And Elias the Thesbite of the inhabitants of Galaad said to Achab: As the Lord liveth the God of Israel, in whose sight I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to the words of my mouth.2 And the word of the Lord came to him, saying:3 Get thee hence, and go towards the east and hide thyself by the torrent of Carith, which is over against the Jordan,4 And there thou shalt drink of the torrent: and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.5 So he went, and did according to the word of the Lord: and going, he dwelt by the torrent Carith, which is over against the Jordan.6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of tile torrent.
Blessed Elijah typified our Lord and Savior. Just as Elijah suffered persecution by the Jews, so our Lord, the true Elijah, was condemned and despised by the Jews. Elijah left his own people, and Christ deserted the synagogue; Elijah departed into the wilderness, and Christ came into the world. Elijah was fed in the desert by ministering ravens, while Christ was refreshed in the desert of this world by the faith of the Gentiles. Truly, those ravens that took care of blessed Elijah at the Lord's bidding prefigured the Gentiles, for on this account it is said concerning the church of the Gentiles, "I am dark and beautiful, O daughter of Jerusalem." Why is the church dark and beautiful? It is dark by nature, beautiful by grace. Why dark? "Indeed, in guilt I was born, and in sin my mother conceived me." Why beautiful? "Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, that I may be purified; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Why dark? The apostle says, "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and making me prisoner to the law of sin." Why beautiful? "Who will deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Truly, the church of the Gentiles was like a raven, when it despised the living and before receiving grace served idols as dead bodies.
I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence help shall come to me.2 My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.3 May he not suffer thy foot to be moved: neither let him slumber that keepeth thee.4 Behold he shall neither slumber nor sleep, that keepeth Israel.5 The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy protection upon thy right hand.6 The sun shall not burn thee by day: nor the moon by night.7 The Lord keepeth thee from all evil: may the Lord keep thy soul.8 May the Lord keep thy going in and thy going out; from henceforth now and for ever.
We attribute to God, as it were, every state that corresponds to our circumstances. For this reason, when we are half asleep and behaving slothfully, God, since he judges us unworthy of his observant watchfulness over us, is said to be asleep. But, when, after noticing at some time the harm that comes from his sleeping, we shall say, "Arise, why do you sleep, O Lord?" "Behold, he shall neither slumber nor sleep at that time, that keeps Israel." Some others, as it were, turn their eyes away from God because of their shameful deeds and their acts unworthy of the eyes of God. These, on repenting, say, "Why do you turn your face away?" Besides these, there are others who have cast out the memory of God and, as it were, are producing in him forgetfulness of themselves, and these say, "Why do you forget our want and our trouble?" In a word, people do the very things that are humanly spoken about God, making God behave in ways appropriate to the manner in which they have been made. Therefore, "I will extol you, O Lord, for you have upheld me; and you have not made my enemies to rejoice over me." And I will suffer nothing low or abject in my life.
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him.2 And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.†4 Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.†5 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.†6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.8 Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:12 Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.
Or, the Lord promises the inheritance of the earth to the meek, meaning of that Body, which Himself took on Him as His tabernacle; and as by the gentleness of our minds Christ dwells in us, we also shall be clothed with the glory of His renewed body.
The blessedness which He appropriates to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shews that the deep longing of the saints for the doctrine of God shall receive perfect replenishment in heaven; then they shall be filled.
The blessedness of the peacemakers is the reward of adoption, they shall be called the sons of God. For God is our common parent, and no other way can we pass into His family than by living in brotherly love together.
Thus, lastly, He includes those in the beatitude whose will is ready to suffer all things for Christ, who is our righteousness. For these then also is the kingdom preserved, for they are in the contempt of this world poor in spirit.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)