304

strength, and that in no way can the gods worshipped by the other nations be compared to him. For no one compares that which in no way exists to him who truly and always is. Then from creation he shows the power of God. 6. "All that the Lord willed, he did in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in all the abysses." The things that came to be are not commensurate with his power, but with his will. For he was able to create many times more than these, and much greater things; but he willed so many and such things. Nevertheless, all things are his creations: heaven and the heavenly things, earth and the earthly things, the sea and the things in it. He calls the infinite multitude of waters "abysses." He spoke of "seas" in the plural, since the one sea is divided into many seas. For there is the Atlantic gulf, and the Ocean, and the Tyrrhenian, and the Ionian, and the Aegean, and the Arabian, and the Indian, and the Euxine Pontus, and the Propontis, and the Hellespont, and other seas many times more than those mentioned. 7. "Bringing up clouds from the end of the earth." For by the divine Word the downward-tending nature of the waters is drawn up, and becomes suspended, and waters the continent. He said it is brought up from the end of the earth, since it is formed from the waters of the sea. And the gulfs of the sea are the ends of the earth. "He made lightnings for the rain." He foretells the supply of rains by the lightnings, and shows a wonder most paradoxical of all. For the fire of lightning running through waters neither heats them, nor is it itself extinguished. "Who brings forth winds from his treasuries." He does not say that the treasuries of the winds are certain storehouses, but since the divine will, when it wishes, often easily moves the air when it is still, he called it a treasury of winds. For as soon as he nods, they approach from all sides. Thus having shown the common creation and providence, he then recounts the benefactions to the Jews. 8. "Who struck the firstborn of Egypt, from man to beast." He has placed the last plague first, since after it they received their freedom. 80.1917 9. "He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt." Through these he indicated the various miracles and chastisements. "Upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants." For the kingdom was not sufficient to deliver him from the divinely-sent scourges, but both the ruled and the ruler fell into the same evils. Thus also the God of all said to the great Moses: "Behold, I will strike every firstborn of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the captive woman who is at the mill." 10. "Who struck many nations." Those who formerly inhabited Palestine. "And he killed mighty kings. [11.] Sihon king of the Amorites; and Og king of Bashan." The divine Moses destroyed the kingdom of these men. "And all the kingdoms of Canaan." The blessed Joshua subdued these, and distributed to the people the lands and cities held by them. This the Prophet also says here. 12. "And he gave their land as an inheritance; an inheritance to Israel his people." For like a certain paternal inheritance, the God of these people has given to Israel the land formerly held by those impious kings. 13. "O Lord, your name is forever, and your memorial to generation and generation." For the greatness of the wonders done by you has taught everyone your name; and indeed the memory of your benefactions will be preserved for future generations. 14. "For the Lord will judge his people, and will have compassion on his servants." For you will not overlook us, seeing us warred upon by our enemies, nor will you bring punishments worthy of our sins, but you will be merciful and gracious; thus having shown the power of the true God, he mocks the weakness of the so-called gods, who are not gods; and since he called them gods, he showed them to be bereft of the reality as well as the name. 15. "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the works of

304

ἰσχὺν, καὶ ὅτι οὐδαμῶς αὐτῷ παρα βληθῆναι δυνήσονται οἱ παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν προσ κυνούμενοι Θεοί. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ τῷ ὄντι καὶ ἀεὶ ὄντι συγκρίνει τὸ μηδαμῶς ὄν. Εἶτα ἀπὸ τῆς δημιουρ γίας ὑποδείκνυσι τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνατόν. ʹ. "Πάντα ὅσα ἠθέλησεν ὁ Κύριος, ἐποίησεν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἐν ταῖς θαλάσσαις καὶ ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἀβύσσοις." Οὐ τῇ δυνάμει σύμμε τρα τὰ γενόμενα, ἀλλὰ τῇ βουλήσει. Ἠδύνατο μὲν γὰρ καὶ πολλαπλάσια τούτων, καὶ πολλῷ μείζονα δημιουργῆσαι· ἀλλὰ τοσαῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτα ἠθέλησε. Αὐτοῦ δὲ ὅμως πάντα ποιήματα, οὐρανὸς καὶ τὰ οὐ ράνια, γῆ καὶ τὰ ἐπίγεια, θάλασσα καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ. Ἀβύσσους δὲ καλεῖ τὸ ἄπειρον τῶν ὑδάτων πλῆθος. Πληθυντικῶς δὲ θαλάσσας ἐκάλεσεν, ἐπειδὴ εἰς πε λάγη πολλὰ ἡ μία διῄρηται θάλασσα. Ἀτλαντικὸς γὰρ κόλπος, καὶ Ὠκεανὸς, καὶ Τυῤῥηνικὸς, καὶ Ἰόνιός τε, καὶ Αἰγαῖος, καὶ Ἀραβικὸς, καὶ Ἰνδικὸς, καὶ Εὔξεινος Πόντος, καὶ Προποντὶς, καὶ Ἑλλήσπον τος, καὶ ἕτερα πελάγη πολλαπλάσια τῶν εἰρημέ νων. ζʹ. "Ἀνάγων νεφέλας ἐξ ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς." Τῷ γὰρ θείῳ Λόγῳ ἡ κατωφερὴς τῶν ὑδάτων φύσις ἀνέλκεται, καὶ μετέωρος γίνεται, καὶ ἄρδει τὴν ἤπει ρον. Ἐξ ἐσχάτου δὲ τῆς γῆς ταύτην εἶπεν ἀνάγε σθαι, ἐπειδὴ ἐκ τῶν θαλαττίων ὑδάτων συνίσταται. Τέρματα δὲ τῆς γῆς οἱ θαλάττιοι κόλποι. "Ἀστραπὰς εἰς ὑετὸν ἐποίησεν." Προμηνύει δὲ τῶν ὑετῶν τὴν χορηγίαν ταῖς ἀστραπαῖς, καὶ δείκνυσι θαῦμα πάντων παραδοξότατον. Ἐν ὕδασι γὰρ τὸ ἀστρα παῖον διατρέχον πῦρ, οὔτε ἐκεῖνα θερμαίνει, οὔτε αὐτὸ κατασβέννυται. "Ὁ ἐξάγων ἀνέμους ἐκ θησαυ ρῶν αὑτοῦ." Θησαυροὺς ἀνέμων οὐκ ἀποθήκας εἶναι λέγει τινὰς, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἀπήνεμον ὄντα τὸν ἀέρα πολλάκις ῥᾳδίως ἐθελήσας κινεῖ τὸ βούλημα τὸ θεῖον, θησαυρὸν ἀνέμων ἐκάλεσεν. Ἅμα τε γὰρ νεύει, καὶ πανταχόθεν προσίασιν. Οὕτω τὴν κοινὴν δημιουρ γίαν καὶ πρόνοιαν ὑποδείξας, τὰς Ἰουδαίων λοιπὸν εὐεργεσίας διέξεισιν. ηʹ. "Ὃς ἐπάταξε τὰ πρωτότοκα Αἰγύπτου ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους." Τὴν τελευταίαν πληγὴν τέθεικε πρώτην, ἐπειδὴ μετὰ ταύτην τὴν ἐλευθε ρίαν ἐδέξαντο. 80.1917 θʹ. "Ἐξαπέστειλε σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα ἐν μέσῳ σου, Αἴγυπτε." Τὰς παντοδαπὰς θαυματουργίας καὶ παιδείας διὰ τούτων ἐδήλωσεν. "Ἐν Φαραῷ, καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ." Οὐ γὰρ ἤρκεσεν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν θεηλάτων αὐτὸν ἀπαλλάξαι μαστίγων, ἀλλὰ τοῖς αὐτοῖς καὶ οἱ βασιλευόμενοι καὶ ὁ βασι λεύων κακοῖς περιέπεσεν. Οὕτω καὶ πρὸς τὸν μέγαν Μωσῆν ἔφη ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός· "Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ πατάσσω πᾶν πρωτότοκον τῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἀπὸ πρωτοτό κου Φαραὼ τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ, ἕως πρωτοτόκου τῆς αἰχμαλωτίδος τῆς παρὰ τὸν μύλον." ιʹ. "Ὃς ἐπάταξεν ἔθνη πολλά." Τὰ τὴν Παλαι στίνην πάλαι οἰκήσαντα. "Καὶ ἀπέκτεινε βασιλεῖς κραταιούς. [ιαʹ.] Τὸν Σηὼν βασιλέα τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων· καὶ τὸν Ὢγ βασιλέατῆς Βασάν." Τούτων ὁ θεῖος Μωσῆς τὴν βασιλείαν κατέλυσεν. "Καὶ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας Χαναάν." Τούτους ὁ μακάριος Ἰησοῦς ἐχειρώσατο, καὶ τὰς ὑπ' ἐκείνων κατεχομένας χώρας καὶ πόλεις διένειμε τῷ λαῷ. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα ὁ Προφήτης φησί. ιβʹ. "Καὶ ἔδωκε τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν κληρονομίαν· κληρονομίαν Ἰσραὴλ τῷ λαῷ αὑτοῦ." Καθάπερ γάρ τινα κλῆρον πατρῷον, τὴν ὑπ' ἐκείνων τῶν δυσσε βῶν βασιλέων πάλαι κατασχεθεῖσαν γῆν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ δέδωκεν ὁ τούτων Θεός. ιγʹ. "Κύριε, τὸ ὄνομά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ τὸ μνημόσυνόν σου εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν." Τὸ μὲν γὰρ μέγεθος τῶν ὑπὸ σοῦ γεγενημένων θαυμάτων τὸ σὸν ἅπαντας ἐδίδαξεν ὄνομα· καὶ μέντοι καὶ εἰς τὰς ἐσομένας γενεὰς ἡ τῶν σῶν εὐεργεσιῶν φυλαχθή σεται μνήμη. ιδʹ. "Ὅτι κρινεῖ Κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δούλοις αὑτοῦ παρακληθήσεται." Οὐ γὰρ πε ριόψῃ παρὰ τῶν δυσμενῶν ἡμᾶς πολεμουμένους ὁρῶν, οὐδὲ ἀξίας τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁμαρτάδων τιμω ρίας ἐπάξεις, ἀλλ' ἵλεως ἔσῃ καὶ εὐμενής· οὕτω δείξας τοῦ ὄντος Θεοῦ τὴν δύναμιν, κωμῳδεῖ τῶν καλουμένων μὲν, οὐκ ὄντων δὲ θεῶν τὴν ἀσθένειαν· καὶ ἐπειδὴ θεοὺς ὠνόμασεν, ἀνέδειξεν αὐτοὺς μετὰ τοῦ πράγματος καὶ τῆς προσηγορίας ἐρή μους. ιεʹ. "Τὰ εἴδωλα τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον ἔργα