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Origen · Adnotationes on Exodus §31.1

God's Purpose in Keeping Moses for Forty Days

Passage 4 of 4 · Greek

Summary

It is explained that God held Moses back for forty days instead of three to give the Law in order to expose the hidden impiety in the hearts of the Jews.

§31.1Στίχ. α΄.
Verse 1.
Καὶ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωϋσῆν. Ἐν ὅλαις τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέραις δοῦναι τὸν νόμον κατεῖχε τὸν Μωῦσῆν (11) ὁ πάνσοφος Θεὸς, καίτοι δυνατῶς ἔχων ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις δοῦναι τὸν Νόμον.
"And the Lord spoke to Moses." The all-wise God held Moses(11) back for a full forty days to give the Law, although He was able to give the Law in three days.
Ἀλλʼ ἵνα τὸ κεκρυμμένον τῆς ἀσεβείας ἐν τῷ βάθει τῆς καρδίας τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὁ χρόνος τῆς ἀπουσίας Μωῦσέως ἐλέγξῃ.
But this was so that the time of Moses' absence might expose the hidden impiety in the depth of the heart of the Jews.

Notes

  1. §31.1δυνατῶς ἔχων — The combination of the adverb `δυνατῶς` and `ἔχω` followed by the infinitive `δοῦναι` functions equivalently to `δύναμαι` (to be able). Here it acts as a concessive participle with `καίτοι`.
  2. §31.1Ἀλλʼ ἵνα — The main verb (such as "He did this" or "He held him back") is omitted, and the purpose is introduced directly by `ἵνα`.

Cite this passage

Origen, Adnotationes on Exodus §31.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2042.tlg067.humanitext-grc1:31.1

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