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a measure. The Hebrew says, of the one who guarded the vestments of the liturgy. And I set before them. It is worthy of wonder how, living among such a people, they practiced the highest philosophy. They were certain Levites; these saw many examples—the Nazirites, those around Elijah and Elisha—and they emulated them. Do you see that if they had wished to pay attention, they had examples? But these also became captives; for if Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and Daniel, how much more so these. For none of these things grieved good and noble men, but even made them illustrious, and in pains, the matter is a consolation. And a little after: And he brought them into the house of the Lord, that they might be shamed both by the place and by the man; but nothing enticed them, so that from every side any defense for the Jews is taken away. And a little after: See how the apostolic things were anticipated. And they said: We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us. You shall not drink wine, you and your sons, forever, and the rest. These were descendants of that Jonadab, who, being pleased with the zeal for God, came to meet the king. He, therefore, long ago seeing the lawlessness of Ahab, and knowing the words from the prophets to be true, and strongly expecting the capture of the country and the destruction of the cities, commanded these things to his sons, not only so that they might keep them, but also that they might hand down the command to their own descendants. Hence these appear to have kept the command of their forefather until now. We and our wives. Then, so that no one may say, "How then have you now occupied the city and inhabit houses?" they take refuge in the camp; for it is of the utmost folly to willingly give themselves over to their enemies. Will you not receive instruction? The sons of Jonadab kept the command of a man who is gone, but you have transgressed my commands, from me who commanded you. Do you wish to see the ease of the commands? I commanded easy things, and very necessary ones, such as to abstain from wickedness and idols; but he, very difficult ones. But he spoke, and departed; I, however, proclaim to you each day, and nothing more comes of it. And the sons of Jonadab have kept. And he does not say which one; but, not wishing to make the accusation burdensome for them, see how considerate he is, nothing tyrannical in him; how from every 64.997 side he takes away their excuse, saying: But this people has not listened to me. Therefore, thus says the Lord. But he honors the sons of Jonadab with a perpetual priesthood, saying: There shall not fail a man from the sons of Jonadab to stand before my face all the days. For do not think that the blessing of the father falls away.

CHAP. 36.

And Jeremiah commanded. See the providence of God. They bound the physician, but God, even so showing his love for mankind, did not cast him out, but allowed him to be in the prison, that he might soothe their anger, and not make them more contentious, yet he did not deprive them of the cure, but causes them to be reminded of everything through letters, and at a time of fasting. And it came to pass in the eighth year. And for what reason at a time of fasting? So that the time might cooperate, and all might be present to hear. The sight of the prophet appearing grieves your eyes. Behold, through another vessel I deliver the medicine to you, he applies it. And it came to pass while Jehudi was reading. The king, hearing these things, and hearing words that could soften even a stone, cut up the book; just as if someone, not finding the physician, took the medicine and threw it into the fire. Have you seen such madness and savagery? He did not simply cut,

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σταθμόν. Ὁ Ἑβραῖος, τοῦ φυλάσσοντος τὴν ἐσθῆτα τῆς λειτουργίας. Καὶ ἔδωκα κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν. Ἄξιον θαυμάσαι, πῶς ἐν τοιούτῳ δήμῳ ζῶντες, τὴν ἄκραν ἤσκησαν φιλοσοφίαν. Λευῖταί τινες ἦσαν· οὗτοι εἶδον πολλὰ ὑποδείγματα, τοὺς Ναζαραίους, τοὺς περὶ Ἠλίαν καὶ Ἐλισσαῖον, ἐζήλωσαν. Ὁρᾷς,ὅτι εἰ ἐβούλοντο προσέχειν, εἶχον ὑποδείγματα; Ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτοι γεγόνασιν αἰχμάλωτοι· εἰ γὰρ Ἱερεμίας, καὶ Ἰεζεκιὴλ, καὶ ∆ανιὴλ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καὶ οὗτοι. Τοὺς γὰρ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ γενναίους ἄνδρας οὐδὲν τούτων ἐλύπει, ἀλλὰ καὶ λαμπροὺς ἐποίει, καὶ ἐν ὀδύναις παραμυθία τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστι. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· Καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου, ἵνα καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς δυσωπηθῶσιν· ἀλλὰ οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς ἐδελέασεν, ὥστε πάντοθεν ἀνῄρηται τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἀπολογία. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· Ὅρα τὰ ἀποστολικὰ προειληφότα. Καὶ εἶπον· Οὐ μὴ πίωμεν οἶνον, ὅτι Ἰωναδὰβ υἱὸς Ῥιχὰβ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν ἐνετείλατο ἡμῖν. Οὐ μὴ πίητε οἶνον ὑμεῖς, καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἀπόγονοι ἦσαν οὗτοι τοῦ Ἰωναδὰβ, ὃς ἡσθεὶς τῷ ὑπὲρ τοῦ Θεοῦ ζήλῳ, εἰς ἀπάντησιν ἧκε τῷ βασιλεῖ. Ἐκεῖνος τοίνυν πάλαι τὴν Ἀχαὰβ παρανομίαν ὁρῶν, καὶ εἰδὼς ἀληθῆ τὰ παρὰ τῶν προφητῶν ῥήματα, καὶ σφόδρα προσδοκῶν ἅλωσιν τῆς χώρας, καὶ καταστροφὴν τῶν πόλεων, τοῖς αὐτοῦ υἱοῖς ἐνετείλατο ταῦτα, οὐχ ὥστε μόνον φυλάξαι, ἀλλ' ὥστε καὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις ἐγγόνοις παραδοῦναι τὸ παράγγελμα. Ἐκεῖθεν φαίνονται οὗτοι μέχρι τοῦ νῦν φυλάξαντες τὸ τοῦ προπάτορος πρόσταγμα. Ἡμεῖς καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες ἡμῶν. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ λέγῃ τις· Πῶς οὖν τὴν πόλιν κατειλήφατε νῦν, καὶ οἰκίας οἰκεῖτε; ἐπὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον καταφεύγουσι· τοῦτο γὰρ ἐσχάτης ἀνοίας, ἑκόντας ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδοῦναι τοῖς πολεμίοις. Οὐ μὴ λάβητε παιδείαν. Οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰωναδὰβ ἀνθρώπου ἀπελθόντος ἐστήσαντο ἐντολὴν, ὑμεῖς δὲ παρέβητε τὰς ἐμὰς, τὸν ἐπιτάξαντα. Βούλεσθε ἰδεῖν τῶν ἐπιταγμάτων τὸ ῥᾷστον; ἐγὼ μὲν ἐπέταξα εὔκολα, καὶ ἀναγκαῖα σφόδρα, ὥστε πονηρίας ἀπέχεσθαι καὶ εἰδώλων· ἐκεῖνος δὲ πολὺ δύσκολα. Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνος μὲν εἶπε, καὶ ἀπῆλθεν· ἐγὼ δὲ ὑμῖν καθ' ἑκάστην ἐνηχῶ τὴν ἡμέραν, καὶ οὐδὲν γίνεται πλέον. Καὶ ἔστησαν υἱοὶ Ἰωναδάβ. Καὶ οὐ λέγει ποίαν· ἀλλὰ μὴ βουλόμενος αὐτοῖς φορτικὴν ποιῆσαι τὴν κατηγορίαν, ὅρα πῶς ἐστι δημοτικὸς, οὐδὲν παρ' αὐτῷ τυραννικόν· πῶς πάντο 64.997 θεν αὐτοὺς ἀφαιρεῖται συγγνώμης, λέγων· Ὁ δὲ λαὸς οὗτος οὐκ ἤκουσέ μου ∆ιὰ τοῦτο, οὕτως εἶπε Κύριος. Τοὺς δὲ υἱοὺς Ἰωναδὰβ ἱερωσύνῃ διηνεκεῖ τιμᾷ, λέγων· Οὐ μὴ ἐκλείπῃ ἀνὴρ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰωναδὰβ παρεστηκὼς πρόσωπόν μου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας. Μὴ γὰρ νομίσητε διαπίπτειν τὴν εὐλογίαν τοῦ πατρός.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Λςʹ.

Καὶ ἐνετείλατο Ἱερεμίας. Ὅρα Θεοῦ πρόνοιαν. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν τὸν ἰατρὸν ἔδησαν, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς καὶ οὕτως δεικνὺς αὑτοῦ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, οὐκ ἐξέβαλεν αὐτὸν, ἀλλ' εἴασεν ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ, ἵνα τὸν τούτων θυμὸν παραμυθήσηται, καὶ μὴ φιλονεικοτέρους ἐργάσηται, οὐ μὴν τῆς θεραπείας αὐτοὺς ἀπεστέρησεν, ἀλλὰ ποιεῖ διὰ γραμμάτων αὐτοὺς ἀναμνησθῆναι τὸ πᾶν, καὶ ἐν καιρῷ νηστείας. Καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῷ ὀγδόῳ. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν ἐν καιρῷ νηστείας; ἵνα καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἔχῃ συμπράττοντα, καὶ πάντες παρῶσιν ἀκούοντες. Λυπεῖ τὰς ὄψεις τὰς ὑμετέρας ἡ ὄψις τοῦ προφήτου φαινομένη. Ἰδοὺ δι' ἑτέρου σκεύους ὑμῖν τὸ φάρμακον παραδίδωμι ἐπιτίθησι. Καὶ ἐγενήθη ἀναγινώσκοντος Ἰουδίν. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ βασιλεὺς, καὶ ἀκούσας τὰ δυνάμενα καὶ λίθον μαλάξαι, συνέκοψε τὸ βιβλίον· ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις τὸν ἰατρὸν οὐχ εὑρὼν, τὸ φάρμακον λαβὼν, εἰς τὸ πῦρ ἔῤῥιψεν. Εἶδες μανίαν καὶ ἀγριότητα; Οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἔκοψεν,