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having sent the prophet, he rebuked his unbelief, saying this: "Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, for this reason the army of the king of Israel has been delivered." Your unbelief, he says, caused their salvation. For if you had believed as usual, you would have destroyed them all utterly. And he reminds him of the Ethiopians, and of the Libyans, and of the horses, and of the chariots, and of his own faith, through which he consumed them all; for "the eyes of the Lord," he says, "look upon all the earth, to strengthen every heart that is perfect toward him." For everyone, he says, who genuinely calls upon him will obtain salvation. Then he rebukes him more clearly: "You have acted foolishly in this;" then he foretells the gloomy things to come: "For from now on," he says, "you will have war." From this it is possible to learn that the Amazoneim are a Libyan nation. For those whom he called Amazoneim above, here he has called Libyans. But Asa, when he ought to have been grieved, and to have mourned, and to have called upon the divine mercy, not only became angry, but also delivered the prophet to prison. And the people also shared in his transgression. "For Asa," it says, "oppressed some of the people at that time." And it blames him, because when he fell sick he did not seek the Lord, but physicians. But having set out the 80.832 clarity of this in the fourth book of Kingdoms, I will proceed to the rest of the interpretation. The history praises Jehoshaphat, as one who in the beginning emulated the virtue of David; for this is what "in the first ways" means. And it also recounts his praiseworthy achievements. "For," it says, "he sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments, and not according to the works of Israel. And it also shows the fruit of these things: "And the Lord established the kingdom in his hand, and he had great riches and honor." And the phrase, "His heart was lifted up," he did not set down for accusation, but for praise. For he added, "in the ways of the Lord, and he removed the groves from the land of Judah." And he appointed for all the people teachers of the divine law, and priests, and Levites, and rulers. And he received from the Lord God the rewards for his piety. "For," it says, "a terror fell upon all the kingdoms of the land that were round about Judah; and they did not make war against Jehoshaphat." And such great fear fell upon all, that even foreigners and the Arabs brought him tribute. Having this abundance, he also built cities, and constructed houses, and fortified the unwalled villages. And he speaks of one who makes a freewill offering to the Lord, not one who offers on behalf of sins, but who brings gifts to God. "And he blames him for the marriage alliance which he made with Ahab." For he betrothed Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, to his son. And he has also set down the narrative concerning Micaiah, and the false prophets, which has been interpreted by us in the books of Kings. But what was omitted by that writer, but is set down here, I think it necessary to mention. For as Jehoshaphat was returning from that battle, Jehu the son of Hanani the prophet met him, and said to him: "King Jehoshaphat, do you help a sinner, do you befriend one hated by the Lord? For this reason, wrath has come upon you from the Lord. "Nevertheless, good things have been found in you, because you have removed the groves from the land of Judah, and have prepared your heart to seek the Lord." From this we learn that previous good deeds diminish the punishments for sins. For the just judge, weighing these against those, thus casts his vote. This he has also done in this case. For he was indeed angry with him because of the kinship; but because of his other virtue, he freed him from the enemies who attacked and surrounded him. It is fitting for us, therefore, having learned these things, to flee both the kinship and the friendship of those hated by God. But the 80.833 writer, having left aside the blame, moved on to the list of praise, and teaches those who read that the king, having accepted the rebuke, strove in pious labors to wipe out the

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τὸν προφή την ἀποστείλας, τὴν ἀπιστίαν διήλεγξε, τάδε εἰπών· "Ἐν τῷ πεποιθέναι σε ἐπὶ βασιλέα Συρίας, καὶ μὴ πεποιθέναι ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου, διὰ τοῦτο διεσώθη ἡ δυνάμις βασιλέως Ἰσραήλ." Ἡ σὴ, φησὶν, ἀπιστία προὐξένησεν ἐκείνοις τὴν σωτη ρίαν. Εἰ γὰρ συνήθως ἐπίστευσας, ἄρδην ἂν πάντας κατέκτεινας. Ἀναμιμνήσκει δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ τῶν Αἰθιό πων, καὶ τῶν Λιβύων, καὶ τῶν ἵππων, καὶ τῶν ἁρμάτων, καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ πίστεως, δι' ἣν αὐτοὺς κατηνάλωσεν ἅπαντας· ὅτι "Ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου, φησὶν, ἐπιβλέπουσιν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν, κατισχῦ σαι ἐν πάσῃ καρδίᾳ πλήρει πρὸς αὐτόν." Πᾶς γὰρ, φησὶ, γνησίως αὐτὸν καλῶν, τεύξεται τῆς σω τηρίας. Εἶτα σαφέστερον ἐλέγχει· "Ἠγνόησας ἐπὶ τούτῳ·" ἔπειτα προλέγει τὰ ἐσόμενα σκυθρωπά· "Ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔσται σοι πόλεμος." Ἐντεῦθεν ἔστι μαθεῖν, ὡς οἱ Ἀμαζονεὶμ Λιβυκόν ἐστιν ἔθνος. Οὓς γὰρ ἄνω Ἀμαζονεὶμ ὠνόμασεν, ἐνταῦθα Λίβυας κέκληκεν. Ὁ δὲ Ἀσὰ, δέον ἀλγῆσαι, καὶ θρηνῆσαι, καὶ τὴν θείαν καλέσαι φιλαν θρωπίαν, οὐ μόνον ὠργίσθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ δεσμωτηρίῳ τὸν προφήτην παρέδωκε. Συναπήλαυσε δὲ καὶ ὁ λαὸς τῆς τούτου πλημμελείας. "Ἐλυμήνατο γὰρ, φησὶν, Ἀσὰ ἐν τῷ λαῷ, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ." Ἐπιμέμφεται δὲ αὐτῷ, ὅτι ἀῤῥωστήσας οὐ τὸν Κύριον ἐζήτησεν, ἀλλ' ἰατρούς. Ἀλλὰ τούτου τὴν 80.832 σαφήνειαν ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν Βασιλειῶν τεθεικὼς, ἐπὶ τὰ ἑξῆς βαδιοῦμαι τῆς ἑρμηνείας. Ἐπαινεῖ τὸν Ἰωσαφὰτ ἡ ἱστορία, ὡς κατ' ἀρχὰς τοῦ ∆αβὶδ ζηλώσαντα τὴν ἀρετήν· τοῦτο γὰρ λέγει τὸ "Ἐν ταῖς πρώταις." ∆ιηγεῖται δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἀξιέπαινα κατορθώματα. "Κύριον γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ πατρὸς αὑτοῦ ἐξεζήτησε, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἐντο λαῖς αὐτοῦ ἐπορεύθη, καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα Ἰσραήλ. ∆είκνυσι δὲ καὶ τὸν τούτων καρπόν· "Καὶ κατεύ θυνε Κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγέ νετο αὐτῷ πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα πολλή." Τὸ δὲ, "Ὑψώθη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ," οὐκ ἐπὶ κατηγορίας, ἀλλ' εὐφη μίας ἔθηκεν. Ἐπήγαγε γὰρ, "Ἐν ὁδοῖς Κυ-ρίου, καὶ ἐξῆρε τὰ ἄλση ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς Ἰούδα." Ἐπέστησε δὲ καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ διδασκάλους τοῦ θείου νόμου, καὶ ἱερέας, καὶ Λευΐτας, καὶ ἄρχον τας. Ἐκομίζετο δὲ παρὰ τοῦ ∆εσπότου Θεοῦ τῆς εὐσεβείας τὰ ἐπίχειρα. "Ἐγένετο γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔκστα σις ἐπὶ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τῆς γῆς τῆς κύκλῳ Ἰούδα· καὶ οὐκ ἐπολέμουν τῷ Ἰωσαφάτ." Τοσοῦτο δὲ πᾶσιν ἐπέπεσε δέος, ὅτι καὶ ἀλλόφυλοι καὶ οἱ Ἄρα βες δασμὸν αὐτῷ προσεκόμιζον. Ταύτην ἔχων τὴν ἀφθονίαν, καὶ πόλεις ᾠκοδόμησε, καὶ οἰκίας ἐδείματο, καὶ τὰς ἀτειχίστους ὠχύρωσε κώμας. Ἑκουσιαζόμε νον δὲ τῷ Κυρίῳ λέγει τὸν οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτημάτων προσφέροντα, ἀλλὰ δῶρα προσκομίζοντα τῷ Θεῷ. "Ἐπιμέμφεται δὲ αὐτῷ τὴν γαμικὴν ἐπιμιξίαν, ἣν πρὸς τὸν Ἀχαὰβ ἐποιήσατο." Γοθολίαν γὰρ τοῦ Ἀχαὰβ τὴν θυγατέρα κατηγγύησε τῷ παιδί. Τέθεικε δὲ καὶ τὸ κατὰ τὸν Μιχαίαν διήγημα, καὶ τοὺς ψευδοπροφή τας, ὅπερ ἐν ταῖς Βασιλείαις ἡρμήνευται παρ' ἡμῶν. Τὸ δὲ παρ' ἐκείνου τοῦ συγγραφέως παραλειφθὲν, ἐνταῦθα δὲ τεθὲν, ἀναγκαῖον οἶμαι εἰπεῖν. Ἐπανιόντι γὰρ ἀπ' ἐκείνης τῆς παρατάξεως τῷ Ἰωσαφὰτ ἀπ ήντησεν Ἰηοῦ ὁ τοῦ Ἀνανὶ ὁ προφήτης, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· "Βασιλεῦ Ἰωσαφὰτ, εἰ ἁμαρτωλῷ σὺ βοηθεῖς, εἰ μισουμένῳ ὑπὸ Κυρίου σὺ φιλιάζεις; διὰ τοῦτο ἐγένετο ἐπὶ σὲ ὀργὴ παρὰ Κυρίου· ἀλλ' ἢ λόγοι ἀγαθοὶ εὑρέθησαν ἐν σοὶ, ὅτι ἐξῆρας τὰ ἄλση ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς Ἰούδα, καὶ κατηύθυνας τὴν καρδίαν σου ἐκζητῆσαι τὸν Κύριον." Ἐντεῦθεν μανθάνομεν, ὡς ἐλαττοῖ τὰς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι τιμωρίας τὰ προ γενόμενα κατορθώματα. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ δίκαιος κριτὴς ταῦτα ἐκείνοις ἀντιμετρῶν οὕτως ἐκφέρει τὴν ψῆφον. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τούτου πεποίηκεν. Ἐχα λέπαινε μὲν γὰρ κατ' αὐτοῦ διὰ τὴν συγγένειαν· διὰ δὲ τὴν ἄλλην ἀρετὴν, τῶν προσβαλόντων καὶ κυκλωσάντων ἠλευθέρωσε πολεμίων. Προσήκει τοί νυν ἡμᾶς, ταῦτα μεμαθηκότας, φεύγειν τῶν θεομι σῶν καὶ τὴν συγγένειαν, καὶ τὴν φιλίαν. Ὁ δὲ 80.833 συγγραφεὺς τὸν ψόγον καταλιπὼν, εἰς τὸν τῆς εὐφη μίας μετέβη κατάλογον, καὶ διδάσκει τοὺς ἐντυγχά νοντας, ὡς τὸν ἔλεγχον ὁ βασιλεὺς δεξάμενος, ἐσπού δασεν ἐν τοῖς εὐσεβέσι πόνοις τὴν τῆς συγγενείας ἐξαλεῖψαι