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The covenant is praised through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Sirach praises God’s covenant by naming Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in order. The passage highlights faithfulness, blessing, inheritance, and the way God’s assurance continued through the family line into the twelve tribes.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
This passage comes from Sirach, a book in the Catholic additional books. Here the writer speaks in praise of honoured ancestors and focuses on covenant language. The verses do not retell full stories. Instead, they summarise how blessing and inheritance are linked with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Sirach 44:19–23Main takeaway
Sirach 44:19–23 praises God’s covenant by showing its faithful continuation through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Abraham is praised as a unique fatherThe passage begins by honouring Abraham as “a great father of a multitude of nations” and says “none” was found like him in glory.
Explanation
The passage begins by honouring Abraham as “a great father of a multitude of nations” and says “none” was found like him in glory. This is praise language. It lifts Abraham up as an outstanding figure and prepares for the covenant focus that follows in the next verses.
02Faithfulness and covenant belong togetherSirach says Abraham “kept the law of the Most High” and “was taken into covenant”. It also says, “In his flesh he established the covenant,” which points to a bodily covenant sign, while the final sentence adds that when he was tested, “he was found faithful.”
Explanation
Sirach says Abraham “kept the law of the Most High” and “was taken into covenant”. It also says, “In his flesh he established the covenant,” which points to a bodily covenant sign, while the final sentence adds that when he was tested, “he was found faithful.” The emphasis is loyalty under testing.
03God’s oath includes blessing, growth, and landBecause of that faithfulness, “he assured him by an oath”. The promise is described in several ways: nations would be blessed through Abraham’s offspring, his offspring would be multiplied “like the dust of the earth” and “like the stars”, and they would inherit a very wide territory.
Explanation
Because of that faithfulness, “he assured him by an oath”. The promise is described in several ways: nations would be blessed through Abraham’s offspring, his offspring would be multiplied “like the dust of the earth” and “like the stars”, and they would inherit a very wide territory. The verse stresses God’s assurance.
04The same assurance continues through Isaac and JacobSirach then traces the covenant onward. In Isaac, God “established the same assurance” for Abraham’s sake, including “the blessing of all men” and “the covenant”.
Explanation
Sirach then traces the covenant onward. In Isaac, God “established the same assurance” for Abraham’s sake, including “the blessing of all men” and “the covenant”. Then it “rest” upon Jacob, who received blessing and inheritance. The passage ends by noting distribution among “twelve tribes”, showing continuation into a people.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What words in this passage show that Abraham is being praised, not just mentioned?
Look closely at the honouring language in the opening lines, especially how Abraham is described among other people.
02According to this passage, what is linked with Abraham being found faithful?
Read the order in the text: testing, faithfulness, and then the oath with blessing and multiplication.
03How does Sirach show that the covenant did not stop with Abraham?
Notice the repeated covenant and blessing language as the passage moves from Isaac to Jacob and then to the twelve tribes.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 44:19–23
19Abraham was a great father of a multitude of nations. There was none found like him in glory,
20who kept the law of the Most High, and was taken into covenant with him. In his flesh he established the covenant. When he was tested, he was found faithful.
21Therefore he assured him by an oath that the nations would be blessed through his offspring, that he would multiply him like the dust of the earth, exalt his offspring like the stars, and cause them to inherit from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the utmost parts of the earth.
22In Isaac also, he established the same assurance for Abraham his father’s sake, the blessing of all men, and the covenant.
23He made it rest upon the head of Jacob. He acknowledged him in his blessings, gave to him by inheritance, and divided his portions. He distributed them among twelve tribes.