2 Baruch 6

¹ And it came to pass on the morrow that, lo! the army of the Chaldees surrounded the city, and at the time of the evening, I, Baruch, left the people, and I went forth and stood by the (2BA) ² oak. And I was grieving over Zion, and lamenting over the captivity which had come upon (2BA) ³ the people. And lo! suddenly a strong spirit raised me, and bore me aloft over the wall of (2BA) ⁴ Jerusalem. And I beheld, and lo! four angels standing at the four corners of the city, each of (2BA) ⁵ them holding a torch of fire in his hands. And another angel began to descend from heaven, (2BA) ⁶ and said unto them: 'Hold your lamps, and do not light them till I tell you. For I am first sent to speak a word to the earth, and to place in it what the Lord the Most High has commanded me And I saw him descend into the Holy of holies, and take from thence the veil, and the holy ark, and the mercy-seat, and the two tables, and the holy raiment of the priests, and the altar of incense, and the forty-eight precious stones, wherewith the priest was adorned and all the holy (2BA) ⁸ vessels of the tabernacle. And he spake to the earth with a loud voice: 'Earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the mighty God, And receive what I commit to thee, And guard them until the last times, So that, when thou art ordered, thou mayst restore them, So that strangers may not get possession of them. (2BA) ⁹ For the time comes when Jerusalem also will be delivered for a time, Until it is said, that it is again restored for ever.' (2BA) ¹⁰ And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up. (2BA)