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the way in everything to be done. 2321 But saying that your bitterness has come up to me, or according to Symmachus, your arrogance into my ears, signifies that he will now undergo the punishment for these things. Therefore, he speaks as if about a beast. I will put such a muzzle on your mouth, as to even restrain your breath and choke you. But Symmachus says, I will put a ring in your nostril, and a bridle on your lips, so that he may not be able to go where he wishes, but would be dragged backward, going to Babylon unwillingly, or in another way he threatens to restrain him from blasphemy with scourges as with a bridle. Let these things, then, he says, be said to him, though he is not present in the body. But to you I speak, Hezekiah. For whom a sign of what has been said is needed for faith, know that this present year you will be fed by what grows of itself from the earth. For you have been prevented from farming because of the enemies. For instead of what you sowed, all the others have rendered it as "what grows of itself". And on the remains of these you will be fed for a second year. But instead of "the remnant," Aquila and Theodotion have rendered it as "what grows of itself," but Symmachus as "from trees." Having been constrained for these two years, because the land was fallow, in the third year, you will enjoy the fruits of the earth, living in peace, you who are the remnant in Judea after the capture of Samaria, having put a root of piety in your soul, and you will produce upward-looking fruit of my husbandry, being saved for this reason. But some say that for the two years you will be fed from the fruits that have been stored up, as in a siege, which they happened to have sown. For having persisted against Samaria for two years, in the third year, when his army fell by a divinely-sent plague, he withdrew as a fugitive. The root indicates the steadfastness of good cheer, as in plants, and the long-lasting nature of producing seed above as well. But the Lord says he is zealous on the one hand, as for his own city; and on the other hand, also because of the blasphemies against him. But I will save you, he says, for what is fitting for me. And if it is necessary to honor a man, and to grant the city's salvation, it is for the sake of David my servant (for so the others have rendered it), who was the founder and first king of the city; so that all might know how powerful piety is, bestowing salvation even upon the unworthy after a time. And the deeds followed the words, with so many having perished, among whom their king did not perish with them, so that seeing what was done, he might silence his godless tongue, and be punished more severely by the disaster of his subjects, just as Pharaoh also was. And to suffer at the hands of his children was also a more bitter punishment. But you will bring the discourse to contemplation. For heretics besiege the city of God, the Church, as if arrayed under the devil as general. Since these men 2324 blaspheme much, one must practice silence, obeying Paul who says not to dispute about words, which is of no use. And again, after a first and second warning, have nothing to do with a heretical person. For one must not attempt to deal with those who are overcome, as they suffer from incurable diseases. For it is written, Speak into the ears of those who hear. Therefore, even if they promise rests, like Rabshakeh, or even if they threaten, one must approach God alone for help from above against their rage. For he will drive them away unseen, keeping Zion indestructible. For the gates of Hades shall not prevail against the Church. CHAPTER 38. 22. 9And it came to pass in that time, that Hezekiah was sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said to him: Thus says the Lord, Set your house in order. For you are dying, and shall not live9. etc. The God who said, "I will kill, and I will make to live; I will smite, and I will heal," having smitten the enemies with the plague of an angel, gives life to the God-loving king. For the phrase, "in that time," indicates this at the time of their plague. But God reveals the end to him beforehand, prompting a request for salvation. Through which it is shown that the time of our life is not enclosed by the necessities of fate, but that God determines this, according to reasons which he himself knows, either by bringing us into life, or by giving the measures of time, or by bringing on the end in the way that seems best.

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τὴν ἐν παντὶ τῶν πρακτέων ὁδόν. Λέ 2321 γων δὲ ὡς ἡ πικρία σου ἀνέβη πρός με, ἢ κατὰ Σύμμαχον, ἡ ἀλαζονεία σου εἰς τὰ ὦτά μου, σημαίνει τὸ νῦν αὐτὸν ὑφέξειν τὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις ποινήν. Λοιπὸν, ὡς περὶ κτήνους φησίν. Φιμὸν κατὰ τοῦ στόματός σου τοσοῦτον ἐμβαλῶ, ὡς καὶ αὐτὴν συνέχοντά σου τὴν ἀναπνοὴν ἀποπνίξαι. Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος, ∆ώσω, φησὶ, κρίκον εἰς τὸν μυκτῆρά σου, καὶ χαλινὸν εἰς τὰ χείλη σου, ὡς ἂν μὴ ἔχοι πρὸς ὅ τι θέλοι χωρεῖν, ἕλκοιτο δὲ εἰς τοὐπίσω πρὸς Βαβυλῶνα βαδίζων καὶ μὴ βουλόμενος, ἢ καὶ ἄλλως ἀπειλεῖ καθάπερ χαλινῷ ταῖς πληγαῖς τῆς βλασφημίας ἀπείρξειν αὐτόν. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν εἰρήσθω, φησὶ, πρὸς ἐκεῖνον καὶ μὴ παρόντα τῷ σώματι. Πρὸς σὲ δὲ λέγω τὸν Ἐζεκίαν. Εἰς οἱ δεῖ σημείου τῶν εἰρημένων πρὸς πίστιν, ἴσθι τὸν παρόντα τοῦτον ἐνιαυτὸν τοῖς αὐτομάτως φυομένοις ἐκ γῆς τραφησόμενος. Γεωργῆσαι γὰρ διὰ τοὺς πολεμίους κεκώλυσαι. Ἀντὶ γὰρ τοῦ ἔσπαρκας, αὐτόματα πάντες ἐξέδωκαν οἱ λοιποί. Τοῖς δὲ τούτων ὑπολοίποις ἐνιαυτὸν τραφήσῃ τὸν δεύτερον. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ τὸ κατάλειμμα, Ἀκύλας μὲν καὶ Θεοδοτίων αὐτοφυῆ, ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος ἀπὸ δένδρων ἐξέδωκαν. ∆ύο ταῦτα στενοχωρηθέντες ἔτη, διὰ τὸ τὴν χώραν ὑπάρχειν ἀργὸν, κατὰ τὸ τρίτον ἔτος, τὰς ἐκ γῆς ἀπολαύσεις καρπώσεσθε κατ' εἰρήνην διάγοντες, οἱ ἐν Ἰουδαίᾳ μετὰ τὴν ἅλωσιν Σαμαρείας ὑπόλοιποι, ῥίζαν ἐν ψυχῇ θεοσεβείας βαλόμενοι, καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς γεωργίας ἄνω βλέποντα καρπὸν ἀποδώσετε, διὰ τοῦτο σωζόμενοι. Τινὲς δὲ, τὰ δύο, φασὶν, ἔτη τραφήσεσθε ἐκ τῶν ἀποτεθέντων, ὡς ἐν πολιορκίᾳ καρπῶν, ἅπερ ἔτυχον σπείραντες. ∆ύο γὰρ ἐπιμείναντες ἔτη τῇ Σαμαρείᾳ, τῷ τρίτῳ πεσούσης αὐτῷ τῆς στρατιᾶς θεηλάτῳ πληγῇ, φυγὰς ὑπεχώρησεν. Τὸ δὲ τῆς εὐθυμίας βέβαιον ὡς ἐπὶ φυτῶν ἡ ῥίζα δηλοῖ, τὸ δὲ πολυχρόνιον τὸ καὶ ἄνω σπέρμα ποιεῖν. Ζηλῶσαι δέ φησι Κύριος ἅμα μὲν, ὡς ὑπὲρ πόλεως ἰδίας· ἅμα δὲ, καὶ διὰ τὰς κατ' αὐτοῦ βλασφημίας. Σώσω δὲ, φησὶν, ὑμᾶς, διὰ τὸ πρέπον ἐμοί. Εἰ δὲ χρὴ καὶ ἄνδρα τιμῆσαι, καὶ ὡς πρὸς τὰ τῇ δοῦναι τὴν σωτηρίαν τῆς πόλεως, διὰ ∆αβὶδ τὸν ἐμὸν δοῦλον (οὕτω γὰρ ἐξέδωκαν οἱ λοιποὶ) τῆς πόλεως οἰκιστὴν καὶ βασιλέα πρῶτον γενόμενον· ὡς ἂν γνοῖεν πάντες ὅσον ἡ θεοσέβεια δύναται, καὶ τοῖς μετὰ χρόνον ἀναξίοις σωτηρίαν χαριζομένη. Τοῖς δὲ λόγοις ἠκολούθει τὰ ἔργα, τοσούτων ἀπολωλότων, οἷς ὁ τούτων οὐ συναπώλετο βασιλεὺς, ὡς ἂν ἰδὼν τὸ πραχθὲν, τὴν ἄθεον αὐτοῦ γλῶσσαν ἐπιστομίσειν, καὶ μειζόνως κολάζοιτο τῶν ὑπηκόων τῇ συμφορᾷ, καθάπερ καὶ Φαραώ. Ἦν δὲ καὶ πικροτέρας τιμωρίας τὸ πρὸς τῶν παίδων παθεῖν. Ἀνάξεις δὲ πρὸς θεωρίαν τὸν λόγον. Τὴν γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ πόλιν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν πολιορκοῦσιν αἱρετικοὶ, καθάπερ ὑπὸ στρατηγῷ τῷ διαβόλῳ ταττόμενοι. Τούτων πολ 2324 λὰ βλασφημούντων ἀσκητέον τὴν σιωπὴν Παύλῳ λέγοντι πειθομένους, μὴ λογομαχεῖν ἐπ' οὐδενὶ χρησίμῳ. Καὶ πάλιν, αἱρετικὸν ἄνθρωπον μετὰ μίαν καὶ δευτέραν νουθεσίαν παραιτοῦ. Τοῖς γὰρ κεκρατημένοις οὐ δεῖ ἐγχειρεῖν ὡς νοσοῦσιν ἀνίατα. Γέγραπται γὰρ, Εἰς ὦτα ἀκουόντων λάλει. Κἂν ἀναπαύσεις οὖν ἐπαγγέλλωνται, κατὰ Ῥαψάκην· κἂν ἀπειλῶσιν, Θεῷ μόνον προσέρχεσθαι χρὴ, τὴν ἄνωθεν τοῦ μένους βοήθειαν. Ἀποσοβήσει γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀφανῶς τὴν Σιὼν διαφυλάττων ἀνάλωτον. Πύλαι γὰρ ᾅδου τῆς Ἐκκλησίας οὐ κατισχύσουσι. ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΛΗʹ. ακβʹ. 9Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐμαλακίσθη Ἐζεκίας ἕως θανάτου. Καὶ ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἡσαΐας υἱὸς Ἀμὼς ὁ προφήτης, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· Τάδε λέγει Κύριος, Τάξαι περὶ τοῦ οἴκου σου. Ἀποθνήσκεις γὰρ σὺ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ζήσῃ9. κ.τ.λ. Ὁ λέξας Θεὸς, "Ἐγὼ ἀποκτενῶ, καὶ ζῆν ποιήσω. πατάξω, κἀγὼ ἰάσομαι," τοὺς πολεμίους ἀγγέλου πατάξας πληγῇ, τὸν θεοφιλῆ βασιλέα ζωοποιεῖ. Τὸ γὰρ, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, τοῦτο παρίστησιν τῷ τῆς ἐκείνων πληγῆς. Θεὸς δὲ τὸ τέλος αὐτῷ προδηλοῖ, τῆς σωτηρίας ἐνάγων προσαίτησιν. ∆ι' οὗ δηλοῦται μὴ τὸν χρόνον τῆς ζωῆς ἀνάγκαις εἱμαρμένης ἡμῖν περικλείεσθαι, Θεὸν δὲ τοῦτον ὁρίζειν, καθ' οὓς οἶδε λόγους αὐτὸς, ἢ παράγων εἰς βίον, ἢ τὰ μέτρα τοῦ χρόνου διδοὺς, ἢ τρόπῳ προσάγων τῷ δοκοῦντι τὴν τελευτήν.