The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Esdras 16
1 Woe to you, Babylon, and Asia! Woe to
you, Egypt and Syria!
2 Put on sackcloth and garments of goats’
hair, wail for your children and lament;
for your destruction is at hand.
3 A sword has been sent upon you, and
who is there to turn it back?
4 A fire has been sent upon you, and who
is there to quench it?
5 Calamities are sent upon you, and who
is there to drive them away?
6 Can one drive away a hungry lion in the
forest? Can one quench a fire in stubble,
once it has begun to burn?
7 Can one turn back an arrow that is shot
by a strong archer?
8 The Lord God sends the calamities, and
who will drive them away?
9 A fire will go out from his wrath, and
who may quench it?
10 He will flash lightning, and who will
not fear? He will thunder, and who
wouldn’t tremble?
11 The Lord will threaten, and who will
not be utterly broken in pieces
at his presence?
12 The earth and its foundations quake.
The sea rises up with waves from the deep,
and its waves will be troubled, along with
the fish in them, at the presence of the
Lord, and before the glory of his power.
13 For his right hand that bends the bow
is strong, his arrows that he shoots are
sharp, and will not miss when they begin
to be shot into the ends of the world.
14 Behold, the calamities are sent out,
and will not return again until they come
upon the earth.
15 The fire is kindled and will not be put
out until it consumes the foundations of
the earth.
16 Just as an arrow which is shot by a
mighty archer doesn’t return backward,
even so the calamities that are sent out
upon earth won’t return again.
17 Woe is me! Woe is me! Who will
deliver me in those days?
18 The beginning of sorrows, when there
will be great mourning; the beginning of
famine, and many will perish; the beginning
of wars, and the powers will stand in
fear; the beginning of calamities, and all
will tremble! What will they do when the
calamities come?
19 Behold, famine and plague, suffering
and anguish! They are sent as scourges for
correction. 20 But for all these things they will not
turn them from their wickedness, nor be
always mindful of the scourges.
21 Behold, food will be so cheap on earth
that they will think themselves to be in
good condition, and even then calamities
will grow on earth: sword, famine, and
great confusion.
22 For many of those who dwell on earth
will perish of famine; and others who
escape the famine, the sword will destroy.
23 Thedead willbe cast outlikedung, and
there will be no one to comfort them; for
the earth will be left desolate, and its cities
will be cast down.
24 There will be no farmer left to
cultivate the earth or to sow it.
25 The trees will give fruit, but who will
gather it?
26 The grapes will ripen, but who will
tread them? For in all places there will be
a great solitude;
27 for one man will desire to see another,
or to hear his voice.
28 For of a city there will be ten left, and
two of the field, who have hidden themselves
in the thick groves, and in the clefts
of the rocks.
29 As in an orchard of olives upon every
tree there may be left three or four olives,
30 or as when a vineyard is gathered,
there are some clusters left by those who
diligently search through the vineyard,
31 even so in those days, there will be
three or four left by those who search their
houses with the sword.
32 The earth will be left desolate, and its
fields will be for briers, and its roads and
all her paths will grow thorns, because no
sheep will pass along them.
33 The virgins will mourn, having no
bridegrooms. The women will mourn,
having no husbands. Their daughters will
mourn, having no helpers.
34 Their bridegrooms will be destroyed
in the wars, and their husbands will perish
of famine.
35 Hear now these things, and understand
them, you servants of the Lord.
36 Behold, the Lord’s word: receive it.
Don’t doubt the things about which the
Lord speaks.
37 Behold, the calamities draw near, and
are not delayed.
38 Just as a woman with child in the
ninth month, when the hour of her
delivery draws near, within two or three hours
greatpains surroundher womb, and when
the child comes out from the womb, there
will be no waiting for a moment,
39 even so the calamities won’t delay
coming upon the earth. The world will
groan, and sorrows will seize it on every
side.
40 “O my people, hear my word: prepare
for battle, and in those calamities be like
strangers on the earth.
41 He who sells, let him be as he who flees
away, and he who buys, as one who will
lose.
42 Let he who does business be as he who
has no profit by it, and he who builds, as he
who won’t dwell in it,
43 and he who sows, as if he wouldn’t
reap, so also he who prunes the vines, as
he who won’t gather the grapes,
44 those who marry, as those who will
have no children, and those who don’t
marry, as the widowed.
45 Because of this, those who labor, labor
in vain;
46 for foreigners will reap their fruits,
plunder their goods, overthrow their
houses, and take their children captive,for
in captivity and famine they will conceive
their children.
47 Those who conduct business, do so
only to be plundered. Themore they adorn
their cities, their houses, their possessions,
and their own persons,
48 the more I will hate them for their
sins,” says the Lord.
49 Just as a respectable and virtuous
woman hates a prostitute,
50 so will righteousness hate iniquity,
when she adorns herself, and will accuse
her to her face, when he comes who will
defend him who diligently searches out
every sin on earth.
51 Therefore don’t be like her
or her works.
52 For yet a little while, and iniquity will
be taken away out of the earth, and righteousness
will reign over us.
53 Don’t let the sinner say that he has not
sinned; for God will burn coals of fire on
the head of one who says “I haven’t sinned
before God and his glory.”
54 Behold, the Lord knows all the works
of men, their imaginations, their thoughts,
and their hearts.
55 He said, “Let the earth be made,” and
it was made, “Let the sky be made,” and it
was made.
56 At his word, the stars were established,
and he knows the number of the stars.
57 He searches the deep and its treasures.
He has measured the sea and what it contains.
58 He has shut the sea in the midst of the
waters, and with his word, he hung the
earth over the waters.
59 He has spread out the sky like a vault.
He has founded it over the waters.
60 He has made springs of water in the
desert and pools on the tops of the mountains
to send out rivers from the heights to
water the earth.
61 He formed man, and put a heart in the
midst of the body, and gave him breath,
life, and understanding,
62 yes,the spirit of God Almighty. He who
made all things and searches out hidden
things in hidden places,
63 surely he knows your imagination,
and what you think in your hearts. Woe to
those who sin, and try to hide their sin!
64 Because the Lord will exactly investigate
all your works, and he will put you all to shame.
65 Whenyour sins arebrought outbefore
men, you will be ashamed, and your own
iniquities will stand as your accusers in
that day.
66 What will you do? Or how will you
hide your sins before God and his angels?
67 Behold, God is the judge. Fear him!
Stop sinning, and forget your iniquities, to
never again committhem. So will God lead
you out, and deliver you from all suffering.
68 For, behold, the burning wrath of a
great multitude is kindled over you, and
they will take away some of you, and feed
you with that which is sacrificed to idols.
69 Those who consent to them will be
held in derision and in contempt, and be
trodden under foot.
70 For there will be in various places,
and in the next cities, a great insurrection
against those who fear the Lord.
71 They will be like mad men, sparing
none, but spoiling and destroying those
who still fear the Lord.
72 For they will destroy and plunder their
goods, and throw them out of their houses.
73 Then the trial of my elect will be made
known, even as the gold that is tried in the
fire.
74 Hear, my elect ones, says the Lord:
“Behold, the days of suffering are at hand,
and I will deliver you from them.
75 Don’t be afraid, and don’t doubt, for
God is your guide.
76 You who keep my commandments and
precepts,” says the Lord God, “don’t let
your sins weigh you down, and don’t let
your iniquities lift themselves up.
77 Woe to those who are choked with
their sins and covered with their iniquities,
like a field is choked with bushes, and
its path covered with thorns, that no one
may travel through!
78 It is shut off and given up to be
consumed by fire.