2 Esdras 4

The angel who had been sent to me, whose name was Uriel, gave me an answer.

1And the angel that was sent unto me, whose name was Uriel, gave me an answer,

NoteThe speaker throughout the book is Ezra, the scribe of the exile, under whose name it is written; the setting is Babylon a generation after the city and temple were destroyed, though readers in the first century would have heard it against Rome's destruction of the temple in AD 70. Uriel is an angel named only in writings outside the Hebrew Bible; the name means something like "God is my light."

2He said, "Your heart has gone too far into this world. Do you really think you can understand the way of the Most High?"

2And said, Thy heart hath gone to far in this world, and thinkest thou to comprehend the way of the most High?

3Then I said, "Yes, my lord." He answered me, "I have been sent to show you three ways, and to set three comparisons in front of you.

3Then said I, Yea, my lord. And he answered me, and said, I am sent to shew thee three ways, and to set forth three similitudes before thee:

NoteA "similitude" in 1611 English is a comparison or parable, a picture set beside the thing it is meant to explain. It does not mean a pretense or a fake. The three set before him are the impossible tasks in the next verse.

4If you can explain even one of them to me, I will also show you the way you want to see, and I will show you where the wicked heart comes from."

4Whereof if thou canst declare me one, I will shew thee also the way that thou desirest to see, and I shall shew thee from whence the wicked heart cometh.

5I said, "Go on speaking, my lord." Then he said to me, "Go and weigh out for me the weight of fire, or measure for me a gust of wind, or call back for me the day that is already past."

5And I said, Tell on, my lord. Then said he unto me, Go thy way, weigh me the weight of the fire, or measure me the blast of the wind, or call me again the day that is past.

6Then I answered, "What person is able to do that? Why would you ask such things of me?"

6Then answered I and said, What man is able to do that, that thou shouldest ask such things of me?

7He said to me, "Suppose I asked you how large the dwellings are in the middle of the sea, or how many springs there are at the source of the deep, or how many streams there are above the sky, or which are the ways out of paradise.

7And he said unto me, If I should ask thee how great dwellings are in the midst of the sea, or how many springs are in the beginning of the deep, or how many springs are above the firmament, or which are the outgoings of paradise:

NoteThe "firmament" is the sky imagined as a solid dome, a vault holding back an ocean of water above the earth. "The deep" is the mass of water below the world. Both come from the picture of creation in Genesis, where the world is a bubble of air between waters above and waters below. "Paradise" is a Persian loanword for a walled garden or park, used here for the hidden place where the righteous dead wait. Some manuscripts of this verse ask about the exits of hell and the entrances of paradise.

8Perhaps you would say to me, 'I have never gone down into the deep, nor into the place of the dead, and I have never climbed up into heaven.'

8Peradventure thou wouldest say unto me, I never went down into the deep, nor as yet into hell, neither did I ever climb up into heaven.

NoteWhere the King James says "hell" here it means the underworld, the place all the dead go, not a place of punishment reserved for the wicked. The point is simply that a living man has never been below the earth or above the sky.

9But as it is, I have asked you only about fire and wind, and about the day you yourself have lived through, and about things you cannot be separated from, and even about those you can give me no answer."

9Nevertheless now have I asked thee but only of the fire and wind, and of the day wherethrough thou hast passed, and of things from which thou canst not be separated, and yet canst thou give me no answer of them.

10He said to me further, "You cannot understand your own things, the things that have grown up with you.

10He said moreover unto me, Thine own things, and such as are grown up with thee, canst thou not know;

11How then could your mind take in the way of the Highest? And how, while the world is now visibly rotting, could you understand the rot that is plain in my sight?"

11How should thy vessel then be able to comprehend the way of the Highest, and, the world being now outwardly corrupted to understand the corruption that is evident in my sight?

Note"Vessel" means a container, and it is used here of the man himself: his mind is a jar of fixed size, and the question is how much it can hold. It has nothing to do with a ship.

12Then I said to him, "It would be better for us not to exist at all than to go on living in wickedness, and to suffer, and not know why."

12Then said I unto him, It were better that we were not at all, than that we should live still in wickedness, and to suffer, and not to know wherefore.

13He answered me, "I went out into a forest of the trees of the field, and the trees held a council together.

13He answered me, and said, I went into a forest into a plain, and the trees took counsel,

14They said, 'Come, let us go and make war on the sea, so that it will move back from us, and we can make more woodland for ourselves.'

14And said, Come, let us go and make war against the sea that it may depart away before us, and that we may make us more woods.

15The waves of the sea held a council in the same way and said, 'Come, let us go up and conquer the woods of the plain, so that there too we can win more territory for ourselves.'

15The floods of the sea also in like manner took counsel, and said, Come, let us go up and subdue the woods of the plain, that there also we may make us another country.

16The plan of the woods came to nothing, for the fire came and burned it up.

16The thought of the wood was in vain, for the fire came and consumed it.

17The plan of the waves of the sea came to nothing in the same way, for the sand stood up and stopped them.

17The thought of the floods of the sea came likewise to nought, for the sand stood up and stopped them.

18If you were the judge between these two, which one would you start by clearing? Which one would you condemn?"

18If thou wert judge now betwixt these two, whom wouldest thou begin to justify? or whom wouldest thou condemn?

Note"Justify" is a courtroom word meaning to declare someone in the right, the exact opposite of "condemn" in the same sentence. It does not mean to make excuses for them.

19I answered, "Truly it is a foolish plan that both of them made, because the ground has been given to the woods, and the sea also has its own place to carry its waves."

19I answered and said, Verily it is a foolish thought that they both have devised, for the ground is given unto the wood, and the sea also hath his place to bear his floods.

NoteThe King James writes "his place" and "his floods" because in 1611 English "his" was still the ordinary possessive for things as well as people; "its" was only just coming into use. It means the sea's own place and the sea's own waves. "Floods" here means the moving water itself, not a disaster.

20Then he answered me, "You have judged rightly. So why do you not judge your own case too?

20Then answered he me, and said, Thou hast given a right judgment, but why judgest thou not thyself also?

21Just as the ground is given to the woods, and the sea to its waves, so those who live on the earth can understand nothing except what is on the earth; and the one who lives above the heavens can understand only the things that are above the height of the heavens."

21For like as the ground is given unto the wood, and the sea to his floods: even so they that dwell upon the earth may understand nothing but that which is upon the earth: and he that dwelleth above the heavens may only understand the things that are above the height of the heavens.

22Then I answered, "I beg you, Lord, let me have understanding.

22Then answered I and said, I beseech thee, O Lord, let me have understanding:

23It was not in my mind to be curious about the high things, but about the things that pass by us every day: why Israel has been handed over to be an insult among the nations, and why the people you have loved have been given over to ungodly nations, and why the law of our forefathers has been brought to nothing, and the written covenants have no force left,

23For it was not my mind to be curious of the high things, but of such as pass by us daily, namely, wherefore Israel is given up as a reproach to the heathen, and for what cause the people whom thou hast loved is given over unto ungodly nations, and why the law of our forefathers is brought to nought, and the written covenants come to none effect,

Note"Heathen" translates a word that means simply the nations, that is, every people other than Israel. It is a category, not a comment on how civilized they were. A covenant is a binding agreement with stated terms and obligations on both sides, the legal form in which Israel's relationship with God was written down; "come to none effect" means those written agreements are no longer producing anything.

24and why we pass out of the world like locusts, and our life is full of shock and fear, and we are not worthy to receive mercy.

24And we pass away out of the world as grasshoppers, and our life is astonishment and fear, and we are not worthy to obtain mercy.

NoteThe King James "grasshoppers" renders a word for locusts, which appear in swarms too large to count, strip a field, and are gone within a season. The comparison is to creatures that are numberless and short-lived at the same time.

25What then will he do for his own name, the name we are called by? These are the things I have asked about."

25What will he then do unto his name whereby we are called? of these things have I asked.

NoteTo be "called by" someone's name meant to belong to them, the way a household or a wife carried the name of the head of the family. Israel was called by God's name, so Israel's ruin is a stain on his reputation. That is what the question is pressing.

26Then he answered me, "The more you search, the more you will wonder, because the world is rushing quickly toward its end.

26Then answered he me, and said, The more thou searchest, the more thou shalt marvel; for the world hasteth fast to pass away,

NoteThe Latin text behind this book reads roughly "if you live you will see, and if you live long you will marvel." The King James translators worked from a version in which this had become "the more thou searchest, the more thou shalt marvel."

27It cannot hold the things that are promised to the righteous in the time to come, for this world is full of wrongdoing and weakness.

27And cannot comprehend the things that are promised to the righteous in time to come: for this world is full of unrighteousness and infirmities.

28But about the things you are asking me, I will tell you. The evil has been sown, but the time for destroying it has not yet come.

28But as concerning the things whereof thou askest me, I will tell thee; for the evil is sown, but the destruction thereof is not yet come.

NoteFrom here through verse 39 the whole answer runs on one farming image: evil is a seed sown long ago, the present age is the growing season, and the end of the age is the harvest. "The destruction thereof" is the reaping, which cannot happen before the crop is ripe.

29So if what has been sown is not turned upside down, and if the place where the evil was sown does not pass away, then what is sown with good cannot come.

29If therefore that which is sown be not turned upside down, and if the place where the evil is sown pass not away, then cannot it come that is sown with good.

30For a grain of evil seed was sown in the heart of Adam at the very beginning. How much ungodliness has it produced up to now? And how much more will it produce until the time of threshing comes?

30For the grain of evil seed hath been sown in the heart of Adam from the beginning, and how much ungodliness hath it brought up unto this time? and how much shall it yet bring forth until the time of threshing come?

NoteThe book's recurring term is the "evil heart" planted in Adam at the start and inherited by everyone after him. Threshing is the stage after harvest, when cut grain is beaten to knock the kernels loose from the stalks; used as an image, it is the sorting and ending of the age.

31Think it over for yourself: how great a crop of wickedness one grain of evil seed has produced.

31Ponder now by thyself, how great fruit of wickedness the grain of evil seed hath brought forth.

32And when the ears of grain are cut down, and they are past counting, how great a threshing floor they will fill!"

32And when the ears shall be cut down, which are without number, how great a floor shall they fill?

Note"Ears" are the heads of grain at the top of the stalks. The "floor" is the threshing floor: a flat, hard, open patch of ground where cut grain was heaped and then trodden or beaten. Picturing the floor filled is picturing a harvest beyond measuring.

33Then I answered, "How will these things happen, and when? And why are our years few and full of trouble?"

33Then I answered and said, How, and when shall these things come to pass? wherefore are our years few and evil?

34He answered me, "Do not hurry ahead of the Most High. Your rushing to get ahead of him is useless, for you have gone much too far.

34And he answered me, saying, Do not thou hasten above the most Highest: for thy haste is in vain to be above him, for thou hast much exceeded.

Note"Most Highest" is a doubled superlative, ordinary emphasis in 1611 English, and means the same thing as "the most High" earlier in the chapter.

35Did not the souls of the righteous also ask about these things in their chambers, saying, 'How long must we go on hoping like this? When does the harvest of the threshing floor of our reward come?'

35Did not the souls also of the righteous ask question of these things in their chambers, saying, How long shall I hope on this fashion? when cometh the fruit of the floor of our reward?

Note"Chambers" are storerooms. The book pictures the souls of the dead held in sealed storage rooms, waiting. "The fruit of the floor of our reward" is the harvest brought in to the threshing floor, here standing for the payment they are waiting on.

36And Uriel the archangel gave them this answer: 'It comes when the number of seeds is complete in you, for he has weighed the world in the scales.

36And unto these things Uriel the archangel gave them answer, and said, Even when the number of seeds is filled in you: for he hath weighed the world in the balance.

NoteThe Latin manuscripts name the archangel who answers here as Jeremiel; the King James follows a text that read Uriel. An archangel is a chief or ranking angel. The "balance" is a pair of scales.

37He has measured out the times by measure, and counted the times by number, and he does not move them or stir them until that measure is complete.'"

37By measure hath he measured the times; and by number hath he numbered the times; and he doth not move nor stir them, until the said measure be fulfilled.

38Then I answered, "O Lord who rules over all, all of us are full of ungodliness.

38Then answered I and said, O Lord that bearest rule, even we all are full of impiety.

39And perhaps it is because of us that the threshing floors of the righteous are not filled, because of the sins of those who live on the earth."

39And for our sakes peradventure it is that the floors of the righteous are not filled, because of the sins of them that dwell upon the earth.

NoteFilling the floors means completing the harvest, that is, reaching the full count of the righteous dead named in verse 36. Until that number is complete, nothing moves.

40So he answered me, "Go to a woman who is pregnant, and ask her, once she has completed her nine months, whether her womb can hold the birth inside her any longer."

40So he answered me, and said, Go thy way to a woman with child, and ask of her when she hath fulfilled her nine months, if her womb may keep the birth any longer within her.

41Then I said, "No, Lord, she cannot." And he said to me, "In the place of the dead, the chambers of the souls are like the womb of a woman.

41Then said I, No, Lord, that can she not. And he said unto me, In the grave the chambers of souls are like the womb of a woman:

Note"The grave" here is not a dug hole but the underworld, the common holding place of all the dead, called Hades in Greek. The "chambers" are the storerooms of verse 35.

42Just as a woman in labor hurries to be free from the pain of labor, so these places hurry to give up the things that were placed in their keeping.

42For like as a woman that travaileth maketh haste to escape the necessity of the travail: even so do these places haste to deliver those things that are committed unto them.

43From the beginning, look: what you want to see will be shown to you."

43From the beginning, look, what thou desirest to see, it shall be shewed thee.

44Then I answered, "If I have found favor in your sight, and if it is possible, and if I am fit for it,

44Then answered I and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, and if it be possible, and if I be meet therefore,

45then show me whether there is more still to come than has already passed, or more that has passed than is still to come.

45Shew me then whether there be more to come than is past, or more past than is to come.

46I know what is past, but I do not know what is to come."

46What is past I know, but what is for to come I know not.

47He said to me, "Stand up on the right side, and I will explain the comparison to you."

47And he said unto me, Stand up upon the right side, and I shall expound the similitude unto thee.

48So I stood and watched, and a hot burning furnace passed by in front of me. When the flame had gone by, I looked, and the smoke was still there.

48So I stood, and saw, and, behold, an hot burning oven passed by before me: and it happened that when the flame was gone by I looked, and, behold, the smoke remained still.

49After this, a cloud full of water passed by in front of me and sent down heavy rain with a storm. When the storm of rain was over, the drops were still there.

49After this there passed by before me a watery cloud, and sent down much rain with a storm; and when the stormy rain was past, the drops remained still.

50Then he said to me, "Think it over for yourself. The rain is more than the drops, and the fire is greater than the smoke, but the drops and the smoke are what remain behind. In the same way, the amount that has already passed was far greater."

50Then said he unto me, Consider with thyself; as the rain is more than the drops, and as the fire is greater than the smoke; but the drops and the smoke remain behind: so the quantity which is past did more exceed.

NoteThe figure works by proportion. The fire and the rainstorm are the great bulk that has already gone past; the thin smoke and the few clinging drops are the small remainder left behind. So the answer to the question asked in verse 45 is that far more time has passed than is still to come.

51Then I prayed and said, "Do you think I will live until that time? Or what will happen in those days?"

51Then I prayed, and said, May I live, thinkest thou, until that time? or what shall happen in those days?

52He answered me, "About the signs you are asking me, I can tell you part of it. But about your own life, I was not sent to tell you, for I do not know it myself."

52He answered me, and said, As for the tokens whereof thou askest me, I may tell thee of them in part: but as touching thy life, I am not sent to shew thee; for I do not know it.

Note"Tokens" means signs: the marks by which the coming of that time could be recognized. It does not mean keepsakes or gifts.