literal sense, something else, different from that which is conveyed by the words, is to be understood. Thou thus findest that Ezekiel, his prophecies being postexilic, spoke in parables and riddles which were not true according to their plain meaning, so that he complained of this to God, who is blessed, and said: ‘They say of me: “Is he not a maker of parables?”’[235] Zechariah, likewise, having flourished toward the end of the prophetic period, all his prophecies were in visions which were not true according to their plain meaning, but only according to that which was implied in them. When he says that he saw horses, women, and a golden candlestick with two olive-trees by it, there is no truth in the matter of the candlestick and olive-trees itself, but only in the idea implied in them. But all the prophecies of Jeremiah, who lived before the destruction of the temple, are very clearly explained. God, who is blessed, has already explained this difference between the prophecy of Moses and that of another prophet. Concerning the prophecy of Moses He said: ‘I speak with him mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches.’[236] From this it is to be inferred that the other prophets beside Moses speak in riddles which are not explicit, and in visions which are not real. It is therefore necessary that these visions should be explained in such a manner that they harmonize with Moses’ words. Similarly, the words of a prophet of a lower rank should always be explained in such a manner that they harmonize with the words of a prophet of a higher rank and do not dissent from him. It is in accordance with this explanation that we find that Isaiah says: ‘And I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up,’[237] while Moses says: ‘For man shall not see Me and live.’[238] Had we not known the rank of either of these prophets, we might have thought Isaiah’s words were accurate, and would have said that because of his high rank he perceived of God that which can possibly be perceived of Him, and he therefore said: ‘And I saw the Lord;’ but Moses, who did not reach Isaiah’s rank, and perceived but little of God, said: ‘For man shall not see Me and live,’ because his perception was weak, and his prophetic rank low. Knowing, however, that Moses was master of all prophets (as it is written: ‘And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend,’[239] and it is likewise written: ‘If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord do make Myself known unto him in a vision, I do speak with him in a dream; My servant Moses is not so.… With him do I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches’[240]), we are assured that Moses’ words are undoubtedly true according to their plain meaning. On the other hand, the words of Isaiah, who was lower than he in rank, are not accurate; it is because of his low rank that he said: ‘And I saw the Lord;’ for he believed that