God's Truth

Table of Contents


The Book of the Prophet Esai

(Part Four)


The Thirtieth Chapter
     Woe be unto those shrinking children (says the Lord) which seek counsel, but not at me: which take a web in hand, but not after my will: that they may heap one sin upon another. They go down into Egypt, (and ask me on counsel) to seek help at he power of Pharaoh, and comfort in the shadow of the Egyptians. But Pharaohs help shall be your confusion, and the comfort in the Egyptians shadow shall be your own shame. Your rulers have been at Zoan, and your messengers came unto Hanes. But you shall all be ashamed of the people that may not help you, which shall not bring you strength or comfort, but shame and confusion.
     Your beasts have born burdens upon their backs toward the South, through the way that is full of peril and trouble, because of the lion and lions, of the Cockatrice and shutting dragon. Yes the Mules bear your substance, and the Camels brought your treasure upon their crooked backs, unto a people that can not help you. For the Egyptians help shall be but vain and lost. Therefore I told you also that your pride should have an end. Wherefore go from here, now and write them this in their tables, a note in a book: that it may remain by their posterity, and be still kept. For it is an obstinate people, unfaithful children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord.
     They dare say to the Prophets: *Intromit yourselves with nothing, and unto the Soothsayers: tell us nothing for to come, but speak friendly words unto us, and preach us false things. Tread out of the way, go out of the path, turn the holy one of Israel from us. Therefore thus says the holy one of Israel: In so much as you have cast off your beauty, and comforted yourselves with power and nimbleness, and put your confidence therin: therefore shall you have this mischief again for your destruction and fall, like as an high wall, that falls because of some rift (or blast) whose breaking comes suddenly. *intormit To cause or permit to enter; introduce or admit
     And your destruction shall be like as an earthen pot, which breaks no man touching it, yes and breaks so sore, that a man shall not find a shever (shard) of it to fetch fire in, or to take water withal out of the pit. For the Lord God, even the holy one of Israel has promised this: With still setting and rest shall you be healed, in quietness and hope shall your strength lay. Notwithstanding you regard it not, but you will say: No, for thus we are constrained to flee upon horses. And therefore shall you flee, we must ride upon swift beasts, and therefore your persecutors shall yet be swifter. A thousand of you shall flee for one, or at the most for five, which do but only give you evil words: until you be desolate, as a ship mast upon an high mountain, and as a beacon on a high hill.
     Yet stands the Lord waiting, that he may have mercy upon you, and lifts himself up, that he may receive you to grace. For the Lord God is righteous. Happy are all they that wait for him. For thus (O you people of Sion and you citizens of Jerusalem) shall you never be in heaviness, for doubtless he will have mercy upon you. As soon as he hears the voice of your cry, he will help you. The Lord gives you the bread of adversity, and the water of trouble. But your instructor flys not far from you, if your eyes look unto your instructor, and your ears harken to his word, that cries after you and says: this is the way, go this, and turn neither to the right hand nor to the left.
     Moreover, if you destroy the silver works of your Idols, and cast away the golden *coapes (glorifying cape) that deck them withal (as filthiness) and say get you from here, now: Then well he give rain to the seed, that you shall sow in the earth, and give you bread of increase of earth, so that all shall be plenteous and abundant. your cattle also shall he feed in the broad meadows, yes your oxen and Mules that till the ground, shall eat good fodder, which is purged with the fan. Goodly rivers shall flow out of all his mountains and hills. In the day of the great slaughter when the towers shall fall, the moon shall shine as the sun, and the sunshine shall be seven fold, and have as much shine, as in seven days beside.
     In that day shall the Lord bind up the bruised sores of his people, and heal their wounds. Behold, the glory of the Lord shall come from far, his face shall burn, that no man shall be able to abide it, his lips shall wag for very indignation, and his tongue shall be as a consuming fire. His breath like a vehement flood of water, which goes up to the throat. That he may take away the people, which have turned themselves to vanity, and the bridle of error, that lies in other folks chawes (jaws). But you shall sing, as the use is in the night of the holy *solempnite. (solemn night)You shall rejoice from your heart, as they that come the pipe, when they go up to the mount of the Lord, unto the rock of Israel. The Lord also shall set up the power of his voice, and declare his terrible arm, with his angry countenance, yes and the flame of the consuming fire, with earthquake, tempest of wind, and hailstones. Then shall the Assyrians fear also because of the voice of the Lord, which shall smite him with the rod. And the same rod which the Lord will send upon him, shall move the whole foundation: with trumpet, with noise of war and battle to destroy. For he has prepared the fire of pain since the beginning, yes even for Kings also. This has he made deep and wide, the nourishing thereof is fire and wood innumerable which the breath of the Lord kindleth, as it were a match of brimstone.

The Thirty first Chapter
     Woe be unto them that go down in to Egypt for help, and trust in horses, and comfort themselves in chariots, because they be many, and in horsemen because they be lusty and strong. But they regard not the holy one of Israel, and they ask no question of the Lord. Whereas he nevertheless plagues the wicked, and yet goes not from his word, when he steps forth, and takes the victory against the household of the forward, and against the help of the evil doers. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God, and their horses flesh, and not spirit. And as soon as the Lord stretches out his hand, then shall the helper fall, and he that should have been helped, and shall all together be destroyed. For thus has the Lord spoken unto me: Like as the lion or lions whelps roars upon the prey that he has gotten, and is not afraid, though the multitude of shepherds cry out upon him, neither abashed for all the heap of them: So shall the Lord of Hosts come down from the mount of Sion, and defend his hill. Like as birds flutter about their nests, so shall the Lord of Hosts keep, save, defend and deliver Jerusalem. Therefore, O you children of Israel, turn again, like as you have exceeded in your going back. For in that day every man shall cast out his Idols of silver and gold, which you have made with your own sinful hands.
     Assur also shall be slain with the sword, not with a mans sword. A sword shall devour him, but not a mans sword. And he shall flee from the slaughter, and his servants shall be taken prisoners. He shall go for fear to his strongholds, and his Princes shall flee from his badge. This has the Lord spoken, whose light burns in Sion, and his fire in Jerusalem.

The Thirty second Chapter
     Behold, the king shall govern (kjv = reign) after the rule of righteousness, and the Princes shall rule according to the *balance of equity.(kjv = in judgment) He shall be unto men, as a defense *for the wind, and as a refuge gfor the tempest, like as a river of water in a thirsty place, and the shadow of a great rock in a dry land. *(kjv = from) The eyes of the seeing shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear, shall take diligent heed. The heart of the unwise, shall attain to knowledge, and the unperfect tongue shall speak plainly and distinctly. Then shall the *nigarde be no more called gentle, nor the *churle liberal. But the churle will be churlishly minded, and his heart will work evil and play the hypocrite, and imagine abominations against God, to make the hungry lean, and withhold drink from the thirsty: These are the perilous weapons of the covetous, these be his shameful counsels: that he may beguile the poor with deceitful works, yes even there as he should give sentence with the poor. But the liberal person imagines honest things, and comes up with honesty.* these two words mean: nigard = miserly, cheap, petty, stingy and ignoble. churle = boorish, rude crude, fat with stingy desire for money. Also note: Used as an evil term against a member of any dark-skinned people. Used as a evil term for a member of any socially, economically, or politically deprived group of people: Indeed, as we see today, the world is up side down. RN
     Up (you rich and idle *cities) (kjv = women) harken unto my voice. you careless cities, *mark my words. After years and days shall you be brought in fear, O you careless cities. For the *Harvest shall be out, and the grape gathering shall not come. O you rich idle cities you that fear no peril, you shall be abashed and removed: when you see the bareness, the nakedness and the preparing to war. you shall knock upon your breasts, because of the pleasant field, and because of the fruitful vineyard. My peoples field shall bring thorns and thistles for every house is voluptuousness: and in the cities, wilfulness. The palaces also shall be broken, and the greatly occupied cities desolate. The towers and bulwarks shall be become dens for evermore, the pleasure of Mules shall be turned to pasture for sheep: unto the time, that the spirit be poured upon us from above. *Mark this word in all things. *It is worthy to note this capital letter of the word Harvest. RN
     Then shall the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be reckoned for a wood. Then shall equity dwell in the desert, and righteousness in the fruitful land. And the reward (kjv = work) of righteousness shall be peace, and her fruit rest and quietness for ever. And my people shall dwell in the inns of peace, in my tabernacle and pleasure where there is enough in them all. And when the hail falls, it shall fall in the wood and in the city. O how happy shall you be, when you shall safely sow your seed beside all waters, and drive over there the feet of your oxen and the asses.

The Thirty third Chapter
     Therefore woe be unto you (O robber) shall you not be robbed also? and unto you that lay wait, as who say there should no wait be laid for you: Woe unto you which do hurt, even so shall you be hurt also. And as you lay wait, so shall wait be laid for you also.
     Lord be merciful unto us, we wait for you. *Thine arm is at a point to visit us, but you our health in time of trouble. Grant that the people may flee at the anger of your voice, and that at your upstanding of the Gentiles may be scattered abroad, and that their people may be gathered, as the grasshoppers are commonly gathered together in a pit. Stand up Lord, you that dwells on high: Let truth and faithfulness be in her time: power, health, wisdom, knowledge and the fear of God are her treasure. Behold, their angels cry without, the messengers of peace weep bitterly. The streets are waste, there walks no man therin, the appointment is broken, the cities are dispised, they are not regarded, the desolate earth is in heaviness. Libanus takes it but for a sport, that it is hewn down: Saron is like a wilderness: and Basan and Carmel are turned upside down. *And therefore says the Lord. I will up, now will I get up, now will I arise. you shall conceive stubble, and bare straw, and your spirit shall be the fire, that it may consume you: and the people shall be burnt like lime, and as thorns burn that are hewn off, and cast in the fire. Of this last sentence compare kjv. RN
     Now hearken to, you that are far off of how I do with them, and consider my glory, you that be at hand. The sinners in Sion are afraid and sudden fearfulness is come upon the cities. What is he among us (say they) that will dwell by that consuming fire? Which of us may abide that everlasting heat? He that leads a godly life (say I) and speaks the truth: He that abhors to do violence and deceit: he that keeps his hand that touches no reward: which stops his ears, that he hear no counsel against the innocent: which holds down his eyes, that he see none evil. He it is, that shall dwell on high whose saverguard shall be in the true rock, to him shall be given the right true meat and drink. His eyes shall see the king in his glory: and in the wide world, and his heart shall delight in the fear of God. What shall then become of the scribe? of the Senator? what of him that teaches children? There shall you not see a people of a strange tongue to have so diffused a language, that it may not be understood: neither so strange a speech but it shall be perceived.
     There shall Sion be seen, the head city of our solemn feasts. There shall your eyes see Jerusalem that glorious habitation: the tabernacle that never shall remove, whose nails shall never be taken out world without end, whose *coardes (courses) *everychone (every each one?) shall never corrupt: for the glorious Majesty of the Lord shall there be present among us. In that place, where fair broad rivers and streams are shall neither Galley row, nor great ship sail. For the Lord shall be our captain, the Lord shall be our law giver. The Lord shall be our king, and he himself shall be our Saviour. There are the *coards (courses) so layed abroad, that they can not be better: The mast set up of such a fashion, that no banner nor sail hangs theron: but there is dealed great spoil, yes lame men run after the prey, There lays no man that says: I am sick, but all evil is taken away from the people, that dwell there.*coards (courses) possible reference to a ship it is the lowest sail. RN

The Thirty fourth Chapter
     Come you heathen and hear, take heed you people. Hearken you earth and all that is therin: you round compass and all that grows there upon, for the Lord is angry with all people, and his displeasure is kindled against all the multitude of them, to curse them, and to slay them. So that their slayen shall be cast out, and their bodies stink: that even the very hills should be wet with the blood of them. All the stars of heaven shall be consumed, and the heaven shall fold together like a roll, and all the stars thereof shall fall, like as the leaves fall from the vines and fig trees. For my sword (says he) shall be bathed in heaven, and shall immediately come down upon *Idumea, and upon the people which I have cursed for my vengeance. *"The red ones" from the Hebrew ; Edomites : Esau RN.
     And the Lords sword is filled with blood, and be rusty with the fatness and blood of lambs and goats, with the fatness of the kidneys of wethers (castrated male sheep). For the Lord shall kill a great offering in Bosra. and in the land of Idumea. There shall the Unicorns fall with the Bulls, (that is with the giants) and their land shall be washed with blood, and their ground corrupt with fatness. Unto you also (O Sion) shall come the day of the vengeance of God, and the year when your own judgements shall be recompensed. your floods shall be turned to pitch, and your earth to brimstone, and therewith shall the land be kindled, so that it shall not be quenched day nor night: But smoke evermore, and so forth to lie waste. And no man shall go through your land forever: But Pelicans, Storks, great Owls, and Ravens shall have it in possession, and dwell therin.
     God shall spread out the line of desolation upon it, and weight it with the stones of emptiness. When the kings are called upon, there shall be none, and all princes shall be away. Thorns shall grow in her palaces, nettles and thistles in their strongholds, that the dragons may have their pleasure therin, and that they may be a court for Ostriches. There shall strange *visures and monstrous beasts meet one another, and the wild keep company together. There shall the lamya lie, and have her lodging. There shall the hedge hog build, dig, be there at home, and bring forth his young ones. There shall the kites come together, each one to his like. *visures may be from viscera, which would be those that eviscerate: meaning to disembowel the dead or dying, as do vultures. All the above animals, are similitude of the natures of people, as revealed in the last line of this next paragraph. Hebrew root words do reveal these characters. RN
     Seek through the scripture of the Lord and read it. There shall none of these things be left out, there shall not one (ner such like) fail. For what his mouth commands, that same does his spirit gather together (or fulfills). Upon whomsoever the lot falls, or whom he deals it with the line: those shall possess the inheritance from generation to generation, and dwell therin.

The Thirty fifth Chapter
     But the desert and wilderness shall rejoice, the waste ground shall be glad, and flourish as a lily. She shall flourish pleasantly, and be joyful, and ever be giving thanks more and more. For the glory of Libanus, the beauty of Carmel and Saron shall be given her. These shall know the honor of the Lord, and the majesty of our God. And therefore strengthen the weak hands, and comfort (kjv =confirm) the feeble knees.
     Say unto them that are of a fearful heart: Be of good cheer, and fear not. Behold, your God comes, to take vengeance, and to reward, God comes his own self, and will deliver you. Then shall the eyes of the blind be lightened, and the ears of the deaf opened. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart (deer) and the dumb mans tongue shall give thanks.
     In the wilderness also there shall wells spring, and floods or water in the desert. The dry ground shall turn to rivers, and the thirsty to springs of water. Where as dragons dwelt before, there shall grow sweet flowers and green rushes. There shall be foot paths and common streets, this shall be called the holy way. No unclean person shall go through it, for the Lord himself will go with them that way, and the ignorant (kjv = fools) shall not error, There shall be no lion, and no raving beast shall come therin, nor be there, but men shall go there free and safe. And the redeemed of the Lord shall convert, and come to Sion with thanksgiving. Everlasting joy shall they have, pleasure and gladness shall be among them. And as for all sorrow and heaviness, it shall vanish away.

The Thirty sixth Chapter
     In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, came Sennaherib King of the Assyrians down, to lay siege unto all the strong cities of Judah. And the King of Assyrians sent Rabsakeh from Lachis toward Jerusalem, against King Hezekiah, with a grievous Host, which set him by the conduit of the over pool, in the way that goes through the fullers land. And so there came forth unto him Eliakim, Helkiahs son, the President, Sobna the scribe, and Joah, Asaphs son, the Secretary.
     And Rabsakeh said unto them: Tell Hezekiah, that the great king of Assyria says thus unto him: What presumption is this, that you trust unto? You think (peradventure) that you have counsel and power enough to maintain this war: or else where to trusts you, that you casts your self off from me? Lo, you put your trust in a broken staff of reed (I mean Egypt) which he that leans upon, it goes into his hand and shoots him through. Even so is Pharaoh the King of Egypt, unto all them that trust in him. But if you would say unto me: We trust in the Lord our God: An goodly God in deed: whose High places and altars Hezekiah took down, and commanded Judah and to Jerusalem, to worship only before this altar. Abide that you have made a consideration with my lord the King of the Assyrians, that he should give you two thousand horses: are you able to set men there up? Seeing now that you can not resist the power of the smallest prince that my lord has, how dare you trust in the chariots and horsemen of Egypt? Moreover, think you that I am come down hither, to destroy this land without the Lords will? The Lord said unto me, go down into this land, that you may destroy it.
     Then said Eliakim, Sobna and Joah unto Rabsakeh: Speak to us your servants (we pray you) in the Syrians language, for we understand it well: And speak not to us in the Jews Tongue, least the flock hear, which lays upon the wall. Then answered Rabsakeh: Think ye, that the king sent me to speak this only to you? Has he not sent me to them also, that lay upon the wall? that they be not compelled to eat their own dung, and drink their own stale (urine) with you?
     And Rabsakeh stood stiff, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews tongue, and said: Now take heed, how the great king of the Assyrians gives you a warning. Thus says the king: Let not Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you. Moreover, let not Hezekiah comfort you in the Lord, when he says: The Lord with out doubt shall defend us, and shall not give over this city into the hands of the King of the Assyrians, believe him not. But thus says the King of Assyria: obtain my favor, incline to me: so may every man enjoy his vineyards and fig trees, and drink the water of his own cistern: Unto the time I come myself, and bring you into the land that is like your own: wherein is wheat and wine, which is both sown with seed, and planted with vineyards. Let not Hezekiah deceive you, when he says unto you: The Lord will deliver us.
     Might the Gods of the Gentiles keep every man his land, from the power of the King of the Assyrians? Where is the God of Sepharuaim? And who was able to deliver Samaria out of my hand? Or which of all the Gods of the lands, has delivered their country out of my power, so that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand? Unto this Hezekiahs messengers held their tongues, and answered not one word: for the King had charged them, that they should give him none answer. So came Eliakim, Helkiahs son the President, Sobna the Scribe, and Joah Asaphs son the Secretary, unto Hezekiah with rent clothes, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

The Thirty seventh Chapter
     When Hezekiah heard that, he rent his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went to the temple of the Lord. But he sent Eliakim the President, Sobna the Scribe, with the eldest priests clothed in sackcloth, unto the Prophet Esai the son of Amoz, and they said unto him: Thus says Hezekiah: This is the day of trouble, of plague, and of wrath: like as when a child comes to the birth, but the woman has no power to bring it forth. The Lord your God (no doubt) has well considered the words of Rabsakeh, whom his lord the King of Assyrians has sent, to defy and blaspheme the living God: with such words as the Lord your God has heard right well. And therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant, that yet are left. So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Esai.
     And Esai gave them this answer: say thus unto your lord: Thus sayth the Lord: Be not afraid of the words that you have heard, wherewith the King of the Assyrians servants have blasphemed me. Behold, I will cause a wind go over him, as soon he hears it, he shall go again into his country, there I will destroy him with the sword. Now when Rabsakeh returned, he found the King of Assyria laying siege to Lobnah, for he had understand, that he was departed from Lachis. For there came a rumor, that Tharhakah King of Ethiopia was come forth to make war against him.
     And when the King of Assyeria heard that, he sent other messengers to King Hezekiah with this commandment: Say thus to Hezekiah King of Judah: Let not your God deceive you, in whom you hope, and say: Jerusalem shall not be given into the hands of the King of Assyria. For you know well how the Kings of Assyria have handled all the lands that they have subverted, and hope you to escape? Were the people of the Gentiles (whom my progenitors conquered) delivered any time through their gods? As namely, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden, which dwell at Thalassar. Where is the King of Hemah, and the King of Arphad, and the King of the city Separvaim, Ena, and Iva? Now when Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it, he went up into the house of the Lord, and opened the letter before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord on this manner : O' Lord of Hosts, you God of Israel, which dwell upon Cherubims, You are the God, that only is God of all the Kingdoms of the world, for you only have created heaven and earth. Incline your ear Lord, and consider, open your eyes, O' Lord, and see, and ponder all the words of Sennacherib, which has sent his assemblage to blaspheme the living God. It is true, O' Lord, that the Kings of Assyria have conquered all kingdoms and lands, and cast their Gods in the fire. Notwithstanding, those were no gods, but the works of mens hands, of wood or stone, therefore they have destroyed them. Deliver us then, O' Lord our God, from the hands of Sennacherib, that all Kingdoms of the earth may know, that you only are the Lord. Then Esai the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying: Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Whereas you have made your prayer unto me, as touching Sennacherib, this is the answer, that the Lord has given concerning him: Despised are you, and mocked, O daughter of Sion, he has shaken his head at you, O daughter of Jerusalem . But you Sennacherib, whom have you defied and blasphemed? And against whom have you lifted up your voice, and exalted your proud looks? even against the holy one of Israel. You with your servants have blasphemed the Lord, and thus hold you of yourself: I cover the high mountains, and sides of Libanus; and there I will cut down the high Cedar trees and the fairest Fir trees. I will up into the height of it, and into the chiefest of his timber woods. If there be no water, I will give drink. And as for waters of defense, I shall dry them up with the feet of my Host. Yes (say you) have you not heard, what I have taken in hand, and brought to pass of old time? That same will I do now also: waste, destroy, and bring strong cities into heaps of stones. For their inhabitants shall be like lame men, brought in fear and confounded. They shall be like the grass and green herbs of the field, like the hay upon the housetops, that withered before it be grown up.
     I know your ways, your going forth and your coming home, yes and your madness against me. Therefore your furriousness against me, and your pride is come before me. I will put a ring in your nose, and a bridle bit in the jaws of you, and turn you about, even the same way you came. I will give you also this token, (O Hezekiah) this year shall you shall eat that is kept in store, and the next year such as grows of himself, and in the third year you shall sow and reap, yes you shall plant vineyards, and enjoy the fruits thereof.
     And such of the house of Judah as are escaped, shall come together, and the remnant shall take root beneath, and bring forth fruit above. For the escaped shall go out of Jerusalem, and the remnant from mount Sion.
     And this shall the jealousy of the Lord of hosts bring to pass. Therefore thus says the Lord, concerning the king of the Assyrians: He shall not come into the city, and shoot no arrow into it, there shall no *shride (charade) hurt it, neither shall they grave about it. The same way that he came, shall he recover, and not at this city, says the Lord. And I will keep and save the city, says he, for mine own, and for my servant Davids sake.
     Thus the angel went forth, and slew of the Assyrians host, an hundred and eighty five thousand. And when men arose up early (at Jerusalem:) Behold, all lay full of dead bodies. So Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians brake up, and dwelt at Nineve. Afterward it chanced, as he prayed in the temple of *Nesrah his god, that *Adramalech and *Sarazer his own sons slew him with the sword, and fled into the land of Ararat (kjv = Armenia). And Asarhadon his son reigned after him. *charade, pronounce today sh-ar-aid, meaning to use words to pretend something. Nisroch = "the great eagle" Adrammelech = "honor of the king" ,Sharezer or Sherezer = "prince of fire" Ararat = "the curse reversed: precipitation of curse" RN

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God's Truth