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Sirach

Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus

About this book
Chapter 43

1 The pride of the heavenly heights is the clear sky, the appearance of heaven, in the spectacle of its glory. 2 The sun, when it appears, bringing tidings as it rises, is a marvelous instrument, the work of the Most High.⁠ 3 At noon, it dries up the land. Who can stand against its burning heat? 4 A man tending a furnace is in burning heat, but the sun three times more, burning up the mountains, breathing out fiery vapors, and sending out bright beams, it blinds the eyes. 5 Great is the Lord who made it. At his word, he hastens on its course. 6 The moon marks the changing seasons, declares times, and is a sign for the world. 7 From the moon is the sign of feast days, a light that wanes when it completes its course. 8 The month is called after its name, increasing wonderfully in its changing— an instrument of the army on high, shining in the structure of heaven, 9 the beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord. 10 At the word of the Holy One, they will stand in due order. They won’t faint in their watches. 11 Look at the rainbow, and praise him who made it. It is exceedingly beautiful in its brightness. 12 It encircles the sky with its glorious circle. The hands of the Most High have stretched it out. 13 By his commandment, he makes the snow fall and swiftly sends the lightnings of his judgment.⁠ 14 Therefore the storehouses are opened, and clouds fly out like birds. 15 By his mighty power, he makes the clouds strong and the hailstones are broken in pieces. 17 The voice of his thunder rebukes the earth. At his appearing, the mountains will be shaken.⁠ At his will, the south wind will blow. So does the northern storm and the whirlwind. Like birds flying down, he sprinkles the snow. It falls down like the alighting of locusts. 18 The eye is dazzled at the beauty of its whiteness. The heart is amazed as it falls. 19 He also pours out frost on the earth like salt.⁠ When it is freezes, it has points like thorns. 20 The cold north wind blows and ice freezes on the water. It settles on every pool of water. The water puts it on like it was a breastplate. 21 It will devour the mountains, burn up the wilderness, and consume the green grass like fire. 22 A mist coming speedily heals all things. A dew coming after heat brings cheerfulness. 23 By his counsel, he has calmed the deep and planted islands in it. 24 Those who sail on the sea tell of its dangers. We marvel when we hear it with our ears. 25 There are also those strange and wondrous works in it— variety of all that has life and the huge creatures of the sea. 26 Because of him, his messengers succeed. By his word, all things hold together.⁠ 27 We may say many things, but couldn’t say enough. The summary of our words is, “He is everything!”⁠ 28 How could we have strength to glorify him? For he is himself the greater than all his works. 29 The Lord is awesome and exceedingly great! His power is marvelous! 30 Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can! For even yet, he will surpass that. When you exalt him, summon your full strength. Don’t be weary, because you can’t praise him enough. 31 Who has seen him, that he may describe him? Who can magnify him as he is? 32 Many things greater than these are hidden, for we have seen just a few of his works. 33 For the Lord made all things. He gave wisdom to the godly.

Texts in conversation

Compare 1 Enoch 59:2 and Sirach 43:17

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · Deuterocanon

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Summary

Sirach and 1 Enoch both describe storms, winds, and snow as powers drawn from heavenly storehouses and directed by divine command. This imagery preserves echoes of ancient Near Eastern traditions of storm gods.

Passages

1 Enoch 59:2

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
1 In those days, my eyes saw the secrets of the lightnings and lights, and the judgments they carry out; they shine for a blessing or a curse as the Lord of Spirits wills. 2 There I saw the secrets of thunder, and how when it resounds above in the heaven, its sound is heard. He made me see the judgments executed on the earth, whether for well-being and blessing, or for a curse, according to the word of the Lord of Spirits. 3 After that, all the secrets of the lights and lightnings were shown to me, and they shine for blessing and fulfillment.
300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

Sirach 43:17

Deuterocanon · Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
13 By his commandment, he makes the snow fall and swiftly sends the lightnings of his judgment. 14 Therefore the storehouses are opened, and clouds fly out like birds. 15 By his mighty power, he makes the clouds strong and the hailstones are broken in pieces. 17 The voice of his thunder rebukes the earth. At his appearing, the mountains will be shaken. At his will, the south wind will blow. So does the northern storm and the whirlwind. Like birds flying down, he sprinkles the snow. It falls down like the alighting of locusts. 18 The eye is dazzled at the beauty of its whiteness. The heart is amazed as it falls.
195–180 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Sirach

References

"... This change in emphasis in verses 13–22 is perhaps most clearly seen in the shift from created work to God himself as the grammatical subject. Whereas the sun, moon, and rainbow were depicted as independent subjects acting in the world to fulfill their task, the weather elements are presented as God’s instruments, or at most intermediate subjects with God as the ultimate agent: God opens the storehouse, makes clouds fly, pours out frost, causes winds to blow, causes water to freeze, scorches the vegetation of the earth, and releases dew to refresh the scorched ground. (In addition, God’s rebuke, might, and command are used as grammatical subjects referring to God’s action: he marks the hailstones, directs the lightning, strengthens clouds, hews out hailstones, and stirs up various storms. Though the whiteness of the snow and the rain, which are described as blinding the eyes and astounding the mind) ... The characterization of these weather phenomena as instruments of divine judgment is immediately reinforced by the image of God loosening his storehouse in order to make clouds fly like predatory birds (compare Argall, 1 Enoch and Sirach) ..."
A. Jordan Schmidt, Wisdom, Cosmos, and Cultus in the Book of Sirach (Berlin: de Gruyter, 2019), 182–184.

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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1 Enoch 59:2 and Sirach 43:17

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