“Then the sailors
Feared Yahweh even more.
They offered a sacrifice
To Yahweh.
They made vows
To Yahweh.”
Thus, Jonah, despite his attempt to run away, converted these sailors to the worship of Yahweh. Once the sea was calm, they were even more fearful of Jonah’s God, Yahweh. Thus, they offered a sacrifice and made vows to Yahweh, the God who calmed the seas.
“‘One sheep
From every flock
Of two hundred,
From the families
Of Israel,
Shall be the offering
For grain offerings,
For burnt offerings,
For peace offerings,
To make atonement
For them.’
Says Yahweh God.”
Yahweh, via Ezekiel, was less demanding about the sacrifices for the grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings. Only 1 sheep out of a flock of 200 had to be offered as a sacrifice, less than 1% or about .5%, certainly not 10%.
“Moreover
I gave them statutes
That were not good.
I gave them ordinances
By which
They could not have life.
I defiled them
Through their very gifts,
In their offering up
All their firstborn.
Thus I might
Horrify them.
Thus they might know
That I am Yahweh.”
In some sort of cruel joke, Yahweh gave his people statutes and ordinances that he knew were not good or helpful for their life. In fact, he seemed to indicate that he had told them to offer up their first born babies as a sacrifice. He did this to defile and horrify them. However, like always, they should know that he was Yahweh. Was this some sort of primitive practice? This seems to contradict everything else that was said in this work.
“Samuel was beloved by his Lord.
He was a prophet of the Lord.
He established the kingdom.
He anointed rulers over his people.
By the law of the Lord
He judged the congregation.
The Lord watched over Jacob.
By his faithfulness,
He proved to be a prophet.
By his words,
He became known as a trustworthy seer.
He called upon the Lord,
The Mighty One,
When his enemies
Pressed him on every side.
He offered in sacrifice
A sucking lamb.
Then the Lord thundered from heaven.
He made his voice heard
With a mighty sound.
He subdued the leaders of the enemy
In Tyre.
He subdued all the rulers of the Philistines.
Before the time of his eternal sleep,
Samuel bore witness before the Lord.
Samuel bore witness before his anointed.
‘No property,
Not so much as a pair of shoes,
Have I taken from anyone!’
No one accused him.
Even after he had fallen asleep,
He prophesied.
He made known to the king his death.
He lifted up his voice from the ground.
In prophecy,
He wanted to blot out
The wickedness of the people.”
Next Sirach praises Samuel, the prophet who was a judge and founder of the monarchy. There is a Hebrew biblical book called Samuel that was later divided into 2 parts. He was a beloved trustworthy faithful prophet. He called upon the Lord when the enemies surrounded him. He offered a sacrifice of a lamb. He defeated the enemies at Tyre and the Philistines. Samuel anointed 2 kings, Saul and David. He never took any property from anyone, not even a pair of shoes. Even after his death, prophecies from the grave came to the king. He continually wanted to blot out the wickedness of his people.
“Yahweh has sworn.
He will not change his mind,
‘You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.’”
Yahweh then somehow makes David a priest also. The allusion here is to Melchizedeck, the ancient priest and king at the time of Abraham. This King Melchizedek of Salem, as found in Genesis, chapter 14, offered a sacrifice of bread and wine for Abraham. Here there is an order of Melchizedek, which will become an important Christian emphasis within the Roman Catholic concept of the priesthood. This same phrase was repeated in the New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 5.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 