At the centre of the book, Wisdom praises herself: 'I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.' She sought rest until the Creator said, 'Let thy dwelling be in Jacob.' Established in Sion, she grew like a cedar in Libanus and a rose plant in Jericho, and calls, 'Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me.' The teacher then names her: 'the book of the covenant of the most high God, even the law which Moses commanded', overflowing like the Tigris, Euphrates and Jordan, while his own teaching grows from a brook into a sea.
Sirach 24 - Summary
Summary
Read Sirach Chapter 24 Summary
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Characters in This Chapter
Noah
Found perfect and righteous, kept as a remnant when the flood came, with an everlasting covenant
Abraham
Father of many nations, faithful when tested, to whom God swore to bless the nations in his seed
Moses
Beloved of God and men, brought into the cloud and given the law of life; the law he commanded is identified with Wisdom
Aaron
Given an everlasting priesthood; his vestments are described at length
David
Chosen out of Israel, slayer of Goliath, singer who set singers before the altar, given a covenant of kings
Solomon
Wise king of peace who built the temple, then stained his honour through his women
Elijah
Prophet 'as fire', taken up in a chariot of fire and appointed to turn the heart of the father to the son
Ben Sira
Author and sage of Jerusalem, who signs the book, praises the fathers and closes with his own prayer
Jacob
Father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel
Places in This Chapter
Jerusalem
View on MapCity where Wisdom finds her rest, for which the author prays, and whose walls and temple the Praise of the Fathers recalls
The Temple
View on MapRebuilt after the exile and repaired by the high priest Simon, whose liturgy there crowns the Praise of the Fathers
Jericho
View on MapJericho, one of the oldest cities in the world, was the first Canaanite city conquered by the Israelites after crossing the Jordan River. Its walls famously fell after the Israelites marched around it for seven days as commanded by God through Joshua. Jesus later passed through Jericho, healing blind Bartimaeus and dining with the tax collector Zacchaeus.
Position in Book
The Fear of the LordChapters 1-2
Parents, the Poor and Wisdom's DisciplineChapters 3-4
Speech, Friendship and PrudenceChapters 5-9
Pride, Wealth and GenerosityChapters 10-14
Free Will and God's MercyChapters 15-18
The Tongue and the FoolChapters 19-23
Wisdom Praises HerselfChapters 24
Wisdom comes from the mouth of the Most High, makes her dwelling in Israel and is identified with the law given through Moses.
Wives and the HouseholdChapters 25-26
Honest Dealing and ForgivenessChapters 27-32
God's Order, True Worship and a Prayer for IsraelChapters 33-36
Counsellors, Physicians and the ScribeChapters 37-39
Life, Death and the Glory of CreationChapters 40-43
The Praise of the FathersChapters 44-50
Thanksgiving and the Search for WisdomChapters 51