On Naboth (De Nabuthae), tr. M. R. P. McGuire, 1927

72. But hear another and truer explanation. Even for him in his unworthiness did the Lord keep the tenor of His decree, but Achab himself did not hold fast to the divine favors conferred on him. The king of Syria made war. He was defeated and kept for pardon. Although a captive, he was even given his liberty and sent back to his kingdom. It was in keeping with the divine decree that Achab not only escaped harm but even triumphed; it was due to his own stupid want of firmness that he armed against himself the enemy by whom he was to be conquered. And surely he was warned by the prophet, who said: Know, and see what thou dost. He was warned, I say, because the help of divine favor was due against the servants of the King of Syria, since he had said: The God of the mountains is the God of Israel and not the God Baal. Therefore, he says, they have conquered over us. And therefore, he says, 1f we shall not completely overcome them, put satraps vn the stead of the king of Syria, so that he might take from them their valor and the power of the king. Hence in the first battle Achab was victorious, so that he put his enemy to flight; in the second he was also victorious, in which instance he restored the captured king to his power. For this reason there leaped forth a clear prophecy of his own vanquishment, one of the sons of the prophets saying to his neighbor: Strike me. But he would not strike him. And he said: Because thou wouldst not obey the word of the Lord, behold thou departest from me, and a lion shall slay thee. And he departed from him, and a lion found him, and slew him. And after this another prophet stood before the king of Israel and said to him: Thus saith the Lord: Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man of destruction, behold thy life shall be for his life, and thy people for his people. 73. It is clear, therefore, from these prophecies that the Lord keeps His promises even to the unworthy, but that the impious are either destroyed by their own folly or are condemned for a second transgression, though they have escaped the snares of the first. But we should so conduct ourselves that, being worthy through good works, we may deserve to receive the promises of the omnipotent God.