Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) — Chapter 49
Chapter 49 praises Josiah (vv. 1-4), Jeremiah (vv. 7-9), Ezekiel (v. 10), the twelve minor prophets (v. 12), Zerubbabel and Joshua son of Josedec (vv. 13-14), and Nehemiah (v. 15). Then Siracides returns to earlier figures: Henoch, Joseph, Seth, Shem, and Adam. Lapide treats this as a reflective coda gathering the most notable figures not yet fully praised.
Verse 1
The remembrance of Josias is like the composition of a perfume made by the art of a perfumer; his memory is sweet as honey in every mouth. The praise of Josiah: his memory is like the finest perfume—complex, sweet, and lingering. Lapide expounds Josiah's great reform (2 Kgs. 22-23) and his tragic death at Megiddo as the biographical poles of his reign.
Verse 7
He was directed by Jeremias the prophet, who was sanctified in his mother's womb, to overthrow and to pluck up and to destroy and again to build and to renew. Jeremiah's prophetic commission (Jer. 1:5, 10): sanctified from the womb, sent to uproot and plant, destroy and build. Lapide treats Jeremiah as the prophet of suffering par excellence—a type of Christ in his rejection and in his creative destruction.
Verse 10
Ezechiel who saw the glorious vision which was shewn him upon the chariot of the cherubims. Ezekiel's vision of the merkabah (chariot-throne) and the divine glory. Lapide notes the extreme difficulty and profundity of Ezekiel's visions, citing the rabbinic tradition that only the spiritually mature should study the beginning of Ezekiel (the Chariot) and the end (the New Temple).
Verse 12
But as for the twelve prophets, may their bones flourish again out of their place; for they strengthened Jacob, and redeemed themselves by vigour of faith. The twelve minor prophets: praised collectively for strengthening Israel and redeeming themselves through faith. Lapide briefly treats each of the twelve, noting their characteristic prophetic contributions.
Verse 15
And Nehemias the rememberer of them is famous: who raised up for us our walls that were thrown down, and set up the gates and the bars. Nehemiah's reconstruction of Jerusalem's walls: a figure of the Church's restoration after every persecution. Lapide expounds the typological significance of the walls, gates, and bars as figures of the Church's protective teaching and sacramental system.
Verse 16
No man was born upon earth like Henoch; for he also was taken up from the earth. Henoch's unique supernatural destiny: his bodily translation sets him apart from all others born of woman. Lapide returns to the figure of Enoch with greater depth, treating his translation as a unique act of divine love anticipating the bodily glorification of the just at the resurrection.