APOCRYPHA

2 ESDRAS, CHAPTER 1

1 Eſdras is commanded to reproue the people. 24 God threatneth to caſt them off, 35 and to giue their houſes to a people of more grace then they.

1, THe ſecond booke of Prophet  Eſdras ſonne of Saraias, the ſonne of Azarias, the ſonne of Helchias, the ſonne of  Sadamias, the ſonne of Sadoc, the ſonne of Achitob,

2, The ſonne of Achias the of Phinees, the ſonne of Heli, the of Amarias, the ſonne of Aziei, ſonne of Marimoth, the ſonne of Arna, the ſonne of Ozias, the ſonne of Borith, the ſonne of Abiſei, the ſonne of Phinees, the ſonne of Eleazar,

3, The ſonne of Aaron of the of Leui which was captiue in the of the Medes, in the reigne of Artaxerxes king of the Perſians.   

4,  And the word of the Lord came vnto me, ſaying,

5, Goe thy way, and ſhew my people their ſinfull deeds, and their children their wickednes which they haue done againſt me, that they may tell their childrens children,

6, Becauſe the ſinnes of their fathers are increaſed in them: for they haue for gotten me, & haue offered vnto ſtrange gods.

7, Am not I euen hee that brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the houſe of bondage? but they haue prouoked me vnto wrath, and deſpiſed my counſels.

8, Pull thou off then the haire of thy head, and caſt all euill vpon them, for they haue not beene obedient vnto my law, but it is a rebellious people.

9, How long ſhall I forbeare them vnto whō I haue done ſo much good?

10,  Many kings haue I deſtroyed for their ſakes, Pharao with his ſeruants, and all his power haue I ſmitten downe.

11, All the nations haue I deſtroyed before them, & in the Eaſt I haue ſcattered the people of two prouinces, euen of Tyrus and Sidon, and haue ſlaine all their enemies.

12, Speake thou therefore vnto them ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord,

13, I led you through the Sea, and in the beginning gaue you a large and ſafe paſſage, I gaue you Moyſes for a leader, and Aaron for a prieſt,

14, I gaue you light in a pillar of fire, and great wonders haue I done among you, yet haue you forgotten me, ſaith the Lord.

15, Thus ſaith the Almightie Lord, The quailes were as a token for you, I gaue you tents for your ſafegard, neuertheleſſe you murmured there,

16, And triumphed not in my name for the deſtruction of your enemies, but euer to this day doe ye yet murmure.

17, Where are the benefits that I haue done for you? when you were hungry and thirſtie in the wilderneſſe, did you not crie vnto me?

18, Saying, Why haſt thou brought vs into this wilderneſſe to kill vs? It had bin better for vs to haue ſerued the Egyptians, then to die in this wilderneſſe.

19, Then had I pity vpon your mournings, and gaue you Manna to eat, ſo ye did eate Angels bread.    

20, When ye were thirſtie, did I not cleaue the rocke, and waters flowed out || to your fill? for the heate I couered you with the leaues of the trees.

21, I diuided amongſt you a fruitfull land, I caſt out the Canaanites, the Pherezites, and the Philiſtines before you: what ſhall I yet doe more for you, ſaith the Lord?

22, Thus ſaith the Almighty Lord, when you were in the wildernes in the riuer of the Amorites, being athirſt, and blaſpheming my Name,

23, I gaue you not fire for your blaſphemies, but caſt a tree in the water, and made the riuer ſweet.

24, What ſhall I doe vnto thee, O Iacob? thou Iuda wouldeſt not obey me: I will turne me to other nations, and vnto thoſe will I giue my Name, that they may keepe my Statutes.

25, Seeing yee haue forſaken mee, I will forſake you alſo: when yee deſire me to be gracious vnto you, I ſhall haue no mercy vpon you.

26, Whenſoeuer you ſhall call vpon me, I will not heare you: for yee haue defiled your hands with blood, and your feete are ſwift to commit manſlaughter.

27, Yee haue not as it were forſaken me, but your owne ſelues, ſaith the Lord.

28, Thus ſaith the Almighty Lord, Haue I not prayed you as a father his ſonnes, as a mother her daughters, and a nurſe her young babes,

29, That yee would be my people, and I ſhoud be your God, that ye would be my children, and I ſhould be your father?

30, I gathered you together, as a henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings: but now, what ſhall I doe vnto you? I will caſt you out from my face.

31, When you offer vnto me, I will turne my face from you: for your ſolemne feaſt dayes, your newe Moone, and your circumciſions haue I forſaken.

32, I ſent vnto you my ſeruants the Prophets, whom yee haue taken and ſlaine, and torne their bodies in pieces, whoſe blood I will require of your hands, ſaith the Lord.

33, Thus ſaith the Almighty Lord, Your houſe is deſolate, I will caſt you out, as the wind doth ſtubble.

34, And your children ſhall not bee fruitful: for they haue deſpiſed my Commandement, and done the thing that is euill before me.

35, Your houſes wil I giue to a people that ſhall come, which not hauing heard of mee, yet ſhall beleeue mee, to whom I haue ſhewed no ſignes, yet they ſhall doe that I haue commaun ded them.

36, They haue ſeene no Prophets, yet they ſhall call their ſinnes to remem brance, and acknowledge them.

37, I take to witneſſe the grace of the people to come, whoſe little ones re ioyce in gladneſſe: and though they haue not ſeene me with bodily eyes, yet in ſpirit they beleeue the thing that I ſay.

38, And now brother, behold what glory: and ſee the people that commeth from the Eaſt.

39, Vnto whom I will giue for leaders, Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, Oſeas, Amos, and Micheas, Ioel, Abdias, and Ionas,

40, Nahum, and Abacuc, Sophonias, Aggeus, Zacharie, and Malachie, which is called alſo an Angel of the Lord.