And measures and matters of The Truth of the "time" we are in ...how "man" ..."thought to change time and times ... More on ...Moab...
Dearly beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, how that one day is with the Lord, as a thousand year, and a thousand year as one day. The Lord is not slack to fulfil his promise, as some men count slackness: but is patient to us ward, and would have no man lost, but would receive all men to repentance. creteis@yahoo.com Behold in a nightmare of the dark season ...of the times and time ..of the season of man ...see son of man ...
and the more of times and time ...and the line of times given before ...
and measures of matters of time and nations ...
and like unto ancient ...even the like unto the same ...
even of nations and times ...
and the end of such ...
and in a nighmare of things ...
came a word without speaking ...
and the word was the name of a nation ...
and the nation that was ...is shown ...Moab ...
and i went to the recorded word ...to look see that any more might be shown ...
and of the first and the last
Abraham rose up early and got him to the place where he stood before the Lord, and looked toward Sodom and Gomorra and toward all the land of that country. And as he looked: behold, the smoke of the country arose as it had been the smoke of a furnace. But yet when God destroyed the cities of the region, he thought upon Abraham: and sent Lot out from the danger of the overthrowing, when he overthrew the cities where Lot dwelled.
And Lot departed out of Zoar and dwelled in the mountains and his two daughters with him for he feared to tarry in Zoar: he dwelled therefore in a cave, both he and his two daughters also. Then said the elder unto the younger: our father is old, and there are no more men in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the world. Come therefore, let us give our father wine to drink, and let us lie with him that we may save seed of our father. And they gave their father wine to drink that same night. And the elder daughter went and lay with her father. And he perceived it not, neither when she lay down, neither when she rose up.
And on the morrow the elder said unto the younger: behold, yesternight lay I with my father. Let us give him wine to drink this night also, and go thou and lie with him, and let us save seed of our father. And they gave their father wine to drink that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him. And he perceived it not: neither when she lay down, neither when she rose up. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the elder bare a son and called him Moab, which is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger bare a son and called him Ben Ammi, which is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
last words on Moab
And Moses went from the fields of Moab up into mount Nebo which is the top of Phasgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land of Galaad even unto Dan, and all Naphthali and the land of Ephraim and Manasse, and all the land of Juda: even unto the utmost sea, and the south and the region of the plain of Jericho the city of palm trees even unto Zoar. And the Lord said unto him. This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob saying: I will give it unto thy seed. I have showed it thee before thine eyes: but thou shalt not go over thither.
So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab at the commandment of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab beside Beth Pheor: but no man knew of his sepulcher unto this day. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died, and yet his eyes were not dim nor his cheeks abated. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the fields of Moab thirty days. And the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
Then Balak the son of Ziphor, King of Moab arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balam the son of Beor for to curse you. But I would not agree to hearken unto Balam, and therefore he blessed you: And so I delivered you out of his hand. And when ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho, the citizens of Jericho fought against you: the Amorites, Pheresites, Cananites, Hethites, Girgosites, Hevites, Jebusites which I delivered into your hands.
After that, David beat the Philistines and subdued them and took the bridle of bondage out of their hands. And he beat the Moabites and measured them with a line, making them lie along the earth, and then meeting the length of two lines to slay, and the length of one line to save a life. And so became the Moabites Davids servants and paid tribute. David smote also Adadezer the son of Rehob king of Zobah as he went to make the end of his coasts at the river Euphrates. And David took a thousand and seven hundred horsemen of his, and twenty thousand footmen and destroyed all his chariots reserving one hundred of them. Then came the Sirians of Damasco to succour Adadezer king of Zobah. And David slew of them two and twenty thousand men and put soldiers in Siria Damasco. And the Sirians became servants to David paying tribute. And thus the Lord saved David in all that he went to. And David took the shields of gold that were upon the servants of Adadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. And thereto out of Betah and Berathai cities of Adadezer he brought exceeding great abundance of brass.
When Thoi King of Hemath had heard how David had discomforted all the host of Adadezer, he sent Joram his son unto king David to salute him with peace and to bless him because he had fought against Adadezer and beaten him: for Thoi kept war with Adadezer, which son brought vessels of silver, gold and of brass with him. And them also King David did dedicate unto the Lord with the silver and gold that he consecrated of all nations which he subdued: of the Sirians, the Moabites, the children of Ammon, the Philistines, the Amalekites, and of the spoil of Adadezer son of Rehob King of Zobah. And David made him a name after he returned from the slaughter of the Sirians in the valley of Salt where he slew eighteen thousand men. And he put keepers in Edom, even throughout all Edom put he soldiers and all Edom became his servants. And the Lord kept David whatsoever he took in hand. And David reigned over all Israel and executed right and Justice unto all his people. And Joab the son of Zaruiah was over the host, and Jehosaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder. And Sadoch the son of Ahitob and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests, and Saraiah was the Scribe. And Banaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cerethites and the Phelethites and Davids sons were chief rulers.And what time as the book of Moses was read in the ears of the people there was found written therein, that the Ammonites and the Moabites should never come into the congregation of God, because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water, and hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: nevertheless our God turned the curse into a blessing. Now when they heard the Law, they separated from Israel everyone that had mixed himself therein. And before this had the Priest Eliasib delivered the chest of the house of our God unto his kinsman Tobiah: for he had made him a great chest, and there had they afore time layed the meatofferings, frankincense, vessel, and the tithes of corn, wine and oil ( according to the commandment given to the Levites, singers and porters ) and the heaveofferings of the priests.
Moreover, the Lord of Hosts shall once prepare a feast for all people upon the hill: a plenteous, costly, pleasant feast, of fat and well fed beasts, of sweet and most pure things. Upon the hill shall he take away the side veil that hangeth before the face of all people, and the covering wherewith all Gentiles are covered. As for death he shall utterly consume it. The Lord God shall wipe away the tears from all faces, and take away the confusion of his people through the whole world. For the Lord himself hath said it.
At that time shall it be said: Lo, this is our God in whom we *put our trust, and *he hath healed us. This is the Lord we have waited for: Let us rejoice and delight in his health. For the hand of the Lord ceaseth upon this hill. But Moab shall be threshed down under him, like as the straw is trodden down under feet in a dung hill. For he stretch out his hands upon him, like as a swimmer doeth swim. And with the power of his hands shall he cast down his pomp. As for his strongholds and high walls: he shall bow them, cast them down, and fell them to the ground in to dust.this is our God in whom we *put our trust, (kjv and other bibles of man = have waited for him) and *he hath healed us. (kjv and other bibles of man =and he will save us)
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel against Moab: Woe unto Nabo, for it shall be layed waste, brought to confusion and taken. Yee the strong city of Kariathiarim shall be brought to shame, and afraid: Moab shall be no more had in honor: Wicked counsel shall be taken upon Hesebon. Come, ( shall they say ) let us root them out, that may be no more among the number of the Gentiles, yee that they may no more be thought upon: Thus the sword shall persecute thee: A voice shall cry from Horonaim, With great wasting and destruction, is Moab made desolate.
And this cry shall be heard in all her cities. At the going up unto Luith there shall arise a lamentation: and down toward Horonaim, there shall be heard a cruel and deadly cry: Get you away, save your lives and be like unto the *heeth in the wilderness. For because thou hast trusted in thy strongholds and treasure, thou shalt taken Chamos with his priests and princes shall go away into captivity.
The destroyer shall come upon all cities, none shall escape. The valleys shall be destroyed, and the fields shall be layed waste: like as the Lord hath determined.
Make a token unto Moab, that she get her away speedily: for her cities shall be made so desolate, that no man shall dwell therin. Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently, and cured be he that keepeth back his sword from shedding blood.
Moab hath ever been rich and careless from her youth up, she hath sitten and taken her ease with her treasure. She was never yet put out of one vessel into another, that is, she never went away in to captivity, therefore her taste remaineth, and her savoure is not yet changed.
But lo, the time cometh, sayeth the Lord, that I shall send her trussers to truss her up, to prepare a season her vessels: yee her tankards rattle and shake to and fro. And Moab shall be ashamed of Chamos, like as Israel was ashamed of Bethel, wherin she put her trust.
Wherefore do ye think thus: We are mighty, and strong men of war? Moab shall be destroyed, her cities burnt up: her chosen young men shall be slain, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of Hosts. The destruction of Moab cometh on a pace, and her fall is at hand.
All her neighbors shall mourn for her, and all they that know her name, shall say: O how happeneth it, that the strong staff and goodly rod is broken? And thou daughter Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in poverty. For he that destroyeth Moab, shall come up also, and break down thy strong holds.
And thou that dwellest in Aroer, get thee to the street, and look about thee: ask them that are fled and escaped, and say: What thing is happened? O Moab is confounded and overcome.
Mourn and cry, tell it out at Armon, that Moab is destroyed. And misery shall come upon the plain land: Namely, upon Holon, and Jahazah, and Mephaath and Dibon, upon Nabo, and the house of Deblathaim, upon Cariathiarim and Bethgamul, upon Bethmaon and Carioth, upon Bozrah and all the cities of the land of Moab, whether they lie far or near.
The horn of Moab shall be smitten down, and her arm broken, saith the Lord. Make her drunken, for she magnified herself above the Lord, that men may clap their hands at her vomit, and that she also may be laughed into scorn. O Israel, shalt thou not laugh him to scorn, when he is taken among thieves? Yee because of thy words that thou hast spoken against him, thou shalt be driven away. Ye Moabites shall leave the cities, and dwell in the rocks of stone, and become like doves, that make their nest in holes.
As for Moabs pride, we have heard of it, she is very high minded. I know her stoutness, her boasting, her arrogance and the pride of her stomach, sayeth the Lord. For her furriousness may neither uphold her with strength ner deed. Therefore shall their mourning be made for Moab, and every man shall cry for Moabs sake: a lamentation shall be made to the men that stand upon the wall. So will I mourn for thee also O Jazer, and for thee, O thou vineyard of Sabamah.
Thy wine branches shall come over the sea, and the branches of Jazer but unto the sea: the destroyer shall break into thy harvest and grape gathering: Mirth and cheer shall be taken away from the timber field, and from the whole land of Moab.
There shall be no sweet wine in the press, the treader shall have no stomach to cry, yee there shall be none to cry unto him: which afore time were heard from Hesebon to Eleale, and Jahaz, which lifted up their voice from Zoar unto Horonaim, that bullock of three years old. The waters also of Nemrim shall be dried up.
Moreover I will make Moab cease ( saith the Lord ) from the offerings and *censing that she hath made unto her gods in high places. Wherefore my heart mourneth for Moab, like a crowd playing an heavy song: and for the mens sake of the brick wall my heart mourneth also, even as a pipe that pipeth a doleful song: for they shall be very few, and destroyed.
All heads shall be shaven, and all beards clipped off: all hands bound, and all loins girded about with sack cloth. Upon all the housetops and streets of Moab, there shall be mourning: For I will break Moab like an unprofitable vessel saith the Lord. O how fearful is she? O how mourneth she? O how doth Moab hang down her head, and is ashamed? Thus shall Moab be a laughing stock, and had in *derision of all them, that be round about her.
For thus saith the Lord: Behold, the enemy shall come flying as an *Aegle, and shall spread his wings upon Moab. They shall climb over the walls, and win the strongholds. Then the mighty mens hearts in Moab shall be like the heart of a woman travailing with child.
And Moab shall be made desolate, that she shall no more be a people, because she hath set up herself against the Lord. fear, pit, and snare shall come upon thee ( O Moab ) saith the Lord. Who so escapeth the fear, shall fall in the pit: and who so getteth out of the pit, shall be taken in the snare.
For I will bring a year of visitation upon Moab, saith the Lord. They that are able to flee, shall stand under the shadow of Hesebon. For there shall go a fire out of Heshbon, and a flame from Sion, and shall burn up that proud people of Moab, both before and behind.
Woe be unto thee, (O Moab ) for thou people of Chamos shall perish: Yee thy sons and daughters shall be led away captive. Yet at the last will I bring Moab out of captivity again, saith the Lord. Thus far of the plague of Moab.*heeth ( low shrub ) *censing ( burning of incense ) *derision (ridicule, contempt)
*Aegle (Eagle) Cap A ; elsewhere see: Eagle; 4th Esdras, Revelation also see modern "Moab".Thus saith the Lord God: For so much as Moab and Seir do say: As for the house of Judah, it is but like as all other Gentiles be: Therefore, behold, I will make the cities of Moab weaponless, and taken away their strength: their cities and chief coasts of their land, which are the pleasures of the country: As namely. Bethiesimoth, Baalmeon, and Cariathaim: These I will open unto them of the east, that they might fall upon the Ammonites: and will give it them in possession: so that the Ammonites shall no more be had in remembrance among the Heathen. Even thus will I punish Moab also, that they may know that I am the Lord.
Moreover, thus saith the Lord God: Because that Edom hath avenged and eased himself upon the house of Judah, therefore thus saith the Lord: I will reach out my hand upon Edom, and take away man and beast out of it. From Theman unto Dedan I will make it desolate, they shall be slain with the sword. Through my people of Israel will I avenge me again upon Edom: they shall handle him, according to my wrath and indignation, so that they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God.
Thus saith the Lord God: For so much as the Philistines have done this: namely taken vengeance with despiteful stomachs, and of an old evil will set themselves to destroy: Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will stretch out mine hand over the Philistines, and destroy the destroyer, and cause all the remnant of the sea coast to perish. A great vengeance will I take upon them, and punish them cruelly: that they may know, how that I am the Lord, which have avenged me of them.And in the first year of Darius of Medea, I stood by him, to comfort and to strengthen him, and now I will show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, but the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And when he is in the chiefest power of his riches, he provoke every man against the realm of Greekland. Then there shall arise a mighty king, that shall rule with great dominion, and do what him list. And as soon as his kingdom cometh up, it shall be destroyed, and divided toward the four winds of heaven. They that come after him, shall not have such power and dominion as he: but his kingdom shall be scattered, yee even among other than those. And the king of the south shall be mightier, then his other princes. Against him there shall one make himself strong, and shall rule his dominion with great power.
But after certain years they shall be joined together, and the kings daughter of the south shall come to the king of the North, for to make friendship, but she shall not obtain the power of that arm, neither shall she be able to endure through her, yee and he that begat her, and comforted her for his time, shall be delivered up. Out of the branches of her root, there shall stand one up in his stead: which with power of armies shall go through the kings land of the north, and handle him according to his strength. As for their Idols and princes, with their costly Jewels of gold and silver, he shall carry them away captives into Egypt, and he shall prevail against the king of the north certain years. And when he is come into the kings realm of the south, he shall be faine to turn again in to his own land. Wherefore his sons shall be displeased, and shall gather together a mighty great host of people: and one of them shall come, and go through like a water flowed: then shall he return, and go forth with defying and boasting into his own land.
Then the king of the south shall be angry, and shall come forth to fight with the king of the north: yee he shall bring a great multitude of people together, and a great heap shall be given into his hand. these he shall carry away with great pride, for so much as he hath cast down so many thousands, nevertheless he shall not prevail. For the king of the north shall gather ( of the new ) a greater heap of people than afore, and come forth ( after a certain time of years ) with a mighty host and exceeding great good.
At the same time there shall many stand up against the king of the south, so that the wicked children of thy people also shall exalt themselves ( to fulfill the vision) and then fall. So the king of the north shall come to lay siege, and to take the strong fenced cities: And the power of them of the south shall not be able to abide him, and the best men of the people shall not be so strong, as to resist him. Shortly, when he cometh, he shall handle him as he list, and no man shall be so hardy as to stand against him. He shall stand in the pleasant country, which through him shall be destroyed. He shall set his face with all his power to obtain his kingdom, and to be like it. Yee that shall he do, and give him unto the daughters among women, to destroy him. But he shall fail, neither shall he obtain his purpose. After this shall he set his face unto the Isles, and take many of them. A prince shall stop him, to do him a shame, beside the confusion that else shall come upon him. Thus shall he turn again to his own land, stumble, and fall, and be no more found: so that he that came upon him and did him violence, shall stand in his place, and have a pleasant kingdom: and after few days he shall be destroyed, and that neither in wrath, nor in battle. In his stead there shall arise a vile person, not holden worthy of a kings dignity: this shall come in craftily, and obtain the kingdom with fair words: he shall fight against the armies of the mighty ( and destroy them ) yee and against the prince of the covenant.
So after that he hath take truce with him, he shall handle deceitfully: that he may get up, and overcome him with a small flock: and so with craftiness to get him to the fattest place of the land, and to deal otherwise, then either his fathers or grandfathers did. For he shall destroy the thing, that they had robbed and spoiled, yee all of their substance: imagining thoughts against the strong holds, and that for a time. His power and heat shall be stirred up with a great army against the king of the south: where through the king of the south shall be moved then unto battle, with a great mighty host also. Nevertheless, he shall not be able to stand, for they shall conspire against him. Yee they that eat of his meat, shall hurt him: so that his host shall fall, and many be slain down.
These two kings shall be minded to do mischief, and talk of deceit at one table: but they shall not prosper: for why? the end shall not come yet, unto the time appointed. Then shall he go home again into his own land with great good, and set his heart against the holy covenant, he shall be busy against it, and then return home. At the time appointed he shall come again, and go toward the south: So shall it happen otherwise then at the first, yet once again. And why? the ships of Cithum shall come upon him, that he may be smitten and turn again: that he may take indignation against the covenant of holiness, to meddle against it. Yee he shall turn him, and draw such unto him, as leave the holy covenant.
He shall set mighty men to unhallow the Sanctuary of strength, and to put down the daily offering, and to set up the abominable desolation. And such as break the covenant shall he flatter with fair words. But the people that will know their God, shall have the overhand and prosper. Those also that have understanding among the people shall inform the multitude: and for a long season, they shall be persecuted with sword, with fire, with captivity and with the taking away of their goods. Now when they fall, they shall be set up with a little help: but many shall cleave unto them *fainedly.
Ye some of those which have understanding shall be persecuted also: that they may be tried, purified, and cleansed, till the time be out: for there is yet another time appointed. The king shall do what him list, he shall exalt and magnify himself against all, that is God. Yee he shall speak marvelous things against the God of all gods, wherein he shall prosper, so long till the wrath be fulfilled, for the conclusion is devised already. He shall not regard the God of his fathers, but his lust shall be upon women: Yee he shall not care for any God, for he shall magnify himself above all. In his place shall he worship the mighty Idols: and the God whom his fathers knew not, shall he honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant jewels.
This shall he do, seeking help and *sucure at the mighty Idols and strange Gods. Such as receive him, and take him for God, he shall give them great worship and power: yee and make them lords of the multitude, and give them the land with rewards. In the latter time shall the king of the south strive with him: and the king of the north in like manner shall come against him with chariots, horsemen and a great navy of ships. He shall come into the lands, destroy and go through: he shall enter also in to the fair pleasant land. Many cities and countries shall decay, except Edom, Moab and the best of the children of Ammon, which shall escape from his hand. He shall stretch forth his hands upon the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape him. For through his going in, he shall have dominion over the treasures of silver and gold, and over all the precious jewels of Egypt, Lybia and Ethiopia. Nevertheless the tidings out of the East and north shall trouble him, for the which he will go forth to destroy and curse a great multitude. The tents of his palace shall be pitched between the two seas, upon the hill of the noble Sanctuary, for he shall come to the end of it, and then shall no man help him.Thus saith the Lord: For three and four wickednesses of Moab, I will not spare him: because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to ashes. Therefore will I send a fire into Moab, which shall consume the palaces of Carioth: so that Moab shall perish with a noise and the sound of a trumpet: I will root out the judge from among them, and slay all his princes with him, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord: For three and four wickednesses of Judah, I will not spare him: because he hath cast aside the law of the Lord, and not kept his commandments: for why? they would be deceived with the lies, that their forefathers followed. Therefore I will send a fire into Judah, which shall consume the palaces of Jerusalem.
Thus saith the Lord: For three and four wickednesses of Israel, I will not spare him: because he hath sold the righteous for money, and the poor for shoes. They tread upon poor mens heads, in the dust of the earth, and crook the wages of the meek. The son and the father go to the harlot, to dishonor my holy name, they* lay beside every alter upon clothes taken to pledge, and in the house of their gods they drink the wine of the oppressed. Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, that was as high as the cedar trees, and strong as the oaks: notwithstanding I destroyed his fruit from above and his root from under.
Harken now what the Lord sayeth: Up, reprove the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. O hear the punishment of the Lord, ye mountains, and yee mighty foundations of the earth: for the Lord will reprove his people, and reason with Israel: O my people, what have I done unto thee? or wherein have I hurt thee? give me answer. Because I brought thee from the land of Egypt, and delivered thee out of the house of bondage? Because I made Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead thee? Remember ( O my people ) what Balach the king of Moab had imagined against thee, and what answer that Balaam the son of Beor gave him, from Sethim unto Galgal, that ye may know the loving kindness of the Lord.
What acceptable thing shall I offer unto the Lord? shall I bow on my knee to the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, and calves of a year old? Hath the Lord a pleasure in many thousand rams, or innumerable streams of oil? Or shall I give my first born for my offenses, and the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? I will show thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee: Namely, to do right, to have pleasure in loving kindness, to be lowly, and to walk with thy God: that thou mayest be called a city of the Lord, and that thy name may be righteousness. Hear ( O ye tribes ) who would else give you such warning? Should I not be displeased, for the unrighteous good in the houses of the wicked and because the measure he is minished? Or should I justify the false balances and the bag of deceitful weights, among those that be full of riches ungraciously gotten: where the city signs deal with falsehood, speak lies, and have deceitful tongues in their mouths?
Therefore I will take in hand to punish thee, and to make thee desolate because of thy sins. Thou salt eat, and not have enough: yee thou shall bring thyself down. Thou shalt flee but not escape: and those that thou wouldest save, will I deliver to the sword. Thou shalt sow but not reap: thou shalt press out olives , but oil thou shall not have, to anoint thyself withal: thou shalt tread out sweet must, but shall drink no wine. Ye keep the ordinances of Amri, and all the customs of the house of Ahab: Ye follow their pleasures, therefore will I make thee waste, and cause thy inhabitors to be abhorred, O my people: and thus shalt thou bare thine own shame.Come together and gather you, O *froward people: or the thing go forth that is concluded, and or the time be passed away as dust: or the fearful wrath of the Lord come upon you, yee or the day of the Lords sore displeasure come upon you. Seek the Lord all yee meek hearted upon the earth, ye that work after his judgement: seek righteousness, seek lowliness: that yee may be defended in the wrothfull day of the Lord. For Gaza shall be destroyed, and Ascalon shall be laid waste. They shall cast out Asood at the noon day, and Accaron shall be plucked up by the roots.
Woe unto you that dwell upon the sea coast, ye murderous people: the word of the Lord shall come upon you. O Canaan thou land of the Phillistines, I will destroy thee, so that there shall no man dwell in thee any more: and as for the sea coast, it shall be herdmans cottages and sheep folds: yee it shall be a portion for such as remain of the house of Juda, to feed there upon. In the houses of Ascalon shall they rest toward the night: for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity. I have heard the despite of Moab, and the blasphemies of the children of Ammon how they have shamefully entreated my people, and magnified themselves within the borders of their land. Therefore as truly as I live ( sayeth the Lord of hosts the God of Israel ) Moab shall be as Sodom, and Ammon as Gomora: even dry thorn hedges, *salt pits and perpetual wilderness. The residue of my folk shall spoil them, the remnant of my people shall have them in possession. This shall happen unto them for their pride, because they have dealt so shamefully with the Lord of hosts people, and magnified themselves above them . The Lord shall be grime upon them, and destroy all the goods in the land. And all the Isles of Heathen shall worship him, every man in his place.
Ye Morians also shall perish with my sword: yee he shall stretch out his hand over the north, and destroy Assur. As for Nivive, he shall make it desolate, dry and waste. The flocks and the beasts of all the people shall lye in the midest of it, pelicans and storks shall abide in the upper posts of it, fowls shall sing in the windows, and ravens shall sit upon the *balcks, for the boards of cedar shall be run down. This the proud and careless city, that said in her heart: I am, and there is else none. O how is she made so waste, that the beasts lye therein? Who so goeth by, mock her, and pointeth at her with his finger.THE THIRD BOOK OF ESDRAS Chpt 8
Now when these things were done, the rulers came unto me, and said: The generation of Israel, the Princes, the Priests and Levites, the strange people and indwellers of the land, have not put away their uncleanness, from the Canaanites, Hethites, Pheresites, from the Moabites, Egyptians, and Edomites. For both they and their sons have mingled themselves with the daughters of them, and the holy seed is mixed with the outlandish Heathen, and since the beginning of their reign have the rulers and heads been partakers of their wickedness,
And the word came to Holofernes the Prince of the wars of the of the Assyrians, that the children of Israel prepared themselves to make resistance, and how they had stopped the ways betwixted the mountains. Then was he exceedingly wroth, and called all the Princes of Moab, and the Captains of Ammon, and said unto them: Tell me, what people is this, that keepeth in the mountains? Or what manner of the cities are they ? What is their power ? Or what manner of Host have they ? who is their Captain ? And why do they despise us ( more than those that dwell in the East ) and come not forth to meet us, that they might receive us with peace ? Then Achior the Captain of the Ammonites answered, and said: Sir, if it please thee to hear me, I will tell the truth before thee concerning this people that dwell in the mountains, and there shall no lie go out of my mouth.
The next day Holofernes commanded his host, to go up against Bethulia. There were an hundred and twenty thousand fighting men on foot, and two and twenty thousand horsemen, beside the preparing of them that were won: and came to them on every side out of the countries and cities which he had taken. All these prepared themselves unto the battle against the Israelites, and came on by the hillside, unto the top that looketh over Dothaim, from the place which is called Belma, unto Thelmon that layeth toward Esdrelon.
Now when the children of Israel saw so great a multitude of Assyrians, they fell down flat upon the ground, strewed ashes upon their heads, and prayed with one accord, that the God of Israel would show mercy upon his people. And so they took their weapons, and sat betwixt the mountains in the narrow place, and kept the way day and night. But while Holofernes was going about, he found the water spring, which from the South side was conveyed into the city by a conduit: this commanded he to be directed another way, and to cut their conduit in sunder. There were wells also not far from the walls, which they used secretly, more for pleasure than necessity.
Then went the Ammorites and the Moabites unto Holofernes, and said: the children of Israel trust neither in spear nor arrow, but have taken in and keep the mountains and hills. That thou mayest over come them without the striking of any battle, set men to keep the wells, that they draw no water out of them: so shalt thou destroy them without sword, or at the least they shall be so feeble, that they must be faine to give over the city, which they think not able to be won, for so much as it layeth in the mountains. These words pleased Holofernes well and all his men of war, and he set an hundred men at every well round about.
And when this watch had endured twenty days, the Cisterns and all that had water, failed them that dwelt in the city of Bethulia, so that in the whole city they had not drink enough for one day, for the people had water given them daily in measure. The came the men and the woman, young persons and children all unto Osias, and said all with one voice: God be judge betwixt us and thee, for thou hast dealt evil with us: thou wouldest not speak peaceably with the king of the Assyrians, therefore God hath sold us in their hands, and there is no man to help us where as we are brought down before their eyes in thirst and great destruction. Therefore gather now together all the people that be in the city, that we may all yield ourselves willingly unto Holofernes: for better it is that we be captive and praise the Lord with our lives, than to be slain and perish, and to be laughed to scorn and ashamed of every man when we see our wives and children die before our eyes. We take heaven and earth this day to record, and the God of our fathers ( which punisheth us according to the deserving of our sins ) and give you warning, that ye give up the city now into power of Holofernes host, that our end may be short with the sword, which else shall endure long for want of water and for thirst.
When they had spoken out these words, there was a great weeping and howling in the whole congregation, and that of every man, and they cried an whole hour long unto God with one voice, saying: we have sinned with our fathers, we have done amiss, we have dealt wickedly. Thou that art gracious, have mercy upon us, punish our unrighteousness with thine own scourge, and give not those over that knowledge thee, unto a people that knoweth thee not, least they say among the Heathen: where is their God?
And when they were so weary with this crying and weeping, that they held their tongues, Osias stood up with watery eyes, and said: O' take good hearts unto you, ( dear brethren ) and be of good cheer, and let us wait these five days for mercy of the Lord: peradventure he shall cut away his indignation, and give glory unto his name. But if he help us not when these five days are passed, we shall do as ye have said.
Back to Dreams & Visions Page