Texts in Conversation
In 1 Chronicles 29, David praises God as the source of all riches, honor and power. The Letter of Aristeas gives the king of Egypt the same lesson, that God grants kings their glory and wealth and no one is king by his own power.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
1 Chronicles 29:12
Hebrew Bible
10 David praised the Lord before the entire assembly: “O Lord God of our father Israel, you deserve praise forevermore! 11 O Lord, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all the sky and earth! You, Lord, have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler of all. 12 You are the source of wealth and honor; you rule over all. You possess strength and might to magnify and give strength to all. 13 Now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your majestic name! 14 “But who am I and who are my people that we should be in a position to contribute this much? Indeed, everything comes from you, and we have simply given back to you what is yours.
Letter of Aristeas 1:224
Letter of Aristeas to Philocrates
Pseudepigrapha, Hebrew Bible Expansions
It is probable that most men have an inclination towards food and drink and pleasure, and kings a bent towards the acquisition of territory and great renown. But it is good that there should be moderation in all things. What God gives you must take and keep, but never yearn for things that are beyond your reach.' Pleased with these words, the king asked the next How he could be free from envy? And he after a brief pause replied, 'If you consider first of all that it is God who gives all kings glory and great wealth and no one is king by his own power. All men wish to share this glory but cannot, since it is the gift of God.'
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Notes and References
“... 224. no one is king by his own power The idea that God is the source of royal authority has a sound biblical basis, best illustrated by David’s acknowledgment (1 Chron. 29:12; cf. Prov. 8:15), and it recurs in Jewish Hellenistic literature (e.g., Wis. 6:3; Sir. 10:4). There is no need to see here a glance at Hellenistic ruler cult. ...”
Gruen, Erich S.
"The Letter of Aristeas" in Feldman, Louis H.; Kugel, James L.; Schiffman, Lawrence H. (ed.) Outside the Bible: Ancient Jewish Writings Related to Scripture
(p. 2752) Jewish Publication Society, 2013
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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