CHAPTER 2
1 Furthermore, concerning the kings of Assyria and the dissolution of the heaven and the earth and the things beneath the earth:
2 "Now therefore [removed] will not be overcome" says the Lord, "nor will they fear in the battle."
3 When they see [a king] who rises in the north, [who will be called] "the king of [Assyria" and] "the king of injustice," [he will increase] his battles and his disturbances against Egypt.
4 The land will groan together because your children will be seized.
5 Many will desire death in those days, but death will flee from them."
6 And a king who will be called ‘‘the king of peace’’ will rise up in the west.
7 He will run upon the sea like a roaring lion.
8 He will kill the king of injustice, and he will take vengeance on Egypt with battles and much bloodshed.
9 It will come to pass in those days that he will command a p[eace] and a [vain] gift in Egypt.
10 [He will give] peace to these who are holy, [saying], ‘‘The name of [God] is one.’’
11 [He will] give honors to the s[aints and] an exalting to the places of the saints.
12 He will give vain gifts to the house of God.
13 He will wander around in the cities of Egypt with guile, without their knowing.
14 He will take count of the holy places. He will weigh the idols of the heathen. He will take count of their wealth. He will establish priests for them.
15 He will command that the wise men and the great ones of the people be seized, and they will be brought to the metropolis which is by the sea, saying, ‘‘There is but one language.’’
16 But when you hear, ‘‘Peace and joy exist,’’ I will . . .
17 Now I will tell you his signs so that you might know him.
18 For he has two sons: one on his right and one on his left.
19 The one on his right will receive a demonic face, (and) he will fight against the name of God.
20 Now four kings will descend from that king.
21 In his thirtieth year he will come up to Memphis, (and) he will build a temple in Memphis.
22 On that day his own son will rise up against him and kill him.
23 The whole land will be disturbed.
24 On that day he will issue an order over the whole land so that the priests of the land and all of the saints will be seized, saying, ‘‘You will repay doubly every gift and all of the good things which my father gave to you.’’
25 He will shut up the holy places. He will take their houses. He will take their sons prisoner.
26 He will order and sacrifices and abominations and bitter evils will be done in the land.
27 He will appear before the sun and the moon.
28 On that day the priests of the land will tear their clothes.
29 Woe to you, O rulers of Egypt, in those days because your day has passed.
30 The violence (being done to) the poor will turn against you, and your children will be seized as plunder.
31 In those days the cities of Egypt will groan for the voice of the one who sells and the one who buys will not be heard. The markets of the cities of Egypt will become dusty.
32 Those who are in Egypt will weep together. They will desire death, (but) death will flee and leave them.
33 In those days, they will run up to the rocks and leap off, saying, ‘‘Fall upon us.’’ And still they will not die.
34 A double affliction will multiply upon the whole land.
35 In those days the king will command, and all the nursing women will be seized and brought to him bound. They will suckle serpents. And their blood will be drawn from their breasts, and it will be applied as poison to the arrows.
36 On account of the distress of the cities, he will command again, and all the young lads from twelve years and under will be seized and presented in order to teach them to shoot arrows.
37 The midwife who is upon the earth will grieve.
The woman who has given birth will lift her eyes to heaven,
saying, ‘‘Why did I sit upon the birthstool,
to bring forth a son to the earth?”’
The woman who has given birth will lift her eyes to heaven,
saying, ‘‘Why did I sit upon the birthstool,
to bring forth a son to the earth?”’
38 The barren woman and the virgin will rejoice,
saying, ‘‘It is our time to rejoice,
because we have no child upon the earth,
but our children are in heaven.
saying, ‘‘It is our time to rejoice,
because we have no child upon the earth,
but our children are in heaven.
39 In those days, three kings will arise among the Persians, and they will take captive the Jews who are in Egypt. They will bring them to Jerusalem, and they will inhabit it and dwell there.
40 Then when you hear that there is security in Jerusalem, tear your garments, O priests of the land, because the son of perdition will soon come.
41 In those days, the lawless one will appear in the holy places—
42 In ⟨those⟩ days the kings of the Persians will hasten and they will stand to fight(?) with the kings of Assyria. Four kings will fight with three.
43 They will spend three years in that place until they carry off the wealth of the temple which is in that place.
44 In those days, blood will flow from Kos to Memphis. The river of Egypt will become blood, and they will not be able to drink from it for three days.
45 Woe to Egypt and those who are in it.
46 In those days, a king will arise in the city which is called ‘‘the city of the sun,’’ and the whole land will be disturbed. ⟨He will⟩ flee to Memphis (with the Persians).
47 In the sixth year, the Persian kings will plot an ambush in Memphis. They will kill the Assyrian king.
48 The Persians will take vengeance on the land, and they will command to kill all the heathen and the lawless ones. They will command to build the temples of the saints.
49 They will give double gifts to the house of God. They will say, ‘‘The name of God is one.’’
50 The whole land will hail the Persians.
51 Even the remnant, who did not die under the afflictions, will say, “The Lord has sent us a righteous king so that the land will not become a desert.’’
52 He will command that no royal matter be presented for three years and six months. The land will be full of good in an abundant well-being.
53 Those who are alive will go to those who are dead, saying, ‘‘Rise up and be with us in this rest.’’