Ochozias King of Israel consulting Beelzebub, for his sicknes, is blamed by Elias, and fortold, that he shal die. 9. Fire from heauen deuoureth two capitaines with ech of them fiftie men. 13. The third by his more modestie escapeth the like danger, 15. With him Elias cometh to the King. 17. The same King dieth, and his brother Ioram succedeth.
1And Moab rebelled against Israel, after the death of Achab.Or dopo la morte di Achab, si ribellò Moab contro Israele.AND Moab moued warre agaynst Israel, after that Achab was dead.Prævaricatus est autem Moab in Israël, postquam mortuus est Achab. 2And Ochozias fell through the lattices of his upper chamber, which he had in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, saying to them: Go, consult Beelzebub, the god of Accaron, whether I shall recover of this my illness.E Ochozia cadde dalla finestra di un appartamento, che egli avea in Samaria, e ne resto ammalato; e spedì dei messi, a' quali disse: Andate a consultare Beelzebub dio di Accaron, se io possa riavermi da questa mia malattia.And Ochozias fel through the •anchions of his vpper chamber which he had in Samaria, and was sicke: and he sent messengers, saying to them: Goe, consult Beelzebub the god of Accaron, whether I may liue of this my infirmitie.Ceciditque Ochozias per cancellos cœnaculi sui, quod habebat in Samaria, et ægrotavit: misitque nuntios, dicens ad eos: Ite, consulite Beelzebub deum Accaron, utrum vivere queam de infirmitate mea hac. 3And an angel of the Lord spoke to Elias, the Thesbite, saying: Arise, and go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them: Is there not a God in Israel, that ye go to consult Beelzebub, the god of Accaron?Ma l'Angelo del Signore parlò ad Elia Thesbite, e gli disse: Parti, e va incontro ai messi del re di Samaria, e dirai loro: Non v'ha egli Dio in Israele, che voi andate a consultare Beelzebub dio di Accaron?And an Angel of our Lord spake to Elias the Thesbite, saying: Arise, and goe vp to meete the messengers of the king of Samaria, and thou shal say to them: What is there not a God in Israel, that ye goe to consult Beelzebub the god of Accaron.Angelus autem Domini locutus est ad Eliam Thesbiten, dicens: Surge, et ascende in occursum nuntiorum regis Samariæ, et dices ad eos: Numquid non est Deus in Israël, ut eatis ad consulendum Beelzebub deum Accaron ? 4Wherefore, thus saith the Lord: From the bed, on which thou art gone up, thou shalt not come down, but thou shalt surely die. And Elias went away.Per la qual cosa così dice il Signore: Dal letto, in cui ti se' messo, non uscirai, ma assolutamente morrai. Ed Elia se n'andò.Wherfore thus saith our Lord: From the bed on which thou art ascended, thou shalt not goe downe, but dying thou shalt die. And Elias went away.Quam ob rem hæc dicit Dominus: De lectulo, super quem ascendisti, non descendes, sed morte morieris. Et abiit Elias.
5And the messengers turned back to Ochozias. And he said to them: Why are you come back?E i messi tornarono ad Ochozia, il qual disse loro: Perchè siete tornati indietro?And the messengers returned to Ochozias. Who said to them: Why are you returned?Reversique sunt nuntii ad Ochoziam. Qui dixit eis: Quare reversi estis ? 6But they answered him: A man met us, and said to us: Go, and return to the king, that sent you, and you shall say to him: Thus saith the Lord: Is it because there was no God in Israel, that thou sendest to Beelzebub, the god of Accaron? Therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed, on which thou art gone up, but thou shalt surely die.E quelli risposero: Ci si è fatto innanzi un uomo, e ci ha detto: Andate, e tornate al re, che vi ha mandati, e ditegli: Queste cose dice il Signore: Forse perchè non havvi Dio in Israele, tu mandi a consultar Beelzebub dio di Accaron? Per questo dal letto, in cui ti sei messo non uscirai, ma morrai indubitatamente.But they answered him: A man mette vs: and sayd to vs: Goe, and returne to the king, that sent you, and you shal say to him: Thus saith our Lord: Doest thou therfore send to consult Beelzebub the god of Accaron, because there was no God in Israel? Therfore from the bed, which thou art vpon, thou shalt not goe downe, but dying thou shalt dye.At illi responderunt ei: Vir occurrit nobis, et dixit ad nos: Ite, et revertimini ad regem qui misit vos, et dicetis ei: Hæc dicit Dominus: Numquid quia non erat Deus in Israël, mittis ut consulatur Beelzebub deus Accaron ? idcirco de lectulo, super quem ascendisti, non descendes, sed morte morieris. 7And he said to them: What manner of man was he who met you, and spoke these words?Ed egli disse loro: Qual è la figura, e l'abito di quell'uomo, che è venuto incontro a voi, e vi ha dette queste parole?Who said to them: What shape and habite had that man, which mette you, and spake these wordes?Qui dixit eis: Cujus figuræ et habitus est vir ille, qui occurrit vobis, et locutus est verba hæc ? 8But they said: A hairy man, with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said: It is Elias, the Thesbite.E quelli dissero: Egli è un uomo peloso, e che si cinge i fianchi con una cintola di cuoio. Ed egli disse: Questi è Elia di Thesbe.But they said: A hearie man, and girded about his raines with a girdle of lether: Who said: It is Elias the Thesbite.At illi dixerunt: Vir pilosus, et zona pellicea accinctus renibus. Qui ait: Elias Thesbites est. 9And he sent to him a captain of fifty, and the fifty men that were under him. And he went up to him, and as he was sitting on the top of a hill, he said to him: Man of God, the king hath commanded that thou come down.E mandò a lui un capitano di cinquanta uomini, co' cinquanta, che gli eran subordinati. E questi andò a trovarlo, mentre sedea sulla cima di un monte, e gli disse: Uomo di Dio, il re comanda, che tu venga a basso.And he sent vnto him a captaine of fiftie men, and the fiftie that were vnder him. Who went vp and sayd to him sitting in the toppe of the mount: Man of God, the king hath commanded that thou come downe.Misitque ad eum quinquagenarium principem, et quinquaginta qui erant sub eo. Qui ascendit ad eum: sedentique in vertice montis, ait: Homo Dei, rex præcepit ut descendas.
10And Elias answering, said to the captain of fifty: If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume thee, and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven and consumed him, and the fifty that were with him.Ed Elia rispose, e disse al capitano di cinquanta: Se io son uomo di Dio, scenda il fuoco dal cielo, e divori te, e i tuoi cinquanta uomini. E venne il fuoco dal cielo, e divorò colui te e i cinquanta uomini, che eran con lui.And Elias answering, sayd to the captaine of fiftie men: If I be a man of God, let fyre come downe from heauen, and deuoure thee, and thy fiftie. Fyre therfore came downe from heauen, and deuoured him and the fiftie men that were with him.Respondensque Elias, dixit quinquagenario: Si homo Dei sum, descendat ignis de cælo, et devoret te, et quinquaginta tuos. Descendit itaque ignis de cælo, et devoravit eum, et quinquaginta qui erant cum eo. 11And he again sent to him another captain of fifty men, and his fifty with him. And he said to him: Man of God: Thus saith the king: Make haste and come down.E di nuovo (Ochozia) mandò da lui un altro capitano di cinquanta uomini, e con esso i cinquanta. E questi gli disse: Uomo di Dio, il re dice così: a presto, discendi.And he sent againe vnto him an other captaine of fiftie men, and his fiftie with him. Who spake to him: Man of God, Thus saith the king: Make hast, come downe.Rursumque misit ad eum principem quinquagenarium alterum, et quinquaginta cum eo. Qui locutus est illi: Homo Dei, hæc dicit rex: Festina, descende. 12Elias answering, said: If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee, and thy fifty. And fire came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.Elia rispose, e disse: Se io son uomo di Dio, scenda il fuoco dal cielo, e divori te, e i tuoi cinquanta. Venne pertanto il fuoco dal cielo, e lo divorò co' suoi cinquanta.Elias answering said: If I be a man of God, let fyre come downe from heauen, and deuoure thee, and thy fiftie. Fyre therfore came downe from heauen, and deuoured him, and his fiftie.Respondens Elias, ait: Si homo Dei ego sum, descendat ignis de cælo, et devoret te, et quinquaginta tuos. Descendit ergo ignis de cælo, et devoravit illum, et quinquaginta ejus. 13Again he sent a third captain of fifty men, and the fifty that were with him. And when he was come, he fell upon his knees before Elias, and besought him, and said: Man of God, despise not my life, and the lives of thy servants that are with me.Di nuovo quegli mandò un terzo capitano di cinquanta uomini, co' suoi cinquanta. Il quale in arrivando si inginocchiò dinanzi ad Elia, e pregollo, e disse: Uomo di Dio, ti raccomando la mia vita, e le vite de' tuoi servi, che sono con me.Agayne he sent a third captaine of fiftie men, and the fiftie that were with him. Who when he was come, bowed his knees toward Elias, and prayed him and sayd: Man of God despise not my life and the liues of thy seruantes that are with me.Iterum misit principem quinquagenarium tertium, et quinquaginta qui erant cum eo. Qui cum venisset, curvavit genua contra Eliam, et precatus est eum, et ait: Homo Dei, noli despicere animam meam, et animas servorum tuorum qui mecum sunt.
14Behold fire came down from heaven, and consumed the two first captains of fifty men, and the fifties that were with them: but now I beseech thee to spare my life.Ecco, che il fuoco venuto dal cielo ha divorati i primi due capitani di cinquanta uomini, e i cinquanta, che eran con essi; ma ora, ti prego, abbi pietà di me.Behold fyre came downe from heauen, and hath deuoured the two first captaynes of fiftie men, and the fifties, that were with them: but now I besech the that thou haue mercie on my life.Ecce descendit ignis de cælo, et devoravit duos principes quinquagenarios primos, et quinquagenos qui cum eis erant: sed nunc obsecro ut miserearis animæ meæ. 15And the angel of the Lord spoke to Elias, saying: Go down with him, fear not. He arose therefore, and went down with him to the king,Or l'Angelo del Signore parlò ad Elia, e disse: Va con lui, non temere. Egli allora si alzò, e andò con lui a trovare il re.And an Angel of our Lord spake to Elias, saying: Goe downe with him, feare not. He therfore arose, and went downe with him to the king,Locutus est autem angelus Domini ad Eliam, dicens: Descende cum eo: ne timeas. Surrexit igitur, et descendit cum eo ad regem, 16And said to him: Thus saith the Lord: Because thou hast sent messengers to consult Beelzebub, the god of Accaron, as though there were not a God in Israel, of whom thou mightest inquire the word; therefore, from the bed on which thou art gone up, thou shalt not come down, but thou shalt surely die.E dissegli: Queste cose dice il Signore: Perchè tu hai spediti de' messi a consultar Beelzebub dio di Accaron, come se non fosse Dio in Israele, cui tu potessi consultare, per questo dal letto, in cui ti se' messo, non uscirai, ma assolutamente morrai.and spake to him: Thus saith our Lord: Because thou hast sent messengers to consult Beelzebub the god of Accaron, as though there were not a God in Israel, of whom thou mightest aske the word, therfore from the bed, which thou art ascended vpon, thou shalt not descend, but dying thou shalt die.et locutus est ei: Hæc dicit Dominus: Quia misisti nuntios ad consulendum Beelzebub deum Accaron, quasi non esset Deus in Israël a quo posses interrogare sermonem, ideo de lectulo super quem ascendisti, non descendes, sed morte morieris. 17So he died, according to the word of the Lord, which Elias spoke; and Joram, his brother, reigned in his stead, in the second year of Joram, the son of Josaphat, king of Juda, because he had no son.Egli adunque morì secondo la parola del Signore pronunziata da Elia, e gli succedette nel regno Joram suo fratello, l'anno secondo di Joram figliuolo di Josaphat re di Giuda: perocché quegli non avea verun figliuolo.He died therfore according to the word of our Lord which Elias spake, & Ioram his brother reigned for him, in the second yeare of Ioram the sonne of Iosaphat the king of Iuda: for he had no sonne.Mortuus est ergo juxta sermonem Domini quem locutus est Elias, et regnavit Joram frater ejus pro eo, anno secundo Joram filii Josaphat regis Judæ: non enim habebat filium.
18But the rest of the acts of Ochozias, which he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?Il resto poi delle azioni fatte da Ochozia non son elleno scritte nel diario de' fatti dei re d'Israele?But the rest of the wordes of Ochozias, which he wrought, are not these written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel?Reliqua autem verborum Ochoziæ quæ operatus est, nonne hæc scripta sunt in libro sermonum dierum regum Israël ?
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Year of the World 3108, Year before Christ 896.
Haydock
Rebelled: literally, "prevaricated." (Haydock)
Tirinus
The kings of Israel kept some of the nations, which David had conquered, in subjection, while the kings of Juda ruled over the others. In consequence of the late disaster, these people began to throw off the yoke. (Tirinus)
Calmet
Joram made war upon Moab, 4 Kings 3:5. God began to punish the house of Achab, by these means. (Calmet)
Haydock
The Moabites refused to pay tribute, (Menochius) as the Israelites would not acknowledge the divine authority. (Haydock)
1:2
Lattices, by a skylight, (Haydock) or trap-door, designed to give light to the room below, into which the king fell. The roofs are generally flat in the East, and covered with earth mixed with straw, with the light at the top, to prevent the excessive heats.
Calmet
Of. Hebrew, etc., "into." (Calmet)
Menochius
If the lattices be understood to mean the rails, which were ordered to be placed round the roof, (Deuteronomy 22:8.) Ochozias might fall into the street. (Menochius)
Tirinus
Josephus thinks he fell from the staircase. At any rate, he was much hurt, (Haydock) and thus was made to feel the indignation of God. (Tirinus)
God. Septuagint, "Baal, the god-fly;" (Calmet) the Jupiter of the Greeks, or their chief god; and the prince of devils, Matthew xii.
Haydock
Accaron. Hence Pliny ([Natural History?] 8:29.) styles the god Achor, (Tirinus) and Myiodis, (B. xxxvi.) which is the name given to him by Josephus, 9:2. (Haydock)
Vatable
He was supposed to free the people of the country from being infested with flies; or the many victims offered up to him, drew those insects together. (Vatable)
Du Hamel
Grotius supposes that the Phoenicians styled their god, Beelsemen, (Bálssomin) "God of heaven;" and that the Hebrews called him, Bálzobub, "god of flies," out of contempt. But perhaps he is too favourable to the idolaters. (Du Hamel)
Haydock
Selden is convinced that Ochozias gives the idol its real name. Scaliger rather thinks that Balzobéim, "the lord of victims," was the original title. (Haydock)
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Away; probably to his usual abode, at Carmel, where the king sent to seize him.
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Menochius
Messengers. They were perhaps citizens of Accaron, who had extolled the sagacity of their god, but were totally unacquainted with Elias. Yet as he shewed his knowledge of secret things, by telling them what they were going about, (Salien) and spoke with such assurance, (Haydock) they thought proper to return, lest they should incur a similar punishment. (Menochius)
1:8
Man. Hebrew ish bahal sehar, "a man lord of hair," or all covered with it, having a long beard, like the ancient sages, (St. Jerome, in Ezechiel xxxv.) and clothed with a skin, (Bochart) as the first inhabitants of the earth, the heroes, prophets and St. John the Baptist, are described, Hebrews 11:37., and Matthew 3:4. So Statius (ii., and iv.) says: Tiresiae vultus, voces et vellera nota Induitur.
1:9
Calmet
Under him; his own guards. The captain was to request him to pray for the king's recovery; (Calmet) or rather, (Haydock) to punish him for what he had said to the messengers. (Calmet)
Menochius
Of God. Procopius and others think that he spoke contemptuously, and was therefore punished. (Menochius)
Grotius
Down. The prophets are not bound to obey kings, in the exercise of their ministry. (Grotius)
Calmet
Elias complies as soon as he had orders from God. (Calmet)
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Challoner
Let fire, etc. Elias was inspired to call down fire from heaven upon these captains, who came to apprehend him; not out of a desire to gratify any private passion, but to punish the insult offered to religion, to confirm his mission, and to shew how vain are the efforts of men against God and his servants, whom he has a mind to protect. (Challoner)
St. Thomas Aquinas
The Roman laws authorize a person, in authority, to punish those who refuse to obey. (Ulpin 1 D.) Si quis jus dicenti non obtemperaverit, omnibus concessum est suam jurisdictionem defendere poenali judicio. Elias acted as God's envoy, and the insult reverted upon him. (St. Thomas Aquinas, 2. 2. q. 108, a. 2.)
Haydock
The Manichees have blamed the conduct of the prophet: but the miracle justifies him, as God would never countenance the private revenge of any one; and the Holy Ghost places this transaction on a level with that when Elias shut up the heavens, Ecclesiasticus 48:3. St. Peter was moved with the like zeal, Acts 5:5. The sons of Zebedee gave way to some private indignation, when they wished our Saviour to call down fire from heaven upon a city of Samaria, Luke 9:54. But he reprimanded them for it; as the citizens might not be so well acquainted with him, as these soldiers must have been with Elias: and he came to display the spirit of mildness, (Calmet) to attract all to his holy religion; while Elias had manifested the severity of the divine judgments, conformably to the law of terror, under which he lived. (Haydock)
Worthington
In zeal of justice, Elias procured fire to burn these wicked men, as he had done for the holocaust. (St. Augustine) (Worthington)
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Menochius
Another, not knowing what was become of the first, or why he did not return; as Ochozias was eager to have the prophet in his power. (Menochius)
If he were acquainted with his fate, (Haydock) this second captain was guilty of greater insolence. But there are such generally to be found at courts; men who are ready to execute the king's orders, without considering whether they be contrary to God's law or not.
1:13
Calmet
Again. This third captain is commonly supposed to be Abdias, (3 Kings 18:3.) though without much reason. (Calmet)
Menochius
John of Jerus, (c. 15) says he left the court, and became a disciple of Elias, and a prophet. (Menochius)
Calmet
But he is very different from the prophet, whose writings are still extant. (Calmet)
Menochius
The report of the two miracles had come to his ears, and filled him with fear. (Menochius)
Despise not. Hebrew, "let my life....be precious in thy sight," 1 Kings 26:21., and Psalm 115:15.
1:17
Year of the World 3108, Year before Christ 896.
Calmet
The second year of Joram, etc., counted from the time that he was associated to the throne of his father Josaphat; (Challoner) so that it is said that he reigned also in the 18th year of Josaphat, 4 Kings 3:1. See also 4 Kings 8:16. To obviate these apparent contradictions, chronologists suppose that Joram reigned over Israel in the 18th of Josaphat, king of Juda, and in the second year after the latter had appointed his son Joram viceroy. He was associated with his father on the throne two years before his death, and in the 5th of Joram, king of Israel. Examples of this kind are frequent among the Hebrews, and particularly among the Persians, whose chronology is thus rendered very difficult. Why should we allow that the numbers are erroneous, when this explanation will suffice? (Calmet)
Du Hamel
Grotius leaves the matter undecided. (Du Hamel)
Haydock
Capel (Crit. p. 414.) maintains that the numbers have been ill transcribed; and so does Houbigant, who asserts that such a mode of writing would not be tolerated in a profane author; thus to mention different dates, without intimating how they are to be reconciled. If we should read, that Heraclius began to reign "in the 18th year of Chosroes," and a little after, that he ascended the throne "in the second year of the son of Chosroes," without ever specifying how Heraclius began his reign at two different periods, who would not suspect a mistake? Is it not more rational to throw the blame on the transcriber, than on the author? The modern chronologists seem to have invented the idea of viceroys and simultaneous kings, among the Hebrews, merely to get over difficulties; though the Scripture be entirely silent on this head. Houbigant would therefore read, "in the 22d year of Josaphat," as the mention of Joram seems here improper, (absurda) his father reigning 25 years. Ochozias began to reign when Josaphat had almost completed his 17th year. See 3 Kings 22:52. (Haydock)
Capel
His brother is not specified in Hebrew, Chaldean, Arabic, and in some copies of the Septuagint, but it is in most others, as well as in the Syriac, (Calmet) Josephus, etc., (Haydock) and this is the common opinion. The Roman edition here inserts (Calmet) after Elias spoke, (18) "And the, etc....and Joram," etc., nearly as 4 Kings 3:1, 2, 3; only for father, it substitutes, "not like his brothers;" and adds, "the wrath of the Lord was enkindled against the house of Achab." No mention is made of the second year of Joram, etc., (Haydock) in any edition of the Septuagint. (Capel)
In the mean time Josaphat, being returned from the unfortunate expedition with Achab, set his kingdom in order, purifying it from all the vestiges of idolatry, as much as he was able, and appointing proper judges, 2 Paralipomenon xix.
1:10
Let fire, etc.... Elias was inspired to call for fire from heaven upon these captains, who came to apprehend him; not out of a desire to gratify any private passion; but to punish the insult offered to religion, to confirm his mission, and to shew how vain are the efforts of men against God, and his servants, whom he willeth to protect.
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The first part. Of thinges donne in both kingdomes, with the declination and ••ine of Israel.
1:8
Elias was knowen by his much hayre, and distinct habite, from ordinary men.
1:10
In zele of iustice Elias procured fire from heauen to burne these proud capitaines and their men, as he procured fire to burne the holocaust, and then slew the falsprophetes. 3. Reg. 18. apud. Aug. li. 2. c. 20. de mirabil. •. Script.
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san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 43.74
… the just man in the den, restraining the lions’ rage, and the struggle of the seven Maccabees, who were perfected with their father and mother in blood, and in all kinds of tortures. Their endurance he rivalled, and won their glory.
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 1.1
… “An hairy man,” they said, “and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins;” and by this dress the king at once saw that it was the man of God, and said: “It is Elijah the Tishbite:”
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 2.26
… But so did he contemn the vanity of the life that now is, and regard all gold as clay cast into the street, that he possessed himself of nothing more than that covering. Therefore the king had need of the poor man, and he who had so much gold hung upon the words of him who had nothing more than a sheepskin. Thus was the sheepskin
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Origene † 254 d.C. Origen Against Celsus i.36
… And why should not those who desired to obtain auguries from idols be severely rebuked by the administrators of the law among the Jews?—as Elijah is found rebuking Ahaziah, and saying, “Is it because there is not a God in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron?”
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Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.7
… There was not more room for doubt about John, whether he was Elijah, than about the Saviour, whether He was John. Of the two, the question of the outward form of Elijah could be disposed of from the words of Scripture, though not from actual observation, for we read,
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 2.26
… But so did he contemn the vanity of the life that now is, and regard all gold as clay cast into the street, that he possessed himself of nothing more than that covering. Therefore the king had need of the poor man, and he who had so much gold hung upon the words of him who had nothing more than a sheepskin. Thus was the sheepskin
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 10
But why, it may be asked, did he use a girdle with his raiment? This was customary with them of old time, before men passed into this soft and loose kind of dress. Thus, for instance, both Peter appears to have been “girded,” and Paul; for it saith, “the man that owneth this girdle.” And Elijah
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 28
… which [example] was appropriate to their case. And having spoken of what befell the Apostles, that “they were slain with the sword, were stoned,” he goes back again to Elijah, who suffered the same things with them. (See
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 130.4
… she preferred to all these severe fasting, rough clothing, and frugal living. For she had read the words of the Lord: “they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.” She was filled with admiration for the manner of life followed by Elijah and by John the Baptist; both of whom confined and mortified their loins with girdles of skin,
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Tertulliano † 220 d.C. The Five Books Against Marcion 4.23
… The Creator, at the request of Elias, inflicts the blow of fire from heaven in the case of that false prophet (of Baalzebub).
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. Five Books in Reply to Marcion 3
So often from on high rushed fire; the stream
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 1.8
… For I would not call Phinees a murderer, although he slew two human beings with one stroke: nor yet Elias after the slaughter of the 100 soldiers, and the captain,
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sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Defence of His Flight. (Apologia de Fuga.) 20
… And the great Elijah, when he withdrew to mount Carmel, called upon God, and destroyed at once more than four hundred prophets of Baal; and when there were sent to take him two captains of fifty with their hundred men, he said, ‘Let fire come down from heaven
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.20
… They did not judge rashly on whom God had bestowed such a power of judging. Hence it is that Elijah inflicted death on many, both with his own hand and by calling down fire from heaven;
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1. Praevaricatus est autem Moab in Israel, id est in Ochoziam filium Achab, qui regnabat in Israel, hoc est, ut vertit Chaldaeus, Moabitae rebellarunt Israeli. Cum enim viderent Achab in praelio caesum, et exercitum ejus dissipatum, ac Ochoziam juvenem, animos sumpserunt, et ei, cui hucusque subjecti fuerant, rebellarunt, negando tributum, sibique proprium regem constituerunt: sicut sub idem tempus Idumaea Davide subacti rebellarunt Joram regi Juda, ut audiemus cap. VIII. Ita Abulensis.
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2. CECIDITQUE OCHOZIAS (filius Achab rex Israel) PER CANCELLOS COENACULI SUI, id est per fenestras cancellatas et reticulatas tabulati, inquit Pagninus, Vatablus et alii. Aut «coenaculum» vocat solarium sive tectum, quod in Palaestina erat planum, ut in eo ambulare, coenare, dormire possent. Porro hoc tectum circumcirca cingebatur lorica sive muro, ne quis incaute ex eo laberetur juxta legem Deuteronomii XXII, 8. Murus hic reticulatus et cancellatus erat, ex quo, fatiscentibus vel ruptis cancellis, lapsus est Ochozias. Ita Sanchez. Tropologice, Eucherius: «Ochozias, inquit, rex Samariae, qui se a domo David separavit, et per cancellos decidit, hoc significare videtur: quod haeretici, sive schismatici, et si aliquam bonae actionis arcem conscendere videntur, quia tamen compagem Ecclesiae unitatis non habent, quasi patentibus et non solidis laterum praesidiis, semper ad vitiorum infirma relabuntur, dum divino destituti auxilio suae pertinaciae fastu intereunt.» CONSULITE BEELZEBUB DEUM ACCARON. Septuaginta, consulite Baal muscam, deum Accaron. Josephus, consulite Myodis (id enim Deo nomen erat) oraculum: μυῖα est musca, inde Myodes est deus muscarum, qui scilicet invocabatur ad abigendas muscas, quibus abundabant Accaronitae ob solum humidum et calidum, ex maris vicinia. Idem dicebatur Jupiter Myodes, teste Pausania, lib. V, et Plinio, libro XXIX, cap. VI, ubi Myodem vocat Achorem, forte quia in Accarone, ut hic dicitur, colebatur. Simili modo colebatur deus Smintheus, ad abigendos mures, hos enim Cretenses vocant Sminthas; et Parnopius ad abigendas parnopas, id est culices, vel, ut alii volunt, locustas, teste Pausania in Atticis. Gentiles enim rebus omnibus deos praeficiebant, adeoque colebant Febrim, Cloacinam, Pavorem et Pallorem quasi numina, teste S. Augustino, lib. IV De Civit. Dei, cap. XVI et XXIII. Sic Beelzebub Hebraice idem est quod Baal sive Beel et Bel זבוב Zebub, id est musca, vel Baal Musca, ut vertunt Septuaginta; idolum enim hoc instar muscae erat efformatum, ait Nazianzenus, lib. II Contra Julianum, et Theodoretus, Quaest. III. Hinc et Philastrius inter haereses numerat «Myolatras,» id est muscae adoratores, sive «Muscaccaronitas,» haeresi 13. Vide dicta Matth. X, 25. Quibus adde nonnullos cum Serario sentire, quod Beelzebub sive Myodes, id est Deus muscae, fuerit libidinis deus, aut dea quaepiam, ob impudicitiam et libidinem quae in muscis notatur; unde Lucianus in Encomio muscae tradit olim fuisse meretricem pulchram muscae nomine. Insuper dii (daemones) omnes propter multitudinem, insolentiam, impudicitiam, mordacitatem, sordes, faetorem, muscae vocari possunt: unde hoc saeculo daemon specie magnae muscae vel crabronis involans in eum, qui relicta fide orthodoxa Anabaptismum profitebatur, illico eum quasi possidens, S. Scripturae peritum efficiebat, eundemque hac peritia privabat, si ab Anabaptismo ad fidem rediret, uti oculati testes narrant. Rursum daemones a musca vocantur, quia, ut ait, lib. De Sacrificiis, Lucianus, a victimarum sanguini muscarum instar inhiaerent. Adde, in Gentilium vates, muscae instar daemones quandoque involasse, ut oracula ederent; quemadmodum Sacerdotale Romanum tradit, eum interdum ad energumenos obsidendum accedere. Hinc igitur apud Judaeos, qui contemptus et detestabilis erat, vocatur Beelzebub, Matth. cap. X. Ipse daemonum princeps, Matth. XII, tanquam omnium salacissimus, impudentissimus, contemptissimus, ait Serarius; aut quia Myodes erat Jupiter ἀπόμυιος, ut dixi; Jupiter autem est deorum omnium primus et princeps. Tropologice, colunt Beelzebub, id est deum muscam vel muscarum, impudentes, luxuriosi, insolentes, inquieti, litigiosi. Audi S. Gregorium lib. XVIII Moral. cap. XXV, explicantem quartam Aegypti plagam, quae fuit muscarum, Exodi VIII, 21: «Aegyptus, quae hujus mundi speciem tenet, muscis percutitur. Musca enim nimis insolens et inquietum animal est. In qua, quid aliud, quam insolentes curae desideriorum carnalium designantur? Unde alias dicitur: Muscae morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti; quia cogitationes superfluae, quae assidue in animo carnalia cogitante et nascuntur et deficiunt; eam suavitatem qua unusquisque intrinsecus per spiritum est, perdunt; quoniam integritate ejus perfrui non permittunt. Aegyptus ergo muscis percutitur; quia eorum corda qui terrenam vitam diligunt, dum desideriorum suorum inquietudinibus feriantur, turbis cogitationum carnalium ad ima depressa sunt, et ad quietis intimae desiderium non levantur. Unde cum opus pietatis ad cor veritas venit, prius ab eo cogitationum carnalium aestus ejicit, et post in eo virtutum dona mira disponit.» Plura de muscarum symbolis dixi Eccles. X, 1, ad illa: «Muscae morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti.»
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4. QUAM OB REM (quia scilicet relicto Deo consuluisti Beelzebub) etc., MORTE MORIERIS. Elias intentat mortem Ochoziae ob consultum daemonem; quod notent ii qui consulunt divinos et magos; hos enim Deus plectet morte aeterna et saepe temporali. Sic enim Saul occisus est in praelio, eo quod consuluisset Pythonissam, I Reg. XXVIII, 16. Sic Achab telo confossus est, quod a pseudoprophetis Baal eventum belli esset sciscitatus, lib. III Regum capite ultimo. Est enim haec consultatio scelus grave, et Deo valde injurium; quia per illud praescientia futurorum et divinatio adimitur ejus divinitati, cui propria est, ac traditur diabolo. Unde Deus ostendit quam acriter hanc sui contumeliam sentiat, dum eam tam atrociter castigat.
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8. VIR PILOSUS ET ZONA PELLICEA ACCINCTUS. Incedebat enim Elias intonsus, prolixa barba et capillis, hispido vestitu et piloso, puta melote, sive pelle ovina vel caprina intonsa circumdatus, et zona pellicea accinctus, id est corio non apparato, sed adhuc piloso et villoso, quasi eremita mundi contemptor, et paupertatis priscaeque simplicitatis amator. Vide Cassianum, libro I Instit. cap. I. Fabulatur R. Eliezer cap. XXXI, zonam hanc Elisae fuisse ex pelle illius arietis, quem pro Isaac immolavit Abraham, Genes. XXII.
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9. HOMO DEI, (ironice ita eum vocat, q. d. O Elia, qui te vocas jactasque virum Dei) REX PRAECEPIT UT DESCENDAS ex vertice montis Carmeli ad nos, ut te quasi captivum deducamus ad regem Ochoziam, cui mortem praenuntiasti, ut hujus funesti oraculi rationem reddas, et poenas luas. Itaque quinquagenarius hic peccavit primo impietate, quia impietati Ochoziae volentis Eliam castigare consensit, ejusque fuit administer. Secundo, fastu, quia imperiose et superbe quasi regii mandati executor jussit eum descendere; ideoque ab Elia imo a Deo igne caelesti sideratus occubuit.
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10. RESPONDENSQUE ELIAS DIXIT QUINQUAGENARIO: SI HOMO DEI SUM, DESCENDAT IGNIS DE COELO ET DEVORET TE ET QUINQUAGINTA TUOS. Elias titulum ironicum sibi datum, serium efficit, eumque in caput dicentis per seriam vindictam retorquet. Unde nota: pro Dei Hebraice est, Elohim, quae vox significat Deum qua judicem et vindicem, q. d. Si ego sum minister Elohim, id est summi judicis et vindicis, ut tu ironice dixisti, ipse Elohim me, ut suum ministrum, defendat, ac puniat tuam insolentiam et violentiam qua me ejus ministrum vis capere, et ad regem invitum pertrahere. Haec enim violentia in Deum ipsum, qui meus est herus et Dominus, redundat. Quare hanc sui, imo Dei injuriam Elias ultus est, spiritu vehementi ignem e coelo devocans. Idem faciet in fine mundi cum Enoch decertans contra Antichristum ejusque asseclas; unde Apocal. XI, 5, de utroque dicitur: «Et si quis voluerit eos nocere, ignis exiet de ore (jussu) eorum, et devorabit inimicos eorum,» et Eccli. cap. XLVIII, vers. 1: «Surrexit Elias propheta, quasi ignis et verbum ipsius quasi facula ardebat,» et vers. 3: «Dejecit ignem de coelo ter.» Vide ibi dicta. Symbolice, S. Ambrosius, lib. De iis qui mysteriis initiantur, IX, cum Elia comparat sacerdotem consecrantem Eucharistiam. Sicut enim Elias igne caelesti consumpsit quinquagenarium cum suis, sic sacerdos, vi divina verborum Christi, consumit substantiam panis et vini, illamque in Christi corpus convertit: nam, ut ait Lanfrancus Contra Bereng.: «Si tantum valuit sermo Eliae, ut ignem de coelo deponeret; non valebit Christi sermo, ut species mutet elementorum?»
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11. FESTINA, DESCENDE. Impudentior fuit hic secundus pentacontarchus priore; tum quia audito ejus supplicio non resipuit, tum quia auxit impudentiam, addendo: festina; ideoque eadem poena plexus, ac igne caelesti consumptus est.
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14. OBSECRO UT MISEREARIS ANIMAE MEAE. Hic tertius duorum praecedentium supplicio territus, et sapientior factus, fit supplex Eliae: unde non audet petere dicereque ut descendat, sed misericordiam postulat, ut scilicet sibi parcat, et dicat quid sibi facto sit opus: quid scilicet regi renuntiare debeat. Quare ei Elias non tantum pepercit, sed et monente Angelo ultro se comitem ad regem adjunxit.
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17. REGNAVIT (in Israel) JORAM FRATER EJUS PRO EO, ANNO SECUNDO JORAM FILII JOSAPHAT REGIS JUDAE, qui scilicet cum patre Josaphat adhuc vivente, sed eunte eum Achab ad pugnam contra Syros, ideoque absente, regnabat in Jerusalem, de quo cap. III, vers. 1. Caeso enim Achab in bello, illico successit ei in regnum filius Ochozias, et eo primo regni sui anno e morbo moriente, frater ejus Joram.
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… Beelzebub): II Reg. 1, 1-16. Ma tutte queste divinità erano di origine semitica.
MESA (EBR. MĚŠA', II REG. 3; STELE: MEŠA')
… Alla morte di Achab (854 a. C.), M. si ribellò ad Israele (II Reg. 1, 1), sfruttando la situazione precaria di Ochozia. …
… Ruth sua antenata era una moabita (Ruth. 4, 13-22). Dopo la morte di Salomone, M. è di nuovo indipendente fino ad Amri (v.), che lo rende tributario del Regno d'Israele, cui deve ogni anno 100.000 agnelli e altrettanti montoni da lana (stele di Mesa; II Reg. 1, 1). Il re Mesa (sec. …
RE, I E II (III E IV) LIBRO DEI
OCHOZIA (2 anni: 854-853), degno figlio di Achab (22, 52 sgg.; II Reg. 1, 1-2, 25).
… Dietro espressa domanda del suo popolo, Jahweh istituisce il profetismo (Deut. 15, 22; v. A. Clamer, in h. l., in L. Pirot, La ste Bible, II [1946], pp. 633-35). Di nuovo per condiscendenza, per sottrarlo alla tentazione di rivolgersi agli indovini e alle pitonesse (I Sam. 28, 5-20; II Reg. 1, 1-14, ecc.), lo autorizza a consultare egli stesso per mezzo dell'ephod (I Sam. 23, 6-13; 30, 6-8) e degli úrim e tumulm (Num. 27, 21, ecc.; v. A. Clamer, loc. cit., p. 422).
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ACCARON (EBR. EGRÂN; ASIR. AMQARRÂNA)
ACCARON (ebr. Egrân; asir. Amqarrâna). - La più settentrionale delle cinque città filistee (Ios. 13, 3), celebre per il suo santuario di Beelzebub (v.) (II Reg. 1, 2-16). Comunemente è identificata (dopo E. Robinson, 1838) con l'odierna Aqr, a 10 km. a sud-ovest di Ramle; J. Garstang (Jeshua, Judges, Londra 1931, pp. 330-36) invece l'identifica …
… In II Reg. 1, 2 è ricordato quale dio della città filistea Accaron (v.): a tale divinità si rivolge l'idolatra re d'Israele Ochozia (v.).
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… Era l'abito ordinario dei profeti, predicatori di penitenza (Is. 20, 2; II Reg. 1, 8; Mt. 3, 4). Insieme al c. si usava pure la cenere per aspergere il capo; di qui l'espressione biblica: « far penitenza nel c. e nella cenere » (Mt. 11, 21). Come strumento di penitenza, …
(II Reg. 1, 8), come poi Giovanni Battista (Mt. 3, 4),
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« Figli del tuono » cioè « tuonanti » (« tuonare » è detto di Dio: I Sam. 2, 10) potrebbe intendersi della fervida eloquenza (Origene, M. Chladen, F. Zorell è incerto); si suol vedervi un'allusione al carattere impetuoso dei due fratelli, che (come Elia: II Reg. 1, 10-14) volevano far cadere « il fuoco del cielo » sugli inospitali Samaritani (Lc. 9, 54; cf. 9, 49 e Mc. 9, 38). I Padri vi vedono un'allusione alla predicazione giovannea, da Origene chiamata …
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ELISEO ('ELĪLĀ' = « DIO SALVA »)
… (I Reg. 19, 16). Ricco possidente (I Reg. 19, 19), rispose con gioia al gesto simbolico di Elia che lo consacrava profeta e suo successore da parte di Jahweh (I Reg. 19, 19-21). Discepolo affezionato di Elia (II Reg. 3, 11; cf. cap. 2) per ca. 6 anni (II Reg. 1, 17), alla morte ne ereditò il mantello e due terzi della virtù carismatica (II Reg. 2, 9 sgs. ebr.), la porzione cioè che nell'eredità spettava al primogenito (Deut. 21, 17). Come erede …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.