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of principalities and powers, which he triumphed over on the wood, having stripped them off and, as it were, cast away the garment we had woven for us from them) he disarmed the principalities and the powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them on the wood. For this reason Paul, being from the lost of Israel and the scattered of Judah, understanding the sign raised by Jesus for the nations, ran to the cross, and said: But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it follows that when the lost of Israel are gathered (who were ruled by Ephraim) and the dispersed of Judah (who were governed by those of the seed of David) that there is no longer envy of Ephraim against Judah, nor do the enemies of Judah any longer accomplish anything; for after the sign was raised, and the lost of Israel were gathered (which is called Ephraim) and the dispersed of Judah were also gathered, The envy of Ephraim shall be taken away, and the enemies of Judah shall perish. 11.251 But observe that Israel is said to be lost, but Judah to be scattered. Nevertheless, in the harmony according to Christ, who makes peace in the things on earth and in heaven and reconciles all things in himself, the passions are destroyed, which formerly dominated life out of contentiousness and division. For this reason, therefore, Ephraim will not envy Judah, and Judah will no longer afflict Ephraim, since the enmity between them will perish. For envy seems especially to become for many an occasion for hatred. But envy now is spoken of by Scripture not as the imitation of good things, but as malice at successes. Then, therefore, being in harmony, They will fly in the ships of foreigners, they will plunder the sea together. Through the sea he well represented those who sail swiftly, comparing their motion to a wing; whenever with full sail, the wind standing symmetrically abaft the stern, they are carried over the sea. And they plunder the sea, overcoming the dragon and those who are under him, whom the Apostles of Christ, translating into the knowledge of the truth, might rightly be said to plunder, as it were making their own spoils what was previously held by him who led man away captive. But the sea must now be understood as the place of affliction, which we have learned elsewhere is also the valley of weeping. And perhaps the ships of foreigners are said to be our bodies, because they are not properly disposed towards the constitution of the soul. For the flesh is not subject to the law of God, but lusts against the spirit. And these are said to plunder Idumea, that is, to prevail over earthly things, and to lay their hands on Moab. Moab is interpreted "from a father." Therefore the Lord said to them, that "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father." On these they lay their hands, so that through their own good action they might take them as captives. Then the sons of Ammon will be the first to obey. Ammon is interpreted, a people with us. Perhaps those who have less wickedness will be the first to obey the word, in contrast to those who have more of it and have it poured out more widely. 11.252 Then he adds: And the Lord will lay waste the sea of Egypt. Just as Ezekiel says there are rivers of Egypt, which Pharaoh boasts of having made, so Isaiah names a sea of Egypt, which the good God will lay waste. For a desolation brought upon wicked things in an acceptable time is a benefit. And just as The Lord will lay waste the sea of Egypt, and will bring upon the river a violent wind, so also He will strike the seven ravines of Egypt. And then one will cross the river of Egypt with sandals on. This signifies the scantiness of the water left in the river water; for it will be so little (or even completely dried up) that not even moisture is left, on account of

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ἀρχῶν καὶ ἐξουσιῶν, ἅστινας ἐθριάμβευσεν ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ, ἀπεκδυσά μενος αὐτὰς καὶ οἱονεὶ ἀποῤῥίψας ὃ εἴχομεν ἀπ' αὐτῶν ὑφασ μένον ἡμῖν ἔνδυμα) ἐξεδύσατο τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐδειγμάτισεν ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ, θριαμβεύσας ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο Παῦλος, ἐκ τῶν ἀπολωλότων τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ διεσκορπισμένων τοῦ Ἰούδα ὑπάρχων, νοήσας τὸ ἀρθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη σημεῖον, προσέδραμε τῷ σταυρῷ, καὶ ἔλεγεν· Ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο καυχᾶσθαι, εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῷ συναχθῆναι τοὺς ἀπολομένους τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ (οἵτινες ἐβασιλεύοντο ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἐφραῒμ) καὶ τοὺς διεσπαρμένους τοῦ Ἰούδα (οἵτινες ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκ σπέρματος ∆αβὶδ ἐπολιτεύοντο) τὸ μηκέτι εἶναι ζῆλον τοῦ Ἐφραῒμ κατὰ τοῦ Ἰούδα, μηδὲ ἀνύειν ἔτι τοὺς τοῦ Ἰούδαἐχθρούς· μετὰ γὰρ τὸ ἀρθῆναι τὸ σημεῖον, καὶ συναχθῆναι τοὺς ἀπολομένους τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ (ὅστις λέγεται Ἐφραῒμ) συναχθῆναι δὲ καὶ τοὺς διεσκορπισμένους τοῦ Ἰούδα, Ἀφαιρεθήσεται ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ Ἐφραῒμ, καὶ οἱ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα ἀπολοῦνται. 11.251 Κατάμαθε δὲ, ὅτι ὁ μὲν Ἰσραὴλ ἀπολωλέναι λέγεται, ὁ δὲ Ἰούδας διεσπάρθαι. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ τῇ κατὰ Χριστὸν συμ φωνίᾳ, τοῦ εἰρηνοποιοῦντος τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ τὰ ἐν οὐ ρανῷ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ἀποκαταλλάσσοντος, ἀναιρεῖται τὰ πάθη, τὰ πρότερον ἐκ φιλονεικίας καὶ διαστάσεως ἐνδυνα στεύοντα τῷ βίῳ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὖν Ἐφραῒμ οὐ ζηλώσει τὸν Ἰούδαν, καὶ ὁ Ἰούδας οὐκέτι θλίψει Ἐφραΐμ, ἐπεὶ ἡ ἐν αὐτοῖς πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἔχθρα ἀπολεῖται. Ἔοικε γὰρ μάλιστα ὁ ζῆλος γίνεσθαι τοῦ ἐχθραίνειν ἀφορμὴ τοῖς πολλοῖς. Ζῆλος δὲ νῦν, οὐχ ἡ τῶν καλῶν μίμησις, ἀλλ' ἡ ἐπὶ ταῖς εὐπραγίαις βασκανία παρὰ τῆς Γραφῆς εἴρηται. Τότε οὖν, ἐν συμφωνίᾳ γενόμενοι, Πετασθήσονται ἐν πλοίοις ἀλλοφύλων, θάλασσαν ἅμα προνομεύσουσι. ∆ιὰ τῆς θαλάσσης καλῶς παρέστησε τοὺς ταχυναυτοῦντας, πτερῷ παρεικάσας τὴν κίνησιν· ὅταν πλήρει τῷ ἱστίῳ, συμμέτρως τοῦ πνεύματος κατὰ πρύμναν ἱσταμένου, ὑπὲρ θαλάσσης φέρωνται. Προνομεύουσι δὲ θάλασσαν, τοῦ δράκοντος περιγινόμενοι καὶ τῶν ὑπ' αὐτῷ τελουμένων, οὓς οἱ Ἀπόστολοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας μετατιθέντες, δικαίως ἂν λέ γοιντο προνομεύειν, οἱονεὶ σκῦλα ἑαυτῶν ποιούμενοι τὰ προ κατεχόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ αἰχμάλωτον ἀπαγαγόντος τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Θάλασσαν δὲ ἀκουστέον νῦν τὸν τῆς κακώσεως τόπον, ὃν καὶ κοιλάδα τοῦ κλαυθμῶνος ἀλλαχοῦ μεμαθήκαμεν. Πλοῖα δὲ ἀλλοφύλων λέγεται τάχα τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν, διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν οἰκείως πρὸς τὴν ψυχῆς κατασκευήν. Ἡ γὰρ σὰρξ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ ὑποτάσσεται, ἀλλ' ἐπιθυμεῖ κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. Οὗτοι δὲ καὶ τὴν Ἰδουμαίαν προνομεύειν λέ γονται, τουτέστι τῶν γηΐνων πραγμάτων ἐπικρατεῖν, καὶ ἐπὶ Μωὰβ ἐπιβάλλειν τὰς χεῖρας. Μωὰβ ἑρμηνεύεται ἐκ πατρός. Πρὸς οὖν αὐτοὺς εἴρηκεν ὁ Κύριος, ὅτι Ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστὲ, καὶ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν θέλετε ποιεῖν. Τούτοις τὰς ἑαυτῶν χεῖρας ἐπιβάλ λουσιν, ἵνα διὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀγαθῆς πράξεως ὑποχειρίους αὐτοὺς λάβωσιν. Εἶτα Υἱοὶ Ἀμμὼν πρῶτοι ὑπακούσονται. Ἀμμὼν ἑρμηνεύεται, λαὸς μεθ' ἡμῶν. Τάχα πρῶτοι ὑπακού σονται τῷ λόγῳ, οἱ ἐλάττονα τὴν κακίαν ἔχοντες, παρὰ τοὺς πλείονα αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖον κεχυμένην ἔχοντας. 11.252 Εἶτα ἐπιφέρει· Καὶ ἐρημώσει Κύριος τὴν θάλασσαν Αἰγύπτου. Ὥσπερ ὁ Ἰεζεκιὴλ Αἰγύπτου ποταμοὺς εἶναι λέγει, οὓς Φαραὼ πεποιηκέναι ἀλαζονεύεται, οὕτως ὁ Ἡσαΐας θάλασσαν Αἰγύπτου ὀνομάζει, ἥντινα ὁ ἀγαθὸς Θεὸς ἐρη μώσει. Εὐεργεσία γὰρ ἡ ἀπὸ μοχθηρῶν πραγμάτων ἐν καιρῷ δεκτῷ ἐπαγομένη ἐρήμωσις. Ὥσπερ δὲ Ἐρημώσει Κύριος τὴν θάλασσαν Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐπιβαλεῖ ἐπὶ τὸν ποτα μὸν πνεύματι βιαίῳ, οὕτω Καὶ πατάξει τὰς ἑπτὰ τῆς Αἰ γύπτου φάραγγας. Καὶ τότε διαπορεύσεταί τις τὸν Αἰ γύπτου ποταμὸν ὑποδεδεμένος. Τὸ πενιχρὸν σημαίνει τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ὑπολειφθέντος τῷ ὕδατι τῷ ποταμίῳ· οὕτω γὰρ ὀλίγον ἔσται (ἢ καὶ παντελῶς ἀποξηρανθήσεται) ὡς μηδὲ ἰκμάδα ὑπολειφθῆναι, δι'