Ecclesiasticus 45

From him he brought out a man of mercy, who found favor with all people: Moses, loved by God and by people, whose memory is blessed.

1And he brought out of him a merciful man, which found favour in the sight of all flesh, even Moses, beloved of God and men, whose memorial is blessed.

NoteThis continues the roll call of Israel's ancestors begun in the previous chapter. "From him" means from Israel, that is Jacob, the last name mentioned before this. "Whose memory is blessed" was a standing formula attached to the name of an honored dead man, roughly "may he be well remembered."

2He made him like the holy ones in glory, and made him great, so that his enemies were afraid of him.

2He made him like to the glorious saints, and magnified him, so that his enemies stood in fear of him.

NoteWhere the King James has "glorious saints," the Greek word means "holy ones," a usual term for the heavenly beings around God rather than for holy human beings.

3By his words he made the wonders stop. He gave him honor in the sight of kings, and gave him a command for his people, and showed him part of his glory.

3By his words he caused the wonders to cease, and he made him glorious in the sight of kings, and gave him a commandment for his people, and shewed him part of his glory.

NoteThe "wonders" are the plagues of Egypt, which Moses both called down and called off by a word. The "kings" before whom he was honored means Pharaoh and his court.

4He set him apart in his faithfulness and his gentleness, and chose him out of all people.

4He sanctified him in his faithfuless and meekness, and chose him out of all men.

NoteThe Greek word behind "gentleness" covers both mildness of temper and humility. It echoes Numbers 12:3, which calls Moses the meekest man on earth.

5He let him hear his voice, and brought him into the dark cloud, and gave him commandments face to face: the law of life and knowledge, so that he might teach Jacob his covenants and Israel his decisions.

5He made him to hear his voice, and brought him into the dark cloud, and gave him commandments before his face, even the law of life and knowledge, that he might teach Jacob his covenants, and Israel his judgments.

NoteAt Sinai the mountain was wrapped in thick cloud and darkness, and Moses went up into it to receive the law. "Face to face" was an ordinary idiom for dealing directly, as one person deals with another. "Jacob" and "Israel" are both names for the nation descended from the man who bore them; Hebrew poetry regularly pairs the two.

6He lifted up Aaron, a holy man like him, his own brother, of the tribe of Levi.

6He exalted Aaron, an holy man like unto him, even his brother, of the tribe of Levi.

NoteLevi was one of the twelve tribes, set apart for work at the sanctuary. Within it, only the family of Aaron served as priests; the rest of the Levites did the supporting work of guarding, carrying and singing.

7He made an agreement with him that would last forever, and gave him the priesthood among the people. He made him beautiful with fine ornaments and dressed him in a robe of glory.

7An everlasting covenant he made with him and gave him the priesthood among the people; he beautified him with comely ornaments, and clothed him with a robe of glory.

8He put perfect glory on him, and gave him strength with rich clothing: with linen trousers, with a long robe, and with the ephod.

8He put upon him perfect glory; and strengthened him with rich garments, with breeches, with a long robe, and the ephod.

NoteThe ephod was a sleeveless vestment worn by the high priest over his robe, with the breastpiece fastened to it. The "breeches" of the King James are the linen undergarments priests were required to wear when serving at the altar, for modesty.

9He put pomegranates all around him, and many golden bells all around, so that as he walked there would be a sound, a noise that could be heard in the temple, as a reminder for the children of his people.

9And he compassed him with pomegranates, and with many golden bells round about, that as he went there might be a sound, and a noise made that might be heard in the temple, for a memorial to the children of his people;

NoteSmall woven pomegranates and gold bells alternated around the hem of the high priest's robe, so that he could be heard as he moved in the sanctuary. "Temple" is loose here: in Aaron's day the sanctuary was a portable tent, but the writer, living many centuries later, uses the word for the Jerusalem temple he knew.

10He gave him a holy garment of gold, blue cloth, and purple, the work of the embroiderer; and a breastpiece for making decisions, with the Urim and Thummim;

10With an holy garment, with gold, and blue silk, and purple, the work of the embroidere, with a breastplate of judgment, and with Urim and Thummim;

NoteThe "breastplate of judgment" was a folded pouch of cloth worn on the chest; it is called a breastpiece of judgment or decision because of what it held. The Urim and Thummim were two objects kept inside it, used to obtain a yes or no answer from God. How they worked is never described, and the two words, which seem to mean something like "lights" and "perfections," are never explained.

11and twisted scarlet thread, the work of the skilled worker; and precious stones cut like seals and set in gold, the work of the jeweler, with words engraved on them as a reminder, matching the number of the tribes of Israel.

11With twisted scarlet, the work of the cunning workman, with precious stones graven like seals, and set in gold, the work of the jeweller, with a writing engraved for a memorial, after the number of the tribes of Israel.

NoteA seal was a small stone carved in reverse and pressed into wet clay or wax to mark a document as yours; a stone "cut like a seal" is one with lettering engraved into its face. The twelve stones on the breastpiece carried the names of the twelve tribes, one to a stone.

12He set a crown of gold on the turban, with "Holiness" engraved on it: an ornament of honor, a costly piece of work, a delight to the eyes, fine and beautiful.

12He set a crown of gold upon the mitre, wherein was engraved Holiness, an ornament of honour, a costly work, the desires of the eyes, goodly and beautiful.

NoteA thin plate of gold was tied to the front of the high priest's headdress, engraved with the words "Holiness to the LORD." The King James "mitre" means a turban of linen wound around the head, not the pointed hat later worn by bishops.

13Before him there was nothing like these things, and no outsider ever put them on, but only his children and his children's children, always.

13Before him there were none such, neither did ever any stranger put them on, but only his children and his children’s children perpetually.

Note"Stranger" here does not mean a foreigner. It means anyone outside Aaron's family, including other Israelites and even Levites of other families, none of whom could wear the priestly vestments.

14Their sacrifices are to be burned up completely, twice every day, without stopping.

14Their sacrifices shall be wholly consumed every day twice continually.

Note"Burned up completely" is the technical description of a whole burnt offering, one in which nothing is held back to be eaten by the priest or the worshiper. The twice daily offering meant is the grain offering the high priest presented every morning and evening.

15Moses set him apart and anointed him with holy oil. This was given to him by an everlasting agreement, and to his descendants, for as long as the heavens last: that they should serve him, carry out the work of the priesthood, and bless the people in his name.

15Moses consecrated him, and anointed him with holy oil: this was appointed unto him by an everlasting covenant, and to his seed, so long as the heavens should remain, that they should minister unto him, and execute the office of the priesthood, and bless the people in his name.

NoteAnointing meant pouring perfumed olive oil over a man's head, the ceremony that installed him in office. The same act made kings, and the words "Messiah" and "Christ" both simply mean "anointed."

16He chose him out of all living people to offer sacrifices to the Lord, and incense, and a sweet smell, as a reminder, to make reconciliation for his people.

16He chose him out of all men living to offer sacrifices to the Lord, incense, and a sweet savour, for a memorial, to make reconciliation for his people.

Note"As a reminder" translates a technical term. A handful of a grain offering was burned on the altar and called the memorial portion, the part that brought the giver to mind before God. "Reconciliation" renders the word usually translated as atonement: the ritual covering or removal of an offense.

17He gave him his commandments, and authority in the rules for making decisions, so that he should teach Jacob the testimonies and instruct Israel in his laws.

17He gave unto him his commandments, and authority in the statutes of judgments, that he should teach Jacob the testimonies, and inform Israel in his laws.

NotePriests were not only sacrificers but judges and teachers. Part of the office was giving rulings in disputes and deciding what was clean or unclean, which is what "the rules for making decisions" refers to.

18Strangers plotted together against him and were jealous of him in the wilderness: the men on Dathan's and Abiron's side, and the company of Core, with fury and anger.

18Strangers conspired together against him, and maligned him in the wilderness, even the men that were of Dathan’s and Abiron’s side, and the congregation of Core, with fury and wrath.

NoteCore and Abiron are the Greek spellings of Korah and Abiram. Numbers 16 tells of their revolt against Moses and against Aaron's family holding the priesthood alone. "Strangers" again means outsiders to that family, not foreigners.

19The Lord saw this, and it displeased him, and in his burning anger they were destroyed. He did wonders against them, burning them up with flaming fire.

19This the Lord saw, and it displeased him, and in his wrathful indignation were they consumed: he did wonders upon them, to consume them with the fiery flame.

NoteIn the account the ground opened and swallowed the ringleaders with their households, and fire burned up the two hundred and fifty men who had offered incense as a challenge to Aaron.

20But he gave Aaron more honor, and gave him a share to hand down, and gave him the first part of the harvest; above all, he provided bread in plenty.

20But he made Aaron more honourable, and gave him an heritage, and divided unto him the firstfruits of the increase; especially he prepared bread in abundance:

NoteThe firstfruits were the first and best part of each harvest, owed to the sanctuary and assigned to the priests as their living. The bread meant is the loaves that came to the priests from the offerings brought in.

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

21For they eat of the sacrifices of the Lord, which he gave unto him and his seed.

NotePriests were fed from the offerings: fixed portions of most sacrifices went to them and their families rather than being burned. This was their income, not a privilege added to one.

22Yet in the land of the people he had nothing to hand down, and he had no share among the people, for the Lord himself is his share and what he inherits.

22Howbeit in the land of the people he had no inheritance, neither had he any portion among the people: for the Lord himself is his portion and inheritance.

NoteWhen Canaan was divided among the tribes, Levi received no territory of its own, only towns to live in, and was supported by tithes and offerings instead. "Portion and inheritance" was the ordinary legal language for a family's allotted farmland, used here for what the priests had in place of land.

23Third in glory is Phinees the son of Eleazar, because he was eager in the fear of the Lord and stood firm with a brave heart when the people turned away, and he made reconciliation for Israel.

23The third in glory is Phinees the son of Eleazar, because he had zeal in the fear of the Lord, and stood up with good courage of heart: when the people were turned back, and made reconciliation for Israel.

NotePhinees is the Greek spelling of Phinehas, grandson of Aaron. Numbers 25 tells how, during a plague that followed Israelite involvement in the worship of Baal of Peor, he ran a spear through an Israelite man and a Midianite woman, and the plague stopped. "Zeal" here means fierce, jealous defense of God's honor, not eagerness in the modern sense.

24So an agreement of peace was made with him: that he should be head of the holy place and of his people, and that he and his descendants should hold the honor of the priesthood forever.

24Therefore was there a covenant of peace made with him, that he should be the chief of the sanctuary and of his people, and that he and his posterity should have the dignity of the priesthood for ever:

NoteThe "covenant of peace" comes from Numbers 25:12, where Phinehas and his descendants are promised the priesthood permanently. Being "head of the holy place" means holding the chief office at the sanctuary, the high priesthood.

25It matches the agreement made with David son of Jesse, of the tribe of Juda, that what the king hands down goes to his descendants alone. In the same way, what Aaron hands down goes to his descendants.

25According to the covenant made with David son of Jesse, of the tribe of Juda, that the inheritance of the king should be to his posterity alone: so the inheritance of Aaron should also be unto his seed.

NoteThe covenant with David is the promise that the kingship would stay in his family. The Greek of this verse is awkward and translations differ: it can be read as saying that a king's inheritance passes to a single heir, while Aaron's passes to all his descendants alike, or simply that both lines are hereditary in the same way.

26May God give you wisdom in your heart to judge his people fairly, so that their good things are not wiped out, and their glory lasts forever.

26God give you wisdom in your heart to judge his people in righteousness, that their good things be not abolished, and that their glory may endure for ever.

NoteThe "you" is plural, and the writer breaks off his third person praise to address his readers directly. The chapter ends as a spoken blessing over the priests of his own day.