DUBIA AUT SPURIA. OF OUR HOLY FATHER EPIPHANIUS, BISHOP OF CYPRUS, CONCERNING THE PROPHETS, HOW THEY FELL ASLEEP AND WHERE THEY LIE.
A I. The life of the prophet Nathan, and where he lies. Nathan the prophet lived in the days of David, of the tribe of Thoc. He was from the town of Gabath; and he is the one who instructed David in the law of the Lord. And Nathan knew that King David had transgressed in Bersabee, but as he was hastening from Gabath to Jerusalem to prevent David from this iniquity, Belial hindered him, for he found a dead man lying naked in the road, and he stayed there for the sake of burying him, so that he might not be mangled by wild beasts. On that very night he learned that David had committed the sin, and he returned sorrowfully to Gabath. And when David had slain Uriah the husband of Bersabee, God sent Nathan, and he rebuked David concerning his sin. And David feared the Lord, because he was reproved for what he had done. And David knew that the holy Spirit of God was upon Nathan the prophet, and he honored him as a holy man of God. And he died in extreme old age, and was buried in Gabath, in his own land.
B II. The life of the prophet Achias, and where he lies. Achias the Selonite was from Selom, of the tribe of Judah, where the tabernacle of the ark once stood, from the city of Arimathem of Eli the priest. This prophet said concerning Solomon, the son of David, that he would offend God. This man also rebuked Jeroboam, saying that if he should reign, he would walk fraudulently with the Lord; for he saw a vision of a pair of oxen trampling the people and rushing against the priests. And he said to Solomon that women would lead him away from the Lord. And he said to Jeroboam, "By your two calves you will offend the Lord, and your lineage shall be given into slavery." Finally, Achias died and is buried near the oak which is in Selom.
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DUBIOUS OR SPURIOUS WORKS.
The life of the prophet Joam, and where he lies.
III. The prophet Joam was born in Samaria. This is he whom the lion struck on the way and who died when he rebuked Jeroboam concerning the golden calves which he had made, and detested his sacrifices. Jeroboam stretched out his hand to do him harm, but his hand withered. After these things, he was deceived by a pseudoprophet and compelled to eat bread and drink water. As he was leaving, a lion struck him, but it did not harm his donkey. He was buried in Bethel near the pseudoprophet. Later, when the pseudoprophet was dying, he exacted an oath from the priests, saying: "Bury me near the prophet Joam, because I deceived him, and in the resurrection we shall settle our accounts." Both, therefore, lie in one tomb. B
The life of the prophet Azarias, and where he lies.
IV. The prophet Azarias. He was from Symbatha. This is he who brought back the captives of the tribe of Judah to Jerusalem through his prayers. Having prophesied much concerning the coming of the Lord, he rested in his own country.
The life of the prophet Elias, and where he lies.
V. Elias the prophet. He was from Thesbis, from the land of the Arabs, of the tribe of Aaron, a Levite, having his dwelling in the Galaadite territory, for Thesbis was a habitation designated for the priests. And when his mother brought him forth, Sobac his father saw a vision: that men in white raiment greeted him, and that they wrapped him in fire instead of swaddling clothes, and gave him a flame of fire to eat. And he went to Jerusalem and reported it to the priests, and he received this oracle: "Do not fear. For the child's dwelling shall be light, and his word shall be a decree; and he shall judge Israel with a sword and fire." This is Elias, who brought down fire from heaven three times; C who held back rain by his own tongue; who raised the dead; and who was taken up into heaven in a whirlwind of fire.
The life of the prophet Elisæus, and where he lies.
VI. The prophet Elisæus. He was from Abelmuthe, which is a town of the Reubenite tribe. When he came into the light, a prodigy of this kind occurred: for the golden heifer which was in Galgala or in Silo bellowed with so sharp and sonorous a voice that it was heard even in Jerusalem. Then the priest consulted the stones of the breastplate and said: "It is clear from this that a prophet is born today who shall pull down the carved images and shatter the molten ones." D Much regarding the consummation remains, as God says through Malachi: "Behold, I will send you Elias the Thesbite, before the great and manifest day of the Lord comes, who shall restore the heart of the father to the son and the heart of a man to his neighbor, lest I come and strike the earth utterly." Elisæus was his disciple. For the Spirit that had rested upon him became twofold in
A wonders done through him, and at his death, he was buried in Samaria, in Sebaste. He prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord, and he healed the waters of Jericho, which were barren and salt, saying, "Thus says the Lord: I have healed these waters," and they were healed until this day. And he raised the dead, and cleansed Naaman the Syrian who was a leper of his leprosy, and he made Giezi his servant a leper, and being dead, he raised the dead.
The Life of the Prophet Isaias, and where he lies.
VII. Isaias the prophet, the son of Amos, was from Jerusalem, of the tribe of Juda. He was killed by Manasseh the king of Juda, being sawn in two, B and he was laid beneath the oak of Rogel, near the passage of the waters which Ezechias the king diverted by filling them in. But God brought forth the fountain of Siloam for the sake of the prophet, because just before his death, his soul already failing, he had prayed to drink water, and it was immediately sent forth to him. For this reason its name was called Siloam, which is interpreted "sent." And in the time of King Ezechias, before he had built the cisterns and pools, at the prayer of the prophet Isaias, a little water broke forth, because the people were surrounded by foreigners, and that the city might not perish through having no water. For the enemies were asking, "Where do they drink?" C For they did not know; and having surrounded the city, they were keeping watch at Siloam. Therefore, when the Jews came to draw, the water would rise and provide an abundance for watering, but the foreigners, as it withdrew itself, were unable to find any. Wherefore, even to this day, it suddenly bursts forth, that the mystery may be demonstrated. And because this came to pass through Isaias, for the sake of memory, the people buried him diligently and honorably nearby, that through his prayers D they might obtain the enjoyment of the water until the end; for an oracle had been given to them concerning him. Now the tomb of the prophet Isaias is next to the tomb of the kings, behind the tomb of the priests, towards the south. For Salomon, in building Jerusalem, made tombs for the kings, according to the description of David. And the place is to the east of Sion, which has an entrance from Gabaoth, twenty stadia distant from the city. And he made a complicated structure, unimaginable; and it remains unknown to most people to this day.
The Life of the Prophet Jeremiah, and Where He Lies
A VIII. The native land of the prophet Jeremiah was Anathoth; but he died in the city of Taphnis in Egypt, having been stoned by the people. He lies in the place where Pharaoh once had his residence, for the Egyptians honored him greatly, having received a benefit from him. For when asps and aquatic beasts—which the Egyptians call *nephoth* and the Greeks call crocodiles—were bringing destruction upon them, at the prayer of the prophet Jeremiah, the fury and rage of the asps on land, as well as the ambush of the beasts in the river, were suppressed. Hence, to this day, the faithful who are there are accustomed to pray in that same place; and by taking dust, they heal the bites of asps and put the beasts themselves to flight.
This prophet gave a sign to the priests of Egypt, saying that all their idols must be shaken and all things fashioned by hand must fall when a virgin bearing a child of divine form shall set foot in Egypt. And it came to pass for them. [Therefore, even now they honor a virgin who has given birth, and they worship the infant laid in a manger; and to King Ptolemy, who inquired about the reason, they said: "It is a mystery that we have received from our ancestors, which was delivered to them by the holy prophet, and we await the end of this mystery."]
This prophet, before the destruction of the Temple, snatched away the Ark of the Law and all things contained therein, and caused them to be swallowed up in a rock, and said to the priests of the people and the elders who were standing by: "The Lord has departed from Sinai into the heavens, and thence he shall return in holy power. And this shall be the sign of his coming, when all nations shall worship wood." Then he added: "No one of the priests or prophets shall open this Ark, except the elect of God, Moses; and no one shall unfold the tablets that are in it, except Aaron. And at the resurrection, the Ark shall arise first of all and shall come forth from the rock, and shall be placed on Mount Sinai; and all the saints shall be gathered unto it there, awaiting the Lord, and fleeing the enemy who wishes to slay them." C And he sealed the rock with his finger, [inscribing] the name of the Lord, and the impression remained as if carved by iron; and a cloud covered the rock, and no one knows that place, [nor could they even read the name, up to this day, and] until the consummation of this age. And the stone is situated in that wilderness where the Ark was first fashioned, between the two mountains in which lie Moses and Aaron. D In the nights, moreover, a cloud as of fire occurs in that place, according to the pattern of ancient times, so that it may be signified that the glory of God will never depart from His Law.
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The Life of the Prophet Ezekiel, and where he lies
IX. Ezekiel the prophet, the son of Buzi, of the land of Sarira, born of the priestly line and the tribe of Levi, died in the land of the Chaldeans during the captivity, having prophesied much concerning the conversion of the people, the return of the sons of Israel, and the coming of the Lord. The leader of the people killed him in his settlement in Babylon, because he was reproved by him regarding his worship of idols. They buried him in the field of Maur, in the tomb of Shem and Arphaxad, the ancestors of Abraham; and to this day that sepulcher is visited as a double cave. For Abraham, according to its likeness, built the sepulcher of his wife Sarah in Hebron. It is called double because it is both excavated and hidden from the level ground, and a chamber is suspended in the rock above the earth.
Moreover, that same prophet gave a sign to the people, commanding them to observe the river Chobar; for when its water failed, they were to expect that the sickle of desolation would reach to the ends of the earth, and when its water flooded, it signified their return to Jerusalem; which, indeed, happened just as he had predicted. B The holy man lies in the land of the Syrians, and many used to gather at his tomb for prayer and supplication. And once, when a multitude of Jews had assembled there for his commemoration, the Chaldeans, fearing that they might revolt, intended to attack them and kill them. But the prophet caused the water of the river to stand still, that the sons of Israel might escape by passing to the other side. But those who dared to pursue the people were submerged behind them. This prophet, through prayer, automatically provided them with an abundant supply of fish, for they were perishing with hunger; and being nourished by the multitude of the fish, he interceded with God to grant life to many who were failing. C This prophet, while the people were being destroyed by their enemies, stood before their leaders and troubled them with wonders, and the enemies, becoming afraid, ceased. At that time Ezekiel said to the people, "We are distraught; our hope is lost." But by the wonder of the bones of the dead, he persuaded them that there is hope for Israel, both here and in the age to come.
Being there in the land of the Chaldeans, he interpreted to the people everything that was happening in Jerusalem and in the temple. This prophet was snatched from the land of the Chaldeans and carried to Jerusalem, to the conviction of the unbelievers. D This Ezekiel saw, according to Moses, the place of the Lord's temple and the wide wall, just as Daniel also said that it would be built. In Babylon, he judged the tribe of Dan and Gad, because they were acting impiously toward the Lord and persecuting those who kept the law, and he wrought a great wonder upon them, for snakes were devouring their infants and all their cattle. Furthermore, he foretold that because of them, the people would not return to Jerusalem, but would remain in Media until the end of their error. And from them was the one who killed...
A him; for he opposed him until the day of his death.
The Life of the Prophet Daniel, and where he lies
X. The prophet Daniel derived his origin from the tribe of Judah, from that family which held a leading place in the royal service, but while still an infant he was transported to Babylon from Judea. He was born in Upper Bethabara, not far from Jerusalem. He was a man so temperate that he seemed to the Jews to be a eunuch. He mourned greatly for Jerusalem, and, persevering in fasts, abstained from all delightful foods. His bodily constitution was dry and gaunt, but by the grace of God beauty and grace were added to him. He prayed vehemently for Nabuchodonosor, lest he perish utterly, when he was turned into a beast and a brute animal. For his front parts were like an ox, along with its head, and his hind parts with his feet were like a lion. For such are the morals of princes in their youth: as oxen having shaken off the yoke, they belong to Belial, stirred by the lusts of pleasures, but finally changed into beasts they begin to seize, destroy, and strike. This, therefore, the holy Daniel knew, that he fed on hay like an ox, and that an animal diet fell to his lot rather than human food. Wherefore Nabuchodonosor, having experienced such a calamity and having recovered his human consciousness, B began to weep and to pray to God for forty days and nights: to God, I say, Beemon, that is, the God of Israel. For a Satanic spirit was overwhelming him, and he did not know that he had been a man; his tongue was bound so that he could not break forth into speech, and the voice of a beast was given to him, and his eyes C were like flesh from so much weeping. And many princes and citizens going out of the city used to look at him. But Daniel alone did not wish to see him, for during all the time of his transformation, he was in prayer for him, and he said that he would again become a man and would regain his kingdom; but they disbelieved him. The seven years which Daniel called seven times, he obtained by his prayers that they should be contracted into as many monthly periods. Therefore, the mystery of the seven times was completed in him: which the mediator restored in seven. So, for six years and as many months, he kept prostrating himself to the Lord God, and confessed his impiety. And after the forgiveness of his transgression, God restored the kingdom to him. And he tasted neither meat nor drank wine, confessing to God, because Daniel had commanded him to appease the Lord by using green or soaked legumes. For this reason also, Nabuchodonosor gave Daniel the name Baltasar, by which name his only son was called. Moreover, when he wished to institute him as heir with equal right to his children, the holy man refused, D saying, "God be merciful to me, that I should not abandon the patrimony of my fathers and attach myself to the inheritance of the uncircumcised." Furthermore, under the kings of the Persians, he performed many wonders, which we have not written in this book; but they are written in the book of Daniel. This prophet showed a sign in the high mountains of Babylon, saying, that "When you see the smoke..."
coming from the mountain in the north, the end of Babylon will come; but when you see it burning as with fire, the end of the whole earth will come. But if water flows from the mountain in the south, the people will return to their own land, and Jerusalem will be built up, wide and spacious," even as it came to pass through Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel. But if the mountain flows with blood, a slaughter of Belial is portended over the whole earth, and the Lord will descend to earth having assumed the nature of man. There, then, the holy Daniel fell asleep in Babylon in peace, and was buried in the royal cave gloriously; and his tomb is known to all in Babylon until the present day.
The Life of the Prophet Hosea, and where he lies. B XI. Hosea the prophet was the son of Beeri. He was born in Belemoth in the tribe of Issachar. He gave a sign that the Lord would come down from heaven to the earth, and this was the sign of His coming: "When the oak that is in Silo is divided of its own accord into twelve parts, and there shall be twelve oaks." And so it came to pass. And having prophesied much concerning the whoredom of his people, he died in peace, and was buried in his own land.
The Life of the Prophet Amos, and where he lies. C XII. Amos the prophet. He was born in Tekoa in the land of Zebulun; and he was the father of Isaiah the prophet. Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, having frequently scourged him, used to revile him through plots. And in the end, the son of Amaziah killed him, striking him upon the temple with a club, because he had reproved him regarding the plot of the two golden calves.
D (36) We have appended the life of Daniel from the Augustan codex, for it differs in many respects from the common one. Daniel was in Beth-horon in the upper part of the tribe of Judah, of the most distinguished lineage of the royal administration, and while still a child he went away to the land of the Chaldeans. He was a man of such temperance that the Jews thought he was a eunuch. He mourned much for the city, and practiced abstinence in fasts from all desirable food, and he prayed much for Nebuchadnezzar, while Belshazzar was entreating him for his son, that he might not perish, because he had become a beast and cattle. For his foreparts were as an ox, with the head, and his feet and hindparts as a lion. And it was revealed to the holy man concerning this mystery, that he became a beast because of his love of pleasure and stubbornness, and cattle because he was under the yoke of Belial, and was obedient, and like an ox he ate grass; but human food was provided for him; and his tongue was restrained from speaking, and he immediately wept, and entreated God according to his mind every day and hour; and his eyes became fleshy as if from many tears. And many of the city saw him and were astonished; but Daniel alone did not wish to see him, but all the time of his transformation he was in prayer for him, entreating God. For he said that he would again become a man, and they disbelieved him. But Daniel, regarding the seven years, said he had ordained seven months to pass. The mystery of the seven years was fulfilled upon him after the remission of his sin. And he ate neither bread, nor meat, nor drank wine, confessing to God, because Daniel had commanded him to appease God with soaked legumes and herbs of the field. For this reason Belshazzar called him, because he wished to make him a co-heir of his children. But the holy man said, "Far be it from me to forsake the inheritance of my fathers, and to be joined to the inheritance of the uncircumcised." And he performed many wonders for the kings of the Persians who came after, which are not written. But for the second time he was cast into the den of lions for the sake of piety and the love of God. For the first time, because the Babylonians were praying to Darius the king, he alone prayed to God; the second time, because he destroyed Bel and killed the dragon in the time of Cyrus the king. And he himself was saved, and came up from the den unharmed by the lions; but those who plotted against him were cast into the den of lions, and were immediately devoured by them. And after these things, having grown old, and having died in peace, he was buried there in the royal cave alone in glory. And he gave a sign in the mountains above Babylon, saying: "When that from the north shall be smoked, the end of Babylon shall come; when it burns as with fire, it is the end of the whole earth. If those in the southern mountain flow with water, the people shall return to their land; and if they flow with blood, there shall be a slaughter of Belial in all the earth."
He returned to his own land, A and died, and was buried there with his fathers.
The life of the prophet Micah, and where he lies
XIII. The prophet Micah. (58) He was born in Morathi, of the tribe of Ephraim. He did many things against Ahab, king of Judah; but B he was slain by Joram, his son, by being cast down a precipice, because he reproved him for his impiety and for the wicked deeds of his fathers, which he had committed. And having died, he was buried in Morathi in his own land, quite alone, near the tomb of Anakim. And his tomb is well-known to this day.
The life of the prophet Joel, and where he lies
XIV. The prophet Joel, son of Pethuel. He was from the field of Bethom (40) in the land of Reuben; and he prophesied much concerning Jerusalem and the end of the nations. And he died in peace, and was buried in his own land with honor.
The life of the prophet Obadiah, and where he lies
XV. The prophet Obadiah. He was from Shechem, from the field of Bethachamar. This is the third captain of fifty, whom Elijah the Tishbite spared, and he went down and came to the king. After this, renouncing his royal service, he attached himself to the prophet Elijah and became his disciple, and C enduring many things, he was saved through him. And having died, he was buried in the field of Bethachamar with his fathers.
The life of the prophet Jonah, and where he lies
XVI. The prophet Jonah, son of Amittai. He was from the land of Kiriath-jearim (42) near the city of Azotus of the Gentiles, by the sea. At that time, while the prophet Elijah was rebuking Ahab, king of Samaria, and having called a great famine upon the land, he fled into the desert, and was fed by the ravens, and drank water from the torrent. And because the torrent dried up, he hungered and came to Sarepta of Sidon, to a poor widow woman who was the mother of Jonah. And he entered into her house, and she did for him as he had commanded her, and he ate, and blessed her with corn and oil, and remained with her; for he could not remain with the uncircumcised. And when her son Jonah died, God raised him up through Elijah, and restored him alive to his mother because of her hospitality. And when Jonah reached D manhood, he was sent to Nineveh to the Assyrians, and Jonah sought to flee from the Lord, and was swallowed by the whale, wishing to travel to Tarshish. But having come out of the whale, he preached to the city of Nineveh, and the Ninevites repented to God, and He had mercy. And Jonah was grieved, and having returned, he did not remain in his own land, but taking his mother with him, he settled in Sur, the region of the foreigners. For he said that thus
I shall wipe away the reproach, because I lied when I prophesied against Nineveh. And having lived in the land of Saar, he died there and was buried in the cave of the judge Cenezaeus. A This prophet also foretold, when many nations were seen in Jerusalem, that the city would be utterly destroyed by western nations.
The life of the prophet Nahum, and where he lies.
XVII. The prophet Nahum was from Elkesi beyond the Jordan, in Begabar, of the tribe of Simeon. After Jonah, he gave a sign regarding Nineveh, that it would perish by sweet waters and by earthly fire; and this came to pass. For the lake enclosing it submerged it during an earthquake, and fire coming from the desert burned all its higher parts. B And Nahum died in peace, and was buried in his own land, Begabar.
The life of the prophet Habakkuk, and where he lies.
XVIII. The prophet Habakkuk was from the field of Bethsocher, of the tribe of Simeon. He saw, before the captivity, the destruction of Jerusalem, and he mourned greatly for the city and the people. And when Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem to destroy it, he fled to Ostracine, and was there an alien in the land of Ishmael. But when the Chaldeans returned from Jerusalem to their own land, having taken it as spoil, and those who remained in Jerusalem had fled to Egypt, he himself went up to his own land, and served the reapers C of his field (for he was sowing barley), and prepared food for them. And he prophesied to his own people, saying: "I am going to a far country, and shall return quickly. But if I should be delayed, carry food to the reapers." And having been in Babylon, and having given the lunch to Daniel in the lions' den, he returned and stood by the reapers as they were eating, and told no one what had happened. But the prophet understood that the people would soon return from Babylon to Jerusalem. And he gave a sign to those in Judea, that they would see D in the temple a great light shining forth, and thus they would see the glory of God. And regarding the end of the temple, he foretold that the sacking of the temple of Jerusalem would be by a western nation. Then the veil of the temple shall be rent in two parts, and the capitals of the two pillars shall be removed, and no one shall know where they will be. But they shall be carried by angels into the desert, to the place where the tent of the testimony was recently pitched, and in them the Lord shall be known at the end, because they shall enlighten those pursued by the serpent, just as in the beginning, and the Lord shall save them from the shadow of death, and they shall be in the holy tent. This prophet prophesied many things concerning the coming of the Lord; and two years before the return of the people from Babylon...
he died and was buried in his own field with honor.
The Life of the Prophet Zephaniah, and Where He Lies
XIX. Zephaniah, son of Cushi, the prophet. He was of the tribe of Simeon, from the mountain of Sarabatha A, and he prophesied concerning the city of Jerusalem, that it would be rebuilt better in length and breadth; and concerning the end of the nations, and the shame of the ungodly, and concerning the coming of the Lord. He died by the revelation of the Lord, and was buried in his own field, all alone.The Life of the Prophet Haggai, and Where He Lies
XX. Haggai the prophet, while yet a young man, returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, and plainly prophesied concerning the return of the people, and he foresaw the rebuilding of the temple of Jerusalem; and he was the first there to sing "Alleluia," which is interpreted: "Let us praise the living God"; "Amen," which is, "So be it, so be it." Therefore he died there, and was buried B near the priests with honor. Hence we use "Alleluia" today, which is the hymn of Haggai and Zechariah.The Life of the Prophet Zechariah, and Where He Lies
XXI. Zechariah the prophet. He was the son of Berechiah. He came from the land of the Chaldeans already advanced in years, and being there he prophesied many things to the people, and gave many signs as proof. He said to Josedech that a son would be born to him, and he would serve as priest to the Lord in Jerusalem. He also blessed Salathiel concerning his son, foretelling that he would beget a son whom he would name Zerubbabel C; and under Cyrus, the king of the Persians, he gave a sign for victory concerning Croesus, the king of the Lydians, and concerning Astyages, the king of the Medes; and he prophesied concerning the ministry which Cyrus would perform for Jerusalem, and he blessed him greatly. As for the matters of his prophecy in Jerusalem, he set forth things concerning the end of the nations, and concerning the rebuilding of the temple of Jerusalem, and the cessation of the prophets, and the double judgment of the priests. He died in Judea at a great age, and was buried D near Haggai and the priests. King Joash of Judah killed him between the temple and the altar after he had exhorted both him and the people to refrain from ungodliness and to turn to God. And when the priests had taken him, they buried him with his father. And from that time many phantasmal signs occurred in the temple, and the priests were unable to see the vision of the angels of God, nor to give oracles from the Dabir, nor to answer the people through the ephod, as before.The Life of the Prophet Malachi, and Where He Lies
XXII. Malachi the prophet was of the tribe of Zebulun. He was born in Sopha in the land of Zebulun after the return of the people from Babylon.and while yet a youth he was commended for his integrity of life. He prophesied much concerning the coming of the Lord and the judgment of the dead, A that the customs of Moses would be fulfilled and changed. And because all the people honored him as holy and gentle, they called him Malachi, which is interpreted "angel," for he was very comely in appearance. Furthermore, whatever he spoke in prophecy, on that very day an angel appearing would confirm his prophecy by interpretation, just as happened in the days of the interregnum, as is written in *Schophetim*, that is, in the Book of Judges. The prophet died while still a youth and was gathered to his fathers in his own field.