was

And when we had been there three days, the gold and silver that was weighed was delivered in the house of our Lord on the fourth day unto Marmoth the priest the son of Iri.

And with him was Eleazar the son of Phinees, and with them were Josabad the son of Jesu and Moeth the son of Sabban, Levites: all was delivered them by number and weight.

And with him was Eleazar the son of Phinees, and with them were Josabad the son of Jesu and Moeth the son of Sabban, Levites: all was delivered them by number and weight.

And all the weight of them was written up the same hour.

And as Esdras in his prayer made his confession, weeping, and lying flat upon the ground before the temple, there gathered unto him from Jerusalem a very great multitude of men and women and children: for there was great weeping among the multitude.

And there was a proclamation in all Jewry and Jerusalem to all them that were of the captivity, that they should be gathered together at Jerusalem:

So their cause that held strange wives was brought to an end in the first day of the first month.

And of the Levites; Jozabad, and Semis, and Colius, who was called Calitas, and Patheus, and Judas, and Jonas.

And they spake unto Esdras the priest and reader, that he would bring the law of Moses, that was given of the Lord God of Israel.

And Esdras the priest and reader of the law stood up upon a pulpit of wood, which was made for that purpose.

The son of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi; which was captive in the land of the Medes, in the reign of Artexerxes king of the Persians.

And in the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marvelled at greatly.

And in the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marvelled at greatly.

In the thirtieth year after the ruin of the city I was in Babylon, and lay troubled upon my bed, and my thoughts came up over my heart:

And my spirit was sore moved, so that I began to speak words full of fear to the most High, and said,

And gavest a body unto Adam without soul, which was the workmanship of thine hands, and didst breathe into him the breath of life, and he was made living before thee.

And gavest a body unto Adam without soul, which was the workmanship of thine hands, and didst breathe into him the breath of life, and he was made living before thee.

And it came to pass in every of them, that as death was to Adam, so was the flood to these.

And it came to pass in every of them, that as death was to Adam, so was the flood to these.

Now when they lived so wickedly before thee, thou didst choose thee a man from among them, whose name was Abraham.

For the first Adam bearing a wicked heart transgressed, and was overcome; and so be all they that are born of him.

Thus infirmity was made permanent; and the law (also) in the heart of the people with the malignity of the root; so that the good departed away, and the evil abode still.

When this was done many years, then they that inhabited the city forsook thee,

Or when was it that they which dwell upon the earth have not sinned in thy sight? or what people have so kept thy commandments?

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

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

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

For 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,

So 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.

After 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.

Then I awaked, and an extreme fearfulness went through all my body, and my mind was troubled, so that it fainted.

So the angel that was come to talk with me held me, comforted me, and set me up upon my feet.

And after seven days so it was, that the thoughts of my heart were very grievous unto me again,

Now when I had spoken these words, the angel that came to me the night afore was sent unto me,

And he said unto me, Thou canst not. And I said, Wherefore, Lord? whereunto was I born then? or why was not my mother’s womb then my grave, that I might not have seen the travail of Jacob, and the wearisome toil of the stock of Israel?

And he said unto me, Thou canst not. And I said, Wherefore, Lord? whereunto was I born then? or why was not my mother’s womb then my grave, that I might not have seen the travail of Jacob, and the wearisome toil of the stock of Israel?

And he said unto me, In the beginning, when the earth was made, before the borders of the world stood, or ever the winds blew,

And it happened, that when I had heard it I stood up upon my feet, and hearkened, and, behold, there was a voice that spake, and the sound of it was like the sound of many waters.

And it happened, that when I had heard it I stood up upon my feet, and hearkened, and, behold, there was a voice that spake, and the sound of it was like the sound of many waters.

And in the eighth night was my heart vexed within me again, and I began to speak before the most High.

For my spirit was greatly set on fire, and my soul was in distress.

For my spirit was greatly set on fire, and my soul was in distress.

And I said, O Lord, thou spakest from the beginning of the creation, even the first day, and saidst thus; Let heaven and earth be made; and thy word was a perfect work.

And then was the spirit, and darkness and silence were on every side; the sound of man’s voice was not yet formed.

And then was the spirit, and darkness and silence were on every side; the sound of man’s voice was not yet formed.

For as soon as thy word went forth the work was made.

For immediately there was great and innumerable fruit, and many and divers pleasures for the taste, and flowers of unchangeable colour, and odours of wonderful smell: and this was done the third day.

For immediately there was great and innumerable fruit, and many and divers pleasures for the taste, and flowers of unchangeable colour, and odours of wonderful smell: and this was done the third day.

And gavest them a charge to do service unto man, that was to be made.

And didst separate the one from the other: for the seventh part, namely, where the water was gathered together, might not hold them both.

Unto Enoch thou gavest one part, which was dried up the third day, that he should dwell in the same part, wherein are a thousand hills:

And when I had made an end of speaking these words, there was sent unto me the angel which had been sent unto me the nights afore:

Because for their sakes I made the world: and when Adam transgressed my statutes, then was decreed that now is done.

I answered then and said, This is my first and last saying, that it had been better not to have given the earth unto Adam: or else, when it was given him, to have restrained him from sinning.

O thou Adam, what hast thou done? for though it was thou that sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but we all that come of thee.

If therefore thou shalt destroy him which with so great labour was fashioned, it is an easy thing to be ordained by thy commandment, that the thing which was made might be preserved.

If therefore thou shalt destroy him which with so great labour was fashioned, it is an easy thing to be ordained by thy commandment, that the thing which was made might be preserved.

Therefore hear my voice, and understand my words, and I shall speak before thee. This is the beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up: and I said,

For as the things aforesaid shalt receive you, so thirst and pain are prepared for them: for it was not his will that men should come to nought:

And they that have loathed my law, while they had yet liberty, and, when as yet place of repentance was open unto them, understood not, but despised it;

And he answered me, saying, Like as the field is, so is also the seed; as the flowers be, such are the colours also; such as the workman is, such also is the work; and as the husbandman is himself, so is his husbandry also: for it was the time of the world.

And now when I prepared the world, which was not yet made, even for them to dwell in that now live, no man spake against me.

So I considered the world, and, behold, there was peril because of the devices that were come into it.

Let the multitude perish then, which was born in vain; and let my grape be kept, and my plant; for with great labour have I made it perfect.

After seven days I sat upon the grass, and my heart was vexed within me, like as before:

But our fathers, which received the law, kept it not, and observed not thy ordinances: and though the fruit of thy law did not perish, neither could it, for it was thine;

Yet they that received it perished, because they kept not the thing that was sown in them.

And, lo, it is a custom, when the ground hath received seed, or the sea a ship, or any vessel meat or drink, that, that being perished wherein it was sown or cast into,

That thing also which was sown, or cast therein, or received, doth perish, and remaineth not with us: but with us it hath not happened so.

And when I spake these things in my heart, I looked back with mine eyes, and upon the right side I saw a woman, and, behold, she mourned and wept with a loud voice, and was much grieved in heart, and her clothes were rent, and she had ashes upon her head.

Then let I my thoughts go that I was in, and turned me unto her,

After thirty years God heard me thine handmaid, looked upon my misery, considered my trouble, and gave me a son: and I was very glad of him, so was my husband also, and all my neighbours: and we gave great honour unto the Almighty.

After thirty years God heard me thine handmaid, looked upon my misery, considered my trouble, and gave me a son: and I was very glad of him, so was my husband also, and all my neighbours: and we gave great honour unto the Almighty.

And it so came to pass, that when my son was entered into his wedding chamber, he fell down, and died.

Then left I the meditations wherein I was, and spake to her in anger, saying,

And it came to pass while I was talking with her, behold, her face upon a sudden shined exceedingly, and her countenance glistered, so that I was afraid of her, and mused what it might be.

And it came to pass while I was talking with her, behold, her face upon a sudden shined exceedingly, and her countenance glistered, so that I was afraid of her, and mused what it might be.

And I looked, and, behold, the woman appeared unto me no more, but there was a city builded, and a large place shewed itself from the foundations: then was I afraid, and cried with a loud voice, and said,

And I looked, and, behold, the woman appeared unto me no more, but there was a city builded, and a large place shewed itself from the foundations: then was I afraid, and cried with a loud voice, and said,

And as I was speaking these words behold, he came unto me, and looked upon me.

And, lo, I lay as one that had been dead, and mine understanding was taken from me: and he took me by the right hand, and comforted me, and set me upon my feet, and said unto me,

Whereas, I say, she said unto thee, that she hath been thirty years barren: those are the thirty years wherein there was no offering made in her.

And whereas she told thee that she nourished him with labour: that was the dwelling in Jerusalem.

But whereas she said unto thee, That my son coming into his marriage chamber happened to have a fail, and died: this was the destruction that came to Jerusalem.

And therefore I bade thee remain in the field where no house was builded:

Therefore I commanded thee to go into the field, where no foundation of any building was.

But her heads were at rest: the head in the midst was greater than the other, yet rested it with the residue.

And so it was, that when it reigned, the end of it came, and the place thereof appeared no more: so the next following stood up, and reigned, and had a great time;

And there was no more upon the eagle’s body, but three heads that rested, and six little wings.

Then saw I also that two little feathers divided themselves from the six, and remained under the head that was upon the right side: for the four continued in their place.

And I beheld, and, lo, there was one set up, but shortly it appeared no more.

And the second was sooner away than the first.

And when they so thought, behold, there awaked one of the heads that were at rest, namely, it that was in the midst; for that was greater than the two other heads.

And when they so thought, behold, there awaked one of the heads that were at rest, namely, it that was in the midst; for that was greater than the two other heads.

And, behold, the head was turned with them that were with it, and did eat up the two feathers under the wing that would have reigned.

And after this I beheld, and, lo, the head that was in the midst suddenly appeared no more, like as the wings.

And I beheld, and, lo, the head upon the right side devoured it that was upon the left side.

And, behold, the head that remained and the four wings appeared no more, and the two went unto it and set themselves up to reign, and their kingdom was small, and fill of uproar.

And I saw, and, behold, they appeared no more, and the whole body of the eagle was burnt so that the earth was in great fear: then awaked I out of the trouble and trance of my mind, and from great fear, and said unto my spirit,

And I saw, and, behold, they appeared no more, and the whole body of the eagle was burnt so that the earth was in great fear: then awaked I out of the trouble and trance of my mind, and from great fear, and said unto my spirit,