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of the whole world. Another, hinting at this, said, With a designated ornament of all the earth. For He made it an ornament and a joy for the whole world. For from there is the fount of piety, and the roots and beginnings of the knowledge of God. Therefore, being such, He rooted it, and well established it for the adornment of the world, for the exultation, for the joy of all the earth. For Jerusalem was then the school of the earth, and those wishing to enjoy joy, and to be beautified, and to be adorned, learned the necessary things from there. Therefore, indicating this, he said not "rooting," but, Well-rooting. But if you wish to take this also anagogically, you will see the truth of the matters. For from there the exultation has spread to all the world; from there the 55.218 gladness and the joy; from there the founts of philosophy, where Christ was crucified, from where the apostles set out; For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem; and this joy has immortal roots. The mountains of Zion, the sides of the north. Another says, The mountains of Zion, the thighs of the north. But the Hebrew, Har Zion yerketei tsaphon. For what reason, tell me, does he now mention the north, and describe for us the position of the place? Because from there war was continually kindled against them, with the barbarians attacking, and the prophets continually say this, calling him from the north, and describing a boiling pot from there; for thus the land of the Persians is situated in relation to Palestine. Therefore, marveling at what had happened, he added this, showing that You made this place, which was continually troubled from there, unconquerable. For just as one might say about a body, that You made that weak part stronger, this is indeed what he hints at here, saying: From where there were wailings and tears, from where there was cause for calamities, these parts have been filled with pleasure, these with cheerfulness. From where there were threats and fears and dangers, from there is joy and gladness, and no one any longer fears that more northerly part of creation, no one toils, no one is suspicious, but all are in gladness, since You have rooted it in pleasure. The city of the great king. God is known in her towers, when He helps her. Another, Was known. Another, God in her palaces will be known for a stronghold. Another, God in her towers was known for her deliverance. 2. He proclaims her dignity, her praise, her crown, saying, The city of the great king. Then, showing how it is the city of the great king, he adds, He is known in her towers, indicating the great providence, that He saves her completely through and through, not only caring for her as a whole, but also demonstrating His providence in each house. For He is known to us even without this, but to His enemies He showed His strength from this as well. For indeed in the time of Hezekiah a cloud of barbarians attacked, and having encircled the whole city as in a dragnet, they departed leaving most of themselves dead. And many others, having often entered into it, departed in shame. All these things were accomplished by the providence of God, he says, and He made her glorious. Not only by being glorious, but also by becoming glorious in this way, she became great. For behold the kings of the earth were assembled, they passed by together. Another says, Behold the kings drew up in formation. They themselves, seeing it thus, marveled, were troubled, were shaken, trembling took hold of them. There were pains as of a woman in travail, with a violent wind. Another says, By a violent wind. Another, Of a burning wind. You will break the ships of Tarshish. Another, You will break in pieces. But the Hebrew says, Tarshish. Here he recounts a harsh war, gathered from all sides, and a most brilliant victory.

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πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης. Τοῦτο καὶ ἄλλος αἰνιττόμενος, Ἀφωρισμένῳ ἀγλαΐσματι πάσης τῆς γῆς, εἶπεν. Ἀγλάϊσμα γὰρ αὐτὴν πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης καὶ εὐφροσύνην ἐποίησεν. Ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ ἡ πηγὴ τῆς εὐσεβείας, καὶ τῆς θεογνωσίας αἱ ῥίζαι καὶ αἱ ἀρχαί. Τοιαύτην τοίνυν οὖσαν αὐτὴν ἐῤῥίζωσε, καὶ καλῶς ἔπηξεν ἐπὶ κόσμῳ τῆς οἰκουμένης, ἐπὶ ἀγαλλιάματι, ἐπὶ χαρᾷ πάσης τῆς γῆς. Τὸ γὰρ διδασκαλεῖον τῆς γῆς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα τότε ἦν, καὶ οἱ βουλόμενοι χαρᾶς ἀπολαύειν, καὶ καλλωπίζεσθαι, καὶ κοσμεῖσθαι, ἐντεῦθεν τὰ δέοντα ἐμάνθανον. ∆ιὸ καὶ τοῦτο δηλῶν οὐ ῥιζῶν εἶπεν, ἀλλ', Εὐριζῶν. Εἰ δὲ βούλει αὐτὸ καὶ κατὰ ἀναγωγὴν λαβεῖν, ὄψει τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ τὸ ἀγαλλίαμα πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης γέγονεν· ἐντεῦθεν ἡ 55.218 εὐφροσύνη καὶ ἡ χαρά· ἐντεῦθεν αἱ πηγαὶ τῆς φιλοσοφίας, ἔνθα Χριστὸς ἐσταυρώθη, ὅθεν οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἐξώρμησαν· Ἐκ γὰρ Σιὼν ἐξελεύσεται νόμος, καὶ λόγος Κυρίου ἐξ Ἱερουσαλήμ· καὶ ῥίζας δὲ ἀθανάτους ἡ χαρὰ αὕτη ἔχει. Ὄρη Σιὼν τὰ πλευρὰ τοῦ βοῤῥᾶ. Ἄλλος φησὶν, Ὄρη Σιὼν οἱ μηροὶ τοῦ βοῤῥᾶ. Ὁ δὲ Ἑβραῖος, Ἂρ Σιὼν ἰερχθὴ σαφούν. Τίνος ἕνεκεν, εἰπέ μοι, τοῦ βοῤῥᾶ μνημονεύει νῦν, καὶ τοῦ τόπου τὴν θέσιν ἡμῖν ὑπογράφει; Ἐπειδὴ ἐντεῦθεν συνεχῶς ὁ πόλεμος αὐτοῖς ἀνεῤῥιπίζετο, τῶν βαρβάρων ἐπιόντων, καὶ συνεχῶς οἱ προφῆται τοῦτο λέγουσι, τὸν ἀπὸ βοῤῥᾶ καλοῦντες, καὶ λέβητα ἐκεῖθεν καιόμενον ὑπογράφουσιν· οὕτω γὰρ ἡ Περσῶν χώρα κεῖται πρὸς τὴν Παλαιστίνην. Θαυμάζων τοίνυν τὸ γεγενημένον, τοῦτο ἐπήγαγε, δηλῶν, ὅτι ταύτην τὴν συνεχῶς ἐκεῖθεν ἐνοχλουμένην ἀχείρωτον ἐποίησας. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἂν εἴ τις λέγοι περὶ σώματος, ὅτι Τὸ μέρος ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἀσθενὲς ἰσχυρότερον εἰργάσω, τοῦτο δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐνταῦθα αἰνίττεται λέγων· Ὅθεν οἰμωγαὶ καὶ δάκρυα, ὅθεν ὑπόθεσις τῶν συμφορῶν, ταῦτα ἡδονῆς τὰ μέρη ἐμπέπλησται, ταῦτα εὐθυμίας. Ὅθεν ἀπειλαὶ καὶ φόβοι καὶ κίνδυνοι, ἐντεῦθεν χαρὰ καὶ εὐφροσύνη, καὶ οὐδεὶς λοιπὸν ἐκεῖνο δέδοικε τὸ μέρος τῆς κτίσεως τὸ βορειότερον, οὐδεὶς κάμνει, οὐδεὶς ὑφορᾶται, ἀλλὰ πάντες ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ, σοῦ ῥιζώσαντος αὐτὴν ἐν ἡδονῇ. Ἡ πόλις τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ μεγάλου. Ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ταῖς βάρεσιν αὐτῆς γινώσκεται, ὅταν ἀντιλαμβάνηται αὐτῆς. Ἄλλος, Ἐγνώσθη. Ἄλλος, Ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις αὐτῆς γνωσθήσεται εἰς ὀχύρωμα. Ἄλλος, Ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ταῖς βάρεσιν αὐτῆς ἐγνώσθη εἰς τὸ ἐξελέσθαι αὐτήν. βʹ. Ἀνακηρύττει αὐτῆς τὸ ἀξίωμα, τὴν εὐφημίαν, τὸν στέφανον, λέγων, Ἡ πόλις τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ μεγάλου. Εἶτα δεικνὺς πῶς ἐστι πόλις τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ μεγάλου, ἐπάγει, Ἐν ταῖς βάρεσιν αὐτῆς γινώσκεται, τὴν πολλὴν πρόνοιαν ἐνδεικνύμενος, ὅτι ὅλην δι' ὅλου σώζει, οὐχ ὁλοκλήρου μόνον αὐτῆς κηδόμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην οἰκίαν ἐπιδεικνύμενος αὐτοῦ τὴν πρόνοιαν. Ἡμῖν μὲν γὰρ καὶ χωρὶς τούτου γνώριμος, τοῖς δὲ ἐχθροῖς καὶ ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰσχὺν ἔδειξε. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἐζεκία νέφος βαρβάρων ἐπελθὸν, καὶ πᾶσαν αὐτὴν καθάπερ ἐν σαγήνῃ κυκλώσαντες, ἀπῆλθον τὸ πλέον αὐτῶν καταλιπόντες νεκρούς. Καὶ ἕτεροι δὲ πολλοὶ πολλάκις εἰς αὐτὴν εἰσελθόντες, αἰσχυνθέντες ἀνεχώρησαν. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ προνοίᾳ κατωρθώθη, φησὶ, καὶ λαμπρὰν αὐτὴν ἐποίησεν. Οὐ τῷ λαμπρὰ δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ οὕτω λαμπρὰ γενέσθαι, μεγάλη γέγονεν. Ὅτι ἰδοὺ οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς συνήχθησαν, διήλθοσαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό. Ἄλλος φησὶν, Ἰδοὺ οἱ βασιλεῖς συνετάξαντο. Αὐτοὶ ἰδόντες οὕτως, ἐθαύμασαν, ἐταράχθησαν, ἐσαλεύθησαν, τρόμος ἐπελάβετο αὐτῶν. Ἐκεῖ ὠδῖνες ὡς τικτούσης, ἐν πνεύματι βιαίῳ. Ἄλλος φησὶ, ∆ι' ἀνέμου βιαίου. Ἄλλος, Καύσωνος. Συντρίψεις πλοῖα Θαρσεῖς. Ἄλλος, Κατεάξεις. Ὁ δὲ Ἑβραῖός φησι, Θαρσεῖς.Ἐνταῦθα πόλεμον διηγεῖται χαλεπὸν καὶ συγκεκροτημένον πάντοθεν, καὶ νίκην λαμπροτέραν.