ON THE SECOND BOOK OF CHRONICLES
CAP. II
A VERS. 6. "But who is able to build him a house?" He reveals his own knowledge of God to Hiram. For who, he says, would build a house worthy of God, whom even the highest heaven cannot contain? Yet, according to my ability, I attempt to offer him reverence and honor. Moreover, he makes clear how much benefit comes from the fellowship of pious men, when he says: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath made heaven and earth" (Ps. CXLV, 6). For whence did he obtain this knowledge of God, unless it was that he had associated familiarly with David himself? Furthermore, the number and proportion of the dimensions of this temple differ in no way from those recorded in the books of Kings; provided that one adds the twenty cubits of the length of the B Debir to the forty cubits of the length of the temple, and the measurements of the stories and the three-storied chambers to the twenty-five cubits of height.
"From the city of David." By this he signifies Zion, which he fortified, and ennobled by building the royal palace within it.
"In the feast." This refers, clearly, to the feast of Tabernacles; for that is what "the seventh month" signifies.
CAP. III
"Debir." He calls the adytum by this name, which Divine Scripture is accustomed to call the Holy of Holies.
CAP. VII
VERS. 6. "The songs of the Lord which David made." This is a further testimony that the Psalms have David as their author. Furthermore, Solomon, still zealous for piety, left no place in the house of David for the daughter of Pharaoh; for C he says that the most holy ark of God had entered into it. Moreover, Josephus calls the timber that was brought "fir," from which the floors of the house of the Lord and of the palace were indeed made, as it is in the books of Kings. Finally, the man who is said to have been devoured there by the lion, he here calls Joel.
CAP. X
VERS. 15. "And the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turning away from God." For those of whom God takes care, He also directs in their actions; but from those who are deprived of His care, He withdraws His guidance, and leaves them to their own devices. For God purposed to divide the kingdom on account of the transgressions of Solomon. But when Jeroboam had already incited the people to turn away from God, he drove away the priests and the Levites, D
and moved his Levites, and he himself instituted others in their place. Whence it is truly manifest that the ministers of God did not withdraw of their own accord, but were compelled to do so.
CHAPTER XII
VERS. 1. *Suchiim and Chusiim.* These are the Troglodytes and the Ethiopians. A
VERS. 6. *And the princes were converted.* Symmachus says, "they descended into themselves." Therefore God also changed His intention, so as not to destroy them utterly. "But however," He says, "I will preserve them"; as if to say, I will cherish at least some spark of that happiness which it still possesses, so that My fury may not drip upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak; that is, I shall reserve the punishment for later times, and for the present will impose upon them only a yoke of servitude, so that they may learn from the comparison itself how light and good My yoke is, and how hard and heavy is that of men. B
CHAPTER XIII
VERS. 5. *Was it not your duty to know?* As if to say: It was not right for you to be unaware that the kingdom of David was established under divine auspices, and, according to the divine promise, was not to have an end. What madness is it, then, to defect from it to tyranny?
Furthermore, by the term "salt," he denotes the eternity and also the stability of his kingdom, just as is evident from the custom of the Barbarians, who seal covenants with a salt-convivium. C
VERS. 9. *As the peoples of the lands.* That is, just as the remaining nations. For it is fitting to designate false priests for false gods.
CHAPTER XIV
VERS. 3. *And the high places, etc.* These, I say, which were raised up against the law of God on the hills of the mountains.
VERS. 14. *And they overthrew all the cities around Gerar.* Gerar is a city of Palestine, from which the Geraritic woodland near Eleutheropolis takes its name, where foreign Ethiopians dwell, and certain others called the Amazonim, whom, further on in the discourses of the prophet Hanani, he will call Libyans. D
CHAPTER XV
VERS. 5. *And in that time there shall be no peace for him that goeth out.* He predicts the coming of the Assyrians.
VERS. 17. *But the high places he did not remove.* These, I say, of which we spoke before, that had been raised up against the law of God.
CHAPTER XVI
VERS. 7. *Therefore the army of the king of Israel escaped unharmed.*
For if you had trusted, he says, you would have utterly destroyed them all.
CHAPTER XVII.
A Vers. 3. *Quoniam incessit in vestigiis David patris sui prioribus.* That is, at the beginning he emulated the virtue of David. Vers. 6. *Exaltatum est cor ejus.* He attributes this to him as praise, for he added, "in the ways of the Lord." Furthermore, when men are said to have offered gifts to the Lord of their own accord, it is to be understood that they had offered not a sacrifice for sins, but spontaneous gifts to God.
CAP. XIX.
Vers. 3. *Verumtamen res bonæ inventæ sunt in te.* This passage indicates that virtues practiced beforehand diminish the merited punishments for sins; for he sets these against one another in turn. Moreover, he teaches that every association and affinity with the impious is to be far fled. But after the king had been rebuked and sufficiently convicted of his error, he applied diligent effort both to promoting piety and to setting all things in their proper order. He therefore appointed judges in all the cities, to whom he also gave frequent warnings regarding their duty, and he set over them Amariah the priest, through whom they might be instructed in doubtful and uncertain matters by the verdict of the Lord; and also Sabadiah, who would refer their findings to the king; and finally, he also called the Levites to the teaching of the law, and its teachers its scribes. B Vers. 11. *Eritque Dominus cum eo qui bene egerit.* He did not simply say, "with you."
CAP. XX.
Vers. 7. *Dedistique eam semini Abrahæ amici tui perpetuo.* He makes mention of his ancestors so that, on account of the promise made to them, he might obtain aid. Vers. 12. *Deus noster, an non judicabis eos?* By this form of questioning, he confesses his own weakness. C Vers. 15. *Audite, omnis Juda, et habitatores Jerusalem, et tu rex Josephat.* For the sake of honor, he names the king separately. By "inhabitants," he understands those who were from other tribes. Vers. 21. *Collocavit psalmistas.* He places the Levites, and those who would praise, at the head of the army, not soldiers in armor. D Vers. 36. *In Gezion Gaber.* It lies adjacent to the Indian Sea and is called Berenice. Vers. 37. *Eo quod societatem iniisti cum Ochosia.* Behold truly the outcome of that wicked affinity. For Ioram, the son of this man, followed the impiety of his father-in-law, Achab, and killed all his brothers and committed other such things, as the Scripture testifies.
CAP. XXI.
Vers. 7. *Propter fœdus, quod inierat cum Davide.* So greatly does the piety of ancestors profit.
VARIE LECTIONES. * *Esthse psalthodous*. The Lavater codex confuses the words of Procopius here with the text. Our own distinguishes them correctly.
VERS. 12. *Venit autem ad eum scriptum ab Elia.* He did not come to him in person, but made it known by letter.
*Eo quod non incessisti in vestigiis Josaphat patris tui, et Asæ regis Juda.* Thus they were not entirely reprobate.
VERS. 16. *Et confines Aethiopum.* Proceeding further, he calls them the Amazoneim.
CAP. XXIV
VERS. 22. *Videat Dominus, et judicet.* Nor was he mistaken in his request, for after a year had passed they were delivered to the Syrians.
VERS. 25. *In sanguine Jodae sacerdotis.* For God said to Noah: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God I made man." A Yet they did not slay him out of divine zeal, but as insane murderers, and for this reason Amazias killed them as well.
CAP. XXV
VERS. 7. *Ne proficiscatur tecum potentia Israelis.* Because of their impiety.
CAP. XXVI
VERS. 5. *In diebus Zachariae, sacerdotis Dei.* It is clear that there were many Zacharias: this one, and another, the son of Jodae, whom Joas killed. But regarding the present one who lived under Ozias, Isaias seems to speak in the words of the Lord: "Take for me faithful men as witnesses, Uriah the priest, and Zacharias the son of Barachias." For it is written beforehand that this vision occurred under Ozias, at which time Isaias also lived.
VERS. 7. *Arabes habitantes in Petra.* He refers to the city called by that name as Petra.
VERS. 16. *Elatum est cor ejus, etc.* Because he usurped the prerogative of the priests, he deserved to hear his father David, who says, "Do not destroy unto the end," B and thus he became leprous and perished first. The same thing happened to Adam; for, wishing to be God, he also lost the image of God that had been imprinted upon him. Thus that king was confined to his house, unable even to act as king or render judgment anymore, for he wished to perform sacred rites.
CHAPTER XXVIII
VERS. 17. *Quod denudaverat Judam.* That is, he had taught him what was not at all fitting—namely, the foreign religion and impiety of strange nations.
CAP. XXIX
VERS. 24. *Toti Israeli offendiculo fuerunt.* Not only to the two tribes.
VERS. 25. *Per manum prophetarum.* Therefore David was also a prophet. For having named David, Gad, and Nathan separately, he attached the common name of "prophets" to all of them.
VERS. 30. *Juxta verba David, et Asaph prophetae.* Therefore Asaph is also a part of the psalms. C D
And their brethren the Levites helped them. The priests were few, as were the consecrated [men], so that they could not suffice for the priestly ministry. Hence the Levites, having first been sanctified, brought supplies to the priests, which is what we see even now. For when a presbyter is not immediately available, and the need demands it, a deacon is compelled to administer baptism.
Now further on, he says how, a large crowd having gathered, the Levites were forced to perform the sacrifices, as the priests were by no means sufficient. But because the multitude of the Israelite assembly had overwhelmed them before they could prepare themselves for the sacrifices, they did not fear to eat the Passover, and they obtained forgiveness for the transgression on account of the king's proven piety. B
CHAPTER XXXII.
VERS. 7. After these deeds, and that faith, Sennacherib came. He teaches now with what various evils God tests His worshipers when they are surrounded, and how He finally delivers those who have been tested; also how, after putting all other things behind, a solid confidence should be placed in God, while meanwhile all efforts and strengths are nonetheless to be applied. Just as Hezekiah prepared for war, and after performing all things properly, he says, "With them are arms of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God," by which words he indicates that the powers of God are unbroken, while those of men are fleeting and unstable. Yet, because he was elated by the victory, he was humbled, according to that saying, "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled." Nevertheless, because of his piety, he did not become an eye-witness of the painful [events], having died before the enemies arrived. The Scripture indeed indicates that, upon a diligent examination of the sun, the king of the Babylonians sent envoys to him and consulted him about the portent that had occurred on the earth.
Gihon. He calls Siloam thus.
VERS. 31. God left him, to test him. We are taught by this example that it is most safe to glory in the Lord. For it was fitting for him to commemorate the glory of the divine majesty rather than fleeting and uncertain wealth. And that whatever was in his heart might be made known. This is, He wished to reveal his thoughts to others. For He alone knows the hearts of men. D
CHAPTER XXXIII.
VERS. 13. [Then] Manasseh came to know that the Lord Himself is God. So fruitful is discipline for those who accommodate themselves to it; and nothing is so wild that it cannot soften, if only it lends a patient ear to cultivation.
VERS. 17. Nevertheless, the people still offered sacrifice on the high places. That they sacrificed to the Lord on the high places, the following prayer indicates: "Yet in vain to their God."
Chapter XXXIV.
In Mosana. Symmachus, in the tradition of the elders.
A CAP. XXXV. To place the holy ark in the House of the Lord. And yet it had been deposited there for a long time. It seems, therefore, that either the Assyrian, having taken the city under Manasseh, brought the ark out from within, or one of the impious kings.
Cheresim. It seems to be a type of divination. For it is joined with ventriloquists, and with those who have knowledge, and with the Theraphim.
And Jeremiah lamented over Josiah. Such was the virtue of the man, that he even gave the lamentation to the singers, and to the [female] singers, so that they might sing it every year, performing the remembrance. The prophet Jeremiah taught the matters concerning the rest of the kings at greater length. But that the present work was collected long after from the prophetic books is clear from the fact that it makes mention of Cyrus and the return of the captives, which happened long after those times.
MONITUM TO THE COMMENTARIES ON PROVERBS AND THE SONG OF SONGS
(Ang. Mai, Class. Auct. t. IX, v.)The style of Procopius of Gaza, the rhetorician, famous during the reign of Justinian, his Christian piety, and his exegetical power, which is not common, have so long delighted me that whatever I have found written by him in ancient copies, I have always judged most worthy of the honor of being in print. Thus, besides those things which I have edited in previous volumes, I have not hesitated now to publish his most beautiful and most Christian commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon, which I rightly remembered having seen preserved in a Vatican codex and emended by the hand of the Greek man Matthaeus Devarius, and which I dedicated to the enrichment of this collection. The method of interpretation that Procopius follows is moral and mystical, such as the Fathers of the Church have always loved from apostolic times onwards; on which pious subject Nicolaus Antonellus has argued excellently, above others, in his preface to the commentary of St. Athanasius on the Psalms. In reality, this is the principal fruit of the Holy Scriptures, which raw grammar alone never produces.
And in this commentary on Proverbs, Procopius speaks with his own voice and genius. But another study written under the name of the same Procopius also came to my attention in the Vatican codices, namely a Catena of the ancient Fathers on the Song of Songs, which he himself wove together with a wise selection, while retaining the speech and names of the individual authors. Although we read some of these in their own published works, not without much variety, others—and indeed illustrious and rich ones—are missing from printed books. And indeed, from the hexaplar text of the great Origen, we acquire new variants of ancient editions. Therefore, I thought it useful to set forth these precious relics of the Fathers in the sight of the Church, and to rouse the serious and excellent interpreters of the divine Song; the genuine and sole meaning of which is expressed entirely in these words of Gregory of Nyssa: "it guides the soul." Under the guise of an epithalamium, the author describes the conjunction of the human soul with God. Nilus also elegantly and truly likens the Song of Solomon to a most adorned matron, whose womanly attire perhaps strikes the imprudent spectators, yet whose character, known by familiar association, and whose modesty hiding in her heart, demonstrate that the nature of the thing is far otherwise. This is the Christian meaning of the divine book; which the wise men of the Jews also undoubtedly acknowledge, especially under the guidance of Eben-Esra. But those who, especially among the more recent authors, think otherwise, these are partly led astray by vain curiosity and wander, and partly, subverted by impiety, rush headlong.