# Fragments on Genesis

- Author: [Origen](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/origen/)
- Latin title: *Fragmenta in Genesim*
- Date: ca. 220-254 (approximate)
- Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologiae cursus completus, Series Graeca 12 (Paris, 1862), cols. 47-279 (Greek parts) (Greek text: Migne, PG 12 (1862), from library-scan OCR)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Editions and translations: Marguerite Harl, Origene: Philocalie sur les Ecritures (SC 302) (cited only)
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/
- Passages: 54

## Fragments on Genesis, column 47

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-47
- Source: PG 12:48a–48d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Against those who hold that matter is unbegotten, Origen argues that God's will is able to bring substance itself into being, not only its qualities.

### Greek text

Εἰ δέ τινι προσκόπτει διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρωπίνους elχνξτας μὴ δύνασθαι παραδέξασθαι τὸν Θεὸν (ὅ) χωρὶς ὕλης ἀγεννήτου ὑποκειμένης κατασκευάζειν τὰ οντα. ἐπεὶ μηδὲ ἀνδριαντοποιὸς χωρὶς χαλκοῦ τὸ ἴδιον ἔργον ποιῆσαι δύναται, μηδὲ τέκτων χωρὶς ξύλων, μηδὲ οἰκοδόμος χωρὶς λίθων · ζητητέον πρὸς αὐτοῦ περὶ δυνάμεως Θεοῦ, εἰ Θελὴσας ὑποστῆσαι ὃ τι βούλεται ὁ Θεὸς, τῆς Θελήσεως αὑτοῦ οὐκ ἀπορουμένης, οὐδὲ ἁτονούσης, δύναται ὖποστῆσαι ὃ βούλεται. ᾯ γὰρ λόγῳ τὰς ποιότητας, κατά πᾶντας τοὺς Πρόνοιαν εἰσάγοντας τῷ ’ἰδίῳ λόγῳ, οὐκ οὔσας ὠς βούλεται εἰς διακόσμησιν τοῦ παντὸς ὐφῖστησι τῇ ἀθεάτῳ αὑτοό δυνάμει καὶ σοφίᾳ, τούτῳ τῷ λόγῳ καὶ τὴν οὐσίαν, ὅσης χρῄζει, ἱκανή ἐστιν αὐτοῦ ή βούλησις ποιῆσαι γενέσθαι. Ἀπορὴσομεν γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς οὐ βουλομένους ταῦβ οὕτως ἔχειν, εἰ μὴ ἀκολουθεί αὐτοῖς εὐτυχη- -κξέναι τὸν Θεὸν, ἀγέννητον εὗρόντα τὴν οὐσίαν, ῆν εἰ μὴ τὸ ἀγέννητον αὖτῴ ὑποβεβληκδς ἦν, οὐδὲν ἔργον δυνατὸς ἦν ποιῆσαι, ἀλλʼ ἔμενεν οὐ δημιουργὸς, οὐ πατὴρ, οὐκ εὐεργέτης, οὐκ ἀγαθὶς, οὐκ ἄλλο τι τῶν εὐλόγως λεγομένων περὶ Θεοῦ. Πόθεν δὲ καὶ τὸ μετρεῖν τῆς ὑποκειμένης οὐσίας τὸ τοσόνδε, ὡς διαρ· κέσαι τῇ τηλικούτου κόσμου ὑποστάσει ; οἱονεὶ γὰρ

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 1:2] … But if anyone stumbles because of human examples, so that he cannot accept that God makes the things that exist without an unbegotten matter lying beneath, since a sculptor cannot make his own work without bronze, nor a carpenter without timber, nor a builder without stones, we must ask him about the power of God: whether God, having willed to bring into being whatever he wishes, his will being neither at a loss nor feeble, is able to bring into being what he wishes. For by the same reasoning by which, according to all who admit Providence, he brings into being by his own word, as he wishes, qualities that did not exist, for the ordering of the universe, by his invisible power and wisdom, by this same reasoning his will is able also to make the substance come to be, as much of it as he needs. For we shall put this difficulty to those who do not wish this to be so: does it not follow for them that God was fortunate, since he found the substance unbegotten? If the unbegotten had not lain ready beneath him, he would have been able to make no work at all, but would have remained no creator, no father, no benefactor, not good, nor anything else that is rightly said of God. And whence came the measuring of the underlying substance to just such an amount, so that it sufficed for the existence of so great a world? For as if

### Scripture references

- Gen 1:2: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Origen, Commentary on Genesis, on Gen 1:2 (“the earth was invisible and unformed”), against the view that matter is unbegotten. The same passage is quoted by Eusebius, Preparation for the Gospel 7.20 (probable identification). Column 47 was interpolated by the importer; nothing in the content contradicts it. The illegible characters at the head of the page (OCR noise) are removed; the excerpt begins without a heading. “Fortunate” (εὐτυχηκέναι) is Origen's irony: God would owe his work to a lucky find.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 47 (PG 12:48a–48d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-47).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 49

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-49
- Source: PG 12:49a–49d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: If matter were unbegotten and fit for God's work by itself, Providence would add nothing to chance; human craftsmen are no parallel, since Providence supplies their material.

### Greek text

τερενοιὰ τις πρεσβυτέρα Θεοῦ, ἀναγκαῐως τὴν ὓληνΙ εσται ὑποδεδληκυῖα τῷ Θεῷ, προνοουμένη τὴν τέχνην τὴν ἐνυπάρχουσαν αὑτῷ μὴ κενοπαθῆσαι, οὑκ οὑσης οὐσίας, ᾖ ὁμιλῆσαι δυνάμενος κατεκόσμησε τὸ τηλικοῦτο κόσμου κᾶλλος. Πόθεν δὲ καὶ δεκτικὴ γεγένηται πάσης ἦς βούλεται ὁ Θεὸς ποιότητος, μὴ αὑτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐαυτῷ τοσαύτην καὶ τοιαύτην ποιήσαντος, ὁποίαν ἔχειν ἐὸούλετος Καθʼ ὑπόθεσιν γοῦν ἀποδεξάμενοι τὸ ἀγέννητον εἶναι τὴν ῦλην, ταῦτα ἐροῦμεν πρὸς τοὺς τοῦτο βουλομένους, ὅτι εί Προνοίας οὑχ ὑποβαλλούσης τὴν οὑσίαν τῷ Θεῷ, τοιαύτη γεγένηται. εἰ Πρόνοια ἦν ὑφεστῶσα, τί· ἂν πλέον πεποιήκει τοῦ αὑτομάτσυ; καὶ εί αὑτὸς μὴ οὔσης ὕλης ἐβούλετο κατασκευάσαι αὐτὴν, τί ἂν πλέον ἡ σοφία, καὶ ἡ θειότης αὑτοῦ πεποιήκει τοῦ ἐξ ἀγεννήτου ὑποστάντοςς Εἰ γὰρ εὑρίσκεται ταυτὸν γενόμενον ἂν ὑπὸ τῆς Προνοίας, ὅπερ καὶ χωρὶς Προνοίας ὑπέστη, διὰ τί οὑχὶ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ κόσμου ἀθετήσομεν τὸν δημιουργὸν καὶ τὸν τεχνίτην; Ὠσπερ γὰρ ἄτοπον ἐπὶ τοῦ κόσμου είπεῖν οὑτω τεχνικῶς κατεσκευασμένου τὸ χωρὶς τε· χνίτου σοφοῦ τὸν αὑτοτοιοὺτον γεγονέναι,οὑτω καὶ τὸ τὴν ὑλην τοσαύτην καῖ τοιαύτην καὶ οὕτως εἱκτικὴν τῷ τεχνίτῃ λόγῳ Θεοῦ, ὑφεστηκέναι ἀγεννήτως, suis σης ἐστὶν ἄλογον. Πρὸς μέντοιγε τοὺς παραβάλλοντας, ὃτι οὐδεὶς δη μιουρθίῦς χωρϊς ὑλης ποιεῖ, λεκτέον, ὅτι ἀνομοίως παραβάλλουσι. Πρόνοια γὰρ παντὶ τε· χνίτῃ ὑποβάλλει τὴν ὓλην, ἀπὸ προτέρας τέχνης, ἢ ἀνθρωπίνης, ἢ θείας ἐρχομένην. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἀρκέσει πρὸς τοὺς διὰ τὸ λέγεσθαι ι Ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος, ι οἰομένους ἀγέννητον εἶναι τὴν σωματικὴν φύσιν.

### English translation (Claude)

there were some providence older than God, which of necessity will have put matter beneath God, taking care that the art present in him should not be idle for lack of a substance with which he could work and so adorn the world in its great beauty. And whence has it become receptive of every quality that God wishes, unless God himself made it for himself of such amount and such kind as he wished it to have? Granting, then, by way of hypothesis that matter is unbegotten, we shall say this to those who hold it: if, without Providence supplying the substance to God, it came to be of such a kind, then, had Providence been at work, what more would it have done than chance? And if he himself had wished to fashion matter when there was none, what more would his wisdom and divinity have made than what has come into being from the unbegotten? For if it is found that the very same thing would have come about by Providence as came into being without Providence, why should we not, in the case of the world too, set aside the creator and the craftsman? For just as it is absurd to say of the world, so skilfully fashioned, that it came to be such of itself without a wise craftsman, so to say that matter, of such amount and such kind and so yielding to God's craftsman Word, has existed without being begotten is … irrational. To those, however, who offer the comparison that no craftsman makes anything without matter, it must be said that they compare unlike things. For Providence supplies the matter to every craftsman, matter coming from a prior art, either human or divine. These things, then, will suffice for the present against those who, because it is said, “But the earth was invisible and unformed,” suppose that bodily nature is unbegotten.

### Scripture references

- Gen 1:2: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Continues the argument of col. 47 on Gen 1:2. Before “irrational” the scan has a garbled word (“suis σης”), probably a form of πᾶς (“utterly”); shown as “…”. Gen 1:2 is quoted in the Septuagint wording (ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 49 (PG 12:49a–49d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-49).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 51

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-51
- Source: PG 12:52a–52d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Origen opens his treatment of Gen 1:14 by showing that astral fatalism abolishes free choice, judgment, faith, and the whole work of Christ.

### Greek text

μαρμὲνης τόπον τῇ τῶν πλανωμένων ἀστέρων ἑπιπλοκῇ πρὸς τοὺς ὲν τῷ ζωδιακῷ πάντων αὐτοῖς νομιζομένων συμβαίνειν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ τοῦ περὶ ἕκαστον ἀνθρώπων, τάχα δὲ καὶ ἀλόγων ζώων· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ πολλῶν τῶν πεπιστευκέναι ὑπολαμβανομένων περισπωμένων, μὴ ἄρα ἠνάγκασται τὰ ἀνθρώπων πράγματα, καὶ ἀμήχανον ἄλλως γενέσθαι, ἢ ὡς οι ἀστέρες κατὰ τοὺς διαφόρους σχηματισμοὺς ἐπιτέλει λουσιν, ’Ἐπεται δὲ τοῖς ταῦτα. δογματίζουσιν ἐξ ὅλων τὸ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἀναιρεῖν· διόπερ καὶ ἔπαινον, καὶ ψόγον καὶ πράξεις ἀποδεκτὰς, πάλιν τε αὖ dextri; ' ἅπερ si οὕτως ἔχει, τὰ τῆς κεκηρυγμένης τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίσεως οἴχεται, καὶ ἀπειλαὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἡμαρτηκότας, ὡς κολασθησομένους, τιμαί τε αῦ πρὸς τοὺς τοῖς κρείτιιοσιν ἑαυτοὺς ὲπιδεῑωκότιις καὶ μακαριότητεςο οἱοδὲν γὰρ ἔτι τούτων εὐλόγως ἔσται γενόμενον. Kal. εἰ τὶ ἁκόλονθά τις ἐαυτῷ ἐφʼ οἷς δογματίζει βλέποι, καὶ ὴ πίστις ἔσται ματαία, ἦ τε Χριστοῦ, ἐπιδημία οὐδὲν ἀνύουσα, καὶ πᾶσα ὴ διὰ νόμου καὶ, apsenti?” οἰκονομία, κάματοί τε ἀποστόλων ὑπὲρ τοῦ σνστῆσαι τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησιας (ιι)ei μὴ ἄρα. καὶ Χριστὸς κατὰ τοὺς οὕτω τολιιιὶὀνταςι ὑπὸ τὴν ἀνάγκην τῆςιτῶν ἄστρων κινήσεως τῷ γένεειν

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 1:14] … the topic of fate: the intertwining of the planets with the signs in the zodiac, from which they think everything on earth happens, both to each human being and perhaps even to irrational animals. Moreover, many of those who are supposed to have believed are distracted by the question whether human affairs are under compulsion and cannot possibly happen otherwise than as the stars bring them about in their various configurations. And it follows for those who teach these things that they wholly abolish what is in our power, and with it praise and blame, and deeds worthy of approval and again deeds worthy of censure. If this is so, the proclaimed judgment of God is gone, and the threats against those who have sinned, that they will be punished, and the honours and blessednesses held out to those who have given themselves to better things; for none of these will any longer happen with reason. And if anyone follows out consistently what he teaches, faith too will be vain, and the coming of Christ achieves nothing, and the whole economy through the law and the prophets, and the labours of apostles to establish the churches of God through Christ; unless indeed, according to those who dare such things, Christ too, under the compulsion of the motion of the stars at his birth,

### Scripture references

- Gen 1:14: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Origen, Commentary on Genesis, book 3, on Gen 1:14 (“let the lights be for signs”), against astral fatalism. The same text is preserved in the Philocalia 23 and in Eusebius, Preparation for the Gospel 6.11. The opening words of the excerpt are lost at the page break (the scan begins inside the word “fate”). Two garbled words in the scan (“dextri;”, after “deeds worthy of approval”; “apsenti?”, after “through the law and”) are rendered by sense (“deeds worthy of censure”, “the prophets”).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 51 (PG 12:52a–52d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-51).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 53

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-53
- Source: PG 12:53a–53d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Fatalism makes God the author of vice; those who posit a higher good God beside the creator cannot escape the problem either.

### Greek text

ἀνειληφέναι γενόμενος, πάντα πεποιήκοι τε xui πάθοι, ού τοῦ Θεού καὶ ΙΙατρὺς τῶν ὅλων αύτῷ τὰς παραδόξους δυνάμεις δωρησαμένου, ἀλλά τῶν. ἀστέρων. Οἷς ἀθέοις καὶ ἀσεβέσι τυγχάνουσι λόγοις ἀκολουθεῖ καὶ τὸ τοὺς πιστεύοντας ὑπὸ τῶν ἀστέρων ἀγομένους πιστεύειν έις Θεὸν λέγεσθαι. Πυθοίμεβα δʼ ἂν αὐτῶν τί 6 Θεὸς βουλόμενος τοιοῦτον ἐποίει κόσμον, ἵνʼ οἱ μὲν ὲναύτῷ ἄνδρες ὄντες, τὰ γυναικῶν πάσχωσιν,.ούδαμῶς ἑαυτοῖς αῐτιοι τῆς ἀσελγείας γε· γενημένοι, ἕτεροι δὲ ἀγρίων ζώων κατάστασιν εἱληφότεςῌ 5), τῷ τὴν φορὰν τοῦ παντὸς τοιούτους αύτοὺς πεποιηκέναι, διὰ τὸ τὸν Θεὸν οὕτω κεκοσμηκέναι τὸ πᾶν, ἐπιδιδόασιν ἑαυτοὺς ὼμοτάτοις καὶ σφόδρα ἀπανθρώπως πράγμασιν, ἀνδροφονίαις καὶ πειραδς σείαις. Καὶ τί δεῖ λέγειν ἡμᾶς περὶ τῶν συμβαινόντων ὲν ἀνθρώποις, καὶ ἁμαρτανομένων ὑπʼ αύτῶι μυρίων ὅσων τυγχανόντων, οὕστινας οἱ τῶν γενναίων προϊστάμενοι τούτων λόγων ἀπολύοντες παντὸς ἐγκλήματος, τῷ ’Θεῷ προσγράφουσι πάντων τῶν κακῶς (id) καὶ ψεκτῶς πραττομένων τὴν αἱτίαν; Ἐὰν δέ τινες αὐτῶν, ὼς ἀπολογούμενοι περὶ Θεοῦ, ἕτερον μὲν εἶναι λέγωσι τὸν ἀγαθὸν, οὐδενὸς τούτων ἔχοντα τὴν ἀρχὴν, τῷ δὲ δημιουργῷ πάντων τὰ τοιαῦτα προσάπτωσι, πρῶτον μὲν οὐδὲ ὼς βούλονται δυνήσονται ἀποδεικνύναι, ὅτι ὲστλ δίκαιος πῶς γὰρ 6 τοσούτων κατʼ αὐτοὺς Πατὴρ, εὐλόγως χρηματίζοιδὶκαιος; δεύτερον δὲ περὶ ἑαυτῶν τί ποτε φήσουσιν, ἐξεταστέον· πότερον ὑπόκεινται τῇ φορᾷ τῶν ἀστέρων, ἢ ὴλευθέρωνται, καὶ ὲν τῷ βίῳ τυγχάνοντες, οὐδὲν -ὲνεργού μενον εἰς ἑαυτοὺς ἔχουσιν ἐκεῖθεν; El μὲν γὰρ φήσουσιν ὑποκεῖσθαιτοὴ ἄστροις, δῆλον ὅτι τὰ ἄστρα τὸ νοῆσαι αὑτοξς τοῦτο ὲχαρίσατο, καὶ ὁ δημιουργὸς ύποδεβληκὼς ἔσται διὰ τῆς τοῦ παντὸς κινήσεως τὸν λόγον τὸν περὶτοῦ ἀνωτέρω ἀναπεπλασμένου Θεοῦ, ὅπερ οὐ βούλονται · εἰδὲ ἀποκρινοῦνται, ὅτι ἔξω τῶν νόμων τυγχάνουσι τοῦ δημιουργοῦ τῶν κατά τοὺς ἀστέρας, ἵνα μὴ ἀπόφασις τὸ λεγόμενον ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ἀναπόδεικτος, πειραθήτωσαν ἡμᾶς προσάγειν ἀναγκαστικὼτερον, διαφορὰν

### English translation (Claude)

having been born, did and suffered everything, the God and Father of the universe not having given him his wonderful powers, but the stars. And with these godless and impious doctrines it also follows that believers are said to believe in God because they are led by the stars. We would ask them what God intended in making such a world that some in it, being men, suffer the things of women, though they are in no way themselves the cause of their licentiousness; while others, having taken on the condition of wild beasts, because the motion of the universe made them such, since God so ordered the universe, give themselves up to the most savage and utterly inhuman deeds, murders and piracies. And why need we speak of what happens among human beings and of the countless sins they commit, whom the champions of these noble doctrines release from every charge, ascribing to God the cause of everything that is done wickedly and blameworthily? And if some of them, as if defending God, say that the good God is another, who is the source of none of these things, and attach all such things to the creator, first, not even so will they be able to show, as they wish, that he is just; for how, on their view, could the father of so many evils reasonably be called just? Second, we must examine what they will say about themselves: are they subject to the motion of the stars, or have they been set free, so that, though living in this life, they have nothing worked upon them from that source? For if they say that they are subject to the stars, it is plain that the stars granted them to think this, and the creator, through the motion of the universe, will have suggested the doctrine about the God whom they have fashioned higher up, which they do not want. But if they answer that they are outside the creator's laws concerning the stars, then, so that what they say may not be an unproved assertion, let them try to bring us something more compelling, setting forth a difference

### Translation notes

- “The good God is another … the creator”: the Marcionite and Valentinian distinction between a higher good God and the Creator, as Origen presents it; translated as written. “Father of so many evils”: the scan has “of so many … Father”; “evils” is supplied by sense.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 53 (PG 12:53a–53d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-53).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 55

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-55
- Source: PG 12:56a–56d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Fatalism makes prayer pointless; the one who foretells an event, like a prophetic book about Judas, is not its cause.

### Greek text

περιστάντες νοῦ τινος ὑποκειμένου γενέσει καὶ εξμαρμένῃ, καὶ ἐτέρου ἀπὸ τούτων ἐλευθέρου· δῆλον γάρ ἐστι τοῖς εἰδόσι τοὺς τοιούτους, ὅτι λόγον ἀπαιτηθέντες διδόναι αὐτοῖς ούδαμῶς δυνήσονται. Πρὸς δὲ τοῖς εἰρημένοις καὶ εὐχαὶ παρέλκουσι μάτην παραλαμβανόμεναι· εἰ γάρ κατηνάγκασται τάδε τινὰ γενέσθαι, καί οἰ ἀστέρες ποιοῦσιν, οὐδὲν δὲ παρὰ τήν τούτων πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐπιπλοκὴν δύναται γενέσθαι, Θεὸν ἀλογίστως ἀξιοῦμεν τάδε τινά ἡμῖν δωρήσασθαι. Καὶ τί ἐπὶ πλεῖον μηκύνειν λόγον δεῖ, παριστάντα τὸ ἀσεβὲς τοῦ κατημαξευμένου ἀβασανίστως παρά τοῖς πολλοῖς περί εἱμαρμένης τόπου ςΔύτἀρκη γάρ εἰς ὑπογραφὴν καὶ τὰ εἰρημένα. Πόθεν δὲ, ἐξετάζοντες τό ο ι Ἔστωσαν εἰς σημεῖα οἰ φωστῆρες, ι ἐπὶ ταῦτα ἐληλύθαμεν. ἑαυτοὺς ὑπομνήσωμεν. Οἰ μανθάνοντες περί τινων άληθῆ, ἦτοι αὐτόπται τῶν πραγμάτων γενόμενοι, ἀποφαίνονται τάδε τινὰ ὑγειῶς, τὸ πάθος καὶ τήν ἐνέργειαν τῶν πεπονθότων, ἢ ἐνεργησάντων θεασάμενοι, ἢ ἀπαγγελλόντων τῶν οὐδαμῶς αἰτίων τοῖς γεγενημένοις ἀκούσαντες, τάδε τινὰ γινώσκουσιν. Ὑπεξ-, ’θρήσθω δὲ νῦν τού λόγου τὸ δύνασθαι τοὺς δεδρακότας ἢ πεπονθότας, διηγουμένους ἀ δεδράκασιν, ἤ πεπόνθασιν, ἐνάγειν εἰς γνῶσιν τῶν πεπραγμένων τὸν μὴ παρατετυχότα. Ἐὰν οὖν ό διδασκόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ μηδαμῶς αἰτίου τῶν γινομένων, τὸ τάδε τινὰ τοῖσιδε γεγονέναιῆ συμβήσεσθαι, μὴ διακρίνῃ ὅτι οὐ πάντως ὁ διδάσκων περί τινος ὡς γενομένου ὲσομένου, αἴτιός ἐστι τοῦ τὸ πρᾶγμα τοιόνδε τι τυγχάνειν, οἰήσεται τὸν παραστήσαντα περί τοῦ τάδε. τινὰ γεγονέναι, ἢ τάδε τινά ἔσεσθαι, πεποιηκέναι ἢ ποιήσειν τὰ περί ὧν διδάσκει· οἰήσεται δὲ δηλονότι ἐσφαλμένως· ὡς εἴτις, ἐντυχὼν προφητικῇ βίβλῳ, προδηλούσῃ τὰ περ). Ἰούδαν τὸν προδότην, νομίσαι μαθὼν τὸ ἐσόμενον, ὁρῶν αὐτὸ ἀποτελούμενον, τὴν βίβλον αἰτίαν εἶναι τοῦ τόδε τι γεγονέναι ὔστερον, ἐπεὶ ἀπὸ τῆς βίβλου μεμάθηκε τά ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰούδα πραχθησόμενα ὕστερον ἢ πάλιν μή τὴν βίβλον ύπολάβοι εἶναι αἰτίαν, ἀλλά τὸν πρῶτον γράψαντα αὐτὴν, ἢ τὸν ἐειεργήσαντα,φέρε εἰπεῖν τὸν Θεόν. ’Ὠσπερ δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν περὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα προφητεύομένων αὐταὶ αἰ λέξεις ὲξεταζόμεναι ἐμφαίνουσι τὸν Θεὸν ποιητήν μὴ γεγονέναι τῆς τοῦ ’ἰούδα προδοσίας, ἀλλὰ μόνον δεδηλωκέναι προεγνωκότα τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς τούτου κακίας πριχθησόμενα παρὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ αἰτίαν οὕτως εἴ τις ἐμβαθύναι τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ προειδέναι τά πάντα τὸν Θεὸν, καὶτοῖς ἐν οἷς οἷον ἐνετύπωσε τῆς ἑαυτοῦ

### English translation (Claude)

between a mind subject to nativity and fate and another free from them; for it is plain to those who know such people that, when asked to give an account, they will be quite unable to give one. In addition to what has been said, prayers too are superfluous, offered in vain. For if it has been compelled that certain things should happen, and the stars bring them about, and nothing can happen apart from their intertwining with one another, we ask God unreasonably to grant us certain things. And why need one lengthen the discussion further, setting forth the impiety of the doctrine of fate, a doctrine worn smooth among the many without examination? What has been said suffices for an outline. But let us remind ourselves from what point we have come to these matters: from examining the words “Let the lights be for signs.” Those who learn true things about anything either, having been eyewitnesses of the events, declare such things soundly, having seen what was undergone and what was done by those who underwent or acted; or they know such things by hearing from those who report them while being in no way the causes of what happened. Let us set aside for now from the discussion the fact that those who acted or suffered can, by narrating what they did or suffered, bring to knowledge of what was done someone who was not present. If, then, the one who is taught, by someone in no way the cause of the events, that such things have happened or will happen to such people, does not distinguish that the one who teaches about something as having happened or as about to happen is by no means the cause of the thing's being such, he will suppose that the one who showed that such things happened or will happen has done or will do the things he teaches about; but plainly he will suppose this wrongly. It is as if someone came upon a prophetic book which foretells what concerns Judas the betrayer and, having learned what would be and seeing it fulfilled, should think the book the cause of this having happened later, because he had learned from the book what Judas would do later; or again should suppose not the book to be the cause, but the one who first wrote it, or the one who worked through him, God, say. But just as, in the case of the prophecies about Judas, the words themselves, when examined, show that God was not the maker of Judas's betrayal, but only revealed, foreknowing them, the things that would be done by Judas's wickedness through his own fault, so if anyone penetrates the doctrine that God foreknows all things, and the things in which he has as it were stamped the words of his own

### Scripture references

- Gen 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Acts 1:16: echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- The prophecies about Judas are Ps 109 (LXX 108) and Ps 69 (LXX 68), as Acts 1:20 applies them; Origen quotes Ps 109 in col. 65.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 55 (PG 12:56a–56d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-55).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 57

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-57
- Source: PG 12:57a–57d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: God's foreknowledge is shown from Susanna, the prophecy naming Josiah long before his birth, and Isaiah's prophecy naming Cyrus.

### Greek text

προγνώσεως τοὺς λόγους, κατανοῆσαι ἂν, ὅτι οὔτε 6 προγνοὺς πάντως αἴτιος τῶν προεγνωσμένων, οὔτε τὰ τοὺς τύπους τῶν λόγων τῆς προγνώσεως τοῦ προεγνωκότος δεξαμενα. Ὀτι μὲν οὖν ἕκαστον τῶν ἐσομένων πρὸ πολλοῦ οἶδεν 6 Θεὸς γενησόμενον καὶ χωρὶς μὲν Γραφῆς αὐτόθεν ὲκ τῆς ἐννοίας τῆς περὶ Θεοῦ, δῆλον τῷ συνιέντι ἀξίωμα δυνάμεως νοῦ Θεοῦ. Ei δὲ δεῖ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν τοῦτο παραστῆσαι, πλήρεις μέν εἰσιν αἱ προφητεῖαι τοιούτων παραδειγμάτων· καὶ τὰ. κατὰ τὴν Σωσάνναν δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ γινώσκοντος τὰ πάντα, πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν, οὕτω λέγουσαν ° ι Ὀ Θεὸς 6 αἰώνιος, 6 τῶν κρυπτῶν γνώστης, 6 εἰδὼς τὰ πάντα πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν, σὺ ἐπίστασαι, ὅτι ψευδῆ μου κατεμαρτύρησαν οῦτοι. ι Σαφέστατα δὲ ὲν τῇ τρίτῃ τῶν Βασιλειῶν καὶ ὄνομα βασιλεύσοντος, καὶ πράξεις ἀνεγράφησαν, πρὸ πλειόνων ἐτῶν τοῦ γενέσθαι προφητευόμενα, οὕτως ι Καὶ ἐποίησεν Ἰεροδοὰμ ἑορτὴν ὲν τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ργδοῳ, ὲν τῇ πέμπτῃ καὶ δεκάτῃ ἡμέρα τοῦ μηνὸς, κατὰ τὴν ἑορτὴν τὴν ὲν γῇ Ἰούδα. Καὶ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἐν Βαιθὴλ, ὅ ἐποίησε τοῦ θύειν ταῖς δαμάλεσι-ι, αἷς ἐποίησεν. ι Εἶτα μετʼ ὀλίγα-ι Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνο ρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξ Ἰούδα παρεγένετο ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου ἐν Βαιθὴλ, καὶ Ἱεροὸοαμ εἱστήκει ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τοῦ ὲπιθῦσαι. Καὶ ἐπεκάλεσεν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου, καὶ εἷπε· Θυσιαστήριον, τάδε λέγει Κύριος · Ἰδοὺ υἱὸς τίκτεται τῷ οἴκῳ Δαυῒδ, Ἰωσίας ὄνομα αύτῷ, καὶ θύσει ἐπὶ σὲ τοὺς ἱερεῖς τῶν ὑψηλῶν τῶν ἐπιθυόντων ἐπὶ σὲ, καὶ ἐστᾶ ἀνθρώπων καύσει ἐπὶ σέ. Καὶ ἔδωκεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρα ἐκείνῃ τέρας, ὃ ἐλάλησε Κύριος λέγων· Ἰδοὺ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ῥήγνυται, καὶ ἐκχυθήσεταιή πιότης ή ἐπʼ αὐ·τῷ. ι Καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγα δηλοῦται, ὅτι καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἐρράγη, καὶ ἐξεχύθη ἡ πιότης ἀπὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου κατὰ τὸ τέρας ὃ ἔδωκεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὲν λόγῳ Κυρίου. Καὶ ὲν τῷ Ἡσαΐᾳ γενομένῳ πρὸ πολλοῦ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τῆς εἰς Βαβυλῶνα, μεθʼ ἢν αἰχμαλωσίαν ὕστερον ποτε γίνεται Κῦρος 6 Περσῶν βασιλεὺς, συνεργήσας τῇ οἰκοδομῇ τοῦ ναοῦ, γενομένῃ κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους Ἔσδρα, ταῦτα περὶ Κύρου ὀνο· μαστι προφητεύεται· ι Οὕτω λέγει Κύριος 6 Θεὸς τῷ χριστῷʼμου Κύρῳ, οὗ ἐκράτησα τῆς δεξιᾷς αὐτοῦ ἐπακοῦσαι ἔμπροσθεν αὑτοῦ ἔθνη, καὶ ἰσχὺν βασιλέων διαρῤήξωʼ ἁνοίξω ἔμπροσθεν αὑτοῦ θύρας, καὶ πύλαι ού συγκλεισθήσονταιι Ἐγὼ ἔμπροσθέν σου πορεύσομαι, καὶ ὅρη ὁμαλιῶ ' θύρας χαλκᾶς συντρίψω, καὶ μοχλοὺς σιδηροῦς συνθλάσω. Καὶ δώσω σοι θησαυροὺς σκοτεινοὺς, ἀποκρύφους, ἀορὰὅτι

### English translation (Claude)

foreknowledge, he would perceive that neither is the one who foreknows by any means the cause of the things foreknown, nor are the things that received the imprints of the words of the foreknower's foreknowledge. That God knows long beforehand each thing that will come to be is plain, even without Scripture, straight from the notion of God, to anyone who understands what befits the power of God's mind. But if this must also be shown from the Scriptures, the prophecies are full of such examples. So also in the story of Susanna, God knowing all things before they come to be, since she says: “O eternal God, who knows hidden things, who knows all things before they come to be, you know that these men have borne false witness against me.” Most clearly, in the third book of Kingdoms, both the name of one who would reign and his deeds were recorded, prophesied many years before they happened, thus: “And Jeroboam made a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast in the land of Judah, and he went up to the altar in Bethel which he had made, to sacrifice to the heifers which he had made.” Then a little later: “And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel, and Jeroboam was standing at the altar to offer sacrifice. And he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said: Altar, thus says the Lord: Behold, a son is born to the house of David, Josiah is his name, and he shall sacrifice upon you the priests of the high places who sacrifice upon you, and he shall burn men's bones upon you. And he gave a sign on that day, which the Lord had spoken, saying: Behold, the altar is torn apart, and the fat that is on it shall be poured out.” And a little later it is shown that the altar was indeed torn apart and the fat poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man had given by the word of the Lord. And in Isaiah, who lived long before the captivity to Babylon, after which captivity Cyrus, king of the Persians, later arose and helped in the building of the temple that took place in the times of Ezra, these things are prophesied about Cyrus by name: “Thus says the Lord God to my anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, that nations may obey before him; and I will break the strength of kings; I will open doors before him, and gates shall not be shut. I will go before you and level mountains; I will shatter doors of bronze and break bars of iron. And I will give you dark treasures, hidden, unseen, that

### Scripture references

- 1 Kgs 12:32: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Kgs 12:33: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Kgs 13:1: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Kgs 13:2: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Kgs 13:3: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Kgs 13:5: allusion, high confidence
- Isa 45:1: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 45:2: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 45:3: quotation, high confidence
- Ezra 1:1: allusion, medium confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Sus 42 (Susanna): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Sus 42; 1 Kgs 12:32–33 and 13:1–3 (LXX 3 Kingdoms), with 13:5; Isa 45:1–3 (Septuagint wording, e.g. “dark treasures”). The running head at the top of the page (“IN GENESIM. 33”) is removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 57 (PG 12:57a–57d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-57).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 59

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-59
- Source: PG 12:60a–60d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Further proofs of foreknowledge: Cyrus, Daniel's image and vision of the goat and ram, the prophecies about Christ, and Jesus' prediction of Jerusalem's fall.

### Greek text

ἐγὼ Κύριος 6 θεὶς, τους ἀνοίξω σοι, ἵνα γνῷς, 6 καλῶν τὸ ὄνομά σου, Θεὸς Ἰσραήλ. Ἕνεκεν» τοῦ παιδός μου Ἰακὼβ καὶ Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ ἐκλεκτοῦ μου ἐγὼ καλέσω σε τῷ ὀνόματί σου. καὶ προσδέξομαί σε · ι σαφῶς γὰρ καὶ ἐκ τούτων δεδήλωται, ὃτι διὰ τὸν λαὸν ὃν εὐεργέτησεν 6 Κῦρος, 6 Θεὸς μὴ γινὼσκοντι αὐτῷ τὴν καθʼ Ἐβραίους θεοσέβειαν ἐδωρήο σατο ἐθνῶν πλειόνων ἄρξαι · καὶ ἔστι ταῦτα μαθεῖν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν Ἑλλήνων τῶν ἀναγραψάντων τὰ περὶ τὸν προφητευοὲατα Κῦρον. Ἔτι δὲ καὶ ὲν τῷ Δανιὴλ, Βαβυλωνίων βασιλευόντων τότε τῷ Ναβουχοδονόσορ δείκνυνται αἱ ἑσόμεναι βασιλεῖαι μετʼ αὐτόν·δεέκνυνται δὲ διὰ τῆς εἰκόνος · χρυσίου μὲν τῆς Βαβυλωνίων ἀρχῆς ὀνομαζομένης, ἀργυρέου δὲ τῆς Περσῶν, χαλκοῦ δὲ τῆς Μακεδόνων, σιδήρου δὲ τῆς Ῥωμαίων. Καὶ πάλιν ὲν τῷ αὐτῷ προφήτῃ τὰ περὶ, Δαρεῖον, καὶ Ἀλέξανδρον, καὶ τοὺς τέσσαρας διαδόχους Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ Μακεδόνων βασιλέως, καὶ Πτολεμαῖον τὸν τῆς Λὲγυπτου ἄρξαντα, τὸν ἐπικαα λούμενον Δαγὼν οὕτω προᾳητεύεται · t Καὶ ἰδοὺ τράγος αἰγῶν ἤρχετο ἀττὲ λιβὸς ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆςʼ»καὶ τῷ τράγῳ κέρας ἀνὰν μέσον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν. Καὶ ἦλθεν ἕως τοῦ κριοῦ τοῦ τα κέραταοι ἔχοντος, οὗ εὒον ἑστῶτος ἐνώπιον. τοῦ Οὑβἀλ, καὶ ἔδραμε πρὸς αὑτὸν ἐνώπιον τῆς ἰσχύος αὑτοῦ. Καὶ εἶδον αὑτὸν φθάνοντα ἕως τοῦ κριοῦ, καὶ ἐξηγριώθη πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔπαισε τὸν κριὸν, καὶ συνέτριψεν ἀμφότερα τὰ κέρατα αὑτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἰσχὺς κριῷ στῆναι ἐνώπιον αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἒρῤιξιεν αὑτὸν ἐπὶ. τὴν γῆν, καὶ συνεπάτησεν αὐτόν· καὶ οὐκ ἧν 6 ἐξαιμρούμενος τὸν κριὸν ὲκ χειρὸς αὑτοῦ. Καὶ 6 τράγος» τῶν αἰγῶν ὲμεγαλύνθη Em; σφόδρα · καὶ ὲν τῷ ἰσχῦσαι αὐτον συνετρίβη τὸ κέρας αὑτοῦ τὺ μέγα· καὶ ἀνέβη ἕτερα τέσσαρα (il) κέρατα ὑποκάτω αὐτοῦ εὶς τοὺς τέσσαρας ἀνέμους τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Καὶ ὲκ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἐξῆλθε κέρας ἓν ἰσχυρὸν, καὶ ὲμεγαλῦνθη περισσῶς πρὸς τὸν νότον καὶ τὴν δύσιν. ι Τί δὲ δεῖ λέγειν τὰς περὶ Χριστοῦ προφητείαςς οἷον τόπον γενέσεως αὑτοῦ Βηθλεὲμ, καὶ τόπον ἀνατροφῆς αὑτοῦ Ναζαρὲτ, καὶ εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἀναχώῃσιν, καὶ τεράστια ἃ εποίησεμ καὶ τίνα τρόπον ὑπὸ ’ἰούδα τοῦ εἰς ἀποστολὴν κεκλημένου προεδόθη; Πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα σημεῖα ἐστι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ προγνώσεως. Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς 6 Σωτὴρ, ι ’οταν, φησιν, ἴδητε κυκλουμένην ὑπὸ στρατοπέδων τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ, τότε γνώσεσθε. ὅτι ἤγγικεν ἡ ἐρήμωσις αὐτῆς. ι Προείπε γὰρ τὸ ὕστερον συμβεβηκὸς τὸ τέλος τῆς κατασκαφῆς Ἰερουσαλήμ. ’Δποδεδειγμένου τοίνυν ἡμῖν περὶ τοῦ προγνώστην

### English translation (Claude)

you may know that I am the Lord God, who calls your name, the God of Israel. For the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel my chosen I will call you by your name, and I will receive you.” For from these words too it is clearly shown that, because of the people whom Cyrus benefited, God granted him, though he did not know the Hebrews' worship of God, to rule over many nations; and one can learn these things also from the Greeks who recorded the history of the Cyrus who had been prophesied. Further, in Daniel too, when Nebuchadnezzar was then reigning over the Babylonians, the kingdoms that would come after him are shown; they are shown through the image: the rule of the Babylonians being named gold, that of the Persians silver, that of the Macedonians bronze, and that of the Romans iron. And again, in the same prophet, the things concerning Darius, and Alexander, and the four successors of Alexander king of the Macedonians, and Ptolemy who ruled Egypt, the one surnamed Lagus, are prophesied thus: “And behold, a he-goat came from the southwest over the face of the whole earth, and the goat had a horn between its eyes. And it came up to the ram that had the horns, which I saw standing before the Oubal, and it ran at it in the force of its strength. And I saw it reaching the ram, and it was enraged against it, and struck the ram, and shattered both its horns, and the ram had no strength to stand before it; and it threw it to the ground and trampled it, and there was no one to rescue the ram from its hand. And the he-goat of the goats was magnified exceedingly; and when it had grown strong, its great horn was broken, and four other horns came up beneath it toward the four winds of heaven. And out of one of them came one strong horn, and it was magnified greatly toward the south and the west.” And why need we speak of the prophecies about Christ, such as the place of his birth, Bethlehem, and the place of his upbringing, Nazareth, and the withdrawal into Egypt, and the wonders he did, and the manner in which he was betrayed by Judas, who had been called to be an apostle? For all these are signs of God's foreknowledge. But the Saviour himself also says: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that its desolation has come near.” For he foretold what happened later, the end, the razing of Jerusalem. Since, then, it has been shown by us that God foreknows

### Scripture references

- Isa 45:3: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 45:4: quotation, high confidence
- Dan 2:31: allusion, high confidence
- Dan 2:39: allusion, medium confidence
- Dan 2:40: allusion, medium confidence
- Dan 8:5: quotation, high confidence
- Dan 8:6: quotation, high confidence
- Dan 8:7: quotation, high confidence
- Dan 8:8: quotation, high confidence
- Dan 8:9: quotation, high confidence
- Mic 5:2: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 2:13: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 2:23: allusion, medium confidence
- Luke 21:20: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Isa 45:3–4; Dan 2:31–45 (the image); Dan 8:5–9 in the Theodotion wording (“the Oubal” = the river Ulai); Luke 21:20. Origen's “Ptolemy … surnamed Lagus” is as printed (Ptolemy son of Lagus). Migne's footnote on the successors of Alexander had leaked into the end of the page and is removed; the misread word “προγνώστην” is restored.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 59 (PG 12:60a–60d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-59).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 61

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-61
- Source: PG 12:61a–61d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Origen sets out four problems: foreknowledge and free choice, stars as signs not causes, the limits of human astrology, and why God made the signs.

### Greek text

εἶναι τὸν Θεὸν, οὐκ ἀκαίρως. ἵνα διήγησώμεθα πῶς oi ἀστέρες γίνονται εἰς σημεῖα, νοητέον τοὺς ἀστέρας οὕτω τετάχθαι κινεῖσθαι ὲναντιοφορούντων τῶν καλουμένων πλανωμένων τοῖς ἀπλανέσιν, ἵνα, σημεῖα ἀπὸ τοῦ σχηματισμοῦ τῶν ἀστέρων πάντων τῶν περὶ 't ἕκαστον γινομένων καὶ τῶν καθὸλου λαμβάνοντες, ίινὼσκωσιν, ουχὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι, (πολλῷ γὰρ μεῖζον ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον τὸ δύνασθαι κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ἐκλαμβάνειν ἀπὸ τῆς κινήσεως τῶν ἀστέρων τὰ περὶ ἐκάστου τῶν ὅ τι ποτὲ ἐνεργούντων ἢ πασχόντων ο) ἀλλʼ αἱ δυνάμεις, ἃς ἀναγκαῖον διὰ πολλὰ ταῦτα γινώη mw, ὡς κατὰ δύναμιν διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς δείξομεν. Συνέντες δὲ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἐκ τινων τηρήσεων, ἢ καὶ ὲκ διδασκαλίας ἀγγέλων τὴν ἰδίαν τάξιν παραβεβηκότων, ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ γένους ήμῶν ὲπιτριβῇ διδαξάντων περ) τούτων τινὰ, ᾠήθησαν τοὺς ἀφʼ ὧν τὰ σημεῖα οἴονται λαμβάνειν, αἰτίους ὑπάρχειν τούτων, ἃ σημαίνειν ὁ λόγος φησι, περὶ ὧν καὶ αὐτῶν ὡς ὲν ἐπιτομῇ κατὰ δύναμιν ἐπιμελέστερον εὐθέως διαληπψόμεθα. Προκείσεται τοίνυν ταῦτα τὰ προβλήματα, πῶς, πρμογνὼστου ὄντος ἐξ αἰῶνος τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ τῶν ὑφʼ ἑκάστου πράττεσθαι νομιζομένων, τὸ ἐφʼ ήμῖν σώζεται· καὶ τίνα τρόπον οἱ ἀστέρες οὒκ εἰσι ποιητικοὶ τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις, σημαντικοὶ δὲ μόνον· καὶ ὅτι ἄνθρωποι τὴν περὶ τούτων γνῶσιν ἀκριβῶς ἔχειν οὐ δύνανται, ἀλλὰ δυνάμεσιν ἀνθρὼπων κρείττοσι τὰ σημεῖα ἔγκειται. Ti; γὰρ ή αἰτία τοῦ τὰ σημεῖα τὸν Θεὸν πεποιηκέναι εἰς γνῶσιν τῶν δυνάμεων, τέταρτον ἐξετασθήσεται. Καὶ τοίνυν ἴδωμεν τὸ πρῶτον, ὅπερ εὐλαβηθέντες πολλοὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων, οἰόμενοι κατηναγκάσθαι τὰ πράγματα, καὶτὸ ἐφʼ ήμῖν μηδαμῶς σώζεσθαι, εξ ὁ Θεὸς προγινώσκει τὰ μέλλοντα, ἀσεβὲς δόγμα ἐτόλμησαν ἁναδέξασθαι μᾶλλον ἢ προσέσθαι τὸ, ὥς φασιν ἐκεῖ· νοι, ἔνδοξον μὲν περὶ Θεοῦ, ἀναιροῦν δὲ τὸ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἔπαινον, καὶ ψόγον, καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἁποδεκτδν, τῶν τε κακιῶν ψεκτόν· καί φασιν ο Et ἐξ αἰῶνος ἔγνω ὀ Θεὸς τόνδε τινὰ ἀδικήσειν, καὶ τάδε ποιήσειν ἀδικήματα, ἀψευδής δὲ ὴ γνῶσις τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ πάντως ἔσται ἄδικος, ποιήσων τάδε τὰ ἀδικήματα, ὁ τοιοῦτοςʼ εἶναι προεωραμένος, καὶ ἀμήι χανον μὴ ἀδικήσειν αὒτάν. El δὲ ἀμήχανον μή ἀδικήέ σειν αὑτὸν, κατηνάγηκασται τὸ ἀδικήσειν αὐτὸν,

### English translation (Claude)

is one who foreknows, it is not out of place, in order that we may explain how the stars come to be for signs, to say that the stars must be understood to have been ordered to move in such a way, the so-called planets moving contrary to the fixed stars, that those who take signs from the configuration of the stars about everything that happens to each individual and in general may know them: not human beings (for to be able truly to discern from the motion of the stars what concerns each one of those who act or suffer anything whatever is far greater than human capacity), but the powers, who must necessarily know these things for many reasons, as we shall show in what follows as far as we can. But human beings, having understood something from certain observations, or else from the teaching of angels who transgressed their own order and, to the ruin of our race, taught some things about these matters, supposed that the stars from which they think they take the signs are the causes of the things which the word says they signify. About these also we shall at once treat more carefully, as in summary, as far as we can. Let these problems, then, be set forth: how, though God foreknows from eternity what is thought to be done by each, what is in our power is preserved; and in what way the stars are not producers of human affairs but only signifiers; and that human beings cannot have exact knowledge of these things, but the signs are set out for powers greater than human beings. What the reason is for God's having made the signs for the knowledge of the powers will be examined fourth. Let us see, then, the first problem. Fearing it, many of the Greeks, thinking that events are compelled and what is in our power is in no way preserved if God foreknows the future, dared to accept an impious doctrine rather than admit a doctrine which, as they say, is glorious about God but abolishes what is in our power, and with it praise and blame, and the acceptability of the virtues and the blameworthiness of the vices. And they say: “If God knew from eternity that this person would do wrong, and would do these wrongs, and God's knowledge is unerring, then the one foreseen to be such will certainly be unjust, doing these wrongs, and it is impossible that he not do wrong. And if it is impossible that he not do wrong, it has been compelled that he do wrong,

### Scripture references

- Gen 1:14: allusion, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- 1 En. 8.3 (1 Enoch): allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The angels who taught astrology: an allusion to the fallen Watchers of 1 En. 8:3 (probable). Two OCR fragments at the head of the page are removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 61 (PG 12:61a–61d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-61).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 63

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-63
- Source: PG 12:64a–64d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: God surveys in his mind the whole chain of events from creation to the end and knows it without causing it, like one who foresees a reckless man's fall.

### Greek text

καὶ ἀδυνατὸν ἐστιν (Βῖ) ἄλλο τι πρᾶξαι αὐτὸν ἢ ὅπερ ὁ Θεὸς ἔγνω. Et δὲ ἀδύνατον ἄλλο τι πρᾶξαι αὑτὸν, οὐδεὶς δὲ ἀδύνατα μὴ ποιήσας ψεκτός ἐστι, μάτην αἰτιώμεθα τοὺς ἀδίκους. Ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ἀδίκου καὶ τῶν ἀδικημάτων ἐπέρχονται καὶ· ἐπὶ τά ἄλλα ἁμαρτήματα· εἶτα ὲκ τοῦ ἐναντίου καὶ τά νομιζόμενα κατορθώματα· καί φασιν ἀκολουθεῖν τῷ τὸν Θεδν τὰ μέλλοντα προεγνωκέναι τὺ μὴ δύνασθαι τὰ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν-σώζεσθαιι Πρὸς οὓς λεκτέον, δτι, mea».th ὁ Θεὸς τῇ ἀρχῇ τῆς κοσμοποιίας, οὐδενὸς ἀναιτίως γινομέά νου, ἐπιπορεύεται τῷ νῷ ἕκαστον τῶν ἐσομένων, ὁρῶν, ὅτι, ἐπεὶ τόδε γέγονε, τόδε ἕπεται · ἐὰν δὲ γένηται τάδε τὸ ἑπόμενον, τόδε ἀκολουθεῖ, οὗ ὑποστάντος, τόδε ἔσται · καὶ οὕτω μέχρι τέλους τῶν πραο γμάτων ὲπιπορευθεὶς, οἶδεν ἀ ἔσται, οὗ πάντως ἐκάστῳ τῶν γινωσκομένων αἴτιος τοῦ αὐτδ συμβῆναι τυγχάνων. Ὠσπερ γὰρ εἴ τις ὁρῶν τινα διὰ μὲν ἀμαθίαν προπετῆ, διὰ δὲ τὴν προπέτειαν ἀλογίστως ἐπιβαίνοντα ὁδοῦ ὀλισθηρᾶς, καὶ καταλάβοι πεσεῖσθαι ὀλισθήσαντα, οὐχὶ αἴτιος τοῦ ὀλίσθου ἐκείνῳ γίνεται* οὕτω νοητέον τὸν Θεὸν προεωρακότα, ὁποῖος ἔσται ἕκαστος, καὶ τὰς αἰτίας τοῦ τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν ἔσεσθαι καθορᾷν, καὶ ὃτι ἁμαρτήσεται τάδε, ῆ κατορθώσει τάδε- καὶ εἰ χρὴ λέγειν, οὐ τὴν πρόγνωσιν αἰτίαν γινομένων, (οὐ γὰρ ἐφάπτεται τοῦ προεγνωσμένου ἀμαρτησομένου 6

### English translation (Claude)

and it is impossible for him to do anything other than what God knew. And if it is impossible for him to do anything else, and no one who fails to do the impossible is blameworthy, we blame the unjust in vain.” And from the unjust man and his wrongs they pass on to the other sins as well; then, from the opposite side, to the deeds thought to be right; and they say it follows from God's having foreknown the future that what is in our power cannot be preserved. To them it must be said that God, … at the beginning of the making of the world, nothing happening without a cause, passes over in his mind each thing that will be, seeing that, since this has happened, this follows; and if this, the consequent, happens, this follows, and when that has come about, this will be; and having so passed through to the end of events, he knows what will be, without being in every case the cause of the occurrence of each of the things known. For just as, if someone sees a person rash through ignorance, and through his rashness setting foot recklessly on a slippery road, and perceives that he will slip and fall, he does not become the cause of that man's slip; so we must understand that God, having foreseen what each person will be like, also sees the causes of his being such, and that he will commit these sins or do these right deeds. And if we must say it, foreknowledge is not the cause of what happens (for God does not lay hold of the one foreknown as going to sin

### Translation notes

- A word after “God” is garbled in the scan (“mea».th”), probably a participle meaning “applying himself” or “beginning”; shown as “…”.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 63 (PG 12:64a–64d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-63).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 65

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-65
- Source: PG 12:65a–65d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: An event is foreknown because it will happen, not the reverse; Judas was foreknown as a betrayer, yet could have remained an apostle like Peter.

### Greek text

Θεὸς, όταν ἁμαρτάνῃ· ἀλλὰ παραδοξότεμν μὲν, ἀληθὲς δὲ ὲροῦμεν, τὸ ἐσόμενον αἴτιὀν τοῦ τοιάνδε εἶναι τὴν περὶ αὑτοῦ πρόγνωσιν. Οὑ γάρ ἐπεὶ ἔγνωσται, γίνεται,·ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ γίνεσθαι ἔμελλεν, ἔγνωσται. Διαστολῆς δὲ δεῖται. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ τὸ, πάντως ἔσται, οὕτω τις ’ἑρμηνεύει, ὡς ἀνάγκην εῖναι γενέσθαι τὸ προεγνωσμένον, οὺ διδόαμεν αὐτῷ· ού γὰρ ἐροῦμεν, ἐπεὶ προέγνωσται Ἰούδαν προδότην γενέσθαι, δτι πᾶσα ἀνάγκη ἦν Ἰούδαν ’προδότην γενέσθαι. υ Ἐν γοῦν ταῖς περὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα προφητείαις μέμψεις καὶ κατηγορίαι τοῦ Ἰούδα ἀναγεγραμμέναι εἰσὶ, παντί τῳ παριστᾶσαι τὸ ψεκτὸν αὑτοῦ. Οὐκ ἂν δὲ ψόγος αὐτῷ ’προσήπντετω εἰ ἐπάναγκες προδότης ἦν, καὶ μὴ ἐνεδέχετο αὐτὸν ὅμοιον τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀποιστόλοις γενέσθαι. Ὅρα δὲ εὶ μὴ ταῦτα δηλοῦται, διʼ ὧν παραθησόμεθα ῥητῶν οὕτως ἐχόντων· ι Μηδὲ γε· νηβήτω οἰκτίρμων τοῖς ὀρφανοῖς αὐτοῦ, ἀνθʼ ὧν οὐκ ἐμνήσθη ποιῆσαι ἔλεος, καὶ κατεδίωξεν ἄνθρωπον πένητα καὶ πτωχὸν, καὶ κατανενυγμένον τῇ καρδία τοῦ θανατῶσαι. Καὶ ἠγάπησε κατάραν, κα) ἥξει αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν εὐλογίαν, καὶ μακρννθήσετοι ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ. ι Εἰ δέ τις διηγήσεται τὸ, πάντως ἔσται, κατά τὸ σημαίνειν αὐτὸ, λέγων, δτι ἔσται μὲν τάδε τινὰ, ἐνεδέχετο δὲ καὶ ἑτέρως γενέσθαι, τοῦτο ὠς ἀληθὲς συγχωρούμεν. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ Θεὸν οὐκ ἐνδέχεται ψεύσασθαι· ἐνδέχεται δὲ περὶ τῶν ἐνδεχομένων γε·νέσοαι, καὶ μὴ γενέσθαι φρονῆσαι τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὰ καὶ τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι. Σαφέστερον δὲ τοῦτο ἐροῦμεν οὕτως · Ei ἐνδέχεται Ἰούδαν εἶναι ἀπόστολον ὁμοίως Πέτρῳ, ἐνδέχεται τὸν Θεὸν νοῆσαι περὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα, δτι μενεῖ ἀπόστολος ὁμοίως Πέτρῳ. Εἰ ἐνδέχεται Ἰούδαν προδότην γενέσθαι, ἐνδέχεται τὸ Θεὸν φρονῆσαι περὶ αὑτοῦ, ὅτι προδότης ἔσται. Ei δὲ προδότης ἔσται Ἰούδας, ό Θεὸς τῇ προγνώσει αὐτοῦ τῶν προειρημένων δύο, ἐνδεχομένου τοῦ εἶναι ἐνὶ αὐτῶν, τὸ ἀληθὲς προγινώσκων, προγνώσεται τὸν Ἰούδαν προδότην γενέσθαι· τὸ δὲ περὶ οὗ ἡ γνῶσις, ἐνδέχεται καὶ ἑτέρως γενέσθαι. Καὶ λέγοι ἂν ἡ γνῶσις τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃτιἘνδέχεται μὲν τόνδε τόδε ποιῆσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἐναντίον· ἐνδεχομένων δὲ ἀμφοτέρων, οἴδα, ὅτι τόδε ποιήσει ο οὐ γὰρ ὥσπερ ό Θεὸς εῐποι ἂν, Οὐκ ἐνδέχεται τόνδε τινὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον πτῆναι, οὕτω

### English translation (Claude)

when he sins); but we shall say something more paradoxical, yet true: that what will be is the cause of the foreknowledge about it being such as it is. For it does not happen because it has been known; rather, it has been known because it was going to happen. But a distinction is needed. If someone interprets “it will certainly be” as meaning that what is foreknown must happen by necessity, we do not grant it to him; for we shall not say that, because it was foreknown that Judas would become a betrayer, it was entirely necessary that Judas become a betrayer. At any rate, in the prophecies about Judas reproaches and accusations against Judas are recorded, setting before everyone his blameworthiness. But blame would not attach to him if he was a betrayer of necessity and it was not possible for him to become like the other apostles. See whether this is not shown by the texts we shall cite, which run thus: “Let there be none to pity his orphans, because he did not remember to show mercy, and he persecuted a poor and needy man, and one pierced in heart, to put him to death. And he loved cursing, and it shall come to him; and he did not desire blessing, and it shall be far from him.” But if someone interprets “it will certainly be” as meaning that these things will be, yet it was possible for them to happen otherwise, this we grant as true. For it is not possible for God to lie; but it is possible, concerning things that may happen and may not happen, to think both that they will happen and that they will not. We shall say this more clearly thus. If it is possible for Judas to be an apostle like Peter, it is possible for God to think concerning Judas that he will remain an apostle like Peter. If it is possible for Judas to become a betrayer, it is possible for God to think concerning him that he will be a betrayer. And if Judas will be a betrayer, God, by his foreknowledge of the two alternatives just stated, one of which may come to be, foreknowing the true one, will foreknow that Judas will become a betrayer; yet what the knowledge is about could also happen otherwise. And God's knowledge might say: “It is possible for this man to do this, but also the opposite; and both being possible, I know that he will do this.” For it is not as God would say, “It is not possible for this man to fly,” that he would,

### Scripture references

- Ps 109:12 (108:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 109:16 (108:16 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 109:17 (108:17 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Ps 109:12, 16–17 (LXX 108), applied to Judas (compare Acts 1:20).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 65 (PG 12:65a–65d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-65).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 67

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-67
- Source: PG 12:68a–68d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Human beings have real powers for good and evil; God hides the future from us, as Jeremiah's “perhaps” shows, so that foreknowledge may cause neither despair nor slackness.

### Greek text

χρησμὸν, φέρε εἰπεῖν, πε.ρί τινος διδους. ipsi, ὅτι Οὐκ ἐνδέχεται τόνδε σωφρονὴσαι. Δύναμις μὲν γάρ πάντη οὐκ ἔστι τοῦ πτῆναι οὐδαμῶς ὲν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, δύναμις δέ ἐστι τοῦ σωφρονῆσαι, καὶ τοῦ ἀκολαστῆσαι. Ἦν ἀμφοτέρων δυνάμεων ὑπαρχουσῶν, ό μὴ προσέχων λόγοις ἐιπιστρεπτικοίς καὶ παιδευτικοῐς ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδίδωσι τῇ χειρίστῃο κρείττονι δὲ ὁ ζητήσας τὸ ἀληθὲς, κα). βιῶσαι βεβουλημένος κατʼ αὑτό. Οὐ ζητεῖ δὲ ὁδε μὲν τάληθῆ, ἐπεὶ ᾶπιρρἐει ἐπὶ τὴν ἡδονήν· ὅδε δὲ ἐξετάζει περ) αὐτῶν, αἱρεο θεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν κοινῶν ἐννοιῶν, καὶ λόγου προ· τρεπτικοῢ. Πάλιν τε αὖ ὅδε μὲν αἱρεῖται τὴν ἡδονὴν, οὐχὶ οὐ δυνάμενος ἀντιβλέπειν αὐτῇ. ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀγωνιζόμενοςδ ὅδε δὲ καταφρονεῖ αὐτῆς, τὸ ἄσχημον ὁρῶν τὸ ὲν αὐτῇ πολλάκις τυγχάνον. Ὀτι μέντοιγε ἡ πρόγνωσις τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἀνάγκην ἐπιτίθησι τοις περ). ὧν κατείληφε, πρὸς τοῖς προειρημένοις καὶ τοῦτο λελέξεται, ὃτι πολλαχοῦ τῶν Γραφῶν Θεὸς κελεύει τοὺς προφήτας κηρύσσειν μετάνοιαν, ού προσποιησάμενος τὸ ὲγνωκέναι πότερον ol ἀκούσανο τες ἐπιστρέφουσιν, ἢ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν ἑαυτῶν ιμμενοῦσιν· ὥσπερ ὲν τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ λέγεταιʼ ι Ἴσως ἀκούσονται καὶ μετανοήσουσιν. ι Οὐ γάρ ἀγνοῶν ό ea; πότερον ἀκούσουσιν,ῆ οὒ, φησιν, ι ἴσως ἀκούσονται, και μετανοήσουσιν· ι ἀλλʼ οἱονεὶ τὸ ἰσοστάσιον τῶν δυνάμεων γενέσθαι δεικνὺς ὲκ τῶν λεγομένων· ἵνα μὴ προκατηγγελμένη ἠ πρόγνωσις αὐτοῦ. καταπεσεῖν ποιήσῃ τοὺς ἀκούοντας, 66ξαν ἀνάγκης παριστᾶσα, ὡς οὐκ όντος ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι, καὶ οἱονεὶ καὶ αὑτὴ αἰτία γένηται τεν ἁμαρτημάτων · ἢ πάλιν τοῖς ὲκ τοῦ ἀγνοεῖν τὸ atpoἐγνωσμένον καλὸν, δυναμένοις ἑν τῷ ἀγωνίσασθαι, καὶ ἀντιτείνειν πρὸς την κακίαν ἐν. ἀρετῇ βιῶσαις αξτια γένηται ἠ πρόγνωσις ἑκλύσεως, οὐκ In εὑτόυ νως ἱσταμένοις κατά τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ὡς πάντως ισομένου τοῦ προειρημένου. Καὶ οὕτω γὰρ οἷον ἐμ· πόδιον γένοιτʼ ἂν ἡ πρόγνωσις τοῦ ἐσομένου καλοῦ. Πάντα γοῦν χρησίμως ό Θεὸς τά κατά τὸν κόσμον οἰκονομῶν, εὐλόγως ἡμᾶς καὶπρὸς τά μέλλοντα leoφλωσεν· η γάρ γνῶσις αὐτῶν ἀνῆκε μὶν ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀθλεῖν κατὰ τῆς κακίας, ὶπέτριιιε δʼ ἂν 66ξασα κατειλῆφθαι, πρὸς τὸ μὴ άντιπαλαξσαντας ἡμᾶς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, τάχιον αὐτῇ ὑποχειρίους γενέσθαι. ’Ἅμα δὲ καὶ μαχόμενον ἐγίνετο τῷ καλὸν καὶ ἀγαθὸν γενέσθαι τινὰ τὸ τὴν πρόγνωσιν omnem. εἰς τόνδε τινὰ, ὃτι πάντως ἔσται ἀγαθός. Πρὸς οἷς γὰρ ἔχομεν, καὶ σφοδρότητος καὶ τάσεως πλείου νος χρεία πρὸς τὺ καλὸν καὶ ἀγαθὸν γενέσθαι· προκαταληφθεῖσα δὲ ἡ γνῶσις, τοῦ πάντως καλὸν καὶ ἀγαθὸν ἔσεσθαι ὑπεκλύειν τὴν ἄσκησιν. Διόπερ συμφερόντως οὐκ ἴσμεν οὔτε εἰ ἀγαθοὶ, οὕτε σι πονηροὶ ἐσόμεθα.

### English translation (Claude)

when giving an oracle about someone, say, declare, “It is not possible for this man to be self-controlled.” For in a human being there is no power at all of flying, but there is a power of being self-controlled and of being licentious. Both these powers being present, the one who does not attend to words that turn him back and instruct him gives himself over to the worse; the one who has sought the truth and wished to live according to it, to the better. One man does not seek the truth because he flows away toward pleasure; another examines it, moved by the common notions and by exhortation. And again, one man chooses pleasure, not because he is unable to resist it, but because he does not struggle; another despises it, seeing the shamefulness often found in it. That God's foreknowledge, however, imposes no necessity on the things it has grasped, besides what has been said, this too shall be said: in many places of the Scriptures God commands the prophets to preach repentance, not pretending to know whether those who hear will turn or will remain in their sins; as in Jeremiah it is said: “Perhaps they will hear and repent.” For God, who is not ignorant whether they will hear or not, says, “Perhaps they will hear and repent,” as if showing from what is said that the powers are equally balanced; so that his foreknowledge, announced beforehand, may not make the hearers despair, presenting an appearance of necessity, as though turning were not in their power, and itself become, as it were, a cause of their sins; or again, so that for those who, from ignorance of the good that is foreknown, are able by struggling and resisting vice to live in virtue, foreknowledge may not become a cause of slackness, since they would no longer stand vigorously against sin, as though what was foretold would certainly happen. For in this way too the foreknowledge of a future good might become a kind of hindrance. God, then, ordering all things in the world for our benefit, has with good reason blinded us toward the future. For knowledge of it would have released us from contending against vice and, by seeming to have been settled, would have led us not to wrestle against sin and so to become subject to it more quickly. At the same time, foreknowledge … concerning someone, that he will certainly be good, would be at war with his becoming noble and good. For besides what we have, there is need of greater vigour and effort to become noble and good; but knowledge grasped beforehand that one will certainly be noble and good would slacken the discipline. Therefore it is to our advantage that we do not know whether we shall be good or wicked.

### Scripture references

- Jer 26:3 (33:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Jer 26:3 (LXX 33:3). A word after “foreknowledge” is replaced in the scan by a Latin fragment (“omnem.”); probably “made known”; shown as “…”.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 67 (PG 12:68a–68d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-67).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 69

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-69
- Source: PG 12:69a–69d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: God made us seeing toward the present and blind toward the future (Exod 4:11); free choice works within circumstances we do not control; a configuration cannot cause what happened before it.

### Greek text

Ἐπεὶ δὲ εἰρήκαμεν, ὃτι ἀπετύψλωσεν ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα ὁ Θεὸς, ζητούμενόν τι ῥητὸν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἔξόδου ὅρα εἰ δυνάμεθα οὕτω σαφηνίσαι· ι Τίς ἐποίησε δύσκωφον, καὶ κωφὸν, καὶ βλέποντα, καὶ τυφλόνς οὐκ ἐγὼ Κύριος ό Θεός; ι ἴνα τὸν αὑτὸν καὶ τυφλὸν καὶ βλέποντα πεποιηκὼς βλέποντα μὲν πρὸς τὰ ἐνεστηκότα, τυφλὸν δέ πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα. Τὸ γὰρ περὶτοῦ δυσκὼιρου καὶ κωφοῦ οὐ τοῦ παρόντος καιροῦ διηγήσασθαι. Ὅτι μέντοιγε πολλῶν ’τῶν ἐφʼ ἡμῖν αἴτια πλεῖστα τῶν οὐκ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἐστι, καὶ ἡμεῖς ὁμολογήσομεν · ὧν μὴ γενομένων, λέγω δὲ τῶν οὐκ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν, οὐκ ἂν τάδε τινὰ τῶν ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἐπράττετοο πράττεται δὲ τάδε τινὰ τῶν ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἀκόλουθα τοῖσδε τοῖς προγενομένοις, οὐκ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν. ἐνδεχομένου τοῦ ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς προγενομένοις, καὶ ἕτερα πρᾶξαι παρʼ 5. πράττομεν. EE δέ τις ζητεῖ τὸ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἀπολελυμένον εἶναι τοῦ παντὸς, ὥστε μὴ διὰ τάδε τινὰ συμβεβηκότα ἡμῖν ἡμᾶς αξρεῖσθαι τάδε, ἐπιλέλησται κόσμον μέρος ὢν, καὶ ἐμπεριεχόμενος ἀνθρώπων κοινωνία καὶ τοῦ περιηίχοντος.Μετρίως μὲν οὖν ὡς ἐν ἐπιτομῇ οἶμαι 511:0δεδεῖχθαι τὸ τὴν πρόγνωσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ μὴ εἶναι καταναγκαστικὴν τῶν προεγνωσμένων πάντως. Φέρε δὲ ἀγωνισώμεθα καὶ περὶ τοῦ τοὺς ἀστὲρας μηδαμῶς εἶναι ποιητικοὺς τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις, σημαντικοὺς δὲ μόνον. Σαεξὲς δὲ, ὅτι, εξ ὅδε τις ό σχηματισμὸς τῶν ἀστέρων ποιητικὸς νομίζοιτο τῶν· δέ τινων τῶν γινομένων περὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, (ἔστω γὰρ περὶ τούτου νῦν ζητεῖσθαι τὸν λόγονʼ) οὐκ ἂν ό σήμερον, φέρε εἰπεῖν, γενόμενος σχηματισμὸς περὶ τόνδε δύναται νοεῖσθαι πεποιηκέναι τὰ παρεληλυο θότα περὶ ἕτερον ἢ καὶ περὶ ἐτέρους (ὃὸ). Πᾶν γὰρ τι ποιοῦν πρεσβύτερον τοῦ πεποιημένου. Ὅσον δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς μαθήμασι τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐπαγγελλομένων

### English translation (Claude)

But since we have said that God has blinded us toward the future, see whether we can clarify in this way a text from Exodus that is in question: “Who made the hard of hearing and the deaf, the seeing and the blind? Is it not I, the Lord God?” That is, he has made the same person both blind and seeing: seeing toward the present, blind toward the future. What concerns the hard of hearing and the deaf it is not the present occasion to explain. That many of the things in our power have very many things not in our power as their causes, we too shall confess: if these had not happened (I mean the things not in our power), certain of the things in our power would not be done. But certain things in our power are done in consequence of these prior things not in our power, while it remains possible, on the same prior circumstances, to do other things besides what we do. But if anyone seeks for what is in our power to be detached from the universe, so that we do not choose these things because certain things have happened to us, he has forgotten that he is a part of the world and is enclosed in the community of human beings and of what surrounds us. I think, then, that it has been shown sufficiently, as in summary, that God's foreknowledge does not compel what is foreknown at all. Come, let us contend also that the stars are in no way producers of what happens among human beings, but only signifiers. It is clear that, if some configuration of the stars were thought to produce some of the things that happen to a human being (for let the argument now be about this), the configuration that occurred today, say, concerning this person cannot be understood to have produced what has happened in the past to another or to others. For everything that produces is prior to what is produced. But according to the teachings of those who profess such things,

### Scripture references

- Exod 4:11: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Exod 4:11 (Septuagint wording).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 69 (PG 12:69a–69d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-69).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 71

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-71
- Source: PG 12:72a–72d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Astrologers claim to read a person's parents and past from the birth chart, but a present configuration cannot have caused what preceded it, so at most stars signify.

### Greek text

πρεσβύτερα τοῦ σχηματισμοῦ προλέγεσθαι νομίζεται τά πε ρὶ τους ἀνθῴηους. Ἐπαγγὲλλονται γάρ, τόνδε τινά τρόπον τὴν ὦραν λαβόντες τοῦδε τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καταλαμβάνειν πῶς ἕκαστος τῶν πλάνων μένων κατὰ κάθετον, ἢ τῆσδε τῆς μοίρας τοῦ ζωδίθυνῆ τῶν ἐν αὖτῇ λεπτῶν. καὶ ποῖος ἀστὴρ ξωδιακοῦ, κατά τοῦ ἀνατολικοῦ ἐτύγχανεν ὁρίζοντος, ποῖός τε κατά τοῦ ὁυτικοῦ, καὶ τίς κατά τοῦ μεσουρανήματος, καὶ τίς κατὰ τοῦ ἀντιμεσουρανηματος. Καὶ ἐπάν θῶσι τοὺς ἀστέρας, οὓς νομίζουσιν ἑαυτοῖς ἐσχηματικὲναι, κατά τον καιρὸν τῆς τοῦ δεῖο νος γενέσεως ὲσχηματισμένους οὑτωσὶ, τῷ χρόνῳ τῆς ἀποτέξεως τοῦ περὶ οὗ σκοποῦσιν, οὐ μόνον τά μέλλοντα ἐξετάζουσιν, ἀλλά καὶ τά παρεληλυθότα, καὶ τά πρὸ τῆς γενέσεως καὶτῆς σπορᾶς τοῦ περὶ οὗ ὁ λόγος γεγενημένου, περί πατρὸς ποταπὸς ὢν τυγχάνει, πλούσιος ἦ πένης, ὁλόκληρος τὸ σῶμα ἧ σεσινωμένος, τὸ ἦθος βελτίων ἦ χείρων, ἀκτήμων ἦ πολυκτήμωνδ τήνδε τὴν πρᾶξιν ἢ ἔχων τὰ δʼ αὑτά καὶ περὶ τῆς μητρκ, καὶ περὶ πρεσβυτέρων ἀδελφῶν, ἐάν τύχωσιν ὄντες. Ἔστω δὲ ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τοῦ παῴντος πωσίεσθαι αὐτοὺς καταλαμβάνειν τά ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ἀληθῆ, περὶ οὗ καὶ αυτοῦ ὕστερον δείξομεν, ὅτι οὐχ οὕτως ἔχειʼ πευσώμεθα τοίνυν τῶν ὑπολαμ- 6ανόντων κατηναγκάσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἄστρων τά τῶν ἀνθρώπων πράγματα, τίνα τρόπον ὀ σήμερον σχημσητισμος ὀ τοιόσδε δύναται πεποιηκέναι τά 7:93:66τερα. Εἰ γάρ τοῦτο ἀμήχανον καθʼ ὃ δὴ ὅτι (Sil) εὑτρίσκεται τὸ περὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ χμνου μὴ ἀληθὲς, σαφὲς τὸ μὴ πεποιηκέναι τοὺς ἀστέρας οὐδ τωσὶ κινουμένους ἐν οὐρανῷ τά παρεληλυθότα ut γενόμενα, πρὸ τοῦ οὕτως ἔχειν αὐτούς. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο. τάχα ὁ προσιέμενος ἀληθεύειν αὐτοὺς, ἐπιστήσας τοῖς περὶ τῶν μελλόντων λεγομένοις, ἐρεῖ ἀληθεύειν αὐτοὺς οὐ τῷ ποιεῖν τοὺς ἀστέρας, ἀλλά τῷ σημαίνε.ν μόνον. Ἐάν δέ τις φάσκῃ τά μξν παρεληλυθότα μὴ ποιεῖν τοὺς ἀστέρας, ἀλλά ἄλλους μὲν σχηματισμοὺς τοὺς τῆς ἐκείνων γνώσεως αἰτίους γεγονέναι· τον δὲ νῦν σχη ματισμον σεσημαγκέναι μόνον · τά μέντοι μυ.. λοντα δηλοῦσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐνεστηκότος σχηματισμοῦ ἑκάστου σχέσις ἐπὶ τῶν ἄστρων ποιεῖ. ἆ-ἦδη εκ πατέρων οὕτως Ξξειν λέγεταιξ- ἢ,γάρ gntus; πρός τερα ἔσται τά ποιοῦντα, ἦ εἰ ἐκεῖνα ποιεῖ,

### English translation (Claude)

things older than the configuration are thought to be foretold about human beings. For they profess, taking in some such way the hour of this person, to grasp where each of the planets stands in the perpendicular, or at which degree of the zodiacal sign, or at which minutes within it; and which star of the zodiac was on the eastern horizon, which on the western, which at mid-heaven, and which at the point opposite mid-heaven. And when they set out the stars which they think were configured thus at the time of so-and-so's birth, at the moment of the delivery of the one they are examining, they investigate not only the future but also the past, and what happened before the birth and the conception of the person concerned: about the father, what sort of man he is, rich or poor, sound in body or maimed, better or worse in character, without property or with much property, having this or that occupation; and the same about the mother and about older brothers, if there happen to be any. But let us for the present suppose that they grasp the truth in this matter, though we shall show later that it is not so. Let us then ask those who suppose that human affairs are compelled by the stars how today's configuration, being such and such, can have produced the older things. For if this is impossible, then, since what concerns the things older than the time is found not to be true … , it is clear that the stars, moving thus in heaven, did not produce the past events that happened before they were so placed. And if this is so, perhaps the one who admits that they speak the truth, attending to what is said about the future, will say that they speak the truth not by the stars' producing but by their signifying only. But if someone says that the stars do not produce the past, but that other configurations were the causes of those events, while the present configuration has only signified them, yet that the future is shown from the present configuration … 

### Translation notes

- The end of the page is garbled in the scan, and Huet's Latin note (“cap. 18. Huetius … optime … restituit”) has leaked into it; the note is removed and the garbled words shown as “…”. The argument resumes with “of so-and-so's birth” in col. 73.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 71 (PG 12:72a–72d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/47/#p-71).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 73

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-73
- Source: PG 12:73a–73d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The heavens are like God's book, containing signs of the future without causing it; and one event can be read from many people's nativities, so no single chart causes it.

### Greek text

τῆς τοῦ δεῖνος γενέσεως, παραστησάτω τὴν διαφορὰν, τοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀστέρων δύνασθαι δεῖξαι, ὅτι τάδε μὲν νενόηται ἀληθῆ ὡς ἀπὸ ποιούντων, τάδε δέ ὡς ἀπὸ σημαινόντων μόνονʼ μὴ ἔχοντες δὲ δοῦναι τὴν διαφορὰν, εὐγνωμόνως συγκαταθήσονται, μηδὲν τῶν κατά τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀπὸ τῶν ἀστέρων γίνεσθαι, ἀλλʼ, ὡς προειρήκαμεν, εί ἄρα σημαίνεσθαι, ὡς εἰ μὴ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀστέρων τις ἐλάμβανε τὰ παρεληλυθότα καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα, ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ τοῦ νοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, διά τινος λόγου προφητικοῦ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ προαπεδείξαμεν, ὅτι οὐδὲν λυπεῖ τὸν περὶ τοῦ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν λόγον τὸ τὸν Θεὸν εἰδέναι τὰ πραχθησόμενα ἑκάστῳ, οὕτως οὺδέ τά σημεῖα, ἃ ἔταξεν ό Θεὸς εἰς τὸ σημαίνειν, ἐμποδίζει τὸ ἐφʼ ἡμῖν· ἀλλά παραπλησίως βιβλίῳ περιέχοντι τὰ μέλλοντα προφητικῶς ὁ πᾶς οὐρανὸς δύναται, οἱονεὶ βίβλος ὣν Θεοῦ, περιέχειν τά μέλλοντα. Διόπερ ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ δύναται οὕτω νοεῖσθαι τὸ λεγόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰακώβ· ι Ἀνέγνων γὰρ ἐν ταῖς πλαξὶ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅσα συμβήσεται ὑμῖν καὶ τοῖς υίοίς ὑμῶν. ι Τάχα δὲ καὶ τὸ, ι Είλιγήσεται ὁ οὐρανὸς ὡς βιβλίον, ι τοὺς λόγους τοὺς περιεχομένους, σημαντικοὺς τῶν ἐσομένων, δηλοῖ ἀπαρτισθησομένους, καὶ ἵνʼ οὕτως εἴπω, πληρωθησομένους, ὥσπερ λέγονται αἱ προφητεῖαι πεπληρῶσθαι τῷ ἐκίεὸηκέναι. Καὶ οὓτως ἔσται εἰς σημεῖα τὰ ἄστρα γεγονότα, κατά τὴν λέγουσαν φωνήν · ι Ἔστωσαν είς σημεῖα. ι '0 δέ Ἱερεμίας, ἐπιστρέφων ἡμᾶς πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ περιαιρῶν φόβον τὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς voμιζομένοις σημαίνεσθαι, τάχα δέ καὶ ὑπολαμβανομένοις ἐκεῖθεν ἔρχεσθαι, φησίν· ι ’Δπὸ τῶν σημείων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ μὴ φοβεῖσθε. ι Ἴδωμεν καὶ δεύτερον ἐπιχείρημα, πῶς οὐ δύνανται οἱ ἀστέρες εῖναι ποιητικοί, ἀλλʼ εί ἄρα σημαντικοί. Ἀπὸ τῶν πλείστων γὰρ ὅσων γενέσεων ἔστι λαβεῖν τὰ περὶ, ἐνὸς ἀνθρώπου· τοῦτο δέ καθʼ ὑπόθεσιν λέγομεν, συγχωροῦντες τὸ ἐπιστήμην αὐτῶν ἀναὴμὸάνεσθαι ὑπʼ ἀνθρώπων δύνασθαι. Φέρε γὰρ elπεῖν περὶτοῦ τόνδε πείσεσθαι τόδε, καὶ τεθνήξεσθαι περιπεσόντα λῃσταῖς καὶ ἀναιρεθέντα, φασὶ δύνασθαι λαμβάνειν ἀπό τε τῆς ἰδίας αὑτοῦ γενέσεως, κᾶν τύχῃ ἔχων ἀδελφοὺς πλείονας, ἀπὸ τῆς ἑκάστου αὐτῶν. Περιέχειν γὰρ οἴονται τὴν ἑκάστου γένεσιν ἀδελφὸν ὑπὸ λῃστῦινυτεθνηξόμενον ὁμοίως καὶ τὴι

### English translation (Claude)

of so-and-so's birth, let him set forth the difference, showing that he can establish from the stars that these things have been understood truly as coming from producers, and those as coming from signifiers only. And if they cannot give the difference, they will in fairness agree that nothing in human affairs comes from the stars, but, as we said before, if anything, it is signified; as if someone took the past and the future not from the stars but from the mind of God, through some prophetic word. For just as we showed earlier that God's knowing what each person will do in no way harms the doctrine of what is in our power, so neither do the signs which God appointed for signifying hinder what is in our power; but, like a book containing the future prophetically, the whole heaven, being as it were God's book, can contain the future. Therefore in the Prayer of Joseph what is said by Jacob can be understood in this way: “For I read in the tablets of heaven all that will befall you and your sons.” And perhaps also “The heaven will be rolled up like a scroll” shows that the words it contains, which signify what will be, will be brought to completion and, so to speak, fulfilled, just as prophecies are said to be fulfilled by coming to pass. And thus the stars will have come to be for signs, according to the voice that says, “Let them be for signs.” But Jeremiah, turning us back to ourselves and removing the fear about the things thought to be signified, and perhaps also supposed to come from there, says: “Do not fear the signs of heaven.” Let us look also at a second argument showing how the stars cannot be producers but, if anything, signifiers. From very many nativities one can take what concerns one human being; this we say by hypothesis, granting that knowledge of them can be acquired by human beings. For suppose that, concerning this person, it is said that he will suffer this, and die by falling among robbers and being killed: they say that this can be taken both from his own nativity and, if he happens to have several brothers, from that of each of them. For they think that each one's nativity contains a brother who will die at the hands of robbers; likewise also

### Scripture references

- Isa 34:4: quotation, high confidence
- Rev 6:14: echo, low confidence
- Gen 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Jer 10:2: quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Pr. Jos. (Prayer of Joseph): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Prayer of Joseph (fragment preserved here and in the Philocalia 23.15); Isa 34:4 (compare Rev 6:14); Gen 1:14; Jer 10:2.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 73 (PG 12:73a–73d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-73).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 75

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-75
- Source: PG 12:76a–76d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: If many nativities contain one man's violent death, no single chart causes it; national customs like circumcision cannot be explained by the stars.

### Greek text

τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τὴν της μητρὸς, καὶ τὴν τῆς γαμετῆς. καὶ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν, καὶ τῶν φιλτάτων, τάχα δὲ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν ἀναιρούντων. Πῶς οὖν δυνατὸν τὸν τοσαύταις γενέσεσιν, ἵνα αὐτοῖς τοῦτο συγχωρηθῇ, ἐμπεριεχόμενον γίνεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ σχηματισμοῦ τῶν ἀστέρων, τῆσδε μᾶλλον τῆς γενέσεως ἢ τῶνδες Ἀπέθανον γὰρ καὶ τὸ φάσκειν, τὸν σχηματισμὸν τὸν ὲν τῇ ἰδίᾳ τοῦδέ τινος γενέσει ταῦτα πεποιηκέναι, τὸν δὲ έν τῇ τῶνδε γενέσει μὴ πεποιηκέναι, ἀλλὰ σεσημαγκέναι μόνον· ἠλίθιον γὰρ τὸ ειπείν, ὅτι ή πάντων γένεσις περιεῖχε καθʼ ἕκαστον ποιητικὸν τοῦ τόνδε ἀναιρεθῆναι, ὥστε έν γενέσεσιν, καθʼ ὑπόθεσιν λέγω, πεντήκοντα περιέχεσθαι τὸ τόνδε τινὰ ἀναιρεθῆναι. Οὐκ οἶδα δʼ ὅπως δυνήσονται σῶσαι τδ.τῶν μὲν ὲν Ἰουδαίᾳ σχεδον πάντων Β τοιόνδε εἶναι τὸν σχηματισμὸν ἐπὶ τῆς γενέσεως, ὡς ὀκταήμερον αὐτοὺς λαμβάνειν περιτομὴν, ἀκρωτηριαζομένους καὶ ἑλκουμένους, καὶ φλεγμονῇ περιπεσομένους καὶ τραύμασι, καὶ ἃμα τῇ εἰς τὸν βίον εἰσόδῳ ἰατρῶν δεομένους · τῶν δὲ έν Ἰσμαηλίταις τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀραδίαν τοιόνδε, ὡς πάντας περιτέμνεσθαι τρισκαιδεκαετεῖς · τοῦτο γὰρ ἱστόρηται περὶ αὐτῶν, καὶ πάλιν τῶνδέ τινων τῶν ἐν Αἰθίοψι, τοῖσδε τὰς κόγχας τῶν γονάτων περιαιρεῖσθαι, καὶ τῶν Ἀμαζόνων τοὺς ἑτέρους τῶν μαστῶν. Πῶς γὰρ ταῦτα ποιοῦσιν (l) οἱ ἀστέρες τοῖσδε τοῖς ἔθνεσιν;

### English translation (Claude)

that of the father, and that of the mother, and that of the wife, and of his sons, and of the servants and his dearest friends, and perhaps even that of the killers themselves. How then is it possible that one who is contained in so many nativities (to grant them this) should be subject to the configuration of the stars of this nativity rather than of those? For it is unconvincing to say that the configuration in this person's own nativity produced these things, while that in the nativity of the others did not produce them but only signified them; and it is foolish to say that the nativity of all of them, each one, contained what produced this person's being killed, so that in, say, fifty nativities (I speak hypothetically) this person's being killed is contained. I do not know how they will be able to maintain that the configuration at the birth of nearly all those in Judea is such that they receive circumcision at eight days old, being mutilated and wounded, and falling into inflammation and wounds, and needing physicians at their very entrance into life; while that of those among the Ishmaelites in Arabia is such that all are circumcised at thirteen years old (for this is recorded about them); and again that of some among the Ethiopians is such that they have their kneecaps removed, and that of the Amazons that they have one of their breasts removed. For how do the stars do these things to these nations?

### Scripture references

- Gen 17:12: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 17:25: allusion, medium confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Josephus, Ant. 1.214 (Josephus (works)): echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- Circumcision on the eighth day (Gen 17:12) and at thirteen among the Ishmaelites (compare Gen 17:25; Josephus, Ant. 1.214). The scan's “Ἀπέθανον” is read as ἀπίθανον (“unconvincing”). A repeated phrase from Migne's note (“… etc. Trita illa …”) leaked into the end of the page and is removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 75 (PG 12:76a–76d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-75).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 77

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-77
- Source: PG 12:77a–77d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: If stars caused what they foretell, so would birds and entrails; and astrologers require a precision in reading the heavens that human beings cannot attain.

### Greek text

Οἶμαι, ὄτι, εί ἐπιστήσαιμεν, οὐδὲ μέχρι τοῦ στῆσαι δυνησόμεθα τι ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν περὶ αὐτῶν. Toσούτων δὲ φερομένων ὁδῶν προγνωστικῶν, οὐκ οἷδʼ ὅπως ἐξώκειλαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἐπὶ τὸ τὴν μὲν οἰωνιστικὴν καὶ τὴν θυτικὴν μὴ λέγειν περιέχειν τὸ ποιοῦν αἴτιον, ἀλλὰ σημαίνειν μόνον, καὶ τὴν ἀστεροσκοπικὴν, οὐκ ἐτι δὲ τὴν γενεθλιαλογικήν. Εἰ γὰρ ὲπιγινώσκεται, ἵνα καὶ χαρισώμεθα τὺ γινώσκεσθαι, γίνεται δὲ ἐκεῖθεν ὅθεν ἠ γνῶσις λαμβάνεται, τί μᾶλλον ἀπὸ τῶν ἀστέρων ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν οἰωνῶν ἔσται τὰ γινόμενα; καὶ μᾶλλον ἀπὸ ’τῶν οἰωνῶν, ἦ ἀπὸ τῶν σπλάγχνων τῶν θυομένων, ἦ ἀπὸ τῶν διαττόντων ἀστέρωνς Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἀρκέσει είς ἀναίρεσιν τοῦ ποιητικοὺς εἶναι τοὺς ἀστέρας τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων. Ὅπερ δὲ συγκεχωρήκαμεν, οὐ γὰρ ἐλύπει τὸν λόγον, ὡς τῶν ἀνθρώπων δυναμένων καταλαμβάνειν τοὺς οὐρανίους σχηματισμοὺς καὶ τὰ σημεῖα, καὶ ὧν ἐστι σημεῖα, τοῦτο φέρε νῦν ἐξετάσωμεν εἰ ἀληθές ἐστι. Φασὶ τοίνυν οἱ περὶ ταῦτα δεινοὶ, τὸν μέλλοντα τὰ κατὰ τὴν γενεθλιαλογικὴν ἀληθῶς καταλαμβάνειν εἰδέναι οὐ μόνον τὸ κατὰ πόστον δωδεκατημορίου ἔστὶν ὁ καλούμενος ἀστὴρ, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ ποίας μοίρας τοῦ δωδεκατημορίου, καὶ κατὰ ποίου ἑξηκοστοῦο οἱ δὲ ἀκριβέστεροι mi. κατὰ ποίου ἑξηκοστοῦ τοῦ ἑξηκοστοῦ. Καὶ τοῦτό φασι δεῖν ποιεῖν ἐφʼ ἑκάστου τῶν πλανωμένων ἐξετάζοντα τὴν σχέσιν τὴν πρὸς

### English translation (Claude)

I think that, if we were to look closely, we shall not be able to say anything true about them, not even so far as to establish it. With so many methods of foretelling current, I do not know how people ran aground on saying that augury and divination by sacrifices do not contain the producing cause but only signify, and astronomy likewise, but no longer saying this of the casting of nativities. For if events are known (to grant that they are known), but happen from that source from which the knowledge is taken, why should events come from the stars rather than from birds, and rather from birds than from the entrails of victims or from shooting stars? These things, then, will suffice for the present to refute the stars' being producers of human affairs. But what we granted (for it did no harm to the argument), namely that human beings can grasp the heavenly configurations and the signs, and the things of which they are signs, let us now examine whether this is true. Those skilled in these matters say that the one who is to grasp truly what concerns the casting of nativities must know not only in which twelfth-part the so-called star is, but also at which degree of the twelfth-part and at which sixtieth; and the more precise say, at which sixtieth of the sixtieth. And they say that this must be done for each of the planets, examining its relation to

### Translation notes

- “Twelfth-part” (δωδεκατημόριον): a sign of the zodiac; the “sixtieth” is a minute of arc.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 77 (PG 12:77a–77d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-77).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 79

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-79
- Source: PG 12:80a–80d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Astrologers cannot fix the hour of birth precisely enough, the precession of the zodiac shifts the signs, and they cannot calculate the blending of the stars' influences.

### Greek text

τοὺς ἀπλανεῖς. Πάλιν αὖ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀνατολικοῦ ὁρίζοντος δεήσει, φασὶν, ἰδεῖν ού μόνον rb δωδεκατημόριον ποῖον ἦν ἐπʼ αὑτοῦ, ἀλλά καὶ τὴν μοῖραν, καὶ τὸ ἑξηκοστὸν τῆς μοίρας, rb πρῶτον ἦ τὺ δεύτερον ἑξηκοστόν. Πῶς τοίνυν, τῆς ὥρας πλατεῖ λόγῳ ἥμισυ δωδεκατημορίου περιεχούσης, δύναταί τις λαβεῖν τὺ ἑξηκοστὸν, μὴ ἔχων τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς διαιρέσεως τῶν ὡρῶν, ὥστε, φέρε εἰπεῖν, εἰδέναι, ὃτι γεγέννηται ό δεῖνα ὥρᾳ τετάρτῃ, καὶ ἡμίσει ὥρας, καὶ τετάρτῳ, ὀγδόῳ, καὶ ἑκκαιδεκάτῳ, καὶ δυοτριακοστῷς παραπολὺ γάρ φασι παραλλάττειν τὰ σημαινόμενα παρά τὴν ἀγνωσίαν οὐ τῆς ὅλης ὧρας, ἀλλά καὶ τοῦ ποστημορίου αὐτῆς. Ἐν γοῦν τοίς διδύμοις γεννωμένοις πολλάκις τὸ μεταξὺ κα) ἀκαριαῖον ὧρας ἐστὶ, καὶ πολλαὶ παραλλαγαὶ τῶν συμβαινόντων καὶ τῶν πραττομένων ἐπʼ αὐτῶν ἀπαντῶσιν, ὦς φασιν ἐκεῖνοι, παρά τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς σχέσεως τῶν ἀστέρων καὶ τὸ μόριον τοῦ δωδεκατημορίου rb παρὰ τὸν ὁρίζοντα, οὐ καταλαμβανόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν νομιζομένων τὴν ὥραν τετηρηκέναι. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ δύναται λέγειν, ὅτι rb μεταξύ τοῦδε τῆς γενέσεως πρὸς τὴν τοῦδέ. ὲστινῶρας τριακοστόν, Ἀλλʼ ἔστω συγκεχωρημένον αὐτοῖς τόδε κατὰ τὸ ἐκλαβεῖν τὴν ὥραν. Φέ ρεται δὴ θεώρημα ἀποδεικνύον τὸν ζωδιακὸν κύκλον ὁμοίως τοῖς πλανωμένοις φέρεσθαι ἀπὸ δυσμῶν ἐπὶ ἀνατολὰς διʼ ἑκατὸν ἐτῶν μοῖραν μίαν, καὶ τοῦτο τῷ πολλῷ χρόνῳ ἐναλλάττειν τὴν θέσιν τῶν δωδεκατημορίων· ἑτέρου μὲν τυγχάνοντος τοῦ νοητοῦ δωδεκατημορίου· ἑτέρου δὲ τοῦ ὡσανεὶ μορφώματος ἀλλʼ ὲκ τοῦ νοητοῦ ζωδίου, ὅπερ οὐ πάνυ τι δυνατὸν καταλαμβάνεσθαι. Ἔστω δὲ καὶ τοῦτο συγκεχωρημένον rb καταλαμβάνεσθαι τὸ νοητὸν δωδεκατημόριον, ἦ δύνασθαι ἐκ τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ δωδεκατημορίου λαμβάνεσθαι rb ἀληθές· ἀλλά τήν γε σύγκρασιν παρʼ αὐτοῖς καλουμένην τῶν ὲν τοῖσδε τοῖς σχηματισμοῖς τυγχανόντων, καὶ αὐτοὶ ὁμολογήσουσιν, οὐχ οἷοί τε σῶσαι κατὰ πᾶν. ἀμαυρουμένου τοῦ δηλουμένου, φέρε είπεῖν, χείρονος ἀπὸ τοῦδε (ll), διὰ rb ἐπιβλέπεσθαι αὑτὸν ὑπὸ τοῦδε τοῦ κρείττονος, καὶ ἐπὶ τοσόνδε, ἢ τοσόνδε ἀμαυρουμένου· πολλάκις πάλιν τῆς ἀμαυρώσεως τῆς τοῦ χείρονος ὑπὸ τῆς ἐπιβλέψειας τῆς τοῦ κρείττονος ἐμποδιζομὲνης, ἐκ τοῦ ἕτερον οὑτωσὶ ἐσχηματίσθαι χειρόνων ὄντα σημαντικόν. Καὶ οἶμαι, ἐπιστήσαντά τινα ᾡταπῖμορφώματᾷς, οὺ μὲν-λαμβανομένου τοῦ ἀληθοῦς ὲκʼτοʼὖʼμόρφὼματος, ἀλλʼ ὲκ τού νοητοῦ, etc. υς εκ του μορν υματος, aut εκ του νοητου, ctu. (IO) Ἔστω (εἶπαί-τοῦτο,συγκεχωρημέγον, etc. (ξηνγίει-ικ, χείρονοςο τοῦδε δὲ χείρονος, ἀπὸ τουοε ο

### English translation (Claude)

the fixed stars. Again, on the eastern horizon, they say, one will need to see not only which twelfth-part was on it, but also the degree and the sixtieth of the degree, the first or the second sixtieth. How then, when the hour, broadly reckoned, contains half a twelfth-part, can anyone take the sixtieth without having the proportion of the division of the hours, so as to know, for example, that so-and-so was born in the fourth hour, and a half, a quarter, an eighth, a sixteenth, and a thirty-second of an hour? For they say that what is signified varies very greatly through ignorance not only of the whole hour but even of a fraction of it. At any rate, with twins the interval between births is often a momentary part of an hour, and many variations in what befalls them and what they do occur, as those people say, owing to the relation of the stars and the portion of the twelfth-part at the horizon, which is not grasped by those who are thought to have observed the hour. For no one can say that the interval between this one's birth and that one's is a thirtieth of an hour. But let this be granted to them as regards taking the hour. A theorem is current which proves that the zodiacal circle, like the planets, moves from west to east one degree every hundred years, and in this long time changes the position of the twelfth-parts, the intelligible twelfth-part being one thing and the visible shape, so to speak, another; and that the outcomes come from the intelligible sign, which can scarcely be grasped. But let this too be granted, that the intelligible twelfth-part can be grasped, or that the truth can be taken from the perceptible twelfth-part. Yet the blending, as they call it, of the stars that stand in these configurations they themselves will confess they cannot preserve in every respect, when, say, the worse star indicated by one is dimmed because it is aspected by this better one, and dimmed to such or such a degree

### Translation notes

- The “theorem” is the precession of the equinoxes (Hipparchus), here given as one degree in a hundred years. “The outcomes come from the intelligible sign” renders a damaged clause (ἀλλʼ ἐκ τοῦ νοητοῦ ζωδίου) by sense.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 79 (PG 12:80a–80d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-79).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 81

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-81
- Source: PG 12:81a–81d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Isaiah mocks the astrologers; Jacob read the heavenly tablets only because he was more than human, as the Prayer of Joseph shows; Origen turns to why God made the signs.

### Greek text

τοῖς τόποις, ἀπογνῶναι τὴν περὶ τούτων κατάληψιν, οὐδαμῶς ἀνθρώποις ἐκκειμένην, ἀλλʼ εἰ ἀρα μέχρι τοῦ σημανθῆναι μόνον φθάνουσαν. El δέ τις ὲν πείρᾳ γεγένηται τῶν πραγμάτων, μᾶλλον εἴσεται τὸ ὲν τῷ στοχάζεσθαι ἀποπτωτικὸν τῶν λεγόντων, καὶ αὐτῶν συγγραψαμένων, ἤπερ νομιζόμενον (l ‘2) ὲπιτευκτικόν. Καὶ Ἡσαΐας γοῦν, ὡς οὺ δυναμένων τούτων εὑρίσκεσθαι ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων, φησι πρὸς τὴν θυγατέρα τῶν Χαλδαίων, τῶν ταῦτα μάλιστα παρὰ πάντας ἐπαγγελλομένων· ι Στήτωσαν δὴ καὶ σωσάτωσάν σε οἱ ἀστρολόγοι τοῦ ούρανοῦ· ἀναγγειλάτωσάν σοι τί μέλλει ἐπὶ σὲ ἔρχεσθαι· ι διὰ γάρ τούτων διδασκόμεθα μὴ δύνασθαι τοὺς πάνυ περὶ ταῦτα φιλομαθεῖς προδηλοῦν, ἀ βεβούληται Κύριος ἑκάστῳ ἔθνει επαγαγεῖν. Νῦν γὰρ ὡς πρὸς τὴν λέξιν τὸ προφητικὸν ὲξειλήφαμενο εἰ δέ φησιν ό Ἰακὼβ ἀνεγνωκέναι ὲν ταῖς πλαξὶ τοῦ ούρανοῦ τά συμβησόμενα τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅσον ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἀντιλέγοι τις ἂν ἡμῖν, ὅτι ἐναντία οἷς εἰρήκαμεν δηλοῦται διὰ τῆς Γ ραφῆς· ὲλέ· γομεν γὰρ ἄνθρωπον ἀκαταλήπτως ἔχειν τῶν σημείων· ό δὲ Ἰακώβ φησιν ἀνεγνωκέναι ἐν ταῖς πλαξὶ τοῦ ούρανοῦ ἁπολογησόμεθα,ὃτι οἱ καθʼ ἡμᾶς σοφοὶ, πνεύματι περισσοτέρῳ χρησάμενοι τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως, οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνως, θείως δὲ διδάσκονται τά ἀπόρρητα· ὥσπερ ό Παῦλος, λέγωνʼ ι Ἤκουσα ἄῤῥητα ῥήματα, ἀ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι· ι ἴσασι γάρ τροπῶν ἀλλαγὰς καὶ μεταβολάς καιρῶν, ἐνιαυτῶν κύκλους, καὶ ἀστέρων θέσεις, οὐκ ἀπʼ ἀνθρώπων, ούδὲ διʼ ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ἀποκαλύπτοντος αὐτοῖς, καὶ καθαρῶς, ὼς θέλει ό Θεὸς, τὰ θεῖα ἀπαγγέλλοντος. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ ὁ Ἰακὼβ μείζων ἥ κατά ἄνθρωπον ἦν, πτερνίζων τὸν ἀδελφὺν αύτοῦ, καὶ ὁμολογῶν ὲν αὐτῇ ταύτῃ τῇ βίβλῳ, ἀφʼ ἧς παρεθέμεθα τό· ι Ἀνὲγνων ὲν ταῖς πλαξὶ τοῦ ούρανοῦ, ι εἶναι ἀρχικιλίαρχος δυνάμεως Κυρίου, καὶ δνομα πάλαι κεκτημένος Ἰσραήλ· ὅπερ ὲν σώματι λειτουργῶν ἀναγνωρίιζει, ὑπομιμνήσκοντος αὑτὸν τοῦ ἀρχαγγέλου Οὑριήλ. Μετά ταῦτα λείπεται ἐξετάσαι καὶ παραστῆσαι τοῖς πιστεύουσιν, ὅτι είς σημεῖα κεῖνται οἱ φωστῆρες τοῦ ούρανοῦ· σανθήσῃ δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν περιεργότερον φερομένων είς τοὺς τόπους, τίς ἡ αἰτία τοῦ ταῦτα τά σημεῖα τὸν Θεὸν πεποιηκέναι ὲν τῷ οὐρανῷ. Καὶ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι πιστεύομεν τὰ τῆς μεγαλειότητος τοῦ νοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ πᾶσαν γνῶσιν τὴν περὶ ἐκάστου τῶν ὄντων ὲμπεριειληφότος, ὥστε μηδὲ τὸ τυχὸν καλ νομιζόμενον ἐλάχιστον λανθάνειν τὴν θειότητα

### English translation (Claude)

these topics, to despair of grasping these things, which is in no way open to human beings, but reaches, if at all, only as far as their being signified. And if anyone has had experience of these matters, he will rather come to know how often those who speak of them, and those who have written about them, miss the mark in their conjectures than how often they are supposed to hit it. Isaiah, at any rate, as though these things cannot be found out by human beings, says to the daughter of the Chaldeans, who more than all others profess these things: “Let the astrologers of heaven stand up and save you; let them tell you what is about to come upon you.” For by these words we are taught that even those most devoted to learning about these things cannot make known beforehand what the Lord has willed to bring upon each nation. Now we have taken the prophetic word according to the letter. But if Jacob says that he read in the tablets of heaven what would befall his sons, and someone might object to us on this ground that Scripture shows the opposite of what we have said (for we said that a human being cannot grasp the signs, while Jacob says that he read in the tablets of heaven), we shall reply that the wise among us, having made use of a spirit greater than human nature, are taught secret things not in a human way but divinely; as Paul, who says: “I heard inexpressible words, which it is not permitted for a human being to speak.” For they know the changes of the solstices and the alterations of the seasons, the cycles of years and the positions of stars, not from human beings nor through human beings, but by the Spirit revealing them to them and purely announcing divine things, as God wills. And besides, Jacob was greater than a human being: he supplanted his brother, and he confesses in that very book from which we quoted “I read in the tablets of heaven” that he is a chief captain of the power of the Lord and has long possessed the name Israel; this he recognizes while serving in the body, when the archangel Uriel reminds him. After this it remains to examine and set before believers that the lights of heaven are set for signs; and it will be asked by those who go into these topics with more curiosity what the reason is for God's having made these signs in heaven. And one may say, first, that we believe what concerns the greatness of the mind of God, which has encompassed all knowledge concerning each thing that exists, so that not even what happens to be thought the least escapes his divinity;

### Scripture references

- Isa 47:13: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Cor 12:4: quotation, high confidence
- Gal 1:1: echo, medium confidence
- Gen 25:26: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 27:36: allusion, medium confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Wis 7:18–19 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence
- Pr. Jos. (Prayer of Joseph): allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Isa 47:13; 2 Cor 12:4; “the changes of the solstices … positions of stars” quotes Wis 7:18–19; “not from human beings nor through human beings” echoes Gal 1:1. Jacob as “chief captain of the power of the Lord”, reminded by the archangel Uriel: the Prayer of Joseph (as in Origen, Commentary on John 2.31). The scan's “σανθήσῃ” is read by sense as “it will be asked”.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 81 (PG 12:81a–81d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-81).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 83

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-83
- Source: PG 12:84a–84d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: God wrote the heavens as a book for angels and holy souls to read, to display his foreknowledge and to guide the angels' ministry; evil powers act by their own choice.

### Greek text

αὑτοῦ, δόξαν μὲν περιέχει τοῦ οίονεὶ ἄπειρα ἀριθμῷ οὔτως αὐτὸν ἐμπεριειληφέναι ἐν ἐαυτῷ, οῦ μὴν ἐναργῆ τὴν ἀπόδειξιν, ἀλλά πεπιστευμένην, ώς ἁρμόζουσαν τῷ ἀγεννήτῳ νῷ καὶ ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν φύσιν τυγχάνοντι. ’”Ινʼ οὖν τῇ πείρα τοῦτο καταλαμβάνηται ὑπὸ τῶν μειζόνων ἢ κατά ἄνθρωπον, καὶ τῶν ἁγίων ψυχῶν τοῦ ἐνεστηκότος δεσμοῦ ἀπηλλαγμένων ὡσπερεὶ γράμματα καὶ χαρακτῆρας καὶ διά τῆς τῶν οὐρανίων περιφορᾶς ἐποίησεν ἐν οὐρανῷ ό Θεὸς τοὺς δεδιδαγμένους καὶ διδαχθησομένους ἀναγινώσκειν τά σημεῖα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐ θαυμαστὸν δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐνδείξεως τῆς πρὸς τοὺς μακαρίους ποιεῖν τινα τὸν Θεὸν, τῆς Γραφῆς λεγούσης τῷ Φαραώ· ι Είς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐξήγειρά σε, ὅπως ἐνδείξωμαι ὲν σοὶ τὴν δύναμίν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. ι Θεοῦ, καὶ διαγγελίας τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ, ἐννόει πόσην ἔνδειξιν δυνάμεως Θεοῦ περιέχει τὰ οὐράνια σημεῖα, πάντων τῶν ἀπʼ αίῶνος ἕως συντελείας ἐντετυπωμένων τῇ ἀξία βίβλῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ οὑρανῷ. Δεύτερον δὲ στοχάζομαι ταῖς τά ἀνθρώπινα οἱκονομούσαις δυνάμεσιν ἐγκεῖσθαι τά σημεῖα, τνα τινὰ μὲν γινώσκωσι μόνον, τινὰ δέ ἐνεργῶσι· καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς παρʼ ἡμῖν βίβλοις ἀ μὲν γέγραπται ἵνα γινώσκωμεν, οἷον τά περ) κοσμοποιίας καὶ ἀλλα μυστήρια· ἃ δὲ ἵνα γινώσκοντες ποιῶμεν, ὥσπερ τά περὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς καὶ τά προστάγματα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐνδέχεται δὴ τὰ οὐράνια γράμματα, ἃ ἄγγελοι καὶ δυνάμεις θεῖαι ἀναγινώσκειν καλῶς δύνανται, περιέχειν τινὰ μὲν ἀναγνωσθησόμενα ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων καὶ λειτουρα γῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα εὐφραίνωνται γινώσκοντες· τινὰ δὲ ὡσπερεὶ-ἐντολάς λαμβάνοντες ποιῶσι. Καὶ οὐχ ἁμαρτησόμεθα τὸ ἀνάλογον τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λέγοντες ἔχειν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας· ἐὰν δὲ χείρονες καὶ ἕτεραι τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐνέργειαι ποιῶσί τινα τῶν προεγνωσμένων καὶ σημαινομένων ἐν οὐρανῷ, οὐκ ἀνάγκη καὶ αὺτάς ἀπὺ τῶν Θεοῦ γραμμάτων ὑπομιμνησκομένας ποιεῖν ἃ ἐνεργοῦσιν· ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἀνθρωποι ἀδικοῦντες, οὐ μανθάνοντες προεγνωκέναι τὸν Θεὸν τὸ τόνδε τινὰ ἀδικήσεσθαι ὑπʼ αὐτῶν, ἐνεργοῦσι τὸ ἀδικεῖν ἐκ τῆς ἑαυτῶν πονηρίας· οὕτως al ἀντικειμεναι δυνάμεις τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὴν κακίαν τῶν τά μοχθηρά βουλομένων ἀνθρώπων προεγνωκότες, τῇ ἰδίᾳ. αἰσχίστῃ ἐπιτελοῦσι προαιρέσει. Οί μέντοι ἱεροὶ ἀγγελοι, τά λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα, τὰ είς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα, εἰκὸς ὅτι ὡς ἀπὸ νόμου Θεοῦ γεγραμμένα τὰ προστάγματα λαμβάνοντες, τεταγμένως, καὶ ὅτε δεῖ, καὶ ὠς δεῖ, καὶ ὅσον δεῖ ποιοῦσι τά κρείττονα· ἄτοπον γὰρ αὐτοὺς θείους ὄντας ἀποκληον ρωτικῶς καὶ οὐχ ὡρισμένως ἔρχεσθαι ἐπὶ τὸ, φέρʼ εἰπεῖν, χρηματίσαι τι τῷ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ ποιῆσαί τιτῷ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ ῥύσασθαι ἐκ κινδύνου τὸν ’1ακὼ6,ἢ ἐπιστῆναι τῷ πνεύματι τοῦδε τοῦ προφήτου. Ἰνα οὖν μὴ ἀποκληρωτικῶς μηδὲ κατὰ συντυχίαν τοῦτο πράττωσιν, ἀναγινώσκουσι τὴν βίβλον τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ οὕτως ποιοῦσι τὰ αὐτοῖς ἐπιβάλλοντα. Ὠς προείπομεν δὲ, ἡμεῖς ἀ ποιοῦμεν, ἢαί ἀντικείμεναι ἐνέργειαι, ἃ ἐπιτελοῦσιν εἰς ἡμᾶς, ἰδίᾳ προαιρέσει

### English translation (Claude)

this contains the conviction that he has encompassed in himself in this way things as it were infinite in number, yet not as a clear demonstration but as something believed, since it befits the unbegotten mind which is above every nature. In order, then, that this may be grasped by experience by those greater than human beings, and by holy souls released from the present bond, God made in heaven, through the revolution of the heavenly bodies, as it were letters and characters, so that those who have been taught and will be taught might read the signs of God. And it is not surprising that God does something also to make a display to the blessed, since Scripture says to Pharaoh: “For this very purpose I raised you up, that I might display my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” … of God, and of the proclaiming of his name in all the earth, consider how great a display of God's power the heavenly signs contain, since all things from eternity to the consummation are imprinted on the heaven, God's worthy book. Second, I conjecture that the signs are set for the powers that administer human affairs, so that some things they only know and others they carry out; just as, in the books we have, some things are written that we may know them, such as what concerns the making of the world and other mysteries, and others that, knowing them, we may do them, such as what concerns God's commandments and ordinances. It is possible, then, that the heavenly letters, which angels and divine powers are able to read well, contain some things to be read by the angels and ministers of God so that they may rejoice in knowing them, and others which they carry out, receiving them as commandments. And we shall not err if we say that the heaven and the stars correspond to what is in the law. But if worse energies, other than man, do some of the things foreknown and signified in heaven, it is not necessary that they too do what they do because they are reminded by God's letters; rather, just as men who do wrong, without learning that God has foreknown that this person will be wronged by them, do the wrong out of their own wickedness, so the powers opposed to God, having foreknown the wickedness of men who wish for evil things, carry it out by their own most shameful choice. The holy angels, however, “the ministering spirits sent out for service”, probably receive the commands written as from a law of God and do the better things in order, and when they must, and as they must, and as much as they must. For it would be absurd that they, being divine, should come at random and not by determination to give, say, an oracle to Abraham, and do something for Isaac, and rescue Jacob from danger, or stand over the spirit of this or that prophet. So that they may not do this at random or by chance, they read the book of God, and so do what falls to them. But, as we said before, what we do, and what the opposing energies accomplish against us, are done by our own choice

### Scripture references

- Exod 9:16: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 9:17: echo, medium confidence
- Heb 1:14: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Exod 9:16 (as in Rom 9:17); Heb 1:14. After the quotation a line seems to be lost in the scan (the sentence resumes “… of God, and of the proclaiming of his name”); shown as “…”.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 83 (PG 12:84a–84d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-83).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 85

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-85
- Source: PG 12:85a–85d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Origen quotes Clement's Circuits, where Clement shows his father that astrologers can explain any outcome after the fact and cannot see free choice.

### Greek text

ποιοῦμενο ἀτάκτῳ μὲν, ὅτε ἁμαρτάνομεν, πεπαιδευμένη δὲ, οὐκ ἄτερ ἀγγέλων, οὐδὲ θείων γραμμάτων, οὐδὲ ’ὑπηρετῶν ἁγίων, ὅτε Θεῷ εύάρεστα πράττομεν. Κα. Κλήμης δὲ ὁ Ῥωμαῖος, Πέτρου ἀποστόλου μαθητὴς, συνῳδὰ τούτοις ὲν τῷ παρόντι προβλήματι πρὸς 7 τὸν πατέρα ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ εἰπὼν ὲν ’ταῖς Περιόδοις, ἀναγκαιότατόν τι ἐπὶ τέλει τῶν τοιούτων λόγων φησὶ περὶ τῶν τῆς γενέσεως δοκούντων ἐκβεβηκέναι λόγῳ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῳ· ι Καῖὸ πατήρ· Σύγγνωθί μοι, ὧ τέκνοψ οἱ μὲν γάρ χθές σου λόγοι ἀληθεῖς ὅντες συνελογίσαντο μοι συνθέσθαι σοι· ἡ δὲ ὲμὴ συνείδησις μικρά με, ὥσπερ πυρετοῦ ἔλλειμμα, πρὸς ἀπιστίαν βραχέα βασανίζει* σύνοιδα γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ τὰ τῆς γενέσεως πάντα μοι ἀποτελεσθέντα. Κάγὼ ἀπεκρινάμηνο Συννόησόν μοι, ὦ πάτερ, οἵαν φύσιν ἔχει τὸ μάθημα, ἐξ ὧν ἐγὼ συμβουλεύω. Μαθηματικῷ συμβαλὼν εἰπὲ πρῶτον αὐτῷ, ὅτι, Τάδε μοι φαῦλα ὲν τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ γέγονεν· ὲκ τίνος ἄρα μοι τῶν ἀστέρων γέγονε, μαθεῖν ἤθελον. Καὶ ἐρεῖ, ὅτι τοὺς χρόνους κακοποιὸς διεδέξατο Ἀρης ἢ Κρόνος, ἦ τούτων τις ἀποκαταστατικὸς (ιω-ἐγένετο, ἢ τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν τοῦτόν τις ὲπεθεώέ ρησεν ὲκ τετραγώνου, ἢ διαμέτρου, συνὼν, ἢ κεκεντρωμένος, ἢ παρὰ αἵρεσιν. Ὅμως καὶ ἄλλα μυρία εἰπεῖν ἔχει· πρὸς τούτοις δὲ, ἢάγαθοποιὸς κακῷ ἀσύνθετος ἦν, ἢ ἀνεπιθεώρητος, ἦ ὲν σχήματι, ἦ παρά αἵρεσιν, ἢ ἐν ἐκλείψει, ἦ ἀνεπισύναφος,ἢ ὲν ἀμαυροῖς ἄστροις. ’Καὶ ὅμως πολλῶν προφάσεων οὐσῶν, πρὸς ἃ ἢκουσε τάς ἀποδείξεις παρασχεῖν ἔχει. Μετά τοῦτον οὖν τὸν μαθηματικὸν ἑτέρῳ προσελθὼν, τὰ ἐναντία εἰπέ· ὅτι, Τόδε μοι τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳ γέγονεʼ σὺ δὲ τὸν χρόνον τὸν αὐτὸν λέγε ἀπαίτει δὲ ὲκ τίνος ἄρα τῆς γενέσεως τοῦτο γέγονε. Kal. ὅμως, ὡς προεῖπον, ἔχει, σοῦ καταψε αὐτὸς ὲκ πολλῶν σχημάτων ’ἐν τι εὑρεῖν σχῆμα, καὶ δεύτερον, καὶ τρίτον, καὶ πλείονα, ὡς αὐτὸ ἐνεργῆσαν ὅθεν τά ἀγαθά ἐρεῖ γεγενῆσθαιο ἀδύνατον γάρ ὲν πάσῃ γενέσει ἀνθρώπων, μὴ ἐν πάσῃ ὥρᾳ, τῶν ἀστέρων τοὺς μὲν καλῶς κεῖσθαι, τοὺς δὲ κακῶς· κύκλος γάρ ἐστιν ἱσομερὴς, ποικίλος, ἀπείρους ἔχων τὰς προφάσεις· πρὸς ἃς ἕκαστος εἰπεῖν ἔχει ὃ θέλει· ὃν γὰρ τρόπον ἐπὶ τῶν λοξῶν ὀνείρων ἐνίοτε οὐδὲν νοοῦμεν, ἀποβάντων δὲ οἰκειοτάτην προσφέρομεν ὲπίλυσινο οὕτως καὶ τὸ μάθημα, πρὸ τοῦ τι ἀποτελεσθῆναι, οὐδὲν σαφὲς ἡμῖν μηνῦσαι δύναται· μετὰ δὲ τὴν τοῦ γενομένου ἱστορίαν τότε πρόδηλος ή τῆς ἐκβάσεως αἰτία φαίνεται· πολλάκις μὲν οῦν οἱ προλέγοντες πταίουσι, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἔκβασιν ἑαυτοὺς μέμφονται, λέγοντες ὅτι, Τόδεῆν τὸ ποιῆσαν, καὶ ούκ εἴδομεν. Τὸ μὲν οὖν καὶ τοὺς πάνυ ἐπιστήμονας πταίειν γίέ νεται διὰ τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι, ib; χθὲς ἔφην, ποῖα πάντως τῆς γενέσεως αἴτια γίνεται, ποῖα δὲ ού πάντως, καὶ ποῖα πάντως ποιῆσαι ἐπιθυμοῦμεν, ού πάντως δὲ ποιοῦμεν. ’Ἦδε δὲ ἡ αἰτία ἡμῖν, τοῖς μυστήριον με· μαθηκὸσι, σαφής ἐστιν, ὅτι ἐλεύθερον ἔχοντες λογισμὸν, ἐνίοτε ἐπέχειν ταύτην βουλευσάμενοι, νενικήκαμεν. Οἱ δὲ ἀστρολόγοι, τοῦτο αὐτὸ τὸ μυστήριον οὐκ εἰδότες, περὶ πάσης προαιρέσεως ἀποφηνάμενοι ἐξ

### English translation (Claude)

we do: disorderly when we sin, but instructed, not without angels, nor without divine letters, nor without holy ministers, when we do what is pleasing to God. And Clement of Rome, the disciple of the apostle Peter, speaking in agreement with this on the present problem to his father at Laodicea in the Circuits, says something most necessary at the end of such discussions, concerning the things of the nativity that seemed to have come true, in the fourteenth book: “And my father said: ‘Forgive me, my child. Your arguments of yesterday, being true, reasoned me into agreeing with you; but my conscience, like the remnant of a fever, torments me a little toward unbelief; for I know in myself that everything in my nativity was fulfilled for me.’ And I answered: ‘Consider with me, father, what kind of nature the science has, from what I advise. Meeting an astrologer, say to him first: “Such and such misfortunes happened to me at such a time; I want to learn from which of the stars they happened to me.” And he will say that the maleficent Mars or Saturn took over the periods, or one of them was returning to its place, or some star aspected this year from a square or from opposition, being in conjunction, or on a centre, or out of its sect. And he can say countless other things: besides these, that the beneficent star was not joined to the evil one, or did not aspect it, or was in such a figure, or out of its sect, or in eclipse, or unconnected, or among dim stars. And so, there being many pretexts, he can furnish proofs for what he has heard. After this astrologer, then, go to another and tell him the opposite: “Such a good thing happened to me at such a time” (name the same time), and demand from what in the nativity this happened. And yet, as I said before, even though you have lied, he can himself find among many figures one figure, and a second, and a third, and more, as having worked, from which he will say the good things came about. For it is impossible in any nativity of human beings, indeed at any hour, that some of the stars should not be well placed and others badly; for the circle is of equal parts, varied, holding countless pretexts, from which each can say what he wishes. For just as with ambiguous dreams we sometimes understand nothing, but once they have come to pass we bring forward a most fitting interpretation, so too the science can show us nothing clear before something has been fulfilled, but after the account of what has happened, then the cause of the outcome appears plain. Often, then, those who foretell stumble, and after the outcome they blame themselves, saying, “This was what did it, and we did not see it.” That even the very skilled stumble happens because they do not know, as I said yesterday, which causes in the nativity act necessarily and which not necessarily, and what we desire necessarily to do yet do not necessarily do. The reason is clear to us who have learned the mystery: having a free reasoning, we have sometimes resolved to restrain desire and have conquered it. But the astrologers, not knowing this very mystery, having pronounced on every choice from

### Extrabiblical texts

- Ps.-Clem. Recogn. 10.10–11 (Recognitions): quotation, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotation is from the Greek Pseudo-Clementine Circuits (Periodoi), book 14; the same scene is in Rufinus's Latin Recognitions 10.10–11. Origen accepts the Clementine ascription; the work is not by Clement of Rome. Astrological terms (malefic and benefic stars, aspects, sects, centres) are rendered literally.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 85 (PG 12:85a–85d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-85).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 87

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-87
- Source: PG 12:88a–88d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: After the quotation from Clement, Origen asks why Gen 1:16–17 says first “for the rules of the day” and then “to rule the day,” using the logicians' distinction of appellative and predicate.

### Greek text

ἀρχῆς, πταίσαντες τοὺς κλιμακτῆρας ἐπενόησαν, εἰς ἀδηλότητα ποιούμενοι τὴν προαίρεσιν, ὼς χθὲς ἀπεδείξαμεν. Σὺ δὲ τοῦ λοιποῦ πρὸς ταῦτα εἴ τι ἔχεις εἰπεῖν, λέγε. Καὶ ὀμόσας ἀπεκρίνατο, μηδὲν τούτων ἀληθέστερον εἶναι, ὧν εἶπεν. ι ι Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς δύο φωστῆρας τοὺς μεγάλους, τὺν φωστῆρα τὸν μέγαν εἰς τὰς ἀρχὰς τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ τὸν φωστῆρα ἐλάσσω είς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτὸς, καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας. Καὶ ἔθετο αὐτοὺς ό Θεὸς ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὥστε φαίνειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἄρχειν τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τῆς νυκτός. ι Ζητητέον δὴ εί ταύτόν ἐστι τὸ, είς ἀρχὰς τῆς ἡμέρας, τῷ, καί ἄρχειν τῆς ἡμέρας· καὶ τὸ, είς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτὸς, τῷ, καὶ ἄρχειν τῆς νυκτός.Καὶ ό ’Δκύλας γὰρ τὸ ἀνάλογον ἐτήρησε, ποιήσας ἀντὶ μὲν τοῦ, είς ἀρχὰς, εις ἐξουσίαν· ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ, ἄρχειν, ἐξουσιάζὲιν. Φασὶ δὲ οἷς ἐμέλησε τῆς τῶν σημαινομένων ἐξετάσεως, ἐν τοῖς τόποις τοῖς ἔχουσι συζυγίαν προσηγοριῶν καὶ κατηγορημάτων, προῦφίστασθαι τὰ τυγχάνοντα τῶν προσηγοριῶν, καὶ ἐπιγίνεσθαι τὰ κατηγορήματα παρὰ τὰς προσηγορίας· καὶ προσηγορίαν μέν ἔχουσαν κατηγόρημα φασιν, οἷον τὴν φρόνησιν, κατηγόρημα δὲ εἶναι τὸ φρονεῖν· ὁμοίως προσηγορίαν τὴν σωφροσύνην, κατηγόρημα τὸ σωφρονεῖν· καὶ προϋφίστασθαι φασι τὴν φρόνησιν, εἶτʼ ἐπιγίνεσθαι κατηγόρημα, άπὸ φρονήσεως τὸ φρονεῖν. Ταῦτα δέ εί καὶ ὅόξομέν τισι παρὰ τὸ βούλημα ποιεῖν τῆς Γραφῆς, τετηρήκαμεν· ἐπεὶ ὁ μὲν ποιῶν τοὺς φωστῆρας Θεὸς ποιεῖ τὸν μὲν μέγαν εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς ἡμέρας, τὸν δὲ ἐλάσσω είς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτός· τίθεται δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, οὐκέτι είς ἀρχὰς τῆς ἡμέρας καὶτῆς νυκτὸς, ἀλλὰ εἰς τὺ ἄρχειν τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τῆς νυκτός. Τὸ γὰρ τεταγμένως καὶ ἀκολούθως τῷ τεχνολογουμένῳ κατὰ τὸν τόπον προτετάχθαι τὰς προσηγορίας, εἶτʼ ἐπιφέρεσθαι τὰ κατ

### English translation (Claude)

the beginning, when they stumbled, invented the climacterics, making choice a matter of uncertainty, as we showed yesterday. But you, if you have anything further to say against this, speak.’ And he answered with an oath that nothing was truer than what had been said.” [Gen 1:16–17] “And God made the two great lights, the great light for the rules of the day and the lesser light for the rules of the night, and the stars. And God set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth and to rule the day and the night.” We must inquire whether “for the rules of the day” is the same as “and to rule the day,” and “for the rules of the night” the same as “and to rule the night.” For Aquila too kept the correspondence, putting “for authority” in place of “for the rules” and “to exercise authority” in place of “to rule.” Those who have devoted care to the examination of meanings say that, in passages with a pairing of appellatives and predicates, the appellatives come first, and the predicates arise from the appellatives. They call an appellative, for instance, prudence, which has a predicate, and the predicate is “being prudent”; likewise the appellative is self-control, the predicate “being self-controlled.” And they say that prudence comes first, and then the predicate arises from prudence, “being prudent.” These things we have observed, even if some will think we are acting against the intent of Scripture; for when God makes the lights, he makes the great one for the rules of the day and the lesser one for the rules of the night, but when he sets them in the firmament of heaven, it is no longer for the rules of the day and of the night, but for ruling the day and the night. For, in proper order and in keeping with the technical teaching on this topic, the appellatives are set first and then the predicates follow;

### Scripture references

- Gen 1:16: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:17: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:18: quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Ps.-Clem. Recogn. 10.12 (Recognitions): quotation, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Here the excerpt on Gen 1:14 ends (Philocalia 23) and a new excerpt from the Commentary on Genesis begins, on Gen 1:16–17 and the use of logic in exegesis (also in the Philocalia 14). Gen 1:16–18 in the Septuagint wording (εἰς ἀρχάς … ἄρχειν). Aquila: the second-century Jewish translator of the Hebrew Bible into Greek. Migne's note (Aquila's wording of Gen 1:16 and a remark on Zeno) leaked into the end of the page and is removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 87 (PG 12:88a–88d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-87).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 89

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-89
- Source: PG 12:89a–89d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Logic is needed to read Scripture: those who missed that “world” is homonymous misread 1 John 5:19 and blasphemed the Creator.

### Greek text

ηγορήματα, κεκίνηκεν ήμᾶς μήποτε τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ παρά τῷ θεράποντι νενόηται, οὕτως ἕχον, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπεὶ 6 κυριώτατα ἑρμηνεύειν φιλοτιμούμενος Ἀκύλας οὑκ ἄλλο πεποίηκε παρά τήν προσηγορίαν καὶ τὸ κατηγόρημα. Ἐπιστησάτω δʼ 6 δυσπαραδέκτως ἔχων τούτων, εί δύναται ἠθικὸν πρόβλημα, ἢ φυσιολογούμενον,ἢ θεολογούμενον χωρὶς ἀκριβείας σημαινομένων καὶ τῶν κατά τὸν λογικὸν τόπον τρανουμένων, ὃν δεῖ τρόπον παρίστασθαι. Τί γὰρ ἄτοπον ἀκούειν τῶν κυριολεκτουμένων ὲν ταῖς διαλέκτοις, καὶ ὲφιστάνειν ἐπιμελῶς τοῖς σημαινομένοις; ἔστι γάρ ὅπου παρά τὴν ἄγνοιαν τῶν λογικῶν μεγάλως περιπίπτομεν μὴ καθαίροντες τὰς ὁμωνυμίας, καὶ ἀμφιβολίας, καὶ καταχρήσεις, καὶ κυριολεξίας, καὶ διαστολάς· οἷον παρά τὸ ἀγνοεῖσθαι τὴν ὁμώνυμον τῆς κόσμου προσηγορίας φωνὴν ἐκπεπτώκασιν ἐπὶ τὸ ἀσεβέστατα φρονεῖν περὶ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ οἱ μὴ καθάραντες, ἐπὶ τίνων κεῖται τὸ, ι ’0 κόσμος ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται, ι ὅτι ἀντὶ τῶν περιγείων καὶ ἀνθρωπίνων τοῦτο οὕτως ἐκεῖ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ εἴρηται. Οίηθέντες γάρ κόσμον κατʼ αὐτὴν τὴν λέξιν σημαίνεσθαι τὸ σύστημα τὸ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς καὶ τῶν έν αὐτοῖς, θρασύτατα καὶ ἀνοσιώτατα ἀποφαίνονται περὶ Θεοῦ· μηδαμῶς ἔργῳ δεικνύναι δυνάμενοι πῶς ἥλιος καὶ σελήνη καὶ ἀστέρες, τά οὕτω τεταγμένως κινούμενα, κεῖται ὲν τῷ πονηο ρῷ. Εἶτα ἐὰν προσάγωμεν αὐτοῖς ὲκ τοῦ, ι Οὗτός ἑστιν ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ 6 αἴρων τῂν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου, ι ὅτι κόσμος ἔνθα ὴ ἁμαρτία πλεονάζει” κατά ταύτας τάς λέξεις λέγεται, τουτέστιν ὲν τοῖς περιγείοις τόποις, εὐγνωμονοῦντες μὲν προσήσονται τὰ λεγόμενα, φιλονεικοῦντες δὲ, ἠλιθίως ἀναστρεφὸμενοι, ἐπιμενοῦσι τοῖς ἅπαξ κριθεῖσι μοχθηροῖς διά τὴν ἄγνοιαν τῆς ὁμωνυμίαςο πάλιν τε αὖ ὲάν λέγηται, ι Θεὸς ἦν ὲν Χριστῷ κόσμον καταλλάσσων ἑαυτῷ, ι οὐκέτι δυνήσονται ὃ ὲξειλήφασι περὶ παντὸς τοῦ κόσμου, τουτέστι περὶ τῶν ὲν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ, μάλιστα κατά τὰς ὑποθέσεις αὐτῶν δεῖξαιο καὶ κατʼ αὑτοῦ γὰρ ἀνάγκη τὴν λέξιν ὡς ὁμώνυμον ἐξετάζεσθαι. Καὶ περὶ τὴν ἀμφιβολίαν δὲ μοχθηρῶν ἐκ· δοχῶν καὶ παρά τὴν διαστολὴν τῶν στιγμῶν, καὶ ἄλλων δὲ μυρίων παραδείγματά ἐστι φιλοτιμησάμενον οὐκ ὀλίγα λαβεῖν. Ταῦτα δὲ παρεξέβημεν, ενα δείξωμεν, ὅτι καὶ καθʼ ἡμᾶς τοὺς θέλοντας μὴ σφάλλεσθαι περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὲν τῷ νοεῖν τὰς θείας Γραφάς ἀναγκαιότατά ἐστι τά πίπτοντα είς τὴν χρῆσιν εἰδέναι λογικά· ὧν καὶ νῦν ἐδεήθημεν είς τὸ εὑρεῖν τὴν διαφορὰν τῶν λεγομένων γεγονέναι ι εἰς ἀρχὰς τῆς νυκτὸς, ικαὶ( είς τὸ ἄρχειν τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τῆς νυκτός.

### English translation (Claude)

this has moved us to ask whether perhaps the matter was also understood in this way by the servant, especially since Aquila, who strives to translate most literally, did nothing other than render the appellative and the predicate. Let anyone who finds these things hard to accept consider whether an ethical problem, or one of natural philosophy or of theology, can be presented as it should be without precision in meanings and in what is made clear in the field of logic. For what is absurd about learning the proper usages in languages and attending carefully to meanings? There are times when, through ignorance of logic, we fall into great errors by not clearing up homonymies, ambiguities, misuses, proper usages, and distinctions. For instance, through ignorance that the term “world” is homonymous, those who did not clarify to what “The world lies in the evil one” applies (namely, that John said it there of earthly and human things) have fallen into thinking most impiously about the Creator. For supposing that “world” in this very passage signifies the system made of heaven and earth and what is in them, they make the most reckless and unholy pronouncements about God, though they can in no way show in fact how sun and moon and stars, which move in such order, lie in the evil one. Then, if we bring forward to them from “This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” that in these words “world” is said where sin abounds, that is, in the earthly places, if they are fair-minded they will accept what is said; but if they are contentious, behaving foolishly, they will persist in the wicked opinions they once formed, because of their ignorance of the homonymy. And again, if it is said, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,” they will no longer be able to show that they have taken it of the whole world, that is, of the things in the whole world, especially on their own premises; for on their view too the word must be examined as homonymous. And concerning ambiguity, too, one who took pains could collect not a few examples of wicked interpretations, arising also from the placing of punctuation, and of countless other things. We have made this digression to show that for us too, who wish not to err concerning the truth in understanding the divine Scriptures, it is most necessary to know the parts of logic that come into use. We have needed them now too, to find the difference between what are said to have come to be “for the rules of the night” and “for ruling the day and the night.”

### Scripture references

- Num 12:7: echo, low confidence
- 1 John 5:19: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:29: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Cor 5:19: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:16: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “The servant”: Moses (compare Num 12:7; Heb 3:5). 1 John 5:19; John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:19. Those who think “the world lies in the evil one” of the whole cosmos are the dualist heretics who despise the Creator (not named). Migne's footnote on the reading “θεράποντι” (citing Huet) leaked into the end of the page and is removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 89 (PG 12:89a–89d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-89).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 91

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-91
- Source: PG 12:92a–92b
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: A fragment on the mission fields of the apostles closes the commentary excerpts; the Selections begin with a note on punctuating Gen 1:11.

### Greek text

Τῶν δὲ ἱερῶν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμων ἀποστόλων τε καὶ μαθητῶν ἐφʼ ἃπασαν διασπαρέντων τὴν οἰκονμὲνηνν, Θωμᾶς μὲν, ὡς ἡ παράδοσις περιέχει, Παρθίαν εἴληχεν, Ἀνδρέας δὲ τὴν Σκυθίαν·,Ἰωάννης τὴν Ἀσίαψ πρὸς οὓς καὶ διατρίψας ὲν Ἐφέσῳ τελευτᾷ· Πέτρος δʼ ὲν Πόντῳ καὶ Γαλατία, καὶ Βιθυνίᾳ, Καππαδοκίᾳ τε καὶ Ἀσίᾳ καηρυχὲναι τοῖς ἐκ διασπορᾶς Ἰουδαίοις ἔοικεν·,δς, καὶ ἐπὶ τέλει ὲν Ῥώμῃ γενόμενος, ἀνεσκολοπίσθη πατά κεφαλῆς, οὕτως αὐτὸς ἀξιώσας παθεῖν. Τί δεῖ περὶ Παύλου λέγειν, ἀπὸ Ἰερουσαλὴμ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ-πεπληρωκότος τὸ Εὑαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ὕστερον ὲν τῇ Ῥώμῃ ἐπὶ Νέρωνος μεμαρτυρηκότος ; ΕΚΛΟΓΑΙ. Καὶ εἶπεν ό Θεόςʼ Βλαστησάτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου, σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος καὶ καθʼ ὁμοιότητα. Οὐ παραπεμπτέον ὅτι σολοικισμὸς ἂν δόξειεν εἶναι κατὰ τὴν φράσιν τὸ, Εἶπεν ό Θεός· Βλαστησάτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου, σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος καὶ καθʼ ὁμοιότηται οὐ γὰρ ἂν εὐχερῶς ἐφαρμόσαι τὸ σπεῖρον τῷ ἷβοτάνην χόρτου. Πῶςξδὲ καὶ χωρὶς σολοικισμοῦ νοεῖσθαι δύναται, τῶν πλείστων ὐποληψομένων τὸ σπεῖρον πρὸς τὸ,βοτάνην χόρτου λέγεσθαι; Ἐστι δὲ, ὑποδιαστολῇ χρησάμενον μέσης στιγμῆς, οὕτως ἀναγνῶναι- Βλαστησάτωῆ Τῆ βοτάνην χόρτου· καὶ διαστήσαντα ἐπενεγκεῖν

### English translation (Claude)

When the holy apostles and disciples of our Saviour were scattered over the whole inhabited world, Thomas, as tradition holds, was allotted Parthia, Andrew Scythia, and John Asia, where he lived and died at Ephesus. Peter seems to have preached in Pontus and Galatia and Bithynia, Cappadocia and Asia to the Jews of the dispersion; and at the end, having come to Rome, he was crucified head downward, having himself asked to suffer in this way. What need is there to speak of Paul, who fully preached the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum, and afterwards was martyred in Rome under Nero? [Selections] [Gen 1:11] “And God said: Let the earth bring forth the plant of grass, sowing seed according to kind and according to likeness.” It should not be passed over that the wording “God said: Let the earth bring forth the plant of grass, sowing seed according to kind and according to likeness” might seem a solecism, for “sowing” would not easily agree with “plant of grass.” How, then, can it be understood without a solecism, since most will take “sowing” as said of “plant of grass”? One may, using a slight pause with a middle stop, read thus: “Let the earth bring forth the plant of grass”; and then, after a break, add

### Scripture references

- 1 Pet 1:1: allusion, high confidence
- Rom 15:19: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 1:11: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The paragraph on the apostles is the passage that Eusebius, Church History 3.1.1–3, quotes from book 3 of Origen's Commentary on Genesis. Then begin Migne's Selecta (“ΕΚΛΟΓΑΙ”, “Selections”), short notes on Genesis from the catenae, attributed to Origen there; the heading is kept in brackets. The Greek solecism: σπεῖρον (neuter) does not agree with βοτάνην (feminine). Page debris before the heading is removed, and the garbled “03.97pm!-” is restored as σπεῖρον.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 91 (PG 12:92a–92b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-91).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 93

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-93
- Source: PG 12:93a–93d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Against those, including Melito, who place the image of God in the body, Origen shows that a literal reading of God's members contradicts itself.

### Greek text

τὺ, σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος· ἵνʼ ᾖ, Βλαστησάτι ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου, κατὰ γένος σπεῖρον σπέρμα· ἐπιφερομένου ἐπὶ τὺ γένος τοῦ σπεῖρον σπέρμα. Αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε. Ση μαίνει ὴ μὲν αὔξησις τὴν είς μέγεθος ἐπίδοσιν, τὸ δὲ πληθύνεσθαι τὴν ἐκ τῆς μίξεως εἰς πλῆθος διαδοχήν. Kal εἶπεν d Θεόςο Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατʼ εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθʼ ὁμοίωσιν. Προδιαληπτέον πρότερον, ποῦ συνίσταται τὸ κατʼ εἰκόνα, ὲν σώματι ἢ ἐν ψυχῇ. Ἴδωμεν δὲ πρότερον οἷς χρῶνται οἱ τὸ πρῶτον λέγοντες ὧν ὲστι καὶ Μελίτων συγγράμματα καταλελοιπὼς περὶ τοῦ ὲνσώματον εἶναι τὸν Θεόν. Μέλη γὰρ Θεοῦ ὀνομαζόμενα εὑρίσκοντες, ὀφθαλμοὺς Θεοῦ ὲπιβλέποντας τὴν οἰκουμένην, καὶ ὦτα αὑτοῦ εἶναι είς δέησιν δικαίων ἐπινενευκότα, καὶ, Ὠσφράνθη Κύριος ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας· καὶ, Τό στόμα Κυρίου ὲλάλησε ταῦτα, καὶ βραχίονα Θεοῦ, καὶ χεῖρας, καὶ πόδας, καὶ δακτύλους, ἄντικρυς φάσκουσι ταῦτα οὐχ ἕτερόν τι διδάσκειν ἢ τὴν μορφὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πῶς δὲ, φασὶ, καὶ ὤφθη ό Θεὸς τῷ Ἀὅραὰμ, καὶ Μωσῇ, καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις, μὴ μεμορφωμένοςς μεμορφωμένος δὲ, κατὰ ποῖον χαρακτῆρα ἢ τὸν άνθρὼπινον; καὶ συνάγουσι μυρία ῥητὰ μέλη ὀνομάζοντα Θεοῦ. Πρὸς οὒς ἀγωνιστέον πρῶτον άπὸ τῆς λέξεωςο άντιπαραβαλοῦμεν δὲ ῥητὰ τοῖς πλέον τοῦ γράμματος μηδὲν ἐπισταμένοις, ἐναντιούμενα αὐτῶν τῇ ὑπολήψει· ὲκ μὲν τοῦ Ζαχαρίου, ὅτι Ἑπτὰ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου οἱ ἐπιβλέποντες ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν. Ei δὲ ἑπτὰ ἔχει ὀφθαλμοὺς ὁ Θεὸς, ἡμεῖς δὲ δύο, οὐ κατʼ εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ γεγόναμεν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμεῖς μὲν οὐκ ὲπτερυγώμεθα, περῖ δὲ Θεοῦ λέγει ὲν ὲννενηκοστῷ ψαλμῷ, ὅτι ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ ἑλπιεῖς. Et δὲ ἐκεῖνος μὲν πτέρυο γας ἔχει, ἡμεῖς δέ ἐσμεν ζῶον ἄπτερον, οὐ κατʼ είκόνα Θεοῦ γέγονεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος. Πῶς δὲ ὁ σφαιροειδὴς οὐρανὸς καὶ ἀεὶ κινούμενος θρόνος εἶναι δύναται, ὠς ὑπολαμβάνουσι, τοῦ Θεοῦ; Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ γῆ πῶς ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν αὑτοῦ; Ἀπαγγελλέτωσαν ἡμῖν. Ἀρα γὰρ τὸ ἀπὸ γονάτων μέχρι τῶν βάσεων σῶμα τοῦ μεταξὺ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς περιέχοντος, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ οὔσης τῆς γῆς τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου, καὶ περιεχομένης ὑπʼ αὑτοῦ, ὡς γραμμικαῖς ἀποδείξεσι παρίσταται, παρʼ ἡμῖν εἰσιν αἱ βάσεις τοῦ Θεοῦῆ παρὰ τοῖς ἀντίχθοσι; Καὶ ὃλην τὴν οἰκουμένην ἡμῶν πεπληρώκασιν, ἢ καὶ πλέον τι ἐπιλαμβάνουσιν, ἢ ἔλαττόν τις Διεστήκασιν οἱ πόδες αὑτοῦ διὰ τὰς θαλάσσας καὶ τοὺς ποταμοὺς, ἢ καὶ τοῖς ὕδασιν ὲπιβαίνουσι; Πῶς δὲ οὗ ὁ τηλικοῦτος οὐρανὸς θρόνος, καὶ ἡ γῆ ὑποπόδἰον

### English translation (Claude)

“sowing seed according to kind,” so that it reads: “Let the earth bring forth the plant of grass, according to kind sowing seed,” “sowing seed” being attached to “kind.” [Gen 1:22] “Increase and multiply.” Increase signifies growth in size, multiplying the succession into a multitude that comes from intercourse. [Gen 1:26] “And God said: Let us make man according to our image and according to likeness.” We must first determine where the “according to the image” lies, in the body or in the soul. Let us first see what is used by those who say the former, among whom is Melito, who has left writings on God's being embodied. Finding members of God named, eyes of God looking upon the inhabited world, and his ears inclined to the prayer of the righteous, and “The Lord smelled a fragrant aroma,” and “The mouth of the Lord has spoken these things,” and an arm of God, and hands, and feet, and fingers, they declare outright that these teach nothing other than the form of God. And how, they say, did God appear to Abraham and Moses and the saints if he had no form? And if he had a form, in what character, if not the human? And they collect countless texts naming members of God. Against them we must contend first from the letter; and to those who know nothing beyond the letter we shall oppose texts contrary to their supposition: from Zechariah, that “Seven eyes of the Lord look upon all the earth.” If God has seven eyes and we two, we have not come to be according to his image. Moreover, we have no wings, but of God it says in the ninetieth psalm, “Under his wings you will hope.” If he has wings and we are a wingless animal, man has not come to be according to God's image. And how can the spherical heaven, which is always moving, be the throne of God, as they suppose? And how is the earth the footstool of his feet? Let them tell us. Since the body from the knees to the soles belongs to one who fills the space between heaven and earth, and the earth is in the middle of the whole world and surrounded by it, as is shown by geometrical proofs, are God's soles with us or with the antipodes? Have they filled our whole inhabited world, or do they take in something more, or less? Are his feet set apart because of the seas and rivers, or do they also tread upon the waters? And how is it that he whose throne is so great a heaven, and the earth the footstool

### Scripture references

- Gen 1:11: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:22: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:28: quotation, medium confidence
- Gen 1:26: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 34:15 (33:16 LXX): allusion, high confidence
- Gen 8:21: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 1:20: quotation, high confidence
- Zech 4:10: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 91:4 (90:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Isa 66:1: allusion, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Melito of Sardis, Melito (Melito of Sardis (fragments)): allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Melito of Sardis's lost work “On God Embodied” (περὶ τοῦ ἐνσώματον εἶναι τὸν Θεόν; compare Eusebius, Church History 4.26.2). Texts: Ps 34:15 (LXX 33:16); Gen 8:21; Isa 1:20; Zech 4:10; Ps 91:4 (Origen's “ninetieth psalm” is LXX numbering); Isa 66:1. The text at Gen 1:22 also stands at 1:28.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 93 (PG 12:93a–93d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-93).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 95

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-95
- Source: PG 12:96a–96d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The image of God lies in the rational soul and is shown in actions; man was given rule over some animals, but not over sea monsters and wild beasts.

### Greek text

τῶν ποδῶν, ὲν μόνῳ τῷ παραδείσῳ εὑρίσκεται περιπατῶν, ἢ ὲν τῇ κορυφῇ τοῦ Σινᾶ φαίνεται τῷ Μωσῇ; Καὶ πῶς ταῦτά τις περὶ Θεοῦ δοξάζωνοὺ μωρὸς λεχθήσεται ; Εἶτα πολλὰ πρὸς ἀνατροπὴν εἰπὼν τῆς τοιαύτη( δόξης ἐπάγει. Ὁ δὲ φάσκων τὸ κατʼ εἰκόνα μὴ ὲν σώματι εἶναι, ὲν δὲ τῇ λογικῇ ψυχῇ, παραστήσει οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητον δόγμα, καταλαβὼν τίνες δυνάμεις εἰσὶν αὐτῆς. 'fl γὰρ γνωστικὴ δύναμις ἡ ὲν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, κριτική τε καὶ εὐποιητικὴ, δικαιοπρακτική τε καὶ ἐρρωμένη, καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς παντὸς καλοῦ ἑπιτελεστικὴ, κατʼ εἰκόνα ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγόνασιν αὐτῷ. Ὅτι δὲ τὸ κατʼ εἰκόνα αἰ πράξεκ χαρακτηρίζουσι, καὶ οὐχὶ ή τοῦ σώματος μορφὴ, σαφῶς 6 Ἀπόστολος ὲν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους φησί· Καθὼς ἐφορέσα μεν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ, οὕτως φορέσωμεν xui τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἑποιῬανίου. Εἰκὸνα μὲν γάρ φορεῖ χοῖκὴν ὁ κατὰ σάρκα ζῶν, καὶ ποιῶν τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός εἰκόνα δὲ τοῦ ἐπουρανίου 6 τῷ πνεύματι τάς πράξεις τῆς σαρκὸς θανατῶν. Καὶ ὲν ἑτέρᾳ δὲ ἐπιστολῇ διδάσκων ὡς δεῖ βιοῦν, ἐπιφέρει ταῖς ὲντολαῖς τὸ, Ἵνα γένησθε κατʼ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος. Κύριος μακρόθυμος, καὶ 6 μακρόθυμος ἄνθρωπος ἔχει τὸ κατʼ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ. Δίκαιος καὶ ὅσιος 6 Κύριος, καὶ οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων 6 Κύριος. Οὐκοῦν 6 ἁγαπῶν δικαιοσύνην κα) ὁσιότητα, καὶ πράττων καὶ τηρῶν τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος τὴν, Γίνεσθε οἰκτίρμονες, ὠς καὶ ὀ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν οἰκτίρμων ἐστὶ, καὶ, c Γίνεσθε τέλειοι, ὠς ό Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ό cupis-ioc τέλειός ἐστιν, εἰκὼν γίνεται κατά πάντα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Kal ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης, καί τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καί πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν, καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς, καί πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν spadeτων ἐπί τῆς τῆς. Τηρητέον δὲ, ὅτι ὲν τῷ καταλόγῳ τῆς τῶν ξώων δημιουργίας, ἄλλα τά κήτη, καὶ ἄλλα ἑρπετϊψυχῶν· καὶ ὼς ἄρχειν νῦν τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς Θαλάσσης 6 ἄνθρωπος λέγεται, σεσιώπηται δὲ τὸ τῶν κητῶν γένος καὶ τὸ τῶν Θηρίων. Οὐ γάρ μάτην δεῖ νομίζειν μὴ προστίθεσθαι καὶ ταῦτα, δυναμένου ἀναγεγράφθαι· Καὶ άρχέτωσαν τῶν ἰχθύων, καὶ τῶν κητῶν τῆς θαλάσσης, καὶ τῶν θηρίων τῆς γῆς, καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν. Καὶ ἐπίστησον, εἰ δυνατὸν διὰ τὸ σεσιωπῆσθαι, μή πάντα τὰ ζῶα διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον γεγονέναι, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα, ὧν ἄρχειν λέγεται, ἰχθύας θαλάσσης, καὶ πετεινά οὐρανοῦ, καὶ κτήνη τῆς γῆς, τάχα δὲ καὶ τά ἑρπετὰ τῆς γῆς, διὰ τὰς ἀναγκαιοτάτας τῶν φαρμάκων χρείας άπʼ αὐτῶν τελουμένας· οὺ μέντοι διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ταῦτα ἐγεγόνει τὰ κήτη τά μεγάλα καὶ τά θηρία τῆς γῆς. ’ᾙ γάρ ἂν προσετέθη τῇ δεδομένῃ ἐξουσία τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἡ τούτων ὀνομασία. Οὑχ εὑρίσκομενδὲ ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ τὸ τῶν ὄφεων γένος ὲν ἑρπετοῖς τεταγμένον, ἀλλʼ ὲν θηρίοις. Ὀ

### English translation (Claude)

of his feet, is found walking only in paradise, or appears to Moses on the summit of Sinai? And how will one who holds these opinions about God not be called foolish? Then, after saying much to overturn such an opinion, he adds: But one who says that the “according to the image” is not in the body but in the rational soul will present a doctrine not to be despised, once he has grasped what its powers are. For the knowing power in the human being, which judges and does good, which acts justly and is strong, and in short accomplishes everything good, has come to be in him according to the image, from God. That actions characterize the “according to the image,” and not the form of the body, the Apostle clearly says in the letter to the Corinthians: “As we have borne the image of the earthly, let us also bear the image of the heavenly.” For he bears the earthly image who lives according to the flesh and does the works of the flesh, but the image of the heavenly the one who by the Spirit puts to death the deeds of the flesh. And in another letter, teaching how one must live, he adds to the commandments, “that you may become according to the image of the one who created.” The Lord is long-suffering, and the long-suffering man has what is according to God's image. The Lord is just and holy, and the Lord is compassionate and merciful. Therefore the one who loves justice and holiness, and who does and keeps the Saviour's commandment, “Be compassionate, as your Father is compassionate,” and “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” becomes an image of God in all respects. [Gen 1:28] “And rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of heaven, and all the cattle, and all the earth, and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth.” One should observe that in the list of the creation of the animals the sea monsters are one thing and the creeping things of living souls another; and how man is now said to rule over the fish of the sea, while the kind of the sea monsters and that of the wild beasts are passed over in silence. For one must not think that these were not added idly, since it could have been written, “And let them rule over the fish, and the sea monsters of the sea, and the wild beasts of the earth, and the birds of heaven, and the cattle.” And consider whether, because of this silence, it is possible that not all the animals came to be for man's sake, but those over which he is said to rule, the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, and the cattle of the earth, and perhaps also the creeping things of the earth, because of the most necessary uses of the medicines made from them; but that the great sea monsters and the wild beasts of the earth did not come to be for man's sake. For otherwise their naming too would have been added to the authority given to human beings. And we do not find in Scripture the kind of snakes ranked among creeping things, but among wild beasts. For

### Scripture references

- Gen 3:8: allusion, medium confidence
- Exod 19:20: allusion, medium confidence
- 1 Cor 15:49: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:13: allusion, high confidence
- Col 3:10: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 34:6: allusion, medium confidence
- Ps 145:17 (144:17 LXX): allusion, medium confidence
- Ps 111:4 (110:4 LXX): allusion, medium confidence
- Luke 6:36: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 5:48: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:28: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 1:26: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 1:21: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 1:24: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- “Then, after saying much … he adds”: the catena compiler's words, abridging Origen. 1 Cor 15:49; Rom 8:13; Col 3:10; Exod 34:6; Ps 145:17 (LXX 144:17); Ps 111:4; Luke 6:36; Matt 5:48. The lemma of Gen 1:26/1:28 is in the Septuagint wording. Sea monsters and creeping things: Gen 1:21, 24.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 95 (PG 12:96a–96d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/73/#p-95).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 97

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-97
- Source: PG 12:97a–97b
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Scripture counts snakes among wild beasts; some take the six days as an order of telling, not of time; “book” in Gen 2:4 came in from Gen 5:1.

### Greek text

γὰρ ὄφις, φησὶν, ἦν φρονιμώτατος πάντων τῶι θηρίων. Καὶ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ἔχιδνα δακοῦσα τὸν Παῦλον, ἐκρέματο κατὰ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦʼ καὶ ἐπιφέρει- Ἰδόντες δὲ βάρβαροι κρεμάμενον τὸ θηρίον. Ἐν δὲ τῷ Λευῖτικῷ ὅρα ἐπὶ τίνων τάσσει τὸ ἑρπετὸν, ὡς οὐδαμῶς ἐπί τῶν νῦν ὲν τῇ συνηθείᾳ καλουμένων. Ταῦτα γὰρ, φησὶ, φάγεσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν πετεινῶν, ά πορεύονται ἐπὶ τῶν τεσσάρων, ἅ ἔχει σκέλη ἀνώτερον τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ, πηδᾷν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς · καὶ ταῦτα φάγεσθε ἀπʼ αύτῶν, τόν βροῦχον καὶ τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῷ, καὶ τὴν ἀκρίδα καὶ τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῇ, καὶ denian καὶτὰ ὅμοια αὐτῷ, καὶ τὸν ὀμιομάχην καὶ τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῷʼ καὶ πᾶν ἑρπετὸν ἀπὸ τῶν πετεινῶν οἷς εισι τέσσαρες πόδες, βδέλυγμα ὑμῖν ἐστι, καὶ ἐν τούτοις μιανθήσεσθε. Οὐκ ἄρχει τοίνυν ἄνθρωπος οὕτε τῶν κητῶν τῶν μεγάλων οὔτε τῶν θηρίων, τάχα τὴν ἀρχὴν οὔτε διʼ αὑτὸν γεγενημένων. Τὸ δὲ ὅμοιον τοῖς ἐνθάδε ἀναγεγραμμένοις ὑπὸ τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὲν τῷ ηʼ ψαλμῷ λέγεται· Πάντα ὑπέταξας ὑποκάτω ποδῶν αὐτοῦ, πρόβατα καὶ βόας ἁπάσας, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὰ κτήνη τοῦ πεδίον τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ ούρανοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἰχθύας τῆς θαλάσσης, τὰ διαπορευόμενα τρίβους θαλασσῶν. Κάνταῦθα γάρ τὰ κήτη καὶ τὰ θηρία σεσιώπηται. Kal συνετέλεσεν ὁ Θεὸς ὲν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ d ἐποίησεν.Ἥδη τινὲς ἄτοπον ὑπολαμβάνοντες τὸν Θεὸν δίκην οἰκοδόμου μὴ διαρκέσαντος χωρὶς ἡμερῶν πλειόνων πληρῶσαι τὴν olκοδομὴν, ὲν πλείοσιν ἡμέραις τετελεκέναι τὸν κόσμον, φασὶν ὑφʼ ἓν πάντα γεγονέναι, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν τοῦτο κατασκευάζουσιν · ἕνεκεν δὲ τάξεως οἴονται τὸν κατάλογον τῶν ἡμερῶν εἰρῆσθαι καὶ τῶν ὲν αὑταῖς γενομένων. Πιθανῶς δʼ ἂν πρὸς τοῦτο κατασκευαζομένῳ χρήσαιντο ῥητῷ, τῷ· Αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν · αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν. Αὕτη ἡ,Βίβλος γενέσεως οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς, ὅτε ἐγένετο · ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ὅτε ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. Τὸ, βίβλος, ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ καθόλου οὐ κεῖται παρʼ Ἐβραίοιςο ἀλλʼ ἐστι πλάνη Ἐβραίου γραφέως, πλανηθέντος ὲν τῇ πλάνῃ ἐκείνου, ἐν ᾧ κεῖται παρὰ μὲν Ἀκύλᾳ· Τοῦτο βιβλίον γεννημάτων Ἀδάμ · παρὰ δὲ τοῖς Ο · Αὕτη ή βίβλος γενέσεως ἀνθρώπων. ᾮήθη γὰρ καὶ ὲν τούτῳ τῷ τόπῳ βιβλίον παραλελεῖφθαι, καὶ οὕτως αὐτὸ προσέθηκε. ’Καὶ ἐφύτευσεν ό Θεὸς παράδεισον ἐν Ἐδὲμ κατὰ ἀνατολὰς, καὶ ἔθετο ἐκεῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ὃν ἔπλασε. Καὶ ἐξανέτειλεν ό Θεὸς ἐτι ἐκ τῆς γῆς πᾶν ξύλον ὡραῖον εις ὅρασιν, καὶ καλὸν είς

### English translation (Claude)

“the snake,” it says, “was the wisest of all the wild beasts.” And in the Acts a viper bit Paul and hung from his hand; and it adds, “When the barbarians saw the beast hanging.” And in Leviticus, see to what it applies “creeping thing,” in no way to what is now called so in common usage: “These,” it says, “you shall eat of the creeping things among the birds which go upon four legs, which have legs above their feet to leap with on the earth; and these you shall eat of them: the bruchus and what is like it, and the locust and what is like it, and the attakes and what is like it, and the ophiomachus and what is like it; and every creeping thing among the birds which has four feet is an abomination to you, and by these you shall be defiled.” Man, then, does not rule over the great sea monsters nor over the wild beasts, which perhaps were not made for his sake at all. Something like what is recorded here as under man's authority is said in the eighth psalm: “You subjected all things under his feet, sheep and all oxen, and further the cattle of the plain, the birds of heaven and the fish of the sea, those that pass through the paths of the seas.” For here too the sea monsters and the wild beasts are passed over in silence. [Gen 2:2] “And God finished on the sixth day his works which he had made.” Some, thinking it absurd that God, like a builder who could not finish the building without several days, should have completed the world in several days, say that all things came to be at once, and establish this from here; and they think the list of the days and of what came to be in them was given for the sake of order. For what they are establishing they might plausibly use the text, “He spoke, and they came to be; he commanded, and they were created.” [Gen 2:4] “This is the book of the origin of heaven and earth, when it came to be, in the day when the Lord God made the heaven and the earth.” The word “book” in this place does not stand at all among the Hebrews; it is an error of a Hebrew scribe, misled by that other place, where Aquila has, “This is the book of the generations of Adam,” and the Seventy, “This is the book of the origin of men.” For he thought that “book” had been omitted in this place too, and so added it. [Gen 2:8–9] “And God planted a paradise in Eden toward the east, and put there the man whom he had formed. And God further made to spring up out of the earth every tree beautiful to the sight and good for

### Scripture references

- Gen 3:1: quotation, high confidence
- Acts 28:3: allusion, high confidence
- Acts 28:4: quotation, high confidence
- Lev 11:21: quotation, high confidence
- Lev 11:22: quotation, high confidence
- Lev 11:23: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 8:6 (8:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 8:7 (8:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 8:8 (8:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:2: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 148:5: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 33:9: echo, medium confidence
- Gen 2:4: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 5:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:8: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:9: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 3:1; Acts 28:3–4; Lev 11:21–23 (Septuagint names of the insects; the scan's “denian” for ἀττάκην is rendered “attakes”); Ps 8:6–8 (LXX 8:7–9); Ps 148:5 (compare Ps 33:9); Gen 2:2 in the Septuagint reading “on the sixth day” (Hebrew: seventh); Gen 5:1. On Gen 2:4 the note says the Hebrew lacks “book” and blames a “Hebrew scribe”; translated as printed.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 97 (PG 12:97a–97b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-97).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 99

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-99
- Source: PG 12:100a–100d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Short catena notes: the trees of paradise are not perceptible; Eden means “delight”; Gihon and Cush; paradise is the church, and death follows sin naturally, not as God's contrivance.

### Greek text

βμῦσιν. Ὅταν ἀναγινώσκοντες ἀναβαίνωμεν ’ἀπὸ τῶν μύθων καὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸ γράμμα ἑκὼχῆς, ζητῶμεν τίνα τὰ ξύλα ἑστὶν ἑκεῖνα, ὃ. ὁ Θεὸς γεωργεῖο λέγομεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἑνι αἰσθητά ξύλα ἑν τῷ τόπῳ. Τοῦ αὑτοῦ. Τὲθειται ἑν τῇ ἑρμηνείᾳ, κῆπον ἐν Ἐδὲμ, αὐτῇ χρησαμένῳ τῇ Ἐβραῖκῇ λέξει. Ἐστι μὲν οὖν ἑρμηνεία τοῦ Ἐδὲμ κυρίως ἡδύ. Οὐκοῦν παραδεδώκασιν Ἑβραῖοι. ὅτι ὁ τόπος ἑν ᾧ ἐφύτευσεν τὸν παράδεισον ἢ τὸν κῆπον Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς, Ἐδεμ καλεῖται· καὶ φασὶν αὑτὸν μέσον εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ὡς κόρην ὀφθαλμοῦ ’ διὸ καὶ τὸν ποταμὸν τὸν Φείσων, ἑρμηνεύεσθαι στόμα κόρης, ὡς ἑκ τοῦ Ἐδὲμ ἐκπονρευομένου τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ πρώτου. '0 δὲ παραδιδόασιν, τοιοῦτόν ἑστιν· Ἐδὲμ, ὃς ἑρμηνεύεται ἡδὺ, ἦν πρὶν τὸν κῆπον γενέσθαι ἑν αύτῷ γὰρ καὶ ὁ κῆπος ἐφυτεύθη. Τὸ δὲ χρυσίον· τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης καλόν. Ὀτε ἀλλοιοῦται ὑπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἡμῶν τὸ στόμα, καὶ κυριεύει ή καλά νοήματα, τότε τρέφει καλὰ δόγμα.ταʼ άπερ αἰνιττόμενος δ λόγος εἶπεν, χρυσίον καλόν. Καὶ ὄνομα τῷ ποταμῷ τῷ δευτέρῳ, Γεών ’ οὗτος ό κυκλῶν πᾶσαν τὴν γῆνΑιθιοπΙας. Αἰθιοπίας (Ml), ἥτις ἐστὶ Ἐὖραῖστὶ Χοῦςο σημαίνει καὶσκότωσιν. Ἀπὸ οὖν τῆς Αἰθιοπίας, τουτέστιν ἀπὸ τοῦ Χοῦς, διὰ τὸ σκοτῶδες τῆς χροίας,’ἦς ἔσχε παρά τοὺς λοιποὺς ἀδελφούς. Καὶ ἔθετο αὑτὸν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ. υἱ ἀναγενο νώμενοι διὰ τοῦ θείου βαπτίσματος ἑν τῷ παρα- δείσῳ τίθενται, τουτέστιν ἑν τῇ Ἐκκλησία, ἑργάζιc σθαι τὰ ἔνδον ὄντα ἑργα πνευματικά· καὶ ἑντολὴν λαμβάνουσι πάντας ἀγαπᾷν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, καιτὸν ἐρχόμενον καρπὸν διʼ ὑπομονῆς ἐσθίειν, κατὰ τὸ ei. ρημένονο Ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύλου τοῦ ἐντῷ παραδείσῳ βρώσει φαγῆ. Παραῦαίνει δέ τις τὴν ἑντολὴν τοῦ ἀναγεννήσαντος ὁ τοῖς ὄφεως λογισμοῖς χρησάμενος, καὶ ἀγαπῶν τοὺς μὲν ὼς χρηστοὺς, τοὺς δὲ ὼς πονηροὺς μισῶν · ὅπερ ἐστὶ τὸ ξύλον τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν* οὗ ὁ ἀπογευσάμενος κατʼ ἄδειαν ἀποθνήσκει· οὐχὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν θάνατον ποιήσαντος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸν πλησίον μισήσαντος. Θετίς γὰρ θάνατον οὐκ ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ τέρπεται ἐπʼ ἀπωλείᾳ ἄλη-των · οὔτε κινεῖται πάθει ὀργῆς, οὐδὲ ἐπινοεῖ πρᾶγμα είς ἄμυναν, ούδὲ ἀλλοιοῦται πρὸς τὴν ἑκάστου ἀξίαν ἕξιν, ἀλλά πάντα ἐν σοφία εποίησεν, ὑπὸ νόμῳ πνευματικῷ κρίνεσθαι προορίσας. Διὰ τοῦτο οὖν λέγει τῷ Ἀδάμο ’ῌ δʼ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε, θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖσθε. Καὶ οὕτω δὲ ἑκάστῳ τῷ πράγματι καλοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ φυσικῶς ἐπακολουθεῖν τὸ δέον ἀπένειμεν· καὶ οὐκ ἑπινοητικῶς, ὥς τινες νομίζουσιν, oi τὸν πνευματικὸν ἀγνοοῦντες νόμον.

### English translation (Claude)

food.” When in reading we rise above the myths and the interpretation according to the letter, let us seek what those trees are which God cultivates; we say that there are no perceptible trees in that place. [Of the same.] In the translation “a garden in Eden” has been set down, the translator using the Hebrew word itself. The proper interpretation of Eden is “delight.” The Hebrews, then, have handed down that the place in which the Lord God planted the paradise, or the garden, is called Eden; and they say that it is the middle of the world, like the pupil of the eye. Therefore the river Pishon too is interpreted “mouth of the pupil,” since the first river goes out from Eden. What they hand down is this: Eden, which is interpreted “delight,” existed before the garden came to be, for the garden was planted in it. [Gen 2:12] “And the gold of that land is good.” When the mouth is changed by our virtue and good thoughts have the mastery, then it nourishes good doctrines; hinting at these, the word said “good gold.” [Gen 2:13] “And the name of the second river is Gihon; this is the one that encircles all the land of Ethiopia.” Ethiopia, which in Hebrew is Cush, also signifies darkening. It is named, then, from Ethiopia, that is, from Cush, because of the darkness of complexion which he had compared with his other brothers. [Gen 2:15] “And he put him in the paradise.” Those who are reborn through divine baptism are placed in the paradise, that is, in the church, to work the spiritual works that are within; and they receive the commandment to love all the brothers and to eat the fruit that comes through patience, according to what was said: “From every tree in the paradise you shall eat for food.” But the one who uses the snake's reasonings transgresses the commandment of him who regenerated him, loving some as good and hating others as wicked; this is the tree of knowing good, and whoever tastes of it without restraint dies, not because God made death, but because the man hated his neighbour. For “God did not make death, nor does he delight in the destruction of the living”; nor is he moved by the passion of anger, nor does he devise anything for vengeance, nor is he altered according to the condition each deserves; but “he made all things in wisdom,” having determined beforehand that they be judged under a spiritual law. For this reason he says to Adam: “In the day you eat, you shall die by death.” And so he has assigned what is due to follow naturally upon each act, good or evil, and not by a contrivance, as some think, who do not know the spiritual law.

### Scripture references

- Gen 2:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:8: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 2:11: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 2:12: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:13: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:15: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:16: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:17: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX): quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Wis 1:13 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Catena excerpts; “Of the same” (Τοῦ αὐτοῦ) is the catena's attribution to the author of the preceding excerpt (here Origen), kept in brackets. Wis 1:13 is quoted; “he made all things in wisdom” is Ps 104:24 (LXX 103:24); Gen 2:16–17 (the plural “you shall die” as in Gen 3:3 LXX). “The tree of knowing good” is as printed (“and evil” not in the scan). Hebrew traditions about Eden and the Pishon are reported as Origen gives them.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 99 (PG 12:100a–100d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-99).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 101

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-101
- Source: PG 12:101a–101d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The garments of skin are neither literal hides nor simply bodies; the cherubim guard the way to the tree of life; Cain's words to Abel are not in the Hebrew; Cain's sins listed.

### Greek text

Kal ἐποίησε Κύριος ό Θεὸς τῷ Ἀδὰμ καὶ τῇ ruratxl αὑτοῦ χιτῶνας δερματίνους, καὶ ἐνέδυσεν αὐτούς. Τί δεῖ νοεῖν τοὺς δερματίνους χιτῶνας; Σφόδρα μὲν οὖν ἠλίθιον καὶ γραῶδες, καὶ ἀνάξιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸ οἴεσθαι ζώων τινῶν περιελόντα δέρματα τὸν Θεὸν, ἀναιρεθέντων, ἢ άλλως πως ἀποθανόντων, πεποιηκέναι σχήματα χιτώνων, καταρράψαντα δέρματα δίκην σκυτοτόμου. Πάλιν τε, φυγόντα τὸ οὕτως ἄτοπον, λέγειν τοὺς δερματίνους χιτῶνας οὐκ ἄλλους εἶναι. ἢ τά σώματα πιθανὸν μὲν, καὶ είς συγκατάθεσιν ἐπισπάσασθαι δυνάμενον, ού μὴν σαφές ὡς ἀληθές. El γάρ οί δερμάτινοι χιτῶνες σάρκες καὶ ὀστέα εἰσὶ, πῶς πρὸ τούτων φησιν ὁ Ἀδάμ· Τοῦτο νῦν ὀστοῦν ἐκ τῶν ὀστῶν μου, καὶ σὰρξ ἐκ τῆς σαρκός μου; Ταύτας οὖν τὰς ἀπορίας περιιστάμενοί τινες, δερματίνους χιτῶνας τήν νέκρωσινίὴν ἀμιριέννυνται ό ’Λδάμ καὶ ἡ Εὔα, διά τὴν ἁμαρτίαν θανατωθέντες, ἀπεφήναντο τυγχάνειν. Οὐ πάνυ τι οὐδὲ αύτοὶ εὐχερῶς δυνάμενοι παραστῆσαι, πῶς ό Θεὸς, καὶ οὐχὶ ἁμαρτία, νέκρωσιν ἐμποιεῖ τῷ παραβεβηκότι. Πρὸς τούτοις ἀνάγκην ἔχουσι λέγειν σάρκα καὶ όστέα, τῷ ἰδίῳ λόγῳ μὴ εἶναι φθαρτά, εἴγε ὕστερον τὴν νέκρωσιν οἱ πατέρες ἡ μῶν διά τὴν ἁμαρτίαν είλήφασιν. Ἀλλʼ εί καὶ ὁ παράδεισος θεῖόν τι χωρίον ἐστὶ, λεγέτωσαν πῶς ἕκαστον ἐκεῖ τῶν μελῶν μὴ μάτην δεδημιουργημένον τὴν οίκείαν ἐνέργειαν ἐνήργει. Περὶ μὲν οὖν τοῦ μυκτῆρα λέγεσθαι παρὰ τῷ Ἀκύλᾳ καὶ Συμμάχῳ, ἢ πρόσωπον παρὰ τοῖς Ἐὅδομήκοντα τοῦ πεπλασμένου, είς ὃ ἐνεφύσησεν ὁ Θεὸς πνοὴν ζωῆς, λεκτέον, ὃτι οὐ δεῖ περιέχεσθαι τοῦ γράμματος τῆς Γραφῆς ὡς ἀληθοῦς, τὸν δὲ κεκρυμμένον θησαυρὸν ἐν τῷ γράμματι ζητεῖν. Καὶ ἔταξε τὰ χερουβίμ. Ού μόνον τὰ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα φυλάσσουσι τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς, ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐναντίαι δυνάμεις φυλάττουσι, κωλύουσαι τοὺς βουλομένους προσποριυθῆναι τῷ ξύλῳ τῆς ζωῆς. Kal εἷπε Κάῖν πρὸς ’Ἅβελ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ· Διέλθωμεν εὶς τὸ πεδίον. Ἐν τῷ Ἐὅραῖκῷ τὸ λεχθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κάῖν πρὸς τὸν Ἅβελ ού γέγραπται· καὶ οἱ περί Ἀκύλαν ἔδειξαν, ὅτι ἐν τῷ ἀποκρύφῳ φασιν οι Ἑβραῖοι κεῖσθαι τοῦτο ἐνταῦθα κατὰ τὴν τῶν Ἐὃδομήκοντα ἐκδοχὴν. Kal εἷπε Κάϊν πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεόνο Μείζων ἠ ἁμαρτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με. Οὐ διεῖλεν όρθῶς· τῆς θείας νομοθεσίας κατεφρόνησεν· ἀπέκτεινεν ἀδελφόνο ἀπέκτεινε πρὸς τούτῳ καὶ δίκαιον · ἐψεύσατο · θάνατον ᾐτήσατο ἐν άπευδοκιμήσει ζωῆς κα). μετανοίας.

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 3:21] “And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife garments of skin, and clothed them.” What must we understand by the garments of skin? It is very foolish and old-womanish, and unworthy of God, to think that God stripped the skins off some animals, killed or dead in some other way, and made garment shapes, stitching the skins together like a leatherworker. Again, to avoid such an absurdity, to say that the garments of skin are nothing other than bodies is plausible and able to win assent, but not clear as being true. For if the garments of skin are flesh and bones, how does Adam say before them, “This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh”? Some, then, getting around these difficulties, have declared that the garments of skin are the mortality with which Adam and Eve were clothed, having been made mortal because of sin. But not even they can very easily show how God, and not sin, produces mortality in the transgressor. Besides, they are forced to say that flesh and bones are not by their own nature corruptible, if indeed our forefathers received mortality later because of sin. And if paradise is a divine place, let them say how each of the members there, not having been made in vain, performed its proper activity. As to the “nostril” that is said in Aquila and Symmachus, or the “face” in the Seventy, of the one formed, into which God breathed the breath of life, it must be said that we must not cling to the letter of Scripture as true, but seek the treasure hidden in the letter. [Gen 3:24] “And he stationed the cherubim.” Not only do the ministering spirits, sent out for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation, guard the way to the tree of life; opposing powers also guard it, hindering those who wish to approach the tree of life. [Gen 4:8] “And Cain said to Abel his brother: Let us go out into the plain.” In the Hebrew what Cain said to Abel is not written; and Aquila and his colleagues have shown that the Hebrews say that this, as in the reading of the Seventy, stands here in the apocryphon. [Gen 4:13] “And Cain said to the Lord God: My sin is too great to be forgiven me.” He did not divide rightly; he despised the divine legislation; he killed a brother; besides that, he killed a righteous man; he lied; he asked for death, despairing of life and of repentance.

### Scripture references

- Gen 3:21: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:23: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 2:7: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 3:24: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 1:14: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 4:8: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 4:13: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 4:7: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 2:23; Gen 2:7 (Aquila and Symmachus, two second-century Greek translators, have “nostril”, the Septuagint “face”); Heb 1:14; Gen 4:7 LXX (“if you did not divide rightly”) behind “He did not divide rightly”. “In the apocryphon”: in a hidden (non-canonical) writing; the sentence is compressed and translated as printed. A word in the definition of mortality (“ἀμιριέννυνται”) is read as ἀμφιέννυνται (“clothed”).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 101 (PG 12:101a–101d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-101).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 103

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-103
- Source: PG 12:104a–104d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 5–6: Adam's form and image; Enoch's repentance; man made in God's image is not wiped out altogether; years before pleasing God are not counted.

### Greek text

Καὶ ἐγέννησε κατ ι) τὴν ἰδέαν αὐτοῦ καὶ κατὰ τὴν εἰκόνα αὑτοῦ. Πρὸς τοὺς οἰομένους ἄλλην μὲν εἶναι τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἄλλον δέ τὸν κατʼ εἰκόνα, λεκτέον, εἰ ἄλλος μὲν ὁ Ἀδὰμ, ἄλλος δέ ὴ εἰκὼν αὐτοῦ · καὶ εἰ τρίτος κατὰ τὸν οὗ κατʼ εἰκόνα ὁ Ἄδαρ.. Χρήσονται δέ τῷ· Κύριε, έν τῇ πόλει σου τὴν εικόνα αὐτῶν ἐξουδενὼσεις · καὶ τῷ · Μέντοιγε ἐν εἰκόνι διαπορεύεται ἅνθρωπος. Ζητητέον δέ τίνι διαφέρει ἡ ἰδέα ’Δδὰμ τῆς εἰκόνος αὑτοῦ. Εὑηρέστησε δὲ Ἑνὼχ τῷ Θεῷ μετὰ τὸ γεννῆσαι αὑτὸν τὸν Μαθουσάλα. Εἰ μετὰ τὸ γεννῆσαι τὸν Μαθουσάλα εὐηρέστησε, πρὸ τούτου κατὰ τὴν Γραφὴν οὐκ ἦν εὐάρεστος. Δῆλον, ὃτι ἐκ μετανοίας εὑηρέστησεν, ὅτε ἐγέννησεν τὴν τοῦ Θανάτου ἐξαποστολὴν, ὃν εἰχον πρὶν γεννῆσαι αὐτόν. Καὶ εἶπεν ὀ Θεός ο Ἀπαλείψω τὸν ἄνθρωπον, δν ἐποίησα, ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς. Οὐχ ἁπαξαπλῶς ἀπαλείψω, ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς. Οὐ γὰρ πέφυκε παντελῶς ἁπαλείφεσθαι ὁ ποιηθεὶς, ἐπεὶ ὁ ποιηθεὶς κατʼ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ πεποίηται. Λῧται δὲ αἰ γενέσεις Νῶε, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Εἰ κοινότερον ἐγράφετο ταῦτα, ἐχρῆν ἐπιφέρεσθαι τῷ, Αὗται αἱ γενεοί Νῶε, Νῶε ἐγέννησε τρεῖς υἱούς. Νῦν δέ ἐπεὶ δικαιοσύνης ἡ γένεσις αὑτοῦ, προτέτακται μὲν τὸ, αὗται αἰ γενέσεις, ἐπιφέρεται δὲ τὸ, ἄνθρωπος δίκαιος ὧν. Τῷ Θεῷ εὑηρέστησε Νῶε. Ἐγέννησε δὲ Νῶε τρεῖς υἱοὺς, τὸν Σὴμ, τὸν Χὰμ, τὸν Ἰἀεοειλ Περιέχει ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν (Si), ὅτι Ἕζησε Λάμεχ ἐτη ἑκατὸν καί ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ ὀκτὼ, καί ἐγέννησε Νῶε. Καίέζησε Λάμεχ, μετὰ τὸ γεννῆσαι αὑτὸν τὸν Νῶε,ἐτη πεντακόσια καί ἐξήκοντα καὶ πέντε· καὶ ἐγένοντο πᾶσαι αἰ ἡμέραι Λάμεχ ἐτη ἑπτακόσια καὶ πεντήκοντα τρια, καὶ ἀπέθανε. Καὶ ἦν Νῶε ἐτῶν πεντακοσίων, καί ἐγέννησε τρεῖς υἱούς. Καὶ εὑρίσκομεν ἐν τούτῳ διαφωνίαν ἐξήκοντα πέντε ἐτῶν τοῦ Νῶε. Ἀλλʼ ἐνταῦθα ὴ Γραφὴ λέγει, ὅτι τῷ Θεῷ εὐηρέστησε Νῶε, καθὼς γέγραπται καὶ περὶ τοῦ Ἑνώχ. Κάκεῖνος γὰρ ὅτε εὺηρέστησε τῷ Θεῷ, τότε καὶ μετέθηκεν αὐτόν. Ὀμοίως οὖν καὶ τοῦ Νῶε τὰ πρὸ τῆς εὐαρεστήσεως ἐξήκοντα κα) πέντε ἐτη οὐκ ἐλογίσατο αὑτῷ θεία Γραφή. Ὥσπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ’Δδραέιμ οὐκ ἐλογίσθη εἰς ζωὴν τὰ ἐξήκοντα ἐτη τὰ πρὸ τῆς θεογνωσίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῦ Ἑνὼχ ἔτη τριάκοντα· καὶ τοῦ Σαοὺλ ἔτη εἴκοσι, καὶ τοῦ Σολομῶν-

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 5:3] “And he begot according to his form and according to his image.” To those who think that the image of God is one thing and the one “according to the image” another, it must be said: [consider] whether Adam is one and his image another, and whether there is a third, according to which the Adam “according to the image” … They will use “Lord, in your city you will bring their image to nothing,” and “Surely man walks about as an image.” But we must ask in what Adam's form differs from his image. [Gen 5:22] “And Enoch pleased God after he had begotten Methuselah.” If he pleased him after begetting Methuselah, before this, according to Scripture, he was not pleasing. Clearly he became pleasing through repentance, when he begot “the sending away of death,” the death which they had before he begot him. [Gen 6:7] “And God said: I will wipe out man whom I made from the face of the earth.” Not “I will wipe out” absolutely, but “from the earth.” For the one who was made is not of a nature to be wiped out altogether, since the one made has been made according to the image of God. [Gen 6:9] “These are the generations of Noah,” and so on. If this were written in the more common way, “These are the generations of Noah” should have been followed by “Noah begot three sons.” But as it is, since his generation is one of righteousness, “these are the generations” is put first, and “being a righteous man” follows. “Noah pleased God.” [Gen 6:10] “And Noah begot three sons, Shem, Ham, Japheth.” What precedes contains: “Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-eight years and begot Noah. And Lamech lived, after he had begotten Noah, five hundred and sixty-five years; and all the days of Lamech came to seven hundred and fifty-three years, and he died. And Noah was five hundred years old, and he begot three sons.” And in this we find a discrepancy of sixty-five years concerning Noah. But here Scripture says that Noah pleased God, as it is written also of Enoch. For he too, when he pleased God, was then also translated by him. Likewise, then, divine Scripture did not reckon to Noah the sixty-five years before his pleasing God; just as with Abraham the sixty years before his knowledge of God were not reckoned to his life, and thirty years of Enoch, and twenty years of Saul, and of Solomon

### Scripture references

- Gen 5:3: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 73:20 (72:20 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 39:6 (38:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Gen 5:22: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 5:24: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 6:7: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 6:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 6:10: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 5:28: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 5:30: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 5:31: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 5:32: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Ps 73:20 (LXX 72:20); Ps 39:6 (LXX 38:7); Gen 5:22–24; Gen 5:28–32 in the Septuagint figures. “The sending away of death”: an interpretation of the name Methuselah; the clause after it is obscure and is translated as printed. The words after “according to which the Adam ‘according to the image’” are garbled in the scan (“…”). The page ends in the middle of the name Solomon. How the discrepancy of sixty-five years is reckoned is not explained in the excerpt.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 103 (PG 12:104a–104d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-103).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 105

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-105
- Source: PG 12:105a–105d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on the flood: sin corrupts the earth; the order of entering and leaving the ark shows abstinence in the ark and marriage after; Noah knew clean and unclean by natural law.

### Greek text

Έρθὰρη δὲ ἡ γῆ ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦʼ καὶ ἐπλήσθη τʼ] γῆ ἀδικίαςʼ καὶ εἶδε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἦν κατεφθαρμένη- ὅτι κατέφθειρε πᾶσα σὰρξ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς τῆς. Ἀδικία μὲν φθείρει τὴν γῆν, δικαιοσύνη δὲ σώζει· καὶ ὁ ἁμαρτάνων, τὺ ὅσον ἐφʼ ἑαυτῷ, φθείρει τὴν γῆν. Οὐκ ὲν τῷ κατακλυσμῷ γέγονε κατεφθαρμένη ἡ γῆ (τότε γὰρ ἀπελούσατο τὴν φθοράν), ἀλλʼ ἐν τῇ ἀδικία. Ὃ δὲ κατέφθειρε τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἔστι πνεῦμα. ἀλλά σάρξ· Τὸ γὰρ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκός ἔχθρα είς Θεόιν· καὶ, Oi ἐν σαρκί ζῶντες Θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται. Δύο, δύο ἀπὸ πάντων εἰσάξεις εὶς τὴν κιβωτὸν ἵνα τρέφῃς μετὰ σεαυτοῦ. Ἀρσεν καί θῆλυ ἔσονται. Ἐπεὶ καθαροὺς ἦθελε διαμένειν τοὺς εἰσελθόντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν ἀπὸ μίξεως, ούτως αὐτοὺς είσάγει, κατά τὴν εἰσαγωγὴν κελεύων αὐτοῖς τὴν διατριβὴν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ὲν τῇ κιβωτῷ. Οὐ γὰρ ἔπρεπε, τῶν ὁμοίων ἀπολλυμένων, τούτους κοίταις καὶ παιδοποιίαις σχολάζειν. Ὅτε μέντοι τὰ δεινά παρῆλθε, καὶ χρεία ἐκάλει τὴν γῆν ἀνθρώπων πληρωθῆναι, κατὰ γαμικὴν αὐτοὺς συζυγίαν ἐκβάλλει, λέγωνʼ Ἔξελθε σὺ, καὶ ἡ γυνή σου, καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ σού, καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υίῶν σου. Ἀπὸ δὲ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν καθαρῶν εισἁγαγε πρὸς σὲ ἑπτὰ ἑπτὰ, ἄρσεν καὶ θῆι-ιιν ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν μὴ καθαρῶν δύο δύο, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ζητήσειέ τις ἂν πῶς, μηδέπω τοῦ νόμου διαστειλαμένου καθαρά καὶ ἀκάθαρτα, ὡς εἰδότι τῷ Νῶε διαφορὰν ἀκαθάρτων ταῦτα λέγεται. Ὅθεν ἄξιον ἐπιστῆσαι μὴ κατὰ τὸ, Ὅταν ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῶσιν, ἢ ἀπὸ τοῦ φύσει νόμου ταῦτα ἠπίστατο ὁ Νῶε. Νῶε δὲ ἦν ἐτῶν ἑξακοσίων, καὶ ὁ κατακλυσμὸς τοῦ ὕδατος ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Μήποτε πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν μέλλοντος κατακλυσμοῦ γενέσθαι πυρὶ πρόσκειται ἐνταῦθα, τοῦ ὕδατος. Καὶ εἰσῆλθον πρὸς Νῶε εις τὴν κιβωτὸν δύο δύο ἀπὸ πάσης σαρκός. Ὡς πρὸς τὸ ῥητὸν ζητήσειε τις ἂν διὰ τί οὐκ εἴρηται, τὰ μὲν ἀκάθαρτα δύο δύο, τὰ δὲ καθαρά ἐπτά ἑπτά· ἀλλά σεσιώπηκε τὰ καθαρά. Ὅρα δὲ μὴ ἀπολογία ἐστὶν ὲν τῷ, ἀπὸ πάσης σαρκὸς, ἀκαθάρτων μόνον δηλουμένων ὲν τῷ, ἀπὸ πάσης σαρκός. Καὶ εὐλόγησεν ὀ Θεὸς τὸν Νῶε, καὶτοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ο Αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καί πληρώσατε τὴν τῆν. '0 Νῶε πῶς ηὕξησε, καὶ ἐπλήθυνε, μήπω γεννήσας μετὰ κατακλυσμὸν; μήποτε οὖν οὐ δεῖ σωματικῶς ἀκούειν τὸ, Αῠξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθεκΕί δὲ ἐνθάδε οὐ σωματικῶς διά τὸν Νῶε, δῆλον, ὅτι κατά βούλημα τοῦ πνευματικοῦ νόμου καὶ ὲν τῇ ἀρχῇ οὕτως.

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 6:11–12] “And the earth was corrupted before God, and the earth was filled with injustice; and the Lord God saw the earth, and it was corrupted, because all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.” Injustice corrupts the earth, but righteousness preserves it; and the one who sins, as far as in him lies, corrupts the earth. The earth was not corrupted in the flood (for then it washed off its corruption), but in its injustice. And what corrupted the way of God is not spirit but flesh: “For the mind of the flesh is enmity toward God”; and “Those who live in the flesh cannot please God.” [Gen 6:19–20] “Two by two of all you shall bring into the ark, that you may feed them with you; they shall be male and female.” Since he wished the men who entered the ark to remain pure of intercourse, he brings them in in this way, commanding them by the order of their entering how to spend their time in the ark. For it was not fitting that, while their like were perishing, these should give themselves to beds and childbearing. But when the terrors had passed and need called for the earth to be filled with human beings, he brings them out in married pairs, saying: “Go out, you and your wife, and your sons, and your sons' wives.” [Gen 7:2] “And of all the clean cattle bring in to you seven by seven, male and female; and of the cattle that are not clean two by two,” and so on. One might ask how, when the law had not yet distinguished clean and unclean, this is said to Noah as to one who knew the difference of the unclean. Hence it is worth considering whether Noah knew these things from the law of nature, according to “When Gentiles who do not have the law do by nature the things of the law.” [Gen 7:6] “And Noah was six hundred years old, and the flood of water came upon the earth.” Perhaps “of water” is added here to distinguish it from a flood that is to come by fire. [Gen 7:9] “And there went in to Noah into the ark two by two of all flesh.” As to the letter, one might ask why it is not said, “the unclean two by two and the clean seven by seven,” but the clean are passed over in silence. But see whether there is a defence in the words “of all flesh,” the unclean alone being meant by “of all flesh.” [Gen 9:1] “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth.” How did Noah increase and multiply, when he had not yet begotten after the flood? Perhaps, then, “Increase and multiply” must not be heard bodily. And if here it is not meant bodily, because of Noah, it is clear that according to the intention of the spiritual law it was so in the beginning too.

### Scripture references

- Gen 6:11: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 6:12: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:7: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 8:8: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 6:19: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 6:20: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 7:7: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 8:16: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 8:18: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 7:2: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 2:14: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 7:6: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Pet 3:7: allusion, low confidence
- Gen 7:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 9:1: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Rom 8:7–8; Gen 7:7 and 8:16, 18 (the order of entering and leaving the ark); Rom 2:14; a flood by fire (compare 2 Pet 3:6–7).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 105 (PG 12:105a–105d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-105).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 107

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-107
- Source: PG 12:108a–108b
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The wild beasts that fear the righteous are evil powers; the image of God is the Saviour, who is therefore God; a Hebrew tradition that Canaan first saw Noah's nakedness.

### Greek text

Καὶ ὁ τριμγιίς καὶ ιτ μύσος ὑμῶν ἔσται ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς· καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Βιάζεται μέν τις κατὰ τὸ ῥητὸν φάσκων, πᾶν ζῶον φοβεῖσθαι βλέπον τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ αὺτά τά ἐν piat; Θηρία. Μήποτε δὲ βέλτιον νοεῖν τάς πονηρὰς δυνάμεις, τα ἄγρια θηρία τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὰ λοιπά εἴδη ἕτερα, πάσχειν ἀπὸ τοῦ δικαίου τὸν φόβον, καὶ τὸν τρόμον εἶναι ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις. Αἱ γὰρ πονηραὶ δυνάμεις φοβοῦνται τὸν δίκαιον. Πλὴν ἐν autat! ψυχῆς οὐ yth-£008 ' καὶ γὰρ τὸ ὑμέτερον αἷμα τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν ἑκζητήσω. Ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν θηρίων ἑχζῖιτήσω αὑτό. Ἀπί μφαίνοντος τοῦ ῥητοῦ, λεκτέον, ὅτι Θηρὶα δυνάμεις ἀντικείμενα( εἰσι, τῷ ἁμαρτάνουσα-ν τὴν ψυχὴν ἀποθνήσκειν, ἀφʼ ὦν τῆς χειρὸς ὲκζητηθὴσε· Β ται ὁ Θάνατος τοῦ ἡμαρτηκότος. Δυνατὺν δὲ καῖ ἐπὶ τῶν κτηνῶν αὐτὸ ἐκλαβεῖν, ἀφʼ ὧν τὸν κερατιστὴν ταῦρον λιθοβολεῖσθαι προσέταξεν. Ὀτι ἐν εικόνι Θεοῦ ἐποίησα τὸν ἄνθρωπον. ὐ Θεὸς λέγει· Ἐν εἰκόνι Θεοῦ ἐποίησα τὸν ἄνη θρωπον· εἰκὼν δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου ὁ Σωτήρ. Θεὸς ἄρα καὶ κατά τὴν Γραφὴν ὁ Σωτήρ. Ἦσαν δὲ οἱ υἱοὶ Νῶε, οἱ ἐξελθόντες ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ, Σὴμ, Χὰμ, Ἰάέρεθ. Χὰμ δὲ ἦν πατὴρ Xa— ναάν. Ti δήποτε, εἰποῦσα ἡ Γ patri}, Καὶ ἦσαν οι viai Νῶε ἐξερχόμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς κιβωτοῦ, Σ iul, Χὰμ, Ιὰφεθ, προσέθηκε ο Kal Χὰμ οὗτος πατὴρ Χαναά›·; El γὰρ ἐχρῆν μνημονεῦσαι τῶν υἱῶν, ἔδει πάντων, καὶ μὴ μόνου Χαναάν· ὁ Χαναάν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀσεβὴς ἐγένετο, ὡς ἡ Impia δηλοῖ. Βουλόμενον οὖν τὸ πνεῦμα δεῖξαι τὴν οἰκειότητα τοῦ πατρὸς πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν, τρόπον τινὰ ἀπαλλοτριοῖ τῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν εὐσεβείας προσθήκῃ τοῦ, Χάμ ἦν πατὴρ Χαναὰν. Υἱοὶ μὲν γὰρ πάντες τοῦ Νῶε τῷ γένει ο μόνος δὲ οὗτος οὐχ υἱὸς τῷ τρόπῳ, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ὁμοίου παιδὸς πατὴρ. Διόπερ ἐμφαντικῶς κεῖται, Αὐτὸς πατὴρ Χαναὰν. Ἔφερε δὲ ὁ Ἐβραῖος ὁ ταῦτα εἰπὼν καὶ παράδοσιν τοιαύτην, ἐπενεγκὼν ἀπόδειξιν τῇ παραδόσει· Ὡς ἄρα ό Χαναὰν πρότερος εἶδε τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ πάππου, καί ἀνήγγειλεν αὐτοῦ τῷ πατρὶ μόνῳ καταμωκώμενος ὥσπερ τοῦ γέροντος. '0 δὲ Χάμ, δέον ὁμοίιος τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μὴ προσελθεῖν τῷ πατρὶ ἀσεβῶς, ἀλλά atati. ἐπιπλῆξαι τῷ πρώτῳ Θεασαμὲνῳ καὶ διαβάλλοντι, αὐτὸς δὲ καὶ πέπεισται, καὶ εῖσῆλθε, καὶ εἶδε, κοιλ ἀνήνεγκε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς. Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ δοκεῖ μῦθος εἶναι, εί μὴ τὸ τῆς ἀποδείξεως ἦν ἰσχυρόν · Καὶ ἐξ varie-'01} γὰρ. φησι, Νῶε ὲκ τοῦ ὕπνου αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἔγνω ὅσα ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ ὀ υἶύς αὑτοῦ ὁ νεώτεγ.>ος. Μικρότερος μὲν γὰρ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ Χὰμ οὐκ ἦν, ἀλλά δεύτερος. Sim γὰρ, φησί, καὶ Χὰμ, καὶ Ἰάρεθο καὶ εἰ τὸν μικρὸν ἤθελε δεῖξαιῃὺν Ἰάφεο ἂν ἔλεγεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοὺς ἐκγόνους υἱοὺς ἀεὶ λέγουσιν οἱ πάπποι, καὶ τοὺς μακρόθεν ἀπογόνους,

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 9:2] “And the trembling and fear of you shall be upon all the wild beasts of the earth,” and so on. One forces the letter by asserting that every animal is afraid when it sees a human being, even the wild beasts in … But perhaps it is better to understand that the evil powers, the wild beasts of the earth, and the other remaining kinds, suffer fear from the righteous man, and that the trembling is upon such as these. For the evil powers fear the righteous man. [Gen 9:4–5] “Only flesh with the blood of life you shall not eat; for I will require your blood of your lives; from the hand of all the wild beasts I will require it.” Since the letter is incongruous, it must be said that the wild beasts are opposing powers, responsible for the sinning soul's dying, from whose hand the death of the one who has sinned will be required. But it is possible to take it also of the cattle, in that he commanded the goring bull to be stoned. [Gen 9:6] “For in the image of God I made man.” God says, “In the image of God I made man”; and the image of the invisible God is the Saviour. Therefore, according to Scripture too, the Saviour is God. [Gen 9:18] “And the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan.” Why did Scripture, having said, “And the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, Japheth,” add, “And Ham, this one is the father of Canaan”? For if it had to mention the sons, it should have mentioned all of them, and not Canaan alone. Canaan himself too became impious, as the story shows. The Spirit, then, wishing to show the kinship of the father with the son, in a way separates him from the piety of his brothers by adding, “Ham was the father of Canaan.” For all were sons of Noah by birth, but this one alone was not a son in character, but the father of a son like himself. Therefore it is stated emphatically, “He is the father of Canaan.” The Hebrew who said this also brought forward a tradition of this kind, adding a proof to the tradition: that Canaan was the first to see his grandfather's nakedness, and reported it to his father alone, as if mocking the old man. And Ham, when he ought, like his brothers, not to have approached his father impiously, but to have rebuked the one who first saw and was slandering, was himself persuaded, and went in, and saw, and reported it to his brothers. These things too would seem a myth, were not the proof strong: “And Noah awoke from his sleep,” it says, “and knew what his youngest son had done to him.” For Ham was not his younger son, but the second; for it says, “Shem and Ham and Japheth,” and if it had wished to point to the youngest, it would have said Japheth. But since grandfathers always call their grandchildren, and even distant descendants, sons,

### Scripture references

- Gen 9:2: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 9:4: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 9:5: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 21:28: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 9:6: quotation, high confidence
- Col 1:15: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 9:18: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 9:22: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 9:24: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 10:1: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Exod 21:28 (the goring bull); Col 1:15 (“the image of the invisible God”); Gen 9:24; Gen 9:25 follows in col. 109. The Septuagint of Gen 9:6 has “in the image of God I made man”. A word after “even the wild beasts in” is garbled (“piat;”), shown as “…”. The Hebrew teacher is unnamed; Origen elsewhere cites Jewish informants.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 107 (PG 12:108a–108b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-107).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 109

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-109
- Source: PG 12:109a–109d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Why Canaan, not Ham, was cursed; God's mercy toward the young after the flood; Noah's drunkenness; Nimrod the hunter; “one lip” answers those who deny the Son's own hypostasis.

### Greek text

τὸν βραχύτατον τῶν ἐκγόνων τὸν Χαναὰν εἴρηκενὴ Γραφὴ ἐγνῶσθαι παρὰ τοῦ Νῶε, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐποίησε ταῦτα. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο οὕτως ἔχει, εὐθὺς ἐπάγει τὸ θεῖον λόγιον, καὶ εἶπεν· Ἐπικατάρατος Χαναὰν, δοῦλος δούλων ἔσται τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὑτοῦ. Εἰ δέ τις θαυμάζοι, τί δήποτε ὁ Χὲιμ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀσεβὴς ὢν, τὴν αὐτὴν κατάραν οὐκ έσχε τῷ υἱῷ, ἐπιγνώτω ὡς, εί ἦν λελεγμένον τῷ Χὰμ, δοῦλος δούλων ἔσται, τῆς δουλείας μετέσχον ἂν καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, ὼς οἱ τοῦ Χαναὰν ἀδελφοὶ δοῦλοι ἐγένοντο κατὰ τὴν κατάραν, ὧν δοῦλος ἀπεφάνθη Χαναάν. Οὐκ ἀποθανεῖται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἔτι. ’Υπισχνεῖται μηκέτι τὸν οἰκουμενικὸν ποιήσειν κατακλυσμὸν, ἐὰν ἠ διάνοια τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκ νεότητος ὲγκειμένη ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ, οὐκέτι οὕτως ἔχει πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ὥσπερ πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ. Νέμει γὰρ βραχεῖάν τινα συγγνώμην τοῖς νέοις διὰ τὸ τῆς ὴλιχίας εὐόλισθον. Διόπερ, Οὺ μὴ προσθῶ, φησιν, ἔτι καταράσασθαι τὴν γῆν διὰ τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἀνθρώ·mea“ ὅτι ἔγκειται ἡ διάνοια τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἑπιμελῶς ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ ἐκ νεότητος· τουτέστι, 1190οἰδα, ὅτι ἡ νεότης τοῖς ἐσομένοις εὐόλισθος ἔσται. Μὴ τοίνυν δείσητε. Διά τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκέτι ἐπάξω ὑμῖν ἀφανισμὸν παντελῆ. Καὶ ἤρξατο Νῶε ἄνθρωπος τεωργπὸς γῆς, καὶ »ἐφύτευσεν ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ ἔπιεν ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου, καὶ ἐμεθύσθη, καὶ ἐγυμνώθη ὲν τῷ οἴκῳ αὑτοῦ. Οὐκ ᾔδει Νῶε τὴν τοῦ οἴνου φύσιν, ὅτι μεθύσκειο καὶ τοῦτο μαρτυρεῖ ἡ Γραφὴ λέγουσα τὸ, ἤρξατο, καὶ ἐγυμνώθη. Τοῦ αὑτοῦ. Οἶνος γήϊνος γυμνοῖ τὸν νοῦν τῆς τῶν νοητῶν γνώσεως. Τοῦ αὑτοῦ. Τοιοῦτος ἦν ὁ καρπὸς τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ γνωστοῦ καλοῦ καὶ πονηροῦ, οἷος ὁ οἶνος, ὁ τὸν Νῶε γυ μνώσας. Τοῦ αὑτοῦ. EE καὶ ἐμεθύσθη, καὶ ἐγυμνώθη ὁ Νῶε, ἁλλʼ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ · ἁγίου γὰρ τὸ μὴ ἔξω τοῦ οἴκου αὑτοῦ γυμνοῦσθαι. Οὗτος ἦν γίγας κυνηγὸς ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὀ κυνηγὸς οὐκ ἐπὶ δικαίων κεῖται νῦν · καὶ τήρει μήποτε οὐδὲ ἄλλοτε. Καὶ ἦν πᾶσα ἡ γῆ χεῖλος ἓν, καὶ φωνὴ μία πᾶσι. Τοῖς μὴ νοοῦσι τὸ, Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὶιι ἓν ἐσμεν, καί διὰ τοῦτο ἀρνουμένοις ὑπόστασιν ἰδίαν Υίοῦ, προσοίσομεν τὸ, Ἦν πᾶσα ἡ γῆ χεῖλος ἓν, καὶ φωνὴ μία πᾶσι. Ζητοῦντες δὲ διαφορὰν χείλους

### English translation (Claude)

Scripture said that the very youngest of his descendants, Canaan, was recognized by Noah as the one who had done these things. And that this is so, the divine oracle at once adds; for he said: “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.” And if anyone wonders why Ham, though himself impious, did not receive the same curse as his son, let him recognize that if “he shall be a servant of servants” had been said to Ham, his brothers too would have shared in the slavery, just as Canaan's brothers became slaves according to the curse, those whose slave Canaan was declared to be. [Gen 9:11] “All flesh shall no longer die.” He promises no longer to bring the universal flood, [and] the mind of human beings, inclined to evil from youth, is no longer so all its days, as it was before the flood. For he allots some slight pardon to the young because their age slips easily. Therefore he says: “I will not again curse the earth because of the works of men, for the mind of man is diligently inclined to evil from youth”; that is: I know that youth will slip easily in those to come. Do not fear, then; for this reason I will no longer bring total destruction upon you. [Gen 9:20–21] “And Noah began to be a man who tilled the earth, and planted a vineyard, and drank of the wine, and became drunk, and was uncovered in his house.” Noah did not know the nature of wine, that it intoxicates; Scripture testifies to this by saying “began” and “was uncovered.” [Of the same.] Earthly wine strips the mind of the knowledge of intelligible things. [Of the same.] The fruit of the tree of knowing good and evil was like the wine that stripped Noah. [Of the same.] Even if Noah became drunk and was uncovered, yet it was in his house; for it is a saint's part not to be uncovered outside his own house. [Gen 10:9] “This one was a giant hunter before the Lord God.” “Hunter” is not used here of the righteous; and observe whether it ever is elsewhere. [Gen 11:1] “And the whole earth was one lip, and there was one voice for all.” To those who do not understand “I and the Father are one,” and for this reason deny the Son's own hypostasis, we shall bring forward, “The whole earth was one lip, and there was one voice for all.” Seeking the difference between lip

### Scripture references

- Gen 9:25: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 9:11: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 8:21: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 9:20: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 9:21: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 10:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 11:1: quotation, high confidence
- John 10:30: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 9:25; Gen 8:21 (Septuagint wording, “diligently inclined”); Gen 9:20–21; Gen 10:9; Gen 11:1; John 10:30. “Of the same” (Τοῦ αὐτοῦ): catena attribution to the author of the preceding note. Those who deny the Son's own hypostasis are the modalists (Monarchians); Origen argues that “one” of many people does not erase their distinctness. The note on Gen 9:11 is compressed in the catena; a connecting word is supplied in brackets.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 109 (PG 12:109a–109d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-109).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 111

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-111
- Source: PG 12:112a–112d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Unity is the mark of virtue and division of vice; Terah's sons; Abraham sojourns while the wicked dwell; Abraham yields to Lot and receives the promise, read spiritually.

### Greek text

καὶ φωνῆς, φήσομεν τὴν μὲν φωνὴν ἐπὶ τῆς διαλέκτου τάσσεσθαι, τάχα δὲ τὸ χεῖλος ἐπὶ τῆς διανοίας · ἢ τὸ ἔμπαλιν. Δεῦτε, καὶ καταβάντες συγχέωμεν αὐτῶν ἐκεῖ τὴν γλῶσσαν, ἵνα μὴ ἀκούσωσιν ἕκαστος τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ πλησίον. Γ νώρισμα κακίας τὸ συγχυθῆναι τὰς γλώσσας · γνώρισμα ἀρετῆς, ὅτι ἧν πάντων τῶν πιστευόντων καρδία, καὶ ψυχὴ μία. Καὶ οὕτω τηρῶν τὴν Γραφὴν εὑρήσεις, ὅτι ὅπου πλῆθος ἀριθμοῦ, ὅπου σχίσμα, ὅπου διαίρεσις, καὶ διαφωνία, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, κακίας ἐστὶ γνωρίσματα· ὅπου δέ ἑνότης, καὶ ὁμόνοια, καὶ πολλὴ δύναμις ἐν λόγοις, ἀρετῆς γνωρίσματα. Καὶ ἔζησε Θάρῤα ἐβδομήκοντα ἐτη, και ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἁβρὰμ, καὶ τὸν Ναχώρ, καί τὸν Ἀρῤἁμ. Τὸν πατέρα τοῦ ἑορτάζοντας ἐθνους τὴν ἑβδομάδα ἐγέννησεν ό Θὰῤῥαεγενόμενος ἑβδομηκονταέτης. Ἐφίστημι δέ μήπως τοὺς τρεῖς τριδύμους ἐγέννησεν. Ἀλλως γὰρ, ἐβδομηκονταέτης ὢν, οὐ δύναιτʼ ἂν τῶν τριῶν ἐκ μιᾶς γενέσθαι πατήρ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ οὐ δηλοῦνται πλείους αὑτοῦ γυναῖκες. Καὶ κατέβη Ἀόζρὰμ είς Αἴγυπτον παροικῆσαι ἐκεῖ, ὅτι ἐνίσχυσεν ό λιμὸς ἐπι τῆς τῆς. Ἀβραὰμ οὐ κατῴκει Αἴγυπτον, ἀλλὰ παρῲκει, ὅτι ἐνίσχυσεν ό λιμὸς ἐπʼ( τῆς γῆς. Oi δὲ Χαναναῖοι καὶ οἱ Φερεζαῖοι τότε κατῴκουν τὴν γῆν. Ὡς φαῦλοι oi Χαναναῖοι κατῴκουν, καὶ οὐ παρῴκουν τὴν γῆν. Ὥστε φαῦλοι κατοικοῦσιν, οὗ παροικοῦσι τὴν γῆν. El σὺ είς ἀριστερὰ, ἐγὼ εἰς δεξιά ο ει δὲ σὺ εις δεξιὰ, ἐγὼ είς ἀριστερά · καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Εἰ κα) ἡ ἐκλογὴ γέγονε συγχωρηθεῖσα ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιεικείας τοῦ Ἀδραὰμ τῷ Λώτ παρατηρητέον, ὃτι ό μὲν ἐκλεξάμενος οὐκ ἀπολαύει τῆς αὐτοῦ ἐκλογῆς, ό δὲ παραχωρήσας εὐλογημένον ἔχει τὸ καταλελειμμένον. '0 δὲ Θεὸς εἶπε πρὸς Ἀβρὰμ, μετὰ τὸ διαχωρισθῆναι τὸν Λὼτ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦʼ Ἀνάβλεψον τοῖς ὀφθαῖμοῖς σου, καὶ ἴδε ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου οὗ νῦν σὺ εἴ, πρὸς,βοῤῥᾶν καὶ λίβα, καί ἀνατολὰς καί θάλασσαν, ὅτι πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν, ἢν σὺ ὁρᾷς, σοι δώσω αὐτὴν. ’Έπεται τοῖς κατορθοῦσι τὴν ἁρετὴν ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ παράκλησις. Μετὰ δέ παραχωρῆσαι τῷ ἁδελφῷ τὴν αἵρεσιν, κάκεῖνον τὺ κάλλιστον καὶ εὐφορώτατον ἐκλέξασθαι χωρίον, ἐπεφάνη ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀβραὰμ, λόγοις παρακλητικοῖς καὶ χρησταῖς ὑποσχέσεσιν αὐτὸν ψυχαγωγῶν, μονονουχὶ λέγων· Γῆς ταύτης κατεφρόνησας τῆς ἐλαχίστης καὶ αἰσθητῆς ο ἐγώ σοι δώσω τῶν πραέων τὴν γῆν τὴν ἐν χώρᾳ τῶν ζώντων. Ἀνάβλεψον γὰρ τοῖς τῆς διανοίας δμμασι, καὶ ῖδε ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου, οὗ σὺ εἷ νῦν · τόπος δὲ τοῦ δικαίου ἠ ἀρετὴ, ἀφʼ ἧς τὰ ἐν ἐλπίσι καραδοκεῖ, καὶ τὰ ἀποκείμενα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀπεκδέχεται.

### English translation (Claude)

and voice, we shall say that voice is used of the language, and perhaps lip of the thought; or the reverse. [Gen 11:7] “Come, let us go down and confuse their tongue there, so that they may not hear each one his neighbour's voice.” The confusion of tongues is a mark of vice; a mark of virtue, that “the heart and soul of all who believed was one.” And if you observe Scripture in this way, you will find that where there is a multitude of number, where schism, where division and discord and the like, these are marks of vice; but where there is unity and concord and much power in words, these are marks of virtue. [Gen 11:26] “And Terah lived seventy years and begot Abram and Nahor and Haran.” Terah, at seventy years of age, begot the father of the nation that keeps the seventh day as a feast. I consider whether he did not beget the three as triplets. For otherwise, being seventy years old, he could not become the father of the three by one wife; and no more wives of his are mentioned. [Gen 12:10] “And Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, because the famine was severe on the earth.” Abraham did not dwell in Egypt but sojourned there, because the famine was severe on the earth. [Gen 13:7] “And the Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.” Being wicked, the Canaanites dwelt in the land and did not sojourn in it. So the wicked dwell in the land; they do not sojourn in it. [Gen 13:9] “If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you to the right, I to the left,” and so on. Even if the choice was granted to Lot by Abraham's gentleness, one must observe that the one who chose does not enjoy his choice, while the one who yielded has what was left to him blessed. [Gen 13:14–15] “And God said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: Look up with your eyes and see from the place where you now are, to the north and the southwest, and the east and the sea; for all the land which you see I will give to you.” Encouragement from God follows those who achieve virtue. After he had yielded the choice to his brother, and Lot had chosen the most beautiful and fertile region, God appeared to Abraham, cheering him with words of encouragement and kind promises, all but saying: You have despised this least and perceptible land; I will give you the land of the meek, in the land of the living. Look up, then, with the eyes of the mind, and see from the place where you now are; and the place of the righteous man is virtue, from which he watches for what is in hope and awaits what is laid up in the heavens.

### Scripture references

- Gen 11:7: quotation, high confidence
- Acts 4:32: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 11:26: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 12:10: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 13:7: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 13:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 13:14: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 13:15: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 5:5: allusion, high confidence
- Ps 27:13 (26:13 LXX): allusion, medium confidence
- Col 1:5: echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 11:7; Acts 4:32; Gen 11:26; Gen 12:10; Gen 13:7, 9, 14–15; Matt 5:5; Ps 27:13 (LXX 26:13); Col 1:5. Page debris at the head of the page is removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 111 (PG 12:112a–112d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-111).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 113

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-113
- Source: PG 12:113a–113d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 14–15: Abraham “the crosser” (Hebrew); the stars as the offspring of his soul; why he asked for a sign; the Amorites' sins not yet full; the 400 and 430 years.

### Greek text

Ei γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο ἦν, πόσην είκὸς ἦν αύ· τὸν γῆν θεωρεῖν αἰσθητοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ; ἢ ἕως τίνος ἀτενίσαι ἠδύνατο κύκλῳ περιθέων καὶ περιάγων τὴν oculos? ὅ ριν; Ἕλαόον δὲ τὴν ἵππον πᾶσαν τὴν Σοδόμων. Ἵππον Σοδομῖται νῦν πρῶτον ὠνομασμένην ὡς φαῦλοι ἔχειν λέγονται. Παραγενόμενος δὲ τῶν ἀνασωθέντων τις, ἀπῆν τειλεν Ἀβρὰμ τῷ περάτῃ. Περὰτης καλεῖται ι Ἀβραὰμ, ἐπειδὴ ἀπὸ τῆς Χαλδαίων χώρας διαπεράσας τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν ἦλθεν είς τὰ μέρτ τῶν Χαναναίων. Ἐρμηνεύεται δὲ καὶτοῖς περὶ Ἀκύλαν Ἐβραῖος. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ · Ἀνάβλεψον είς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἀρίθμησον τοὺς ἀστέρας, εὶ δυνήσῃ ἐξα- Γιθμῆσαι αὐτούς· οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου. Τὰ γὰρ γεννήματα φησι τῆς ψυχῆς τοῦ ἁγίου, καὶ πλήθει καὶ λαμπρότητι, ἇτε Θεοῦ συνεργήσαντος, τοσαῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτα γενέσθαι. Αύτὰ παρίστησι τὴν θείαν εὐλογίαν. Ehe δέ ι Δέσποτα Κύριε, κατὰ τι γνώσομαι, ἔτι κληρονομήσω auctir; καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ούκ ἦν κατὰ τὸν πιστεύσαντα πίστιν λελογισμένην αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην ἀπιστεῖν, ὡς ἄν τις οἰηθείη. Ἀλλὰ μήποτε πιστεύσας πρότερον, νῦν καὶ γνῶσιν αίτεί τὴν περὶ τῶν πεπιστευμένων. Ού νομοθετεῖ δὲ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ θύειν ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ οἱ παλαιότατοι τὰς ὁρκωμοσίας διὰ τούτων ἐβεβαίουν. Τετάρτῃ δὲ γενεᾷ ἀποστραφήσονται ὧδε ο οὔπω γεἰρ ἀναπεπνίήρωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι τῶν Ἀμορραίων ἕως τοῦ νῦν. Ἐτῶν u' δόσις, εἰς τὸ πληθυνθῆναι μὲν τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ τὸ σπέρμα, γενέσθαι δὲ τὰ γενόμενα σημεῖα. Πῶς οὗν τὸ, Οὔπω ἀνεπληρώθησαν at ἁμαρτίαι τῶν Ἀμορραίων; ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι εύλὸγως ἐκβάλλονται διʼ ἁμαρτίας. Καὶ γὰρ ὃταν λέγει, Μετεμελήθην, ού τοῦτο λέγει ὃ πάσχει, οὔτε τοῦτο πάσχει ὃ λέγει, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ γενομένου ἀτοπίαν παρίστησιν. Καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγαο Ἔπειτα ἦσαν παλαι ὲν μὲν Παλαιστίνῃ δίκαιοι, ὁ Μελχισεδὲκ καὶ ἄλλοι πολλοί. Οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἁπλῶς ἱερεὺς μὴ ὄντων τῶν πειθομένων. Οὔπω οὖν ἀναπεπλήρωνται ἀντὶ τοῦ, Οὔπω ἐκλέλοιπεν ὅσιος ἐξ αὐτῶν· οὔπω πεπλήρωνται, καὶ τετελειωμένοι είσὶν ἁμαρτίαις. Δέκα γὰρ δίκαιοι ῥύονται τὴν πόλιν· τότε δὲ οὐκ ὀλίγοι ἦσαν. Ταπεινώσουσιν αὐτοὺς τετρακόσια ἐτη. Διὰ τί δὲ περισσὰ ἔτη λέγει ὁ Ἀπόστολος λʼ, τά τε τῆς Διαθήκης, ἢν ἐποιήσατο μετὰ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ τῆς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου πορείας έν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, καὶ τῆς τοῦ νόμου δόσεως; Ού μάχεται τὰ ἐνταῦθα τοῖς ιν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ γεγραμμένοις. Ἐκεῖ γὰρ εἴρηται, Μετὰ υλʼ ἐτη ἐξῆλθεν ή δύναμις Κυρίου ἐκ τῆς Αίγύπτου· ἐνταῦθα δὲ μετὰ υ φησίν. Ἀλλʼ ὲπιστῆσαι δεῖ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐρρέθη, ὡς πληρωθέντων τῶν

### English translation (Claude)

For if this were not so, how much land was he likely to see with perceptible eyes? Or how far could he gaze, running round in a circle and turning his sight about? [Gen 14:11] “And they took all the cavalry of Sodom.” The Sodomites are said, as wicked men, to have a cavalry, now named for the first time. [Gen 14:13] “And one of those who had been rescued came and reported to Abram the crosser.” Abraham is called “the crosser” because, having crossed from the land of the Chaldeans through Mesopotamia, he came to the regions of the Canaanites. Aquila and his colleagues translate it “Hebrew.” [Gen 15:5] “And he said to him: Look up to heaven and count the stars, if you are able to number them; so shall your seed be.” For it says that the offspring of the saint's soul, both in number and in brightness, since God works with him, become so many and such. These very things present the divine blessing. [Gen 15:8] “And he said: Master, Lord, by what shall I know that I shall inherit it?” and so on. It was not like one who had believed, whose faith was reckoned to him for righteousness, to disbelieve, as one might think. But perhaps, having believed before, he now asks also for knowledge about what he has believed. God does not legislate to Abraham to sacrifice; rather, [he asks for victims] since the most ancient people confirmed their oaths by such means. [Gen 15:16] “And in the fourth generation they shall return here; for the sins of the Amorites are not yet filled up until now.” The four hundred years are given so that Abraham's seed might multiply and the signs that took place might occur. How then is “The sins of the Amorites are not yet filled up” to be taken? To show that they are justly cast out because of sin. For when he says, “I repented,” he does not say what he undergoes, nor undergo what he says, but sets forth the outrageousness of what has happened. And a little later: Then there were long ago in Palestine righteous men, Melchizedek and many others; for he was not simply a priest when there were none who obeyed. “Not yet filled up” stands, then, for “a holy man has not yet failed from among them”: they have not yet been filled and brought to completion in sins. For ten righteous men save the city, and at that time there were not a few. [Gen 15:13] “They shall afflict them four hundred years.” Why does the Apostle speak of thirty extra years, those of the covenant which he made with Abraham, of the journey out of Egypt in the desert, and of the giving of the law? What is said here does not conflict with what is written in Exodus. For there it is said, “After four hundred and thirty years the power of the Lord went out of Egypt,” but here it says “after four hundred.” But one must notice that it was not said that they went out when the four hundred years were completed, but after four hundred years, which indicates the thirty as well.

### Scripture references

- Gen 14:11: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 14:13: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 15:5: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 15:8: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 15:6: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 15:9: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 15:16: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 6:6: allusion, medium confidence
- 1 Sam 15:11: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 14:18: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 18:32: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 15:13: quotation, high confidence
- Gal 3:17: allusion, high confidence
- Exod 12:40: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 12:41: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “The crosser” (περάτης): the Septuagint rendering of “Hebrew” in Gen 14:13, linked with ʿbr, “to cross”. Gen 15:6 (faith reckoned for righteousness); Gen 15:9–10 (the victims); Gen 6:6 and 1 Sam 15:11 (“I repented”); Gen 14:18 (Melchizedek); Gen 18:32 (ten righteous); Gal 3:17 and Exod 12:40–41 (430 years). “And a little later” marks an abridgement by the catena compiler. Migne's Latin gloss inside the name “Aquila” is removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 113 (PG 12:113a–113d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-113).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 115

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-115
- Source: PG 12:116a–116d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 16–19: Sarah and Hagar read as virtue and preliminary studies; the new names; Abraham's prayer for Ishmael and for Sodom; Lot's hospitality at the gate.

### Greek text

u' ἐτῶν ἐξῆλθον, ἀλλά μετὰ υ ἐτη, ὅπερ ἐμιεαὶνει καὶ τὰ λʼ. Καὶ ἠτιμάσθη ἠ κη)ιά αὐτῆς ἐναντίον αὐτ ἧς. Ἐπίτηδες οὐκ ἐσαιρηνίσθη τὸ ὑπὸ τίνος, ἴνα ἡμεῖς ζητήσαντες εὕρωμεν, ὅτι πέφυκεν ἀτιμάζεσθαι ἀρετὴ, ἡνίκα τὰ προπαιδεύματα γεννήσῃ ° οὐ πάντως ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἃβραὰμ, ἀλλʼ ἦτοι ὑπὸ τῆς παιδίσκης, ἦ τῶν χαιρόντων πρὸ τῆς γενέσεως τῶν κρειττόνων τοῖς γεννήμασιν αὐτῆς. Καὶ οὺ κληθήσεται ἐτι τὸ ὄνομά σου Ἀβρὰμ, ἀλλʼ ἔσται τὸ ὄνομά σου Ἀβραάμ. Τὰς ἑρμηνείας τῶν ὀνομάτων ζήτει ο δυνάμει γάρ ὠνομάσθησαν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεῦματος· ἀλλά μὴν καὶ τοῦτο χρὴ εἰδέναι, ὃτι τὰ ὀνόματα ἐξεὼν ἐστι, καὶ καταστάσεων, καὶ ποιοτήτων δηλωτικάο ἐξ ὧν ἔστιν ἰδεῖν τὴν ἐπιτηδειότητα τοῦ ὸνομαξο· μένου. Εἶπε δὲ Ἀβραὰμ «per; τὸν Θειίι ’ Ἰσμαῖιλ οὗ· τος ζήτω ἐναντίον σοῦ. Ἐξαίρετόν τι ἠξίου περὶ τοῦ Ἰσμαὴλ ὁ Ἀβραάμ, οὑκ ἀρκούμενος τῷ, (ἤτω · διὸ προσέθηκεν ο ἐναντίον ονοῦ. Τὸ γὰρ ζῇν ἐναντίον Κυρίου μακαρίων ἐστὶ καὶ τῶν ἁγίων μόνων. Ἀβραὰμ δὲ χοὶ Σάρρα πρεσβύτεροι προβεβηκότες ἡμερῶν. Μήποτε ἐπὶ δικαίων μόνων τὸ, προβεβηκότες ἡμερῶν, τέτακται. Ὅπερ ἐὰν οἱ· τως ἔχει, οὐδεὶς φαῦλος προβέβηκε. Καὶ ἐγγίσας Ἀβραὰμ εἷπε· Μὴ σιννίιποιῖσῃς δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς. Ἐγκώμιον τοῦτο τοῦ Ἀβραάμ. Δηλοῦται γὰρ τὺ βέβαιον τῆς εὖσεβειας αὐτοῦ, διὸ καὶ ἐγγίσαι δεδύνηται. Τὸ δέ ἐγγίσαι οὐ σωματικῶς νοητέον. Λὼτ δὲ ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν· πύλην Σοδόμων. Οὐκ ἦν ἔνδον Σοδόμων Λὼτ, ἀλλὰ παρά τὴν πύλην. Εἴποιμι δʼ ἂν αὐτὸς, ὃν τρόπον ἔξω τῆς σκηνῆς ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ἐκάθητο ἐπιτηρῶν διά φιλοξενίαν καὶ παρά καιρδν τοὺς διοδεύοντας ο (μεσημβρία γὰρ ἦνʼ) οὕτως ὁ ἐκείνου συγγενὴς καὶ μιμητὴς τῶν τρόπων ἐκαθέζετο παρὰ τῇ πύλῃ, προτρεπόμενος τοὺς παριόντας, καὶ ἑσπέρας ιἤδη καταλαβούσης · εἰδὼς μάλιστα τῶν ἐν Σοδόμοις τὴν ἀσέβειαν, καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἐστιν ἐκεῖσε τοῖς ξένοις ἀνάπαυσις. Καὶ κατεστήσατο αὐτοὺς, καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἷς τὸν οἶκον αὑτοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ μὴ τοιοῦτος ἦν ὀ Λὼτ οῗος ὁ Ἀβραὰμ, διὰ τοῦτο, ὀκνοῦντες διελθεῖν πρὸς αὑτὸν, βίας χρῄζουσιν. ’ Τοὺς δὲ ἄνδρας τοὺς ὄντας ἐπὶ τῆς Off-ar; τοῦ οἴκου ἐπάταξαν ἀορασίςι. Ἐπʼ ἀγαθῷ πατάσο σονται ἀορασία οἱ κακῶς τῇ ὁράσει χρησάμενοι, καὶ εἰς τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν ἐμποδιζόμενοι ὑπὸ τῆς ἀορασῐας. Καὶ κατέστρεψε πάσας τὰς πόλεις ταύτας, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν περίχωρον, καὶ πάντας τοὺς κατορκοῦντας ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἀνατέλλοντα

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 16:4] “And her mistress was dishonoured before her.” It was deliberately not made clear by whom, so that we might seek and find that virtue is apt to be dishonoured when it gives birth to preliminary studies; not at all by Abraham, but either by the maidservant or by those who rejoice in her offspring before the birth of better ones. [Gen 17:5] “And your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham.” Seek the interpretations of the names, for they were named with power by the Holy Spirit. But one must also know this, that names indicate habits, conditions, and qualities, from which one can see the fitness of the one named. [Gen 17:18] “And Abraham said to God: Let this Ishmael live before you.” Abraham asked something special for Ishmael, not content with “let him live”; therefore he added “before you.” For to live before the Lord belongs to the blessed and the saints alone. [Gen 18:11] “And Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in days.” Perhaps “advanced in days” is used only of the righteous. If this is so, no wicked man has advanced. [Gen 18:23] “And Abraham drew near and said: Do not destroy the righteous with the ungodly.” This is praise of Abraham. For the firmness of his piety is shown, which is why he was able to draw near. The drawing near is not to be understood bodily. [Gen 19:1] “And Lot was sitting by the gate of Sodom.” Lot was not inside Sodom, but by the gate. I myself would say that, just as Abraham sat outside the tent, watching for passers-by for hospitality's sake even at an unseasonable time (for it was midday), so his kinsman, who imitated his ways, sat by the gate, inviting the passers-by, even when evening had already come; knowing especially the impiety of the people of Sodom, and that there was no rest there for strangers. [Gen 19:3] “And he pressed them, and they went into his house.” Since Lot was not such as Abraham, for this reason they hesitated to go over to him and needed to be pressed. [Gen 19:11] “And the men who were at the door of the house they struck with blindness.” It is for their good that those who used their sight badly are struck with blindness and are hindered from sinning by the blindness. [Gen 19:25] “And he overthrew all these cities, and all the surrounding region, and all the inhabitants in the cities, and all that springs up

### Scripture references

- Gen 16:4: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 17:5: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 17:18: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 18:11: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 18:23: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 19:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 18:1: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 19:3: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 19:11: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 19:25: quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Philo, Congr. (Philo of Alexandria (works)): allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Hagar as the “preliminary studies” and Sarah as virtue follows Philo, On the Preliminary Studies (De congressu). Gen 18:1 (Abraham at the tent door at midday).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 115 (PG 12:116a–116d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/97/#p-115).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 117

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-117
- Source: PG 12:117a–117d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Catena notes on Gen 19–24: Lot's wife; Abimelech did not touch Sarah; Isaac carrying the wood as a type of Christ carrying the cross; the meanings of the names in Nahor's family.

### Greek text

ἐκ τῆς γῆς. ’0 Κύριος ἀσεβεῖς ἀπόλλυσι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς τροφὰς αὐτῶν, οὔσας Σοδομιτικὰς καὶ ἐπιδλαβεῐς, ὲν αἷς ἐστι καὶ ἄμπελος, *περὶ ἦς γέγραπται· Ἐκ γὰρ ἀμπέλου Σοδόμων ἠ ἄμπελος αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ κληματὶς αὐτῶν ἐκ Γο- Καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν ἡ γυνὴ αὑτοῦ εἱς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ ἐγένετο στήλη ἁλός, Οὐδὲν ὢνησε τὴν γυναῖκα Λὼτ τὸ κεκρατῆσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων, εἰ καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἔξω Σοδόμων, ἐπείπερ ἐστράφη εἰς τῦὺπίσωυ Ἀ βιμέλεχ δὲ οὐχ ἦψατοαὺτῆς. Ἐμφασιν ἔχει τὸ, οὐχ ἥψατο, ὡς τὸ, καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ γυναικὸς μὴ ἅπτεσθαι· ὅπερ ἐστὶ κα). χωρὶς μίξεως κατὰ μηδὲν ἄλλο παθητικῶς, ἦτοι ἐνιδεῖν, ἢ ἅψασθαι γυναικός. '0 Θεὸς μέντοι οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ἅψασθαι τὸν Ἀβιμέλεχ αὐτῆς· τάχα καὶ πάντα τὸν ἄκρως νοῦντα · Θεόσδοτον γὰρ τὸ τοιοῦτον. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἀβραὰμ τοῖς παισὶν αὑτοῦ· Καθίσατε αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῆς ὄνοιιν ἐγὼ δὲ καὶτὸ παιδάριον διελευσόμεθα ἕως ὦδε, καὶ προσκυνήσαντες ὑποστρέψομεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Ταῦτα εἷπε λογισάμενος, ὅτι καὶ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγείρειν δυνατὸς ὀ Θεός. "Elatia καὶ Ἀὸᾢαὰμ τὰ ξύλα τῆς ὀλοκαρπὼσεως, καὶ ἐπέθηκεν Ἰσαὰκ τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ. Ἐπωμάδιον γὰρ ἔχων τὸν οἰκεῖον σταυρὸν ἔξω τῆς πύλης ἔπαθεν ὀ Χριστὸς, οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρωπίνης ἰσχύος βεβιασμένος εἰς τὸ πάθος, ἀλλʼ ὲκ Θελήματος οἰκείου, καὶ βουλήσει τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός. Ἰδοὺ τέτοκε Μελχὰ καὶ αὐτὴ »υἱοὺς Ναχὼρ τῷ ἁδελφῷ σου, τὸν Ὢζ πρωτότοκον, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Μελχὰ ἑρμηνεύουσι,βασιλείανσ Ὣς,βουλευόμενον· Ναχὼρ ἀνάπαυσιν φωτός Bai): ἑξουδενωμένον Καμουὴλ ἀνάστασιν Θεοῦο Σύρων μετέωρον ° Χαζὰδ ψεῦδος · Ἀζαῦ ὁρῶντα· Φάλδακ πτῶσιν ἐν·δεοῦς,ἢ πτῶσιν πτωχείας· Ἰεδλὰφ χειρὸς περισσείαν, ἢ χεῖρα λάβεο Buteoth ἕνοικον Θεοῦ, ἢ θυγατέρα Θεοῦ· Ῥεβέκκα ὑπομονήν· Ῥεέμα ὅρασιν προσδοκωμένην· Ταὰμ, ὃισμηρυκὼμενον· Τοχὼς σιγήν-ο Μωχὰν ἔντερον κενόν. Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἕστηκα ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος. Διὸ φιλοτιμητέον ἐπηκὲναι ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς, ἵνα μὴ καὶ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν ἁρμόσῃ τὸ, Ἐμέ ἐγκατέλιπον πηγὴν ὕδατος ζῶντος. ξ 'Kat ἔσται ἡ παρθένος, ᾗ ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω, Ἐπίκλινον

### English translation (Claude)

from the earth.” The Lord destroys the ungodly, and their food as well, which is Sodomitic and harmful; among it is also a vine, of which it is written: “For their vine is from the vine of Sodom, and their tendril from Gomorrah.” [Gen 19:26] “And his wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.” It profited Lot's wife nothing to have been taken by the hand by the angels, even though she went out of Sodom, since she turned back. [Gen 20:4] “But Abimelech did not touch her.” “Did not touch” has emphasis, like “It is good for a man not to touch a woman”; that is, even without intercourse, not in any other way, with passion, to look at or to touch a woman. God, however, did not allow Abimelech to touch her; perhaps he does not allow anyone who thinks loftily to touch her, for such a thing is God-given. [Gen 22:5] “And Abraham said to his servants: Sit here with the donkey; the boy and I will go on as far as there, and when we have worshipped we will return to you.” He said this reckoning that God is able to raise even from the dead. [Gen 22:6] “And Abraham took the wood of the whole burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son.” For Christ, carrying his own cross on his shoulders, suffered outside the gate, not forced into the passion by human strength, but by his own will and the will of God the Father. [Gen 22:20–21] “Behold, Milcah too has borne sons to Nahor your brother: Uz the firstborn,” and so on. They interpret Milcah “queen”; Uz “counselling”; Nahor “rest of light”; Buz “despised”; Kemuel “resurrection of God”; of the Syrians, “lofty”; Chesed “falsehood”; Hazo “seeing”; Pildash “fall of the needy” or “fall of poverty”; Jidlaph “abundance of hand” or “take a hand”; Bethuel “dweller of God” or “daughter of God”; Rebekah “patience”; Reumah “expected vision”; Tebah “chewing the cud”; Tahash “silence”; Maacah “empty bowel.” [Gen 24:13] “Behold, I stand by the spring of water.” Therefore we must strive to stand by the spring, so that the words “They have forsaken me, the spring of living water” may not apply to us too. [Gen 24:14] “And the virgin to whom I say, Lower

### Scripture references

- Gen 19:25: quotation, high confidence
- Deut 32:32: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 19:26: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 19:16: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 20:4: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 7:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 22:5: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 11:19: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 22:6: quotation, high confidence
- John 19:17: allusion, high confidence
- Heb 13:12: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 22:20: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 22:21: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 22:22: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 22:23: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 22:24: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 24:13: quotation, high confidence
- Jer 2:13: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 24:14: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Deut 32:32; 1 Cor 7:1; Heb 11:19; John 19:17 and Heb 13:12; Jer 2:13. The interpretations of Hebrew names come from an onomasticon and are given as printed; “of the Syrians, lofty” glosses “Aram” (Gen 22:21).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 117 (PG 12:117a–117d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-117).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 119

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-119
- Source: PG 12:120a–120d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 24–25: silent prayer; Isaac's withdrawal and contemplation; Keturah's descendants, the Midianites, and Jethro as Abraham's descendant.

### Greek text

τὴν ὑδρίαν σου, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Πρέπουσα ἡ φωνὴ τῷ πρεσὸύτῃ τῆς οἰκίας τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ ἁρμόζουσα τῷ ἄρχοντι πάντων τῶν αὑτοῦ. Καὶ ὅρα σοφίαν, οἷον τίθησι σημεῖον. Ὀ δὲ ἄνθρωπος κατεμάνθανεν αὐτὴν, καί παρεσιὼπα, τοῦ γνῶναι εἰ εὺώδωκε Κύριος τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ ἢ οὗ. Ἐντεῦθεν ἔστι διδαχθῆναι, ὅτι καλόν ἐστι τὸν προσευχόμενον μὴ μετὰ αἰσθητῆς ἀκουόμενον τῆς φωνῆς προσεύχεσθαι, ἀλλʼ ᾼὲν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῷ ὲτάξοντι καρδίας καὶ νεφρούς. Ι Ἰσαὰκ δὲ ἐπορεύετο διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου κατὰ τὸ φρέαρ τῆς ὁράσεως. Πρέπουσα πορεία τῷ ἁγίῳ διὰ μὲν τὴν πολλὴν ἀναχώρησιν πορευομένῳ διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου, διὰ δὲ τὴν περί τῶν εἰς Θεὸν Θεωρίαν πορευομὲνῳ κατὰ τὸ φρέαρ τῆς ὁράσεως. Kal ἐξῆλθεν Ἰσαὰκ ἀδολεσχῆσαι εις τὸ πεδίον τὸ πρὸς δείλης. Ἐξελθεῖν δεῖ τῶν γηΐνων τὸν μέλλοντα περί τῶν θείων ὁμιλεῖν, ὅπερ ἁδολεσχῆσαι νῦν ὠνόμασεν. Ού πρόσκειται δὲ τίνι · εἰκότως, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ ἀνθρώπων ἡ τοιαύτη ὁμιλία γίνεται, ἀλλʼ ἦτοι πρὸς Θεὸν, ἢ αὑτοῦ τινος πρὸς ἑαυτόν. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Τὸ δὲ, πρὸς δείλης, σύμβολόν ἐστι τοῦ μόλις ἐπὶ γήρως δύνασθαί τινα ἐλθόντα μετὰ καταλήψεως τῶν θειοτέρων ὁμιλεῖν. Προσθέμενος δὲ Ἀβραὰμ ἔλαβε γυναῖκα ᾖ ὄνομα Χεττούμι. Ἕτεκε δὲ αὑτῷ τε ν Ζεμσρᾱν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἀπὸ τῶν τέκνων Χεττούρας ἔθνη γέγονε πλεῖστα, ἃ κατῴκησαν τὴν Τρωγλοδύτην ἐρημον, καὶ τὴν Εὐδαίμονα Ἀραὸἰαν, καὶ τὴν διήκουσαν, τήν τε Μαδιανῖτιν, καὶ τὴν πόλιν Μαδιάμ παρακειμένην τῇ ὑπὲρ τὴν ’Δραὸίαν ἐρήμῳ ἄντικρυς Φαρὰν εἰς ἀνατολὰς τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάσσης· ὅθεν τὸ Μαδιανιτῶν ἔθνος ἀπὸ Μαδιὰμ uio-3 Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Χεττούρας· ὡς εἰναι δῆλον ὲκ τούτου, ὅτι ὁ Ἰοθὼρ ό πενθερὸς Μωῦσέως ἀπόγονος ἦν τοῦ ’Δὸραὰμ καὶ συγγενὴς Μωῦσέως. ' Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Χεττούρα ἑρμηνεύεται μικροτέιια

### English translation (Claude)

your jar,” and so on. The words befit the elder of Abraham's household and suit the ruler of all his possessions; and see what wisdom, what a sign he sets. [Gen 24:21] “And the man was observing her and kept silent, to know whether the Lord had prospered his way or not.” From this we can be taught that it is good for one who prays not to pray with a voice heard by the senses, but in the heart, to him who examines hearts and kidneys. [Gen 24:62] “And Isaac was going through the desert by the well of the vision.” A fitting journey for the saint: going through the desert because of his great withdrawal, and by the well of the vision because of his contemplation of the things concerning God. [Gen 24:63] “And Isaac went out into the plain toward evening to converse.” One who is going to converse about divine things must go out from earthly things; this is what it has now called “conversing.” It is not added with whom, fittingly, since such converse is not held with human beings, but either with God, or of a man with himself. [Of the same.] And “toward evening” is a symbol that one can hardly, on coming to old age, converse about the more divine things with comprehension. [Gen 25:1–2] “And Abraham again took a wife, whose name was Keturah; and she bore him Zimran,” and so on. From the children of Keturah came very many nations, which inhabited the Troglodyte desert, and Arabia Felix, and the land that stretches beyond it, and Midianitis, and the city of Midian, lying beside the desert beyond Arabia, opposite Paran, east of the Red Sea. From this the nation of the Midianites takes its name, from Midian, son of Abraham and Keturah; so that it is clear from this that Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, was a descendant of Abraham and a kinsman of Moses. [Of the same.] Keturah is interpreted “smaller”

### Scripture references

- Gen 24:14: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 24:2: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 24:21: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 7:9 (7:10 LXX): allusion, high confidence
- Gen 24:62: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 24:63: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 25:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 25:2: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 3:1: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Ps 7:9; Exod 3:1. “Of the same” (Τοῦ αὐτοῦ): catena attribution to the author of the preceding note.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 119 (PG 12:120a–120d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-119).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 121

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-121
- Source: PG 12:121a–121d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The list of name meanings continues (Keturah's and Ishmael's descendants); notes on Isaac's sojourning, Abraham's keeping the law by nature, and the wells.

### Greek text

ἢύποίΐεεστέρα· Ἰεσβὼκ ἄφεσις, ἢὰςρήσει· Σωῖὲ χρηστὸς λαός· sese, ἀποστροφή· Θαι μὰν ἐκλείψεις αὐτῶν, ἢσυντελούμενοι· Δαιδὰν ἱκανὴ κρίσις, ἢ μονότης· Ῥαγουὴλ φίλος ἰσχυρὸς, ἢ ποιμανσία Θεοῦ· Ναβδεὴλ δουλεύων τῷ Θεῷ· Ἀσσουριεὶμ ἑδραῖοι, ἢ κατευθύνοντες· Λατουσιεὶμ σφυροκόποι· Γεφάρ, ἐνδεὴς, ἢ ἐλλείπων· Ἀφὲρ χοῦς, ἢ quiti/'09:; σποδός. Ἑνὼχ χάρις σου· Ἀβιδὰ πατρός μου ὕψος· Ἐφρὼν χοῦς, ἢγήῖνος, ἢσποδός· Σαὰρμεσημβρία· Δουμέι σιωπή· Μαμόρῆ ἀπὸ ὁράσεως· Μασσῆ ἐπαρσις, Ἰσμαὴλ ἀκοὴ Θεοῦ· Χοδδὰδ μέτρον κενούμενον· Ναβαιὼο προφητεία· Θαι μὰν συντέλεια· Κηδὰρ σκοτιισμός· Ἰετοὺρ ἐξωρισμένος· Ναὸδεὴλ δουλεύων Θεῷ· Ναφὲς ἁναψυχή·Μαο-μὰν προσοχὴ, ἢ ἀκοή· Κεδμὰ ἑμπρόσθιος· Μασσὰμ ἐξ ἡδυσμῶν Εὐῖλὰτ ὠδίνουσα· Σοὺρ τεῖχος. Κατοίκησον δὲ ἐν τῇ γῇ, ᾗ ἄν σοι εῖπω · καὶ παροίκει ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ, καὶ ἔσομαι μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ εὐλογήσω σε. Ei, ποῦ χρὴ κατοικεῖν ἐκ προστάγματος Θεοῦ, παροικήσει τις, ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εὐλογεῖ αὐτόν· εἰ δὲ, ὅπου οὐ δεῖ παροικεῖν, κατοικήσει τις, οὐκ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς μετʼ αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ εὐλογήσει αὐτόν. Ἀνθ ὧν ὑπήκουσεν Ἀβραὰμ τῆς ἐμῆς φωνῆς, καὶ ἐφύλαξε τὰ προστάγματά μου καὶτὰ δικαιὼματά μου, καὶ τὰ νόμιμά μου. Εἰ μήπω ἦν ὁ κατά Μωῦ σὲα νόμος γεγραμμένος, ἐφύλαξε δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τὰ εἰρημένα,ιλ>ὖτως αὑτὰ ἐφύλαξεν, ὼς ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα, καὶ φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιοῦντα· ἐνδεικνύμενοι τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου γραπτὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν, μαρτυρουμένης αὐτῶν τῆς συνειδήσεως, καθὰ φησιν ὁ Ἀπὸστολος. Καὶ ὤρυξαν οὶ παῖδες Ἰσαὰκ ἐν τῇ φάραγγι Γεράρων· καὶ εὗρον ἐκεῖ φρέαρ ὕδατος ζῶντος. Φιλοτιμητὲον (l) ἑκάστῳ εὐχομένῳ εἶναι τέκνον τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ ταῦτα νοῆσαι τὰ φρέατα, καὶ ὀρύξαι αὐτὰ ἐν ἐαυτῷ. Ἀπὰρας δὲ ἐκεῖθεν ὤρυξε φρέαρ ἕτερον, καὶ

### English translation (Claude)

or “…”; Ishbak “release” or “…”; Shuah “good people”; … “turning away”; Teman “their failings” or “being completed”; Dedan “sufficient judgment” or “solitude”; Reuel “strong friend” or “shepherding of God”; Adbeel “serving God”; Asshurim “settled” or “directing”; Letushim “hammer-smiths”; Ephah “needy” or “lacking”; Epher “dust” or “…” or “ashes”; Hanoch “your grace”; Abida “height of my father”; Ephron “dust” or “earthy” or “ashes”; Zohar “midday”; Dumah “silence”; Mamre “from vision”; Massa “lifting up”; Ishmael “hearing of God”; Hadad “measure being emptied”; Nebaioth “prophecy”; Tema “completion”; Kedar “darkening”; Jetur “banished”; Adbeel “serving God”; Naphish “refreshment”; Mishma “attention” or “hearing”; Kedemah “the one in front”; Mibsam “from spices”; Havilah “in labour”; Shur “wall.” [Gen 26:2–3] “Dwell in the land of which I tell you, and sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you.” If, where one ought to dwell by God's command, one sojourns, God is with him and blesses him; but if, where one ought only to sojourn, one dwells, God is not with him, nor will he bless him. [Gen 26:5] “Because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my ordinances and my statutes and my laws.” If the law according to Moses had not yet been written, yet Abraham kept what is mentioned, he kept them as “Gentiles who do not have the law, and do by nature the things of the law, showing the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness,” as the Apostle says. [Gen 26:19] “And Isaac's servants dug in the valley of Gerar and found there a well of living water.” Everyone who prays to be a child of Isaac must strive to understand these wells and to dig them in himself. [Gen 26:22] “And moving on from there he dug another well, and

### Scripture references

- Gen 25:2: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 25:3: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 25:4: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 23:8: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 25:13: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 25:14: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 25:15: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 25:18: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 26:2: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 26:3: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 26:5: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 2:14: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 2:15: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 26:19: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 26:22: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Names from Gen 23:8; 25:1–4, 9, 13–18 (Septuagint forms, including Raguel in 25:3). Several names and glosses are garbled in the scan and shown as “…”; the English forms of the names are supplied where the Greek is readable. Rom 2:14–15.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 121 (PG 12:121a–121d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-121).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 123

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-123
- Source: PG 12:124a–124d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 26–30: Isaac's forbearance; Jacob's voice and the fragrance of virtue; fleeing persecution like Jacob; Leah's opened womb read of the soul and of the synagogue; Laban's omens.

### Greek text

οὐκ ἐμαχέσαντο περὶ αὐτοῦ. Διὰ δὲ τυῦ pi; 5mῡίστασθαι τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι δείκνυσιν, ὅτι ἀληθῶς ἦν ἄπλαστος. Ὅθεν, ἀποδεξάμενος αὑτὸν τῆς ἀνεξικακίας 6 Θεὸς, ἐπιφαίνεται αὐτῷ, κα) ἐπαγγέλλεται γῆν, ἵνα μὴ ἁῢνμῇ, ὅτι ὡς ξένος πάροικος προῦκειυ τοῖς ἀδικεῖν βουλομένοις, πληρῶν τὸ εἰρημένον ἑκαστοτε, ἐὰν διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς. Καὶ εἶπεν· Ἡ μὲν φωνὴ φωνὴ Ἰακώβ. Τὴν εύ- 626'?l φωνὴν οὐκ ἂν λεχθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ· Ὅ παρέδωκεν o' Θεός σου ἐναντίον μοτν ἐπιγνοὺς ὁ Ἰσαὰκ, εἶπεν· Ἡ φωνὴ φωνὴ Ἰακώβ. Καὶ εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺ ὀσμὴ τοῦ υὶοῦ μου, ὡς ὀσμὴ ἀγροῦ πλήρους ὃν εὐλόγησε Κύριος. Σαφῶς οὐκ αἰσθητὴ ἦν ἡ ὀσμή. Ποία γὰρ ἂν ὀσμὴ δύναται εἶναι ὀσμῇ ἀγροῦ παραβαλλομένη; ἀλλὰ μήποτε τοιαύτη ἦν αὕτη, ὁποίαν 6 Ἀπόστολος ἔχων ἔφασκε· Χριστοῦ εὐωδία ἐσμὲν τῷ Qui ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἡγοῦμαι xui. ἑκάστην ἀρετὴν ἰδίαν ἔχειν εὐωδίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶ συμπληρωτική τῶν ἀρετῶν. Καὶ ὲκ τοῦ ἐναντίου δὲ αἱ κακίαι δυσώδεις εἰσὶ κατὰ τὸν είπύνταο Προσὼζεσαν καί ἐσάπησαν oi μώλωπές μου. Πρέπει δὲ τῷ Κυρίῳ τὸν αύτῷ εὐώδη τῶν ἀρετῶν ἀγρὸν εὐλογεῖν. Καὶ εἷπεν αὐτῷʼ Ἰδοὺ Ἡσαῦό ἁδελφός σου ἀπειλεῖ σοι τοῦ ἀποκτεῖναί σεʼ νῦν οὖν, τέκνον, ἄκουσόν μου τῆς φωνῆς, καὶ ἀναστὰς dmi-£th εις τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν. Μανοάνομεν ἀπὸ τούτων, ὅτι δεῖ ἀποδιδράσκειν τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας, καὶ διωγμοὺς φεύγειν, εί καὶ ὁπτασιῶν καταξιωοὼμεν ὡς 6 Ἰακώβ. Παρακληοείη δʼ ἄν τις ἰδὼν τὰ παρακολουθήσαντα τῷ Ἰακιῶ φεύγοντι ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ· ὀπτασιόω τε γὰρ ἠξιώθη, καὶ πατὴρ γεγένηται δὼδεκα φυλῶν · καὶ ἐπανερχόμενος ἀπὸ τῆς διὰ τὸν διωγμὸν φυγῆς, γίνεται ἀντὶ Ἰακὼὸ Ἰσραήλ. Οὐ λήψῃ γυναῖκα ἐκ τῶν θυγατέμιη· lim-mir. Ai θυγατέρες Χαναὰν πονηραί εἰσιν, οὐκ ἐναντίον Ἠσαῦ, ἀλλʼ ἐναντίον Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. Ἰδὼν δὲ Κύριος ό Θεὸς, ὅτι μισεῖται Λεία, ἤνοιξε τὴν μήτραν αὐτῆς. Ἀνοίγει μήτραν ἐπὶ ἁγίων γεννήσει· κατὰ δὲ τὸν πνευματικδν νόμον Cruχῆς ἀνοίγει μήτραν, ἵνα γεννήσῃ Θεοῦ Λόγον ἡ ἐσομένη αὑτοῦ μήτηρ. Τοῦ αὑτοῦ. Πρώτη γὰρ ἐτέκνωσε τῷ Θεῷ τὴν Ἰουδαίων συναγωγὴν καὶ πληθὺν ἡ ἐν χρόνῳ πρεσβυτὲρα. Eine δὲ αὐτῷ Addat" El εὖρον χάριν ἐναντίον σου, altar-tati;th ἄν· εὐλόγησε γάρ με ό Θεὸς ἐπι τῇ σῇ εἰσόδῳ. υύκ ἔστι μὲν οἱωνισμδς ὲν Ἰακώβ· ὁ δὲ Λάεαν φησὶν, οἱωνισάμην ἂν, ὥς ἀλλύτριος τῆς τοῦ Ἰακὼβ προαιρέσεως, ἧς οὗ τέλεον ἁλλότριος ἦν, προστιθεὶς τῷ, οἱωνισάμην, καὶ τὸ, Εὑλίτῖ-ησε γάρ με o' Θεὸς ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εἰσόδῳ.

### English translation (Claude)

they did not quarrel over it.” By not resisting those who wronged him he shows that he was truly guileless. Hence God, accepting him for his forbearance, appears to him and promises him land, so that he might not lose heart because, as a stranger and sojourner, he lay exposed to those who wished to wrong him, fulfilling each time what is said, “If they persecute you.” [Gen 27:22] “And he said: The voice is the voice of Jacob.” Recognizing the pious word, which would not have been said by Esau, “What the Lord your God delivered before me,” Isaac said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob.” [Gen 27:27] “And he said: Behold, the smell of my son is like the smell of a full field which the Lord has blessed.” Clearly the smell was not perceptible. For what smell could be compared to the smell of a field? But perhaps it was such as the Apostle had when he said: “We are the fragrance of Christ to God in every place.” I think that each virtue has its own fragrance, which completes the virtues. And conversely, vices are foul-smelling, according to the one who said: “My wounds stank and festered.” It befits the Lord to bless the field of the virtues that is fragrant to him. [Gen 27:42–43] “And she said to him: Behold, Esau your brother threatens to kill you; now therefore, child, hear my voice, and rise and flee to Mesopotamia.” We learn from this that we must run away from those who plot against us and flee persecutions, even if we are counted worthy of visions, as Jacob was. And one may take courage on seeing what followed for Jacob as he fled from Esau: he was counted worthy of visions, and became the father of twelve tribes; and on returning from the flight caused by the persecution, he becomes Israel instead of Jacob. [Gen 28:1] “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.” The daughters of Canaan are wicked, not in Esau's eyes, but in the eyes of Isaac his father. [Gen 29:31] “And the Lord God, seeing that Leah was hated, opened her womb.” He opens the womb at the birth of saints; and according to the spiritual law he opens the womb of a soul, so that the one who is to be his mother may bring forth the Word of God. [Of the same.] For she who was elder in time first bore to God the synagogue and multitude of the Jews. [Gen 30:27] “And Laban said to him: If I have found favour before you, I would have taken omens; for God has blessed me at your coming.” There is no augury in Jacob; but Laban says, “I would have taken omens,” as one estranged from Jacob's choice; yet he was not wholly estranged from it, since he added to “I would have taken omens” the words “for God has blessed me at your coming.”

### Scripture references

- Gen 26:22: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 26:24: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 10:23: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 27:22: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 27:20: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 27:27: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Cor 2:15: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 38:5 (37:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Gen 27:42: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 27:43: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 28:12: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 32:28: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 28:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 28:8: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 29:31: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 30:27: quotation, high confidence
- Num 23:23: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Matt 10:23; Gen 27:20; 2 Cor 2:15; Ps 38:5 (LXX 37:6); Gen 28:8 (the daughters of Canaan displeasing to Isaac); Num 23:23 (“there is no augury in Jacob”). Gen 30:27 is in the Septuagint wording (“I would have taken omens”). A garbled verb (“ἁῢνμῇ”) is read as “lose heart”.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 123 (PG 12:124a–124d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-123).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 125

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-125
- Source: PG 12:125a–125d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 30–31: Jacob's three rods read of the soul's powers or kinds of contemplation; returning to the father's land as departure from this life; Laban's broken agreements.

### Greek text

Ἐλασε δὲ ἐαυτῷ Ἰακὼβ ῥάβδοι· στυρακίνην χλωρὰν. καὶ καρυΐιηιν, καὶ πλατάνου. Αἱ τρεῖς ῥάβδοι συμβολικῶς ἦτοι αἱ τρεῖς δυνάμεις τῆς ψυχῆς εἰσι, τὸ λογικὸν, τὸ θυμικὸν, ἰδ ἐπιθυμητικόν· ἦτοι αί τρεῖς θεωρίαι τῶν σωμάτων, τῶν ἀσωμάτων τῆς ἁγίας Τριὰδος· ἦτοι γενικῶς ἡ πρακτικὴ διὰ τῆς καρυῖνης, ὴ θεωρητικὴ διὰ τῆς στυρακίνης, διὰ δὲ τῆς πλατάνου τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον καὶ τὴν θεωρίαν αὑτοῦᾐνίξατο. T6 περισὺρειν τὸ χλωρὸν τούτου, τὴν ἁποταξίαν αὐτοῦ σημαίνει· καὶ τῆς μὲν πρακτικῆς τὸ χλωρόν ἐστι τὸ ήδυπαθές· τῆς δὲ θεωρίας, τὸ περὶ τά σώματα ἀσχολεῖσθαι· τὸ δὲ χλωρὸν τῶν δύο ἄλλων ἐκδοχῶν βασάνιζε. Eine δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Ἰακώβ· Ἀποστρέφου εις τῖινγῆν τοῦ πατρός σου, καὶ εἰς τὴν γενεάν σου· καὶ ἔσομαι μετὰ σοῦ. Ὅτε ἐκαρποφόρησεν Ἰακὼδ, καὶ ἐπλούτησεν ἔξω τῆς γενεᾶς αὐτοῦ τυγχάνων, τότε εἶπεν αὐτῷ Κύριος· Ἁποστρέςοου εἰς τὴν τῆν τοῦ πατρός σου. Τοιοῦτον δέ τι νοητέον ὑπὸ Κυρίου λέγεσθαι, ὅτε πρὸς τῇ ἐξόδῳ γενώμεθα άπελευσόμενοι πρδς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, Καὶ ἆθλον δὲ δίδωσι τῷ ἁποστρέφοντι είς τὴν γῆν τοῦ πατρὸς αὺτοῦ, καὶείς τὴν γενεὰν αὑτοῦ. Οἶμαι δὲ, ὅτι ὲν ὕπνοις παρῆν αὐτῷ 6 Κύριος. Ὁ δὲ πατὴρ ὑμῶν παρεκρούσατό με, καὶ ἥλλαξε τὸν μισθόν μου τῶν δέκα ἁμνῶν. Ἀκύλας δέκα ἀριθμοὺς (ll) εἴρηκε· Σύμμαχος δεκάκις ἀριθμῷ. Ἔλεγεν οὖν, ὣς φησιν 6 Ἐβραῖος, Δεκάκις ἠθέτησεν τὰς συνθήκας πρὸς τὸν Ἰακὼβ 6 Λάὸαν, διὰ τὺ τὰ γεννώμενα ἐπʼ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰακὼὸ πλεῖστα ὅσα ὑπάρχειν, κάκεῖνον ἐποφθαλμιᾷν αὐτόν· ὅπερ ἐδήλωσαν αἱ δύο ἐκδόσεις· Καὶ παρηλογίσω τὸν μισθόν μου δέκα ἀμνάδας· άμνῶν δὲ ὅλως οὐκ ἔχει μνήμην, οὓς συνέθετό μοι δοῦναι· οὐδαμοῦ φαίνεται, ὅτι συνέθετο· ἀλλʼ ἀφʼ ὧν αὐτὸς λέγει, φανερόν ἐστιν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀποκτείνοντα τὸν Λάμεχ οὐκ εἰσάγει, ὲκζητούμενον δὲ, ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς ἐξηγήσεως εἶναι φανερὸν καὶ τὸ γενόμενον· οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα. Πολλάκις οὖν ἡ Γραφὴ, ἃ ὲν τῷ πράττεσθαι οὐκ ἐξηγήσατο, διά τινος ἐξηγουμένου ἐδήλωσεν. Τὰ πρόβατά σου καὶ αἱ αἷγές σου οὐκ ὴτεκνὼθησαν· κριοὺς τῶν προβάτων σου οὐ κατέφαγον. Καλοῦ ποιμένος παρρησία ἐμφαίνεται ταῖς φωναῖς ταύταις, ἃς ζηλωτέον. Γ εννάτωσαν οὖν καρ- ' " ' ' I ποὺς πνευματικοὺς τά ὲν τοῖς ποιμνίοις καὶ αἱπολίοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους τῆς ποίμνης μὴ κατεσθίωμεν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ οὐχ εὕρηνται οἱ αὐτοῦ θεοῖ, συμβάσεις ποιεῖται μετὰ τοῦ θεσπεσίου Ἰακώβ· καὶ 6 κόσμος, ἡνίκα τοὺς ψευδωνύμους ἀπεβάλετε) θεοὺς, φίλος γέγονε τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Eine δὲ Ἰακὼό τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ· Συλλέγετε ςῑίθους· καὶ συνέλεξαν λίθους. Καὶ ἐν τῷ

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 30:37] “And Jacob took for himself a green rod of storax, and of walnut, and of plane.” The three rods are symbolically either the three powers of the soul, the rational, the spirited, and the desiring; or the three contemplations, of bodies, of incorporeal beings, and of the Holy Trinity; or, more generally, by the walnut he hinted at the practical life, by the storax at the contemplative, and by the plane at this world and the contemplation of it. Peeling off its green signifies renunciation of it: the green of the practical life is the love of pleasure; that of contemplation, being occupied with bodies; as for the green in the two other interpretations, test it yourself. [Gen 31:3] “And the Lord said to Jacob: Return to the land of your father and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” When Jacob had borne fruit and become rich while living outside his kindred, then the Lord said to him, “Return to the land of your father.” Something of this kind must be understood to be said by the Lord when we come to our departure, about to go away to our fathers. And he gives a prize to the one who returns to the land of his father and to his kindred. I think that the Lord was present to him in sleep. [Gen 31:7] “And your father cheated me and changed my wages of the ten lambs.” Aquila said “ten numbers,” Symmachus “ten times in number.” He meant, then, as the Hebrew says: Laban broke his agreements with Jacob ten times, because what was born in Jacob's name was very many, and he looked on him with envy; which the two versions made clear. [Gen 31:41] “And you cheated me of my wages of ten lambs.” Of lambs Scripture makes no mention at all; “which he agreed to give me”: nowhere does it appear that he agreed, but it is evident from what Jacob himself says. For just as Scripture does not show Lamech killing, but when he is questioned it becomes evident from his account what had happened, so also here. Often, then, Scripture has made known through someone's account what it did not relate when it was being done. [Gen 31:38] “Your sheep and your goats were not barren; I did not eat the rams of your sheep.” The frankness of a good shepherd appears in these words, and is to be emulated. Let those in the flocks and herds, then, bear spiritual fruits; and let us not devour the rich of the flock. Since his gods were not found, he makes an agreement with the divine Jacob; and the world, when it cast off the falsely named gods, became a friend of Christ. [Gen 31:46] “And Jacob said to his brothers: Gather stones; and they gathered stones.” And in

### Scripture references

- Gen 30:37: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 30:38: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 31:3: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 31:7: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 31:41: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 4:23: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 31:38: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 31:35: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 31:44: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 31:46: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The interpretation of the rods uses the vocabulary of Evagrius of Pontus (the three kinds of contemplation; the practical and the contemplative life; “renunciation”, ἀποταξία); the note is probably an Evagrian scholion in the catena, though it stands here without a separate attribution. Gen 4:23 (Lamech's confession); Gen 31:30–35 and 31:44 (Laban's gods, the covenant). Aquila and Symmachus: second-century Greek translators.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 125 (PG 12:125a–125d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-125).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 127

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-127
- Source: PG 12:128a–128d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 31–37: gathering stones for the spiritual house; Jacob's humility toward Esau; the one who wrestled with Jacob is the Word of God; Joseph's tunic and his brothers' hatred.

### Greek text

Ἐκκλησιαστῇ γέγραπται· Καιρὸς τοῦ,βαλεῖν..τίθους, καὶ καιρός τοῦ συναγαγεῖν λίθους. Συνάγονται δὲ κατά πρόσταξιν ’1ακὼ6,·ὃς τύπος ἦν Χριο στοῦ, ἶνα ἡ οἰκοδομὴ πληρωθῇ ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, ὲκ λίθων ζώντων, ὅτε γίνεται οἶκος πνευματικὸς, ἱεράτευμα ἓίγιον. Καὶ ἀποστραφεὶς Λάβαν ἀπῆλθεν είς τὸν τόκον αὐτοῦ. Τοῦ μὲν φαύλου διὰ τὴν κακίαν ἐγγὺς ὁ τόπος· τοῦ δὲ διὰ προκοπῆς ὁδεύοντος, ἐπεὶ μακράν ἐστιν ὁ τόπος, οὐ μικρὸςὸκόπος. Καὶ συνήντησαν αὐτῷ ol ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ. '0 Κύριός φησιν· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἠ ὁδός. Τῷ οῦν τὴν ὁδὸν ταύτην πορευομένῳ συναντῶσιν ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Kal ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς λέγωνʼ Οὕτως ἐρεῖτε τῷ κιερίῳ μου Ἠσαῖν Οὕτως,λέγει ό παῖς σου Ἰακώόο Μετὰ Λάβαν παρῴκησα. Κατά τιμὴν τὸν πρεσβύτερον ἀδελφὸν ἀνυποκρίτως κύριον αὑτοῦ καλεῖ. Πλὴν καὶ ἀπόκρισις ὑποπίπτουσα ἀπο.στρέφει θυμόν. Καὶ ὼς ἄνθρωπος μὲν εφοβήθη, τῷ Θεῷ δὲ πιστεύσας, οῦκ ἔφυγεν, ἀλλʼ ἧρετο. χεὲἒέιι διέβη τὴν διάβασιν τοῦ Ἰαεώκ. Ἰαὸὼκ πόταμός ἐστι τῆς Ἀραβίας, ὀνῦν καλούμενος Ἰαμδίκης. Ὑπελείρθη δὲ Ἰακὼό μόνος, καὶ excitare μετʼ αὑτοῦ ἅνθρωπος, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τίς δʼ ἂν ἀλλος εἴη ὁ λεγόμενος ἀνθ ρωπος ὁμοῦ καὶ Θεὸς, συμπαλαίων καὶ συναγωνιζόμενος τῷ Ἰακὼβ, ἢ ό πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἱερὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, Κύριος καὶ Θεὸς χρηματίζων, ὃς καὶ εὐλογήσας τὸν Ἰακὼβ, Ἰσραὴλ αὐτὸν ὡνόμασεν,ὲπειπὼν, ὃτι ἑνίσχυσας μετὰ Θεοῦ; οὕτω δὲ ἑώρων οἱ τότε ἄνδρες τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, ὼς καὶ οἱ φήσαντες τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ἀπόστολοι· Ὅ ἦν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, ἑωράκαμεν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα, καί al χεῖρες ἡμῶν ἐψηλάφησαν περὶτοῦ Λόγου τῆς ζωῇςο ὃν Λόγον, καὶ ζωὴν Θεασάμενος καὶ ὁ Ἰακὼβ, ὲπιφέρει λέγων· Εἶδον γὰρ Θεὸν πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον. Ἰακὼό δὲ ἠγάπα τὸν Ἰωσὴφ παρὰ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς αὑτοῦ, ὅτι υίὸς γήρως ἦν αὐτῷ. Ἐποίησε δὲ αὐτῷ χιτῶνα ποικίλον. Χιτὼν ποικίλος ἐστὶν ι) ἕξις ἀρίστη ταῖς ἀρεταῖς κεκοσμημένη. Ἰδόντες δὲ οί ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι αὑτὸν ό παρ τὴρ φιλεῖ ἐκ πάντων τῶν υίῶν αὑτοῦ, ἐμίσησαν αὑτὸν, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο λαλεῖν αὐτῷ οὐδὲν εἰρηνικόν. Ὀ μισῶν ἀδυνάτως ἔχει πρὸς τὺ είρηνικόν τι λαλεῖν τῷ μισουμὲνῳ. Ἀποθὼμεθα οὖν τὸ μῖσος, ἵνα λαλεῖν εἰρηνικὰ δυνηθῶμεν.

### English translation (Claude)

Ecclesiastes it is written: “A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones.” They are gathered by the command of Jacob, who was a type of Christ, so that the building may be completed on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ our Lord himself being the cornerstone, from living stones, when it becomes a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. [Gen 31:55] “And Laban turned back and went away to his place.” For the wicked man the place is near because of his vice; but for one who travels by way of progress, since the place is far off, the toil is not small. [Gen 32:1] “And the angels of God met him.” The Lord says, “I am the way.” Angels of God, then, meet the one who travels this way. [Gen 32:4] “And he commanded them, saying: Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob: I have sojourned with Laban.” Out of respect he calls his elder brother his lord, without hypocrisy. Besides, “a submissive answer turns away wrath.” And as a man he was afraid, but trusting in God he did not flee, but prayed. [Gen 32:22] “He crossed the ford of the Jabbok.” The Jabbok is a river of Arabia, now called the Iambikes. [Gen 32:24] “And Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him,” and so on. Who else could he be who is called at once man and God, wrestling and contending with Jacob, than the holy Word of God, who spoke to the fathers in many parts and in many ways, who is called Lord and God, who also blessed Jacob and named him Israel, adding, “for you have prevailed with God”? In this way the men of that time saw the Word of God, as also our Lord's apostles, who said: “What was from the beginning, we have seen with our eyes, and beheld, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life.” Having beheld this Word and Life, Jacob too adds: “For I have seen God face to face.” [Gen 37:3] “And Jacob loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a many-coloured tunic.” The many-coloured tunic is the best habit, adorned with the virtues. [Gen 37:4] “And his brothers, seeing that their father loved him more than all his sons, hated him and could not speak anything peaceable to him.” The one who hates is unable to say anything peaceable to the one he hates. Let us put away hatred, then, so that we may be able to speak peaceable things.

### Scripture references

- Eccl 3:5: quotation, high confidence
- Eph 2:20: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Pet 2:5: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 31:55: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 32:1: quotation, high confidence
- John 14:6: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 32:4: quotation, high confidence
- Prov 15:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 32:7: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 32:9: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 32:22: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 32:24: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 1:1: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 32:28: quotation, high confidence
- 1 John 1:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 32:30: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 37:3: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 37:4: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Eccl 3:5; Eph 2:20; 1 Pet 2:5; John 14:6; Prov 15:1; Heb 1:1; Gen 32:28, 30; 1 John 1:1. The identification of Jacob's opponent as the Word is phrased as in Eusebius (Demonstration of the Gospel 5.11); the catena's ascription of this note is uncertain. The scan's “ἧρετο” is taken as “prayed” (Gen 32:9–12); “τόκον” is read as τόπον (“place”).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 127 (PG 12:128a–128d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-127).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 129

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-129
- Source: PG 12:129a–129d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 37–40: Potiphar's name; Onan as a type of those who sow to the flesh; the martyrs “sin” against the king of Egypt, not against God; the stems and baskets; Pharaoh's birthday.

### Greek text

Ol δὲ Μαδιηναῗοι ἀπέδοντο τὸν Ἰωσὴφ εἱς Αἵγυπτον τῷ Πετεφρῇ τῷ σπάδοντι Φαραὼ ἁρχιμαγείρῳ. Πετεφρῆς παρὰ Ἀκύλᾳ καὶ Συμμάχῳ Φουτιφὰρ εἴρηται ὲν τούτῳ τῷ τόπῳ, ἐν δὲ ἑτέρῳ Φουτιφαρὲ. Καὶ ἡ μὲν τοῦ παρόντος ὀνόματος ἑρμηνεία παράκειται τῇ λέξει (ΞΞΥ ἡ δὲ ἔκθεσις τοῦ ἐτέρου ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς φανεῖται. Γνοὺς δὲ Αὐνᾶν, ὅτι οὐκ αὐτῷ ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα, ἐγένετο ὅταν εἰσήρχετο πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἐξέχεεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. Πᾶς ὁ σπείρων ἐπὶ τὴν σάρκα, καὶ τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκὸς ἐν τῇ γῇ θησαυρίζων, ὅμοιος τῷ Λύνᾶν· διὸ καὶ θανατοῦται ὑπὸ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἦν Κύριος μετὰ Ἰωσήφ· καὶ ἦν ἀνὴρ ἐπιτυγχάνων. Ὠς ἐπὶ σκοπὸν βάλλων, ἔτεινε τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν ἑαυτοῦ. καὶ ἀεὶ ἐπετύγχανε. Πολλαχωῖ δὲ κέχρηται τούτῳ ἡ Γραφή. Καὶ εὐλόγησε Κύριος τὸν οἷκον τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου διὰ Ἰωσήφ. Διὰ τὸν ἆγιον ὲν οἴκῳ ὄντα Αίγυπτίου εὐλογεῖται ὁ οἶκος, καὶ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ ὁ ἀγρὸς τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου. Αὕτη δὲ ού πνευματικὴ εὑλογία. Ἐγένετο δὲ μετὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα, ἥμαρτεν o' ἀρχιοινοχόος τοῦβασιλέως Αἰγύπτου, καί ό ἀρχιοιτοποιὸς τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτῶν βασιλεῖ Αἰγύπτου. Νομίζω ὅτι τὸ ἀνάλογον τῷ· Ἥμαρτον,βασιλεῖ Αἰγύπτου, λέγοιτʼ ἂν περὶ τῶν μαρτύρων, ὅτιτῷ νοητῷ βασιλεῖ τῆς Αἰγύπτου οὗτοι ἁμαρτάνουσιν, ἀλλʼ ού τῷ Θεῷ. Εἰς γὰρ τὸν τοῦ κόσμου νόμον δοκοῦσιν ἁμαρτάνειν, ἐναντίον ὄντα τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὅτι κλοπῇ sudatur ἐκ γῆς Ἐβραίων, καὶ ὦδε οὐκ ἐποίησα οὐδέν. Τὸ μηδὲν ἐπιχωρίων Αἰγυπτίων ποιεῖν αἰνίσσεται διὰ τοῦ· Ὧδε οὐκ ἐποίησα οὐδέν. Αἰγυπτίων δὲ ἔργον ἦν καὶ τὸ συνελθεῖν τῇ τοῦ κυρίου γυναικί. Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Ἰωσὴφ εἶπεν αὐτῷʼ Αὕτη ἠ σύγκρισις αὐτοῦ· τὰ τρία κανᾶ τρεῖς ἡμέραι εἰσίν. Καὶ ἀνωτέρω εἴρηται, οἰ τρεῖς πυθμένες τρεῖς ἡμέραι εἰσίν. Οὐκοῦν τὸ, τρεῖς ἡμέραι, καὶ διὰ πυθμένων καὶ διὰ κανῶν παρίσταται· συγχρησαμένης Προνοίας είς παράστασιν τριῶν ἡμερῶν οἰκείοις παραδείγμασιτοῦ ἐκατέρου βίου. Τοιαῦτα δʼ ἂν εὕροις καὶ ὲν ταῖς λοιπαῖς Γραφαῖςʼ τὸ αὐτὸ δηλούμενον ἀπὸ διαφόρων εἶναι δοκούντων παραδειγμὰτων. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ, ἡμέρα γενέσεως ἦν Φαραὼ, καὶ ἐποίει πότον πᾶσι τοῖς παισὶν αὑτοῦ. Τῶν μὲν πρὸ ἡμῶν ἐτήρησέ τις, ὅτι φαῦλός ἐστιν ὁ τὰ γενέσεως τιμῶν πράγματα, καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς γενέσεως αὐτοῦ ἀποδεχόμενος· ἡμεῖς

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 37:36] “And the Midianites sold Joseph into Egypt to Petephres, the eunuch of Pharaoh, the chief cook.” In this place Petephres is called Phoutiphar by Aquila and Symmachus, and in another place Phoutiphare. The interpretation of the present name is set beside the word …; the exposition of the other will appear in what follows. [Gen 38:9] “And Onan, knowing that the seed would not be his, when he went in to his brother's wife, poured it out on the ground.” Everyone who sows to the flesh and stores up the works of the flesh on the earth is like Onan; therefore he too is put to death by God. [Gen 39:2] “And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a man who succeeded.” Like one shooting at a target, he directed his ruling faculty and always hit the mark. Scripture uses this word in many places. [Gen 39:5] “And the Lord blessed the house of the Egyptian because of Joseph.” Because of the saint who is in an Egyptian's house, the house is blessed, and the possessions, and the field of the Egyptian. But this is not a spiritual blessing. [Gen 40:1] “And after these things the chief cupbearer of the king of Egypt and the chief baker sinned against their lord, the king of Egypt.” I think that something corresponding to “They sinned against the king of Egypt” might be said of the martyrs: that they sin against the intelligible king of Egypt, but not against God. For they seem to sin against the law of the world, which is contrary to the law of God. [Gen 40:15] “For I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews, and here I have done nothing.” By “Here I have done nothing” he hints that he did none of the native Egyptian things; and lying with one's master's wife was also an Egyptian deed. [Gen 40:18] “And Joseph answered and said to him: This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days.” And above it was said, “The three stems are three days.” So “three days” is shown both by stems and by baskets, Providence using for the showing of three days examples proper to the life of each. You will find such things in the other Scriptures too: the same thing shown by examples that seem different. [Gen 40:20] “And it came to pass on the third day, it was Pharaoh's birthday, and he made a feast for all his servants.” One of those before us observed that he is wicked who honours the things of birth and welcomes the day of his birth; and we

### Scripture references

- Gen 37:36: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 38:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gal 6:8: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 6:19: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 38:10: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 39:2: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 39:5: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 40:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 40:15: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 40:18: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 40:12: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 40:20: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Gal 6:8; Matt 6:19; Gen 40:12. The interpretation of Potiphar's name is lost in the scan (“…”). “One of those before us” on birthdays: the same observation is in Origen, Homilies on Leviticus 8.3.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 129 (PG 12:129a–129d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-129).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 131

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-131
- Source: PG 12:132a–132d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: No righteous man keeps his birthday; Pharaoh's standing on the river and the years of plenty and famine read as worldly prosperity that ends in bitterness, like the rich man's.

### Greek text

ιτα δὲ βεβαιοῦμεν τὴν διήγησιν, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἡρώδου τὺ παραπλήσιον εὑρόντες, ἅτε καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ Ἡρωδιάδος ὼρχήσατο, καὶ ἀπετμήθηὴ Ἰωάννου κεφαρ· καὶ οὐδαμοῦ δίκαιος φαίνεται γενέθλιον ἄγων ἡμέραν. Ἐγένετο δὲ μετὰ δύο ἔτη ἡμερῶν. Φαραὼ εἶδεν ἐνύπνιον. ’ῼετο ἑστάναι ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. '0 ἐπὶ τοῖς ρευστοῖς καὶ ὰὸεὗαίοις πεποιθὼς ᾤετο ἑστάναι ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ, ἀφʼ οὗ τὰ δοκοῦντα εὐδαιμονικὰ εἰναι ἀναβαίνει, ὅτε οἱ βόες αὺτοῦ παχεῖς εἰσιν· ἀλλὰ πάντως κατεσθίεται ταῦτα ὑπὸ τῶν χειρόνων. Πρὸς δὲ τὸ, ᾤετο, συγκρινεῖς τὸ, ᾤμην ὑμᾶς δεσμεύειν δράγματα. Ἐπὶ δὲ δευτέρου ἐνυπνίου, Ὥσπερ, ςςησὶν, ό ἣλιος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη. καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες προσεκύνουν μοι. Πάλιν τε αὖ ὀ μὲν ἀρχιοινοχόος ἐν τῷ ὕπνῳ μου, φησιν, ἦν Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Τὸ μὲν διηγη ματικὺν τῆς Γραφῆς πρόαωπόν φησιν· ’ῼετο ἑστάναι ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ, οὒ παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τοῦ ποταμοῦ· ό δὲ Φαραώ φησιν· ᾭμην ἑστάναι παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τοῦ ποταμοῦ, οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ. Τὰ μέντοιγε ὲν Αἰγύπτῳ πράγματα τὰ ἐν τοῖς κοσμικοῖς, ἀπδχρηστοτέρων ἀρχόμενα, ὧν σύμβολον ἡ εὖθηνία, εἰς πικρότερον καταλήγει, ὢν ή εὐθηνία καὶ ό λιμὸς τύπος. Τοιοῦτον δέ ἐστι καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν πλούσιον λόγου θεωρῆσαι. Οίονεὶ γὰρ τὰ ἑπτὰ ἔτη τῆς εὐθηνίας ἦν αὐτῷ, ἀπολαμβάνοντι τὰ ἀγαθὰ αὑτοῦ ὲν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ, ὲνδεδυμένῳ πορφύραν, καὶ βύσσον, καὶ εὐφραινομένῳ καθʼ ἠμέραν λαμπρῶςσ λήγει δὲ αὐτῷ είς τὰ ἐναντία, ἀπολαμβάνοντι τὰ κακὰ μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀπαλλαγήν. Τοιαῦτα δʼ ἂν ἴδοις καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τὴν πλατεῖαν καὶ εὑρύχωρον ὁδευόντων, ὧν τὸ τέλος ἀπώλειαοοῖς δὲ ἀρχὴ τὸ στενὸν καὶ τὺ τεθλιμμένον, τὸ τέλος ζωή. Διὸ οὐαὶ τοῖς ὲμπεπλησμὲνοις, ὅτι πεινάσουσι· καὶ τοῖς γελῶσιν, ὅτι κλαύσουσι. Μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες καὶ κλαίοντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ὥσπερ ἐκ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἀνέβαινον ἀκτὰ βόες, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τοῦ Φαραὼ τὰ ἐνύπνια βόες ἦσαν καὶ στάχυες. Διʼ ὧν γὰρ γεωργεῖται ή γῆ, καὶ ἆπερ φέρει, προσημαντικὰ εὐθηνίας τε καὶ ἀφορίας ἐγένετο τῷ βασιλεῖ. Ἠγέρθη δὲ Φαραὼ, καὶ ἐνισπνιιὶσθη τὸ δεύτενον* καί ὶδοὺ ἑπτὰ στάχυες ἀνέβαινον ἐν πυθμένιένὶ ἐκλεκτοὶ καὶ καλοί. Ὀ μὲν Ἰωσὴφ οὐ στάχυας, ἀλλὰ δράγματα εἶδεν* ό δὲ Αἰγύπτιος οὐ δράγματα, ἀλλὰ στάχυας. Καὶ πάλιν ό μὲν ἀρχιοινοίόος τοὺς τρεῖς πυθμένας βλέπει είς τρεῖς ἡμέραςο ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τοῦς ὲν πυθμένι ἐνὶ ἑπτὰ στάχυας εις τδ συνημμένον τῶν ἱπτὰ ινιαυτῶνο καὶ γίνεται τοῦ ἑνὸς ὀνόματος τοῦ πυθμένος διάφορος ἡ ἑρμηνεία. Eiram οὖν ἄλλως τις διηγεῖται τὴν Γραφὴν, μὴ δοκείτω βιάζεσθαι αὐτήν. Καὶ ἔτι τηρητέον, ὅτι ἐπὶ μὲν της

### English translation (Claude)

confirm the account, finding the like also in the case of Herod, since the daughter of Herodias danced and John's head was cut off; and nowhere does a righteous man appear keeping his birthday. [Gen 41:1] “And it came to pass after two years of days, Pharaoh saw a dream. He thought he stood upon the river,” and so on. The one who trusts in flowing and unstable things thought he stood upon the river, from which what seem to be the goods of happiness come up when his cows are fat; but these are certainly devoured by the worse. With “he thought” you will compare “I thought we were binding sheaves.” And on the second dream: “As if,” he says, “the sun and the moon and the stars were bowing down to me.” And again the chief cupbearer: “In my sleep,” he says, “there was …” [Of the same.] The narrating voice of Scripture says, “He thought he stood upon the river,” not “by the bank of the river”; but Pharaoh says, “I thought I stood by the bank of the river,” not “upon the river.” The affairs in Egypt, however, those of worldly things, beginning from more pleasant things, of which the plenty is a symbol, end in something more bitter, of which the plenty and the famine are a type. Something similar can be observed in the story of the rich man. For he had, as it were, the seven years of plenty, receiving his good things in his life, clothed in purple and fine linen and making merry splendidly every day; but it ends for him in the opposite, receiving evils after his departure from here. You might see such things also in those who walk the broad and spacious way, whose end is destruction; but for those whose beginning is the narrow and afflicted way, the end is life. Therefore, woe to those who are full, for they will hunger; and to those who laugh, for they will weep. Blessed are those who mourn and weep, for they will be comforted. [Gen 41:2] “And behold, as it were out of the river came up seven cows,” and so on. Pharaoh's dreams were of cows and ears of grain; for the means by which the earth is tilled, and what it bears, became signs for the king foretelling plenty and barrenness. [Gen 41:5] “And Pharaoh woke and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears came up on one stem, choice and good.” Joseph saw not ears but sheaves; the Egyptian not sheaves but ears. And again, the chief cupbearer sees the three stems as three days, while the king sees the seven ears on one stem as the continuity of the seven years; so the interpretation of the one word “stem” differs. If, then, someone explains Scripture otherwise, let him not be thought to force it. And it should be further observed that in the case of the

### Scripture references

- Matt 14:6: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 14:10: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 41:1: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 37:7: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 37:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 40:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 41:17: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 16:19: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 16:25: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 7:13: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 7:14: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 6:25: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 6:21: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 5:4: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 41:2: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 41:5: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 40:10: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Matt 14:6–10; Gen 37:7, 9; Gen 40:9; Gen 41:17 (Pharaoh's own account); Luke 16:19–25; Matt 7:13–14; Luke 6:21, 25; Matt 5:4. “Stem” (πυθμήν) is used both of the vine's stems (Gen 40:10) and of the stalk of grain (Gen 41:5).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 131 (PG 12:132a–132d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-131).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 133

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-133
- Source: PG 12:133a–133d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 41: the wise men of Egypt; a Hebrew tradition that Pharaoh had forgotten the interpretation he had seen; Joseph begins from God; the meaning of “Abrech”.

### Greek text

εὐθηνίας ἑπτὰ στάχυες ἁκαὸαίνοντες ἐν πυθμένι ἐν). ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ λιμοῦ ἑπτὰ μὲν στάχυες, οὐκ ἔτι δὲ ἐν πυθμένι ἐνί· ἄλλος φησίν ' ἐν καλάμῳ ἐνί. Ἐγένετο δὲ πρωῒ, καὶ ἐταράχθη τ) ψυχὴ αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἐκάλεσε πάντας τοὺς ἐξηγητὰς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ πάντας τοὺς σοφοὺς αὐτῆς. Ὅλης Αἰγύπτου πῶς ἐκάλεσε τοὺς ἐξηγητὰς καὶ σοφοὺς, ἅμα ζητητέον ὡς πρὸς τὴν λέξιν, καὶ εί πρὸς ἀναγωγὴν δεῖται ἐξηγητῶν Αἰγυπτίων ὁ Φαραὼ ὡς σοφωτέρων. Ὅλης δὲ Αἰγύπτου φαμὲν, Cu; ἁκολούθου τῷ, Πάντας τοὺς ἐξηγητὰς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ πάντας τοὺς σοροὺς αὐτῆς. Καὶ διηγήσατο αὺτοῖς Φαραὼ τὸ ἐνύπνιον αὺτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ό (irrumet.le αὐτὸ τῷ Φαραώ. Οὐκ οἶμαι, ὅτι τέλεον ἐσιώπων, ἀλλὰ πάντα μᾶλλον ἕλεγονῆ αὐτὸ τὸ τῆς ἐνυπνίων διηγήσεως. Ἀλλʼ ἐρεῖ τις· Πῶς ᾔδει ὁ Φαραὼ πότερον ἐπιτυγχάνουσιν οἱ ἐξηγηταὶ καὶ σοφοὶ Αἰγύπτου διηγούμενοι τὰ ἐνύπνια, ἦ μή; Ἔλεγε δὲ πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Ἐβραῖος, ὅτι ὁ Φαραὼ ἰδὼν τὸ ἐνύπνιον, εἶδε αὑτοῦ καὶ τὴν διήγησιν, ἥτις αὑτοῦ ἀπέπεσε τῆς μνήμης. Ἐκάςτου οὖν ἁκούων λέγοντος, οὐκ ἀνεμιμνῄσκετο οὗ ᾔδει ἑωρακέναι. Διὰ τοῦτο δὲ ἐξεπλάγη τὸν Ίωσὴερ. καὶ ἀθρόως αὐτὸν προήγαγεν εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι τὴν πᾶσαν Αἴγυπτον, καὶ τὸν σῖτον αὐτῆς, καὶ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, αὐτῷ· ἐπεὶ ᾶμαγε ἐκδιηγήσατο τὰ ὀνείρατα, καὶ οὗτος ὑπεμνήσθη τὰ αὑτὰ εἶναι τὰ προδεδηλωμένα αὐτῷ. Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Ἰωσὴφ τῷ Φαραὼ, εἶπεν ’Ἄνευ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἀποκριθήσεται τὸ σωτήριον Φαραώ. Εὖλογος Ἰωσὴφ ὲν ᾧ προοιμιάζεται ἀπὸ Θεοῦ. Τήρει δὲ, ὅτι πρὸς μὲν τὴν γυναῖκα εἷπε· Καὶ ποιήσω τὸ ῥῆμα τὸ πονηρὸν τοῦτο, καί ἀμαρτήσομαι ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἐν τῇ (θʼ-· λακῇ εὐνούχους φησίν· Οὐχὶ διὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἠ δια· εʼάφησις αὐτῶν ἐστι; Kal εἷπε Φαραὼ πᾶσι τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦʼ Μὴ -· εὑρήσομεν ἄνθρωπον τοιοῦτον, ὃς ἔχει πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐν ἐαυτῷ ; Μεῖζον ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ίδὼν Φαραὼ τὸ τὴν ἐκπεσοῦσαν τῆς μνήμης αὐτοῦ λύσιν τοῦ ὀνείρατος σεσαερηνίσοαι ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, πνεῦμα εἷπε Θεοῦ ἔχειν αὑτὸν ἐν ἐαυτῷ. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Ἠναγκάσθη καὶ Φαραὼ ἕνα εἰπεῖν Θεόν· καὶ τούτῳ δὲ συνᾴδει τὸ περ). τῆς λύσεως τοῦ ὀνείρατος προαποδεδομένον. ν Καὶ ἐκήρυσσεν ἔμπροσθεν αὑτοῦ κῆρυξ. Τὸ Ἑβραῖκὸν ἔχει Ἁβρὴχ, ὃ κυρίως σημαίνει, παι τὴρ ἁπαλός. Εἰκότως πατέρα ἁπαλὸν ἐκάλεσε τὸν

### English translation (Claude)

plenty seven ears came up on one stem, but in the case of the famine seven ears indeed, but no longer on one stem; another translator says “on one stalk.” [Gen 41:8] “And it was morning, and his soul was troubled, and he sent and called all the interpreters of Egypt and all its wise men.” How he called the interpreters and wise men of all Egypt must be inquired at the same time with regard to the letter; and, with regard to the higher sense, whether Pharaoh needs Egyptian interpreters as wiser. We say “of all Egypt” as following from “all the interpreters of Egypt and all its wise men.” [Gen 41:8] “And Pharaoh told them his dream, and there was no one who interpreted it to Pharaoh.” I do not think that they were wholly silent, but rather that they said everything except the very interpretation of the dreams. But someone will say: How did Pharaoh know whether the interpreters and wise men of Egypt hit the mark in interpreting the dreams or not? To this the Hebrew said that Pharaoh, on seeing the dream, also saw its interpretation, which then fell from his memory. Hearing each of them speak, he did not recall what he knew he had seen. For this reason he was amazed at Joseph and at once advanced him, so that all Egypt, its grain, and the safety of the Egyptians were entrusted to him; since, as soon as Joseph explained the dreams, Pharaoh was reminded that they were the same as had been shown to him before. [Gen 41:16] “And Joseph answered Pharaoh and said: Without God the answer of salvation will not be given to Pharaoh.” Joseph is sensible in that he begins from God. Observe that to the woman he said, “And shall I do this evil thing and sin before God?” And to the eunuchs in the prison he says, “Is not their interpretation through God?” [Gen 41:38] “And Pharaoh said to all his servants: Shall we find such a man, who has the Spirit of God in himself?” Pharaoh, seeing something greater than human, that the solution of the dream which had fallen from his memory had been made plain by Joseph, said that he had the Spirit of God in himself. [Of the same.] Even Pharaoh was compelled to speak of one God; and with this agrees what was given above about the solution of the dream. [Gen 41:43] “And a herald proclaimed before him.” The Hebrew has “Abrech,” which properly signifies “tender father.” Fittingly he called a tender father the

### Scripture references

- Gen 41:5: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 41:23: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 41:8: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 41:16: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 39:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 40:8: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 41:38: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 41:43: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 41:23 (“another translator” on the thin ears); Gen 39:9; Gen 40:8. “The Hebrew”: Origen's Jewish informant. The note on “Abrech” (Gen 41:43) continues in col. 135.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 133 (PG 12:133a–133d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-133).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 135

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-135
- Source: PG 12:136a–136d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 41–42: Abrech, Joseph's Egyptian name, a Jewish tradition that Asenath was Potiphar's daughter, the names of Manasseh and Ephraim, and the grain given as a gift to Jacob's sons.

### Greek text

Ἰωσὴφ, ἐπειδήπερ ἁπαλὸς ὢν κατᾶ τὴν ἠλικίαν, ὡς πατὴρ σωτήριον ἀρχὴν Αἰγυπτίοις ἐνεδείξατο. ΔηΑοῖ δὲ οὐδὲν ἡ λέξις, ἦ τὸ γονατίζειν. Φανερὰ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ κήρυκος. Καὶ ἐκάλεσε Φαραὼ τὸ ὄνομα Ἰωσὴφ Ψονθομgem-lix. Ψομοομφανὴχ ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται, ᾧ ἀπτεκαιλύρθη τὸ μέλλον. Ἀκύλας, Σαραμφανή· Σύμμαχος, Σαφθφανὴ, κεκρυμμένα ἀπεκάλυψε. Καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ τὴν Ἀσενέθ θυγατέρα Πετεφρῆ ἱερέως Ἡλιουπόλεως αὐτῷ γυναῖκα. Τὸ μὲν Φουτιφὰρ ὲν ὀνόματι τοῦ πατρὸς ἐστι τῆς γαμηθείσης τῷ Ἰωσήφ. Οἰήσεται δέ τις ἕτερον εἶναι τοῦο τον παρὰ τὸν ὠνησάμενον τὸν Ἰωσήφ. Οὐ μὴν οὕτως ὑπειλήφασιν Ἑβραῖοι· ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἀποκρύψω λέγουσι τὸν αὑτὸν εἶναι, καὶ δεσπότην καὶ πενθερὸν γενέσθαι. Καὶ φασὶ ταύτην τὴν Ἀσενεο διαβεβληκέναι τὴν μη·τέρα παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ ὼς ὲπιβουλεύσασαν τῷ Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ οὐκ ὲπιβουλευθιῖσαν. Ἢν δὲ ἐκδέδωκε τῷ Ἰωσὴφ, δεῖξαι σπουδάσας καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις, ὅτι μηδὲν τοιοῦτον ἡμάρτηται εἰς τὸν οἷκον αὑτοῦ. Ἐκάλεσε δὲ Ἰωσὴφ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πρωτοτόκου Μανασσῆ, ὅτι ἐπιλαθέσθαι ἐποίησέ με ό Θεες πάντων τῶν πόνων μου, καὶ πάντων τῶν τίιῦ πατρός μου. Τὸ μὲν πάντων ἐπιλαθέσθαι τῶν πόνων τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦτο ποιήσαντος, σαφῶς καλόν ὲστιν ’ εί δὲ καὶ πάντων τῶν τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ἰακὼσ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἐπελάθετο, καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσαντος τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτῷ, ζητητέον. Οὑ γὰρ Θεὸς ποιεῖ ἑπιλαθέσθαι τὸν Ἰωσὴφ λόγων τοῦ Ἰακὼβ, καὶ υίῦν αιίτοῦ · εἰ μὴ ἄρα πόνιιιν αὐτοῦ, ἵνʼ ἀπὸ κοινοῦ τὸ, πόνων. οὕτως · πάντων τῶν πόνων μου καὶ πάντων τῶν τοῦ πατρὸς πόνων. Τὸ ὄνομα τοὺ δευτέρου ἐκάλεσεν Ἐρραῒμ, ὅτι ηὔξησέ με ό Θεὸς ἐν γῇ ταπεινώσεώς μου.. Μυπικῶς ἡ πνευματικὴ Αἴγυπτος γῆ ταπεινώσεώς ἐστι τοῦ δικαίου· παρὸ παρὰ τῷ Ἀποστόλῳ λέγεταιο Τὸ σῶμα τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν· καὶ ὲν Ψαλμοῐςο Ἐταπεινώθη εὶς χοῦν ἠ ζωὴ ἡμῶν· καὶ πάλινο Ἐταπείνωσας ἡμᾶς ἐν τόπῳ κακώσεως. Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ἦν ἄρχων τῆς Αἰγύπτου. Οὗτος ἐπώλει παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τῆς γῆς. Ἐλθόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ Ἰωσὴφ προσεκύνησαν σὺτῷ ἐπὶ πρόσειπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. Διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι λαοὺς τῆς εδίδου τῆς τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰακὼβ, οὐκ ἐπώλει αὐτοῖς· ἀπ.... ν. τὰ ἀργύρια δίς. Ἔπρεπε γὰρ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ προῖκα λαμβάνειν τὸν σῖτον. Τοῦ αὑτοῦ. Χαριὲντως περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν, ὅτε μὲν ἀγοράζουσι, φησιν, υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ· ὅτε δὲ ῐ*προσκυ- - - -- ι τις... __,____.___ νὲῡὲικί autem}, οἱ ἀδελροι Ἰωσήφ. Πλὴν Θενιαμλν Ἰωσὴφ προσκυνεῖ. Διὸ ὲν τῇ ιῦτε τὸν Ἦσαῦ οὔτε τὸν μερίδι αὑτοῦ γίνεται ὁ ναός.

### English translation (Claude)

Joseph, since, being tender in age, he showed himself to the Egyptians as a father, a saving rule. The word signifies nothing other than “to kneel”; for the herald's call is plain. [Gen 41:45] “And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Psonthomphanech.” Psonthomphanech is interpreted “to whom the future was revealed.” Aquila has Saphnath Phanech; Symmachus Saphthphane, “he revealed hidden things.” “And he gave him Asenath, daughter of Petephres, priest of Heliopolis, as wife.” “Phoutiphar” is the name of the father of the woman married to Joseph. Someone will suppose that this man is other than the one who bought Joseph. The Hebrews, however, have not taken it so; on the basis of an apocryphal writing they say that he is the same man, who became both Joseph's master and his father-in-law. And they say that this Asenath accused her mother before her father of having plotted against Joseph, not of having been plotted against; and that he gave her to Joseph, eager to show the Egyptians too that no such sin had been committed against his house. [Gen 41:51] “And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, for God has made me forget all my toils and all that was my father's.” To forget all one's toils, God having brought it about, is clearly good; but whether Joseph also forgot everything that was his father Jacob's, and God did this to him, must be inquired. For God does not make Joseph forget Jacob's words and his own sonship; unless perhaps it means his toils, so that “toils” is understood with both: all my toils and all my father's toils. [Gen 41:52] “The name of the second he called Ephraim, for God has increased me in the land of my humiliation.” In a mystical sense, the spiritual Egypt is the land of the righteous man's humiliation; hence the Apostle speaks of “the body of our humiliation,” and the Psalms say, “Our life was humbled to the dust,” and again, “You humbled us in a place of affliction.” [Gen 42:6] “And Joseph was ruler of Egypt; he sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to him with their face to the ground.” Because the sons of Jacob were not “people of the land,” he did not sell to them, but … the money twice. For it was fitting that the sons of Israel should receive the grain as a gift. [Of the same.] Gracefully, of the same persons, when they buy it says “sons of Israel,” but when they bow down, “Joseph's brothers.” … Benjamin … Joseph bows down … neither Esau nor … Therefore the temple comes to be in his portion.

### Scripture references

- Gen 41:43: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 41:45: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 41:50: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 37:36: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 39:14: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 41:51: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 41:52: quotation, high confidence
- Phil 3:21: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 44:25 (43:26 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Ps 44:19 (43:20 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- Gen 42:6: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 42:25: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 43:12: allusion, medium confidence
- Deut 33:12: allusion, low confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 41:45, 50–52; Phil 3:21; Ps 44:25 (LXX 43:26); Ps 44:19 (LXX 43:20); Gen 42:25 and 43:12 (the money returned). The Jewish tradition that Asenath was the daughter of Joseph's master (Potiphar = Potiphera) is reported “from an apocryphal writing”. The end of the page is badly garbled (debris and a Latin word in the middle of the line); readable words are given and the rest shown as “…”. The temple in Benjamin's portion: compare Deut 33:12.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 135 (PG 12:136a–136d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-135).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 137

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-137
- Source: PG 12:137a–137d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 42–43: Joseph's pleading and Reuben's grief; Judah's pledge for Benjamin; the gifts for Joseph compared with the Midianite caravan; the steward's piety.

### Greek text

Ναὶ, ἐν ἁμαρτίαις γάρ ἐσμεν περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ὴίνπερείδομεν τὴν etiam τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, ὅτε κατεδέετο. Κατὰ τὸ σιωπώμενον κατεδέετο· οὐ γὰρ ἀναγέγραπται πῶς κατεδέετο. Ἀποκριθεὶς Ῥουβὶμ, εἶπεν αὐτοῖςʼ Οὐκ ἁλάληονα ὑμῖν, λέγων, Μὴ ἀδικήσητε τὸ παιδάριον ; καὶ οὐκ εὶσηκούσατέ μου. Καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐκζτητεῖται. Ἐν τοῖς ἀνωαέρω λέλεκται, ὅτι μὴ παρόντοςτοῦ Ῥουβὶμ πέπραται τοῖς Ἰσμαηλίταις ὁ Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ μετὰ τὸ πραθῆναι αὐτὸν ἀνέστρεψενὸ ’Ῥουεῆμ ἐπὶ τὸν λάκκον, καὶ οὐχ ὁρᾷ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ὲν τῷ λάκκῳ, καὶ διέρρηξε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ’ καὶ ἐπέστρεῲεν πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὑτοῦ, καὶ εἷπε· Τὸ παιδάριον οὐκ ἐστιν· μαι ἕτι; Καὶ οὐ φαίνεται μεμαθηκὼς παρὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν περὶ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, ὅτι ἐπράθη, Μήποτε οὗν, οἰόμενος ἀνῃρῆσθαι αὑτὸν, νῦν φησι τὸ, Ἰδοὺ αἷμα αὑτοῦ ἐκζητεῖται. Eine δὲ Ἰούδας πρὸς Ἰσραὴλ τὸν πατέρα αὑτοῦ · Ἀπόστειλον τὸ παιδάριον μετʼ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἀναστάντες πορευσόμεθα ἵνα ζῶμεν. Μήποτε προφητεύει, ὅτι ῆμελλε μετὰ τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς εἶναι Βενιαμίν. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐκδέχομαι αὐτόν· ἐκ χειρός μου ζήτησον αὐτὸν, ἐὰν μὴ ἀγάγω αὑτὸν πρὸς σὲ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Μηδὲν τῶν δυνατῶν γενέσθαι ὼς ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ Βενιαμὶν λογισάμενος Ἰούδας, προφητικῶς, οῖ·μαι, τῷ πατρὶ ἐπαγγέλλεται. Λάβετε ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀτγείοις ὑμῶν, καὶ κατάγετε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ δῶρα τῆς ῥητίνης, καὶ τ οὗ μέλιτος, θυμίαμά τε καὶ στακτὴν, καὶ τερέβινθον, καὶ κάρυα. Ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς φέρεται τῷ Ἰωσὴφ δῶρα, ἆ οὐκ ἔχει Λίγυπτοςλ ἔστι δὲ ῥητίνη, μέλι, θυμίαμα, στακτὴ, τερέδινθος, κάρυα· καὶ ἀνωτέρω δὲ, καὶ αἱ κάμηλοι ἔγεμον θυμιαμάτων, ῥητίνης, στακτῆς, ἀλλʼ οὺχὶ καὶ μέλιτος, καὶ τερεὸίνθου, καὶ καρύων. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Τρία εἴδη μετὰ Ἰωσὴφ κατάγουσι Μαδιηναῖοι εἰς Αἴγυπτον, οἷς ἄλλα τρία προσθέντες οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰακὼβ φέρουσι τῷ Ἰωσήφ. Πλὴν σπέρμα Ἀβρααμ καὶ τὰ πρότερα φέρουσι, καὶ τὰ δεύτερα. Καὶ ἔδει τὰ μὲν ὑποδεέστερα ἀπὸ τῶν νόθων τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ φέρεσθαι παίδων, τὰ δὲ πλείονα, ἀπὸ τῶν γνησίων, ὡς τῆς Αἰγύπτου χρείαν,τούτων ἐχούσης. Εἶπαν· Διὰ τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀποστραφὲν ἐν τοῖς papa-laete τὴν ἀρχὴν ἡμεῖς εὶσαγόμεθα· τοῦ συκοφαντῆσαι ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἐπιθέσθαι ἡμῖν, τοῦ λαβεῖν unde είς παῖδας, καὶ τοὺς ὅνους ἡμῶν. ’Λπίθανον ’τὺ. ἐν τοιαύτῃ νομίζοντας εἶναι περιστάσει, περὶ τῶν ὄνων φροντίζειν, εί μὴ ὀιλληγορεῑται. Εἷπε δὲ αὐτοῖςʼ Ἵλεως ὑμῖν, μὴ φοβεῖσθε. Ἐοικεν ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἄνθρωπος ταῦτα εἰ· ρηκέναι, ὠφεληθεὶς εἰς θεοσέβειαν παρὰ τοῦ Ἰωσήφ. Ἐμεταλύνθη δὲ ἡ μερὶς Βενιαμὶν παρὰ τὰς ysρίόας

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 42:21] “Yes, for we are in sins concerning our brother, because we overlooked the anguish of his soul when he begged us.” “He begged” is among the things passed over in silence; for it is not recorded how he begged. [Gen 42:22] “Reuben answered and said to them: Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not wrong the boy? And you did not listen to me. And behold, his blood is required.” In what was said above, Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelites while Reuben was not present; and after he had been sold Reuben returned to the pit and did not see Joseph in the pit, and tore his clothes, and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not; and I, where shall I go?” And he does not appear to have learned from his brothers about Joseph, that he had been sold. Perhaps, then, thinking that he had been killed, he now says, “Behold, his blood is required.” [Gen 43:8] “And Judah said to Israel his father: Send the boy with me, and we will rise and go, that we may live.” Perhaps he prophesies that Benjamin was to be with the tribe of Judah. [Gen 43:9] “And I will take charge of him; from my hand require him, if I do not bring him to you,” and so on. Reckoning that nothing that can befall a human being would befall Benjamin, Judah makes the promise to his father prophetically, I think. [Gen 43:11] “Take of the fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down to the man gifts: of resin, and of honey, incense and myrrh, and terebinth and nuts.” From the fruits of the land gifts are brought to Joseph which Egypt does not have: resin, honey, incense, myrrh, terebinth, nuts. And above, too, the camels were laden with incense, resin, and myrrh, but not also with honey and terebinth and nuts. [Of the same.] The Midianites bring down three kinds into Egypt with Joseph; the sons of Jacob add three others and bring them to Joseph. But the seed of Abraham brings both the first and the second. And it was fitting that the lesser should be brought by the illegitimate children of Abraham and the greater by the legitimate, since Egypt needed these. [Gen 43:18] “They said: Because of the money returned in our sacks at the beginning we are being brought in, to bring a false charge against us and attack us, to take us as slaves, and our donkeys.” It is unconvincing that men who thought themselves in such a crisis should worry about the donkeys, unless it is meant allegorically. [Gen 43:23] “And he said to them: Peace be to you, do not fear.” The man over Joseph's house seems to have said this because he had been helped toward the worship of God by Joseph. [Gen 43:34] “And Benjamin's portion was made greater than the portions

### Scripture references

- Gen 42:21: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 42:22: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 37:28: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 37:29: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 37:30: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 43:8: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 43:9: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 43:11: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 37:25: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 43:18: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 43:23: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 43:34: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 37:25, 28–30 (the sale and Reuben's return). “Illegitimate children of Abraham”: the Midianites and Ishmaelites, descendants of Keturah and Hagar. Gen 43:11 in the Septuagint list.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 137 (PG 12:137a–137d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/117/#p-137).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 139

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-139
- Source: PG 12:140a–140d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: God used the brothers' sin to save many; the goods of Egypt belong to Israel; the promise “I will bring you up” points to life after death; the names Jacob and Israel distinguished.

### Greek text

πάντων πενταπλασίοις πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων. Ἐμεγαλύνοη ἢ διὰ τὴν Ἰερουσαλὴμ, ἢ ὼς τύπος τοῦ ἀποστόλου Παύλου, Καὶ Ἰησοῦς δὲ τῆς φυλῆς ὢν Ἐερραῒμ διεμέρισε ταῖς ἄλλαις φυλαῖς τὴν γῆν. Ἀπέστειλε γάρ με ὁ Θεὸς ἕμπί οσθεν ὑμῶν, ὐπολείπεσθαι ὑμῖν κατάλειμμιι. Ἐπείπερ ὁ Θεὸς ἀπέστειλε διά τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ζωὴν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἐμπροσοεν τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὑτοῦ είς Αἴγυπτον, δηλονότι ὁ Θεὸς ἀποστέλλων αὑτὸν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, συγκατεχρήο cato τῷ ζήλῳ καὶ τῇ προαιρέσει τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὑτοῦ εἰς τὴν περὶιτοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἐπὶ ζωῇ πολλῶν οἰκονομίαν. ε Οὐκοῦν ἔσθʼ ὅτε συγχρώμενος ἐτέρων ἁμαρτίαις ὁ Θεὸς, οἰκεῖα βουλεύεται ἐπὶ ἄλλων σωτηρίᾳ. Νῦν οὖν οὐχ ὑμεῖς με ἀπεστάλκατε ὦδε, ἀλλʼ ὀ Θεὸς, καὶ ἐποίησέ με ὡς πατέρα Φαραὼ, καὶ κύρτων· παντὸς τοῦ οἴκιτυ αὐταῦ, καὶ ἄρχω-τα πάσης γῆς Atrax“ υ. Ὀ ἄρχων τῶν σωματικῶν πραο γμάτων, καὶ μηδαμῶς αὐτοῖς εἴκων, λέγοιτʼ ἂν τὺ, Ἐποίησὲ με ὁ Θεὸς πάσης τῆς γῆς Αἰγύπτου κύριον. Καὶ μὴ φείσησθε τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τῶν σκευῶν ὑμῶν. Τὰ γὰρ πάντα ἀγαθὰ Αἰγύπτου ὑμῶν ἔσται. Εἴ τι ὑπάρχει ὲν τῇ τροπικῶς καλουμένῃ Αἰγύπτῳ, οὐκ Αἰγυπτίων ἐστὶν, άλλά τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐξόδῳ συσκευάζουσιν Ἑβραῖοι τοὺς Aiγυπτίους, καὶ λαμβάνουσι σκεύη κρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ, καὶ εἴ τι ἀγαθὸν ὲν Αἰγύπτῳ ἦν. Καὶ ἐγὼ ἀναβιβάσαι σε εὶς τέλος. Πρέπουσα ἐπαγγελία τῷ θεῷ, οὐ μόνον ἀναβιβάζειν, ἀλλὰ. καὶ ἐπὶ τέλος φέρειν τὸν ἀναβιβαζόμενον. Teii αὐτοῦ. Πρὸς τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς Πεικτατεὺχου ζητοῦντας τὴν μετά ταῦτα ζωὴν φήσομεν· Ἐπεξπερ ἀψευδής ἐστιν ὁ εἰπὼν, Ἀναῖιέιὲσω σε, ἀνεβίβασεν ὲν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ ὕστερον, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἔξοδον ἀνεβίβασεν αὑτὸν, ὅτε μετὰ τοῦτο Ἰωσὴφ ἐπέβαλε τάς ἑαυτοῦ χεῖρας τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τοῦ σώματος Ἰακώβ. Ἀνεβίῦασεν δὲ ὁ Θεὸς, ἀνάγων μετά τὸ τέλος τοῦ βίον ἐπὶ τὸ παρʼ ἑαυτῷ τέλος τὸν Ἰσραήλ. Ἀνέστη δὲ Ἰακὼὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ φρέατος τοῦ ὅρκου, καὶ ἀνέλαβον υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ Ἰακὼὸ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν. 'U μὲν ἐλθὼν ὲπὶ τὸ φρέαρ τοῦ ὅρκου Ἰσραήλ ἐστι, φέρων μετά πάντων τῶν αὑτοῦ, οἴμαι, Ἰακώβ· ὁ δὲ ἀνιστάμενος ἀπὸ τοῦ φρέατος τοῦ ὅρκου, Ἰακώβ ἐστιν · ἐδεῖτο γὰρ ἀναστάσεως οὐχ ὁ Ἰσραὴλ, ἀλλʼ ὁ Ἰακώβ. Εἶτα μετά τοῦτο, δεόμενον ἀναλήψεως Ἰακὼβ πατέρα ἀνειλήφασιν υἱοὶ οὐχ). Ἰακὼβ, ἀλλʼ Ἰσραήλ. Tot? αὑτοῦ. Ἀπέστειλε Φαραὼ ἀμάξας ἆραι οὐ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, ἀλλὰ τὸν Ἰακώβ. Εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, οὐ κατέβη Ἰακώβ. Τῷ γάρ Ἰσραὴλ εἴρηται, Μὴ 5:0βοῦ καταβῆναι εις Αἴγυπτον. Εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον Ἰακὼβ. καί πᾶν τὸ σπέρμα αὑτοῦ μετʼ αὑτοῦ. Σπέρμα μὲν νῦν τοῦ Ἰακὼὸ λέλεκται · ἀνωτέρω δὲ υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ. Πλὴν εἰπερ Ἰακὼβ, καὶ πᾶν τὺ σπέρμα αὑτοῦ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον,οὺκείοῆλοεν δὲ Ἤρ, καὶ Λὺνάν, οὐκ ἦσαν σπέρμα τοῦ Ὶαγὼῆ.

### English translation (Claude)

of all, five times as much as theirs.” It was made greater either because of Jerusalem, or as a type of the apostle Paul. And Joshua, being of the tribe of Ephraim, divided the land among the other tribes. [Gen 45:7] “For God sent me before you, to leave you a remnant.” Since God sent Joseph before his brothers into Egypt for the life of many, clearly God, in sending him to Egypt, made use of the jealousy and the choice of his brothers for the economy concerning Joseph, for the life of many. So there are times when God, making use of the sins of some, plans what is his own for the salvation of others. [Gen 45:8] “Now therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God; and he made me as a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler of all the land of Egypt.” The one who rules bodily things and in no way yields to them could say, “God made me lord of all the land of Egypt.” [Gen 45:20] “And do not spare your goods with your eyes, for all the good things of Egypt shall be yours.” Whatever there is in the figuratively named Egypt belongs not to the Egyptians but to Israel. Therefore at the exodus too the Hebrews despoil the Egyptians and take vessels of gold and silver, and whatever good there was in Egypt. [Gen 46:4] “And I will bring you up at the end.” A promise fitting God: not only to bring up, but also to bring to the end the one who is brought up. [Of the same.] To those who seek the life after this one from the Pentateuch we shall say: since he who said, “I will bring you up,” does not lie, he brought him up later in this life, and after his departure he brought him up, when afterwards Joseph laid his hands on the eyes of Jacob's body. And God brought him up, leading Israel after the end of life to the end that is with himself. [Gen 46:5] “And Jacob rose up from the well of the oath, and the sons of Israel took up Jacob their father.” The one who came to the well of the oath is Israel, bringing with all his household, I think, Jacob; but the one who rises from the well of the oath is Jacob; for it was not Israel but Jacob who needed to rise. Then after this the sons, not of Jacob but of Israel, took up their father Jacob, who needed to be taken up. [Of the same.] Pharaoh sent wagons to carry not Israel but Jacob. Jacob entered into Egypt; he did not go down. For to Israel it was said, “Do not fear to go down into Egypt.” [Gen 46:6] “Jacob entered into Egypt, and all his seed with him.” Here “the seed of Jacob” is said; above, “the sons of Israel.” But if Jacob and all his seed entered into Egypt, and Er and Onan did not enter, they were not the seed of Jacob.

### Scripture references

- Gen 43:34: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 11:1: allusion, medium confidence
- Phil 3:5: allusion, medium confidence
- Num 13:8: allusion, medium confidence
- Josh 19:51: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 45:7: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 45:5: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 50:20: echo, medium confidence
- Gen 45:8: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 45:20: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 12:35: allusion, high confidence
- Exod 12:36: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 46:4: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 46:5: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 45:21: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 46:3: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 46:6: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 46:12: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Rom 11:1 and Phil 3:5 (Paul a Benjaminite); Num 13:8 and Josh 19:49–51 (Joshua of Ephraim); Gen 45:5 and 50:20; Exod 12:35–36; Gen 46:4 (“at the end”, Septuagint); Gen 46:3; Gen 46:12 (Er and Onan).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 139 (PG 12:140a–140d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-139).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 141

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-141
- Source: PG 12:141a–141d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 46–47: Jacob's daughters and sons-in-law; Israel and Jacob distinguished; Joseph's life unharmed in Egypt; the order of the Septuagint corrected from the Tetrapla.

### Greek text

Θυγατέρες καὶ θυγατέρες τῶν θυγατέρων αὑτοῦ Δηλονότι τὰς θυγατέρας ἔχων μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ τοὺς γαμβροὺς συνεπάγετο. Οὐ γὰρ ἠνείχετο ἔξω τῆς οἰκίας αὑτοῦ ἀποστέλλειν τὰς θυγατέρας, μήπως τραπεῖεν εἰς εἰδωλολατρείαν. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Εἰ μὴ ἔχει θυγατέρας ὁ Ἰακὼβ, πῶς αἱ Θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ καταβαίνουσιν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ; Μὴ τοίνυν ἀλληγορεῖται. Ἑξῆς δὲ λέγει ἐκ Λείας εἶναι, καὶ θυγατέρας λγ Δίνας ὀνομασθείσης. Ταῦτα δὲ τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, τῶν εἰσελθόντων εἰς Αἴγυπτον. Υίῶν, οὐκ Ἰακὼβ, ἁλλʼ Ἰσραὴλ, εἰσελθόντων, οὺ καταβάντων εἰς Αἴγυπτον, τὰ ὀνόματα ταῦτά ἐστιν. Πρωτότοκος Ἰακὼβ, Ῥουβὴμ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἀνωτέρω εἰπὼν τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν υἱῶν εἶναι τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, νῦν τοῦ Ἰακὼβ εἶναι πρωτότοκόν φησι τὸν Ῥουβή μ. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Σημειωτέον, ὅτι σὺν τοῖς γενομένοις ὲν γῇ Χαναὰν υἱοῖς Ἰακὼβ ἀριθμεῖ αὐτοὺς καὶτοὺς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ὄντας υίοὺς Ἰωσήφ. Συμβἁλλεται γὰρ τοῦτο είς τὸ ἑξῆς ῥητὸν περὶ τὰ τέλη, ἔνθα φησίν · Ἐμοί εἰσιν Ἐφραῒμ καὶ Μανασσῆ, ὡς Ῥουβὶιμ καὶ Συμεών. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰσραὴλ πρὸς Ἰωσήφ ο Ἀποθανοῦκ μαι ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν, ἐπεὶ ἑώρακα τὸ πρόσωπόν σου. Ἔτι γὰρ σὺ ζῇς. Θαυμαστόν ἐστι τὸν γενόμενον ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ μὴ βλαβῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, καὶ μεῖναι ὲν τῇ κατά Θεὸν ζωῇ. Διόπερ θαυμάζων ὁ Ἰακὼβ, εἷπε τῷ Ἰωσὴφ τὸ, Ἔτι γὰρ σὺ ζῇς. Ποιμένες προβάτων οὶ παῖδές σου ἐκ παιδὸς ἕως τοῦ νῦν.... Εἶπαν δὲ Φαραώʼ Παροικεῑν ἐν τῇ γῇ ἥκαμεν. Παρῥησιάξονται τὸ ποιμένες εἷναι πρὸς τὸν Φαραώ. Εἶτα, ἵνα μὴ ταραχθῇ Φαραὼ, φασίν · Παροικεῖν ἐν τῇ γῇ ἥκαμεν. Eine δὲ Φαραὼ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ, λέγων · Κατοικείτωσαν ἐν γῇ Γεσέμ. Ἐπειδὴ ὲν τοῖς Τετραπλοῖς, ἐξ ὧν καὶ τὸ ἀντίγραφον μετελήφθη πρὸς τὸν εἱρμὸν τὸν ὲν τῷ Ἐβραῖκῷ καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις ἐκδόσεσι, δείκνυται καὶ ή τῶν Ἐβδομήκοντα ἕν τισι τόποις μετατεθείσα, ὡς τὰ πρῶτα ὕστερα, καὶ τὰ ὕστερα πρῶτα γενέσθαι· ὅπερ καὶ ἐνταῦθα εὑρέθη παθοῦσα· τούτου χάριν παρεθήκαμεν ἀκολουθίαν. Ἔστι δὲ αὕτη τῷ, Κατοικήσομεν οὶ παῖδές σου ἐν γῇ Γεσὲμ, συνἅπτεται τὸ, Eine δὲ Φαραὼ τῷ Ἰωσήφ Κατοικείτωσαν ἐν γῇ Ιέσέμ. Et δὲ ἐπίστῃ, ὅτι εἰσιν ἐν αὐτοῖς ο καὶ τά ἑξῆς. \ Et δὲ ἐπίστῃ ὅτι εἰσὶν ἐν αὐτοῖς δυνατοὶ, uaniστησον αὐτοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν ἐμῶν κτηνῶν. Τοὺς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ δυνατοὺς Φαραὼ βούλεται ἄρχοντας καταστῆσαιΑἰγυπτίων κτηνῶν. Εἴτις δέ ἐστι τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ δυνατὸς, φευγέτω τὸ ἐπὶ τούτοις βούλημα. Καὶ εὐλογήσας Ἰακὼβ τὸν Φαραὼ, ἐξῆλθεν ἀπʼ αὑτοῦ. υὺκ ἂν, δίκαιον εὐλογήσας, ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ἐξῆλθε. Ζητητέον δὲ εἴποτε ἅγιόν τις εὐλογήσας

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 46:7] “Daughters and daughters of his daughters.” Clearly, having his daughters with him, he also brought along his sons-in-law. For he could not bear to send his daughters out of his house, lest they turn to idolatry. [Of the same.] If Jacob has no other daughters, how do his daughters go down into Egypt? Perhaps, then, it is meant allegorically. Next it says that they are from Leah, and gives daughters, thirty-three, Dinah being named. [Gen 46:8] “These are the names of the sons of Israel who entered into Egypt.” These are the names of the sons, not of Jacob but of Israel, who entered, not went down, into Egypt. “Jacob's firstborn, Reuben,” and so on. Having said above that the names are those of the sons of Israel, it now says that Reuben is the firstborn of Jacob. [Of the same.] It should be noted that with the sons of Jacob born in the land of Canaan it counts also the sons of Joseph who were in Egypt. For this contributes to the later text, near the end, where it says, “Ephraim and Manasseh are mine, like Reuben and Simeon.” [Gen 46:30] “And Israel said to Joseph: From now on I will die, since I have seen your face; for you are still alive.” It is wonderful that one who had been in Egypt was not harmed by the Egyptians, and remained in the life according to God. Therefore Jacob, wondering at it, said to Joseph, “For you are still alive.” [Gen 46:34; 47:4] “Your servants are shepherds of sheep from childhood until now …” “And they said to Pharaoh: We have come to sojourn in the land.” They speak frankly to Pharaoh about being shepherds; then, so that Pharaoh may not be troubled, they say, “We have come to sojourn in the land.” [Gen 47:5–6] “And Pharaoh said to Joseph, saying: Let them dwell in the land of Goshen.” In the Tetrapla, from which this copy too was taken, following the order of the Hebrew and the other versions, the Seventy is shown to have been transposed in some places, so that what was first came to be last and what was last first; and it was found to have suffered this here too. For this reason we have set out the sequence, which is this: to “Let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen” is joined “And Pharaoh said to Joseph: Let them dwell in the land of Goshen; and if you know that there are among them,” and so on. “And if you know that there are capable men among them, appoint them rulers of my cattle.” Pharaoh wishes to appoint the capable men of Israel rulers of the Egyptians' cattle. If anyone of Israel is capable, let him flee such a purpose. [Gen 47:10] “And Jacob, having blessed Pharaoh, went out from him.” He would not have gone out from him if he had blessed a righteous man. One must ask whether anyone, having blessed a saint,

### Scripture references

- Gen 46:7: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 46:15: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 46:8: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 46:20: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 48:5: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 46:30: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 46:34: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 47:4: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 47:5: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 47:6: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 47:10: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 46:15 (thirty-three persons, Dinah named); Gen 48:5; Gen 46:34 and 47:4–6. The Tetrapla: Origen's four-column edition of the Greek versions of the Old Testament (Aquila, Symmachus, the Seventy, Theodotion) arranged by the Hebrew; here he restores the Hebrew order of Gen 47:5–6, which the Septuagint transposes.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 141 (PG 12:141a–141d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-141).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 143

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-143
- Source: PG 12:144a–144d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Notes on Gen 47–48: Joseph's dealings in the famine; the Egyptians offer only body and land, as flesh; Jacob and Israel in the blessing of Joseph's sons; how blind Jacob “saw”.

### Greek text

ἀπῆλθεν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐνθάδε μὲν εὐλογῶν ἐξέρχεται· ἀνωτέρω δὲ ὁ Ἰακὼβ εὐλογίας τυχὼν εἰσέρχε ται. Kal εἰσήνεγκεν Ἰωσὴρ πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς τὸν οἷκον Φαραώ. Καὶ ποῦ ἔδει πᾶν τὺ Αἰγύπτου ἀργύριον καὶ Χαναὰν γενέσθαι, ἢ ὲν τῷ οἴκῳ Φαραώ ; Ἧγαορον δὲ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν πρὸς Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς Ἰωσὴφ ἄρτους ἀντὶ τῶν ἵππων, καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν προβάτων. καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν βοῶν, καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν ὄνων. υὺκ ὠμῶς τοῦτο ποιεῖ Ἰωσὴφ, ἀλλʼ ἵνα μὴ κάμωσι τὰ κτήνη τρέφοντες, καὶ ἵνα μετὰ ταῦτα χάριν αὐτὰ δέξωνται παρὰ τοῦ Καὶ οὐχ ὑπολείπεται ἡμῖν ἐναντίον τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ἢ τὸ lator σῶμα καὶ ἠ γῆ ἡμῶν. Ἐπεὶ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν λέγεται τὸ, Διά τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς σάρκας διὰ τοῦτο καὶ νῦν Αἰγύπτιαι, ὼς σάρκες, ὑπολελεῖφθαι φασιν αὐτοῖς οὐχὶ ψυχὴν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα καὶ τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν, Τοῦτο δὲ νομιστέον ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν ἀλλοτρίων τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγεσθαι. Ἵνα οὖν μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν ἐναντίον σου, καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐρημωθῇ, κτῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν γῆν ἡμῶν. Ἐναντίον τοῦ Φαραὼ Θὲλουσιν ol Αἰγύπτιοι ζῇν, οὐκ ἐναντίον θεοῦ. Τοῦ αὑτοῦ. κτῆμα βούλονται οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι γενέσῦαι τοῦ Φαραὼ, ὼς el ἅγιοι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐπεκρὰτησε γὰρ αὐτῶν ὀ λιμός. Δηλονότι τῶν Ἀιγυπτίων· οὗ γὰρ ἂν εἴρηται περὶ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτι ἐπεκράτησεν αὐτῶν ό λιμός. Kal ἐνισχύσας Ἰακὼβ ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην. Ἐνισχύσας ἐκάθισεν, ἵνα τοὺς ἐνθέους εἴπῃ λόγους θῖμαι γὰρ τὸν μὲν Ἰακὼῦ ἠνωχλῆσθαι, τὸννᾶ Ἰσραὴλ ὲνισχυκέναι, ὃς καὶ εὐλόγησε τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, ὲν οἷς οὑκ ὀνομάζεται ἐπὶ τῶν παιδεων Ἰακώβ. Kal εἶπέ μοι· Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ αὑξανῶ σε, καὶ πληθυνῶισε. Ἤτοι οὐκ αὔξει ὁ ἀσεβὴς, ἦ οὐκ ἀπὸ Θεοῦ αὔξει. Τὸ δʼ ὅμοιον ἐρεῖς καὶ διὰ τὸ, Πληθυνῶ. Θεὸς γὰρ εὐλογῶν ταῦτά φησιν. Ἐμοί εἰσιν Ἐξορίιΐμ καὶπανασσῆςσ ὡς Ῥου- (iiut καὶ Συμεὼν ἔσονταί μοι. Ὠς Ῥουΰὴμ, καὶ Ἐφραῖμ· ἀμφότεροι γὰρ πρωτότοκον ὡς Μανασσῆςν καὶ Συμεών· ἑκάτερος γὰρ τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῶν δεύτερος. Τὰ δὲ ἔκγονα, ἁ ἐὰν γεννήσῃς μετὰ ταῦτα. ἔσονται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτῶν* κληθήσονται ἐν τοῖς ἐκείνων κλήροις. Ol ἰσόμενοι, φησιν, ἕτεροι παῖδές σου ταῖς ἐπωνύμοις φυλαῖς τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτῶν ταχθήσονται ὲν τῇ κληροδοσίᾳ. Ἰδὼν δὲ Ἰσραὴλ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰωσὴφ, εἶπε· Τίνες σοιοῦτοι; καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Δόξει ἐναντίον τῷ, Ἰδὼν δὲ Ἰσραὴλ τοὺς υὶιηὺς Ἰωσὴφ, τὸ, Ol ὀφθαλμοὶ Ἰακὼό ἐβαρυώπησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ γήρους· εἰ μή πού ἐστι ταύτὸν τῷ, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς μὴ δύνασθαι βλέπειν, τὸ ἰδεῖν τὸν Ἰσραὴλ τὸ σπέρμα τοῦ Ἰωσὴφηοῦ Qui} δείξαντος αὐτῷ τὰ γενησόμενα.

### English translation (Claude)

went away from him. And here he goes out after blessing; but above, Jacob goes in after receiving a blessing. [Gen 47:14] “And Joseph brought all the money into the house of Pharaoh.” And where should all the money of Egypt and Canaan have been but in the house of Pharaoh? [Gen 47:17] “And they brought their cattle to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the sheep, and for the oxen, and for the donkeys.” Joseph does not do this cruelly, but so that they might not be worn out feeding the cattle, and so that afterwards they might receive them as a favour from … [Gen 47:18] “And there is nothing left to us before our lord but our own body and our land.” Since it is said of sinners, “Because they are flesh,” therefore now too the Egyptians, as flesh, say that what is left to them is not a soul, but their own body and their land. This must be thought to be said by all who are estranged from God. [Gen 47:19] “So that we may not die before you, and the land be made desolate, buy us and our land.” The Egyptians wish to live before Pharaoh, not before God. [Of the same.] The Egyptians wish to become Pharaoh's possession, as the saints are God's. [Gen 47:20] “For the famine prevailed over them.” Over the Egyptians, clearly; for it would not have been said of Israel that the famine prevailed over them. [Gen 48:2] “And Jacob, gathering strength, sat up on the bed.” He gathered strength and sat up in order to speak the inspired words. For I think that Jacob was troubled, but Israel gained strength, who also blessed the sons of Joseph, and so on; in this passage he is not named Jacob in the case of the children. [Gen 48:4] “And he said to me: Behold, I will increase you and multiply you.” Either the impious man does not increase, or he does not increase from God. You will say the same about “I will multiply,” for God says these things when he blesses. [Gen 48:5] “Ephraim and Manasseh are mine; like Reuben and Simeon they shall be mine.” As Reuben, so Ephraim, for both are firstborn; as Manasseh, so Simeon, for each is second to his mother. [Gen 48:6] “And the offspring which you beget after these shall be in the name of their brothers; they shall be called in their allotments.” Your other children who will be born, it says, will be ranked in the allotment under the tribes named after their brothers. [Gen 48:8] “And Israel, seeing Joseph's sons, said: Who are these?” and so on. “And Israel, seeing Joseph's sons” will seem to contradict “The eyes of Jacob were dim from old age”; unless perhaps the eyes being unable to see is compatible with Israel seeing the seed of Joseph, God showing him the things that would be.

### Scripture references

- Gen 47:14: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 47:17: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 47:18: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 6:3: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 47:19: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 47:20: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 48:2: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 48:4: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 48:5: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 48:6: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 48:8: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 48:10: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 6:3 (“because they are flesh”); Gen 48:10 (Jacob's dim eyes). A word after “as a favour from” is lost at the line end (“…”). Migne's marginal reference at the end of the page is removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 143 (PG 12:144a–144d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-143).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 145

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-145
- Source: PG 12:145a–145d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Jacob crosses his hands to bless Ephraim, foreseeing Joshua, a type of Christ; Judah's lion and cub signify Christ's death in the economy.

### Greek text

Εζὲὶ Ἐλίῖείιάς δὲ Ἰσραὴλ τὴν χεῖρα τὴν δεξιὰν, ἐπέβαλεν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἐφραΐμ. Ὅτι παρηκολούθουν οἱ προφῆται νοοῦντες περὶ ὧν προεφήτευον. Ἀμέλει μετὰ ταῦτα τῶν δέκα φυλῶν ἐξῆρχεν ἡ τοῦ Ἐφραῒμ φυλή. Ἐξαύτοῦ γὰρ ὁ μακάριπ Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ, ἀληθινὸς τύπος ὣν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, κατήγετο ἐν τοῖς Ἀριθμοῖς. Διὸ καὶ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἡ εὐλογία ἐπʼ αὐ τὸν ἀναφέρεται. Ποιήσαι σε ό Θεὸς ὡς Ἐφραῒμ, καὶ ὡς Μανασσῆδ καὶ ἔθηκε τὸν Ἐέρριιῒμ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Μανασσῆ. Εὐκαίρως χρήσῃ τῷ ρητῴ περὶ τοῦ ἐν προσευχῇ ἔμπροσθεν ἑστάναι τὸν τιμιώτερον. Κάμψας κατεκλίθης ὡς λέων, καὶ ὡς σκύμνος. Τὸν κατʼ οἰκονομίαν θάνατον σὴμαίνει τὸ, κατεκλῖθης. Λέων ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστὸς τοῖς τελείως ἁποθηριωθεῖσιʼ τοῖς δὲ ἔτι εἰσαγωγικοῖς σκύμνος.

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 48:14] “And Israel, stretching out his right hand, laid it on the head of Ephraim.” This shows that the prophets understood what they were prophesying. Indeed, later the tribe of Ephraim led the ten tribes. For from it came the blessed Joshua son of Nun, a true type of Christ, as recorded in Numbers; therefore the blessing of Joseph too is referred to him. [Gen 48:20] “May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh; and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.” You will fittingly use this text about the more honoured standing in front in prayer. [Gen 49:9] “Crouching, you lay down like a lion and like a cub.” “You lay down” signifies the death undergone in the economy. Christ is a lion to those who have become wholly beastlike; to those who are still beginners, a cub.

### Scripture references

- Gen 48:14: quotation, high confidence
- Num 13:8: allusion, high confidence
- Num 13:16: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 48:20: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 49:9: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Num 13:8, 16 (Joshua of Ephraim); Gen 49:9 in the Septuagint wording. “Those who have become wholly beastlike” (τελείως ἀποθηριωθεῖσι) is uncertain; the contrast is with beginners. Here the Genesis notes in this part of the scan end (the scan passes from col. 145 to col. 161).

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 145 (PG 12:145a–145d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-145).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 161

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-161
- Source: PG 12:161a–161d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The ark was pyramid-shaped, with two lower decks for refuse and food and three upper decks for the animals, the wild beasts lowest.

### Greek text

Ζητητέον ποταπὸν δεῖ νοῆσαι τὸ σχῆμα τῆς κιβωτοῦ · ὅπερ νομίζω ὅτι πυραμοειδές ἐστιν, ἀρχόμενον μὲν ἀπὸ μήκους τριακοσίων πηχῶν, ἀπὸ δὲ πλάτους πεντήκοντα, καὶ επὶ τοὺς τριάκοντα τοῦ ὕψους πήχεις ἑπισυναγόμενον, ὥστε τὴν κορυφὴν γενέσθαι μή· κους καὶ πλάτους πῆχυν. Ἔστω δὲ τὰ μὲν κάτω αύτῆς, ἅπερ ὠνόμασται κατάγαιοι, ὀροφῶν δύο· τὰ δὲ ὑπὲρ τὰς δύο ὀροφὰς ἐπὶ τῷ ἀνωτέρω ὀρόφῳ, dpoφῶν τριῶν. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ Σύμμαχος σαφῶς ἐξέθετο εἰπών Κατὰ δίστεγα καὶ τρίστεγοι ποιήσεις αὑτήν. Νοείσθω δὲ καθʼ ἑκάστην ὀροφὴν ἁποδιαλαμβανόμενα χωρία ὑπὲρ τοῦ χωρίζεσθαι τὰ ἀνομοιογενῆ ζῶα ἀπʼ ἀλλήλων · καὶ καλείσθω τὰ ἀποδιαλαμβανόμενα ταῦτα χωρία, νοσσιαί ἢ ὡς ὁ Σύμμαχος πεποίηκε, καλιαί. Καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγιν Φασὶ τοίνυν ὄτι ή μὲν κατωτέρω πρὸς τῷ πυθμένι τοῦ διορόφου στέγη εἰς σκύὸαλα τέτακτο · ή δὲ ταύτης ἀνωτέρω εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν τῆς τροφῆς τῶν ζώων, ὥστε εὐπορεῖν τὰ μὲν σαρκοβόρα, σαρκῶν· τῷ ἔτερα ζῶα παρὰ τὰ εἰς διατήρησιν εἰσαχθέντα, τροφῆς ἕνεκεν εἰσαχθῆναι εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν · τὰ δὲ μὴ τοιαῦτα, τῆς ἐπιτηδείου ἕκαστον εὐπορῆσαι τροφῆς. Ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τὸν περὶ τῶν καταγαίων διορόφων λόγον. Τὸ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα τριώροφον τοῖς ζώοις ἀποτέτακτο κατὰ τὰς νομισθείσας νοσσιάς. Καὶ εἰκὸς ὅτι τῷ μὲν τῶν ὄφεων γένει καὶτῶν θηρίων ήτοῦ κατωτάτω τριωρόφου χώρα ἀπενεμήθη · τοῖς δὲ κτήνεσι καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς τῶν τιθασσοτέρων ἢ ἡμερωτέρων, τάξει καὶ λόγῳ τὰ ἀνωτέρω. Ἐχρῆν δὲ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ῶσπερ τῇ φύσει ἆρι

### English translation (Claude)

[Gen 6:14–16] We must inquire what shape the ark must be understood to have. I think it is pyramid-shaped, starting from a length of three hundred cubits and a breadth of fifty, and drawn together up to the thirty cubits of height, so that the top comes to be a cubit in length and breadth. Let the lower parts of it, which are called “lower,” be of two storeys, and the parts above the two storeys, at the upper storey, of three storeys. Symmachus too set this out clearly, saying, “You shall make it with two decks and three decks.” Let there be understood in each storey compartments partitioned off, to separate animals of different kinds from one another; and let these partitioned compartments be called nests, or, as Symmachus put it, huts. And a little later: They say, then, that the lower deck, at the bottom of the two-storeyed part, was assigned for dung, and the one above it for gathering the animals' food; so that the flesh-eaters had a supply of flesh (other animals, besides those brought in to be preserved, being brought into the ark for the sake of food), and the others each had a supply of suitable food. So much for the account of the two-storeyed lower part. The three-storeyed part after this was assigned to the animals according to the nests just mentioned. And it is likely that to the kind of snakes and wild beasts the space of the lowest of the three storeys was allotted, and to the cattle and the rest of the tamer or gentler animals, in due order and reason, the upper parts. And it was necessary that man, just as by nature he is ruler

### Scripture references

- Gen 6:14: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 6:15: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 6:16: quotation, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Origen, Hom. Gen. 2.1–2 (Homilies on Genesis): echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- A Greek fragment on the ark (Gen 6:14–16) preserved in the catena; the same material appears in Origen, Homilies on Genesis 2.1–2 (Rufinus's Latin). “And a little later” marks an abridgement by the compiler. Symmachus: second-century Greek translator. The ref is the first column of this piece; the scan does not show cols. 147–160.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 161 (PG 12:161a–161d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-161).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 163

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-163
- Source: PG 12:164a–164d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Man dwelt at the top of the ark; the side door was at the lowest deck; God himself shut it, since no one outside could seal it.

### Greek text

χοντα τῶν ἀλόγων, ὧν ἐπιβέβηκεν αὐτὸς, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ εἶναι ἀνωτάτω τῆς κιβωτοῦ περὶ τὴν τρίτην στέγην, ὑποχείρια ἔχοντα τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν Πιίὶανέν δὲ τὴν πλαγίαν περ). ἦς εἴρηται tui)- τὴν δὲ θύραν τῆς κιβωτοῦ ἐκ aduritur- έοιήσείς, ’ξεγονέναι περὶ τὴν κάτωθεν πρώτην στέγην, ἵνα ἐκεῖθεν εἰσελ- Οόντα τὰ ζῶα ἀπίῃ ἐπὶ τοὺς τεταγμένους ταῖς νοσσιαίς τόπους. Καὶ τοῦτο βέλτιον ἡμῖν φαίνεται λέγειν ἢ ἄνωθεν νομίζειν μετὰ πολλῆς δυσκολίας τὰ ζῶα καταβαίνειν ἐπὶ τοὺς οἰκείους τόπους · θειοτέρας τινος δυνάμεως ἔχρῃζεν ἡ ἀσφάλεια τῆς κλειομένης ταύτης θύρας, οὐκέτι δυναμένου τινὸς ἔξωθεν ἀνθρώπου ἀσφαλτῶσαι αὐτὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ παρεισδῦναι ὕδωρ. Διὸ ἔκλεισε Κύριος ό θεὸς ὄπισθεν τοῦ Ἐπηπόρουν τινὲς, εί δύναται ἡ τηλικαύτη κιβωτὸς χωρῆσαι κᾶν τὸ πολλοστὸν μόριον τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς

### English translation (Claude)

of the irrational animals, on which he has been set, so also in place he should be at the very top of the ark, about the third deck, having the rest of the animals under his hand. And we think that the side door, of which it is said, “And the door of the ark you shall make in its side,” was at the first deck from below, so that the animals, entering from there, might go off to the places assigned to the nests. This seems better to us to say than to suppose that the animals came down from above with much difficulty to their own places. The security of this closing door needed some more divine power, since no man outside could any longer pitch it so that water might not seep in. Therefore “the Lord God shut the door behind him.” Some raised the difficulty whether so great an ark could hold even the smallest part of

### Scripture references

- Gen 1:28: allusion, low confidence
- Gen 6:16: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 7:16: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 6:16; Gen 7:16. The scan here has two runs of debris and a damaged line (the beginning of the sentence about the door); the debris is removed and the sentence translated by sense.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 163 (PG 12:164a–164d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-163).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 165

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-165
- Source: PG 12:165a–165d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Against Apelles, who rejected Moses because the ark was too small, Origen reports a Hebrew view that the cubits are geometrical “powers” (squares).

### Greek text

πάντων ζώων. Καὶ μάλιστα Ἀπελλὴς ὁ 106 Μαρxtmvo; γνώριμος, κα) γενόμενος ἐτέρας αἱρέσεως παρʼ ἐκεῖνον πατὴρ, ἀθετεῖν βουλόμενος ὡς οὐχ άγια τὰ Μωῡσέως συγγράμματα, τοῦτο ἐπαπορήσας ἐπιφέρει, τὸ, Ψευδὴς ἄρα ὁ μῦθοςο οὐκ ἄρα ὲκ Ε)εοῦ ἡ Γραφή · μὴ συνιὼν ποδαποὺς τριακοσίους πήχεις, καὶ ποδαποὺς πεντήκοντα, πηλίκους τε τριάκοντα -ὠνόμασεν ἐπὶ τῆς κατασκευῆς τῆς κιβωτοῦ ἡ Γραφή. Ἐμάθομεν δὲ ἡμεῖς ἀπό τινος τῶν παρʼ Ἑλρραίοις ἐλλογίμων, ὡς ἄρα οἱ τριακόσιοι πήχεις ὠνομάσθησαν, ὡς οἱ καλούμενοι παρὰ τοῖς γεωμέτραις δύναμις 106 ἀπὸ τοῦ τριακοστοῦ τετραγώνου · ὡς εἷναι τοὺς ἡμετέρους πήχεις τοῦ μήκους ἐν τῷ κάτω ἐπιπέδῳ ἐννέα μυριάδας· οὕτω δὲ καὶ 106 πλάτους, δισχιλίας πεντακοσίας, καὶτοῦ ὕψους, ὲννακοσίας,· Καὶ γὰρ πάνυ ἂν εἴη ἀτοπώτατον τὸν παιδευθέντα πάσῃ σοφίᾳ Αἰγυπτίων τῶν γεωμετρικωτάτων μάλιστα, καὶ ὲν οἴκῳ βασιλέως ἀνατραφέντα, μὴ συνεωρακέναι, ὅτι οί κοινότερον νοηθέντες τριακόσιοι 106 μήκους, καὶ πεντήκοντα 106 πλάτους, καὶ τριάκοντα τοῦ ὕψους, οὐδὲ ἐλέφαντας ἐχώρησαν ἂν τάχα που τέσσαρας, καὶ τὰς τούτων ἐπὶ ἐνιαυτὸν τροφὰς, προστάξαντος τοῦΘεοῦ δύο δύο ἀπὸ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων εἱσέρχεσθαι ζώων εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν. Εἰ δὲ χρὴ, ἐπὶ

### English translation (Claude)

all the animals on earth. And especially Apelles, the disciple of Marcion, who became the father of a heresy different from his, wishing to reject the writings of Moses as not holy, raises this difficulty and adds: “The story, then, is false; the Scripture, then, is not from God”; not understanding what kind of three hundred cubits, and what kind of fifty, and how great the thirty were that Scripture named in the construction of the ark. But we learned from one of those of repute among the Hebrews that the three hundred cubits were so named as what geometers call a “power,” from the thirtieth square; so that our cubits of the length on the lower plane are ninety thousand; and likewise those of the breadth two thousand five hundred, and those of the height nine hundred. For it would be utterly absurd that one educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, who are most skilled in geometry, and brought up in the king's house, should not have seen that three hundred cubits of length taken in the common sense, and fifty of breadth, and thirty of height, would perhaps not have held even four elephants and their food for a year, when God had commanded that two by two of the unclean animals should enter the ark. But if, in order to

### Scripture references

- Gen 6:15: allusion, high confidence
- Acts 7:22: quotation, high confidence
- Exod 2:10: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 7:2: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Apelles, Marcion's disciple, rejected the Law; Origen answers his objection on the ark also in Homilies on Genesis 2.2 and Against Celsus 4.41. The “power” (δύναμις) is the square: 300² = 90,000, 50² = 2,500, 30² = 900. Acts 7:22 (Moses educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians); Exod 2:10; Gen 7:2.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 165 (PG 12:165a–165d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-165).

## Fragments on Genesis, column 167

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-167
- Source: PG 12:168a–168d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Origen gives the ark's geometry: the sides draw in by fixed amounts at each cubit of height until the top is a single cubit.

### Greek text

τοῦ τρανότερον νοῆσαι τὸ, ἐπισυνιὶγων ποιήσεις τὴν κιβωτὸν, καὶ εἷς πῆχυν συντελέσας αὐτὴν ἄνωοεν, ἐκθέσθαι τὸν οἱονεὶ ἁρχιτεκτονικὸν περὶτῆς κῑβω τοῦ λόγον, φέρε, ὡς ὑποπέπτωκεν ἡμῖν, καὶ μεμαθήκαμεν, αὑτὸν ὲκοώμεοα. Νὸει μοι τριακοσίων ni,χεων τῶν εἰρημένων κατὰ τὴν καλουμένην δύναμιν εἶναι κατωτάτω τὸ τῆς κιβωτοῦ μῆκος, καὶ πεντήκοντα πλάτος · εἶτα. κατὰ πῆχυν ἐπισυνάτεσοαι τοῦ μὲν μήκους δέκα πήχεις, τοῦ δὲ πλάτους, ἱνα δίμοιρον ο ὥστε γενέσθαι τὸν τριακοστὸν τοῦβψους πῆχυν, δέκα μὲν τοῦ μήκους, ἐνὸς δὲ κει) διμοίρου τοῦ πλάτους · εἶτα μετὰ τοῦτο συντελεσθῆναι εἰς πῆχυν τὴν ἐπισυναγωγὴν. El δέ τῳ βιαῑος εἶναι δόξῃ ὁ πῆχυς τριακοστὸς ὢν, καὶ πρῶτος ὢν τοῦ ὕψους, προσεχέτω τῇ λέξει λεγούσῃ, καὶ τριάκοντα πήχεων τὸ

### English translation (Claude)

understand more clearly “drawing it together you shall make the ark, and you shall finish it to one cubit above,” one must set out the architectural account, so to speak, of the ark, come, let us set it out as it has occurred to us and as we have learned it. Consider with me that the length of the ark at the very bottom is three hundred of the cubits mentioned, taken as the so-called “power,” and the breadth fifty; then, cubit by cubit, ten cubits of the length are drawn in, and one and two-thirds of the breadth; so that at the thirtieth cubit of height there remain ten of the length and one and two-thirds of the breadth; and after this the drawing together is completed to one cubit. But if it seems forced to anyone that the cubit is the thirtieth and also the first of the height, let him attend to the wording, which says, “and thirty cubits the

### Scripture references

- Gen 6:16: quotation, high confidence
- Gen 6:15: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Gen 6:15–16 in the Septuagint wording (ἐπισυνάγων … εἰς πῆχυν συντελέσεις αὐτὴν ἄνωθεν). The piece breaks off at the end of col. 167; the next page in the scan is col. 263.

### Citation (SBL)

Origen, Frag. Gen. 167 (PG 12:168a–168d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/origen-fragmenta-genesim/139/#p-167).