The Extended Edition

As a part of a project this summer, I read the apocrypha several weeks ago.

Tobit and Judith are amazing stories.  Where else do you get to read about a Virtuous Woman dressing up as prostitute to enter the enemy’s camp and cut off the ruler’s head?  I am tempted to be very jealous of my sister’s name.

The Wisdom of Solomon and Sirach read like most of the wisdom literature in the Bible, although, due to some very patriarchal bits, I’m particularly grateful I don’t have to recognize these as authoritative (take that as you will, gentle reader).

There are various small additions to books (predominantly Daniel, Esther, and Ezra), like the story of Susanna or Bel and the Dragon.  These are delightful.  The story of Daniel killing a dragon is probably the only way the book could be improved.  The Old Testament saints are just that awesome.

The various Maccabees (there are four, depending on whose apocrypha you happen to be reading) are long.  They relate some of the history of the Jews during the rise of the Greek empire– including many gruesome persecution stories.  They are more boring than the Chronicles, etc.  But, I am biased by my struggles to stay interested in any straight history text.

I recommend the read, most definitely.

Rebecca