על שינוי השמות כ״בOn the Change of Names 22
א׳
1[125] The chief of the prophets proves to have many names. When he interprets and teaches the oracles vouchsafed to him he is called Moses; when he prays and blesses the people, he is a Man of God (Deut. 33:1); and when Egypt is paying the penalties for its impious deeds he is the god (Ex. 7:1) of Pharaoh, the king of the country.
ב׳
2[126] Why these three? Because to enact fresh laws for the benefit of those to whom they would apply is the task of one whose hands are ever in touch with divine things, one who is called up (Ex. 24:1) by the Lawgiver who speaks in oracles, one who has received from Him a great gift, the power of language to express prophet-like the holy laws. For Moses, if translated, is a “receiving” and it also means a handling, as shewn above.
ג׳
3[127] Secondly, to pray and bless is not for any chance person but for a man who has had no eyes for his kinship to created being and has given himself to be the portion of Him who is ruler and father of all.
ד׳
4[128] For one must be content if it be granted to him to follow right reasoning himself, but to procure the good gift for others is what only a greater, more perfect, truly God-inspired soul can promise, and the possessor of such a soul will with good reason be called God’s man. Thirdly, this same person is a god, because he is wise and therefore the ruler of every fool, even though that fool boast ever so loudly in the support of his royal sceptre. And he is a god for this reason in particular.
ה׳
5[129] It is the will of the ruler of all that though there be some doomed to punishment for their intolerable misdeeds, they should have mediators to make intercession for them, who imitating the merciful power of the Father will dispense punishment with more moderation and in a kindlier spirit. Beneficence is the peculiar prerogative of a god.