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Sirach

Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus

About this book
Chapter 35

1 He who keeps the law multiplies offerings. 2 He who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering. 3 He who returns a kindness offers fine flour. 4 He who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering. 5 To depart from wickedness pleases the Lord. To depart from unrighteousness is an atoning sacrifice. 6 See that you don’t appear in the presence of the Lord empty. 7 For all these things are done because of the commandment. 8 The offering of the righteous enriches the altar. The sweet fragrance of it is before the Most High. 9 The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable. It won’t be forgotten. 10 Glorify the Lord with generosity. Don’t reduce the first fruits of your hands. 11 In every gift show a cheerful face, and dedicate your tithe with gladness.⁠ 12 Give to the Most High according as he has given. As your hand has found, give generously. 13 For the Lord repays, and he will repay you sevenfold. 14 Don’t plan to bribe him with gifts, for he will not receive them. 15 Don’t set your mind on an unrighteous sacrifice, For the Lord is the judge, and with him is no respect of persons.⁠ 16 He won’t accept any person against a poor man. He will listen to the prayer of him who is wronged. 17 He will in no way despise the supplication of the fatherless or the widow, when she pours out her tale.⁠ 18 Don’t the tears of the widow run down her cheek? 19 Isn’t her cry against him who has caused them to fall? 20 He who serves God according to his good pleasure will be accepted. His supplication will reach to the clouds. 21 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds. until it comes near, he will not be comforted. He won’t depart until the Most High visits and he judges righteously and executes judgment.⁠ 22 And the Lord will not be slack, neither will he be patient toward them, until he has crushed the loins of the unmerciful.⁠ 23 He will repay vengeance to the nations until he has taken away the multitude of the arrogant and broken in pieces the sceptres of the unrighteous, 24 until he has rendered to every man according to his deeds, and repaid the works of men according to their plans, 25 until he has judged the cause of his people, and he will make them rejoice in his mercy. 26 Mercy is as welcome in the time of his affliction, as clouds of rain in the time of drought.

Texts in conversation

Compare Deuteronomy 10:18 and Sirach 35:15

Hebrew Bible · Deuterocanon

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Summary

Sirach, similar to Proverbs, echoes Deuteronomy and Exodus to emphasize justice for the poor, widows, and orphans. This connection shows how Sirach grounds its teaching in tradition, connected to the Torah and its emphasis on caring for the vulnerable.

Passages

Deuteronomy 10:18

Hebrew Bible
16 Therefore, circumcise your hearts and stop being so stubborn! 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, 18 who justly treats the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing. 19 So you must love the resident foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
750–400 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Deuteronomy

Sirach 35:15

Deuterocanon · Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
13 For the Lord repays, and he will repay you sevenfold. 14 Don’t plan to bribe him with gifts, for he will not receive them. 15 Don’t set your mind on an unrighteous sacrifice, For the Lord is the judge, and with him is no respect of persons. 16 He won’t accept any person against a poor man. He will listen to the prayer of him who is wronged. 17 He will in no way despise the supplication of the fatherless or the widow, when she pours out her tale. 18 Don’t the tears of the widow run down her cheek? 19 Isn’t her cry against him who has caused them to fall?
195–180 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Sirach

References

"... the text of James echoes texts like Deuteronomy 10:17-18 and Sirach 35:10-15 ... Sophie Laws is right: "James is not here concerned with the definition of Christology [which the theophanic view emphasizes] but with the relation between faith and behavior" ..."
Scot McKnight, The Letter of James (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2011), 178–179.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Deuteronomy 10:18 and Sirach 35:15

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