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them to offer the first-fruits of the crops, so he also commanded them to bring the first-fruits of the spoils. And in addition to these things, he also trains them through these laws, so that they might keep the necessary laws. And showing them his own power, he prepared them to take the first city without weapons or engines of war, and he destroyed it with only the sound of the trumpets; so that whenever they are defeated in battle, they may know that they themselves provided the causes of the defeat, by despising the divine laws. VIII Why did Rahab, being a foreigner, dwell among the sons of Israel, as the history teaches? This also prefigures our own affairs. For the Master said, "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd." For this reason, when legislating, he also said, "There will be one law for the proselyte and for the native." For this reason, neither did Moses the lawgiver prevent those of the Egyptians who wished to depart with them. 278 And it was necessary also "to be grafted as a wild olive into the good olive tree," as the blessed Paul says. IX What is, "He shall lay its foundation in his firstborn, and in his youngest he shall set up its gates"? Since he had dedicated the city to God, he reasonably razed it; considering it absurd for what had been assigned to God to become a common dwelling. And he cursed those who would build it, so that the one who attempted to transgress the boundary, while laying the foundations, would lose his firstborn son; and while setting up the gates, the last. The history of the Kingdoms also mentions the curse. X Why, when Achar had stolen, was the whole people chastised? The one who had stolen supposed that he would escape the notice of God just as he did that of men. Therefore, he wished both to convict that man and to instill fear in all, so that those who keep the divine laws might convict the transgressors, as they would share in the punishment to be brought upon them. And Aquila interpreted "psilēn" as "stolēn" [garment]; and Josephus, "chlanida" [cloak]; and "glōssan" [tongue], "mazan chrysēn" [a mass of gold]. And from this it is also clear that the valley called Achor by the prophets is that in which Achar was stoned. For Emekachor is interpreted as "ravine of Achor." 279 XI Why did God command them to set an ambush for Ai? He teaches them to use human devices as well, trusting, of course, in the divine inclination. For since they took the first city by the sound of the trumpets alone, it is very fitting that they learn to struggle and to labor, and to await divine assistance. At once, then, he assisted them as they were warring, and he consumed all those who fled with thunderbolts and hail. However, the "gaison" with which Jesus roused those in ambush, Josephus interpreted as "shield," and likewise Symmachus. XII Some accuse the prophet of cruelty, because he utterly destroyed everyone and crucified the kings. He who accuses the prophet, accuses the one who commanded these things. For he himself, through Moses the lawgiver, commanded that all who inhabited that land be utterly destroyed; as they had done things worthy of utter destruction and had gone to the extreme of lawlessness. For this reason he also brought on the flood long ago, and consumed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire; and the prophet commanded the leaders to place their feet on the necks of the kings, so that taking courage they might fight more eagerly. This our Lord Jesus also commanded. "Behold," he said, "I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." May it be, therefore, for us also to place our feet on the necks of the opposing spirits. 280 XIII Why did he declare the Gibeonites to be woodcutters and water carriers? They deceived both by their appearance and by the falsehood of their words. And when it was necessary to ask the Lord God, and then to make treaties with them; having believed their false words, they were persuaded, and they confirmed the treaties with an oath. But the God of all had commanded that all of them be given over to death. of the

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αὐτοὺς τῶν καρπῶν προσφέρειν τὰς ἀπαρχάς, οὕτως ἐκέλευσεν καὶ τὰ τῶν σκύλων προσενεγκεῖν ἀκροθίνια. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ γυμνάζει αὐτοὺς διὰ τούτων τῶν νόμων, ὥστε τοὺς ἀναγκαίους νό μους διατηρεῖν. τὴν οἰκείαν δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐπιδεικνὺς δύναμιν, τὴν πρώτην πόλιν δίχα ὅπλων καὶ μηχανημάτων ἑλεῖν παρεσκεύασε, καὶ μόνῃ κατέ λυσε τῇ τῶν σαλπίγγων ἠχῇ· ἵν' ὅτ' ἂν ἡττηθῶσι παραταττόμενοι, γνῶσιν ὡς αὐτοὶ παρέσχον τῆς ἥττης τὰς ἀφορμάς, τῶν θείων νόμων καταφρονήσαντες. VIII Τί δήποτε ἀλλόφυλος οὖσα ἡ Ῥαὰβ κατῴκησεν ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ,ὡς ἡ ἱστορία διδάσκει; Καὶ τοῦτο προτυποῖ τὰ ἡμέτερα. ἔφη γὰρ ὁ δεσπότης· " καὶ ἄλλα πρόβατα ἔχω, ἃ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τῆς αὐλῆς ταύτης, κἀκεῖνά με δεῖ ἀγαγεῖν, καὶ τῆς φωνῆς μου ἀκού σουσι καὶ γενήσεται μία ποίμνη, εἷς ποιμήν ". τούτου χάριν καὶ νομοθετῶν, ἔφη· " εἷς νόμος ἔσται τῷ προ σηλύτῳ καὶ τῷ αὐτόχθονι ". διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ Μωϋσῆς ὁ νο μοθέτης ἐκώλυσε τῶν αἰγυπτίων τοὺς συναπᾶραι αὐτοῖς ἐθελήσαντας. 278 ἔδει δὲ καὶ " ὡς ἀγριέλαιον ἐγκεντρισθῆναι εἰς τὴν καλλιέλαιον ", ᾗ φησιν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος. IX Τί ἐστιν, " ἐν τῷ πρωτοτόκῳ αὐτοῦ θεμελιώσει αὐ τήν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐλαχίστῳ ἐπιστήσει τὰς πύλας αὐτῆς "; Ἐπειδὴ τὴν πόλιν ἀνέθηκε τῷ Θεῷ, εἰκότως αὐτὴν κατέσκαψεν· ἄτοπον ἡγησάμενος οἰκητήριον γενέσθαι κοινὸν τὸ τῷ Θεῷ ἀπονεμηθέν. ἐπηρά σατο δὲ τοῖς ταύτην οἰκοδομοῦσιν, ὥστε τὸν ἐπιχειροῦντα παραβῆναι τὸν ὅρον, τὰ θεμέλια μὲν πηγνύντα, τῶν υἱέων ἀποβαλεῖν τὸν πρωτό τοκον· τὰς δὲ πύλας ἐπιτιθέντα, τὸν ἔσχατον. μέμνηται δὲ τῆς ἀρᾶς καὶ ἡ τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἱστορία. X Τί δήποτε τοῦ Ἄχαρ κεκλοφότος ἅπας ὁ λαὸς ἐπαιδεύθη; Ὑπέλαβεν ὁ κεκλοφώς, ὥσπερ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, οὕτω δὴ λήσειν καὶ τὸν Θεόν. ἠβουλήθη τοίνυν κἀκεῖνον διελέγξαι, καὶ πᾶσιν ἐνθεῖναι δέος, ὅπως οἱ τοὺς θείους νόμους φυλάττοντες τοὺς παραβαίνοντας διελέγχωσιν, ὡς τῆς ἐπαχθησομένης μεθέξοντες τιμωρίας. τὴν δὲ " ψιλὴν " ὁ Ἀκύ λας " στολὴν " ἡρμήνευσεν· ὁ δὲ Ἰώσηπος " χλανίδα "· τὴν δὲ " γλῶσσαν ", " μάζαν χρυσῆν ". δῆλον δὲ καὶ ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν καλουμένη κοιλὰς Ἀχώρ, αὕτη ἐστὶν ἐν ᾗ ὁ Ἀχὰρ κατελεύσθη. καὶ γὰρ ἡ Ἐμεκαχώρ, φάραγξ Ἀχὼρ ἑρμηνεύεται. 279 XI ∆ιὰ τί προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς προλοχῆσαι τὴν Γαΐ; ∆ιδάσκει καὶ ταῖς ἀνθρωπίναις ἐπινοίαις κεχρῆσθαι, πιστεύοντας δηλονότι τῇ θείᾳ ῥοπῇ. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ διὰ μόνης τῆς τῶν σαλπίγγων ἠχῆς εἷλον τὴν πρώτην πόλιν, μάλα εἰκότως μανθάνουσιν ἀγωνίζεσθαι καὶ πονεῖν, καὶ τὴν θείαν προσμένειν ἐπικουρίαν. αὐτίκα γοῦν πολεμοῦσιν αὐτοῖς ἐπε κούρησε, καὶ τοὺς πεφευγότας σκηπτοῖς καὶ χαλάζῃ κατηνάλωσεν ἅπαν τας. τὸ μέντοι " γαῖσον " ᾧ τοὺς λοχῶντας διήγειρεν Ἰησοῦς, " ἀσ πίδα " ἡρμήνευσεν ὁ Ἰώσηπος, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ὁ Σύμμαχος. XII Τινὲς ὠμότητα τοῦ προφήτου κατηγοροῦσιν, ὅτι καὶ πάντας ἄρδην ἀνῄ ρει καὶ τοὺς βασιλέας ἐσταύρου. Ὁ τοῦ προφήτου κατηγορῶν, τοῦ ταῦτα προστεταχότος κατηγορεῖ. αὐτὸς γὰρ διὰ Μωϋσῆ τοῦ νομοθέτου προσέταξε, πάντας ἄρδην ἀναιρε θῆναι τοὺς τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην οἰκήσαντας· ἅτε δὲ πανωλεθρίας ἄξια πεπρα χότας καὶ εἰς ἔσχατον παρανομίας ἐλάσαντας. τούτου χάριν καὶ τὸν κα τακλυσμὸν ἐπενήνοχε πάλαι, καὶ τὰ Σόδομα καὶ τὰ Γόμορρα πυρὶ κατη νάλωσε· καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσι δὲ προσέταξεν ὁ προφήτης ἐπιθεῖναι τοὺς πόδας τοῖς τῶν βασιλέων τραχήλοις, ἵνα θαρρήσαντες προθυμότερον παρατά ξωνται. τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν προσέταξεν Ἰησοῦς. " ἰδού, γὰρ ἔφη, δέδωκα ὑμῖν ἐξουσίαν πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ". εἴη τοίνυν καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐπιθεῖναι τοὺς πόδας ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τοὺς τραχήλους τῶν ἀντικειμένων πνευμάτων. 280 XIII ∆ιὰ τί ξυλοκόπους καὶ ὑδροφόρους τοὺς γαβαωνίτας ἀπέφηνεν; Ἐξηπάτησαν καὶ τῷ σχήματι καὶ τῷ ψεύδει τῶν λόγων. καὶ δέον ἔρεσθαι τὸν δεσπότην Θεόν, εἶθ' οὕτως τὰς πρὸς αὐτοὺς συνθήκας ποιήσασθαι· τοῖς ψευδέσι λόγοις αὐτῶν πεπιστευκότες ἐπείσαντο, καὶ τὰς συνθήκας ἐκράτυναν ὅρκῳ. προσετετάχει δὲ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς πάντας ἐκείνους παρα δοθῆναι θανάτῳ. τῆς