The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Esdras 12
1 It came to pass, while the lion spoke
these words to the eagle, I saw,
2 and behold, the head that remained
disappeared, and †the two wings which
went over to it arose and setthemselves up
to reign; and their kingdom was brief and
full of uproar.
3 I saw, and behold, they disappeared,
and the whole body of the eagle was
burned, so that the earth was in great fear.
ThenI wokeup because of great perplexity of
mind and great fear, and said to my spirit,
4 “Behold, you have done this to me, because
you search out the ways of the Most High.
5 Behold, I am still weary in my mind,
and very weak in my spirit. There isn’t
even a little strength in me, because of
the great fear with which I was frightened
tonight.
6 Therefore I will now ask the Most High
that he would strengthen me to the end.”
7 Then I said, “O sovereign Lord, if I have
found favor in your sight, and if I am justified
with you more than many others, and if my
prayer has indeed come up before your face,
8 strengthen me then, and show me,
your servant, the interpretation and plain
meaning of this fearful vision, that you
may fully comfort my soul.
9 For youhave judgedme worthy to show
me the end of time and the last events of
the times.”
10 He said to me, “This is the interpretation
of this vision which you saw:
11 The eagle, whom you saw come up
from the sea, is the fourth kingdom which
appeared in a vision to your brother Daniel.
12 But it was not explained to him, as I
now explain it to you or have explained it.
13 Behold, the days come that a kingdom
will rise up on earth, and it will be feared
more than all the kingdoms that were before it.
14 Twelve kings will reign in it, one after
another.
15 Of those, the second will begin to
reign, and will reign a longer time than
others of the twelve.
16 This is the interpretation of the twelve
wings which you saw.
17 As for when you heard a voice which
spoke, not going out from the heads, but
from the midst of its body, this is
the interpretation:
18 That ‡after the time of that kingdom,
there will ariseno small contentions, andit
will stand in peril of falling. Nevertheless,
it won’tfallthen, but will be restored again
to its former power.
19 You saw the eightunder wings sticking
to her wings. This is the interpretation:
20 That in it eight kings will arise, whose
times will be short and their years swift.
21 Two ofthem will perish when the middle
time approaches. Four will be kept for
a whileuntilthe time ofthe ending ofit will
approach; but two will be kept to the end.
22 You saw three heads resting. This is
the interpretation:
23 In its last days, the Most High will
raise up three §kingdoms and renew many
things in them. They will rule over the
earth,
24 and over those who dwell in it, with
much oppression, more than all those who
were before them. Therefore they are
called the heads of the eagle.
25 For these are those who will
accomplish her wickedness, and
who will finish her last actions.
26 You saw that the great head disappeared.
It signifies that one ofthemwilldie
on his bed, and yet with pain.
27 But for the two that remained, the
sword will devour them.
28 For the sword of the one will devour
him that was with him, but he will also fall
by the sword in the last days.
29 You saw two under wings passing
†over to the head that is on the right side.
30 This is the interpretation: These are
they whom the Most High has kept to his
end. This is the brief reign that was full of
trouble, as you saw.
31 “The lion, whom you saw rising up out
ofthe forest, roaring, speaking to the eagle,
and rebuking her for her unrighteousness,
and all her words which you have heard,
32 this is the anointed one, whom the
Most High has kept to the end ‡[of days,
who will spring up out ofthe seed of David,
and he will come and speak] to them and
reprove them for their wickedness and
unrighteousness, and will§ heap up before
them their contemptuous dealings.
33 For at first he will set them alive in
his judgment, and when he has reproved
them, he will destroy them.
34 For he will deliver the rest of my
people with mercy, those who have been
preserved throughout my borders, and he
will make them joyful until the coming of
the end, even the day of judgment, about
which I have spoken to you from the beginning.
35 This is the dream that you saw, and
this is its interpretation.
36 Only you have been worthy to know
the secret of the Most High.
37 Therefore write all these things that
you have seen in a book, and put it in a
secret place.
38 You shall teach them to the wise of
your people, whose hearts you know are
able to comprehend and keep these secrets.
39 But wait here yourself seven more
days, that you may be shown whatever it
pleases the Most High to show you.” Then
he departed from me.
40 It came to pass, when all the people
†saw that the seven days were past, and
I had not come again into 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? What
evil have we done against you, that you
have utterly forsaken us, and sit in this
place?
42 For of all the prophets, only you are
left to us, like a cluster of the vintage, and
like a lamp in a dark place, and like a
harbor for a ship saved from the tempest.
43 Aren’t the evils which have come to us
sufficient?
44 If you willforsakeus, howmuchbetter
had it been for us if we also had been
consumed in the burning of Zion!
45 For we are not better than those who
died there.” Then they wept with a loud
voice. I answered them,
46 “Take courage, O Israel! Don’t be
sorrowful, you house of Jacob;
47 for the MostHighremembers you. The
Mighty has not forgotten you ‡forever.
48 As for me, I have not forsaken you.
I haven’t departed from you; but I have
come into this place to pray for the
desolation of Zion, and that I might seek mercy
for the humiliation of your sanctuary.
49 Now go your way, every man to his
ownhouse, andafter thesedays I will come
to you.”
50 So the people went their way into the
city, as I told them to do.
51 But I sat in the field seven days, as the
angel commanded me. In those days, I ate
only oftheflowers ofthefield, and my food
was from plants.