The Second Book of Esdras

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 13 -

And it came to pass after seven days, I dreamed a dream by night:

And, lo, there arose a wind from the sea, that it moved all the waves thereof.

And I beheld, and, lo, that man waxed strong with the thousands of heaven: and when he turned his countenance to look, all the things trembled that were seen under him.

And whensoever the voice went out of his mouth, all they burned that heard his voice, like as the earth faileth when it feeleth the fire.

And after this I beheld, and, lo, there was gathered together a multitude of men, out of number, from the four winds of the heaven, to subdue the man that came out of the sea

But I beheld, and, lo, he had graved himself a great mountain, and flew up upon it.

But I would have seen the region or place whereout the hill was graven, and I could not.

And after this I beheld, and, lo, all they which were gathered together to subdue him were sore afraid, and yet durst fight.

And, lo, as he saw the violence of the multitude that came, he neither lifted up his hand, nor held sword, nor any instrument of war:

But only I saw that he sent out of his mouth as it had been a blast of fire, and out of his lips a flaming breath, and out of his tongue he cast out sparks and tempests.

And they were all mixed together; the blast of fire, the flaming breath, and the great tempest; and fell with violence upon the multitude which was prepared to fight, and burned them up every one, so that upon a sudden of an innumerable multitude nothing was to be perceived, but only dust and smell of smoke: when I saw this I was afraid.

Afterward saw I the same man come down from the mountain, and call unto him another peaceable Multitude.

And there came much people unto him, whereof some were glad, some were sorry, and some of them were bound, and other some brought of them that were offered: then was I sick through great fear, and I awaked, and said,

Thou hast shewed thy servant these wonders from the beginning, and hast counted me worthy that thou shouldest receive my prayer:

Shew me now yet the interpretation of this dream.

For as I conceive in mine understanding, woe unto them that shall be left in those days and much more woe unto them that are not left behind!

For they that were not left were in heaviness.

Now understand I the things that are laid up in the latter days, which shall happen unto them, and to those that are left behind.

Therefore are they come into great perils and many necessities, like as these dreams declare.

Yet is it easier for him that is in danger to come into these things, than to pass away as a cloud out of the world, and not to see the things that happen in the last days. And he answered unto me, and said,

The interpretation of the vision shall I shew thee, and I will open unto thee the thing that thou hast required.

Whereas thou hast spoken of them that are left behind, this is the interpretation:

He that shall endure the peril in that time hath kept himself: they that be fallen into danger are such as have works, and faith toward the Almighty.

Know this therefore, that they which be left behind are more blessed than they that be dead.

This is the meaning of the vision: Whereas thou sawest a man coming up from the midst of the sea:

The same is he whom God the Highest hath kept a great season, which by his own self shall deliver his creature: and he shall order them that are left behind.

And whereas thou sawest, that out of his mouth there came as a blast of wind, and fire, and storm;

And that he held neither sword, nor any instrument of war, but that the rushing in of him destroyed the whole multitude that came to subdue him; this is the interpretation:

Behold, the days come, when the most High will begin to deliver them that are upon the earth.

And he shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the earth.

And one shall undertake to fight against another, one city against another, one place against another, one people against another, and one realm against another.

And the time shall be when these things shall come to pass, and the signs shall happen which I shewed thee before, and then shall my Son be declared, whom thou sawest as a man ascending.

And when all the people hear his voice, every man shall in their own land leave the battle they have one against another.

And an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as thou sawest them, willing to come, and to overcome him by fighting.

But he shall stand upon the top of the mount Sion.

And Sion shall come, and shall be shewed to all men, being prepared and builded, like as thou sawest the hill graven without hands.

And this my Son shall rebuke the wicked inventions of those nations, which for their wicked life are fallen into the tempest;

And shall lay before them their evil thoughts, and the torments wherewith they shall begin to be tormented, which are like unto a flame: and he shall destroy them without labour by the law which is like unto me.

And whereas thou sawest that he gathered another peaceable multitude unto him;

Those are the ten tribes, which were carried away prisoners out of their own land in the time of Osea the king, whom Salmanasar the king of Assyria led away captive, and he carried them over the waters, and so came they into another land.

But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt,

That they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land.

And they entered into Euphrates by the narrow places of the river.

For the most High then shewed signs for them, and held still the flood, till they were passed over.

For through that country there was a great way to go, namely, of a year and a half: and the same region is called Arsareth.

Then dwelt they there until the latter time; and now when they shall begin to come,

The Highest shall stay the springs of the stream again, that they may go through: therefore sawest thou the multitude with peace.

But those that be left behind of thy people are they that are found within my borders.

Now when he destroyeth the multitude of the nations that are gathered together, he shall defend his people that remain.

And then shall he shew them great wonders.

Then said I, O Lord that bearest rule, shew me this: Wherefore have I seen the man coming up from the midst of the sea?

And he said unto me, Like as thou canst neither seek out nor know the things that are in the deep of the sea: even so can no man upon earth see my Son, or those that be with him, but in the day time.

This is the interpretation of the dream which thou sawest, and whereby thou only art here lightened.

For thou hast forsaken thine own way, and applied thy diligence unto my law, and sought it.

Thy life hast thou ordered in wisdom, and hast called understanding thy mother.

And therefore have I shewed thee the treasures of the Highest: after other three days I will speak other things unto thee, and declare unto thee mighty and wondrous things.

Then went I forth into the field, giving praise and thanks greatly unto the most High because of his wonders which he did in time;

And because he governeth the same, and such things as fall in their seasons: and there I sat three days.

It came to pass after seven days, I dreamed a dream by night.

Behold, a wind arose from the sea that moved all its waves.

I saw, and behold, (a)[this wind caused to come up from the midst of the sea something like the appearance of a man. I saw, and behold,] that man (b)flew with the clouds of heaven. When he turned his face to look, everything that he saw trembled.

Whenever the voice went out of his mouth, all who heard his voice melted, like the (c)wax melts when it feels the fire.

After this I saw, and behold, an innumerable multitude of people was gathered together from the four winds of heaven to make war against the man who came out of the sea.

I saw, and behold, he carved himself a great mountain, and flew up onto it.

I tried to see the region or place from which the mountain was carved, and I couldn’t.

After this I saw, and behold, all those who were gathered together to fight against him were very afraid, and yet they dared to fight.

Behold, as he saw the assault of the multitude that came, he didn’t lift up his hand, or hold a spear or any weapon of war;

but I saw only how he sent out of his mouth something like a flood of fire, and out of his lips a flaming breath, and out of his tongue he shot out a storm of sparks.(d)

These were all mixed together: the flood of fire, the flaming breath, and the great storm, and fell upon the assault of the multitude which was prepared to fight, and burned up every one of them, so that all of a sudden an innumerable multitude was seen to be nothing but dust of ashes and smell of smoke. When I saw this, I was amazed.

Afterward, I saw the same man come down from the mountain, and call to himself another multitude which was peaceful.

Many people came to him. Some of them were glad. Some were sorry. Some of them were bound, and some others brought some of those as offerings. Then through great fear I woke up and prayed to the Most High, and said,

“You have shown your servant these wonders from the beginning, and have counted me worthy that you should receive my prayer.

Now show me also the interpretation of this dream.

For as I conceive in my understanding, woe to those who will be left in those days! Much more woe to those who are not left!

For those who were not left will be in heaviness,

understanding the things that are laid up in the latter days, but not attaining to them.

But woe to them also who are left, because they will see great perils and much distress, like these dreams declare.

Yet is it (e)better for one to be in peril and to come into (f)these things, than to pass away as a cloud out of the world, and not to see the things that (g)will happen in the last days.” He answered me,

“I will tell you the interpretation of the vision, and I will also open to you the things about which you mentioned.

You have spoken of those who are left behind. This is the interpretation:

He that will (h)endure the peril in that time will protect those who fall into danger, even those who have works and faith toward the Almighty.

Know therefore that those who are left behind are more blessed than those who are dead.

These are the interpretations of the vision: Whereas you saw a man coming up from the midst of the sea,

this is he whom the Most High has been keeping for many ages, who by his own self will deliver his creation. He will direct those who are left behind.

Whereas you saw that out of his mouth came wind, fire, and storm,

and whereas he held neither spear, nor any weapon of war, but destroyed the assault of that multitude which came to fight against him, this is the interpretation:

Behold, the days come when the Most High will begin to deliver those who are on the earth.

Astonishment of mind will come upon those who dwell on the earth.

One will plan to make war against another, city against city, place against place, people against people, and kingdom against kingdom.

It will be, when these things come to pass, and the signs happen which I showed you before, then my Son will be revealed, whom you saw as a man ascending.

It will be, when all the nations hear his voice, every man will leave his own land and the battle they have against one another.

An innumerable multitude will be gathered together, as you saw, desiring to come and to fight against him.

But he will stand on the top of Mount Zion.

Zion will come, and will be shown to all men, being prepared and built, like you saw the mountain carved without hands.

My Son will rebuke the nations which have come for their wickedness, with plagues that are like a storm,

and will rebuke them to their face with their evil thoughts, and the torments with which they will be tormented, which are like a flame. He will destroy them without labor by the law, which is like fire.

Whereas you saw that he gathered to himself another multitude that was peaceful,

these are the ten tribes which were led away out of their own land in the time of Osea the king, whom Salmananser the king of the Assyrians led away captive, and he carried them beyond the River, and they were taken into another land.

But they made this plan among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go out into a more distant region, where mankind had never lived,

that there they might keep their statutes which they had not kept in their own land.

They entered by the narrow passages of the river Euphrates.

For the Most High then did signs for them, and stopped the springs of the River until they had passed over.

For through that country there was a long way to go, namely, of a year and a half. The same region is called (i)Arzareth.

Then they lived there until the latter time. Now when they begin to come again,

the Most High stops the springs of the River again, that they may go through. Therefore you saw the multitude gathered together with peace.

But those who are left behind of your people are those who are found within my holy border.

It will be therefore when he will destroy the multitude of the nations that are gathered together, he will defend the people who remain.

Then will he show them very many wonders.”

Then I said, “O sovereign Lord, explain this to me: Why have I seen the man coming up from the midst of the sea?”

He said to me, as no one can explore or know what is in the depths of the sea, even so no man on earth can see my Son, or those who are with him, except in the time of (j)his day.

This is the interpretation of the dream which you saw, and for this only you are enlightened about this,

for you have forsaken your own ways, and applied your diligence to mine, and have searched out my law.

You have ordered your life in wisdom, and have called understanding your mother.

Therefore I have shown you this, for there is a reward laid up with the Most High. It will be, after another three days I will speak other things to you, and declare to you mighty and wondrous things.”

Then I went out and passed into the field, giving praise and thanks greatly to the Most High because of his wonders, which he did from time to time,

and because he governs the time, and such things as happen in their seasons. So I sat there three days.

Footnotes

(a)13:3 The words in brackets are added from the Syriac.

(b)13:3 So the Syriac. The Latin has grew strong

(d)13:10 So the Syriac and Arabic.

(e)13:20 Lat. easier.

(f)13:20 So the Syriac.

(g)13:20 So the Syriac.

(h)13:23 So the Syriac.

(i)13:45 That is, another land.See Deuteronomy 29:28 .

(j)13:52 So the Oriental versions. The Latin omits his.