2 Esdras chapter 15
[This chapter is in Orthodox Bibles] Doom for the wicked. A terrifying vision of warfare. Judgment on Babylon. Judgment on Asia.
Note. The Book of Second Esdras is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox Churches
DOOM FOR THE WICKED
VERSE 1. “Behold, speak in the ears of my people the words of prophecy which I will put in your mouth,” says the Lord.
the words of prophecy. The author is a prophet.
Presumably it is Ezra.
VERSE 2. “Cause them to be written on paper, for they are faithful and true.
The prophecy is to be written.
VERSE 3. Don’t be afraid of their plots against you. Don’t let the unbelief of those who speak against you trouble you.
VERSE 4. For all the unbelievers will die in their unbelief.
VERSE 5. “Behold,” says the Lord, “I bring evils on the whole earth: sword, famine, death, and destruction.
VERSE 6. For wickedness has prevailed over every land, and their hurtful works have reached their limit.
their hurtful works have reached their limit. There is a limit to the amount of evil that will be tolerated.
VERSE 7. Therefore,” says the Lord,
VERSE 8. “I will hold my peace no more concerning their wickedness which they profanely commit, neither will I tolerate them in these things, which they wickedly practice. Behold, the innocent and righteous blood cries to me, and the souls of the righteous cry out continually.
blood cries to me. Blood is life.
VERSE 9. I will surely avenge them,” says the Lord, “and will receive to me all the innocent blood from among them.
the innocent blood. Blood is life.
VERSE 10. Behold, my people is led like a flock to the slaughter. I will not allow them now to dwell in the land of Egypt,
VERSE 11. but I will bring them out with a mighty hand and with a high arm, and will strike Egypt with plagues, as before, and will destroy all its land.”
will strike Egypt. Egypt is targeted for doom.
VERSE 12. Let Egypt and its foundations mourn, for the plague of the chastisement and the punishment that God will bring upon it.
VERSE 13. Let the farmers that till the ground mourn, for their seeds will fail and their trees will be ruined through the blight and hail, and a terrible tempest.
hail. Apparently hail can fall in this part of the world.
VERSE 14. Woe to the world and those who dwell in it!
the world. Now the whole world is being targeted.
VERSE 15. For the sword and their destruction draws near, and nation will rise up against nation to battle with weapons in their hands.
VERSE 16. For there will be sedition among men, and growing strong against one another. In their might, they won’t respect their king or the chief of their great ones.
VERSE 17. For a man will desire to go into a city, and will not be able.
VERSE 18. For because of their pride the cities will be troubled, the houses will be destroyed, and men will be afraid.
Civil order is overturned.
VERSE 19. A man will have no pity on his neighbors, but will assault their houses with the sword and plunder their goods, because of the lack of bread, and for great suffering.
VERSE 20. “Behold,” says God, “I call together all the kings of the earth to stir up those who are from the rising of the sun, from the south, from the east, and Libanus, to turn themselves one against another, and repay the things that they have done to them.
rising of the sun. The text is uncertain here.
VERSE 21. Just as they do yet this day to my chosen, so I will do also, and repay into their bosom.” The Lord God says:
There is a relationship between the offense committed and the punishment.
VERSE 22. “My right hand won’t spare the sinners, and my sword won’t cease over those who shed innocent blood on the earth.
VERSE 23. A fire has gone out from his wrath and has consumed the foundations of the earth and the sinners, like burnt straw.
VERSE 24. Woe to those who sin and don’t keep my commandments!” says the Lord.
VERSE 25. “I will not spare them. Go your way, you rebellious children! Don’t defile my sanctuary!”
Don’t defile my sanctuary. The word “sanctuary” might refer to a community.
It probably does not refer to the temple. That is due to two factors:
- The Roman Empire destroyed the temple in 70 AD
- This part of 2 Esdras was probably written in the third century AD
VERSE 26. For the Lord knows all those who trespass against him, therefore he will deliver them to death and destruction.
VERSE 27. For now evils have come upon the whole earth, and you will remain in them; for God will not deliver you, because you have sinned against him.
A TERRIFYING VISION OF WARFARE
NOTE. Some people interpret this section as the Sasanian Persian attack under Shapur of the mid-third century AD. It was eventually repulsed by Palmyrene forces under Odenathus. He was murdered in 267 AD.
VERSE 28. Behold, a horrible sight appearing from the east!
VERSE 29. The nations of the dragons of Arabia will come out with many chariots. From the day that they set out, their hissing is carried over the earth, so that all those who will hear them may also fear and tremble.
the dragons of Arabia. This is probably a reference to the Palmyrene forces.
VERSE 30. Also the Carmonians, raging in wrath, will go out like the wild boars of the forest. They will come with great power and join battle with them, and will devastate a portion of the land of the Assyrians with their teeth.
the Carmonians. This is probably a reference to Persians from Kirman province
VERSE 31. Then the dragons will have the upper hand, remembering their nature. If they will turn themselves, conspiring together in great power to persecute them,
VERSE 32. then these will be troubled, and keep silence through their power, and will turn and flee.
VERSE 33. From the land of the Assyrians, an enemy in ambush will attack them and destroy one of them. Upon their army will be fear and trembling, and indecision upon their kings.
destroy one of them. This is perhaps a reference to the murder of Odenathus.
JUDGMENT ON BABYLON
NOTE. Some people interpret this section as the invasion of the Goths into the Roman Empire in the mid-third century AD. But it can also be interpreted as a prophecy of the future.
VERSE 34. Behold, clouds from the east, and from the north to the south! They are very horrible to look at, full of wrath and storm.
VERSE 35. They will clash against one another. They will pour out a heavy storm on the earth, even their own storm. There will be blood from the sword to the horse’s belly,
VERSE 36. and to the thigh of man, and to the camel’s hock.
VERSE 37. There will be fearfulness and great trembling upon earth. They who see that wrath will be afraid, and trembling will seize them.
VERSE 38. After this, great storms will be stirred up from the south, from the north, and another part from the west.
VERSE 39. Strong winds will arise from the east, and will shut it up, even the cloud which he raised up in wrath; and the storm that was to cause destruction by the east wind will be violently driven toward the south and west.
VERSE 40. Great and mighty clouds, full of wrath, will be lifted up with the storm, that they may destroy all the earth and those who dwell in it. They will pour out over every high and lofty one a terrible storm,
VERSE 41. fire, hail, flying swords, and many waters, that all plains may be full, and all rivers, with the abundance of those waters.
VERSE 42. They will break down the cities and walls, mountains and hills, trees of the forest, and grass of the meadows, and their grain.
VERSE 43. They will go on steadily to Babylon and destroy her.
Babylon. In this context, it means Rome
VERSE 44. They will come to it and surround it. They will pour out the storm and all wrath on her. Then the dust and smoke will go up to the sky, and all those who are around it will mourn for it.
The attack reaches Rome itself.
VERSE 45. Those who remain will serve those who have destroyed it.
JUDGMENT ON ASIA
NOTE. Some people interpret this section as referring to the fate of Palmyra under Odenathus and Zenobia. But it can also be interpreted as a prophecy of the future.
VERSE 46. You, Asia, who are partaker in the beauty of Babylon, and in the glory of her person—
Asia. In this context, “Asia” might refer to the Greek Empire.
VERSE 47. woe to you, you wretch, because you have made yourself like her. You have decked out your daughters for prostitution, that they might please and glory in your lovers, which have always lusted after you!
VERSE 48. You have followed her who is hateful in all her works and inventions. Therefore God says,
VERSE 49. “I will send evils on you: widowhood, poverty, famine, sword, and pestilence, to lay waste your houses and bring you to destruction and death.
VERSE 50. The glory of your power will be dried up like a flower when the heat rises that is sent over you.
VERSE 51. You will be weakened like a poor woman who is beaten and wounded, so that you won’t be able to receive your mighty ones and your lovers.
VERSE 52. Would I have dealt with you with such jealousy,” says the Lord,
VERSE 53. “if you had not always slain my chosen, exalting and clapping of your hands, and saying over their dead, when you were drunk?
VERSE 54. “Beautify your face!
VERSE 55. The reward of a prostitute will be in your bosom, therefore you will be repaid.
VERSE 56. Just as you will do to my chosen,” says the Lord, “even so God will do to you, and will deliver you to your adversaries.
VERSE 57. Your children will die of hunger. You will fall by the sword. Your cities will be broken down, and all your people in the field will perish by the sword.
VERSE 58. Those who are in the mountains will die of hunger, eat their own flesh, and drink their own blood, because of hunger for bread and thirst for water.
In troubled times, people flee to the mountains.
VERSE 59. You, unhappy above all others, will come and will again receive evils.
VERSE 60. In the passage, they will rush on the hateful city and will destroy some portion of your land, and mar part of your glory, and will return again to Babylon that was destroyed.
VERSE 61. You will be cast down by them as stubble, and they will be to you as fire.
According to an historical interpretation, this refers to the defeat of Zenobia.
VERSE 62. They will devour you, your cities, your land, and your mountains. They will burn all your forests and your fruitful trees with fire.
VERSE 63. They will carry your children away captive, and will plunder your wealth, and mar the glory of your face.”
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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