HarperCollins Study Bible
Page 425
11.40 A parallel structure is in 2 Apocalypse of Baruch 39.8.
11.42 Meek, peaceable. Cf. Mt 5.5, 9.
11.43 Pride, typical of the wicked kingdom.
11.44–46 Sentencing of the eagle.
11.46 Whole earth, freed…refreshed and relieved apparently hints at the messianic kingdom.
2 ESDRAS 12
1While the lion was saying these words to the eagle, I looked 2and saw that the remaining head had disappeared. The two wings that had gone over to it rose up anda set themselves up to reign, and their reign was brief and full of tumult. 3When I looked again, they were already vanishing. The whole body of the eagle was burned, and the earth was exceedingly terrified.
Then I woke up in great perplexity of mind and great fear, and I said to my spirit, 4“You have brought this upon me, because you search out the ways of the Most High. 5I am still weary in mind and very weak in my spirit, and not even a little strength is left in me, because of the great fear with which I have been terrified tonight. 6Therefore I will now entreat the Most High that he may strengthen me to the end.”
The Interpretation of the Vision
7Then I said, “O sovereign Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, and if I have been accounted righteous before you beyond many others, and if my prayer has indeed come up before your face, 8strengthen me and show me, your servant, the interpretation and meaning of this terrifying vision so that you may fully comfort my soul. 9For you have judged me worthy to be shown the end of the times and the last events of the times.”
10He said to me, “This is the interpretation of this vision that you have seen: 11The eagle that you saw coming up from the sea is the fourth kingdom that appeared in a vision to your brother Daniel. 12But it was not explained to him as I now explain to you or have explained it. 13The days are coming when a kingdom shall rise on earth, and it shall be more terrifying than all the kingdoms that have been before it. 14And twelve kings shall reign in it, one after another. 15But the second that is to reign shall hold sway for a longer time than any other one of the twelve. 16This is the interpretation of the twelve wings that you saw.
17“As for your hearing a voice that spoke, coming not from the eagle’sb heads but from the midst of its body, this is the interpretation: 18In the midst ofc the time of that kingdom great struggles shall arise, and it shall be in danger of falling; nevertheless it shall not fall then, but shall regain its former power.d 19As for your seeing eight little wingse clinging to its wings, this is the interpretation: 20Eight kings shall arise in it, whose times shall be short and their years swift; 21two of them shall perish when the middle of its time draws near; and four shall be kept for the time when its end approaches, but two shall be kept until the end.
22“As for your seeing three heads at rest, this is the interpretation: 23In its last days the Most High will raise up three kings,f and theyg shall renew many things in it, and shall rule the earth 24and its inhabitants more oppressively than all who were before them. Therefore they are called the heads of the eagle, 25because it is they who shall sum up his wickedness and perform his last actions. 26As for your seeing that the large head disappeared, one of the kingsh shall die in his bed, but in agonies. 27But as for the two who remained, the sword shall devour them. 28For the sword of one shall devour him who was with him; but he also shall fall by the sword in the last days.
29“As for your seeing two little wingsi passing over toj the head which was on the right side, 30this is the interpretation: It is these whom the Most High has kept for the eagle’sk end; this was the reign which was brief and full of tumult, as you have seen.
31“And as for the lion whom you saw rousing up out of the forest and roaring and speaking to the eagle and reproving him for his unrighteousness, and as for all his words that you have heard, 32this is the Messiahl whom the Most High has kept until the end of days, who will arise from the offspring of David, and will come and speakm with them. He will denounce them for their ungodliness and for their wickedness, and will display before them their contemptuous dealings. 33For first he will bring them alive before his judgment seat, and when he has reproved them, then he will destroy them. 34But in mercy he will set free the remnant of my people, those who have been saved throughout my borders, and he will make them joyful until the end comes, the day of judgment, of which I spoke to you at the beginning. 35This is the dream that you saw, and this is its interpretation. 36And you alone were worthy to learn this secret of the Most High. 37Therefore write all these things that you have seen in a book, put itn in a hidden place; 38and you shall teach them to the wise among your people, whose hearts you know are able to comprehend and keep these secrets. 39But as for you, wait here seven days more, so that you may be shown whatever it pleases the Most High to show you.” Then he left me.
The People Come to Ezra
40When all the people heard that the seven days were past and I had not returned to the city, they all gathered together, from the least to the greatest, and came to me and spoke to me, saying, 41“How have we offended you, and what harm have we done you, that you have forsaken us and sit in this place? 42For of all the prophets you alone are left to us, like a cluster of grapes from the vintage, and like a lamp in a dark place, and like a haven for a ship saved from a storm. 43Are not the disasters that have befallen us enough? 44Therefore if you forsake us, how much better it would have been for us if we also had been consumed in the burning of Zion. 45For we are no better than those who died there.” And they wept with a loud voice.
Then I answered them and said, 46“Take courage, O Israel; and do not be sorrowful, O house of Jacob; 47for the Most High has you in remembrance, and the Mighty One has not forgotten you in your struggle. 48As for me, I have neither forsaken you nor withdrawn from you; but I have come to this place to pray on account of the desolation of Zion, and to seek mercy on account of the humiliation of ouro sanctuary. 49Now go to your homes, every one of you, and after these days I will come to you.” 50So the people went into the city, as I told them to do. 51But I sat in the field seven days, as the angelp had commanded me; and I ate only of the flowers of the field, and my food was of plants during those days.
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a Ethiop: Lat lacks rose up and
b Lat his
c Syr Arm: Lat After
d Ethiop Arab 1 Arm: Lat Syr its beginning
e Syr: Lat underwings
f Syr Ethiop Arab Arm: Lat kingdoms
g Syr Ethiop Arm: Lat he
h Lat them
i Arab 1: Lat underwings
j Syr Ethiop: Lat lacks to
k Lat his
l Literally anointed one
m Syr: Lat lacks of days…and speak
n Ethiop Arab 1 Arab 2 Arm: Lat Syr them
o Syr Ethiop: Lat your
p Literally he
12.1–3a Execution of the sentence. Enemies of God are often destroyed by fire and terror; cf. Mal 3.19.
12.3b–9 In function, this section resembles 10.5–24; 13.13b–20a, describing the seer’s reaction to the vision: fear, perplexity of mind, and prayer.
12.3b The seer’s state of mind is similarly described in 5.33.
12.4 An apostrophe to his spirit or mind; cf. 7.62. The frightening dream is precipitated by his mind’s search for understanding.
12.5 Cf. Dan 7.15; mind, like spirit, indicates the seer’s consciousness.
12.7 O sovereign Lord. God is addressed.
12.8 Similar requests for interpretation may be seen in Dan 2.26; 5.26.
12.9 The revelation is of a special nature; cf. 3.14; 14.5.
12.10–36 Interpretation of the vision by the angel. Note the recapitulation of the symbol, followed by its meaning. The vision is related to apocalyptic tradition and explicitly to Dan 7.11. It also provides a date for the book. The vision and interpretation cohere closely, giving information about particular stages of the eschatological process.
12.10 Cf. 10.40; 13.25.
12.11 Eagle, the fourth kingdom (cf. Dan 7) and, implicitly, Rome. This vision and explanation supersede Daniel’s.
12.13 Terrifying. Cf. Dan 7.7, 19, 23.
12.14 Twelve kings are expected.
12.15 The king with a long rule is Augustus (27 BCE–14 CE).
12.23 The idea is that evil will peak with the rule of the heads.
12.25 Sum up, better “be the heads of,” making the wordplay evident.
12.26 The author adds information from contemporary events. The head is Vespasian (69–79 CE).
12.27–28 The two, Titus (79–81 CE) and Domitian (81–96 CE). The vision was written in the time of Domitian.
12.29–30 The little wings are part of the eschatological events.
12.31 Cf. 2 Apocalypse of Baruch 39.8–40.3. Lion. The Messiah is associated with Judah and David. His activity is basically legal in character.
12.32 Indictment by the Messiah. Them, the Roman emperors.
12.33 Before his judgment seat, better “in judgment.” The Messiah executes judgment.
12.34 Description of the messianic kingdom; cf. 9.8; 13.48. Remnant, those who survive the terrible “woes” see 5.1–13. The day of judgment will follow the messianic kingdom. Borders. Note the role of the Holy Land here; cf. 13.48.
12.35 Cf. Dan 2.45.
12.36 The special secret status of the revealed information is stressed; cf. 10.38–39.
12.37–39 Conclusion.
12.37 The command to write the revelation in a book is new in 4 Ezra; cf. Dan 12.4, 9.
12.38 The transmission of secret books to the wise is a prominent feature in ch. 14. A change has taken place in Ezra’s role and in the vision’s content.
12.40–50 A narrative interlude and transition comparable to 5.16–22.
12.40 The days of the first six visions add up to forty, corresponding to the forty days of Ezra’s new revelation in ch. 14. City, presumably Babylon.
12.42 Ezra is called prophet for the first time in 4 Ezra and this is his first “ordinary” apocalyptic revelation. He accepts this role. Grapes indicate election; see 9.21–22. Lamp. See 2 Apocalypse of Baruch 77.13.
12.44 Reapplication of an old idea, stated in 4.12 of Ezra himself.
12.47 In your struggle, or else “forever.” God’s relationship to Israel is inalienable.
12.48 Cf. 12.38. Ezra keeps the revelation secret and says he was praying for the people, as a prophet should.
12.51 A second conclusion to the fifth vision. This injunction belongs with vv. 37–39.
2 ESDRAS 13
The Man from the Sea
1After seven days I dreamed a dream in the night.2And lo, a wind arose from the sea and stirred upa all its waves. 3As I kept looking the wind made something like the figure of a man come up out of the heart of the sea. And I sawb that this man flewc with the clouds of heaven; and wherever he turned his face to look, everything under his gaze trembled, 4and whenever his voice issued from his mouth, all who heard his voice melted as wax meltsd when it feels the fire.
5After this I looked and saw that an innumerable multitude of people were gathered together from the four winds of heaven to make war against the man who came up out of the sea. 6And I looked and saw that he carved out for himself a great mountain, and flew up on to it. 7And I tried to see the region or place from which the mountain was carved, but I could not.
8After this I looked and saw that all who had gathered together against him, to wage war with him, were filled with fear, and yet they dared to fight. 9When he saw the onrush of the approaching multitude, he neither lifted his hand nor held a spear or any weapon of war; 10but I saw only how he sent forth from his mouth something like a stream of fire, and from his lips a flaming breath, and from his tongue he shot forth a storm of sparks.e 11All these were mingled together, the stream of fire and the flaming breath and the great storm, and fell on the onrushing multitude that was prepared to fight, and burned up all of them, so that suddenly nothing was seen of the innumerable multitude but only the dust of ashes and the smell of smoke. When I saw it, I was amazed.
12After this I saw the same man come down from the mountain and call to himself another multitude that was peaceable. 13Then many peoplef came to him, some of whom were joyful and some sorrowful; some of them were bound, and some were bringing others as offerings.
The Interpretation of the Vision
Then I woke up in great terror, and prayed to the Most High, and said, 14“From the beginning you have shown your servant these wonders, and have deemed me worthy to have my prayer heard by you; 15now show me the interpretation of this dream also. 16For as I consider it in my mind, alas for those who will be left in those days! And still more, alas for those who are not left! 17For those who are not left will be sad 18because they understand the things that are reserved for the last days, but cannot attain them. 19But alas for those also who are left, and for that very reason! For they shall see great dangers and much distress, as these dreams show. 20Yet it is betterg to come into these things,h though incurring peril, than to pass from the world like a cloud, and not to see what will happen in the last days.”
He answered me and said, 21“I will tell you the interpretation of the vision, and I will also explain to you the things that you have mentioned. 22As for what you said about those who survive, and concerning those who do not survive,i this is the interpretation: 23The one who brings the peril at that time will protect those who fall into peril, who have works and faith toward the Almighty. 24Understand therefore that those who are left are more blessed than those who have died.
25“This is the interpretation of the vision: As for your seeing a man come up from the heart of the sea, 26this is he whom the Most High has been keeping for many ages, who will himself deliver his creation; and he will direct those who are left. 27And as for your seeing wind and fire and a storm coming out of his mouth, 28and as for his not holding a spear or weapon of war, yet destroying the onrushing multitude that came to conquer him, this is the interpretation: 29The days are coming when the Most High will deliver those who are on the earth. 30And bewilderment of mind shall come over those who inhabit the earth. 31They shall plan to make war against one another, city against city, place against place, people against people, and kingdom against kingdom. 32When these things take place and the signs occur that I showed you before, then my Son will be revealed, whom you saw as a man coming up from the sea.j
33“Then, when all the nations hear his voice, all the nations shall leave their own lands and the warfare that they have against one another; 34and an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as you saw, wishing to come and conquer him. 35But he shall stand on the top of Mount Zion. 36And Zion shall come and be made manifest to all people, prepared and built, as you saw the mountain carved out without hands. 37Then he, my Son, will reprove the assembled nations for their ungodliness (this was symbolized by the storm), 38and will reproach them to their face with their evil thoughts and the torments with which they are to be tortured (which were symbolized by the flames), and will destroy them without effort by means of the lawk (which was symbolized by the fire).
39“And as for your seeing him gather to himself another multitude that was peaceable, 40these are the ninel tribes that were taken away from their own land into exile in the days of King Hoshea, whom Shalmaneser, king of the Assyrians, made captives; he took them across the river, and they were taken into another land. 41But they formed this plan for themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the nations and go to a more distant region, where no human beings had ever lived, 42so that there at least they might keep their statutes that they had not kept in their own land. 43And they went in by the narrow passages of the Euphrates river. 44For at that time the Most High performed signs for them, and stopped the channels of the river until they had crossed over. 45Through that region there was a long way to go, a journey of a year and a half; and that country is called Arzareth.m
46“Then they lived there until the last times; an
d now, when they are about to come again, 47the Most High will stopn the channels of the river again, so that they may be able to cross over. Therefore you saw the multitude gathered together in peace. 48But those who are left of your people, who are found within my holy borders, shall be saved.o 49Therefore when he destroys the multitude of the nations that are gathered together, he will defend the people who remain. 50And then he will show them very many wonders.”
51I said, “O sovereign Lord, explain this to me: Why did I see the man coming up from the heart of the sea?”
52He said to me, “Just as no one can explore or know what is in the depths of the sea, so no one on earth can see my Son or those who are with him, except in the time of his day.p 53This is the interpretation of the dream that you saw. And you alone have been enlightened about this, 54because you have forsaken your own ways and have applied yourself to mine, and have searched out my law; 55for you have devoted your life to wisdom, and called understanding your mother. 56Therefore I have shown you these things; for there is a reward laid up with the Most High. For it will be that after three more days I will tell you other things, and explain weighty and wondrous matters to you.”
57Then I got up and walked in the field, giving great glory and praise to the Most High for the wonders that he doesq from time to time, 58and because he governs the times and whatever things come to pass in their seasons. And I stayed there three days.
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a Other ancient authorities read I saw a wind arise from the sea and stir up
b Syr: Lat lacks the wind…I saw
c Syr Ethiop Arab Arm: Lat grew strong
d Syr: Lat burned as the earth rests