§11Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.
By the same.
Ἡ ἐναντία δύναμις οὐδέποτε ποιεῖ ἔργον καλὸν, ἀλλὰ πάντα χείριστα ἐνεργεῖ· καὶ ὅπερ ἐνεργήσει κακὸν, οὐ δύναται ἀποκαταστῆσαι εἰς τὸ βέλτιον, οὐ γὰρ ἔχει τάξιν τοῦ κρείττονος.
The opposing power never does a good work, but works all things most evilly; and whatever evil it works, it cannot restore to a better state, for it does not have the order of the better.
Τῇ δὲ κρείττονι δυνάμει πάντα δυνατά.
But to the better power all things are possible.
Ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἀλγεῖν ποιεῖ, καὶ πάλιν ἀποκαθίστησιν, ἐνεργῆσαι δὲ κακὸν οὐκ ἕχει· οὐ γὰρ καθʼ ἕξιν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατʼ οὐσίαν ἀγαθός ἐστιν.
For our God makes to feel pain, and restores again, but to work evil He does not have [the capacity]; for He is good not only by disposition but also by essence.
§12Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.
By the same.
Ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις ἐστί τινα καὶ μαντεῖα τετελεσμένα, καὶ θυσίαι, καί τινα δῶρα προσφερόμενα τοῖς δαίμοσιν· ὥστε διὰ τούτων προσδερομένων μαντεύεσθαι τοὺς βουλομένους.
Among human affairs there are certain fulfilled divinations, and sacrifices, and certain gifts offered to the demons; so that through these being offered, those who wish may divine.
Μαντεῖα δέ ἐστιν ἕκαστον πρᾶγμα.
But each matter is [only] divination.
Οὐ γὰρ ἀληθὴς πρόῤῥησις.
For it is not a true prediction.
§13Καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ Κύρος πρὸς αὐτόν. Κατὰ ἀλήθειαν es Num. αXn, 22. » ipid. 35. » Num.
"And Cyrus [sc. the Lord] came to him." In truth, from Num. XXII, 22; ibid. 35; Num.
XXm, θεία δύναμις παρεγένετο πρὸς Βαλαὰμ οὐ κληθεῖσα ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ.
XXm, a divine power came to Balaam, not having been called by him.
Παρεγένετο οὖν, ἵνα ἀποτροπιασμὸν ποιήσῃ τῶν καλουμένων ὑπὸ τοῦ Βαλαὰμ δαιμόνων, καὶ τὰς θείας προῤῥήσεις οἰκονομήσῃ.
It came, therefore, in order to cause the aversion of the demons called by Balaam, and to administer the divine predictions.
§14Καὶ ἀνέστη ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνδιαβάλλειν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ὀδοῦ. Ὁ ἐνδιαβάλλων ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἄγγελος τὸν Βαλαὰμ, ἆρα μὴ οὗτός ἐστι περὶ οὗ εἷπεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς τὸν Μωῦσῆν ὅτι « Ἄγγελός μου προπορεύεται ἔμπροσθεν ὑμῶν διαφυλάσσων ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ; »
"And the angel of God stood up to oppose him on the way." Is the angel opposing Balaam on the way perhaps the one about whom God said to Moses: "My angel goes before you, guarding you on the way"?
§15Συμπορεύθητι μετὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τούτων. Οὐκ ἐπέτρεψε τῷ Βαλαὰμ ὁ Θεὸς ἀπελθεῖν πρὸς τὸν Βαλάκ· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπελθεῖν ἐβούλετο, συγχωρεῖ.
"Go with these men." God did not permit Balaam to go to Balak; but since he wished to go, He allowed it.
Παραγγέλλει δὲ αὐτῷ μόνα τὰ ἀποκαλυπτόμενα εἰπεῖν· καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος δὲ φανεὶς καὶ φοβήσας τοῦτο βεβαιοἴ.
And He commands him to speak only the things revealed [to him]; and the angel, having appeared and terrified him, confirms this.
Οἰκοδόμησόν μοι ἑπτὰ βωμούς. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ διὰ σώματος ἐτέρου ἔργα γινόμενα, καὶ ἐν τοῖς κρείττοσι καὶ ἐν τοῖς χείροσιν.
"Build for me seven altars." And there are works done through another body, both in better and in worse things.
Οἷον ὡς τὰ γινόμενα ὲν Αἰγύπτῳ ὑπὸ Μωϋσῆ καὶ Ἀαρὼν καὶ τῶν ἐπαοιδῶν.
For example, the things done in Egypt by Moses and Aaron and the magicians.
Ἀλλὰ συγκρινομένη ἡ θεία δύναμις πρὸς τὴν ἀντικειμένην κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν ἀμφιβαλλόντων, αὕτη ἡ θεία δύναμις νικᾷ· ὡς ἡ ῥάβδος Μωϋσῆ τὰς τῶν ἐπαοιδῶν ῥάβδους κατέπιεν.
But when the divine power is compared to the opposing power in the presence of those who doubt, this divine power conquers; just as the rod of Moses swallowed the rods of the magicians.
§16Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.
By the same.
Εἰώθει ὁ Βαλαὰμ ταῖς αὐταῖς θυσίαις θεραπεύων προσκαλεῖσθαι τοὺς δαίμονας.
Balaam was accustomed to summon the demons by serving them with these same sacrifices.
Τοιαῦται γὰρ αἱ θυσίαι ἐτελοῦντο ἐν κόσμῳ τοῖς δαίμοσι.
For such sacrifices were performed in the world to the demons.
Διὰ τοῦτο οὖν ὁ Θεὸς θυσίαις ἀπαιτεῖ τὸν πρῶτον λαὸν, ἵνα διὰ τὸ προσφέρεσθαι τῷ Θεῷ, καταργηθῇ τὸ προσφέρεσθαι τοῖς δαίμοσιν εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα σύμβολα ἦσαν.
Therefore, then, God requires sacrifices from the first people, so that by being offered to God, the offering to demons might be abolished, even if they were especially symbols.
§17Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.
By the same.
Ἐνανθρωπήσας οὗν ὁ Σωτὴρ ἀπέστειλε τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἵνα λύσωσι τὴν ὄνον, τουτέστιν ἐκ τῶν δεσμῶν ὧν ἔδησεν ἡ ἀντικειμένη δύναμις, ὁ νοητὸς Βαλαάμ· καὶ λύσαντες ἤγαγον πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ἐπιθέντες τῇ ὄνῳ τὰ ἱμάτια, τουτέστι τὰς ἀρετὰς τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου· καὶ ἐπικαθίσας αὐτῇ ῇ Σωτὴρ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν.
Therefore, having become man, the Savior sent His disciples to loose the donkey, that is, from the bonds with which the opposing power, the intelligible Balaam, had bound [her]; and having loosed her, they led her to Jesus, and having laid upon the donkey their garments, that is, the virtues of the Gospel; and the Savior, having sat upon her, entered into the holy city.
§18Καὶ παρέλαβε Βαλὰκ τὸν θαλαὰμ ἑαὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ Φογώρ.
"And Balak took Thalaam [sc.
Ὑπελάμβανεν ὁ Βαλὰκ μεμετρημένην τὴν τέχνην τοῦ Βαλαὰμ ἐν τοῖς τόποις.
Balaam] and [text: eai] the top of Phogor [Peor]." Balak supposed that the art of Balaam was limited by places.
Διὸ παρελάμβανεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ Φογὼρ, οἰόμενος ἰσχύειν τὸν μάγον ἐκεῖθεν ἀράσασθαι τὸν λαὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν Βαλαάμ.
Therefore he took him to the top of Phogor, thinking that from there the magician Balaam would have power to curse the people of God.
Φογὼρ δὲ ἑρμηνεύετσι ἡδυσμὸς, ἢ στόματος δέρμα, τουτέστιν, ἀκρότης φιληδονίας, καὶ νεκρότης λόγου.
And Phogor is interpreted as "sweetness" or "skin of the mouth", that is, the height of love of pleasure, and the deadness of speech.
Ἐξ ὧν ἐπειρᾶτο ἀράσασθαι τὸν λαὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ Βαλαάμ.
From which Balaam attempted to curse the people of God.
§19Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.
By the same.
Δύο εἰσὶ κορυφαὶ, τουτέστιν ἀκροτάτης (46*) ἀρετῆ, καὶ τῆς κακίας· καὶ ὁ μὲν Μωυσῆς ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀναβέβηκεν, ὁ δὲ Βαλαὰμ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς κακίας.
There are two summits, that is, of the highest virtue and of vice; and Moses indeed ascended to the summit of virtue, but Balaam to the summit of vice.
§20Οὐκ ἐπορεύθη κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς αὐτῷ εἰς συνάντησιν τοῖς οἰωνοῖς. Σύμβολόν ἐστιν ὁ Βαλαὰμ οὗτος τοῦ ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν λαοῦ ὅστις ἐπηκολούθει τοῖς οἰωνοἴς τὸ πρότερον, γνοὺς δὲ ὅτι ἀκόρεστόν ἐστι Κυρίῳ. οὐ προσέθετο· ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ ἑρμηνεύεται μάταιος λαὸς, υἱὸς δὲ Βεὼρ ἑρμηνεύεται δερμάτινος.
"He did not go, according to his custom, to meet the omens." This Balaam is a symbol of the people from the nations who formerly followed omens, but knowing that it is pleasing to the Lord, did not continue; furthermore, he is also interpreted as "vain people", and the son of Beor is interpreted as "of skin".
Τὸ μὲν μάταιος ἦν κατὰ τὸ πρότερον τῶν ἐθνῶν, Βεὼρ δὲ τοῦ ἐν ματαιότητι καὶ ἐν νεκρότητι κατὰ τὸ πρότερον δηλονότι.
Indeed, "vain" was according to the former state of the gentiles, and "Beor" [signifies] clearly that of being in vanity and deadness in the former time.