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and that they would go down into the depths, and be utterly destroyed, the Word alluded to through the ships of Tarshish being shattered. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God; God has established it for ever. Those of old heard it only from the prophetic voices from the sacred readings; but now seeing with their own 23.425 eyes the results of the prophecies in the events themselves, they say: As we have heard, so have we seen. Wherefore the Savior said to those who say these things: Many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see; and, But blessed are your eyes, for they see. And such a voice would be fitting for us, too, who have seen similar things in our own times; which indeed were also fulfilled in the aforesaid city, which not man, but God himself has established for ever. For especially then does its foundation appear eternal, and its structure established not by men, but by God himself, when, with so many enemies besieging it, it remains unconquered and indestructible. According to your name, O God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth; your right hand is full of righteousness. Since his right hand, the beneficent and provider of all good things, is filled with equity and righteousness, and there is no partiality with him; rightly was the Gospel preached to all the nations. Wherefore the Apostle says: For I am not ashamed of the Gospel. For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed. Following these things, it is said next: Let mount Zion rejoice; and this was also shown by the preceding things, on which the Church was founded. The rock therefore and the mountain was Christ himself. He rejoices, therefore, and is filled with all gladness at the great building upon him, and at the invincible city, and the Lord who saves them rejoices with those who are being saved; but also the daughters of Judah rejoice because of the judgments of God. And who would these be but the apostolic souls and the whole choir of the disciples and evangelists of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who came from the Jews? Indeed, they rejoiced and were filled with all exultation and gladness because of the righteous judgments of God; since through them the saving Gospel was preached to all the nations together and to all men. Go around Zion, and encompass her, tell the number in her towers. Set your hearts on her power, and go through her citadels, that you may tell it to another generation. For this is our God, he himself will shepherd us for ever. All the things previously said contain a theology of him who has accomplished such great things among men; but the present words are addressed to certain persons, so that they might take hold of the aforesaid city of God by surrounding it, and encompassing it with their hands; so that, surrounding it on all sides, they might guard it. To whom then is it commanded to do these things? I think, to the divine powers that guard the Church of God and the godly polity within it, and to the holy angels. To these, therefore, the Holy Spirit addresses, saying: Go around Zion, and encompass her; that is, build a wall around her, according to Symmachus. And instead 23.428 of: Tell the number in her towers, Aquila says, Count her towers; and Symmachus: Number them. For especially the most excellent of the buildings and the strongest parts of the city, as being better and more necessary than the rest, have been given by number to the aforesaid guards to watch over diligently, so that they may in turn hand over safe and complete the number which they have received. And you will understand what is being said from the saving voice, by which to the same disciples and apostles, who like towers are prominent and distinguished from the

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τε καὶ κατὰ βυθῶν χωρήσειν, παντελῶς τε ἀφανισθήσεσθαι, ὁ λόγος ᾐνίξατο διὰ τῶν νηῶν Θαρσεῖς τῶν συντριβομένων. Καθάπερ ἠκούσαμεν, οὕτως καὶ εἴδομεν ἐν πόλει Κυρίου τῶν δυνάμεων, ἐν πόλει τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν· ὁ Θεὸς ἐθεμελίωσεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Οἱ πάλαι μὲν ἤκουον αὐτὸ μόνον τῶν προφητικῶν φωνῶν ἐκ τῶν ἱερῶν ἀναγνωσμάτων· νυνὶ δὲ αὐτοῖς πράγμασι τὰ ἀποτελέσματα τῶν προῤῥήσεων ὀφθαλ 23.425 μοῖς ὁρῶντες φασί· Καθάπερ ἠκούσαμεν, οὕτως καὶ εἴδομεν. ∆ιὸ τοῖς ταῦτα φάσκουσιν ἔλεγεν ὁ Σωτήρ· Πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ ὑμεῖς βλέπετε· καὶ, Ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ, ὅτι βλέπουσιν. Ἁρμόζοι δ' ἂν καὶ ἡμῖν ἡ τοιαύτη φωνὴ, τὰ ὅμοια τεθεαμένοις κατὰ τοὺς ἡμετέρους χρόνους· ἃ δὴ καὶ ἐπληροῦτο ἐν τῇ προλεχθείσῃ πόλει, ἣν οὐκ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐθεμελίωσεν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Μάλιστα γὰρ τότε αὐτῆς φαίνεται ὁ θεμέλιος αἰώνιος, ἥ τε οἰκοδομὴ οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἱδρυμένη, ἀλλ' ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐπειδὰν, τοσούτων πολεμίων πολιορκούντων, ἀήττητος καὶ ἀκαθαίρετος διαμένῃ. Κατὰ τὸ ὄνομά σου, ὁ Θεὸς, οὕτως καὶ ἡ αἴνεσίς σου ἐπὶ τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς· δικαιοσύνης πλήρης ἡ δεξιά σου. Ἐπειδήπερ ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτοῦ, ἡ εὐεργετικὴ καὶ πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν πάροχος, πεπλήρωται ἰσότητος καὶ δικαιοσύνης, οὐκ ἔστι τε προσωποληψία παρ' αὐτῷ· εἰκότως τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον πᾶσιν ἐκηρύττετο τοῖς ἔθνεσι. ∆ιό φησιν ὁ Ἀπόστολος· Οὐ γὰρ ἐπαισχύνομαι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. ∆ύναμις γὰρ Θεοῦ ἐστιν εἰς σωτηρίαν παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνι. ∆ικαιοσύνη γὰρ Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀποκαλύπτεται. Τούτοις ἀκολούθως ἐπιλέγεται ἑξῆς· Εὐφρανθήτω ὄρος Σιών· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἐδηλοῦτο, ἐφ' ᾧ τεθεμελίωτο ἡ Ἐκκλησία. Ἡ πέτρα οὖν καὶ τὸ ὄρος αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ Χριστός. Χαίρει τοίνυν καὶ πάσης εὐφροσύνης πληροῦται ἐπὶ τῇ μεγάλῃ ἐπ' αὐτῷ οἰκοδομῇ, καὶ τῇ ἀκαταμαχήτῳ πόλει, καὶ συγχαίρει τοῖς σωζομένοις ὁ σώζων αὐτοὺς Κύριος· ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἀγαλλιῶνται ἕνεκεν τῶν κριμάτων τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τίνες δ' ἂν εἶεν αὗται ἀλλ' ἢ αἱ ἀποστολικαὶ ψυχαὶ καὶ πᾶς ὁ τῶν μαθητῶν καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ χορὸς ἐξ Ἰουδαίων γεγενημένος; Ἔχαιρόν γε μὴν καὶ πάσης ἀγαλλιάσεως καὶ θυμηδίας ἐπληροῦντο διὰ τὰ δίκαια κρίματα τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἐπείπερ δι' αὐτῶν πᾶσιν ὁμοῦ τοῖς ἔθνεσι καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐκηρύττετο τὸ σωτήριον Εὐαγγέλιον. Κυκλώσατε Σιὼν, καὶ περιλάβετε αὐτὴν, διηγήσασθε ἐν τοῖς πύργοις αὐτῆς. Θέσθε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν εἰς τὴν δύναμιν αὐτῆς, καὶ καταδιέλεσθε τὰς βάρεις αὐτῆς, ὅπως ἂν διηγήσησθε εἰς γενεὰν ἑτέραν. Ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, αὐτὸς ποιμανεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Τὰ μὲν προλεχθέντα πάντα θεολογίαν περιέχει τοῦ τὰ τοσαῦτα ἐν ἀνθρώποις κατωρθωκότος· τὰ δὲ προκείμενα προσφωνεῖται εἰς πρόσωπόν τινων, ὡς ἂν τὴν προλεχθεῖσαν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ διαλάβοιεν κυκλώσαντες αὐτὴν, καὶ ταῖς χερσὶ περιλαβόντες· ὡς ἂν, πανταχόθεν αὐτὴν περιστοιχισάμενοι, φυλάττοιεν. Τίσι δὲ ἆρα προστάττεται ταῦτα ποιεῖν; Οἶμαι, ὅτι ταῖς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ θεοσεβὲς πολίτευμα φρουρούσαις θείαις δυνάμεσιν, ἀγγέλοις τε ἁγίοις. Τούτοις οὖν αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον προσφωνεῖ λέγον· Κυκλώσατε Σιὼν, καὶ περιλάβετε αὐτήν· ἤγουν, περιτειχίσατε, κατὰ τὸν Σύμμαχον. Ἀντὶ 23.428 δὲ τοῦ· ∆ιηγήσασθε ἐν τοῖς πύργοις αὐτῆς, ὁ μὲν Ἀκύλας, Ψηφίσατε, φησὶ, πύργους αὐτῆς· ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος· Ἀριθμήσατε. Μάλιστα γὰρ τὰ ἐξοχώτατα τῶν οἰκοδομημάτων καὶ τὰ ὀχυρώτατα τῆς πόλεως, ὡς ἂν κρείττονα καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀναγκαιότερα, δέδοται σὺν ἀριθμῷ τοῖς εἰρημένοις φρουροῖς φυλάττειν ἐπιμελῶς, ὡς ἂν παραδῶσιν ἔμπαλιν σῶον καὶ πλήρη ὃν παρειλήφασι ἀριθμόν. Νοήσεις δὲ τὸ λεγόμενον ἀπὸ τῆς σωτηρίου φωνῆς, δι' ἧς τοῖς αὐτοῖς μαθηταῖς καὶ ἀποστόλοις, τοῖς ὡσπερεὶ πύργοις ἐξέχουσι καὶ διαφέρουσι τῆς