The Second Book of Esdras

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 6 -

And he said unto me, In the beginning, when the earth was made, before the borders of the world stood, or ever the winds blew,

Before it thundered and lightened, or ever the foundations of paradise were laid,

Before the fair flowers were seen, or ever the moveable powers were established, before the innumerable multitude of angels were gathered together,

Or ever the heights of the air were lifted up, before the measures of the firmament were named, or ever the chimneys in Sion were hot,

And ere the present years were sought out, and or ever the inventions of them that now sin were turned, before they were sealed that have gathered faith for a treasure:

Then did I consider these things, and they all were made through me alone, and through none other: by me also they shall be ended, and by none other.

Then answered I and said, What shall be the parting asunder of the times? or when shall be the end of the first, and the beginning of it that followeth?

And he said unto me, From Abraham unto Isaac, when Jacob and Esau were born of him, Jacob’s hand held first the heel of Esau.

For Esau is the end of the world, and Jacob is the beginning of it that followeth.

The hand of man is betwixt the heel and the hand: other question, Esdras, ask thou not.

I answered then and said, O Lord that bearest rule, if I have found favour in thy sight,

I beseech thee, shew thy servant the end of thy tokens, whereof thou shewedst me part the last night.

So he answered and said unto me, Stand up upon thy feet, and hear a mighty sounding voice.

And it shall be as it were a great motion; but the place where thou standest shall not be moved.

And therefore when it speaketh be not afraid: for the word is of the end, and the foundation of the earth is understood.

And why? because the speech of these things trembleth and is moved: for it knoweth that the end of these things must be changed.

And it happened, that when I had heard it I stood up upon my feet, and hearkened, and, behold, there was a voice that spake, and the sound of it was like the sound of many waters.

And it said, Behold, the days come, that I will begin to draw nigh, and to visit them that dwell upon the earth,

And will begin to make inquisition of them, what they be that have hurt unjustly with their unrighteousness, and when the affliction of Sion shall be fulfilled;

And when the world, that shall begin to vanish away, shall be finished, then will I shew these tokens: the books shall be opened before the firmament, and they shall see all together:

And the children of a year old shall speak with their voices, the women with child shall bring forth untimely children of three or four months old, and they shall live, and be raised up.

And suddenly shall the sown places appear unsown, the full storehouses shall suddenly be found empty:

And the trumpet shall give a sound, which when every man heareth, they shall be suddenly afraid.

At that time shall friends fight one against another like enemies, and the earth shall stand in fear with those that dwell therein, the springs of the fountains shall stand still, and in three hours they shall not run.

Whosoever remaineth from all these that I have told thee shall escape, and see my salvation, and the end of your world.

And the men that are received shall see it, who have not tasted death from their birth: and the heart of the inhabitants shall be changed, and turned into another meaning.

For evil shall be put out, and deceit shall be quenched.

As for faith, it shall flourish, corruption shall be overcome, and the truth, which hath been so long without fruit, shall be declared.

And when he talked with me, behold, I looked by little and little upon him before whom I stood.

And these words said he unto me; I am come to shew thee the time of the night to come.

If thou wilt pray yet more, and fast seven days again, I shall tell thee greater things by day than I have heard.

For thy voice is heard before the most High: for the Mighty hath seen thy righteous dealing, he hath seen also thy chastity, which thou hast had ever since thy youth.

And therefore hath he sent me to shew thee all these things, and to say unto thee, Be of good comfort and fear not

And hasten not with the times that are past, to think vain things, that thou mayest not hasten from the latter times.

And it came to pass after this, that I wept again, and fasted seven days in like manner, that I might fulfil the three weeks which he told me.

And in the eighth night was my heart vexed within me again, and I began to speak before the most High.

For my spirit was greatly set on fire, and my soul was in distress.

And I said, O Lord, thou spakest from the beginning of the creation, even the first day, and saidst thus; Let heaven and earth be made; and thy word was a perfect work.

And then was the spirit, and darkness and silence were on every side; the sound of man’s voice was not yet formed.

Then commandedst thou a fair light to come forth of thy treasures, that thy work might appear.

Upon the second day thou madest the spirit of the firmament, and commandedst it to part asunder, and to make a division betwixt the waters, that the one part might go up, and the other remain beneath.

Upon the third day thou didst command that the waters should be gathered in the seventh part of the earth: six pats hast thou dried up, and kept them, to the intent that of these some being planted of God and tilled might serve thee.

For as soon as thy word went forth the work was made.

For immediately there was great and innumerable fruit, and many and divers pleasures for the taste, and flowers of unchangeable colour, and odours of wonderful smell: and this was done the third day.

Upon the fourth day thou commandedst that the sun should shine, and the moon give her light, and the stars should be in order:

And gavest them a charge to do service unto man, that was to be made.

Upon the fifth day thou saidst unto the seventh part, where the waters were gathered that it should bring forth living creatures, fowls and fishes: and so it came to pass.

For the dumb water and without life brought forth living things at the commandment of God, that all people might praise thy wondrous works.

Then didst thou ordain two living creatures, the one thou calledst Enoch, and the other Leviathan;

And didst separate the one from the other: for the seventh part, namely, where the water was gathered together, might not hold them both.

Unto Enoch thou gavest one part, which was dried up the third day, that he should dwell in the same part, wherein are a thousand hills:

But unto Leviathan thou gavest the seventh part, namely, the moist; and hast kept him to be devoured of whom thou wilt, and when.

Upon the sixth day thou gavest commandment unto the earth, that before thee it should bring forth beasts, cattle, and creeping things:

And after these, Adam also, whom thou madest lord of all thy creatures: of him come we all, and the people also whom thou hast chosen.

All this have I spoken before thee, O Lord, because thou madest the world for our sakes

As for the other people, which also come of Adam, thou hast said that they are nothing, but be like unto spittle: and hast likened the abundance of them unto a drop that falleth from a vessel.

And now, O Lord, behold, these heathen, which have ever been reputed as nothing, have begun to be lords over us, and to devour us.

But we thy people, whom thou hast called thy firstborn, thy only begotten, and thy fervent lover, are given into their hands.

If the world now be made for our sakes, why do we not possess an inheritance with the world? how long shall this endure?

He said to me, “In the beginning, when the earth was made, before the portals of the world were fixed and before the gatherings of the winds blew,

before the voices of the thunder sounded and before the flashes of the lightning shone, before the foundations of paradise were laid,

before the fair flowers were seen, before the powers of the earthquake were established, before the innumerable army of angels were gathered together,

before the heights of the air were lifted up, before the measures of the firmament were named, before the footstool of Zion (a)was established,

before the present years were reckoned, before the imaginations of those who now sin were estranged, and before they were sealed who have gathered faith for a treasure—

then I considered these things, and they all were made through me alone, and not through another; just as by me also they will be ended, and not by another.”

Then I answered, “What will be the dividing of the times? Or when will be the end of the first and the beginning of the age that follows?”

He said to me, “From Abraham to Isaac, because Jacob and Esau were born to him, for Jacob’s hand held Esau’s heel from the beginning.

For Esau is the end of this age, and Jacob is the beginning of the one that follows.

(b)The beginning of a man is his hand, and the end of a man is his heel. Seek nothing else between the heel and the hand, Esdras!”

Then I answered, “O sovereign Lord, if I have found favor in your sight,

I beg you, show your servant the end of your signs which you showed me part on a previous night.”

So he answered, “Stand up upon your feet, and you will hear a mighty sounding voice.

If the place you stand on is greatly moved

when it speaks don’t be afraid, for the word is of the end, and the foundations of the earth will understand

that the speech is about them. They will tremble and be moved, for they know that their end must be changed.”

It happened that when I had heard it, I stood up on my feet, and listened, and, behold, there was a voice that spoke, and its sound was like the sound of many waters.

It said, “Behold, the days come when I draw near to visit those who dwell upon the earth,

and when I investigate those who have caused harm unjustly with their unrighteousness, and when the affliction of Zion is complete,

and when the seal will be set on the age that is to pass away, then I will show these signs: the books will be opened before the firmament, and all will see together.

The children a year old will speak with their voices. The women with child will deliver premature children at three or four months, and they will live and dance.

Suddenly the sown places will appear unsown. The full storehouses will suddenly be found empty.

The trumpet will give a sound which when every man hears, they will suddenly be afraid.

At that time friends will make war against one another like enemies. The earth will stand in fear with those who dwell in it. The springs of the fountains will stand still, so that for three hours they won’t flow.

“It will be that whoever remains after all these things that I have told you of, he will be saved and will see my salvation, and the end of my world.

They will see the men who have been taken up, who have not tasted death from their birth. The heart of the inhabitants will be changed and turned into a different spirit.

For evil will be blotted out and deceit will be quenched.

Faith will flourish. Corruption will be overcome, and the truth, which has been so long without fruit, will be declared.”

When he talked with me, behold, little by little, the place I stood on (c)rocked back and forth.

He said to me, “I came to show you these things (d)tonight.

If therefore you will pray yet again, and fast seven more days, I will (e)again tell you greater things than these.

For your voice has surely been heard before the Most High. For the Mighty has seen your righteousness. He has also seen your purity, which you have maintained ever since your youth.

Therefore he has sent me to show you all these things, and to say to you, ‘Believe, and don’t be afraid!

Don’t be hasty to think vain things about the former times, that you may not hasten in the latter times.’”

It came to pass after this, that I wept again, and fasted seven days in like manner, that I might fulfill the three weeks which he told me.

On the eighth night, my heart was troubled within me again, and I began to speak in the presence of the Most High.

For my spirit was greatly aroused, and my soul was in distress.

I said, “O Lord, truly you spoke at the beginning of the creation, on the first day, and said this: ‘Let heaven and earth be made,’ and your word perfected the work.

Then the spirit was hovering, and darkness and silence were on every side. The sound of man’s voice was not yet there.(f)

Then you commanded a ray of light to be brought out of your treasuries, that your works might then appear.

“On the second day, again you made the spirit of the firmament and commanded it to divide and to separate the waters, that the one part might go up, and the other remain beneath.

“On the third day, you commanded that the waters should be gathered together in the seventh part of the earth. You dried up six parts and kept them, to the intent that of these some being both planted and tilled might serve before you.

For as soon as your word went out, the work was done.

Immediately, great and innumerable fruit grew, with many pleasant tastes, and flowers of inimitable color, and fragrances of most exquisite smell. This was done the third day.

“On the fourth day, you commanded that the sun should shine, the moon give its light, and the stars should be in their order;

and gave them a command to serve mankind, who was to be made.

“On the fifth day, you said to the seventh part, where the water was gathered together, that it should produce living creatures, fowls and fishes; and so it came to pass

that the mute and lifeless water produced living things as it was told, that the nations might therefore praise your wondrous works.

“Then you preserved two living creatures. The one you called Behemoth, and the other you called Leviathan.

You separated the one from the other; for the seventh part, namely, where the water was gathered together, might not hold them both.

To Behemoth, you gave one part, which was dried up on the third day, that he should dwell in it, in which are a thousand hills;

but to Leviathan you gave the seventh part, namely, the watery part. You have kept them to be devoured by whom you wish, when you wish.

“But on the sixth day, you commanded the earth to produce before you cattle, animals, and creeping things.

Over these, you ordained Adam as ruler over all the works that you have made. Of him came all of us, the people whom you have chosen.

“All this have I spoken before you, O Lord, because you have said that for our sakes you made (g)this world.

As for the other nations, which also come from Adam, you have said that they are nothing, and are like spittle. You have likened the abundance of them to a drop that falls from a bucket.

Now, O Lord, behold these nations, which are reputed as nothing, being rulers over us and devouring us.

But we your people, whom you have called your firstborn, your only children, and your fervent lover, are given into their hands.

Now if the world is made for our sakes, why don’t we possess our world for an inheritance? How long will this endure?”

Footnotes

(a)6:4 So the Syriac.

(b)6:10 So the Syriac, etc. The Latin is defective.

(d)6:30 So the Syriac. The Latin is corrupt.

(e)6:31 The Latin has tell you by day.

(f)6:39 The Latin adds from you.

(g)6:55 So the Syriac. The Latin has the firstborn world.