καὶ μετ' αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ ἡ ἀκοὴ καὶ ἡ ἀδικία ἐν τῇ γῇ. Καὶ ἐξουσιαστὴς ἐπὶ ἐξουσιαστὴν, καὶ παραβολὴ ἐπὶ παραβολήν. Πρὸ γὰρ ἑνὸς καὶ δύο ἐνιαυτῶν τῆς ἐφόδου τῶν πο λεμίων μηνυομένης, ἐπέμειναν ἀδικοῦντες καὶ συν ήθως παρανομοῦντες. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τοῖς προσ κυνουμένοις γλυπτοῖς, καὶ τοῖς προσκυνοῦσιν αὐτὰ, τὸν ὄλεθρον ἀπειλεῖ, καὶ τὴν κτίσιν πᾶσαν ἐπὶ τῇ πανωλεθρίᾳ ταύτης εὐφραίνεσθαι λέγει· διδάσκει δὲ καὶ τῆς τιμωρίας τὸ δίκαιον. μθʹ. Καὶ μέντοι ἐν Βαβυλῶνι, τοῦ πεσεῖν τραυ ματίας Ἰσραὴλ ἐν αὐτῇ. Καὶ τῆς οὖν Βαβυλῶνος πεσοῦνται τραυματίαι ὑπὸ πάσης τῆς γῆς· ἃ γὰρ εἰς τὸν Ἰσραὴλ εἰργάσατο, ὑφ' ἑτέρων πείσεται. νʹ. Ἀνασωζόμενοι ἐκ γῆς, πορεύεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἵστασθε· μνήσθητε, οἱ μακρόθεν, τοῦ Κυρίου. Τοῖς αἰχμαλωτευθεῖσιν Ἰουδαίοις ταῦτα λέγει. "Καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἀναβήτω ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν ὑμῶν." Τῆς ἀνακειμένης τῷ Θεῷ μὴ ἐπιλάθησθε πόλεως. Εἶτα ἐκ προσώπου ἐκείνων· ναʹ. Ἠσχύνθημεν, ὅτι ἠκούσαμεν ὀνειδισμὸν ἡμῶν. Κατεκάλυψεν ἀτιμία τὸ πρόσωπον ἡμῶν. Εἰσῆλθον ἀλλογενεῖς εἰς τὰ ἅγια ἡμῶν, εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου. Οὕτω τούτων ἀποδυρομένων, ὁ ∆εσπότης ἔφη· νβʹ, νγʹ. Ἰδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται, λέγει Κύριος, καὶ ἐκδικήσω ἐπὶ τὰ γλυπτὰ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ γῇ αὐτῆς πεσοῦνται τραυματίαι. Ὅτι ἐὰν ἀναβῇ Βαβυλὼν ὡς ὁ οὐρανὸς, καὶ ἐὰν ὀχυρώσῃ ὕψος τῆς ἰσχύος αὑτῆς, παρ' ἐμοῦ ἥξουσιν ἐξολοθρεύοντες αὐτὴν, λέγει Κύριος. Περιβόλους εἶχε μεγίστους, καὶ λίαν ὑψηλούς· διδά σκει τοίνυν ὁ ∆εσπότης Θεὸς, ὡς οὐδεμίαν ὄνησιν ἐκεῖθεν καρπώσονται,