Sirach
Chapter 49
Josiah’s memory is like blended incense crafted by a skilled perfumer; it is as sweet as honey to everyone’s taste, like music at a banquet.
He followed the correct method in converting the people and eliminating the horror of idolatry.
He dedicated himself to the Lord and was successful in letting godliness overcome wickedness.
With the exception of David, Hezekiah, and Josiah, the kings were very sinful men. They abandoned the Law of the Most High, ending the line of Judah’s kings.
They relinquished their power and honor to foreign nations.
Their enemies set fire to the Holy City, leaving its streets desolate just
as Jeremiah had foretold.
It was Ezekiel who saw the vision of glory when the Lord showed it to him above the chariot of the cherubim.
He also remembered Job, the one who always pursued the path of justice.
As for the twelve prophets, may their bones come to life from the tomb, for they comforted the people of Jacob and saved them with confident hope.
Can we ever truly praise Zerubbabel, who was like a ring on God’s finger,
likewise Jeshua, son of Jozadak? They were men who, in their days, built the Lord’s temple, a Sanctuary meant for eternal glory.
The lasting memory of Nehemiah remains, as he rebuilt our broken walls, provided gates and bars, and restored our homes.
No one on earth was made to match Enoch, for he was taken up from the earth.
And never was there a man like Joseph, the greatest among his brothers, leader of his people; his bones were honored.
Shem and Seth were highly esteemed among men, but Adam’s glory surpassed that of any other living being.
Commentaries
History.
The hymn of praise to the Creator and the subsequent expression of thanksgiving and admiration for the wonders of creation serve as an introduction to this extensive praise or exaltation of the key figures in Israel’s history. The goal is to demonstrate how God’s power and greatness, as revealed through creation, ultimately find expression in Israel’s long historical journey, from Enoch to Simon (or Simeon), the high priest whom Ben Sirach deeply respects and reveres.
Prophets and Kings.
Ben Sirach highlights the figures of the earliest prophets from the northern kingdom, including Elijah (48:1-11) and his successor Elisha (12-24), focusing on their defense of the Israelite religion. Among the kings before Jerusalem’s fall, he mentions only Hezekiah (17-22) and Josiah (49:1-3), noting that “all were corrupt except David, Hezekiah, and Josiah” (49:4). The major prophets he names include Isaiah (49:22-24), the counselor of Hezekiah and God’s messenger for the people; Jeremiah, the prophet of Jerusalem’s destruction (49:7); and Ezekiel (49:8). He also praises the group of “the twelve” prophets as the best mediators between God and the people, and refers to Zerubbabel, who was appointed governor by Persia when the exiles returned and sought to restore Israel. Zerubbabel aimed to follow in David’s footsteps. Joshua, a key figure in Jerusalem’s physical rebuilding, and Nehemiah, known for his role in restoring Israeli identity and promoting the Jewish faith as we recognize it today, are also mentioned. Interestingly, Ben Sirach does not mention Ezra in this list of Israel’s heroes, whether by oversight or intention.
First Conclusion.
A summary ends this series of praises to Israel’s great ancestors. Ben Sirach again mentions Enoch and the tradition that he was mysteriously taken up into heaven (14). Joseph, unlike anyone else, is distinguished, yet at his death, his bones were buried (15). Of Noah’s three sons, he mentions only Shem and Seth, omitting Ham, possibly because of the biblical tradition of his curse (cf. Gen 9:20-25), or because of the complex historical relations with the peoples who, according to Jewish traditions, descend from him. Finally, Adam is mentioned, who “surpasses all in glory” (16). This reference to Adam in these terms is unique in the entire Old Testament.