What does Ecclesiasticus Chapter 47 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The chapter’s particular figures and sequence remain attributed to its speaker. Every admitted unit is retained, with edition annotations separately labeled. No imported scenes, outcome guarantees or broad doctrines replace local wording.

Chapter breakdown

Ecclesiasticus 47 first places Nathan in David's days, then praises David as the choice portion of an offering. His youthful encounters with lions and bears and his sling stone against Goliath lead to the nation's exaltation. Praise by ten thousands, the crown, defeats of surrounding enemies and the Philistines, thanksgiving, singers at the altar and ordered festivals follow. The Lord's removal of sins and covenant of kingship are attributed to this remembrance.

Solomon succeeds in peace and builds the house and sanctuary. His early wisdom, riddles, parables, canticles, proverbs and interpretations draw renown among distant lands. Gold is compared with copper and silver with lead. His subjection to women then stains his glory; wrath against his seed, folly and division of the kingdom follow. The text does not identify those women as foreign in this passage.

God's mercy is nevertheless remembered through the remaining stock of Jacob and David. Roboam's lack of wisdom and counsel separate the people; Jeroboam son of Nabat leads Israel into sin. Ephraim's multiplied sins, removal from the land and vengeance close the account. Golden calves are not described here.

The story inside

Opening: The chapter’s particular figures and sequence remain attributed to its speaker. Development: Every admitted unit is retained, with edition annotations separately labeled. Conclusion: No imported scenes, outcome guarantees or broad doctrines replace local wording.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The chapter’s particular figures and sequence remain attributed to its speaker.
2
Every admitted unit is retained, with edition annotations separately labeled.
3
No imported scenes, outcome guarantees or broad doctrines replace local wording.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 78037–78038
47:2. And as the fat taken away from the flesh, so was David chosen from among the children of Israel.
Lines 78043–78044
47:4. Did not he kill the giant, and take away reproach from his people?
Lines 78066–78067
47:11. And he set singers before the altar, and by their voices he made sweet melody.
Lines 78073–78074
47:13. The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his horn for ever: and he gave him a covenant of the kingdom, and a throne of glory in Israel.
Lines 78083–78084
47:16. And thou wast filled as a river with wisdom, and thy soul covered the earth.
Lines 78098–78099
47:21. And thou didst bow thyself to women: and by thy body thou wast brought under subjection.
Lines 78107–78110
47:24. But God will not leave off his mercy, and he will not destroy, nor abolish his own works, neither will he cut up by the roots the offspring of his elect: and he will not utterly take away the seed of him that loveth the Lord.