Syriac Patrology, Volume 1: The Demonstrations of Aphrahat

in His goodness, through the prophecy of Jeremiah, persuaded both. [He says] to the prophet, "If Samuel and Moses should stand before me, I would not hear them at this time."

7. Also in their own generations, these righteous men, strong men, were heard in their own time when they prayed; and at a time of His will, they were not heard. Moses, the great prophet of all Israel, by whose acceptable prayer the people were rescued from wrath many times: while the prayer of one man was sufficient for all Israel, at another time he prayed, but his prayer was not sufficient for himself to be delivered. He prayed, weeping in sorrow, and besought that he might cross over and see the land of promise; and the Lord said to him, "It is enough for you; do not add again to speak this word before me. This word you have spoken: that I would not hear you because you provoked the word of my mouth, and you did not sanctify me at the waters of contention Numbers 27:14; Deuteronomy 32:51." Oh, that righteous men were not heard! For when they are not heard, they are chastened before judgment, so that in the day of retribution they are not punished. Thus Moses was chastened for his murmuring; his prayer was not heard, and he did not enter the land of promise.

8. I assert with true confidence, brethren, that righteous and upright men have always, from the beginning,

the Most Holy One gave assurance to the prophet Jeremiah, saying: "If Samuel and Moses stood before me at that time, I would not hear them Jeremiah 15:1."

7. But also those righteous men in their generations, and very strong men, each in his own time, were sometimes heard when they prayed, and sometimes were not heard. Moses, the great prophet of all Israel, by whose most acceptable prayer the people were rescued from wrath many times—though the intercession of one man was sufficient for all Israel—at another time he prayed, but his prayer was not sufficient for himself to be delivered. For he prayed with groaning and besought that he might cross over and see the land of promise; but the Lord answered him: "It is enough; do not speak this word before me again; for I will not hear you, because you have provoked the word of my mouth, and you did not sanctify me in the waters of contention Numbers 27:14." Oh, the wonderful mysteries, that the righteous are not heard! For when they are not heard, they are chastened before judgment, so that they may not be punished in the day of retribution. Thus Moses was chastened because of his murmuring; his prayer was not heard, and he did not enter the land of promise.

8. With true confidence, brothers, I assert that righteous and upright men are constantly, from the beginning,