And this one, born of a prophetess, received "the power of Damascus, and the gain of Samaria." The "power of Damascus" is the Gentile believers, and the "gains of Samaria" are those who believe from circumcision, because Damascus is the chief city of Syria, and Samaria is the chief city of Israel. Meanwhile, the commandments and valiant deeds of Him who was born of the Prophetess are added to Him from the Lord instead of names, just as the name Jesus was given to the Lord for the salvation granted to us by God. For it is said: "Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21).

(5) "And the Lord added to me to speak again, saying:" (6) "For these people did not desire the waters of Siloamli flowing yew, but desired to have Rasson and the son of Romelius king over you,"(7) "For this reason the Lord is raising up against you the waters of the river strong and abundant, the king of Assyria and his glory; and he will ascend into every of your wilderness, and will go round around every wall of yours,"(8) "and he will take away from Judah a man who is able to raise up a head, or who is able to do anything; and his army will fill the breadth of Thy country, God is with us!"

What is the reason for this that God threatens the people in every way for the water of Siloam? And why do the people not want the water of Siloam, which, according to history, was not disease-causing and did no other harm to those who used it? Moreover, what is the correspondence to him who does not want the water of Siloam to desire Rasson and the son of Romeliev? For what fellowship is there between inanimate water and the king who rules and rulers over his subjects? But the word "Siloam" must be understood in a figurative sense: according to the teaching of the Gospel, it is interpreted as "sent." For this is how it is translated in the Gospel of John: "Go and wash in the font of Siloamste, as it is said that he was sent" (John 9:7). Therefore, who is he who is sent and flowing "yew" if not the One of Whom it is said: "The Lord hath sent Me and His Spirit" (Isaiah 48:16), and yet "shall not speak or cry out, His voice shall be heard at the crossroads" (cf. Matt. 12:19)? And so, those who do not accept Him who is sent from heaven despise His meekness, but attract to themselves the son of Romelium, that is, a teaching which contains false opinions, but assures that it is based on the Divine Scriptures, and Rasson, who means "exalted" and carries the hearer beyond the boundaries of faith in accordance with the Divine Scriptures, puffs him up and leads him away from the foundation of faith. For Aram is interpreted as "exalted."

For this reason, whoever contemptuously treats firm teaching, does not accept that which is constant, quiet, and virtuous, but adds to the incomprehensible passages of Scripture something borrowed from outside the Faith, he is threatened by the prophetic word, which will bring down upon them "mighty and abundant water, the king of Assyria," that is, the prince of this world. And that the Scriptures often understand the adversary by the name of Assyrian, is evident from the following passage in the same Prophet. He says: "And it will come to pass, when the Lord has finished all that He has done in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, He will bring a great mind to the prince of Assyria, and to the height of glory in his eyes. For he said: "With the strength of my hand I will make, and with the wisdom of understanding I will take away the boundaries of tongues, and I will take captive their power, and I will shake the inhabited cities, and the whole world with my hand as a nest, and as the eggs that I have left behind, I will take and carry, whosoever flees from me, or speaks against me" (Isaiah 10:12-14). Probably, even now the Prophet speaks of the same prince of Assyria, who is truly "much water," like a stream that forcibly and swiftly draws away those who meet. And those who are worthy to pass through this stream harmlessly, say: "Our soul has passed through the stream, but the water is not constant" (cf. Psalm 123:4, 5). And the Gospel mentions the same water in the parable, when it likens him who has heard the teaching and does not do it to a man "who has built his tabernacle without foundation; but the flood was," as it is said, the tabernacle did not stand, but "fell, and there was a great destruction of that tabernacle" (cf. Luke 6:48, 49).

But this "great water," says the Prophet, "will rise up on all your wilderness." And the wilds are the hollows of the earth. Why is it said that the waters will rise and not fall? For every humiliation in people produced by sin is incomparably higher than the first streams and, as it were, the beginnings of deceit. And as soon as they are given over to the opposing forces, they will go around "every wall" of apostates, that is, every confirmed teaching of theirs, everything that they consider a stronghold for themselves.

For by giving themselves over to the broad and broad path, they become worthy to serve as a battlefield for the opposing force, not as they are necessarily condemned for this, but as having chosen for themselves a worse fate. For since "they did not tempt to have God in their minds, God gave them over to an unskilled mind, creating unlike" (Romans 1:28).

"God is with us!" (9) "Understand, ye tongues, and repent, ye shall hear even to the ends of the earth!"

Thus, the words "God is with us" refer to the Savior. For thus was called above (cf. Isaiah 7:14) Immanuel, born of a virgin, in the Hebrew language, "for it is said, God is with us" (Matt. 1:23). "Understand, ye tongues, and repent." It seems to me that these words are proclaimed in abundance of joy by those who have come to know the coming of Christ and have understood the power of the cross, which is terrible for the pagans. In order to "understand, ye tongues, and repent," so that you, who have been subdued by this beautiful and beneficial obedience for you, may be captive to the obedience of Christ, and through enslavement to Christ you may be freed from the law of sin. What do the pagans submit to? By the fact that they know God. For darkness is overcome by the manifestation of light, and illness is overcome by the onset of health. Understand only the truth, O pagans, and you will immediately be subdued by this subjugation that saves you! "You will hear even to the ends of the earth!" Who proclaim the gospel to you. For it is said: "Their proclamation went forth into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world" (Psalm 18:5).

"Ye who are able, repent," lay aside your bodily strength and accept the weakness of the flesh, that the power of God may be made perfect in weakness!

"If you can, you will be defeated."

If, when the wisdom of the flesh arises in you, try to enslave it, turn it over, and subdue it to the spirit.

(10) "And if you take counsel, the Lord will destroy you, and the word that you speak will not abide in you, for God is with us!"

For "he will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the prudent" (cf. Isaiah 29:14). Thus the counsel of man brings to naught "Great is the counsel of the angel" (Isaiah 9:6), and the word of man is reduced to nothing by God the Word; and not one such word, says the Prophet, "will abide in you, for God is with us!" For they, rising up against the Church of Christ many times, have often fallen. Like people who, by adding combustible matter, increase the flame more and more, they, unceasingly trying to destroy the Church by persecution, raised it to greater glory and power.

(11) "Thus saith the Lord, with a mighty hand they shall not be repented of the way of these people, saying:" (12) "Not when ye speak:" (Slavic: speak) "cruelly; for all that these people say, it is cruel; but do not be afraid of their fear, you will be dismayed below." (13) "Sanctify the Lord of hosts, and he will be fearful to you!" (14) "And if you trust in him, it will be for your sanctification, and not as against a stone of stumbling, as against a stone of falling."