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having shown fear toward the ruling God. Therefore also the things of lions, he says, will dispose of you. But for those repenting, a bird will fight for them as for its young. According to the first interpretation, such has been the assistance of the Savior for us. For the spiritual Assyrian seized all men. But Christ, like a lion, leaping upon him, has destroyed him by the word of his mouth, fighting for Sion, the Church. For he threatened, "I will seize the whole world in my hand like a nest." But He gathered together those who believe in him, in the way a bird gathers its young under its wings. Having promised these things concerning Jerusalem, he addresses those who had gone away to Egypt, "Return, you who are devising a deep and lawless counsel," urging them to return again to Jerusalem, because of the things promised concerning its resettlement. Which Symmachus rendered thus: "Repent, as deeply as you have transgressed, O sons of Israel." And it shows them to be deep in evils, but superficial in things concerning God. But after the deliverance from the Assyrians, there will be for you, he says, a deliverance from all idolatry. And the history is in agreement. For having rebuilt the temple, they became pure of all idolatry. But some say this happened at the time when Christ defended Jeru 2273 salem, the Church. For the discourse ran back to it again, when idolatry was destroyed, and the spiritual Assur departed with it, not smitten by the sword of a man, but sent by the divine word into the abyss with his own powers, which he showed through the strong youths, having been surrounded by the unbreakable rock, by Christ, as by a palisade. But others say, that since the Jews, fearing the Assyrian, departed to Egypt, he promises to them his overthrow, showing through these things that idolatry had fallen by divine power, even if men serving it overthrew the rule of the Assyrians. Therefore also prophesying about Babylon he said: Behold, I raise up for you the Medes. And instead of, "By a rock they will be surrounded as by a palisade," Symmachus said, "His fearful rock will pass by, and his rulers will be defeated, says the Lord," that is, of the Assyrian. For he called the steadfastness of his rule his rock. But urging the fugitives in Egypt to return to Jerusalem, "Blessed," he says, "is he who has seed in Sion, and kinsmen in Jerusalem," because it is about to be restored to its ancient glory, or rather, to a better one. Therefore he says in other places: "And the latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former." And the word, "blessed," is marked with an obelus, as not being in the text. For the rest, Symmachus says, "He has fire in Sion and a furnace in Jerusalem." But Aquila and Theodotion, "A light for him in Sion, and a furnace for him in Jerusalem," speaking about God who overthrew the Babylonian. Through which fire he burns up those who despised his city, and especially the Church, concerning which it is said: "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." And: "The streams of the river make glad the city of God." For in it there is fire and a furnace for burning up the wood, hay, stubble of each soul. And according to Aquila, light is there for those worthy to be enlightened, and fire for those in need of cleansing. CHAP. 32. 1-8. 9For behold, a righteous king shall reign, and rulers shall rule with judgment, and a man shall be hiding his words. And he will be hidden as from rushing water. And he shall appear in Sion, as a glorious river flowing in a thirsty land9, etc. The Septuagint version connects these things with what was said. For having said before, "Blessed is he who has seed in Sion, and kinsmen in Jerusalem," it fittingly added, "For behold, a righteous king shall reign." For since these things are about to happen in Jerusalem, it fittingly blesses those who are about to enjoy them in it. But the others have now and 2276 rendered it from another beginning. Therefore Symmachus says: Behold, a king will reign for righteousness,

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παρεσχηκότων πρὸς τὸν ἡγεμόνα Θεὸν φόβον. Ὅθεν καὶ τὰ λεόντων, φησὶν, ὑμᾶς διαθήσει. Μετανοούντων δὲ, καθάπερ νεοττῶν ὄρνις ὑπερμαχήσεται. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν πρώτην ἐξήγησιν, τοιαύτη γέγονεν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς ἡ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπικουρία. Πάντας γὰρ ἀνθρώπους ὁ νοητὸς εἷλεν Ἀσσύριος. Ἀλλὰ Χριστὸς, οἷα λέων, ἐπιπηδήσας αὐτῷ κατήργηκεν αὐτὸν, τῷ ῥήματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, τῆς Σιὼν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὑπεραγωνισάμενος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἠπείλει, Τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην καταλήψομαι τῇ χειρί μου ὡς νοσσιάν. Ὁ δὲ συνήγαγε τοὺς πιστεύοντας εἰς αὐτὸν, ὃν τρόπον ὄρνις ἐπισυνάγει τὰ νόσσια αὐτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας. Ταῦτα περὶ τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐπαγγειλάμενος, προσφωνεῖ τοῖς ἀπελθοῦσιν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, Ἐπιστράφητε, οἱ τὴν βαθεῖαν βουλὴν βουλευόμενοι καὶ ἄνομον, προτρέπων εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ αὐτοὺς πάλιν ἐπανελθεῖν, διὰ τὰ ἐπηγγελμένα περὶ τοῦ ταύτης ἀνοικισμοῦ. Ὅπερ ὁ Σύμμαχος οὕτως ἐξέδωκε· Μετανοήσατε, ὡς ἐβαθύνατε παραβῆναι, οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ. ∆ηλοῖ δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐνβαθύνοντας μὲν τοῖς κακοῖς, τοῖς δὲ κατὰ Θεὸν ἐπιπολέους ὑπάρχοντας. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐξ Ἀσσυρίων ἀπαλλαγὴν, ἔσται, φησὶν, ὑμῖν πάσης εἰδωλολατρείας ἀπαλλαγή. Καὶ σύμφωνος ἡ ἱστορία. Τὸν γὰρ ναὸν ἀναδειμάμενοι, καθαροὶ πάσης εἰδωλολατρείας ἐγένοντο. Τινὲς δὲ τοῦτό φασι γεγενῆσθαι καθ' ὃν χρόνον ὑπερήσπισε τῆς Ἱε 2273 ρουσαλὴμ ὁ Χριστὸς Ἐκκλησίας. Πρὸς αὐτὴν γὰρ πάλιν ὁ λόγος ἀνέδραμεν, ὅτε τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας ἀπολομένης, καὶ ὁ νοητὸς αὐτῇ συναπῆλθεν Ἀσσοὺρ, οὐκ ἀνδρὸς μαχαίρᾳ πληγεὶς, λόγῳ δὲ θείῳ πεμφθεὶς εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον σὺν ταῖς ἰδίαις δυνάμεσιν, ἃς διὰ τῶν ἰσχυρῶν νεανίσκων ἐδήλωσεν ἀῤῥαγεῖ πέτρᾳ τῷ Χριστῷ περιληφθείσας, ὡς χάρακι. Οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι φασὶν, Ἐπειδὴ τὸν Ἀσσύριον Ἰουδαῖοι δείσαντες εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἀπεχώρησαν, ἐπαγγέλλεται τούτοις τὴν ἐκείνου καθαίρεσιν, τὴν εἰδωλολατρείαν διὰ τούτων δηλῶν ἐκ θείας πεπτωκυῖαν δυνάμεως, εἰ καὶ ἄνθρωποι ταύτῃ διακονοῦντες τὴν Ἀσσυρίων καθεῖλον ἀρχήν. ∆ιὸ καὶ περὶ Βαβυλῶνος ἔλεγε προφητεύων· Ἰδοὺ ἐπεγείρω ὑμῖν τοὺς Μήδους. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ, Πέτρα περιληφθήσονται ὡς χάρακι, ὁ Σύμμαχος ἔφη, Πέτρα αὐτοῦ ἡ φοβερὰ παρελεύσεται, καὶ ἡττηθήσονται οἱ ἄρχοντες αὐτοῦ, φησὶ Κύριος, δηλαδὴ τοῦ Ἀσσυρίου. Πέτραν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸ στεῤῥὸν ἐκάλεσε τῆς ἀρχῆς. Προτρέπων δὲ τοὺς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ φυγάδας ὑποστρέφειν εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, Μακάριος, φησὶν, ὃς ἔχει ἐν Σιὼν σπέρμα, καὶ οἰκείους ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, διὰ τὸ μέλλειν αὐτὴν εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν ἀνακτίζεσθαι δόξαν, μᾶλλον δὲ κρείττονα. ∆ιό φησιν ἐν ἑτέροις· "Καὶ ἔσται ἡ δόξα τοῦ οἴκου τούτου ἡ ἐσχάτη, ὑπὲρ τὴν πρώτην." Ὠβέλισται δὲ τὸ, μακάριος, ὡς μὴ κείμενον. Τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ὁ μὲν Σύμμαχός φησιν, Ἔχει πῦρ ἐν Σιὼν καὶ κλίβανον ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ὁ δὲ Ἀκύλας καὶ Θεοδοτίων, Φῶς αὐτῷ ἐν Σιὼν, καὶ κλίβανος αὐτῷ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, περὶ Θεοῦ λέγοντες τοῦ καθελόντος τὸν Βαβυλώνιον. ∆ι' οὗ πυρὸς κατακαίει τοὺς τῆς αὐτοῦ καταφρονήσαντας πόλεως, μάλιστα δὲ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, περὶ ἧς εἴρηται· "∆εδοξασμένα ἐλαλήθη περὶ σοῦ, ἡ πόλις τοῦ Θεοῦ." Καί· "Τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὰ ὁρμήματα εὐφραίνουσι τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ." Ἐν αὐτῇ γὰρ πῦρ ἐστι καὶ κλίβανος εἰς τὸ καταφλέγειν ἑκάστης ψυχῆς ξύλα, χόρτον, καλάμην. Καὶ κατὰ τὸν Ἀκύλαν δὲ, φῶς ἐκεῖ πρὸς τοὺς ἀξίους φωτίζεσθαι, καὶ πῦρ πρὸς τοὺς δεομένους καθάρσεως. ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΛΒʹ. αηʹ. 9Ἰδοὺ γὰρ βασιλεὺς δίκαιος βασιλεύσει, καὶ ἄρχοντες μετὰ κρίσεως ἄρξουσι, καὶ ἔσται ὁ ἄνθρωπος κρύπτων τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ. Καὶ κρυβήσεται ὡς ἀφ' ὕδατος φερομένου. Καὶ φανήσεται ἐν Σιὼν, ὡς ποταμὸς φερόμενος ἔνδοξος ἐν γῇ διψώσῃ9, κ.τ.λ. Ἡ μὲν τῶν Ἑβδομήκοντα ἔκδοσις συνάπτει ταῦτα τοῖς εἰρημένοις. Προειποῦσα γὰρ τὸ, "Μακάριος ὃς ἔχει ἐν Σιὼν σπέρμα, καὶ οἰκείους ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ," ἀκολούθως ἐπήγαγε τὸ, Ἰδοὺ γὰρ βασιλεὺς δίκαιος βασιλεύσει. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ ταῦτα μέλλει γίνεσθαι ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, εἰκότως μακαρίζει τοὺς τούτων ἀπολαύειν μέλλοντας ἐν αὐτῇ. Οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ τὰ νῦν καὶ 2276 ἀρχῆς ἑτέρας ἀπέδωκαν. ∆ιό φησι Σύμμαχος· Ἰδοὺ εἰς δικαιοσύνην βασιλεύσει βασιλεὺς,