2 Esdras 1:12-23

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

God’s Mercies to Israel

¹² “But speak to them and say: Thus says the Lord: ¹³ Surely it was I who brought you through the sea and made safe highways for you where there was no road; I gave you Moses as leader and Aaron as priest;^{(A) 14} I provided light for you from a pillar of fire and did great wonders among you. Yet you have forgotten me, says the Lord.^(B)

¹⁵ “Thus says the Lord Almighty:^[a] The quails were a sign to you; I gave you camps for your protection, and in them you complained.^{(C) 16} You have not exulted in my name at the destruction of your enemies, but to this day you still complain.^{[b] 17} Where are the benefits that I bestowed on you? When you were hungry and thirsty in the wilderness, did you not cry out to me, ¹⁸ saying, ‘Why have you led us into this wilderness to kill us? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in this wilderness.’^{(D) 19} I pitied your groanings and gave you manna for food; you ate the bread of angels.^{(E) 20} When you were thirsty, did I not split the rock so that waters flowed in abundance? Because of the heat I clothed you with the leaves of trees.^{[c](F) 21} I divided fertile lands among you; I drove out the Canaanites,^[d] the Perizzites, and the Philistines^[e] before you. What more can I do for you? says the Lord.^{(G) 22} Thus says the Lord Almighty:^[f] When you were in the wilderness, at the bitter stream, thirsty and blaspheming my name,^{(H) 23} I did not send fire on you for your blasphemies but threw a tree into the water and made the stream sweet.^(I)