Who is the Heir of Divine Things

In the preceding treatise we have discussed as carefully as was possible the question of rewards. Now our task is to inquire who is the heir of divine things. When the Sage heard the oracular promise to this purport, “Thy reward shall be exceeding great,” he answers with the question, “Master, what wilt thou give me? I go hence childless. The son of Masek, she who was born in my house, is this Damascus Eliezer.” And again he says “Since thou hast given me no seed, he that was born in my house shall be my heir” (Gen. 15:1–3).

Yet we should have expected that he (for who would not?) would have been struck mute and speechless in amazement at the majesty and greatness of the Giver of the oracle, if not for fear, at any rate for exceeding joy. For men are tongue-tied by overwhelming joy, as well as by violent grief.

This it is that led Moses to confess that he has become feeble of voice and slow of tongue, ever since God began to hold converse with him (Ex. 4:10). And the testimony of the prophet is true indeed. For at such times it is natural that the organ of speech should be held in check, while the language of the understanding becomes articulate and flows in resistless stream, as its wisdom pours forth beauty after beauty, not of words but of thoughts, with a power as easy as it is sublime.