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Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:20-22
New Catholic Bible
Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:20-22
New Catholic Bible
20 All things were known to him before they were created,[a]
and they still are, now that they are finished.
21 This man will be punished in the streets of the city;
when he least expects it, he will be seized.[b]
The Trial of an Adulteress[c]
22 The same is true of a woman who is unfaithful to her husband
and presents him with an heir by another man.
Footnotes
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:20 Known to him before they were created: God’s antecedent knowledge of creation is divine wisdom itself (Prov 8:22f). And they still are, now: after creating the world, God continues to watch over it. Indeed, the Lord knows all things, both past and future (see Sir 42:18; Ps 139:1-16).
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:21 Capital punishment for the adulterer is not mentioned. Hence, it appears that the death penalty decreed in Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22-24 had been replaced in the author’s time, possibly by scourging (see Prov 5:11-14; 6:32f).
- Wisdom of Ben Sira 23:22 A society that regards women as inferior to men will not pardon the misconduct of an unfaithful spouse, and her children will bear the punishment. Our moralist dramatizes the situation to discourage, beforehand, a type of dangerous envy.
