Read & explore together
An unnamed intercessor checks a wilderness calamity
This passage in the Catholic additional book Wisdom of Solomon describes a wilderness calamity that brought many deaths, yet did not continue for long. It focuses on a blameless servant whose prayer, incense, and covenant appeal checked the wrath.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
Wisdom of Solomon 18:20–25 recalls death in the wilderness, then describes an unnamed blameless man acting as champion. The passage presents his ministry as prayerful and priestly. It says the calamity was checked not by bodily strength or weapons, but by his word and by remembered oaths and covenants.
Wisdom of Solomon 18:20–25Main takeaway
This passage says the calamity ended through the ministry, prayer, and covenant appeal of a blameless servant.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Death reached the righteousThe opening is sober and direct. Death touched "the righteous", and a multitude were destroyed in the wilderness.
Explanation
The opening is sober and direct. Death touched "the righteous", and a multitude were destroyed in the wilderness. Yet the passage immediately adds a limit: the wrath did not last long. The text therefore places severe loss beside the statement that the calamity was not endless.
02A blameless champion actedAn unnamed "blameless man" hurried to be their champion. His "weapon" was not a physical one.
Explanation
An unnamed "blameless man" hurried to be their champion. His "weapon" was not a physical one. The passage names "his own ministry, prayer, and the atoning sacrifice of incense". By withstanding the indignation, he set an end to the calamity and showed that he was God's servant.
03He prevailed by word, not forceThe next verse explains the manner of his victory. The text explicitly says it was not by strength of body and not by force of weapons.
Explanation
The next verse explains the manner of his victory. The text explicitly says it was not by strength of body and not by force of weapons. Instead, "by his word" he subdued the avenger, bringing to remembrance "oaths and covenants made with the fathers".
04Wrath was stopped at the livingThe danger was already severe, because the dead had fallen "in heaps one upon another". Then he intervened and stopped the wrath, cutting off its way to the living.
Explanation
The danger was already severe, because the dead had fallen "in heaps one upon another". Then he intervened and stopped the wrath, cutting off its way to the living. The robe, precious stones, and diadem are also described, and the passage says, "The destroyer yielded to these, and they feared".
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What does the passage say the blameless man used as his "weapon"?
Look for the words that name his ministry and notice that prayer and incense are mentioned instead of physical weapons.
02How does the text contrast his action with ordinary human power?
Compare the phrases that deny bodily strength and weapons with the phrase that says he acted "by his word".
03Which lines show both the seriousness and the limit of the calamity?
Notice the descriptions of many deaths, then the statements that wrath did not last long and was stopped from reaching the living.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Wisdom of Solomon 18:20–25
20The experience of death also touched the righteous, and a multitude were destroyed in the wilderness, but the wrath didn’t last long.
21For a blameless man hurried to be their champion, bringing the weapon of his own ministry, prayer, and the atoning sacrifice of incense. He withstood the indignation and set an end to the calamity, showing that he was your servant.
22And he overcame the anger, not by strength of body, not by force of weapons, but by his word, he subdued the avenger by bringing to remembrance oaths and covenants made with the fathers.
23For when the dead had already fallen in heaps one upon another, he intervened and stopped the wrath, and cut off its way to the living.
24For the whole world was pictured on his long robe, and the glories of the fathers were upon the engraving of the four rows of precious stones, and your majesty was upon the diadem on his head.
25The destroyer yielded to these, and they feared; for it was enough only to test the wrath.