Sirach 45

Common English Bible

⁶ The Lord exalted Aaron,
a holy person like Moses,
    his brother from the tribe of Levi.
⁷ The Lord established
an eternal covenant with him
    and gave him the priesthood
    of the people.
    He blessed Aaron with dignity,
    and wrapped him in a glorious cloak.
⁸ The Lord clothed him
with unrivaled praise,^[b]
    and honored him
    with objects of power—
    leggings, a full-length robe,
    and the priestly vest.
⁹ He encircled Aaron with pomegranates,
    with a great number of gold bells
    all around,
    in order to create a sound
    when he stepped,
    to make a sound that would be heard
    in the temple,
    as a reminder for the children
    of the Lord’s people.
¹⁰ He clothed Aaron with the priestly vest,
with gold, blue, and purple,
the work of an embroiderer,
    with the oracle of judgment
    for making the truth known;
¹¹     with braided scarlet,
    the work of a craftsperson;
    with the precious stones
    of an engraved seal
    in a gold setting,
    the work of a jeweler,
        as a memorial in engraved writing
        according to the number
        of the tribes of Israel.
¹²     He set a gold crown
    upon his turban,
        carved with a sacred seal,
        an item worthy of praise,^[c]
        a work of strength,
    desirable objects to look at,
    richly adorned.
¹³ Before Aaron, such beautiful things
had not existed.
    No stranger will ever wear them,
        but only his sons and his descendants
        for all time.
¹⁴ His sacrifices will be entirely burned up
    twice daily, for all time.
¹⁵ Moses ordained Aaron
    and anointed him with holy oil;
        it became an everlasting covenant
        for him
            and for his descendants
            for as long as heaven lasts,
        to minister to God,
        to be a priest at the same time,
            and to bless his people in his name.
¹⁶ Moses chose him
out of all who were alive
    to offer fruitful sacrifices to the Lord,
        incense and a pleasing aroma
        as a remembrance,
        to secure reconciliation for the people.
¹⁷ By his commandments,
the Lord gave him authority
over covenants for judgment,
    to teach Jacob the testimonies,
    and to enlighten Israel with his Law.
¹⁸ Strangers conspired against Aaron,
    and they were jealous of him
    in the wilderness;
        those who were with
        Dathan and Abiram
        and the company of Korah
        assembled in anger and fury.
¹⁹ The Lord saw it and wasn’t pleased,
    and they were destroyed
    in his furious anger;
        he performed wonders among them,
        consuming them in a blazing fire.
²⁰ He added to Aaron’s glory
    and gave him an inheritance;
    he gave him as his share
    the initial portion of the early produce;
    he prepared in abundance
    bread from the early produce.
²¹ They also will eat the sacrifices
of the Lord,
    which he gave to him
    and to his descendants.
²² But he has no inheritance
in the land of the people,
    and he has no portion among the people;
    for the Lord is your portion
    and inheritance.

²³ Phinehas, Eleazar’s son,
comes third in glory,
    since he was on fire
    with the fear of the Lord,
        and since he stood firm
        when the people turned away,
        in the goodness and readiness
        of his spirit;
    thus he secured reconciliation for Israel.
²⁴ Therefore, a covenant of peace
was established with Phinehas,
    that he should preside
    over the holy places
    and over his people,
        so that he and his descendants
        might have the splendor
        of the priesthood forever.
²⁵ The Lord also made a covenant
with David,
    Jesse’s son, from the tribe of Judah;
        the king’s inheritance
        that passes from son to son only;
        Aaron’s inheritance
        is also for his descendants.