Don't Know Much About the Bible - Kenneth C. Davis [129]
• Additions to Esther
The Greek Septuagint includes several passages from the book of Esther (see page 261) for which there is no Hebrew original. In that book, the beautiful young Jewish girl Esther saved her people from a cruel plot by the Persian king’s chancellor Haman. In the Hebrew version, God is never mentioned, but these Greek additions contain frequent references to God, and Esther also displays her loathing for the Gentiles and strictly observes the Jewish dietary laws—neither of which are reflected in the Hebrew original.
• Wisdom of Solomon (follows the Song of Songs in the Catholic Bible)
Even though it was probably written as late as 50 BCE, and the name of Solomon does not even appear in this book of contemplation, it was attributed to him. The author reflects on his religious faith in contrast to the godless things he witnesses in the world around him, especially among the Egyptians.
• Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
Also called the “Wisdom of Ben Sira,” this is a collection of sayings, like Proverbs, that reflect on good behavior, tact, and common sense and celebrate wisdom. The author, Ben Sira, was a scribe and teacher in Jerusalem sometime around 190-180 BCE. Fragments of the original Hebrew text have been found, but the book was translated into Greek by the author’s grandson in 132 BCE.
• Baruch (follows Lamentations in the Catholic Bible)
The author of this book claims to be a follower of the prophet Jeremiah, who was writing from Babylon with the exiles after 587 BCE. Jeremiah and Baruch were both supposedly taken to Egypt in 582 BCE, and this book was more likely written after the book of Daniel was written around 165 BCE. Like the traditional prophets, Baruch points to the faithlessness and corruption among his people as the reason for the disasters that have taken place. But he believes that the punishment will end, and Jerusalem will be rebuilt.
• Letter of Jeremiah
This letter is supposedly written by Jeremiah in Babylon, but Jeremiah went to Egypt after Jerusalem fell. In the letter, “Jeremiah” says the Exile will be long but not permanent and that the exiles should be careful not to pick up any bad foreign habits, such as idolatry.
• Additions to Daniel
This book contains three extended passages in Greek that were not part of the surviving Hebrew text of Daniel. “The Prayer of Azariah” is a long hymn of praise as three young Jewish men sit in the furnace into which they have been thrown. “Susanna and the Elders” is a morality tale about a virtuous Jewish woman who is threatened by two men who will accuse Susanna of adultery unless she sleeps with them. Daniel intervenes and saves Susanna’s life and the two lecherous old men are put to death. In “Bel and the Dragon (or Serpent)” Daniel scorns a great serpent statue that is offered food daily in the court of King Cyrus. Daniel proves that the statue does not consume the food but, rather, that priests sneak into the temple and eat the food. The king has the priests of the serpent put to death.
• 1, 2, 3 & 4 Maccabees (These are included in the historical writings, following Esther, in the Roman Catholic canon)
The first three of these books combine to give a historical account of Jewish life under Alexander the Great and his successors in Judah and Syria, the Seleucids, especially the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Syrian king who desecrated the Temple. It recounts the rise of a Jewish dynasty called the Hasmoneans, also called Maccabeans, begun by a priest named Mattathias and his five sons.
When Antiochus attacked Jerusalem and later desecrated the Temple, Mattathias and his sons rallied the Jews to resistance. After Mattathias died, his son Judas “Maccabeus” (the “Hammerer”) took command and defeated the Seleucids. He retook the Temple, which was purified and reconsecrated. The Jewish festival of Hanukkah celebrates this ritual cleansing of the Temple. But the Hanukkah tradition of a small bottle of oil miraculously burning for eight days is not mentioned in these books.
Judas