Ecclesiasticus 48

How to read these pages: the text itself comes first, verse by verse, in the volume's own translation. Beneath each verse stands its Meaning — a rendering of what the passage's terms name in the inner life, drawn from the correspondences the text itself uses. The text is never altered; the meaning is offered, not imposed.

King James Version

1Then stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp.

Then stood up Elias — Elijah, 'the LORD is my God', prophetic zeal, the fire-faculty that confronts idolatry — the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp.

2He brought a sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number.

He brought a sore famine — the lack-state — upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number.

3By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and also three times brought down fire.

By the word of the indwelling LORD he shut up the heaven — the inner realm withheld its rain of truth — and also three times brought down fire.

4O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee!

O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee!

5Who didst raise up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead, by the word of the most High:

Who didst raise up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead — the shadow-state of faculties asleep in death — by the word of the most High:

6Who broughtest kings to destruction, and honorable men from their bed:

Who broughtest kings — ruling states — to destruction, and honourable men from their bed:

7Who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in Horeb the judgment of vengeance:

Who heardest the rebuke of the indwelling LORD in Sinai — the exalted state where the law is given into form — and in Horeb the judgment of vengeance, the order's settling spoken in the mount:

8Who annointedst kings to take revenge, and prophets to succeed after him:

Who anointedst kings to take revenge, and prophets — forth-telling faculties — to succeed after him:

9Who was taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses:

Who was taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses — prophetic zeal translated in the whirlwind-state, as the core lexicon tells his taking up:

10Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord’s judgment, before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the indwelling LORD's judgment, before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob — the striving intellect's faculties restored to their order.

11Blessed are they that saw thee, and slept in love; for we shall surely live.

Blessed are they that saw thee, and slept in love; for we shall surely live.

12Elias it was, who was covered with a whirlwind: and Eliseus was filled with his spirit: whilst he lived, he was not moved with the presence of any prince, neither could any bring him into subjection.

Elias it was, who was covered with a whirlwind: and Eliseus — Elisha, 'God is salvation', the successor-faculty receiving the double portion — was filled with his spirit: whilst he lived, he was not moved with the presence of any prince, neither could any bring him into subjection.

13No word could overcome him; and after his death his body prophesied.

No word could overcome him; and after his death his body prophesied — the successor-faculty's quiet miracles of restoration continuing beyond its form.

14He did wonders in his life, and at his death were his works marvellous.

He did wonders in his life, and at his death were his works marvellous.

15For all this the people repented not, neither departed they from their sins, till they were spoiled and carried out of their land, and were scattered through all the earth: yet there remained a small people, and a ruler in the house of David:

For all this the people repented not — turned not their minds — neither departed they from their sins, till they were spoiled and carried out of their land, and were scattered through all the earth: yet there remained a small people, and a ruler in the house of David — a remnant, the faithful kernel, and Love's line still ruling in it:

16Of whom some did that which was pleasing to God, and some multiplied sins.

Of whom some did that which was pleasing to the Source, and some multiplied sins.

17Ezekias fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst thereof: he digged the hard rock with iron, and made wells for waters.

Ezekias — Hezekiah, kept by the text's spelling — fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst thereof: he digged the hard rock with iron, and made wells — dug sources of truth — for waters.

18In his time Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up his hand against Sion, and boasted proudly.

In his time Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up his hand against Sion — Zion, the love-height — and boasted proudly: the dominating reasoning-empire speaking against the love-height, their names kept as they stand.

19Then trembled their hearts and hands, and they were in pain, as women in travail.

Then trembled their hearts and hands, and they were in pain, as women in travail.

20But they called upon the Lord which is merciful, and stretched out their hands toward him: and immediately the Holy One heard them out of heaven, and delivered them by the ministry of Esay.

But they called upon the indwelling LORD which is merciful, and stretched out their hands toward him: and immediately the Holy One heard them out of heaven, the inner realm, and delivered them by the ministry of Esay — Isaiah, the prophetic faculty of salvation-of-the-LORD.

21He smote the host of the Assyrians, and his angel destroyed them.

He smote the host of the Assyrians — the dominating reasoning-empire — and his angel, a divine idea ministering between the higher and lower consciousness, destroyed them.

22For Ezekias had done the thing that pleased the Lord, and was strong in the ways of David his father, as Esay the prophet, who was great and faithful in his vision, had commanded him.

For Ezekias had done the thing that pleased the indwelling LORD, and was strong in the ways of David his father, as Esay the prophet, who was great and faithful in his vision, had commanded him.

23In his time the sun went backward, and he lengthened the king’s life.

In his time the sun went backward, and he lengthened the king's life — Divine Love's own light turned back upon its course, and the ruling state's days lengthened.

24He saw by an excellent spirit what should come to pass at the last, and he comforted them that mourned in Sion.

He saw by an excellent spirit what should come to pass at the last, and he comforted them that mourned in Sion.

25He shewed what should come to pass for ever, and secret things or ever they came.

He showed what should come to pass for ever, and secret things or ever they came.

Companion volume to The Why Bible — the King James Apocrypha, rendered in its spiritual meanings. First final edition, October 2026.