Sirach chapter 24
[This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] The origin and history of Wisdom. The effect of Wisdom upon those who drink of her.
The Book of Sirach is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches
THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF WISDOM
VERSE 1. Wisdom will praise herself, And will glory in the midst of her people.
Wisdom will praise herself. Or “Wisdom will praise her own soul.”
VERSE 2. She will open her mouth in the congregation of the Most High, And glory in the presence of his power.
VERSE 3. I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, And covered the earth as a mist.
covered the earth as a mist. Wisdom blankets the earth.
VERSE 4. I lived in high places, And my throne is in the pillar of the cloud.
VERSE 5. Alone I compassed the circuit of heaven, And walked in the depth of the abyss.
VERSE 6. In the waves of the sea, and in all the earth, And in every people and nation, I got a possession.
VERSE 7. With all these I sought rest; And in whose inheritance shall I lodge?
VERSE 8. Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment; And he that created me made my tabernacle to rest, And said, Let your tabernacle be in Jacob, And your inheritance in Israel.
Let your tabernacle be in Jacob. The tabernacle of Wisdom is in Jacob.
your inheritance in Israel. Wisdom’s inheritance is in Israel.
Here is the role played by different locations for Wisdom:
- Wisdom’s tabernacle is in Jacob (verse 8)
- Wisdom’s inheritance is in Israel (verse 8)
- Wisdom was established in Zion (verse 10)
- Wisdom’s authority is in Jerusalem (verse 11)
VERSE 9. He created me from the beginning before the world; And to the end I will not fail.
VERSE 10. In the holy tabernacle I ministered before him; And so was I established in Sion.
I established in Sion. Wisdom was established in Zion.
VERSE 11. In the beloved city likewise he gave me rest; And in Jerusalem was my authority.
in Jerusalem was my authority. In Jerusalem is the authority of wisdom.
VERSE 12. And I took root in a people that was glorified, Even in the portion of the Lord’s own inheritance.
VERSE 13. I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, And as a cypress tree on the mountains of Hermon.
VERSE 14. I was exalted like a palm tree on the sea shore, And as rose plants in Jericho, And as a fair olive tree in the plain; And I was exalted as a plane tree.
VERSE 15. As cinnamon and aspalathus, I have given a scent of perfumes; And as choice myrrh, I spread abroad a pleasant odour; As galbanum, and onyx, and stacte, And as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle.
Exodus 30:34. The LORD said to Moses, “Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense. There shall be an equal weight of each.
VERSE 16. As the terebinth I stretched out my branches; And my branches are branches of glory and grace.
THE EFFECT OF WISDOM UPON THOSE WHO DRINK OF HER
VERSE 17. As the vine I put forth grace; And my flowers are the fruit of glory and riches.
NAB translation. I bud forth delights like the vine, my blossoms become fruit fair and rich.
fruit fair and rich. Wisdom is alluring. It draws people in. It delights and does not entrap.
VERSE 18.
This verse is omitted in the best manuscripts.
VERSE 19. Come to me, you that are desirous of me, And be you filled with my produce.
Matthew 11:28. Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
VERSE 20. For my memorial is sweeter than honey, And my inheritance than the honeycomb.
VERSE 21. They that eat me will yet be hungry; And those who drink me will yet be thirsty.
will yet be hungry. Wisdom is delightful. Once we taste of it, we want more.
John 6:35. Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will not be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
VERSE 22. He that obeys me will not be ashamed; And those who work in me will not do amiss.
VERSE 23. All these things are the book of the covenant of the Most High God, Even the law which Moses commanded us for a heritage to the assemblies of Jacob.
VERSE 24.
This verse is omitted in the best manuscripts.
VERSE 25. It is he that makes wisdom abundant, as Pishon, And as Tigris in the days of new fruits;
VERSE 26. That makes understanding full as Euphrates, And as Jordan in the days of harvest;
VERSE 27. That makes instruction to shine forth as the light, As Gihon in the days of vintage.
VERSE 28. The first man knew her not perfectly; And in like manner the last has not traced her out.
VERSE 29. For her thoughts are filled from the sea, And her counsels from the great deep.
VERSE 30. And I came out as a stream from a river, And as a conduit into a garden.
VERSE 31. I said, I will water my garden, And will water abundantly my garden bed; And, behold, my stream became river, And my river became a sea.
VERSE 32. I will yet bring instruction to light as the morning, And will make these things to shine forth afar off.
VERSE 33. I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, And leave it to generations of ages.
I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy. The Old Testament foresees Gentiles coming to faith in the One God of Israel and bringing gifts to Jerusalem. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
And in our day, the Lord Jesus Christ calls us Christians to take his Gospel to the whole world. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
leave it to generations of ages. The Jewish people took God’s wisdom and message to the ends of the world.
As they traveled, as they migrated, as they met people, they spoke God’s wisdom and message aloud. They actually led us Gentiles to faith in the One God.
Every nation on earth has been influenced in a positive way, thanks to the Jewish witness to the LORD God.
How can we Christians be courageous like them? How can we speak the message of the Lord Jesus Christ to our world? How can we influence others positively for the Lord Jesus Christ?
The though of explicitly sharing our faith in Jesus Christ might be terrifying. Don’t confuse your own fears with the negative leading of the Holy Spirit.
Every impulse of laziness and sin within us tries to squelch the sharing of this life-giving message with those who need it.
“I’m not gifted in evangelism,” we might think. “I’m not called to share my faith,” we say as we try to excuse ourselves from our God-given mandate.
VERSE 34. Behold that I have not labored for myself only, But for all those who diligently seek her.
SIRACH
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Chronology
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.