Steven Van de Berg

Sirach Steven Van de Berg

Ecclesiasticus or Sirach is one of the deuterocanonical books of the Bible, of composition attributed to Jesus son of Sirach (Jesus Ben Sirach or Ben Sirah, or, in Greek Sirach). The book, composed of the author's personal reflections, was commonly read in Christian temples; moreover, the name Ecclesiasticus (Book of the Church or Assembly) derives from the Christian Church's official use of this book, as opposed to the Jewish Synagogue, which does not accept it as the Word of God. The book was originally written in Hebrew between 190 and 124 BC, has 51 chapters, and was later translated into Greek by a grandson of Jesus, son of Sirach, in 123 BC. Like King Solomon, Bem Sirach asked God to give him wisdom, and throughout his life his main occupation was asking for wisdom and spreading it.