Commentaria in Genesim
From the Deeds Recorded in Genesis
I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: for I have considered the works of thy wisdom and power, and I was afraid.
There is none like to thee among the gods, O Lord: and there is none according to thy works.
In the beginning thou didst create heaven, earth and the deep out of nothing: not for thyself, nor for the angels, who need no bodily place; but for the sons of men.
O King of ages, dwelling in eternity, before the world, through eternal ages, thou didst enjoy all goods in thyself, and didst live most joyfully with thine Only-begotten and the Holy Spirit, blessed and glorious.
At the beginning of time thou didst will to communicate thyself and thy goods to angel and man: and therefore thou didst create all this fabric of the world.
Then thou didst create the angels, spirits, and thy ministers a burning fire.
Then the morning stars praised thee, and all the sons of God made a joyful melody.
For thou hast ordered all things in number, weight and measure; thou hast wisely and fittingly joined each thing to each: thou didst divide the light from the darkness, and the angels from the demons.
Who can declare the order of the heavens, and who can make the harmony of heaven to sleep?
Who laid the foundations of the earth? Who stretched the line upon it? Upon what are its bases grounded? It hangs like a ball in the air, which is the centre and base of the world.
It is thou, O Lord, who with three fingers dost hang and steady the suspended globe of the earth: thou dost found it upon the seas and uphold it.
Thine are the heavens, and thine is the earth, thine are the things that are contained in the compass of the heavens and the earth. Thou art the Lord of all.
Heaven and earth cry out that we should worship and love him: our heart is restless until it rest in thee. Heaven and earth cry out: He made us, and not we ourselves: acknowledge the Creator of all things, and adore him, all ye sons of God. The earth he gave as a wrestling-ground to the sons of Adam: heaven, as a kingdom of glory, he adorned for those who fear
O Israel, how great is the house of God, and how vast is the place of his possession!
O ye sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? Why do you serve the creature, and not the Creator? Why do you love vanity, and seek after lying?
Why are the creatures of God made to you a temptation, and a snare to the feet of the unwise?
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and let all that is within me bless his holy name.
Who out of darkness made light to shine: who commands the dawn to rise, and shows the morning its place.
Who separated the waters from the land, and said: Let the earth bring forth herbs and trees, that men and the beasts of the field may dwell and live in it.
Who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as issuing out of the womb?
When he made a cloud its garment, and wrapped it in a mist as in swaddling clothes?
He surrounded it with its bounds, and set a bar and doors, and said: Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no further, and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves.
Who hath entered into the depths of the sea, and walked in the lowest parts of the deep?
He made it that great whales might sport in it: fishes and creeping things, of which there is no number.
O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth!
Thou hast set at the summit of the world two eyes, the sun and the moon, that they may illuminate by turns the day and the night.
While they go round the whole globe from East to West, and thence through the antipodes turn again to the East.
Their light and sound have gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.
In the sun thou hast set thy tabernacle: and he, as a bridegroom coming out of his bride-chamber.
He hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way: his going out is from the end of heaven.
And his circuit even to the end thereof: and there is no one that can hide himself from his heat.
Let the heavens confess thy wonders, O Lord: let them celebrate thy wonderful works in the church of the saints.
It is our God who sends forth light, and it goeth; and calls it, and it obeys him with trembling.
The stars have given light in their watches, and rejoiced; they were called, and said: Here we are; and they shone with gladness to him that made them.
The stars move in their ranks with great beauty and brightness: how beautiful then and comely is their Creator; how fair is he beyond the sons and daughters of men!
Thy invisible things, O Lord, are clearly seen by the things that are made: thy eternal power also and divinity; so that they who see them not may be inexcusable.
It is our God who hath established the sky above, and balanced the fountains of waters beneath.
He hath opened his treasures above: and the clouds and snows have flown forth like birds.
The voice of his thunder shall strike the earth: that the poles of the world may be shaken.
He scatters the frost like salt: from the clouds he breaks the stones of hail.
He will send forth lightnings, and suddenly they shall go to the ends
He is the father of rain: he begets the drops of dew.
Many things hidden are greater than these: for we have seen but few of his works.
Bless the Lord, all ye works of the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Who sits on the throne of his kingdom above the Cherubim: who walks upon the wings of the winds.
Bless the Lord, ye angels of the Lord: bless the Lord, all ye waters that are above the heavens.
Bless the Lord, ye showers and dew: bless the Lord, ye lightnings and clouds.
Bless the Lord, ye seas and rivers: bless the Lord, ye whales and all that move in the waters.
Bless the Lord, all ye fowls of the air: bless the Lord, all ye beasts and cattle.
And you, O ye sons of men, bless the Lord: for he created you to his image and likeness.
What is man that thou art mindful of him, O Lord? or the son of man that thou visitest him?
Thou hast made him a little less than the angels: thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, and hast set him over the works of thy hands.
Thou hast subjected all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, moreover the beasts also of the fields.
Bless the Lord, Adam, Noe, Abraham: all ye Patriarchs, all ye Saints, bless the Lord.
Henoch pleased God, and was translated into Paradise, that he may give repentance to the nations.
Noe was found just and perfect: hence in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation.
Mercy and judgment I will sing to thee, O Lord: who art terrible over the sinning sons of Adam.
By the flood thou didst destroy sinners: Noe the just escaped in the ark, and became the parent of a new world.
The covenants of the world were made with him: that all flesh might not be destroyed by a flood.
See the rainbow, and bless him that made it: for it is very beautiful in its brightness.
Nemrod and the Meropes built the proud tower of Babel: they wished to climb up into heaven.
God mocked them, and divided their tongues: that, deriding one another, they might be dispersed into all the regions of the earth.
Abraham, called by God from Ur, obeyed, going out into the place which he was to receive, and he knew not whither he went.
He dwelt in the land of Chanaan as in a strange country: dwelling in cottages with Isaac and Jacob.
For he looked for a city that hath foundations: whose builder and maker is God.
Hence he became the father of many nations; and there was not found the like to him in glory.
Who kept the law of the Most High: and was in covenant with him.
He smote four kings
He offered bread and wine, as a type of Christ: who is a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.
In the flesh of Abraham God made the covenant of circumcision to stand: and in temptation he was found faithful.
He offered up Isaac, his only begotten son: accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead.
Judge, O Lord, the guilty and the wicked: destroy the execrable Sodomites of Sodom.
God rained fire and brimstone upon the Pentapolis: he consumed the wicked even to the cattle; Lot alone, the just man, fleeing, was saved.
Isaac, beloved of God and men: became obedient even unto death.
He bravely offered his throat to his father: hence the Lord gave him the blessing of all nations.
Jacob the just fled the wrath of Esau: the Lord led him by right ways.
He showed him the kingdom of God in Bethel: he gave him the knowledge of the saints.
In the deceit of Laban circumventing him he stood by him: and made him honourable and rich.
How good is God to Israel: to them that are of a right heart!
He gave him a strong conflict, that he might overcome: therefore he gave and divided to him an inheritance in twelve tribes.
These are men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed: they have become examples for all ages.
With their seed there continue good things: their seed and their glory shall not be forsaken.
Joseph the just was sold by his brethren; but God stood by him, and delivered him from sinners.
He went down with him into the pit: and in bonds he forsook him not.
Till he brought him the sceptre of the kingdom: and power against them that oppressed him.
He showed them to be liars that had defiled him: and gave him eternal glory.
Because he loved his master and God above the mistress: the blessings of the everlasting hills were made upon the head of Joseph the Nazarite.
Jacob, dying, blessed each of his sons: and foretold to them what should come in the last days.
Give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.
Fear the Lord, all ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
He that is mighty hath done great things for them: and holy is his name.
And his mercy is from generation to generations: to them that love him.