3 Kings 13:4
And when the king had heard the word of the man of God, which he had cried out against the altar in Bethel, he stretched forth his hand from the altar, saying: Lay hold on him. And his hand which he stretched forth against him withered: and he was not able to draw it back again to him.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Cumque audisset rex sermonem hominis Dei quem inclamaverat contra altare in Bethel, extendit manum suam de altari, dicens : Apprehendite eum. Et exaruit manus ejus quam extenderat contra eum, nec valuit retrahere eam ad se.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰεροβοὰμ τῶν λόγων τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἐπικαλεσαμένου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἐν Βαιθήλ, καὶ ἐξέτεινεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου λέγων Συλλάβετε αὐτόν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐξηράνθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἣν ἐξέτεινεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθη ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτὴν πρὸς αὐτόν.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת דְּבַ֣ר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָרָ֤א עַל הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ בְּבֵֽית אֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יָרָבְעָ֧ם אֶת יָד֛וֹ מֵעַ֥ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֵאמֹ֣ר תִּפְשֻׂ֑הוּ וַתִּיבַ֤שׁ יָדוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁלַ֣ח עָלָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א יָכֹ֖ל לַהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֵלָֽיו
The Fathers on this verse
St Ambrose Concerning Virgins, Chapter IV. A virgin at Antioch, having refused to sacrifice to idols, was condemned to a house of ill-fame, whence she escaped unharmed, having changed clothes with a Christian soldier. Then when he was condemned for this, she returned and the two contended for the prize of martyrdom, which was at last given to each
27. A great rush of wanton men is made to the place. Listen, ye holy virgins, to the miracles of the martyr, forget the name of the place. The door is shut within, the hawks cry without; some are contending who shall first attack the prey. But she, with her hands raised to heaven, as though she had come to a house of prayer, not to a resort of lust, says: “O Christ, Who didst tame the fierce lions for the virgin Daniel, Thou canst also tame the fierce minds of men. Fire became as dew to the Hebrew children, the water stood up for the Jews, of Thy mercy, not of its own nature. Susanna knelt down for punishment and triumphed over her adulterous accusers, the right hand withered which violated the gifts of Thy temple; and now thy temple itself is violated; suffer not sacrilegious incest, Thou Who didst not suffer theft. …
St Ambrose Concerning Virgins, Chapter V. The story of the two Pythagorean friends, Damon and Pythias, is related by St. Ambrose, who points out that the case mentioned in the last chapter is more praiseworthy. A comparison is instituted between the treatment of their gods by heathen without any punishment, and Jeroboam's irreverence with its punishment
38. But when in the temple of our God, that wicked king Jeroboam took away the gifts which his father had laid up, and offered to idols upon the holy altar, did not his right hand, which he stretched out, wither, and his idols, which he called upon, were not able to help him? Then, turning to the Lord, he asked for pardon, and at once his hand which had withered by sacrilege was healed by true religion. So complete an example was there set forth in one person, both of divine mercy and wrath when he who was sacrificing suddenly lost his right hand, but when penitent received forgiveness.
The Fathers are given as they wrote. Where a passage lays the Passion on the Jewish people, the Church teaches that it cannot be charged against all the Jews then living, nor against the Jews of today, and that all sinners were its authors (CCC 597, 598).