Testamentsoftwel08char

Page 1





THE TESTAMENTS OF

THE TWELVE PATRIAKCHS


BY THE SAME AUTHOR THE APOCALYPSE OF BARUCH.

Translated from

the Syriac. Crown 8vo, cloth, price 7s. Post free, price 7s. I od.

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THE ASSUMPTION OP MOSES.

Translated from the Latin Sixth Century MS., the unemended Text of which is published herewith, together with the Text in its restored and critically emended form. Edited with Introduction, Notes, and Indices. Crown 8vo, cloth, price 7s. 6d. Post free, price 7s. I od.

THE ASCENSION OP

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ISAIAH.

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od.

CRITICAL HISTORY OF THE DOCTRINE OF A FUTURE LIFE IN ISRAEL, IN JUDAISM, AND IN CHRISTIANITY or, Hebrew, Jewish, ;

and Christian Eschatology from pre-Prophetic Times till the Close of the New Testament Canon (The Jowett Lectures for 1898-99). Demy 8vo, cloth, price 15s. Post free, price 1 5s. 5d.

THE BOOK OF JUBILEES.

Translated from

the

Editor's Ethiopic Text. Edited, with Introduction, Notes, and Indices. Demy 8vo, cloth, price 15s. Post free, price 15s. 4d. net.


THE TESTAMENTS OF

THE TWELVE PATKIARCHS TRANSLATED FROM

THE EDITOR'S GREEK TEXT AND

EDITED, WITH INTRODUCTION, NOTES,

AND INDICES

BY

R. H.

CHARLES,

D.Litt., D.D.

GRINFIELD LECTURER ON THE SEPTUAGINT, OXrOED

FELLOW OF THE BRITISH ACADEMY

LONDON

ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK 1908


l„49S5

/2S

3>


^0 no^ Mife



PREFACE The many

laborious years of study of the Testaments of

the Twelve Patriarchs see at last their close in the present

The labour involved has been very

volume.

times indeed oppressive, but

own compensations

;

the

for

great, at

has not been without

it

toil

been

has

its

frequently

lightened by the joys of discovery, and the task of research

has been often one of sheer delight.

The pleasures

of fox-

hunting are not to be compared with those of the student in full quest of some truth, some for the first

return.

new

fact

showing

time within his intellectual horizon.

Many

of the problems arising

itself

But

to

from our text had

hitherto been wholly unattempted, or else had been wrongly

solved in the past

—

in large part

owing in

earlier years to

the lack of documentary authorities, and in later years to the large

demand on the

scholar's time that the

tions

mastery of

Short but valuable contribu-

these would have entailed.

and suggestions have recently been made by Schnapp,

Conybeare, Kohler, Gaster, and Bousset, and not a few of the conclusions arrived at by these scholars have been con-

firmed by

my own

The main

investigations.

questions

as

regards

the

language, and object of the author, are,

now

practically settled

beyond the range

I

date,

am

original

convinced,

Other

of dispute.

questions arise in the text that call for further study and research.

For the prosecution of these the student

is

fully


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

viii

provided with

all

the documentary materials, so far as the

Testaments themselves are concerned, in the present volume

my

and in

which

Text,

authorities in

Slavonic

by the Oxford

published

is

For these two volumes

University Press.

Greek,

all

accessible

Armenian, Hebrew, Aramaic, and

have been used, and of these a

full

account

is

given in the Introductions to these two books.

The Testaments

of the

Twelve Patriarchs

has, since its re-

discovery by Bishop Grosseteste in the thirteenth century

till

the last decade, been a sealed book, misunderstood and mis-

dated on every hand.

The research of the

last

few years has,

however, as I have just indicated, succeeded in discovering its

true date, purpose, and character.

It

now comes forward

as a book second in importance to none composed between

200

B.C.

and the Christian

It

era.

was written in Hebrew

in the last quarter of the second century

B.C.

by a Chasid on

behalf of the high-priesthood of the great Maccabean family,

and

especially

on behalf of the Messianic claims of John

Hyrcanus, who, according to Josephus, was the only Israelite

who enjoyed But

its

the triple offices of prophet, priest, and king.

claims to historical importance, however great, are

overshadowed by

its still

greater claims as being the sole

representative of the loftiest ethical standard ever attained

by pre-Christian Judaism, and

as such, attesting the existence

of a type of religious thought in pre-Christian

was the natural preparation

for

the ethics

Judaism that of the

New

Testament, and especially of the Sermon on the Mount.

Not only

so,

but this book influenced directly the Sermon

on the Mount in a few of phrases,

and the

its

most striking thoughts and

Pauline Epistles

in

a

great variety of

passages.

The reader who wishes

to get a

summary account

New

of the

Testaments, and

their

should read 88

26, 27 of the Introduction that follows.

1,

influence

on the

Testament,


PREFACE Some

ix

of the Sections in this Introduction will of neces-

sity appear

my

in the Introduction to

Text, which will

be published immediately by the University Press.

As

the present volume constitutes the

first

commentary

on the Testaments, the editor has had often to pursue untravelled ways, and as he has pushed his discoveries this

in

direction,

now

in

he

that,

is

now

conscious that he

cannot when so doing have escaped falling into errors of perception, judgment,

For such he can

scholarship.

or

with confidence throw himself on the indulgence of his fellow researchers,

who know

and the ease with which he I have, however,

errors.

the difficulties of the pioneer falls

done

my

a victim even to obvious best to avoid such errors.

In this I should no doubt have been more successful, sheets

had been revised by other

eyes.

But

if

my

I naturally

shrank from imposing the overwhelming labour of revising

my

Text on any of

my

Translations and Notes.

friends,

For

and even of reading

all corrections I shall

my

be very

grateful.

I cannot conclude without thanking the Publishers for

their

magnanimity in undertaking yet another of these

expensive works.

I

may have something

hope that their virtue in this respect outside of and beyond its

E. H. Oct. 2, 1907,

24

Bardwell Road, Oxford.

own

reward.

CHAKLES.



CONTENTS SECTION 1.

The Book and

2.

The Greek MSS

3.

The Armenian MSS

4.

its

PAGE

.... ....

Fortunes

XV

.

xviii

xxii

The Armenian Version found in two Recensions their Mutual Relations, and Affinities with THE Greek MSS Value of the Version .

;

5.

Edition of the Armenian Text

6.

Translations op the Armenian Version

7.

The Slavonic Version

8.

The two Slavonic Recensions

9.

The Greek Version found

XXV xxviii

xxix

XXX

in

xxxi

two forms, a and

.... ....

(3

their Relations and the Characteristics of their

Representatives

10.

Editions of the Greek Version

11.

Modern Translations op the Greek Version

12.

Critical Inquiries

13.

The Greek Version Hebrew

14.

a and

13

xxxii

XXX vi

(3

—P

xxxvii

..... a

Translation

from

xxxviii

the xlii

derived respectively from two lost hebrew Table op Affinity op

Recensions, H" and H^.

ALL THE Textual Authorities

.

.

xlvii

15.

Date of the Original Hebrew

.

.

.

1

16.

Title op the Book

.

.

liv

17.

Integrity, Authorship, Sources

.

.

.

.

.liv


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xii

PAGE

SECTION

18.

Date of Greek Version

19.

Jewish Additions to the Text

.

.

.

Ivii

20.

Christian Additions to the Text

.

.

.

Ixi

21.

Midrash Wajjissau containing Fragments of the Testament of Jddah

.

.

.

.

....

Ivi

Ixv

22.

Late Hebrew Testament of Naphtali

.

Ixvi

23.

Aramaic and Greek Fragments coNTAiiiiNG Phrases and Clauses from an Original Source of the Testament of Levi and the Book of Jubilees .

Ixviii

Influence of the Testaments on Jewish Literature

.

Ixxiv

24.

25. 26. 27.

.

Patristic Literature

Ixxv

The New Testament

Ixxviii

Theology at the Close of the Second Century b.c. and its Influence on New Testament Theology

Jewish

......

The Testament op Reuben


CONTENTS

APPENDIX

xiii

I PAGE

Translation of a Late Hebrew Testament of Naphtali, WHICH contains FRAGMENTS OF THE ORIGINAL Testament .

,

.

.

.

APPENDIX

.221

II

Translation of Aramaic and Greek Fragments op an Original Source of the Testament of Levi and THE Book of Jubilees .

INDEX

.

.

.228

I

.......

Passages from the Scriptures and other Ancient Books Directly Connected or Closely Parallel with the

Text

INDEX Names and Subjects

.

.

237

II

.

.

.241



INTRODUCTION § 1.

The Book and

its

Fortunes

The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs were written in Hebrew in the later years of John Hyrcanus in all prob-

—

ability after his final victory over the Syrian

before

his

breach with

between 109 and 106.

combined loyalty

to

the Pharisees

—

Their author was a Pharisee

bean dynasty had now reached the zenith of

of

words,

who

the best traditions of his party with

the most unbounded admiration of Hyrcanus.

and

power and

other

in

in its reigning representative,

Judaism possessed the

who

triple offices

The Maccaits prosperity,

alone in the history of prophet, priest,

and king, the Pharisaic party had come to recognise the actual Messiah.

Won

over by the purity of

and pre-eminent civil rulers,

Pharisees, this

new

gifts

life,

nobility of character,

of the Maccabees

as

high

priests,

and military commanders, the Chasids, or early

had some decades

earlier attached

high-priesthood, though with

many

themselves to a misgiving

on account of the break in the high-priestly succession.

The approval thus won from the reluctant Chasids, the Maccabees had deepened and strengthened by their achieve-

ments every year in every province of thought was begotten in

many XV

their activity,

till

Sab

a breast, that at last the


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xvi

hope of Israel had come, and, in defiance of

all

ancient

prophecy, was sprung from the house and lineage of Levi.^

There are good grounds

Psalm

regarding

for

ex.

as

the outcome of such an expectation, and as greeting one of

Maccabees as the long-expected deliverer of

the

may

But, however this addresses two or

whom had

in

all

established,

John Hyrcanus,

to

the glories and gifts of this

The writer already

great family.

dom

more Messianic hymns

culminated

Israel.^

no doubt that our author

be, there is

sees the Messianic king-

under the sway of which the Gentiles will

in due course be saved,^ Beliar overthrown, sin disappear

from the earth, and the righteous dead

to share in the

rise

blessedness of the living.

Alas for the vanity of man's judgment and man's pre-

Our book had

science.

Hyrcanus, owing to

been

hardly

published,

an outrage done him by the

when

Pharisees,

broke with their party, and, joining the Sadducees, died a year or two

His successors proved themselves the

later.

Their infamy

basest of men.

by contemporary writers of the strange irony the work,*

one of these

of

achieved ^

is

painted in lurid colours

first

or, rather,

assailants

of

the

century

fragments of the work later

Maccabees, has

immortality by finding a covert

But the Testaments were not only used

and by a

B.C.,

in

the

for private edification.

chief

They were

used, as Kohler (J.Q.R., 1893, pp. 400-401) has indicated, on certain occasions in the

High Court

of Justice on the trial of a

according to Sifre,

Num.

12,

woman suspected

Sotah 7^, and Jer. Sotah

16"^,

For

of adultery.

the president of

the Court was directed to urge on the accused the duty of confession, and recite to her

ings

The

—

' '

words of the Haggada, historical events which occur in the early writReuben with Bilhah and of Judah with Tamar."

for exaniiDle, the incident of

confessions of

Reuben and Judah

are found in our text,

and nowhere

else in

ancient Jewish literature. '^

1

Many

Mace. ^

exegetes take Ps. ex. as a Messianic

hymn

addressed to Simon

(cf.

xiv. 1).

Contrast the narrowness of the sister work, the Book of Jubilees, the author

of which, like Ezekiel, believed in the exclusion of the Gentiles from the Messianic

kingdom. *

See § 19.


INTRODUCTION

xvii

manifesto that was issued on behalf of one of the earlier

members

of that dynasty.

This second writer singles out three of the Maccabean

whom

priest kings for attack, the first of

every abomination

;

and chastisement

the people

he charges with

he declares,

itself,

will follow speedily

is

apostate,

the temple will be

laid waste, the nation carried afresh into captivity, whence,

on their repentance, God will restore them again to their

own

where

land,

they

God's presence and be

shall

ruled

enjoy

the

blessedness

of

by a Messiah sprung from

Judah.^

When we

contrast the expectations of the original writer

and the actual events that followed, work would

chief value of his

it

would seem that the

consist in the light that it

throws on this obscure and temporary revolution in the Messianic expectations of Judaism towards the close of the second century.

But

whelming value

of the

this is not so.

book

The main, the over-

not in this province, but

lies

in its ethical teaching, which has achieved a real

immor-

tality

by influencing the thought and diction of the writers

of the

New

Testament, and even those of our Lord.^

ethical teaching,

which

is

indefinitely higher

that of the Old Testament,

and helps Old and

to bridge the

New

After the

is

yet

its

This

and purer than

true spiritual child,

chasm that divides the

ethics of the

Testaments. first

century of our era the fortunes of the

Testaments speedily declined in Christendom.

Though they

are referred to occasionally in the next three centuries, they

came

to be discredited as

an Apocryphal writing and

under the ban of the Church.

course of these centuries of their

waning popularity, they

underwent interpolation^ at the hands of Christian ^

2

Part of this prophecy was

See §§ 26, 27.

fell

Unhappily, further, in the

fulfilled in

70 a.D.

^

See % 20.

scribes,


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xviii

but

happily

many

of

had not been

these interpolations

made when the book was done into Armenian. The reappearance of the Testaments on history was due

the great Bishop

to

Grosseteste, in the thirteenth century,

MS

Greece the

sity Library of

with

all its

of this book,

which

is

the stage of

Lincoln, Eobert

of

who procured from now in the Univer-

This scholar took the book

Cambridge.

Christian additions to be a genuine writing of

He

the twelve sons of Jacob.

charged the Jews with con-

cealing the Testaments from the knowledge of the Church "

on account of the prophecies of the Saviour contained in

them."

Grosseteste translated

his translation gained larity,

and from

the book into Latin, and

an immediate and widespread popu-

in course of time translations were

it

made

into most of the languages of Europe. It

is,

perhaps, needless to state that,

when

the critical

instinct revived with the Eeformation, Grosseteste's view

of the Testaments was

summarily

rejected.

Nay, more, as

the book was regarded as the work of one writer,

it

was

In the course

simply condemned as a Christian forgery.

of four centuries only one voice was raised as against this

mistaken verdict, and that in vain for about two hundred

Only a

years.

score of years ago

Grabe's view that the

Christian clauses were interpolations was rehandled in a treatise

by a young German scholar Schnapp.

Some

years

afterwards the subject was restudied by the present writer,

who now

presents

laborious but

to

happy years

ยง 2.

Bodley MS.

a.

MS

contains

latter

part

the

of

the

product

of

many

of research.

The Greek MSS

Barrocio 133.

Quarto.

This paper

by

different

hands of the

several

the

reader

treatises

fourteenth century.

The Testaments


INTRODUCTION occupy

folios

179^-205^

Judah and Gad

Their general

and those of

title

There are two copies

are written in red.

MS. on

of this

xix

MS. Smith 117,

paper, one in the Bodley

belonging to the close of the seventeenth century, and the

Emmanuel

second in

College, Cambridge.

MS.

This

is

remarkable for a large number of omissions, at times of

A

entire chapters.

collation of it

is

given in Dr. Sinker's

wanting in accuracy.

edition, but it is

by him

It is cited

as 0.

University Library, Cambridge, Ff.

b.

Quarto.

24.

i.

This parchment MS. contains four works, of which

Testaments are the fourth, written on It belongs to the tenth century.

in red, except the

MS. that

first,

which

is

It is written in double

The

columns, 20 lines in a column.

writing, according to Dr. James,

is

and

initials

in gold.

Grosseteste's Latin version

Grabe professes

folios

the

203^-262^

titles are

was from

It

was made.

this

His hand-

found on the margin.

have given a transcript of this MS, as

to

his text.

Of

MS.

this

The

there are three copies.

first

two are

University Library and in the Library of Trinity

in the

Cambridge,

College,

respectively,

and

the

third

in

the

Library of Queen's College, Oxford. This

MS. forms the

James has above

tested its accuracy for me,

all praise.

script of the

him

text of Dr. Sinker's edition.

MS

I have, therefore,

it

Dr. to

be

used Dr. Sinker's tran-

in the present edition.

It is cited

by

as C.

Vatican Library, Cod. Graec. 731.

c.

octavo

MS

page.

Besides the Testaments

This

is

a small

written on paper, with 22 or 23 lines on each

the Fathers.

The

and found

it

contains extracts from

The Testaments are given on

folios 9 7^-1 6 7^

script of the latter belongs probably to the thirteenth

century.

This

is

the most important of

all

the

MSS.

A


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

XX

MS. by Guidi

fairly accurate collation of this

Sinker, in his separately published

Appendix

of tlie Testaments,

and cited by him

photograp]is of this

MS.

volumes of the

in three

On

century.

LXX

This

LXX

340^-3 49^ and

There are from 33

text.

tmv

A.ta6rjKaL

words

Book

350-380

39

to

AeTTTT}? Veveaew<i,

MS.

title of

which

is

our present each column.

in

lines

the Testaments

irarpcap'^MV vloiv ^laKco^

c/3

—

one of the

That there was a

of Jubilees.

a vellum

is

follows the Testament

on

Strangely enough, above the general

—

procured

I

belonging to the thirteenth

the close of the

of Job, folios

to his edition

E.

for the present edition.

Vatican Library, Gk. 1238.

d.

as

given by

is

appear the

titles of

close relation

the

between

we know independently. A collation of this MS. was published by Conybeare in the J.Q.R., Oct. 1900 and Jan. 1901, but I thought it advisable to have the MS.

these books

photographed e.

for this edition.

Mount Athos MS.

columns of 40

lines each in

MS.

is

T. Lev.

after the after t?}?

:

the

first

3, consisting of

ii.

word yi]<i

in

it

Ash.

in

two

contains three large

before koI eVt irvp<yov<i in

a prayer of Jacob

in T. Lev. xviii. 2,

rjfiepcbv

T.

written

good hand of the tenth

a

of great interest, as

additions to the text

is

are given on folios 197''-229^

The Testaments

century.

This

This MS.

vii. 2.

The

;

the second

and the third

third consists of 2|-

columns of certain Christian disquisitions on love and the Trinity.

which

I

The second

is

the remarkable Greek fragment,

have printed in Appendix

the Text, and which

III. in

we show elsewhere

my

edition of

to be a translation

from a Hebrew work, which was probably an original source of the Testaments.

me

for

MS.

on Mount Athos.

MS. 938. This is a beautifully written MS. of tenth century. The Testaments are given on the first 7 2

/.

the

Professor Lake photographed this

Paris


INTRODUCTION Each page contains 23

folios.

folio 1^ there is

The Testaments proper begin

with their meanings. is

On

lines.

a

Old Testament names, including the twelve patriarchs,

list of

It

xxi

characteristic of this

Testament

MS.

that after the

in

1^

each

title of

adds the meaning of the proper name, and

it

also that, at the conclusion of each Testament, it adds the

number

In the

of years that the patriarch lived.

feature

followed by the

is

it

latter

Slavonic Eecension

first

(S^).

After the Testaments follow the Testament of Job and other

MS. was photographed

This

writings.

for

me with

Dr. Sinker collated this

to the present edition.

back as 1887, but never published the g. MS. 411 in the Library John the Evangelist in Patmos.

MS.

as far

collation.

the

of

a view

Monastery of

It is a quarto

St.

MS. written

on parchment, and assigned by H. C. Coxe to the sixteenth This very inaccurate MS. was collated for Dr.

century.

Sinker's Appendix,

Mount

h.

corum,

132.

p.

whom

Gardthausen,

It

is

T. Jos. XV. 7.

duction roiv

t/3'

vltav

^lovSaiKov true,

Codd.

It contains

and

incomplete

comes

Library of

St.

Sinaiti-

Graec.

17

lines

an

to

on each

end

with

This MS. has the following peculiar intro-

Icodvvov Tov Trore e/3paiov

:

the

in

Cat.

This MS., 14*5 by 10'35 cm., was written

in the seventeenth century.

page.

cited as P.

it is

MS. No. 547

Sinai

See

Catherine.

by

etSrjcri'i

rcbv ScadrjK&v

tov irarptdp'^ov ^IaKa)/3 /xâ‚ŹTacf)pacrdei(Ta aTro

SiaXeKTov

et?

The statement is we cannot determine.

'^WevLKrjv.

but where the scribe

got

it

This MS. was copied for Dr. Sinker by Mrs. Gibson in Eeb. 1892.

This copy, together with photographs of the

T. Jos. i.-xii. 3, xv. 1-7, Dr.

my

Sinker most kindly placed at

disposal. i.

Mount

Sinai

MS.

This

MS. was

discovered acci-

dentally in the Convent Library in the spring of

Mrs. Gibson.

She was searching

for h,

1906 by

with a view to


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xxii

more correct every

Mount

ing

it,

failed to find

and photographed the greater part T.

Ash.

vii.

6,

who had

Sinai,

Just before leav-

across this second

of it for me,

Ash.

iv. 1, V.

3^-vi. 2'';

lost or

proved to be

T.

Gad

T.

where

connected.

it

differs

my

edition of the Text, a colla-

h,

with which

It contains

21

to

on each

lines

The Armenian MSS.

many MSS.

There are

The

of this version.

are designated by the symbols attached

to

When

owe

cited they appear as

A*. Mechitarist

345.

designation

their

A^

Library

the

to

five

first

them

Venetian edition of the text by the Mechitarist rest

See

MS.

ยง 3.

The

closely

than the

earlier

23

and Jud.

is

it

the same peculiar introduction as h.

It has

page.

text

Accordingly I have

press.

This MS. was written not

seventeenth century.

preceding

from

9-

either

my

ninety-six pages of

first

tion of the Testaments of Eeuben, Simeon, Levi, i.-xx.,

i.

Wlien the photographs of

had already passed through the added 'in Appendix VI., in

;

to

Unfortu-

3^ were

7^-ii. 7, iv. 5-vi.

i.

failures.

MS. reached me, the

2^-ix. 2^

viii.

MS

down

i.e.

when her camera broke down.

nately the negatives of T. Naph.

this

of

it.

came

Sinai, however, she

Notwithstanding

behalf.

the Archbishop

effort, she, like

previously sought for

my

on

collation,

in the fathers.

present

editor.

A*^, etc.

of

St.

Lazzaro, Venice, No.

This MS., 5 by 7 inches, was written in the year

1220 on

paper.

This

Prophet Jeremiah.

MS. contains

also the History of the

It belongs to the first recension of the

text.

A^*.

Mechitarist

Library

of

St.

Lazzaro,

No.

280.

This MS., 7^ by 11 inches, was written in two columns of

42

lines each

on paper in the year 1418.

This

MS.

is

the


INTRODUCTION

xxiii

worst representative of the second recension of the Armenian

A*".

History of Asenath.

It contains also the

version.

Mechitarist Library of

This

Lazzaro, No. 679.

St.

MS., 6 by 10 inches, was written towards the end of the double columns of 26 lines each, and

fifteenth century, in

consists of Its

sion.

679

in

collation

MS. belongs to the first the Armenian text is not

This

folios.

quently incorrect and defective, as

I

receninfre-

have discovered through

Father Carekin's copy of six of the Testaments in this MS.,

which he made

Mr. Conybeare, and which the

for

most kindly placed at

my

disposal.

I

latter

have introduced the

needful corrections into the text on the basis of Carekin's collation.

A°. Mechitarist Library of St. Lazzaro, No. 229.

MS.

Bible, 8

columns

of

by 10

50

inches,

This

was written on vellum in double

lines each in the year

1655.

A^. Mechitarist Library of St. Lazzaro, No. 1366.

This

MS. Bible was written in the sixteenth century on paper, in double columns of 43 lines each. MS. Bible was written in the sixteenth A*'. This century and belongs to the London Bible Society. It is designated as A^.

B by

Conybeare, whose collation I have used.

This MS. Bible, which belongs to the Catholicos of

the Armenian Church at Edschmiadzin there

written in

hand.

in Armenia,

photographed by Conybeare in 1891.

two columns of 50

lines each

was

The MS.

is

in a beautiful

Unfortunately the negatives reproduced the pages

of the Edschmiadzin

MS. on

impossible to print them.

were out of

focus.

so

minute a

scale, that it

was

Moreover, a few of the columns

Notwithstanding, the present editor

has been able to decipher five-sixths of the text by holding the negatives between himself and the sunlight and studying the negatives letter by letter and word by word.

MS

is

This

closely related to A°^®^, and has been of great service


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xxiv

where the collations of these MSS. were slightly inaccurate or defective. AS.

This

MS,

Bible,

which was written in the seven-

teenth century, belongs to Lord

Zouche.

owe

I

all

my

citations of its text to Conybeare's collation.

A^ Only

Bodleian

Library, Oxford, No.

30 (13th

e.

cent.)

Testaments are found in this MS., and in the

five

following order: Simeon (folio 168^), Levi (173''), Joseph (183^), Benjamin (195^), Judah (202^). in

two or more hands

types of text.

ments and

xiv.

T.

Judah

i.-xiv.

A^ than

written

and there are two

of text as

lav

S*^'' {i.e.

This

A^^ but

.

MS. thus more

is

it

.

.

alcr'x^popr]-

and only

recension,

first

the second.

8'^^-xxvi. to

same type

cent.),

is

Fortunately the four first-mentioned Testa-

belong to the

fiovelv)

18th

(latest

The MS.

Jud.

T.

attests

the

closely related to

to A^.

All the preceding

MSS. have been used by the

present

There are three others, of two of which he has no

editor.

knowledge. A'.

A

Vatican MS. of the Bible cited once by Cony-

See J.Q.R.

beare.

viii.

(1896),

It belongs to the

260.

p.

seventeenth century.

A^

Mechitarist

Catalog

Library, Venice,

der armenischen

126 (Dashian's

Handschriften der Mechitaristen

BiUiothek zu Wein, 1895, written in

No.

p.

411

71,

On

the year 1388.

the

This MS. was

sqq.).

first

105** folios

Then

contains the History of Joseph and Asenath.

Of

the Testaments. missing.

these,

first five

follow

Eeuben, Dan, and Naphtali are

The order of the remaining nine

agreeing in the

it

with that of A'\

is

peculiar,

Thus we have

Simeon, Levi, Joseph, Benjamin, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher.

A

study of the

given in Sinker's Appendix, tion

p.

titles

of these Testaments

25, and the

of the T. Jud. xxiv.-xxvi.,

and

German

transla-

T. Benj. x. 8^-xii.,

by


INTRODUCTION Dr. Paul Hunanian, makes to the first

Armenian

is

more nearly

to

A^^

it

at once clear that A'^ belongs

recension, and, furthermore, that

and

related to A^'^ than to A^,

to A''

A^

than

The Hof-Bibliothek, Vienna, No. 11 (Dashian's

(A>)

HSS,

Catalog der armenischen

19, 1891).

p.

The Armenian Version found

§ 4.

xxv

Mutual Kelations

THEIR

the Greek MSS.

two Eecensions

;

their Affinities with

;

Value of the Version.

;

The Two Recensions.

in

—As we have

already observed in

the preceding section, there are two recensions of this text,

which are represented in which

is

^abhk^

this edition as

A* and A^

A%

found in non-Biblical MSS., includes four MSS.,

of which the last

A^

is

known

to the editor only

through the translation of some chapters

by Dr. Paul

Hunanian

The

in Sinker's Appendix, p.

MSS.

of these four

follows

to

25

sqq.

relations

each other can be represented as

:

^' I

A^

is

a good

^1

MS.

in

many

preserves the true text, but tions of

it

is

and occasionally alone

disfigured

by many addi-

words and phrases.

A^, which

is

found always

Of

(?)

in Biblical MSS., includes

these, A^'' stands aloof

from the

Its idiosyncrasies are innumerable, but in a

few rare

in this edition rest.

respects,

A^*'^*^''^^.

Thus the

titles of the Testaments of Simeon, Levi, Joseph, and Benjamin in with those in A^^ih^ j-^t ^^j^^t of Judah in A^ agrees only with that in Ak like Aah rejects the additions of A^ in the T. Jud. xxiv. 2, 5, 6 xxv. 3. AJ^. It agrees with A^" in T. Jud. xxiv. 5, xxvi. 1, against A'^^, but with A^'^ against ^

A*^ agree

;

A^^

in xxv. 4.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xxvi

where

cases,

it differs

MSS.

best Greek

fortunately

Armenian these six

from

Gad

has the support of the

it

A'^'^'^*^",

Cf. T.

3

v.

T. Benj. xii.

;

Un-

1.

was adopted by the Mechitarist editor of the

it

text as

his chief

MSS. might be

The

authority.

relations

represented as follows

of

:

^^* I

^1

Acd

Aefg

Relations of the two Recensions.

A" and A^ are very

great,

—The

variations between

but the bulk of them appear to

Very many

have arisen within the version.

them

of

are

simply due to the confusion of like words with each other. Instances of this nature are pointed out on nearly every

my

page of

Other differences apparently arose from

Text.

an attempt of the scribe of it

certain

ii.

7-10, xiv.

and one notable

/3,

are

important sections where the differences between

the two recensions goes back T. Levi

to abbreviate the text as

A*^

But over and above, these there

found in A^.^

is

corrupt than

where A" agrees with a against

section, T. Lev.

1-5,

iii.

where

A"^ is less

and gives the nearest reproduction of the

a,

Hebrew

original

3-5,

1,

the Greek, such as in

to

Affinities of

archetype.

A

with the Greek MSS.

—

Exclusive of such

passages as the above, A, taken as a whole, agrees with /SS

agreement

This

against

a.

number

of passages,

T. Lev.

V.

1^;

T.

ix.

7;

T.

Dan.

vi.

3

T.

Asher

;

Benj.

T. 1

this

Jud.

2-4; xxvi. 3;

XX.

Thus is

vii. 4,

in the T.

an extreme

T.

9

i.

ii.

viii.

v.

Lss.

T.

;

3,

vi.

2,

xii.

Judah the

case.

holds

in

innumerable

an

and frequently on a large 6,

Naph.

text of

6

vii. i.

T.

;

2-3,9,

vii.

7,

11,

i.

9;

12; Jos.

x.

scale, as in 5, xviii.

T.

Zeb.

iv.

T.

Gad

ii.

viii.

5,

xvi.

1,

1-6,

3-5,

2-3

;

In one considerable passage, A"

is

less

by

a third than that of A^, but


INTRODUCTION owing

hmt,

to

in T. Benj.

i.e.

A

5

iv.

xxvii

agrees with a against

/S,

and likewise in a number of phrases mostly unimportant,

A

where the agreement may be accidental, or where preserved the original reading, though lost

have

But within

a

against

MSS. and and a

respectively,

hdg when

versally with

Zeb.

T.

viii.

dg

h

A

This

not only

is

from

differ

all

the h

g

A

is

when ;

much

it

iii.

1-5

;

A

and

been wholly ii.

These

are omitted

A

is,

omissions

Greek

ayS, in

T. Jos.

is

guilty

fail to

of

made obvious

are

observe

unjustifiable to

the

All words enclosed thus

by A.

Furthermore, the text of

into

by

we must not

it

A

is

the meaning can only be guessed

irregularities

alone has preserved the

lost

6-8.

reader by the use of brackets. T

But

comparative freedom from

its

almost every page

omissions.

than in a and

two Testaments.

has alone transmitted the purest form

has

T. Benj.

A

degree in

less

notable for

A

But, however valuable that on

will be best understood

with the Christian interpolations

especially so in the last

of text in T. Lev.

A

{virap^iv)

These are by no means absent from A, but

interpolation.

xix. 3-7

A

The value of to deal

they are present in a

of

aef

with

hg

In one

from aef.

differ

agrees

Here

agrees all but uni-

ef.

in the text.

r

A

and

and d gives a text conflated from

versions,

when we come

text,

6,

{irpoawTrov).

Value of A.

^.

^.

there are two types of text to which a ef

/3

and hdg belong passage,

may

in

and English

of this version.

often corrupt. at.

I

In

have

my

At times

retranslations

reproduced

the


xxviii

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS Edition of the Akmenian Text

§ 5.

Only one edition is

This

of the text has as yet appeared.

given on pp. 27-151 of the Treasury of Old and

Fathers

New

Non-Canonical Writings of the Old Testament, 1896, by H. Sargis Josepheanz. This edition I.,

:

Venice,

consists of a reproduction of A^* with variants in the notes

The

from A*^°'\

chosen a worse MS. in the case of the

A" and A^

for

not

could

editor

unfortunately have

Fortunately, however,

his text.

Testaments of Simeon and Levi, where

very greatly, he has given, by the advice

differ

of Mr. Conybeare,

A^^ on the left-hand pages and

A^**"^

on

the pages facing them.

My

me

study of this text has led

The

of its accuracy.

editor

is

to

form a low opinion

frequently careless as to the

order of the text, and thus represents a divergence between

A and a ^ in

his

when

there

he says, " one line help in j^bhefg

determining J

jjj^yg

infrequently

and gives the reader no

length.

Happily, by the aid of

able to

\)QQi^

title of T. Jos. is

cited,

Father Carekin shows.

I

as

for A"^.

Again,

the copy of this

study of

A'',

these

A^

is

not

MS. by

cannot help drawing the same

inference with regard to A'^'^ and with regard to

my

The

ascertain his meaning.

wrongly given

wrongly

indefinite

"

missing

its

is

Thus not infrequently

the notes.

is

He

none in the MSS.

is

statements in

A^ from

two MSS. being made from the

same archetype. Notwithstanding,

this

scholar

has

rendered

service to the students of the Testaments,

lightened the labours of his successors.

a

great

and materially

But

it

is

to be

hoped that either he or some other Armenian scholar will undertake a

critical edition of this

much-needed work, in

which A^* will be banished from the text and not always cited in the notes.

In the meantime the students of this


INTRODUCTION

must content themselves with the knowledge

literature

of

A

that

when

given

is

silently

either

and

needful,

my

in

notes.

expressly

or

have in

I

am

so far as I

my

notes

Josepheanz's

corrected

text

aware I have not omitted

A"

a single important variant in either

§ 6.

xxix

or A^.

Translations of the Armenian Version

A

Paul Hunanian.

by

this

scholar

of

X.

8-xii.

from

the

German Jud.

T.

translation has been

xxiv.-xxvi.

Armenian MS.

A'^,

and

of

and

is

made

T.

BenJ.

given in

Sinker's Appendix, pp. 26-27.

The

Conybeare.

chief help towards our knowledge of

the Armenian Version has been rendered by this scholar in his contributions

to

the J.Q.E.

"

On

the Jewish Author-

ship of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs," 1893, V.

"A

375-398.

Collation

Sinker's

of

Texts

of

the

Eeuben and Simeon with the old Armenian 1896, vol. viii. 260-268; "A Collation of

Testaments of Version,"

Armenian Texts Benjamin"

of the Testaments of Judah,

471-485),

(viii.

—

these articles Conybeare

in

has retranslated into Greek or Latin in the three

MSS.

Preuschen.

mente

der

NTliche

"

A^'^.

Patriarchen

1900,

Wissenschaft,

gives almost a complete

German

translation into

wrong

making

Issaverdens,

Testament, pp.

i.

in

"

the

Zeitschrift filr

106-140.

of the

of the T.

This

article

Armenian MSS. and a Levi. The translator

and attempts in some of the

reconstruction

shown that the in

list

suggestions,

corrupt passages a rightly

the chief variants

Die Armenische Uebersetzung der Testa-

Zwolf

makes many good

Dan, Joseph,

of

editor of the

text.

He

has

Armenian

text

was

the

Old

the

A*^* the basis of his text.

The

Uncanonical

Writings

349-479, Venice, 1901.

of

Dr. Issaverdens


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

XXX

has

attempted

here

Testaments

the

translate

to

English, but the task was wholly beyond him.

that his English

was

He

It is not

defective, but that his entire training

was not apparently undertaking.

into

to

fitted

ought

to

printed Armenian text, and,

him

prepare

have

when

an

such

for

closely

the

this text exhibited

two

followed

very different recensions, have rendered each independently.

As

it

he ostensibly follows the longer recension, but

is,

adopts

frequently

reading

a

No

informing his reader.

hint

from

the

twenty, or thirty words, or even a whole page,

ing of

text the rendering of the Greek text

of Sinker, where the

which to

Armenian

is

that

Greek

missing in the Armenian, without even a hint Finally,

effect.

his

renderings

are

frequently

In short, the translation, while of interest to

inaccurate.

the general reader,

ยง 7.

This version

is

is

absolutely worthless to the scholar,

The Slavonic Veksion

it

attaches most closely

always, and occasionally

S^

for

on the type of text

It is based

late.

represented by a ef, and of these

to/;

with the

variance

at

is

adds a clause from the

Occasionally he

Greek.

wanting

is

Sometimes he gives as a render-

in the shorter recension.

the Armenian

without

shorter

given that at times ten,

is

the addition at the close of each

S^,

making

agree in

Testament that

is

to be

But S has affinities found in f alone of the Greek MSS. also with other MSS than aef-. thus, in T. Lev. ix. 1 it agrees with a in reading irpoTrdropa '^ficov, which /3A omit in T.

Gad

Tpv(f)epo<;

4 aS^ read

i.

iliv,

read avrw;

and in

in T. Benj.

dyaOov, and in T. Lev. six

vTrdp-x^cov

T. Lev. xii. iv. 3, ix.

1

veo^,

e|

where /3A have avTrj^;,

where /3A

cS^ read %eov, where

^

has

11, af^A'^S^ agree in omitting

words through homoieteleuton.

Such instances, though


INTRODUCTION they are not numerous, are

to prove

sufficient

that

the

Greek MS., from which S was translated, had sporadically

come under the

ยง 8.

influence of a.

The two Slavonic Eecensions

The two Slavonic recensions

of the Testaments of the

Twelve Patriarchs are primarily taken from the so-called Palea

(Greek

TrakaLo)

which contain short accounts of

events mentioned in the Old Testament with the addition of traditional stories

lections,

and comments of the Fathers of the

These Palea sometimes appear in separate

Church.

and are sometimes prefixed

Of the two recensions the short

Byzantine Chronicles.

many changes from

one has undergone

col-

to the translations of

The

the original.

editor of the Palea has shortened the Testaments as they

complete Slavonic

a

already existed in

translation,

and

following a polemical course against the Jews, he has here

and

there

introduced

references

them.

to

Besides

the

alterations mentioned, the editor of the Palea has changed

the order of the Testaments, having placed the Testament of

Joseph

it

with the

before

all

death

the

of

others,

Jacob.

not followed this peculiarity,

and

having

connected

The Eussian editor has and some variations have

been introduced from a Palea on vellum of 1406, written at

Kolumna.

contained

in

The shorter edition a

vellum

MS.

recension

preserved in pp.

the

is

the Testaments fourteenth

is

of

the

St.

Alexander Moski.

The

from a Palea of the year

1477

preserved in the Monastery of

complete

of

century

Synodal Library at Moscow, No. 210,

146-189.

Some

variations

from the complete redaction of the

Testaments have been introduced from an uncial manuscript in a Miscellany of fifteenth to sixteenth centuries, belonging


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xxxii

to the chief Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at

Moscow, and including among other things a part of the chronographer John Malalas. Tichonravov's work in which the above recensions are

given

entitled Pamjatniki otrechennoi Russhoi Literaturi

is

(2 vols., St. Petersburg, 1863).

W.

E. MORFILL.

The Greek Version found in two Forms, a and ^. Their Kelations and the Characteristics of their

§ 9.

Eepresentatives.

The Greek version denoted by a and

/3

is

found in two forms, which are

in this edition.

I

do not

call

them

recensions, for I hope later to prove that these forms go

back to the Hebrew.

a and MSS.,

c

h

characteristics.

its

The

i.

—a

relations of

represented as follows

c

represented

is

hi

to each

by three

other

may

be

:

hi

h

i

same

are derived from one and the

parent,^ but are

MSS. and show some signs of a mixed ancestry. These MSS. diverge occasionally from c thus they support ySA^S^

late

:

against /3

c

in T. Lev.

(A) S^ against

vi.

3 against

conflate in a

Cf

T. Sim.

i.

c

;

c /3

iii.

8

in

T.

S in

;

y8

S^ against c

Sim.

vii.

1

;

A /3

in T. Sim.

A SMn

T. Zeb. ix. 5 against c A.

i.

T.

10

hi

few instances, and show the influence of

10

;

;

Lev. are /3.

T. Jos. x. 6.

^ h is not derived from i, nor vice and omissions. See Appendix VI. of

versa.

my

Each shows independent variations

Text.


INTRODUCTION a

rather disfigured by omissions such as T. Eeub.

is

3^-4^;

ii.

T. Jud. T.

xxxiii

ll^

2^

ix.

4 (through hmt.),

iii.

Naph.

Lev.

T.

viii. 4^,

Though

6^

interpolations, yet

14^

5-7,

xii.

freer

than

2;

6-10, xxi.

1-2, xii.

vi.

xiii.

"7^

from Christian

/3

a too shows some signs of the Christian

But we

scribe's activity in this direction.^

shall return to

this subject in a later section.

One notable depravation and substituted in

^ and

its characteristics.

—

/3 is

represented by six MSS.,

These MSS. are not so closely related to each

ah defy. other as

c

li

but represent two diverging types of text.

i,

ef show many affinities with a, and As we have shown elsewhere (see ^ 7), S

these, a

A.

LXX

stead an abbreviated form of

its

of Gen. xxxviii. 20, 24-30.

Of

Judah

of the text occurs in T.

6-10, where a has omitted the text of the Testament

xii.

d g with

I)

is

derived

noteworthy that a ef exhibit one uniform ef. type of text agreeing on the whole very closely with each

from a

It is

whereas

other,

1)

undoubtedly

though

d.g,

exhibiting

a

certain type of text, differ very largely from each other.

Thus g

remarkable for

is

changes of

We

and

Furthermore,

text.

8'''^

h

omissions,

& for its

shall begin with

scribe

of

&,

"'^

Di;

its

d g are remarkable also

In some cases

h.

Thus in

Thus

vi.

4-6,

"

chw,

failing

variants are

its

T. Lev. xvii. 2 the priesthood

of an ancient worthy is said to have i.e.

for

are found alone in hdg.

due to emendation.

Kvpiov,

d

frequent small

the text in T. Zeb.

for large additions to vii.-viii. 3, ix.

large

its

large additions and conflations,

been

ttA-t//)???

perfect with the Lord."

naturally to understand Xv on

Semitic

the margin T. Sim. vi. 5 (in T. Iss. vii. 7 ; T. Naph. viii. 2 (at top of page) ; T. Ash. vii. 3 T. Jos. xix. 3 ; T. Benj. iii. 8, ix. 2. Of the above, hi omit the first three in the T. Lev., h omits the addition in the T. Sim., and i the addition in the T. Naph. Otherwise h i agree with c, except that they go a step further than c and insert the addition in the text. ^

text)

In the following passages

this

fjuera

But the

;

T. Lev.

iv.

1,

c

x. 2, xvi. 3, ;

adds

irepl

xviii.

2

;

:


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xxxiv

Greek, wrote

Likewise as an

fxera ^6j3ov Kvpiov.

irXrjprj^

emendation we should explain the addition of ^rjaeaOe in T.

Jud. xvi. 2 against

all

other authorities, and the change

of avvrpe'^ei, into crvvep'yel in T. Benj.

into

crvinTel<jdrj<i

3 as also in

vii.

Ash.

^owv

into

Scoo-et

5,

in

Dan

T.

into y}) TTpoaey^e in T. Lev.

adds

v.

of

9,

note 34),

Finally, in

T. Zeb. g.

On

viii.

6

(T.

Naph.

it

many it

my

5.

A

I.

(p.

Thus

or S, are found

237,

agrees with

it

2 the

v.

though not

it

is

1.

A

4,

*

'

•

JIInt

against a/3-&

though in

clear that,

type hdg,

a good representative of the

is

xvii.

contains fragments of the

Text, App.

8, n. 61).

respects 6

would

Jos.

inserts after Svo-fxchv,

In some cases ii.

irpoare'^e

gives a most unlikely text

it

Hebrew Midrash which

D"mn"]C)).

and of

the close of T.

found in any other Greek MS. nor in

see

into

direOvrjaKe

the other hand, in T. Jud.

words Kol voTov which

Testament;

10, of

v.

in nearly every case with

ix. 9,

Kol iOavfxa^ou at

along with

in the

Dan

Again, without a shadow of authority

disastrous results. it

Jos.

T.

of Sta^ovXlov into Bia^oXov in T.

T. Lev. xi. 7 (see

in

diredavev

iv.

of avyyevrj

5,

rrarpdcnv into irepaaiv in T.

9, of

i.

iv.

the ground of modesty) in

(on

form an insecure foundation on which

to

con-

struct a text. d.

This

is

a most interesting

readings on almost every page. text.

This

is

MS.

It exhibits peculiar

First of

manifest in the

titles

all,

where d combines the readings of a and flations

are

T. Zeb.

viii.

In

common

other

cases

T. Lev. xiii. 8^

in reading

in

See

d.

6 (n. 22); T. Jos.

shows

T.

Jud.

vficov,

which

/3-d

a A" S^ in omitting a clause in

ix.

a conflate

Testaments

Such con3

vi.

(n.

1 7)

7 (n. 44), xvi. 5 (n. 23).

affinities

when ^-d read

is

yS.

with a

d supports a against ^-d A S

ao(f)i,a,

and by reading

d

iv.

d

of the

—

thus in

with a

;

A

avT7], in T. Lev. xiii. 8,

om. in xiv. 7 11.

;

and with

Again, d agrees at


INTRODUCTION times with cief against &^; 1 (n. 4); T. Ash. ix.

I

5,

2

iv.

testimony of d A. 26),

Thus

d,

which

is

This

is

Gad

to

v.

9

(n.

59),

into

the

on the

text

T. Benj. vi.

have preserved the original

a and a

a very corrupt

4

(n.

text.

many

cf.

MS. and

is

chiefly remarkable

It is very closely related to A,

for its omissions.

viii.

In one passage, T. Jud.

Trapad'tja-a'i

naturally related to hffA, shows

traces of the influence of g.

10).

T.

In another passage,

me

seems to

it

(n.

have adopted

cf.

xxxv

and g A

occasionally agree against all the other authorities.

"We shall now attempt to represent on a genealogical table the affinities between the various

c

MSS. and

versions:

hi

In this table

all

the

main connections are

It fails, however, to exhibit the influence in

various descendants of

/3

on h i.

represented.

some

cases of


xxxvi

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS the Greek Version

10. Editions of

§

Grabe, Spicilegium Patrum,

The text

Oxon. 1698

i.,

2nd

;

given according to

With

is

it

was printed

which two Bodley

Grosseteste's Latin translation, for used.^

Fabricius, Codex jpseudepigra^phus Vet. Testamenti,

burg, 1713.

This

is

Ham-

i.,

simply a reprint of Grabe's

is

Veterum Patrum,

Gallandi, Bibliotheca

Sinker,

1714.

ed.

but inaccurately, and a few of

h,

the variations of a appended.

This also

/3

the Testaments given in this edition

of

MSS. were

—

i.,

text.

1788.

Venetiis,

a reprint of Grabe's text.

Testamenta XII. Patriarcharum, ad

fidevfi

codicis

Cantahrigiensis, edita: accedunt lectiones cod. Oxoniensis,

Cambridge,

collation of a

contains

We

1869.

reproduction of

many

h,

have here a most accurate

but we cannot speak so well of the

which

given in the footnotes.

is

Testamenta XII. Patriarcharum ing a Collation of the

:

Appendix contain-

Boman and Patmos MSS. and

Bibliographical Notes, Cambridge, 1879.

the

MSS. denoted by c ^ c was made

collation of is

This

serious errors.

These are

in the present edition.

The

Sinker by Guidi, and

for Dr.

on the whole accurately done.

I

have discovered

some errors through the photographic reproduction

which p.

I

had executed

in

the Vatican.

4 Dr. Sinker has expressed the conviction that

any future

critical revision of the text the

MS. must form the able MS., but ^

me

for

The actual "copy"

College, Oxford (No. 214).

it

basis."

h is

On " in

Cambridge

undoubtedly a valu-

can never again enjoy this distinction.

tliat

Grabe sent

See Sinker, p.

to the press

ix.

is

preserved iu Queen's


INTRODUCTION

xxxvii

§11. Modern Translations^ of the Greek Version

—^

Whiston, Collection of Authentick Records belonging to the Old and New Testament, 1727, i.

Into English.

294

sqq.

Sinker, Ante-Nicene Christian Library, 1871, xxii.

This

13-79.

an admirable piece

is

The present

based on Sinker's text. it

of translation

editor has found

of great service.

Into German.

Anonymous, Aechte apokryphische Biicher

der heiligen Schrift, ivelche noch ausser der Bihel vor-

handen

Tlibingen, 1857.

sind.

Schnapp in Kautzsch's Apokryphen und Fseudepigraphen,

1900,

ii.

458-506.

This

The

based on Sinker's text.

translation

is

translation follows the

own brochure published in 1884. But made since that date, of

lines of his

great advances have been

which very

From

little

notice

is

taken in this translation.

the standpoint of our present critical knowledge

Further, from

this translation is already antiquated.

what large

shown in §§ 13, 14, it is clear that in a very number of passages the Greek cannot be trans-

I have

lated unless through re translation into

Schnapp

(p.

Hebrew

original

459) writes that no can

assertion

by

der

Wissensch.

hibl.

liche

Dillmann 91

sqq.

Wissenschaft, 1900, pp.

translation very severely,

this

in Ewald's Jahrlh.

Bousset (Z.fv-r

142-143)

and with

Yet

certain proof of a

be offered, and sustains

referring to iii.

Hebrew.

NT-

criticises this

justice.

^ On the numerous earlier translations into English made from Grosseteste's Latin version, see Sinker's Appendix, i^p. 11-14; into French, ibid. pp. 15-16; German, ibid. pp. 16-18 also in Dutch, Flemish, Danish, Icelandic, and Bohemian, ibid. pp. 18-23. So far as I am aware, there is no French translation made directly from the Greek, as that in Migne {Dictioiuiaire des Apocrijp)hes, i. 854935) is merely a reprint of that made by Mase in 1713 {ibid. p. 15) from the Latin. ;


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xxxviii

12. Critical Inquiries

ยง

Before giving a simple enumeration of studies, it will be well to indicate

which have led

these critical

the elements in

to such conflicting conclusions

them

on the part of

scholars.

The main body of the Testaments could not have been written by any other than a

Jew

of the Pharisaic school

;

for

the greater part of its statements, references, and allusions can-

not be understood, unless from a knowledge of the Talmud,

Targums, and Midrashim, and the history of pre-Christian Judaism. able

On

number

the other hand, the text contains a consider-

of prophecies relating to the Messiah

which

The

have undoubtedly sprung from a Christian source. problem, therefore, before scholars was shortly

:

they had

here a work of considerable extent, which, with the exception of

thought origin,

some twenty and

idiom.

clauses,

These

was thoroughly Jewish clauses

were

of

in

Christian

and mainly of a Patripassian character.

To account

for

these conflicting Jewish and Christian

elements, Grabe {Spicil. Patriim,

1714,

129-144, 335-

i.

374) suggested that the book was written by a Jew, and subsequently interpolated by a Christian. however, was for Corrodi {Krit.

the

Gesch.

most subsequent

This hypothesis,

time so successfully combated by des

Chiliasmus,

ii.

101-110), that

writers, such as Nitzsch, Liicke, Eitschl,

Hilgenfeld, Dillmann, and Sinker have practically ignored

the question of the integrity of the book, and confined

themselves mainly to the discussion of

its

religious

and

national affinities.

To show the hopeless confusion

into

which criticism was

plunged by rejecting the hypothesis of Grabe, we shall notice shortly the conflicting views advanced

students of our book.

Nitzsch (Be

Test.

by the various

XII. Pair,

lihro


INTRODUCTION V.T.

1810)

Pseud.,

author

the

describes

xxxix

Essene doctrines that were then current. der altkathol. Kirche,

322

sqq.) assigns

Eitschl's view

the

of

Eitschl {Entsteh.

the book to a Gentile

Christian, appealing principally to T. Benj. interpolation).

Jewish

a

as

who had imbibed many

Christian of Alexandria

xi. (a

was vigorously

Christian

assailed

by

Kayser, who, availing himself largely of the theory of interpolation, ascribed treatise

the book to Ebionitic circles.

was in turn examined by Vorstman {De

Pair, origine

Kayser's Test.

showed no

of Kayser, concluded that the Testaments of Ebionism, but were the

work

of a Gentile

which

and

(pp.

the

edition of Eitschl's

172-177) theory

Eitschl's first

of

Nazarene

Eitschl,

work appeared,

his former contention

a

trace

Christian.

Hardly had Vorstman thus vindicated the view of

when the second

XII.

1857), who, after a detailed criticism

et pretio,

in

was abandoned,

authorship

advocated.

view, however, has received the

continued

support of Hilgenfeld, while Langen and Sinker hold fast to the theory of a

If

Jewish Christian authorship.

were no other methods of determining the

there

questions of authorship and date than those pursued by

Nitzsch and his successors, finality or even progress in such matters would be a sheer impossibility.

At

last the criticism

of the book was lifted out the region of fruitless logomachies

by Schnapp {Die

who

Test,

der XII. Patr. untersucht, 1884),

revived Grabe's hypothesis of Christian interpolation,

but developed

it

articles

in

Eecent research

to illegitimate extremes.

has notably confirmed Grabe's hypothesis

;

for

Conybeare's

the J.Q.R., with his collation of some

Armenian MSS, proves

that,

when the Armenian

was made, the Greek text was Christian interpolations.

free

of the

version

from several of the

This subject has been further

prosecuted

by Preuschen, and particularly by Bousset

in

the

NTliche

In

Z.

/.

Wissenschaft,

1900,

141-175.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xl

the present edition these critical questions are discussed after

an exhaustive examination of the documentary evidence.

The following Testaments

a

is

of critical

list

>S^m%.

Grabe, in his edition,

Commeiitatio

Nitzsch,

J.

the

129-144, 335-374.

i.

Corrodi, Kritische Geschichte des Chiliasmus,

K.

on

inquiries

:

Patriarcharum,

libro

critica

ii.

101-110.

XII

Testamentis

de

V.T. pseudepigrapho, "Wittenberg,

1810.

Wochen und

Wieseler, Die 70

Llicke,

in

Einleitung

63 JahrwocJien des Pro-

die

1839, 226

plieten Daniel,

sqq.

Johannis^,

Offenharung

die

1852,

334-337. Dorner, Entwickelungsgeschiehte der Lehre von der Person Christi,

Eitschl,

322

254-264.

i.

Enstelnmg

Die sqq.

2nd

;

ed.

der

Kirche,

altkathol.

1st

ed.,

1857, 172-177.

Kayser, " Die Test, der XII. Patr." in the Beitrdge zu den theologischen

Cunitz, 1851,

Wissenschaften,

by

edited

Reuss

and

107-140.

iii.

Vorstman, Disquisitio de Testamentorum XII. Patriarcharum origine

Hilgenfeld,

395

et

pretio,

Zeitschrift

"

filr

1871, 302

sqq.\

Van Hengel,

Rotterdam, 1857. wissenschaftl.

TheoL,

1858,

sqq.

De Testamenten

der twaalf Patriarchen op

nieuw ter sprake gebragt" {Godgeleerde Bijdragen,!^^^). Ewald, Geschichte des Volkes

Israel^, viii.

363-369.

Langen, Das Judenthum in Palaestina, 1869, pp. 140-157. Sinker in his edition. Geiger, Jiidische Zeitschrift filr Wissensch.

und

Leben, 1869,

116-135; 1871, 123-125. Eonsch, Booh of Jubilees, 1874, pp. 325-331. Dillmann, Art. xii.

"

Pseudepigraphen

361-362.

" in

Herzog's Beal-Encyc?


INTRODUCTION Schnapp, Die Testamente der Halle,

Pick,

zivolf

xli

Patriarchen untersucht,

1884

"The Testaments

of the

Twelve Patriarchs," Lutheran

Church Review, 1885, pp. 161-186. Baljon, " De Testamenten der XII. Patriarchen,"

Theol.

Studien, 1886, pp. 208-231. Sinker, "

The Testaments

and Wace's

Smith

of the XII. Patriarchs," in

of Christian Biography,

Diet,

1887,

iv.

865-874. Deane, Pseudepigrapha, 1891, pp. 162-192. Faye, Les Apocalypses juives, 1892, pp. 217-221.

Conybeare,

On

"

the Jewish Authorship of the Testaments of

the XII. Patriarchs," J.Q.R, 1893,

Kohler,

"

The Pre-Talmudic Haggada,"

v.

375-398.

J:^.i?.,

1893,

v.

400-

i.

566-

406.

Harnack, Gesch. der

altchristl.

Litteratur,

1897,

ii.

570. Schlirer, Gesch. des Judischen Volkes^,

1898,

iii.

252-262.

Charles, Art. "Apocalyptic Literature," ^wcyc. Bihl., 1899, i.

237-241); "Testaments of the XII. Patriarchs,"

BiUe Diet, 1902,

Hastings'

iv.

721-725; Booh of

Jubilees, ^^.

170-172, 179, 185,

of the XII.

Patriarchs," Encyclopcedia Brit}^,

492-493

XXV. pp.

;

etc.

;

"Testaments 1902,

Hibhert Journal, 1905, pp. 558-

573). Beer,

"

Art.

1905, Conybeare,

Pseudepigraphen,"

xvi. "

"

253-256.

xii.

Jewish

113.

Testaments of the XII. Patriarchs," Jewish Ency-

clopedia,

Bousset, "

Real-Encyc.^,

Testaments of the XII. Patriarchs,"

Encyclopedia, 1906,

Kohler,

in Herzog's

1906,

xii.

113-118.

Die Testamente der zwolf Patriarchen," in

Z. f.

NTliche Wissenschaft, 1900, pp. 187-209, 344-346.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xlii

§

The Greek Version a Translation from

13.

THE Hebrew

—

Apart from Grabe, no notable scholar has advocated a

Hebrew

original

within the

till

though he declared

a

for

Even Grabe,

last decade.

Hebrew

original,

arguments in support of his contention.

linguistic

remarkable that such an eminent write (Herzog, Real-Encycr'

Pair.

p.

of Dr. Sinker is still "

It is

362): "Since the publica-

xii.

but was originally written

31):

no

Dillmann could

critic as

tion of Nitzsch's study all are agreed that the translation,

judgment

advanced

in

book

more pronounced

The Testaments

is

not a

The

Greek."

XII.

{Test.

in their present form were

no doubt written in the Hellenistic Greek, in which we

now

them, presenting as

possess

peculiar

marks which

they do

none

of

the

Whether there

characterise a version.

was a Hebrew work, on which the present was modelled, a supposition by no means improbable in tell,

nor

a matter of

is it

To two Jewish

much

scholars,

Kohler

question of the

Hebrew

his

article

after

on

the

points,

^

and Gaster, within the

any

to

establish

the above articles were

But

linguistic evidence.

question, though

failed

Only

original of the Testaments.

Gaster,^ however, has offered

excellent

we cannot

honour of reopening the

fourteen years belongs the

last

itself,

importance."

it

his

written

contains thesis.

a

few

Shortly

the present editor

began his study of the Testaments, in the course of which he early came to the conclusion which he set forth later in the Encyclopcedia Bihlica this

(i.

241, 1899), that the bulk of

work was written before 100

an earlier speculation of Kohler. 1

J.q.R. 1893,

V.

"The Hebrew

B.C.,

therein confirming

Since that date a close

400-406.

text of one of the Testaments of the XII. Patriarchs" {Proceedings of the Society of Bibl. Archeology, Dec. 1893, Jan. 1904). ^


INTRODUCTION

xliii

examination of the Greek text has brought to light a

number

of facts that put the question of a

Hebrew

The

results

beyond the

possibility of question.

now be

examination will

placed before the reader,

original of

this

who

will

find a fuller statement of the evidence in the Introduction to

my

I.

Hebrew

Text.

is

and

constructions

Though

every page.

expressions are

found on

he

to

idiom

the vocahidary is Greek, the

frequently Hebraic and foreign

the genius of the

to

Greek language.

Eeub.

T.

avTMV = Dr\^

ovK iv Kaip(p

Sim.

T.

=

"^Hn Qi?

""DirTN, "

/3A, which read

Dan

vi.

crvv

aS€\(f)oi<;

my

5,

it

XX. 4, iv

= iD2i>

arrjOei,

i l3)

= IIJ

n^i, " on his very heart."

= ^'2'nbw

which in the text means

h'2^.

XXY.

1,

"

Gad ii. 2, irpocredep.Tjv avrS hated him still more." T. Ash.

iii.

pm-^ D"'n^N, T. Jos.

ii.

in

T.

Iss.

1,

this utterly

on retranslation.

xxv.

2,

rpvcf^i]

yu.tcro?

= DTlh = IDN

e8(OKe fie

=

= ]12},

^TTDn. ND2? "TIDDin,

dvaTraverac eh avTrjv

6 ^eo?

TIN ;n3

xxi. 5, iaOieiv rrjv

"God hath His habitation

3,

= "'DDf? D"'DmS

Stt, " a numer-

Eden."

T.

m

So

e^ap'^OL cTKijirTpeov

T. Iss. v. 7, iKXrjpwcrev iv avTol<; (/3)

" I

(a)

iv Aevl

v. 4,

oarkwv avrov

"chiefs of the tribes."

"'im,

jxov

v. 4.

TpaTre^av avTOv CJDltD

6,

ov BwrjaovraL Trpo? Aevt

unintelligible phrase becomes at once clear

Thus

iv.

brothers."

The same Hebraism recurs

T. Jud. vii. 1, o'^Xo'; ^apv'i (h

ous host."

Toi<i

as he did

v.

p.

11, iv avrw i^eXe^aro

aXXov<i dSeXcfyov^.

"'171.

r7T N7.

iv. 4, T.

yu.e

me

loved

eo? rov'^

dSLK-^aovat =f\^'11

= ^Tr?

nSi.

4, '^yaTnjcre

iv.

= mini

avvcoiv ev rep rd/io)

8,

iii.

o

(cf.

Kvpio^

Dan.

i.

eh 9),

(/3

A S^) =

therein."

ocKTip/nov^ ivcoiriov

"granted

me

to find


xliv

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

mercy

in the sight of."

n£31^, "

xxxiv. 28,

avrov Kpiaiv

fxer

ev

ikiriSi

ifjuoi

LXX

found in the

is

= ^1Wr\

The same

ye shall dwell securely with me."

misrendering

II.

eV

Benj. x. 11, KaToiKi](TeTe

T. "'1

xii. 3, rrroirjaov

26

of Ezek. xxviii.

;

etc.

Dittographic renderings in the Greek of the same Hebrew expression

;

expressions in the Greek

also dittographic

implying dittographs in the Hebrew.

Naph.

T.

aoUrjTov

In

loc.

is vi.

iii.

airo

5,

KaTotKT]ala<;

.

.

2

(/3

A S^)

the impossible fjuecnov

raplx<^v = D^n^l'pD DTiSd nSi = iKTO<; vavTcov.

rapi')((ov e/cT09

Hebrew

A

very notable dittograph occurs in 4.

'Eay ovv Koi

vfiet<;

KoX 6 @eo9 So^aadrjaerai ev hidl3d\o<i (^ev^erai

Tol<i

Kupto?

Tov

Se

fxi]

Kol ol dyyeXoL, eOveaiv

S' vficav,

vfid^;,^

u/icoy]-

iroLovvra to koKov,

KaTapdaovTut avTov Kal Kal 6 ®eo9 dSo^^crec ev Kal

viii. 4, 6.

dyaTr/jcret uyu-a?,

[koI ol dyyeXoi dvOe^ovrac 6.

Naph.

v/mmv,

dcf)

^Kal rd Oripia (fio/SridijaovraL

Kol

for

epyda-rjade to koKov,

ev\,o<yrjaov(TLV vfid<i ol dvOpcoiroL

Kol

T.

;

dittograph of

corrupt

a

N^D,

rrjv

See note in

vavroiv has arisen from a dittograph in the fxearov

rd^a<i

.

a clear instance of dittography.

ol

dyyeXoL koX ol

Tol<i

Btd/3o\o<; OLKetovTat

edveatv

avTov

S'

dv0pQ)7rot.,

avTOv,

o)? thtov <TK€vo<i,

Kal irdv drjpiov KaTaKvpievaei avT(o Kal

Here,

if

Kupto? [narjaet avTOV.

we compare

ver.

6 with ver. 4,

we

see that the

six lines in ver. 6 correspond line for line with the first six

in ver. 4.

The seventh

structure of the stanza.

line in ver.

4

is

thus against the

It is also against the parallelism.


INTRODUCTION On

Hebrew we

retranslation into

= DDITrrN"'

which

D"'DnSd1,

is

xlv

find that this seventh line

a dittograph of the preceding

line DDiriN"' n^n^Nl.

For other instances

see Introd. to

Paronomasiae which are

III,

my

Text,

12,

ยง

in Greek can he restored

lost

hy retranslation into Hebrew.

We

can recover a dozen or more of these by retransla-

most of them having

tion, the

8

5, 6, 7,

3

iii.

;

T,

;

T. Jud.

Naph.

Many

IV.

do with the names of the

to

See notes on T, Sim.

patriarchs.

3

i.

12

6,

i.

;

;

ii.

T.

Iss.

i.

T.

Ash.

i.

2

T. Lev. vi. 1, xi, 2,

;

15, 2,

9

8

v.

;

T. Zeb.

T. Benj.

;

i.

i.

3,

6,

passages which are obscure or v:holly unintelli-

gible in

the

Greek become clear on retranslation into

Hebrew. In T. Lev,

we have

7

ii,

the peculiar expression elSov

Here

eKel v8(op TToXi) KpefidfMeuov (a A"). is

or

surely impossible, I?''pTl

= iv

or raqia

is

Kpefidfievov,

which seems corrupt

aTepeoifian, or

TcS

The firmament

= i?"^plD,

which

for m^pil

rather KaX to arepecofia.

actually the

name

of the second

heaven in the Talmudic account of the Seven Heavens (Chag.

12*^).

In T. Lev.

ii.

8 (a

brighter than the

This

is

absurd.

u-v^o?.

<f)ey'yo<i.

to

A^) the second heaven

The

heaven cannot be due in

/3

first, r/v

yap Kal

greater

*|'i;'v^09

is

said to be

eV avro) aTreipov.

brightness

of

the second

The

to its greater loftiness.

error

is

word = rrii,

This corrupt for m3 = ^w? or Thus the brightness of the second heaven is due

the boundless light

may have

(</)ft)9

been physical,

if

direipov) in

it.

we may adopt

This light

the Talmudic

view that the sun, moon, and stars were in the second heaven (Chag, lu

T.

Jud.

12^). ix, 3, r]p67] 'fveKpo'i iv opet ^lelp,

Kal iropevo-


xlvi

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

/jLeva

iv ^AvovLpa/x aireOavev (/3 S^).

airkOavev are omitted by a

the original and gives v€Kp6<;

In

T.

"

= nSlD,

Dan

= " will

viraKoixTovrat

;

last

to

clause

is

the

night to

life,

wherefore also eternal

;

= ^l^ajp:,

TOP Odvarov

omitting

verse,

Death succeedeth

light

where the Greek has

r)

was

absurd.

(a).

epycp = rnni?,

r}

alayvtof; ^(orj "fava-

runs

day, and darkness to

we

The

expect the idea of

mon

I suggest that the

iriN

avrov ev

= fiera

/3

A S^ omit koI

'^pvcrio)

epyw as

which the translator read

he should have read as

n'Jli'

entire clause is found in the p.

for

top Odvarov

aKoKovOel, but that this was corrupted into

T. Jos. xi. 7, e7r\')]6vv6v

Text,

corrupt

-j-awaiteth death."

life

Here, too,

lOlp"^ oSlI^rr "'^n

ala)vto<; ^wrj

Kol fepjfp

TOt<; vloc<;

interpolations,

succession as in the preceding clauses. original

to

veKp6<;.

conspire."

This

ixevet,.

.

obey with a view to attending constantly

T, Ash. V. 2, Bto KoX

"

.

a corruption of the former.

cannot be right

«n0p-i

rhm

-fviraKovcrovraL rov irapehpeveiv

v. 6,

" will

Here

AevL on

.

A comparison

Midrash Wajjissau shows that the clause belongs

of the

Now

The words koX

as unintelligible.

T.

But

unintelligible.

which

as TTTl^, but

= " household Hebrew,

koX dpyvplo)

The

servants."

Naph.

i.

3 (see

my

238).

For many other

like instances, see Introd. to

my

Text,

§ 12.

In

all

we have

the above cases

dealt only with cor-

ruptions in the text, where there was no divergence the

MSS.

or versions.

so obvious, that

Yet

we might take

without further evidence. is still

to come.

among

the bulk of the restorations is

And

as proven our contention

yet the strongest evidence

In the next section we shall discuss only

those passages in the text where the

MSS. and

versions

attest different texts, a standing generally in opposition to


INTRODUCTION /3

A S.

By means

xlvii

we

thus forthcoming

of the evidence

hope to advance a stage further than we have yet reached,

and

to prove not only that

original, but that also the

H" and

our book

Hebrew

H^, and that a and

is

derived from a

did not

yS

Hebrew

existed in two recensions, originate in the

Greek, but are derived respectively from H"^ and H^.

ยง

14.

from two lost and H^. Table of Affinity of all the Textual Authorities. a and

a and

respectively

dellived

/3

Hebrew

Recensions,

H''

are not, strictly speaking, Greek recensions, for

/3

their chief variations did not originate in the Greek, but go

back

forms

diverse

to

recensions, H"^

already

text

of

Hebrew, which we denote

H" and

as

Whilst, therefore,

a and add the main variations of

jS

y8,

Only a few

The variants

be given.

Here H^

(/3

{i.e.

/3

A

S-^) is

vii.

A S')

'Kiredave

1 (c)

;

T\TKb = vrrvw.

H* and H^

T. Ash. viii.

1

;

T. Jos.

both Hebrew recensions were right in T. the late Hebrew, T. Naph. is

found.

T.

Ash.

avTov

See vi.

6

my (a),

Text,

i.

1,

the correct

Appendix

EtV^e/^et

(/3

et9 ^(or)v alcoviov.

Here H"

is

.

undoubtedly right, milo

m^'tD was corrupted into

Dan

a,

.

.

eV

y^pcc koKm.

corruption was present in both T.

and adopt now

of the chief instances will

VTTVM KoXS.

H"

text,

best to print

will be underlined.

T. Benj. xii. 2 (a), 'EKotfiverj

In

it is

in the margin, the

translator will follow a different course, as his text.

the

in

Of these two

and H^, sometimes one gives the correct

sometimes the other.

now

existing

H^.

right and not H^.

II. p.

A S^) ev

Hl^'tol.

The same

in T. Zeb. x. 6 xx.

4

;

Iss. vii.

;

whereas 9.

In

Hebrew phrase

239.

Hapa/jLvdetrat avrov

^(ofj.

The angel of peace con-


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xlviii

ducts the good soul into eternal

life.

which in H^ was corrupted into

113"'

text of H'' dyyeXo'i

iv.

6ovvT€<i

iv

Kol ev

Here

(a)

Mo^-

€pyoc<i

Ka\oc<i

1

wliich

is

by A,

in part supported

= n'^lW D^W^^X of = Kal aTroTrXavoofievoc.

D"''ibl

be a rendering of

into

D'^iODI

Gad

4

V.

^ap

ev

ypdp,-

fxacnv.

may

=

o

epyoi^; Kal

airoirXavciip^evoL

iv epyoi^ Ka\ol<;

corrupt,

was corrupted into

T.

which reads

,

Mo^^oOz/re? iv

(/3)

ypd/ji/jLaacv.

a,

vi. 1

oSrjyel rrjp yjrv^Tjv avTou.

elpt]viq'^

E.eub.

T.

yS

confirmed by T. Benj.

is

Tfj<i

Here ei(T<^epei = TTUT, = irapaixvOelrai. The

D^'llto,

right,

is

and

which D'^IW

Or Ka\ol^

which in H^ was corrupted

Kal dTroifKavcoixevoi.

'O

(a),

<^6^o<i

rod

(/3

deov ocKei iv avrS.

vlkol

Here the context supports IDDDl. corrupt for

A S^)

rTW©7 7Din

/3 {

'O to

(}>6^o^

rov

Oeov

(?)

-|*nn

fjLiao<i.

A S\

H*^ read

= viKa

ro fuao^), which

stood in H^. T. Benj. x.

4 (a A), KaTaXecfiTrdvco.

Here H" was

n'^so,

and was no

found in the late Hebrew

H^

this

T.

word was corrupted into

The above instances ence of two distinct

doubt

Naph. ~r">lD

right. TT-DO

3,

i.

It

is

In

"'3N.

miD.

or

are sufficient to establish the exist-

the

types of text in

Hebrew

H",

For over thirty other passages in the Testaments,

H^.

where the variations between a and late

(/3 S^), AtSatr/cco.

same conclusion,

the

From added

see

/S, i.e.

Introd.

H* and

to

my

H^, postu-

Text, § 12.

the evidence adduced there, which could easily be to,

we

conclude, therefore, that

there existed two

recensions of the original Hebrew, which

designated as

H" and

H^.

we have already

These recensions differed from

each other chiefly in words and phrases, as we gather from

a and

yS

in the

Greek

versions.

Notwithstanding the

many


INTRODUCTION divergencies between a and

/3,

xlix

their great similarities oblige

us to assume either that the translator of

As we

version of H", or vice versa.

evidence

is

H^

shall see in ยง 18, the

a being the older

in favour of

used the Greek

In the

version.

Book of Daniel we have a good parallel to the above

for

;

the variations between the versions of Theodotion and the

LXX

in

vii.-xii.

i.-iii.

book go back to variations in

of that

the Hebrew.

In some passages, however, the divergence

Thus

scale.

in T. Lev.

ii.

7-iii.

is

on a larger

the description of the Three

the original

less faithfully handed down in a A*, Hebrew archetype. Here H" preserved tradition. But when H"^ and H^ were both

current, the

latter suffered

some

who changed the description of the Three

Heavens, more or springs from the

scribe,

Heavens

depravation at the hands of

into one of the Seven Heavens.

variations again find a parallel in the of

Dan

where also the variations originated in the

iv.,

main in the Aramaic and not In

owing

Naph.

many

passages

it

in the Greek.

T. Benj.

and the text

ii.

Gad

ii.

3-4

T.

;

is

is

preserved alone in T. Jos. xix. 3-7

;

6-8.

many

There are

omissions in

H"

some where no such explanation passages

Cf. T.

In two passages the entire Greek version

12.

defective,

H"

impossible to get back to

is

to the defective text of a. i.

Such extensive

two Greek versions

H*,

in

others

H^

(or

or a through hmt., is

possible.

possibly

only

and

In some

a or

/3),

omitted words or clauses, owing to the inconsistencies or unintelligibleness T. Jud. ix. 3

We

are

of the lost

;

T.

now

of the transmitted text.

Ash.

vi.

3

;

See notes on

T. Jos. xi. 7.

in a position to represent the affinities

and existing textual authorities of the Testa-

ments.

d


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

1

H(

= Hebrew

Archettpe)

H^

H"(lst Hebrew Recension)

(2nd Hebrew Recension)

1

ft

ยง

Now in

Date of the Okiginal Hebrew

15.

that

we

recognise that the Testaments were written

Hebrew and by

a Pharisee,

it

will not

be difficult to

determine their date. 1.

T.

Naph.

vention of

V.

Kome

8

points to a period before the inter-

in the affairs of Palestine

foreign people to which Israel this verse, is the Syrians.

is to

;

for the last

be subject, according to

Thus the time must be

earlier

than that of the later Maccabees. 2.

Again,

the

eschatology

is

decidedly

that

of

the


INTRODUCTION second century

B.C.

;

for the

li

righteous rise to share in a

Messianic kingdom on the present earth.

But

3.

Thus Keuben "

Draw

means of determining the

there are definite

Eeub.

(T.

10-11) admonishes his sons:

v.

ye near to Levi in humbleness of heart, that ye

mouth

receive a blessing from his

the Lord chosen to be king over

high priest who bination of

is

also

king

,

all

on our behalf

'

it

wage the war

of the Lord."

only to be high priest and Indeed, Levi for his

work

"

:

Moreover, the

B.C. is

excluded by the

And bow down

shall

Again, in T. Sim.

invisible."

Here a

Such a com-

to.

naturally makes us think of the Macca-

offices

words that immediately follow for

may

him hath

the nation."

referred

is

possibility of doubting this reference

;

because

.

.

bean priest-kings of the second century

seed

date.

before his

and

die in wars visible

5 we find that Levi is to Thus the high priest is not

v.

civil

ruler,

but also a warrior.

provided with special armour by an angel

is

of conquest (T. Lev. v. 3).

That the Macca-

bean high priests are here designed cannot be reasonably

But

doubted.

if

we pursue

the references on this subject,

further marks and tokens of this priestly dynasty come to

Thus

light.

said that this priesthood shall be called

it is

by a new name

(T.

Lev.

high priests were the title " priests of

viii.

first

the Most

Now, the Maccabean

14).

Jewish priests to assume the

High God."

This

title,

anciently

borne by Melchizedek (Gen. xiv. 18), was revived by the

new

holders of the high-priesthood

when they

Zadokite priesthood, the legitimate This

title is

displaced the

holders of

the

found in the Book of Jubilees, the Assumption

of Moses, the Talmud, and Joseph us (see T. Lev. note).

A

office.

kindred

title of

viii.

14

the same significance appears in

the 110th Psalm, where the priest-king, taken by a grow-

ing number of expositors to be Simon the Maccabee, addressed as a priest for ever after

the

order of

is

Mel-


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

lii

In

chizedek.^

due

accord with

14) declares that

viii.

our text (T. Lev.

this,

a new name should mark

new

the

priesthood.

From it

the above facts

we

that our book, written as

see

was by a Pharisaic upholder of the Maccabees, must have

been composed some time between 153, when the

office of

the high priest was assumed by Jonathan the Maccabee,

and the closing years of the second century Maccabees

abandoned the

Sadducees.

But we can

the

define

period

when the

and became within closer

date

To one of the Maccabean high

limits.

B.C.,

party

Pharisaic

priests

of

this

prophetic gifts are assigned by our text (T. Lev.

15), in conjunction with the functions of kingship

viii.

priesthood

Moses

(viii.

14).

Now,

in

all

to the Christian era, the

Josephus, both

Hyrcanus.^

in

his

John Hyrcanus Even the Talmud describes him

the uniqueness of

and elsewhere (Sotah, gifts.

ix.

of prophet,

man,

Antiquities

i.e.

John

and his

15) dwells on

viii.

in history in this respect. as a " second David,"

two crowns, one royal and one

as wearing

phetic

offices

to one

of the Jews (see note on T. Lev.

Wars

66^),

triple

and king were ascribed only

priest,

and

Jewish history, from

and

priestly (Kidd.

12) acknowledges his pro-

Seeing, therefore, that the Testaments refer

John Hyrcanus, we conclude that they must have been written between 137 and 105 B.C. to

But the still

more

to be

limits of the date of composition

definitely.

be fixed

For the destruction of Samaria seems

adumbrated in the accounts of

Shechem

may

in T. Lev. v.-vi.

5.

The

Levi's destruction of

reference to the destruc-

^ Dr. Briggs (in his most learned work on the Book of Psalms, 1907, ii. 374) seems to be ignorant of the new light that has been thrown on the second century B.C. and its Messianic hopes by the Book of Jubilees and the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, when he states that the Messianic hopes of the nation could These books prove that they did gather not gather round the Maccabean princes. In the light of these fresh historical disclosures, the Maccaround these princes. bean reference of Ps. ex. becomes the most reasonable that has yet been advanced. - Kohler was the first to suggest that Hyrcanus was here referred to.


INTRODUCTION tion of Samaria in T. Lev.

Shechem be

shall

seems clear

vii. 2, "

liii

From

called a city of imbeciles (TroXi? ao-vvircov)

for the derisive phrase in

;

day forward

this

our text appears to

Thus

have been a standing designation of the Samaritans. Sirach

"

26) speaks of them as "the foolish people that

(1.

Now, both Shechem and Samaria were

dwell at Sichem."

captured by Hyrcanus, the former within a decade of his accession,

As

and the

regards Shechem,

agree that

its

;

but as to Samaria,

points

them right

to such

is

it

traces

to the

in

uttermost"

between 109 and 105

the

ancient

city.

latter that our text

wrath of God coming upon

Thus

(T. Lev. vi. 11).

conclusion

this

of the

an event as the

for it speaks of " the

;

accounts

all

destruction was utter and complete, and that

Hyrcanus removed the very

Now

died.

does not appear to have suffered

it

on this occasion

specially

he

latter about four years before

Testaments

if

were

we

are

written

B.C.

For the date just arrived at we might possibly find confirmation in our text reference to a

Qol

may have

;

for in T. Lev. xviii. 6 there is a

This Bath

Bath Qol received by Hyrcanus.

been that which he received on the day of

the decisive victory of his two sons over Antiochus Cyzicenos,

who was

helping

the

Samaritans

as a son of

on

(see note

God

—Jewish

kings were so designated.

would explain the language in

T. Lev.

More-

T. Lev. xviii. 6.

now, we had any means of dating the breach of

Hyrcanus with the Pharisees, we could draw limits

final

In this Bath Qol he may have been addressed

xviii. 6).

If,

their

Hyrcanus was presenting a burnt-offering in the

struggle.

Temple, when the voice came to him

over, this

in

of the date of composition.

wrong in

fixing these as

109-107

B.C.

still

Possibly

closer the

we

are not


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

liv

The book

is

vLwv

The Greek

ah d

'Ia/c&>/3 (

A

In

books.

Harpiap'^cov, and in Tbiv

lists of

they are AtadijKai roiv

AtaOrJKac tcov BcoScKa Tlarpiap-

+ ToO

irarpiapj^ov

a).

the Testament of Eeuben was origin-

title of

ally either ScuOtjkt] 'Vov^tj/jl, or this

Tov TTpoiTOTOKov

Book

simply called Trarpidp'x^ac in the

the non-canonical

')(piv

Title of the

16.

§

with the addition of

And

IaKob/3 KoX Aelaf, as in a.

v'lov

larly with regard to the rest of the Testaments.

Section on this question in the Introduction to also the notes at the beginning of each

simi-

See the

my

Text

Testament in the

present work.

The Hebrew form was piNT riNl'ilJ. Hebrew Test. Naph. in my Text, p. 239.

§ 17.

Integrity

come

Integrity; Authorship; Sources

and Authorship.

I have with

to the conclusion that the

Law and

some hesitation

work

groundwork

is

the

He

is

an upholder

a single writer of the Pharisaic school. of the

Compare the

the Temple sacrifices

;

of

he believes in the

Messianic kingdom and the resurrection in the body to a

new type

life

He

therein.

that

is,

a

is,

however, a Pharisee of the early

Although

Chasid.

believing

in

the

necessity of war, he preaches the duties of chastity, truthfulness,

forgiveness, self-control, of

and drinking

moderation in eating

at times even of abstinence from

meat and

drink.

The groundwork, which of the

Testaments, after the removal of the Jewish and

Christian additions a

want

consists of about eleven-twelfths

(^

19, 20), presents,

of coherence at times,

it

must be

confessed,

and the parts dealing with the


INTRODUCTION duty of submission

come

Iv

Levi and Judah jointly,

to Levi, or to

Notwithstanding, the

in occasionally very abruptly.

present editor adheres to the idea of the unity of the book

element in

cabean dynasty

—were

exactly characteristic of the period

which our author belongs, and

to

to

none other before or

Furthermore, both these parts of the book are alike

after.

universalistic in

tone.

unevenness of the book Thus, for example, T. Sources.

and

;

phenomena referred to the strictly Chasid the book, and its loyal acceptance of the Mac-

the two

for

On may

Iss. v.

He

traditions.

is

a verse out of T. Gad. freely

on

earlier

books

shows a wide acquaintance with the

Index

(see

of the

be due to faulty transmission. 8

Our author has drawn

Old Testament

much

the other hand,

I.),

also

with Sirach and 1 Enoch.

But, in addition to the Scriptures and these ancient books,

he made use of several works, some of which have come

down

War T.

to

Thus, the

Jacob and his sons against the Amorite kings,

of

Jud.

us in a more or less corrupt form.

iii.-vii., is

found in a contemporary work, the Book

of Jubilees xxxiv. 1-9,

and in the Midrash Wajjissau, which

contains, if not the original legend, at all events a very

early recast of

it,

and in the Book of Jashar.

Again, the

account of the fratricidal war between Jacob and Esau, T. Jud.

ix., is

xxxviii.

In both passages the writers laid under contribu-

tion such a

the

given at greater length in Jubilees xxxvii.-

document

Jalkut Shimeoni,

as exists, i.

132

though in a

(see

my

later form, in

notes on Jubilees,

pp. 214-215).

Again, an original source for the T. Levi has just been discovered in the lost

Hebrew document from which

Aramaic and Greek fragments (given

my

in

Appendix

the

III. of

Text) were translated.

In

T.

Naph.

some existing

ii.

8

our author

source, or else

his

has either list

of the

drawn upon senses, etc..


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ivi

many

forms the original from which the

Hebrew

others in

literature were modelled.

In

Ash.

T.

of the "

3 -v. 2

i.

Two Ways "

we have the

description

oldest

in Jewish literature.

It looks to be

secondary, and dependent on some earlier document. section proves that the writers of the Didache,

were not obliged

This

Hermas,

etc.,

Jewish literature for their

to go outside

materials on this question.

Besides

number

of

the above

elements, there

larger

individual

statements

isolated

a

is

great

belonging

to

Jewish tradition throughout the Testaments.

Thus the references T. Sim. viii. 2

;

T.

to the Canaanitish

Gad

5

viii.

;

war with Egypt, 3

T. Benj. xii.

the date

assigned indirectly to this war agreeing exactly with that directly given to it in Jubilees xlvi. 9 (see note on T. viii.

5)

the Watchers, T. Eeub.

;

v.

6

the description of the Three Heavens, tion to the priesthood, subject

further, as

But we

viii.

such

elements

Gad

Levi's visions, with

;

ii.

5 -v.

;

his ordina-

shall not pursue this

are found in all

the

Testaments.

§ 18.

From

The Date of the Greek Veksion

the facts given in

§

26,

it

follows that St. Paul

was acquainted with and used the Greek version of the Testaments, and that the a and not the find that of the

the other (1 Thess.

K L P,

{i.e. ii.

Eom.

;

for

we

i.

32)

16) agrees,

if

is

not found in

/3,

and

we accept the reading Thus a must (3.

with a more nearly than with

have been made before 50

From

form

two direct quotations which he makes from

the Testaments, one

of

y8

A.D. at latest.

the evidence given in relation to the influence of the

Testaments on the discourses of our Lord

(see pp. Ixxviii sqq.)^

we conclude that He was acquainted with them, but we


INTRODUCTION cannot determine whether or with

was with the Hebrew original

it

Greek translation.

the

Notwithstanding,

yap

text of Matt. vi. 16, a<pavl^ovaiv

more

irpocrai'ira

the

if

avroiv,

of

they are an exact translation

likely, if

Aramaic words of

of the original

tcl

the actual words in Greek

either in itself represents Christ, or, as is

Ivii

Christ, then it

is

probable

H"

that our Lord used either a in the Greek, or

in the

Hebrew.

Jewish Additions to the Text

§ 19.

A

large body of these additions can be classed under

one head, as interpolated at a certain period and written

with a well-defined

The period

object.

and the object of the additions

is

is

of all lewdness

1.

first

and baseness.

in question are

First Century B.C. Additions

B.C.,

the overthrow of the

Maccabean high-priesthood, which in the become guilty

about 70-40

century had

The additions

—

T. Lev. X., xiv.-xvi. T. Jud. xvii. 2-xviii. 1

(?),

xxi. 6-xxiii., xxiv. 4-6.

T. Zeb. ix. T.

Dan

T.

Naph.

v. 6-7, vii.

3

(?).

iv.

T.

Gad

viii.

T.

Ash.

vii.

2.

4-7.

These passages are more or

by sharing

in a

present evil T.

Lev.

X.,

common

state

xiv.-xvi.

of ;

aim,

bound together

the denunciation of the

under the later Maccabees,

things T.

less closely i.e.

Jud. xxii.

;

T.

Zeb.

4-5

ix.

;

they

condemn the nation as again guilty of apostasy, T. Zeb. ix. 9 T. Naph. iv. 4 T. Gad viii. 2 T. Ash. vii. 5-6 they pre-

;

;

;

;

dict the laying waste of the Temple, T. Lev. xv. 1, xvi.

a second captivity, T. Lev. xv. 1

;

T. Jud. xxiii. 3

;

T.

4

;

Naph.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Iviii

5

iv.

;

an ultimate redemption, either by God Himself or

through the agency of a Messiah from Judah, T. Jud. xxiv. 4-6

own

to their

;

T.

Naph.

iv,

5

land, T. Jud. xxiii. 5

T. Lev. xvi, 5

;

and a blessed return

;

T.

;

Ash.

vii.

7

T. Zeb.

;

ix. 9.^

In

the above characteristics these

all

passages

first

agree with the Psalms of Solomon.

^

language in T.

Lev.

xiv.-xvi.

and

Jud.

T.

century

B.C.

In

the

fact,

almost

xxiii.

verbally agrees in some instances with that of these Psalms.

With them,

Judah

the hope of a Messiah from

too,

put

is

forward afresh, and the certainty of an ultimate redemption prophesied.

the

old

the

of

glories

and no doubt the expectation

forgotten, Levi,

All

which was

so fondly cherished

Maccabees are

of a Messiah

was now regarded

latter half of the second century,

from

by the faithful in the no

as

better than a delusion of the evil one.

Moreover, direct allusions to individuals of the later

Maccabees are

easy

Thus,

discover.

to

them

invective delivered against

in

shall steal the choicest parts, eating

with harlots," the

last clause refers

Jannseus

very fact

for this

The

(see note in loc).

of this king are

sion, apparently,

clearly as

as

xxii.

1-2

;

the

undeniably to Alexander

recounted of him by Josephus

is

lustfulness, rapacity, T.

and murders Jud. xxi. 6-9.

of his widow, Alexandra, left

no impres-

on the writer of these fragments.

most concerned with the 11.

bitter

5, "

them contemptuously

most probably aimed at in

The happy reign

Antigonus

the

xiv.

Lord ye shall rob, and from His portion ye

offerings of the

;

in

T. Lev.

civil

and Hyrcanus this

type of

T. Zeb. ix. 2-4.

He

wars between her two

II.

is

sons,

These wars are spoken of

literature

admits in T. Jud.

So deplorable, so desperate

is

the condition of the nation, that this Jewish seer can see ^

See, further, the note on T. Lev. xiv.-xvi.

-

See also Bousset admirably in Z. f. NTliche Wissenschaft, 1900, pp. 187-

193.


INTRODUCTION

lix

no remedy save in the destruction of Jerusalem and a fresh Then, and not till then, will Israel repent, and

captivity.

them again to their own land. We have here a genuine prophecy, which was in part fulfilled in 70 A.D. Another characteristic of these additions is their frequent citation of the Book of Enoch, as in T. Lev. x. 5, xiv. 1, T. Naph. iv. 1. T. Dan v. 6 T. Jud. xviii. 1 xvi. 1

God

restore

;

;

;

Only in two other passages T, Sim. V. 4,

reference

interpolation, interpolation,

and in

A

In the

and may

it

latter passage this

by

attested

is

this frequent

in

i.e.

an

safely be regarded as

probability the former

all

although

reference

to

an

also

is

existing

all

Enoch, we

reasonably conclude the existence of certain sections

in that literature 1

is

T. Benj. ix. 1.

From

authorities.

may

and

omitted by

is

this book quoted,

Enoch

which have been preserved, not in the

(the Ethiopic Enoch), but in the later

(the Slavonic Enoch). 2.

Other Additions of Variotcs Bates.

—There

2

Enoch

are a few

other additions which cannot be brought under the

first

They are of various dates and spring from various

head. sources. T.

in the

Eeub.

ii.

3-iii.

notes in

my

This passage

2.

Commentary, and

is is

dealt with fully

shown

there

to

have been derived ultimately from the doctrine of Stoicism. It is manifestly at variance difficult to

determine when

of its appearing both in

with it

its

yS

A S^

is

was

first

;

added in a and then copied into

but more

difficulty of explaining irvevfia,

which

organ, or appetite,

mi

Yet

is

the

here used repeatedly

Stoics, as

was never,

used with this signification.

is

The

/3.

chief reason against accepting the former hypothesis

with a meaning confined to the

fact

in favour of its

having been interpolated in the original Hebrew likely it

The

was incorporated.

a and

It is

present context.

that of a sense,

so far as I can ascertain, it

is

possible to assume


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ix

did violence to the usual meanings of this

Jew

that some

word and used stantly

any other possible word,

in the absence of

it,

word

of the Stoic

as a rendering

done by Greek Jews when

Some such document,

then, as T. Eeub.

ii.

con-

is

may have

2

3-iii.

and have been added

existed in Hebrew,

This

irvevfia.

translating from Hebrew.

the

to

original

text of the Testaments by some Jewish scribe.

1-9

T. Lev. xvii. T. Eeub. vi. 7

T. Zeb.

only in

vi.

5'^

4-6,

T. Iss. iv.

;

source.

5^: scribal

4^

passage relates to Levi only.

first

on

(see notes

p.

These passages are found

3.

vii.-viii.

They are

d g.

h

Testament

an addition from a Hebrew

T. Lev. xviii.

;

The

additions.

:

with

character

strictly in

the

117), but they can hardly have

stood originally in their present context.

In

my

notes I

have shown that the saying attributed to Gamaliel (floruit

in

80-105), and likewise to another teacher,

concerned, the

determined.

author of the saying cannot be

original It

text.

may have been borrowed by Gamaliel On the other hand, it may have been a

proverbial saying current

our text for the "

Why

eye, is

found

Hence, so far as the Talmudic authorities are

viii. 3.

from our

is

II.

among the Jews, and found

time in

first

literature, just as

dost thou behold the mote that

and considerest not the beam that

is

is

in

Matt.

vii.

in 3,

thy brother's

in thine

own

eye

" ?

attributed in Arachin 16^ to K. Tarpon in the latter

half of the

first

from thy eye

:

Naph,

V.

one says. Take the mote

he answers, Take the beam from thine eye

(quoted by Allen, T.

" If

century a.d.

5

^S'^.

:

Matt.

p.

66).

a dittograph of ver.

T. Jos. x. 5 -xviii.

"

3.

It is not improbable that this large

section either displaced part of the original Testament or

was added in the Hebrew.

It

was written in Hebrew as

the rest of the Testaments.

In addition to the grounds

my

Commentary, we should observe

enumerated in

p. 1 7

2 of


INTRODUCTION whereas the duty of truthfulness

that,

down throughout

Further, the style of

XV. 2-3, xvi. 6.

that of

emphatically laid

is

the Testaments, yet in x, 5-xviii. Joseph

several times to screen his brethren

lies

9,

Ixi

xi.

:

6-

2, 3, xiii.

4

i.-x,

is poetical,

x. 5-xviii. is prosaic.

Christian Additions to the Text

§ 20.

These additions are found in nearly

and were made at

the Testaments

all

different periods.

T. Sim. vi. 5.

'£!(;

The passage without

av6p(07ro<i.

this

addition describes simply a Theophany, references to which are frequent in the Testaments, T. Lev. T. Jud. xxii. 2

T. Zeb. ix.

;

8

T.

;

ii.

Naph.

11,

11

v. 2, viii.

3

viii.

;

;

T. Ash.

3.

vii.

vi. 7°. TTOL'i

'

On

o ^eo9

A manifest Christian interpolation.

eacocrev avOpcoirovi.

vii.

2

®e6v koX avOpcoirov.

.

Swcret

2°.

vii.

\a/3o)v koI avvecrOioiv dvdpco-

croyfjua

ra

{iravra

KaX\

eOvrj

So a /3.

addition.

The author can look forward

of the Gentiles, but he

tov

<yevo^

would not

to the salvation

set their salvation before

A

speaks

The same

inter-

See note below on T. Jos. xix. 11.

that of Israel.

here only of the salvation of mankind. polation recurs in T. Jos. xix. 11 eOvT] Koi]

to

The bracketed words are a Christian

^Iapa7]\.

TOV ^laparfK, where

A

(c

^), aco^cov [iravTa

has simply

r}

ra tov

crcoT'qpla

^YcrparjX.

T.

Lev.

iv.

1

.

'EttI

toS

TrdOec

tov

v-\^1<ttov.

Christian addition transforms an account of the into a description of the events

The

addition, moreover,

iv.

4

°.

(TTrXdy^voi'i

'

accompanying the Crucifixion.

was made by a Patripassianist.

Eco? eVicr/cei/reTat Kvpco'i TrdvTU

[vlov]

This

Judgment

avTOv

eco<i

aloivo'i.

to,

edvr)

iv


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixii

[nx^v

aov eiTL^akovaL

viol

01

'^€ipa<;

avrov rod

gtt

avaa-KoXoTTLcrai avrov.]

The Christian interpolators here transform an account of God's coming to dwell with

men

v.

(cf.

sending His Son, and of His crucifixion by the X.

Et9

2.

ikOcbv

2, eco?

rod ^laparjX) into a prediction of God's

KaTOLKr}<j(o iv jxecrw

rov

rod

'Swrfjpa

priests.

The

X.pcar6v.

Kocrfxov

context deals with the wickedness of the high priests in the

century

first

B.C.

Here a alone by the addition

xiv. 1.

words

of the

eV

avrov transforms a purely Jewish passage into a Christian one. xiv.

2.

iv.

'^elpa^ avrcov irrl rov

An

from the same hand

rov KoafMov.

"Xcorrjpa

as

Omz^e? iTri^aXovcn ra? addition

4^

may

This verse

xvi. 3.

my

See

Jewish worthy.

murder

refer to the

notes in

Otherwise

loc.

some

of

is

it

a

Christian addition. xvii.

Koa/Jiov

Kat

2.

avrb<;

It

interpolation. xviii.

iv

is

'Ef

7.

rjixepai<i

avrov

'^apa<i

This

avacrr-qa-erat.

may

or

iirl

may

awrripia

not be an

unintelligible in its present context.

This slight addition changes

vZan.

Tft>

a description of the glorification of John Hyrcanus into

a description of the baptism of Christ. xviii.

'O he ^lapaifk iXarrooOrjcrerai iv d'yvcoala Kal

9.

aKoria97]a€rai

iv

An

irevOeL.

anti- Jewish

Christian

addition. T. Jud. xxiv. 4. T. Iss. vii. 7^.

T. Zeb. ix. 8.

Theophany the

According to some of the

MSS

this line

See notes.

is Christian.

{i.e.

Possibly a Christian interpolation.

This verse in ,

in very startling

God) in Jerusalem." genuine

text

of

Ps.

a,

a ef,

words —

"

Ye

A S\

shall

But these words Ixxxiv.

7,

as

describes a see

Him

are found in in

the

LXX,


INTRODUCTION

This very clause

Vulg. h

So also the Syriac and the

^eo9 eV ^lwv.

6

offydrjcrerai

Ixiii

found in

is

T.

Naph.

viii.

d g, however, we have the Christian addition

eV

In

3.

o-'^ij/jLari

dvdpCOTTOV. T.

Dan

10.

v.

'E/c

Here the interpolation changed

<f>vX7J<;

See T. Sim.

vii.

13.

1

earai

K.vpio<;

[iv

Gad

T.

;

koX

ev

above on

have

to

9.

T. Jos. xix. 11.

ev jxea-w avrrj^

Trrw^eia koX

vi.

it

5).

6

iv

dv6p(07roi<;

tol<;

Sim.

[Tot9

^IcrparjX

dv6pco7rot<;

/3aai\evQ)v eV'

inarevoov

iir

The

dX,r]6eia].

does frequently elsewhere

The Christian additions

into a prophecy of Christ.

it

vi. 7.

T.

;

6 '^Ajio'i

text describes a Theophany, as

transform

1

viii.

Koi

TaireivojcreL

avTM ^aaiXevaei

vi.

ought

In the original Testaments, when the

avvavacrTp€(l}6/xevo<;]

(see note

He

Besides, the order betrays the

mentioned together, Levi always precedes Judah.

tribes are

avTrj<;

Iou8a koI^ tov AevL

[

clumsy.

is

to (pv\cbv.

interpolator's hand.

V.

^uA,^?

t?}?

yS

S^

add XwTrjp against a A.

"\va S€^7]rac

ufjLd<i

6 Scorrjp

rwv iOvwv.

earl yap

d\7)6r]^ Kol fMaKpo6vfjio<;, 7rpao<; koX ra7reiv6<i, koX eKScSdaKcov

Sta Tcov epycov tov v6/xov K.vpi,ov. is

In

its

present form this

undoubtedly Christian.

Naph.

T.

viii.

2.

Atd yap tov

"f^IovSa

dvuTeXel

awTrjpia tu> ^IcrparfK Kal iv "favTM €v\oy7)di]creTaL viii.

Aio. "fTOv

3.

(TKrjTrTpov

l^KaTOLKcbv iv dvdpco7roL<;^ eTTt

In

my

avTOv^

6(fi6')]aeTai,

'lovSa into avTcov, since the preceding words

ever,

who the

tS Aevl Kal

TOV 'lovSa would thus be due to a Christian

^lovSa.

cTKrjirTpwv

$€0<;

T7]<; 7779.

are ivTeiXaade Tot9 TeKvoL<i v/jlmv Iva ivovvTai

scribe,

6

Text and Commentary I have with Bousset

emended tov TO)

rj

^laKcofS.

likewise changed

avTol<i

into

avTcov into tov (TKijirTpov avTov.

singular

is

right

avT<^

and

tmv

Perhaps, how-

throughout, and

Aevl

stood

originally instead of 'lovSa, but T. Jos. xix. 1 1 is against this.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixiv

Gad

T.

See note in

Koi

3.

vii.

'

Koi avTO<; i\da>v

fyyjv,

Ew?

A.evi'\'.

to a Christian scribe.

ov o

Tov vBaTO<;, ovto<;

eh avSpa

vyjncrTO'i

eTrtcr/ce-v^T/Tat

ri/v

avOpcoiro^ fiera avOpcoirtov iaOlcov

[««<?

koI (TvvTpljBojv

irivcov]

[^eo9

due

is

loc.

Ash.

T.

j'loySa koI

'Otto)? Ti[xi)au>cnv

2.

viii.

This order of the two tribes

t)]v

Kapav rov SpaKOVTo<i

rov ^IcrparjX koX iravra

croiaet

The

vTroKpcvo/jbevo'i].

original

iirl

eOvrj

to,

text

de-

and destroying the primeval

scribed God's coming to earth

dragon in the waters (Ps. Ixxiv. 13) and saving Israel and all

The Christian

mankind, as the chief prophets taught.

additions are obvious.

For a

T. Jos. xix. 8.

note in

11 (a /3).

xix.

alpwv /cat]

treatment of the passage, see

full

loc.

TOV

v/xlv

[o

rod Oeov, 6

a/xvo';

croo^cov

[iravra

edvrj

to,

^IcrparjX.

The method

becomes manifest,

of the interpolator

the above with the text of A,

we compare (rcoTrjpia

^AvareXet

ajxapTLav tov Koafjuov]

TTjV

tov 'lapaTjX.

hand

betrays the

The

order edvr] koI

avuTeXet

i.e.

.

.

if rj

IcrparjX

.

of the Christian interpolator.

See also

next passage. Benj.

T.

%o3Tr]po<;

iii.

TOV

8

(c /3 S^).

/c6(Tfj,ov.

Hepl tov a/xvov tov Oeov koI

Tliis is

a Christian interpolation as

well as the last words of the verse iv aXfiuTi aayTTjpla eOvcov koX tov

T0V9

A

vTTTjpeTa'i.

hiaOrjK'q'^

eirl

IcrparjX koI KUToXvcrei BeA,ta/9

koI

"

Observe the order

Gentile

.

.

.

Jew."

omits both passages. ix.

sage where

This

Obviously Christian.

3-5.

A

is

the only pas-

has admitted Christian interpolations in T.

Benj. X.

7

(c /3).

^aaiXea tmv avOpctiTTOV

'H/iei? avacTTrjaofieda

ovpavcov

[tov

ev TaTreivcocrei, Kai

eVl

.

.

jf]<;

.

irpoaKVVOvvTe<i tov

(^avevTa

ev

fiop(f)rj

oaoc TnaTevcroicriv avTco

eirt


INTRODUCTION

The hand X.

8

A

OVK

x.

9

rov ^lapaijX irepl

Trpcoroi';

[on Trapajevop^evov deov

avro)].

T. Benj. [ocra

Kpivel Kupto? ev

(c /3).

arevaav

omits the interpolation.

of the interpolator is obvious.

aBiKia<i

TTj^

A

'^apiaovrai crvv avTa>\.

T779 7779

Ixv

ovk

crapKL

ev

iiri-

omits the interpolation.

Kat rore

(c /3).

avTw

eiricrrevcrav

iirl

ra Wvrj

Kpivel nravra t?}?

A

^avevri^.

7779

omits the interpolation.

Here the interpolators have been hard

xi.

While one

interpolator

spoke only of Benjamin, into a prophecy of Christ other transformed notes in

it

work.

at

transformed the original, which

into a prophecy of St. Paul

the

(c),

See

(/3).

loc.

MiDRASH WaJJISSAU, CONTAINING HEBREW Fragments of the Testament of Judah

ยง 21.

The part of the

my

of the

Midrash which has preserved fragments

Testament of Judah

Text

from Jellinek's

questions naturally arise

:

is

reprinted in Appendix

Bet is

ha-Midrasch, the

Judah based on a common

original

both works with Jub. xxxiv. 1-9 clear that in

so far as they relate

A

?

I

will,

comparison of think,

the middle of the second century

existed an account of the

Jacob and his

sons.

war

of

The

Midrash based on the

Testament of Judah, or are both works to

I.

1-3.

of the

make B.C.

it

there

Amorite kings against

This account both Jubilees and the

Testaments laid under contribution, and the latter more fully

than

the former.

Further elements of this early

history are contained in the Midrash just mentioned

;

for

these help to explain the over-abbreviated descriptions in

both Jubilees and the Testaments. later elements

of the

Book

have entered on a large

of Jashar

On

the other hand,

scale into the section

which deals with

this subject.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixvi

Late Hebkew Testament of Naphtali

ยง 22.

have printed this Testament in Appendix

I

Text, and

its

volume.

My

translation

Text

designate as A.

which from

is

in Apjjendix

have used Gaster's

I

a twelfth -century

MS

now

present

MS, which collation

I

of P,

and borrowed

in Paris,

some readings which he

his edition

^

my

II. of

of the

Oxford

the

follows

I.

in turn has taken

from Wertheimer's edition (printed at Jerusalem in 1890). Furthermore, for the sake of convenience I have adopted the

chapters which

into

division

Apokr. und Pseudep. verses

ii.

appears in Kautzsch's

489-492.

the present editor

For the division into

responsible.

is

whose text reference has just been made, in the

Hebrew

text which

is

Dr.

Gaster, to

of opinion that

printed in our Appendix

is

"

we

have undoubtedly the original version of the Testament, free

from any interpolation."

Further, he adds

"

:

In com-

paring this (the Hebrew Testament) with the Greek version,

we

are struck

the

Hebrew

by the great disparity between the two.

In

Greek

are

version

whole chapters

of

the

missing, whilst in the Greek the whole of the

condensed

into

four

Hebrew

is

and a half chapters, the contents

transposed and mangled almost beyond recognition.

The

Greek counterpart of the Hebrew makes no sense and has no meaning at

all

;

whilst the

complete, and perfectly clear."

have

not

been

accepted

Almost universally of literature first place,

place,

even

in

scholars

Hebrew

if

it

were

rounded

off,

and

These theses of Dr. Gaster world

the

of

scholarship.

who have worked on

deny the validity of

the style of the

is

his conclusions.

Hebrew

early, it

being the original of the Greek

is

late

;

this field

In the

in the next

could lay no claims to "

Testament."

All that "

^ Gaster, " The HebrewText of one of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs {Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archceology, December 1893 and February 1894).


INTRODUCTION could be urged

that the two texts possess an exiguous

is

common

amount

of

diverge,

and the evidence points

Hebrew

text

In

material.

^

other respects they

all

to the conclusion that the

in part based directly or indirectly on the

is

Hebrew

primitive

Ixvii

from which the Greek text was

text

translated.

On

the following grounds

we cannot

accept the

Hebrew

text as the original Testament of Naphtali. (1)

Hebrew Testament

The

Testaments

(2) There

strong

is

end as

does not

all

the

taking leave of his children.

do, in the patriarch

throughout this late Hebrew Testament a

Thus

feeling of hostility to Joseph.

personal

his

brethren complain that they have been exiled through his

being a bondservant in Egypt single

On

(i.

Furthermore, not a

10).

word in favour of Joseph's personal character

is

i.

praised either

is

this is true in the single

him in the Greek Testament of Where the name Joseph stands for Northern

reference

Naphtali

mentioned, he

And

explicitly or implicitly."

personal

uttered.

the Greek Testaments, wherever

hand, in

the other

Joseph as an individual

is

8.

Israel, as in T.

to

Naph.

and the attitude

v. 7, vi.

6, etc.,

the matter

Joseph in this relation

to

is

is different,

the same in

both the Greek and Hebrew Testaments.

The accovmt of the senses or powers of man in x. 6 Hebrew Testament could not be the original of ii. 8 in the Greek Testament. There are four Hebrew texts of the senses, including that in the Hebrew Testament (see (3)

of the

notes in

remote

in

loc.

from

my

the

explained from the (4)

Translation),

Greek list

and the

last is

Testament, which

in Berakoth

the most

can be best

61^^

In the conception of Michael the two Testaments do

my Appendix amounts to five pages. The verbal coincidences in these pages with the Greek Testament amount to about one-third of a page. In one or two passages, however, it is helpful in explaining corruptions in the ^

The

Greek 2

text in

text, as I

T. Keub,

have shown

iv,

8

;

T. Sim.

in iv.

my 4,

notes.

6

;

T, Levi

xiii,

9

;

T. Zeb.

viii,

4, etc., etc.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixviii

In the Hebrew

not wholly agree.

4) he

(viii.

is

represented

head of the seventy angels, who instructed the seventy

as the

families that sprang from

Michael's duty

is to

Noah

in the seventy languages.

be the bearer of God's

commands

to

men.

But

in the original Testaments Michael plays a loftier role.

He

is

not merely the angelic patron of Israel, but the

intercessor for the righteous of all nations, their protector

against Beliar, and the mediator between

The

(5)

rhliauffi is

late

shown by the

.

.

my

.

gold

i.

8

... ("

all

The

two phrases

fact that it contains

drawn from two other Testaments, and in

God and man. late Hebrew

and conflate character of this

my

i.e.

substance

and

Lord

I

")

in

4 (my

i.

from

are

silver

T. Jos. xi. 6,

witness

")

from

T. Lev. xix. 3.

(6) So distinctively Jewish or Judaistic

is

the matter of

the Greek Testament that the Christian interpolators were

unable to find a single context that naturally lent

itself to

the exercise of their ingenuity.

ยง

23.

Aramaic

Greek

and

Phrases and Clauses OF

the

Testament

Fragments

containing

from an original

of

Levi

and

the

Source

Book of

Jubilees.

Of the Aramaic III.,

which are printed in Appendix

texts

the Cambridge fragments were discovered by Mr. H.

L. Pass in the

Geniza collection of the University Library

and

by him

identified

the Twelve Patriarchs. in

the J.Q.B.

xii.

651

found some time later

as

a

He

part

of

the Testaments of

subsequently published them

The Oxford fragment was by Mr. Cowley among the Geniza sg-^-.

fragments in the Bodleian Library, and briefly described in the Catalogue, No. 2835, 27.

The two fragments were

written on vellum by the same hand, and not later, in the

opinion of Mr. Pass, than the eleventh century.


INTRODUCTION

Ixix

Both the above fragments were recently published in the J.Q.K, 1907, pp. 566-583, by Mr. Cowley and the present editor.

The deciphering and

translation of the Oxford fragment

my

were almost wholly the task of Mr. Cowley,

part being

limited to occasional suggestions or corrections, and attempts at getting behind the

original presupposed

Aramaic and Greek fragments

to the

by them.

The Greek fragment was found by the present writer a tenth century

photographed

by the

MS

for

of the Testaments

which Professor Lake

him on Mt. Athos, and which This fragment

letter e in this edition.

is

denoted

is

interpo-

lated in the midst of a verse in the Testament of Levi, xviii. 2.

This fragment

is

i.e,

unique in Greek literature just as

the Aramaic fragments are likewise unique in Aramaic. is

in

It

very remarkable that these Greek and Aramaic fragments

agree word for word, where they coexist.

So

relations I shall enter presently.

corresponds with the Aramaic,

columns with

it

it

Into their mutual far

the

as

was printed in

Greek parallel

in the article in the J.Q.R. just referred

to.

These Aramaic and Greek fragments are reprinted with additional notes in

Appendix

III. of

my

another Greek fragment to which there

Aramaic.

There

The is

last

Text, and likewise is

no corresponding

appears on pp. 250-252.

also a small Syriac

fragment of the same work,

which was reprinted by Mr. Pass from Wright's British

Museum

Catalogue.

This I have given on

a fresh collation of the

MS

p.

254, and by

have corrected the mistake

that occurs in the Catalogue and passed from the Catalogue into Mr. Pass's reprint.

The fragments a source of the Testaments. of the fragments serves to

—A

short study

show that they are not derived

from the Testaments, but that they are part of a work

which formed a common source both of the Testaments and


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixx

of the

Book

now study

the relations

and Aramaic fragments, and, in case we

that both

discover

We must

of Jubilees.

Greek

the

of

are

versions, determine

the

original

language of the work.

The Aramaic and Greek fragments are versions of a common original, neither being a translation of the other.

We

shall

now study

to each other

and

these fragments alike in their relation

to the Testaments.

show that both the Aramaic and the Greek are not originals, but that neither

The Aramaic

—The

translation

The

is

is

shall

translations,

a translation of the other.

a translation and not an original work.

evidence

first

is

we

First, then,

favour of the Aramaic being a

in

the appearance of a dittograph in ver.

which Levi

text states twice the reason for

69.

called his

name Merari. " And 1 was greatly distressed regarding him (mnS TfTys "h ~id), because as soon as he was born son's

he died

"

did not

die.

most part

This statement

(tv^).

But the

true text

—immediately him

tressed regarding

follows

:

"^mSi;

(n"'Jid

nonsense

is

;

for

Merari

a duplicate one for the

"

And

"'S

I

was greatly

dis-

T'lD m^n), because he

like to die " (niD"').

The simplest explanation of this we have here two renderings, one incorrect The and the other correct, of the same Hebrew original. was

dittograph

that

is

word used

difference in the

in the

two cases

rendering

is

is

noteworthy.

supported

and

mnS)

The second and

correct

for " greatly " (n">1d

by the

Test,

iKoXeaa avrov M.6pap€t, 6 eart iTLKpla aTreOvriaKev {teas like

jxov

of

Levi

on

Kai ye avTO<;

xi.

its

being an original production, since

Hebrew words, two two

or

types of Aramaic.

we

it

is

embodies

of these being artificially Aramaised,

more Syriac words, and words belonging

peculiarities

:

to die).

Again, the peculiar style of the Aramaic fragment against

7

to different

To the explanation of some of these

shall address ourselves later.

Finally,

we


INTRODUCTION might draw attention

the non- Aramaic use of

to

13 in the sense of "privilege" or "right";

ver.

context shows that Nm^rrD in Deut.

Ixxi

The Aramaic

rore

Kal

aKooiXrjKO'i

if

for

;

we compare

TravTo'i

Aramaic

In

fMoXvafjiov.

defective, over

against a

in verses

( = av

23 the Greek

Aramaic

( = Trdv

where

The above

Nor could the

nor in ver.

:

and

again

correct

24 proves

the Aram.

20, :

nor in ver. 32,

Greek has

the

instances,

of the trees in

list

Greek being

in itself the impossibility of the

the source of the Aramaic. llie

The

Greek

is

by the fact that 6

icTTLV

S)V

a translation and not an original work.

possibility of the

avToc<;

it

Kairvo'i

Greek being the original

avrwv

(

= D3l2)i' irda-rj^

.

.

.

crapKO^

"lt!?N),

("ItDl

7Tpo(Te')(e

creavTM diro iravro'i (Sdo ^S HDIDrF).

corrupt

or

ver.

17

49

{i.e.

(see

precluded

Kplcriv),

note

iKKaietv ev

7DD

17.

ver.

is

Likewise the dittograph

13) points to

the Greek

not a translation of the Aramaic.

17, where the Aram.

its

be ex-

See notes on

translation.

The Greek

nSm),

Several of

passages, moreover, can

unintelligible

plained by retranslation into the Hebrew.

in

is

exhibits several Semitic idioms such as

(pi 1^1), fieydXr] diro

verses 13,

rm

ravpco

which could be multiplied,

Finally the comparative

will suffice. ver.

tt/jwto?

= ravpo) ^owv

hevrepm.

is

Again, the

text.

TovTo) from the Greek oXoKapircoaiv it

tov

elBov

Greek has merely

jvvaiKa) in ver. 1 7 be derived from the im-

Greek av

possible

yap

ovrco<;

the corrupt text of the Greek.

Aram.

of

31 could not be derived from

25,

17,

ver,

full

the Aram,

where the former has aTvo

avrd'

\a/3e

^A/3paa/ji TOV irarepa fiov TTpoae'^ovTa, the cLTTo

ZaDOD

not a translation of the Greek fragment.

with the Greek

22

ver.

is

at once evident

is

for the

D'^^TTD

3.

viii.

This

a rendering of

p"T is

in

p-y

= jvvaiKu,

being a

—For

the Greek has

in

irpcoTO';

:


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixxii

19, where

in ver. iv

ToU

Aram,

:

T^9

oUw

Greek

the

Oeov,

= Trar tovto, = raypw

32, where Aram.

in

Greek has ravpw tm

Aram, has an

eV

where Aram.

in 20,

d<ytoL<i:

has oXoKapiraxTLv

=

Again, in

Sevrepcp.

the Greek the

/Socor,

27, where the

ver.

Greek has eVt

unintelligible expression, the

Finally, the list of trees in the

KecpaXrj'i avrrj'i.

has

Greek

(ver.

24) could not be derived from that in the Aramaic.

Now

that

it is clear

that the two versions are derived from

we have next to determine original was. The determination

a Semitic original,

language this question

is

by the

complicated

to

fact,

of

what

of

this

we have

which

already drawn attention, namely, the presence in the text of

Hebrew words and

Syriac

words

at once ND''2)D.

in

the Aramaic, and with

To the presence

Syriac word,

Book

Hebrew

may

it

dialects.

original.

to

—

a

First,

although N3n2*T

this

from Syriac

is

a

may

be, it is

found in the

book universally acknowledged There

it

Its appearance, therefore, in

the present text need cause us no further is

and

text

have been written in Hebrew.

appears in the form defran.^

verse 4 there

shall

likewise have been used in the other

However

of Jubilees xxi, 1 2

by scholars

we

n3"idT

we drew when we summed up

in the

of these

attention in our article in the J.Q.R.,

Aramaic

these

These words in question are

deal.

in favour of a

There are two

of Syriac words.^

trouble.

In

another word which can be best explained

affinities,

but the word

itself is

not found in

^ Owing to the presence of the Syriac words in the text, Fraenkel {Theol. Litter aturzeitung, 1907, No. 17, col. 475) maintains that the Aramaic is " undoubtedly " a translation from the Syriac. But the facts adduced above show tliat the evidence in favour of his contention is extremely weak in com-

parison with that in favour of a Hebrew original. 2 On the other hand, it is to be observed that the list of trees in the Greek corresponding to Bodleian col. c shows several transliterations of Aramaic names But this argument is not conclusive. For it would not be unnatural to of trees. use, even in a Hebrew document, in the second century b. C. the popular Aramaic Jloreover, in certain cases the names for trees, where a large number is given. Hebrew name may either have been forgotten or have become so unfamiliar as to make it advisable to give the ordinary names which those trees bore even amongst Moreover, the rest of the evidence demands the minority who knew Hebrew. some such conclusion. ,

I


INTRODUCTION

Ixxiii

Thus there remains only the one undoubted Syriac word ND"'a)D. If there was no counterbalancing evidence in

Syriac.

Hebrew

favour of a

original, the presence

of

word

this

might form a presumption in favour of a Syriac

original,

But the evidences in favour of a Hebrew very strong. They are as follows

but nothing more. original are

:

Hehrew words are found in

(1) Five

mn,

the text.

—These

are

The third and last words are Aramaised Hebrew words. The other

rrnDtDD, NtDTn, id, l^m.

simply

artificially

How

three are pure Hebrew.

can the presence of these in

the text be explained unless on the hypothesis of a original? (2)

See, further, Introd. to

A

paronomasia ivhich

my

tvas

Text,

Hebrew

§ 20.

manifestly intended

discovered hy retranslation into Hehrew.

— In

is

67 Levi

ver.

" to

him would be gathering of the all the people." Here the Aramaic words are nc?DD Now if these are given in Hebrew we nnp. have an obvious paronomasia nSnp To prove nnp. calls his

second son Kohath, because that

.

.

.

.

that this

is

no mere imagination,

it

.

is

point to the fact that in the case of Levi's

and

.

only necessary to first

son Gershom

and fourth children Merari and Jochebed,

his third

and of Kohath's son

Amram

76), the paronomasias

(ver.

are manifest even in the Aramaic translation.

impossible to render the play upon It

is

But

Kohath

it

was

in Aramaic.

equally impossible in Syriac.

and

(3) Divergencies between the two versions, expressions

and corrupt passages, can

lation into Hehrevj.

— In

ver.

32 the Aramaic has

whereas the Greek has tw ravpa

= -iimn

"ID (cf.

Judg.

vi.

26), the latter -^^mn ID.

lepma-vvTTi, or

We

pin

ns,

The former

roS hevTepw.

confusion could easily arise in Hebrew.

drawn attention

dijficult

he explained hy retrans-

Thus

this

have already

to the peculiar expression in ver. 19, Kplacv

NniDHD VT.

Neither

Kpicri<i

nor pT can bear

here legitimately the meaning the context requires.

The


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixxiv

phrase

a rendering of "'DriDrr I3DOD (Deut. xviii.

is

It

3).

cannot be explained from a Syriac background.

In

Greek

ver. 1 7 the corruption in the

firpwrof;

arv

.

.

.

Aramaic rightly reads

Xa/Se aeavTM, where for irpwro^ the

yvvaiKa (NnriDN), can be explained by retroversion into

Hebrew, but not into Syriac. of

In

ntlJN.

= pt!)Nn,

a corruption

27 we have the converse corruption,

ver.

where the Aramaic

7rp5)ro<;

reads, rrtDN corrupt for ^7tDN^,

i.e.

NtD^l

=

In the same verse we have another passage which

KecpaXrj.

cannot be explained except on the hypothesis of a Hebrew original,

/xr)

to airepixa aou fxera

/3e^r]\(t)(T7]<i

corruption of iropvwv, as the Aramaic Test. Levi

ix.

10 we

"f

iroXkwv, a

But

shows.

(|t<"'3l)

find aX\o(})v\a)v idvoiv,

and

in

this is the

sense required by the context, and especially by Jubilees,

the priestly line was

that

The text

marriages.

not to be defiled by foreign

of the Testaments presupposes

which must have been corrupted the Aramaic reading aTToSeSeiKTO)

is

mean

m3Ti

In

derived.

" cast " or

is

required,

or

n*lDt,

= min.

i.e.

nin,

from which

37 the corrupt form

ver.

comes from airo^eUvvfii

the 2nd or 3rd sing. fut. also

to

min.

Here either

But

this can

the meaning the context

" sprinkle,"

requires here.

In

ver.

20 the Aramaic = Tray tovto and the Greek reads

oXoKapircoaLv.

Here the

been corrupted into n^<7

= Trdv ยง

24.

it h'D

latter

(where

= n^li', 11 is

which may have

the usual later form of

TOVTO.

Influence of the Testaments on Jewish Literature

Since

Jubilees and

the Testaments are

sister

works

written about the same date, and both emanating from the school

of the Pharisees, the

pendent on the other. are closely related in

For a

one cannot be cited as delist

of the passages

them, see Index

I.

which

It is doubtful


INTRODUCTION also

Ixxv

whether the Psalms of Solomon stand in the relation of

dependence on the

The undoubted

Testaments.

coinci-

dences which exist are to be found almost wholly in the first

century

The

B.C.

additions to the Testaments.

passages

parallel

Chronicles of Jerachmeel, the

Midrash

the

in

Book

Wajjissau,

of Jashar, cannot be

treated as derivatives from our text, but rather as sprung

from the same ultimate source as

their parallels in the

Testaments.

On

the other hand, certain clauses and phrases in the

Talmud

are probably to be traced to the Testaments

Chag. 12^

T. Lev.

Sebach. 62^

Shabb. 151''

Yoma this influence

T.

35^^

The Targum of

Naph.

T. Jos.

6'^

i.

T. Sim.

ii.

6,

T. Zeb.

iii.

2

iv.

5

7

28

Ps.

xxxvii.

25.

8

ii.

:

xxxvii.

§

5

on Genesis particularly shows

Ps. Jon.

Targum Ps. Jon. on Gen. XXX vii. 19, 20; xlii. 24 Targum Ps. Jon. on Gen. Targum

7-iii.

iii.

T. Zeb. viii. 3

61^^^

Berakoth

ii.

:

Jon. on

Gen.

30

Influence of the Testaments on Patristic LiTERATUEE

The Testaments have not

left

The following writers

literature.

Hermas, Mand.

ii.

1.

'AttXo-

TTjra e^e kol aKaKO<; jlvov.

T.

much trace on Patristic made use of them :

Iss. v.

1.

Krrjaaade

T^y

airXoTr^ra

Kol iv aKaKia

TTopevecrOe-

Mand.

ii.

XaXec.

2.

'M.r]hevo<q

Kara-

T. Iss.

iii.

4.

Ov

KaTe\d\r)ad

Ttvo^ TTcoiroTe.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixxvi

Mand.

Ot

5.

ii.

,

.

TMV KOTTwv

eV

4,

ii.

yap

fxev

6\L/3ofM€voi

\afjb^dvovTe<;

T.

;

Hacn yap OXi^ofjuevoi^;

e/c

tmv ayadcov Kap-

T?79 7?}<? iv aTrXoTTjTt,

BiSov aTrXw?.

The points

8.

koI

iii.

Trapet-^ov

crov

iraaiv vaTepovfievot^

.

Iss.

nrevrjcn

Bia<;

[1,0V.

numerous here

of coincidence are too

to be

accidental.

Mand.

'O ovv

6.

ii.

icTTiv

adu)0<i

BtaKpLVCOV

.

TLVC

.

.

Bm

BiBov<;

T.

TJ

Zeb.

vii.

'A8ia/cpiT&)9

2.

(nrXay^vtl^oixevoL

7rdvTa<;

/jLTjSev

iXeare koI Trapi-^ere iravrl

flT]

dvOpdiirw iv dyadrj KapBca (cf. vi.

Here

same ideas underlie

the

4).

Indiscriminate almsgiving

dBtaKp(,TQ)<i.

and

BtaKpLvwv

fjLTjBev

taught in each

is

passage,

Mand.

^^apBia aov

7.

ii.

KaOapd KoX

Mand.

vi.

2.

dyyeXoL TTov,

deov Tot<;

.

iv fxev

T.

Jud, xx.

rov dvOpd)-

fiara

6pd)'7r(p,

TO

'TTovTjpca';.

Kol TO

T>7?

To. KTia/JLara tov

T. Iss. vii. 5

.

.

Avo wvev-

1.

BtKaioavvr}<;

cy')(o\di^ov<JL

Fragment

n TCO'^O)

fl€T€-

/JLOV

xvii.

(ed.

Stieren,

836-837):

i.

6 XpLcrTo<; TTpoeTVirdidr} koX eTreyvcoaOi] Kol eyevvrjOi^'

yap tw

'lovBa TO KaTCL

'Icoarjcf)

adpKa

TrpoeTVirdiOr]' &>?

Be tov

iic

/SaaiXev^ Kal

Aevu Kai tov

The question by

iepev<:, iyevvrjOr].

genuineness of this fragment has been called in

Harnack but

dv-

7r\dvT]<;-

BcHKa dpTOV

/J,€TaBlBoT€ Kol

rat

d\7]deia<i

tt}?

varepovfievoL^.

Irenteus,

'Ef MV

elalv

T?}?

T779

Vis. ix, 2.

Avo

/jberd

et?

KoX et?

Kol arofxacnv dfxidvrot<;.

dp,iavTO<^. 1.

Kadapa KapBia

T.Jos.iv.Q. ^^v

{Gesch.

d.

altchristl. Litteratur, II.

that need not delay us here.

seems to have been suggested by

The

T. Jos.

i.

i.

first

2-4,

521, 569), statement

and possibly


INTRODUCTION by is

Gad

T.

3

ii.

(/3),

Ixxvii

while the descent from Levi and Judah

apparently derived from T. Sim.

vii.

1-2.

Origen, in Josuam homil. xv. 6 (ed. Lommatzsch,

Origen here expressly is

cites the

given in note on T. Eeub.

The

Tertullian.

1.

ii.

passages

Adv.

in

Marcion,

13, which have been generally traced

Scorpiace,

143).

xi.

The quotation

Testaments.

v.

1,

back to

more probably the source of the interpolaThe Armenian version, as we tion in that Testament. T. Benj. xi., are

know, has no such statement about addition to

/3 is

St. Paul.

Jerome, Hoin. in Pss. in " Anecdota

by G. Morin, 1903),

(ed.

Psal.

XV.)

"

:

Therefore, this

at the best but a very late interpolation.

pp.

22

sq. (S.

Maredsol."

quoque Patriarcharum

In libro

apocryphos

computetur,

iracundiam,

sic

ita

inueni,

ut

3

iii.

Hieron. Tract de licet

quomodo

inter

ad

fel

renes ad calliditatem et ad astutiam sint

creati," etc.

Church

Ajjostolical

djLMV

T(ov

^

237).

.

.

ii.

icrriv 6

opdv

225-

pp.

Tr]v

8.

eKecvrjv

Dan

T.

KiToaToKwv

Harnack,

(ed.

Order.

iKKXrjataariKol

K.avov€<i

3.

Tv(f)\coai<; <ydp

6v/jib<i

Kal ovk id

TTpoawTTov

Ttfo? ev

d\7]6eia,

yjrv^rjv

ovk id Sia-

^Xeyjrai tov dvOpcoirov Kal Ihelv T7]v dXrjdecav.

The

Church canons are here speaking of

and

lust

anger.

Again, @vfjio^ <ydp koI .

.

,

rjSovr)

aTrdyovacv avrbv

T.

et?

epya dSiKa Kal iTriyeXcoaiv avT(p Kal 7]8ovTat

iirl

rrj

uTrcoXeia rov dvdpcoTTOv.

Procopius Gazaeus,

Comm. in

Eeub.

7

iv.

aTrooXeaep

Kav

iropveia'

y

<yepaiv

6veiSo<i

noXXov?

(/3). t)

kavrov

yeXwra irapd Gen. cxxxviii.

:

Tc<i

iroLel

T<p

on •

Kal

BeXtap.

" Ille,

uxore


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixxviii

In testamento, aiunt, attes-

defuncta, quaerebat subolem.

tatur

Deus, quod diu

ei

earn,

cum adhuc

esset virgo,

Judas

habuerit luxitque iniquitatem ejus " (quoted from Sinker,

This passage

p. 4, note).

is

from Clauser's Latin transla-

Greek text of Procopius, which has not yet been

tion of the

The reference may be

published.

the

Finally,

Apocrypha

Testaments

are

to T. Jud. xii. 8, xv. 4.

mentioned amongst the

in the Stichometry of Nicephorus, the Synopsis

of Athanasius, and in

the

Anonymous

List of Canonical

Books published by Montfaucou, Petra, and Schlirer, G.J.V.

26.

§

See

others.

263-264.

iii.

New

Influence of the Testaments on the

Testament St.

IlaUheiv.

—The

Matthew which show

passages in St,

the influence of the Testaments are almost exclusively those

which give the sayings and discourses therefore

take them in the

of our Lord.

I will

order that will best exhibit

this fact. 1.

Forgiveness

xviii. 15.

6

:

'Eav 8e

d/jbapTTjar)

aSeX^09 aov Kara

crov,

Gad

3

(yQ).

dfiapT-tjaet

et9

vi.

eXey^ov

avrbv

avTw

aov

uvtov

eav

VTraje

fxera^v

T.

koX

.

iv .

vi.

p.r}

a^r]T€ €Kaaro<i

dBeXcfyS

TMV KapBlOOV

With

.

.

p^eravorjar]

.

6.

'Hav'^acrov

hj^ T(o

etTre

koI

.

d(pe<i

avTO).

fiovov.

35. "Eav

eipt'jvri

'Eavjns ere

avrov

'Eay dp,dpTrj iirirlfiTjaov

fieravo^cTT}

o

avrrn diro KapBiwi.

airo

we must take

dBe\(f)0'i crov

uvtm, kul eav a.(f)e<;

avToi.

St.

iXey-

Y. 7."A(f)€^

VfJbOiV.

the above

p,rj

Luke

xvii. 3


INTRODUCTION That

passages

N.T.

the

reasonably be denied.

Duty

2.

St.

God and our neighbour

of loving

aov

ev

(TOV

oXfj

.

.

.

.

cannot

"^vjQJ

.

v.

:

3.

'

tov K.vptov

6e6v

earlv

avTTj

.

Dan

T.

"k.<ya-

rov

K.vpiov

dependent

here

are

See, further, § 27, p. xciii.

Matt. xxii. 37-39. 7n](T€t<;

Ixxix

'\^^V

k.^atr-quare

ry

Trdar]

ev

koI aWijXovi

yi^(>>v

ev aXrjOLvrj Kaphla.

i)

fiejaXr] koI Trpcorrj evToXrj'

Sevrepa ofxota avrr) AyaTTT^crei? oi)9

TOV

TrXrjaiov

aov

thus the

first

aeavTov.

Our text

is

the two great

joins

literary authority

commands

which con-

God and

of love to

love

to our neighbour. 3. V.

28. Iia<i 6 ^Xeircov yvvalKa 7rpb<;

T. Benj. viii. 2

avTrjv

ev

ov'^

vi.

Kaphia avTOv.

16. 'A(f)avL(^ov(riv

^avSiCTLV

yap

avTcbv Tol<{

e'^^wv

d'yairr]

et9 Trop-

velav.

the purity or impurity of the

•TTpoacoira

'O

(y3).

opa yvvalKa

The two passages deal really with the same it is

:

Sidvoiav Kadapav ev

TO eiriOvfjuriaaL avTrjv e/jiOL^evaev

^j8i]

Tfj

Mount

Passages from the Sermon on the

tcl

mind

T. Zeb. viii. 6 (a).

i.e.

that

ToOto

{i.e.

KaKia irpo^ tov dBe\(f)6v)

oTrca

dv9p(07roi,<;

.

.

to Trpoacoirov

.

T. Jos.

vrj(7TevovTe<;.

subject,

or heart that counts.

Kai,

iii.

4.

dcjyavi^ei.

'Ez/r^o-Teuoy

€(f)at,V0/bi7JV

TM

.

.

.

AlyVTT-

TLQ) CO? iv Tpco(f>fj Sidycov.

Here the phrase

d<f)avl^€i,v

to TrpoaoiTrov

is

not found

elsewhere in this sense. vi.

22,

23.

6(fidaX/jb6<;

idv

he

7rovr)p6<i

6 rj.

'Eai/

ovv y 6

T. Iss.

aov aTrXoO? ... 6(f)6a\fu,o^

aov

iii.

4

(yS).

ev difkoTriTi iv.

6.

Hopevo/xevof 6<p0a\/jbOi}v.

0(f)6a\/jiov<i irovr/pov^.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixxx

In

a'lfKoTif]'^,

V.

N.T. here,

the

TÂŤ

42.

mean

airXou^,

alrovvTi,

as

in

the

words

Testaments, the

" soundness."

See note in

loc.

T. Zeb.vii. 2. Tlape^ere Trai/rl

ere 5o9.

avOpcoTTM ev dyady KapBia.

tco

/jLerpr]dr']aeTaL v/xiv.

'^O? 8' av TTOL^crr] koI

19.

BtSd^r], ovTO<i

drjaerac

ev

iMe<ya<;

rrj

Lev.

T.

ISacnXeia

TTovrjpoi;

On

av

:

T. Ash.

dvdpcoTroq

i.

'O 6riaavpo<i rov

9.

8i.a/3ov\lou.

TTOvrjpd.

these passages see notes on T. Ash.

45.

xii.

09

rei, <7vv6povo<i ecrrat fiaac-

eK Tov TTovripov Orjaavpov

eK^dWei

Ha?

9.

Xecov.

Other sayings of our Lord

35. 'O

xii.

avrov.

iroiTjaei /ier'

xiii.

SiSdaKet Ka\d Kol irpuT-

kXi]-

vpavc T(ov ovpavoiv 4,

Troiijarj

avrov, ovtco

ifkirjaLOv

Kupio? V.

Et rt av

T. Zeb. v. 3.

'Et* c5 jxerprp /xeTpelre,

vii. 2.

'Etttcl

T. Eeub.

erepa irvev-

ii.

3, 9.

i.

2.

piara. T. Jud. xxv. 1, T. Zeb. x. 2,

xix. 28. ILaOrjcreaOe Ka\ vp.eh

BcoSeKa

eVt

vovTe<i

rov

6povov<i

rd^ ScoSeKa

T. Benj. x. 6.

Kpi-

(f)v\d<i

'lcrpar]\.

In the Testaments the twelve sons of Jacob are to to

share in the Messianic kingdom, and each

chief or ruler over his

place

is to

xix.

29.

own

tribe.

St.

to

be a

Matthew

their

is

be taken by the Twelve Apostles. TioXkaifXacTLova

T. Zeb. vi. 6

/3dveo

\r)-\lrerat.

This

In

rise

clause

is

found

in

Matthew and the Testaments.

(h

d g).

Aap.-

TroWaTrXaaiova.

analogous

contexts

in

St.

In the former, whosoever

forsakes houses or brethren for Christ's sake shall receive

manifold more

;

in the latter, whosoever shares

with his neighbour shall receive manifold more.

what he has


INTRODUCTION XXV. 33,34. 'E^ SeftwyauToO.

Ixxxi

T. Benj. x. 6.

W-viarafiivov;

â‚ŹK Be^tcov avTov. this phrase "

Here

Testaments

Jewish

in its

^FiTreivaaa

Kal eBooKare .

.

technical

appears in the

"

the

sense for

time in

first

literature.

XXV. 35, 36.

.

on His right hand

yap

T.

r/adevrjcra Kal eireaKe-

yfracrdi fie, ev <f)vXaKrj

Kal ijXOare

5,

i.

K.vpto<i

'ijfi'tjv

(f>vXaKfj i^fiTjv

e^apLTcoare

Here the coincidences are too striking The new turn given the second

to these sentences

It is

and Christian

.

.

.

Kal

o

/xe,

ev

Kal Oeo9 fiov

fie.

to be accidental.

by our Lord

is full

remarkable that a good parallel to

"Whosoever,

found in Buddhism.

is

would wait upon me,

yu-e

K.vpio^ eirecTKe-^aTO

tt/oo? fie.

of significance.

\t/xc5

koI avTo<i 6

SLedpeyfre

aaOeveta

iv

i]/j,'r}v

'Ei/

6.

crvveaj(e6riv,

(f)a<yetv

fioc

Jos.

let

him wait upon the

Gosijels, p.

monks,

sick " (Buddhist

105, quoted by Allen on Matt.

XXV. 36). 5.

Parallels in the narrative portion of St.

xxii. 15.

Syfi^ovXtov e\aj3ov

oTTtu?

avrov iray iBevacocnv

:

UepLe^XiireTO

T. Jos. vii. 1. iroico

Matthew

rpoirw

TraytBeva'ai.

fie

ev Xoyo).

The use is

of this

noteworthy.

Mark

xii.

xxvi. 70.

In

St.

It

rare

like contexts

in

found only here in the N.T.

OvK

o2Sa Ti Xeyea.

Mark

xiv.

av tL

T. Jos.

68 we have the

St.

xiii.

fuller

2.

Ovk

olSa o

form ovre otBa

\eyet<;.

Ttfir] a'ifiaTo<;.

T. Zeb.

In the Testaments this phrase

by

word

13 uses dypevawa-cv.

oiire eirtarafiaL

xxvii. 6.

somewhat is

is

iii.

3.

Tt/A?) aifiaTO<;.

used of the

money got

selling Joseph.

/


Ixxxii

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS To

xxvii. 51.

Tov vaov

KaTaTreraa/jLa

^^ladtjaeTat to

T. Lev. x. 3.

KaTaireracrfia rov vaov (a).

ecryjcrdri.

the Testaments

Thi.s parallel is doubtful, as the text in

uncertain.

is

'Hyrj

xxvii. 51.

iaeicrOr],

Kul

T. Lev.

al irerpai ia'^ladTjcrav.

iii.

a^vacro<i iv.

The phenomena mentioned

1.

'H

9. .

.

yrj

koX

tj

araXevovrai.

.

Trerpoiv cr'^i^ofievcov.

Testaments prelude

in the

the Final Judgment. St.

Luke and the Acts

—

i.

T. Zeb. vii. 3,

78. SirXdy^^^va eXeov?.

This phrase

ravra

.

.

iv

.

rfj

STrXdy-

eXeou?.

-x^va

found in the Testaments.

is first

19. ^vverijpet rd prjfMara

ii.

viii. 2.

T.

Kaphla

Lev.

vi.

avTy<i.

rrj

^vveTrjpovv

2.

Xoyovi

roix;

Kaphia

rovTov<;

/xov.

Cf.

iv rrj

KapSla

fiov.

Here the dependence of Luke on our text seems

Beijcre-

T. Jos. iv.

The agreement in these words

this inversion

The words

10. ATreKareardOr] ^

In Dan. has

LXX

T.

Keub.

rj

%et/3

T. Sim.

ii.

CTTaOr)

l^dpiv ivcoTriov

13. "Iva aTroKararj

%6//3 fJLOV.

however, where there is no Massoretic text corresponding, Xoyovs if rrj Kapdia awerripTjffe.

iv. 25, toi)s

iv. 8.

are used of Joseph in the Testaments,

aVTOV.

^

of the usual order of

Oeov Kol dv6p(07ro)v.

dvdpdiiToi'i.

the

^rjcrreiav kol

is significant.

^dpLTt irapd dew koI

5 2.

vi.

8.

irpoaevjfrjv.

aiv.

ii.

clear.

2.^

T. Lev, vi.

37- NT^trretat? Koi

ii.

viii.

eKpvyfra Kai ye tovto

19.

See note on

iv


INTRODUCTION X.

19, 20. AeBtoKa v/uv rrjv

i^ovaiav rov nraTeiv irdaav

eirl

i')(Ppov

.

.

,

.

Tore Bod^aerac

vi. 6.

ra irvev^ara

7r\dv7}<;

rrjii

KarairaTr^cnv

et?

koL ol dvdpcoTTOi /SacnXev-

7rXr)v iv tovto)

on ra

Sim.

iravra

.

rov

rrjv hvvajjbtv

%oti/oeTe

H'V

.

T.

Ixxxiii

crovaiv rcov irovrjpcov irvev-

nrvev-

fjbara v/xiv vrroracrcreTai.

fxdrcov.

Lev.

T.

Adoaei

12.

xviii.

i^ova'iav Tol<i reKvot<i avrov

ra

Trareiv iirl

irovripa irvev-

fxara.

The Testaments seem to have been the source

45. ^^av Be

xii.

eKelvo^ iv

rfj

^povi^et

clearly here to have suggested, or of,

the N.T. passage.

BovXo<;

etirr}

T. Jos.

KapBia avrov Kvpi6<;

.

^avov

eaOieiv re koI Trlveiv Kol

dire-

olvov

fiov

OVK eiTiVOV KUi

.

.

Kvpio<i

Brjixei

fiov

ep'^eaOai, koI dp^ijrai,

'Eay Be

5.

iii.

e\d/x-

fiov rrjV Tpo(f)r]v,

iBlBovv avrrjv

KoX

Tol<; irevrjaiv.

vaKeaoat. fie6v Is the contrasted conduct here a

mere coincidence

?

The

what Joseph

unfaithful servant in the Gospel does exactly

shunned doing. ^Ki eavTov Be ekOoov.

XV. 17.

T.

Jos.

^YiXOov

9.

iii.

ek

ifiavTOv.

Ti TOVTO aKovoi

xvi. 2. <70v

TrepX

T.

;

Possibly a coincidence xvii. 3.

Jos.

xiii.

1.

Tt tovto o

oLKOvw Trepl aov

See on Matt,

;

but

xviii.

if so,

T.

;

a remarkable one.

Gad.

vi. 3.

15 above, xxii.

27.

vfio)v

xxii. 31.

'E7G) Be

eifJbL

<o<i

iv /xecrw

6 B laKovcov.

'O SaTavd<i

i^yrrj-

T. Jos.xvii. 8. ft)9

â‚Ź49

T. Benj.

"Hyu,7;i/

eV aurot?

TMV iXw^laTcov. iii.

3.

"^dv

to, irvev-

/2


Ixxxiv

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

craTo co?

xxiv.

tov

vfxd'i

cmidcraL

jjuara

TOV airov.

Ov^l

32.

/capSta

T.

Actsvii. 10. 'E^eCkaToavTov

T.

r)

r/fxcov KaLOjxevrj riv

€K

TJ-aaCOV

T(OV

KOI

avTov, 'XP'Ptv

awvrat

(/8).

Napli.

vii.

Eeub.

XdpLV

dXi-yfre

iv.

iraaav

'£7^

4.

8e

dvOpciiiroiv

Kol ao(j>iav evavTiov

avrov diro

.

Evpev

10.

8,

®€0V

evcoTTiov

avroo

eBcoKev

.

.

Kal

eppvaaro

'jravro';

oparov

KOL K€KpV/jb€VOV OaVCLTOV.

The phrase, Sam.

et?

eKatofirjv Toi<i o-'irXdy^vot';.

;

^apaco.

1

tov BeXtap

TTOvrjplav dXlyjreco^i i^atTi]-

" to find

26; Prov.

ii.

favour, etc.,"

iii.

is

originally found in

It is remarkable

4.

used in connection with Joseph in Acts as

it

that

it

is

was previously

in T. Eeub. T. Eeub. vii. 2.

16.

vii.

The statement here in Acts that the bones of the patriarchs were carried up to Shechem

See note on T. Eeub. viii.

is

found

first

in our text.

8.

X.o\r)v 7rpo9

2.

vii.

23. XoX^j/ Trt/cpta?.

Naph.

T.

ii.

TTLKpiav.

There

is

a paronomasia here

the Greek

if

is

retranslated

back into Hebrew or Aramaic. 11.

xii.

}^vpLO<i

T. Sim.

^E^airea-reCkev

TOV dyjeXov avTOv

Kal i^eiXaTO

eV

jjue

ii.

8.

direcTTeiXe

...

e'/c

aaTo,

the

e^eiXaTo.

LXX But

'^ecpiov,

version was not

Where

Daniel

of if

tradition

made

till

.

.

ayyeXov

Toiv '^ecpcov fxov.

Although the words are found originally the above two passages.

tov

.

avTOv Kal eppvcraTO avTov

')(ei,po<;

yet the addition eV twv

'O ©eo?

or

in

Dan

'^etpo^;, is

iii.

28,

peculiar to

the Testaments have ippv-

has is

e'/c

ecrcocre

and Theodotion

trustworthy, Theodotion's

the second century a.d.


INTRODUCTION T. Benj.

xiv. 23. Upocrev^d/jLevot fiera

John

To ^w? ...

9.

i.

T. Lev.

<^w<i

ip'^ofievou et? rov Ko<r/u,ov.

{xov iravro'i avOpoiirov.

Schlatter {Sprache

4.

Evangelisten,

vierten

p.

familiar Jewish expression,

ments here would

18

= D~rN

h'D

T.

.

To

.

.

.

rov

cfxaricr-

tt^i'

und Heimat that

the

The Testa-

''Nl"7D.

\r\2rf

Naph.

minn

nj-^.

See note.

10.

ii.

Ovk

T. Benj. vi. 4.

iiriSe'^eTaL

So^av koI aTLfiiav dvOpco-

So^av

irapd rov [xovov ©eoO.

XV. 26.

.

rou Kocr/xov was a

et?

D71I7

T'NnS

19.

dpayirwv

el<;

out

points

sq.)

i.e.

41, 44. Ao^av irapd dv-

Tr)v

.

of the N.T. here can hardly be questioned.

phrase Trdvra avdpcoTrou ip^o/j,evov

iii.

To

xiv. 4.

vofMov rb Sodev

The dependence

V.

Upoaijv^aro

4.

o (fxarl^ei, iravra dvOpcoTTOv

See note on T. Lev. xiv. des

i.

/nera vr^crreia'i.

vrjaretcov.

St.

Ixxxv

Trcov (/3).

T. Jud. xx. 1, 5.

7rv€v/j,a t^<? d\r)-

0eia<;.

We

now

ments on adduced,

pass on to the influence exerted Paul.

St.

will

it

From

by the Testa-

the evidence presently to be

be clear that

St.

Paul was thoroughly

familiar with the Greek translation of the Testaments, that his

Epistles

are

dependent occasionally both as regards

matter and form, or as regards these severally, on the Greek version of the Testaments

H",

i.e.

—and

that the version derived from

In order to prove this statement, I will select two

a.

passages which are direct quotations from the Testaments.

Afterward the parallels will be dealt with in their 1 Thess. eTT

ii.

16. "Etfidaaev Se

avTov<i

eeov, Goth.)

Here

rj

opyrj

( -j-

T.

rov

D E F G Itala, Vulg. cfc?

/3

reko<;.

reads Kvptov for ©eoO.

Lev.

vi.

avrov<i ei?

r]

TeXo9

11.

"Ecf)0aa-€ Se

6piy7]

(a).

order.

rov Oeov


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixxxvi

Kom.

Ov

32.

i.

avra

/jlovov

TTOiovaiv

aWa

BoKovatv

TOt<?

found

is

in

Trpda-aova-c

to kukov, koI (rvvevSoKovcrt rot? irpcicrcrovcriv (a).

Trpdaaovaiv.

This passage

Kal

T. Ash. vi. 2.

Kol avvev-

But

aadef.

IgA

since

we may conclude that a ef have here been influenced by a, and d may be neglected as a conflate MS. Hence the above two passages show that it was the a text that was used by St. Paul. omit,

Eom.

21.

i.

'Ea-KOTiaOi]

?;

T.

ii.l5. 'Zv/ji/jLapTvpovcn]<i avT(bv

T(bv

8.

iii.

Necore/ao?

(XKOTi^COV TOV VOVV aVTOV.

aavvero<i avrcov Kaphic

dW^Xcov

Eeub.

T.

Jud.

xx.

To

5.

irvevfia

TravTcov Kai e/jbireTrvpLa-rat

XoyLCTfMcbv

o dfiaprcoXo^

KarvyopovvTcov.

iSt,a<;

e/c Trj's

Kaphla^. vi. 1.

^^7rt/JL6vcofMev rf}

dfxap-

T.

Lev.

iv.

'Fi7rt/jL€vovac

1.

Tat<i dBtKlat<;. vi.

7.

AeSiKalcoTaL

diro

rr}?

T. Sim. vi. 1.

afMapTLa<i.

Otiv

21.

ix.

T7]<i

i^ovcrlav o

e'^ei

Kepa/xev'i rod TrrjXov

avTOV

etc

T.

tov

ii.

fiev<;

to

fiaTa

v/u,(t)V

dvaiav

0e<o evdp€(7T0V, yiKrjv xii.

XaTpeiav

'O

8.

crw-

tcl .

.

ttjv

.

T.

tco

iroaov

(rK€vo<i

Xo-

XoytKrjv

TlpoipipovTef;

6.

iii.

K.vpia) .

oa/mrjv .

evcoBla^

Ovalav.

.

v/xcov.

iJbeTa8iBov<i

M^

21.

Kcpa-

o

TrrjXov.

Lev. tu>

iv d-

T.

Iss.

iii.

8.

Tlapei'^ov

.

.

.

iv dTrXoTrjTt KapSta<i fiov.

TrXoTrjTL. xii.

OlSev

2.

^copet kuI 7rpo<i avro (pipei

(jjvpdfiarof; TTOLrjaai,.

Ylapaa-Trjo-aL

1.

afj,apTia<; vfjucov.

Naph.

TOV xii.

AiKatcoOo) aTro

vLKOi

iirro

KaKov dXXd viKa iv

tov

T.

tm

Benj.

iv.

dyaObv

3.

iron

Ouro? to VtKa

TO

dyaOb TO KUKOV. ft)

xiii.

12.

Ta epya

XV.S3. 'O Be ®eo<i

tov (tkotov^.

T.

Naph.

Tr]<; €lpi]V7j<i.

T.

Dan.

ii.

v.

10. 2.

"^pya

(f)(i)TO<;.


INTRODUCTION 1

Cor.

OvSh

4.

iv.

i/xavrS cvvoiSa,

ovk

T.

\ov<i, el iirjTL €K avfM(f)(ovov

KUipov

T.

Katpb<;

yap

4.

i.

Naph.

viii, 8.

(Tvvov(rLa<;

cryoKa-

Xva

iv

Cf.

d/jbapriav.

i/jbol

Z^.

M^ airocTTepelre aWrj-

7rpo9

Ovk eyvwv

T. Iss. vii. 1.

aW'

iv TOVT(p SiSiKaLcofiai. vii. 5.

Ixxxvii

jvvatK6<;,

koL

eh

irpo-

Kaipo<i i<yKpareia<i

crevx^v avrov.

cn}re rrj Trpoaeu^rj.

These are the only two statements on this subject in

Jewish and Christian literature before 60 Ei

32.

31,

xi.

he

eavrov<i

T. Benj. vi.

SieKpivofiev OVK dv iKpivo-

fieda

Tov Xva

KpLvofievot

K.vpiov fjbrj

.

.

.

Be

KaOalpei, rrjv

7.

Bidvoiav avTOv irpo^ to

KaTayvcoaOrjvai

viro

fitf

rcov

vtto

dvdpcOTTCOV O/iOtO)? Kal

iraihevoixeda,

ilTTO

®eov.

KaTaKpiOoijxev,

('H dydnrt]) ov \oyi-

xiii. 5.

a.d.

'AyuTrdre d\-

T. Zeb. viii. 5.

^erat to KaKov.

X-^Xov^; Kal €Ka(rTO<;

/xr]

Xoyl^ecrde

+ rrjv

(

h

d g)

KaKiav Trpof rov d8€\(f>ov

Here surely we have the source of

to

Paul's notable

St.

Love does not enter in a ledger the wrongs done

words. it.

xiii.

('H dyaTrr)) ov irap-

6.

T.

Sim.

iv.

(O

8.

(f>06vo<;)

Trapo^vvec Kal et? eKdTaaiv

o^vveTat.

dyei TTjv Btdvoiav. 2 Cor.

vi.

14, 15. Tt9 koivco-

vla cfxaTi 7rpo9 crKOTO<i Be

(rvfi(f)(ovr]ai<;

;

T.

Lev. xix. eavTol<i

tl<;

^piaTOv

aKOTo^i rj

10.

'H yap KaTa &ebv

Xv-TTT]

fieTdvotav et? atoTT)-

vii.

T.

7}

rj

^^KXe^aa-Oe

1.

TO

</>«?

to

i]

TOV vofiov K-vpiov

Ta epya tov BeXtap.

Gad

V.

©eoy

dX7jd7)<;

7.

'H yap KaTa fieTavoca

.

.

.

may be a condemnation of Issachar's self-complacency. After a/xapTiau /3 adds ei's ddvarov, but this looks like a gloss softening a omits it, also A. the statement, ^

The words that follow here


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ixxxviii

piav a/M€TafieXr]rov ipyd-

oBrjyei to Bia/3ov\Lov tt/do?

^erai.

aoyrrjpiav.

UpoTjprjrat

ix. 7.

KapZia.

rrj

T. Reiib.

'Ey irpoaipeaet

9.

i.

'\jrvxr]<i'

Ephes.

5.

i.

T^i^ evBoKiav rov

T. Benj. xi. 2. TIocwv evhoKiav

6e\riixaT0<i avrov. 2. ^'Ap'yovra

ii.

Benj.

Tov depo^. rrj

Bia-

Reub.

T.

voia.

rov BeX/ap (^).

iii.

8.

vi.

9

SKori^oyv tov

vovv.

AaXetre

25.

iv.

(/S).

Tov aepiov

4.

iii.

TTvevfjLaro'i

18. ^^cTKoroifievoL

iv.

avrov

de\rjfjLaro<;

T.

i^ovcrLa<;

tt)';

€Ka(TTO<: [xeTa

Reub.

T.

oXrieeLav

tov

T.

;

Dan

2.

v.

ifkrjcriov

avTov.

The words in

in Ephesians

drawn from Zech.

are

the

viii.

and

in both these Testaments

None

16.

of the

Testaments agree exactly with the

Greek forms

LXX

of that

any two of the three passages agree exactly

passage, nor do

with each other.

Hence

all

we can say here

is

that the

occurrence of this quotation twice in the Testaments

have suggested V.

TLXeovefCTT)^

5.

may

use to St. Paul.

its

6

icrTtv

T.

diraTdTco

T.

Jud. xix.

i.

See Col.

5.

iii.

€l8(o\o\dTp7](;. V.

Mi^Set?

6.

vfid<i

Naph.

iii.

Xoyoi'i

'Ei/

1.

Kevol^ drraTav Td<; s^v^d';

K€voi<i Xoyoif;.

V^MV. V.

'Hre

9.

8,

(TK0T0<i,

vvv

Ki/^tft)

o)?

yap he

ttotc

<f)co<;

TGKva

T.

Naph.

ii.

aKOTet

iv

^&)T09

10.

OvSe

6vTe<t

epya

TToielv

iv

BvvaaOe

<f)(OT0<;.

TreptTraTeiTe. V. 18.

iv

(M>

M^

ixeOixTKeaee

icTTtv dcrcoTLa.

ohw,

T.

Jud. xiv.

KeaOe

1.

M^

T. Jud. xvi. 1. "Eo-Tti^

avTM

ixedxxr-

olvat.

.

.

diJcoTca^;.

.

yap

TTvevfiaTa

.

iv .

.


INTRODUCTION Phil.

1 5.

ii.

^a)crT7}pe<i

Ixxxix

T. Lev. xiv. 3.

iv

^wo-r^/ae? rov

lapaijX.

KO(Tfi(p.

In the Testaments the descendants of Levi are desig" lights of Israel," in

nated the

Philippians the Christians

are called " lights in the world."

Similar developments of

Jewish ideas are found elsewhere in the Pauline Epistles. 19.

iii.

*Ili/

.

.

Bo^a iv

Jud. xiv.

T.

avTwv.

TTj al<T')(yvri

^aipere

iv. 4.

Tj

.

.

.

.

Kav^dardac

8.

rfj aTL/jbia.

T. Benj.

iravTore.

^aipec

4.

vi.

7rp6<;

Trdvra^ iv iravrX Kaipw. Col.

iii.

YlXeove^lav,

5.

T. Jud.

7jTL<i

1,

original 1 Tim.

See note on T. Jud.

which deals with a probable paronomasia in the Hebrew. i.

T. Jud. xix.

13. 'HXetjOrjv, ort

dyvowv

on

eTTolrjaa iv uTTLa-

Tia. ii.

5.

elBcoXoXaTpeiav

irpo'i

These can hardly be coincidences. xix.

'H ^CKap^v-

xix. 1.

pia

ecTTiv eiScoXoXarpia.

^HXerjae

3.

fie

rovro

dyvcoaia

iv

i'Troi7]aa.

Meo-tT7/9 ©eoi/ koX dv-

T.

Dan

vi.

2.

%eov

Meo-iXT;?

KOt dvdpCOTTWV.

OpCOTTCOV.

Here the phrase which in the Testaments was applied to

2

Michael Tim.

ii.

is

transferred

16.

'E-Trt

by

St.

Paul to Christ.

T. Jud. xxi. 8.

nrXeiov

'yap TrpoKo-yjrovaiv dae^ela<i. iv.

8.

'O

T?}9

i'rrl

T.

hiKat,o(Tvvri<i

ari(pavo<i.

Lev. Trj<i

The Testaments give the I add here a

list

TlpoKO'y^ovaLv

KaK<p iv ifKeove^ia. viii.

Toj/

2.

(tt€(J),

BiKato(Tvvr]<;,

earliest use of this phrase.

of words

which are common

to the

Testaments and the Pauline Epistles but are not found in the rest of the dfi€Tav6rjTo<i,

New

Testament

:

atcr6r]ai<;, al-)(fia\coT€V(o,

dTraWorpLoo), d-TrXorrj^ (this word

is

character-


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xc

the Testaments and in a secondary degree of the

istic of

Pauline

Epistles),

BeLXia,

Stdyco,

ev6rr)<;,

lXapo<;,

IXapoTTjf;,

Kkrjpoo), Kpea<;, fio\vafjL6<i,

SiKaioKptaia,

fi6p(f>cocrc<i,

irdpoivo'^,

(Tw^poavvr]

acocfypovo)^;,

xnravBpo^,

^vcnoo),

writings,

vovdecrla,

irXeoveKrea),

(also

to the

ifkovTL^Qi,

arepewfxa,

vTroriOrj^L,

A

Trpo-

aTOfia'^of;,

speech

Paul's

in

oBvvr},

irapeBpevat,

Trepiepyd^ofMac,

irevrj^,

'^pr}cn<i, i/rtoytit^o).

common

given of those

iraTpiKO'i,

vTrepeKirepiacrov,

(f)coTLafji6<i,

klvBvvo^,

6a(f)prjac<;,

rrpoirdriop,

TrpoKoirr],

Vfjbvo<i,

opaTO<;,

irXdrreiv,

irXdcTfia,

Otjpa,

OaXiray,

rj6o<;,

voaeco,

fj,6'^6o<i,

Trapeicrep^ofxai,

iaTTifMc,

ari/jLia,

eKTp€(f>o),

Xoyio-fio^, XotSopo?, Xucrt?, fiedvcro^,

6\e6po<i,

TTtoT?;?,

araKTO<;, €KOvaio<i,

KaTa^delpoi,

KaTaBov\ooo,

Kpv(f)i],

ot/ceo),

OLKeco'i,

evtoSla,

eTraKovco,

ivoiKeo),

apeaKeia,

aTroBeL^t^,

8tai,p€cn<i,

Acts),

in

(fiiXapyvpla,

large list

might be

Testaments and the Lucan

Many

Luke and the Acts.

of the above words

are rare.

James

i.

%a/3ay

Ylacrav

2.

Tjyrjcraa-ue

.

.

.

T.

orav

Dan

^ dircoKeia

TrepiTriayre

Tretpaa/Mol^

'Eay Be

iv. 5.

.

.

.

^rjfjbia

tlvX TrepiirearfTe

^^ ^Kdpo€ta0e.

TTOi/CtXot?. i.

@pr}a-Keia icadapd koI

27.

afiLavTo<;

T.

Jos.

iv.

6.

KapBia

.

'Ei/

koI

KaOapa

arofiacriv

dfii,dvTot,<i.

Both passages iii.

10.

'E/c

p,aro<i

relate to the

Tov avTov (no-

i^epxerat

worship of God. T.

evXoyia

Benj.

Kat Karapa.

'H dyaQr)

5.

vi.

Bcdvota

ovk

yXcocrcra<i

e^^i

Bvo

evXoyia^

Koi

Kardpa^i, iv.

7.

'Avrl(rTr)T€

Bta/BoXo),

d<p

vfiMV.

Kol

t&5

(pev^erai,

T.

Naph. koi

KaXov

ipydarjaOe

...

(f)€v^eTaL

'Eav ovv

4.

viii.

vp.el<i

d(f>

6

to

Bid/3oXo<i

vfioiv.

"


INTRODUCTION 1 Peter

2

iii.

Peter

T. Eeub. V. 5.

3-5.

nXao-Tot?

3.

ii.

See note.

UXaTreiv

5.

iii.

Xo7oy9.

Et9

4.

Eeub.

T.

\070t9. ii.

xci

rrjpov-

/cpicriv

T.

Eeub.

V. 5.

Et<j

KoXacriv Cf.

T.

Jude

Et9

6.

...

Kplcrvv

Gad

vii. 5.

Terr}p7}Kev.

'n? Xohofia ktX.

7.

T.

Naph.

'fl? "^oSofMa

4.

iii.

kt\.

Here the same reference

to the unnatural lusts of

Sodom

occurs in both. 22.

Oi;9

fiev

KpLvofievot (f)o^(p

Here events

St.

it

inserting "

Sia-

he

iv

iravTWi

7rvpo<;

eXedre.

oi>9

(T cohere

dp7rd^ovTe<;

T. Zeb. vii.

iXeelre

e'/c

(K L

Jude may be dependent on our

At

text.

all

By

suggests an easy emendation of this passage. /jltJ

fear,

Eevelation Kaivrj^;

a7r\ay^vc^Ofjb€voc

P).

before

BtaKpLvo/nevot

On some have mercy without

with

'A8ta/c/)tT&)9

2.

hesitation

plucking them from the iii.

12.

T^9

T.

lepovaaXijfi.

then we should have,

fire."

Dan

;

others

save

Trj<i

vea^

^

12.

v.

'lepovadXijfJ,.

This expression occurs in the Testaments for the

first

time in Jewish literature. T. Lev.

V. 8, viii. 3, 4. vii.

17.

eVt

'087]yi]cr€i

^G)7}9 7n]yd<;

avrov<i

T.

vSaroyv.

iii.

7.

See note.

Ash.

vi.

6.

avrov

et9

^(oriv

Elacftepei alcovtov.

Cf. T. Jud. xxiv. 4. ^ The above appears to be the most satisfactory emendation of this unsatisfactory text of Jude. give three clauses here, but the third has probably arisen through a dittography. L P are more or less supported by

ABn

K

C, Clement of Alexandria, Peshitto, Jerome. arid Jude for a discussion of this passage.

See Bigg's Commentary on

St.

Peter


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xcii

xi.

0€oO

ovpavM.

6 iv Tc5

temple

heavenly

This

See note.

T. Lev. v. 1.

'Uvoiyrj 6 va6<; rov

19.

the

in

to

referred

first

is

Testaments.

§

Teaching of the Author on Forgiveness, the Great Commandments, Universalism, the

27.

Two

Messiah, the Eesurrection, the Antichrist, and

Influence on the N.T.

ITS

This book, with second century

its

groundwork from the

and

B.C.

its

century

first

close of the

additions,

B.C.

forms a unique contribution to our knowledge of those times.

For the sake of brevity and clearness

I will treat

the subject of this section under various headings. Forgiveness.

—We

epoch-making

have in our text a passage of truly

importance.

importance

Its

grasped until we contrast the teaching of the

be

cannot

New

Testament

with that of the Old on the question of a man's forgiveness

In the

of his neighbour.

page to the

last

it

understood that a

is

man

New

Testament from the

can only receive the divine forgive-

ness on condition that he forgives his neighbour. in their essential aspects, these to be one

and the same.

very different.

But

it.

are

Old Testament

price, to the sinner

But the penitent

Indeed,

two forgivenesses in the

There, indeed, God's forgiveness

without money and without seeks

first

either explicitly stated or implicitly

is

seen it

is

granted,

who

truly

in the Old Testament could

accept and enjoy the divine pardon, and yet cherish the

most

bitter

David on

feelings

his

towards

death -bed

his

shows

when he charges Solomon not go down to the grave in peace

to ;

own this let

personal

unforgiving Joab's

enemy. spirit

hoar head

and commands him to

deal similarly with Shimei, though David had promised to


INTRODUCTION preserve his

There

life.

of Joseph's forgiveness

xciii

certainly the notable instance

is

his brethren

of

but this act of

;

grace on Joseph's part does not seem to have impressed

them

O.T. writers, or led

later

therein

worthy of

as

urge Joseph's conduct

to

There

imitation.

the noble passage on the subject of

enemy in Prov. xxv. give him bread to him water to drink. upon

And

his head,

how

show

eat

:

he

if

be

one's

give

thirsty,

the Lord shall reward thee."

the

course,

"If thine enemy be hungry,

And

;

of

For thou shalt heap coals of words

these

far

which

attitude

21, 22

is,

beneficence to

from

are

wronged them, we have only

But

to

to

the

representing

adopt

should

saints

fire

who

those

to turn back to the preceding

chapter (Prov. xxiv. 17, 18), where we receive this remarkable

And

falleth.

overthrown

and

He

let

not

Eejoice

when

not

heart

thine

Lest the Lord see

:

man

pay out

it,

be

and

it

his enemies

(Ps. xli. 10).

enemy when he is

thine

glad

displease

Him,

Moreover, the

can pray for God to make him strong enough

upon me, and in the

"

advice,

turn away His wrath from him."

righteous to

of

piece

:

me

raise

"

Do

thou,

up, that

Thus we may

I

O

Lord, have mercy

may

requite

them

conclude on the whole that

Old Testament the saint as well as the sinner could

indulge in resentful feelings or even in personal vengeance.

Now the

that

Old and

we have grasped the

New

religious question,

the

contribution

direction.

conflicting attitv^des of

Testaments on this great moral and

we

are able to appreciate the value of

which

(see also ยง 26, p. Ixxviii).

Testaments

the

This contribution

is

These

found in

verses, as I

make in this Gad vi. 3-7

T.

have said in

my

notes in loc, contain the most remarkable statement on the subject of forgiveness in all ancient literature.

They show

a wonderful insight into the true psychology of the question.

So perfect are the parallels in thought and diction between


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xciv

we The must assume our Lord's acquaintance with them. meaning of forgiveness in both cases is the highest and Luke

these verses and

known to communion with noblest

And

offence.

forgiveness

xvii. 3,

Matt,

15, 35, that

xviii.

us,

namely, the restoring the offender to

us,

which he had

this

is

— God's restoration

through his

forfeited

divine

of the

likewise the essence

of the sinner to

communion

with Him, a communion from which his sin had banished him.

But, though such

the full is

often

is

the meaning of forgiveness in

sense of the word, our author

impossible to attain to such

with the

which,

if

arises

aware that

perfect

within us when we

indulged, leads to hate.

suffer a

When we

wrong, and

open for his return to a right relation with

us,

so

we

reflect

the attitude

be

have achieved

way

we do

to

feeling of resent-

this right attitude towards the offender the

as

it

relation

Thus forgiveness comes often

offender.

synonymous with banishing the personal

ment which

is

a

of

is

always

and so

far

God Himself

to

His erring children. For the further prosecution of the should consult our text.

It

p.

156.

We

now

parallels the reader

see

importance of

the

shows that pre-Christian Judaism possessed

a noble system of ethics on the subject of forgiveness.

By

the early school of the Chasidim, or the pious ones of the

Psalms, the best elements of the Old Testament had been

taken up, studied and developed, and the highly ethical code of conduct deduced therefrom had been carried out in

actual

life

by these ancient

But when

Quietists.

Pharisaism, breaking with the ancient ideals of

committed

itself to political interests

concurrently therewith sm-rendered

wholly to the study of the

itself

letter of the

to offer scope for the further

its

party,

and movements, and

more and more

Law,

it

soon ceased

development of such a lofty

system of ethics as the Testaments

attest,

and

so the true


INTRODUCTION

and their teaching quitted

successors of the early Chasids

Judaism and found

xcv

home

their natural

in the

primitive Christianity,

Duty of loving God and duty in

embodies

all

thy God

with

command

famous

the

that

able

one's neighhour.

itself

thy heart

all

neighbour as thyself" (Mk,

.

.

the

in

Thou

"

shalt

Thou

.

30, 31)

xii.

and

Thus in

through

your

all

and again in Lord

T.

life,

"

And

We

Matthew

question.

"

3,

and vigorously Love the Lord

Love

the

man

with

(xxii. 37,

all

an

my

39) and Mark

are for assigning the statements to

Allen

{Matthew,

may

p.

be, that the

241)

command-

may

the

etiiical teachings.

questions

of

several

solution of the

Scribes at the

reasonably infer from our text,

in Luke.

with

exegetes

two great commandments were

which was written 140 years Various

25-27)

(x.

offers

already conjoined in the teaching of the

time of our Lord, we

30, 31)

(xii.

different occasions

Whatever the true

possible explanations. difficulty

two

literary

Some

represents them as the utterance of a scribe.

"

(a).

interesting

ments as coming from our Lord, whereas Luke

and persons.

Lord

loved the

heart "

the enunciation of these two great

represent

thy

love

already found

one another with a true heart

here presented with

are

have, v.

that

Lord

T. Iss. vii. 6, Issachar declares, " I

Likewise also every

;

Dan

T.

;

we

2

v.

Iss.

neighbour

your

Gospels love the shalt

"

of

remark-

It is

is

in the Testaments, though less emphatically stated.

bosom

earlier,

and from the account

— The Testaments

hatred,

lying,

deal largely

envy,

hate,

lust,

covetousness, and the virtues of long-suffering, truthfulness, love, purity, generosity,

and the

like.

We

can touch here

only on a few of their pithy sayings on such subjects.

Thus

:

"

Anger

the face of any

is

blindness,

man

and does not

with truth

" (T.

Dan

suffer ii.

2).

one to see "

Hatred,


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

xcvi

therefore,

Gad

(T.

prospers

2):

iii.

God "

"Wherefore

4).

(iii.

mind

goes a man's

well-being is "

his

of

of

" If

a

man

is

Gad

vii.

prospereth

When

1 ).

Cor.

envy

lightened, so that he can enjoy the

former

his neighbour (T. Zeb. 1

it

him that he

rival

(T.

Sim.

iii.

5,

xiii.

5)

viii.

—

A

6).

not to keep a ledger account of the evil done

borrows in

man"

Deliverance therefrom cometh through

perfect prosperity " (T.

may have

by

mind

than you, do not be vexed, but pray for

more

man

"

the whole

has no rest while the object of

it

3).

(iii.

the fear of

mateth with lying

for it constantly

;

"Envy dominates

V. 1).

Sim.

(T.

evil

is

him

a clause that St. Paul

where Xoyl^erac to KaKov

5,

wrongly rendered in the A.V. by

"

"

thinketh no

is

and

evil,"

misleadingly in the E.V. by " taketh not account of evil."

As regards the abstinence,

questions

of

of this old writer

:

" If

God

But

in.

do not touch wine at

all, lest

.

and perish

.

total

For

in your gladness

if

and

departeth, then drunkenness ariseth

shamelessness stealeth

.

and

ye drink wine with gladness, be

ye modest with the fear of God. the fear of

temperance

what better advice could be given than that

before

if

you would

ye sin in words of outrage

your time"

"

live soberly

Jud. xvi.

(T.

2-3).

for wine turneth away the Be not drunk with wine mind from truth and inspireth the passion of lust ;

.

and sin

if

and

.

.

the occasion of the lust be present, he worketh the is

not ashamed" (T. Jud. xiv. 1-3).

Universalism.

—Although

the Testaments were written

about the same date as the Book of Jubilees and both books were the work of Pharisees, the views of the two authors were widely sundered on some of the greatest questions,

and particularly on that of the destiny of the Gentiles.

The author the Gentiles

of Jubilees taught that there :

God had

placed

them under

was no hope

for

angelic guardians

with the object of compassing their destruction (xv. 31)


INTRODUCTION Jew who

Moreover, the

put to death, and marriage (xxx.

a

to

7-17).

intermarried with them should be

man who

the

should

Gentile

How

gave his daughter in

be

stoned

with

stones

the spirit of the author of

different

A

the Testaments.

xcvii

son of the larger - hearted O.T.

true

prophets, he proclaims the salvation of the Gentiles.

The kingdom

promised time has come.

and

lished,

all

is

already estab-

the Gentiles will be saved through Israel.

In the Judgment the conduct of the best heathen

norm according

the

The

which

to

wijll

Israel shall be judged.

form

The

teachings of the author on this question will be found in the note on pp. 210-211, 214.

The

first

century

B.C.

additions are likewise characterised

The Law was given

by the same Universalism.

to lighten

every man, and the Gentiles were to be saved through the

and

example

teaching

same view of the destiny of

Pss.

Solomon

Israel

of

(xvii.

(T. Lev.

first

century

B.C.

Gentiles, as in the 1 tion of Moses,

though

is

it

— In

is

is

and king. T.

Eeub.

xxiv.

1-3

vi. ;

T.

7-12;

Dan

v.

predicted for the

in the

next centuiy.

the original work the Messiah

to be first of all a priest,

There are

perhaps not as

Enoch xxxvii.-lxxi. and the Assump-

Judah

be descended from Levi, and not from words, he

The

In other literature

a harsher fate

and in 4 Ezra

The Messiah.

4).

of the Gentiles is found in the

32),

favourable as that in these additions. of the

xiv.

many T.

to

in other

and then a prophet

passages expressing this view

Lev.

10, 11

;

viii.

14,

;

:

T.

Jud.

We

have

remarkable revolution in

the Jewish expectations of the Messiah. of a

xviii.

T. Jos. xix. 5-9.

here the attestation of a most

or forty years the hopes

—

is

For some thirty

Messiah from Judah was

abandoned in favour of a Messiah from Levi.

But with

the breach of Hyrcanus with the Pharisees this hope was

abandoned, and so we find that in the

first

century addi-


xcviii

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

tions

the

hope

T.

;

Naph.

5

iv.

Judah

from

Messiah

a

of

Jud. xxiv. 5-6

(T.

(?)).

The prerogatives and powers ascribed Messiah from Levi are very sin (T. Jud. xxiv. 1)

Jud. xxiv.

(T.

new name

to

;

Gentiles (T. Lev.

over to

all

and

High

vi.

12;

T.

Dan

by him, even the to T.

open Paradise

Dan

v.

12),

who

to tread

the

king 14);

;

vi.

12;

T. Lev.

saints^

(T.

Dan

Lev.

(T.

v.

11);

10

xviii.

to eat of the tree of life

Moreover, he should give the faithful evil spirits

and bind Beliar

fire (T.

should come to an end (T. Lev.

was the

Eeub.

(T.

and give the saints

upon

to be a

T. Lev. viii.

and deliver the captives taken

of

should be cast into the

It

11, 12;

the righteous

to

(T. Lev. xviii. 11).

power

10),

v.

souls

likewise he was to be

;

enemies and against Beliar

Israel's national

and the powers of wickedness xviii.

new priesthood under a

(T. Lev. viii. 15)

the nation (T. Keub.

war against

from

also be a mediator for the

14 emended)

viii.

to be free

walk in meekness and righteousness

(T. Lev. viii. 14),

a prophet of the Most

the priestly

to

He was

lofty.

to establish a

1);

reappears

Jud. xxv.

(xviii. 12), 3),

and

sin

xviii. 9).

priestly character of the

Maccabean

priest-

kings that gave rise to the expectation that the Messiah

was

also to be a priest as well as a king.

The Resurrection.

—There

to be a resurrection, first of

is

the O.T. heroes and patriarchs, and next of the righteous

on the right hand and of the wicked on the X.

6-8).

The scene

present earth.

Demonology.

of

the future

kingdom

left (T. is

Benj.

to be the

It is to last for ever.

—The

book

represents

demonology, as a reference to

" Spirits "

a in

very developed

Index

II. will

^ This idea seems to have originated from Ps. xcvii. 10, "He preserveth the souls of the saints : He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked." Here the and the Vulgate read : " He delivereth them (the souls of the saints) out of the hand of the wicked one " (yc-i). Hence it is not necessary to bracket

LXX

the words "souls of the saints" in T.

Dan

v. 11.


INTRODUCTION The conception

show.

advanced

6,

of Beliar in the Testaments

is

very

century addition, T.

Dan

for this early date.

The Antichrist. V.

xcix

—

In the

first

we have the most ancient authority

to us for the

at present

view which connects the tribe of

known

Dan with

the Antichrist, and helps to explain the exclusion of this tribe

from the

list of

Th e Two Ways.

the Twelve in the N.T. Apocalypse.

—We

find in T. Ash.

3

sqq^.

the earliest

occurrence of this phrase in Jewish literature.

See note

in

loc.

i.


BRACKETS AND ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS EDITION

H

Hebrew

the lost

denotes

original,

of which,

however, small

fragments have been preserved.

H* H^

denotes the

first

Hebrew recension. Hebrew recension.

denotes the second

a denotes the Greek translation of

Greek /3

MSS

by

c

HÂŤ and

is

represented in the

i.

denotes the Greek translation of

H^ and

is

represented by the

MSS ahd efg.

Greek

ahcdefghi

A

h

denote the nine Greek

MSS

of the Testaments.

denotes the Armenian version.

Armenian version and

is

denotes the second recension of the Armenian version and

is

A°- denotes

the

recension of

first

represented by the Armenian

A^

represented by the Armenian ^abcdefgh denotes the

MSS MSS

tlie

A"''''.

A}'*"'^''^".

Armenian MSS.

S^ denotes the first Slavonic recension.

S- denotes the second Slavonic recension.

hmt = homoioteleuton. 1

En.

2 En, ^

^.

= the = the

Ethiopic Enoch. Slavonic Enoch.

The use

of these brackets in the text

means that the words

so enclosed are not found in A. (

t [

).

f. ].

Words so enclosed are supplied by the Words so enclosed are corrupt. Words so enclosed are interpolated.

Editor,


THE TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATKIAECHS THE TESTAMENT OF KEUBEN, THE FIEST-BOEN SON OF JACOB AND LEAH I. The copy of the Testament of Eeuben, even the commands which he gave his sons Tbefore he died in the hundred and twenty-fifth year of his lifel 2. Two years after the death of Joseph ""his brother'', when Eeuben fell ill,

and his

his sons

him.

3.

sons' sons

And he

said to

dying, and go

the

Title. So h i. c read "Testament of

is

"Testament

corrupt,

Reuben";

Reuben

them of

g A=

hef

regarding

+ Reuben the first-born of and Leah e, + Reuben is being

thoughts

Jacob

of

way

were gathered together to

(

A^^f "the Book of the Chronicles, the words of Reuben, First (A^' om.) Testament "; A'' "Testament and words of Reuben from the Book of the Chronicles."

interpreted

'

spirit of

God

'

/)."

Hundred arul twenty fifth - year. This agrees with the statement in the Midrash Tadshe (viii. Eppstein's edition) which is based on Jubilees and the Testaments The years of Rebecca :

were 133, of Rachel 36, of Leah 46. Reuben was born on the 14th of the 9th month, and died 125 years old. Simeon was born on the 21st of the 10th month, and died at the age of 120. Levi was born on the 1st of the 1st month, and died at the age of 137. Dan was born on the 6th of the 9th

My

:

my

visit

am

children, behold I

fathers.

And

4.

seeing

month, and died at the age of 125 ; Judah on the 15th of the 3rd, and died 119

(?)

;

Naphtali on 6th of 3rd,

and died aged 133 Gad on the 10th of 7th, and died 125 Issachar on 4th of 5th, and died 122 Asher on 2nd of Joseph on the ., and died 123 1st of 7th, and died 110. ;

;

;

.

2.

.

;

Two

years

after

the

death

of

According to Jub. xxviii. 11, 24, Reuben was born in the year 2122 A.M. and Joseph in the year 2135 (see my note in foe). As Joseph lived 110 years and Reuben 125, the latter thus survived Joseph by two years. On the peculiar form of the Greek Joseph.

8vo

/Mera, i.

eri]

TeXevTrjs,

t7]S

of.

Zeb.

1.

His

brother.

So o d, but

/3-c?

AS

om. 3.

Go

the vKiy of

Josh, xxiii. 14 "Uo earth." 1 Kings ii.

my

Cf. fathers. the way of all the 2, etc.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS rthere"!

Judah, and Gad and Asher, his brethren, he said to

them

Eaise

my

:

children

now

behold

me

my

ye,

my

heart, for

And he

5.

arose

my

brethren,

Eeuben your

father, in

them

said unto

give you.

I

brethren and to

passing away.

children, give ear to

commands which

the

my

tell to

have hidden in

I

am

at length I

and kissed them, and and do

may

up, that I

what things

Hear,

:

And

6.

God

to witness against you this day the

behold I

call

of heaven, that

ye walk not in the ignorance of youth and fornication,

my

wherein I was poured out, and defiled the bed of Jacob.

And

7.

my

plague in

Jacob

father

loins

prayed

me

for

wrought the

I

8.

I

brethreu." things I have in my Cf. Sim. ii. 1. heart. For behold now lam at length passing away. Here "now at length" is a in rendering of Lirh tov i'Oj' = (so Thus the clause Gen. xlvi. 30) cyBrt. .

.

.

LXX

closely akin to Gen. xlvi. 30 xniCN For other instances of the nysn.

is

Hebrew word ii.

Gen. cf. Oxford Heh. Lex.

in this sense,

23, xxix. 34 (see

in loc).

my

Hear,

brethren,

a,

but

and do So a

children, give ear, etc.

A

<=

/3-d

AS

ye,

my

S'.

Cf.

^-dgA^^B read "hear, T. Jos. i. 2. my brethren, and give ear"; dA^^ "hear, my (d om.) children, and give The last reading is paralleled by ear." 2 ; T. Dan i. 2 T. Sim. ii. 1 but the present context T. Napth. i. 5 supports the reading adopted, as is clear ;

T. Zeb.

i.

;

;

ver. 4.

/

6.

day

the

In

my

And

corrupt for uTniJ2^n

after this I

= 6pKu)

iv.

v/ias, as in

Thus we arrive at a good text "I adjure you this day by the God,"

iv. 9.

etc. fxaprvpo/j-ai might have stood in the text as meaning "I adjure." Cf. Eph. iv. 17; 1 Thess. ii. 12 though even here this sense is not beyond question. ;

Or

dtufxapTvpo/jiai.

Neh. ii.

ix.

26

Cf.

Tim.

1

;

Exod. 21

v.

21 2 Tim.

xix. ;

;

14.

/ ivas poured

e^ex^drjp

out.

used classically.

is

Cf. Pindar, Isth.

here 4 ;

i.

is racppodiaia.

And. So a. /3 read "for." Our author frequently dwells on the 7.

efficacy

of prayer.

Thus, as above,

Jacob prays for Judah, T. Jud. xix. 2 for Gad, T. Gad v. 9 ; for his ten eldest sons, T. Benj. iii. 6. Levi prays for his brethren, T. Naph. vi. 7 Simeon's mother, Simeon, and Joseph on their own behalf, T. Sim. ii. 2, 13 T. ;

;

;

The righteous

Jos.

iii.

man

prays when betrayed, T. Benj. v. 5. moreover, often accompanies

3, vii. 4, viii.

1.

Fasting,

you this God of heaven that ye walk not. text I have suggested that

call to witness against

ivi/j,apTijpo/j.ai

Deut.

9.

Luc. Sacrif. 5 Kexvp-^voi

So Said unto them. read "weeping said."

from

Lord, and for

evil thing before the

Raisemeup. ^-(Z^ AS' add "my

4.

Lord

the

Lord,

my

was thirty years old

seven months I was sick unto death. (/AS' om.) 5. What

a sore

and had not

;

the

to

For

father

me with

smote

seven months

for

would have destroyed me.

when

He

you that

I tell

vijuv

= d:2'^

^nTyr}

(cf.

26) and that this in turn

is

prayer, T. Jos. iii. 3, iv. 8, x. 1, 2 T. Benj. i. 4. See further note on i. 10. 8. Thirty years old. According to ;

Jub.

xxviii.

11,

xxxiii.

was only twenty-one years

1-.5,

old.

Eeuben


REUBEN— CHAPTERS repented with

set

before the Lord.

and

not,

10.

soul

And wine and

but I mourned

;

Israel.

And now

my

10.

hear me,

Eat no pleasant food,

3.

As Reuben

fasts

Cf.

Dan

partially for

seven years, Simeon does likewise for two, T. Sim. iii. 4, and Judah until old age, T. Jud. xv. 4, xix. 2, in expiation of their sins. Joseph fasts seven years in order the better to withstand Potiphar's wife, T. Jos. iii. 4. Issachar abstains from wine all his life, T. Iss. vii. 3. The righteous man combines fasting and chastity, T. Jos. ix. 2 ; just as a double-hearted man snperstitiously combines fasting and adultery, T. Ash. ii. 8, iv. 3. For "eat" (c A), /i /3 S read tasted. Such as has not been in Israel. So c and practically A. h is corrupt. S read " And it shall not be so in '

'

P-g

Cf. 2 Sam. xiii. 12. Seven spirits of deceit. This passage is referred to by Origen {Horn. in Josiuun 15^, ed. Lommatzsch xi. " In aliquo quodam libello qui 143

Israel."

11. 1.

:

appellatur testamentum duodeeim patriarcharum, quamvis non habeatur in canone, talem tameu quendam sensum invenimus quod per siugulos peccantes singuli satanae intelligi debeant. In Matt. xii. 45, seven evil spirits are referred to. Spirits of deceit. There is a vast demonology in the Testaments. Their chief is variously called Beliar, T. Lev. iii. 3, xviii. 12, xix. 1 T. Jud. xxv. 3; T. ;

Iss. vi. 1

;

Dan Dan v. T.

iv. 7, v. 1,

10, etc.

Satan, T. T. Ash. vi. 4 ; 6 the Devil, T. Naph. viii. 4 the Prince of Deceit, T. Sim. ii. 7 T. Jud. xix. 4 ; or the Prince of Dan, ;

;

;

T. Dan v. 6. The works of Beliar are opposed to the law of the Lord, T. Lev. xix. 1 Beliar T. Iss. vi. 1. rules over souls that are constantly disturbed, T. Dan. iv. 7, or which yield to their evil inclination, T. Ash. i. 8, ;

for

seven

years

strong drink I drank

children,

what things

when

concerning the seven spirits of deceit,

X.

3

my mouth, and I eat no over my sin, for it was great,

such as had not been in II.

my

of

i

entered not into

flesh

pleasant food

purpose

5-II.

I.

and

I

I

saw

repented.

pleased with double-faced men, iii. 2. But from the righteous and those who keep the law he flees, is

T. Ash.

T.

Dan

1

v.

;

Naph.

T.

viii.

The

4.

Messiah will make war on Beliar and take from him the captive souls, T. Dan v. 10 and Beliar will be bound, ;

Lev. xviii. 12, and fire, T. Jud. xxv. 3. It T.

into the very difficult to make any proper classification of the various wicked spirits. Their most common designation is spirits of deceit, T. Eeub. ii. 1, 2 T. Sim. iii. 1, passim. They are also called wicked spirits, T. Sim. iv. 9 ; spirits of Beliar, T. Iss. vii. 7, etc. unclean spirits, T. Benj. v. 2 angels of Satan, T. Ash. vi. 4. As regards their functions, these are, as in 1 and 2 Enoch and the cast

is

;

;

;

N. T.

,

threefold

:

to

tempt

men, to

them when they fall, and to torment them. Our book is mainly accuse

concerned with the first division it deals but briefly with the third, and hardly more than implies the second. We shall devote our attention therefore to the first division, only first observing that our author refers in two passages to the evil angels as angels of punishment. In T. Lev. iii. 2 there are said to be spirits of retribution for vengeance on lawless men, and in T. Ash. vi. 5 it is stated that the evil spirit which ;

a man serves waits for his soul as it leaves the body at death in order to

torment

it.

spirits that tempt men there are the seven spirits of deceit which lie in wait for youth, T. Eeub. ii. 1-2. These are the spirits of foruication (cf. also T. Jud. xiii. 3), insatiableness, fighting, obsequiousness, pride, lying, injustice, T. Eeub. iii. 3-6. T. Jud. xvi. 1 gives a further list of four the spirits of lust, hot desire, profligacy,

Of the


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS Seven

2.

spirits therefore

are appointed against man, and

they are the leaders in the works of youth. 3.

and

[And seven other

filthy

lucre.

We

spirits of jealousy, T.

tiud

Jud.

spirits

also

the

3

and

xiii.

;

of envy, T. Sim. iii. 1, iv. 7, which are declared to be wicked and poisonous spirits, T. Sim. iv. 9 ; the spirits of There are also anger, T. Dan ii. 4. angels which stir men to murder, T. Dan i. 7 and idolatry, T. Naph. iii. 3 ; and lust, T. Jos. vii. 4. The particular tasks to which these spirits address themselves are manifest from their ;

The faithless and general description. the wicked fall an easy prey to these spirits. But these spirits first have to get permission to tempt men, T. Benj. iii. If men yield, then the devil 3. makes them into his own instruments, T. Naph. viii. 6 ; but if men are singlehearted and do that which is right, then the spirits of deceit and of Beliar have no power over them, T. Iss. iv. 4 and the devil and the T. Benj. iii. 3 spirits of Beliar and unclean spirits flee from them, T. Naph. viii. 4, T. Iss. Nay more the vii. 7, T. Benj. v. 2. righteous rule over them, T. Sim. vi. 6 ; and tread them under foot, T. Sim. vi. 6, T. Lev. zviii. 12, T. Zeb. ix. 8 {bdg). On the day of judgment these spirits are punished, T. Lev. iii. 3. ;

;

Against

man.

/3

AS

add

"by

Beliar."

Leaders in the works. §-fg A^^ S read "leader." The singular may be right. Further, since K€<pa\7i = b^ni, the latter may here mean " poison." This would accord well with iii. 8, which states that

owing

"

to these evil spirits.

II. 2.

^

"every young man perishes

Therefore

(a).

A

omits.

This section is certainly a late addition to the text. This addition was made first in Greek. Its subject - matter, however, is derived from Greek and Semitic sources, mainly The grounds for from the former. this conclusion are as follows. L In ii. 1, 2, an account of the seven spirits of error is promised, but this section about the seven bodily senses suddenly intervenes between the promise and its fulfilment in iii. 3-7. 2. Whereas the II. 3-III. 2.

to

him

at his

account of the seven evil spirits belongs organically to the text, tlie intruding section has no connection with it before 3. But it is more important or after. still to observe that the division of the bodily senses here adopted is borrowed in a slightly modified form from the This is obvious, first, from the Stoics. peculiar meaning attached to jrveijfj.aTa, i.e.

that of senses, organs, or appetites.

This use of irvevixa. is peculiar, so far as I am aware, to the Stoics, nn is Where the never used in this sense. Greek translator of the Testaments refers elsewhere to the senses, he uses the usual word alcxd-qcyei.s (iii. 3, vi. 1 T. Napt. ii. 8, where th^Jive senses are The soul, as the Stoics mentioned). generally taught, was divided into eight parts, consisting of the five senses, the power of reprodiiction, the power of speech, and the dominant part or the reason. The seven former were subordinate to the reason, and discharged themselves into the various parts of the body in the form of immaterial currents (wveiifj-arai). The chief authority on the teaching of the Stoics is Plutarch, De Plac. iv. 21 awb 5} tov rj-yepLoviKoO eTTTO. fJi^py] €L(tI r?p ^^'XV^ iKirfcpvKOTa. /cat iKTei.vbfi.eva eis to aQ/na, KaBdirep al dvo TOV iroXijTrodo^ TrXe/crdfaf tQv d^ eiTTO.

fiepwv TTJs ^ux^s rrivTe fxiv 6paais, 6cr<ppr]<ns,

elcri to,

aiadr/Trjpia, -yevffis

Kai

fJ-expi-^

u)v

'

dcpdakfxuiv

TOV

fiixpi-^

diro

rod

d/coTj

"

Trvevfia fM^xP'-^

diarelvov

irvevfia

Be,

fJ.VKT-qpuiv

fi^XP'-

tov

fi^xpis

diaTeivov

diaTeivov diro

e<TTL

i}yefj.oviKov

Trvedfia

y\ii)TT-qs

d/coij,

Spaais

Tiye/xoviKOV

riye/iioviKOV

5^

rjyefxovLKov TTvev/na

fiev

d^

6a(ppr)ais

•yeOciS

r]

dvb tov

diaTeivov diro

acprj

OcaTetvov

TTvevfJia

&t(j3V

reads " for,"

given

are

'

dwb toO Si,

d<pr]

7]ye/j.oviKOv

eTTLfpaveias els di^LV evalad-qrov

TWV 5k XoLTtQv TO fliv XiyeTai anip/xa, oirep koI avrb Trvev/xd icTi diaTeivov aTrb tov riye/iioviKOv /HexP' Tu>v TrapaffTaTujv Tb Be (pujvdev viro TOV Ztji'wj'os eiprjixivov, S Kal <f)WVT)v Ka\ov(ji, icTi Trvev/J.a diareivov dirb tov TjyefioviKOv piexpi (pdpvyyos Kai y\wTT7)s Kai tC)v oiKeiwK dpydvcov. Again, in iv. 4, 2, we find a similar account ol TTpOirLTTTOVTUIV

'

'

:


REUBEN— CHAPTER The

4.

5

through them should be done every work of

creation, that

man.

2-4

II.

first

the spirit of

is

man)

constitution (of

is

HiTutKol ^^ OKTu) fi,€pwv (pacrl {t7)V xj/VXTj")

avveardvaL, trivTe fiev rdv aiadrjTLKWv opaTiKOv CLKOvcrTLKOv 6(T<ppr)TLKoD yev(TTIKOO aTTTLKTOV 'iKTOV 5k (pUVtJTlKOV, ffTvepfxaTLKOv, oydoov avrov e^56fj.ov Tov ijyefjLoviKov, d<j)' ov ravra wavra iviT^TaTaL Bid tuv oiKeiwv opydvwv TTpoacpepics rah rod itoXi/ttoSos irXe-

with which the

life,

The second

created.

the sense

is

our text presents a modified form of the Stoic division. According to the Stoics (see note on p. 4), the list in

bodily senses

were opaais,

dKor],

a.^17,

-yeOffts,

to

And

ffTrepna-TTiKov.

6(r0pr;cris,

(piovTjTLKOv,

t6

were

these

all

The earliest adoption of this doctrine by Judaism is found in Philo, Ue

eighth power, to of all, our text omits the fifth sense, d<prj, aud instead of (?) Td rjyefx.ovLKbv gives irvevixa Thus the modified list runs i'wrjs. XaXta, ^coT), Spa<XLS, dKorj, 6a<pprjaLS,

Mundi

yeVCLS, (XTTOpd.

KTapais.

also

Cf.

Stoics

Zeller,

^I'XV^

Galeu

iii.

1,

214-215 (Eng.

287

;

Traus.).

Op. xl. AvriKa rrji ri/j.er^pas TO 81x0- TOV ijye/MOPLKov /x4pos

iiTTaxv '^X'-t^Tai, els wivTe aladricreis Kal TO (p(i}V7]Tripiov 'opyavov Kal ewl vdai TO yhvifiov. Some reminiscence of the

same

division ajipears in Slav.

Enoch

subordinate to an

Now,

rjyefxoPLKov.

first

With the seven organs, etc., enumerated here we might compare the twelve given in the Sepher Yezirah v. i ncj;D

pine

n'xt

nv'Dty nj2-i;h

-ohn

im.i

nn nr^ nn

nn^ty

jniD'

c'Dt'n="the

XXX. 9 (see my note). In Sir. xvii. 6-7 we have the following Hebrew division of man's powers 6. Sia^ovXiov Kal yXCiaaav Koi d^OoK/jLovs wTa Kai Kapdiav

powers of speaking, thinking, walking,

eScoKe diapoeiadai, aiiTols, 7. iTnarrifiTiv

used in its ordinary sense. The phrase is biblical cf. Gen. It is not quite clear vi. 17, vii. 15. what the interpolator meant. Possibly he uses the phrase in the same sense as in Gen. vi. 17 or in ii. 7 (though here

:

ffvvecreus.

As

a parallel interpolation to that in

words

4

—that

quoted

fKa^ov

XPV'^'-^

evepyijfiaTUV,

Here

is

above t(ov 'iKTov

idcjprjcraTo /xepi^uiv,

tCov

before the

the

ev

6fioid}/xaTi

so,

Trevre

3e

Kal

tov vovv

^jido/jLov

Kvpiov avTots

\6yov

ivepy-qixdruiv

and given j'oOs as the equivalent of to ijyefioviKoi/. (Trveij/j,aTa). 3. Seven other sjjirits For "other," which a reads and ^S omit, gives "again." As we have shown in the preceding note the word " spirits " here is employed in the Stoic use of the term. This use is unknown to the LXX, NT, and Philo, and, so far as I am aware, was confined, even among philosophers, to the Stoics. Further, since nn { = irv€dfj,a) was not used in this sense either in Classical or Rabbinic Hebrew, we reasonably conclude that this section was first incorporated in the Greek version of our book. As regards the inimber seven, the (TTrep/xanKdv

A

Spirit of section

just :

avTov. the interpolator has omitted to

ipfXTjvea

ing, sleep, anger, swallowing, laughing.

is

Here alone

life.

in this

irvevixa

:

our text, we shall quote the addition that is made regarding the Stoic division of the senses in MS. 248 of Sirach after xvii.

seeing, hearing, working, coition, smell-

Hebrew the

sj)irit

is

slightly different).

If

of life, which is common the brute creation, is life

to man and in an impersonal sense, and cannot in this sense be the bearer of the personality.

But more probably we should

identify the " spirit of life " with the soul or spirit of man, the power which

and unity to the material organism. In this sense "spirit of " would correspond in part to the life Stoic conception of the ^pvx'r) and in part to their to rjyefioviKov or dominant See next note. faculty of reason. With uiiichthe constitution (of man) gives vitality

is created

{/J.ed'

^s

rj

avcyTaais KTi^erai).

These words appear to refer either to the simple fact of man's creation, or (if Ave take " spirit of life " as the practical

equivalent of the

^vxv and to

riye/io-

Stoic teaching), to that fact combined with the constitution of vikSv in

man's powers as a unity under the "spirit of life." In text, Trvevfia, Sense,


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

6

of sight, with which ariseth desire.

The third

5.

the

is

The fourth given to draw

sense of hearing, with which cometh teaching.

the sense of smell, with which tastes are

is

air

and breath.

The

6.

the power of speech, with

fifth is

which cometh knowledge.

7.

The

sixth

with which cometh the eating of meats and drinks

taste,

and by

it

strength

is

tion of strength.

8.

produced, for in food

The seventh

of pleasure sins enter in.

9.

and the

first

order of creation,

is

the founda-

the power of pro-

is

creation and sexual intercourse, with

filled

the sense of

is

which through love

Wherefore

it

is

the last in

in that of youth, because it is

with ignorance, and leadeth the youth as a blind

to a pit,

and

Besides all these there

III.

with which

man

as a beast to a precipice.

is

is

an eighth

spirit of sleep,

brought about the trance of nature and the

image of death.

2.

With

these spirits are mingled the

spirits of error.] 3.

First, the spirit of fornication is seated in the

with which ariseth desire, 16 17 iviOvfiia tGiv ii. A bad ethical sense is not 6<t>da\ixQ>v necessarily implied in our text. In both cases sense. 5. Sense Sight

Cf.

1

.

.

.

John .

.

.

.

TTpev/jia.

/S-cJ^'S read "taste Tastes are given. given." To draw air and hrealh (ets oX/cV Cf. Arist. Dc d^pos Kal ava-rrvori's).

is

Spir. 2, oXkti idea in our text .

But the the Talmud,

.

TTvev/juTos.

is

found

in

See note on T. Naph. ii. 8. In text, irvevf.i.a. 6. Power. Though here the fifth, in Speech. the Stoic order this was the sixth etc.

faculty (see p. 4). In text, Tri'eu/ua. 7. Sense. And by them strength is produced.

avrQ KTi^erai). auT<f should be avrfi (but this is only found in d) or avToli (only found in h S). In text, Trvivixa. 8. Power. Cf. 9. As a blind man to a pit. Matt. XV. 1 4. III. 1-2. This mention of an eighth (rcrxys iv

nature

power of sleep is not derived from the Stoic teaching, but is due to spirit or

the interpolator, to

whom

also

we owe

on which see note. Possibly this addition was due to the fact that eight senses or powers were taught by the Stoics. Seven would be a natural Semitic division, not eight. In ver. 2 there is an attempt to adapt the interiii.

7,

polation to

new

its

context.

Trance of nature {^Kcrraai^ (prjcreui). Since each of the preceding bodily powers is mentioned with a view to showing its contribution to human activity, there seems to be something wrong with the description attached to "sleep." We should rather expect avavewats, " renewal," for ^Karacrts. that case we might render the

In

'

words that follow and yet it is the image of death," or reject them as a '

gloss.

And

the

image of death.

ceding note. virv(^

.

xvi. 672,

.

.

Homer,

KacnyvrjTii)

682

;

See pre-

231, davdroio also Hesiod, Theog. 756.

Cf.

II. xiv. :

^


REUBEN— CHAPTERS and

in the senses

in the belly

and

liver

4.

;

gall.

one

The third, the spirit of fighting, in the The fourth is the spirit of obsequiousness

seeming.

may

The

5.

and in

of gifts.

joined which

is

may

be

the spirit of pride, that

is

The sixth

is

the spirit

jealousyf- to practise deceits,

and

kindred

friends.

6.

man may

so perisheth every

fulfil

The

the desire of his

worketh together with the other

for injustice

by the taking sleep

one

the spirit of injustice, with which are thefts and

is

acts of rapacity, that a ;

fifth

from

and concealments

heart

officious attention

be boastful and arrogant.

of lying, fin perdition

seventh

7

the second, the spirit of insatiableness,

;

and chicanery, that through fair in

5-III. 10

II.

And

[7.

is

with

(that) of error

all

and fantasy.]

young man, darkening

spirits

these the spirit of

his

8.

And

mind from the

and not understanding the law of God, nor obeying

truth,

the admonitions of his fathers, as befell youth.

And

9.

now,

you

will preserve

my

hear ye

:

me

children, love the '"the

my

also in

truth,

and

it

words oD Eeuben your

father.

10.

4.

Spirit

Cf. T. 5.

Pay no heed of fighting in

to the face of a

the

Naph. ii. 8. t In perdition and jealousy

liver.

(

= iv

The context requires a parallel to "from kindred and The friends " (ciTro yivov^ koI oiKeluv). dTTojXeta

(cat

^rfkw).

In a list of the natural powers such as that given in ii. 3-iii. 2 it would be in place. Moreover, the mention of an eighth spirit after ii. 1, 2, would be strange. This addition is either modelled on iii. 1, 2, or else both are from the

former = ni\':pi nNirn, which I take to be corrupt for NJjrpi Njib";- = e'x^pffJ /cat

same hand.

"to an enemy and rival." Hence the text should run "to practise deceits on an enemy or rival and concealments from kindred and friends."

A

a.vTL^r)\({),

:

Practise

Text

is

X670US. Pet.

ii.

deceits

TTAdrretj'

With

and

concealments,

\6yovs

/cat

TrXdrretj'

3 irXacTTois Xoyois

Kpuirreiv

XoYoi^s ;

Herod,

cf. i.

2

68,

etc.

So a. /3AS read "do." This verse is interpolated. Into an enumeration of the vices it would be absurd to introduce "sleep," which in itself is neither morally good nor bad. 6.

7.

Fulfil.

woman,

" the eighth spirit." /3 S^ add corrupt, but supports this addi-

Sleep. is

tion. 8. iv-

Darkening his mind.

18

iffKOTiafiei'oi

Cf.

Eph.

ry diavdg.,a.lso Rom.

i-21. ^^

a a e read *' error. {d,A-^). Understanding the law. Here ffvvioiv Hebraism yo/iy is a = mia2 p. ^v ry be A add " and 9. Preserve you. {beA^ om.) I admonish you," which was perhaps lost by the other MSS. through honioiotoleuton. Soaae/. bd A om. ^ The words of See iv. 1. 10. Pay no heed, etc.

Of error

'^.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

8

Nor associate with another man's wife, Nor meddle with affairs of womankind. 11. For had I not seen Bilhah bathing in a covered place,

had not

I

fallen

in the thought of

mind taking suffered

me

not

Tto sleepi until I

when we were

father,

12. For

my

the woman's nakedness,

had wrought the abominable

13. For while Jacob our father

thing. his

great iniquity.

this

into

had gone to Isaac

Eder, near to Ephrath in

in

Bethlehem, Bilhah became drunk and was asleep uncovered 14. Having therefore gone in and beheld in her chamber.

wrought the impiety Twithout her per-

her nakedness, I ceiving

it"!,

forthwith an angel of

my

I departed.

and leaving her sleeping

God

revealed to

my father

15.

And

concerning

impiety, and he came and mourned over me, and touched

her no more. Associate

With

/3-9^Si

(a).

this line

compare

= " be

alone."

Sir. ix. 9 fj-era

=

2e/n ha)vTrdudpov yvvaiKos ix.7) Kadov ( This appears corruptly in the Hebrew " married with a cyan Sx nhii2 ay woman do not eat." The Syriac = Dj;

—

nwa nmn

Sk

nhiii.

The

latter phrase

" do not talk much " is found in a like connection in Aboth i. 5 " Do not talk much with women." In Sanh. 100^ and Yebam. 63^, where Sir. is quoted, the words "with a married woman" are omitted and only nSsN an 't'X ( = "turn not aside to her") preserved. Thus it appears that the original of Sir.

Our text may 9 is quite uncertain. V/ith our represent a version of it. text compare also Sir. xli. 17, 21 ix.

alffxvt'ecrOe

.

.

.

txTTO

KaTavorjcreus

yvvaiKos vTrdvdpov, Nedarim 20* " Talk not too much with a woman ; for it For a like will end in fornication." command to women, see our text vi. 2. Nor meddle with the affairs, etc. {ixi} irepLepyd^effde irpa^iv).

Cf. Sir. xli.

21

(atcrxwec^e) dirb neptepyeia^ irai5i(TK7]% avTov. For irpd^iv (abfS) "affairs," <Ze A*^'5<i6g read Trpd^eis, a 6\piv. 11-15.

Cf.

Gen. xxxv. 21, 22

;

Jub.

Reiiben's sin is denied in later works such as Gen. rabba 98, 99 ; xxxiii. 1-9.

Ps. -Jon.

Book ii.

Shabb. 55^ ; Apocryph. note on Jub. xxxiii. 2.

on Gen. xxxv. 22

;

of Jashar {Did. des

1172).

See

my

11. Cf. Jub. xxxiii. 2.

So c A (dTrfoi'Tos). 13. Had gout to. This reading has the 'support also of Jub. xxxiii. 1 " And he went to his father Isaac, he and Leah his wife." " (d7r6j'TOj). jSj S^ read "was absent with Eder near Ephrath in Bethlehem. Jub. xxxiii. 1. Cf. Gen. xxxv. 19, 21 Bilhah became drunk and was asleep. The statement that Bilhah was drunk is peculiar, so far as I am aware, to our text. It is added to the story to exjjlain Bilhah's iinconsciousness of the Thus she was still outrage of Reuben. asleep when Reuben left her (ver. 14). This addition accounts also for the new turn given to the story in ver. 1 5. ;

14.

Without her perceiviiig

{it),

a,

^ A S om. Leaving her sleeping. According to Jub. xxxiii. 4, 5, Bilhah awoke and cried out and Reuben fled. 15. According to Jub. xxxiii. 6, 7, Bilhah lamented exceedingly and told the matter to Jacob on his return, " Jacob." Father. )3 A S' add Touched, etc. Cf. Jub. xxxiii. 9.


REUBEN— CHAPTERS IV. Pay no heed, therefore, of

women, nor

III.

Tmy

singleness of heart in the

9

children!, to the beauty

your mind on their

set

i-IV. 4

I

affairs

but walk in

;

and expend

fear of the Lord,

labour on good works, and on study and on your flocks, until the Lord give

you a

suffer not as I did.

2.

whom He

wife,

For until ray

not boldness to look in his

me

conscience causeth

And

4.

yet

my

IV. 1. Pay no heed to the beauty of women, nor set thy mind on their Cf. iii. 10 T. Jud. xvii. 1 affairs. T. Iss. iv. 4. Sir. ix. 8 air oar pexpov oipOaXfibv aTTO yvvaiKbs €v/x6p(pov, Kat fjLTj KOiTafiavdave koXKos aWorpiov. This first clause of Siracb here is found in Sanh. 100b Yebam. 63^ ntfND i^VN uhsn In Abodab-zara 20^ a man is forjn. .

;

it

said that the post-Mishnic if a man gives a money or receives it from her in is

Rabbis taught that

woman

order to look on her (nn SDnDn*?) he will not escape hell even if he were like Moses. On the danger of the beauty of a wicked woman cf. Pss. Sol. xvi. 8.

AJy children,

^-d

A S^

om.

vi.

5

xiii.

in ;

Wisd. i. 1 Col. iii. 22 Eph. accordingtosomeMSS.in Levi and as evdvTTp-L Kapdias in iii. 1. See note on "upright;

;

also 1

;

T. Iss. ness " in T. Iss.

iii.

2.

On good works and. So KoKois

/cat

=

1

D'ntr'

D^bnc^.

c

A.

iv epyois

But the latter

was corrupted in the /3 recension into on-'i D'b'yDa, which was rendered in /3 S as ^z/ epyois Kai airoirXavojixevoi, a text that is really untranslatable, h is defective, iv 'ipyois Kai. 2.

Had

.

.

.

courage,

elxov

.

.

.

Trap-

Philemon 8 for phrase. Our(ade^gA). abe^fS^ read"my."

priaiav.

Cf.

my

impiety.

me much, and

prayed for

^-d e S^ read "Jacob's

(a d).

3.

The conscience appears here

for

time in Jewish literature as a fully developed conception. The word the

first

itself is found, rendering of j;^d

Eccles. ;

also in

20,

x.

as

a

some MSS. of

a variant of elbrjaiv but neither of these cases has it the technical sense which we attach to it. This is first found in the in Wisd. Sir. xlii. 1 8 as

;

in

LXX

xvii.

10

clet

{irovT^pia)

5i Trpocr€iX7i<pe to. xaXeTrd.

(Twe-xopiivr)

avveLdrjaei.

ri)

appearance in our text may be the first instance of its occurrence in Greek Palestinian literature. See also T. Jud.

Its

The action of the conscience described in two other passages in our author T. Jud. xx. 5 " the sinner is burnt up by his own heart and cannot raise his face to his Judge " T. Gad v. 3 " He that is just and humble is ashamed to do what is unjust, being reproved not of another, but of his own heart." It will be observed that in the above passages in our author conscience pronounces judgment only on our own actions, not on those of other men. This, however, is probably only an On the general history of the accident. XX. 2 (a). is

:

:

Singleness of heart, a.Tr\6T7jTi ttjs KapdLas = n2h on. The phrase is found also

until

face."

;

bidden to look on a beautiful woman (ns: nt-Na uin h^nc nS) even when single, and on a homely woman if married, and in Enibin 18^, Berakoth 6]^,

Even

3.

His face

.

.

had

my now my

anguish on account of

father comforted

that ye

speak to any of

face, or to

brethren, because of the reproach.

will,

father's death I

word ii.

see

Sanday-Headlam on Romans

15, P. Ewald's

apvd

Script.

De

Vocis 'Zwddrjaews

N.T. vi ac potestate, 1883.

Causeth me anguish. I take avvix'^'' here to be a rendering of rij?3. Impiety {a). j^S'' read "sin." 4 Much (a). A = " often, " /3 S^ omit. .

A nd p>rayed (adg). "for he prayed."

§-d g

AS^

read


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

lo

me

unto the Lord, that the anger of the Lord might pass

from

me, even

until

now

my

not. fall"!

command

For a pit unto the soul

it

from God, and

is

you, and ye shall not sin,

the sin of fornication, separating

bringing

it

near

to

idols,

Tor

rich

For hear ye regarding

men and derision with Joseph how he guarded

and found favour in the sight That the anger of tlie Lord might According to Jub. xxxiii. 15 Reuben was granted life and for-

pass.

giveness."

;8S omit.

now ('eus vvv, a), d g A. read "repenting," aef ecos " (even) in thought." I say unto you {a). /S-p^ASom.

Until ivvoiCjv 5.

6-7. Cf. T. Jiid. XV. 1, xviii. 2-6, the evils of fornication.

on

.

.

.

Separating it from God idols. Phrase recurs in T. Sim. v. 3. Kethub, 11^ states that "most idolaters are .

it

near

to idols.

.

.

himself

all fornication,

Sheol,

going

down (nmr)

chambers of death." KaTiiyovcrai {i.e. nmic),

LXX

to the has here

as our text.

Here

time.

their

For

9.

avTQv = oni) ah^.

ovk

iv

This Hebraic

phrase recurs in T. Jud. xvi. 3. cf. T. Jud. xv. 1, 5, 6.

With

this verse

Many

hath fornication destroyed. 26 "She has cast down many wounded, all her slain are a mighty host" Sir. ix. 8 iv /cdXXet yvvaiKos ttoWoI iir\avr]6r)<rav, but for eirXav. we should read aTreKTavdr^crav. Thus Sauh. lOOb, Yebam. 63^, preserve 7.

Cf. Prov. vii.

Wisd. imvoia

the text inncin D'm ns' ncN nxicn.

Or rich or poor (a). /3AS^om. Bringeth reproach . derision with Beliar (a), c? e A S read " maketh himself a reproach and subject of derision [yiXuira) with B. and the sous of men." Instead of "derision" (yiXutra) a .

reads B'p'iD,

p'mb'

there used metaphorically of spiritual unfaithfulness, not literally as in our

corruptly TrpoffKO/xpLa, which = which seems to be a corruption of

— yi'KcjTa.

For hear ye regarding J. how he guarded himselffrom a (a). ^ A S^ read "for since J. guarded himself from 8.

every."

See T. Jos.

And found

text.

Leadeth dmvn to Hades. Cf. vii. 27 " Her house is the way .

.

.

.

Cf.

12 dpxTj yap iropveias etSciXwc, but the term "fornication " is xiv.

Prov.

Beliar.

;

A

6. pit (j366pos) unto the soul fornication. So a (af). /3-a/A S^ read "the destruction (bXedpos) of the soul fornication." is Here ^odpos and oKedpos could both be renderings of r\n'^, but the variation probably arose within the Greek. The sin of foi-nication {a aef). bdg AS^resid "fornication."

adulterers." Brijiging

to

Kaipi^

{lj.â‚ŹTavoG)v)

be old

God and men.

of

Before

A7id (a A).

it

he bringeth reproach upon

from a woman, and purged his thoughts from

'

man

because, though a

;

or poor,1

himself with the sons of

'

because

into

hath fornication destroyed

8.

guard

mind and understanding, and leadeth down Hades before their time. 7. For many

deceiveth the

noble.

thenceforth

and sinned

6.

or

my

been on

things whatsoever I

young men

And

Lord showed.

children, ri say unto youl, observe

have

I

Therefore,

5.

the

as

Ood

(a).

^A

vi.

favour in the sight of S^ read " he found favour

in the sight of the Lord."

Cf. T.

Sim.

v.


REUBEN— CHAPTERS Egyptian woma-n

the

summoned

many

did

things unto

him

magicians, and offered

God

For

11.

if

Therefore

10.

him from every evil (and)

of your fathers delivered

hidden death.

and

him,

love potions, but the

purpose of his soul admitted no evil desire. the

n

IV. 5-V. 3

fornication overcomes not your

mind, neither can Beliar overcome you. V. TFor^ evil are women,

my

children

and since they

;

have no power or strength over man, they use wiles by

outward attractions that they may draw him to themselves.

And whom

2.

they cannot bewitch by outward attractions,

him they overcome by

craft.

fFor"!

3.

moreover, concerning

them, the angel of the Lord told me, and taught me, that

women

are overcome

by the

spirit of fornication

more than

men, and in their heart they plot against men

means

adornment they deceive

of their

and by the

glance

the

of

eye

first

the

instil

and by

;

their minds,

and

poison,

then through the accomplished act they take them captive. The phrase

2.

from

is

1

in part

our text olvtQ 9.

/cat

:

x^-P'-"

"^''^

...

6 6eo%

<TO(piav

.

.

.

^OiOKev

ivavTiov <I>apaw.

Cf. T. Jos. vi.

10.

Your fathers

(c).

ZiiAS^ read

" our fathers," /3 " my fathers." Delivered him, etc. Cf. Acts vii. 10 i^eiXaro aiirbv iK iracrSjv tQv 6\i\l/eu)v avTov. Evil [a). Here ivovr}pov = ]i'\ or ]H^-\,

which was corrupted into

Hence

'i.xn-

oparou Kal, the reading of §-d A/3 S\ " visible and." 11. Beliar has no power over the pure. Cf. Jub. i. 20, x. 6 (note) Eccles. ;

vii.

By outward attractions.

derived

originally

Sam. ii. 26 ; Prov. iii. 3, 4. It found again in Luke ii. 52, and notably in Acts vii. 10, where it is used in connection with Joseph as in is

crx^/^ta

c

A^^*'^vea.d "our,"

a 6 S^ omit.

Can "shall

.

.

.

.

.

overcome

.

overcome."

V. 1. For (a). Fvil are women.

(a).

BA&

/3

A S^

read

om.

Cf. Eccles.

vii.

27,

28.

And since (a since."

j3

S^ read " because

is

the figure,

Thus

appears to refer to unseemly gestures and meretricious attire in ver. 4 and to it

outward adornment in ver. 5. 2. By outward attractions (5kz <7XW<iros). So o. /3 A S^ read dwd/xews. dvva/JLis which is here quite wrong.

may = pNOrpn,

a corruption of nin or jn^cx^/ia. Bewitch {KaTayoriTevcraffOaL-a). ^ AS} read "overcome" {KaTa-yo}vl<xa,<rdai,). 3. cf.

"

With

Eccles.

They

plot.

Whose

heart (/3

estimate of

this vii.

A

women

27. Cf.

Eccles.

vii.

26

snares and nets." a omits. S^). is

Glance of the eye. The lustful movement of the eyes is referred to again in T. Iss. vii. 2 ev p-erewpianQ 6cp6a\/j,uv, T. Ben. \i. 3 iJi,eT€upLcriJ.o?s ocpOaXfj.Qv. We ^^'^ it fii's* mentioned in Prov. vi. 25 'TSl'SVa tiqp^n-'jN, and next in Sir. xxiii. 4

A).

i.e.

bearing, attire, gestures, actions.

First [h ^-ab).

text

is

that strikes the senses,

26.

Your

The

hard to translate. embraces everything in a person

ev axhP-^'^^ a^^d

p.€TewpL<r/j.6v

6(p0a\fiQv

fii]

5ojs

fioi.

xxvi. 9 iropveia yvvaiKos iv fj.eTeu3pi(T[ioh

otpdaX/xuv.

In

Sir. xxiii.

4 eiriBv/xiav


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

12

For a woman cannot

4.

force a

bearing she beguiles him.

my

man

openly, but by a harlot's

Flee, therefore, fornication,

5.

and command your wives and your daughters,

children,

that they adorn not their heads and faces to deceive the

mind

;

woman who

because every

been reserved

punishment.

for eternal

allured the Watchers

useth these wiles hath

who were

For thus they

6.

before the

flood

for as

;

these continually beheld them, they lusted after them,

they conceived the act in their mind

they changed

for

;

and

themselves into the shape of men, and appeared to them

when they were with lusting in their for the

their husbands.

minds after

Watchers appeared

7.

And

women

the

their forms, gave birth to giants, to

them

as reaching even unto

heaven.

VI. Beware, therefore, of fornication

appears as a parallel to fierewpifffjibv 6^6a\/xQv. Cf. also T. Is. iii. 16 "wanton eyes."

Openly

4.

.

.

.

beguiles

him

(a).

jSASi omit. (j8AS^). a reads 5. There/ore "henceforth " or " moreover " {Xoiirov). Adorn 7iot their heads and faces. According to Enoch viii. 1 the fallen Watchers taught women the arts of beautifying the face and wearing precious metals a view that is adopted by Tertullian De Cultu Fem. i. 2, 10. This is contrary to the statement in the next verse that it was by such adorn-

—

ments that women allured the Watchers For tiie Hebrew locus tlie ornaments of women,

into sin. classicus on see

Is. iii.

16.

Reserved for eternal punishment

Jude 6

KoKacTLV althviov rerripTiTai).

Cf.

eh

Kpicriv

2 Pet.

els

Kplaiv Trjpovfiivovs. 6.

,

.

.

Tâ‚ŹTrjpr]Kev

Thus they allured

:

the

{els

ii.

4

Watchers.

According to Jub. iv. 15 (where see my note) the Watchers descended to instruct the children of men, and afterwards proceeded to take themselves wives of the daughters of men (Jub. v. 1). The same view in a fuller form is found in the Chronicles of Jerahmeel

and

;

In XXV.

XXV. 2-4.

you wish

if

said that

7, 13, it is

"Azazel was appointed chief over all dyes and all kinds of ornaments by which women entice men to thoughts of This agrees with our text that it sin." was by the use of dyes and ornaments It that women enticed the Watchers. is quite possible that the above story may have been in the minds of St. Peter and St. Paul when they wrote 1 Pet. iii. 3-5 (Lv icjTdi ovx o ^^wdev ep-irXoKris rpix^y Kai irepiOiaews xpvff^oiv 7) ivSvaews ifxaTicov Kocrfios, dXX 6 KpvKTOS Kapdias avOpuTrus ai dyiai. yvvaiKes

rTJs

.

wore Kal eavTCLS .

.

.

Tim.

1

:

ef

fir)

/jLapyapiTaLS

.

.

.

ovtoos ,

yap

iKOfffj-Ovv

9 dicravTMS yvi'a7Kas

ii.

irXey/LLaaiv r;

.

Kal

XP^'^^V

^

i/iariiT,ucj TroXi'TeXe?.

Watchers {'Eyprjyopoi). See Dan 1 Enoch vi.-viii. ; Jub. iv. 13, 23 2 Enoch xviii. 3, and preced15, V. 1

iv.

;

;

ing note. For as (a d).

j3-d

A S' read " and as."

So A^b*cdeg. a^-g read " lusted after one another." Heaching unto heaven. According to 1 Enoch vii. 2 their height was 3000 ells. VI. Beware of fornication Lusted after them.

.

.

.

T. Sim. v. 3 ; ; iropvela. here embraces Tobit iv. 12. both adultery and fornication. {Kopveias).

Cf.

iv.

6


REUBEN— CHAPTERS

V. 4-VI. 7

13

to

be pure in mind, guard your senses from every woman.

2.

And command

the

women may

with men, that they also

not

likewise

to

associate

be pure in mind.

3.

For

constant meetings, even though the ungodly deed be not

wrought, are to them an irremediable disease, and to us a destruction of Beliar and an eternal reproach. in fornication there

and

all

neither understanding nor f godliness,

is

Therefore, fthen, I say unto you,"l ye will be jealous

5.

but ye

;

'"and

and

.

.

.

:

to associate

with meyi.

command to men see That they may he pure

similar

Here and Matt.

6.

For God will avenge

ye shall die by an evil death^.

guard If you %oish to he, pure A S'). a reads " Be pure in miud guard also." c reads Every wmna7i (h /3 S). " women," A "all women." Not

will seek to be exalted over

shall not be able.

(j3

2.

For

jealousy dwelleth in the lust thereof.

•"against the sons of Levi"!,

them them

4.

v. 27, 28,

iii.

For a 10.

in mind. purity of heart

required. 3. destruction of Beliar and an eternal reproach {a.). /3S^ read "an "a great eternal reproach of B," reproach." Of. T. Reub. iv. 7. t Godliness (evae^eiav). Text, which appears to be corrupt, niTDn, which mayis

A

A

=

be corrupt for TODn= "wisdom." Cf. Or ei)(re(3eiaj''is corrupt Prov. vi. 32. for euXd^eiav as in Mic. vii. 2, Sir. xi. In that case render "dis17. cretion." Cf. Num. v. 29 ; Jealousy, etc. Prov. vi. 34. 5-12. This is the first of the many passages in the Testaments which set forth the merits and claims of Levi. Cf. T.Sim, vii. 2; T. Lev. ii. 11, viii. 14, T. Dan v. 4; T. Naph. viii. xviii. 1, 2 T. Jos. xix. 11. T. Gad viii. 1 2 According to the main teaching of the Testaments the salvation of Israel is to proceed jointly from Levi and Judah, T. Sim. vii. 1 ; T. Lev. ii. 11 ; T. Dan v. 4 ; T. Naph. viii. 2 T. Gad viii. 1 ; T. Only in T. Gad viii. 1 Jos. xix. 11. is Judah mentioned before Levi in this connection, and that passage is probably ;

;

;

;

7.

For to Levi

Levi

is exalted above Judah. spoken of as priest and king in Reub. vi. 7-12 Lev. viii. 14, xviii. 1, 2 as high priest only in Sim. vii. 2. Judah is described as king in

corrupt.

Thus Levi

is

;

;

T. Sim. vii. 2 ; T. Jud. i. 6, xvii. 5 ; T. Naph. viii. 2 ; but the last passage is corrupt or interpolated. According to T. Reub. vi. 7 the kingship is divided between Levi, Judah, Reuben, Dan, and Joseph ; and the Messiah to spring

Judah, according to T. Jud. but here the text is corrupt. 5. Then I say unto you (a). j3-rf A SI om. Jealous against the sons of Levi hut ye sImU not he ahle. A similar charge is made against the sons of Simeon, T. Sim. V. 4, and cf Dan, T. Dan v. 5. The object of all such admonitions is to bring about a general submission of

from

xxiv. 1

;

.

Israel to the

.

.

Maccabean hegemony.

Will seek to he exalted over them. Cf. T. Jud. xxi. 1. T. Sim. vii. 1 7. This verse deals with the kingship of Levi. The bracketed words are a foolish interpolation ; for the entire passage 5-11 deals witli the absolute supremacy Thus in 5of Levi as priest and king. 6 Reuben tells his sons that they will be envious of the sons of Levi and will seek to be exalted above them, but that they will fail, for that God is their Hence they are to obey Levi avenger. (ver. 8), since God has given him the ;

.sovereignty (ver.

7).

indeed, that the words

It

is

"and

possible,

to

Judah


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

14

God gave

me

to

command you

Therefore I

8.

because he shall

know

to

the law of the Lord, and shall give

consummation of the

with biin " may be geuuiue, as in T. Sim. vii. 2, T. Naph. viii. 2, Judali's kiugship is mentioued, but tins is not 11 is genuine, and this there is no reason to question. In the Targum of Ps.-Jon. on Gen. xlix. 3 we find a very diiferent statement representing the views of the Jews " It before and after Maccabean times likely if ver.

:

was

fitting for thee,

Reuben, to receive

the primogeniture, the dignity of the priesthood and the sovereignty but because thou didst sin, ray son, the primogeniture is given to Joseph, the kingdom to Judah, and the priesthood to Levi." With him (a ef). ag A read " after ;

him." 8.

knmo

Shall

{yvuiaeTaC).

A=

yvcjplffet.

A S). a reads "God." Give ordinances for judgment {Siaarekei ets Kplffcv (c /3-6 g S). This rendering may be right, but if that is the sense, diaareXeiTaL would be the usual form, hg A read otareXet eis Kpiaiv The Lord {^

"fulfil in respect of

judgment."

Percorrupt for SiaTeXeffei. In that case we should have: "will execute judgment." Here the civil power of the Maccabees is

haps

5ta((r)reXet

els

is

referred to.

AimSAfi). All

Israel.

a om. It

is

clear

from our

Twelve

Tribes were supposed by our author to be already living in Palestine imder the early

text

that

the

Maccabees. Thus John Hyrcanus, to whom our text refers, was to give ordinances for judgment and to sacrifice for all Israel until the

consummation

He was

to bless Israel

of the times.

and

Judah

Tribes and

(ver.

11).

The Twelve

were to worship in the Second Temple, T. Ben. ix. 2. The fact that our author addressed his

the

all

for

hearken to Levi,

ordinances for judgment and shall sacrifice for until the

him and

and to Dan and Joseph, that we should be

also,

rulers].

sovereignty [and to Judali with

the

the Gentiles

book to the Twelve Tribes points in same direction. The letter of

all

times, as the anointed

Israel

High

Aristeas (Swete's Introd. to O.T. in Greek, p. 525), moreover, states that Eleazar the high priest sent six men from each of his Twelve Tribes to Ptolemy. This naturally presupposes the existence of the tribes in Palestine According to or its neighbourhood. the older belief (1 Enoch Ixxxix. 72) the northern tribes were still in The idea that the Jewish captivity. kingdom once again embraced the entire nation could easily arise when the Maccabees brought under their sway a larger dominion than had ever acknowledged the rule of Solomon. The idea of the apostasy and final rejection of the Ten Tribes which appears in the Mishna, Sanh. xi. 3 (Sanh. 110 6, Jer. Sanh. 29 c, see details in Bacher", Agada der Tannaiten i. 137), was unknown at this time, and to an idealist like our author an impossible thought. Even of the rejection of Dan there are no traces in the 2nd cent. B.C. for T. Dan v. 6-7 belong to the 1st cent. B.C. But \vlth the failure of the Maccabees the great expectations that had arisen and idealised this dynasty vanished. ;

As the Messianic hopes centred themon the tribe of Judah, so the older idea of the captivity of the Northern Tribes revived. See Pss. Sol. xvii. 28, 34, 50 ; Philo, Leg. ad Gaium, 31 ; Ass. Mos. iv. 8, 9 ; Jos. Ant. xi. 5. 2; Sib. Or. ii. 170-173; 4 Ezra xiii. 39-47 Apoc. Bar. i. 2, 3, Ixxviii. 1, 5, See Schiirer^ G. J. V. 7, Ixxxiv. 10. ii. 538, iii. 5, 8, 467 Bousset, Religion des Judenthums (1903), 57 sqq. ; Volz, J fid. Eschat. 311 sqq. Consummation of the times (reXetc^<T6ws x/96ywf). With this phrase of. T. Lev. X. 2 (T. Ben. xi. 3) crwreXela rCov aldvwv, T. Zeb. ix. 8 Kaipov (rvvTeXelai. This phrase denotes the closing years of the present age from the standpoint of the individual writer, and the beginning of a new era. This new era, though selves again

;

;


REUBEN— CHAPTER whom

Priest, of

God

the Lord spake.

VI. S-ii

15

you by the

I adjure

9.

of heaven to do truth each one unto his neighbour and

to entertain love each for his brother.

And draw ye may receive a

10.

near to Levi in humbleness of heart, that ye blessing from his mouth.

11. For he shall bless Israel

and Judah, because him hath the Lord chosen constituting the Messianic age, need not

spake."

For

necessarily constitute an immediate and absolute breach with the present, but

Mark

xiv.

71

Our

text

may

be ushered in through a gradual transformation of the present moral and This is the teachphysical conditions. ing of Jubilees (see my notes i. 29, v. 12, xxiii. 26-30), and likewise of the The phrase author, T. Lev. xviii. 9. " time of the end " occurs frequently in Daniel (viii. 19, xi. 35, 40, xii. 4, 9) as a technical expression, and embraces the period of Antiochus' persecution together with the establishment of the Messianic kingdom a few

months ibpav

later (vii.

In the

2, 3).

14, 18, "22, 27, xii. of Daniel we find

LXX

KaLpov viii. 17, uipav ffwreXeias Kaipov crvfreXeias xii. 4 (cf. viii.

xi. 40,

19,

xi.

35,

where theHebrewis

different),

renderings of fp-ny. The same meaning attaches to the phrases in TeXea/xou, xvi. 1 1 Enoch X. 13 ij fie pas all as

.

.

.

TeXeiwaedis (Syncellus). Cf. Mos. i. 18 in consummatione

7)/j,€pa TTJs

Ass. exitus dieriim;

summentur

;

x. 13 (tempora) conApoc. Bar. xxvii. 15,

" consummation of 8, 3, the times"; Ivi. 2 "consummation of the world"; Ixxxiii. 7 "consummaCf. also 4 Ezra tion of the age." xxix.

XXX.

5 ; Gal. iv. 4 to irXripupLa tov " See note on " the last times Xpovou.

ix.

T. Iss. vi. 1.

The anointed High Priest = dpx<-€pevs ( = n'S'on \ii3n), emended from h, which reads apxi^^pevs xP'""'""'^- c/3S read dpxiepius xP'""'"'''^' A^t)*cdeg=: rod elvai iepea ttjs BiaOifKas Xpiarov The above slight (A^ om., AS KTipvKos). emendation restores harmony to the text. A Maccabean prince-priest is here referred to. See next note. 0/whom the Lord spake. These words appear to point clearly to Ps. ex. The Greek Sv elwev 6 K^pLos ( = " noN nt^'K') recalls 'jnx'^ nin^ cnj, though here it must

Xpto'Tds

be rendered as above

'

'

of

whom He

king

to be

construction cf. i. 15, vi. 71 (viii. a reinterpretation 54). or new apiplication of Ps. ex. That psalm, which was written originally in honour of Simon, pointed really, according to our author, to John Hyrcanus. A this

John

;

is

may be found where the writer implies that the vision in Dan. vii. 7, 8 was nusinterpreted by the angel in vii. similar reinterpretation

in 4 Ezra xi.

sqq.

1

23-25.

/ adjure

9. i.

See note on

thee, etc.

6.

Bo (hi

truth each one unto his neighbour

TTOielv,

/3

S

eKaaros

A

iroLTjcraL,

TraT^crat

tov ttXtjctIov avTov). For iroulv c reads XaXeif, which brings the text into exact accordance with Zech. viii. 16 ; Gal. iv. 25, "Speak the truth," etc. This quotad\r)deia)

irpos

Dan

is found also in T. Entertain love each, Cf. T. Sim. xix. 18.

tion

v. 2.

Cf.

etc. iv.

7

;

Lev.

Dan

T.

V. 3.

10-11. Levi chosen to be at once high and sovereign prince of the nation. These two verses agree in matter with what is said in 1 Mace. xiv. 41 regardoi 'lovdaioi Kal oi lepeh ing Simon evdoKTjaav toO eTvai, avrCov 'Zlficova r/yovHevov Kal apxi-^p^o, els tov aiwva eus The TOV dvaaTrjvai irpocprjTriv Triarhv. tnaTov was saving clause ews possibly a later addition. priest

:

.

.

.

Of heart {^-dg AS), ad g read "of your ('our' d) heart." Receive a blessing from his mouth. Cf. Jub. xxxi. 15 "the blessing of the Lord will be given in their mouths " ; 20 SovvaL evXoyiav Kvpiip e/c Sir. 1. The Hebrew of the Xei.\4wv avTov. latter agrees closely with Jub. xxxi. 15 rnsja'a nin' nana.

11. Levi.

Him The

i^eKe^aTO, a

hath the Lord chosen,

Greek is ev Hebraism = ina

airri^ 13.

.

i.e. .

.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i6

over

the nation.

all

on our behalf

for

and

will be

VII. his sons.

carried

it

12.

And bow down

will die in

among you an

before his seed,

wars visible and invisible,

eternal king.

And Eeuben died, having given these commands to 2. And they placed him in a coffin until they

him up from Egypt, and buried him

'"in

Hebron^ in

the cave where his father was. All the 7iation (a/ A).

/3-/S^ read the nations." 12. This verse refers to the achievements of the Maccabean priuce-priests in the departments of their temporal and spiritual sovereignty. The greater '*

all

number

of them "died in wars visible." on behalf of Israel. Cf. T. Sim. v. 5. Next, the phrase "die in wars invisible" may be explained from the fighting

fact that these great high priests spent

themselves on behalf of Israel's spiritual interests.

Cf. Ps. Ixix. 9,

" his seed " would be corrupt. These words = (TTrep^a ai)ToO = ij,'-)i, which the

Greek translator should have punctuated as iyii

= " his arm " or " might. "

Next,

"will die " = dirodaveirai. = niD', which may be corrupt for 3't or iicj;'- Hence, "bow down before his might; for he will strive (or "will stand forth") on our behalf and will be a king for ever." To Hyrcanus regarded as the Messianic king these words would be .

.

.

applicable.

cxix. 139.

he/A Our belmlf (cabg A^). ab*cdeggi j-ead " yonr behalf." Will die. Aa * c d e g read the plural to

aTToOapovvTat..

Eternal king (a d /SaffiXeyj aluvios). /3-d S^ read ^acriXevs aluviov, A ^aaike'is aldvioi. The phrase = ^aaiXeiis eis Cf. the similar aiibva = d'^ij;'? i'?d. phrase lepevs els alQva 1 Mace. xiv. 41 Ps. ex. 4.

But it is possible that this verse does not refer to the Maccabean dynasty, but to a single member of it, John Hyrcanus, In that case the words as in ver. 8.

VII. 2. Carried him up from Egypt and buried him in Hebron. This was

done in the case of all the brothers except Joseph, whose bones remained in Egypt till the Exodus, when they were carried by the Israelites till they reached Canaan. The above statement is found also in Acts vii. 16 Joseph. Ant. ii. 8. 2. ;

Cave (a). /3 A S read " double cave," i.e. Machpelah, which means "double."

His father was {h af and practically c).

beg

A

read

fathers were."

"his

(^'A

"their")


THE TESTAMENT OF SIMEON, THE SECOND SON OF JACOB AND LEAH The copy

1.

spake

to

sons before he died, in

twentieth year

his

of

brother,! died.

came

2.

to visit him,

Hearken,

And

which

at

life,

hundred and

the

time Joseph, This

For when Simeon was

sick,

his sons

and he strengthened himself and

and kissed them, and said II.

which he

of the words of Simeon, the things

his

my

children, to

I will declare

up

sat

:

Simeon your

father.

unto you what things I have in

my

heart. 2. I

was born of Jacob as

And my mother Leah

my

father's second son

called

me

Simeon,

Because the Lord had heard her prayer. 3.

Moreover, I became strong exceedingly I shrank from no achievement,

Nor was 4.

For

my

I afraid of ought.

heart was hard.

Title as in a. j3-a d e A^f g S^ read "Testament of Simeon the second (/om.) regarding envy." a reads "Simeon." de are conflate.

Joseph's death synchronised with that of Simeon. This agrees with the state-

of the words {h^-de8^). " copy of the testament " ; c "testament." Before he died of his life, ad

born ten years

cm. through hmt.

read " children," and " hearken."

1.

ments in Jub. xxviii. 13, 24, in so far as tlie latter represents Joseph as being

Copi/

deX^b

.

Hundred

.

II. 1.

.

twentieth year This agrees with the

See Reub.

i.

than Simeon.

A

(a d). ^-d S^ omit, 6 A^ * S^ add avrots.

Said.

and

(^-dg A!"*"^^). Midrash Tadshe.

later

His brolher

reaij

3fy children (ad A).

And I will ^Ab*cdefgsi om.

1 note.

A.abefgsi read "hundred and twentyfifth (A <^S "sixth ") year." Time (a), ^-gr AS^ read "year." Joseph died. Thus the year of

j3-dgS^

/3-e A"''

declare

S^

unto

add you.

2. Simeon, because the Lord had heard This play on the name her prayer. "Simeon" is derived from Gen. xxix, 33

pj/ns' ids'

17

n-\pm

•

.

.

m.T uca

'3.

2


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i8

5.

And my And my

bowels without compassion.

Because

valour

High

to

was immovable,

liver

men

also

in soul

and body.

youth I was jealous rin many father loved

against

him

him rbeyond

that

I

alV.

7.

And

I

and blinded

my

him

father.

For when

hands.

9.

for the

flocks,

the

8.

But

God and

his

and

Shechem

went

to

and •Reuben

to

all

Ishmaelites.

I

11.

father. Liver.

4.

.

.

our stores, Judah 10.

According

to T. Reub. iii. 4 the spirit of war dwells in the liver. 6. For ("therefore" aef) in the

bdg AS^ youth (a a ef). "and at that time." In viany things (a). /3 A S om. The Cf. iv. 2, 3. Jealous of Joseph. Targ. Ps.-Jon. on Gen. xxxvii. 19, 20

my

time of

attributes these verses to Simeon and ' Simeon and Levi, who were Levi : '

brothers, in counsel, said one to another, .

.

.

xlii.

mind, so

the God of his him out of my

to bring

my

Come, let us kill him." Also on 24 we find " (Joseph) took Simeon

from them who had given counsel to Cf. Ber. rabba 91. slay him." My father (aA). /3-aS^ read "our father."

^Beyond them alD (a). /3 A S^ omit. Text has fJTrara. See v. 4. 7. Mind. See note on T. Prince of deceit. Reub. ii. 1. Sent forth the spirit of jealousy and a reads "and the spirit of (^AS). jealousy."

Blinded my mind. Cf. T. Reub. iii. 8. iVw did I spare even (a d). /3-rf A S^ read "and spared not."

ointment

brother sold

And when Eeuben

But on hearing

hmnovable.

my

Dothan, where were our

things he was grieved, for he wished his

my mind

not as a brother, nor did I spare

fathers sent forth His angel, and delivered

to

set

to destroy him, because the prince of deceit

regarded

necessaries

my my

For in the time of

6.

things"! of Joseph, because

sent forth the spirit of jealousy

even Jacob

Most

given from the

has been

8.

this

heard these

to restore I

him

him

to

was Texceedinglyl

God of our fathers (a). /3-<ZAS^ God of his (" their " Al>* edef g)

read "

fathers."

Sent forth his angel and delivered, This phrase is found in Dan iii. 28, alsoinActsxii.il. Cf. Ps. xxxiv. 7, 8. sold him, etc. Cf. 9. Judah Gen. xxxvii. 26-28. Reuben to Dothan. This absence of Reuben explains Gen. xxxvii. 21, where it is said that when Reuben heard of their plots against Joseph he delivered him out of the hands of his brothers, My brother (a). /3 A S^ read " our .

.

.

brother."

So Gen. 10. Heard these things (c). xxxvii.21. Hered/coyo-as^iyDtyn. /3AS^ read "came." A^wv 131^-3. hi are

=

conflate.

Restore {dirayayeii' c AP*'^^^S Cf. Judg. xix. 3

;

1

Sam.

vi. 7.)

=

2'>tefn-

/3-a/S^

read ^laffQcral = l}'u/^n, corrupt for a'cn, as in Gen. xxxvii. 22. A^^ is conflate, diaa-waai Kai dirayayeiv, 11. On hearing tliese things (a). /3A^*cclefgsi AP-'^^^iXediv— om. same corruption as in preceding verse. Exceedingly (a). |SAS^ om.


SIMEON— CHAPTERS months

I

5-IV.

19

i

him go away

alive,

continued wrathful against him.

1 2.

wroth against Judah in that he for five

II.

let

and But

the Lord restrained me, and withheld Tfrom mel the power of

my

hands

days.

my

for

;

And

13.

right

hand was half withered

my

knew,

I

children,

for seven

that because

of

Joseph this had befallen me, and I repented and wept

and

I besought

and that

restored,

Lord God

the

my

hand might be

might hold aloof from

I

and envy, Tand from

that

all follyl

For

1 4.

I,

all

knew

devised an evil thing before the Lord and Jacob

my

on account of Joseph

Thearken unto

of the spirit of deceit and of envy.

the whole

mind

of a

suggesteth (to him) to destroy

fadeth away.

4.

father,

2.

me

and""

beware

For envy ruleth over

man, and suffereth him Tneither

nor to drinkl, nor to do any good thing.

so long as he that

my

brother, in that I envied him.

And now, my children,

III.

pollution

that I had

is

Two

him

3.

But

to eat

ever

it

that he envieth

;

and

envied flourisheth, he that envieth years TthereforeT I afflicted

my

soul

with fasting in the fear of the Lord, and I learnt that deliverance from envy cometh

man

a

if

to

flee

is

lightened.

he sympathiseth with him

b*cdeggi

{i.e.

Lord

f

hand

{adA'^^^).

(ad).

^-dA

Lord,"

A^^l^

;

might

restored

be

^-bd read "I might be 6 S^ "

He might

restore

my

hand. 1.

Hearken unto me and

(a),

/SASom.

A^%

Spirit {a /3 Spread "spirits." 3. ^otoÂťr/as,etc. Translation doubtful, 4.

read

he envied and agreeth

TivoyearsHherefore'^ (cA). of days."

"two years

saw

Afflicted my soul with fasting. From

Ps. xxxv. 15.

for f).

God "the

read

ae/A^*<=deggi

"God."

III.

henceforward

father asked Tconcerning mel, because he

TJie

restored "

And

And my

read "sixty"

My

whom

6.

For

away

love him, and so ceaseth from his envy.

Seven {ab d g).

13.

5.

who

with those

12.

fear of God.

the Lord, the evil spirit runneth

from him, and his mind

IV.

by the

h^8^

ivith (aoe/S^). So I 6. Agreeth The ordinary render avyyivuaKei. meaning "pardons," "makes allowance On the for," does not suit so well. other hand, the reading of &c^grAfe*cde

KarayivdiaKei supports the latter 01) meaning. Hence the Hebrew text may have been corrupt. (TvyyLvd>aKei = nhD^ This corrupt (?) for nob' ==" rejoices." suit the context, "rejoices over those that love him"; or possibly for

would

nnB"=" commends." IV.

1.

Here the

liver is

regarded as


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

20

that I was sad 2.

and

;

I said

unto him, I

For I mourned more than they

of the selling of Joseph.

suffering justly,

pained in

my liver.

because I was guilty

And when we went down

3.

me

Egypt, and he bound

am

all,

knew

a spy, I

as

and I grieved

not.

Now

4.

Joseph was a

good man, and had the Spirit of God within him compassionate and

but

me

loved

Beware,

pitiful,

even

being

:

he bore no malice against the

as

my

therefore,

into

that I was

rest

children,

of

his

brethren.

of

all

jealousy

envy, and walk in singleness

5.

and

/SAS^

and

soul

of heart,

me

good

with

keeping

mind

in

heart,

Joseph

your father's brother,

God may

that

and

give l^you alsoT grace

glory,

and blessing

upon your heads, even as ye saw in Joseph's

case.

6.

All his days he reproached us not concerning this thing,

but loved us as his

own

glorified us,

and gave us

Do

my

ye

also,

For

body

;

this it

and

riches,

and

cattle

fruits.

7.

children, love each one his brother with a

good heart, and the 8.

and beyond his own sons

soul,

spirit of

envy will withdraw from you.

maketh savage the

and destroyeth the

soul

up

causes anger and war in the mind, and stirreth

unto deeds of blood. the source of physical ailment.

On

the

liver as the source of ethical evils, see ii.

T. Naph. ii. 8. Unto him {cdAP*'^^^^).

4

brother "

;

j3-c?

Aabhgi

omit.

dde\(j>6v).

brother."

2-3. See note 4.

"pure," A^ cm.) heart, keeping in Joseph (6 om.) your father's

mind

on

ii.

6.

commended, as in Testaments save that of Naph.

Here Joseph

nl Cf. J« T. Reub.

is

Joseph's case (a A). "

^ase q'

8-10.

;

,

..

""

g^^^ ii 19

^

_

reads .

.

.

/SS' read

"his

^^^

^^^^

^.^,

^'^^

,

^*

A

a om. "keeping d is corrupt.

_

IV.

As therestofhisbrethreni^A^^i^S^). a reads " with my brethren." Phrase recurs 5. Singleyiess of heart. in Eph. vi. 5 Col. iii. 22. awMTr/s is confined to Pauline Epistles iu N.T. See note on T. Iss. iii. 2. Of heart (a). /3 A Spread "soul and {A^^ om.) with good (Aalib*cdeg read

iraTpdde\<pov

(for

'

(«)•

,

^ ^^

_

^'^ad

us

all.

Love each one his brother. T. Eeub. vi. 9. 7.

Cf.

of envy mil withdraw from you {ag A^*'"^^^s). ^-egii^ read "put away {dirocrTrjtraTe)

The

spirit

{dTrocTTTjaeTai)

the spirit of envy."


SIMEON— CHAPTERS

IV. 2-V. 3

a

21

A5

/3

S^

and leadeth the mind into

and leadeth the mind into

frenzy,

frenzy,

Tand

prudence

act

to

moreover,

not

suffereth

men

in

away

taketh

it

;"•

sleep,

[and causeth tumult to the soul and trembling to the body].

For even

9.

in

some malicious

sleep

jealousy,

deluding him, gnaweth, and with wicked spirits disturbeth his soul,

the

and causeth the body

mind from

poisonous

appeareth

spirit, so

V. Therefore was

and waketh

to be troubled,

sleep in confusion

and as a wicked and

;

men.

it to

comely in

Joseph

appearance, and

goodly to look upon, because no wickedness dwelt in

some of the trouble of the

for

And

2.

my

now,

him

spirit the face manifesteth.

children,

Make your hearts good before the Lord, And your ways straight before men. And ye shall find grace before the Lord and men. Beware, therefore, of fornication.

3.

For fornication

is

mother of

all evils.

Separating from God, and bringing near to Beliar. jSA/SS^ add "Tand Frenzy. not prudence to act in men :" moreovei', it taketh away sleep " («/ 8.

saflfereth

cm.

The sleep"). recurs with a different

"moreover

latter phrase

verb in T. Jud.

.

.

.

hody. And causeth tumult These two clauses form an anticlimax to what goes before, and are bracketed .

.

.

as a dittography of the first two clauses. Thus kKovov irapexei rfj ^I'XS '^'•^^

= r]ijn

Tj;-i'i

9.

Cf. Sir. xl. 5-7.

A,/3S Sivtrvi-

A

awake."

internally

corrui^t.

V.

1.

Comely

in

appearance,

etc.

koX koKos tti 6\pei). From Gen. xxxix. 6. Here the has KttXcs T(f ei'Set Kal uipaios ttj 6ipei. (cbpatos Tcp

Dwelt

et'Set

{ivoiKTjaev).

Ch-ace before

2.

See T. Reub. (so a)

e-ajn i'jt.

Here the first clause of the Hebrew could also be rendered dypioL t7]v ipvxn^, while Tyn- could be corrupt for 13N' = ((>0€ipf.L.

{dtvTrvl^eL c).

"to

LXX

xviii. 4.

Tp6fj.ov Ti2 (Tdb/jLaTi

Waketh i'ea-daL

3.

Beu'are

Reub.

iv. 8.

p-dg Spread vi.

d read Lord and men. " the Lord For

iv'iK-qaev.

c

tlie

'

'

"God"

a reads evils (/3 A &). Separating from God, etc. Reub. iv. 6. All

Cf.

of fornication.

T.

1. ' '

evils."

See T.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

22 4.

For

have seen

I

it

inscribed in the writing of

Enoch

that your sons shall be corrupted in fornication, and shall

do harm to the sons of Levi with the sword. shall not be able to withstand Levi

for

;

But they

5.

he shall wage the

shall conquer ^alV your hosts.

war of the Lord, and

6.

And

they shall be few in number, divided in Levi and Judah, and there shall be none of you for sovereignty, even as also our father prophesied in his blessings. VI. Behold I have told you acquitted of

your

your envy and

As a

sin.

2.

things, that I

all

Now,

if

may

be

ye remove from you

all stiff-neckedness,

my

rose shall

bones flourish in Israel,

And as a lily my flesh in Jacob, And my odour shall be as the odour

of Libanus

And as cedars shall holy ones be multiplied from me for ever. And their branches shall stretch afar off. In the writiiig of Enoch.

4.

Levi T.

X. 5, xiv. 1, xvi. 1

Dan

v. 6

;

T.

;

Naph.

Cf. T.

T. Jud. xviii. 1 iv. 1 ; T. Benj.

some such statement as to the moral deterioriation of Israel was found in the early Enochic writing. A similar statement to that in our text, but referring to the Antediluvians, is found in 2 Enoch xxxiv. 2. Do harm to the sons of Levi (a. rots This construcviols Aeut abLKTiffovfft.). tion may be a Hebraism = ^i*? 'jn"? ij;t. |3-grAS read iv Kevi a^. — •'^h2 lyi'. This construction is found in Hebrew and LXX in 1 Chron. xvi. 22. On the subject-matter see T. Reub. vi. 5. 5. Be able to ivithstamd Levi (a A). Cf. T. /3S read "prevail against." Reub. vi. 5. Shall wage the ivar of the Lord. The reference is obviously to the Maccabean warrior high priests. Cf. T. Reub. vi. 12. 6. And they shall hefeiu in number, divided in Levi and Judah. The test is based on Gen. xlix. 7, " I will divide them (Simeon and Levi) in Jacob and disperse them in Israel." This curse is applied by our author to Simeon only. He cannot do other than bless ix.

1.

Levi,

It is possible that

The destruction

of

Shecheni,

moreover, which drew down the curse in Gen. xlix. 6-7, is attributed in the main to Levi (see T. Levi vi.), and for this deed, despite Gen. xlix. 6-7, he is highly extolled in Jub. xxx. 18-23 nay, more, he is represented as being divinely commended in T. Levi v., and yet this curse is most inconsistently made to light on Simeon in the present context. As a rule, during the two centuries preceding the Christian era, the action of Simeon and Levi was highly commended, but later rabbinic tradition judged more in accordance with the sentence pronounced in Gen. xlix. 6-7. See my note on Jub. xxx. 2-6 ; Gunkel on Gen. xxxiv. There shall be 7ione of you for sovereignty. I cannot discover how this statemeut is connected with Gen. xlix. ;

6-7.

Our father (a A). o,hd read "my /SA^bhefgadd "Jacob."

father.

VI.

1.

Told {a A).

,3

SI read "fore-

told."

Acquitted of your sin {dLKaiwdoj diro d/xapr/as vfxQv). Cf. T. Levi xiv. 2. Your sin (a e^ Ab*cdeg). ^.g s read

rrjs

'sin of 2.

your souls." cedars, a om,

As

Cf. Ps. Ixxx. 10.


SIMEON— CHAPTERS Then

And

shall perish the seed of Canaan,

the Cappadocians shall perish,"!

all

all the Hittites shall

Then

And

shall fail the land of

Then

be utterly destroyed.

Ham,

the people shall perish.

all

And

shall all the earth rest from trouble. all

the world under heaven from war. ^abh

Restored Text 5.

5

a remnant shall not be unto Amalek,

TAnd

And

V. 4-VI.

Then the Mighty One

"

glorify

shall

Israel

Then

of

Shem,

the

save

[as

sons

")

be glorified,

on earth

man]

And Himself saves

of

God

Lord our

shall appear

shall

appear on earth,

And

Seth

For the

For the Lord God

Shem (MSS.

shall

again.

men. 3. This ver.se foretells the destruction of Israel's enemies, the Canaanites,

Cappadocians {i.e. nnnSD, Cf. Deut. ii. 23 Amos ix. 7 and see my note on Jub. xxiv. 29), and Hittites (or Macedonians). Amalekites,

"Philistines."

;

;

XeTToioi

Hittites.

may

represent

either 'nn "Hittites," or qtd "Greeks" or "Macedonians." These 4. All the jyeople will perish. words seem to point to the woes preceding the advent of the kingdom.

God appears

in person to save the evil spirits are reduced to submission, and the resurrection of the righteous takes place. to Theo5. For other references phanies see T. Lev. 11. 11, v. 2, viii. 11 ; Zeb. ix. 8 T. T. Jud. xxii. 2 Naph. viii. 3 T. Ash. vii. 3. Restored from the various texts and versions. a = "Tlien shall a sign be glorified greatly (?) unto Israel {rb ffrjfieiov ivdo^aaO-qaerai fieya tQ 'I(r.), For the Lord God appealing on earth shall come [as man], And saving through him man " {ev avrcp Tbv'Addfi). A^^^ "Then shall Seth (corrupt for "Shem ") be glorified, For the Lord our God shall appear on earth [as man], And Himself 5-8.

mankind

:

;

T

saves again " (corrupt).

A^*'='i''S

"And

(AS om.) then shall Shem be glorified, For the Lord the Mighty One of Israel shall [be glorified] on earth, [and] appear /3S="Then the sign {bd [as man]." Shem) shall be glorified, For the Lord God the Mighty One of Israel appearing on earth [as man]. And saving through

him man

" (iv ai)r(p tov 'Addju,).

First of

all,

/xiya r(^ 'laparfK in a, if

is corrupt for /xiyas rod 'I., (8Ab*c(iegg^ tut these latter

original,

as in authorities

appear to transpose this If phrase wrongly into the second line. fiiyas TOV 'I. belongs to the first line, It ivdo^affd-qaeTai. cannot be right. = 133', for which the translator should

have read

-135'

= 5of dcret.

Secondly,

Stj/oc

;

;

=

{bdA^*'^'^^^s) must apparently be acIf the latter is cepted against (XTjfJLeiov. the older reading in the Greek, then it may n"x, corrupt for pÂť!,-, i.e. "Zion."

=

Thirdly, as Gaster has pointed out, iv avT(^ (abe^fg) tov 'A5dyU = DnNn 13, where I take u to be corrupt for i"?, in which case it is to be rendered "for Himself" or treated as a redundant expression of the pronoun before the

noun

(an

Aramaism

but

found

in


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

24

Then

6.

shall all the spirits of deceit be given to be trodden

under

And men Then

7.

And

foot,

wicked

shall rule over

spirits.

shall I arise in joy,

will bless the

Most High because

of His marvellous

works, [Because

God hath taken

a body and eaten with

men

and saved men].

And

VII.

my

now,

children, obey Levi

be not lifted up against these two arise unto raise

you the salvation ^of

up from Levi as

as it were a

it

tribes, for

God"".

that they Hebrew. etc.

).

may

that ye also

observe ;

is

as a Christian interpolation. Israel "

may

be an interpolation. It is omitted by ^abh_ In that case we should render " Then Shem shall be glorified, For the Lord God shall appear

upon earth

And

save the sons of men."

Thus our

text describes a primitive view of the Messianic kingdom, such as is found in 1 Enoch xxv. 3, Ixxvii. 1. The scene of the kingdom is to be the present earth, and its duration is apparently eternal. Into this kingdom the righteous dead are to enter through the resurrection. verse, it can hardly be 6. This doubted, is the source of Luke x. 19, 20 didwKa v/Mf ttjv e^ovcriav rod Trareiv eirl rracrav ti]v dvna/uuv rod ix^poO . irXrjv tV Tovrqi fij] xa^pere 6ti to, .

.

.

.

.

iri'eu/j.aTa

Lev. 7.

iifuv

inrordaaeraL.

Cf.

T.

xviii. 12.

The

resurrection

present earth.

is

Therefore I give you

3.

may command your

here to the

Cf. T. Benj. x. 7.

Shall

6,

wantingiiiA^*c<iegaudcorruptinA='''''i. Fourthly, " as man " must be rejected

But " the Mighty One of

shall

shall save all [the

them throughout

Gen. ii. 19 Exod. ii. Observe that the third line Cf.

For the Lord

2.

King [God and man]. He

commands

from them shall

were a High-priest, and from Judah

Gentiles and] the race of Israel. these

and Judah, and

I

children,

their generations.

arise.

A=" shall

we

arise."

Because Ood hath taken a body a7id eaten with men. A similar Christian interpolation appears in T. Ash. vii. 3. In both these " eating and drinking " are ascribed to the Most High. Other undoubted interpolations will be found in T. Dan v. IBd, vi. 9. On the other hand, assuch expressions as God "dwell" " " ii^g with men or walking with men are justified by the O.T., there is no objection to these phrases in themselves ^^ ^' ^^^- ^"- ' > "• ^^^ ^- 13 c; T. N^P'^- '^'i"- ^ ^^^ the context seems to ^^ against them. '

VII.

1.

And Judah (c).

/ijSASread

"and in Judah shall ye {A^*cdetg "we ") be redeemed." up against. Cf. T. Reub. 5 " ye will seek to be exalted over

-Be not lifted vi.

them.

'

A reads

"brothers." shall arise unto you salvaSee note on T. Eeub. vi. 5-12.

Tribes.

From them Hon.

Here only (and in T. Napt. 2?) in the Testaments is the jurisdiction of Levi limited to the priesthood. All the Gentiles. For grounds of excision see note on T. Benj. ix. 2. 2.

viii.


SIMEON— CHAPTERS his sons, he

slept

hundred and twenty years

wooden

And

25

And when Simeon had made an end

VIII.

manding a

VI. 6-IX. 2

old.

his

his

com-

of

being

an

they laid him in

bones

Hebron.

to

during a war

they took them up secretly

Egyptians.

fathers,

And

2.

up

take

to

coffin,

with

of

the

For the bones of Joseph the Egyptians

3.

guarded in the tombs of the Kings.

4.

For the sorcerers

them, that on the departure of the bones of Joseph

told

should be throughout

there

the

all

land darkness

and

gloom, and an exceeding great plague to the Egyptians, so

even with a lamp a

that

man

should not

recognise his

brother.

2.

IX.

And

And

they were in Egypt until the day of their departure

the

sons of

Simeon bewailed

their

father.

by the hand of Moses. VIII.

And when

_^abÂťcdefggi read

{eg AP).

"and" before "he slept." Hundred and twenty. See Wooden

2.

wood."

For

3pT N^

coffin

read " coffin

)3-fl'A*''''S

(i

i.

latter phrase cf. Is. xl. 20,

fy.

A-ib i-ead " take

Al>* cd eg s).

him up."

To Hebron.

So also in Levi. during a %uar of the Egyptians (,3 AS), a reads "him up secretly his bones" (sic). This war is Tliem

again

up

3.

secretly

referred

where see

xii.

3,

note.

Tombs

houses."

to in T. Benj.

{a).

j8

AP S read

According

to

Gen.

1.

" treasure Ps.-Jon. on

26,

"they

embalmed

him

(Joseph) and placed him in a coffin, and sank him in the middle of the Nile of

Egypt."

1.

A

''*'=<* ^^S). (a of incorruptible

Take up his hones {^-d g o

hi^-dg

"And," and add

Cf.

Exod. rabba xx. 17.

But

according to R. Nathan Joseph was buried in the palace of Pharaoh. See Jetoish Encyc. vii. 251. All the land (a A^bcdefg), adef read " all the land of Egypt " ; b A*** S^ " all Egypt."

Great

(a).

/3A^ read

"exceeding

gi'eat."

Recognise. dA.^ read "be able to recognise." IX. Tlieir father. ^S^ add "accordjug to the law of mourning." /3S^ add "from Their dejMrture.

Egypt."


THE TESTAMENT OF

THE THIKD SON OF

LEVI,

JACOB AND LEAH I.

The copy

of the

words of Levi, the things which he

ordained unto his sons, according to

that they should

all

and what things should befall them until the day of health when he called 2. He was sound in judgment. do,

them

to

should said to II.

him

;

for

die.

on

had been revealed

him that he

to

together he

them I,

Levi,

was born

father to Shechem.

years

it

And when they were gathered

of

age,

Hamor

for

2.

in Haran,

And

I

and

I

came with

my

was young, about twenty

when, with Simeon, I wrought vengeance our sister Dinah.

And when

3.

I

was

feeding the flocks in Abel-Maul, the spirit of understanding of the Lord their way,

came upon me, and

I

saw

all

men

and that unrighteousness had built

So a. ^-atZe AS read "Test, Title. of Levi concerning the priesthood" + "and arrogance," &/A<^'i^^S), c^eA^* ( "Test, of Levi third (eA'^* om.) son of .Jacob concerning the priesthood and arrogance." /3-a6AS add His sons {a ah). " before his death." What should befall them. Cf. Gen. xlix. 1 for phrase. Haran (aA^-^^). in IL Born ^A.b*cdefg (s?) read "conceived in

ing to T. Levi

xii.

5,

corrupting for

itself

Levi was eighteen

when Dinah was avenged Simeon was two years older than Levi. According to Jub. xxviii. 13, 14 the exact difference

in

months.

age was two years and two a reads "and then" for

"when" 3.

(^ AS). Abel- Maul— 'Al3e\fiaov\. This is Cf. Abel-meholah of the O.T.

the AccordJudg. vii. 22 1 K. iv. 12, etc. ing to Eusebius and Jerome it lay ten Roman miles to the S. of Scythopolis (Bethshean). See Encyc. Bib. i. 7 Corritpting their way. Cf. Gen. vi. 12 for phrase. A=^^*^ omit rest of verse and the first twelve words of ver. 4. TJiat unrighteousness towers a reads "sin was built (j8 A'^'^^gS'). ;

For "in Haran and born there." Haran, " however, heg AS read iv x°'P9" in joy." Even c rf/ give e;* Xappa. And I came (a A^^'^). jSA^'^^gS'-^ " read And after that I came." Since, accord2. About twenty years.

.

26

.

.


LEVI— CHAPTERS and lawlessness

walls,

i-II. 7

I.

27

upon towers.

sat

4.

And

I

was

grieving for the race of the sons of men, and I prayed

the Lord that I might be

to

upon me

saved.

5.

Then

there

fell

a sleep, and I beheld a high mountain, and I

was upon

And

6.

it.

behold the heavens were opened,

and an angel of God said

to me, Levi, enter.

Aa 7.

And

I

from the

first

And when

entered

7.

I

had

heaven.

entered into the

first

wall and unCf. righteousness sat upon towers." 1 En. xci. 5 "the righteousness will

upon

come

a

(oLKodofMeTTo)

to

an end

.

.

.

and

its

whole

building will be destroyed."

Unrighteousness

•

.

laivlessness.

.

had Zech. 8-11 in his mind. There two women in the prophet's vision go forth to build a house in Shinar for wickedness.

Our author seems

to have

V.

The race of the sons of men (o dfg). 6 e S read " the race of men. 4.

5. And Twos upon it {a.A^^^ save that for "it" A*'^'^ read "the mounj3Ab*gS read "this is the tain"). {gA^*^s moimtain of the shield "shields") in Abelmaul." On the situation of this mountain see vi. 1. II.

7-III.

We have here a remarkable

instance of variation between the two

The variation, moreover, recensions. is due to a deliberate redaction of the text (as Lueken, Michael, 92-94, was the first to recognise, and subsequently Bousset, though they have misinterpreted the details), in the course of which an original description of the three heavens was transformed into a description of the seven. Happily this redaction was not fully carried out in the case of a, and even in the case of /3 A^ S^ it is easy to detect the hand of the redactor. This is easiest in chap. ii. In ii. 7 (a) Levi sees much water in the

first

heaven, but

^ A^ & transpose

into the region between the

the

second heavens and

two heavens out of

one.

second heaven of a

8)

(ii.

into the third heaven of

Again

in

ii.

is /3

first

tlius

this

and

creates

Next the transformed

A^

S^

(ii.

8).

9-10 (a) we have a reference

7.

And

entered

I

from the

to the third heaven in which

first

God

heaven

dwells

A^ S^ this reference relates to the four higher heavens, in the highest of which, we must infer, God has His abode. Here the clumsiness of the redacted text becomes apparent ; for whereas the "thither" (f/cet) in ii. 9 (a) refers to God's abode in the third heaven plainly mentioned in ii. 10, in the text but in ^

A^ S^ the same word can only refer the four heavens definitely put forward in ii. 10. In ii. 10 indeed all recensions point to a single heaven where Levi is to stand near God. The redactor should have changed the "there" into " the highest of these " or some like phrase in order to give consistency to of

jS

to

his text.

1-8 the redaction has been out more thoroughly, though even there iii. 1-4 (a) has escaped its influence. In iii. 1-4 (a) there is an account of the three heavens, in the

In

iii.

carried

third of which

God

When we

dwells.

turn to ^ A^ S^ what is ascribed in a to the first heaven is said of the first and

second heaven

in

What

^ A^ S^.

ascribed in a to the second

is

is

ascribed

by /3 A^ SI to the third (and fourth ?). But in iii. 5-8 all the texts alike have suffered.

In

a, originally,

these verses

enumerated the various classes of angels in the third heaven, whereas now both a and j3 A^ S^ distribute these classes among the sixth, fifth and fourth heavens. In iii. 4-8 the reader will observe that the order of description is reversed. This awkwardness is due to the fact that the redactor could not Ijroceed with the original order of description unless by a complete rewriting of the text.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

28

and

saw

I

a

there

great sea hanging.

heaven. escorted

raised

to the second. I

saw

7.

into the second,

he

-}-and

8.

and

I

me"f

saw there a sea hang-

And

ing between the one

and the

there a great

other.

sea hanging. 8.

a

And

further I saw

And

8.

saw a

second heaven far

further

third

brighter

and

more

far brighter

brilliant,

for

there

brilliant

boundless

two

fheight also therein.

also

was

a

;

heaven

and more

than

for

these

there

the doctrine finds \itterance, such as the Ascension of Isaiah, the Apocalypses of Moses, Ezra, John, Isaac, Jacob, Zephauiah (see at length my edition Thus of 2 En. Introd. xxx-xlvii). the possibility of this redaction of our text in Hebrew may be regarded as established. But more than that can But though it may hardly be proved. be impossible to prove that the redaction originated in Hebrew, we can prove at all events that a and /3 are here as elsewhere independent versions of the

Hebrew. over

Thus

against

riToifiaaixevov

over against

in

iii.

1

(TTvyvoTepos els

rjixepav

ffTijyvos {^),

iii.

Kpiffews

(a)

2 (a)

'iroifMa eis riiiipav irpocTT&y-

6 dvaiav (a) over against TrpofftpopcLv in j3, iii. 9 rpifj-ofiev (a) over against craXevoneda in j8 can hardly On the other be explained otherwise. fiaros

(/3), iii.

hand the multitudinous resemblances point to the fact that the translator of use of the translation of a.

^ made

7. The original form of the text is For a further preserved in a alone. account of this heaven, see iii. 1, 2.

A"

corrupt and rendered exactly as

is

stands.

it

heaven

first

According to j3 A^ S^ the This agrees is empty.

with the description of the first of the seven heavens in the Talmud which consisted merely of a curtain (pV'i). When this was rolled up the light of the second heaven (y^pi) became visible (Ber. 58b).

The waters here referred Great Sea. to are the waters above the firmament. Cf. Gen. i. 7 ; Ps. cxlviii. 4 ; Rev. According to Jub. ii. 4 iv. 6, XV. 2. these were separated from the waters below the firmament .

.

.

(e;*

5^

vBara, to

i/x€piffdr] TO.

rfj

Sevr^pg.

T/yUicri/

avruiv

Epiph. These waters were Haer. Ixv. 4). masculine according to 1 En. liv. 8, and the waters on the earth feminine. From their union according to Assyrian myths the gods were produced. Hanging, i.e. Kpeixafievov. This is iirdvu

df^/Sij

rod

aretb/naTOs,

=

Could Kpefj.d/x€vov a peculiar idea. If so, this would be corrupt ypiD. for >"p-i or y'pn3 = "on the firmament."

The only

of the enforced here is its for that which was to be brightness found in it see iii. 3. This second 8.

second

characteristic

heaven ;

heaven appears

A

in

j3

A^ S^

was

boundless

a

•f-height therein.

The next question that arises concerns the date and language of the To this there can be no redactor. It is, however, not conclusive answer. improbable that the above redaction was made in the Hebrew. The doctrine of the seven heavens was current in Judaism before and after the Christian Thus it is given in a very elaborate era. It is taught in the form in 2 Enoch. Talmud, Chag. 12^ Ber. rabba c. 6. It appears to be implied in 4 Ezra vi. 81-87. In Christian apocalypses, which are founded in this respect on Jewish,

I

as the third.

According iheight also therein. to Pesach. 9i^ (cf. Chag. 13^, Ber. rabba 4, 6) the distance from one heaven


LEVI— CHAPTER And

9.

so

I said to the

Why

angel,

And

?

said

the angel

me,

to

this

is

Marvel

not at

this, for

shalt

see

II.

And I said What is Lord ? And he 9.

him

:

8-10

29

And

unto

9.

this.

the angel

said

is

unto me.

I

so

it

:

said

Wherefore

And

?

angel said unto

thou

unto

the

me

Marvel not at these

another

;

thou shalt see four

for

heaven more brilliant

other

and incomparable.

brilliant

heavens

more

and incom-

parable,

10.

And when thou

10.

hast ascended

thou hast

10.

When

ascended thither,

Thou

thither.

Thou

When

shalt stand

ascended thither.

shalt stand

before the Lord,

shalt stand near

the Lord,

another of the seven heavens vi^as But this a journey of 500 years. does nut justify the special statement in our text as to the second heaven, nor does the epithet boundless [dveipoi') improve matters. Moreover, the sense The second heaven is wrong. is "brighter" because there is a "height The word "height," ij^os, in it!" therefore appears to be corrupt, vtf/os = n3ii, corrupt for njj = 0^7705 or <pQs. to

This at any rate would explain the brightness of this heaven. According

Talmudic description (Chag. 12^) of the seven heavens, the sun, moon, and stars were in this heaven. But we to the

can hardly trust to this comparatively late statement to justify our

We

liave,

however, in

emendaiii.

3 a

it states that the "holy ones" dwell in the second heaven. That these should live in the light may be assumed. The righteous are called "spirits of light" (1 En. Ixi. "the generation of light" 12), (cviii. li). Thus, we should read "a bouudless (or "splendour") light

suihcient justification, as

therein."

10-12. These verses hardly seem to be in their right place. They would read well after iv. 2, both as regards

subject-matter and form.

thou

•^Because^

near the Lord,

tion.

thou hast

The occur-

rence of verse in this prose description of the heavens is unlikely. Moreover, since iii. 1 says that Levi has already been shown the heavens, we should expect a short description of the third heaven instead of the present text in 10-12. But these inconsistencies may be due to the writer and not to transpositions of the text for, according to v. 1, it was not until the angel had spoken as in ii. 20-iv. that Levi entered the third heaven. ;

And

10.

om.

token

"and" and

.

.

.

with the preceding sentence. "for when thither." .

.

/3S^

thither.

connect these words

A^

reads

.

If the text of a is right, this verse promises Levi's ordination to the priesthood when he has ascended into

the

heaven.

third

pi'omise

duly

is

In

v.

fulfilled.

1,

2

this

God Him-

self appoints Levi to the priesthood.

Thou

A^

shalt

insert

stand.

"because"

/3S^ but (6'ti)

not

before these

words.

Stand near the Lord and shalt be His These words designate Levi's minister. ordination to the priesthood : cf. Dent. 2 Chrou. xxix. 11. X. 8, xviii. 11. ;

They occur

in Isaac's blessing of Levi,

Jub. xxxi. 14.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

30

And

And

His

shalt be

minister,

And

that

shall

deemf

Israel.

clare to

And

unto men.

de-

men, pro-

shalt

claim concerning

redemption

the

re-

And by

thou

shalt

declare

shalt

men,

And shalt proclaim "fconcerning Him

His

And His mysteries

thou

mysteries

to

shalt be

minister,

And His coming

shalt declare

His mysteries

11.

And

His

shalt be

minister,

of Israel.

among

thee and Judah shall the Lord appear

men, rSaving every race of menl.

And from the Lord's portion shaU be thy And He shall be thy field and vineyard, And fruits, gold, and silver.

12.

III. Hear, therefore,

regarding the heavens

which lowest

been

have

shown

The

to thee. is for

this cause

III.

Hear,

first

heaven

See Sir.

;

in T. Sim. vi. 5 (a i3 S) After it as genuine.

add

iv

eavrQ or

eavri^,

explained as in T. Sim.

on

we may regard "saving" MSS which might be vi.

5 (see note

p. 23).

12.

From

the

Lord's portion,

etc.

The

seven

heavens. is for

this cause

gloomier, since

it

16 (note). In Deut. xxxii. 9 ; 17 Israel is said to be the

xvii.

ju^/3ts

Kvplov.

III.

1.

Cf. also Pss. Sol. xiv. 3.

Gloomy because

it

beholds,

This idea has been reproduced in the Greek Apoc. Baruch viii. (ed. James, Texts and Studies) and applied to the sun. ricffapes 0776X01 . dvaKaipl^OVCTLV ailTOU {TOf <TTi<paVOV TOV Ota rfKiov) rb /J.efj.o\vv0ai aiirbv nal rds aKTivas avroO eTri rrjs yrjs . . OecjpQjv Tas avoixlas Koi rds dSiKlas etc.

.

.

.

tQiv

Saving every race of men. This line omitted by A, but as it is found

the

lowest

viii.

there-

regarding

The

is for this

Concerning the redemption of Israel.

Ixxvii. 1).

fore,

were

to thee.

So A^. a /3 S are modified in a Cbristian sense and read tov fieWovros XvTpoOadaL A" om. rbv 'I. See 11. By thee and Judah, etc. note on T. Reub. vi. 5-12. Appear among men. According to the older view of second century Judaism, God was to appear on earth and dwell with men T. Sim. vi. 5 (see T. Lev. v. 2 (cf. 1 En. xxv. 3, note)

is

the

heavens which

shown

III. Hear,

there-

regarding

fore,

life,

dvdpwwwv

.

.

.

fj.o\vyeTai.

Apoc.

Esdrae

6 ovpavbs rl ^fiaprev ; fTreidr) rbv ovpavSv iffriv to KaKbv. Apoc. Pauli 4 Multum etenim sol quidem,

VTTo

luminare magnum, interpellavit dominum, dicens Domine deus omnipotens, ego prospicio super impietates et injusticias hominum. See James, Texts and Studies, V. i. 67 (Introd.). :

be-


LEVI— CHAPTERS gloomy unto

thee, in

beholds

II.

gloomy

cause

ii-III. 3

unto

31

holds

thee, since it beholds

righteous

unrighteous deeds of

the unrighteous deeds

men.

men.

of men.

2.

it

And

all

has

it

snow, and

fire,

And

2.

made

ice

hath

second

the

The

2.

snow

and

fire

deeds

second

of

has

snow, ice

fire,

un-

the

TallT

the

that

ready

ready for the day of

and

ice

made ready

for

judgment,

for

the

day

ordinance of the Lord

the

in

righteous judgment of

God all

in

for

;

it

the

of

the

in the righteous judg-

ordinances.

ment

are

the spirits of the

0,

retributions for venge-

day of the

In

it

of

the

ance on -fmen.

of God.

are all the spirits retributions

for

vengeance on the lawless.

3.

And

in the second

wicked men.

Fire, snow and ice made ready, etc. The treasuries of the ice and snow as well as the great sea (ii. 7) are also in the first heaven according to 2 En. iii.

Hence

3, V. 1.

this latter

work was

apparently acquainted with the a recension and not with the j3, which transposes the " fire, snow and ice

third are

hosts

the

2. The first heaven according to a contains the instruments of punishment

for

In the

3.

of the

are the hosts

of

xxxix. 28-30 Sirach enumerates the natural phenomena which are created for punishing the ungodly, and it is probable that it is only to such natural phenomena that our text refers. If so, instead of "spirits" we should render "winds." What was the Hebrew

behind eTraycoyQj' cannot be determined with any certainty. In Sir. v. 8 it is This a rendering of m3j;=" wrath."

would

suit oiir context.

For equivalent "destroying

into the second heaven.

expressions

It can hardly be a mere coincidence that we find in Sir. xxxix. 29 irvp koL XO-Xa^a Kal \l/x6s Kal Odparos, iravra

wind," Ezek. xiii. 13 "stormy wind." On the other hand the analogy of ver. 3 suggests that our author took nveOfxara as spiritual

radra

(KBlKrjaLv

eis

^KTicrrat.

That

these words

were before our author may with still more likelihood be inferred, when we pass on to the next statement, "the spirits of the retributions for vengeance on the lawless," TO,

i.e.

TTvevfiara

iKoiicrfffiv

dv6fx,(i}v

iira.'yojyuiv (j3

els

A^ S), and

with Sir. xxxix. 28, 30 irveifiara a eh â‚ŹKOiKr]cnv ^KricrraL

comjjare IffTiu

Tuv

rCiv

it

Kal po/j.(paia eKdiKovaa els oKedpov dae^els, and xl. 9, 10 eirayuiyal Xi/xos Kal ffvvTpifJLfj.a Kal fidcm^ CTri rot's In dvo/xovs iKTiaOr) radra irdvra.

,

.

.

cf.

Jer.

li.

1

(n'nt>'D)

(nni'D)

beings.

a reads "for

A7id in it (dA^). "in it."

in

it," iSS^

Lawless [dvofiwv). reads dvdpdnrwv, tion Sir.

of dvofioiv, xl.

10

eTri

i.e.

So ^

A^ S.

a

aviraiv a corrup-

"the lawless." Cf. rovs dvofiovs eKriadr)

irdvra radra. 3. The second heaven contains the angelic armies who are to destroy Beliar and his angels.

Hosts of the armies,

etc.

Such an

the


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

32

armies which are or-

armies which are or-

dained for the day of

dained for the day of

judgment,

to

spirits

judgment,

the

vengeance

and

of deceit

And

of Beliar.

them

work

on

vengeance

in

the

these

holy.

armed host is found in tlie fourth heaven according to 2 En. xvii., but their office

And (/cai

is

above

them are the holy ones So a eicriv ol ayLoi).

eV' avrovs

/3S^

see

the Messianic kingdom on earth, and dying, it states

And And

their bones will rest

on the earth.

their spirits will have

But

in Jubilees there

is

much

joy.

no resurrec-

tion of the body, whereas this is taught Whether throughout the Testaments. the author of the former believed in an

intermediate abode is nowhere stated, but such must have been tbe belief of the author of the Testaments, since the departed faithful were to rise in the body to enjoy the Messianic kingdom on earth, and the intermediate abode even could hardly have been heaven Hence the holy the second heaven. ones in the second heaven here are most probably to be regarded as The higher classes of angels "angels." As a rule are in the third heaven. at this date in Palestinian Judaism the righteous departed were not regarded as dwelling in heaven, but in the intermediate abode of souls, c. 5 Sheol cf. 1 En. xxii. 4-9, li. 1 (of. 4 Ezra iv. 41), 2 Mace. vi. 23. Again the first time that heaven is categorically described as the abode of the blessed after the final judgment

:

to be found in 1 En. civ. 2, ciii. xli. 2, li. 4 that is some time

4, 6,

between 100-50

different.

The language below). would most naturally point to the They may also mean the angels. spirits of the departed righteous, and in this case we might compare Jub. xxiii. 31, where, after enjoying life in (for

is

;

B.C.

t^4wd those in the fourth\ who are above these are holy [o'l 8i eis rby riraprov oi (bg om.) iirdvu roOTWf

(dg om.

i-TT.

TovT.)

dyioi

flaiv'\.

So

So A^ though slightly corrupt and adding rou 6eod after dyioi. If /3S^.

the text I mean the redacted text of /8 is rightly attested here, then this clause deals with the denizens of the fourth heaven. But if so, tlien we have a double description of them for they are described in ver. 8 also, aud since ver. 4 speaks of the seventh heaven, ver. 5 of the sixth, ver. 7 of the fifth, then ver. 8 rightly deals with the fourth. Hence, if there is any error it is in the closing words of ver. 3. Again, if these words are rightly handed down, how are we to explain the "for" with which ver. 4 begins. On these grounds I have obelized the clause in question. The corruption appears to lie in the words oi 5i eh rbv rirapTov. These = ^•])^'y^2w^ which I take to be corrupt for nj?n"i.Nm = 'cai ot reaaapes. Thus the text would run And the four heavens above them are holy." Thus in /3 there is no reference to "holy ones" in the fourth heaven. The text merely contrasts the character of the lower three heavens and of the four highest. Having thus declared that holiness is the characteristic of the four highest heavens he proceeds to enumerate them beginning with the most holy, i.e. the seventh.

'

:

'

the

-f-And those

fourth f

above

are

ones.

on

of deceit and

of Beliar.

holy

the

are

spirits

above

work

to

who are


LEVI— CHAPTER 4.

And

of

all

And

in the highest

4.

dwelleth

One

the

Great Glory, far above

is

III. 4, 5

Holy

fthe

of the holy ones

above

33 4.

"j-

all holiness.

all holiness.

For in the high-

est

of

the

Great

In

next

[the to]

it

archangels, ister

heaven are

5.

in

the hosts of

5.

pitiation to the

next to]

tering,

angels of the presence of

Lord

The highest of

all, i.e.

the seventh

it

are

Lord,

the

and

minister

— the

idea of a sacrificial service in been familiar to Judaism long before the composition

heaven must have

heaven.

This phrase is The Great Glm^y. found in 1 En. xiv. 20, cii. 3 God is "the king of glory" Ps. xxiv. 7, 8, 9. He is surrounded with glory, Exod. ;

xxiv. 16, etc. He is the "Lord of glory " 1 En. xxv. 3, 7, and will sit " on the throne of glory " 1 En. xlvii. 3. 5-8. In these verses even o has

undergone

all holiness.

And in [the heaven

the angels are minis-

the

who min-

And

and make pro-

4,

Glory,

the holy of holies, far

above 5.

dwelleth

all

redaction,

and what

was

originally an enumeration of the angels in the third heaven has become an enumeration of the angels in the sixth, for the refifth and fourth heavens dactor having just mentioned the seventh heaven naturally proceeds to the sixth, then to the fifth, and finally ;

to the fourth. In the sixth are the highest orders of angels ofi'ering sacrifice in the fifth are the angels who present the prayers (see note in loc), and in the fourth the angels who sang the praises of God. 5. ^In the heaven next to it\, i.e. the sixth heaven. This and similar clauses in 7, 8 are, as we have shown (p. 27, note), additions to the text. The fact that this propitiation takes place in the fourth heaven, Chag. 12^, does not make against the text, since the account in the latter is very much later than that in our text. Minister and ma.ke pro2ntiation e^LKacTKO/JLevoL). {XetTovpyovvTes /cat Since according to Exod. xxv. 9, 40 Num. viii. 4 the earthlj' altar and tabernacle were made after tlie likeness a of heavenly patterns or originals view which recurs in Heb. viii. 5, ix. 23 :

;

According to our of the Testaments. text this service was rendered by the angels of the presence in the sixth Later views took divergent heaven.

No two

independent accounts According to the rabbinic tradition as given by Rabbi Meir, second century a.D. (see Bacher, Ag. Tan. ii. 65), in the fourth heaven called Zebul were to be found Jerusalem, the temple, the altar, and Michael the lines.

agree.

great

prince.

imj; Snj.T

v^n

]2'\p

are

made

n'ai

ivn Vnd'ci 3'-ipDi.

D'Wn'

"7131

statements

Similar

in Sebach.

nc

naim lyipon

'133

62*,

Menachoth

Also in the description 11 Qa. Paradise Jellinek Bet ha-Midrasch

of iii.

137 (see Lueken, Michael 30-31). "And there in the heaven Araboth stands the great prince Michael and the altar before him, and all the souls of the righteous he offers on that altar Cjo

For Ninn nnion Sj; nnpn D'p'i^n hidb'j). other rabbinic passages to the same eff'ect see the admirable work of Lueken, The belief in the Michael (30-32). intercession of angels is found in the Thus in Zech. i. 12 the angel of O.T. Jahwe intercedes for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and the idea of man's appealing to the angels for their intercession finds expression in Job v. 1, In the second century B.C. xxxiii. 23. this doctrine appears to be very current. The angels are spoken of as the natural intercessors for

They

mankind

1

En. xv. 2,

are mediators between

God and

the

who make


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

34 for

all

the

ignorance of the right-

Lord

eous

of

the

to

propitiation

of

sins

'

for all the sins

ignorance

of

the

;

righteous. 6.

Offering

the

to

Lord a sweet-smelling

and

And

the

praising

Lord,

they

Lord

offer to

a

sweet-

savour,

smelling

a

reasonable and blood-

a bloodless offer-

less offering.

ing. 7.

And

6.

the

reasonable

a

savour,

8.

And

[in

the hea-

ven below

this]

the angels

who

are

bear

7.

Who

mes-

also are

sengers

And in

7.

[the heaven

below] are the angels

of the God-

who

head.

the

bear

an-

-f-answers to the angels

swers to the angels of

of the presence of the

the

Lord.

Lord. are addressed to Michael in especial prays for Israel Ixxxix. 76, and he is undoubtedly one of the archangels who offers sacrifice on behalf of man, as See mediator between God and man. In the first century B.C. T. Dan vi. 2.

man,

and prayers

them

1

En.

ix.

3

:

the belief in the intercession of angels was apparently general amongst the Such especially was the Pharisees.

duty of Michael, as the "merciful and longsuifering " xl. 9. His mediatorial

functions

are

presupposed

in

where his compassion for the fallen angels in torment almost leads him to intercede with God on

Ixviii.

3, 4,

their behalf.

Intercession,

moreover,

presence

of

Sins of ignorance, i.e. dyvolais. Cf. T. Reub. i. 6 T. Jud. xix. 3 T. Zeb. i. 5. ;

6.

;

Offering (a).

/3

A^ SS

" and they

offer."

Sweet smelling savour, Cf. Lev.

i.

6arfi7]v

evuSia^.

9 etc.

Reasonable (XoyiK-^v). Cf. Rom. xii. 1 In Origen, De Orat. xi. this reasonable priestly service is

\oyiKrjv \aTpeiav.

attributed to Raphael

:

irpoacpepovTos irepl Tw/Stjt

Upovpyiav

'Y'acpaTj'K .

.

.

fiev

\oyLKriv

T(p dâ‚Ź(^.

Bloodless offering. Such a conception may have contributed in later times to the aversion of the Essenes to

bloody sacrifices. Ant. xviii. 1.

all

Cf. Philo

ii.

457

;

was the duty likewise of Gabriel xl. 6, of all the angels civ. 1, and of the angels and of the departed righteous The prayers of men xlvii. 2, xxxix. 5. were presented before God by the seven

Josejjh.

cf. Rev. archangels Tob. xii. 12, 15 On the wide currency of this viii. 3. belief in Christian writings, see Lueken, Michael, 67 sqq.

cannot be right. If it were right, the text could only refer to a class of angels who mediated between God and the angels of the presence and brought His answers to the latter. Since these angels are not denominated angels of the presence we must regard them as belonging to a lower order, whose duty was to carry up the prayers of men to

;

Since ministering [XeiTovp-yovvTis) is here coupled with â‚Ź^L\aaK6/j.evoi, it is used in a sacrificial sense as in Neh. X.

39

;

Sir.

vii,

30.

irvevfiara. XeiTOVfyyiKO..

Cf.

Heb.

i.

14

7.

are

5.

The denizens said

to

"answers"

of the fifth heaven be the angels who bear

{ixTroKpiaeis)

of the presence.

to the angels

The word

diroKplcreis

the


LEVI— CHAPTER 8.

And

ven are

35

the hea-

-fin

next

III. 6-9

thisf

to

they

always

to

this are

in which always praises

which

in

the hea-

in

thrones and dominions

thrones and do-

minions,

And

8.

ven next

are offered to God.

offer

praise to God. a

9.

AS

;8

When,

SI

therefore,

us,

of

all

shaken

yea,

;

therefore,

the Lord looketh

the Lord looketh upon us

When,

9.

are

all creation,

the

vens

and the earth

9. The literary relations of this verse While it has words or are interesting. phrases in common with Judg. v. 4 ;

The latter the angels of the presence. would then offer the prayers together Rev. v. Cf. 8 with incense to God. ^idXas xpi'O'^J yefj-ovaai 6iiiJ.LafidT<jjv at elcnv at irpoaevxoX

tQv

(i\Xosd77eXos

Michael)

Kal idodr]

(i.e.

avnp

ayLijiv

;

.

.

^ii/xid/xara ttoXXo.

Sucrei Tols Trpocrevxous

tQv

4

viii. 3,

i7\^ej'

;

TO dvaiacrTTipiov

.

.

Is.

Ixiv.

.

.

.

dyiuiv TrdvTwv

they mediated between

God

and the angels of the presence. Such a class of angels as our text represents are mentioned in the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch xi.-xii., where

1

En.

4,

is

it

5

i. ;

(ot

iyp-qyopoi

Judith

15

xvi.

really dependent

Sir, xvi. 18,

19

:

ovpavbs Kal 6 oiipavbs toO ovpauov, d^vcraos Kal yri craXevd-qcrovrai if rfj iTriffKOTrfj avrov' afj.a rd 6pT} Kal to, de/j-iXia ttjs yyjs iv ry iiri^Xe^j/ai els avrd Tpd/xu) avvaeiovTai. iSov 6

.

6p6vov.

sixth, if

;

on the original of

'Iva

niSsn = TTpoae^ix'^^If the sevenfold division of the heavens in the text were original, these angels would naturally inhabit the

1

<TeLcrd-q<rovTai)

Ass. Mos. X.

.

ivihtnov rod Accordingly some corruption must underlie diroKpiaeL^. This word =^m3iB'n, which may be corrupt for

eirl

upon

the hea-

19.

Since our text reads 'orav odv Kvpios

P A^

i(p'

rj/iids,

ot

iTrij3\^\f/€i

TrdvTes

8)TpipL0fj.€v (a.aaXevdfXfea

(

+ rj/neis

^APS^)

Kal 6 ovpavbs (a. ^ A^ S^ ot ovpavoi) Kal aaXevovrai Kal ai dj3vacroi rj yrj (A om.), our two Greek recensions seem not to be dependent on the Greek version of Sirach, but are independent renderings of their own .

.

.

['

Michael

is

represented as receiving the

prayers of men which are brought by Cf. Apoc. angels from the earth. Pauli vii.-x. also Origen, De Princ. i. 8. 1 Michaelo niortalium preces supplicatiouesque curare ; Horn. xiv. 2 in Lib. Num. :

8.

The fourth heaven.

With

these

"thrones and dominions," cf. Col. 2 En. xx. 1. The i. 16 Eph. i. 21 singing in this heaven is ascribed in Chag. 121', the Apoc. Zeph. (Clem. Alex. Strom, v. 11, 77), and 2 Enoch ;

;

xviii.

heaven

9,

to (|nd),

the

angels

in

but in 2 En.

angels in the fourth.

the

fifth

xvii.

to

This we conclude Hebrew original. from the different forms in which Sir. xvi. 19^ appears in the two recensions of our Greek version and in the Greek of

The Hebrew

Sir.

is

here preserved

iB^pT cy-i g.t'jx ia>an3.

First

:

we remark

that our Greek version renders 6rav fVi/SXei^et where G of Sir. has ^v .

.

.

Ti2 eiri^Xifai. is

But

divergence in our text).

the

{cm /jLev,

/3

(Ta\ev6/J.eda,

ffvvcreioPTai.

more important rendering wv^Thus a has rp^/ttofar

in

and Greek of

Sir.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

36

heavens, and the earth,

and the abysses are

and

shaken,

abysses

the

are

shaken at the presence of

His majesty. of men, having no perception of these

But the sons

10.

things, sin

and provoke the Most High.

IV. Now, therefore, know that the Lord judgment upon the sons of men. Because when the rocks are being rent,

And the sun quenched, And the waters dried up, And the fire cowering, And all creation troubled, And the invisible spirits melting away, And Hades taketh spoils through the

shall execute

visitations of the

Most High,

Men

will be unbelieving

Having no perception 1

En.

.

.

.

sin.

and

Cf.

-^, mj 7 t nf Matt. Cf. ivT„+«. IV. The rocks are rent. CI 11 A J i-x, ,„„„ ,„„4xxvu. 51 " And the rocks were rent. •

1

sun quenched [a^ivvvfj-ivov). hi A. read "darkened" {crKOTi'gofj.hov). With the latter compare Matt. xxiv. 29; Mark xix. 24. The

Sol. Cf. Pss. Waters dried up. xvii. 21 ir7]'yal avv€ffxe0r]crav, Ass. Mos. X. 6 Et mare usque ad abyssum

fontes

et

iu sense with what prethough it is abnormally long. With the thought compare Is. v. 14 .,01 j j if j "Sheol -u hath enlarged her desire and -4.1, ti, without measure. opened her mouth Prov. xxvii. 20, xxx. cf. Hab. ii. 5 Qn the other hand it must be 15^ ig. confessed that it would be very natural

agrees well cedes,

Ixvii. 13.

decedet

persist in their iniquity.

aquarum

et flumina exarascent

;

deficient

4 Ezra

vi.

24,

i

.^i

^

4.

;

to

render,

"And

Hades

despoiled

through the suffering of the Most High," and support this view by comparing Matt, xxvii. 52, 53 "And the tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints

that had

fallen

asleep

were raised, etc."

Venae fontium stabunt. And Hades taketh spoils through the visitations of the Most High (Kal tou iL8ov (TKvXevofjL^vov eirl tQ wddet rod

In that case the line would of course be an interpolation.

have with much hesitation I have recognised this line as genuine. taken aKvXevofiivov as a middle participle though both the Armenian and

obedient ")

v\j/laTov).

I

Slavonic versions render it as a passive. jrddos generally has a passive sense, though the sense adopted above is the rendering in Its defensible. Armenian = 7rd^7;/ia, irddos or Ka/cwcrts. On the whole this line, taken as above,

-^^en will be unbelieving (dTn(7TovvTes,

^-d A^S.

ad

read

and

a.TreLdoCi'Tes,

persist.

With

"disthe

thought cf. Rev. xvi. 9, 11, 21, where despite the plagues and the earthquakes it is said that men repented not but blasphemed the God of heaven. Moreover, in 1 En. Ixvii. 12, 13 it is said that the boiling springs issue from the place of torment of the fallen angels, and are a warning to the wicked rulers of the earth as to their


LEVI— CHAPTERS On

punishment

this account with

lo-IV. 6

III.

37

shall they be judged.

'"Therefore"' the Most High hath heard thy prayer, To separate thee from iniquity, and that thou shouldest

2.

become

And 3.

The

4.

And And

Him

to

a son.

a servant, and a minister of His presence.

knowledge shalt thou light up in Jacob,

light of

as the sun shalt thou be to all the seed of Israel.

there shall be given to thee a blessing, and to

all

thy seed. Until the Lord shall visit

the Gentiles in His tender

all

mercies for ever. TAnd"! therefore there

5.

have been given to thee counsel

and understanding, That thou mightest instruct thy sons concerning Because they that bless -fHim

6.

And

they that curse

fHim

own

destiny, but that the latter will With refuse to believe that this is so.

the phraseology

Rom.

of.

vi.

1,

iiri-

fievcofxev rfj afiapria.

With

punishment

shall

he

tliey

judged. The expression seems corrupt. Possibly the corruption arose in the

Hebrew.

'Ev

^iT" n3i'i;D3,

rfj

KoXdaei. Kpid-qaovrai

may

where the verb

= be

corrupt for ijn;. Hence we should render " shall be delivered up to punishment." 2.

Heard thy prayer.

Become

to

Him

a

Cf.

ii.

4.

The view was a son

son.

that the individual Israelite of God was already current

in

the

second century B.C. Cf. Sir. xxiii. 1, li. and my note on Jub. i. 24. 10 (Syriac) ;

A

viinister

of His presence.

Cf.

Isaac's blessing of Levi in Jub. xxxi.

cause thee and 14 " May the Lord thy seed ... to serve in His sanctuary :

.

.

.

as the angels of the presence."

The light of knowledge,

etc.

xviii. 3.

4.

The

" blessing " here

is

(cf. v.

God's blessing of Levi and his as Jub. xxxi. 13 the God of all, the very Lord of May all the ages, Bless thee and thy children throughout all the ages. Until the Lord visit, etc. The genuineness of these words is supported by ver. 2 of the next chapter. A II the Gentiles in His tender mercies. is

it

seed

2), or

;

Here

a

/3

possibly

A^ S

attest

one

(or

two)

Christian modifications of the text, reading "all the nations in the tender

A* is corrupt. mercies of His Sou." Perhaps iravra ra 'idvf) is corrupt for " wav TO ^dvos= Israel." For ever. Here a /3 A S add " Nevertheless thy sons shall lay hands upon

Him

and crucify Him."

Concerning this (aae/S), i.e. God's coming presence amongst men. bdg A.^ read "concerning him " {avroxj), 5.

to sin against

Him."

This entire verse is found in Jub. xxxi. 17 in Isaac's blessing of Levi And blessed be he that blesseth thee, And cursed be every nation that curseth 6.

thee.

that pro-

nounced by the priests over the people (cf. T. Reub. vi. 10, note), the privileges of the priesthood

shall perish.

A" "not

That is, the law. On the phrase which is derived from Hos. x. 12, see note on 3.

this

shall be blessed.

shall be blessed They that Mess " He that blesseth (a A"). /3 A^ S read .

.

.

.

.

.

shall be blessed."


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

38

\

And

thereupon the angel opened to

me

the gates of

heaven, and I saw the holy temple, and upon a throne

Most High.

of glory the

And He

2.

said to

me

Levi, I

:

have given thee the blessings of the priesthood until I come

and sojourn brought

in

the midst of Israel.

me down

sword, and

said

me

to

because of Dinah, thy

And

5.

I said to

may

name, that I

And

6.

he

said

:

call

I

4.

And

I pray Thee,

upon Thee

am

There can hardly be any flliin. doubt from the sense of the context and the evidence of Jub. xxxi. 17 (see above) that for "him" {avrof) we should read "thee" {ae) in both lines. V. Thereupon (a). A"^ reads " having

Heaven. hitherto

second the third. :

/3A^S om. had

Apparently Levi only ascended into now he is admitted

the into

and njmn the throne a of glory the Most High (/3 A S). " reads the Holy Most High One upon a throne." The latter is peculiar. The The holy

temple,

fuller text appears to be original.

Cf.

4 (/3AS) "holy of holies," xviii. 6 "temple of glory." These are the oldest references I am aware of to a For later refertemj^le in heaven. ences cf. Rev. xi. 19, xvi. 17, etc. In Rev. xxi. 22, on the other hand, there is said to be no temple there. The belief in heavenly originals of the tabernacle, etc., is found of course in the O.T. 2. Until I come and sojourn. Cf. iv. 4 T. Sim. vi. 5. 3-4. And gave me a shield heavenly tablets. These words at first sight look like a Jewish interpretation, since Levi makes no attempt in the next chapter to justify himself to Jacob

iii.

;

.

.

.

Lord,

in a

angel

the

the nation of Israel that they

said this."

I destroyed at that time

written in the heavenly tables.

it is :

a shield and a

and I will be with thee because

sister,

him

Then the angel

me

Execute vengeance on Shechem

:

the Lord hath sent me. the sons of Hamor, as

3.

and gave

to the earth,

may

me Thy

tell

day of tribulation.

who

intercedeth

for

not be smitten utterly.

on the ground of a divine command.

But

by the in vi. 2. Moreover, the delivery of the shield and sword made to Levi in a dream vision (cf. ii. 5, v. 7), and the reality of the gift are authenticated by Levi's discovery of the shield on the mountain where he beheld the vision, cf. ii. 5, vi. 1. Thy sister (/3-rfS om.). Me. should expect thee." 4. Cf. Gen. xxxiv. 25-27 Jub. XXX. 4. This verse comes in awkwardly here. similar statement is made in Jub. XXX. 23. this silence can be justified

statement

We

'

'

A

Heaxenly Ash. ii. 10, note on Jub.

tables vii. iii.

5 10.

(/3A^Si). (/3ASi). '

Cf.

See

T.

my

tables of the

fathers."

Tell{^-aA&}. a reads " teach. Gen. xxxii. 29. 6. The angel who intercedeth for the nation of Israel. Cf. T. Dan vi. 2. 5.

Cf.

Here

follow ^-d irapaiToiixevos t6 textual evidence is here very conflicting, a reads 7rapew6fj.ei>o$ Tov 7^voi's. This might be a rendering of Dyn-Sy nmy (cf. 1 Kings xxii. 19 Gen. xlv. 1, Sy as:) and mean " attend-

yivoi.

I

The

;

ing on the nation." In Esther viii. 11 ix. 16 this Hebrew phrase is rendered by ^oTjdelv. But wapeirdfievoi is possibly a corruption of irapaiTov;


LEVI— CHAPTER every

for

evil

attacketh

spirit

V. 1-7

39

And

7.

it.

after

these

things I awaked, and blessed the Most High, and the angel Since

recurs in 2 its presence here is not a mere accident. The remaining authorities d XS^ are closely related, d reads TrpoicrTdfj.€Vos tov yivovs, (pv\a^ TOV yivovi (but bahaban in = 0y\a^ is corrupt for bashdeban VTrepacnriffTris), adi^wv t6 yevos. Since in ver. 7 d reads vfjiepacriri'^ovTa it is possible that dv.tSi; [:j is the original /xevo^.

a

Dan

in T.

Trapeird/jLevos

vi.

A A =

&

to which

d and

A

go back, and so we

have "who protecteth the nation," whereas Trapairovfievos to y4vos presupposes cyh ins. Cf. Asc. Is. ix. 23 (Latin and Slavonic) Iste est magnus augelus Michael deprecans semper pro humauitate. In the Hebrew T. Naph. ix. 2, however, the phrase used for "intercessor" is yho. should

Uhus we have " who intercedeth

to choose between for " {^-d) and "who

protecteth" ((^AS^). The internal evidence of T. Lev. v. 5-6 and T. Dan vi. 1-6 appears to favour the former, as we .shall see in the next paragraphs.

We who i.

is

have now to discover,

if possible,

the angel designed in the text.

He

is

not narrowly represented as

conceived as the intercessor for the righteous of all nations, their jrrotector against Satan or Beliar, and the

mediator bettoeen God and

Man.

and Hebrew

T. Napth. ix. 2 sqq., that whereas the nations are put under the dominion of angels, Israel is not, but is God's own portion. The angel ;

is not the mere patron of Israel, but the guardian of the righteous of all

here

nations T. Lev.

v. 7,

and the

spiritual

mediator between God and Israel, or rather between God and man T. Dan vi. 2. In keeping witli this larger conception he is pitted, moreover, not against the patron angels of the Gentile nations as in Dan x.-xii., but against the kingdom of Satan or Beliar T. Dan vi. 2, 3 T. Benj. vi. 1. The idea that Israel was under a patron angel like the seventy Gentile nations was subsequently revived as a Rabbinic doctrine in the Targ. Ps.-Jon. on Gen. xi. 7, 8, Deut. xxxii. 8 (see Weber''^, Jud. Theol. 170 sq.; Jewish Encyc. viii. 536). ii. This angel may be Michael or the angel of peace, or both these angels may be referred to in T. Lev. v. 5-7 T. Dan Michael is generally conceived vi. 1-6. in Talmudic literature as the intercessor ;

;

;

Israel in its final struggles xc. 14,

most probably Michael,

as

and champion of Israel. But it is clear from Dan. x, 5-6 and T. Dan vi. 5 that another angel besides Michael for

concerned on behalf of Israel. In Dan. x. 5-6, 11«, 12-14, 19-21, xi.-xii. this angel is nameless, but in T. Dan vi. 5 he is called " the angel of peace." In Dan. x. this nameless angel is of very glorious appearance (5-6) and fights for Israel with the help of Michael In T. Dan vi. 5 the angel of (19-21). is

In Dan. x. 13, 21, xii. 1, Michael is described as the guardian angel of Israel the view apparently presented in (^AS^ above. But this view had but little currency in second century authorities for 1 En. xx. 7 does not support it as it reads Mixa'ijX, 6 eh tCcv ay'iwv dyy^Xwi', 6 eTrt tQv tov \aov passage ayadQv. This represents Michael as the patron angel of the the saints in Israel not patron angel of the nation. Nor can 1 En. Ixxxix.xc. be said to support the view in Daniel for the angel who intercedes for Israel Ixxxix. 76, and is sent to help is

;

XV. 31, 32

;

the national angelic g^iardian of Israel against the other nations, but broadly

who

angelic patrons of the nations Ixxxix. 57-61, and is appointed to enter in a book their dealings with Israel. On the other hand it is definitely stated in Dent, xxxii. 8-9 (LXX) and Sir. xvii. 17 Jub.

and he

is

one of the seven archangels xc. 22, is expressly distinguished from the seventy

peace strengthened Israel, " so that it fall not into the extremity of evil (fiT] ^fiTrecrelv

et's

tAos

KaKiHv)."

The

context shows, Now the very same is a spiritual one. statement is made in connection with the angel mentioned in T. Lev. v. 6 " I am the angel who intercedeth for the nation of Israel that they may not be smitten utterly (/j.t] iraraxOvvai avToiis els tAos), for every evil spirit Hence the angel in T. attacketh it."

danger of

Israel, as the


40

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

who

intercedeth for the nation of Israel and for all the

righteous.

And when

VI.

was going

I

wherefore also the

brazen shield

;

Aspis, which

is

my

my

my

not to be circumcised

Lev. V, 5-7 may be "the angel of (For references to the angel peace." of peace as the conductor of righteous soula, see T. Ash. vi. 6 ; T. Benj. vi. 1.) Further, we remark that this angel in presumably the angel of T. Lev. V. peace escorts Levi through the various heavens T. Lev. ii.-v. Now this presumption that he is the angel of peace is strengthened by the fact that the angel who conducts Enoch through the heavens is called the angel of peace in 1

En.

xl. 8,

lii.

5,

liii.

Moreover,

4, etc.

we may trust 1 En. xl. 8, 9, we must regard Michael and the angel of peace

if

Now

as distinct beings.

to

find references

Dan

it is

possible

both angels in

to

1-6, or to regard the angel of peace " as a gloss in vi. 5 and so interpret the whole passage of Michael, or even to interpret the passage as dealing with the achievements of the angel of peace On the attribution of similar only. functions to Michael and the angel of peace in later literature see note on T. Benj. vi. 1. So That they may not he smitten. A. Cf. T. Dan. vi. 5 6 HyyeKos eviffx^cni Tbv 'IcrparjX, wfj ifj-ireadv avTov et's reXos a/3 read "that one may not KaKwv.

T.

smite

vi.

" the

phrase

them"

Utterly,

[rov

{^-d "utterly."

tacketh 7.

it

Awaked.

And

fxr]

Trard^ai avrovs).

for every

Levi .

for I VI.

a om., fell .

.

asleep in ii. 5. the righteous

A^ S^). The details are " and the angel who intercedeth for (irapai.TO'jfievov 13, but A^ = <pu\aKa or (pvKaaaovra. (|S

:

" protecteth," S^ au^ovTo) the nation of Israel and for all ( + the ranks of A^) the righteous (a/S^ righteous "). a omits.

om.

"the

is

And

2.

after this I counselled

the sons

bid

of

was jealous because of

wherefore also of the mountain is Aspis "Shield in which a reads i^-dS^d). {if (J) the name of the mountain ig

the

Sliield (d(77r/5a)

:

name

A "Wherefore I (A/s "he") called the name of that (A^ om.) mountain Aspis." Prof. Sayce suggests that 'Affwls is a bad rendering of jv^v, which was also another name Cf. Deut. iii. 9. of Mt. Hermon.

called Aspis."

Hermon

about 40 miles from Gebal. This maritime town is the Byblus of the Greeks. To the south of Abila (6 S^). aef is

Gebal.

read 'A/St/xa, d 'AyUTjjSd, A" A^ivd, a om. Abila, i.e. Abilene, is about 10 miles N.W. of Hermon.

{g'>)Ap

2.

Cf.

Dan.

28

vii.

jtibj 'aSa Nn'?Di

rendered in LXX and Theodotion by (cat TO pTJfia iv { + rfj Theod.) Kap8ia fxov Since our iffrripi^a (5uTr)py]<Ta Theod.). text has Kal avveT-qpovv Toiii \6yovs TovTovs (V

TTj

Kapdig. fiov, it is clearly

independent of both Versions. Luke ii. 19 avv€T-qp{L TO. prjfiaTa ravra avfi^aKXoi'cra ev rrj Kapdia avrrji shows strange The second agreement with our text. dream vision ends with like words, viii. 19. See, however, LXX of cf. Dan. iv. 25, toi)s Xoyovs iv rfj Kapdia avverripriae.

at-

reads

found a

mountain

of the

brother, to ;

3.

A^ S^).

the angel

spirit

evil

And

heart.

and Keuben

father,

Hamor

name

father, I

near Gebal, to the south of Abila.

kept these words in

I

my

to

And

after this

/3A"Si read "and selled. "

2Iy

A^"* c d

brother,

I counselled

(/3

= " and c

'

I said.

om.

The negative

Not.

(a).

S^ om.) I coun-

is

found in

c

It be right. But partially justifies Levi's conduct. all the sons of Jacob gave this counsel The according to Gen. xxxiv. 13 sqq. Book of Jubilees xxx. 1-4 and Josephus {Ant. i. 21. 1) omit all reference to the circumcison of the Shechemites.

only,

but appears to


LEVI— CHAPTER And And

4.

41

my

abomination which they had wrought on

the

5.

VI. i-io

slew

I

Shechem

after this

my

first,

and Simeon slew Hamor.

brothers came and smote rthafi city

with the edge of the sword. things""

sister.

And my

6.

father heard ^these

and was wroth, and he was grieved in that they had

received the circumcision, and after that had been put to death,

and in

his blessings he "flooked amiss

upon

us.

7.

For we sinned because we had done this thing against his

and he was sick on that day.

will,

the sentence of

God was

for evil

8.

But

saw that

I

upon Shechem

for

;

they

sought to do to Sarah ^and Kebeccai as they had done

Dinah our

to

And

but the Lord prevented them.

sister,

9.

Abraham our father when he was a stranger, and they vexed his flocks when they were big with young and Eblaen, who was born in his house, they most they persecuted

;

shamefully handled.

10.

And

thus they did to

taking away their wives by force, and they On my

sister (a A'').

/3

A^ S^ read

"in Israel"— a readiug which may be due to the influence of Gen. xxxiv. 7. Gen. xxxiv. 25, 26. 5. According to Gen. xxxiv. 25, 27 Simeon and Levi slew all the males in the city, and their brothers merely plundered the dead. 4.

Cf.

A =

My

brothers (ad). "our brothers," /3-fZ S^ "the brothers." Smote that city with the edge of the sword. Cf. Gen. xxxiv. 26; Jub. XXX. 25.

^-dAS^

8.

•!•

all strangers,

banished them.

Upon Sliechem (^ A S^). a om. and Rebecca. The Shechem-

Sarah,

had no part in these matters cf. Gen. xx. 3 sqq., xxvi. 7 sqq. ^"^ Rebecca (a). Other authorities

i^es

:

oni-

"

Or 9- ^'S' ^"^'^^^ young (oyKovfj-eva). when they were growing large." £blaen (c). The name appears

variously as lekblae («6e), leblaen (e/),

Amblaem

(A^).

Their wives {j3-af AS^). read "the strange women." 10.

aaf

read "the

^ Banished (hi K^ i^evrfkaTovv). c which is corrupt points to the same

Gen. xxxiv. 30 Jub. xxx. 25 he reproached them because they had put the city to the sword." My (a), rf A read "our," ^-d8^ om.

^evyjXarovvTei. read reading. /3S^ them " is Since the next word /3-& cm., b alone feminine (avrds, so a.

That

city (a).

city-" 6.

"

Cf.

;

And

These things

^AS^om.

(a).

After that (^ A&). a om. \ Looked amiss upon %is Trapeldev v/jup). i.e.

iiroiiqaev).

I

a,

g A^ ^^ read "did inequitably (dWws cannot explain these

divergencies. 7.

He was

authorities read

sick.

"

I

So cb. was sick."

'

reads avrois and A^ = avTdj or aiirovs), Now i^evrithe verb appears wrong. xdroi'i'

(so

13-d

otherwise,"

'

Other

=

fin'T

which

may

also

be

ai)Tds= "seduced them," i.e. to idolatrous worship. Cf. Deut. iv. 19, xiii. 14, xxx. 17 ; 2 This use is also Chron. xxi. 11. Or we might render simply Rabbinic. "they forced them." For this meanIn Jub. xxx. ing cf. Prov. vii. 21.

rendered

dTreTrXdj'aij'


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

42

But the wrath

11.

came upon them

of the Lord

the

to

uttermost.

And

VII.

my

said to

I

father Jacob

Lord destroy the Canaanites, and

and

thee

thy seed after thee.

to

:

By

thee will the

will give their land to 2.

For from this day

forward shall Shechem be called a city of imbeciles

man mocketh

a

a

did

fool, so

we mock them,

they had wrought folly in Israel by defiling

also

And we

3.

;

for as

Because

my

sister.

departed and came to Bethel.

And

VIII.

there again I saw a vision even as the former,

after

we had spent

seven

men

there seventy days.

in white raiment saying unto

me

2. :

And

I

saw

Arise, put

on

the robe of the priesthood, and the crown of righteousness. 7-1" the penalty of death

is ordained heathen in connection with his destruction of Shechem. Cohabitation with a Gentile was regarded as equivalent to worship of the Gentile idols. See my note on Jub. xxs. 10. 11. This verse, as Grabe {Spiceleg. Patrum 1698, i. 138) saw, was adopted by St. Paul in 1 Thess. ii. 16 •i<pda(Tev di e7r' avTods rj opyr] tov Oeov (D E F G, it, vulg. go, but most authorities om. Tou Qeou). For " God " which a reads

for intermarriage with the

,

^S^ read "Lord," but A^ om.

(pddvo}

as also in T. Reub. v. 7 T. Naph. vi. 8 has lost the idea of priority as in Alex;

andrian Greek.

It preserves

Naph.

ever, in T.

how-

it,

Again.

kB^

"My

2.

A" om. Lord Jacob )

Shechem

Cf. Sir.

ivibeciles.

KaTOLKuiv iv

a

city

26 6 Xa6s

1.

IiLkI/j.ois

:

also

my

{d om.).

called

be

of

/xujpbs 6

John

iv.

22,

48 on the later attitude of the Jews to the Samaritans. viii.

Wrought folly in xxxiv. 7

J/y 3.

;

Jub. XXX.

(a A^).

^3

Departed

Israel.

Cf.

Gen.

5.

S^ read " our."

(aadf).

A**

=

,

vision contained in this referred to in Jub. xxxii. 1

The "again"

refers to the

vision not to the locality.

A vision even as the former. This statement recurs in ver. 18. See preceding note. Seven men. These are of course This sacred heptad of angels is hrst mentioned in Ezek. ix. 2. Their names are first enumerated in 1 En. xx. with a description of their functions. 2.

angels.

Robe of the priestlwod, etc. With enumeration of the garments of the high priest we should compare the following somewhat inconsistent accounts. Exod. xxviii. 4, 36-38, xxix. this

"de-

parted ihence," beg "took our sister " ( + Dinah e) from thence and departed departed"). (g om. "from Came to Bethel. Cf. Jub. xxxi. 3 Gen. xxxv. 6. .

The is

"And Levi dreamed that they had ordained and made him the priest of the Most High God, him and his sons forever." In Jubilees, however, the dream is placed after Levi had seen Isaac his father's father, and returned to Bethel, whereas in our text this visit to Isaac is made after the vision. It will be seen in the See ix. 1. following notes, that much of the material of this chapter is found in Jubilees, but in slightly different connections. See, however, note on ix. 3 as to the possibility of a corruption in Jub. xxxi. 1.

v. 6.

VII. Ml/ father Jacob (a), ^-b read father: Be not angry, (af'j.

VIII. chapter

,

;

5.

The breastplate [wn, Xoyeiov or ephod (iisx, eirwfxU), robe

•KepicrTTjdiov),

(V'ys, woSijpns), coat (nriD, x"''^'')'

mitre


LEVI— CHAPTERS and the breastplate truth,

and the plate of

faith,

with a goldeu plate (fs, iriraXof xpvo'ovv) on which was inscribed

Holy to Yahwe " (Exotl. xxviii. 36and girdle (1233N, ftii-T?). Breeches (q'DJDD, TrepiffKeXij) were to be worn by the high priest on the day of atonement, Lev. xvi. 4, and by ordinary priests on "

38),

sacrificial occasions

In the

LXX

of

(Exod. xxviii. 42). xlv. 8-12 the

Sir.

breeches, robe, ephod and breastplate are mentioned in 8-10. Here the Hebrew differs and gives breeches, tunic, robe, ephod and cincture (nnx). To the above ver. 12 adds the golden crown (i3 mnV) (XT€(pavos xpucoOs) over the turban, and the golden plate (lost in

LXX) with its inscription. Next Philo (De Vita Mos. iii. 11-14) speaks of this robe which he calls virodvTTjs (so also in Exod. xxxix. 22), ephod, breastplate, and golden plate which was wrought like a crown (arecpafos) with the sacred name, and under the plate w;is a /j-lrpa that the plate might not touch the head, and under it a Kidapis. For another similar account see Jje 3! on.

ii.

7. 1-6)

5, 6.

Again Josephus

(..4;;^. iii.

describes the following garments

breeches

:

[fiafaxda-iju a corrupt trans-

literation of cajr;;), girdle, tunic

and

robe (both of which are described as X(.Til}v TToSrjpTjs), ephod, breastplate, and Above this a cap (ttIXos, i.e. nsric). cap there was another cap, and around it a golden fillet {arifpavos xpt'Cfos) of three rows, one above another, on which there was a golden plate (reXa^idjj' Xpi'creos) engraved with the sacred name (cf. Jer. Ep. ad Fab. Ixiv.). The cap (TTiXos, nSJi'o) without the above addiwas according to Josephus tions (iii. 7. 3)

and

Yoma

vii.

5

worn

also

by the

ordinary priest, but this was not the In the earlier work Bell. O.T. usage. Jud. v. 5. 7 somewhat different terms are used and somewhat inconsistent details are given. Thus we have the breeches, tunic (here calle<l viroBiTrjs), robe, girdle (^djvrj), ephod, linen turban (TLiipa §v(T<tIv7)) encircled by a golden

on which was engraved the sacred name, but according to Ant. iii. 7. 6 this name was inscribed on the golden plate which was on the forehead. For other accounts see £jj. fillet

(xpi'coDs CT€<pavos),

2

43

and the garment

of understanding,

Kidapii),

(nsjJi'D,

VI ii-VIII.

of

and the turban of the fhead. Const, ed Schmidt in Merx, Archiv

271 f. above

See also Encyc. Bib. on

all

i.

the

articles of dress.

From

the preceding accounts we are enabled without diflBculty to identify the seven articles of high-priestly attire. Thus the aroXr} is the tunic or coat, the (TT^cpavos the crown (may), the \6yLov

the breastplate (frn), the -jroSrjpris the robe (Vvd), the ireTaXov the plate (j"<s), the fiirpa the turban (ns::iD), and the ephod. Some difficulty, however, attaches to the nouns depending on them, as one, or two of them, is corrupt. On the atoning efficacy of each of the above garments see Zebach. 88'^. Savj. A adds "there." Mobe {crToX7)v). This is the nohs or tunic

the

of

xxviii. 4,

39

;

Exod.

ordinary priest xxix.

5,

etc.

;

or of the

Ezra ii. 69. Cf. Sir. of righteousness. 12 (TTecpavov xpKcoCv eTrdvw

high priest Lev. xvi. 4

;

Cmvn xlv.

Kt5d/)ecoj where the Hebrew describing the crown of Aaron has nsjiio S'l'D TS m::f -ins is the Talmudic word for crown in

this connection.

Cf. PI.

Aboth

iv.

13

nn3 "crown of the priesthood" (Levy, Neuheb7-alsches Worterb. ii. 440). to Breastplate of understanding. \6yiov rijs crvv^(reo}s = hDa'n [a-n where Thus '73:i'n may be corrupt for asjcD. we should have "the breastplate of judgment." Cf. Exod. xxviii. 15 ; Sir. xlv. 10. yan is also rendered irepi(tttjOlov (Exod. xx^^ii. 4). Oarment of truth {wodrjpri rrjs dXr]The irodrjpT]^ is the ^70 or 6eias). r:r\7[2

outer robe worn over the inner tunic It was, accordfng to P, the robe (n:n3). of the high priest, made of purple stuff (Exod. xxviii. 31, xxix. 5) with skirts around which were alternate coloured pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, and golden bells, Exod. xxviii. 33-34, xxxix. 24-26.

Plate of faith {iriToXov

Here ireraXov = yi:.

rrjt iriareus).

On

the

various

meanings assigned to this word, Encyc. Bib. iii. 3157. Turban of thef head (/j-irpav Ke<l)aX7Ji

shows, we

and

so

see rrjs

the context require some abstract noun,

a).

Here,

K€<paXT]s

as

cannot

be

right.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

44

and the ephod of prophecy. (these things)

3.

And

they severally carried

and put (them) on me, and

me From

said unto

:

henceforth become a priest of the Lord, thou and thy seed for

ever.

And

4.

the

me with

anointed

first

holy

oil,

and

The second washed me me with pure water, and fed me with bread and wine (even) the most holy things, and clad me with a holy and glorious gave to

robe.

the staff of judgment,

6.

ephod.

7.

The

8.

The third clothed me with a linen vestment like an The fourth put round me a girdle like unto purple.

me

gave

fifth

And

might serve

I

12.

greater than

And

the

none

it shall

{

= evdvrrjTos),

corriipted on the one Ke<pa\7]s) (

which

and on the

—

into c'Ui ( other into nsiD

"God"), thou and thy (/3AS^). '

'

a reads thy seed."

(A" read

seed for ever

"A

priest,

thou

Cf.

Most High God, him and ever." These words refer See

of Levi.

chapter.

note

at

his sons for-

to this vision

beginning

of

hands with

Lord

God.

Ofjudgment

5.

And

(^

a om.

A. ^^).

the second (aA^).

Bread and wine [ecen), the most holy things (c i ^ S^). h A read " holy bread and wiue." Cf. Gen. xiv. 18, where Melchizedek presents bread and wine to Abraham. This seems to be 7. Girdle (^wvt)). the t::nx (Exod. xxviii. 4 sq.). A'' reads

"And

is

The second

13.

sixth filled

my

shall be in

hands with incense that

might serve as priest before the Lord." "And the sixth and seventh gave me the diadem of the priesthood and again filled my hands with incense I

A.cdefg

that, etc.

Diadem of

10.

on

viii.

" crown

the priesthood.

of

See

righteousness

2.

Cf. Exod. xxviii. Filled my hands. 41, xxix. 9 for this phrase signifjing ordination to the priesthood. (a). /3 A S om. The three offices here referred to r.re described more fully in the next three verses. They are to be signs of

God 11.

So a

{Kai (c om.) 6 TrpuJTOS KXrjpos ^crrai /ti^7as

jSA^S-'

read "the second."

Soa^S^.

who

the coming of the Messiah. 12. And the frst portion, etc.

Cf. Sir, xlv. 13.

4.

9-10.

my

portion shall be great; yea,

note

Jub. xxxii. 1 They made him the priest of the all

filled

as priest to the

be.

was

hand

= fftjfjLeiov " miracle "). 3. A priest of the Lord

and

The seventh placed on

10.

first

hdeg A."- read tov arj/jifiov, and ÂŤ/S^ rod ffTTjdiov. The latter may be explained as a corruption or correction of arj/xeiov. Perhaps the original word

nwo

The sixth

a sign of the glory of the Lord

offices, for

come.

was

9.

they said to me: Levi, thy seed shall be divided

into three to

head,

head a diadem of priesthood, and

incense, that

11.

a branch of rich olive.

my

placed a crown on

my

5.

the

Kai kt\.). bdeg support a save that they interpolate iriaTevaai before irpC)Tos and beg om. Kai liefore virip. af give a corrupter form of bdeg. S^ is defective. This iricrreijaas has made "And those its way into A also. who believe first shall have a great portion " ( -f- " and greater than it shall

A=

none be " A^).

This rendering supposes

a necessary correction of A^.


LEVI— CHAPTER the priesthood.

14.

new name, because establish a new Gentiles [to

45

the third shall be called by a

a king shall arise in Judah, and shall priesthood,

the

all

And

VIII. 3-15

after

Gentiles].

15.

the

f fashion of the And his presence is

The text here clearly refers to Moses, the greatest of Levi's descendants, as Bousset has already recognised.

" a king shall arise from J." as a Christian interpolation. The corruption was due to accident, or to a scribe

a/SA* 13. And the second (hi A^). read " the second." The second here refers to Aaron and the Aaronitic

who worked

priesthood.

And

14.

the third

/3A»

(aA^S^).

read "the third." The Greek here is 6 5^ Tplros iirLKKjjdr)very Hebraic. creraL airrQ 6vofJ.a Kaivov

— tnp''

^^\ff^h•c'n^

The third. The reference here is to the Maccabean prince priests, and in particular to Johannes Hyrcauus, as the next verse will show. A nexv name. The Maccabean prince priests were the first Jewish priests to assume the title "priests of the Most High God. This title anciently borne by Melchizedek (Gen. xiv. 18) was revived by the new holders of the high priesthood. They are so designated in the Rosh ha-Shanah 18^, "In such a year of Johanan priest of the Most

God

High

"

;

Assumpt.

summi Dei

sacerdotes

;

Mos. vi. 1 Joseph. Ant.

2 where Hyrcanus H.

xvi. 6.

is

called

vxpicxTOv. Cf. Jub. 16 notes, and viii. 15 The Macof the present Testament. cabean high priests were to be called by a new name, because they were to establish a new priesthood {lepareiav

deov

dpxi-epevs

clause,

to bring the text into line

with the prophecies which foretold a Messianic king /j-om Judah. Neiv priesthood. See note on " new name," ver. 14 and xviii. 2. After the ffashion of the Gentiles [to I have bracketed the latter phrase as a dittography in the Hebrew. The former phrase is corrupt. Bousset thinks it can be explained as referring to the secular authority attached to the priesthood of the Maccabees. But the authority of their predecessors, the Hellenistic high priests, was also secular. The object of our author here is ajjparently to show that the intercessory functions of the new priesthood are not to be confined to Israel but to be extended to the Gentiles. This would be simply another instance of our author's universalism, evidences of which are found in all the Testaments (see note on T. Benj. ix. 2). Now Kara all the Gentiles'].

TVTTov tQiv idvG>v

=

corrupt for c^un

i"'7D'7

(0vCiv.

'jsS which is /xeaiTrjv twv Thus we should render the Q-'-\:,n

= f'S

xxxii. 1, xxxvi.

context " establish a

vedv).

be an intercessor (or mediator) for the Gentiles." This idea follows as a matter of course if the Gentiles were to go up to worship at Jerusalem as the Hebrew prophets foretold.

According to 1 Mace.

King. 41

(cf.

xiii.

42, xiv. 42, xv. 1)

xiv.

Simon

was appointed by a decree of the nation to be high priest, military commander, and civil ruler of the Jews {dpxi-epevs, By this (TTparriyos, and iOvdpxv^)decree a new high-priestly and princely dignity was founded and declared hereditary.

Jewish

See Schurer, History of the Div. i. 1. 265. The

people,"^

<XTpaT7]y6s

titles

amply

justify

and edvdpxv^ would use of the term

the

jSactXei's. Ill

Though a /3 read eK rod rov'l. or ev rip 'I.) we read iv tw 'I., unless we take the

Judah.

'Io6Sa {A

must

= iK

new priesthood

to

15. This verse serves to date the Verses 14-15 refer to present work. the Maccabean dynasty just as ver. 13 refei's to the Aaronitic priesthood. As ver. 14 speaks of the union of king and priest in one person as in Simon, so this verse speaks of the gift of prophecy as combined with the functions of kingship and priesthood. Now the triple offices of prophet, priest, and king were only assigned to one man, i.e. John Hyrcanus, throughout the entire history Thus Josephus [Bell. of the Jews. rpia youv rd Jiul. i. 2. 8) vsrites KpaTLcTTevovra fiSvos dx^v, Tr]v re dpxv" Tou 'edvovs Kai ttjv apxiepucrvviip Kai :


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

46

beloved,

Abraham

prophet of the Most High, of the seed of

a

as

our father.

Therefore, every desirable

16.

thing in Israel shall be for

thee and for thy seed,

And ye shall eat everything fair to look upon. And the table of the Lord shall thy seed apportion. And some of them shall be high priests, and judges,

17.

and

scribes

For by their mouth 18.

And when

was

like the first dream.

heart,

and told

IX.

And

fioviov ws fXT]dev

Ant.

not to

after

w/MiXei

irpo(p7]Teiav

awoke, I understood that this (dream)

I

it

shall the holy place be guarded.

And I hid this also any man upon the earth. 19.

two days

yap avrQ to

I

5at-

tQv

fji.eWuvTwv dyvoeiv. rptQv tuv /jLeyicmov

xiii. 10. 7 d^ios virb Tov deov Kpideis, dpxvs rod idvovs Kai TTJs dpxLepariKTjs Tip-rfS Kal TrpotprjTeLas' avvrjv yap avT(2 to deiov Kal TT]V TOJV /xeWovTwv TTpoyvwffiv

7^ape^xe^' ai'rw t« eloevai /cat irpo\iyei.v.

The same view appears see quotation

on p. 64. Hyrcanus

in the

from Sotah

The

ix.

Talmud

:

12 in note

reference, therefore, to

in the text is unmistakable. the above laudatory account of the Maccabean dynasty, we infer that the work was written in the lifetime of Hyrcanus, and probably before his sj^lit with the Pharisees. In no case could the words have been written under Alexander Jannaeus, or the later MaccaThe memory of bees by a Pharisee.

From

the greatness of John Hyrcanus surThus in Kidd. vives in the Talmud. 66^ he is described as the "second David," and is said to have worn two separate crowns, one royal and one

16. There is a close affinity between our text and the Isaac's blessing of Levi in Jub. xxxi. 16

Let His table be thine thou and thy sons eat thereof.

And do Cf

also T. Jud. xxi. 5

yap

/3-a/A read " unHere a^pa(rros = iiD, cor-

rupt for nn' = ttTaTTjTos. ix.

Cf. T. Benj.

2.

There is Prophet of the Most High. a special significance in this designation, as the Maccabees were designated priests of the Most High.

The text now turns from the Maccabean line to deal with Levi's 16-17.

posterity in general.

;

Sir. xlv. 21, Kal

dvffias Kvpiov (pdyovTUi,

aVTLfl T€

eduiKey

cis

Kal Tl^ (XTT^pfiaTl aVTOV.

High 2}'>'iests and judges and The high priests in the pre-

17. scribes.

Maccabean age were not only priests but also princes, Schiirer {H.J. P. il. 1. The text here appears to be 195). allied to Jub. xxxi. 15, where in Isaac's " (Thy sons) it is said and princes and chiefs the seed of the sons of Jacob."

blessing of Levi

:

will be judges

of all

The

latter passage, however, contains a reference to the Maccabean princes as the context shows (see my note loc).

m

For

{j3-e

Shall

A^S^).

a A^S^ read " and.

guarded

be

iS-«/A^). XiLcpd-qcreTai

Beloved (a a/S-).

my

and Judah went up with our

priestly.

utterable."

in

{(puXaxdrjaeTai

ciaf read X-rjcpOrja-eTaL h A" dvacrr-fjaeTai (j>vKaK'q. ;

;

18. See note on ver. 1 above. This {dream) was like the first dream (a). jS-gr read "thiswaslike the former" A " this vision was like the first vision." ;

A^ om. 19.

The

similarly.

first

dream

vision

ends

Cf. vi. 2.

IX. The dream vision recounted in chap. viii. took place at Bethel and is referred to in Jub. xxxii. 1. Butthe order of events in Jubilees is different. See


LEVI— CHAPTERS father Jacob

to

me

which

seen.

I

us to Bethel.

had

according to

And

And my

2.

the words of the

all

he would not come with

TAnd when we came

3.

47

our father's father.

Isaac

father's father blessed

visions

VIII. 16-IX. 7

Betheli,

to

my

father Jacob saw a vision concerning me, that I should be their priest unto God.

4.

And he

morning, and paid tithes of

And

5.

we came

""soT

Isaac called

me

all Tto

Hebron

to

up

rose

early in the

the LordT through me.

to dwell there.

continually to put

me

in

And

6.

remembrance

of

the law of the Lord, even as the angel of the Lord showed

unto me. of

7.

sacrifices,

And he

taught

Judah to Isaac (ver. ] ), who lived at Hebron (ver. 5). It was during this that Isaac blessed Levi (ver.

2).

The

blessing is recorded at length in Jub. xxxi. 13-17. At the close of this visit to Isaac, Jacob and his sons set

out for Bethel to offer sacrifice there in fulfilment of a vow (Jub. xxxi. 26). On this journey Isaac refuses to accompany Here our text (ver. 2) and Jub. Jacob. xxxi. 27 agree. With our father Jacob to I. (adS). ^-(ZAcdefg read "to I. with our Isaac was living iu Abraham's house (cf. Jub. xxxi. 5) in Hebron (see father."

ver. 5 and Gen. xxxv. 27 also Aram, and Gk. Frag. ver. 11). Our father's father (aS). Other ;

authorities omit. 2.

See

Jub. xxxi.

13-17

for

this

blessing.

All the words of

(j3 A" S).

The visions lohich I had ii.

5-v.,

the law of the priesthood,

whole burnt -offerings,

According to note at beginning of viii. our text, after witnessing this vision Levi goes up with his father Jacob and

visit

me

a om. seen,

ordained and

And he would not come with us (A* om. "with us") to Bethel (/SASi). a om. Cf. Jub. xxxi. 27. a dfA. om. next five words through hmt. 3. In Jub. xxxii. 1 this vision is assigned to Levi. Possibly the text there is corrupt, and for " Levi dreamed that they had ordained and made him priest of the Most High God " we should read "Jacob dreamed that they had

freewill-

made

Levi priest of the This would remove conflict that exists at present as to order between our text and Jubilees. Unto God (iSSi). A = " before the Lord." a om. jMost

High God."

4. Cf. Jub. xxxii. 2, "And Jacob rose early in the morning and he gave a tithe of all that came with him." 5. Isaac lived at Hebron in the house of Abraham. See ver. 1 Jub. xxxi. 5 .

.

.

;

Gen. xxxv. 27. So (a). ;8A om. There {a A). ^S^om. 6-14. The instructions here given by Isaac to Levi are given by Abraham to Isaac in Jub. xxi. 1, 7-9, 11-13, 16, 21-23. 6. Isaac called me. Cf. Jub. xxi. 1, " Abraham called Isaac." Put me in remembrance of tlie law of the Lord. Cf. Jub. xxi. 5.

Of the Lmd (a dfA!^). "of God." a om. 7.

i.e.

viii.

first-fruits,

Laio

of

the

becjS^ read

priesthood

{vbixov

Here the Aram, and Gk. Frag, read respectively Kmjns j'l and Kpiaip where p-! = B3K'o i€pw(TvvT]s,

lepoiavvrjs).

" prerogatives." Cf. Deut. xviii. 3. Cf. Jub. xxi. 7-9 where peace-ofl'erings and thank-offerings are described. On the following sacrifices see E^icyc. Bib. and Hastings B.D. in loc. Sacrifices (^i'(nu>i'

Whole

= o'n3l).

burnt-offerings

{oXoKavrw-

fidruv — nihil)Firstfruits (d7ra/)xw»' = n'E'Kn).


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

48

peace-offerings.

offerings,

And

8.

structing me, and was busied on

and said

to

me

:

9.

Beware

day he was in-

each

my

behalf before the Lord,

of the spirit of fornication

for

;

this shall continue and shall by thy seed pollute the holy

Take,

10.

place.

therefore,

without

wife

a

thyself

to

blemish or pollution, while yet thou art young, and not of 11. And before entering the race of strange nations.

and when thou

into the holy place, bathe;

wash

sacrifice, fice,

wash.

Lord, as

;

12.

and

again,

Of twelve

when thou

Abraham taught me

finishest the sacri-

having leaves

trees

And

13.

also.

all

thy

first-fruits

the Lord

God

;

and every

the

offer

X. Now, therefore, observe whatsoever I {eKovalwv = 'nm Freewill - offerings This is treated as a kind of peace-offering in Lev. vii. 11, 16.

ni-ii).

Peace-offerings {auTrjplwv — c'rhv "Oand said (/3 A<^*sS^). 8. Was busied .

.

.

a reads "being busied on

my

behalf

said." Cf. 9. Beioare of . . . fornication. Jub. xxi. 21-22. This command appears

an expanded form in Aram, and Gk. Frag. 14, 16. Beware, bdeg A Aram, and Gk. Frag. 14 and Aram. Frag. 16, add " (my) son." Hobj place. Or " holy things.

in

Take, therefore, to thyself a vnfe. Cf. Aram, and Gk. Frag. 17 (Appendix). jS-e S^ Strange nations [a e^). read "strangers or Gentiles." 10.

A

"And at all 11. Cf. Jub. xxi. 16. times be clean in thy body, and wash thyself with water before thou approachest to offer on the altar, and wash thy hands and thy feet fbefore and thou drawest near to the altar when thou art done sacrificing, wash For again thy hands and thy feet." "before" we should probably read See also Aram, and Gk. "whilst." ;

Frag. 19, 21, 53.

Wash

(yL-KTov).

Here we

should

And

14.

of

as a sacrifice to

first,

with

salt.

command

you.

thou shalt

sacrifice

the

offer to

of every clean

beast Tand birdT offer a sacrifice to the Lord.

and of wine

the

offerest

salt

supply "thy hands and thy feet" as is clear from the above quotation from Jubilees and from Aram, and Gk. Frag.

.

.

" through

wash

.

"and

ac?A*S^ om.

53.

21,

again

hmt.

12. Trees having leaves {a g). ^-g A. read " evergreen trees." On these see Aram, and Gk. Frag. 23-24, and Jub. xxi. 12.

As

also

Abraimm taught me. Abraham instructs

Jub. xxi. 12

13. A7id bird (a).

A

clean bird." 14.

Of

.

.

dirapxa.s)

first -fruits

= y-\)j2

same phrase in the xlv.

.

/SS^ read

is

.

.

found

Hebrew and

20.

"and

om.

{TTpuToyevvrifiaTds

first

So in Isaac.

.

ffov

.

nTN-i.

.

the

.

.

.

.

The

in Ezek. xliv. 30,

Greek of Sir. might also be a

in the

dirapxas

rendering of nianTi.

As a sacrifice unto the Lord God af read "a sacrifice unto the

(a),

Lord." Lord."

c^egrA^S^

read

"unto

the

b om.

A nd every sacrifice thou

shalt salttcith

Jub. xxi. 11, "And on all thy oblations thou shalt strew salt." X. This chapter, as I pointed out in my Eschatology, 1899, p. 193, belongs to the first century B.C., and constitutes an attack on the later Maccabeau high salt,

(a oni.)


LEVI— CHAPTERS children

for

;

49

5

my fathers

whatsoever things I have heard from

have declared unto you.

•"I

IX. 8-X.

And

2.

am

behold,! I

from

clear

your ungodliness and transgression, which ye shall commit in the end of the ages [against the Saviour of the world, Christ, acting godlessly], deceiving Israel, and stirring up against great evils from the Lord.

together with Israel, so

And

3.

He

because of your wickedness

ye shall deal lawlessly bear with Jerusalem

shall not ;

but the veil of the temple

shall be rent, so as not to cover your shame. shall be scattered as captives

among

4.

And

ye

the Gentiles, and shall

be for a reproach and for a curse there.

which the Lord

it

For the house

5.

shall choose shall be called Jerusalem, as is

contained in the book of Enoch the righteous. priests. See note on xiv.-xv. which belong to the same date. Now therefore (/3A). c reads "and

now." 2.

And

behold

(a).

/3

A

For a reproach and for a curse

4.

Cf. Jer. xliv. 8, 12, xxiv. 9, ;8A read "there for a

there (a).

xxix.

18, etc.

reproach and for a curse and for a trampling under foot." For the addition

om.

Clear from your ungodliness (a). /5AS^ read "clear from all your un-

cf. Is.

godliness." Cf. xiv. 2. lA gainst the Saviour of the ivorld, Christ, acting godlessly]. Christian interpolation. The words " acting god-

what precedes

A

lessly" are omitted

by

/3

by

a,

and " Christ

A SI.

A familiar

Stirring up {iweyelpovrei). O.T. phrase cf. Is. x. 26, :

xlii.

xiii.

17,

13, etc.

Together with Israel {aiiv t^ 'I. c reads ev t^J 'I. He shall not bear with J., or " J. shall not bear them (i.e. Israel)." The veil of the temple shall be rent (ffxtc^^ceTat TO KaTaTreracrna tov vaou j8-d S read crxtVai to ^vdvfia tov a). vaov. A=(rxio'0i7O'erat Tb SvovfMa tov vaov. In Mk. xv. 38 the words are t6 KaraTreTacTfia tov I'aoO iaxi-cGv ^'^ dvo d7r6 dviodev ^cos Kdru, practically the same in Matthew and with some 3.

/3

A S^).

The Hebrew word is nahs, which is rendered rightly by Karavirafffia in the LXX. But ^udv/xa is decidedly a bad rendering. Possibly tov vaov is an interpolation and the text variation in Luke.

spoke only of a rending of their garments whereby their shame should be exposed.

xxviii. 18.

The connection

5.

that one

is

is

of this verse with

so difficult to discover

tempted to regard

it

as

an

addition.

The Iwuse which the Lord shall

choose,

The

reference appears to be to 1 En. Ixxxix. 54, where Jerusalem is spoken of "the house of the Lord." etc.

The Book of again referred to twice in xiv. 1, xvi. 1 (but not in a) in this Testament indeed only in the sections added in the first century B.C. Perhaps ^ S^ have wrongly added the phrase in It is referred to the last two passages. T. Jud. xviii. 1 also in T. Sim. v. 4 (a om. ) T. Dan v. 6 ; T. Naph. iv. 1 T. Benj. ix. 1 (A om.). An examination of tbe above eight passages shows that in four of the passages, i.e. T. Lev. x. 5, xiv. 1, xvi. 1 T. Dan v. 6, it occurs in sections belonging to the first century B.C. Furthermore, in two of these passages, T. Lev. xiv. 1, xvi. 1, a omits all reference to Enoch, and in the case of the Cf. verses 40, 50, 54, 56.

Enoch

is

A

;

;

;

;

latter of the xvi. 1

two A*

really to Dan. ix,

also.

Further, in

not to Enoch but Now, turning to 24.

the reference

is


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

50

XI. Therefore when I took a wife I was twenty-eight 2. And she conyears old, and her name was Melcha. ceived and bare a son, and I called his

we were

in

sojourners

our

land.

3.

name Gersam,

And

for

saw con-

I

4. cerning him, that he would not be in the first rank. And Kohath was born in the thirty-fifth year ^oi my life\

towards sunrise.

5.

And

I

saw in a vision that he was

standing on high in the midst of Therefore I called his

majesty and instruction].

7.

Merari, in the fortieth year of the other four passages which belong to the original text ot the Testaments, we find that all the authorities agree in citing the writings of Enoch in two of T. Naph. iv. 1. them, T. Sim. v. 4 As regards the remaining two, however, a omits the authorities are divided, all reference to Enoch in T. Jud. xviii. 1, reads " words while in T. Benj. ix. 1, of the fathers" instead of "words of the righteous Enoch" (c/3S^). ;

A

The impression left on the mind by the above facts is unsatisfactory, and it is not improved, when we observe further, that in T.

Iss. vi. 1

;

T.

Gad

2 T. Ash. vii. 2 at the beginning of analogous predictions as to the future of their tribes, Issachar, Gad, and Asher simply say "I know." Now it is not improbable that this or a like simple phrase stood originally in several of the passages where now the v^ritings of viii.

;

are cited as the source of the It is noteprediction that follows. worthy that in S^ it is introduced in

And

my

ii.

Which Deut.

10, the

vii.

Lord

choose.

Cf.

See

So also in Gk. and Syr.

I called {hdS^ Gk. Frag. ciahefA.^ read "he called." 2.

Cf.

Gen.

63).

xlvi. 11.

Observe the play on words as in Exod. ii. 22. The sou was Sojourners. Diy-ia,

and

since his

because

they

i-e.

dk* na

(

= "a

stranger

mother

were

onji

a Sojourners in our land (^S^). reads "in a land of sojourning"; A "sojourners in the land in which we were." Cf. Gk. Frag. 63. Here^tZeASi add a gloss " For Gersam is interpreted sojourning" against a.afg and Gk. Frag. 63. 3. Here the Gk. Frag. 64 reads " And regarding the child I saw in my vision that he and his seed would be expelled 5. from the dignity of the priesthood. I was thirty years when he was born in my lifetime, and it was in the tenth month that he was born at sunset (eTrt That the last clause dvafias ijXlov)." belongs to the original narrative may be reasonably inferred from the fact that Kohath the approved son was. according to the next verse, born at

sunrise. 4.

Thirty-Jifth.

Aram, {and Gk.

?)

Frag. 68 read "thirty-fourth."

Of my life {a). ^AS^om. The Aram, and Gk. Frag. 67 read saw tliat upon him (eV aurw) would

"

]

be the congregation of

xii. 5.

Frag, and Jub. xxxiv. 20.

called

;

a third son,

5.

shall

XI. Twenty-eight.

Gersam.

me

(" strangers ") in the land.

1, 5.

xii. 5, 11, 12, 18, etc.

Melcha.

life

6.

beginning of

is,

she bare

there"),

Enoch

T. Ash.

the congregation.

all

name Kohath [which

:

all

the peojile,

and that to him would belong the high priesthood [ + he and his seed would be a beginning of kings {apxh ^aaCKioiv), a priesthood, Gk.] over all Israel (Aram. om.). 6. [ Which is, beginning of majesty and instriictionl. Bracketed as a gloss. Tliere is no attempt at an explanation of the name in the Aram, and Gk. Frag. 66-67.


LEVI— CHAPTERS him with

bare

he also was like to

was born in Egypt, in

my

Lomni and Semei. Mooli and Mouses.

Ambram

8.

that

is

my

my

And Jochebed was

brethren.

him Kohath, Ambram,

took a wife, and she bare to

2.

and

Issachar, Hebron,

die.

sixty-fourth year, for I

renowned then in the midst of

And Gersam

51

him Merari,

difficulty, I called

bitterness, because

XII.

XI. i-XII. 7

And

the sons of

Ozeel. 4.

took Jochebed

3.

And

my

And

Tin

the sons of Merari,

my

ninty- fourth year!

daughter to him to wife, for

they were born in one day, he and

my

daughter.

5.

Eight

when I went into the land of Canaan, and when I slew Shechem, and at nineteen years

years old was I

eighteen years

I became priest,

and

at twenty-eight years I took a wife,

and at forty-eight I went into Egypt.

6.

children, ye are a third generation.

7.

And In

behold,

my

my

hundred-

and-eighteenth year Joseph died. 7.

/

Frag.

{cieA^^ Aram, and Gk.

called

hbd/A^^S^

69).

read

"she

called.'

Merari my bitterness (j3 A S^). An obvious paronomasia. For " which is my bitterness," Aram, and Gk. Frag, .

.

.

read "for I grieved greatly (Gk. om. for him." a reads M. that is bitter'

ness."

Because he also was

Aram. Frag.

a

70).

like to die (^ S^

A

om.

There

is

here an interesting dittograph in the Aram. Frag.

for I was renowned (^vdo^os). Here we have a play on the proper name. -12D' nu33. For I was renowned, etc. The Aram. Frag. 71 reads "I said when she was born to nie. For honour is she born to me, for glory (mn^'?) unto Israel." XII. 1. She bare to him (/3 A). aS^ read "he begat by her" Lomni and Semei. Cf. Exod. vi. 17, where the Massoretic has Libui and Shimei, and the LXX Ao^evl and 2e/u.eet (A Se/iec). 2-3. Cf. Exod. vi. 18-19. Mooli (6S^). d reads " Maale," caf Mothli, Massoretic "Mahli." Mouses (a), af read Omouse, LXX '0/j.ovaei, Massoretic Mushi. 5-7. a om. 8.

JocJiebed

,

.

.

.

:

.

So also the Syr. 5. Eight years. According to the Aram. Frag. Frag. But according 78, Levi was eighteen. to Jub. xxviii. 14, xxix. 14, Levi's age was nine years. Eighteen years.

According to Jub.

xxx. 2 Dinah was ravished at the age of twelve, and as Dinah was six years younger than Levi (cf. Jub. xxviii. 14, 23), Levi was eighteen as stated in So also the Syr. Frag, and our text.

the Aram. Frag.

According to Jub. Nineteen years. xxx. 17 sqq., Levi was appointed to the priesthood for slaying Sheohem. Priest, af A. add "to the Lord." The "eight" is preForty-eight. served only in the Aram. Frag. 79. This date agrees with T. Jud. xii, 12, according to which Judah, who was two years younger than Levi (Jub. xxviii. 14, 15), was forty-six when he went dowu into Egypt. But according to Jub. xxviii. 14, 15, compared with Jub. xlv. 1, Levi was forty-five and See note on T. Judah forty-three.

Jud.

xii.

12.

my hundred and

eighteenth year. died at the age of 110 years, Levi was eight years old, according to our text, at Joseph's birth. But accordJ71

As Joseph


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

52

And

XIII.

now,

my

command you

children, I

Fear the Lord your God Twith your whole hearf,

2.

3.

And walk in simplicity according to all His And do ye also teach your children letters, That they may have understanding all their

law.

life,

Heading unceasingly the law of God. For every one that knoweth the law of the Lord shall be honoured,

And 4.

shall not be a stranger whithersoever he goeth.

many

more

than

his

And many men shall desire to serve him, And to hear the law from his mouth. Work righteousness, •"therefore,"' my children, upon

the

Yea,

friends

shall

he

gain

parents,

5.

earth,

That ye may have

(it)

as a treasure in heaven.

ing to Jub. xxviii. 14, compared with xxviii. 24, Joseph was born in the year 2134 A.M., seven years after Levi. But there is a greater divergence according Thus to the later chaj^ters of Jubilees. .Joseph (lied at the age of 110, in the year 2242 according to Jub. xlvi. 3, 1. He was, therefore, born in the year 2132.

XIII. With this noble poem in praise of the wise

man

^mplicity.

cf.

Sir.

So

all

xxxix. 9-11. authorities but

A", which reads "uprightness."

add "of heart,"

e

ag

" of soul."

Teach your children letters. Cf. a om. ver. 2. T. Reub. iv. 1. 3. The Lord (ad A.'^). /3-t^read "God." 2.

4.

Shall desire to serve him.

Sir. X. 25, oiK^rrj yqcrovcnv.

ao<f>t^

Cf.

i\â‚Ź\jdepoi Xetroiyp-

SiKatocrvvT) here Righteousness. be regarded as i\er}fxoavvr], which is occasionally used in the LXX as a Cf. Deut. vi. 25, rendering of np-\)i. xxiv. 13 Ps. xxiii. 5, etc. Have {it) as a treasure. ^ A^ S read 5.

;

a vyiaaiMifoi ijre. "may eiipTfTe, " find" be healed, made sound." Both appear corrupt, evprire = iN:icn, and vyiacr ixivot ^re = iNsnn, both of which appear to be ;

of

text, vi.

"have

20

it

as treasure."

Cf.

Matt,

6rj(Tavpi^'eT6 8^ vfj.lv 67](Tavpovs iv

Tobit iv. 8-9 ws <roi virapxei Kara to ttX^^os woirjaov e^ avrCov (Xerjfioavvrjv 6efxa yap dyadbv drjaavAlso pii'eis aeavTip tli rjnipav dvdyKijs. Pea 15*^, B. Bathra ll'i, according to which King Monobazus (circ. 10 a.d.) ovpavi^.

.

.

.

My

" fathers : collected treasures on earth, I in heaven replied to his relatives

my fathers collected ti-easures which yield no interest, I such as yield interest, etc." This idea of treasuring up good works was a familiar one

in

Judaism.

Whoever does righteousness up for himself life before God

(Pss. Sol.

ix.

9

TToiibv

8iKaLocnjvi]v

treasures 67]cravpi^ei

iavTif irapa Kvplif)) : his righteous deeds are preserved before God, Pss. Sol. ^ijorjv

may

corruptions

With d we can then supply avTrjv = Hence we read in the

righteousness.

nsNn

=

dTja-avplaTjTe.

ix. 6 Thus the 1 En. xxxviii. 2. righteous possess a treasure of good works with God, 4 Ezra vii. 77 ; Apoc. Bar. xiv. 12 Shabbath 31l>. Finally, the righteous will be rewarded according to their good works so treasured up, Apoc. Bar. xxiv. 1 4 Ezra viii. 33. For later passages see Daluian, Worte ;

;

;

Jesu 169; Weher, sqq.,

302

sqq.

J ild.

Theologie"^

279


LEVI— CHAPTERS

XIII, i-XIV.

i

53

6/And sow good things in your souls, That ye may find them in your life. But

Ye

if

ye sow evil things,

shall reap every trouble

Get wisdom in the

7.

fear of

and

affliction,

God with

diligence

For though there be a leading into captivity,

And And

cities

and lands be destroyed,

gold and silver and every possession perish.

The wisdom

of the wise naught can take away,

Save the blindness of ungodliness, and the callousness (that comes) of sin, 8.

Tor

one keep oneself from these evil

if

Then even among

his

things,"!

enemies shall wisdom be a glory

to him.

And And 9.

in a strange country a fatherland. in the midst of foes shall prove a friend.

Whosoever teaches noble things and does them, Shall be enthroned with kings,

As was

a,

XIV. 6.

Smo

Joseph

also

my

brother.

At

/3,

Therefore,

my

chil-

Cf. Prov. xxii. 8.

evil, etc.

With diligence (j3 A^ S). a A* om. For {^ A S^). a reads "in order that." jVaught. Text reads ov8eU, which I emend into ovdev. The hlindness of ungodliness. Cf. 7.

xiv. 4. 8.

For

if

.

.

"But

reads

.

if

things

evil

keep

one

^-d A S om. Then (aacfS^).

6

(a).

d

these."

(/A read "for"

{on).

Wisdom

(ac^A).

^-d read "it"

(avT-)}).

9.

Whosoever teaches

.

.

.

and

does.

Cf. Matt. v. 19, vii. 24, 26.

^A

read "these." read " our." XIV.-XVI. Throughout the Testaments, save in the case of a few chapters which are at variance with

Nolle

My

{a).

{ad),

a

6/A S^

A/3 SI

XIV. And now,

my

chil-

their respective contents, Levi and liis priestly descendants are lield up as the leaders in all godliness, and the rest of the descendants of Jacob are required

to render them unquestioning obedience. The ground for this attitude we have found to be the fact that the

Maccabean

chiefs

religious, civil,

who

are at once the

and military heads of the

The nation are descendants of Levi. date is late in the latter half of the second At such a glorious time century B.C. no word could be raised against either the purity or greatness of the noble Maccabean

prince-priests.

But

in x.,

the tone of the writer has He cannot find absolutely changed. language strong enough to condemn The high their lewdness and baseness. priests are plunged in transgression xiv. 2, if they teach the commandxiv.-xvi.


54

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

dren, I have learnt that at

dren, I have learnt from the

the end of the ages ye will

writincr of

it is from covetous motives xiv. 6, they corrupt the law xvi. 2, and teach contrary to God's ordinances xiv. 4 : they are pufl'ed up by the greatness of their office xiv. 7, yet they profane it xvi. 1, they pollute the sacrifices xvi. 1, they take the choicest parts of them and eat them contemptuously with harlots xiv. 5, they scoff at the holy things with jests and laughter xiv. 8, they defile virgins, pollute wedded women and join themselves to harlots and adulteresses xiv. 6, they take the daughters of the Gentiles to wife and purify them by an unlawful purification Moreover, they persecute the xiv. 6. righteous and hate the godly xvi. 2. Accordingly God will not bear with Jerusalem because of their wickedness X. 3 : the Temple shall be laid waste XV. 1, and they shall go into captivity X. 4, XV. 1, 2, xvi. 5, where they shall be a scorn to the Gentiles xiv. 1, a reproach x. 4, an abomination xv. 2, a

ments

curse and a dispersion x. 4, xvi. 5. From the above it is clear that these chapters could not have been written by the author of the Testaments nor by any writer in the palmy days of the Maccabees. They might conceivably have been written at three different dates either (i.) after 70 a.d., or (ii.) between 70-50 B.C., or (iii.) before 170 B.C., i.e. before the worst period of the persecution of Antiochus. (i.) The first date would explain the phrases that are obviously of Christian origin and the references to the destruction of the temple and the captivity of the Jews. But («) after 70 a.d. there :

would have been no grounds

for such a

virulent attack as appears in our text on the Sadducean party ; for with the destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem they lost all influence and dis-

from history. A century Mishna knows them only by tradition. (6) Again as regards the

enjoyed

Pharisees political

and

of the past.

made from section of

164

ment of the Pharisaic Hyrcanus vassal king by the Romans

as a

— the

uninterrupted

religious ascendancy over

160 and 100 B.C. tliere would have been no adequate grounds for such an embittered attack on the Hellenising higfi priests which had already been displaced and whose evil activities were a thing

later the

an

in the

the nation, and could not therefore have been subject to persecution at the hands of the Sadducees. (c) So far as we are aware the priestly party of the first century a.d. could not be accused of the gross immoralities mentioned in our text, (d) Although the captivity of the Jews is foretold and the desolation of the Temple, there is no allusion to the destruction of Jerusalem, nor to the almost practical annihilation of the nation on that occasion. Hence we conclude that chapters x., xiv.-xvi. were not written after 70 A.D. Between the two other possible dates it is difficult to decide with certainty. The charges in our text could be maintained both against the Hellenistic priests of 200-170 B.C., and the SadduBoth were cean priests of 100-60 B.C. guilty of the most gross immoralities and of breaches of ceremonial purity, and both alike persecuted the rigljteous, the former probably in a greater degree. But on the following grounds the earlier date seems to be excluded. (1) Since the interpretation of Jeremiah's seventy years as seventy weeks of years first appears in Dan. ix. 24, the reference to this interpretation in xvi. 1 demands a later date than 160 B.C., and as no such charges as those in our text could have been formulated against the earlier Maccabean high priests, the date of these chapters cannot have been earlier Between than the first century B.C.

appeared

charge of persecuting the righteous, brought in our text against the Sadducean priests, it is only necessary to observe that from 63 B.C. the appoint-

Enoch that

1

(2) In x. 5 a quotation is En. Ixxxix. 54, but this

Enoch was not written till (3) The charge of

B.C. at earliest.

eating portions of the sacrifices in pulilic with harlots was actually true in the See note case of Alexander Januaeus.

on

xiv. 5.

Thus the balance

of evidence appears to be in favour of the years 70-50 B.C. as the date of composition.

On

the


LEVI— CHAPTER

hands

out

wickedness

[against

and

2-3

55

end ye will transgress against

transgress against the Lord,

stretching

XIV.

the

to

Him]

hands

out

stretching

Lord,

to all wickedness

;

and

your brethren shall be put

to all the Gentiles shall

ye become a scorn.

shame because

to

and

of

you,

to all the Gentiles shall

ye become a scorn.

For our father Israel

2.

pure from the transgressions

is

of the chief priests [who shall lay their hands upon the

Saviour of the world].

For

ven

/SSI

A*

a,

3.

the

as

hea-

purer in

is

A/3

heaven

Tlie

children,

" transgress, laying hands on the Lord If this rendering alone can be justified then we must reject xetpas e7rt/3d\Xo»'Tes and render " transgress against the Lord in all

other hand, if we might regard the phrase "seventy weeks" as an earlycurrent ioteriiretatiou subsequently appearing in the Book of Daniel, and the quotation in x. 5 from 1 En. Ixxxix. 54 as a subsequent addition, it would not be hard to believe that the Hellenising high priests had been guilty of eating the Temple sacrifices along

wickedness." o should then be trans: "transgress against the Lord, laying hands in wickedness upon him." A = " transgress ( + as all the heathen

with their paramours.

will

1.

There/ore

fore,"

A*="And

{a).

A^S' "and now."

there-

See note in

X. 5.

learnt ... /3 A S^ add " from the writing of Enoch " against a. The words that follow are not found in

Have

Enoch, 1 En.

though xci.

6,

we

xciii.

might

compare

See T.

9.

Lev.

0/ the ages (a A). /3 S^ om. Transgress against the Lord a-ere eiri Kvpidi'

=2

('Iffe^rj-

Cf. Jer.

iilivsn).

ii.

iii. 13 for this phrase. Transgress against the Lord, stretching out hands to all wickedness

8,

pdWovres

lated

do A^) and your hands you shall

lay on your (A^ om.) Lord in all wickedness " (A^ om. " in all wickedness ").

A

scorn.

iwl iv

"Kvpibv,

Trdarj

xelpas iiridae^eTv

KaKiq,

the usual rendering of ytys and x^^P"-^ iirt^dWeiv of t rhc ji S^, cf. Job xxviii. If the clause xe'pos 9). . KaKiq, is original, it should be rendered as above. It must, however, be admitted that it would be more natural to translate is

Ps. xliv. 13, Ixxix. 4.

Cf.

om. verses 2-4 to

' '

wish to destroy

"

inclusive. 2.

from

Pure

{Ka.6a.p6s

T. Sim.

I. 5, note.

(dcre/3-)7(rere

in all wickedness."

A"

.

vi.

.

.

the

transgressions

dirb ttj^ dcrej3ecas).

Cf.

1 for a similar statement.

Transgressions of the chief priests. These words would in themselves refer equally well to the pre-Maccabean priests and to the later Maccabean. But the former is in part excluded by the date of the book, and ver. 5 makes it clear that we have liere to do with Alexander Jannaeus. [ Who shall lay hands, etc.]. tian interpolation.

The a

Chris-

is undoubtedly the text has as rendered above been corrected in two points. For "heaven" it reads "sun," i.e.

3.

clearest.

be

ye pure as the heaven

purer than the earth,

the

My

3.

IS

version

Its


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

S6

and

Lord's sight than the so

earth,

the

be ye,

Israel,

of

Israel,

and moon.

lights

than

(purer)

ye, the

also

are

of

lights

f&s

But

ye

if

be

Gentiles

the

Yea, ye

?

bring

upon our

curse

a

fas the sun

= cyciy,

curses will

because

your

the light of the law

light

which

was given

MSS.

;

to

man

stroy by teaching corn-

to destroy,

which

is

corrupt for D'Ot^ =

reads

13, ii. 3, iii. 1 in some for " purer than the

i.

KaOapbs

iirl

"all the gentiles"

drawn from the next

tt]v

yrjv

—a

phrase This, of

verse.

course, is possible, but as they stand both versions are corrupt. "As the sun" = 0)5 6 7;\tos = E^DE'D, corrupt for wove Hence render, and ye, the lights of Israel, are (purer) than the sun and moon." 4. If ye be darkened through transgression. Our author is very fond of contrasting light and darkness in their '

'

sin and righteousness, T. Lev. xix. 1. All kinds of sin blind the soul or mind, T. Reub. iii. 8 T. Lev. xiii. 7, xiv. 4 T. Jos. vii. 5. Hatred and anger darken the mind, T. Dan ii. 4 T. Gad iii. 3, vi. 2 also fornica-

relation to

;

;

;

law

the

ye shall desire to de-

where ewl ttjv yr]v — pxa, corrupt for pXD or pxriD = vwip rrjv yrjv as in /3. As regards the versions /3 and A^ as compared with a it might be argued that they have preserved the phrase "sun and moon," which a has replaced with

the

for

Eccles. it

and

which was given

man.

Again

earth "

come upon

race,

through

to

Yea,

?

lighten you and every

ovpavos = "heaven" (so /3A^). The same corruption is found iu LXX in Jos.

29

be darkened through transgression

ye shall bring a curse race,

ye

if

lighten everyman, this

which was given

TyXios

do,

law

the light of the

to lighten every

will all the

Gentiles

Yea,

?

What

4.

ye

if

upon our

because

race,

do,

transgressions

Gentiles do living in

blindness

will all the

be darkened through

what,

therefore, will all

What

4.

through

transgressions,

viii.

the

who

and moon.

darkened

shall

ye,

are the lights of Israel, shall be

Gentiles. 4.

and

earth:

the

all

than

(purer)

is

sun

:

ye shall desire

and teach

and covetousness T. Jud. xviii. 3, 6, no angry man can truly see his brother's tion

face T.

Dan

ii.

2

(cf.

T. Benj.

Hence the sinner walketh

in

iii.

2).

the day

as in the night, T. Jud. xviii. 6. On the other hand, true repentance driveth away darkness and enlighteneth the eyes T. Gad v. 7. See also the note on xviii. 3.

Because. Text has virkp &v a misrendering of •\vH-^]i.

The light of the law. Cf. Wisd. xviii. 4 TO 6.4>dapTov vSfjLov ^cDs. In Prov. vi. 23 " the law is light. " The metaphor of light is often applied in a spiritual sense cf. Is. ii. 5 ; Ps. cxix. 105. Light to lighten evei-y man (^ws eh (puTLfffiby iravros dvOpwirov). St. John i. 9 is based on our text : ^v TO 4>Qs TO d\.8 (piOTl^ei TrdvTa dvOpuTrov, Teaching commandments contrary, etc. cannot determine what these specifically were owing to want of docu:

.

.

.

.

.

.

We

ments.

The

later

Maccabean

priests were, however, charged

high

by the

Pharisees with breaking the ceremonial law. Thus at the Feast of Tabernacles, where each worshipper carried a palm

and a

citron,

Alexander Jannaeus was


LEVI— CHAPTER this ye desire to de-

by

stroy

teaching

commandments trary

the

to

con-

maudments to the

XIV.

4-6

57

your

contrary

ordinances of

commandments

contrary to the ordi-

God.

nances of God.

ordi-

nances of God.

The

5.

offerings

of the

Lord ye shall

and from His

rob,

portion shall ye steal choice portions, eating (them) con-

temptuously with harlots. shall teach the

commandments

shall ye pollute, defileT

;

6.

And

and with harlots and adulteresses

;

Talmud, Sukka 48'' relates that a Sadducean priest was once so assailed not on the altar but on the earth. Possibly the same event is referred to here. Cf. Schiirer, H.J. P. i. i. 300-301. In the Pss. of Solomon viii. 12, 13 the Maccabean priests are accused of making a spoil of the dedicated gifts or of the temple, and of breaking the strict Levitical laws (Lev. xv. 31), which forbade the approach of the ceremonially unclean to the altar. Generally it might be said the Sadducees refused to acknowledge the binding force of the oral law (Joseph. Ant. xiii. 10. 6, xviii. 1, 4) and rejected the Pharisaic laws of purification. They disagreed with the Pharisees in fixing the date of the Feast of Pentecost (see Jub. xv. 1 ;

note).

A^

The offerings of the Lord ye shall Cf. Pss. Sol. viii. 12 ra a7ta rod

rob.

This charge, if we may trust Talraudic sources, could with ju'iticf have been brought against Simon ben Shetach, the Pharisee who was said to have been a brother of Salome the wife of Alexander Jannaeus. This Pharisee applied to his own uses half the offerings presented by 300

"Steal: and before sacriLord ye shall take the

read

ficing to the

choice portions."

Eating

them

contemptuously

with

The

reference to Alexander Jannaeus seems undeniable. The very words in our text are applied to him

harlots.

by Josephus (Ant.

xiii.

14.

2),

when

with the utmost savagery he celebrated his victory over the Pharisaic party : Kara/cXetVas de rois iv

dwaTwrdrovs avTwv Xa^wv Se

iroKei eiroXiopKei

Tie06/J,r]

'

Kal yevoixevos eyKpaTrjs avrQiv dirqyayev els 'lepocroKvfia, Koi iravrtav 'idpaaev. 'EffTtci'ipyov ij}fj.6TaTov fievoi yAp iv difbivTip fxera tQiv iraWaKldwv dvaaravpOxjai. TrpoaiJosephus' Ta'i,â‚Źv avrOiv els oKTaKoalovs. phrase eV dTroTrry appears more apt T-qv ttoXlv

than iv KaTccppovqan. 6.

Out of covetousness ye Cf. Mic.

etc.

5. A'' omits this verse and ver. 6 to " defile and " inclusive.

shall ye be joined.

Nazarites in the Temple. See Schiirer, II.J.P. I. i. 299. hdeg Steal choice portions {aaf).

for pouring the usual libation of water

dirjpTral'ov.

wedded women

of the Lord,

^and the virgins of Jerusalem shall ye

once pelted by the assembled people with the citrons when he was about to oflfer sacrifice at the altar (Joseph. Ant. xiii. 13. 5 Bell. Jud. i. 4. 3). The

deov

out of covetousness ye

iii.

teacli for hire. "

shall teach,

11 " the priests thereof 1 Pet. v. 2 "Tend the

not for filthy lucre. Cf. the charges etc. immorality brought against Sad-

flock

.

.

.

Wedded loomen, of

ducean faction in Pss.

Sol. iv. 5, 6, 11,

12, 15, 23. ^And the

virgiyis of Israel [h g "Jerusalem") shall ye defile.'^ Only Cf. for diction, Pss. Sol. found in /3. ii.

14

dvyaripes

'lepouaoXrifji.

Kara to Kpijia aov. With harlots and Pss. Sol. iv. 23.

j3e'/3i?Xot

adidteresses.

Cf.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

58

and the daughters

of the Geutiles shall ye take to wife,

them with an unlawful purification and your union shall be like unto Sodom and Gomorrah. 7. And

purifying

;

ye shall be puffed up because of your priesthood, lifting

up against men, and not only

yourselves against the

commands

of God.

For ye

8.

but

so,

also

contemn

shall

the holy things with jests and laughter.

XV.

Therefore the temple, which the Lord shall choose,

through your uncleanness, and ye shall

shall be laid waste

be captives throughout

all

nations.

Daughters of the Gentiles shall ye

The prohibition

take to vnfe.

marry with the Deut.

vii. 3.

34

xxvii.

;

stated

for

Caiiaanites

(Cf.

is

to inter-

found in

Gen. xxiv. 3

;

xxvi.

The ground 46, etc.) this proliiljition was that

intermarriage would lead to Mai. ii. 11). idolatry (Deut. vii. 4 This prohibition was suspended in the case of a captive woman during war From Ezra onward (Deut. xxi. 10-13). this prohibition was extended to all Neh. Gentiles (Ezra ix. 1-2, x. 10-11 X. 30). In Jubilees a contemporary work with the Testaments we see the results of the reaction that followed on the excesses committed by the Hellenising Jews, who in contravention to the recognised law of the time "joined themselves to the heathen" Aboda zara 36'', Sanh. (1 Mace. i. 15 82''). In Jub. xxx. 7 (see my note on xxx. 10 with rabbinic parallels), any man who gave his daughter to a Gentile was to be stoned. See Bertholet, Stellung der Isr. zii den Fremdcn, iv. 1, Jeioish Encyc. vi. 610 sq. v. 2 Pv/rifying them with an unlauifid

such

;

—

;

;

vurijication.

A

These words which are

Their are ondtted by a. It is possible is doubtful. that the Testaments here join handa with the Book of Jubilees in absolutely prohibiting intermarriage with Gentiles. But it is clear that certain rules of purification were regarded as an inadequate preparation for such a marriage. In later times the prohibition against intermarriage with converted

found in meaning

j8

ye shall be

shall receive reproach

Gentiles was not enforced (Yad. iv. 4 Kidd. v. 4). See Jewish Encyc. vi. 611. Union {fj.i^is). Here the sin of mixed marriages alone seems to be referred to. The writer regards them as sinful as the Sodomitic enormities. For the same phraseology implying gross sins of impurity, Pss. Sol. ii. 14, Apoc. Bar. Ix. 1. 15, xvii. 17 ;

;

Like unto Sodom, etc. Gomorrah. ^ adds

Jude

Cf. '

7.

trans-

in

'

gression." 7.

;

—

And

2.

an abomination unto them, and ye

Your pnesthood

{a

d

^-d

A).

read "the priesthood." Lifting up yourselves against (ajSA"). 8.

men

-A^om.

For ye

contemn,

shall

etc.

(a).

/3A^ read "Being pufl'ed up ye shall contemn (a ef. bdg read " mock," A^ "disturb") the holy thiot;s, turning

them to laughter with contempt." Contemn the holy things (or "the temple " to. ayia). For phrase 2 Mace. iv. 14 ; Wisdom xiv. 30.

XV.

1-2.

I

cf.

take these verses as a

bona fide prediction. 1.

The temple which

choose.

Shall be

laid,

Lord Cf.

ivaste.

The sanctuary was

shall

1

:

ayia(7fj.a avrTjS ripTjuwdy)

According to

xvi.

4.

under Mace. i. 39

so laid waste

Antiochus Epiphanes TO

the

Cf. X. 5.

ws

ipr)/..oi.

Judas and his followers entered Jerusalem they found t6 aylaff/ia 7]p7ifj.u)fj.dvov. Your uncleanness (aS). ^A^ read " uncleanness " { + "and rapine " A^). iv.

38, wlien

,

.

.


LEVI— CHAPTERS

XIV. y-XV.

59

3

and everlasting shame from the righteous judgment

And And

3.

4.

Isaac,

who hate you

all if

you were not

and Jacob, our

upon the

left

mercy through Abraham,

to receive

fathers, not

one of our seed should be

earth.

XVI. And now shall go astray, sacrifices.

And

2.

have learnt that for seventy weeks ye

I

and profane the priesthood, and pollute the ye shall make void the law, and set at

nought the words of the prophets by

And

evil

who reneweth Who

hute you (aaejH).

bdg A.^ (a).

m\

not for the sake

'*

of.

Our "your

seed (c^A*). hc'^dA^ read seed," /3-eJS "my seed." According to j3-d the extermination of the descendants of Levi is designed. The other readings might be similarly interpreted, though they might also refer to Israel as a whole.

XVI.

/ have

1.

A^S add

" in the

A^

against a.

here and omits

learnt. Here " book of Enoch

unhappily

defective

is

"and now ...

in the

book of Enoch that." But the reference is clearly from Dan. ix. 24 where the seventy years of Jeremiah are interpreted to be seventy weeks of years. In 1 En. Ixxxix. 59 seventy shepherds, i.e. the seventy patron angels of the nations are mentioneil, to whose care Israel was committed for a time. Profane the priesthood. Cf. Neh. xiii.

29.

Pollute

the

sacrifices,

i.e.

by ap-

proaching the altar when unclean. Cf. Pss. Sol. viii. 13 efxlaLvov ras Ovaias ws Kpia ^ejSrjXa: ii. 3 e^i^rjXovv to, 5J)/)ct rod dead iv dvo/Jiiais viii. 26 e/Jiiavav ra -qyiafffxiva tQ 6v6/j.aTi . vi. Tou Oeov: Ass. Mos. For l. :

.

.

With

"sacrifices" a reads "altars." this reading

/3A^ read "shall flee from you." The variation seems to have ariseu from a confusion of nrr' and 4. " If ye were not to receive mercy through " (a). /3 A S^ read " if it were

[And a man Most High, ye

3.

the law in the power of the

read "who see you." Shall rejoice at your destruction

/3

perverseness.

ye shall persecute righteous men, and hate the godly

the words of the faithful shall ye abhor.

3.

of God.

shall rejoice at your destruction.

cf.

1

Mace.

iv.

38, accord-

ing to which Judas and his followers found TO OvSLaaT-qpiov ^efirfKwixevov, but this profanation was due to Antiochus

IV.

Make

void the law

and

set at

naught

the vjords of his prophets by evil perverseness. Cf. 1 En. xcix. 2 "woe to

them who pervert the words

of uprightness and transgress the eternal law " also xcviii. 14, civ. 9, 10. :

By evil perversion (a). "by perversion," A^ om.

A^S'^ read

This righteous men. Persecute charge is brought against the Sadducean party in 1 En. ciii. 14, 15. have with some hesitation 3. I bracketed this verse as a Christian or else as recast by Christian scribes. I have written the notes mainly from the standpoint of interpolation,

this latter alternative.

The omission damage

of the verse would not really the context.

A man who shall

call

a

renetoeth the deceiver.

means of discovering

law

We this

.

.

.

ye

have no reference.

Could Onias, who refused to pray for Hyrcanus II. the high priest and his party against Aristobulus II. and his party, and was thereupon stoned, be meant here ? This Onias was commemorated as a righteous mau whose cf. prayers were eflectual with God Or if we refer Jo.s. Ant. xiv. 2. 1, 2. these chapters to the second century :


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

6o

shall call a deceiver

;

and

knowing

slay him, not

at last ye shall rush

(upon him) to

dignity, taking innocent blood

his

through wickedness upon your heads].

And

4.

your holy

places shall be laid waste even to the ground because of

And

•f-him.

5.

shall be

among

He

ye shall have no place that

is

clean

;

but ye

the Gentiles a curse and a dispersion until

shall again

visit

you, and in pity shall

you

receive

[through faith and water],

XVII. And whereas ye have heard concerning the B.C.

the

might the person alluded to be high priest Ouias III., whose is referred to in Dan. ix. 26, 2 Mace. iv. 33-36, and is

murder xi. 22;

included among the Chasids in

1

En.

or Joshua who was slain by his brother John the high priest in the temple. On account of this murder the peoi^le were enslaved and the temple polluted by the Persians, Ant. xc. 8

:

xi. 7. 1.

In

the

(a/3Si).

Most High A^ read "of the Most High." potoer

the

of

38 the execution of the murderer of Onias III. is recorded. Through wickedness (aj8S^). A= "through your wickedness." iv.

A" om.

4.

Ye shall call a deceiver. The fact our Lord is so called in Matt, xxvii. 63 ((Ke'ivos 6 irXdvos) renders

Because of him (olo. avrSv). So all authorities but g which reads "because of it " (did TouTo). If we om. ver. 3

we should read

(a).

jS

as

Laid waste.

A^S read

'

'

ye shall slay

A'*= " ye

shall

as ye (A'^I) suppose."

g

Schnapp, Test.

(so

p. 34).

/3A^Sadd "polluted"

against a A". 5.

him him

a reads

not elsewhere thus used in the Testaments.

this clause suspicious.

shall rush {upon him) to slay

6 S^ om.

{^-b A).

XII. Patriarchs,

that

Ye

And

"and I say unto you," a reading which may be borrowed from the NT. It is

Receive you.

[Through

faith

and

So a /S-e^A S^ but e^A* om. These words are of Christian origin. We could, however, in part defend their presence in a Jewish text for baptism was already in use among the Jews at the beginning of the Christian era see Art. loc. in the Jewish Encyc. Next, in 4 Ezra ix. 7, xiii. 23 we find that faith is one of the means of salvation, and that God will guard those who possess works and faith. See also Apoc. Bar. liv. 16, 21 (note water].

;

;

slay him." The variants ^A^ may (?) have arisen through a dittography in the Hebrew, or rather may be due to a Christian scribe. See my Text loc.

m

Ab*t;cie Dignity (a;3S^ dvaaT-q/jLa). read dvacTTacriv through a mistransla-

tion

of dvdaT7)ix.a.

A" =

SiKaiocrvvrjVi

but is merely a corruption of text in ^b*cde_

Taking innocent blood upon your heads. A" adds "and upon the head of your sons." These words seem to be dependent on Matt, xx-vii. 24, 25 .

.

.

ei/j.1 dirb tov a'iinaTos TOirrov rb al/xa avTOu i(f) rj/Jids Kai eirt rd TeKva ijfjLQv. We should, however, observe tliat Josephus {A7it. xiv. 2. 1, 2) observes that God avenged immediately the murder of Onias, and in 2 Mace.

d9<j36s

.

.

.

m

;

in

my

edition), Ivii. 2, etc.

XVII.

This is a most unintelligible chapter. The first nine verses are either defectively transmitted or are an intrusion in the text, having taken the place of a section which naturally led up to verses 10-11. They were possibly added at the same time as x., xiv.-xvi. or subsequently. The original text resumes with ver. 10. There are no sure means of determining the date.


LEVI— CHAPTERS

XVI. 4-XVII. 6

61

seventy weeks, hear also concerning the priesthood.

For in each jubilee there the

first jubilee,

shall

And

the

first

who

be great, and shall

is

God

speak to

as

a

to

father.

his priesthood shall be perfect with the Lord, [and in

the world].

3.

In the second

the salvation of

he that

jubilee,

anointed

is

shall be conceived in the sorrow of beloved ones

and his

;

priesthood shall be honoured and shall be glorified by

5.

in

anointed to the priesthood

the day of his gladness shall he arise for

4.

2.

And

shall be a priesthood.

And And

all.

the third priest shall be taken hold of by sorrow.

the fourth shall be in pain, because unrighteousness

shall gather itself against

him

exceedingly, and all Israel

shall hate each one his neighbour.

The speaker

in this iragment

was prob-

ably not Levi. 1 Heard concerning the seventy weeks. This phrase betrays the hand of the interpolator. No account of the seventy weeks has been rendered, they have only been mentioned in xvi. 1.

A

2. Jubilee. jubilee consisted of forty-nine or fifty years. See my edition of Jubilees, pp. xv, Ixvii, Ixviii). Seven jubilees are spoken of in the text, but it is uncertain when the first or any one of them begins or ends.

The first who is anointed. If must suppose .that in this fragment speaker was originally Levi, then first priest must be either Levi or That is, there of his descendants.

we the the

one can be no reference here to Melchizedek.

Although there

is

difficulty

in

sup-

posing Levi to be speaking of himself, the text favours this idea for, according to his two dream visions, he was set apart by God as His son and servant, and appointed to the priesthood by God Himself (v. 2), and consecrated thereto by seven archangels (vi. 2 sqq.). But the subsequent words if genuine are against this identification. ;

Speak to God as to a father. Of Moses it was said that he spake face to face with God as a friend (Exod. xxxiii. 11). Cf. also our text xviii. 6, and the case

The

6.

fifth

shall

be

of John Hyrcanus with whom the Deity conversed (Jos. Bell. Jud. i. 2. 8). Perfect with the Lord. The text has Tr\rjp7js /xera Kvplov, a rendering of " ;; d'^i:'. Cf. 1 Kings viii. 61, xi. 4, XV. 3,14 for the Hebrew phrase. wXrjprjs is used as a rendering of cSty in 1 Chron. xxix. 9, 2 Chron. xv. 17, xvi. 9, xix. 9, etc. riXeios would here have been a more idiomatic rendering as in the LXX

of

1

Kings

[And

viii.

in

61, xi. 4, xv. 3, 14, etc. day of his gladness

the

shall he arise, etc.] I have bracketed these words as an intrusion. If in any form they are original, they would

point possibly to the first priest as Melchizedek, with whom the Maccabean high priesthood appear to have associated themselves in some degree by calling themselves priests of the

Most

High God. This verse may refer to Aaron who was conceived during the bondage of Israel in Egypt. 3.

Beloved ones l^-dg

A^ S^).

ag

read

"beloved one." Shall gather itself against him. Text reads wpoaOi^aeL iw' avrovt = vh]i 'yov, corrupt for vh]i '|Dx; = 5.

(XwaxdriffeTai. f]DV,

The

"shall

iir'

be

avTov

(or

possibly

added unto him").

fact that the high priest is said be in pain shows that he is not associated with the evil of the nation. to


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

62

taken hold of by darkness. the seventh.

And

8.

Likewise also the sixth and

7.

in the seventh shall he such pollution

as I cannot express before men, for they shall

do these things.

and become a

prey,

know

it

who

Therefore shall they be taken captive

9.

and their land and their substance

shall

be destroyed. 10.

And

desolate country,

And

11.

and

shall

in the seventh adulterers,

idolaters,

week they

in the fifth

renew the house of the Lord.

week

after their

from the Lord, the priesthood 2.

Then

shall the

And

to

him

Lord all

shall of

lovers

lascivious, abusers of children

XVIII. And

shall return to their

and

come

priests,

money,

(who

proud,

are)

lawless,

beasts.

punishment

shall

have come

shall fail,

up a new

raise

priest.

the Lord

the words of

shall

be

revealed

And

he shall execute a righteous judgment upon the

And

his star shall arise in

earth for a multitude of days. 3.

10-11. These two verses I regard They as belonging to the original text. are part of a section which apparently divided a certain period of history into I see no means of disseven weeks. covering the duration of each of the There is, however, question. weeks in no difficulty in recognising the events referred to in the

two weeks mentioned

in the text. 10. The return of Ezra and Nehemiah and the rededication of the temple,

Ezra vi. 15 sqq. (circa 516 B.C.). Cf. 1 En. Ixxxix. 72 sq. 11. This verse refers to the Hellenising chief priests who joined with Antiochus Epiphanes in his attack on Judaism. a reads Seventh weeh (/3 A^ S). corruptly "seventieth week." Adulterers

(a).

/3

A^S' read "con-

tentious " (/^dx'MoO.

The Helleuising and

XVIII. immoral Zadokite high-priesthood 1-2.

will

heaven as of a king.

cease and their place be taken and new high-priesthood. 2-15.

A

Messianic

hymn

and distichs. Then (jSA^^^).

by another written in

tristichs 2.

a reads "and

then."

A

new priest. a new

Cf. viii.

14 according

to which

high-priesthood, i.e. the Maccabean, is to be established with a new name, i.e. "priests of the

Most High God."

"new

" ;

but

it is

A^ om. the epithet found in a^S^

Execute judgment multitude of days, bee ver. .

.

.

.

.

.

for a

9.

3. His star shall arise. Cf. T, Jud. xxiv; 1. Both passages are based on Num. xxiv. 17,

In heaven. Possibly iv ovpav^ is here corrupt for iv elprivr). Cf. T. Jud. xxiv. 1 where the same passage recurs with iv elpTjvrj.

A s of a king (h i dfg read " as a king."

A^

).

cabeS^


LEVI— CHAPTERS

XVII. 7-XVIII. 6

63

Lighting up the light of knowledge as the sun the day,

And he shall be magnified in the world. He shall shine forth as the sun on the earth, And shall remove all darkness from under heaven, And there shall be peace in all the earth. The heavens

And And

shall exult in

days.

liis

the earth shall be glad.

the •f-clouds shall rejoice

[And the knowledge of the Lord shall be poured upon the earth, as the water of the seas ;]

And

forth

the angels of the glory of the presence of the

Lord shall be glad iu him.

The heavens

shall be opened.

Lighting up the light of knowledge. This phrase {(punl'^wv <pCis yvwaeus) agrees exactly with the LXX of Hos.

where the Hebrew reads 03^ n'3

X. 12,

LXX

But

ground."

"till ye the untilled

n<3,

{(pwricrare (pG>% yvwaeojs) represents the ancient translation of the passage for the Syriac = ^wrifere vfuv Tr]v Xa/XTTciSa, and the Targ. Jon. tlie

.

.

.

;

didaxv" '''o^ v6fiov. The our text has already occurred It occurs in T. Benj. xi. 2 in an interpolated passage. On a cognate phrase "light of the law" see xiv. 4. Bat since the Hebrew phrase recurs in

may have been a corruption of nnyn =" because of him." In that

the latter

case " shall be glad " is to be rejected as an addition. should then read : And the heavens shall exult in his days, And the earth rejoice because of him, And the angels of the glory of the presence of the Lord shall be glad

We

in him. 1 En. li.4 (emended) In those days will the mountains leap like rams, And the hills also will skip like lambs satisfied with milk, And the faces of all the angels in heaven will be lighted up with

aT-qpi'^ere ttjv

phrase iu

in

With this compare

iv. 3.

iv. 3 it is possible that it was a current one, and that our author has not consciously drawn on the OT. A s the sun the day. Emended from

Jer.

hiabf

iv

t)\l(^

i]iJ.epa

= Dvr\

corrupt and defective for ni'n lis

6 TiXios {(poiTL^eL) TTjv

read ws iv rjXlu (lis

iv

is

rjfjiipav.

rjfjLepa (rj/j-ipas e S).

=

cegS Ar

In " said to be " as the sun

/j,€<Tr)ix(3pig.

3 Levi to Israel.

iv.

trD'ti'n,

a'DB'3

ivwTTiov ToD 7]\iov.

joy-

And

the knowledge of the Lord, etc. This verse is interpolated. See note above. Cf. Is. xi. 9.

6. ii.

6,

The heavens shall V. 1

11,

vii.

it

;

is

be opened.

Cf.

T. Jud. xxiv. 2. In Gen. said that the windows of

heaven were opened in Ps. Ixxviii. 23, the doors of heaven in Ezek. i. 1, the heavens themselves as in our text. But in none of these passages is the opening of the heavens associated with a voice from hearen. The true parallels, therefore, to our text are Matt. iii. 16, 17 Mk. i. 10, 11 Lk. iii. 21, 22 and ;

;

In

the ivorld.

/SA^S^ add "until

his ascension " against a. The 5. This stanza is very corrupt. fourth line is an intrusion, as it is out of touch with the context and against "Clouds," i.e. ve(pe\at the parallelism. cannot be right. Since v€(pe\at niziin,

=

;

;

T. Jud. xxiv. 2(?).

;


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

64

And from

him

the temple of glory shall come upon

sanctification,

the Father's voice as from

With

And

7.

the glory of the

Abraham

Most High

to Isaac.

shall be uttered over

him,

And

the

spirit

shall rest

of understanding

upon him

See From the temple of glory. Talmudic, quotation in note on "with the father's voice." Cf. v. 1, "holy

temple

" (note).

Or " conSanctification (aylaaiJ-a). secration." With the Father's voice. The Bath wellQol is here referred to. authenticated instance of this voice is

A

Josephus and the with John Josephus writes {Ant. "Now a very surprising

recorded

both

Talmud

iu

Hyrcanus. xiii. 10.

thing

is

iu

connection

3): related

of

this

high

priest

Hyrcanus, how God came to discourse with him ; for they say that on the very same day on which his sons fought with (Antiochus) Cyzicenus, he was alone in the temple, as high priest, offering incense, and heard a voice that his sons had just then overcome Antiochus [aKOvaeie (piovfjs, us ot Traioes avTOv vevLK-qKaaiv dpriuis rbv 'AvtLoxov). And when he went forth from the temple he made it known to all the multitude, and it happened that so it The same event is recounted out." in the Jer. Talmud, Sotah ix. 12 "It happened that after the youths had gone forth to war with Antioch (read "Antiochus"), the high priest, John Hyrcanus heard a Bath Qol come forth fell

the holy of holies, announcthe youths have been victorious who marched against Antioch (read 'Antiochus').' And they wrote down the hour, and determined the time, and found that at this very hour the Cf. Joma victory had been won." Sanh. ix. 2 ; Sotah xxx. 1, xlviii. 2 xi. 1, etc. (See Derenbourg, Essai sur

from ing

:

and

sanctification

[in the water]. Bath Qol uttered in favour of John Hyrcanus, by which he was consecrated to his office, being addressed by God as Isaac was by Abraliam, i.e. as a son. The currency of such a belief can cause no difficulty considering the repute which John Hyrcanus enjoyed as a Thus Josephus {Ant. xiii. prophet. 10. 7) says that God was with him and enabled him to

know

the future (avvriv

auTu} to dtlov Kal ttjv tQiv /jLeWovruv TTpoyvivaiv vrapeix^f avrqi re eidevai.

yap

Cf. Jie/l. Jud. i. TO baifibviov ojs

yap avrQ twv /jLeWovTOiv

8 w/xtXet

2.

firidev

dyvoelp). With this divine utterance addressed to Hyrcanus we might comprophetic oracle addressed to pare the

Simon in Ps. ex. The designation of John Hyrcanus, by a Bath Qol, as a son of God coiild hardly

fail

to have a Messianic signi-

ficance.

So the Bath Qol is Voice (^wvTJs). rendered in Matt. iii. 17, Mk. i. 11, "voice As from heaven" Lk. iii. 22. ((poivT] CK TOO ovpavov) in John xii. 28 ; "voice from the cloud" (0wv7j iK ttjs Lk. ve4>e\ris) Matt. xvii. 5 ; Mk. ix. 7 ix. 35. In the case of the Bath Qol a voice was heard but nothing seen as xxii. in Saul's vision Acts ix. 4, 7 ;

;

7,

9

xxvi. 14.

;

Fro7n

A hraham

'

'A(3paa/x irps Kal

to

Isaac ( A^).

{adfom.

)

corrupt but supports 7.

a df where c

'IcractK

= Trpos but was taken by MSS as a contraction of irarpos. habg read, 'A^. naTpbs 'Icr. irps

other

Thus e

is

cadf. {'p-qd-qaerai).

The

spirit of understanding. 1 En. xlix. 3. ;

Cf.

Shall be uttered

;

text

is

The

peculiar.

Vhistoire de la Palestine, p. 74 ; also Abbot's learned work, From Letter to sq., 425 sqq. ; Jeivish Spirit, 141

Is. xi.

Encyc. ii. 590. This verse seems to point to some

found in all versions and in but e of the Greek.

2

[/ft the ivater.'l

A Christian addition all

MSS


LEVI— CHAPTER For he

8.

XVIII.

8-9

shall give the majesty of the

65

Lord to His sons

in truth for evermore

And

there shall none succeed

And

in

liis

in

knowledge upon the earth,

him

for all generations

for ever. 9.

And

priesthood the Gentiles shall be multiplied

enlightened through the grace of the Lord

In his priesthood shall sin come to an end, 8.

Forhe{avTbsydp—a).

/SAefsS^

read "he" (airds). Here a very important question arises. Who is designed by the avros here and in verses

10-12? Hyrcanus the later

Thus

Is

it

God?

or

is

it

John

? The evidence in favour of view strongly preponderates.

in vers. 2, 3, 4 (ovros), 5 (bis

6, 7 (bis),

?),

8 (bis) avros (aurov or avrov)

Hyrcanus orthe Messianic figure the text. Hence it is only natural to

avrSs in the veises that precede. In " the case, however, of " His children 12'' in ver. there is some difficulty, as the normal construction would require us to interpret these as the sons of the Messiah, i.e. Hyrcanus. But they are probably to be taken as in ver. 13. Here ddia-ei Give. may be corrupt for yvwplaei..

refers to

in

regard

the subject of the sentence, as bearing the same reference. Furthermore, the structure of the sentence favours this interpretation for if avros referred to God we should " For He shall entrust His expect majesty," and not "For He (i.e. the Lord) shall entrust the majesty of the Lord." Again in ver. 9 the significance ('^ his of ieptj)(Tvvr]s avrov priesthood") cannot be mistaken. Thus if the text is right, avros and its indirect cases refer to Hyrcanus, unless in certain cases where the reference is oi)t6s,

;

:

We

clearly to God. are now prepared to face the main difficulty in the question. In vers. 10-12 certain superhuman achievements are ascribed to the

subject of these verses. Who, then, is the subject ? At first sight it would appear that there can be no doubt as to the answer, avros is the subject of these three verses and, if we follow the usage of the text, it should here as in the preceding eight verses refer to the Messiah and not to God. But on the other side we should observe that in verse 13 avrov occurs twice, and refers in each instance to God. Since Kijptos actually stands there immediately before it, or as the subject of the sentence, these cases do not militate against the different significance of

His sons in

truth.

Cf. T.

Jud. xxiv.

3.

There shall none succeed him, etc. These words seem to ascribe a perpetuity of office to the Messiah. They may, however, mean merely that the ofiice is secured to him and his descendants. Cf. Ps. ex. 1 Mace. xiv. 41, "a priest for ever " where these words are used of Simon the Maccabee. Also in T. Reub. vi. 12 the mortality (?) of the priest king is assumed. ;

The grace of the Lord. Here all but be add a manifest " But Israel Christian interpolation shall be minished through ignorance, and darkened through grief." 9.

authorities

:

Shall sin covie to an end. According Is. Ixv. 17, Ixvi. 22 ; Jub. i. 29, iv. 26, xxiii. 26-28 (see my notes in loc), there are to be a new heavens and a new earth, but this renewal is not to be instantaneous and catastrophic, but gradual, and its progress to be conditioned ethically by the conduct of This is also the view of oirr Israel. All sin will depart from author. Mau 1 En. the Son of before Ixix. 29 the Messiah will sufi'er no evil to abide amongst his people Pss. The advent of the Sol. xvii. 29. kingdom brings with it the dLsappearance of sin and evil, 1 En. xcii. 5, xci. to

;

8, 14, c. 5.

Sin (a

A/3),

/i

S read "

all sin."


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

66

And

the lawless shall cease to do

[And the

And And

10.

evil.

just shall rest in him.]

he shall open the gates of paradise,

remove the

shall

threatening

sword

against

Adam. 11.

And

he shall give to the saints to eat from the tree of

12.

And And And

life,

the spirit of holiness shall be on them. Beliar shall be

upon the

And And

13.

bound by him.

he shall give power to His children to tread evil spirits.

the Lord shall rejoice in His children,

be well pleased in His beloved ones for ever.

[And the just shall rest in Hiin.'\ To be omitted with e as au interpolation. MoreThe parallelism is against it. over the use of Karairovaovaiv in the sense of " shall rest " iu this line and in that of " shall cease " in the pi-eceding line would be strange as Schnapp

remarks.

{op. cit. 42)

10.

on

And heiKalye

See note

avrds).

ver. 8.

Open

.

.

.

Here only

Paradise.

Jewish literature

is

Cf. 4 Ezra viii. the Messiah. enim apertus est paradisus ;

769

iii.

vTricFxero

sq.

iu

this act ascribed to

.

.

.

52 vobis Sib. Or. dfol^eiv

TTvXas. Paradise will /MaKapuv appear over agaiust Gehenna after the 2 En. final judgment, 4 Ezra vii. 36 X. and its mansions be spread before the righteous, Apoc. Bar. li. 11. Adam. Probably we should read .

.

.

.

.

.

;

" man

" here.

11. Give his saints to eat, eXc. The tree it of life is iu Paradise, 4 Ezra viii. 52 will be transplanted to the holy place, :

to the temple of the Lord, and the righteous will eat thereof and enjoy a long life on earth, 1 En. xxvi. 5, 6. This fruit fills and heals the righteous,

4 Ezra

vii.

123.

12. Beliar earliest

Cf. Rev. xxii. 2.

sludl

form of

be

hound.

The

this doctrine appears in

23, according to which shuts up iu prison certain of the According to our text host of heaven. (?, see note on ver. 8), and it stands alone Is.

God

xxi/. 22,

here in pre-Christian Jewish literature, this action is assigned to the Messiah. And yet there is nothing surprising in the expectation that the Messiah should bind Beliar, if the righteous were to tread under foot and rule over the evil In the NT. it is Christ that spirits. overcomes the strong man and binds him according to Matt. xii. 29, Luke X. 19, and an angel that binds Satan and casts him for 1000 years into the pit according to Rev. xx. 2, 3. If the text refers to the Messiah we might compare this exalted conception with that in 1 En. Ixii. 5 sqq., Ixix. 27, according to which he is to possess universal dominion and to judge men

and

angels.

to tread upon the evil Sim. vi. 6, from the context of which it is clear that it is the righteous who tread down these spirits. We find a very close parallel in Luke X. 19 tool) 5ed(i}Ka v/juv ttjv e^ovcriav Tov iraTetv iirl iraffav ttjv 8wa/MV ToO exdpoO. The same idea is found in T. Zeb. ix. 8 (bdg). To His children. This should mean " the children of Hyrcanus." The fact that the same phrase recurs in the next verse with a different meaning makes a slight difiiculty. If we hold that the meaning of the phrase in ver. 13 deter-

Power

spirits.

.

.

.

Cf. T.

.

.

.

its meaning also in ver. 12, it constitutes an art;ument in favour of

mines

assigning the achievements in vers. 10,


LEVI— CHAPTERS Then

14.

And And

XVIII. lo-XIX.

Abraham and

shall

Isaac and Jacob exult,

I will be glad. all

the saints shall clothe themselves with joy.

XIX. And now, my

children, ye have heard all

therefore, for yourselves either

either the law of the

Lord or the works of

his sons answered him, saying, Before

The Lord

them,

is

And

We

are witnesses.

4.

And

2.

the Lord

we

will

father

said

their

am

witness, concern-

his sons said

unto him

:

thus Levi ceased commanding

and he stretched out his

;

And

Beliar.

and His angels are

witness,

ing the word of your mouth.

his sons

And

3.

and ye are witnesses, and I

witnesses,

choose,

;

the light or the darkness,

walk according to His law. unto

67

5

feet Ton the bed!,

and was

gathered to his fathers, after he had lived a hundred and thirty -seven years.

And

0.

him

afterwards they buried

11 to God and not to the Messiah, See ver. 8 note. 14. Joy (begA^). aafS^ read "righteousness" which destroys the parallelism.

XIX.

Deut. xxx. 19.

of.

light or the darkness (adeA"-).

AbfgS ^^7^1

a e omit " there-

Therefore,

1.

With phrase

The

,•

read 7

a

"the J7

darlcuess 7

or the -.7

,

J7

The light or the darkness, either the law of the Lord or the icorks of Beliar. Cf. T. Naph. u. 6. We have a remarkable parallel with these words in 2 Cor.

vi.

14, 15, rts KOLvwvia (purl Trpds

ff KOTOS

;

ris

irpbs 2.

coffin,

and

Hebron, with Abraham,

in

and Jacob.

Isaac,

fore."

they laid him in a

d^

ffvfx.cpibi'riffLS

BeXiap. His sons answered

Xpiffrov

him saying

dS^ read

(a). (

+ Levi

"his sons answered

S^) their father saying,"

abef

"we

answered our father saying," A* j8 " answering our father we said. Walk, a adds "and." 3. Their fat/ier said unto tliem {a). " our father said "

ab efg A^ us"

(

+ " unto

A*^).

and I am witS A^ read " and I am witness ^. ^^^ witnesses " h ^). ^ ^.^ ^^\^ ^^.^ ,^^^^ ^.^,^ ^^y ^ ^b , ,,^. ,,^ -lo n j a Hr^.^^^ °°^-) sons said, ^-dg A \f^ ^^ ^

And

ye are witnesses

ness(c). ^^^ '^ „

/;,

<

^

'

4.

On

5.

With

the bed (a).

side of," e

A

/3-rf

A S^

om.

^-d e g rend " hy the "in the midst of."

{a g).


THE TESTAMENT OF JUDAH, THE FOUETH SON OF JACOB AND LEAH The copy

I.

he

together, therefore,

and came

my

THearken,

3.

died.

children, to

my

fourth son born to

named me Judah,

my

youth, and obedient to

it

came

and he said

to

them

Judah your fatherJ

I

was the

and Leah

my

mother

to him,

;

saying, I give thanks to the Lord, because

hath given

me

I honoured

2.

father Jacob

He And And

what things he spake They gathered themselves

of the words of Judah,

to his sons before

a fourth son

my

Talsol.

my

I

4.

was swift in

father in everything.

my

mother and

mother's

when I became a man, that my Thou shalt be a king, prospering

to pass,

blessed me, saying.

5.

sister.

6.

father

in all

things. of

/aco6 (aAb*).

Title. So a. 6e/S^ read "Testament Judah concerning courage and love of

.

(e S^ om. " and love of money ") and fornication" (/S^ om.."and fornication "). d AalJbcdefg "T. of Judah the fourth son of Jacob (Aa^hcdefg om. "son of J.") concerning courage (A'^ "righteousness" A^ om. "concerning courage and ") and love of money and

money

.

as

"

of inn

in Jer.

xx.

14.

rendering is supported by this Testament. a h read

that they omit "therefore." aefg read " And they gathered themselves together and."

my

^-dA^).

/3-ÂŤ

A add

active."

;

They gathered themselves together, So also 6 A S^ save therefore and (a). 2.

"ye know

and

My

as its variation from them on an obvious internal corruption.

to

he g K om. loas swift (a

6. father. (3 A S^ add "Jacob." Blessed me (eiryjit^aTo fioi). So /3-6 A(?) S^, save that a om. fioi. iirevXO/iat is a rendering of -;n3 in Deut. X. 8 1 Chron. xxiii. 13, and (irevKrbs

+ "and

3. Hearken, my children, your father (a), ^-d A. om.

/

4.

Aa<='i<^s,

rests

.

.

Also,

righteousness" A^). But A^ really attests the same text (

.

.

Gen. xxix. 35.

:

fornication"

;8A-''*Si om.

Judah I give thanks to the Lord. The paronomasia in the original nm.T miK was here repeated from

[h om.

),

The above xvii.

5

of

7]{i^aro fioi

which seems corrupt.

A coxild

also be rendered Tjii^aro vwip /xov.

Judah d reads

Thou xxii. 3.

children that."

16.

68

shalt be a king.

Cf.

xxi.

5,

So called in Ber. rab. Ixxxir.


JUDAH— CHAPTERS And

II.

and he did

i-III.

eat.

2.

my

know

I

and prepared the meat

it,

And

3.

69

i

favour in all

and in the house.

field

raced a hind, and caught father,

me

the Lord showed

both in the

I.

I overtook,

and caught

and plucked a kid out of

paw and hurled

down

it

it

its

the

and tamed mouth.

cliff,

I

A

6.

caught

tail,

was broken in twain. and seizing

fields,

and stunning

it,

A wild

.

'73N {i.e.

And

3.

.

from

.

the

om. the "and."

c

^pw/xa).

{hA).

roes

"and

reads

^& .

.

.

mare I

and tamed

overtook,

it (/3-a

e S^).

and caught a

is

it

defective

A="wild mares I tamed, wild beasts I hunted with my hands," e "a wild mare I overtook and tamed having caught a roe I hunted with my hand( !). This clause is omitted by a. 4. J slew. abgAB^ read "and I and

e

corrupt.

caught

and

:

slew."

Hurled

I

5.

I rani, I tare it in

my

dog,

rocks,

and

and

it

me and

slew

it

round

it.

5.

read

Outran {KUT^dpafiov

"I

a a). raced " {avviSpafiov).

/3-«S^

6. Judah hurls a leopard from Hebron to Gaza a distance of thirtyseven mOes According to Judg. xvi. 1-3 Samson carries the gates of Gaza to the mountain that is before Hebron. This mountain is nowadays shown in the neighbourhood of Gaza. Can there have been a second Hebron near Gaza.

!

According to T. Gad

i.

2 Gad hurls a

wild beast two furlongs.

the roe."

A wild

its

the two kinffs of the Canaanites came

.

"meat,"

.

by

was crushed.

by the horns, and whirling

it

^-g S^ read " having caught it I prepared food for my father." The words " and he did eat," "^^Ni, may have arisen through a dittography of the preceding

word

slew a lion

found a wild ox feeding in the

I

7.

II. 2. A hind (c). Or "stag." ;i/3(A'0Si="tliehind." Caught it, and he did eat (a save that h i om. the second " it "). .

it

it ^as

Hebron leaped upon and hurled it on the

I cast it

And when

III.

4. I

leopard in

by the

it

it.

I took a bear

and

outran the wild boar, and seizing sunder.

my

for

the roes I used to master in

the chase, and overtake all that was in the plains.

mare

works that I

(g

aTT^Xvffa.

A

a a read appear to

d.ir7]K6vTi<ra).

Both

these

be independent renderings of 'nnW. hdef read aireKv\-r]<ja. "rolled," an

emendation

(?)

of 6.Tvi\vaa,.

And it was crushed (a), d reads "and it was broken in pieces on them." /3 A S^ read "and any beast that turned upon me I rent it like a dog."

On

and it was broken in Similarly d, " on the earth, and forthwith it was broken." /3-c?S^ read " and it was broken on the coasts " and it ( -f- the panther A^) of Gaza," the rocks,

tioain (a).

A

was found broken on the coasts of Gaza." The verb " was found " (ei'p^^?;) belongs to the next sentence, where it is preserved in a but lost in ^. 7. I found a wild ox feeding in the fields, and seizing (a), ^-d A S^ read "a wild ox feeding in a field (A "mountain") I seized." These chapters contain an of the ancient legend which tells of Jacob's conquest of Shechem. This legend is already attested in Gen. III. -VII.

account

xlviii.

22,

"I have

where Jacob says to Joseph

:

given to thee one portion


70

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

sheathed in armour against our

flocks,

and much people with

them, single-handed I rushed upon the king of Hazor, and

smote him on the greaves and dragged him down, and so I slew him.

2.

And

the other, the king of Tappuah, as he

above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Araorite with my sword In the second and with my bow." century B.C. this legend had already been elaborated into an attack of seven Amorite kings on the sons of Jacob settled in Shechem (Jub. The xxxiv. 2-8, where see my notes). story is clearly referred to in Targ. Jon. on Gen. xlviii. 22, while in the comparatively late works, the Midrash

who had

Wajjissau

(Jelliiiek,

Beth ha-Midrasch,

the Chronicles of Jerahmeel xxxvi. it is given in a fuller form than In the Book of Jashar in our text. des French translation, Diet, (see iii.1-3),

Apocr.

ii.

1173-1184)

it

finds its

our text and in Jubilees flocks of

to exterminate

A

king." In Jub. xxxiv. 2 and Canaanites. Targ. Jon. on Gen. xlviii. 22, Midrash Wajjis., and Chron. Jer. xxxvi. thej^ are in the Book of called Amorite kings Jashar ii. 1173, Canaanite and Amorilfe. ;

Against our flocks. The object of this attack of the Canaanite kings in

;

to raid the

is

in the later authorities

Jacob and his sons.

This name appears as Of Hazor. 'Acroijp in ac S^, 'Zovp in b/g, Zovp in A. a reads top ej'a = -inNn= "the one" as opposed to "the other " in ver. 2. The personal name of this king was Para-

thaho (Midr. Wajjis. and Chron. Jer.) On this or Parathon (Book of Jashar). Hazor which is twice mentioned in the Tel Amarna Letters, see Enq/. Bib. and Hastings Bib. Diet, in loc. a omits the name Hazor owing to its wrong text

On

in iv. 2.

the names of these kings

see Jub. xxxiv. 2-8 notes.

Smote him on the greaves (a). Instead we should expect Kvrjfxas,

most

development. latest elaborate and These accounts agree in the main with vary much in statements each other, but To these we shall draw of detail. attention as we proceed. III. The fighting in this chapter takes place in the neighbourhood of Shechem where, according to the Midr. Wajjis. and the Book of Jashar, Jacob and his sons had settled. 1-5. These verses contain a narrative of Judah's slaughter of three kings, but in reality only of two (see notes on vers. 2, 3), the kings of Hazor and Tappuah. In the Midrash, Chron. Jer., and Book of Jashar no account is taken of the king of Hazor, but their description of Judah's encounter with the king of Tappuah agrees almost verbatim with verses 2-5 of our text. Internal evidence also requires us to take these verses as relating to the king of Tappuah only. 1. This verse, with the exception of the word "rushed upon," is not found in the later accounts. reads "the Two kings (ajSS).

Jacob

of KvrjixiSas

;8AS^ read "seized "legs," as in A. him and smiting (him) on the legs." In the Midrash (Jellinek,^. Aa-itf. account is "And he slew at the outset Jashub, king of Tappuah, who was covered from head to foot in iron and brass, and was riding on a horse (did hv 33i"i)> and could hurl his javelins (wjn miD .Tni) with both hands from horseback in front and behind (didh hliQ mriNbi vjb'?) and never missed his aim, 2-6.

iii.

1) the

:

he was mighty in his strength to both hands. When Judah saw (him) he was not territied by him or his might. He sprang up and ran to meet him, (and) he took up a stone (pN '?n3) fi-om the gi-ound weighing for

cast with

sixty shekels

and hurled

it

('o nhpti'O

And he was ny^a^n^ a^nha) at him. distant from him two parts of a res, that 177J cubits. And he came to meet Judah clad in iron and casting javelins. And Judah smote (nsn) him with the stone on his shield and hurled him from is,

his

horse.

When

he wished to

Judah ran and sought

to

slay

rise

him But

before he rose fi-om the ground. he made haste and stood upon liis feet to encounter Judah and he engaged him shield against shield, and he drew his sword and sought to smite off' Judali's

head.

And Judah

raised his sliield to

meet the stroke of the sword and he


JUDAH— CHAPTERS upon

sat

his horse, [I slew,

and

III. 2-4

so I scattered all his people.

Achor the king] a man of giant stature

3.

71

ri found^, hurling

and

javelins before and behind as he sat on horseback,

up a stone of his horse,

two hours

for

sixty pounds weight,

and

killed

and

;

?

He ducked

And

4.

What his

head

did (so

Chron. Jer., text of Midrash corrupt) and smote him with his sword and cut off his feet from above the ankles, and then he fell to the earth, and his sword fell from his hands. And he sprang up and cut ott' his head. And while he was stripping him of his armour (jvib') there came against him nine of his companions. When the first drew near Judah lifted a stoue and smote him on the head, and his shield fell from his hand, and Judah seized it and made a stand against the eight. And Levi his brother drew near and came and stood beside him, and he shot an arrow and slew lion king of Gaash. And Judah slew all

the eight.

According to the Greek text and the Armenian and Slavonic versions we have here an account of Judah's slaughter of two kings, the kings of Tappuah and Achor ('Axtip) in single combat. But since there were only 2-5.

seven kings in Wajjis.),

and

all

(Jub. xxxiv. 2, Midr. Judah has already

since

killed the king of

Hazor

in ver. 1,

and

subsequently kills four kings in iv. 1 (/S-g' AS'), and Jacob kills the king of Shilo in iii. 7, verses 2-5 can recount only the death of one king. Moreover, ver.

1

introdiices

the

and hurled

narrative

of

Judah's exploits with the mention of only two kings. This conclusion is confirmed by other facts. See notes on verses 2, 3.

His name, 2. King of Tappuah. according to the above extract, was Jashub. 2. [/ slew, and so I scattered all his (AcZeAabhb*. ca/grAcdeg read "their") This clause is a disturbing peojjie]. Verses 2-5 (see preceding addition. note) recount the death of one king, not of two. The internal evidence of the text is confirmed by the accounts

it

with

I fought

I clave his shield in twain,

clave the shield in twain.

Judah then

it.

I took

and smote

(this) other

and I chopped

Midrash Wajjis. (see note on verses 2-6) and the Book of Jashar (Diet, des Apoc. ii. 1174-1175), which employ the very phrases in these verse-s in the

and apply them Tappuah. 3.

[rbv

all

to

the

king of

This phrase [Achor the king.] 'AxwjO ^acnXea) is part of the

interpolation referred to in the last Since verses 2-5 refer only to note. the king of Tappuah (see preceding notes), some corruption underlies Achor.

Now 'Ax^p = "nnx,

corrupt for inx =

other words, top ^repov Thus these words arose in ^aaiKia. the Hebrew as a corrupt dittography of the opening words of ver. 2. Wlien this apparently proper name was inserted in the text, it became necessary to bring Judah's combat with the king of Tappuah to a close in ver. 2. Hence the addition there, which may have been made either in the Hebrew or subsequently in the Greek.

In

irepos.

Ifound [a). /SAS^om. Before and behind as he sat on hack [^

A S^).

are found also in the

Chron.

Jer.,

horse-

a omits, but the words Midr. Wajjis.,

and Book of Jashar.

aafg Smote (so A S^=:f7rdra^a), read Seow/ca, "I have given." Possibly for corrupt edwKa) is MSwKa [bde K^KpovKa, which may have been before A S^ Otherwise a ^ = -nn], corrupt for 'n'an= eTrdrala. In the Midrash Wajjis. (see note on ver. 2) and in Chron. Jer. this Hebrew verb is used in this conBut how are we to account for nection. S^ being right, if the corruption arose

A

in the 4.

Hebrew ?

a omits this verse through

(This)

other.

hmt

/3-eA^ read

'Ax^^p

(A^ Naxtip), which represents a ruption of nnN = erepov as in ver.

cor-

3.

In the Clave his shield in twain. (see note on ver. 2),

Midrash Wajjis.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

72

off his feet,

and

killed him.

breastplate, behold nine

with me.

6.

And

I slung stones at

rest fled.

And

fear

fell

as I

was stripping

off his

companions began to fight

wound my garment on my hand

I

and

;

them, and killed four of them, and the

Jacob

my

father slew -f-Beelesath, king

upon them, and they ceased warring

Therefore

against us.

9.

in the wars

when

saw

And

his

the kings, a giant in strength, twelve cubits high.

of all 8.

And

7.

5.

men

my

IV.

my

10. For he

brethren.

me^ that an angel of might

in a vision Tconcerning

followed

father was free from anxiety

was with

I

me everywhere, that I should not be And in the south there came upon

overcome. us a greater

war than that in Shechem and I joined in battle array with my brethren, and pursued a thousand men, and slew ;

of

them two hundred men and four

Chron. Jer., and Book of Jashar it is Judah's shield that is cleft by his oppouent who, according to these authorities, was Jashub. And killed him. This clause is wrongly transposed before " and I clave "

A

by /3 and the " and " omitted. preserves the right order. 5. Breastplate [6 il> pa Ko). The Hebrew

has pna'.

Nine (A^^s, Midrash Wajjis., Chron. Book of Jashar). ^-g'S^ read

"eight," A-6fg "seven."

And I wound

wound

" Lord of Shilo "

;

2.

And

for,

according to the

I

went

Midrash Wajjis., Chron. Jer., and Bk. of Jashar, Jacob slew the king of Shilo, whose name was Zerori (Midr. Wajjis.),

—

Zehori (Chron, Jer. -Brit. Museum MS) or Ihuri (Bk. of Jashar). ^Aabhefg 9. irAen (c/3Ab*cdsi).

read "because."

/

sJimU not be overcome (jSAS').

a

"none should touch me." JV. The warfare narrated in the

reads

Jer.,

6.

kings.

(a).

reads "I

therefore."

According to the Four of them. Hebrew authorities he killed the remaining eight. Here the Midrash Wajjis., Chron of Jer., and Book of .Jashar recount Levi's slaughter of the

king of Gaash. slew. According to 7. Jacob the Midrash Wajjis. and Bk. of Jashar Jacob slew four other kings, but accord.

.

ing to o\vc text See iv. 1.

.

it is

Judah that did

My father {adeA^). read " our father."

preceding chapter took

neighbourhood j3

so.

/3-tiejAÂŤS^

All the MSS and fBeelesath (e). Versions are here corrupt, aaf read BeXicro^, b BeeXtcra, A-"' BeXiaead, etc. All seem to be corruptions of n'j'c hv^.

of

place

Shechem,

in the as the

sentence of this chapter implies. In this chapter the fighting is in the neighbourhood of Hazor, though this city is not mentioned. For the Midr. Wajjis., immediately after a description of the warring round Shechem, " And liefore the city Hazor proceeds there came iipon them a severer war than (;a m3D nDnSn crh n'n) that which they had waged with them in the valley of Shechem." See also note on ver. 2. The same order of events is preserved in the Chron. Jer. and the Bk. of Jashar. And four kings (j8AS^). a omits wrongly. In the amended text above we have seen that Judah slew the kings of Hazor and Tappuah (1-5), and Jacob the king of Shiloh (7). Hence Judah first

:


JUDAH— CHAPTERS up upon the

we

wall,

and

I slew four

captured Hazor, and took

On

V.

But

2.

I

and

and Gad approached on the east side

authorities do not

here accord with our text. They ascribe the slaughter of four kings here to Jacob, but the list is not the same as that just given. The names in the Midrash Wajjis. are Parathon (Pir'athaho Chron. Jer. ) king of Hazor, Pasusi (Susi Chron. Jer., but Bk. of Jashar om.) of Sartan, Laban of Aram(Heldon Chron. Jer. (Bodley MS), Horon Chron. Jer. (British Museum MS), Bk. of Jashar), Shabir (Shakir- Chron. Jer., Bk. of Jashar). The difference in the two lists is due to the fact that whereas our text makes Judah in the first instance slay the kings of Hazor and Tappuah, these Hebrew authorities represent Judah as slaying the king of Tappuah, and Levi as slaying the king of Gaash. :

2. And I vjent up upon the wall, i.e. of Hazor as in Midrash Wajjis. n'?j,'i nis:n

hv

.

Captured

:

coiTupt. ;8 S^ read "two other kings," while a is most corrupt of all, as it gives "their king," i.e. the king of Hazor, who was already slain by Judah (iii. 1). This incident is referred to in the Book of Jashar {Did. des Apoc. ii. 1176), " The fugitives arrived before Hazor, but finding the gates closed they forced their way into the place. The . .

.

And

.

.

Here

our

"we

text freed

Hebron." But the text has here no concern with Hebron, but only with Hazor as in the preceding two verses. Hence for XejBpwv we must read 'A<rovp. This corruption gave rise to the corrupt verb, iXevdepilicrafiev — ri}j^3n, corrupt for i:bsn or

Midrash

as in the

i:;^33,

lu-aa

very rare. In any case the text must be emended.

csn

ni^snS

We add

took

is

.

.

the booty (a),

.

"of the

Wajjis. -3B'n

kings."

Cf,

^-d A S^ Midrash

laiy.

V.

This chapter contains an account of the destruction of Sartan and Tappuah.

Aretan

aae^f& Chron.

(6e^).

eripav.

was Sartan

dA The

read 'Aperd, original

word

Midr. Wajjis., Jer. xxxvi. 7, and Bk. of Jub. xxxiv. 4, 7 give Saregan ([bid) as in

Jashar. or Seragan. .

Walled and inaccessible {^-dg A S^). reads "mighty." Midr. Wajjis. reads there was no means of apa

'

'

proaching the wall because the wall was strong and exceedingly high." (a). ^ S^ read " therefore "and then I." on the east, etc. The I and Gad

But I

2.

I."

is

.

3.

It reads

Hazor.

again corrupt.

is

1.

These words I have drawn from the Midrash Wajjis. as our text is here corrupt. The Midrash runs " And he went up upon the wall of Hazor, and four mighty men attacked Judah before Naphtali came to the rescue, who had gone up after him, but before he had gone up, (Judah) slew the four mighty men (o-nmj 'i cmN'? i-\ri). The same account is given in Chron. Jer. xxxvi. 6. The above reading A supports in some measure as it reads " still other four kings," where " kings "

west.

sons of Jacob came after them, but four mighty men well exercised in war set and brought out from the gate them to a stand." It then assigns the destruction of two of them to Naphtali, while the other two took to flight.

noin'?.

Four mighty men.

.

so

threatening us with

inaccessible,

slays here the king of Sai-tan, the king of Gaash, the kuig of Bethhoron, and the king of Mahanaim (see Jub. xxxiv.

The Hebrew

And

3.

the spoil.

all

and Eeuben and Levi on the

of the city,

2-8).

mighty men.

next day we departed to Aretan, a city

the

strong and walled death.

5-V.

III.

A-ef

.

Midrash

.

.

a different account they went up on the wall, Judah was the first to go up on the east and Gad on the west. Simeon and Levi went up on the north ; Eeuben and Dan on the south." Similarly in Chron. Jer. xxxvi. 7 and Bk. of Jashar "

And

in

loc.

gives


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

74

they that were upon the wall, thinking that we were alone, -f-were

drawn

down-f- against

brothers secretly climbed up stakes,

and entered the

And we

5.

took

it

who had taken

those

tower and took both

refuge it

4.

And

my

so

both sides by

men knew it not. edge of the sword. And as for in the tower, we set fire to the

city,

with the

us.

the wall on

while the

and them. /3AS1

And

And

we were departing the men of Tappuah

ing

the

and seeing

set

upon

6.

as

seized our spoil,

we fought with them. And we slew them all

(this) 7.

and recovered our

spoil.

6.

we were

as

men our

depart-

Tappuah

of

up we fought with them delivering

as

to our sons

it

Tappuah.

and took as

that was in In the Midrash, Chron. Jer.,

3-4.

and Bk. of Jashar there

is

practically

nothing corresponding to our text here.

Were drawn down (a/3S^). A reads "prolonged the war." But i(pe\Kvcr0ri<Tav = ^3-\K, which may be corrupt for iDiy, which with or without nDn^D = Taperdf ajTo "set themselves in array " a phrase which occurs three or four times in this Midrash but not in this case, as our text and the Midi-ash 3.

—

diverge here. 4. The text follows j3 S^ except that S' reads "all" for "both." a is de' fective and so my brethren secretly on both sides of the wall, we {sic) entered into the city." A=:"But all our brethren on both sides fixing in stakes we entered the city, while the men knew it not." 5. Having set fire to the tower we took both it and them {^). a reads " we burnt with fire an<l so we took all tlie people and all their possessions." is here corrupt. The Midr. Wajjis. recounts: "They stood over against them on the tower before Judah reduced the tower. And afterwards Judah :

A

'

as far

And we

7.

slew them and burnt city,

and

spoil,

their

spoil

all

it.

went up to the top of the tower and slew 200 men on the roof of the tower. All the inhabitants of the city they captured, etc." Similarly in Chrou. In the Bk. of Jashar, Jer. xxxvi. 7. Diet, des Apocr. ii. 1177, the one tower has become two, and the narrative in a like degree expanded and embellished. 6-7. a gives one account here, ySAS' In some agree in presenting another. respects a is the more accurate but the less full. a represents the men of Tappuah as succeeding in carrying ofiF the spoil, and the sous of Jacob as recovering it but /3 A S^ describe it as an attempt which failed and was followed by the destruction of Tappuah. Seized (eweXdjSovTO. So ae). Here j8-ae AS^ read "set upon" (iTri^aXov). Tlie corruption is native to the Greek. That {ireXd^ovTo is a correct verb we see from the Midr. Wajjis. 'mt< in:Âť' 'acn DTD h^iir.h msn, ami also from Chron. Jer. xxxvi. 7, Bk. of Jashar, Diet, des Apocr. ii. 1178. The phrase recurs in vi. 3 where the Greek has \a^s7v T7}v aixfJ-o-Xucrlav The spoil ;

.


JUDAH— CHAPTERS VI.

And when

I

was at the waters

came against us

of -f-Jobel

with them and routed them

we

sleWjT

2.

Tand their

And

3.

the

men

day, to seize our spoil

overcame them in

fierce

;

75

Kozeba, the

of"

to battle. ;

and we did not leave them

against us. fifth

V. 4-VI. 4

And we

fought

from Shiloh

allies

to

'"power"'

of -f-Makir

men

come

in

came upon us the

and we attacked them and

battle

for

:

there was a host of

mighty men amongst them, and we slew them before they had gone up the city their

women

thus taken by the recovered by the

men sous

ascent. rolled

4.

of Tappuah is of Jacob in

VI. The defeat of the men of Arbela and the destruction of Shiloh and Shakir. Tliis town 1. 1-2. a om. 1. Kozeba. probably that which is mentioned in 1 Chron. iv. 22 (naia) as belonging to

is

the descendants of Shelah, the son of

and

named

Kezib in Gen. Chron. Jer. xxxvi. 8 speaks of the "waters of north of xxxviii.

5.

nw

Tappuah." The name here is corrupt, but the position assigned to it, " north of Tappuah," is right, if we may identify it with Ain el Kezbeh (Encyc. Bib.

i.

37, 38).

The vien of Jobel

(b). Jobel is probably corrupt for 'Ap^rjX or 'Ap^arjX. According to the Bk. of Jashar (Did. des Apocr. ii. 1178), the Arbeliaus marched to the rescue of the captives of Tappuah but were all put to the sword by the sons of Jacob. The Midr. Wajjis. also supports our emenda" tion They went from thence to Arbael C^ndin) and slew the men who had gone forth to seize the spoil." afS^ read 'Id), dg lu-qX. 2. Their allies from Shiloh ire slew omit, but the clause is found in Midr. Wajjis. and Chron. Jer. xxxvi. 8. Did not leave them power to come against us {ovk ^8uKa/j.ep avrols Si^^ooov Here I have Tov elffeKdetv irpbs r/yuSs). given an unexampled meaning to Sii^o8ov, as I have taken it to be the equivalent of i\ In the Midr. Wajjis. and Chron. Jer. xxxvi. 8 we have in :

/A

to their

upon us stones from the brow

ver. 7.

Judah

And when we came

this connection the "iiDj;'?

T,

words anh

of

I3n3 K*?

"they did not leave them make a stand against them."

power to But possibly there

is a dittography in Su^odov rod elaeXdelf^: Nu"? NXiD where n^id may be a dittography of Nu'?In that case we should omit SU^odov. 3. Makir. In the Midrash we have Shabir, in the Chron. Jer. xxxvi. 9 Shakir. The Bk. of Jashar om. this incident. In Jub. xxxiv. 4 we have Maanisakir, which in my note in loc. I have wrongly taken to be for Shakirmaani or Shakir, king of Mahanaim. Shakir here is the city, and Maanisakir is the camp of Shakir (tdb" n:nD). Perhaps Maxip is a compression of Maxa-vitraKip. If not we must read

the

text,

Shakir.

On the fifth day. According to the Midrash, Chron. Jer., and Bk. of Jashar this was the fourth day. To seize our spoil (jSAS^). Midr. Wajjis. ^3cn n» h^^rih« omits. Overcame them in a ruighty battle af read overcame them {13-d f A S'). with a mighty sword." For there was a host of mighty men (dg "a mighty host") amongst them a om. (/3 A S^). Slew them before they had gone, etc. So Midr. Wajjis. nVyon I'^i'c onp Dinni. Both the Midrash 4. Their women. and Chron. Jer. speak only of men '

'

here.

Rolled \eKv\iov).

Possibly corrupt,

Chron. Jer. read "hurled" (D'D'St^'D). See note on ii. 4

for

Midrash

and

for a similar corruption.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

76

the hill ou which the city stood.

5.

And

I

and Simeon

hid ourselves behind the town, and seized upon the heights,

and destroyed

this city also.

And

the next day

VII.

of the city of G-aash with a us.

2.

I,

therefore,

Amorites, and as

was told us that the king

it

mighty host was coming against

and Dan feigned ourselves

allies

went into

them the

gates

substance, and

;

And

in

we opened

to

their city.

the depth of night our brethren came and

and we destroyed

all

3.

men and

the

be

to

their

we took for a prey all that was theirs, and we cast down. 4. And we drew near to

their three walls

Thamna, where was

Then being

5.

rushed against

all

the substance of the hostile kings.

insulted by them, I was therefore wroth,

them

to the

summit

This city also (a). /3 A S^ read " tlie whole city." VII. 1. King of the city of Gaash with a mighty host (a d). a ef read " Gaash the city of the kings with a great host"; bS^ "the cities of the A two kings with a great host " " Gaash a city with a i^owerful king." 2. /, therefore, and Dan feigned ourselves to he Amorites, aiid as allies a read "And I and Gad (^-rfeS^). also proceeded to the Amorites and feigning ourselves to be their allies " ; A-^* " I, therefore, and Dan feigned ourselves to be Amorites." a is 3. The text follows (SAS^ " And in the depth of the defective night all our brethren also came, and we opened the gates to them and destroyed all the men and took as a prey. Their three walls. These walls are mentioned in the Midrash, Chron. Jer., and the Bk. of Jashar. The two former speak of o'is'? nam rh vn mmn cVb' three walls one within annoino, The Bk. of Jashar describes other." the assault on each wall in turn. This may 4. Thamna, i.e. Timnah. be the Thamnatha of 1 Mace. ix. 50, one of the Judean cities fortified by Bacchides. See Encyc. Bib. and Diet. Bib. in loc. b g read Substance (dTrocrKevrj). 5.

;

:

'

'

"refuge"

{d7ro^ii7iJ).

and

and they kept slinging

;

The incidents recounted here in connection with Thamna are told of Gaash in the Midr. Wajjis., Chron. Jer., and Bk. of Jashar. 5-6.

Then being insulted by them I was d e). p-d e S^ read " then being insulted I was wroth " A " and then being insulted by them and 5.

therefore wroth (a

;

being wrath." No account of the insult to Judah appears in our text. Thereason is preserved in Midr. Wajjis. "And they began to depreciate them and mock them (vm \r\h piyiiD iVnnni pS j'Bnno). Then the \\Tath of Judah arose and he sprang and was the first to go up on the wall (nyB' nmN3 n'jyi mirr hv man nnby y3^>^ Similarly in the Chron. noinS pi^Nn)." Jer. xxxvi. 1] and in the Bk. of Jashar {Diet, des Apocr. ii. 1179, 1180). :

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Rushed against them (wpfXTjaa

vhS

iir'

.

.

.

to the

summit

avToi;s eiri rrjv Kopv(priv)

A

=

comparison

of these words with the Hebrew of the Midrash in the last note suggests the probability that t'^-h (or nrnnV, "to its summit") is here corrupt for pc.sn, and that possibly nn'^y is corrupt for In that case we should read nnin Sj/. I was the first to spring upon the wall." ar\-hv

m^isp.

'

'

Kept slinging, etc. Cf. Wajjis. j'33x v'?v j'D^'^e'a vn.

Midrash


JUDAH— CHAPTERS against

me

stones and darts.

6.

And had

not

brother aided me, they would have slain me.

upon them,

therefore,

n

VI. 5-VIII. 2

with wrath, and they

passing by another way, they besought

my

Dan my

7.

We

all

fled

father,

came ;

and

and he

made peace with them. 8. And we did to them no hurt, and they became tributary to us, and we restored to them their spoil. 9. And I built Thamna, and my father built 10. I was twenty years old when this war befell. Rabael.

And

11.

me and my

the Canaanites feared

And

VIII.

man Iram

I

had much

cattle,

the Adullamite.

2.

and

saw Barsaba, king of Adullam

I

This verse is found in Chron. Jer. ixxvi. 11, but there it is Jacob that rescues Judah myS apy T\''n v^ iV'N 6.

:

,inn»

nx

j'jnin vn.

Would have slain me (elx^'' M^ The Hebrew in the preceding

aueXeTi').

note shows the meaning of elxoj' here, a meaning which it also bears in the NT. 7. They all fled (a /3 put them to flight."

Passing

.

.

.

S^).

they

A reads "we besought

my

father (^-d A S^). a reads " departing bj another way to our father they besought him"; A "departing by another way they besought Jacob our father."

He made peace

with them (/3-a/S^). Midr. Wajjis. oncy apy nts'y a a/ read " they made peace with diSb'. him " A " we made peace with them. On the other hand, two lines earlier in the Midrash it is said " All the Amorites assembled and came to them without arms, and bowed down to them and besought them to make peace, and then they made peace with them."

So

also

;

:

8.

They

becam.e tributary to us (a avrous inro(p6povs)=D::h ijS vn, Here ^ A S^ give a different 7. eTTon^crafjLei' avrovs inroa-irovdovs, made a truce with them." Cf.

etxo/Ji.ey

cf. ix.

text.

"we

Bk. of Jashar(1686, fol. 79^ rt'? imD'i DiW nnn. Here the Midr. Wajjis. reads DD n'? MDi, " they gave them tribute " and the Bk. of Jashar (1686, fol. 79^), DD*? 3pj;' '33 EiO'E''!, "and they made ;

them

tributary."

I

had

And when ;

brethren. for chief herdsI

went

to

him

Tand he spake unto

We

restored to them their spoil. According to the Midrash Wajjis. (see my note on Jub. xxxiv. 8-9), it is the Amorites that restore the spoil to the

sons of Jacob so also the Bk. of Jashar, Diet, des Apocr. ii. 1184. The Bodley MS of the Chron. Jer. xxxxi. 12 is here corrupt and admits of restoration either way. In Jub. xxxiv. 7 it is Jacob that recovers his herds. Their spoil (ad A). /3S^ Midrash Wajjis. read "all the spoil." The Chron. Jer. reads "the spoil." 9. Text follows /3ASi save that they differ as to the form of the second proper name, a reads " And we built :

also their city." The former is right. Thus Jub. xxxiv. 8 reads (Jacob) built Robel and Tamnatares," Midrash Wajjis. "And Jacob built Timnah and Judah Arbael CjN-mN')." "Rabael '

'

(ae/S^) is corrupt, b reads 'Fa/x^arjX, g "PojSttTjX, d "Pa^rjX. We have here probably the stronghold Arbela mentioned in 1 Mace. ix. 2. This Arbela is one of the cities mentioned in the Bk. of Jashar as put to the sword by the sons of Jacob in this war. 10. Twenty years old, etc. This practically agrees with Jub. xxviii. 15 (see my note), and xxxiv. 1. VIII. 1. / had for chief herdsman. reads " the name of my chief herdsman was." Ira,m {a a ef). bdg read ' Iran "

A

'

"Eran." Cf. Gen. xxxviii. 1. 2. Barsaba bd (aaef). "Barsan," gA "Baisa."

or

read


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

78 us,T

and he made us a

me

gave

Onan, and Shelah

Er, and

smote

:

IX.

feast

for Shelah lived,

And

;

and when

Bathshua

his daughter

;

and two of them the Lord

my

my

strong people.

And when

Jacob smote Esau with an arrow,

/3A omit. When. I was heated. Text here reads 7rapaK-aX^cras = Dn:p, which I take to be was heated,"

I

with wine. Cf. Jer. li. 39 and heateth T. Jud. xiv. 3, " wine In xi. 2 the body to carnal union." of our text Judah says "through the intoxication of wine I wais deceived." Or Dn:n may be See also xiii. 5-7. corrupt for 'on'S, " when I was heated i.e.

.

Judah's

desire."

.

.

drunkenness

explains his marrying a Canaanite. On the offence this gave to rabbinic tradition see my note on Jub. xxxiv. 20. IT apaKoKia as cannot be taken here as " having invited."

=

Bathshua, i.e. xxxviii. 2 Jub. ;

yie'

Cf.

nn.

xxxiv.

20,

Gen. xli.

The MSS give various corruptions

7.

of this

name. Smote.

3.

bdeAii^

add

"child-

less " (dreKvovs).

And a

his

Esau,

And

rZTe spake unto us\ (a).

with

life,

came upon us with a mighty and

3.

"when

my

eighteen

father,

and he was taken up wounded on Mount

corrupt for 'Dn3 =

we came

us, after that 2.

the fortieth year of

fulfilled, in

the brother of

ye.

father abode at peace with

and his sons with

from Mesopotamia, from Laban. years were

me

She bare

3.

and his children are

eighteen years

his brother Esau,

was heated he

I

to wife.

children ye are (/3AS').

Seir,

and as he

Thus the the statements in Jubilees. sons of Esau attacked Jacob when mourning for Leah, Jub. xxxvii. 14, that is in the year 2167 or 2168 A.M. Now Judah was born (Jub. xxxvi.21). (Jub. xxviii. 15) in the year 2128 a.m. Came upon us with a mighty and strong people. Cf. Midr. Wajjis. n3 Jacob smote Esau with an arroio So a. This text is supported by af eweTrecrei' (f eireffev) iv ro^iji 6 (f om.) 'laKw^ tov 'H<raO, where iiriireaev or iweaev is clearly corrupt for (wiiraLaev or ^waiaev. This view is supported by Jub. xxxviii. 2, " Jacob struck Esau " the Midr. Wajjis. and Chron. Jer. icu*? n^n, " ( Jaeob) smote Esau." bgAS^ read i-rreaev iv rS^cp 'laKci/S, "he fell by the bow of Jacob." 3.

(or with a bow).

:

On

the

later

traditions

as

to

the

death of Esau see my note on Jub. xxxviii. 2 ; Jewish Encyc. v. 208. Was taken up wounded on Mount " The sons Seir. Jub. xxxviii. 8 says :

ora.

IX. This chapter gives a very defective account of the war between Jacob and Esau, the death of Esau and the subjugation of Edom. A fuller account is found in Jub. xxxvii. -xxxviii. 1-14, and a still ampler one in Midr. Wajjis. and the Chron. Jer. xxxvii. Quite a different relation of these events appears in the Bk. of Jashar {Diet, des Apocr. ii. 1235-1236). 1. father (a d). ^-d A read " our

My

father." 2. ()3

In

A S^).

bd add "and we." year of my life This date agrees with

the fortieth

a om.

of

Esau

.

.

.

left

father

their

lying

he had fallen ou the hill which is in Aduram " the Midrash Wajjis. and Chron. Jer. " And he was wounded by the arrow (fnn |n rhm), (and) his sons raised him and set him on an ass and he came to Arodin and died there." Woitndcd. Text reads veKposBut this is manifestly corrupt for Esau is represented as proceeding to Anoniram and dying there. The corruption arose in the Hebrew. vâ‚ŹKpl)s = nh2:i, corrupt slain as

:

;

for nhr[}

= reTpav/j,aTiff/jL^i'os,

which

is

found in the passage in the Midrash


JUDAH— CHAPTERS went he died

Anoniram.

at

Now

sons of Esau. gates of brass

And we

4.

and with

weight

talents 6.

my

I set

shield

;

and

I

my

;

head I went

their

mighty

baths of famine,^ given

in

five

and having taken counsel

five

oil,

hundred cors of wheat,

the

preceding

note.

The

same conjunction of words " smote wounded " (n'^m njn) is found in 1 K. xxii. 34 in regard to the death of Ahab. And as he went he died at Anoniram c omits this clause owing to (/3S^). .

.

.

.

.

.

the corruption pointed out in the preh omits this clause, and ceding note, the iirst clause of the next through And as they were reads hmt. " going he was buried in Anoniram another manifest attempt to improve an impossible text. A noniram (/3-6 d A). Jub. xxxviii. 9 (see note) has Adiu-am here and the Midrash Arodin which seems to be corrupt for Adorim. This is the"A5wpa mentioned by Joseph. {Ant. xxii. 15. 4) as one of the towns captured by Hyrcaniis and forced to accept circumcision (Ant. xiii. 9. 1).

A

'

:

'

:

And

Tuntil

the

into Egypt. they slung against them." Here all MSS. but e read aTrodexo/xevos, thoiigli we expect virodex^fJ-^vos as in e. The Hebrew authorities support the latter. However, in Polyb. iii. 43. 3, v. 51. 1 dirodexo/J-ai is used in this sense. Upwards of three talents in weight a omits. (/3 A S^). '

/ sleio (a A). /3 S^ read I went up and slew." 6. And Reuben (a). j8 S' read " And on the following day E.," A "and after me R." a adds therefore. 7. Then, Received them as tributaries {eSe^d'

'

'

avToOs vwo(p6povs). Cf. vii. 8. omits vwo<j)bpovs. The Midrash " we made them tribuWajjis. reads tary " (^2^]} oi:h nun:).

/Meda

a

:

8.

read

A

city ivith walls of iron and 4. gates of brass (^-d A). a reads " a strong city." Besieged it {ceg A), h /3-e g S^ read " besieged them." 5. Stistaining the assaults of stones. The Midrash Wajjis. and Chron. Jer. ascribe this incident to Judah, Naphtali " And and Gad jointly, and write they received on their shields the sharp stones (pjaN 'pi'^n orjon I'rap) which

8.

hundred

five

hundred measures of wine,

when we went down

men.

Then they

7.

with our father, we received them as tributaries. they gave us

they

Tin the

upwards of three

slew six others.

asked from us terms of peace

and we

iti,

up a ladder

upon

slew four of

And Eeuben and Gad

^into

And when

5.

it.

the assaults of stones,

sustaining

up,

pursued after the

and we could not enter

;

79

they had a city with walls of iron and

encamped around, and besieged opened not to us in twenty days, sight of alD,

VIII. 3-IX. 8

Five hundred (a«/Si).

hdeK

"two hundred."

Cors,

i.e.

Kdpovs

(=d''"i3).

The

measure was = 10 ephahs or baths. Baths {^-afS^). aa/imply "ephah" (hb^n), apparently, since c reads ii07;s,

h

vcpeis,

af <p€vs.

the ephah

This

is

strange since

used for dry measure. /3-a/read 0i0, A=/xiTpov ^ed {sic). Five hundred {a&). /3 A^* read "fifteen hundred," S^ "five hundred." the U7itil famine, when (a). /3 S^ read "until," is


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

8o

And

X.

my

these things

after

son Er took to wife

Tamar, from Mesopotamia, a daughter of Aram.

2.

Now

Er was wicked, and he f was in need concerning Tamar, And on the because she was not of the land of Canaan. 3. TAnd he third night an angel of the Lord smote him. had not known her according

to the evil craftiness of his

mother, for he did not wish to have children by her.

4.

In the days! of the wedding-feast I gave Onan to her in marriage and he also in wickedness knew her not, though ;

he spent with her a year.

5.

he went in unto her, but he

command

according to the

through wickedness. to her, but his

6.

And when

I threatened

spilled the seed

of his mother,

And

him

on the ground,

and he

also died

I wished to give Shelah also

mother did not permit

evil against Tamar,"! because she

it

;

Tfor she

wrought

was not of the daughters

of Canaan, as she also herself was.

XI. X.

1.

And

I

that the race of the Canaanites was

knew

And{aadg k).

6e/S^omit.

Daughter of Aram, i.e. of the Semitic race, not like Bathshua his mother, who was a Cauaanite. This fact of her descent is told also in Jub. xli. 1. In Ber. rabba 85, R. Meir of the second century states that Tamar was the Cf. daughter of the priest-king Shem. also Targum, Ps. Jon. on Gen. xxxviii. In the Opus 6 24, Baba Mezia 87=^. Imperfectum on Gen. i. 3 it is said that Judah alarmed by his ovra. experience of Bathshua, a daughter of Canaan, gave to Er " Thamar ex filiabus Aram." ,

,

^,,

a reads 2. The text follows ^ A S^. « Now Er was wicked and an angel of the Lord slew [idavaTwaev) him. .

:

\Was

in need, or "was in a

.

.

3. «•

is

A

omits this verse through defective, omitting " for . .

hmt.

by

.

Our text apparently was known her." to the writer of the Opus Imperfectum on Matt. i. 3 Mater autera ejus cum esset Chauanaea hortaretur earn accipere ex genere suo lUe consilio matris usus Propter quod pernoJi contigit earn. cussit euni Dominus malignantem. 13 4. Text follows /3AS\ though slightly defective, a reads: "And I gave her to Aunan my second son and, behold, the Lord slew him." a omits. ^ ^ext follows ,3 A S^. Wickedness. A reads "his wicked:

:

A

ness."

diffi-

culty" (•^7r6pet)- )7T6pet = nDn', which may be corrupt for iDn'="put her to shame." Cf. Jub. xli. 2 (Er) "hated because and would not lie with her he wished to take him a wife of the kinsfolk of his mother." Orthetextmay be a mistranslation of iznh ns% which should have been rendered iixOpaive Ps. Jon. on Gen. xxxviii. 7 says T-g T. .

the Lord slew him because he would not give his seed to his wife, that

g.

His mother

{a).

/3

A S^

read "

my

wife Bathshua."

So Jub. xli. 7, j)i(i ^fji permit it. " Bedsuel the wife of Judah did not permit her son Shelah to marry." This phrase is Against Tamar. found only in 6

As she bgA^^^* <^

also

rf

e S.

herself

was {aaef).^

read "as she herself was."

A^defg omit.


JUDAH— CHAPTERS

X. i-XII. 3

wicked, but the impulse of youth blinded

And when

I

cation

wine was

my

of

my

saw her pouring out wine, owing

2.

and took her although

deceived,

I

father had not counselled

mind.

to the intoxi-

And

3.

(it).

while I was

away she went and took for Shelah a wife from Canaan. 4. And when done, I cursed I knew what she had

my

her in the anguish of

soul.

And

5.

she also died

through her wickedness together with her sons. XII.

And

Tamar was

after these things, while

a widow,

my

she heard after two years that I was going up to shear sheep,

and adorned herself in bridal array, and

Enaim by

city

the

Amorites, that she

gate.

^2.

For

who was about by the

fornication seven days

sat in the

was a law of the

it

marry should

to

gate.l

3.

sit

in

Therefore being

Impulse. So I have rendered on the supposition that it is here a rendering of ns*.

that Bathshua prevented her son Shelah

SiajSoi^Xtoj'

from marrying.

Pouring out wine, owing to the intoxication of wine ((3) — nncan npcya. reads "pouring out wine" and A a. "owing to intoxication," S' "owing

of Canaan,"

XI.

1.

2.

a cannot to the intoxication of wine." be right as the verb "was deceived" requires such a statement as that in A. The text of /3 is supported by xiii. 5-7. Took her although my father had not avTT)v counselled (it) {\fKa^ov firi So ^ovkevaafiivov rod irarpSs /xou). For this sense of ^ovXeveaOai of. a. 2 Sam. xvi. 23, xvii. 7, 21, etc. Perhaps we should read as in xiii. 4 fiT)

The is

ffv/u,^ov\ev(rdfj,€vos

t^j

Trarpi

fiov.

text of a, which speaks of wedlock

supported by

xiii.

3,

where

it

practi-

cally recurs in the same connection. >n'?DJ j3 3^ read t (rvveirecra wpb^ avrrjv rh (na or), where the verb is corrupt for

=

'n'?!?!,

which in

later

Hebrew

is

used of

or illicit sexual intercourse, and is therefore just the word which suits in xiii. 3, 7, and T. Jos. ix. 5, where it

licit

Hence /3S^ = o"i;j'e7ej'6occurs again. " I had intercourse, lay with Thus a and /3 represent two her." A. = crvv€Trecra distinct types of text. TTpos /SouXas avriis, a corrupt conflation

fi-qv avTfi,

of a and 3.

/3.

In Jub.

xli.

7

it

is

pierely said

Canaan

(a).

A

/3-c?S^

read "the land

"the Cauaanites."

5. Through her loickedness toget/ier with her sons (a). ^ read " through the wickedness of her sons."

A&

XII. Cf. Gen. xxxviii. 12-26 xli.

;

Jub.

8-23.

Adorned lierself Cf. Jub. xli. "adorned herself." So also LXX (^/caXXcoTTicraTo) Sjt. and Onkelos of 1.

9,

Gen. xxxviii. 14, though the Massoretic has "enwrapped herself." Enaim. So ce reading ''Eivav corrupted in h « into evavri and inhd into OLTrivavTi. This town is referred to in Gen. xxxviii. 14 in this connection. Here our text agrees with the LXX against the Targums and Syriac, which do not take this word as a proper name.

This name

omitted in Jub. xli. 9. a adds "of the inn." 2. Who was about to marry (/3S^ a reads "who was a yaixovaav).

By

is

the gate,

widow

" {xytpeiovcrav).

Should sit 171 fornication, etc. With this custom we might compare that which was practised by the Assyrian

women who

offered their virginity to

goddess Mylitla when about to marry. Cf. Herod i. 199. a Seven days by the gate (^AS^).

the


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

82

drunk with wine,

I did not recognise her

and her beauty

;

deceived me, through the fashion of her adorning.

turned aside to

I

And

thee.

she said

gave her

my

^in pledge."!

and

staff,

5.

me

the Lord.

and

;

7.

l^I

spoke^

me

I said. Lest

had

I

my

rthis"!

abomination in

TallT

my

and

heard

also

lying with her in

haply she did

in subtlety,

it

But

8.

I

had done

who

Moreover, they

9.

my

was from

I lived, because I

Israel.

done,

pledges,

I called her, I

when

I

and she

in unto her,

having received the pledge from another woman.

came not again near her while

And

?

I could not slay her, because it

For

And

4.

go in unto

and the diadem of

went

I

And when

6.

me

knowing what

not

the secret words which

drunkenness

girdle,

but she privily sent

;

to shame.

my

Let

:

wilt thou give

And

And

wished to slay her

put

What

:

kingdom conceived.

and said

her,

were in the city said that there was no harlot in the gate, because she came from another place, and sat for a while

And

in the gate.

10.

had gone in

to her.

Egypt

thought that no one knew that I

I

And

11.

With wine, I did not recognise her (a). /3-c^/ Aahb*cdefgsi read " at the waters of Kozeba I did not recogThese nise her b/ reason of wine. " waters of Kozeba have already been 3.

'

rcfcrrsd to in vi 4.

am

this

Staff, SI), (/3

a reads "

I

.1

.

.

girdle,

A

.

diadem

.

.

signet a reads "staff rrv,„„ ;,,„+..„,i „f „_;._.j„„ Thus instead of nn = ring The (a), SAS^ read '7'nD = " cord. " Thus a om. Cf. xv. 3. latter is right. V^n3 and ^A S^ om. Drn of three pledges mentioned in Gen. xxxviii. 18, signet, cord, staff, and add diadem, 5id57/Ata ( .

.

.

.

.

.

" Sl^.i diadem."

Jub. xlvi. 11 reads or nnD). " signet staff," necklace where necklace 6p/A^a-Kos = ^'n2. Dn3

.

.

.

.

.

.

=

Diadem of my kingdom.

As we saw

in the preceding note this phrase is an addition to our text peculiar to our

added to bring forward the kingship of Judah. It is

And

In pledge (a). /SAS^ om. 5. / had done (adgA). read " she had done. ^^-^j^^ ^^

^;

,^^;

^^.^

^^

f

''^

put me

she privily sent

^

into

I

was

^-dgS^ g,^_

^

^

mypMges, and

shame .^f^ (BdgA&^).

a reads .. j , , I/'^^* to receive the pledge and ?mrts next four verses and substitutes in their stead an abbreviated form of the LXX of Gen. xxxviii. 20, 24-30. „ ^ , fitter this verse is an interpola' to

^^ .

we came 12.

1

me goi^'AS^).

Let

going.

author.

after

rto Joseph"", because of the famine.

•(

.

.

,.

^'"^ °^

*e

last clause of ver. 6.

9. Barlot. KeTeTeXicTKOfiivrjv {bg)\s » rendering of n2np=" temple prostitute " consecrated to the worship of As-

Cf. Deiit.xxiii. 18 21,22. The period of tion was in certain cases ver. 2 above, a e/ here f^ivrjv, but this is not Cf. LXX on Deut. xxiii. tarte.

Gate

{a e/i A).

;

Gen.

xx.xviii.

this prostitu-

limited, as in

read reXuvov so idiomatic, 18.

bgS^ read

'

'

city.


JUDAH— CHAPTERS and

forty

XII.

4-Xin. 4

83

and seventy and three years lived

six years old,

I in Egypt.

XIII.

And now

command

I

my children, my sayings to

you,

rto

Judah your

all

the ordinances of the Lord, and to obey the

of

the

God.

2.

father,!

And walk

imaginations

heart

;

and keep not

your

of

after

thoughts

your in

hearken perform

commands nor

in

haughtiness

of

lusts,

and glory not in the deeds and strength of your

youth, for this also

is

evil

in the eyes of the Lord.

3.

Since I also gloried that in wars no comely woman's face ever enticed me, and reproved

ing Bilhah, the wife of

my

Reuben

my

brother concern-

father, the spirits of jealousy

and of fornication arrayed themselves against me, until I lay with Bathshua the Canaanite, and Tamar, who was espoused to 12.

my

sons.

Forty and six years.

4.

For

According

to Jub. xxviii. 15, xlv. 1 Judah was forty -three years old when he went down into Egypt, and Levi forty-five. Hence since Levi according to T. Levi

5 (Aram. Frag.) was forty-eight, both books preserve tlie same difference of age between the two brothers, though they disagree as to their ages. This number comSecenty -three. bined with forty-six amounts to 119 years, which agrees with the statement in xxvi. 2. Judah XIII. 1. / command your father (a), a e/ read "as I tell " as I tell ") I command you, (f om. hearken my children to Judah your father," &£/S' "in whatsoever things I command you hearken my children to (-f- Judah g) your father," A "hearken my children to whatsoever things I xii.

.

.

.

1 Chron. xxviii. 9 nue'nD ns' note on T. Ash. i. 3.

Eaughtiness

of

heart.

h^.

See

Cf.

Jer.

xlviii. 29.

Of heart (a/). heart."

|3-/S^

read "your

Deeds and strength (a), ^-ig read "strength (-f and d) deeds," b "deeds of strength," AS^ "strength of deeds." 3. No comely woman sface ever enticed me (/3). a reads " a face never met me " (sic), A "never was I enticed through the comeliness of comely women," S^ "comely women never met me." Enticed {-qirdrriCTe). airarav here appears to render nns. a (S^) read VTT-qvTTiae, which may be a corruption of

TjiraTrjcre.

to be

law."

A

father." 2. Walk not {=7rop€^effde (SAS^). a reads " be not evil " {irov-qpeveade

corrupt).

Nor in tlie imaginations of your implies the thoughts (^-ag&^).

A

The phrase appears

father-in-law

corrupt,

My

sayings (a). /3 S^ read " all my sayings," "the saying of Judah your

is

my

lay with Bathshua. (8 A S^ reads where the verb = 'nSsj, which, as in the note on xi. 2, I take to be corrupt for 'n'7j;3="I lay with " or " I had intercourse with." d adds here "and I took her to wife in like manner." a reads avveriXeaa, which may be a corruption native to the Greek, or may point to another corruption in the Hebrew, 'jtS^. See also ver. 7. Who was espoused to my sons. So jSAS^, save that AS' read "son" for "sons." o reads "my daughter-in-

command you."

same text but

I said to

aag om. borrowed from

I

fffvviirecra els B.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

84

my

I will take counsel with

And he was

daughter.

father,

and

so will I take

was a king.

And

5.

and caused her

pearls,

j"with the beauty of

my eyes,

of

commandment fathers,

me

he

adorned her

and

women, j"

I

of the

and I took her

And

6.

and

gold

my

heart.

And

7.

I

became

lay with her, and transgressed

the

Lord and the commandment of

my

to wife.

And

8.

the Lord rewarded

my

heart,

inasmuch

had no joy in her children.

XIV. And now, my drunk with wine

children,

say unto

i"!

eyes into error.

;

2.

For the

lust,

away the mind

wine to drunkenness, thoughts Qeading to carnal union For

{a).

;

and

if

fornication"!,

mind

/3AS^ "and."

A

womenf. omited by cA^, is a the beauty of

3.

hath wine

for these

;

two

man

drink

mind with

filthy

For

if

a

and heateth the body to

the occasion of the lust be present, he

he was unwilling, but /3-(^ASi read "and." adds " and silver." 5. Gold. clause,

of man.

disturbeth the

it

And

\With

be not

and leadeth the

spirit of fornication

as a minister to give pleasure to the also take

you,"!

for wine turneth the mind away from

the truth, and inspires the passion of

4.

a

he

the wine turned aside

according to the imagination of

as I

with

for

pour out wine for us at the feast

to

and pleasure blinded

enamoured

me

unwilling, but he showed

boundless store of gold in his daughter's behalf;

thy

(a).

_

This literal

rendering of the difficult iu KaWec yv.aLKwy, which=p-ra mnD, which may be origmal, but, il so, should perhaps be rendered " with the ornaments of women, " and be read immediately after Or ^nr, may be "gold and pearls." Then we should corrupt for l-in. render " in the women's apartment. blinded my heart Pleasure 6. {hiae/gS). c A ^l^'^'^f § read "blinded

my

heart through pleasure. Text reads +(rw^7. Lay with her. irecra eis avT-rjv, on which see notes on xi. 2, xiii. 3.

a reads "father." Fathers (|8AS^). 8. Heart(p-a]AS^). aaread "soul."

XIV. 1. I say unto you {h). c reads "I say." |3AS' om. Be not drunk with wine. Cf. Eph. y. 18, "be not drunk with wine wherein is profligacy {ij dauiria)." The latter half of this sentence g.

is

Themind of 7r,an

found in

xvi. 1.

{didvoLav

aA^^).

^^bb* cdeggread "the might of man" 7s,:,vaaiv). '

.,

^

The

^„ ^ translation ^ follows, ^ 4.

-i

"^^

/^f.f thou drmkest.

..^^ '

rn,

Themmd

(^^S^).

(/3AS^).

A 01 S^. »

a reads

a reads "thj

mind.

To fornication, and (/SA (though "and") S^). a reads "and

omitting

to fornication."

Carnal union {ixlS,iv—^ A S). a reads "pleasure" [y^Sov-qv). If the occasion of the lust be present (^AS'). a om.


JUDAH— CHAPTERS worketh the

sin,

my

ated man,

no man.

and

not ashamed.

is

children For,

5.

XIII. 5-XV. 3

it

lo,

Such

4.

who made me

for

;

he

85

is

the inebri-

drunken reverenceth

is

also to err, so that I

was not ashamed of the multitude in the

city,

before the eyes of all I turned aside unto

Tamar, and I

wrought a great sons' shame.

to wife.

After I had drunk wine I reverenced not

my

and

But

8.

children

man may

drinking wine, a modesty.

of God,

I took a

woman

man who

discretion in

is

drink so long as he preserveth

he go beyond this limit the

if

deceit attacketh his

and herein

;

Canaan

of

For much discretion needeth the

7.

drinketh wine,

my

and I uncovered the covering of

sin,

6.

commandment

the

in that

mind, and

spirit of

maketh the drunkard

it

to

talk filthily, and to transgress and not to be ashamed, but

even to glory in his shame, and account himself honourable.

XV. He

and

not ashamed

suffers loss,

2.

For even though a he

tion,

is not aware when when put to dishonour. king and commit fornica-

that committeth fornication

he

is

man

be a

stripped of his kingship by becoming the slave

is

of fornication, as I myself also suffered. staff,

my 4.

that

the stay of

is,

power

my

and

;

The inebriated man. So I emend,

6 vapOLVos.

"the

evil

man"

fornicator"

That a

{Trovr]p6$),

ftAS^

{iropvos),

my

a/ e

is

read

"the

"wine"

Covering (KaXvufj-a). The original was probably t]j3 (cf. Deut. xxiii. 1, xxvii. 20, etc.), which is rendered in the LXX by crvyKdXvfifjLa. 5.

read

For much

discretion (a),

"discretion,"

^-bdg

bd^^ "wherefore

discretion," grA "discretion."

A man may

drink

(a).

^-dgS^

read " that a man should drink." For " a man may drink modesty." reads " that a man should drink with modesty whilst he has wine. ad read 8. This limit {jB-dAS^). .

A

"the limit."

;

.

.

and is,

Glory in

my

girdle, that

the

glory of

Ms shame

is,

my

(^yKavx3.(r0ai ttj

ij 19 wv avrQv. These look like two independent translations of the

Cf. Phil.

drifjilq.).

iii.

.

.

.

So^a. iv rfj alcrx^'vri

same

(olvos).

7.

tribe

diadem, that

my

For I gave

3.

original.

XV.

1-2.

^wm

2.

Cf. Renb. though a

iv.

7.

man

and commit fornication he

be

a

king

is ttripped,

of his kingshiji (a). /3 A read " even though a man be a king if he commit fornication he is stripped of and goes forth from his kingship." As I myself also suffered [ad). " being stripped as I myself /3 A S^ read also." 3.

For

Staff,

((3

A),

etc.

a S^ om. See

xii.

4.

Girdle,

a a rf/ omit next seven words through hmt. that

is.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

86

kingdom.

wine and

any

my

angel

old age, nor did I behold

God showed me

of

and beggar

rule over king

that alike.

from the king they take away his glory, and from

man

the valiant

which

little

of these things

repented

I

not until

And the women bear 5.

do

And

6.

indeed

flesh I eat

joy.

for ever

And

4.

XVI. in wine

and from the beggar even that

his might,

the stay of his poverty.

is

Observe, therefore, for there are

;

in

it

my

children, the (right) limit

four evil spirits

hot desire, of profligacy, of filthy lucre.

of lust, of

If ye drink

2.

For

wine in gladness, be ye modest with the fear of God. gladness

(your)

in

if

the

God

fear of

if

you would

live soberly

do not touch wine at

and in fightings and

in words of outrage,

then

departeth,

drunkenness ariseth and shamelessness stealeth

in.

3.

all, lest

slanders,

But

ye sin

and trans-

gressions of the

commandments

your time.

Moreover, wine revealeth the mysteries of

4.

God and men, even as I of God and the mysteries Eat

4.

Joy.

For

A S^

though b S^ add a om. Beggar alike, a adds "and in them there is no advance of life {TrpoKoirr] they make no fwijj), i.e. "so that 5.

it

ever

(/3

before "that"),

progress.

XVI.

With

this verse together " the love of money lead-

1.

wi^th xix

eth to

1

compare

Idolatry,

m. 5

Col.

uncleanness, passion, ,' , ^ , , J evil desire, and covetousness, the which .,,,'„ „ 1. , p « idolatry 18 also Eph. v. no 5 ' ' ^ J. , fornicator nor unclean person nor ^ 1 , , „ covetous man, which is an idolater. „ , See also note on xiv. 1, xxi. 1. fornication, .,

'

.

.

,

;

.

.

,

Mot,

,

,

.

.

i.e.

(a).

iv

ui

j^

,

ecrriv dao}Tla.

Be ye modest with the fear of God p-dS^ read "being modest with

the fear of

Canaan-

to the

="with the fear of the Lord and modesty driuk ye." por if in [your) gladness the fear of God departeth (e/Agi, save that for "gladness,"

ev(})p'ocrivrt e '"

f yq&(\ "folly,"

drink without 'modesty and the fear of God departeth." a omits through hmt. dg a^-e corrupt b reads

d<ppocr6i'ri).

^

^^^^

^,,,^ ..

/_

.j.

g^^ ^^^^ ni ^ "but a

„ii „^ all, at „„„„-ui possible

for if ye

^.^^ ^^ j

t I j

,

^^^ (^j_

^^^

^^ ^^{ ^^.^^ •„

e you, if it is < i i lor you, do not drink wine >> . „^ „ii ii,at all, A it andi it is a goodi thing ^. to + n "« i not drink wine at all. bq are i„e o\ i, t j defective. S^ corrupt but tends to .„„ „ ^ support a ..

i.

i

i

•<.

^^

i.

tell

*.

•<.

'

4,

i.-

i.

4.

4.

4.

/ ^ Inflghfmgs [ag). ^-g A read "of "g^""gBefore your time. Here oiiK iv Kaipi^ avrQv = D^i; siSa. Cf. T. Reub. iv. 6. ,

can hardly Paul writes

It St.

commandments

my father

ef.

'

irvpujcns.

Profligacy (dffwHa).

2.

,

be an accident wlien otvii)

.

.

desire,

.

and ye perish before

also revealed the

of Jacob

" took."

^ S^ read reads "folly."

[a A).

c

of God,

God

(driuk ye)." b without any justification supplies ^•^creo-^e.

A

4.

Ood

,

n

aiid men.

b Aj^'^'^*

'^

zM " Xo

aliens."

Bathshua {bdAS'-).

a^-bdom.


JUDAH— CHAPTERS

XV. 4-XVIII.

87

i

woman Bathshua, which God bade me not to reveal. 5. And wine is a cause both of war and confusion. XVII. And now I command you, my children, not to love money, nor to gaze upon the beauty of women because for itish

;

the sake of

money and beauty I was led astray to Bathshua [2. For I know that because of these two

the Canaanite.

my

things shall

race fall into wickedness.

men among my

wise

the kingdom of

me

gave

Judah

because of

to be diminished,

my

my

commanded

father,

blessed

further blessed

me

from

me

shall the

me

my

obedience to

never caused grief to Jacob, soever he

my

I did. to

father 5.

And

be king

kingdom be

father.

6.

evils

what-

father of

Israel,

and Jacob

And

know

I

that

established.

^ASi

And

XVIII.

For I

4.

Isaac, the

in

in like manner.

which the Lord

for all things

;

a

what

For even

3.

sons shall they mar, and shall cause

I

know

ye will do in the

For

have also read in

I

books

the

of

Enoch

the

righteous what evils ye will

last days.]

do in the last days.] Which 5.

(a).

j3

S^ read

"to whom."

a omits.

XVII. 1. And now (a). hd^ read "therefore," ae/g' Aab*cdeg om. Nor to gaze upon, etc. See note on T. Reub.

iv. 1.

xvii. 2-xviii. 1.

I

have bracketed this It breaks the

section as a later addition.

connection between xvii. 1 and xviii. 2. a reads "and." 2. For {^-d ^'S,'^). Into ivickedness (4v Trovrjpia /3 S^). a reads " into the perdition of fornica"into fornication" (iv iropvela). tion/' 3. Because of my obedience to viy For various reasons for the father. pre-eminence of the tribe of Judah see Jewish Encyc. vii. 328. Caused, grief to Jacob (a a A*'). 4. &-ag S^ read " caused grief to the word of Jacob," Aal^*<=<ieg "caused grief to Jacob ... by words." The /3 text is decidedly the more difficult. If it is the more original, eXijirrjaa rbv \6yov — niiV 'nnD.i, which may be corrupt for

A

On

5-6.

T. Sim.

the kiugship of

2

vii.

;

Judah

of.

T. Jud. xxi. 6, xxii. 3.

&

read " AbraIsaac (d A), a ^-d I have followed the reading of d A because Abraham was according to every computation dead before Judah was born. 5.

ham."

Father of my fatlier (/3 A S^). c reads "great grandfather," A "ancestor." Blessed

we.

evXoyrjo-e

which may be corrupt '^nnu?) "chose me."

fj-e

= -1:^12,

'•jinn

(or

eiiXSyTjcri

fie

for

hardly explicable either in Hebrew or Greek. If evXoyrjcre is original, \iywv should Cf. i. 6 note. be restored after it. Hence: "blessed me, saying that T should be king," etc. ^-d A S^ read " Isaac." Jacob (a d). ^acriXeveiv

In

like

"thus."

iv

'IcrpaijX

is

manner (/3AS^).

a reads 8-12 for

Gen. xlix. Jacob's blessing of Judah.

XVIII.

See

1.

read as above.

And I know

{a).

See note on

x. 1.

jSAS^


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

88

my

and the

2.

Beware, therefore,

3.

For these things withdraw you from the law of God,

and hearken

love of money,

And And And

children, of fornication to

Judah your

father.

blind the inclination of the soul. teach arrogance.

man

not a

suffer

have compassion upon his

to

neighbour.

They rob

4.

And

his soul of all goodness,

him with toils and troubles, away sleep from him,"!

oppress

•"And drive

And And

5.

devour his

flesh.

he hindereth the

sacrifices of

God

•"And he remembereth not the blessing of God,T

He hearkeneth not to a prophet when And resenteth the words of godliness. For he

•"6.

And

a slave to two contrary passions,

is

cannot obey God,

Because they have blinded his

And

night.'^

My children, the love of money leadeth to idolatry when

Blind,

4.

Drive aivay sleep frovi him (a

Cf. xiii. 6.

etc.

CKdiuKei

dir'

—rbv

xiii.

13 "Let us walk

...

as in the

^^Y-

XIX.

^-dg8^

avTov).

;

money, men name as gods

led astray through

3.

inrvov

soul,

he walketh in the day as in the

XIX. because,

he speaketh,

1.

The

money

love of

{<pt\a.p-

read " put away his sleep " {d<pi(rT^ vvvov avTov). The latter agrees exactly with the Greek of Sir. xiii. 9, save in The Syriac supports the adding a^ToO.

yvpLa)

The Hebrew is defective here. Both Greek verbs may be renderings

coincidences. (piXapyvplaandTrXeove^ia,

avTov.

of IV. J,

On

phrase see T. Sim.

iv. 8.

/SAS^ read

d'/ffe hearkeneth (a). " 1 1, 1- „„+i, nearKenetn. ne 1,

anct

For he

a

is

commandments

of

slave

.

God.

antl

.

.

6^

are cor-

Eph.

^ext we observe that there niay liave been a play upon words in ^ / the original, i.e. ynn leading to 2)i\l (an

....

-•

-^^^^y

serve ^^1.

^^^

Rom.

^,j_

j

"Ye

24 " ;

cannot

Shem.

rab.

3 qui opes suas multiplicat per jn^ ^^^ idolatra. PhUo, De j 2 dpyvptoi' Kai xv<rioi' . ws

^^^^^^^^

Kouaiv. Cf.

-i

^^^^^^

God and mammon

God and mammon." day.

ecrriv

6

These can hardly be

J'"'"'-

^^^^^

the

TrXeov^Krrjs

5

though they differ somewhat in meaniug. could both be renderings of nanK

rupt but imply such a text as ae S^ Cf. Matt. vi. 24^ "Ye cannot serve

Walketh in

v.

eiSuXoXaTpTjs.

,

passions, and (af). aeS^ read "For being a slave to the passions contrary to the 6.

leadeth to idolatry. Cf. Col. "i- 5 irXeove^iav riri^ iarlv el8w\a\aTpla

.

.

dyaXfxa Oeiov iv dSirrois eri(ravpo<pv\aIdolatry

{a).

/3

A S^

read "idols."


JUDAH— CHAPTERS who

those

2.

it

causeth

my repentance, Tand my humiliation,"' the prayers of my father been accepted, I should have childless. 3. But the God of my fathers had mercy

children,

and died

and had not

on me, because

I

did

in ignorance.

it

of deceit blinded me, and I as

89

him who hath it to For the sake of money I lost my and

are not gods,

madness.

into

fall

XVIII. 2-XX. 3

flesh,

4.

was ignorant

being corrupted through sins

own weakness while thinking myself XX. Know, therefore, my children,

;

And

the prince

man and

as a

Tand I learnt

my

invincible"'.

upon man

And

And

it

belongeth to turn whithersoever

My

AH

My

;

Been accepted, a reads \avve5paixov, A-^ eaio^ov, A^ ovk hv ^S* om. Here the readings of A i<xu}9t)v Kal.

may represent attempts to make the text intelligible or possibly ^crwfov

four words of ver. 2 are preserved and the last clause of ver. 3.

The spirit of truth. Cf. John xv. 26. spirit of good and the spirit of evil in our text we might compare the conceptions of the good impulse and the bad (nic.T n^" j;ir7 nn') as in 1.

With the

^Aab*cdefgsi add "Jacob."

= nij;

as

does in a few cases in the LXX. /3 simply omitted the unintelligible iffwehpa/jLov. This latter = isi, corrupt for isij = eS^x^Tjcrai' or ni;;=" helped." See parallel expression in T. Gad v. 9

it

note.

Had

T. Ash. 2-5.

As flesh. Cf. T. Zeb. ix. 7. XX. 1-3. Here a is almost wholly wanting.

Ver. 1

is

lost wholly,

only

have here an admirable

of his volitions are forthwith on his heart, i.e. on his character, and are ever open to the But the spirit of eyes of God (3-4). goodness not only exhorts to righteousresults

written

tive

offend.

We

good and evil. His will can The determine for either (ver. 2).

dyvowv iwoL-qaa seems to be dependent on our text. Cf. also Pss. Sol. xvii. 6 iii. 9. 7/ waiSela twv diKaLwv ev dyvoia vie. 4. Blinded A = " made me :

4.

spirits of

ness

S^

i.

description of man's attitude to good and evil, whicli are here personified as

mercy on me (e\4r]cr^ fxe a). read " the compassionate and merciful pardoned me " {aweyvco), A "is compassionate and merciful and knew " (^7^0;). Cf. Jub. xli. 25 "he received forgiveness because he turned from his sin and because of his ignoron 1 Tim. i. 13 eXerjOrjv, ance." 3.

it will.

the works of truth and the works of deceit are

2. repentance {a), read ^-f " the repentance of my Hesh." " htimiliation (a). the /3 S^ read humiliation of my soul." Cf. T. Prayers of my father. T. Gad v. 9. Reub. i. 7, iv. 3

/3

2.

in the midst is the spirit of the understanding of the

mind, to which 3,

that two spirits wait

the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

but on the commission of evil appears as an accuser in the sinner's heart. 2. Apparently the faculty of the will For " understandhere referred to. " ing " {(Tvpeaecos), a reads " conscience is

dg are defecText follows b&. owing to hmt. A="for unrighteousness and truth are written on the f/ agree with h S^ save heart of man." in reading wapa^dWei i'or yeypawrai. a omits as we have mentioned above. are written The tvorks of truth According to on the hearts of men. law on the His writes Jer. xxxi. 33 God 3.

.

.

.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

90

written upon the hearts of men, and each one

Lord knoweth.

men can

of

be hid

down

written

And there

4.

for

;

is

on the heart

^before the Lord"".

all

the spirit of truth

and the sinner

;

up Tby his own heart"!, and cannot raise his face Tto XXI. And now, my children, I command

may

Levi, that ye

abide,

and

is

burnt

the judgel

you, love

Texalt not yourselves against

ye be utterly destroyed.

him"i, lest

them the

have they been

itself

And

5.

and accuseth

testifieth all things,

of"

no time at which the works

me the Lord He set the To me He gave the

TFor to

2.

gave the kingdom, and to him the priesthood, and

kingdom beneath the things upon the earth

priesthood. to

;

3.

him the things

in the heavens.

As the heaven is higher than the earth, so is the priesthood God higher than the earthly kingdom, unless it falls away

4.

of

hearts of men (n:3n3iS' 02^ Vy), but man can also write these on his own heart according to Prov. iii. 3, " write them on the tables of thy heart " {^n nnna

pS

The word

ni"?).

"hearts"

for

in

our text is ffrridos but this is used as a rendering of aj? in Exod. xxviii. 23, 26.

Text follows ^-agM^^'^. A-b is a reads " And there is no time in which the works of men can escape Him for even the breasts of their bones (rot, ar-qOrj tQjv oariuv ainCsv) are written by the Lord." 4.

defective,

On

:

the heart itself

^-ag"^^ read ev oariwv ai)roC = losy a'?^ which should have been rendered "on the heart itself." Cf. Keth. T/*", '?>2c^'a ntyy 1DSV ^^33, " do it on account of thy honour itself." This idiom is familiar in the OT., but the order of the words is different: mV Di'VnCf. Exod. xxiv. 10 Job xxi. 23. A omits oarewv because .

(TTYjOei.

;

unintelligible,

spirit

and

TTvevfia

Trjs

ifxov.

and"; which

testifieth

John

Cf.

all

26 rb

xv.

dXyjdelas . fiapTvprjaet a omits " testifieth all things .

.

"heareth both and,"

clearly corrupt.

Testifieth

(Karriyopel). TvpovffTjs

of truth

(/3A).

S' reads is

.

{/xapTvpei) Cf.

avrCov

fiera^u dXKrjXoji'

.

Rom. ttjs

tQv

ii.

.

.

1.5

accuseth ffvfifxap-

avveiSrjcreciJS

Xoyicr/jiZv

ii.

.

.

Burnt up by his own

Gad

heart.

Cf. T.

V. 3.

XXI. The pre-eminence of Levi is enforced here as in T. Renb. \i. 5-12 T. Sim. V. 5, vii. 1,2; T. Lev. viii. 11-17, xviii. 2 sqq. T. Naph. v. 4. ;

;

1.

"I

AS^

command

you,

love"

(a).

read "love."

Exalt not yourselves against him. Reub. vi, 5 note.

Cf. T.

4. As the heaven is ... is the priesthood of God higher (/3-/S^). a reads

" for so the priesthood of

Heaven higher than

God

is

higher."

the earth.

Cf.

T. Levi xiv. 3.

and

Karrj-

rj

Aj).

c.

ver. 1.

/3

The

things,

wepi

Joseph,

and S^ emends the text

wrongly. 5.

Kal dTroKoyov/x^vtov ; 218, e/cacrros aiiToi rb ffvveidbs ^x'^" l^oLprvpovv. We have here a remarkable personification in the case of "the spirit of truth." In St. Paul the conscience, as with the ancients, " was the faculty which passed judgment upon actions after they were done not so much as the general source of moral obligation " (Sanday and Headlam on Romans, p. 61). In our text, however, the office of the spirit of truth is not confined to judgment on actions already done, but appears ti) have been a source of inspiration. Cf. yopoiivTcov

Unless

bd

it

falls

.

.

.

oni. throuarh hint.

earthly kingdom,


JUDAH— CHAPTERS through sin from the Lord and kingdom."!

XX. 4-XXI.

8

91

dominated by the earthly

is

Yoy ^the angel of the Lord said unto

5^

me"l

The Lord chose him rather than thee, to draw near to Him, and to eat of His table Tand to offer Him the first-fruitsl of the choice things of the sons of Israel

but thou shalt be

;

king of Jacob.

And thou

6.

on the

as,

amongst them

shalt be

sea, just

For

as the sea.

and unjust are tossed about, Tsome

taken into captivity while some are enriched,'^ so also shall

men

every race of

be in thee

some

:

shall be impoverished,

being taken captive, ^and others grow rich by plundering the possessions of others! 7.

For the kings

They

shall be as sea-monsters.

men

shall swallow

The sons and daughters 8.

flocks,

And

flesh of

:

the ravens and the cranes 5.

For

unto

me

Clearly

/3

the angel of the Lord said (a). /3 S^ read " For." SI are defective here.

A

A A

reads "you," which is an attempt at mending a defective text. To eat of His table. Cf. T. Lev. viii. Thee.

^^r^^-^ r.. To offer Him

.

.

.

.

.

,

ths first-friats of the choice things {a), ^h^ read "the hvstfruits of the choice things

"

choice thino-s

Thou

shcd't

;

A

"the

feed

;

entire section

is full

of ditBciilties from

whatever standpoint we regard

XXI.

"to." The sea (a a df). J^^^ ^„^^ ,„ read "just."

6e

A read " a sea."

(^-a/ A

.^^.^

it.

ah read

Amongst {aefg).

6.

a

S^).

af

^-^ j^ impoverished. Text reads which ^^.^Svvevov^ip which d'jsdc,

=

,

,

,

,

,

,,

"''

,

^

^

,

translator should have punctuated as D'J3DD=:^Ta;xe'^<roycrt,/, a word which, '^

be

king of Jacob.

Cf.

though only found in Eccles.

ivii. 5-6.

XXI. 6-XXIII. This

section cannot

belong to the groundwork. It constitutes a severe polemic against the kings (xxi. 6-8), probably Aristobulus II. and Hyrcanus II. (70-40 B.C.). For civil strife is dwelt on and the overthrow of the Jewish monarchy by the Romans, as the other hand, it must be admitted that the description of the visitations (xxiii. 3-5) that Israel should endure at this period are more in keeping with the fall of Jerusalem in 588 B.C., or the persecution iinder Antiochus Epiphanes. Indeed the

aliens (xxii.

they enslave

money shall they plunder many shall they rwrongfully""

Houses, lands,

with the

like fishes ^of freemen"! shall

1, 2),

in T. Zeb. ix. 2-4.

i.e.

On

ix. 1, 5, 16, is

common in Syriac,

iv.

13,

Arabic,

and Ethiopic. The former word which is found only in Eccles. x. 9 is frequent in later Hebrew. The text demands an antithesis to TrXoi/ToOo-ij/.

The possessions of others om. 7.

With

this verse

cf.

)3AS'

{a).

1

Sam.

viii.

11-17.

Sons and daughters. viii.

Cf.

1

Sam.

11, 13.

Houses, lands,

Money

etc.

Cf. 1

&

Sam. om.

viii.

14.

^-b 8. Will \advance in evil, in covetousness uplifted^ {irpoKbt(/ov(nv iirl KaKif (a b A),


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

92

("And they shall

-fadvance in

evil,

in covetousness up-

lifted,tl

And And

9.

there shall be false prophets

they shall persecute

XXII. And the Lord

all

tempests,

•"like"'

righteous men.

shall bring

upon them

divisions

Tone against another"!.

And there shall be ""continuar wars in Israel And among men of another race shall my kingdom

2.

be

brought to an end, Until the salvation of Israel shall come, '^Until the

appearing of the

That Jacob [and

And He

3.

shall

all

God

of righteousnessi.

may

the Gentiles]

my kingdom

guard the might of

For the Lord sware to

me

rest in peace.

with an oath that

for ever

;

He would

my seed for ever. my children, because

not destroy the kingdom from

XXIII. Now

I have

much

grief,

of

your lewdness and witchcrafts, and idolatries which ye shall (^-afrbKaKov) iv irXeove^iavipovfievoi). Perhaps it may be rendered "they will grow worse iu covetousness as they get uplifted," comparing 2 Tim. ii. 16 iirl

yap TrpoK6\l/ovinv dcre^eias, and The same Hebrew would probably explain our text and 2 Tim. ii. 16. Text 9. False prophets like tempests. irXetov iii.

13.

seems unsatisfactory. XXIl.l. Divisionsoneagainstanother, i.e. the civil wars between Aristobulus Cf. II. and Hyrcanus II. 70-40 B.C. T. Zeb.

ix. 2-4.

During the civil Continual wars. wars in the reign of Alexander Jannteus 50,000 Jews are said to have perished

From the (Schiirer, H.J.P. i. 1. 301). death of Alexander to the accession of was hardly ever free Herod Palestine from

civil strife.

my kiyigdom he brought to an end, i.e. in 40 B.C., for a Jew would not regard the Idumean dynasty as Jewsh. Until the salvation, etc. The Messianic kingdom foretold, in which Judah would be restored to the hegemony. I have [^And all the Gentiles^ bracketed this phrase as an interpola2.

tion.

Shall

It is

omitted by A,

and

this

universalism is not in keeping with the temper of this section, He would not save . for ever (a that c om. "from my seed"). The other authorities are very confused, bg read " the kingdom shall not fail from me and my seed all the days for ever " a/ "my kingdom should not fail from my seed ( + all the days,' a) for ever " ; A "not to cause the kingdom to fail (' not to take the kingdom,' S^) from my seed ( + 'all the days,' S') forever." 3. Kot destroy the kingdom fram my seed. See xvii. 5-6 note. The text might be based on Gen. xlix. 10, " The sceptre shall not depart from Judah," etc. XXIII. If A is right in omitting the phrase " against the kingdom " in ver. 1, this chapter is simply a denunciation of the evils of the Jewish nation as a whole, and a prediction of the judgments that shall befall it, in which the diction is coloured by the accounts of the fall of Jerusalem in 588, or its sufferings under Autiochus Epiphanes. 1. And idolatries (/3AS^). a cm. The presence of this phrase is against the genuineness of "against the king.

.

A

;

'

dom."


JUDAH— CHAPTERS

XXI. 9-XXIII.

93

them that have error. 2. Ye shall

practise Tagainst the kingdom"', following

familiar spirits, diviners,

make your daughters

and demons of

singing girls and harlots, and ye shall

mingle in the abominations of the Gentiles.

3.

For which

upon you famine and

things' sake the

Lord

pestilence, death

and the sword, beleaguering by enemies,

and revilings of

shall bring

friends, the slaughter of children, the rape

of wives, the plundering of possessions, [the burning of the ^Against the kingdomX an interpolation. A omits context

is

against

it

Probably and the

See preceding

it.

note.

Them

have familiar

that

Forthese iyyaa-Tpifivdoi

(a'a'iN

spirits.

or

D'3J?i^),

see Lev. xix. 31, xx. 6, 27 ; Is. xix. 3. These KXrjdove^ are the Diviners. D'ljiVDr JJeut. xviii.

10

Judg.

;

ix.

37

Mic. V. 11. 2.

Tour daughters

Cf. Pss. Sol.

ii.

14, 15,

.

.

.

harlots.

"the daughters

of Jerusalem were polluted according to thy judgment, because they had defiled themselves in unclean inter-

course."

Ve

shall mingle in the abominations

of the Gentiles. Cf. Pss. Sol. ii. 13, 14. According to Pss. Sol. i. 8, viii. 14, they .sinned in these respects beyond the Gentiles. 3.

Famine and

pestilence {Xifiov Kal

= nam

ayn ( Jer. xiv. 12). Possibly Xoipiov is here a dittography of \i/j.6v. "famine, death, and sword" are If so, the three destroying agencies mentioned \oifi6v)

in Jer. xiv. 12, xv. 2, etc. Sword (A). read

a^

sword,"

but

the

epithet

"avenging spoils

the

The

entire context is against two accusatives governing a single genitive, and the immediate context before and after requires a noun denoting persons instead of oipdaXfiQw. Hence the clause is partially or wholly interpolated or corrupt. (1) First, if dcpdaX/jLwv, which is omitted by h i A, is interpolated, awdiXeLav Kal acpaKeXiafj-Sv = nbD') nnc (for a<paKeXL^w in the only two places where it occurs in the (Lev. xxvi. 16, Deut. xxviii. 32) is a rendering of nSs). This could easily be

LXX

corrupt for niSj nnc = dirdbXeiav vvfjL<pwv, which would suit the context in some respects, but it is not very probable. (2) Again, the entire phrase Kal (r<paKeXiafxdv 6(j)6aXfj.u}v may be an interpolation like Kal Kvvas els diacnraafjidv In that case dirdiXeLav would above. explaining the be a marginal gloss

— which

was

subsequently taken into the text.

(3)

rare

word

cr^aKeXter/ioi'

Or finally, 6<p6aXfjLQv may represent some corruption in the original. In that case

where

6(pdaXixQiv

<T<paK.

c^yrj is

corrupt for

= cry]i nSa = iratdictiv

d'Sii?

V7)wlwv. Thus <T(paK. 6<p6aXfiQv would be the translation of a corrupt

or

parallelism.

dittography

Beleaguering by enemies (a A). Cf. a§-a read "beleaguerJer. xix. 9. ing, and dogs for rending in pieces of enemies." The phrase Kal Kvvas els 8i.aaira<rfi6v, " and dogs for the rending of, " is added here from the LXX of Jer. XV. 3, and forms a serious detriment to the text. The beleaguering may refer to Pompey's siege of Jerusalem. After these Revilings of friends. words the text reads dTrwXeiac Kal a(paKe\i<r/xbv 6(pda\fjiQv (hi Aom.), "the destruction and blighting of the eyes." This clause is impossible as it stands.

vrjwloov

of

the

dvalpecriv,

children." (2) or (3) I

following clause,

"the slaughter of

As I am inclined to adopt have taken the clause to be

an addition to the

text.

A om. Slaughter of children, "slaughter" and connects "of children" with the two accusatives preceding "the destruction and blighting of children."

The rape of wives (/3 A S^). a om. In [The burning of the temjjleX a Maccabean Psalm the Ps. Ixxiv. 7 referred to setting fire to the temple is though it was only the gates that were


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

94

temple of GodJ the laying waste of the land, the enslave-

ment shall

Until

0.

among

yourselves

of

make some the

when

of

the

Gentiles.

you eunuchs

Lord

visit

And

4.

they

for their wives.

Until ye turn unto the

5.

perfect

Lord with perfect heart

re-

heart ye repent and walk in

penting and walking in

all

you,

with

His commandments, and

all

He

up from

bring you

tivity

among

commandments

the

visit

you with

bring

you up

and the Lord

cap-

mercy and

the Gentiles.

from

of God,

among

captivity

the

Gentiles. Eunuchs were

Nicanor (1 Mace. iv. 38). subsequently threatened to burn the temple I Mace. vii. 26-38 Jos. Ant.

of the Herods in our Lord's time Ant. XV. 7. 4, xvi. 8. 1.

Since A om. this phrase, 10. 4, 5. and no such incident occurred in the

for

consumed :

XX. 18.

;

century

B.C., I

have bracketed this the land.

Cf. Pss,

The Lord

Sol. xvii. 13.

Enslavement of yourselves among the Autiochus Epiphanes sent Gentiles. ApoUonius (2 Mace. v. 24) to Hellenise Jerusalem. Of such as otfered resistance, the men were put to the sword 1 Mace. i. 29-40 ; 2 Mace. 23-26 Jos. Ant. xii. 5. 4. In later times when Pompey captured Jerusalem (63 B.C.), he carried off Aristobulus

slavery,

;

and a great number of clever Jews into Cf. Philo, iJe captivity to Rome. Pss. Sol. ii. 6, legatione ad Cajnm, 23 viol

iv

â‚ŹTrLarifji.a}

.

.

.

ev alxf^o-Xucrla Trovrjpa

.

.

Zeb.

ev rois Idveai., also xvii. 14

ix.

;

6.

;

upon them (Ant. Jud. i. 11. 1, 2). 4. We fiud no information to tlys Antiochus effect in connection with Epiphanes, or later. It was the custom

Eum

of

money

xiv. 11.

2

of

kings

the

;

levied

Bell.

of

Babylon

to

make

eunuchs of captive princes, 2 Kings

.

.

when

.

;

God

will

.

.

.

;

.

visit

and

restore

Israel

to

own

land on their repentance. Such national repentance is implied in Daniel's prayer, Dan. ix. 4-19. See Baldensberger, Messiajiisch-Apok. Hoffnungen^, 1903, 218 .sqq. Bousset, Religion des Judenthums, 368 sqq.; Volz, Jild. Eschatologie, 112 Weber, their

.

Again in the year 49 B.C., C. Cassius Longiuus after suppressing a revolt under Pitholaus, carried off 30,000 Jews into slavery Bell. Jud. i. 8. 9), (Jos. Ant. xiv. 7. 3 and in 43 sold the inhabitants of Emmaus, Thamna, and Lydda as slaves when they were unable to raise the T.

you

;

;

oi

visit

National repentance was ye repent. according to most Jewish teachers the precondition of God's restoi-ation of His people. Others held tliat everything was predestined and would come about independently of the action of man. This question is discussed in Sauh. 97'' 98=^ between Eliezer ben Hyrkanus and Joshua ben Chananja. As for earlier works it is said in Jub. i. 15-17, 23 Ass. Mos. 1. 18 Bar. iv. 28-37 Apoc. Bar. Ixxviii. 6, 7, that

and the women and children sold into V.

Jos.

/3-&AS^ read as above save that "until" ^^'A read "and when," and for "commandments of God and the Lord," A reads " His commandments."

clause.

Laying waste of

:

5.

xii.

first

in the courts

;

;

Jiid. Theologie^,

348 sqq.

From, captivity.

See note on ver.

3.

The dispersed Jews consisted of two classes those who had voluntarily settled in other lands, and those who had been carried away captive. On :

the

establishment

kingdom to

all

Palestine,

xxxvi. 11

;

of

the

Messianic

were to be brought back Sir. 1 En. xc. 33 ;

Pss. Sol. xvii. 28, 50, etc.


JUDAH— CHAPTERS

XXIII. 4-XXIV.

A

a/3 SI

XXIV. And

after

And

a

[from

these

after

things

shall arise the star of peace.

in peace,

man

my

And

these

things shall a star arise to

you from Jacob

95

i

shall

arise

seed], like the

sun of righteousness.

Walking with the sons

men

in

meekness

righteousness

righteousness.

;

XXIV.

This chapter is comiiosite. verses 1-4 speak explicitly of Messiah, of his character and the a blessings that were to accompany his advent, verses 5, 6, take up the subject anew as if not a word had as yet been said about it. Hence these are probably two independent Messianic fragFirst let us consider verses ments. 1-4. These verses present no difficulty except in the case of l^<i which is omitted by A, but which in a /3 S^ represents the

Though

Messiah as arising from Judah. Now verses 5, 6, which certainly teach the descent of the Messiah from Juxlah, imply, as we have already remarked, that the Messiah had not been spoken of in the preceding verses. Hence, if they belong to the original, verses 1-3 cannot.

But, as the original Testaments speak only of a Theophany (see T. Ash. vii. 3), or a Messiah from Levi, we conclude that verses 5, 6, were added probably by the same inter-

polator, to

Next

let

whom we owe

us consider 1-3.

xxi. 6-xxiii.

These verses

may constitute an independent fragment from Judah (so words "from my seed " may be an interpolation, and the verses refer to the Messiah from Levi as in T. Lev. xviii. and elsewhere. about the Messiah

ver. l** in a/3 8^), or the

The

supposition is, I think, right, for verses 1-3 agree so closely in diction and matter with the great hymn in honour of John Hyrcanus in T. Lev. xviii. that both hymns appear to be from the same hand and to refer to John Hyrcanus. Thus ver. 2 refers to the Bath Qol vouchsafed to that prophetic and ruling priest ; cf. T. Lev. latter

And he shall walk with men in meekness and

of

and

xviii.

With

6.

1^

ver.

of.

T. Lev,

with lb of. xviii. 4^ ; with 9a ; with 3^ cf. xviii. 8a. Finally ver. 4 may have been added by the interpolator of verses 5, 6, but more probably it arose as a marginal xviii.

3^

1<= cf.

xviii.

;

gloss. 1. Shall a star arise {dvareXei dcrrpov .

From Num.

xxiv.

.

.

.

.

17.

.

from Jacob e|

Cf.

'laKw^). T. Lev.

xviii. 3.

In peace

(if dp-fivrj). In T. Lev. 3 we have ev oipavQ. Is our text corrupt ? And a man shall rise {Kal avaarrja-erai dvOpuiros). From the peculiar text of the LXX, cf. Num. xxiv. 17 where the Hebrew has "And a sceptre xviii.

Here the Targ. Onk.

(aaB-) shall rise."

has " Messiah," the Ps.-Jon. "Messiah

and sceptre," and Targ. Jer. " Redeemer and ruler." These facts show early divergent interpretations of ^^v. [Front my seed.} An interpolation from the same hand that added verses 5, 6, or some subsequent scribe.

Like the sun of righteousness. From ]Mal. iv. 2. Cf. T. Lev. xviii. 4, the quotation recurs in T. Zeb. ix. 8. Walking with the sons of men. See T.

Iss.

vii.

7

;

T.

Dan.

v.

13.

Cf.

En. Ixii. 14 "With that Sou of Man will they eat and lie down and rise up for ever and ever." 1

Meekness and righteousness. This combination is found in Ps. xlv. 4 (pni!-ni:j; in LXX irpavrrjros /cat Sikmo-

and similarly the Targum and Vulgate), which was interpreted as a Messianic Psalm by the Targum (cf. ver. 2 "Thy beauty, King Messiah, aijvrjs


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

96

And no

sin shall be found

in him.

And

2.

the heavens shall

And

2.

the

out

pour

To

And

spirit,

3.

spirit of

Father

will

be

poured down upon him.

Holy Father shall

shall

the blessings of the

Holy

(even) the blessing of the

And He

heavens

the

be opened unto him,

be opened unto him,

pour out the

And He

3.

upon

grace upon you

will

us

pour down

the

of

spirit

grace.

And

Him

And

ye shall walk in His

And

ye shall be unto

children by adoption,

sons in truth,

And

greater than that of the sons of men)," Messialso by the later Jews. anic interpretation was also given to it for it renders the title, by the song about " of loves " as "

is

A

and

LXX

;

A song Another phrase of this the Beloved." is found poured," Ps. xlv. 2 "Grace is Moreover, this combination in ver. 3. of epithets in connection with the

A

Messiah is attested by Zech. ix. 9 "Thy king cometh to thee, righteous —a. passage (p^'Hs) and lowly (':y)" not earlier than the third century B.C. (Nowaok and Stade). This conception of the Messiah fore,

was

still

current, there-

when our author wrote. Again with '

Seek our text compare also Z' ph. ii.^3 Otherrighteousness, seek meekness." wise the quality of meekness is not attributed to the Messiah in Jewish '

literature

and 100 a.d. again mentioned as a

between 200

"Meekness"

is

ye shall be His true

B.C.

charact.ristic of the Messiah in T. Dan in its present vi. 9, but this passage

form seems Christian. According Righteousness.

him

ye shall walk in His

xviii. 8.

No

the

found in him.

sin shall be

Cf.

where the Messiah

Pss. Sol. xvii. 41

is

Thus the Messiah stands apart from humanity for sin is universal and in this respect said to be Kadapbs airb afiaprlas.

;

human

nature is corrupt cf. Gen. vi. 5; 1 Kings viii. 46 ("there is no man that Job xiv. 4; sinneth not ") Ps. cxxx. 3 This Prov. XX. 9 ; Eccles. vii. 20. quality of sinlessuess should belong to the Messiah, since he is essentially righteous and all sin was to pass away under his rule see note on T. Lev. :

;

;

:

xviii. 9. 2.

This verse

is

to be explained as

Bath Qol, which was John Hyrcanus. See T.

referring to the

granted to

T. Lev. xviii. 6 note.

And

the heavens, etc.

which are

in

See note on

Cf. 1 En. xi. 1 " I

wUl chambers of blessing the heaven to send them

T. Lev. xviii. 6. open the store

down upon to

Cf. also Pss. Sol. xvii. 42,

Ixii. 2.

the earth."

of Enoch, the Son of Man is "the he Righteous One " xxxviii. 2, liii. 6

To pour out the spirit, {even) the Gf. Pss. blessing of Die Holy Father. Sol. xvii. 42 6 ^eos KareipydaaTO avrbv

possesses righteousness and righteous-

dwarbv

ness dwells with him xlvi. 3, and on the ground of his essential righteousness to God's xlvi. 3, no less than accordhig

For " And ye shall be a reads "in truth."

Book

:

good xlix.

pleasure 4,

and he

has is

he been mighty in

secrets of righteousness xlix. 2, spirit of righteousness

chosen the and the all

was poured upon

iv wvev/j-ari ayiip.

3.

.

.

.

walk."

Shall pour out the spirit of grace. Ps. xlv. 4 (?).

From

Unto xviii. 8.

Him

so?is

in truth.

Cf. T. Levi


JUDAH— CHAPTERS commandments

XXIV. 2-XXV.

last.

4.

God Most

[Then a branch shall go forth from me.]

High,

life

5.

Fountain giving

this

unto

Then

all.]

shall the sceptre of

my kingdom shine And

forth

And

5.

;

And from

stem

And from

the

arise a

it shall

sceptre of

my

kingdom shall shine forth;

from your root shall

arise a 6.

and

first

last.

[This Branch of

And

97

commandments

and

first

i

grow a

your root shall

stem

And from it

6.

shall

grow up

rod of righteousness to

the rod of righteousness

the Gentiles,

unto the Gentiles,

To judge and

To judge and to save all that call upon the Lord.

XXV. And and Jacob

unto

chiefs of the tribes First and last. expression. Cf. 1

life,

and

("of Israel""

A commou Chron.

OT.

xxix.

29,

2 Chron. ix. 29, etc. 4. This verse was possibly added by the iuterpolator, 5, 6.

who

verses originated

inserted

But more probably

it

as a marginal gloss.

This Branch. Messiah,

of the

For

this designation

:

Levi xiii.

Lord

.

.

for all tiesh."

Perhaps we

Hebrew

A

ora. as

.

we

should render etc.,"

if

see above.

" This

is

we assume a

however, with some hesitation, bracketed this line as an interpolation based on John iv. 14 : " The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water [inqyT] iiSaros) springing up into eternal life." But it is possible that the words are genuine. If " the law of the wise " is a " fountain of life " (d'M "iipc, TTf^yr] fcoTjs), Prov. original.

I have,

"the fear of the and God himself

then the expression not impossible. 5-6. On these verses of the first century B.C., see the note at the beginning of the chapter. 5.

;

I the second, Joseph

14, and so also " Prov. xiv. 27,

ii.

13, xvii. 13,

in our text

stem

1

first,

Isaac

brethren shall be

called "the fountain of living waters"

is

Jer.

Jer.

xi.

my

and

I

Perhaps we should render "This is the Branch, etc.," ou the supposition that the words go back to the Hebrew. And this Fountain to all. So a. (3 S^ read "And this Fountain unto life

Is.

cf.

xxiii. 5, xxxiii. 15.

the fountain,

Abraham and

after these things shall

arise

to save all

that call upon the Lord.

From your For

jrvd/jLTji').

1

root

{6,irb ttjs pi^ris

irriyi].

xi.

is

:

shall

arise

a

ii/xQv avaar'qa'eTaL

iivdfirjv

a reads corruptly

The words "

And

are based on Is. there shall come forth a

shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit." Our text differs here from the

LXX. 6. From

it

shall

grow

/SAS^

(a).

read "in it shall arise." P\.od of righteousness {pdl35os diKaioPossibly this phrase is from (Twrjs). Ps. xlv. 6 " sceptre of equity."

XXV. The newed

resurrection

is

to a re-

on the present earth. eg AS 1. Chiefs of the tribes {ad), read "chiefs ol our tribes." I have rendered (tk-qtttpwv here as " tribes." life


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

98

Benjamin

third,

all in order.

2.

the Presence,

of

heaven, Keuben

;

And me

Dan

;

fifth,

Issachar sixth, and so

the Lord blessed Levi, and the Angel

the powers of glory, Simeon

;

the earth, Issachar

mountains, Joseph naries,

Simeon

fourth,

;

the

sea,

Zebulun

the tabernacle, Benjamin

;

Eden, Naphtali

the sun,

;

Gad

;

the

;

;

the

the lumithe moon,

;

Asher. 3.

And

ye shall be the people of the Lord, and have one

tongue

And

there shall be there no spirit of deceit of TBeliarl,

For he shall be cast into the 4.

And

they

who have

died in grief shall arise Tin

"And they who were poor

made

And And And And

The

who

awake

are

put to

the eagles of Israel shall

had

Q'aaij' before him, could mean either "tribes" ((pvXdiv), or "sceptres," but The the context requires the former. same misrendering is found in Dan. i. 9, and in the LXX in 1 Sam. ix. 21 1 K. viii. 16, etc. With the above statement we should compare the promise to the Twelve Apostles Matt. xix. 28 " In the regeneration ... ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the Cf. Luke twelve tribes of Israel."

in

itself

:

xxii. 30.

Issachar {^k^'^). a reads "Zebulun." The text has here 1? t/)u0^, 2. Eden. which is a frequent rendering of |ij;, i.e.

" Eden" in

LXX of Gen.

24

3, etc.

;

Joel

ii.

The moon (a^-ab). olive," 3.

A

fly

Qn Qn

joyfulness^,

gladness 1

the peoples shall glorify the Lord for ever.

translator

which

death for the Lord's sake

rto life^.

the harts of Jacob shall run

all

joy"",

for the Lord's sake shall be

rich,"^

they

shall 5.

fire for ever.

ii.

15,

iii.

23,

bS^ read "the

" the olives."

Ye shall

be the people

(aA^^^g).

at

^s'ords

the beginning were uttered

by God in Hebrew, Ber. rabba c. 18, and the angels understand Hebrew only, Shabb. 12*^, and God Himself was to teach the law to the blessed in the kingdom, it follows that Hebrew was the one language of the blessed. Hebrew was the original language of men and animals according to Jub. iii. 28 (see note). Be there (a). /SS^ read "be no more," A " be among you." Jnto the fire for emr (a/SS^). read " into eternal judgment." 4.

Made

rich.

Here ahef^^ add

"And

they who have been in want ^hall be filleil, And they who have been weak shall be strong." The former clause may have been derived from Matt. v. 6. ac^e/read 5. Of Jacob {ab g A.^^). "Of Joseph." And the eagles of Israel shall fly in

bdg read "there shall be one people," e/"it shall be the people," Aab*'*cd

gladtiess (a^SS^).

"they

heifers of Israel shall leap."

0)ie

shall be the people."

tongue.

Since

the

creative

A

A

reads

explain this divergence.

"And

the

cannot Here a(3S^ I


JUDAH— CHAPTERS XXVI. His ways.

my

Observe, therefore,

the Lord, for there 2.

And

is

hope

""he

XXV. 2-XXVI.

4

99

children, all the

said to

:

your eyes this day, a hundred and nineteen years

Let no one bury bowels,

up

to

'"for

me

Tin costly q-ppareD,

this shall they

Hebron with

these things,

fell

you.

asleep

who 4.

;

law of

them who hold fast unto them Behold,"! I die before

for all

are kings do

And

old.

3.

nor tear open

p and

carry

my me

Judah, when he had said

and his sons did according to

all

whatsoever he commanded them, and they buried him in

Hebron with

his fathers.

add " But the nngodly shall lament and the sinners shall weep," which is against the parallelism and omitted by A. XXVI. 1. Hold fast His ways (KaTiXovatv (QnciK") toi)s odovs avroO, a). read "direct {KaTevdiivovaLv^ j3 S-^ onB-'o) his ways," but the singular

makes this text impossible. A= " walk aright according to Him." 2. Behold (a). ^AS^ om. Before your eyes (^ A S^). a om. A hundred atid nineteen years

suffix

(/3

A S^).

a corruptly reads " eighteen See note on xii. 12.

"

lor "nineteen."

3. Text follows /3 A S^. a reads "let no one bury me in costly apparel, but carry me up to Hebron where are my

fathers also.

Text follows o/3S^ save that a

4.

omits

"Judah."

A^

reads

"And

Judah did

slept with his fathers and they as he had commanded them."

The other MSS of A invert the order of these two sentences.


THE TESTAMENT OF ISSACHAE, THE FIFTH SON OF JACOB AND LEAH 1.

The copy

and

of the

them

said to

Hearken,

my

Give ear

to

words of Issachar.

For he called his sons

:

your father

children, to Issachar

him who

the words of

;

beloved of the

is

Lord. 2.

I

""fifth son to Jacob"", by way of hire for the For Eeuben fmy brother brought in man-

was born the

mandrakes.

3.

"i

drakes from the 4.

And Eeuben

came

forth.

field,

and Eachel met him and took them.

5.

smelling"' apples

Now

them

thee,

to

children.

""For

6.

.

.

mother Tsweet-

.

Mm

And

Eachel said

I will not

:

me

but they shall be to

instead of

the Lord hath despised me, and I have not

be/S^ read Title, a in text. Testament of Issachar concerning Simplicity" {e "goodness"), g, "Testamentof Issachar, the fifth, "a" Issachar"; c? is conflate, "Testament of Issachar, the fifth son of Jacob and Leah concerning simplicity," A=it)cdef "Testament of Issachar " ( -f " the son of Jacob " A^). said unto them I. 1. For (a^-c?S^ save that /3S^ om. "for"). d adds "before he died." A''^="aud he said," A^ "And Issachar said unto his sons when about to die," A*^**! " when about to die he called his sons and said." who is beloved The words of hd^^ read "the words {ciaefA). beloved," bg " (my) words, ye beloved." *'

(mandrakes)

these

which were produced in the land of Haran

below a ravine of water. give

my

were

wept, and at his voice Leah

2-14. An xxx. 14-18.

expanded form of Gen.

2. By way of hire for the mandrakes. See Gen. xxx. 15. 3.

My brother

jSAS^om.

{a).

Aiul Rachel took tliem. Cf. Gen. xxx. 15. 4. 3Iy mother (a j3-d S^). A^*"=* read "his mother." 5. Which were produced in the land of Haran (a save that hi read .

"Canaan"). land of

A

.

read

|3S'

"which the

Aram produced on

" and

wood

.

they were

Aram." 6. But {a A). For the Lord

a height," in the

produced

in

j3AS^ om.

/3 .

"for." .

.

to

Jacob

(o).


ISSACHAR— CHAPTER borne children to

and Leah

And

8.

my

taken

hast

Jacob."!

husband

Eachel said

Now

y^

EacheD

said rto

:

Let

it

rto her"l

:

Thou

night for the mandrakes ^of thy to her

Jacob

:

But Eachel

10.

mine, for I

is

take

these

also

?

shalt have Jacob this

And Leah

9.

said

the wife of his youth.

Boast not, and vaunt not thyself;

said:

me

for he espoused

thee that thou

suffice

son"".

am

lOI

there were two apples

thou

wilt

:

1-14.

I.

my

before thee, and for

sake he served

our father fourteen years. /3AS

a

And had

11.

on

creased

not craft in-

the

and

earth

the wickedness of

men

pros-

now

pered, thou wouldest not see the face of Jacob,

11.

What

shall I do to thee

for the craft

men

of

are

increased,

craft prospereth

if

and

on the earth

were not

it

?

and the subtlety

so,

thou

wouldst not now see the face of Jacob.

12. For thou art not his wife, but in craft wert taken

him

to

13.

stead.

removed me on that

•"and

to see •"to

my

in

me

him"!.

night,""

had I been

for"!

;

And my

and did not

there, this

14. Nevertheless, for the

To Rachel (a). /3AS^ om. husband {a ^-b dS^). b d A read " the husband of my virginity. 8. And Rachel (ad). jS-fi A Spread " and she." To her {a). jSAS^om. 9. Jacob is mine ; for I (a). /3 A S^ Boast not nor vaunt thyself read But ^AS^ for Jacob is mine and I." are clearly wrong here as these words 7.

My

.

.

.

A

;

:

.

.

.

mandrakes .

I

am

hiring

.

.

" to thee."

'

&

suffer '"Jacob

had not happened

prospered thou wouldst not." This is a manifest improvement, but o gives the original text and that of /3 has arisen from it by a dittography. /SAS^ om. 13. Jacob (a). To him (a), ^-d A S^ omit, d reads

'

belong rightly to ver. 10. nor vaunt thy10. Boast not read " How so 1 self (a). j8 A agrees in the main with j3 11. " what shall I do unto thee for thy hadst craft has increased on the earth thou walked in the truth, thoii wouldst Here A has lost part of ^ not, etc." through hmt. S^ agrees with /3 "save thou that for craft prospered woiildst-not," it reads "had not craft

father deceived me,

"

^-dgS^ read 14. Text follows a. Rachel said : Take one mandrake

And

for the other I am hiring him (j3-& om.) to thee for one night," A*^ " Take, said she (A^" om. "said she "), one mandrake and for the other I will hire .Jacob to thee for a ('this' A^) night." The text of /3 A S^ speaks of the second

and

for according' to mandrake in ii. 4 2 Leah gave Rachel both the manMention is made of this second drakes. mandrake in an addition of ^d after "And again in the morning verse 15 Leah sent the second mandrake also, ;

ii.

:


.TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

I02

Jacob to thee for one night.

and she "^conceived I

was

And

Jacob knew Leah,

called Issachar.

Then appeared

II.

Two

15.

bare me, and on account of the hire

and""

Jacob an angel of the Lord, saying

to

:

children shall Eachel bear, inasmuch as she hath refused

company with her husband, and hath chosen continency. 2. And had not Leah my mother paid the two apples for the sake of his company, she would have borne eight sons reason she bare

and Eachel bare the two

six,

mandrakes the Lord

of the

visited her.

For

up Jacob.

also she again gave

therefore, the

Lord hearkened

desired them, she eat

them

He knew

company with

that for the sake of children she wished to Jacob, and not for lust of pleasure.

for this

on account

for

:

3.

;

For on the morrow

4.

Because of the mandrakes,

to Eachel.

5.

For though she

but offered them in the

not,

house of the Lord, presenting them to the priest of the

Most High who was

When,

III.

at that time.

therefore, I

grew up,

saying to Eachel Take this and I hire him for this night also. And Eachel took the two apples and she gave Jacob for another night also." On account Issachar. Observe Hebrew the paronomasia in the iDBT" 'HNnpj iD^D. The hire (/3AS'). o reads "this :

.

.

.

hire." II. 1.

d omits

aaef om.

7'wo(5A<-ib*c<lSi).

the clause and g the entire

chapter. 3.

Jacob (a/3 A^Si).

A.'>.^*<^Ai

"her husband." 4. For on the morrow

read

Jacob (a^-dg^'^). A^^*<^'i*read "Andou the morrow she again demanded Jacob." j8-<^<;Aab*cdf gi a(j,j "in order that she .

.

.

might receive the other (A^''*'=df "gtiii another") mandrake." Because of his mandrakes, therefm-e. For "therefore" {otiv aef), a reads "also"(/caO. 5.

Priest

A.ab*cdf

of

the

Most

High

(|3 ยง!)_ a reads "priest," K^ "priest of the Most High God." III.-VI. The main characteristics

my

children, I

walked

that are assigned to Issachar in these chapters do not agree with those which

brought

are

forward

in

subsequent

rabbinic literature. Thus Issachar is represented in our text as the single-

hearted husbandman

who

scorns

all

iii.

1,

v.

3,

5,

luxuries and covets not

gold iv. 2, who is free from envy and malice and greed iii. 3, iv. 5, who shuns lust and looks forth on life with a single eye iv. 4, 6, who loves God and his neighbom-, who offers his lirstfruits through the priest to God, and gives of the residue to his father iii. 6 and to the poor and weak v. 2, who spends his

entire

husbandry

energies iii.

5,

v.

on 3.

and Husbandry,

tillage

Issachar holds, was the true calling of jjj^^

When they become faiththey would forsake husbandry

gons.

less,

vi. 2, and S^leness of heart, and become greedy,* guileful and malicious vi. 1-2. Issachar, therefore, as the single-hearted htisbandman with the primitive virtues associated with this calling, is the beau-ideal of the writer. This view harmonises in one respect


ISSACHAR— CHAPTERS

II. i-III.

i

in

uprightness of heart, and I became a husbandman for

my

father and

my

brethren, and I brought in fruits from

with the peculiar translation given in the LXX of Gen. xlix. 15 iyevridt^ dvr]p yeupyds (see note on iii. 1). If, however, we turu to later literature we find quite a different view of

and of

Issachar

and

his

his descendants

Issachar

sons.

were said to be in

the main students of the law. Thus the Tdvg-. Ps. -Jon. and the Jerusalem Targ. on Gen. xlix. 15 change the words " he bowed his shoulder to bear "

and became a servant under taskwork into " he bowed his shoulder to labour in the law and his brothers will bring This interiiretation gifts unto him." has been traced back to the influence of 1 Chron. xii. 32, where it is said of the men of Issachar that they "had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do." Further references to the devotion of the tribe of Issachar to the Law will be found in Jeioish Encyc. vi. 676, 677.

Uprightness of heart {evdvTTjTL KapSias). This phrase recurs in T. Gad vii. 7, and also in T. Iss. iv. 6 in a where ^AS' have simply dirXbT-qTi. Moreover evdvTTjTL is found in g T. Iss. iii. 2, where all the other authorities have airXbrriTL. Finally /3 has evdvTrjTL i^vxfjs where a has dirXdr-qTi ^vxvs in T. Iss. iv. 6. Elsewhere we find aTrXovs T. Iss. iv. 2, dwXdTTjs T. Iss. iii. 2 (a fS-g), III. 1.

6, 7, iv.

Reub.

6

iv.

S),

{j3

1

;

T.

dirXoT-ns KapSias,

T.

iv.

1,

Iss.

iii.

8,

awXdrrjs ^vxv^ T. Iss. iv. 1, dvXdrTjs 6<peaXiJ.Qv T. Iss. iii. 4 (^-g S^). See notes on iii. 8. have now recognised that d7rX6T7;s and phrases embodying it are much more frequently used than evd^r-qs and its phrases, and also that in a few cases where evdvT-qs appears in one recension, dirXoTTjs takes its place in the other. The question now arises do both these words go back to the same Hebrew original 1 The text of iv. 6 shows that this is not so. A study of the problem leads to the belief that they represent respectively ib"' and dpi.

We

:

First then evdiirris goes back to me'''

ie''

or

or some derivative of this word,

since it does so all but universally in Similarly ev6vs is the the LXX.

normal rendering of

nB'% ntr*, or some of Hence we conclude

their derivatives.

that

€iu0ijT7]s

Kapdias = 22h (mtr')

as

IE*',

actually is in 1 K. iii. 6 Ps. cxix. 7 of the LXX. Cf. eiideis rfj KapSLq, as a rendering of aV nc" in Pss. vii. 11, xi. 2, xxxii. 11, xxxvi. 11, Ixiv. 11, xciv. 15, xcvii. 11. On the other hand the Hebrew j)hrase 33V ntj*' which is it

;

found in Deut. 1

Chron.

ix.

xxix.

5

;

17,

JoIj xxxiii. is

3

rendered

;

as

follows in Deut. ix. 5, by bcrtorris Kapdias in Job xxxiii. 3, by Kadapa i) Kapdia, and in 1 Chron. xxix. 17, by aTrXirijs KapSias. Notwithstanding these exceptions the above evidence points to 22^ ity- as the original of evdvTTjs Kapdlas. Next as to the phrase airXdrrjs KapSias. This phrase we take to be a rendering of anV dp, Symmachus' :

;

rendering in Gen. xx. 5, 6 and his and Aquila's in Ps. Ixxviii. 72. This phrase is found in Gen. xx. 5, 6 IK. ;

;

ix.

4

;

Ps. Ixxviii. 72,

ci.

2,

in

which

LXX

passages the

renders as follows Gen. XX. 5, 6 Kadapq. Kapdia 1 K. ix. 6 oaiSTTjTi Kapdias Pss. Ixxviii. 72, ci. 2 dKaKig. Kapdias. The has thus no settled rendering for on in this phrase, nor for en or on alone or in :

;

;

LXX

other combinations, since it reproduces Ijy the following words or their derivatives, 6Vtoy, Kadapds, aXrjdrts, T^Xeios, ddi^os, &KaKos, d/xe/xirTos,

them

Afiitifios,

dvairios, &Tr\a<XTos, dirXocnjur)

In the next place we observe that dnXorris occurs only twice in the canonical books of the LXX, but five times in its non-canonical books. This tends to show that cnrXdr-qs rather late Greek word was gradually coming into use among the Jews. If we turn to Aquila's version (117-138 A.D. ) this view is confirmed, for awXbTTjs occurs frequently as a rendering of on. Cf. Gen. XX. 5, 6 Job iv. 6, xxi. 23 ; Prov. Ps. vii. 9, xxvi. 1, 11, xli. 13 Now our book was X. 9, xxviii. 6. translated into Greek at some date between the completion of the LXX dwXoTijs, clttXws.

;

;

and 50

A.D.,

and

reflects, as

we might

expect, the growing popularity of the

word

airXoTrfs.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

I04

the field according to

their

season.

my

TAnd

2.

father

blessed me, for he saw that I walked in rectitude before him."'

3.

And

my

envious and malicious against

walking as I did in singleness of

was thirty- l^fiveT

for

my

labour wore

years

away my

We are now in a position to draw our conclusions. Our text contains two phrases resembling each other but different, evdvrri^ Kapdlas

From

Kapdias.

these

and

airXoTrjs

we reasonably in the Hebrew

conclude to a difference original of the Testaments, and that the Hebrew phrases in question were respectively 33*7 iv- and 22^ on, which as we have already seen occur several The general usage times in the OT. of the LXX in translating nc" and its derivatives puts the equipoUence of Kapdias and 33*? "' beyond e{i6uT7]s As regards the reasonable doubt. second expression the LXX did not arrive at

any generally acknowledged

equivalent. It may have been the Greek version of the Testaments that

won general acceptance for the rendition of an'? dd by air\6Trjs Kapdias. first

I

hecavie

a husbandman.

Here our

text resorts to the same evasion as the (Kttt eyfvr]07} avr\p yeuipybs) in

LXX

rendering Gen.

xlix.

15

13J,"dd'7 ',ti

=

" And he became a servant under taskwork." The three Targums likewise change the meaning wholly in order to do away with this reproach. My father (a d A), ^-d S^ read " my parents." A adds " Jacob. According to their season {ji-af A. S').

aa/om. 2.

A

om.

took

strength,

;

;

" eyes a

evil."

similar

BLKaiocrvprj

Thus

underwent meaning to = iXerjfj.ocrvi'T]), the Jewish d7rX6ri7S

declension (

and " charity."

virtue,

in

caritas,

the

Bust/body (Trepiepyos).

6<pdaX/j.6s

its

thought

neighbour iv. 5, iii. 4. He is not covetous and does not try to overreach his neighbour iv. 2, 5. His heart is not set on gain iv. 5, and so he gives freely to those in need iii. 8, vii. 5. He is not given to sensual thoughts or desires iii. 5, iv. 4. In fact a.irX6Tr)s KapSias contains everything that is well-pleasing to God— so iv. 1 (bdgA). St. Paul uses the phrase in its large meaning in Eph. vi. 5 Col. iii. 32, and mostj probably in Rom. xii. 8 2 Cor. xi. 3 ; but in its more limited meaning of "liberality" in 2 Cor. ix. 11, 13, and probably also viii. 2. See note on iv. 6

word show how comprehensive

is

I never

;

3.

connotes wholeness, inThere is no full equivalent tegrity. for it in English. I sometimes render "rectitude " as nearest to the Hebrew :

when

myself a wife,

" singleness " occasionally as nearest to the Greek. It is to be regarded as a symbol of the real meaning rather than as a translation. The man of rectitude (d.7rXoCs) walks in singleness of eye iii. 4, he shuns the eye made evil through the error of the world, lest he should take as commandments of God some perverted forms of them. Walking in singleness of soul he looks on all things with uprightness of heart iv. 4 he is free from envy and malice iii. 3, iv. 5, he does not slander his

V. 13.

It

I never

any man,

Therefore,

to

and

4.

of

and

Before him (a). /3 S' om. In the note Rectitude (airXoTrjTi). on ver. 1 we have taken this word to The many be a translation of en. words by which the LXX renders this

meaning.

life

5.

eye"".

I

old,

doings, rnor

neighbour.

slandered any one, nor did I censure the

I

my

was not a busybody in

I

Christian Cf. 1

Tim.

Walking as I did in singleness of eye^ {aTrXdrrfTi tQiv 6(pda\fxwv, /3S^). a om. St. Matt. vi. 22 (Luke xi. 34) seems an echo of our text tav otv 6 4.

r

become

(Tov

clearer (see note). 5.

This

cnrXovs.

when we come

Therefore (P

Five (aaefS^).

A S^).

to

a om.

bdg A

oni.

will iv.

6


ISSACHAR— CHAPTERS upon pleasure with women overcame me.

6.

rectitude, iDecause first-fruits

all

;

I offered

then to

my

2-IV.

owing

f"but

;

And my

III.

to

105

2.

my

For on

8.

my

all

father,

knew

7.

And

the Lord

my hands and God aided my singleness.

that

And

And walk

;

the poor and oppressed I bestowed the good

my

things of the earth in the singleness of

IV.

my

through the priest to the Lord father also.

increased ten thousandfold His benefits in also Jacob,

sleep

toil,

father ralways"" rejoiced in

now, hearken to me,

my

hearfl.

children,

in singleness fof your hearti.

For I have seen in

it

^aW

that

well-pleasing to the

is

Lord.

TThe single-(minded)

2.

He

man

^&

Text follows a. read "And always rejoiced in my For on whatsoever I laboured I offered first of all tlirough the priest to the Lord all the choicest fruit {jracrav 6-iru}pai> = -im ?) and all the first fruits, then to my father also, and then I ( + "shared them" d, + 6.

my

father rectitude.

"enjoyed" g)." 7. Ten tlwusandfold

(a). ^S^ read " twofold." My father [a). (^Siom.) 8. Text follows hi. e reads "for everything on the poor and oppressed I bestowed of the good things, etc. " bg9^ for on all the poor and all the '

'

oppressed, etc."

Bestowed (irapeixo'' Tliis

.

phrase

Rom.

coveteth not gold,

overreacheth not his neighbour.

.

.

is

. . in singleness of heart iv aTr\6r7jTi KapSlas). practically reproduced in .

8 6 fieradidovs iv a.ir\6n]Ti. compare vii. 5 " I shared my bread with the poor." This conjunction of the ideas of giving alms and of doing so with soundness of heart is peculiar to our text and St. Paul in Jewish and Christian literature before 60 a.d. In Issachar's almsgiving, according to our text, there was singleness of purpose, and no mixed motives such as display Hence this singleness or ostentation. of aim, untrammelled by side issues, acted with entire unselfishness, and, when special claims were brought home to it, drew to itself the character of xii.

We might

generosity and liberality. This development, which is already suggested in our text, is realised in 2 Cor. ix. 13 aTr\6T7]Ti r^s Koivcovias eh avrovs " the liberality and of your contribution unto them in viii. 2, ix. 11. This meaning may be found also in Joseph. A7it. vii. 13. 4. Singleness of my heart {aTr\6T7]Tt KapBLas). This phrase, if we are right in our conclusions in the note on iii. 1, became a stereotyped rendering of 13*? on through the influence of the Greek It occurs version of the Testaments. '

;

frequently in our text (see note on iii. 1 ), but only twice in the LXX (1 Chron. xxix. 17 Wisd. i. 1). St. Paul has used Eph. it twice with its original force ;

:

The use of cnrXoT-rji Col. iii. 22. 5 is confined to St. Paul in the NT. ^-dgS'- read Of my heart {adg). of heart." b S^ read IV. 1. Of your heart (eg), " ofheart" /iiae/read "01 your soul." vi.

;

'

'

;

In you." 2.

it

Th£

(bdgA).

aaefS^

single

{minded)

read "in

man

(6

man

of rectitude (on). Coveteth . . . iieighbour {bdeg S^). a af read " gaineth not gold -wrongfully" (?) {xpvclov ovTr\eov€KTei). This construction with the accusative is Otherwise the text of aaf difficult. The reference to seems preferable. dTrXoOs),

i.e.

the

one's neighbour in to the context.

bdegS^ seems

alien


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

io6

3.

He He He

4.

And

longeth not after manifold dainties, delighteth not in varied apparel.

doth not desire to

But only waiteth

long

live a

life,

for the will of God.1

the spirits of deceit have no power against him,

For he looketh not on the beauty of women, TLest he should pollute his

There

5.

is

mind with

no envy in his thoughts,

[No malicious person maketh

Nor worry with

And

beholdeth

all

Doth not

.

.

.

to live.

evil

The

text

reads ovk €iri.ypd<pei {^-g viroypd<pei) ToO ^rjv, S^ f>jTet f^f. iin'Ypd(pei = This in later Hebrew means npnn. " represents in his imagination," but tlie

word may be corrupt for itpnD — Hence "doth not desire to

"desires." live.

4. If the last line of this verse is genuine it shows that the second line cannot speak of anything more than the refusal to look on a woman's beauty. For if the look was accompanied with lustful desires it would be idle to add Hence "lest he should pollute," etc. the second line ov yap eldev iTndi^aadai {fg A iwiKe^affdaL, S^ om. ) K-dXXos dT]\€las What is to be made is very difficult.

of

or

iTTiSi^acrOai

iirCKi^affdai

?

It

would be easiest of all to omit it with The line thus relieved of this word S^. would harmonise perfectly with the context and also with rabbinic teachings as to the dutyof agood man toshunlook-

woman see note on T. Reub. This course we have followed But how then are in our translation. we to explain the addition. Possibly ing on a

iv.

Tof souD,

things in uprightness Tof hearf,

Shunning eyes (made) 3,

his soul to pine away,]

insatiable desire in his mind.

For he walketh in singleness

6.

;

1.

may have arisen through a dittography. Thus iiriXi^acrdai (of which we should in that case regard i-rn-

through the error of the world, See note on T. Reub.

8^^aff6ai

as

= naK

a

corruption)

jna tnn,

merely a dittography of

ndWos

where ^^3

is

|n3.

Looketh on the beauty of a vjomoM.

iv. 1

with the quota-

Talmud which speak

tions from the

of

"looking on a beautiful woman " ('jjriD' Nedar. 20'"^ says, " whoever nxj ntj'xn). looks on a woman will in the end commit sin." 5. There is no envy in his thoughts (a). ^S read "no envy can invade {^ireXeva-eTai) his thoughts," A "and there was no envy in my thoughts." [Nomalicious person, etc.] Bracketed as an interpolation, since A om. and the parallelism

is

nnght stand

against

But the

it.

we read

line

with bdgfi instead of ^daKavos (aaef). "Malice maketh not his soul to pine away." JVor

if

worry

read ov5k

.

.

.

/Sacr/caf /a

mind.

his

a/3S^

ivepicnracrij.bv {iropifffibv b) iv

dir\T)(TT€iq, ^^j'oet

which

I

have emended

to ovdk irepKTTraafxbs iv dirX. iv The verb "invade" (iTreXfvaeTai)

vot. is

to

be understood from line 1, if in line 5* we accept the reading of /S S.

A

reads 6. Singleness f of soul^ {a A). "singleness," /3 S "uprightness of soul." Ujyrightncss ^of heart^ (o A).

)3

S

"singleness." Jiyes

it

yvva.iK6i

corruptionl.

evil

a^-bgS"^).

TrovTjpovi

{6<pda\fj.ov^

bgB^ read "with

evil " {6<l>6a\/xoh -irovrjpias). xxiii. 6

(j'j?

yn),

ej'es

we take

If

xxviii. 22.

of

Cf. Prov.

this passage in connection with vi. 4,

"in singleness of eye," we are forcibly reminded of Matt. vi. 22, 23 iav o&v rj

6(p6a\/j.6s crov aTrXoCs

.

»

idv 5^


ISSACHAR— CHAPTERS

IV. 3-V. 8

107

Lest he should see the perversion of any of the com-

mandments

of the Lord.

V. Keep, therefore,

And

my

children, the law of God,

get singleness,

TAnd walk

in guilelessness.

Not playing the busybody with the business

of your

neighbour. 2.

But love the Lord and your neighbour,

3.

Have compassion on the poor and weak."" Bow down your back unto husbandry, And toil in labours Qn all manner of husbandry, Offering gifts to the Lord with thanksgiving"'.

4.

For with the

bless you, Teven as

until nowi.

5.

first-fruits

He

the Lord

of the earth will

blessed all the saints from Abel even

For no other portion

given to you ^than

is

by

of the fatness of the earth, whose fruits are raised 6.

toiP.

me with blessings ""of the And Levi and Judah were

For our father Jacob blessed

earth and of glorified

first-fruits.

7.

by the Lord even among the sons of Jacob

;

for the

He gave the 8. And do ye

Lord gave them an inheritance, and to Levi priesthood,

and

to

Judah the kingdom.

This co6 6(f)da\iJ.6s (Tov Tvovrjpm incidence cau hardly be accidental. We find the phrase Trovrjpia 6(f>da\fiQv in Plat. Hip. Min. 374 D. Both here and in Matt. vi. 22, 23 the meaning of TTovrjpo^ is that of ethical unsoundness. But the phrase 6<p9a\fj.6s wovripoi does not always bear this full meaning. It underwent degeneration. ThusinDeut. Prov. xxiii. 6, xxviii. 22 XV. 9 Sir. xxxiv. 13; Matt. xx. 15; Mark rj.

:

;

22 (?) it means "an envious" or "a grudging eye." The Hebrew is The opposite is to be found py

vii.

]}-[.

in the

man

of generous eye (py am),

This phrase would Prov. xxii. 9. probably have been rendered in Greek by 6<f)da.\ixbs dyadds (cf. Matt. xx. 15). V. 1. Play the busybody vnth. ^S'

add " the commands of God and. 3. Boio your back unto husbamdry. Based on Gen. xlix. 15, '730^ iCDtS" d.

Labonrs

(a).

earth." 4. Will read "will

... bless 5.

.

;

.

bless";

thee "

bless

me"

.

add " of the

you {hdg). c a e/ "will

bless

.

.

.

A S^

;8

;

& S^

" did

.

.

.

A = ev\oyT]d'^aeTai.

To you {g A). /S-ar/S^ read "to "to us." a om.

thee," a 6.

Our {^-d Aii^).

ac? read

"my."

Whose fruits are raised through toil a ÂŤ c/ read " through the toils (&(/S^). of fruits " 6-7.

A

7r6i'ws /capTrwj').

(^1/

defective

is

d

oui.

and confused,

"Wherefore our father also in our blessings gave as an inheritance to Levi the first place, and Judah was glorified among the sons of Jacob. Gave them an inheritance (a d iK\-qpod6Tr](Tev

iKXrjpucrev

them(?)." crh h^mn.

ai/roi^s).

avroh Both are

iv

/3-c?S^ read to "allotted renderings of


ÂĽ*

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

io8

therefore obey them, and walk in the singleness of your father

unto Gad hath

[for

;

upon

troops that are coming

Know

VI.

been given to destroy the

it

Israel].

my

ye, therefore,

children, that in the last

times

Your sons "And will

will forsake singleness,

cleave unto insatiable desire

draw near

And'' leaving fguilelessness, will

And They

And

2.

And And And

to malice

of the Lord,

will cleave unto Beliar.

husbandry.

leaving""

They

3.

commandments

forsaking the

will follow after their

own

fwicked"" devices.

they shall be dispersed among the Gentiles, shall serve their enemies.

do you

children,

that,

therefore

they

if

return to the Lord

For

4.

;

these

give

may

they

sin,

He

commands to your the more quickly

merciful,

is

and will deliver

them, even to bring them back into their land. To Levi "to the one

toJudah{c).

A /3 read to the other." 8. Therefore {a b gS^). ^-bgAom, " of adds Singleness. c your heart." .

.

.

...

i^ar (/3AS^).

For

.

a reads "and." Tdd

Israel {on Kal rip

.

.

iSbOr)

T.

xix.

Jos.

i]fiipais

:

10 (c(3S^) iv eVxciTais

in T. Zeb.

viii. 2, iir' e<Txo-T(^i>

T. Zeb. ix. 9 ews Katpov avvreKelas. These phrases denote the close of the present age from the standpoint of the writer. In the OT. it occurs not infrequently, and is always

Tj/jLepuv

:

ru> 'lapa-qX).

l)e interpreted from the standpoint of the individual writer. Thus in Gen.

of place.

xlix. 1 it refers to the period of Israel's

airo\iffaL to. Treiparripia to. 'i-rrepx^iJieva

This clause is here out It belonged probably to the

of Gad originally, and occurred just after some such phrase as " And she called his name Gad " (cf.

Testament

T. Sim. ii. 2 T. Judah i. 3 T. Iss. i. 15 for in this clause T. Naph. i. 6, etc.) Thus there is a play on the name Gad. ;

;

;

;

Tip

FaS

.

Dnnjn. VI.

bdgA

.

.

Cf. 1.

Tot Treiparripia

Gen.

Knoiv

—

.

.

.

i:h

to

occupation of Canaan, Num. xxiv. 14 of their mastery of Edom and Moab, Deut. xxxi. 29, iv. 30 of their apostasy and repentance, Ezek. xxxviii. 16 of Gog's attack on Israel, Dan. x. 14 of the age of Antiochus. See Driver on

Dan.

ii. 28. Singleness.

xlix. 19.

ye

therefore

(a).

read " I know " a e/S^ " ye know." In the last times [ev ((xxarois Kaipoh) = D'OM nnnxn. In. T. Levi x. 2 we have

Here

dTrXirijs is

opposed

*? d7r\v<rrla, hence it has partly the character of liberality,

;

iwl T% (xvvTeXeig. tQiv aidivwv T. Levi xiv. 1, T. Gad viii. 2 eirl rdXei (;8AS) in T. Zeb. ix. 5 {bdg), T. Dan. v. 4. :

2. Dispersed. Cf. T. Levi xvi. T- Asher vii. 2, 6 ; T. Jos. xix. 2.

Serve your enemies. Cf. 3 ; T. Naph. iv. 2.

T.

5

;

Jud.

xxiii.

To bring them

3.

:

v.

9

;

T. Ash.

vii. 7.

back.

Cf. T.

Dan


ISSACHAR— CHAPTERS

VI. i-VII. 6

109

/3AS1

VII. Behold, therefore, as ye

am

see, I

a hundred and

twenty-six years old and

am

I

twenty-two years

am

am

committed

any

death.

sin.

my

Except

wife I have not

and and

old,

I

not conscious of havincr

not conscious of committing

2.

hundred

a

known any

any

Tunto

sin

I never

woman"".

my

committed fornication by the uplifting of

''eyes^.

drank not wine, to be led astray thereby

3. I

I coveted not

my

any desirable thing that was

neigh-

bour's. 4.

Guile arose not in

A 5. If

my

heart

passed not through

lie

any man were in

my

lips.

my

I joined

distress

sighs

with

his,

And I

I shared

wrought

my

bread with the poor.

godliness, all

my

days I kept truth. /3S1

6. I

loved the Lord

TThe Lord I loved with

;

Likewise also every

with

all

my

my

man

Likewise also every

heart.

all

strength

loved more than

man

I

my own

children.

is

VII. The number of year& in /3 A S^ supported by the Midrash Tadshe

viii.

(Eppstein's edition). conscious of committing

Am not

any

sin [oiiK ?7J'a;>' iv i/xol afxapTiav). Cf. 1 Cor. iv. 4 ov8ev yap ifxavTi^ avvoiSa. The words that follow here in St. Paul might be regarded as a criticism on Issachar's self-complacency dXX' ouk Cf. T. Zeb. i. 4. iv TOVTO} SidiKaLoj/jLai. :

Sin unto death.

Cf.

Num.

xviii.

22

;

Jub. xxi. 22, xxxiii. 18 ; 1 John v. 16. a omits "unto death." It reads 2. a is here defective. "woman except my wife." By the uplifting of iny eyes {iv o<(>QaXix.Q3v fxov). This (i.ireu3pi.afiC^ phrase recurs in T. Benj. vi. 3. ^uerewpifffiSs here denotes a lustful movement This is seen clearly in of the eyes.

Sir. xxvi. 9 iropveia

yvvaiKbs iv fiereu-

Kal iv rocs ^Xeepdpois avrrjs yvooadrjcreTai. In xxiii. 4 Sirach

pia/j-ois 6(j}da\fj.G>v,

prays

:

fieretiipiafibv

6<p6a\/j.Qv

fxi]

du}9

Kal iindvtilav aTroaTpeipov cnr' ifiov. Cf. Prov. vi. 25.

fioi,

A

4. This couplet appears in as : " and guile arose not through my lips, and I lied not to my neighbour." 5.

Cf.

Sir.

vii.

34

;

Rom.

xii.

15

KKaleiv fiera KKaiovrwv. Shared my bread, etc. Cf. Prov. xxii. 9. With the 2^oor. /3 S^ add "I never eat alone, I

moved no landmark."

Kept truth truth,"

adds

A

(a).

"and

I

"I

/3-6 e

walked

S^ read " did in holiness."

loved godliness." strength (a save that 6. / loved c omits " likewise " and h i read "strength" for "heart"). c

.

.

.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

no 7.

So do ye also these things,

my

children,

And every spirit of Beliar shall flee from you, And no deed of wicked men shall rule over you And every wild beast shall ye subdue. Since you have with you the

God

of

heaven and earth

(And) walk with men in singleness of 8.

And having

said these things, he

him up

that they should carry

to

age

;

fifth

commanded

his sons

Hebron, and bury him

there in the cave Twith his fathers"!.

out his feet and died, the

heart.""

And

9.

he stretched

son of Jacob, at a good old

with every limb sound, and with strength unabated,

he slept the eternaL sleep. 7.

And

earth

(a).

/3S^ omit.

—

lieart (h i ef) <jvixiropevbfj.evoL rois But dvOpuTTois ev dirXdTTjTL Kapdias. h i add avTov after Kapdias. c reads

of

"walking

with

{<ru/XTropev6fxei'ov)

men

the singleness of His heart," j3-ef "walking with men of (or "in") singleness of heart." The term " walking " is used of God with reference Lev. to Israel in Deut. xxiii. 14 xxvi. 12 2 Sam. vii. 6, 7 1 Chron. xvii. 6. Next dvdpib-woLs iv (xttX. Kapdias may be rendered " men of singleness of heart," as similar phrases in Pss. in

;

;

;

Sol. iv. 11, vi. 7, viii. 20, ix. 12,

3 (see Ryle and James in loc). the other hand a parallel passage to our text in T. Jud. xxiv. 1 refers to the Messiah. The text of c requires If c is right, the line this reference. is interpolated. The text is therefore doubtful. See also T. Dan v. 13. his sons (a). 8. Having said ^-d A^ ^ g S^ read " and he commanded xvi.

{And) walk with men in singleness

x.

5,

On

.

.

.

'^

them." In the cave {^-g A S^). a g om. 9. Text follows /3 S^ and practically A. a reails And he stretched out his feet and slept at a good old age the eternal sleep." It seems a defective form of /3 A S^. '

'


THE TESTAMENT OF ZEBULUN, THE SIXTH SON OF JACOB AND LEAH I.

The copy

of the words of Zebulun,

his sons rbefore he diedT in the

of his

life,

said to to the

good

two years

them

:

after the death of Joseph.

Hearken

words of your

gift

to

my

which he enjoined on

hundred and fourteenth year 2.

And he

to me, ye sons of Zebulun, attend

father.

parents.

3.

I,

Zebulun, was born a

For when

I

was

born

my

father was increased very exceedingly, both in flocks and herds, I

in

am

when with

the straked rods he had his portion.

not conscious that I have sinned

though t^.

5.

Nor yet do

/3-a d c/ S^ read Title, a in text. "Testament of Zebulun concerning compassion and mercy" ( + "Zebulun is by interpretation a gift"/), dg " Testament of Zebulun the sixth ( + " son of Jacob and Leah" + (Z) concerning " compassion " (Z) and almsgiving." ( + Aabcfg = Test. of Zebulun ( + "the son

of Israel the son of Isaac " A^^). " children." I. 1. Sons (a). j3 reads

^-d A S^ om. Before lie died (c d). c reads Fourteenth ( h i ^-a S^). "fourth," a "fiftieth," A "twentyAccording to the Bk. of fourth." Jashar {Diet, des Apocr. ii. 1248) also Zebulun died at the age of 114. h g read " thirty-two." Two years. Since Joseph died at the age of 110 and Zebulun at that of 114, Zebulun must, according to our text have been But born two years before Joseph. according to the present text of in were born the they Jub. xxviii. 24 same year, whereas xxxiv. 10, xlvi. 1, 3

I

all

my

4.

days, Tsave I have done

remember that

require us to assume that Joseph was Syncellus born two years earlier. Chron. i. 198 puts the birth of Zebulun one year earlier than that of Joseph. See my notes on Jubilees xxviii. 11-24. a 2. And he said (|8-f?5' Aacf s'). reads "he said," dgA. "he called his sons ("them " g) and said."

Zebulun, a good gift {2^^ iDT ]hz^)^ have here one of the two paranomasiae that occur in Gen. xxx. 20. Was born (a). /3 A S^ read am. My father {ad A). ^-adS^ read " our father." Cf. Gen. xxx. 37 sqq. Straked rods. He had {^-d A^bc f s^). ad read ' I had." a 4. / ar/i not conscious {^ A S^). reads "but I am not conscious." I have sinned. Conscious that 3.

We

'

'

'

.

.

.

Cf. T. Iss. vii. 1. 5.

Nor

"I do

yet do

not."

7

(^

A S').

a reads


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

112

any

which

iniquity, except the sin of ignorance

against Joseph

my

tell

what had been done.

father

many days on

secref

my

covenanted with

for I

;

wept

I

him, I adjured them

rin

my

any one should

if

7.

But when they

much

Twith tears^ not

declare the secret, he should be slain^. to kill

committed

account of Joseph, for I feared

brethren, Tbecause they had all agreed, that

wished

But

6.

I

brethren not to

to be guilty of this sin.

For Simeon and Gad came against Joseph

II.

rto kill

them with tears: 2. Pity me, my brethren, have mercy upon the bowels of Jacob om- father lay not upon me your hands ^to shed innocent blood"", for I himl, and he said unto

:

have not sinned against you.

And

3.

sinned, with chastening chastise me,

me your

not upon

And

4.

iii.

5

;

T.

Eeub.

Cf. T.

Judah

(

+ rbv

i.

6

;

xix. 3.

Which I committed (/3AS^). Here 6 ^^ Covenanted %vith. effK^iracra

\6yov A)

iirl

A

=

read

h Ti'sa

'•

'

,

!

.

{

which may be a bad translation of the ..,/,„ rn V I, original. Cf. useof /cparaiowin 1. Naph. ? ^, , A^*<i .i-,^j ^.i> '

J,

'^

.

,

,

But {a^-bdg 6. Aabcefgread''and."

B^).

bg

^^

Wept,

b adds

sore.

Many

6(/ omit. days. Kill Mm. c omits rest of verse I and ii. 1^ through hmt , ,^ , ,,, I adjured them 'with tears^ i^AS^). .

hi

read

as he did so^, I

and Tbegan

to weepi,

both readings and possibly this fuller form is the original A "and Joseph falling on his face wept and said " (A<=*'i "said with tears "). 2. Lay. d A read " and lay." Vpon me {j3 A S^). a omits. hdA. 3. lUy brethren (a8-bdS^). ' ^ :

a cm.

corrupt for V 'ma = "covenanted with." ^ (\ o , rii readj' epepaLwaa a o / ap-bgii^ + €Trl aej), '

brethren,T but lay

" wailing

to bear his lamentations,

Sin of ignorance. T. Lev.

Tmy

hand, for the sake of Jacob our father.

as he spoke these words,

was unable

indeed I have

if

"I summoned them with

^

^

''

-,."

a , c-n\ j « i {B a reads " to slay S^). - \ >• / xi. J^z -^x^ your brother {€i> (poviji adeX^ov vficov). Our father (hi 8 H^). c A read "your ^ ^ ^ ' father." 4_ Wailing as he did so (a). jSAS^om. j ^^^ unable to bear his lamentations

Upon me

,

A

.

,^^

gg

^^^ i

^^^^^

^.^^^ < .

"

^^^ ^^^ olfiwyuiv). ^^^ ^^^j ^^ .^ ^.^^^^ A " pity t-^ fell into my ^ -.

j j^^^jg^j

fiMov iyui Kal), ^' i^y^rt

i.

g reads "with Against Joseph. " with anger. " af c? e S^ add anger." omit next ten words. And said unto them idth tears (a).

rendered oIktos in /SAS^ as pity " because of the context. But should be rendered as "lamentation" it as a rendering of 'nj. Cf. LXX of Jer. ix. 19. a renders it rightly by 0i>w7T7. This being so, it follows that /3, eh oIktov ^\dov eyw, is corrupt. It = 'riNa ^^r'7^?, corrupt for 'm 'nxty: n'? =

^-afS^ read "and

ovk

^^^'^^^

j -^^^.^

'

'

II.

Cf.

iii.

1.

Simeon,

/i

adds

"and Dan."

2.

falling

Joseph said unto them."

on his face combines

A

^(pepov

(ti]v)

oi/j.uyrjv,

practically the reading of a.

which

is


ZEBULUN— CHAPTERS my

and

was poured

liver

bowels was "floosened.

my

and

out,

And

5.

6-III. 2

I.

11^

wept with Joseph, and

I

my body trembled"!, and And when r Joseph"" saw me

heart sounded, ^and the joints of

I was not able to stand.

6.

weeping with him, and them coming against him him, he

behind me, beseeching them.

fled

while Eeuben rose and said

not slay him, but pits,

For

let

rCome,T

:

him

us cast

my

7.

to slay

But mean-

brethren, let us

into one of these dry

which our fathers digged and found no water.

8.

Lord forbade that water should

rise

for this cause the

up in them, 9.

my

the substance of

all

that Joseph

in order

should be preserved.

And

they did

III.

For in his price I had no share,

so,

him

until they sold

But Simeon and Gad and

to the Ishmaelites.

my

children.

2.

six other of our brethren took

the price of Joseph, and bought sandals for themselves, and Poured out

A

d g).

{e^exvdrjcrav

=

text (which

for its

So also

iTvirrjcav

ev

merely a corruption of that of a ^-f^ gr S^ read "melted" (e'^eXiy6T](Tav), but dg K are right. Cf. Lam. ii. 11 "my liver is poured out" {•^{Bm efioi) is

dg.

The same corruption is found some MSS. in LXX of Job xxx. 16.

Beseeching them (/3AS^). a reads " beseeching (me) to help him." 7. Cf. Gen. xxxvii. 22. But meanwhile (a). /3 S^ read but," "and then." '

'

A

Come

in

Was

loosened (a).

/3

A S' read

"

was

loosened within my soul." The text ixoi\Jvo\}To rendered here "loosened" is difficult. Perhaps it is corrupt for edoXovTO. If so, our text would be based on Lam. i. 20, ii. 11 'V? npinn (see preceding note), and we should render all the substance of my bowels was in a ferment" or "was troubled."

(a).

Found no

n33).

A

S^ om. /3 water. This incident is in Jub. xxiv. 25 which

referred to agrees with our text and the on Gen. xxvi. 32, where the Massoretic, Samaritan and Syriac read "we have found water." See Jub. xxiv. 25 note.

LXX

9. They did so [adgA). read "the Lord did so."

III.

His price

(a A),

p-dgS^ j3

S^

read

"Joseph's price."

'

'

with Joseph (a A save that A read 'Svitli him"). /3S^ read "and Joseph wept and I wept with him." 5.

And I wept

Mi/ heart soundeth (a/3-(^S^). is from Jer. iv. 19 '3"? '<?

phrase Cf.

also

xxxi.

20,

dK read €da/jL^ri07j

xlviii.

The noin.

36,

etc.

" was astonied,"

i.e.

2.

Gad and

six other of our brethren

(b-g A, save that reads " my " in

"other," and

A omits

" our " and d and / omits

its stead,

Ac^^fgom^

"six"),

ae

are corrupt but support text, a reads "Dan and Gad and their children."

His price (a). A reads "it." /3S^ "the price of Joseph." Bought sandals. This statement recurs also in Targ. Ps.-Jon. on Gen. xxxvii. 28 y^iiD pn-iD nsi and Pirke :

nnn.

Joints of

my

body, etc.

Trembled {^Tpe/j.ov (a corruption of h), 6.

Joseph

(a).

j3

Dan.

e^eaTTjtrav.

A S^

om.

Tliis idea seems to have arisen from a comparison of Amos ii. 6, " They have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of

R.

v. 6.

creads^rpexov

hi),

^S

Cf.

El.

xxx\'iii.

shoes."

8


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

114

their wives, ""and their children,"! saying

eat of

it,

We

3.

:

will

for it is the price of our brother's blood,

will assuredly tread it

under

would be king over

us,

Tand so

of his dreams"!.

Therefore

4,

because he said that he

foot,

us see what will become

let it

written in the writing

is

of the law of Moses, that whosoever will not raise his brother, his sandal should be unloosed, spit into his face.

And

5.

not

but we

up seed

to

and they should

the brethren of Joseph wished

not that their brother should

and the Lord loosed

live,

from them the sandal which they wore against ""Joseph their brother

For when they came into Egypt fthey were

6.

"!.

unloosed by the servants of Joseph outside the gate, and so

they made obeisance to Joseph after the fashion of King Pharaoh.

him, but Twere spit upon forthwith,

and

Egyptians. evils that

sold

to eat

8.

my

they were put

For

after this the

and drink.

was

he

after

brothers sat

through pity

2.

down But

I,

for Joseph, did

The price of

3.

blood.

Cf.

Matt.

Geu. xxxvii. 20.

Let us see, etc. Will become (^-fS^).

a/

read "be-

of."

4-7. An attempt to explain the origin of certain customs of the Levirate Law. 4. In the writing of the law of Moses reads "in their it is written (a). law it said," j8S^ "in the writing of The the law of Enoch it is written." text of j3 S^ is clearly wrong here. Whosoever will not raise up seed to Cf. Dent. his brother, his sandal, ate. XXV. 5-10; Ruth iv. 4 sqq.

A

5.

before

him

shame before the

to

Egyptians heard

all

the

And

IV. cast

him

after

brethren"^ sat

Tor

2.

I

they had

into the pit

down

to

^my eat.

through two days

Forthwith (7ropaxp^/^a bd/S). read Trapd cxxvi^o.. Before ()S-(^AS^). ad read "by." 8. Text follows /3 S^. a reads "For they heard ( + "all" h) the e\ils that they had done imto him," A "for it was heard of l)y all the Egyptians." IV. 1 - 6. The two recensions here do not diifer materially, a cm. ver. 4. he icas sold {ixera rb 1. After irpadiji'ai. Here irpadrjvai. seems a). to be corrupt for ^'Krjdrivai.. Sat dow7i (iKad-qaav ad). So Gen. 7.

aaeg

xxvii. 6.

comes

falling

also,

so^

obeisance to

they had done to Joseph.

And

IV. *|*

make down

And"! not only did they

7.

Against Joseph

reads " against him." 6. Outside {a S^). King, bg omit.

their brother.

/3

A

reads " before."

—

reads "began" (^/jfaf to). (ijdeXov). abefS^ are defective and corrupt in this passage, For a possible explanation of the origin of the above variants see my xxxvii. 25.

A

,7

"wished"

text.


ZEBULUN— CHAPTERS not

Judah

feared

Simeon, Dan, and

pit,

and two nights eat nothing, through

Gad should

rush off and slay him.

3.

But when they saw that did not

till

that

(Joseph)

Gad

should

run

slay

him.

3.

5.

while

he

had

my

And

eat

was

watch

him

sold.

4.

been

:

How And

lest

when they saw

and

look on the face of

I

Simeon

and

(and) mourning, said shall

feared

and

he rent his garments,

sold,

he

with

'"the pit""

to

me

came

away

not

eat

them, but watched

he was sold

Keuben

heard

And Judah

Joseph.T

for

for

to the Ishmaelites.

when

pity

I

they set

eat,

watch him,

115

lest

but watched the

eat,

since

vIV. 6

III.

that I also

they

not,

set

me

to

was

he

until

And

off

And

he spent in

the pit three days and three

and

nights,

famishing.

was

so

sold

And when

5.

he took the money and ran

Eeuben heard that while he was away (Joseph) had been

after the merchants, but as

sold,

he failed to find them he

mourned, saying

father Jacob

6.

?

But the

returned grieving.

merchants had

left

the broad

he rent his clothes, and :

How

shall

I look in the face of Jacob

father

6.

?

And

road and marched through

money and ran

the Troglodytes by a short

chants,

cut.

they had

he took the

after the

and found no one left

my

mer;

for

the main road,

and journeyed through the Troglodytes by a short cut.

ii.

2.

And Dan

3.

To

9

;

(a).

See

the Ismaelites (a).

T. Zeb.

ii.

How

1.

ii.

Cf. T.

Sim.

9.

Possibly this verse was lost in a through hmt., as in (/A^<= the word "famishing" is placed after "nights." 4.

5.

Cf.

Gen. xxxvii. 29, 30.

WJiile he ivas

away.

According to

the Targ. Ps.-Jon. on Gen. xxxvii. 29 Eeuben was fasting at this time in the mountains on account of his sin with Bilhah. Clothes garment "

(/3AS^).

= nJ2.

a.

reads

"his

shall

father Jacob

I "i

upon the face of my These words are re-

look

produced in Targ. Ps.-Jon. and Targ. Jer. on Gen. xxxvii. 30 'an: [nDni :

This people seems 6. Troglodytes. to be referred to again in Josej^h. xi. 2 as Indokolpitae. The Troglodytes are mentioned only once in the LXX, i.e. in 2 Chron. xii. 3, where the word occurs as a translation of d"3D.

were evidently an African

race.

They The

Troglodytes lived according to Greek geographers on the west coast of the

Red

Sea.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Il6 7.

Keuben was

^But

Dan

day.

;

father Jacob.

for

saying

Let us slay a kid of the goats, and dip

9.

Know,

:

and

;

us send

let

thy son

this the coat of

is

10. ^For they stripped off

so.

that

:

the coat of Joseph

it

food

came to him and said 8. Weep not, we have found what we can say to our

therefore

neither grieve

in

and eat no

grieved,''

to Jacob,

it

And

?

they did

from Joseph his coat when

they were selling him, and put upon him the garment of a

give

Now

11.

slave.""

Simeon took the

up, Tfor he wished to rend

it

it

and would not

coat,

with his sword,i as he

was angry that Joseph lived and that he had not him.

12.

Then we

TalP rose

up and

we

will say

thou givest not up the thou alone didst this gave

thing in

evil

And

commands

my

now, of

the

Tand

Lord,

men

sick, I

escaped without

purposes of each. hearts, 7. /3

my

But

A S^

3.

you

to

show mercy

was

grieved

(a).

We have found {a). /3 A Spread have found. Father (a). /S-g' AS^ add ".Jacob." (bdA). a^-bdS^ add 9. Slay "with the sword." Let us send it to Jacob saying (a). " and we will say " ( + " to /3 A S^ read Jacob " A). read Is this (adef). " whether this is. " read the jS-tZ gr S^ 10. His coat (a). coat of our father." Selling (a). /3S^ read "about to I

abgA&

sell."

Garment

(a).

/S-f/S^

to

all,

keep to

the

your

not towards

for this thing's

my

brethren were

Lord knoweth the

Have, therefore, compassion in your

omit.

garment."

all

sickness, for the

8.

"

For

2.

and when

man

children, because even as a

Hexiben

that

13. And so he Dan had said.

bid

only, but also towards beasts. me,"'

father""

Israel.

neighbours, and to have compassion towards

sake the Lord blessed

our

I

children,

him: If

said unto ""to

unto them, and they did even as

it

V.

coat,

slain

read

"old

doeth to his

11. Took (a). /3 A S^ read "had." Joseph lived and (/3 A S'^ save that |3S^ oiu. "Joseph"), a om. 12. We all rose up and said unto him (a). /3 S^ read "we all rose iip

together against rose

up and

him and

The coat (aA^). To our father (a g). This

said,"

A

"

we

him." j3-d A'^S^ omit.

said against

evil

thing

A

S^ omit. ^-g in Israel (a).

;8-aAab*cdegsi read "the evil thing." V. 1. The Lord, c reads "God." a omits, 3. My children {^-d A S^). jEve?;, as a man doeth unto his neighbour, etc. Cf. viii. 2 Judg. i. 7; also Matt. vii. 2 "Witli what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you again." ;


ZEBULUN— CHAPTERS

IV. 7-VI.

117

5

neighbour, even so also will the Lord do to him.

my

the sons of

4.

For

brethren were sickening and were dying on

account of Joseph, ^because they showed not mercy in their hearts""

my

but

;

know.

sons were preserved without sickness, as ye

And when

5.

I

was in the land of Canaan, by the

sea-coast, I made a catch of fish for Jacob my father and when many were choked in the sea, I continued unhurt. VI. I was the first to make a boat to sail upon the sea, ;

And

2.

me

Lord gave

for the

understanding Tand wisdom

down a rudder behind it, and I upon another upright piece of wood in the

sail

And

I let

therein"!.

stretched a

midst.

3.

I sailed therein along the shores, catching fish for the

house of

my

we came

father until

to Egypt.

Verses 4-6 found only in bdg.

[4.

And

through compassion I shared

every stranger. 4.

And

5.

And ivere dying

(a dgA).

if

^-dg S^

read "were dying."

In

their hearts

them." 5. The land

(j3

of.

S^).

c b

c

reads "to

omit.

a

man

were

my

catch with

a

stranger, or

The saying

saying.

is,

"

He

that hath

mercy on his fellowmen will receive mercy from heaven and he that hath not mercy on his fellowmen will not receive mercy from heaven " (DrnDri hj ;

vhu poma mnn.i hy D'DEM ]a v"7j; nmn pN nriin hn omn— Shabb. 151 b). It is found also in the

a adds "therefore." boat. This idea seems to have been derived from Gen.

trHCf ^31 D'Drn jo

xlix. 13.

Jerusalem Talmud B.K. 6 c in a slightly different form, "Let this be a token to thee so long as thou hast mercy, God (nipD.i) will have mercy on thee but if thou hast not mercy, etc. " in Sifre, Deut. 96, without the initial also in the sentence, " Let this, etc. " Toseph. B.K. ix. 30, but with the omission of the negative sentence, as in our text viii. 3. Bacher {Agada der Tann."^ i. 94 note, 1903) points out that in Tanch. B. nti 30, Pesikta r. c. 38, 165 a, this saying is assigned to Jose,

VI.

1.

I

ivas.

2Vie Jirst to

make a

Rudder. wood." Another (a). 2.

Literally

"a

piece of

!

A corrnpt. 3. Therein {hi j3S^). c A omit. Catching fish (g). b d A read " and

{b om. ) I caught a omits.

4-6.

/SS^om.

tish."

af read "

;

in."

The sections peculiar

vi. 4-6, 7^, vii. -viii.,

to bdg, i.e. probably go back

viii. 3 is the to a Hebrew original, saying on mercy attributed to Gamaliel II. or Gamaliel of Jabneh, who was the recognised head of the Jews in Palestine about 80-105 A.D. Since, however, viii. 3 is practically a restatement of V. 3, which is attested by all the authorities, it is not improbable that Gamaliel used our author for Deut. xiii. 18, in connection with whicli his saying is said to have originated, cannot in itself have suggested the ;

;

;

the son of the Damascene woman. This fact shows that so far as Talmudic authorities are concerned the original author of the saying cannot be deter-

mined with certainty. Of course it is quite possible that these sections belonged to a fuller form of the text, though they can hardly have stood in their present context.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

Ii8

I boiled the fish,

sick, or aged,

them

offered

and cbessed them

man had

men, as every

to all

with and having compassion upon them. the Lord

also

catching

fish

he

for

with

that shareth

receiveth manifold more from the Lord.]

caught

I

summer

sheep with

and

Wherefore neighbour

For

7.

when

of fish his

years

five

man whom I father]. my 8. And

[and gave thereof to every

fish,

saw, and sufficed for all the in the

6.

me with abundance

satisfied

;

well,

need, grieving

my

caught

I

house of

and in the winter I kept

fish,

brethren. VII.-VIII. 3 found only in hclg.

a

I saw VII. [Now I will declare unto you what I did. man in distress through nakedness in winter-time, and

had compassion upon secretly from

in distress.

my

him,

father's house,

Do

2.

away a garment and gave it to him who was

and

stole

my

you, therefore,

children, from that

which God bestoweth upon you, show compassion and mercy without hesitation to a good heart.

him

give to

men, and give to every

4.

I

wherewithal to give to

have compassion for him in know that my hand found not the him that needed, and I walked with

hg 5. Grieving with {avvakyihv d). read " gathering together " {(rwdyoiv). with abundance 6. Satisfied me .

.

'

'

T 't

which may have been a corruption of T> i ii, But the corruption V5e> = eviTrX-ncre. *-may have arisen within the Greek ,

•;

(-•

'

Version.

To his neighbour, willingness."

Manifold

more

VII.

c?

adds " with

(bg).

d

all

,

ofmyfather\ Only m &_,^^.^ d IF/iom / saw [bg ov ewpaKdv). reads " what sufficed " (t6 dpKOvv). This is a I sufficed (^^apKQv). Possibly we expression. peculiar should read rd i^apKovv here.

Noio (bg).

Onhim{bg).

d reads "and

(Vomits.

M^, father's house ,> ^ ^ " niy house.

bg

(d).

read

n

o

ci. -.i -t tShoxo ... niercu linthout hesitation. •^ i s z oi>s fiiv eXeare oiaKpivo^^^^^ (KLP) where I would suggest n^r^i ^^ should be restored before 5ia-

2.

t j no Jude 22

,,^

Ci.

.i

Perhaps dSta/cpirws might KpLvbixevoi. be rendered "without partiality."

reads

" sevenfold more. a adds "therefore." 7. Five years, ^ ., , r Ji 41 1 to the house [And gave thereof . .

1.

now."

.

offish{jro\\oi;,lxevaseui^\-n<r^^ed). read eiroivcre = naV For eviir\r)(xe bq •> ,

man with

ye have not the wherewithal to

if

needeth,

that

bowels of mercy.

all

And

3.

3^ ,

^^^^^

^

^^^^_

^^^^^

,,^^

^^^

,,

.

'"!^'.

,.

"

j ,i 1 hini t/iat needeth (rw ypv^^.^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ \L\tr^.\ Cf. Matt. ''give to him that asketh." '^

Give

,

.,

,

to

*. / know know one day. Found not.

(bg).

b

d reads

tor

adds " at the time."

I


ZEBULUN— CHAPTERS

VI. 6-IX. 2

119

him weeping for seven furlongs, and my bowels yearned towards him in compassion. VIII. Have, therefore, yourselves

man

passion towards every

may have

my

God

and wheresoever

dwelleth in him.

com-

children,

compassion and mercy upon you.

also in the last days

earth,

also,

with mercy, that the Lord also

His compassion on the

will send

He

Because

2.

findeth

man

For in the degree in which a

3.

He

bowels of mercy

hath compassion upon his neighbours, in the same degree hath the Lord also upon him.]

4.

And when we went

down into Egypt, Joseph bore no malice against us. 5. To whom taking heed, do ye also, my children, Tapprove yourselves without malice, and"! love one another

;

and do

not set down in account, each one of you, evil against his brother.

For this breaketh unity, and divideth

6.

""all

and troubleth the souP, and weareth away the

kindred,

countenance.

IX. Observe,

the

''therefore,"'

waters,

and know

they flow together, they sweep along stones, other

things.

But

2.

they are

if

streams, the earth swalloweth VIII. T, Iss. 3.

See

found in

Last days.

2.

vi.

See note on

1.

This sentiment Deut. 96 Shabb. 151

3 note.

V.

Sifre,

;

See note under JVeighboiirs

vi.

is &.

4-6.

(dg).

"neigh-

b reads

bour." 4.

And when {a^-bdgA).

bdg

read "for when," S^ "when." If

bdg

were the original reading,

would be a strong argument

it

in favour

of the originality of vii.-viii. 2. ,r

7-

-J us. bg add jj <.i i agamst "but when he saw me he had T.

J^onuclice for

{g

)

compassion. This addition is sup^ , , ., J ported by d but in another form. ^ 2.

,

.

.

J-

•'

Ap2}rove yotirselves without malice So practically d but the order is diflerent. a a e/A om. 5.

and

(fif/Si).

Set not {/iri

down

\oy l^ea-de

in account brother KaKiav npos t. .

^/cacrTos

.

.

them

divided

up,

when

trees, earth,

into

and

many

and they become of

dde\(pbv avrov). Cf. 1 Cor. xiii. 5, ov Xoyl^erai t6 KaKov. Evil against his brother (cA). jSS^ read "the evil of his brother." 6. And iveareth aioay the countoiance (koI rb trpbaojirov dcpavi^ei. a). ae/A(?)Si read rrjv iiwap^Lv d<pavl^€i. Here vTrap^iv = c'i-\», a corruption of bdg read 6 yap jj-vrjaiKaKos D'^S<^'^^«X''« e^foi's ovk Ix«, "for he who Weareth malice has no bowels of mercy. ^>*^^^ " '^'^'^^^^ of mercy ((nrUyx""iXeovs), cf. Lk. i. 78, Col. iii. 12.

'

^^ \^.^

^-^

^^^ apparently ^^^ later Maccabeans. j4.1, -tr, j u with the divisions caused by tt j * att Hyrcanus II. and Antigonus II. j. Therefore (ad). om. 8-d A7id know 7vhen (a). ^-bd/A read " ^[^n^l when." .^^

^^ ^j^^ t^.

j

J

1

It deals tt

A&

Earth and other things read "earth, sand."

(a).

^-bdA


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

I20

no account.

So shall ye also be

3.

if

ye be divided.

Be

4.

not ye, therefore, divided into two heads, for everything which

made hath but one

the Lord

two hands, two For

but

feet,

all

head, and

the remaining members.

my

have learnt in the writing of

I

two shoulders,

Ye shall be divided in Israel, And ye shall follow two kings, And shall work every abomination. And your enemies shall lead you captive, And ye shall be evil entreated among the With many infirmities and tribulations.

6.

5.

fathers, that

Gentiles,

/3AS1

And

7.

things

these

after

And

7.

things

these

after

ye shall remember the Lord

ye shall remember the Lord,

and repent.

and repent,

And He

[And He

have mercy

shall

upon you,

He

for

and com-

merciful

down

not

in account

evil

And He

here obviously alluded

anguish of soul.

to.

And

two shoulders members /3-(^AS^ read "He gave two shoulders, hands, feet, and all the members are subject to one head." .

.

(a

d

A),

Writings of

^-d

& cm.

my fathers.

See T. Lev.

X. 5, note.

That, bdg add "in the last days ye will depart from the Lord and."

Kings (bdg AS^).

aaefS^

read

" kingdoms." ÂŁverT/

"And " idols 6.

Be

abomination. h i /3 S^ every idol" against c A.

worship "),

Many evil

(a).

add {hi

(SAS^ read "all."

entreated

down

setteth not

i

^-b

d

A

cb d

SI).

"dwell"

read

(KadLaeffde).

bdg

Tribulations. 7.

Ye shall

.

.

.

add

repent.

'

'

and

And

he

.

(a).

For

is

com-

in account evil to the h

5.

and

passionate.

setteth

3. So. a reads " so accordingly. 4, 5. The opposing parties under Hyrcanus II. and Antigonus II. are

4.

He

for

;

merciful

passionate.

And He

you

shall cause

return]

to

is

(KaKudrjaecrde,

shall have mercy

upon you

(a).

Here

instead of "repent" a reads iwiffTpi-d^ere " ye shall return " ( mieri) ; but as the next verse shows there is no idea of "the return " in ver. 7. Hence

=

=

imcn should have been rendered "ye .shall repent," as in /3AS^ and T. Dan vi. 4 (a). Now turning to /SAS^ we find

that

enia-TpixpeL

they read fxeravoriaeTe Kai

= 3'b"1

uiB-n.

Thus

iin-

arpiipu has here arisen through a dittography, and this dittography has replaced the original clause ]>reserved in a, "and He shall have mercy." Perhaps, however, we should retain the rendering "return," and supply after it

"unto Him."

Cf. T.

Dan

v. 9*.


ZEBULUN— CHAPTER sons

the

against

sons

of

they

are

And

flesh,

and are deceived through

own wicked

And

after

flesh,

the spirits of deceit

them

deceive

in

all

their deeds.

deeds.

aef A S^

a 8.

men, because

of

they are

men, Because

their

121

IX.

hdg things

these

8.

And

things

these

after

you

unto

shall there arise ^unto you"^

there shall arise

the Lord Himself, the light

the Lord Himself, the light

of righteousness.

of righteousness,

[And healing and compassion shall be in His

wings.

He

redeem

shall

men from

of

And

all

Beliar

And He

ye shall return unto

your own land.

all

ye shall see

Jerusalem,

name's

Him

^ior

And

in

His

the

Gentiles

place)

(the

Lord

'

;

into

ye shall see [God in

man]

which the

shall

Jerusalem

'

back

Him.

the fashion of a

sake"".

Because tliey are flesh. Cf. Gen. vi. 3 ; T. Jud. xix. 4. 8. Here decidedly aae/AS^ are to be followed. The text of bdg may be a Jewish expansion of aae/AS^. Thus And healing and compassion shall be in his wings " (Mai. iv. 2), would naturally be suggested by the phrase "light of righteousness." The next line is to be understood as T. Dan V. ll^', and not as Eph. iv. 8, while "And every spirit of deceit shall be trodden down," could be derived from T. Lev. xviii. 1 2 T. Sim. vi. 6. The text of the last line is hopelessly uncertain.

down]

shall bring

zeal for

And

;

every spirit of deceit

shall be trodden

And

the sons

of the

captivity

choose,

is its

name.

translation follows hg save that for " (the place) Jerusalem is its name," g reads " whom the Lord shall choose

The

in Jerusalem for His name's sake," d "and His name shall be called the

angel of great counsel." There shall arise. Cf. T. Lev. T. Jud. xxiv. 1. 3

xviii.

;

The iv.

2.

light

In T.

Mai. of rightemisness. Jud. xxiv. 1 we find

the more literal rendering, "sun of righteousness." See Him (a), a ef A. S^ read "Lord." Name's sake (ÂŤe/S^). c read "holy name's sake," h i "all holy name's sake."


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

122

And

9.

rthvough

again

And

wickedness

the

Him

shall ye provoke

your

of

works'"

to anger,

HimT unto

ye shall be cast away ^by

the time of

consummation.

my

And

now,

nor be cast

down

X.

shall

I

in that I

again

rise

the midst of his

my

as

tribe,

sons'"

many

upon the ungodly

;

noY

But do ye things he

For

keep the law of the Lord,

Zebuluu their

shall the

fear the

2.

a ruler in

shall

of

all

my

generations.

4.

did also

my

rest, as

fell asleep, Tat

6.

a good old

But

fire,

and

I

am

fathers.

5.

But

your strength

all

And when

3.

fatherl.

Lord bring eternal

Lord four God with

the days of your lifel

all

end.

fas

shall rejoice in the midst of

as

hastening away to

my

to

midst of you,

dying,

and I

them throughout

destroy

am coming

the

in

commandments

•"and the

am

children, grieve not that I

he had said these

And

age"".

sons

his

him in a '"wooden"' colSn. 7. And afterwards they carried him up and buried him in Hebron, w^ith his fathers. laid

By Him

9.

among X. at

1.

my

Be

words." down.

word

6(p0a\fj.o2s

Neh.

cf.

(TciTry

/3S^

So

cast

But

avfiTriiTTeTe.

the

(a).

om.

the Gentiles." That I am dying.

vi.

is

I

A

read

A

reads

have rendered

this absolute use of

Perhaps (v should be supplied

ditficult.

V/J.UV

as in Gen.

iv.

i'?S'i

5.

or t^J irpo-

See T. Jos.

At a good

6.

/ca\w

{n^vui ^^^.^.^

^

my

end (a«f^eSi). b/g read "am passing away from you," A "am passing away from life." 2. Shall keep {a). /3 A S^ read "have coming

to

kept." 3.

^J^.

1.

Am

Throughout all generations. from the children of Israel."

;[,"•

^

;

'

'

A reads

T.

Sim.

nrtra where nrc* is ^^Tj,^;^.,,. cf. T. Iss. I ir ^

^^' ^

vii.

Tlie text has

old age.

= n3'm

Dan

Wooden

'

(a).

..

vii.

1

;

T. Ash.

^' "^^^i- ^ii-

viii.

2

Cf.

T.

;

-'•

^AS^om.

2.

Carried him up Hebron ggi (arfA^*d). /S-rfgr A^bef read " carried him up to Hebron and buried 7.

Cf. Ps. xi. 6.

def

"your God."

1-

VII.

save that

om. "but" and S^ "now"),

read "for a time therefore," a "but for a time." As also (aA^^). /3-d read "as." 5. Our God {c a ef g). hib dS^re3.d

:

16, Dn'3'j?n

But I am now (aAS^

4.

A

him."

.

.

.


THE TESTAMENT OF DAN, THE SEVENTH SON OF JACOB AND BILHAH I.

The copy

of the

words of Dan, which he spake

to his

sons in his last days, in the hundred and twenty-fifth year of his

life.

Hearken

to

For he called together his family, and said

2.

my

words, ye sons of

the words ^oi your

and in

my

whole

life,

and well pleasing evil,

father"'.

to

day

and give heed

;

my

that truth with just dealing

to

heart,

good

is

God, and that lying and anger are

because they teach

therefore, this

Dan

I have proved in

3.

:

man

to you,

all

my

wickedness.

4,

children, that in

I confess,

my

heart I

resolved on the death of Joseph ""my brother"', the true and

good man.

[5.

his father loved a

Title.

And

bef&

in text.

read

"Testament of Dan concerning anger and lying" ("concerning lying and anger, Dan is by interpretation judgment," /) g "the beginning of the words of the Testament of Dan concerning wrath and lying, the seventh " d is conflate, " Testament of Dan, ;

;

the seventh son of Jacob, the first son of Bilhah, concerning wrath and A "Testament of Dan conlying" cerning arrogaucy and hatred." a e/ read " and. 1.2. For [ad g). 6 SI om. ;

A

His family {a^-dgS'-).

dA

My

words, (/ii^Aa^*<:defgsi).

c

A^

read

Dan

words (A^ om.) of Dan your father." ^-dgS^ Of your father (adg). read "of the mouth of your father," A "of my mouth."

because spirit

of

We

should expect 3. Just dealing. " long-sufl'ering " here as opposed to

"anger" 4.

as in

1, vi.

ii.

Therefore (a A).

8. /3

om.

Resolved on the death (edefi-qv Trepl read "reTov davdrov a). /3 (A) S' joiced concerning the death " [TjSdfxrjv The latter reading is very Trepl T. 6.). difficult that of a is to be preferred.

—

:

It goes

back to the Hebrew zh

*?;?

DiL".

then to be explained as a translation of -nna'c which was corrupt is

i]d6/j.r]v

for ^noiy. cf. T. Zeb.

On

this evil intent of 1,

ii.

iii.

Dan

2.

jSAS-' om.

have bracketed this verse as an interpiolation. It breaks the connection between 4 and 6. ,5.

"the

sold,

For the

6.

j\Iy brother (a).

d A add "

to them. sons ye of

us.]

read

"his sons." Said,

he was

I rejoiced that

him more than

I

His father

— aaefii^). father TTCLTrip

.

.

.

.

.

.

him

(6 Trar-qp

dgA^^'^ read

avrov

"our him," b "his father" (o

avTOv).


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

124

jealousy and vainglory said to son.

And

7.

saying

Take

:

me

Thou

:

thyself also art his

one of the spirits of Beliar stirred this sword,

and Twith if slay Joseph

thy father love thee when he

dead.

is

me

the spirit of anger that persuaded

Now

8.

me

up,

so shall

;

this

was

to crush Joseph as a

leopard crusheth a kid. /3AS1

a

But the God

9.

did not

him

suffer

my

into

my fathers

of

hands,

so

to

fall

that

I

should find him alone and slay him, tribe

and cause a second be

to

destroyed

in

our

father

him

into

my

me

iniquity,

deliver

hands that I

him

should find suffer

not

did

alone,

work

to

two

lest

nor this

tribes

should be destroyed in Israel.

Israel.

And

II. tell

But the God of Jacob

9.

now,

my

am

children, behold I

dying, and I

you of a truth, that unless ye keep yourselves from the

and of anger, and love truth and

spirit of lying

longsuffer-

ing, ye shall perish.

^ASi

c

For

2.

anger

is

and does not the

see

blindness,

of

face

Cf. T, Zeb.

Stirred

("helped

.

.

ii.

np.

"

anger,

any man

angry

man

8.

Now

"this

is,"

:-iTy'

1, iii. 2.

Text reads avvrjpyei corrupt for Ty' =

seeth

in

and no

the

face

and "crusheth." ^/c/uvfa?' = f icd corrupt for y-i-, "to crush," "dash in pieces." A emends the text " to suck the blood of Joseph as a leopard sucks the blood :

of (jSAS-').

this

children,

be a father or a mother, Hie behaveth

it

ijyfipe.

Saying

blindness

is

with truth.

For though 7.

There

my

with truth. 3.

2.

one to

suffer

was

a om. {a),

a J e/ Spread

"now this." ... a kid (j8-a d/A).

(/A

To crush a reads "as ("for as" hi) a leopard crusheth a kid, so it suggested to me to crush Joseph," af "for as a leopard crusheth a kid, so will I crush Joseph." All the MSS aud Versions read some form of ^K/jLv^dv = " to suck " in both instances where I have rendered "crush"

a kid."

It

is

possible

that

e/xol

ive^aKev in a is a dittograi^hic rendering of what has already been translated " persuaded me " (neWdi' yiie), both renderings going back to ':n"Dn. II.

2.

culty.

should

The text of a is free from diffiAs regards that of /3AS^ we that ae/AS^ om. For "the face" {to Trp6we might render freely "any

observe

"angry." aojirof)

person."

Truth and

loyig suffering.

Cf. vi. 8.


DAN— CHAPTERS them

towards

him

disobeyeth

not

enemies"'

as

knoweth him not

though

;

I.

7-III. 4

though

;

125

be

it

a brother, he

be a prophet of the Lord, he

it

though a righteous man, he regardeth him

;

rthough a friend, he doth not acknowledge himl.

;

For the

and blindeth his

deceit,

his mind,

4.

the net of

and through lying darkeneth

eyes,

and giveth him

its

own

encompasseth

it

his

wherewith

him with

of anger encompasseth

spirit

peculiar vision.

eyes

And

5,

With hatred

?

of

heart, so as to be envious of his brother. /3-aASi

a

III. For anger

my

thing,

is

children,

even

troubleth

an evil for

For anger

my

it

an

evil things

it

a soul to the soul

soul

the

is

children, for

becomes

itself,

itself.

And

2.

and

the body of the angry

over his soul

it

upon the body Tpower that

And when what

who

it

maketh

it

may work

it

own,

its

bestoweth

alD iniquity.

3.

the body does all these things, the soul justifieth

done, since

is is

man

getteth the mastery, and

seeth not aright.

it

4.

Therefore he

wrathful, if he be a mighty man, hath a threefold

power in

his anger

:

one by the help of his servants

and a

;

second by his wealth, whereby he persuadeth and overnet 4. For the sjnrit of amger of deceit (a ^ S^ save that /3 S^ read A reads "for the spirit of "nets"). deceit encompasseth with the nets of luxury." His eyes {a a). ^-aAS^ read "his natural eyes." his eyes {a ^). 5. And wherewith A reads "and then it encompasses (him) with its own eyes and surrounds." With hatred of heart, so as to be envious of his brother {iv /xicet Kaphias Kara, rod abeKipov avrov els (pOovov a, A though c is somewhat corrupt). .

.

.

.

.

.

form of text is represented by "with hatred of heart and it gives him its own heart (A "a heart

fuller

6eAS^

:

hostile"; S^ "a heart") so as to be envious of his brother"; df give

divergent

readings

support &

e

Fm\

III. 1.

which,

however,

A S^.

bd&

om.

A

is

here

corrupt.

For it trouhleth {eKrapdaffei) even the soul itself (a). 13-agAS^ read "for it becometh a soul to the soul itself." Here ^-agAS^ is very forcible. Anger gets hold of the entire personality.

may have

a

•ylverai ^I'XV

= ii'Sih

arisen as follows,

HM, which was cor-

rupted into c'sn hm = iKrapacrcei.. Ezek. xxxiv. 18, Prov. xxv. 26. ;8-gr S^ read " its 2. Poiver{ag).

Cf.

own

A

power";

"its own." 3. Wlien tlie body does all these thiiigs, since it . aright (a). . /3 Spread " when it doeth aught, the soul justifieth what is done since it seeth not." .

4.

A mighty man.

A

a adds "in body."


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

126

Cometh wrongfully

and

;

power he worketh thereby the ful is

man

having his own natural

thirdly, evil.

And though the wrath-

5.

be weak, yet hath he a power twofold of that which

by nature

;

for

wrath ever aideth such in lawlessness.

This spirit goeth always with lying

Tat

Satan, that with cruelty and lyingT his works

6.

hand of

the right

may be wrought.

IV. Understand ye, therefore, the power of wrath, that it is -f-vain.

For

2.

then by deeds with sharp

it first

of all gives provocation

strengtheneth him

-fit

disturbeth

losses

up with great wrath

3.

by word

when any one

Therefore,

speaketh against you, be not ye moved to anger, [and

man

praiseth you as holy men, be not uplifted

either to delight or to disgust].

the hearing-f-, and so

grounds

And

is

and

;

ag

d A),

thirdly {koI Tpirov

stroyer. 2.

Gives

provocation

dg

K S^).

The

sense

[b _^

i^

provoked

^treniitlietieth IS

f

1-

i

(ovvauoi). Ti

is

/

-T-i

Possibly n^r [i.e. corrupt for ™:="em-

unsatisfactory.

dvua^oc,^

ab). Sharp {iTLKpaTs "small" {/xiKpals)

aefgA^^ ;

d

"long"

(/taKpats). 3.

The

then

present context.

Verse

4 should follow immediately on

ver. 3*.

its

be not moved

:

first

*f*it

pleaseth

to perceive the

being

"good men." Be not 'moved nera^dWecrdai

enraged,

he

a rendering of

pLeTa^dWeade). may be here Cf. Esther T,sni.

{/j-tj

els repifiv ,T^D:^''7

ix. 22.

4.

'\Pleaseth

= Tepwei.

This

is

clearly

Perhaps it = prn, corrupt for The hearri-\r\= "gives provocation." ing = TV dKor,v. Here ^ aKO-q is obviously "the thing said" (referring to 3a^ " when any one speaketh against you"), and stood in the nominative, wrong.

The corruption

of vi-^n into pjnn misled the translator into taking nyiOf'.T as the 4^

Hence ver. should be rendered, "For first, the thing said ii, t?i, i.i, giveth provocation, andi so maketh the ^^^cusative.

1

f^^.^^ ^'^^^ ^^

^^^„

;^.

A reads "and it teaches." grounds for provocation. Here

Toi^erceire. 77,^

read to ipidiaav for to epidiffdiv of dg read "what has been " the mind of said " {to p-qdiv) him who gives provocation." And being enraged {a A). j8 Spread " and then being enraged." I

a^-dgS^.

;

latter half of this verse can-

not belong to

any

For iv. 1-4 deals with the subject of anger and provocation thereto, Holy men {aaef). bdgAS^ read

bitters," or Tiy for -i'jr= "mciteth."

read

For

if

justly angry.

read "thirdly"; befS^ read "the third" {rpiTTjv r-qv), and connect with "power" {dvvajjiiv) understood. Having his own natural poxoer ... the evil (a). /3 A S^ read " having the natural power of his body and of his own agency working. 5. Hath he a x>ower tioofold of that which is by nature (^AS^). a reads " the passion of anger [opyris) springeth up in him with twofold power. 6. With lying, a A omit the bracketed words that follow through hmt. IV. 1. Thatitis-\vain. This = '?3n ':=, corrupt ^for Snn' '3= "that it is a de-

af^e/read

4.

maketh the mind keen

provocation

for

thinketh that he

;

and

angry,

is

mind, and so stirreth

his

his soul.

who

A


DAN— CHAPTERS 5.

If ye

afflicted"'

which

fall

into

any

or involuntarily, be not vexed lying"'.

wrath with lying

children, Tbe not

ye suffer

if

from vexation ariseth

for

;

turbed, the Lord departeth from

my

V. Observe, therefore,

continually dis-

is

and Beliar ruleth over

it,

is

one another in order to

assist

and when the soul

;

be enraged

loss voluntarily,

Moreover, a twofold mischief

7.

and they

;

disturb the heart

127

may

he

that

And

6.

affliction.

wrath fwith

my

loss or ruin,

order

perishable, in

is

through the

5-V. 3

very spirit maketh (a man) desire that

for this

;

III.

children, the

it.

commandments

of the Lord,

And

keep His law

;

Depart from wrath,

And

hate lying,

That the Lord may dwell among you.

And 2.

Beliar

may

flee

from you.

Speak truth each one with So shall ye not

But ye

fall

his neighbour.

into wrath

shall be in peace,

and confusion

having the God of peace.

So shall no war prevail over you. 3.

Love the Lord through

And

all

perishable. This very spirit reads "the spirit of error desired to do this thing, and to accomplish the ruin." He may he enraged through the ajfliction {dvfj.(^ irecrrj 5ta tov irddovs a). /3S^ read "he may be enraged through the longing " {dv/mudy dio, tov Trodov) A " he may be grieved through desire (?) for the thing lost." 5.

.

.

.

A

;

6.

And

(c).

h^Afi om. §-ad read "it

Ariseth (at:^AS^). causes to arise."

with lying, 7. Moreover afg omit through hmt. (bdgAS^). V. 1. Vommandments .

.

.

oae/read "commandment." 2.

your

life.

one another with a true heart.

Speak

truth, etc. {a\r]deiav (pdey-

yeade e/cacrros irpos tov irXriaiov avrov). This quotation from Zech. viii. 16 is

found also in T. Reub. vi. 9. This is borrowed independently from Zech. by St. Paul in Eph. iv. 25 XaXetre ciK'qdei.av e/caoros /tterd tov

command

ifKyjcriov aiiroO.

God of adopted

This expression is Paul from our text, 23 ; Rom. xv. 33 Phil.

peace.

(?)

by

Cf. 1 Thess. v.

St.

;

iv. 9. 3.

Our text

being the

first

here remarkable in literary authority which is

conjoins the two great commandments of love to God (Deut. vi. 5) and love to our neighbour (Lev. xix. 18). It is not unreasonable to assume our Lord's acquaintance with it. Cf. Matt. xxii. Luke x. 27. 37, 39 In Lev. xix. 18 certainly, and in our text possibly, the sphere of neighbourhood is limited to Israelites. In our ;


128

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

4. I

know

that in the last days ye shall depart from the

Lord,

And And

ye shall provoke Levi unto anger,

Judah

fight against

But ye

;

shall not prevail against them,

For an angel of the Lord shall guide them both

For by them

And

5.

whensoever

walk in

[6.

,v^ , ,

\^y

'?,'

r

f

Through

women

all

is

no limit of race or Cf. Deut. vi. 5, x. 12,

your

life

{c^-adA&).

h d read not very apt. "with all thy soul." This looks like a scribal emendation, but it may be iv irdcrri ry ^lirj vfxQv may be a right, mistranslation of DDCsrS^n. True. A reads " pure. 4. / know (a A). |3S^ read "for I This

claiise is

':-

know. Levi

.

.

.

Judah.

on

See note

T. Keub. vi. 5-12. Ye sJmll not prevail, etc. Reub. vi. 5 ; T. Sim. v. 5. 5. Te shall walk . . . and

Cf.

T.

work "ye walk")

(a).

Lord, ye shall

of the lawless ones, while ""in you"".

.

.

.

.

.

ing."

All wicked^iess.

dg

read "all forni-

cation." t Spirits of wickedness {irvevfiaTa ttjs 6 e irovrjplas S^ read " spirits a/).

—

A

dg "spirits of error of fornication" [d om. ) fornication {Tropveias)." 6-7. In ver. 4 we have the sujiremacy of Levi and Judah asserted, and the vain assaults made upon them by the The same verse declares sons of Dan. that Levi and Judah are the stay of Israel and are under the immediate guidance of the angel of the Lord. Such statements harmonise with the entire groundwork of the Testaments. In verses 6-7, however, Levi and Judah ;

are assailed as the chief sources of the evils and calamities of Israel. These verses, therefore, are to be assigned to the first century B.C., when the nation was torn by civil dissensions and radically demoralised under the later Maccabeans. They may come from the same hand as T. Levix., xiv.-xvi. T. Judah xxi. 6xxiii. T. Zeb. ix. Nor, again, can we regard it as in the least degree probable that a patriotic Jew, writing in the palmiest days of the Maccabean hegemony, should assert that one of the Twelve Tribes was under the actual rule of Satan and yet speak just as assuredly of its ultimate conversion ;

;

(ver. 9).

Spread "walking {b . Aabb*e and {bgS^ om.) working." " ye shall (A^ om.) walk and work|3-a

and

the

For I have read in the book of Enoch, the righteous,

Lord's use there V>\/'^,y^ country. ^^ Love the Lord. \f XXX. 6. '

from

wickedness the spirits of wickedness work

all

/^ H' nU-

depart

ye

and work the abominations of the Gentiles,

all evil

going a-whoring after

with

;

shall Israel stand.

6. This verse is of great importance, as it is the most ancient authority we at present possess for the view which connected the tribe of Dan with the Antichrist. Even in the OT. the ground was prepai'ed for siich a view. i. Thus Dan was early connected with idolatry the children of Dan set up for themselves a graven image, Judg. xviii. 30 one of the golden calves was placed in Dan, 1 Kings xii. 29. Further, in later times we remark that Dan is the last in the list of the tribes in :

:

xxvii. 16-22 ; no Levitical appointed in the tribe of Dan in 1 Chron. vi. 61 sqq., though in Josh, xxi. 23, on which 1 Chron. vi. 61 is based, such cities are mentioned. ii. The darker side of Dan's history in the OT. is that which is mainly literature. rabbinic accentuated in 1

Chron.

cities are


DAN— CHAPTERS that your

prince

Satan, and

is

wickedness and pride

on

the sons of

V. 4-V. 8

that

will conspire

Levi,

the

all

spirits

of

attend constantly

to

them

cause

to

129

before

sin

to

the

Lord. 7.

And my And sin And the

sons will draw near to Levi,

with them in sons of

Judah

all

things

will be covetous.

Plundering other men's goods like 8.

Therefore

shall

ye

be

lions.]

away [with them]

led

into

captivity,

And And

there shall ye receive all the plagues of Egypt, all

the evils of the Gentiles.

According to Shabbath 66 Dan repre-

T.

Whereas Deut. xxv. 18 sents idolatry. states that Araalek slew "the hindmost" and " the feeblest " of Israel, the Targ. P.s.-Jon. on this passage declares that

known," hi "and

these weie of the tribe of Dan, and that they were slain because of their idolatry. For other passages see Jewish Encyc, iv. 423. iii. But the OT. passage, from which the immediate connection of Dan and Satan which appears in our text is de-

—a/).

rived,

is

probably Jer.

viii.

16,

"the snort-

ing of his horses is heard from Dan." For in Iren;eus v. 30. 2 this verse is interpreted of the Antichrist, and at tlie close of the quotation Iren?eus adds that on account of Dan's connection with the Antichrist his name is omitted from

N.T. Apocalypse ("Propter hoc non annumeratiir tribus haec in Apocalypsi cum his quae salvautur "). Rabbinic tradition also preserves a similar view

Levi X. Is (a

4.

j3).

All {bdeg

A

adds and I have have found." gi read will be. '

c

'

I

'

'

A&).

a/ omit.

Spirits of wickedness {ttv. t^s iropripias ^-/ Si read " spirits ( -1- " of

error

A

and" dg)

of fornication {wopvelas).

Text reads vTrawhich goes back to 13'EJ'p'This I take to be corrupt for ^wp\ — If, "will conspire." ffvffrpexl/ovrai, however, with idg A-^ we here add r(p Kevi, we can retain vnaKodaovTai and But this translate "will obey Levi." makes poor sense with what follows "will obey Levi to attend constantly on the sons of Levi, etc." /A read " the 7. Levi{a^-a/&). Will

conspire.

Koiffovrai

sons of Levi."

AccordSin with them in all things. X. 2 Levi was to lead

ing to T. Levi Israel astray.

;

for Ber. rab.

16 to The derivation of the refers Jer.

xliii.

The sons of Judah null

viii.

Dan's idolatry. Antichrist from Dan is clearly stated also by Andreas in his commentary on " It is probable that the Apoc. xvi. 12 :

the Antichrist will come from the eastern parts of Persia where is the tribe of Dan." See Bousset's Antichrist (Eugl. Trans.), 171 sqq. This view so attested in Christian writings is undoubtedly Jewish, and finds its earliest distinct expression in our text, wliich here goes back to the middle of the first century B.C. See note on Enoch, t/ie righteous.

he coveto^is,

Judah xxi. 6, 7. ajSAS^ read "and Therefore. Cf. T.

etc. 8.

therefore." Ye shall be led away. Cf. T. Lev. reads " ye shall T. Zeb. ix. 6. X. 4 ;

A

go-" I have bracketed these [ With them. ] words as an addition of the interpolator who added 6-7. This phrase Plagues of Egypt. appears to have a general application

here. ix.

Evils of the Gentiles. 6 ; T. Naph. iv. 2.

Cf. T.

Zeb.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

I30 9.

And

when ye

so

the Lord ye shall obtain

return to

mercy,

10.

And He shall bring you into His sanctuary, And He shall give you peace. And there shall arise unto you from the [Judah and

tribe

of

Levi the salvation of the Lord

of]

And he shall make war against And execute an everlasting

Beliar,

on

vengeance

our

enemies 11.

And

the captivity shall he take from Beliar [the souls

of the saints],

And And

turn disobedient hearts unto the Lord, give

to

them

that

call

upon

him

eternal

peace.

A

reads "after these things." ye return to the Lord ye sfudl Cf. T. Zeb. ix. 7. obtain mercy. reads Ye shall obtain mercy. " He shall have mercy upon you." 9.

So.

When

A

He

shall

Judah

xxiii.

bring you, etc. T. Jss. vi. 3 5 ;

T.

Cf.

T. Ash.

;

vii. 7.

He

shall give

xxxiv. 8

;

1

And

En.

you pea,ce.

Cf.

Ixxi. 17.

there shall arise

.

.

the

.

salvation of the Loi'd. Cf. T. Levi xviii. T. 3 T. Juci. xxiv. 1 ; T. Zeb. ix. 8 Gad viii. 1 T. Jos. xix. 11. I The tribe of [Judah and} Levi. ;

;

;

have bracketed "Judah and," for if these words were original we should have " tribes of Judah and Levi," or rather "tribes of Levi and Judah." Cf. T. Sim. vii. 1

;

T.

Gad

viii.

1

T.

;

Levi is always placed before Judah (see note on Reub. vi. 512) except in the present passage, which we see is secondary, and in T. Gad viii. 1 which we must regard either as Thus the corrupt or interpolated. original text here teaches the derivation of the Messiah from Levi as T. Reulj. T. T. Levi viii. 14, xviii. vi. 7-12 Jud. xxiv. 1-3 (T. Naph. iv. 5 ?) T. Jos.

Make war

against Beliar.

Cf.

T.

Levi, xviii. 12.

Execute an everlasting vengeance on our enemies. Here text reads ttji/ iKdlKTjaiv Tov vLkovs diixxeL rois irarpdaLV {b TripacTLv) riixGjv (df read i'/nQv, A avTov). It is obvious that Trepaaiu in b is an emendation, but a bad one, due to misunderstanding the Semitic idiom :

Haggai 9 "In this place I will give you ii. h reads "proclaiming unto peace." you peace," with which compare Jer. 10.

be sprung from Judah in the first century B.C. passage T. Jud. xxiv. 5-6, and in the corrupt passage in T. Naph. viii. 2.

11.

xix.

;

;

;

Jos. xix. 5-9.

The Messiah

is

said to

in iKdlKijiTii' ddicrei, nzp: in: "to execute vengeance." warpdcri.v then, is clearly corrupt, but the origin of the

corruption becomes manifest on retranslation it = irni3N corrupt for ly^'ix = Tols TToXefxiois vfiQp. Thus the line is restored into perfect parallelism with the preceding one. Furthermore, (KdiK-qcnv TOV vlKovs = n^i riDpj, which had better be rendered as above. 11. The captivity, etc. Cf. T. Zeb. ix. 8 (bdg). I have bracketed "the souls of the saints" as a Christian addition. The captives of Beliar have as their parallel expression "disobedient hearts." Hence they are here to be understood as those enslaved through sin to him. Titrn disobedient hearts, etc. Cf. Luke i. 17 iirtcrrpetl/ai ciTrei^ets iv :

.

(ppovr)<Xâ‚ŹL

SiKaiwv.

.

.


DAN— CHAPTERS 12.

13.

And And And And Nor

V. 9-VI.

131

i

the saints shall rest in Eden, in the it

New

Jerusalem will the righteous

God

shall be unto the glory of

rejoice,

for ever.

no longer shall Jerusalem endure desolation, Israel be led captive

the Lord

For

;

midst

the

be in

shall

of

it

[living

amongst men],

And

the

Holy One

humility and in poverty shall reign

VI.

Israel

of ;

amongst men in

And

gates of Paradise to the righteous.

The New Jerusalem (bg A-&^). c reads "the kingdom of J.," hi "the New Holy J.," d "the holy aud righteous J.," e/"the holy and (/. om.) New The reading of c is inexpliJ." cable here, but the epithet "holy" in h i d ef may have arisen from e»nn being written a second time corruptly as B'ng. far as I am aware this is the first time this expression ("the New Jerusalem") is found in Jewish literature. The idea is clearly set forth in 1 En. sc. 29, where God Himself is described as the builder of the New Jerusalem

So

symbolically called " the new This expectation is derived from OT. prophecy. Ezek. xl.-xlviii. The expression Is. liv. 11, 12, Ix. 1. New Jerusalem recurs in Rev. iii. 12, Its equivalent " the Jerusalem xxi. 2. that is above " occurs in Gal. iv. 26 aud in Rabbinical writings. See my Apoc. Bar. iv. 3 note, Volz, J'adische Eschatologie, 338. But the question arises is the New Jerusalem to be identified with the Eden that precedes, or the Jerusalem that is mentioned in the next verse ? I am inclined to take the latter view. God dwells in the Jerusalem of ver. 12, which has thereby become the New Jerusalem. And it shall he, etc. {^-a d A S)^. a reads which is the eternal glory of it is

:

'

'

God."

Him

truth],

12. The saints shall rest in Eden. According to T. Levi xviii. 10 the Messiah from Levi will open the

aud

[in

it

and he who believeth on

now, fear the Lord,

house."

over

reign

shall

my No

13.

and beware

children,

longer shall Jerusalem, etc.

The New Jerusalem should not as the Old Jerusalem 4 ; T. Judah xxiii. 3.

:

suffer

T. Levi xvi.

cf.

^Living ((xvt'ava(TTp€(p6pL€vos) with I have bracketed this clause as

tnen.}

a Christian interpolation. In humility and poverty. This expression could not be iised of God though it could be used of the Jewish

Messiah (see T. Judah xxiv. 1 note) if we might regard raireivcoais and 7rTa;%e:a as dittographic renderings of m:i''

Amongst men in

truth (a).

j3-aS^

read "in truth in the heavens." VI. 1-7. This section is self-conIt deals with the spiritual forces arrayed on the sides of the kingdoms of God and of Satan and their These forces are relation to Israel. engaged in a deadly strife, and the tained.

kingdom

doomed

to destrucrepents (1-2, 4). Hence Satan seeks to destroy through sin those who return to God (3). Thereupon a time of lawlessness comes and God forsakes Israel (6), but Israel

tion

cannot

of evil

is

Israel truly

if

fall

ethically

away

and

by the angel of gi-eatest of all

utterly, Ijecause

it is

spiritually strengthened

who

peace,

the angels

is

(6).

the

Thus

the iiltimate redemption of Israel

is

assured.

From the

text

the of

above

it

h i /3-« d A

follows

that

/jLereXeijaerai

there is no iirl Wvr) is corrupt, as question here of God's forsaking Israel wholly and going to the Gentiles. Here c alone preserves the singular, and the


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

132

of Satan

and his

spirits.

2,

Draw

near unto God and

to the angel that intercedeth for you, for he

between God and man, and

4.

the

enemy eager

he shall

for the peace of Israel

stand up against the kingdom of the enemy, is

a mediator

is

Therefore

3.

upon the Lord.

to destroy all that call

For he knoweth that on the day on which Israel shall

kingdom

repent, the end.

5.

For

enemy

of the

the very angel

clause in fact deals with the conversion of Israel. See note on ver. 6. and b d read 2. Draw (a /3-& d). '

'

draw." That

"^intercedeth

for

you

{np

dS^

Will stand up against the kingdom

Here Karivavn (TTT^crerai. = ac?e/read "will stand up before tlie kingdom of God " [KaTivavri

text.

lation of TrapaiTelrai {TrapaiTrjais in late

hit

Greek means "forgiveness"), and so A Here all the would support ^-d.

§-a

here

vfj.ds

^-d).

a

corrupt.

may

be derived ultimately See note on a parallel Since a passage in T. Lev. v. 6. has TrapeTrofjLefos in both passages,

variants

from

03*7 yjis.

and similarly

j3-d TrapatTovfievos,

reasonable to infer that the

it

is

same Hebrew

phrase stood originally in both.

Mediator

between

God and man.

This phrase is adopted by St. Paul in This conception of 5. 1 Tim. ii. Michael can be understood in part from the fact that Michael was regarded as the Mediator of the Law, Jub. i. 29 Apoc. Mos. (Ed. Tischendorf p. 1), Midrash on the death of Moses, Jellinek Jalk. Chad. Bet ha-Midrash vi. 75 120 (see Luekeu, Michael 18 sq.) f. and from his being a high priest in the sixth heaven. See note on T. Levi iii. 5 Lueken, Michael pp. 30-31. This office of mediator was subsequently, about the beginning of the Christian era, assigned to Moses, who in Ass. Mos. i. 14 is called "the mediator of His covenant," and iii. 12 "a Iti the mediator unto us (Israel)." ;

;

;

Bamidbar rab. sect. 3. 254^ God said to Moses: "Thou wast the mediator (limo) between Me and My children (in the giving of the law)."

passages

see

Worterhuch

iii.

*33n ncv'.

TTJs

Has fSaaiKeias tov Oeov (TTrjcreTai). arisen from 3;iN? Before Karivavri.

A S^

insert Kal against a b. The Lord. A reads " the name of the Lord." 4. Repent (eiricrTpi\j/€i eiricrpTia). \peL here:=3iB'\ /3 S^ read "believe" 6

3.

{TTLcrTeiKxei

A is

corrupt,

but

)3

S^

There

or iriffTevffrj). a corruption of

it is

thus two independent texts. It was a well-known Rabbinic view that if all Israel repented redemption would follow. Cf. Pesikt. 163b, gauh. 97^ 98a, jer. Taauith 63^. See Ass. Mos. i. 18, Weber'^, Jud. Theologie, 348, 353 ; Bousset, Rel. des Judenth. 369 sqq. Volz 112 sq.; Baldensperger^, Messianisch.-Apok. Hoffnungen des Judenth. 217 sqq. If we accept the reading "believe," "belief" must be taken to mean not merely an intellectual acceptance of certain doctrines but an ethical change of attitude involving obedience to the law and personal devotion to God. On " repentance " are

;

see also vii.

5

;

T. Zeb.

T. Ash.

i.

ix.

7

;

T.

Gad

v. 5,

6.

For. bfS^ om. Angel of peace. Cf. T. Ash. 5.

T. Benj.

vi.

1

;

1

En.

xl. 8,

Iii.

vi.

6

;

5, liii.

See the note 2, on the identity of this angel on T. Lev. 4, liv.

4, Ivi.

Ix.

24.

v. 6.

For similar

Levy's Neuhebraisches 595, 596.

strengthen

shall

of the enemy {KarivavTi Tijs /SacriXelas Tov exdpov (TTrjffeTai bg{A)8^). A corruptly reads ^-)(dpas tu)v ^acriKiuv, an obvious corruption of the bgS^

are reads Trapeiro/x^vij} A= v/jup (r]/jLas hi). Cf. T. Levi v. 6. ffvyyLvwffKeL, butthis may be a mistransirapaiTovfjiipii}

peace

of

brought to an

shall be

I.

Strengthen Israel, and strengthen."

right.

reads " convert Possibly this is

c


DAN— CHAPTER Israel, that it fall it

VI. 2-9

^33

not into the extremity of

evil.

6.

And

shall be in the time of the lawlessness of Israel, that

the Lord will (not) depart from them, but will transform into a nation that doeth His will, for none of the

them

angels will be equal unto him. in every place of Israel, Tand

shall be

the Gentiles"'.

my

Keep, therefore, yourselves,

8.

And His name

7.

among

children,

from

every

evil work,

And And And

9.

do ye

away wrath and

cast

love truth

impart to your children [that the Saviour of

•'also''

suffering,

may

receive

meek and

it fall' not, etc.

lowly,

(/xrj

you

ei's

from them." i. First, if we assume such a loss, the clauses ia question would refer to Israel's repentance and then would follow the words in the text,

"And

etc."

For

it

will

become a nation,

/xereXeycrerat

''uh isn',

(fxeraaTpcLiprj-

bad rendering of

fferai d) ewl ^dvei is a

which should be translated

either "will become a nation" or actively " will transform (them) into a nation." But if we simply restore ii. the negative before "depart," the text

complete as it stands: "the Lord (not) depart from them but will transform them into a nation, etc." In any case the restoration of Israel is due so far as secondary causes are concerned to the good offices of tlie angel of peace, who is greater than all the is

will

other angels. (xVo<). Restored.

But Will

a A). transform.

(Kai

fjLeTeXeiKyerai.,

d

These go back to

See preceding note. /3

SI

a

om. (3 f?

A Si

read

IJ.eTa(XTpa(pT)(TeTai. ian'' = "will

for

;

he

is

true

and long-

and teacheth by his works the

ifiirecelv

Cf. T. Levi t4\os KaKwv). V. 6 where the same phrase recurs. 6. This verse is corrupt and defective. As we have seen in the note on 1-6 above, it should deal with the restoraThere are two ways of tion of Israel. recovering the original, accordingly as we assume or deny the loss of one or more clauses after the words " depart airrbv

all lying.

long-suffering.

the things which ye have heard from your father,

the Gentiles

That

and

trans-

form" or "will become." note but two. Into a nation that doeth. iir' idvri (sic

See last c reads

for idvei) ^-qTouvTi,

hi fi

A

reading the singular, but for ^rjTovvTi we should read ttolovi'ti, for this latter = ia!/, eirl edvrj

iroLOvvTa.

c is right in

which was apparently corrupted into nj;a

= i''>;ToOyTt.

Shall be (/3 A S^). a om. In every place of Israel. reads "in every land and in Israel." Gentiles. jSS^ add "Saviour," a 7.

A

Christian addition. 8.

reads

and

Wrath and all lying "wrath and lying," wrath." That in sorrow

(/SS^).

A

a

"lying

all

you, etc. Christian interpolation, in their present form at any rate. For he is trite and long-suffering. 9.

.

.

.

A

These words might refer to Dan, for he has been teaching the evils of lying and anger, or to the Messiah who was to See v. 10 note, but spring from Levi. it is safest to bracket them as an inter-

The final clause is Jewish. Meek and lowly. These words could

polation.

be used of the Jewish Messiah. See T. Jud. xxiv. 1 note. God (a). /3 A 31 read " the Lord." Teaching through ivorks the Ioao of God. This is Jewish. It might also be an early Jewish Christian addition.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

134

law of God].

10. Depart, therefore, from all unrighteous-

and cleave unto the righteousness of God, and your

ness,

race will be saved for ever.

11.

And

bury

me

my

near

fathers.

And when

VII.

and

fell

And

him.

he had said these things he kissed them,

asleep at a good old age.

they carried up

that

after

them near Abraham, and

placed

[Nevertheless,

"Dan"'

And

2.

prophesied

his sons buried bones"!,

and

and Jacob.

3.

''his

Isaac,

them that

unto

they

should forget their God, and should be alienated from the land of their inheritance ^and from the race of IsraeD, and

from the family of fftheir 10.

Righteousness

/3S^

of.

seed.-)-^]

add

" the law of." 6

your

VII. age.

1.

race, etc.

Fell asleep

Emended from

b

om.

at c

a good old (vrrvui

Ka\<2)

which reads "fell asleep in a good sleep." Here as in T. Zeb. x. 6 (see note) /3

A S^

which

nnr

This verse

is

the

addition of a later hand.

Acefg read "the Lord,"

God.

And

Testaments shows.

is

a corruption of nn'r.

read vrrvov althviov=rh-\]] nyv, may be a corruption of c nrsr

And placed (/(rfgr) Aabb*defgsi). a ^-dfg A= om. 3. The Testament proper closes with ver. 2, as a comparison of the other

bS^ add "as." bdA read "the

Nevertheless.

Their God (aS^). law of their God.

fTJieir seed (rou ciripnaTOS airQu). save that adefSi^ prefix

{aadefS^ Kal).

/3

it came to pass" came upon them." tov

reads "so

d " which

also

ffirip/xaTos aiiruiv

may

;

be a corruption

Then we might and their seed from the race of Israel and family." Or, in case this addition was made in the Hebrew text, oyni which rod airip/naTOS avrOiv for t6

(TTT^p/j-a

translate,

aiirwv.

"

presupposes

may

BiaffTrapriffovTai.

be corrupt for

\-\r

—


THE TESTAMENT OF NAPHTALI, THE EIGHTH SON OF JACOB AND BILHAH The copy

I.

of the testament of Naphtali,

time of his death

the

at

year of his

When

2.

life.

his sons were gathered together

in the seventh month, on the

And

3.

them, I

he

dying; and they believed him not.

say

to

Bilhah

;

he should

feast

my

Hear,

:

words

the

'"and"'

of

die.

5.

children,

ye

your

father.

;

Hundred and

1.

thirtieth

{haef

ASi). c (7 read "hundredth, "&(Z"hundred and thirty-second." The Midrash

Tadshe gives "hundred and thirtythird." See my edition of Jub. xxviii. 11-24 note.

A

2. While still SI), a om.

,

feast

Kwdu^va-^-dgKh^).

.

,

Glorified

^ A S^

(a).

^

And

he began then of

sons

Naphtali,

was born from

I

6.

and said /3S^

read

A "grew

eKparaluaev,

He

should die

re-

(/3S').

verse.

,,J^'''''^;,

^ ^^^^'

"*«

^''^

"°""'"

^

*° them."

^^^

.^

^ai'ovpyta iTvoi-qae the same play on Naphtali is found in Gen. xxx. 8, but a different meaning belongs there to ^n'^ni;: according to all the versions and ^^.^^^^^

.

'-pa,-^i-fj\—ii^^ nhns:,

read

(iKpaTanIidr]

"affirmed"

strong,

a reads "his body died," A "I should die." Yet according to viii. 9 he eats and drinks again with a merry heart, but the words may refer to i. 2. ^-dc/ read 5. And he began {a d A), " he began therefore. " S^ omits this

^^^^^

blessed.

Grew strong Kal elTTev a).

as

6. Rachel dealt craftily. There is a paronomasia on the name Naphtali in

- ^

lome {Seiirvov^ a omits <cat

KwOwva. 4.

And

fleeting."

in good Malth{^-dg

,*,.', of food cmd

A Kal

4.

because Eachel dealt craftily, and gave Bilhah

Title, be/A^'^^ read a in text. " Testament of Naphtali ( + eiglitli b) concerning natural goodness" ; d cona "Naphtali." flates the two 1.

and wine.

he grew strong and said that after

glorified the Lord,

yesterday's

hear

feast of food

he was awake in the morning, he said to

after

am

day of the month, while

first

made then a

still in good health, he

which he ordained

hundred and thirtieth

in the

Jo^.

135

Ant.

i.

19. 8.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

136

in place of herself to Jacob,

and she conceived and bare me

my name Naphtali. much because me very I was born and when I was still young she was wont to

upon Eachel's knees,

rtherefore she called

For Eachel loved

7.

upon her kiss me,

lap^

own womb, Kachel.

May

:

Whence

8.

also

things^, according to

^in all

Now my

9.

have a brother of thine from mine

I

unto thee.

like

me

unto

like

;

and say

Joseph was

the prayers of

mother was Bilhah, daughter of

Rotheus the brother of Deborah, Eebecca's nurse, who was born on one and the self-same day with Eachel.

And

10.

Eotheus was of the family of Abraham, a Chaldean, Godfearing,

and noble.

free-born,

11.

captive and was bought by Laban his

handmaid

name

;

And he was

and he gave him Euna

and she bore a daughter, and

to wife,

name

Zilpah, after the

of the village in

And next

been taken captive.

1 2.

My daughter hastens

after

what

is

taken

called her

which he had

she bore Bilhah, saying

she was born she seized the breast and hastened to suck Conceived , knees (a). |8S^ read "she bare me upon Rachel's lap," A " I was bom on Rachel's lap." .

And

.

therefore

ht^S^

(c).

read

called

my name

(a).

/S-grS^

read

"I was called." ^-gr S^ read " and." 7. For {a), Very much (a), ^-g S^ om. Knees

May

A

^-g S^ read " lap."

(a),

I have

(Sotr?

/j.oi).

So

A

and

emend a ideL (iStj hi) /j-oi, ^-gS^ tdoL/jLi. The idiom is Semitic jn' "hBut possibly tSot/xi is right, " May I

so I

see a brother of thine, etc." 8.

it.

Zilpah. Here, as in Jub. xxviii. 9 and the authorities quoted in the note on 9-11, Zilpah is represented as a sister of BUhah. Bilhah, saying, daughter 12. hastens after what is new (BdWavXeyuu, KaivoairovBos /xov rj Ovydrrjp befS^) adg are here defective. For KaivbKaivocnrovoos a reads Kaipowoids and <nrov8atT/j.6s. In the original the Hebrew of this word evidently formed a play on the name Bilhah, i.e. n'^n^: nn'?a. But the first element in the vi'ord Kaivois suspicious, and the next clause which is intended to explain it fails to do so. Indeed, the text would be clearer if we omitted daughter hastens after

My

"therefore."

He

:

new, for immediately that

Prayers

(evxd-s

hdA).

aaefS^

Here we read " blessings " (ei)Xo7tas). have a corruption of n^Dn into nhnn. 9-11. The object of this verse is to show that Bilhah was of Semitic descent,

.

.

.

"my

what is new." For to suck

being

it (hefS^ save that b S' om. " seized the breast and "). supports text but adds ''of the

Abraham.

mother"

descended from the stock of In later Jewish tradition, i.e. in Ps.-Jon. on Gen. xxix. 24, 29, Gen. rabba Ixxiv. 14, Pirke R. El. xxxvi. she is represented as a daughter of Laban by a concubine. 11. Euna (hif). c reads

6e " Ainan,"

cf

"Edna."

"Enan,"

.

.

.

A

after "breast." aadg om. This clause may be a later addition. It is, however, intelligible and could stand without the previous clause, Like the previous clause it contains in "hastened " = ^(r7rei/5e=: n'^naj a play on

nrh^Âť


NAPHTALI— CHAPTERS And

II.

my

was swift ron

I

father Jacob appointed

did he give

me

the vessel,

how much

me

2.

is

body doth not

fall

He

For as the potter knoweth

and bringeth clay

make

the body after the

implant the

And

made.

4.

what

body,

how

beginneth

it

far

in

3.

by a third part was

rule

meet

for, so also

will

it

after

evil.

5.

persist

For

no

is

for

so also is his

And

I

work

was

.

.

;

.

"

And

since I

was

"on my

.

.

.

my

father "

(A

feet").

and measure, and rule made {(rrad/jii^ yap

all the creation

Kai /j.^Tp(x} Kai Kavovi iracra r) Kriaii iyivero a). "was all the For creation made," b A read " was every creature of the Most High " (Tratra KrLcns vipiarov) and d ef " was every creature exalted " {v\j/odTai). Possibly n3i33 established," "prepared," ( = "was cf. iyivero in a), stood originally in

As

6.

or

p-ag

K

man's strength,

a

so also is his

part." weight,

it

created every

the text.

corruption of the former. Trpos aiirb could mean to it, i.e. the vessel {(TKevos), but it is better to take it as referring to the idea of the vessel in the mind of the potter. 3. Third part. A reads " a small

By

and when inclination

and my

Messages (a a ef). h d g A. read "errands and messages." As a deer did he give me his blessing. See Gen. xlix. 21. 2. Accordingly (irpos avro h a ef), cd read 7rp6s ai)ra), which may be a

was

for

He

as his

father (a d, save that for " on my feet d reads "my children"). /3-c?Aread omitting

;

the creation

His own image. a

II. 1.

of a hair

all

doth the Lord know the

there

For as a man's strength,

6.

the one does

in goodness,

thought which the Lord knoweth not,

man

And

the potter knoweth the use of each

as

is

to the capacity of the

spirit.

by weight, and measure, and

vessel,

my

and as a deer

to contain,

and according

short of the other

137

the deer, and

feet^ like

accordingly, so also doth the Lord likeness of the spirit,

7-II. 6

for all messages,

his blessing. it

I.

work

and as

;

This could be

corrupted

The nmin) — vtpovrai. weighed and the waters measured, Job xxviii. 25 the mountains and hills, Is. xl. 12 the stars, 1 En. xliii. 2 even the world and the ages, 4 Ezra iv. 36 (in statera ponderavit saeculum, mensura mensuravit et tempora et numero numeravit tempora). In Wisd. xi. 20 we have almost a verbal parallel with our text into

nm

winds

(or

are

;

;

;

irdvTa fj.€Tpu) Kai dpidfj-c^ Kai arad/j-ij} 5t^ra^as. Pss. Sol. v. 6 Stl dvOpooTros Kai 7} fiepLS aiiTOu irapa aov iv ffTadfj,(^. 4. What. Text reads wj nc, which :

=

should have been rendered ri, "what." Beginneth in [Apxerai. iv bd A), a ef read Ipxerac iv, " cometh." In evil. A reads "the evil" in nominative. 5.

hiclination

Here Job ii. 18, Is. though it has here

{ir\da-/j.a).

TrXdcTyua as in Ps. cii. 14,

xxix. 16 renders

n:s%

meaning. See T. Ash. i. 3 note. Created . after His ovm image. Gen. i. 26, 27 Sir. xvii. 3. So far as I am aware our author and Sii'ach are the first to quote Gen. i. 27. its later

.

.

;


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

138

feye, so also

his sleep

is

either

law

the

in

mind,

his skill

the

of

Lord or in the law of

as

;

word

his soul, so also is his

so

also

achievement;

so also is his

and

Beliar.

his

is

Tand as his purpose,

;

as his heart, so also is

mouth

his

;"!

as his

also is his sleep

so

"f"eye,

as his soul,

;

so also is his word, either in

the law of the Lord or in the works of Beliar.

And

7.

there

as

is

a

and

;

it

is

8.

things good in their order, the

five

He

a

there

is

not to be said that the one

other either in face or in mind.

and

and

light

hearing, so also

man and man, and between woman and

division between

woman

between

division

darkness, between seeing and

is

like the

God made

rporT

all

in the head,

senses

on the neck to the head, adding to

joined

it

the hair also for comeliness and glory, then the heart for understanding, the belly for excrement, and the stomach for grinding, the windpipe for taking in (the breath), the liver

As

6.

his \eye, so also is his sleep, is wrong. In the first three

Something

Hebrew passages quoted in the note on ver. 8, the maw or digestive stomach is connected with sleep (na'p Hence vry may be corrupt for ri:iyh). of the

in^'P-

.

And as his soul, so also is his „,.,,,., J... of This looks like a dittography ,

as his heart, so also

Law

of

tlie

Cf

Lord

is

mouth." on the laxo of

T

Levi xix 1. Wo^ks (ipyoLS A).' This reading is T. Levi xix. 1. supported by abdef read "law" (vofiov). 7. And man, and between woman, Beliar

o om.

And

not to be said that one is So other in face or in mind. Aab*cde by a change of " mioi " into like

it is

Ab= "And one

iv

evl rots jrpocrdnroi.s 'ffrruv

t(J5

yr^^

g^

^„g

.

*"

,i

d

^^

^^^^^

ti

necki

t n. to the

j head

the

hair

also

for

mined on

t lie

i

qi

''

Adding

to

it

comeliness and glory (aadefS'^). read " the hair also for glory.

A

Then.

Then etc.

With

6

reads "and." heart for understanding, enumeration of man's

tJie

this

powers and faculties we might compare Berakh 61 ^^^ the following lists :

:

-l

1""° P'^^

l

.

^^^

l "^^^^^ "^'^^

"NO

'3'D

'?=

N'i^ioi

All All these the Greek MSS are corrupt and S' read "And it is not to be said that," but the remaining words are

ppa^n

'3'D

Sd

niHV nsn

^^^^

^^^.^^^,

like the other in face or mind."

b

1.

j

tt And He

/o a\

gee

^g^^g^^

3-iii.

ii.

not

is

roh h i),

evl

{fjTrov

tlie

"niin"asin Ab.

tQ

ijyovv f) bpioiov. present further corruptions.

3

"and

his

or

ef

^v.

r)rTovv

woi-d. (,

iv

TrpocrwTrots riTrbn^vov (sic riTov/xevos

T. Keub.

.

a reads

untranslatable.

nsa

13

I"^ ""

D'"=i aB*! lou

npnu

i^^^ 1»< ^^^' ^^'?.

^ip

n'^id

mo

DV^3

na r\ip

^

jmo ppip pme-


NAPHTALI— CHAPTER

II.

7,8

139

wrath, the gall for bitterness, the spleen, for laughter,

for

the reins Tfor prudence, the muscles of the loins^ for power, "

underthe tongue determiues, the mouth completes, the gullet takes in and sends forth all kinds of food, the windpipe sends forth the voice, the lungs absorb all kinds of liquids, the liver vyrathfid, the gall sprinkles on it a T/ie reins advise, the heart

stands,

drop and quiets

the spleen laughs,

it,

maw

the stomach grinds, the

(causeth)

sleep, the nose wakefulness."

The underlined phrasei

in the above

The are found also in our text. next two lists are from tlie Othioth of list

"R. Akiba" Midrasch iii.

Bet

ha42, 43 and the fourth from the late Hebrew T. Naph. x. 6 Jellinek,

(ed.

:

A comparison of the above lists shows that the least helpful and the nearly akin to our text is the from the Hebrew Testament of Naphtali. We shall now deal with the various phrases as they arise. Heart for rmderstanding = -,'<2rh 3*?. This phrase is found thus in the first three Hebrew lists, and its equivalent in the fourth. It will be

least last

observed that the Hebrew T. Naph. two parallels in obviously later " with his phraseology p^' imaa, brain he understands," and again "with his heart he reckons," aicn'' uSa. The belly for excrement (KoiKiaf eis gives

:

biax'^piio'tv).

n'^x d'O'j;

jwpnwb

.

.

nVx

^^^^2^3^

.

Vund 'd^b

D":^'

nxna nV

cfii-[

D^n*?

D'j'tsrt'?

na

'71

p•\-\^h

nr^h nxp nrnan'? ppnip j;ni

n'-s.-\7\h\

d't

hdn'jd'? ;

nnnSi 7&wZ.

^3

ni'^pi

n

d'Vjt nonSoSi

nv'?3 ':'a

Dj;ia

mnn

n:i3ni

nj;-!

V33 inno ns

yn "^s

mn'C'

3"?

nno

^3

"iDu

nip mV3}<D

n'j:idt -ib-d

'73NO 'J'd ^2 y'^n bci

npniT tioi dvid 133 yp-c/s 'rn ,

jnpmp mp'nB' 'ra ^3 pmc-

':'a

"73

inn'JDi

'?int3

njB" n3'p m'7'nN

T.

j'^a nijni

'J'D

S3

pmc

:

laainai pn' imaai b'3' rj'yai

vac

vjind

'ysxa D':3' iBB-nai Sip N'sr rnpai_. n'T r\t:/V

VT3

nxm

.

.

niaj'

pnc"

iSin

rsai

i'7ina3i

vSnai

for

sto))uich

els &.\e(nv.

Thus

word might have fallen out The aliove Hebrew phrase is found also in " R. Akiba's" Second list and in the Talniudic list, but not in the Hebrew T. Naj^h. The tvindpijie for taking in. The KaXa/jLov.

text here reads KoXafiov wpos iiyeiav, which involves a mistranslation and a Thus our text =Di'?ti''7 n:p, corruption. which, as we see from " R. Akiba's " lists,

corrupt for -[waS n:p = \dpvyya irpos Here nip, which can mean " reed," should have been rendered " windpipe." This is only part of the phrase for if it were given completely we should read \dpvyya -rrpos elcnrvoriv /cat eKTTvorii', as in R. Akiba's lists nip On the other hand the N'smVi iwaS. first and fourth lists agree in reading Thus here K':iia nip = \dpvy^ iKirveQv. " again our text agrees with " Akiba's lists against the Hebrew T. Naph. It Koi is worth noticing that ef read

is

eiffirvo-qv.

;

Naph. ad Jin.

n'333i

have emended

last

Vjefore

:

naxic nx'i n pa-ai ns'B

pTj

Q'O-1'7

The

35

iii.

m'?3ND

'ovao

niy

-iNin'?

ona

nyn'?

-inx nxii-V nap'3

nn^:^'? jib-Si iiVn'?

mnv msyr JIB'"'?

ynarh jap

I

8iaxd}p7jaiv,

AS

myjV i33

.ttd

into

(grinding) = (rT 6I restore the text, d reads (TTbjjLaxov els, all other The text is MSS and crTO/id%oi'. defective, but the loss can be made good by referring to " R. Akiba's" tirst list of the senses (see opp. col.), where nrnanS ppiip) which follows immediately on the phrase dealt with in the last note, = aTdfxaxov eis dXea/iov.

The

fiaxov

pine*?

Thus

and the phrase so emended = nynS D"i3, which is found in " R. Akiba's " first list. dtaKpLcnv

.

.

laT

nncai

'jicSdi

awn'

13^31

n:niD

in3'pi

insxSa .

01^3'

'Kai/J.ov

The

for KaXa/nov. liver for

wrath = ^Trap

Trpbs dv/xov


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

I40

the lungs for drawing forth.

So rtheni,

9.

in,

my

strength, and so

the loins for

children, let all your

works be done

in order with good intent in the fear of God, and do nothing disorderly in scorn or out of its due season.

bid the eye to hear,

it

cannot

= 01j;d'?

The Hebrew phrase

122.

is

in all the lists.

TJie gall

TTiKpiav

for bitterness (xo^W Here the mo).

""P^s

= n']Dh

tirst

and third Hebrew lists give "the gall sprinkles on it a drop and quiets it." As the second and fourth contain no reference to the gall, the Hebrew T. Naph. here again diverges from our text.

The spleen for laughter = aifKriva

els

The yiXoira = pinti'V '?ina. Hebrew phrase is found in all the lists. = The reins for j^riidence uecppovs eh Here iravovpyia is taken Trauovpyiav. in a good sense as in the LXX of Prov. It is a rendering of nnny i. 4, viii. 5. Cf. " R. Akiba's " first or else of nsy.

{irpbs

c)

The phrase

vy'? nvSD.i.

list

form occurs

in

'

'

thou

very corrupt, a reads irXevpav eh t6 KaOevSeiv, ^-g S"^ irXevpav (irXevpas bdS^) eh drjKTjv, A eh rb rid^vai 6<T(pvs. In A ocrcpvs and irXevpdi have been transposed. Here first of all trXevpcLS appears to be secondary to TrXcvpdv. This latter (attested by aaef), could easily be a corruption of ir\evfj.ova. a (corrected) thiin = ir\e6pova eh to KaOevdetv = nijc'h nxn, where aiDB''? is corrupt for 21 Nt^'?. Thus we arrive at Next eh our translation as above. driK-qv iu jS-g S^ and eh rb TidivaL in point to DIB''? or n'B'in'?. is

A

phrase explanation of tlie Tlie " drawing in " is found in Akiba's second list: "the lungs draw iu all kinds of liquids " (ppB'O 'rn '?d).

The

strength (6(T<pf)v eh here = G''jno or D'i-'rn.

loins for 6(r<piJv

IffX'"').

In " Akiba's " second list we find the statement, "The reins give good counsel and bad," and in Berakh. 61^^ ad Jin.,

if

light.

some

in all the lists.

For

so neither while ye are in

;

darkness can ye do the works of

found

10.

The

Cf. loins are the seat of strength, Prov. 1 K. xii. 10 Deut. xxxiii. 11 ;

;

xxxi. 17.

There are two reins in man, one gives

Let all your works be done in 6 8^ read "be ye in

9.

counsel to a good end, and the other It is probable counsel to a bail end." that the good is on his right, and the " for we find that evil on his left wise man's heart is at his right hand ; but a fool's at his left" (Eccles. x. 2). In connection with our text compare

order [a^-bg A). order."

"who hath put wisdom inward parts (mmB2)," where the Hebrew word was taken by Jewish interpreters as meaning " reins." The muscles of the loins for power Not in any of the {\j/vas eh bvvap.iv).

can ye do (a ^-g S^). While reads "darkness cannot do."

:

;

Job in

A

xxxviii. 36,

the

'

may

l)e

a rendering of

'jp?

iists.

\j/va

here.

But the text possibly contains

a dittography. one.

See next phrase but

drawing in^r^a^'i which the corruptions in our MSS appear to point. This phrase, is found in "Akiba's" first list, and various forms of it in the other The

31KB''?,

three.

lungs far

to

Our

text, as

I

have observed.

Out of

due season.

its

2 En.

Cf.

Ixii. 3.

a

10. To hear {^-adS^). " hear " an imperative. .

While

.

A

.

in

darkness

John

.

.

.

read

A

works of

"Men

loved darkness rather than light because their Cf. Eph. v. 8 for deeds were evil." the contrast of light and darkness " for ye were sometime darkness but now are ye light." The expression Works of light. Cf.

light.

iii.

19

:

"works St. v.

of darkness"

Paxil.

11,

Cf.

Rom.

but apparently

is

familiar from

xiii.

St.

12;

Eph.

Paul shuns

the expression "worlds of liglit " and uses (Eph. V. 9) "the fruits of light" (d Kapwbi Tov (puros).


NAPHTALI— CHAPTERS Be

III.

not

therefore,

ye,

9-IV.

II.

eager

to

141

i

your

corrupt

doings through covetousness or with vain words to beguile

your souls

because

;

how

shall understand

ye keep silence in purity of heart, ye

if

away the

stars

change not their order

will

and

to hold fast the will of God,

cast

of

Beliar. ;

to

Sun and moon and

2.

so do ye also

change not the

law of God in the disorderliness of your doings.

3.

The

Gentiles went astray, and forsook the Lord, and changed

and obeyed stocks and

their order,

But ye

4.

my

shall not be so,

stones, spirits of deceit.

children, recognising in the

firmament, in the earth, and in the things, the

Lord who made

all

sea,

and in

as Sodom, which changed the order of nature.

manner the Watchers

whom made

also

changed the order of their natm'e,

To

pendent

c

VTrrjKovaav

corrupt your doings reads "that your doings should be corrupted," A "to corrupt the earth with your doings." 1.

With vain words

to

beguile

your

aTrarav

rds Reproduced by Eph. v. 6 yj^vxa-s vfxQv). v/xas aTraTdrw Kevoh \6yoi.s. fiTiBels Observe also that as in the preceding claiise in our text "covetousness" is XbyoL's

{iv

Kevots

condemned, so also

in

Eph.

v.

5,

and

the further parallelism pointed out iu

10 (note).

ii.

Keep

silence

read aKOTrQvres. Beliar (a d).

d/A

{aiwirQvTes).

^-d A^^ read " the

devil."

With the

subject of this verse 26-28, xliii. 6 sqq. 1 En. ii. 1 Pss. Sol. xviii. 11-14. Do not change {ovK aXkoLovcriv ^&). a reads ov KaKvxpovcTt. and A ov kwXvovffiv, both of which seem to be corrup2.

cf.

Sir. xvi.

;

;

tions of

/3.

And

obeyed stocks and stones (a). read " And followed stones and stocks having followed after " (" even to follow after" A3'b*cd^_ Possibly virrjKovaau and ivTjKoKovdTjaav are inde3.

(3

A S^

In like

He

the earth without inhabitant and fruitless.

(/ii/3S^).

so^ds

5.

the Lord cursed at the flood, on whose account

my

IV. These things I say unto you, III.

created

all

become not

things, that ye

children, for I

nnx ^2hr\, or a corruption of iTrr]Ko\ov6riaav. For the diction cf. Deut. iv. 28, xxviii. 36 Ezek. xx. 32. But probably we sliould read "obeyed renderings

of

may be

;

:

(virrjKovcrav) stocks and stones throiigh having followed " {i^aKo\ov6rj(ravTes). 4.

&AS

All things [a g).

these,"

read "all

e/ "the universe."

As Sodom.

Cf. iv. 1

;

T. Benj.

ix.

1:

Jude 7 2 Pet. ii. 6. It is noteworthy that Jude speaks also in ver. 6 also

;

of the fallen angels, as our author does here in the next verse, 5. The Watchers. Cf. 1 En. vi. sqq. Make the earth tvithout inhabitants. This phrase is found also iu 1 En. ix. 2 (not in Greek), Ixvii. 2, Ixxxiv. 5. diro KarotK-qaias = na-iDD. This Hebrew phrase was rendered again in the margin by doiKriTov by the translator or a reviser and subsequently incorporated into the text. IV. This chapter, like T. Zeb. ix. apparently belongs to the times of the

Maccabeans.

Its reference to suspicious (see T. Lev. x. 5 note), since such references occur for the most part in the 1st cent.

later

Enoch

is iu itself


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

142

have read in the writing of Enoch that ye yourselves also

from the Lord, walking according

shall depart

to all the

lawlessness of the Gentiles, and ye shall do according to all

And

the Lord shall bring

rthere"" shall

ye serve your enemies,

the wickedness of Sodom.

upon you, and

captivity

and ye

And

the

until

tribulation, 3.

bowed down with every

be

shall

2.

Lord

and acknowledge the Lord your God

;

abundant mercy.

And

4.

come into the land of

it

He

to

His

shall be, that after that they

their fathers, they shall again forget

the Lord and become ungodly.

them upon

And

5.

the Lord shall

the face of all the earth, until the

man working

passion of the Lord shall come, a

and working mercy unto

them that

all.

and

you back into your own land, according

shall bring

to

you

have become minished and made few, ye

after ye

shall return

scatter

consumed

have

and

affliction

all

them that are

com-

righteousness afar

and

off,

are near.

V. For in the fortieth year of

my

life,

I

saw a vision on

sections.

Again, the second apostasy ver. 4 suits best the 1st cent., like the corresponding statement in T. Zeb. ix. 9 ly. 1. Unto you {a^-bgA). bgS^

shall dwell,"

mentioned in

mm, a

which may go back to corruption of iv^sn or lyjan (or

'^^^,

Cf.

°

ix.

ou IhavereadibdgAS^). "I have known. r L

^

7 /T.

Writing,

o g'

Of Enoch.

*

A read

See

T

^ read1 a a e/ _

J CI dAS^

^^^^S.',

2.

»

There.

Dan ;

r> . comBut

v. 8.

Serve your enemies. Jer. xvii. 4

-i.

omit.

Neh.

ix.

Deut. xxvm. 48 35-37.

;

— (rvyKafKpdTjo-eirOe doivn ( read a-vyKa\v(p0rjcrecr6e, "ye shall be covered," which is a corruption of the reading attested by A. The same corruption is found in Ps. Ixix. 10. the LXX in 2 K. iv. 35 aadef read avvava(TTpa<p7](T€a9e, "ye Bowed

A).

bgS

;

cvii.

d9)-avyKafi<perj-

y^J^^^^ ^^^^ affliction. Cf. T. Zeb. Ps. cvii. 39. 6 ; T. Dan v. 8 ^ ^^^^^^ minished and made fetv (^ A&). a reads " made few." Cf. .gg ;

^

" holy writing.

Lev.

x. 5 note. wickedLawlessness. b dread ness and for 'wickedness __ in the ne.xt clause reads "lawlessness 2-3. These verses apparently refer to the Babylonian captivity and the

pare T.

Ps.

aecrOe.

"^^ shall bring

2 Chron. ^ ^^

vi.

25

^^^^^^

;

them back,

etc.

T. Zeb. ix.

7.

.^

^

^^

Cf.

^^^^^

Zeb. ix. 9. This renewed .^ ^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ Antiochus Epi^i^,,^^^^^ the later Maccabees. (.f.

T.

5.

The compassion of the Lord.

A*^

^ord," A^*cd ..the Lord ^-ti^ compassion." Cf. T. Zeb. ix. 7. ^_^^^^^

..^j^^

^ ^an

workhig righteousness.

Is

the Messiah of the Maccabean family ? If this chapter is first century B.C. then the Messiah is to be sprung this

from Judah. That are afar off, etc. Is. Ivii. 19. V.-VII. In this section the attitude towards the tribe of Joseph is that of extreme hostility. Possibly it


NAPHTALI— CHAPTERS Mount of Olives, on the and the moon were standing

my

2.

still.

father, said to us

:

seizeth

them will the sun and moon

of us ran together,

and Levi

And

Kun and

one according to his strength

each

143

east of Jerusalem, that the

the

father of

IV. 2-V. 8

behold Isaac, the

lay hold of them,

^and to him

;

sun

belong^.

that

And we

3.

laid hold of the sun,

all

and Judah

outstripped the others and seized the moon, and they were

both of them lifted up with them.

became as a sun,

^lo^,

twelve branches of palm

moon, and under their

to

and Judah was bright

;

feet

And when

4.

young man gave

a certain

were twelve

rays.

[5.

two, Levi and Judah, ran, and laid hold of them.]

Levi

him

as the

And the 6. And

a bull upon the earth, with two great horns, and an

lo,

wings upon his back

eagle's

but could not.

7.

ascended up with

seized him,

and

I saw, for I

was

;

Ant. ix. 14. 3, xi. 8. 6). V. 1-5. The details of this vision are qnite iinintelligible. This vision is found also in the late Heb. T. Naph. ii., which, however, throws but little light on our text. Our text seems wholly disarranged. vision (a).

/3AS^omit. we all

Still. A adds ran towards (them)." 2-3. Cf. Heb. T. Naph. ii. 2-4, where the sun, moon, and nine stars are mentioned. This symbolism may be drawn from Gen. xxxvii. 9. " saith. 2. Said {a A). /3 S^ read 4. This obscure verse is differently given in Heb. T. Naph. ii. 4-6. Their feet {aaef). bdAB^ read "his feet."

" and

5.

The

translation

follows

c

save

have omitted ore after ol dvo. j8AS^ read: "And Levi and Judah ran to each other and laid hold of each other." I have bracketed the verse as an obvious dittography of ver. 3^^'=. 6-8. In the Heb. T. Naph. the connection of this section with what prethat

I

to seize him,

And

high.

Jewish hatred of Samaria. The Samaritans, as we are aware, claimed to belong to the tribe of Joseph (Ber. rabba 94 on Gen. xlvi. 13 Joseph.

A

and we wished

But Joseph came, and

him on

reflects

1.

;

8.

clearer. In that Testament whilst Levi and Judah and the remaining nine of Joseph's brothers seize on the sun and moon and nine stars Joseph holds aloof, but finally (ch. iii. ) mounts a great bull and rides it for four hours which possibly symbolise the 400 years from the occupation of Canaan to the division of the kingdoms. Finally a mighty storm arises (iii. 12) the destruction of the northern and southern kingdoms, and the tribes were so dispersed that no two remained together. It is noteworthy that whereas this vision in this Rabbinic Testament closes with the Captivity of Israel and Judah, our text in ver. 8 carries the history down to the domination of Israel by But this verse may be an inSyria. dependent fragment.

cedes (ch.

is

ii.)

6.

A

horns.

bull

The

.

.

.

having

diction

is

tioo

greo.t

suggested by

Deut. xxxiii. 17. " Like the wings of a Eaglets wings. stork," according to Heb. T. Naph. iii. 1. SI read "for." 7. But {a A). j8 Ca7ne and seized (a). /3 reads "got ahead and took," AS^ "took." 8. This verse, as we have observed above (note on 6-8), must have been


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

144

and behold a holy writing appeared

there,

Medes,

Assyrians,

Persians,

to

us,

saying

Syrians,

[Chaldeans,]

shall

possess in captivity the twelve tribes of Israel.

And

VI.

again, after seven days, I

standing by the sea of Jamnia, and

And, behold, there came a ship or pilot

saw our father Jacob

we were with him.

sailing by, without sailors

and there was written upon the

;

Jacob.

And

3.

embark on our

our father saith

ship.

4.

2.

to

ship.

us

:

And when we had

The ship of

Come

let

us

gone on board,

there arose a vehement storm, and a mighty tempest of

wind from

;

and our us.

father,

And

5.

who was holding

written before Rome intervened in the atfairs of Palestine in tbe first century The list of countries to which B.C. Palestine was successively subject is If the omission of the very corrupt. Egyptian hegemony is genuine it would point to a comparatively early date.

For I was

{on

there,

So practically

a).

ij/j-riv

/3-d S^

TrapeKei otc

—

rjfirjv

A

d ( + wapihv, a ef) iKd ( + irov, h g S^). point to a different text, d reads 6'ri 9j/j.â‚Źv iu KTjwoLS, "for we were in paradise." The i)lural " we " harmonises with the and these seem to was a vision witnessed

words that

follow,

indicate that this by all the sous of Jacob.

If this is so,

this verse does not belong to its present context. reads avrbv 8ti Tjv iv rfj

A

jrapadeLff({),

means,

which in

present context in Paradise." corrupt, but A, on its

"I saw Joseph

This, of course,

is

The

list in

A is

" Asiatics

+ " Persians," A^**'^), Assyrians, and Galatians." S^ " Assyrians, Medes, Persians, Chaldseans, Allophyli, Cheroulkians, As these lists are very Syrians." corrupt, we shall confine our attention mainly to the evidence of the Greek and Parthians and Elamites,

" Medes." Nabopolassar (625-605 B.C.) invaded Assyria and destroyed Nineveh. Naboi^olassar was a Chaldean, and from that time Chaldea meant Babylonia. In captivity (a&eAS^). a c?/ read

"the captivity." 1. Arid, aef om. Days (a). /3A^^S^ read "months." Sea of Jamnia. The form njD' for ma' (- Chron. xxvi. 6) is found in the Jerusalem Talmud {Encyc. Bib. 11. This city was situated between 2327.

VI.

Ekron and the sea. We. jSAS^ add "his sons." jSA add "full of 2. Sailing by. fish," fjLeaTou raplx^^v, which, as Dr. Gaster has pointed out, = D'm'^D n'jd, a corrupt dittography of d'hSd nSh^^ iKTos vavTuv, the phrase which follows. Here a in omitting this absurd phrase is supported not only by the context

salt

but also by Heb. T. Naph.

the whole, supports d. Assyria7is.

the helm, departed

we, being tost with the tempest, were

(

MSS. " Elamites, GelaPersians. /3 adds The chians" ("Chelkasans," aef.) second addition here seems to be a dittography of " Chaldseans." I have bracketed this [ChaldcBans']. If it is name as an interpolation. genuine it should be restored before

Pilot (/3-/A SI),

iv.

a/ read

2.

" pilots."

Was

icritten on the ship (cAS^). read "the ship was inscribed." 3. Come let us embark (a). j8 A S^ read "let us embark." {a 4. Mighty tempest of wind aef Ae f ). bd^^ read " a tempest of mighty Aa'bb*cd according to omit wind." printed text. Departed from us (d^tVraTai b reads i(py]irTaTaL, g A. a^-bg&). dcplTTTarai ( = " Hew away from us "). The Heb. T. Naph. v. 1 reads d"?:;?)'! irhlio ( = " was hidden from us "), which we might explain as a corruption of

hi^

M'hliD (n'jV'l or) n'jyn'l^d^io-Taxat.


NAPHTALI— CHAPTERS borne along over the sea

VI. i-VIII.

145

i

and the ship was

;

broken up. ^and we

6.

And

Joseph

away upon a

fled

were divided upon nine

all

Judah were

together.

ends of the earth.

prayed for us

7. 8.

And we

Then

our father came, and we

lo,

VIL said to

And when

These things must be

:

after that Israel

my

father

and he

;

fulfilled in their season,

many things. unto me I believe God

father saith

you.

And

3.

he

that

:

weeping

said,

Lord numbereth

the

liveth, for I see ^always"! that

him with

9.

with one accord.

hath endured

my

Then

2.

Joseph

the storm

in peace.

it were""

all rejoiced

These two dreams I told to

me

unto the

all scattered

9.

ceased, the ship reached the land, ^as

And,

boat,

little

Levi, girt about with sackcloth,

unto the Lord.

all

was

it

and Levi and

planks,"!

were

with

filled

water, (and was) pounded by mighty waves, until

Ah

:

my

me,

son,

Joseph, thou livest, though I behold thee not, and thou seest not

Jacob that begat

therefore,

'"Joseph"'

me

caused

also,

my

I biurned in

had been

but I feared

sold,

brethren.

VIII.

And

Pounded hy

5.

TpLKv/jLiais

a reads

lo

my

!

mighty

ir€pipri<j(jbiJ.evov

D'rt 'Sj

waves

{ev

—^-d/AS^).

(pepSfievoL.

(ami

or) nia'ni.

Until. Text reads &<jTe which is either a corruption of ?<rTe= " until,"

or a mistranslation of ntj-x ij;, which find here in Heb. T. Naph. v. 5.

we

in a little boat. These words may point to an identification of Joseph with Samana. We were divided on nine planks (a). SI read "we were all divided j8 on ten " planks

Joseph

6.

.

.

.

Of the earth (a A), For us all il^^'^).

7. 8. ;

a om.

^-d S^ om.

A

shown unto you the

children, I have

Heb. T. Naph. v. 5 reads " and the waves of the sea smote it (nn'n) [to the rock]." If the words "to the rock" which I have bracketed are genuine, then the verb (nn'n) must be corrupt. Perhaps our text=

us "

He

4.

weep by these words, and

to

heart to declare that

my

thee.

reads "for

9.

As

were.

it

Our

father. All {h i A),

dgAom. bdgA add

"Jacob."

reads " again "

c

;

j8

S^

om. VII. 1. In the Rab. T. Naph. vii. 1-5 (cf. iv. 1) the fact of the repetition of the visions is given as a ground for the certainty of their fulfilment. This idea is derived from Gen. xli. 32. " 2. God {ad). reads the Lord " ; ^S-cZS^ om. The visions just recounted are from God because of the ground given, see note on ver. 1.

A

3.

Ah me I

^^

^^ ^^^^^^

(a).

^AS^

read " and he caused us ,_

,

,

.

{caefgA), hid "his ^

Spread "these words of

Joseph

VIII. read " lo

^ ^ gi

also.

^

/

'"^'"^^^

^^^«f words.

om.

^^^^^^^.^ (^^_

j3

A S^

And

lo !

(a). 1.

"

his.

om.

^-dAS

{ad).

!

10


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

146

last times,

ye

how everything shall come

also, "therefore,"'

and

to Levi

Judah

to

3.

in

them

tribes

among men] on

earth,

To save the race

shall

arise

unto

Israel,

God appear [dwelling

of Israel,

the

gather together

to

Do

shall Jacob be blessed.

For through their

And

2.

;

For through them shall salvation

And

to pass in Israel.

charge your children that they be united

from amongst

righteous

the Gentiles. 4.

work that which

If ye

is

good,

my

children,

men and angels shall bless you And God shall be glorified among the "Bothi

Gentiles through

you, 2. That they be united to Levi and Judah. These words are preserved in On "Levi the Heb. T. Naph. i. 8. and Judah " see note on T. Dan v. 10. For through them shall salvation And in them shall Jacob be blessed. For "through them" and "in them" the text reads "through Judah" and "in him." But Naphtali cannot bid .

.

.

his sons to attach themselves to Levi and Judah if salvation comes wholly

But according

through Judah. Sim.

vii.

T. 4 salvation

V.

;

1

;

Gad

T.

Lev. 1

viii.

;

ii.

T.

11

;

T.

to T.

Dan

Jos. xix. 11,

proceeds jointly from Levi Moreover, since in T. and Judah. Naph. (cf. V. 3, 4, vi.), as in the other Testaments (see T. Renb. vi. 5-12 note), when Levi and Judah are mentioned together, Levi is given the premier position as here, and the salvation of Israel is said to proceed from them jointly (see note on T. Reub. vi. 5-12), we conclude that the above couplet is either interpolated or recast by a I have, with Bousset, Christian hand. assumed the latter alternative. a om. 3. For (iSAS). Text reads "his tribe," Their tribes. See preceding a Christian alteration. note.

God appear on Cf. T. Sim. vi. 4

;

earth to save Israel. T. Zeb. ix. 8.

have I [Bevelling among men.] bracketed these words as an addition of

the Christian scribe who recast the preceding verse. Yet the words may be original.

And to gather (g^ Aabbd*ef), a^-g read "and He will gather." Gather the righteous from amongst the Gentiles. The text could also be rendered "gather the righteous of the Gentiles." The former would refer to the restoration of the dispersion cf. ;

Pss. cvi. 47, cxlvii. 2

Is. Ixvi.

;

21, etc.

The latter rendering could be supported by such passages as 1 En. x. 21, which states that all the Gentiles are become righteous, or 1 En. xc. 9-16, 18, 30, which teaches the conversion of such of the Gentiles as had not opposed Israel. Moreover, the whole tendency of the book favours this view. See note on T. Benj. ix. 2. 4-6. With a view to a right criticism of these verses we must closely observe

to

their

elaborate

structure.

Verses 4

and 6 are similarly constructed, each forming the antithesis of once we have recognised this fact we see the necessity of rejecting line of ver. 6 ver. 4.

When

the last line in ver.

we

4,

a question which

due course. (|8-a(?ASi). a reads 4. // therefore, ye also." My children (/3 A S^). a om. Both {^-g). a A om. shall treat in

And God

will be glorified.

the third line of ver.

6.

"if,

Contrast


NAPHTALI— CHAPTER And

the devil shall

flee

VIII. 2-8

'147

from you,

•"And the wild beasts shall fear you,i

And

the Lord shall love you,

[And the angels 5.

shall cleave to you].

As a man who has

trained a child well

is

kept in kindly

remembrance So also

a good

for

work there

is

a good remembrance

before God. 6.

But him who doeth not that which '"Both"'

And

angels and

God

shall

men be

is

good,

shall curse.

dishonoured

among the

Gentiles

make him

as

own

peculiar

through him.

And

the

devil

shall

his

instrument,

And And

every wild beast shall master him. the Lord shall hate him.

7.

For the commandments of the law are twofold,

8.

For there

'"And"'

And

through prudence must they be is

a season for a

man

to

fulfilled.

embrace his wife,

a season to abstain therefrom for his prayer.

aab df. The fact that A^-b omits them is not important since there is a large loss in these MSS here through Now, since against the preceding hmt.

And the wild beasts, etc. AS^ om, Contrast fifth line of ver. 6. 5. This verse seems out of place here, Moreover, the text is corrupt. The above rendering is attained by emending iKdpixpeL into €K9pi\pa%, or taking &v as

five lines of this verse are set antithetic

idv.

And

the

Ab*cdefg)_

Lord

shall

This line

is

love

you {eg though

original

wanting in

statements in the first five lines of ver. 6, the same structure must be discoverable in the closing lines of both verses. Hence, as ver. 6 ends with the words "and the Lord shall hate him," ver. 4 must end with " and the Lord shall love him." Accordingly we must reject the words that follow, "and the angels shall cleave unto you " as an intrusion. But it is possible also to explain the origin of this intrusion. " And the angels shall cleave unto you " (d^.i'jni or)

= o'^NSm DDiWX% a corrupt dittography of D'n'^Ki Da3rtx'' = and the Lord shall love you. The devil shall flee, etc. Contrast the fourth line of ver.

6.

Cf.

James

iv. 7.

As

(a a e/A). bdgS^ read " for as." Both {aaef). ^-aef AS^ om. Angels and men (a adg A). befS^ read " men and angels." A7id God shall be dishonoured among the Gentiles through him {^-d A S^). a om. Tlie law (a/3). A reads "the 7. Lord." 6.

"A

time to Cf. Eccles. iii. 5 8. embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing." Our text was used by St, Paul in 1 Cor. vii. 5 " Defraud ye not one the other, except it be by consent for a season that ye may give yourselves unto prayer."


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

I4S

9. So,

commandments

then, there are two

;

and, unless they

be done in due

order, they bring ""very great'' sin ""upon men"".

So also

with the other commandments.

is

it

therefore wise in God,

rmy

children,"!

10.

Be ye

and prudent, under-

standing the order of His commandments, and the laws of

every word, that the Lord

may

love you.

IX. And when he had charged them with many such words, he exhorted them that they should remove his bones to

Hebron, and that they should bury him with his

And when

2.

he had eaten and drunken with a merry

heart, he covered his face

according to

all

fathers.

and

died.

3.

And

his sons did

that Naphtali their father had commanded

them. 9.

There

(^t^^fAS^).

two commcmdments a e/ read " the two (comare

mandments) of God are." Very great sin upon men read "sin."

(a).

(3

A S^

10.

My

children

[a).

/3AS^ om.

Understanding {eldores) {^-gAii^). '^9 read " seeing " ildouTet).


THE TESTAMENT OF GAD, THE NINTH SON OF JACOB AND ZILPAH The copy

I.

what things he spake

of the testament of Gad,

unto his sons, in the hundred and twenty-fifth year of his saying unto them:

life,

my children,""

""Hearken,

2.

I

was the

ninth son born to Jacob, and I was valiant in keeping the flocks.

3.

Accordingly I guarded fat

whenever the

against the fold, I pursued its foot

and

so

night"" the flock

lion came, Tor the wolf,"" it,

and

my hand and hurled killed it. 4. Now Joseph with

any wild beast

or

""overtaking it

(it)""

I seized

about a stone's throw,

""my brother"!

was feeding

the flock with us for upwards of thirty days, and Title. a as in text. /3-a d A (emended) S read "Testament of Gad, ninth (e/AS om. ), concerning hatred." / adds "Gad is by interpretation pirate," a reads simply "Gad."

miat

1.

I.

things he.

a adds " did

and."

Hundred and hventy -fifth. So Midrash Tadshe and Shemoth rabba i. 5 Book of Jashar (Diet, des Apocr. ;

ii.

Fifth,

b reads "seventh."

unto

them

saying, "

aef&

(aA^'^c'^).

b

om. dgS" read "for he called ( + "his sons" S'-) and said unto them," A^* "he assembled his sons and daughters and said unto them." reads

'

'

2 Hearken, viy children (a). om. With this achievement of 3.

^AS

compare those assigned to Judah Jud.

the wolfi

"wolf or

lion,"

A^*째def

om.

j-gad

a reads

(al3-d&).

dA

beg AS} add "or

being

"or

wolf."

leopard or bear,"

adds " or bear." Or any wild beast, a om. Overtaking (it) I seized (a). read "seizing."

^A

d

S^

Hurled it about a stones throio, and ^-d S^ read " whirling it round I stunned it, and having hurled it [b S-^ " aud I hurled it") over two furlongs (a).

1246).

Saying

Accordingly (a). "and." ^S cm.

Wr

and

;

Gad :

T.

This is a small 6S^) so." ( + "and" achievement compared with Judah's hurling a leopard thirty-seven miles See T. Jud. ii. 6. The tradition as to Gad's strength survives in Ber. rabba xcv. 4, which states that because of his great strength he was not presented to Pharaoh lest he should appoint him one of his guards {Jewish Encyc. !

V. 544). 4.

ii.

149

My

brother (a).

/3AS^ om.


I50

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

young, he

by reason

sick

fell

the heat.

of

him

near him, because he loved

greatly.

And

5.

who made him

returned to Hebron to our father,

lie

And

6.

he

down

Joseph

told our father that the sons of ^Zilpah and"! Bilhah were ""of the flock"' and eating them against the Keuben and Judah. 7. For he saw that I had a lamb out of the mouth of the bear, and put the

slaying the best

judgment

of

delivered

bear to death

cerning

And

8.

it.

f until

but had slain the lamb, being grieved con-

;

that

it

it

could not

and that we had eaten

live,

regarding this matter I was wroth with Joseph

the day

that he was

hatred was in

and

me"l,

Joseph with the

sold.

And

9.

the spirit of

wished not either to hear of

I

ears, or to

him with the

see

eyes, because

he rebuked us to our faces

'"saying''

the flock without Judah.

For whatsoever things he told

that

we were eating

of

our father, he believed him. II.

I confess

now my

sin,

my

children, that oftentimes

I wished to kill him, because I hated

him from my

Moreover, I hated him yet more for his dreams

2.

;

heart.

and I

wished to lick him out of the land of the living, even as an

ox licketh up the grass of the Young

{vios

— aS^).

;8A

read

The latter = jjy, One is clearly "a

Tpvcpepos, "delicate."

the

former

iv:.

corruption of the other. 5. (hir father (aB-b). " his father

iAS^

read

B om. According to Targ. Ps.-Jon. on Gen. xxxvii. 2 Joseph reported that the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah were eating flesh cut from the living animal. Our father (a j3-a). a A S^ read " his Greatly [a A).

6.

father."

" Judah and Reuben." 7.

We had told

ears, or see

him with

eaten

our

it.

("his"

Somewhat similar d Ab* and S^.

SA*" add A*')

"and

father."

additions are

made

in

8.

Sold.

/3S1

9.

Either

to

add "unto Egypt."

hear of Joseph with the

the eyes [oUre

dKoijs ovre 8t dcpOaXfiuiv Ideiv tov'I. /^

S read " either to see

J.

with

5t'

a),

my eyes

°^ *« ^'^^^ ,^^"^ " (^'' ^^^V^)- , Here we '""?* ^^PP^^ '""''"''' ^"^^ ^', ^f""^' have done my translation in

^

m

The phrase then

accordance with A.

= °:'l''l^°'^J,,T

^^^"'- ^2-

"'•

^'';.''}''\^

Otherwise

8i

"^^^ '

aKOVs^nm^,

corrupt for Vbvh = dKo6eiv.

Because {adA^''). read and.

^-d A'^^*<^^^

S>^

'

'

f Saying'^ (a).

Of the flock (a). iSAS^om. Ret(.ben and Judah (a A). /3 S^ read

he

field.

For

/SAS^om.

/S-f^AS^ read "and." Frovi my heart {(k ^vxvs a A). j3-g S^ read ^uis yj/vxv^, whatever that may mean. J £r A add " and there were not in anywise in me bowels of mercy towards him." II.

2.

(a).

1.

Cf. T.

Dan

i.

7.

{eKXe'i^ai—abefB^). The expression is peculiar, but our author

To

lick


GAD— CHAPTERS 3.

And Judah

sold

him

secretly to the Ishmaelites.

5-II.

I.

Therefore I and Simeon

3.

sold

151

5

him

Ishmaelites

to the

[for thirty pieces of gold,

ten

them we

of

hid,

and and

showed the twenty to our brethren].

And

4.

through

thus

covetousness

we were bent

on slaying him. 5.

Thus the God of our

him from our hands, that we should fathers delivered

was modelling

'Now

shall

(nn'?') all

by a Christian is

is

round about

e^aXeti/'at " blotted

and of

this

regard iKXel^pai in a and iKd\T\pai in g as corruptions. li d A are right, the corruption e/cXei^at could be explained as due to f/cXft'xei in the next clause, as well as to Num. xxii. 4.

Of

the field

xxii. 4.

(a).

So

bd%^ read "from

efg A

also

Num.

the earth,"

" on the earth." In these verses a is to be followed. The text of /3 S^ in ver. 3 at all events appears to owe its present form to a Christian scribe for its statement that Joseph was sold for thirty pieces of gold is opposed to Gen. xxxvii. 28 and all the versions of and Targums on that passage as well as to Josephus, Ant. ii. 3. 3, the Book of Jashar, and all known Jewish authorities. The explanation of the peculiar text of /3 S^ is not difficult. Joseph must early have been taken by the Christian Church as a type of Christ. When this view was once adopted, there would have been a tendency to assimilate certain outstanding facts in the history of Joseph and Christ. Hence we explain the change of "twenty" into "thirty," or the introduction of this statement into our text 3-5.

A

;

A

hands,

this

licketli

tive,

my

his text

that

up the On the other hand ox

on Num. xxii. 4. multitude lick up us, as the grass of the field." the reading of d A out " is very attracreading we might

And

5.

the

fathers delivered

God of my him from

that scribe.

I

should

This statement

found also in Ambrose

De

Jos.

iii.

;

Augustine, Sermo xiii. 2 (Benedictine ed. V. 2329). 3. Simeo7i (/S-ftAS^). abS,^ read "Judah." Our text is divided as to the agents concerned in the sale of Joseph. According to abS^ here it is Judah so also in T. Sim. ii. 9, whereas according to ^-b A S^ here (and T. Zeb. iii. 2), it is Simeon (and Gad and six others). And yet again in T. Sim. iv. 2 Simeon is said to have had the chief part in the matter. In Gen. xxxvii. 26 it is Judah who suggested the sale of Joseph. :

For thirty pieces of gold, etc. For the grounds for bracketing this clause as a Christian interpolation see note on 3-5.

Of 28

According to Gen. xxxvii. twenty pieces were silver. amongst the Versions and

gold.

the

Alone

LXX represents them to The latter may be the source of the statement in our text. 4. We were fully bent (iTr\r]po(poprjOrjfiev j8-6(/S^). bgA read "I was The phrase is difiicult. fully bent." It may be a development of that in Targums the be of gold.

—

Eccles. viii. 11, riwvh a'? n'^dOur text would then have been i:nn'7 vuho "we were bent on slajdng him." Perhaps ijxSd is defective for un"? ahoT. Sim. Delivered him. Cf. 5.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

152

not work great lawlessness

not

in Israel.

Israel.

And now, my

III.

work

lawlessness

children, hearken

the words of

to

truth to work righteousness, and all the law of the

High, and go not astray through the is

evil

:

man

Whatsoever a

2.

and though a man worketh

the law of the Lord, he praiseth feareth the Lord,

Most

spirit of hatred, for it

in all the doings of men.

doeth the hater abominates him

in

him not

man

though a

;

and taketh pleasure in that which

righteous, he loveth

him

not.

3.

He

is

dispraiseth the truth,

he envieth him that prospers, he welcometh evil-speaking, he loveth arrogance,, for hatred blindeth his soul •"then""

worketh lawlessness it

my

'"even''

of hatred

children,

3.

Tor

if

ately to proclaim III. 1.

My

children (/3-ftAS).

men, and aa

c 3' read " word. not astray (a/3-&A). bS read " not to go astray." mmtsoever the hater abominates him (Trat' o eav ttoit), o fiicnov pdeAi'crThis text squares best fferac B-fgS). with the context, though less strongly attested than a, which reads " whatever is abominable" the hater doeth, (^deWvKTdv ean). A = 7rav 8 eav TrotT?

Go

.

.

.

^

Blindeth ,

^

^-f'^

r,,

":^'°

[^^'^^1

IV.

it

("

'

prospers.

"Love envieth

Con not."

=

1.

,

,

AS

read

,

^^°^^

J^'^P^-

"'^

^°°^'''^

^^}'^^^^^

"\

,

"S^*-

^'"^

3 nxiK

blinded

me

'^^

-:x a: >j,

"^^f

which

also in regard to

Worketh laivlessness {abe^g

ade^/A

S^).

read "causes one to be law-

less."

r^ewT

He praiseth him not A is connipt all men praise him. He loveth hivi not. A = who loveth

'f

n

.^^^"^^y

f' ^^^^^o"

"As

beg

(ad/).

" ",

^ ^.^ °""V <^^^

Joseph.

" though.

urgent that he should

"hlinrlpl

A

As avT($ is agrees with a. A7id though a man (a A). /3S read "though he." Though a man (cA). Other MSS.

sinneth against

it

the former view.

avrf.

tJiat

2.

Him that prospers. The word is KaropdovvTi, which I take to be a renderiug of n'Si'D. In itself it could go back to ^^»'= " upright," but the text favours

SoKel Al'*cdefg)

trast 1 Cor. xiii. 4

it

delighteth immedi-

it

is

here an intrusion,

not such'" 3. Envieth him

for

;

against the Lord Himself.

a brother stumble,"! it to all

om. Words.

"

"f*also

words oV His commandments con-

will not hear ""the

cerning the loving of one's neighbour, fandl

God.

as I

lookedf on Joseph.

IV. Beware, therefore,

For

;

(a).

/3

A S^

omit.

r^^^ ,y « ^„ther stumble-^ (B S). a A omit, but wrongly. Cf. Gal. vi. I. t^ ,-,,,, /^/^ ^ ^.i^ Delighteth [diXei. /3AS'). a reads g^

ffTTovdd^ei o'Troi/Sdfet

"hastens."

= ibn].

.

64\€i.

=

Y'Bn\


GAD— CHAPTERS be judged for

And

if it

and

-f-with

i-V.

III.

153

i

and be punished and be put

it,

be a servant

him up

stirs

it

every affliction

possibly he can be put to death.

with envy also against them that prosper heareth of or seeth their success,

them that

back

call

would slay the

would not

it

living,

the dead, and would

reven"!

condemned

are

so long as it

:

always languisheth.

it

For as love would quicken

6.

to

hatred

so

die,

and those that had sinned venially

suffer to

live.

7.

For the

spirit of hatred

worketh together with Satan, through hastiness of all

if

For hatred worketh

5.

'

4.

him,

against

deviseth

it

to death.

against his master,

things unto men's death

together with the law of

but the

;

God

spirit, in

spirit of love

worketh

long-suffering unto the

in

salvation of men.

V. ""Hatred, therefore,

is

for

evil,""

with lying, speaking against the truth

constantly mateth

it

and

;

it

maketh small

things to be great, and causeth the light to be darkness,

and

stirs

4.

the

calleth

hp

.

.

.

up

sweet

bitter,

{avfilBaXei ci, ffvfi-

A=

and teacheth but

does not imply a text dilferent

it

In the latter case we should render "slanders him to his master." cri'^/3aXer=mr or

to that in the Greek.

n"D'.

render

/3dX\et

S^).

\With every against him (ip avrQ,

(b

Kal

dia^aXei.

he deviseth OXi^ei iirLXH-pd

affliction iraffrj

ai^roO)

—6

S^).

A

is

but implicitly supports this text. For eTrtyetpe: a B-b read eTrtIn that case M'e should transXaipec. " in every affliction it rejoiceth late " u-D + 4-T, But the previous clause over him. leads us to expect a verb of action here. corrupt

:

Hence some

eirixei-pd is preferable.

inheres

error

affliction."

in

" with

1

If so,

every

This=npis-'7D2, which may npii;D-^a, or simply niii-h22

be corrupt for for

ny-i-'?^.

Then we should have the

familiar phrase vSy nrn' nj;T'73="deOtherviseth every evil against him. " wise " with every affliction " is to be

construed with "put to death." He can be ptd to death (a af). ^-ft/AS^ read "it can put him to death." 5. A is very corrupt in this verse,

and

slander,

Also against them that prosper (/cat Kara twv evw pay ovvtuiv). Or we might

"and

regards

as

them

that

prosper" and connect this with the words that follow. A reads "and." a 6. For (8 B^). omits » 7

"„

,

= ""

j?

Hastiness of

t"^'"; Pss. Sol. XVI.

-j

sjnrit.

tt

»>

Here 0X^70-

^^^ °°,^^°'^- ^'- ^ ^fcontrary to its proper 11) r

."^^^P

'

'

i-

•'

meaning.

V.l. Constantly mateth with

lying.

Cf. Sir. xx. 25.

Causeth the light

to be

darkness (rb

h i ef). Though the text is here based on Is. v. 20 "woe that put darkness for to them that put light and light for darkness bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter " the MSS. and versions are all at variance Thus for irapix^i, as to the verb here. 0i2s aKbroi irapexei

.

.

.

;

;

creads XaXe?,& f^Si7rpoo-e'xet,5'A/3X^7ret, From Is. v. 20 it is probable S^ iroiet that the original was

-fi-rh

iiN cv.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

154

and

"kindleth"! wrath,

covetousness 2.

perience,

my

is

r

there fore"*, I say to you from ex-

children, that ye

of the devil,

and cleave

may

drive forth hatred,

to the love of God.

is

and humble

just

ashamed

is

do what

to

Tbeing reproved not of another,"" but of his

the Lord looketh on his inclination.

5.

For fearing

is

unjust,

heart, because

He

speaketh not

4.

God overcometh

he should offend the Lord, he will

lest

not do wrong to any man, even in thought.

6.

These things

had repented concerning Joseph.

I learnt at last, after I

For true repentance

For he

own

against a holy man, because the fear of hatred.

which

Eighteous-

3.

ness casteth out hatred, humility destroyeth envy.

that

all

the heart with evils and devilish

filleth

it

;

These things,

poison,

up war, and violence and

rstirretli"!

7.

after a godly sort [destroyeth ignorance,

and] driveth away the darkness, and enlighteneth the eyes,

and giveth knowledge

and leadetn the mind

to the soul,

salvation.

8.

And

from man,

it

knoweth through repentance.

those things which

KindletK^ imxdh. a reads opyriv iKTapdaaei. Here iKrapdcraei niay = corrupt for rnn' kindled. -inn' /3 A S^ omit the word. ^Stirrcth up^ (a). j8 A S^ omit. '

="

Evils,

^-h A onut. Therefore (a) God (c i d A). h (i-d 8^ read " the .

Lord."

ahe

the

Lord

A.^^'"'^^^

looketh, etc.

1

His inclination /3-fZAS^).

Holy

5ia^ov\ioi'

{to

'&

Sam.

xvi. 7.

4.

—

a reads "his soul." [a /3-6 S^).

A

reads " true."

b omits.

God

9.

They

27 sqq.

For God

require the heart,

not mei'ely the outward life to conform to the Decalogue. True repentance after a godly sort 7. .

.

.

leadeth

mind

the

aX-qdr)^

to salvation /j-fTcivota

.

odrjyei TO 5Laj3ov\iov eis awTrjplav).

2 Cor.

vii.

10 "For godly sorrow

{}]

{ii .

.

Cf.

yap

debv XvTvrj) worketh repentance unto salvation but the sorrow of the world worketh death." It is noteworthy that this contrast of death and salvation are also found in our text some verses earlier see iv. 7. With our text we might compare Sir. iv. 22 i(TTLv alaxvvrj 56|a Kal X'^P'S[Destroyeth ignorance and.^ Since this clause is omitted by A, spoils the balance of the subsequent clauses and is actually expressed in substance by I have omitted it as a disturbthem. ing gloss. 8. The text follows /3-a/A S^ save that for " it knoweth through repentance " reads " repentance knoweth." KaTo.

3. Envy (a^rAb*). read " hatred."

For

hath not learnt

it

yap Kara debv

c omits.

2.

sqq.,

to

(c^-be).

bAS^

read

"Most

High." Overcometh hatred {viKgl to fi'iaos /3AS'). a reads oiKelev aiVip "dwelleth in him" = iB's:a niT corrupt for h^v nN:B''? = /3ASi. eten in 5. Will not do wrong These thought. Cf. T. Jos. ix. 2. words give the principle which lies at the root of our Lord's commands in the Matt. v. 21 Sermon on the Mount

—

.

:

.

.

.

.

.

:

A

a reads "and it hath not learnt this from man, but it knoweth how to receive those who have through repentance."


GAD— CHAPTERS brought upon

me

prayers of Jacob failed

a

my

but

man

Since,

a disease of the liver

my

by the same

my

'"therefore,"'

my

liver

and had not the

;

10. For

was

had hardly

it

by what things

he punished.

also is

mercilessly,

11.

against

mercilessly

set

suffered

too I

liver

for eleven

155

father succoured me,

had departed.

spirit

transgresseth,

Joseph, in

judged

V. 2-VI.

and was

months, for so long a time as I had been

angry against Joseph. VI.

And

now,

my

children, "! exhort you,"! love ye each

one his brother, and put away hatred from your hearts, love one another in deed, tion of the soul.

and in word, and in the

For

2.

spake peaceably to Joseph spirit

of hatred darkened

in

the presence of

and when

;

my

inclina-

my

father I

had gone

I

out, the

my

mind, and stirred up

soul to slay him. /3AS1

a

Love

3.

Cf. T.

9.

one

ye Reub.

i.

7, iv.

another 4

;

3.

T. Jud.

Of Jacob (/3 A S). a omits. Succoured me {e^o-rjOrjaav a A). ^-a S omit. a reads ecpdaaav. The latter, if it is more thau a mere guess, = ij;j:, which may be a corruption of my, the text implied by a A, or of which we have coujectured to be i!5n:,

—

the original in the parallel passage in T. Jud. xix. 2 (note). 10. Cf. Jub. iv. 31, 32, where the primitive human law of retaliation is enunciated. This was a very popular doctrine of the second century B.C. Cf. 2 Mace. v. 10, XV. 32, 33 where concrete illustrations of the working of this law are given. Taken crassly and mechanically, the above law is without foundation but spiritually conceived it represents the profound truth enunciated in the NT. in Gal. vi. 7 " whatsoever a ;

man soweth

that shall he also reap " "he that doeth wi-oug shall receive again the wrong that he iii.

;

25

hath done." Also (/3 A 11.

Joseph.

/3

AS

one

therefore,

ye,

add

" until he

was

sold."

xix. 2.

Col.

Love

S).

a omits.

Elevenmonths (/3AS).

" ten periods

" {xpbvovs).

a reads

VI. omit.

1.

I"/

exhort

yov?

(a).

;8AS

bdg Love one another (aaefS^). read "loving one another." In the inclination of the soul. Cf. 1 Chron. xxix. 18. 2. My (a d A), ^-d read " our." when gone ovi But I had (a/S-t^A'-ibcdgsi). (^A^ read "but wheu he ("I" A*^) had gone out from the presence of our ("my" A'') father." 3-7. These verses contain the most remarkable statement on the subject of

A S^

forgiveness

in

all

ancient

literature.

They show a most wonderful

insight

into the true psychology of the question.

That our Lord was acquainted with them and that His teaching presupposes them we must infer from the fact that the parallel is so jjerfect in thought and so close in diction between them and Matt, xviii. 15. The Luke xvii. 3 meaning of forgiveness in both cases is the highest and noblest known to us namely the restoring the offender to communion with us, which he had ;

forfeited through his offence.

This

is


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

156

from

man

the

heart

and

;

a

if

sin against thee, speak

peaceably to him, and in thy Boul hold not guile

;

and

if

another from the heart

man

a

if

;

against

sin

and thee,

cast forth the poison of hate

and speak peaceably

he repent and confess, forgive

and

him.

guile

and

;

to him,

thy soul hold

in

not

he confess and

if

repent, forgive him.

But

4.

if

he deny

it,

do not get into a passion with him.

'ikewise the essence of divine forgiveGod's restoration of the sinner to a communion communion with Him

ness

from which his sin had banished him. But our author shows that it is not always possible for the offended man to compass such a perfect relation with the offender, and yet that the offended, however the offender may act, can always practise forgiveness in a real He can get rid though limited sense. of the feeling of personal wrong and so sympatlietic take up a right and attitude to the oflTender. first

and

essential

This

:

the

is

in all true for-

man

can

and apparently the divine

for-

It is often all that a

giveness.

compass

duty

giveness has analogous limitations^ at all events within the sphere of the present life. The subject is treated as follows. If a man angers you, you are first of all to get rid of the feeling of resentment and then to speak gently to him about his If he admit his off'ence and offence. repent you are to forgive him (ver. 3). But if the off'ender refuse to admit his off'ence, there is one thing you must you must not lose your not do temper with him, lest he get infected by your bad temper, and take to cursing and so you become guilty of a double sin your own unbridled anger and his aggravated guilt (ver. 4). In such a case, therefore, you must cease from further reproofs for one of two The offender things will take place. when he is reproved, even though he deny his guilt, will feel a sense of shame, or he will not. In the former case (ver. 6) he may repent and afterwards lie at peace with thee. In the latter (ver. 7) he will persist in his wrong-doing and must be left to the vengeance of God. ;

;

,

It will be observed in the above interpretation of this passage that we have omitted all reference to ver. 5, with the exception of the last clause, which we have incorporated in ver. 4. This verse forms a disturbing element in the text,

and needs

excision.

A

Therefore (jS S^). o om. Jf a man sin against thee. Cf. Matt, 3.

xviii.

15

;

Luke

xvii. 3.

Cast forth the poison of hate and {i^oplaat rhv lov tov fiiaovs /3 S^). similar clause recurs in ver. a om. 5, where it must bear a similar meanBefore we reprove the man who ing. has injured us we must get rid of the personal feeling of resentment, else this "wrath of man" will awake such a jarring note in our reproof as to incense the offender further. Speak peaceably to him (ci'^c inx "im), Cf. Walt, xviii. 15 i.e. about his fault. " show him his fault {^Xey^ou avrhv) The between thee and him alone." Gospel requires privacy to spare the our text requires offender's feelings the reprover to see to himself that he is free from evil resentment.

A

A

;

read c A?-'^ Peaceably (^A^S^). "peace." The writer may have had Jer. ix. 7 before him, "he speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth but in his heart he layeth wait for him." repent, forgive him {edv If he .

.

.

ofioXoyTqaas ixeravorjari d(pes avT(^). Cf. Luke xvii. 3 eav fxeravoria-ri &(p€S clvti^.

Confessandrepe7it{^-adM^*<^^<'SS'^).

a reads "repent and confess." 4. Do not get into a passion with him This is the one thing {fiTj <pCKovdKfi). that the offended man is not to do. only leads to further sin lioth in and in the offender.

It

him


GAD— CHAPTER

157

catching the poison from thee he take to swearing and

lest

so

VI. 4-7

thou sin doubly.

when engaged

secrets

[5.

thee and become thy enemy, and thee

for ofttimes

;

it

to hate

sin against

he addresseth thee guilefully or busieth

And though

6.

he

and yet have a sense of shame when reproved, give

over reproving him.

For he who denieth

not again to wrong thee [fear

hear thy

come

commit a great

himself about thee with wicked intent.]

deny

man

Let not another

in legal strife, lest he

;

yea, he

may

and] be at peace with thee.

Catching the poison from thee {Xa^uv Tov lov). TWs clause is found in the text after the words " plays the spy on thee with wicked intent" at the Its meaning close of the next verse. is already determined by its occurrence The in an analogous form in ver. 3. poison referred to is the poison of personal resentment or passion which speedily passes over from the offended man to the offender with whom he It has thus no proper remonstrates. connection with the rest of ver. 5, but follows naturally on the words cLTTo <rov

'don't get into a passion," in ver. 4, lest he, too, fall into a passion. Thus we should restore the close of ver. 4 as jXT] follows (pCKovelKei. aury /xTjiroTe, Xa^ujv d7r6 ffov tov I6v, duoarj /cat diaaQs See also the next note. afiapTrjcrrjs. 5. This verse is an interpolation, with the exception of the last clause, which I have in my translation already incorporated in ver. 4. Verses 3, 4, 6, 7 :

deal very originally and wholly with the question of forgiveness, and with this subject the bracketed clauses have relation. The latter appear to be based on Prov. xxv. 8-10, and possibly on Sir. xix. 8-9, and to deal with the danger men run when their tempers are roused in legal strife of divulging secrets to strangers and so of exposing themselves to attack from the latter. With the final clause we have already dealt in the preceding note. Let not another man, etc. Cf. Prov. xxv. 9, " debate thy cause with thy neighbour and disclose not the secret

no

of another." Lest he come

to

hate

thee,

etc.

Cf.

7.

may

repent so as

also

honour

But

if

thee,

and

he be shame-

Prov. xxv. 10 "lest he that heareth it thee"; Sir. xix.i 8 "whether it be a friend or foe reveal it not." Verse 9 "For he hath heard thee and observed thee, and when the time cometh he will hate thee." Thy (a). /3 A S^ read " your. Addresseth thee guilefully [doXo(pwvei ere h if), c reads doXo<pwv7j(rai, revile

.

.

.

g SoXo(f>wvrjae, all of be corruptions of our text. On the other hand, e reads doXocpovei ere, of which d, which reads 5oXo(povT]aaL, b

doXio^uvrjcrai,

which

may

may be

A

a corruption.

S^

=

80X0-

(povrjcreL ae.

Catching the poison from thyself. This clause, which occurs at the close of ver. .5, belongs, as we have shown in the final note on ver. 4, to that verse. 6. He deny it. A = " ye deny it. Give over {Tjcrvxa-crov a efg). b S^ read ijavxdadr} A = i]ffvxdcraT€. Reproving (fj.T] eXey^ris a). bgS^ read fxr] e^d^j/s, def fjLrj f^d|etj, A = /cat 57j/j.offi.€V7]Te fjLT] (or perhaps

;

i^d^TjTe).

=

jxr) fXey^ris hin above f^d^v^ in ^ may = DyDnc, i.e. "give over provoking." Repent. Cf. T. Benj. v. 4. So as not [again to lurong (j8 (A) S^). a reads "of having wronged." Yea, he may also honour thee and [fear and] be at peace (/3-a/ S'). af

nDinc

i](Tvxo.(rov

Perhaps

&

/^t;

A

read "and he may [fear and] be at peace." I have bracketed the words "fear and" as an interpolation. This idea is alien to the context. Possibly it may have arisen through a dittogi aphy in the Hebrew. Thus (pol37]d7]cr€Tai = Tin', which may be a dittography of Tin'

= TifjL-qaei.


TESTAAIENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

158

and persisteth

less

man

VII. If a

Tto

God

the avenging.

prospereth more

than you, do not be

may have perfect 2. And if he

vexed, but pray also for hira,T that he

For

prosperity.

him

in his wrong-doing, even so forgive

from the heart, and leave

so

it is

expedient for you.

be further exalted, be not envious ^oi himi, remembering that

all flesh shall die

and

;

things good and profitable to all men.

peace.

And though

4.

a

man become

my

wait for

away (from

A

is here defective and corrupt. VII. 1-7. Here, again, the teaching of our author is of the highest ethical character. As in the case of a man who has injured us we are to banish all feelings of personal resentment, so in the case of a successful rival, we are to banish all feelings of envy or jealousy. Verse 7 can hardly be right in its present position unless we restore the text as suggested in our notes. 1. Mat/ have jtioyec^ prosper it)/ (reXeitos evodovraL b de g AS^, though is here corrupt), a/ read "may be perfected " (reXeiibdrj). For so (a/ A). begS} read "for so perhaps."

A

2.

3.

here /3-«

Of him Will

(a).

(8

AS

a reads reads ov (b / om. ) corrupt.

A

iyKaTa\€L\f/€i),

om.

All the Versions are

rest.

oiiK

KaraXa/xi/'et KaraXei-ipet.

/j.t]

a

It

of

is

impossible.

/caraXeti/'ei,

or

it

:

{d

eyKaraXeKpOricrrj,

but by a change of a single {yKaTa\ei\f/€LS, S^

Tor

5.

man) wealth gotten by

a

Forgive him. Here "forgive" has not tlie full meaning of restoration to communion which it has in ver. 3. It signifies the banishment of all personal resentment, and is thus practically equivalent to the phrase "cast forth the poison of hate " in ver. 3. Leave ^to God the avenging. The same duty is enforced in Rom. xii. 19 567-e TOTTov rrj opyfj. Cf. Deut. xxxii. 35. 7.

letter

KaToKei-^TjTe,

=

Here

may be a corruption may go back to n'-i;,

by

means,

evil

father, be not jealous

end of the Lord.

the

and be at

rest

rich

giveth

Seek out the

3.

judgments of the Lord, and thy mind will even as Esau, the brother of

who

God,

offer praise to

if

He

;

rbut"^

taketh

means He

evil

corrupt for n'r^KaraXei^et.

But

as

no possible meanthe negative was early inserted,

KCLTaXelypei aftbrded

ing,

and three different turns given to the phrase in deg, in A, and in S^, not one of which can be accepted. Thus, if we would find the fundamental error underlying the text, we must turn to KaTaKeiipei = n''V, which the Hebrew. is

corrupt for my^oLvawaiKxeTaL "will

Of course it is quite possible that KaraXei^pei. should be bracketed as having originated from a dittography in the Hebrew, and that we should simply read "and thy mind will be at peace. " But the two verbs were possibly rest."

my. Cf. Job iii. 26. But (h^-abS^). c reads " there" for." £nd. Here Spoj = nj;ia "the time

tipzfi 4.

fore " (5^), b

appointed." 5.

The

text

of

verse

this

is

very

doubtful.

For

if

yap

{el

beg "for either"

a reads "if,"

d.g). (rj

yap).

Wealth gotten by evil means. The text reads avra, (A irXovrov) iv KaKois. In ver. 4 our author has spoken of a

man growing "rich by

evil

means

{eK

KaKuiv TrXovTrjaeL). Hence iv KaKols naturally means (got) by evil .

.

.

'

'

means."

Next

avrd

"wealth" so acquired. sume that pn = 7rXoOro!'

refers

to

the

Hence I as(so A) stood in

the original, but was corrupted into the


GAD— CHAPTER him

forgiveth

beyond

blessed

punishment.

For the poor

6.

Put

7.

and

souls,

all

re-

is

man,

things, is

men, because he hath not the travail

all

men.

vain

of

your

159

from envy he pleaseth the Lord in

free

if

1-7.

he repent, but the unrepentant

if

eternal

served for

VII.

love

away,

one

jealousy

therefore,

with

another

from

uprightness

of"

heart.

Do

YIII.

ye also therefore

Thus jin •\^D^{ — d<paipe2Tai ttXovtov) became ^nn'D' = acpaipelrai avTov. We must suppose, then, either

suffix

1,1.

A

found ttXoutov that the translator of in his Greek MS or in its margin, or

was a happy conjecture on

else that it

part.

eK

Next, wXovtov

/caKtSc)

his

iv KaKois (or rather

represents

Vivp

which

jin,

goes back to Prov. xiii. 11, where the Mass. reads Sano pn "wealth gotten by vanity." But hino is not supported by the LXX, Peshitto, Vulgate, or Targum. The Peshitto and Targum read n'^iyo, the Vulgate '?nic, and the

LXX by '

nhws hnno,

evil

"hastily gotten

i.e.

means."

But (d A),

a p-d S^ read " or."

The unrepentant, (corrupt

for

singular).

dA

plural.

Is reserved (a). So practically A which = dfjieTavdyjroi. de tt] pelade, h d efg

&

read

T-qpel

(ef

Trjprjaei)

"He

re-

eternal

punishment

{d A).

af

read els aluivas ttjv K6\a(Tiv, + t6v g) aluva ttjv K6\acnv, it might be better to render the tiual " for the unrepentant clause as follows Since

beg

els

or d/xexaj'o^Toi.j) He reserves (Tripel) the punishment for ever." Our text goes back to Job xxi. 30 " the {dpLeravoriTOj

evil

man

is

reserved to

the

day of

calamity." 6.

envy

Ji'or

(6

the

yap

— a).

man

poor irfvrjs

edv

A S^

if free

from

d^66vws (h

read "the man who is poor and free from envy." Pleaseth (evapeffTrj a). jS-a A Spread " giveth thanks to" {evxapicfTQv). Is blessed. Here the text reads 7rXoiiTe?=-iBJj;;, which is cornipt for a<p9ovos)

j3-a

as

Syramachus

men.

Beyond

all

read "in

men." The

all

travail of vain

A S^

men

{top Trepi-

tQv /xaraLuv dvdpihTruv

cnraa/Mj' /3

men (adefA). bg B "among all

things" or

read

*'

the evil travail of

a).

men "

{tov TTOvrjpbv irepiairadfibv tCjv dvdpihTrepLairaff/j.6s is found seven times in the LXX of Eccles., and in all cases as a rendering of v^y. The phrase

irwu).

= Trepi(TiracTfj.bv irovripbv is found in

Yiy Eccles. ]}-\

who

which

The poor man from envy has not the travail men or the evil travail of men,

i.

13, iv. 8, v. 13.

free

is

of vain

caused by their restless pursuit Cf. Eccles. ii. 26 "To the man that is good before him, God giveth joy, but to the sinner He giveth travail (pjj; = Trepiaira(r/j.6v) to gather and to heap up that he may give to is

of riches.

.

.

him that

is

good before God."

{

:

i(TTi,

renders it in Ps. xli. 3. The LXX in Prov. xxxi. 28 imply the converse corruption. The next clause gives the ground of the poor man's happiness. He is "happy," not "rich," because he is free from the sore travail of

.

serveth."

Unto

= /xa/ca/3tcrT6s

a

reads dfierathe nominative befgB^ read dfieTavo-nTqi "for the unrepentant." give the

voriTcos

these things to your

tell

nK'N'

7.

Jealousy.

The

text reads fiiaos,

"hatred." But our author could not reasonably conclude a disquisition on the sill of jealousy with the exhortation "put away, therefore, hatred." Here fuaos = ruck; which is corru23t for na^p

= f'^Xos. The corruption may be explained from the influence of the phrase "put away hatred from your hearts," already in vi. 1. Uprightness of heart. T. Iss.

iii.

See note on

1.

VIII. 1. Also therefo7X (a, save that c omits "also"). ^-dAS^ read "and (A om.) do ye also."


I

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i6o

children, that they

honour f Judah and

them

raise

shall the

know

that

Him, and

Lord

walk in

shall

up

salvation to Israel.

drew up his

feet,

and

fell

to

My

:

I

my

he had rested

children, obey your

fathers.

asleep in peace.

him up

years they carried

five

And when

3.

he said again

and bury me near

father,

For

wickedness, and affliction and

all

corruption before the Lord.] for a little while,

[2.

from

your children shall depart from

the last

at

for

Levi,i-

And he And after

4. 5.

Hebron, and laid him

to

with his fathers. and

iJudah

We

Levif.

should

" undoubtedly read " Levi and Judah here, as is found universally through the original Testaments. See T. Reub. 5-12 note; T. Dan v. 10 note. vi.

Even

in T.

Jud. xxi. 1-5 Judah deis subordinate to Levi.

clares that he

The order "Judah and Levi"

is

due to

a Christian scribe or interpolator. See T. Benj. xi. Shall the Lord raise up salvation omit nnfo you {higA, save that "unto you"), adef Tea,d "shall the Lord the Saviour arise unto you "), " shall the Lord raise up a 6 S Saviour," c "shall the Lord, salvaThe Christian tion, arise unto us." influence is obvious in b S.

gA

Bracketed

2.

addition. / knoui.

a

as

1st

cent.

Here

B.C.

as in T. Iss. vi. 1 2 our author does not mention the source of his knowledge. Enoch is frequently declared to be this source. See T. Lev. x. 5 note.

T.

Ass.

At

;

vii.

A S).

a om. a reads "from." Before (/S-^'AS). Hence both readings appear to be renderings of 'jsn. The text is not the last

{13

quite satisfactory. 3.

"

Again.

6

adds "to them."

Drew up

his feet (a kissed his sons." 4.

5.

text

Five years. i.

1

Gad

j3).

reads

According to our Accord20, Gad was born

lived 125 years.

ing to Jub. xxviii.

A

2131 a.m. Now as Gad's bones were buried in Canaan five years after his death, the year of his burial was therefore 2261 a.m., but this should be 2263, as we shall see presently. If we turn to T. Sim. viii. 2 T. Benj. xii. 3 we find that these patriarchs were buried in Canaan during a war between Egypt and Canaan. According to the latter Testament it was the ninety-first year after Israel had gone down into Egypt that Benjamin's bones were carried up into Canaan. Now as Israel went down into Egypt in the year 2172 a.m. (see Jub. xlv. 1), Benjamin was buried in Canaan in the year 2263 a.m. Thus 2263 A.M. is the date of the war between Egypt and Canaan, and as this actually is the year assigned to this war in Jub. xlvi. 9, we may conclude that there is in the year

;

some error

in the text as to the age of the date of his birth (Jub. xxviii. 20), or the date of his burial in

Gad

or

Canaan. If with MS. ft in i. 1 we could accept 127 years as the age of Gad, it

would reconcile the couflietiug statements. But here b stands alone. Hence we must read "seven years" in our text or suppose that Gad was born in the year 2133 A.M. Up to Hebron a7ul laid him (a a ef, save that aef read "buried" for "laid"). bgA read "and laid him in Hebron." With his fathers. aefS^ omit.


THE TESTAMENT OF ASHER, THE TENTH SON OF JACOB AND ZILPAH I.

The copy

of the testament of Asher,

what things he

spake to his sons in the hundred and twenty-fifth year of his life.

2.

'"For"'

while he was

still

in health, he said to

them

:

Hearken, ye children of Asher, to your father, and I will declare to you all that

Two ways hath God

is

upright in the sight of God.

given to the sons of men, and two

two kinds of

inclinations, l"and

action,

Title, a as in text. &e/S^ read " The Testament of Asher the tenth (e/ S^ om. ) coucerning the two faces of

in

and virtue " ( + Asher is by interpretation "wealth" or "happy" /). d is conflate " The Testament of Asher

generally.

father."

a

play

Thus

"Asher."

The

(eiides).

original

on

evdâ‚Źs

= -]j^\

text

name

the a

play

on ivK, "Asher." This is See ver. 5. 3. Tivo ways. the earliest occurrence of this phrase in Jewish literature. The idea was suggested by Jer. xxi. 8 Thus saith the Lord Behold I set before you the way of death." way of life and the Cf. Pirke Aboth ii. 12, 13 (Taylor's 2nd '

'

:

See also

(of

"The Two Ways

Hermas and Xenophon" (Journal of

and my note on 2 En. XXX. 15 for the use of the phrase Philol. xxi. 243-258),

:

the tenth son of Jacob, the son of Zilpah the handmaid of Leah, concerning the two faces of vice and virtue." A = " The Testament of Asher ( + "the son of Jacob" A^*) concerning duplicity and virtue." 1. 1. Fifth (a A). /3-&S1 read " sixth." b omits. 2. For (a). ^ A S^ omit. Ye children of Asher to your father {ahdg). aef A. read "to Asher your

and two modes

ed. p. 147).

vice

Upright contained

3.

Two

inclinations

dia^ovXia).

{5vo

These are the good and

evil

and the j;-in God has implanted in man. tions (nian na'

inclina-

ns')

which

We should

observe that this is the oldest reference to the " good inclination " in Jewish literature. On this subject Porter's " Yetzer hara" in Biblical and Semitic Studies should be consulted Taylor's Sayings of the Fathers^, pp. 37, 38, 148-152, 186-192, and my edition of the Apocalypse of Baruch pp. 92-93. This rabliinic doctrine is found also in the Hebrew Sir. xv. 14 (Taylor's translation) " God created man from the beginning, and put him into the hand of him that would spoil him, and gave " him into the hand of his inclination Again in Sir. xxi. 11 the yetzer (ns'). is referred to 6 tpvXdaacov vofiov KaraKparei rod ivvoTjfiaTos aiirov, " he that keepeth the law gets the mastery of his thought," i.e. ns', his evil inclination, as the Syriac shows. For a

i6i

;

:

II


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i62

and

action)"!,

""two"" issues.

all

things are by

^Yov'^

there are two

Therefore

4.

twos, one over against the other.

and

5.

the

two

them.-f

6.

good

and

inclinations

in

our

Therefore

the soul take pleasure in the good (inclina-

ways

of

if

word occurs

breasts

These inclinations to good and evil are frequently referred to by our author. The word nii' was rendereii by the original

Hebrew

by dia^ovXiov, but once apparently by TrXdafxa (T. Naph. ii. 5), and by ipOvfirj/na, T. Jud. xiii. 2,

text nearly always

and by vpoaipecns, T. Jos. xvii. 3. With this we might compare the Thus a*? ns' renderings in the LXX. is rendered by Stdr'ota, Gen. viii. 21 1 Chron. xxix. 18 nurna is' by 5iaby ipdv/j.r]fj.a, vi. 5 voelffdai, Gen. and -i^' by irov7]p'ia, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9 ;

;

hyir\6.<ytJ.a, Ps. ciii. 14.

used by Aquila and Deut. xxxi. 21, Is. According to our author there xxvi. 3. If are two inclinations, T. Ash. i. 3. the soul follows the good inclination its actions are righteous, T. Ash. i. 6 if to the evil inclination, its actions The good are wicked, T. Ash. i. 8. inclination is not in the power of any

The

last

word

Symmachus

is

in

;

spirit

of

Beliar,

T.

Benj.

vi.

1

it

;

Reub. iv. 9 it receiveth not glory from men, T. Benj. God looks on the inclination of vi. 4. a man, T. Gad. v. 3 (/3-rfASi); He admits no

evil desire, T.

;

Naph. ii. 5 tries it by it, T. delights in it temptation, T. Jos. ii. 6 when it takes pleasure in (brotherly) and rewards a love, T. Jos. xvii. 3 man according to it, T. Jud. xiii. 8. The yetzer is blinded by fornication and covetousness, T. Jud. xviii. 3 it is stirred into anger by envy, T. Sim. The yetzer of youth— i.e. the iv. 8. blinds the mind, T. Jud. evil yetzer Man must not walk according xi. 1. to his inclinations, T. Jud. xiii. 2. PosThis latter passage is doubtful. sibly there are references to these impulses also in T. Benj. iii. 2,

knows

;

;

;

;

\i.

5.

and

sin

if it

it

{rpSTTovs a a d ef). h S^ read "places." See 4. All things are by twos, etc. V. 1. Cf. Sir. xxxvi. 15 iravTO, to, ipya KarivavTL toO hvo 5i/o, ^V rod \i\pL<TTOv, xiii. 24 irdvTa Stcrcra ^v rod fvos The words may KarevavTL toO iv6s. have lieen a current proverb for we find the same idea substantially in Eccles. vii. 14 " In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider God hath even made the one side by side with the other." See also Chagiga 15^. :

;

^For'' (a).

5.

;

;

;

;

riTTous,

cit.

p, 141.

Greek translator of our

are

discriminating

Modes

5-6 where the

xxvii.

again, see Porter, op.

Deut. xxxi. 21

these

-f*with

actions are in righteousness

tion), all its criticism of Sir.

evil,

And

jSAS^ omit. {if oh hi^-g).

unth these reads eV ah (which of the former),

g

may

A

iv

c

be a corruption ($.

The good

impulses in man's breast are directed towards "good and evil." them {diaKplvovra Discriminating avTCL o,/)^-df resid d. avrds for avrd here refers to "good and aiird. Possibly this avrd and fc oh evil." should be taken together and elal SiaKpivovra as a translation of vn'

and the

evil

.

.

.

.

.

.

(as in LXX of Job ix. 14, xv. 5). The original would then have run "ityx v,t = "and these (respecD3 Dnna

nn^

.

.

tively) are the objects of the choice of

the two inclinations in our breasts." 6. The soul is here represented as exercising the right of choice between Cf. T. Jud. xx. 1 the two impulses. where this function is ascribed to the " spirit

mind

"

of the

understanding of the

in regard to the principles of

truth and error.

So I In the good {inclination). render ev koXQ the reading of /3 A S^. a reads /caXws TropevdTJvai ("to walk in goodness") which may be a rendering of nxii'? 31B3, a corruption (?) of

man

li'n

A S^

= (v

ri^

kcl\(2

Sia^ovXUj).

However read merely iv Ka\(^. we may account for the con'uption in See ver. 8. a, we must render as above. a reads All its actions are (/3 A S^). "it does all its actions." /3


ASHER— CHAPTERS Straightway repenteth.

upon

7.

and

righteousness,

For, having

But

are

wickedness, and

it

cleaveth to the evil, and

work what

it

whenever

is

163

its

thoughts set

wickedness,

and uprooteth the

evil,

the evil inclination, all

if it incline to

in

i

away

casting

straightway overthroweth the 8.

4-II.

I.

is

driveth

sin.

actions

its

away the good, and

ruled by Beliar

good, he perverteth

it

it

even though

;

to evil.

For

9.

beginneth to do good, he forces the issue of

it

the action into evil for him, seeing that the treasure of the inclination II.

A

with an

is filled

7. As in the previous verse the actions of the good tendency are given, so here apparently we have its modes of action (see ver 3).

But

if it incline to the evil inclination (edc 5k KKivrj ev t(^ irovqpQ 8.

dia^ovXicp).

iav 5k ev

So the

which reads to diaj3ov\t.op, The soul is the

text,

irov7]pLp KXivrj

must be emended.

subject of the verb as in ver. 6. Thus we have Trpafts avTTJs, "its actions," i.e. the soul's, not Trpafts avrou, the actions of the inclination {dLajiovXiov). This verse deals with the evil inclination (ynnns' = T6 Trovrjpbv diaPovXiov). And the evils that follow when the soul suiTenders itself to it. First come the actions of the soul these are wicked next its modes of action ; it driveth away good and cleaveth to ;

:

evil

:

and

finally its issue

;

it

becomes

a slave of Beliar. Cleaveth to (Trpocr/coXXarat h). c reads Trpocr/coWo/xevoy (sic). S^ /3 read TrpoaXu/j.^dvei — ^^pn, which may

A

be corrupt Cf.

iii.

pain

= TrpocrKoXXdrai.

1.

Ruled by is

for

JBeliar.

The

identified with Satan in

16^

(Taylor,

evil

tendency

Baba Bathra

Sayings^,

evil spirit.

may with words

person then

p.

130).

Berakh.

help the good for

17*

Thy will ...

we

tendency." See Taylor 9. To do good (a). though to do good.

He forces

"May

find:

to deliver us

.

(o/j. /3

it

be

from evil cit. 127 sq.).

.

.

A S^

read " as

of the action into rdXo^ ttjs Trpafewj eis wov7)pbv aiyry eXavvei (3-b A S^ a). read he forces the issue of his action into evil doing" {rb rkXos ttjs Trpd^ews evil

the issue

for him.

(rb

'

'

avTou

els KaKoiroi-qcTLv iXwuvei).

The treasure of the inclination

(dr/-

aavpbs toC SLa^ovXiov). Observe the paranomasia in the original here (li-iN and compare Matt. xii. 35, ib-'n), The evil man from out of the evil '

'

treasure bringeth forth evil (Taylor, Sayings'^, p. 151).

things."

Is filed ivith an evil spirit (ad gS save that g reads is born from an evil spirit"). ^-dg read "is filled with the poison of the evil spirit," A " is filled with evil poison of the wickedness of the spirit." Since the text reads 6 drjcravpbs tov 8ia(5ovXlov ( '

'

louj3-dgA) wovripov irvevfiaTos TreirXy]pu}Tai, it is not improbable that lov has arisen from a dittography of the last letters of dia^ovXlov. II.

With v-ords

hel2}eth

{

= ev

\6yois

emend the

According to Sukka 52^ it first misleads men and then testifies against them. In Shabbath 105^ it is called The words a "strange god" {-n '^n). in Ps. xci. 10 "No evil will befal thee " are interpreted by K. Chisda as meaning " The evil tendency will not

passage, for both recensions and all the versions are corrupt. a reads iv XdyoLs dcpLCFTiccra, where d(piffTQ(ra = rsToa, may be corrupt for n^CD — avTiXafi^avofiefrj or <jrT)pii;ovca. ^-g A read

rule (mSc") over thee " (Sanh. 103''-). In the Talmudic prayer given in

ously coiTupt fur XbyoLS d<pie'iaa. It is not likely that dtpiarucra and dcpielaa

dvTLXa/j.^ai'Ofxii'ri).

Xeyovffo.,

(pr]cri

(A

So

oni.

),

I

which

is

obvi-


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i64

the sake of the mischief.

2.

evil,

There

yet the issue of the action leadeth to

man who

a

is

upon him who serveth

his turn in evil

hath two aspects, but the whole is

man

a

that loveth

would prefer whole

4.

is

an

him

it

evil

this thing

And

3.

there

because he ;

and con-

hath two aspects, but the

it

work.

-fThough indeed he have

4.

he wicked who

love, yet is

and

;

evil.

that worketh evil,

clear that

is

is

die in evil for his sake

Teven'^ to

cerning this

showeth no compassion

concealeth what

is

Though indeed

love, yet it

is

wicked as

concealeth what

evil for

there

is evil

;

is

it

now

seemeth good in

the sake of the good name,*|*

this thing

but the end of

name, but the end of the

tendeth unto

Another

5.

the action

action tendeth unto evil.

evil.

stealeth, doeth unjustly, plundereth, defraudeth,

and withal pitieth the poor are independent renderings of a

One

word.

is

a corruption

Hebrew of

the

other. issue of the action leadeth. Or "it (the soul) leadeth

The

we may render

this

:

hath a twofold

"worketh evil " and read " Likewise is he in wickedness, because, etc." ev KaKip In, evil for his sake (/3 S^ This may be right, but a A dC avTOf). point to a different meaning, a reads " in evil,"

the issue."

^tooT

A

" in his evil."

A

Here a adds "which

diverges slightly from the versions of a and /3 S', "though they love also, yet are they evil as they now this matter conceal the evil appeareth good in name, but the end, etc." All texts appear to be corrupt. This verse, in its present form, refers to the same subject as ver. 3. If it does so rightly, then the word "con" ^vlong. ceal is a and seem

wickedness " (6' iaTL Trov7]pia), df A. S^ " since he (ws avrhs) also (/om. is in wickedness," beg "likewise (w-

preferable here, which agree in making the text refer to persons, and not to Now 6 avyKpviTTwi' qualities merely.

The

N'nncn, which may be corrupt for Hence we should aniNn, i.e. 6 dyaTruiv. probably read : " Though indeed he

2.

Him who

serveth his turn in evil

a is defective and reads only (/3AS^). " those who serve his turn."

Here we have the case of a man because he is \villing to lose his life in evildoing on a A omit "on his his behalf (iSS^). behalf," but wrongly. 3.

who

loves an evildoer

Worketh thing

evil.

is

cavTus)

is

he in wickedness."

object of this clause seems (according to df S^) to be to explain the preceding statement, but since the real explanation is given in the words that

A

follow,

"because he

is

willing,

etc.,"

this clause appears to be interpolated.

may have

It

arisen through a dittography. beg gives another turn to the sentence. If we accept it, we put a full stop after

4.

:

A

=

have love, yet

is

he wicked

who

loveth

what is evil now this thing seemeth good in name, but etc." But since the subject of ver. 3 is :

fully dealt with as its closing words show, it is probable that the earlier part of ver. 4 is lost.

apparently


ASHER— CHAPTERS but

aspect,

whole

the

evil.

is

his neighbour provoketh God,

II.

2-III.

6.

He who

and sweareth

the Most High, and yet

pitieth the poor

commandeth the law he

setteth at

and yet he refresheth the andT maketh gay the body

few 8.

abstaineth

committeth

He

rdefileth the soul,

many, and

and

adultery

from meats, and when he

and notwithstanding rtheT

commandments

the whole

evil.

is

is evil.

he

fasteth

and doeth

this, too,

hath a twofold aspect, but

Such men are hares;

9.

commandments hath thus

But do not

III.

my

ye,

unto goodness only,

He vAo defraudeth 6. bdS^ read "defrauding." The Imo (^ Aii^). the

B2it

is

evil

/160m. 8. Committeth adultery

from

abstaineth ix.

2

(a /3-& d).

a ora.

ivhole

.

(c

^-h A).

.

.

amd

Contrast T. with

meats.

"combines

fasting

chastity."

And

fornication (Kal iropvevei This clause may be an addition to the text since it is given asyndetically by a d efg, om. by h i. In c only iropveia is found. By thepower of his wealth (aaefS^). bdg read "by his power and his wealth." toickedness. Notioithstanding his Ka^ciay, which, The text is fK- T^s if right, should be rendered "immediately after his wickedness." But the Greek = j?id, which I have taken to be corrupt for yna. Hence the rendering in the text. ^The'^ commandments {a). /3S^ read

A &).

A

.

.

.

.

children, wear

.

.

"commandments," A "mercy." Cf. Lev. 9. Are hares (aS^).

6,

they are

10. For

God

in

two ;

faces

like

but cleave

habitation therein, and

Dent. xiv. 7, where the hare is declared unclean because though it chewed the cud, it did not part the hoof, bdg read " are like swine, hares " (ws ues shaggy ei<TLv Saci^TToSes), A "are like swine." The reading of a ef points to bdg. Thus a ef read oaoi eliriv. The sense of the passage is clear, but it is hard to deterndne the exact form of the original and account for the variaThis comparison was possibly tions. a commonplace of the Jewish schools, Thus Aristeas says that the laws relating to clean and unclean animals have a

The 153. a sign to man that he should distinguish all action.s with a view to that which is good, § 150 (Sweet's 7w<?-oc?.<o O.T. in Greek, p. 545). spiritual

significance,

division of the hoof

§

is

10. TaMes of the commandments {a). /3AS^ read "in the heavenly tables." This latter phrase is found iu our book in T. Lev. v. 4, and in Asher vii. 5

(iSAS^). III.

read xi.

for

declared.

and of wickedness

God hath His

for

;

he doeth

wickedness

excessive

his :

unto them, of goodness

b

pitieth a

fornication,

half clean, but in very deed are unclean.

the tables of the

Jos.

who

and by the power of his wealth overwhelmeth many

evil,

7.

falsely against

the Lord

nought and provoketh,

7.

he killeth

;

:

defraudeth

hath a twofold aspect, but the whole

this, too,

:

Another

poor.

165

i

1.

"do

God

But do not ye

(a).

/3AS^

not ye therefore." (jSAS^). a reads "Lord God."


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i66

men

desire

it.

the

(evil)

inclination

2.

But from wickedness flee away, destroying by your good works for they that ;

are double-faced serve not God, but their

they

may

please Beliar

and men

like

own

that

lusts, so

unto themselves.

IV. For good men, even they that are of single

face,

though they be thought by them that are double-faced to 2. For many in killing the sin, are just before God. wicked do two works, of good and evil

;

but the whole

is

good, because he hath uprooted and destroyed that which 3.

is evil.

One man hateth the merciful and unjust man,

and the man who committeth adultery and

fasteth

too, has a twofold aspect, but the TwholeT work

this,

:

is

good,

because he followeth the Lord's example, in that he accepteth not the seeming good as /3-a d A om. 2. But (a). Destroying the {evil) inclination by Man was to get the your good works. mastery of the evil tendency through Cf. Sir. xxi. 11 obedience to the law. Kiddush. 306; Ahoth iv. 2; Aboda See Taylor, Sayings iv. 2 Zara 19a. In Porter, op. cit. 126 sq. note, etc. a certain sense the evil tendency is Thus, already slain in the righteous. according to Jose the Galilean (Bacher^, Tan. i. 361), there are three classes amongst men. Of these the first were the righteous, who were under the rule of the eood tendency (proved from Ps. cix. 22 " my heart is wounded within me," i.e. my evil tendency is slain). The {evil) tendency {to dLa^ov'Kioi' This is undoubtedly the right text. a). The evil tendency is frequently called "the tendency" simply. /3AS' read ;

corruptly rbv Sid^oXoi', "the devil." It is true, indeed, See notes on i. 3-9. that the evil tendency is iilentified, in one or two cases, with Satan in Baba

Bathra

16=>'

;

Sir. xxi. 27.

2.

a reads

For (^ AS^). o reads "but." evil (a). ^-by read

0/ good and "good through

evil,"

bgK

"evil

through good," S^ "a good and an evil."

genuine

good.

4.

The merciful and unjust man.

3.

the character described in ii. 5. is an adulterer and fasteth. This character has been described in

This

is

Who

ii.

8.

This, too, hath a twofold asjJect {Kai

(an

ai/rd

5nrp6cru)irov

— ^-d g A

H^).

adg

read Kaiye {dg /cat) avrh^ ecrri {c om.) Snrpoffunros, "he also is doublefaced." Accepteth {Trpoadex^/J-evos ^ A S^). a reads vpoadoKtb/xevos, which is corrupt for Trpoadex^fJ-evos or is a translation of n?po, corrupt for ^3pD = text.

The seemirig good as the genuine good, a A^^ read to Bokovi' KoKbv fxeTo, This impossible ToO aXrjdifov Ka\ov. text was corrected by (3 into rd doKovv This KoKbp fiera tov d\T]6ivov kukov. seems at first sight to give a possible preceding for the context does text mention a seemingly good action such as fasting ami a genuinely bad action but on further such as adultery ;

;

emendation cannot be admitted for, as the word "accepteth" in the text must mean "approveth," there would be no sense in saying that the good man, like the Lord, approveth not the seeming good with the genuine bad action. Hence the text of aA*^ must be otherwise emended. Now the error appears to lie in /jLerd. This reflection

this

;

not God, but (/3 A S^). "are not Gods, but serve." Serine

IV.

the


ASHER— CHAPTERS Another desireth not lest

he

his

defile

to see a

and

167

good day with them that

body and pollute his soul

double-faced, but the whole like to stags

2-V. 2

III.

is

good.

this, too, is

:

For such men are

5.

to hinds, because

riot,

manner

in the

of wild

animals they seem to be unclean, but they are altogether clean

;

because

""they

walk^

what God

abstain from

commandments, warding V.

Ye

by the other profligacy''.

and forbiddeth by His

off the evil

from the good.

children,

how

there are two rin

that

Qn wealth

:

hidden)

(is

laughter

in

Death succeedeth

2.

under deathi if

;

]

this,

retranslated,

= 3,

Hence the rendering

ws.

A similiar injunction 4.

life,

is

in

our text.

given in

vi. 3.

/3-« b

things

end. Desireth . to see a good day. The diction seems partly borrowed from Ps. xxxiv. 12 "What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good" ? but see next note.

what God

>

Since the reading of c agrees with the LXX and Vulg. of xxxiv. 12, but not with the Ps. Massoretic, and stands alone against A j3 A S^, it may be borrowed from the LXX. The reading of h^8\ on the " To other hand, is probably original. see a good day " here would mean "to have a good time of it." Cf. Esther viii. 17 "The Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day," where the LXX renders 31a dv by evcppoavvr;.

This verse seems corrupt.

A S^

TJdei aypLi^).

read " God."

commandments (h^-g

.

.

"what God

c reads

S^). '

/3

also ordereth

hateth,"

A

them through

His commandments to hate."

Warding off the evil from the good bdH^ read " and they ward ofiF, A "and to ward otf, etc.," ca

(ef). etc.,"

om., and

V.

hg

are defective.

See i. 4 note. So ''In wealth profligacy'^. aadefS^ save that a omits "in wealth 1.

.

see good."

"and,"

reads

Lord (a). What

,

To see a good day [h^Si'-). c reads "to see good days" ( = 31b 'a') ^^^

A

a wild condition " (if

'

5.

""unjust

In the manner of wild animals {iv ayplwv aade). p-adeS^ read "in

.

cism as bad in itself, but justifiable under certain conditions and by its

"to

things

{aabS^). om.

ijdeL

This verse seems to regard asceti-

.

all

For

which

not

as

[and

;

wherefore also eternal lifef awaiteth death.

infrequently in the Massoretic text, is a corruption of 3 =

in

[dishonour to

life,

are under the day, just things under

in

wedlock

in

grief,

to

hidden

is

covetousness,

night to day, and darkness to light

preposition,

Lord and

the

for

also hateth

drunkenness,

conviviality

glory,]

zeal

one against the other, and the one

things'',

all

my

see,

in

.

.

covetousness," and that for "profligacy" {dawTia), which a reads, aeS^ read aKpaaia, d dreKvia, while _/" omits. and all 2. Dishonour to glory under . things are under ths day, . death. These clauses I have bracketed .

.

.

.

.

.

.

as intrusions. y /3

Unjust

A SI

things

under deatK^

(o).

omit.

Eternal

life.

xxxvii. 4, xl. 9,

Cf.

Dan.

xii. 1

;

1 En.

Iviii. 3, etc.

Context requires "folAwaiteth. loweth upon" or "ariseth after." See Introduction on this passage.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i68

Nor may

3.

for all

under life,

be said that, truth

it

truth God"".

is

a

nor right wrong

lie,

is

under the

4.

All these things, therefore, I proved in

light, ^even

as all

things are

and I wandered not from the truth of the Lord, and

searched out the

commandments

according to

my

that which

all

is

commandments ness of face.

strength with singleness of face unto

also,

my

children, to the

of the Lord, following the truth with single-

For they that are double-faced are guilty

2.

of a twofold sin

rfor

;

they both do the evil thing and they

have pleasure in them that do

it,""

following the example of

the spirits of deceit, and striving against mankind. ye, rtherefore,

my

children"",

and give not heed unto thing that i.

evil as

/3Si omit.

With singleness of face unto that which is good (/3 A S^). a omits. VI. 2. Are gnilty of a double sin.

The

text reads Stcrcrws /coXdfocrat. But there is no question of punishment here but of guilt. The twofold nature of the guilt is then explained. Now KoXd^ovrai = 1DB'N'' or i;?Bn', which should here have a/xapTavoviri.

We

can

same error where the Ethiopic = oO and the Gizeh Greek

find another instance of the in 1 En. v. 9,

KoXaadriffovTai.

version as ov fxri a/xapTUfftv. In this Both are case the latter is right. renderings of the same Hebrew verb. For they both do the evil thing and

have pleasure

in

them

that

do

it

This clause has been (aadefS^). taken over by St. Paul in Rom. i. 22. wrongly omit it. Without it the A bg context is meaningless. Such people, our proceeds to state, are like evil spirits and are foes to mankind. See ii. 3, where we have the case of a man who loves an evildoer because of his evildoing. The substance of the words in the text have already been given in iii. 2, where the double-faced are said to serve their own lusts (cf. "do the evil thing"), in order that they may

text

3.

keep the law of the Lord,

unto good

good, and keep

is really

Therefore {a A).

been rendered

I

Most High, walking

of the

good.

VI. Take heed, therefore, ye

Do

my

it

;

but look unto the

in all

commandments

please men like themselves (cf. "have pleasure in them that do them "). Folloiuing the example of the spirits of deceit and striving against rnankind (a), a efS^ " following the example of the spirits of evil which strive against owing to the loss of mankind." bg the preceding clause rewrote the text. d is conflate as frequent, bdg read : " evil spirits hate ye which {d '• because they ") strive against mankind."

A

A

3.

"^Fie,

my

therefore,

children'^

a efS^). bdg A omit. That is really good. Cf. iv. 3. 4-6. The nature of a man's latter end reveals his character for if he dies troubled in spirit, it is because he meets (a

;

the angels of Beliar awaiting him, whereas he dies peacefully it is because he meets the angel of peace who conveys him to eternal life. This idea that the souls of the departed are met either by good or bad angels on leaving the liody appears here for the first time in Jewish literature.

if

According to Kethuboth 1043' and Num. R. xi. three bands of ministering angels

(men

accompany the righteous

'dnSo)

"he shall enter the second, " they shall rest on their couches" the third, "the soul, the first singing,

into peace "

;

;


ASHER— CHAPTERS

V. -,-VII. 2

169

and resting

of the Lord, having your conversation therein, therein.

For the

4.

righteousness

latter

angels of the Lord and of Satan.

departs troubled, also

it

do show their

when they meet For when the

unrighteousness),

(or

men

ends of

tormented by the evil

is

the soul

5.

which

spirit

served in lusts and evil works.

it

/3AS1

But

6.

with

he

if

he

joy

angel

of

peaceful

is

meeteth

and

peace,

him into VII. Become

leadeth

the

eternal

he life.

my

not,

But

6.

he

peace,

him with

fcomforteth

life.

which knew

children, as Sodom,

not the angels of the Lord, and perished for ever. one

who walketh

Ivii.

(Is.

a wicked man dies, of angels of destruction

announce to him

(n'^nn 'dnVd)

:

" There

no peace, saith my God to the wicked" Again in Sifre 149t> it is

(Is. Ivii. 21).

said that when God soul of the righteous, (or

takes away the takes it into

He

"in") peacefidness of

spirit (nnjn nn), but when He takes away the soul of the wicked He delivers it up to evil angels (q'vt d'3n'?d), to rend forth his soul. The latter passage looks as if it

were dependent on our text. See Jewish Encyc. i. 593 Weber's- Jiid. Theol. ;

339. 4.

They

rueet.

known to" " knowing " t(j3v),

a reads "and are yvupi^ovrai),

(/cat

(7»'a;p£J'o^Tes,

A = /cat

dg

yvijipi'^eiv

/3S^

reads iroi'r)pd corruption of

XO-P^

we should expect

ver. 5.

If it

not to be like Sodom, which knew not {qyvo-qae) the angels of the Lord. Tlie angels {tous dyyeXovs abdgS^). aef read "to the angels" (to?s

dyyiXois).

Satan

(/3

A.

— Tbv

A S^).

vbfxov.

a reads " Beliar."

yvwpicrei

and

|3

A S^

given.

See T. Dan vi. 5. leadeth him into eternal d<T(f)ipei avrbv els fwij;' alihvLov

Angel of peace.

And

he

fivdelrai,

implies the same corruption in Amos iii. 3 ea;/ /xt; yvojplcrwaii' eavrovs where the Massoretic has nyircN. The corruption in our text was probably due vii. to 1, where Asher bids his children

Cf.

should be

but we should read avvavT-qaei. or awqvTTfae here as in ver. 4, where the explanation of the corruption is

D'dxS'dS ^l!-\v, where the verb for ^1^v, avvavTCbcn " meet."

LXX

direpxoTaL.

original it

a reads

Meets,

life (/cat

corrupt

is

iyvdopiae,

Verb is corrupt in all cases. The corruption is most easily detected in a. yvcopi^ovrai roh dyyeXoLS = The

a

connected with the following verb.

("and they

is

= nuvi, which may be nv):!-\ = Terapayfievr].

6. If it is peaceful fwith joyi (a). So also S^ save that it omits "with joy." This phrase is not supported by the parallelism, and is likewise omitted by A S^. It seems to be either a corruption or an intrusion. For, for eV

yvcopi'^ov-

know ").

For

2.

5. When{a.ef). a 6 f^ gf read " if. Troubled {TeTapayfj-evT] ^AS^). a

When

2).

three bands is

in uprightness "

""with

he hath met the angel

joy'',

of

peacefully

if

a).

with

^ A read "who comforteth him tTapa/caXoOcra {a ef ^^irapa-

life

b Trapa/caXecret) avrSv iv fwrj.

Here etV^epet = nn:a which was corrupted into nmD, and so became the source of the false wapafxvdeiTO.L OTirapaKaXovvra. Similar corruptions are found in 1 xxii. 4; Is. Ivii. 18. The text of a confirmed by T. Benj. vi. 1, where "the angel of peace leads {odrjyel) the

Sam. is

soul."

VII.

Here 1.

65?j7et

Sodo7)i

= nnj,';. (a/3).

"Sodomites." Angels of the Lord (a (3 " the angel of peace."

A SI S^).

read

A reads


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

I70

know

I

ye

that

shall

hands of your enemies

sin,

and

;

be

delivered

into

and your holy places destroyed, and ye

desolate,

the

your land shall be made

fandT

shall be

And

scattered unto the four corners of the earth.

ye shall

be set at nought in the dispersion as useless water,

3.

Until the Most High shall visit the earth, coming Himself

man, with men eating and drinking], and breaking the

[as

He

head of the dragon in the water.

[God speaking in

all

the

[4,

Therefore do ^ye also,

Gentiles

my

the

person

and

of man].

children,! tell these things to

Him

your children, that they disobey

known

shall save Israel

not.

5.

For I have

that ye shall assuredly be disobedient, and assuredly

act ungodly, not giving heed to the law of God, but to the

commandments

And

6.

of men, being corrupted through wickedness.

know

brethren, and ye shall

Asher predicts that his children and be sent into exile.

2.

will fall into sin

Cf. T. Sim. V. 3 sqq.

;

T. Lev. x., xiv.-

T. Jud. xxiii. ; T. Iss. T. Zeb. ix. 6 ; T. Dan v. 8 xvi.

viii.

vi.

;

1,

T.

;

2

;

Gad

2.

Delivered into the hands of your enemies. Cf. T. Iss. vi. 2 T. Zeb. ix. 6. ;

Your land Jud.

Cf. T.

Your Lev.

X.

shall

made

be

desolate.

xxiii. 3.

lioly

places destroyed.

3

xv.

;

1,

xvi.

4

;

Cf. T.

T.

Jud.

X. 4, xvi. 1,

5

;

T.

Cf. ver. 6, Iss. vi. 2.

This verse describes a theophany after the manner of the Old Testament and the destruction of the primeval 3.

of God and man. additions are obvious.

enemy

And "and

only the iinally impenitent are to be destroyed (xii. 16, 17). The nations are the subjects of the divine mercy in Is.

ii.

breaking

2-4, xix. 16-25, xlv. 14, xlix. 6,

Pss. xxii. 27-31, Ixv. 2.

See note on

T. Benj. ix. 2. 4-7. 1st cent. B.C. addition.

A

Gad

T.

Cf.

viii. 2.

Ye also, my children (a). ^ A S^ om. / Imve knoum (a a e/S^). bdg A read "I have read." ^AS^ add "in the heavenly tables." For this phrase 4.

Cf.

shall he scattered, etc.

T. Lev.

not your

5.

xxiii. 3.

Ye

Gad and Dan my own lands, tribe, and

therefore shall ye be scattered as

(c).

The Christian

ii.

10.

Shall

assuredly be disobedient

hi^ A S^ add

A/3AS^ read

Breaking the liead of the dragon, etc. These words are drawn from Ps. Ixxiv. 13. In the water {iwl rod vdaros gA'^^s). a ^-g read 5ia tov vdaros, where the did may be due to Christian influence. A7id all the Gentiles. The uni-

—

versalism of the greater O.T. propliets is reproduced by our author. Cf. Jer. iv. 2, xvi. 19, iii. 17, who teaches that

'

de\g read fiovoTrpoad)ir({) KaKla " being carried away by sheer (?) wickedness," A " ye are falling into wickedness," but by a slight emendation A can be brought into line with a. ab om. 6. A7id therefore {h i). A reads " but therefore," /3S^ "therefore," c "and." Scattered as Gad and Dan. See T. Gad viii. 2 T. Dan v. 8, vii. 3. And ye sImU not know (a). /3 reads "who shall not know," A "who knew not." (a).

(pep6/j.â‚Źvoi.

(/i/ omit) in peace breaking."

(c).

'

unto him. Act ungodly (a). ^AS^ read "act ungodly towards him." Being corrupted through wickedness

;


ASHER— CHAPTERS tongue.

7.

But the Lord

will gather

through His tender mercy, Tandl Isaac,

VII. 3-VIII. 2

171

you together in

for the sake of

faith

Abraham,

and Jacob.]

And when

VIII.

he had said these things unto them,

he commanded saying

:

Bury me

And

in Hebron.

And

he

fell

asleep

and died

as he

had commanded them, and they carried him up

at a good old age.

2.

his sons did to

Hebron, and buried him with his fathers. He

7.

(ae).

/S-eAS^ read

"the

Lord."

Through /3

A S^

His tender mercy (a). read " through the hope of His

"and

tender mercy."

^-dAS^om. Saymg (a). /SASi

fAnd^iad).

VIII. 1. " saying unto them."

At a good 9

;

T.

Benj.

old age. xii.

"in a good sleep," and thus shows the same corruption as in T. Zeb. x. 6, where see note. 2. And his sons (a). ^-dAS?- read

2.

Cf. T. Iss.

The

after this his sons."

To Hebron read vii,

text reads

(a).

j3

A S^

om.

At

the close /S^ read "Asher the tenth sou of Jacob, the second sou of Zilpah,

and he lived 126 years. is found in g.

similar statement

A


THE TESTAMENT OF JOSEPH, THE ELEVENTH SON OF JACOB AND EACHEL I.

The copy

When

of the testament of Joseph.

he was

about to die he called his sons and his brethren together,

and

them

said to

Hearken

to

Give

my

ear,

:

2.

My

sons,

unto your

a in text save that for "of Rachel" reads "first of Rachel." 6 e/ S^ read " Testament of Joseph ( + " the eleventh " h) concerning sobriety " " Joseph is by interpretation re( + moval of reproach'"/), a "Joseph," " A S'^ " Testament of Joseph ( + concerning envy " A^'^'^* s). I.-X. 4. This section, if it belongs to the original text, is not at all events in its right place, x. 5-xvi. should be read immediately after Chapter i., if we are to have any historical sequence, but the fact that xvii.-xviii. are from the same hand as x. 5-xvi. is against Moreover, i. seems to be from this. the same author as ii.-x. 4. Thus there appear to be two independent /;-

'

and

x. 5-xviii.

The

now

groiinds for this statement will be adduced. First of all, the

theme of

x. 5-xviii. is

brotherly love,

whereas that of i.-x. 4 is chastity. Next, in x. 5-xvi. Potiphar is called Pentephri or Pentephris xii. 1, xiii. 1, 3, 5 (so a, but /3S^ "chief eunuch," A cm.), XV. 6, whereas in ii.-x. 4 he is called " the Egyptian man " iv. 5 (^S^ but a A "my husband"), v. 1 (^AS^ but a "my husband"), vii. 2 A-bfg "her husband"). (j3 Al'feSibut a He is called "my husband" in both sections iv, 1, 2, 5 (a A but /3S' "the Egyptian man"), v. 1 (a), vii. 2 (aA-l>fg), xiv.

Hence we Again in

3 (a), xvi. 1. can find no evidence here. ii.-x. 4 Potiphar's \vife is 1

children,

Joseph the beloved of Israel

Title,

writings, i.-x. 4

my

brethren and

(/3S1),

father. " the Egj'ptian

called

3

iv.

(/3-«

ently),

A S^

viii.

whereas in

;

woman "

(^-dA SI),

1

x.

iii,

here a reads

5-xvi.

viii.

1,

differ-

5

{bis),

we have "the

Memphian woman,"

xii. 1, xiv. 1, 5 (/3AS^ but a om.) xvi. 1. On the other hand §-d corruptly read "the Egyptian woman" in xvi. 4 against dK, and all MSS. give the conflate reading "the Memphian woman the Egyptian woman " in iii. 6. The above evidence is suiEcient to show that two different sources are behind the sections in question. Furthermore the coherence of x. 5-xvii. is shown by the recurrence of the phrase "Joseph the son of a mighty man " in x. 6, XV. 2 and of the clause, "I held my peace lest I should put to shame, etc."

or

equivalent in

its

xvi.

5,

xvii.

1.

phraseology in

ii.

x.

See 3 as

6,

xi. 2,

also

xv. 3,

different

compared with

Finally, throughout the Testa-

xi. 6.

ments the duty of telling the truth

down

— yet several times.

repeatedly

Joseph

lies

in

x.

is

laid

5-xviii.

Hence,

probably, i.-x. 4 belongs to the author of the Testaments, but not x. 5-xviii. But there are difficulties in this solution.

My brethren

and children (a A^^^* that h omits " and children "). S^ read " my children and brethren. 2.

save /3

Ab*cdfg om.

My sons, unto your father (/3 A S'). a reads " the words of my mouth," but the parallelism favours the former.

172


JOSEPH— CHAPTER 3. I

my

have seen in

Yet

went not

I

1-7

I.

173

envy and death,

life

astray, Tbut perseveredT in

the truth of

the Lord.

These

4.

my

me

brethren hated me, but the Lord loved

They wished

God

slay me, but the

to

me me down into brought me up again.

my

of

fathers

guarded

They 5. I

a

let

was sold into

slavery,

I

was taken into

I

was

and the Lord of and

captivity,

Most High

and the

pit,

made me

all

His

free

:

hand

strong

succoured me.

with

beset

and

hunger,

the

Lord

Himself

nourished me.

and God comforted me

6. I

was

alone,

I

was

sick,

I

was in prison, and

and the Lord

visited

me

my God showed He released me and He pleaded my cause

favour unto

me

In bonds, and Slandered,

7.

Bitterly

spoken

delivered

Envied by 3.

against

my

fellow-slaves,

bg A

^But persevered^ (a a c/S^). Into slavery (a A).

^ S read " to

be a slave."

I VMS

with hunger, etc. Cf. Matt. XXV. 35 " I was an hungred and ye gave Me meat." 6. Alone, c omits rest of verse and first four words of ver. 8 through hmt. beset

peLord{aef).

me.

bdgSre^d "Most

A

"God." / was sick, and

High,'

Cf.

Lord

visited

m

God

_(Ab*cdfg).

gi

reads

"Lord," a^S2 "the Saviour." The last is due to Christian influence. In bonds, and He released me iv

de(Tfiots

Kal ^\v<xi

He

Hue but

it is

It

polatiou.

exalted me. found in

all

other

MSS. and

may nevertheless be an interIt may be a dittograpliy of

the preceding line, iv (pvXaKy tj/jltjp Kal de6s fxov exapLrwa^ fie. Thus iv

and iv dea/Mots can lioth go back and ixoLpiTU(re = im, which might have been corrupted into Tnn <pv\aK7J

to

njooa,

^Xvae. If we omit it, verses 4, 5, 6,'? form four stanzas of three lines each.

however, is said in Yoma 35b to have been used by Joseph to

Tjjis li^e^

the

Matt. xxv. 36, " I was sick

and ye visited Me." prison, etc. Cf. Matt. / was xxv. 36 ''I was in prison and ye came unto Me.

My

He

and

A S^.

om. 5.

by the Egyptians, and

me

/jLe.

d omits

this

Potiphar's wife. 7. Slandered.' Literally "in slanders." Spoken against by the Egyptians (iv X67ots AlyvTrriwv). a reads "spoken against for (my) dreams "(?) ^'^(^j/ X6-yotj ^ it^^.i,,,).

Eyiviedbymyfelloio-slaves{degA.^^). SS^ give corrupt

„ reads "a slave." forms of deg k?'^. x. i.

A^defg om.

Cf


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

174

And

11.

my

And

2.

me

urging

I struggled against a shameless

with her; but the

to transgress

me from

father delivered

cast

Pharaoh entrusted

this chief captain of

his house.

into prison, I

me

Lord granted

God

was beaten,

woman,

3.

was mocked"!

me

of Israel

the burning flame. ^"1

to

;

I

was

but the

mercy in the sight of the keeper

to find

of the prison.

For the Lord doth not forsake them that fear Him,

4.

Neither in darkness, nor in bonds, nor in tribulations, nor in necessities.

For God

5.

Nor Nor

not put to shame as a man.

is

man

as the son of

one

as

that

is

He

afraid.

earth

is

born

-

He

is

[weak

or]

affrighted.

/3AS

a

But

6.

in

these

all

doth

He

give

things

But

6.

in all places

He

is

at hand,

pro-

tection.

And

in divers

(Though)

for

ways doth a

little

He

comfort,

space

He

departeth to

try the

inclination of the soul.

II.

(a).

1. /3-&

This chief captain of Pharaoh read "the ("thus the" eg)

Doth

eunuch of Pharaoh," A "so Petaphres" (A^cdfg "Photiphar "). a.pxi-/J.dy€t.pos which I have here rendered " chief

xv. 29.

captain "

TTToelTat).

a niisreudering of QTi3£3.Tic'. The same rendering is found in the of Gen. xxxvii. 36 and Jub. xxxiv. 11. 2. father (AAt'*cdfg). hefg is

LXX

My

A.abhgi

"my 3.

py^^i

"Israel

father Jacob," c

Granted me

to

my father," ad "my fathers."

find mercy in the

sight of. The text ^5w/c^ ;U,e . els oiKTippi,oi>s ivuiwLov is a literal reproduction of .

'DmS

Dan. i. 9. Contrast xi. 6, where the author of that section follows Gen. xxxix. 21 in giving a different phrase with the same meaning. 4. The Lord {aadef A). bgS^ om. ':3S

'HN

jnj.

Cf.

5.

Is

Cf.

He

.

.

.

read "will

forsake .

.

.

Num.

[weak I

{ad A).

/3-(?S'

forsake."

w]

19;

xxiii.

1

Sam.

affrighted (dcrdevei

have bracketed

1)

acrdevii

an addition to the text. Possibly with TrroetTai it forms an alternative rendering of nn;.. as

{irToeirai. ^AS^ Affrighted a). read d-jrwdeiTai "is rejected," which is probably a corruption of Trroeirat. 6. But (a/3S^). A reads "for." These things (tovtois a^-bg). hg A'^^'iS^ read "places" {t6wols).

Doth He give protection a).

/3

Spread "is He

{ivaplcTTaTai).

Departeth ing."

From

{Trpolcrrarai

at

hand"

A="is." (a).

/3A read "depart-

Is. liv. 7.


JOSEPH— CHAPTERS In ten temptations

He showed me

And

I

7.

them

in all of

For endurance

And

How

with death

How

many good

things.

often did she give

ment, and then call

was unwilling

Thou

approved,

endured

often did the Egyptian

!

to

175

5

a mighty charm,

is

patience giveth

III.

I

H. i-III.

me back and

company with

shalt be lord of me,

and

woman threaten me me over to punish-

me

her, she said to

that

all

when

threaten me, and

2.

:

mine house,

in

is

if

thou wilt give thyself unto me, and thou shalt be as our master.

3.

And

4.

But

my

going into

I

remembered the words rj

chamber,

my

of

and

I fasted in those seven years,

appeared to the

I

Egyptians as one living delicately, for they that God's sake receive beauty of

away from home,

I

Ten (/3A). a reads "eleven." Ten temptations. According to Jub. xix. 8, Sayings of the Fathers v. 4 (see note in Taylor's ed.).

Abraham

was tried with ten temptations. note on 7.

See

my

edition of Jub. xvii. 17. Patience, "to those who

A=

endure." III. 1.

And

%ohen

.

.

.

she said unto

^-aA'^H^ read "when unwilling to company with her she said unto me." 2. That is in mine house (a). read "that is mine."

me

(a).

I

But

{8i

— a §-b A).

b S^

was

And

!

3.

/3

A S^ read

" therefore " [oZv). The ivords of my father (c). dg A read " the words of my father, Jacob." Cf. Jub. xxxix. 6 "But (Joseph) did not surrender his soul but remembered

the words which Jacob his father used to read from amongst the words .

.

of

.

Abraham."

face.

Abraham's commands

on this question are given in Jub. xx. 4, XXV. 7. According to Soteh 2>&', Gen. rabba Ixxxvii. the image of Jacob appeared at the window and exhorted Joseph to be faithful. haefSi^ reads "the words of my fathers," b "the words of the fathers of my father Jacob."

r

And

5.

drank no wine

7.

-

and

father,

wept and prayed unto the Lord.

my

if

fast for

lord were

nor for three days did

;

Wejit and'^ (a).

Fasted

.

.

.

The Lord

,3

A S^

om.

and appeared

living delicately.

.

.

.

as

Cf. Matt. vi. 16.

A

read " God." ^ 4. Seve7i years. According to Jub. xlvi. 3 Joseph was a servant in Potiphar's house for ten years. (o

S^).

The Egyptians (c). The other MSS and Versions read " the Egyptian." For they tha.t fast, etc. Our author

may On

have been thinking of Dan. i. 15. the connection of prayer and

fasting, see iv. 8, x. 1. 5. Of this verse we are strongly reminded by Luke xii. 45 "But if

that servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin ... to eat and to drink and to be drunken." With the statements in the text we should compare those in Zeb. IIS'^, where it is said that whilst the other slaves were lustful Joseph was chaste, where they were rapacious Joseph never enjoyed anything that

was not Lord

his (see Jewish (a).

^S^ om.

Ency.

A

vii.

is

but possibly goes back to our

249).

corrupt

text.

Away from home {diredrj/neL—a a efg, though ef).

all

more or

less

A — dTredrj/xow,

corruptly save

b iiredidrj.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

176

my

I take

but

food,

I

gave

sought the Lord early, and

I

woman

Memphis,

of

for

poor and

to the

it

wept

I

sick.

And

6.

the Egyptian

for

very unceasingly did she trouble

me under

me, for also at night she came to

pretence of

visiting me.

^ASi

a

And

7.

because she had no

me

regard

And

7.

because she had no

male child she pretended

male child she pretended to

me

regard

as a son.

as a son,

and

to

so I

prayed to the Lord, and she bare a male child.

And

8.

not

it

;

And when

9.

me

time she embraced

for a

and

as a son,

draw me into

-fbut later, she sought to

knew

I

fornication.

I perceived it I sorrowed unto death

and

;

she had gone out, I came to myself, and I lamented

when

many days, because I recognised her guile and 10. And I declared unto her the words of

for her deceit.

Most High,

if

haply she would turn from her

IV. Often, therefore, did she

me

flatter

her the

evil lust.

with words as a

holy man, and guilefully in her talk praise

my

before her husband, while desiring to ensnare

me when we

were alone.

^Y<y^ she lauded

2.

in secret she said

he

me

him concerning

tell

Owing

to

all

us,

things

these

The Egyptian woiiian of

Mem-

This looks like a conflate text. For also (a d). ^-d A S^ read "and."

jphis.

7.

And

{a ^-b d A). because first because."

bd

read " and at

And

The context so I jyrayed, etc. better without this clause. /3-6 A). (a a time 8. And for read "for a time," &S^ "for a time is

therefore."

But I knew it not haps we should read till

me

openly as chaste, and

Fear not

:

my

persuaded concerning thy chastity

is

one

6.

unto

later that."

;

Perknew not

bid later.

" but

Cf. xiv. 4.

I

I

chastity

:

he would

husband

even should

for

not believe.

3.

upon the ground, and

lay But

a reads "that," fteS^ "and after "later,"

later (a),

"finally,"

/

A

this."

Sought

abefgS^

to

draw

read

{d<pe\KijeTo

"drew"

IV. 1. Often, therefore read " how often ?" 2.

For

3.

Lay upon

(a).

/3

— ad).

{e(pe\KvcraTo),

Ab*cdfg "wished to draw." / ca7)ie to myself. Cf. Luke (a).

xv. 17. /3-a

A S^

A S^

the

om. ground

add "in sackcloth" A).

for

;

(

(a).

+ " and

^A

S^

ashes"


JOSEPH— CHAPTERS God

besought

HI, 6-V. 4

177

me from

that the Lord would deliver

her

And when she prevailed nothing ^thereby^, she to me under the plea of instruction, that she might learn the word of God. 5. And she said unto me deceit.

came

4.

'"again''

my

If thou wiliest that I should leave

and I

will persuade

and we

will

unto her

Him in

:

my

husband

from his

idols,

And

I said

walk in the law of thy Lord.

6.

The Lord willeth not that those that reverence

He

should be in uncleanness, nor doth

them that commit

Him

with me,

idols, lie

to depart

take pleasure

adultery, rbut in those that approach

with a pure heart and undefiled

lipsl.

But she

7.

held her peace, longing to accomplish her evil desire.

And

more

I gave myself yet

the Lord might deliver

me from

her.

me

V. ^Andl again, at another time she said unto

thou wilt not commit adultery, I will poison,

when

and take thee to be

I

heard

Woman,

my

rent

this,

my

kill

thy device unto

husband by

2.

I therefore,

husband.

garments, and said unto her

know indeed

all

men.

3.

that

She

I

wiU

declare this

therefore, being afraid,

besought that I would not declare this device.

Her deceit {do\ioTr]To$ avTjjs a). ^-aASiread "the Egyptian woman" which may have been corrupted into or a corruption of nn.Dn.

/3A&om A bread "the Lord.

i^TherebyHa)

My

/3

5. husband (a A). read /3 S^ "the Egj'ptian " ( + " Potiphar " S^).

InJhelaw{^AS>^). c A "in the name of."

V.

Tidriij.1.

vqaTeLav).

Here

^^^,5^,,^^^

b

,of.iaas,

irpoff-

appears to be a rendering of

no'.

^^^

j

she

^^^^

Here .^ap^d/cy L

uo^u,]).

ncnn, whereas .o/..>a,s r- r2.

^Unto her^ (a

God ,,

^T"-

= npnn. ,

^-dAB^ om.

d).

/S/ASi read "the Lord."

(af).

j^

^But in those, etc."- (a). BAS^ om. 7. She held her peace {i<rcd>^y,<re bgA). a reads d.re^.Xo.eka. ^-bg ^0.Xo.«V«= "was angry" being translations of nmnnn. On the other hand, iaidbirrjae = ne>-\mn, of which I take the former to be a corruption. 8. / gave myself yet more to fasting

And

aefg A om.

^^^^ .^^^ Egyptian and so la.vfuUy " (^^, Aiyv^rcov Kal ovrcos .of.[,,<,s [a

reads "be-

6.

4.

A7id {abB^).

1.

jj

fore,"

{TTpocreTldovv

If

:

my

reverence God, and do not this evil deed, lest thou

be destroyed; for

G'o^ (a)

8.

and prayer, that

to fasting

^

j ^7

^

t-

•,>

7

7

'j"'^^

f'f ^f. "^f^r /^^^S' read "I («)•

^'",f

will

^f^/^^-'f^ ""^^^^^^ '"' .^'^""'""' "^f ^?" ^^7 Here ^^f "know in a^ ^7^ «<^^^^'«^)'y"'«<r'ce

=

appear

m

j;^,

which

m ^AS^

the next clause as

seems to ^-1

= 7575

dcre^eias.

Woxild 7iot declare this device (a). read " would declare to no one her wickedness. 3.

/3-pr

A S^

12


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

178

me

departed, soothing

with

gifts,

and sending

me

to

every

delight of the sons of men.

And

VI.

enchantments. it

And when

2.

me

she sent

'"afterwards"'

food mingled with

who brought man giving me

the eunuch

came, I looked up and beheld a terrible

with the dish a sword, and I perceived that (her) scheme

was

to beguile me.

And

3.

'"when

he had gone

out"'

wept, nor did I taste that nor any other of her food.

So then food,

of the food

hast

me and

unto her

:

God

of

of

God

chastity, it

And

and hav-

ing so said, I prayed thus

the

angel

with

me

4.

;

Sending

of

and .

.

.

fathers and

2.

1.

{Her)

A

scheme

God

in chastity, I took of it

and

ate before her, saying

The

God

of

my

angel of

:

and the

fathers

Abraham

be

shall

with me.

ate. every ddight of

Afterwards '

It (c/3).

over them that worship

Abraham, be

sons of men (j3-c?AS^). delight " (in ace. ).

VI.

mayest

thou

the ungodly hath no power

behold I will take of

my

that

no

hath

with

of

But

7.

learn that the wickedness of

eat before thee.

The God

father hath

haply thou mayest see and repent.

if

power over them that worship

my

'"alone'i ?

wickedness

ungodly

the

Lord

saidst

/SASi

the

that

and how

;

angel thy wickedness, and I have

But that thou mayest

7.

thou

It is because

enchantments

a

learn

observed the

that thou hast not eaten

that the

me by His

convict thee,

it to

to

is it

to idols, but to the

know

therefore

revealed unto

kept

I said

''deadly''

come not near

I

:

Now

6.

with

"Why

:

And

5.

?

filled it

thou

day she came

after one

and said unto me

I 4.

(a). \

a

tlie

"every

jS-dAom. r-

reads "the food."

was

to

beguile

'i.

And

bdS^

(afgA).

"accordingly." 5. Deadly enchantments ^^^^^ '['^^^^}-'' Q j^j-y y^^/jg,^

,

(a

r,.

^y

(a).

^ ,

read /3

A S^

Âť reads " -,

my

fathers."

me

His angel

{a K).

(a),

p-d Aabh gi read " this {b " her ") scheme was to beguile (+"the soul"

angel."

g)."

or the angel of peace

7.

j3-d

A7igel of Abraham. ?

g reads Is

"an

he Michael


JOSEPH— CHAPTERS And rwhen

8.

weeping

feet,

And

9.

she saw

and

;

this"i

she

VI. i-VII. 4

upon her

fell

set

upon

/3AS1

and she

evil,

looked around

how

en-

to

VII. But

ness,

downcast.

And when

a pain at

my

me

so

and

still

and sighing she became

her husband saw her, he said unto her

heart,

And she said

?

^unto himi

and the groanings of

my

he comforted her who was not

an

accordingly seizing

hang

not

lie

with me.

8.

"

When

she

saw

4.

her, I this'^

A

VII.

1.

diflBculty,

And when

(a).

^A

S^

(a). ^S^ read "and she "she wept." The a recension presents no except in the use of the word

("became downcast"), which reads in common with ^ A S^ The absolute use of this verb in the sense of "to be downcast," has occurred already in T. Zeb. x. ], but it is hard to justify it. Hence with d we should here supply rtp irpocrunrq} (A supplies TTvev/xari). This addition is supported by the next verse ri crvviireae TO irpbaunrbv aov ; ffvviwLiTTe it

Deeply, a reads avvropLus, which I have taken to be con-upt for (7vvt6vws. In the ^ A S^ recensions there are some variants, which will now be dealt with in succession. Set upon me with a vieio to lewdness (bdgA). aefS^ read "was set upon lewdness " {aKoXatriav). The latter agrees with a save that a reads "evil" (KaKov).

have

spirit oppress

sick.

3.

Then

I

me :

I

thou wilt

cliff, if

saw the

me

spirit of Beliar

prayed unto the Lord, and said unto

om. Weeping wept,"

I

opportunity she rushed unto

myself, or cast myself over a

was troubling

Why

:

:

while her husband was yet without, and said unto will

set

to lewd-

sick.

thy countenance fallen

;

A "neverthe-

was upon me with a view

snare me, and sighing deeply

she was not

(c^

less") her heart

she became downcast, though

2.

her.

she promised to do this iniquity no more. a

is

my

face at

up and admonished

I raised her

VII. But her heart was still

179

Sighing she became downcast. In first note on this verse, I have

the

drawn attention text.

A

is

to the difficulty of the here slightly corrupt, hut

when emended = TTj'et'yUa.Tt

av/jLTreaovaa

eareva^e.

2. Her husband (6 dur]p avrfjs a A-fef e)- /3 A^f SS^ read " the Egyptian man." To him (a). /3 A S^ om.

Who was

not sick

(/jlt]

dcdevovcrav

/3AS^). a reads iv \6yois. This divergence has arisen through a corruption in the Hebrew. The former = nSn kS, which apparently was corrupted into n^na, or

rhhr:in

mh into ^iS'oa

(late

Hebrew). 3. Then accordingly seizing an opportunity (a). ^-d S^ read " then " ; d " one day " ; A^^ " and when I was passing" A'3*cdg "and on the second ;

day." Cast myself over a cliff {aae/S^). b (d) g A^* '^ read " cast myself into a well or over a cliff," A^^ "cast myself into a well." <=


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i8o

her

5.

:

Why,

Twretched woman,i art thou troubled and dis-

turbed, blinded through sins

Eemember

?

that

thy husband, thy

thyself, Asteho, the concubine of

thou

if

kill

rival, will

beat thy children, and thou wilt destroy thy memorial from off the earth.

lovest

me

;

my children"", and 7.

And

6.

she said unto

let this suffice

me

me

Lo, then thou

:

But she knew not that because her.

For

8.

my

of

a

if

life ""and

my desire

I expect that I shall enjoy

and not because of

my

only strive for

:

lord I spake thus,

man hath

fallen before

the passion of a wicked desire and become enslaved by as she, whatever good thing he

may

Talsol

it,

even

hear with regard to that

passion, he receiveth it with a view to his wicked desire.

my

VIII. I declare, therefore, unto you, it

and

Lord

I knelt before the

and about dawn

I rose up,

a release from her.

2.

the day, and all the night

all

weeping the while and praying

At

garments, forcibly dragging

then, she laid hold of

last,

me

to

When,

that

in

was

saw

madness

she

that

to

my

was holding

her

fast

3.

madness

her

in

h " Setho."

regard to the passion he

Thy children (o^).

A

read "thy

toilt

destroy

{a^-bg&).

bg

read "she will destroy" ; A "she destroys." 6. Let this suffice me : only strive for ^ASi read "this (^-d^^ om.) (a). alone (A om. ) suffices me that («/ om.

thou strivestfor" (emending dfTiirotijaai of (8-& into dpTLTTOifj with SAS^.

And Ihave{a).

« reads " if

^-adgS^ "I have";

dgA

therefore." ^Also^ (a). jSAS^ om. lord (a^-bdB^). 7. "God," biit the context former.

My

have " "I have

I

;

With regard to that passion (a). g S^ read "with regard to the passion by which he is vauquished " A "with ;

vanquished." His wicked desire {a A). ^S^ read " the ^vicked desire. VIII. 1. And all the night (a), /3AS^ read "together with all the night" [koI oXrjv ttjv vinra (rvvdx^as). Here (rvvayj/as appears = nn_\ So the translator of jj^j. (a),

A

took

is

it.

^.d A S^ read "the Egyptian

woman." 2-4. 3.

Cf.

^

Gen. xxxix. 12-14, 16.

Therefore^

Garment. /3

(c j3).

Here

a

hAom. reads

x'-'^^^^'-^

gives lixdria.

Held fast to my garment naked. So a reads, save that after the words "I left it behind" a adds "and having shaken (it) off" {km iKTiva^d.

favours the

force

8.

while

bdS^ read

she

by

fast

/3-«

child."

saw

I

therefore,

^AS^ 5. ^Wretched loornan'^ (a). om. Asteho (a). c/A^*S read "Asitho";

Thou

my

(3S

When,

'"therefore,'' I

holding

for

have connection with her.

aA 3.

children, that

was about the sixth hour when she departed from me

.

.


JOSEPH— CHAPTERS garment, I

and

fled

left

behind,

it

away naked.

VII. 5-VIII.

my

to

garment, I

4.

And

/3-(^ASi

holding fast to the falsely accused

me, and when her husband

came he

me

cast

in his house

away

fled

naked.

a

garment she

5

into prison

and on the

;

morrow he scourged me and sent me into Pharaoh's

And

4.

me

she falsely accused

and the

to her husband,

me

Egyptian cast

into prison

his house, and on the morrow he scourged me and

in

me

sent

Pharaoh's

into

prison.

prison. a

/3-d

And when

5.

was

I

woman

bonds, the Egyptian

was oppressed with

in

grief,

and

how

she came and heard

I

And

5.

the

fetters,

with

sick

was

I

in

Egyptian

was

and

she

grief,

how

heard

A SI

when

sang

I

praises

gave thanks unto the Lord

unto the Lord in the house

and

of darkness,

sang

praises

the

in

and with glad

abode of darkness, and with

voice rejoicing, glorified

glad voice rejoiced, glorifying

only that

I

my God

from

lustful

from

that I was delivered

the

lustful

desire

of

the

God

was delivered desire

of

the Egyptian woman.

the Egyptian woman. This phrase is here meaningPossibly it arose from a dittography in the Hebrew. Thus /cat KaToXei^pas Kui eKTiva^dfievos ^(pvyov = yvfivos Dny "nor 'mpi 'naiy, where the word may be a rtittography of the supports a, but its testimony first. divided; A^^* ^'^ KaT^Xeixj/a is to,

/jLevos).

less.

A

=

l/j-drid aiiTrjs

fiov

A^S

;

/cat

KparTjadcrrjs

yv/jLvbs 'i<f>vyov

as

above,

force "

;

yvfivbs

;

i<p\jyov

rd

A^'' om.

though

;

oltt'

i/j-drid /jlov

^-cZS^ read

aefg

omit

d, as usual, is conflate,

elements peculiar to a and

/3

"by having

and A.

it reads /3ta Kparei rd liJ.dTid fxov dirodvcrdfievos etpvyov dirb aur^s yv/xvos.

5.

^-dAB^). a {rjadevei sick was oppressed " {ffweixero). The latter may=nx'73j, a corruption (?)

Arulwhen (a A), ^-d reads

" when,

therefore."

In bonds

(a).

j3

reads "in fetters."

"

of nnN'7J

= w^e:'et.

Was

delivered from the lustful desire The text the Egyptian vjomaji.

of reads

5ta

irpocpdcrews

dwriWdyriv

ttjs

This could be translated AlyvTrrlas. " was delivered by a pretext from the

Egyptian woman," but the sense

A

unsatisfactory. pretexts of the

Hence .

Thus

Was

reads

.

for

.

it is

TTJs

nnson

is

renders "from the

Egyptian woman." probable that 5td Trpotpdcreijjs Aiy.—n'iXDn n:Kn2, corrupt niiSTiD

— aTro

iircdv/jLlas

ttjs

The LXX and Vulgate imply the same corruption in Prov. Hence our translation. xviii. 1. AlyvTTTias.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i82

And

IX. "to

me

often hath she sent unto

my

fulfil

and

desire"!,

saying

Consent

:

from thy

thee

release

will

I

bonds, Tand I will free thee from the darkness.

not even in thought did

him who

loveth

I incline unto

a den of darkness combines fasting

in

with chastity, rather than the combines luxury with

knoweth that

it

and listened

upon me.

as

my

to

my

and

legs, Tthat

might

I

bestoweth this

peace.

!

And when

I

when

I

f"For"!

5.

her arms, and

to bare

with her

lie

;

for she was""

very beautiful, ""splendidly adorned"! in order

And

me.

the Lord guarded

Ye

X.

see,

me from

my

therefore,

after chastity

IX. The omissions by A in this chapter are many. combines fasting with 2. Wlio .

.

.

{tov

clutstity

vrjarevovTa iv Contrast T. Ash. ii. 8. which means generally

<r(j}(ppo(T\jvri).

ao}(ppo(Tvvq,

.

.

iiriKpdreia Tujv

.

(4 Mace.

iin.dviJ.Luiv

here means "chastity." X. 2.

Fasting {v-qareiovTa

Cf.

31),

i.

viii.

/3-ff/S^).

3,

The

man who fasts is here set over against the man who lives delicately, af read corruptly inffTeiiovTa, and a

still

more

so Tna-Tov.

Who licence

.

.

{rov

combines luxury with

.

.

.

.

Tpv<f>QvTa /^er'

to

beguile

her devices.

how

children,

things

great

patience worketh, and prayer with fasting.

Hf ye follow

though

often,"!

me"! at unlooked-for

^to

was in her house she was wont

liveth in

Most High

the

He

How

4.

down

man

a

if

voice as I prayed

heard her groanings I held

breasts,

in kings' chambers

and

glory,

also

she were sick, did she come times,

man who 3. And

expedient for him,

is

upon him, even

also

licence.

and desireth

chastity,

And

2.

For God

her.

So ye

2.

too,

and purity with patience and

Andif

3.

6 di

;

g

" and

t)

if

.

{ei bi c 5 Spread aef). 5i (corrupt for ei bi) ; h omits in chastity " ; d entire .

.

verse.

And

the

Most High

reads "the Most the Most High."

(/3-Sc?S^).

High";

b

"and

a if

And breasts {^ k'Si^). a omits. / might lie with her. Text reads (xvniriaui eh avr-qv, a phrase which has 5.

already appeared in T. Jud. xi. 2 (/3 S^), xiii. 3, 7. The corruption inherent in this phrase we took to have arisen in the Hebrew. See aote on T. Jud. xiii. 3.

aKo-

Sidendidly adon-ned,

etc.

Cf.

Yonia

Xao-tas).

35^, where

Kings' chambers {rafieiois ^aaiXiwv d S^). c d read ra/jLeiois j3aai.\ia. Hence the clause = "rather than in chambers a king living delicately," etc. For "kings' chambers" b reads simply " chambers.

Potiphar changed her garments twice a day in order to win over Joseph. X. 1. Prayer luith fasting. Cf. iii. 4,

/3-J

iv.

is

said that the wife of

8. 2.

(

it

So ye

(c).

+ " therefore, "

/3S^ read b d).

"and ye"


JOSEPH— CHAPTERS

IX. i-X. 6

183

prayer with fasting in humility of heart, the Lord will

among

dwell

you, because

He

loveth

chastity.

And

3.

wheresoever the Most High dwelleth, even though envy, or

Lord who dwelleth

slavery, or slander befalleth (a man), the

him

in him, for the sake of his chastity not onlyT delivereth

from

Tbut also exalteth

evil,

every

way

word,

or

the man"!

mind"!

my

:

had the

honoured

I

my

brethren

them, even when I was being

for

telling the Ishmaelites

man and

great

my

fear of

God

in

that all things would pass away.

I did not raise myself (against

intent, but

For in

know how my

brethren

a child, rj

knew

for I

;

My

4.

and yet I did not exalt myself Qn

although I was

hearf

And

6.

5.

as me.

whether in deed, or in

up,

lifted

is

thought.

in

father loved me,

him even

that

them) with

and out of respect

;

refrained from

sold, I

was the son

I

evil

Jacob, a

of

a mighty. Here

Prayer with fasting (a). /3 S^ om. Possibly the words are an intrusion

exripdr]P ev KaK(^.

from

This is not satisfactory, and the other Thus /3 A S^ read readings are corrupt.

ver. 1.

Wheresoever the Most High dwelleth. This clause does not agree well with 3.

what follows. Even though envy befall him (a). /3S^ read "even though a man .

fall

into envy,

.

.

or slavery, or slander,

or darkness." Delivereth, etc. Cf. i. 7. Exalteth. Cf. i. 7. 4. I have in the translation followed

the text of ^-bg S^, save that for awipXerai {aef) I have with d read avveiraiperai.. a is untranslatable, Trdyras yap dvOpdiTTovs avvipx^rai., where awipxerai = xu', which may be corriipt — eiraipeTai. But the text is for nny quite uncertain. bgS^ read crvvex^Tai. ,

.

.

I did not exalt myself. Cf. xvii. 8. 5. r/ had the fear of God in my Though A omits this clause, hearf^. supported by the parallelism. it is

=

All things {ad A), ^-df read to, iravra "the world"; / "all these things." 6. / did not raise myself {against

with

evil

intent.

So

c

{ov)k

iavTip

:

c

h

:

I

take iv

/ca/c^j

a middle sense.

eTrr}pd7}v in

(conflate)

seems best, but

oitK

ev

eV KaK(^

may

be a corruption for ifiavrov, which c would then = 'k-b: 'neon nV where the transla.tor wrongly took the Then /3AS^ {ifierpovv verb passively. /3

AS^ read

;

a corruption of the Hence we read " I did not former. But this, it will be exalt myself." observed, is a repetition of a clause in Hence it may be a dittography. ver. 5. Next, if the negative is not original, we might explain 'bjs: 'noon as a corruption of 'B'SJ 'nCDn "I kept myself quiet," the phrase in Ps. cxxxi. 2, which the ilj.avToi')—-':^^! 'nno,

LXX

as if it were Perhaps this suits the context I kept quiet and honoured my

and Vulgate render

'nDDii. '

best.

'

brethren,"

Even

etc.

/3A S^ om. Refrained from telling

add

in xi. 1.

and

iixerpovv ifxavrbv /jL^Tpui

Moreover, a parallel expression occurs

tliem)

j;-i3,

(a).

"my

race " (t6 yevos

(a).

j8AS^

fiov).

A=ib*cdg om. a reads Possibly both are "just" {diKaiov). renderings of anj. Tliis word is rendered Jacob {h

13

A^

S^).

Mighty {Swarov

as

by a

in the

c

— ^AS^).

LXX

of Prov. xvii.

7.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i84

Do

XI.

God

ye

my

also, therefore,

children, Qiave the fear of

in all your works before your eyes, and^ honour your

For every one who doeth the law of the Lord

brethren.

by Him.

be loved

shall

And when

2.

came

I

the

to

Indocolpitee with the Ishmaelites, they asked me, saying

Art thou a slave slave, that

And

And

?

I might

not put

my

the eldest of them said unto

brethren to shame.

me

Thou

:

even thy appearance doth make

for

that I was

said

rtheir""

was a home-born

said that I

I

slave.

But

manifest.

it

3.

art not a slave, I

Now when we came

4.

Egypt they strove concerning me, which of them 5. Therefore it seemed good should buy me and take me. Egypt with the merchant of in remain to all that I should into

their trade, until they should return bringing merchandise.

And

6.

Lord

the

gave

me

merchant, and he entrusted unto

God

blessed

and

silver

XL

1.

And

My

(aclA^^^*''^).

2.

Wlien I came

hb om. to the

Indocolpitae

a reads with the Ishmaelites {^-dS^). " when I was coming with the IshmaelA "when I came with them to ites" the Indocolpitae. Saying: Art thou a slave ? (a). ^S^ om. A reads "and said: art thou a slave or a freeman ? According to the Book of Jashar (Diet, des Apocr. ii. 1187) Joseph's brothers contended that Joseph was their slave when they sold him to the ;

Midianites.

A

Here e^ home-born slave [aaf). = n'3 tS'. Cf. Gen. xvii. 12. 6rfe A Spread "their home-born slave^" Cf. / put my brethren to shame. Joseph X. 6, XV. 3, xvi. 3, xvii. 1. was extolled by the Rabbis for his

olVou

devotion to his brothers (Tan. Wayessee Jeioish Encyc. \n. 2i8). ,

heh 20

;

And

7.

him

in gold

And

was

I

Memphian woman,

the

Doth make it manifest [a). /SAS^ And he "concerning thee. threatened me Tnuto deathl" Z.

add

jS-(ZA^^s om.

Before your eyes,

his house.

8.

the

of

five days.

about that time the

children

eyes

increased

household servants!

in

with him three months and XII.

me

him by my means, and

Tand

in the

favour

A

IMiich of them, etc. (a /3 S^). "and each offered part of his merchandise that he might take me ( 4.

reads

purchase " (?) A-'^'^). The merchant (a r? A* h b* c d g). ^-dii^ read "a merchant." The 6. Gave 7ne favour in the eyes. Cf. phrase is from Gen. xxxix. 21.

"by 5.

ii.

3. 7.

God

(aaf).

"the Lord." Gold and silver " silver and gold.

^-a/AS^

^-d S^ read

(a d).

A7ul in household servants, ^pyo;'

Kal^pyqi.

,

^,

a reads

= rn'nj;, a corruption of

^^^^. \^^^^ ''r'

read

rendering. ,

.

/SAS^

the phrase probably as -i

unm-

ÂŤ"^;".f telligible.

A S^). a And (aadfg).

^i^e (iays {^-d

omits.

XII.

fteS^omit.

1.


JOSEPH— CHAPTERS down

wife of Pentephri, came

XI. i-XHI.

185

5

Tin a chariot"', Twith great

pomp, because she had heard from her eunuchs concerning me"l.

And

2.

she told her husband that the merchant had

become rich by means of a young Hebrew, and they say had

he

that

Canaan.

assuredly been stolen out

Now,

3.

take away the youth to thy house

Hebrews

And

commanded

What stealest

them

God

of the

upon him.

the merchant to be brought, and said unto

that

persons

for

is

Pentephris was persuaded by her words, and

this

is

land of

the

unto him, and

so shall the

;

from heaven

bless thee, for grace

XIII.

of

therefore, render justice

slaves

hear ^concerning

I

out of 2.

?

and besought him, saying not what thou sayest.

Canaan, and

the land of

merchant

Bu.t the

I beseech thee,

:

And

S.

at

fell

my

him

:

thou

that

thee"!,

sellest

his feet,

know unto him

lord, I

Pentephris said

Hebrew slave? And he said: The Ishmaelites entrusted him to me until they should return. 4. But he believed him not, but commanded him to be stripped and beaten. And when he persisted in this

"Whence, then,

the

is

statement, Pentephris said

And when Came

I

was brought

doitni {KaTTjei

"passed "

a).

/3

:

Let the youth be brought.

in, I

A Spread

bdA^^

Concerning thee [aaefg). omit.

(TrapTjet).

Pentephri, ov "PenteTphre." &eread Petephri. In a chariot {a cede/), bg omit. With great pomp concerning me (a). /SS^ read "with great pomp and she cast her eyes upon me because her eunuchs had told her concerning

A&

.

me,"

.

.

A

A7id

them for slaves. A reads as male and female

sellest

"to be unto thee slaves." 2.

But

merchant

the

|3-c? g' {ag). therefore (A on his face."

fell at his feet

A S^

read "the merchant "and the merchant") fell

"she looked and saw me." That the mercJiant had become rich (a). read " concerning the merchant that f he had become rich. To thy house [aefW-). a reads "to our house," 6(^7 " to be thy steward,"

7 know not tohat thou sayest. Matt. xxvi. 70.

A

/* .,

2.

5.

did obeisance to Pentephris

M

" for the office of steward to thee. XIII. 1. Pentephris. be read " Petephri." To be brought (b d g S^). aaef read "to come" (corruption arose in the Hebrew), A^ " to bring."

z.' (^)_ ..^^^^

And ^^

^y

Pentephris said unto hvm ^^^^^ « ^^^ he," & ^^ A S^

^^ said." '

,

,,

ir

Cf.

7

7

/

\

r,

^

k

m

,

^"^^

ft^^'^T /'-^t^ " hast Hebrew slave thou the I^T ? 4.

Let the youth be brought (a b

d g).

« «/S^ read " let the youth answer." (3 S^ read "the 5. Pentephris {a). chief of the eunuchs,"

A

"him."


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

i86

he was third in rank of the

(for

And

me

he took

thou a slave or said

;

said

:

Whose

How

free

And

?

And

?

I said

They bought me out

me commanded me

The

:

A

:

thou

slave.

Ishmaelites'.

liest

and

;

6.

me Art 7. And he 8. And he And I said 9. And he

?

of the land of Canaan.

^Truly""

:

I said

become their slave

didst thou

said unto

Pharaoh).

officers of

apart from him, and said unto

:

he

'"straightway"'

to be stripped and beaten.

Now

the Memphian woman was looking through me while I was being beaten, for her house was Thy judgment is near, and she sent unto him, saying"! unjust for thou dost punish a Tfreel man who hath been 2. And when I stolen, as though he were a transgressor. a

XIV. window

Tat

;

;

made no change

me

ordered

my

in

statement, ""though I was beaten,T he

the boy should come.

Wherefore

husband:

rank of

Pharaoh {rplr OS rQv ^apaw apxavTuv .

.

And

3.

officers

tlie,

A=

=p

used in a partitive sense. "his rank was second to Pharaoh." " third in rank with Pharaoh, /3 reads, (as) otHcer of all the eunuchs (vapa ry dpx<^v irdvTiov tQv evvovx'^v) wives and concubines and childi'en." The text of /3 seems clearly secoudary. The phraseology recals the

having

of three

and

me

&)

and I said he said A read " and he said unto .

b

Whoseslave runtohiml :

8. ,,

°.

said

Jle

"again

o)

"unto me

.

.

art thou

i^-bg).

he said unto

?

and

I said

&A&i (+ AS om. me (

,',

rather

^-^-ASi omit.

b

(a).

/3AS'

omit.

him

C^nto

(a).

/3

" unto her

S^ read

husband.

Thy

judgment

(aftA^^^S^).

A^^*'^<lfs read " the judgment. "

words with the transposed by

j8-6

These

rest of this verse are

A

after the first clause

of ver. 3.

Thoio dost punish as though he ^gre a transgressor (/3 A S^ save that A reads "dost detain" for "dost punish"). q,

.

.

reads corruptly rifiuprjcraL

^

^^^^

,

jj^^^-^^

^

^ ^ ^)_ ^^

f^ ^b*

.

^^^^^

ddiKiiis.

^^^^^

« ^g_

^^-^

^^„

. <

Oioners of the boy {aB-dgii^).

read " „

,

Land of Canaan (c/3-6ASi). reads "Canaan." ,8 A S^ omit. 9. Tridyla).

and

be set at

to

was being heaten." For her house ivas near

3.

).

Straightway {a g).

said unto her

the captive

.

a omits what follows

I said " in ver. 8.

And

7.

{p-b

"shall rule as one

m the kingdom."

And I said,

6.

to "

v. 7

woman

1. At me while I was being (aadg). bef read "while I

beaten

^cLpail),

words in Dan.

the owners of

detain

XIV.

of

Here irapd

a).

said,

who ought

du d^id/j-aTL rrapa

.

the

thou

dost

in bonds,

well-born lad Third in

he

to be imprisoned, until,

-^""^'^

my

„u

The ,<,.

ms

(^^Aab^cd

woman .^

wile,

Her husband "him." ''In bonds'' (a).

<=

ca^

(ae/cfb'). '' "

^

(a).

dgA

Ms") owners."

j-

/

.,

abaj A» i

'

/3ASi

/SAS^omit.

read


JOSEPH— CHAPTERS out of a desire Tof these things.

sin"!,

And

5.

the Egyptians to take before proof

the merchant

for

;

me all

away

How

2.

It

is

not the custom of

This, therefore, he said concerning

6.

lad,

he must be imprisoned.

and twenty days came the Ishmael-

after four

they had heard that Jacob ^my father^ was mourn-

And they came and said unto me

ing TmuchT concerning me. is it

we have

lo,

:

that which belongeth to others

but as for the

;

XV. Now ites

to see

For she wished

4.

?

he said to her

given.

is

187

7

but I was ignorant concerning

and be waited upon

liberty,

XHI. 6-XIV.

that thou saidst that thou wast a slave

mourneth

for

•""When I heard this

my

in the land of Canaan, and thy father rstilD

bowels were dissolved and

my

3.

?

mighty man

learnt that thou art the son of a

thee in sackcloth fand ashesl.

:

and

heart melted"!, and I desired

greatly to weep, but I restrained myself, that I should not

my

put

know

counsel to

hands.

come

am

sell

TAnd

to shame.

brethren

not, I

a slavel

4.

unto them, I they took

rtherefore"",

me, that I should not be found in their

For they feared

5.

said

I

Then,

and"! execute

my

he

father, lest

Tshould

upon them a grievous vengeance.

For

they had heard that he was mighty with God and with

men.

Then

6.

said the

merchant unto them

:

Eelease

me

from the judgment of Pentephri. 7. And they came and Waited upon (a). ;8 A Spread "wait dissolved and my heart melted? (a), upon thee."

Possibly xii. favour of the latter reading. 4.

Cf.

iii.

3

is

in

Put my brethren to shame.

8.

Her (c). /S-at^A''^ read "the Memphian woman." 5.

6.

/SAS^omit. they had heard,

For (a). dA /3 A S^ read "and having heard." " adil when they were in the land of 1.

Canaan."

A S^

Much

(a).

And

they came

/3A-bSi read

/3

omit. a,nd said

(a A^).

"and (^-dS^ om.) they

^

For

And

thee.

ashes'^

bdgA^omit. (a). ^AS^omit.

The

words are probably an intrusion. JVlien I heard this my bowels tvere 3. ''

4.

''Therefore'^ (a).

3Iy "Jacob."

fatlier

(a).

Cf. xi. 2.

reads

c

"unto

^AS^omit. /SAS^

read

A

''Should come and? (a). /3 S^ omit, Grievous vengeance. The text reads ^KdiKTiaiv kivSOvov. Is kivSvuov here a

rendering of pax as Symmachus renders it in Gen xlii. 4 ? God {ag). ^-g AS^ read "the

Lord." 6. Pentephri (ad),

said." 2.

Vnto them (hd). him," abefS^ omit. 5.

''Therefore'^ (a).

XV.

/SAS^omit.

a/ read "Pen-

tiphre," Se^" "Petephri." /S-gr S^ read " they 7. And they (a). therefore," "before him."

A


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS requested

me, saying

:

rSayT that

us with money, and he will set us

thou wast bought

XVI. Now the Memphian woman

Buy

the youth

for I

;

by

free.

said to her

husband

hear, said she, that they are selling

him. |3ASi

c

And

2.

sent

straightway

eunuch

a

me.

But

3.

2.

to

buy me

(at

known

to

their price) he

made

and

them,

of

to

since the

eunuch would not agree returned, having

And

she

the Ish-

and asked them

maelites, sell

to

he

to his mistress

trial

made that

eunuch

sent a

she

the

Ishmaelites

asked them to

sell

me.

and

The

chief captain, therefore, called

Ishmaehtes

the

them

and asked

me,

to sell

3.

since he did not their

he

price)

^And

agree (to departed"!.

But the eunuch, Twhen he

they asked a large price for

had made

their slave.

made known

of

trial

them,"'

to his mistress

that they asked a large price rfor their slave^.

^And she sent another eunuch,"" saying Even though they demand two minse, Tgive them,"! do not spare rthe gold only buy the boy, and bring him to me. ^Say^ (aaef^^). hd g A. ovait. to sell me (ae/AS^ save A reads 4.

:

;

Thou wast bought by us loith money d SI). A " we bought A^ ^ " thou boughtest," A^ "ye bought ") him with money." (a p-b

(

And

he {+\onru>v,

c)

^Xf'

ae/S^ read "and he

O')-

us

set

us free (KCLKelvos Xvaai (h diroXvffai) rj/xas

toill

free

set

he

set us free,"

set

(

A

will

bdg "and

(dwoXvaei),"

"and

the merchant " The original meaning of the text is quite uncertain. XVI. 1. Said to her husband : Buy the youth (a), ^-d S^ read " instructed (edrfKcacre) her husband to buy me." Here drjXuxxai appears to be the equiva" sent to her lent of (ppdaai. husband that he should buy me." h omits btiy the youth to the end of the Testament and all of the Test. Benjamin. 2. The chief captain asked them

+ " us " A"'

t> li)

free.

A=

'

'

.

.

.

"merchants"

for "Ishmaelites"). omit through hmt. But the eunuch, wlien he had made

cbdg

made known (begSi^ save "but " and reads " and

trial of them,

that

e

omits

r/

af

omit the 'l)ut" (5^) and connect these words with what precedes, "and as the eunuch did not agree (to their price) he departed when he had made trial of them and he for

it),

made known."

d

gives a peculiar text,

but supports b in reading 6 de eiVThe text is very uncertain. ovxos. " of gold." 4. Minas{c). /3 A S^ add ^Give

if^

(Trap^x^ '"^

<^

^°^ a^ro'is

^i

read irpdaexe "take care." Do not spare (c a- g' A Âť b ii) ^ji 5 gf gi " not to spare." read eunuch therefore To me. 5. The went (c). /3 S^ omit. d).

befg

,

A


JOSEPH— CHAPTERS

XVI. i-XVH. 6 p-d

The

5.

eunuch

therefore

And

5.

189

A SI

he gave them eighty

went and gave them eighty

pieces of gold

pieces of gold, and^f* he re-

told

mef but Egyptian woman he

that a hundred pieces

ceived

the

to

;

said

:

for me,

Egyptian

the

and

woman had

been given.

I

have given a hundred.

And though

6.

knew

I

my

(this) I held

peace, lest the

eunuch should be put to shame.

XVII. Ye

see, therefore,

my

children,

endured that I should not put

I

Do

2.

also, rtherefore,"' love

ye

ye

hide

suffering

delighteth

l"in

one

my

what great things

brethren to shame.

one another, Tand with long-

another's

faults"i.

For

3.

God

the unity of brethren, and"! in the purpose of

a heart that takes pleasure in love.

4.

And when my

brethren came into Egypt they learnt that I had returned their

money unto them, and upbraided them

forted them.

5.

And

after the death of

not,

Jacob

and com-

my

father I

them ""niore abundantly^, and all things whatsoever he commanded I did ""very abundantly"" for them. 6. And I loved

Eighty {c^).

A

reads "sixty." me, but to the Egyptian ivoman he said, I have given ^-d S^ read " for me, and told the (c). Egyptian woman that a hundred had 5.

And

he

received

been given" ( + "for me" be). dveXd^ero fie ("received me"

Here c)

is

=

'jnpS corrupt for ^ishn (or >B^n) or else gives a ':nnn = a.i'Tt e/ioO (^ S^). peculiar text here, but supports j3 S^.

A

The eunuch should be put to shame a e/ A S^ read " the eunuch should be tortured," dg "I should put the eunuchs to shame." ^SS^ XVII. 1. Therefore (cA). 6.

(c).

My father (c d Al'*cdg).

p.d g A^f s

omit.

omit.

Put my

read dyadov, "the good," but this does not suit the context, and may probably be regarded as a corruption The parallelism with the of dydTTT}!'. preceding clause would be established, if we took n^rta ("love") to be a corruption of mnx, " brotherliness. learnt (c). 4. They /SAS^ read " when they learnt," but their text is ungrammatical except in b, which adds an apodosis at end of ver. 5. And comforted (c). j8 A S^ read " yea and even." Aafe*ed omit. 5. Jacob.

brethren to shame.

Cf. xi. 2.

So ^-ad& eKiXevreads they commanded (iKeXevo-av). c reads ijdeXov, a id^Xr]-

Be commanded.

Purpose of a heart (j3AS^). c reads "purpose of a good heart." Perhaps we should read irpoaipecrei KapSlas dyadrj, "the good inclination

cev.

A

ffav.

The

(tendency, impulse) of the heart." Love(dydwriv). So^-a. c«A'i^*'=dg

fusion of «s and «s, or n?s.

3.

'

'

variations

may have

arisen

within the Greek, or there was a con6.

Andi{cdA.)'.

/3-d;

S^ read " for I."


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

igo

them not

suffered

be afflicted even in

to

the smallest

my hand I gave unto them. 7. f^And^ their children were my children, and my children as their servants and their life was my life, and all their suffering was my suffering, ^and all their sickness was my infirmity"'. My land was their land, and their counsel my matter

and

;

that was in

all

;

counsel.

And

8.

I exalted not myself

arrogance"' because of

my

'"worldly"' glory,

them as one of the least"". XVIII. If ye also, therefore, walk

my

of the Lord,

He

children.

you with good things

bless

any one seeketh pray

l"For,"l

3.

behold, ye see that

took

me

were given

|8AS^omit.

^And'^ic).

And my land

°

.

J,

.

,

caef ,

was

the

7

counsel

/

Cf.

X

us

of .

.,

I teas among them

least.

before

my counsel (cdg) my coimsel their counsel.

_

8

clause

this

their counsel

'one

^,

as one of the

Luke xxn 27 "I am among

^"l^'T^ ,'^^f:^r.r XVIII. 1. A reads Walk 1,

m

ye

therefore the same path children (+"with me, A**) and

, also,

my God

(Ab*cdfg "Israel Shaddai ") will " glorify you and exalt you for ever fA.'il>

"on

hio-h ")

My chUdren He

(hdeg will

{^'a

A S^).

you

there,

will exalt ^^).

exalt

c

c

a omit. bless you

and

a/ read "God (a/om.)

you."

bdegSi^. 2. This verse

is

a

will

'"And

if

my

of

humility

daughter of

hundred talents of gold

But

A

teaching. 3.

suffering"),

their

6 e/Si read

Ah=

and

unto him, and

the

with the rest of

cA

land {bdg A,

ivas their

transposes all

And

2.

with her, and the Lord made them to serve

Their life ivas my life (/SS^). read " my life was their life."

A

there,

ever.

•"out

unto wife

And

the priest of Heliopolis.

"and

and

to do evil unto you, do well

and long - suffering"! i

but

you

him, and ye shall be redeemed of the Lord from

for

all evil.T

7.

commandments

in the

will exalt

for ever

among them rfn l"but I was among

supports

in perfect keeping

My

a omits

aiithor's ethical

oi:r

Gad vi.-vii. huviility and (c). ^S' Cf. T.

omit.

vers. 3, 4.

j'he daughter the daughter."

(c).

/3-a S^

read " even

Priest of Heliopolis (c). Cf. Jub. ^^ ^.^^ ^ gi ^.f^^ ,. ^y^ ^^^^^^^ « J;'^^^^^ „^_ j^^^^^ j^^^.^^ ^^^^ (^ ^g-^^^^^ ^^-^^ ^^^ marriage of Joseph to the daughter of a heathen priest, ^^^ represents Asenath as a daughtei ^^ j^j^^ ^^ Shechem. See my note on Jub. xl. 10. Our author, as the ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^j^^ ^^ ^^ Jubilees, identifies Pentephri or Potiphar with the father ^j_

.

^^

\S„^th Asenatn

, ,, ^ the , ffnridred talents of gold. On presents made to Joseph, see Bk. of ^^^^''^'^

And

l^H). /S-aeAS^ read

(^^'^- '^^^ ^P'^'^- "•

the

Lord

(c).

"for the Lord." Made them to

serve

KaredoiiXoxTev).

So

which read

me

all

fxov for fioi.

(fiol

MSS

aiVoi)?

but eg


JOSEPH— CHAPTERS me.

And He

4.

gave

me

beautiful ones of Israel

also

and

;

XVII. 7-XIX.

2

191

beauty as a flower beyond the

He

preserved

me

Tunto old age

in strength and^ in beauty, because I was like in all things to Jacob.

XIX. And children,

also

which

saw.

I

my

hear ye,

XIX. Hear

the

vision

the vision which I saw.

2.

There

I

And

and the

persed.

were

(first)

dispersed over all the earth,

A

reads:

ing day they also were dis-

(

things." c omits.

this chapter

we

are obliged

wholly

to the the Greek MSS are at once defective and corrupt. Verses 3-7 are found only in A, while the Christian interpolations in the Greek version in vers. 8 and 11 are either wholly or in part absent from A. Yet A itself is corrupt. Some of the corruptions indeed as in ver. 8 can be removed and the text restored with considerable certainty, but such trust

oiu-selves

Armenian

since

version,

a consummation the case of ver. 1.

is

hardly possible in

6.

^4^50 the vision 2ohich

c reads

which which

'

'

I saw

also concerning the

I

know,"

I

saw."

(/3-6).

visions

"also the visions Perhaps the plural is b

right.

This vision represents in brief outline the Twelve Tribes in qiiiet 2-4.

as a

/3

are defective, this

only in ver.

2.

word

is

found

Its equivalent in the

Armenian recurs also in But as a ;8 omit in ver. 9 an interpolation there.

vers. 3, 4, 9. it is

probably

It is printed

Armenian text in ver. 8 but A^^^s read eltsheruats {^Kepdrwv)

also in the

248.

XIX. In to

:

;

a flower {^-aA&).

I was like in all things to Jacob. "Both," This was the Rabbinic view. the Rabbis showed, "were born after their mothers had been long barren, both were hated by their brothers, both were met by angels (Gen. R. Ixxxiv. 6 Num. R. xiv. 16)." Bee Jewish £nci/c. vii.

the three were

occupatiou of Palestine the leading into captivity of the nine tribes by Assyria, then of the three by Babylon : the return of the three tribes to Palestine, and at their intercession the restoration of the nine. In the last statement the writer seems to pass from the sphere of history to that of prediction but it may be possible that he regarded all the Twelve Tribes as having actually returned from exile. 2. Harts. The Greek is ^Xacpoi, and

was beautiful as a flower, and At>) beautiful beyond ( + all A^) ( + 1 was the chosen ones of Israel ( + and temperate and humble A^), beyond Levi and Judah and Naphtali. He preserved me in beauty (A^ I was more beautiful than they) because I was like Jacob in

As

Now

preserved, but on the follow-

also the three.

wife A^)

all

nine of them were dis-

"And + Aseuath my

and likewise 4.

2.

saw twelve harts feeding.

were twelve harts feeding nine

ye, therefore,

as

take

;

that either the editor has erred in printing eltsherats ( iXdcpuv) or that A.^'b*c(X ^j-g corrupt. iXa<pos is used generally as a rendering of S'n in I

it

=

the

LXX.

become

But had not these ^Xacpoi wpb^ara in vers. 3, 4,

d/xvoi or

we might suppose

that the Greek transhad taken "^-x { = Kpibs) as "j'x. In Lam. i. 6 the princes of Judah are said to have " become as harts that find no pasture." In our text they are symbols of the Twelve Tribes. It lator

will be observed that in vers. 5-9 have different symbols.

we

Feeding, c adds "in a place." All the earth, b S^ read " the earth." And likewise {cf). ^-df read " likewise."

Were preserved (Aab*cdfg)_ read "fed with each other."

^^


192

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS persed.

And

3.

saw that

I

the three harts became three

lambs, and they cried to the Lord, and

He

brought them

forth into a flourishing

and

well -watered place, yea

He

brought them out of darkness

into

light.

there

they

cried

unto the

Lord

until

there

gathered

them the nine

together to

and they became as

harts,

twelve little

and 5.

These two verses are necessary to complete the vision. In 3. Three harts, i.e. three tribes. its description of the return from the captivity, 1 En. Ixxxix. 72 symbolises the three tribes as " three sheep. " I am not aware of any other passage which speaks of the three tribes as having 3-4.

returned.

The three Imrts became three lambs.

The is a peculiar transformation. In 1 En. idea recurs in the next verse. Ixxix.-xc. the righteous Israelites are symbolised by white sheep, and in xc. 38 the white sheep are transformed Perhaps the idea of into white oxen.

This

symbolising Israel in the past by harts, which are wild animals, is to imply that the nation had fallen very far short of the standard of righteousness they should have attained. Ee brought (A^^). A'^^ read "the Lord brought." Out of darkness into light. Cf. Ps. cvii. 14 ; Is. ix. 2, xlii. 16, Iviii. 10. our author addresses the 4. As Twelve Tribes in his twelve Testaments it is to be presumed that he regarded them as all actually present in Palestine. The nine harts. The nine "tribes" are mentioned in the Ethiopic version

And

4.

sheep,

they

time

after

a

increased

many

became

And

and

flocks.

after these things I

of 4 Ezra

xiii.

40.

The usual phrase

"the nine and a half tribes." Cf. Apoc. Bar. Ixii. 5, Ixxvii. 19, Ixxviii. 1 4 Ezra xiii. 40 (Syr. and Arab,

is

;

versions); Asc. Is. iii. 2, or "the ten tribes," 4 Ezra xiii. 40 (Lat. vers.) Apoc. Bar. i. 2. 5-9. Until fresh MS evidence is discovered, we must make the best of our This unsatisfactory Armenian version. Apocalypse is much more detailed than the former. It hints at the descent of the Messiah from Judah, or at the rise ;

of one of the great

Maccabean

leaders.

First let us consider the former possibility the descent of the Messiah from Judah. If this was the original

—

import

of

this

vision,

ver.

5

must

relate either to pre-exilic times, or to

the second century B.C., as the Twelve Tribes are conceived as dwelling in Palestine (that the Twelve Tribes were Maccabees the Palestine under in appears to have been a supposition of

our author ; see T. Reub. vi. 8 note), and ver. 8 refers to the immediate future. But on either supposition ver. 8 cannot be interpreted of a descendant of David, if the words in the Armenian " in the midst of the horns " are genuine; for there were no "horns"


JOSEPH— CHAPTER

XIX.

3-7

193

saw and behold, twelve bulls were sucking one cow, which produced a sea of milk, and

drank

there

thereof

the

twelve flocks and innumerable

herds.

And

6.

horns of the

-f-

the

fourth bull

went up unto heaven and became

wall

a

as

for

the

and in the midst of

flocks,

the [two] horns there grew

another

horn.

saw a bull notable leaders among David's descendants in the second century B.C. The plain implication of ver. 8 is that the deliverer of Israel is to arise from amongst the leaders of the time, if the clause "in the midst of the horns" is Now the leaders of the genuine. nation in the second century were sprung not from Judah, but from Levi. Moreover, according to c j3 S^, the

or

was to be by Judah, "and on his left

deliverer of Israel in ver. 8 assisted

hand there was, as it were, a lion." Thus we infer that the text originally implied the deliverance of Israel by Levi or a descendant of Levi, who was This inferto be assisted by Judah. " do ye, ence is confirmed by ver. 11 therefore, my children, honour Levi and Judah for from them shall arise Hence we the salvation of Israel." :

;

conclude that our text refers to the one of the great Maccabeans.

rise of 5.

Bulls.

Tlie

Armenian

word

be a rendering of ^ovs, fibaxos, or ravpos, any one of which could be a rendering in turn of la. This word recurs in verses 6, 7, 9. In the former vision the tribes were symbolised by " harts. Before "milk" the milk. Of meaning text inserts an adjective "strong," "violent," "terrible." The Armenian word can Herds. also be used of a flock of sheep. " fourth " is not a corruption, 6. If

zuarag

.

maj''

.

.

verse

this

hegemony dynasty.

calf

relates

of

7.

to

Judah

But

And

which the or

probably

I

sur-

pre -exilic of David's

"fourth"

" (tshorrort) is a corruption for " third (errort). Levi was the third of the twelve sons of Jacob. The verse would refer then to the domination of the nation by the hierarchy of Levi, and the emergence of the Maccabean family. And in the midst of the (two) horns another horn. Is this "horn" Mattathias ? .

.

.

Aefg om. Tvjo (Aal3t.*cd)_ When the interpolations in ver. 8 are removed, and the corruptions 7-9.

emended, it becomes probable that these verses refer to one and the same victorious leader, who, symbolised at first by a "bull calf," is subsequently denoted by a "lamb," having thus undergone a transformation analogous to those in verses 3, 4. This leader in all probability, is, one of the Alaccabees. But possibly ver. 7 refers to Judas, and verses 8, 9 to John Hyrcanus, but the former view is more probable. 7. A hull calf. = /a6(rxos = Sjy.

The Armenian word If this leader is not

the same as the hero spoken of in ver. 9, may be Judas the Maccabee. See notes on 7-9, and 8.

he

A

hull calf which surrounded them Ab*dtwelve times (Aabh(cefg)). " twelve oxen which surrounded them. ITie text

seems corrupt.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

194

rounded them twelve times,

and

it

became a help

to the

bulls wholly.

And

8.

saw that

I

Judah was born] a [wearing

a

and from

linen

her]

were

a

lion

the

them,

and on

;

hand there was ;

beasts rushed

and

f-virgin

garment,

was born a

lamb, [without spot] his left

[from

and

as it

the

all

The ' '

little

corrupt and

"was born

But before that event the text had

of

suf-

fered grossly, as we shall presently discover. If we turn to ver. 9 we shall find that the Greek gives an interpretation of the symbols, " angels and men,"

"land," and not the original terms of vision which are preserved in Armenian "bulls" and "cow." Thus in a symbolical vision, where

the the

represented by animals, as the bull, calf, lamb, such a term as are

Hence it is "virgin" cannot occur. either a corruption of some other word, First of all or an addition to the text. it is probable that the same victorious referred to in verses 7 and 9. In ver. 7 as a bull calf he helps the bulls, and in ver. 9 the bulls rejoice

leader

-f-virgin

coloured

garment, and from her] went forth

a

lamb

right (was as

and)

all

;

it

and on

his

were a lion

the beasts and

all

them and destroyed them.

foot.

an intrusion, since no proper name is used in such If the writer had symbolical visions. designed Judah, he would have used such a phrase as the fourth bull, etc. This clause was added (cf. ver. 6). after the Armenian version was made.

men

-

them

Became a help to the Maccabees are referred to as the help " in Dan. xi. 34. c ;8 S^ is

many

him), and the lamb overcame

and destroyed

This verse in

a

overcame

bulls.

8.

midst of the horns a [wearing

the

in

the reptiles rushed (against

and trod them under

First, interpolated. Judah " is obviously

saw

I

him,

against

lamb

And

8.

is

because of his triumphant overthrow Now in the latter of their enemies. half of ver. 8 this leader is referred to Thus the symbolic as a lamb {dfJivdi). from designation has been changed ;

And

9.

the

bulls

rejoiced

being a bull calf (ndcrxo^), he has been transformed into a lamb. As similar transformations have already been mentioned in verses 3, 4, this transformation can cause no difficulty. But such a transformation must have been mentioned. Hence the record of this transformation must have been given in the earlier half of ver. 8 in other words, we find there an account of the transformation of a bull calf into a lamb, and not the birth of a lamb from a virgin. Hence we should read "And I saw that in the midst of the horns a bull calf became a lamb." Finally the addition, " wearing a linen garment," must be of course rejected ;

as

an interpolation, which was added

when once the impossible term "virgin" appeared in the text.

A lamb. Tliis " lamb " appears to have been one of the Maccabees. On his right fights Judah, who is here designed by a "lion." All the beasts rushed against him. The

beasts

are

the

various

nations, especially Syria with its

gentile

Greek

mercenaries. Cf. 1 En. xc. 12, 16 " all the eagles and vultures and ravens and kites {i.e. the Syrians, etc.) came together and helped each other to break that horn of the ram" (i.e. Judas the Maccabee). 9. The bulls and the cow, i.e. the twelve tribes and their country Pales.

.

.


JOSEPH— CHAPTER And

9.

men

angels and

the

all

him the

because of

and

rejoiced,

land.

And

10.

come

these things shall

to

pass in their season, in the

my

who

saveth

[all

these

And

things must come to

pass in

And

10.

their

11.

season.

my

for

of

from them shall

the

the

do

ye,

children,

arise

salvation of Israel.

from them shall

Lamb of

taketh away the

who

of the world] one

sin

harts] exulted to-

the

honour Levi and Judah,

arise Tunto youT [the

God,

[and

gether with them.

observe

for

;

because of him, and the cow

ye there-

Lord, and honour Levi and

Judah

195

Do

11.

commandments

the

8-12

children,

last days. fore,

XIX.

the Gentiles and]

Israel.

kingdom

12. For his

everlasting

shall not pass

away

;

to

mock, which will not appear

an

an end as a watcher's

hammock, which

summer

shall

but

kingdom among you come

my

For my kingdom which among you shall come to an end as a watcher's ham-

is

kingdom, which

after

12.

is

after the

summer.

the

disappeareth.

The Greek text See ver. 5. It has translated here is not original. the symbols of the vision into ordinary language, and done this in part rightly " The whole and in part wrongly. land " is the right interpretation of the terra "cow," but the "biills" should have been interjireted as the tribes of

The Tlie Lamb of Ood, etc. bracketed clauses are obvious interpola-

Israel."

tions.

tine.

'

'

The cow [and the harts] {AP*<^^^). A^^ read "the descendants of the three

A^ "two

harts,"

of the three harts." '

and the have bracketed the words with them " as an interpolaharts I

'

.

tion

;

.

.

for the " bulls " already designate

the Twelve Tribes, which in the first vision aris designated by the "harts."

5-12; T. Dan. v. 10. /SS^ read " Judah and Levi." From them (/3AS^). c reads "from

vi.

their seed."

Unto you A om.

/3

Wlio taketh o.way S read " by grace."

reads

"unto

His kingdom

.

.

.

tlie

world

(c).

shall not pass Apparently from Dan. vii. 14. Sliall not pass aioay (c^-ab). ab8^ read " shall not be shaken " (through an internal corruption). As a watclier's hammock, etc. Cf. 12.

.

.

.

away.

Is.

This is Levi and Judah (cA). the right order. See notes on T. Reub. 11.

c

(/3S^).

us."

i.

8, xxiv.

20.

Disappeareth appear."

(c).

/3

S^ read " will not


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

196

XX.

""For""

know that after my death the Egyptians but God will avenge you, and will bring

I

will afflict you,

He

you into that which

my

ye shall carry up

promised to your fathers.

bones with you

when

Tfor

;

But

2,

my

bones

are being taken up thither, the Lord shall be with you in

and Beliar

light,

3.

And

shall be in darkness

carry ye up Asenath

your mother

[to the

Hippo-

with the Egyptians"!.

And

3.

carry ye up Zilpah

mother, and nigh

your

to

drome], and near Eachel your

Bilhah by the Hippodrome

mother bury

lay her near Eachel.

4.

And

her.

when he had said these things he stretched out

his feet,

and died

mourned

for

at a good old

him, and

all

age.

And when

all Israel

/3S1

c

6.

And

5.

Egypt, with a great mourning.

the children

For

6.

he

even

felt

for

of Israel went out of Egypt,

the Egyptians as though a

dg

If we could suppose it to be so here, the text could stand. Near Rachel, your mother. Rachel was buried near Ephrath. Cf. Gen. XXXV. 16 sqq. xlviii. 7. Bury (c). A reads "lay."

XX. add "

fFor'^

1.

my

(c).

iSASi om.

children.

My death (c

/3

&).

A^bli read " me."

Tour fatJiers (cbAi?). efg read "our fathers." 2. Ye sliall carry up my bones, etc. Cf.

Gen.

1.

25

;

Exod.

xiii.

Nigh

19.

Thither {c ^-b d). b d ova.. 3. In Aatih the text = "And your brother (A^'' " brothers ") carry ye up (A'l"lay to rest") and near my sister and mother lay him (A^ " them ")."

be/ Asenath, your mother {cd). j^b*cdggi read "Zilpah, your mother," ^abh " your brother " (A''" brothers "). The reading " Zilpah " can hardly be justified. All four of Jacob's \\ave3 appear to have died before his descent Jub. into Egypt. See Gen. xlvi. 8-27 Jos. Ant. ii. 7. 4. xliv. 12-33 ;

;

A rightly [To the Hi2)podrome.'\ I have bracketed as om. this phrase. an interpolation from the LXX of Gen. xlviii.

7,

where

iTrTrddpofiov

x°-^P^^o.

appears as a double rendering of -m3D. This Greek word is again iised in the same verse as a rendering of Ephrath (?).

(/3S').

to Bilhah near Rachel According to Jub. xxxiv. 16, .

Bilhah was buried

tomb

of Rachel.

this

statement

Heuce the

I

/3

.

over against the not aware that found elsewhere.

am

is

text of

.

S^ is ancient.

When he had said these things (c 13 S^). A^ reads "after these things," 4.

Aab*cdg om. Died at a good

old age. Here c |3 S^ KaXqi (/3S^ virvov alihvLov), where ijirvi^ Ka\i2 ny\o rtyriZi corrupt for naia nn'jy:: (Gen. xv. 15).

read

£K0Lfj,rjd7]

iiirvc^

=

rendering " at a good old

Hence

my

age."

virvov aWi'ioi'

= 'jiy

T\y€',

which

may be It

is

a corrujjtion of the same phrase. found in Jer. li. 39. A reads

" died." 6. The text of c seems original, as its concluding words "110 years" are found in A^**^'^, which omit the rest of the verse.


JOSEPH— CHAPTER they

took

with

them the

bones of Joseph, and they

him

buried

his fathers, his

life

and ten

in

Hebron with

and the years of

(of

197

their

nation),

and showed them kindness, aiding them in every work,

and

counsel,

and matter.

were one hundred

hg read

members."

member

i-6

years.

As though a member (aef).

XX.

"as

of their tuition for

his

own

/S^ add "Joseph the eleventh son and 110 years." of Jacob

first

son of Rachel lived


THE TESTAMENT OF BENJAMIN, THE TWELFTH SON OF JACOB AND EACHEL The copy of

I.

his sons

the words of Benjamin, which he

twenty-five years. Isaac was born to to Jacob.

me

And

3.

And

""after

in

since Eachel

Bilhah her handmaid. twelve years

he kissed them, and said: As

Abraham

had no milk

I

birth,

2.

4.

commanded

had lived a hundred and

observe, after he

to

his old age, so also

my

therefore

;

was

I

mother died in giving

was

I

by

suckled

For Eachel remained barren

she had borne Joseph"^

;

for

and she prayed

the Lord Twith fasting twelve days, and she conceived and

bare

me"!.

5.

For ^m.j

father"!

loved Eachel dearly, Tand

prayed that he might see two sons born from Therefore was I called Benjamin, that Title, ^-adgB^ read c in text. " Testament of Benjamin ( + the twelfth b) concerning a pure mind," g "Testament of Benjamin, to love {tov dyawav) twelfth discourse," one's neighbour :

" Testament of Benjamin the twelfth son of Jacob the second son of Rachel, concerning a pure mind." Aabhcdg _ "Test, of Benjamin the c? is

conflate:

twelfth." 1. 1.

is,

6.

her"!.

a son of days.

4. This idea that Benjamin was not granted to his parents till Rachel had

prayed and fasted is found also Num. rabba xiv. 8 {Jewish Encyc. 23).

Twelve years. xxviii.

24,

xxxii.

According to Jub. 33 it was eleven

years,

com. Twelve days (^S^). My father (eg). P-g&

read

5.

Words {cp-d&).

" Testament.

dA

read

in iii.

"our

father."

'

Communded. 5t^(9ero = ms. ^-dA. read 2. His old age [cd). "his hundredth year." This date is found in the Bk. of Jashar (Diet, des Apocr. ii. 1172). According to Jub. xix. 13, xxxii. 33 Jacob was 97 years old, but the dates regarding Jacob are inconsistent: see xlv. 13 note. p-d My mother (cdA^). 3. ^ab*cdgsi om.

198

g_ Benjamin, that is, a son of days. p^.^^ is thus said to be derived from po' p, where pa' is an Aramaised form of d'D'. So also Midrash Lekah-Job, and Rashi on Gen. xxxv. 18 {Jewish The idea is possibly Encyc. iii. 23).

supported

by Gen.

Benjamin

is

called

xliv.

20,

D':ipT

where

nh',

" a

This etymologj- is found in Philo, De mut. nom. ยง 15; Arethas on Rev. vii. 8 (Cramer's Catena son of old age."


BENJAMIN— CHAPTERS And when

II.

I

went into Egypt,

brother recognised me, he

my

tell

father

when they

him"".

They dabbled thy

said

Know

:

me ?

sold

2.

coat with blood

whether this be thy

199

4

Joseph, and

-f-to

me

unto

said-f*

i-II.

I.

my

What did they And I said ""unto :

and sent

and

it,

son's coat.

/3S1

3.

And

he said unto

me Even :

so,

brother,

when they had stripped

me

my

of

coat they

me

gave

the

to

Ishmaelites, and they

gave

me

a loin cloth,

and scourged me, and bade

me

run.

4.

And

3.

And

he said unto

me Even :

for

when

them stripped coat,

a

and

loin

me

run.

lu the Bk. of Jashar [Diet, Apocr. ii. 1172) it is interpreted as " sou of the south " as he was the only son born to Jacob in Palestine, having been born in his brothers Mesopotamia, north of Palestine. The biblical interpretation " sou of my right hand," is given by A, probably derived from Gen. xxxv. 17, 18. 1-2. According to the Bk. of II. Jashar {Diet, des Apocr. ii. 1222) Benjamin was the first to recognise Joseph and that by means of an astrolabe.

And when

{cd).

^-dAS^

read

" when therefore." Into Egypt, to Joseph, and my brotlier §-d A S^ read recognised me (c). into Egypt and Joseph my brother As Benjamin was recognised me." only six years old (see Jub. xxxii. 33, xxxiv. 10, xlii. 20) when Joseph was sold, and as he was now twenty-nine, On the recognition would be difficult. other hand, since x. 1, which may context, to its present not belong and tells of Benjamin seeing Joseph in a vision exactly as he was in Egypt, we may reasonablj' suggest that X. 1 should be restored immediately before ii. 1, and that the text '

'

of

;

my

off

me

gave

and

cloth,

scourged me, and bade

des.

1.

brother

took me, one of

ites

289).

viii.

so,

the Ishmael-

cj8-dAS^ should be emended

into

And

4.

" into

my

as

And Joseph said unto me Even so, 3.

:

Canaan-

brother, the

merchants

ite

stole

me by force. And it came to

that as they went on their

way they

cealed

my

Egypt and

I

recognised Joseph

brother, and he said unto me."

they telll (c^-dg). dg read " what did my brethren say " regarding me, A"*) ?

What did

+

Wlien {ore 2.

Cf.

Know Zeb.

cade A),

bfg

read

Srt.

Cf.

T.

Gen. xxxvii. 31-32. whether this he

etc.

iv. 9.

The

text of c is alone in harJoseph's the context. brethren strip him of the coat which they send to his father, and then give (?) 3-5.

mony with

These to the Ishmaelites. furnish Joseph with a loin cloth and Then a lion met one of scourge him. those who had scourged Joseph and slew him. This agrees with the account in T. Zeb. iv. 10, save that there it is Joseph's brethren that clothe him with the loin cloth, " the garment of a slave." /3 S^ is hopelessly con'upt. also is corrupt, but on the whole offers a consistent narrative though our text is at variance with T. Zeb. iv. 10 and the in The sequel in biblical accoiuit. iii. 2-5 is consistent with the form of chapter. story given in this the

Joseph

A

A

3.

They gave me a

loin cloth or girdle

garment of a

slave.

is

con-

garment, as

A S^ (

4.

pass

loin cloth.

The

intended as the

Cf. T. Zeb. iv. 10.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

20O as

one of them

for

he went away to hide

my

me

that had beaten

garment,

with a rod, a lion met

met

him and slew him.

him.

And

5.

so his associates

him, 5.

affrighted,

me

had

slain me.

5.

so

his

were

me

to the Ishmaelites.

6.

And

lie

in

and

their

to

me and And so

met

lion

slew

And

associates

his

were affrighted.

a

and

though a wild beast

sold

com-

For

panions.

they did not saying

he

to

me

the

my

deeds of

And

brethren.

he called to him

his brethren

Do

7.

unto

him

of heaven

I

such,

and

these

not

let

come

children,

my

to

and earth, and keep His commandments,''

man

And

your

let

unto good, even

know me his mind

;

5.

Sold

(j8S^).

c

for

ye

he that hath

right,

me is

mind as

'Joseph''.

seeth

all

to

their

companions

here

very

corrupt

iv

A

avicei Kariffx^v. reads " sold me to the Ishmaelites." According to the Bk. of Jashar {Diet, des Apocr. ii.

1187-1190,

the Midianites 1193) bought Joseph from his brethren and

For until

2-5.

death

his

he was not willing to regarding

himself

Jacob, having learnt

tell

but

;

it

from

him to the Ishmaelites, who in turn him on the frontier of Egypt to four sons of Madian a son of Abraham. 8. And let (Ab*<='lg). A^b read sold sold

"and

let

III. 1.

Holy

not."

And of earth {cd). ^d'S^ om.

(e /3 S^).

A

reads

'

'

true.

the

father.

Qove the Lord

A 2.

8.

the thoughts

among you be

following the example of the good and holy

be

but

have

Benjamin.

heart of

God

me,

as

let

things

my

:

my

done

told

also, therefore,

tell

what ye have

And

ye

and said

not

father

tell

Do

this.

wished

conceal from

Ill,

sold

associates


BENJAMIN— CHAPTERS things rightly.

the

neighbour

3.

and

Lord,

Fear ye your

love

and even though

;

the

6

II. 5-III.

Lord,

told

it

to

ing

And

it.

then

difficulty

you

by the adjurations of

you with every

with

he was persuaded

the spirits of Beliar claim to afflict

him.

Nevertheless he kept deny-

Israel.

yet shall they not have

evil,

dominion over you, even as they had not

my

brother.

over Joseph

How many

4.

men wished

to slay him,

God

him For he God and loveth

shielded

that feareth

neighbour

his

cannot

by the

smitten

and

!

Beliar, being shielded fear of God.

5.

be of

spirit

by the

Nor can he

be ruled over by the device

men

of

or

beasts,

by

helped

is

through

the

love

he

for

Lord

the

which

he hath towards his neighbour.

For Joseph also besought our father rthat he would

6.

pray for his

brethren'', that Tthe

Claim. So ^S^ i^aiTrjcruvTai (c corruptly reads iKaTrjawai) Cf. Luke xxii. 31 6 Saravas e^rjTrjaaTO vfxas tov CLvidcat ws TOV (tItov. Though claim you to afflict {you) with every evil. Text reads idv eh Trdaav irovrjplav f^Xti/'ews e|ai. TTjo-wyrat = irp3 piso j;t "733 dx D3X'£3:, where I take p^^o to be corrupt for p'^^inh. Hence for dXi\j/€Ci}S we should read tov dXi^eiv. Yet shall they not (c). ^S^ read 3.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"yet

shall

no

4. Spirit of the air."

.

.

Lord"!

would not impute

Tov Kvpiov 5td TTJs dydirrji (g). §-dg S^ read "by the love of the Lord," d " by the love." c reads '(rjv dir' avT'qs viro T^s dydin]s. Here the text of jS-dgSi^ seems to be a corruption of that of g ; for c so far as it is intelligible supports Possibly ^orjdov/xevos ^rjv in c cong. stitutes one idea = jjBiij. Then dTr' avT7)% ^.TTD, corrupt (?) for ''jnNa = 5td. tov Kvpiov.

6.For{c^S^). Joseph

(c /3-&

A^).

A

reads "but." b

Aab*cdg gi cm.

evil of tribulation."

(c).

/3

S^ read " the spirit

With the

compare Eph. ii. 2. 5. By the Lord through

latter phrase

the love

;

viro

Father (c/3-6A). Jacob."

bS^ read "father

His brethren (c). ^-b sons," b "our brethren."

read

"his


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

202

them

to

And

as sin ^whatever evil they

thus Jacob cried out

:

My

embraced him, and kissed

him

thee

[concerning

and

God,

ful-

the

Lamb

Saviour

of

of

the

world], that a blameless one

be

shall

he

A be

shall

the prophecy of heaven

filled

And

Jacob.

for two hours, saying

C/3S1

In

8.

7.

good child, thou hast pre-

bowels of thy father

over the

vailed

had done unto him J

up

delivered

lawless men, and a shall die for ungodly

for

sinless

men

In

8.

thee

be

shall

ful-

the prophecy of heaven,

filled

which says that the blameone shall be defiled for

less

lawless men, and the sinless

one

ungodly

for

die

shall

men.

[in

the blood of the covenant, the

for

salvation

of

the

Gentiles and of Israel, and shall destroy Beliar

and his

servants].

IV. See ye, therefore,

my

As

sin wlvatever evil they had done " as sin " (c). /3 S^ read ( + g) "whatever evil they had devised re-

unto him

garding him " A = " as sin. 7. And thus Jacob cried out (c ^-d). A reads "then Joseph vi^eeping (A.b*cdefg "hearing") cried out and .

'

said."

a ef). h reads "sweetest {g cm.) child {d cm.) Joseph, my good child," A "Joseph my child, sweet

Aly good

"my

child

(c

child Joseph,"

(?gr

The bracketed phrases which are

found in

The same brother in Mace. vii. 38). 18: "We suffer these things for our own doings, as sinning against our God." The " we " here, as is clear from ver.

ver. 32, denotes the nation,

c ;8 S^

are Christian additions.

They

are absent from the Armenian. Blameless one shall be delivered up for lawless men. This idea of "vicarious suffering and propitiation was not un-

familiar to pre-Christian Judaism, and especially with regard to the martyrs

Thus one

under Antiochus Epiphanes.

"In me of the seven brothers prays and my brethren may the wrath of the Almighty be stayed, which hath justly been brought upon our whole race " 2 :

not the seven

Hence the martyrs undergo brothers. vicariously the punishments due to the In 4 Mace. vi. 28, 29, Eliezer nation. prays : " Be giacious to Thy people, and be

with the punishment

satisfied

we endure on

The

my

Cause

my

piirification

and

their behalf.

blood to serve for their accept

child." 8.

children, the end of the good

in the place of theirs."

life

work belongs indeed

to the but it expresses century a.d. genuine Jewish thought on this queslatter

first

,

tion.

A

sinless (/3S^).

c

A

read "the sin-

less."

In the blood of the covenant. From Heb. xiii. 20. §-d read See (cdA). IV. 1.

"know." Therefore

End

(c

A).

(tAos

" mercy "

(?Xeos)

jS

S om.

CjSSi).

A

reads

— perhaps rightly.


BENJAMIN— CHAPTERS man 2.

Be

?

good

that

^je

For the good man to

though

may wear crowns

also"!

hath not a -j-dark eye

not jealous

he laudeth

;

Ton the poor

A

c

of

spirit

own

he

the

the Crowns of glory. This is the most Cf. ancient reference to such crowns. Rev. ii. 10, iii. 11, iv. 4 Jas. i. 12 ; Asc. Is. vii. 22, viii. 26, ix. 10-13, etc, ;

|3Abefgsiom.

J'or (c Aab*cd).

not

a fdark

eye

{ovk

?x^'

This extraordinary expression can hardly be right. It may be a rendering of ^t^n j'y i'? j'N, 6<pOa\fi6v).

corrupt for ne>n yj

have

:

is

man

^h.

" The good

passionate eye," compassionate."

unto God he

him

that

Thus we should a com"the good man is

man hath

i.e.

Cf.

xii.

God

him that High

he

21 " overcome

By

bS^ read doing good (cade). he that doeth good" / " so by doing good." By doing good lie overcoineth the evil. (S^ om.)

;

with

evil

By God (c S^). ^ reads "by the good." The righteous (j3AS^). c corruptly See last reads "the unrighteous." clause of ver. 5. " c reads " loveth 4. Laudeth (A), (d7a7rclj;') /3-a/ "trusteth and laudeth" {in.<TTeu(j}i> v/xfel). The sense of c is unsatisfactory. Possibly -idio ( — A) was This may have been the original word. corrupted into an.s'O ( = c), or by dittography have become noTO pDND ( = |8-a/);

ffvvTpix^i-

.

ad-

Cf. T. Jos. xviii. 2.

here.

.

;

he

rejecteth

Singeth praises {duvuveL (po^elraL^tii", corrupt for

.

pro-

as with a shield

loveth

Most

Rom.

good."

;

he

God,

being shielded 3. f And though by God.^ Cf. T. Jos. xviii. 2. Devise with evil intent regarding him {^ovXevovTai irepl avrov els KaKO. ^ S^). c reads "wish not well regarding laim" irepl avrov els /cdXa). {fi7) ^oiiXovraL The text of c appears to be secondary

"so

he hath

him who hath

of

fear

helpeth

Hath

;

for

tecteth

soul.

him

ffKOTfivbv

enriched,

^-a SI

As

that hath the

a good

loveth as his

2.

any

If

4.

;"•

he praiseth him

valiant,

is

God

praises"".

And him

grace

any one

soul.

any one

if

;

on the weak he hath compassion

;

singeth 5.

if

;

man

the virtuous

mercy

TAnd

3.

being shielded by

evil,

he envieth him not

is glorified, is

;

glory.

showeth

devise with evil intent concerning him, by

they

and he loveth the righteous as his own he

of

for he

men, even though they be sinners.

all

doing good he overcometh

one

203

5

followers of his rcompassion, therefore, with a

mind"',

mercy

7-IV.

III.

c

/3).

mv

reads

(so

/3).

A reads 0/ a good spirit (c). "from the Lord." Fear of God {bgS^). def read " fear 5.

of the Lord." Helpeth (a-wepyei

tion of .T^T

LXX

on

b).

defg

read

= {'IT

which may be a corrup"hath pleasure in." Cf.

Ps. xlix. 18.

Is this original

?

The

avvep'/eZ—'{\}y\ parallel verb in

the preceding clause supports

it.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

204

monisheth and turneth back;

and him that hath the grace of a good as his

V,

If, '"therefore,

men

both wicked

only

not

will

own

soul.

ye also^ have a good

then will

'"mind'',

be at peace with you, and the profligate

you

will reverence

he loveth

spirit

turn unto good

("and

from

cease

their

and the covetous

;

inordinate

but

desire,

even give the objects of their covetousness to them that are afflicted.

If ye do well, even the unclean spirits will

2.

from

flee

you""

where there

and the beasts will dread you.

;

mind, even darkness fleeth away from him.l

4.

'"For"' if

one does violence to a holy man, he repenteth holy man""

is

^For

3.

reverence for good works and light in the

is

;

any

for "the

merciful to his reviler, and holdeth his peace. fi-aS^

And

5.

eth

any one betray-

if

a

man,

righteous

man

righteous

though

a

for

the

prayeth

:

he be

little

And

5.

any one betray-

if

eth a righteous soul, and the righteous

man,

prayeth, be

though

humbled

he

for

a

humbled, yet not long after

little,

he

he appeareth more glorious,

appeareth

glorious, as

more

far

my

was Joseph

brother.

1.

If, therefore,

ye also

^-a

(c).

;

;

they had." 2. Tlie unclean spirits will flee, T.

Naph. The

Iss. viii.

vii.

7

;

T.

Dan

v.

1

etc. ;

T.

4.

beasts (cd).

l3-dA^*<'^S,'^ read

" the very beasts."

The beasts mill dread you. Iss. vii. 7

;

T.

Naph,

viii. 4.

good

the

Aab*cd gi read " and if " a " if, thereA^efg "if." fore " Have a good mind (c/SS''). A reads "are good." 6S^ add "my children." Of their covetousness. c adds " which

Cf.

as

was

long

Joseph

after

my

brother,

VI. The inclination of V.

even

not

yet

Cf. T.

man

is

not in

the

Reverence for good works and light a e/S^ read "light of good works," b "reverence for good works," d "light, a good work," gr "a pure light." Even (c). /3 om. 3.

(c).

4. JIoli/ (c^S^). A reads "true." Repenteth. Cf. T. Gad vi. 6. 5. A is very corrupt and if a man insult a righteous soul, he is sorry, because he hath seen him humiliated, and hath repented, as was Joseph my brother." VI. 1. Inclination {8ia^oi'\iov). See note on T. Ash. i. 3. '

:

'


BENJAMIN— CHAPTERS power of the deceit of the peace guideth his soul.

V. i-VI. 6

205

angel of

spirit of Beliar, for the

fAnd"" he gazeth not fpassion-

2.

atelyl

upon corruptible things, nor gathereth

riches

rthrough a desire of pleasure^.

He

3.

together delighteth

not in pleasure, r[he grieveth not his neighbour], he sateth not himself with luxuries, he erreth not in the uplifting of

The good

in-

clination receiveth not glory ^nor dishonour"! from men,

and

the

eyes'",

for the

Lord

knoweth not any

it

guile, or

lie,

he rejoiceth towards

two

not

men

all

tongues,

contumely and

[of poverty

^of

of

honour"!,

5.

blessing

and of cursing,

and of wealth]

;

Deceit of the spirit

[c

^-afg S^).

but

afK

read "deceiving spirit." The angel of peace. See T. Dan vi. 5 The angel of note ; T. Asher vi. 6. peace is here the Charon of the righteous soul. This is the office assigned to Michael in the Testament of Abraham Studies,

ii.

2, 1893),

who

is

bidden to fetch the soul of Abraham. According to the Zohar {Gen. col. 303) Michael escorts the souls of the righteous to the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem. In the Apoc. Bar. (Ethiopic) ix. 5 Michael opens the gates of righteousness See Jewish Encyc. to the righteous. Lueken, Michael, 45 sqq. viii. 537 The above statements point to the identity of Michael and the angel of ;

But these

And

authorities are late.

BAS

om. for pleasure.'^ Text reads eh (ftLK-qdoviav, which I take to be a mistranslation. 2.

(c).

^T}iroiigh

3.

Possibly

sorrow

of

a

desire

;

men.

of

joy,

of of

It hath

is his portion.

no

which

Cf. T. Lev.

4. The good inclination. on T. Ash. i. 3.

See note

Receiveth not glory ^nor dishonour'^ save that for "nor" c reads merely ovk, and ^-a S^ Kal). Cf. John v. 41 "I receive not glory from

from men {cl3-a&

men "

;

also v. 44.

Knoiueth not (/3-a A S^). Lighteth up his soul. V.

om.

c

T.

Cf.

Gad

7.

He

rejoiceth.

The context appears

to require a transitive verb,

xai'pet^

may

in'nn'

mrr, which

be corrupt for

=

avrdv, " causeth him to rejoice." Indeed d actually adds this phrase (as a dittogi-aphy) after "the good mind" in the next verse, where it is out of place. Rejoiceth towards all men ahvay. Cf. Phil. iv. 4 "rejoice in the Lord eiKppaivei

alway."

Two

and of James iii. 10. Ofsorroiu and of joy (/3 A S^ save that

5.

cursing.

out of place here. Uplifting of the eyes.

for

See T.

6,

12.

grieveth not his neighbottr.] I have bracketed this clause because it is

2 note.

and

for in everything

The Lord ii.

A is right in its omissions.

[He

vii.

and

hath one Tdispositionl,

it

all

double sight, nor double hearing

and

soul,

The good mind

alway.

uncorrupt and pure, concerning

peace.

or fighting or reviling

and of confusion, of hypocrisy and of truth,

quietness

{Texts

4.

Lord dwelleth in him and lighteth up his

for the

hath

his portion.

is

"joy "

tongues of blessing

Cf.

A

Ofpioverty

Iss.

as

reads " flattery

and of wealth.

an interpolation.

A

om.

c om. Bracketed

").

.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

2o6

he doeth,

Tor speaketh, or seeth,

looketh on his

soul.

And men

7.

he be not condemned by

manner the works

in like

he knoweth that the Lord

he cleanseth his mind that as well

And

by God.

as"!

and there

of Beliar are twofold,

no singleness in them.

is

t-

A

^ SI

my

VII. Therefore, dren,

I

malice

A

7.

of is

you,

tell

Beliar

very defective

The works

of

:

a sword to them that obey

for

he

"by

God.

of Beliar are no singleness."

is

mind

cleanseth his

condemned by vien as

that he be not as by God.

ivell

32 "if we discerned ourselves, we shonld not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world." Cf. 1 Cor. xi. 31,

And in as well as by God. like vmnner the ivorks of Beliar, etc. By men

(c).

And fold

children, malice

[and fornication]; for it giveth

the

God and

twofold, and there

He

;

my

Flee,

chil-

flee

/3-aS^ read "by God and men. every work of Beliar also is two-

and hath no singleness."

VII. 1-2. The text is corrupt. Either the clause " giveth a sword to them that obey him and the sword," or the clause "the mind conceiveth through Beliar," If the latter is corrupt or interpolated. is original, that is, if the mind conceives through Beliar and becomes the mother of seven evil conditions ol the individual or society, then the sword cannot at the same time be the mother of these. First let us strike out the first clause and reversing the order of the next two read for the malice of Beliar "flee ye the mind conceives (evil) through Beliar seven mother of becomes the and it evils and first there is," etc. This Next let us gives a satisfactory text. suppose the first clause to be original. In that case the form of the second in c/3S^ must be rejected as corrupt, and the flee ye that in A adopted malice of Beliar for he giveth a sword 2. And the to those who obey him. sword is the mother of seven evils, and It it receives (them) through Beliar." might further be urged that Xafi^dveL stood originally in the Greek and was

it.

changed into avWafi^duei ("conceives") through the influence of the preceding clause. If we adopt the latter supposition (and indeed in any case) we

must emend the following word (pdbvos ("envy") into ^6i'oj ("bloodshed"); for the sword could not be said to be the mother of envy, nor yet could envy be described as a plague inflicted from without a vengeance inflicted by God. See ver. 3. Verse 4, further, appears to favour this emendation where it speaks of Cain being judged with the seven evils or plagues. Or again, ann, "sword," may be corrupt for |nn, "wrath." In that case we should With the above adopt the text of A. seven plagues we might compare the eight given in Sir. xl. 9

:

OdvaTo^ KoL

Kal epLi Kal po/Jicpaia

al/uLa

iirayuiyal Xi/xhs Kal

ffvvTpiiJ.fj.a

Kal

fjidffTi^.

Of which the Hebrew

mm mm

is

:

-imn

mi nm

aj;"i

i2te) lu/

:

.

.

.

;

:

'

:

'

.

.

In the Sayings of the Fathers, v. 11, the seven are made up of three kinds famine (ayn) from drought of famine

(miia), from tumult (noino), and from and pestilence (nan)) destruction (.t'Sj) sword (zin), noisome beast (nyn n'n),

and

exile (m*?:).

It will

be

observed

that famine, tumult, destruction, exile are common to the latter list and our

.

text.

;

1.

My

children.

c

adds

"I

say

unto you." A^^*'='i reads Malice or "evil." "fornication and malice " (A^*^ "malice " and fornication," A^^s foi-nication ").


BENJAMIN— CHAPTERS

VI. 7-VII. 3

207

giveth a sword to them that

obey him. cbg 2.

And

the sword

is

the mother of seven First the

evils.

conceiveth

mind

through

Beliar, -|-and first there is

bloodshed; secondly,

ruin

thirdly,

;

tribu-

lation; fourthly, exile

2.

And

through

conceiveth Beliar: it

and sometimes

brings forth

bloodshed ruin

lation tivity

;

;

And

the sword

evils,

and

(them) through Beliar.

And

first

bloodshed

there (etc.,

tribu-

dearth ;

seven-

thly, destruction. 3.

Therefore

was

Cain

Giveth a siuord to (a /3 A^). Aa reads "is a sword in the hands of." Him(c). ^Si read "it." 2. First the mind. The word "first here cannot have been original. The mind conceiveth through Beliar (c^-dgS^). d reads "the mind conceiveth wickedness through the malice of Beliar." On this clause see note on 1-2. And soinetimes it brings forth (a efS^ IffTLv di 6tâ‚Ź (3 e, brav f) tLktu Trpdrov, d 'iari 5k to irpCJTOv TiKTet). This clause is probably a late corruption. See note on 1-2. Bloodshed. Here text reads (pdovos corrupt for <f)6vos = at/Ma {i.e. D^) in the list in Sirach given in note on 1-2. The first evil that followed Cain's surrender to Beliar was his murder of Abel. Ruin, i.e. dwuXeia. This should perhaps have come in the sixth place, and "panic," which stands in the sixth place, should be read here in the second. After slaying Abel, Cain is filled with panic or atfright. Exile. The text reads alxiJ^o.\o3(rla, but this is a misleading rendering here of Cain goes as an exile nhi, "exile." into the land of

delivered

also

Nod.

Dearth. Here ivSeia = ^yn. Possibly in "destitution," "tumult," and "de-

over

to

seven

struction " we may have the three degrees of visitation mentioned in Sayings of the Fathers, v. 11, dearth (nyn) from

drought, from tumult (nmnn), and from complete destruction (n"'?^). Panic. So I have rendered rapaxVi taking it as a translation of n'jnSn or This evil should perhaps nnya or nnhnhave been given in the second place. Thus there would be a natural sequence in the punishments. On the other hand, it is possible that rapaxv may be a rendering of naina, a tumult or confusion arising through war but there are stronger grounds for supposing that we have here a transposition of the second and sixth evils. ;

Text has iprj/jLUicns. might mean only "desolation,"

Destruction.

This

but

it

can also

is

receives

it

fourthly, capfifthly,

sixthly, panic

struction.

first,

2.

the mother of seven

secondly,

;

thirdly,

;

fifthly, dearth; sixthly,

seventhly, de-

is

mind

First the

evils.

panic

;

the sword

the mother of seven

mean "destruction,"

and the occurrence ver. 4 in connection

of

^prifiovrai

in

with the death of

Cain points to that meaning here. 3-4. Our text gives a peculiar turn to Gen. iv. 15, 24. According to the latter a sevenfold vengeance was to be taken on the slayer of Cain. But quite a different account is given in our text. According to it Cain was to be punished every hundred years by one of the seven plagues enumerated in ver. 2.

is

as in


2o8

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

vengeances by God, for in every hundred years the Lord

brought one plague upon him. 4.

And when he was two

hundred years old he began to

suffer,

and in the nine-

hundredth year he was destroyed.

For on account of

Abel, his brother, with

all

the evils was he judged, but

When

4.

was

he

two

hundred years old he began to

and in his nine-

suffer,

hundredth year he was destroyed [at

the

Flood],

on

account of Abel, his righteous

With

brother.

Lamech with seventy times

evils,

seven.

judged,

seven

was

Cain

Lamech

with

therefore,

but

the

seventy times Tsevenl 5.

Because

forever

envy and hatred of

those

who

are

like

unto

Cain

Tin

brethren"", shall be punished fwith the

same judgment^. This pimishmeut was to begin in his two hundredth year and be consummated in his nine hundredth, when he was to be destroyed. This date is against Jub. Iv. 1, 31, according to which Cain was killed by a house falling on him in the year 930 a.m., when he was in his 860th On this subject year or thereabouts. But to see my note on Jub. iv. 31-32. return to our text, it declares that Cain was punished with seven plagues for slaying Abel, and that Lamech was to be punished with seventy times seven. Since the punishment of Lamech is here connected with that of Cain, it is possible that we have here the first reference to the legend found in Jarchi's, Comm. on Gen. iv. 23 ; Book of Adam and Eve ii. 13 Tanchuma Bereshith 6 h (ed. Vienna) Jalkut i. 38 Book of Jashar (Section Bereshith, Diet, des Apocr. ii. ), that Lamech slew Thus it seems to be implied that Cain. as Cain was punished with seven plagues for the murder of Abel and Lamech with seventy times seven for the murder ;

;

;

of Cain. Accord4. Tioo hundred years old. ing to Jub. iv. 2 Cain was from thirty to thirty-five years old when he slew Abel. As the punishment according to

our author lasted 700 years Cain died

at the age of

900 years.

at variance with Jubilees.

This also is See preced-

ing note.

[At the Flood']. So bdg K interbut no system of chronology could justify this addition. According to the Samaritan the flood took place in the year 1307 a.m., to the Hebrew 1656, polate,

to the

LXX

2242.

" plagues reads "with all the evils," bef "in the 700 years." We have above (note on 3-4) remarked on the peculiar interpretation here given to Geu. iv. 15, 24 by our text. This idea of punishment being inflicted throughout seven generations is found in Onkelos and Ps.-Jon. on Geu. iv. 15 whoso killeth Cain vengeance wll be enacted from him for seven generations (nj^ac'? In the same Targums, .t:d ;;iDn' jm). however, on iv. 24 the idea is put forward that the punishment of Cain is adjourned to the seventh generation. Again Josephus (Ant. i. 2. 2) represents Lamech as discovering by divination that he was to be punished for Cain's murder of Abel. 5. Unto Cain {c^-bA'^). A'^ read

With

the seven evils or

{adg A),

'

'

c

:

unto " them." A7id haired of brethren {c). "unto hatred of brethren."

^-a d S^


BENJAMIN— CHAPTERS

VII. 4-IX.

209

i

A

And

VIII.

do

ye,

my

Do

VIII.

ye,

therefore,

children, flee

evil-doing

children, flee evil-doing, envy,

my

and

and cleave

hatred

and cleave love.

2.

brethren,

of

goodness and

to

He

hath a

that

pure mind in love, looketh not after a

woman with

view to fornication

hath no

for

;

defilement

in

a

he his

to goodness.

For he that hath not on a to ll

woman

he be-

no defilement

;

for

him a

upon

there resteth

holy

looketh

with a view

and

fornication,

oldeth

it

2.

spirit.

heart, because the Spirit of

God 3.

resteth

For

Tas"!

upon him. the sun

is

not

defiled

by shining on dung

and mire, Tbut rather drieth up both and driveth away the evil smeir so also the pure mind, though encompassed by ;

the defilements of earth, rather cleanseth (them) and

is

not

itself defiled.

And

IX.

Punished

I believe that

(erf A).

^-aS^

read

"judged."

Judgment

(c).

/3-a

d S^ read

" punish-

ment.

A

seems VIII. 1-2. The version of most original except perhaps The subin omitting "in the heart." ject of the chapter is a good or a pure mind. Hence we should probably reject the clauses omitted by A save that just referred to. 1. And do ye (c). jS A S^ read " and (A om. ) do ye therefore." 2. This seems to be the original of Matt. V. 28. Hath no defilement in his heart "beholdeth no defilement," (c ^ S^). but the former seems better in keeping with the context. c/3-/AS^ read 3. By shining mi. to be the

A

TTpoffix'*'^!

f

^o-fjLTTCijv.

Thc

latter

is

clearly right, though it can only have irpoaix'^'' been a scribe's conjecture, iTrl z nnina (cf. Sir. xiii. 13). But the

=

word should have been pointed Xdfiwwv

(cf.

Dan

xii.

3).

Tni.na

=

Another

there will be also evil-doings

but unlikely explanation is found by taking 7r/)0(rexa;v = j;^£3in3 (cf. LXX Job X. 3), which, however, — On the other hand, if we Xd/j.7niii>. compare T. Lev. iii. 1, where the sun is said to be " gloomy since it beholds {opa) all the unrighteous deeds of men," we might take irpoaex'^'', a rendering of possible

3typ.^3, corrupt (?) ing forth upon."

for

r^p^ni—" look-

The text reads Cleanseth (them.). " buildeth (them) up " (oiKoSo/xei). What we But this is meaningless. As require is clear from the context. the sun is not defiled with the foul things it shines on but rather drives away their foulness, so the pure mind is not defiled by the defilements which encompass it but rather cleanses them. (oiKodo/ie'i) Hence I take it that njn' is corrupt for n3i'= " cleanseth."

=

IX.

"and

1.

A7id I believe (^3 S^). c reads you," A " but I believe."

I tell

That there

among you

tvill

(^ "also doings."

be

A S^).

also c

is

evil-doings defective :

14


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS you, from the words of Enoch the righteous

among

ye shall

and

commit

shall perish, all

deeds with

:

that

fornication with the fornication of Sodom,

women

;

save a few, and shall renew wanton

and the kingdom of the Lord

be among you, for straightway

shall not

He

shall take it away.

2.

But in your portion

the Nevertheless temple of God shall be in

be

your portion, and the

on account of the temple of

2.

last

(temple) shall be more glori-

ous than the

first.

And

the

His

shall

And

inheritance.

the Lord, Jacob exalted that

should

I

be

And

me

glorified

twelve tribes shall be gath-

through

ered together there, and

tribes shall be gathered there

all

the Gentiles, until the Most From

words ofMrwch fZ reads " for I have learnt book of the words of Enoch from the the righteous," A "for I heard from the words of our fathers." d A give a the righteous

the

(c/3-cZS^).

better sense. That (c d A), ^-d S^ read " for." And shall perish, allhutafexo. These words would read better after the next clause. c Slmll renew wanton deeds (P-g). and again ye shall be rereads " shall be renewed unto newed," '

'

A

wanton deeds."

new"

Here the word "re-

hardly satisfactory, dvaved}(rr]ff6â‚Ź = minn, which is possibly corrupt is

icnnn^ "ye will perpetrate." For straightway He sludl take it away A^bb read "the iipc omits. (/SS^).

for

right

(

= ei}^e6s)

shall

take

it

awaj',"

^b*cd "an upright man shall take it away." Thus A takes evdvs here as an The reference in that case adjective. would be to David who took the kingdom from Saul the Benjamite. The text in any case refers to the change of dynasty from Benjamin to Judah {i.e. from Saul to David). 2. With the exception of the interpolation at the close, the text of c /3 S^ is here preferable, since A is certainly confused and, I think, in part corrupt. According to c ^ S^ the two temples are referred to and the greater glory of the

second in accordance with the prophecy

and

it.

the

all

of Haggai

the twelve

Gentiles.

[3.

Our

text is a free, independent rendering of the Hebrew of Haggai, differing from the LXX. Our author naturally looked on the glorious ii.

9.

times of John Hyrcauus as a fulfilment of Haggai's prophecy, and its fulfilment was to consist in the worship of the Twelve Tribes and of the Gentiles in the second Temple. In our author's view the Twelve Tribes are already present in Palestine, and it was not wholly strange if he looked for the speedy conversion of the Gentiles seeing that Israel had internally been cleansed from the defilements of Hellenism and had externally triumphed over all its heathen foes. Tlie, temple of God sludl be in your 2Mrtion. This was clearly a subject of much elation to Benjamin. See Onkelos and Ps.-Jon. on Gen. xlix. 27. His inJieritance (A). This phrase if original might refer to David. 2. The last (temple) sfmll be more glorious (cdg). ae/S^ read "shall be more glorious." The LXX Haggai ii. 9 reads fieydXTj iarai i} 86^a rov o'ikov

TOVTOV 7} ^(TXCtTTJ VTTep Tr]V TTpOJTTjV, but our text gives a free, independent rendering.

And

all

the

Gentiles.

No

writer

have spoken so of the first Temple, but such an expectation would naturally be cherished by a devout Pharisaic upholder of the Maccabees in could


BENJAMIN— CHAPTER High

send forth His

shall

IX.

2,

211

3

And the Lord

shall be treated

and

salvation in the visitation of

with

the second centviry B.C.

(T. Lev. viii. 14), an intercession which was to be exercised on behalf of the Gentiles. That the Messiah from Levi was to exercise this and other high prerogatives in a supreme degree appears from the Messianic hymn in T. Lev.

tion,

in fact,

is

in

This expectakeeping with the

large ethical spirit of the writer.

On

the other hand, if the words were a Christian interpolation, the order would be "all the Gentiles and the Twelve Tribes." Cf. T. Sim. vli. 2; T. Jos. xix. 11 ; T. Benj. iii. 8.

But we must treat subject at some length.

this

important

The salvation Gentiles belongs to the very texture of the book. This will appear from various grounds. i. Thus our author is the first Jewish writer to quote with any adequate recognition of their significance through the rest of his work the notable words of Gen. i. 27 " God created man in His own image." Only once before had any author (Sir. xvii. 3) quoted in the interval between their first occurrence in Genesis and their reappearance in of the

our text, and this author showed no consciousness of their deepest significance. Starting from such a foundation it is not strange that our author, like the greatest prophets of the past, should look forward to the salvation of the Gentiles, ii. Again, as the mind of our aiithor was of a profoundly ethical character, it is natural that he should look to the achievement of salvation through character rather than through outward ordinances as the author of the contemporary Book of Jubilees did. The law, no doulit, furnished the norm according to which character should be shaped, but as our author teaches that the Law was given to lighten every man (T. Levi xiv. 4) it was clear to him that the salvation of the Gentiles was designed by God when he gave the Law. iii. The universalism of our author is further manifest in his conception of the character and functions of Michael. This angel is the guardian of the righteous of all nations (T. Lev. v. 7 (3 A^ S^) and the Mediator between

God and man

(T.

Dan

vi. 2),

and

oflFers

the highest heaven but one on behalf of the sons of men (T. Lev. iii. 5 combined with v. 7). This function of intercession belongs also to the priesthood, and particularly to the new priesthood of the Maccabees sacrifice

as

a

priest

in

outrage

at

set

xviii.

We shall now mention the various passages where the salvation of the Gentiles is foretold. According to T. Lev. iv. 4 "the Lord shall visit all " the Gentiles," and reveal his salvation to all the Gentiles " T. Benj. x. 5, "and establish a new priesthood to be an intercessor for them " T. Lev. viii. 14, "and save mankind" T. Sim. vi. 5, " Israel and all the Gentiles " T. Ash. vii. 3, T. Naph. viii. 3, even "every race of mankind " T. Lev. ii. 11, "and gather together the Twelve Tribes and all the Gentiles " T, Benj. ix. 2, and "the righteous of the Gentiles," T. Naph. viii. 3, "and His name shall be in every place of Israel and among the Gentiles" T. Dan vi. 7, "and " all

the peoples shall glorify the Lord

T. Jud. XXV. 5.

On

the other hand when we find such expression as, saving all the Gentiles and Israel " T. Jos. xix. 11, we may regard the text as corrupt or interpolated. No pre-Christian Jew would have put the Gentiles before the Jews. In this case all the Gentiles and " is an interpolation as it is omitted by A. There is a similar interpolation in ajS S^ in T. Benj. iii. 8, where A again preserves the original, also in T. Benj. xii. 2 "enlightening with new knowledge all the Gentiles," and again (omitted by A) in T. Sim. vii. 2, where ojSS^ read "all the Gentiles and the race of Israel," A has " all nations and peoples of mankind." Only three other passages call for comment. The first is T. Jud. xxiv. 6 "a rod of righteousness to the Gentiles." This passage, as we discover on examination belongs to the first century B.C. and speaks of the Messiah from Judah. The second T. Zeb. ix. 8 is only found in bdg the third, which is in T. Sim. vi. 4 "where every people shall perish," must be corrupt as it is in conflict with vi. 4 and all the rest of the Testaments. '

an

'

'

'

;


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

212

an 3.

f only -begotten [And He

the

[first]

Lord be

He

be lifted up upon a

tree.

And

will :

earth and

what

shall

His measure and

is

place and way.]

4.

the veil of the temple

and the

shall be rent,

of

he

knew how He is on how in heaven, or

for I

treated

with outrage, and

And

5.

depart from earth to heaven

temple, and there

the

shall

nought.

prophet.

shall enter into

God

the G-entiles as forth.

5.

Spirit

on

pass

shall

to

poured

fire

And He

shall

ascend from Hades and shall pass from earth into heaven.

And shall

know how lowly He be upon earth, and how

I

glorious in heaven.]

Now when

X.

Joseph was in Egypt, I longed to see his

figure Tand the form of his countenance""

my

prayers of Jacob

and through the

;

father I saw him, while awake in

the day-time, even his entire figure exactly as he was.

^And when he had

2.

them

:"•

Know

said these things, he said unto

ye, therefore,

my

^only-beUntil the Most High gotten prophet (j3-b). So also c, but that for " an only-begotten prophet " it gives a Christian recast " His ouly-begotten .

Son."

I

gotten."

have

obelised

/xo;/o7e;'T7s

=

-i"n'.

.

.

" only - beThe latter

may

"illustrious," nierelj' mean "eminent" (see Levy, Nexihebrdisches

Worterbuch, ii. 234), or Tn" may be Compare T. Lev. corrupt for tt. viii. 15, where it is said of Hyrcanus, " his presence is beloved as a prophet Thus we should of the Most High." have "of a beloved prophet." It is

noteworthy that Benjamin is called "beloved of the Lord" (xi. 2).

The 3-5. Christian interpolations. process has advanced farther in c /3 S^ than in A in ver. 3. The verbs in this verse,

"outraged"

[v^pLadrjcreTai)

and

children, that I

" set at

nought

am

dying.

" (i^ovdevwdriaeTai), are

apparently derived from Luke xviii. 32 and Mark ix. 12 (cf. Luke xxiii. 11). 4. Veil of the temple, etc. Cf. Matt. xxvii. 51.

Pass onto {c^-bd).

6 Spread

d "descend." 5. Hades (q.8ov cbdg). "people"

"ascend,"

e/B^ read

(Xdov).

Andlknoiv

.

.

.

in heaven {^A'^^S^).

cAb*<:<ieg omit.

X. 1. This verse seems out of jjlace here and is rightly omitted by c. It should perhaps be restored at the beginning of ii., and the text of ii. 1 emended as suggested in the note on that passage.

7 saw him "I saw his living .

.

.

as he vms. figure."

A

reads


BENJAMIN— CHAPTER Do

3.

therefore,

ye,

truth

each one to his neighbour,

IX. 3-X. 6

Do

3.

213

therefore,

ye,

truth

and righteousness Teach one

and keep the law of the Lord

to his neighbourl,

and His commandments.

ment unto confirmation, and

and judg-

keep the law of the Lord

and His commandments. 4.

For these things do I leave you instead of inheritance.

Do

ye

also, '"therefore,"'

lasting possession

Jacob.

For

5.

ance, saying

:

give

them

to

for so did both

;

all

your children

an ever-

for

Abraham, and

Isaac,

and

these things they gave us for an inherit-

Keep the commandments

Lord shall reveal His salvation

of God, until the

to all Gentiles.

6.

'"And"'

then shall ye see Enoch, Noah, and Shem, and Abraham,

and Isaac, and Jacob, rising on the right hand in gladness. 3. Work, therefore (c j3 S^). A reads " and I command yon to work." Truth and righteousness (/3S^). A

inverts the order.

And judgment

unto

A^*<^'i read

(i^-a S^).

confirmation

"and judgment

Lord." a A^^^ omit. So also A "I give." 3. / leave (c). Thus cA— n'iiD. ^3 S^ read " I teach " =

\;nto faith in the

"I'iD,

miD

or pan. a corruption of the

former. An everlasting possession ((cardcrxeo'tv aiiliviov). Cf. the Thucydidean phrase KTTiixa is del. 4.

For

5.

Saying

of

God

said,

all (c). :

/S-gr

Keep

(c/SS^).

A

A S^

the

read "

all.

commandments

reads

"And

they

So do ye."

A reads " in all Gentiles (c ^ S^). the earth." 6-7. The doctrine of the resurrection in the Testaments is of a primitive The scene to which the character. blessed rise is the present earth as in But the 1 En. vi.-xxxvi., Ixxxiii.-xc. earth is apparently to imdergo a gradual transformation (see my note on Jub. i. 29) at any rate the lawless To

all

:

cease to do evil and sin shall come to an end (T. Lev. xviii. 9). To this kingdom the righteous shall rise. shall

First the patriarchs Enoch, Noah, Shem, Isaac, .Jacob will rise in

Abraham,

ver. 6, T. Jud. xxv. 1, 2 then the twelve sons of Jacob, each over his own tribe, ver. 7, T. Sim. vi. 7 T. Zeb. X. 2. Then all will rise, some to glory and some to dishonour, ver. 8, T. Jud. XXV. 4, and the judgment will ensue. Tlius oiu- author's doctrine of the resurrection is a further development of that in Dan xii. 1, 2, whereas 1 En. Ixxxiii.-xc. and 2 Mace, vi.-vii. speak only of a resurrection of the

joy,

:

;

righteous.

The scene of the kingdom is to be on the present earth. Its members are to enter Eden, and eat of the tree of life, T. Lev. xviii. 10, 11, and to dwell in the New Jerusalem, T. Dan v. 12. The twelve sons of Jacob were to rule over the twelve tribes of Israel, T. Jud. xxv. 1 T. Zeb. x. 2 (cf. T. Benj. ;

X. 7). 6.

And

then

/3AS^

(c).

read

"then." jVoah and S/iem

save that reads "and Seth." is barely referred to in Je^vish pre-Christian Apocalypses. d read and {d A ^ om. ) Noah.

aef

(^-dS'-

"and"). But " Seth "

omit

A

c

'

'

O71 the right

hand

(/3

A S^).

c

reads

" on His right hand." This appears to be the earliest use of this phrase in this

technical sense.

33, 34.

Cf.

Matt.

xxv.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

214

A

Then

7.

one

each

we

shall

our

over

worshipping

also rise, tribe,

King

the

of

heaven, [who appeared upon

Then

7.

shall

over

rise,

each

tribe,

and we

we

also

our

own

worship

shall

the heavenly King.

man And as many on Him on the

earth in the form of a in humility. as

believe

earth shall rejoice with Him].

Then

8.

also

some

rise,

men

all

unto

glory

Israel

first,

[for

when He appeared

in the flesh to deliver

And

then

not].

9.

all

many when

as believed

A

is

Him shall He

the Gentiles,

[as

Him

not

10.

appeared

And He

shall

'

'

all," all,"

the

first

for

unrighteousness

which

they have committed.

And

9.

judge)

all

then

He

so (shall

the Gentiles.

10.

And He

shall

God in

here to be followed.

Over our tribe (/3S^). c omits. I7i humility (c). read of /3 S^ humility." Believe (c g). ^-g S^ read " believed. Then also all {bdgS^). c reads 8.

"then

for

;

upon

7.

"and

be

believed

judge

7-10.

as

shame

Lord judges Israel the

God

earth].

all

some into

unrighteousness

He

we

changed, some into glory and

their

they

shall

the

for

them

Then

8.

and

And

some unto shame. Lord shall judge

shall

ÂŤf/"wlieu all also," A'''-^''' Ab*cdefg "then we also."

A

All men shall rise (c^S^). corruptly reads "we shall be changed," a rendering of dWayrjaofieda. Perhaps the latter is a corruption of dvacTTi]ffd/xeda. But in any case the Greek and Slavonic are right here in giving the third plural of the verb.

the flesh (c). in the flesh, a deliverer."

/3

convict reads

"God

The conduct of the best heathen form the norm according to which The haggadic Israel shall be judged. story referring to the Madiauites is not known. The text is very uncertain. A '"^'^ omit the clause "And he shall convict Gentiles," through 10.

will

.

.

homoioteleuton.

.

c

omits the

entire

verse.

As

he convicted

Madiauites who

Esau through

the

That

this

lo^^ed (A).

shame."

the original text we may reasonably from its parallelism with the preThe text of § S^ on the ceding clause. other hand presents no such parallelism, fails to give any good sense. and indeed

^-dS^ Their unrigldeousness (c). read "the unrighteousness (done) to

bg

Him."

ffaaLV

Some to glori/, etc. "some to everlasting

Cf. life

Dan.

xii.

2,

and some

to

is

infer

For "who loved" (=tois

a/yairrjffacnv)

S^ read rots dTraTrjffa(nv, (a corruption of d),

aef diriaTrjd diroar^-


BENJAMIN— CHAPTERS convict

through the

Israel

even

through

the

Gentiles,

that they

Madianites,

who loved their brethren. Be ye therefore, my children, in the portion of them that

and

cation,

were

they

into forni-

fell

idolatry

alienated

becoming

God,]

in the

children

them that

chosen

convicted

Esau through the Madianites

who f deceived their brethren, [so

the

He

as

Esau

he reproved

as

215

i

through

Israel

chosen ones of the Gentiles,

X. 7-XI.

and

;

fear the Lord.

from

therefore

portion

of

fear the Lord.

11. If ye ""therefore,

my children,"'

walk in holiness ^according

to the commandments of theLord"',ye shall again dwell securely

with me, and

XL And

shall

I

no longer be called a If

A

is

bg aef and d

cor-

subsequent words " so that they fell alienated from God," must be regarded as an addition made to explain the corrupt reading This addirarriaacnv or a.Troo'Tricratnv, dition would refer to the Midianites .

.

.

who tempted

Israel to

idolatry

Num.

:

see

whoredom and

xxv.

Siuce there

seems no way to explain this reference in connection with the text, I have bracketed it as an interpolation and followed A as representing the original. [So that they fell, etc.] See preceding note. Becoming. It is best to read the imperative here with A. So also A. ^-a Therefore (oSi' a). reads "not" {06). a here alone of j3 retains the original, although, to be consistent, it should have changed odu into ov as it has admitted the interpolated clause which led to this change in (3-a. 11.

If ye ''therefore, my children'^ (c). read "if ye therefore," abg& ye,"

A

According

to

"but

if

" for

if

I

XL And

shall

no longer be called a

original then not only

are the readings of ruptions, but the

def

A

iSSi

XL And ffaaiv.

be gathered unto the Lord.

all Israel shall

c

ye."

thecomviandmentsof {c).

^

I

no longer be called a

S^ read "before the face of."

Kara, Trpbatawov

= 'ja-by,

while

Here

Dwell securely.

c

Here

= ^S'hu-

KaTOLK-fjcreTe

a mistranslation of ubti The same mistrauslation is riD^S. found in the in Ezek. xxviii. 26, xxxiv. 27, 28 Zeph. ii. 15. iv eXTTtOi

is

LXX ;

All

shall

Israel

.

.

.

^into

tlie

Lord

(cbgA'Si^ save that for "unto the Lord," A reads " unto me "). aef " ye shall be gathered together (even) all Israel unto the Lord." XI. This chapter admirably exemplifies the process of Christian interpolation. First we have in A a text

wholly free from interpolation, in which Benjamin speaks simply of the future character of his tribe. Next in c we have a slightly extended text, which by virtue of the extensions is transformed into a prophecy of the Messiah

descended from Judah and Levi. The order " Judah and Levi " (see T. Gad Finally, quite a 1) is instructive. different turn is given in /3 S^ to the viii.

passage by large Christian additions by which the text becomes an elaborate prophecy not of the Messiah, as in c, but with no little aptness of Paul,


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

2i6

ravening wolf on ac-

ravening wolf on ac-

fcaptain of

count of your ravages,

count of your ravages,

and a -f-wolf,on account

but

[a

worker of the

but

worker of the

[a

Lord distributing food

Lord, distributing food

them what is

to

And

work

that

to

them

2.

what

there shall arise

there

good.

beloved of the Lord,

latter

Judah

loved

[of the tribe of

and

And

2.

up

rise

of your ravages,

2.

But one beloved

of

the Lord, and a doer of the good

of

pleasure

His mouth.

seed in the

times] one beof

the

Lord,

upon

[hearing

Levi], a doer of

the

earth His voice], and

His good pleasure in his

good.

shall

my

from

in the latter days] one

is

work

that

robbers,

mouth, [with new

a

doer

of

the

good

knowledge enlighten-

pleasure of His will,

ing the G-entiles].

[enlightening

new

with

knowledge

all

the Gentiles, even the light

who was

the

greatest

The

Benjamin.

of

descendant of

application of tlie blessing of Benjamin (Gen. xlix. 27) to St. Paul was made by Tertnllian, Adv. Marc. v. 1 and Scorpiace 13.

See note on ver. 1.

/

first

1.

shall be called.

shall be called,"

by a

A

reads

"he

slight internal

corruption.

A

ravening wolf. From Gen. xlix. A is here obviously corrupt. Various explanations of this expression are given in Shir, rabba viii. 1 (see Jeioish Encyc. iii. 24), but none of them throws any light on our text. 27.

A

worker of the Lord distributing them that work what is good. claixse I have bracketed as an interpolation for first it is omitted by Next the phrase " distributing A.

food

to

Tliis

;

food "

(oiaStSoi's

from

the

LXX

of Gen.

OiadwcreL,

Tpo4>-qv)

peculiar

F

xlix.

is

rendering

27

derived of the

mwatv (AD

StaSt'Swcrti') Tpocprjv,

where

the Massoretic 1ms " divides the spoil {h)f pVn;). Tertullian(.4f?r. J/arc. v. 1,

Scorpiace 13) was apparently the

first

knowledge, apply Benjamin's prophecy (Gen.

to

xlix.

to

27)

used the xlix. 27

LXX

St.

Paul.

He

clearly

he renders Gen. in the former passage by Benianiin lupus rapax . dabet escam. 2. One beloved of the Lord. These .

since

.

.

.

.

words

are applied to Benjamin in Dent, xxxiii. 12. This phrase suggested very naturally the Messiah to the Christian scribe who introduced the interpolations into c. For "the Beloved " was a standing Ciiristian designation of Christ. See Armitage Robinson in Hastings' B.D. ii. 501, and my edition of the Asc. Is. i. 4 (note).

Of his mouth (At'b*cdefg). c reads "in His mouth." /SAahgi ^gad "of His will." Thus ^ A a S^ = uii-i, c The phrase "good pleasure of in'sa. His

will " is

found in Eph.

i.

5.

Even

the light of knoviledge. I have taken this phrase as an apposition to

"new knowledge." It could also connected with the words that follow "as a light of knowledge bursting in, etc."

the

be


BENJAMIN— CHAPTERS bursting Israel

XI. 2-XII. 4

217

upon

in

salvation

for

and tearing away from

them

and

like a wolf,

giving

syna-

the

to

gogue of the Gentiles. /3

the consummation

Until

3.

a strain of music in the

mouth

age

the

of

the synagogues of the Gentiles, and of

4.

all.

and he shall be a chosen one of

God

through them he shall go to and

fro as

:

He

shall

fill

sleep, j"

feet,

as he

3.

he had

And

2.

And

died

and good

his sons did

had enjoined them, and

they took up his body and buried his

a

Hebron with

in

fathers.

number T(f

it

And

4.

the

(of the days) of his

Bursting in upon Israel [iiren^aivuv beg). 'I. (If read eirL^aivuv,

Xd/MTTuv.

Through them

my father

{ef save that e read "because of him," instead of "through them"), b reads because of him Jacob my father instructed me" (thus reading (Twinai fie where ef read (poLTrjaeL ws. g reads a d omit. dia TOuTO ecpvaicoaev fie. 5.

his word,

And

5.

my

Jacob

father,

tribe],

/3AS1

[a beautiful]

j-in

he shall be

up that which lacketh of thy

said these things he stretched

out his

And

for ever.

c

And when

XII.

their rulers, as

work and

inscribed in the holy books, both his

saying

he be in

shall

among

.

.

.

And when he finished

XII.

his words, he said

mand

you,

my

up

:

com-

I

my children, carry

bones out of Egypt,

and bury me at Hebron, near

my

fathers.

2.

So Benjamin

died a hundred and twentyfive years old, at

age,

a

a good old

and they placed him in

coffin.

And

3.

in

XII. The two recensions again here,

and

in this instance it is

the dififer

/3AS^

which best preserve this chapter both as to the fulness and order of its contents. 1.

He

said.

A

adds "unto them."

'

'

Text quite uncertain. Fill up that which familiar Paxiline phrase. xi. 9 ; Phil. ii. 30 ; Col.

Thy belly."

tribe

(bg).

lacketh. Cf. i.

A

2 Cor.

24.

clef read

A

At a good

old age (^ Here S^). c coiTuptly reads " in a beautiful and good sleep," which implies a dittographic rendering of n2iBi and the corruption of n^'^" into ru'c. See T. Zeb. X. 6 ; T. Dan vii. 1 ; T. Ash. viii. 1 ; T. Jos. xx. 4. 2.

"thy

On this Gad viii. 5.

3.

T.

verse

see

the

note

on


2i8 life

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS were

a

hundred

and

twenty- five years.

ninety -first

year

from

the

entrance of the children of Israel into Egypt, they

bones of

the

their

secretly during the itish

war

them of

and

brethren brought up

their

Oanaan-

and they buried

;

in Hebron,

their

fathers

fathers.

by the 4.

feet

And

they returned from the laud of

Canaan

Egypt

and

until the

dwelt

in

day of their

departure from the land of

Egypt. The entrance of the children of Israel Here the text corruptly reads "the exodus of the children of a statement in Israel from Egypt" itself absurd and inconsistent with ver. 4. See notes on T. Oanaanitish v:ar.

into Egypt.

—

Sim.

vlii.

2

;

T.

Gad

viii. 5.

4. At the close/S^ add "Benjamin, the twelfth son of Jacob, the second son of Rachel, lived 125 years."


APPENDICES



APPENDIX

I

TRANSLATION OF A LATE HEBREW TESTAMENT OF NAPHTALI, WHICH CONTAINS FRAGMENTS OF THE ORIGINAL TESTAMENT. These fragments are in italics,

and

their parallels

iri

the original

Testament given in the margin

This

is

the Testament of Naphtali, Son of Jacob.

The Testament of Naphtali, Naphtali the son of Jacob, *\vhom Bilhah, the handmaid of Rachel, had borne him^ [the When Naphtali had grown old, and had urestlings of God].^ 1.

come to a good old age, and had completed his years of strength, and fulfilled the duty of the earth-born man, he began to command his children, and he said unto them, "My children, come and draw near and receive the commands of your father." 2. And they answered and said unto him, "Lo, we hearken to fulfil all that thou commandest us." 3. And he said unto them, " I do not command you concerning my silver, nor concerning my gold, *nor all my substance^ that I leave unto you here under the sun, nor do I command you any difficult thing which you may not be able to accomplish, but I speak to you about an easy matter, which you can fulfil." 4. And his sons answered and replied a second time, and said, " Speak, father, for we listen." 5, He said unto them, " I give you no command save in regard to the fear of the Lord Him shall ye serve, and to Him shall ye cleave." 6. They said unto him, "What need :

hath

He ^

of

our service ?"

Only

He

said unto them, "It -

in P. ^

J

;

also in

A

A gloss

in a corrupt form.

221

is

not that

from Gen. xxx.

8.

T.

Naph.

T. Jos.

i.

xi.

6.

6.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

222

He

hath need of any creature, but that

creatures of the world

all

But He hath not created the world for nought, but that His creatures should fear Him, and that none should do to his neighbour what he doth not like for himself." hast thou, forsooth, seen 7. They said unto him, " Our father us departing from thy ways, or from the ways of our fathers,

have need

of

Him.

!

T. Lev. xix. 3.

"

the right or to the left

to

either

The Lord and

"

8.

I are witnesses that it is

that which

(jj.gad

1

said unto them, ;

but

strange nations, and walk according to the ordinances of T.

Naph.

vii. 2.

I

ye go astray after the gods of

to come, lest

is

He

even as ye say

the

peoples of the lands, and lest ye join the children of Joseph, instead of

They

children of Levi

the

and

the children of

Judah."

9.

What dost thou see that thou commandest 10. He said unto them, "Because I know

said to him, "

us in this wise?"

that one day the children of Joseph will depart from the Lord,

the

God

and

to be banished

ours, as

of their fathers,

and cause the children

of Israel to sin,

from the good land into another that

we have been

is

not

exiled through his being a bond-servant in

Egypt. T. Naph. ^' ^'^'

you the vision I saw, when I was and lo, my twelve brothers were pasturing with me in the field and lo, our father came and said to us, My children, run and seize ye, each *before me,^ what comes n. " Further,

I will tell

pasturing the flock.

2.

I saw,

;

'

to his portion.' shall

we

seize 4.

stars.'

Levi heard the

3. lo,

1

*He it,

We

we

answered and said unto him, 'What

see nothing but the sun,

said unto them,

he seized a

'

(Take hold)

staff in

sun and sat and rode thereon.

he did likewise

and he

;

his hand,

And

5.

seized a staff,

moon, and the

of them.'

^

When

and jumped upon

Avhen Judah saw

and sprang upon

the

it,

moon

and rode thereon. 6. So also *all the ^ tribes ; each rode upon and Joseph only his star and his planet in the heavens 7. Jacob our father said unto remained alone upon the earth. He him, My son, why hast thou not done as thy brothers ? said unto him, My father, what have they * that are born of woman to do in the heavens, as in the end they must needs stand ;

'

'

'

upon the earth

'

1

1 For "is^ read, with T. Naph. out before the following nnx ^2. - PJ. A om. * PJ. A reads " he."

v. 2,

Kara

ovvafiLv, nD ^

A.

'S*?.

The hd could

PJ read "the

uine."

fall


APPENDIX "

III.

Whilst Joseph was

him a huge

speaking,

wings

hull with great

my

there

lo,

stood

Eeem.

And Jacob

2.

son Joseph, and ride upon him.'

Joseph got up and mounted upon the

And

bull.

near

and

the wings of a stork,

like

horns were huge like the horns of the

to him, 'Get up,

223

I.

3.

said

And

Jacob our

For about four hours Joseph gloried in the bull at times he walked and ran, at times he flew up with him, till he came near to Judah, and Joseph stretched out the standard he had in his hands and began to smite Judah his brother. 5. Judah said to him, 'My brother, why dost father departed from us.

4.

—

thou smite me.?'

6.

He

v. 6.

his

v.

7.

said unto him, 'Because thou boldest

and I have only one ; *give me ten,^ and there will be peace.' 7. But Judah refused to give them to him, and Joseph beat him till he had taken from him ten against his will, and only two were left with Judah. 8. Joseph then

in thy

hands twelve

staves,

ten brothers, 'Wherefore run ye after Judah and Depart from them and follow after me.' 9. When his brothers heard Joseph's words, they departed from LeAd and said to his

Levi?

Judah as one man, to follow Joseph, and there remained with Judah only Benjamin and Levi. 10. When Levi beheld this, he descended from the sun said

Benjamin

to

trouble of

full of

my

Joseph

11.

spirit.

Benjamin,

Art But Benjamin refused to go with Joseph his brother. 12. And it came to pass when the day drew to an end, lo, there arose a mighty storm, which separated Joseph from his brothers, so that no two were left together. 1 3. W^hen I beheld this vision, I related it to Jacob my father, and he said unto me, My son, it is only a dream, which will neither ascend nor descend, for it hath not thou not

my

his

brother

?

brother,

'

Come thou

brother

!

also with me.'

'

been repeated.' IV. " But no long time elapsed, when Whilst we stood

all

the Great Sea, behold

4.

He

I

am

said unto us,

and we

ail ^

man

seeing

Jacob our father took sea,

(pilot). ? '

A

We

3.

see

off his clothes,

reads "

5.

Our

said

'Do what ye

followed him. PJ.

another vision.

2.

shore of

a ship came sailing in the middle of the sea

without a sailor and a

ye see what

I saw

together with Jacob our father on the

unto him,

me

doing.'

'

We

'

see

Do it.'

Thereupon

and threw himself into the

And

Come now,

father said to us,

give

the

first

them

to

were Levi and

me."

vi.

1-3.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

234

Judah, and they jumped in(to the 6.

And

world.

7.

and Jacob with them.

ship),

behold in that ship there was

the goodness of the

all

Jacob our father said unto them, 'Look at what

is

no ship on which the name

of

written on the mast the master

for there

;

is

not Avritten on the mast.'

is

8.

Judah looked, and saw, and behold there was belongs to the son of Berachel, and

When

Jacob our father heard

has blessed

me on

He

Then he

10.

He has us, 'My

earth.

said unto

men, and whatever each one 11.

share.'

upon

sat

it.

'

This ship

the good therein.'

9.

he rejoiced very much, and

that,

bowed down and thanked God.

all

Then Levi and

written,

said,

blessed

'

Not enough that He

me on

the sea too

!

children, quit yourselves like

you seizes, that shall be his Thereupon Levi sprang to the big mast therein and 12. The second after him, Judah also leapt to the of

second mast, which was next to Levi's mast, and he also sat thereon. vi. 4.

13.

And

the rest of

and Jacob our father grasped 14. And Joseph was by them. oar,

him,

'My

refused. his oar,

15.

When my

he said unto him,

he taught each one of the ship, and

'

us,

my

hands, and steer the ship, whilst

you reach land.' 16. And Thus ye shall steer us, of the waves of the sea, nor

and said unto

'

shall arise against you.'

And when he had made an end 2.

But Joseph

oar.'

saw that Joseph refused to take Come here, my son, and take one of

ye will not be afraid

disappeared from us.

the ship

father said unto

oars until

stormy winds when they V.

Our

left alone.

father

thy brothers row with the

"

other brothers took each his

the tivo rudders to steer

son Joseph, take thou also thine

the rudders which I hold in

of

my

And Joseph

of

commanding

us, he

took both the rudders, one

with the right hand and one with the

left,

and the

rest of

my

brothers were rowing, and the ship sailed on and floated over the waters.

3.

look out which

And way

Le\d and Judah sat upon the two masts to 4. As long as Joseph

the ship was to take.

and Judah were of one mind, and Judah showed to Joseph which was the right Avay, Joseph directed thither the ship, and ^ the ship sailed on peaceably without hindrance.

5.

And

after a

while a quarrel arose between Joseph and Judah, and Joseph no longer steered the ship according to the words of his father and the teaching of 1

Judah

;

and the ship went a wrong

So A~, but A.PJ

0111.


and

course,

was broken VI. "

the

APPENDIX

I

waves of the sea dashed

it

on a rock,

Then Levi and Judah descended from and

lives,

for the

as

escaped for our lives to the shore.

Jacob our

father,

there.

He

3.

rest

of

vi.

5

And

2.

masts to

the

we

the brothers,

behold there came

and found us dispersed, one here and another

said unto us,

'

What

the matter with you,

is

Perhaps you have not steered the ship as

1

so that the ship

up.

escape for their

sons

225

it

my

ought, (even)

commanded you 1 4. And we said unto him, By the life we have not departed from anything that thou hast commanded us but Joseph transgressed against the command for he did not steer the ship according to thy

as I

'

'

of thy servants,

;

;

command, and as he was instructed by Judah and Levi, for he was jealous of them.' 5. And he said unto us, Show me the And he saw, and behold the tops of the place (of the ship).' '

masts were

him.

7.

and behold

visible,

'

was

floating

he cast himself into the sea as before, and he 8.

son, thou

And

he reproved Joseph and said unto

shalt not again deceive (nor) be jealous of

thy brothers, for they were nearly

VIL "And when

I

through

lost

2.

And

I

3.

So

took the hand of

waited

him,

I said to

shed tears

till

?

4.

'

'

is

all

;

nations.

5.

he

tears.

!

He

unto me,

said

my

and

My

son, because of

the

heart has sunk within me, and

my

'

my

For thy 6.

first

him son Joseph you

son, for I loved

my

for the wickedness of

will be sent into captivity,

the same vision.

father,

shed

was ashamed, but he spake no word to me. my father to embrace it and to kiss it, Oh servant of the Lord why do thine eyes

confounded by reason of Joseph

above you

my

his eyes

I

repetition of thy vision

body

thee.'

recounted this vision to

smote his hands together and sighed, and

and

of

And

My

I

on the surface

And my father whistled, and we all gathered round

repaired the ship.

him,

it

6.

the water.

and you will be scattered among the and second visions are both one and

Therefore

I

comviand you

not

to unite

viii.

2.

with the sons of Joseph, but only with Levi and Judah.

VHL

" Further, I tell

you

middle of the earth, and ye delights. rebel,

2.

and not

I

warn you not

to oppose the

you with the good things

my

lot shall

be in the best of the

and be satisfied with its kick in your fatness, and not to

shall eat

to

command

of

of the Lord,

His earth.

3.

who

And do

satisfies

not forget IS

(Deut. xxxii. ''


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

226

God of your fathers Who was chosen Abraham when the nations were divided in the

the Lord your God, the

by

our father

time of Phaleg.

4.

;

For at that time the Lord, blessed be He,

came down from His highest heavens, and brought down with

Him

seventy ministering angels, Michael at their head.

commanded them

to teach

from the

Noah seventy

loins of

5.

He

the seventy families which sprang languages.

6.

Forthwith the

angels descended and did according to the command of their But the holy language, the Hebrew language, remained Creator. the house of Shem and Eber, and in the house of only in

Abraham our IX.

Lord and 2

' .

father,

"And

who

is

one of their descendants.

on that day Michael took a message from the

said to the seventy nations, to each nation separately

You know

:

the rebellion you undertook, and the treacherous

confederacy into which you entered against the Lord of heaven

and now choose to-day whom you will worship and who shall be your intercessor in the height of heaven.' 3. Nimrod the wicked answered and said, For me there is none greater than he who taught me and my nation in one hour the 4. In like manner answered also Put, and language of Kush.' Tubal, and and Javan, and Mesech, and Tiras and Mizraim, nation chose its own angel, and none of them mentioned every Lord, blessed 5. But when Michael said be He. the name of the Abraham our father, Abram, whom dost thou choose, and unto worship Abram answered, I choose and select wilt thou 1 whom the world was created W^ho formed Him who said, and only ; my mother, body within body W^ho placed the womb of me in Him I choose, and to Him will spirit and soul I cleave, I me in and

earth,

'

;

'

'

'

;

;

and

my

X. "

seed, all the

days of the world.'

Then the Most High dispersed the

tioned and allotted to every nation

from that time

all

its

nations,

share and

and appor-

lot.

2.

And

the nations of the earth separated themselves

from the Lord, blessed be He

;

only the

house of Abraham

and after Him 3. Therefore, my sons, I conjure you not to and Jacob. go astray and worship any other god than Him whom your 4. For know assuredly that there is none fathers have chosen. like unto Him, and no other who can do as He or like His works in heaven and on earth, and there is none who can do remained with Isaac

his

Creator to worship

Him

;


APPENDIX

227

I

wonders like unto His mighty deeds. 5, A portion only of His power you can see in the creation of man how many notable wonders are there not in him ? 6. He created him from head to foot ; with his ears he hears, and with his eyes he sees, and with his brain he understands, and with his nose he smells, and with ;

he brings forth his

his loindpipe

and with

voice,

his gullet

he

absorbs food and drink, and with his tongue he speaks, and with

mouth he

his

completes(?)

;

with his hands he does his work, and

with his heart he reckons, and with his spleen he laughs, and with his liver he is

and 7.

angry

;

and

his

maw

grinds,

his lungs are far breathing,

And none

of his

own.

members changes

keeps to

its

heart

these things.

all

and with

and by

its

Who

he walks,

function, but every one

proper for

man

to lay to

hath created him, and

Who

it is

It is therefore

8.

his feet

his reins is he counselled.

hath wrought him out of an ill-smelling drop

^

in the

that

womb

of

woman, and Who it is that bringeth him out into the light of the world, and Who hath given him the sight of eyes and the walking of the feet, and Who causeth him to stand upright, and bringeth him nigh to his Creator and to his place, and hath prepared good deeds for him in the place of insight, and hath poured into him a living soul and a pure spirit from Himself. the

9.

Blessed

the

is

man who

does not defile the holy spirit of

God

which hath been put and breathed into him, and blessed is he who returns it to its Creator as pure as it was on the day when

He

entrusted 10.

Thus

it (to

him)."

far are the

words

of Naphtali, the son of Israel,

with which he admonished his sons, *with words sweeter than honey.2 ^

The phrase

is

2

found also

Emended.

in the Pirke

See

my

Aboth,

Text.

iii.

1.

T. Naph.

ii.


APPENDIX

II

TRANSLATION OF ARAMAIC AND GREEK FRAGMENTS OF AN ORIGINAL SOURCE OF THE TESTAMENT OF LEVI AND THE BOOK OF JUBILEES. Cambridge Araimaic Fragment. Col.

a.

that all to do according and saw and we said to them they desire our daughter, and we will be all 2. Circumcise the foreskin of your br(ethren) and companions. flesh and appear (like us), and be sealed like us in the circum1.

.

.

from

.

to right in .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

daughter

Jacob

my

.

.

.

.

father,

.

.

.

.

.

.

cision of

.

.

.

and we

will be to y(ou) b(rethren).

Col.

b.

my brother at every time,

Shechem Shechem and what that I (doers) of violence, and Judah showed them and Simeon my brother went to him ... to Reuben our brother, who Judah (1) before (that he le)ft the sheep 3.

.

.

.

,

.

.

.

.

.

my

brother and

.

.

Dan showed ...

.

that were in

in

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Bodleian Aramaic Fragment. Col. 4.

.

.

the earth,

.

peace, all

and

of it

all

for

a.

the desirableness of the first-fruits of

food and for dominion

;

the

sword,

and battle and slaughter and trouble and rage and 5. Sometimes thou shalt eat, and somemurder and famine. times thou shalt be hungry sometimes thou shalt labour, and fighting

;


APPENDIX sometimes thou shalt rest

sometimes thou shalt

;

sometimes the sleep of the eye

how he

has

made

229

II

shall depart.

behold

and how I give thee the And two weeks passed from

thee greater than

greatness of everlasting peace.

and

sleep,

Now

6.

all,

7.

my

sleep. Then I said The one vision is wondered that all the vision should be (given) to him. And I hid this also in my heart and revealed it to 110 man. 8. And I went to my father Isaac, and he also in like manner (blessed) me, 9. Then when Jacob saw (in regard to the tw)elve all that should happen to him according to his vow (and how that) I was first at the head of (the priesthood), and to me of all his sons he had granted the offering, (he gave thanks) to God, and clothed me with the garment of the priesthood, and (Jil)led my hands,^ and I became a priest to God and I offered all his offerings, and blessed my father in my life, and blessed my brethren. 10. Then they all blessed me, and father also blessed me, and I finished

me, and / awoke from even as the other.

:

.

Col.

offering his offerings in Bethel.

and

12.

And

.

.

,

1 1

And we went from

.

Isaac our father

take heed to thyself,

And will

my

son,

Thy

rights are

my

son, I will

all lust

saw us

my

son, against all defilement

1 6,

First, take heed to thyself,

to

thyself

harlots

;

for

a wife of

my

His holy ones.

defilement of

all

So Jub. xxxii. filled his

my

viii.

10.

ix,

1, 5.

ix. 7.

and

flesh.

15.

family,

and

defile

18.

Now

Tlioii

son, against

17.

And

is

all

{God and) nigh to

be thou pure in thy

flesh

from every

men.

3,

hands."

" His father clothed

him

in the

ix. 10.

thy seed

thou called among

art nigh to

do

ix. 9.

not thy seed

thou art a holy seed, and holy

the seed of Abraham.

^

all

aW. fornication.

like the holy place, for a holy priest art

and

19.

and he blessed us was priest of the

all,

greater than those of

and uncleanness, and against

thou take

all

viii.

show thee the rule of the truth, and not hide from thee any matter to inform thee in the rights now,

of the priesthood.

Avith

18.

Bethel,

father, with Isaac our

and rejoiced. 13. And when he knew that I Most High God, the Lord of heaven, he began to charge me and teach me the rights of the priesthood, and said to me, 14. "Levi, all sin.

viii.

b.

Abraham our

lodged in the castle of

father.

T, Lev.

I

garments of the priesthood,

ii.

10.

(jub. xxi. 16.)


;

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

230

Col. ix. 11.

And

1 9.

when thou

the priesthood.

And when

And when

20.

thy hands and thy

feet,

before thou offer anything on the altar.

thou takest to

that

all

offer

on

fitting to offer

22.

And offer

the

for thus I

me that those of them are whose smoke goes up with a sweet cedar, and bay. and 24. And these are their names savour. almond, and fir, and pine,^ and mountain ash, and cypress, and 25. olive, and laurel, and myrtle, and aspalathus.^ fig, and These are they which he told me it was right to offer under the twelve kinds of wood, he told

all

burn on the

fitting to

altar

:

(Jub. xxi. 12.)

is

feet.

and prove them first (free) from worms, and then offer 23. Of saw Abraham my father taking heed.

split logs,

them;

of

thou art clothed, again wash

the altar, again loash thy hands and thy

ix. 12.

^house of God,^ wash

to enter the

with water, and then clothe thyself with the garment

thyself

21.

up

risest

c.

the sacrifice on the altar.

And when

wood

altar,

of these (trees)

on the

—

(thou hast placed) of the

and the

fire

begins to kindle

Col. d.

them, then begin to sprinkle the blood on the sides of the

And

26.

begin to offer up the limbs, salted.

and upon

it

spread the

and

fat,

let

the blood of the offering of the bull.

and

after the

with the loin,

and

altar.

again wash thy hands and thy feet from the blood, and

side,

neck

and 29.

them according mingled with

28.

And

it

after it the neck,

after its fore-legs the breast

thigh the hind-legs washed together with

And

let all

be salted with salt as

to their need.

oil,

first,

after the legs the thigh with the spine of the

after the

the entrails.

and

its fore-legs,

27. Offer the head

there not be seen on

and, after

it

30. all,

And

wine

is

fitting for

after this the

meal

of the drink-offering

and burn on them frankincense and let all thy works be in order, and all thy offerings be pleasing (f), for a sweet savour before the Most High God. 31. And whatsoever thou doest, do it in add nothing which is not fitting, order by measure and weight ;

;

1

^

Gk. See

Gk. Frag, and T. Lev. ix. 11 give "the sanctuary." Text reads "thorns" (Nmc), corrupt for }<a'B' = "piue." The list in the Aramaic practically agrees with that in frag, diverges in

my

Jul), xxi.

12.

The

omitting the almond and the olive, and adding the o-xif os.

Text of the Testaments,

p.

249.


;

APPENDIX and

fall

not short of the account of what

the logs that are fitting to offer for

is

all

fitting (?) concerning(?)

up upon the wood by weight

that goes

32. For the great bullock a talent of

altar.

and

231

II

the fat alone

if

which

offered

is

.

.

is offered,

six

minas

;

and

a bull-calf

if it is

^

.

Verses 32i-66 (found only in the Greek).

And

for the second bull fifty

minas. 34.

And

33.

And

it

if

thirty minas,

lamb

for a

minas

and

;

bullock

great

for the fat alone five

be a ram or a he-goat that

and

for the fat

such

offered, for

is

two minas.

minas.

forty

(yttoo-xov)

And

36.

if

be a

it

without blemish of the first year, or a kid of the goats,

fifteen

minas; and for the

upon the great One measure is fitting

fat half a mina.

bull to salt its flesh,

salt

superfluity of salt,

for the

offer it

And

bull.

And

37.

and

salt therewith the hide.

sprinkle-

on the

altar.

where there

And

38.

a

is

for the

And for the bullock for the ram half a And 39. {fxocrxov) the half of the measure. measure. 40. And for the like measure, and for the he-goat the And the meal that measure. lamb and the kid the third of the

second bull five-sixths of the measure.

for them. 41. For the great ^ and the bullock a measure of meal.

is fitting

bull

and the he-goat two-thirds

of a measure,

for the kid a third part of a measure,

and

bull 42.

and

and the

for the second

And oil.

ram lamb and

for the

for the

43.

And

fourth of the measure for the bull mingled with this meal.

And

for the

ram the

sixth of the measure, and for the

eighth of the measure fand of the lamb, f pour a libation according to the measure

And

the 44.

lamb the

as for the wine,

of the oil

on the bull

45. Of frankincense six shekels for and the ram and the kid. the bull, and the half thereof for the ram, and the third thereof 46. If you for the kid, and (let) all the meal (be) mingled. offer this not upon(1) the fat, let there be offered upon it a

weight of two shekels

measure

is

of

And the third of the And the two parts of mina are of fifty shekels. And

frankincense.

the third of the ephah.

the bath and of the weight of the

47.

of the shekel the fourth part is a weight.*

The shekel comes

to

be about sixteen thermoi (OepiMi) and of one (and the same) ^

The Greek has "the second bull " here aud in verses 38, 41. ^ See verse 32. 2 Emended. See my Text. * Here follows the unintelligible phrase dep/xbv 5'.


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

232

weight.

my

48.

And now, my

commands, and

heart throughout

the Lord.

all

And

49.

thy days, because thou art a holy priest of

thy seed

all

commandment

sons so give

my words and give ear to my words depart from your

son, hear

not these

let

be

shall

And

priests.

to thy

that they do according to this use

^

thee. 50. For so my father Abraham commanded me to do and to give commandment to my sons. 51. And now, my son, I rejoice that thou hast been chosen to the

have shown

as I

holy priesthood, and to offer sacrifice to the Lord Most High, as it is

befitting to

52.

When

do according to that which

thou takest a

wood

according to the reckoning of the

flesh,

command

thee,

and the

salt

And

always wash

of

any

the animals.

all

53.

thy hands and thy feet when thou goest to the

^

and when thou goest forth from the sanctuary

altar,

53-^6.)

Lord

so receive (it) as I

and the meal and the wine and the

frankincense receive at their hands for (Jub. xxi. 16-

ordained for Him.

is

sacrifice to offer before the

touch thy garments.

Thou

let

no blood

same day.f 54. And thy hands and thy feet wash continually from all flesh. 55. And let no blood be seen upon thee, fand every soul,t for the

blood

is

thyself

^

the

life

any

flesh at

(soul) in the flesh.

home

before thou eatest of the (Jub. xxi. 1.)

57.

For

And

56.

thou *preparest for

if

to eat, cover its blood first in the earth

flesh,

and thou

shalt not eat of the blood.

my father Abraham commanded me

so

in the writing of the

And

shalt not fkindle it the

now, as

I

tell

Book thee,

my

;

Noah concerning

of

for so

he found

the blood,

it

58.

beloved son, thou art beloved of

thy father and holy unto the Lord Most High, and thou shalt be loved beyond

all

thy brethren.

fBy thy

59.

seed shall be

blessed in the earth,! and thy seed shall be enrolled in the book

memorial

of the

the

name

of

of life

6L And now, my earth unto 62. T.

Lev.

xi. 1.

life, i.e.

lineage

unto

all

ages.

60.

And

thy name and

thy seed shall not be blotted out unto

all

all

the ages.

son Levi, thy seed shall be blessed upon the

the generations of the ages."

And when four weeks were fulfilled in the yeax's of my in my hventy-eighth year, I took unto myself a wife of the of

Abraham my

father,

Bethuel, the son of Laban,

my

even Milcah, the daughter of mother's brother.

63.

And

she

= BSB'S.

^

KptcriJ'

*

Verses 53-56 agree almost verbally with Jubilees xxi. 16-18.

^

MS

reads owt/s ceavrhv, which

may possibly

be emended into

Troths aeavri^.


APPENDIX conceived

and

bare

We

I saw

in

my

he and his seed from the years old was I in

my

life

me

called his

Cambridge

.

.

name Gershom the land where I

called his

in

in the land

.

vision that he

chief priesthood

;

...

64.

And

would be cast

...

xi.

2.

xi. 3.

out,

65. Thirty

when he was born, and in the tenth

month he was born towards ceived and bare

233

would be sojourners

are sojourners as

in the case of the lad

and I

and I

first son,

my seed

for I said that

was born.

me a

II

sunset.

66.

about the time that

And

again she con-

is fitting

with women,

name Kohath.^

xi. 6.

Fragment.

Arajviaic

Col.

c.

(And it happen)ed about the ti(me of women that I was with and she concei)ved again (and bare me another son, and) I (call)ed his name (Kohath. 67. And I saw) that to him (would b)e the gathering of all (the people, for) his would be the high66.

her,

(priest)hood (over

my

of

life

was he

horn, in the fir(st)

mo(nth), at sunrise.

me a

hare

me

died like

;

and

to

die,

it

and

bare

me

I

And

71.

xi. 5. xi.

4.

of the

again I was wi(th her), and she

besought and prayed for him, and

my

was in

it

xi. 7.

all

life she hare, in the third

again I was with her, and she conceived and

a daughter, and

as she hath born to Israel.

day

fir)st

called his

70. In the fortieth year of

bitterness.

month.

And

69.

and I

month, (on the

name Merari, for it was hitter to him exceedingly, for as soon as he was born he was very bitter to me concerning him, because he was

third son,

concerning

68. In thefo{ior and thirtieth year

all Is)rael.

made her name

I

me

Jochehed, (for) (I) sai(d),

honour, she hath born for

72. In the sixty fourth year of

day of the seventh month

my

life she hare,

me

xi. 8.

glory to

in the first

after that Col. d.

we

entered Egypt.

In the sixte(enth) year

73.

my

land of Egypt, and to

my

brothers at the time

...

to

them

the sons of Gershon, (Lihnai and) Shimei of Ko(hath, ^

Amra)m and

This verse

is

we entered

the

sons (were given) the daughters of

;

sons.

7 4.

The names

and the names

Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel

;

of

of the sons

xii. 1,

(and the

xii. 3,

indeed found in the Aramaic, but I have given the translation

of the Greek, as the Aramaic

is

for the

most part wanting.

2.


xii. 4.

234

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

name

of) the soini of Merari,

him

(took) to

in the

Mahli and

as vnfe Jochebed

my

9(4)th year of

Amram, when he was

my

And

76.

life.

Amram,

born,

4.

xii. 5.

Therefore his

name was

day (were they born

he)

{And) Amram was yet living,

the name of when he was born,

I called

for I said

from the l(and

this (child) (shall br)ing out the people xii.

75.

BTusliai.

daughter, while I

called the exalted people.

my

and Jochebed

daughter.

of Eg)ypt.

On

77.

one

78. Eighteen

I when I went in(to the l)and of Canaan, and (nine)teen when I slew She{chem) and destroyed the workers of

years old was years old violence.

and

79.

And I was

and forty

nineteen years old

when I

twenty-eight years old

I when we went

years old was

eighty and nine years

my

81.

sons of the th{ird generation) before 1 died.

the days of

and-eigh)teenth

my

{year)

my

of

were l{o)7

life

life,

brother died, I called

began to charge them 83. I answered

priest,

And

eight

land of Egypt, and

e.

xix. 4.

Joseph

80.

wife.

into the

^!!'

all

when I became

lived in Egypt.

I

Col.

And

me a

took to

that

is

and

And

I

saw

my

in {hundred-

the y(ear) in which

(my) so(ns and) their sons, and

my

that was in

all

years,

82.

and said to (my) sons

heart.

:

(Hear) the word of Levi your father,

And xiii.

1.

I give

85.

Let the sum

And (Ps. cxix. 160.)

86.

xiii. 6.

87.

xiii.

88.

2.

hearken to the commands of God's beloved

g4_

I

my

you a charge,

show you the of

;

sons.

truth,

my

beloved.

your works be truth.

And (let) righteousness abide with you for ever. And the tr(uth) And to them the harvest is blessed, He that soweth good, reapeth good And he that soweth evil, his seed retiu^neth upon him. And now, my sons, a book of instruction in wisdom .

.

.

;

teach

your sons,

3.

SO.

xiii. 9.

90.

xiii.

And let wisdom be with you an everlasting honour, He that learneth wisdom, she is an honour to him,

And whoso ^"^- 2-

My

despiseth

wisdom

sons, behold Joseph

my

is

given over to contempt,

brother,

Jfho gave instruction in the writings and discipline of wisdom.


APPENDIX

II

235

Col./. 91.

.

man ... .

.

.

and

.

city

a stranger in like

it,

and increased

.

an alien in

.

it

...

(?)

him brother *and not li(ke to)

to

in

every co(untry) he

is

(not like)

and not

.

for they all give

;

to

was

a stranger (in it)/

.

it,

him honour

in

it,

for

to learn of his wisdom.

all desire

xiii. 3.

xiii- 4.

92. His friends are many,

93.

And they And on a

94.

Great wealth of honour

that salute seat of

him

are great ones.

honour they place him,

To hear the words of his wisdom.

And 95.

wisdom, all

that get her.

come mighty kings and much And an host and many horsemen and And take country and city. If

there

.

And

.

Nor Nor Tlie

people. chariots with them.

.

spoil all that is in

TJie treasures

^

is

a goodly treasure to

them,

of wisdom they shall not

spoil,

find out her hidden things. .

.

.

form in the Aramaic

same Hebrew

original.

varies.

We

have here duplicate renderings of the

xiii.

7.



INDEX

I

Passages from the Scriptures and other Ancient Books Directly Connected or Closely Parallel with the Text Genesis i,

26,

iv. vi. vi.

27

15 12 17

xxix. 33

14-18 15 15 20 37 xxxii. 29 XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX. XXX.

xxxiv. xxxiv. xxxiv. xxxiv. xxxiv.

7

ii.

B.

vii. 3,

5

ii.

ii.

xlvi.

3 4 S. ii. 2 Iss. i. 2-14

„ „ Z.

2 3

i.

i.

i.

3

S.

6

i.

Judges

L. xi. 2

12

6

S. iv.

xlix. 1

L.

xlix. 7

S. V. 6

xlix.

10 15 19 21 27

Exodus

Jud.

N. B.

26 viii. 11-17

xxii. 3

3 8

V.

xvi. 7

1

xi. 1

1 viii.

vi.

xxviii. 4

Leviticus i.

9

L.

Kings

xxii.

22

2-3

xii.

,,

viii.

xxiv. 17

31,

B.

ii.

xxxviii. 2

xxxviii. 12-

2

9

xxix. 18 xxix. 29

6

iii.

2

viii.

1

iv.

viii.

2

vi.

xxxviii.

,,

xii. 1

xii.

xxxviii. 21,

xii.

26

xii.

4 9

22 xxxix. 6 xxxix. 1214, 16

S. v.

Jos.

23 26 5

Iss. vii. 1

10

ii.

2

ii.

Nehemiah xiii.

29

Testaments L. xvi. 1

Jud. xxiv. 1

R.

2-4

V.

L.

ii.

Z.

48

N.

Testaments

iii.

iv.

10 4

2

35 xxxiii. 17 xxxiii. 12

G.

ii.

6 xxxiv. 12 xxxv. 13

xi.

xlv.

2

xlv. 4

12

Ixxiv. 13 cvii.

N.

V.

7 6

B.

xi.

2

vi.

Psalms

3

L. xix. 1

237

G.

5

vii.

6

XXX. 19 xxxii. 9

30

3

„ X. 5

5

xxviii.

i.

D.

XXV. 5-10

xxxii.

]

viii.

L.

Testaments

S. vi.

X. 8

xii.

14 xxxviii. 18

Jud. xiii. 2 G. vi. 1 Jud. xxiv. 3

Chronicles Testaments

xxi. ii.

Jud. „

Testaments

Deuteronomy Testaments

2

32 xxxviii. 1

Testaments R. iv. 8 Jud. xxi.-7 G. v. 3

Chronicles Testaments

xxviii.

Job

30

9

iii.

Testaments

G.

4

Testaments

L. xvii. 2

61

xxix. 11

xviii.

3

1

xii.

,,

L.

Numbers

i.

Testaments 1

17 18-19

vi.

Samuel

1

ii.

Testaments R,

L.

ii.

Iss. V. ,,

V. 4

1

i.

14

xxiii.

1

vii.

Jos. XX. 3

xlix.

Z. iv. 5

6

xi.

xlviii. 7

xlix.

9

B.

11

xlvii. 11,

xlix.

3

vii.

ii.

xii.

xlix.

„i. 3 L. V. 5

28

xxxvii.

N.

E.

26 „ vi. 4 25-27 „ V. 4 25-27 ,, vi. 5 30 6 ,, vi. XXXV. 6 „ vii, 3 xxxv. 19, 21 R. iii. 11-15 22 xxxv. 27 L. ix. 5 xxxvii. 20 Z. iii. 3 xxxvii. 21 S. ii. 9 xxxvii. 21 „ ii. 10 xxxvii. 25 Z. iv. 1

xxxvii. 29,

Jos.

L.

25,

xxxvii. 26-

xxxix. 21

32 xliv. 20

4

Joshua

Testaments

Genesis

Testaments

N.

cvii.

14 39

ex. 1, 4

Testaments Z. X. 3

A. S.

iv. iii.

4 4

Jud. xxiv.

A. vii. 3 Jos. xix. 3 N. iv. 3 R.

.3

xxiv. 1

vi.

8


TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

238

Proverbs iii.

3

vii.

26, 27

Testaments R. „

8

iv.

Iss. vii.

XXV. 8-10

G.

ECCLESIASTES

TESTAMENTS

26

G.

vii.

iii,

5

N.

viii.

26 28

R.

V.

vii,

Isaiah

ix.

14 2

xi.

1

xi.

2

V.

Ivii.

8

3

V. 1

Testaments Jos. xix. 3

Jud. xxiv. 5 L. xviii. 7

19

Jeremiah

N.

iv.

5

L.

iii.

9

Testaments L. xiv. 1

8

iv.

6

L. iv. 1

Ixiv. 1

ii.

5

5

vi.

ii.

vii.

7

iv. 6,

xxii. 9

19 12

Z.

ii.

5

xxxi. 33

Jud. xxiii. 3 N. iv. 2 A. i. 3 Jud. XX. 3

xliv. 8

L. x. 4

xiv.

xvii.

4

xxi. 8

Lam.



240 1

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS Cor.


;

INDEX

II

NAMES AND SUBJECTS Abel,

Iss.

2^-

Abila, L. 6* Abraham, L.

195

7^

5^ B.

Abel-Maul, L.

Assyrians, N. 5^ Asteho (Asitho), Jos. 7'

•'*<^'

G^,

V

D. 72

;

IS^.

Baljon, p. xli

",

N. V^

;

Barsaba, Jud. 8^ Bath Qol to J. Hyrcanus, p. Jud. 242

;

1", 10^' ^

A. Jos. 6' B. Abstinence from wine and 15'» Jud. Iss. Abysses, the, L. 3* ;

15^

9^2,

S'^,

Jud. l7^ 251

;

;

R. 1^"

flesh,

P

;

Bathshua,

tAchor, Jud. Adullam, Jud. 8^ Allen, pp. Ix, xcv Amalek, S. 6^

Ambram,

L.

12''-

Beliar, R. 2~^^\ 18^2, 191 98(ftrf</)

7",

Jud. 3-7

of,

31

12"

33, ,

.

Israel

.

", 6^

5^-

''

;

D.

of peace, D. 6^ A. 6<5 ; B. 6^ meets the soul of the righteous at death, B. 6^ n. Angels of the glory of the presence, L. 185 ;

of the presence, L.

.

^7

JT^

J)

18, 32, 6^;' gl, 2 8^ 7^ 71,

4,

S. 5^

;

Iss.

51, 10. 11.

II., p. Iviii

from

an

Briggs, p.

original Source of the Testaments, pp. Ixviii-lxxiv, 228-235

Cain, B.

1^- '

Canaan,

S.

Canaanites, L. 7^

;

Asenath, Jos. 203'"' Asher, R. 1^ Jud. 25Aspis, a mountain,

Cappadocians,

e-*

Hermon,

2

;

A. l^ Sirion

i.e.

b!

;

N.

1«-

^-

'2;

lii.

Archangels as intercessors on behalf of mankind, L. 3''*** n. Aretan, Jud. 5^ Armies ordained for the day of judgment, L. 3^

;

I

G. 1« ; Jos. 203'^», B. 1^ Bousset, pp. xxxvii, xxxix, xli, Iviii Breastplate of understanding, L. 82

p. Ixxvii

.

Z.

JJ_ 2''

Jos. 1\ 202

Bethlehem, R. 3^3 Bilhah, R. 3"' ^^ ; Jud. 13^

.

3'', ;

Joseph in a vision, 10^ as a ravening wolf, 11^ Bethel, L. 7^, 92. ^

9-'

.

V

122(|3)

Antichrist, p. xcix

Aramaic Fragments

L.

;

6S

sees

3'^'^'

Apostolic Church, Order, Apples, Iss. 1^

IS^'^',

has no power over the pure, R. 4^' men to be delivered from, Z. 9*(* '^ s) to be bound by the Messiah, L. 18^* to be cast into the fire, Jud. 25^ Benjamin, Jud. 25i'2; B. li.«, 2^'"^',

62

Antigonus

i"'-

Jud. 253;

;

A.

;

;

3''

Beelesath, Jud. Beer, p. xli

Angel who intercedeth for and the righteous, L.

Anoniram, Jud.

lO^'^',

S^'^',

"•

Amorite kings, defeat Amorites, Jud.

Jud.

L. 18*

;

171

164(^),

33. 4'^)

liii

or

6^

ll^'^'-S;

152; B_

;

L. 12-5

55

Z.

;

;

Jos.

Jud. 122,

102<^',

131,8^

i23(^).4(^)

S.

Jud. 3\ 7", 11'

Captain, chief, Jos. 2', 162'^' Captivity of Israel among the Gentiles.

L. 6^

(See Israel

241

16


2

;;

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

242

Envy, warning against,

Charles, p. xli

Chastity* (ffw^poerwTj), Jos. 92.

evils of, S. 32 n.

4**,

;

Consummation

of the times, R. 6* n. Conybeare, pp. xx, xxiii, xxviii, xxix, xxxix, xli Corrodi, p. xl

Counterparts,

Cowley, pp.

Dan, R. 6^

7,

13

D,

;

11.

7^

2,

72

;

;

Faye,

Fire, snow, and ice, L. 32 Forgiveness of one's neighbour, pp. xcii-xcv G. G^'"' God's, of man, pp. xcii-xcv G. 7^ S. 5^ Fornication, R. 1«, 6* Jud. 142, evils of, R. 4«' S. S^-* 151.2; 182-6 ;

9''^

S. 4^, 8^'^'

205. 6(0

12".

98

;

12

the,

e^^\

Jos.

36,

warnings against, R.

63,

85(bis)^

Gaash, Jud.

51'^',

Gad, R.

S^.

7"'^',

exploits Jos.

3**,

4

;

Gamaliel

of,

Jud.

52,

referred to, p. lix

N.

S. 5*

.

(see w.), 141'^', 161(13) ;

;

4^

;

Jud. ;

B.

L. 10' IS^'^'

9^,

G. 11

;

252; A. 7«

II., p. Ix

Qi,

of truth, L. Gaster, pp. xlii, Ixvi

3(ai. 4,6^

;

L.

151^

4^ 8", 91°, 16^189; Jud.

24«; Iss. 62 N. D. 5«- », 66. 9 A. 73; Jos. 19"; 232.5,

all,

:

Se aperr) 6t' rjv Trpos to.'; qSova.^ Tou (roofiaros ovtio? exoucrii/ ws 6 vofiOi KcAcvet, aKoAacria 6e rovvavrCov.

104,

222, Z. g*.*!*''?':

;

10^

;

after

8'-

Gebal, L. 6i Geiger, p. xl Gentiles, S. 72 141.

be best to render cruiippoirvvri as "self-control" or "sobriety," since in Jos. 02 it is contrasted with a.Ko\aa-Ca. Thus the use would be the normal one. Cf. Arlstot. Rket. i. 9. 9 <rio(f>po<Tvvr)

;

G. 1^

•?•

would perhaps,

72'*',

Z. 21, 32, 42

Garment

Enaim, Jud. 12' End, latter, of men manifests their character, A. 6^'^

D. 56

;

Gallandi, p. xxxvi z. 3". s'^''^'

S^'^'

;

S. 5^

Gall, the, N. 2^

16^ 3.

;

7'

1*;

Iss. 58 ;

6I

s,

121'^'. 3'^'. *

Egyptian woman, the, R. 4*

5',

Fraenkel, p. Ixxii

11*-

Jos.

2\ lOS

_g_

L. 11*,

;

Z.

;

G. l^'^'; .

;

;

9"^'

34(^1

Z. 3^'^'

love of one's neigh-

33.

;

8*; D. 58;

Elamites, N.

God and

bour, B.

;

j^jI_

Egyptians, S.

p. xli

Fear of

5^'^

D.

;

subdued, Jud.

Egypt, R. 7-

* It

7^

2*, 4^

and adultery, A.

Eblaen, L. 6» Eden, Jud. 25'Eder, R. 3'^

Enoch

S-*

and chastity, Jos. 92

Dothan, S. 2^ Double-faced men, A. 3-^, 4^ * guilty of double sin, A. 6Drunkeuness, warnings against, Jud. 14 evils of, Jud. 16

.

S. Iss.

;

Jos. 3*

p. xliv

43(^)

Iss.

p. xl

Fabricius, p. xxxvi Fasting (see Prayer), R. l'» Jud. 15*, 192 (see 71.) ;

Dorner, p. xl

Egyptian,

;

B. 63

;

Ewald,

Dillmann, pp. xl, xlii Dinah, L. 2'-, 5-, 6« Dittographic renderings in the Text,

17^

B. 10'"

;

9-*

;

A. 7«

of priesthood, L. 8^"

;

G. 7*

.

B. 5Iss. 77 D. 51 ; N. 8* Eye, singleness of, Iss. 3'* Eyes (lustful) glance of the, R. 5" ;

Z. '2K

;

;

;

125

4

;

;

Edom

2. 3.

Evil to be overcome with good, Jos. 182 B. 4» Evil spirits flee away from good men,

and the Antichrist, D. 5^ n. Darkening the mind, R. 3** L. 14^ D. 2* G. 6Deane, p. xli

Diadem

91.

by Jacob, Jud. Euna (Enan), N. 1" slain

8'^

L.

Jud. 7^'^\ ^ 25'

;

32, 42'«',

Esau, Jud.

Ixix

Ixviii,

Crown of righteousness, Crowns of glory, B. 4^

7i'^

Er, Jud. 101.

5'''

things have, A.

all

G.

;

48-3

^

cure of, S. 3^. «, 4' G. 5' not to, another's prosperity, G. Ephrath. R. 3'»

20''

Jud.

;

6'

S. 3',

71.2,7

6^

4*' -,

s

IQ2.

3^

Conscience, R.

'

^

4

;

33, 41, 83.

B.

38,

*.

«

92-

105.9 4'* (8i'» Jud. ?), 18* g^Cxii'); D. 6''; 246; Z. N. 8'.*; A. 73 (Jos. 19"; B. S^),

to be saved, L. 222,

92(9-*), 105. i» (112. 3)

;


«

;

INDEX 11-, 12^

Gersam, L.

;;;

II

243

Inclination (the yetzer

Gibson, Mrs., p. xxi Girdle, L. 8^ Jud. 12"', 15=' Glory, the Great, L. 3-* God of peace, D. 5"^ Good man, the, B. 4-''' Grabe, pp. xviii, xxxvi, xxxviii, xxxix,

N. 25

G. 53

;

Jud. 18'

ns'),

A. 3^

;

Jos. 2«

;

;

B.

;

61,

;

Inclinations, the two, A. l-^w., l'"

Indocolpitae, Jos. 11^ Interpolations, Jewish, pp. Ivii-lxi Christian, pp. Ixi-lxv 8^

Jud.

xl, xlii

Irani,

from an original Source of the Testaments, pp. IxviiiIxxiv, 228-235

Irenfeus refers to Testaments(?), p. Ixxvi Isaac, R. S^^ ; L. 9i'«, 15\ 186' ", 19-5

Greek

Fragments

D. 72 Jud. 175<''^', 251 A. 7^ ; B. 1-, lO*' 6 Z. 2^, 43'«' Ishmaelites, S. 2»

Grosseteste, p. xviii

Hades

Ham,

;

Sheol), R.

{i.e.

L. 4^, B. 9^

4'',

S. 6^

Hamor,

;

L. 2", 5*,

Haran, L. 2\

Iss.

Jos. 10«, ir', 133.

6^' *

P

Israel, R.

Hares, symbolical of double

Harnack,

2«'

18».*.5.«;

252; 2i»'^),

6*;

S.

;

123,

196(A).

N.

9'

G.

;

20'*'''';

85

Lss. 7«

A.

;

;

S^' -

Z.

IC

in

all,

;

N

.

;

23'''

^'

31

G.

;

Jos.

18^ 19", under

J.

to be in captivity ;

among

Jud. 233

;

the Gentiles, D. 5»

Z. 9«

;

dispersed among the Gentiles, L. lO'*, 165 jss_ 62; A. 72- «; Jos. I92 .

of the Gentiles,

L.

own

laud,

Z.

10*,

the

9^

A. 7^ to be cast away a second time, L. 15 Jud. 222 z. 99 N. 4* again restored, L. 165; jyj_ 235; Z. 99 N. 45 G. 82 A. 7*'^ lss. 1^.15 Issachar, L. 122; J^^^^ 25i' 2 the single-hearted husbandman, ;

B. 12^'^', 12*

Hengel, Van, j). xl Hernias uses Testaments, pp. Ixxv-lxxvi High, the Most, S. 2^, 6^ ; L. 310, 41- -, 5^.7, 8'5, 16*, 18' Jud. 24*; Lss. 7"

glB

175^ 189; J^^J 251. 5 ; lss. 5^

Palestine,

;

5*,

L.

;

2,

12, 22'^'"'",

restored to their ;

Jo.s.

;

Ileliopolis, priest of, Jos. 18=*

25(^)

7.-!

after the abominations of Gentiles, D. 55 ; N. 4^ ; G. 82 to be redeemed, D. 6^

9^, 12^, 19^5

;

15,

g3(j3)

go

Hebrew, a, Jos. 12^, 13=* Hebrews, the, Jos. 12* Hebron, R. 7"^ S. 8- L. ;

;

72

Hyrcanus, R. 6^n.

the .scorn 141

seven, L. 27-3*'^^^'

opened, L. 18^

;

»,

G. 2* B. 2^

;

B. 108. "• ", 112, 123'^)

;

L. 151

10^

2", 4", 26^- *

Israel,

Jos.

;

«'"*

205.

513 f^-"';

D.

description of the three, L. ^'-S^'""-^"'

Jud.

6--

S.

;

;

151, 162

7(^)

142,3,60)^

A. 73

IS\

Jud. 2P-^'^'"^'.

73(^)5 Jos.

6,

",

Z. 412, 95 ; D. 19, 5*- 13 ; 62. ^^ 5. 6. 7^ 73 ; N. 58, 71, 8'. 2. 3 ; G. 25, 81

;

77;

Iss.

52,

128, 175^ 215, 221-

5i' ^'^'

31- 9,

;

B^- «'^', 95,

B.

l^", 4:!

102.3,

9

'• »•

143<^',

242,

A.

210

2"

p. xli

Hatred, evils of, G. 3--5^ 6^ • cure of, G. 5"'' Hazor, Jud. 3^, 4^^ Heavens, the, R. l^ 5^ 6^ L.

A

livers,

"

6»-

N. 5^

;

1 »«(*''

.vi,

;

A.

'3i»,

2^, 9=*!

IQi B_ 45(^)^ 92 Hilgeufeld, p. xl

;

;

;

;

;

3-4 M. Issaverdens, p. xxix Issues, the two, of action, A. 2

.

Hippodrome,

Jacob, passim

the, Jos. 20"'^^'

Hittites, S. 6^

Holy One, Holy ones (

the, L. 3^

;

D.

5''"', '^

= men) S. 6-; = angels) L.S* (

Hyrcanus

lii,

liii

;

11., p. Iviii

Ignorance of youth, R. 1^

R.

to, p. Iviii

L. 145

Hunanian, p. xxix HjTcanus, John, pp. xv, xvi referred to, 8"i5 notes

Jalkut Sliimeoni, p. Iv James, M. R., p. xix Jamnia, sea of, N. 0^ Jannseus, Alexander, referred

;

L.

Book

of, quoted, pp. Iv, 70-78 Beth ha-Miilrasch quoted, pp. 70 sqq., 139 Chronicles of, Jerahmeel, quoted, pp. 70-79 Jerome refers to Testaments, p. Ixxvii

Jashar,

6^^n.

Jellinek's


*;; ;

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

244

10»'

Jerusalem, L.

N.

'"'

9^

Z.

;

5>-'

D.

;

Law

of Moses, Z. 3'' of the Most High, G. 31 Jud. 13 Iss. l^. 7, 9. 15^ 22 Leah, 8. 2^ 71, 2 Levi, R. 6^. '' « i" ; S. [,*• s. 6 l. 11, 21. «, 52, 8", 194 ; Jud. 52, 211, 251.2; Iss. 5''; D. 5*.6.''.i<'; N.

'=*

51

the New, D. 5^Encyclopaedia

;

Jewish

referred

;

passim tJobel, Jud. 61 Jochebed, L. ll^, 12^ Joseph, E. 12, 48, 67;

^

42,4,5^ 51, 83. 251'

J211

2'

D. G.

!•*• 7.

8

6' 8.

!*•

Z !!

6

42,

n!

;

9,

13."

5'

5",

18,

21-

^

3.

;

B. 92

;

;

S. 5^

6'* destroys Shechem, L. 53- * ordained by God Himself, L. 21" to a new priesthood, L. 81^, 182 with a new name, L. 8i'* pre-eminence of, above Judah, R. 65-12 L. 8I11T, «.; s. 55, 71.2; 182 552. D. 510 w. ; N. 5^ 8^n. Jos. 19" G. 81 to be attacked by Reuben, Simeon, Dan, R. 6= S. 5^. ^ D. 5* ;

;

;

;

;

IP,

Jos. 10«,

153, 171

;

suppresses the truth to save a fraudulent eunuch, Jos. 16® three days and three nights in the

;

;

4^<^ASi)^

pit, Z.

;

;

visions of, L. 2^ sqq., 8^ sqq.

Josepheauz, p. xxviii Josephus quoted, pp.

Hi,

Levi (in first-century additions), L. 10 14-16 ; D. 56' Libanus, S. 62 Light of Righteousness, Z. 98

43,

Iviii,

sqq.

Jubilees, pp.

Iv,

L. 2", 8l^ 9>

229, 230,

Ixv,

238 (Index I.) Judah, R. 1^ &'' "

S. 29-

;

Jud.

;

232,

56, r^' ^

\

13i, 17-,

4^

Z.

G.

S'-^;

;

N. 2* Lomni, L. 12i Liver, the,

",

l^-

182, 26*'^' ; Iss. 57 ; 54,7.10. N. 53.4.5, 66,

;

2i,

Long-suffering {fj-aKpodv/xia), D. G. 4'' Jos. 2\ 172, 183

D.

68

;

;

1«.9,

Love

God and

neighbour, D. 53 Love to the brethren enjoined, R. 6' S. 4^; G.61.3, 7^; Jos. 172;B.33.-'

81; Jos. 198.11 B. ipW exploits of, Jud. 2-7 sins with Tamar, Jud. 12 Jud. 1«, 17*«, 22» to be king, S. 7^ Judgment, the last, L. 41 B. 108'0 23'»>,

.

to

p.

xcv

;

one's

Iss. 52, 7**

;

;

Liicke, p. xl

;

Lying condemned,

;

Iss.

7*

;

D.

21- *, 4',

p. xxxix, xl

ll^.^, 12-

Kohath, L.

Kohler, p. xvi, xli, Kozeba, Jud. 6I

Laban, Jud.

Lamech, B.

Qi ;

Maccabean priesthood to be called by a new name, L. 8i^

xlii

Maccabeans, later, attacked, 14-16 w.; Jud. 216-23

N. 1"

p. xl Law, the, L. A. 26

U\

13-»,

of God, R. 38

n, g?

;

.

Jud.

183; Iss. 51 D. 6». i«'^' N. 3^ G. 47 A. 7» of the Lord, R. 68 L. 73, 9«, 13i, 191.="; Jud. 261; Z. 102; A. 63; D. 51 N. 2« G. 3'- ; A. e^ ;

;

;

;

;

;

Jos.

46'^*,

111

.

B

10'/(.,

+Makir, Jud. 63 22. * Mandrakes, Iss. 1-. 3. Medes, N. 5* Mediator between God and man, D. 62 Melcha, L. Ill >'',

162.3;

L. 13-. ^'^'"

;

L.

Madianites, B. IQi"

7'*

Langen,

Law

S. 72

;

L. 8", 183

;

as God's warrior, R. 612

held up as an example, or praised, R. 48 S. 44. «, 51 ; L. IS^ Z. 8^ N. 18 B. 3i. 6', 55 D. I'' shuns putting his brethren to shame,

Kayser,

68. i». "^ 12

as prophet, L. 21", 81^ as a son of God, L. 42

152. »

45

;

as lawgiver, R. 68

;

;

19"

Jos.

work)

6^-12

as king, R. ;

2,

20%) B. l^ 2\ death of, R. 1^ S. 1^ L. 12' has to save his brethren, Jos. 13"'^, ;

;

L. 210

.

4

Jos. l'31.3.6, 5^, 10^ ;

(in original

as high-priest, R.

§4

72.

6",

33, 56' 11, 52

Levi

^' ^'

54

10

9,

82; G. 81

66.8,

B. 112W

L. 12^, 13^; Jud.

^'*''

3l(^"''). 2(^), 6,

53,4,5^ 26-

11,

S.

;

.

to,

103

;

Memphian 141,

woman,

tlie,

Jos.

s'^),

Memphis,

161 Jos. 3"

Merari, L. 11^, 123 Mercy enjoined, Z. 53, 7"Mercy and fraud, A. 2''

3,

8'

12',


;

;;

INDEX perjury, A. 2^ beast enjoined, Z. 5^ Mesopotamia, Jud. 9^, 10^

Mercy and to botli

and the clay, N. 22-» Prayer, Jacob's, for Reuben, R. 1^, Judah, Jud. I92 Gad, G. 59 Benjamin, B. 10^

Messiah

from Levi, pp. xcvii - xcviii, R. 6'i2 Jud. 24^'^ L. 8H 18 D. 510 Jos. 195-9 w. delivers the captives of Beliar, Z. 9* D. 5" free from sin, Jud. 24^ ;

245

Potter, the,

man and

;

II

;

opens

Paradise to D. 512

18"

L.

the

Levi's,

righteous,

;

walks in meekness aud righteousness, Jud. 241 wars against Beliar, L. 18^^ D. 5^* Messiah from Judah, Jud. 24^'^ N. 4^ Messianic hymn to J. Hyrcanus, L. 182-1^ Jud. 24i« D. 5ioi'' Michael, pp. Ixvii-lxviii, L. 5^ n. D. 6^ Midrash Wajjissau, pp. Iv, Ixv, 70-79 Money, warnings against love of, Jud. 17^ 182 191,2 ;

;

;

;

;

Modi,

3''

his ten eldest sons, B. N. 6^

;

4''

L. 12^

Rachel's, B. l"* Simeon's mother's, S. 22 Simeon's, S. 2'"* Joseph's, Jos. 3-', G^, 7^ S^ Prayer and fasting, Jos. 3'», 4^, 10'. B. 1*

Preuschen, pp. xxix, xxxix Priesthood above the kingdom, 21^'

2 ;

Jud.

•^

robes, etc., of the, L. 82

Procopius Gazaeus quoted, p. Ixxvii Prophecy of heaven, B. 3^ Most High, Prophet of the 8^''' J. Hyrcanus, L.

i.f-.

Messianic, B. 92

Morfill, p. xxxii

Moses, S. 9

Z.

;

Rabael, Jud. 7"

3-*

Mouses, L. 12-

u 21. 2. Iss. p, 6, 7, 8, 10, 4; N. 1«. 7. 8. 9 ; Jos. 20^ B. 1". "• * bare two sons on account of her con(^-d)^

Rachel,

;

N. V- '•''', 9-> of, Testament pp. Ixvi-lxviii, 221-227 32 Nature changes not, N. New Testament influenced by TestaNaphtali, Jud. 2o2 Najihtali,

;

Hebrew

ments, pp. Ixxviii-xcii Nitzsch, p. xxxviii, xl Noah, B. 10"

131

L.

6\

R.

4^

V

;

4=

S. 6.

7,

8_

B. &>

Reins, the, N. 2^ Repentance of the individual, R. 1^, 2' S. 213. jiid. 154; G. Z^"^; Jos. 66

Olives,

;

B.

5-4

Repentance of the nation, Jud. Testaments,

23"^ n.

;

D. 6^ Jud. Resurrection, the, p. xcviii, S. 6'^ 251. *; Z. 102; B. lO^^ i" Reuben, R. l^' - », S^, 7^ ; S. 2". Iss. Jud. 52, 96, 133, 252 L. 63 Z. 97

;

;

Origen refers to Testaments,

p. Ixxvii

;

R. 21 n.

;

Ornaments, wearing

of,

forbidden, R.

fj'

;

;

13. 4

Ozeel, L. 122

;

Z.

4s. 7 2',

;

G. 1« 1«, ?>^^

bed of Jacob, R. punished for his sin, R. defiles

Paradise to be opened to the righteous, L.

;

4 (p-s).

32«.,

Lss.

;

41' 6, 51- 8,

Oil, holy, L. 8^

Mount of, N. ^^ Onan, Jud. IC Opus Imperfectum uses p. 80 w.

tinency, Iss. 2^

Rebecca, L. 6* Rectitude [aTrXoTTjs),

W>

Paronomasiae on proper names, p. xlv 7. 8. jjif|_ p S. 22; L. 6^, 112. N. !«• 12 Iss. 11^ 58 Z. 1=*, 3» A. 12. 9 B. IS Pass, H. L., p. Ixviii •-'•«.

;

;

;

Patience {vito/jlov/j), Jos. 2'', 10'' Pentephri, Jos. 12^, 13'. s.-".-^; 15« Persians, the, N. 5** Pharaoh, Z. 3^ ; Jos. 2\ 8^ 13^ Philo quoted, pp. 5, 43 Pick, p. xli Plutarch, pp. 4-5 Pollution of the sacrifices, L. 16^

1'

Ritschl, p. xxxix, xl Robe of the priesthood, L. 82

Rdnsch, p. xl Rotheus, N. l^" Sacrifices in heaven, L. 3" ^'^

animal, L. ^''Salvation to arise from Levi and Judah. G. 8' Jos. S, 71 ; L. 2" ; N. 82 ;

;

19" Sandals bought with price of Joseph, z. 32

Sarah, L. G^ Satan, D.

36, 56, 6^

;

G. 4'

;

A.

6*'^'


"

;

'

TESTAMENTS OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS

246

Sayce, p. 40 Schnapp, pp. xviii, xxxvii, xxxix, xli Schurer, pp. xli, Ixxviii, 45, 46, 57, etc. Sea, a great, in heaven, L.

V

Seir, Jiul.

9-^

Spirits of the retributions L. 32

(i.e.

plagues),

Spleen, the, N. Stoic doctrine taught, R. 2^'^ Syrians, N. 5^ 2''

Semei, L. 12' Senses, seven, R. five, N. 28

2**""

Tables, the heavenly, L.

Talmud

Sepher Yezirah quoted, p. 5 Seven men {i.e. angels) ordain Levi, L. 82

«(?(?.

Seventy weeks, L. 16' S. 29

Shechem,

;

L. 2', e"'^', 7^

;

Jud.

41

Shelah, Jud. 10«, ll^ Shem, B. 10« Shield given to Levi, L.

Simeon, S. l'-^, 2i. \ Jud. 65, 251.2;

5'^,

9

8',

L. 2^, 4"

;

3",

6-*

" ;

2="^'

G. jealous of Joseph, S. 2^' '* tribe of, to be dispersed, S. Sin to come to an end, L. 18"

Z.

'^

'

;

;

;

;

;

God,

S.

4-'

deceit to be trodden under foot, S. 6^ L. 1812; 2. 98 desire, Jud. 16'

envy,

S. 3',

4''

Jud. 16'

fornication, R. 3^ hatred, G. l^, 3'

insatiableness, R. S'"* jealousy, S. 2^ ; D. 1«

xxxvi

edition of the, pp. xxviii-xxix translations of the, pp. xxix-xxx

of, Iv-lvi.

See also Index

I.

to, Ivii-lxi

Christian additions to,

pj).

Ixi-lxv

used in Jewish High Court of Justice,

3''

p. xvi n.

inlluence

;

sleep, R. 3', S^ truth, Jud. 20''

on Jewish

literature, pp.

on Patristic literature, pp. IxxvIxxviii 2",

18'

;

Jud. 20^

Spirits, seven, of deceit, R. 2''^ (see

L. 3»

Jud. 16'

invisible, L. 4'

of,

Ixxiv-lxxv

'^

understanding, L. vainglory, D. 1" wickedness, D. ff'

evil,

p.

j8,

Greek MSS. of, pp. xviii-xxii, xxxiiXXXV Armenian version of, pp. xxv-xxvii

profligacy, Jud. 16'

four

pp.

Ivii

editions of Greek version translations, p. xxxvii

Jewish additions

obsequiousness, R. pride, R. 3''' D. 5«

;

Hebrew,

xlvii-1

3''

3»-6

in

Greek versions of above, pp. xxxiiXXXV Greek version a, date of, pp. Ivi-

sources

Jud. 16'

lying, R.

originally

xlii-xlvii

author of, liv date of, Ivi

injustice, R. 3^

lust,

of God, B. 92 Temptations, the, Jos. 2" Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, summary account of, pp. xv-xviil

MSS., pp. xxii-xxv Slavonic version of, pp. xxx-xxxii Tables of textual affinities of, pp. xxv, xxvi, xxxii, XXXV, 1

fighting, R. 3* filthy lucre,

;

two Hebrew recensions current, pp.

Singleness (dTrXoxT^s), Iss. .3' n. See Rectitude Iss. 3'«. Singleness of heart, R. A^/i. xxxvi, Sinker, pja. xix, xxi, xxiv, xxxvii, xxxix, xl, xli, xlii, Ixxviii Sodom, L. 146 N. 3^ 4' A. 7' B. 9' Spirit of Beliar, Iss. 7^ ; D. 1'' Jos. 7* B. S^' ^ ;

A. 7'^'^' Testaments,

Tamar, Jud. lO'^ 2'^', 12', 13^, 14^ Tappuah, Jud. 32, 5" Targum Ps.-Jon. borrows from Testaments, pp. Ixxv, 113, 115

written ;

!''•

4"-^-5''

Iss.

S'*

its title, p. liv

'J'

Sin, unconsciousness of, Iss. 7'

Single-minded man,

from

Tarpon, Rabbi, p. Ix Taylor, pp. 161, 163 sqq. Temple, the holy (in heaven), L. 5' of glory, L. 18«

6'

2\

2.

p.

borrows Ixxv

on

New

Testament, Ixxviii-xcii

Thamna, Jud. ?i.),

7'*'

Theophanies referred to, S. 6' 2. 9^ 52, 8" Jud. 222 N. 53 A. 7» Throne of glory, L. 5' Thrones, L. 3»

;

.

:

;

;

L. 2", D. 5'^

;


INDEX

II

War

Times, the last, Iss. 6^ Tongues, two, B. e"" Tree of life, L. 18" Tribes, the Twelve, B. 9^ Troglodytes, Z. 4« D. Truth enjoined, R. 6^ A. 61, B. 103 as a virtue, Iss. T'*' ^ D.

247 of the Egyptians against Canaan, G. 85 ; B. 12^ ;

S. 82

Wars, civil, Jud. 22 Z. 9 Watchers, the, R. 5^- ' N. S^ Ways, the two, p. xcix A. !'• Whiston, p. xxxvii ;

;

^

;

5",

2',

;

6®;

Wieseler, p. xl Will of God, Iss.

I''

;

4-'

D. 6«

;

;

N. 31

;

B. 112'^'

Universal

salvation,

Veil

xcvi-xcvii

pp.

f L. 2" Uprightness of heart, G. V S,

Windpipe, N. 2* ;

Wisdom,

praise of, L. 13

;

'i^n.,

Iss.

4^;

Women

to be

of the Temple, L. B. 9^ {aTrXuifxa)

(iuovfia),

lO''"

sqq., 8' sqq. Vision of Levi, L. Jacob, L. 9» Jud. 31" Naphtali, N. 5, 6 Joseph, Jos. 19 Vorstman, p. xxxix, xl 2''

shunned by men, R.

3'",

Jud. 171 Iss. 4* not to associate with men, R. 6" Works, good, R. 4^ 41, 61

;

;

of Beliar, B. Q'' of deceit, Jud. 20^ of truth, Jud. 20-'

;

Zebulun, Jud.

25i'''''2;

Zilpah, N. 1", G. l^

;

Z.

V'^•^ 10-

Jos. 20^'^'

CiORRIGENDA Page Page Page

3, col.

1 notes,

1.

15, col. 2 notes, 16,

11.

2, 3,

Pages 141, 142.

22, 1.

for "15^," read " xv. 6." "Gal." read " Eph."

20, for

for "will" read "shall." Chap. IV. should be bracketed as an addition of the

1st cent. B.C.

THE END

Printed by R.

&

R. Clark, Limited, Edinburgh.


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\/^





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