It is taught: When the priests, his brothers, saw that he had escaped the anger of Ahab, they saved for him a part of the food and bread reserved [to them], and a raven brought it to him through divine intervention.The Schools say, A raven stole the [food] from houses, inns, markets and peasants, since it is an impudent, wild and merciless bird by nature.…

"I will pour out my spirit on all flesh." In the first instance he talks about Ezekiel, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah and other prophets whose names are not mentioned. In addition, "your daughters" will sing and intone psalms in happiness, as well as the rest of the people. This means I will openly reveal to you my fondness and will largely pour it onto you.…

"The books were opened," not because God needs books, but the prophet is speaking in human terms, according to the style of Scriptures, which speak materially with material beings; in addition, he says that in order to show the rigorous examination, on which the judgments of God are based, that [God] judges with equity and forbearance.

Through the words "a lion killed him" [the Scripture] shows that [the lion] strangled and killed him according to God's command. And through the sentence "it did not eat him," it shows that [the animal] was not urged by hunger but acted in compliance with God's order. And this was done in order that Jeroboam and his priests might understand that, if this…

"The host was given over," so that "the regular burnt offering" that is, the sacrifices and offerings, were abolished and removed from their place. They were called so, because they had been established since the days of Moses and had continued constantly, or because the Jews offered sacrifices in the morning and the evening; and they came to an end as a…

"Bel" and "Nebo" are Babylonian idols. Bel is the statue that Nebuchadnezzar erected in the plain of Dura; its name derives from "Babel." Nebo was the teacher of the school for children in Mabbugh; since he was extremely stern toward the children, one of them, in order to please him, made a statue for him, and they worshiped it and so appeased his anger;…

[The Scripture] defines them as diseases deriving from changes in the weather. Blight [occurs when] wheat does not grow. Therefore [we read] these words: "Pharaoh saw ears blighted by a burning wind." Mildew derives from excessive heat and constant bad weather and descends on wheat in the form of drops like rain. One who ignores it calls it "dew," but it…

There is no Scripture which calls God only love, but John says this in order that we might seek him who is love, from whom the commandment to show mercy came.

The words, "You shall rise at the end of the days," through the previous sentence shows him that he will not be forever tested by the afflictions of the people. Through this sentence he says to him that, at the fixed and appointed time, at the end of the world, he will receive the expected resurrection, which Christ will perform at his second coming.

The three things are one because everything was accomplished by the one Christ.

"They are all stammering dogs" who stutter the praise of God and "cannot bark" against the idols, as against strangers. "They dream, lay down and love to slumber," that is, they love to sleep in the graves and in the places where sacrifices are offered to demons, and there they expect from them visions, dreams and ghosts.

The "spirit" who "came forward and stood [before the Lord]" is an angel and not an evil spirit, namely, Satan, as certain [authors] suggest. In fact, why would an evil spirit stand before the Lord? On the contrary, this spirit is Michael, the leader of the people. It is he who says in his zeal, "I will entice him," that is, "Allow me to leave and abandon…