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1 The remembrance of Josias is like the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the apothecary: it is sweet as honey in all mouths, and as musick at a banquet of wine. 2 He behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of the people, and took away the abominations of iniquity. 3 He directed his heart unto the Lord, and in the time of the ungodly he established the worship of God. 4 All, except David and Ezekias and Josias, were defective: for they forsook the law of the most High, even the kings of Juda failed. 5 Therefore he gave their power unto others, and their glory to a strange nation. 6 They burnt the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made the streets desolate, according to the prophecy of Jeremias. 7 For they entreated him evil, who nevertheless was a prophet, sanctified in his mother's womb, that he might root out, and afflict, and destroy; and that he might build up also, and plant. 8 It was Ezekiel who saw the glorious vision, which was shewed him upon the chariot of the cherubims. 9 For he made mention of the enemies under the figure of the rain, and directed them that went right. 10 And of the twelve prophets let the memorial be blessed, and let their bones flourish again out of their place: for they comforted Jacob, and delivered them by assured hope. 11 How shall we magnify Zorobabel? even he was as a signet on the right hand: 12 So was Jesus the son of Josedec: who in their time builded the house, and set up an holy temple to the Lord, which was prepared for everlasting glory. 13 And among the elect was Neemias, whose renown is great, who raised up for us the walls that were fallen, and set up the gates and the bars, and raised up our ruins again. 14 But upon the earth was no man created like Enoch; for he was taken from the earth. 15 Neither was there a young man born like Joseph, a governor of his brethren, a stay of the people, whose bones were regarded of the Lord. 16 Sem and Seth were in great honour among men, and so was Adam above every living thing in creation.
[AD 856] Rabanus Maurus on Sirach 49:2
According to the allegory, Josiah is a figure of the saving Lord, he who is called the salvation and strength of the Lord, since Scripture says of him, “The mighty Lord, the Lord strong in battle.” And elsewhere, “He will save his people from their sins.” In fact, out of zeal for God, he who said through the prophet, “Zeal for your house consumes me,” purifies the land of Judah and Jerusalem from all filth and abomination. Of him John says, “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor.”

[AD 856] Rabanus Maurus on Sirach 49:9
Ezekiel, whose name is translated “confirmed by God” and who, in Babylon, predicted to the sinful masses the coming imprisonment, though promising forgiveness of sins to those who would turn and do penance, points in a mysterious way to the Lord and Savior, who is the power and wisdom of God2 and was called by the prophet the arm of the Lord. He has visited us, we who were in the prison of this world, foretelling future punishments for sinners and promising eternal healing to those who were repentant.

[AD 856] Rabanus Maurus on Sirach 49:11
How he is a seal in the right hand of Israel is what the prophet Haggai shows at the end of his book: “In that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, my servant, says the Lord of hosts, and I will place you like a seal, because I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts.” In the end, he is commanded to speak only to Zerubbabel, since he preceded Christ as his image, having assumed the flesh of the line of David. He is told, therefore, what will happen at the end, that this world will pass away4 and that he will destroy every principality, power and might, pull down the thrones of kings and destroy the power of kingdoms and nations, and the chariots, the horses and the riders. “In that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, my servant.” He calls him “servant” because of the human body, since “then he also, the Son, will be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him,” and with all things subjected it will be seen that he also is subjected. But when all of this is fulfilled, God will put a seal in his hands. God the Father marks him, and he is the image of the invisible God, his imprint and his substance, and whoever will believe in God will be sealed as with a ring.

[AD 856] Rabanus Maurus on Sirach 49:14
What was set forth at first and again recapitulated concerning Enoch, if not that his being taken away prefigured the ascension into heaven of our Lord Jesus Christ, who became incarnate in the last days of the world and was testified to by all the patriarchs and prophets? It is rightly said of him that “no one was created on earth equal to Enoch,” which means consecration, as one who has consecrated his church, consecrating it with his blood. He came into the world without sin and was received into heaven in glory. Of him the psalmist says, “You are the most beautiful among the sons of men,” and, “Ascending on high, he took prisoners with him; he gave gifts to human beings.”