Chapter 48

¹And Elias the prophet stood up, as a fire, and his word burnt like a torch. ²He brought a famine upon them, and they that provoked him in their envy, were reduced to a small number, for they could not endure the commandments of the Lord. ³By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and he brought down fire from heaven thrice. ⁴Thus was Elias magnified in his wondrous works. And who can glory like to thee? ⁵Who raisedst up a dead man from below, from the lot of death, by the word of the Lord God. ⁶Who broughtest down kings to destruction, and brokest easily their power in pieces, and the glorious from their bed. ⁷Who heardest judgment in Sina, and in Horeb the judgments of vengeance. ⁸Who anointedst kings to penance, and madest prophets successors after thee. ⁹Who wast taken up in a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot of fiery horses. ¹⁰Who art registered in the judgments of times to appease the wrath of the Lord, to reconcile the heart of the father to the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob. ¹¹Blessed are they that saw thee, and were honoured with thy friendship. ¹²For we live only in our life, but after death our name shall not be such. ¹³Elias was indeed covered with the whirlwind, and his spirit was filled up in Eliseus: in his days he feared not the prince, and no man was more powerful than he. ¹⁴No word could overcome him, and after death his body prophesied. ¹⁵In his life he did great wonders, and is death he wrought miracles. ¹⁶For all this the people repented not, neither did they depart from their sins till they were cast out of their land, and were scattered through all the earth. ¹⁷And there was left but a small people, and a prince in the house of David. ¹⁸Some of these did that which pleased God: but others committed many sine. ¹⁹Ezechias fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst thereof, and he digged a rock with iron, and made a well for water. ²⁰In his days Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up his hand against them, and he stretched out his hand against Sion, and became proud through his power. ²¹Then their hearts and hands trembled, and they were in pain as women in travail. ²²And they called upon the Lord who is merciful, and spreading their hands, they lifted them up to heaven: and the holy Lord God quickly heard their voice. ²³He was not mindful of their sins, neither did he deliver them up to their enemies, but he purified them by the hand of Isaias, the holy prophet. ²⁴He overthrew the army of the Assyrians, and the angel of the Lord destroyed them. ²⁵For Ezechias did that which pleased God, and walked valiantly in the way of David his father, which Isaias, the great prophet, and faithful in the sight of God, had commanded him. ²⁶In his days the sun went backward, and he lengthened the king's life. ²⁷With a great spirit he saw the things that are to come to pass at last, and comforted the mourners in Sion. ²⁸He shewed what should come to pass for ever, and secret things before they came.