Origen of Alexandria : After these things follows: "the Egyptians," it says, "sold their land to Pharaoh, for the famine prevailed over them." It seems to me that in this too a reproach of the Egyptians is contained. For you would not easily find it written of the Hebrews that "the famine prevailed over them." For although it is written that "the famine grew strong upon the earth," yet it is not written that the famine prevailed over Jacob or his sons, as it is said of the Egyptians that "the famine prevailed over them." For although famine comes even to the just, yet it does not prevail over them; on account of which they even glory in it, just as Paul is found gladly to rejoice in sufferings of this kind, when he says: "in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness." What therefore is for the just an exercise of virtue, this is for the unjust the punishment of sin. Finally in the times of Abraham too it is written that: "there was a famine upon the earth, and Abraham went down into Egypt to dwell there, because the famine had grown strong upon the earth." And certainly, if, as some think, the word of the divine Scripture were composed incautiously and unskillfully, it could have said that Abraham went down into Egypt to dwell there, because the famine had grown strong upon him. But observe with how great a distinction the divine word makes use, with how great caution. When it reports of the saints, it says the famine grew strong "upon the earth"; when of the unjust, it says they themselves were prevailed over by the famine. Neither Abraham, then, nor Jacob, nor their sons does the famine prevail over. But even if it grows strong, it is said to grow strong "upon the earth." And in the times of Isaac likewise it is written that: "there was a famine upon the earth, besides that former famine which occurred in the times of Abraham." And so far is the famine unable to prevail over Isaac that the Lord says to him: "do not go down into Egypt, but dwell in the land whatsoever I shall show you, and dwell in it, and I will be with you." According to this observance, as I judge, the prophet long after those times was saying: "I have been young and now am old, and I have not seen the just man forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread." And elsewhere: "the Lord will not slay the just soul with famine." From all of which it is declared that the earth indeed can suffer famine, and those "who are wise in earthly things." But those whose food it is to "do the will of the Father who is in heaven," and whose soul that "bread which came down from heaven" nourishes, can never labor from the want of famine. Therefore, then, the divine Scripture observantly does not say that those are prevailed over by famine to whom it knows there is the knowledge of God and the food of heavenly wisdom is furnished. But in the third book of Kingdoms also you will find that a similar caution was held concerning the report of famine, where, when the famine had grown strong upon the earth, as Elijah said to Ahab: "the Lord God of powers lives, the God of Israel, in whose sight I have stood, if in these years there shall be dew or rain upon the earth, except by the word of my mouth," after these things it is commanded by the Lord to the ravens that they feed the prophet, and that he drink water from the torrent Cherith. And again in Zarephath of Sidon a widow woman is commanded to feed the prophet, so that she, to whom there remained no more than one day's sustenance, by giving generously might become unfailing and, exhausted, might abound manifold. For the "jar of meal" and the "cruse of oil," according to the word of the Lord, did not fail in feeding the prophet. Similar things too you will find even in the times of Elisha, when the son of Hadad, king of Syria, went up against Samaria and besieged it: "and there was," it says, "a great famine in Samaria, until an ass's head was worth fifty shekels of silver, and a fourth part of a cab of dove's dung five pieces of silver." But suddenly through the word of the prophet a marvelous change comes about, as he says: "hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: as at this hour tomorrow, a measure of fine flour shall be for one shekel and two measures of barley for one shekel in the gates of Samaria." You see, then, from all these things what is gathered: that, when the famine prevails over the earth, not only does it not prevail over the just, but rather through them a remedy is brought to the disaster that threatened. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 16.3 Origen of Alexandria : When therefore you see an observance of this kind kept entire in almost all the places of the holy Scripture, turn these things to the tropological and allegorical sense, which we are taught nonetheless by the words of the prophets themselves. For one of the twelve prophets openly and evidently declares in bare speech that a spiritual famine is meant, saying: "behold, the days come, says the Lord, and I will send forth a famine upon the earth, not a famine of bread nor a thirst of water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord." You see what the famine is that prevails over sinners? You see what the famine is that grows strong upon the earth? For those who are of the earth and "are wise in earthly things" and cannot "perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God" suffer "a famine of the word of God," they do not hear the commandments of the law, they know nothing of the reproofs of the prophets, they are ignorant of the Apostolic consolations, they do not feel the medicine of the Gospel. And therefore it is rightly said of these that: "the famine grew strong upon the earth." But for the just and for those "meditating on the law" of the Lord "day and night," "wisdom prepares her table, slays her victims, mixes her wine in the bowl, and cries out with the loudest voice" — not that all should come, not the abounding, not the rich, nor that the wise of this world should turn aside to her, but "if any are," she says, "lacking in sense, let them come to me"; that is, if any are "humble of heart," who have learned from Christ "to be meek and humble of heart" (which elsewhere is called "poor in spirit"), but rich in faith, these come together to the banquet of wisdom, and refreshed by her feasts they drive away the famine which "grows strong upon the earth." See therefore, you too, lest perchance you be found an Egyptian and the famine prevail over you, lest perchance, occupied by the deeds of the world, or bound tight by the chains of avarice, or dissolved by the effusion of luxury, you become a stranger to the foods of wisdom which are always displayed in the churches of God. For if you turn your hearing away from those things which are either read in the church or debated, without doubt you will suffer "a famine of the word of God." But if you descend from the stock of Abraham and keep the nobility of the Israelite race, the law always feeds you, the prophets feed you, and the Apostles too display for you opulent banquets. In the bosoms too of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, "in the kingdom of the Father," the Gospels will invite you to recline, that there you may eat "of the tree of life" and drink wine of "the true vine," "the new wine with Christ in the kingdom of his Father." For from these foods "the sons of the bridegroom" cannot fast nor suffer famine, "as long as the bridegroom is with them." — HOMILIES ON Genesis 16.4