Jesus (III)

Ch. l. 29 & li.III. JESUS, the son of Sirach, Author of the Book of Ecclesiasticus, was, according to Genebrard, in his Chronicle, descended from the High-Priest Jesus the son of Jozadak. Some Greek copies make Eleazar the father of Sirach of Jerusalem, to have been his grandfather: but Jesus the son of Sirach, who speaks of himself in the fiftieth chapter and 29th verse, and throughout the fifty-first chapter, and in some other places of his Book of Ecclesiasticus, never says any thing either of his being himself a Priest, or that any of his Ancestors were so. He informs us only, that he was desirous of wisdom, that he begg’d it earnestly of God, while he lay prostrate before him in the Temple; that he had travelled much, in order to comcompleat See Ecclus. xxxiv. 13. Ecclus. li. 5, 6, 7, 8. Ecclus. xxxiii. 16.his studies; that he studied hard, and had run through many dangers; that having been slandered to the King, he was in imminent danger of death; but by God’s mercy, was rescued from it. He says, he was the last of his nation who wrote moral Sentences. Lastly, Jesus his grandson, the translator of his work testifies that his grandfather was in great reputation for his wisdom. See the Preface to this Book. We do not know who Sirach was, the father of Jesus, nor can we tell certainly his name who was the father of Jesus, the Author’s grandson, and the translator of his work.

The Arabians¹ are acquainted with this writer, and his works. They believe that he or his grandfather was Visier to Solomon; and they say he had a very virtuous wife, whose name was Fikia, and whose life has been written in Arabic. There is also an Arabian book intitled, The Sentences and Wisdom of Jesus the son of Sirach.

We have discoursed at large of the book of Ecclesiasticus in the Article ECCLESIASTICUS. What we have said of the Author, and his Book, of its Canonical Authority, of the Translator of it, and the time wherein they both lived, may be seen in the Article above mentioned. We shall say no See likewise M. Fabricius’s Bibl. Græc. t. 2. l. 3. p. 727.more of them in this place.

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