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way of life. 11. "And they forgot his benefits, and his wonders which he had shown them." And showing when he did these things, he added: 12. "The wonderful things which he did in the sight of their fathers." Then he teaches the time and the place: "In the land of Egypt, in the field of Tanis." They all cast out of their memory these wonders of God, which happened in Egypt, of which their fathers had been eyewitnesses. 13. "He divided the sea, and brought them through, and he made the waters stand as in a wineskin." He briefly makes the narration of the wonders, and he placed the greatest of them before the others. For the wonder of the sea is extraordinary, and the journey provided through it. For God of all made to stand on either side the nature of the waters, which is naturally inclined to flow downwards, as if confining it in a wineskin by his word. For since the construction of wineskins is able to contain precisely the liquid nature, he reasonably placed this image upon the divided waters, showing the power of the divine word. 14. "And he led them with a cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire." For the same cloud by day repelled the harshness of the sun's ray, but by night it provided the service of fire. 15. "He clave the rock in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great deep." For he brought forth not a small stream, but a spring sufficient for those many myriads. And this he taught more clearly through what follows. 10. "And he brought water out of the rock, and brought down waters like rivers." For the water that gushed forth was divided into many channels, providing an easy and generous grace to the thirsty. 17, 18. "And they sinned yet more against him: they provoked the Most High in the waterless place. And they tempted God in their hearts, by asking food for their souls." But nevertheless not even this cast out the wickedness of their mind, but they remained afflicted with the disease of ingratitude; and after so many benefits they wished to make a trial of the divine power, and needing food, they did not seek to receive what was needed, but they accused God as being unable. 80.1489 19, 20. "And they spoke against God, and said: Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? Because he smote the rock, and the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also, or prepare a table for his people?" The matter of the waters, he says, is easy and simple; for what was hidden in the bowels of the earth was brought up to the surface. But the food of bread, which is sown and grows in time, how could he provide it to us all at once, and drive away the impending famine? 21. "Therefore the Lord heard, and postponed; and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger went up against Israel." For which reason, he says, the Lord of all was indignant, and he postponed giving them the land promised to their fathers, but gave them over to all kinds of punishments. But he did not bring a swift destruction upon them, waiting for their children to grow up. And the writings of the blessed Moses recall the punishment by fire. And this plague, he says, they endured, 22. "Because they did not believe in God, nor did they hope in his salvation." But nevertheless, even though they were such, he provided uncultivated food; for this is what the following verses teach. 23, 24. "And he commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven. And he rained manna upon them to eat." For the clouds did not provide their usual birth pangs, but instead of the rain which is accustomed to water the seeds that are cast down, they brought forth the wonderful food. And he called the supply from above "the opening of the doors of heaven." For since we are accustomed to put doors on storerooms, and we open these when we wish to bring something out, the prophetic word shows the God of all providing the manna as if from certain storerooms. "And he gave them the bread of heaven. [25.] Man ate the bread of angels." He calls it the bread of angels, as having been supplied through angels; for angels, as we have been taught by the divine Scripture, to the

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πολιτείαν. ιαʹ. "Καὶ ἐπελάθοντο τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῶν θαυμασίων αὐτοῦ, ὧν ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς." Καὶ δεικνὺς πότε ταῦτα εἰργάσατο, ἐπήγαγεν· ιβʹ. "Ἐναντίον τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν ἃ ἐποίησε θαυμάσια." Εἶτα τὸν χρόνον καὶ τὸν τόπον διδά σκει· "Ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, ἐν πεδίῳ Τάνεως." Ταύ τας ἅπαντες τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰς θαυματουργίας, τὰς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ γεγενημένας, ὧν οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν αὐτό πται γεγένηνται, τῆς μνήμης ἐξέβαλον. ιγʹ. "∆ιέῤῥηξε θάλασσαν, καὶ διήγαγεν αὐτοὺς, παρέστησεν ὕδατα ὡσεὶ ἀσκόν." Συντόμως ποιεῖ ται τὴν τῶν θαυμάτων διήγησιν, καὶ τὸ μέγιστον τῶν ἄλλων προέταξεν. Ὑπερφυὲς γάρ ἐστι τῆς θα λάσσης τὸ θαῦμα, καὶ ἡ διὰ ταύτης παρασχεθεῖσα πορεία. Τὴν γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸ πρανὲς χωρεῖν πεφυκυῖαν τῶν ὑδάτων φύσιν ἔστησεν ἑκατέρωθεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, καθάπερ ἐν ἀσκῷ τινι καθείρξας τῷ λόγῳ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ τῶν ἀσκῶν κατασκευὴ συνέχειν ἀκρι βῶς τὴν ὑγρὰν δύναται φύσιν, εἰκότως ταύτην ἐπὶ τῆς διαιρεθείσης τέθεικε τὴν εἰκόνα, δεικνὺς τοῦ θείου λόγου τὴν δύναμιν. ιδʹ. "Καὶ ὡδήγησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν νεφέλῃ ἡμέρας, καὶ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐν φωτισμῷ πυρός." Ἡ γὰρ αὐτὴ νεφέλη μεθ' ἡμέραν μὲν τὸ τῆς ἀκτῖνος λυπηρὸν ἀπεκρούετο, νύκτωρ δὲ τοῦ πυρὸς παρεῖχε τὴν χρείαν. ιεʹ. "∆ιέῤῥηξε πέτραν ἐν ἐρήμῳ, καὶ ἐπότισεν αὐ τοὺς ὡς ἐν ἀβύσσῳ πολλῇ." Οὐ γὰρ βραχεῖαν ἀνεξήγαγε λιβάδα, ἀλλὰ ταῖς πολλαῖς ἐκείναις μυ ριάσιν ἀρκοῦσαν πηγήν. Καὶ τοῦτο σαφέστερον, διὰ τῶν ἐπαγομένων ἐδίδαξε. ιʹ. "Καὶ ἐξήγαγεν ὕδωρ ἐκ πέτρας, καὶ κατ ήγαγεν ὡς ποταμοὺς ὕδατα." Τὸ γὰρ ἀναβλυσθὲν ὕδωρ εἰς πολλοὺς ὀχετοὺς διῃρέθη, εὐμαρῆ καὶ φιλό τιμον παρέχον τοῖς διψῶσι τὴν χάριν. ιζʹ, ιηʹ. "Καὶ προσέθεντο ἔτι τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν αὐτῷ· παρεπίκραναν τὸν Ὕψιστον ἐν ἀνύδρῳ. Καὶ ἐξεπεί ρασαν τὸν Θεὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὑτῶν, τοῦ αἰτῆσαι βρώματα ταῖς ψυχαῖς αὑτῶν." Ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲ τοῦτο τῆς γνώμης αὐτῶν τὴν πονηρίαν ἐξέβαλεν, ἀλλ' ἐπ έμειναν τὴν τῆς ἀχαριστίας περικείμενοι νόσον· καὶ μετὰ τοσαύτας εὐεργεσίας πεῖραν λαβεῖν ἠβούλοντο τῆς θείας δυνάμεως, καὶ τροφῆς δεηθέντες, οὐ λαβεῖν τὴν χρείαν ἐζήτησαν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀδυνάτου τοῦ Θεοῦ κατηγόρησαν. 80.1489 ιθʹ, κʹ. "Καὶ κατελάλησαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ εἶπον· Μὴ δυνήσεται ὁ Θεὸς ἑτοιμάσαι τράπεζαν ἐν ἐρήμῳ; Ἐκεῖ ἐπάταξε πέτραν, καὶ ἐῤῥύησαν ὕδατα, καὶ χείμαῤῥοι κατεκλύσθησαν· μὴ καὶ ἄρτον δύναται δοῦναι, ἢ ἑτοιμάσαι τράπεζαν τῷ λαῷ αὑτοῦ;" Εὐπετὲς, φησὶ, τὸ τῶν ὑδάτων, καὶ ῥᾴδιον· τὸ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς λαγόσι κεκρυμμένον τῆς γῆς εἰς τὴν ἐπι φάνειαν ἀνεδόθη. Τὴν δὲ τοῦ ἄρτου τροφὴν, τὴν σπειρομένην, καὶ χρόνῳ φυομένην, πῶς ἂν ἡμῖν ἀθρόως παράσχοι, καὶ τὸν ἐπικείμενον ἐξελάσοι λιμόν; καʹ. "∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἤκουσε Κύριος, καὶ ἀνεβάλετο· καὶ πῦρ ἀνήφθη ἐν Ἰακὼβ, καὶ ὀργὴ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραήλ." Οὗ δὴ χάριν ἀγανακτήσας ὁ τῶν ὅλων Κύριος, φησὶν, ἀνεβάλετο μὲν αὐτοῖς δοῦναι τὴν γῆν, τὴν τοῖς πατράσιν ἐπηγγελμένην, ταῖς δὲ παντοδα παῖς τιμωρίαις ἐξέδωκεν. Οὐκ ἐπήγαγε δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸν ὄλεθρον σύντομον, τοὺς ἐκείνων παῖδας αὐξηθῆναι προσμένων. Μέμνηται δὲ τῆς διὰ τοῦ πυρὸς τιμω ρίας τοῦ μακαρίου Μωσοῦ τὰ συγγράμματα. Ταύ την δὲ, φησὶν, ὑπέμειναν τὴν πληγήν, κβʹ. "Ὅτι οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν ἐν τῷ Θεῷ, οὐδὲ ἤλπι σαν ἐπὶ τὸ σωτήριον αὐτοῦ." Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τοιού τοις οὖσι τὴν ἀγεώργητον παρέσχε τροφήν· τοῦτο γὰρ διδάσκει τὰ ἐπαγόμενα. κγʹ, κδʹ. "Καὶ ἐνετείλατο νεφέλαις ὑπεράνωθεν, καὶ θύρας οὐρανοῦ ἀνέῳξε. Καὶ ἔβρεξεν αὐτοῖς μάννα φαγεῖν." Οὐ γὰρ τὰς συνήθεις ὠδῖνας αἱ νε φέλαι παρέσχον, ἀλλ' ἀντὶ τοῦ ὑετοῦ τοῦ ἄρδειν πε φυκότος τὰ καταβαλλόμενα σπέρματα, τὴν θαυμα σίαν τροφὴν ἀπεκύησαν. Θύρας δὲ οὐρανοῦ ἀνοιγεί σας τὴν ἄνωθεν χορηγίαν ἐκάλεσε. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῖς ταμιείοις ἐπιτιθέναι θύρας εἰώθαμεν, καὶ ταύ τας ἀνοίγομεν ἐκφέρειν τι βουλόμενοι, δείκνυσιν ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, ὥσπερ ἀπό τινων ταμιείων, χορηγοῦντα τὸ μάννα. "Καὶ ἄρτον οὐρανοῦ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς. [κεʹ.] Ἄρτον ἀγγέλων ἔφαγεν ἄνθρωπος." Ἄρτον ἀγγέλων καλεῖ, ὡς δι' ἀγγέλων χορηγηθέντα· ἄγγελοι γὰρ, ὡς ὑπὸ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς ἐδιδάχθημεν, τοῖς