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it has not always happened that the numbers are taken in a sensory way. For seven thousand men who did not bend the knee to Baal happen to be those mystically subject to the sabbath rest that is reserved for the people of God, having an affinity for the thousand and the heptad composed from it. For in many places it is possible to see the number one thousand mentioned in a way befitting God, just as also in what is declared about God thus: "He remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to Abraham, for a thousand generations." For according to none of the things signified will there be a thousand generations until the consummation of the world, as has been more completely demonstrated previously in other works. 3.69 From this mystical thousand, therefore, a heptad is composed, according to which the genuinely god-fearing kneel only to the cause of all things. 3.70 But also the virgins who followed, not defiled with a woman, are subject to the number one hundred and forty-four thousand. 3.71 And still more the implausibility of the account is revealed from the fact that from each tribe of Israel twelve thousand virgin men are completed in an orderly way; perhaps not even from all humanity is it possible for such a number of those who are unmarried for Christ's sake to be completed while John was still living on earth. 3.72 Since, therefore, the literal sense is impossible, we say that there are so many thousands of those living undefiledly and blamelessly because of the virtue inherent in the number; for it is a square, of which every side is a group of twelve thousand, this number also having great preeminence, as will be clear to the one who gathers from scripture. 3.73 And irrefutable clarity concerning these things has been given in the commentaries on the Revelation of John and on Paul's epistle to the Romans, which one who has read will see the divine theorems concerning the numbers scattered throughout scripture, both that before the coming of the Savior, which is the so-called old testament, and that after Christ's arrival here, which is called new.

3.74Zach. IX, 1-2: An oracle of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach and Damascus, because

the Lord watches over men and all the tribes of Israel, and Hamath in its borders. 3.75 The holy ones, being servants of the divine word, receive it from God who gives it, so that, as divinely possessed, according to him who speaks in Christ, they proclaim the knowledge of things to come; in this manner Habakkuk, being possessed, has seen a divine oracle; for it is written concerning him: "The oracle of the Lord which Habakkuk the prophet saw." And here, therefore, concerning such divine inspiration, an oracle of the word of the Lord has been announced. 3.76 But what is the oracle of the word and concerning what things does it wish to speak? 3.77 In the land, he says, of Hadrach and Damascus and Hamath in the borders of Damascus it happens, while God watches over men and the tribes of Israel. And it is blessed to be seen by God, according to: "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous," and the one praying to obtain this saying optatively: "Look upon me and have mercy on me." 3.78 Consider if the land of Hadrach can show the multitude of the old people, who have believed in the Savior who says: "Learn from me that I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." But Damascus alludes to those called from idols; for great superstition is practiced by the Damascenes. 3.79 Wherefore also, being contrary to those who found rest for their souls from the Savior who is gentle and humble in heart, they are fierce-tempered and savage, murdering their neighbors. Therefore they are called "blood drinkers" in the Greek language and "blood of a sack," being full of murder, so that they are men watched over by the Lord Almighty, those who have come from the nations to the

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γέγονεν οὐ πάντως τῶν ἀριθμῶν ἐπὶ αἰσθήσεως λαμβανομένων. Ἑπτάκις μὲν γὰρ χίλιοι ἄνδρες μὴ κάμψαντες γόνυ τῇ βάαλ τυγχάνουσιν οἱ μυστικῶς ὑποκείμενοι τῷ σαββατισμῷ τῷ ἀποκειμένῳ τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἔχοντες οἰκειότητα πρὸς τὴν χιλιάδα καὶ τὴν ἀπ' αὐτῆς συνισταμένην ἑβδομάδα. Πολλαχοῦ γὰρ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν τὸν χίλια ἀριθμὸν θεοπρεπῶς μνημονευόμενον, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐν τῷ περὶ Θεοῦ ἀπαγγελλομένῳ οὕτως· «Ἐμνήσθη εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα διαθήκην λόγου αὐτοῦ, οὗ ἐνετείλατο τῷ Ἀβραὰμ εἰς χιλίας γενεάς.» Κατ' οὐδὲν γὰρ τῶν σημαινομένων χίλιαι ὑπάρξουσι γενεαὶ μέχρι τῆς τοῦ κόσμου συντελείας, ὡς ἐντελέστερον προηγουμένως ἐν ἄλλοις ἀποδέδεικται. 3.69 Ἐκ ταύτης οὖν τῆς μυστικῆς χιλιάδος ἑβδομὰς συνίσταται, καθ' ἣν οἱ γνησίως θεοσεβοῦντες μόνον τὸν τῶν πάντων αἴτιον γονυπετοῦσιν. 3.70 Ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἀκολουθήσαντες παρθένοι μετὰ γυναικὸς οὐ μεμολυμμένοι ὑπόκεινται τῷ ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαρες ἀριθμῷ τῶν χιλιάδων. 3.71 Ἔτι δὲ μάλιστα τὸ ἀπίθανον τῆς ἱστορίας φανεροῦται ἐκ τοῦ τεταγμένως ἀφ' ἑκάστης φυλῆς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ δώδεκα χιλιάδας παρθένων ἀνδρῶν συμπληροῦσθαι· τάχα οὐδὲ ἐκ πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος τοσοῦτον ἀριθμὸν οἷόν τε συμπληροῦσθαι διὰ Χριστὸν ἀγαμούντων ἔτι τοῦ Ἰωάννου ἐπὶ γῆς διατρίβοντος. 3.72 Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὰ τῆς λέξεως ἀδυνάτως ἔχει, φαμὲν τοσαύτας εἶναι χιλιάδας τῶν ἀμολύντως καὶ ἀμώμως βιούντων διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν τὴν προσοῦσαν τῷ ἀριθμῷ· ἔστι γὰρ τετράγωνος, οὗ πᾶσα πλευρὰ δωδεκάς ἐστιν χιλιάδων, πολλῆς καὶ τούτου τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ προνομίας οὔσης, ὡς τῷ ἀναλέξαντι ἀπὸ τῆς γραφῆς ἔσται δῆλον. 3.73 Σαφήνεια δὲ ἀναντίρρητος περὶ τούτων γέγονεν ἐν τοῖς ὑπομνήμασιν τῆς Ἀποκαλύψεως τοῦ Ἰωάννου καὶ τῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους Παύλου ἐπιστολῆς, ἅπερ ὁ ἀναγνοὺς ὄψεται τὰ περὶ τῶν ἀριθμῶν θεῖα θεωρήματα ἐπεσπαρμένα τῇ γραφῇ, τῇ τε πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Σωτῆρος, αὕτη δ' ἐστὶν ἡ καλουμένη παλαιὰ διαθήκη, καὶ τῇ μετὰ τὴν δεῦρο τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἄφιξιν, προσαγορευομένῃ καινῇ.

3.74Zach. IX, 1-2: Λῆμμα λόγου Κυρίου ἐν γῇ Σεδρὰκ καὶ ∆αμασκοῦ, διότι

Κύριος ἐφορᾷ ἀνθρώπους καὶ πάσας τὰς φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ Ἡμὰθ ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς. 3.75 Οἱ ἅγιοι ὑπηρέται ὄντες τοῦ θείου λόγου λαμβάνουσιν αὐτὸν Θεοῦ διδόντος, ὡς θεολημπτουμένους κατὰ τὸν ἐν Χριστῷ λαλοῦντα κηρύττειν τὴν τῶν ἐσομένων γνῶσιν· τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ ὁ Ἁμβακοὺμ κατεχόμενος λῆμμα θεῖον τεθέαται· γέγραπται γὰρ περὶ αὐτοῦ· «Λῆμμα Κυρίου εἶδεν Ἁμβακοὺμ ὁ προφήτης.» Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν περὶ τῆς οὕτω θεοφορίας λῆμμα λόγου Κυρίου ἀπήγγελται. 3.76 Τί δὲ τὸ λῆμμα τοῦ λόγου καὶ περὶ τίνων βούλεται λέγειν; 3.77 Ἐν τῇ γῇ, φησίν, τοῦ Σεδρὰκ καὶ ∆αμασκοῦ καὶ Ἡμὰθ ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις ∆αμασκοῦ γίνεται, ἐφορῶντος Θεοῦ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ τὰς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ φυλάς. Μακάριον δ' ἐστὶν τὸ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ ὁρᾶσθαι, κατὰ τό· «Ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους», καὶ τὸν εὐχόμενον τούτου τυχεῖν φάσκοντα εὐκτικῶς· «Ἐπίβλεψον ἐπ' ἐμὲ καὶ ἐλέησόν με.» 3.78 Ἐπίστησον εἰ δύναται ἡ γῆ τοῦ Σεδρὰκ τὴν τοῦ παλαιοῦ λαοῦ δεικνύναι πληθύν, πεπιστευκότων εἰς τὸν Σωτῆρα λέγοντα· «Μάθετε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ὅτι πραΰς εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ εὑρήσετε ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν.» Ὁ δὲ ∆αμασκὸς αἰνίττεται τοὺς ἀπὸ εἰδώλων κεκλημένους· πολλὴ γὰρ δεισιδαιμονία σπουδάζεται τοῖς ∆αμασκηνοῖς. 3.79 ∆ιὸ καὶ ἀπεναντίως ἔχοντες τοῖς εὑροῦσιν ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς αὐτῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Σωτῆρος πρᾴου καὶ ταπεινοῦ ὄντος τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὠμόθυμοι καὶ ἐξηγριωμένοι, φονῶντες κατὰ τῶν πέλας εἰσίν. ∆ιὸ «αἷμα πίνοντες» προσαγορεύονται Ἑλλήνων φωνῇ καὶ «αἷμα σάκκου», φόνου πλήρης τυγχάνοντες, ὡς εἶναι ἀνθρώπους ἐφορωμένους ὑπὸ Κυρίου παντοκράτορος, τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν προσεληλυθότας τῇ