2 Esdras 5:30
King James VersionSource notes
“If thou didst so much hate thy people, yet shouldest thou punish them with thine own hands.”
Context
27And among all the multitudes of people thou hast gotten thee one people: and unto this people, whom thou lovedst, thou gavest a law that is approved of all.
28And now, O Lord, why hast thou given this one people over unto many? and upon the one root hast thou prepared others, and why hast thou scattered thy only one people among many?
29And they which did gainsay thy promises, and believed not thy covenants, have trodden them down.
30If thou didst so much hate thy people, yet shouldest thou punish them with thine own hands.
31Now when I had spoken these words, the angel that came to me the night afore was sent unto me,
32And said unto me, Hear me, and I will instruct thee; hearken to the thing that I say, and I shall tell thee more.
33And I said, Speak on, my Lord. Then said he unto me, Thou art sore troubled in mind for Israel’s sake: lovest thou that people better than he that made them?