Sirach 45:6-22

Common English Bible

⁶ The Lord exalted Aaron,
a holy person like Moses,
    his brother from the tribe of Levi.
⁷ The Lord established
an eternal covenant with him
    and gave him the priesthood
    of the people.
    He blessed Aaron with dignity,
    and wrapped him in a glorious cloak.
⁸ The Lord clothed him
with unrivaled praise,^[a]
    and honored him
    with objects of power—
    leggings, a full-length robe,
    and the priestly vest.
⁹ He encircled Aaron with pomegranates,
    with a great number of gold bells
    all around,
    in order to create a sound
    when he stepped,
    to make a sound that would be heard
    in the temple,
    as a reminder for the children
    of the Lord’s people.
¹⁰ He clothed Aaron with the priestly vest,
with gold, blue, and purple,
the work of an embroiderer,
    with the oracle of judgment
    for making the truth known;
¹¹     with braided scarlet,
    the work of a craftsperson;
    with the precious stones
    of an engraved seal
    in a gold setting,
    the work of a jeweler,
        as a memorial in engraved writing
        according to the number
        of the tribes of Israel.
¹²     He set a gold crown
    upon his turban,
        carved with a sacred seal,
        an item worthy of praise,^[b]
        a work of strength,
    desirable objects to look at,
    richly adorned.
¹³ Before Aaron, such beautiful things
had not existed.
    No stranger will ever wear them,
        but only his sons and his descendants
        for all time.
¹⁴ His sacrifices will be entirely burned up
    twice daily, for all time.
¹⁵ Moses ordained Aaron
    and anointed him with holy oil;
        it became an everlasting covenant
        for him
            and for his descendants
            for as long as heaven lasts,
        to minister to God,
        to be a priest at the same time,
            and to bless his people in his name.
¹⁶ Moses chose him
out of all who were alive
    to offer fruitful sacrifices to the Lord,
        incense and a pleasing aroma
        as a remembrance,
        to secure reconciliation for the people.
¹⁷ By his commandments,
the Lord gave him authority
over covenants for judgment,
    to teach Jacob the testimonies,
    and to enlighten Israel with his Law.
¹⁸ Strangers conspired against Aaron,
    and they were jealous of him
    in the wilderness;
        those who were with
        Dathan and Abiram
        and the company of Korah
        assembled in anger and fury.
¹⁹ The Lord saw it and wasn’t pleased,
    and they were destroyed
    in his furious anger;
        he performed wonders among them,
        consuming them in a blazing fire.
²⁰ He added to Aaron’s glory
    and gave him an inheritance;
    he gave him as his share
    the initial portion of the early produce;
    he prepared in abundance
    bread from the early produce.
²¹ They also will eat the sacrifices
of the Lord,
    which he gave to him
    and to his descendants.
²² But he has no inheritance
in the land of the people,
    and he has no portion among the people;
    for the Lord is your portion
    and inheritance.