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for by the providence of the word of God, judges also are removed. setting kings upon thro#6nes. Similar to this is "by me kings reign" and "the Lord sets up kings and removes them." Often he gives these also in wrath, according to "I gave them a king in my wrath." But that things apart from God's judgment are unsound, he himself says reproachfully: "They made kings, but not by me; they made rulers, and they did not make it known to me," wherefore such men are again dismissed in wrath, permission again granting the 327 charge for a time. But that "throne" is often taken for "kingdom," and sometimes for "teaching," is clear from "the Lord will sit as king forever," and again: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever," and yet again: "for with righteousness is prepared a throne of rule." But also to the disciples it was said: "you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." But when it is said: "The scribes have sat on the seat of Moses," this sea#6t is of teaching. and girded their loi#6ns with a belt. If he himself does not gird, the one who is girded has no strength, so that it is God who also directs these things by his own providence. And the belt also signifies rule, as in "and rulers #6by me will have dominion over the earth." sending priests away captiv#6es. If it means those not using the office rightly, it shows that he does not spare even them when the time calls. But if it signifies those using it 328 properly, God often sends even these into captivity, such as those around Daniel and Joshua the son of Jozadak, for the benefit of the other multitude; for as far as what they themselves did, they were not worthy to undergo captivity. Indeed, consider their greatness, that even having been in captivity and in Babylon, they remained unshaken. Therefore, even if we see the saints being sent forth into this life, let us consider that not for their own sakes, but for the benefit of others they underwent this. The apostle, hinting at this very thing, writes: "Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but emptied himself, taking the #6form of a slave." #6but he overthrew the mighty of the earth. For by the judgment of God himself these also undergo overthrow, just as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar. And God overthrew the author of evil, the devil; for it is said: "And the angels who did not keep their own domain he has kept in gloom." 329 #6changing the lips of the faithful. Some seem to have faithful and irrefutable words, and God changes these. Indeed, it is said concerning Ahithophel, the counselor of the king of Israel, who was formerly David's counselor, but later Absalom's—for it was said of him that formerly the counsel of Ahithophel was as the counsel of God; and this was circulated about him as one who did not fail in his counsels—indeed David, to whom "the unseen and hidden things of wisdom" were revealed, praying to God said: "frustrate for me the counsel of Ahithophel," #6which also came to pass. #6but he knew the understanding of elders. And he himself knew the understanding of the elders who have prudence instead of gray hair and a spotless life instead of old age; for it was worthy of his knowledge. But one must hear "he knew" with understanding; for he also knows the foolish and their counsels; but it is clear that in knowing those—I mean of the elders like Abraham—he also approves. 330 pouring contempt upon princes, #6but he healed the humble. For it is characteristic of him who "sets up and removes" to bestow honors when setting up, and to pour down contempt when removing; and "to pour out" signifies to do this lavishly; for we have often observed this, as in "the love of God has been poured out in our hearts," instead of "it has been given greatly" according to what is said: "ointment poured forth a name

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γὰρ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου προνοίαι καὶ #6οἱ κριταὶ μεθίστανται. καθιζάνων βασιλεῖς ἐπὶ θρό#6νους. ὅμοιον τούτῳ τὸ "δι' ἐμοῦ βασιλεῖς βασιλεύουσιν" καὶ τὸ "κύριος καθιστᾷ βασιλεῖς καὶ μεθιστᾷ". πολλάκις τούτους καὶ κατ' ὀργὴν δίδωσιν και κατὰ τὸ "ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς βασιλέα ἐν ὀργῇ μου". ὅτι δὲ σαθρὰ τὰ χωρὶς τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπικρίσεως, αὐτὸς καταμεμφόμενός φησιν· "ἐβασίλευσαν καὶ οὐ δι' ἐμοῦ, ἦρξαν καὶ οὐκ ἐγνώρισάν μοι," δι' ὅπερ ἐν ὀργῆι οἱ τοιοῦτοι πάλιν ἀφίενται, τῆς συνχωρήσεως πάλιν τὴν 327 ἐπιτροπὴν παρεχούσης ἄχρι καιροῦ. ὅτι δὲ ὁ θρόνος ἀντὶ βασιλείας πολλάκις παραλαμβάνεται, εἰ καὶ ἐσθότε ἀντὶ διδασκαλίας, δῆλον ὡς τὸ "καθιεῖται κύριος βασιλεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα", καὶ πάλιν· "ὁ θρόνος σου, ὁ θεός, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος", καὶ ἔτι· "μετὰ γὰρ δικαιοσύνης ἑτοιμάζεται θρόνος ἀρχῆς." ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς εἴρηται· "καθήσεσθε καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνους κρίνοντες τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσδραήλ." ὅταν δὲ λέγηται· "ἐπὶ τῆς καθέδρας Μωσέως ἐκάθισαν οἱ γραμματεῖς," ἡ καθέ#6δρα αὕτη διδασκαλίας ἐστιν. καὶ περιέζωσεν ζώνῃ ὀσφύ#6ας αὐτῶν. εἰ μὴ αὐτὸς ζώσῃ, οὐκ ἔχει ἰσχὺν ὁ ζωσθείς, ὥστε θεός ἐστιν ὁ καὶ ταῦτα τῇ ἑαυτοῦ προνοίᾳ διοικῶν. καὶ τὸ τῆς ζώνης δὲ ἀρχὴν σημαίνει ὡς τὸ "καὶ ἄρχοντες #6δι' ἐμοῦ κρατήσουσι γῆς." ἐξαποστέλλων ἱερεῖς αἰχμα#6λώτους. εἰ μὲν τοὺς οὐκ ὀρθῶς χρωμένους τῷ πράγματι λέγοι, δηλοῖ, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐκείνων φείδεται καιροῦ καλοῦντος. εἰ δὲ τοὺς εἰς δέον 328 χρωμένους σημαίνει, καὶ τούτους πολλάκις ὡς τοὺς περὶ ∆ανιὴλ καὶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ Ἰωσεδὲκ εἰς τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν ἐξαποστέλλει θεὸς διὰ τὸ χρήσιμον τοῦ ἄλλου πλήθους· ὅσον γὰρ ἐφ' οἷς ἔπραττον οὗτοι, οὐκ ἦσαν ἄξιοι τοῦ αἰχμαλω σίαν ὑποστῆναι. ἀμέλει γοῦν τὸ μέγεθος αὐτῶν σκόπει, ὅτι καὶ ἐν τῇ αἰχμαλωσίᾳ γεγενημένοι καὶ ἐν τῇ Βαβυλῶνι ἔμειναν ἀσάλευτοι. κἂν οὖν εἰς τὸν βίον τοῦτον ἐξαποστελλομένους τοὺς ἁγίους ὁρῶμεν, λογιζώμεθα ὅτι οὐ διὰ ἑαυτούς, ἀλλὰ τὸ τῶν ἄλλων ὄφελος τοῦθ' ὑπέστησαν. τοῦτο αὐτὸ ὁ ἀπόστολος αἰνιττόμενος γράφει· "τοῦτο φρονεῖτε ἐν ὑμῖν ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ, ἀλλ' ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν #6μορφὴν δούλου λαβών." #6δυνάστας δὲ γῆς κατέστρεψεν. αὐτοῦ γὰρ τοῦ θεοῦ κρίσει καὶ οὗτοι τὴν καταστροφὴν ὑπομένουσιν καθὰ καὶ Φαραὼ καὶ Ναβουχοδονοσόρ. καὶ τὸν ἀρχέκακον διάβολον ὁ θεὸς κατέστρεψεν· εἴρηται γάρ· "ἀγγέλους δὲ τοὺς μὴ τηρήσαντας τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀρχὴν ὑπὸ ζόφον τετήρηκεν." 329 #6διαλλάσσων χείλη πιστῶν. ἔνιοι δοκοῦσιν πιστοὺς λόγους ἔχειν καὶ ἀνελέγκτους, καὶ τούτους διαλλάττει θεός. ἀμέλει γοῦν περὶ τοῦ Ἀχιτόφελ λέγεται τοῦ συμβούλου τοῦ βασιλέως Ἰσδραήλ, ὃς πρότερον τοῦ ∆αυὶδ ἐτύγχανε σύμβουλος, ὕστερον δὲ τοῦ Ἀβεσαλώμ-ἐλέγετο γὰρ περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἔμπροσθεν ἡ βουλὴ Ἀχιτόφελ ὡς βουλὴ θεοῦ· τοῦτο δὲ περὶ αὐτοῦ περιεφέρετο ὡς ἀδιαπτώτου ἐν ταῖς συμβουλαῖς-ἀμέλει γοῦν ὁ ∆αυίδ, ᾧ "τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῆς σοφίας" πεφανέρωτο, εὐχόμενος τῷ θεῷ ἔλεγεν· "διασκέδασόν μοι τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ Ἀχιτόφελ," #6ὃ καὶ γέγονεν. #6σύνεσιν δὲ πρεσβυτέρων ἔγνω. καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῶν ἐχόντων ἀντὶ πολιᾶς τὴν φρόνησιν καὶ τὸν βίον τὸν ἀκηλίδωτον ἀντὶ τοῦ γήρως τὴν σύνεσιν αὐτὸς ἔγνω· ἀξία γὰρ ἦν τῆς γνώσεως αὐτοῦ. τοῦ δὲ "ἔγνω" συνετῶς ἀκούειν προσήκει· καὶ τοὺς ἀσυνέτους γὰρ καὶ τὰς τούτων βουλὰς γιγνώσκει· ἀλλὰ δῆλον, ὡς ἐκείνας γιγνώσκων-τὰς τῶν πρεσβυτέρων λέγων κατὰ τὸν Ἀβραάμ-καὶ ἀποδέχεται. 330 ἐκχέων ἀτιμίας ἐπ' ἄρχοντας, #6ταπεινοὺς δὲ ἰάσατο. αὐτοῦ γὰρ τοῦ "καθιστῶντος καὶ μεθιστῶντός" ἐστιν κατὰ μὲν τὸ καθιστᾶν τιμὰς παρ̣έχειν, κατα`̣ δὲ τὸ μεθιστᾶν ἀτιμίαν καταχεῖν· τὸ δὲ ἐκχεῖν τὸ δαψιλῶς τοῦτο ποιεῖν σημαίνει· πολλάκις γὰρ τοῦτο παρετηρήσαμεν, ὡς ἐν τῷ "ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκέχυται ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν," ἀντὶ τοῦ «μεγάλως δέδοται» κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· "μύρον ἐκκενωθὲν ὄνομά