Lost Books of the Bible (163 page)

14: In the same will twelve kings reign, one after another:

15: Whereof the second will begin to reign, and will have more time than any of the twelve.

16: And this do the twelve wings signify, which you saw.

17: As for the voice which you heard speak, and that you saw not to go out from the heads but from the midst of the body thereof, this is the interpretation:

18: That after the time of that kingdom there will arise great strivings, and it will stand in peril of failing: nevertheless it will not then fall, but will be restored again to his beginning.

19: And whereas you saw the eight small under feathers sticking to her wings, this is the interpretation:

20: That in him there will arise eight kings, whose times will be but small, and their years swift.

21: And two of them will perish, the middle time approaching: four will be kept until their end begin to approach: but two will be kept to the end.

22: And whereas you saw three heads resting, this is the interpretation:

23: In his last days will the most High raise up three kingdoms, and renew many things therein, and they will have the dominion of the earth,

24: And of those that dwell therein, with much oppression, above all those that were before them: therefore are they called the heads of the eagle.

25: For these are they that will accomplish his wickedness, and that will finish his last end.

26: And whereas you saw that the great head appeared no more, it signifies that one of them will die upon his bed, and yet with pain.

27: For the two that remain will be slain with the sword.

28: For the sword of the one will devour the other but at the last will he fall through the sword himself.

29: And whereas you saw two feathers under the wings passing over the head that is on the right side;

30: It signifies that these are they, whom the Highest has kept to their end: this is the small kingdom and full of trouble, as you saw.

31: And the lion, whom you saw rising up out of the wood, and roaring, and speaking to the eagle, and rebuking her for her unrighteousness with all the words which you have heard;

32: This is the anointed, which the Highest has kept for them and for their wickedness to the end: he will reprove them, and will upbraid them with their cruelty.

33: For he will set them before him alive in judgment, and will rebuke them, and correct them.

34: For the rest of my people will he deliver with mercy, those that have been pressed upon my borders, and he will make them joyful until the coming of the day of judgment, whereof I have spoken to you from the beginning.

35: This is the dream that you saw, and these are the interpretations.

36: You only have been meet to know this secret of the Highest.

37: Therefore write all these things that you have seen in a book, and hide them.

38: And teach them to the wise of the people, whose hearts you know may comprehend and keep these secrets.

39: But wait you here yourself yet seven days more, that it may be showed you, whatsoever it pleases the Highest to declare to you. And with that he went his way.

40: And  when all the people saw that the seven days were past, and I had not come again into the city, they gathered them all together, from the least to the greatest, and came to me, and said,

41: What have we offended you? And what evil have we done against you, that you forsake us, and sit here in this place?

42: For of all the prophets you only are left us, as a cluster of the vintage, and as a candle in a dark place, and as a haven or ship preserved from the tempest.

43: Are not the evils which are come to us sufficient?

44: If you will forsake us, how much better had it been for us, if we also had been burned in the midst of Sion?

45: For we are not better than they that died there. And they wept with a loud voice. Then I answered them, and said,

46: Be of good comfort, O Israel; and be not heavy, you house of Jacob:

47: For the Highest has you in remembrance, and the Mighty has not forgotten you in temptation.

48: As for me, I have not forsaken you, neither am I left you; but am come into this place, to pray for the desolation of Sion, and that I might seek mercy for the low estate of your sanctuary.

49: And now go your way home every man, and after these days will I come to you.

50: So the people went their way into the city, like as I commanded them:

51: But I remained still in the field seven days, as the angel commanded me; and did eat only in those days of the flowers of the field, and had my meat of the herbs

4 Ezra Chapter 13

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

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

3: 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.

4: And when the voice went out of his mouth, all they burned that heard his voice, like as the earth fails when it feels 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 subdue the man that came out of the sea

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

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

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

9: 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:

10: 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.

11: 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.

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

13: And there came much people to 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 awakened, and said,

14: You have showed your servant these wonders from the beginning, and have counted me worthy that you should receive my prayer:

15: Show me now yet the interpretation of this dream.

16: For as I conceive in mine understanding, woe to them that will be left in those days and much more woe to 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 will happen to them, and to those that are left behind.

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

20: 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 to me, and said,

21: The interpretation of the vision will I show you, and I will open to you the thing that you have required.

22: Whereas you have spoken of them that are left behind, this is the interpretation:

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

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

25: This is the meaning of the vision: Whereas you saw a man coming up from the midst of the sea:

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

27: And whereas you saw, that out of his mouth there came as a blast of wind, and fire, and storm;

28: 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:

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

30: And he will come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the earth.

31: And one will undertake to fight against another, one city against another, one place against another, one people against another, and one realm against another.

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

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

34: And an innumerable multitude will be gathered together, as you saw them, willing to come, and to overcome him by fighting.

35: But he will stand upon the top of the Mount Sion.

36: And Sion will come, and will be showed to all men, being prepared and built, like as you saw the hill graven without hands.

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

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

39: And whereas you saw that he gathered another peaceable multitude to him;

40: 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.

41: 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,

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

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

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

45: 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.

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

47: The Highest will stay the springs of the stream again, that they may go through, therefore saw you the multitude with peace.

48: But those that be left behind of your people are they that are found within my borders.