Sir 47:16 Thy name went far unto the islands; and for thy peace thou wast beloved.
Sir 47:17 The countries marvelled at thee for thy songs, and proverbs, and parables, and interpretations.
Sir 47:18 By the name of the Lord G.o.d, which is called the Lord G.o.d of Israel, thou didst gather gold as tin and didst multiply silver as lead.
Sir 47:19 Thou didst bow thy loins unto women, and by thy body thou wast brought into subjection.
Sir 47:20 Thou didst stain thy honour, and pollute thy seed: so that thou broughtest wrath upon thy children, and wast grieved for thy folly.
Sir 47:21 So the kingdom was divided, and out of Ephraim ruled a rebellious kingdom.
Sir 47:22 But the Lord will never leave off his mercy, neither shall any of his works perish, neither will he abolish the posterity of his elect, and the seed of him that loveth him he will not take away: wherefore he gave a remnant unto Jacob, and out of him a root unto David.
Sir 47:23 Thus rested Solomon with his fathers, and of his seed he left behind him Roboam, even the foolishness of the people, and one that had no understanding, who turned away the people through his counsel. There was also Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, and shewed Ephraim the way of sin:
Sir 47:24 And their sins were multiplied exceedingly, that they were driven out of the land.
Sir 47:25 For they sought out all wickedness, till the vengeance came upon them.
Sir 48:1 Then stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp.
Sir 48:2 He brought a sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number.
Sir 48:3 By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and also three times brought down fire.
Sir 48:4 O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee!
Sir 48:5 Who didst raise up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead, by the word of the most High:
Sir 48:6 Who broughtest kings to destruction, and honorable men from their bed:
Sir 48:7 Who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in h.o.r.eb the judgment of vengeance:
Sir 48:8 Who annointedst kings to take revenge, and prophets to succeed after him:
Sir 48:9 Who was taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses:
Sir 48:10 Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord"s judgment, before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
Sir 48:11 Blessed are they that saw thee, and slept in love; for we shall surely live.
Sir 48:12 Elias it was, who was covered with a whirlwind: and Eliseus was filled with his spirit: whilst he lived, he was not moved with the presence of any prince, neither could any bring him into subjection.
Sir 48:13 No word could overcome him; and after his death his body prophesied.
Sir 48:14 He did wonders in his life, and at his death were his works marvellous.
Sir 48:15 For all this the people repented not, neither departed they from their sins, till they were spoiled and carried out of their land, and were scattered through all the earth: yet there remained a small people, and a ruler in the house of David:
Sir 48:16 Of whom some did that which was pleasing to G.o.d, and some multiplied sins.
Sir 48:17 Ezekias fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst thereof: he digged the hard rock with iron, and made wells for waters.
Sir 48:18 In his time Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up his hand against Sion, and boasted proudly.
Sir 48:19 Then trembled their hearts and hands, and they were in pain, as women in travail.
Sir 48:20 But they called upon the Lord which is merciful, and stretched out their hands toward him: and immediately the Holy One heard them out of heaven, and delivered them by the ministry of Esay.
Sir 48:21 He smote the host of the a.s.syrians, and his angel destroyed them.
Sir 48:22 For Ezekias had done the thing that pleased the Lord, and was strong in the ways of David his father, as Esay the prophet, who was great and faithful in his vision, had commanded him.
Sir 48:23 In his time the sun went backward, and he lengthened the king"s life.
Sir 48:24 He saw by an excellent spirit what should come to pa.s.s at the last, and he comforted them that mourned in Sion.
Sir 48:25 He shewed what should come to pa.s.s for ever, and secret things or ever they came.
Sir 49:1 The remembrance of Josias is like the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the apothecary: it is sweet as honey in all mouths, and as musick at a banquet of wine.
Sir 49:2 He behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of the people, and took away the abominations of iniquity.
Sir 49:3 He directed his heart unto the Lord, and in the time of the unG.o.dly he established the worship of G.o.d.
Sir 49:4 All, except David and Ezekias and Josias, were defective: for they forsook the law of the most High, even the kings of Juda failed.
Sir 49:5 Therefore he gave their power unto others, and their glory to a strange nation.
Sir 49:6 They burnt the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made the streets desolate, according to the prophecy of Jeremias.
Sir 49:7 For they entreated him evil, who nevertheless was a prophet, sanctified in his mother"s womb, that he might root out, and afflict, and destroy; and that he might build up also, and plant.
Sir 49:8 It was Ezekiel who saw the glorious vision, which was shewed him upon the chariot of the cherubims.
Sir 49:9 For he made mention of the enemies under the figure of the rain, and directed them that went right.
Sir 49:10 And of the twelve prophets let the memorial be blessed, and let their bones flourish again out of their place: for they comforted Jacob, and delivered them by a.s.sured hope.
Sir 49:11 How shall we magnify Zorobabel? even he was as a signet on the right hand:
Sir 49:12 So was Jesus the son of Josedec: who in their time builded the house, and set up an holy temple to the Lord, which was prepared for everlasting glory.
Sir 49:13 And among the elect was Neemias, whose renown is great, who raised up for us the walls that were fallen, and set up the gates and the bars, and raised up our ruins again.
Sir 49:14 But upon the earth was no man created like Enoch; for he was taken from the earth.
Sir 49:15 Neither was there a young man born like Joseph, a governor of his brethren, a stay of the people, whose bones were regarded of the Lord.