2 Baruch

Historical printed page 493

II BARUCH 90. 3—21. τὸ Now therefore hold fast in thy heart everything that I command thee, And seal it in the recesses of thy mind. And then I will show thee the judgement of My might, And My ways which are unsearchable. 5 Go therefore and sanctify thyself seven days, and eat no bread, nor drink water, nor speak to 6 anyone. And afterwards come to that place and I will reveal Myself to thee, and speak true things with thee, and I will give thee commandment regarding the method of the times; for they are coming and tarry not.’ XXI. 1-11. Fast of seven Days: Baruch’s Prayer: God’s Answer. The Prayer of Baruch the Son of Neriah. 1. And I went thence and sat in the valley of Cedron in a cave of the earth, and I sanctified my soul there, and I eat no bread, yet I was not hungry, and I drank no water, yet I thirsted not, and 2 I was there till the seventh day, as He had commanded me. And afterwards I came to that place 3 where He had spoken with me. And it came to pass at sunset that my soul took much thought, 4 and I began to speak in the presence of the Mighty One, and said: ‘O Thou that hast made the earth, hear me, that hast fixed the firmament by the word, and hast made firm the height of the heaven by the spirit, that hast called from the beginning of the world that which did not yet exist, and 5 they obey Thee. Thou that hast commanded the air by Thy nod, and hast seen those things which 6 are to be as those things which Thou art doing. Thou that rulest with great thought the hosts that stand before Thee: also the countless holy beings, which Thou didst make from the beginning, of 7 flame and fire, which stand around Thy throne Thou rulest with findignationt. To Thee only 8 does this belong that Thou shouldst do forthwith whatsoever Thou dost wish. Who causest the drops of rain to rain by number upon the earth, and alone knowest the consummation of the times 9 before they come ; have respect unto my prayer. For Thou alone art able to sustain all who are, and those who have passed away, and those who are to be, those who sin, and those who are ro righteous [as living (and) being past finding out]. For Thou alone dost live immortal and past 4. the judgement of My might. Cf. Ixxxiii. 7. 6. that place. See xiii. 1 (note). method of the times. See xiv. 1 note. are coming and tarry not. Heb. ii. 3. Cf. xlviii. 39. THE FIFTH AND SIXTH SECTIONS. XXI-XLVI. The words ‘The prayer of Baruch the son of Neriah’ are found in the MS. The fifth Section ends with xxxv. ΧΧΙ, 1. Cedron. See v. 5. 2. that place. Probably Mount Zion. Cf. xx. 6; or else the temple, x. 5. 3. the Mighty One. This is the first time this title occurs. It is found in B+, Β΄, B%, but not in A}, Α3. 4. by the word = J\Ssa5, emended by Ryssel from ollsa> (= ‘in its fullness’). This emendation is justified and necessitated owing to the parallel ‘ by the spirit’ The text, as I pointed out in my Commentary, is dependent on Ps, xxxiii. 6 ‘ By he word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. hast called . . . that which did not yet exist. Cf. xlviii.8. We seem to have here creation ex mzhilo. Cf. Philo, de Justitia ; which contradicts his usual doctrine. For creation by the word, cf. Ps. cxlviii. 5; 2 Pet. iii. 5 ; Philo, de sacrif. Abel et Cain. 6. hosts that stand before Thee. Cf. xlviii. 10; 4 Ezra viii. 21°. countless holy beings. Cf. lix. 11; ἵν]. 14. which Thou didst make from the beginning. In Jub. ii. 2 the angels are created on the first day (so Job Xxxviii. 7 is interpreted). 2 En. xxix. 1 says the second day. And so Targ. Jer I. on Gen. i. 26. twith indignationt. Cf. xlviii. 8. Jloa.x) = ‘indignation’ seems corrupt for JLasaso) = ‘ reproof’. . Ps. ταν, 3, &c. ξ the drops of rain... by number. Cf. lix. 5; Sirach i.2; 2 En. xlvii. 5 (note). 9. have passed away. Reading with Ryssel 0+ instead of geass = ‘ pass away’, those who sin, and those who are righteous. The Syriac here and in xxiv. 2; xxi. 11, 12; Ixii. 7 follows a Greek mistranslation of the original Hebrew verb ΓΝ, which in this context meant ‘to be righteous’, i.e. δίκαιος εἶναι, and not ‘to be justified ’, δικαιοῦσθαι, though the LXX rendering is usually the latter. The antithesis in our text : is actually found in Job x. 15 and xxxv. 36, 37. Hence in all these passages I have emended the text. Ryssel has accepted this emendation in these five passages, but without acknowledgement. Ἢ The doctrine of justification in this Apocalypse differs from that taught in 4 Ezra. (1) In Baruch the law justifies (li. 3; xvii. 6; lxxxi. 7). In Ezra salvation is by works and faith (ix.7 ; xiii.23). (2) Baruch is absolutely sure of salvation (xiii. 3, &c.). Ezra assumes his future woe till assured otherwise in viii. 47-9, 51-4. For further treatment see Commentary. {as living . . . out], bracketed as a dittography of the opening clause of the next verse. 493