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as if teaching a God who does not know, but becoming a model for the people to ask for the things pertaining to salvation. For what they ought to have said, the prophet says into their ears, so that they might imitate. For it is clear that both those called into alliance by the Assyrian will die without a sound, and the rest will be turned to flight from fear, with the Israelite spoils being saved by the power of God, which they obtain by being pious. But if they do not repent, they will be deprived, their enemies prevailing over them like locusts. Holy is the God who dwells in the highest. It indicates progress of the mind, and a good uplifting of the soul. For the word "holy" is said not for God's sanctification, but as the one praying is progressing, exalting God for the things in which His 2297 righteous judgment against sinners has taken hold both in general and against Jerusalem. For He was disciplining the city not for destruction, but for the conversion of its inhabitants; at which time righteousness could flourish among them, and the law blossom, and the people draw from this as from a good treasure. From which they also progressed into wisdom and knowledge, which begets piety toward God and treasures of righteousness. And when you are so disposed, fear will not master the assault of your enemies, but rather their fear of you will, and they will send an embassy for peace when I decree desolation against them and bring an end to the command against you. For they did not come against you of their own accord, but with me having ordained for them a kind of covenant. But having me as an ally you will despise them. Then he says, "The earth mourned," taking the places instead of the inhabitants, and insensible things instead of rational beings, to their shame, he has taken, who ought to have lamented their own plague. But he presented the places as all but groaning and travailing together, according to the apostolic word, because of which the power of God will become manifest through its working. For those who trusted in the Egyptians will be shamed by the change, because having abandoned the God who thus routs enemies, they sent an embassy to the Egyptians, when God had overthrown 185 thousand, whose dead bodies have been given over to fire. But these, as if subdued by fire, will confess the folly of what they did. 13-19. 9Those who are far off shall hear what I have done, and those who are near shall know my strength. The lawless in Zion have departed. Trembling will seize the impious. Who will announce to you that a fire is burning? who will announce to you the eternal place?9 etc. Israel is near to God, inasmuch as he has come to be instructed by the law and by wonders. But the nations are far off. having worshipped creation. And yet the former heard; but the latter did not endure it. Nevertheless, he says, those who are near will also hear. For Israel has not been completely destroyed. For from him came the first fruits of the faithful. But some have taken the second part also to refer to the nations. For how will those who are far off hear? Obviously, by having come near. And learning his strength, which he displayed by working wonders on behalf of Israel, they will also know how those in Zion departed. But according to the other interpretation, he divides those of Israel. Of whom some heard, but others, being lawless, rejected it, whom trembling will also seize. For the experience of the evils brought upon them is sufficient for fear, and to know in some way the one who is outraged by them. To whom he also says, "Who will announce to you that a fire is burning?" concerning which he said, 2300 that "Fire will devour you." And by "the eternal place" he means the one prepared for Satan and his angels. For according to the voice of the Savior, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life. But he who disobeys the Son will not see life; but the wrath of God remains upon him." Concerning whom the prophet says elsewhere: "Their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched." Who then is it that knows and testifies beforehand to you of the eternal place? Or everyone whom he immediately describes, signifying the choir of the prophets and apostles? for they preached about the judgment, so that we might guard against the future punishment. But such a person, being far from the fire, will dwell in a high cave and on a strong rock. But according to Symmachus, "He will encamp in high places." As environs

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ὡς ἀγνοοῦντα διδάσκων Θεὸν, ἀλλὰ τύπος γινόμενος τῷ λαῷ τὰ πρὸς σωτηρίαν αἰτεῖν. Ἃ γὰρ αὐτοὺς λέγειν ἐχρῆν, εἰς ἀκοὰς αὐτῶν ὁ προφήτης φησὶν, ἵνα μιμήσωνται. Ὅτι γὰρ καὶ οἱ εἰς συμμαχίαν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀσσυρίου κληθέντες ἀψοφητὶ τελευτήσουσι, καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ πρὸς φυγὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου τραπήσονται, εὔδηλον τῶν Ἰσραηλιτικῶν σκύλων σωζομένων δυνάμει Θεοῦ, ἧς θεοσεβοῦντες τυγχάνουσι. Μὴ μετανοοῦντες δὲ στερηθήσονται, περιγινομένων αὐτῶν τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὡς ἀκρίδων. Ἅγιος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν ὑψηλοῖς. Προκοπὴν δηλοῖ διανοίας, καὶ δίαρμα ψυχῆς ἀγαθόν. Οὐ γὰρ Θεοῦ πρὸς ἁγιασμὸν, ἀλλ' ὡς τοῦ εὐχομένου προκόπτοντος, τὸ ἅγιος, λέγεται, ὑψοῦντος Θεὸν, ἐφ' οἷς αὐ 2297 τοῦ τὸ δίκαιον κατὰ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων κρῖμα κατείληφεν καθόλου τε καὶ κατὰ τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ. Οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἀπώλειαν τὴν πόλιν, ἀλλ' εἰς ἐπιστροφὴν τῶν ἐνοικούντων ἐπαίδευεν· ὅτε καὶ δικαιοσύνη παρ' αὐτοῖς ἀκμάζειν ἠδύνατο, καὶ νόμος ἀνθῆσαι, καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐκ τούτου καθάπερ ἀγαθὸν ἀρύσασθαι θησαυρόν. Ἀφ' οὗ καὶ εἰς σοφίαν, καὶ ἐπιστήμην προέκοπτον, ἣ γεννᾷ εὐσέβειαν πρὸς Θεὸν καὶ θησαυροὺς δικαιοσύνης. Οὕτω δὲ διακειμένων, ὁρμὴν ἐχθρῶν ὑμῶν οὐ κρατήσειε φόβος, ἀλλ' ἐκείνων ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν, καὶ πρὸς εἰρήνην πρεσβεύσονται ἐμοῦ κατ' αὐτῶν ὁρίζοντος ἐρήμωσιν, καὶ τὴν καθ' ὑμῶν διαταγὴν καταπαύοντος. Οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτῶν ἐπῆλθον ὑμῖν, ἐμοῦ δὲ καθάπερ τινὰ διαθήκην αὐτοῖς διατάξαντος. Ἀλλ' ἔχων με σύμμαχον καταφρονήσεις αὐτῶν. Εἶτά φησιν, Ἐπένθησεν ἡ γῆ, τοὺς τόπους ἀντὶ τῶν οἰκητόρων, καὶ ἀντὶ λογικῶν ἀναίσθητα πρὸς αἰσχύνην ἐκείνων παρείληφεν, οὓς ἔδει τὴν ἰδίαν θρηνῆσαι πληγήν. Ὁ δὲ τοὺς τόπους παρήγαγε μονονουχὶ συστενάζοντας καὶ συνωδίνοντας, κατὰ τὸν λόγον τὸν ἀποστολικὸν, ἐφ' οἷς ἡ Θεοῦ δύναμις ἐμφανὴς διὰ τῆς ἐνεργείας γενήσεται. Αἰσχυνθήσονται γὰρ ἐκ μεταβολῆς οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπ' Αἰγυπτίοις, ὅτι καταλιπόντες τὸν Θεὸν τὸν οὕτω τοὺς ἐναντίους τροπούμενον, πρὸς Αἰγυπτίους ἐπρεσβεύοντο, Θεοῦ καταστρώσαντος ρπεʹ χιλιάδας, ὧν νεκρὰ τὰ σώματα πυρὶ παραδέδοται. Οὗτοι δὲ καθάπερ πυρὶ δαμαζόμενοι τὴν ἐφ' οἷς ἔπραττον ὁμολογήσουσιν ἄνοιαν. ιγιθʹ. 9Ἀκούσονται οἱ πόῤῥωθεν ἂ ἐποίησα, καὶ γνώσονται οἱ ἐγγίζοντες τὴν ἰσχύν μου. Ἀπέστησαν οἱ ἐν Σιὼν ἄνομοι. Λήψεται τρόμος τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς. Τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν ὅτι πῦρ καίεται; τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν τὸν τόπον τὸν αἰώνιον9; κ.τ.λ. Θεοῦ μὲν ἐγγὺς Ἰσραὴλ, ὅσον ἧκε εἰς τὸ νόμῳ παιδαγωγηθῆναι καὶ τέρασιν. Πόῤῥω δὲ τὰ ἔθνη. τῇ κτίσει λατρεύσαντα. Καὶ ὅμως τὰ μὲν ἤκουσαν· οἱ δὲ οὐκ ἠνέσχοντο. Πλὴν ἀκούσονται, φησὶν, καὶ οἱ ἐγγίζοντες. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰς ἅπαν ἀπόλωλεν Ἰσραήλ. Ἐξ αὐτοῦ γὰρ γέγονεν ἡ τῶν πιστῶν ἀπαρχή. Τινὲς δὲ περὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ τὸ δεύτερον ἐξέλαβον. Πῶς γὰρ ἀκούσονται οἱ πόῤῥωθεν; ἐγγὺς δηλονότι γενόμενοι. Καὶ μανθάνοντες αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰσχὺν, ἣν ὑπὲρ Ἰσραὴλ θαυματουργῶν ἐπεδείξατο, οἳ καὶ πῶς οἱ ἐν Σιὼν ἀπέστησαν γνώσονται. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἑτέραν ἐξήγησιν, διαιρεῖ τοὺς ἐξ Ἰσραήλ. Ὧν οἱ μὲν ἤκουσαν, οἱ δὲ ἀπώσαντο τυγχάνοντες ἄνομοι, οὓς καὶ λήψεται τρόμος. Ἡ γὰρ τῶν ἐπενεχθέντων πεῖρα κακῶν εἰς φόβον ἀρκεῖ, καὶ πρός τι γνῶναι τὸν ὑπ' αὐτῶν ὑβριζόμενον. Πρὸς οὓς καί φησι, Τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν ὅτι πῦρ καίεται; περὶ οὗ ἔλεγεν, 2300 ὅτι Πῦρ κατέδεται ὑμᾶς. Τόπον δέ φησι τὸν αἰώνιον, τὸν ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ Σατανᾷ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ. Κατὰ γὰρ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος φωνὴν, "Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Ὁ δὲ ἀπιθανῶν τῷ Υἱῷ, οὐκ ὄψεται τὴν ζωήν· ἀλλ' ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει ἐπ' αὐτόν." Περὶ ὧν ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν ὁ προφήτης· "Ὁ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτήσει, καὶ τὸ πῦρ αὐτῶν οὐ σβεσθήσεται." Τίς οὖν ὁ εἰδὼς καὶ προμαρτυρόμενος ὑμῖν τὸν αἰώνιον τόπον; ἢ πᾶς, ὃν εὐθὺς ὑπογράφει, τὸν τῶν προφητῶν καὶ ἀποστόλων σημαίνων χορόν; αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἐκήρυξαν περὶ κρίσεως, ὡς ἂν τὴν μέλλουσαν φυλαξώμεθα δίκην. Ὁ δὲ τοιοῦτος πόῤῥω γεγονὼς τοῦ πυρὸς, ἐν ὑψηλῷ κατοικήσει σπηλαίῳ καὶ ἐπὶ πέτρας ἰσχυρᾶς. Κατὰ δὲ Σύμμαχον, Αὐτὸς ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατασκηνώσει. Ὡς περιοχαὶ