Chapter 48: Elijah and Elisha

Selected verses from SIRACH (Apocrypha book) chapter 48

CEB Study Bible, published 2013

21st Century translation: Common English Bible

Then Elijah the prophet rose up

like fire, and his word burned

like a torch.  He brought a

famine upon them, and he reduced

their number by his zeal.

By the Lord's word he shut up

the sky, and in the same way he

brought down fire three times.

How glorious you were, Elijah,

in your amazing deeds!

Who will boast like you can?

You raised a corpse from death,

from the grave [Hebrew Sheol,

Greek Septuagint Hades ] by a

word of the Most High.

You brought kings down to

destruction and dragged the famous

from their beds.

You heard a rebuke at Sinai and

decrees of punishment at Horeb.

You anointed kings to bring

retribution and prophets to

succeed you.  You were taken up

in a whirlwind of fire and in

a chariot of fiery horses.

It is recorded that you are ready

for the designated times,

to calm anger before it turns

to wrath, to turn the heart of

a father to his son, and to restore

the tribes of Jacob.  Happy are 

those who saw you and who have fallen

asleep [died] in your love,

for we will surely live as well.

Elijah was covered by the whirlwind,

and Elisha was filled with his spirit

[Hebrew adds He performed twice as 

many signs and marvels with every

word from his mouth ].  In his time,

he didn't tremble before any ruler,

and no one oppressed him.

Nothing was too great for him,

and in death his body prophesied.

During his life, he performed wonders,

and in death his accomplishments

were marvelous.

In spite of these things, the people

didn't change their hearts and lives,

and they didn't turn from their sins

until they were torn away from their

land and scattered over the whole

earth.  The people who remained were

few in number, but they had a ruler

from the house of David.  Some of them

did what pleased God, but others sinned

even more.