Nahum ish Gamzo, also called Nahum of Hamadi used
to say, “Everything for the best.” Sent to the Emperor with
presents, miracles happened. He came to a place where
during the night they emptied his chest and filled it with dust.
Brought before the Emperor he thought they were laughing
• at him. The prophet Elijah came and suggested that this
might be the miraculous dust of Abraham which turned into
arrows. They used it at a place which they had been investing
for three years and they conquered by means of it. Greatly rewarded he returned home. The thievish hosts hearing of
it pull down their building and bring the dust to the
Emperor. It was found to be a fraud and they were duly
punished.
V 26. Adrianus met an old man in Palestine planting fig
trees. He rebuked him, saying that if he had not wrorked in his
youth why did he work now in his old age. The old man
replied that he worked as much as he could and left the rest
to God. The Emperor replied, "If thou should ever gather
figs of these trees bring some to me”. The old man brought
some and the Emperor filled a basket with gold as a reward
for him. The envious wife of a neighbour told her husband
that the Emperor evidently liked figs, and so he must take
him some. He did so and the Emperor placed him in front
of the gate and everyone who passed was ordered to throw a
fig in his face. When he came home his household said to
him: "Thank thy Creator that they were not citrons but only
figs, that they were ripe and not hard.”
25. Nahum ish Gamzo, also called Nahum of Hamadi used
to say, “Everything for the best.” Sent to the Emperor with
presents, miracles happened. He came to a place where
during the night they emptied his chest and filled it with dust.
Brought before the Emperor he thought they were laughing
• at him. The prophet Elijah came and suggested that this
might be the miraculous dust of Abraham which turned into
arrows. They used it at a place which they had been investing
for three years and they conquered by means of it. Greatly rewarded he returned home. The thievish hosts hearing of
it pull down their building and bring the dust to the
Emperor. It was found to be a fraud and they were duly
punished.
V 26. Adrianus met an old man in Palestine planting fig
trees. He rebuked him, saying that if he had not wrorked in his
youth why did he work now in his old age. The old man
replied that he worked as much as he could and left the rest
to God. The Emperor replied, "If thou should ever gather
figs of these trees bring some to me”. The old man brought
some and the Emperor filled a basket with gold as a reward
for him. The envious wife of a neighbour told her husband
that the Emperor evidently liked figs, and so he must take
him some. He did so and the Emperor placed him in front
of the gate and everyone who passed was ordered to throw a
fig in his face. When he came home his household said to
him: "Thank thy Creator that they were not citrons but only
figs, that they were ripe and not hard.”
