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So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.
[GEN 2:3]
God said, "Come no nearer! Remove the
sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy
ground." [EX 3:5]
In your mercy you led the people you redeemed;
in your strength you guided them to your holy dwelling. [EX 15:13]
Moses went up the mountain to God. Then the LORD
called to him and said, "Thus shall you say to the house of
Jacob; tell the Israelites: You have seen for yourselves how I
treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagle wings and
brought you here to myself. Therefore, if you hearken to my voice
and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer
to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You
shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. That is what
you must tell the Israelites." [EX 19:3-6]
"Remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Six
days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is
the sabbath of the LORD, your God. No work may be done then either
by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or
your beast, or by the alien who lives with you. In six days the
LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in
them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD has
blessed the sabbath day and made it holy."
[EX 20:8-11]
"You shall have a veil woven of violet,
purple and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen twined, with cherubim
embroidered on it. It is to be hung on four gold-plated columns of
acacia wood, which shall have hooks of gold and shall rest on four
silver pedestals. Hang the veil from clasps. The ark of the
commandments you shall bring inside, behind this veil which
divides the holy place from the holy of holies. Set the
propitiatory on the ark of the commandments in the holy of holies.
Outside the veil you shall place the table and the lampstand,
the latter on the south side of the Dwelling, opposite the table,
which is to be put on the north side. For the entrance of the tent
make a variegated curtain of violet, purple and scarlet yarn and
of fine linen twined. Make five columns of acacia wood for this
curtain; have them plated with gold, with their hooks of gold; and cast five bronze pedestals for them."
[EX 26:31-37]
The LORD said to Moses, "You must also tell
the Israelites: Take care to keep my sabbaths, for that is to be
the token between you and me throughout the generations, to show
that it is I, the LORD, who make you holy. Therefore, you must
keep the sabbath as something sacred. Whoever desecrates it shall
[receive the prescribed punishment]. If anyone does work on that
day, he must be rooted out of his people. Six days there are for
doing work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of complete rest,
sacred to the LORD. Anyone who does work on the sabbath day shall
[receive the prescribed punishment]. So shall the Israelites
observe the sabbath, keeping it throughout their generations as a
perpetual covenant. Between me and the Israelites it is to be an
everlasting token; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and
the earth, but on the seventh day he rested at his ease." [Taken from EX
31:12-17] [Note: Under Mosaic law, capital
punishment was applied in such cases.]
For I, the LORD, am your God; and you shall make
and keep yourselves holy, because I am holy. [Taken from LEV 11:44]
Since I, the LORD, brought you up from the land
of Egypt that I might be your God, you shall be holy, because I am
holy. [LEV 11:45]
And with his finger [Aaron shall] sprinkle some
of the blood on it seven times. Thus he shall render it clean and holy, purged
of the defilements of the Israelites. [Taken from LEV 16:19]
"Speak to the whole Israelite community and
tell them: Be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy." [Taken from
LEV 19:2]
I myself will turn against such a man and cut
him off from the body of his people; for in giving his offspring
to Molech, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name.
[LEV 20:3]
Sanctify yourselves, then, and be holy; for I,
the LORD, your God, am holy. [LEV 20:7]
Be careful, therefore, to observe what I, the
LORD, who make you holy, have prescribed. [LEV 20:8]
"The priests shall not make bare the crown of the head, nor shave the edges of the beard, nor lacerate the body. To their God they shall be sacred, and not profane his name; since they offer up the oblations of the LORD, the food of their God,
they must be holy." [LEV 21:5-6]
"Tell Aaron and his sons to respect the
sacred offerings which the Israelites consecrate to me; else they
will profane my holy name. I am the LORD." [LEV 22:2]
"Be careful to observe the commandments which I, the LORD, give you, and do not profane my holy name; in the midst of the Israelites I, the LORD, must be held as sacred. It is I who made you sacred and led you out of the land of Egypt, that I, the LORD, might be your God."
[LEV 22:31-33]
"The priest shall first have the woman come
forward and stand before the LORD. In an earthen vessel he shall
meanwhile put some holy water, as well as some dust that he has
taken from the floor of the Dwelling. Then, as the woman stands
before the LORD, the priest shall uncover her head and place in
her hands the cereal offering of her appeal, that is, the cereal
offering of jealousy, while he himself shall hold the bitter water
that brings a curse." [Taken from NUM 5:16-18] [Note:
Although various Old Testament practices are not binding under the
New Covenant, such passages may nevertheless be useful for
reference purposes.]
The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the
Israelites and tell them that they and their descendants must put
tassels on the corners of their garments, fastening each corner
tassel with a violet cord. When you use these tassels, let the
sight of them remind you to keep all the commandments of the LORD,
without going wantonly astray after the desires of your hearts and
eyes. Thus you will remember to keep all my commandments and be
holy to your God. I, the LORD, am your God who, as God, brought
you out of Egypt that I, the LORD, may be your God." [NUM 15:37-41]
Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi,
(and Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, son of Pallu, son of
Reuben) took two hundred and fifty Israelites who were leaders in
the community, members of the council and men of note. They stood
before Moses, and held an assembly against Moses and Aaron, to
whom they said, "Enough from you! The whole community, all of
them, are holy; the LORD is in their midst. Why then should you
set yourselves over the LORD'S congregation?" When Moses
heard this, he fell prostrate. Then he said to Korah and to all
his band, "May the LORD make known tomorrow morning who
belongs to him and who is the holy one and whom he will have draw
near to him! Whom he chooses, he will have draw near him. Do this:
take your censers (Korah and all his band) and put fire in them
and place incense in them before the LORD tomorrow. He whom the
LORD then chooses is the holy one. Enough from you Levites!"
Moses also said to Korah, "Listen to me, you Levites! Is it
too little for you that the God of Israel has singled you out from
the community of Israel, to have you draw near him for the service
of the LORD'S Dwelling and to stand before the community to
minister for them? He has allowed you and your kinsmen, the
descendants of Levi, to approach him, and yet you now seek the
priesthood too. It is therefore against the LORD that you and all
your band are conspiring. For what has Aaron done that you should
grumble against him?" [NUM 16:1-11]
'Take care to keep holy the sabbath day as the
LORD, your God, commanded you. Six days you may labor and do all
your work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your
God. No work may be done then, whether by you, or your son or
daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or ass or any
of your beasts, or the alien who lives with you. Your male and
female slave should rest as you do. For remember that you too were
once slaves in Egypt, and the LORD, your God, brought you from
there with his strong hand and outstretched arm. That is why the
LORD, your God, has commanded you to observe the sabbath day.' [DEUT
5:12-15]
Since the LORD, your God, journeys along within
your camp to defend you and to put your enemies at your mercy,
your camp must be holy; otherwise, if he sees anything indecent in
your midst, he will leave your company. [DEUT 23:15]
'Look down, then, from heaven, your holy abode,
and bless your people Israel and the soil you have given us in the
land flowing with milk and honey which you promised on oath to our
fathers.' [Taken from DEUT 26:15]
"The LORD came from Sinai and dawned
on his people from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and
advanced from Meribath-kadesh, While at his right hand a fire
blazed forth and his wrath devastated the nations. But all
his holy ones were in his hand; they followed at his
feet and he bore them up on his pinions. A law he gave to
us; he made the community of Jacob his domain, and he became
king of his darling. When the chiefs of the people
assembled and the tribes of Israel came together." [Taken from DEUT
33:2-5]
While Joshua was near Jericho, he raised his
eyes and saw one who stood facing him, drawn sword in hand. Joshua
went up to him and asked, "Are you one of us or of our
enemies?" He replied, "Neither. I am the captain of the
host of the LORD and I have just arrived." Then Joshua fell
prostrate to the ground in worship, and said to him, "What
has my lord to say to his servant?" The captain of the host
of the LORD replied to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your
feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy." And
Joshua obeyed. [JOSH 5:13-15]
Joshua in turn said to the people, "You may not be able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God who will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If, after the good he has done for you, you forsake the LORD and serve strange gods, he will do evil to you and destroy you."
But the people answered Joshua, "We will still serve the LORD." [JOSH
24:19-21]
There is no Holy One like the LORD; there in no
Rock like our God. [1SAM 2:2]
The descendants of Jeconiah did not join in the
celebration with the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh when they greeted
the ark of the LORD, and seventy of them were struck down. The
people went into mourning at this great calamity with which the
LORD had afflicted them. The men of Beth-shemesh asked, "Who
can stand in the presence of this Holy One? To whom shall he go
from us?" They then sent messengers to the inhabitants of
Kiriath-jearim, saying, "The Philistines have returned the
ark of the LORD; come down and get it." [1SAM 6:19-21]
David answered the priest: "The king gave
me a commission and told me to let no one know anything about the
business on which he sent me or the commission he gave me. For
that reason I have arranged a meeting place with my men. Now what
have you on hand? Give me five loaves, or whatever you can
find." But the priest replied to David, "I have no
ordinary bread on hand, only holy bread; if the men have abstained
from women, you may eat some of that." David answered the
priest: "We have indeed been segregated from women as on
previous occasions. Whenever I go on a journey, all the young men
are consecrated - even for a secular journey. All the more so
today, when they are consecrated at arms!" So the priest gave
him holy bread, for no other bread was on hand except the
showbread which had been removed from the LORD'S presence and
replaced by fresh bread when it was taken away. [1SAM 21:3-7]
When Solomon finished building the temple, its
walls were lined from floor to ceiling beams with cedar paneling,
and its floor was laid with fir planking. At the rear of the
temple a space of twenty cubits was set off by cedar partitions
from the floor to the rafters, enclosing the sanctuary, the holy
of holies. [1KGS 6:14-16]
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of
the LORD to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the
sanctuary, the holy of holies of the temple. The cherubim had
their wings spread out over the place of the ark, sheltering the
ark and its poles from above. The poles were so long that their
ends could be seen from that part of the holy place adjoining the
sanctuary; however, they could not be seen beyond. (They have
remained there to this day.) There was nothing in the ark but the
two stone tablets which Moses had put there at Horeb, when the
LORD made a covenant with the Israelites at their departure from
the land of Egypt. When the priests left the holy place, the cloud
filled the temple of the LORD so that the priests could no longer
minister because of the cloud, since the LORD'S glory had filled
the temple of the LORD. [1KGS 8:6-11]
One day Elisha came to Shunem, where there was a
woman of influence, who urged him to dine with her. Afterward,
whenever he passed by, he used to stop there to dine. So she said
to her husband, "I know that he is a holy man of God. Since
he visits us often, let us arrange a little room on the roof and
furnish it for him with a bed, table, chair, and lamp, so that
when he comes to us he can stay there." [2KGS 4:8-10]
Whom have you insulted and blasphemed, against
whom have you raised your voice and lifted up your eyes on high?
Against the Holy One of Israel! [Taken from 2KGS 19:22]
[Aaron and his descendants] alone had charge of the holy of holies and of making
atonement for Israel, as Moses, the servant of God, had ordained.
[Taken from 1CHRON 6:34]
Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that
seek the LORD! [Taken from 1CHRON 16:10]
For all the gods of the nations are things of
nought, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty
go before him; praise and joy are in his holy place. Give to
the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD glory and
praise; Give to the LORD the glory due his name! Bring gifts,
and enter his presence; worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth; he has made the world
firm, not to be moved. Let the heavens be glad and the earth
rejoice; let them say among the nations: The LORD is king.
Let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains rejoice
and all that is in them! Then shall all the trees of the forest
exult before the LORD, for he comes: he comes to rule
the earth. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his
kindness endures forever; And say, "Save us, O God, our
savior, gather us and deliver us from the nations, That
we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in praising
you." [Taken from 1CHRON 16:26-35]
The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. Aaron
was set apart to be consecrated as most holy, he and his sons
forever, to offer sacrifice before the LORD, to minister to him,
and to bless his name forever. [1CHRON 23:13]
David said: "The LORD, the God of Israel,
has given rest to his people, and has taken up his dwelling in
Jerusalem. Henceforth the Levites need not carry the Dwelling or
any of its furnishings or equipment. Rather, their duty shall be
to assist the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the
LORD, having charge of the courts, the chambers, and the
preservation of everything holy: they shall take part in the
service of the house of God." [Taken from 1CHRON 23:25-28]
David, with Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, and
Ahimelech, a descendant of Ithamar, assigned the functions for the
priestly service. But since the descendants of Eleazar were found
to be more numerous than those of Ithamar, the former were divided
into sixteen groups, and the latter into eight groups, each under
its family head. Their functions were assigned impartially by lot,
for there were officers of the holy place, and officers of the
divine presence, descended both from Eleazar and from Ithamar. [1CHRON
24:3-5]
King David then said to the whole assembly:
"My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young
and immature; the work, however, is great, for this castle is not
intended for man, but for the LORD God. For this reason I have
stored up for the house of my God, as far as I was able, gold for
what will be made of gold, silver for what will be made of silver,
bronze for what will be made of bronze, iron for what will be made
of iron, wood for what will be made of wood, onyx stones and
settings for them, carnelian and mosaic stones, every other kind
of precious stone, and great quantities of marble. But now,
because of the delight I take in the house of my God, in addition
to all that I stored up for the holy house, I give to the house of
my God my personal fortune in gold and silver: three thousand
talents of Ophir gold, and seven thousand talents of refined
silver, for overlaying the walls of the rooms, for the various
utensils to be made of gold and silver, and for every work that is
to be done by artisans. Now, who else is willing to contribute
generously this day to the LORD?" Then the heads of the
families, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of
thousands and of hundreds, and the overseers of the king's affairs
came forward willingly and contributed for the service of the
house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of
gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of
bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. Those who had
precious stones gave them into the keeping of Jehiel the
Gershonite for the treasury of the house of the LORD. The people
rejoiced over these free-will offerings, which had been
contributed to the LORD wholeheartedly. King David also rejoiced
greatly. [1CHRON 29:1-9]
O LORD our God, all this wealth that we have
brought together to build you a house in honor of your holy name
comes from you and is entirely yours. I know, O my God, that you
put hearts to the test and that you take pleasure in uprightness.
With a sincere heart I have willingly given all these things, and
now with joy I have seen your people here present also giving to
you generously. O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and
Israel, keep such thoughts in the hearts and minds of your people
forever, and direct their hearts toward you. [Taken from 1CHRON
29:16-18]
These were the specifications laid down by
Solomon for building the house of God: the length was sixty cubits
according to the old measure, and the width was twenty cubits; the
porch which lay before the nave along the width of the house was
also twenty cubits, and it was twenty cubits high. He overlaid its
interior with pure gold. The nave he overlaid with cypress wood
which he covered with fine gold, embossing on it palms and chains.
He also decorated the building with precious stones. The house,
its beams and thresholds, as well as its walls and its doors, he
overlaid with gold, and he engraved cherubim upon the walls. (The
gold was from Parvaim.) He also made the room of the holy of
holies. Its length corresponded to the width of the house, twenty
cubits, and its width was also twenty cubits. He overlaid it with
fine gold to the amount of six hundred talents. The weight of the
nails was fifty gold shekels. The upper chambers he likewise
covered with gold. For the room of the holy of holies he made two
cherubim of carved workmanship, which were then overlaid with
gold. The wings of the cherubim spanned twenty cubits: one wing of
each cherub, five cubits in length, extended to a wall of the
building, while the other wing, also five cubits in length,
touched the corresponding wing of the second cherub. The combined
wingspread of the two cherubim was thus twenty cubits. They stood
upon their own feet, facing toward the nave. He made the veil of
violet, purple, crimson and fine linen, and had cherubim
embroidered upon it. [Taken from 2CHRON 3:3-14]
As for the entry to the house, its inner doors to the holy of
holies, as well as the doors to the nave, were of gold. [Taken
from 2CHRON
4:22]
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of
the LORD to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the
sanctuary, the holy of holies of the temple. The cherubim had
their wings spread out over the place of the ark, sheltering the
ark and its poles from above. The poles were long enough so that
their ends could be seen from that part of the holy place nearest
the sanctuary; however, they could not be seen beyond. The ark has
remained there to this day. There was nothing in it but the two
tablets which Moses put there on Horeb, the tablets of the
covenant which the LORD made with the Israelites at their
departure from Egypt. When the priests came out of the holy place
(all the priests who were present had purified themselves without
reference to the rotation of their various classes), the Levites
who were singers, all who belonged to Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and
their sons and brothers, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals,
harps and lyres, stood east of the altar, and with them a hundred
and twenty priests blowing trumpets. When the trumpeters and
singers were heard as a single voice praising and giving thanks to
the LORD, and when they raised the sound of the trumpets, cymbals
and other musical instruments to "give thanks to the LORD,
for he is good, for his mercy endures forever," the building
of the LORD'S temple was filled with a cloud. The priests could
not continue to minister because of the cloud, since the LORD'S
glory filled the house of God. [2CHRON 5:7-14]
Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from
the City of David to the palace which he had built for her, for he
said, "No wife of mine shall dwell in the house of David,
king of Israel, for the places where the ark of the LORD has come
are holy." [2CHRON 8:11]
In the early morning they hastened out to the
wilderness of Tekoa. As they were going out, Jehoshaphat halted
and said: "Listen to me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem!
Trust in the LORD, your God, and you will be found firm. Trust in
his prophets and you will succeed." After consulting with the
people, he appointed some to sing to the LORD and some to praise
the holy Appearance as it went forth at the head of the army. They
sang: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his mercy endures
forever." At the moment they began their jubilant hymn, the
LORD laid an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and those of
Mount Seir who were coming against Judah, so that they were
vanquished. [2CHRON 20:20-22]
This is what you must do: a third of your
number, both priests and Levites, who come in on the sabbath must
guard the thresholds, another third must be at the king's palace,
and the final third at the Foundation Gate, when all the people
will be in the courts of the LORD'S temple. Let no one enter the
LORD'S house except the priests and those Levites who are
ministering. They may enter because they are holy; but all the other people must observe the prescriptions of the LORD.
[Taken from 2CHRON 23:4-6]
The greater part of the people, in fact, chiefly
from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed
themselves. Nevertheless they ate the Passover, contrary to the
prescription; for Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the
LORD, who is good, grant pardon to everyone who has resolved to
seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers, though he be not clean
as holiness requires." The LORD heard Hezekiah and spared the
people. [2CHRON 30:18-20]
There was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel, there had not been the like in the city. Then the levitical priests rose and blessed the people; their voice was heard and their prayer reached heaven, God's holy dwelling.
[2CHRON 30:26-27]
Kore, the son of Imnah, a Levite and the keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the free-will gifts made to God; he distributed the offerings made to the LORD and the most holy of the consecrated things. Under him in the priestly cities were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah, who faithfully made the distribution to their brethren, great and small alike, according to their classes.
[2CHRON 31:14-15]
He said to the Levites who were to instruct all
Israel, and who were consecrated to the LORD: "Put the holy
ark in the house built by Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.
It shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Serve now the
LORD, your God, and his people Israel." [Taken from 2CHRON 35:3]
These men searched their family records, but their names could not be found written there; hence they were degraded from the priesthood, and His Excellency ordered them not to partake of the most holy foods until there should be a priest bearing the Urim and Thummim.
[EZRA 2:62-63]
When these matters had been concluded, the leaders
approached me with this report: "Neither the Israelite laymen nor the priests nor the Levites have kept themselves aloof from the peoples of the land and their abominations... for they have taken some of their
daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and thus they have desecrated the holy race with the peoples of the land. Furthermore, the leaders and rulers have taken a leading part in this apostasy!"
[Taken from EZRA 9:1-2]
"And now, but a short time ago, mercy came
to us from the LORD, our God, who left us a remnant and gave us a
stake in his holy place; thus our God has brightened our eyes and
given us relief in our servitude. For slaves we are, but in our
servitude our God has not abandoned us; rather, he has turned the
good will of the kings of Persia toward us. Thus he has given us
new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its
ruins, and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem. But now,
O our God, what can we say after all this? For we have abandoned
your commandments, which you gave through your servants the
prophets: the land which you are entering to take as your
possession is a land unclean with the filth of the peoples of the
land, with the abominations with which they have filled it from
one end to the other in their uncleanness."
[Taken from EZRA 9:8-11]
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of
God, interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then (Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and) Ezra the
priest-scribe (and the Levites who were instructing the people)
said to all the people: "Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep" - for all the people were
weeping as they heard the words of the law. He said further:
"Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot
portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to
our LORD. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD
must be your strength!" (And the Levites quieted all the
people, saying, "Hush, for today is holy, and you must not be
saddened.") Then all the people went to eat and drink, to
distribute portions, and to celebrate with great joy, for they
understood the words that had been expounded to them. [NEH 8:8-12]
On Mount Sinai you came down, you spoke
with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances, firm
laws, good statutes, and commandments; Your holy sabbath you
made known to them, commandments, statutes, and law you
prescribed for them, by the hand of Moses your servant. Food
from heaven you gave them in their hunger, water from a rock
you sent them in their thirst. You bade them enter and occupy
the land which you had sworn with upraised hand to give them.
[Taken from NEH 9:13-15]
When the peoples of the land bring in
merchandise or any kind of grain for sale on the sabbath day, we
will not buy from them on the sabbath or on any other holyday. We
will forgo the seventh year, as well as every kind of debt. [Taken
from NEH
10:32]
The leaders of the people took up residence in
Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one man
in ten to reside in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine
would remain in the other cities. The people applauded all those
men who willingly agreed to take up residence in Jerusalem. [NEH
11:1-2]
The total of the Levites in the holy city was
two hundred and eighty-four. [NEH 11:18]
I took the nobles of Judah to task, demanding of
them: "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning
the sabbath day? Did not your fathers act in this same way, with
the result that our God has brought all this evil upon us and upon
this city? Would you add to the wrath against Israel by once more
profaning the sabbath?" When the shadows were falling on the
gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I ordered the doors to be
closed and forbade them to be reopened till after the sabbath. I
posted some of my own men at the gates so that no burden might
enter on the sabbath day. The merchants and sellers of various
kinds of merchandise spent the night once or twice outside
Jerusalem, but then I warned them, saying to them: "Why do
you spend the night alongside the wall? If you keep this up, I
will lay hands on you!" From that time on, they did not
return on the sabbath. Then I ordered the Levites to purify
themselves and to go and watch the gates, so that the sabbath day
might be kept holy. This, too, remember in my favor, O my God, and
have mercy on me in accordance with your great mercy! [NEH 13:17-22]
At that time, then, she spread out her hands,
and facing the window, poured out this prayer: "Blessed are
you, O Lord, merciful God! Forever blessed and honored is your
holy name; may all your works forever bless you." [Taken from TOBIT 3:11]
Then Raguel praised the God of heaven in these
words: "Blessed are you, O God, with every holy and pure
blessing! Let all your chosen ones praise you; let them
bless you forever! Blessed are you, who have made me
glad; what I feared did not happen. Rather you have
dealt with us according to your great mercy. Blessed are you,
for you were merciful toward two only children. Grant
them, Master, mercy and deliverance, and bring their lives to
fulfillment with happiness and mercy." [TOBIT 8:15-17]
Next he smeared the medicine on his eyes, and it
made them smart. Then, beginning at the corners of Tobit's eyes,
Tobiah used both hands to peel off the cataracts. When Tobit saw
his son, he threw his arms around him and wept. He exclaimed,
"I can see you, son, the light of my eyes!" Then he
said: "Blessed be God, and praised be his great
name, and blessed be all his holy angels. May his holy
name be praised throughout all the ages, Because it was he
who scourged me, and it is he who has had mercy on
me. Behold, I now see my son Tobiah!" Then Tobit
went back in, rejoicing and praising God with full voice. [Taken from TOBIT
11:12-15]
O Jerusalem, holy city, he scourged you for the
works of your hands, but will again pity the children of the
righteous. [TOBIT 13:9]
My spirit blesses the Lord, the great King;
Jerusalem shall be rebuilt as his home forever. Happy for me
if a remnant of my offspring survive to see your glory and to
praise the King of heaven! The gates of Jerusalem shall be
built with sapphire and emerald, and all your walls with
precious stones. The towers of Jerusalem shall be built with
gold, and their battlements with pure gold. The streets of
Jerusalem shall be paved with rubies and stones of Ophir; The
gates of Jerusalem shall sing hymns of gladness, and all her
houses shall cry out, "Alleluia! Blessed be God
who has raised you up! may he be blessed for all
ages!" For in you they shall praise his holy name
forever. [Taken from TOBIT 13:15-18]
"Please, please, God of my forefather, God
of the heritage of Israel, Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of
the waters, King of all you have created, hear my prayer! Let my
guileful speech bring wound and wale on those who have planned
dire things against your covenant, your holy temple, Mount Zion,
and the homes your children have inherited. Let your whole nation
and all the tribes know clearly that you are the god of all power
and might, and that there is no other who protects the people of
Israel but you alone." [Taken from JDTH 9:12-14]
In those days there appeared in Israel men who
were breakers of the law, and they seduced many people, saying:
"Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around
us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon
us." The proposal was agreeable; some from among the people
promptly went to the king, and he authorized them to introduce the
way of living of the Gentiles. Thereupon they built a gymnasium in
Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom. They covered over the
mark of their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they
allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to
wrongdoing. [1MACC 1:11-15]
But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel.
[1MACC 1:62-63]
When he saw the sacrileges that were being committed in Judah and in Jerusalem, he said: "Woe is me! Why was I born to see the ruin of my people and the ruin of the holy city, and to sit idle while it is given into the hands of enemies, and the sanctuary into the hands of strangers?"
[Taken from 1MACC 2:6-7]
"Be sure, therefore, to have a copy of these
instructions made and given to Jonathan, that it may be displayed
in a conspicuous place on the holy hill." [Taken from 1MACC 11:37]
Since we have been saved by God from grave dangers, we give him great thanks for having fought on our side against the king; it was he who drove out those who fought against the holy city.
[Taken from 2MACC 1:11-12]
"Gather together our scattered people, free those who are the slaves of the Gentiles, look kindly on those who are despised and detested, and let the Gentiles know that you are our God. Punish those who tyrannize over us and arrogantly mistreat us. Plant your people in your holy place, as Moses promised." [Taken
from 2MACC 1:27-29]
It is God who has saved all his people and has restored to all of them their heritage, the kingdom, the priesthood, and the sacred rites, as he promised through the law. We trust in God, that he will soon have mercy on us and gather us together from everywhere under the heavens to his holy Place, for he has rescued us from great perils and has purified his Place.
[2MACC 2:17-18]
While the holy city lived in perfect peace and the laws were strictly observed because of the piety of the high priest Onias and his hatred of evil, the kings themselves honored the Place and glorified the temple with the most magnificent gifts.
[2MACC 3:1-2]
The man who a moment before had entered that treasury with a great retinue and his whole bodyguard was carried away helpless, having clearly experienced the sovereign power of God. While he lay speechless and deprived of all hope of aid, due to an act of God's power, the Jews praised the Lord who had marvelously glorified his holy Place; and the temple, charged so shortly before with fear and commotion, was filled with joy and gladness, now that the almighty Lord had manifested himself.
[2MACC 3:28-30]
Not satisfied with this, the king dared to enter
the holiest temple in the world; Menelaus, that traitor both to
the laws and to his country, served as guide. He laid his impure
hands on the sacred vessels and gathered up with profane hands the
votive offerings made by other kings for the advancement, the
glory, and the honor of the Place. Puffed up in spirit, Antiochus
did not realize that it was because of the sins of the city's
inhabitants that the Lord was angry for a little while and hence
disregarded the holy Place. If they had not become entangled in so
many sins, this man, like Heliodorus, who was sent by King
Seleucus to inspect the treasury, would have been flogged and
turned back from his presumptuous action as soon as he approached.
[2MACC 5:15-18]
When this man arrived in Jerusalem, he pretended
to be peacefully disposed and waited until the holy day of the
sabbath; then, finding the Jews refraining from work, he ordered
his men to parade fully armed. All those who came out to watch, he
massacred, and running through the city with armed men, he cut
down a large number of people. But Judas Maccabeus and about nine
others withdrew to the wilderness, where he and his companions
lived like wild animals in the hills, continuing to eat what grew
wild to avoid sharing the defilement. [2MACC 5:25-27]
Others, who had assembled in nearby caves to observe the
sabbath in secret, were betrayed to Philip and all burned to
death. In their respect for the holiness of that day, they had
scruples about defending themselves. [2MACC 6:11]
But he made up his mind in a noble manner,
worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age, the merited
distinction of his gray hair, and of the admirable life he had
lived from childhood; and so he declared that above all he would
be loyal to the holy laws given by God. He told them to send him
at once to the abode of the dead, explaining: "At our age it
would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many young men would
think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien
religion. Should I thus dissimulate for the sake of a brief moment
of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame
and dishonor on my old age. Even if, for the time being, I avoid
the punishment of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead,
escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by manfully giving up
my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age, and I will
leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and
generously for the revered and holy laws." He spoke thus, and
went immediately to the instrument of torture. Those who shortly
before had been kindly disposed, now became hostile toward him
because what he had said seemed to them utter madness. When he was
about to die under the blows, he groaned and said: "The Lord
in his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have
escaped death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body
from this scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul
because of my devotion to him." This is how he died, leaving
in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of
virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation. [2MACC 6:23-31]
When Judas learned of Nicanor's advance and
informed his companions about the approach of the army, the
cowardly and those who lacked faith in God's justice deserted and
got away. But the others sold everything they had left, and at the
same time besought the Lord to deliver those whom the ungodly
Nicanor had sold before even meeting them. They begged the Lord to
do this, if not for their sake, at least for the sake of the
covenants made with their forefathers, and because they themselves
bore his holy, glorious name. Maccabeus assembled his men, six
thousand strong, and exhorted them not to be panic-stricken before
the enemy, nor to fear the large number of the Gentiles attacking
them unjustly, but to fight courageously, keeping before their
eyes the lawless outrage perpetrated by the Gentiles against the
holy Place and the affliction of the humiliated city, as well as
the subversion of their ancestral way of life. "They trust in
weapons and acts of daring," he said, "but we trust in
almighty God, who can by a mere nod destroy not only those who
attack us, but the whole world." He went on to tell them of
the times when help had been given their ancestors: both the time
of Sennacherib, when a hundred and eighty-five thousand of his men
were destroyed, and the time of the battle in Babylonia against
the Galatians, when only eight thousand Jews fought along with
four thousand Macedonians; yet when the Macedonians were hard
pressed, the eight thousand routed one hundred and twenty thousand
and took a great quantity of booty, because of the help they
received from Heaven. With such words he encouraged them and made
them ready to die for their laws and their country. Then Judas
divided his army into four, placing his brothers, Simon, Joseph,
and Jonathan, each over a division, assigning to each fifteen
hundred men. (There was also Eleazar.) After reading to them from
the holy book and giving them the watchword, "The Help of
God," he himself took charge of the first division and joined
in battle with Nicanor. With the Almighty as their ally, they
killed more than nine thousand of the enemy, wounded and disabled
the greater part of Nicanor's army, and put all of them to flight.
[2MACC 8:12-24]
When he could no longer bear his own stench, he said, "It is right to be subject to God, and not to think one's mortal self divine." Then this vile man vowed to the Lord, who would no longer have mercy on him, that he would set free the holy city, toward which he had been hurrying with the intention of leveling it to the ground and making it a common
graveyard [Taken from 2MACC 9:12-14]
On the following day, since the task had now
become urgent, Judas and his men went to gather up the bodies of
the slain and bury them with their kinsmen in their ancestral
tombs. But under the tunic of each of the dead they found amulets
sacred to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to
wear. So it was clear to all that this was why these men had been
slain. They all therefore praised the ways of the Lord, the just
judge who brings to light the things that are hidden. Turning to
supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully
blotted out. The noble Judas warned the soldiers to keep
themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes
what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. He
then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two
thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide
for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very
excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of
the dead in view; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise
again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in
death. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that
awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and
pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might
be freed from this sin. [2MACC 12:39-46]
The king was advancing, his mind full of savage
plans for inflicting on the Jews worse things than those they
suffered in his father's time. When Judas learned of this, he
urged the people to call upon the LORD night and day, to help them
now, if ever, when they were about to be deprived of their law,
their country, and their holy temple; and not to allow this
nation, which had just begun to revive, to be subjected again to
blasphemous Gentiles. When they had all joined in doing this, and
had implored the merciful LORD continuously with weeping and
fasting and prostrations for three days, Judas encouraged them and
told them to stand ready. [Taken from 2MACC 13:9-12]
A certain Alcimus, a former high priest, who had
willfully incurred defilement at the time of the revolt, realized
that there was no way for him to salvage his position and regain
access to the holy altar. So he went to King Demetrius in the year
one hundred and fifty-one and presented him with a gold crown and
a palm branch, as well as some of the customary olive branches
from the temple. On that occasion he kept quiet. But he found an
opportunity to further his mad scheme when he was invited to the
council by Demetrius and questioned about the dispositions and
intentions of the Jews. [Taken from 2MACC 14:3-5]
The priests stretched out their hands toward heaven, calling upon the unfailing defender of our nation in these words: "Lord of all, though you are in need of nothing, you have approved of a temple for your dwelling place among us.
Therefore, O holy One, Lord of all holiness, preserve forever undefiled this house, which has been so recently purified."
[Taken from 2MACC 14:34-36]
When Nicanor learned that Judas and his
companions were in the territory of Samaria, he decided to attack
them in all safety on the day of rest. The Jews who were forced to
follow him pleaded, "Do not massacre them in that way, like a
savage barbarian, but show respect for the day which the
All-seeing has exalted with holiness above all other days."
At this the thrice-sinful wretch asked if there was a ruler in
heaven who prescribed the keeping of the sabbath day. When they
replied that there was indeed such a ruler in heaven, the living
LORD himself, who commanded the observance of the sabbath day, he
said, "I, on my part, am ruler on earth, and my orders are
that you take up arms and carry out the king's business."
Nevertheless he did not succeed in carrying out his cruel plan. [2MACC
15:1-5]
When he had armed each of them, not so much with
the safety of shield and spear as with the encouragement of noble
words, he cheered them all by relating a dream, a kind of vision,
worthy of belief. What he saw was this: Onias, the former high
priest, a good and virtuous man, modest in appearance, gentle in
manners, distinguished in speech, and trained from childhood in
every virtuous practice, was praying with outstretched arms for
the whole Jewish community. Then in the same way another man
appeared, distinguished by his white hair and dignity, and with an
air about him of extraordinary, majestic authority. Onias then
said of him, "This is God's prophet Jeremiah, who loves his
brethren and fervently prays for his people and their holy
city." Stretching out his right hand, Jeremiah presented a
gold sword to Judas. As he gave it to him he said, "Accept
this holy sword as a gift from God; with it you shall crush your
adversaries." [2MACC 15:11-16]
He prayed to him thus: "You, O LORD, sent
your angel in the days of King Hezekiah of Judea, and he slew a
hundred and eighty-five thousand men of Sennacherib's army.
Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel now to spread fear and
dread before us. By the might of your arm may those be struck down
who have blasphemously come against your holy people!" With
this he ended his prayer. Nicanor and his men advanced to the
sound of trumpets and battle songs. But Judas and his men met the
army with supplication and prayers. Fighting with their hands and
praying to God with their hearts, they laid low at least
thirty-five thousand, and rejoiced greatly over this manifestation
of God's power. [2MACC 15:22-27]
Oh, that I might have my request, and that
God would grant what I long for: Even that God would decide to
crush me, that he would put forth his hand and cut me off!
Then I should still have consolation and could exult through
unremitting pain, because I have not transgressed the
commands of the Holy One. [Taken from JOB 6:8-10]
"I myself have installed my king on Zion,
my holy mountain." [PS 2:6]
Whenever I cried out to the LORD, I was
answered from the holy mountain. [Taken from PS 3:5]
But I can enter your house because of your
great love. I can worship in your holy temple because of my
reverence for you, LORD. [PS 5:8]
The LORD is in his holy temple; the
LORD'S throne is in heaven. God's eyes keep careful
watch; they test all peoples. The LORD tests the good and the
bad, hates those who love violence, And rains upon the
wicked fiery coals and brimstone, a scorching wind their
allotted cup. The LORD is just and loves just deeds; the
upright shall see his face. [PS 11:4-7]
LORD, who may abide in your tent? Who
may dwell on your holy mountain? Whoever walks without
blame, doing what is right, speaking truth from the
heart; Who does not slander a neighbor, does no harm to
another, never defames a friend; Who disdains the
wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD; Who keeps an oath
despite the cost, lends no money at interest, accepts no
bribe against the innocent. Whoever acts like this shall
never be shaken. [PS 15:1-5]
Now I know victory is given to the anointed
of the LORD. God will answer him from the holy heavens with a
strong arm that brings victory. [PS 20:7]
My God, my God, why have you abandoned
me? Why so far from my call for help, from my cries of
anguish? My God, I call by day, but you do not answer; by
night, but I have no relief. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy
One; you are the glory of Israel. In you our ancestors
trusted; they trusted and you rescued them. To you they cried
out and they escaped; in you they trusted and were not
disappointed. [PS 22:2-6]
Who may go up the mountain of the
LORD? Who can stand in his holy place? "The clean of
hand and pure of heart, who are not devoted to
idols, who have not sworn falsely. They will receive
blessings from the LORD, and justice from their saving God.
Such are the people that love the LORD, that seek the face of
the God of Jacob." [Taken from PS 24:3-6]
Hear the sound of my pleading when I cry to you, lifting my hands toward your holy place.
Do not drag me off with the wicked, with those who do wrong, Who speak peace to their neighbors though evil is in their hearts. [PS
28:2-3]
Give to the LORD the glory due God's name. Bow
down before the LORD'S holy splendor! [PS 29:2]
Sing praise to the LORD, you faithful; give
thanks to God's holy name. [PS 30:5]
Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our
help and shield. For in God our hearts rejoice; in your holy
name we trust. May your kindness, LORD, be upon us; we have
put our hope in you. [PS 33:20-22]
Fear the LORD, you holy ones; nothing is lacking
to those who fear him. [PS 34:10]
You, God, are my strength. Why then do you
spurn me? Why must I go about mourning, with the enemy
oppressing me? Send your light and fidelity, that they may be
my guide And bring me to your holy mountain, to the
place of your dwelling, That I may come to the altar of
God, to God, my joy, my delight. Then I will praise you
with the harp, O God, my God. [PS 43:2-4]
Streams of the river gladden the city of
God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. God is in its midst;
it shall not be shaken; God will help it at break of day.
Though nations rage and kingdoms totter, God's voice thunders
and the earth trembles. The LORD of hosts is with us; our
stronghold is the God of Jacob. [Taken from PS 46:5-8]
God rules over the nations; God sits upon his
holy throne. [PS 47:9]
Great is the LORD and highly praised in the
city of our God: The holy mountain, fairest of
heights, the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, the
heights of Zaphon, the city of the great king. [PS 48:2-3]
Happy the chosen ones you bring to dwell in your
courts. May we be filled with the good things of your house, the
blessings of your holy temple! [PS 65:5]
Father of the fatherless, defender of widows - this is the God whose abode is holy,
Who gives a home to the forsaken, who leads prisoners out to prosperity, while rebels live in the desert. [PS
68:6-7]
God's chariots were myriad, thousands upon
thousands; from Sinai the Lord entered the holy place. [PS 68:18]
Your procession comes into view, O God, your
procession into the holy place, my God and king. [PS 68:25]
Awesome is God in his holy place, the God of
Israel, who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be
God! [PS 68:36]
Restore my honor; turn and comfort me, That
I may praise you with the lyre for your faithfulness, my
God, And sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of
Israel! [PS 71:21-22]
Your way, O God, is holy [Taken from PS 77:14]
Again and again they tested God, provoked the
Holy One of Israel. [PS 78:41]
God led forth his people like sheep; he
guided them through the desert like a flock. He led them on secure
and unafraid, but the sea enveloped their enemies. He brought
them to his holy land, the mountain his right hand had won.
God drove out the nations before them, apportioned them a
heritage by lot, settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
[PS 78:52-55]
O God, the nations have
invaded your heritage; they have defiled your holy temple, have
laid Jerusalem in ruins. [PS 79:1]
The LORD loves the city founded on holy
mountains, Loves the gates of Zion more than any dwelling in
Jacob. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God! [Taken from PS
87:1-3]
Truly the LORD is our shield, the Holy One of
Israel, our king! [PS 89:19]
I have chosen David, my servant; with my
holy oil I have anointed him. My hand will be with him; my
arm will make him strong. No enemy shall outwit him, nor
shall the wicked defeat him. I will crush his foes before
him, strike down those who hate him. My loyalty and love will
be with him; through my name his horn will be exalted. [PS
89:21-25]
"I will not violate my covenant; the
promise of my lips I will not alter. By my holiness I swore once
for all: I will never be false to David. His dynasty will continue
forever, his throne, like the sun before me. Like the moon it will
stand eternal, forever firm like the sky!" [Taken from PS
89:35-38]
Your decrees are firmly established; holiness belongs to your
house, LORD, for all the length of days. [PS 93:5]
Splendor and power go before him; power and
grandeur are in his holy place. [PS 96:6]
Give to the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD
glory and might; give to the LORD the glory due his name! Bring
gifts and enter his courts; bow down to the LORD, splendid in
holiness. Tremble before God, all the earth; say among the
nations: The LORD is king. The world will surely stand fast, never
to be moved. God rules the peoples with fairness. [PS 96:7-10]
The LORD loves those who hate
evil, protects the lives of the faithful, rescues them
from the hand of the wicked. Light dawns for the
just; gladness, for the honest of heart. Rejoice in the LORD,
you just, and praise his holy name. [PS 97:10-12]
Sing a new song to the LORD, who has
done marvelous deeds, Whose right hand and holy arm have won the
victory. [PS 98:1]
The LORD is king, the peoples tremble; God
is enthroned on the cherubim, the earth quakes. The LORD is great
on Zion, exalted above all the peoples. Let them praise your
great and awesome name: Holy is God! O mighty king, lover of
justice, you alone have established fairness; you have
created just rule in Jacob. Exalt the LORD, our God; bow down
before his footstool; holy is God! [PS 99:1-5]
Exalt the LORD, our God; bow down before his
holy mountain; holy is the LORD, our God. [PS 99:9]
Let this be written for the next
generation, for a people not yet born, that they may
praise the LORD: "The LORD looked down from the holy
heights, viewed the earth from heaven, To attend to the
groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die." [PS
102:19-21]
Bless the LORD, my soul; all my being,
bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, my soul; do not forget
all the gifts of God, Who pardons all your sins, heals all
your ills, Delivers your life from the pit, surrounds you
with love and compassion, Fills your days with good
things; your youth is renewed like the eagle's. [PS 103:1-5]
Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! Rely on the mighty LORD; constantly seek his face.
[PS 105:3-4]
In the camp they challenged Moses and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD.
The earth opened and swallowed Dathan, it closed on the followers of Abiram. Against that company the fire blazed; flames consumed the wicked. [PS
106:16-18]
Save us, LORD, our God; gather us from among the
nations That we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in
praising you. [PS 106:47]
The LORD says to you, my lord: "Take
your throne at my right hand, while I make your enemies your
footstool." The scepter of your sovereign might the LORD
will extend from Zion. The LORD says: "Rule over your
enemies! Yours is princely power from the day of your
birth. In holy splendor before the daystar, like the dew
I begot you." The LORD has sworn and will not
waver: "Like Melchizedek you are a priest forever."
At your right hand is the Lord, who crushes kings on the day
of wrath, Who, robed in splendor, judges nations, crushes
heads across the wide earth, Who drinks from the brook by the
wayside and thus holds high the head. [PS 110:1-7]
You sent deliverance to your people, ratified
your covenant forever; holy and awesome is your name. [Taken from
PS 111:9]
Judah became God's holy place, Israel, God's
domain. [Taken from PS 114:2]
I bow low toward your holy temple; I praise your
name for your fidelity and love. For you have exalted over all
your name and your promise. [PS 138:2]
My mouth will speak your praises, LORD; all
flesh will bless your holy name forever. [PS 145:21]
Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy
sanctuary; give praise in the mighty dome of heaven. Give
praise for his mighty deeds, praise him for his great
majesty. Give praise with blasts upon the horn, praise him
with harp and lyre. Give praise with tambourines and
dance, praise him with flutes and strings. Give praise with
crashing cymbals, praise him with sounding cymbals. Let
everything that has breath give praise to the
LORD! Hallelujah! [PS 150:1-6]
The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. [PROV 9:10]
The pronouncement of mortal man: "I am not
God; I am not God, that I should prevail. Why, I am the most
stupid of men, and have not even human intelligence; Neither
have I learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy
One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down again - who has
cupped the wind in his hands? Who has bound up the waters in
a cloak - who has marked out all the ends of the
earth? What is his name, what is his son's name, if you
know it?" Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to
those who take refuge in him. Add nothing to his words, lest
he reprove you, and you be exposed as a deceiver. [Taken from PROV
30:1-6]
"Let us beset the just one, because he is
obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, Reproaches us
for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of
our training. He professes to have knowledge of God and styles
himself a child of the LORD. To us he is the censure of our
thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, Because his life
is not like other men's, and different are his ways. He judges us
debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He
calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his
Father. Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what
will happen to him. For if the just one be the son of God, he will
defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. With
revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have
proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him
to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take
care of him." These were their thoughts, but they erred; for
their wickedness blinded them, And they knew not the hidden
counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of
holiness nor discern the innocent souls' reward. [Taken from WISDOM 2:12-22]
Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy
ones, and his care is with the elect. But the wicked shall receive a punishment to match their thoughts, since they neglected justice and forsook the LORD.
[Taken from WISDOM 3:9-10]
For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed
shall be found holy, and those learned in them will have ready a
response. [Taken from WISDOM 6:10]
Such things as are hidden I learned and such as
are plain; for Wisdom, the artificer of all, taught me. For
in her is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, Manifold,
subtle, agile, clear, unstained, certain, Not baneful,
loving the good, keen, unhampered, beneficent,
kindly, Firm, secure, tranquil, all-powerful,
all-seeing, And pervading all spirits, though they be
intelligent, pure and very subtle. For Wisdom is mobile beyond all
motion, and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason
of her purity. For she is an aura of the might of
God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nought that is sullied enters into her. For she is the
refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power
of God, the image of his goodness. And she, who is one, can do all
things, and renews everything while herself perduring; And
passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends
of God and prophets. For there is nought God loves, be it not one
who dwells with Wisdom. For she is fairer than the
sun and surpasses every constellation of the
stars. Compared to light, she takes precedence; for that,
indeed, night supplants, but wickedness prevails not over
Wisdom. [WISDOM 7:21-30]
For I am your servant, the son of your
handmaid, a man weak and short-lived and lacking in
comprehension of judgment and of laws. Indeed, though one be
perfect among the sons of men, if Wisdom, who comes from you,
be not with him, he shall be held in no esteem. You have
chosen me king over your people and magistrate for your sons
and daughters. You have bid me build a temple on your holy
mountain and an altar in the city that is your dwelling
place, a copy of the holy tabernacle which you had
established from of old. Now with you is Wisdom, who knows
your works and was present when you made the world; Who
understands what is pleasing in your eyes and what is
conformable with your commands. Send her forth from your holy
heavens and from your glorious throne dispatch her That
she may be with me and work with me, that I may know what is
your pleasure. For she knows and understands all things, and will
guide me discreetly in my affairs and safeguard me by her
glory; Thus my deeds will be acceptable, and I shall judge
your people justly and be worthy of my father's throne. [WISDOM 9:5-12]
For those who forsook Wisdom first were
bereft of knowledge of the right, And then they left mankind
a memorial of their folly - so that they could not even be
hidden in their fall. But Wisdom delivered from tribulations those
who served her. She, when the just man fled from his brother's
anger, guided him in direct ways, Showed him the kingdom
of God and gave him knowledge of holy things; She
prospered him in his labors and made abundant the fruit of
his works, Stood by him against the greed of his
defrauders, and enriched him; She preserved him from
foes, and secured him against ambush, And she gave him
the prize for his stern struggle that he might know that
devotion to God is mightier than all else. She did not
abandon the just man when he was sold, but delivered him from
sin. She went down with him into the dungeon, and did not
desert him in his bonds, Until she brought him the scepter of
royalty and authority over his oppressors, Showed those
who had defamed him false, and gave him eternal glory. The
holy people and blameless race - it was she who delivered
them from the nation that oppressed them. She entered the soul of
the LORD'S servant, and withstood fearsome kings with signs
and portents; she gave the holy ones the recompense of their
labors, Conducted them by a wondrous road, and became a
shelter for them by day and a starry flame by night. She took
them across the Red Sea and brought them through the deep
waters - But their enemies she overwhelmed, and cast them up
from the bottom of the depths. Therefore the just despoiled the
wicked; and they sang, O LORD, your holy name Because Wisdom
opened the mouths of the dumb, and gave ready speech to
infants. [WISDOM 10:8-21]
She made their affairs prosper through the holy
prophet. [WISDOM 11:1]
For great are your judgments, and hardly to be
described; therefore the unruly souls were wrong. For when
the lawless thought to enslave the holy nation, shackled with
darkness, fettered by the long night, they lay confined
beneath their own roofs as exiles from the eternal
providence. For they who supposed their secret sins were
hid under the dark veil of oblivion Were scattered in
fearful trembling, terrified by apparitions. [WISDOM 17:1-3]
But your holy ones had very great light; And
those others, who heard their voices but did not see their forms,
since now they themselves had suffered, called them blest [Taken
from WISDOM
18:1]
When they determined to put to death the infants
of the holy ones, and when a single boy had been cast forth but
saved, As a reproof you carried off their multitude of sons and
made them perish all at once in the mighty water. [WISDOM 18:5]
Wisdom instructs her children and
admonishes those who seek her. He who loves her loves
life; those who seek her out win her favor. He who holds her
fast inherits glory; wherever he dwells, the LORD bestows
blessings. Those who serve her serve the Holy One; those who
love her the LORD loves. He who obeys her judges nations; he
who hearkens to her dwells in her inmost chambers. If one trusts
her, he will possess her; his descendants too will inherit
her. [SIRACH 4:11-16]
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