Ecclesiasticus, 46

1. Mighty in war was Joshua son of Nun, successor to Moses in the prophetic office, who well deserved his name, and was a great saviour of the chosen people, wreaking vengeance on the enemies who opposed him, and so bringing Israel into its inheritance.

1. From his descendants the Lord brought forth a man of mercy, who found favor in the sight of all flesh and was beloved by God and man, Moses, whose memory is blessed.

2. How splendid he was when, arms uplifted, he brandished his sword against cities!

2. He made him equal in glory to the holy ones, and made him great in the fears of his enemies.

3. Who had ever shown such determination as his? He himself led the battles of the Lord.

3. By his words he caused signs to cease; the Lord glorified him in the presence of kings. He gave him commands for his people, and showed him part of his glory.

4. Was not the sun held back by his hand, and one day drawn out into two?

4. He sanctified him through faithfulness and meekness; he chose him out of all mankind.

5. He called on the Most High, the Mighty One, while pressing the enemies from all directions, and the great Lord answered him with hard and violent hailstones.

5. He made him hear his voice, and led him into the thick darkness, and gave him the commandments face to face, the law of life and knowledge, to teach Jacob the covenant, and Israel his judgments.

6. He fell on that enemy nation, and at the Descent destroyed all resistance to make the nations acknowledge his warlike prowess and that he was waging war on behalf of the Lord.

6. He exalted Aaron, the brother of Moses, a holy man like him, of the tribe of Levi.

7. For he was a follower of the Mighty One, in the time of Moses showing his devotion, he and Caleb son of Jephunneh, by opposing the whole community, by preventing the people from sinning, and by silencing the mutters of rebellion.

7. He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him the priesthood of the people. He blessed him with splendid vestments, and put a glorious robe upon him.

8. Hence these two alone were preserved out of six hundred thousand men on the march, and brought into their inheritance, into a land where milk and honey flow.

8. He clothed him with superb perfection, and strengthened him with the symbols of authority, the linen breeches, the long robe, and the ephod.

9. And the Lord conferred strength on Caleb too, which stayed by him into old age, so that he could invest the highlands of the country which his descendants kept as their inheritance,

9. And he encircled him with pomegranates, with very many golden bells round about, to send forth a sound as he walked, to make their ringing heard in the temple as a reminder to the sons of his people;

10. so that every Israelite might see that it is good to follow the Lord.

10. with a holy garment, of gold and blue and purple, the work of an embroiderer; with the oracle of judgment, Urim and Thummim;

11. The Judges too, each when he was called, all men whose hearts were never disloyal, who never turned their backs on the Lord -- may their memory be blessed!

11. with twisted scarlet, the work of a craftsman; with precious stones engraved like signets, in a setting of gold, the work of a jeweler, for a reminder, in engraved letters, according to the number of the tribes of Israel;

12. May their bones flourish again from the tomb, and may the names of those illustrious men be worthily borne by their sons!

12. with a gold crown upon his turban, inscribed like a signet with "Holiness," a distinction to be prized, the work of an expert, the delight of the eyes, richly adorned.

13. Samuel was the beloved of his Lord; prophet of the Lord, he instituted the kingdom, and anointed rulers over his people.

13. Before his time there never were such beautiful things. No outsider ever put them on, but only his sons and his descendants perpetually.

14. By the Law of the Lord he judged the assembly, and the Lord watched over Jacob.

14. His sacrifices shall be wholly burned twice every day continually.

15. By his loyalty he was recognised as a prophet, by his words he was known to be a trustworthy seer.

15. Moses ordained him, and anointed him with holy oil; it was an everlasting covenant for him and for his descendants all the days of heaven, to minister to the Lord and serve as priest and bless his people in his name.

16. He called on the Lord, the Mighty One, when his enemies pressed in from all directions, by offering a sucking lamb.

16. He chose him out of all the living to offer sacrifice to the Lord, incense and a pleasing odor as a memorial portion, to make atonement for the people.

17. And the Lord thundered from heaven, and made his voice heard in a rolling peal;

17. In his commandments he gave him authority and statutes and judgments, to teach Jacob the testimonies, and to enlighten Israel with his law.

18. he massacred the leaders of the enemy, and all the rulers of the Philistines.

18. Outsiders conspired against him, and envied him in the wilderness, Dathan and Abiram and their men and the company of Korah, in wrath and anger.

19. Before the time of his everlasting rest he bore witness to the Lord and his anointed, 'Of no property, not even a pair of sandals, have I ever deprived a soul.' Nor did anyone accuse him.

19. The Lord saw it and was not pleased, and in the wrath of his anger they were destroyed; he wrought wonders against them to consume them in flaming fire.

20. And, having fallen asleep, he prophesied again, warning the king of his end; he spoke from the depths of the earth in prophecy, to blot out the wickedness of the people.

20. He added glory to Aaron and gave him a heritage; he allotted to him the first of the first fruits, he prepared bread of first fruits in abundance;

21.

21. for they eat the sacrifices to the Lord, which he gave to him and his descendants.

22.

22. But in the land of the people he has no inheritance, and he has no portion among the people; for the Lord himself is his portion and inheritance.

23.

23. Phinehas the son of Eleazar is the third in glory, for he was zealous in the fear of the Lord, and stood fast, when the people turned away, in the ready goodness of his soul, and made atonement for Israel.

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24. Therefore a covenant of peace was established with him, that he should be leader of the sanctuary and of his people, that he and his descendants should have the dignity of the priesthood for ever.

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25. A covenant was also established with David, the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah: the heritage of the king is from son to son only; so the heritage of Aaron is for his descendants.

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26. May the Lord grant you wisdom in your heart to judge his people in righteousness, so that their prosperity may not vanish, and that their glory may endure throughout their generations.