The Second Book of Esdras

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 3 -

In the thirtieth year after the ruin of the city I was in Babylon, and lay troubled upon my bed, and my thoughts came up over my heart:

For I saw the desolation of Sion, and the wealth of them that dwelt at Babylon.

And my spirit was sore moved, so that I began to speak words full of fear to the most High, and said,

O Lord, who bearest rule, thou spakest at the beginning, when thou didst plant the earth, and that thyself alone, and commandedst the people,

And gavest a body unto Adam without soul, which was the workmanship of thine hands, and didst breathe into him the breath of life, and he was made living before thee.

And thou leadest him into paradise, which thy right hand had planted, before ever the earth came forward.

And unto him thou gavest commandment to love thy way: which he transgressed, and immediately thou appointedst death in him and in his generations, of whom came nations, tribes, people, and kindreds, out of number.

And every people walked after their own will, and did wonderful things before thee, and despised thy commandments.

And again in process of time thou broughtest the flood upon those that dwelt in the world, and destroyedst them.

And it came to pass in every of them, that as death was to Adam, so was the flood to these.

Nevertheless one of them thou leftest, namely, Noah with his household, of whom came all righteous men.

And it happened, that when they that dwelt upon the earth began to multiply, and had gotten them many children, and were a great people, they began again to be more ungodly than the first.

Now when they lived so wickedly before thee, thou didst choose thee a man from among them, whose name was Abraham.

Him thou lovedst, and unto him only thou shewedst thy will:

And madest an everlasting covenant with him, promising him that thou wouldest never forsake his seed.

And unto him thou gavest Isaac, and unto Isaac also thou gavest Jacob and Esau. As for Jacob, thou didst choose him to thee, and put by Esau: and so Jacob became a great multitude.

And it came to pass, that when thou leadest his seed out of Egypt, thou broughtest them up to the mount Sinai.

And bowing the heavens, thou didst set fast the earth, movedst the whole world, and madest the depths to tremble, and troubledst the men of that age.

And thy glory went through four gates, of fire, and of earthquake, and of wind, and of cold; that thou mightest give the law unto the seed of Jacob, and diligence unto the generation of Israel.

And yet tookest thou not away from them a wicked heart, that thy law might bring forth fruit in them.

For the first Adam bearing a wicked heart transgressed, and was overcome; and so be all they that are born of him.

Thus infirmity was made permanent; and the law (also) in the heart of the people with the malignity of the root; so that the good departed away, and the evil abode still.

So the times passed away, and the years were brought to an end: then didst thou raise thee up a servant, called David:

Whom thou commandedst to build a city unto thy name, and to offer incense and oblations unto thee therein.

When this was done many years, then they that inhabited the city forsook thee,

And in all things did even as Adam and all his generations had done: for they also had a wicked heart:

And so thou gavest thy city over into the hands of thine enemies.

Are their deeds then any better that inhabit Babylon, that they should therefore have the dominion over Sion?

For when I came thither, and had seen impieties without number, then my soul saw many evildoers in this thirtieth year, so that my heart failed me.

For I have seen how thou sufferest them sinning, and hast spared wicked doers: and hast destroyed thy people, and hast preserved thine enemies, and hast not signified it.

I do not remember how this way may be left: Are they then of Babylon better than they of Sion?

Or is there any other people that knoweth thee beside Israel? or what generation hath so believed thy covenants as Jacob?

And yet their reward appeareth not, and their labour hath no fruit: for I have gone here and there through the heathen, and I see that they flow in wealth, and think not upon thy commandments.

Weigh thou therefore our wickedness now in the balance, and their’s also that dwell the world; and so shall thy name no where be found but in Israel.

Or when was it that they which dwell upon the earth have not sinned in thy sight? or what people have so kept thy commandments?

Thou shalt find that Israel by name hath kept thy precepts; but not the heathen.

In the thirtieth year after the ruin of the city, I Salathiel, also called Esdras, was in Babylon, and lay troubled upon my bed, and my thoughts came up over my heart,

for I saw the desolation of Zion and the wealth of those who lived at Babylon.

My spirit was very agitated, so that I began to speak words full of fear to the Most High, and said,

“O sovereign Lord, didn’t you speak at the beginning when you formed the earth—and that yourself alone—and commanded the dust

and it gave you Adam, a body without a soul? Yet it was the workmanship of your hands, and you breathed into him the breath of life, and he was made alive in your presence.

You led him into the garden which your right hand planted before the earth appeared.

You gave him your one commandment, which he transgressed, and immediately you appointed death for him and his descendants. From him were born nations, tribes, peoples, and kindred without number.

Every nation walked after their own will, did ungodly things in your sight, and despised your commandments, and you didn’t hinder them.

Nevertheless, again in process of time, you brought the flood on those who lived in the world and destroyed them.

It came to pass that the same thing happened to them. Just as death came to Adam, so was the flood to these.

Nevertheless, you left one of them, Noah with his household, and all the righteous men who descended from him.

“It came to pass that when those who lived upon the earth began to multiply, they also multiplied children, peoples, and many nations, and began again to be more ungodly than their ancestors.

It came to pass, when they did wickedly before you, you chose one from among them, whose name was Abraham.

You loved, and to him only you showed the end of the times secretly by night,

and made an everlasting covenant with him, promising him that you would never forsake his descendants. To him, you gave Isaac, and to Isaac you gave Jacob and Esau.

You set apart Jacob for yourself, but rejected Esau. Jacob became a great multitude.

It came to pass that when you led his descendants out of Egypt, you brought them up to Mount Sinai.

You bowed the heavens also, shook the earth, moved the whole world, made the depths tremble, and troubled the age.

Your glory went through four gates, of fire, of earthquake, of wind, and of ice, that you might give the law to the descendants of Jacob, and the commandment to the descendants of Israel.

“Yet you didn’t take away from them their wicked heart, that your law might produce fruit in them.

For the first Adam, burdened with a wicked heart transgressed and was overcome, as were all who are descended from him.

Thus disease was made permanent. The law was in the heart of the people along with the wickedness of the root. So the good departed away and that which was wicked remained.

So the times passed away, and the years were brought to an end. Then you raised up a servant, called David,

whom you commanded to build a city to your name, and to offer burnt offerings to you in it from what is yours.

When this was done many years, then those who inhabited the city did evil,

in all things doing as Adam and all his generations had done, for they also had a wicked heart.

So you gave your city over into the hands of your enemies.

“Then I said in my heart, ‘Are their deeds of those who inhabit Babylon any better? Is that why it gained dominion over Zion?’

For it came to pass when I came here, that I also saw impieties without number, and my soul saw many sinners in this thirtieth year, so that my heart failed me.

For I have seen how you endure them sinning, and have spared those who act ungodly, and have destroyed your people, and have preserved your enemies;

and you have not shown how your way may be comprehended. Are the deeds of Babylon better than those of Zion?

Or is there any other nation that knows you beside Israel? Or what tribes have so believed your covenants as these tribes of Jacob?

Yet their reward doesn’t appear, and their labor has no fruit, for I have gone here and there through the nations, and I see that they abound in wealth, and don’t think about your commandments.

Weigh therefore our iniquities now in the balance, and theirs also who dwell in the world, and so will it be found which way the scale inclines.

Or when was it that they who dwell on the earth have not sinned in your sight? Or what nation has kept your commandments so well?

You will find some men by name who have kept your precepts, but you won’t find nations.”