2 Esdras chapter 10
[This chapter is in Orthodox Bibles] Ezra’s vision of a Weeping Woman, continued. Uriel’s interpretation of the vision.
Note. The Book of Second Esdras is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox Churches
EZRA’S VISION OF A WEEPING WOMAN, CONTINUED
VERSE 1. “So it came to pass that when my son was entered into his wedding chamber, he fell down and died.
VERSE 2. Then we all put out the lamps, and all my neighbors rose up to comfort me. I remained quiet until the second day at night.
neighbors. In the Latin versions, townsmen.
the second day at night. This marks the end of the first period of mourning.
Sitting in silence and extinguishing lamps were ancient Jewish mourning customs.
VERSE 3. It came to pass, when they had all stopped consoling me, encouraging me to be quiet, then rose I up by night, and fled, and came here into this field, as you see.
VERSE 4. Now I don’t intend to return into the city, but to stay here, and not eat or drink, but to continually mourn and fast until I die.”
not eat or drink. Ezra intends to fast.
mourn and fast until I die. Ezra’s fast will end with death.
VERSE 5. Then I left the reflections I was engaged in, and answered her in anger,
VERSE 6. “You most foolish woman, don’t you see our mourning, and what has happened to us?
our mourning. This points ahead to the next part of the vision.
VERSE 7. For Zion the mother of us all is full of sorrow, and much humbled.
Zion the mother of us all. This is very biblical.
VERSE 8. It is right now to mourn deeply, since we all mourn, and to be sorrowful, since we are all in sorrow, but you are mourning for one son.
It is right now to mourn deeply. So say the so-called Oriental versions. The Latin is corrupt.
VERSE 9. Ask the earth, and she will tell you that it is she which ought to mourn for so many that grow upon her.
so many that grow upon her. The earth begets humans.
VERSE 10. For out of her, all had their beginnings, and others will come; and, behold, almost all of them walk into destruction, and the multitude of them is utterly doomed.
the multitude of them is utterly doomed. In 2 Esdras, the number of righteous people is few. But the number of ungodly people is many. Read more »
VERSE 11. Who then should mourn more, she who has lost so great a multitude, or you, who are grieved but for one?
she who has lost so great a multitude. So say the Syriac versions.
she who has lost so great a multitude. In 2 Esdras, the number of righteous people is few. But the number of ungodly people is many. Read more »
VERSE 12. But if you say to me, ‘My lamentation is not like the earth’s, for I have lost the fruit of my womb, which I brought forth with pains, and bare with sorrows;’
VERSE 13. but it is with the earth after the manner of the earth. The multitude present in it has gone as it came.
VERSE 14. Then say I to you, ‘Just as you have brought forth with sorrow, even so the earth also has given her fruit, namely, people, ever since the beginning to him who made her.’
even so the earth. The earth itself undergoes a sort of travail.
VERSE 15. Now therefore keep your sorrow to yourself, and bear with a good courage the adversities which have happened to you.
VERSE 16. For if you will acknowledge the decree of God to be just, you will both receive your son in time, and will be praised among women.
in time. Or in due time.
VERSE 17. Go your way then into the city to your husband.”
your husband. The husband’s role is secondary.
VERSE 18. She said to me, “I won’t do that. I will not go into the city, but I will die here.”
VERSE 19. So I proceeded to speak further to her, and said,
VERSE 20. “Don’t do so, but allow yourself to be persuaded by reason of the adversities of Zion; and be comforted by reason of the sorrow of Jerusalem.
VERSE 21. For you see that our sanctuary has been laid waste, our altar broken down, our temple destroyed,
VERSE 22. our lute has been brought low, our song is put to silence, our rejoicing is at an end, the light of our candlestick is put out, the ark of our covenant is plundered, our holy things are defiled, and the name that we are called is profaned. Our free men are despitefully treated, our priests are burned, our Levites have gone into captivity, our virgins are defiled and our wives ravished, our righteous men carried away, our little ones betrayed, our young men are brought into bondage, and our strong men have become weak.
This lament is poetic.
It might be the longest verse in the Bible. By our count, this one verse has 94 words and 430 characters.
VERSE 23. What is more than all, the seal of Zion has now lost the seal of her honor, and is delivered into the hands of those who hate us.
the seal of Zion. The meaning of this is unclear.
VERSE 24. Therefore shake off your great heaviness, and put away from yourself the multitude of sorrows, that the Mighty One may be merciful to you again, and the Most High may give you rest, even ease from your troubles.”
VERSE 25. It came to pass while I was talking with her, behold, her face suddenly began to shine exceedingly, and her countenance glistered like lightning, so that I was very afraid of her, and wondered what this meant.
This transformation of the woman is extraordinary. It is unparalleled in apocalyptic literature.
VERSE 26. Behold, suddenly she made a great and very fearful cry, so that the earth shook at the noise.
the earth shook. This transformation is very powerful.
VERSE 27. I looked, and behold, the woman appeared to me no more, but there was a city built, and a place shown itself from large foundations. Then I was afraid, and cried with a loud voice,
there was a city built. Or there was an established city.
I was afraid. Even Ezra is afraid of this transformation.
cried with a loud voice. Ezra screams.
VERSE 28. “Where is Uriel the angel, who came to me at the first? For he has caused me to fall into this great trance, and my end has turned into corruption, and my prayer a reproach!”
Where is Uriel the angel. Uriel is the angel who normally interprets things in 2 Esdras.
URIEL’S INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION
VERSE 29. As I was speaking these words, behold, the angel who had come to me at first came to me, and he looked at me.
the angel. This is Uriel.
VERSE 30. Behold, I lay as one who had been dead, and my understanding was taken from me. He took me by the right hand, and comforted me, and set me on my feet, and said to me,
I lay as one who had been dead. Ezra was laying on the ground like a corpse.
VERSE 31. “What ails you? Why are you so troubled? Why is your understanding and the thoughts of your heart troubled?”
VERSE 32. I said, “Because you have forsaken me; yet I did according to your words, and went into the field, and, behold, I have seen, and still see, that which I am not able to explain.”
still see. The vision is still happening.
VERSE 33. He said to me, “Stand up like a man, and I will instruct you.”
Stand up like a man. For divine pronouncement.
2 Esdras 6:13. So he answered, “Stand up upon your feet, and you will hear a mighty sounding voice.
VERSE 34. Then I said, “Speak on, my Lord; only don’t forsake me, lest I die before my time.
These paranormal experiences are dangerous.
VERSE 35. For I have seen what I didn’t know, and hear what I don’t know.
hear. Or have heard.
This verse conveys a sense of awe. Numinous (supernatural) awe.
VERSE 36. Or is my sense deceived, or my soul in a dream?
VERSE 37. Now therefore I beg you to explain to your servant what this vision means.”
VERSE 38. He answered me, “Listen to me, and I will inform you, and tell you about the things you are afraid of, for the Most High has revealed many secret things to you.
I will inform you. Uriel the angel will interpret the vision.
VERSE 39. He has seen that your way is righteous, because you are continually sorry for your people, and make great lamentation for Zion.
VERSE 40. This therefore is the meaning of the vision.
VERSE 41. The woman who appeared to you a little while ago, whom you saw mourning, and began to comfort her,
The woman who appeared. She is at center-stage in Ezra’s vision.
VERSE 42. but now you no longer see the likeness of the woman, but a city under construction appeared to you,
a city under construction. Or a city being built. Or an established city.
VERSE 43. and she told you of the death of her son, this is the interpretation:
this is the interpretation. In the verses above, Uriel the angel summarized the vision. Now Uriel will interpret it:
VERSE 44. This woman, whom you saw, is Zion, whom you now see as a city being built.
is Zion. So say the Syriac versions. The Latin is incorrect.
VERSE 45. She told you that she had been barren for thirty years because there were three thousand years in the world in which there was no offering as yet offered in her.
VERSE 46. And it came to pass after three thousand years that Solomon built the city and offered offerings. It was then that the barren bore a son.
Solomon built the city. Both David and Solomon expanded the city.
VERSE 47. She told you that she nourished him with great care. That was the dwelling in Jerusalem.
VERSE 48. When she said to you, ‘My son died when he entered into his marriage chamber, and that misfortune befell her,’ this was the destruction that came to Jerusalem.
his marriage chamber. This is a minor point in the narrative.
VERSE 49. Behold, you saw her likeness, how she mourned for her son, and you began to comfort her for what has happened to her. These were the things to be opened to you.
likeness. Or appearance.
VERSE 50. For now the Most High, seeing that you are sincerely grieved and suffer from your whole heart for her, has shown you the brightness of her glory and the attractiveness of her beauty.
VERSE 51. Therefore I asked you to remain in the field where no house was built,
VERSE 52. for I knew that the Most High would show this to you.
VERSE 53. Therefore I commanded you to come into the field, where no foundation of any building was.
VERSE 54. For no human construction could stand in the place in which the city of the Most High was to be shown.
VERSE 55. Therefore don’t be afraid nor let your heart be terrified, but go your way in and see the beauty and greatness of the building, as much as your eyes are able to see.
go your way in and see. At this moment, the city is still standing.
VERSE 56. Then will you hear as much as your ears may comprehend.
VERSE 57. For you are more blessed than many, and are called by name to be with the Most High, like only a few.
called by name. Or named.
VERSE 58. But tomorrow at night you shall remain here,
VERSE 59. and so the Most High will show you those visions in dreams of what the Most High will do to those who live on the earth in the last days.” So I slept that night and another, as he commanded me.
visions in dreams. Uriel promises dream visions. This is the first time they are mentioned in 2 Esdras.
I slept that night and another. To prepare for the next vision, Ezra simply sleeps two nights. He does not need to fast or adapt a vegan diet.
2 ESDRAS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, How Many People Will Be Saved
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