Apocrypha. Before CHRIST cir. 457. Or, Be not angry, &c. "Ezra 10.1. CHAP. IX. 86 And all that is befallen is done unto us for our wicked works and great sins: for thou, O Lord, didst make our sins light. 87 And didst give unto us such a root: but we have turned back again to transgress thy law, and to mingle ourselves with the uncleanness of the nations of the land. 88 || Mightest not thou be angry with us to destroy us, till thou hadst left us neither root, seed, nor name? 89 O Lord of Israel, thou art true: for we are left a root this day. 90 Behold, now are we before thee in our iniquities, for we cannot stand any longer by reason of these things before thee. 91 And as Esdras in his prayer made his confession, weeping, and lying flat upon the ground before the temple, there gathered unto him from Jerusalem a very great multitude of men and women and children: for there was great weeping among the multitude. 92 Then Jechonias the son of Jeelus one of the sons of Israel, called out, and said, O Esdras, we have sinned against the Lord God, we have married strange women of the nations of the land, and now is all Or, exalted, Israel || aloft. Deut 28.13. Baruch 2.5. 93 Let us make an oath to the Lord, that we will put away all our wives, which we have taken of the heathen, with their children, 94 Like as thou hast decreed, and as many as do obey the law of the Lord. 95 Arise, and put in execution: for to thee doth this matter appertain, and we will be with thee: do valiantly. 96 So Esdras arose, and took an oath of Heb. and the chief of the priests and Levites † of all Ezra 10.5. Israel to do after these things; and so they all Israel, Apocrypha. Before CHRIST cir. 457. 4 And that whosoever met not there within two or three days, according as the elders that bare rule appointed, their cattle should be seized to the use of the temple, and himself cast out from them that were of the cap- utterly detivity. 5 And in three days were all they of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin gathered together at Jerusalem the twentieth day of the ninth month. 6 And all the multitude sat trembling in the broad court of the temple because of the present foul weather. 7 So Esdras arose up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed the law in marrying strange wives, thereby to increase the sins of Israel. 8 And now by confessing give glory unto the Lord God of our fathers, 9 And do his will, and separate yourselves from the heathen of the land, and from the strange women. 10 Then cried the whole multitude, and said with a loud voice, Like as thou hast spoken, so will we do. 11 But forasmuch as the people are many, and it is foul weather, so that we cannot stand without, and this is not a work of a day or two, seeing our sin in these things is spread far: || stroyed, Josh. 10..8. 12 Therefore let the rulers of the multitude stay, and let all them of our habitations || Or, stands that have strange wives come at the time appointed, 13 And with them the rulers and judges of every place, till we turn away the wrath of the Lord from us for this matter. 14 Then Jonathan the son of Azael and Ezechias the son of Theocanus accordingly took this matter upon them: and Mosollam and Levis and Sabbatheus helped them. 15 And they that were of the captivity 16 And Esdras the priest chose unto him 17 So their cause that held strange wives cir. 456. 18 And of the priests that were come 20 And they gave their hands to put away daliah. their wives, and to offer trams to make reconcilement for their errors. e Or, purification. * Ezra 7. 1. Or, Shallum. ⚫ Isai. 58. 1. 28. 24. CHAP. I. II. ES DRAS. 1 Esdras is commanded to reprove the people. 24 God threateneth to cast them off, 35 and to give their houses to a people of more grace than they. THE a 'HE second book of the prophet Esdras, the son of Saraias, the son of Azarias, the son of Helchias, the son of || Sadamias, the son of Sadoc, the son of Achitob, 2 The son of Achias, the son of Phinees, the son of Heli, the son of Amarias, the son of Aziei, the son of Marimoth, the son of Arna, the son of Ozias, the son of Borith, the son of Abisei, the son of Phinees, the son of Eleazar, 3 The son of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi; which was captive in the land of the Medes, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of the Persians. 4 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 5 Go thy way, and shew my people their sinful deeds, and their children their wickedness which they have done against me; that they may tell their children's children: 6 Because the sins of their fathers are increased in them: for they have forgotten me, and have offered unto strange gods. 7 Am not I even he that brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage? but they have provoked me unto wrath, and despised my counsels. 8 Pull thou off then the hair of thy head, and cast all evil upon them, for they have not been obedient unto my law, but it is a rebellious people. 9 How long shall I forbear them, unto whom I have done so much good? 10 Many kings have I destroyed for their Exod. 14. sakes; Pharaoh with his servants and all his power have I smitten down. Numb. 21. 11 All the nations have I destroyed before Josh. 8. & them, and in the east I have scattered the people of two provinces, even of Tyrus and Sidon, and have slain all their enemies. 10. & 12. 19 Then had I pity upon your mournings, and gave you manna to eat; so ye did eat Wisd. 16. angels' bread. * 20. 11. 20 When ye were thirsty, did I not cleave 'Numb. 20. the rock, and waters flowed out to your fill? Wisd. 11. 4. for the heat I covered you with the leaves of the trees. 21 I divided among you a fruitful land, I cast out the Canaanites, the Pherezites, and the Philistines, before you: "what shall I yet do more for you? saith the Lord. 22 Thus saith the Almighty Lord, When ye were in the wilderness, in the river of the Amorites, being athirst and blaspheming my 25 Seeing ye have forsaken me, I will forsake you also; when ye desire me to be gracious unto you, I shall have no mercy upon you. 26° Whensoever ye shall call upon me, I Isai. 1.15. will not hear you: for ye have defiled your hands with blood, and your feet are swift to commit manslaughter. 27 Ye have not as it were forsaken me, but your own selves, saith the Lord. 28 Thus saith the Almighty Lord, Have I not prayed you as a father his sons, as a mother her daughters, and a nurse her young babes, your God. 29 That ye would be my people, and I Or, as I am should be your God; that ye would be my. children, and I should be your father? P 37. 30 PI gathered you together, as a hen ga- Matt. 23. thereth her chickens under her wings: but now, what shall I do unto you? I will cast you out from my face. C 1 God complaineth of his people: 10 yet Esdras d Matt. 25. 34. 14 Take heaven and earth to witness; for 37. I have broken the evil in pieces, and created the good: for I live, saith the Lord. 15 Mother, embrace thy children, and bring them up with gladness, make their feet Or, bring as fast as a pillar: for I have chosen thee, giadness, as saith the Lord. up a dore make name, their feat 16 And those that be dead will I raise up fast for, &c. again from their places, and bring them out of TH HUS saith the Lord, I brought this peo- the graves: for I have known my name in Or, thy ple out of bondage, and I gave them my commandments by my servants the prophets; whom they would not hear, but despised my counsels. Israel. 17 Fear not, thou mother of the children: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord. 18 For thy help will I send my servants Esay and Jeremy, after whose counsel I have sanctified and prepared for thee twelve trees laden with divers fruits, 19 And as many fountains flowing with milk and honey, and seven mighty mountains, whereupon there grow roses and lilies, whereby I will fill thy children with joy. 20 Do right to the widow, judge for the fatherless, give to the poor, defend the orphan, clothe the naked, Isract. 21 Heal the broken and the weak, laugh not a lame man to scorn, defend the maim Apocrypha. Tobit 1. 17, 13. t signing bury theia. 12. John 17. ed, and let the blind man come into the sight | up those of thine that are clothed in white, of my clearness. which have fulfilled the law of the Lord. g 26 As for the servants whom I have given thee, there shall not one of them perish; for I will require them from among thy number. 27 Be not weary: for when the day of trouble and heaviness cometh, others shall weep and be sorrowful, but thou shalt be merry and have abundance. 28 The heathen shall envy thee, but they shall be able to do nothing against thee, saith the Lord. 29 My hands shall cover thee, so that thy children shall not see hell. 30 Be joyful, O thou mother, with thy children; for I will deliver thee, saith the Lord. 31 Remember thy children that sleep, for I shall bring them out of the sides of the earth, and shew mercy unto them: for I am merciful, saith the Lord Almighty. 32 Embrace thy children until I come and Or, preach. || shew mercy unto them: for my wells run over, and my grace shall not fail. 33 I Esdras received a charge of the Lord upon the mount Oreb, that I should go unto Israel; but when I came unto them, they set me at nought, and despised the commandment of the Lord. 34 And therefore I say unto you, O ye heathen, that hear and understand, look for your 29.att. 11. Shepherd, he shall give you "everlasting rest; for he is nigh at hand, that shall come in the end of the world. 41 The number of thy children, whom "Rev. 6. 11. thou longedst for, is fulfilled: beseech the power of the Lord, that thy people, which have been called from the beginning, may be hallowed. 42 I Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a Rev. 7. 9. great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs. 43 And in the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marvelled at greatly. 44 So I asked the angel, and said, Sir, Rev. 7. 14. what are these? 45 He answered and said unto me, These be they that have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they crowned, and receive palms. 46 Then said I unto the angel, What young person is it that crowneth them, and giveth them palms in their hands? Or, Lord. 47 So he answered and said unto me, It 4 Rev. 2.10. is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name of the Lord. 48 Then the angel said unto me, Go thy way, and tell my people what manner of things, and how great wonders of the Lord thy God, thou hast seen. CHAP. III. 1 Esdras is troubled, 13 and acknowledgeth the sins of the people: 28 yet complaineth that the heathen were lords over them, being more wicked than they. 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: 2 For I saw the desolation of Sion, and the wealth of them that dwelt at Babylon. 3 And my spirit was sore moved, so that I began to speak words full of fear to the most High, and said, 4 O Lord, who bearest rule, thou spakest at the beginning, when thou didst plant the earth, and that thyself alone, and commandedst the people, a 5 And gavest a body unto Adam without Gen. 2.7. soul, which was the workmanship of thine hands, and didst breathe into him the breath of life, and he was made living before thee. 6 And thou leddest him into paradise, |