Sirach 44–47: Let Us Now Praise Famous Men": From Enoch to the Divided Kingdom
Scripture: World English Bible
Let us now praise famous men,our ancestors in their generations.The Lord created great glory in them—his mighty power from the beginning.Some ruled in their kingdomsand were men renowned for their power,giving counsel by their understanding.Some have spoken in prophecies,leaders of the people by their counsels,and by their understanding, giving instruction for the people.Their words in their instruction were wise.Some composed musical tunes,and set forth verses in writing,rich men endowed with ability,living peaceably in their homes.All these were honored in their generations,and were outstanding in their days.Some of them have left a name behind them,so that others declare their praises.But of others, there is no memory.They perished as though they had not been.They become as though they had not been born,they and their children after them.But these were men of mercy,whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten.A good inheritance remains with their offspring.Their children are within the covenant.Their offspring stand fast,with their children, for their sakes.Their offspring will remain forever.Their glory won’t be blotted out.Their bodies were buried in peace.Their name lives to all generations.People will declare their wisdom.The congregation proclaims their praise.
Enoch pleased the Lord, and was taken up,an example of repentance to all generations.
Noah was found perfect and righteous.In the season of wrath, he kept the race alive.Therefore a remnant was left on the earthwhen the flood came.Everlasting covenants were made with him,that all flesh should no more be blotted out by a flood.
Abraham was a great father of a multitude of nations.There was none found like him in glory,who kept the law of the Most High,and was taken into covenant with him.In his flesh he established the covenant.When he was tested, he was found faithful.Therefore he assured him by an oaththat the nations would be blessed through his offspring,that he would multiply him like the dust of the earth,exalt his offspring like the stars,and cause them to inherit from sea to sea,and from the Euphrates River to the utmost parts of the earth.
In Isaac also, he established the same assurance for Abraham his father’s sake,the blessing of all men, and the covenant.He made it rest upon the head of Jacob.He acknowledged him in his blessings,gave to him by inheritance,and divided his portions.He distributed them among twelve tribes.He brought out of him a man of mercy,who found favor in the sight of all people,a man loved by God and men, even Moses,whose memory is blessed.He made him equal to the glory of the saints,and magnified him in the fears of his enemies.By his words he caused the wonders to cease.God glorified him in the sight of kings.He gave him commandments for his peopleand showed him part of his glory.He sanctified him in his faithfulness and meekness.He chose him out of all people.He made him to hear his voice,led him into the thick darkness,and gave him commandments face to face,even the law of life and knowledge,that he might teach Jacob the covenant,and Israel his judgments.
He exalted Aaron, a holy man like Moses,even his brother, of the tribe of Levi.He established an everlasting covenant with him,and gave him the priesthood of the people.He blessed him with stateliness,and dressed him in a glorious robe.He clothed him in perfect splendor,and strengthened him with symbols of authority:the linen trousers, the long robe, and the ephod.He encircled him with pomegranates;with many golden bells around him,to make a sound as he went,to make a sound that might be heard in the temple,for a reminder for the children of his people;with a holy garment, with gold, blue, and purple, the work of the embroiderer;with an oracle of judgment—Urim and Thummim;with twisted scarlet, the work of the craftsman;with precious stones engraved like a signet, in a setting of gold, the work of the jeweller,for a reminder engraved in writing, after the number of the tribes of Israel;with a crown of gold upon the mitre, having engraved on it, as on a signet, “HOLINESS”,an ornament of honor, the work of an expert,the desires of the eyes, goodly and beautiful.Before him there never have been anything like it.No stranger put them on, but only his sons and his offspring perpetually.His sacrifices shall be wholly burned,twice every day continually.Moses consecrated him,and anointed him with holy oil.It was an everlasting covenant with himand to his offspring, all the days of heaven,to minister to the Lord, to serve as a priest,and to bless his people in his name.He chose him out of all livingto offer sacrifice to the Lord—incense, and a sweet fragrance, for a memorial,to make atonement for your people.He gave to him in his commandments,authority in the covenants of judgments,to teach Jacob the testimonies,and to enlighten Israel in his law.Strangers conspired against himand envied him in the wilderness:Dathan and Abiram with their company,and the congregation of Korah, with wrath and anger.The Lord saw it, and it displeased him.In the wrath of his anger, they were destroyed.He did wonders upon them,to consume them with flaming fire.He added glory to Aaron,and gave him a heritage.He divided to him the first fruits of the increase,and prepared bread of first fruits in abundance.For they eat the sacrifices of the Lord,which he gave to him and to his offspring.However, in the land of the people, he has no inheritance,and he has no portion among the people,for the Lord himself is your portion and inheritance.
Phinehas the son of Eleazar is the third in glory,in that he was zealous in the fear of the Lord,and stood fast when the people turned away,and he made atonement for Israel.Therefore, a covenant of peace was established for him,that he should be leader of the sanctuary and of his people,that he and his offspring should have the dignity of the priesthood forever.Also he made a covenant with David the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah.The inheritance of the king is his alone from son to son.So the inheritance of Aaron is also to his seed.
May God give you wisdom in your heartto judge his people in righteousness,that their good things may not be abolished,and that their glory may endure for all their generations.
Joshua the son of Nun was valiant in war,and was the successor of Moses in prophecies.He was made great according to his namefor the saving of God’s elect,to take vengeance on the enemies that rose up against them,that he might give Israel their inheritance.How he was glorified in the lifting up his hands,and in stretching out his sword against the cities!Who before him stood so firm?For the Lord himself brought his enemies to him.Didn’t the sun go back by his hand?Didn’t one day become as two?He called upon the Most High, the Mighty One,when his foes pressed in all around him,and the great Lord heard him.With hailstones of mighty power,he caused war to break violently upon the nation,and on the slope he destroyed those who resisted,so that the nations might know his armor,how he fought in the sight of the Lord;for he followed the Mighty One.Also in the time of Moses, he did a work of mercy—he and Caleb the son of Jephunneh—in that they withstood the adversary,hindered the people from sin,and stilled their wicked complaining.And of six hundred thousand people on foot, they two alone were preservedto bring them into their inheritance,into a land flowing with milk and honey.The Lord gave strength to Caleb,and it remained with him to his old age,so that he entered the hill country,and his offspring obtained it for an inheritance,that all the children of Israel might see that it is good to follow the Lord.
Also the judges, every one by his name,all whose hearts didn’t engage in immorality,and who didn’t turn away from the Lord—may their memory be blessed!May their bones flourish again out of their place.May the name of those who have been honored be renewed in their children.
Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, loved by his Lord,established a kingdom and anointed princes over his people.By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation,and the Lord watched over Jacob.By his faithfulness he was proved to be a prophet.By his words he was known to be faithful in vision.When his enemies pressed on him on every side,he called upon the Lord, the Mighty One,with the offering of the suckling lamb.Then the Lord thundered from heaven.He made his voice heard with a mighty sound.He utterly destroyed the rulers of the Tyriansand all the princes of the Philistines.Before the time of his age-long sleep,he testified in the sight of the lord and his anointed,“I have not taken any man’s goods, so much as a sandal;”and no one accused him.Even after he fell asleep, he prophesied,and showed the king his end,and lifted up his voice from the earth in prophecy,to blot out the wickedness of the people.
After him, Nathan rose upto prophesy in the days of David.As is the fat when it is separated from the peace offering,so was David separated from the children of Israel.He played with lions as with kids,and with bears as with lambs of the flock.In his youth didn’t he kill a giant,and take away reproach from the peoplewhen he lifted up his hand with a sling stone,and beat down the boasting Goliath?For he called upon the Most High Lord,and he gave him strength in his right handto kill a man mighty in war,to exalt the horn of his people.So they glorified him for his tens of thousands,and praised him for the blessings of the Lord,in that a glorious diadem was given to him.For he destroyed the enemies on every side,and defeated the Philistines his adversaries.He broke their horn in pieces to this day.In every work of his he gave thanks to the Holy One Most High with words of glory.He sang praise with his whole heart,and loved him who made him.He set singers before the altar,to make sweet melody by their music.He gave beauty to the feasts,and set in order the seasons to completionwhile they praised his holy name,and the sanctuary resounded from early morning.The Lord took away his sins,and exalted his horn forever.He gave him a covenant of kings,and a glorious throne in Israel.
After him a wise son rose up,who because of him lived in security.Solomon reigned in days of peace.God gave him rest all around,that he might set up a house for his name,and prepare a sanctuary forever.How wise you were made in your youth,and filled as a river with understanding!Your influence covered the earth,and you filled it with parables and riddles.Your name reached to the far away islands,and you were loved for your peace.For your songs, proverbs, parables,and interpretations, the countries marveled at you.By the name of the Lord God,who is called the God of Israel,you gathered gold like tin,and multiplied silver like lead.You bowed your loins to women,and in your body you were brought into subjection.You blemished your honor,and defiled your offspring,to bring wrath upon your children.I was grieved for your folly,because the sovereignty was divided,and a disobedient kingdom ruled out of Ephraim.But the Lord will never forsake his mercy.He won’t destroy any of his works,nor blot out the posterity of his elect.He won’t take away the offspring of him who loved him.He gave a remnant to Jacob,and to David a root from his own family.
So Solomon rested with his fathers.Of his offspring, he left behind him Rehoboam,the foolishness of the people, and one who lacked understanding,who made the people revolt by his counsel.Also Jeroboam the son of Nebat,who made Israel to sin,and gave a way of sin to Ephraim.Their sins were multiplied exceedingly,until they were removed from their land.For they sought out all manner of wickedness,until vengeance came upon them.