Questions on Kings and Chronicles 1 part 2/11

And he himself, having pronounced a curse that no one should partake of food or drink, wished to put to death the one who, out of ignorance, transgressed the limit;

but when the God of all had put Amalek under the curse — not on account of impiety toward Himself, but on account of hostility toward the people — he took not some small portion, but the greater part of the accursed thing.

And not even the example of Achan brought him to his senses.

Therefore the sin was not small, but very great.

And the prophet reminded him of the words spoken before his kingship.

"Are you not small in his sight, though made a leader from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe of Israel?" "Did you not say this," he says, "that 'I am a Benjamite, of the smallest tribe among all the tribes of Israel'? Yet nevertheless the Lord anointed you king over all Israel;"

"and the Lord sent you on a mission."

Then he tells how many commandments He had given him, and how he transgressed them by rushing upon the spoils.

For it was not so much the unlawful mercy that condemned him, as his insatiability, his covetousness, and the passion for love of money, in slavery to which he transgressed the commandment.

But Saul used the very words of Adam.

"The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave to me from the tree, and I ate." And when he said that he had brought the herds and flocks for sacrifice, he heard from the prophet:

"Behold, the Lord does not desire whole burnt offerings and sacrifices as [He desires] the hearing of His voice;"

"for behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hearken is better than the fat of rams;"

"for divination is a sin, and rebellion is unrighteousness;"

"and teraphim bring pain and suffering."

"Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord has also rejected you from being king over Israel." As for "teraphim," Aquila rendered it "service" and "withdrawal."

And "divination," I think, hints at the folly of certain people.

For it is likely that some suspected it as a bad omen, that the victor should not gain the spoil.

And it has set down "teraphim" in place of "divinatory observation."

For just as the ephod was dedicated to God, and through it what should be done was signified to those who inquired;

so through the teraphim the predictions of the idols were made known.

For in imitation of that [ephod], this [teraphim] was set up for these [idolaters].

And we have explained this more clearly in the book on Judges.

But according to Aquila's edition, it is also possible to understand it otherwise: "For," he says, "it is the fulfilling of what is commanded that serves God, not the offering of gifts."

For service rendered contrary to His will is unacceptable, and is the cause of calamities.

"The Holy One of Israel will not turn back, nor repent, for He is not as man, to repent." From this one must also understand [the phrase] "I have repented."

For everything commanded by God is pious.

Some dare to find fault with God, as though He had taught the prophet to lie.

"Take," He says, "in your hand a heifer of the herd, and you shall say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.'" But this is not a lie.

For he truly did perform the sacrifice.

It was therefore told to him to conceal the [main] deed, but to speak of the incidental matter.

Was he ignorant? Because he was not God, but man.

For it belongs to God to know all things;

but to a prophet belongs [only the knowledge of] the things shown to him by God.

Moreover, the prophet's very ignorance disclosed the divine choice.

For when he came to the first, and the second, and the third, and all seven, they knew that it was God who was rejecting these but choosing that one.

How is one to understand the statement, "An evil spirit from the Lord was stifling Saul"? When the divine Spirit had withdrawn, the utterly wicked spirit took its place.

"Take not your Holy Spirit from me." Thus also, when the grace of the apostolate had abandoned Judas, the devil entered into him.

What is meant by, "You shall receive their Ersouba"? Symmachus rendered it thus:

for he died at seventy years of age, but reigned forty years.

Accordingly he was thirty years old when Saul was slain.

It has already been said that Saul, after reigning lawfully for two years, was stripped of the divine grace.

For he was compelled to declare how, while shepherding, he had strangled a lion and a bear that attacked [the flock];

"and this uncircumcised Philistine," he says, "shall be as one of these."

"Shall I not go and strike him, and this day remove the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised man, that he has reproached the army of the living God?" "He who lives together with impiety," he says, "and has been stripped of divine help, differs in nothing from wild beasts."

But I for my part trust in that same [divine] help.

"The Lord, who delivered me from the mouth of the lion and from the paw of the bear, he himself will deliver me from the hand of this uncircumcised Philistine." Having set out with this faith, he was not disappointed of his hope;

but though unarmed, he conquered the one who was fully armed;

and the shepherd of sheep [conquered] the one trained in wars and trophies of victory;

and the one who was small and young [conquered] the one who prided himself on such great stature.

"For Goliath saw him," it says, "and despised him, because he was but a boy;"

"and he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes." For the features of the body imitated those of the soul.

For those eyes saw keenly, and beheld the invisible [God];

"I come to you in the name of the Lord of Sabaoth, the God of the army of Israel, whom you have reproached this day;"

"and the Lord will deliver you this day into my hands, and I will kill you, and take your head from you;"

"and I will give your carcass, and the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines, on this day to the birds of the heaven and to the beasts of the earth;"

"and all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not by spear nor by sword;"

"for the battle belongs to the Lord, and he will deliver you into our hands." As he arrays for battle, he also prophesies, and foretells the knowledge of God that would come upon the whole world;

"For all the earth," he says, "shall know that there is a God in Israel." And while his mouth utters the oracle, his hand performs the valiant deed, slaying the Philistine with a stone.

since he sings the praise of the stone that was cut from him according to the flesh.

"For the stone," he says, "which the builders rejected, this became the head of the corner." And using the Philistine's own sword, he cut off his head, thereby prefiguring the victory of the one who would spring from him according to the flesh.

Since he had not yet taken up dwelling in Jerusalem, how did he bring the Philistine's head into it? The Jebusites were still dwelling there [at that time].

or because, being in a Corybantic frenzy, he did not perceive that it was he who was playing the harp;

or because envy stirred him to learn precisely where he was from.

What is a mandyas? It is a kind of outer cloak.

I think it is either what is called an "arcadicum," or what is called by many a "mantion."

What is meant by, "Jonathan loved him as [one loving] his own soul"? Aquila said:

"according to his own soul." This is also what the divine law commands:

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." QUESTION

How is one to understand the statement, "An evil spirit struck Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house"? False prophets, being worked upon by the evil spirit, resemble those seized by Corybantic frenzy.

This too Saul underwent, being troubled by the demon;

but Scripture has used the word "prophesied" in a merely homonymous sense.

For indeed they used to call the false prophets "prophets," just as they called the falsely-named gods "gods."

But he had been stripped of the divine grace;

and by his playing, David would soothe the madness of that demon, yet did not put an end to Saul's envy.

But the more he was benefited, the more eager he was to slay him.

And having hurled the spear-point at him and missed, he knew indeed that the Lord was with him, yet he continued making war [against him].

"And the Lord Almighty was with him."

Thus he named the all-holy Spirit;

for he [David] had been deemed worthy of this grace.

"Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him." And again:

For what reason did he ask not for heads, but for foreskins? Employing wicked reasoning, he supposed that, by killing some of his own countrymen, David would bring their heads [in place of the Philistines'];

for this reason he ordered that foreskins be brought.

For the foreskin proves that [the slain man] is a foreigner.

And he set every means in motion, stitching together the murder of his own benefactor;

and he felt no shame before the benefits [he had received], nor any reverence for the oaths [he had sworn].

For indeed he had sworn to Jonathan that he would not kill him;

"For Saul swore," it says, "saying:"

"As the Lord lives, he shall surely not die." QUESTION

How are we to understand the empty effigy, and the liver of the goats?

But he, having dodged the thrust of the spear, withdrew into his house;

and Michal, knowing her father's plots, advised him to flee;

and indeed she let him down through the window-shaft;

and she arranged his bed to look like a sick man, throwing over it a quantity of garments, and placing under the garments a round mass of hair, so as to imitate the head;

they said that he was covered with the garments, except for some parts of his face;

and the liver of the goats was placed underneath, so that, being in motion, it would make the figure convincing;

for indeed they say that the liver of goats continues to move for a long time.

Thus indeed he continued to be murderous, in that, even upon learning that David was sick, he ordered him to be brought, so that he might receive the slaughter [i.e., be put to death].

But when he learned of the flight, he continued to track him down like hunting dogs [tracking their prey].

For some he hunts down by means of men, but others he hunts by blindness.

For this indeed happened in the case of Elisha;

and these he took captive through prophetic grace.

But not even this softened his murderous intent.

For he sent men against him even twice.

And again, having learned of the divine restraints, he proceeded, it says, to send others as well.

And when these also were likewise restrained by grace, afterward he himself went, and he too experienced the bonds of loving-kindness.

But he did indeed prophesy, though not in the same manner as the others.

For he was unworthy of the grace.

For this reason, stripped of his garments, he lay there the whole day;

and this posture signified the removal of the kingship.

But it would have been easy for him to come to him alone as well.

Therefore what happened has another purpose.

For in order that he might not be seen disclosing his father's murderous intent to his friend, he feigned the exercise of archery.

And having sent the armor-bearer ahead into the city with the weapons, he both disclosed what had been said, and counseled him to flee, and foretold to him the dominion of the kingship, and confirmed with oaths the covenants of friendship.

"For Saul," it says, "spoke nothing on that day."

It appears that some occurrence had befallen him, [making him] not clean, since he had not purified himself. But on the second day he asked:

"Why has the son of Jesse not come to the table, either yesterday or today?" And on the third day, before the town, Jonathan disclosed what had been said.

"I will make it threefold" stands for "I will shoot three shafts." Aquila translated the "shafts" as "arrows."

As for "amatara," I found it recorded thus in the interpretation of Hebrew names: among the Greeks, "trench"; among the Romans, "fossatum"; among the Syrian [translator], "the mark," toward which those in training are accustomed to shoot their arrows.

Aquila translated "Argoun" as "adjoining the south side."

But I think that a certain hollow place is so called.

For he related this account as a defense on behalf of the disciples.

He indeed foreshadows, by partaking of what had been set apart for the priests alone, the mystical table that was to be set before all the pious.

What is the meaning of, "If this journey is profane, today it will be sanctified because of my vessels"? When the priest asked whether he had kept himself pure on that very day, he said he had kept himself pure for three days;

and he added that, because of the journey before him, he would necessarily partake of the sacred food, so that, being strengthened by it, he might accomplish what lay before him.

He did not use "profane" in the sense of "unclean," but in the sense of "not sacred";

"profane" is that which has been allotted to all other common uses.

Hence Aquila also said not "profane" but "common."

That is: "Even though I am not a priest, yet I have obtained prophetic grace."

For I think this is what is indicated by:

"It will be sanctified because of my vessels." For his "vessels" and "armor" are the spiritual gift.

What is the meaning of, "detained, ne'esar, before the Lord"? I found this name interpreted, in the book of Hebrew names, as "a gentle trial of confinement."

But the utterly wicked man not only reported to Saul what had been said and given by Ahimelech, but also slew all the priests.

This bloodguilt of Saul's is more impious than all his other sins.

For when God had commanded him to destroy Amalek utterly, he not only spared Agag, but also the flocks, the herds, the vineyards, and everything else that was worth taking;

but when only his anger was stirred, he not only slew the priests, but also destroyed their city, men and all,

commanding that not a youth, not an infant, not a woman be spared.

But Saul's guardsmen deserve praise;

for even though the king had commanded it, they would not consent to defile their hands with the bloodshed against the priests.

"All of them wearing the ephod" is stated to increase the accusation against the audacious deed.

For they were not Levites, but derived their lineage from the high-priestly stock.

For he did not suppose he would be recognized.

But when he perceived that they knew that he himself had slain their champion, he feigned madness and thereby escaped the danger of death.

For he always inquired of God, both when he drew up for battle and when he kept still.

For instance, as soon as he learned that Saul was coming — since Saul had learned that he was dwelling in Keilah — he inquired whether those who had obtained deliverance through him would hand him over;

and having learned that they would hand him over, he moved to another place.

The phrase, "they went wherever they went," indicates his wandering;

for at one time they dwelt in Judea, at another in the wilderness.

For even though his father was plotting murder against him and longed to hunt him down, Jonathan could not bear the goads of his longing;

but he came to where David was staying, and having encouraged him with the prediction of the kingship, he confirmed once more the covenants that had been made.

Aquila translated "kaine" as "thicket," and "Gabaad" as "hill."

As for "in the wilderness that overlooks," [it means] "in the level plains."

The Lord also showed his own providential care.

For having learned of this, Saul turned back.

How should we understand, "Saul went into the cave to relieve himself"? The Seventy rendered it with due decorum;

but Aquila expressed it more plainly.

"For he went in," it says, "to relieve himself."

But Josephus says, "to perform his natural bodily functions." The cave, indeed, was very large.

For when those with him attempted to kill Saul, he prevented the slaughter, saying:

"Far be it from me before the Lord, that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed —

that I should stretch out my hand against him, because he is the Lord's anointed." And he cut off the edge of his robe,

as a proof of that man's wickedness, and a demonstration of his own self-restraint.

The narrative has taught us the power of sober reasoning.

He permitted the attempt, but forbade going any further.

And he attempted, with gentle words, to heal the envy and to quench the wrath:

"and I was not willing to kill you, but I spared you, and I said, I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord's anointed, and my father." Who would not admire

the prophet's virtue? He called his conspirer "father"; and he who had himself received the consecration to the kingship called him "lord";

and "the Lord's anointed" he called him who had been deprived of the grace;

for he revered even God's ordination, though it had been annulled.

And to confirm his words he displayed the piece [of the robe],

so that, recognizing his self-restraint, Saul might feel shame at the kindness shown him.

"Know and see this day that there is no evil in my hand, nor rebellion, nor impiety."

“…and I have not sinned against you.” QUESTION:

How is one to understand, “Out of the lawless shall transgression come forth, but my hand shall not be against you”? He referred what concerned himself to the divine judgment.

For he said, “May the Lord judge between me and you”;

“but my hand shall not be against you.”

Then he added the proverb.

Employing an extravagant humility, he calls himself a dead dog and a flea;

so that by the excess of his humility he might soften that unyielding heart.

Straightway, indeed, that man, being smitten at heart, acknowledged the kindness done him,

“that you have repaid me good,

but I have repaid you evil.” And what follows contains further praises, and after the praises he foretells to him the sovereignty of the kingdom:

“For I know,” he said, “that you shall surely reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.” And he further requested that his own family also might obtain the same protection which he himself had enjoyed:

“Swear to me,” he says, “by the Lord, that you will not utterly destroy my seed after me,

and that you will not blot out my name from my father’s house.”

He who led so many tens of thousands was entreating a fugitive, and he who campaigned with a great host was imploring the one who fled to grant him a share of his kindness.

He who displayed such great forbearance in the affair with Saul — why then did he attempt to slay Nabal? This man too had enjoyed much kindness from him.

For while sojourning with Nabal’s shepherds in the wilderness, he not only restrained his own men from taking anything that belonged to that man,

but also warded off the harms that arose from other quarters.

This the shepherds themselves taught Abigail, saying, “The men were very good to us, and did not hinder us, nor did they demand anything of us all the days we were with them;

and while we were in the field, they were like a wall around us both day and night, all the while we were with them tending our flocks.” Such, then, was the kindness;

but the request was modest, and betrayed a lack of necessities:

“Let the young men,” he says, “find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a good day.”

For he reckoned that Saul had, as occasion for his wrongdoing, his royal power and his envy for the kingdom;

but this man, having no pretext of arrogance against him, resorted to the most extreme insults.

the oath [expressed] just anger, but the restraint expressed prudent reasoning.

For it was better to transgress the oath of that threat than to commit so great a slaughter.

As for “hyphei,” Aquila rendered it “sata” (seahs);

and we have learned that the “gomor” is of equal measure to the “hyphei” from the prophecy of the divinely-inspired Ezekiel.

The name Nabal, when rendered into the Greek tongue, signifies “folly.”

This Abigail herself made plain, as does the book of the interpretation of Hebrew names.

Aquila said it thus: “Nabal is his name, and a flowing-away is with him.” And it bears the same meaning;

for when the rational faculty flows away and is extinguished, the affliction of folly ensues.

As for, “Just as the Lord has restrained you from entering into innocent blood, and from saving your own hands for yourself” — Aquila said “from being defiled,” instead of:

“that you might not be filled with defilement from bloodshed.” And, “There shall be to you no abomination and stumbling-block of heart, my lord” — instead of “abomination,” Aquila said “a sting”;

and thereby he hints at the barbs of conscience.

“Baruch” means “the Lord is blessed.”

“Blessed are you, who have restrained me this day from entering into bloodshed, and from saving my own hand for myself” — I take this to be a scribal error.

For the other translators said “not to be defiled,” instead of “not to partake of defilement.” As for Carmel here, Eusebius of Caesarea says it does not mean the mountain, but a certain village still called by this name to this day, situated to the south of Jerusalem, in which they say Nabal dwelt.

How is one to understand that “Saul was sleeping in the lampene”? The lampene is a kind of covered carriage, just as also is the apene.

But Aquila did not say “lampene,” but “the circular enclosure”;

and the text indicates that the king lay down in the midst of the people, and was walled about on every side by armed men.

And I judge this to be the truer sense;

“Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” Indeed the text has thus made clear that the king was sleeping in the midst of the army.

But he entered boldly, yet spared him prudently, and having found him bound fast by sleep, did not kill him;

indeed, he even restrained Abishai, who wished to do this.

For he said to him, as the text records:

“Do not destroy him, for who can lay his hand upon the Lord’s anointed and be innocent?” QUESTION:

“unless the Lord shall strike him, or his day come and he die” — and so forth.

“The Lord shall strike him” signifies a divinely-inflicted blow, such as the firstborn of the Egyptians also suffered, and the people [of Israel] often in the wilderness, and Nabal the Carmelite.

And “or his day come” refers to death brought on by nature, which naturally occurs either from excess, or from want, or from some humor within us growing excessive.

But death that occurs in war is more violent;

for men strong of body are cut down by it.

And everywhere the writer proclaims the divine providence.

For having said that all were asleep, he added that “a terror from the Lord fell upon them.” Admirable, too, are the very words of the prophet:

“As the Lord lives,” he says, “you are sons of death, because you have not kept watch over your lord the king, the Lord’s anointed.” And besides this, having said that someone of the people had entered in to kill my lord the king, he displayed the spear and the flask [of water].

Then he gently rebukes him for his desire for bloodshed:

“Why does my lord the king thus pursue after his servant? What have I done, or what evil has been found in me? And now, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant.

If it is God who has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering as a pleasing fragrance;

but if it is the sons of men, cursed are they before the Lord.” And he further stated the reason for which he cursed them:

“because they have driven me out this day from being established in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’” Now they did not say this in words, but by their actions they forced him to do it;

for by driving him out on every side, they forced upon him the necessity of taking refuge, as in strongholds, in the cities of the foreigners.

He also returned the spear and the flask, and committed his own cause to the righteous Judge.

Why, having already written earlier of the death of Samuel, did he mention it again? Being about to narrate the matter of the medium, he was compelled to recall Samuel’s death.

How is the matter of the medium to be understood? Some say that she truly brought up Samuel;

but others have rejected this view, and say that a certain deceiving demon assumed the appearance of Samuel, and spoke the things it had often heard Samuel say, yet was ignorant of the time of Saul’s death.

I myself consider the first view to be unholy and impious;

for I am not persuaded that necromancers can bring up any soul whatsoever, still less that of a prophet — and so great a prophet.

Therefore it is utterly impious to believe that mediums possess such power.

But the second view is a mark of folly rather than of impiety;

for those who tried to overturn that unholy opinion supposed the prediction that had occurred to be false, and for this reason attributed it to demons, the teachers of falsehood;

but I, having read the book of Chronicles, found that the one who wrote that history spoke as follows:

And Saul died in his transgressions, which he committed against the Lord, according to the word of the Lord;

because he did not keep it, and because Saul inquired of the medium to seek guidance;

and Samuel the prophet answered him

and he did not seek the Lord;

For we hear him saying, 'Even if he goes to the false prophet, I, the Lord, will answer him.' Thus also through Balaam he blessed the people, and through the impious diviner he foretold the things to come, and prophesied beforehand the salvation of the world — not the unclean spirit having spoken, but the divine and all-holy Spirit having worked.

But since some have supposed the prophecy to be false, I think it useful to go through this matter briefly as well.

The writer had said beforehand that in those days the Philistines gathered their camps, to go out to war against Israel;

and they go out, and encamp at Shunem

And Saul gathers every man of Israel, and they encamp at Gilboa

For he saw, it says, the camp of the Philistines, and was afraid

secretly leaving the camp, he came to inquire of the medium;

nor throughout that entire day

For the narrative has taught this;

'And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants, and they ate, and rose up and departed that same night.' Then, when the light had risen, the battle array took place.

True, then, was the prophecy that 'Tomorrow you shall die, and Jonathan your son with you, and [the Lord will give over] the camp of Israel, and He will give you into the hands of the Philistines.' Yet none of these things had the divine Samuel foretold while he was still living, but only the loss of the kingdom;

and he made no mention whatsoever of Jonathan

But here he foretold both his own destruction and Jonathan's, and the defeat of the people, and the victory of the Philistines

But some suspect that more days had passed in the meantime;

and that the writer, according to the idiom of Scripture, resumed the narrative concerning the war

But they are unwilling to recognize that the historian, having also foretold the death of Samuel, again spoke of it after many intervening narratives;

'And Samuel died, and all Israel mourned him, and they buried him in Ramah his city.' He resumed this narrative, as I said, in order to relate the matters concerning the medium.

how, upon returning to Keila, he found it laid waste, and how, pursuing the Amalekites, he prevailed mightily, and shot down almost all of them except a few, and brought back all the plunder, both his own and theirs

At once, then, having completed this narrative, he resumed the account concerning the war with the Philistines;

and taught how Jonathan and Saul were slain

And the beginning of the second narrative of Kingdoms bears witness to the chronology as well

'And it came to pass on the third day, that behold, a man came from the camp of the people who were with Saul, with his garments torn, and earth upon his head.' But indeed, I think it necessary once more to set forth the words in summary.

And returning, he found Keila plundered

Immediately, then, setting out and finding the Amalekites reveling in the spoils, he conquered mightily, and along with his own possessions recovered their wealth as well

While these things were happening, Saul, leaving the camp, went to the medium

Then, when the battle took place, he was slain

True, then, is the prophecy;

not, as I think, having come about through Samuel

For she spoke of the figure which she beheld;

and Saul, from the figure, surmised that it was Samuel;

and the narrative calls the thing that appeared 'Samuel,' because he had believed it to be so

Thus it likewise called the angels who appeared to Abraham, and their Master, 'men';

since the patriarch, having supposed this, set out a table [before them]

Thus it likewise calls those who are not gods 'gods'; for indeed our Lord is above all the gods;

so here too, the one who appeared in the form of Samuel — whether an angel, or an apparition displaying the likeness of Samuel — it named 'Samuel'

so that, receiving the sentence in faith, he might depart from life groaning