The Ethiopic Apocalypse of Baruch, or 5 Baruch
W. Leslau draws attention to a work which he calls 5 Baruch or the Ethiopic Apocalypse of Baruch (Falasha Anthology, p. 58). This writing is extant only in Ethiopic, was edited by J. Halévy (Te'ezaza Sanbat. Paris: [Leroux], 1902), and translated into English by Leslau (pp. 64-76). The pseudepigraphon appears to be a medieval reworking of 4 Baruch with significant influence from the Hebrew Apocalypse of Elijah (2 Elijah), and the Apocalypse of the Virgin. The composition has two divisions: the angel Sutu'el takes Baruch to the heavenly Jerusalem from which he sees rewards and punishments (64:1-75:8 [1-40]); the future is revealed with the times of the Messiah, the false Messiah (Antichrist), and the resurrection of the righteous (75:9-76:31 [41-51]).
Blessed be God, the Lord of Israel.
1 We shall write that which God has revealed to the blessed, holy, and praised Abba Baruch. When he was thirty-five years of age his parents took him to Jerusalem and put him in service with the High Priest, named ’fiskendros'. The High Priest associated him with the doorkeepers of Jerusalem, and he remained in service for thirty years. He prayed as follows: ‘‘Let me not see the destruction of Jerusalem.” After the thirty-fifth year had gone by he went to draw water. He drew water and covered it with a fig leaf. A deep sleep overcame him and so he slept. Then God raised up Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, at the time of Manasseh, the king of Judah, He captured Jerusalem and destroyed all its monuments, led away its priests and prophets, captured Zion, took the precious stone that Solomon had made for It, and took captive its men and animals.
2 A great angel named Sutu’el appeared. He exalted Baruch heavenward and let him see all the hidden and manifest things. He brought him into the Heavenly Jerusalem, and let him see
established and high thrones, decorated places, shining crowns of various appearances, and white robes of various shapes.
3 I, Baruch, asked the angel who conducted me, and said to him: “Whose is this dwelling'” He answered and said to me: “It belongs to the martyrs who have despised and hated this ephemeral world, who have delivered themselves up to death for the sake of justice and eternal life, to those whose heads were cut and whose blood was shed.”
4 Then he showed me the aspect of the Heavenly Jerusalem. I said to him: “Was it made before or after the creation?” He said to me: “Before the creation of Adam. The names of all the just, from Adam up to the end of the world, are written on this golden column.”
5 Then he brought me into the middle where the column was and there I saw high and shiny seats, and robes whiter than milk, the sun, the moon, and the stars. The place was full of fruit. I asked the angel who conducted me and said to him: “Who enters through this gate?” He who guided me answered and said to me: “Blessed are those who enter through this gate. Here the husband remains with his wife and the wife remains with her husband.”
6 Then he showed me a golden bed, a couch of precious stones, garments, and purses. I said to my guide: “Are they for those who remained in their virginity from their youth?” He said to me: “Yes, for those who guarded their virginity from their youth.”
7 Then he took me to a great city and brought me into this city. There I saw many plants, numbering four thousand and seven, full of fruit. I said to my guide: “Who arc those who enter into this housed?” He answered and said to me: “Those who despised and hated the ephemeral world will enter through this gate that Adam built of old in this city. Many will hope for it, but few will enter through it. ”
8 Then he brought me to a stream of oil I said to my guide: “Who will enter through this gate?’ “Those who despised and hated this ephemeral world from their youth until the end of their lives; those who, having taken the pure monastical garment, were continent and of pure flesh and spirit.”
9 Then he brought me across this stream of oil and showed me a stream of milk, greater than the sea and the deep waters. I asked my guide and said to him: “Who will enter into this stream of milk?” He answered and said to me: “This stream is for the children who were chosen while still in their mothers’ wombs, and for all who were killed by iniquity, too. They will dwell in the end of days in the shadow of this stream of milk, together with their children. It is not for the children alone but also for the hermits, who were chosen in their mothers’ wombs for the Heavenly Kingdom and did not mate with women from the day they put on the monastical cloth of chastity.”
10 Then he brought me to a city which was white and shining, decorated with gold, hyacinth, and pearls, filled with fruit and plantations of almonds, nuts, and pomegranates. And I asked my guide: “Who are those who will enter into this city?” He said to me: “The kings and governors who observed justice; who did regard no man, rich or poor, small or big; those who loved the orphans, priests, and temples; and those who dressed them as well as the widows in fine raiment; those who loved justice and gave alms to the poor and indigent; those who fed the hungry and gave to the thirsty to drink. This then is the dwelling of the kings and governors.”
11 Then he brought me to a place facing this one, and the city I saw was brighter than the sun, the moon, and the stars ten million times over, decorated with pearls and filled with fruit and plants. I said to my guide: “Whose is this beautiful residence?” He answered and said to me: “Blessed is the man who Will enter into this residence. It is for the mighty of the earth who killed no one, who were given not to idolatry, who confounded not one soul with another, who practiced neither magic nor sorcery. This then is their residence.”
12 Then he took me opposite this place on a golden ship and brought me to the place of the City of God, and showed me all the kingdoms of glory that do not pass away but grow and are glorified a million times. I said to my guide: “What is the name of this city?" He said to me: “The City of God.” I said to him: “Who will enter into this city?” My guide said to me: “The meek who kept no vengeance in their hearts, who made peace with their neighbors, who did not repay evil to the villain who had done them evil, who blessed those who cursed them, who shared their bread with the hungry, their cup with the thirsty, their clothes with the naked, who redeemed the captives with their wealth and lent of their gold to the poor. This is their residence.”
13 He took me away from this gate and brought me to another city named ’Aqraba, which means the “Land of the Living.” There I saw Enoch and Elijah writing down the deeds of the just of the earth.
14 In the days of this man the Holy Spirit will descend without cloud like rain for seven days and will be like oil. Without it man will not be purified from his sins and the drops of God’s mercy will not be spread over the earth. In those days peace will reign and there will be no hatred, no agitation, and no robbery, but love, joy, offerings, and rejoicing. If someone asks but wood from his neighbor, he willingly will lend or give him all his wealth. In those days the fear of God will abound and the many churches that have previously been destroyed in the world will be rebuilt. Everything will be accomplished on the order of the king. Believers will abound and belief will be strong. In those days the priests will walk according to the prescribed laws and the ordinances of justice as did Melchizedek, Moses, and Aaron, the holy priests. Like them they will please God during their lifetimes. In those days love will abound as well as peace, joy, exultation, and knowledge of the Lord. In those days there will be no sorrow or distress, no hunger or thirst, no murder or controversy. In those days people will have one feeling and one thought, and they will walk in the straight path of grace.
15 Then I saw a stream of honey, that flowed like the water of the sea. I asked my guide: “Who will enter into this stream?” He answered me: “The blessed prophets who prophesied of the good that would come at the end.”
16 Then he showed me, opposite that stream of honey, a stream of wine that was like a torrent of sea water. I asked my guide: “Who will enter into this stream He said to me: “Those who despised the world, who were given to hospitality,' and who loved their neighbors as themselves.”
17 Then the angel took me to the east and showed me a golden column on which was engraved an inscription in a thin writing brighter than the sun, the moon, and the stars of the sky. I asked him: “What is this golden column and what is this writing on it that has the likeness of the sun, the moon, and the shining stars?” He answered me. “The names of the just are written for eternal life on this golden column, where they wax not old or corrupt.” I said to him: “Are the names alone engraved upon it; are not the features of the face engraved upon it, too?” He answered and said: “All the features of the faces of the just are engraved for eternal life on this golden column, where they neither wax old nor become corrupt. They are engraved with a golden pen; the deeds of the sinners are engraved with an iron pen.” I asked my guide: “Whose is this city?” He said to me: “The Land of the Living. Those in it are Enoch and Elijah, who write God’s commandments, and who live there forever.”
18 Then he took me to another area and I saw at its gates big trees full of fruit. Many hermits were scattered there, suffering from great hunger and thirst. A stream was also in this place When they wished to eat from the tree it ascended to the sky, and when they rose in order to eat it descended to the earth. When they wished to drink from the stream it vanished and entered into the heart of the earth, and when they despaired of drinking the stream came out and reappeared to them Sorrowfully I asked the angel who conducted me, and said to him: “Whose is this city and who are these men?” He answered and said to me: “This city belongs to the hermits. They were perfect in fasting, adoration, prayer, and purity of the body but they were boastful and haughty.” I said to him: “Did their haughtiness prevent them from entering into the Heavenly Kingdom?” He said to me: “The root of sin is haughtiness and loftiness.”
19 Then he showed me a city a thousand thousand times brighter than the sun, the moon, and the stars, full of fruit trees yielding thousands of blessed fruits every hour. There were also shining raiment, crowns adorned and bright, golden belts, garments of precious stones, clothes, and shoes at the right and the left, branches of olive trees and branches of palm trees, the odor of which ravishes the heart and the taste of which makes the soul go forth from the body. Its beginning and end are not perceived. None knows it but God. Even the angels of God know it not, and the priests do not use it to burn incense. I asked him: “Whose is this residence?” He said to me: “It is the residence of the hermits.” I said to him: “Will not all of them enter into this dwelling?” He said: “No.” I said to him: “Who, then, are those who will enter into this residence.?” He said to me: “Those who did not mate with women after they retired from this world; those who did not smite their neighbors with their slander; those who did not ride on mules; those who did not carry seats and sit on them; those who did not acquire gold and silver, the goods of this world, and who did not like them; those who despised and hated this world; those who did not love office; who did not lie on a bed or on a couch in this world; who did not claim to be eating, in fact, there is no joy for the hermits upon this earth, their pleasure begins when their soul leaves this world; those who did not like vain glory, who did not accept gold or silver or precious clothes from kings and princes, who did not set crowns upon their heads, and who did not take bribes to the disadvantage of the innocent. All these will enter into this residence.” Having heard this I praised the Lord.
20 Then he took me to the west. There I saw a column of fire on which was writing by a pen of fire. The writing was thin and compact and the column of fire was greater than the column of gold I asked him: “What is that written on the column of fire?” He said to me: “The names of the sinners.”
21 Opposite that column I saw virgins clothed in darkness, and the guide said to me: “These are mad virgins who were avaricious.” I said to him: “Do they stay in this land of suffering because of their avarice?” He said to me: “Yes.”
22 Then I saw a stream of fire, with many men seated upon thrones of fire, I asked him: “Who are those who undergo such punishment?” He said to me: “They are priests.” I said to him: “Why are they punished so severely?” He said to me: “This is the punishment of priests and High Priests who introduced improper things into the temple and accepted bribes for the priesthood.” I said to him: “As a matter of fact they introduced improper things into the sanctuary for bribes: children of the divorced, stutterers, the dumb and the deaf, the blind, the broken-handed, and the leprous, children of Kedar, the rich but not the poor. Therefore these priests are punished.”
23 Then he showed me a big sea of fire, by which many people were being swallowed. I said to him: “Who are these that are being punished so severely?” He said to me: “Priests and teachers.” I said to him: “Why are they punished?” He said to me: “Because they alone ate the firstlings in the sanctuary; they alone ate the tithe of the sanctuary; they ate the funeral meal of the poor and buried them not with honor; they walked not in the path of life; they taught not the glory of the Sabbath, saying, ‘Honor it, and introduce not into the dwellings donkeys, mules, oxen, sheep, goats, or even hens.’ As for the teachers, they did not rebuke their children, neither sons nor daughters. Therefore will they be punished.”
24 Then he showed me an abyss of fire, full of people who scoured burning charcoals with their hands and drew the streams of fire with their fingers. The streams of fire swallowed them entirely, so that none could recognize their mouths or lips. I said to him: “Who are these who are punished like this?” He said to me: “Those who have lost their virginity in deserted places, without their parents giving them in marriage.”
25 I also saw an abyss and a big pit of fire, and people without number were in it. The fire devoured some of them up to their knees, others up to their breasts, others up to their necks, others up to their mouths, and still others entirely I said to him: “Who are these who undergo such severe punishment?” He said to me: “Those swallowed up to the knees uttered vehement words in the sanctuary. Those swallowed up to the reins fornicated with women in the house of God. Those swallowed up to their breasts slandered their neighbors in the sanctuary. Those devoured up to their necks spoke after their offering to God without cooling off the bread or the water. Those devoured entirely fornicated with man as with woman.”
26 Then I saw an abyss and a pit of fire the depth of which was equal to eleven thousand and seven cubits. I said to him: “Who are these who go down into this stream?” He said: “Those who fornicated with a woman in child-bed or with a woman in her uncleanness or with an ignominious woman; those who married the wife of one who died or the wife of a brother; those who fornicated with a daughter or with a sister or with the daughter of a brother; those who fornicated with domestic animals or with wild beasts. This is their punishment.”
27 Then I saw big rocks of fire, and there I saw many men scattered through the fire. I said to him: “Who are these who are punished in this abyss of fire and in these rocks of fire?” He said to me: “Those who worshiped stones. Therefore their punishment is by stones of fire.”
28 Then I saw big trees, all of fire. Many men were suspended from them, and serpents of fire and dogs of fire devoured them. I said to him: “Who are these who undergo this terrible punishment?” He said to me: “Priests, and widows who, being pregnant, drank medicines to kill the conceived being. The killed beings cried unto God saying: ‘O Lord, O Lord, we might have been good or bad but they did not let us grow; some of us were eaten by dogs, others by beasts.’ God ordered that the children be given to Temleyakos; as for their parents, they undergo this punishment.”
29 Then I saw a big cauldron of fire in which there were many of the mighty kings, governors, and princes. I said to him: ‘‘Who arc these who are punished like this?” He said to me: “The mighty kings, governors, and princes, who ate of the offerings and laid waste the sanctuary, who robbed the dwellings of the priests and laid desolate the land, who loved not the orphans and gave not alms from what God had given them. Woe unto you who spoil the world! Woe unto you who eat of the offerings Woe, for your punishment will be severe! Woe unto you who spoil with a razor God’s creatures! Woe unto you, kings and governors, who build sanctuaries to please the eye of man, but in your hearts you like not the priests and chanters! You are like a bee with no honey or a pitcher with no water. Woe unto you, kings and governors, who do not save the oppressed and the poor. You foolish ones, do you think that you will enter the Heavenly Kingdom because of your great riches? All the glory of your house will not go down with you and your terrestrial kingdom will be forgotten, for the existence of this world is ephemeral. The world is ephemeral and its concupiscence as well. Everything is ephemeral and wears out like a garment, and like linen clothes that you change and they are changed, for the existence of this world is ephemeral. Blessed are the kings who pleased God during their lifetimes. Blessed are the kings who loved the poor and the miserable. Blessed are those who made wisdom their mother. Blessed are the kings who gave all their wealth to the poor and miserable as ransom for their souls, knowing that the existence of this world is ephemeral, that gold and silver deteriorate and garments wear out. Woe unto you, kings, you who are creatures and yet exalt yourselves over other creatures. Woe unto you, kings and governors, you are dust; and why do you exalt yourselves over the dust? Woe unto you, kings and governors, you are clay; and why do you exalt yourselves over the clay? Woe unto you, kings and governors, who cut off the creatures of God with the razor and the sword; you can make neither white nor black even a single hair of your head. Heard you not what Scripture said: ‘One man is more honorable than ninety-nine angels’?
30 Woe unto you, kings and governors, who rob the sanctuary and rebuke not your subordinates that they may not corrupt the world. If your governors corrupt the world and you rebuke them not, I shall require their blood of you, says God.”
31 I, Baruch, saw horrible and great judgments, and each of them was terrifying. I saw great mountains of fire full of pitch and sulphur, a terrifying cauldron full of the great governors and princes engulfed in a sea of fire. I said to the angel Sutu’el who conducted me: “Who are these men who undergo this terrible punishment?” He said to me: “The wicked kings who corrupted the world and defiled the sanctuary.”
32 Then I saw a large pit of fire full of princes and wealthy people, men and women. Serpents of fire were suspended on their garments and devoured them, vipers of fire stung them, dogs of fire bit and devoured them, angels of fire pierced them, rocks of fire fell upon them, and the pit of fire engulfed them up to their heads." I asked the angel: “Who are these who are punished so severely?” He said to me: “These are the hermits who were supposed to despise this world but despised it not and purified not their thoughts. They were like other men of the world, they had relations with women and married and forgot God during their lifetimes. They resemble the dog that returns to his own vomit, or the sow that was washed and returns to the mire, or Absalom who transgressed the commandments of his father. They resemble Lot’s wife who became a pillar of salt. All things are vain.”
33 Then I saw many men whom they made to run on burning sand. I said to him: “Who are these whose punishment is like this?” He said to me: “Deacons who did not promptly bring the offerings into the sanctuary.”
34 Then I saw people suspended by burning ropes, their feet upward and their heads downward." I said to him: “Who are these who are punished like this?” He said to me: “Priests who did not offer Sunday sacrifices to God at sunrise; the rest day of the temple comes from God. Therefore are they punished.”
35 Then I saw people whom they made to touch fire and to whom they gave cups of fire to drink. I said to him: “Who are these who are punished like this?” He said to me: “Priests and deacons who did not offer sacrifices with a pure heart, those who, being bound by the priesthood, transgressed it. This is their punishment.”
36 Then I saw men whose hands were cut off. I said to him: “Who are these maimed people?” He said to me: “Those who wrote magic texts and carved. This is their punishment.”
37 Then I saw people from whose mouths came fire and sulphur. I said to him: “Who are these who are punished like this?” He said to me: “The tailors who sewed garments and kept for themselves even a small piece of thread.”
38 Then I saw people brought in with cords of fire and searing flame. All kinds of fruit and limpid water passed in front of them, but when they wished to drink the water fled from them. I said to him: “Who are these who are punished like this?” He said to me: “Those who broke the fast and those who hastened to eat.”
39 And this the angel Sutu’el showed to me.
40 Then I saw a terrible punishment, sealed with seven seals. He said to me: “O Baruch, wilt thou be strong enough to see this terrible and frightful punishment?” I said to him: “Speak, O Lord.” Then he commanded the angel of Gehenna and said: “Show the seal of Gehenna to Baruch, the beloved of God.” And he opened the seal and, behold, a great torment called Gehenna appeared, and a great cold, and snow. From the time of the creation of Heaven and earth until the end of the world, the shining sun would be unable to heat it. Those who arc thrown into it will no more be mentioned among the living, and those who enter into it will remain there. As the prophet David says: “Therefore the wicked will not rise from Hell and the sinners will not remain in the congregation of the righteous.” He also says: “Like the dust which the wind drives away from the surface of the earth.”
41 Then I, Baruch, saw what he showed me: bad years, and numerous good years during which there will be love, corn, wheat, honey, and The Holy Spirit will go down like the dew of the rain season; fast and prayer will please God. The husband will speak agreeably with his wife, the daughter-in-law with her mother-in-law, the monk with his disciple, and the disciple with his teacher, the brother with his brother, the daughter with her mother, and the mother with her daughter, the father with his son, and the son with his father, the relative with his relatives, and the friend with his friends.
42 In the four-hundred-and-seventieth cycle, the six-thousandth year, and the fifth day, a queen will reign and there will be great joy, Qostantinos and Teodros, the orthodox, will reign, and in their days there will be love and peace. They will build God’s house which Diyoqletyanos, the heretic, destroyed. In their time five hundred and thirty years will be added to Gabra Masqal, the king of Aksum, because of his orthodoxy.
43 Then every year love will decrease. Small foxes will rise; they will destroy the whole world and they will exalt the ark of God into the Heavenly Zion. Wheat will grow less and water will flow four times less. Those who bring offerings, incense, and sacrifices to God’s house will go up to Heaven. There will be good priests and bad priests. Those who minister in God’s house will be the slothful, the foolish, the silly, and the scorners. At that time slothful teachers will be created. They will reduce everything to schemes. They will not be saved nor will they save their children. They will profane the Sabbath and violate the festivals.
44 In the twenty-fourth year of mercy the trees of the fields will rejoice, the mountains and hills will be joyful, as will creatures, man, and beast. Everything will go back to its first condition.
45 Then a righteous man will reign. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. Justice shall spring out in his days. He will reign thirty years in the five-hundred-and-forty-eighth cycle.
46 After that the false messiah will come. He will say: “I am God,” and will perform numerous signs and wonders. He shall cause the sun to rise in the west and the moon toward ’Elam; his right eye will be blended with blood, his right foot will be thin; the nails of his hands will be distorted and those of his hands and feet Will be like scythes; his right hand will be for extermination and his left hand for death.' He will reign seven years.
47 Then God will cause the false messiah to cease. The lion will then reign seven years or sixty-seven in the count of the cycles. He will summon a council of priests, monks, believers, and numerous armies. He will say to the Cross: “Take away all this,” and the Cross will take it and ascend to Heaven. All of them will weep bitterly and will die; the king will die with them. Michael and Gabriel will come with their armies and will take them into the garden of joy. Then the demon Qoleyon will come with thirty thousand and seventy-seven others and will reign. They will eat rocks like reeds, will swallow fire, and will drink the blood of women in their impurity. They will reign seven years.
48 Then the eagle will reign and will reside in Jerusalem. He will devour ten thousand girls each evening, and ten thousand each morning. He will reign seven years.
49 Then the winds will reign. They will destroy God’s houses and will unearth the bones of men. They will reign seven years.
50 The holy Michael will blow the horn for thirty years, and all the bones will assemble. Then he will sound the trumpet for the second time for thirty years. The bones will be sewn up again with flesh and all the bodies will assemble. The holy Michael, the archangel, will blow the trumpet for the third time for thirty years, and all the dead will be resurrected in the twinkling of an eye. The glory of some of them will be greater than the sun, others will stand up in honor, still others in misery. Then the King of Heaven and Earth will come and will reward all men according to their deeds. Praise and glory be to Him forever. Amen.
51 If I, Baruch, were to tell you everything I saw and heard all the books would not contain it. The Spirit of God dictated it to Absalom and Abimelech, the priests of Jerusalem. He gave it to King Masfeyanos, who fears the Lord. Glory to God forever. Amen.