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Origen · Annotations on Deuteronomy (fragments from Catenae) §33.6

Moses' Blessing on Reuben and Jacob's Curse

Passage 10 of 10 · Greek

Summary

The author explains the justification of Moses' blessing upon Reuben in contrast to Jacob's prior curse, highlighting Reuben's good deed in sparing his brother Joseph.

§33.6Στίχ. ς΄.
Verse 6.
Ζήτω Ῥουβὶμ, καὶ μὴ ἀποθανέτω. Ἐπειδὴ Ἰακὼβ ἀποθνήσκων κατηράσατο τῷ Ῥουβὶμ λέγων· Ὡς ὕδωρ μὴ ἐκζέσῃς. Ὁ Μωϋσῆς εὐλογῶν φησι· Ζήτω Ῥουβὶμ, καὶ μὴ ἀποθανέτω.
"Let Reuben live, and not die." Since Jacob, when he was dying, cursed Reuben, saying, "Do not boil over like water," Moses says in blessing, "Let Reuben live, and not die." Both are well.
Ἀμφότερα καλῶς. Ὅ τε γὰρ πατὴρ κατήραται αὐτῷ ὡς τῇ παλλακῇ συνελθόντι, τὰ ἑξῆς παιδεύων καὶ φοβῶν· καὶ Μωϋσῆς δικαίως εὐλογεῖ μετὰ ταῦτα· ἐπειδὴ μόνος ἐφείσατο τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, ὅτε ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν ἐβούλοντο οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ.
For on the one hand, the father cursed him on the grounds that he had gone in unto his concubine, instructing and instilling fear into those who would follow; and on the other hand, Moses justly blesses him after these things, since he alone spared Joseph when his brothers wished to kill him.
Ἄτοπον δὲ ἦν κατάραν μὲν προχωρῆσαι κατὰ ἡμαρτηκότος, εὐλογίαν δὲ μὴ δοθῆναι κατορθώσαντι.
For it would have been absurd, while a curse proceeded against the one who had sinned, for a blessing not to be given to the one who had done right.

Notes

  1. §33.6Ὡς ὕδωρ μὴ ἐκζέσῃς — A citation of Genesis 49:4 in the Septuagint (LXX). Literally "Do not boil over like water", a phrase with which Jacob rebuked the impetuousness of his firstborn Reuben.
  2. §33.6τὰ ἑξῆς — An adverbial phrase meaning "next, hereafter" or a pronominal noun phrase meaning "the subsequent ones, future generations". Here it is interpreted as the direct object of the participles *paideuōn kai phobōn*, showing that Jacob's curse was intended to have an educational and deterrent effect on those who would follow.
  3. §33.6Ἄτοπον δὲ ἦν — The imperfect indicative *ēn* is used without *an* to express a counterfactual or potential logical conclusion ("it would have been absurd"). The two subordinate infinitive clauses are contrasted by *men* and *de*.
  4. §33.6κατορθώσαντι — Aorist active participle, masculine singular dative, of the verb *katorthoō* (to do right, perform a good deed). It is contrasted with the preceding genitive participle *hēmartēkotos* (perfect active participle of *hamartanō*, meaning "one who sinned"), and functions as the dative of reference/indirect object for the passive infinitive *dothēnai* (to be given).

Cite this passage

Origen, Annotations on Deuteronomy (fragments from Catenae) §33.6. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2042.tlg070.humanitext-grc1:33.6

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