38 When I said these things in my heart, I looked around,
and on my right I saw a woman; she was mourning and weeping with a loud voice,
and was deeply grieved at heart; her clothes were torn, and there were ashes
on her head.39 Then I dismissed the thoughts with which I had been
engaged, and turned to her40 and said to her,
"Why are you weeping, and why are you grieved at heart?"
41 She said to me, "Let me alone, my lord, so that
I may weep for myself and continue to mourn, for I am greatly embittered in
spirit and deeply distressed."
42 I said to her, "What has happened to you? Tell me."
43 And she said to me, "Your servant was barren and
had no child, though I lived with my husband for thirty years.44 Every
hour and every day during those thirty years I prayed to the Most High, night
and day.45 And after thirty years God heard your servant, and looked
upon my low estate, and considered my distress, and gave me a son. I rejoiced
greatly over him, I and my husband and all my neighbors; and we gave great glory
to the Mighty One.46 And I brought him up with
much care.47 So when he grew up and I came to
take a wife for him, I set a day for the marriage feast.
10
"But it happened that when
my son entered his wedding chamber, he fell down and died.2 So
all of us put out our lamps, and all my neighbors attempted
to console me; I remained quiet until the evening of the second day.3 But
when all of them had stopped consoling me, encouraging me to be quiet, I got
up in the night and fled, and I came to this field, as you see.4 And
now I intend not to return to the town, but to stay here; I will neither eat
nor drink, but will mourn and fast continually until I die."
5 Then I broke off the reflections with which I was
still engaged, and answered her in anger and said,6 "You
most foolish of women, do you not see our mourning, and what has happened to
us?7 For Zion, the mother of us all, is in deep grief and great
distress.8 It is most appropriate to mourn now,
because we are all mourning, and to be sorrowful, because we are all sorrowing;
you are sorrowing for one son, but we, the whole world, for our mother. 9 Now
ask the earth, and she will tell you that it is she who ought to mourn over
so many who have come into being upon her.10 From the beginning all have been born of her, and others
will come; and, lo, almost all go to perdition, and a multitude
of them will come to doom.11 Who then ought to mourn the more, she who lost so great
a multitude, or you who are grieving for one alone?12 But if you say to me, 'My lamentation is not like the
earth's, for I have lost the fruit of my womb, which I brought forth in pain
and bore in sorrow;13 but it is with the earth
according to the way of the earth--the multitude that is now in it goes as it
came';14 then I say to you, 'Just as you brought
forth in sorrow, so the earth also has from the beginning given her fruit, that
is, humankind, to him who made her.'15 Now, therefore,
keep your sorrow to yourself, and bear bravely the troubles that have come upon
you.16 For if you acknowledge the decree of God
to be just, you will receive your son back in due time, and will be praised
among women.17 Therefore go into the town to
your husband."
18 She said to me, "I will not do so; I will not
go into the city, but I will die here."
19 So I spoke again to her, and said,20 "Do
not do that, but let yourself be persuaded--for how many are the adversities
of Zion?--and be consoled because of the sorrow of Jerusalem.21 For
you see how our sanctuary has been laid waste, our altar thrown down, our temple
destroyed;22 our harp has been laid low, our
song has been silenced, and our rejoicing has been ended; the light of our lampstand
has been put out, the ark of our covenant has been plundered, our holy things
have been polluted, and the name by which we are called has been almost profaned;
our children have suffered abuse, our priests have been burned
to death, our Levites have gone into exile, our virgins have been defiled, and
our wives have been ravished; our righteous men have been
carried off, our little ones have been cast out, our young men have been enslaved
and our strong men made powerless.23 And, worst
of all, the seal of Zion has been deprived of its glory, and given over into
the hands of those that hate us.24 Therefore shake off your great sadness and lay aside
your many sorrows, so that the Mighty One may be merciful to you again, and
the Most High may give you rest, a respite from your troubles."
25 While I was talking to her, her face suddenly
began to shine exceedingly; her countenance flashed like lightning, so that
I was too frightened to approach her, and my heart was terrified. While
I was wondering what this meant,26 she suddenly
uttered a loud and fearful cry, so that the earth shook at the sound.27 When I looked up, the woman was no longer visible to
me, but a city was being built, and a place of huge foundations
showed itself. I was afraid, and cried with a loud voice and said,28 "Where
is the angel Uriel, who came to me at first? For it was he who brought me into
this overpowering bewilderment; my end has become corruption, and my prayer
a reproach."
Uriel's
Interpretation of the Vision
29 While I was speaking these words, the angel who had come
to me at first came to me, and when he saw me30 lying there like a corpse, deprived of my understanding,
he grasped my right hand and strengthened me and set me on my feet, and said
to me,31 "What is the matter with you? And why
are you troubled? And why are your understanding and the thoughts of your mind
troubled?"
32 I said, "It was because you abandoned me. I did
as you directed, and went out into the field, and lo, what I have seen and can
still see, I am unable to explain."
33 He said to me, "Stand up like a man, and I will
instruct you."
34 I said, "Speak, my lord; only do not forsake me,
so that I may not die before my time. 35 For
I have seen what I did not know, and I hear what I do not
understand36 --or is my mind deceived, and my
soul dreaming?37 Now therefore I beg you to give
your servant an explanation of this bewildering vision."
38 He answered me and said, "Listen to me, and I
will teach you, and tell you about the things that you fear; for the Most High
has revealed many secrets to you.39 He has seen your righteous conduct, and that you have
sorrowed continually for your people and mourned greatly over Zion.40 This
therefore is the meaning of the vision.41 The
woman who appeared to you a little while ago, whom you saw mourning and whom
you began to console42 (you do not now see the
form of a woman, but there appeared to you a city being built) 43 and
who told you about the misfortune of her son--this is the interpretation:44 The
woman whom you saw is Zion, which you now behold as a city being built. 45 And
as for her telling you that she was barren for thirty years, the reason is that
there were three thousand years in the world before any offering
was offered in it. 46 And after three thousand years Solomon
built the city, and offered offerings; then it was that the barren woman bore
a son.47 And as for her telling you that she
brought him up with much care, that was the period of residence in Jerusalem.48 And
as for her saying to you, 'My son died as he entered his wedding chamber,' and
that misfortune had overtaken her, this was the destruction
that befell Jerusalem.49 So you saw her likeness,
how she mourned for her son, and you began to console her for what had happened. 50 For
now the Most High, seeing that you are sincerely grieved and profoundly distressed
for her, has shown you the brilliance of her glory, and the loveliness of her
beauty.51 Therefore I told you to remain in the
field where no house had been built,52 for I
knew that the Most High would reveal these things to you.53 Therefore I told you to go into the field where there
was no foundation of any building,54 because no work of human construction could endure in
a place where the city of the Most High was to be revealed.
55 "Therefore do not be afraid, and do not let your
heart be terrified; but go in and see the splendor or the
vastness of the building, as far as it is possible for your eyes to see it,56 and
afterward you will hear as much as your ears can hear.57 For you are more blessed than many, and you have been
called to be with the Most High as few have been.58 But
tomorrow night you shall remain here,59 and the
Most High will show you in those dream visions what the Most High will do to
those who inhabit the earth in the last days."
So I slept that night and the following one, as he had told me.
The Vision
of the Eagle
11 On the
second night I had a dream: I saw rising from the sea an eagle that had twelve
feathered wings and three heads.2 I saw it spread its wings over the
whole earth, and all the winds of heaven blew upon it, and the clouds were gathered
around it. 3 I saw that out
of its wings there grew opposing wings; but they became little, puny wings.4 But
its heads were at rest; the middle head was larger than the other heads, but
it too was at rest with them.5 Then I saw that
the eagle flew with its wings, and it reigned over the earth and over those
who inhabit it.6 And I saw how all things under
heaven were subjected to it, and no one spoke against it--not a single creature
that was on the earth.7 Then I saw the eagle rise
upon its talons, and it uttered a cry to its wings, saying,8 "Do
not all watch at the same time; let each sleep in its own place, and watch in
its turn;9 but let the heads be reserved for the last."
10 I looked again and saw that the voice did not
come from its heads, but from the middle of its body.11 I
counted its rival wings, and there were eight of them.12 As
I watched, one wing on the right side rose up, and it reigned over all the earth.13 And
after a time its reign came to an end, and it disappeared, so that even its
place was no longer visible. Then the next wing rose up and reigned, and it
continued to reign a long time.14 While it was
reigning its end came also, so that it disappeared like the first.15 And a voice sounded, saying to it,16 "Listen to me, you who have ruled the earth all this
time; I announce this to you before you disappear.17 After you no one shall rule as long as you have ruled,
not even half as long."
18 Then the third wing raised itself up, and held
the rule as the earlier ones had done, and it also disappeared.19 And
so it went with all the wings; they wielded power one after another and then
were never seen again.20 I kept looking, and
in due time the wings that followed also rose up on the right
side, in order to rule. There were some of them that ruled, yet disappeared
suddenly;21 and others of them rose up, but did
not hold the rule.
22 And after this I looked and saw that the twelve wings and
the two little wings had disappeared,23 and nothing
remained on the eagle's body except the three heads that were at rest and six
little wings.
24 As I kept looking I saw that two little wings
separated from the six and remained under the head that was on the right side;
but four remained in their place.25 Then I saw
that these little wings planned to set themselves up and
hold the rule.26 As I kept looking, one was set
up, but suddenly disappeared;27 a second also,
and this disappeared more quickly than the first.28 While I continued to look the two that remained were
planning between themselves to reign together;29 and while they were planning, one of the heads that
were at rest (the one that was in the middle) suddenly awoke; it was greater
than the other two heads.30 And I saw how it
allied the two heads with itself,31 and how the head turned with those that were with it
and devoured the two little wings that were planning to reign.32 Moreover
this head gained control of the whole earth, and with much oppression dominated
its inhabitants; it had greater power over the world than all the wings that
had gone before.
33 After this I looked again and saw the head in
the middle suddenly disappear, just as the wings had done.34 But
the two heads remained, which also in like manner ruled over the earth and its
inhabitants.35 And while I looked, I saw the head on the right side
devour the one on the left.
A Lion
Roused from the Forest
36 Then I heard a voice saying to me, "Look in front of you
and consider what you see."37 When I looked,
I saw what seemed to be a lion roused from the forest, roaring; and I heard
how it uttered a human voice to the eagle, and spoke, saying,38 "Listen
and I will speak to you. The Most High says to you,39 'Are
you not the one that remains of the four beasts that I had made to reign in
my world, so that the end of my times might come through them?40 You, the fourth that has come, have conquered all the
beasts that have gone before; and you have held sway over the world with great
terror, and over all the earth with grievous oppression; and for so long you
have lived on the earth with deceit. 41 You
have judged the earth, but not with truth,42 for
you have oppressed the meek and injured the peaceable; you have hated those
who tell the truth, and have loved liars; you have destroyed the homes of those
who brought forth fruit, and have laid low the walls of those who did you no
harm.43 Your insolence has come up before the
Most High, and your pride to the Mighty One.44 The
Most High has looked at his times; now they have ended, and his ages have reached
completion.45 Therefore you, eagle, will surely
disappear, you and your terrifying wings, your most evil little wings, your
malicious heads, your most evil talons, and your whole worthless body,46 so
that the whole earth, freed from your violence, may be refreshed and relieved,
and may hope for the judgment and mercy of him who made it.' "
12 While
the lion was saying these words to the eagle, I looked2 and
saw that the remaining head had disappeared. The two wings that had gone over
to it rose up and set themselves up to reign, and their reign
was brief and full of tumult.3 When I looked again,
they were already vanishing. The whole body of the eagle was burned, and the
earth was exceedingly terrified.
Then I woke up in great perplexity of mind and great fear, and I
said to my spirit,4 "You have brought this upon
me, because you search out the ways of the Most High.5 I am still weary in mind and very weak in my spirit, and
not even a little strength is left in me, because of the great fear with which
I have been terrified tonight.6 Therefore I will now entreat the Most High that he may
strengthen me to the end."
The Interpretation
of the Vision
7 Then I said, "O sovereign Lord, if I have found favor in your
sight, and if I have been accounted righteous before you beyond many others,
and if my prayer has indeed come up before your face,8 strengthen me and show me, your servant, the interpretation
and meaning of this terrifying vision so that you may fully comfort my soul.9 For
you have judged me worthy to be shown the end of the times and the last events
of the times."
10 He said to me, "This is the interpretation of
this vision that you have seen:11 The eagle that you saw coming up from the sea is the
fourth kingdom that appeared in a vision to your brother Daniel.12 But
it was not explained to him as I now explain to you or have explained it.13 The days are coming when a kingdom shall rise on earth,
and it shall be more terrifying than all the kingdoms that have been before
it.14 And twelve kings shall reign in it, one
after another.15 But the second that is to reign
shall hold sway for a longer time than any other one of the twelve.16 This
is the interpretation of the twelve wings that you saw.
17 "As for your hearing a voice that spoke, coming not from
the eagle's heads but from the midst of its body, this is
the interpretation:18 In the midst of
the time of that kingdom great struggles shall arise, and it shall be in danger
of falling; nevertheless it shall not fall then, but shall regain its former
power. 19 As for your seeing
eight little wings clinging to its wings, this is the interpretation:20 Eight
kings shall arise in it, whose times shall be short and their years swift;21 two
of them shall perish when the middle of its time draws near; and four shall
be kept for the time when its end approaches, but two shall be kept until the
end.
22 "As for your seeing three heads at rest, this is the interpretation:23 In
its last days the Most High will raise up three kings, and
they shall renew many things in it, and shall rule the earth24 and
its inhabitants more oppressively than all who were before them. Therefore they
are called the heads of the eagle,25 because
it is they who shall sum up his wickedness and perform his last actions.26 As for your seeing that the large head disappeared,
one of the kings shall die in his bed, but in agonies.27 But
as for the two who remained, the sword shall devour them.28 For
the sword of one shall devour him who was with him; but he also shall fall by
the sword in the last days.
29 "As for your seeing two little wings
passing over to the head which was on the right side,30 this is the interpretation: It is these whom the Most
High has kept for the eagle's end; this was the reign which was brief and full
of tumult, as you have seen.
31 "And as for the lion whom you saw rousing up out of the forest
and roaring and speaking to the eagle and reproving him for his unrighteousness,
and as for all his words that you have heard,32 this
is the Messiah whom the Most High has kept until the end
of days, who will arise from the offspring of David, and will come and speak
with them. He will denounce them for their ungodliness and for their wickedness,
and will display before them their contemptuous dealings.33 For
first he will bring them alive before his judgment seat, and when he has reproved
them, then he will destroy them.34 But in mercy
he will set free the remnant of my people, those who have been saved throughout
my borders, and he will make them joyful until the end comes, the day of judgment,
of which I spoke to you at the beginning.35 This
is the dream that you saw, and this is its interpretation.36 And
you alone were worthy to learn this secret of the Most High.37 Therefore write all these things that you have seen
in a book, put it in a hidden place;38 and you shall teach them to the wise among your people,
whose hearts you know are able to comprehend and keep these secrets.39 But
as for you, wait here seven days more, so that you may be shown whatever it
pleases the Most High to show you." Then he left me.
The People
Come to Ezra
40
When all the people heard that the seven days were past and I had not returned
to the city, they all gathered together, from the least to the greatest, and
came to me and spoke to me, saying,41 "How have we offended you, and what harm have we done
you, that you have forsaken us and sit in this place?42 For of all the prophets you alone are left to us, like
a cluster of grapes from the vintage, and like a lamp in a dark place, and like
a haven for a ship saved from a storm.43 Are not the disasters that have befallen us enough?44 Therefore
if you forsake us, how much better it would have been for us if we also had
been consumed in the burning of Zion.45 For we
are no better than those who died there." And they wept with a loud voice.
Then I answered them and said,46 "Take courage, O Israel; and do not be sorrowful, O
house of Jacob;47 for the Most High has you in
remembrance, and the Mighty One has not forgotten you in your struggle.48 As
for me, I have neither forsaken you nor withdrawn from you; but I have come
to this place to pray on account of the desolation of Zion, and to seek mercy
on account of the humiliation of our sanctuary.49 Now go to your homes, every one of you, and after these
days I will come to you."50 So the people went
into the city, as I told them to do.51 But I sat in the field seven days, as the angel had
commanded me; and I ate only of the flowers of the field, and my food was of
plants during those days.
The Man
from the Sea
13 After
seven days I dreamed a dream in the night.2 And lo, a wind arose from the sea and stirred up
all its waves.3 As I kept looking the wind made
something like the figure of a man come up out of the heart of the sea. And
I saw that this man flew with the clouds
of heaven; and wherever he turned his face to look, everything under his gaze
trembled,4 and whenever his voice issued from his mouth, all who
heard his voice melted as wax melts< when it feels the fire.
5 After this I looked and saw that an innumerable
multitude of people were gathered together from the four winds of heaven to
make war against the man who came up out of the sea.6 And
I looked and saw that he carved out for himself a great mountain, and flew up
on to it.7 And I tried to see the region or place from which the
mountain was carved, but I could not.
8 After this I looked and saw that all who had gathered
together against him, to wage war with him, were filled with fear, and yet they
dared to fight.9 When he saw the onrush of the
approaching multitude, he neither lifted his hand nor held a spear or any weapon
of war;10 but I saw only how he sent forth from
his mouth something like a stream of fire, and from his lips a flaming breath,
and from his tongue he shot forth a storm of sparks. 11 All
these were mingled together, the stream of fire and the flaming breath and the
great storm, and fell on the onrushing multitude that was prepared to fight,
and burned up all of them, so that suddenly nothing was seen of the innumerable
multitude but only the dust of ashes and the smell of smoke. When I saw it,
I was amazed.
12 After this I saw the same man come down from the
mountain and call to himself another multitude that was peaceable.13 Then
many people came to him, some of whom were joyful and some
sorrowful; some of them were bound, and some were bringing others as offerings.
The Interpretation
of the Vision
Then
I woke up in great terror, and prayed to the Most High, and said,14 "From
the beginning you have shown your servant these wonders, and have deemed me
worthy to have my prayer heard by you;15 now
show me the interpretation of this dream also.16 For
as I consider it in my mind, alas for those who will be left in those days!
And still more, alas for those who are not left!17 For those who are not left will be sad18 because they understand the things that are reserved
for the last days, but cannot attain them.19 But alas for those also who are left, and for that very
reason! For they shall see great dangers and much distress, as these dreams
show.20 Yet it is better to
come into these things, though incurring peril, than to pass
from the world like a cloud, and not to see what will happen in the last days."
He answered me and said,21 "I will
tell you the interpretation of the vision, and I will also explain to you the
things that you have mentioned.22 As for what
you said about those who survive, and concerning those who do not survive,
this is the interpretation:23 The one who brings the peril at that time will protect
those who fall into peril, who have works and faith toward the Almighty.24 Understand
therefore that those who are left are more blessed than those who have died.
25 "This is the interpretation of the vision: As for your seeing
a man come up from the heart of the sea,26 this is he whom the Most High has been keeping for many
ages, who will himself deliver his creation; and he will direct those who are
left.27 And as for your seeing wind and fire
and a storm coming out of his mouth,28 and as for his not holding a spear or weapon of war,
yet destroying the onrushing multitude that came to conquer him, this is the
interpretation:29 The days are coming when the
Most High will deliver those who are on the earth.30 And bewilderment of mind shall come over those who inhabit
the earth.31 They shall plan to make war against
one another, city against city, place against place, people against people,
and kingdom against kingdom.32 When these things take place and the signs occur that
I showed you before, then my Son will be revealed, whom you saw as a man coming
up from the sea.
33 "Then, when all the nations hear his voice, all the nations
shall leave their own lands and the warfare that they have against one another;34 and
an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as you saw, wishing to
come and conquer him.35 But he shall stand on
the top of Mount Zion.36 And Zion shall come
and be made manifest to all people, prepared and built, as you saw the mountain
carved out without hands.37 Then he, my Son,
will reprove the assembled nations for their ungodliness (this was symbolized
by the storm),38 and will reproach them to their
face with their evil thoughts and the torments with which they are to be tortured
(which were symbolized by the flames), and will destroy them without effort
by means of the law (which was symbolized by the fire).
39 "And as for your seeing him gather to himself
another multitude that was peaceable,40 these
are the nine tribes that were taken away from their own land
into exile in the days of King Hoshea, whom Shalmaneser, king of the Assyrians,
made captives; he took them across the river, and they were taken into another
land.41 But they formed this plan for themselves,
that they would leave the multitude of the nations and go to a more distant
region, where no human beings had ever lived,42 so
that there at least they might keep their statutes that they had not kept in
their own land.43 And they went in by the narrow passages of the Euphrates
river.44 For at that time the Most High performed
signs for them, and stopped the channels of the river until they had crossed
over.45 Through that region there was a long
way to go, a journey of a year and a half; and that country is called Arzareth.
46 "Then they lived there until the last times; and now, when
they are about to come again,47 the Most High
will stop the channels of the river again, so that they may
be able to cross over. Therefore you saw the multitude gathered together in
peace.48 But those who are left of your people,
who are found within my holy borders, shall be saved. 49 Therefore
when he destroys the multitude of the nations that are gathered together, he
will defend the people who remain.50 And then
he will show them very many wonders."
51 I said, "O sovereign Lord, explain this to me: Why did I
see the man coming up from the heart of the sea?"
52 He said to me, "Just as no one can explore or know what is
in the depths of the sea, so no one on earth can see my Son or those who are
with him, except in the time of his day. 53 This
is the interpretation of the dream that you saw. And you alone have been enlightened
about this,54 because you have forsaken your
own ways and have applied yourself to mine, and have searched out my law;55 for
you have devoted your life to wisdom, and called understanding your mother.56 Therefore I have shown you these things; for there is
a reward laid up with the Most High. For it will be that after three more days
I will tell you other things, and explain weighty and wondrous matters to you."
57 Then I got up and walked in the field, giving
great glory and praise to the Most High for the wonders that he does
from time to time,58 and because he governs the times and whatever things
come to pass in their seasons. And I stayed there three days.
The Lord
Commissions Ezra
14 On the
third day, while I was sitting under an oak, suddenly a voice came out of a
bush opposite me and said, "Ezra, Ezra!"2 And I answered, "Here I am, Lord," and I rose to my feet.3 Then
he said to me, "I revealed myself in a bush and spoke to Moses when my people
were in bondage in Egypt;4 and I sent him and
led my people out of Egypt; and I led him up on Mount Sinai,
where I kept him with me many days.5 I told him many wondrous things, and showed him the secrets
of the times and declared to him the end of the times. Then
I commanded him, saying,6 'These words you shall
publish openly, and these you shall keep secret.'7 And
now I say to you:8 Lay up in your heart the signs that I have shown you,
the dreams that you have seen, and the interpretations that you have heard;9 for
you shall be taken up from among humankind, and henceforth you shall live with
my Son and with those who are like you, until the times are ended.10 The age has lost its youth, and the times begin to grow
old.11 For the age is divided into twelve parts,
and nine of its parts have already passed,12 as
well as half of the tenth part; so two of its parts remain, besides half of
the tenth part. 13 Now therefore,
set your house in order, and reprove your people; comfort the lowly among them,
and instruct those that are wise. And now renounce the life
that is corruptible,14 and put away from you mortal thoughts; cast away from
you the burdens of humankind, and divest yourself now of your weak nature;15 lay
to one side the thoughts that are most grievous to you, and hurry to escape
from these times.16 For evils worse than those
that you have now seen happen shall take place hereafter.17 For the weaker the world becomes through old age, the
more shall evils be increased upon its inhabitants.18 Truth shall go farther away, and falsehood shall come
near. For the eagle that you saw in the vision is already
hurrying to come."
Ezra's
Concern to Restore the Scriptures
19
Then I answered and said, "Let me speak in your presence,
Lord.20 For I will go, as you have commanded
me, and I will reprove the people who are now living; but who will warn those
who will be born hereafter? For the world lies in darkness, and its inhabitants
are without light.21 For your law has been burned, and so no one knows the
things which have been done or will be done by you.22 If then I have found favor with you, send the holy spirit
into me, and I will write everything that has happened in the world from the
beginning, the things that were written in your law, so that people may be able
to find the path, and that those who want to live in the last days may do so."
23 He answered me and said, "Go and gather the people,
and tell them not to seek you for forty days.24 But
prepare for yourself many writing tablets, and take with you Sarea, Dabria,
Selemia, Ethanus, and Asiel--these five, who are trained to write rapidly;25 and you shall come here, and I will light in your heart
the lamp of understanding, which shall not be put out until what you are about
to write is finished.26 And when you have finished,
some things you shall make public, and some you shall deliver in secret to the
wise; tomorrow at this hour you shall begin to write."
Ezra's
Last Words to the People
27 Then I went as he commanded me, and I gathered all the people
together, and said,28 "Hear these words, O Israel.29 At
first our ancestors lived as aliens in Egypt, and they were liberated from there30 and received the law of life, which they did not keep,
which you also have transgressed after them.31 Then land was given to you for a possession in the land
of Zion; but you and your ancestors committed iniquity and did not keep the
ways that the Most High commanded you.32 And since he is a righteous judge, in due time he took
from you what he had given.33 And now you are
here, and your people are farther in the interior. 34 If
you, then, will rule over your minds and discipline your hearts, you shall be
kept alive, and after death you shall obtain mercy.35 For after death the judgment will come, when we shall
live again; and then the names of the righteous shall become manifest, and the
deeds of the ungodly shall be disclosed.36 But let no one come to me now, and let no one seek me
for forty days."
The Restoration
of the Scriptures
37 So I took the five men, as he commanded me, and we proceeded
to the field, and remained there.38 And on the next day a voice called me, saying, "Ezra,
open your mouth and drink what I give you to drink."39 So I opened my mouth, and a full cup was offered to
me; it was full of something like water, but its color was like fire.40 I
took it and drank; and when I had drunk it, my heart poured forth understanding,
and wisdom increased in my breast, for my spirit retained its memory,41 and my mouth was opened and was no longer closed.42 Moreover,
the Most High gave understanding to the five men, and by turns they wrote what
was dictated, using characters that they did not know. They
sat forty days; they wrote during the daytime, and ate their bread at night.43 But
as for me, I spoke in the daytime and was not silent at night.44 So
during the forty days, ninety-four books were written.45 And
when the forty days were ended, the Most High spoke to me, saying, "Make public
the twenty-four books that you wrote first, and let the worthy
and the unworthy read them;46 but keep the seventy
that were written last, in order to give them to the wise among your people.47 For
in them is the spring of understanding, the fountain of wisdom, and the river
of knowledge."48 And I did so.
Vengeance
on the Wicked
15 Speak
in the ears of my people the words of the prophecy that I will put in your mouth,
says the Lord,2 and cause them to be written on
paper; for they are trustworthy and true.3 Do not fear the plots against you, and do not be troubled
by the unbelief of those who oppose you.4 For all unbelievers shall die in their unbelief.
5 Beware, says the Lord, I am bringing evils upon
the world, the sword and famine, death and destruction,6 because
iniquity has spread throughout every land, and their harmful doings have reached
their limit.7 Therefore, says the Lord,8 I
will be silent no longer concerning their ungodly acts that they impiously commit,
neither will I tolerate their wicked practices. Innocent and righteous blood
cries out to me, and the souls of the righteous cry out continually.9 I will surely avenge them, says the Lord, and will receive
to myself all the innocent blood from among them.10 See, my people are being led like a flock to the slaughter;
I will not allow them to live any longer in the land of Egypt,11 but
I will bring them out with a mighty hand and with an uplifted arm, and will
strike Egypt with plagues, as before, and will destroy all its land.
12 Let Egypt mourn, and its foundations, because
of the plague of chastisement and castigation that the Lord will bring upon
it.13 Let the farmers that till the ground mourn,
because their seed shall fail to grow and their trees shall
be ruined by blight and hail and by a terrible tempest.14 Alas
for the world and for those who live in it!15 For
the sword and misery draw near them, and nation shall rise up to fight against
nation, with swords in their hands.16 For there
shall be unrest among people; growing strong against one another, they shall
in their might have no respect for their king or the chief of their leaders.17 For
a person will desire to go into a city, and shall not be able to do so.18 Because of their pride the cities shall be in confusion,
the houses shall be destroyed, and people shall be afraid.19 People
shall have no pity for their neighbors, but shall make an assault upon
their houses with the sword, and plunder their goods, because of hunger for
bread and because of great tribulation.
20 See how I am calling together all the kings of
the earth to turn to me, says God, from the rising sun and from the south, from
the east and from Lebanon; to turn and repay what they have given them.21 Just as they have done to my elect until this day, so
I will do, and will repay into their bosom. Thus says the Lord God:22 My
right hand will not spare the sinners, and my sword will not cease from those
who shed innocent blood on earth.23 And a fire
went forth from his wrath, and consumed the foundations of the earth and the
sinners, like burnt straw.24 Alas for those who
sin and do not observe my commandments, says the Lord; 25 I
will not spare them. Depart, you faithless children! Do not pollute my sanctuary.26 For
God knows all who sin against him; therefore he will hand
them over to death and slaughter.27 Already calamities
have come upon the whole earth, and you shall remain in them; God
will not deliver you, because you have sinned against him.
A Terrifying
Vision of Warfare
28 What a terrifying sight, appearing from the east!29 The
nations of the dragons of Arabia shall come out with many chariots, and from
the day that they set out, their hissing shall spread over the earth, so that
all who hear them will fear and tremble.30 Also
the Carmonians, raging in wrath, shall go forth like wild boars
from the forest, and with great power they shall come and engage them in battle,
and with their tusks they shall devastate a portion of the land of the Assyrians
with their teeth.31 And then the dragons, remembering
their origin, shall become still stronger; and if they combine in great power
and turn to pursue them,32 then these shall be
disorganized and silenced by their power, and shall turn and flee. 33 And
from the land of the Assyrians an enemy in ambush shall attack them and destroy
one of them, and fear and trembling shall come upon their army, and indecision
upon their kings.
Judgment
on Babylon
34
See the clouds from the east, and from the north to the south! Their appearance
is exceedingly threatening, full of wrath and storm.35 They
shall clash against one another and shall pour out a heavy tempest on the earth,
and their own tempest; and there shall be blood from the
sword as high as a horse's belly36 and a man's
thigh and a camel's hock.37 And there shall be
fear and great trembling on the earth; those who see that wrath shall be horror-stricken,
and they shall be seized with trembling.38 After that, heavy storm clouds shall be stirred up from
the south, and from the north, and another part from the west.39 But
the winds from the east shall prevail over the cloud that was
raised in wrath, and shall dispel it; and the tempest that
was to cause destruction by the east wind shall be driven violently toward the
south and west.40 Great and mighty clouds, full
of wrath and tempest, shall rise and destroy all the earth and its inhabitants,
and shall pour out upon every high and lofty place a terrible
tempest,41 fire and hail and flying swords and floods of water,
so that all the fields and all the streams shall be filled with the abundance
of those waters.42 They shall destroy cities
and walls, mountains and hills, trees of the forests, and grass of the meadows,
and their grain.43 They shall go on steadily to Babylon and blot it out.44 They
shall come to it and surround it; they shall pour out on it the tempest
and all its fury; then the dust and smoke shall reach the
sky, and all who are around it shall mourn for it.45 And those who survive shall serve those who have destroyed
it.
Judgment
on Asia
46
And you, Asia, who share in the splendor of Babylon and the glory of her person--47 woe
to you, miserable wretch! For you have made yourself like her; you have decked
out your daughters for prostitution to please and glory in your lovers, who
have always lusted after you.48 You have imitated
that hateful one in all her deeds and devices. Therefore
God says,49 I will send evils
upon you: widowhood, poverty, famine, sword, and pestilence, bringing ruin to
your houses, bringing destruction and death.50 And the glory of your strength shall wither like a flower
when the heat shall rise that is sent upon you.51 You shall be weakened like a wretched woman who is beaten
and wounded, so that you cannot receive your mighty lovers.52 Would
I have dealt with you so violently, says the Lord,53 if
you had not killed my chosen people continually, exulting and clapping your
hands and talking about their death when you were drunk?
54 Beautify your face!55 The
reward of a prostitute is in your lap; therefore you shall receive your recompense.56 As
you will do to my chosen people, says the Lord, so God will do to you, and will
hand you over to adversities.57 Your children
shall die of hunger, and you shall fall by the sword; your cities shall be wiped
out, and all your people who are in the open country shall fall by the sword.58 Those
who are in the mountains and highlands shall perish of hunger,
and they shall eat their own flesh in hunger for bread and drink their own blood
in thirst for water.59 Unhappy above all others,
you shall come and suffer fresh miseries.60 As
they pass by they shall crush the hateful city, and shall
destroy a part of your land and abolish a portion of your glory, when they return
from devastated Babylon.61 You shall be broken down by them like stubble,
and they shall be like fire to you.62 They shall
devour you and your cities, your land and your mountains; they shall burn with
fire all your forests and your fruitful trees.63 They
shall carry your children away captive, plunder your wealth, and mar the glory
of your countenance.
Further
Denunciations
16 Woe
to you, Babylon and Asia! Woe to you, Egypt and Syria!2 Bind on sackcloth and cloth of goats' hair,
and wail for your children, and lament for them; for your destruction is at
hand.3 The sword has been sent upon you, and who
is there to turn it back?4 A fire has been sent upon you, and who is there to quench
it?5 Calamities have been sent upon you, and who
is there to drive them away?6 Can one drive off a hungry lion in the forest, or quench
a fire in the stubble once it has started to burn? 7 Can
one turn back an arrow shot by a strong archer?8 The
Lord God sends calamities, and who will drive them away?9 Fire will go forth from his wrath, and who is there to
quench it?10 He will flash lightning, and who
will not be afraid? He will thunder, and who will not be terrified?11 The
Lord will threaten, and who will not be utterly shattered at his presence?12 The earth and its foundations quake, the sea is churned
up from the depths, and its waves and the fish with them shall be troubled at
the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power.13 For
his right hand that bends the bow is strong, and his arrows that he shoots are
sharp and when they are shot to the ends of the world will not miss once.14 Calamities are sent forth and shall not return until
they come over the earth.15 The fire is kindled,
and shall not be put out until it consumes the foundations of the earth.16 Just
as an arrow shot by a mighty archer does not return, so the calamities that
are sent upon the earth shall not return.17 Alas
for me! Alas for me! Who will deliver me in those days?
The Horror
of the Last Days
18 The beginning of sorrows, when there shall be much lamentation;
the beginning of famine, when many shall perish; the beginning of wars, when
the powers shall be terrified; the beginning of calamities, when all shall tremble.
What shall they do, when the calamities come?19 Famine
and plague, tribulation and anguish are sent as scourges for the correction
of humankind.20 Yet for all this they will not
turn from their iniquities, or ever be mindful of the scourges.21 Indeed,
provisions will be so cheap upon earth that people will imagine that peace is
assured for them, and then calamities shall spring up on the earth--the sword,
famine, and great confusion.22 For many of those
who live on the earth shall perish by famine; and those who survive the famine
shall die by the sword.23 And the dead shall
be thrown out like dung, and there shall be no one to console them; for the
earth shall be left desolate, and its cities shall be demolished.24 No
one shall be left to cultivate the earth or to sow it.25 The
trees shall bear fruit, but who will gather it?26 The grapes shall ripen, but who will tread them? For
in all places there shall be great solitude;27 a person will long to see another human being, or even
to hear a human voice.28 For ten shall be left
out of a city; and two, out of the field, those who have hidden themselves in
thick groves and clefts in the rocks.29 Just as in an olive orchard three or four olives may
be left on every tree,30 or just as, when a vineyard
is gathered, some clusters may be left by those who search
carefully through the vineyard,31 so in those days three or four shall be left by those
who search their houses with the sword.32 The earth shall be left desolate, and its fields shall
be plowed up, and its roads and all its paths shall bring
forth thorns, because no sheep will go along them.33 Virgins shall mourn because they have no bridegrooms;
women shall mourn because they have no husbands; their daughters shall mourn,
because they have no help.34 Their bridegrooms
shall be killed in war, and their husbands shall perish of famine.
God's People
Must Prepare for the End
35 Listen now to these things, and understand them, you who
are servants of the Lord.36 This is the word
of the Lord; receive it and do not disbelieve what the Lord says. 37 The
calamities draw near, and are not delayed.38 Just
as a pregnant woman, in the ninth month when the time of her delivery draws
near, has great pains around her womb for two or three hours beforehand, but
when the child comes forth from the womb, there will not be a moment's delay,39 so
the calamities will not delay in coming upon the earth, and the world will groan,
and pains will seize it on every side.
40 Hear my words, O my people; prepare for battle,
and in the midst of the calamities be like strangers on the earth.41 Let
the one who sells be like one who will flee; let the one who buys be like one
who will lose;42 let the one who does business
be like one who will not make a profit; and let the one who builds a house be
like one who will not live in it;43 let the one
who sows be like one who will not reap; so also the one who prunes the vines,
like one who will not gather the grapes;44 those who marry, like those who will have no children;
and those who do not marry, like those who are widowed.45 Because of this, those who labor, labor in vain;46 for
strangers shall gather their fruits, and plunder their goods, overthrow their
houses, and take their children captive; for in captivity and famine they will
produce their children. 47 Those
who conduct business, do so only to have it plundered; the more they adorn their
cities, their houses and possessions, and their persons,48 the
more angry I will be with them for their sins, says the Lord.49 Just
as a respectable and virtuous woman abhors a prostitute,50 so righteousness shall abhor iniquity, when she decks
herself out, and shall accuse her to her face when he comes who will defend
the one who searches out every sin on earth.
The Power
and Wisdom of God
51 Therefore do not be like her or her works.52 For in a very short time iniquity will be removed from
the earth, and righteousness will reign over us.53 Sinners must not say that they have not sinned; for
God will burn coals of fire on the head of everyone who says, "I have not sinned
before God and his glory."54 The Lord certainly
knows everything that people do; he knows their imaginations and their thoughts
and their hearts.55 He said, "Let the earth be
made," and it was made, and "Let the heaven be made," and it was made.56 At
his word the stars were fixed in their places, and he knows the number of the
stars.57 He searches the abyss and its treasures;
he has measured the sea and its contents;58 he has confined the sea in the midst of the waters;
and by his word he has suspended the earth over the water.59 He
has spread out the heaven like a dome and made it secure upon the waters;60 he has put springs of water in the desert, and pools
on the tops of the mountains, so as to send rivers from the heights to water
the earth.61 He formed human beings and put a
heart in the midst of each body, and gave each person breath and life and understanding62 and
the spirit of Almighty God, who surely made all things and searches out hidden
things in hidden places.63 He knows your imaginations
and what you think in your hearts! Woe to those who sin and want to hide their
sins!64 The Lord will strictly examine all their
works, and will make a public spectacle of all of you.65 You shall be put to shame when your sins come out before
others, and your own iniquities shall stand as your accusers on that day.66 What
will you do? Or how will you hide your sins before the Lord and his glory?67 Indeed, God is the judge; fear him! Cease from your
sins, and forget your iniquities, never to commit them again; so God will lead
you forth and deliver you from all tribulation.
Impending
Persecution of God's People
68 The burning wrath of a great multitude is kindled over you;
they shall drag some of you away and force you to eat what was sacrificed to
idols.69 And those who consent to eat shall be
held in derision and contempt, and shall be trampled under foot.70 For
in many places and in neighboring cities there shall be a great uprising against
those who fear the Lord.71 They shall be like maniacs, sparing no one, but plundering
and destroying those who continue to fear the Lord.72 For
they shall destroy and plunder their goods, and drive them out of house and
home.73 Then the tested quality of my elect shall
be manifest, like gold that is tested by fire.
Promise
of Divine Deliverance
74 Listen, my elect ones, says the Lord; the days of tribulation
are at hand, but I will deliver you from them.75 Do not fear or doubt, for God is your guide.76 You
who keep my commandments and precepts, says the Lord God, must not let your
sins weigh you down, or your iniquities prevail over you.77 Woe
to those who are choked by their sins and overwhelmed by their iniquities! They
are like a field choked with underbrush and its path overwhelmed with thorns,
so that no one can pass through.78 It is shut
off and given up to be consumed by fire.
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