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The Second Book of Esdras 15

15 “Behold, speak in the ears of my people the words of prophecy which I will put in your mouth,” says the Lord. 2 “Cause them to be written on paper, for they are faithful and true. 3 Don’t be afraid of their plots against you. Don’t let the unbelief of those who speak against you trouble you. 4 For all the unbelievers will die in their unbelief.

5 “Behold,” says the Lord, “I bring evils on the whole earth: sword, famine, death, and destruction. 6 For wickedness has prevailed over every land, and their hurtful works have reached their limit. 7 Therefore,” says the Lord, 8 “I will hold my peace no more concerning their wickedness which they profanely commit, neither will I tolerate them in these things, which they wickedly practise. Behold, the innocent and righteous blood cries to me, and the souls of the righteous cry out continually. 9 I will surely avenge them,” says the Lord, “and will receive to me all the innocent blood from amongst them. 10 Behold, my people is led like a flock to the slaughter. I will not allow them now to dwell in the land of Egypt, 11 but I will bring them out with a mighty hand and with a high arm, and will strike Egypt with plagues, as before, and will destroy all its land.”

12 Let Egypt and its foundations mourn, for the plague of the chastisement and the punishment that God will bring upon it. 13 Let the farmers that till the ground mourn, for their seeds will fail and their trees will be ruined through the blight and hail, and a terrible tempest. 14 Woe to the world and those who dwell in it! 15 For the sword and their destruction draws near, and nation will rise up against nation to battle with weapons in their hands. 16 For there will be sedition amongst men, and growing strong against one another. In their might, they won’t respect their king or the chief of their great ones. 17 For a man will desire to go into a city, and will not be able. 18 For because of their pride the cities will be troubled, the houses will be destroyed, and men will be afraid. 19 A man will have no pity on his neighbours, but will assault their houses with the sword and plunder their goods, because of the lack of bread, and for great suffering.

20 “Behold,” says God, “I call together all the kings of the earth to stir up those who are from the rising of the sun, from the south, from the east, and Libanus, to turn themselves one against another, and repay the things that they have done to them. 21 Just as they do yet this day to my chosen, so I will do also, and repay into their bosom.” The Lord God says: 22 “My right hand won’t spare the sinners, and my sword won’t cease over those who shed innocent blood on the earth. 23 A fire has gone out from his wrath and has consumed the foundations of the earth and the sinners, like burnt straw. 24 Woe to those who sin and don’t keep my commandments!” says the Lord. 25 “I will not spare them. Go your way, you rebellious children! Don’t defile my sanctuary!” 26 For the Lord knows all those who trespass against him, therefore he will deliver them to death and destruction. 27 For now evils have come upon the whole earth, and you will remain in them; for God will not deliver you, because you have sinned against him.

28 Behold, a horrible sight appearing from the east! 29 The nations of the dragons of Arabia will come out with many chariots. From the day that they set out, their hissing is carried over the earth, so that all those who will hear them may also fear and tremble. 30 Also the Carmonians, raging in wrath, will go out like the wild boars of the forest. They will come with great power and join battle with them, and will devastate a portion of the land of the Assyrians with their teeth. 31 Then the dragons will have the upper hand, remembering their nature. If they will turn themselves, conspiring together in great power to persecute them, 32 then these will be troubled, and keep silence through their power, and will turn and flee. 33 From the land of the Assyrians, an enemy in ambush will attack them and destroy one of them. Upon their army will be fear and trembling, and indecision upon their kings.

34 Behold, clouds from the east, and from the north to the south! They are very horrible to look at, full of wrath and storm. 35 They will clash against one another. They will pour out a heavy storm on the earth, even their own storm. There will be blood from the sword to the horse’s belly, 36 and to the thigh of man, and to the camel’s hock. 37 There will be fearfulness and great trembling upon earth. They who see that wrath will be afraid, and trembling will seize them. 38 After this, great storms will be stirred up from the south, from the north, and another part from the west. 39 Strong winds will arise from the east, and will shut it up, even the cloud which he raised up in wrath; and the storm that was to cause destruction by the east wind will be violently driven towards the south and west. 40 Great and mighty clouds, full of wrath, will be lifted up with the storm, that they may destroy all the earth and those who dwell in it. They will pour out over every high and lofty one a terrible storm, 41 fire, hail, flying swords, and many waters, that all plains may be full, and all rivers, with the abundance of those waters. 42 They will break down the cities and walls, mountains and hills, trees of the forest, and grass of the meadows, and their grain. 43 They will go on steadily to Babylon and destroy her. 44 They will come to it and surround it. They will pour out the storm and all wrath on her. Then the dust and smoke will go up to the sky, and all those who are around it will mourn for it. 45 Those who remain will serve those who have destroyed it.

46 You, Asia, who are partaker in the beauty of Babylon, and in the glory of her person— 47 woe to you, you wretch, because you have made yourself like her. You have decked out your daughters for prostitution, that they might please and glory in your lovers, which have always lusted after you! 48 You have followed her who is hateful in all her works and inventions. Therefore God says, 49 “I will send evils on you: widowhood, poverty, famine, sword, and pestilence, to lay waste your houses and bring you to destruction and death. 50 The glory of your power will be dried up like a flower when the heat rises that is sent over you. 51 You will be weakened like a poor woman who is beaten and wounded, so that you won’t be able to receive your mighty ones and your lovers. 52 Would I have dealt with you with such jealousy,” says the Lord, 53 “if you had not always slain my chosen, exalting and clapping of your hands, and saying over their dead, when you were drunk?

54 “Beautify your face! 55 The reward of a prostitute will be in your bosom, therefore you will be repaid. 56 Just as you will do to my chosen,” says the Lord, “even so God will do to you, and will deliver you to your adversaries. 57 Your children will die of hunger. You will fall by the sword. Your cities will be broken down, and all your people in the field will perish by the sword. 58 Those who are in the mountains will die of hunger, eat their own flesh, and drink their own blood, because of hunger for bread and thirst for water. 59 You, unhappy above all others, will come and will again receive evils. 60 In the passage, they will rush on the hateful city and will destroy some portion of your land, and mar part of your glory, and will return again to Babylon that was destroyed. 61 You will be cast down by them as stubble, and they will be to you as fire. 62 They will devour you, your cities, your land, and your mountains. They will burn all your forests and your fruitful trees with fire. 63 They will carry your children away captive, and will plunder your wealth, and mar the glory of your face.”

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