Apocrypha. But the earth after the manner of the earth, whereinto the prefent multitude II. Efdras. 12 But if thou fayft unto me, My lamentation is not like the earths, because I have loft the fruit of my womb, which I brought forth with pains, and bare with forrows; 13 But the earth not fo for the multitude prefent in it, according to the course of the earth, is gone, as it came : ugone again as it 14 Then fay I unto thee, Like as thou haft brought forth with labour: even fo the earth alfo hath given her fruit, namely man, ever fince the beginning, unto him that made her. came out. *Chap. 4.1. 15 Now therefore keep thy forrow to thy felf, and bear with a good courage that which hath befallen thee. 16 For if thou fhalt acknowledge the determination of God to be juft, thou shalt both receive thy fon in time, and fhalt be commended amongst women. 17 Go thy way then into the city, to thine husband. 18 And fhe faid unto me, That will I not do: I will not go into the city, but here will I die. 19 So I proceeded to fpeak further unto her, and faid, 20 Do not fo, but be counfelled by me : for how many are the adversaries of Sion? be comforted in regard of the forrow of Jerufalem. 21 For thou seeft that our fanctuary is laid waste, our altar broken down, our temple destroyed: 22 Our pfaltery is laid on the ground, our fong is put to filence, our rejoycing is at an end, the light of our candlestick is put out, the ark of our covenant is spoiled, our holy things are defiled, and the name that is called upon us, is almost profaned: our children are put to fhame, our priests are burnt, our Levites are gone into captivity, our virgins are defiled, and our wives ravished, our righteous men carried away, our little ones deftroyed, our young men. are brought in bondage, and our strong men are become weak: 23 And, which is the greatest of all, the feal of Sion hath now loft her honour: for fhe is delivered into the hands of them that hate us. 24 And therefore flake off thy great heaviness, and put away the multitude of forrows, that the Mighty may be merciful unto thee again, and the Higheft fhall give thee reft, and eafe from thy labour. 25 And it came to pafs while I was talking with her, behold, her face upon a fudden fhined exceedingly, and her countenance gliftered, fo that I was afraid of her, and mused what it might be. 26 And behold, fuddenly fhe made a great cry very fearful: fo that the earth hook at the noife of the woman. 27 And I looked, and behold the woman appeared unto me no more, but there was a city builded, and a large place fhewed it felf from the foundations: then was I afraid, and cried with a loud voice, and faid, a 28 Where is Uriel the angel, who came unto me at the firit? for he hath caufed me Apocrypha. to fall into many trances, and mine end is for, into the turned into corruption, and my prayer to do in a rebuke. 29 And as I was fpeaking these words, behold, he came unto me, and looked upon me. 30 And lo, I lay as one that had been dead, and mine understanding was taken from me and he took me by the right hand, and comforted me, and fet me upon my feet, and faid unto me, 31 What aileth thee? and why art thou fo difquieted? and why is thine understanding troubled, and the thoughts of thine heart? b trance. 32 And I faid, Because thou haft forsaken me, and yet I did according to thy words, Chap. 5.4. and I went into the field, and lo I have seen, and yet fee that I am not able to exprefs. 33 And he faid unto me, Stand up manfully, and I will advise thee. 34 Then faid I, Speak on, my lord, in me; only forfake me not, left I die fruftrate of my hope. 35 For I have seen that I knew not, and hear that I do not know. 36 Or is my fenfe deceived, or my foul in a dream? 37 Now therefore, I beseech thee, that thou wilt fhew thy fervant of this ‡ vifion. Or, trans 38 He answered me then, and faid, Hear me, and I fhall inform thee, and tell thee wherefore thou art afraid for the Highest will reveal many fecret things unto thee. : 39 He hath feen that thy way is right: *Os, p for that thou forroweft continually for thy people, and makest great lamentation for Sion. 40 This therefore is the meaning of the vifion which thou lately fawest : 41 Thou faweft a woman mourning, and thou beganft to comfort her. 42 But now feeft thou the likeness of the woman no more, but there appeared unto thee a city builded. 43 And whereas fhe told thee of the death of her fon, this is the † folution : † Ot, interpro 44 This woman whom thou faweft, is Sion: and whereas fhe faid unto thee (even fhe whom thou feeft as a city builded`) 45 Whereas, I fay, the faid unto thee, that the hath been thirty years barren: those are the thirty years wherein there was no offering made in her. 46 But after thirty years, Solomon builded the city, and offered offerings then bare the barren a fon. and 47 And whereas fhe told thee that the nourished him with labour: that was the dwelling in Jerufalem. 48 But whereas fhe faid unto thee, That my fon coming into his marriage-chamber, happened to have a fall and died: this was the deftruction that came to Jerufalem. 49 And behold, thou faweft her likeness, and because fhe mourned for her fon, thou beganft to comfort her: and of thefe things which have chanced, thefe are to be opened unto thee. 50 For now the most High feeth that thou art grieved unfeignedly, and fuffereft from thy whole heart for her, fo hath he fhewed thee Apocrypha. ), art called Chap. xi. thee the brightnefs of her glory, and the 51 And therefore I bade thee remain in 52 For I knew that the Highest would fhew this unto thee. 53 Therefore I commanded thee to go into the field, where no foundation of any building was. 54 For in the place wherein the Highest beginneth to thew his city, there can no mans building be able to ftand. 55 And therefore fear not, let not thine heart be affrighted, but go thy way in, and fee the beauty and greatnefs of the building, as much as thine eyes be able to fee. 56 And then fhalt thou hear as much as thine ears may comprehend. 57 For thou art bleffed above many other, e with, &c. and art called with the Higheft, and fo are but few. 58 But to morrow at night thou shalt remain here, * 59 And fo fhall the Highest fhew thee Dt, last things vifions of the high things, which the most High will do unto them that dwell upon earth in the last days. So I flept that night and another, like as he commanded me. CHAP. X I. t. Abe. 1 He feeth in his dream an eagle coming out T Hen faw I a dream, and behold, there came up from the fea an eagle, which had twelve feathered wings, and three heads. 2 And I saw, and behold, she spread her wings over all the earth, and all the winds of the air blew on her, and were gathered together. 3 And I beheld, and out of her feathers there grew other contrary feathers; and they became little feathers and fmail. 4 But her heads were at reft: the head in the midft was greater than the other, yet refted it with the refidue. * 5 Moreover I beheld, and lo, the eagle flew with her feathers, and reigned upon earth, and over them that dwelt therein. 6 And I saw that all things under heaven were subject unto her, and no man fpake against her, no not one creature upon earth. 7 And I beheld, and lo, the eagle rofe upon her talons, and fpake to her feathers, faying, 8 Watch not all at once: fleep every one in his own place, and watch by course. 9 But let the heads be preserved for the laft. 10 And I beheld, and lo, the voice went not out of her heads, but from the midst of her body. II And I numbred her contrary feathers, and behold, there were eight of them. 12 And I looked, and behold, on the right fide there arofe one feather, and reigned over all the earth; 13 And fo it was, that when it reigned, the end of it came, and the place thereof appeared no more fo the next following stood up, and reigned, and had a great time; 14 And it happened, that when it reigned, Apocrypha. the end of it came alfo, like as the firit, fo that it appeared no more. 15 Then came there a voice unto it,and faid, 16 Hear thou that haft born rule over the earth fo long this I fay unto thee, before thou beginneft to appear no more, 17 There fhall none after thee attain unto thy time, neither unto the half thereof. 18 Then arose the third and reigned as the other before, and appeared no more also. 19 So went it with all the refidue one' after another, as that every one reigned, and, then appeared no more. 20 Then I beheld, and lo, in procefs of time, the feathers that followed ftood up upon the right fide, that they might rule alfo, and fome of them ruled; but within a while they appeared no more: 21 For fome of them were fet up, but ruled not. 22 After this I looked, and behold, the twelve feathers appeared no more, nor the two little feathers: 23 And there was no more upon the eagles body, but three heads that rested, and fix little wings. 24 Then faw I alfo, that two little feathers divided themselves from the fix, and remained under the head that was upon the right fide: for the four continued in their place. 25 And I beheld, and lo, the feathers that were under the wing, thought to fet up themselves, and to have the rule. 26 And I beheld, and lo, there was one fet up, but shortly it appeared no more. 27 And the fecond was fooner away than the first. 28 And I beheld, and lo, the two that remained thought alfo in themselves to reign: 29 And when they fo thought, behold, there awaked one of the heads that were at reft, namely, it that was in the midft, for that was greater than the two other heads. 30 And then I faw that the two other heads were joyned with it. 31 And behold, the head was turned with them that were with it, and did eat up the two feathers under the wing, that would have reigned. 32 But this head put the whole earth in fear, and bare rule in it over all those that dwelt upon the earth, with much oppreffion; and it had the governance of the world, more than all the wings that had been. 33 And after this I beheld, and lo, the head that was in the midft, fuddenly appeared no more, like as the wings. 34 But there remained the two heads, which alfo in like fort ruled upon the earth, and over thofe that dwelt therein. 35 And I beheld, and lo, the head upon the right fide, devoured it that was upon the left fide. 36 Then I heard a voice, which faid unto me, Look before thee, and confider the thing that thou seeft. 37 And I beheld, and lo, as it were a roring lion chafed out of the wood and I I. faw that he fent out a mans voice unto the eagle, and faid, D 2 38 Hear 38 Hear thou, I will talk with thee, and the Highest shall fay unto thee, 39 Art not thou it that remaineft of the four beafts, whom I made to reign in my world, that the end of their times might come through them? 40 And the fourth came, and overcame all the beafts that were past, and had power over the world with great fearfulness, and over the whole compafs of the earth, with much wicked oppreffion, and fo long time dwelt he upon the earth with deceit. 41 For the earth haft thou not judged with truth. 42 For thou haft afflicted the meek, thou haft hurt the peaceable, thou haft loved liars, and deftroyed the dwellings of them that brought forth fruit, and haft caft down the walls of fuch as did thee no harm. 43 Therefore is thy wrongful dealing come up unto the Higheft, and thy pride unto the Mighty. 44 The Highest alfo hath looked upon the proud times, and behold they are ended, and his abominations are fulfilled. 45 And therefore appear no more, thou eagle, nor thy horrible wings, nor thy wicked feathers, nor thy malicious heads, nor thy hurtful claws, nor all thy vain body: 46 That all the earth may be refreshed, and may return, being delivered from thy violence, and that the may hope for the judgment and mercy of him that made her. CHA P. XII. 1 The eagle which he faw, is deftroyed. 10 The vifion is interpreted. 37 He is bid to write his vifions, 39 and to fast, that he may See more. 46 He doth comfort those that were grieved for his abfence. A Nd it came to pafs whiles the lion spake thefe words unto the eagle, I faw, 2 And behold, the head that remained, and the four wings appeared no more, and the two went unto it, and fet themfelve up to reign, and their kingdom was small and full of uprore. 3 And I faw, and behold, they appeared no more, and the whole body of the eagle was burnt, fo that the earth was in great fear: then awaked I out of the trouble and trance of my mind, and from great fear, and faid unto my fpirit, 4 Lo, this haft thou done unto me, in that thou searchest out the ways of the Higheft. 5 Lo, yet am I weary in my mind, and very weak in my spirit; and little ftrength is there in me, for the great fear wherewith I was affrighted this night. 6 Therefore will I now befeech the Higheft, that he will comfort me unto the end. 7 And I faid, Lord that bearest rule, If I have found grace before thy fight, and if I am juftified with thee, before many others, and if my prayer indeed be come up before thy face; 8 Comfort me then, and fhew me thy fervant the interpretation, and plain diffe-. rence of this fearful vifion, that thou mayft perfectly comfort my foul. 9 For thou haft judged me worthy to fhew me the last times. Apocrypha. ro And he said unto me, This is the interpretation of the vifion : a in The eagle whom thou faweft come up from the fea, is the kingdom which was feen in the vifion of thy brother Daniel. 12 But it was not expounded unto him, therefore now I declare it unto thee. 13 Behold, the days will come that there fhall rise up a kingdom upon earth, and it fhall be feared above all the kingdoms that were before it. 14 In the fame fhall twelve kings reign, one after another : 15 Whereof the fecond fhall begin to reign, and shall have more time than any of the twelve. 16 And this do the twelve wings fignifie which thou fawest. 17 As for the voice which thou heardst fpeak, and that thou faweft not to go out from the heads, but from the mids of the body thereof, this is the interpretation: 18 That after the time of that kingdom, there fhall arife great ftrivings and it fhall ftand in peril of falling: nevertheless it fhall not then fall, but shall be restored again to his beginning. 19 And whereas thou fawest the eight fmall under-feathers sticking to her wings, this is the interpretation : 20 That in him there fhall arife eight kings, whofe time fhall be but small, and their years swift. 21 And two of them fhall perish the middle time approaching, four fhall be kept until their end begin to approach: but two fhall be kept unto the end. 22 And whereas thou faweft three heads refting, this is the interpretation : 23 In his last days fhall the moft High raise up three kingdoms, and renew many things therein, and they fhall have the dominion of the earth, 24 And of thofe that dwell therein, with much oppreffion, above all thofe that were before them therefore are they called the heads of the eagle. 25 For these are they that fhall accomplish his wickedness, and that shall finish his lait end. 26 And whereas thou fawest that the great head appeared no more, it fignifieth that one of them fhall die upon his bed, and yet with pain. 27 For the two that remain, fhall be flain with the fword. 28 For the fword of the one fhall devour the other but at the laft fhall he fall through the fword himself. 29 And whereas thou faweft two feathers under the wings paffing over the head that is on the right fide; 30 It fignifieth that these are they whom the Higheit hath kept unto their end: this is the small kingdom and full of trouble as thou faweft. 31 And the lion whom thou fawest rising up out of the wood, and roring, and speaking to the eagle, and rebuking her for her unrighte oufnefs, with all the words which thou haft heard, 32 This ■ Dan, 7. 7. Apocrypha, *Lat. wind, or, Spirite =, people. Chap. xiii. 32 This is the anointed which the Higheft hath kept for them, and for their wickedness unto the end: he shall reprove them, and fhall upbraid them with their cruelty. 33 For he fhall fet them before him alive in judgment, and fhall rebuke them and correct them. 34 For the rest of my people fhall he deliver with mercy, thofe that have been preferved upon my borders, and he fhall make them joyful until the coming of the day of judgment, whereof I have spoken unto thee from the beginning. 35 This is the dream that thou faweft, and these are the interpretations. 36 Thou only haft been meet to know this fecret of the Higheft. 37 Therefore write all these things that thou haft seen in a book, and hide them. 38 And teach them to the wife of the people, whofe hearts thou knowest may comprehend and keep thefe fecrets. 39 But wait thou here thy felf yet feven days more, that it may be fhewed thee whatfoever it pleafeth the Higheft to declare unto thee. And with that he went his way. 40 And it came to pafs, when all the people faw that the feven days were paft, and I not come again into the city, they gathered them all together, from the leaft unto the greateft, and came unto me, and faid, 41 What have we offended thee? and what evil have we done against thee, that thou forfakeft us, and fitteft here in this place? 42 For of all the † prophets thou only art left us, as a cluster of the vintage, and as a candle in a dark place, and as a haven or ship preferved from the tempeft. 43 Are not the evils which are come to us fufficient? 44 If thou fhalt forfake us, how much better had it been for us, if we also had been burnt in the midst of Sion ? 45 For we are not better than they that died there. And they wept with a loud voice. Then answered I them, and said, 46 Be of good comfort, O Ifrael, and be not heavy, thou houfe of Jacob: 47 For the Highest hath you in remembrance, and the Mighty hath not forgotten you in temptation.. 48 As for me, I have not forfaken you, neither am I departed from you: but am come into this place, to pray for the defolation of Sion, and that I might feek mercy for the low eftate of your fanctuary. 49 And now go your way home every man, and after these days will I come unto you. 50 So the people went their way into the city, like as I commanded them : 51 But I remained ftill in the field feven 1 He feeth in his dream a man coming out more. Α Nd it came to pafs after feven days, I A dreamed a dream by night. Apocrypha. 2. And lo, there arose a wind from the fea, that it moved all the waves thereof. * A certain mas as the wind, Junius 3 And I beheld, and lo, that man waxed ftrong with the † thousands of heaven: and timtio į when he turned his countenance to look, all the things trembled that were seen under him. 4 And whenfoever the voice went out of his mouth, all they burnt that heard his voice, like as the earth faileth when it feeleth the fire. 5 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 fubdue the man that came out of the fea. 6 But I beheld, and lo, he had graved him- 8 And after this I beheld, and lo, all they 9 And lo, as he faw the violence of the multitude that came, he neither lift up his hand, nor held fword, nor any inftrument of war. 10 But only I faw that he fent out of his mouth, as it had been a blast of fire, and out of This lips a flaming breath, and out of his tongue he caft out fparks and tempefts. II And they were all mixt together; the blaft of fire, the flaming breath, and the great tempeft; and fell with violence upon the multitude which was prepared to fight, and burnt them up every one, fo that upon a fudden, of an innumerable multitude nothing was to be perceived, but only duft and Imell of fmoke when I faw this I was afraid. 12 Afterward I saw the fame man come down from the mountain, and call unto him another peaceable multitude. 13 And there came much people unto him, whereof fome were glad, fome were forry, fome of them were bound, and other fome brought of them that were offered: ‡ Junius, of the then was I fick through great fear, and I a- offered. waked, and faid, 14 Thou haft fhewed thy fervant these wonders from the beginning, and haft counted me worthy that thou fhouldst receive my prayer : 15 Shew me now yet the interpretation of this dream. 16 For as I conceive in mine understanding, wo unto them that fhall be left in those days; and much more wo unto them that are not left behind. 17 For they that were not left were in heaviness. 18 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. 19 Therefore are they come into great perils, and many neceffities, like as these dreams declare. things that weTE 20 Yet is it easier for him that is in danger to come into these things, than to passor, this daye away as a cloud out of the world, and not to to see the things that happen in the last days. And he answered unto me, and faid, 21 The interpretation of the vifion fhall I fhew thee, and I will open unto thee the thing that thou haft required. 22 Whereas thou haft fpoken of them that are left behind, this is the interpretation: 23 He that thall endure the peril in that time, hath kept himfelf: they that be fallen into danger are fuch as have works, and faith towards the Almighty. 24 Know this therefore, that they which be left behind, are more bleffed than they that be dead. 25 This is the meaning of the vifion, Whereas thou faweit a man coming up from the midst of the fea : 26 The fame is he whom God the Higheft hath kept a great season, which by his own felf fhall deliver his creature: and he fhall order them that are left behind. 27 And whereas thou faweft, that out of his mouth there came as a blast of wind, and fire, and storm ; 28 And that he held neither fword, nor any inftrument of war, but that the rushing in of him destroyed the whole multitude that came to fubdue him; this the interpretation: 29 Behold, the days come, when the most High will begin to deliver them that are upon the earth. 30 And he shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the earth. 31 And one shall undertake to fight against another, one city against another, one place Matth. 24.7. against another, one people against another, and one realm against another. 32 And the time fhall be when these things fhall come to pafs, and the figns fhall happen which I fhewed thee before, and then thall my Son be declared, whom thou faweft as a man afcending. 33 And when all the people hear his voice, every man fhall in their own land leave the battle they have one against another. 34 And an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as thou faweft them willing to come, and to overcome him by fighting. 35 But he fhall ftand upon the top of the mount Sion. 36 And Sion fhall come and fhall be fhewed to all men, being prepared and builded like as thou faweit the hill graven without hands. 37 And this my Son fhall rebuke the wicked inventions of those nations, which for their wicked life are fallen into the tempest; 38 And fhall lay before them their evil thoughts, and the torments wherewith they fhall begin to be tormented, which are like unto a flame: and he fhall deftroy them without labour, by the law which is like unto fire. 39 And whereas thou faweft that he gathered another peaceable multitude unto him; 40 Thofe are the ten tribes which were carried away prifoners out of their own land, Apocrypha. tive, and he carried them over the waters, and fo came they into another land. 41 But they took this counsel among themfelves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt, 42 That they might there keep their ftatutes, which they never kept in their own land. 43 And they entred into Euphrates by the narrow paffages of the river. 44 For the most High then fhewed figns Exod. 14,11 for them, and held ftill the flood, till they Joh. 3.15, were paffed over. 45 For through that country there was a great way to go; namely, of a year and a half: and the fame region is called † Arsareth. 46 Then dwelt they there until the latter time; and now when they fhall begin to come, The Highest shall stay the fprings of the ftream again,that they may go through: therefore faweft thou the multitude with peace. 47 48 But thofe that be left behind of thy people, are they that are found within my borders. 49 Now when he destroyeth the multitude of the nations that are gathered together, he fhall defend his people that remain. 50 And then shall he fhew them great wonders. 51 Then faid I, O Lord that bearest rule, fhew me this: Wherefore have I seen the man coming up from the midst of the fea? 52 And he said unto me, Like as thou canft neither feek out nor know the things that are in the deep of the fea: even fo can no man upon the earth fee my Son, or those that be with him, but in the day-time. 53 This is the interpretation of the dream which thou faweft, and whereby thou only art here lightned. 54 For thou haft forfaken thine own way, and applied thy diligence unto my law, and fought it. 55 Thy life haft thou ordered in wisdom, and haft called understanding thy mother. 56 And therefore have Ifhewed thee the treasures of the Higheft: after other three days I will speak other things unto thee,and declare unto thee mighty and wondrous things. 57 Then went I forth into the field, giving praife and thanks greatly unto the most High, because of his wonders which he did. in time, 58 And because he governeth the fame, and fuch things as fall in their seasons and there I fat three days. CHAP. XIV. I A voice out of a bush calleth Efdras, 10 and telleth him that the world waxeth old. 22 He defireth, because the law was burnt, to write all again, 24 and is bid to get fwift writers. He and they are filled with underftanding. 45 But he is charged not to publish all that is written. 39 A Nd it came to pafs upon the third day, I fat under an oak, and behold, there came a voice out of a bufh over against me, and faid, Efdras, Efdras. 2 Kings 17.3. in the time of Ofea the king, whom b Sal- ftood up upon my feet. manafar the king of Affyria led away cap 2 And I faid, Here am I, Lord; and I 3 Then tor, Ara |