Part 364

6:1. For the sins that you have committed before God, you shall be carried away captives into Babylon by Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon.

6:2. And when you are come into Babylon, you shall be there many years, and for a long time, even to seven generations: and after that I will bring you away from thence with peace.

Seven generations. . .That is, seventy years.

6:3. But now, you shall see in Babylon gods of gold, and of silver, and of stone, and of wood borne upon shoulders, causing fear to the Gentiles.

6:4. Beware therefore that you imitate not the doings of others, and be afraid, and the fear of them should seize upon you.

6:5. But when you see the multitude behind, and before, adoring them, say you in your hearts: Thou oughtest to be adored, O Lord.

6:6. For my angel is with you: And I myself will demand an account of your souls.

6:7. For their tongue that is polished by the craftsman, and themselves laid over with gold and silver, are false things, and they cannot speak.

6:8. And as if it were for a maiden that loveth to go gay: so do they take gold and make them up.

6:9. Their gods have golden crowns upon their heads: whereof the priests secretly convey away from them gold, and silver, and bestow it on themselves.

6:10. Yea and they give thereof to prostitutes, and they dress out harlots: and again when they receive it of the harlots, they adorn their gods.

6:11. And these gods cannot defend themselves from the rust, and the moth.

6:12. But when they have covered them with a purple garment, they wipe their face because of the dust of the house, which is very much among them.

6:13. This holdeth a sceptre as a man, as a judge of the country, but cannot put to death one that offendeth him.

6:14. And this hath in his hand a sword, or an axe, but cannot save himself from war, or from robbers, whereby be it known to you, that they are not gods.

6:15. Therefore fear them not. For as a vessel that a man uses when it is broken becometh useless, even so are their gods:

6:16. When they are placed in the house, their eyes are full of dust by the feet of them that go in.

6:17. And as the gates are made sure on every side upon one that hath offended the king, or like a dead man carried to the grave, so do the priests secure the doors with bars and locks, lest they be stripped by thieves.

6:18. They light candles to them, and in great number, of which they cannot see one: but they are like beams in the house.

6:19. And they say that the creeping things which are of the earth, gnaw their hearts, while they eat them and their garments, and they feel it not.

6:20. Their faces are black with the smoke that is made in the house.

6:21. Owls, and swallows, and other birds fly upon their bodies, and upon their heads, and cats in like manner.

6:22. Whereby you may know that they are no gods. Therefore fear them not.

6:23. The gold also which they have, is for shew, but except a man wipe off the rust, they will not shine: for neither when they were molten, did they feel it.

6:24. Men buy them at a high price, whereas there is no breath in them.

6:25. And having not the use of feet they are carried upon shoulders, declaring to men how vile they are. Be they confounded also that worship them.

6:26. Therefore if they fall to the ground, they rise not up again of themselves, nor if a man set them upright, will they stand by themselves, but their gifts shall be set before them, as to the dead.

6:27. The things that are sacrificed to them, their priests sell and abuse: in like manner also their wives take part of them, but give nothing of it either to the sick, or to the poor.