Jerusalem in the Books of Tobit and Ben Sira
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Francis M. Macatangay
Abstract
Tobit and Ben Sira both express views on the city of Jerusalem in their books. This essay examines their respective visions of Jerusalem by comparing texts from each, namely Tob 13:7b-18 and Sir 36:1-22. It considers how each text views the fate of Jerusalem and their reasons and hopes for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It argues that Tobit eschatologically envisions Israel’s restoration with a gloriously rebuilt Jerusalem and temple based on his personal experience of God’s mercy while Ben Sira views the restored institutions of his time, such as the rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple where wisdom ministers, as pointing to the future fullfilment of God’s promise to return Israel from their exile and restore the scattered there.
Abstract
Tobit and Ben Sira both express views on the city of Jerusalem in their books. This essay examines their respective visions of Jerusalem by comparing texts from each, namely Tob 13:7b-18 and Sir 36:1-22. It considers how each text views the fate of Jerusalem and their reasons and hopes for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It argues that Tobit eschatologically envisions Israel’s restoration with a gloriously rebuilt Jerusalem and temple based on his personal experience of God’s mercy while Ben Sira views the restored institutions of his time, such as the rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple where wisdom ministers, as pointing to the future fullfilment of God’s promise to return Israel from their exile and restore the scattered there.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Preface vii
- Contents ix
- Introduction 1
- Select Bibliography 7
- Contributors 13
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Part I: Ben Sira in Conversation with the Torah
- The Creation of Humanity in HebrewWisdom Literature of the Second Century BCE 17
- Torah, Paideia, and Sophia in Ben Sira 35
- Ben Sira’s Portrayal of Aaron and Phinehas (Sir 45:6–25): An Interaction between Tradition and Innovation 51
- “Do Not Defraud the Life of the Poor”: Notes on the Greek of Sir 4:1–10 65
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Part II: Ben Sira in Conversation with the Prophets
- Ben Sira and Ezekiel 79
- “Bread to the Hungry and Clothes to the Naked”: A History of a Prophetic- Sapiential Motif from Tobit to the Syriac of Ben Sira 95
- The Metaphor of a Woman Giving Birth: The Book of Ben Sira in the Light of Prophetic Literature 109
- Banquet of Life in Ben Sira and Hosea: Intertextual Links between Sir 24:12–23 and Hos 14:5–10 123
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Part III: Ben Sira in Conversation with Wisdom Traditions
- “Yet, No One Remembered that Poor Man”: Qoheleth and Ben Sira on the Wisdom of the Poor 147
- Living with Wild Animals: A Study of the Imagery in Sir 25:15–16 165
- Keywords: women/wives, animal imagery, metaphors, Ben Sira, anger 177
- Family Ethos and Wise Behavior in Proverbs, Sirach, and Vietnamese Folk Sayings 191
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Part IV: Ben Sira in Coversation with Some of the Literature of the Second Temple
- Jerusalem in the Books of Tobit and Ben Sira 215
- Wisdom in Disguise and the Heroism of Widows: Ben Sira and Judean Traditions (Sir 4:1–19) 235
- Path Dependence and Institutional Change: The Portrayal of Alcimus and Jonathan as High Priests in 1 Maccabees 249
- A Devilish Parallel: Sir 15:14 in its Hebrew Reception 267
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Part V: Later Authors in Conversation with the Book of Ben Sira
- The Book of Ben Sira From a Reception- Historical Perspective: Hubert Frankemölle’s Commentary on the Letter of James 283
- Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, and Slow to Anger (Jas 1:19 and Sir 5:11) 301
- Reliability and Gentleness: Moses, Jesus, and the Disciple 321
- “Useful for Instruction”: The Popularity of Sirach in Christian Egypt 337
- M. H. Segal (1875–1968) and his Abiding Interest in Ben Sira 351
- Index of References 371
- Index of Authors 381
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Preface vii
- Contents ix
- Introduction 1
- Select Bibliography 7
- Contributors 13
-
Part I: Ben Sira in Conversation with the Torah
- The Creation of Humanity in HebrewWisdom Literature of the Second Century BCE 17
- Torah, Paideia, and Sophia in Ben Sira 35
- Ben Sira’s Portrayal of Aaron and Phinehas (Sir 45:6–25): An Interaction between Tradition and Innovation 51
- “Do Not Defraud the Life of the Poor”: Notes on the Greek of Sir 4:1–10 65
-
Part II: Ben Sira in Conversation with the Prophets
- Ben Sira and Ezekiel 79
- “Bread to the Hungry and Clothes to the Naked”: A History of a Prophetic- Sapiential Motif from Tobit to the Syriac of Ben Sira 95
- The Metaphor of a Woman Giving Birth: The Book of Ben Sira in the Light of Prophetic Literature 109
- Banquet of Life in Ben Sira and Hosea: Intertextual Links between Sir 24:12–23 and Hos 14:5–10 123
-
Part III: Ben Sira in Conversation with Wisdom Traditions
- “Yet, No One Remembered that Poor Man”: Qoheleth and Ben Sira on the Wisdom of the Poor 147
- Living with Wild Animals: A Study of the Imagery in Sir 25:15–16 165
- Keywords: women/wives, animal imagery, metaphors, Ben Sira, anger 177
- Family Ethos and Wise Behavior in Proverbs, Sirach, and Vietnamese Folk Sayings 191
-
Part IV: Ben Sira in Coversation with Some of the Literature of the Second Temple
- Jerusalem in the Books of Tobit and Ben Sira 215
- Wisdom in Disguise and the Heroism of Widows: Ben Sira and Judean Traditions (Sir 4:1–19) 235
- Path Dependence and Institutional Change: The Portrayal of Alcimus and Jonathan as High Priests in 1 Maccabees 249
- A Devilish Parallel: Sir 15:14 in its Hebrew Reception 267
-
Part V: Later Authors in Conversation with the Book of Ben Sira
- The Book of Ben Sira From a Reception- Historical Perspective: Hubert Frankemölle’s Commentary on the Letter of James 283
- Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, and Slow to Anger (Jas 1:19 and Sir 5:11) 301
- Reliability and Gentleness: Moses, Jesus, and the Disciple 321
- “Useful for Instruction”: The Popularity of Sirach in Christian Egypt 337
- M. H. Segal (1875–1968) and his Abiding Interest in Ben Sira 351
- Index of References 371
- Index of Authors 381
