title: Adnotationes in libros Regum

author: Hugh of Saint Victor

source_edition: Migne, Patrologia Latina, vol. 175, coll. 95D–114B

source_text:
## Adnotationes in libros Regum

[0095D]Liber Regum apud nos quatuor distinctionibus clauditur, quarum duae priores apud Hebraeos liber Samuelis dicuntur; duae sequentes Malachim Ramatham, sicut in Hebraeo, vel ut quidam Arimathaim, unde Arimathia in Evangelio.

## ADNOTATIUNCULAE IN REGUM PRIMUM.

*[n: (I REG. II.)] Donec sterilis peperit plurimos,* id est septem. Post Samuelem enim tres filios et tres filias [ *littera habet* duas]: itaque septem. Addunt de uno filiorum septimum natum; qui est et ejus, ut sint septem. *Videbis aemulum tuum in templo in universis prosperis Israel.* Videbis in filiis tuis: ipsi enim videbunt post te.

*[n: (I REG. III.)] Heli jacebat in lectulo suo, et oculi ejus caligaverant nec poterat videre,* hic distingue. Postea sequitur, *et lucerna Dei exstingueretur. Samuel [0096D] autem dormiebat in templo Domini,* ubi *erat arca Dei, et vocavit Dominus Samuel;* et hoc antequam lucerna Dei exstingueretur, qui Samuel dormiebat in templo Domini. Quod autem dictum est *antequam lucerna exstingueretur,* vocatum a Domino Samuel; vel sic accipiendum est, quasi diceretur nocte vocavit, vel ideo quia ipse Samuel qui nondum cum Deo loqui consueverat, lucerna lucente, nullum alium in templo praeter Heli esse videret. Cumque ipsum Heli nequaquam locutum didicisset, Dei vocem hanc esse non dubitaret.

*[n: (I REG. VI.)] Ab urbe murata usque ad villam, quae erat absque muro.* Quod dicit quinque civitates quinque mures dedisse, et quinque anos aureos, et postea subjungit: *Ab urbe murata usque ad villam quae erat absque muro,* ita intelligendum est, quod [0097A] quinque provinciae quinque mures dederunt, et quinque anos singulae singulos, quos, licet pro dignitate specialiter civitates quasi capita provinciarum dedisse dicuntur, tamen pecunia non solum ab iis qui in civitatibus erant, sed etiam a villis quae erant absque muro: hoc est tam a minimis quam a maximis collecta est, ut sicut periculum erat omnium, ita oblatio esset universorum. Sic igitur omnes dederunt per universam regionem a fine usque ad finem, hoc est quod sequitur: *Et usque ad Abel magnum?* lapidem dicit de quo superius dixerat: *Erat autem ibi lapis magnus, et ceciderunt ligna plaustri: vaccasque imposuerunt super ea.* Hic ergo lapis quasi terminus erat terrae Philisthiim, et Israel usque ad quem Philisthaei arcam Domini prosecuti sunt, ubi, [0097B] et Bethsamitae, arca suscepta, holocausta obtulerunt. Usque ad hunc igitur lapidem omnes tam villae, quae erant absque muro, quam civitates muratae terrae Philisthiim ad debitum munus Domino persolvendum pecuniam et impensam tribuerunt, hoc est quod dicitur: *Usque ad Abel magnum,* usque ad lapidem magnum. Nam, et ipsum nomen lapidem sonat. Abel enim Hebraice *lapis* dicitur, ut proprium nomen ex communi vocabulo derivatum intelligatur. *Super quem lapidem posuerunt arcam Domini* sicut superius dictum est: *Quae arca erat usque in illa die,* quo scilicet percussit Dominus Bethsamitas, in agro Josue. In quo etiam culpa eorum notari potest, quod non eam in domum introduxerunt, sed foris dimiserunt, ubi ab omnibus irreverenter aspiceretur. [0097C] Nam viri Cariathiarim non sic fecerunt postea, propter quod nec percussi sunt illi. *Et percussit de populo septuaginta viros, et quinquaginta millia plebis.* Quidam per septuaginta viros majores et principes populi intelligendos putant. Ut quod sequitur: *Quinquaginta millia plebis,* sic accipiendum sit, quasi in morte horum tantum damnum sit factum, quantum foret si quinquaginta millia de plebe prostrata fuissent. Saed in Hebraeo plebis non habetur. Sic igitur accipiendum supradictum putant: *Percussit de populo septuaginta viros, et quinquaginta millia;* ac si dixisset. Quinquaginta millia et septuaginta percussit de populo, neque hos solum de Bethsamitis, ne forte non de populo, sed ipsum [0097D] populum prostravisse videatur; sed de tota provincia et regione circumjacente civitati Bethsamis. Subdit causam, quare sint percussi, dicens: *Eo quod vidissent arcam Domini;* scilicet non reverenter, neque cum timore, ut tantam rem decebat; sed audacter irruentes respexissent arcam Domini. Dignum quippe fuerat, ut quia Philisthaeos, qui digni non erant arcam Dei retinere, praesumentes pro sua temeritate percussos audierant: ipsi quoque infirmitatis suae memores cum magna reverentia, et timore ad illam respiciendam accederent. Quia igitur pro sua praesumptione percussi sunt: innuit eosdem percussos nominans. Hinc est quod Oza in sequentibus, cum ad eamdem arcam sustentandam manum extenderet, percussus periit, quia inclinato vehiculo, [0098A] et ruinam minitanti auxilium laturus majestatem praesidentis non cogitavit.

*[n: (I REG. VII.)] Et factum est ex qua die mansit arca Domini in Cariathiarim, multiplicati sunt dies (erat quippe jam annus vicesimus).* Ab eo scilicet tempore, quando ingressa est in Cariathiarim usque ad hoc tempus, quando ait Samuel ad universam domum Israel, quod sequitur: *Vocavit nomen illius, lapis adjutorii.* Quod igitur superius Israel juxta lapidem adjutorii castra posuisse dicitur, per anticipationem dictum est, id est in loco ubi postea hic lapis positus est sic appellatus.

*[n: (I REG. IX.)] Ne ascenderet in excelsum.* Post Silo, *ante aedificationem templi excelsa,* id est loca eminentiora, ubi Deo sacrificaretur, non reprehendebantur: [0098B] quae post, loco sacrificandi determinato, illicita facta sunt.

*[n: (I REG. XII.)] Militiae Asor,* id est militiae Jabin regis, *qui habitabat in Asor,* de qua superius in Asoreth gentium.

*[n: (I REG. XIII.)] Filius unius anni erat Saul cum regnare coepisset, et duobus annis regnavit super Israel. Et elegit sibi Saul tria millia de Israel.* Quidam sic exponunt. Ipsi autem Saul, cum regnare coepisset, erat filius unius anni, vel ipse Saul erat filius unius anni, id est innocens, et simplex ut puer unius anni. Et duobus annis regnavit in illa simplicitate, postea mutatus est in pejus. Hebraei dicunt Saul duobus tantum annis regnasse, Samuelem viginti annis judicasse Israel. Secundum hanc existimationem [0098C] sic intelligitur, Saul duobus annis regnavit super Israel, qui cum regnare coepisset, et esset filius unius anni, id est unum annum jam habuisset in regno, fecit quod sequitur: *Elegit sibi tria millia de Israel.* Nam, et David postea secundum eamdem loquendi formam filius triginta annorum dicitur; id est, habens triginta annos cum regnare coepisset. Quod idioma in Hebraeo frequens et usitatum est, ut filius iniquitatis, filius pacis, filius unius anni, filius triginta annorum. *Percussit Jonathas stationem Philisthinorum, quae erat in Gabaa,* id est exercitum eorum, qui in illo loco morabantur. *Quod cum audissent Philisthaei, Saul cecinit buccina.* Saul cum cognovisset Philisthaeos audivisse, quod Jonathas filius ejus stationem eorum percussisset, sciens eos [0098D] in ultionem percussorum adventuros: cecinit buccina in omni terra: dicens, *audiant Hebraei.* Ideo enim buccina cecinit, ut Hebraei audirent percussos Philisthaeos, et animarentur ad praelium. *Quod factum est. Nam universus Israel audivit hujuscemodi famam,* quod scilicet Saul percussit stationem Philisthinorum, fama regi attribuente, quod filius fecerat. Et ideo fiducia accepta, erexit se Israel adversus Philisthiim. *Clamavit ergo populus Israel, currens post Saul, ad praelium in Galgala. Hebraei autem transierunt Jordanem.* Hebraeos hic vocat partem populi, quae trans Jordanem morabatur, id est tribum Ruben et Gad, et dimidiam tribum Manassae. Reliquos Israel: hinc, et Saul buccina cecinit, ut [0099A] remoti famam victoriae audirent; quos, et Hebraeos discrete Scriptura nominat, alludens vocabulo, quia ad auxilium reliquo Israeli venientes frequenter Jordanem transire oportebat, quia Hebraeus *transiens* interpretatur.

*[n: (I REG. XV.)] Porro triumphator in Israel non parcet, nec poenitudine flectetur.* Hebraeus habet sic: Vagham, Neza Izrahelloe Zachir, ; id est, *porro virtus Israel non mentietur.* Hoc vult dicere, quod Deus qui est triumphator in Israel, quia per eum Israel triumphat et vincit; sine virtutis Israel, id est dans virtutem et fortitudinem Israel; ipse non mentietur, ut verbum suum mutet, sicut tu modo verbum ejus cassare conatus es, non faciens quod praecepit. Ipse autem non mentietur, [0099B] sed ad effectum perducet verbum suum, sive non parcet quasi miseratione aliqua mutatus, ut non impleat quod proposuit, sicut tu prius videri voluisti parcens hominibus dignis morte, et mendacem faciens Deum. Nec poenitudine flectetur, ut poeniteat eum proposuisse, et sic flectatur, et non faciat quod facere cogitavit. Neque enim homo est ut agat poenitentiam. Homo enim qui malum velle potest et mutare potest, poenitentiam agere potest.

*[n: (I REG. XVI.)] Nam coram Domino est Christus ejus?* Id est nunquid iste qui tibi nunc praesentatus est, et coram adductus, provisus est a te, ut sit Christus tuus? *Adducit itaque Isai septem filios suos coram Samuele; et ait Samuel ad Isai: Non elegit Dominus ex istis.* Quomodo verum est, quod Isai [0099C] septem filios suos ad Samuelem adduxisse dicitur, et Samuel ex illis adductis nullum electum esse testatur, cum David unus de septem adhuc et adductus non sit, et electus sit? Quapropter sic intelligendum est quod sex adduxit, illo solo excepto quem superesse dixit, et verum est, quod de reliquis nullum elegit Dominus.

*[n: (I REG. XVII.)] David caput Philisthaei attulit in Hierusalem,* hinc apparet jam eo tempore communem fuisse habitationem in Hierusalem, et filiis Israel et Jebuseis: ad quam velut excellentiorem civitatem, ob gloriam triumphi caput Philisthaei David attulit. *De qua stirpe descendit hic adolescens? Responditque Abner,* etc. Quomodo Saul hic David [0099D] ignorat, et progeniem ejus quaerit; cum superius ad Isai patrem ejus misisse legatur, dicens: Mitte ad me David filium tuum, qui est in pascuis. David quoque ad eum venisse, et coram eo stetisse, dilectusque ab eo fuisse, et armiger ejus factus asseratur. Sed notandum quod potentes in quotidiana hominum frequentia positi, non omnes circa se conversantes possunt agnoscere: praecipue eos quos nec dignitas personae commendat, nec diutina conversatio familiares efficit. Quia igitur David puer adhuc et contemptibilis, neque regia familiaritate dignus brevi tempore cum Saule manserat, non mirum est si eumdem modo ad tam egregium opus procedentem diligentius notatum ignorat. Nam quod prius eum ad Isai patrem ejus mittens ex nomine [0100A] vocat; nequaquam notitiae ascribendum est quia eo nomine illum vocat quod ex relatione suggerentium didicit. Non autem ex praecedentis notitia familiaritatis agnovit,

## ADNOTATIUNCULAE IN REGUM PRIMUM. (cont.)

*[n: (I REG. XVIII.)] Posuitque eum Saul super viros belli.* Hoc non amore, sed odio fecisse intelligendus est, ut cupiditate laudis, bellis se ingerens, interiret. Jam enim audierat mulieres canentes: *Percussit Saul mille, et David, decem millia.* Atque hac laude David in iram excitatus mortem ejus meditari coeperat. Ideoque subjungitur: *Porro cum reverteretur percusso Philisthaeo David,* etc. Hoc jam praecesserat, sed narratur praepostere. In duabus rebus gener meus eris. Primum scilicet de Merob promissa et deinde Michol data.

[0100B] *[n: (I REG. XXI.)] Fuerunt vasa puerorum sancta. Porro via haec polluta est, sed, et ipsa hodie sanctificabitur in vasis.* Secundum ritum legis loquitur, secundum quem illicitum erat ut in vasis, in quibus ante communis cibus positus fuisset, sanctificatus postea panis poneretur. Ideo dicit vasa puerorum, id est comitum suorum sancta, quod nihil in eis commune continebatur, quo minus cibum sanctificatum caperent. Porro haec, inquit, via polluta est; id est nos via polluti sumus aliquid videndo forte vel contingendo, propter quod jure secundum legis consuetudinem a contingendis sacris prohiberi deberemus. *Sed et ipsa sanctificabitur in vasis,* id est parcetur nobis de his si qua tetigimus immunda. Parcetur dico propter vasa quae munda portamus.

[0100C] *[n: (I REG. XXVI.)] Si Dominus incitat te adversum me, odoretur sacrificium;* placatur Deus, si ex ira ejus est: aliud consilium non habeo pro parte hac. *Si autem filii hominum hoc faciunt; ipsi maledicti sunt in conspectu Domini, quia injuste agunt qui ejecerunt me,* etc.

*[n: (I REG. XXIV.)] Est apud me multis diebus vel annis.* Superius dictum est quod quatuor tantum mensibus fuit in regione Philisthinorum; nunc autem ac his dici, multis diebus vel annis moratum apud se, quod fortassis idcirco dicitur rectius argumentum fidelitatis ipsius caperent ex temporis prolixitate, ideoque annis adjunxit.

## ADNOTATIUNCULAE IN REGUM SECUNDUM.

[0100D] *[n: (II REG. I.)] Planxit autem David planctum hujuscemodi super Saul et super Jonathan filium ejus; et praecepit, ut docerent filios Juda arcum,* id est artem sagittandi; quoniam Saul, et Jonathas filius ejus sagittis Philisthiim interierant, ut si denuo bellum surgeret, contra adversarios se defendere possent. *Sicut scriptum est in libro justorum.* Quidam librum justorum hunc eumdem librum intelligendum putant, propter Samuelem et David: de quibus principaliter agit. Alii librum justorum, legem Moysi interpretantur, in qua forma justitiae hominibus proponitur. Ex qua conjici putant in nonnullis locis artem sagittandi utilem, sicut fortassis illud in Genesi Jacob dicente quod portionem tulerit de manu Amorrhaei in gladio et arcu. Alii librum justorum non hominum [0101A] interpretantur, sed judiciorum vel praeceptorum. Ac si diceretur in libro juris, ut sit sensus, praecepit ut docerent filios Juda arcum, ut hoc ita quasi pro lege teneretur, et inviolabiliter observaretur, secundum quod scriptum est in libro juris, et praecepto legis editum. *Clypeus fortium,* pluraliter pronuntiandum, quod tamen singulariter exponens adjungit: *Clypeus Saul.* Modus dicendi quando aliquid communiter proponitur, cui singularis executio adjungenda est. Hic fit in rerum exaggeratione, quando quid cum valida intentione narratur. *Abjectus est clypeus fortium, clypeus Saul,* quasi non esset unctus oleo. Quasi hominis vilis, quasi hominis sanctificationem divinam non habentis. Deinde sequitur: *A sanguine interfectorum ab adipe fortium, sagitta Jonathae [0101B] nunquam abiit retrorsum.* Ac si diceret. Non abiit retrorsum sagitta Jonathae in praeliis ut emissa unquam cassa resiliret a sanguine fortium, ab adipe medullatorum; sed fortiter penetravit effundens sanguinem, et perstringens adipem fortium, quos interficiebat. *Jonathas in excelsis tuis, o Israel, interfectus est. Doleo super te, frater mi Jonatha.*

*[n: (II REG. V.)] Dictum David ab eis, id est a Jebusaeis. Non ingredieris huc, nisi abstuleris caecos et claudos.* Caecos, et claudos super muros suos posuerunt, ut dicerent advenienti. *Non ingredieris huc* ad contemptum, scilicet illius quasi tales ad violentiam ejus repellendam sufficerent. Ideoque dixerunt ei: *Non ingredieris huc* nisi istos videlicet caecos et claudos, qui ad resistendum tibi propositi sunt, abstuleris. [0101C] *Proposuerat enim David in die illa praemium,* illi scilicet, *qui percussisset Jebusaeum; et tetigisset domatum fistulas.* Id est fistulas canalium, prominentes per summitatem muri a domatibus, id est tectis domorum ad educendam aquam stillicidiorum. Illi ergo, qui primus usque ad canalia desuper prominentia ascendens urbem ingrederetur, praemium proposuerat David, quod tamen praemium hic non determinat, sed in libro Paralipomenon exponit, scilicet quod ducem exercitus faceret. Unde Joab primus ascendens, princeps militiae factus est. *A mello, et intrinsecus.* Mello locus erat in civitate a quo incipiens aedificare per circuitum, et intrinsecus aedificavit.

[0101D] *[n: (II REG. VII.)] A facie populi tui faceres, scilicet horribilia;* id est, propter populum tuum. Ab eo enim sumpsisti causam faciendi. *Quem redemisti tibi ex Aegypto.* Hic sistendum est; deinde subjunge: *Gentem, et Deum ejus,* subauditur ubi inveniemus talem gentem, et talem Deum ejus, qualis populus tuus Israel, et qualis tu Deus ejus.

*[n: (II REG. XI.)] Sanctificata est ab immunditia sua,* id est lavit se post coitum, vel quia steterunt menstrua ejus propter conceptum.

*[n: (II REG. XIV.)] In me, domine mi rex, iniquitas, et in domo patris mei;* rex autem, et thronus ejus sit innocens. Quasi diceret: Cave ne forte promissio tua inanis sit, quod non convenit tibi, qui rex es et Dominus, ut iniquitas inveniatur in te, sicut, et de [0102A] me et domo patris mei, id est mei similibus. Quanto enim major es, tanto iniquitas tua deformior. *Recordetur rex Domini Dei sui,* id est timeat Dominum Deum suum. *Ut non multiplicentur,* id est, ut non permittat multiplicari et multipliciter insurgere: *proximos sanguinis,* id est, cognatos interfecti ad ulciscendum; et tunc non interficient filium meum. *Loquar ancilla tua,* etc. Accepta securitate de causa quam suam finxerat; nunc infert quo regem ad parcendum cogat proprio judicio, dicens: *Quare cogitasti hujuscemodi rem;* id est, quod filium tuum ejecisti pro nece fratris, quod quidem contra populum Dei fuit; quia nocere poterit in posterum hoc exemplum populo Dei, si imitatus hoc fuerit populus, similiter hoc agens. *Nunc igitur veni, quia bonum [0102B] est parcere, et misereri.* Ideo veni, et loquar ad te regem Dominum meum verbum hoc, quod feci de filio meo. Quod sequitur: *praesente populo,* in Haebraeo expressius invenitur: chi, chire, , id est, quoniam terruerunt me; quasi diceret quia terruerunt me illi, qui filium meum interficere voluerunt: ideo veni pro impetranda venia. Quod tamen, et in prioribus verbis convenienter intelligi potest, ut si sensus; veni ut loquar verbum, praesente, hoc est instante et urgente me populo, qui filium meum ad mortem exposcunt. *Et dixit ancilla tua. Loquar regem si quo modo faciat rex verbum ancillae suae;* id est, si forte exaudiat me deprecantem pro filio meo. *Et exaudivit rex. Dicat ergo ancilla tua, ut fiat verbum Domini mei regis,* ut judicium [0102C] quod de mea causa fecisti, in tua conserves; quia tu sicut angelus Dei nec pro ira quam adversus aliquem habeas, nec pro gratia a veritate moveri debes. *Per salutem animae tuae, domine mi rex, nec ad dexteram, nec ad sinistram est;* nusquam scilicet deviat quidquam ex omnibus, quae locutus es, quin ita sit ut dicis, quod scilicet manus Joab mecum est. Sapiens es in omnibus istis, ut intelligas omnia: hoc est quod expediat fieri in omnibus, quae agenda super terram. Captatio est, ut attendat qui agendum sit ut sapiens.

*[n: (II REG. XV.)] Portantes arcam foederis Domini, et deposuerunt arcam Dei.* Quidam idcirco arcam Domini depositam putant, ut David Dominum consuleret. [0102D] Sed quia tunc ei respondere noluit: idcirco dixisse David ad Sadoc: *Reporta arcam Dei in urbem,* scilicet Hierusalem. Alii depositam putant, ut populum transeuntem praestolaretur. Unde est quod sequitur: *Ascendit Abiathar,* hoc est, seorsum stetit in loco eminentiore praestolans, donec omnis populus congregaretur.

*[n: (II REG. XVII.)] Ingressus est ad Abigail filiam Naas.* Naas ipse est Isai et Jesse pater David.

*[n: (II REG. XXI.)] Ab initio messis donec, stillaret aqua super eos.* Nota quod in illis regionibus, aestate, maxime tempore messis, nec tonitrua sonant nec pluviae fiunt, usque ad circa Kalendas Septembris. *Factum est autem rursum praelium Philistinorum adversum Israel; et descendit David,* etc. Quam in [0103A] hoc loco Arepham [Arafam] Scriptura nominat, ipsa creditur fuisse Orpha Moabitis, nurus Noemi, socia Ruth de cujus progenie nati sunt hi quatuor gigantes, qui hic in manu David, et servorum ejus cecidisse dicuntur. Repetit autem a superioribus Scriptura, bella ista commemorans fortassis alio ordine quam gesta sunt. In primo, Abisai filius Sarviae interfecit Jesbidenob; in secundo, Sobochai interfecit Sephi [Zap]; in tertio, David qui hic dicitur Adeodatus, quoniam ad liberationem Israel a Deo donatus est, et filius saltus, quia de pascuis et saltu sumptus est, et polymitarius, quia multiplici decore cultum Dei ornavit in psalmis et canticis: et Bethlehemites, propter patriam. Ipse scilicet David interfecit Goliath Gethaeum. Quod bellum primum fuisse videtur, [0103B] quamvis hic commemoretur tertium. In quarto Jonathas interfecit virum senos digitos singulis manibus pedibusque habentem qui similiter fuit de stirpe Arepha [Arafa].

## ADNOTATIUNCULAE IN REGUM SECUNDUM. (cont.)

*[n: (II REG. XXIII.)] Haec sunt verba novissima quae dixit David.* Haec videlicet quae supradicta sunt, vel haec quae sequuntur: *Dixit David filius Isai,* More Scripturarum de se loquitur quasi de alio: *Dixit vir cui constitutum est Christo Dei Jacob,* id est, cui gratia vel officium concessum est de Christo Dei Jacob; ut videlicet sit Christus Dei Jacob. In Hebraeo sic est: *Dixit vir levatus super Christo Dei Jacob,* id est vir qui est Christus Dei Jacob; *quem ipse Deus Jacob superlevavit,* id est exaltavit, ut esset superior omnibus. *Egregius psaltes* sive psalmista *in [0103C] Israel.* Quid dixit? Hoc scilicet, *Spiritus Domini locutus est per me: et sermo ejus per linguam meam: Deus Israel dixit mihi et fortis Israel locutus est mihi.* Quid dixit mihi? hoc videlicet quod ille qui justus est debet esse dominator hominum. Ita tamen quod dominator sit in timore Dei; ut sic per justitiam homines inferiores regat, quatenus semper per timorem Deo se subdat superiori. Vel hoc dixit mihi, quod dominator hominum justus et dominator in timore Dei rutilat et germinat. Hoc dixit mihi ut sciam qualiter praeesse debeam, et qualiter subesse, et per hoc factus sum splendidus. *Sicut lux aurorae quae rutilat clare absque nubilo mane oriente sole; et factus sum germinans, sicut pluviis,* [0103D] id est irrigatione pluviarum germinat herba de terra. Quod tamen factum non est meritis meis: *quia apud Deum cujus est totus mundus, non est tota domus mea,* id est familia et progenies mea, *ut pactum aeternum iniret mecum,* ita *firmum in omnibus atque munitum* nisi gratia sua hoc fecisset. Ex qua gratia est *cuncta salus mea et omnis voluntas mea.,* id est quidquid volo et desidero per eam datur et impletur, *et non est quidquam* circa me vel ad me pertinens, *quod non germinet* et proficiat. *Praevaricatores autem,* qualis Saul fuit, *quasi spinae evellentur universi,* quoniam indigni sunt ut permaneant in agro Dei, quia *spinae non tolluntur manibus,* quia intractabiles sunt et per rebellionem pungunt tangentes. *Et si quis eas tangere voluerit* increpando scilicet et [0104A] castigando, *armabitur ferro et ligno lanceato.* Hasta lignum est, lancea ferrum quasi diceret. Quin in eos saevire voluerit, utetur non solis verbis quibus erudiantur, sed vindicta exstirpentur, ut exstirpati comburantur igne scilicet, inexstinguibili usque ad nihilum consumendi. Nota autem quod ligno percussio fit, ferro sectio; lignum ergo lanceatum est vindicta non solum crucians, sed exterminans. *Haec sunt nomina fortium David.* Hic enumerat eos qui in exercitu David fortitudine excellentes erant; quibus et ipsum David annumerat; quia perfecta gloria regis non esset fortes habere milites, nisi et ipse fortis esset. Propter quod ipsum caeteris omnibus praefert, quasi fortibus fortiorem, quatenus etiam ipsorum commendatio ad gloriam illi cedat. Numerat autem [0104B] primum tres seorsum per se, quasi excellentiores omnibus, in quibus David primum ponit, ac primum ponit ac principem, secundum Eleazarum; tertium Semmaa. Hi primi tres. Deinde ponit alios tres et virtutem eorum exponit, quod per media hostium castra irrumpentes aquam de cisterna, quae erat in Bethlehem, attulerunt; quos tamen licet inter alios triginta insignes effulserint, primis tribus nequaquam aequandos esse testatur. Deinde adnumerat reliquos et in summa triginta sex, et cum Uria, triginta septem, qui sunt hi.

## *Incipiunt nomina fortium in Israel.*

- 2

[0104C]

- 2
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11

[0104D]

- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26

[0105A]

David primus fortium primorum | 27
Eleazar | 28
Semmaa 3. Hi primi. | 29
Abisai primus fortium secundorum | 30
Banaias | 31

Joab non numeratur vel propterea, quia princeps aliorum et notus, vel propter mortem Abner et Amasae.

*David in cathedra sedens.* Ecce magisterium, merito quia *sapientissimus. Ipse est quasi tenerrimus ligni vermiculus.* Vermiculus ligni in se tener et mollis, durum lignum perforat. Quando tangitur, nihil mollius illo; quando tangit, nihil durius. In eo igitur quod tenerrimus appellatur, notatur humilitas et mansuetudo; in eo quod vermiculus ligni dicitur, [0105B] fortitudo signatur. David quando laedebatur, nihil mansuetius; quando laedere volebat, nihil ferocius. Tres principales virtutes: sapientia, humilitas, fortitudo. Has omnes nullus aliorum habere potuit, nisi ille solus, in quo directus est Spiritus Dei. Has sequuntur tres quasi imagines aliarum: disciplina, sapientiae; mansuetudo, humilitatis; constantia, fortitudinis. Has autem secundas tres novissimae sequentes perverse imitantur. Disciplinam, hypocrisis; mansuetudinem, pigritia; constantiam, pertinacia. David sedens in cathedra, *qui octingentos interfecit impetu uno.* Ubi hoc factum sit, non legimus, nisi quantum hic commemoratur. In Hebraeo sic est: *Octingentos una vice.* Quod sic intelligi potest, quasi diceret [0105C] David ligni vermiculo comparatur propter fortitudinem; qua omnia penetrat, et nihil ei resistere potest; in tantum ut super octingentos una vice irruere possit, et vincere. *Post hunc Eleazar,* secundus scilicet in fortitudine post David. *Inter tres fortes, qui erant cum David quando Philisthini exprobraverunt* Israel, scilicet timiditatem, et quod eis resistere non poterant: *et congregati sunt* ipsi Philisthaei *illuc* (ubi erat David) *in praelium.* Hoc Judaei dicunt ibidem factum ubi Goliath agminibus Israel exprobravit. Aliud non legimus nisi quantum hic dicitur: *Et post hunc Semmaa filius Aggae de Arari. Et congregati sunt Philisthiim in statione.* Hoc cohaerere non videtur; sed sic legendum est: Post hunc, Semmaa. Et ipse similiter Philisthaeos percussit, et [0105D] ubi subjungit: quia congregati sunt Philisthiim in statione; id est in loco ubi castris positis stabant et morabantur. *Cumque fugisset populus Israel a facie Philisthiim, stetit ille in medio agri;* id est in campo unde populus fugerat: *et tutatus est,* id est defendit eum; scilicet campum ut cum obtineret fugatis vel prostratis hostibus. *Nec non, et ante;* in alio scilicet praelio, quod ante hoc factum fuerat. *Descenderant tres fortes, qui erant principes inter triginta* [non adnumerato Uria] id est aliis triginta excellentiores. *Et venerant tempore messis ad David in speluncam Odollam.* Horum omnium, quae dicuntur aliam notitiam habere non possumus, nisi quantum conjicimus ex his quae in hoc loco commemorantur. *Ipse percussit duos leones Moab.* In Hebraeo evidentius [0106A] legitur duos principes Moab. *Et ipse descendit, et percussit leonem in media cisterna.* Magna audacia ad tam ferocem aggrediendum solum descendere. *Verumtamen usque ad tres,* scilicet primum nominatos, *non pervenerat,* ut illis aequalis esset. *Fecitque eum David sibi auricularium,* id est consiliarium, *a secreto,* vel pro una dictione accipiendum est, vel a secreto, id est de secreto, quasi diceret de secretis, vel in secretis fecit eum consiliarium sibi.

[n: (II REG. XXIV)]. *Et addidit furor Domini.* Addidit supradictis flagellis hoc, id est hanc iram. Et commovit ipse Dominus, *commovit David in eis,* id est ad faciendum, quod fieret contrarium illis; David dico *dicentem* Joab: *Vade, numera Israel,* hoc est quod sequitur: *Dixit rex ad Joab. Percussit autem cor [0106B] David eum,* id est conscientia remordebat eum eo quod fecerat.

## ADNOTATIUNCULAE IN REGUM TERTIUM.

[n: (III REG. VI)]. *Fecitque in templo fenestras obliquas,* id est arcuatas desuper, vel in toto obliquas, id est interius latiores propter claritatem. *Super parietes,* id est extrinsecus ad parietes, fecit *tabulata* quasi solaria per circuitum triplici ordine, imum strictius, medium latius, supremum latissimum, ut columnae quibus sustentabantur superiora, non contingerent inferiora tabulata; sed extrinsecus ab imo surgerent singulae. Ista tabulata quasi exedrae fuerunt foris adhaerentia muro. *Trabes autem* quibus sustentabantur tabulata ipsa, *posuit in domo per [0106C] circuitum,* id est adjunxit domui: per circuitum tamen *forinsecus,* ita scilicet, *ut non haererent muris templi,* id est ut non essent infixae muris, quia ejectura quaedam in ipso muro per circuitum facta, ipsas excipiebat, et portabat in illo capite quo murum contingebant, in altero capite columnis innitentes. Vel de trabibus intra domum intelligi potest ad eumdem modum dispositis. *Texit quoque domum laquearibus cedrinis.* Tectum domus more regionis planum fecit, quemadmodum extrinsecus tabulata. In tecto igitur domus laquearia cedrina posuit, et domum lignis, et pavimentum texit tabulis abiegnis. *Et aedificavit viginti cubitorum tabulata cedrina;* viginti cubitos de sexaginta, qui in longitudine domus erant, separavit in posteriori parte domus; id [0106D] est occidentali; quia introitus ad orientem erat. Atque in illa parte similiter aedificans tabulata cedrina *a pavimento* sursum *fecit* de parte eadem *domum oraculi in Sanctum sanctorum,* id est ad hoc ut ipsa esset Sanctum sanctorum; ipsam dico *interiorem,* quia ad eam nisi per alia introitus non patebat. *Porro quadraginta cubitorum erat ipsum templum pro foribus oraculi.* A foribus enim oraculi usque ad portam orientalem quadraginta cubiti erant; quod totum dicebatur sancta. *Et juncturas suas,* juncturas dicit, ubi tabulata jungebantur. *Oraculum autem in medio domus,* id est intra domum, *fecerat in interiori parte,* id est remotiori ab introitu. *Porro ipsum oraculum habebat viginti cubitos longitudinis, et viginti cubitos latitudinis, et viginti [0107A] cubitos altitudinis.* In hoc patet quod oraculum viginti cubitis inferius erat reliqua domo. *Sed, et altare vestivit cedro.* Hoc est altare thymiamatis, quod stabat ante oraculum, id est Sancta sanctorum. *Sed, et totum altare oraculi texit auro.* Ipsum est quod superius texit cedro; nunc auro, quod stabat ante oraculum. *Quinque cubitorum ala cherubim una,* subaudiendum est lata erat, *et quinque altera, ut a summitate,* id est extremitate, *unius usque ad summitatem alterius,* per transversum, scilicet decem essent cubiti, latitudo aequa altitudini. Nam corpus cherubin inter alarum expansionem tenebatur. *Posuitque cherubim in medio templi interioris,* id est oraculi, versis vultibus ad orientem in propitiatorium coram positum. Ita ut alter ala [0107B] una parietem meridianum tangeret, alter ala una septentrionalem, reliquas duas adinvicem jungerent in medio oraculi tanta fieret extensio alarum, quanta fuit latitudo oraculi. *Et fecit in eis,* scilicet parietibus, *cherubim,* alias formas cherubim in diversis locis sculpsit in parietibus; *et palmas manuum, et alias figuras varias. In ingressu oraculi fecit ostiola duo,* ut post determinat. *Duo ostia de lignis abiegnis altrinsecus,* scilicet unum hic, alterum illinc. *Et utrumque ostium duplex erat,* id est duas valvas habens; *et se invicem tenens,* quia connexae valvae ad postem in medio positum *aperiebantur. Et aedificavit atrium interius,* quod exteriori cingebatur. *Dispositis tribus ordinibus in pariete, tribus lapidum politorum et uno lignorum cedri.*

## ADNOTATIUNCULAE IN REGUM TERTIUM. (cont.)

[0107C] *[n: (III REG. VII.)] Aedificavit quoque domum saltus Libani.* Propter immensitatem et multitudinem operis saltui comparatur domus; vel quia ex illo materia sumpta est. *Quatuor deambulacra inter columnas cedrinas fecit, et tabulatis cedrinis vestivit totam cameram, quae quadraginta quinque columnis sustentabatur. Unus autem ordo habebat columnas quindecim.* Secundum hanc dispositionem tres ordines intrinsecus erant columnarum; et quatuor deambulacra, hoc est intervalla. Et inter columnas a pariete usque ad primum ordinem, unum intervallum; a primo ad secundum, alterum; a secundo usque ad tertium aliud; a tertio item usque ad parietem iterum aliud. In Hebraeo habetur: Tabulata cedrina desuper ordines [0107D] columnarum quadraginta quinque. Quindecim unus ordo. Quod sic intelligi potest, ut non quadraginta quinque columnas, sed tabulata, id est tabulas quadraginta quinque, quibus tabulatum compactum est esse dicamus; et tres ordines in tabulato, quorum singuli quindecim tabulas continebant. Hoc est quod dicit, cooperatura tres ordines, subauditur habebat, respicientes alterum ad alterum ter. In ipsis ordinibus singulae tabulae ordinis unius singulas tabulas alterius ordinis oppositas respiciebant; ita, quod altera ad alteram jungebatur ter, id est, tres in singulis ordinibus aliis tribus alterius ordinis oppositis connecterentur, insertis capitibus alterius ad alteram. *Et super columnas quadrangulata ligna in cunctis aequalia.* In [0108A] Hebraeo hoc sic habetur. Et omnia ostia et postes quadrata unum contra alterum. Quod autem dicit hic, ostia quadrata, id est, desuper non rotunda; ad comparationem fortassis dictum est eorum quae erant in introitu oraculi sic formata. *Et porticum columnarum fecit,* id est, porticum in qua similiter columnas posuit, quae porticus longa erat quinquaginta cubitorum secundum latitudinem domus: *et alteram porticum in facie majoris porticus,* id est ante majorem porticum. *Porticum quoque solii in qua tribunal fecit.* Solium regnantis, tribunal judicantis, et est domuncula in qua sedetur ad judicandum; seorsum ad dictandam sententiam, vel palam ad proferendam. *Tam intrinsecus, quam extrinsecus serrati,* id est secti et politi in utraque superficie [0108B] parietis. *Et extrinsecus usque ad majus atrium* porrecto tali opere. Majus atrium extrinsecus, minus atrium interius. *Necnon, et in atrio domus Domini interiori; et in porticu domus Domini,* tale opus factum est. Quod autem in structura parietum per varios ordines, nunc quadratos, sive politos lapides posuit, nunc cedros, id est ligna imputribilia; idcirco factum, ut varietas ipsa structurae gratior fieret atque decentior. Alia autem fuerunt atria domus Domini; alia domus regis, sive extrinseca, sive intrinseca. *Et finxit,* id est artificiose composuit vel formavit *duas columnas aereas,* id est ex aere fusas. Istae columnae non ad portandam fabricam, sed ad ornatum factae sunt, et [0108C] in porticu templi erectae. *Altitudinis octodecim cubitorum;* in circuitu, duodecim cubitorum, hoc est quod *linea duodecim cubitorum ambiebat columnam utramque,* haec erat mensura rotunditatis. Si linea duodecim cubitorum cingeretur, ambiret eam et totam rotunditatem ejus complecteretur. Vel ambitus columnae secundum ductum linearum duodecim cubitorum erat, vel linea fusili opere illi circumducta, ambiebat eam duodecim cubitorum. Capitella summitatibus columnarum superposita magna erant singula altitudine quinque cubitorum, quorum opus, et factura talis describitur. *Utrumque capitellum fusile erat,* quasi in modum retis et catenarum sibi invicem miro opere contextarum. Quemadmodum ex hac descriptione apparet ipsa [0108D] capitella non solida, sed perforata undique fusa sunt, ut connexiones eorum introrsum, et exterius retis formam exprimerent. Quae connexiones et perplexitates septem modis ab imo sursum in capitelli ambitu variatae sunt, quos modos septem versus notant. Deinde duo ordines malogranatarum in circuitu capitellum ambiebant, ut ipsa malogranata extrinsecus pendentia quasi tegere viderentur retiacula capitellorum, id est ipsa capitella, quae erant super summitatem columnarum. *Capitella autem ista, quae erant super summitatem columnarum quasi opere lilii fabricata erant,* id est, in eisdem capitellis cum malogranatis similitudo foliorum lilii facta erat desuper in ipsis. Quod sequitur: *In porticu quatuor cubitorum,* obscurum est. Et fortassis [0109A] sic intelligi potest, quod ipsa capitella desuper non rotunda ad similitudinem columnarum quibus superposita erant, sed quadrata fuerunt habentia in singulis lateribus quatuor cubitos. Quod ergo ait: In porticu quatuor cubitorum; non sic legendum ut ipsa porticus quatuor cubitos habuisse dicatur; sed potius ipsa capitella quatuor cubitos habentia fabricata fuisse in porticu. *Et rursum alia capitella in summitate columnarum desuper juxta mensuram columnae contra retiacula.* Utrum haec secunda capitella prioribus superposita fuerint, an juxta posita, non satis littera manifestat. *Fecit quoque mare fusile.* Luterem magnum significat fusilem ex aere rotundum desuper in circuitu triginta cubitorum, per transversum decem. Quod dicit *resticulam triginta [0109B] cubitorum* cinxisse luterem; vel sic accipiendum est, quod simpliciter quantitas ambitus significata sit, cum fune tantae longitudinis posset ambiri; vel restem intellige torquem aeream ex ipso opere fusam in similitudinem restis ipsum mare ambientem. *Sculptura subter labium circumibat illud decem cubitis.* Quomodo decem cubitis circuire poterat, cum dictum sit ipsum ambitum triginta fuisse cubitorum? Annon totum circuibat, sed decem tantum cubitis ipsius ambitus sculpti fuerunt. An deorsum ambitus arctabatur subter labium, ut decem cubitis subter labium posset ambiri, ubi sculptura erat in circuitu in duobus ordinibus circa inferiorem partem luteris, ubi duodecim boves ex aere fusos super quos positus fuerat, contingebat. [0109C] Sic enim videtur, quod basis luteris significata sit quadrata decem cubitorum in singulis lateribus, in qua erant duo ordines sculpturarum histriatarum hobus supposita duodecim; super quam ipsum mare fundatum erat. *Crassitudo autem luteris,* id est spissitudo *erat trium unciarum: duo millia batos capiebat luter; et tria millia metretas.* Par quantitas in dissimili numero. Idem enim valent, vel si de eadem mensura legitur, tantum sunt duo millia bati in siccis per cumulum; quantum tria millia in liquidis per planum. Cumulata enim mensura, planam continet totam et dimidium ejus. *Et fecit decem bases aereas.* Istae bases non ad mare, sed alios luteres praeparantur, quibus singuli superpositi [0109D] sunt. *Ipsum opus basium interrasile erat;* id est, interrasile opere factae sunt bases. *Et sculpturae inter juncturas, et inter coronulas, et plectas: leones, et boves, et cherubim, et inter juncturas similiter, et subter leones, et boves quasi lora ex aere dependentia.* Obscura est descriptio nec facile, quid intelligendum sit, agnoscitur. Videtur autem significare quod in ipsis basibus per singula latera diversi fuerint ordines sculpturarum, et ubi illi ordines sive versus jungebantur sulpturae variae in lineam ductae, inter versum, et versum discretationem facientes. Ipsi autem versus quasi areolae quaedam inter lineas et lineas patentes, habebant circulos insculptos in similitudinem coronarum et plectarum quorum alii leones, alii boves, alii cherubim continebant. Et inter [0110A] juncturas similiter desuper, ubi desuper? Fortassis hoc dicere vult, quod ejusmodi sculpturae non per totum factae sunt, sed sursum, et deorsum in lateribus basium quasi orae quaedam et sculpturae. *Et subter leones, et boves quasi lora ex aere dependentia. Et quatuor rotae per bases singulas, et axes aerei,* et humeruli a quatuor partibus erecti, quasi ad continendas bases rotis superpositas, et luterem basibus impositum. *Os quoque luteris intrinsecus erat.* Sic dicere videtur, quod a fundo luteris intrinsecus quasi fistula rotunda surgens in altum, cubito, et dimidio tenebatur, cujus altitudinis cubitus quidam supra luterem eminebat. Dimidius autem cubitus intra profundum luteris erat. In cujus fistulae summitate os erat ipsius luteris, per quod [0110B] aquae egrediebantur. *In angulis autem columnarum,* id est basium, *variae coelaturae erant; et media intercolumnia,* id est, quae inter angulos erant, *quadrata erant, et non rotunda.* Haec sunt latera basium plana, quae intercolumnia vocat quadrata; quia super quatuor numerulos in quatuor angulis erectos apparebant. *In summitate autem basis,* id est, ipsa basis in summitate sua *erat unius cubiti et dimidii,* ut convenienter luterem superpositum portaret. *Sculpsit quoque in tabulatis illis quae erant ex aere, et in angulis;* fortassis humerulos significat, qui in angulis erant columnarum, in quibus similiter sculpturae factae sunt. *Mare autem posuit ad dexteram partem templi contra orientem ad meridiem,* id est in angulo, ubi orientalis et meridionalis paries [0110C] domus jungebatur. *Columnas duas, et funiculos capitellorum super capitella columnarum duos.* In Hebraeo sic est: Columnas duas et coronas super capita columnarum, *et retiacula duo.* Per coronas super capita columnarum aliquis fortassis intelligat, nihil aliud significari nisi ipsa capitella rotunda, columnis superposita. Quia autem funiculos nominavit, aliud voluisse videtur, quod tamen non satis patet nisi in ipsis capitellis sculpturam factam fuisse dicamus in modum coronae, vel funis circumducti et ambientis.

*[n: (III REG. VIII.)] Cherubim expandebant alas suas super locum arcae, et protegebant arcam, et vectes ejus desuper. Cumque eminerent vectes, et apparerent [0110D] summitates eorum extra Sanctuarium ante oraculum, non apparebant ultra extrinsecus,* id est cum tantum porrigerentur in anteriora, ut usque ad velum pervenientes ipsum velum contingerent, aliquantulum in ipsum impingerent, ut per velum ab iis, qui extrinsecus stabant, eorum capita notari possent; non tamen velum penetrabant, neque extrinsecus extra velum prominebant. *Si peccaverit homo in proximum suum,* hoc modo scilicet, *si habuerit aliquod juramentum, quo teneatur astrictus;* id est, si astrictuo est adversus proximum aliquo juramento et non teneat quod juravit: coactusque ab illo cui juravit; *veniat coram altari tuo in domum tuam,* ut testificatione praesentis Divinitatis se absolvat; si negaverit coram te juramentum, quod fecit proximo suo occulte [0111A] de quacunque re, et non reveritus fuerit praesentiam tuam, quominus mentiatur: *Tu exaudies in coelo,* id est cognosces et intelliges fallaciam illius qui fraudat, *et facies* hoc, scilicet *judicabis servos tuos,* non secundum hoc quod ille hominibus mentitur; sed secundum quod tu nosti, cui quod verum est, abscondi non potest: *Condemnans impium, et justificans justum.*

*[n: (III REG. IX.)] Appellavit eas terram Chabul,* id est paludosam vel palustrem propter vilitatem muneris.

*[n: (III REG. X.)] In domo saltus Libani,* quia forte de Libano materia sumpta est.

## ADNOTATIUNCULAE IN REGUM TERTIUM. (cont.)

*[n: (III REG. XI.)] Aedificavit mello, et caoequavit voraginem civitatis David patris sui aedificans mello,* id [0111B] est locum illum, partem scilicet inferiorem civitatis coaequavit ipsum, qui prius vorago, et quasi sentina erat civitatis David patris sui: *Ut aequalis,* scilicet esset parti eminentiori civitatis in quo injuriam patri facere videbatur vilissima et abjecta summis operibus illius coaequans. In Hebraeo sic habetur: Aedificavit mello et clausit aperturam civitatis David patris sui, quod sic intelligi potest, quod mello aedificavit et extulit in altum et per hoc exitum, qui prius erat in civitate David patris sui clausit: *Hanc fabricam contra portam civitatis exstruens.* In libro verborum Salamonis, hic apud nos non invenitur: quemadmodum nec liber verborum regum Israel vel Juda.

[0111C] *[n: (III REG. XII.)] Ascendit super altare.* Sic dictum est, quasi ascendit ad altare. Ascendit ut super altare incensum poneret, sive aliud in hunc modum.

*[n: (III REG. XIV.)] Me projecisti post corpus tuum,* id est contempsisti.

*[n: (III REG. XVIII.)] Curavit altare Domini quod destructum fuerat et aedificavit altare ex lapidibus in nomine Domini.* Sic est quasi diceret: Mundavit locum, ubi prius altare destructum fuerat et aedificavit aliud novum.

*[n: (III REG. XIX.)] Omne os quod non adoravit eum osculans manum,* videlicet ejus Baal. In Hebraeo sic habetur: Omnes os quod non osculatum est eum. Notat modum venerationis in curvatione genuum et osculo oris.

[0111D] *[n: (III REG. XX.)] Omnia propter quae misisti ad me servum tuum in initio faciam; hanc autem rem facere non possum.* Sic est quasi diceret quod in initio petitionis tuae fuit de argento et auro tribuendo faciam; hanc autem rem, hoc est, ut etiam uxores et filios tribuam, facere non possum. *Quis incipiet praeliari? Et ait: Tu;* ne videatur contrarium quod prius dixerat per pedissequos principum provinciarum victoriam obtinendam. Nunc autem volo ipsum regem pugnam incipere. Sic enim dictum est, ut non exspectet assultum hostium; sed ut ipse, id est sui praelium incipiant, vel ipse incipiet totum exercitum producens; et deinde pedissequi principum [0112A] provinciarum victoriam obtinebunt. Hoc est quod sequitur: *Egressi sunt autem pueri prima fronte.* Incipiente igitur rege praelium cum universis, isti praeeuntes victoriam obtinuerunt.

*[n: (III REG. XXI.)] Praedicate jejunium et sedere facite Naboth,* etc. Religiose inchoari vult opus malitiae, ut per devotionem jejunii crudelitas homicidii tegatur. *Benedixit Naboth Deum et regem.* Ironia est quasi maledixit regem, ac per hoc Deum cujus minister est. *Occidisti insuper et possedisti. Et post haec addes.* In Hebraeo sic est: Occidisti, et post haec haereditabis? sub interrogatione, quasi dicat: Nunquid non sufficit tibi occidisse hominem, nisi et haereditatem ejus possideas? *In loco hoc,* etc. Quomodo dictum est ad Achab: *In loco hoc in quo linxerunt [0112B] canes sanguinem Naboth, lambent quoque tuum sanguinem;* cum sanguis Naboth in Jezrael effusus sit, sanguinem vero Achab juxta piscinam Samariae canes linxerint? Sed in hoc loco dictum est, id est tali loco, quasi ita viliter effusum, sicut tu sanguinem Naboth effudisti.

## ADNOTATIUNCULAE IN REGUM QUARTUM.

*[n: (IV REG. III.)] Facite alveum torrentis hujus fossas et fossas.* Vel sicut alii dicendum putant multas fossas, id est torrentis hujus, qui modo exsiccatus est, alveum arentem fodit altius sive profundius et in multis locis, ut aquas supervenientes in abundantia capere possit.

*[n: (IV REG. V.)] Dixitque Naaman, ut vis. Fiat,* scilicet voluntas tua. Ecce non rogo amplius ut mea [0112C] accipias; *sed* tamen *obsecro* ut tua concedas. *Concede mihi servo tuo, ut de* hac *terra* sancta in qua Deus verus adoratur, *tollam* et feram mecum *onus duorum burdonum.* Quare autem portare voluerit terram subjungit. *Non enim faciet servus tuus ultra holocaustum aut victimam diis alienis, nisi Domino.* Adhuc igitur terram ferre volebat. Ut ex ea in terra sua altare faciat Domino, in quo immolaret. *Abiit ergo ab eo electo tempore.* Ambiguitate dictionis in terrae spatium et tempus deceptus esse videtur. Nam in Hebraeo sic expressius sonat: Abiit ab eo ergo quasi aliquando terrae spatio et sic convenienter adjungitur: *Dixitque Giezi puer,* id est famulus, *viri Dei,* simile est quod in Genesi legitur: [0112D] *Eratque vernum tempus et ingrediebar Ephratha [n: (Gen. XLVIII)]*. In Hebraeo expressius sonat: Et adhuc spatium terrae, subauditur supererat: Et ingrediebar Ephratha.

*[n: (IV REG. VI.)] Quarta pars cadi stercoris columbarum.* Cadus mensura est: stercus columbarum quidem idcirco ab esurientibus ereptum putant, ut grana a columbis a longe delata stercori forte mista et electa aliquam famelicis refectionem praeberent.

*[n: (IV REG. VIII.)] Cumque venisset dies altera, tulit stragulum et infudit ipsi aquam,* vel aqua ipsum infudit, id est perfudit, hoc est accepit pannum et madefecit in aqua *et expandit super faciem ejus.* Ipse Hazael tulit pannum et madefactum expandit super [0113A] faciem domini sui, scilicet, ad refrigerandam faciem ejus quia calore aestuabat. In Hebraeo expressius dicitur: Expandit super faciem suam, ut non Hazael, sed ipse Benadab pannum madefecisse et ob refrigerium super faciem suam expandisse intelligatur. Quod tamen nil prodesse potuit, quia mortuus est. *Quo mortuo, regnavit Hazael pro eo.*

*[n: (IV REG. XIII.)] Deprecatus est autem Joachaz faciem Domini et audivit eum et dedit Dominus salvatorem Israel.* Joam scilicet filium ejus, quia ipse postea liberavit Israel de manu regis Syriae.

*[n: (IV REG. XVI.)] Musach quoque Sabbati.* Tectum significat vel cooperturam, ubi Sabbato rex sedere consueverat juxta templum. Hoc igitur Musach *et [0113B] ingressum regis,* id est porticum per quam ingrediebatur extrinsecus positam, *convertit in templum Domini,* pro timore regis Assyriorum.

*[n: (IV REG. XIX.)] Nunquid non audivisti quod ab initio fecerim?* id est quomodo olim Pharaonem et [0114A] Aegyptios populum meum persequentes submersi? *Ex diebus antiquis plasmavi illud,* id est in diebus antiquis operatus sum illud, id est illam vindictam. *Et nunc adduxi,* id est nunc iterum ad exemplum revocare volo, ut simile in te exerceam. *Tibi autem Ezechia hoc erit signum.* Hoc scilicet, quod hostem tuum prosternam, et repellam; hoc erit signum sequentis propitiationis; quod videlicet terram ab eodem vastatam post ejus abscessum multipliciter germinare faciam, ut populus meus afflictus abundantia relevetur. *Igitur hoc anno comede quod repereris.* Id est contentus esto eo quod habere poteris, ut si quid minus fuerit, patienter feras. Et si non habes quod semines, ne timeas. *In secundo anno germina sponte nascentia multiplicabuntur;* in tantum ut abundantia [0114B] frugum, et ad praesentem sustentationem, et ad futuram sementem sufficiat. Propterea, *In tertio anno seminate.* Porro quod hoc futurum sit, scire poteris ex eo quod regem Assyriorum tibi modo comminantem repellam, et destruam.

english:
## Notes on the Books of Kings

[0095D]The Book of Kings is among us closed within four divisions, of which the two former are among the Hebrews called the book of Samuel; the two following, Malachim Ramatham, as in the Hebrew, or as some Arimathaim, whence Arimathea in the Gospel.

## BRIEF NOTES ON THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS.

*[n: (I REG. II.)] Until the barren woman bore very many,* that is, seven. For after Samuel, three sons and three daughters [ *littera habet* duas]: and so seven. Some add that from one of the sons a seventh was born, who is hers as well, so that they may be seven. *Thou shalt see thy rival in the temple, amid all the prosperity of Israel.* Thou shalt see in thy sons: for they shall see after thee.

*[n: (I REG. III.)] Heli was lying in his bed, and his eyes had grown dim and he could not see,* here make the division. Afterward there follows, *and the lamp of God was going out. And Samuel [0096D] was sleeping in the temple of the Lord,* where *the ark of God was, and the Lord called Samuel;* and this before the lamp of God went out — this Samuel who was sleeping in the temple of the Lord. But as to what is said, *before the lamp went out,* Samuel being called by the Lord: either it is to be taken as though it were said that he called by night; or else because Samuel himself, who was not yet accustomed to speak with God, could see, while the lamp was shining, no one else in the temple except Heli. And when he had learned that Heli himself had by no means spoken, he would not doubt that this was the voice of God.

*[n: (I REG. VI.)] From the walled city as far as the village which was without a wall.* That he says the five cities gave five mice and five golden anuses, and afterward adds: *From the walled city as far as the village which was without a wall,* is to be understood thus: that [0097A] the five provinces gave the five mice, and the five anuses, each province one apiece; which, although for dignity's sake the cities in particular, as the heads of the provinces, are said to have given them, yet the money was gathered not only from those who were in the cities, but also from the villages which were without a wall — that is, from the least as much as from the greatest — so that, as the danger was the danger of all, so the offering should be the offering of all together. So then all gave throughout the whole region from end to end; this is what follows: *And as far as great Abel?* He means the stone of which he had spoken above: *Now there was there a great stone, and they cut up the wood of the cart, and set the cows upon it.* This stone, then, was as it were the boundary of the land of the Philistines and of Israel, as far as which the Philistines escorted the ark of the Lord, where [0097B] the men of Bethsames too, when the ark had been received, offered holocausts. As far as this stone, therefore, all — the villages that were without a wall as much as the walled cities of the land of the Philistines — contributed money and expense for paying the due gift to the Lord; this is what is said: *As far as great Abel,* as far as the great stone. For the name itself too sounds "stone." For in Hebrew *stone* is called Abel, so that the proper name may be understood to be derived from a common word. *Upon which stone they set the ark of the Lord,* as was said above: *Which ark was there until that day,* on which, namely, the Lord struck the men of Bethsames, in the field of Josue. In which their fault too may be noted, that they did not bring it into a house, but left it outside, where it might be irreverently gazed upon by all. [0097C] For the men of Cariathiarim did not do so afterward, and for that reason they were not struck. *And he struck of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand of the common folk.* Some think that by the seventy men are to be understood the elders and chief men of the people; so that what follows, *fifty thousand of the common folk,* is to be taken as though in the death of these so great a loss was suffered as there would be if fifty thousand of the common folk had been laid low. But [sic: *Saed*] in the Hebrew "of the common folk" is not found. So then they think the aforesaid is to be taken thus: *He struck of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand;* as if he had said. Fifty thousand and seventy he struck of the people — and these not only of the men of Bethsames, lest perhaps he should seem to have laid low not part of the people but the [0097D] people itself, but of the whole province and region lying about the city of Bethsames. He adds the cause why they were struck, saying: *Because they had seen the ark of the Lord;* namely, not reverently, nor with fear, as so great a thing befitted, but rushing in boldly they had looked upon the ark of the Lord. For it had been fitting that, since they had heard that the Philistines, who were not worthy to keep back the ark of God, had been struck for their rashness in presuming, they too, mindful of their own weakness, should approach to look upon it with great reverence and fear. Since therefore they were struck for their presumption, he hints at it by naming those same men as struck. Hence it is that Oza in what follows, when he stretched out his hand to steady that same ark, was struck and perished, because when the cart had tilted [0098A] and was threatening a fall, being about to bring help, he did not consider the majesty of him who presided over it.

*[n: (I REG. VII.)] And it came to pass, from the day the ark of the Lord abode in Cariathiarim, the days were multiplied (for it was now the twentieth year).* From that time, namely, when it entered into Cariathiarim, up to this time when Samuel says to the whole house of Israel what follows: *He called the name of it, the stone of help.* Therefore, that Israel is said above to have pitched camp beside the stone of help is said by anticipation — that is, in the place where afterward this stone was set and so named.

*[n: (I REG. IX.)] Lest he should go up into the high place.* After Silo, *before the building of the temple the high places,* that is, the more eminent places where sacrifice was made to God, were not censured: [0098B] which afterward, when the place of sacrificing had been fixed, were made unlawful.

*[n: (I REG. XII.)] Of the army of Asor,* that is, of the army of Jabin the king, *who dwelt in Asor,* concerning which above, in Asoreth of the nations.

*[n: (I REG. XIII.)] Saul was a son of one year when he had begun to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel. And Saul chose for himself three thousand of Israel.* Some expound it thus. Saul himself, when he had begun to reign, had a son of one year; or Saul himself was a son of one year, that is, innocent and simple as a boy of one year. And for two years he reigned in that simplicity; afterward he was changed for the worse. The Hebrews say that Saul reigned for two years only, and that Samuel judged Israel for twenty years. According to this estimate [0098C] it is understood thus: Saul reigned two years over Israel, who, when he had begun to reign and was a son of one year — that is, had already had one year in the kingdom — did what follows: *He chose for himself three thousand of Israel.* For David too afterward, according to the same manner of speaking, is called a son of thirty years; that is, having thirty years when he had begun to reign. This idiom is frequent and customary in the Hebrew, as: son of iniquity, son of peace, son of one year, son of thirty years. *Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines which was in Gabaa,* that is, their army, which was staying in that place. *And when the Philistines had heard this, Saul sounded the trumpet.* When Saul had learned that the Philistines had heard that Jonathan his son had struck their garrison, knowing that they would come [0098D] in vengeance for those who had been struck, he sounded the trumpet in all the land, saying, *Let the Hebrews hear.* For he sounded the trumpet for this reason, that the Hebrews might hear that the Philistines had been struck, and be roused to battle. *Which was done. For all Israel heard a report of this kind,* namely that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines — the report attributing to the king what the son had done. And so, confidence being received, Israel raised itself up against the Philistines. *Therefore the people of Israel cried out, running after Saul, to the battle at Galgala. But the Hebrews crossed the Jordan.* Here he calls Hebrews that part of the people which dwelt beyond the Jordan, that is, the tribe of Ruben and of Gad and the half tribe of Manasses. The rest, Israel: hence Saul also sounded the trumpet, that [0099A] those far off might hear the report of the victory; and Scripture names them Hebrews distinctly, playing upon the word, because, coming to the help of the rest of Israel, they often had to cross the Jordan, since Hebrew is interpreted *one crossing over*.

*[n: (I REG. XV.)] Moreover the triumpher in Israel will not spare, nor be bent by repentance.* The Hebrew has thus: Vagham, Neza Izrahelloe Zachir, ; that is, *moreover the strength of Israel will not lie.* This is what he means to say: that God, who is the triumpher in Israel, because through him Israel triumphs and conquers; without the strength of Israel, that is, giving strength and fortitude to Israel; he himself will not lie, so as to change his word, as you just now attempted to make his word void, not doing what he had commanded. But he himself will not lie, [0099B] but will bring his word to effect; or else he will not spare, as though changed by some pity, so as not to fulfill what he purposed, as you earlier wished to appear, sparing men worthy of death, and making God a liar. Nor will he be bent by repentance, so as to repent of having purposed, and so be bent, and not do what he had thought to do. For neither is he a man, that he should do penance. For a man, who can will evil and can change, can do penance.

*[n: (I REG. XVI.)] For before the Lord is his Christ?* That is: is this man who has now been presented to you and brought before you provided by you, that he should be your Christ? *And so Isai brings his seven sons before Samuel; and Samuel said to Isai: The Lord has not chosen from among these.* How is it true that Isai [0099C] is said to have brought his seven sons to Samuel, and Samuel testifies that none of those brought was chosen, when David is one of the seven and yet was not brought, and was chosen? Wherefore it is to be understood thus, that he brought six, that one only excepted whom he said was left over; and it is true that of the rest the Lord chose none.

*[n: (I REG. XVII.)] David brought the head of the Philistine into Jerusalem.* From this it appears that already at that time the habitation in Jerusalem was common both to the children of Israel and to the Jebusites: to which, as to a more excellent city, David brought the head of the Philistine for the glory of the triumph. *Of what stock is this youth descended? And Abner answered,* etc. How does Saul here [0099D] not know David, and ask after his lineage, when above he is read to have sent to Isai his father, saying: Send to me David thy son, who is in the pastures. David too is asserted to have come to him, and to have stood before him, and to have been beloved by him, and to have been made his armor-bearer. But it is to be noted that powerful men, set in the daily throng of people, cannot recognize all who move about them: especially those whom neither dignity of person commends, nor long association makes familiar. Since therefore David, still a boy and contemptible, and not worthy of royal familiarity, had remained with Saul but a short time, it is no wonder if he does not know that same man now, when, coming forward to so distinguished a deed, he was more carefully marked. For that earlier, in sending to Isai his father, he calls him by name, [0100A] is by no means to be ascribed to acquaintance, since he calls him by that name which he had learned from the report of those who informed him. But he did not recognize him from an acquaintance of previous familiarity,

## BRIEF NOTES ON THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. (cont.)

*[n: (I REG. XVIII.)] And Saul set him over the men of war.* He is to be understood to have done this not out of love but out of hatred, so that, thrusting himself into wars out of a desire for praise, he might perish. For he had already heard the women singing: *Saul struck a thousand, and David ten thousand.* And, roused to anger by this praise of David, he had begun to plot his death. And therefore it is added: *Moreover, when David was returning after the Philistine had been struck,* etc. This had already gone before, but it is narrated out of order. In two things thou shalt be my son-in-law. First, namely, in Merob promised, and then in Michol given.

[0100B] *[n: (I REG. XXI.)] The vessels of the young men were holy. Moreover this way is defiled, but it too shall today be sanctified in the vessels.* He speaks according to the rite of the law, according to which it was unlawful that in vessels in which common food had before been placed, sanctified bread should afterward be placed. Therefore he says that the vessels of the young men, that is, of his companions, are holy, because nothing common was contained in them, to hinder their receiving sanctified food. Moreover this way, he says, is defiled; that is, we are defiled by the way, by seeing perhaps or by touching something, on account of which we ought by right, according to the custom of the law, to be forbidden the touching of holy things. *But it too shall be sanctified in the vessels,* that is, we shall be spared as to these things, if we have touched any unclean things. I say we shall be spared on account of the vessels which we carry clean.

[0100C] *[n: (I REG. XXVI.)] If the Lord stirs thee up against me, let him smell the sacrifice;* God is appeased, if it is from his anger: I have no other counsel for this part. *But if the sons of men do this, they themselves are cursed in the sight of the Lord, because they act unjustly who have cast me out,* etc.

*[n: (I REG. XXIV.)] He is with me many days or years.* Above it was said that he was in the region of the Philistines for four months only; but now as though [sic: *ac his*] to be said, that he had stayed with him many days or years — which perhaps is said for this reason, that they might the more rightly take an argument of his fidelity from the length of the time; and therefore he added years.

## BRIEF NOTES ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS.

[0100D] *[n: (II REG. I.)] And David made a lamentation of this kind over Saul and over Jonathan his son; and he commanded that they should teach the children of Juda the bow,* that is, the art of shooting; because Saul and Jonathan his son had perished by the arrows of the Philistines, so that, if war should arise anew, they might be able to defend themselves against their adversaries. *As it is written in the book of the just.* Some think that by the book of the just this same book is to be understood, on account of Samuel and David, of whom it principally treats. Others interpret the book of the just as the law of Moses, in which the form of justice is set before men. From which they think it may be gathered that in not a few places the art of shooting is useful, as perhaps that place in Genesis where Jacob says that he took a portion from the hand of the Amorrhite with sword and bow. Others interpret the book of the just not of just men [0101A] but of judgments or precepts. As if it were said, in the book of right — so that the sense may be: he commanded that they should teach the children of Juda the bow, that this should be held as it were for a law and be observed inviolably, according to what is written in the book of right and set forth by the precept of the law. *The shield of the mighty,* to be pronounced in the plural; which nevertheless, expounding in the singular, he adds: *the shield of Saul.* A manner of speaking, when something is set forth in common, to which a particular carrying-out is to be added. This occurs in the heightening of matters, when something is narrated with strong emphasis. *The shield of the mighty is cast away, the shield of Saul,* as though he had not been anointed with oil. As of a worthless man, as of a man not having divine sanctification. Then there follows: *From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the arrow of Jonathan [0101B] never went back.* As if he said. The arrow of Jonathan did not go back in the battles, so that, once shot, it should ever leap back empty from the blood of the mighty, from the fat of the marrowy ones; but it pierced mightily, pouring out blood and grazing the fat of the mighty whom it slew. *Jonathan is slain in thy high places, O Israel. I grieve over thee, my brother Jonathan.*

*[n: (II REG. V.)] It was said to David by them, that is, by the Jebusites. Thou shalt not enter here, unless thou take away the blind and the lame.* They set blind and lame men upon their walls, that they might say to him as he came. *Thou shalt not enter here* — for contempt, namely of him, as though such men were enough to repel his violence. And therefore they said to him: *Thou shalt not enter here* unless thou take away those, namely the blind and the lame, who have been set up to resist thee. [0101C] *For David had offered a reward on that day,* to him, namely, *who should strike the Jebusite and touch the pipes of the housetops.* That is, the pipes of the channels projecting along the top of the wall from the housetops, that is, from the roofs of the houses, for leading out the water of the eaves. To him, then, who first, climbing up as far as the channels projecting from above, should enter the city, David had offered a reward — which reward, however, he does not here determine, but sets forth in the book of Paralipomenon, namely that he would make him leader of the army. Whence Joab, climbing up first, was made prince of the soldiery. *From Mello, and inward.* Mello was a place in the city, beginning from which to build, he built round about and inward.

[0101D] *[n: (II REG. VII.)] Thou shouldst do before the face of thy people, namely terrible things;* that is, on account of thy people. For from it thou didst take the cause of doing. *Whom thou hast redeemed to thyself out of Egypt.* Here one must stop; then add: *A nation, and its God,* whereby is understood: where shall we find such a nation, and such a God of it, as thy people Israel, and as thou its God.

*[n: (II REG. XI.)] She was sanctified from her uncleanness,* that is, she washed herself after intercourse, or because her monthly courses had ceased on account of conception.

*[n: (II REG. XIV.)] Upon me, my lord king, be the iniquity, and upon the house of my father;* but let the king and his throne be innocent. As if she said: Beware lest perhaps thy promise be empty, since it does not befit thee, who art king and lord, that iniquity be found in thee, as it is in [0102A] me and in the house of my father, that is, in such as I am. For the greater thou art, the more deformed is thy iniquity. *Let the king remember the Lord his God,* that is, let him fear the Lord his God. *That they be not multiplied,* that is, that he not permit to be multiplied and to rise up in manifold ways *the next of kin by blood,* that is, the kinsmen of the slain man, for taking vengeance; and then they will not kill my son. *Let thy handmaid speak,* etc. Having received assurance concerning the case which she had feigned as her own, she now brings in that by which she may compel the king by his own judgment to spare, saying: *Why hast thou thought such a thing;* that is, that thou hast cast out thy son for the killing of his brother, which indeed was against the people of God; because this example will be able to harm the people of God hereafter, if the people imitate it, doing likewise. *Now therefore I am come, because it is good [0102B] to spare and to have mercy.* Therefore I have come, and I will speak to thee, the king my lord, this word which I have done concerning my son. What follows, *the people being present,* is found more expressly in the Hebrew: chi, chire, , that is, because they have terrified me; as if she said: because those who wished to kill my son have terrified me, therefore I have come to obtain pardon. Which nevertheless can also be fittingly understood in the earlier words, so that if the sense; I have come that I may speak the word, the people being present, that is, pressing and urging me — who demand my son for death. *And thy handmaid said. I will speak to the king, if in any way the king may do the word of his handmaid;* that is, if perchance he may hear me pleading for my son. *And the king heard. Let therefore thy handmaid speak, that the word of my lord the king may be done,* that the judgment [0102C] which thou hast made concerning my cause thou mayest keep in thine own; because thou, like an angel of God, oughtest to be moved from the truth neither for anger which thou mayest have against anyone, nor for favor. *By the health of thy soul, my lord king, it is neither to the right nor to the left;* that is, nothing of all that thou hast spoken deviates anywhere, but that it is as thou sayest, namely that the hand of Joab is with me. Thou art wise in all these things, so as to understand all: that is, what is expedient to be done in all the things that are to be done upon the earth. It is a winning of favor, that he may attend, as a wise man, to what is to be done.

*[n: (II REG. XV.)] Carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and they set down the ark of God.* Some think the ark of the Lord was set down for this reason, that David might consult the Lord. [0102D] But because he then was unwilling to answer him, therefore David said to Sadoc: *Carry back the ark of God into the city,* namely Jerusalem. Others think it was set down that it might await the people passing over. Whence it is that there follows: *Abiathar went up,* that is, he stood apart in a more eminent place, waiting until all the people should be gathered.

*[n: (II REG. XVII.)] He went in to Abigail the daughter of Naas.* Naas is the same as Isai and Jesse, the father of David.

*[n: (II REG. XXI.)] From the beginning of the harvest until, water dropped upon them.* Note that in those regions, in summer, especially at the time of harvest, neither do thunders sound nor do rains fall, until about the Kalends of September. *And there was again a battle of the Philistines against Israel; and David went down,* etc. She whom in [0103A] this place Scripture names Arepham [Arafam] is believed to have been Orpha the Moabitess, the daughter-in-law of Noemi, the companion of Ruth, from whose offspring were born these four giants, who here are said to have fallen by the hand of David and of his servants. But Scripture goes back over earlier matters, recalling those wars perhaps in another order than that in which they were done. In the first, Abisai the son of Sarvia killed Jesbidenob; in the second, Sobochai killed Sephi [Zap]; in the third, David, who here is called Adeodatus, because he was given by God for the deliverance of Israel, and son of the forest, because he was taken from the pastures and the forest, and the weaver of many colors, because with manifold beauty he adorned the worship of God in psalms and canticles: and the Bethlehemite, on account of his native place. David himself, namely, killed Goliath the Gethite. Which war seems to have been the first, [0103B] although here it is recalled as the third. In the fourth, Jonathan killed a man having six fingers on each of his hands and feet, who likewise was of the stock of Arepha [Arafa].

## BRIEF NOTES ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS. (cont.)

*[n: (II REG. XXIII.)] These are the last words which David spoke.* These, namely, which have been said above, or these which follow: *David the son of Isai said,* — after the manner of the Scriptures he speaks of himself as of another: *The man said, to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob,* that is, to whom the grace or the office was granted concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob; namely, that he should be the Christ of the God of Jacob. In the Hebrew it is thus: *The man said, raised up over the Christ of the God of Jacob,* that is, the man who is the Christ of the God of Jacob; *whom the God of Jacob himself raised on high,* that is, exalted, that he might be higher than all. *The excellent psalmist* or psalm-singer *in [0103C] Israel.* What did he say? This, namely: *The Spirit of the Lord has spoken through me, and his word through my tongue: the God of Israel said to me, and the strong one of Israel spoke to me.* What did he say to me? This, namely, that he who is just ought to be the ruler of men. Yet so that the ruler be in the fear of God; that he so rule by justice the men beneath him that he always subject himself by fear to God above him. Or he said this to me, that the ruler of men who is just, and a ruler in the fear of God, glows red and springs up. This he said to me, that I might know how I ought to preside and how to be subject; and through this I have been made splendid. *As the light of the dawn which glows red brightly, without cloud, in the morning when the sun rises; and I have been made to spring up, as by rains,* [0103D] that is, as by the watering of rains the grass springs up from the earth. Which nevertheless was not done by my merits: *because with God, whose is the whole world, my whole house is not,* that is, my family and my offspring, *that he should enter an everlasting covenant with me,* so *firm in all things and fortified* — had not his grace done this. From which grace is *all my salvation and all my will.,* that is, whatever I will and desire is given and fulfilled through it, *and there is not anything* about me or belonging to me *which does not spring up* and prosper. *But the transgressors,* such as Saul was, *shall all be plucked up like thorns,* since they are unworthy to remain in the field of God, because *thorns are not taken away with hands,* since they are intractable and by rebellion prick those who touch them. *And if anyone shall wish to touch them,* namely by rebuking and [0104A] chastising, *he shall be armed with iron and with lanced wood.* The shaft is the wood, the lance the iron; as if he said. Indeed, whoever shall have wished to rage against them will use not words alone, by which they may be instructed, but vengeance, that they may be rooted out; so that, rooted out, they may be burned with fire, namely unquenchable, to be consumed unto nothing. But note that by wood a beating is made, by iron a cutting; lanced wood, therefore, is a vengeance not only torturing but exterminating. *These are the names of the mighty men of David.* Here he enumerates those who in David's army were excelling in strength; among whom he numbers David himself also, because it would not be the perfect glory of a king to have mighty soldiers unless he himself too were mighty. On which account he sets him before all the rest, as mightier than the mighty, so that even their commendation may pass over to his glory. But he numbers [0104B] first three apart by themselves, as more excellent than all, among whom he puts David first, [d: and puts him first] and as chief; Eleazar second; Semmaa third. These are the first three. Then he sets down three others and sets forth their valor, that, bursting through the midst of the enemy's camp, they brought water from the cistern which was in Bethlehem; whom nevertheless, although they shone out as distinguished among the other thirty, he testifies are by no means to be made equal to the first three. Then he numbers the rest, and in sum thirty-six, and with Urias thirty-seven, who are these.

## *Here begin the names of the mighty men in Israel.*

[ed: The names in this list are missing from the digitized text this edition is built on, which transcribed the numbering and left the name beside each number empty. The loss is the digitization's, not Migne's: his plate carries the names, and entries 27–31 below survive here only because they happen to be set as a table rather than as a list. Recovering the rest requires the printed plate at PL 175, cols. 0104B–0105A. Nothing has been supplied.]

- 2

[0104C]

- 2
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11

[0104D]

- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26

[0105A]

David, first of the first mighty men | 27
Eleazar | 28
Semmaa 3. These are the first. | 29
Abisai, first of the second mighty men | 30
Banaias | 31

Joab is not numbered, either for this reason, that he was the chief of the others and well known, or on account of the death of Abner and Amasa.

*David sitting in the chair.* Behold the mastership, deservedly, because he is *most wise. He is like the most tender little worm of the wood.* The little worm of the wood, in itself tender and soft, bores through hard wood. When it is touched, nothing is softer than it; when it touches, nothing is harder. In that, therefore, he is called most tender, humility and meekness are noted; in that he is called the little worm of the wood, [0105B] strength is signified. David, when he was being hurt, nothing more meek; when he wished to hurt, nothing more fierce. Three principal virtues: wisdom, humility, strength. All these none of the others could have, save he alone, in whom the Spirit of God was directed. These three are followed by three that are as it were images of the others: discipline, of wisdom; meekness, of humility; constancy, of strength. But these second three, three last ones following, imitate perversely. Discipline, hypocrisy; meekness, sloth; constancy, obstinacy. David sitting in the chair, *who killed eight hundred at one onset.* Where this was done we do not read, save so far as it is here recalled. In the Hebrew it is thus: *Eight hundred at one time.* Which can be understood thus, as if he said: [0105C] David is compared to the little worm of the wood on account of his strength, by which he penetrates all things and nothing can resist him — so much so that he can rush upon eight hundred at one time, and conquer. *After him Eleazar,* second, namely, in strength after David. *Among the three mighty men who were with David when the Philistines reproached* Israel, namely with cowardice, and that they could not resist them: *and they were gathered together* — the Philistines themselves — *thither* (where David was) *for battle.* The Jews say that this was done in the same place where Goliath reproached the ranks of Israel. We read nothing else save so much as is here said: *And after him Semmaa the son of Age of Arari. And the Philistines were gathered together in a garrison.* This does not seem to cohere; but it is to be read thus: After him, Semmaa. And he likewise struck the Philistines, and [0105D] where he adds: because the Philistines were gathered together in a garrison; that is, in a place where, the camp having been pitched, they stood and stayed. *And when the people of Israel had fled from the face of the Philistines, he stood in the midst of the field;* that is, in the plain from which the people had fled: *and he protected it,* that is, defended it, namely the field, so that he might hold it, the enemy being put to flight or laid low. *Moreover, and before;* namely in another battle which had been fought before this. *Three mighty men had gone down, who were chief among the thirty* [non adnumerato Uria] that is, more excellent than the other thirty. *And they had come at the time of harvest to David in the cave of Odollam.* Of all these things which are said we can have no other knowledge, save so far as we conjecture from those things which are recalled in this place. *He struck two lions of Moab.* In the Hebrew it is read more plainly [0106A] two princes of Moab. *And he went down and struck a lion in the midst of a cistern.* Great boldness, to go down alone to attack so fierce a beast. *Nevertheless as far as the three,* namely those named first, *he had not attained,* so as to be equal to them. *And David made him his privy counselor,* that is, his adviser, *of the secret,* — either it is to be taken for a single word, or *of the secret,* that is, from the secret, as if he said: he made him his counselor concerning secret matters, or in secret matters.

[n: (II REG. XXIV)]. *And the fury of the Lord was added.* He added this to the scourges mentioned above, that is, this wrath. And the Lord himself stirred up, *he stirred up David against them,* that is, to do what would be contrary to them; David, I say, *saying* to Joab: *Go, number Israel,* which is what follows: *The king said to Joab. But the heart of [0106B] David struck him,* that is, his conscience gnawed at him for what he had done.

## BRIEF NOTES ON THE THIRD BOOK OF KINGS.

[n: (III REG. VI)]. *And he made in the temple oblique windows,* that is, arched above, or oblique throughout, that is, wider within for the sake of light. *Upon the walls,* that is, outside against the walls, he made *floors* like upper stories round about in a threefold order — the lowest narrower, the middle wider, the highest widest — so that the columns by which the upper parts were supported should not touch the lower floors, but should each rise from the bottom outside. These floors were as it were side-chambers clinging to the wall on the outside. *But the beams* by which those floors were supported *he set in the house round [0106C] about,* that is, he joined them to the house — round about, however, *on the outside,* namely, *so that they should not cling to the walls of the temple,* that is, that they should not be fixed into the walls, because a certain projection made in the wall itself round about received them and carried them at that end by which they touched the wall, while at the other end they leaned upon columns. Or it can be understood of beams within the house, arranged in the same manner. *He also covered the house with panels of cedar.* He made the roof of the house flat, after the manner of the region, just as the floors outside. In the roof of the house, then, he set panels of cedar, and he covered the house with timbers, and the pavement with boards of fir. *And he built floors of cedar of twenty cubits;* twenty cubits out of the sixty which were in the length of the house he set apart in the hinder part of the house, that [0106D] is, the western, because the entrance was toward the east. And in that part likewise, building floors of cedar *from the pavement* upward, *he made* of that same part *the house of the oracle into the Holy of holies,* that is, to this end, that it should itself be the Holy of holies; that house, I say, *the inner one,* because no entrance lay open to it except through the others. *Moreover the temple itself was of forty cubits before the doors of the oracle.* For from the doors of the oracle to the eastern gate there were forty cubits; the whole of which was called the holy place. *And its joinings,* he calls joinings the places where the floors were joined. *But the oracle in the midst of the house,* that is, within the house, *he had made in the inner part,* that is, the part more remote from the entrance. *Moreover the oracle itself had twenty cubits of length, and twenty cubits of breadth, and twenty [0107A] cubits of height.* From this it is plain that the oracle was lower than the rest of the house by twenty cubits. *But he also clothed the altar with cedar.* This is the altar of incense, which stood before the oracle, that is, the Holy of holies. *But he also covered the whole altar of the oracle with gold.* It is the same which above he covered with cedar; now with gold — the one which stood before the oracle. *One wing of the cherub was of five cubits,* it must be understood, was wide, *and the other of five, so that from the top,* that is, the extremity, *of the one to the top of the other,* crosswise, namely, there should be ten cubits, the breadth equal to the height. For the body of the cherub was held between the spreading of the wings. *And he set the cherubim in the midst of the inner temple,* that is, of the oracle, with their faces turned toward the east, upon the propitiatory set before them. So that the one with [0107B] one wing touched the southern wall, the other with one wing the northern, and they joined the remaining two to each other in the middle of the oracle so great would the extension of the wings be as was the breadth of the oracle. *And he made in them,* namely in the walls, *cherubim,* — he carved other figures of cherubim in various places upon the walls; *and palms of hands, and other various figures. At the entrance of the oracle he made two small doors,* as he afterward determines. *Two doors of fir wood on either side,* namely one here, the other there. *And each door was double,* that is, having two leaves; *and holding one another,* because the leaves, joined together against a post set in the middle, *were opened. And he built the inner court,* which was girt about by the outer. *Three rows being disposed in the wall, three of polished stones and one of beams of cedar.*

## BRIEF NOTES ON THE THIRD BOOK OF KINGS. (cont.)

[0107C] *[n: (III REG. VII.)] He also built the house of the forest of Libanus.* On account of the immensity and the multitude of the work the house is compared to a forest; or because the material was taken from it. *He made four walks among the cedar columns, and he clothed the whole vaulted chamber with cedar boards, which was supported by forty-five columns. And one row had fifteen columns.* According to this arrangement there were three rows of columns within; and four walks, that is, intervals. And among the columns, from the wall to the first row, one interval; from the first to the second, another; from the second to the third, another; from the third likewise to the wall, again another. In the Hebrew it stands: Cedar boards above the rows [0107D] of columns, forty-five. Fifteen, one row. Which can be understood thus, that we should say there were not forty-five columns but boards, that is, forty-five planks, of which the boarding was framed; and three rows in the boarding, each of which contained fifteen planks. This is what he says, the [sic: *cooperatura*] three rows — "had" is understood — looking one toward another three times. In those rows the several planks of the one row looked upon the several planks of the other row set opposite; so that one was joined to another three times, that is, three in each row were connected with three others of the other row set opposite, the ends of the one being inserted into the other. *And upon the columns four-cornered beams equal in all.* In [0108A] the Hebrew this stands thus. And all the doors and posts four-cornered, one over against the other. But that he here says four-cornered doors, that is, not round above, is perhaps said by way of comparison with those which were at the entrance of the oracle, formed in this way. *And he made a porch of columns,* that is, a porch in which he likewise set columns, which porch was long, of fifty cubits, according to the breadth of the house: *and another porch in the face of the greater porch,* that is, before the greater porch. *Also the porch of the throne, in which he made the judgment seat.* The throne is of him who reigns, the judgment seat of him who judges; and it is a little chamber in which one sits to give judgment, apart for dictating the sentence, or openly for pronouncing it. *Sawn both within and without,* that is, cut and polished on both surfaces [0108B] of the wall. *And outside as far as the greater court,* such work being extended thither. The greater court is outside, the lesser court within. *Moreover also in the inner court of the house of the Lord, and in the porch of the house of the Lord,* such work was made. But that in the structure of the walls, through various rows, he set now squared or polished stones, now cedars, that is, imperishable timbers, was done for this reason, that the very variety of the structure might become more pleasing and more seemly. But the courts of the house of the Lord were one thing, those of the king's house another, whether outer or inner. *And he fashioned,* that is, skillfully composed or formed, *two columns of brass,* that is, cast of brass. These columns were made not for carrying the fabric but for adornment, and [0108C] were set up in the porch of the temple. *Of a height of eighteen cubits;* in circuit, of twelve cubits, that is, what is meant by *a line of twelve cubits went round each column;* this was the measure of the roundness. If it were girded with a line of twelve cubits, the line would go round it and embrace its whole roundness. Or the circuit of the column, according to the drawing of the lines, was of twelve cubits; or a line of cast work drawn about it went round it, of twelve cubits. The capitals set upon the tops of the columns were great, each of a height of five cubits, whose work and making is described thus. *Each capital was of cast work,* as it were after the manner of a net and of chains woven together with one another in wondrous workmanship. As appears from this description, those [0108D] capitals were cast not solid but pierced through on every side, so that their connections might express, inwardly and outwardly, the form of a net. Which connections and interweavings were varied in seven ways from the bottom upward in the circuit of the capital; which seven ways the seven rows mark. Then two rows of pomegranates went round the capital in a circuit, so that the pomegranates themselves, hanging outside, might seem as it were to cover the little nets of the capitals, that is, the capitals themselves, which were upon the tops of the columns. *But these capitals, which were upon the tops of the columns, were fashioned as with the work of a lily,* that is, on those same capitals, along with the pomegranates, a likeness of the leaves of a lily was made above upon them. What follows, *In the porch of four cubits,* is obscure. And perhaps [0109A] it can be understood thus: that those capitals were not round above, after the likeness of the columns upon which they were set, but four-cornered, having four cubits on each side. What therefore he says, In the porch of four cubits, is not so to be read that the porch itself be said to have had four cubits, but rather that those capitals, having four cubits, were fashioned in the porch. *And again other capitals on the top of the columns above, according to the measure of the column, over against the little nets.* Whether these second capitals were set upon the former or set beside them, the letter does not sufficiently make plain. *He also made a molten sea.* He means a great laver, molten of brass, round above, of thirty cubits in circuit, ten across. That he says *a little cord of thirty [0109B] cubits* girded the laver is either to be taken thus, that simply the quantity of the circuit is signified, since it could be encircled with a rope of such length; or understand by the cord a brazen collar cast from the same work in the likeness of a cord, encircling the sea itself. *A carving beneath the brim went round it for ten cubits.* How could it go round for ten cubits, when it has been said that the circuit itself was of thirty cubits? Did it not go round the whole, but only ten cubits of that circuit were carved. Or did the circuit narrow downward beneath the brim, so that beneath the brim it could be encircled by ten cubits, where the carving was in a circuit in two rows about the lower part of the laver, where it touched the twelve oxen cast of brass upon which it had been set. [0109C] For so it seems, that the base of the laver is signified as four-cornered, of ten cubits on each side, on which were two rows of [sic: *histriatarum*] carvings, twelve [sic: *hobus*] set beneath; upon which the sea itself was founded. *But the thickness of the laver,* that is, its density, *was of three inches: the laver held two thousand bates, and three thousand measures.* An equal quantity in an unlike number. For they are worth the same; or if it is read of the same measure, two thousand bates in dry goods heaped up are as much as three thousand in liquids level. For a heaped measure contains the whole of a level one and the half of it. *And he made ten brazen bases.* These bases are prepared not for the sea but for the other lavers, upon which they were severally [0109D] set. *The work of the bases itself was of graven work;* that is, the bases were made with graven work. *And carvings between the joinings, and between the little crowns and the plaitings: lions, and oxen, and cherubim; and between the joinings likewise; and beneath the lions and oxen, as it were thongs of brass hanging down.* The description is obscure, nor is it easily recognized what is to be understood. But it seems to signify that on those bases, along each side, there were various rows of carvings, and that where those rows or lines were joined there were various [sic: *sulpturae*] drawn out in a line, making a [sic: *discretationem*] between row and row. But the rows themselves, like certain little plots lying open between line and line, had circles carved in the likeness of crowns and plaitings, of which some contained lions, some oxen, some cherubim. And between [0110A] the joinings likewise above — where above? Perhaps he means to say this, that carvings of this kind were not made throughout, but above and below on the sides of the bases, as it were certain borders and carvings. *And beneath the lions and oxen, as it were thongs of brass hanging down. And four wheels for each base, and axles of brass,* and little shoulder-pieces raised on four sides, as it were for holding together the bases set upon the wheels, and the laver set upon the bases. *The mouth of the laver too was within.* He seems to say this, that from the bottom of the laver, within, as it were a round pipe rising on high was held at a cubit and a half, of which height a certain cubit projected above the laver. But the half cubit was within the depth of the laver. At the top of which pipe was the mouth of the laver itself, through which [0110B] the waters went out. *But in the corners of the columns,* that is, of the bases, *there were various chasings; and the middle spaces between the columns,* that is, those which were between the corners, *were four-cornered and not round.* These are the flat sides of the bases, which he calls four-cornered intercolumniations, because they appeared above four little numbers raised at the four corners. *But at the top of the base,* that is, the base itself at its top *was of one cubit and a half,* that it might fittingly carry the laver set upon it. *He also carved on those plates which were of brass, and in the corners;* perhaps he means the little shoulder-pieces, which were at the corners of the columns, on which likewise carvings were made. *But he set the sea at the right side of the temple, over against the east toward the south,* that is, in the corner where the eastern and the southern wall [0110C] of the house were joined. *Two columns, and two little cords of the capitals upon the capitals of the columns.* In the Hebrew it is thus: Two columns and crowns upon the heads of the columns, *and two little nets.* By the crowns upon the heads of the columns someone might perhaps understand that nothing else is signified than the round capitals themselves, set upon the columns. But because he named little cords, he seems to have meant something else, which nevertheless is not sufficiently plain unless we say that on those capitals a carving was made after the manner of a crown, or of a rope drawn about and encircling.

*[n: (III REG. VIII.)] The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and covered the ark and its staves from above. And when the staves projected, and their tops appeared [0110D] outside the Sanctuary before the oracle, they did not appear farther outside,* that is, since they reached forward only so far that, coming as far as the veil, they touched the veil itself and pressed a little against it, so that through the veil their heads could be marked by those who stood outside; yet they did not pierce the veil, nor project outside beyond the veil. *If a man shall have sinned against his neighbor,* namely in this way, *if he shall have some oath by which he is held bound;* that is, if he is bound [sic: *astrictuo*] against his neighbor by some oath and does not keep what he swore, and, being compelled by him to whom he swore, *let him come before thy altar into thy house,* that he may clear himself by the testimony of the present Godhead; if he shall deny before thee the oath which he made to his neighbor secretly [0111A] concerning any matter whatsoever, and has not so revered thy presence as to refrain from lying: *Thou shalt hear in heaven,* that is, thou shalt know and understand the deceit of him who defrauds, *and thou shalt do* this, namely, *thou shalt judge thy servants,* not according to that which he lies to men, but according to what thou knowest, from whom what is true cannot be hidden: *Condemning the wicked, and justifying the just.*

*[n: (III REG. IX.)] He called them the land of Chabul,* that is, marshy or fenny, on account of the meanness of the gift.

*[n: (III REG. X.)] In the house of the forest of Libanus,* because perhaps the material was taken from Libanus.

## BRIEF NOTES ON THE THIRD BOOK OF KINGS. (cont.)

*[n: (III REG. XI.)] He built Mello, and leveled [sic: caoequavit] the chasm of the city of David his father, building Mello,* that [0111B] is, that place, namely the lower part of the city — he leveled it, which before was a chasm and as it were the bilge of the city of David his father: *That it might be equal,* namely, to the more eminent part of the city; wherein he seemed to do injury to his father, leveling the basest and most abject things with his highest works. In the Hebrew it stands thus: He built Mello and closed the opening of the city of David his father; which can be understood thus, that he built Mello and raised it on high, and by this closed the outlet which before was in the city of David his father: *building this structure over against the gate of the city.* In the book of the words of Solomon — this is not found among us, just as neither is the book of the words of the kings of Israel or of Juda.

[0111C] *[n: (III REG. XII.)] He went up upon the altar.* It is so said, as though he went up to the altar. He went up that he might set incense upon the altar, or something else in this manner.

*[n: (III REG. XIV.)] Thou hast cast me behind thy body,* that is, thou hast despised me.

*[n: (III REG. XVIII.)] He repaired the altar of the Lord which had been destroyed, and built an altar of stones in the name of the Lord.* It is as though he said: He cleansed the place where before the altar had been destroyed, and built another, a new one.

*[n: (III REG. XIX.)] Every mouth which has not adored him, kissing the hand,* namely of Baal. In the Hebrew it stands thus: All the mouth which has not kissed him. He notes the manner of veneration in the bending of the knees and the kiss of the mouth.

[0111D] *[n: (III REG. XX.)] All the things for which thou didst send to me thy servant at the first I will do; but this thing I cannot do.* It is as though he said: what was at the beginning of thy petition, concerning the giving of silver and gold, I will do; but this thing, that is, that I should give also wives and sons, I cannot do. *Who shall begin the battle? And he said: Thou;* lest what he had said before should seem contrary, namely that the victory was to be obtained by the footmen of the princes of the provinces. But now I wish the king himself to begin the fight. For it is so said, that he should not await the assault of the enemy, but that he himself, that is, his own men, should begin the battle; or he himself will begin, leading out the whole army; and then the footmen of the princes [0112A] of the provinces will obtain the victory. This is what follows: *And the servants went out in the first rank.* When therefore the king began the battle with all his men, these, going before, obtained the victory.

*[n: (III REG. XXI.)] Proclaim a fast and make Naboth sit,* etc. She wishes the work of malice to be begun religiously, so that by the devotion of a fast the cruelty of a murder may be covered. *Naboth blessed God and the king.* It is irony, as though he cursed the king, and through him God, whose minister he is. *Thou hast moreover killed and taken possession. And after these things thou wilt add.* In the Hebrew it is thus: Thou hast killed, and after these things wilt thou inherit? under interrogation, as if he should say: Is it not enough for thee to have killed a man, unless thou possess his inheritance as well? *In this place,* etc. How was it said to Achab: *In this place in which the dogs licked [0112B] the blood of Naboth, they shall lap thy blood also;* whereas the blood of Naboth was shed in Jezrael, but the dogs licked the blood of Achab beside the pool of Samaria? But it was said, in this place, that is, in such a place — as though shed as basely as thou didst shed the blood of Naboth.

## BRIEF NOTES ON THE FOURTH BOOK OF KINGS.

*[n: (IV REG. III.)] Make the bed of this torrent ditches and ditches.* Or, as others think it should be said, many ditches — that is, the dry bed of this torrent, which is now dried up, he digs higher, or rather deeper, and in many places, that it may be able to receive in abundance the waters that come upon it.

*[n: (IV REG. V.)] And Naaman said, as thou wilt. Be it done,* namely, thy will. Behold, I ask no more that thou receive [0112C] what is mine; *but* nevertheless *I beseech* that thou grant what is thine. *Grant to me thy servant, that from* this holy *earth,* in which the true God is adored, *I may take* and carry with me *the burden of two mules.* But why he wished to carry the earth he adds. *For thy servant will no more offer holocaust or victim to strange gods, but to the Lord.* He still wished, therefore, to carry earth, that from it, in his own land, he might make an altar to the Lord, on which he might sacrifice. *He went therefore from him at a chosen time.* He seems to have been deceived by the ambiguity of the word, between a space of land and a time. For in the Hebrew it sounds more expressly thus: He went therefore from him as it were at some time by a space of land; and so it is fittingly added: *And Giezi the boy said,* that is, the attendant, *of the man of God,* — like it is what is read in Genesis: [0112D] *And it was springtime, and I was entering Ephratha [n: (Gen. XLVIII)]*. In the Hebrew it sounds more expressly: And still a space of land — "remained" is understood: And I was entering Ephratha.

*[n: (IV REG. VI.)] The fourth part of a cadus of doves' dung.* A cadus is a measure. They think the doves' dung was snatched up by the hungry for this reason, that the grains carried from afar by the doves, perhaps mixed with the dung and picked out, might furnish some refreshment to the famished.

*[n: (IV REG. VIII.)] And when the next day had come, he took a coverlet and poured water upon it,* or poured it with water, that is, drenched it — that is, he took a cloth and moistened it in water *and spread it over his face.* Hazael himself took the cloth, and when it was moistened spread it over [0113A] the face of his lord, namely to cool his face, because he was burning with heat. In the Hebrew it is said more expressly: He spread it over his own face, so that it may be understood that not Hazael, but Benadab himself, moistened the cloth and, for coolness, spread it over his own face. Which nevertheless could avail nothing, because he died. *And when he was dead, Hazael reigned in his stead.*

*[n: (IV REG. XIII.)] But Joachaz besought the face of the Lord, and he heard him, and the Lord gave a savior to Israel.* Namely Joam his son, because he afterward delivered Israel from the hand of the king of Syria.

*[n: (IV REG. XVI.)] Also the Musach of the Sabbath.* It signifies a roof or a covering, where on the Sabbath the king had been accustomed to sit beside the temple. This Musach, therefore, *and [0113B] the king's entry,* that is, the porch through which he entered, set on the outside, *he turned into the temple of the Lord,* for fear of the king of the Assyrians.

*[n: (IV REG. XIX.)] Hast thou not heard what I have done from the beginning?* that is, how of old I drowned Pharao and [0114A] the Egyptians pursuing my people? *From ancient days I formed it,* that is, in ancient days I wrought it, that is, that vengeance. *And now I have brought it,* that is, now again I wish to recall it as an example, that I may execute the like upon thee. *But to thee, Ezechias, this shall be the sign.* This, namely, that I shall lay low thy enemy and drive him back; this shall be the sign of the propitiation that follows, namely that I shall make the land laid waste by him spring up manifoldly after his departure, so that my afflicted people may be relieved by abundance. *Therefore this year eat what thou shalt find.* That is, be content with that which thou shalt be able to have, so that, if anything be lacking, thou mayest bear it patiently. And if thou hast not what thou mayest sow, fear not. *In the second year the shoots springing up of themselves shall be multiplied;* so much that the abundance [0114B] of the crops may suffice both for present sustenance and for future seed. Therefore, *In the third year sow.* Moreover, that this shall come to pass thou shalt be able to know from this, that I shall drive back and destroy the king of the Assyrians, who now threatens thee.