To the temple! Nothing must be done without God’s word! Let the men of God decide.
Yes, where are our shepherds? In them is the truth.—Hananiah—Pashur—where are they? Open the temple.—Open the gates.—Hananiah.—Pashur.
[Some of the crowd race up the steps and knock upon the brazen gates. The gates open and Hananiah appears. He is received with fierce acclamations]
Baruch
Hananiah, messenger of God, the people thirst for your speech. Let your words pour forth to kindle our hearts, to make fruitful our wrath, and to direct our aim. The fate of Jerusalem is in your hands.
The Crowd
Pour forth God’s word over us.—Reveal the promise.—Say, shall we fight?—Let us know God’s will.—Teach the people, messenger of the Lord, teach the king.—Give utterance to the promise.—Look upon our weakness.—Awaken our courage.
Hananiah
[Standing before the threshold of the temple, speaks with strong emotion] Blessed your questions, blessed your voices, blessed are you, people of Jerusalem, who at length hearken to the cry. For sleep had fallen upon you, Jerusalem; you had been passive in the chains of slavery. The nations have been marching over you as over a drunken man; they have been spitting upon your garments; they have mocked your nakedness. But a call has summoned the sleepers; a message has roused the dreamers; and I will testify to you, now that God has awakened you.