“The kingship,
The dominion,
The greatness,
Of the kingdoms,
Under the whole heaven,
Shall be given
To the people
Of the holy ones
Of the Most High.
Their kingdom shall be
An everlasting kingdom.
All dominions
Shall serve them.
All dominions
Shall obey them.”
All the kingships, dominions, and greatness of these kingdoms will be given to the holy ones of the Most High God, the righteous of Israel. Their kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, where everyone would obey and serve them.
“What are human beings?
What use are they?
What is good about them?
What is evil about them?
The number of days in their life is great,
If they reach one hundred years.
The death of each one
Is beyond the calculation of all.
Like a drop of water from the sea,
Like a grain of sand,
So are these few years
Among the days of eternity.
Therefore the Lord is patient with them.
He pours out his mercy upon them.
He sees them.
He recognizes
That their end is miserable.
Therefore he grants them forgiveness all the more.
The compassion of human beings
Is for their neighbors.
But the compassion of the Lord
Is for every living thing.
He rebukes them.
He trains them.
He teaches them.
He turns them back,
As a shepherd his flock.
He has compassion on those
Who accept his discipline.
He has compassion on those
Who are eager for his precepts.”
Sirach points out that human beings, in contrast to the greatness of God, are useless, like a later 20th century existential 1943 Jean Paul Sartre work, Being and Nothingness. They have a little good and little evil in them, but they have a short unpredictable life, at best 100 years long. Their lives are like a drop of water in the sea or a grain of sand on the shore compared to divine eternity. That is why the Lord is patient and merciful with them. He knows that they will come to a miserable end, so that he grants them forgiveness. While the compassion of humans is for their neighbors, the compassion of the Lord is for all living things. Like a theme later attributed to Jesus, Sirach sees the Lord as a shepherd who rebukes, trains, teaches, and takes his sheep back and forth. The Lord has compassion for those who accept his discipline and precepts.
“If through delight
In the beauty of these things people assumed them to be gods,
Let them know
How much better than these
Is their Lord.
The author of beauty created them.
If people were amazed
At their power,
At their working,
Let them perceive from them
How much more powerful
Is the one who formed them.
From the greatness of created things,
From the beauty of created things,
Comes a corresponding perception
Of their Creator.”
These beautiful natural forces led people to give them divine power as gods (θεοὺς). However, the author of beauty is greater than these beautiful creatures. If they were amazed at the power and works of these creatures, let them understand how much more powerful God is. He formed the greatness in these created things as their creator (ὁ γενεσιουργὸς). This idea of creature and artisan creator was also a common Greek thought. You should get to the creator through the created things that you see.
“Acknowledge him before the nations,
O children of Israel.
He has scattered you among them.
He has shown you his greatness even there.
Exalt him in the presence of every living being.
Because he is our Lord
Because he is our God.
Because he is our Father.
Because he is God forever.
He will afflict you for our iniquities.
He will again show mercy on all of you.
He will gather us from all the nations,
Among whom you have been scattered.
If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul,
To do what is true before him,
Then he will turn to you.
He will no longer hide his face from you.
Now see what he has done for you.
Acknowledge him at the top of your voice.
Bless the Lord of righteousness.
Exalt the King of the ages.
In the land of my exile,
I acknowledge him.
Show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners.
Turn back, you sinners,
Do what is right before him.
Perhaps he may look with favor upon you.
He may show you mercy.
As for me,
I exalt my God.
My soul rejoices in the King of heaven.
Let all people speak of his majesty.
Acknowledge him in Jerusalem.”
The prayer of Tobit continues as he recalls the plight of the exiles. The children of Israel have been scattered among the nations. However, they should show his greatness and presence in every living being. Here it is not only Jerusalem where he is present but among all living beings. God is lord and father forever. He will both afflict you and show you mercy. He will gather you from the nations where he has scattered you. If you turn to God with your heart and soul, he will turn his face to you. Acknowledge him at the top of your lungs. Bless and acknowledge the king of ages even in exile. Tobit acknowledged him even in exile. We were sinners, but now we must turn to righteousness. He will look with favor on us as he shows us his mercy. Tobit will continue to exalt God and rejoice in the King of heaven. Some day we will be able to do this in Jerusalem.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 