- Source
- Origenes. Origenis Opera Omnia, Volume 2 (Patrologia Graeca, Tomus 12). La Rue, Charles de, editor; La Rue, Charles Vincent de, editor. Paris: J. P. Migne, 1862.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2042.tlg053.humanitext-grc1:32-39
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Based on Deuteronomy, the text explains the punitive meaning of the number forty, the reason for forbidding iron in altar construction, the origins of the tribes blessing and cursing, and the prophecies concerning the calling of the gentiles and Christ's reign.
Ἀριθμῷ τεσσαράκοντα μαστιγώσουσιν αὐτόν. Ἀεί γε τετηρήκαμεν κακωτικὸν ὄντα τὸν μ΄ ἀριθμόν· ὅθεν Μωῦσῆς ὁ μέγας τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας νηστεύσας, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον ὁ Ἠλίας· ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν πειραζόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου οὐκ ἔφαγεν μ΄ ἡμέρας καὶ μ΄ νύκτας· καὶ ὁ μέγας δὲ κατακλυσμὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς γίνεται, ὕοντος τοῦ Θεοῦ, τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τεσσαράκοντα νύκτας. Οὐκ ἐπιβαλεῖς αὐτοῖς σίδηρον. Ζητητέον διὰ τί σίδηρον οὐκ ἐᾷ1 τῶν λίθων ἅψασθαι εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου χρησιμευόντων. Ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ ναοῦ λίθους ἀπελεκήτους προστάττει συναγαγεῖν, καὶ οἰκοδομῆσαι. Εἰ γὰρ ἄτοπον τὸ σίδηρον ἅπτεσθαι τοῦ λίθου πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν ἁρμόττοντος, πῶς οὖν ἄρα οἱ κίονες. πῶς οὖν αἱ σανίδες καὶ αἱ τούτων κεφαλίδες εἰργάσθησαν; Ἢ πῶς ὅσα ἐκ χαλκοῦ γέγονεν ἢ χρυσοῦ ἢ ἀργύρου, κατεσκευάσθη ἄρα ἄνευ σιδηροῦ; Καὶ πῶς οἷόντε; Διὰ τούτωνφανερὸν μὲν, ὅτι οὐχ ἀπλῶς ἀπαγορεύει τὸ σίδηρον ἅψασθαι τῶν λίθων. Τίς οὖν ἡ αἰτία; Λέγομὲν οὐ διϊσχυριζόμενοι. Ταῦτα δὴ τοίνυν. Σκληρὸν σιδήριον ἐπιβάλλειν,2 πῶς οὐ μᾶλλον ἀπαγορευτέον σκληρῷ ἐπιβάλλειν καὶ συγκρούειν κωλύει. Μεγάλα γὰρ φιλεῖ τίκτεσθαι κακὰ ἐκ τῆς τῶν σκληρῶν συμμίξεως καὶ συγκρούσεως. Ἢ τὸν φόνον ὡς ποῤῥωτάτω τῆς καρδίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκβάλλει· καὶ μάλα δικαίως. Εἰ γὰρ οὐ χρὴ λίθῳ τῷ οἰκοδομουμένῳ εἰς τὴν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου κατασκευὴν, ἢ τοῦ ναοῦ, σιδήριον ἐπιβάλλειν, πῶς οὐ μἄλλον ἀπαγορευτέον τὸ σίδηρον ἁρπάζειν, καὶ κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον φονᾷν;΄ Οὗτοι στήσοται εὐλογεῖν τὸν λαόν. Παρατηρητέον ὅτι οἱ εὐλογεῖν ταχθέντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἐλευθέρων γυναικῶν καὶ συγγενῶν τοῦ Ἰακὼβ ἐγεννήθησαν· οὕτω οἱ δὲ καταρᾶσθαι ἀφορισθέντες ἀπὸ τοῦ ὅρους Γεβὰλ, ἀπὸ τῶν παιδισκῶν ἦσαν, πλὴν τοῦ Ῥουβὶμ καὶ τοῦ Ζαβουλών.3 Τέτακται δὲ ὁ Ῥουβὶμ μετὰ τῶν καταρωμένων, ὡς καὶ καταρώμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸν Λευὶ κατηράσατο, ἀλλὰ λελύτρωται αὐτὸς τῇ ἱερατικῇ ἀξία. Μάλιστα γὰρ ἱερέως ἐστὶ τὸ τὸν λαὸν εὐλογεῖν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Συμεὼν ὡς ἐν μέσῳ τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς οἰκήσας, καὶ ὥσπερ μέρος αὐτῆς γεγονὼς, διὰ τοῦτο ὅπου Ἰούδας, ἐκεῖ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀριθμεῖται.
”They shall scourge him forty times in number.” We have always observed that the number forty is of an afflictive nature; whence great Moses fasted forty days, and after him Elijah; and indeed our Savior, being tempted by the devil, did not eat for forty days and forty nights; and the great deluge also occurred upon the earth, God raining for forty days and forty nights. “You shall not apply iron to them.” We must inquire why He does not allow iron to touch the stones that serve for the building of the altar. But even after this, He commands to gather unhewn stones for the building of the temple, and to build it. For if it is improper for iron to touch a stone suited for building, how then were the pillars, how were the planks and their capitals fashioned? Or how indeed could all things made of bronze, or gold, or silver, be constructed without iron? And how is it possible? By these things it is manifest that He does not simply forbid iron to touch the stones. What then is the cause? We speak, not asserting dogmatically. Indeed, it is these very things. How is it not rather forbidden to apply hard iron, and how does He prevent applying it and striking it against a hard thing? For great evils are wont to be generated from the intermingling and striking of hard things. Or, He casts out murder as far as possible from the hearts of men, and very justly so. For if one must not apply iron to a stone being built for the construction of the altar or the temple, how much more should it be forbidden to seize iron and murder one’s neighbor? ”These shall stand to bless the people.” It must be observed that those appointed to bless were born of the free wives and relatives of Jacob; but those set apart to curse from Mount Ebal were from the handmaids, except Reuben and Zebulun. And Reuben is arranged among those who curse, as being also cursed by his father. And even if he cursed Levi as well, yet Levi has been redeemed by his priestly dignity. For it belongs especially to a priest to bless the people. Moreover, Simeon, having dwelt in the midst of the tribe of Judah, and having become as it were a part of it, is for this reason numbered wherever Judah is.
Καὶ αὕτη ἡ εὐλογία ἣν ηὐλόγησε Μωϋσῆς. Αἱ παρὰ Ἰακὼβ προῤῥήσεις, οὕτε πᾶσαι εὐλογίαι ἦσαν, οὕτε πᾶσαι ἀραί· αἱ δὲ παρὰ Μωῦσέως, πᾶσαι εὐλογίαι.
”And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed.” The predictions by Jacob were neither all blessings nor all curses; but those by Moses were all blessings.
Καὶ κατέσπευσεν ἐξ ὄροῦς Φαράν. Τουτέστι τῷ μηκέτι τῷ Ἰσραὴλ χρηματίζειν,4 ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν, καὶ τὸν νόμον ἔστησε. Τοῦτο γὰρ, « κατέ σπευσεν ἐξ ὅρους Φαρὰν, » εἴτουν « κατέπαυσεν. » ὅπερ ἑτέρα περιέχει γραφὴ, ἀντὶ τοῦ, σπουδαίως τὴν σκιὰν καταλείψει, καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἡμῖν φανερώσει.
”And He hasted from Mount Paran.” That is, by no longer speaking to Israel, but to those of the nations, and He established the law. For this, “He hasted from Mount Paran,” or “He rested,” as another scripture contains, is instead of saying, He will swiftly leave the shadow behind and manifest the truth to us.
Σὺν μυριάσι Κάδης. Νῦν Κάδης οὐ τὸν τόπον λέγει, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἁγίους. Κάδης γὰρ τὸ ἄγιον λέγεται τῇ Ἑδραΐδι γλώττῃ.
”With myriads of Kadesh.” Here “Kadesh” does not speak of the place, but of the holy ones. For “Kadesh” is called “holy” in the Hebrew tongue.
Καὶ ἐφείσατο τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ. Τουτέστιν, ἔσωσε παραγενόμενος τοὺς οὐ λαοὺς ποτὲ, νῦν δὲ λαοὺς Θεοῦ, τοὺς οὐκ ἠλεημένους, νῦν δὲ ἐλεηθέντας. « Ἐν τούτῳ γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος Πέτρος, ἐφανερώθη ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν. » Καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Ἰωάννης λέγει ἐν τῇ καθολικῇ, ὅτι « τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ ἀπέσταλκεν ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ἵνα ζήσωμεν διʼ αὐτοῦ. » Καὶ ὁ μακάριος δὲ Παῦλός φησιν· « Ὅ γε τοῦ ἰδίου Υἱοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάντων παρέδωκεν αὐτόν. » Ἐφείσατο οὖν τοῦ λαοῦ.
”And He spared His people.” That is, having arrived, He saved those who were once not a people but are now the people of God, those who had not received mercy but have now received mercy. “For in this,” says the apostle Peter, “the love of God was manifested among us.” And Saint John says in his Catholic Epistle, “God has sent His only-begotten Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.” And the blessed Paul also says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.” Therefore, He spared the people.
Καὶ πάντες οἱ ἡγιασ μένοι ὑπὸ τὰς χεῖράς σου. Πάντων γὰρ κρατεῖ, ὡς βασιλεὺς οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς. Ὡς βασιλεῖ παριστάμενοι, ὡς Θεῷ λειτουργοῦντες, ὡς ποιητῇ προσκυνοῦντες, καὶ ὑπʼ αὐτόν εἰσιν· « αὐτὸς γὰρ καὶ τὰ πάντα ὑπέταξεν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ. »
”And all the sanctified ones are under your hands.” For He rules over all, as King of heaven and earth. Standing before Him as King, serving Him as God, worshiping Him as Creator, they are also under Him; “for He Himself subjected all things under His feet.”
Συναχθέντες ἄρχοντες λαῶν. Οἱ θεσπέσιοι μαθηταὶ, ᾗ φησι καὶ ὁ Δαυὶδ ἐκ προσώπου αὐτῶν· « Ὑπέταξε λαοὺς ἡμῖν, καὶ ἔθνη ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας ἡμῶν.» Καὶ πάλιν· Ἄρχοντες λαῶν συνήχθησαν μετὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἀβραάμ. » Τὴν κλῆσιν οὖν δηλοῖ τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὦς τοῦ Θεοῦ μέλλοντος ἄρξειν5 ἐν ταὐτῷ καὶ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν. « Ἠγαπημένος » δὲ λέγεται ὁ Υἱός. « Οὗτος γάρ ἐστι, φησὶν, ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός. » Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἄρχει ἡμῶν ὁ Πατὴρ καὶ βασιλεύει.
”The rulers of the peoples being gathered.” These are the divine disciples, as David also says in their person: “He subjected peoples to us, and nations under our feet.” And again: “The rulers of the peoples gathered together with the God of Abraham.” It indicates, therefore, the calling of the nations, as God is going to rule over both Israel and the nations at the same time. And the Son is called “the Beloved.” “For this,” he says, “is my beloved Son.” And through Him, the Father rules and reigns over us.
- 32Ζητητέον διὰ τί σίδηρον οὐκ ἐᾷ
The impersonal verbal adjective ζητητέον ('it must be inquired') introduces the indirect question clause διὰ τί... ('why...'). The verb ἐᾷ is the third-person singular present indicative of ἐάω ('to allow'), with 'God' or 'the law' understood as the subject from the context.
- 32Σκληρὸν σιδήριον ἐπιβάλλειν
This passage exhibits a syntactic disruption (anacoluthon). The accusative infinitive phrase Σκληρὸν σιδήριον ἐπιβάλλειν ('to apply hard iron') is placed at the beginning of the sentence, loosely connecting with the subsequent question πῶς οὐ... ('how not...') to convey the overall meaning.
- 33πλὴν τοῦ Ῥουβὶμ καὶ τοῦ Ζαβουλών
Here, πλὴν functions as a preposition governing the genitive case (τοῦ Ῥουβὶμ καὶ τοῦ Ζαβουλών) to express exclusion ('except', 'with the exception of').
- 35τῷ μηκέτι τῷ Ἰσραὴλ χρηματίζειν
An articular infinitive in the dative case. The adverb μηκέτι ('no longer') negates the infinitive. The verb χρηματίζειν is used intransitively here to mean 'to deliver divine oracles' or 'to speak as God,' indicating the shift of revelation to the gentiles.
- 39ὡς τοῦ Θεοῦ μέλλοντος ἄρξειν
A genitive absolute construction introduced by the conjunction ὡς. The particle ὡς indicates subjective reason or purpose, and μέλλοντος (present active participle of μέλλω in the genitive) with the future infinitive ἄρξειν expresses the expectation that 'God is going to rule.'
Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (2, latest 2026-09-21)
- 2026-09-21 AI review — source 2