The Wisdom of Ben Sira
The Wisdom of Ben Sira
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Critical

The Wisdom of Ben Sira

in Anchor Yale Bible

by Patrick W. Skehan and Alexander A. Di Lella

Rank Score: 4.04 from 0 reviews, 0 featured collections, and 2 user libraries
Pages 620
Publisher Doubleday
Published 1987
ISBN-13 9780385135177
The Wisdom of Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus) contains the sayings of Ben Sira, arguably the last of Israel's wise men and its first professional scribe, whose world was defined and dominated by Greek ideas and ideals. This Hellenistic worldview challenged the adequacy of the religion passed down to the Palestinian Jews of the second century B.C.E. by their ancestors. Ben Sira's training in both Judaic and Hellenistic literary traditions prepared him to meet this challenge. He vigorously opposed any compromise of Jewish values; and his teachings bolstered the faith and confidence of his people.

Through its elegant poetry and vehement exhortations, The Wisdom of Ben Sira exposes the ill effects of sinful behavior on one's health, status, and spiritual and material well-being. Ben Sira's rigorous code of moral behavior was the measure of Jewish faithfulness in an era of ethical and religious bankruptcy.

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