The Fraud of the Belly-Speaker
This is intended to explain why the belly-speaker was said to be possessed, even though the Scripture contradicts him, as he himself partially admits locally. But why after these things did he add the prophecy he was discussing with the ruler? «The Lord will tear the kingdom from your hand and will give it to your neighbor, David; because you did not obey the Lord's voice and did not fulfill a wrathful anger against Amalek; because of this word the Lord has done this to you on this very day, and the Lord will give Israel with you into the hands of foreign tribes» (1 Sam 15:28-29).
If anyone wishes to clarify the matter precisely, he must first return to the historical context of the letter and, by examining that passagewhere, after having defeated Amalek, the king seized the best of the dogs spoils and thought it necessary to offer them as burnt offerings. By seeking more clearly and scientifically, one would have found that all these words Samuel had already spoken by word at that time; for he said that the Lord had indeed torn the kingdom from his hand, when the ruler, seizing the wing of the Philistine, tore it. He also foretold to him regarding these things how the kingdom was destined to be given to his neighbor, who would be better than him, and how Israel would be divided because of this and would no longer return.
Having said these things, he made the words consistent with the deeds; for not long after, having been appointed king by a divine judgment sent forth, David became king. Was the one said to be speaking through the belly-speaker, therefore, announcing anything new? The things said previously by Samuel he was merely mimicking as his own, deceiving by persona, or perhaps by technical skill, appearing to speak prophetically by repeating the same things.
But just as charlatans and soothsayers go to the houses of the wealthy, rushing in and exaggerating matters of life already passed to search for things hidden, they imply that they are speaking of things that happened long ago spontaneously...
Greek
τοι τοῦτο βούλεται τὸν Σαμουὴλ ἀνῆχθαι, καίτοι τῆς γραφῆς ἄντικρυς ἐλεγχούσης αὐτόν, ὥς γε συνομολογεῖ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν μέρει τοπικῶς. 12.4 ἀλλὰ τί μετὰ ταῦτα προσετίθει πάλιν, ὁπηνίκα τῷ δυνάστῃ διελέγετο, τὸ φάσμα; «διαρρήξει κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν ἐκ χειρός σου καὶ δώσει αὐτὴν τῷ πλησίον σου τῷ ∆αβίδ. διότι οὐκ ἤκουσας τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου καὶ οὐκ ἔπλησας θυμὸν ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ ἐν Ἀμαλήκ, διὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ἐποίησεν κύριος τοῦτό σοι τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ καὶ δώσει κύριος τὸν Ἰσραὴλ μετὰ σοῦ εἰς χεῖρας ἀλλοφύλων». 12.5 εἰ δέ τις ἀκριβῶσαι βούλοιτο τὸ σαφές, ἐπανίτω μὲν ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ γράμματος ἱστορίαν ὀλίγῳ πρόσθεν ἀναδραμών, αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ χωρίον ἀναπτύξας, ἔνθα τὸν Ἀμαλὴκ ἡττήσας ἐσφετερίσατο τὰ κράτιστα τῶν σκύλων καὶ τὰς ἐκ τούτων ᾤετο δεῖν ἀναφέρειν ὁλοκαυτώσεις ὡς ἀπαρχάς. 12.6 ἀκριβολογίᾳ δὲ τρανοτέρᾳ ζητῶν ἐπιστημόνως εὑρήσειεν ἂν ὡς ἅπαντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ προεῖπεν ἐπὶ λέξεως ὁ Σαμουήλ· ἔφη γὰρ ὅτι καὶ διέρρηξεν κύριος ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν βασιλείαν, ὁπότε καὶ τὸ τοῦ 20διπλοϊδίου πτερύγιον ἐπιλαβόμενος ὁ δυνάστης20 ἐδίχασε. 12.7 προὔλεγε δ' αὐτῷ πρὸς ἐπὶ τούτοις μὲν ὡς ἤμελλεν ἡ βασιλεία δοθήσεσθαι τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ τῷ μᾶλλον ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν ἀγαθῷ. προὐφήτευε δὲ καὶ τίνα τρόπον ἔδει τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἕνεκα τούτου διασχισθήσεσθαι καὶ μηκέτι ἐπιστρέψαι. ταῦτα δὲ φήσας ὁμοῦ τοῖς ἔργοις ἐβεβαίου τὰ λεκτέα· μετ' οὐ πολὺ γὰρ ἐκ θείας ἀποσταλεὶς ἐπικρίσεως ἔχρισε βασιλέα τὸν ∆αβίδ. 12.8 ἆρ' οὖν οὐδὲν ἀπήγγελλεν ξένον ὁ διὰ τῆς ἐγγαστριμύθου λεγόμενος ἀνῆχθαι, τὰ δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαμουὴλ εἰρημένα πρότερον ὡς ἴδια μὲν ἐσχημάτιζε προσωποποιῶν ἀπάτῃ, πιθανῇ δὲ τεχνοποιίᾳ ταυτολογῶν ὑπεκρίνατο δὴ προφητικῶς ὁμιλεῖν. 12.9 ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἀγύρται <καὶ> μάντεις ἐπὶ πλουσίων ἰέναι θύρας ἐπειγόμενοι τὰ μὲν ἤδη παροδεύσαντα τοῦ βίου πράγματα πολυπευστοῦντες ἀνιχνεύουσι λεληθότως, αὐτὰ δὲ τὰ πρὸ πολλοῦ γεγονότα λέγειν αὐτοσχεδίως ὑπονοούμενοι παραχρῆμα μὲν
About this text
Eustathius against Origen on the witch of Endor / belly-speaker (1 Samuel 28).
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 18 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.