The Wisdom of Solomon

⭑ World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

God’s wisdom and mercy in his proceedings with the Chanaanites.

For your incorruptible spirit is in all things.

Therefore you convict little by little those who fall from the right way, and, putting them in remembrance by the things wherein they sin, you admonish them, that escaping from their wickedness they may believe in you, O Lord.

For truly the old inhabitants of your holy land,

hating them because they practiced detestable works of enchantments and unholy rites—

merciless slaughters of children and sacrificial banquets of men’s flesh and of blood—

allies in an impious fellowship, and murderers of their own helpless babes, it was your counsel to destroy by the hands of our fathers;

that the land which in your sight is most precious of all might receive a worthy colony of God’s servants.(a)

Nevertheless you even spared these as men, and you sent hornets(b) as forerunners of your army, to cause them to perish little by little.

Not that you were unable to subdue the ungodly under the hand of the righteous in battle, or by terrible beasts or by a stern word to make away with them at once,

but judging them little by little you gave them a chance to repent, not being ignorant that their nature by birth was evil, their wickedness inborn, and that their manner of thought would never be changed.

For they were a cursed seed from the beginning. It wasn’t through fear of any that you left them unpunished for their sins.

For who will say, “What have you done?” Or “Who will withstand your judgment?” Who will accuse you for the perishing of nations which you caused? Or who will come and stand before you as an avenger for unrighteous men?

For there isn’t any God beside you that cares for all, that you might show that you didn’t judge unrighteously.

No king or prince will be able to confront you about those whom you have punished.

But being righteous, you rule all things righteously, deeming it a thing alien from your power to condemn one who doesn’t deserve to be punished.

For your strength is the source of righteousness, and your sovereignty over all makes you to forbear all.

For when men don’t believe that you are perfect in power, you show your strength, and in dealing with those who think this, you confuse their boldness.

But you, being sovereign in strength, judge in gentleness, and with great forbearance you govern us; for the power is yours whenever you desire it.

But you taught your people by such works as these, how the righteous must be kind. You made your sons to have good hope, because you give repentance when men have sinned.

For if on those who were enemies of your servants(c) and deserving of death, you took vengeance with so great deliberation and indulgence, giving them times and opportunities when they might escape from their wickedness,

with how great care you judged your sons, to whose fathers you gave oaths and covenants of good promises!

Therefore while you chasten us, you scourge our enemies ten thousand times more, to the intent that we may ponder your goodness when we judge, and when we are judged may look for mercy.

Therefore also the unrighteous that lived in a life of folly, you tormented through their own abominations.

For truly they went astray very far in the ways of error, Taking as gods those animals(d) which even among their enemies were held in dishonor, deceived like foolish babes.

Therefore, as to unreasoning children, you sent your judgment to mock them.

But those who would not be admonished by mild correction will experience the deserved judgment of God.

For through the sufferings they were indignant of, being punished in these creatures which they supposed to be gods, they saw and recognized as the true God him whom they previously refused to know. Therefore also the result of extreme condemnation came upon them.

Footnotes

(a)12:7 Or, children

(b)12:8 Or, wasps

(d)12:24 Gr. living creatures:and so elsewhere in this book.

God’s wisdom and mercy in his proceedings with the Chanaanites.

For thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things.

Therefore chastenest thou them by little and little that offend, and warnest them by putting them in remembrance wherein they have offended, that leaving their wickedness they may believe on thee, O Lord.

For it was thy will to destroy by the hands of our fathers both those old inhabitants of thy holy land,

Whom thou hatedst for doing most odious works of witchcrafts, and wicked sacrifices;

And also those merciless murderers of children, and devourers of man’s flesh, and the feasts of blood,

With their priests out of the midst of their idolatrous crew, and the parents, that killed with their own hands souls destitute of help:

That the land, which thou esteemedst above all other, might receive a worthy colony of God’s children.

Nevertheless even those thou sparedst as men, and didst send wasps, forerunners of thine host, to destroy them by little and little.

Not that thou wast unable to bring the ungodly under the hand of the righteous in battle, or to destroy them at once with cruel beasts, or with one rough word:

But executing thy judgments upon them by little and little, thou gavest them place of repentance, not being ignorant that they were a naughty generation, and that their malice was bred in them, and that their cogitation would never be changed.

For it was a cursed seed from the beginning; neither didst thou for fear of any man give them pardon for those things wherein they sinned.

For who shall say, What hast thou done? or who shall withstand thy judgment? or who shall accuse thee for the nations that perish, whom thou made? or who shall come to stand against thee, to be revenged for the unrighteous men?

For neither is there any God but thou that careth for all, to whom thou mightest shew that thy judgment is not unright.

Neither shall king or tyrant be able to set his face against thee for any whom thou hast punished.

Forsomuch then as thou art righteous thyself, thou orderest all things righteously: thinking it not agreeable with thy power to condemn him that hath not deserved to be punished.

For thy power is the beginning of righteousness, and because thou art the Lord of all, it maketh thee to be gracious unto all.

For when men will not believe that thou art of a full power, thou shewest thy strength, and among them that know it thou makest their boldness manifest.

But thou, mastering thy power, judgest with equity, and orderest us with great favour: for thou mayest use power when thou wilt.

But by such works hast thou taught thy people that the just man should be merciful, and hast made thy children to be of a good hope that thou givest repentance for sins.

For if thou didst punish the enemies of thy children, and the condemned to death, with such deliberation, giving them time and place, whereby they might be delivered from their malice:

With how great circumspection didst thou judge thine own sons, unto whose fathers thou hast sworn, and made covenants of good promises?

Therefore, whereas thou dost chasten us, thou scourgest our enemies a thousand times more, to the intent that, when we judge, we should carefully think of thy goodness, and when we ourselves are judged, we should look for mercy.

Wherefore, whereas men have lived dissolutely and unrighteously, thou hast tormented them with their own abominations.

For they went astray very far in the ways of error, and held them for gods, which even among the beasts of their enemies were despised, being deceived, as children of no understanding.

Therefore unto them, as to children without the use of reason, thou didst send a judgment to mock them.

But they that would not be reformed by that correction, wherein he dallied with them, shall feel a judgment worthy of God.

For, look, for what things they grudged, when they were punished, that is, for them whom they thought to be gods; now being punished in them, when they saw it, they acknowledged him to be the true God, whom before they denied to know: and therefore came extreme damnation upon them.