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they did not do, but observing from their principles, they lamented their enemies, which was useless. And they had died even before the battle from fear, as was likely, and from famine, and from the lack of water. Rightly, therefore, does David say: "O Lord, the God of hosts, blessed is the man who hopes in you." And he calls Jerusalem the valley of Sion, as lying beneath the foothills of Sion. And he says the rulers of this 2172 city have fled; for as the enemies were already approaching, having despaired of all human aid, the first men of the city fled, as if leaping from a sinking ship. And he says that those who were captured were bound; For the Babylonians, having seized Zedekiah together with his children, slaughtered them, but him they carried away after gouging out his eyes, he who had long trusted in his own power, and had in no way endured to say, "I will not trust in my bow, and my sword will not save me;" so that he might also say: "For you have saved us from those who afflict us, and you have put to shame those who hate us." Wherefore the prophet says he has inconsolable grief, lamenting for the nation. For who will turn back the uplifted hand? For if he shuts it against a man, who will open it? Then he says: They wander on the mountains, either fleeing, as we were saying, or on the high places supplicating the falsely-named gods; which was their custom to do beside large trees. For since he said that the destruction was being brought by the Lord Sabaoth, he also reasonably adduced the cause, so that God might not be thought to punish without reason. Therefore Jeremiah says: "Have you seen what the house of Israel has done to me? She has gone up on every high mountain, and under every leafy tree, and has played the harlot there," according to what was said: "To the wood they said, 'You are my father.' And to the stone, 'You gave me birth.'" And not a few, he says, have suffered this, but from the least to the greatest. Whence God says to Jeremiah: "And you, do not pray for this people, for I will not listen. 'For what do their sons do?' he says. 'They gather wood, and their fathers kindle a fire, and their women knead dough to make cakes for the host of heaven.'" For not in vain, therefore, are nets spread for the winged. And from this point on he further depicts, bringing the war into view in case they might turn back, fearing the Elamites who had come against the city; he indicates the enemies are from one nation, and represents their multitude. "Your valleys," he says, "will be filled with chariots, and being hard-pressed at the gates, dismounting from their horses inside, they will search the houses, and will uncover the royal treasures." For this is indicated by the citadel of David. For from it are the kings. Thus also the intelligible enemies, prevailing through our passions, plunder our spiritual wealth, penetrating our mind. Whence it is said: "If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, do not leave your place, for healing will make an end of sins." For such passions, being checked, wither away. 2173 "And they saw," he says, "that there are more of them." This is against those who think that they alone will prevail over their enemies; for a great multitude of enemies would not have come by such a long road. That is, since the Jews, being rather numerous, did not think the water in the city would be sufficient for them, they took thought, having numbered the houses according to Symmachus, and diverted the water of the old pool into the city; but they paid no heed to God, and trusted in human preparations. For he speaks as if rebuking their character, that indeed they measured out the water according to their own number for the siege, thinking it would thus suffice, even if it were prolonged for a time, and by demolishing the houses they were making the walls more secure; when they ought to have looked to God, who both made the city and became a wall for it. "For mountains," he says, "are round about it, and the Lord is round about his people." This he also promises through the voice of a prophet: "I will be to her, says the Lord, a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her." Then he says that, with so many dangers from God threatening them, they ought to propitiate him with all

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μὲν οὐκ ἐποίουν, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν δογμάτων περισκοποῦντες, τοὺς πολεμίους ὠδύροντο, ὅπερ ὑπῆρχεν ἀνόνητον. Προετεθνήκεσαν δὲ καὶ πρὸ μάχης φόβῳ, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς, καὶ λιμῷ, καὶ τῇ τῶν ὑδάτων ἐνδείᾳ. Εἰκότως ἄρα φησὶν ὁ ∆αβίδ· "Κύριε, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν δυνάμεων, μακάριος ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἐλπίζων ἐπὶ σέ." Φάραγγα δὲ Σιὼν ὀνομάζει τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ὡς ὑποκειμένην ταῖς ὑπωρείαις Σιών. Ταύτης 2172 δὲ τοὺς ἄρχοντας πεφευγέναι φησιν· ἐπιόντων γὰρ ἤδη τῶν πολεμίων πᾶσαν βοήθειαν ἀπογνόντες ἀνθρωπίνην, ἀπέδρασαν οἱ πρῶτοι τῆς πόλεως, ὡς δὴ νηὸς βαπτιζομένης ἀποπηδήσαντες. Τοὺς δὲ ἁλόντας δεδέσθαι φησί· Τὸν γὰρ Σεδεκίαν ἄμα τοῖς παισὶ συλλαβόντες οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι, τοὺς μὲν ἀπέσφαξαν, τὸν δὲ τῶν ὀμμάτων ἐκκόψαντες ἀπεκόμισαν τῇ δυνάμει πάλαι θαῤῥήσαντα, καὶ μηδαμῶς εἰπεῖν ἀνασχόμενον, "Οὐκ ἐπὶ τῷ τόξῳ μου ἐλπιῶ, καὶ ἡ ῥομφαία μου οὐ σώσει με·" ἵνα καὶ λέξειεν· "Ἔσωσας γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῶν θλιβόντων ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοὺς μισοῦντας ἡμᾶς κατῄσχυνας. ∆ι' ἄπερ ἀπαράκλητον ἔχειν πένθος ὁ προφήτης φησὶ τὸ γένος ὀλοφυρόμενος. Τὴν γὰρ χεῖρα τὴν ὑψηλὴν τίς ἀποστρέψει; Ἐὰν γὰρ κλείσῃ κατὰ ἀνθρώπου τίς ἀνοίξει; Εἶτά φησι· Πλανῶνται ἀνὰ τὰ ὄρη, ἢ φεύγοντες, ὡς ἐλέγομεν, ἢ ἐν ὑψηλοῖς τοὺς ψευδωνύμους θεοὺς ἱκετεύοντες· ὅπερ ἦν ἔθος αὐτοῖς παρὰ δένδρα μεγάλα ποιεῖν. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἔφη τὴν ἀπώλειαν παρὰ Κυρίου Σαβαὼθ ἐπιφέρεσθαι, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν εἰκότως ἐπήνεγκεν, ὡς ἂν εἰκῆ Θεὸς μὴ τιμωρεῖσθαι νομίζοιτο. ∆ιό φησιν Ἱερεμίας· "Εἶδες ἃ ἐποίησέν μοι ἡ κατοικία τοῦ Ἰσραήλ; Ἐπορεύθη ἐπὶ πᾶν ὄρος ὑψηλὸν, καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα βουνὸν ὑψηλὸν, καὶ ἐπὶ παντὸς ξύλου ἀλσώδους, καὶ ἐπόρνευσεν ἐκεῖ," κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· "Τῷ ξύλῳ εἶπαν· Πατήρ μου εἶ σύ. Καὶ τῷ λίθῳ· Σύ με ἐγέννησας." Καὶ οὐδὲ ὀλίγοι, φησὶ, τοῦτο πεπόνθασιν, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου. Ὅθεν φησὶ πρὸς τὸν Ἱερεμίαν Θεός· "Καὶ σὺ μὴ προσεύχου περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσακούσομαι. Οἷα γὰρ ποιοῦσιν, φησὶν, οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν; συλλέγουσι ξύλα, καὶ οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν καίουσι πῦρ, καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν τρίβουσι στᾶς τοῦ ποιῆσαι χαυῶνας τῇ στρατιᾷ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ." Οὐκ εἰκῆ γὰρ οὖν ἐκτείνεται δίκτυα πτερωτοῖς. ∆ιατυποῖ δὲ λοιπὸν ἐντεῦθεν εἰς ὄψιν ἄγων τὸν πόλεμον εἴ πως ἐπιστραφεῖεν φοβούμενοι τῆς πόλεως γεγονότας τοὺς Ἐλαμίτας, δεικνὺς ἐξ ἑνὸς ἔθνους τοὺς πολεμίους δηλῶν, καὶ τὸ πλῆθος παριστάς. Αἱ φάραγγές σου, φησὶν, ἁρμάτων πλησθήσονται, καὶ περὶ τὰς πύλας στενοχωρούμενοι τῶν ἵππων ἔνδον ἀποβάντες τὰς οἰκίας διερευνήσονται, καὶ τοὺς βασιλικοὺς ἀνακαλύψουσι θησαυρούς. Τοῦτο γὰρ διὰ τῆς ἄκρας δηλοῦται ∆αβίδ. Ἐξ αὐτοῦ γὰρ οἱ βασιλεύοντες. Οὕτω καὶ νοητοὶ διὰ τῶν παθῶν ἡμῶν ἐπικρατοῦντες πολέμιοι τὸν πνευματικὸν ἡμῶν ἀφαρπάζουσι πλοῦτον τὸν νοῦν εἰσδύνοντες τὸν ἡμέτερον. Ὅθεν εἴρηται· "Ἐὰν πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ σὲ, τὸν τόπον σου μὴ ἀφῇς, ὅτι ἴαμα καταπαύσει ἁμαρτίας." Ἀνακοπτόμενα γὰρ τὰ τοιαῦτα πάθη μαραίνεται. 2173 Καὶ ἴδοσαν, φησὶν, ὅτι πλείους εἰσίν. Πρὸς τοὺς οἰομένους ὅτι καὶ μόνοι τῶν πολεμίων ἐπικρατήσουσιν· μὴ γὰρ ἂν διὰ τοσαύτης ὁδοῦ πολύ τι πλῆθος πολεμίων ἐλθεῖν. Ἤγουν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ὕδωρ μὴ νομίσαντες ἀρκέσειν αὐτοῖς ὡς δὴ πλείοσιν ὑπάρχουσιν Ἰουδαῖοι, ἐστοχάσαντο δὲ τὰς οἰκίας κατὰ Σύμμαχον ἀριθμήσαντες, τὸ τῆς ἀρχαίας κολυμβήθρας ὕδωρ εἰς τὴν πόλιν μετοχετεύσαντες, Θεῷ μὲν οὐ προσεῖχον, ἀνθρωπίναις δὲ παρασκευαῖς ἐπεποίθεσαν. Ὡς ἐν ἤθει γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὀνειδίζων φησὶν, ὅτι δὴ πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος ἑαυτῶν, τὸ ὕδωρ συνεμετρήσαντο πρὸς τὴν πολιορκίαν οὕτως ἀρκέσειν οἰόμενοι, κἂν εἰς χρόνον ἐκτείνοιτο, καὶ τὰς οἰκίας καταλύοντες ἀσφαλέστερα τὰ τείχη κατεσκευάζοντο· δέον εἰς Θεὸν ὁρᾷν καὶ τὴν πόλιν ποιήσαντα, καὶ τεῖχος ταύτῃ γενόμενον. "Ὄρη γὰρ, φησὶ, κύκλῳ αὐτῆς, καὶ Κύριος κύκλῳ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ." Τοῦτο καὶ διὰ προφήτου φωνῆς ἐπαγγέλλεται· "Ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῇ, λέγει Κύριος, τεῖχος πυρὸς κυκλόθεν, καὶ εἰς δόξαν ἔσομαι ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς." Εἶτά φησιν, ὡς κινδύνων αὐτοῖς ἐκ Θεοῦ τοσούτων ἐπικειμένων, δέον αὐτὸν εὐμενίζεσθαι πάσῃ