1 In the fortieth year after the destruction of our city, I Zimra,
who am also called Hananiah, was in Babylon. I was greatly troubled as I lay on
my bed at night, and my thoughts welled up in my heart, 2 because
I saw the desolation of Zion and the despair of those who lived in Babylon. 3
My spirit was greatly agitated and I spoke these anxious words unto the Most High
and said, 4 “How long, O sovereign Lord? How long?”
5 Then an angel was sent to me, whose name was Uriel, and he
answered and said unto me, 6 “Your understanding has completely
failed regarding this world. Who are you to think that you can comprehend the
way of the Most High?” 7 And I had no reply. 8 And he
continued, “Nevertheless, it has been given to me to show to you the things
that will be.”
9 And I saw a great beast, like a lion made of gold, running across the land. It had the teeth of a crocodile and the wings of an eagle, and was very strong. 10 But it was overtaken by a second beast. 11 I saw that it was like a Leopard of silver. 12 It ran faster than the lion, and dragged it down and devoured it. 13 And this beast too, ran across the land, back and forth snarling and roaring. 14 And I watched as a third beast came up from the waters and to devour the leopard. 15 It had four heads and many horns. And this beast also raced across the land. 16 And a fourth beast came. It was like iron with feet that crushed the ground and a voice that shook the cedars and it towered over the land, blotting out the sun. 17 And the iron beast devoured the beast from the sea.
18 And the iron beast did dwell upon the land. And in its shadow I saw the people of God. 19 “What does this mean?” I asked the angel. 20 And he said to me, “Watch.”
9 And I saw a great beast, like a lion made of gold, running across the land. It had the teeth of a crocodile and the wings of an eagle, and was very strong. 10 But it was overtaken by a second beast. 11 I saw that it was like a Leopard of silver. 12 It ran faster than the lion, and dragged it down and devoured it. 13 And this beast too, ran across the land, back and forth snarling and roaring. 14 And I watched as a third beast came up from the waters and to devour the leopard. 15 It had four heads and many horns. And this beast also raced across the land. 16 And a fourth beast came. It was like iron with feet that crushed the ground and a voice that shook the cedars and it towered over the land, blotting out the sun. 17 And the iron beast devoured the beast from the sea.
18 And the iron beast did dwell upon the land. And in its shadow I saw the people of God. 19 “What does this mean?” I asked the angel. 20 And he said to me, “Watch.”
21 And I saw a woman who was with child. 22 And when
her time was come she gave birth to a son.
23 And this son was dressed in the sun and the stars and he
held in his right hand an iron scepter.
And the light of this son grew brighter and brighter. 24 But I saw one of the horns of
the iron beast fall to the ground and it did attack the child. 25 The horn impaled the boy and he
did die.
26 And I said to the angel again, “Please, lord! Tell me what
this must mean.” 27 And he said
to me, “These are the signs which I am permitted to tell you and no more. 28
But if you pray again, and weep as you do now, and fast for seven days, you
may hear yet greater things than these." 29 Then I awoke, and
my body shuddered violently, and my soul was so troubled that it fainted.
To compose this Alternate Nativity I drew upon the apocalyptic visions of 4 Ezra (also known as 2 Esdras in the apocrypha) as well as some of the images in the apocalyptic visions of Daniel.
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