appreciated without them. Ewald has suggested the title of 'intermediate writings' (Zwischenschriften[1]) as a substitute for Apocrypha, to indicate that transitional character which gives these books so high a value for the student of both Testaments.
The book now before us—the largest and most comprehensive in the Wisdom-literature—is one of these 'intermediate writings,' but in what sense beyond the most superficial one remains to be seen. It is mentioned here first of all because of the proof which it gives of the great literary force of the canonical Book of Proverbs. But no product of literature could maintain itself as Sirach has done if it were a mere imitation; Sirach, not less than the Wisdom-books of the Old Testament proper, is at least a partial reflection of the life of the times. Its date indeed has been disputed. Suffice it to say here that the author was, beyond reasonable doubt,[2] a contemporary of 'Simon the high priest, the son of Onias.' Now there were five high priests who bore the name of Simon or Simeon, two of whom, Simon I. (B.C. 310-290) and Simon II. (B.C. 219-199), have by different critics been thought of. The weight of argument is in favour of the second of the name, who was certainly the more important of the two, and who is referred to in the Talmud under the name of Simeon the Righteous.[3] This is in accordance with the Greek translator's statement in his preface that he was the grandson of the author, and we may conjecturally fix the composition of the book at about 180 B.C. The translator himself came into Egypt, as he tells us, in the 38th year of king Euergetes[4] (comp. Luke xxii. 25). Now Euergetes II. Physkon, who must be here intended, began to reign jointly with his brother, translated by Wünsche, Der bab. Talmud, i. 1, pp. 368-9; and comp. Derenbourg, Hist. de la Palestine, i. 44 &c.]. See Stanley's note in Jewish Church, iii. 235, and Abbot's note in the American edition of Smith's Bible Dict. (I am indebted to Bissell for the latter reference). Comp. Wright, The Book of Koheleth, p. 34 n.]
- ↑ Revelation, p. 365; Die Lehre der Bibel von Gott, i. 378.
- ↑ Note the phrase in i. 1, 'who in his life repaired the house,' implying 'now indeed he is dead.' Grätz in fact is the only scholar who doubts the author's contemporaneousness with Simon (Monatsschrift, 1872, p. 114).
- ↑ See, besides the well-known passage in Pirke Aboth (i. 2), the legendary extracts from (Bab.) Yoma, 39b
- ↑ So we must paraphrase [Greek: en to ogdoô kai triakosto etei epi tou Euergetou Basileôs
