CHAP. II.
A prophecy of the sins, captivity, plagues, and ultimate restitution of the nation. They still talk of Eden (See Verse 18). Verse 23 is remarkable in
the light of prophecy.
OBSERVE, therefore, my children, the commandments of the Lord, and keep His law; depart from wrath, and hate lying, that the Lord may dwell among you,
and Beliar may flee from you.
2 Speak truth each one with his neighbour. So shall ye not fall into wrath and confusion; but ye shall be in peace, having the God of peace, so shall
no war prevail over you.
3 Love the Lord through all your life, and one another with a true heart.
4 I know that in the last days ye shall depart from the Lord, and ye shall provoke Levi unto anger, and fight against Judah; but ye shall not prevail
against them, for an angel of the Lord shall guide them both; for by them shall Israel stand.
5 And whensoever ye depart from the Lord, ye shall walk in all evil and work the abominations of the Gentiles, going a-whoring after women of the
lawless ones, while with all wickedness the spirits of wickedness work in you.
6 For I have read in the book of Enoch, the righteous, that your prince is Satan, and that all the spirits of wickedness and pride will conspire to
attend constantly on the sons of Levi, to cause them to sin before the Lord.
7 And my sons will draw near to Levi, and sin with them in all things; and the sons of Judah will be covetous, plundering other men's goods like
lions.
8 Therefore shall ye be led away with them into captivity, and there shall ye receive all the plagues of Egypt, and all the evils of the Gentiles.
9 And so when ye return to the Lord ye shall obtain mercy, and He shall bring you into His sanctuary, and He shall give you peace.
10 And there shall arise unto you from the tribe of Judah and of Levi the salvation of the Lord; and he shall make war against Beliar.
11 And execute an everlasting vengeance on our enemies; and the captivity shall he take from Beliar the souls of the saints, and turn disobedient
hearts unto the Lord, and give to them that call upon him eternal peace.
12 And the saints shall rest in Eden, and in the New Jerusalem shall the righteous rejoice, and it shall be unto the glory of God for ever.
13 And no longer shall Jerusalem endure desolation, nor Israel be led captive; for the Lord shall be in the midst of it [living amongst men], and the
Holy One of Israel shall reign over it in humility and in poverty; and he who believeth on Him shall reign amongst men in truth.
14 And now, fear the Lord, my children, and beware of Satan and his spirits.
15 Draw near unto God and unto the angel that intercedeth for you, for he is a mediator between God and man, and for the peace of Israel he shall
stand up against the kingdom of the enemy.
16 Therefore is the enemy eager to destroy all that call upon the Lord.
17 For he knoweth that upon the day on which Israel shall repent, the kingdom of the enemy shall be brought to an end.
18 For the very angel of peace shall strengthen Israel, that it fall not into the extremity of evil.
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19 And it shall be in the time of the lawlessness of Israel, that the Lord will not depart from them, but will transform them into a nation that doeth
His will, for none of the angels will be equal unto him.
20 And His name shall be in every place in Israel, and among the Gentiles.
21 Keep, therefore, yourselves, my children, from every evil work, and cast away wrath and all lying, and love truth and long-suffering.
22 And the things which ye have heard from your father, do ye also impart to your children that the Saviour of the Gentiles may receive you; for he is
true and long-suffering, meek and lowly, and teacheth by his works the law of God.
23 Depart, therefore, from all unrighteousness, and cleave unto the righteousness of God, and your race will be saved for ever.
24 And bury me near my fathers.
25 And when he had said these things he kissed them, and fell asleep at a good old age.
26 And his sons buried him, and after that they carried up his bones, and placed them near Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.
27 Nevertheless, Dan prophesied unto them that they should forget their God, and should be alienated from the land of their inheritance and from the
race of Israel, and from the family of their seed.
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