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Zion with a great zeal, and with great wrath I am angry at the nations that attack; for which I was angry a little, but they joined together for evil." And to Babylon he says: "I gave them into your hands, but you did not give them mercy." For which He delivered it to Cyrus, the king of the Medes and Persians, to whom in Isaiah He says: "Thus says the Lord to my anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, that nations might hearken before him, and cities shall not be shut. I will go before you, and make mountains level. I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron." Therefore, having conquered, he released Israel from captivity, and rebuilt the temple. Therefore Jeremiah, speaking of the capture of Babylon, and how a nation from the north came up against it, added this: "In that time the children of Israel and the children of Judah shall come together. Going and weeping they will go, seeking their God." And again, having said, I will punish the king of Babylon, he added: And I will restore Israel to his pasture. Therefore, the prophet cries out to the Medes and Persians, as having already conquered Babylon, to raise on high the symbol of victory, to erect a manifest trophy over the ill-fated city, concerning which he himself says: "How has the hammer of the whole earth been captured and broken? Revealing its cruelty and greed. Wherefore, they of Israel were finally delivered to them, having increased their impiety, having formerly been delivered to the neighboring nations. And he called the hill a level mountain. For the erection of trophies was done on a moderate height. But allegorically, it shows how the dominion of those who work confusion is captured, whenever we ascend a mountain that is not precipitous, but so as to have height on account of its elevation, and to provide safety to those standing on it on account of its gentleness. For he wishes us to think both things about God: lofty and safe. But he who proclaims the things concerning the cross with a loud voice, thus raised the sign upon a mountain, being able to magnify the word concerning the passion, delivering it with smoothness and clarity concerning the things promised; and concerning such he added: Lift up the voice. That is, from yourselves take the height of the 2072 voice, having stirred up the innate impulses in you from common notions for the doxology of God. For he who looks down and is earthly has a lowly voice concerning God, dwelling as if in a ravine. For each passion, with which one preaches, produces a lowly voice. Therefore, let us not yield, not to fear, not to gain, not to temptations, so that our preaching may be lofty. But according to the literal sense, he commands the Persians to shout over Babylon, and to sound a victory cry. And perhaps he also commands them to be bold for the battle against them. For this, do not fear, indicates that God conquers even invincible power. Then beckon, he says, with the hand. For in war, intentions are signified more by gestures, since no voice is sufficient for the tumult. And in another sense, he who offers comfort to the afflicted through good works, has comforted poverty with a giving hand. For one will comfort more by giving, than by advising with words that poverty be endured nobly. And he exhorts to open the hand to such, which signifies sharing, according to, "When you open your hand, all things will be filled with goodness." Which he wants the rulers to do first, so that they may become a model for those under them. And it is also necessary to open the closed things of Scripture to the ignorant. Which the Scribes did not do, though they had the keys of the kingdom. For such are rulers who have the keys of knowledge. Hence Paul says: "Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians." But according to the literal sense, he commands either the Babylonians, as having already been conquered, to open the gates; or the holy powers who assist the Persians. For showing the invincibility of his hand, "I command," he says, "and I lead them;" or according to contemplation, he says that we must act according to our ability. For he who leads them is the Lord, who commands

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τὴν Σιὼν ζῆλον μέγαν, καὶ θυμῷ μεγάλῳ ὀργίζομαι ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ἐπιτιθέμενα· ἀνθ' ὧν ἐγὼ μὲν ὠργίσθην ὀλίγα, αὐτοὶ δὲ συνεπέθεντο εἰς κακά." Καὶ πρός γε τὴν Βαβυλῶνά φησιν· "Ἐγὼ δέδωκα αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰς χεῖράς σου, σὺ δὲ οὐκ ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς ἔλεος." Ἀνθ' ὧν αὐτὴν παρέδωκε Κύρῳ τῷ Μήδων καὶ Περσῶν βασιλεῖ, πρὸς ὃν ἐν Ἡσαΐᾳ φησί· "Τάδε λέγει Κύριος τῷ χριστῷ μου Κύρῳ, οὗ ἐκράτησα τῆς δεξιᾶς, ἐπακοῦσαι ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ ἔθνη, καὶ πόλεις οὐ συγκλεισθήσονται. Ἐγὼ ἔμπροσθέν σου πορεύσομαι, καὶ ὄρη ὁμαλιῶ. Θύρας χαλκᾶς συντρίψω, καὶ μοχλοὺς σιδηροῦς συγκλάσω." ∆ιὸ νικήσας ἀνῆκεν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ τὸν νεὼν ἀνεδείματο. Τοιγαροῦν Ἱερεμίας περὶ τῆς ἁλώσεως Βαβυλῶνος εἰπὼν, καὶ ὡς ἀνέβη ἐπ' αὐτὴν ἔθνος ἀπὸ βοῤῥᾶ, τούτοις ἐπήνεγκε· "Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἥξουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰούδα ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό. Βαδίζοντες καὶ κλαίοντες πορεύσονται τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν ζητοῦντες." Καὶ πάλιν, εἰπὼν, ὡς Ἐκδικῶ ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα Βαβυλῶνος, ἐπήνεγκε· Καὶ ἀποκαταστήσω τὸν Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὴν νομὴν αὐτοῦ. Μήδοις οὖν καὶ Πέρσαις ὁ προφήτης ἐπιφωνεῖ, ὡς ἤδη Βαβυλῶνος κεκρατηκόσιν, αἴρειν ὑψοῦ τῆς νίκης τὸ σύμβολον, ἐμφανὲς ἐγείρασι τρόπαιον ἐπὶ τῇ κακοδαίμονι πόλει, περὶ ἧς αὐτός φησι· "Πῶς ἑάλω καὶ συνετρίβῃ ἡ σφῦρα πάσης τῆς γῆς; Τὴν ὠμότητα ταύτης καὶ πλεονεξίαν δηλῶν. ∆ιόπερ αὐτοῖς τὸ τελευταῖον οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ παρεδόθησαν ἐπιτείναντες τὴν ἀσέβειαν, πρώην ἔθνεσιν τοῖς ὁμόροις παραδιδόμενοι. Ὄρος δὲ πεδινὸν ἐκάλεσεν τὸ γεώλοφον. Ἐπὶ μετρίου γὰρ ὕψους ἡ τῶν τροπαίων ἐγίνετο στάσις. Πρὸς δὲ νοῦν, ἐπιδείκνυται πῶς ἡ δυναστεία τῶν τὴν σύγχυσιν ἐργαζομένων ἁλίσκεται, ἐπειδὰν ἐπ' ὄρος ἀνέλθωμεν μὴ ἀπόκρημνον, ἀλλ' ὥστε ὕψος μὲν ἔχειν διὰ τὸ ἀνάστημα, ἀσφάλειαν δὲ παρέχειν τοῖς ἐφισταμένοις διὰ τὴν ὑπτιότητα. Βούλεται γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἀμφότερα περὶ Θεοῦ νοεῖν ὑψηλά τε καὶ ἀσφαλῆ. Ὁ δὲ τὰ περὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ κηρύττων μεγαλοφώνως, οὕτως ἦρεν ἐπ' ὄρους τὸ σημεῖον, τὸν περὶ τοῦ πάθους λόγον μεγαλῦναι δυνάμενος, ἐξομαλισμῷ τε καὶ σαφηνείᾳ περὶ τῶν ἐπαγγελλομένων παραδιδούς· περὶ δὲ τῶν τοιούτων ἐπήνεγκεν· Ὑψώσατε τὴν φωνήν. Τοῦτ' ἔστιν, ἐξ ἑαυτῶν λάβετε τὸ ὕψος τῆς 2072 φωνῆς, τὰς ἐνυπαρχούσας ὑμῖν ἀφορμὰς ἐκ τῶν κοινῶν ἐννοιῶν πρὸς Θεοῦ δοξολογίαν ἀνακινήσαντες. Ὁ γὰρ κάτω βλέπων καὶ γήϊνος, ταπεινὴν ἔχει περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν φωνὴν, οἰκῶν ὥσπερ ἐν φάραγγι. Πάθος γὰρ ἕκαστον, μεθ' οὗ τις κηρύττει, ταπεινὴν φωνὴν ἀπεργάζεται. Μὴ οὖν ὑπείκωμεν, μὴ φόβῳ, μὴ κέρδει, μὴ πειρασμοῖς, ὡς ἂν ἡμῶν ὑψηλὸν ὑπάρχῃ τὸ κήρυγμα. Κατὰ δὲ τὸ ῥητὸν, ἀλαλάζειν τοῖς Πέρσαις ἐπὶ τῇ Βαβυλῶνι παρακελεύεται, καὶ φωνὴν ἠχεῖν ἐπινίκιον. Τάχα δὲ καὶ θαῤῥεῖν πρὸς τὴν κατὰ τούτων μάχην παρακελεύεται. Τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ, μὴ φοβεῖσθαι δηλοῖ, Θεοῦ νικῶντος καὶ τὴν ἄμαχον δύναμιν. Εἶτα παρακαλεῖτε, φησὶ, τῇ χειρί. Νεύμασιν γὰρ ἐν πολέμῳ τὰ δοκοῦντα μᾶλλον σημαίνεται, μηδεμιᾶς πρὸς τὸν θόρυβον ἀρκούσης φωνῆς. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ, ὁ τὴν παράκλησιν τοῖς θλιβομένοις δι' ἀγαθῶν ἔργων προσφέρων, τῇ μεταδοτικῇ χειρὶ τὴν πενίαν παρεμυθήσατο. ∆ιδοὺς γὰρ μᾶλλον παρακαλέσει, λόγῳ παραινῶν τὴν πενίαν γενναίως ὑφίστασθαι. Τὴν δὲ χεῖρα τοῖς τοιούτοις ἀνοίγειν προτρέπεται, ὃ δηλοῖ τὴν μετάδοσιν, κατὰ τὸ, "Ἀνοίξαντος δέ σου τὴν χεῖρα, τὰ σύμπαντα πλησθήσονται χρηστότητος." Ὃ δὴ ποιεῖν πρώτους ἐθέλει τοὺς ἄρχοντας, ὡς ἂν εἰς τύπον τοῖς ὑπὸ χεῖρα γενήσονται. ∆εῖ δὲ καὶ τὰ κεκλεισμένα τῆς Γραφῆς τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσιν ἀνοίγειν. Ὅπερ οὐκ ἐποίουν οἱ Γραμματεῖς, τὰς κλεῖς ἔχοντες τῆς βασιλείας. Ἄρχοντες γὰρ οἱ τοιοῦτοι τὰς κλεῖς τῆς γνώσεως ἔχοντες. Ἐντεῦθεν ὁ Παῦλός φησι· "Τὸ στόμα ἡμῶν ἀνέῳγε πρὸς ὑμᾶς, Κορίνθιοι." Πρὸς δὲ ῥητὸν, ἢ τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις, ὡς ἤδη κεκρατημένοις, τὰς πύλας ἀνοίγειν παρακελεύεται· ἢ δυνάμεσιν ἁγίαις συναιρομέναις τοῖς Πέρσαις. Τὸ γὰρ ἄμαχον ἐπιδεικνύμενος τῆς χειρὸς, ἐγὼ συντάσσω, φησὶ, καὶ ἐγὼ ἄγω αὐτούς· ἢ κατὰ θεωρίαν, φησὶν ὡς ἡμᾶς χρὴ τὰ πρὸς δύναμιν ἐνεργεῖν. Ὁ γὰρ ἄγων αὐτοὺς, Κύριός ἐστιν, ὁ κατατάσσων