Sirach 46
Good News Translation
Joshua
46 (A)Joshua[a] son of Nun was a great soldier and the next of the prophets after Moses. He lived up to the meaning of his name as the great deliverer of the Lord's chosen people. He defeated the enemies that attacked them, so that Israel could claim its land. 2 How magnificent it was when he raised his arm and then led the attacks on the cities! 3 No one could stand up to him;[b] he was fighting a holy war for the Lord. 4 Remember how he held back the sun and made one day as long as two? 5 When his enemies were threatening him from every side, he prayed to the mighty Lord Most High, and his prayer was answered with a hailstorm of devastating force. 6 The Lord hurled the hail down on the enemy[c] and destroyed them at the pass at Beth Horon, so that the nations would realize how strong Joshua was, since he was fighting as a devoted follower of the Lord.
Caleb
7 (B)Joshua was loyal as long as Moses lived, both he and Caleb son of Jephunneh. They stood up to the whole community, made them stop their ungrateful complaining, and kept them from sinning. 8 Out of the 600,000 Israelites who marched through the wilderness, these two were the only ones spared and allowed to enter the rich and fertile land that was to be theirs. 9 The Lord made Caleb strong, and when he was an old man, he was still strong enough to go up into the hill country and capture it for himself and his descendants. 10 Then all of Israel could see how good it is to follow the Lord.
The Judges
11 (C)Then there were the judges, each of them famous in their own right, who never fell into idolatry and never abandoned the Lord. 12 May their memory be honored! May these whom we honor spring from the grave to new life in their descendants!
Samuel
13 (D)Samuel was loved by the Lord. As the Lord's prophet he established the kingdom and appointed rulers for the people. 14 He judged the nation in accordance with the Law of the Lord, and the Lord protected Israel. 15 Because Samuel was faithful, he was accepted as a true prophet. People trusted him as a seer because of his words. 16 When his enemies were threatening him from every side, he called upon the mighty Lord and offered him a young lamb as a sacrifice. 17 Then the Lord thundered from heaven with a mighty roar 18 and destroyed all the enemy[d] rulers of Philistia. 19 When Samuel was about to die, he gave assurances before the Lord and the anointed king that he had never taken anyone's property, not even so much as a pair of shoes, and no one contradicted him. 20 Even after he died, he prophesied to King Saul how he would die. Out of the grave he spoke as a prophet, to blot out his people's wickedness.
Footnotes
- Sirach 46:1 joshua: This name in Hebrew means the Lord saves.
- Sirach 46:3 Hebrew no one...to him; Greek No one before had ever been so brave.
- Sirach 46:6 Probable text The Lord hurled...enemy; Greek unclear.
- Sirach 46:18 Hebrew enemy; Greek rulers of Tyre and.
Sirach 46
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Joshua and Caleb
46 Joshua son of Nun was mighty in war
and was the successor of Moses in the prophetic office.
He became, as his name implies,
a great savior of God’s[a] elect,
to take vengeance on the enemies who rose against them,
so that he might give Israel its inheritance.(A)
2 How glorious he was when he lifted his hands
and brandished his sword against the cities!(B)
3 Who before him ever stood so firm?
For he waged the wars of the Lord.
4 Was it not through him that the sun stood still
and one day became as long as two?(C)
5 He called upon the Most High, the Mighty One,
when enemies pressed him on every side,
and the great Lord answered him
with hailstones of mighty power.(D)
6 He overwhelmed that nation in battle,
and on the slope he destroyed his opponents,
so that the nations might know his armament,
because their battle was against[b] the Lord,
for he was a devoted follower of the Mighty One.(E)
7 And in the days of Moses he showed compassion,
he and Caleb son of Jephunneh:
they opposed the congregation,[c]
restrained the people from sin,
and stilled their wicked grumbling.(F)
8 And these two alone were spared
out of six hundred thousand infantry,
to lead the people[d] into their inheritance,
the land flowing with milk and honey.(G)
9 The Lord gave Caleb strength,
which remained with him in his old age,
so that he went up to the hill country,
and his children obtained it for an inheritance,(H)
10 so that all the Israelites might see
how good it is to follow the Lord.
The Judges
11 The judges also, with their respective names,
whose hearts did not fall into idolatry
and who did not turn away from the Lord—
may their memory be blessed!(I)
12 May their bones send forth new life from where they lie,
and may the names of those who have been honored
live again in their children
13 Samuel was beloved by his Lord;
a prophet of the Lord, he established the kingdom
and anointed rulers over his people.(K)
14 By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation,
and the Lord watched over Jacob.
15 By his faithfulness he was proved to be a prophet,
and by his words he became known as a trustworthy seer.(L)
16 He called upon the Lord, the Mighty One,
when his enemies pressed him on every side,
and he offered in sacrifice a suckling lamb.(M)
17 Then the Lord thundered from heaven
and made his voice heard with a mighty sound;
18 he subdued the leaders of the enemy[f]
and all the rulers of the Philistines.
19 Before the time of his eternal sleep,
Samuel[g] bore witness before the Lord and his anointed:
“No property, not so much as a pair of shoes,
have I taken from anyone!”
And no one accused him.(N)
20 Even after he had fallen asleep, he prophesied
and made known to the king his death
and lifted up his voice from the ground
in prophecy, to blot out the lawlessness of the people.(O)
Ben Sira 46
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 46
Joshua, Caleb, the Judges, and Samuel
1 Valiant warrior was Joshua,[a] son of Nun,
aide to Moses in the prophetic office,
Formed to be, as his name implies,
the great savior of God’s chosen ones,
To punish the enemy
and to give to Israel their heritage.(A)
2 What glory was his when he raised his hand,
to brandish his sword against the city!(B)
3 Who could withstand him
when he fought the battles of the Lord?[b]
4 Was it not by that same hand the sun stopped,
so that one day became two?(C)
5 He called upon the Most High God
when his enemies beset him on all sides,
And God Most High answered him
with hailstones of tremendous power,
6 That rained down upon the hostile army
till on the slope he destroyed the foe;
That all the doomed nations might know
the Lord was watching over his people’s battles.
He was indeed a devoted follower of God
7 and showed himself loyal in Moses’ lifetime.
He and Caleb,[c] son of Jephunneh,
when they opposed the rebel assembly,
Averted God’s anger from the people
and suppressed the wicked complaint.(D)
8 Because of this, these two alone were spared
from the six hundred thousand infantry,
To lead the people into their heritage,
the land flowing with milk and honey.(E)
9 The strength God gave to Caleb
remained with him even in old age
Till he won his way onto the summits of the land;
his family too received a heritage,(F)
10 That all the offspring of Jacob might know
how good it is to be a devoted follower of the Lord.
11 The Judges,[d] each one of them,
whose hearts were not deceived,
Who did not abandon God—
may their memory be ever blessed!(G)
12 May their bones flourish with new life where they lie,
and their names receive fresh luster in their children!
13 Beloved of his people, dear to his Maker,
pledged in a vow from his mother’s womb,
As one consecrated to the Lord in the prophetic office,
was Samuel, the judge who offered sacrifice.
At God’s word he established the kingdom
and anointed princes to rule the people.(H)
14 By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation,
and visited the encampments of Jacob.
15 As a trustworthy prophet he was sought out
and his words proved him to be a true seer.
16 He, too, called upon the mighty Lord
when his enemies pressed him on every side,
and offered up a suckling lamb.(I)
17 Then the Lord thundered from heaven,
and the tremendous roar of his voice was heard.(J)
18 He brought low the rulers of the enemy
and destroyed all the lords of the Philistines.
19 When Samuel neared the end of life,
he testified before the Lord and his anointed prince,
“No bribe or secret gift have I taken from anyone!”
and no one could accuse him.(K)
20 Even after death his guidance was sought;
he made known to the king his fate.
From the grave he spoke in prophecy
to put an end to wickedness.(L)
Footnotes
- 46:1–6 Joshua: whose name means “the Lord is savior” (v. 1), was the instrument through which God delivered his people in marvelous ways (vv. 2–6) by destroying their enemies, whose land he gave to the Israelites as a heritage (v. 1).
- 46:3 The battles of the Lord: cf. Jos 6–11.
- 46:7–10 Caleb: with Joshua he advised Moses to enter Canaan, despite the counsel of their companion scouts and the rebellion of the people. He led the next generation of Israelites into the promised land. He received a portion of land which he himself had conquered; cf. Jos 15:13–14.
- 46:11–20 Of the judges praised and blessed for their fidelity to God in opposing idolatry, Samuel was the greatest (vv. 11–13, 19). He was judge, prophet, and priest. Through his sacrificial offering he obtained victory over the Philistines. He established the kingdom, anointed kings (vv. 13–18), and even after his death foretold the king’s fate (v. 20).
Sirach 46
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
46 Valiant in war was Jesus the son of Nave, who was successor of Moses among the prophets, who was great according to his name,
2 Very great for the saving the elect of God, to overthrow the enemies that rose up against them, that he might get the inheritance for Israel.
3 How great glory did he gain when he lifted up his hands, and stretched out swords against the cities?
4 Who before him hath so resisted? for the Lord himself brought the enemies.
5 Was not the sun stopped in his anger, and one day made as two?
6 He called upon the most high Sovereign when the enemies assaulted him on every side, and the great and holy God heard him by hailstones of exceeding great force.
7 He made a violent assault against the nation of his enemies, and in the descent he destroyed the adversaries.
8 That the nations might know his power, that it is not easy to fight against God. And he followed the mighty one:
9 And in the days of Moses he did a work of mercy, he and Caleb the son of Jephone, in standing against the enemy, and withholding the people from sins, and appeasing the wicked murmuring.
10 And they two being appointed, were delivered out of the danger from among the number of six hundred thousand men on foot, to bring them into their inheritance, into the land that floweth with milk and honey.
11 And the Lord gave strength also to Caleb, and his strength continued even to his old age, so that he went up to the high places of the land, and his seed obtained it for an inheritance:
12 That all the children of Israel might see, that it is good to obey the holy God.
13 Then all the judges, every one by name, whose heart was not corrupted: who turned not away from the Lord,
14 That their memory might be blessed, and their bones spring up out of their place,
15 And their name continue for ever, the glory of the holy men remaining unto their children.
16 Samuel the prophet of the Lord, the beloved of the Lord his God, established a new government, and anointed princes over his people.
17 By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation, and the God of Jacob beheld, and by his fidelity he was proved a prophet.
18 And he was known to be faithful in his words, because he saw the God of light:
19 And called upon the name of the Lord Almighty, in fighting against the enemies who beset him on every side, when he offered a lamb without blemish.
20 And the Lord thundered from heaven, and with a great noise made his voice to be heard.
21 And he crushed the princes of the Tyrians, and all the lords of the Philistines:
22 And before the time of the end of his life in the world, he protested before the Lord, and his anointed: money, or any thing else, even to a shoe, he had not taken of any man, and no man did accuse him.
23 And after this he slept, and he made known to the king, and shewed him the end of his life, and he lifted up his voice from the earth in prophecy to blot out the wickedness of the nation.
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