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Zechariah 9:1. Prophecy of the word of the Lord in the land of Adrach 118 and the rest of Damascus 119: the Lord looks upon men and upon all the tribes of Israel. And Imaf 120 is within its borders. The passage to be explained presents many difficulties and the very combination of words is very incomprehensible. But we will explain it to the best of our ability. It is not without reason that we think that first of all it is necessary to explain what exactly these words are about; for then only, and even then with difficulty, can the meaning of the prophecy be understood. When Israel was delivered from the bonds of slavery and was set free and finally came to Judea and began to strengthen Jerusalem; then the neighboring peoples living in Samaria and in the countries of Palestine and inhabiting the cities of Phenicia were stung by envy and at the same time feared that they (the Israelites), after their affairs would again return to their previous state and their descendants would multiply greatly and then when they had such an inaccessible and very fortified city, would not begin to fight against them again and oppose them, as in ancient times, invincible army. Therefore, they decided to prevent them from fulfilling their desire - to strengthen the city with walls, spreading unkind rumors about them and making robber attacks on them. Their hatred and malice reached the point that they wrote a message to the king of the Persians at that time, which is found in the book of Ezra. It is as follows: to King Artaxerxes, lord, his servants Raphim, the compiler of acts and Semelius 121 scribe and other members of their council and judges in Coelesyria and Phenicia. Let it be known to you, O king, that the Jews who were taken to Babylon came to our country and are building this rebellious and evil city, building its squares and walls and erecting a church. Know that, after this is completed, they will not pay taxes, and will not want to obey: but they will rebel against the kings and want to command rather than obey. So, while they are diligently engaged in building the church, we deigned to write about this to you, king, and not to ignore this circumstance (1 Ezra 4). So, since they mocked Israel a lot when they took Israel into slavery and suffered captivity, and after he barely escaped and endured the bonds of slavery, they again began to attack him and subject him to countless sorrows, plotting against him in various ways and not allowing him to build a divine church and fortify the city with walls; then inevitably God became angry with them and delivered them into the hands of Israel. So, after completing their affairs and rebuilding the church, having devastated all their cities, the Israelites subjugated their inhabitants and became the owners of innumerable riches. So, “the prophecy, he says, of the word of the Lord in the land of Adrach and Damascus,” that is, the word proclaimed to us from God against the land of Adrach and Damascus, will also be against Imath, which is located within its borders, obviously, Damascus. The land of Adrach is a country lying to the east, with which in the neighborhood there is also Imath (which is some area not much further than Antioch) and Damascus, which is the capital of Phenicia and Palestine. It is obvious that along with the main cities, the cities subordinate to them will also submit. Why is there a prophecy against them? because in them there was “his rest,” that is, God ruling over everything. He rested because He saw them punished, for He did not cease to oversee everything and to honor His chosen people, that is, Israel, with His care and concern, for the God of all watches over people and sees the path of everyone and exposes those who do unrighteousness to His wrath, and protects the oppressed. It is also necessary to remember that having previously said about the four chariots and the appearance of horses, He added: “Behold, those who went out to the land of the north put my wrath to rest in the land of the north” (Zech. 6:8); The anger of the Lord, who hates evil, seems to calm down after those who offended Him with very many and unbridled sins were punished. Zechariah 9:2–4. Tire and Sidon became wise 122 and built Tire as a stronghold, gathering silver like dust and 123 gold like the sand of the paths. For this reason the Lord will hunt him down, 124 and smite his strength in the sea, and he will be surrounded by fire. Briefly talks about what happened to the cities against which, he confirms, there was a prophecy of the Lord. He begins with Tire and Sidon, which stood out above others for their glory, were distinguished by the power, wealth and courage of their inhabitants, had other cities under their control and towered over their neighbors. So, since Tire and Sidon, he says, raise their eyebrows high, imagine that they are terrible and invincible and place their trust in fortifications, that is, in the walls surrounding them or in other structures, thanks to which the city prospers and is safe, and at the same time they dreamed of themselves for the sake of much wealth; then they will learn from their own experience that the Lord will inherit me; that is: after its devastation by the Israelites or Vespasian and Titus, it will be inherited by God. After all, it was He who betrayed and subjected him to the dominion of his conquerors; because the Romans, having subjected the whole universe to their power, were friendly and favorable to those who were subject to them without resistance; but in relation to those who decided to resist them, they were severe and irresistible. So, he says, he will be burned after his fortifications are thrown into the sea and his wealth is plundered, although his gold was like “dust” and his silver like “shavings of paths”; for the inhabitants of Tire were skilled and very greedy sea traders, as is spoken of at length in the Scriptures of the prophet Ezekiel. Thus, nothing will benefit those who insult God and mock the saints if they happen to be subjected to suffering, and - those who boldly mock if God condemns their self-confidence; for every fortification will be useless for them, that is, every trench and every method of fencing, and no wealth will bring any benefit, on the contrary, it will only arouse the hunt of those accustomed to devastation. But everyone can even now see that the children of the Hellenes think highly of worldly wisdom and fence their error as if with walls with the seductions of intricately woven syllogisms and the power of eloquence, and they are very rich in the brilliance of words, as if it were silver, and in beautiful thoughts, as if they were gold. However, even with all this, Christ inherited them: the fortifications were destroyed by Him, that is, the inventions of lies fell and gold and silver were plundered; for those who at one time became heads of the churches, famous and wise men, having stolen the power of their eloquence for themselves, brought it as a sacred gift to God, striving for the teaching of the faith and presenting a strong and true exposure of the error that exists among them. So did the Israelites. Having borrowed gold and silver vessels from the Egyptians and stolen them from their oppressors, they brought them to the all-holy God in the desert, when the holy tabernacle and sacred vessels were built. So, those who build the church with the help of worldly wisdom and brilliance of speech plunder (the property) of the children of the Greeks and, as if enriching them with gold and silver, as much as they need and befit, make it the heritage of God, speaking to others that serves for His glory, overthrowing the fortifications of those (Greeks) and spiritually building up the holy city, that is, the church. Zechariah 9:5–6. He will see Ascalon and be afraid, and Gaza will be in great pain, and Ekron will be ashamed of his hope: and the king will perish from Gaza, and Ascalon will not be able to be inhabited. And foreign women will move into Azoth, and I will destroy the annoyance of the foreigners. When the onset of war and battles engulfs a country, then the cities located in it are the most self-confident and trustworthy. They think that they will defeat their enemies either by the multitude of their inhabitants, or by the strength of their walls, or by the art of war. But if it happens that one of them, considered the most powerful, is taken; then each of them falls into fear, loses hope, I say, of the possibility of escape, and, like someone who has already fallen, cries. So when such a famous and very powerful city, famous for its wealth, was taken; Then, he says, Askalon will “be afraid,” and Gaza and Ekron will “suffer.” And these were the cities of the Palestinians. “He will hurt because he is ashamed of his hope”; for they thought that the strength of the Tyrians would be completely sufficient for their defense. When they saw him thrown to the ground, they lost all self-confidence; and the head of Gaza, he says, will disappear, obviously die. “The foreign women will move into Azoth,” probably after the natives are exterminated by the war. To this he adds that I will exterminate the foreigners or inhabitants of Palestine, whom he usually calls so. But if you like, this speech can also apply to other nations that oppressed Israel and were adjacent and neighboring the land of Judea. This must be told to us to understand the literal meaning. But it is necessary to know that during the once former persecution of the church, as I said, enemies terribly attacked it and mocked it, perhaps saying: “good, good” according to what is written (Ps. 34:21). But Christ helps her and crushes all their power, building his church and raising his indestructible wrath against those who plot against her and, as it were, overthrowing certain cities of heretics and, besides them, the wicked crowds of idolaters that still exist. Zechariah 9:7. And I will remove their blood from their mouths, and their abominations from the midst of their teeth, and these also will be left to our God, and will be like the captain of a thousand in Judah, and Ekron like the Jebusite. And they devoured Israel, and their mouths were stained with blood as if they were some wild beast. since they were idolaters and were attached to vain service, they always had, as if on their tongues or on their teeth, the names of their own abominations and called the mountains and below man-made things gods and, according to the prophet, they said to the soulless stones: “Thou art my God” and: “Thou hast begotten me” (Jer. 2:27). But those who acted cruelly against Israel received their due and fitting punishment. However, they did not completely perish, because God foresaw the future removal of blood from their mouths, that is, although they, like wild beasts, seemed to swallow Israel; but the time will come when they will be clean and then free from their guilt, for they too will be justified by faith and washed from the filth that comes from their previous bad life. And I will “take out” the names of their abominations from the midst of their teeth; for they will no longer remember their false gods and will not pronounce their names; “These also will be left to our God,” as, without a doubt, Israel itself; for his remains were also saved, although he acted wickedly against Immanuel himself. since the called multitude of pagans were spiritually joined to the believing descendants of Israel, because Christ brings into unity: “he is our peace, making both one and destroying the middle wall,” creating two peoples “into one new man, creating peace and reconciling both” in one Spirit to the Father (Eph. 2:14–16); That’s why he says that “they will be like a thousand in Judah,” that is, they will achieve such nobility, I say, in faith and life, that from them the leaders of Judah will come. There will also be “Ekron, that is, a foreigner who came from the land of the Philistines, like the Jebusites,” that is, like the very people who live in Jerusalem; for Jerusalem in the beginning is called Jebus. So by Jebusite here we mean the Jerusalemite. Many captains of thousands, that is, leaders and chiefs of nations, also came from pagans and are found throughout the universe. The expression: “in Judas” you can refer to those who are accustomed to praise, that is, to us, called in faith, who are accustomed to crown Christ who called us with constant praise. Zechariah 9:8. And I will set up an erection for my church, so that it is not possible to walk through, to return below, and to drive out anyone who does not have to come to me: before 125 now I have seen 126 before my eyes. Here he clearly calls Christ “high and wall” (high wall), through whom we are exalted according to the good will, obviously, and the will of God and the Father; for, according to the word of Paul, we who have believed undoubtedly become a spiritual house and a building of God (1 Cor. 3:9), if it is undoubtedly true that He dwells in our hearts by the Spirit and sups with those who love Him. He Himself, through the mouth of the prophet, said: “I will live and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people” (Lev. 26:12). So, the height erected by the will of the Father for the church is Christ, so that those who are in us both above and below do not pass and return through us, as before, and trample, as it were, some desolate path and cause all harm to our hearts; for nowhere about Israel, which was an ancient vineyard for the one who acquired it, he said: “I will take away its fence, and it will be spoiled: and I will destroy its wall, and it will be trampled underfoot” (Is. 5:5). For us, who knew His appearance, Emmanuel Himself became a wall and fence, protecting us with ineffable power and driving away unclean demons from our souls and not allowing us to be trampled upon by them. Therefore, the prophet says about Him: “And you are called the builder of fences, and your paths are in the midst of rest” (Is. 58:12). Just as those who fence abandoned vineyards usually destroy the paths through them, not allowing the feet of those walking up and down to trample them; so our Lord Jesus Christ, having placed Himself for us as if in an indestructible wall and protecting us with angelic forces, made us free from trampling. And besides, he said that “whoever does not have the power to come and drive him out”; for we were once captives, easy-going and easily given over to all kinds of iniquity, when Satan led and enticed us and, as it were, drove us from one (sin) to another. But Christ stopped this too: the robber will not come against us and invade, as before, whenever he pleases; for we are established in Christ and have a safe and strong soul, we are not carried away by what we should not, and do not enter into polytheism, we are not driven into error, but as if we have entered into faith and love for God, so rejoicing in this we say: “set my nose on the stones” (Ps. 39:3). Saying: “Now I have seen my eyes,” he clearly showed that the time of the Savior’s coming is the time of visitation; for “the east from above visited us” (Luke 1:78) and about which David says: “The Lord looked down from heaven to earth” (Ps. 101:20), although once for the sake of our sin he did not at all deign to care for us, compassion and love and other things like that, but seemed to turn away from us. Therefore, we were in confusion: which blessed David testifies to, saying: “I will turn away your face, and they will be troubled; and they will return to their dust” (Ps. 103:29). since now, that is, at the time of the coming of the Savior, we have seen with His eyes, then we are saved and have mercy, and what have we not acquired that is beyond all words and truly worthy of wonder? Zechariah 9:9. Rejoice greatly, daughters of Zion, preach, daughters of Jerusalem: behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and saving, he is meek, and always on the yoke and the young stallion. In these words the appearance of our Savior is finally clearly announced, so that there is no room for sorrow at all. He commanded spiritual Zion to rejoice without fail, after all our sorrow has been destroyed; for what else can we have sorrow and what else can we mourn, after sin has been expelled and death has been trampled underfoot and human nature has been called into freedom and crowned with the grace of sonhood and adorned with the highest and heavenly gifts? Pay attention to the fact that the one who preaches the good news about the coming of our Savior immediately calls Zion a daughter and with complete justice commanded her to indulge in intense joy, and exhorts her to preach to Jerusalem that her king “is righteous and saving” will (soon) appear and be revealed in the flesh; for Christ has justified us through faith and has widened the way of salvation for those who come to Him. Moreover, He is “meek”, does not use legal severity, does not punish those who break the commandment with death, on the contrary, He saves according to His goodness and restores the fallen. We read that “a letter kills, but the spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6). Letter is a punitive law, a shadow and an image; the life-giving spirit is Christ (1 Cor. 15:45), for by the gospel instruction we are taught to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). And that He mounted the “young stallion” and thus entered Jerusalem, there is no need to say much to confirm this; for to verify this, it is sufficient for us to see what the divine evangelist wrote about this: Christ sat on a young donkey, and the donkey followed Him. And this event was for us a sign of the most important thing: Christ found peace in the new people, that is, called to the knowledge of the truth, but who had once served idols: for he was like a kind of young donkey, not yet broken, and did not know how to walk correctly, as if he had not been under the guidance of the divine law. But He who brings everyone to spiritual knowledge appointed Himself a young donkey. And that one day the synagogue of Judea would follow Him, he indicated this by the fact that the donkey followed Him, although according to the time of calling she had seniority; she was called through Moses and the prophets. since she upset the saving king (because she did not believe in him): then, in justice, she follows the young donkey and found herself behind, that is, following the others and behind those who believed from the pagans, and the first turned out to be last. Look how “Test the hearts and bellies” (Ps. 7:10) showed that human nature has reached extreme foolishness, in that both the Jewish synagogue and the multitude of pagans are likened to the most foolish donkey: for some served the creature instead of the Creator God, while others, neglecting the guidance of the law, lost their minds and good disposition of the soul and turned out to be prone to vices of all kinds, they “I was likened to senseless cattle and became like them” (Ps. 49:21), according to the words of the Psalmist. The donkey also serves as a symbol of uncleanness in another sense; for he is an unholy animal and condemned by the law (Ex. 13:13): and such, of course, are those who are erring and sin-loving. Zechariah 9:10. And he shall consume chariots from Ephraim, and horses 127 from Jerusalem, and 128 the bow, and multitudes, and peace 129 from the tongues: and he shall prevail over the waters from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the sources of the earth. That the Only Begotten, having become man, had to subdue under the feet of those who loved Him “the principalities and powers and rulers of this world” (Eph. 6:12), that is, the disgusting hordes of demons, to subjugate to them every enemy, visible and invisible, and to destroy all war and rejoice in the blessings of the world, the prophetic word secretly points out to us. Once upon a time, the Babylonians and some other neighboring nations attacked Jerusalem “on horseback and in chariots and with bows,” as it is written (Ps. 19:8, 77:9), and thus conquered them and subjected them to severe suffering. Thus, with the help of an ordinary phenomenon, he explains the glory of the works of Christ. He says, and not for a long time, the saving and righteous and meek king will come, but not among many armor-bearers, and not accompanied by spear-bearers and many thousands of warriors experienced in military affairs. Although He showed modesty in Himself, so that He barely sat on a colt; however, He will be so great in valor and bring such great benefit to those who trust in Him that He will destroy the chariots of Ephraim and remove the horses from Jerusalem and “use the bow” and spread deep peace to all nations. Ephraim calls the ten tribes living in Samaria, and Jerusalem its inhabitants, that is, the tribe of Judah and Benjamin. So, the prophetic word gives us the basis of security and peace; for, he says, the holy city will no longer be passable for those who want to cause disaster to it, but the one who saves it will expand his kingdom so much that He will possess the whole of Judea from the sea even to the rivers; and they are the essence of the “outgoings of the earth”, that is, the limits. There is nowhere where the divine David sings about the Jewish synagogue, speaking as if about a vine: “Spread out his rods to the sea, and even to the rivers his branches” (Ps. 79:12); for the land of Judea borders on the sea and the country to the south and the Indian and the so-called middle rivers. But the kingdom of Christ does not at all lie within these limits - far from it. But from a particular example the speech moves on to the universal and universal, for He did not reign over Judea alone; but over the entire universe and his power extends from one end to the other. Zechariah 9:11–12. And you, in the blood of the covenant, 130 have released your prisoners from the ditch, having no water: sit in the stronghold that binds the host, and for one day of your coming I will repay you. The speech now addresses the most righteous and saving and at the same time meek king, that is, Christ, and explains the glorious and amazing deeds of His coming to earth: for the Only Begotten Word of God voluntarily humbled himself, becoming a man, “endured the cross, being careless for his shame” (Heb. 12:2) and offered his own soul as a ransom for the lives of all and acquired the universe for God and the Father. the blood of the eternal covenant, the prototype of which was the blood sprinkled by the wise Moses on the ancients, as it is said: “Moses took the blood and the very book of the covenant, and sprinkled all the people, saying: Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord commanded unto you.” for we, as His disciple says, “will be redeemed with uncorrupted silver or gold, but with the honorable blood of Christ, like the unblemished and pure blood of Christ” (1 Pet. 1:18-19). So, he says, you, most righteous and meek king, those who by the blood of the covenant became your prisoners (that is, those whom you bound with bonds of love and whom you persuaded to bow under your yoke and clearly bind the neck of their minds) “thou didst release, that is, delivered or brought out, or set free from the ditch not having water.” We affirm that by this He points to hell itself, which has no life (for we will accept water as a way of life) or by hell we will understand, and quite rightly, the deception of false gods; for this truly is a ditch, into which if anyone falls completely, he will lose his life forever. And that Christ, having died, emptied hell and opened the gates of the underworld to the spirits in custody - this is clear to everyone. Nowhere did the God of all things, through the mouth of Jeremiah, speak about the Israelites who had abandoned Him and madly turned to the delusion of idols: “The heavens were terrified at this and trembled greatly, says the Lord. My people have done two evils: they have left me the source of living waters, and have dug up for themselves treasures of broken stones that cannot contain water” (Jer. 2:12-13); for just as correct and error-free knowledge of God is the source of life and a life-giving source, so by waterless, as if broken, treasures one can understand idolatry images and errors regarding Him. Then he addresses the prisoners themselves and arouses them to good hopes, saying, “Sit in the stronghold (fortress) that binds the host.” Tverdeliya, as I think, calls the church, as strengthened in Christ and possessing an unshakable state; and by sitting he calls firmness in faith, for it is written about God that “you sit for ever” (Ps. 28:10), that is, you have an unchanging and unshakable nature. So you, prisoners of my host, will be safe, he says, having constancy in the faith. And such may be the holy multitude of those justified in Christ. And that patience for everything beautiful and their unshakable love for God will not remain unrewarded, this is hinted at by saying; “And for one day of your coming I will repay you.” What does He mean by this? Aliens and wanderers on earth are all saints, and the physical life of every person is very short, so that due to its complete insignificance it can, perhaps, be likened to a single day. So, “for one day,” he says, “of your coming,” that is, for a short and brief time of bodily life, I will reward you with increased and enhanced rewards. Nowhere did Christ say: “Good measure, woven and shaken and poured out, will be given into your bosom” (Luke 6:38). And we expect rewards equal to our deeds, but with great excess; for the Giver is very generous. Zechariah 9:13. Even before Judas has strained you like a bow, he has filled Ephraim. Here again he explains how many pagans will be called and through faith will enter (the church): and the one who once lived in luxury, that is, Satan, will become poor, deprived of his worshipers, acquired by him with such greed. He speaks as if to the holy apostles or teachers of Israel, who, flowing around the countries of the pagans, called them to the knowledge of the truth and conditioned them with it. So he says: “O Judah, I have strained my bow,” O Ephraim, “I have done it.” I’ll tell you again what this means. When those skilled in archery, pulling the bowstring, bring the iron of the bow closer to their chest, then they say that they have filled the bow, and they release a flying arrow. Thus, what is called different means the same thing. With a bow, he says, I made you, Judas, and fulfilled you, Ephraim. By Judah and Ephraim we mean the entire people of Israel. So he made, as it were, a bow of the Jews, who believed before others and came to such a conviction that they lead the pagans, drive away hordes of demons from those who go astray, defeat Satan, and in general those who oppose divine dogmas and rebel against their secret leadership. So the divine David nowhere speaks to the Savior of all and God: “Your arrows are sharp, Stronger: the people under you will fall into the hearts of the enemies of the kings” (Ps. 45:6); for the arrows of the Mighty One, that is, Christ, strike the enemies of God and the Father in the heart and belly. His arrows are the mentors of those who are mistaken and do not know the real and true God. They do not strike to death, but lead them to love for Christ, so that they submit to Him. This is precisely the bride depicted in the Song of Songs, who clearly says: “For I am wounded by love” (Song. 5:8). And that the divine disciples became very courageous and strong, this is confirmed by the wise psalmist speaking about them by the Spirit: “Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, like the sons of the shaken off” (Ps. 127:4); for he calls the Israelites shaken, as having lost divine grace because they brazenly acted against Christ. But their sons became like arrows sent by a mighty hand. Nowhere did Habakkuk, as if to Emmanuel himself, say about the holy apostles: “Your arrows will go in the flash of the lightning of your weapons” (Hab. 3:11). Zechariah 9:13. And I will raise up your children, O Zion, against the children of Hellinsk, and I will wield you like a warrior’s sword. Now he clearly calls His teachers from the Jews His bow; for what children of Zion rebelled against the children of Hellenism, if not the divine disciples and who subsequently became heads of the churches “and rightly ruling the word of truth”? (2 Tim. 2:15) For by spiritual Zion, what else can be understood except the Church? They strive against the sons of the Greeks and fight against those who are mistaken, because God has set them up “as the sword of a warrior.” It turns out that the divine Paul also adorns the spiritual warrior in Christ; for he clothes him “in the armor of the righteousness of Christ and in the helmet of salvation”; then he gives him “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:14–17). So, using this sword against the children of the Hellenics, they cut off the delusion that has taken root in them and use the sharpest Word of God, which is “living and active” (Heb. 4:12), - they kill the evil and unclean spirit, so that they can finally, with a pure and free mind and freed from the dominion of the demons, perceive the word of the true knowledge of God. Zechariah 9:14. And it shall come to pass that the Lord will appear upon them, 131 and the arrow of lightning will go forth from him. These words indicate that the Lord God will be with them, and together with them will fight and defeat their opponents. “The Lord will be against them,” he says, “obviously, against those who strengthened themselves to resist the servants of His Gospel; for every arrow is a teacher, or an apostle. Again they are likened to the arrow or spear of the God who sends them. Like lightning, he says, it will run, obviously illuminating and easily turning everyone’s gaze on itself. And so glorious were the divine disciples and preachers of the Gospel of the Savior and the rulers of the people and heads of churches who followed them, so that the brilliance of their inherent virtue was not hidden from anyone. Pointing to this, the Savior says: “no one burns a lamp and puts it in a hidden place, or places it under a bed, but in the candlestick, so that those who go out may see the light” (Matthew 5 cf. Luke 8:16), and again in another place: “so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” ( Matthew 5:16). Zechariah 9:14–16. The Lord 132 Almighty will blow the trumpet and go forth in the noise of his rebuke. The Lord Almighty will protect them, and they will eat me, and sprinkle 133 sling stones, and drink their blood like wine, and fill the altar like cups 134. And the Lord will save me 135 a day, he is like his own sheep. This speech clearly represents the God of all, as I said, as their companion and comrade-in-arms, ready and determined to fight in such a way that it seems as if he is ready for war and as if already acting and using all his power against the enemies and against their inherent strength. He very rightly says that He goes to war not against those who are caught in justification through faith, but against those who pitifully resisted the divine preaching, to whom Paul pointed out, saying: “For me the door was opened great and hastily, and in the presence of many” (1 Cor. 16:9). So, “the Lord will sound the trumpet,” he says. Obviously, the Lord spoke here about the gospel sermon spreading throughout the entire universe, and the sacrament (of Christ) became audible to those living everywhere. Moses was loud and slow-tongued; therefore he was hardly heard in Judea alone. But the word about Christ is in no way limited to such limits; for it sounded like some strong and very euphonious trumpet and brought the sound to the ears of everyone. “He will go as if in the noise of his rebuke” and thus protect His soldiers, so that His opponents are destroyed as if by fire, and those who bravely beat them are, as it were, covered with sling stones. “They will also drink their blood,” that is, as if some wild beasts will easily defeat them and kill them, and will bring cups filled with the blood of the fallen, as if some kind of libation on the altar, for the death of those who hinder the salvation of the lost is a fragrant and pleasing sacrifice to God. If the killers of the body do not deserve pardon, on the contrary, they are subject to appropriate punishments; then what can we say about those who became destroyers and corrupters of souls? And such again could be even the best of the Greeks, who acquired the glory of worldly wisdom, speaking about higher and lower gods and goddesses and urging people to worship the creature instead of the Creator and giving to each element the glory due to God. And they misled people not only during their earthly life, but also in subsequent times; for subsequently many thousands perished, being carried away by their lies and listening to their empty and women’s fables. These have finally been exterminated. The defilement of their writings passes away, their fables lose their meaning, and it is as if their blood is consumed; beaten by the dogmas of truth, as if with stones from a sling, they are covered with them, and the destruction of their daring speeches, as I said, became a fragrance to God. “And the Lord saved his people like his sheep.” since He is the Creator of all things, then those who have long been in error, whom the Lord saved as a flock stolen by robbers, expelling false shepherds and taking the human race under His protection, can rightly be called His people; for “He is the good shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Zechariah 9:17. There is a holy stone lying 136 on his land: for 137 if there is any good from him, and if there is any good from him 138, wheat is for the young men and fragrant wine is for the virgins 139. We affirm that the holy stones lying on the earth of God are the saints who were once in the church, who became leaders and mentors in it. They became like “a precious stone, a chosen stone, an honorable stone,” laid by God and the Father “as the foundation of Zion” (Is. 28:16). If the foundation is stone; then “those being assembled and assembled” and built into a holy church for God are themselves not without reason called stones (Eph. 4:16; 1 Pet. 2:5). He says very well that they roll 140, thus indicating their speed and readiness for everything that is holy; for round and spherical stones turn out to be more capable of overcoming an obstacle and more capable of movement, if only someone wants to set them in motion. Likewise, the spirit of the saints is very willing to do what pleases God. And if stones have such properties, then it is appropriate for us to firmly adhere to the same mood of spirit. “Whatever is his good, and whatever is his good,” obviously God, who gives us everything we need for piety. What is this? “Wheat is for the young men and sweet-smelling wine for the virgins.” Those who act tirelessly and with a youthful disposition of spirit strive for what is pleasing to Him and have a firm determination to do what is good will be given from Him even greater strength, as if meant by wheat; for “bread will strengthen a man’s heart” (Ps. 103:15). Those who are purified and have an immaculate mind, who can justly be likened to venerable and holy virgins, will be given spiritual wine, obviously clear and pure knowledge of God, “rejoicing the heart of man” (Ps. 103:15). So, young men and virgins, according to the words we have just explained, will be called to a generous and abundant participation in the highest blessings and will hear God saying: “Eat and drink, be drunk, ye neighbors” (Song. 5:1). Such people are close to God, and not by distance of place (for it is unreasonable to understand or think about it that way), but by a very strong desire and disposition of the soul for all that is best and out of love for Him; for just as wickedness distracts and, as it were, takes us far away, so virtue puts us before God, eliminating that which separates and separates us from Him, that is, sin. Αδραχ - so LXX Hieron. (1479. A), Theodoret, pl. min. Ald. and Feod. Pug. (Εδραχ) Ak-Sim. Feud., but Sirohekz (Field), resp. Heb. (Vulg. – Sir.): הדרך Hadrakh. But Slav. like Wat. Syn. Al. no. LXX at Hieron. and other many others: σεδραχ. και Λαμασκοῦ ἀναπαυσις αὐτοῦ,– ἄναπαυσις read. and some Greek Aquila (according to Theodorit): και ἐν Λαμασκω ανἀπαυσις αυτου, – some. code. Theodorite, Vulg. resp. Masoret. etc. But Slav. like Wat. Syn. Alex. LXX Hieron. (Sacrificii ejus), Theodoret: his sacrifices. So is Sirsk. transl.: קורבנו offering, gift thereof. Wed Arab. Valt.: victimam suam and Efr. Sire. (297. D.). The difference in translations is explained by the reading of different vowels from the same consonants: MenuHaTO is his peace and MinHaTo is a sacrifice, a gift, his sacrifice. Nek. vm. Δαμασκου read. Λαμασκο. και Ημαθ – Alex. LXX Hieron. (1480.8), Theodoret, and others. Slav.: και εν Εμαθ – Vat. Sin., etc. Ραθυμος – Σεμελιος – Rekhum (Russian) or Reum (slav.) and Shimshai (Russian) or Samisa (slav.). διοτι, like Vat. Sin, others, Slav: like - οτι, like a certain cat. Read: συνηγαγε, like Sin. Alex. others, but Slav. no cheat like Wat. and many others αυτην – like Alex. and many others But Slav: I=αυτους, like Vat. and others no. διοτι, Slav.: like . In the text of St. Cyril: εωρακασι (as in Pars. one code.), but further in the interpretation: εωρακα εν τοις οφθαλμοι; μου (144. C), - and a little lower, apparently differently: νυν εωρακαμεν εν τ. ο. αυτου (ib. D). In all other Greek: εωρακα (corresponding to Hebrew). ιππον, like Vat. etc., Slav: horses – ιππους, as in some. εξολοθρευθησεται - some, εολοθρευσει - others and Slav: will consume. ειρηνην – some, ειρηνη – others. So does Alex. and others. Slav. like Wat. and other approx. σου.– Yours. Και εσται... οφθησεται, Slav. omission εσται (as some) - others omit οφθησεται. So Vat., Alex., Sin., etc., but Slav. approx. God is Θεος, as in some. Vat., Alex. and others added: αυτους - theirs, like glory. ως φιαλα, – like Alex. and some others, but Slav. φιαλας ως - bowls like an altar, like Vat. and many others So Alex. etc. but Slav. prib: Their God – Θεος αυτων – like Vat. Syn. etc. Κυλιονται – actually: riding. οτι ει, like Al., Vat. Syn. etc.; but Slav. op. οτι, as Set. and some παρ αυτου – Alex. LXX Hieron. etc., Slav: αυτου – it is like Vat. etc. Εις παρθενους, Slav. maybe be reads: παρθενοις. Κυλιω or κυλινδω means: to roll, to roll – page: to roll around. You might be interested in: