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to the idolatries of the Egyptians; for this reason he justly raised up the Egyptians against them, since, trusting in themselves, they had despised God, so that being afflicted by them they might learn not to pay attention to them, nor to their polytheistic superstition, but might turn to the God of their fathers. And he brought them out with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. Egypt was glad when they departed, for the fear of them had fallen upon them. God commands the people through Moses to despoil the Egyptians as those who had been conquered, and to exact from them wages for the long-lasting servitude to which they had enslaved them. And there was not one feeble person among their tribes. For this was much more paradoxical, that after the labor, after the brick-making, after so much hardship and the plagues, there was not one feeble person, and this when so many plagues had been brought down in Egypt. This even went beyond the course of nature itself. He spread a cloud for a covering to them, and fire to give light to them in the night. Having gone through the plagues against the Egyptians, he proceeds accordingly to the benefactions done for Israel; at the same time urging us to flee the Egyptian way, so that we may not fall into the same things; and to pray to be of God's portion, to which he provided his benefactions; at the same time mentioning the wonders of God of which those of the circumcision were deemed worthy, for the conviction of their own way, and as a defense for their subsequent rejection. He asked, and the quail came, and he filled them with the bread of heaven. He broke the rock, and waters flowed, rivers ran in the dry places; for he remembered his holy word, which was to Abraham his servant. And Moses in Deuteronomy says to them: Do not say, "For my righteousness the Lord brought me out of the land of Egypt," but because of the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall know this day, 23.1312 that it is not for your righteousness that the Lord your God gives you this good land to inherit, for you are a stiff-necked people. And he brought forth his people with exultation, and his chosen ones with gladness. For each of the things that happened was a very great wonder, and had much of the marvelous in it: to be delivered with pleasure from those who were thrusting them out, and with all abundance, in perfect health. And he gave them the lands of the nations, and they inherited the labors of peoples. For not only did he deliver them from their former troubles, but he also gave them the things of others, not allowing them to labor anywhere, so that they might keep his statutes, and seek out his law. These things he promised, because they kept his statutes. For such is God, showing mercy to thousands of those who love him. And to these, their descendants, he provided and bestowed so many things, urging and exhorting them to keep his statutes, and to seek out his law. But because, having been deemed worthy of so many things, they did not keep what was said, at that time grace was taken from them, and not only did they lose the land, but they also fell away from God, and became slaves of the nations and of enemies. HALLELUJAH. 105. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord, or show forth all his praise? Blessed are they who keep judgment, and do righteousness at all times. Remember us, O Lord, with the favor of your people; visit us with your salvation, that we may see the goodness of your chosen ones, that we may rejoice in the gladness of your people, that

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τῶν Αἰγυπτίων εἰδωλολατρείαις· διὰ τοῦτο δικαίως αὐτοῖς ἐπανέστησε τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους, ἐπειδὴ πεποιθότες ἑαυτοῖς κατωλιγώρησαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅπως θλιβέντες ὑπ' αὐτῶν μάθωσι μὲν μὴ προσέχειν ἐκείνοις, μηδὲ τῇ πολυθέῳ αὐτῶν δεισιδαιμονίᾳ, ἐπιστρέψωσι δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσίῳ, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἐν ταῖς φυλαῖς αὐτῶν ὁ ἀσθενῶν. Εὐφράνθη Αἴγυπτος ἐν ἐξόδῳ αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐπέπεσεν ὁ φόβος αὐτῶν ἐπ' αὐτούς. Ὁ Θεὸς προστάττει τῷ λαῷ διὰ Μωϋσέως σκυλεῦσαι τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ὡς νενικημένους, καὶ μισθὸν παρ' αὐτῶν εἰσπράξασθαι τῆς μακροχρονίου δουλείας, ἧς αὐτοὺς κατεδουλώσαντο. Καὶ οὐκ ἦν ταῖς φυλαῖς αὐτῶν ὁ ἀσθενῶν. Τὸ γὰρ πολλῷ παραδοξότερον τοῦτο ἦν, ὅτι μετὰ τὸν πόνον, μετὰ τὴν πλινθείαν, μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην ταλαιπωρίαν καὶ τὰς μάστιγας, οὐδὲ εἷς ἦν ὁ ἀσθενῶν, καὶ τοῦτο τοσούτων πληγῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ κατενεχθεισῶν. Τοῦτο καὶ τῆς φύσεως αὐτῆς τὴν ἀκολουθίαν ὑπερέβαινεν. ∆ιεπέτασε νεφέλην εἰς σκεπὴν αὐτοῖς, καὶ πῦρ τοῦ φωτίσαι αὐτοῖς τὴν νύκτα. ∆ιελθὼν τὰς κατὰ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων μάστιγας, ἀκολούθως μεταβαίνει ἐπὶ τὰς γενομένας τῷ Ἰσραὴλ εὐεργεσίας· ὁμοῦ μὲν καὶ ἡμᾶς προτρέπων φεύγειν τὸν Αἰγύπτιον τρόπον, ὡς ἂν μὴ τοῖς ἴσοις περιπέσωμεν· εὔχεσθαι δὲ εἶναι τῆς μερίδος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ᾗ παρεῖχε τὰς ἐξ αὐτοῦ εὐεργεσίας· ὁμοῦ καὶ ὧν ἠξιώθησαν παραδόξων Θεοῦ οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς μνημονεύων, εἰς ἔλεγχον μὲν τοῦ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων τρόπου, ἀπολογίαν δὲ τῆς μετὰ ταῦτα αὐτῶν ἀποβολῆς. Ἤτησε, καὶ ἦλθεν ὀρτυγομήτρα, καὶ ἄρτων οὐρανοῦ ἐνέπλησεν αὐτούς. Ἀνέῤῥηξε πέτραν, καὶ ἐῤῥύησαν ὕδατα, ἐπορεύθησαν ἐν ἀνύδροις ποταμοί· ὅτι ἐμνήσθη τοῦ λόγου τοῦ ἁγίου αὐτοῦ, τοῦ πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὁ Μωϋσῆς δὲ ἐν ∆ευτερονομίῳ πρὸς αὐτούς φησι· Μὴ εἴπῃς· ∆ιὰ τὰς δικαιοσύνας μου ἐξήγαγέ με Κύριος ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὅρκον ὃν ὤμοσε Κύριος τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν. Καὶ γνώσῃ σήμερον, 23.1312 ὅτι οὐχὶ διὰ τὰς δικαιοσύνας σου, Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι τὴν γῆν τὴν ἀγαθὴν ταύτην κληρονομῆσαι, ὅτι λαὸς σκληροτράχηλος εἶ. Καὶ ἐξήγαγε τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει, καὶ τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ. Ἕκαστον γὰρ τῶν γενομένων εἰς θαῦμα μέγιστον ἦν, καὶ πολλὴν εἶχε τὴν παραδοξοποιίαν, τὸ ἀπαλλαγῆναι μεθ' ἡδονῆς τῶν ὠθούντων ἐκείνων, καὶ μετ' εὐπορίας ἁπάσης, τὸ ἐν ὑγείᾳ καθαρᾷ. Καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς χώρας ἐθνῶν, καὶ πόνους λαῶν κατεκληρονόμησαν. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μόνον τῶν προτέρων ἀπήλλαξεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ τῶν ἑτέρων ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς, οὐδαμοῦ πονεῖν συγχωρῶν, ὅπως ἂν φυλάξωσι τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸν νόμον αὐτοῦ ἐκζητήσωσι. Ταῦτα ἐπηγγείλατο, ἐπειδὴ ἐφύλαξαν τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ. Τοιοῦτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς, ποιῶν ἔλεος εἰς χιλιάδας τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν. Τούτοις δὲ τοῖς ἐκείνων ἀπογόνοις τὰ τοσαῦτα παρέσχε καὶ ἐχαρίσατο, προτρέπων αὐτοὺς καὶ παρορμῶν εἰς τὸ φυλάττειν τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸν νόμον αὐτοῦ ἐκζητεῖν. Ἀλλ' ὅτι τῶν τοσούτων ἠξιωμένοι οὐκ ἐφύλαξαν τὰ εἰρημένα, τὸ τηνικαῦτα ἤρθη ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἡ χάρις, καὶ οὐ μόνον τὴν γῆν ἀπώλεσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκπεπτώκασι, δοῦλοί τε τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ πολεμίων γεγόνασι. ἈΛΛΗΛΟΥΙΑ. ΡΕʹ. Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι χρηστὸς, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ. Τίς λαλήσει τὰς δυναστείας τοῦ Κυρίου, ἀκουστὰς ποιήσει πάσας τὰς αἰνέσεις αὐτοῦ; Μακάριοι οἱ φυλάσσοντες κρίσιν, ποιοῦντες δικαιοσύνην ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ Μνήσθητι ἡμῶν, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ εὐδοκίᾳ τοῦ λαοῦ σου, ἐπίσκεψαι ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ σωτηρίῳ σου, τοῦ ἰδεῖν ἐν τῇ χρηστότητί σου τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν, τοῦ εὐφρανθῆναι ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ τοῦ λαοῦ σου, τοῦ