'Surely vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God.' Some took fire, wind or the stars for gods; yet by the greatness and beauty of the creatures their maker is seen. These are less to blame, perhaps seeking God, yet not pardoned: if they could understand the world, why not its Lord? More miserable are those who call the works of men's hands gods. The author mocks a carpenter who makes a useful vessel, cooks his meat with the refuse, then carves a crooked, knotty piece into an idol, paints it red and asks it for health.
Wisdom 13 - Summary
Summary
Read Wisdom Chapter 13 Summary
Original
Characters in This Chapter
Solomon
The king whose voice the book adopts, never named: he prays for wisdom and is charged with building the temple
Adam
The first formed father, whom wisdom preserved and brought out of his fall
Noah
The righteous man steered through the flood on a piece of wood of small value
Abraham
The righteous man kept blameless and strong against his tender love for his son
Joseph
The righteous man who was sold, whom wisdom followed into the pit and raised to the sceptre
Moses
The servant of the Lord and holy prophet through whom wisdom faced Pharaoh and led Israel
Places in This Chapter
Position in Book
Righteousness and ImmortalityChapters 1-2
The Fate of the RighteousChapters 3-5
A Call to KingsChapters 6
Solomon's Love of WisdomChapters 7-9
Wisdom in HistoryChapters 10-11
God's Patience and the Folly of IdolsChapters 12-15
God judges little by little to leave room for repentance; nature worship, carved idols and the potter's gods are exposed one after another.
Egypt and IsraelChapters 16-19