I The

Apocryphal
Old
Testament
Edited by
H.ED. Sparks

CLARENDON PAPERBACKS
THE APOCRYPHAL
OLD TESTAMENT
T H E APOCRYPHAL
OLD TESTAMENT

FJited by

H. F. D. SPARKS

C:LARKND()N PRKSS • OXFORD

 OXPORD
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Translations © Oxford University Press 1981
Editorial M a n e r © H. F. D. Sparks 1984
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Data available
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
The Apocryphal Old Testament.
Includes bibliographies and i n d e x
1. Apoctyphal books (Old T e s t a m e n t s -
Criticism, interpretation, e t c L Sparks,
H. F. D. (Hedley Frederick Davis)
BS16921984 229-.91052 82-22569
ISBN 0-19-826177-2
9 10 8

Printed in Great Britain

on add-free paper by
J. W. Arrowsmtth Ltd
Bristol
toc
CON r K N ' l S

Preface ix

A b b r e \ i a t i o i i s a n d S) rnbols xix

JUBILEKS 1
T h e t r a n s l a t i o n of R. H . C l I A R I . K S revised by C . R A B I N

THE LIFE OF ADAM AND E \ E 141

T h e t r a n s l a t i o n o l ' L . S. A . W'FJ.I.S revised by
KL V V l I I T T A K F R

1 ENOCH 169
T r a n s l a t e d by W. A . K M B B

2 ENOCH 321
T r a n s l a t e d by A . Pl-NNINCvrON

THE APOCALYPSE OF ABRAHAM 363

T r a n s l a t e d by A . PrxMXCTON

THE FESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM 393

T r a n s l a t e d by N . I ' U K N K R

THE T E S l A M E N T O F ISAAC 123

T r a n s l a t e d by K . H . K l H N

THE I ESTAMENT OF JACOB 441

T r a n s l a t e d by K . H . K U H N

THE LADDER OF JACOB 453

T r a n s l a t e d by A . P K N N I N G I O N

JOSEPH AND ASENETH 465

T r a n s l a t e d by D . C o o K

THE TESTAMENTS OF THE

TWELVE PATRL\RCHS 505
T r a n s l a t e d by M . DEJON(;L;
vi Contents
THE ASSUMPTION O F MOSES 601
T h e t r a n s l a t i o n of R . H . C M A R I . F . S revised b y
J . P. M . S W E E l

T H E TESTAMENT OF JOB 617

T r a n s l a t e d b y R. I HORNHII.I.

THE PSALMS O F SOLOMON 649

Translated b y S . P. B R O C K

THE ODES O F SOLOMON 683

Translated b y J . A. E . V I K R T O N

FHE TESTAMENT OF SOLOMON 733

IVanslated b y M . W ' H I I I AKF.R

THE APOCALYPSE O F ELIJAH 733

Translated by K. H . K u H N

THE ASCENSION O F ISAIAH 775

I'hc t r a n s l a t i o n of R. H . C H A R I . E S revised b y
J . M. v. BARFON

THE PARALEIPOMENA OFJEREMIAH 813

T r a n s l a t e d b y R. T H O R N H I L L

THE SYRIAC APOCALYPSE O F BARUCH 835

T h e t r a n s l a t i o n of R. H . CHARLES revised by
L. H . BROCKINGTON

THE GREEK APOCALYPSE O F BARUCH 897

T h e t r a n s l a t i o n of H . M . H u G H E S revised b y
A. VV. ARGYLE

T H E APOCALYPSE O F ZEPHANIAH AND

AN A N O N Y M O U S APOCALYPSE 915
Translated by K. H . K u H N
THE APOCALYPSE O F ESDRAS 927
T r a n s l a t e d by R . J . H . S H U T T
 Contents vii
THK VISION OK E S D R A S 943
T r a n s l a t e d by R. J . H . S H I TI

T H E APOCALYPSE OF SEDRACH 953

T r a n s l a t e d by R. J . H . S H U r 1
I n d e x of S c r i p t u r a l References 967
I n d e x of Ancient A u t h o r s a n d Works 973
I n d e x of M o d e r n Authors 975
I n d e x of Subjects 981
 PREFACK

The Apocryphal Old Testament was originally planned as a companion

v o l u m e to M . R . J a m e s ' s The Apocryphal Sew Testament, first pub­
lished as long ago as 1924.
W h e n , i n ' t h e mid-19.50s. the stocks of R. H. Ciharles's well-
k n o w n two-volume work, The Apocrypha and Pseudepii>rapha oj the Old
Testament (1913), were running low there was discussion at the
Press a b o u t w h a t should be done. Would a simple reprint be
sufficient? O u g h t a revised 'second edition" to be undertaken? O r
o u g h t a completely new work to be commissioned to replace it?
T h e r e were a n u m b e r of conflicting factors, .\fter the lapse of
n e a r l y half a century there was an obvious need to up-date some of
t h e information: m a n y of the critical opinions expressed seemed
less c e r t a i n than once they did; and questions, too, might be asked
a b o u t the items selected for inclusion in the second volume - why
this, a n d if this, why not that? O n the other hand, Clharles's two
v o l u m e s were one of the outstanding achievements of British
biblical scholarship in the early years of the twentieth century;
they h a d been widely used, and continued to be widely used; but
they were both bulky and expensive. Further, it was clear that
there was a m u c h greater popular d e m a n d for the second (Pseudepi-
g r a p h a ) v o l u m e than for the first (.Apocrypha), presumably
b e c a u s e the books in the A p o c r y p h a volume were readily available
in several s t a n d a r d translations, whereas those in the Pseudepi-
g r a p h a v o l u m e were not. T h e upshot was that the Press decided to
r e p r i n t both volumes, as and when circumstances required, and at
t h e s a m e time to commission a m u c h smaller, handier, and less
e x p e n s i v e volume, d e s i g n e d o n much the same lines as J a m e s ' s .
T h e idea was to ignore the books in Charles's first volume (the
A j j o c r y p h a proper) and concentrate on those in the second. But it
w a s a g r e e d that some latitude in selection must be allowed - some
of t h e books included by Charles might be omitted, while others,
o m i t t e d by C h a r l e s , might be included. A volume of translations
X Preface
w a s I lie p r i m a r y end in view: each translation was to be preceded
by an Introduction and a Bibliography; and such Ibotnotes as
t h e r e were, were to be limited to points of text and translation.
Since the Press were the publishers of Clharles and were also to
p u b l i s h the new \ o l u m c , there would be nodilhculty in taking over
a n u m b e r of Charles's translations with only, perhaps, minor
revision; though, of course, for the books not in (lharles, which it
was hoped to include, fresh translations would have to be obtained.
.So a team of translators and revisers was got together. I was
a p p o i n t e d Editor, and, in addition to general editorial duties. I
a s s u m e d personal responsibility for writing the Introductions and
c o m p i l i n g the Bibliographies, in order to secure as much con­
sistency as possible.
. \ s w ith so m a n y undertakings of this kind, the completion of the
v o l u m e has been delayed beyond expectation. Some of the trans­
lators a n d revisers sent me their contributions within two or three
years: others took longer; and a few of them very much longer. But
this w a s not the major problem. .A great deal of work had been
d o n e in the field since Charles's day, and it continued to be done;
a n d this inevitably had an unfortunate eflbct on our rate of pro­
gress. .\t first glance it might seem that to revise one of the
t r a n s l a t i o n s already in Clharles was not a very time-consuming
task. It might be assumed (especially in the light of the undisputed
w e a l t h of scholarship which lay behind Clharles's two volumes)
that no more than a cursory check-over was required. Yet when a
new edition of the text in question had appeared in the intcr\al
(based, p e r h a p s , on freshly discovered manuscripts, or on a dif­
ferent recension), or there had been more than one new edition,
'revision" began to take on a new meaning. And the same con­
siderations applied sometimes to those contributors from whom
fresh translations had been commissioned. In several instances a
c o n t r i b u t i o n was well u n d e r way, or even complete and sent to me,
w h e n new textual evidence was brought to light, or a new edition
a p p e a r e d , which, although it might not necessarily have to be
m a d e the base of the translation, nevertheless had to be taken full
a c c o u n t of
. \ further problem that became increasingly pressing as the
work proceeded was that of translation-style. T h e style of the
 Preface xi
t r a n s l a t i o n s in Ciharlcs is what used to be called 'biblical' - i.e. a
style which imitated the .-Xuthorizcd Version of Kill and the
Revised X'ersion of 1881 - 1891- (and the same is also true of J a m e s ' s
The Apocryphal Sew Testament, though less obviously so). Inasmuch
as p a r t of o u r original plan was to reprint as many as {possible of the
t r a n s l a t i o n s in C'haries with only minor revision, it Ibllowed that
we also were committed to 'biblical style'. In the 19.")()s there
seemed no serious objection to this, and all contributors were
instructed accordingly. But as time went on it became clear that
o u r decision was questionable. T h e 1960s and 1970s witnessed the
a p p e a r a n c e , not only of T h e .New Knglish Bible and T h e j e r u s a l e m
Bible, but also of several other versions of the Bible (or parts of it)
in m o d e r n idiom, which found a ready welcome from the Bible-
r e a d i n g public. Hence by the mid-1970s 'biblical style' did not
m e a n w h a t it had meant fifteen or twenty years earlier; and any­
t h i n g deliberately written in old-fashioned 'biblical style' was
b o u n d to seem tiresomely dated and artificial.
The issue c a m e to a head over I Knoch. .A revision of C:harlcs's
t r a n s l a t i o n of I Knoch was ready when it was learned that Dr. M.
\ . K n i b b was engaged on a new edition of the Kthiopic text, which
w a s to be accompanied by a fresh translation, together with a full
I n t r o d u c t i o n anci (mainly textual) C o m m e n t a r y . T h e Press was to
publish it;' a n d Dr. K n i b b most generously agreed that we should
be allowed to use his translation instead of the revision ofC)harles's
t r a n s l a t i o n we had ready. But Dr. K n i b b ' s translation was in
m o d e r n idiom. \ ' e r y naturally he was unwilling to archaize, in
o r d e r to m a k e his contribution conform in style with the others.
T h e only alternative was to modernize the others. . \ n d I undertook
to d o this as part of my overall responsibility as Editor: I can only
h o p e that the result will not be j u d g e d too aggressively modern.
T h r o u g h o u t , the convention that God is addressed directly in the
second person singular has been retained (as in the first edition of
T h e N e w English Bible). Also retained from time to time, though
not necessarily universally, are certain well-known 'biblical'
expressions such as 'And it came to pass . . .': the purpose in
r e t a i n i n g them is to indicate that the text translated is itself not

' It appeared, in two volumes, in 1!)7H.

xii Pre]ace
witlioiil an a n l i q u e flavour; for tlu-rc is n u u h to be said ibr transla­
tions in a volume sueh as ours preserving something of the style
of the originals instead of all being reduced to a dead level of
uniformity.
. \ n y reader of any translation is apt to assume that there is no
need Ibr him to bother about the original behind the translation
unless there is some special rea.son f()r his doing .so. This may not
m a t t e r so long as no serious tiuestions can be raised about the
reliability of the text of the origitial. But when, as is the case with
s o m e of the d o c u m e n t s we are concerned with, there are a number
of m a n u s c r i p t s available which regularly difler from one another,
there are, p e r h a p s , three or l()ur versions in as many different
l a n g u a g e s , and also, maybe, several distinct recensions,^ the
identification of an 'original" text is no easy matter. Experts are
often deeply divided. In these circumstances it is essential that the
user of a translation should be plainly informed about what the
translator has translated. We have always tried to d o this. In each
I n t r o d u c t i o n will be found a precise explanatory statement
(usually at the end, or towards the end); and this statement, when
read in conjunction with the details given elsewhere in the Intro­
d u c t i o n about the authorities av ailable for the text, should provide
the necessary information.
M o r e particularized information about any significant textual
v a r i a n t s , as well as about possible translational alternatives, will
be found in the notes underneath the translations. These notes, as
a l r e a d y indicated, have been limited to points of text and transla­
tion, and make no a t t e m p t to discuss any of the often highly
controversial literary-critical, historical, or theological issues
involved.
T h e Bibliographies are constructed in three sections. First in
each comes a list of editions of the text - in chronological order:
then a list of the existing translations in P.nglish, P'rench, and

' .Since it is a relatively short work. I'he I-addcr orjacolj has heeii chosen to
illustrate in its simplest form the situation when there is more than one recension of
the text of the same document extant. On pp. 4.15-4(13 (below) will be found
translations of Ixith extant recensions of The Ladder, printedonc after the other, so
that whoever is so minded can compare the two and form some estimate of the kind
of problems that arise.
 Pre] ace xiii
G e r m a n - also in chronological order; and last of all. a section
h e a d e d "General", whose (unction is to draw attention to some ol
t h e scholarly treatments that have been od'ered of the work con­
c e r n e d (not necessarily by the most modern authors), which in one
w a y or a n o t h e r assist in its understanding and appreciation. The
items in this last section are arranged, not chronologicalh, but
a l p h a b e t i c a l l y . No a t t e m p t has been made to be all-inclusi\e.

Few of o u r readers, who h a \ e been brought up on Charles, will

fail to notice, not only a dillerence in the contents, but also a
f u n d a m e n t a l difference in general approach. These are not un­
connected.
W h e n deciding on the contents of his second volume. (Uiarles
s e e m s to have been guided by no exactly definable principle of
selection, except in so far as he regarded all the items he included
as J e w i s h in origin, written in the so-called "intertc-stamental
period", a n d therefore of the greatest value, first to students of the
J u d a i s m of this period, and secondly to students of early Christi­
a n i t y , since they illustrated the Jewish background both of the
p r i m i t i v e C h u r c h and also of many of the New 'Testament books.
In his general Preface C^harles wrote:
F o r students bcjlh of t h e Old a n d N e w Testaments the value of the
non-C^aiionical Jewish literature from 2()() Hc: to KX) is practically
recognized on every side alike by Jewish a n d C:hrisliaii scliolars. But
hitherto no attempt has been m a d e to issue a n edition ofthis literature as a
whole in English.'

a n d elsewhere:
This literature was written probably for t h e most part in (iaiilee, the h o m e
of the religious seer and inystie. N o t only w a s the development of a
religious but also of an ethical character, in lK)lh these respects the way
was prepared by this literature for t h e advent of Cihristianity, while a study
of the New Testament makes it clear that its writers h a d been brought u p
in the atmosphere created by these lx)oks a n d were themselves directly
acquainted with many of them,''

' APOTi. p. iii and ii. p. iii.

* Religious Deietopment bftwefn the Old and the Sew Teitaments (The Home L'nicer-
sity Library of .Mcxiern Knowledge; I,ondon. I'.Ht), p.!).
xi\ Prejme
I o-(ia\ an appioacli along llu-sc lines is barely possible. Despite
(Charles's ascription of all the items in his second volume to the
cetmu-ies between L'dO HC and 100. and his con\ iction that all of
t h e m were Jewish in origin, the fact remains that the textual
tradition in tiearU every case is Christian.' Here lies the tnajor
dillit iilty.
.\boiit the Jewish origin o t n i a n y o l t h e m there cat) be tio doubt:
atid some of these would seem to have come down to us in very
m u c h the s a m e \hrm as their atithors wrote thetii - Jubilees is a case
in point. .Most o t l h e others, however, have been transmitted to us
as what wotild api)ear to be an amalgatn of Jewish atid Cchristian
e l e m e n t s , which to the tmpractised eye are not very easily separ­
able. But Charles, conmiitted as he was to the view that all were
J e w i s h originallv. had no scruples iti explaining the Christian
elements as either later additions to. or interpolations iiuo. what
were once purely Jewish texts. .\nd in his translations he repeatedly
enclosed several words, or a verse, or verses, or a whole chapter, or
m o r e , withiti stjtiare brackets, and added in his notes sttch a
c o m m e n t as. " The words in brackets are a Christian inter|jolation.
as is evident from . .
For C h a r l e s ' s successors nnich ofthis has seemed nothing like so
evident. In m a n y instances of alleged Christian addition or ititer-
polation Charles may well have been quite right. We know that
C h r i s t i a n s did take over Jewish writings, and there is every reasoti
for s u p p o s i n g that Irom time to time they added to them and
interpolated into them bits and pietes here and there, in order to
m a k e t h e m more acceptable for Christian use. Btit there is also
evidence to suggest that they sometimes recast a Jewish text
altogether, so that l<)r us to think purely in terms of "additiotis" and
' i n t e r p o l a t i o n s ' is irrelevant - such a work will have been a
C h r i s t i a n work, though based on a Jewish foundation. We have
also to allow f()r the likelihood that Christians also wrote works
with a traditionally Jewish background: they may have been
influeticed by J e w i s h legends they had come across, either written

' r i i c cxc e p t i o i i s are (i) The /.aclokiti- Kraynirms. I iii Mir .SKIP, nlWliikar, and
(iiil I'irkr .Mxitli. Hut Charles made it elear that h e did uol luimtier these w o r k s
.unont; "the I*seude|)inrapha' as he imderstcKKl t h e t e r m : see his rem.irks to this
rIVecl m his I'relaer iAPOTx. p. iv. .m<\ ii. p. ivl.
 Preface .x\
or oral, or the influence may have been no more than what they
h a d read lijr themscKes iti the Old Testament, expanded by a
liberal use of their own imagination (in much the same way as
s o m e of the already existing Jewish works had come into being):
but again these will have been Christian works from the beginning,
a n d the a p p e a r a n c e in them ol'Clhristian theological expressions,
or w h a t may look like quotations from the New 'Testament, should
occasion no sinprise.
In o t h e r words, the problem has proved to be much mf)re
complicated than Charles imagined, and his approach in con­
s e q u e n c e was much too narrow. We have, therel'ore. when con­
sidering which items to include in our own \-olume. thought it best
to a b a n d o n the concept of 'background literature' entirely. O u r
single criterion Ibr inclusion has been whether or not any par­
ticular item is attributed to (or is jarimarily concerned with the
history or activities of) an Old Testament character (or characters).
.And we have tried to include all the more important and interest­
ing items that satisfy this criterion, irrespective of date, and
i r r e s p c c t i \ c , ttjo. of whether or not a convincing claim can be put
forward on behalf of any one of them for a respectable Jewish
pedigree.
To have included everything which satisfies this criterion would
h a \ e been impossible. In making our choices we have been guided
principally by a desire to produce a collection as representative as
possible of the various types of literature within the field - i.e.
History (and Legend), 'Testament, .Apocalypse, Psalms, etc. .A
n u m b e r of items, such as 1 Knoch, selected themsehes. With
o t h e r s a decision sometimes was more difficult. T h e extant frag­
m e n t s of the apocryphal Kzekiel, for example, were thought too in­
s u b s t a n t i a l to merit inclusion; and some readers might maintain,
not u n r e a s o n a b l y , that the same argument should have been
a p p l i e d to the fragmentary .Apocalypse of Zephaniah, which has
been included (see below, p p . 9 1 9 - 2 0 ) . .And so one might g o o n .
In practice the differences in content between our volume and
C.harles's second volume are nothing like so great as the ah)ovc
r e m a r k s might suggest. We have naturally dropped T h e Fragments
of a Z a d o k i t e Work, 'The Story of .Ahikar, T h e Sibylline Oracles,
a n d Fhe Letter of .Aristeas, as failing to satisfy our criterion: 4 t^zra
x\i frejace
Ijclongs. .strictly speaking, to the .Apocrypha ( = 2 Esdras), and it
has therefore also been dropped: 4 Maccabees is a doubtful case,
a n d we h a \ e decided against it. O n the other hand, we have added
a n u m b e r of other items - T h e .Apocalypse of .Abraham, T h e
Testament of .Abraham, The Testament of Isaac, The Testament
of J a c o b , The L a d d e r of J a c o b , J o s e p h and .Aseneth, The Testa­
m e n t of J o b . The O d e s of Solomon, 'The 'Testament of Solomon,
The .Apocalypse of Elijah, 'The Paraleipomena of Jeremiah, 'The
.Apocalypse of Z e p h a n i a h , 'The ".Anonymous" .Apocalypse, 'The
.Apocalypse of Esdras, The X'ision of Esdras, and 'The .Apocalypse
of S e d r a c h . Even so. there is an essential core common to both
\ olumes.
The difference in general approach, which has been alluded to.
can most satisfactorily be illustrated by comparing the two treat­
m e n t s of the text of The .Ascension of Isaiah. Oharles explained the
existing text as a 2nd cent. \n putting together of three previously
i n d e p e n d e n t constituents, one of which was Jewish and the other
two C h r i s t i a n : the hrst (Jewish) constituent he identified as the
fragmentary ".Martyrdom of Isaiah" (i. l - 2 a , 6/>-13fl, ii. 1-8, 1 0 -
iii. 12, \ . lA-14), the second as the "'Testament of Hezekiah" (iii.
13/)-iv. 18), and the third as the 'Vision of Isaiah (vi. 1-xi. 40) -
the r e m a i n i n g verses were 'editorial additions" (i. 2A-6a, 134, ii. 9,
iii. 13fl.iv. 19-v. In, 1,")—It), xi. 41—43), inserted to give cohesion to
the whole. C h a r l e s , accordingly, in his second volume printed the
text of ' T h e .Martyrdom of Isaiah' only, and he described it as
s u c h . In our Introduction to the work we have, of course, discussed
the \ a r i o u s literary-critical hypotheses that have been put
forward; but we have preferred to give a translation of the text
entire (and we have described it as a translation o f ' T h e Ascension
of Isaiah") on the ground that this is the form in which the work
was popularly known, and the title by which it was popularly
k n o w n , in the C h u r c h .
Occasionally this did'erencc in approach may have a more obvi­
ously practical consequence. For example, in Charles's view T h e
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs were a Jewish work which
h a d suffered heavily from Christian interpolation. Before Charles
most scholars had thought of it as Christian in origin, though no
d o u b t modelled on earlier Jewish ' T e s t a m e n t s ' ; and some still do.
 Preface xvii
In t h r e e s e p a r a t e passages in the T e s t a m e n t s as we have received
t h e m the two c o m m a n d m e n t s , ' T h o u shalt love the Lord, thy God'
a n d ' T h o u shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, are associated
t o g e t h e r . C h a r l e s ' s comment here was that the Testaments were
t h e 'earliest literary authority for conjoining love to God and love
to o n e ' s n e i g h b o u r ' . ' If Charles was right and the Testaments are
J e w i s h ( c 100 BC), then O u r Lord's so-called ' S u m m a r y of the
L a w ' ( M a t t . xxii. 3 7 - 4 0 ; M a r k xii. 2 9 - 3 1 ) was anticipated; but if
C h a r l e s was wrong and the T e s t a m e n t s are Christian, then the
p a s s a g e s in question are likely to be no more than the reflection of
the t e a c h i n g in the Gospels (and the same would also be true, of
c o u r s e , if the passages were three additional Christian interpola­
tions into his originally Jewish T e s t a m e n t s , which had escaped
C h a r l e s ' s eagle-eye!).
A n d finally, the term 'Pseudepigrapha' has been avoided
a l t o g e t h e r . Pseudepigrapha is, in any case, an ugly word. .And
w h e n used in association with '.Apocrypha', as it so frequently is, it
can be very misleading. Strictly it is 'a collective term for books or
writings b e a r i n g a false title, or ascribed to another than the true
a u t h o r ' . ' M a n y of the books commonly grouped together and
a l l u d e d to as 'the Pseudepigrapha' are indeed pseudepigraphical -
n o d o u b t a majority. But there is nothing distinctive about this:
t h e r e a r e pseudepigraphical books in the Apocrypha (e.g. T h e
W i s d o m of Solomon), a n d there are pseudepigraphical books in
t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t itself (e.g. Daniel). T o refer to 'the Pseudepi­
g r a p h a ' , without further definition or qualification, creates the
i m p r e s s i o n in the popular mind that alongside the 'canonical' Old
T e s t a m e n t a n d the 'deutero-canonical' .Apocrypha there is a third,
universally recognized, 'trito-canonical' collection of b o o k s - w h e n
t h e r e is not. Any collection of books ofthis kind, however chosen, is
b o u n d to mirror the predilections and the prejudices ofits editor(s);
a n d it is well that this should be realized. T h e term therefore,
t h o u g h ancient, is best avoided.

It only r e m a i n s for me to record my personal thanks: first, to my

t e a m of translators and revisers, and to express the hope that

• / I T O r i i , p, 334. ' 0 £ / ) v i i i , p . 1342.

x\iii Prejme
wlu'llu-r dead or still li\ i n g tiu-\ will n o t think too unkindly ol'thc
lihcrtifs I h a \ ( ' takcti with what they siihinitlcd to nic; next to
certain ol'my frieiKls - iiotahK to Dr. S. P, Brock, who has assisted
ine ungrudgingly in \ a r i o u s ways over the years in hunting out
o b s c u r e details, atid also to .Mr. ]. .S. Ci. Siinnums. who undertook
the final oversight o l a l l the .Slavonic entries in the bibliographies
in o r d e r to enstire a reasonable tinifiirniity in transliterations and
o t h e r m a t t e r s ; a n d . last of all. to the authorities and stall'at the
Press, cspecialK to .Mr. Peter Spiccr, who originally floated the
idea o f a \ o l u m e like this, and to -Mi .J. K. (lordy, who has watched
over its genesis with a patient e l()r which I am pioroundly grateful.

Fea.sl of St.Tlwmas (ij Cdiilerhury H. P. I). S | ' . \ R K S

2'.) December I9HI.
 ABBREVIATIONS A N D SYMBOLS

AjSaB- V. RII;.SS1.1;R, Alljiidisc/ies Schnjttum amserhalh der

Bihel. 2. Aufiagf (Heidclhorg. I9(i(i).
AL C . C:. T O R R I A ' . The Apocryphal Lileralure: A Brief
Introduction (New Ha\i-n, 194.'): ri-print«l H a m d c n ,
C o n n . . 1963).
ALGhJ Arbeilen zi'r Lileralur und Geschichte des hellenislischen
Judenliiins {l.vk\m. 19f)8- ).
APAT v.. K . . \ r r z . s c n (i-d.). Die Apoknphen und Pseudepi-
graphendes Alten Testaments. 2 vols, ('rubingcn, 1900).
APOT R . H . C H . X R I . K . S (cd.). The Apocrypha and Pseudepi-
l^rapha oJ the Old Testament in English, with Introductions
and Critical and Explanatory S'otes to the several Books,
edited in conjunction with many scholars. 2 \ols.
(Oxford, 1913).

CBQ_ Catholic Biblical Quarterly.

C.hOIDR Chtemya v Imperatorsknm Obshchestie istorii i dremoste'
rossiiskikhpri .Moskorskom uniiersitete.
CSCO Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium.
CSEL Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum.
DBSup L. P l R O I f / f l / . (cds.), Dictionnaire de la Bible:,Supple­
ments H'dTis, Wm- ).

EATAP L, R o S T , Einleitung in die alttestamenttichen

Apokryphen und Pseudepigraphen (Heidelberg, 1971).
El'X H . W K I N K I . , 'Diespaterechrislliche.Apokalyptik'
in H . S C H . M I D T (ed.), Ebxaf>"rrfipiov: Studien zur
Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments
Hermann Gunkel. . . dargebracht, ii ( = Forschungen zur
Religion und Literatur des Allen und Neuen Testaments,
N.F., .xix. 2; Gottingcn, 1923).
XX Abbreviations and Symbols
(iCS Griechischen christlichen Schrijlsteller der ersten drei
Ja/irhimderle.
OyrZ/C^iii K. S c H L R K R , Geschickle des jiidischen Volkes im
Zeitalter Jesu Christi. 4. Auflagc. 3. Band (Leipzig,
1909).

H/l'TJCU. iii L. SciHiRKR, .4 Hislor)^ of the Jewish People in the

Time of Jesus Christ (Pt. IL \ o l . iii. Translated by
SOPHIA TAYLOR and PF.TKR C;HRISTIE;
Kdinburgh, 188(3).
//.S'.\/ Harvard Semitic Monographs.
HTR Harvard Theological Review.
HI Y.'.l Hebrew L nion College Annual.

IPGAT D K . M S , Introduction auxpseudepigraphesgrecs

dAncien Testament (= Stadia in Veteris Testamenti
Pseudepigrapha, i; Leiden, 1970).

IA OS Journal oj the American Oriental Society.

JUL Journal of Biblical Literature.
Jli Jewish Encyclopedia.
JJS Journal ofJewish Studies.
JQ_R Jewish Qtiarterly Review.
JSh-rZ \V. C;. K L M M K L (ed.), Jiidische Schrijten aus
hellenistisch-rdmischer Zeit (GMCTsloh, 1973- ).
JTS Journal of Theological Studies.

l.AOT XL R. J A . M E . S , The Lost Apocrypha of the Old Testa­

ment: Their Titles and Fragment's [= S . P . C . K . , Trans­
lations of Early Documents; London, 1920).

.\T.4 R . M c L. W I L S O N (ed.). New Testament Apocrypha.

2 vols. (London, 1963 and 1965).
NTS New Testament Studies.
 Abhreiialions and Symbols xxi
OTI O. K l S S l ' K l . D [, The Old Testament: An Introduction.
incliidina the Apocrypha and T.ieiidepigraplia. and also the
works of similar type from Qiimran ( Traiislalcd by
I'l: i r . R R. A C K R O V I ) ; Oxford. 19(ib).

Peshitta The Old Testament in Syriac according tu the Pesliitta

rcM(«n (Leiden, 1972- ).
PC j . 1'. M I (; N K (ed.). Patrologia Oraeca.
PL ]. P. M l ( ; N I . (ed.), Patrologia Latina.
PO Patrologia Orientalis.
PVTG Pseudepigrapha Veteris Testamenti (jraece (Leiden.
1964- ' ).

RBcn Revue Benedictine.

RBibl Revue Bihlique.

SBL Society of Biblical Literature.

SCS SeptuaginI and Cognate Studies.
SORYaS Sbornik Otdeleniya russkogo ya-^yka ( slovesnosti
Imperalorskoi Akadernii nauk.
SPB Studia Post Biblica.
SVTP Studia in Veteris Testamenti Pseudepigrapha (Leiden.
1970- ).

TS Texts and Studies.

TU Texte und I'ntersuchungcn.
TZ Theologische Zeitung.

uwor J . I S S . W K R D K N S , The (ncanonical Writings of the

Old Testament found in the A rmenian MSS of the Library
of St. Lazarus, translated into English. 2nd edition
(X'enice, 1934).

VT Vetus Testamentum.

ZAIV Zeit.ichriftfiir die altestamentlictie ll'issenschafl.

xxii Abhreiialions and Symbols
ZI).\tG Zeilschrifl der deulschen morgenldndischen (iesellschajl.
ZA'O' ZeilschriflJiir dieneuleslamenlliche U'issenschafl.

t i iiiciicalcs that the word or words so enclosed are

corrupt.
( I indicates that the word or words .so eticlosed,
though part of the text being translated, are in all
probability an intrusion into the original.
( ) indicates that the word or words so enclosed are a
restoration into the text of what is conjectured to
ha\ e I'allen out ofthe original.
thick type indicates that the word or words so printed are a
conjectural enicndation.
ilalics indicate that the word or words so printed are not
actually Ibund in the text being translated, but
they have been added to improve the sense.
 JUBILEES

I.NTRODLCl'lON

J u b i l e e s describes itself in the Prologue as "the account of the

division o f t h e days ofthe law and ofthe testimony, of the events of
the years, according to their rear-weeks and their jubilees, through
all the years o f t h e world, as the Lord gave it to Moses on mount
Sinai, when he went up to receive the stone tablets ofthe law and
o f t h e c o m m a n d m e n t , in a c c o r d a t u e with (jod's command, as he
said to him, (Jo up to the top ofthe mount".
I h e scene is accordingly set in the biblical context of Kxod. xxiv.
1 2 - 1 8 . During the forty days and forty nights that Moses is on the
m o u n t 'the angel ofthe presence" recoutits to him all the significant
events from the Creation to the Kxtxius (including the circumstances
of his own birth and early history, the passage ofthe Red Sea, and
t h e celebration o f t h e first Passover) and also initiates him into the
mysteries ofthe secret traditions which had already been communi­
cated to certain of the patriarchs. These traditions had been
h a n d e d down from father to son, in some instances in writing;' and
M o s e s is now instructed to write what is revealed to him 'in a
book"- - an instruction obviously inspired by the statement at
Kxod. xxiv. 4 ('.Moses wrote down all the words ofthe Lord') and
the definite instruction at Kxod. xxxiv. 27 ('Write these words
d o w n ' ) . But the 'book' referred to in Jubilees is not 'the book of the
c o v e n a n t ' , from which Moses reads at Kxod. xxiv. 7. .Nor is it one of
the books o f t h e Pentateuch, traditionally ascribed to Moses. It is
t h e Book ofjubilees itself Whereas the Pentateuch, 'thefirst law','
h a d been published by .Moses openly. Jubilees is represented as a
kind o f ' s e c o n d law' (although the actual phrase does not occur),
w h i c h Moses is commissioned to write and preserve for the genera­
tions in the last times ('. . . till I descend and dwell with them
t h r o u g h all eternity'").
J u b i l e e s is thus in content for the most part a parallel version of
G e n . i. I - Kxod. xv. 22; and it stands in much the same sort of
' e.g. vii. 38. xxxix. 6, xlv. It). •' i. ,i: i p . ii. 1.
2 Jubilees
r e l a t i o n s h i p to its p r i m a r y biblical sources as do the Books of
Chronicles to the Books ofSamuel and Kings. Just as the Chronicler
h a s rewritten Samuel and Kings, concentrating on the religious
aspects of Israel's history, especially on the Temple and its wor­
s h i p , a n d on the part that David played in the preparations for its
building, so the a u t h o r ofjubilees has rewritten the material in
G e n . i. 1 - E.xod. xv. 22, partly in order to bring it up to date from
the point of view o f t h e beliefs and practices of his own day, but
m o r e particularly in order to bring it into line with his own special
theological outlook and interests.
M a n y of his additions to the Genesis-Exodus narrative would
seem to have been derived from traditional Jewish folklore, since
parallels are found elsewhere. His account of how .Abraham pro­
tested to his father T e r a h about his worship of idols, how one night
A b r a h a m set fire to 'the idols' house', and how his brother Nahor
perished in trying to save the idols,' has parallels not only in T h e
Apocalypse of A b r a h a m , ' but also in Rabbinic sources;' and,
similarly, ' T h a r m u t h ' , the n a m e given to Pharaoh's daughter, who
rescued Moses from the bullrushes,* is paralleled by the
' T h e r m u t h i s ' of J o s e p h u s . ' No doubt, too, many o f t h e names of
t h e p a t r i a r c h a l wives'" were also derived from tradition. But in any
case, w h e t h e r such details were traditional in origin, or whether
t h e a u t h o r himself invented them, there is a b u n d a n t evidence of
his concern t h r o u g h o u t to trace all the social and religious institu­
tions of which he most approved back to the earliest times, to
u p h o l d a n d assert the eternal validity o f t h e Law, and to present
the p a t r i a r c h s as the exemplary saints of Israel's past, who had in
fact observed the Law in all its particulars before it was formally
promulgated.
T h e wearing of clothes, for example, is said to have originated in
a specific obligation laid by God on .Adam when he left the Garden
of E d e n , in accordance with the prescription 'on the heavenly
tablets that all those familiar with the provisions of the law should
cover their s h a m e and not uncover themselves as the Gentiles
' xii. 1-14. « .Xpoc. .Vbrah. i-viii (sec below p p . 3 6 9 - 75).
' e.g. .\lidrash fl<r«Ai(A AiAiaA, xxxviii. 13, xxxix. 1, 8; T.B. £niim, 53a.
• xlvii.5. • Am. II. ix. 5 (§224).
'° e.g. iv. 9 - 3 3 , xxxiv. 2 0 - 2 1 .
 Jubilees '.i
u n c o v e r themselves."" .\gain, the annual celebration o f t h e Feast
of Weeks was 'ordained and written on the heavenly tablets':
W e e k s had been celebrated in heaven from the Creation: Noah had
observed it: so had .Abraham, Isaac, J a c o b , and J a c o b ' s children;
a n d it was the feast celebrated by .Moses and the elders on .Mount
Sinai at the time o f t h e giving o f t h e Law,'- .And, so that no one
m i g h t think that anything any ofthe patriarchs did was discredit­
a b l e , the deceptions practised by .Abraham and Isaac on Fharaoh
a n d .Abimelech, described at length in ( l e n e s i s , " are in jtibilees
passed over in silence;''' and the motivation of .Abraham's attemp­
ted sacrifice of Isaac is ascribed, neither to (iod nor to .Abraham
himself, but to the evil prince .Mastema. who prompts (Jod to test
.Abraham (much as in the Bible Satan prompts Ciod to test Job)
a n d in the event is put to shame by .Abraham's faithfulness in
o b e y i n g the Divine c o m m a n d . "
By far the most notable feature about the book, however, is the
a u t h o r ' s very evident interest in chronology and calendars. .A
c a l e n d a r of some kind was, of course, an essential requisite for the
correct regulation o f t h e various feasts; and the calendar followed
in J u b i l e e s seems to presuppose a year divided into 12 months of 30
d a y s each, with an e.xtra day added at the end of every third month
(or, more accurately, at the beginning of every fourth - or first).
S u c h an a r r a n g e m e n t results in a year of 4 quarters, each of 91 days
(or exactly 13 weeks), making .')2 weeks and 364 days in a l l . " This
c a l e n d a r was not the only calendar in use in the author's day, as he
himself clearly recognized;" but it had the advantage of simplicity,
in t h a t the days ofthe week and ofthe month were the same in each
successive year, a n d that the feasts always fell regularly on the first
d a y o f t h e week in which they occurred.
F u n d a m e n t a l to any calendar must be the week of seven days
o r d a i n e d by G o d at the Creation. In Lev. xxv the idea of the
seven-day week had already been extended to cover not only an
a d d i t i o n a l time-period of seven years (i.e. a week of years), but also
a further one o f ' s e v e n times seven' (i.e. forty-nine) years, with a
" iii. 3 0 - 3 1 . '-• vi. 1 7 - i a
" Gen. xii. 1 0 - 2 0 , XX. l - l « , x x v i . 1 - 1 7 .
'*• .At xiii. l l . x v i . 1 0 , x x i v . 8 - 1 7 . " xvii. l.i-xviii. 11.
" See especially vi. 2 3 - 3 . 5 . " vi. 3r)-;iH.
4 Juhilees
fiftieth 'year of j u b i l e e ' ' " at the end. It was this extension that
c a u g h t o u r a u t h o r ' s fancy (or. perhaps, the fancy of some other
m e m b e r of the religious community to which he belonged) and
p r o m p t e d him to extend it even further and adapt it to provide the
basis for a complete chronological scheme. In the process the word
'jubilee' changed its meaning. .No longer was it just a descriptive
epithet applied to every fiftieth year, as it was in Leviticus. Now it
w a s used as a s t a n d a r d technical term to mean the whole of a
lorty-nine-year period; atid so it fjecame the most signihcant of all
the units for the measurement of time - presumably because it was
the longest. Cionsequently. the entire course of history could be
divided into jubilees and events dated by reference to a particular
j u b i l e e a n d its a p p r o p r i a t e sub-divisions (i.e. weeks of years, years,
m o n t h s , weeks, and days).
Thus, the very first week o f t h e hrst jubilee of all was occupied
with creation and the giving of the 'great s i g n ' - t h e s a b b a t h . ' " T h e
first five days of the second week were taken up with .Vdam's
review of the animals and his naming of them;^" and Kve was
c r e a t e d d u r i n g the night between the fifth day and the sixth.^' T h e
t e m p t a t i o n by the serpent is assigned to the seventeenth day ofthe
second m o n t h after the conclusion ofthe first seven-year period (in
m o d e r n terms " 1 7 . 2 . 8 ' ) " and the expulsion from Kden to the first of
the fourth m o n t h o f t h e same year (i.e. '1.4.8').-' Clain was born in
the third seven-year period (or 'week' according to the author's
terminology) ofthe second jubilee (i.e. between 64 and 70), .-\bel in
t h e fourth (between 71 and 7 7 ) ; " and Cain murdered .Vbel in the
first 'week' o f t h e third jubilee (between 99 and 1 0 5 ) . " T h e birth of
A b r a h a m is dated in the seventh year of the second 'week' of the
t h i r t y - n i n t h j u b i l e e (i.e. 1876),^° the death of Isaac in the sixth year
of the first 'week' of the forty-fifth jubilee (i.e. 2162),^' and the
d e s c e n t of J a c o b a n d his sons into Egypt ten years later - 'on the
new m o o n o f t h e fourth m o n t h , in the second year ofthe third week
of the forty-fifth jubilee' (i.e. ' 1 . 4 . 2 1 7 2 ' ) . " Finally, the Exodus, the

Lit. 'year of" the raltl's horn (or cornet)' - i.e. the year whose tx'ginning was
a n n o u n c e d l)V a ceremonial blast on the ram's horn (Lev. xxv. 9 - 10).
ii. 1-17.' iii. 1-3. " iii. 4 - 6 . " iii. 17.
" iii. 32. " iv. 1. " iv.2. " xi. 14-l.i.
" xxxvi. 1-18. " xlv. 1.
 Jubilees 5
p a s s a g e o f t h e Red Sea, and the revelation on Sinai, are dated to
the year 2410 (and the completion o f t h e forty-ninth jubilee nine
years previously is remarked on in passing): there are yet Ibrty
years to run before Israel enters C:anaan (on the completion ofthe
fiftieth j u b i l e e , i.e. in 24.')0); after which 'thejubilees shall pass by
till Israel is cleansed from all guilt . . . and the land shall be clean
from that d a y forward for e v e r m o r e . ' "

T h e r e can be no doubt in the light of all this that the author was
a J e w , w h o lived in one of the later centuries BC:; and scholarly
o p i n i o n has varied between the fifth century and the first, most
preferring a d a t e alnnit 100 BC. The earliest evidence for the
existence o f j u b i l e e s is to be found in the so-called 'Zadokite
F r a g m e n t s ' or ' D a m a s c u s Document', associated with the sect at
Q u m r a n . There are several a p p a r e n t allusions to Jubilees in the
course o f t h i s work, and in one passage it is referred to explicitly -
' . \ n d the exact statement o f t h e epochs of Israel's blindness to all
these (i.e. the ordinances o f t h e Law], behold it can be learned in
the Book o f t h e Divisions of'Times into their Jubilees and their
Weeks.'•'" Some would argue that both Jubilees and the Damascus
D o c u m e n t were products ofthe Q u m r a n sect. But whether this be
so or not. we are no better inlbrmed about the date of the
l ^ a m a s c u s D o c u m e n t than we are about the d a t e ofjubilees, and
so the reference to Jubilees in the Document does no more than
establish the priority ofjubilees. In the Rabbinic literature there is
no certain reference to it anywhere.
A m o n g Clhristians the hooV. seems to have been known compara­
tively early. So far as our evidence .goes, the first Clhristian to refer
to it by n a m e was the blind .Mcxandrian scholar Didymus (4ih
c e n t . ) ; and he calls it ' T h e Little G e n e s i s ' . " 'This was the most
p o p u l a r n a m e for it in the C h u r c h , being used, for example, by
J e r o m e ( t 4 2 0 ) . " T h e n a m e 'Jubilees' is first found in Rpiphanius
( t 4 0 3 ) , w h o gives 'Jubilees' and ' T h e Little Genesis' as alter­
n a t i v e s . ' ' A n o t h e r alternative, according to the Gelasian Decree,

" I. 4 - . i .
Damascus Document, xvi. 2 - 4 .
" Didvniu.s. A'narr. iVi //oann. iii. 12. " Jcromf, ixxviii. 20.
" ICpiph. Haer. XX.XI.X. vi. I.
f) Juhilees
was 'Tlic Btx)k aJxiut the Dauglucrs of'Aclain"." Y d another appc-ars
to h a \ e been 'I'lie Apocalypse of M o s e s , ' " and another, perhaps,
' T h e Life ol A d a m " " - though this last work may h a \ e been no
m o r e than an abstract, consisting only of parts of the opening
chapters.
.Since the book first became known in modern times it has been
a r g u e d on purely internal atid circumstantial grounds that it was
originallv written in Hebrew, though .some (notabK C^ CI. lorrcy)
l i a \ e suggested .Aramaic. The arguments in r a v o u r o l H e b r e w have
recently been considerably strengthened, not merely by the e\ idence
o f t h e D a m a s c u s Document, but also by the fact that a number of
fragments oi' Jubilees, from some ten dilfereiit manuscripts, have
been found in lour of the Q u m r a n caves, and all of them are in
H e b r e w . .A further Iraginent, also in Hebrew, has btren found at
.Masada.
.At a d a t e unknown a (ireek \ersion was made, of which only
extracts now survive, mainly in I'.piphatiius and the Byzantine
c hroiiiclers Syncellus and Cedreiius. Later on, the Greek \ ersion
was translated into both Latin and Kthiopic. O f t h e Latin there are
s u b s t a n t i a l surviving fragments, preserved in the same fith cent.
-MS that contains also The .Assumption of Moses: these fragments
were edited by Geriani in 1861, and c o \ e r more than a quarter of
the complete text; and according to Rcinsch (their next editor), the
d a t e o f t h e Latin version itself was about a hundred years earlier
t h a n the M S - i.e. mid-.')th cent. It is probable that there was also a
Syriac version; and if the results of Tisserant's study of what are
a p p a r e n t l y extensive extracts preserved in an anonymous late 12th
cent, chronicle are accepted, then the Syriac version was made
direct from the Hebrew, without reference to the (Jreek, and about
the s a m e time as the Peshitta.
T h e Kthiopic version alone has preserved the complete text of
the book. Dillmann, the first editor of it, worked from two MSS
only, one in Tiibingen (19th cent.) and one in Paris (17th cent.).
C h a r l e s , for his edition of 189.5, added two more o f t h e 16th and
'•• Deer. (lei. w 4: 'Liber de filiabus .Adae, [hoc est] I.eptogeiieseos. ajxicrv phus'.
" S\iuellus. Chronographia {= Corpus Scriplorum llislonae By^antinae: ed.
W. Diiidorf, Bonn. 1H2!)), i. p. 5.
" I b i d , p. 7.
 juhilees 7
15th cents, (in Loncion and Paris). Since (Iharles's day at least half
a dozen other M S S have come to light, of which two arc probably
o f t h e 14th cent. - the oldest yet discovered.
T h e translation which follows is a thoroughgoing re\ision of
C h a r l e s ' s translation of his own Kthiopic text. .Any conflic t of any
i m p o r t a n c e between this text and the text o f t h e Latni fragments
( w h e r e they are extant) has attention drawn to it in the notes; and
it will be found that overall, in these instances, we have preferred
the Latin rather more frecjuetuly than did CUiarles. Unfortunately,
n o n e o f t h e H e b r e w fragments so far available is sulTiciently sub­
stantial to enable us to establish anything like a continuous text in
any part of the book. W h a t docs emerge, however, from a detailed
s t u d y of these fragments is the impression that the Kthiopic ver­
sion, despite the fact that it is a secondary version, is ne\ertheless
to be accepted as a generally trustworthy and reliable guide to the
H e b r e w original.

BIBLIOCJR.APHV

Ethiopic
C . F . A . D M A . M . W S . Mashqfa kufalesire LiberJuhilaeonm. qui idem a
Graecis 'H Aeiixt) Fiveaig inscribilur. . . aethiopice ad duorum libronim
manuscriptorumfdem primum edidit (Kiel and London, 1859).
R. H . C H . A R L K . S , The Ethiopic Version ofthe Hebrew Book ofjubilees.
otherwise known among the Greeks as 'H AeTirf) r^vcaig. edited from four
manuscripts, and critically revised through a continuous comparison ofthe
Massoretic and Samaritan Texts, and the Greek, Syriac. Vulgate and
Ethiopic Versions of the Pentateuch, and further emended and restored in
accordance with the Hebrew, Syriac, Greek and iMtin fragments of this
Book, which are here published in full (= Anecdota Oxoniensia, Semitic
Series viii; Oxford, 1895).

Hebrew
D. B A R T H t L E M Y and J . T . M i L I K , Discoveries in the Judaean
Desert, L Qumran Cave I (Oxford, 1955), pp. 8 2 - 8 4 .
8 Juhilees
M. B A I I . I . r . r , J . T. M I I . I K and R , Ul. \.\IX. Dism-enes in Ihe
Judaean Desert. I l l : Les '{'elites (iroltes'de Qjimran (Oxford, 19f)2),
pp. 7 7 - 7 9 .

(;reek
R. H . C l I A R l . K . S . The Ethiopic Version . . . [as aljovc).
I ) I ; M S . Eragmenia Pseudepitirafihoruni quae supersunt (iraeca
(= /^irr/iii (Lcidi-ii, 1970). pp.'7()-l()2).

Latin
\. t : r . R L \ . N I . .Momimenia .sacra el pro/ana. I. i (.Milan. i8()l).
p p . 9-'yl. C-,3-M.
H. R(")N.S(:H. Das Pitch der Juhilden oder Die Kleine (ienesis. unler
Beifiigung des reiidirlen I'exles der in der .hnhrosiana au/ge/undenen
laleimschen Eragnienle, so icie einer von Dr. August Dillmann aus zu'ei
dihiopi.schen Harid.schrijien gejertiglen laleini.schen I 'hertragiiiig
eriaiiterl. untersucht und herau.sgegeben (Lcipzis, 1874: reprinted
.\rn.sterdani. 1970).
R. H . C H A R I . K S . The Ethiopic Version . . . [as above).

Syriac
v.. Tl.S.Sl'.R.VN r, " r r a g m e n t s syriac|ues dii L i \ r e des jiibiles" in
Rev. Bibl. XXX (1921). p p . .').')-8f), 20()-2;V2 (reprinted in Recueil
Cardinal Eugene Tuserant 'Ah Orienle el Occidenle'. i (I.ouvain,
19,'),T), p p . 2;5-87).
also
A. \l. C : I ; R I . \ N I , .Monumenta sacra el pro/ana, I I , i (.Milan, 18()3),
pp. ix-x.
R. H . C:nARl.i;.S, The Ethiopic Version . . . [as above), p. 183.

I R A N S I . A I lO.N.S

English
G . H . S c i H O D D K , ' T h e Book o f j u b i l e e s translated from the
Kthiopic' in Bibliotheca Sacra (Oberlin, O h i o ) , xlii (188,')), pp.
(529- 64.5; xliii (1886), p p . .5(5-72, 3.5(5-371, 45.5-48(5; xliv
(1887), p p . 42(5-459, 6 0 2 - 6 1 1 , 7 2 7 - 7 4 5 .
 Jubilees 9
R. H . C:HARl.i;.S, The Book ofjubilees or ihe I.iltle Genesis. Iranslaled
from the Editor's Ethiopic Text, and edited with Introduction, .\otes. and
Indices {I.oiuion, 1902).
,AP()Tu.p[). 1-82.
, The Book of Jubilees or the Little Genesis { = S.I'.Cl.K. Translations
of Early Documents: London, 1917).

German
C. F . . \ . D l l . l . . \ l A . \ N , "Das Buch der j u b i l a c n oik-r die klcinc
CJcnesis, aus dcm .Xcthiopischcn iibcrsctzt' in Jahrbiicher der
bihlischen Wissenschaft. ii (18.50), pp. 230-2.56 and iii (1851),
p p . 1-96.
E. E l i r . M A N N in E. K A T r / . s c H , APATW. pp. 3 1 - 1 1 9 .
P. RiKS.SI.KR, AjSaB\ pp. 530-(i66.
K . B K R ( ; K R inJSh-rZ IL 3 (1982), pp. 2 7 5 - 5 7 5 .

G . H . B o x , in R. H . C:HARl.i;.S, The Book ofjubilees or the Little

Genesis ( L o n d o n , 1917), pp. vii-xxxiii.
G . L. D A X K M ' O R I , The Eschatology of Ihe Book ofjubilees (= SPB
xx; Leiden, 1971).
.•\.-.\L D K M . S , / P f ; . 4 r , p p . L50-162.
O . E l . s s F K I . D T , OTL p p . 6 0 6 - 6 0 8 .
L . F l N K E L S I ' K I N , ' T h e Book o f j u b i l e e s and the Rabbinic
H a l a k a ' in//T"/? xvi (1923), pp. .39-61.
, ' T h e Date of the Book of Jubilees' in HTR xxxvi (1943),
pp. 19-24.
J.-B. F R E Y , art. 'Apocryphes de I'Ancien T e s t a m e n t ' in DB Sup i,
cols. 3 7 1 - 3 8 0 .
K . K O H E E R , 'Jubilees, Book o F in JE vii (New York, 1904),
pp. 301-304.
J . M O R G E N . S T E R N , ' T h e C a l e n d a r o f t h e Book ofjubilees: Its
O r i g i n a n d its C h a r a c t e r ' in VT\- (1955), pp. 3 4 - 7 6 .
P. R I E S S L E R , / l ; 5 f l 5 ^ p p . 1304-1311.
H . RONSCIH, Das Buch der Jubilden . . . (as above).
L. Ko^W EATAP, p p . 9 8 - 1 0 1 .
 book of jubilees
H) Jubilees
H . H . R o w i . K V . •Clritcria for the Dating of Jubik-cs' in JQR s.S.
xxxvi { l 9 4 ' ) - 6 ) , p p . 1 8 3 - 1 8 7 .
i;. . S ( : H C R I ; R , HJPTJCU. iii, pp. 134-1 U.
. OjVZJ(/' iii, p p . 3 7 1 - 3 8 4 .
M . i K s r i / . , Les /dees religieuses du Liire des Jubiles (Geneva and
Paris, 19fi()).
C . C . r t ) R R r . V , . 4 / . , p p . 126-129.
J . G. \ ' . \ N I ) r . R K . \ . \ l . Textual and Historical Studies in the Rook of
Jubilees {= HSM 14; .Missoula, 1977).
P . WlK.SK.NBKRC;, " ' r h e Jubilee of Jubilees" in Revue de Qumran, I I I .
I ( 1 9 6 1 - 1 9 6 2 ) , pp. 3 - 4 0 .
.S. / i ; n T , l . \ . ' T h e Book of Jubilees: Its Clharacter and its Signi­
f i c a n c e ' i n . / ( 2 ^ N..S. xxx ( 1 9 3 9 - 4 0 ) , pp. 1-31.
. 'C:riteria for the Dating of Jubilees' in JQR .\ .s. xxxvi (194.')-
6), p p . 187-189.

PROLOGUK

T h i s is the account o f t h e di\ision o f t h e days ofthe law and ofthe

t e s t i m o n y , o f t h e events o f t h e years, according to their vwr-weeks
a n d their jubilees, through all the years o f t h e world, as the Lord
g a v e it to .Moses on mount Sinai, when hc went up to receive the
s t o n e tablets of the law and of the c o m m a n d m e n t , in accordance
with ( i o d ' s c o m m a n d , as he said to him. Go u p to the top o f t h e
mount.

I. . \ n d it c a m e to pass in the first y e a r o f the exodus of the Israelites

from Kgypt, in the third month, on the sixteenth day ofthe month,
t h a t G o d spoke to Moses, saying. C o m e up to me on the mount,
a n d I will give you the two stone tablets of the law and of the
c o m m a n d m e n t , which I have written so that you may teach them.
L' .*\nd Moses went u p into the m o u n t of God, and the glory o f t h e
L o r d rested on m o u n t Sinai and a cloud overshadowed it for six
;i d a y s . .And on the seventh day he called to Moses in' the cloud; and
t h e glory of the Lord looked like a flaming fire on the mountain-
' Lit. 'in the middle ol': C:harles would emend to 'out o f to accord with Exod.
xxiv. 16.
 Jubilees 11
4 t o p . .And Moses was on the mount forty days and forty nights; and
G o d t a u g h t him the first things and the last things, and the division
of all the days o f t h e law and ofthe testimony.
.') -And he said. Listen carefully to everything that I tell you on this
m o u n t a i n , and write it in a book so that the generations lo come may
see how I have not forsaken them on account of all the evil they
h a v e d o n e in transgressing the covenant that I am establishing
b e t w e e n m e a n d you on mount Sinai today for a// their generations.
(i A n d so, when all these things have happened to them, they will
recognize that I am more righteous than they are in all they think
a n d d o , - a n d they will recognize that I have kept faith with them.
7 W r i t e down everything, then, that I tell you ttxlay; for I know
how defiant and stubborn they are, even before I lead them into the
l a n d a b o u t which I swore an oath to their fathers, .Abraham, Isaac,
a n d J a c o b , saying, T o your descendants will I give a land flowing
8 w i t h milk a n d honey. .And they will eat and be satisfied, and they
will turn to foreign gods that are powerless to rescue them in their
distress; a n d then this evidence will s e r \ e as evidence against them.
9 For they will forget all my c o m m a n d m e n t s that I give them and
copy the Gentiles, their uncleanncss and their shame, and worship
their gods; a n d these will prove a stumbling-block to them, a source
10 of distress a n d misery, and a snare. .And many will perish; and
others will be taken captive and fall into the enemy's hands, because
they have forsaken my law and commandtnent, and the festivals of
m y covenant and my s a b b a t h s , and my holy offerings which I have
hallowed for myself in their midst, and my tabernacle, and my
s a n c t u a r y which I have hallowed for myself in the midst ofthe land
11 to m a k e it the dwelling-place for my n a m e . ' And they will make
hill-shrines a n d sacred poles and carved images, and each one will
w o r s h i p his own carved image and go astray; and they will sacrifice
their children to d e m o n s and to all the idols they have m a d e i n ' the
12 e r r o r of their hearts. And I will send witnesses to them to witness
against them; but they will not listen, and they will kill the witnesses
a n d persecute those who seek the law, and they will abrogate and
13 c h a n g e everything and d o what is evil in my sight. And I will hide
^ Lit. 'in all their judgements and in all their actions'.
' Lit. 'that I should set my name upon it and that it should dwell tlierr'.
' Lit. 'and to all the works of.
12 Jubilees
my face from them a n d h a n d them over to the Gentiles to be taken
c a p t i v e a n d to be preyed upon and to be devoured;' and 1 will drive
t h e m out of the land a n d scatter them a m o n g the Gentiles. And
they will forget all my law a n d all my c o m m a n d m e n t s and all my
p r e c e p t s a n d go astray as regards new moons and sabbaths and
festivals a n d jubilees and the other ordinances." And after this they
will turn to me from a m o n g the Gentiles with all their heart and
with all their soul a n d with all their strength; and I will gather
t h e m from a m o n g all the Gentiles, and they will seek mc, and I will
let t h e m find m e . ' A n d when they seek me with all their heart and
with all their soul, I will grant them an age of peace and righteous­
ness* a n d set them a p a r t as an upright p l a n t , ' with all my heart and
with all my soul; and they shall be a blessing and not a curse, the
h e a d a n d not the tail. And I will build my sanctuary in their midst,
a n d I will dwell with them a n d be their God, and they shall be my
people in t r u t h a n d righteousness. And I will not forsake them nor
fail t h e m ; for I a m the Lord their God.
.And Moses prostrated himself and prayed and said, O Lord my
G o d , d o not forsake thy people and thine own fMssession, and let
t h e m not w a n d e r in the error of their hearts: deliver them not into
the h a n d s of their enemies, the Gentiles, and let them not rule over
t h e m a n d m a k e them sin against thee. Let thy mercy, O Lord,
w a t c h over'" thy people, a n d create in them an upright spirit; and
let not the spirit of Beliar rule over them to accuse them before thee
a n d e n s n a r e t h e m from all the paths of righteousness, so that they
perish from thy sight. For they are thy people and thine own
possession, w h o m thou hast delivered with thy great fxjwer from
t h e h a n d s o f t h e Egyptians. Create in them a pure heart and a holy
spirit, a n d let them not be ensnared in their sins now or ever.
A n d the Lord said to Moses, I know their contrariness, their
t h o u g h t s , a n d their stubbornness, a n d they will not be obedient till
they ackowledge their own sin and the sin of their fathers. And
' Text Tor captivity and for injustice and for devouring".
' Lit. 'new moon . . . ordinance" (i.e. singulars not plurals).
' Lit. 'so that I shall be found by them'.
" Lit. 'I will reveal to them abounding peace of righteousness'.
' O r 'and .set apart for them an upright plant' (i.e. the latter-day community of
saints).
'° Lit. 'be lifted up upon'.
 Jubilees 13
a f t i T this they will turn to inc in all uprightness and with all their
h e a r t a n d soul; and I will cireumeise the foreskin of their heart and
the foreskin o f t h e heart of their s o n s , " and I will create in them a
holy spirit, a n d I will deatise them so that they shall not turn away
21 from me again, from that day till eternity. .And they will hold fast to
m e a n d to all my c o m m a n d m e n t s , and fulfil my commandments;
L'.') a n d I will be their father, and they shall be my children. .And they
all shall be called children o f t h e living God; and every angel and
spirit shall know (they shall know indeed) that these are my
children, a n d that I atn truly and genuinely their father,'^ and that
I love them.
21) -And d o you write d o w n " everything I tell you on this mountain,
the first things and the last things that shall come to pass in all the
divisions o f t h e days, in the law and in the testimony, and in the
weeks of thejubilees till eternity, till I descend and dwell with them
t h r o u g h all eternity.
27 .And he said to the angel of the presence. Write for .Moses the
account from the beginning of creation''' till the time when my
2H s a n c t u a r y shall be built a m o n g them for all eternity, and the Lord
a p p e a r in the sight of all, and all know that I am the God of Israel
a n d the father of all the sons of Jacob and king on mount Zion for
•>') all eternity, a n d Zion and Jerusalem shall be e s t a b l i s h e d . " .And
the angel o f t h e presence, who used to go before the c a m p of Israel,
took the tablets o f t h e divisions o f t h e years, from the time o f t h e
creation o f t h e law and ofthe t e s t i m o n y " ' - Me tablets, that is, ofthe
weeks of the jubilees according to their years, according to all the
n u m b e r of the jubilees according to M«V y e a r s , " from the day ofthe
creation until the day when tfie heavens and the- earth are renewed
a n d with them all created things both in heaven and on earth,'* until

'' l.ii. '.seed'. '-' I.ii. '1 .-im tlicir lather in ii()rightnes.s and righteoii.sness'.
" Following two MSS whieh read '!>> \ou write down Ibr yourself: the others
read 'I will write down for you'.
'•" Lit. 'froni the first creation'. " .Mternative reading 'holy'.
" I h e relerence here is to the idea that the I.aw was created l)elbre the world.
" O n e .\IS omits the second 'according to Mm years' and Charles bracketed it as
an interpolation. I'his is probably not the only dittograph in the verse; and in
several places lx>th text and translation are highly uncertain.
"* Lit. 'and all their creation according to the powers of heaven and according to
all the creation ofthe earth'.
 14 Juhilees
the day when the s a i u t u a r y ol'thc Lord is created in Jerusalem on
m o u n t Zion and all the luminaries are renewed as instruments of
healing a n d of peace and of'blessing for all the elect o f l s r a e l . and
that so it may be from that day on as long as the earth lasts.

II. .And the angel of the presence spoke to .\Ioscs in accordance

with the Lord's c o m m a n d , saying. Write the complete history of
the creation, how the Lord Ood finished all his works and all that
hc created on the si.xth day. and kept sabbath on the seventh day,
a n d hallowed it lor all ages and appointed it as a sign tor all his
2 works. For on the first day he created the heavens w hich arc above,
a n d the earth, and the waters, and every spirit that serves before
h i m — the angels ofthe presence, and the angels of holiness, and the
angels o f t h e spirit of fire,' and the angels ofthe spirit ofthe winds,
a n d the angels of the spirit o f t h e clouds and of darkness and of
s n o w a n d of hail and of hoar-frost, and the angels ofthe depths and
of t h u n d e r s a n d lightnings, and the angels o f t h e cold winds and
the hot winds and of winter and spring and a u t u m n and summer,
a n d the spirits of his creatures in the heavens and on the earth and
in all the abysses, and the deep darkness and the light and the
d a w n a n d the morning and the evening, which he had already
H p r e p a r e d a n d planned.^ .And then we saw his works, and we
blessed him and sang praises before him because of all his works;
4 for on the first day he created seven great works. .And on the next
d a y he created the vault between' the waters, and the waters were
divided on that day - half of them went up alx)ve and half of them
went d o w n below the vault that was between' them over the earth;
•) a n d this was the only work he did on the second day. .And on the
third day he c o m m a n d e d the waters to be gathered together from
t h e surface o f t h e earth into one place, and the dry land to appear.
f) .And the waters did so, just as he commanded them; and they
receded from the surface of the earth into one place outside the
7 vault, a n d the dry land a p p e a r e d . And on that day he created all
t h e seas in their separate gathering-places, and all the rivers, and

' O n e .\IS omits 'and the angels ofthe spirit of fire*.

^ Lit. 'which he had prepared in the knowledge of his heart'.
' Lit. 'in the middle of.
 Jubilees 15
the gatherings ol' the waters in the mountains and all over the
e a r t h , a n d all the lakes, a n d all the dew ofthe earth, and the seed
t h a t is sown, a n d all plants that grow, and the trees that bear fruit,
a n d the trees ofthe wood, a n d the garden of Eden in Eden;'' and all
8 these four great works CJod created on the third day. .And on the
fourth d a v he created the sun and moon and stars, and he set them
in the \ ault of heaven to give light on earth, to have charge over day
9 a n d night, a n d to separate light from darkness. .And God appointed
the sun as a great sign on earth to mark the days and weeks' and
m o n t h s ' a n d festivals a n d years and weeks' of years and jubilees
10 a n d all the seasons o f t h e years; and it separates light from dark­
ness, a n d is the source of health, so that everything may be healthy
t h a t s p r o u t s a n d grows on earth. These three kinds of lights'' he
11 m a d e on the fourth day. .And on the fifth day he created great
s e a - m o n s t e r s in the depths ofthe waters (these were the first living
creatures* that were created by his hands), a n d all the fish that
12 swim in the waters, and all kinds of birds that fly. .And the sun rose
o v e r t h e m all to give them health, over everything that was on the
e a r t h - all plants a n d trees a n d living creatures. These three kinds
13 of living creatures he created on the fifth day. .And on the sixth day he
c r e a t e d all the wild animals of the earth, and all the cattle, and
14 e v e r y t h i n g that moves on the earth. .And after all this hc created
m a n : a m a n a n d a w o m a n he created; and he made him master
over everything that is on the earth and in the seas, and over
e v e r y t h i n g that flies, a n d over the wild animals and the cattle, and
over everything that moves on the earth, and over the whole earth:
1.') over all this he m a d e him master. .And these four kinds of creatures
he created on the sixth day. .And there were altogether twenty-two
kinds.
16 A n d he finished all his work on the sixth day - all that is in the
h e a v e n s a n d on the earth, and in the seas and the abysses, and in
17 the light a n d the darkness, and in everything. .And he gave us a

' .Ml .\ISS add 'for dclislii' - doubtless a traiislaiiorial variant of'in Kden', whi(
itself mav well be a dittograph ofthe preceding '(garden) of Kden'.
' O r 'sabbaths'. '• O r 'new-tniK)n days'
' i.e. sun, moon, and stars. " Lit. 'things of llesh'.
Iti Jubilees
great sign, the s a b b a t h day." tliat we sliould work lor six days.'"but
keep s a b b a t h I'roni all work on the seventh day. .\nd all the angels
of the presence and all the angels of holitiess. these two great
classes - he has coininandcd us to keep the sabbath with him in
heaven a n d on earth. .And he said to us. Behold. I will set apart for
myself a people out of all the peoples, atid they shall keep the
s a b b a t h day; and 1 will hallow them as my own people, and I will
bless t h e m : as I have hallowed the sabbath day and do hallow ;(as
m i n e . " e \ e n so will I bless them, and they shall be my petipleand I
will be their ( i o d . .And I have chosen J a c o b ' s descendants out of all
the peoples^- (for I have seen him. and I have marked him down as
my eldest son and hallowed him as m i n e " for evermore); and I will
teach them the law of ihe sabbath day, that they may keep sabbath
on it from all work. .And so he created in it a sign that they should he
like him, and that they should keep sabbath with us on the seventh
d a y , a n d eat and drink and bless him who created all things, as he
blessed a n d hallowed as his o w n " a special people out of all
peoples, a n d that they should keep s a b b a t h together with us, and
the cfoing ol his c o m m a n d s should ascend before him fiir ever like a
pleasant soothing odour.'" I'here were twenty-twt) patriarchs from
.Adam to J a c o b , and twenty-two kinds of created t h i n g s " were
m a d e before the seventh day: this day is blessed and holy; and
J a c o b ' " also is blessed and holy; and .so the two together are
hallowed a n d b l e s s e d . " -And t o j a c o b and his descendants'" it was
g r a n t e d that they should always be the blessed and holy ones ofthe
first covenant and law, c \ e n as he had hallowed and blessed the

" Lit. 'till-day ol the sabbaths'.

' ° { ) r 'keep on workini; on the sixth d a \ ' . IT this is thi- nu-aninn, it may Ix- a
polemic against the Rabbinic cusKnii oi beginning tlie sal)bath an lioiir Ix-Icire
sunset on Friday.
" Lit. 'to myself. '* Text '. . . desc<-ndants in cverythitig'.
Lit to himself.
.Se\'eral references to this passage in Christian writers (confirmed Ijy Jewish
tradition) suggest that there is a lacuna in the text here and that the original ran, ".Xs
there were twenty-two letters, and twenty-two sacred tx>oks. and twenty-two
patriarchs from .ydain t o j a c o b , so . .
" Lit. 'kinds of work'. Lit. 'that' (i.e. 'the tiirmer').
Lit. 'this one serves with that one tor hallowing and blessing'.
'" Lit. ' . \ n d to this'.
 Jubilees 17
s a h b a t l i on the seventh day.''' In si.\ days he created heaven and
e a r t h a n d everything that he created, and the seventh day ( J C K I
m a d e holy tor all his works: that is why he gave the eomniand that
w h o e v e r does any work on it shall die, and that whoever dehles it
shall most surely die. . \ n d so you must command the sons ot'Israel
to observe this day to keep it holy and not do any work on it and not
defile it, for it is holier than all other days. . \ n d whoever profanes it
shall most surely die, and whoever does any work on it shall most
surely die eternally, so that Israel's sons may observe this day in
every generation and not be uprootc-d from the land; Ibr it is a holy
d a y a n d a blessed day. .And every man who observes it and keeps
s a b b a t h on it Irom all his work, will be holy and blessed for all time,
like us. Proclaim the law ofthis day to the sons o f l s r a e l and tell
t h e m to keep s a b b a t h on it, and not to make the mistake of thinking
they can ignore it,-" and that it is not lawful to do any work that is
unseemly or do business"' on it, or d r a w water, or carry any heavy
load through their gates on it, either in or out, and that they should
not p r e p a r e on it anything to eat or drink that they have not
p r e p a r e d Ibr themselves already in their homes on the sixth day.-'
.Aiid they shall not bring in or take out anything from one house to
a n o t h e r on that day, for that day is more holy and bles.sed than any
j u b i l e e d a y : " that is why we kept sabbath in the heavens before it
was m a d e known to any m o r t a l " to keep sabbath on it on earth.
.And the creator of all things blessed it. but he did not hallow all
peoples a n d nations to keep sabbath on it, but Israel only: them
alone on earth did he allow to eat and drink and keep sabbath on it.
.And the creator of all things blessed this day, which he had created
for blessing a n d holiness and glory above all days. This law and
s t a t u t e was given to Israel's sons as a law for ever, for all their
generations.

III. .And on the six days of the second week, in accordance with
G o d ' s c o m m a n d , we brought to .Adam all the wild animals, and all
'" Some .MSSread even as it had been hallowed and blessed on the seietith day'.
-" Lit. 'not Ibrsake it in the error oftheir hearts'.
•' Lit. 'do their own pleasure'. t:p. Isa. Iviii. Vi.
In the latter part of this verse C:harles's suggested re-arrangemeiu of the
elauses has been liillowed.
" Text adds 'ofthe jubilees'. " Lit. llesh'.
 18 Jubiteei
the cattle, a n d all the birds, and everything that m o \ e s on the
e a r t h , a n d everything that swims in the water, according to their
kinds, a n d according to their species - the wild animals on the first
d a y , the cattle of the second day, the birds on the third day,
e v e r y t h i n g that moves on the earth on the fourth day, and what
'1 s w i m s in the water on the fifth day. .\tid .Adam gave them all their
;i n a m e s ; a n d what he called them, those were their names. .And on
these five days .Adam saw all of them, male and female, according
to every kind that was on the earth; but he was alone and had' no
p a r t n e r like himself.
1 .And the Lord said to us. it is not good for the man to be alone: let
.') us m a k e a p a r t n e r for him like himself .And the Lord our God
m a d e him fall into a deep sleep, and hc slept; and he took one of his
bones to m a k e a woman* (and so the origin of woman was this rib
taken from .Adam's' bones), and he built the flesh up again in its
ti place a n d built the woman. .And he woke .Adam up from his sleep;
a n d he awoke a n d got up on the sixth day. .And he brought her to
him;" a n d he recognized' her and said to her.

T h i s is bone from my bones.

A n d flesh from my flesh:
She shall be called my wife,
Because she was taken from her husband.
7 T h a t is why m a n a n d wife are one; and that is why a man leaves his
father a n d his m o t h e r and is united to his wife, and they become a
8 single b o d y . ' In the first week .Adam was created, and the r i b - h i s
wife:' in the second week he showed her to him; and that is why the
c o m m a n d m e n t was given for women to keep in their uncleanness -
9 seven d a y s for a male and fourteen days for a female. .And after
.Adam h a d been in the land where he had been created for forty
d a y s , we brought him into the garden of Eden to till;/ and guard it;
b u t his wife they brought in on the eightieth day (only t h e n ' did she
' Lit. 'found'.
^ Lit. 'and hc look ( for) the woman one bone from among his bones'.
' Lit. 'his'.
•* .\u alternative reading is '.And hc came to her'; but both (Jen. ii. '12 and the
statement 'he shewed her to him' in verse 8 tx'Iow support the reading preferred.
' Lit. 'knew'. ' I-it. one flesh'.
' O r 'the woman'. ' Lit. 'and after this'.
 Jubilees 19
II) e n t e r the garden of Kden). . \ n d that is why the commandment is
written on the heavenly tablets a b o m a woman that gi\es birth - If
she bears a male, she shall wait in her uncleanness se\ en days (that
is a week to begin w i t h ' ) , and Men aHoMer thirty-three days shall she
wait for her blood to be purified,'"and she shall touch nothing that
is holy, nor enter the sanctuary, until she completes these days that
11 are appointed in the case o f a male child. But in the case ofa female
child she shall wait in her uncleanness fourteen days (that is a
fortnight to begin w i t h " ) , and then another sixty-six days for her
12 blood to be purified,'" eighty days in all. .And when she had
completed these eighty days, we brought her into the garden of
E d e n ; for it is holier than any other place on earth,'^ and every tree
13 that is planted in it is holy. T h a t is why the rule was laid down
a b o u t a woman that bears a child, whether male or female, that she
should touch nothing that is holy, nor enter the sanctuary, until
these d a y s that are appointed for the male or female child are com-
14 pleted. T h i s is the law and the statute which was written down for
Israel, that they should observe it always.
15 A n d in the first week ofthe first jubilee .Adam and his wife were
in the g a r d e n of Eden for seven years tilling it and guarding it; and
we gave him work to do and taught him all the details of the
16 g a r d e n e r ' s craft. And he tilled the garden; and he was naked and did
not realize it and was not ashamed. .And he protected the garden
from the birds and wild animals and cattle; and hc gathered its
fruit, a n d ate, and put aside what was left over for himself and his
wife."
17 .And when he had completed seven years there, seven years
exactly, in the second m o n t h , o n the seventeenth day ofthe month,
the serpent c a m e a n d approached the woman; and the serpent said
18 to the w o m a n . H a s God c o m m a n d e d you, saying. You are not to
eat thefruit of every tree ofthe garden? .And she said to it. Of all the
fruit o f t h e trees in the garden Gixi said to us. Eat; but of the fruit of
t h e tree in the middle o f t h e garden God said to us. You shall not

" Lit. 'according to the first week of days'.

Lit. 'in the blood of her purifying'.
'' Lit. 'according lo the first two weeks'.
Lit. 'than all the earth besides'.
" T h e text adds (through dittography) 'and put aside what was being kept'.
 20 Jubilees
h) cat of it, nor shall you touch it: if you do, you will die. .And the
serpent said to the w o m a n . Of course you will not die: (iod knows
that on the day you d o eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you
2(1 will be like gods a n d know good and evil. .And the woman looked at
the tree and saw that it was agreeable and pleasant to the eye and
21 that its fruit was good to cat, and she took some of it and ate. .And
w h e n she had covered her shame with fig-leaves''* she gave some to
•Adam a n d he ate; and his eyes were opened, and he saw that hc
2 2 was n a k e d . -And hc took fig-leaves and sewed them together, and
2:i m a d e a loin-cloth for himself, and covered his shame. .-Xnd God
2 t cursed the serpent and was angry with it for e v e r . " .And he was
a n g r y with the w o m a n because she had listened to the serpent and
eaten; a n d he said to her,
I will increase your labour and your pains:
In sorrow you shall bear children.
O n y o u r h u s b a n d you shall rely."'
.•\nd he shall be your master.
2.T .And to .Adam he said,
Because you have listened to your wife,
.And h a v e eaten from the tree, from which I commanded
you not to eat,
.Accursed shall be the ground on your account:
T h o r n s a n d thistles it shall produce for you,
.•\nd you shall eat your bread by the sweat of your brow.
Till you return to the earth from which you were taken;
For e a r t h you are, and to earth you shall return.
'2() .And he m a d e them coats of skin and clothed them, and sent them
out o f t h e g a r d e n of Eden.
27 .And on the day that .Adam went out of the garden he offered
frankincense, g a l b a n u m , and stacte, and spices, as a food-offering

.More exactly 'with ttic leaves ofthe aforemeiitioiu'd fig'. .According to Jewish
tradition the tree of knowledge was a fig-tree.
" d i a r i e s was of the opinion that there is a lacuna here and that the text
originally described the punishment ofthe serpent by the cutting off of his four feet
tjy tlie ministering angels.
" Lit. ' . \ n d vour return shall be to vour husband".
 Juhilees 21
ot'soothing odour; and so he did every day in ihc morning, at sunrisi-,
from till' d a y hc co\ crcd his shame. . \ n d on that day the mouths of
all the wild a n i m a l s a n d the cattle and the birds, and ot'everything
that walks o r moves, were shut, so that they could no longer speak
(for up till then they had all spoken with one another in a common
t o n g u e " ) . .And he sent out ofthe garden of Kden all creatures'" that
were in it; a n d they were scattered to the places naturally suited to
t h e m , ' ' ' according to their kinds and species. .And .Adam alone, as
distinct from all the wild animals and the cattle, did he cause to
cover his s h a m e . T h a t is why it is prescribed on the heavenly
tablets that all those familiar with the provisions^" of the law should
cover their shame and not uncover themselves as the Cientiles
u n c o v e r themselves.
.And .Adam a n d his wife went oiu ofthe garden of Kden on the day
«/ the new moon ofthe fourth month; and they settled in the land of
Klda (in the land oftheir creation). .And .Adam called his wife Kve.
.And they had no son till the first jubilee; and after this he had
intercourse with her. .And he tilled the land, as he had been taught
in t h e g a r d e n of Kden.

I V . .And in the third week o f t h e second jubilee she gave birth to

CUtin. a n d in the tburth she gave birth to .Abel, and in the fifih she
gave birth to her d a u g h t e r .Awan. .And in the first week ofthe third
j u b i l e e C^ain killed .Abel because VmV had accepted .Abel's sacrifice,
but had not accepted his.^ .And he killed him out in the open; and his
blood cried from the ground to heaven, accusing him of murder.'
.And the Lord reproved (lain for .Abel's m u r d e r and m a d e h i m a
f u g i t i v e ' ' on the earth because of his brother's l>l<K)d; and he cursed
him on the e a r t h . .And that is why it is written on the heavenly
t a b l e t s . C u r s e d is the m a n who strikes another man in secret,' and
let all w h o have seen a n d heard ;/ say, .Amen; and the man who has
" I.il. 'with one lip anci one tongue'. '" I.ii. 'flesh'.

'" O r 'the places that had been created I'or them". Lit. 'judgetnrni'.
' Text 'he" (or. alternatively, 'we').
• Lit. but as for Cain, he had not accepted his oirerini!'.
' Lit. 'complaining because he had killed him'.
•* The text reads 'he made him for length'.
^ O r 'wickedK' nr 'treacherouslv".
 22 Jubilees
I) seen a n d not disclosed let him he as accursed as the other. .\nd
this is u h \ . when wc come belorc the Lord our God. we report all
the sin that is committed in heaven and on earth, and in light and
d a r k n e s s , everywhere.
7 .And .Adam and his wife mourned for .Abel four weeks of years.
.And in the fourth year ofthe iifth week their zest for life returned;
a n d .Adam haci intercourse with his wife once more, and she bore
him a son, and he called him .Seth - for hc said, (iod has given us
a n o t h e r son* on earth instead of .Abel, because Cain killed him.
8.9 .And in the si.xth w eek he begot his daughter .Azura. .And Cain took
his sister .Awan as his wife, and she bore him Knoch' at the dose of
the fourth jubilee. .And in the first year ofthe hrst week ofthe fifth
j u b i l e e houses were built on earth; and Cain built a city and named
1(1 it after his son Knoch. .And .Adam had intercourse with his wife
Kve, a n d she bore him nine more children.
11 .And in the fifth week ofthe fifth jubilee Seth took his sister .Azura
as his wife, a n d in the fourth rear of the sixth week she bore him Knos.
2.13 H e was the first on earth to invoke the Lord by name. .And in the
seventh jubilee, in the third week. Knos took his sister Noam as his
wife, a n d she bore him a son in the third yearof the fifth week, and
14 he called him K e n a n . .And at the close ofthe eighth jubilee Kenan
took his sister .\Iualeleth as his wife, and she bore him a son in the
ninth jubilee (in the first week, in the third year of that week), and
1 j he called him Mahalalel. .And in the second week of the tenth
j u b i l e e .Mahalalel took as his wife Dinah, the daughter of Barakiel,
his father's brother's" daughter, and she bore him a son in the third
week, in the sixth year, and he called him J a r e d ; and in his days the
angels ofthe Lord (those who were called Watchers) came down to
e a r t h to teach men to d o ' what is just and right on earth.
Hi -And in the e l e \ e n t h jubilee J a r e d took a wife, in the fourth week
of this jubilee, and her n a m e was Berakhah. the daughter of
Rasuel, a d a u g h t e r of his father's brother,'" and she bore him a son
in the fifth week, in the fourth year of the jubilee, and he called him
17 K n o c h . ' ' .And he was the first a m o n g men born on earth to learn to

" I.il. 'raisfcl up anolhcr seed to us'. ' Spelled Hemlt.

' The .\ISS read sisler's'. " lexl 'and to do'.
"' The .\ISS read 'sisicr'. '' Spelled Henoli.
 Jubilees 2:5
write a n d lo acquire knowledge and wisdom; and he wrote down in a
book delails about the signs ol'heaven aei o r d i n g to the order oftheir
m o n t h s , so that men might know the seasons ofthe years according
IK to the o r d e r oftheir several months. .And he was the hrst to write a
testimony; and he warned the sons of men about what would
h a p p e n in future generations on the earth,'- and recounted the
weeks of the jubilees, and m a d e known the days o f t h e years, and
set in o r d e r the m o n t h s , and recounted the sabbaths o f t h e years.
I'l j u s t as we m a d e them known to him. .And what was and what w ill be
he s a w in a \ isic)n in his sleep, just as it will happen lo the sons of
m e n in every generation till the day ofjudgement: he saw and knew
all of it; a n d he wrote his testimony and left i t " as a testimony on
iO e a r t h for'" all the sons of men lor every generation. .And in the
twelfth jubilee, in the sexenth week of it, he took a wife, and her
n a m e was Kdni, the d a u g h t e r of Danel, his father's brother's"
d a u g h t e r ; and in the sixth year in that week she bore him a son, and
21 he called him .Methuselah. .And he was with the angels of ( J C K I
these six jubilees of years, and they showed him everything on
e a r t h a n d in the heavens, and the power ofthe sun;"" and he wrote
22 d o w n everything. .And he bore witness t o " the Watchers, who had
sinned with the d a u g h t e r s of men - for these had begun to form
u n i o n s with the d a u g h t e r s of men'" and so defile themselves; and
2;i E n o c h bore witness against them all. .Atid he was taken away from
the sons of men, and we conducted him into the garden of Eden in''*
majesty a n d honour; and there hc records the condemnation and
t h e j u d g e m e n t of the world, and all the wickedness o f t h e sons of
24 m e n . .And because of him the water of the flood did not reach the
l a n d of Eden;-" for he was established there as a sign to bear
witness against all the sons of men and keep a record of all the deeds

" Lit. 'and hc testified to the sons of men concerning the generations ofthe earth'.
" Lit. 'and placed it'.
" Lit. 'upon'. Or, perhaps, we should translate 'and left it as a witness on earth
against'. " The MSS. read 'sister's'.
" O r 'and they showed him all the power of the sun on the earth and in the
heavens'. " Or'against'.
" .Alternative reading 'daughters of the earth' (or 'ofthe land').
" .Alternative reading 'to'.
^° T h a t is. Flnoch was spared in the flood. The text reads '.And because of him (or
'it') he (i.e. God) brought the water of the flood upon all the land of Kden'.
J4 juhilees
1)1'ex cry generation till tiic day of j u d g e m e n t . .And he burned the
incense oi'the s a n c t u a r y , which is acceptable betore the Lord, on the
m o u n t . - ' For the Lord has four holy places on earth - the garden of
F d c n , the m o u n t o f t h e cast, this mountain on whicli you are to-day
(moinit Sinai), a n d moimt Zion, which in the new creation will be
set a p a r t " lor the hallowing o f t h e earth: through it the earth will
be p i n i h c d " from all //.v guilt and its uncleanness in each successive
generation.
.And in the fourteenth jubilee Methuselah took a wife, F d n a h ,
the d a u g h t e r of .\zariel, his father's brother's" daughter, in the
third week, in the lirst year ofthis week, and he begot a son, and
callcti him L a m c c h . . \ n d in the fifteenth jubilee, in the third week,
Lamccli took a wife, and her n a m e was Betenos, the d a u g h t e r of
Baracliel. his father's brother's" daughter; and in this week she
bore him a son, a n d he called him .Noah, saying. The one who will
comfort me for my trouble and all my work, and for the ground
w liich the Lord has cursed.
.And at the close ofthe nineteenth jubilee, in the se\ enth week, in
the sixth year of it. .Adam died; and all his children buried him in
the land of his creation (and he was the first on earth to be buried).
.And he was seventy years short ofa thousand; for in the testimony
of the heavens a thousand years are as one day, and this explains
why it was written about the tree of knowledge. O n the day that
you eat from it. you will die. So he did not complete the years ofthis
d a v . but died d u r i n g it. .Alter him, at the d o s e of this jubilee, C a i n
was killed, in the s a m e year: his house fell on him, and he died
inside it a n d was killed by the stones of it; lor with a stone he had
killed .Abel, a n d by a just retribution hc was killed by a stone
himself. Fhere is a rule about this on the heavenly tablets. With the
i n s t r u m e n t with which one man kills another m a n , with the same
instrument shall hc be killed: if he has done a particular injury to
a n o t h e r m a n . the s a m e injury shall be done to him.
.And in the twenty-fifth jubilee Noah took a wife, and her name
was F m z a r a , the d a u g h t e r of Rakeel, his father's brother's"
d a u g h t e r , in the first year, in the fifth week; and in the third y e a r o f
it she bore him -Shem, in the fifth y e a r o f it she bore him H a m , and
in t h e first year in the sixth week she bore him J a p h e t h .
-' .\losl .\IS.S acid 'ortlii- midday' (or 'ofthe .south'). •'- I.il 'will \K hallowed".
 jubilees

V. And it catnc to pass wlu'ii tiu' st)ns oinicii In-gan to iiuTcasc on

tlic cartii, a n d d a u g h t e r s were horn to tliein, tliat in the lirst yearof
this jubilee the angels ofCJod looked on them and saw that they
were beautiful; a n d they took wives from as many of them as the\
•-' chose. . \ n d they bore them sons; and they were giants. .And law le.s,s-
ncss increased on the earth, and the way oJ life ol'cvery creature'
b e c a m e c o r r u p t e d - men. cattle, wild animals, and birds alike,
every thing that lives- on earth: corrupt were the w a y s of all of them
a n d of the whole natural order;' and they began to devour one
a n o t h e r . .And lawlessness increased on the earth, and men's
:i t h o u g h t s a n d inclinantions were n e \ e r anything but evil. .And (jod
looked on the earth and behold, it was corrupt: the whole natural
o r d e r was corrupt;'' and all creatures on earth had done every kind of
I evil before his eyes. .And he said he would destroy' man and all
.') c r e a t u r e s " on the earth, which he had created.' Noah alone found
ti favour w ith the Lord. .And agaitist the angels he had sent on earth
his a n g e r was so great that he uprooted them from the place qj their
d o m i n i o n a n d c o m m a n d e d us to imprison them in the depths ofthe
e a r t h ; a n d behold, they are in prison there and kept in a separate
place.
7 .And against their sons a c o m m a n d m e n t went forth from him"
t h a t they should die by the sword and be removed from under
8 h e a v e n . .And he said, .\Iy spirit shall not remain in men l()r c\ er; for
they are mortal" too, and their life-span' shall be a hundred and
(I twctity years. .And he sent his s w o r d ' " among them, so that they
should kill each other; a n d they began to kill each other, till all of
t h e m h a d fallen by the sword and were destroyed from the earth.
It) .And their fathers were witnesses of their destruction; and after this
they were imprisoned in the depths o f t h e earth for ever - till the
great j u d g e m e n t - d a y , when sentence will be passed on all whose

' Lit. 'ol'ail flesh'. • Lit. 'walks'.

' Lit. 'all ofthem corrupted their way and their order".
•* Lit. 'and all flesh had corrupted its order".
' .Mternative reading 'I will destroy". * Lit. "flesh".
' .Mternative reading 'which has Ix-cn created'.
" Lit. 'a voice went from his face'.
" Lit. 'their days'. .Mternative reading 'the sword".
 26 Juhilees
11 \\ ay of life and b e h a v i o u r " tiave been corrupt before the Lord. .-\nd
he will destroy" all o f t h e m from their places, and not one shall be
\2 left" that he wiU not judge" as their wickedness deserves. And he
will c r e a t e " a new and righteous nature for all his c r e a t u r e s , " so
that in their n a t u r e they will n c \ e r sin again, but all be righteous,
i:i each in his kind, always. .And the judgement of every one is
o r d a i n e d and written on the hea\enly tablets, and there is no
injustice in it: all who stray from the path marked out for them to
follow, and d o not follow it - j u d g e m e n t is written down/or them, for
14 every c r e a t u r e and for every kind ojcrealure. And there is nothing in
heaven or earth, or in light or darkness, or in Sheol or in the depth,
or in the place of darkness, which will not bejudged; and all their
1') j u d g e m e n t s arc ordained and writicn and engraxed.'" From every
angle he will j u d g e them, the great man as a great man, the small
Hi m a n as a small m a n , and each according to his way of life. And he is
not one to respect persons, nor is he one who will accept bribes,
w h e n he says he will pass sentence on e\eryone: if one were to give
him everything on earth, he would not take notice ofthe bribes or of
the person of anyone, nor would he accept anything at his hands; for
17 he is a righteous j u d g e . .And about the sons of Israel it has been
written a n d ordained. If they repent in righteousness, he will
18 forgive all their transgressions and pardon all their sins. It is
written a n d ordained that he will show mercy to all who repent of
all their sins they have committed inadvertently, once every year.
19 .And as for all those whose way of life and thoughts had become
c o r r u p t before the flood, no man had mercy shown him but Noah
only: he had mercy shown h i m , " together with his s o n s , " whom
God saved from the waters ofthe flood because of him; for his heart
w a s righteous in all his ways and his life in accord with what he had
been c o m m a n d e d , and he had not strayed in any way from the
20 p a t h m a r k e d out for h i m . " And the Lord said he would destroy
" Alternative reading 'thoughts' (as in verse 19).
" Ail these verbs are perfects in the Ethiopic, in all probability through failure on
the part ofthe translator of the Greek version (from which the Ethiopic was made)
to appreciate the sequence of tenses in the Hebrew original.
" Lit. 'works'. " O r 'decided'.
" T h e phrase translated 'show mercy to' in this verse (lit. 'lift the face o f ) is the
s a m e as that translated 'respect the person o f in verse 16 above.
'* Lit. 'concerning his sons'. " Lit. 'from anything ordained for him'.
 Jubilees 21
e v e r y t h i n g on the dry land, men and cattle, wild animals and
21 birds, a n d everything that moves on earth. .And he commanded
N o a h to m a k e an ark, to save himself* from the waters ofthe flood.
22 .And N o a h m a d e the ark in all respects as hc commanded him, in
the twenty-seventh" jubilee of years, in the fifth week in the fifth
23 year. .And he went in in the sixth year of it, in the second month,
from the new moon o f t h e second month till the sixteenth day. .And
he a n d all that we brought him went into the ark; and the Lord
closed it from the outside on the seventeenth evening.
24 .And the Lord opened seven flood-gates of heaven, and the
m o u t h s o f t h e springs of the great abyss (seven mouths in number).
25 .And the flood-gates began to pour down water from heaven forty
d a y s a n d forty nights, and the springs o f t h e abyss also sent up
26 w a t e r s , till the whole world was full of water. .And the waters
increased over the earth: fifteen cubits higher than the highest
m o u n t a i n s did the waters rise;^" and the ark was lifted up above the
27 e a r t h , a n d it floated^' on the surface o f t h e waters. .And the water
r e m a i n e d on the surface of the earth five months - for a hundred
28 a n d fifty days. .And the ark ran aground^'on the topof Lubar, one of
29 t h e m o u n t a i n s of Ararat. .And in the fourth month the springs of
t h e great abyss were exhausted and the flood-gates of heaven were
restrained; a n d on the new moon of the seventh month all the
m o u t h s of the abysses of the earth were opened, and the water
30 b e g a n to descend into the depths below.'' .And on the new moon of
t h e t e n t h m o n t h the tops o f t h e mountains were seen; and on the
31 new moon of the first month the earth became visible. And the
w a t e r s dried up from the surface of" the earth in the fifth week, in
t h e seventh year of it; and on the seventeenth day in the second
32 m o n t h the earth was dry. And on the twenty-seventh of it he
o p e n e d the ark a n d let out the wild animals and c a t t l e " and birds
a n d every living c r e a t u r e . ' '
" .Alternative reading 'that he might save him'.
" So Charles, in accord with the Samaritan Chronicle and with the support ofthe
dates at the end of chap. iv. All MSS read 'twenty-second'.
Lit. "fifteen cubits did the waters rise above every mountain'.
" Lit. 'moved'. " Lit. 'went and rested'.
" Lit. 'into the uttermost (or 'western') deep'.
" O r 'the higher parts of" (lit. 'above').
" Most .MSS om. 'and cattle'. " Lit. 'every moving thing'.
 28 Jubilees

VI. . \ n d on the new m o o n ' ol'thc third month hc went o u t ofthe a r k

J a n d built a n altar on that mountain." .\nd he made atonement for
the e a r t h , and t o o k a k i d and m a d e atonement b y i t s blood for all
t h e guilt o f t h e earth; for everything on it h a d b e e n destroyed, apart
;i from w h a t was in the ark with . \ o a h . . \ n d he p u t i t s fat on the altar;
a n d he took an o.x, and a he-goat, and a sheep, and kids, and salt,
a n d a turtle-dove, and young pigeons, a n d olfered them as a whole-
olfering on the altar, a n d poured an offering mixed with o i l on it,
a n d sprinkled wine a n d scattered frankincense o s c r everything,
t a n d m a d e a soothing odour, acceptable before t h e Lord. . \ n d t h e
Lord smelt the soothing odour; a n d he m a d e a covenant with him
that there should never again be a flood to destroy the earth, t h a t
while the e a r t h lasts seed-time and harvest should never cease, and
that cold and heat, s u m m e r and winter, and day and night, should
j not c h a n g e their o r d e r or ever cease. . \ n d he said to S'oah, Be fruitful
a n d multiply on the earth, increase in n u m b e r on it, and be a
blessing in it. I will inspire the fear and dread of you in everything
(i on e a r t h a n d in the sea. .And behold, I give you for food all the wild
a n i m a l s a n d b i r d s , ' and everything that moves on earth, and the
fish in the waters" - that is, all things: as once I gave you the green
7 p l a n t s , so now I give you all things to eat. But you must not eat flesh
with its life still in it - that is, its b l t K i d ' (for the life of every
c r e a t u r e * is in its blood), lest your own blood' be required. From
every m a n , from every animal," will I require the blood of man.
K W h o e v e r sheds m a n ' s blood, by m a n shall his blood be shed; for in
9 t h e i m a g e of G o d he m a d e m a n . .And do you be fruitful and
10 m u l t i p l y on the e a r t h . .And .Xoah and his sons swore they would
not eat a n y blood in any flesh; and in this month he made a
c o v e n a n t before the Lord CJod for ever, for every generation o f t h e
earth.
11 It was for this reason that in this month he told you too to make a
c o v e n a n t with the sons of Israel on the m o u n t a i n , with an oath,
' .Allcrnativf reading "(in the tenth day'.
- .Mternative reading 'in that land'.
' Lit. 'all winged things'. Some .MSS add 'and cattle'.
' Lit. 'flesh with its life, with the blwxl'.
' Lit. 'the life of all flesh'. ' Lit. 'vour bl<x)d in your lives'.
' So Charles on the basis of (Jen. ix. .1 The .M.SS read 'evervonc'.
 Jubilees 29
a n d to sprinkli- blood on thcni to ratify the terms ofthe covenant,"
IJ vvliich the Lord m a d e ' " with them for ever. . \ n d this provision is
written there for you to observe continually, namely, that you should
never eat any blood of wild animals or birds or cattle as long as the
e a r t h l a s t s ; " a n d anyone who does eat the blcxKi of wild animals or
cattle or birds at any t i m e , " he and his olfspring" shall be up-
1! rooted frotn the land. Ciommand the sons oflsrael never t o e a t any
blooti at all, so that their names and their d e s c e n d a n t s " may be
It before the Lord o u r (iod continually. . \ n d for this law there is no
time-limit: it is for ever. They shall observe it in every generation,
so that regularly every day they may make atonement on t h e i r "
behalf with blood before the altar: in the morning and in the
evening they shall seek forgiveness on their''' behalf perpetually
before the Lord, that they may keep it and not be nx)ted up.
1.") .And he gave Noah and his sons a sign that there should never
ill again be a Hood on t h e earth. He set his bow in the cloud as a sign of
the eternal covenant that there should never again be a Hcxxi on the
17 e a r t h to destroy it. T h a t is why it is ordained and written on the
heavenly tablets that they should celebrate the feast of weeks in
this m o n t h once a year - .so as to renew the covenant each year.
18 .And this whole festival was always celebrated in heaven from the
d a y of creation till N o a h ' s days (for twenty-six jubilees and five
weeks of years); and . \ o a h and his sons observed it for seven
jubilees a n d a week of years, till the day of Noah's death, but after
.Noah's d e a t h his sons became corrupt and ate blocxl, till the days
19 of .Abraham. Yet .Abraham observed it, and Isaac and J a c o b and
his children observ ed it. till your days; but in your days the sons of
•211 Israel forgot it, till I restored it to i h e m " at this mountain. Com­
m a n d the sons of Israel, then, to observe this festival in every
g e n e r a t i o n as a c o m m a n d m e n t binding on them: on one day'" in the
' Lit. '. . . (Ki them because ofalj the words iit'the covenant".
.Mternative reading 'I will make".
" Lit. 'during all the days ofthe earth'.
'* Lit. 'seed". " .-\lternati\e reading "your".
.Mternative readings 'your' and 'its'.
" .Alternative reading 'till you restored it'.
'* So the text, literally translated. I h e meaning, however, is probably 'on the first
day (ofthe week), in this month, every year' - i.e. always on a .Sunday (as we would
say in English).
 ;«) Jubilees
21 year, in this m o n t h , shall they celebrate the festival. It is the feast of
weeks a n d the feast of first-fruits, a twofold and double festival:
22 c e l e b r a t e it, then, as you have been i n s t r u c t e d . " For I have written
in the book o f t h e first law, which I have written for you, that you
s h o u l d celebrate it at its proper time, on one d a y " in the year, and I
h a v e explained to you the details o/hs sacrifices, so that the sons of
Israel m a y r e m e m b e r // and celebrate it in every generation, in this
m o n t h , on one d a y " in every year.
23 .And on the new moon ofthe first month, and on the new moon of
the fourth m o n t h , and on the new moon ofthe seventh month, and
on the new moon o f t h e tenth month are the days of remembrance,
festive days also, m a r k i n g ' " the four divisions ofthe year: these are
24 written a n d ordained as a testimony for ever. .And Noah observed
t h e m himself and ordained them as feasts for future g e n e r a t i o n s , "
25 so t h a t they have become a memorial to him. O n the new moon of
the first m o n t h he was told to make himself an ark, and on that day
too t h e earth was dry and he opened the window of the ark and saw the
26 e a r t h : on the new moon of the fourth month the mouths of the
d e p t h s of the abyss below were closed: on the new moon of the
seventh m o n t h the m o u t h o f t h e depths o f t h e earth was opened,
27 a n d the waters began to descend into it; and on the new moon of
t h e tenth m o n t h the tops of the mountains were seen, and Noah
28 rejoiced. So it was that he observed them and ordained them as
feasts'" as a memorial for e\er; and so they are ordained.
29 A n d they are on r e c o r d " on the heavenly tablets: there is an
interval of thirteen weeks between each feast and the n e x t , " from
the first to the second, from the second to the third, and from the
30 third to the fourth. T h i s makes in all fifty-two w e e k s , " and
together they m a k e u p a complete year: thus is it engraved and
31 o r d a i n e d on the heavenly tablets. And no year ever exceeds it.
32 C o m m a n d , then, the sons o f l s r a e l to observe the years according
to this reckoning - three h u n d r e d and sixty-four days; and these
" Lit. *accorciing to what is written and engraved concerning it'.
" Lit. 'in'.
" Lit. '.And Noah ordained them for himselfas feasts for the generations for ever'.
Lit. 'he ordained them for himselfas feasts'.
" Lit. '.And they placed them'.
" Lit. 'each has thirteen weeks, from one to another is their memorial'.
" Lit. '.Atid all the days ofthe commandment are fifty-two weeks of days'.
 Jubilees 31
shall m a k e u p a complete year. . \ n d they shall not change the times
o f i t s d a y s or its feasts (for everything must follow in its appointed
p l a c e ) ; a n d they shall not leave out any day or pass over any feast.
But if they neglect the proper order and fail to observe them as hc
c o m m a n d e d them, then all their seasons will get out of order and
34 the sequence of the year will be d i s t u r b e d . " Yet all the sons of
Israel will forget a n d be ignorant o f t h e progression ofthe y e a r s : "
they will forget new moon and festival and sabbath, and so go
35 w r o n g a b o u t the order of the years. For I know, and I tell you now,
a n d it is not something I have imagined; for the Ixxik lies written
before me, a n d on the heavenly tablets the division o f t h e days is
o r d a i n e d , so that they should not forget the feasts ofthe covenant
a n d k e e p " the feasts o f t h e Gentiles, and show themselves equally
36 misguided and ignorant. T h e r e will be those who make careful
o b s e r v a t i o n s of the moon (despite the fact that it upsets the sea.sons
37 a n d comes in from year to year ten days too soon). T h u s the years
will c o m e to them all wrong: they will make the day of testimony a
day of no c o n s e q u e n c e " and an o r d i n a r y " day a feast day; and they
will mix u p all the days, the holy with the o r d i n a r y , " and the
o r d i n a r y ' " with the holy, and go wrong about the months and
38 s a b b a t h s a n d feasts and jubilees. This is why I am giving you this
c o m m a n d a n d solemn warning, so that you may pass it on to them;
for after your d e a t h your sons will upset everything through not
m a k i n g the length of the year three h u n d r e d and sixty-four days
only, a n d so they will go wrong about the new moons and seasons
a n d s a b b a t h s and festivals; and they will eat all kinds of flesh with
t h e blood still in i t . "

T h e above is a ("ree (perhaps over-free) rendering o f a ver\ dillicult passage,

m a d e even more diiiieult by ihe inclusion of an obvious dittograph. C:harles's
original for verses 32b and 33 ran, •.And they will not disturb its time from its days
a n d from its feasts; for everything will fall out in them according to their testimony,
and they will not leave out any day nor disturb any feasts. But ifthey do neglect and
do not observe them according to his commandment, then they will disturb all their
seasons, and the years will be disltxiged from this order, (and theywill disturb the
seasons and the years will be disUxiged] and they will neglect their ordinances'.
" Lit. 'and will not find the path ofthe years'.
Lit. 'walk according to'.
" Lit. 'a rfo)'despised'. " Lit. 'unclean'
" Lit. 'all kinds of blood with all kinds of flesh'.
 32 fuhilm

VII. .Viici in llic seventh weeti of this jul)ilee. in the lirst year of it,
N o a h planted a \ ine' on the mountain called I.uhar, oti which the
ark had run aground (one ofthe .\rarat mountains); and it pnxluccd
fruit in the fourth year, and he looked after its fruit and gathered it
•J in this year, in the seventh month. .And he made wine from it and
put it in a vessel and kept it till the hfth year, till the lirst day ofthe
:t new moon ofthe lirst month. .And he celebrated this feast-day with
rejoicing; and hc offered a whole-olfering to the Lord - one young
ox, one r a m , seven sheep (each a year old), and a he-goat, to make
1 a t o n e m e n t with it for himself and for his .sotis. .And hc prepared the
kid first a n d put some ofits blood on the flesh that was on the altar
he had m a d e , and all the fat he laid on the altar where he offered
the whole-oflcring; and so he did also with the ox and the ram atid the
s h e e p , a n d he laid all their flesh on the altar. .And he put all the
olferings,' mixed with oil, on it. .And afterwards he sprinkled wine
on the fire hc had previously made on the altar, and put incense on
the a l t a r , ' and m a d e a sixjthiiig ixlour acceptable before the Lord
(i his G o d . .And he rejoiced and drank of this wine, he and his
children with joy.
7 .And it was evening, and he went into his tent and lay ilowti in a
d r u n k e n s t u p o r and went to sleep; and he lay in his tent naked, as
(i he slept. .And H a m saw his father Noah naked, and went outside
') a n d told his two brothers. .And .Shem ttxik his cloak and got up, he
a n d J a p h e t h , and they put the cloak on their shoulders and went
10 backwards and" covered their father's shame. .And Noah woke up
frtirn his sleep and learnt what his younger son had done to him;
a n d he cursed his son and said,
Cairsed be C^anaan:
.A servant enslaved to his brothers shall he be.
11 .And he blessed Shem and said.
Blessed be the Lord Gtxl of Shem,
' O r . [Xttsibly. 'tin- v i n r ' (which .\datli liatl hr(iui;ht with hini Irom Paradise: cp.
.\Iidrash Rereshilh Rahbah. xxxvi. ' Lit. 'their ollcrings'.
' .Mternative reading '. . . on the hre he made on the altar, and hc had previously
put incense on the altar'.
* Text 'and with their fai es turned backwards lliev".
 Juhilees ?,i
And C a n a a n shall be his s e r \ a n i :
12 CJod shall e n l a r g e ' J a p h e t h ;
And (Jod shall dwell in the dwelling ofSheni,
And C a n a a n shall be his" servant.
Ii .And H a n i learnt that his lather had eursed his younger son. and
he was displeased because hc had cursed his son; and he parted
t'ro!n his father, he and his sotis with him - C u s h and .\Iizraim and
It Ptit' a n d C a n a a n . .And he built himself a city and called it after his
1) wife. N e e l a t a m a u k . .And J a p h e t h saw it, and envied his brother,
a n d hc too built himself a city and called it after his wife, .Adata-
li> nescs. .And Shem lived with his father Noah; and he built a city
inider his father's authority by the mountain, and he too called it
17 after his wife, Sede(]atelebab. .Atid behold, these three cities arc
near mount Lubar. Sedeqatelebab facing the mountain on its east,
.Naeltamauk on the south, and .Adatancses towards the west.
IH .And these are the sons of Shem - Klam and .Asshur and .Arpach-
l<) s h a d (bom two years after the H O C K I ) and .Aram and Lud: the sons
of J a p h e t h - (Joiner and .Magog and Madai and J a v a n , " Tubal'
a n d l^leshech and Tiras. These are the sons of Noah.
2(1 .And in the twenty-eight jubilee Noah began to instruct his
g r a n d s o n s in the precepts and c o m m a n d m e n t s , and in all the
s t a t u t e s that he knew; and hc exhorted his sons to do what is right,
to cover the s h a m e oftheir llesh, to bless their creator, to honour
father a n d mother, to love each his neighbour, and to keep them-
21 selves from fornication and uncleanness and all iniquity. For it was
because of these three things, S'oah told them, that the flood came on
the earth - because of the fornication of the Watchers, who,
c o n t r a r y to the law o f t h e i r nature, lusted after the daught.-rs of
m e n a n d took for themselves such wives as they chose: that was'"
22 the beginning of uncleanness. .And they begot sons, the Naphidim,
a n d they were all unalike one a n o t h e r , " and they devoured one
' .Altcriiativ't* reading 'CJod shall enlarge the land t'ur".
.Alternative reading "their*. ' Kth. ".\Iestrein and Fiid".
" Kth. •lyuaya" or (alternatively) "lyoiya". " Kth. •'lohi 1*.
Kit. *and they made*.
" O r . by a slight emendation, "they all quarrelled with one another". However,
the text is probably right and refers to the three dilfcrent kinds of giants mentioned
in the latter part ofthe verse, and even more explicitly in Syncellus"s Gk. version of 1
Enoch vii. 1-2.
 34 Jubilees
a n o t h e r : the giant Icilied the Naphil, the Naphil killed the Eljo,"
23 a n d the E l j o " h u m a n kind, and one m a n another man. And
everyone sold himself to d o what is wrong and to shed much blood;
24 a n d the e a r t h was filled with iniquity. And after this they sinned
against the wild animals and birds and everything that moves and
walks on the earth; a n d m u c h blood was shed on the earth, and all
m e n ' s inclinations a n d desires were towards what is worthless and
23 evil continually. And the Lord destroyed everything from the
e a r t h , because o f t h e wickedness oftheir deeds; and because ofthe
26 blood they had shed in the earth he destroyed everything. And we
were left, I a n d you, my sons, and everything that went in with us
into the ark.
. \ n d behold, I can see what you are doing before my e y e s , " that
you a r e not following the way of righteousness, for you have begun
to tread the p a t h to destruction: you are separating from one
a n o t h e r a n d are envious of one another, and so it comes about, my
27 sons, t h a t you a r e not in h a r m o n y , each of you with his brother. I
can see the d e m o n s have begun their seductions against you and
a g a i n s t y o u r children; and I a m afraid for you, that after my death
you will shed m e n ' s blood on the earth, and that you too will be
28 destroyed from the earth. For whoever sheds m a n ' s blood, and
w h o e v e r eats the blood of any living creature,'* shall be destroyed
29 altogether from the earth. And no m a n that eats blood shall be left
o n the e a r t h , or that sheds the blood of m a n , ' ' nor shall there be left
to h i m any offspring or d e s c e n d a n t s " under heaven; for to Sheol
shall they go, a n d into the place of punishment shall they go down,
a n d to the darkness of the deep shall they all be removed by a
30 violent d e a t h . T h e r e shall be no blood seen on you of any o f t h e
blood shed w h e n you kill any animals or cattle or birds on the
e a r t h ; a n d d o then w h a t is r i g h t " and cover what has been shed on
31 the e a r t h . A n d you shall not be like the m a n that eats meat with the
blood still in it, a n d take care that no one eats blood in your
" Alternaiive reading 'Iliyo'. In Syncellus 'Elioud'.
" Lit 'your works before me'; alternative reading 'the beginning of your works'.
'* Lit. 'any flesh".
" .Mternative reading 'the blood of any man'.
'* Lit. 'any seed or descendants': alternative reading 'any seed of his descend­
ants.'
" L i t . ' a n d do a good work to your souls'.
 Jubilees 3')
c o m p a n y : cover the blood, for so I have been commanded to
32 instruct you a n d your children and all m a n k i n d . " Never allow the
l i f e " to be eaten with the flesh, so that your blood (which is your
life") m a y not be asked for from any creature'" that sheds it on the
33 e a r t h . For the earth will not be clean from the blood that has been
shed on it: only through the blood of him that shed it will the earth
be purified through all its generations.
34 . \ n d now, my children, listen: act justly'" and do what is right, so
t h a t you may be planted in righteousness over the whole earth and
y o u r glory exalted before my God, who saved m e " from the waters
o f t h e flood. .And behold, you will go and build yourselves cities,
a n d you will plant in them all the plants that there are upon the
3(j e a r t h , a n d also all trees that bear fruit. For three years the fruit of
e v e r y t h i n g that can be eaten must not be gathered; and in the
fourth year its fruit shall be reckoned h o l y , " and they shall ofl'er the
first-fruits, acceptable before the .Most High God, who created
h e a v e n a n d earth and all t h i n g s . " Let them offer it sprinkled with
the first ofthe wine a n d the oil as first-fruits on the altar ofthe Lord,
w h o receives it; a n d what is left let the servants ofthe Lord's house
37 eat before the altar which receives it. And in the fifth y e a r " let the
land lie fallow, so that you let it lie fallow in righteousness and
honestly; and you will be righteous, and aU your orchards will be
38 ritually p u r e . For so your great-great-grandfather," Knoch, com­
m a n d e d his son .Methuselah, and .Methuselah his son Lamech,
a n d L a m e c h c o m m a n d e d mc to observe everything his fathers had
39 c o m m a n d e d him. And 1 also g i \ e you c o m m a n d m e n t , my sons, as
E n o c h c o m m a n d e d his son in the first jubilees: while still living,
t h e seventh in his generation, he c o m m a n d e d and instructed his
son a n d his g r a n d s o n s till the day of his death.

Vin. In the twenty-ninthjubilee, in the first week, in the begimiing

of it, A r p a c h s h a d took a wife, and her n a m e was Rasucjah, the
'" Lit. 'flcstt'. " Lit. 'soul'.
^° .Alternative reading 'honestly'. ^' .Alternative reading 'us'.
.Alternative reading 'its fruit may be gathered'.
" Some .MSS om. 'and all things'.
" Charles supposed that there was a lacuna here, since w hat follows would seem
to be appropriate to the seventh year.
" Lit. 'the father of your father'.
 Mi Juhilees
d a u g h t e r o f S u s a n , Klam's daughter; and she bore him a son in the
2 third year in this week, and hc calk-d him K a i n a m . And the Iwy
g r e w u p , a n d his father taught him writing;' and he went to Itxjk for
3 a place where he could found a city. . \ n d he came upon a writing
which s o m e men of old time had carved on a rock, and he read
w h a t was on it a n d transcribed it;' a n d h e sinned because of it, for it
c o n t a i n e d the teaching o f t h e Watchers, in accordance with which
they used to observe the o m e n s of' the sun and moon and stars in
t all the signs of heaven. .And he wrote it down and said nothing
a b o u t it; for he was afraid to tell Noah about it in case hc might be
a n g r y with him because of it.
:> A n d in the thirtieth jubilee, in the second week, in the first year
of it, he took a wife, and her n a m e was Melka, the d a u g h t e r of
Madai," J a p h c t h ' s son; and in the fourth year she bore him a son,
() a n d he called him Shelah, for he said. Truly I have been sent. .And
S h e l a h grew up and took a wife, and her n a m e was M u a k , the
d a u g h t e r of Kesed, his father's brother: ihis was in the thirty-first
7 j u b i l e e , in the fifth week, in the first year of it. .And she bore him a
son in the fifth y e a r o f it, and he called him Kber; and he took a wife,
a n d h e r n a m e was .Azurad, the d a u g h t e r of .Nimrod' - in the
thirty-second jubilee, in the seventh week, in the third year of it.
8 A n d in the sixth year of it, she bore him a son, and he called him
Peleg,* for in the days when he was born .Noah's sons began to
d i v i d e the earth a m o n g themselves (that is why he called him
9 Peleg). .And they divided it secretly'' a m o n g themselves, and they
told -Noah.
10 A n d it was at the beginning o f t h e thirty-third jubilee that they
d i v i d e d the e a r t h into three parts, one pari for Shem and one for H a m
a n d one for J a p h e t h , a share for each,* in the first year, in the first
week, while one of us, who had been sent to them, was with them.
11 A n d he called his sons and they came to him, they and their

' O r ' ( t h e ) book(s)'.

' O r 'iranslaled il': or, by a slight emendation, ii led him astray' (soCharles).
' .Mternative readings 'the chariot o f or 'the wheel o f (with reference to the
Zodiac?).
* So Syr. and a Ok. scholion: Eth. -.Abadai'. Cp. vii. ly, ix. 9, x. 3 . 5 - 3 6 .
' Eth. 'Ncbrod'. ' Eth. 'Falek'.
' O r 'in wickedness'. ' Lit. 'according to the inheritance of each'.
 Jubilees 37
childn-ii; and lie" divided the earth by drawing lots to decide what
each of his three sons should have, and they stretched out their
h a n d s a n d took their lot'" out oftheir father Noah's lap.
. \ n d .Shem drew as his l o t " the middle o f t h e earth, to take // as
his patrinioiu' and his sons' patrimony for e v e r - f r o m the middle of
the m o u n t a i n range of Rata, from the mouth o f t h e river T i n a ; "
a n d his share goes westwards through the middle ofthis river and
e x t e n d s as far as the water o f t h e abysses, out of which this river
rises a n d pours its waters into the sea o / M i o t , " and this river flows
into the great sea (and all that is on the north is j a p h c t h ' s and all
that is on the south belongs to Shem). .And it extends as far as
K a r a s o ' " - this is in the h e a r t " ofthe tongue that faces south. .And
his s h a r e extends along the great sea in a straight line till it reaches
the west of the tongue that faces south; tor this sea is called the
t o n g u e of the l\gyptian sea. .And it turns from here southwards,
t o w a r d s the m o u t h o f t h e great sea. on the shores oi its waters; and
it e x t e n d s to the west to'" .Afra" as far as the waters o f t h e river
( J i h o n . a n d to the south ofthe waters of Ciihon, to the banks ofthis
r i \ c r . .And it extends eastwards as far as the garden of Eden, to the
s o u t h of it, [to the south] and from the east o f t h e whole land of
E d e n a n d o f t h e whole east, and it turns to the cast and goes on till
it reaches the east ofthe mountain called Rafa. and it goes down to
the b a n k o f t h e m o u t h o f t h e river T i n a . ' " This share fell by lot to
S h e m a n d to his sons as an eternal possession for his descendants
lor ever.
.And .Noah rejoiced that this share had fallen to Shem and to his
sons, a n d he remembered everything he had uttered with his
nu-utli in his prophecy; for he had said.

" .Altrruativc roadillg *lhry'. '° I.il. 'ux)li ihr writing'.

" Lit. '.And tlu-rc l a m c nut on the writing as .Shcni's lot'.
'- Lit. 'from the mouth ofthe water from the river Tina'.
" .Alternative reading 'Meat'. " .Alternative reading 'Karan'.
" Lit. 'lM)som'. .Alternative reading 'of.
".Alternative readings '.Afara', 'Arafa', 'Walara'.
T h e r e is obviously some geographical confusion in this verse. Charles pro-
jxjsed to read 'north' for 'south' (and also 'west' for 'east' in the clause 'and it turns
to the east'). In later Kthiopic tradition, and in some ofthe following chapters of
Jubilees, the words for 'north' and 'south' were often given contrary meanings.
 3» Jubilees
Blessed be the Lord God of Shem,
.And may the Lord dwell in the dwelling of Shem.
hi .And he knew that the garden of Kden is the holy of holies and the
L o r d ' s dwelling place, and mount Sinai the centre o f t h e desert,
a n d m o u n t Zion the centre o f t h e navel o f t h e earth: these three
21) were created as holy places facing one another. .And he blessed the
G o d of gods, who had put the Lord's word into his mouth, even the
il Lord for evermore. .And he knew that Shem and his sons were
blessed'" for ever - the whole land of Kden. and the whole land of
the Red Sea, and the whole land of the east, and India, and
B a i r e t r a ' " a n d its m o u n t a i n s , and all the land of B a s h a n , " and all
t h e land of L e b a n o n and the islands of Claphtor, and all the
m o u n t a i n s of Senir and .Amana, and the mountains of Asshur in
the n o r t h , a n d all the land of Klam, .Asshur, and Babel, and Susa,
a n d .Media, a n d all the mountains of .Ararat, and all the region
beyond the sea, which is beyond the mountains of .Asshur north­
w a r d s , a blessed a n d spacious land, and all that is in it is very good.
1> .And H a m drew the second share - what lies beyond the Gihon
s o u t h w a r d s , to the right o f t h e garden; and it extends southwards
as far as all the hery mountains; and it extends westwards to the sea
of .Atel, and further s t i l l " till it reaches the sea of .Mauk (that is the
•'i sea into which everything that docs n o t " perish descends). .And it
goes n o r t h w a r d s to the boundaries of G a d i r and out to the coast of
the waters o f t h e sea, to the waters of the great sea, till it reaches the
river G i h o n , a n d the river Gihon goes along till it reaches the right
.'1 of the g a r d e n of Kden. .And this is the land that fell to H a m in the
division, which hc was to occupy for ever, he and his sons, genera­
tion after generation for ever.
2,3 .And J a p h e t h drew the third share - what lies beyond the river
T i n a , to the north of its waters' outflow; and it extends on the
n o r t h - e a s t to the whole region of Gog and to all the country east of
Lit. 'that a .share ol blessin,!; and a blessed one had come to Shem and to his
.sons'.
•'' Perhaps (through the (Jk. Egvegd) a mistranslation ofKdom.
-' Kth. 'Basa': alternative readings 'Bala' and Basor',
^' Lit, 'and it extends westwards'.
O n e .\IS omits not', . V i o r d i n g ti> Charles the sense required is 'if anything
descends intt> it. it perishes' - this sea being Oceanus in the extreme west.
 Jubilees M)
26 it. .Xnd it extends northwards as I'ar as the mountains o f Q e l t " and
to the sea of M a u k ; and it goes to the east of CJadir as far as the
27 region o f t h e waters o f t h e sea. . \ n d it goes on until it reaches the
west of F a r a " a n d returns towards .Xferag;" and it extends east-
28 w a r d s to the waters of the sea of Meat. .And in a north-easterly
direction it extends to the region ofthe river T i n a till it reaches the
b o u n d a r y ofits waters towards the mountain Rafa; and then it turns
29 r o u n d t o w a r d s the north. This is the land that fell to J a p h e t h and
his sons as the share lor them to hold as their patrimony, genera­
tion after generation for ever - fi\c large islands, and a large Iracl of
:«) land in the north. But it is cold. H a m ' s land is hot. .And .Shem's is
neither hot nor cold, but a blend of cold and heat.

IX. .And H a m divided his land a m o n g his sons; and the first share
fell to C u s h - that is the eastern part, and to the west of him was
M i z r a i m , a n d to the west of him Put, and to the west of him
C a n a a n , and to the west of him the sea.'
2 A n d Shem also divided his land among his sons; and the first
s h a r e fell to E^lam and his sons - what lies east ofthe river Tigris till
it reaches the cast, the whole land of India, and the Red Sea coast',
a n d the waters of D e d a n , and all the mountains of Mebri and E l a \
a n d all the land of Susa, and all that is on the side of Pharnak'' to
3 the Red Sea and the river T i n a . .And the second share fell to .Asshur
- all the land of .Asshur and .Nineveh and Shinar as far as the
4 b o r d e r of India, a n d it goes up to the river Wadafa. .And the third
s h a r e fell to .Arpachshad - all the land ofthe region of t h e C h a l d e c s
to the east o f t h e E u p h r a t e s , that borders on the Red Sea, and all

" Text '.Xnd it extends northwards to the north, and it extends to the mountains
of QeU towards the north".
" .Ahernative readings 'Fera' and "Fereg".
" .Alternative reading ".Afreg".

' T h e translation of this verse is uncertain. Charles rendered '. . . Put, and to the
west of him [and to the west thereof] on the sea for Canaan", and understood the
sense to be that Canaan"s allotted share extended from Libya {= Put) to the
A t l a n t i c ( c p . X. 28ir.).
' Lit. 'and on the Red Sea on its coast".
' Alternative reading 'Mazbara and F.Iam'.
•* Alternative readings 'Phernak' and 'Pheremak'.
 K) Jubilees
tin- waters o f t h e desert close to the tongue o f t h e sea that looks
t o w a r d s Kgypt. all the laud of Lebanon and .Senir and .Amana to
j the b o r d e r ofthe Kuphrates. .And the fourth share fell to . A r a m - a l l
the land of .Mesopotamia between the Tigris and the Kuphrates to
the north of the Chaldces. to where it reaches the motmtains of
(i .Asshur a n d the land of .Ararat. .And the fifth share fell to Lud - the
m o u n t a i n s of .Asshur and all that belongs to them till it reaches the
great sea. a n d till it reaches the east of .Asshur his brother.
7 .And J a p h e t h also divided the land of his patrimony among his
fi sons. .And the hrst share fell to G o m e r - what lies to the east, from
the north side to the river 'Tina. .And in the north there fell to
.Magog all the inner parts of the north, till it reaches the sea of
'> .Meat. .And to .Madai fell as his share to occupy ithal lies west' of his
Id two b r o t h e r s to the islands and the coasts o f t h e islands. .And the
fourth s h a r e fell to J a v a n - all the islands'" towards the border of
1: L u d . .And the fifth share fell to Tubal - what lies in the middle ofthe
t o n g u e that runs tow ards the border of Lud's share, as far as the
second tongue, as far as the region beyond the second tongue, as far
1'-' as the third tongue. .And the sixth share fell to .Meshech - all the
I .i region beyond the third tongue till it reaches the cast of Gadir. .And
the seventh share fell to Tiras - four great islands in the middle of
the sea, which stretch as far as H a m ' s share. (.And the islands of
K a m a t u r i fell by lot to the sons of .Arpachshad as part of his
patrimony'.)
II .And so .N'oah's sons divided their lands a m o n g their sons in the
p r e s e n c e of their father Noah; and he bound them all by an oath,
p u t t i n g a curse on anyone that tried to seize what" had not fallen to
1.5 him by lot. .And they all said. So be it. So be it, for themselves and
their sons for ever, in every generation till the day ofjudgement,
w h e n the Lord CJod willjudgc them with sword and fire for all their
u n c l e a n n e s s a n d the wickedness of their misdeeds," with which
they have filled the earth - with transgression and uncleanness and
fornication a n d sin.

' I.il. 'rrom ihc wcsl'. " I.il. 'evfrv island and ilu- islands'.
' Clharlcssquarc-brackrlcd ihis s c n i c n a - a s a n inlcrpolalion, on the grounds that
the text is here dealing with the sons ofjapheth. whereas .Arpachshad was a son of
.Shem and has already Ix-en mentioned in verse 4 jibove.
' Lit. the share which". " Lit. 'for all the unclean wickedness oftheir errors'.
 jubilees \1

X. A n d in tht- tliird wvvV. ol'tliisjubilci- the m u l c a n demons began

to lead the children ot'Noah's sons astray and to mislead them and
destroy t h e m . .And Noah's sons came to their father Noah and told
him a b o u t the d e m o n s that were misleading and blinding and
killing his g r a n d s o n s . . \ n d hc prayed before the Lord his (Jod, and
said,

(Jod ol the spirits of all mankind, who hast shown

mercy to me.
.And hast saved me and mv sons from the waters ofthe
flood,
.And didst not leave mc to perish' as thou didst those
d o o m e d to perdition;-'
Lor thy grace has been great towards me,
.And great has been thy mercy to my soul.
Let thy grace be exalted upon my sons,
.And let not wicked spirits rule over them
.And destroy them from the earth.

Btit d o thou bless me and my sons, that we may be fruitful and

increase a n d fill the earth. .And thou knowest what thy Watchers,
the fathers of these spirits, did in my day; and as for these spirits
w h i c h a r e now alive, imprison them and hold them securely in the
place of p u n i s h m e n t , and let them not bring destruction on thy
s e r v a n t ' s sons, my God, for these are malevolent and created in
o r d e r to destroy. .And let them ha\ c no dominion o\ er the spirits of
the living, for thou alone knowest how to deal with t h e m ; ' and let
t h e m have no power over the sons o f t h e righteous, either now o r
ever.
.And the Lord our God ordered us to bind them all. .And .\Iastcma,
the chief of the spirits, c a m e and said, Q Lord, creator, let some of
t h e m remain before me, and let them listen to what I say and do
e v e r y t h i n g I tell them; for if .some are not left me, I shall not be able
to exercise over men the authority I want; for these are destined for
c o r r u p t i o n and to be led astray" before my judgement, for great is
' .Mternative reading '.And hast not forgotten me so that I perished'.
^ Lit. 'the sons of perditi<jn'. ' I.it. 'their judgement (nature)'.
•* Lit. 'and leading astray'.
 42 Jubilees
!) the w i c k e d n e s s ' of men. .And hc said, let a tenth o f t h e m remain
before him. and let nine tenths go down into the place of punish-
Ki m c n t . .And he c o m m a n d e d one of us to teach .Noah all the remedies
against them (for he knew they would not live upright lives, nor
11 even try to d o what is right). .And we did as he told us: all the
malevolent and e\il ones we imprisoned in the place of punishment,
a n d a tenth we left as agents of punishment under Satan" on the
12 e a r t h . .And we explained to Noah all the remedies against their
diseases, together with their s e d u c t i o n s , ' h o w to heal them with
i:i herbs.".And Noah wrote down everything in a laook, as we instructed
h i m a b o u t every kind of remedy: thus were the evil spirits kept
It from doing harm to .Noah's sons. .And he gave everything he had
written to .Shem. his eldest son: for he loved him most of all his
sons.
1") .And N o a h slept with his fathers and was buried on mount Lubar
Ki in the land of .Ararat. H e completed nine hundred and fifty years in
17 all - nineteen jubilees, two weeks, and fi\e years. And in his life on
e a r t h he surpassd all mortal men in achieving perfect righteous­
ness, except Enoch; for Enoch had a special function to be a
witness to the world's generations and report all the deeds of each
g e n e r a t i o n till the day ofjudgement.
If! .And in the thirty-third jubilee, in the first year, in the second
week, Peleg took a wife, whose n a m e was Lomna, the daughter of
S h i n a r ; ' a n d she bore him a son in the fourth year ofthis week, and
he called him Reu,'" for he said. Behold the sons of men have
b e c o m e evil through their wicked purpose of building a city and a
19 t o w e r in the land of Shinar. (For they had left the land of Ararat
a n d moved eastwards to Shinar; and in his days they built the city
20 a n d the tower, saying. C o m e , let us go up into heaven by it.) And
they began to build; a n d in the fourth week they baked bricks in the
fire, a n d the bricks served them for stone; and the clay they bonded
t h e m with was asphalt, which comes out o f t h e sea and out ofthe
21 fountains of water in the land of Shinar. And they were forty-three
' .Mternative reading 'judgement'.
' Lit. 'that they might punish before Satan'.
' .Mternative reading 'evil effects'.
' L i t . 'the trees ofthe earth'. ' Eth. 'Sinaar'.
Eth. ' R a g a u ' . The name in the original was, of course, a pun on the Hebrew for
'evil'.
 jubilees Vi
years building it: they built it entirely of bricks (each brick was
t t h i r t e e n c u b i t s t wide, and the height of each a third ofits width):
its height altogether a m o u n t e d to five thousand, four hundred, and
thirty-three cubits, and two palms, and the extent of one wall was
22 thirteen stadcs, and of the other thirty stades.'' .And the Lord our (iod
said to us. Behold, they are one people: they have begun to do this,
a n d now they will not stop. Clome, let us go down and confound
their tongues, so that they cannot imderstand one another, and be
dispersed into cities and nations, and thus have no common
2:i p u r p o s e " till the day ofjudgement. .And the Lord went down, and
we went down with him, to inspect the city and the tower that the
24 sons of men had built. .And hc confounded all their t o n g u e s . " and
in c o n s e q u e n c e they no longer understood one another's speech
2.') a n d left olfbuilditig the city and the tower. This is why the whole
land of S h i n a r is called Babel, because the Lord confounded there
all m e n ' s tongues; and from there they were dispersed to their
2() various cities, each according to his language and his nation. .And
the Lord sent a violent wind against the tower and levelled it with
the g r o u n d (its site is between .Asshur and Babylon in the land of
27 S h i n a r ) , a n d they called it, Collapse. It was in the fourth week ofthe
first year, at the beginning of it, in the thirty-fourth jubilee, that
they were dispersed from the land of Shinar.
28 .And H a m and his sons went into the land set aside for him,
w h i c h hc had been allotted as his share in the land ofthe south.'"
29 A n d C a n a a n saw the land of Lebanon as far as the river of Kgypt,
t h a t it was very good, and did not go to the land that had fallen to
h i m in the west by the sea, but settled in the land of Lebanon
30 between the J o r d a n region and the s e a . " .And his father H a m , a n d
C u s h a n d M i z r a i m , his brothers, said to him. You have settled in a
l a n d that is not yours and that did not fall to us by lot. Do not do it.
'' The details of the text of this passage arc ver\ problematical; and in the
translation the final clause (about the walls) has been filled out from the description
in Nicephorus's Catena (i. 17b), which seems to be directly dependent on Jubilees.
Several Christian writers give similar, though not identical, particulars about the
construction and size ofthe building.
" Lit. 'and thus one purpose will no longer remain with them'.
" Lit.'all speech of their tongues'. O r ' n o r t h ' : see note on viii. Hi.
" C'haries rendered '. . . Lebanon, eastward and westward from the Ixjrder of
J o r d a n and from the border ofthe sea'.
 44 Jubilees
Ifyoii do, you a n d your sons will bt- reduced to ruin in the land and
b r i n g a ctirsc upon yourselves because oi'your rebellious act; for as a
rebel you have settled, and by rebellion will your children be
i\ r e d u c e d to ruin a n d you will be rooted u p forcxer. Do not encroach
on S h c n i ' s p a t r i m o n y , " Ibr to Shem and his sons it fell by lot.
:si Clurscd you are, a n d cursed you will be more than all the sons of
. \ o a h , as a result o f t h e curse by which we bound ourselves with an
o a t h in the presence o f t h e holy prince and in the presence of our
father . \ o a h . But he Kxjk no notice o f t h e m and settled in the land
of L e b a n o n , from H a m a t h to the entrance of Egypt, h c a n d his sons
;it till this d a y . .And this is why that land is called Clanaan.
;i.5 .And J a p h e t h a n d his .sons went towards the sea and settled in the
land allotted to t h e m ; " and M a d a i looked at the land of the sea and
was not pleased with it, and hc begged a share from Klam and
.Asshur a n d .Arpachshad, his wife's brother, and settled in the land
lit; of M e d i a , near his wife's brother, till this day. .And they called the
place w h e r e he a n d his sons settled. .Media, after the n a m e oftheir
father M a d a i .

XI. .And in the thirty-fifth jubilee, in the third week, in the first
y e a r of it, Reu took a wife, and her n a m e was O r a , the d a u g h t e r of
U r , the son of C:hesed; and she bore him a son, and he called hiin
S c r u g , in the seventh year ofthis week in this jubilee.
2 .And .Noah's sons began to make war on each other, to take one
a n o t h e r captive, and to kill each other, and to shed men's bl(X)d on
t h e e a r t h , a n d to eat blood, a n d to build strong cities and walls and
towers; a n d certain individuals began to exalt themselves a l x n e the
r e s t , ' a n d to set themselves u p as kings,' and to go to w a r - people
a g a i n s t people, a n d nation against nation, and city against city.
A n d all oJthem began to d o evil, to get a r m s , and to teach their sons
to fight; a n d they began to c a p t u r e cities, and to sell men and
3 w o m e n as slaves. And Ur, the son of Chesed, built the city of E r a '
'* Lit. "Dwell not in the dwelling of.Shein".
" Lit. 'the land oftheir share".

' Lit. "the people". ^ Lit. "to found the lieginnings of kingship".
' .Mternative reading ".Ara"; possibly we should read "Kraha" (taking the final -Aa
as part of the name and not as an accusative ending). The more normal form "Ur"
occurs in verses 7 and 8 and subsequently.
 Jubilees 4')
ol'tlic Clhaldecs, and called it after his own name and his father's
I n a m e . And men m a d e for themselves images of cast metal, and
each m a n worshipped his own image that he had cast Ibr himself;''
a n d they began to make c a r \ e d images too, and unclean figures.
. \ n d malevolent spirits egged them on and seduced them, so that
:') they indulged in etery kind of sin and uncleanness. .And the prince
.Mastema exerted himself to d o all this, and he sent out as agents
the spirits that were under his control to do all kinds of wrong and
sin, a n d all kinds of transgression, to corrupt and to destroy, and to
II shed blood on the earth. .And so they called Scrug's name Seruk,'
for everyone turned aside after all kinds of sin and transgression.
7 .And he grew up and lived in L"r ofthe (lhaldces, near his wife's
m o t h e r ' s father, and hc worshipped idols; and he took a wife in the
thirty-sixth Jubilee, in the fifth week, in the first y e a r o f it, and her
n a m e was .Milcah, the d a u g h t e r of Heber, his father's brother's
n d a u g h t e r . .And she bore him Nahor, in the first year ofthis week;
a n d hc grew up and lived in I ' r o f t h e (lhaldces, and his father
instructed him in the learning o f t h e Ohaldees, how to divine and
foretell the future from the signs of heaven.
(1 .And in the thirty-seventh jubilee, in the sixth week, in the first
year of it, he took a wife, and her name was Iscah, the daughter of
10 -Ncstag o f t h e Ohaldees. .And she bore him T e r a h in the seventh
11 year o f t h i s week. .And the prince .Mastema sent ravens and other
birds to eat up the seed that had been sown in the land, in order to
destroy the land and rob men oi'the fruit o/lhcir labours: before they
could plough the seed in, the ravens pecked ;/ from the surface of
]•> the g r o u n d . .And that is why hc called him T e r a h , because the
ravens and other birds had reduced them to destitution and had
i:i eaten u p their seed." .And the years became sterile, owing to the
birds, a n d they ate up all the fruit on the trees: it was only with
g r e a t elTort that they could save any at all o f t h e earth's fruits in
t h o s e ' days.
11 .And in this thirty-ninthjubilee, in the second week, in the first

•* Lit. 'and they worshipped each the idtjl hc had made for himselfas an image of
cast metal".
' From the Heh. rtxit s-r-k, "iwist, turn' (cp. J e r . ii. 23).
" . \ o satisfactory explanation ofthis reason for the name has so far Ix-cn given.
' I.it. "their".
•K) juhilees
year, T e r a h took a wile, the d a u g h t e r ofAhrani, his father's sister's
d a u g h t e r . \nA in the seventh year ofthis week she bore him a son,
a n d he called him . \ b r a m . after his mother's father (for he had died
before his d a u g h t e r had concci\cd a son). .\nd the child began to
u n d e r s t a n d the errors ofthe earth, how all went astray after carved
i m a g e s a n d uncleanness; and his father taught him writing. . \ n d
w h e n hc was two weeks of years old. hc separated himself from his
father, so that he might not worship idols with him; and he began
to p r a y to the creator of all things, that he might save him from the
errors of inankind. and that it should not be his lot to go astray after
the unclean and the degrading.
. \ n d the .seed time came liir sowing on the land, and they all went
out together to protect their seed from the r a \ e n s ; and . \ b r a m went
out with them" (and he was a lad of fourteen). . \ n d a cloud of
r a \ ens c a m e to eat up the seed; and . \ b r a m ran to meet them before
they settled on the ground, and he shouted to them before they
settled oti the g r o u n d to eat up the seed and said. Keep olf:" go back
to w h e r e you c a m e from. .And they turned and went away. .\nd hc
did this to the cloud of ravens seventy times that day; and not a
single raven settled on any ofthe fields where . \ b r a m was. .And all
w h o were with him in the fields saw him shout out and all the
r a v e n s turn back; a n d his fame spread through all the land ofthe
C;haldees. .Xnd all those that wished to sow that year came to him,
a n d he went with them until the time for .sowing was over; and they
sowed their land, and that year they brought home grain in
p l e n t y , ' " a n d they ate their fill.
. \ n d in the first year ofthe fifih week .Xbram gave instructions to
the c a r p e n t e r s who m a d e the agricultural implements, and they
m a d e a container above ground-level, facing the frame of the
p l o u g h , to put the seed in, and the seed fell down from it onto the
p l o u g s h a r e and was hidden in the earth; and so they were no longer
frightened of the ravens. .And they m a d e containers like this above
ground-level on all the frames o f t h e ploughs; and they sowed all
the land a n d tilled it, exactly as . \ b r a m told them, and they were no
longer frightened o f t h e birds.

" I.it. 'tho.sc that wont'.

" I . i t . ' D o not conic clown'. I.it.'suflicicnt grain'.

 Jubilees

XII. .Vnd it came to pass in the sixth week, in the seventh year ofit,
2 t h a t .Xbram spolic to Terah his father, saying. Father! .And he said.
Behold, here I a m , my son. .And he said. What profit or advantage
d o w e gain from those idols that you worship and prostrate yourself
3 in front ol? P"or there is no spirit in' them: d u m b things they arc
4 t h a t only lead us into error;' so do not worship them. Worship the
G o d of heaven, who makes the rain and the dew come down on the
e a r t h , a n d does everything on the earth, and has created all things
3 by his word, and all life is from h i m . ' Why do you worship things
t h a t have no spirit in' them, for they are the work of men's hands?
You carry them on your shoulders, and you get no help from them.
R a t h e r d o they bring no small shame on those who make them, and
mislead the minds of those who worship them. So do not worship
() t h e m . .And his father said to him. I know il too, my son; but what
7 shall I d o about the people that I serve?" If I tell them the truth,
they will kill me; lor they cling to them to worship them and honour
8 t h e m . K e e p Cjuiet, my son, in case they kill you. .And he said the
s a m e to his two brothers, and they were angry with him, so he said
n o more.
9 A n d in the fortieth jubilee, in the second week, in the seventh
year ofit, .Abram took a wife, and her name was Sarai,' his father's
10 d a u g h t e r ; and she became his wife. .And H a r a n , his brother, took a
wife in the third year o f t h e third week; and she bore him a son in
11 the seventh year ofthis week, and he called him Lot. .And his olher
b r o t h e r , Nahor, also took a wife.
12 .And in the sixtieth'' year of .Abram's life, that is, in the fourth
week, in the fourth year ofit, .Abram got u[) at night and set fire to

' Lit. 'upon'.

^ Lit. Tor they are dumbness and a misleading ofthe heart'.
' Lit. 'from before his face'.
* C:haries rendered 'but what shall I do with a people who have made me to serve
before them?', which implies that Terah was not just a private craftsman, but cither
a municipal employee or under some other external compulsion to make his idols;
a n d this last interpretation is reinforced by the alternative reading '. . . who have
c o m m a n d e d me to scr\e . . .'. T h e translation ofltred is suilicienlly imprecise as to
leave all possibilities open.
' Eth. 'Sora' (as in the Eth. Old Testament).
" .Alternative readings 'second' and 'thirtieth'.
U{ Jubilees
(1K' idols" house and burnt cxcrything that was in the house; and no
o n e knew abuut it. . \ n d they got up in the night and tried to save
their gods I'roin the (ire. .And H a r a n rushed in to sa\ e them, hut the
flames o v e r c a m e him, and hc was burnt in the lire and died in L'rof
the C-haldecs before the eyes ol his lather ICralu and they bitried
him in I ' r ol'thc Clhaldees. .\nd Terah left I ' r o f t h e (lhaldces. he
a n d his sons, and set out for the land of Lebanon and the land of
Clatiaan. and he settled in the land of H a r a n : and .Abratn lived iti
H a r a n with Terah. his father, two weeks ol years.
.And in the sixth week, in the lilili \ c a r ofit. .Abram sat up all
t h r o u g h the night o f t h e new moon ofthe se\ ciitli month to observe
the stars from evening (ill morning, in order to discover how the
rains would fall that vear; and he was alone as he sat and o b s e t A c d .
.And a thought struck him, and he said, .\ll the signs o f t h e stars
a n d the signs o f t h e moon and sun are in the hand o f t h e Lord.
\S hv. then, should I en(|uire into them? If he so wills, he makes it
rain evening and morning, and if he so wills, he withholds the rain;
a n d all things are in his hand. .Xntl he prayed that night and said,
.\Iy ( i o d . ( i o d .Most High, thou alone for me art (iod: thou hast
created all things, and all things that are arc the work of thy hands;
a n d thee a n d thy dominion have I chosen. Deliver me from the evil
spirits w h o have dominion over the thoughts and minds of men.
a n d let them not lead me astray from thee, my (iod: and establish
mc a n d my d e s c e n d a n t s lor ever, that we go not astray cither now
or ever, .And I ask thee, should I return t<j I ' r o f t h e Chaldces. lo
those w h o beg m e ' to return to them? O r should I rather remain
here in this place? Help thy servant to choose* whatever is the right
p a t h belorc thee, and let me not walk in the error of mv heart, O mv
(iod.
.And he finished speaking and praying, and behold, the word of
the Lord was sent to him through mc, saying. Leave your country
a n d your kinsmen and your f a t h e r s htjuse, and go to a land that I
will show you; and I will make you a great and iiuinerous nation.
.And I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be
blessed in the earth, and in you shall all fathers" o f t h e earth be
blessed; a n d I will bless those that bless you and curse those that
• I.it. wlidsrok my liter'. " I.it. -(l.!'.
" .Mternative reatliiiu; "nations' (as in the Kth. Old Testament),
 Jubilees 49
curse you. .\ncl I will hc a (JCKI to you, aiici to your son, and to your
g r a n d s o n , and to all your descendants; do not be afraid: Ironi now,
a n d lor all time, I am your (iod.
.And the Lord (Jod said to mc. O p e n his mouth and his cars, so
that hc may hear and may speak with his mouth the language
which shall be revealed (for it had n e \ e r been spoken b\ men since
the d a y ofthe collapse uf the tower of Babel). .And I opened his mouth
a n d his cars and his lips, and I began to speak to him in H e b r e w -
the original language."' .And he took his fathers' books, which were
written in Hebrew, and transcribed them and began from then on
to s t u d y t h e m , and I explained to him everything he could not
understand: and h e " studied them during the six rainy months.
.And it c a m e to pass in the sc\ cnth year ofthe sixth week that he
spoke to his lather and told him that he wanted to lca\ e Haran and
go into the land of C a n a a n to inspect it and come back to him. .And
T e r a h his father said to him. (Jo in peace: may the eternal (Jod
m a k e your p a t h straight, and the Lord Ac with you a n d p r o t e c t you
from all evil, and grant you grace, mercy, and favour, with those
w h o see you, and may no man have power over you to harm you: go
in peace. .And if it seems to you a pleasant land, and suitable to
settle in, then come back and fetch me: take Lot with you now. your
b r o t h e r H a r a n ' s son, and treat him as if he were your own; and the
Lord be with you. .And leave your other brother .Nahor here with me,
till you come back in peace, and then we can all go with you
together.

XIII, .And -Abram journeyed from H a r a n and took Sarai, his wife,
a n d Lot, his brother H a r a n ' s son. to the land of C a n a a n ; and he
c a m e to .Asshur,' a n d wandered about till he came to Shechem,
a n d settled there near a lofty oak.' .And he lcx>ked, and behold, the
l a n d w a s very pleasant from the entrance of H a m a t h to the lofty
o a k . ' And the Lord said to him. To you and your descendants will I
give this land. .And he built an altar there and olfered on it a
whole-olfering to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
"* O r 'the natural language'. .Mternative readings 'the language that was natural
to hitn' or the language ofhis I'atnily'.
' ' .Mternative reading 'we'.

' .Micrnativereading'.Sur'(= fyre.'). ' . \ s i n the I . X X a t ( J e n . xii.(>.

 jO Juhilees
j A n d hc moved on from there to the hill-country (east o l B c t h e l ) ,
with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he pitched his
ij tent. .And he looked, and behold, the land was spacious and very
good, and everything grew there - \ ines and figs and pomegran­
ates, oaks and ile.xes, and terebinths and olive trees, and cedars
a n d cypresses and frankincense trees,' and all the trees of the
7 c o u n t r y s i d e ; a n d there was water in the hill-country. .And he
blessed the I,ord, who had led him out of I ' r o f t h e Ohaldees and
H b r o u g h t him to this land.'' .And it came to pass in the first year, in
the seventh week, on the new mooti ofthe first month, that he built
an a l t a r on the hill t h e r e ' and invoked the Lord, T h o u art my God,
the eternal ( i o d . .And he olfered a whole-olfering to the Lord on the
altar, so that hc might be with him and not forsake him all the days
of his life.
1(1 .And he moved on from there and went .southwards and came to
H e b r o n ( H e b r o n was built at that time); and he stayed there two
years. .And he went on from there into the land of the south, to
Bcaloth.
11 .And there was a famine in the land; and .Abram went into Egypt
in the third year ofthe week and lived in Egypt five years before his
IL' wife was torn away from him. (Tanais in Egypt was built at that
l;i time - seven years after Hebron.) .And it came to pass, when
P h a r a o h seized Sarai, .Abram's wife, the Lord struck Pharaoh and
his entire household with severe diseases because of Sarai, .Abram's
11 wife. -And .Abram was held in high esteem on account of his
possessions in sheep, a n d cattle, and asses, and horses, and camels,
a n d male a n d female slaves, and a b u n d a n c e of silver and gold; and
1.5 Lot, his b r o t h e r ' s son, was also wealthy. -And Pharaoh gave back
S a r a i , .Abram's wife, and sent him out ofthe land of Egypt; and hc
m a d e his way to the place where he had pitched his tent in the
beginning, to the place o f t h e altar, with .Ai on the east and Bethel
on t h e west. .And he blessed the Lord his God, who had brought
h i m back in peace.
K) .And it c a m e to pass in the forty-first jubilee, in the third year of
the first week, that he returned to this place and offered there a
' O r , by a slight emendation, 'date-palms'.
* .Alternative reading 'hill' or "mountain'.
» I.it.'on this hill (mountain)'.
 Juhilees ') 1
whole-ofl'eriiig, a n d he iinoked the Lord by iiariie and said. Tiiou
17 a r t t h e -Most High God, niy Ciod lor ever and ever. . \ n d in the
fourth year o f t h i s week Lot parted from him; and Lot settled in
18 S o d o m (and the men of Sodom were great simiers). .\nd it grieved
h i m that his brother's son had parted from him; for he had no
1<) children. In that year, when Lot was taken captive, the Lord spoke
to .Abram (after Lot had parted from him) in the fourth >earofthis
week, a n d said to h i m . Look u p from the place you are living in,
21) n o r t h w a r d s a n d southwards, atid westwards a n d eastwards. For
all the land vou can see I will g i \ c to you and your descendants for
ever, a n d I will make your descendants as the sand of the sea:" even
t h o u g h a m a n might count the dust ofthe e a r t h , ' your descendants
21 will not be able to be" counted. Rise up. walk through the length and
b r e a d t h oUhe land, and look at all ofit; for to your descendants will
I g i \ e it. .And .Abram went to Hebron and settled there.
22 .And in this year came C'.liedorlaomer, king of Elani, and .Amraphel,
king of Shinar, a n d .Arioch, king of Sellasar. a n d Tergal, king of
n a t i o n s , a n d killed the king of CJomorrah; and the king of Sodom
fled, a n d m a n y fell wounded in the valley of Siddim, by the Salt Sea."
2:i A n d they c a p t u r e d Sodom and .Adam a n d Zeboirn; a n d they took
Lot captive also, .Abram's brother's son, a n d all his possessions,
24 a n d they'" went as far as Dan. .And a fugitive came and told .Abram
2.5 t h a t his brother's son h a d been taken captive. .And he armed his
household servants . . . for .Abram," and for his descendants, the
first tenth to the Lord; and the Lord ordained it as a rule for all time
t h a t they should give it to the priests who serve belorc him, that ii
26 should be theirs lor ever. .And to this law there is no time-limit; for
h e h a s o r d a i n e d that in e v e r y g e n e r a t i o n t h e y s h o u l d give to t h e
* .-Mternative reading *ol"the earth'. ' .-Mternative reading'ofthe sea'.
" .-Mternative reading 'will be* - i.e. without the negative {in whieh ease the whole
science should be translated 'if a man could count the dust ofthe earth, then your
descendants could be countcxl*).
' .Most M.S.S -in the salt (or *desert") country*. The .MS.S read 'he'.
" T h e existing text, transmitted by nearly all .M.SS makes no sense at all. Charles
supposed that although there is no direct evidence for it in the .MSS, there is in fact a
lacuna here and that the original text described .-\bram*s pursuit ofthe four kings,
his attack on them, his recovery of the spoil, and his meeting with .Melchizedek-as
in Gen. xiv. 14-'20. T h e scribe of one .MS. however, by a slight change in the word
translated 'armed', managed to achieve at least some sense with '.\nd his household
servants made atonement for .Abram'.
 y)'2 Jubilees
L o r d the tenth o f e v e r y t h i n g , " of seed and wine and oil and cattle
•-'7 a n d sheep. .And he has g i \ e n il to his priests to eat and drink with
2H joy before him. .And the king of .Sodom came and prostrated him­
self before him and said. O u r lord .Abram, grant us the people you
29 h a v e rescued, but let the spoil be yours. .And .Abram said to him, I
lift u p my h a n d s to the .Most High Gwi on oalh. that I will take
n o t h i n g that is yours, so that you cannot say, I have made .Abram
rich: I will take only what the young men have eaten, and the share
o f t h e men who went with m e - . A u n a n . Kschol, and .Mamre. These
shall have their share.

XIV. .And after these things, in the fourth year ofthis week, on the
new moon o f t h e third month, the word ofthe Lord came to .Abram
in a d r e a m , saying. Do not be afraid, .Abram: I am your delender,
2 a n d your reward will indeed be great. .And hc said. Lord. Lord,
w h a t will vou give me, lor I have no children, and the son ol
.Masecj, my slave-girl's son, Kliezer of Damascus, will be my heir:
:i to me you have given no children. .And he said to him. This man
4 shall not be your heir, but your own son' shall be your heir. .And hc
took him outside and said to him. Look up to heaven and count the
') s t a r s of heaven, if you can count them. .And he looked up to heaven
a n d surveyed the stars; and he said to him. So shall your dcsccn-
li d a n t s be. .And hc believed in the Lord; and it was counted to him as
righteousness.
7 .And he said to him, I a m the Lord that brought you out of Ur of
the C)haldees, to give you the land o f t h e Clanaanites' as a posses­
sion for ever, and to b e ' your God and your descendants' God after
8 you. A n d he said. Lord, Lord, how shall I know that I shall inherit
9 il? A n d he said to him. Bring me" a heifer three years old, and a
g o a t three years old, and a sheep three years old, and a turtle-dove,
10 a n d a pigeon. -And he took all these in the middle o f t h e month,
11 while he was living by the oak of M a m r e , near Hebron. .And he
built an altar there and sacrificed all of them; and he poured their
" Some .M.SS om. •ofcvfrvthins'.

' I.it. "oiK* that shall come <jut oryt>urown Ixtwcls'.

' .Mternative reading land of Canaan'.
' .Alternative reading 'and I will be'.
^ .Alternative reading Take'.
 juhilees ')3
blood on the altar and cut each fl/thcm in two, and laid the pieces'
\2 out opposite each other; but the birds hc did not cut in two. .\nd
birds of prey c a m e down on the pieces;' and .Abram drove them
a w a y , and would not allow the birds to touch them.
i:i .And it c a m e to pass, as the sun went down, a trance came over
.Abram; a n d lo, a horror o/Me darkness came upon him, and a voice
s a i d ' to .Abram. Know lor certain that your descendants will be
aliens in a foreign land, and they will be reduced to slavery there
It a n d oppressed for four h u n d r e d years. But I will punish" the nation
that enslaves them, and afterwards they will come out with great
I.') possessions. You shall go to your fathers in peace and be buried in
Ki a good old age. And in the fourth generation they shall return here;
lor t h e .Amorites will not be ripe for punishment till then.
17 .And he woke up from his sleep and got up: the sun had set; and
there was a flame, and behold, a smoking brazier, and a flame of
18 fire passed between the pieces. .And on that day the Lord made a
c o v e n a n t with .Abram, saying. To your descendants will I give this
land, from the river of Kgypt, to the great river, the river Kuphrates -
the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Perizzites, and
the R e p h a i m , the Phakorites,' and the Hivitcs, and the .Amorites,
19 a n d the Clanaanites, and the Girgashitcs, and the Jcbusites. And
that day passed,'" and .Abram olfered the pieces and the birds and
their cereal-oficrings and their drink-offerings, and the fire con-
id s u m e d them. And on that day we m a d e a covenant with Abram,
j u s t as we had covenanted with . \ o a h in this month; and .Abram
renewed the festival and rule for himself for ever.
2\ .And .Abram rejoiced and told his wife Sarai everything; and he
believed he was to be a father," although as yet she had borne him

' I.it. 'laid thciii'.

' I h c Kth. here, and in verses 17 and 19, literally means 'the things spread out".
Charles conjectured corruption in the un<lerlying (ik. and suggested two [xis-
sihilities. either "pieces" (as in the translation alx)ve) or "carca.ses". In this connec­
tion it is worth noting that the Heh. text ofGenesis has "carcases" atxv. 11. (parallel
to our verse \ 2) and 'cut pieces" at xv. 1 7 (parallel to our verse 17); to our verse 19 il
has no parallel.
' Lit. "and it was said". ' Lit. "judge".
" Alternative readings "Phakeriles" and 'Phekariles". They replace here the
Hittites. included at Gen. xv. '20.
Most .MSS'.\nd he passed". " Lit.'that he would have seed".
 ") 4 Jubilees
•n no children. And Sarai counselled her husband Abram and said to
h i m , l a k e H a g a r , my Kgy ptian maid: perhaps I can found a family
for you through her. .And .Abram listened to what Sarai his wife
told him, a n d he said. Do asyou think best; and Sarai took Hagar, her
Egyptian maid, and g a \ c her to her husband .Abram as his wife.
L't .And he lay with her, and she concei\cd and bore a son; and he
called him Ishmael, in the fifth year ofthis week. .And .Abram was
in his eighty-sixth year at the time.

XV. .And in the fifth year o f t h e t f o u r t h t ' week of this jubilee, in

the third m o n t h , in the middle ofthe month, .Abram celebrated the
2 feast of the first-fruits o f t h e g r a i n ' h a r \ e s t . .And he offered to the
Lord on the altar new olferings. the first-fruits o f t h e prixiuce - a
heifer a n d a he-goat and a sheep as a whole-oll'ering to the Lord on
the altar: their cereal-olferings and their drink-ollerings he also
:i olfered on the altar with frankincense. .And the Lord appeared to
.Abram a n d said to him, I am God .Almighty: prove yourself before
t me a n d be perfect. .And I will make my covenant between myself
.•) a n d you, and I will multiply you greatly. .And .Abram fell on his
I) face; a n d God talked with him and said. Behold, I have decreed a
7 future for y o u , ' and you shall be* the father of many nations. Your
n a m e therefore shall not be .Abram, but from now on, till eternity,
y o u r n a m e shall be .Abraham; for the father of many nations have I
K a p p o i n t e d you. .And I will make you very great, and I will make
9 nations of you, and kings shall spring from you. And I will establish
my covenant between myself and you, and your descendants after
you, generation after generation, an eternal covenant, that I may
be a God to you, and to your descendants after you, generation
II) after generation. < .And I will give you and your descendants after
y o u ) ' the land where you have been an alien, the land of C a n a a n ,
as a possession for ever; and I will be their God.
11 .And the Lord said to A b r a h a m , You for your part must keep my
c o v e n a n t , you and your descendants after you: circumcise every

' So niosl MS.S: one has 'sf\'cnlh'. Probably 'third' should tic read Ixith here and
at xvi. 1.1.
' Or'wheat'. ' Lit.'Behold my decree is with vou'.
. \ l t e r n a t i \ e reading 'and I will make you'.
' Restored bv Charles on the basis ofOen. xvii. 8.
 Jubilees ')j
m a l e a m o n g you, a n d circunuise Nour foreskins; and it shall be a
12 sign of my eternal covenant between mysclfand you. .And you shall
circumcise every male child on the eighth day, generation after
g e n e r a t i o n , whether born in your house, or bought with money frotn
a foreigner - one you have come by, who is not of your own stock.*
Ki Every male born in your house shall be circumciseci, and those you
h a v e b o u g h t with money shall be circumcised; and the sign oj my
It c o v e n a n t shall be in your flesh as a rule' for all time. .And every
uncircumcised male, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his
foreskin on the eighth day, shall be cut olf from his father's kin; for
hc has broken tny covenant.
\b .And God said to .Abraham. .As l()r your wife Sarai, she shall no
16 m o r e be called Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. .And I will bless
h e r a n d give you a son by her; and I will bless him, and hc shall
17 b e c o m e a nation, and kings of nations spring from him. .And
.Abraham threw himself down on his face and rejoiced and said to
himself. Shall a son indeed be born to a m a n a hundred years old,
18 a n d shall S a r a h , who is ninety, bear a child? .And .Abraham said to
ly G o d , If only Ishmael might live under thy special care!" .And (Jod
s a i d . H e shall;" and Sarah also shall bear you a son. and you shall
call him Isaac; a n d I will establish my covenant with him as an
20 everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. .And as
for I s h m a e l , I have heard your prayer; and behold, I will bless him
a n d m a k e him great and multiply him greatly, and he shall be
21 father of twelve princes, and I will make him a mighty nation. But
my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear you
22 at this time next year. .And he left olf talking with him; and (Jtxi
went u p from .Abraham.
23 .And .Abraham did as God had told him, and he t(X)k his .son
I s h m a e l , a n d all those born in his house, and those he had Ixjught
w i t h money, every male in his house, and circumcised the flesh of
24 their foreskins. .And on the very same day .Abraham himself was
circumcised; a n d all the men of his house, and all those he had
b o u g h t with money from foreigners, were circumcised with him.
25 T h i s law is for all generations for ever; and there can be no
r e d u c t i o n in the n u m b e r of the days, nor omission of even a single
* I.il.'seed*. ' .Mtern.Tlive reading'SIKMJI* or "germ'.
" Lit. 'before thee'. " Lit. 'Yes'.
')() jubilees
clay out o f t h e eight,'" for it is a rule for all time, orciained and
w r i t t e n on the h c a \ e n l y tablets. . \ n d every one that is born, the
flesh of whose foreskin is not circumcised o n " the eighth day, does
not belong a m o n g the sons o f t h e covenant which the Lord m a d e
with .Abraham, but is marked out for d e s t r u c t i o n : " there is no sign
on him that he is the Lord's; and his destiny is to be destroyed and to
perish a n d to be uprooted from the earth, because hc has broken
the c o \ e n a n t ofthe Lord our God. For all the angels of the presence
a n d all the angels of holiness have been created as they a r e " from
the day oftheir creation; and, just as Ihe Lord God hallowed the angels
of the presence and the angels of holiness, so he has hallowed
Israel, that they should be with him and with his holy angels. , \ n d
you. f()r your part, c o m m a n d the sons oflsrael to observe the sign
of this covenant in every generation as a rule for all time, so that
they a r c not uprooted from the land. T h e c o m m a n d is binding on
all the sons o f l s r a e l : it is part o f t h e covenant they must o b s e r \ e .
For the Lord did not admit into his presence either Ishmael and his
sons a n d brothers, or Esau, and he did not choose them, although
they were children of .Abraham, because he knew them; but he
chose Israel as his people. .And he hallowed it and gathered it from
all m a n k i n d ; Ibr there are m a n y nations and many peoples, and all
a r e his, a n d he has set spirits in authority over all of them to lead
t h e m a s t r a y from him. But over Israel he appointed no angel or
spirit, for he alone is their ruler; and he will p r e s e r \ e them and hold
his angels a n d spirits and all his powers'" answerable for them, so
t h a t he m a y preserve them and bless them, and that they may be
his a n d he theirs, now and for ever.
But I w a r n you that the sons of Israel will not keep this rule,
n e i t h e r will they circumcise their sons in accordance with this law;
for, t h o u g h circumcised t h e m s e l v e s , " they will neglect the
circumcision o f t h e i r sons, and the miscreants,'" all o f t h e m , will
leave their sons uncircumcised, just as they were born. .And great

'° I.it. *anH there is no circumcision {alternalix-e reading 'closure') of the days,
and no omission of one day out ofthe eight days'.
" .All Kth. .M.S.S. supported by Lat., read 'till'.
'• I.it. 'for he is of the sons of destruction'.
'* I . i t . ' h a v e iH'en so created'. Text'commands'.
" Kit.'for in Ihe flesh of their circumcLsitm'. " Lit.'.sons of Beliar".
 Jubilees r>7
will l)c llu" L o r d s wrath against the sons o f l s r a e l , because they
have Ibrsaken his covenant and turned aside from his word, and
provoked bim and shown their contempt fnr him by not observing
t h e rule as regards this law; for they have treated their members
like the (Jcntilcs and will be removed and upr<«)ted from the land.
. \ n d a l t h o u g h there is forgiveness and pardon for all sins, they will
n c \ c r be pardoned or lorgi\cn for this tran.sgression, nul even in
eternity."

XVI. .And on the new moon o f t h e fourth month wc appeared to

.Abraham at the oak of .Mamre; and wc talked with him and told
him that a son would be given him by his wife .Sarah. .And Sarah
l a u g h e d , for she heard that we had said this to .Abraham; and wc
rebuked her. and she was frightened, and denied she had laughed
at what wc said. .And wc told her her son's name, I s a a c - j u s t as his
n a m e is ordained and written on the hea\enly tablets. .And we told
her that when wc returned to her at the time appointed, she would
h a \ e conceived a son.'
.And in this m o n t h the Lord executed his judgements o n ' .Stxiom
a n d Ciomorrah and Zcboim and all the J o r d a n region; and he
b u r n e d them with hre and brimstone and destroyed them till this
day (I h a \ e told you already everything they did, how they were
\ c r y wicked and great sinners, and how they defiled themscKes
a n d c o m m i t t e d fornication in their flesh and abandoned them­
selves to every kind of vice' there is on earth. .And God will execute a
like j u d g e m e n t on places where men imitate the vices' of the
S o d o m i t e s , just as he judged Sodom. But Lot we saved; for Viod
r e m e m b e r e d .Abraham, and he rescued him from the disaster.
Nevertheless, he a n d his daughters committed sin on the earth,
such as there had not been on the earth from the days of .Adam till
his time - that a man should lie with his daughter." .And behold, it
w a s c o m m a n d e d and engraved on the heavenly tablets about all
his d e s c e n d a n t s , that they should be removed and uprooted, and

" Kill, obbiurc. The translation rrprcscnis the most probable sense.

' O r ' . \ n d when we returned . . . she had . .

• Kit.'the judgements of. ' Lit.'uneleannessles)'.
•* .Mternative Kth. reading 'daughters', and also Kat.
 •)8 jubilees
that judgement should be executed on them exactly as it was on
S o d o m , a n d that hc should be left no descendants on earth on the
j udgcmcnt-day.
10 . \ n d in this m o n t h A b r a h a m moved from Hebron and went and
11 settled between K a d e s h and Shur in the m o u n t a i n s ' of Gerar. And
in the middle ofthe hfth month he moved from there and settled at
the Well o f t h e O a t h .
VI . \ n d in the middle o f t h e sixth month the Lord showed Sarah
favour a n d m a d e good his promise to her, and she conceived and
li bore a son in the third month. .And in the middle ofthe month, at
the time the Lord had promised . \ b r a h a m , on the festival o f t h e
II first-fruitsof the har\est, Isaac was born. .And .Abraham circumcised
his son on the eighth day: he was the first to be circumcised in
a c c o r d a n c e with the rule oJthe covenant, which is ordained for ever.
1') .And in the sixth year of the fourth' week we went to meet
.Abraham at the Well o f t h e O a t h , and we appeared to him [as we
h a d told S a r a h that we would return to her, and she would have
lt> conceived a son. .And we returned in the seventh month and found
S a r a h with child before our eyes], and we blessed h i m ' and told
h i m ' everything that had been decreed concerning him - that he
should not die till he was the father of six sons more and that he
s h o u l d see them before he died, but that it was through Isaac that his
17 t r u e descent would be traced." .And we told him that all the
d e s c e n d a n t s of his other sons would be Gentiles, and be reckoned
with the Gentiles, although one of Isaac's sons would become a
IH holy seed, and not be reckoned with the Gentiles: he would become
the .Most H i g h ' s portion, and all his descendants settled in that
land which belongs to G o d , so as to be the Lord's special possession,''
chosen out of all nations, and to be a kingdom of priests'" and a holy
l!i n a t i o n . .And we went o u r way and repeated to Sarah all we had told
h i m ; a n d they were both overjoyed.
' .So Kth.: Kat. •|x)uiidarics'.
" Probahly third' should \K read. C:p. xv. 1. ' S o Lat.: Kth. 'her'.
" Lit. in Isaac should name and seed be called for him'.
" Kth. lit. to be to the I.ord a people of glory' (the word translated 'glor>' could
also mean adoption'): Lat. lit. 'to be to the Ixird a hallowed people'. T h e emenda­
tion assumes that an allusion in the original to Kxod. xix. 5, Deut. vii. 6, etc., has
been either misunderstood or mistranslated in both Eth. and I ^ t . Cp. xix. 18.
'° .So Lat.: Kth. a kingdom and priests'. Cp. Kxod. xix. 6.
 Jubilees ')9
ill A n d he buiU an a h a r there to the Lord who had dehvercd him
a n d w a s the cause ofhis joy in the land where he was an alien; and
he celebrated a festival of joy in this month, lasting seven days,
•21 n e a r the altar he had built at the Well o f t h e O a t h . . \ n d he built
b o o t h s for himself and for his servants at this festival and hc was
22 t h e lirst m a n on earth to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles. .•\nd
d u r i n g these seven days hc brought to the altar each day a whole-
offering to the Lord, two oxen, two rams, seven sheep, and one
he-goat lor a sin-olfering (to make atonement by it lor himself and
2:i his d e s c e n d a n t s ) . \nd as a thank-olfering he brought seven rams,
seven kids, seven sheep, and seven he-goats, and their fruit-
olferings a n d their drink-olferings; and burnt all their fat on the
21 a l t a r - a choice olfcring to the Lord as a soothing odour. .And every
m o r n i n g a n d evening he burnt fragrant substances - frankincense,
a n d g a l b a n u m . and stacte, and nard, and myrrh, and spice, and
c o s t u m : all these seven he olfered, crushed, in exactly ec|ual parts,
•2.1 mixed, and pure. .And he celebrated this feast for seven days,
rejoicing with all his heart and soul, he and all his household; and
2() t h e r e was no alien with him, nor anyone uncircumcised. .And he
blessed his creator who had created him in his generation (for he
h a d created him in accordance with his p u r p o s e ) . " since hc
perceived and understood that from him would sprout the plant of
righteousness for the generations to eternity, and that from him
would come a holy seed to be like him who created all things.
27 .And he blessed the Lord and rejoiced; and hc called this festival
2H t h e L o r d ' s festival," a j o y " acceptable to the Most High God. .And
we blessed him for ever, and all his descendants after him'" for all
t h e generations o f t h e earth, because he celebrated this festival at
its a p p o i n t e d time, according to what is prescribed on the heavenly
29 tablets. T h i s is why it is prescribed on the heavenly tablets con­
c e r n i n g Israel, that they shall celebrate the feast of'Tabernacles for
seven d a y s with joy, in the seventh month, which is acceptable
before the Lord - a precept Ibr ever, for every generation, every
30 year. .And to this there is no time-limit; for it is ordained for ever
c o n c e r n i n g Israel, that they should celebrate it and live in booths,
'' Lit. "according to his good pleasure'.
.So Elh.: Lat. 'the festive day' or (as in later Hebrew) simply 'the festival'.
" So Elh.: Lat. a d.iy ofjoy'. " So E t h : Lat.'with him'.
 60 jubilees
a n d put wreaths on their heads, and tai<e lealy boughs, and willows
il from the brook. . \ n d . \ b r a h a m took palm-branches and fruit from
the choicest trees, and he went round the altar e\ cry day with the
b r a n c h e s , s e \ c n times a d a y " in the morning, and he praised and
g a v e t h a n k s to his (Jod with all joy.

XVII. .And in the hrst year o f t h e Iifth' week in this jubilee Isaac
w a s w e a n e d ; and .Abraham gave a great feast in the third month,
2 on the day his son Isaac was weaned. .And Ishmael. the son of
H a g a r , the Kgyptian. was present in his place opposite' his father
A b r a h a m ; a n d .Abraham rejoiced and blessed (Jod because he had
;i seen his sons a n d had not died childless. .And he remembered the
w o r d s he had spoken to him on the day Lot parted from him; and
he rejoiced because the Lord had given him olfspring on the earth
to possess it, a n d he blessed and praised' the creator of all things.
4 .And S a r a h saw Ishmael playing and dancing.'' and .Abraham
rejoicing with great joy; and a fit ofjealousy came over her, and she
said to A b r a h a m , Drive out this slave-girl and her .son. for this
•) slave-girl's son shall not be heir with my .son Isaac. .And .Abraham
w a s distressed by her d e m a n d that hc should drive them out, both
() on his slave-girl's account and on his son's. .And (Jod said to
.Abraham, Do not distress yourself, cither on the child's account,or
on the slave-girl's: do everything Sarah has told you to do; for
7 t h r o u g h Isaac shall your true descent be traced.' .As for this
slave-girl's son, I will make of h'lm a great nation, because hc is a
child of your's.
8 .And .Abraham got u p early in the morning and took bread and a
bottle of water, and hc put them and the child on Hagar's
9 s h o u l d e r s , a n d he sent her away. .And she went and wandered in
the wilderness of Bcersheba; and the water in the bottle was

" So mo.sl Klh. .\ISS and l.al.: one Klli. .\IS has on ihe seventh day'.

' P r o b a h l y ' f o u r t h ' s h o u l d IM* read. Cp. XV i. 1').

' I.it. "before the fare of.
' Kth. "blessed with all his heart": Kat. "blessed with all his mouth".
* .So Kth.: I.at. "playing with Isaac" (i.e. playfully teasing him? - as it) the
.Midrash).
' Kit. "shall vour name and seed IK- tailed".
 Jubilees 61
finished, and the child was thirsty and not able to go on, and he fell
to the g r o u n d . .Vnd his mother carried him and went and laid him
u n d e r an olive tree; and she herself went and sat down some way
olf, about a bowshot's distance away, lor she .said. How can I watch
my child d i e ? ' .And she sat and wept. .And an angel of OcxJ (one of
the holy ones) said to her. W h y are you weeping, Hagar? (Jet up,
take the child, and hold him in your arms; for God has heard your
cry a n d has seen the child. .And she opened her eyes and saw a well
of water, a n d she went and hlled her bottle with water and gave her
child a drink; and she rose and went in the direction of the
wilderness of Paran. .And the child grew up and became an archer,
a n d (jod was with him; and his mother found him a wife from
a m o n g the women of Kgypt. .And she bore him a son, and he called
him X c b a i o t h , for she said. T h e Lord was near me when I invoked
him.
.And it c a m e to pass in the seventh week, in the lirst year ofit, in
the hrst m o n t h in this jubilee, on the twelfth ofthis month, it was
s a i d ' in heaven about .Abraham, that he had been faithful in doing
e v e r y t h i n g the Lord* had told him to do, and that hc loved the Lord,
a n d that in every alTliction he had been faithful. And the prince
M a s t e m a c a m e a n d said in God's presence. Behold, A b r a h a m
loves his son Isaac dearly and dotes on him more than on anything
else: tell him to offer him as a whole-olfering on the altar, and see if
he will carry out this order; and then you will know if he is really
faithful in every test you subject him to. But the Lord knew that
.Abraham was faithful in all his afflictions; for he had tested him
t h r o u g h the command lo leave his country and with famine, and he
h a d tested him with tlic wealth of kings, and he had tested him
a g a i n t h r o u g h his wife (when she was lorn away from him) and with
circumcision, a n d he had tested him through Ishmael and Hagar,
his slave-girl (when he sent them a w a y ) . And in every test to which
the Lord subjected him, he had been found faithful, and he was not
i m p a t i e n t , nor was he slow to act; for he was faithful and loved the
Lord.

'Lei mc not sec the death ofmy child'.

Lit. 'there were voices'. " Text *hc'.
 6'2 Juhilees

XVIII. .And God said to him, .Abraham, .Abraham;' and he said.

•> Behold, here I a m . .And he said. T a k e Isaac your beloved son,
w h o m you love, and go into the highlands, and ofl'er him on one of
;i the hills I will show you there. .And he got up in the morning at
d a w n , a n d hc saddled his ass, and t(X)k two ofhis young men with
h i m , a n d his son Isaac, and he split the wixid for the whole-
offering; a n d he c a m e near the place on the third day and saw it in
1 the d i s t a n c e . ' .And hc came to a well of water and said to his young
m e n . Stay here with the ass, and the child and I will go further, and
,•) w h e n we have worshipped we will come back to you. .And hc took
the wood Ibr the whole-olfering and put it on his son Isaac's
s h o u l d e r s , and he carried the fire and the knife himself; and both of
(i t h e m went on together to the place a p p o i n t e d . ' .And Isaac said to
his father. Father. .And he said. Here I am my son. .And he said to
h i m . Behold, here are the fire and the knife and the wood; but where
7 is t h e s h e e p for the whole-ontrring, father? .And hc said, God will
p r o v i d e a sheep for a whole-olfering himself, my son. .And he
8 a p p r o a c h e d the place o f t h e mount of God. .And he built an altar
a n d placed the wood on the altar, and he bound his son Isaac and
placed him on top ofthe wood on the altar, and he stretched out for
9 the knife to kill his .son Isaac. .And I was standing in the Lord's
p r e s e n c e (and the prince M a s t e m a was there also)," and the Lord
said. Fell him not to lay his h a n d ' on the child, nor to do anything
10 to h i m , for nou) I know that he is a m a n who fears the Lord. .And I
called to him from heaven and said to him, .Abraham, .Abraham;
11 a n d he was terrified and said. Behold, here I a m . And I said to him.
L a y n o h a n d on the child, and do nothing to him; for now I k n o w '
t h a t you a r e a m a n who fears the Lord and have not withheld from
m e y o u r son, your first-born son. .And the prince M a s t e m a was put
12 to s h a m e . And A b r a h a m looked up, and behold, a ' ram caught in a
' .Mlernalivc reading 'said to .Abraham, .Abraham'.
' Lit. '.And hc went to the place on the third day, and he .saw the place afar olT.
' Lit. 'to that place'.
" Lit. '.And I stood before him and before the prince Mastema'.
' .Alternative reading 'Tell him not to hurr\-, and not to raise the knife, and not to
lay his hand".
' So Eth.: Lat. 'I have clearly shown' (The Lat. is not extant in verse 9: cp. also
verse Ifi). ' Lit. 'one'.
 Jubilees 63
thicket" by its horns; and A b r a h a m went and took the ram and
Vi olTered it as a whok'-otl'cring instead of his son. .And .Abraham
called that place. T h e Lord has seen (hence the saying. O n the
m o u n t the Lord has seen') - that is mount Sion.
14 .And the Lord called .Abraham by name from heaven a second
1.3 time, and he told u s ' " to speak to him in the L o r d s name. .And he
said. By myself I swear, says the Lord, Because you have carried
out this c o m m a n d and have not withheld from me your son, your
own d e a r s o n , " I will bless you abundantly, and I will greatly
multiply your descendants, and I will make them as numerous as the
stars of heaven and as lUc grains of sand on the seashore; and your
16 d e s c e n d a n t s shall take possession oftheir enemies' cities. .And in
y o u r d e s c e n d a n t s shall all the nations ofthe earth be blessed; and
this because you have obeyed mc, and I have made k n o w n " to all
your faithfulness in doing everything I told you. (io in peace.
17 .And .Abraham went back to his young men, and they got up and
went together to Bcersheba; and .Abraham stayed there, by the Well
18 of the O a t h . .And he celebrated this festival with joy, every year for
seven days; and he called it the Lord's festival o P ' the seven days,
19 d u r i n g which he went and returned in peace. .And that is why it
w a s o r d a i n e d a n d written on the heavenly tablets about Israel and
his d e s c e n d a n t s , that they should observe this festival for seven
d a y s with festal joy.

XIX. A n d in the first year of the first week in the forty-second

j u b i l e e A b r a h a m returned and lived two weeks of years oppmsite
2 H e b r o n (that is Kirjath -Arba). .And in the first year ofthe third'
week of this jubilee the time came for Sarah to die; and she died in
3 H e b r o n . A n d .Abraham went to mourn over her and bury her; and
we tested him to see if he was patient in demeanour and free from
" Kniendcd on the basis ofthe Hcb. of (Jen. .v\ii. 13. .Ml Kth. .M.S.S read 'and he
came'; Kat. has no equivalent.
' Kth. simply ' T h e I.ord h.is seen' (omitting 'On the mount'); Kat. 'On the
mount the Lord has been seen'.
Lit. '.as he raused us to appear'.
'' .Mternative reading 'your son. your first-born son. whom you love': Lat. 'your
son, your only son, whom you love'.
" So Eth.; Lat.'clearly shown'. " Lit.'.according to'.

' Probably 'second' should l>e read.

 (it Juhilees
r a n c o u r in wlial lie said, and he was liiund patient too in this and
I u n d i s t u r h c d . Kor with consistent patience he conducted the
negotiations with the sons of Heth and asked them to give him a
") place where he could bury his dead. .\iid the I.ord made all who
saw him well-disposed towards him; and hc pleaded gently with
the sons o t ' H e t h , and they gave him ihe plot «/ land oi'the double
c a s e opposite .Mamre (that is Hebron) for liiur h u n d r e d ' pieces of
I) siKcr. . \ n d they begged him. saying. We will give it you for
n o t h i n g . But hc would not take it from them for nothing: hc paid
the price o f t h e place in full, in ready money, and bowed before
t h e m twice; and after this hc buried his dead in the double cave.
7 .And .Sarah was a h u n d r e d and twenty-seven years old - that is. two
jubilees, four weeks, and a year: so long had .Sarah's life lasted.
ii T h i s is the tenth test by which .Abraham was tested; and he was
<i found faithful and consistently patient. .And he said not a single
word a b o u t the r u m o u r in the l a n d , ' how that God had said that hc
would .give it to him a n d to his descendants alter him, but begged a
place in it to bury his dead; for he was found faithful and was
recorded on the heavenly tablets as the friend of God.
Ill .And in the fourth year ofit hc took a wife liir his son Isaac; and
her n a m e was Rebecca, [the d a u g h t e r of Bethuel, the son of.Nahor,
.Abraham's brother.] the sister of Laban and daughter of Bethuel
( a n d Bethuel was the son of .Milcah, .Abraham's brother .Nahor's
11 wife).'* .And .Abraham took a third wife, whose name was Keturah,
from a m o n g his household servants (for H a g a r had died before
VI S a r a h ) . And she bore him si.x .sons, Z i m r a m , and J o k s h a n , and
.Medan, and .Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah, in two weeks of
i:i years. .And in the sixth' week, in the second year ofit, Rebecca bore
I s a a c two sons, J a c o b and Ivsau; and J a c o b was a m i l d ' and
u p r i g h t m a n , while F.sau was ruthless, a man of the field, and
It hairy; a n d J a c o b stayed by the tents. .And the boys grew up, and
J a c o b learned to write,' but Esau did not learn to write, for hc was a
' .So I.al.: Kill.'Ibrty'. ' O r ' t h e promi.sc loiucrniiii! the land'.
•• Thcri' i.s doiibtli-.ss sonic- diltosraphy li<-rc-. Tin- translation liillows the Lat..
wliicli givc-s a clearer overall sense than the Kth.
' Probably 'lil'tli' should tx- read.
" O r 'snuKjlh': so Lat. (tenn - ep. CJen. xxvii. 11). Of the various Kth. readings
'perfect' goes back to the Heb. and 'misshapen' to the L . \ X at Cien. xxv. 27, while
'iiappy' is an easily intelligible scribal emendation. ' I.it. 'Ixjoks'.
 juhilees (jf)
m a n ot'thc field and a hunter: he learned to fight." and all his deeds
were ruthless. . \ n d . \ b r a h a m I m e d j a c o b . but Isaae loved Ksau.
. \ n d .Abraham saw what F.sau did and he realized that it was
t h r o u g h J a c o b that his promised heirs would c o m e ; ' a n d he called
Rebecca a n d gave her instructions about Jacob, for hc saw that she
too loved J a c o b much more than Ksau. .And he said to her, .\ly
d a u g h t e r , watch o \ e r my son Jacol); Ibr hc shall take my place on
e a r t h , a n d be a blessing a m o n g the sons o l m e n , and the glory ofthe
whole line of .Shem. For I know that the Lord will ch(K)se him to be
his special possession'" from all the peoples on the earth. And
behold, my son Isaac loves Ksau more than J a c o b , but I can sec
there is no doubt that you love Jacob. Increase yet more your
concern for him, and may your eyes watch over him in love, lor hc
shall be a blessing to us on the earth from now on and for evermore.
.May your h a n d s be strong and your heart rejoice in your son
J a c o b , for I lo\e him far more than any o f m y sons: he shall be
blessed Ibr ever, and his descendants shall fill the earth. If anyone
is ever a b l e to count the grains of sand on the earth, then his
d e s c e n d a n t s shall be counted too. .And all the blessings that the
L o r d has promised me and my descendants shall be J a c o b ' s and
his d e s c e n d a n t s ' always. .And by his descendants shall my name be
blessed, and the n a m e ofmy fathers, Shem, and .Noah, and Knoch,
a n d .Mahalalel, and Knosh, and Seth, and .Adam. .And these shall
serve to lay the foundations of heaven, and to strengthen the earth,
a n d to renew all the luminaries that are upon the vault of heaven."
.And he s u m m o n e d J a c o b in the presence ofhis mother Rebecca
a n d kissed him, and he blessed him and said, J a c o b , my beloved
son, w h o m my soul loves, may Ciod bless you from above the vault
of heaven, and may he give you all the blessings he showered on
.Adam a n d Enoch and .Noah and Shem; and may he bestow o n "
you, a n d on your descendants for ever, all the things about which
" I.it.-war'.
" I.it. 'that ill Jacol) would his name and seed he called'.
"' There is much \ ariation llelween the lull. .M.S.S, though no one ol'thein gives a
tolerable sense. I.at. has 'to be a holy people to himself. However, the \erse is \'ery
evidently an adaptation of Deut. vii. b - hence the emendation. Cp. xvi. 10.
" .So Kth.: Kat. "so that all the luminaries of the vault of luaten may tx-
recognized'.
'- I.it. 'cause to cling to'.
 66 Jubilees
he told me a n d all the things he promised to give me, unfailing a s "
•>H the d a y s of heaven above the earth. . \ n d the spirits of .Mastema
shall not have power over you or over your descendants to turn you
2'J from the Lord, who is your God from now on, and for ever. .\nd
m a y the Lord God be a father to you, and may you be the hrst-born
:«i son a n d a people always. Go in peace my son. .And they both left
:il .Abraham together.'" .And Rebecca loved J a c o b with all her heart
a n d soul, very much more than Esau; but Isaac loved Esau much
more than Jacob.

XX. .And in the forty-second jubilee, in the hrst year of the

s e v e n t h ' week, .Abraham called Ishmael and his twelve sons, and
I s a a c a n d his two sons, and the six sons of Keturah and their sons.
2 .And he c o m m a n d e d them to observe the way of the Lord, to act
righteously and love each his neighbour, and to behave like this to
all men,' a n d to live in relation to them so that each acted justly and
:i righteously on earth. And he commanded them to circumcise their sons
in a c c o r d a n c e with the covenant which the L o r d ' had made with
t h e m , a n d not deviate either to the right or to the left from any of
the p a t h s which the Lord had c o m m a n d e d us; and that we should
keep ourselves from all fornication and uncleanness, and let them
4 h a v e no place a m o n g us." .And if any woman or girl among you
c o m m i t s fornication, he said, burn her with fire: see that no woman
c o m m i t s fornication with her eyes or her heart; and see that no
m a n takes a wife' from the women of C a n a a n - for the stock of
C a n a a n will be uprooted from the land.
3 A n d he told them about the j u d g e m e n t of the giants and the
j u d g e m e n t o f t h e Sodomites, how they had been judged because of
their wickedness, a n d had died because of their fornication and
6 u n c l e a n n e s s a n d mutual corruption through fornication. And do
" Lit. "according to".
" So most .\1SS (lit. '.And tlu-y both went out together from .Abraham"): alterna­
tive reading '.And they both went out together with him'.

' Probably 'sixth" should be read.

' Text'in every war'. ' Lit. "hc".
* Lit. 'and renounce from among us all fornication and uncleanness'.
* Lit. ' . . . with fire, and let them l/em.) not commit fornication with their eyes and
their heart; and let them {masc.} not take wives'.
 Jubilees 67
you keep yourselves, he said, from all fornicaliou and uncleanness,
a n d from all pollution ol'sin, lest you make our name a curse and
y o u r whole life a terror," and cause all your sons to be destroyed by
the sword, a n d you yourselves become accursed like .Sodom and all
7 y o u r r e m n a n t as the .sons ofCJomorrah. I implore you,' my sons,
love the (iod of heaven, and hold fast to all his c o m m a n d m e n t s ;
« a n d d o not go after their idols and after their uncleaimesses. . \ n d
d o not m a k e gods for yourselves, either cast in metal or carved, for
they are e m p t y things, and there is no spirit in them whatever: they
a r e the work of men's hands, and all who trust in them, trust in
!i n o t h i n g at all. Do not serve them or worship them, but serve the
M o s t High God and worship him continually; and hope for his
favour" always, and d o what is upright" and righteous in his sight,
t h a t he may have pleasure in you'" and grant you his mercy, and
send rain upon you morning and evening, and bless all your works
which you have done upon the earth, and bless your bread and
y o u r water, and bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your
10 land, a n d your herds of cattle and your flocks of sheep. And you
will be a blessing on the earth, and all the nations ofthe earth will
h a v e pleasure in y o u " and will bless your sons in my name, that
they m a y be blessed even as I a m .
11 -And he gave gifts to Ishmael and his sons and to the sons of
K e t u r a h , a n d he sent them away from his son Isaac; and he gave
12 his son Isaac everything. .And Ishmael and his sons, and the sons of
K e t u r a h and their sons, went together and settled between Paran
a n d the borders of B a b y l o n , " in all the land that is to the east,
13 facing the desert. .And these mingled with each other, and they
were called .Arabs and I s h m a e l i t e s . "

XXI. A n d in the sixth year o f t h e seventh' week of this jubilee

A b r a h a m called his son Isaac and instructed him, saying, I am old
* So Eth.: Eat. 'hissitig'. ' Lit. 'I hear witness betiirr you".
" Lit. "countenance". " .So Eth.: l.al. "true".
'° So Eth.: Eat. "that he may guide you". " So Eth.: Eat. "desire you".
" Lit. "from Faramon to the entering in of Babylon".
" So Eth: Lat. ". . . each other, and their name stuck to the .\rabs. and the
Ishmaelites sumie till today".

' Probably "sixth" should be read.

 (i8 Jubilees
•> a n d full of years, and I d o not know when I shall die. Behold. I am a
h u n d r e d a n d se\enty-five years old, and throughout my life I have
r e m e m b e r e d the Lord and .set my heart on the doing ofhis will and
.i walking straight in all his paths. .\ly soul has hated idols, and I
h a v e despised those that serve them; and I have devoted my heart
1 a n d s p i r i t ' to observe and do the will of him who created me. For he
is the living God, a n d holy and faithful and righteous above all: he
does not respect persons and he cannot be bribed; for he is a
righteous (Jod and executes j u d g e m e n t on all who transgress his
c o m m a n d m e n t s and despise his covenant.
.•) .And as for you. my son, observe his c o m m a n d m e n t s and his
p r e c e p t s a n d his j u d g e m e n t s , and do not go astray after idols' and
1) after images, whether carved or cast in metal. .And do not eat the
blood of any o f t h e wild animals or cattle, nor of any bird that flies
7 in heaven. .And if you kill a victim as a peace-olfcring lhal Is lo be
a c c e p t a b l e lo God. kill it and pour out its blood on the altar, and all
the fat offer on the altar as an offering with fine flour, and the
meat-ofl'ering," mixed with oil, with its drink-offering - ofler them
all together on the altar as a wholc-olfcring:' it is a soothing odour
» before the Lord. .And you shall put the fat of the sacrifice of
thank-offerings on the fire which is on the altar - the fat that is on
the belly, a n d all the fat that is on the entrails and the two kidneys,
a n d all the fat that is on them and that is on the loins; and the liver
» you shall remove together with the kidneys.' .And offer all these as a
soothing o d o u r , acceptable fjcfbre the Lord, with its meat-offering
a n d with its drink-oflering, as a soothing odour, as food offered to
U) the L o r d . .And eat the meat ofit on that day and on the second day,
a n d d o not let sunset on the second day find any ofit still uneaten.
Let none of it be left over till the third day; for it is not by ihen
a c c e p t a b l e , nor is it desirable. Let none of it, therefore, be eaten
then; a n d all w h o do eat ofit then will bring sin upon themselves -
for so 1 have found it written in the books o f m y forefathers (in the
w o r d s of Enoch a n d in the words of .Noah).

- Kill. orti. *.ind I havf ciespiscd . . . spirit*.

' .S()l.iil. (lit. 'alK)iiiinatiims*): Kth. 'those who arc iitulcan*.
•* I,at. o m . ' a n d the meat-oireritig*. ' So Kth.: Kat.'on the altar ol"fruits*.
' .So Kat.: Kth. '. . . .m the loins and envelops the liver and the kidneys'. Cp. Lev.
iii. !)-l().
 jubilees m
A n d on all your ollcrings you shall sprinkle salt, and do not let
the salt of the covenant' be lacking on anv of vour ollerings beliirc the
Lord.
.And as regards the w(K)d o f t h e sacrifices, on tio account use any
olher kinds of wood apart from these - cypress, bay, almond, fir,
pine, cedar, savin, fig. olive, myrrh, laurel, aspalathus." .And of
these kinds of wood place under the sacrifice on the altar only such
pieces as have been inspected first:' and do not use'" any wood that
is split or spotted, hul only uhal is hard and clean, without any aputa,
a n d of recent growth - no old wood, f()r old w(X)d has lost its
fragrance, and there is no fragrance in it as there once was. Besides
these there are no other kinds ofw(X)d you should put on the altar, for
their s t n c l l " is not pleasant (and their s m e l l " ascends to heaven).
O b s e r v e this c o m m a n d m e n t and carry it out, my son, that you
m a y be upright in everything you do.
.And at all times keep your body clean: wash yourself with water
before you a p p r o a c h the altar to make an offering on it, and wash
y o u r h a n d s and your feet beliirc you come near i t ; " and when you
h a v e d o n e sacrificing, wash your h a n d s and your feet again. .And
sec there is no blood, either on you or on your clothes: be careful
a b o u t blood, my son, be very careful indeed: cover it with dust.
.And d o not eat any bltwd. for it is the soul: do not eat any blfxxl at
all. .And accept no bribe for the bhxxi of m a n , lest it be shed to no
profit and unjustly; for it is the bUxxl that is shed that makes the
e a r t h to sin, and the e a r t h " caimot be cleansed from the blood of
m a n except by the blcxxl ofthe man that shed it. .Accept no bribe or
gift for the blood of m a n : blotxi for bltxid is what is required''' before
the Lord, the .Most High (Jod; and hold fast to what is gcxxi," so
that you may be preserved from all evil and he may keep you safe
from every kind of d e a t h .

' .Ml .\ISS read -the o n e n a i i t of .salt'. C:p. Lev. ii. l:i.
" .Several renderings in this list are uncertain.
" Lit.'stich as have been tested as totheir appearance'. I.it.'place'.
'' Lit. 'fragrance . . . and the stnell oftheir fragrance'. In the last clause Charles,
following I.ittinann, inserted a negative ('and their smell does not asccttd . . . ' ) .
'•' Lit. 'the altar'.
" The .'VISS read its hltHKl'. For the emendation cp. vii. ii.
'•* I.it. 'is acceptable". There is some variation l)etween the .M.SS here,
" Lit, "and let there be keeping ofthe gcxxl'.
 70 Juhilees
21 I sec. my son, that all the works ol'thc sons of men are sin and
w ickedness, and all their deeds arc uncleanness and an abomina­
tion a n d a pollution, and there is no righteousness with them.
22 Beware, lest you walk in their w a y and tread in their footsteps; and
c o m m i t no deadly sin befiirc the .\h)st High ( J o d , or he will hide his
face from y o u . a n d give y o u back into the h a n d s of your transgres­
sion, a n d uproot you from the land, and your descendants also
from tinder h e a \ e i i , and your name and your posterity shall perish
2:i from the whole e a r t h . T u r n away from all their deeds and all their
u n c l e a n n e s s . and keep the coniniandnieiit"'o( the .Most High God,
2t a n d d o his will, and be upright in all things. . \ n d he will bless you
in all you do, and he will raise up from you a plant of righteousness
t h r o u g h all the earth, in every generation of the earth, and my
n a m e and your n a m e will never at any time be I b r g o t t e n " under
2.') h e a v e n . ( J o , my son, in peace: may the .Most High ( J o d , my God
a n d your ( J o d , strengthen you to do what hc wills, and may he
bless all your d e s c e n d a n t s and your posterity, in every generation
for e \ e r , with every righteous blessing, that you may be a blessing
in all the e a r t h .
2ti .And he went out from him rejoicing.

XXII. . \ n d it c a m e to pass in the first week in the forty-fourth

j u b i l e e , in tlie second year,' that is the year in which .Xbraham
d i e d , that Isaac and Ishmael came from the Well o f t h e O a t h to
c e l e b r a t e the feast of weeks (that is, the feast ofthe first-fruits ofthe
harvest) to .Abraham, their father; and .Abraham rejoiced because
2 his two sons had come. For Isaac had m a n y possessions in
Bcersheba, a n d Isaac's habit was to go and look to his possessions
'i a n d then return to his father. .And in those days Ishmael came to see
his father, and they b o t h ' came together; and Isaac sacrificed a
whole-ofiering and offered it on his father's altar that he had made
1 in H e b r o n . .And he offered a thank-offering and prepared a joyful
feast in his brother Ishmael's presence; and Rebecca made a new
cake from the new grain, and she gave it to her son J a c o b to take to
'" I.il.'keep the kcL-piiig'. " I.it.'he .silenced'.

' Probably '. . . sixth . . . liirty-second . . . seventh . . .' should be read.

' .So I.at.
 Jubilees 11
his father A b r a h a m , from the first fruits of the land, so that hc
') might eat it and bh-ss the creator of all things before he died. .And
I s a a c , too, sent .Abraham a thank-onering by J a c o b s hand, that he
ti might eat and drink. .And he ate and drank, and he blessed the
Most High God, who created heaven and earth, who made all the
good things on the earth, and gave them to the sons of mcti so that
they might cat and drink and bless their creator.
7 .And now, he said, I give thee thanks, my God, because thou hast
let me sec this day: behold, I am a hundred and seventy-five years
old, an old m a n with a long life-span, and I have prospered all my
8 d a y s . ' The enemy's sword has never at any time prevailed against
9 me, nor against my children. .\ly G o d . may thy mercy and thy
p e a c e be upon thy servant, and upon his descendants,'' that they
m a y be to thee a chosen nation and a possession out of all the
n a t i o n s o f t h e earth, now and in c\ery generation on the earth for
evermore.
0 .And he called J a c o b and said, J a c o b , my son, may the Gixi of all
bless you a n d strengthen you to d o rightousness, and lo do his will
before him; and may he choose you and your seed to be always a
people for his own possession according to his will. .And noa', J a c o b
my son, come near and kiss me.
1 .And he c a m e near and kissed him; and he said, .May God .Most
H i g h bless you, J a c o b my son, and all your sons for ever: may God
give you righteous offspring, and through your sons may he be
hallowed in all the e a r t h : ' may nations serve you, and may all
l'2 n a t i o n s bow down before your sons.* Be strong in the presence of
m e n , a n d have authority a m o n g all the sons* of Seth: then your
w a y s a n d your sons' ways will be justified, so tfiat they may
3 b e c o m e a holy nation. M a y the Most High God give you all the
blessings with which he has blessed me, and with which he blessed
N o a h a n d -Adam: may they rest on the hallowed heads of your
4 d e s c e n d a n t s in every generation for ever. And may he cleanse you
from all unrighteousness' and impurity, so that you may be forgiven
all y o u r transgressions and your errors committed in ignorance;
Lit. 'and all my days h a \ c been peace to me'.
•* So Lat.: Kth. 'his sons' descendants'.
' Text 'and from your sons may he hallow in the midst ofthe w4iole earth'.
* Lit. 'seed'. ' So Lat.: Kth. 'defilement'.
 72 Jubilees
a n d may he strengthen you anci bless you, and may you possess the
Ij whole e a r t h . . \ n d may he renew his covenant with you, that you
may be to him a nation for his own possession always, and that he
m a y be to you and your descendants a (Jod in truth and righteous­
ness as long as the earth shall last.
Hi . \ n d d o you, J a c o b my son, remember my words, and observe
the c o m m a n d s of your father . \ b r a h a m . Keep yourself separate
from the nations, and do not cat with them; and do not imitate
their rites," nor associate yourself with them; for their rites' are
unclean and all their practices'" polluted, an abomination and
17 unclean. They olfcr their sacrifices to the dead and worship demons,
a n d they eat a m o n g the graves; yet all their rites' are worthless and
Iii to no purpose. They have no m i n d " to understand, and their eyes
d o not see what it is they really d o , ' ' and how great is their error
w h e n they say to a piece of wood. You are my god, and to a stone,
Wm a r c my lord, a n d . You are my deliverer. Ihcy have no m i n d "
to understand.
19 . \ n d as for you, J a c o b my son, may the .Most High (Jod help you
a n d the (Jod of heaven bless you and keep you from their unclean-
->ii ncss a n d all their error. O n no account, J a c o b my son, take as a
wile a w o m a n descended from O a n a a n ; for all his descendants are
L'l to be uprooted from the earth. For through H a m ' s transgression
C a n a a n also went astray, and all his descendants will be destroyed
from the earth: there will be no survivors;" and none ofthem will
TI be saved on the day ofjudgement. .And as for all those who make
idols their gods, and the profane,''' there shall be no hope for them
in the land ofthe living; for they shall descend into Sheol, and into
the place of punishment shall they go, and there shall be no memory
o f t h e m on the earth. .As the sons of Sodom were taken away from
the e a r t h , so will all those be taken away who make idols theirgcxds.
2:i H a v e no fear, J a c o b my son, and do not be dismayed, you son of
.Abraham: may the .Most High (Jod keep you from destruction, and
L't m a y he preserve you from all erroneous paths. This house have I
built for myself that I might put my name on it on the earth: it is
" I.it. 'and do not atcording to their works'.
" I.it 'works'. I.it.'ways'. " Lit.'heart'.
'• Lit. 'what their works are'. " Lit. 'and all the residue ofthem'.
'•• I h e MSS vary here between 'the hated ones' and 'the perverse".
 Jubilees 73
givfii to you and your descendants I'or ever; and it shall be called
the hotisc of A b r a h a m . It is given to you and your descendants for
ever; for you shall build my house and establish my name before
(Jod for e\er. Vour descendants and your name shall endure
t h r o u g h all the generations of the earth.
.And he finished his charge and his blessing of him. .And the two
were lying together on one bed. and J a c o b was asleep in his
g r a n d f a t h e r .Abraham's lap; and hc kissed him seven times, and his
heart and s o u l " rejoiced over him. .And he blessed him with all his
heart a n d said. The .Most High (Jod, the (Jod of all and creator of
all, who brought me out of Ur o f t h e Chaldces, that he might give
m e this land as a possession Itir ever, and that I might establish a
holy race," so that the .Most High may be blessed for ever, and so
t h a t J a c o b may bless hitn . . . " .My son, over whom I rejoice with all
my heart a n d soul . . . may thy grace and thy mercy be on him and
on his d e s c e n d a n t s always. .And do tiot forsake him or abandon
h i m from now tintil eternity; and may thine eyes be on him and on
his d e s c e n d a n t s , that thou maycst preserve him, and bless him,
a n d hallow hint as a nation for thine own possession. .And bless him
with all thy blessings from now until eternity; and renew thy
covenant and thy grace with him and with his descendants in
a c c o r d a n c e with thy chosen purpose in every generation on the
earth.

XXIII. .And he placed two of J a c o b ' s fingers on his eyes, and hc

blessed the (Jod of gods, and he covered his face and stretched out
his feet, a n d he slept the eternal sleep and was gathered to his
fathers. .And despite all this J a c o b was lying asleep in his lap and
w a s not a w a r e that his grandfather .Abraham was dead. .And J a c o b

" I.it. 'his allcitioii and his heart' - and similarly in verse 28.
'" So. lollowing the majority o l M S S , and with a slight emendation. In any case,
something has gone radically wrong in this passage, and the probability is that
some w ords have lallen out o l t h c te.\t. not only here, but also later on in the middle
ofvcrse '28. C:harles, well aware that as things stand there is no main verb, solved the
dilficulty here by ollering an admittedly inexact translation (' . . . and that 1 might
establish a holy seed - blessed be the .Most High for ever.'" .And he blessed Jacob
and said, .My scjn . . .'} and suggesting that verse 27 is an interpolation: hc made no
comment, however, (ni theseeminglv verv abrupt change ol'address in the middle ol'
verse 28.
74 Juhilees
woke up from his sleep, anci behold A b r a h a m was as cold as ice;
a n d he said. Father, father. But he did not speak; and he realized
that hc was d e a d . .And hc got up from where he was' and ran and
told his m o t h e r Rebecca, and Rebecca went to Isaac in the night
a n d told him; a n d they went together, and Jacob with them, with a
l a m p in his h a n d , and they went in and Ibund .Abraham lyingdead.
.And Isaac bent over his father.' and wept and kissed him. .And their
voices were heard in A b r a h a m ' s house, and his son Ishmael got up
a n d went to his father .Abraham, and wept over his father .Abraham,
he a n d all .Abraham's household; and they wept with a great
weeping. .And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the double
c a \ c , near his wife Sarah; and they wept Ibr him Ibrty days, all the
m e n o f h i s household, and Isaac and Ishmael, and all their sons,
a n d all K e t u r a h ' s sons in their place. .And the weeping' Ibr .Abraham
c a m e to an end.
.And hc li\cd three jubilees and four weeks of years - that is, a
h u n d r e d and seventy-five years, and hc died at a good old age.'' Yor
the length of the lives of the ancients was nineteen jubilees; but
after the flood it began to be less than nineteen jubilees, and men
g r e w old more quickly, and the length oftheir li\es decreased as a
result of their manifold tribulations and the wickedness of their
w a y s , except .Abraham only.' For .Abraham was perfect in all his
dealings with the Lord and gained favour by his righteousness'
t h r o u g h o u t his life, yet even he did not complete four jubilees in his
life, but grew old as a result ofthe wickedness of others and died.'
.And all the generations from this time till the day ofjudgement
will grow old quickly, before they complete two jubilees, and old
age will impair their powers of m i n d . ' .And in those days, if a man
live a j u b i l e e and a half of years, it will be said about him. He has
lived a long time; and the greater part ofhis days have been pain
a n d sorrow and tribulation, and he has had no peace. For calamity
follows on calamity, and wound on wound, and tribulation on
' I.it. 'his lap'. •' I.it. 'Ic-ll on his father's fare'.
' O t h e r readings 'the wailing and weeping', 'the wailing ofthe weeping'.
* Lit. 'and he conipleled the days ofhis life, being old and full of days'.
' In this verse Eth. and Lat. dilfcr not a little in detail, although the general sense
is plain enough. T h e translation ollered inclines to Lat.
" Lit. 'being well-pleasing in righteousness'.
' Lit. 'and was full ofhis days'.
 Jubilees 73
tribulation, a n d bad new.s on bad news, and illness on illness, and
all such painful punishments as these, one after another - illness,
a n d disaster, and snow, and frost, and ice, and fever, and chills,
a n d torpor, a n d famine, and death, and sword, and captivity, and
14 all kinds of calamities a n d pains. .And all these will come on ati evil
g e n e r a t i o n that transgresses on the earth" and practices uticlean-
l.i ness" a n d fornication and pollution atid abominations. I'heii it will
be said, The lives ofthe ancients were long - even up to a thousand
years, a n d they were pleasant )(fflr.v: hut behold, the length of our
lives is seventy years at the most. a n d . if a man's strength holds.
perhaps eighty, but there is no pleasure in them and no peace at all
in the d a y s ofthis evil generation.
It) .And in that generation the sons will coiixict their fathers and
their elders of sin and unrighteousness, and because ofthe words
that they utter a n d the great e\ils that they perpetrate, and be­
c a u s e they forsake the covenant which the Lord made between
t h e m a n d him, that they should keep and observe all his command­
m e n t s a n d his rules a n d all his laws, without going astray cither to
17 the right h a n d or the left. For all have done evil, and e\cry mouth
utters iniquity, a n d everything they do is unclean and an abomina­
tion, a n d all their ways a r e pollution, uncleanness. and corruption.
18 Behold, the earth will perish because of all they do, and there will
be no seed o f t h e vine, and no oil; for the works of all ofthem are
faithless, a n d they will all perish together —wild animals and cattle
a n d birds, a n d all the fish in the sea, because o f t h e sons of men.
19 .And they will quarrel with one another, the young with the old,
a n d the old with the young, the poor with the rich, the lowly with
the great, a n d t h e b e g g a r with t h e p r i i i e e . because o f t h e law a n d
the covenant; for they will forget' c o m m a n d m e n t , and covenant,
a n d feasts, a n d new moons, and sabbaths, and jubilees, and all the
20 c u s t o m a r y observances.'" .And some among them will" take their
s t a n d with bows a n d swords a n d other weapons of war to restore their
kinsmen" to the accustomed path; but they will not return until much
21 blood h a s been shed on the earth on either side. .And those who
h a v e escaped will not return from their wickedness to the path of
righteousness; but they will all attempt to enrich themselves by
" So I.at. " I.it.'tliry h a \ r foriTottcir.

Lit. 'all tliojudgciiiciit.s'. " I.it. '.\nd tlii-y will. . . restore tlieni'.
 7() Jubilees
dishonest m e a n s a n d fikh all they can from their n e i g h b o u r s , " and
they will call themselves by the great n a m e , " but not in truth and
not in righteousness,''' and they will defile the holy of holies with
their uncleanncss and the corruption oftheir jxillution.
. \ n d the deeds of that generation will bring on them a mighty
retribution from the Lord; and he will a b a n d o n them to the sword
a n d to j u d g e m e n t and to captivity, and to be plundered and
'-'i d e v o u r e d . .And he will stir up against them the sinners of the
( i e n t i l e s . " w h o have neither mercy nor compassion and will show
favour to no one. neither to old nor young, nor to anyone, for they
a r e more wicked and intent on evil than any o f t h e sons of men.
.And they will use violence against Israel and treachery"' against
J a c o b ; a n d much blood will be shed upon the earth, and there will
•l\ be no one to g a t h e r them up and no one to bury them. In those days
they will cry aloud, and call and pray that they may be saved from
•>') the sinful Gentiles; but none will be saved. And the heads o f t h e
children will be white with grey hair, and a child three weeks old
will look like a m a n who is a h u n d r e d , and their growth will be
s t u n t e d by their misery and distress.
ill B u t " in those days the children will begin to study the laws, and
to seek the c o m m a n d m e n t s , a n d return to the path of righteous-
'i'i ness. .And then m e n ' s lives will begin to get longer and the number of
their years increase, generation by generation and day by day, till
they a p p r o a c h a t h o u s a n d , and the n u m b e r oi their years becomes
Iv, g r e a t e r t h a n once was the n u m b e r of their days. .And there will be no
old m a n , nor any who is burdened by his years,'* for all will be like
'-'9 infants a n d young children. .And they will live out all their days in
peace a n d j o y . and there will be no S a t a n ' " nor any evil agent to
c o r r u p t t h e m ; ' " for all their days will be days of blessing and of
healing.
" I.it. 'but they will all exalt themselves to deceit and riches, so that they may
each take all that is his neighlxjur's'.
" So Kth.: I.at. 'name the great name'.
'•* i.e. they will not in reality be worshippers ofthe Vm\ whose name they take in

" O r 'the most sinful amcmg the nations'.

I.it. 'transgression'. " Lit. *.-\nd'.
L i t . ' n o r one who is sated with his days'. " Or'adversary'.
'° Lit. 'nor any evil corrupter'.
 juhilees 11
id And at that lime the I.ord will heal his servants, and they shall
he exalted a n d prosper greatly;-' and they shall drive out their
a d v e r s a r i e s . . \ n d the righteous shall see /( and be thankful, and
rejoiee with joy for ever and ever; and thev shall see all the
p u n i s h m e n t s and curses that had been their lot falling on their
11 e n e m i e s . " .And their bones shall rest in the earth, and their spirits
shall have m u t h joy; and they shall know that the I.ord is one who
executes j u d g e m e n t , and shows mercy to hundreds, and to tens of
t h o u s a n d s , a n d to all that love him.
12 .And d o you, .Moses, write down these words; for so are they
written a n d recorded on the heavenly tablets as a testimony for
each generation lor cv er.

XXIV. .And it < a m e to pass alter the death of .Abraham that the
Lord blessed his son Isaac; and he left Hebron and went and dwelt
at the Well o f t h e X'ision. in the lirst y e a r o f the third week ofthis
j u b i l e e , seven years.
•-' .And in the lirst year o f t h e fourth week a famine began in the
land (distinct from the lirst famine there had been in .Abraham's
i t i m e ) . .And Jacob m a d e a lentil stew; and Ksau came in hungry
from the country. .And he said to his brother J a c o b , Give mc some of
this red' stew. .And Jacob said to him, CJive me your birthright in
e x c h a n g e (that is your right as first-lK>rn).' and I will give you
4 b r e a d a n d also some of this lentil stew. .And Esau thought to
himself,' I a m at d e a t h ' s door: of what use is this birthright to mc?
.i .And he said t o j a c o b , I give it you. .And Jacob said. Give me your
ti o a t h to-day; and he gave him his oath. .And J a c o b gave his brother
E s a u the bread anci the stew, and he ate till he was satisfied - so
little did Esau value his birthright; and Esau was called Edom
b e c a u s e o f t h e red' stew that J a c o b gave him in exchange for his
•' Lit. 'set-groat pc-aic'.
" I.il. . . all their jiidgrmriU-s and all their curses on their enemies'.

' Text 'wheaten'. T h e emendation ftjllows the Heb. ofCJen. xxv. :iO and presup­
poses either a misreading of the Ck. rnggoi) as jrvpo* by the Kthiopic translator, or
an earlier corruption in the Gk. text from which he worked.
' Gharles supposed that we have two alternative renderings xi{xfi^jiQiuzoxOKtA o
here.
' Lit. 'said in his heart'.
78 juhilees
hirtlirighl. And thus Jacob became the elder, and Ksau was
demoted.
.Vnd the famine spread through all the land, and Isaac started
out lor Kgypt in the second year of this week and came to
.Vbimelech. king of the Philistines, to (ierar. . \ n d the Lord ap­
peared to him and said to him. Do not go down into Kgypt: dwell in
the land that I shall tell you of atid stay in this land noic
as an alien,
a n d I will be with you and bless you. For to you and your des­
c e n d a n t s will I give all this land, and I will fulhi my oath, which I
s w o r e to .Abraham your father, and I will make your descendants
as n u m e r o u s as the stars of lica\eii, and I will give them all this
l a n d . .And in your descendants shall all the nations ofthe earth be
blessed, because y i i i r father obeyed me and kept my eharge and
my c o m m a n d m e n t s and my laws and my rules and my covenant;
a n d now, d o you obey me and dwell in this land. .And hc dwelt in
G e r a r three weeks of years. .And .Abimelech issued a warning about
h i m , a n d about his property, that no one should molest either him
or his p r o p e r t y on pain of death.
.And Isaac prospered a m o n g the Philistines and acquired great
possessions - oxen and sheep and camels and asses and a large
r e t i n u e of servants.•* .And he sowed seed'm the land ofthe Philistines
a n d g a t h e r e d in a hundred-fold. .And Isaac prospered more and
m o r e , a n d the Philistines envied him. Now all the wells, which
. A b r a h a m ' s servants had d u g during .Abraham's lifetime, the
Philistines had stopped up after his death and filled them with
e a r t h . .And .Abimelech said to Isaac, G o away from us, for you are
m u c h stronger than we are; so Isaac left them in the first year ofthe
seventh week and settled in the valleys of Gerar. .And they d u g
a g a i n ' the wells which his father A b r a h a m ' s servants had dug, anci
which the Philistines had filled in after .Abraham's death, and he
called t h e m by the same names as his father .Abraham had called
t h e m . .And Isaac's servants d u g a well in a valley and found
r u n n i n g water, and the shepherds of G e r a r started a dispute with
I s a a c ' s s h e p h e r d s , saying. T h i s water is ours; and Isaac called the
well Perversity, Because, he said, they have been perverse with us.

* So Lat. {mimstmum magnum), as in the Hcb. ofCJcn. .\xvi. 14: Elh. 'a grcal
possession".
' Lit. *.\nd as they went round alK)ut they dug".
 Juhilees 79
20 A n d they d u g a second well, and they disputed aixnit that too; and
hc called it Knniity.'' And hc n u n c d on from there and they dug
a n o t h e r well, and about that there was no dispute; and he called it
Plenty o f R o o n i , ' and Isaac said. Now has the I.ord made room for
us, a n d wc are increased in numbers in the land.
21 . \ n d he went up from there to the Well of the O a t h , in the first
22 year of the first week in the forty-fourth jubilee. .And the Lord
a p p e a r e d to him that night, on the new moon o f t h e lirst month,
a n d said to him, I am the (Jod of .Abraham your father: do not be
afraid, lor I am with you. and I will bless you and make your
d e s c e n d a n t s as many in n u m b e r as the sand on the sea-shore." for
2:i .Abraham my servant's sake. .And he built an altar there, where his
father .Abraham had built one before;'' and he invoked the Lord by
21 n a m e a n d olfered sacrifice to his father .Abraham's (Jod. .And
2.T t h e y ' " d u g a well and found running water. .And Isaac's servants
d u g a n o t h e r well and found no water, and they went and told Isaac
t h a t they had found no water; and Isaac said. I have sworn an oath
to the Philistines to-day, and this is w h a t " has happened to us.
20 .And he called that place the Well of the O a t h , for there he had
sworn an oath to .Abimelech, and .Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol
27 the c o m m a n d e r ofhis a r m y . " .And Isaac realized that day that he
h a d d o n e wrong in swearing to them to make peace with them.
28 .And Isaac cursed the Philistines that day and said. .Accursed be
the Philistines, more than all the nations, till the day of wrath and
indignation: may God make them a laughing-stock and curse, and
a n object of wrath and indignation, in the hands of the sinful
2!) Gentiles a n d in the h a n d s of the Kittim. .And whoever of them
escapes the sword ofthe enemy and ofthe Kittim, may the righteous
n a t i o n root him up in j u d g e m e n t from under heaven; for they shall
be m y children's enemies and foes in every generation on the earth.
30 A n d no r e m n a n t shall be left them, nor shall there be one that shall be
saved on the day o f t h e wrath ofjudgement: for destruction and
' So Lat.: Eth. 'narrow'. ' So I.at. [capaatas): Eth. '.spacious'.
' Lit. 'sand o l t h c earth'.
' Lit. 'which his father .Ahraham had first huilt'.
'° O n e Eth. .\1S reads 'he' against all the other Elh. .M.SS and Lat. If this is the
original reading, it is possible that the reference is to .\brahani. who according to
Gen. x.\i. 2.3 and 30 had dug a well at Beersheha (and hence the name).
" L i t . ' t h i s t h i n g ' o r ' t h i s word'. '• .So Lat.: Eth.'Phicol his commander'.
HO Jubilees
rooting up and expulsion from the earth is the whole b r o o d " oi'the
Philistines resetred; and there shall not be left for any ol'those from
C a p h t o r ' " either n a m e or posterity on earth. I'or though he ascetid
to heaven, from there shall he be brought down: and though he
m a k e himself strong on earth, from there shall he be pulled out;
a n d t h o u g h he hide himself a m o n g the natiotis. even from there
shall he be rooted up; and thotigh he destetid into Sheol, there al.so
shall relentlessjudgement be his lot, and there also he shall h a \ e no
peace at all. .Vnd if he go itito captivity, by the hatids of those that
seek his life he shall be struck down while on the way, and neither
n a m e nor posterity shall be left him in all the earth; for into eternal
malediction he shall depart. .And so it is written and etigraxcd
c o n c e r n i n g him on the heavenly tablets, that this should be his fate
on the day of judgement, so that he may be uprooted from the
earth.

XXV. .And in the second year ofthis week in this jubilee Rebecca
s u m m o n e d her son J a c o b and admotiished him. saying, .\Iy son,
d o not m a r r y a ( l a n a a n i t e w o m a n , like Ksau your brother, who has
tnarried two ( ' a n a a n i t c women, and they h a \ e been a constant
source of distress to m e ' with all their wanton ways; for they are
utterly d e b a u c h e d and dissolute, and there is no righteousness in
t h e m w h a t e v e r - everything they do is evil. But I am devoted to you,
my son, and I bless you with all my heart and souF every hour of
the day a n d through the watches o f t h e night. .And now, my son,
listen to what I say, and d o what your mother wants: do not marry
a w o m a n from here, but choose someone from my father's house
a n d o f m y father's kin. If you do marry someone from my father's
h o u s e , t h e n ' the .Most High (Jod will bless you and your children
will be a righteous generation and a holy stock.''
.And J a c o b answered his mother Rebecca and said to her. Behold,
m o t h e r , I a m nine weeks of years old, and I have neither known nor
t o u c h e d any w o m a n , nor have I pledged myself in marriage to

" I.it.'srrd'. I.it.'liir all the (:apht()rirti'.

' I.il. 'they liavrcinbiltrrrd my soul'.

• I.il. and my heart and my alTei lion hle.ss you'.
' I.il. '^'ou shall marry-. . ., and' ' I.it. seed'.
 Jubilees 81
aiiyoiu', nor h a \ i ' I CMMI thoiighl ormarryiiig a (iaiiaaiiitc woman.
.") For I r c m c m h c r , mother, what our father .XhrahaiTi .said, how he
c o m m a n d e d me not to marry a C a n a a n i t e woman, hut to choose a
I) wife from my father's c l a n ' and from my own kith and kin. I heard
long ago that vour brother I.aban had some daughters, and I have
7 set niy heart on them, to find a wife among them. .And that is why I
h a \ (• kept myself from sinning or being corrupted in any way at any
t i m e in my life; l()r my father .Abraham g a \ c mc many warnings to
» b e w a r e of lust and fornication. .And in spite of all his warnings to
mc, for twenty-two years my brother has argued with me and said
to mc time and time again. .My brother, take a sister of one oJ my
W two wi\ es as a w ilc: but I refuse to do as he did. I swear beliire you.
m o t h e r , that never while I li\ e will I marry a woman of Oanaanite
III a n c e s t r y , a n d I will not do what is wrong as my b r o t h e r d i d . Do not
be afraid mother; be assured I will do what you want and li\c a
blameless lih- a n d keep myself always from wicked ways.
11 . \ n d at this she looked up to heaven and spread out the fingers of
her h a n d s , and opened her mouth, and blessed the .Most High (jod
w h o created h e a \ e n and earth, and gave him thanks and praise.
IJ .And she said. Blessed be the I.ord (Jod. and may his holy name be
blessed for e \ e r and e\ er. he w h o has given me Jacc)b as a pure son
a n d a holy ollspring; for hc is thine, and thine shall his olfspring be
Ii c o n t i n u a l l y and in e\ery generation for evermore. Bless him. ( )
L o r d , a n d put in my mouth the blessing of righteousness, that I
m a \ bless him.
It .And at that very moment, when the spirit of righteousness" came
d o w n upon her m o u t h , she placed both her hands on J a c o b ' s head
!.•) a n d said. Blessed a n ihou. I.ord of righteousness and (iod o f t h e
ages; a n d as for you, Jacob, may hc bless you more than all the
g e n e r a t i o n s of men: may he set you, my son, on the path of
II) righteousness, and reveal righteousness to your descendants. .And
m a \ hc multiply your sons while you are still alive, and may they
e q u a l in n u m b e r the months of the year; and may their sons
multiply and surjjass in n u m b e r the stars of heaven, and their
17 n u m b e r s be more than the sand o f t h e sea. .And may he give them
this goodly land (as he said he w ould give it for all time to .Abraham
' I.it. 'from the .seed of"in\ lather's house'.
* O n e .\IS reads 'the hoK spirit'.
 82 Jubilees
a n d liis d c s i c n d a n l s afU'r him), and may they liold it as a posses-
lii sion for evei. . \ n d while 1 a m still a l i \ e , my son. may I see blessed
children bom to yon: and a blessed and holy race may all your
I'l d e s c e n d a n t s be. . \ n d as you have refreshed your mother's spirit
while she was still ali\ e. the w o m b of her that bore you blesses you
t h u s : my b o s o m ' a n d my breasts bless you. and my mouth and my
2(1 t o n g u e extol you. .May you increase and spread over the earth, and
m a y your d e s c e n d a n t s be perfect in the joy of heaven and earth for
c \ cr; a n d m a y those who spring from you rejoice, and on the day of
21 great peace may they h a \ e peace. .May your name and your line
c n d t i r c t h r o u g h every age, and may the .Most High (Jod be their
( j o d : a n d may the (jod o f righteousness dwell with them, and by
t h e m m a y his s a n c t u a r y be built and stand for e\er. Blessed be the
22 m a n that blessses you, a n d any tnaii that curses you without due
c a u s e , m a y he be cursed.
2:s .And she kissed him a n d said to hitn. .May the Lord ofthe world
love you as much a s your mother's heart and her alfectioti /or vou
rejoice in you a n d bless you. .And she brought her blessing to an
end.

XXVI. .And in the s c \ cnth year ofthis week Isaac called Ksau, his
elder son, a n d said to him, I a m old, my son. and behold my eyes
2 h a \ e failed, a n d I do not know when I shall die. .And now, take
y o u r h u n t i n g gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out into the
c o u n t r y , a n d go h u n t i n g and get some lenison for m e , my son, and
m a k e me a d i s h ' ofthe kind I like, and bring it to me t o e a t , s o that I
;i m a y give you my blessing before I die. But Rebecca heard Isaac
t talking to Ksau. .And Ksau went out early into the country to go
h u n t i n g a n d get the venison a n d bring // home to his father.
.And Rebecca called her son J a c o b and said to him. Behold, I
h e a r d your father Isaac talking to your brother Ksau, saying, ( J o
(jut h u n t i n g lor m c , a n d make me a dish' o f t h e kitid I like, and
() b r i n g it to me, s o that I may give you my blessing before I die. .And

' O r "niy ii,itiiral allcctioii.s'. The wiml in the H r b . original wa.s probably
raft'^mim, usually explained as an ituensi\e plural ofthe word previously translated
•womb' {retiem).

' I.it. 'make me ftKKl'.

 Jubilees »3

n o w , my son, listen to me and do what I tell you: go to your liock

a n d fetch mc two choice kids from the goats, and I will make them
into a d i s h ' for your father ofthe kind he likes, and you shall take il
to your lather, so that he may cat il and bless you in the L o r d s
7 p r e s e n c e belorc hc dies, and you may he blessed itisleadqj Esau. .\nd
J a c o l ) said to his mother Rebecca. .Mother, I am not being niggardly
a b o u t providing what my father likes to eat and what would please
h i m : I a m only afraid, mother, that he will recognise my voice and
8 w a n t to touch me. . \ n d you know that I am stnooth, but my brother
Lsati is hairy, and he will think I am a blackguard and doing
somethitig hc has not told me to do; and he will be angr\ with me,
9 a n d I shall britig a curse oti m y s c l f a n d not a blessing. .\tid his
m o t h e r Rebecca said to him. Let \i)ur curse fall on me. n u son:
only d o what I say.
10 .And J a c o b did as his mother Rebecca told him, and he went and
fetched two choice fat kids from the goats and brought them to his
m o t h e r , a n d his mother m a d e them into a d i s h ' o f the kind that
11 Isaac liked, .And Rebecca took her elder son Lsau's best clothes that
were with her in the house, and clothed her younger son J a c o b in
t h e m , and she put the skins of the kids on his hands and the
Vi exposed p a r t s ofhis neck. .And she gave her son J a c o b the dish she
in h a d cooked and the bread she had baked." .And J a c o b went in to his
father a n d said, I am your son: I ha\ e done as you told me: come
a n d sit a n d cat what I have got for you, father, so that you may give
14 m e your blessing. .And Isaac said to his son. How have you found it
1.') so quickly, my son? .And J a c o b said. Because the Lord your G o d '
It) h e l p e d me to find .And Isaac said to him. Clome close to me. so
t h a t I can feel you, my son, lu make sure w h e t h e r you a r e iny s o n
17 E s a u or not. .And J a c o b came close to his father Isaac; and he felt
him a n d said, T h e voice is J a c o b ' s voice, but the h a n d s are Esau's
18 h a n d s . .And he did not recognize him. lor it was a dispensation
from heaven to remove his powers of perception;' and Isaac did not
recognize him because his h a n d s were hairy like Esau's, and so hc

^ L i t . ' m a k e llifiii into food'. ' I.it.'made them into ("(xxl'.

•* I.it.'prepared'. ' So Lat.: Kth.'Because your (i(xi'.
' O t h e r Kth. readings 'caused me to find it' and 'showed it to me': Kat. 'directed it
before me'.
' Lit. "his spirit'.
 81 Jubilees

I'l blessed him. .\iid he said. .Are you my son Ilsaii? .\tid he said. I am
y o u r son. .And he said. Bring me Ihe lemsim that N O U h a \ e liiinid. my
L'li son, so that I may eat some ofit and gi\e you my blessing. .And he
b r o u g h t it to him, and he ate it; and he brought him wine and he
•Jl d r a n k . .And his lather Isaac said to hitn, (lotne close and kiss me,
my son. .And hc c a m e close and kissed him.
TI .And he smelled the smell ofhis clothes, and he blessed him and
said.
Behold, the smell o f m y soti is like the smell ofa held" which
the Lord has blessed.
Ti .And m a y the Lord g i \ c you in a b u n d a n c e ofthe dew of
hea\en
.And o f t h e dew o f t h e earth.
.And corn and oil in plenty:
.May nations s e r \ e you
.And the people bow down to >ou.
L'l Be Itjrd over your brothers.
.And may your mothers sons bow down to you;
.And m a y all the blessings which the Lord has bestowed oti
mc and on my father A b r a h a m ,
Be bestow ed on you and on your descendants for e\ er.
.Accursed be the man that curses you.
.And blessed be the man that blesses you.

2') .And it came to pass alter Isaac had hushed blessing his son
J a c o b , a n d after J a c o b had left his father Isaac, (he hid himself;
21) a n d Y his brother Ksau came in from his hunting. .And hc also made
a d i s h ' " a n d brought il to his father: and he said to his lather.
Clonic, father, and cat ofmy venison, so that you may give mc ytiur
TI blessing. .And his father Isaac said to him. W h o are you? .And he
said to him, 1 a m your elder son Ksau: I have done as you told me.
in .And Isaac was greatly astonished and said. W h o is it then that has
g o n e out h u n t i n g and got venison and brought // to me? I ate all ofit
before you c a m e in, and I have blessed him, and so he will indeed be
blessed, he a n d all his descendants for ever.
" So Kth.; I.at. a lull licUl'.
" .\ later addition iiccordiug to Clharles.
Kit. "niade lixKl*.
 jubilees 8')
A n d il canu" to pass, wlu-n Ksau licard uliat liis iatlicr Isaac said,
hc g a \ c a loud and bitter cry, and said to his father. Bless me also,
father. . \ n d hc said to him. Your brother has treacherously come
a n d taken away your blessing. . \ n d he said, .Now I realize why he is
called J a c o b : behold, he has tricked me twice: he took away my
b i r t h r i g h t , and now he has taken away my blessitig. .And hc said.
H a \ e you no blessing left over lor me. father? . \ n d Isaac answered
a n d said to Ksau, Behold, I have m a d e him lord over you. and all
his b r o t h e r s have I given him as servants, and with plenty of corn
a n d wine and oil have I enriched him; and now what can I do for
you, my son? . \ n d Ksau said to his father Isaac, Have you only one
b l e s s i n g , " father? Bless mc also, father. .And Ksau cried aloud and
w e p t . .And Isaac answered and said to him.

Behold, o f t h e dew ofthe earth shall your dwelling be,

.And o f t h e clew of heaven from above.
.And by your sword you shall live,
. \ n d you shall serve your brother.
.And il shall come to pa.ss, when you have the p o w e r , "
.And shake his yoke from your neck.
It will be counted against you as a deadly s i n , "
.And your olfspring will be uprooted from under heaven.
.And Ksau kept t h r e a t e n i n g j a c o b because ofthe blessing his father
h a d given him; and he said lo himself, I wish the time of mourning
lor my father would come, so that I can kill my brother J a c o b .

XXVII. .And what Ksau, her elder son, was saying was told
Rebecca in a d r e a m . .And Rebecca sent for J a c o b , her younger .son,
a n d said to him. Behold, your brother Ksau is planning to get his
own back on you and kill you. So now, my son, do what I tell you,
a n d m a k e your escape a n d go to L a b a n , my brother in Haran, and
Slay %viih him awhile, till your brother's anger cools, and hc thinks
n o m o r e about it,' a n d forgets all you have done to him: then I will
send a n d fetch you back. And J a c o b said, I am not afraid of him: if
" I.il. 'Is your blessing only one?'

Lil.'becomegreat'. " Lit.'You willsinarompletesin untodeaih'.

' Lit. 'and he removes his anger from you'.
 a() Jubilees
j hc w a n t s l o kill mc, I will kill him. But she said t o him. Do not be
(i the cause o f m y losing both my sons the same day. . \ n d J a c o b said
to his m o t h e r Rebecca, Behold, you know how old my father is, and
he cannot sec because his eyes have failed: if I leave him, hc will
think it wrong of me to leave him and go away from you. and my
father w ill be angry and curse me. I will not go: only if hc sends mc
7 will I go. . \ n d Rebecca said t o j a c o b , I will go in and talk to him,
a n d hc will send you away.
H . \ n d Rebecca w cut in and said t o Isaac, I am sick to death o P the
two Hittitc w o i T i e n that Ksau has married; and if J a c o b marries a
local girl like them, I shall find life u n e n d u r a b l e , ' for Clanaanite
w o m e n a r e insulferable.''
I) .And Isaac called J a c o b and blessed him and admonished him
a n d said to him. Do not choose a wife from a m o n g the Clanaanites.
1(1 G o tiow to .Mesopotamia, to the house of Bethuel, your mother's
father, a n d find a wife there, one of Laban your mother's brother's
11 d a u g h t e r s . .And God .Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful,
a n d multiply you, so that you may become a host of nations; and
m a y he bestow on you the blessings ofmy father .Abraham, and on
y o u r d e s c e n d a n t s after you, so that you may take possession ofthe
l a n d you live in now. even all the land that God gave to .Abraham.
\2 G o , iny son, in peace. .And Isaac sent J a c o b away; and he went to
M e s o p o t a m i a , to L a b a n , the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother
of Rebecca, J a c o b ' s mother.
i:i .And it c a m e to pass after J a c o b had gone away to Mesopotamia,
11 Rebecca fretted after her son and wept. .And Isaac said to Rebecca,
M y sister d o not weep on my son J a c o b ' s account; for he has gone
l.i in peace, a n d he will return in peace. T h e .Most High God will keep
him from all evil and be with him and never fail him at any time.
It; For I know that his paths will be prospered' in every way, wherever
17 he goes, till he returns to us in peace. Have no fear on his account,
my sister, for he is upright in all his dealings, and a man of integrity
18 a n d faithful,' a n d he will come to no h a r m at all. Do not weep. And
I s a a c comforted Rebecca on account of her son J a c o b ; and he
blessed him.
^ Lil. 'i loathe my life because of.
' Lit. 'to what purpose shall 1 live further'. ' Lit. 'evil'.
' So L a t : E t h . ' t h a t hc will prosper'. ' Or'truthful'.
 Jubilees 87
19 A n d J a c o b left the \Sell ofthe O a t h for H a r a n in the hrst year of
t h e second uceic in the tbrty-fourth jubiU-e. and he came to Luz
a m o n g the m o u n t a i n s (that is Bethel) on the new moon ofthe hrst
m o n t h o f t h i s week; and he came to the place in the evening, and
t u r n e d aside off the road, towards the west, for the night, and he lay
20 d o w n to sleep t h e r e ' - for the sun had set. .Vnd hc took one ofthe
stones of that place a n d laid it at his head," under the t r e e ; ' and he
w a s j o u r n e y i n g on his own, and went to sleep.
21 .Xnd that night he had a d r e a m , and behold, a ladder was set up
on t h e g r o u n d , a n d the top ofit reached to heaven, and the angels
of the Lord were going up and down on it; and behold the I,ord was
22 s t a n d i n g on it. .And he spoke t o j a c o b and said, I am the Lord, the
G o d of your father .Abraham, and the God of Isaac: the land on
w h i c h you arc sleeping will I give to you and your descendants
23 after you. .And your descendants shall be as numerous as the specks of
d u s t on the g r o u n d , and you shall spread west and east, and north
a n d s o u t h , and in you and your descendants shall all the tribes of
24 t h e e a r t h ' " be blessed. .And behold, I will be with you, and I will
protect you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land
in peace; for I will never leave you until I have done everything I
p r o m i s e d you.
25 A n d J a c o b woke up from his sleep'' and said. Truly this place is
t h e house o f t h e Lord, a n d 1 did not know it. .And he was afraid and
said. How awesome is this place, which is no other than the house of
26 t h e L o r d , a n d this is the gate of heaven. .And J a c o b got up in the
m o r n i n g early, a n d he took the stone he had put under his head
a n d set it u p as a pillar for a sign, and he poured oil on the top ofit;
a n d he n a m e d that place Bethel (but the country's n a m e before
27 w a s L u z ) . A n d J a c o b m a d e a v o w " to the Lord saying, If the Lord
will be with me a n d protect me on my journey, and give me bread
to eat a n d clothes to wear, and I come back to my father's house in
p e a c e , then shall the Lord be my God, and this stone I have set up
as a pillar for a sign in this place shall be the Lord's house; and of
all t h a t thou givest me, I will give a tenth to thee, my God.
' L i t . ' h e slept there'. ' So Lat.: Eth. o m . ' a t his head'.
° Presumably ihe'asherahai the'place' ( = ' s a n c t u a n ' ) .
So Eat.: Eth. 'countries of the nations'.
" 'I'e.xt'slept a sleep'. " Or'prayer'.
m Jubilees
XXVIIl. A n d hc resumed his journey and came to the land o f t h e
Kast, to L a b a n , Rebecca's brother; and he stayed with him and
b e c a m e his servant for his daugliter Rachel, one week. . \ n d in the
first year of the third week hc said to him, (Jive me my wife, for
w h o m I b a s e served you seven years; and Laban said t o j a c o b , I
will give you your wife. . \ n d Laban prepared a feast, and he took
L e a h , his elder d a u g h t e r , and gave her t o j a c o b as his wife (and he
gave her Zilpah his own slave-girl as her slave-girl); and J a c o b did
not realize it, but thought she was Rachel. . \ n d hc slept with her,
a n d ivhen morning came, behold, she was Leah; and J a c o b was angry
with L a b a n a n d said to him. W h y have you done this to me? Did I
not agree to serve you for Rachel and not for Leah? Why have you
d o n e me this wrong? T a k e your daughter, and I will go: you have
tricked m e . ' (For J a c o b loved Rachel more than Leah, for Leah's
eyes h a d no sparkle, despite her shapely figure, whereas Rachel
h a d a t t r a c t i v e eyes as well as an attractive and very shapely
figure.)
.And L a b a n said t o j a c o b . In our country it is not the custom to
give the younger sister in marriage before the elder. (.And indeed, it is
not right to d o this; for so it is ordained and written on the heavenly
tablets, that no one should .give his younger d a u g h t e r in marriage
before the elder, but the elder should be given first; and the m a n
w h o does so has it entered to his discredit in heaven, and no one is
righteous that does it, for to d o such a thing is abhorrent to the
L o r d . .And give the sons o f l s r a e l orders that they should not do it:
see that they neither take nor give the younger in marriage without
h a v i n g given the elder first, for to do so is very wicked.) And Laban
said t o j a c o b . Let the seven days of Leah's feast' run their course,
a n d then I will give you Rachel on the understanding that you serve me
a n o t h e r seven years a n d pasture my sheep as you did in the
previous week. .And on one of the days, when the seven days of
L e a h ' s feast were over, L a b a n gave Rachel t o j a c o b , that he might
serve h i m a n o t h e r seven years (and he gave Rachel as her slave-girl
B i l h a h , Z i l p a h ' s sister). And he served seven years more for
R a c h e l , for Leah had been given him to no purpose.
A n d the Lord m a d e Leah fruitful, and she conceived and bore
' Lit. 'you have done evil to ine'.
' Lil. of the feast ofthis one'.
 Jubilees m
J a c o b a son. a n d hc called him Reuben, on the rourteenth day of
the n i n t h m o n t h , in the first year ofthe third week. But Rachel had
no children, for the Lord saw that Leah was neglected' and Rachel
l o \ e d . .And J a c o b slept with Leah again, and she coiicei\ed and
bore Jacob a second son, and he called him .Simeon, on the twenty-
first o f t h e tenth m o n t h , and in the third year o f t h i s week. .And
again J a c o b slept with Leah, and she conceiM-d and bore him a
third son. a n d he called him I.e\i. on the new iiioon o f t h e first
m o n t h in the sixth year ofthis week. .\IKI again Jacob slept with
her. a n d she conceived and bore him a fourth son. and he called
h i m J u d a h . on the fifteenth ofthe third month, in the i'lirstt yearof
the i f o u r t h t week.
.And because of all this Rachel was Jealous of Leah (tiir she
herself had no children), and she said to Jacob. ( ; i \ e me children;
a n d J a c o b said. Have I denied you i liildreii? H a \ e I deserted you?
.And when Rachel saw that Leah had borne Jacob linir sons,
R e u b e n a n d .Simeon and Le\i and Judah. she said to hitn, .Sleep
with mv slave-girl Bilhah. and she will coticei\ e and bear me a son.
.And she gave him her sla\e-girl Bilhah as a wife; and hc slept with
her, a n d she concei\ed and bore hitn a son, and he called him Dan.
on the ninth o f t h e sixth iiionth. in the tsixtlit year ofthe i'third'i'
week. .And Jacob slept with Bilhah again, a second time, and she
conceixed a n d bore J a m b another son. and Rachel called him
N a p h t a l i , on the fifth ol'thc seventh month, in the second year of
the fourth week.
.And when Leah saw that she had no more children, she became
j e a l o u s of Rachel; and she also gave her slave-girl, Zilpah, to Jacob
as a wife, a n d she conceived and bore a son. and I.eah called him
CJad, on the twelfth o f t h e eighth month, in the third year o f t h e
fourth week. .And he slept with her again, and she conceived and
bore him a second son, and Leah called him .Ashcr. on the second
o f t h e eleventh m o n t h , in the tfiftlit year o f t h e fourth week. .And
J a c o b slept with Leah, and she conceived and bore a son and she
called him Issachar, on the fourth of the fifth month, in the
t f o u r t h t year o f t h e fourth week; and she gave him to a nurse. .And
J a c o b slept with her again, and she conceived and bore twins, a son

' I.it. 'liatcd'

 90 Jubilees
a n d a daughtt-r, a n d she tailed the son Zahiilon and the daughter
D i n a h , on the se\ enth oi'the seventh tnonth, in the sixth year ofthe
2t fourth week. . \ n d the Lord showed Rachel favour and made her
fruitful, a n d she conceixcd and bore a son, a n d she called him
Joseph, on the new moon ol the liiurth month, in the t s i x t h t year in
this I'ourth week.
•-'j .And at the time Joseph was born, Jacob said to Laban. Give mc
tny wives a n d sons, a n d let me go to my father Isaac and let mc set
u p my household there;'' ihr I ha\ e completed my years of service to
2() you for your two daughters, a n d I will go to my father's house. .And
L a b a n said to J a ( o b . Tell me what wages you warn from me,' and
'l'l p a s t u r e my liock for mc again, and I will pay your wages." .And
thev agreed with one a n o t h e r that he should give him as his wages
the l a m b s a n d the kids that were born cither grey or spotted or
•21! speckled: these were to be his wages. .Atid all the sheep prtxluced
lambs that were cither spotted or speckled or grey, a n d they again
p r o d u c e d lambs like themselves; and all that were spotted were
2'.i J a c o b s a n d those that were not were L a b a n ' s . ' .And J a c o b ' s
possessions increased more a n d more — oxen and sheep and asses
:io a n d camels, a n d m a l e s l a \ c s and female sla\es. .And Laban and his
sons were jealous of J a c o b : a n d Laban withdrew his sheep from
h i m , a n d eyed him with e\ il intent.

XXIX. .And it c a m e to pass, after Rachel had given birth tojoseph,

L a b a n went to shear his sheep (a three day's journey each way).
2 .And J a c o b saw that Laban was going to shear his sheep; and J a c o b

•• I.it. •let me make a liiiu.se'.

' r . m e n d e d in t h e l i g h t D K H - I I . XX.\. 2!1. Kth. ha.s •Wait w i t h me I'lir your w a g e s '
a n d I.at. 'Exfiecta me in mercede'. n e i t h e r o l w h i r h Charles r o n s i d e r c d satislacKjry.
So I.at.: Kth. ' a n d t a k e \ o u r w a g e s ' .
' Both the text and the p r e c i s e m e a n i n g o l ' s o m e o l t h e Kth. w o r d s u s e d to i n d i c a t e
dilTerences of c o l o u r in t h i s p a s s a g e arc u n c e r t a i n . However, the g e n e r a l sense, that
t i l i n g s t u r n e d out \ e r \ m u c h to J a c o b ' s a d v a n t a g e , is p l a i n . Gen. xxx. :!2-42
d e s c r i b e s in d e t a i l how J a c o b a r r a n g e d t h i s h i m s e l f ; and part o f t h e o b s c u r i t y o f t h e
J u b i l e e s v e r s i o n is due to the fact that the a u t h o r , b y a b b r e v i a t i n g so d r a s t i c a l l y the
(Jenesis a c c o u n t , has c o n f u s e d the d e t a i l s in Genesis that a p p l y to the s h e e p w i t h
o t h e r s that a p p l y to the g o a t s - u n l e s s , p - r h a p s . s e v e r a l l i n e s h a v e at s o m e s t a g e in
the c o p y i n g f a l l e n out of the o r i g i n a l text.
 Jtibilees 91
called Leah and Rachel and persuaded thcni to go' with him to the
;i l a n d of Clanaan. He told them how he had seen everything in a
d r e a m , a n d how the Lord had given him instructions to return to his
father's house; and they said, \ \ h c r c \ c r you go. we will go with
1 you. . \ n d J a c o b blessed the CJod ofhis father Isaac, and the (Jod of
his g r a n d f a t h e r .Abraham, and hc made his preparations, and
m o u n t e d his wives and his children, and took all his possessions,
a n d crossed the ri\cr, and came to the land of CJilead; and J a c o b
kept his plan secret from Laban and did not tell him.
:> .And it was in the seventh year of the fourth week that J a c o b
s t a r t e d out lor CJilead. in the lirst month, on the twenty-hrst day ai'
the month. .And Laban went a h c r him and overtook J a c o b in the
h i g h l a n d s of CJilead, in the third month, on the thirteenth day oi'the
(i month. .And the Lord did not allow him to injure J a c o b (Ibr he
a p p e a r e d to him in a d r e a m by night); and Laban talked with
Jacob.
7 .And on the fifteenth day ofthe m o n t h ' J a c o b prepared a feast for
L a b a n a n d all those who had come with him; and J a c o b and Laban
m a d e an agreement that day under oath that neither would cross
H t h e h i g h l a n d s of CJilead with hostile intent against the other. .And
he erected a cairn there to stand as a witness: that is why that place is
9 called The Claim of Witness - after the cairn. (.At one time' they
used to call the land of CJilead the land ofthe Rephaim; for it was
t h e land of the R e p h a i m . and the Rephaim originated there'' -
g i a n t s , whose height was ten, nine, eight down to seven, cubits.
11) A n d their settlements extended from the land ofthe .Ammonites to
M o u n t H e r m o n ; and the seats oftheir kingdom were Karnaim and
11 .Ashtaroth a n d Edrei and .Misurand Beon. .And the Lord destroyed
t h e m because o f t h e wickedness oftheir doings, for they were very
wicked; a n d the .Amorites replaced them, jo wicked and sinful were
they - there is no people in existence to-day that can compete with
t h e m in s i n , ' and that is why they perished.')
VI A n d J a c o b sent L a b a n away, and hc went back to Mesopotamia,
13 t h e l a n d o f t h e East; and J a c o b returned to the land ofGilead. And
' Lit. "and spoke kindly to them that they should go'.
^ L i t . ' o f those days'. ' (.)r'pre\iously'.
•• L i t . ' w e r e born ( W . > I.il. "that has filled up all their sins'
* Lit. 'and they had (ha\e) no longer length of life on earth'.
92 Jubilees
hc crossed the J a b b o k in the ninth month, on the eleventli day of the
month. .And on that day his brother Esau came to him, a n d was
reconciled,' a n d left him for the land ofSeir; and J a c o b was living
in tents.
.And in the hrst year ofthe fifth week in this jubilee hc crossed the
J o r d a n , a n d settled beyond the J o r d a n , a n d pastured his sheep
from. . . ." .And he sent to his father Isaac from his household gocxis,
clothing a n d food a n d meat a n d drink and milk and butter and
cheese a n d some dates o f t h e valley {and to his mother Rebecca
also), lour times a year - between the times of the months,
between ploughing a n d reaping, between a u t u m n and winter,'
a n d between winter a n d spring,'" to the tower of .Abraham. (For
Isaac h a d left the Well o f t h e O a t h a n d m o \ e d to the tower ofhis
father .Abraham a n d was living there, separately from his son
E s a u . For after J a c o b h a d gone to Mesopotamia, Esau had
m a r r i e d another wife, M a h a l a t h , Ishmael's daughter, a n d had
taken all his father's flocks, a n d his wives, and had gone a n d settled
in the hill-country of Seir a n d left his father Isaac at the Well ofthe
O a t h alone. .And Isaac had moved from the Well ofthe O a t h a n d
was living in the tower ofhis father .Abraham on the highlands by
H e b r o n . ) .And there J a c o b sent everything hc sent from time to
time to his father a n d his mother, all they needed; and they blessed
J a c o b heart a n d soul.

XXX. .And in the first year ofthe sixth week he went u p to Salem,
to the east of Shechem, in peace, in the fourth month. .And there
they carried off Dinah, J a c o b ' s daughter, to the house of Shechem,
the son of H a m o r , the Hivite, the prince ofthe land; and b e l a y with
her a n d defiled her (and she was a little girl, a child, only twelve
years o l d ) . .And he asked his father and her brothers that she might
' So Lai.: Klh. 'ihcy were reconciled wilh one anolhcr'.
* Klh. 'from ihe sea of ihc cairn lo Bethshan and lo Doilian and lo (one .MS adds
' i h e foresl o f ) .\krabl)im': Lai. 'a mare salso usque (Beltiasan el usque Dothaim el usque)
agruum Acrabiri'. T h e area descritK'd would appear lo lie west of the J o r d a n and the
Dead Sea, and to extend froin Bethshan and Dothan in the north to 'the ascent of
. \ k r a b h i m ' (cp. N u m . xxxiv. 4: Josh. xv. Ixjrdering on Kdomite territory, in the
south. ' Lil. 'the rain'.
J a c o b , that is, sent his gifts on the first day of the first, fourth, seventh, and
tenth months (cp. vi. 2:5 above).
 Jubilees <»3
be given him as his wife. . \ n d J a c o b a n d his sons were furious with
tlie .Shechcmites because they had dchled their sister Dinah, and
they d e t e r m i n e d on revenge, but they kept their counsel and
dissimulated.'
I . \ n d Simeon a n d Levi c a m e to Shechem without warning,^ and
executed j u d g e m e n t on all the Shechcmites, and killed every m a n
they found lliere. a n d left not a single sur\ivor: they killed them all
w i t h o u t m e r c y , ' because they had dishonoured their sister Dinah.
.') . \ n d let no Israelite girl ever be dehled in this way again; for
j u d g e m e n t was ordained in heaven against them - that all the
.Shechemitcs should perish by the sword, because they had com-
li niitted an o u t r a g e in Israel. .And the Lord delivered them into the
h a n d s of J a c o b ' s sons, so that they might exterminate them with
the sword a n d execute j u d g e m e n t on them, and so that it might not
h a p p e n again in Israel that an Israelite virgin should be thus
defiled.
7 .And if there is ever a m a n in Israel who is desirous of giving his
d a u g h t e r or his sister in marriage to a m a n who is a Gentile, he shall
be stoned to d e a t h , for he has committed an outrage in Israel, and
the w o m a n shall be burned alive, because she has defiled the name
8 of h e r father's house, a n d she shall be rooted out oflsrael. And let
no harlot nor any uncleanness be Ibund in Israel at any time;" for
Israel is holy to the Lord, and every m a n who causes defilement
!i shall be stoned to death. For so it has been decreed a n d written on
the heavenly tablets about the stock of Israel in p e r p e t u i t y ' - a man
Kl w h o causes defilement shall be stoned to death. And to this law
there is n o time limit, neither can there be any relaxation of it nor
s u b s t i t u t c ' y o r it; but the m a n who has defiled liis daughter shall IK-
rooted out before the whole people o f l s r a e l , ' because he has given
o f h i s offspring to .Moloch, a n d acted profanely a n d so defiled it.
II \nA d o you, Moses, c o m m a n d the sons of Israel and exhort
' I.it. '. . . Dinah, and tht-y .s[X)k(- to them with evil intent, and dealt dereitlully
with them and beguiled them'.
•' So Kth.: I.at. 'determined to exterminate them'.
' So Kth. (lit. 'in torment'): I.at. 'injudgement'.
•* I.it. 'throughout all the days of the generations of the earth'.
' I.it. 'alMiui all the seed oflsrael'.
* Kit. ' a t o n e m e n t ' propitiatio).
' Kit. 'in the midst of all Israel'.
94 Jubilees
t h e m not to give their daughters in marriage to the (Jentiies, and not
to talve for tlieir sons* icives of tlie Gentiles" daughters, for this is
a b o i n i n a b l e to the Lord. For this reason I have written for you in
the words o f t h e law all the details of what the .Shechemites did to
D i n a h , a n d how Jacob's sons sjxike up and said. We will not give
o u r d a u g h t e r to a man who is uncircumcised. for that would be a
disgrace lor us. . \ n d it is a disgrace lor an Israelite' to give his
daughter to the (ienliles in marriage and to take the Gentiles' daughters
as wives for his sons - Ibr this is unclean and abominable in Israel.
.And Israel will not be free from this uncleanncss if anyone has a
wife o f t h e Gentiles' daughters, or has given any ofhis own daugh­
ters to a m a n who is a (Jentile. For there will follow plague on
p l a g u e a n d curse on curse, and every judgement and plague and
curse will fall on Israel'" i f t h e y " do this thing or hide t h e i r " eyes
from those responsible lor the uncleanness,'^ or who defile the
L o r d ' s s a n c t u a r y or profane his holy name: thus the whole nation
will b e j u d g e d together lor all this uncleanness and profanation."
.And there will be no respect of persons and no consideration of
p e r s o n s , a n d no receiving at anyone's hands of fruits and offerings
a n d whole-olferings and fat, nor will the sweet smell ofhis sooth­
ing sacrifices be accepted; and so will every m a n or woman in
Israel fare who defiles the sanctuary. P'or this reason I have com­
m a n d e d you, saying. Give Israel this solemn warning: see how the
S h e c h e m i t e s fared and their sons: see how they were delivered into
the h a n d s of two ofjacob's sons, and how they killed them without
m e r c y , ' " a n d it was reckoned to them as righteousness and
a c c o u n t e d to their credit.
.And the d e s c e n d a n t s of Levi were chosen for the priesthood, and
to be Levites, that they might minister before the Lord (as w e " do)
continually; and Levi and his sons are blessed for ever, for he
s h o w e d zeal to execute righteousness and j u d g e m e n t and ven­
g e a n c e on all those who rose up against Israel. And so blessing and
' So Lai.: one F^th. .\IS reads 'for ihemselves'. ihe rest om. aUogether.
" Lil. 'Ibr Israel'.
Supplied on ihe basis of ihe I ^ t i n on him'.
" L i l . ' i l ( h e ) . . . its (his)'.
Lil. 'ihose who commil uncleanness'.
" So Elh.: Lai. 'for all the abominations and contaminations of this man'.
" See verse 4 above. " i.e. the angels.
 Jubilees 9.")
righteousness are inscribed on the heavenly tablets as a testimony
20 in his favour before the (Jod of all. . \ n d we remember the righteous
a c t s ' " which the m a n did in his lifetime, at every period ofthe year:
for a t h o u s a n d generations the> '" will be recorded, and the bles­
sings resulting from t h e m " will come upon him and upon his
d e s c e n d a n t s after him; and he has been described in the record on
21 the heavenly tablets as a friend and a righteous man. .Ml this
a c c o u n t I have written for you. and I have commanded you to tell
the sons of Israel not to commit sin nor transgress the command­
m e n t s nor break the covenant that has been ordained for them, but
22 to keep it a n d be themsehes described a s friends. But ifthey trans­
gress a n d engage in unclean practices of any kind,'" they will be
described as adversaries and their n a t n e s ' " erased from the bcx)k of
life, a n d they will be recorded in the book of those who arc to be
23 destroyed and uprooted from the earth. . \ n d on the day when
J a c o b ' s sons killed Shechem it was recorded in their favour in
heaven that they had executed righteousness and justice and ven­
g e a n c e on the sinners; and it was written as a blessing.
24 . \ n d they brought their sister Dinah out of Shechcm's house,
a n d they laid their hands on everything there was in Shechem,
their sheep and their oxen and their asses, and all their hocks and
all their wealth, and they brought them all to their father J a c o b .
25 A n d hc reproached t h e m " for putting the city to the sword,
b e c a u s e he was afraid of the Oanaanites and the Perizzites who
26 were living in the land. .And the dread o f t h e Lord was on all the
cities in the neighbourhocxi of Shechem; and they made no attempt
to p u r s u e ^ ' J a c o b ' s sons, for terror had lallen on them.

XXXI. .And on the new moon o f t h e month J a c o b spoke to all the

m e m b e r s o f h i s household, saying. Purify yourselves and change
y o u r clothes, and let us get up and go to Bethel, where I vowed a
vow to the L o r d ' on the day I fled from my brother Esau, because

" I.il. •righlcou.sncss . . . il'. " I.it. 'and it'.

Lit. 'act in any of the ways ofunclrannrss'.
" Lit. 'and they will be'. I.it. 's[X)kc m thcni'.
" .So Lat.: Elh. 'expel'.

' Lil. 'to him'.

 9fi Jubilees
hc lias been with mc and brought mc into this land in peace; and do
•> you rid yourselves of the foreign gods that arc among you. .And
they gave up^ the foreign gods, and the ornaments that were in their
c a r s a n d on their necks; and Rachel g a \ c to Jacob all the idols that
she had stolen from her father L a b a n . .And he burnt them and broke
t h e m in pieces and d e s t r o y e d ' them, and hc hid them under an oak
near'' .Shechem.
:' .And he went u p on the new moon of the se\eiith month to
Bethel. .And hc built an altar at the place where he had slept, and
he set U[) a pillar there; and he sent word to his father Isaac to come
I to him to his sacrihcc, and to his mother Rebecca. .And Isaac said.
Let my son Jacob come to me. and let m e s e e him here befiire I die.
') .And J a c o b went to his father I s a a i and to his motlier Rehet l a , to
the house ofhis father .Abraham; and he took two ofhis sous with
him, Levi and J u d a h , and came to his lather Isaac and his mother
Rebecca.
(i .And Rebecca came out from the tower, to the gate ofthe tower,
to kiss J a c o b and e m b r a c e him (for her spirit re\ ived when she
h e a r d the words. Behold, J a c o b your son has come), and she kissed
7 h i m . .And she saw his two sons, and she recognized them and said
to h i m , .Are these your sons, my son? .And she embraced them
a n d kis.sed them and blessed them, saying. T h r o u g h you shall
.Abraham's line become famous, and you shall be a blessing on the
earth.
H .And J a c o b went in to his lather I.saac, into the rixim where he
was lying, a n d his two .sons were with him; and he took his lather's
h a n d , a n d stooping down he kissed him; and Isaac d u n g to his son
't J a c o b ' s neck, a n d wept ujjon his neck. .And the darkness left
I s a a c ' s eyes, a n d he s a w j a c o b ' s two sons, Levi and j u d a h , and he
10 said. Are these your sons, my son, for they are like you? .And he told
h i m t h a t they were indeed his .sons (You have rightly seen, he said,
11 t h a t they a r e indeed my sons). And they came near him, and he
I'.' t u r n e d a n d kissed them and embraced them both together. .And
the spirit of prophecy c a m e down upon his mouth, and hc took
Levi by his right h a n d and J u d a h by his left.
' So Charles, by a slight change in the Kth. ('they melted down'). The Kat. is not
e.xtant at this point.
' Lit.'dclaced'. •* Lit.'in the land of.
 Jubilees 97

i:i A n d lie iiirncd to Levi first, and began to bless him hrst, and said
to h i m . .May the (jod o l a l l , the very Lord olall the ages, bless you
II a n d your children through all the ages. .And may the Lord give you
a n d your d e s c e n d a n t s greatness and great glory,' and set you and
y o u r dcscctidants apart from all mankind to minister to him and to
serve'' him in his sanctuary like the angels o f t h e presence and the
holy ones: like them your sons" descendants shall be accounted
glorious, and great, and holy; and may he make them great Ibr
1.') ever. . \ n d they shall be judges and princes and chiefs of all the
d e s c e n d a n t s of Jacob's sons. They shall speak the Lord's word in
righteousness, and dispense all his judgements in righteousness;
a n d they shall declare my ways t o j a c o b and my paths to Israel: the
blessing o f t h e Lord shall be given by their mouths, to bless all the
11) d e s c e n d a n t s o f t h e beloved one. \'our mother has named you Levi,
a n d rightly she has named you: you shall bejoiiied to the Lord, and
be the c o m p a n i o n of all the .sons ofjacob. .May his table be yours,
a n d you and your sons cat ofit; and may your table be full in c\ery
17 g e n e r a t i o n , and your Ibod never fail to eternity. .And may all who
h a t e you fall down before you, and may all your adversaries be
u p r o o t e d and perish; and blessed shall the man be that blesses you,
a n d accursed e\cry nation that curses you.
I!) .And to J u d a h he said. .May the Lord give you strength and
p o w e r to tread down all that hate you: a prince shall yuu be (you
a n d one of your sons) over the sons o f j a c o b : may your name and
y o u r s o n s ' n a m e go out and spread through every land and region.
T h e n shall the Gentiles fear you, and all nations quake, and all
l!t peoples s t a n d in awe oJ you.'' In you shall be J a c o b ' s help, and in
21) you shall be found Israel's s a l v a t i o n . .And when y o u sit o n the
t h r o n e of honour, your righteousness will bring" great peace for all
the oflspring o f t h e sons o f t h e beloved one. Blessed shall the man
be that blesses you; and all that hate you and alflict you and curse
' So one Kth. .MS: the others diHer anioiiif themselves and from the Latin (magm
mtetlegfre glorium rim).
" I.it. *and eause yon and your seed from among all flesh to approach him to

' Lit. Vpiake'. as in the preceding chuise. C:harles bracketed this clause as a
dittograph.
" Lit. "will be'. .Another reading is *.Atid when you sit on the throne ofthe honour
of your righteousness there shall IK- . . .'.
 98 Jubilees
you shall be uprooted and destroyed from the earth and be
accursed.
•>] And hc turned and kissed him again and embraced him, and
rejoiced greatly (Ibr hc had seen his son Jacob's sons in very
T2 t r u t h " ) . . \ n d hc diseiigaged himselP" and fell down and bowed
himselfbcrorc him. . \ n d hc blessed them. .And he stayed there with
L';i his father Isaac that night; and they ate and drank with joy. .And he
m a d e J a c o b ' s two sons sleep, one on his right hand and the other
L'l on his left, a n d it was counted to him as righteousness. .And during
the night Jacob told his father everything, how the Lord had shown
h i m great mercy, and how he had prospered liim in e\ery way and
L'j protected him from all evil. .And Isaac blessed the Ciod ofhis father
.Abraham, who had not withdrawn his mercy atid his righteous­
ness from his servant Isaac's sons.
ill And in the m o r n i n g j a c o b told his father Isaac about the vow he
had \ owed to the Lord and the vision he had seen, and that he had
built an altar, a n d that everything was ready for the sacrifice to be
m a d e before the Lord as he had \ o w e d , and that he had come to set
27 h i m on an ass and take him with him. And Isaac said to his son J a c o b ,
I c a n n o t go with you, for I am too old and unable to stand the
j o u r n e y : go, my son, in peace, for I am a hundred and sixty-five
years old today. .My travelling days are done: set your mother on the
2ii ass a n d let her go with you. .And I know, my son, that you have
c o m e because of me; and blessed be this day on which you have
29 seen me still alive, and I also have seen you, my son. .May you
p r o s p e r a n d fulfil the vow that you have vowed; and do not put i t "
ofl', for you will be called to account in respect o f i t , " so make haste
a n d fulfil it now, and may the maker of all things, to whom you
have vowed the vow, be pleased.
3(1 .And he said to Rebecca, Go with your son J a c o b . .And Rebecca
went with her son J a c o b , and Deborah with her, and they came to
31 Bethel. .And J a c o b remembered the prayer with which his father
h a d blessed him and his two sons, Levi and J u d a h ; and he rejoiced
32 a n d blessed the God of his fathers, .Abraham and Isaac. .And he
** O r ' i n riglitcousiu'ss".
"' I.it. 'In- went fortll Irom U-twcrn liis feci'.
" I.it. 'your vow'.
'•' Lit. the vow'.
 Jubilees 99
said, Now I know tiial I lia\c an eternal hope, and my sons also,
before the God of all.
. \ n d so it was decreed concerning the two; and how Isaac
blessed them is recorded on the heavenly tablets as an eternal
testimony.

XXXII. . \ n d hc spent' that night at Bethel. . \ n d I.e\i dreamed that

they had ordained him and m a d e hitn the priest ofthe Most High
G o d . him a n d his sons for ever; atid he woke up from his sleep and
blessed the Lord. . \ n d J a c o b got up early in the morning, on the
fourteenth o f t h i s month, and gave a tithe of everything that had
coiTic with him. of men and cattle, of gold, and of every \csscl and
g a r m e n t : hc gave tithes of all. .And in these days Rachel was
p r e g n a n t with her son Benjamin. .And J a c o b counted his .sons from
h i m u p w a r d s , and j o it was that Levi was chosen to minister to the
Lord;^ a n d his father clothed him in the garments ofthe priesthood
a n d installed h i m . '
.And on the fifteenth of this month he brought to the altar
fourteen oxen from the cattle, and twenty-eight rams, and forty-
nine sheep, and seven'' lambs, and twenty-one'' kids from the goats,
as a whole-olfering on the altar, a sacrihcc acceptable as a soothing
o d o u r before God. T h i s was his offering in fulfilment ofthe vow he
h a d vowed that he would give a tenth, with their fruit-offerings and
their drink-offerings. .And when the fire had consumed it he burnt
incense on the fire over it. and for a thank-offering he ojjered two
oxen, a n d four r a m s , and four sheep, four he-goats, and two sheep
of a year old, and two kids from the goats; and so he did daily for
seven d a y s . .And he and afl his s o n s and h i s iiiea a t e there with joy
for seven d a y s , and he blessed and thanked the Lord who had
delivered him from all his distress and granted him his prayer.'
A n d he tithed all the clean animals and made a w hole-olfering, but

' So Kill.: I.at. 'tlu-y slept'.

' I.it. ' a n d Levi Cell to the (Xirtion ( o r lot') olthe Lord'. The idea sei-nis l o he that
as Levi was t h e third of Jacob's .sons (soxxviii. Ualxjve) he would IM- the tenth ifthe
count were started from the Ixittotn with Benjamin.
' O r 'consecrated him' (lit. 'filled his hands').
' .So Lat.: Kth. '. . . sixty . . . twenty-nine'.
' Lit. vow'.
1(10 Jubilees
llu- unclean animals he ga\ e lo his son Levi." and hc gave him also
all ihe souls of men. . \ n d Levi discharged the priestly olhce at
Bethel belorc his father Jacob in prclii'rcncc to his ten brothers, and
he was a priest there. .And Jacob fulhlled his vow; in this way he
tithed again the tithe to the Lord and hallowed it. and it became
holy to him.
.And for this reason it is decreed on the heavenly tablets as a law
for the tithing again the tithe lo eat before the Lord from year to
year in the place chosen as a dwelling for his name; and to this law-
there is no time limit whatever. This decree is written that it may
be fulfilled from year to year, and that the second tithe mas be
eaten before the Lord in the place chosen, and nothing ofit shall be
left over from one year to the ne.xl. Lor in its own year shall the seed
be eaten till the time when the seed of that year is harvested, and
the wine be drunk till the time w hen the grapes are gathered in,' and
the oil similarly." .And whatever ofit is left over and becomes s t a l e -
let it be treated as polluted: let it be burnt, for it is unclean. .And so
let all o / t h e m cat it together in the sanctuary and not allow it to
b e c o m e stale. .-\nd all the tithes ofthe oxen and sheep shall be holy
to the Lord, and shall belong to his priests: they shall eat them
before him from year to year; for it is so decreed and engraved
a b o u t the tithe on the heavenly tablets.
.-\nd on the Ibllowing night, on the twenty-second ofthis month,
J a c o b decided to start building al that place, and to surround the
court with a wall, and to hallow it and tnake it holy lor ever, for
himself a n d his children after him. .And the Lord appeared to him
by night a n d blessed him and said to him, Vour n a m e shall no
longer be J a c o b , but Israel shall be your name. .And hc said to him
a g a i n , I a m the Lord who created heaven and earth, and I will
increase you and multiply you greatly, and kings shall spring from
you, a n d they shall sit in j u d g e m e n t in every land wherever men
h a v e set their feet. :\uA I will give lo your descendants all the earth
t h a t is" u n d e r heaven, and they shall j u d g e all the nations in
a c c o r d a n c e with their desires, and after that they shall gain posses­
sion o f t h e entire earth and inherit it for ever.
Charles supplied a negative in this clause {' . . . he gave not to his soti Levi').
' Lit.-till the days o l t h c wine'. " Lit. till the days olils .sca.son'.
" .So Kth.: Lai. 'all the blessings that are'.
 Juhilees 101
A n d hc finished speaking with him and went up from him; and
Jacol) looked after him till he had gone up into heaven. .Xnd that
night he saw a vision, and hefiold. an angel came down from
h e a \ c i i with seven tablets in his hands, and he gave them t o j a c o b ;
a n d he read them and understood'" even, thing that was written on
t h e m - what would befall him and his sons in e\er\- age. .\nd he
s h o w e d him everything that was written on the tablets, and said to
iiim. Do not start building A/ this place and do not make it either an
eternal s a n c t u a r y or a permanent abode; for this is not the chosen
place. Cio to your father .\l)raham"s house and live there with your
father Isaac till the day of your father's death. \ ' o u will die in peace
in Kgypt. but you will be buried in this land with honour in your
fathers' grave, with .Abraham and Isaac. Do not be afraid, for as
you have seen and read it, so shall it all be; and write down
e v e r y t h i n g , j u s t as you have seen // and read .And J a c o b said,
I.ord, how can I r e m e m b e r all that I have read and seen? .And he
said to hitn, I will see that you remember everything; and he went
u p from him. .And he woke up from his sleep and remembered
c\ cry thing hc had read and seen, and hc wrote down every w o r d . ' '
.And he celebrated an extra day there, and he offered sacrifices
on it, j u s t as he had on the previous days; and hc called it
.Addition'- (because it was an additional d a y " ) , and the previous
d a y s he called T h e Feast. .And it was m a d e plain that it should be
so, a n d it is written on the heavenly tablets; and that is why it was
revealed to him that he should celebrate it and a d d ' " it to the seven
d a y s of the feast. .And it was called .Addition because it was
recorded a m o n g the feast days according to the n u m b e r ofthe days
ofthe year."
.And on the twenty-third ofthis month, in the night, Deborah,
.So I..it. Cgoi to know'): Kth. 'read'.
" I.it. 'fit' wrtitf down all tfic words that hc had read and seen'.
So Ktfi.: Kat. 'Keeping back' {rflentalio). The allusion is to the 'closing
ceremonv' (Heb. 'ajfrelh) ofthe feast of TalM-rnacles (cp. Lev. xxiii. .Num. xxix.
;i.i.and Neh. viii. 18).
" Lit. 'because this day was added (Lat. 'kept back' = r/tenlm esl)'.
So both Ktti. and Kat. [adicfre).
" fhe Kth. and I.at. are in essential agreement (m the text ofthis verse. (Charles
conjectured .ui original '.And it was railed \UeTfth when it was recorded among the
feast d a \ s in the number ofthe davs ofthe vear.'
 1(12 Jubilees

R e b e c c a ' s nurse, died, and they buried her below the city, under
the oak by the river; and he"' called the place, Deborah's River,
il a n d the oak. The oak of mourning for Deborah. .\nd Rebecca
returiu-d home to his father Isaac; and J a c o b sent with her rams
a n d sheep and he-goats, so that she could prepare food for his
\2 father of the kitid he liked. . \ n d he went after his mother till he
c a m e to the land of K a b r a t a n , and he settled there.
i;i .Vnd Rachel gave birth to a son in the tiight, and she called him
Son o f m y sorrow (for her birth-pangs were severe), but his father
called him Benjamin - on the eleventh o f t h e eighth month in the
it first year o f t h e sixth week of this jubilee. . \ n d Rachel died there
a n d was buried in the land of Kphratha (that is Bethlehem); and
J a c o b set u p a pillar over Rachel's grave, by the road above her
gra\e.

XXXIII. . \ n d J a c o b moved and settled to the south of Migdal-

K d e r - K p h r a t a . .And he went to visit his father Isaac, he and his wife
•1 L e a h , on the new moon of the tenth month. .And Reuben saw
Bilhah, Rachel's maid, his father's concubine, bathing in water in
:i a secluded place, and he became enamoured of her. .And he hid
himself a n d went into Bilhah's house at night and found her asleep
t a l o n e on her bed in her house; and he lay with her. .And she woke
u p a n d looked round, and behold Reuben was lying with h e r o n the
bed; a n d she lifted the edge of her coverlet and took hold of him,
h a n d when she realized it was Reuben she cried out aloud. .And she
was a s h a m e d because of h i m , ' and she let go of him, and he fled.
(i A n d she was m u c h upset by what had happened and said nothing
7 to a n y one a b o u t it. .And when J a c o b returned and asked for^ her,
she said to him, I a m not clean for you, for I have been defiled:'
R e u b e n defiled me and lay with me in the night, when I was asleep,

" .So Klh.: I.at. they",

' So Kth.: I.at, "he was ashamed l)eeause olher", .\s the te.xts ofthis passage now
stand, this is the only clear case of confusion alH)Ut who was doing what. It is
probable, however, that at earlier stages in the tradition there were more; and in the
original it may well have l>een Reuben who lifted the edge ofthe coverlet and ttxjk
hi>ld of Bilhah. and then, when she cried out, let go of her, rather than vice versa.
' Kit. "sought", ' Lit. "defiled as regards you".
 Jubilees 103
a n d I did not realize who it was until he had uncovered niy shame''
ii a n d had intercourse with me. . \ n d J a c o b was \ e r y angry with
R e u b e n because he had lain with Bilhah - because hc had un­
covered his father's shame. .And J a c o b did not approach her again
because Reuben had dchled her.
9 .And any m a n who uncovers his father's shame - what he does is
wicked beyond measure, for he is abominable in the Lord's sight.
HI T h a t is why it is written and decreed on the heavenly tablets that a
m a n should not lie with his father's wife and should not uncover his
father's s h a m e , for to do this is unclean: they shall be put to death
together, the man who lies with his father's wife and the woman
11 also, for they are guilty of uncleanness on the earth. .And there shall
be n o t h i n g unclean before our God in the nation that he has chosen
12 for himselfas a possession. .And again, it is written a second time.
C u r s e d be the m a n who lies with his father's wife, for he has
uncovered his father's shame; and all the Lord's holy ones said.
A m e n , .Amen.
i;i .And d o you, Moses, c o m m a n d the sons of Israel to observe this
i n j u n c t i o n , ' for transgression of h entails the punishment of death,
a n d it concerns what is unclean; and there is no atonement that can
ever atone for the man who has committed this sin, but he must be
killed a n d put to d e a t h by stoning and uprooted from among the
14 people of o u r God. For no man who does this in Israel should be
allowed to remain alive a single day on the earth, for he is abomin-
15 able a n d unclean. And let no one say, Reuben was granted life and
forgiveness after he had lain with his father's concubine, and so
also was Bilhah,* although she had a husband, and her husband
lb J a c o b ( R e u b e n ' s ' father) was still alive. For at that time the
o r d i n a n c e a n d the decree and the law in its completeness, to cover
every case,* had not been revealed; but in your days it has been
revealed as a law for all times and seasons, and as an everlasting law
17 for all generations for ever. And for this law there is no time limit,
n e i t h e r can there be atonement for transgression ofh, but both the

' I.it. 'skirt' and so al.so in verses 8, 9, 10 and 12.

' I.it. 'this word'.
" I.it. ' T o Reuben was granted . , . and to her also'.
' I.it.'his'.
" Lit. Tor air.
1(11 Jubilees
man and the woman must hc uprooted Irom the nation: on the dav on
which they committed the sin" they shall be put to death.
.And d o you, .Moses, write // down l()r Israel, that they may
t ) b s c r \ e it, atid not do such a tliiiii;, a n d not commit a mortal sin;
lor the I.ord our God is a judge who neither respects persons nor
a c c e p t s bribes. .And tell them these wtirds of the coxcnaiit. that
they m a y hear them, and observe them, and be on their guard in
relation to them, a n d lake care not to be destroyed and uprooted
from the land; for all on the earth who commit this sin'" arc an
u n c l e a n n c s s a n d an a b o m i n a t i o n and a contamination and a pollu­
tion before our (Jod. .And there is no sin on earth they can commit
g r e a t e r t h a n fornication, for Israel is a holy nation to the I.ord its
(Jod, a n d a special nation o f h i s own, and a priestly and royal
n a t i o n for his possession; and no such iiiuleaiiiiess should be seen
in a holy nation.
.And in the third year ofthis sixth week Jacob and all his sons
went a n d lived in .Abraham's house near his father Isaac and his
m o t h e r Rebecca. .And these Acre the names of Jacob's sons;
R e u b e n (the eldest). Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, / e b u l o n - A / /
s o n s of Leah; a n d the sons of Rachel - Joseph and Benjamin; and
t h e sons of Bilhah - D a n and .Naphtali; and the .sons o f / i l p a h -
( j a d a n d .Asher; a n d Dinah, the d a u g h t e r of Leah (Jacob's only
d a u g h t e r ) . .And they came a n d bowed themselves before Isaac and
R e b e c c a ; a n d when they saw them they blessed J a c o b and all his
s o n s . .And Isaac rejoiced greatly when he saw his younger son
J a c o b ' s sons; a n d he blessed them.

XXXIV. .And in the sixth year of this week of this lourty-fourth

jubilee Jacob sent his sons to pasture their sheep in the pastures of
S h e c h e m . a n d his servants with them. .And the seven kings o f t h e
.Amorites b a n d e d together against them and ttxik up their posi­
tions in a w o o d , ' with the intention of killing them and taking their
c a t t l e as spoil. .And J a c o b a n d Levi and J u d a h and J o s e p h were at
h o m e with their father Isaac (for hc was in a sorry state and they

" I.it. •cmiimiticd it'.

I.it. 'commit it'.

' So I.tit.: r.th. 'Ititling themselves under the trees'.

 Jiihttees 10')

fould not l c a \ r him); and Benjamin was the youngest, and tor this
I reason remained with his lather. . \ n d the kinu; ol I a p p u a h eame.
a n d the king olWresa, and the kingol'Seragan. and the kingol'Selo.
a n d the king olXJaash. and the king ot'Beth-horon, and the king ol'
.Maanisakir, a n d all who li\e in these mountains and in the woods
in the land o f C a n a a n . .And Jacob was told. Behold, the kings ofthe
.Amorites b a s e surrounded your sons and plundered their herds.
Ii .And hc left his house, he and his three sons and all his father's
s e r \ a n t s and his own s e r \ a n t s . and he went against them with six
7 t h o u s a n d men armed with swords. .And he cut them down in the
p a s t u r e s of .Shechem, and he pursued the fugitives and put them to
the sword; a n d he killed Ihe kings of .Arcsa and Tappuah and
S a r c g a n and Sclo and .Amanisakir and (Jaash and reco\ered his
H h e r d s . .And hc gained the mastery over them and imposed tribute
on t h e m , a n d he m a d e them pay him as tribute live fruit products
<> of their land; and hc built' Robcl and Timnath-heres. .And he
r e t u r n e d in peace; and he m a d e peace w ith them, and they became
his servants till the day that he and his sons went df)wn to Kgspt,
10 .And in the seventh year ofthis week he sentjoscph from home lo
the land of Shechem to sec how his brothers were faring; and he
11 found t h e m in the land of Dothan. .And they conspired against
h i m ' a n d hatched a plot to kill him, but they changed their minds
a n d sold him to Ishmaelite merchants; and they took him down to
Kgypt a n d sold him to Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh's and his chief
V> cook, priest ofthe city of Klew.'' .And J a c o b ' s sons slaughtered a kid
a n d d i p p e d J o s e p h ' s coat in the blood and sent // to their father
Ii J a c o l ) on the tenth o f t h e sescnth month. .And he mourned all that
night (lor they had hrouglu it to him in the e v e n i n g ) , and he was
beside himself with grieP and said, .An evil beast has devoured
J o s e p h ; and all his household mourned with him that day, and
II they m o u r n e d a n d lamented with him the whole day. .And his sons
a n d his d a u g h t e r tried to comfort him, but hc refused to be com­
forted for his son.
1,3 .And on that day Bilhah heard that J o s e p h was dead, and she
• Or'rrstorixl*,
' I.it. 'behaved treaeiierousK towards hini*.
•* i.e. Helio|>olis,
' I.il, 'he became feverish with moiirnitiii; for his death'.
 Jubilees

dii-d while m o u r n i n g for him, and she was li\ing in Qafratef; and
D i n a h , J a c o b ' s ' d a u g h t e r , also died when she heard //ta/Joseph was
it> d e a d . . \ n d so Israel suffered three losses' in a single month. And
they buried Bilhah opposite Rachel's tomb; and they buried
17 J a c o b ' s ' d a u g h t e r Dinah there too. .And Jacob* mourned for
J o s e p h for a whole year and would not desist, for he said. Let me go
IH d o w n to the grave m o u r n i n g for my son. This is why it is decreed
that the.sons o f l s r a e l should mortify themselves on the tenth ofthe
seventh m o n t h (on the day that the news which m a d e him weep for
J o s e p h c a m e to his father J a c o b ) , and that on it they should make
expiation for themselves with a young goat - on the tenth o f t h e
seventh m o n t h , once a year, for their sin (for they had resented
l'l their father's alfection for his son J o s e p h ' ) . .And this day has been
set a p a r t so that on it they should grieve for their sins and for all
their transgressions a n d for all their misdeeds, and so cleanse
themselves, once a year, on that day.
L'(i .And after J o s e p h was taken away, J a c o b ' s sons married wives.
T h e n a m e of R e u b e n ' s wife was .Ada; and the name of Simeon's
wife .Adibaa, a Clanaanite; and the n a m e of Levi's wife Melka, an
.Aramaean,"' a d e s c e n d a n t o f t h e sons of T e r a h ; and the n a m e of
J u d a h ' s wife Betasuel, a C a n a a n i t e ; and the n a m e of Issachar's
w ife H e z a q a ; a n d the n a m e of Zebulon's wife Niiman; and the
n a m e of D a n ' s wife Egla; and the n a m e of .Xaphtali's wife Rasuu,
from .Mesopotamia; a n d the n a m e of G a d ' s wife M a k a ; and the
n a m e of .Ashcr's wife Ijona; and the n a m e ofjoseph's wife .Asenath,
'.'1 t h e E g y p t i a n ; a n d the n a m e of Benjamin's wife Ijasaka. And
S i m e o n repented a n d took a second wife from Mesopotamia, like
his b r o t h e r s .

X X X V . .And in the first year of the first week of the forty-fourth

j u b i l e e Rebecca s u m m o n e d her son J a c o b and gave him instruc­
tions to h o n o u r his father and his brother all the days o f h i s life.
1 .And J a c o b said, I will d o everything you tell me; for to honour

• I.it. -his'.
' Lit. '.\iid there came these three mournings on Israel*.
" I.it.*he*.
" Lit. I'or they had grie\ ed the afl'cction ol'their lather regarding his son Joseph'.
"' Lit. 'ofthe daughters ol'.Vram'.
 Jubilees 107
t h e m will bring mc honour, and greatness, and credit with' the
:i L o r d . . \ n d you know, mother, all my deeds and thoughts from the
d a v of mv birth till now; and you know that I am always wcll-
4 disposed towards everyone.- How. then, should I not d o what you
.5 tell me, a n d h o n o u r my lather a n d my brother.' Point out to me.
m o t h e r , a n y t h i n g ' you h a \ e observed in me that is e\ il. and I will
li set my face against it, a n d ask Ibr mercy. . \ n d she said to him. I
h a v e n c \ c r at any time, my son. seen you do anything that is evil
but only what is good." . \ n d 1 will tell you the truth, my son: this
year I shall die, and I shall not sur\ ive this present year; lor I h a \ e
seen the day ofmy d e a t h in a d r e a m , and I know that I shall not live
m o r e than a h u n d r e d a n d hfty-fi\e years: I h a \ e now all but com-
7 pictcd the span of life allotted to m c . ' .\nd J a c o b laughed at his
m o t h e r ' s words, because his mother told him that she was about to
die, when she was sitting opposite him in full possession of all her
faculties a n d was not in any way infirm; for she went in and out, her
sight was good, her teeth were strong, and she had n e \ e r had an
K illness in her life. .And J a c o b said to her. I should indeed be blessed,
m o t h e r , if the span ofmy life were to be anywhere near what yours
is, a n d I were to retain my faculties as you have: you are not dying:
it is only a n idle d r e a m you are telling me about your death.
<) .And she went in to Isaac and said to him. O n e thing I would ask
you: m a k e Ksau swear that hc will not injure J a c o b or maintain a
feud with him; for you know Ksau's disposition, how savage he has
been from his youth up, and there is nothing goiKl about him, and
10 he is only waiting for your death to kill J a c o b , " .And you know
e v e r y t h i n g hc h a s done from the day his brother J a c o b went to
H a r a n until to-day, how lie deliberately left u s ' and has done us
evil: he h a s appropriated your llocks and stripped you of all your
11 possessions. .And when wc implored and besought him for what
\'l was o u r own he assumed the role of someone taking pity on us. .And
he is embittered against you because you blessed J a c o b , your
' I.it. 'and r i g h t c o u s t i c s . s lu-lcire',
- Kill, 'thai I a l w a y s t h i n k gcxid l o n c c r n i i i i ; all': I . a i , 'that I a l w a y s <havi- ihi-
i n t e n t i o n ) to d o gixKl t o a l l ' ,
' I.it, 'what', •* I.it, 'upright',
' I.it, 'all the days o f m y life w h i e h I a m to live',
• I.it, "for h e d e s i r e s a f t e r y o u r d e a t h t o kill hitn',
' I.it. " h o w he forstxik us with all his h e a r t ' .
 108 Jubilees
ptTfcct a n d upright son; for in J a c o b " there is nothing evil, but only
w h a t is good, a n d since he came back from H a r a n until to-day he
h a s not let us lack for anything, but brings us everything in its
season always, a n d rejoices with all his heart when we take it at his
h a n d s , a n d blesses us and has not left us since he came back from
H a r a n until to-day, and he remains with us continually at home
a n d h o n o u r s us.
fi . \ n d Isaac said to her, I too know and .sec what J a c o b does, how
he stays by us," and how he honours us with all his heart: at one
time I loved Ksau more than J a c o b , because hc was the hrstborn;
but now I love J a c o b more than Ksau, for K s a u ' " h a s done all kinds
of evil, a n d there is no righteousness in him at all — everything he
does is v i c i o u s " and violent, and there is no righteousness alx)ul
11 him whatsoever. But now I a m troubled in mind because of what
hc does: neither hc nor his descendants will be saved, lor they are
destined to perish from the earth and be uprooted from under
h e a v e n ; lor he has forsaken the (Jod of .Abraham and followed his
wives a n d their uncleanness and their misdeeds, he and his
I.") c h i l d r e n . .And now you ask me to make him swear that he will not
kill his b r o t h e r J a c o b : even if he does swear, he will not abide by his
If) o a t h ; a n d hc will d o no good, but evil only. But if he does want to
kill his b r o t h e r J a c o b , he will be given into J a c o b ' s hands and will
17 not escape his h a n d s [, lor he will fall into his hands]. Have no fear
o n J a c o b ' s account; for J a c o b ' s guardian is great and piowerful and
h o n o u r a b l e , a n d m u c h more glorious than Ksau's guardian.
IK .And Rebecca sent and s u m m o n e d Ksau; and b e c a m e to her, a n d
s h e said to him, I have something to ask you, my son: promise me
HI you will d o it, my son. .And he said, I will d o everything you tell m c
I'd a n d not refuse you what you ask. .And she said to him, I ask that
w h e n I die, you will take me and bury me near Sarah, your father's
m o t h e r . .And / ask too that you and J a c o b will love one another, and
t h a t neither will h a r b o u r evil desires against the other, but mutual
love only, a n d so you will prosper, my sons, and be honoured in the
l a n d , a n d no enemy will rejoice over you, and you will be a blessing
21 a n d a mercy in the eyes of all that love you. And he said, I will do
e v e r y t h i n g you have told me, and on the day you die I will bury you
" I.it.'ill him'. " I.it.'who is with us'.
I.it.'he'. " I.it.'unrighteous'.
 Juhilees 109
n e a r S a r a h , my father's mother, siiiee you want her hones to be
'22 n e a r vour bones. .\nci I will. too. lo\e my lirother Jacob more than
a n y o t h e r li\ini; e r e a t t u e : ' ' for I h a \ e no niher brother anywhere in
the world, but him onl\'. It is n o g r e a t virtue in nie if I lo\e him. for
he is my brother: we were sown together in your womb, and we
l a m e forth together from your w o m b , " and if I do not lo\e my
b r o t h e r , whom shall I iovc? . \ n d I. liir my part, would ask you to
a p p e a l to Jacob o n m\ behalf and on my sons" behalf for I know
that he must r u l e o \ e r m e a n t ! mermy sons; for on the day my father
LM blessed him he tnacle him the setiior and mc theJtinior. .Vtid I swear
to you that 1 will love him and not harbour any evil desires against
h i m . but good otily. all my life. .And he swore a n oath to her in these
terms.
'25 And she s u t n m o n e d J a c o b iti I ' . s a i i s presence and gave him the
'2ii s a m e instructions she had gi\ t-n F.sau. .\nd he said, I will do as you
w o u l d h a \ e me d o : " believe me, n o e\il shall come to Ksau cither
from mc or from mv sons, and I will be the first in nothing, but in
J7 l o \ c only. .And they ate and drank, she and her sons that tiight.
.And that night she died, three jubilees and one week and one year
old: a n d her two sons. F.sau and Jacob, buried her in the double
cave near S a r a h , their father"s mother.

XXXVI. .And in the sixth year o f this week Isaac summoned his
two sons, Ksau and J a c o b ; and they came to him, and he said to
t h e m , .\ly sons, I am going the way o f m y fathers, to the eternal
2 house w h e r e my fathers are. Bury me near my father .Abraham, in
the d o u b l e cave in the held of Kphron the Hittitc, which .Abraham
b o u g h t as a burial plai<-: bury m e t h e r e , in t h e grave that I dug for
;i myself A n d this c o m m a n d I lay upon you, my sons, that you arc
j u s t a n d upright in your dealings on the earth, so that the Lord may
b r i n g u p o n you all that the Lord said hc would d o to .Abraham and
t his d e s c e n d a n t s . .And love one another, my sons, as a man loves his
own soul, a n d let each see what he can to do to help his brother and
act together with him on the earth; and let each love the other as his
own soul.
.") .And as for idols, I c o m m a n d j o u and I warn you to keep them
'•' I.it.'alxivr.ill flesh". " I.it. "iiavfl".
I.it. "1 will do your pic
110 Juhilees
from you and hate them, and love them not: for they are a delusion
a n d a s n a r e ' to those who worship them atid how down to them.
R e m e m b e r the I.ord, my sons, the (Jod ol .Abraham your lather,
a n d how I too m a d e him my (Jod and served him in righteousness
a n d j o y , that he might multiply you and increase the number of
y o u r d e s c e n d a n t s //// they were like the stars ol'heaven, and that he
might establish you on the earth as the plant ol' righteousness
which will not be uprooted for all generations forever.
.And now I will make you swear a great oath (for there is no oath
greater) by the .Name, glorious and honoured and great and
splendid a n d wonderful, the S'ame of him who created the heavens
a n d the earth and all things together - that you will fear him and
w o r s h i p him; and that each nfyou will love his brother in affection
a n d righteousness, and that neither of you will h a r b o u r any evil
desires against his brother either now or at any future time, so that
you m a \ prosper in e\ crything you do and may not be destroyed.
.And if either of you plans any evil against his brother, know now
that whoever docs plan evil against his brother will fall into his
h a n d a n d be uprooted from the land ofthe living, and his progeny
will perish from the earth.^ But on the day of turmoil and execra­
tion a n d indignation a n d anger, just as the L o r d ' burned Sodom
with flaming and devouring hre, so will hc burn that man's'' land
a n d his city and all that is his, and he will be blotted out ofthe book
o f t h e discipline of mortal men, and not be recorded in the book of
life, but r a t h e r in that which is' appointed for destruction; and hc
will d e p a r t into eternal execration - so that their condemnation
m a y be always renewed in hate and execration and wrath and
t o r m e n t a n d indignation, and in plagues and disease for ever. I tell
you this a n d testify to you, my sons, that judgement will come*
u p o n the m a n who lays plans to injure his brother.
.And on that day hc divided all his possessions between the two of
them; a n d he gave the larger part to the e l d e r - t h e tower and all that
w a s r o u n d about it, and everything that had belonged to .Abraham
at the Well o f t h e O a t h . .And he said, I will give the elder this larger
' Lit. 'they arc full Dl'dcccptioii'.
• Lit. Troni under heaven".
' Lit. "he". * Lit.'his'. ' O r ' t h a t uf"those'.
" I.it. 'according to the judgement that will come'.
 JuhUees 1I 1
14 p o r t i o n . . \ n d Ksaii said. I soldjacol) my portion as cidt-r brother
a n d have g i \ c n it to him: let it therefore hc given liim: 1 liave no
\') claim on it,' for it is his. . \ n d Isaac, said, .May a blessing rest upon
you. my sons, and upon your descendants this day; Ibr you h a \ e s e t
my mind at rest, and I h a \ e no anxiety about the elder"s portion.
Hi that you will come to blows about it. May the .Most High (iod bless
the m a n that does what is right, may he hies.s him and his
17 d e s c e n d a n t s for c\cr. . \ n d hc finished instructing them and bless­
ing t h e m ; and the>- ate and drank together in his presence, and hc
rejoiced at the h a r m o n y between them. .And they went out from
IH him a n d rested that day and slept. .And Isaac slept on his bed that
d a y rejoicing; and he slept the eternal sleep and died, a hundred
a n d eighty years old. He thus completed twenty-five weeks and fi\c
years; a n d his sons Ksau and Jacob buried him.
19 .And Ksau went to the land of Kdom, to the mountains of .Seir,
I'd a n d li\ed there. .And Jacob lived in the mountains of Hebron, in
the tower in the country where his father .Abraham had lived; and
he worshipped the Lord with all his heart and in accordance with
the c o m m a n d m e n t s that had been revealed at the time of his
21 birth." .And his wife Leah died in the fourth year ofthe second week
o f t h e forty-fifth jubilee; and he buried her in the double cave near
Rebecca his tnother, on the left o f t h e grave of .Sarah his father's
22 m o t h e r . .And all her sons and his sons came to mourn over his wife
L e a h with him, and to comfort him on her account, because he w as
2:i m a k i n g lamentation for her. For after her sister Rachel died he
loved her all the m o r e , ' for she was perfect and upright in all her
w a y s a n d h o n o u r e d ' " J a c o b ; and all the time she lived with him he
never h e a r d a harsh word from h e r mouth, for s h e w a s gentle and
24 p e a c e a b l e and upright and honourable. .And he remembered
e v e r y t h i n g she had done d u r i n g her lifetime; and he m a d e a great
l a m e n t a t i o n for her, for he loved her heart and soul.

X X X V n . A n d on the day that J a c o b and Ksau's father Isaac died,

E s a u ' s sons h e a r d that Isaac had given the elder's portion t o j a c o b
' Lit. T have not a single word to say regarding it".
' Both the text and the meaning are uncertain here: the Elh. .MS.S diller among
ihemseh es as well as from the Lat.
' L i t . ' h e loved her exceedingly". '° One Elh. .MS reads'loved'.
1 1 '2 Jubilees
his younger son; and tliey were very angry. . \ n d they started a
d i s p u t e witli their father, saying, why has your father given J a c o b
t h e elder's portion and passed you over, although you are the elder
a n d J a c o b the younger? . \ n d he said to them. Because I sold my
b i r t h r i g h t t o j a c o b Ibr a modest lentil stew; and on the day my
father sent me out h u n t i n g to bring him back something, so that he
could eat of il a n d bless me, J a c o b ' treacherously came and
b r o u g h t my father food and drink, and my father blessed him and
m a d e me his s u b o r d i n a t e * .Xnd now our father has made us swear,
b o t h of us, that we will plan no evil against each other, either of us
against his brother, and that we will persevere in love and peace,
each with his brother, and not be led astray.' And they said to him,
w c will not listen to you and make peace with him. for our strength
is g r e a t e r t h a n his strength, and we are more powerful than he is:
we will attack him and kill him, and we will destroy his sons;" and if
you will not go with us, we will do you some d a m a g e too. Listen
now to us: let us send to .Aram and Philistia and M o a b and .Ammon
a n d choose lor ourselves picked men, ardent for battle, and let us
a t t a c k him a n d d o battle with him and exterminate him from the
e a r t h before he takes root and grows strong.
.And their father said to them. Do not go and make war with him
in case you fall before him. .And they said to him. This is exactly
h o w you always have behaved from your youth till now: you
s u b m i t your neck to his yoke; but we will not listen to such talk.
.And they sent to .Aram, and to .Aduram, their father's friend, and
they hired along with them a thousand hghting men, picked war­
riors all oJ Ihem. And there came to them from M o a b and from the
.Ammonites a thousand picked mercenaries, and from Philistia a
t h o u s a n d picked warriors, and from Edom and the Horites a
t h o u s a n d picked hghting men, and from the Kittim mighty war­
riors. .And they said to their father. T a k e the held with them and
lead t h e m , or we will kill you. .And he was furious and indignant
w h e n he saw his sons were forcing him to take command ofthem
a n d lead them against his brother J a c o b . But afterwards he recol-
' l.il. "he'. •' I.il.'pill mc under his hand'.
' I.il. 'and nol make our ways corrupi'.
'' .So the majoritv ofF.ih. .\1SS: Lai. and (it would seem) one Elh. .MS read 'him
and his sons'.
 Jubilees 11:5
li'c'tcci all the evil thoughts about his brother J a c o b that lay hidden in
his heart: and he forgot the oath he had sworn to his father and his
m o t h e r that he would never plan e\ il against his brother J a c o b at
a n \ time.
It .And in spite of all this J a c o b was unaware that they were coming
against him to battle (for he was mourning for his wife Leah) until
they c a m e \ ery near to the tower with four thousand warriors and
jjicked lighting men. .And the men of Hebron sent to him. saying.
Heboid your brother has come against you to hght you, with four
t h o u s a n d men armed with swords and with shields and other
w e a p o n s . (They told hitn because they much preferred J a c o b to
Ksau. for J a c o b was a much kinder and more generous man than
hi Ksau.) But J a c o b would not believe;/ until they came very near the
17 tower. .And hc shut the gates of the tower and stood on the
b a t t l e m e n t s and addressed his brother Ksau and said. This is hnc
comfort you come with to comfort me for my wiles death. Is this
the o a t h that you swore to your father and again to your mother
before they died? ^'ou h a \ e broken the oath: and at the very
m o m e n t you swore to your father you were condemned.
IK .And Ksau answered immediately and said to hitn. Neither man
nor beast knows of atiy oath that is inviolable, which when once
sworn, is \ alid for ever;' but they plan evil against each other every
I'l d a y , how they can kill their rivals and their enemies. Wm hate i n e
a n d my children always; and there is no possibility 0/ observing the
21) tie of brotherhood with you. Listen now to this."
I f the b o a r can change his skin and make his bristles as soft as
wool.
O r if he can make horns to sprout out ofhis head like the
h o r n s o f a stag or a sheep.
Then will I observe the tie of brotherhood with you.'

' I.it. 'Ncitlicr tlu- SOILS of men nor the heasts of the earth have any oath ol
righteousness, which in swearing they h a \ e sworn l()r e\er'.
^ I.it. ' H e a r these words which I declare to \ou*.
' .Ml the Kth. .MS.S add an extra line at this point, which does not ht well into the
context. C:harles rendered it '.And if the breasts separated themselves I'roni their
mother, for you have not Iwen a brother to me' and supposed it to be a wandering
fragment from verse 19. .Mter transposing the two distinct clauses in the line, and
some further emendation, he suggested as the original for verse 19. 'You hate me
 1 14 Juhileen
•1\ Anci il'tlic wolves can make peace with the lambs so as not to
d e v o u r them or do them violciuc.
A n d i l t h e i r hearts are inclined towards them lor good.
1 hen shall there be peace in my heart towards you.
. \ n d ifthe lion becomes the friend ofthe ox and makes peace
with him."
. \ n d if he is Joined u n d e r one yoke with him and ploughs with
him.
Then will I make peace with you.
Ji . \ n d when the r a \ e n becomes white like the raza,"
I h c n know that I am well disposed towards you,
.And that I w ill make peace with you.
But mm-you shall be rooted up. and your .sons shall be rooted
up.
. \ n d you shall have no peace.
•Jl .And when J a c o b saw that hc was .to e\illy disposed towards him
a n d was determined at all costs to kill him, and that he had come
c h a r g i n g at liim like a wild boar that hurls itself without flinching
against the spear that pierces and kills it, he gave the order to his
household and his servants to attack him and all his associates.

XXXVIIl. .And J u d a h spoke up at once and said to his fatherjacob.

Bend your bow, father, and let lly your arrows,
.And bring low the adversary and slaughter the enemy;
.And may you have the power.
For wc will not kill your brother because hc is your brother,
.And wc owe him as much honour as we owe to you.
•> Then J a c o b bent his bow and let fly an arrow and shot his brother
:i Esau in the right breast, and killed him. .And he let fly another

and itu rhikircii always; Ibr you have nc\fr Ijccu a brother to mc since the twins
were separated from their mother, and there is no poisibilily o/ observing the tie of
brotherhiKKl with you'.

" In stmie .M.S.S 'and makes peace with him' is placed after 'and ploughs with
him': in others it is omitted.
** .According to (lharles this was the local name for 'a large white bird'.
 JuhUees 1 1J
a r r o w a n d shot Adoran the A r a m a e a n in tlu- h'lt breast, and
knociccd him olFhis feet and killed him.
•\ And then J a c o b ' s sons went out with their servants. di\ idcd into
.i c o m p a n i e s on the four sides o f t h e tower. .-Vnd J u d a h went out in
front, a n d .Naphtali and CJad with him and lilty servants, on the
s o u t h side o f t h e tower; and they killed everyone they Ibund before
6 t h e m , a n d not a single one escaped. .-Vnd Levi and Dan and .Asher
w e n t out on the east side ofthe tower, and hfty men with them; and
7 they killed the hghting men of .Moab and .Anmion. .-Vnd Reuben
a n d I s s a c h a r and Zcbulon went out on the north side ofthe tower,
a n d fifty men with them; and they killed the fighting men of the
8 Philistines. .-\nd Simeon and Benjamin and Knoch, Reuben's son,
w e n t out on the west side ofthe tower, and fifty men with them; and
they killed four h u n d r e d men of Kdom and the Horites (stout
w a r r i o r s all of them), and si.x h u n d r e d fled; and four of Ksau's sons
fled with them and left their father lying dead, just as he had fallen
9 on the hill in .Aduram. \nd J a c o b ' s sons pursued them to the
m o u n t a i n s of Seir. .\nd J a c o b buried his brother on the hill in
A d u r a m a n d returned home.
10 A n d J a c o b ' s sons pressed hard o n ' Esau's sons in the mountains
in Seir a n d subduecl t h e m , ' so that they became their servants.'
11 A n d they sent to their father asking whether they should make
12 p e a c e with them or kill them. .And J a c o b sent word to his sons that
they should m a k e peace; and they m a d e peace with them and laid
o n t h e m the yoke of servitude, so that they paid tribute t o j a c o b
13 a n d his sons in perpetuity. .And they continued to pay tribute to
14 J a c o b till the day he went down into Egypt. .\nd the Edomites have
not got quit of the yoke of servitude that J a c o b ' s twelve sons
i m p o s e d on t h e m to this day.
15 A n d these are the kings that reigned in Kdom before there
16 reigned a n y king over Israel - to this day in the land of Kdom." .\nd
Balak, the son of Beor, reigned in Edom, and the name ofhis city
17 w a s D i n h a b a . And Balak died, and was succeeded by J o b a b , the

' So Eth.: Lat. 'surrounded'.

' Lit. ' m a d e them bow their necks'.
' Lit. 'liecame servants ofjacob's sons'.
* Charles bracketed to this day' as an insertion. Perhaps both phrases are
ditlographs.
1 1 () juhilees
son of / c r a h ol' Bosra. And J o h a b died, and was succeeded by
H u s l i a i n I'roin ' l e n i a n . And H u s h a m died, and was succeeded by
. \ d a t h , the son of Barad, who dch-atc-d .Midian in .Moabitc terri­
tory, a n d the n a m e of his city was .\vith. . \ n d . \ d a t h died, and
was succeeded by .Salman from .Amasecia. .And Salman died,
a n d was succeeded by Satil of Rehoboth by the river. .And Saul
died, a n d was succeeded by B a a l - H a n a n , the son of .Achbor. .And
B a a l - H a n a n , the son of .Achbor, died, and was succeeded by
.Adath; a n d the n a m e o f h i s wife was Maitabith, the d a u g h t e r of
.Matarat, the d a u g h t e r of .Metabedzaab. These arc the kings that
reigned in the land of Kdom.

XXXIX. .And Jacob lived in the country' where his father had
settled, in the land of C a n a a n . Ihis is the story ofhis family.-
Joseph was s e \ c n t e e n years old when they took him down to the
l a n d of Kgypt, and Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's eunuchs and his
chief cook, bought him. .And hc put J o s e p h in charge ofhis house­
hold; a n d the Lord blessed the Kgyptian's household because of
Joseph, a n d the Lord m a d e him successful in everything he did.
.And the Kgyptian left everything in Joseph's hands,' Ibr he saw that
the Lord was with him and m a d e him successful in e\ervthing he
did.
.And J o s e p h was h a n d s o m e and scry good-looking, and his
m a s t e r ' s wife eyed him and took notice of him; and she fell in love
with him a n d begged him to lie with her. But he would not
surre^ndcr himself, for hc remembered the Lord and whaf* his
f a t h e r j a c o b used to read from the c o m m a n d m e n t s ' of .Abraham,
t h a t no m a n should commit fornication with a woman that has a
h u s b a n d , that for the m a n w h o d o e s ' the punishment of death has
been o r d a i n e d in the heavens before the .Most High God, and that
his sin will be recorded against him in the eternal bxjoks before the
L o r d for ever. .And J o s e p h remembered this and refused to lie with

' Or-lancf.
' Lit. •fhesf arc tfic gcticratiuiis ofjacob'.
' Kill. MSS -in Jo.scpli's presence': the eineiiclatiim is based on the Lat. of
verse 11.' atid the H r b . of (Jen. xxxix. b.
•* L i t . ' t h e words which'. ' Lit. "ttir words'.
' Lit. 'for him'.
 Jubilees 11 7
H l u T . And slu' pleaded with hini liir a whole year, and Ihen liir another
year; but he rel'u.sed to li.sten.
!i . \ l la.sl.' when they were indoors, she eauglit hold of him and
e l u n g to him. to try and force him to lie with her. and she locked the
d o o r s o f t h e house and clung tightly to him; but he fled, leaving his
HI cloak in her h a n d s , and broke o|)eii the doors and escaped. . \ n d the
w o m a n saw that he would not lie with her," and she told his master
lies a b o u t him, saying. Your Hebrew servant that you are so fond of
tried to force mc a n d lie with mc; and when I screamed out he lied
a n d left his cloak 1 had taken hold of in my hands and broke open
11 the door. .\iid the Kgyptian saw Joseph's cloak and the broken
d o o r a n d belie\cd what his wife had told him;" and he put Joseph
in prison, in the place where the king's prisoners were kept.
VI . \ i i d he was there in the prison. . \ n d the Lord made the governor
o f t h e prison well-disposed towards J o s e p h and treat him kindly
(for he saw that the I.ord was with him and that the I.ord made
him successful in everything he d i d ) ; and he left everything in his
VS h a n d s . ' " .And the governor o f t h e [irison knew of nothing that was
h a p p e n i n g in the p r i s o n . " for J o s e p h did everything; and the Lord
m a d e it a//succeed. .And he remained there two years.
It .And in those days Pharaoh, king of Kgypt, was angry with two of
his eumiclis, the chief butler and the chief baker, and he put them
in c u s t o d y in the chief ccKik's house, in the prison where Joseph was
!.•) kept. .And the governor ofthe prison appointed Joseph to attend to
Hi t h e m ; a n d he waited on them. .And they both dreamed a d r e a m , ' '
the chief butler a n d the chief baker, and they told it'^ t o j o s e p h .
17 .And as he interpreted // to them, .so it happened to them: the chief
butler Pliaraoli restored U) liis office, a n d t h e eliief hak<-r he
18 h a n g e d " - j u s t as J o s e p h had interpreted to them. But the chief
b u t l e r forgot J o s e p h in the prison, although hc had told him what
would h a p p e n to him; and he did not remember to tell Pharaoh
how J o s e p h had told him,'" but forgot.
' I.it. 'Bilt'. " So r.th.; i.al. 'that he despised her'.
" l.il.'heard the words of his wile'. .So I.at.: Kth.'in his presein e'.
" .So I.at.: Kth. 'nothing that was with hini'.
So Kill.: I.at. 'dreamed dreams . . . them'.
" So K a t : Kth.'the baker he killed'.
'* So Kill.: I.at. 'and did not remember lo ask that Phara<>h the king might
inter\ene and release Joseph'.
118 Jubilees
XL. . \ n d in those days Pharaoh had two d r e a m s in one night,
a b o u t a famine there was to be in all the land; and he woke up from
his sleep a n d called all the interpreters of d r e a m s there were in
Egypt, a n d the magicians, and he told them his two dreams, and
thev were not able to interpret them. T h e n the chief butler
r e m e m b e r e d J o s e p h and spoke to the king about him; and he had
h i m fetched from the prison and repeated his two dreams to him.
.And he told P h a r a o h that his two dreams were one; and he said to
h i m . T h e r e will be seven years of plenty throughout the land of
E g y p t , a n d after that seven years of famine, such as there have
n e \ e r been before in all the land. Pharaoh should now appoint
controllers' in all the land of Egypt, who can store up food in every
city d u r i n g the seven years^ of plenty, .so that there will be (bod for
the seven years of famine, and the land %vill not perish through the
famine, lor it will be very severe.
.And the Lord m a d e Pharaoh look favourably on what J o s e p h
s a i d , ' a n d P h a r a o h said to his ser%ants, we shall not find anywhere
such a wise a n d knowledgeable m a n as this m a n ; for the spirit of
the Lord is with him. .And he appointed him viceroy" in all his
k i n g d o m , a n d gave him authority over the whole of Egypt, and
m o u n t e d him in P h a r a o h ' s viceroy's chariot. And he dressed him
in fine linen a n d put a gold chain on his neck, and he was acclaimed
El El wa.Abirer.'.And Pharaoh" put a ring on his finger'and placed
his household in his charge; a n d he m a d e a great man of him and
said to h i m . O n l y as regards the throne will I be greater than you.
.And J o s e p h ruled over all the land of Egypt; and all Pharaoh's
princes a n d all his servants and all who did the king's business
loved h i m , for he was straight in his dealings, without pride or
a r r o g a n c e , a n d he showed favour to no one and accepted no bribes,
b u t decided every case that was brought before him with strict
i m p a r t i a l i t y . ' And the land of Egypt lived at peace under Pharaoh

' I'hc Eth. .\I.SS dillcr among themselves: Lat.'sptculatorts'.

' .So Eat.: Eth. 'throughout the days ofthe years'.
' Lit. '.And the Lord gave Joseph grace and mercy in the eyes of Pharaoh*.
•* Lil. 'the second'.
' So Eth. (God. God. the Mighty O n e of God'): Lat. 'Etel tt Habirel'.
" Lit. 'he'. ' Lit. 'hand'.
* Lit. 'but judged in uprightness all the peoples ofthe land'.
 Juhilees 119
b e c a u s e of J o s e p h , for the Lord was w ith him and made all those
t h a t knew him and had heard about him look with favour on him
a n d on his family; and Pharaoh's kingdom was well ordered, and
10 t h e r e was no a d v e r s a r y ' nor any evil person in it. . \ n d the king
n a m e d J o s e p h Z a p h n a t h - p a a n e a h ; and hc gave Joseph as a w ife
t h e d a u g h t e r of Potiphar (the daughter, that is, of the priest of
Heliopolis, the chief cook).
11 . \ n d J o s e p h was thirty years old the day that he entered
P h a r a o h ' s s e r v i c e ; a n d was in that same year in which Isaac died.
\2 .And it c a m e to pass as J o s e p h had foretold in the iiuerpretation of
P h a r a o h ' s " two d r e a m s , just as he had foretold it, there were seven
years of plenty throughout the land of Kgypt, and the land of Kgypt
p r o d u c e d a b u n d a n t l y , one measure producing eighteen hundred
l;i m e a s u r e s . .And J o s e p h gathered food in every city until each one
was stacked so full of corn that it was no longer possible to keep a
record of how much there was.

XLl. .And in the fourty-hfth jubilee, in the second week, in the

second year, J u d a h found a wife for his eldest son Kr. a woman of
L' .Aram n a m e d T a m a r . But he took a dislike to her and would not lie
with her, because his mother was a woman of O a n a a n and he
w a n t e d a wife from his mother's kinsfolk, but his father, J u d a h ,
•.\ would not allow it. .And this Kr, J u d a h ' s eldest son, was wicked,
4 a n d the Lord took his life. .And J u d a h said to O n a n , his brother.
T a k e y o u r brother's wife and do your duty as her brother-in-law
.') a n d raise offspring for your brother. .And O n a n knew that the
olfspring would not be his, but his brother's only, and he went into
his sister-in-law's house and spilled his seed on the ground; and he
6 too w a s wicked in the Lord's sight, and hc t(X)k his life as well. .And
J u d a h said to his daughter-in-law T a m a r , Remain in your father's
h o u s e as a widow till my son .Shelah grows up, and I will give you to
7 h i m as his wife. .And he grew up; but Bath-Shua, J u d a h ' s wife,
would not allow her son Shelah to marry her. .And Bath-Shua.
J u d a h ' s wife, died in the fifth year ofthis week.
8 .And in the sixth year J u d a h set olf for T i m n a t h a h to shear his
' Or'Satan'.
.Ml MSS atid 'when he entered Pliaranh'.s ser\ ice' - elearlv a dittograph.
" Lit.'his'.
 121) Juhilees
.slu(|). Aiul ihcy said to T a m a r . Bcliold your ratlicr-iii-law is going
'I u p to Timnatliali to shear his sheep. .And slic set aside her widow's
w ccds. anci put on a \ ei!, and adorned iiersell, anci sat in the gate by
III tlic r i n i i i a t h a h road. .And as J u d a h was on his way he came upon
her a n d thought she was a harlot and said to her. Let mc come in to
11 you; and she said to him. Caimc in; and hc went in. .And she said to
him, (;i\ c mc my fee; and hc .said to her, I have nothing with m e '
but the ring on my hiigcr. my bracelet, and the stall'in my hand.
1J . \ n d she said to him, (Jive me them till you send mc my Ice; and hc
said to her, I will send you a kid; and he gave them to her and went
:> in to h e r . ' a n d she conceived by him. .AndJudah went to his shc-ep,
a n d she went to her lather's house.
II . \ n d J u d a h sent his shepherd, an .Adullamite. with the kid, but
he could not lind her; and he asked the people ofthe place, saying,
1.) W h e r e is the harlot here?' .And they said to him. We have no harlot
here. .And he returned and told J u d a h " that he could not hnd her
a n d said to him. 1 asked the people o f t h e place, and they said to
m c . There is no harlot here. .And he said. Let her keep t h e m , ' or we
shall become a laughing-stock.
III . \ n d when she had completed three months it became obvious
that she was with child; and they told J u d a h , saying. Behold,
17 T a m a r , your daughter-in-law, is with child by harlotry. .And
J u d a h went to her father's house and said to her father and her
b r o t h e r s . Bring her out and let her be burnt, for she has committed
in an outrage'' in Israel. .And it came to pass when they brought her
out to b u r n her. she sent her father-in-law the ring and the bracelet
a n d the stall', saying. Do you recognize whose these are? By him 1
l'l a m with child. .And J u d a h realized that ihey were his and said, 'Tamar
•_i|i is m o r e in the right than 1 am, so let her not be burnt. .And Ibr that
reason she was not given to Shelah;' and he did not approach her
' l.il. 'in my hand'.
• .S(i l.al.: Kill om. 'and wcni in to her'.
' Kill, 'wlio i.s here': I.al. 'who was hcrr'.
.So l . a l : Kill.'him'. ' .So I . a l : Kth. ' >'»u keep iV.
" Kit. 'wrought umlcanncss'.
This scnlciut* fits in \ vr\ oddly here. It) Gvn. xxxviii. 'Jli J u d a h gives no explicit
< (Hintrr-iristruetions that T a m a r should nol be burnt, and the statement aliout her
not being given lo Shelah is p a n ot Judah's declaration, explaining why he thought
she \\;is more in the right than he was. T h e probability is that J u d a h ' s counter-
 Jubilees 121
again. .\ncl alter that she bore two sons, Perez and / e r a h . in the
seventh year ofthis second week. (.And it was then that the seven
years of plenty came to an end. about which Joseph had spoken to
Pharaoh.)
.And J u d a h realized that what he had done was wrong (tor he
h a d h a d intercourse with his daughter-in-law), a n d he despised
hintself because ofit" and realized he had transgressed and done
s o m e t h i n g shameful (for he had dishonoured his son's bed), and hc
began to lameiu and make sujjplication betore the I.ord because of
his transgression. .And we told him in a dream that it would be
forgiven him because his supplication and his lamentation were
sincere, a n d provided he did not transgress again. .And he received
forgiv cness because he repented ofhis sin and because hc had done
it without knowing what it was he did (although his tran.sgression
w as very great before our Ood. and e\ eryone that behaves like this,
and everyone that has intcrcotirse with his mothcr-in-law, must be
b u r n t with hre and destroyed," for they are unclean and polluted:
let them be burnt with hre. .And do you give instructions to the sons
of Israel that there be no uncleaimess among them, for everyone
that has intercourse with his daughter-in-law or his mother-in-law
brings on himself"' uncleanncss: let them be burnt with fire, both
the m a n who has had intercourse with her and the woman also;
a n d t h e I . o r d " will turn back his wrath and avert the punishment
from Israel.) .And we assured Judah that inasmuch as his two .sons
h a d not h a d intercourse with I ' a m a r , ' ' his own offspring by her
were established as a second family and would not be rooted up.
For hc h a d honestly sought her punishment, and, in accordance
with .Abraham's ruling that he had given to his sons, Judah had
tried to have her burnt with hre.

iiLstrm tinii ( w l u - t h t T added b y tlie a u t h o r o l j u b i l e c s h i i i L s e l f o r by a later s o u r c e )

had been a c c i d e n t a l l y i n s e r t e d in t h e w r o n g p l a c e in t h e te.\t, a n d that w e s h o u l d
r e v e r s e the c l a u s e s in verses 19-2(1 a n d r e a d '.yiid j u d a h r e a l i z e d tlial l/in uere his
and said, " ' f a n i a r is more in t h e right than I a m . b e c a u s e s h e w a s not given t o
.Sliel.ih: so let h e r not lie burnt". .\nd hc d i d not a p p r o a c h her again".

" I.it. "and he e s t e e m e d it h a t e h i l in his eyes".

" I.it. ' b u r n t w i t h lire t h a t h e m a y b u r n in it".
I.it. "has w r o u g h t ' .
" I.it. "he". " I.it. "her".
 122 Jubilees
XLII. .\iid ill tlic first y e a r o f the third week ofthe forty-hfth jubilee
the fainiiie struck the land; and the rain failed.' for none whatever
2 fell. . \ n d the whole earth was parched; but in the land of Egypt there
was food, for J o s e p h had gathered the produce o f t h e land in the
.i s c \ c n years of plenty and had preserved it. . \ n d the Egpytians
c a m e to Joseph to provide them with food; and he opened the
g r a n a r i e s where the first year's grain was stored, and hc sold it to the
people of the land for gold.
I .Now in the land of Clanaan the famine was very severe indeed;^
a n d J a c o b heard there was food in Egypt, and he sent ten ofhis
sons to buy food for him in Egypt (Benjamin he did not send), and
they a r r i v e d ' together with others that had come to buy com there.
.) .And Josci)h recognized them, but they did not recognize him; and
he spoke harshly to them" and said to them, You are spies and have
li c o m e to spy on our defences.' .And he put them in prison. And
afterwards he set them free, but kept Simeon behind and sent off
7 his nine brothers. .Xnd he hlled their sacks with corn; and he put
fi their money in their sacks as well, and they did not know it. .And he
o r d e r e d them to bring/itw their younger b r o t h e r - f o r they had told
him their father was still living and about their younger brother.
'I .And they went up from the land of Egypt and came to the land of
Clanaan; and they told their father all that had happened to them,
a n d how the lord o f t h e country had spoken harshly to them and
HI h a d kept Simeon behind till they should bring him Benjamin. And
J a c o b said. You have robbed me of my children! J o s e p h is no more,
a n d Simeon too is no more, and now you would take Benjamin
11 a w a y : on me has your wickedness fallen." .And he said, .Vly son
shall not go d o w n with you: he might fall ill;' for h i s ' mother gave
birth to two sons, and one is dead, and now you would take this one
from mc: if he was taken ill on the way, you would b r i n g d o w n my
12 grey hairs with sorrow to the grave. (For he s a w ' that their money
' Lil. "refused lo lie gi\en to the land".
' "Now . . . indeed" is read by the Lat. only.
' So Kill.: Lat. "and the ten sons ofjacob arrived in Egypt".
' .So Lat.: Eth. "spoke to them and questioned them".
' Eth. "to spy out the approaches of the land": Lat. 'to spy out the land".
" So Eth.: Lat. differs substantially.
' I.at. adds "on the way". ' Lil.'their'.
" So Eth.: I.at. 'for thev had told him'.
 Jubilees Vn
h a d been returned to each ofthem in their sacl^s, and it was for this
reason that he was afraid to send him.)
13 .And the famine became even more severe in the land of Canaan,
a n d in all nther lands, though not in the land of Kgypt, for many of
the Egyptians had of their own accord been storing their produce for
food ever since they saw Joseph gathering it and putting it in
It g r a n a r i e s to preserve it lor the years of famine. .And the people of
15 Egypt fed themselves on it in the hrst year of their famine. .And
w h e n Israel saw that the famine was so severe in the land and that
t h e r e was no relief he said to his sons, Go again and buy food for us
16 to keep ourselves alive. .And they said. We will not go: unless our
17 youngest brother goes with us, we will not go. .And Israel saw that
18 if he did not send him with them they would all starve.'" .And
R e u b e n said. Entrust him to mc, and if I do not bring him back to
you, you can kill both my sons in exchange for h i m . " .And he said
19 to him. H e shall not go with you. .And J u d a h came forward and
said. Send him with me, and if I do not bring him back to you, you
20 can hold me guilty all my life. .And he sent him with them in the
second year o f t h i s week, on the hrst day o f t h e month, and they
c a m e to the land of Egypt with all the others who had come to buy:
a n d they look presents with them, stacte and almonds and terebinth
n u t s a n d p u r e honey.
21 .And they came and stood before Joseph. .And he saw his brother
Benjamin and recognized him; and he said to them, Is this your
youngest brother? .And they said to him. It is. .And he said, .May the
L o r d be gracious to you, my son! .And he sent him into his house.
22 .And he brought Simeon out to them, and he made a feast for them;
23 a n d they gave him the preseiu they had brought with them. .And
they ate in his presence; and he g a v e them each a portion, but
24 B e n j a m i n ' s portion was seven times larger than any of theirs. .And
25 they ate a n d d r a n k and returned to'^ their asses. And Joseph
devised a plan to test them o u t , " and he said to the steward who
was in charge o f h i s household. Kill all their sacks with food, and
'° Lit. 'perish through I'ainine'.
'' Lit. 'instead ofhis soul'.
" Lit. 'remained with'.
" Lit. 'a plan by which he might learn their thoughts as to whether thoughts of
peace prevailed among them'.
 124 Jubilees
put their money back in their sacks,''' and put my cup (the silver
c u p I drink out of) in the youngcst's sack, and send them away.

XLIII. .And hc did as J o s e p h had told him, and hc hlled all their
sacks for them with food and put their money in their sacks, and he
p u t the c u p in Benjamin's sack; and early in the morning they
2 d e p a r t e d . .And it c a m e to pass, after they had started, J o s e p h said
to the steward o f h i s household. H u r r y after t h e m ' and accuse
thein, saying. You have repaid me evil for good: you have stolen
from mc the siKer cup my lord drinks out of .And bring me back
their youngest brother - and fetch him quickly before I go out to
:i c o u r t . .And he ran after them and said what he had been told to
I t h e m . .And they said to him, God forbid that your servants should
d o such a thing as to steal anything^ from your lord's house. Even
the money wc found in our sacks the first time, your servants
b r o u g h t back from the land of C a n a a n : how then could we steal
.•) a n y t h i n g ? Behold, here are we and our sacks: search us, and in
w h o e v e r ' s sack a m o n g us you find the cup, let him be put to death,
a n d we a n d o u r asses will become your lord's slaves. .And he said to
li t h e m , .No! 1 will take as a slave only the man in whose possession 1
7 find it. a n d the rest of you shall go home in peace. .And he searched in
their s a c k s , ' starting with the eldest and finishing with the
« youngest; a n d it was found in Benjamin's sack. .And they rent their
clothes a n d loaded their asses and returned to the city and came to
J o s e p h ' s house; a n d they all prostrated themselves before him with
their faces to the ground.
9 .And J o s e p h said to them. You have done a wicked thing. And
they said, \Vhat shall we say and how shall we defend ourselves?
O u r lord has discovered his s e r \ a n t s ' sin: behold, we are our lord's
111 slaves a n d o u r asses also. .And J o s e p h said to them, .No!'' You shall
g o h o m e , a n d your brother shall be my slave (for you have done a
wicked thing). Did it not occur to you that a m a n could be as fond
II o f h i s c u p as I a m ofthis c u p ? ' - and yet you stole it from me. And

Lil. 'Pursue tfiem and run'. ' Lit. any vessel'.

I.il. 'vessels'. •* Lit. 'No, I am afraid'.
Lit. Do you nol know that a man delights in his eup as I with this eup'.
 Jubilees 12')

J u d a h said. I.ft Ihe blame hc on n i c : and let your servant explain to

v o u r lordship." \ ' o u r servant's mother l)ore to our father two
b r o t h e r s : one went away and was lost, and has not been found, and
this o n e ' is his mother's only remaining child, and your servant our
\2 father loves him, and his life is boiuid up with this lad's life. .And if
wc go back to your servant our father, and the lad is not with us,
then hc will die. and we shall bring dovs n our father with sorrow to
i:i t h e grave. Let me. your servant, remain instead o f t h e boy as my
lord's slave, and let the lad go with his brothers; for I went surety
ibr him with your servant our father, and if I do not take him back
o u r father will hold yoiu- servant guilty Itjr ever.
11 .And Joseph saw there was a common bond of gixxi-will and
unity between thcni, and he could not control himself; and he told
\'i t h e m he was Joseph. .And he talked with them in Hebrew and
e m b r a c e d them and wept. But they did not recognize him; and
Iti they began to weep. .And he said to them. Do not weep over me. but
h u r r y back a n d bring my father to mc, .so that I can see him belorc
17 wc die a n d my brother Benjamin can sec him ux)." For behold, this
is hul the second year o f t h e lamine, and there will be another hvc
Hi years without harvest or fruit on the trees or ploughing, (lotne
d o w n quickly, you and your households, so that you do not perish
in the famine; and do not be worried about leaving your possessions,
lor the Lord sent mc ahead of you to arrange things so that many
19 lives m a y be saved. .And tell my father that I am still alive, as you
can sec for yourselves, and that the Lord has m a d e me like a father
to P h a r a o h , and ruler over his household and over all the land of
L'd Kgypt. .And tell my father of all my glory and all the riches and
•-'1 glory that the Lord has given me. .And on Pharaoh's instructions'
hc gave them wagons and provisions lor the journey; and he gave
T> t h e m all clothes of many colours and silver. .And to their father he
sent clothes and silver and ten asses laden with corn; and he sent
them away.

' Lit. 'and let vour s e n ant s[x"ak a wtird in mv lord'.s car',
' Lit'lu-'.
** Lit, 'and while the eyes of my brother Benjamin see', C:harles proposed a
radical emendation oi'the whole passage, based on Clen, xlv. I '2 - ' . , , father to me;
and yon see that it is my month that speaks, and the eyes ofmy brother Benjamin
sec', " Lit,'.Vnd bv the command of the mouth of Pharaoh'.
 V2U Juhilees
Ji A n d ihcy went up and told their father that Joseph was alive and
tneasuring out corn to all the nations ofthe earth, and that he was
JI ruler o\ er all the land of Kgypt. . \ n d their lather did not believe it,
for he was stunned; but when he saw the wagons that J o s e p h had
sent, his spirit'" rc\ived. and he said. It is enough for mc iljoscph is
still alive: I will go down and see him before I die.

XLIV. .And Israel set out from his house in Hebron' on the new
m o o n o f t h e third m o n t h : and he went by way o f t h e Well o f t h e
O a t h and olfered a sacrifice to the Cjod ofhis lather Isaac on the
L> seventh o f t h i s month. .And Jacob remembered the dream he had
i h a d at Bethel, and he was afraid to go down to Kgypt. .And he
t h o u g h t of sending word to Joseph to come to him. sayini; that he
would not go down; and he stayed there seven days in the hope that
he might see a vision telling him either to stay where he was or go down
1 to Egypt. .And he kept the harvest festival ofthe first-fruits with old
g r a i n , lor in all the land of C a n a a n , there was not ei-en a handful of
seed in the land, for the famine had alTected all the wild animals
a n d cattle a n d birds as well as men.
,3 .And on the sixteenth the I.ord appeared to him and said to him,
J a c o b , J a c o b . .And he said. Here I am. .And he said lo him, I am the
(Jod of your fathers, the God of .Abraham and Isaac: do nol be
afraid lo go down to Kgypt, for I will make you a great nation there.
(i I will go d o w n with you, and I will bring you up again, and in this
land you shall be buried, and J o s e p h shall close your cyes.^ Do not
7 be afraid: go down to Kgypt. .And he got up, and his sons and his
g r a n d s o n s , and they put their father and their possessions on the
f) w a g o n s . .And Israel left the Wall ofthe O a t h on the sixteenth ofthis
third m o n t h and set out for the land of Kgypt.
!i .And Israel sent J u d a h belbre him to his son J o s e p h to inspect the
land of G o s h e n , lor J o s e p h had told his brothers to come and settle
II) t h e r e so that they could be near him. .And this was the finest region
in the land of Kgypt, and near to \\\m- the best ior a.\\ of them and also
for their cattle.
Lit. "the life of his spirit'.

' Text ' H a r a n ' .

' Lit. 'put his hand upon your eyes'.
 Jubileei 127
11 Anci these arc the names ofjacob's sons who entered Kgypt with
12 their father Jacob. Reuben. Israel's eldest: and these are the
n a m e s ofhis sons - Knoch and Pallu and Hezron and C a r m i (live
l;i altogether). .Simeon and his sons; and these are the names ofhis sons
- J c m u e l and J a m i n and O h a d and Jachin and Zohar and Saul, the
14 son o f a P h o e n i c i a n ' woman (se\en altogether). Levi and his sons;
a n d these arc the names of his sons - Gershon and Kohath and
1.') M e r a r i (four altogether), j u d a h and his sons; and these are the
n a m e s o f h i s sons - Shelah and Perez and / e r a h (four altogether).
1(> I s s a c h a r and his sons; and these are the names ofhis sons - I'ola
17 a n d P h u a a n d J a s u b and Shimron (hvc altogether). Zcbulon and his
sons; a n d these arc the names of his sons - Saar and Klon and
18 J a h l e c l (four altogether). And these are Jacob's sons (and their
s o n s ) , w h o m Leah bore t o j a c o b in .Mesopotamia - si.x son.i. and
their only sister Dinah; and Leah's sons, and their .sons, who
e n t e r e d Kgypt with their f a t h e r j a c o b , were twenty-nine in all. and
19 including their f a t h e r j a c o b there were thirty ofthem. .And the sons
of Z i l p a h . Leah's slave-girl. J a c o b ' s wife, that she bore to J a c o b ,
20 ivere G a d a n d .Asher. .And these arc the names o f t h e i r sons who
e n t e r e d Kgypt with him: the sons of Gad - Ziphion and Haggi and
S h u n i a n d Kzbon ( a n d Kri) and .Arcli and .Arodi (eight altogether);
21 a n d the sons of . A s h e r - I m n a h and Ishvah ( a n d Ishvi) and Beriah
22 a n d S c r a h , their only sister (six altogether). Zilpah thus had four­
teen d e s c e n d a n t s ; and so Leah's total was forty-l()ur.''
23 .And the sons o f j a c o b ' s wife Rachel t t w J o s e p h and Benjamin.
24 -And there were born to Joseph in Kgypt, belbre his father came
into Egypt, the two sons t h a t ' .Asenath the d a u g h t e r of Potiphar.
priest of Heliopolis, bore to him — Manasseh and Ephraim (three
23 altogether). And the sons of Benjamin - Bela and Becher and .Ashbel
and G u a d a n d .Naaman and -Abdeyo and Rosh and Senanim and
26 H u p p i m a n d G a a m (eleven altogether). Rachel thus had fourteen
27 d e s c e n d a n t s . * .And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's slave-girl, J a c o b ' s

' .So the majority of MSS {'Fenesawil'). Clharlcs. following R6n.scb. preferred the
reading ofa single .MS {'Stfnawal'). which, in the light ofthe mention of Zephath at
J u d g e s i. 17, hc rendered 'Zcphathite'.
" Lit. '.Ml the souls were fourteen; and all those of Leah were lorty-l()ur'.
' Lit. 'those whom'.
' Lit. '.And all the souls of Rachel were fourteen'.
 rj« Jubilees
IH will', that she bore t o j a c o b . were Dan anci . \ a p h t a h . . \ n d these are
the n a m e s ol'their sons who entered Kgypt with them. T h e sons of
D a n were H u s h i m a n d .Samon and .\sudi and Ijaka and Salomon
J<i (si.x altogether). .And the last four o f t h e m ' died in the year they
il) e n t e r e d Kgypt. and Dan had Hiishim oidy leh. .And these are the
n a m e s o f t h e sons of Naphtali — Jahziel and (juni and Jezcr and
:il Shalltim a n d Iv. .And Iv, who was born a h c r the year of famine,
:1L' died in Egypt. Thus Rachel's total altogether was twenty-six."
So J a c o b ' s household, when it entered Egypt, numbered seventy
- that is his children a n d his grandchildren numbered seventy in
all; but five died in Egypt b e f o r e j o s e p h . ' a n d they had no children,
il .And two of J u d a h ' s sons, Er and O n a n , had died already in the land
of O a n a a n , a n d they had no children. .And Israel's sons buried
those w h o had died, and they were reckoned a m o n g the seventy
Gentile nations.

XLV. .And Israel c a m e into Egypt, into the land of Goshen, on the
new moon ofthe fourth m o n t h , in the second yearof the third week
_'> o f t h e forty-fifth jubilee. .And J o s e p h went to the land of (Joshen to
meet his father J a c o b ; and he threw his arms round his father's
;i neck a n d wept. .And Israel said t o j o s e p h . Now I can die in peace, for
I h a v e seen you again alive; and now may the Lord God oflsrael be
blessed, the God of .Abraham and the God of Isaac, who has not
1 held back his mercy a n d his grace from his servant J a c o b . It is
e n o u g h for me that I have seen your face while I a m ' still alive.
True indeed is the vision that I saw at Bethel. Blessed be the Lord
.3 my G o d for ever and ever, and blessed be his name. And J o s e p h
a n d his brothers ate in their father's presence and drank wine; and
J a c o b was overjoyed to see J o s e p h eating with his brothers and
d r i n k i n g in his presence, and he blessed the Creator of all things,
w h o had preserved him and had preserved his twelve sons.
ti .And J o s e p h had given his father and brothers the right to settle
in the land of Goshen, and in Rameses^ and the surrounding region
' Lit. '.And thev'
" Lit. 'And all the snuls ofRaehel were twenty-six'.
•* .Mlernatixe reading 'hel'ore they married'.

' Oharles would emend ' ! a m ' to 'you are' to accord with (Jen. xlvi. %).
• Kth. Ramcsina'.
 Jubilees 129
which lie ruled as Pharaoh's viceroy.' .\iid Israel and his sons
settled ill the land ofCioshen, the best part ofthe land of Kgypt; and
Israel was a h u n d r e d and thirty years old when he entered Kgy pt.
7 .And Joseph supported his father and his brothers, and also their
possessions, with as much as they needed during the seven years of
ii the famine. . \ n d the land of Kgypt suffered because ofthe famine.
. \ i i d . J o s e p h accpiired all the land liir Pharaoh in return for food,
a n d he gained possession of the people and their cattle, and hc
a( quired everything for Pharaoh.
9 . \ n d the years of famine came to an end, and in the eighth year
J o s e p h gave the people in the land seed-corn'' to sow the land,-' for
ill the river had o\ erflowed all the land of Kgypt (in the seven years of
the famine it had not" overflowed and had irrigated only a few
places on the banks o f t h e river, but now it overflowed once more);
a n d the Egyptians sowed the land, and it produced much corn that
11 year. .\iid this was the hrst year ofthe fourth week ofthe Ibrty-hhh
I'J j u b i l e e . .And J o s e p h took a hfth part of all the harvest' Ibr the king
and left lour parts Ibr them as seed and food; and Joseph established
it as a law lor the land of Kgypt - a law that has sun-ived till to-day.
l:i .And Israel lived in the land of Kgypt seventeen years; and he
lived altogether for three jubilees, that is for a hundred and Ibrty
seven years, and hc died in the fourth year ofthe fifth week ofthe
II forty-fifth jubilee. .And Israel blessed his sons before hc died and
told them everything that would happen to them in the land of
Kgypt, and m a d e known to them what would come upon them in
the last days; and he blessed them and gavejoseph two portions in
I') the land. .And he slept with his fathers and was buried in the double
cave in the land of C l a i i a a i i . near .Aliraham his father, in the grave
which he d u g for himself in the double cave in the neighbourhtxid"
If) of H e b r o n . .And he gave all his books and his fathers' books to his
son Levi, to preserve them and keep them in repair" for his children
till to-dav.

I . i t . ' b c l b r f PImraoli". •* I.it.'seed and tixKl'.

.Si) l.al.; Kth. oiii. 'the land'. * So Kat.: Kth. oin. 'not'.
.So I.at.: Kth. 'ofthe corn ofthe harvest'.
I.it. 'land'.
O r 'have fresh copies made ofthem': lit. 'renew them'.
l:5() Jubilees
XLVI. .\tid it came to pa.ss a f t e r j a c o b died the numlx-r oflsrael-
ites ill the land ofEgv pt increased, and they became a great nation;
a n d they were united in heart and mind, so that each one loved his
b r o t h e r and helped his brother. .And their numbers increased more
a n d more and multiplied greatly, ten weeks of years, all the time
that Joseph was alive. .And there was no adversary' nor any evil to
afflict them all the time that Joseph lived after his father J a c o b ' j
death, for while Joseph lived all the Egyptians held the Israelites in
high esteem.
.And J o s e p h died at the age o f a hundred and ten: Ibr seventeen
years he lived in the land of Clanaan, Ibr ten years he was a servant,
for three years he w as in prison, and for eighty years he was viceroy
a n d ruled the whole ofthe land of Egypt. .And he died, and so didaW
his brothers and all that generation. .And before he died he gave
instructions to the Israelites to take his bones with them when they
went out o f t h e land of Egypt. .And hc put them on oath rc-garding
his bones, for hc knew that the Egyptians would not take him and
b u r y him in the land of C a n a a n (for M a k a m a r o n , ' k i n g of Clanaan,
while living in the land of .Assyria, fought in the valley with the king
of Egypt a n d killed him there, and pursued the Egyptians to the
gates of E r n i o n . ' But he was not able to get inside, because another
king, a new one, had become king of Egypt, and he was stronger
t h a n he was, and so he returned to the land of C a n a a n ; and the gate
of Egypt was shut, and no one went out of Egypt and no one went
in). .And J o s e p h died in the forty-sixthjubilee, in the sixth week, in
the second year; a n d they buried him in the land of Egypt. .And all
his brothers died a h e r him.
.And the king of Egypt went out to war with the king of Clanaan in
the forty-seventh jubilee, in the second week in the second year;
a n d the Israelites brought out all the bones o f j a c o b ' s children
except J o s e p h ' s , a n d they buried them in the country, in the double
cave in the mountain. .And most of them returned to Egypt, but a
lew o f t h e m remained in the mountains of Hebron; and your father
.Amram remained a m o n g them. .And the king of C a n a a n was
victorious over the king of Egypt; and he shut the gate of Egypt.
' O r 'Salan'. ' .Mlernalive reading ".Mainkeron'.
* .According lo Clharics ihis is Heroonpolis. near ihe deserl. on the canal oi'
Rainses.
 Jubilees 131

12 A n d h e d e v i s e d a n inl'amous p l a n t o alilict t h e Israelites; a n d h e

Vi s a i d t o t h e E g y p t i a n s , B e h o l d t h e I s r a e l i t e p e o p l e h a v e i n c r e a s e d in
number a n d m u l t i p l i e d m o r e t h a n w e have. C l o m e t h e n , let u s t a k e
s t e p s t o c u r b t h e m " b e l b r e t h e y b e c o m e t o o m a n y , a n d let u s w e a r
t h e m d o w n w i t h h e a v y l a b o u r . ' in c a s e w a r c o m e s o n u s a n d they
join o u r enemies* a n d hght against u s ttK) a n d l e a \ c o u r l a n d
altogether ( I b r t h e i r h e a r t s a n d f a c e s a r e always turned t o w a r d s t h e
11 l a n d o f C l a n a a n ) . .And h e set o v e r t h e m t a s k m a s t e r s ' t o w e a r t h e m
d o w n w i t h h e a \ y l a b o u r . .And t h e y built s t r o n g cities l o r P h a r a o h ,
Pithom a n d Raamses; a n d they built all t h e walls a n d all t h e
!.•) fortihcations w h i c h h a d lallen in t h e cities" o f E g y p t . .And t h e y
forced t h e m into sla\ery; b u t the m o r e harshly they treated them.
Ui t h e m o r e their numbers i n c r e a s e d a n d m u l t i p l i e d . . A n d t h e E g y p t i a n s
d e s p i s e d ' t h e Israelites.

XLVII. . A n d i n t h e s e v e n t h w e e k , i n t h e s e v e n t h y e a r , in t h e f o r t y -
s e v e n t h j u b i l e e , y o u r f a t h e r left t h e l a n d o f C l a n a a n , a n d y o u w e r e
b o r n i n t h e f o u r t h w e e k , i n i t s s i x t h y e a r , in t h e f o r t y - e i g h t h j u b i l e e :
2 t h i s w a s a t i m e o f g r e a t d i s t r e s s for t h e I s r a e l i t e s . . A n d P h a r a o h ,
king of Egypt, issued a n o r d e r that they should t h r o w all m a l e
:i c h i l d r e n b o r n t o t h e m i n t o t h e r i \ e r . . A n d for s e v e n m o n t h s they
threw t h e m i n ; a n d y o u r m o t h e r h i d y o u for t h r e e m o n t h s , b u t
4 i n f o r m a t i o n w a s l a i d a g a i n s t h e r . ' .So s h e m a d e a b a s k e t liir y o u .
a n d c o v e r e d it w i t h t a r a n d p i t c h , a n d p u t it a m o n g t h e r e e d s b y t h e
r i v e r ' s b a n k , a n d p u t y o u i n i t ; andyou were there for s e v e n d a y s , a n d
y o u r m o t h e r c a m e by night a n d suckled you,a n d by d a y your sister
.Miriam kept y o u from t h e birds.
•> .And in t h o s e d a y s Tharmuth, Pharaoh's daughter, eanie to
b a t h e in t h e r i v e r , a n d s h e h e a r d y o u r voice cry ing; a n d s h e told h e r
ti maids^ t o f e t c h y o u o u t , a n d t h e y b r o u g h t y o u t o h e r . . A n d s h e l i h c d

' Ktli. "let u s a c t c l c v r r l y a g a i t i s t them": Lat. "let u s a i l i i e t them".

' Eth. "let us alHict them w i t h slavery": Lat. "let u s h u m h l e t h e m h y ( i n ) t h e i r
works" - and similarly in verse 14. " So I.at.: Eth. "the enemy".
' E t h . lit. "elders o l ' w o r k m e n " : I.at. " e x e c u t o r s o f works".
" So Lat.: Eth. "city". "* I.it. " r e g a r d e d a s an alHuiiination".

' I.it. "and they told e o n c e r n i n g her".

^ Lat. "maid": Eth. "Hebrew w o m e n " ( b y a m i s r e a d i n g o f a p r e s u m e d ( i k . o r i g i n a l
Sfigaig as 'Efigaiaig).
 l;V2 Jubihes
7 y o u o u t o f tin- b a s k e t a n c i t o o k p i t y o n \ c ) u . A n d y o u r s i s t e r s a i d t o
h e r , Sliall I g o a n d call y o u o n e ol tlie H e b r e w w o m e n t o n u r s e this
li b a b e a n d s u e k l e liim Icir y o u ? A n d s h e s a i d t o h e r . P l e a s e d o . " . \ r i d
s h e w e n t a n d c a l l e d y o u r m o t h e r J o e h e b e d ; a n d s h e p a i d h e r for
'I n u r s i n g y o u . .And al'terwards. w h e n y o u were old enough.'' they
b r o u g h t v o u t o P h a r a o h ' s daughter' a n d v o u bee a m e h e r s o n , a n d
y o u r f a t h e r . \ m r a n i t a u g h t y o u to write; a n d three weeks after t h a t
they took y o u to t h e royal court.
Hi .And y o u w e r e three weeks of years at court, until o n e d a yyou
w e n t o u t from t h e royal court a n d s a w a n Kgyptian belabouring
o n e o f y o u r f e l l o w - I s r a e l i t e s , a n d y o u k i l l e d h i m a n d h i d h i m in t h e
II s a n d . .And o n t h e next d a y y o u found t w o Israelites h g h t i n g . a n d
I'J y o u a s k e d t h e c u l p r i t , * w h y a r e y o u h i t t i n g y o u r b r o t h e r ? .And he-
w a s a n g r y a n d i n d i g n a n t a n d said. W h o m a d e y o u a chief a n d
j u d g e o v e r u s ? D o y o u w a n t t o kill m e a s y o u k i l l e d t h e K g y p t i a n
y e s t e r d a y ? .And y o u w e r e f r i g h t e n e d b y w h a t h e s a i d a n d flc-d.

X L VIII. . A n d i n t h e s i x t h y e a r o f t h e t h i r d w e e k o f t h e I c i r i y - i i i n t l i
j u b i l e e y o u w e n t a n d l i v e d i n t h e l a n d o f M i d i a n ; ' and you stayed there
for hy e y v e c k s a n d a y e a r . .And y o u r e t u r n e d t o K g y p t in t h e s e c o n d
1 w e e k , i n t h e s e c o n d y e a r , in t h e liftieth j u b i l e e . .And y o u y o u r s e l f
k n o w w h a t t h e L o r d s a i d t o y o u o n . M o u n t .Sinai, a n d w h a t t h e
p r i n c e M a s t e m a tried to d o with y o u w h e n y o u were r e t u r n i n g to
i Kgypt, o n t h e w a y w h e n you m e t h i m at the l o d g i n g - p l a c e ' Did he
n o t t r y h i s v e r y b e s t t o kill y o u a n d d e l i v e r t h e Kgy p t i a n s f r o m y o u .
w h e n h e s a w that y o u were sent to execute j u d g e m e n t a n d ven-
I g e a n c e o n t h e Kgy p t i a n s ? .And I d e l i v e r e d y o u f r o m h i m ; a n d y o u
p e r f o r m e d t h e signs a n d p o r t e n t s w h i c h y o u w e r e sent to p e r l b r m
in K g y p t a g a i n s t P h a r a o h , a n d a g a i n s t h i s w h o l e h o u s e h o l d , a n d
against his servants, a n d against his people.

• I.it.'(;<.'.
•* I.it. 'wln-n you wi-rr growti'.
' Both Kth. .uitl \.M. 'Pharaoh's housr'.
" So Kth. (lit. 'said to him who was doing thr wrong'): I.al. 'said to him who was
hitting his nt-ighlM>ur'.

' Kth. om. 'in tlu- land ol'Midian'.

- .So Kat.: Kth corrupt Ithough it might n u a n 'on tin- way. at Klaih, in thi-
ItKlging-place-'),
 Juhilees 1 :V.i

And the Lord took a I'carf'iil vengeance on them for Lsrael's sake.
. \ n d hc plagued t h e m ' with hlood and frogs, lice and dog-fhes. and
with festering boils; their cattle died: he destroyed with hail-stoncs
everything thev had that grew, and locusts ate what the hail had
left: /le plagued Ihem with darkness and ( t h e d e a t h ) ' ' oftheir first­
b o r n , of men and of animals; and on all their g o d s ' the Lord
took vengeance and burned them with lire. . \ n d everything was
a r r a n g e d through you." that you should declare' these things beliire
they were done: and you spoke with the king of Kgypt in the
presence of all his servants and in the presence ofhis people. .\nd
e v e r y t h i n g h a p p e n e d just as you had said: ten great and terrible
J u d g e m e n t s c a m e on the land of Kgypt to execute vengeance on it
for Israel. .\iid the Lord did everything for Israel's sake, and in
a c c o r d a n c e with his covenant that hc had made with .Abraham,
that he would take vengeance on them because they had enslaved
them.
.And the prince .Mastema set himself against you and tried to get
vou into P h a r a o h s clutches; and he helped the Kgyptian sorcerers,
a n d they set themselves up against you and did the best they
could." (For. although we let them d o the evils, we did not allow
t h e m to ellect their cure.) .And the Lord struck them with the boils,
a n d they were not able to stand against you (for we destroyed them
so that they could not perform a single sign).
^'et in spite of all signs and m a r \ e l s the prince .Mastema was
not put to s h a m e because'' hc encouraged the Kgyptians'" to pursue
you with all the might of Kgypt, with their chariots and with their
horses a n d with all the forces o f t h e people of Kgypt. And I stood
between the Kgyptians and Israel; and we dehvered Israel from
h i m a n d from his people, and the Lord brought them through the
m i d d l e o f t h e sea, as if it were dry land. And all the people he had
b r o u g h t in pursuit oflsrael, the Lord our God threw them into the
sea - into the d e p t h s ofthe abyss beneath the Israelites, just as the

' I.it. 'he struck tlicin': Kth. adds 'and killed ihcm'.
' O m i t t e d by Ixith Kth. and Kat.
' So Kth.: Kat. 'all the gcxis o l t h c Kgyptians'.
" Kit.'was .sent through your hand'. ' Text'do'.
" I.it.'and wrought Ix-I'ore you'. " lext'until'.
I.il. 'he t(K)k courage and cried to the Kgyptians'.
 1M Juhilees
p e o p l e o f I'.gypt h a d t h r o w n t h e i r c h i l d r e n i n t o t h e river. H e took
v e n g e a n c e o n a million of t h e m ; a n d a t h o u s a n d strong a n d active
m e n w e r e d e s t r o y e d f o r e a c h b a b e in a r m s f r o m a m o n g y o u r p e o p l e
i') that they h a d thrown into the ri\cr. ( O n thefourteenth day. a n d on
the fifteenth, a n d o n t h e sixteenth, a n d o n the seventeenth, a n d o n
t h e e i g h t e e n t h , t h e p r i n c e . M a s t e m a h a d b e e n kept b o u n d a n d in
c h a i n s " b e h i n d t h e Israelites, so that he could not harass'- them.
li) . \ n d o n t h e n i n e t e e n t h w c let t h e m ' ' loose s o t h a t t h e y c o u l d h e l p
17 t h e K g y p t i a n s a n d encourage ihem lo p u r s u e t h e I s r a e l i t e s . . A n d h c
m a d e t h e m obstinate a n d stubborn —the plan w a s devised by the
K o r d o u r Ciod s o t h a t h c c o u l d strike t h e K g y p t i a n s d o w n a n d
IK t h r o w t h e m i n t o t h e s e a . .And w e b o u n d h i m o n t h e f o u r t e e n t h day'*
s o t h a t h e c o u l d n o t h a r a s s ' ^ tlie I s r a e l i t e s o n t h e d a y t h e y a s k e d
t h e K g y p t i a n s for o r n a m e n t s " a n d c l o t h i n g - o r n a m e n t s " of silver
a n d g o l d a n d b r o n z e , i n o ' - d e r t o d e s p o i l t h e E g y p t i a n s i n r e t u r n for
I'l t h e s l a v e r y t h e y h a d f o r c e d u p o n t h e m . .And so w e d i d n o t b r i n g t h e
Israelites out of Egypt empty-handed.)

XLIX. R e m e m b e r t h e c o m m a n d m e n t w h i c h t h e L o r d g a v e y o u
c o n c e r n i n g t h e P a s s o v e r , t h a t y o u s h o u l d c e l e b r a t e it i n i t s s e a s o n
on t h e fourteenth o f t h e hrst month, that you should slaughter the
l a m b ' b e l b r e t h e e v e n i n g , a n d t h a t it s h o u l d b e e a t e n a t n i g h t o n
2 t h e e v e n i n g o f t h e fifteenth a f t e r s u n s e t . F o r o n t h i s n i g h t ( t h e
b e g i n n i n g o f t h e festival a n d t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e rejoicing) y o u
w e r e e a t i n g t h e P a s s o v e r in E g y p t , w h e n all t h e p o w e r s o f
M a s t e m a h a d b e e n l e t l o o s e t o kill a l l t h e first-born i n t h e l a n d o f
E g y p t , from t h e first-born o f P h a r a o h t o t h e first-born o f t h e
c a p t i v e m a i d - s e r v a n t a t t h e mill a n d to t h e cattle.
;i . A n d t h i s is t h e s i g n t h a t t h e L o r d g a v e t h e m - t h e y s h o u l d n o t
e n t e r a n y h o u s e with intent t o k i l l , o n t h e d o o r - p o s t s o f w h i c h t h e y
s a w t h e b l o o d o f a y e a r l i n g l a m b , b u t s h o u l d p a s s it b y , s o t h a t a l l
t h o s e in t h e h o u s e m i g h t b e p r e s e r v e d b e c a u s e t h e sign of t h e blood

" I.il.'lockccl up'. " Or'accuse'.

" i.e. .\Iaslerna and his minions.
'* I h e .MS.S var> Ix'lween "fourieenth'. 'fifteenth', and 'seventeenth'.
'* Or'articles','objects'.

' Lit. it'.

 juhilees 1
^ w a s on its door-posts. .And tlic powers of tlie Lord did cver\thing
j u s t as the Lord e o m m a n d e d them, and they passed o\er all the
Israelites, a n d the plague did not touch them and destroyed not so
.i m u c h as a single inan or beast or dog a m o n g them. But among the
Egyptians^ the plague struck savagely, and there was not a house
fi in Egypt without its dead and weeping and lamentation. .And
meanwhile all Israel was eating the flesh o f t h e paschal lamb, and
d r i n k i n g the wine, and singing praises, and blessing and giving
t h a n k s to the Lord God oftheir fathers, all ready to escape from the
yoke of Egypt and the shackles oftheir slavery."
7 .And r e m e m b e r this day all the days of your life and observe it
regularly, once a year, on its appointed day, in accordance with all
its regulations;'' and d o not change its date, either from one day to
8 a n o t h e r , or from one m o n t h to another. l o r it is a rule lor all time,
a n d it is written on the heavenly tablets concerning all Israelites,
that they should observe it every year on its appointed day, once a
year, in every generation; and there is no time limit, for it is decreed
9 for ever. .And whoever is not unclean and fails to come and observe
it on its proper day, and to bring an acceptable ollering in the
L o r d ' s presence, and to eat and drink in the Lord's presence, on
t h e d a y it is celebrated, that m a n , if he is clean and near at hand,
shall be rooted up: inasmuch as hc has not olfered the Lord's
offering at the proper time, he must accept responsibility for his
sin.'
0 Let the Israelites come and celebrate the Passover' at the time
a p p o i n t e d , on the fourteenth day of the first month at dusk,' from
t h e third part ofthe day to the third part ofthe night (for two parts
o f t h e d a y are given to the light and a third part to the evening).
1 T h i s is w h a t the Lord c o m m a n d e d you - that you should celebrate
2 it* at d u s k . ' .And the I a m b ' should not be slaughtered at any time
d u r i n g the daylight, but only towards the evening; and it should be
e a t e n between the time when evening comes and the third part of

' Lit. 'in Egypt'.

' L i t . ' t h e evil Ixindagc'. ' Lit. law'.
' Lil. 'that man will bear his sin'.
' O r 'olTcr the paschal lamb": lit. 'do the Passover'.
' Elh. lit. 'between the evenings' (as in the Heb. at Exod. xii. fi): I.al. lil. 'at
eventide' (as in the Gk. at Exod. xii. 6). " Lit. 'do il'.
l:5(> JuhUees
the night, anci if al'terwards" any ofits llesh is left over, it must be
b u r n t in the lire.
. \ n d it shall not be boiled in water, nor shall it be eaten raw, but
roast on the fire: it must be eaten'" with c a r e : " its head with its
entrails a n d its feet shall be roasted on the hre; and no bone ofit
shall be broken (for of Israelites no bone shall be crushed'^). That
is why the Lord c o m m a n d e d Israelites to celebrate the Passover'at
the time a p p o i n t e d , and not to break any ofthe lamb's bones;'" for
it is a festal day, and a day he has c o m m a n d e d , and there can be
no chatiging it from day to day, and from month to month, but onl}\
on its p r o p e r d a y ' " must it be c e l e b r a t e d . " . \ n d command thej
Israelites to celebrate the Passover' generation alter generation,
e \ c r y year, once a year at the time appointed; and it will serve as a
r e m i n d e r , acceptable to the Lord, and no plague shall come upon
t h e m to h a r m them or destroy them in any year in which they
c e l e b r a t e the Passover' at the proper time and in every way in
a c c o r d a n c e with what he has c o m m a n d e d .
.And the l a m b ' shall not be eaten outride the Lord's sanctuary,
b u t within its p r e c i n c t s ; " and the whole community oflsrael shall
olfer i t " at the time appointed. .And every one who comes then
shall eat it'" in the sanctuary of your'" God in the I-ord's presence,
from twenty years old a n d u p w a r d s ; for so it is written and decreed
t h a t they should cat it in the Lord's sanctuary.
.And when the Israelites come into the land they are to occupy,
t h e land of C a n a a n , and set up the Lord's tabernacle in one oftheir
•* I.it. 'IWnn the third part (if the night'.
Klh. oh.srure: Kat. 'you shall eat it'.
' ' .So both Kth. and U u . here, understanding the (Jk. fiertt movdtn at Kxtxi. xii.
1 I in this sense. .\t verse ii IH-IOW, however, Klh. (Kat. is not extant) takes the sense
'in haste', whieh is elearlv preferable in lK)th places in the light ofthe underlying
H e b . f>'hippa-on (cp. also Deut. xvi. :i).
' ' .So Kth.: I.at. 'and there shall be no tribulation among Israelites in lhal day'.
" I.it. 'break any Ixme ofit'.
Kth. 'on the day ofits festival': I.at. 'at its own time'.
" Or'olfered'.
Kth. 'within view of the I.ord's sanctuary': Kat. 'alongside the Lord's
tabernacle'. " O r 'celebrate the Passover': lil. *do it'.
Klh. ' . \ n d every man who has come on its day shall eat it': Kat. is dilHcull and
presumably corrupi {'el omnis homo quieumque praetermiserit in i-isilalione manducare
illud'). So Elh.: U t . ' o u r ' .
 luhilees V.M
tribes, till tiic Lord's s a m t u a r y is l)iiilt in tlu- land, thcs shall come
a n d ( c l c b r a t c the Passover" in the L o r d s tabernacle a n d slaughter
I'l t h e l a m b ' in the Lord's picsetice from year to \ c a r . . \ n d uheii the
house is built in the Lord's name in the land oftheir heritage, they
shall go there a n d slaughter the paschal lamb in the evetiing. at
I'll sunset, at the third part ofthe day. . \ n d they shall olfer its blood at
the base of the altar, and they shall place its fat on the lire that is oti
the altar, a n d thc> shall cat its llesh roast on the lire in the court of
•Jl t h e house which has been hallowed in the Lord's name. .Xiid they
m a y not celebrate the Passover" in their cities, nor in any other
place, but only within the precincts o f t h e L o r d s tabernacle, or
within the [irecincts ofhis house where his name dwells; and they
shall not go astray from the Lord.
TI .And as lor you, .\loscs, c o m m a n d the Israelites to keep the rules
of the Passover, as you vtiursclf have received them: draw their
a t t e n t i o n to t h e m ' " every year on the dav aiipoiiilcd iuid during the
Feast of unleavened b r e a d : ' ' and command them to eat iiiileaveiied
b r e a d for seven days, and to keep the feast and make an olli-ring
ev erv d a v d u r i n g those seven days of jov in the L o r d s presence on
J;i the a l t a r of your (Jod. For you celebrated this feast in haste when
vou set out from Kgypt, till you entered the wilderness of .Sluir. and
it was only on the sea-shore that you completed it.

L. .And after this law I m a d e known to you the laws oJ ihc sabbath
J d a y s in the desert of Sinai, which is between Klini and Sinai. .And I
told you a b o u t the s a b b a t h s ofthe land on mount Sinai, and I told
you a b o u t the jubilee years in the sabbaths of years; but its year
:i h a v e we not told you till you enter the land you are to occupy. .And
the land also shall keep its s a b b a t h s while the sons o f l s r a e l ' are
1 liv ing in it; a n d then shall they know thejubilee year. .And .so I have
set in o r d e r tor you the year-weeks, a n d the years, a n d thejubilees:
t h e r e a r e forty-nine jubilees, one week, and two years, from the
d a y s of .Adam until to-day; a n d there are forty years yet to t o m e , '
-'" . S d i i n e i;tli. .\I.Sand I.at.: the Dtlirr Kth. .MS.S dilltr but give th<-gni.ral st-nsc
•you shall pcrronii it'.
t h i s sfcllis the st-nsc rc(|uircd. though neither Kth. nor Kat. are aimpletelv
ititelligible bv themselves.
\M', Jubilees
in whit 11 to Icaiii the ioiiiniaiicliiiciits ol'tlic Lord, before tlicy pass
()\cr into the land o f C a i i a a n and cross the Jordan to the west. .\nd
the jubilees shall pass In till Israel is cleansed I'roni all guilt of
fornication, and uncleanness. and pollution, and sin. and error,
a n d dwells in safety in all the land; and there shall no longer be an
a d v e r s a r y ' or any evil power" In iijjiici litem, and the land shall be
clean from that day forward for evermore.
. \ n d behold, the c o m m a n d m e n t about the sabbaths, and all the
rules a n d r e g u l a t i o n s , ' I have written down lor you. Six days you
shall work, but on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord your
Ciod: on it you shall do no work, neither you. nor your sons, nor
v o u r slaves, nor your slave-girls, nor any of your cattle, nor the
alien who is a m o n g you. .And the man that docs any work on it shall
die: whoever desecrates that day. whoever lies with a woman, or
w h o e v e r talks on it about anything he intends to do ( w h a t . / o r
example, hc will buy or sell next d a y ) , and whoever draws water on
it b e c a u s e hc did not r e m e m b e r to d r a w it on the sixth day,* or
w h o e v e r lilts any load to carry it out ofhis tent or out ofhis house,
shall die. Vou shall do no work whatever on the sabbath day: only
w h a t you have p r e p a r e d for yourselves on the sixth day shall you eal
and drink, so that you may eat and drink and rest and keep s a b b a t h
from all work on that day, and bless the Lord your G ( K I who has
given you a festal day and a holy day; and this day shall be a day of
the holy kingdom for all Israel a m o n g their days for ever. For great
is the h o n o u r which the Lord has given Israel, to eat and drink
their hll on this festal day, and to rest on it from all the work men
h a v e to do, except to b u r n frankincense and present olferings and
sacrifices in the Lord's presence every day and every s a b b a t h . '
This work alone shall be done on the s a b b a t h days in the sanctuary
o f t h e Lord your ( i o d , that atonement may be m a d e for Israel with
ofierings continually, day by day, as a reminder, aceptable to the
L o r d , a n d that he may receive them always, day by day, just as you
h a v e been c o m m a n d e d . .And any man who does any work on the
s a b b a t h days," or goes on a j o u r n e y or tills a field (whether at home

' O r a .Satan'. Lit.'any evil (iiu-'.

* Lit. 'and all thr judgement.s ofii.s law.s'.
" Lil. 'whirh hc has not prepared liir him.srHon thr sixth day'.
' Lit.'for davs and for sabbaths'. " Lit. "on them'.
 Jubilees 139
or elsewhere), and whoever lights a hre or loads any beast or
travels by s h i p on the sea, and whoever shoots or kills anything or
s l a u g h t e r s a beast or bird or t a k e s ' an animal or a bird or a fish, or
w h o e v e r fasts or makes war on the sabbath - the man who does any
of these things on the sabbath shall die, so that the sons oflsrael
m a y observe the s a b b a t h s in accordance with the c o m m a n d m e n t s
c o n c e r n i n g the s a b b a t h s o f t h e land, as it is written on the tablets
which hc gave into my hands to write out for you the laws o f t h e
seasons, a n d the seasons according to the division oftheir days.
A n d with this the account ofthe division ofthe days is complete.
 THE LIFE OF A D A M AND EVE

IN TRODICITON

I h e L i f e o f A d a m a n d K v e h e r e t r a n s l a t e d is t h e L a t i n v e r s i o n o f
t h e s t o r y o f A d a m a n d K \ e from the time o f t h e i r expulsion from
Paradise until their deaths.
J e w i s h l e g e n d s e o m i e e t e d w i t h . \ d a m a n d Kve a n d their e h i l d r e n
a b o u n d . S o m u c h is c l e a r f r o m t h e R a b b i n i c l i t e r a t u r e . Y e t t h e r e is
n o d i r e c t e v i d e n c e liir t h e e x i s t e n c e o f a n y [ i r e - C i h r i s t i a n written
collection of these legends in e i t h e r H e b r e w o r . A r a m a i c . The
C l h u r c h , h o w e v e r , s e e m s to h a v e k n o w n a n u m b e r of a p p a r e n t l y
d i l f c r e n t . A d a m bcxiks f r o m a c o m p a r a t i v e l y e a r l y d a t e : K p i p h a n i u s ,
lor e x a m p l e , says that 'many" (inostic books were attributed to
Seth and 'revelations" to .Adam,' the .Apostolic Constitutions
m e n t i o n s .Adam along with M o s e s a n d Knoch as one ofthe 'ancients"
w h o w r o t e a p o c r y p h a l bcKiks,^ a n d t h e ( J e l a s i a n D e c r e e i n c l u d e s in
its list o f a p o c r y p h a " t h e b o o k t h a t is c a l l e d The Penitence of
.Adam".'
T h e . A d a m b o o k s w h i c h h a v e s u r v i v e d h a v e v a r i o u s titles: they
h a v e b e e n p r e s e r v e d in a v a r i e t y o f I b r m s a n d r e c e n s i o n s , a n d in a
variety of languages. S o m e are distinct: others are interrelated,
some obviously so, others less obviously. Thus, the Coptic
' A p o c a l y p s e o f . A d a m " , d i s c o v e r e d n e a r N a g H a m m a d i in 194.5,
h a s n o p o i n t s of c o n t a c t at all w i t h t h e S y r i a c ' T e s t a m e n t of . A d a m '
( a p a r t f r o m its f o r m ) , n o r w i t h t h e K t h i o p i c 'Conflict o f A d a m a n d
K v e w i t h S a t a n ' : o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , o u r L a t i n 'Life of .Adam a n d
E v e ' h a s a n u m b e r of points of contact with the Kthiopic 'Conflict',
b u t n o t h i n g l i k e a s m a n y a s it h a s w i t h t h e A r m e n i a n ' B o o k o f
A d a m ' . N o a t t e m p t will b e m a d e , therefore, e i t h e r to s u m m a r i z e
t h e c o n t e n t s of these b o o k s individually, o r to d i s e n t a n g l e the very
c o m p l i c a t e d i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s w h e r e they exist. F u n d a m e n t a l to
t h e g r o u p m o s t closely related to o u r 'Life' w o u l d a p p e a r to b e the

' Epiph.//afr. X.XVI.viii. 1,

' Consl.Af)ost.\'\.x\i.3.
' Deer. Geias. v. 6.
142 The I.ije ofAdam ami Eve
Cirt'ck work cclitcd by I iscbfiidorf in 186f) (under tlie title "I he
A p o c a l y p s e o f M o s e s ' ' ) and again by Oeriaiii two years later.'
Despite the very considerable dillerences in detail. l i s c h e n d o r r s
'.Apocalypse" covers in all essentials the same ground as our "Life".
O n the debit side it lacks the account ofthe penitence of .Adam and
Kve contained in Life i-xxi, as well as the vision of .Adam in Life
x x v - x x i x : on the credit side, it puts into the mouth of Kve a much
m o r e e l a b o r a t e account ofthe Fall, a translation of which, becau.se
ofits inherent interest, is printed in full as an appendix at the end of
o u r translation o f t h e Life.'
So far as the origin of the .Apocalypse is concerned, there is
n o t h i n g in it that is necessarily Christian; and for this reason many
r e g a r d it as a purely Jewish work, some even .going as far as to
claim that it is a translation from a Semitic original. But for this
last view there is no sound e\ idence. .Against it is the presence of
certain Creek terms and expressions, which are unlikely to be
found in a translation, and the fact that references and allusions to
t h e O l d 'Lestament betray dependence on the Septuagint. .All that
can safely be said about it is that the author, whether J e w or
C h r i s t i a n , constructed his narrative making use of such Jewish
t r a d i t i o n s or written sources as were known to him: that hc almost
certainly wrote in Greek; and that in all probability hc is to be
d a t e d within the first three Christian centuries. Wells, for instance,
s a w the a u t h o r as a J e w o f t h e Dispersion, who wrote perhaps at
.Alexandria, 'between . \ D 60 and 300, and probably in the earliest
y e a r s ofthis period'. Wells reckoned, however, with the possibility
t h a t the extant Greek text may be 'a slightly revised version'.'
T h e Latin text o f t h e Life, with which we are more immediately
c o n c e r n e d , was hrst published by Meyer in 1878 from twelve M S S ,
all (with one exception) at M u n i c h and dating from the 9th to 15th
' Ttiis title was I'iseliendorrs own. His lour .MS.S all gave as title (with minor
variations) ''fhe Story and I^ifc of . \ d a m and Kve, revealed by God to Moses his
servant, when he received the tables of the Kaw ofthe Covenant from the Lord's
h a n d , being taught by the archangel .Michael'.
' Ceriani printed only the text of Cod. .Ambrosianus C:. '237 Inf (11th cent.;
= Tischendorf's ' D ' ) , which unfortunately has a lacuna ofcighteen chapters in the
middle. To-dav more than twenty .MSS are known.
' See below.'pp. 1 6 1 - 6 7 .
' L.S..-\. Wells in R. H, Charles. APOTn. pp. 129 and KiO.
 The I.ije of Adam and Eve 143
cents. In 1 9 2 9 J . H. Mo/.ley printed a text based on twelve 13th-
I 5 t h cent. Knglish .M.SS. This text does not dificr markedly from
M e y e r ' s in content: it only makes even more clear what is already
evident from Meyer, namely that the mediaeval copyists ofthe Life
h a d no scruples about altering and expanding the phraseology of
their original whcnexer they felt so inclined, or about incorporat­
ing odd scraps of additional material that came their way wherever
it seemed appropriate.
.As already indicated, it is the presence of not a little of such
a d d i t i o n a l material in the Latin Life which particularly dilfcr-
entiates it from the CJrcck '.Apocalypse'. Some ofthis additional
m a t e r i a l is undoubtedly Jewish —as, for example, the legend which
a p p e a r s in Life 1-li, that, in accordance with Kve's final instruc­
tions before her death, Seth wrote down the story of .Adam and Kve
a n d 'all that he had heard and seen from them' both on 'tablets of
s t o n e ' and on 'tablets of clay', so that whatever form the threatened
j u d g e m e n t took, whether hre or flood, the record on one or other
m i g h t survive.* Some o f t h e additional material, however, is un­
d o u b t e d l y Christian - as, for example, the speech of .Michael in
xli.2-xlii..i prophesying the coming upon earth of 'the most
beloved K i n g . C h r i s t , the son of God', which is almost verbally
identical with .Michael's speech as given in the 'Latin .A' recension
o f t h e .Acts of Pilate (Gospel of Nicodcmus) chap. xix. The Life is
t h u s a typical c o m p o u n d of Jewish and Christian elements, but
with the J e w i s h predominating. It has come down to us in Latin,
yet the occurrence from time to time of transliterated Greek words
(e.g. cinnamomum el calaminlhen el nardum at xliii.3) makes it as
r e a s o n a b l y certain as anything can be that it is basically a transla­
tion of a Greek original. It is best explained as the translation
either o f a later recension ofthe 'Apocalypse', or, possibly but less
p r o b a b l y , of one ofthe sources behind the 'Apocalyp.se'.
T h e English translation which follows is based on the Latin as
p r i n t e d by Meyer.

C:p. Josephus, Ant. I. ii. 3 (70-71).

 The Life oJ Adam ami F.ie

BIBLKKJRAPHV

Latin
W. WV.W.K, Vita Adae et Kvae (= Ahhandlungen der fihilosopisck-
phdolngischen Clause der kdniglich Bayerischen Akademie der IVissen-
schaften. xiv. 3 ( M u n i c h . 1878). pp. 18.5-2.50).
J. H . .Mo/.I.KV. ' I h c " \ ' i t a A d a c " • in JTS xxx (1929), pp.
121-149.
also:

Creek
v.. TlscHKNOORF. Apocalypses apocryphae (Leipzig, 1866), pp.
1-23.
. \ . M . Cr.RI.W'l, Monumenta sacra et prnfana. X. i (Milan. 1868), pp.
19-24.
and:
.M. R . j.XMF.S, ' . \ PVagmcnt o f t h e .Apocalypse of . \ d a m in Greek'
in Apocrypha Anecdota: A Collection of Thirteen Apocryphal Books and
Fragments (= 7.9ii. 3: C a m b r i d g e . 1893). pp. 138-145.

.S'yrmr
M . K . M O . S K O . Testamentum patrii nostn Adam (= Patrologia Syriaca.
I. ii (Paris, 1907), p p . 1306-1360). [ T o g e t h e r with a Latin
translation.]
K. R F . N . \ . \ , ' F r a g m e n t s d u livre gnostique inutile. .Apocalypse
d'.Adam. ou Penitancc d'.Adam. ou T e s t a m e n t d'.Adam, publics
d ' a p r e s deux versions syriaques' \n Journal asiatique. v. 2 (Paris,
1853), p p . 4 2 7 - 4 7 1 . [Together with a French translation.]
also:
C . B K / ( ) I , D . Die Schatzhohle. syrisch und deutsch herausgegeben. I I .
TM/C (Leipzig, 1888).

Armenian
S. H()\-.SF.PHK..\N r z . .1 Treasury of Old and Xew Primitive Writers.
\'o\. I {Vncanonical Books of the Old Testament; Venice, 1896), pp.
1-'26 a n d 3 0 7 - 3 3 2 .
 The Lije of Adam and Eie 143
Coptic
A. BOHI.K; and P. LABIB, Koptisch-gnostische Apokahpsen am
Codex Vron Nag Hammadi (\\a.\\c-\\\ncn\wr%. 1963). pp. 8 6 - 1 1 7 .
Ethiopic
E . T R I M I ' P , Der Kampf Adams: Aethiopischer Text, rerglichen mit dem
arabischen Originaltext {= Abhandlungen der philosophisch-philo-
logischen Cla.s.se der koniglich Bayeri.schen .ikademie der Wissenschajten,
XV. 3 (.Munich. 1881).'pp. 1-172.)
Georgian
C. KlR{:lK\D/.V.'mP'ilologinridziebani.'i (Tiflis. I9f)4). pp. 97-136.
Slaionic
\ ' . J . \ f ; l ( : . Slacische Beilrdge c« den biblischen .Xpocryphen. I. Die alt-
kirchen-slaiischen Texte des Adambuches {= Denkschnften der
kaiserlichen Akademie der W'issemchaften. Philos.-hist. Classe. xlii
( V i e n n a , 1893), pp. 1-104.)
I. I V . \ N ( ) \ - . BognmiLskiknigi i legendi {^nfra. 192.5). pp. 207-227.

TR.\N.SI..\TK)\.S
EInglish
L. S . A . W F . I . I . S in R . H . C ; H . \ R I . K . S , . 4 P 0 r ii. p p . 123-1.54. [Of
the Latin.]
\ N ' . \ I . K E R , Apocryphal Gospels. Acts, and Revelations (= Ante-
Nicene Christian Library, vol. xvi; Edinburgh. 1870). pp. 454—467.
[ O f t h e Greek .Apocalypse ofMoses.]
E . .\. W . M . I . l . S B u n C E . The Book of the Cave of Treasures . . .
Translated from the Syriac lext ofthe British .Museum MS. Add. 25875
( L o n d o n , 1927), p p . 5 1 - 7 4 . '
F. C . C O N Y B E . X R E , ' O n the Apocalypse of .Moses' m JQR vii
( L o n d o n , 1895), p p . 2 1 6 - 2 3 5 . [Of the .Armenian.]
J . L S S A V E R D E N S , UWOT.^ pp. 3 1 - 7 8 . [ O f t h e Armenian.]
S. C . M A L A N , The Book ofAdam and Eve, also called The Conflict of
Adam and Eve with Satan (London, 1882). [ O f t h e E t h i o p i c ]
French
E . R E N . W , 'P'ragments d u livre gnostique . . .'. [as above: of the
Svriac]
14() The Life oJ Adam and Eve
J . - P . M A H F . in Studies in Gnosticism and Hellenistic Religions (ed.
R. \ . \ N D K N B R O K K a n d . M . J . \ K R M A . S E R K N : Leiden. 1981).
pp. 227-2()0. [ O f t h e G e o r g i a n . ]

German
C. F r c : H . S in F . . K A I T Z S C H . APATii. p p . .i06-.=)28.
P . R I K S S I . F . R . AjSaB.' p p . 668-681 [ o f t h e Latin]; p p . 138-l.i.5
[of t h e Greek .\poealypse of Moses]; p p . 1084—1090 [ o f t h e
Syriac T e s t a m e n t of .Xdam]; pp. 944-9.11 [of the Syriac Clave of
'IVcasures].
CI. B F Z O I . D , Die Schatzhohle, syrisch und deutsch herausgegehen. I.
I'bersetzung (Leipzig. 1883).
F . P R K I S C H K N , 'Die apokryphen gnostischen .\damschriften aus
d e m armenischcn iibcrsctzt und untersucht' in Festgruss Jiir
BemhardSlade (Gicsscn. 1900). pp. 163-2.52.
Cl. F . A . DllA.WA'SS. Das christliche Adambuch des Morgenlandes aus
dem Athiopischen mit Bemerkungen ubersetzt (Ciottingen, 1853).

. \ . - . M . D K N I . S . IPGAT. pp. 3 - 1 4 .
O . E I S S F K L D T . 0 7 7 , p p . 6.36-637.
L. G I N Z B K R G , art. '.Adam, Book o f in / £ i (.\ew York, 1901), pp.
179-180.
. The Ugends oftheJews, i (Philadelphia, 1909), pp. 8 6 - 1 0 2 and
v (Philadelphia, 1925), pp. 114-131.
F. J. A . HORT, art. '.Adam, Books of in \V. S M I T H and
H . \ V . \ C E , A Dictionary of Christian Biography, i (London, 1877),
pp. 3 4 - 3 9
M . R. J A M E S , 7 . . 4 0 7 ' , pp. 1-8.
P. R i E S S i . E R , / l ; 5 a B , ' p p . 1273-1274, 1311-1312, 132.5-1.326,
1332.
L. Ko^V. EATAP, pp. 114-116.
E . S c : H C ' R E R , / / / / ' 7 7 C I L h i , p p . 147-148.
, GjVZJC* iii, pp. 3 9 6 - 3 9 9 .
J. L. S H A R P E . ' T h e Second .Adam in the .Apocalvpse of Moses' in
C f i Q X X X V (1973), pp. 3.5-46.
C . C . T O R R E Y , ^ / . , pp. 131-133.
 life of adam and eve

The Life of Adam and Eve 147

fi. T U R D K . V N L ' , '.Vpoiryphcs bogomiles ct a p o i n p h o s pscucio-
bogomiles' in Revue de I'hisloire des religions, cxx.wiii (19.')()), pp.
187-194.

I. W h e n they were driven out of Paradise they made a booth l()r

themselves and spent seven days mourning and lamenting in great
grief

n. But after seven days they began to be hungry and started to

2 look for food to eat, and they did not find it. Then Kve said to
A d a m , M y lord, I a m hungry. Go and look for something for us to eat.
P e r h a p s the Lord God will relent and pity us and recall us to the
place w h e r e we were before.

m . A n d A d a m got up and roamed for seven days through all that

2 l a n d a n d found no food o f t h e kind they had had in Paradise. .And
E v e said to A d a m , Would you kill me and have me dead? T h e n ,
p e r h a p s , the Lord God will take you back into Paradise, for // was
1 b e c a u s e of me that you were driven out ofit. .Adam answered. Do
not say such things, Kve, lest the Lord God bring on us some other
curse. H o w could 1 stretch out my hand against my own flesh?
R a t h e r let us bestir ourselves and look for something to keep
ourselves alive on.

rv. .And they wandered about and searched for nine days; and they
found nothing of the kind they had had in Paradise, but found only
2 a n i m a l s ' food. And A d a m said to Kve, This kind of food the Lord has
provided for the animals and beasts to eat, but we had angels' food.
3 Yet it is right and proper for us to lament in the sight of God who
m a d e us. Let us be truly fjenitent.' Perhaps the Lord God will hc
gracious to us and pity us and give us something to live on.

V. A n d Eve said to A d a m , W h a t is penitence?' Tell me, my lord,

2 w h a t sort of penitence' should I do? Let us not impose on ourselves
' Lit. 'Let us repent with a great repentance'.

' Or'penance'.
1 Ui The Life oj Adam ami Fje
loo great a strain so tiiat we cannot Ix-ar it. with tlie result that the
Lord will not listen to our prayers, and turn his face away from us
because wc have not done what we promised. .\Iy lord, how much
p e n i t e n c e ' have you in mind? I have indeed brought trouble and
tribulation on you.

VI. .And .Adam said to Eve, \ ' o u cannot do as much as I can, so do

only as m u c h as you have strength for. I will spend forty days
fasting. .As lor you. get up and go to the River Tigris and take a
stone a n d stand on it in the water up to your neck in the deep/iart of
the river. .And let no words pass your lips,' since we arc unworthy
to entreat the Lord, for our lips are unclean because ofthe unlawful
a n d forbidden tree. .And stand in the water o f t h e river for thirty-
seven days. I will spend mv Ibrty days in the water of J o r d a n .
P e r h a p s the Lord (Jod will take pity on us.

VII. .And Eve m a d e her way to the River Tigris and did as .Adam
h a d told her. So, too, .Adam m a d e his way to the River J o r d a n and
stood on a stone up to his neck in water.

VIII. .And .Adam said. I bid you, water of J o r d a n , share my grief;

a n d assemble lor me all Ihose crealures in you that swim, and let
t h e m s u r r o u n d me and m o u r n together with me. Let them lament,
not lor themselves, but lor mc; for it is not they that have sinned,
b u t L Immediately all living things came and surrounded him.
.And from that m o m e n t ' the water o f j o r d a n stood .s<t7/and stopped
its flow.

IX. .And eighteen days passed by. 'Then Satan in anger trans­
formed himself into the brightness ofthe angels, and went off to the
River 'Tigris, to Eve, and found her weeping. .And the devil pre­
t e n d e d to share her grief himself; and he began to weep and said to
her. C o m e out of the river and lament no more. Cease now from
jour sorrow and your groans. Why are you anxious, ^ou and your
h u s b a n d .Adam? T h e Lord God has heard \ our groans and accepted
' Or-penancT.

' I.il. 'Ami s p e e c h s h a l l nol go o n t ol your m o u t h . '

' I.it. ' h o u r ' .

 Tlie Life of Adam and Eve 149
y o u r penitence;' anci all wc angels have entreated him on your
1 behalf a n d m a d e supplication to the Lord, and he has sent mc to
fetch you out of the water and give you the food^ you had in
b P a r a d i s e , the loss o/ which has caused your present wails. So come out
o f t h e water now, and I will take you to the place where your food
h a s been m a d e ready.

X. Kve h e a r d this and believed it. and she got out ofthe water of
2 the river; a n d her body was blue with cold from the water.' .And
w h e n she had got out she collapsed. .And the devil helped her to her
;i feet a n d led her to .Adam. But when .Adam saw her, and the devil
with her, he wept and cried aloud and said, ( ) Kve, Kve, where is
1 the fruit- of your penitence?' How is il lhal you have been again
e n s n a r e d by our aclversary? Il was through him we were driven out
of o u r dwelling-place in Paradise as aliens and deprived of all
spiritual joy.

XI. W h e n she heard this, Kve realized il was the devil who had
p e r s u a d e d her to get out ofthe river; and she fell on her face on the
e a r t h , a n d her .sorrow and groaning and wailing were redoubled.
2 .And she cried out and said Woe to you, devil. Why d o you attack us
for n o reason? W h y do you interfere with us?' W h a t have we done
S to you t h a t you pursue us with such craft?^ O r why is your malice
directed against u s ? ' Have wc taken away your glory and caused
you to be dishonoured? Why, enemy, do you persecute us to the
d e a t h with such malice and such spite?

XU. .And with a heavy sigh the devil said, C) .Adam! all my
hostility, envy, and sorrow is in consequence of you, for it is

' O r *pcnaiire'. * I.it.'nourishment'.

' O r "she was quivering all over with cold from the water". Ihe foree ofthe s
1 the text as it stands (lit. 'her flesh was like gra.ss from thr cold of thr watt
ohseiire.
' O r pen

' I.it. 'What have you to do with us?'

• Readitig with the te.xt dolose: some emend ludolore ("with suctt pain').
' Lit. ' O r w hat has your malice to do with us?'
 15(1 The Life of Adam and Eve
b e c a u s e of you that I was driven from my glory, which I had in
h e a v e n a m o n g the angels, and because of you I was thrown out
2 o n t o the earth. .Adam answered. W h a t have I done to you, or what
can you b l a m e me for? We have done you no harm or injury. Why,
t h e n , d o you pursue us?

XIII. T h e devil replied, .Adam, what arc you saying to me? It was
2 on account of you that I was thrown out of heaven.' When you
were formed I was expelled from the presence of God and banished
from the c o m p a n y o f t h e angels. When (Jod breathed into you the
b r e a t h of life, and your face and likeness was m a d e in the image of
(Jod, .Michael brought you and m a d e us worship you in the sight of
(Jod; a n d the Lord God said. Here is .Adam. I have made him^ in
o u r image and likeness.

XIV. .And .Michael went out and called all the angels, saying,
2 W o r s h i p the image of God as the Lord (Jod has commanded. .And
:i .Michael himself worshipped hrst. .And then he called me and said,
W o r s h i p the image of God. .And I answered, I have no duty to
w o r s h i p .Adam. And since Michael kept urging me to worship, I
said to him. W h y d o you urge me? I will not worship an inferior
a n d a younger being than I am. I am his senior in creation: before he
w a s m a d e I was already m a d e : he ought to worship mc.

XV. W h e n the rest o f t h e angels, who were under me, heard this,
they too refused to worship him. .And Michael said. Worship the
i m a g e of God; a n d , if you will not worship him, you will make the
;i Lord G o d very angry. .And I said. If he is angry with me, I will set
my seat above the stars of heaven and I will be like the Most High.

XVI. .And the Lord God was angry with me and banished me and
my angels from o u r glory; and on your account were we driven
from o u r dwelling-places into this world and thrown out onto the
•-' e a r t h . .At this we were overcome with grief, since wc had been
:i deprived of so great glory. And we were pained to see you in such
t j o y a n d luxury. So I beguiled your wife and caused you to be driven

' I.il. llu-iHT'. ' I h c .\I.S.S read 'vou'.

 The Life of Adam atid Kie 151
from your joy a n d luxury through her. just as I was dri\ i-n from my
glory.

XVII. W h e n .Adam heard the devil say this, he cried out and wept;
a n d he said, O Lord my Ood, my life is in your hands. Put far from
m e this adversary, who seeks to destroy my soul, and give me his
1 glory which hc himself has lost. .And immediately the devil vanished
:i from him. But .Adam persevered for forty days, standing in peni­
t e n c e ' in the water of Jordan.

XVIII. .And Eve said to .Adam. Live out your life, my lord. N'ou are
g r a n t e d life, since you are guilty of neither the lirst nor the second
error. But I have erred and heen led astray, for I have not kept
G o d ' s c o m m a n d m e n t . Out me olf now from the light of your life.
2 a n d I will go westwards' and remain- there till 1 die. .And she
b e g a n to m a k e her way towards the regions of the west and to
3 m o u r n a n d weep bitterly and groan aloud. .And she made there a
b o o t h , having been pregnant for about three months.

XIX. .And when the time came for the child to be born she was
seized with pains; and she cried aloud to the Lord and said. Have
•2 m e r c y on me. Lord, and help mc. But she was not heard and C J C K I ' S
3 m e r c y was denied her.' .And she said to herself W h o will tell my
lord .Adam? I implore you, luminaries of heaven, on your way back
to the cast, bear a message to my lord .Adam.

XX. .At that very m o m e n t ' .Adam said, .A cry of woe from Kve" has
2 reached mc: p e r h a p s the serpent has attacked her onee again. .And
he went a n d found her in great distress. .And F a c said, .As soow as I
saw you, my lord, my grief-stricken soul was refreshed. .And now
e n t r e a t the Lord God for me, that he may listen to you, and Itwk on

' Or'penance'.

' L i t . ' t o the sunset'. ' Lit.'be'.

' L i l . ' w a s not around her'.

' Lit.'hour'. ' O r ' E v e ' s cr\ of woe'.

 152 The Life of Adam and El e
! n i c a n d free n i c friim m y a w f u l p a i n s . .And . \ d a m e n t r e a t e d t h e
L o r d for K \ e .

XXI. .\iid behold, twelve angels c a m e a n d two powers, a n d they

s t o o d o n E v e ' s r i g h t a n d o n h e r left. . A n d . M i c h a e l w a s s t a n d i n g o n
J t h e r i g h t . .And h e s t r o k e d h e r o n t h e face a s far d o w n a s h e r b r e a s t ;
and h e s a i d t o E v e , V o u a r e blessed. E v e , Ibr . A d a m ' s sake. I n
a n s w e r to his fervent prayers a n d intercessions' I have been sent to
you to give y o u o u r help. G e t u p n o w a n d p r e p a r e to give birth.
:t .And s h e b o r e a s o n ; a n d h e w a s beautiful.^ .And a t o n c e t h e b a b e
g o t u p a n d r a n a n d b r o u g h t a b l a d e o f g r a s s i n h i s h a n d s a n d g a v e it
to h i s m o t h e r . .And his n a m e w a s called Clain.'

XXII. .And .Adam took E v e a n d t h e b o y a n d led t h e m t o w a r d s t h e

1 e a s t . .And t h e L o r d G o d sent .Michael t h e a r c h a n g e l with dilfcrent
k i n d s o f s e e d s a n d g a v e them t o . A d a m a n d s h o w e d h i m h o w t o w o r k
a n d till t h e g r o u n d s o t h a t t h e y m i g h t h a v e f r u i t o n w h i c h t h e y a n d
i a l l t h e i r d e s c e n d a n t s c o u l d l i v e . .After t h i s E v e c o n c e i v e d a n d b o r e
another s o n , w h o s e name w a s .Abel. .And C a i n a n d .Abel lived
1 t o g e t h e r . . A n d E v e s a i d t o . A d a m , .My l o r d , w h i l e I w a s a s l e e p I
s a w a v i s i o n . T h e b l o o d o f o u r s o n .Abel w a s i n C a i n ' s h a n d , a n d h e
") w a s g u l p i n g it d o w n w i t h h i s m o u t h . I a m w o r r i e d b y i t . A n d . A d a m
s a i d , C a i n s u r e l y c o u l d n o t m u r d e r .Abel!' V e t let u s s e p a r a t e t h e m
f r o m o n e a n o t h e r a n d give e a c h o f t h e m a s e p a r a t e p l a c e t o live in.

XXIII. .And they made Cain a farmer and A b e l they m a d e a

2 s h e p h e r d , s o t h a t they w e r e s e p a r a t e from o n e a n o t h e r . A n d after
this C a i n m u r d e r e d Abel (.Adam w a s then a h u n d r e d a n d thirty
y e a r s o l d , a n d . A b e l , w h e n h e w a s m u r d e r e d , w a s twenty-two').

' l.il. 'SiiKT his prayers ami intercessions are great'.

• Or'shining'(/«ctf/t^.5).
' a blade o f grass . . . Cain: a Hebrew word-play would seem l o be involved here
[qaneh . . . Qayyin), parallel to. but difVerent from, lhal al (Jen. iv. 1.

' I.il. Alas, ifCain should kill Abel'.

' ' f h e text reads 'a hundred and twenty-two'. T h e emendation depends partly o n
c o m m o n sense and partly o n the information in Syncellus {Chron. - ed. Dindorf, i,
p. 14) that .Abei was twenty-two when he olfered his sacrifice.
 The Life ofAdam ami Eve 153
:i A i u i a l ' l c r t h i s A d a m l i a d i n l c i i o u r s c w i t h lii.s w i f e ; a n d h c l ) c c a m c
tlic i;itlicrol"flH«//;frs()n a n d c a l l e d his n a m e S e t h .

XXIV. . \ n d . \ d a n i s a i d t o K \ c , B e h o l d , I h a \ c f a t h e r e d a s o n in
•1 p l a c e o f . \ h e l , \\ h o r n Claiii m u r d e r e d . . \ i i d a f t e r . A d a m h a d f a t h e r e d
. S e t h h e l i v e d e i g h t h u n d r e d y e a r s a n d f a t h e r e d t h i r t y s o n s more a n d
t h i r t y d a u g h t e r s - in a l l . s i x t y - t h r e e c h i l d r e n . . \ n d t h e y i n c r e a s e d
in iiunihers and spread everywhere in the earth and became
nations.'

X X V . . A n d . A d a m s a i d t o S e t h , L i s t e n , S e t h m y s o n . a n d I w i l l tell
y o u w h a t I h e a r d a n d saw after y o u r m o t h e r a n d I h a d been driven
J o u t o f P a r a d i s e . W h e n w c w e r e at p r a y e r , M i c h a e l the a r c h a n g e l , a
;i m e s s e n g e r o f G o d , c a m e t o m e . .And I s a w a t h a r i o t like t h e w i n d ,
a n d its w h e e l s w e r e h e r \ ; a n d I w a s c a u g h t u p into t h e P a r a d i s e of
r i g h t e o u s n e s s . .And I saw the Lord sitting; a n d h i s face w a s a
f l a m i n g h r e t h a t n o m a n c o u l d e n d u r e . .And m a n y t h o u s a n d s o f
a n g e l s w e r e o n t h e r i g h t a n d o n t h e left o f t h a t c h a r i o t .

XXVI. W h e n I saw this I w a s t h r o w n into confusion: terror seized

m e ; a n d I p r o s t r a t e d m y s e l f b e f o r e ( J o d w i t h m y face to t h e g r o u n d .
2 .And (jtjd said to m e . Behold, you shall die, b e c a u s e you have
t r a n s g r e s s e d t h e c o m m a n d m e n t o f ( J o d ; for y o u c h o s e t o l i s t e n t o
y o u r w i f e , o v e r w h o m I g a \ e y o u a u t h o r i t y , in o r d e r t h a t y o u m i g h t
c o n t r o l h e r , a n d y o u h a v e listened to h e r a n d h a v e i g n o r e d w h a t I
said.

XXVII. . A n d w h e n I h e a r d t h e s e w o r d s o f C o d I fell p r o n e o n t h e
g r o u n d a n d w o r s h i p p e d t h e L o r d a n d s a i d , -My L o r d , a l l - f i o w e r f u l
a n d m e r c i f u l ( J o d , H o l y a n d R i g h t e o u s ( J n e , let n o t t h e n a m e t h a t
is m i n d f u l o f t h y m a j e s t y b e b l o t t e d o u t ; b u t r e n e w m y life,' l o r I
a m a t t h e p o i n t o f d e a t h a n d m y b r e a t h is a b o u t t o l e a v e m y m o u t h .
2 D o n o t d r i v e m e f r o m t h y p r e s e n c e , even me, w h o m t h o u d i d s t f o r m
from t h e clay of the e a r t h . D o not b a n i s h from thy favour him
;i w h o m t h o u d i d s t r e a r . .And lo, a w o r d c o n c e r n i n g y o u c a m e to m c ,

' I.it. Wild tlie> were niulliplied tiver the earth in their iiatiuiis*.

' I.it. "convert mv soul".

 1 "JI The Life of Adam and Eve
aiul the I.ord said to n i c , .Since your days were fashioned' you have
liccn created with a love ol knowledge: your descendants, there-
lore, shall never lose Ihe righl to serve n i e .

XXVIII. . \ n d when I heard these words I threw myself to the

g r o u n d a n d adored the Lord CJod and said. Thou art the eternal
a n d s u p r e m e (Jod. and all creatures give thee honour and praise.
2 T h o u art the True Light, which shines above every light, the
Living Life, the Inhnitc .Mighty Power. To thee the spiritual
p o w e r s give h o n o u r and praise. I h o u workest on the race of men
the miracles of thy mercy.

XXIX. .\ftcr I had worshipped the Lord, Michael, (Jod's arch­

angel, took hold o f m y hand immediately and led me out' o f t h e
L> P a r a d i s e of G o d ' s Reckoning.- .\iid -Michael had a rod in his hand
a n d touched the waters that surrounded Paradise, and they froze
:i h a r d . .And I went across. .And .Michael the archangel went across
with me a n d led me back to the place from which he had caught me
t u p . Listen, Seth my son, to the rest of the secrets also, and the
mysteries that arc to be, which were revealed to me when I had
eaten from the tree of knowledge and learned and understood what
is to c o m e to pass in this age, and what God intends to do to the
() h u m a n race he has created. T h e Lord will a p p e a r in a flame of Are,
and from the m o u t h ofhis majesty will issue c o m m a n d m e n t s and
p r e c e p t s : from his m o u t h also will proceed a two-edged sword; and
7 m e n will hallow him in the house where his majesty dwells. .And he
will show them the marvellous place ofhis majesty. .And then will
they build a house to the Lord their God in the land he will prepare
for t h e m ; a n d there will they disobey his precepts. .And their
s a n c t u a r y will be burnt up, their land deserted, and they them-
8 selves dispersed, because they have aroused the wrath of God. .And
o n c e m o r e he will bring them back from their dispersion; and again
9 they will build G o d ' s house. .And in the last time God's house will

' S ( ) . \ I c y c r ( = ^ijBran/ur): all .MS.S are corrupt.

' Lit. t h r e w me out".

' Both text and interpretation are highly uncertain; the .MSS vary between
visitationis, visionis, visitationis et visionis, and visitationis et iussionis.
 The Life of Adam and Eve 155
be exalted even higher than before. . \ n d once more iniquity will
exceed righteousness. .Vnd after that God will dwell with men on
the e a r t h in visible form; and then will righteousness begin to
shine. . \ n d G o d ' s house will be honoured for ever.' .Xnd the
a d v e r s a r y will be able no more to harm men who believe in God.
. \ n d G o d will raise up lor himself a faithful people that he will keep
safe for evermore. . \ n d the impious will be punished by God their
K i n g - that is those who have refused to love his law. Heaven and
e a r t h , nights and days, and all creatures will obey him and neither
transgress his c o m m a n d m e n t nor change their ways.'' But men will
be c h a n g e d and forsake the law o f t h e Lord. Therefore the Lord
will drive away the wicked from him, but the righteous will shine
like the sun before h i m . ' . \ n d at that time men will be purified by
w a t e r from their sins; but those who will not be purified will be
c o n d e m n e d . .And happy shall that man be who has reformed his
life' w h e n the j u d g e m e n t comes, and God's mighty power is seen
a m o n g men, and their deeds are inquired into by God the righteous
judge.

X X X . W h e n .Vdam was nine hundred and thirty years old and

knew that his end was near, he said. Let all my sons come together
to me, so that I can bless them before I die and talk with them. .Vnd
they c a m e together into his presence in three groups, in the house
of p r a y e r where they used to worship the Lord God. .-Vnd they
asked him, saying, W h y is it, father, you have called us together?
A n d why are you lying on your bed? T h e n .Vdam answered and
said, .\Iy sons, I a m ill and in pain. And all his sons said to him,
W h a t d o illness and pain mean, father?

XXXI. T h e n his son Seth said. You have been pining, perhaps, for
the fruit of Paradise, which you used to eat once, and that is why you
a r e lying in such a sorry state. Only tell me, and I will go to the
nearest of the gates of Paradise and put dust on my head and
p r o s t r a t e myself on the ground before the gates of Paradise and
l a m e n t and entreat the Lord with a loud and bitter lament: perhaps
' O r ' i n (Aa/age'. * Lit.'worlis'.
' L i t . ' i n the sight of God".
* O r 'learned discipline': lit. 'corrected his soul'.
 15f j The Life ofAdam and Kve
h e will l i s t e n t o m e a n d s e n d his-angel t o fetch m e t h e fruit y o u h a v e
2 b e e n p i n i n g for. .Adam a n s w e r e d a n d said. N o , m y s o n . I h a v e n o t
b e e n piningf or that fruit; b u t I feel w e a k a n d a m i n g r e a t p a i n i n m y
body. Seth answered. What is p a i n , m y l o r d f a t h e r ? I do not
u n d e r s t a n d . B u t e x p l a i n it t o u s a n d ' tell u s about it.

XXXn. .And .Adam a n s w e r e d a n d said, Listen to m e m y sons.

When God made us, m e a n d your mother, a n d placed u s in
P a r a d i s e , a n d g a v e u s e v e r y t r e e t h a t b e a r s fruit t o e a t , h e l a i d a
p r o h i b i t i o n o n u s c o n c e r n i n g t h e t r e e o f t h e k n o w l e d g e o f gcxxl a n d
'2 e v i l t h a t is i n t h e m i d d l e o f P a r a d i s e , s a y i n g . D o n o t e a t o f i t . A n d
G o d g a v e a p a r t o f P a r a d i s e t o m e a n d a part t o y o u r m o t h e r : t h e
trees o P t h e eastern part a n d t h e north he gave to m e ,a n d he gave
the south a n d the western part to your mother.

1,2 XXXIII. Also, t h e L o r d G o d g a v e u s t w o a n g e l s t o g u a r d u s . T h e

t i m e c a m e w h e n t h e a n g e l s h a d g o n e u p t o w o r s h i p in G o d ' s
p r e s e n c e ; and a t o n c e t h e a d v e r s a r y , t h e d e v i l , t o o k t h e o p p o r ­
t u n i t y , w h i l e t h e a n g e l s w e r e a w a y , a n d l e d y o u r m o t h e r a s t r a y and
:i persuaded her t o e a t o f t h e u n l a w f u l a n d f o r b i d d e n t r e e . .And s h e a t e
of it herself a n d g a \ e some t o m e .

XXXIV. .And i m m e d i a t e l y t h e L o r d G o d w a s a n g r y with u s . A n d

t h e L o r d said to m e . Because y o u h a v e forsaken m y c o m m a n d m e n t
a n d have not kept m y word, which 1 m a d e binding on you, behold
I w i l l alTlict y o u r b o d y w i t h s e v e n t y i l l s . ' W i t h a l l k i n d s o f d i l f c r e n t
p a i n s will y o u b e t o r m e n t e d in e v e r y l i m b , from y o u r h e a d a n d eyes
2 a n d e a r s r i g h t d o w n t o y o u r t o e - n a i l s . T h e s e ills h c a p p o i n t e d f o r u s
a s a p u n i s h m e n t . ' .All o f t h e m h a s t h e L o r d l a i d o n m e a n d a l l o u r
race.

' I.it. "But d o not hide it Irom ns. but'.

' Some .\ISS read 'the authority over'.

' I.it. 'I will bring upon your Ixxly seventy blows (or ' s t r o k e s ' - o f t h e nxi)'.
' .Ml .\1SS have an additional phrase here. I'hey dilfer w idely from one another,
but not one makes even tolerable sense.
 The Life of Adam and Eve 1.')/

XXXV. S o di(1 . \ d a i i i s p e a k t o h i s s o n s . . A n d h e w a s s e i z e d w i t h
violent p a i n s a n d cried o u t loudly, W h a t shall I d o ? I a m exhausted,
2 so cruel a r e t h e p a i n s t h a t g r i p m e . .And w h e n Kve saw h i m
w e e p i n g , s h e also began to weep hcrscH'and said. O Lord, m y God,
1 t r a n s f e r t o m e h i s p a i n , f o r it w a s I w h o s i n n e d . . A n d K v e s a i d t o
. \ d a m . . \ I y l o r d , let m e s h a r e y o u r p a i n s . ' for it is m y f a u l t t h e y
have come on you.

XXXVI. .And . A d a m s a i d t o Kve, ( i e t u p a n d g o w i t h m y s o n S e t h t o

the neighbourhood of Paradise, a n d put dust on your heads a n d
p r o s t r a t e y o u r s c K c s o n t h e g r o u n d a n d l a m e n t in t h e sight of G o d .
2 P e r h a p s h e will pity y o u a n d s e n d his a n g e l a c r o s s to t h e tree of
m e r c y , f r o m w h i c h f l o w s t h e o i l o f life; a n d perhaps h e w i l l g i v e y o u a
d r o p o f i t t o a n o i n t m e w i t h , .so t h a t I c a n g e t s o m e r e s p i t e f r o m
these pains by which ! a m consumed.

XXXVII. T h e n S e t h a n d his m o t h e r w e n t olf t o w a r d s t h e gates of

P a r a d i s e . .And w h i l e t h e y w e r e g o i n g , s u d d e n l y a b e a s t a p p e a r e d , a
2 s e r p e n t , a n d it a t t a c k e d a n d b i t S e t h . .And a s s o o n a s K v e s a w it, s h e
w e p t a n d s a i d , .Alas, w r e t c h e d w o m a n t h a t I a m . I a m a c c u r s e d
1 b e c a u s e I h a v e n o t k e p t G o d ' s c o m m a n d m e n t . .And K v e s h o u t e d a t
t h e s e r p e n t , . A c c u r s e d b e a s t ! H o w is it y o u a r e n o t a f r a i d t o l e t
y o u r s e l f loose a g a i n s t t h e i m a g e o f G o d b u t d a r e t o h g h t it?

XXXVin. I h e b e a s t a n s w e r e d i n h u m a n s p e e c h . I s it n o t a g a i n s t
y o u , K v e , t h a t o u r m a l i c e is directed? .Are n o t y o u t h e o b j e c t s o f o u r
2 s p i t e ? T e l l m e , K v e , h o w e a m e it t h a t y o u r m o u t h w a s o p e n t o e a t
t h e f r u i t ? \ ' c t n o w , if I s h o u l d even b e g i n t o r e p r o a c h y o u , y o u c o u l d
n o t e n d u r e it.

XXXIX. Then Seth said to the beast. The Lord G o d rebuke you!
Be siletit, b e d u m b , s h u t y o u r m o u t h , a c c u r s e d e n e m y of t r u t h ,
c o n f o u n d e r a n d d e s t r o y e r ! K e e p y o u r d i s t a n c e f r o m t h e i m a g e of
G o d till t h e d a y w h e n t h e L o r d God o r d e r s y o u t o b e b r o u g h t t o t h e
2 final t r i a l . . A n d t h e b e a s t s a i d t o S e t h , S e e I l e a v e t h e p r e s e n c e of

' Lit. 'give me a part ofyour pains'.

 1 ')K The Life of Adam and Eve
God"s image as you liave told me to. At this, he left Seth with the
m a r k s ofhis teeth upon him.'

XL. But Seth a n d his mother continued their journey to the

regions of Paradise, looking for the oil of mercy to anoint the ailing
.Adam; a n d they arrived at the gates of Paradise. T h e y took dust
from the g r o u n d and put it on their heads and they prostrated
L> themselves and began to lament with loud moans, supplicating the
Lord G o d to pity .Adam in his pains and to send his angel to give
h i m the oil from the tree ofhis mercy.

XLI. .And when they had been praying and making supplication
for m a n y hours, behold, the angel Michael appeared to them and
2 said, 1 have been sent to you by the Lord. I a m appointed by God
:i to look after m e n ' s bodies; and I am to tell you, Seth, since you are a
m a n of G o d , not to weep or pray or make supplication for the oil of
the tree of mercy, so as to anoint your father A d a m and ease the
p a i n s in his body.

XLIL For, I tell you, you can never have it, except in the last days.
2 W h e n hvc t h o u s a n d five h u n d r e d years have been completed, then
will c o m e upon earth the most beloved King, Christ, the Son of
G o d , to revive the body o f A d a m , and to revive the bodies o f t h e
:i d e a d with him. H e himself, the Son of God, will be baptized at his
c o m i n g in the River J o r d a n ; and when he comes out ofthe water of
J o r d a n , then will he anoint with the oil of mercy all that believe in
t him. .And the oil of mercy will bcgtven generation after generation
to those w h o are ready to be born again to life eternal by water and
.i the Holy Spirit. T h e n , when the most beloved Son of God, Christ,
d e s c e n d s to earth, he will take your father A d a m into Paradise and
lead him to the tree of mercy.'
' Lit. 'wounded by his teeth'.
' Michael's speech up to here (i.e. xH.2-xlii.5) is almost verbally identical with
his speech as given in the Latin 'A' recension of the Acts of Pilate (Gospel of
.Nicodcmus) xix, where, at Adam's request, Seth recounts the incident to his 'sons
the patriarchs and prophets' in Hell. T h e Greek and the Latin ' B ' recensions ofthe
.Acts also include the speech, but in slightly different forms. Neither the Greek nor
either of the Latin recensions, however, has the concluding verse in the Life (i.e.
xliii. l ) . S c e M. R . J a m e s , TheApocryplmlNew Teslaminl (Oxford, 1924), pp. 126-8.
 The Life ofAdam and Eie 159

XLIII. But as I'or you, Soth. go to your lather . \ d a m . for his life­
s p a n is complete. .Six days from now his soul will leave his body;
a n d , when it goes out, you will sec great marvels in the h e a \ c n and
2 on the earth and in the luminaries of heaven. And with these words
3 M i c h a e l left Seth immediately. .And Kve and Seth returned, carry­
ing with them sweet-smelling herbs - nard. and crocus, and
c a l a m u s , a n d cinnamon.

XLIV. .And when Seth and his mother reached .Adam, they told
•1 him how the serpent-beast had bitten Seth. .And .Adam said to Kve,
W h a t is it that you did? .A great plague h a \ e \ o u brought on us -
3 transgression and sin for all our generations. .After my death tell
y o u r children what you did;' for our descendants- will toil and not
4 m a k e a living, they will be in want and curse us and say. O u r hrst
5 p a r e n t s brought all these evils on us. And when Kve heard what he
said, she began to weep and moan.

XLV. .And after six days c a m e .Adam's death, just as the archangel
2 .Michael had foretold. W h e n .Adam realized that the hour ofhis
d e a t h was near he said to all his sons. Behold, I am nine hundred
a n d thirty years old; and after I am dead bury me towards the
3 s u n r i s i n g t in the held that belongs to the house over theret. .And it
c a m e to pass, when he had hnished speaking, he breathed his last.
Then was the sun darkened, and the moon and the stars a/so, for
seven d a y s .

XLVI. A n d Seth bent over his father's body, mourning, and

e m b r a c e d it;' and Kve stared at the ground with hands folded over
' 'fhe .Xpocalypse ot .\Iose.s puts this charge o f . \ c i a m to Kve iu the lorm o("a
c o m m a n d to summon their children and grandchildren immediately and. when
assembled in a group round .Adam's deathbed, to "tell them the manner of our
transgression'. T h e .Apocalypse then coittinues with Kve's account of the fall
(chaps, x v - x x x ) , which thus prictdti .Adam's death. It consequently lacks Kve's
speech in Kife xlix. 1-1.2, which accords with .Adam's instructions here to Kve to tell
her story after his death. The account ofthe Fall in the .Ap<Kalypse will In- found
printed in full as an .Appendix ( p p . 161 - 67. below).
' K i t . ' t h o s e who a r i s e from us'.

' Kit. '.And Seth in his mourning embraced from above his father's Ixxiy'.
 1 f)() The Life ofAdam and Eie
2 h e r h e a d , a n d all her children wept most bitterly. .Vnd behold,
.Michael the angel a p p e a r e d a n d stood at .Adam's head and said to
:i Seth, Get up and leav e your father's body, and come to mc and see
w h a t the Lord God has in store for him. His creature he is. and he
has had pity on him.

XL VII. .And all the angels blew their trumpets and cried. Blessed
art thoti, O Lord, for thou hast had pity on thy creature.

XLVIII. Then Seth saw God's hand stretched out and holding
'_' .Adam; and he delivered him over to Michael, saying. Let him be in
y o u r charge till the day ofjudgement in punishment, till the last
years when I will turn his sorrow into joy. T h e n sliall he sit on the
4 t h r o n e o f h i s s u p p l a n t e r . ' .And the Lord said again to the angels
.Michael a n d Uriel, Bring me three linen sheets and spread them
out over .Adam, and spread other sheets over his son .Abel, and bury
•> .Adam a n d his son. .And all the angelic powers marched in proces­
sion in front of .Adam; and the sleep o f t h e dead was consecrated.
I, .And the angels Michael and Uriel buried .Adam and .Abel in the
regions of Paradise, before the eyes of Seth and his mother and no
7 o n e else. .And .Michael and Uriel said. J u s t as you have seen us
doing, so d o you also bury your dead.

XLIX. Si.x days after .Adam died. Eve, realizing that her own death
was near, called all her sons and daughers together - that is, Seth
2 with his thirty brothers and thirty sisters. .And Eve said to all of
them. Listen to me, my children, and I will tell you what the
a r c h a n g e l Michael said to us when your father and I transgressed
:i t h e c o m m a n d of G o d . Because o f y o u r transgression, he said, our
Lord will bring on your race the anger of his judgement, first by
w a t e r , the second time by fire; by these two things will the Lord
j u d g e the whole h u m a n race.

L, But listen to me, my children. M a k e two kinds of tablets, some of

stone a n d others of clay, and record on them everything that has
h a p p e n e d in my life a n d your father's, what you have heard from

' O r . according to some .MSS, 'ofhis seducer'.

 The Life of Adam and Eve 161
u s a n d ichat you h a v e seen yourselves. I f t h e L o r d j u d g e s o u r r a c e b y
w a t e r , t h e c l a y t a b l e t s will b e c o m e m u d , ' b u t t h e s t o n e o n e s will b e
p r e s e r v e d ; b u t if h e j u d g e s o u r r a c e b y fire, then t h e s t o n e t a b l e t s
:i w i l l b e s h a t t e r e d , ' b u t t h e c l a y o n e s b a k e d hard. W h e n E v e h a d s a i d
t h i s t o h e r c h i l d r e n , s h e s p r e a d o u t h e r h a n d s t o h e a v e n in p r a y e r ,
a n d bent h e r knees to theearth; a n d while shewas worshipping the
L o r d a n d .giving h i m t h a n k s s h e b r e a t h e d h e r last. afterwards
all h e r c h i l d r e n b u r i e d h e r w i t h loud l a m e n t a t i o n .

LI. When they h a d been mourning four days the archangel

2 . M i c h a e l a p p e a r e d a n d s a i d t o S e t h , .Man o f G o d , n e v e r m o u r n for
y o u r d e a d m o r e t h a n s i x d a y s , b e c a u s e o n t h e s e v e n t h d a y is t h e
s i g n o f t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n and t h e r e s t o f t h e a g e t o c o m e , f o r o n t h e
:i s e v e n t h d a y t h e L o r d rested from all his works. T h e n Seth m a d e
the tablets.'

.\PPENDIX

K \ F . ' S . A C C O U N f O F T H K F.AKK FRO.M T H K

. \ P O C ; . M . Y P S K O F .MOSKS X V - X X X

(.\s n o t e d a b o v e ( p . 142. n . 6 ) this a c c o u n t c o r r e s p o n d s to t h e s h o r t s p e e c h

o f E v e t o all h e r s o n s a n d d a u g h t e r s ' in Life xlix. 1-1.2, t h o u g h it differs in
t h a t ( I ) it is p l a c e d in t h e .Apocalypse before a n d n o t after t h e d e a t h of
. • \ d a n i , a n d (2) it is very m u c h m o r e e l a l x j r a t c . I n fact, it i n c o r p o r a t e s t h e
o n l y c o n s i d e r a b l e b o d y of m a t t e r c o n t a i n e d in t h e A p o c a l y p s e t h a t is n o t
a l s o c o n t a i n e d in s o m e form in t h e Life. It is p r i n t e d p a r t l y for this r e a s o n ,
a n d partly o n account ofits intrinsic interest.]

' Kit. 'will l>e dissolved'.

' Some .\ISS add an account olhow these tablets survived the Flood, but no one
could read them: Solomon, however, had the secret ofthe script revealed to him by
the same angel who had 'held the hand' of Seth when hc wrote them. 'I'hc account
concludes by stating that 'on these stones was found what Flnoeh, the seventh from
.Adam, had prophesied before the Flood about the advent of Christ'; and then
follows the well-known passage from 1 Enoch i. 9, quoted at J u d e 14 and 15. Still
other .\ISS have further additions, including information about the materials out of
which .Adam's bcxiy was made and the statement that hc was fashioned 'in that
place in which Jesus was born, that is to say in Bethlehem, which is in the middle of
the world'.
 162 The Life of Adam and Eve

XIV. 3 . . . And he said to her, Call all our children and our
c h i l d r e n ' s children, a n d tell them how it was that we transgressed.

XV. T h e n Eve said to them. Listen, my children and children's

c h i l d r e n , all of you, a n d I will tell you how the enemy deceived us.
2 It h a p p e n e d w h e n we were g u a r d i n g Paradise, each of us the part
allotted to us by G o d . I was on g u a r d in my lot, the south and the
3 west. But the devil went to .Adam's lot, where the male creatures
were (for G o d h a d divided the creatures: all the males he had given
to y o u r father, a n d all the females he had given to me; and we each
looked after o u r o w n ) .

XVI. A n d the devil spoke to the serpent, saying, Get up and come
here to me, a n d 1 will tell you something that could be to your
2 a d v a n t a g e . A n d he got up and came to him. And the devil said to
h i m , I h e a r you are the wisest of all the animals, and I have come to
3 talk to you. W h y d o you eat A d a m ' s tares and not the fruits of
P a r a d i s e ? C o m e , a n d let us see to it that he is thrown out of
4 P a r a d i s e , j u s t as we were thrown out because of him. T h e serpent
5 said to h i m , I a m afraid the Lord will be angry with me. T h e devil
said to h i m . Do not be afraid, only be my tool, and I will put into
y o u r m o u t h such words as will deceive him.

XVn. A n d he went immediately and h u n g from the wall of Paradise.

A n d when the angels went up to worship God, then Satan apf>eared
2 in t h e form of an angel and sang h y m n s like the angels. And I bent
over the wall a n d saw him looking^ust like an angel. And he said to
3 m e . Are you Eve? A n d I said to him, I a m . And he said to me. W h a t
d o you d o in Paradise?' And I said to him, God set us to guard it
4 a n d to eat from it. T h e devil answered through the serpent's
b m o u t h . You d o well; yet you d o not eat from every plant. And I
said, Yes, we d o eat from every plant, except only one - the one that
is in the m i d d l e of Paradise, about which God commanded us not
to eat from it. For on the day you do eat from it, he said to us, you
will certainly die.

' O r 'what are you doing in Paradise?'

 The Life of Adam ami Eve 1 (t'.'i

XVni. T h e n the serpent said to me, .Xs (Jod lives, I am grieved

a b o u t you, because you are like the animals; and I would not have
you r e m a i n in ignorance. C o m e , listen to me and eat, and learn the
2 v a l u e of that tree. But I said to him. I am afraid that G(xl will be
3 a n g r y with me, as he told us he would. .And hc said to me. Do not be
afraid, for as soon as you eat from it, you too will be like (iod,'
4 k n o w i n g good and e\il. (Jod realized this, that you would be like
.i h i m , so he envied you and said, Vou must not cat from it. But go and
(i look at the plant and you will see how splendid it is.' X'et I was
afraid to take any o f t h e fruit. .And he said to mc. Come, and 1 will
give it you: follow me.

XIX. .And I opened the gate for him, and he came inside, into
P a r a d i s e , a n d went on in front of me. .And when he had gone a little
w a y he turned and said to me, 1 have changed my mind; I will n o t
give you any of the fruit to eat till you swear to me that you will give
2 some also to your h u s b a n d . I said to him, I do not know what sort of
o a t h I should swear to you by; yet. so far as my knowledge goes, I
p r o m i s e you. By the Throne of .Majesty, and by the Cherubim, and
by the 'Tree of Life, I will give some ofthe fruit also to my husband to
3 eat. .And as soon as he had the oath from me, he went and put on
the fruit the poison ofhis wickedness - that is to say, lust, the rcKJt
a n d origin of every sin. .And hc bent the branch down to the ground;
a n d I took some o f t h e fruit and ate it.

XX. A n d at that very moment my eyes were opened; and I knew

i m m e d i a t e l y that I had been stripped' o f t h e i ighteousness I had
2 been clothed with. .And 1 wept and said to him. Why have you done
3 this to m c a n d deprived mc ofmy glory? .And I \\\ pi al.so because of
t h e o a t h I had sworn. But he got down from the tree and vanished.
4 A n d in my nakedness I began to look in my part of Paradise for
leaves to hide my s h a m e , but 1 could not find any; for, as sixin as I
h a d e a t e n , the leaves dropped offall the trees in my part of Paradise,
' O r ' l i k e gods'.

^ Lit 'the great glory eoiieeriiing it'.

' Lit. 'was naked'.

 1M The Life of Adam ami Lie
c x c r p t the fig-tree. .So I tool< .some lea\ es from it and made myselfa
j girdle. .And it was from that very same tree that I had eaten.

XXI. . \ n d I cried out loud, sa\ ing, .Adam, .Adam, where are you?
2 (jet up and eome to me, and I will show you a great secret. But
w hen your father came I spoke wicked words to him - words that
:i b r o u g h t us down from our pinnacle of glory, f o r . when he came, I
o p e n e d m\ m o u t h and began to exhort hitn and said (it was the
devil speaking). C o m e here, my lord .Adam: listen to me, and eat
some o f t h e fruit ofthe tree Ood told us not to eat of and you will be
t like G o d . ' .And your father answered and said, I am afraid that
(Jod will be angry with ttie. .And I said to him. Do not be afraid, fc)r
j as soon as you have eaten you will know good atid evil. .And I
quickly p e r s u a d e d him; anci he ate, .And his eyes were opened
(> i m m e d i a t e l y , and he too became aware ofhis nakedness. .And he
said to me, ^'ou wicked woman! W h a t have I done to you that you
h a v e deprived me ofthe glory of (Jod?

XXII. .And at that very moment we heard the archangel Michael

blowing with his trumpet and calling to the angels and saying,
2 Thus says the Lord, Gome with me to Paradise and hear the
j u d g e m e n t with which I a m about to j u d g e .Adam. .And when we
h e a r d the archangel trumpeting, wc said. Behold, Ciod is coming
:i into Paradise to j u d g e us. .And we were afraid and hid. .And when
CJod a p p e a r e d in Paradise, mounted on the chariot of the cherubim,
with the angels .going before him and singing hymns of praise, all
the p l a n t s of Paradise, both ofyour father's lot and mine, burst into
1 flower. .And CJod's throne was set up where the T r e e of Lift:- was.

XXIII. .And CJod called .Aciam, saying, .Adam where are you? C a n
2 the house be hidden from its builder? Then your father answered,
W e have not hidden. Lord, because we think thou canst not find
us; b u t I was afraid, because I am naked, and overawed. Lord, by
3 thy iTiight. G o d said to him. W h o showed you that you are naked?
H a v e you forsaken my c o m m a n d m e n t which I told you to observe?
1 T h e n .Adam remembered my promise to him, I will protect you if

' O r like a gcxf.

 The I.ije oj Adam ami Eve 1 (if)
(Jod is a n g r y ; ' a n d lie turned to mc and said, W'liy liavc you done
tliis? . \ n d I said, I h e serpent decei\ cd me.

XXIV. ( i o d saiil to . \ d a m . Because you liave disregarded my

c o m m a n d m e n t a n d have listened to your wile, cursed shall the
g r o u n d b e by your labours. You will w o r k it and it will not yield its
w e a l t h : thorns a n d thistles will it grow lor you; and by the sweat of
y o u r brow you shall eat your bread. .Maniliild will be your toils:
you w ill be crushed by bitterness; and olsweetness you will have no
> taste. \ V c a r \ you will be and yet hnd no rest, by heat exhausted
a n d by c o l d d i s t r a u g h t . Vou will labour incessantly, but not be
\ rich; a n d you will g r o w fat. yet come to no good end.' Kvcn the
b e a s t s . o \ e r w h o m you were g i \ c n the dominion, will rise up in
rebellion against you, because you h a \ e not k e p t my commandment.

XXV. . \ n d the Lord turned to me and said, B c i a u s e \t)u listened to

the serpent and turned a deaf ear to my commandment, you shall
sutler the pangs of child birth' and agonizing pains. You shall Ix-ar
children in much trembling,' and within a single hour you shall c o m e lo
the point of birth and lose your life, so inten.se will be y o u r anguish and
your pangs. Then will you make confession and say, I^ird. I-orcl, s a v e
1 me. a n d I will turn no m o r e to carnal sin. .\nd so. by your own words
will I judge >()u, because ofthe enmity which the enemy has planted
in you.

XXVI. .And he turned to the scipent in great wrath and said. Because
you h a \ c done this and become a graceless creature' and have
deceived the i n i K x e n t in heart, accursed s h a l l you Ix- m o r e tlian all
beasts, ^'ou shall be deprived ofthe lixxl you used to eat and shall Iced
on dust all the days ofyour life. O n your breast and your telly shall

' l.il. '1 will make you sale Ix-fore C I K I ' .

' T h e .M.SS vary in this catalogue Ixith in the ordt-ring, and in tlu- inclusion or
. o l s o m e o l t h e details.

' 'fcxt 'you shall he in vain things*.

• = TgO/dOig. Text in many ways (= TQOJIOI;)'.

el, thing*.
 1 The Life ofAdam and Eie
you crawl and lose your hands and feet. There shall be left to yoi
neither ear nor wing nor any limb that in your malice you ensnarec
them with and caused them to be thrown out of Paradise. .Vnd I wil
put enmity between you and human kind:' they shall watch out foi
your head and you shall watch out Ibr their heel till the day o:
judgement.

XXVn. So he spoke and g a \ e orders to his angels that we should bt

2 thrown out of Paradise. .And as we were being drisen out, with loud
lameiUations, your father .Adam pleaded with the angels, saying.
S p a r e me a moment, so that I may entreat the Ixird to have compas­
sion on me and pity me, for only I have sinned. .And they left ofl"
:i driving him. .And .Adam cried out with tears and said. Forgive mc,
1 Lord, for what I did. 'Then the Lord said to the angels. Why have you
stopped driving .Adam out of Paradise? Is it 1 who have done wrong?
O r is my judgement faulty? Then the angels fell to the ground and
worshipped the Lord, saying, 'Thou art righteous, LxDrd, and thou
judgest rightly.

XXVID. .And the Lord turned to .Adam and said, 1 will allow you to
2 remain in Paradise no longer. .And .Adam answered and said. Grant
:i me, Lord, to eat from the 'IVee of l-ife before 1 am thrown out. Then
the Lord spoke to .Adam, saying, \'o\\ shall not have any ofit now, for
because of you I havecommanded the C h e r u b i m t o g u a r d i t with the
flaming sword that turns every way, so that you should not taste it and
thereby gain immonality for ever: you must endure instead the
1 conflict that the enemy has brought upon you. Yet after you have gone
out of Paradise, if you can keep yourself from all evil (as one about to
die), at the resurrection' 1 will raise you up, and then shall you be
given to eat from the Tree of Life, you shall be immortal for evermore.

XXDC So the Lord spoke and ordered us to be thrown out of

2 Paradise. But your father Adam wept in the angels' presence in'

^ I.il. 'and his seed".

' I.il. 'when ihi- rosiirreclioii has again come inlo being'.

' I.il. 'opixisiie. o\er againsl'.

 The Life of Adam and Eve l()7
Paradise; and the angels said to him, What would you have us do for
you, A d a m ? And your lather said to them. Behold, you are driving me
out: I beg you, let me take away some sweet-smelling herbs from
Paradise so that I can make an olfcring to God after I have gone out of
Paradise, and God may listen to mc. And the angels approached ikxi
a n d said, Jael, eternal king, give orders that .'\dam be given sweet-
smelling incense from Paradise. .And God ordered .Adam to go and
take sweet-smelling spices from Paradise and also some seeds Ibr his lixxl.
A n d the angels let him go; and he gathered both kinds - C R X U S and
n a r d and calamus and cinnamon, and other seeds for his ftxxi. .And,
taking them with him, he went out of Paradise. .And we Ibund ourselves
on earth.

XXX. So now, my children, I have shown you how it was we were

deceived. .And as for you, see tt) it that you do not abandon what is
good.

XXXI. .And when Kve had said this, surrounded by her sons, and
A d a m was lying ill and about to die the following day . . .
 ENOCH

IN T R O D L C : ! I O N

Till' palriarcli Knoch was well known in prc-Clhristian Judaism

a n d in (hc primili\ c (lluirch, not mcrcK as a paragon olrightcous-
ncss, htit also as an a u t h o r whos<- writings had a wide circulation
a n d in some cjuarters were accepted as 'scripture". The Book of
j u b i l e e s rc|)rcscnts him as the inventor ofwriting, and it refers to
his h a v i n g written several apparently quite unrelated works deal­
ing with 'the signs of hca\en", his own vision o f ' w h a t will happen
to the sons of men in every generation", and certain angelic revela­
tions concerning 'everything on earth and in the heavens':' later
on, his 'special function" is described as "to be a witness to the
w o r l d ' s generations and report all the deeds of each generation till
the d a y ofjudgement';^ and, later still, the dying A b r a h a m is
r e p o r t e d as telling Isaac that he had foutid certain regulations
a b o u t sacrihcc 'written . . . in the words .of Knoch'.' In the .New
T e s t a m e n t , the Kpistle of Jude explicitly quotes Knoch and intro­
d u c e s the quotation with the formula 'Knoch, the seventh from
. \ d a m , prophesied, saying . . ,''' Thereafter quotations and refer­
ences are frequent. Thus, the Kpistle of Barnabas quotes him ('. . .
c o n c e r n i n g which it is written, as Knoch says. . . . ' ) , ' and the
T e s t a m e n t s o f t h e TweKe Patriarchs have no less than nine refer­
ences to material contained in the 'words', or 'writing', or 'b(X)k',
or ' b o o k s ' , 'of Knoch"."
. \ n i o n g the Fathers. TertuUiaii. although he hitnself accepted
Knoch. knew of some who did n o t . ' Origen quoted and referred to
Knoch, but he had reservations;" and he was at pains to point out to
C^elsus that "the books entitled " K n o c h " are not generally held to
' Jul), iv. 1 7 - 2 1 . •'.Jul). X. 17.
' Jul), xxi. 111. •• j u d e l-t-1.5.
^ Ep. Bam. i\. 3 (llu* c]iu}latiun ut xvi. .') i.s allribulcd lo 'Striplurt''. and that at
xvi. I) is inlrodiucd hy 'it is writlrn': in lu'ithcr fast- is Knoch n)cnlioncd by name).
* It should be noted, however, that there is textual uncertainly in hve ol these
instances.
' f e n . cull.Jem. 1. iii. 1.
" Orig. /n ham. \ ' I . xlii ("2.')); w Sum. hom. xxviii. 2.
170 1 Enoch
hc cli\ itic by the churches".'' For Jerome Fnoch was certainly
a p o c r y p h a l . ' " \nd so too l<)r .Augustine: .Augustine admitted that
lLiu)ch had written 'not a little' by divine inspiration, but he
hinisclt'found the writings then circulating under Knoch's name so
lull of incredible fables and other undesirable matter that they
could not possibly be genuine: they were C|uite rightly rejected by
b o t h J e w s and Clhristians."
' K n o c h ' is listed a m o n g the works outside the Canon in the
S t i c h o m c t r y of Nicephorus. in the List of Si.xty Books, and in the
pseudo-.Athanasian Synopsis; but it is not mentioned in the Gela­
sian Decree. This presumably tneans that writings attributed to
Knoch passed out of circulation in the West rather earlier than they
did ill the Fast. The last Kasterii writer to show personal acquaint­
a n c e with the writings of Knoch is (Jeorgius Syncellus (c.HOO). In
his Chronograph}' Syncellus gi\ es (in (ircek) four extracts 'from the
hrst book of Knoch', and later on hc refers to certain astronomical
information which the archangel Uriel had given Knoch 'as Knoch
records in his b o o k ' . "
.After the lapse of more than a thousand years the Knoch litera­
t u r e was re-introduced tti the West at the end o f t h e eighteenth
c e n t u r y by J a m e s Bruce as a result of his travels in .Abyssinia.
.Among the Kthiopic manuscripts that Bruce brought back were
t h r e e containing what is now known as 1 Knoch or 'Kthiopian
Knoch'. O n e of these manuscripts (now in the Bodleian Library at
Oxford) contained 1 Knoch only: the second (also in the Bodleian)
c o n t a i n e d 1 Knoch. followed by J o b , Isaiah, the Twelve, Proverbs,
W i s d o m , Kcclesiastcs, Clantidcs and Daniel: the third (now in the
B i b l i o t h e q u c .Vatioiialc in Paris) is a transcript ofthe second. In all
three the work was entitled 'the Book of Knoch the Prophet'.
R i c h a r d L a u r e n c e , Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford and
s u b s e q u e n t l y .Archbishop ofCashel, issued a translation ofthe text
o f t h e first ofthe Bodleian manuscripts in 18'2I and followed this in
1838 by printing the text itself .Meanwhile, more manuscripts

' O r i g . f . Cel. V. .14.

"> Hieron. vir. ml. 4; Comm. in Tic i. \2: cp. Tract. dePs. cxxxii. :i.
" .\iig. O l . X V . 2:i,xviii. ;iH.
'•' .Syncellus, Chronographia {cd. Oincloi^ = Corp. Scr. Hist. B_y^..\o\< {ikitm. 1829),
pp. 2i)-23. 4 2 - 4 7 . till).
 / Enoch 171
were being brought bacli by other travellers, and three of these,
a l o n g with the two in the Bodleian, were used by Dillmann lor the
first critical edition o f t h e Kthiopic text, published in 18")I.
In l 8 8 ( j - 7 workers attached to the French .Archaeological
.Museum at C a i r o discovered in a monk's tomb at .Vkhniim two
extensive p a r c h m e n t fragments of Knoch in Greek, bound up
t o g e t h e r with fragments o f t h e Ciospcl and the Revelation of Peter
(also in G r e e k ) . The larger ofthe two Knoch fragments was Ibund
to c o r r e s p o n d to I Knoch i. l-xxxii. fi in the Kthiopic, and the
s m a l l e r to xix. ;5-xxi. 9. T h e y arc to be assigned to either the fifth
o r the sixth centuries. They were published by L'. Bouriant and
A. Lods in 1 8 9 2 - 3 and were conscciucntly not available to R. H.
C h a r l e s for use in the first edition ofhis The Rook of Enoch (Knglish
translation, with Introduction and Commentary), which appeared
in 1893. However, when Clharles produced his full critical edition
of the Kthiopic text in 1906 (based on twenty-three .M.S.S), he
p r i n t e d opposite the Kthiopic text at the appropriate points, not
only the complete Greek text o f t h e . \ k h m i m fragments, but also
t h e Greek extracts from Syncellus, a Greek fragment correspond­
ing to Ixxxix. 4 2 - 4 9 from \ ' a t . Cod. Gr. 1809 (which had been
p u b l i s h e d by . \ . .Mai in 1844 in the second volume ofhis Palrum
Nova Bibliotheca). and a Latin fragment corresponding to cvi. 1-18
discovered in the British .Museum by .M. R. J a m e s in 1893 and
p u b l i s h e d in the C a m b r i d g e Texts and Studies in the same year. .Ml
this a d d i t i o n a l material was assimilated in the "wholly recast,
e n l a r g e d , a n d re-written' second edition of Charles's The Book of
Enoch\n\<-m.
Since C h a r l e s ' s clay there liave been two major discoveries."
First, in 1930 the University of Michigan acquired six leaves ofa
p a p y r u s codex, written in Greek and dating from the fourth or
early fifih century. Shortly afterwards it appeared that eight more
leaves a n d three fragments, all belonging to the same codex as the
M i c h i g a n leaves, were included in the very valuable collection of
p a p y r i a c q u i r e d by .A. Clhester Beatty about the same time. When
r e c o n s t r u c t e d , this codex was found to contain a complete Greek
.Among minor discoveries should he mentioned the t)th-7th cent, rragnient.
which appears to contain a text of 1 Knoch xciii. ;t-8 in Cloptic, and which was
discovered during the excavations al .Anlinoc- in 19!i7 and published in HltiO.
1 72 / Enoch
text (apart Irom the im-vitabic minor dflic iciuics) of I Knoch xcvii.
f)-ci\-. 13 a n d c\i. l - c \ i i . 3. followed by the (Jreek text o f t h e
o t h e r w i s e lost Homily on Ihe Passion of Melito ofSardis, It was clear
at otice that the text of Knoch olfered by the codex dilfcred from the
Kthiopic in lacking both chap, cv and the final chap. c\iii (chaps,
civ a n d cvi are continuous, and after cvii. 3 is written the colophon
'Kpistle of Knoch', with .Melito's Homily following innnediately).
W h a t was not clear was how much had been lost before xc\ ii. (>.
C a m p b e l l Bonner, who was entrusted with the task of editing both
texts, was of the opinion, lor technical reasons, that it was most
unlikely that the codex had ever contained the whole of 1 Knoch: in
his view it included only chaps, xci—ivii (minus c \ ) . and these
c h a p t e r s were preceded by another short work of which the three
fragments were the sole extant remains. These fragments he as­
signed to an apocryphal 'K/.ekiel'.
The second major discovery since Clharles's day is that o f t h e
.Vramaic fragments found in Clave I \ ' at Q u n n a n . The first of these
was identified as belonging to 1 Knoch by ]. V. .\Iilik at the
beginning of September 19.")2: the identification of others soon
followed; a n d .\Iilik published a s u m p t u o u s edition of all o f t h e m .
with extended c o m m e n t a r y , explanatory essays, and plates, in
197(). .Altogether there are some h u n d r e d s of fragments, which
.\Iilik interpreted as the remains of eleven dilfcrent manuscripts,
the oldest of which hc assigned to the first half of the second
c c n t u r v BC:; and they cover all parts ofthe book as wc know it with
the exception of chaps, xxxvii-lxxi. This is clear prtxif that the
g r e a t e r part of what is now 1 Knoch, if not all ofit, was known and
w a s p o p u l a r at Q u m r a n in prc-C:hristian times. O n the other
h a n d , since all the fragments are so small (many ofthem minute),
t h e a m o u n t of continuous .Aramaic text preserved is clfectivcly
very little: this m e a n s that the value o f t h e .Aramaic evidence for
text-critical purposes is far less than might be expected.
In 1978, two years after Milik, came . \ 1 . .A. K n i b b ' s The Elhiopic
Book of Enoch: A new Edilion in Ihe Light of Ihe Aramaic Dead Sea
Fragments. In V o l u m e 1 (Text and .Apparatus) K n i b b printed as
his b a s e text p h o t o g r a p h s of Rylands Kthiopic .\IS 23 and assemb­
led in his a p p a r a t u s the variants of twenty-five other Kthiopic .\ISS
together with the variants o f t h e Creek witnesses: Volume 2 con-
 / Enoch 173
tallied the IiitnidiKtion. rranslatioii. and Coininentary. As explained
in the I n t r o d i u t i o n , the rranslatioii was intended as a translation
o f t h e Kthiopic \ersion and not of an Kthiopic version corrected or
revised in the light of the (ireek or Aramaic, where they exist.
F u r t h e r m o r e , the translation fiillows the base text (Ryl. Kth. MS
23) very closely and only diverges from it where, for example, it
seems to make no sense. 1 litis. K n i b b made no attempt to recon­
struct a supposed 'original' text ofthe Kthiopic, nor of an 'original"
Knoch, cither in its . \ r a m a i c or its (Jreek forms. Ihose who wish to
try their h a n d s at this must resort hrst to the .Apparatus in volume
1 a n d then to the ( l o m m e n t a r y in volume 2, which is throughout
textual a n d not cxegctical.

W h e n , towards the middle o f t h e iiiiictcenth century, 1 Knoch

b e c a m e known generally, most o f t h e scholars who studied it very
n a t u r a l l y treated it as a unity - as 'the Book of Knoch the Prophet"
as the m a n u s c r i p t s described it. But it was stioii rcali/.cd that it was
composite; and to-day it is commonly agreed that it is in fact a
collection of several previously independent writings, or 'books",
that have been put together and edited. These, we may suppose,
a l r e a d y circulated under Knoch"s n a m e beltirc they were put to­
gether, though there is reason to think that .some bits and pieces
have been incorporated to which the name of.Xoah was previously
a t t a c h e d (e.g. chaps, cvi-cvii), and perhaps some others as well.
But leaving aside the details, 1 Knoch. in its present form, is plainly
divisible into five subsidiary ' b o o k s ' : -
Book I, chaps, i-xxxvi;
Book I I , chaps. xxx\ii-lxxi;
Book I I I , chaps. Ixxii-lxxxii;
Book I V . chaps. Ixxxiii-xc; and
Book V, chaps, xci-cviii.
.•\ parallel has frequently been noted between this five-fold division
a n d the five books ascribed to Moses and the five books of the
Psalter. If such an a r r a n g e m e n t was intentional, then 1 Knoch is
not j u s t a collection of writings ascribed to Knoch: it is an Knochic
Pentateuch.
It will be convenient to make a few comments on each 'book'
separately.
171 / Enoch
Book I is commonly known as ' T h e Book of Watchers', because
three out of Syncellus's four extracts were certainly taken from it,
a n d hc says they were 'from the hrst book of Enoch, concerning the
W a t c h e r s ' . This book is undoubtedly ancient, probably the most
ancient o f t h e five. It was well known to the Fathers: it was quoted
as s c r i p t u r e by the a u t h o r o f t h e Epistle of J u d e : " the .Xkhmim
fragments, together with Syncellus's extracts, are evidence for the
existence o f a complete Greek version ofit: and there were no less
t h a n hve copies ofit in .Aramaic at Q u m r a n . T h e oldest of these
copies is assigned by Milik to the first half of the '2nd cent. BC,
which takes back the date o f t h e book itself to the 3rd cent., if not
earlier.
Book II ( T h e Book of Parables - cp. xxxviii. I. xlv. 1, etc.)
provides a complete contrast. No .Aramaic fragments of it were
found at Q u m r a n : no traces of any version ofit (apart from the
Ethiopic) have survived; and there are no quotations from it in the
F a t h e r s . Indeed, there is no convincing proof that it ever existed
before the 1 .')th cent. .\D, when it was copied as a constituent part of
1 E n o c h in the earliest o f t h e Ethiopic .MSS. .No one, however, has
proposed a date lor the Parables anything like as late as this.
Representative dates proposed are the first half of the last century
BC ( C h a r l e s ) , the end ofthe first century .\D ( K n i b b ) , and the end
o f t h e 3rd cent. .\n (Milik).
Such wide variations in the dating of the Parables pose an
a w k w a r d problem Ibr the New T e s t a m e n t scholar, inasmuch as
the Parables are noteable, not only for the number of verbal
parallels with the .New T e s t a m e n t that are to be found in them
(cp., e.g., 1 Enoch Ixix. 27 with .Matt. xxv. 31 and J o h n v. 22, 27),
but also lor their use of several o f t h e well-known New Testament
C:hristological titles, particularly 'the Son of M a n ' . It has been
c u s t o m a r y to explain this (on the assumption that Charles's dating
was correct) by supposing that O u r Lord and his earliest followers
were very m u c h influenced by the Parables, and that the Parables
a r e therefore of primary importance for the study of Christian
origins. C h a r l e s himself wrote:

1 Knoch i. <• is <j noted at J u d e 14-1.':

 / Enoch 1 7')

"This d(.-lini(c title (i.e. Son o I N I a i i ] i.s liiimd in 1 F.iKiih liif the litst litne in
Jewisli l i t e r a t u r e , a n d is. h i s t o r i t a l K . t h e source o l ' t h e N e w IVstatiietit
d c s i g t i a t i o i i . a n d eoiitrihtites to it .some ol' its most c h a i a r t e r i s t i c
contents'."

But ifClliaries's dating is wrotig and tlic Parables arc to be dated in

the C h r i s t i a n era, then the parallels and the coniinoii use ol'thc
Christological titles will has c to be explained in some other way - it
m a y be. for example, that it was the New 'rcstament that inlluenccd
the Parables, anci not vice vena. In any case, it looks as it'mucli that
has been written during the twentieth century about these matters
will have to be re-written.
Book I I I ( T h e .Astronomical Book). Fragments of four .MSS of
this book were found at Q u m r a n . but they attest a much fuller text
t h a n the eleven chapters now preserved in the Kthiopic version.
J u b i l e e s records that Knoch 'wrote down in a book delails ahoul the
signs of heaven according to the order of their m o n t h s ' ; " ' a n d since
the a u t h o r ofjubilees places this first a m o n g the works of Knoch
k n o w n to him. it is probable that hc regarded it as the most
significant part o f t h e Knoch corpus, and in coiiseciuence he may
well have known it in its longer Icirm. .At any rate, the length ofthe
book, as read at Q u m r a n . was such as to require a complete roll of
p a r c h m e n t for each copy.
The oldest o f t h e Q u m r a n copies is dated by .Milik to the end of
the 3rd or the beginning o f t h e 2nd cent. BC:, which takes back the
d a t e o f t h e book itself to sometime in the 3rd cent, at the latest - as
is the case with the Book of Watchers. For the existence o f a Greek
version there is no incontrovertible evidence. But several consid­
erations converge to make it likely that there was a Greek version:
(1) the Kthiopic version was presumably made from one; (2)
O r i g c n ' s remarks in his Homilies on Numbers seem to refer to the final
c h a p t e r o f t h e .Astronomical B o o k , " while Syncellus's reference to
the astronomical information that the archangel Uriel had given
E n o c h is in cfiect a brief-summary o f t h e entire book,'" and both
O r i g e n a n d Syncellus are likely to have known a text in Greek
r a t h e r t h a n a n y other language; and (3) .Milik claimed to have
" Charles. . l / ' O T i i . p. I8.i. j u h . iv. 17.

" See above p. lfi<). S c e a l x n e p . 171).

1 7() / Enoch
iclf!!lifu-ci two scraps o f a Circck text ol'lxxvii. 7-lxxviii. 1 and of
lxx\ iii. 8 on an ( ) x \ rliynchus fragment piiblisiicd in 1927.
K\cn so, the absence of'any representative sections of continuous
(jrcck text is a serious h a n d i c a p in trying to decide whether the
abridgement preserxed in the Kthiopic was made when the .\ramaic
was translated into (ircek, or, alternatively, when the Greek was
translated into Kthiopic, or at some other stage in the transmis­
sion. Yet are we certainly dealing with an abridgement? Gharles
held that the .Vstronomical Book was originally written in Hebrew.
If so. then it is possible to argue that the Hebrew had the shorter
text a n d that the .Aramaic represents an expansion when the
Hebrew was translated into .Aramaic, but that the CJreck version
was m a d e from the Hebrew — in which case the Kthiopic will in
general be a more faithful witness to the text of the book as the
a u t h o r wrote it than the .Aramaic from Q u m r a n !
Book I \ ' ( T h e Btxjk of Dreams) is represented by fragments
from four of the Q u m r a n MSS, the oldest of which is to be dated to
the third q u a r t e r of the 2nd cent. The book was known to the
a u t h o r o f j u b i l e e s ; " and its origin is securely anchored within the
last years o f t h e .Maccabaean revolt by the details in xc. 6 - 1 9 .
. S i n c e j u d a s (the r a m with the 'big horn') is apparently still active,
this section must have been written before his death in 161 Bt:—
m o r e exactly (according to Milik) in the few weeks that followed
the battle of Bcthsur in 164. T h e existence o f a Greek version is
m a d e virtually certain, not only by the existence of the Kthiopic
version, but also by the fragment containing Ixxxix. 4 2 - 4 9 , dis­
covered a n d published by M a i , and by the quotation in Ep. Bam.
xvi. .'). It should be noted, however, that the Mai 'fragment' is not a
fragment in the technical sense (like the Q u m r a n fragments), but
r a t h e r an 'extract', comparable with the extracts preserved by
Syncellus. P'urthermore, despite the a u t h o r ' s use ofthe quotation-
formula 'the scripture says', Barnabas is so inexact as to raise
d o u b t s w h e t h e r the reference is to Ixxxix. 6 6 - 6 7 , or to xc. 2 6 - 2 8 , or
is merely general: it is, it seems, an 'allusion' and not a true
quotation.'"
ji.l>. iv. 1<).
'•^ I'nU'ss. of course, itic author was quoting I'roin a Circck text dilTerent I'roin the
one that underlies the Kthiopic.
 I Enoch 177
Book \ ' ( T I K - Kpistle of Knoch). T h e title derives from the
colophon at the end ofthe Chester Beatty-.Michigan papyrus; and
it is s u p p o r t e d by the Greek text olfered at c. (i {'. . . these words of
this epistle") as against the Kthiopic ('. . . the words ofthis book').
.•\s previously mentioned, Campbell Bonner, who edited the
p a p y r u s , thought that Book \ ' was the only part of 1 Knoch that it
c o n t a i n e d . F r a g m e n t s in .Aramaic from two MSS are available
from Q u m r a m : the fragments from one of these .MSS (to be dated
f.50 BC) correspond to parts of chaps, xci-xciv and those from the
o t h e r (to be d a t e d r. 100 BC:) to parts of chaps, civ-cvii. From the
.Aramaic evidence two points stand out: (1) .As with the .Astronomical
Book, the text o f t h e earlier part o f t h e Kpistle as read at Q u m r a n
w a s m u c h fuller than that preserved in the Kthiopic; and (2)
.Although chaps, cvi-cvii were undoubtedly included in the second
o f t h e Q u m r a n .\FSS, they were separated from the preceding text
by a g a p o f a line and a half .All in all, it looks very much as ifthe
text of Book \ ' had suffered more than ordinarily at the hands ofits
editors, particularly through their additions and re-ordering of the
m a t e r i a l in the last few chapters. .And in this connection it is
interesting to observe that several o f t h e suggestions made by the
earlier source-critics, such as Clharles, purely on the basis of inter­
nal evidence, h a \ e been confirmed by the more recent manuscript
discoveries.

W h e n the five separate Btwks were put together we do not know.

N o r d o we know the dates ofthe Greek or the Kthiopic translations.
Nor, a g a i n , d o we know whether there were translations initially of
the s e p a r a t e Books m a d e independently, or o f t h e five books to­
g e t h e r , or of earlier collections containing two, three, or fburof the
Books.
A c c o r d i n g to .Milik, the idea of an F^nochic Pentateuch can be
traced back at least as far as Q u m r a n . .At Q u m r a n the works
a t t r i b u t e d to Enoch were copied in two volumes: the first volume
c o n t a i n e d the (much fuller) text ofthe Astronomical Book; and the
s e c o n d the texts o f t h e Book of Watchers, the Book of Giants (a
work t h a t told the story ofthe Watchers in some detail and foretold
their future destruction by the waters o f t h e Flocxf and by eternal
fire), the Book of D r e a m s , and the Epistle of Enoch. When, some-
1 78 / l-jwc/i
limi' in the later third or liiurth century AI), the Bcxik ol'Ciiants fell
into dLsfavour in the Clhurch, perhaps because o f i t s popularity
with the Manichees, it was replaced by the Book of Parables; and
t h u s 1 Knoch took its present shape. .So .Milik. But obviously the
almost complete lack of evidence does not enable us cither to prove
or to disprove such a detailed reconstruction.
. \ s we h a \ c seen, c|uotations in CJreck begin to appear from
a b o u t .XO 100 o n w a r d s . The difficulty here is that since nearly all of
t h e m a r e quolatiotis of isolated passages, they give no help in
deciding whether they were taken from a text containing only one
or m o r e of the Books. Ne\erthclcss, there arc some pointers. Ep.
Barn, xv i. 6, for example, which offers a combined quotation of 1
Knoch xci. 13 and xciii. 7, follows immediately on the 'allusion' to 1
Knoch Ixxxix and xc, to which attention was d r a w n in our discus­
sion of Book I \ ' : from this it may be inferred that the author read 1
Knoch Ixxxix-xc and xci-xciii continuously - i.e. that in the text
he was familiar with Books I \ ' and \ ' stood side by side. Similarly,
Tertullian [idol. iv. '2-3) connects an apparent allusion to 1 Knoch
xix. 1 a n d an explicit quotation of xcix. (3-7: from this again it
m i g h t be inferred, though perhaps with less justihcation, that for
T e r t u l l i a n Books I and \ ' belonged together. In other words,
a l t h o u g h without a d o u b t separate copies were m a d e of individual
Books, a n d continued to be m a d e for some time, there is good
reason to suspect that from early times a Greek F^noch corpus also
circulated in the C h u r c h , which, apart from the fact that it lacked
Book I I , otherwise closelv resembled the I Knoch we know to­
day."
P'or the Kthiopic translation various dates have been suggested:
Burkitt suggested the fourth century AD, .Milik thought 'hardly
earlier t h a n the sixth century', K n i b b 'before the end o f t h e sixth
c e n t u r y ' , and Charles suggested either the sixth or the seventh
c e n t u r y . If there is a n y t h i n g in UllendorfTs suggestion that the
E t h i o p i c translators had access to an Aramaic text as well as a
G r e e k one, then we must be prepared to treat their version with

" Wticihcr or tun this corpus was a Pentateuch anci inchided the Book ol'Giants
as Book II it is impossible to say. since we h a \ e no detailed knowledge of the text of
CJiants. If it was. it may be that some of the patristic quotations, which are
attributed to Enoch and difficult to place, are actually quotations from it.
 / Enoch 179
g r e a t e r respect than perhaps we otherwise would and occasionally
prefer its readings when these dilfer from the (Jrcck.

O u r English translation is, with only very slight alterations, a

r e p r i n t o f t h e translation in Knibb's The Ethiopic Book oJ Enoch. 11 is
i m p o r t a n t , therefore, to repeat that what the reader is olfered is a
s t r a i g h t translation ol'thc Ethiopic text as found in Ryl. Eth. .\I.S
23, the only exceptions being in passages where this particular .\IS
seems to m a k e no sense. The reader is not olfered either a transla­
tion of an 'original" Ethiopic text or of an 'origiiuil" Enoch, fhe
m o r e i m p o r t a n t variants ofthe other Ethiopic .\1SS are mcntioiu-d
from time to time in the tiotes. and all readings in the extaiu (Jreek
evidence which difl'er from the Ethiopic are recorded there: but it
m u s t not be thought that any of such information implies a value
j u d g e m e n t unless explicitly stated - e.g. 'adds" or "omits" indicates
n o t h i n g more than 'has" or 'does not have". Since the .\raniaic
evidence is for the most part so fragmentary it has only bei'u
referred to in those places where it seems to cast a clear light on the
G r e e k a n d Ethiopic.
T h e two main families ofthe Ethiopic .\ISS are designated Eth. 1
a n d Eth. II respectively. The capitals used for the .\ISS are the
s a m e as the letters used by Dillmann. Gharles, and Elcmming,
t h o u g h two more M S S have been added, \ iz:-

D ' = Lake T a n a M S 9 (l.ith cent.).

C ' = an early 18th cent. .MS in the possession of Edward
L'llendorlf.
( D ' belongs to Eth. I and C:' to Eth. II).
T h e Greek authorities are differentiated as I'ollows:-
Gk."" = the .Akhmim fragments.
Gk.'" = the Chester Beatty-.Michigan fragments.
G k . ' = the extracts in Syncellus.
Gk.* = the Vatican fragment.
(Gk."" a n d Gk."', G k . " and G k . " , indicate variations in text where
either Gk" or Gk.' offer the same passage more than once in slightly
different forms).
180 I Enoch

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ethiopic
R. L A L R K N C K , Libri Enochi Prophetoe Versio Aethiopica (Oxford,
1838).
C . F . A. HlhLWA^S, LiberHenochaethiopice,adquinquecodicumfidem
edituscum variis lectionibus (Leipzig, 1851).
J . F l , E . \ l . \ I I . N G , Das Buch Henoch: Athiopischer Text mit Einleitung und
Commentar (= TU . N . F . vii. 1; Leipzig, 1902).
R. H . C : H . \ R I . E S , The Ethiopic Version of the Book oJ Enoch edited from
twenty-three MSS, together with the fragmentary Greek and Latin
Versions (Oxford, 1906).
.\I. . A . K N I B B , The Ethiopic Book of Enoch: A New Edition in Ihe Light
of the Aramaic Dead Sea Fragments. I. Text and A p p a r a t u s
(Oxford, 1978).

Greek

(i) T h e A k h m i m fragments
U . B o U R I A N T , Fragments du texte grec du livre d'^noch et de quelques
ecrits attribues a Saint Pierre (= Memoires publies par les membres de la
Mission archeologique franqaise au Caire, ix. 1 (Paris, 1892), p p .
91-147).
A. L o D S , Le Livre d'Henoch: Fragments grecs decouverts a Akhmim
(Haute-£gypte), publies avec les variantes du texte ethiopien, traduils et
anno/« (Paris, 1892).
, Reproduction en heliogravure du manuscrit d'^noch et des ecrits
attribues a Saint Pierre (= Memoires publies par les membres de la
Mission archeologiquefranqaise au Caire, ix. 3; Paris, 1893).

(ii) T h e V a t i c a n fragment
A . M A I , Patmm Nova Bibliotheca, tom. ii (Rome, 1844), p. iv.
J . G i L D E M E I S T E R , 'Ein F r a g m e n t des Griechischen Henoch' in
ZDMG ix (1855), p p . 621 - 6 2 4 .
 I Enoch 181

(iii) T h e C h e s t e r Bcatty-Miehigan fragments

CAMI'KLL BONNKR, with the collaboration of HKRBKRf C.
Y o u i l E, The Last Chapters of Enoch in Creek (= Studies and Docu­
ments, viii; London, 1937 - reprinted Darmstadt 19tJ8).
F. G . K E N V O N , The Chester Beatty Biblical Papyri, fasc. viii
( L o n d o n , 1941). [.A brief Preface and plates.]

(iv) T h e Syncellus fragments

\ V . D l . N D O R K , Georgius Syncellus et Nicephorus {= Corpus Scriptorum
Historiae Byzanlinae, i (Bonn, 1829, pp. 2 0 - 2 3 , 4 2 - 4 6 , 4 6 - 4 7 ,
47).

(v)«
H . B. S W E I E , The Old Testament in Greek,'' iii (Clambridge, 1912),
pp. 7 8 9 - 8 0 9 .
, The Psalms of Solomon with the Greek fragments of the Book of Enoch
( C a m b r i d g e , 1899), p p . 2.5-4.5. [Reprinted from the above.]

(y)b
M . B E A C : K , Apocalypsis Henochi Graece (= PVTG iii (Leiden, 1970),
pp. 1-44).

Latin
M. R. J A . V I E S , W Fragment of the Book of Enoch in Latin' in
Apocrypha Anecdota (= TSn. 3; C a m b r i d g e , 1893), pp. 146-150.

Aramaic
J . T . M I E I K , The Books of Enoch: Aramaic Fragments of Qumran, Cave
^ ( O x f o r d , 1976).

Syriac
S. P . B R O C : K , 'A Fragment of Enoch in Syriac' in JTS N.s. xix
(1968), p p . 6 2 6 - 6 3 1 .
182 I Enoch

TRANSLAITONS

English
R . L A L' R K N C. E , The Book of Enoch the Prophet: An apocryphal production
. . . now first translated from an Ethiopic MS in the Bodleian Library
(Oxford, 1821; reprinted with an Introduction of 45 pages by the
A u t h o r o f ' T h e Evolution of Christianity', London, 1883).
R . H . C ; H A R L E . S , The Book of Enoch translated from Professor
Dillmann's Ethiopic Text emended and revised . . ., edited with
Introduction, Notes, Appendices, and Indices (Oxford, 1893).
, The Book of Enoch, or I Enoch, translatedfrom the Editor's Ethiopic
Text, and edited with the Introduction, Notes, and Indexes of the First
Edition wholly recast, enlarged, and rewritten (Oxford, 1912).
, inAPOTii, pp. 163-281.
-, The Book of Enoch ( = S . P . C ^ K . Translations of Early Documents;
L o n d o n , 1917 - with an Introduction by W . O . E.
OE.srEREEV).
M . A. K . M B B , The Ethiopic Book of Enoch: A New Edilion in the Light
of the Aramaic Dead Sea Fragmento. I I . Introduction, Translation,
a n d C o m m e n t a r y (Oxford, 1978).

French
F. \I.\Rf Le Livre d'Henoch Iraduit sur le texte ethiopien (= Docu­
ments pour I'elude de la Bible: Les apocryphes de I'Ancien Testament;
Paris, 1906).

German
C . F . A. DiLLMASS, Das Buch Henoch Ubersetzt underklart (Leipzig,
1853).
G . B E E R in E. K A L T Z S C H , / l / ' i 4 7 ' i i , p p . 2 1 7 - 3 1 0 .
J . FLE.M.Ml.N'Gand L. RADEKM.\CHER, Das Buch Henoch (= GCS
v; Leipzig, 1901).
P. R I E S S L E R , AjSaB,^ pp. 3 5 5 - 4 5 1 .
 I Enoch 183

F . C . B L R K I ' I r, ' O n the Greek Fcxt of Enoch" ( = Appendix I in

Jewish and Christian Apocalypses (London. 1914), p p . .53-7 1).
A . - M . D K M S , IPGAT, pp.'l.5-30.
O . E l . s . S F K L D T . OTI. p p . r)17-(i22.
J . - B . F R F . V , a r t . '.Apocryphes dc R.Ancicn Testament" in DB .Sup i,
cols. 3 5 7 - 3 7 1 .
L . G l . N Z B K R C ; . The Ugends of the Jews, i (Philadelphia, 1909). pp.
1 3 0 - 1 3 7 a n d v (Philadelphia, 1925), p p . 158-lfi2.
J . G . G R F . K . N F I F . I . n a n d .\L E. S T O N K , ' T h e Enochic Pentateuch
a n d the D a t e of the Similitudes" in HTR Ixx (1977), p p . 5 1 - 6 5 .
P. G R E I . t ^ f . ' L a Lcgcnde d ' H e n o c h d a n s les .Apocryphes ct dans
la Bible: Origin et signihcation' in Recherches de .science religieuse,
xlvi (19.58), p p . 5 - 2 6 ' a n d 181-210.
J . C . HlNDLFV, ' T o w a r d s a Date for the Similitudes of Enoch: .An
Historical .Approach' in .VTiS'xiv ( 1 9 6 7 - 8 ) , p p . 551-.565.
H . J . L . W V I . O R , 'Early Citations from the Book of Enoch' in The
Journal of Philology, xxv (1897), p p . 1(54-225.
E. L r r i ' . M . W . N , art. 'Enoch, Books of I Ethiopic Enoch' in /A" v
(1903), p p . 1 7 9 - 1 8 1 .
J . T . M l I . I K , 'Problemes de la Litterature Hcnochicjuc a la
L u m i e r c des F r a g m e n t s aramccns de Q u m r a n ' in HTR Ixiv
(1971), p p . 3 3 3 - 3 7 8 .
P. R l E S . S L E R , / l 7 5 a A , ' p p . 1291-1297.
L . Roar, EATAP, pp. 101-106.
N . S c ; H . \ I I 0 r , ' T h e Original Language o f t h e Parables of Enoch'
in Old Testament and Semitic Studies in memory oj William Rainey
Harper, ii (ed. R. F . H . X R P E R , F . B R O W . N , a n d G . F . M o O R E ;
C h i c a g o , 1908), p p . 3 2 7 - 3 4 9 .
E . S C H U R E R , HJPTJCU. iii, p p . -54-73.
, GjVZJC iii, p p . 2 6 8 - 2 9 0 .
C . C . T O R R E Y , ^ / . , p p . 110-114.
E . U L L E N D O R F F , "An .Aramaic " V o r l a g e " ofthe Ethiopic Text of
E n o c h ? ' ( = Atti del Convegno IntemazionalediStudiEtiopici {Rome,
1960), p p . 2 5 9 - 2 6 7 ) .
 1 Enoch
1H4 I Enoch
( ; . Z l M / , 'Notes on the (Jreek Knoch" in jBL Ixi (1942), pp.
193-204.
, 'Knoch on the Last Juclgerncnt (ch. cii. 1-3)" in JTS xlv
(1944). p p . 161-170.

I. The words of the blessing of Knoch according to which hc

blessed the chosen and righteous who must be' present on the day
of distress which is appointed for the removal of all the wicked and
i m p i o u s . ' .And Knoch a n s w e r e d ' and said. There was a righteous
m a n whose eyes were opened by the Lord,"* and he saw a holy
vision in the h e a v e n s ' which the angels showed to me. .And I heard
e v e r y t h i n g from them, and I understotxl what I saw,* but not for
this g e n e r a t i o n , ' but for a distant generation which will come."
:i O o t u c r n i n g the chosen I spoke, and I uttered a parable'' concern­
ing t h e m . T h e Holy and CJreat O n e ' " will come out from his
1 dwelling, and the Kternal God will tread from t h e r e " upon m o u i U
Sinai, a n d he will a p p e a r with his h o s t , " and will appear in the
•) s t r e n g t h ofhis power from h e a v e n . " .And all will be afraid, and the
W a t c h e r s will shake, '•* and fear and great trembling will seize them
(i u n t o the ends ofthe earth. .And the high mountains will be s h a k e n . "
a n d the high hills will be m a d e low,'* and will melt like wax before
' C;k.'"will be'.
' the wicked and impiou.s: I ' D ' 'the impious'; (;k.'' 'the enemies, and the
rigliteous will lie saved'.
* (fk.'' 't(K)k up his parable', and so probably .\ram.
* whose eyes . . . the Ix)rd: (»k.*' 'to whom a vision from G(xi was disclosed'.
' (J.MD'BV a vision o l t h e Holy O n e in the heavens'; (Jk." "a v i s i o n o l t h e Holy
O n e and ol'heaven'.
* which the angels . . . what I saw: (ik.** 'He showed il to me, and the holy ones
speaking holv things 1 heard; and when 1 heard evervthing I'rom them, I understtHKl
as I looked'.'
' Gk •' adds ' d i d I take thought'.
' (ik.'' 'but to a distant one I will speak', and so probably .\ram.
" (Jk.'' 'and I Kxik up tny parable'. '" (;k.'' 'My Holy (;reat One'.
" from there: Gk.'''u[x)n earth'. " with his host: (ik."'from his c a m p ' .
" Gk.** 'from the heaven of heavens'.
'* will shake: Gk.'' 'will believe, and theywill sing hidden things in all the ends of
the ( e a r t h ) , and all the ends ofthe earth will shake'.
" D ' 'will fall and be shaken'; Gk." 'will be shaken and fall and Ix: broken up'.
" (ik." adds 'so that the mountains will waste .awav'.
 I Enoch 185
7 t h e flame. .And the e a r t h will s i n k " a n d everything that is on the
e a r t h will be d e s t r o y e d , a n d t h e r e will be j u d g e m e n t upon all, and
« u p o n all t h e r i g h t e o u s . ' * But for the righteous he will m a k e peace,
a n d h e will keep safe the c h o s e n , " a n d mercy will be upon t h e m .
T h e y will all b e l o n g to G o d , a n d will prosper and be b l e s s e d . " and
i) t h e light of G o d " will shine u p o n t h e m . " .And b e h o l d ! " He"
c o m e s w i t h ten t h o u s a n d holy o n e s " to execute j u d g e m e n t upon
t h e m , ' * a n d to destroy the i m p i o u s , a n d to contend w i t h " all flesh'"
c o n c e r n i n g e v e r y t h i n g which the sinners a n d the impious have
d o n e a n d w r o u g h t against h i m . ' "

II. C l o n t e m p l a t e ' all the events in heaven, how the lights in heaven
d o not c h a n g e their courses, h o w ' each rises a n d sets in order, each
'i at its p r o p e r t i m e , ' a n d they d o not transgress their law. Consider

" (;QT-I)'(;k.-'wiin>,-split open-,

a n d n|X)n all llu- riglllTOUs: (;k.''i)ni.
and he will keep sale the thosen: (ik.*' 'and upon the chosen will be protection
and peace".
atid will prosper and b e blessed; (Jk."* 'and he will'show (lit. 'give") favour to
them a n d will bless t h e m all, a n d h e will h e l p them all and will help us".
-' or(;(xi;(;k.-'om,
^- (ik,'' adds 'and he will m a k e p e a c e with them",
.And behold; Gk,"' "For", Ihis verse is cited in Jude 141'.
-"'' j u d e ' I h e Lord'.
" G k . ' 'with his ten thousands and his holy o n e s ' ; j u d e 'with h i s holy ten
thousands".
D'(;k.''jude'u|X)nall",
contend with: Kth 1 (cp, (Jk,"'jude) "reprove",
" a n d to destroy , . . all flesh: Cik."" 'and he will destroy all the impious and will
reprove all llesh; j u d e and to reprove all the impious'. Some IClh, .MSS follow Gk,-"
in having a future construction.
concerning . , , him: Gk,*' 'concerning all the deeds oftheir impiety which they
have impiously committed, and the hard words which they have spoken, and
concerning all the things whieh the impious sinners have spoken against him"; j u d e
'concerning all the deeds oftheir impiety which they have impiously committed,
and concerning all the hard things which the impious sinners have spoken against
him'. .Aram., like Gk."" and j u d e , probably also had a clause referring to the 'hard
w o r d s ' spoken by the impious,

' So D ' Gk,"": all other Eth. M S S 'I contemplated'; .Aram. Consider".
^ (ik.'' 'how they do not change their courses, and the lights in heaven, how'.
' Gk," adds ' a n d they appear at their feasts'.
1 / l-Moch
t h e e a r t h , anci undcrstanci'' from the wort; which is done upon it,
I'roni the beginning to the e n d , ' that no work of God changes as
it becomes manifest.'' Consider'' the s u m m e r a n d the winter, how
the whole e a r t h is full of water, and clouds and dew and rain rest
u p o n it."

III. C o n t e m p l a t e a n d see' how all the trees' a p p e a r withered, and

hoiv all their leaves are stripped, with the exception of fourteen
trees which are not stripped, which remain with the old foliage until
the new comes after two or three years.

IV. .And again, c o n t e m p l a t e ' the days of summer, how at its

b e g i n n i n g ' the sun is above it.' \m\ sc-ek s h e l t e r a n d shade because
of the heat o f t h e sun, a n d the earth burns with a scorching heat,
a n d \ o i l cannot tread upon the earth, or upon a rock, because ofits
heat.

V. Clontemplate' how the trees arc covered with green leaves,'

a n d b e a r fruit.' .And understand in respect of everything and
perceive'' how he w h o lives for ever made all these things for you;'

' 'I con.siclored tlu- carili and uiidt-rsicKxl'.

* (ik."' a d d s 'ihey art- corrupt'.
" ( i k . ' "that liotllitig U|M)n cartll changes, but all the works ol' (icxi become
manifest to you'.
' t ^ D ' ' I considered'. " how . . . upon il; (ik.** om.

' .So r O ' (;k •': all other Kth. .M.SS 1 contemplated and saw'; .\ram. "Consider".
' (ik."* om. i i i b - V. la bv homoioteleulon and reads only "Contemplate and see all
the trees . . . how ihe green leaves etc.".

' .So I.": all other Kth. .M.S.S "I contemplated"; .Aram, "consider".
•' at its beginning: s o G Q L ' ; D ' corrupt; all other Kth. MSS'opposite i t . vi/.. 'how
the sun is alKive it, opposite it".
' above it: i.e. the earth.

' So CJl,": (,2 '^ contemplated and saw'; all olher Kth. .MSS "I contemplated".
' Cik.'' 'how the green leaves on them cover the trees".
' (ik."' 'and all their fruit is for honour and glory", and so probably .Aram.
* Gk."' 'L'ndersland and know in respect of all his works and perceive'.
' G.M(,)r'L' 'how you made all these things who live for ever'; D ' corrupt; Gk.''
'how the living (iod made these things so, and he lives for all eternity'.
 I Enoch 187
2 a n d how his works are before him in each succeeding y e a r , ' a n d all
his w o r k s serve him a n d d o not c h a n g e , ' but as God has decreed,*
:i so e v e r y t h i n g is d o n e . .And consider how the seas a n d rivers
t t o g e t h e r ' c o m p l e t e ' " their t a s k s . " But you have not persevered,
n o r o b s e r v e d the law o f t h e L o r d . " But you have transgressed, and
h a v e spoken p r o u d a n d h a r d words with your unclean mouth
a g a i n s t his m a j e s t y . " You h a r d of heart! You will not have peace!
h A n d b e c a u s e o f t h i s you will curse your days, a n d the years ofyour
life you will destroy.'* .And the eternal curse will i n c r e a s e , " and
6 y o u will not receive m e r c y . " In those days you will transform your
n a m e " into a n e t e r n a l curse'* to all the righteous, a n d they will
7 c u r s e you s i n n e r s for e v e r " - you together with the sinners.'" For
t h e chosen t h e r e will be light a n d j o y " a n d peace, a n d they will
i n h e r i t t h e e a r t h . But for you, the impious, there will be a curse.
8 W h e n " w i s d o m is given to the c h o s e n , " they will all live, a n d will

" Gk." 'and how his works, ail the things which hc has made for c\er. all are thus
brought inlo being from year to scar".
' a n d all . . . change: Gk." "and all the tasks which they complete for him, and
their tasks do not change".
' Gk." 'but in accordance wilh the decree".
' Gk."'likewise'. Gk." adds "and do not change".
" Gk." adds "from his words". ' ' G k . " h i s commandments".
" Gk." adds 'because vou h a \ c spoken with vour lies'.
C'Gk."'will be destroyed'.
" G'f U D ' '.And it w ill increase in an eternal curse'; M "in an eternal curse"; Gk."
'and the years of your destruction will increase in an eternal curse", and so probably
Aram,
" Gk." adds 'or peace'.
" So G Q T ' L ' D ' : .\I is corrupt; T" Eth. II 'peace'.
In those days . . , curse: Cik," "Then your names will become an eternal curse".
The Ethiopic could also be translated 'and the sinners will curse you for ever';
Gk," "and all those who curse will curse by you".
you , , . the sinners: Gk." 'and all the sinners and impious will swear by you.
And all the sinless (?) will rejoice, and there will be for them forgiveness of sins and
all mercy and peace and graciousness, there will be for them salvation, a good light,
and theywill inherit the earth. And for all you sinners there will be no salvation, but
upon you all will rest a curse',
" Gk."'grace'. " Some Eth. M S S ' I f ; D ' G k . " ' T h e n ' ,
" D ' ' T h e n there will be given to the chosen wisdom, and'; Gk," repeals some
material from verse 7 by homoioleleuton, viz, 'Then there will be given to the
chosen light and grace, and they will inherit the earth Then ihcrewill be given to all
the chosen wisdom, and".
188 I Enoch
not a g a i n d o wrong, cither through Ibrgctfulncss, or through pride.
But those who possess wisdom will be h u m b l e . " They will not
a g a i n d o wrong, and they will not be j u d g c d " a l l the days oftheir
life, a n d they will not die oi the divine wrath or anger. But they will
c o m p l e t e the n u m b e r of the days of their life, and their life will
g r o w in peace, and the years of their joy will increase in gladness
a n d in eternal peace all the days oftheir life.

VI. .And it c a m e to pass, when the sons of men had increased, that
in those d a y s ' there were born to t h e m ' fair and beautiful'
d a u g h t e r s . .And the angels, the sons of heaven, saw them and
desired them.* .And they said to one another, O o m c , ' let us chtxise
for ourselves w i \ e s from the children of m e n , ' and let us beget for
ourselves c h i l d r e n . ' .And Semyaza, who was their leader, said to
t h e m , I fear that you may not wish this deed to be done," and that I
a l o n e will pay Ibr this great sin." .And they all answered him and
s a i d , ' " Let us all swear an oath, and b i n d " one another with curses
not to alter this plan, but to carry out this plan clfectivcly." T h e n
they all swore together and a l l " bound one another with curses to
it.'" A n d they were in all two h u n d r e d , and they came down on

" Gk.-' "BUI then- will 1H- IO ihc ciilighu-iicd man lishi. and to ihc wise man
pcrccplion".
^' Gk." 'and ihey will nol sin'.

' in those days: Gk." om.

' to them: CJk.' om.
' and beautiful: (Jk.'oni.
* And the angels . . . desired them: CJk.'' '.And the Watchers desired them and
went astray after them'.
' C:ome: ( i k . ' o t n .
' Gk." 'from men', i.e. 'from among mankind'; Gk.' 'from the daughters of the
men ofthe earth'.
' a n d let us tieget. . . children: Gk.' om.
' Gk." " t o do this deed'.
' G.MT'(?)L' C;k."' 'a great sin'; D ' corrupt.
and said: G . \ I D ' G k . " o m .
' ' G . M T D ' Gk." 'and all bind'; Q is defective.
" but . , , elTectively: G ' D ' 'but to do this deed'; L" is defective; (Jk.'' until we
have accomplished it and have done this deed'; (Jk.' 'until we have accomplished
it".
" all:Elh.IADGk."'om. " loicGk.'om.
 I Enoch 189

A r d i s w h i c h is the s u m m i t of M o u n t H e r m o n . " A n d they called

t h e m o u n t a i n H e r m o n , because on it they swore a n d b o u n d one
a n o t h e r w i t h curses. A n d these are the n a m e s o f t h e i r leaders:'*
S e m y a z a , " w h o was their leader, U r a k i b a , R a m i e l , " K o k a b i e l , "
Tamiel,'" Ramiel, Daniel," Ezeqiel," Baraqiel," .Asacl,"
A r m a r o s , " B a t r i e l , " A n a n e l , Z a q i e l , " Samsiel, S a r t a e l , " . . . , "
T u r i c l , Y o m i e l , .'Vraziel.'" These are the leaders o f t h e two h u n d r e d
a n g e l s , a n d of all the o t h e r s with t h e m . "

VII. .And they took wives for themselves, a n d everyone chose for
h i m s e l f o n e e a c h . ' .And they began to go in to them a n d were

" Gk.' ' . \ n d l h r \ were Iwo hundred who came down in ihe days of Jared on ihe
summit of Mount Hermon', and .so probablv .\ram.; Gk." omits the entire verse bv
hml.
'* ' f h e following list of names was copied out in the wrong order in Gk." through
an easily reiugnisable mistake, but the e\ idence ol'Gk." is given in the correct order
in the notes, f h e list also occurs, with .soinc variations, in Ixix.2 and is partially
reprodticed in viii.3. Many ofthe names sulfered corruption during the course of
their transmission, and the versions now ofi'er a large number of variants, not all of
which are recorded below. " .Aram. 'Shemihazah'.
'" L'rakiba (or '.Arakiba'). Ramiel: inost Kth. .MSS in vi. 7 write these two names
as one word; the division into two Ibllows 13', and external evidence confirms that its
division is correct. Gk.' '.Atarqouph, .Araqiel'; Gk." '.Arathak, Kimbra, Sammanc'.
For the second name in the list .Aram, apparently read '.Arataqqiph' or '.Aralaqoph'.
'" Flth.n'.Akibeel'. G k . " H o r a m m a m c ' ; .Aram, defective.
-' G k . " S a m p s i c h ' . " C ; k . " / a q i e r : .Aram.'Ziqiel'.
" Kth.II 'Saraqicl'; Gk.' 'Balqiel'. " G k . ' ' . W l z e l ' ; Gk." '.Aseal'.
" Gk.' 'Phamiaros'; Gk." '.Arearos'; .Aram. 'Hcnnoni'.
(Jk.' '.Amariel'; .Aram. '.Matarel'.
" So D'.N: other F^lh. readings in vi. 7 appear to be corruptions of Zaqicl. Gk.'
••Ihausael'; CJk." 'Raqicl'; .Aram. '.Sathercl' or Sathawel'.
" So most FUh. MSS: G.M 'Satarel'; other Eth. readings are corruptions of Sartael
or Satarel; Gk.' 'Sarinas'; Gk." '.Sathicl'; .Aram. '.Sahriel'.
" I h c seventeenth name has dropped out of the list in Eth; Gk.' 'Eumicl'; Gk."
'Thoniel'; .Aram, defective.
" Gk.' 'Sariel'; Gk." '.Atriel'; .Aram, uncertain.
" S o P F2th.II: G ' These are their leaders of tens, and of all the others with them',
and this is probably what is intended by the olher Eth.I .MSS; Gk." 'These arc their
leaders <over) tens'; Gk.' 'These and all the others (viii. in the . . . ) ' .

' Gk." '.And they took wives for themselves; each ofthem chose for himself a wife';
Gk.' '(vi. 8 . . . the others) in the one thousand, one hundred and seventieth year ofthe
world took wives for themselves'.
190 I Knoch
p r o m i s c u o u s with t h e m . ' . \ n d they t a u g h t them c h a r m s a n d spells,
a n d s h o w e d to t h e m the c u t t i n g oi' roots a n d t r e e s . ' .And they
b e c a m e p r e g n a n t ' ' a n d bore large g i a n t s , a n d their height teas three
t h o u s a n d c u b i t s . ' These'' d e v o u r e d all the toil of m e n , ' until" men
w e r e u n a b l e to sustain t h e m . .And the giants t u r n e d against them
in o r d e r to d e v o u r men." .And they began to sin against birds, a n d
a g a i n s t a n i m a l s , a n d against reptiles a n d against fish, and they
d e v o u r e d ' " o n e a n o t h e r ' s flesh a n d d r a n k the blotxi fi-om i t . " T h e n
t h e e a r t h c o m p l a i n e d a b o u t the lawless ones.

VIII. .And .Azazel t a u g h t m e n to m a k e s w o r d s . ' a n d d a g g e r s , and

s h i e l d s a n d b r e a s t p l a t e s . ' .And hc showed them the things after
t h e s e , a n d t h e a r t of m a k i n g t h e m : b r a c e l e t s , ' a n d o r n a m e n t s , ' ' and
' (fk.'* '.And dicy Ix'gan to go in to titcnt and to defiic tftcmsolvcs with them'; Gk.'
'.And they Iwgan to (iefile themselves with them until the flood'.
' (;Q'I''(.-')NV (;k.'' '.And they taught them charms and spells and the cutting of
roots, and showed to them trees ((Jk.'' plants')': (Jk.'om. (but .Aram, supports Kth.
Gk.'').
'• .And they Ix-catne pregnant: so Kth. (Jk.'' .Aram.; (Jk.' om.. and then instead of
\ erse 1? continues '.And they Ixire to them three kinds: first large giant.s. and the giants
begat the N'aphilim. and to the Naphilim were Ixjrn the Klioud. .And they grew
according to their greatness, and thev taught themselves and their wi\'es charms and
S|H-11S'.
' a n d their . . . cubits: (Jk •' 'three ihovLsand cubits in height'.
" .MFC' ( J k . ' " w h o ; G k . ' o m . vii. :t-(i.
' all the toil of men: (Jk.'' om. 'all'; C .Aram, 'the toil olall men'.
" ( J k . ' '.And when'.
' .And the giants . . . men: (Jk.'' 'the giants acted with elTrontery against them and
devoured men'; .Aram., whose text is incomplete and in p a n uncertain, used the verb
'to kill', not 'to devour'.
.ABCX (Jk.'' 'and to devour'.
" from it: D ' G k . ' o m .

' ( J k . ' '.Azael taught men to make swords'; (Jk.' 'First .Vzael. the tenth of the
leaders, taught the making of swords'.
' (Jk.'' and arms, and shields and brcistplates, teachings of angels'; (Jk.' 'and
breastplates and all militar> equipment'.
' V,\h.\ (cp. Gk.'') 'and bracelets'.
* Gk." '.And he showed them metals, and the art of working them, and bracelets,
and ornaments'; (Jk.' 'and the metals of the earth and gold, how they work them and
make them into ornaments for women, and silver. .And he showed to them'. In Eth.
'the things after these' possibly derives from a corrupt translation of the word for
'metals'.
 I Enoch 191

t h e a r t of m a k i n g u p the eyes a n d of beautifying the eyelids.' and

t h e m o s t p r e c i o u s a n d choice stones, a n d all kinds of coloured dyes.
2 A n d t h e world was c h a n g e d . " .And there was great impiety a n d
much fornication,' and they went astray,* a n d all their ways
.3 b e c a m e c o r r u p t . " .Ame/.arak'° t a u g h t a l l " those w h o cast spells
and cut r o o t s , " .Armaros t h e release of s p e l l s , " a n d Baraqiel
astrologers,'" and Kokabel portents," and Tamicl taught
4 a s t r o l o g y , ' * a n d . A s r a d c l " t a u g h t the p a t h o f t h e moon.'* .And at

' So Elh., hi. 'and how lo make up Ihe eyes wilh aiitimoin and how lo lieauiily ihe
eyelid.s': (Jk." 'and aniimony and cyrpaini' (cp. .Aram, 'conrerninj; aniimony and
concerning eyc-painl'); CJk.' i.s in p a n corrupi, tiui should probably Ix- read -lx>ili how
lo make up the rtes aniimony and how lo Ix-auiify ihe lace'.
' .And ihc world was changed: so G; Q is corrupi; D ' ' a n d ihe c h a n g i n g ol the
world'; all olher Elh. .\ISS 'and elemal change'. B u t G k . ' " o m . , a n d Elh. is probably a
second rendering (more precisely, a corrupt Iransliteraiion) ol''the m e t a l s (of the
earth)'. G k . ' adds '.And the sons oFmen made these things Tor themselvt-s and their
wives, and they transgressed and led astray the holy ones'.
' . \ r f ' L ' '.-Vnd there was great and widespread (lit. 'much') impiety, and they
committed fornication' ( G D ' are similar); Gk.-" '.And there was much impiety, and
they comniitied fornication'; Gk.' '.And there was much impiety on the earth'.
" a n d they went astray: Q Gk.' om.
' Gk." 'and became comipt in all their ways'; Gk.' 'and they made all their ways
corrupt'.
So Eth. II: Elh. I '.Amizaras' or similar. Both forms are corrupt for 'Semvaza'.
" GMQ'f'L'D'om.
" Gk." 'Semyaza taught spells and the cutting of roots'; Cik.' '.And furthermore
their leader, .Semyaza, taught spells (so I correct Gk.') against the mind, and the roots
ofthe plants ofthe earth'.
" Cik.' 'the eleventh, Pharmaros, taught charms, spells, magical skills and the
release of spells'. .-\ram. is i n c o m p l e t e , but appears to have had a long text c o m p a r a b l e
to that of Gk.'.
Gk." '(Bajraqicl a s t r o l o g y ' ; Gk.' -the ninth taught astrology'.
" G k . " t h e fourth taught a s t r o l o g y ' .
" Gk." 'Salhiel astrology': Gk.' 'the eighth taught aeroscopy'. Elh. ' r a m i e l ' and
Gk." 'Sathicl' are corrupi for 'Ziqief which is attested by Aram, here and is the eighth
n a m e in vi. 7. - Gk.' adtjs 'ihe third taught the portents of the earth; the seventh taught
the portents ofthe sun"; correspondingly .Aram, adds '.Arataqqiph (or '.Aralaqoph')
taught the portents ofthe earth; Shamshiel taught the portents ofthe sun'. .Arataqqiph
and Shamshiel are second and fifteenth in vi. 7, not third and seventh, but in Gk.' in vi.
7 the third name ('.-Xraqiel') appears to be an alternative form ofthe second, and the
seventh ('Sampsich') ofthe fifteenth.
" Corrupi; the name originally was 'Sahriel' ('Moon of God').
Gk." 'Seriel the course of ihe moon'; Gk.' 'the twentieth taught ihe portenLs ofthe
moon'. Sahriel is sixteenth in \-i, 7, not twentieth, but Gk.' appears lo presuppose this
 192 I Flnoch
t h e d e s t r u c t i o n of m e n " they cried o u t , ' " a n d their voices reached
heaven."

IX. .And t h e n .Michael, G a b r i e l , Suriel a n d Uriel' looked down

from h e a v e n a n d s a w ' the mass of blood that was being shed on the
e a r t h a n d all the iniquity that was being done on the e a r t h . ' .And
they said* to o n e a n o t h e r , Let the d e v a s t a t e d e a r t h cry out with the
:i s o u n d o f t h e i r cries u n t o the g a t e of h e a v e n . ' .And now, to you O
holy o n e s of heaven," the souls of men complain, s a y i n g , ' Bring our
1 suit" before the .Most H i g h . ' A n d they said to their Lord, the

i i a i n r liir the twentieth angel, as well as lor the sixteenth. CJk." further adds ".MI these
began to reveal mysteries It) their wives and their children. .Mter this the giants began
to tievour the Hesh of men'; .Aramaic evidence has surv ived corresponding to the first
of these sentences, but not to the second.
.And a t . . , men: CJk.' "And men liegan to decrease on the earth'.
-" they cried out: C;k." om.
*' and their . . . heaven: (ik." *a cry went up to heaven'; (ik." 'and the rest cried out
lo heaven coiiccniing their mistreatment, saying that the remembrance of them
should be brought before the Ixird'; O k . " ' I h e n men cried out to heaven, saying.
Bring our suit before the Most High, and our destruction liefore the (ireat Glory.
l)eU)re the Ix)rd of all the lords in majesty'.

' So E t h . I I . but B ' N X add 'Raphael' after '(iabriel': M '.Michael. Raphael,

Suriel and (iabricf; other Kth.I .M.SS abbreviate the list.
•' Cik.'' ' I h e n looking down, Michael, Uriel, Raphael and Gabriel saw from
heaven'; ( i k . " '.And hearing Ihis, the four great archangels, .Michael, Uriel,
Raphael and (iabriel, hxiked down on the earth from the sanctuary of heaven; and
seeing'. In .Aram, the list of names was probablv'.Michael.Sariel. Raphael and
Gabriel'.
' a n d all the iniquity . . . the earth: (ik." om. (hmt.); ( i k . " " 'and all the impiety
a n d iniquity that was being done on it'.
" .And they said: Gk."' 'entering, they said'.
' Ket . . . heaven: Cik." ' T h e sound of those who cry out on the earth reaches unto
the gates of heaven'; ( i k . " ''• om.; .Aram is incomplete, but appears to support Kth.
Gk.".
' .And now . . . of heaven; (ik." " " om. (hmt. ?).
' (ik."'^ ''fhe spirits and souls of men groan, complaining and saying'.
" ( i k . " 'petition'.
" (ik."' adds 'and our destruction tx-forc the Great Glory, before the Ixird of all
the Kords in majesty".
 I Enoch 193
K i n g , ' " L o r d of L o r d s , CJod of CJods, K i n g of K i n g s ! " Y o u r "
g l o r i o u s t h r o t K - endures for all the gciu-rations ofthe world, and your
n a m e is h o l y ' ' a n d praised for all the generations of the world''' and
blessed a n d p r a i s e d ! " You h a \ c m a d e everything, and power over
e v e r y t h i n g is yours. .And everything is uncovered and open before
y o u , a n d you see everything, a n d there is nothing which can be
h i d d e n from you. See t h e n " w h a t .Azazel" has d o n e , ' " how h c " has
t a u g h t all iniquity on the e a r t h ' " and revealed the eternal secrets
w h i c h were m a d e in heaven. .And Semyaza has m a d e known spells,
he to w h o m " you gave a u t h o r i t y to rule over those who arc with
h i m . .And they went in to the d a u g h t e r s of men t o g e t h e r , " and lay
w i t h those w o m e n , " and became u n c l e a n , " and revealed to them
t h e s e " s i n s . " .And the w o m e n " bore g i a n t s , ' " and t h e r e b y " the
Kth. I Wnd they .said to the U)rd ot the Kings'; (Jli.'' '.\iid ihi-y said to tht-
I.ord'; (Jk." ' . \ n d they said to the Lord of the- ages'; (Jk.'- '.And riiti-ririg. the lour
archangels said to the Kord'.
'' (Jk.'' "\'ou are I.ord oll.ords. (J.xl ol(Jods. King olthc ages'; (Jk." 'Vou are
(Jixl of gods, Kord of Lords. King of Kings. (Jod ofthe ages'.
'-• So ABX (Jk.''" Aram.: other Kth. .\ISS 'His'.
" I ) ' adds 'and blessed'; (Jk.' adds 'and great'.
" Kth.I ( j k . ' ' " 'for all eternity'.
" and blessed and praised: » ' ( : ' ( J k ' ' ' om.; BX 'and you are blessed and
praised'.
'» and there is m.thing. . See then: (Jk.''om. (hmt.). (J.MCjI'IV.N (Jk.Vead'You
s e c ' f o r ' S e e then'. " (Jk.''".Azael'.
(Jk." a d d s ' a n d what hc has intrixiuced'. '" how he: N.A'(;k.'"who'.
how he . . . the earth: (Jk." 'a«(/what he has taught, wickedness and sin on the
earth and all craftiness on the dr\ ground'.
" and revealed . . . to whom^ so Kth.II; (J.\l I ' L ' 'and they have revealed the
eternal secrets which were made in heaven. .IwrfSemyaza has brought knowli-dge to
men, he to whom': Q D ' are untranslatable, but in part agree with (Jk."; (Jk.-* 'and
has revealed the eternal secrets, the things in hea\en which men practice (and)
know. .And uhal Semyaza has done, to whom'; (Jk." 'For he has taught the secrets and
revealed to the world the things in heaven. .And the sons t)f men practise his
practices in order to know the secrets, l o Semyaza'. .No version inspires complete
confidence
-- of men together: L K . X C om. 'together'; G M T corrupi; (^D' "of men on the
earth'; Gk.''"'of the men of ihc earth". " Gk.""'with them'.
" Gk." adds 'with the women'. " G M Q I ' D ' Gk.""air; L" om.
^* Gk." adds 'and taught them to make charms for producing hatred',
" Gk,' '.And now behold the daughters of men',
" (Jk," 'titans'; Gk,' 'by them giant sons'.
" a n d thereby; G D ' Gk." 'through whom'.
 194 1 Enoch
10 w h o l e e a r t h has been hlled with blood a n d i n i q u i t y . " .Vnd now
b e h o l d the souls which have died cry o u t " a n d complain unto the
g a t e of h e a v e n , a n d t h e i r ' ' lament has ascended, a n d t h e y " cannot
g o o u t in the face o f t h e iniquity which is being committed on the
11 e a r t h . .And you know everything before it h a p p e n s , a n d you know
t h i s ' * a n d w h a t concerns each o f t h e m . " But you say nothing to us.
W h a t o u g h t we to d o with t h e m a b o u t t h i s ? "

X. .And t h e n the .Most H i g h , the G r e a t a n d Holy O n e , spoke' and

2 s e n t .Arsyalalyur' to the son of L a m e c h , a n d said to h i m , ' Say* to
h i m in my n a m e . H i d e yourself, a n d reveal to him the end which is
c o m i n g , for the whole e a r t h will be destroyed, a n d a d e l u g e ' is
a b o u t to c o m e on all the e a r t h , a n d what is in it will be d e s t r o y e d . '
i A n d n o w ' teach him that he m a y escape, a n d that his olfspring may
4 survive for the whole e a r t h . ' .And further the Lord s a i d ' to Raphael,

'° a n d lhi*reb\ . . . iniquity: (*k." 'Drrcitfulness has l>een [wurcd out <in tht* n)cn
o f t h e earth, and the whole earth has been filled with iniquit\'.
" G . M Q T ' f B O X B ' C Gk." 'the souls of those who have died rry out'; D '
corrupt; Gk." 'the spirits ofthe souls ofthe men who have died complain'.
" and complain . . . and their: Gk.' 'and unto the gates of heaven their'.
" GQT'(?)LGk.''"it'.
" a n d you know this: Gk." and you see these things'; Gk.' and you see them'.
" a n d what concerns each ofthem: G k . " " b u t you leave them alone'.
" G k . " ' . \ n d you do not tell us what ttr ought to do with them about these things';
G k . ' 'And you say nothing. What ought we to do with them about this?'

' Gk," ''f hen the Most High talked about these things, the Great Holy One, and
he spoke a n d talked'; Gk,' 'Then the .Most High talked, and the Great Holy One
spoke'.
^ So E t h . H : D ' '.Asuryal'; G '.ysaryalyor' and other Eth.I MSS similarly; Gk."
'Istrael'; Gk.' 'Uriel'. .Ml Eth. readings probably corruptions of'Istrael',
' and said to him: Eth,I Gk."om.; Gk,' 'saying',
* Eth.I prefixes '.And'; Gk.' prefixes 'Go to .Noah and'.
' and a deluge: Gk.' '.And say to him that a deluge',
' D ' ' a n d everything that is in it will be destroyed'; Gk." 'and it will destroy
everything that is on it'; Gk.' 'to destroy everything from the face ofthe earth'.
' A n d now: Gk." '.And'; Gk.' om. and reads for this verse 'Teach the righteous
one, the son of Lamech, what he should do, and he will preserve his soul alive and
will escape through the world, and from him a plant will be planted and will be
established for all the generations ofthe world'.
' for the whole earth: so Eth.II, but N adds 'forever'; Eth, I 'for all generations';
G k . " ' f o r all the generations of the world'. ' Gk," ".And he said'.
 1 Enoch 193
B i n d ' " A z a z e l " by his h a n d s and his feet," and throw him into the
d a r k n e s s . .Xnd split open the desert which is in D u d a e l , " and
:i t h r o w him there."" .And throw on h i m " jagged and sharp stones,
a n d cover him with darkness; a n d let him stay there for ever, and
6 cover his face, that he m a y not see light,'" and that on the great day
7 o f j u d g e m e n t he m a y be h u r l e d " into the hre. \nd restore the
earth"* which the a n g e l s " have ruined, and announce the restora­
tion o f t h e e a r t h , ' " for I shall restore the e a r t h , " so that not all the
sons of m e n shall be destroyed through the mystery of e v e r y t h i n g "
8 w h i c h the W a t c h e r s made k n o w n " a n d taught to their sons. . \ n d
the whole earth has been r u i n e d " by the teaching of the works of
9 A z a z e l , " a n d against h i m ' " write down all sin. .And the Lord s a i d "
to G a b r i e l , P r o c e e d " against the b a s t a r d s " and the reprobates
a n d against the sons ofthe fornicators,'" and destroy the sons ofthe
fornicators a n d " the sons o f t h e Watchers from amongst m e n . "
A n d send them out, a n d send them against one another, and let
Gk." prcfi.xcs *(/(>, Raphael, ancf.
" Gk.""-.Azael'.
'• by his hands and his feet: Gk." 'tie him hand and foot'.
" Gk.-' 'in Dadoucl'; Gk." 'in the desert Ooudael'.
Gk." 'and having gone there, throw him m'.
" Gk.-'" 'And place under him'.
" Gk.-'" 'and let him not sec light'.
" Gk.-*" '.And on the day of the great (Cik." om. 'great') j u d g e m e n t h e will be
hurled".
'" Gk.'' 'And the earth will be restored'.
G k . " ' t h e Watchers'.
the restoration ofthe earth: Gk." 'the healing of the p l a g u e ' .
" for I shall restore the earth: G M L ' D ' 'that the earth mav be restored' (lit. 'that
one may restore t h e earth'); G k . ' " that t h e y m a y h e a l t h e plague'
" D ' Gk." 'through the entire mystery'; CJk." 'through the mystery'.
" Eth. 'killed'; Gk." 'struck'; Gk." 'spoke'. All three are im|)Ossible. but Eth. and
Gk." probably derive frotn a confusion ofthe .Aramaic verbs 'to strike' and 'to show,
m a k e know-n'; hence the above translation. Gk." 'spoke' is an arfAor correction of an
already corrupt text.
" Gk." a d d s 'having been corrupted'.
" G k . " " ' b y the works taught by .-Kzael'. Gk."'against it'.
" G k . " a n d hc said'. Gk." adds'CJabriel'.
" G k . " ' t h e giants'. G k . " " o f fornication'.
" the sons ofthe fornicators and: Gk."" om.; G . \ K om. by hmt. 'and destroy the
sons of the fornicators'.
" G k . " ' t h e sons of men'.
 196 1 Enoch
t h e m destroy themselves in b a t t l e , " for they will not have length c
d a y s . A n d they will all petition you, but their fathers will gai:
n o t h i n g in respect of t h e m , " for they hope for eternal life," am
that each o f t h e m will live life for hve hundred years. -And the L o r
s a i d " to .Michael, G o , ' ' inform'" Semyaza and the others with hir
w h o h a v e associated with the w o m e n " to corrupt themselves wit
t h e m in all'"' their uncleanness. W h e n ' " all"" their sons kill eac
o t h e r , a n d w h e n " ' they see the destruction o f t h e i r beloved one;
bind t h e m for seventy generations under the hills"" of the eart
until the d a y o f t h e i r j u d g e m e n t and oftheir consummation, unt
the j u d g e m e n t which is for all eternity is accomplished. And i
those d a y s " ' they will lead them to the abyss of fire; in torment a n
in prison they will be shut up for all eternity.'" And then he"' will b
b u r n t a n d from then on destroyed with them; together they will b
b o u n d until the end of all generations."" And destroy all the souls c
l u s t " ' a n d the sons o f t h e Watchers, for they have wronged mer
D e s t r o y all w r o n g from the face o f t h e earth, and every evil wor
will cease.'" A n d let the plant of righteousness and truth appeal
" .And send them out . . . in battle: Gk." 'Send them in a battle ofdestruction
Gk.* 'Send them against one another, som^ of them against tht ml of them, in battl
and in destruction.'
'* .And they . . . ofthem: Gk.'' corrupt, but probably '.And <no) petition will h
granted to their fathers even in respect ofthem'; Gk.' '.And no petition will be (lil. 'is
granted to their fathers'.
" for eternal life; G . M T U D ' G k . " " t o live an eternal life'.
Gk." ".And he said'. " Go: some Eth. .MSS om.; Gk.'adds'.Michael
'* G k . ' ' b i n d ' . ' ' G k . ' ' t h e daughters of men'.
" QGk."'om. '' Eth.IGk.""Andwhen'.
" G k . " ' om., and so apparently Aram.
•" U G k . " ' om., and so apparently .Aram.
" under the hills: Gk." " i n the valleys'. "' .And in those days: G k , " " ' r h e n
"* in torment . . . all eternity: G k . " ' 'and to torment and to the prison of eterm
confinement',
" i.e. Semyaza, but see below.
"* G M Q T ' L ' D ' Gk." '.And when anyone is burnt and destroyed from now on, h
will be bound together with them until the end of all generations (Gk." 'th
generation')'; G k , ' 'And whoever is condemned and destroyed from now on will b
Ixiund with them until the end oftheir generation'. .Aram. '.And whoever . . . ' agree
with Gk.'.
*' Gk." 'the spirits ofthe reprobate'.
So G M Q D ' and some Eth.II MSS: Gk." and other Eth. .MSS 'and let ever
evil work cease'.
 1 Blnoch 197
a n d the deed will become a blessing; righteousness and t r u t h " will
17 they p l a n t " in joy for ever. And now all the righteous will be
h u m b l e , ' ' and will live until they beget thousands; and all the days
l» o f t h e i r youth and their sabbaths''' they will fulhl in peace. .And in
those d a y s " the whole earth will be tilled in righteousness, and all
ofit will be planted with trees,'" and it will be filled with blessing.
H) .And all pleasant trees they will plant on i t , " and they will plant on
it'" vines, a n d the vine which is p l a n t e d " on it will prcxiuce fruit""
in a b u n d a n c e ; " ' and every seed which is sown on it, each measure
will p r o d u c e a thousand, and each measure of olives will prtxlucc
•li) ten b a t h s of oil."' \nd you, cleanse the earth from all wrong,"' and
from all iniquity, and from all sin, and from all"" impiety, and from
all the uncleanness which is brought alwut on the earth; remove
1\ t h e m from the e a r t h . " ' .And all the sons of men shall be righteous,"*
a n d all the nations shall serve and bless me, and all shall worship
21.' me. \nA the earth*' will be cleansed from all corruption, and from

" and tfit* deed . . . anti trndi: (M'L' 'and i[ will l><'roin<- a blessing; deeds ot
righteousness and truth'; Q corrupt; I)' (ik.'' om. (hmt.).
.Some i:th. MSS 'will Ix- planted'; I ) ' 'will he plant'; .M <(irrupt; (ik.'' 'will he
plant for himself, but most ctirrect to 'will be planted'.
" So I'lth.ll: Kth.I (Ik.'' .\ram. will escape'.
'* and their sabbaths: so Kth. (ik.''. bin long recognised to IK- a mistranslatioti of
an .-Vramaic 'and their old age': .Aram, now confirms this.
'* .And in those days: (ik.'' ''Ihen'.
'* and all . . . with trees: so Kth. and apparently .Aram.; (ik.'' 'and a tree will Ix-
plantt-d in it'.
" .And all . . . on it: (ik •' '.And all the trees ofthe earth will rejoice; they will !«-
planted'.
" on it: (ik.-'om.
" .Some Kth. MSS 'which a man plants'.
( i . M Q f O ' 'wine'; V corrupt.
and the vine . . . in abundance: (ik.-" 'and the vine which they plant, they will
produce thousands ofjars of wine".
and every- seed . . . of oil: (ik.-' defective.
*' (ik.-' "uncleanness"; I)' adds and from all uncleanncss".
" from all: (ik.-'om.
" and from all the uncleanness . . . from the earth: (ik." 'and wipe away all the
uncleanness which is brought alxiut on the earth".
" .And all . . . Ix; righteous: (ik."* om. In the remainder ofthe verse (ik." has a
strange word order and dilT'ers slightly from Kth.
Gk." '.And the whole earth'.
l<)li I Ennch
all sin, a n d from all wrath, and from all torment;"* and I will nol
again send a flood"" U[)on it™ lor all generations for ever.

XI. . \ n d in those d a y s ' I will open the storehouses of blessinj;

which are in heaven that I may send them down upon the earth,"
u p o n the work and upon the toil o f t h e sons of men. Peace and
t r u t h ' will be united lor all the days of eternity and for all the
g e n e r a t i o n s of eternity."'

XII. .Vnd before everything' Knoch had been hidden,' and none ol
the sons of m e n ' knew where hc was hidden," or where he was, or
w hat had h a p p e n e d . ' .And all" his' doings were with the Holy Ones
a n d with the Watchers" in his days." .And I F.noch was blessing'"
the Cireat K o r d " and the King of Kternity, and behold the
W a t c h e r s " called to me, Knoch the scribe, and said to me,
K n o c h , " scribe of righteousness, go. inform'" the Watchers of
h e a v e n who have left the high heaven and the holy eternal p l a c e , "
a n d have c o r r u p t e d ' " themselves with the women, and have done
as the sons of m e n " do, and have taken wives for themselves, and
h a v e bcctmic completely corrupt on the earth.'" T h e y " will have

*"* and Troni all sin . . . all torment: Cik."' "and from all iintleannessand wrath atid
torment".
-• a l l o < K l : ( ; . \ I Q f ' L : D ' ( i k . - ' o m . "> (ik."'"upon them".

' (Jk.-" ".\nd then". " ujxm the earth: (ik.-* om.
' ( i k . ' '.And then truth and [x-aee". ' (Ik.' "oi'men".

' D ' ( i k . ' "Before these things". ' (ik."' "taken".

' (ik.*''ami none of mankind". •* (ik." "taken".
' Gk.*'adds "to him". " (ik.*'om.
' (ik.*' "their", but corrupt I'or "his".
" Holy Ones . . . Watchers: Kth.I ( i k . ' trans|x)se.
" in his days: ( i k . " t t r r c his days'. (ik."'standing blessing'.
'' 1 ) ' (ik." 'the I.ord ofmajesty"; G . M I ' L ' corrupt.
'" ( i k . " a d d s o l t h e Holy (ireat One'.
" the scribe . . . KncK*h: Gk."om. (hmt.). D ' omits "the scrilx*".
'•• Gk." "and .say to".
" and the holy eternal place: (ik." 'the sanctuary ofthe eternal place'.
" (ik." "defiled". " (ik." "olthe earth".
'" and have become completely . . . earth: Gk." '\'ou have completely ruined the
earth!" '" Gk." "You'.
 I Enoch 199
on e a r t h ' " neither peace nor forgiveness of s i n , " for they will not
i rejoice in their sons. The s l a u g h t e r " oftheir beloved ones they will
see, a n d o\ er the destruction of their sons they will lament and
petition lor ever. But they will have neither mercy nor peace.

XIII. . \ n d Enoch went and said to .\zazcl,' \ ' o u will not have
p e a c e . . \ severe sentence has come out against you that you should
be b o u n d . .-\nd you will have neither rest,' nor mercy,' nor the
granting of any petition, because of the wrong which you have
t a u g h t , a n d because of all the works of blasphemy'' and wrong and
i sin which you have shown to the sons of m e n . ' T h e n I went and
spoke to them all together,*' and they were all afraid; fear and
I t r e m b l i n g seized them. , \ n d they asked mc to write out for them the
record o f a petition that they might receive forgiveness, and to take
i the record of their petition u p ' to" the Lord in heaven.' For they
themselves were not able from then on to speak, and they did not
r a i s e ' " their eyes to heaven out of shame for the sins for which they
li h a d been c o n d e m n e d . . \ n d then I wrote out the record of their
petition a n d t h e i r " supplication in regard to their s p i r i t s " and the
d e e d s of each one of t h e m , " and in regard to what they asked,
7 namely that they should obtain absolution and forbearance. .And I
went a n d sat down by the waters of Dan in D a n ' " which is south­
west of H e r m o n ; and I read out the record oftheir petition until I
8 fell asleep. .And behold a d r e a m " came to mc, and visions fell upon

-° on <-arth; Cl.MTLD'N ( J k . ' o m . ofsin: Gk.-'om.

" lor they will . . . slauRhtcr: so f Kth.II; (i.MQLT)' corrupt; (Jk.' '.yncl
concerning their sons in whom they rejoice, the slaughter".

'(Jk.» (corrupt) '.And Knoch said to .yzael, (Jo".

' (Jk.-" clemency"; G.MQU' corrupt.
' nor mercv: Kth.I (Jk."om. (Jk.-' impiety".
' G.\IQT'L"0'P'Gk."'tomen". " together: (Jk.-'om.
' Gk." "and to read the record ofthe petition out".
" Eth. I .-\KP'Gk." "before".
' ( i . M T U D ' G k . " "of heaven". (Jk."'or to raise".
" G M T ' U D ' (5k." 'the', but .-\ram. apparently read "their".
in regard to their spirits: so Kth. Gk.", but possibly a mistranslation of'in
regard to themselves".
" and the deeds of each one of them: Gk."om.. but .-Vram. supports Eth.
'" in Dan: Gk."'in the land of Dan'. " Gk."'dreams'.
200 / Enoch
m c , a n d I .saw a vision'"of wrath, namely that I should speak to th
sons o f heaven a n d reprove t h e m . " .Vnd I woke up and went t
t h e m , a n d they were all sitting gathered together as they m o u r n e i
in Ubelseyael,"' which is between Lebanon and Senir, with thei
faces covered. .-\nd I spoke before t h e m " all the \isions which
h a d seen in m y ' " sleep, and I began to speak t h e s e " words c
righteousness and to r e p r o v e " the Watchers of heaven.

MV. ' I h i s book is the word' of righteousness and of reproof for th

W a t c h e r s w h o are from eternity, as the Holy a n d ' Great O n
c o m m a n d e d in that vision. I saw in my sleep what I will now te
with the tongue of flesh and with my breath which the Great O n
has given to men in the m o u t h , ' that they might speak with it an
u n d e r s t a n d with the heart.'' .As he has created and appointed me
to u n d e r s t a n d the word of knowledge, so he created and appointe
m e ' to reprove the Watchers, the sons of heaven. .And I wrote OL
y o u r petition," but in my vision thus it appeared, that your petitio
will not be granted to y o u ' for all the days of eternity; and complet
j u d g e m e n t has been decreed against you," and you will not hav

I'Gk.''.\ram.'visions'.
" namely that I . . . reprove ihem; Gk." "and a voiee eame, saying, .Speak to th
sons of heaven lo reprove them'.
'" CJk." 'Ebelsata". f h e forms in Eth. and Cik." are possibly corniptions <
'.Abilene'.
.And I spoke In-fbre them; so Elh. .Aram.; Gk.** (corrupt) 'Before them and
reported to them'.
(J.MT'L'D'KI" Gk.'om.
•' ( ; k . ' " t h e ' .
" and to reprove; CJk." 'reproving'.

' Q D ' 'This is ihe Ixxik ofthe words'; (Jk." .Aram. 'The lxx)k ofthe words'.
• Gk.''om.
' and with my breath . . . in the mouth: so Eth.II; ( J M Q ' f U corrupt; D ' Gk
'with ( D ' 'and with') the breath ofmy (D' 'the') mouth which the Great One h?
given to men'.
" Gk." 'with them and with understanding of heart'.
' men to understand . . . appointed me; Gk." om. ( h m t ) .
" Gk." 'the petition of you angels'.
' Gk." 'bul in my vision this appeared; and your petition has not been accepted'.
" for all the days . . . against you: Gk." om., but Aram, supports Eth.
 I Enoch 201
3 peace." .And from now on you will not ascend'" into heaven for all
e t e r n i t y , and it has been decreed that you are to be bound in the
() e a r t h " for all the d a y s " of eternity. .And before this you will h a \ e
s e e n " the destruction o f y o u r beloved sons, and you will not be
7 a b l e to enjoy them, ' " b u t they will fall before you by the sword. .And
y o u r petition will not he granted\n respect ofthem, nor in respect of
yourselves. .And while you weep and supplicate, you do not speak a
8 single word from the writing which I have written. .And the \ ision
a p p e a r e d to me as follows:" Behold clouds called mc"" in the
vision, a n d mist called mc, and the path o f t h e stars and flashes of
l i g h t n i n g hastened mc and drove m e , " and in the'" vision winds
c a u s e d me to Hy and hastened me and lifted me up into heaven.'"
9 .And I proceeded until I came near to a wall which was built of hail
stones, a n d a tongue of hre s u r r o u n d e d it. and it began to make mc
10 afraid.'" .And I went into the t o n g u e " of hre and came near to a
large house which was built of hail stones, and the wall of that
h o u s e was like a mosaic made of hail s t o n e s , " and its floor was
11 s n o w . " Its roof «fl.f'" like the path of the stars and flashes of
lightning, and a m o n g them were hery Clhcrubim, and their heaven
VI was like w a t e r . .And there was a hre b u r n i n g around its w a l l , " and its
13 d o o r was a b l a z e ' " with hre. .And I went into that house, and ;/ was
' and you will iu)l have pearc: so all OIIUT VAU. .M.S.S 'and you will luuc
nothing'; CJk.'' oin.. and so prohahly .\rani.
Gk.'' 'that you should no longer asa-nd'.
'' Gk.'' 'in the bonds ofthe earth'.
" days: so Kth. .yram.; Gk.'' 'generations'.
" Gk.'' 'and that before these things you should see'.
'" and you . . . enjoy them: (ik.'' 'and that you will h a \ e iioenjoymeiu in them'.
" (ik.*' '.Atid in the vision thus it ajjpeared to tiu*'.
'" me: (ik.''oni.
" Cik.'''and confused me'. "* (ik.'*'my'.
" and hastened me . . . into heaven: (ik.'* 'and lifted me up and brought me into
heaven".
'" which was built . . . me afraid; so Kth., but 1)' reads 'tongues' instead o f a
tongue'; (ik." 'ofa building AwtV/of hail stones and tongues office around them, and
they began to make me afraid'. " 13'(ik.*"tongues'.
and the wall. .. of hail stones: (ik.*' 'and the walls ofthe house uere like slabs of
stone, and all llieslal>s were of snow'.
•' ( i k . " ' a n d the foundations urr^of snow'. -* (ik."'.And the rfxifs «'?r^'.
" Kth.I N 'artiuiid the wall'; Gk." 'around the walls'.
" (ik." 'and the doors were ablaze'.
202 / Enoch
hot as fire a n d cold as snow, and there was neither pleasure nor
l i l V in it. Fear covered nie and trembling tixik hold ol'me. .And as I
was s h a k i n g a n d trembling, I fell on my face." .And I saw in the'"
vision, a n d behold, a n o t h e r house, which was larger than the
former, a n d all its doors were open before me, and /( was b u i l t " ofa
t o n g u e ' " of hre. .And in ever\ thing it so excelled" in glory and
s p l e n d o u r a n d size that I a m unable to describe to you its glory and
its size. .And its floor was hre, and above were l i g h t n i n g " and the
p a t h o f t h e stars, a n d its roof also was a burning hre. .And I looked
a n d I saw in i t " a high throne, and its appearance was like ice and
its s u r r o u n d s like the shining sun''' a n d the sound of C h e r u b i m . "
.And from u n d e r n e a t h the high'" throne there flowed out rivers of
b u r n i n g h r e " so that it was impossible to look'" at it.'" .And He who
is great in glory''" sat on it, and his raiment was brighter than the
s u n . a n d whiter than any snow.'" .And no angel could enter.'" and
at t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e face of him who is honoured and praised
no creature 0 / flesh could look.'" .A sea of hre''"' burnt around him,
a n d a great fire stood beliire him, a n d none of those around him
c a m e n e a r to him. T e n thousand times ten thousand stood before

(J.Mtjl" "no pk-a.surr ol'lifr"; D ' 'nothing'; C k ' ' 'no ftKHl ol liCi-'.
•"" o n n i y f a i c : ( ; k . ' ' o n i .
-'' anotlu'r honsr . . . anci it was boilt; O' 'a (hxir bd'orr inc. ( a n d ) atunher house,
which was larger than the liirnier. and all ofit was built"; CJk.'' 'another dixir o[>en
belorc inc. and a house larger than the former, anti all of it was built". .Aram
probably had the same order as 13' Gk."'.
'° (;.\ll,"I3'C;k."of tongues'. " (Jk.'"and all of it excelling'.
" ( J N i r i ' i r G k . ' ' " ( l a s h e s of lightning". " in it: Gk.''om.
"'• a n d its surrounds . . . sun: (Jk.'' 'and a w heel as ofthe shining sun".
" and the sound of Cherubim: so Kth. I h e text does not inspire confidence, but
( J k . ' i s corrupt.
high: Kth.I (Jk.''om. " (Jk.'"burning rivers of fire".
•I''(Jk " s o that I could not look". " at it: G.M TL'.AKP'C'(Jk.^om.
(J.MC^f'L'O'Y Gk.-" '.And the Great (Jlory'.
*' and his raiment . . . snow: (Jk."* 'his raiment was like the apjiearance ofthe sun.
brighter and whiter than any snow'.
(Jk.'' adds 'into this house'.
'" and at the appearance . . . Uxik: (I T L D ' "and look at the face of him who is
honoured and praised, and no creature of flesh could look at him"; Gk.'' 'and look at
his face because ofthe magnificence and glory, and no creature of flesh could Icxik at
him".
" Kth. I some Kth. II .M.SS (Jk.' '.A fire".
 / Enoch 20?,
-'3 h i m , ' " but he needed no holy counsel. .And the Holy O n e s ' " who
w e r e n e a r to him did not leave by night or day,'" and did not depart
1\ from him. .And until then I had a covering on my face,''* as I
t r e m b l e d . .And the Lord called me with his own mouth and said to
m e . C o m e hither. F.noch, to my holy word. .And he lifted me up''"
a n d b r o u g h t me near to the door. .And I looked.'" with my lace
down.

XV. .'Xnd he answered mc and said to mc with his \'oice. Hear!' Do

not be afraid, Enoch, vou righteous man and scribe of righteous-
1.' n e s s . ' C!omc hither and hear my voice. .And go, say to the Watchers
of hea\'cn w h o sent y o u ' to petition on their behalf'' You ought to
3 petition on behalf of men, not men on behalf of you. Why have you
left the high, holy and eternal h e a \ e n , and lain with the women
a n d become unclean with the daughters of men, and taken wives
for yourselves, and done as the sons of the earth and begotten'
4 g i a n t sons? .-Xnd you were spiritual, holy, living an eternal life, but
you b e c a m e unclean upon the women," and begat children through
the blood of flesh, and lusted a h e r the blood of men, and produced
.') flesh a n d blood as they d o ' who die and are destroyed. .And for this
and none . . . het'ore fiini; (ik.'' 'and no one eame near to him. In a circle ten
thousand limes ten thousand SIIKKI before him'.
*" but he needed . . . Holy Ones; so T Kth.I I; I)' 'but he needed no counsel. .\nd
the holiness ofthe Holy Ones (i.e. '.And the most Holy (Jnes')'; (i.NKjL' corrupt;
G k . ' 'and his every word was deed. .\nd the most holy angels'. No version inspires
complete confidence.
" o r d a y : G . \ I Q T ' l i r Gk.''om.
** (ik.'' 'I had been prostrate on m\' face'.
to my holy word. .And hc lilted me up: ( i k . ' and hear my word. .And one ofthe
Holv Ones came lo me. and raised me, and stood me up'.
"> (ik.'' '.And I Iwwed'.

' and said . . . Hear: G.MQD' 'and said to me, <and ) his voice I heard'; L"
defective; Gk." 'and said to me, O upright man! .Man of uprightness! Scribe! .And his
voice I heard'.
• righteous . . . righteousness: (ik." ' u p r i g h t . . . uprightness'.
' G k . " ' t o those who sent you'. * to petition on their behalf: (ik." om.
' (ik." add 'children for yourselves'.
* upon the women: so Kth., bul corrupt for Gk." 'through ihe blood of the
women'.
' and produced . . . as they do; D ' Gk." 'as they produce llesh and blood'.
204 / Enoch
reason I gave them wives, namely thai tliey might sow seed in them
a n d that children might be born by them." that thus deeds might be
d o n e on the e a r t h . ' But you f o r m e r l y w e r e spiritual, living an
e t e r n a l , immortal life for all the generations ofthe world. For this
reason I did not a r r a n g e wives for you b e c a u s e " the dwelling ofthe
spiritual o n e s " is in heaven. .And now the giants who were born
from body and flesh" will be called evil spirits'* upon the earth,
a n d on the earth will be their dwelling. .And evil spirits came o u t "
from their flesh'* because from a b o v e " they were created; from the
holy W a t c h e r s was their origin and hrst foundation.'" Kvil spirits
they will be on the earth, and spirits o f t h e evil o n e s " they will be
called.'" .And the dwelling ofthe spirits of heaven is in heaven, but
the dwelling o f t h e spirits of e a r t h , " w ho were born on the earth, is
on e a r t h . .And the spirits of the giants t the clouds t which do
w r o n g " a n d are c o r r u p t . " and attack and hght and b r e a k " on the
e a r t h , " a n d cause s o r r o w ; " and they eat no food" and do not

" Gk •* and thus licgt-t rhildrcn hv thini'.

' that thus . . . on the earth: so Kth.II; Kth.I deleetive and n.rrupi. but V.Wiy
are shtiilar to (Jk." 'that nothing might be larking to them on the earth'.
'° Ibrmerly: Gk.-'om. " beeause: (Jk." om.
" Kth.I Gk." add of heaven'.
" G 'from souls and flesh'; -from the spirits of flesh': D ' ( J k . " 'from the spirits
and flesh'.
'" will IM* called evil spirits: Gk.** defecti\c and reads 'strong' liir Vvil'.
" Gk." '.Vnd evil spirits they w ill be. the spirits which have come out'.
" Gk.*" 'from their bodies' (and so Kth. could also lie translated); Gk." 'from the
bodies oftheir flesh'.
" (jk." 'from men'.
"* was their . . . Ibundation: Gk.**" 'was the beginning oftheir creation and the
beginning of (Aeir foundation'.
'" theywill be . . . the evil ones: QGk.-'om. ( h m t ) ; some Kth. .M.SS read'and evil
spirits' for 'and spirits ofthe evil ones'.
'° and spirits . . . will be called: Gk."om. together with verse 10.
" of earth: Gk.*" om.
So Kth.: D ' Gk." 'And the spirits ofthe giants wrong the clouds'; (ik." 'The
spirits ofthe giants lay waste, do wrong'. No version is satisfactory, bul it is possible
that 'clouds' in Kth. Gk." ('lay waste' in Gk") is a corruption o f t h e Nephilim', viz.
' T h e spirits ofthe giants, the Nephilim, do wrong".
" G Q ( i k . " ' 'and cause corruption' or and cause destruction'.
" G k . " " ' a n d throw'(?). " (ik." adds "harsh spirits of giants'.
" Gk."" "and cause running'(?).
" G k . " ' 'and they do not cat, but fast'; G k . ' a d d s 'and cause apparitions'.
 / Enoch 203
12 t h i r s t , " a n d arc not o b s e r v e d . " .\nd these spirits will rise'" against
the sons of men and against t h e " women because they came out
from t h e m . " In the d a y s " of slaughter and destruction

XVI. a n d the death o f t h e giants, wherever the spirits have gone

out from their bodies,' their llesh shall be destroyed before the
j u d g e m e n t ; ' thus they will be destroyed' until the day ofthe great
c o n s u m m a t i o n is accomplished upon the great age," upon the
2 W a t c h e r s and the impious o n e s . ' . \ n d now to the Watchers who
sent you to petition on their behalf, who were formerly'' in h e a v e n -
;i a n d n o w ' say. You were in heaven, but its secrets had not yet been
revealed to you a n d a worthless mystery you knew." This you made
k n o w n to the woinen in the hardness ofyour hearts, and through
this mystery the women and the men cause evil to increase on the
I e a r t h . Say to them therefore. You will not have peace.

XVII. .Vnd they took' me to a place where they' were like burning
h r e , a n d , when they wished, they m a d e themselves look like men.
••" . \ I X V G k . ' " a i i d thirst'.
-" [ ) ' 'and do not iau.se olVenee'; G k . " ' 'and eause oHenee'.
So M I ' l ' l " (ik.-": all other Kth. MSS 'will not rise',
against the: G k . ' ' " o l " .

from them: .so C a . ' " ; Kth. oni. " ( j l ) ' ' F r o m the days'.

' K.N^' -from llmr souls'; . M y T t ' D ' corrupt or defective.

' In the days . . . the judgement: Gk." corrupt, but perhaps translate 'From the
day o f t h e slaughter and destruction and death ( o f t h e giants) the spirits, having
gone out from the souls oftheir flesh, will destroy without judgement'; Gk.' '.And
from the day o f t h e time o f t h e slaughter and destruction and death of the giant
.Nephilim. the mighty ones ofthe earth, the great famous ones, the spirits that have
gone out from their souls as from the flesh, will destroy without judgctnent'.
' ( J k . " ' - t h e y will destroy'.
" G k . " ' 'until the day ofthe consummation, (Gk.' adds 'until') the great judge­
ment in which the great age will be brought to an end'.
' ujxm the Watchers and the impious ones: G k . " ' o m . , bul G k . ' a d d s 'once for all
al the same time it will be brought to an end'; G Q T U D ' add 'all will be
accomplished', and G Q T make further additions.
" Gk."om. ' and now; Gk."om.
" C;k." (corrupt) 'but every mystery which had not been revealed lo you and a
mystery which was from God you knew'.

' Gk." adds 'and brought'. ^ G.MQ Gk." 'those who were there'.
•2()f) / Enoch
A n d t h c \ ' led i n c to a place olstoini,'' and to a mountain the tip o P
whose s u m m i t reached to heaven. . \ n d I saw lighted places' and
t h u n d e r ' in the outermost ends, in its depths," a bow of hre and
a r r o w s a n d their C|uivers, and a sword ot'hre," and all the flashes of
lightning. . \ n d they took me to the water of life,"' as it is called,"
a n d to the hre o f t h e west which receives" every setting ofthe sun.
. \ n d 1 " c a m e to a r i \ e r of lire whose hre Hows like water and pours
out into the great sea which is towards the west.''' .And I saw a l l "
the great rivers, and 1 reached the great " d a r k n e s s and went where
a l l " llesh walks. . \ n d I saw the m o u n t a i n s ' " of the darkness of
w i n t e r and the place where the water of all the deep pours o u t . "
.And 1 saw the m o u t h s of all the ri\ ers ofthe earth and the mouth of
the d e e p .

XVIII. .And 1 saw the storehouses of all the winds, and I saw how
with t h e m hc has adorned all creation, and /saw the foundations of
the e a r t h . .And I saw the cornerstone o f t h e earth, and 1 saw the
four winds which support the earth and the h r m a m e n t ol'heaven.
.And I saw how the winds stretch out the height of heaven' and hoiv
they position themselves between heaven and e a r t h ; ' they are the
pillars of h e a \ e n . ' .And 1 saw the winds which turn heaven and
c a u s e the disk of the sun and all the stars to set. .And 1 saw the
w i n d s on the earth which support the clouds, and 1 saw the paths of

• So (; (Jk.": all oilier Klh. MSS "he'.

' C k . ' ' ' t o a dark place'. ' the tip ol: (Jk.'oin.
" M Q D ' 'the places ol'light'; V, corrupt; (Jk.' 'the place ofthe liRhts'.
' and thunder: (Jk.' 'and the storehouses ofthe stars and ofthe thunder'.
" in the outermost . . . depths: (Jk.'' 'and in the depths of air'; ( J M Q T ' U D ' . X K
( J k . ' add 'where wert'.
" and a sword of fire: (Jk." om.
( J t j ' f L'D' 'the waters of life'; .M corrupt; (Jk.'' 'the li\ing waters'.
" asitiscalled:(Jk.''om.
" Gk.''(corruptl'produces'. " (Jk.'"we'.
'" which is towards the west: Gk" 'of the west'.
" .MQUGk."om. " Gk." adds'river and the great'.
•'' G k . " ' n o ' . " (Jk."'the winds'.
" Gk." 'all the waters of the deep pour out'.

' .And I saw liow . . . heaven; (Jk."om. (hmt.).

' G k . " ' b e t w e e n earth and heaven'. ' tliey are . . . heaven: (Jk." om. (hml.).
 / Enoch 207
the angels. I saw" at the e n d ' ofthe earth the firmament of heaven
ti a b o v e . .And I went towards the s o u t h - a n d it was burning day and
n i g h t ' - where there were seven mountains of precious stones, three
7 t o w a r d s the cast and three towards the south. .And ihose towards
t h e east were of coloured stone, and one was of pearl and one of
H h e a l i n g s t o n e ; ' and those towards the south were of red stone. .And
t h e m i d d l e one reached to heaven, like the throne o f t h e Lord," of
<) s t i b i u m , and the top o f t h e throne was of sapphire. .And I saw a
10 b u r n i n g fire and what was in all t h e ' mountains. .And I saw there a
place beyond the great earth;'" there the waters were gathered
11 t o g e t h e r . " .And I saw a deep chasm o f t h e e a r t h " with pillars of
heavenly fire, and I saw a m o n g them fiery pillars of h e a v e n , "
which were falling,'" and as regards both height and depth they
1-.' were i m m e a s u r a b l e . .And beyond this chasm I saw a place and /'/
had neither the firmament of heaven above it, nor the foundation of
e a r t h below it; there was no water on i t , " and no birds, but it was a
13 desert place. .And a terrible thing I saw t h e r e " - seven stars like
g r e a t b u r n i n g m o u n t a i n s . .And like a spirit questioning m e " the
14 angel said. This is the place of the end of heaven and earth; this is
15 the prison for the stars of heaven'" and the host of heaven. .And the
s t a r s which roll o v e r " the fire, these are the ones which trans­
gressed the c o m m a n d o f t h e Lord f r o m " the beginning o f t h e i r
16 rising'" because they did not come out at their proper times. .And

' the paths . . . I saw: Gk.''om. (hmt.). ' Cik." ' ( a t ) the ends'.
' Gk." ' . \ n d I proceeded and saw a place which was burning night and day'.
' healing stone: s o Kth.. but the te.xt is \er\' doubtful; Gk." corrupt.
» G k . ' -ofCnKl'. " all the; D ' these'.
and what was . . . the great earth: Gk." '.And t)eyond these mountains there is a
place which is the end ofthe great earth'.
" G . M Q ' f ' C D ' 'the heavens were gathered together'; Cik." 'the heavens were
finished'.
" ofthe earth; G . \ l Q T ' L D ' G k . " o m . " of heaven: G ' P D ' o m .
'•• with pillars . . . falling; Gk." 'with pillarsof fire which were falling'.
" G k . " ' u n d e r it'.
Q D ' 'but it was a desert place, and terrible. I saw there'; Gk." but the place
was desolate and terrible. There I saw'.
" .And like . . . me: Gk." 'concerning which to me. when I intpiired'.
ofhcaven: G . M T U D ' G k . " o m . " Gk."'in'.
'" Gk." adds 'because the place outside heaven is empty'.
208 / Enoch
he was angry with thctn and bound them until the time of the
c o n s u m m a t i o n of their sin in the year of mystery."

XIX. . \ n d Uriel said to me. T h e spirits of the angels who were

p r o m i s c u o u s with the women will stand here; and they, assuming
m a n y forms, m a d e men unclean' and will lead m e n ' astray so that
they sacrifice to d e m o n s as g o d s ' - that is, until the great judgement
d a y on" which they will b e j u d g e d so that an end will be made of
t h e m . . \ n d their wives, having led astray the angels ofhcaven,' will
b e c o m e peaceful.' .And I. Enoch, alone saw the sight, the ends of
everything; a n d no m a n has seen' what I have seen.

XX. .And these are the names ofthe holy angels who keep watch.'
Uriel, one of the holy angels, namely the angel of thunder and of
t r e m o r s . ' R a p h a e l , one ofthe holy angels, the angel oP the spirits of
m e n . Raguel, one o f t h e holy angels, who takes vengeance on the
world a n d on the lights." .Michael, one o f t h e holy angels, namely
the one put in charge o f t h e best part of m a n k i n d , ' in charge ofthe
n a t i o n . ' S a r a q a e l , ' one o f t h e holy angels, who is in charge o f t h e
spirits of men who cause the spirits to sin." Gabriel, one ofthe holy

^' in the year of niy.stery: Cik.*' 'for ten thousand years'.

' m a d e men uncleati; CJk.'' 'harm men'.

' C;.\rf U i r Ok.'" them'. " as gtxis: Gk.'' om.
'' So .MI'D' and some Kth.II .\ISS: other Kth. .\ISS corrupt; (Ik.'''until the great
j u d g e m e n t in'.
' .So Kth., but G . M Q ' f ' L ' D ' om. of heaven': G k . ' '.Nnd the wives ofthe angels
who weiu astray'.
° .So Kth., but a mistake: (ik.'' 'sirens'.
' G M Q L ' D ' will see'.

' . \ n d these . . . keep watch: Gk."' '.Angels of the powers'; Gk."'om. together with
' U r i e l ' in verse '2.
^ ( i ( 2 n ' 'namely the eternal one and the anget of tremors'; Gk."' "^ 'the one in
charge ofthe world and of I'artarus'.
' of (ik."' "' 'in charge of". •* (ik."' " 'the world ofthe lights'.
' G k . " ' " - ' o f t h e nation'.
" D ' 'and in charge ofthe nations'; (ik."' 'and in charge of chaos'.
' Gk."' 'Sariel'.
" who is in charge . . . sin; (ik."' "^ 'the one in charge of the spirits who sin against
the spirit".
 / Knoch 'im
angels, w h o is in charge o f t h e serpents anci the (iarcien" and the
Clherubim.'"

XXI. . \ n d I went round to a place' where there was nothing

•1 m a d e . ' . V n d I saw there a terrible t h i n g ' - n e i t h e r the high heaven,''
nor the firmly founded e a r t h , ' but a desert place, prepared and
;i terrible.'' . \ n d there I saw seven stars of heaven bound on it
t t o g e t h e r , ' like great mountains, and burning like" hre. T h e n I said.
For w h a t sin have they been bound, and w h y ' have they been
.') t h r o w n here? .And'" L'riel, one ofthe holy angels who was with me
a n d led m e , " spoke to me and s a i d , " Enoch, about whom do you
() ask? .About w h o m d o you inquire and a s k " and care?'* fhese are
some o f t h e s t a r s " which transgressed the command o f t h e Lord
.Most H i g h , ' " a n d they have been bound here until ten thousand
7 a g e s " are completed, the n u m b e r o f t h e days o f t h e i r sin.'" .And
from there I went to a n o t h e r place, more terrible than this, and I
s a w a terrible thing: there was a great hre t h e r e " which burnt and
blazed, a n d the place'" had a d e h reaching to the abyss, full of
g r e a t pillars of h r e " which were m a d e to fall; neither its extent nor

" Kill.I (Jk.'" '• 'tliftJarclc-ii ami llu- .serpents'.

Ck.'" adds 'Seven names of archangels'; Gk.'"' adds 'Remiel. one ofthe holy
angels, whom (jtxl pin in charge of those who rise. Seven names of archangels'.

' aplace:(;.\I(2T'L'ir(;k.'"'''om. ' i.e. a place of chaos.

• C f Gk.'" " add 'I saw'; Q adds And I saw'.
' G.MQL'D' Gk.'" '" neither heaven above'. ' (Jk." adds did 1 see'.
" G.\I(2'f'L' bnt a prepared and terrible place'; H' (;k.'" '" but a chaotic and
terrible place".
' CJk." "-"bound and thrown down on it'. " G . M Q l ' H ' ( J k . - " ' " with'.
Gk.*" 'For what reason . . . and why'; (ik.'*^ 'For what reason . . . and for what
reason'. Gk.'" ' f h c n ' .
" and led me; so Elh.. but all .\1SS except G om. 'and'; Gk.'" " and was the
leader ofthem'.
" \y Gk."' "• add to me'. " and ask: QWQir om.
" do you inquire . . . and care: (Jk."' " 'are you eager Ibr the truth'.
" D ' Gk."' "^ add 'of heaven'.
Most High: Eth.I G k . " ' " ' o m . " D'(Jk."'""years'.
D ' 'the number oftheir sins'; Gk."' "' 'the time oftheir sins'.
" there: D ' a n d some F:th.II M S S o m .
" .So G.MCJT'L'D' Gk."' P Eth.II 'the boundary'.
" CJk."' "' 'of pillars ofa great fire'.
 210 I Enoch
S! its size could I sec, nor could 1 sec its s o u r c e . " T h e n I said. How
'I terrible this place is, and how painl'uF' to look at! T h e n l ' r i e l , " one
o f t h e holy angels who was with me, answered me. He answered
m c " a n d said to me, Knoch, why do you have such fear and t e r r o r "
10 because ofthis terrible place, and before this p a i n ? " . \ n d he said to
m c , " T h i s place is the prison ol'thc atigcls, and t h e r e " they will be
held for ever.

XXII. . \ n d from there I weiu to another place, and he showed mc

in the west a large and hi.gh mountain, and a hard rock and four
1 b c a u t i l u l ' places, and inside it was deep and wide and very
s m o o t h . ' H o w smooth is that which rolls,' and deep and dark to
:t look at! Then Raphael, one o f t h e holy angels who was with me,
a n s w e r e d me* and said to me. These beautiful' places are intended
for this, that the spirits, the souls* oi'the dead, might be gathered
into t h e m ; for t h e m ' they were created," that here they might gather
4 all the souls ofthe sons of men." . \ n d these places they made where
they will keep t h e m ' " until the day of their judgement and until

nor could I sec its scourcc: so V Ktli.ll; C Q corrupt; W <;k.-" •" "nor tould I
(Gk.'" ''• om. 'could T) guess ihem'. and this text is supported hy the othenvise
impossible . \ f f ' L ' .
" G ' h o r r i b l e ' ; (;k.'"'•"fearful'. " L'riel; (Jk.'"''= om.
He answered mc: (j.AKX Gk.'' om.
*" Gk.'' adds '.And (l> answered'.
' ' and before this pain: CJk." 'and because ofthe fearful spectacle'.
" to me: G k . ' o m . " and there: O ' ( J k . ' " h e r e ' .

' beautiful: so Eth., but a misreading ofthe (Jreek word Ibr 'hollow'.
- a large . . . \ery smooth: (Jk.'' 'another large and high mountain, of hard rock.
.And there were four hollow places in it, deep and very smooth: three ofthem were
dark, a n d one bright, and M^r^uaj a spring of water in the middle ofit. .And I said'.
' 15 that which rolls: so Eth., but a mistranslation ofthe (Jreek; (Jk.'' 'are these
hollow places'.
' me:G.\IQ''r'L'Gk.''om.
' beautiful: so Eth., but a misreading; Gk.'' 'hollow'.
G T ' D ' H Gk.'' -the spirits ofthe souls'; Q corrupt; O B ' om. 'the souls'.
' G Q U D ' Gk.'' -for this'; .Nff corrupt. " (Jk.'' (corrupt) 'judged'.
" Gk." 'all the souls of men'; .Aram, '[the souljsofall the sons of men'.
"* where they will keep them: Gk.'' 'for their reception'; .Aram, uncertain, but
probably '.And behold, these are the pits lor their prison house [which] they have
thus m a d e ' .
 I Enoch 211
t h e i r a p p o i n t e d t i m e - a n d that a p p o i n t e d time will be l o n g " - until
3 t h e g r e a t j u d g e m e n t comes upon t h e m . " . \ n d I saw the spirits ofthe
s o n s of m e n w h o were d e a d , ' ' a n d their \ oice reached heaven and
6 c o m p l a i n e d . ' " T h e n " I asked R a p h a e l , the a n g e l ' " who was with
m e , a n d said to h i m . W h o s e is this spirit whose \()icc thus reaches
7 h e a v e n " a n d complains?"* .And he answered me a n d said to m e , "
s a y i n g , T h i s spirit is the one which c a m e out of .\hcl whom C:ain,
his b r o t h e r , killed. .And h e ' " will complain about him until h i s "
offspring is d e s t r o y e d from the face o f t h e e a r t h , a n d from amongst
8 t h e offspring of m e n his olfspring perishes. T h e n I asked about him
and" about the j u d g e m e n t on a l l " a n d I s a i d , " Why is one
9 s e p a r a t e d from a n o t h e r ? .And he answered mc and said to m e , "
T h e s e t h r e e " places were m a d e in order that they might separate
t h e s p i r i t s o f t h e d e a d . .And t h u s the s o u l s " o f t h e righteous have
b e e n s e p a r a t e d ; ' * this is the s p r i n g of water and on it is the l i g h t . "

'' a n d ihat appointed time will be long; so Kill., but probably an aiiempi to deal
with an impossible text; Gk." has a dittograph ofthe previous phrase.
" a n d until their appointed time . . . upon them; so Klh.. but Q D ' have
abbreviated texts; Gk." 'and until the appointed time and the time appointed at
which the great judgement will be executed upon them'; .Aram, 'and until the
appointed time ofthe day ofthe end ofthe great judgement which will be executed
upon them'.
" .And I saw . . . were dead: so Kth.. but fairly d e a r k only one spirit was
mentioned originally (cp. verses (ill.); Gk." corrupt, but p<-rhaps read 'I saw <ihe
spirit) o f a dead m a n complaining'; .Aram. 'There I saw the spirit o f a dead man
complaining'.
''' a n d their voice . . . complained: so Kth. ( i k " , bul (Jk.' reads 'his' lor 'their';
.Aram, 'and his lamentation going up to heaven and cry ing out and complaining'.
" Gk."'.And'. " A r a m . ' t h e Watcher and holy one'.
" heaven: so C'; all other Kth. .\ISSom.
Gk." 'Whose is this spirit which is complaining.'' Therefore his voice thus
reaches and complains lo heaven'.
" and said to me: Q D ' . A D Gk." om.; C ' o m . ' s a y i n g ' . '° Gk."'.Abcrl'.
" E t h . I ' a l l his'. " alxiut him and: (Jk." om.
" about the judgement on all: so Eth.; Gk." 'about all the circular places'; both
a r c perhaps corrupt for 'about all the hollow places'.
" a n d I said: G . M Q ' f ' L ' D ' G k . " o m . " and said to me: Gk."'saying'.
'* three: so Elh. Gk.", bul we expect 'four' because four places are mentioned in
verse I and four seem to be described in verses 9 b - 1.3. " N 'the spirits'.
" C ' Gk." 'And thus a/>/a« has been separated for the souls ((Jk." the spirits') of
ihc righteous'.
" this is . . . the light: Gk." 'in which there is the bright spring of water'.
 212 I Eimch
II) Likfwisf'" a place ha.s hccii created for s i n n e r s " when they die and
a r e buried in the earth and j u d g e m e n t has not come upon them
II d u r i n g their life. . \ n d here their s o u l s " will be separated for this
great t o r m e n t , until the great day ofjudgement and punishment
a n d t o r m e n t for those who curse for ever, and of vengeance on their
s o u l s , " a n d there he will bind them Ibr c\er. Verily he is from the
VI b e g i n n i n g o f t h e world.''' . \ n d thus a place has been separated for
the s o u l s " of those who complain and gi\c information about their
i:i d e s t r u c t i o n , when they were killed in the days ofthe sinners, f bus
a place has been created for the s o u l s " of men who are not right­
e o u s , " but siimers, accomplished in wrongdoing,"' and with the
w r o n g d o e r s will be their l o t . " But their souls will not be killed on
14 t h e d a y ofjudgement,'" nor will they rise from here. Then I blessed
the Lord of Glory and said. Blessed be my Lord, the Lord of CJlory
a n d Righteousness.''' who rules everything for ever.""

XXIII. .And from there I went to another place towards the west, to
L' t h e e n d s ' of the earth. .And I saw a hre which burnt a n d ' ran
w i t h o u t resting or ceasing from r u n n i n g ' by day or night, but
:i continued in exactly the same way." .And I asked saying, What is this
4 which has no rest? Then Raguel, one o f t h e holy angels who was
'» D ' Cik." '.\iul thus'.
" n ' ' . \ n d thus the sinners have l)cen separated'.
'• (Ik." 'spirits'.
" lor those . . . their souls: Gk." in part corrupt, but perhaps read liir those who
are cursed for ever, that ihrrt may be vengeance on Iheir spirits'.
" N'erily . . . the world: an Kth. gloss; Gk." om.
" Gk." will not be holy'.
" accomplished in wrongdoitig: Gk." who will be impious'.
' ' I.it. 'and wilh the wrongdoers they will be like them'; Gk." 'and ofthe lawless
they will be companions'.
Gk." 'But iheir spirits, Ijecausc those who are alliicted here are punished le.ss
than them, will not be punished on the day ofjudgement'.
" G M T U D ' 'Blessed by my Ix)rd, the U r d of Righteousness'; Gk." 'Blessed are
you. Ix)rd of Righteousness'; .Aram. 'Blessed be t h c j u d g e of Righteousness'.
" Kth.I and some Kth.II M.S.S 'who rules for ever"; Gk." 'who rules the world'.

' G k . " ' o f the ends'.

' burnt and: Gk." om.
' Kit. 'from its ruiming' or 'from its course'; (ik." om. 'its'.
* (»k." uncertain, but perhaps emend to read 'but remained constant'.
 I Enoch 213
with mt'. answered me and said to m e . ' This burning hre whose
course you saw, towards the west, is Ihe fire of all the lights of
heaven.''

XXIV. .And from there I went to another place ofthe earth.' and he
•J showed me a m o u n t a i n ' of fire which blazed day and night.' .And I
went t o w a r d s if* a n d saw seven magnificent mountains, and all
were dilfcrent from one another, and precious and beautifid stones,
a n d all ivere precious a n d their a p p e a r a n c e glorious and their lc)rm
beautiful;' three of Ihe mountains towards" the east, one fi.xc-d firmly
on a n o t h e r , a n d three towards the south, one on another, and deep
;i a n d rugged \ alleys, no one of which was near another. .And there was
a seventh m o u n t a i n in the middle of these, and in their height they
were all like the seat ofa t h r o n e , ' and fragrant* trees surrounded it.
t .And there was a m o n g them a tree such as I have never smelt, and
n o n e o f t h e m nor any others were like it:' it smells more fragrant
t h a n a n y fragrance, a n d its leaves a n d its flowers a n d its wcxxl
never wither; its fruit'" is good, a n d its fruit" is like the bunches of
d a t e s on a p a l m . .And then I said. B e h o l d , " this beautiful tree!
Beautiful to look at a n d pleasant are its leaves, and its fruit v e r y "
() delightful in a p p e a r a n c e . ' ' ' .And then Michael, one ofthe holy and
' and .said to mr: (»k.*' om.
* (fk."' "'fhis course office is tfie fire towards tlie west wiiich jiersecutes all the
lights of heaven". Neither version inspires complete confidence, hut Ck."
"persecutes" may be corrupt for takes vengeanic". cp. .\x. I.

' .And from . . . earth: ( J k . ' t m i .

' (Jk."" "mountains".
' day and night: H K O B " "by day"; G k . ' by night".
^ (Jk."" "Iieyoiid them".
' seven magnificent . . . fiirm lleauliful; Gk."* "seven mountains, all magnificent,
each difTering from the other, whose stones wfTt precious in their Iwauty, and all were
precious and glorious and iK-auliful".
' three . . . towards: G k . ' o m .
' Gk."' "and it was superior in height, like the seal ofa throne".
" Gk." (corrupt) "beautiful".
' Gk." 'and no one else had enjoyed it. and no other one was like il".
'" its fruit: Gk." corrupt. " ii gcxxl, and its fruit: Gk.** om.
" Behold: Kth.I om. " and its fruit very: O ' ' a n d its flowers'.
'* Behold . . . in appearance: (ik.** "How Ix-autiful this tree is, and fragrant, and
the leaves pleasant, and its flowers pleasant in appearance'.
214 I Knoch
h o n o u r e d " angels who was with ine and was in eharge o f t h e m , "
a n s w e r e d me

XXV. a n d said to me, Knoch, why do you ask m e ' about the
fragrance o f t h i s tree, and why do you inquire to learn?' Then I,
E n o c h , ' answered him, saying," 1 wish to learn about everything,
but especially about this tree. . \ n d he answered m e , ' saying. This
high m o u n t a i n which you s a w w h o s e summit is like the throne of
the L o r d , ' is the throne where the Holy and Great O n e , the Lord of
Glory, the Kternal King," will sit when hc comes down to visit the
e a r t h lor good. .And this beautiful' fragrant tree - and no creature of
flesh has authority to touch it until the great judgement when he
will take vengeance on all and will bring everything to a c o n s u m n i a -
t i o n ' " f o r e v e r " - t h i s " will be given to the righteous and h u m b l e . "
F r o m its fruit life will be given to the chosen; towards the north'" it
will be p l a n t e d , i n " a holy place, by the house o f t h e Lord, the
External K i n g . " T h e n they will rejoice with joy and be glad i n " the
holy place; they'" will e a c h " draw the fragrance o f i t into their

" .itui honoured: ( i k . ' o m .

"* (Jk.'* 'and was ttie leader of ihem'.

' me: D ' . \ C ) X B ' Cik.'' om.; Gk.'' adds and why did you wonder'.
CJk.'' 'and whv do vou wish to learn the truth?'
' Enoch: Q D ' Gk." om.
•• saying: G k . ' ' o m . ' me: CiD'Gk." om.
" which vou saw: Gk." om. ' C;k." 'of G<xl'.
' the Holy . . . King: Gk." the Great Lord, the Holy One of Cllory. the King of
Etcrniiv'.
' beautiful: ( J . M Q f ' L ' D ' Gk." (below) om.
'° .So Ci'f D': other Eth. .MSS 'and eterylliing is brought to a consunmiation'.
" Gk." '.And as for this fragrant tree, no maturi of flesh has authority to touch it
until the great judgement when tlure wilt bt \engeance on all and a consummation
for ever'.
'- this: so YAh.l (literally 'this therefore'); Eth.H 'that'.
" C;k." ' I h e n it will be given lo the righteous and holy'.
'" From its f r u i t . . . towards the north: Gk." 'Its fruit witlbi to the chosen as food
for life'; D ' is corrupt, bul in part supports C;k.". T h e dillerence in Greek l>etween
towards the north' (all Eth. MSS) and 'as focxi' (Gk") is only one letter.
" C;k." and it will be transplanted to'.
Cik."'ofGod, the K i n g o f Eternitv'. " D ' ' a n d in'.
'" G Q O B ' C ' a n d i h e y ' . " each: G.MQT'UD'K'.V om.
 / Ennch '11:")
b o n e s , ' " a n d they will live a long life on earth, as your fathers lived,
a n d in their days sorrow and pain and toil" and p u n i s h m e n t " will
not touch t h e m . Then I blessed the L o r d " of (Jlory. the Eternal
K i n g , ' " because h c " has prepared such things for righteous men,
a n d has created such things"' and said that they are to be given to
them.

XXVI. .And from there I went to the middle ofthe earth and saw a
blessed, itr/Z-watcred,' p l a c e ' which had branches which remained
alive a n d sprouted from a tree w hich had been cut down. .And there
I saw a holy m o u n t a i n , and under the mountain, to the east ofit,
there was w a t e r and it flowed towards the south. .And I saw towards
the east a n o t h e r m o u n t a i n which was of the same height,' and
b e t w e e n t h e m there was a deep and narrow valley; and in it a stream
r a n by" the m o u n t a i n . .And to the west of this one was another
m o u n t a i n which was lower than it, and not high; and under it there
was a valley between them, and there were other deep and dry
v a l l e y s ' at the end o f t h e three mountains.'' .And all the valleys were
d e e p a n d n a r r o w , ' of hard rock, and trees were" planted on them.
.And I was a m a z e d at the rock and I was amazed" at the valley; I
w a s very m u c h a m a z e d .

and be glad . . . ihcir Ixmcs: (Jk.-" 'and be glad and inlo tin- place ibi-y will
enter; the fragrance ofit will be in their lx)nes'.
-' Kth.I and torment".
" sorrow . . . punishment: Cik.' 'torment and plague and punishnu-ni'.
" . \ r i " U n ' G k . ' " t h e G o d " ; ( ; ' o m . "ofglory".
" Gk."* 'the King of Kternity'.
" because he: G k . ' "who".
•'' sueh things; Gk." "them".

' t('f//-watered: Gk.'' om.; Q om. 'a blessed. «W/-watered, place'.

'' Gk.'' adds 'where there were trees".
' Q Gk." "which was higher than this"; D ' is corrupt, but supports ( j Gk.".
"* Gk." "under".
' and under . . . dry valleys: Gk." 'and there was a deep and dry valley between
them, and another deep and dry valley'; G.MQL'D' partially support the reading
' a n d another deep and dry valley'.
* mountains: so G k " ; Kth. om.
' and narrow: Gk." om.
" G k . " ' w e r e not'.
' al the rock and I was amazed: Gk." om.
 21() / Enoch
XXVII. Thcii' I said. W h a t is the purpose o f t h i s blessed land
which is completely full of trees and ofthis accursed valley' in the
'.' m i d d l e of them? Then R a p h a e l , ' one of the holy angels who was
with me, answered ine a n d said to mc. This'' accursed valley' is for
those w h o are cursed for ever; here will be gathered together all'
w h o speak with their mouths against the Lord words that are not
h t t i n g a n d say hard things about his .glory. Here they will gather
3 t h e m together, a n d here will be their place ofjudgement.' -\nd in
t h e last d a y s there will be the spectacle ofthe righteous judgement
u p o n t h e m before the righteous for ever, lor evermore; here the
1 merciful" will bless the Lord of Olory, the Eternal K i n g . ' And in
the d a y s of the j u d g e m e n t on them they will bless h i m ' " on account
oi his mercy, according as he has assigned to them iheir lot. T h e n I
") m y s e l f " blessed the Lord of Glory and I addressed h i m , " and I
r e m e m b e r e d his majesty, as was h t t i n g . "

XXVIII, .And from there 1 went towards the east' to the middle of
•_' the i n o u n t a i n ' o f t h e wilderness, and I saw only desert. But (/ was
full of t r e e s ' from this seed, and" water gushed out over it' from

' (ik.'And'.
• and of ihis areurscd \allt'v: (Ik."' 'and wtty is ihis \allrv accursed?'
' Raphael: so O P ' B ' ; all other Kth. MS.S 'Vriel'.
in the middle . . . to me, I'his: (Jk." om.
' valley: Gk.'' 'land', but Gk." has probably transliterated the original Semitic
word instead of translating it.
' D ' (;k." add 'the accursctf. ' Gk." 'will be Mn> dwelling'.
" Gk." "In the last ages, in the days ofthe truejudgement Ix-fore the righteous for
ever, here the impious'.
'' (xk."'the King of Eternity'. '° h i m : G k . " o m .
" myself G M Q T ' U I ) ' G k . " o m .
" and I addressed him: Gk." 'and I prmlaimecl his glory'.
" atid I remembered . . . fitting: so Eth., but probably corrupt; Gk." 'and I sang
his praises in a way befitting his majesty'.

' towards the east: Gk."om. ' of the mountain: Gk." om.
•' a n d I saw . . . full of trees; so Eth.II, although the text is awkward (lit. 'and I
saw it only desert etc.'); G M Q T ' L ' Gk." 'and I saw it desert, and il was isolated, full
of trees'; D ' 'and I saw a desert, and it was isolated, full of trees'.
" D ' 'and from this seed'; Gk." 'and from the seeds'. But the text appears to be
corrupt. 'oycrit:Qom.
 / Enoch 217
:i al)C)\{'. The t o r r e n t , which flowed towards the north-west, seemed
c o p i o u s , a n d Irom all sides there went u p ' . . . water a n d d e w . '

XXIX. . \ n d I w e n t ' to a n o t h e r place aivay from' the wilderness; 1 '

2 c a m e n e a r to the cast of this m o u n t a i n . .And there'' I saw trees ol"
judgement,' especially \csscls of the fragrance of incense a n d
m y r r h , ' ' a n d t h e ' trees were not alike."

XXX. .And a b o v e it, above these, above the m o u n t a i n s o f t h e east,

a n d not far a w a y , ' 1 saw a n o t h e r ' place, valleys of w a t e r ' like that
2 w h i c h docs not fail." .And 1 saw a beautiful tree a n d its fragrance
;i was like t h a t o f t h e m a s t i c ' .And by the banks of these valleys I saw-
f r a g r a n t c i n n a m o n . .And beyond t h o s e ' valleys I c a m e near towards
t h e east.
" .Ml Kill. .M.S.S add 'and lioni ilii-rr'. ljul die words may have been misplaced
from the begimiin.n olx.xix. I.
' water gushed . . . and dew: G k . ' water gushed out from al«)\e; llowiiig like a
copitjus watercourse towards the north-west from all sides it sent up water and
dew'.

' ( J k . ' I'lom there I went yet'.

' autiy from: Gk."' 'in'.
' i)'(;k."and r.
there: (2 C'k."' om.
" trees ofjudgement: so Kth. G k . ' . hut perhaps a corru[jtion in the original
.Aramaic of'fragrant trees".
' especially . . . tnyrrh: so Kth., hut the te.xt is corrupt; (Jk." "which smelt ofthe
fragrance of incense and m\ rrh".
' I)'Gk.-'"their".
" ( J . M Q ' f ' l " I ) ' "were alike"; G k . ' 'were like the almond tree".

' .And a b o \ e it . . . not far away; so Kth. but corrupt; Gk."" ".And beyond these I
went towards the east, far away, and"; .Aram, (so far as it exists) supports (Jk.".
Kth.I and some Kth.II MSS read "and" before 'I saw".
' (Jk."' .idds 'large'.
" C J . M Q I ' O ' Gk." 'a valley of water"; L' defective.
" like t h a t . . . not fail: Gk." om.
' .So Kth.II: Q'l" ".And I saw a Ix'autiful tree which was like a fragrant tree like the
mastic"; other Kth.I .MSS corrupt or dclcctive; Gk." (?) 'where also there was a tree,
the colour of fragrant plants like the mastic'. Underlying Kth. "Iwautiful tree",
'fragrant tree" is the O.'I". 'sweet cane' or "aromatic cane" as the fragmentary .Aram,
makes clear.
" Gk." these".
218 1 t:noch
XXXI. .And I saw a n o t h e r m o u n t a i n ' on which there were t r e e s , '
a n d t h e r e flowed out water, a n d there flowed o u t ' from if* as it
w e r e ' a n e c t a r whose n a m e is styrax a n d g a l b a n u m . A n d beyond
this m o u n t a i n " 1 s a w a n o t h e r m o u n t a i n , a n d on it there were aloe
t r e e s , ' a n d those trees were lull ofa fruit which is like an a l m o n d a n d
is h a r d . " .And w h e n they t a k e ' this fruit, it is better t h a n any
fragrance."'

XXXII. .And after these fragrances, to the n o r t h , ' as 1 looked over

t h e m o u n t a i n s , ' I s a w seven m o u n t a i n s ' full of fine h a r d a n d
f r a g r a n t trees* a n d c i n n a m o n ' a n d p e p p e r . .And from there I went
o\ er the s u m m i t s of those m o u n t a i n s , " far a w a y to the e a s t , ' a n d I

' Kili.l KKNT" (;k.' .Aram, 'other mountains'.

' (fk.'' ' a n d on them ttiere were groves of trees'; .Aram, 'and also on them I saw
trees'.
' water, and there flowed out; G ' f ' L ' D ' Gk." om.; .AC' om. and there flowed
out'; M Q defective.
'' from it (the mountain?): so Kth.. but might perhaps also be translated 'from
t h e m ' : (Jk.'' 'from them'.
' as it were: (;k.''om. " D'(ik.''.Aram.'tticse mountains'.
' and on it . . . aloe trees: (!k.'' oiri., but has instead 'to the cast ofthe ends ofthe
earth'.
" a n d those trees . . . hard: ( i k . ' 'and all the trees were full immediately (?) in the
likeness of almotids'. Only the latter part of .Aram, can be dearly read,'. . . and it is
like the husks of (or 'the bark o f ) . . . ' : in the .Aramaic original underlying Gk." the
word for fruit' mav have been confused with the word for 'thereupon,
immediately'.
" .So Kth.. but corrupt for 'crush' ((ik." .Aram.).
(ik." is partially corrupt, 'When they crush il; therefore il is more fragrant than
any fragrance'.

' .And after . . . the north: Gk." ' f o the north-cast'; .Aram. 'And beyond these
|. . .|. to the north-east ofthem'.
' as I looked . . . mountains; (ik." .Aram. om.
' .Aram. 'I was shown other mountains'.
" fragrant trees: so Eth. (representing here the O . T . 'aromatic cane'?); Gk."
'mastic'; .Aram.(?) 'peppcrwort'.
' .Aram, 'cardamon'.
' Gk." 'over the beginnings of all these mountains'; .Aram, 'to the east of all these
mountains'.
' D ' Gk." 'far away to the east ofthe earth'; .Aram, 'far from them to the east of
the e a r t h ' .
 1 Enoch 219
went over the Red Sea and I was far from it." and I went over the
1 angel Zotiel.' And I came to the Garden of Righteousness, and I
s a w beyond those trees many large trees'" g r o w i n g " there, sweet-
smelling, large, very beautiful and glorious," and the tree of
\ wisdom'-' from which they''* eat and know great wisdom.''.And it is
like the c a r o b - t r e e , " and its fruit is like the bunches of grapes on a
vine, very beautiful, a n d the smell of this tree spreads and pene-
5 trates a f a r . " .And" I said, This tree is beautiful! How beautiful'"
fi a n d pleasing is its a p p e a r a n c e ! " .-\nd" the holy angel Raphael,
w h o was with me, answered me and said to me,'° This is the tree of
w i s d o m from which your old father and your aged mother, who
were before you, a t e " and learnt wisdom; and their eyes were
o p e n e d , a n d they knew- that they were naked, and they were driven
from the g a r d e n .

XXXIII. .And from there I went to the ends ofthe earth and I saw-
t h e r e large animals, each different from the other, and also birds
which differed in form, beauty and call - each different from the
2 Other. A n d to the east of these animals I saw the ends ofthe earth
'i on which heaven rests, and the open gates of heaven. .-\nd I saw

" and I was far from il: Gli.'' (?) 'and I wcnl to the outermost ends', bul prof)ably
corrupt for 'and I went far a w a \ ' : .-Xram. 'and I went far from it'.
' Gk.'' 'and from this I went over Zotiel'; .Aram, 'and 1 went over the darkness,
far from it'.
beyond those trees . . . trees: Cik.'' 'from far away more trees than these trees,
a n d large'.
" growing: Cik.-" (corrupt) 'two'.
" sweet-smelling . . . glorious: Cik.'' 'very large. l)eautiful. and glorious, and
magnificent'.
" Gk.'' 'knowledge'.
'* from which they: Gk.'' 'whose fruit the lioly ones'.
" Cik." ' f h a t tree is like the fir in height, bul its leaves are like Ihose of the
carob-tree'.
" Q 'and the smell ofthis tree spreads very far'; Gk." 'and its smell spreads far
from the tree'.
" Gk."'Then'. '" How beautiful: Q o m .
" T h i s tree . . . its appearance: Gk." 'How beautiful the tree is, and how pleasing
in appearance!'
me and said to me: Gk." om.
" Gk." 'This is the tree of knowledge from which vour father ate' (Gk." ends
here).
 220 / Enoch
h o w the stars of hcavt-n comi- out, and counted the gates out of
which tliey come, a n d wrote down all their outlets, for each one
individually according to their n u m b e r and their names, according
to their constellations, their positions, their limes and their
1 m o n t h s , as the angel L'riel, w h o was with m e . ' showed mc. .And he
s h o w e d me everything and wrote it down, and also their names he
w r o t e d o w n for me, a n d their la%vs and their functions.'

XXXIV. .And from there I went towards the north to the ends ofthe
e a r t h , a n d there I saw a great a n d glorious wonder' at the ends of
•> the whole e a r t h . .And there I saw three gates of heaven open in
h e a v e n ; t h r o u g h each o f t h e m north winds go out; when they blow,
iherf is cold, hail, hoar-frost, snow, dew a n d rain. .And from one
;i g a t e it blows for gcx)d; but when they blow through the other two
g a t e s , it is with force a n d it brings torment over the earth, and they
blow with force.

XXXV. .And from there I went towards the west to the ends ofthe
e a r t h , a n d I saw there, as I saw in the cast, three open gates - as
m a n y gates a n d as m a n y outlets.

XXXVI. .And from there I went towards the south to the ends of the
e a r t h , a n d there I saw three gates o f h c a v e n open; and the south
2 wind a n d d e w a n d rain a n d wind come out from there. .And from
t h e r e I went t o w a r d s the east ofthe ends ofhcaven, a n d there I saw
t h e three eastern gates o f h c a v e n open, and above them there were
i s m a l l e r gates. T h r o u g h each of those smaller gates the stars of
h e a v e n pass a n d go towards the west on the path which has been
4 s h o w n to t h e m . And when I saw, I blessed, and I will always bless'
the L o r d of Glory w h o has m a d e great and glorious wonders that
h e m i g h t show the greatness o f h i s work to his angels and to the

' thr aiigcl. . . with mc: Kth.I 'Uriel, the angel who was wilh me. the holy one',
' Kth,I 'groups',

' G Q ' f ' U 'a great and glorious plan'; O' 'the throne ol'thc Great and (Jlorious
One'.

' G . V i g r ' U D ' K '.\iid whenever 1 saw, I always blessed, and I will bless'.
 I Knoch 221
souls of m e n , ' thai they might praise his work, and that all his
c r e a t u r e s might s e e ' the work of his [x>wer and praise the great
work ofhis h a n d s a n d bless him for e\ er.

XXXVII. The second vision which he saw, the vision of wisdom

which Enoch, the son of J a r e d , the son of .Malalel, the son of
O a i n a n , the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of .Adam, saw.
1 .And this is the beginning ofthe words of w isdom which I raised my
voice to speak a n d say to those svho dwell on the dry ground. Hear,
you m e n of old, a n d see, you who come after, the words ofthe Holy
:\ O n e ' which I will speak before the Lord of Spirits. It would have
been better to have said these things before, but from those who
1 c o m e after wc will not withhold the beginning of wisdom. L'ntil
now there has not been gi\ en by the Lord of Spirits such wisdom as
I h a v e received in accordance with my insight, in accordance with
the wish o f t h e Lord of Spirits by whom the lot of eternal life has
.i been given to me. .And three parables were imparted to me, and I
raised my voice a n d said to those who dwell on the dry ground,

XXXVIII. The first parable. When the community ofthe righteous

a p p e a r s , a n d the sinners are judged lor their sins and are driven
•> from the face of the dry ground, and when the Righteous O n e '
a p p e a r s before the chosen righteous whose works are weighed by
the Lord of Spirits, a n d when light appears to the righteous and
chosen w h o dwell on the dry ground, where will be the dwelling of
t h e sinners, a n d where the resting-place of those who have denied'
t h e Lord of Spirits? It would have been better for them ifthey had
.'i not been born. .And when the secrets ofthe righteous arc revealed,
the sinners will be j u d g e d and the impious driven from the pre-
4 sence o f t h e righteous a n d the chosen. .And from then on those who
possess the earth will not be mighty and exalted, nor will they be
' L ' 'and to souls and to men'; C . M Q D ' corrupt.
' and that all . . . sec: CJ.VI 'and all his creation, that they might see'; Q ' f ' L T ) '
corrupt.

' Ihe words ofthe Holy One: so C M l O ' F P B ' ; other M . S S the holy words'.

' the Righteous One: C ; Q T U D ' . \ righ

' D ' a d d s ' t h e name of.
 222 / Enoch
able to look at the lace of the holy oties for the light of the Lord of
Spirits will have a p p e a r e d on the face of the holy, the righteous and
j the chosen. .And the mighty kings will at that time be destroyed
() a n d g i \ e n into the h a n d of the righteous and the holy. And from
then on no one will be able to seek mercy from the Lord of Spirits, for
their life will be at an end.

XXXIX. .And it will come to pass in these' days that the chosen and
holy c h i l d r e n ' will come down from the high heavens, and their
1 olTspring will become one with the sons of men. In those days
E n o c h received books of indignation and anger, and books of
t u m u l t and confusion. .And there will be no mercy for them, says
;i the Lord of Spirits. .And at that time clouds a n d ' a storm-wind
carried mc olf from the face ofthe earth, and set me down at the end
I of h e a v e n . .And there I saw another vision, the dwelling o f t h e
.") righteous a n d the resting-places o f t h e holy." T h e r e my eyes saw
their dwelling with the a n g e l s ' and their resting-places with the
holy ones, and they were petitioning and supplicating and praying
on behalf of the sons of men; and righteousness like water flowed
before t h e m a n d mercy like dew upon the ground. T h u s it is a m o n g
(i t h e m for ever a n d ever. .And in those days my eyes saw the place of
the chosen ones* of righteousness and faith; and there will be
righteousness in their d a y s , ' and the righteous and chosen will be
7 w i t h o u t n u m b e r before him for ever and ever. And I saw their
dwelling" u n d e r the wings of the Lord of Spirits, and all the
righteous a n d chosen s h o n e ' before him like the light of fire; and
their m o u t h was full of blessing, and their lips praised the n a m e of
the Lord of Spirits. .And righteousness will not fail before him, and
H t r u t h will not fail before him.'" T h e r e I wished to dwell, and my
' (;QI'L'D"lhosc'. = G Q ' P U ' t t i c children ofthe chosen and holy'.
' clouds and; G . M Q T ' L O ' om.
' righteous . . . holy; Eth. I 'holy . . . righteous'.
' G M Q T U 'the angels ofhis righteousness'; D ' 'the holy angels'.
' G Q T ' U ' . \ n d in that place my eyes saw the chosen one ( Q 'chosen ones')';
.\I D ' ' . \ n d in those days my eyes saw the chosen one'; T ' 'And in those days my eyes
saw the place ofthe chosen one'.
' G M Q T ' U D " h i s days'. " G M ' h i s dwelling'; D " t h e dwelling'.
" C I Q f ' L ' D ' ' w e r e strong'.
"> and truth . . . before him; some Eth.II M S S o m .
 / Enoch 22:5
s o u l " longed for that dwelling; there had my lot been assigned
before, for thus it was decided about me before the Lord of Spirits.
9 . \ n d in those days I praised and exalted the n a t n e o f t h e Lord o f
Spirits with blessing and praise, for he has destined m e i h r blessing
10 a n d praise, in accordance with the wish ofthe Lord o f Spirits. .\ud
for a long time my eyes looked at that place, and I blessed him and
praised him, saying, Blessed is he, and may he be blessed from the
11 b e g i n n i n g a n d for ever! .Vnd in his presence there is n o end. Hc
knew before the world was created what the world would b e . " e v e n
\2 for all the generations which are to come. Those who do not sleep
bless you, and they stand before your glory and bless and praise
a n d exalt, saying. Holy, holy, holy. Lord of Spirits; he lills the earth
13 with spirits. .And there my eyes saw all those who do not sleep
s t a n d i n g before him and blessing and saying. Blessed are you, and
14 blessed is the n a m e ofthe Lord for ever and c\ cr! .And my face was
transformed u n t i l " I was unable to sec.

XL. .And after this I saw a thousand thousands and ten thousand
times ten t h o u s a n d , a multitude beyond number or reckoning, who
2 Stood before the glory oP the Lord of Spirits. 1 looked, and on the
four sides o f t h e Lord of Spirits I saw four figures' dilfcrent from
those w h o were s t a n d i n g ; ' and I learnt their names, because the
angel w h o went with me made known to mc their names, and
3 s h o w e d me all the secret things. .And I heard the voices of those
4 four figures as they sang praises before the Lord of Glory.''The hrst
5 voice blesses' the Lord of Spirits for ever and ever. .And the second
voice I h e a r d blessing the Chosen O n e and the chosen who depend
6 on the Lord of Spirits. .And the third voice I heard as they
petitioned a n d prayed* on behalf of those who dwell on the dry
7 g r o u n d a n d supplicate in the n a m e ofthe Lord of Spirits. .And the
" G . V n X - - m y spirit'.
" what the world would 1)C (lit. 'is'): G M Q ' I ' ' U I ) ' 'what is Ibr rvrr'.
" G M Q T ' L ' D ' for'.

' the glory of sotnc .MSS om.

' figures; lit. 'laees' (and so in verses 3, 8; Ixiv. 1).
' .M ' w h o s l e e p ' ; G Q T ' ( ? ) L D ' ' w h o d o not sleep'.
' D Y B " o l Spirits'. ' D ' a d d s the name of.
' as they . . . prayed: so Kth., but perhaps emend to 'petitioning and praying'.
•221 / Enoch
fourth voice I licard driving away the satans. and not allowing
t h e m to come hefore the I.ord of.Spirits to accuse those who dwell
on the dry ground. .And after this I asked the angel of peace who
went with me and showed mc everything which is secret,' W h o arc
these lour hgures whom I h a \ e seen and whose words I h a \ e heard
a n d written down? .And hc said to me. I'his hrst one is the holy'
.Michael, the merciful and long-sulfcring; and the second, who i.s in
c h a r g e of all the diseases and in charge of all the wounds ofthe SOILS
of m e n , is Raphael; and the third, who i.s in charge of all the powers,
is the holy" Oabriel; and the liiurth. who i.s in charge of the
r e p e n t a n c e leading to h o p e ' o f those who will inherit eternal lile, i s "
P h a n u e l . .And these are the four angels o f t h e I.ord Most H i g h ; "
a n d the four voices I heard in those days.

XLl. .And after this I saw all the secrets ofhcaven, and how the
k i n g d o m is divided, and how the deeds of men are yveighed in the
b a l a n c e . There I saw the dwelling of the chosen and the resting-
p l a c e s ' o f t h e holy; and my eyes saw there all the sinners who deny
the n a m e o P the Lord of Spirits being driven from there, and they
d r a g g e d them off,' and they were not able to remain because ofthe
p u n i s h m e n t w hich went out from the Lord of Spirits. .And there my
eyes saw the secrets o f t h e flashes of lightning and ofthe thunder,
a n d the secrets o f t h e winds, how they arc distributt-d in order to
blow over the earth, and the secrets o f t h e clouds and ofthe dew;
a n d there I saw whence they go out in that place, and how from
there the dust of the earth is saturated. .And there I saw closed
storehouses from which the winds are distributed, and the
storehouse of the hail,'' and the storehouse of the mist, and the

' .Sonu- Kth.II .M.SS acUl 'aiul I said to him'.

" the holy: Kth.I om.
" thi- rcpi'iitanrc leading to hope: .some Kth.II M.SS 'the repeiitanei- and ho|K-';
y (orrupt.
G . M Q f ' L D ' i s named'. " K t h l t h e Ixjrd ol Spirit.s'.

' o f t h e chosen and the resting-places: .some Kth: .MSS ' o f t h e chosen and the
dwelling(s)'; L'N 'of the chosen and'; QC!' om.; I)' 'of the sinners and the
communities'.
' I h e n a m e o f .-XD.Wom. ' ( i Q i y ' a n d Ix-itig dragged olT.
* Kth.I H O B ' a d d ' a n d ofthe winds'.
 / Enoch 223
storehouse of till- clouds;' and its cloud remained over the earth
j from the betjinning o f t h e world. .And I saw the chambers'' ofthe
sun a n d the moon, whence they go out and whither they return,
a n d their glorious return, atid how one is more honoured than the
other, a n d their magnihcent course, and hotc they do not leave the
course, neither a d d i n g anylhing to, nor omitting anylhin!> from their
cotirse, a n d how they keep faith with one another, obsersing iheir
l'l o a t h . .And the sun goes out hrst and completes its journey at the
c o m m a n d o f t h e Lord of Spirits - and his name endures for ever
7 a n d ever. .And alter this begins the h i d d e n ' and visiblejourney ofthe
moon, atid it travels the course ofits journey in that place by day
a n d by night. O n e stands opposite the other before" the Lord of
.Spirits, a n d they .give thanks, and sing praises, and do not rest,
K because their thanksgiving is rest for them. For the shining"' sun
m a k e s m a n y revolutions, tcir a blessing and for a curse, and the
p a t h of the j o u r n e y ofthe moon /.( for the righteous light, but Ibr the
sinners darkness, in the name of the- Lord'" who has created a
division between light and darkness, and has divided the spirits of
m e n , a n d has established the spirits ofthe righteous in the name of
!) his righteousness. For no angel h i n d e r s , " and no p o w e r " is able to
hinder, because t h c j u d g e sees them all and judges them all before
himself

XLH. W i s d o m found no place where she could dwell, and her

2 dwelling was in heaven. Wisdom went out in order to dwell among
the sons of men, but did not lind a dwelling; wisdom returned to
:i her place a n d took her seat in the midst ofthe angels. And iniquity
c a m e out from her chambers; those whom she did not seek she
found, a n d dwelt a m o n g them, like rain in the desert, and like dew
on p a r c h e d ground.

' and the storehouse ofthe clouds: .so . \ P \ : (JL'-I)' oni.; many MSS 'and ofthe
clouds'.
* I.it.'storehouses'. ' I ' ' . \ n d after this I saw the hidden'.
" . M f ' L ' D ' a d d the glory of. » GQT'l'D'om.
"> D ' a d d s of Spirits'. " ( J T ' D ' Y ' i s able'.
" D' and n o s a t a n ' .
 22(3 / Enoch
XLIII. . \ n d again I saw flaslu-s ol'lightning anci tiic stars ofhcaven,
a n d I saw how he called them all' hy their names, and they obeyed
2 h i m . .And I saw the balance of righteousness, how they arc weighed
a c c o r d i n g to their light, according to the width oftheir areas and
the d a y of their appearing, and how their revolutions produce
l i g h t n i n g ; ' and I saw their revolutions according to the number of
;t the angels, a n d how they keep faith with one another. .And I asked
the angel who went with me and showed me what was secret. W h a t
1 are these? .And he said to me, I h e i r likeness has the Lord of Spirits
s h o w n to you; these arc the names o f t h e righteous' who dwell on
the dry g r o u n d and believe in the name ol" the Lord of Spirits for
ever a n d ever.

XLIV. .And other things I saw in regard to lightning, how some of

the stars rise and become lightning, but cannot loose their form.'

XLV, .And this is the second parable about those who deny the
n a m e o f t h e dwelling o f t h e holy ones and o f t h e Lord of Spirits.'
2 T h e y will not ascend into heaven, nor will they come upon earth:
such will be the lot of the sinners who d e n y ' the name ofthe Lord of
Spirits, w h o will thus be kept for the day of affliction and distress.
:i O n that d a y t h e ' Chosen O n e will sit on the throne of glory, and
will choose" their works, and their resting-places will be without

' G.MQO'om.
' and how . . . lightning: so Eth.l; Eth.II 'and their revolution, and how
lightning produces lightning'.
' Eth.l the holy'.

'* and believe in the name of: D ' 'and do not believe in'.

' loose their Ibrni: D ' 'stay with them'.

' the name . . . .Spirits: so T ' Eth.II, but ' P B ' read 'community' for 'dwelling';
G M Q T ' U the name ofthe dwelling ofthe holy ones and the Lord of Spirits' (.\I
om. 'the name o f ) ; D'N 'the name ofthe Lord of Spirits and ofthe community (N
'and the dwelling') ofthe holv ones'.
' G Q T L ' ' h a v e denied'. ' • GQT'UD'my'.
'' So all Elh. MSS (perhapsamisiranslation of an.Aramaicword which can mean
both 'to choose' and 'to test').
 / Enoch •I'll
n u m b e r ; and their spirits' within them will grow strong when they
see my Chosen O n e ' and those who appeal to m y ' holy and"
glorious n a m e . . \ n d o n that day I will cause my Clhoscn O n e t o
dwell a m o n g t h e m , ' and I will transform heaven and make it a n
e t e r n a l blessing a n d light. .And I will transform the dry ground and
m a k e it a blessing, and I will cause my chosen ones t o dwell upon
it; b u t those w h o commit sin and evil will not tread upon it. For I
h a v e seen, a n d have satished with peace, my righteous ones, and
h a v e placed them before me; but for the sinners my j u d g e m e n t ' "
d r a w s n e a r before m e , " that I may destroy them from the face o f
the earth.

XLVI. .And there I saw one who had a head o f days, and his head
was white like wool; and with him there was another, whose face had
t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f a m a n , and his face was full o f grace, like one o f
the holy angels. And I asked one ofthe holy angels' who went with
me, a n d showed me all the secrets, about that Sonof.Man,' w h o hc
was, a n d whence he was, and why hc went with the H e a d ' o f Days.
A n d he answered me and said t o me. This is the .Son o f .Man who
h a s righteousness, and with whom righteousness dwells; he will
reveal a l l the treasures o f that which is secret, for the Lord o f Spirits
h a s chosen him, a n d through uprightness his lot has surpassed all"
before the Lord o f Spirits for ever. .And this .Son o f .Man whom you
h a v e seen will rouse the kings and the powerful from their resting-
places, a n d the strong from their thrones, and will loose the reins o f
t h e s t r o n g , a n d will break the teeth ofthe sinners. .And he will cast
d o w n the kings from their thrones and from their kingdoms, for
' Elh.I 'souls'. ' S o m e r.th. .MS.S luv i hoscn ones', D' c o r r u p i .
' C 'his'. " holy and: G.MQ'I-'i'ir o i n .
' C *I will cause him lo dwell among my chosen ones', a n d sfi in efleet (»:
Q U D ' Y ' read 'mv chosen ones', bul in olher respects are corrupt tir dcrective.
'° P and some Eth.II MSS 'but for the sinners judgement': CJ.Mtj T ' f but t h e
j u d g e m e n t of ihe sinners'.
" D'(?) 'but the sinners draw near lielore me in judgement'.

' Elh.I and B C D P ' 'one ofthe angels'; C 'the angel of peace'.
' D ' 'about the one who was born from men'.
' P ' 'the Ancient'.
* Lit. 'his lot has conquered all'; G M T ' U D ' E F H ' K 'his lot has lieen victorious';
C D Y 'he has surpassed all'; Q defective.
228 / Enoch

llicy d o not exalt hini, and d o not praise hini. and d o not luinihU
a c k n o w l e d g e whence Iheir kingdom was gi\en to them. .\iid he will
cast d o w n t h e faces of the strong, a n d shame will hll them, and
d a r k n e s s will he their <lwelliiig, a n d worms will he their resting-
place: a n d they will h a \ c no hope of rising from their resting-
places, for they d o not exalt the name o f t h e I.ord of .Spirits. .And
these arc they w h o j u d g e the stars ofhcaven. and raise their hands
against t h e .Most High, a n d trample upon the dr> ground, and
dwell upon it; a n d all their deeds show iiiitiiiity,' and their power
rests on their riches, a n d their faith is in the gods which they have
m a d e with their hands, a n d they deny the n a m e of the I.ord of
Spirits." .And thev will be driven from the houses of his con­
g r e g a t i o n . ' and of the faithful who depend on the nameol" the I.ord
of Spirits.

XL VII. .And in those days the prayer of the righteous and the blood
o f t h e righteous' will have ascended from the earth before the I.ord
of Spirits. In these days the holy ones who dwell in the heavens
a b o v e will unite with one voice, a n d supplicate, a n d pray, and
praise, a n d give thanks, a n d bless in the name oP the I.ord of
Spirits, because of the blood ol' the righteous which has been
p o u r e d out, a n d because 0/ the prayer o f t h e righteous, that it may
not cease" before the I.ord of Spirits, that justice may be done to
t h e m , a n d thai their patience may not have to last for ever. .And in
those d a y s I s a w the Head" of Days sit down on the throne ofhis

' .S(. I'LN-': Q B ' and all l l i r i r d i - e d s ,„e n i K n i i l y ' : a l l olli.-r .M.SS. altlli,u,i;li
d i l l r r i n g in d e t a i l , h a v e a d n u h l e r e a d i n g , e.g. ti.MD' a n d a l l t h e i r deeds s h o w
i n i t j t i i t y . a n d a l l t h e i r d e e d s ate i n i q u i t y ' .
" a n d t h e y d e n v . . . .Spirits: C o n l . ; Ci o i n . ' t h e n a m e o f .
' ( i ' f ' '.And t h e y p e r s e e u t e t h e h o u s e s o l l l i s e o n g r e g a t i o n ' ; ML' h a v e a n inifiossi-
l)le e o t n b i n a t i o i i o f l M i t h r e a d i n g s ; I ) ' '.And thev w i l l d e s i r e t h e e o n g r e g a t i o i i o f h i s
houses'. " t h e n a m e of: D ' o m .

' a n d t h e IJIIKKI o f t h e r i g h t e o u s : h e r e a l l .MSS e x c e p t .MQ h a v e ' t h e r i g h t e o u s ' in

t h e s i n g u l a r , h u t t h e f o r m is t o !«• u n d e r s K x x l a s a c o l l e c t i v e ( c p . v e r s e 4): .M d o e s
h a v e ' t h e r i g h t e o u s ' in t h e p l u r a l ; Q o m . ' t h e IIUMKI" a n d r e a d s ' a n d o f r i g h t e o u s ­
n e s s ' , ' f i l e p r e c e d i n g a n d l i i l l o w i i i g o c c u r r e n c e s o f t h e r i g h t e o u s ' i n v e r s e s If. a r e all
in t h e p l u r a l .
•• in the n a m e of: I ' o m . ; (;.Myl)'.ABC:K the name o f

* O r ' t h a t it m a v n o t be in vain'. •* C ' t h e .Ancient'.

 / Enoch 229
glory, a n d the books o f t h e living were opened belbre him, and all
his host, which ditells iti the heavens above, and his council were
1 s t a n d i n g before him. .\iid the hearts ofthe holy ones were full ofjoy
that the n u m b e r of righteousness' had been reached,'' and the
p r a y e r of the r i g h t e o u s ' had been heard, and the bltxid of the
righteous" had been rccjuired before the Lord of Spirits.

XLVIII. .And in that place I saw an inexhaustible spring of right­

eousness, and m a n y springs of wisdom surrounded it, and all the
thirsty d r a n k from them and were hlled with wLsdom, and their
•-' dwelling was with the righteous and the holy and the chosen. .And
at that h o u r that Son of .Man was named in the presence of the
Lord of .Spirits, and his name was named hciorc the Head of Days.
i Kvcn before the sun and the constellations were created, before the
s t a r s ofhcaven were made, his name was named before the Lord of
I Spirits. H e will be a stalf to the righteous and the holy,' that they
m a y lean on him and not fall, and he will be the light ofthe nations,
:) a n d he will be the hope of those who grieve in their hearts. .All those
w h o dwell upon the dry ground will fall down and worship before
h i m , a n d they will bless, and praise, and celebrate with psalms the
li n a m e o P the Lord of Spirits. .And because ofthis he was chosen and
7 h i d d e n before him before the world was created, and for ever. But
the wisdom o f t h e Lord of Spirits has revealed him to the holy and
the righteous, for he has kept safe the lot ofthe righteous, for they
h a v e hated a n d rejected this world of iniquity, and all its works and
its ways they have hated in the n a m e o f t h e Lord of Spirits; for in
his n a m e they are saved, and he is the one who will require their
H lives.' .And in those days the kings ofthe earth and the strong who
possess the dry ground will have downcast faces because of the

' . \ I D ' 'ortlic riglltcmi.s" - thr Ibnii is in tlic singular, but is to Ix- undcrstixxi as a
collective (cp. belovs- and verse 1).
" Kth.I 'had drawn near'.
' oi'the righteous; Q O ' ' o l t h e holy' - in Ixith cases the forms arc plural.
" ofthe righteous: the Ibrm is singular, but is to Ix- undersKxxI as a collective (cp.
alxive and verse 1).

' and the holy: G . M Q T ' l D ' o m . ' the name of; G T U om.
* and he . . . their lives: G(?) 'and according to his wish has il Ix-en in regard to
their lives'; Q corrupt; I V O V B ' 'and his wish has (x-en for their lives'.
•I'M) 1 Enoch
works o f t h e i r h a n d s , for on the day o f t h e i r distress and trouble
they will not save themselves. .And I will give them into the hands
of iny chosen ones; like straw in the hre, and like lead in water, so
they will b u r n before the righteous,'' and sink before the holy,' and
no trace will be found ofthem. And on the day oftheir trouble there
will be r e s t ' on the earth, and they will fall down before h i m ' and
will not rise; and there will be no one who will take them with his
h a n d s a n d raise them, for they denied the Lord of Spirits and his
M e s s i a h . M a y the n a m e o f t h e Lord of Spirits be blessed!

XLIX. VoT w i s d o m ' has been poured out like water, and glory will
not fail' before him for ever a n d ever. For hc is powerful in all the
secrets of righteousness, and iniquity will pass away like a shadow,
a n d will have no existence;' for the Chosen O n e stands before the
Lord of Spirits, and his glory is for ever and ever, and his power for
all g e n e r a t i o n s . .And in him dwells the spirit of wisdom, and the
spirit which gives understanding,'' and the spirit of knowledge and
of power, a n d the spirit of those who sleep in righteousness. And he
w i l l j u d g c the things that are secret, and no one will be able to say
an idle word before him, for he has been chosen' before the Lord of
Spirits, in a c c o r d a n c e with his wish.

L. A n d in those days a change will occur for the holy and the
chosen; the light' of days will rest upon them, and glory and
h o n o u r will return to the holy. And on the day of trouble calamity
will be h e a p e d u p ' over the sinners, but the righteous will conquer
" C Q f I ' D ' 'ihc holy'. ' G.MQTU 'ihc righteous'.
' D ' ' a stumbling hlock'. ' Eth.IC:"lx'rorc them'.

' B C X ' t h e spirit ol'wisdom'.

- O ' will be inexhaustible' (lit. 'will be uncountable'or'will be immeasurable').
' Lit. 'no place lo stand".
" So C Q U B P X C : other .\1SS 'and the spirit of the one who gives
understanding'.
' (; dedicated' or 'devoicd'.

' T ' t h e .Ancient'.

' calamit\- will be heaped up: G 'on which calamity will have been heaped up';
. M T ' l ' corrupt; Q 'calamity will have been heaped up'; D ' 'he will have heaped up
calamitv'.
 I Enoch -'SI
in tlif n a m e ol'tlic Lord of Spirits; and hc will show this to others
t h a t they may repent and a b a n d o n the works oftheir hands. .And
they will have n o ' h o n o u r before'' the Lord of Spirits, but in his
n a m e they will be saved; and the Lord of Spirits will have mercy on
t h e m , for his mercy is great. .And he is righteous in his judgement,
a n d before his glory iniquity will not be able to stand at his judge-
1 m c n t : he w h o docs not repent before him will be destroyed. XnA
from then on I will not have mercy on them, says the Lord of
Spirits.

LI. \nd in those days the earth will return that which has been
e n t r u s t e d to it, a n d Sheol will return that which has been entrusted
to it, that which it has received,' and destruction will return what it
; owes. And hc will choose the righteous and holy from a m o n g them,
1 for the day has come near that they must be saved. .\nA in those
d a y s the C^hoscn O n e ' will sit on his' throne, and all the secrets of
w i s d o m will flow out from the counsel ofhis mouth, for the Lord of
\ Spirits has a p p o i n t e d him and glorified him. And in those days the
m o u n t a i n s will leap like r a m s , and the hills will skip like lambs
> satisfied with milk, and all will become angels in heaven. Their
faces will shine with joy, for in those days the Chosen O n e will have
risen; a n d the earth will rejoice, and the righteous will dwell upon
it, a n d the chosen will go and walk ufxin it.

LII. \nd after those days, in that place where I had seen all the
visions of that which is secret - for I had been carried off by a
2 w h i r l w i n d , and they had brought me to the west - there my eyes
s a w the secrets o f h c a v e n , everything that will occur on earth:' a
' no: L a n d some Lth. 11 .MSSom. * ( i . M Q I ' U D ' ' i n ihc name of.

' the earth . . . has received: so Eth.II, and Q is all but identical; G 'theearth will
return those who arc stored up in it, and Sheol will return that which it has
received'; .M 'the earth and Sheol will return that which has been entrusted to it,
that which it has received'; T U D ' 'Sheol will return that which has been entrusted
to it, ('X' adds 'and the earth') that which it has received'.
' Q T ' 'And in those days my Chosen One'; D ' 'and chosen. In those davs he'.
' GMQT'UD"my'.

' G M Q T U 'all the secret things ofhcaven that will occur ( Q P add 'on earth')';
D ' 'all the secrets ofhcaven and what will occur'.
232 / Enoch

m o u n t a i n of iron, and a mountain of copper, and a mountain ol

silver, a n d a moimtain ol'gold, and a mountain ol'soft metal, and a
m o u n t a i n ol'lead. . \ n d I asked the angel who went with me, saying.
W h a t arc these lhini>s which I h a \ c seen in secret? .And he said to
mc. .All these things which you have seen s e r \ e the authority ofhis
.Messiah, that he may he strong and powerful on the earth. .And
that angel of peace answered me. saying. Wait a little, and you will
s e c ' a n d everything which is secret, which the Lord of .Spirits has
e s t a b l i s h e d . ' will be revealed to you. .And these mountains which
yoti h a \ c seen.'' the moimtain of iron, and the mountain of copper,
a n d the m o u n t a i n of silver, and the mountain of gold, and the
m o u n t a i n of soh metal, and the mountain of lead - all these before
the Ohoscn O n e will be like wa.v before hre, and like the water
w hich comes down from above o n ' these mountains, and they will
b e c o m e weak under'' his feet. .And it will come to pass in those days
that neither by gold, nor by silver, will men save themselves; they
will be u n a b l e to s a \ c themselves o r ' to flee. .And there will be
neither iron for war. nor material" for a breast-plate;' bronze will
be of no use, and tin will be of no use and will count lor nothing,
a n d lead will not be wanted. .All these will be wiped out and
destroyed from the face ofthe earth, when the Chosen O n e appears
before the Lord of Spirits.

LIII. .And there my eyes saw a deep valley, and its mouth was
o p e n ; ' a n d all those who dwell upon the dry ground and the sea
a n d the islands will bring gifts and presents and olferings to him,
•• ami ymi will see: Klll.l om.
• ( ; y i ' ' L T ) ' ( . ^ ) wliieli surrounds llii- Lord ol.Spirits'.
' ( i . M Q f L vour eves have seen'; I ) ' vou have seen wilh vour eves'.
' on:D'om. " .\lanv M.SS iK-liire'.
' lo save ihemselves or: CJ.MQD' om.
" material: lit. 'clothing, covering'; for the noim 'material' Q D ' , although cor­
rupt, have verbal Ibrms which may point to an original lext 'nor will men put on a
breasi-piate'. .Mter 'material' (or its equivalent) (i.MQT add by dittography 'Ibr
war. nor material'.
" nor material l()r a breast-plate: I ' 'nor a coal ofmail Ibr the breast'.

' .So Kth.I I; D ' is partially corrupt, bul reads 'deep valleys, and their mouth(s)
were open'; (i.MQ'f L* also read 'their mouths' ( Q T 'their mouth'), but otherwise
have an awkward or corrupi lext.
 / Enoch 233

! but that d e e p \ a l l c \ will not become lull. And their hands commit
evil, a n d everything at which the righteous toil, the siiniers evilly
d e v o u r ; ' a n d so the sinners will be destroyed from belbre the Lord
of .S|]irits, and will be banished from the lace of his earth, un-
1 ccasingly,' for ever and ever. For I saw* the angels of punishment
I g o i n g ' a n d p r e p a r i n g all the instruments of .Satan. . \ n d I asked the
angel of peace who went with me, and I said to him,'' fhese
i n s t r u m e n t s - for whom arc they preparing them? . \ n d he said to
•) m e , ' Fhey arc preparing these" for the kings and the powerful of
) this e a r t h , that by m e a n s ofthem they may be destroyed. . \ n d after
this the Righteous and C^hosen O n e will cause the house o f h i s
congregation to a p p e a r ; from then on, in the n a m e ol'thc Lord of
7 Spirits, they will not be hindered. .And before h i m ' these moun­
tains will not'" hv firm like the earth, and the hills will be like a
s p r i n g of water; and the righteous will have rest from the ill-
t r e a t m e n t o f t h e sinners.

LIV. .And I looked and turned to another part o f t h e earth, and I

'.' s a w there a deep valley with burning hre. .And they brought the
:\ kings a n d the powerful and threw them into that' valley. .And there
my eyes saw how they m a d e instruments for them - iron chains of
t i m m e a s u r a b l e weight. .And 1 asked the angel of peace who went
with me, saying, 'Fhese chain-instruments - for whom are they
.') being p r e p a r e d ? .And he said to me. These are being prepared for
the hosts of .Azazel, that they may take them and throw them into
•' and evcryltiini; . . . devour: .so liih.II, but the lexl is ditliiuli and possibly
corrupi; ihe Klh. I MSS do not provide a better text.
' I.it. -and they will nol cease'; I ' D ' 'and they will cease' (i.e. 'and iliey will
perish').
* Kth.I N a d d ' a i r .
' Kth.I and some Kth.II .MSS 'remaining'.
" and I said lo him; so N P ' ; all other .MSS om.
' ly '.\nd he answered me'; C M I D ' add 'saying'.
" fhey are preparing these: Q U om.; G.MT om. ' I h c y arc preparing', but read
'these' in the accusative.
before him (lit. 'before his lace'): G ' f ' U O ' 'before his righteousness'; W.
corrupi.
D'BCXC:'om.

' Q and some Eth.II MSS 'the'; many .MSS add 'deep'.
234 / Bioc/i
the lowest part of Hell; and they will e o \ e r their jaws with rough
stones, as the Lord of Sjjirits comnianded. .\nd Michael and
( i a b r i e l , Raphael"' and Phanuel - these will take hold o f t h e m on
t h a t great day, and throw t h e m ' on that day into the furnace oi
b u r n i n g lire.'' that the Lord of .Spirits m a y ' take vengeance on
them'' lor their iniquity, in that they became servants of Satan and
led a s t r a y those who dwell upon the dry ground. .And in those days
the p u n i s h m e n t of the Lord of Spirits will go out, and all the
storehouses of the waters which are above the heavens' . . . and
i m d c r the earth" will be opened," and all the waters will be joined
with the w a t e r s ' " which are above the heavens.'' The w a t e r " which
is a b o v e h e a \ c n is male, and the w a t e r " which is under the earth is
female. .And all those who dwell upon the dry ground and those
w h o dw ell u n d e r the ends ofhcaven will be wiped out. .And because
of this'* they will a c k n o w l e d g e " their iniquity which they have
c o m m i t t e d on the earth, and through t h i s " they will be destroyed.

LV. .And after this the H e a d of Days repented and said, I have
destroyed to no purpose all those who dwell upon the dry ground.
.And he swore by his great N a m e , F r o m now on I will not act like
this' t o w a r d s all those who dwell upon the dry ground; and I will
- Clahricl. Raphail: .M I t n ' Raphael. (Jahrifl'.
' and ihrmv them: Q D ' oni.: oni. 'throw thrin'.
•• {i.\f f ' I ' D ' 'into the burnini; furnace'; QY 'into the burnins fire'.
' D ' ' f o r the Lord of,Spirits will'. " on them: (i oin.
' .Ml .\ISS except B' add and in addition to the springs which are under the
heavens' or similar.
" and under the earth: QL' 'and the springs which are under the earth'; C*M
corrupt; D ' imi.
" and all the storehouses . . . will Ix- opened: C J f ' l ' 'and will open all the
storehouses . . .'; .\I 'and all the storehouses . . . will h a \ c been opened'; D ' 'and he
will open alt the storehouses . . .'.
'" with the waters: ' f ' U N om.; Q corrupt.
'' which are above the heavens: Eth.l N om.
" T h e water: G . \ f f ' U N ' T h a t ' . " and the water: D ' and that'.
'" Q 'Because of this'; T U E '.-Viid Ixrcause'; D' 'because'.
" D ' 'they have not acknowledged'.
'" and through this: so .Nff'U; Q Eth.II 'and because of this'; ' P and because of
this through this'; (i 'and this'; D' 'and through it'; C om.

' like this: G M T ' U D ' . X o m .

 / Enoch 23')
p u t a sign in heaven, and it will be a pledge offaith bctw een me and
t h e m for ever, so long as heaven is above the earth. .And this will be
in a c c o r d a n c e with my c o m m a n d ; ' when I want to take hold of
t h e m by the h a n d ofthe angels on the day of distress and pain in the
face o f t h i s my anger and my w r a t h , ' my wrath and my anger will
r e m a i n upon them," says the Lord,' the Lord of .Spirits. Vou
powerful kings, who dwell upon the dry ground, will be obliged to
w a t c h my Chosen O n e ' sit down on the throne o f m y glory,' and
j u d g e , in the n a m e of the Lord of Spirits, .Aza/el and all his
associates a n d all his hosts.

LVI. A n d I saw there the hosts ofthe angels of punishment as they

w e n t , a n d they were holding' chains of iron and bronze. .And I
a s k e d the angel of peace who went with mc, saying, To whom are
those w h o are holding the chains going? .And he said to me. Each to
his own chosen ones and to his own beloved ones,' that they may be
t h r o w n into the chasm in the depths o f t h e valley. .And then that
valley will be filled with their chosen and beloved ones, and the
d a y s of their life will be at an end, and the days of their leading
a s t r a y will no longer be counted. .And in those days the angels will
g a t h e r together,' and will throw themselves towards the east upon
t h e P a r t h i a n s and Medes; they will stir up the kings, so that a
d i s t u r b i n g spirit will come upon them, and they" will drive them
from their thrones; and they will come out like lions from their
lairs, a n d like hungry wolves in the middle of their flocks. .And they
' So G T ' : .\I '.Xnd this is my command'; Q corrupt; D ' '.And it will be in
accordance with my command'; I'H' Eth.l I '.\nd after this it will be in accordance
wilh my c o m m a n d ' .
' Eth.l 'my wrath and my anger'.
* my wrath . . . upon them: some Eth.II MSS 'my anger and my wrath will
remain upon them'; U D om. (hmt.); Q 'will remain upon them'; G.MT'D' I will
cause my wrath and my anger to remain upon them'.
' the Lord: G . M D ' B C X B ' o m .
' D ' 'my chosen ones'.
' G M T ' U D ' 'on the throne of glory'; C H ' O B ' 'al the right hand ofthe throne of
my glory'.

' and they were holding: T ' om.; Q om. 'and'; .MUD' om. 'they were holding'.
' G M Q T ' U D ' ' T o their chosen and their beloved ones'.
' G Q ' w i l l return'. •* D Y ' i t ' .
 '2-M; I Enoch
will go up a n d trample u p o n ' the land ofmy" chosen ones, and the
l a n d of m y ' chosen ones will become before them a tramping-
7 g r o u n d a n d a beaten track. But the city ofmy righteous ones will be
a h i n d r a n c e to their horses, a n d theywill stir up slaughter amongst
themselves, and their own right hand will be strong against them;
a n d a m a n will not admit to knowing his neighbour or" his brother,
nor a son his f a t h e r o r ' h i s mother, until through t h e i r d e a t h ' ° t h e r e
a r c corpses enough, and their punishment - it will not be in v a i n . "
K . \ n d in those days .Sheol will open its mouth, and they will sink into
it; a n d their d e s t r u c t i o n " - Sheol will swallow up the sinners
before the face o f t h e chosen.

LVII. .And it c a m e to pass after this that I saw another host of

c h a r i o t s , with men riding on them, and they came upon the wind'
•J from the east and from the west to the south. .And the sound ofthe
noise of their chariots was h e a r d , ' and when this commotion
o c c u r r e d , the holy ones observed // from heaven, and the pillars of
the e a r t h were shaken from their foundations, and the sound was
h e a r d from the ends of earth to the ends o f h c a v e n ' throughout one
1 d a y . " .And all will fall down and worship the Lord of Spirits. And
this is the end o f t h e second parable.

LVIII. .And I began to speak the third' parable about the righteous
2 a n d a b o u t the chosen. Blessed are you, the righteous and chosen,
VV and cover'. ' mv: so D'; O Q T ' his'; . M f U Kth.II 'their'.
' mv: so D ' ; ( ; . \ I Q T'L' and most Kth.II .\ISS 'his'; ' P C X their'.
" hisneiKhbouror:(;.\iyf'L'D'om.
'• his father or: . M T ' I D ' o m .
"' through their death: (; om.; .\I corrupt; I)'(?) 'among them"; Q corrupt in
entire pas.sage 'until . . . in vain'.
" ( ; . \ I U D ' and their punishment shall not be in vain' (D' om. 'and').
'•' (i adds 'will erase', and . N i y P L ' make similar additions. But in no ease do the
additions provide an entirely satisfactory text.

' . M Q f L D ' 'winds'; (; corrupt.

• BC:X om. 'the sound of; . \ l f ' L U ' om. 'was heard'.
' O ' from the ends of heaven to the ends of earth'; (J.MI'L' from end to end of
heaven'; Q 'from the ends ofhcaven'. " D ' 'hour'.

' the third: I ) ' 'another' or 'the second".

 / Enoch 237
:i ibr y o u r lot will be glorious! And the righteous will be in the light of
the sun, and the chosen in the light of eternal life; and there will be
no end to the days of their life, and the days of the holy will be
4 withotit n u n i t x T . .And they will seek the light, and will find righteous­
ness with the I.ord of .Spirits. Peace be to the righteous w i t h ' the
.3 I.ord o f t h e world!' .And after this it will be said to the holy that they
should seek in heaven'' the secrets of righteousness, the lot offaith;
for it has b e c o m e bright as the s u n ' upon the dry ground, and
(i d a r k n e s s has passed away. .And there will be ceaseless light, and to
a limit of d a y s they will not come, for darkness will have been
d e s t r o y e d previously; and the light will endure before the I.ord of
Spirits, a n d the light of uprightness will endure before the I.ord of
Spirits lor ever.

LIX. .And in those days my eyes saw the secrets of the flashes of
lightning, a n d the lights,' and the regulations governing t h e m ; '
a n d they flash for a blessing or for a curse, as the Lord of Spirits
L' wishes. .And there I saw the secrets ofthe thunder, and how when it
c r a s h e s in heaven above, the sound ofit is heard; and they' showed
mc the dwellings o f t h e dry ground,•* and the sound ofthe thunder
for peace a n d for blessing, or for a curse, according to the word oP
i the Lord of Spirits. .And after this all the secrets of the lights and of
the flashes of lightning were shown to mc; they flash to bring
blessing a n d satisfaction.

LX. In the hve h u n d r e d t h year, in the seventh month, on the

fourteenth day o f t h e m o n t h in the life of Enoch. In that parable I

- ( i Q ' f ' L ' 'in the nainr ol": D ' 'in the peace t>r.
' B the Lord of.Spirils': I)' the Lord forever'.
" (;.\f f L'lV 'to the holv in heaven that thev .should seek'.
' M D ' B ' f o r the sun has iKconie bright'.

' ( ; . \ I f L'L 'atid ofthe lights'; Q 'ofthe lights'.

' Lit. 'and their regulation', but eould also be translated 'and their judgement'.
' So some Kth.II MSS: U corrupt; all other .M.SS 'he'.
'• and they . . . ground: the text makes no sense and is probably an interpolation
(although it is just possible that an original .Xramaic 'and they showed me the
dwellings ofthe lightning' was misread by the translator).
' according lo the word of: G 'liefore'.
2:«i / Enoch
s a w how the heaven ol'heaxens was shaken violently, and the host
of the Most High and the angels, a thousand thousands and ten
t h o u s a n d times ten thousand, were extremely disturbed. .-Vnd then
I saw the H e a d of Days sitting' on the throne ofhis glory, and the
angels a n d the righteous were standing a r o u n d him. .-\nd a great
t r e m b l i n g seized me, and fear took hold of m e , ' and my loins
collapsed a n d g a \ e way, and my whole b e i n g ' melted,'' and I fell
i;pon my face. . \ n d the holy .Michael sent another holy angel, one
o f t h e holy a n g e l s , ' a n d he raised me; and when hc raised m e , ' my
s p i r i t ' r e t u r n e d , for I had been unable to endure the sight of that
host, a n d the d i s t u r b a n c e , and the shaking of heaven. .-\nd the
holy" .Michael said to me. W h a t sight has disturbed you like this?
L'ntil today has the day of his mercy lasted, and he has been
merciful a n d long sulfering towards those who dwell upon the dry
g r o u n d . . \ n d when the day. and the power, and the punishment
a n d the j u d g e m e n t come, which the Lord of Spirits has prepared
lor those w h o worship"' the righteous j u d g e m e n t , ' " and for those
w h o d e n y the righteous j u d g e m e n t , " and for those who take his
n a m e in vain - a n d that day has been prepared, for the chosen a
c o v e n a n t , but for the sinners a visitation. .-Vnd on that day two
m o n s t e r s " will be s e p a r a t e d " from one another; a female monster,

' ( J N f f ' I ' D ' And 111.- Head o l D a y s was sittins' (M om. And'); Q - rhen I saw
the Head ol Days sit'.
- M f ' I ' D ' om. "ttHik hold of me'; Q \nA trembling seized me, and great fear
seized me and took hold of me'.
' and my whole being; Y)\ om. 'and'; FNX 'and my mind'.
' and my loitis . . . melted: (i 'and my loins gave way. and my whole being fell";
.MQD' and my loins gave way, and my (M om. 'my') mind'; f 'and my loins
collapsed and gave way. and my whole being'; I ' 'and my loins collapsed, and my
whole being gave way'.
' C;.\If I ' D ' '.And .Michael .sent another angel from among the holy ones'; Q
' . \ n d the holy angel .Michael, one ofthe holy ones, was sent'. Some Kth.II M.SS read
one ofthe holy ones' for 'one ofthe holy angels'.
" and when he raised me: (JMQ'f't,' om. ( h m t ) .
' Q'.s«ul'. " the holy: Kth.I om.
" L' 'who do tiot worship'.
"' j u d g e m e n t : so all Kth. .M.SS, but po.ssibly a mistranslation of an original
'judge'.
" and for those . . .judgement: L'DK om. ( h m t ) ; Q 'and for those who deny it
(? ' h i m ' ) ' . D O Y 'two lions'; D ' 'two tigers'; G 'two large monsters'.
' ' .M 'w-ere separated'.
 / Knoch -m
whose n a m e is Leviathan, to dwell in the depths ol'thc sea above
8 t h e springs o f t h e waters; and the name o f t h e male is Behemoth,
who occupies with his breast an immense desert''' named Dendayn."
on the east o f t h e garden where the chosen and righteous dwell,'"
w h e r e my g r e a t - g r a n d f a t h e r " was received,'" who was'" the
seventh from .Adam, the hrst man whom the Lord of .Spirits made,
'.t .And I asked t h a t " other angel to show mc the power of those
m o n s t e r s , how they were separated on o n e " day and thrown, one
into the d e p t h s ofthe sea, and the other onto the dry groutid ofthe
1(1 desert. \nd hc said to me. Son of .\Iati. you here wish to know what
11 is secret. .And the other angel spoke to m c . " Ihe one who went with
m e a n d showed tnc what is secret, w hat is first and last in heaven, in
the heights, a n d u n d e r " the dry ground, in the depths, and at the
e n d s of heaven, and at the foundations of heaven, and i n " the
1'.' storehouses o f t h e w i n d s ; " and how the s p i r i t s " arc distributed,
a n d how they are weighed, and how the springs and the w i n d s " are
c o u n t e d according to the power of iheir spirit;'" and the power of
t h e light ofthe m o o n ' " .. . and the divisions ofthe stars according to
l:i their n a m e s , a n d how all the divisions are made; and the thunder"'
a c c o r d i n g to the places where it falls; and all the divisions that arc
m a d e in lightning that it may flash, and its hosts, how they quickly
14 obey; for the t h u n d e r has fixed intervals which have been given to
" an iniim-liscdi'sert; lil. 'a desert that tatiriot he seen'. In the light D l l h e l.XX of
Geo. perhaps to be translated 'a waste desert'.
" G f l ' D ' ' D u n d a v n ' or similar; Q 'Yendayn'.
'* M ' f ' L ' D ' 'where the ehosen and righteous are .
" B 'your great-grandfather'; C:' 'my great-grandfather I'.noih'.
'" where mv . . . received; D ' 'where the man was transformed'.
"* who was: G M T ' l ' D ' om. •'' G M r ' l ' D ' N the'; D H O B ' this'.
•' i : ) " t h a l ' . " tome: I ) ' o m . ; ( ; y r ' t ' t o h i m ' .
" .So G.MD': all olher MSS on'. " in: V, om.
" G Q ' f 'of the spirits' (but here and in the next verse it is possible that the
c o m m o n word 'spirit' has the meaning 'wind'); O' 'ofthe I.ord of Spirits'.
" O r 'the winds'; L' om.
" the springs and the winds: so Kth.II; Kth.I ( 1 ' corruptly) 'the springs ofthe
spirits (or 'winds')', but possibly a mistake liir 'the gates ofthe winds'.
'" O r 'according to the power ofthe wind'.
' ' .Ml .MSS add 'and how there is a power of righteousness' (or 'and according to
the power of righteousness'). T h e words are uniiuelligible. but are possibly a gloss
on 'according to the power of MWrspirit'.
ly 'and how all the divisions arc made in the thunder'.
240 / Enoch

its s o u n d lor waiting; and the thunder and the lightning are not
s e p a r a t e , and although not one, through a spirit the two of them
m o \ e inseparahly; lor when the lightning flashes, the thunder
utters its voice, and the spirit at the proper t i m e " causes ;/ to rest,
a n d di\ ides equally between them; for the storehouse ofthe times
h)r their occurrence is like that ofthe sand, and each ofthem at the
[)ropcr t i m e " is held by a rein, and turned back by the power of the
spirit, a n d likewise driven forward, according to the number ofthe
regions o f t h e earth. .And the spirit o f t h e sea is male and strong,
a n d according to the power of its stretigth the spirit turns it back
with a rein, and likewise it is driven forward and scattered amongst
all the m o u n t a i n s ofthe earth. .And the spirit ofthe hoar-frost is its
own angel; and the spirit ofthe hail is a good angel. .And the spirit of
the snow has withdrawn because ofits power, and it has a special
spirit; and that which rises from it is like smoke, and its n a m e is
frost. .And the spirit of the mist is not associated with t h e m " in
their storehouses, but has a special storehouse; lor its course is
g l o r i o u s " both in light and in darkness, and in winter and in
s u m m e r , a n d in its storehouse is an a n g e l . " The spirit o f t h e dew
has its dwelling at the ends ofhcaven, and it is connected with the
storehouses o f t h e rain; and its course is in winter and in summer,
a n d its clouds and the clouds o f t h e mist are associated, and one
g i \ c s to the other. .And when the spirit o f t h e rain moves from its
storehouse, the angels come and open the storehouse, and bring it
out; a n d when it is scattered overall the dry ground, it joins with all
the w a t e r that is on the dry ground; and whenever it joins with the
w a t e r that is on the dry ground,"' . . . Ibr the waters are for those
w h o dwell upon the dry ground, for they are nourishment for the dry
g r o u n d from the .Most High who is i n " heaven; therefore there is a

" .It the pniper time: or •immediately'.

'-' at the proper time: (i.M T l ' D ' oin.
" i.s not . . . them: Q 'joins with it'; D ' 'dm-s not dwell with them'.
''* I.it. 'in glory' or 'possesses glory', but the meaning is obscure.
" and in its storehouse . . . angel: so f ' l ' ; f' 'and in its storehouse is light';
( i . M Q I ) ' and its storehouse is an angel': Kth.II and its storehouse «light, and it is
its angel'.
and whenever . . . dry ground: Q . V U O ^ ' B ' C om. (probably a dittograph). If
not. the a[K>dosis ofthe sentence has been lost.
" .Some Kth. .\ISS 'from'.
 I Enoch 241
L';i fixed m e a s u r e for the rain, and the angels comprehend it. .Ml these
L>4 things I saw towards the G a r d e n of Righteousness. .And the angel
of peace who was with me said to me. These two monsters, pre­
p a r e d in a c c o r d a n c e with the greatness o f t h e Lord,'" will be lifd"
t h a t the p u n i s h m e n t o f t h e Lord"" . . . in \ ain. .And children will be
T) killed"' with their mothers, and sons"' with their fathers. When the
p u n i s h m e n t o f t h e Lord of Spirits rests upon them, it will remain
resting that the punishment ofthe Lord of Spirits may not come in
\ a i n " ' upon these. .Afterwards the j u d g e m e n t will be according to
his mercy and his patience.

LXI. .And in those days I saw long cords given to those' angels,
a n d they acquired wings for themselves, and flew, and went to-
1 w a r d s the north. .And I asked the angel, saying' Why did these take
the l o n g ' cords and go? .And he said to me. T h e y went that they
;i m a y m e a s u r e . " .And the angel who went with me said to me. These
will bring the m e a s u r e m e n t s o f t h e righteous and the ropes ofthe
righteous to the righteous,' that they may rely on the name ofthe
t Lord of Spirits lor ever and ever. T h e chosen will begin to dwell

1)' 'prepared liir ilie great day o l t h e Lord'.

(;(.')!)' "will provide ItKxi' (hut eould he impersonal with a passive sense 'will
he led'): Q I'orrupt. hut perhaps 'will feed them'.
'"' Kth.I 'the Lord ol.Spirits'. B C : X C : ' add 'may not IK-'; E adds 'may not eome'.
D ' (probahU eorreitly) continues for the remainder ofthe chapter, 'may rest u|K)n
them that the punishment ofthe IMCA of Spirits may nol come in vain. .And il will
kill children with their mothers and children with their fathers, when the punish­
ment t)f the I.tird of.Spirils rests upon all. .Afterwards the judgement e t c ' In the
other M.SS the words 'may rest upon them that the punishment o f t h e Lord of
.Spirits may not come' seem lo have been omilled by mistake. T h e correction ofthe
mistake led to the text printed above, but the overfull text of C.MQ (cp. note 43)
supports \y.
" GQTV '.And it will kill children'. "- (i.Mf L' 'children'.
'" .As part oftheir correction G.MQ repeal here '.And il will kill children with
their mothers and children with their fathers when the punishment ofthe Uird of
Spirits rests' (cp. D ' . note 40).

' those: Q 'the two'.

' G f L i r 'saving lo him': .M who was wilh me'.
' G.MQT'L'b'om.
'' .And he said . . . may measure: QKH om.; ML'U om. 'they went'.
' to the righteous: M Kth.II (except N) om.
 242 / Enuch
with tlic chosen, and these nieasurements will hc given to I'aith,
j a n d will strengthen righteousness.'' . \ n d these measurements will
reveal all the secrets ofthe depths ofthe earth, and those who were
destroyed hy the desert, and those who were devoured by the hsh of
the sea a n d by a n i m a l s , ' that they may" return and rely on the day
of thi'" Chosen O n e ; for no one will be destroyed before the I.ord of
(i Spirits, and no one can be destroyed. . \ n d all those in the heavens
a b o \ c received a c o m m a n d , and power'" and one voice and one
7 light like hi-e were giseii to t h e m . " . \ n d him, before everything,"
they blessed and exalted and praised in wisdom; and they showed
ii t h e m s c K e s wise in speech and in the spirit of life. . \ n d the I.ord of
Spirits set the C.lioscn O n e on the throne o f h i s " glory, and he will
judge all the works o f t h e holy ones''' in heaven above, and in the
!i b a l a n c e he will weigh their d e e d s . " .And when he lifts his face to
judge their secret ways according to the word o f t h e name o f t h e
I.ord of Spirits, and their path according to the way ofthe righteous
j u d g e m e n t o f t h e I.ord .Most High,"" they will all speak with one
\'oicc, and bless, and praise, and exalt and glorify" the name ofthe
111 I.ord of Spirits. .And he'" will call all the host ofthe heavens, and all
the holy ones above, and the host o f t h e Lord, the Cherubim, and
the S e r a p h i m and the O p h a n n i m , and all the angels of power, and
all the angels o f t h e principalities, and the Cho.sen O n e , and the
o t h e r host which is upon the dry ground a n d ' " over the water, on
11 that d a y , and they will raise one voice, and will bless, and praise,

" S<i Klh.I: Klh.II (l)y.iiiiislakc) 'ihc word olrishlonisncss'.

* 1)\ llu- lisli. . . bv animals: Tt' 'by animals and I hose who were devoured by ihe
fish of ihi- sea'; (;.\II)' 'by slorehouses and lho.se who were devoured by ihc lish of
the sea'; ( j 'bv ihe lish ofthe sea'.
« i r adds'all'. ' T'my'.
IKIX 'and one [lower'; (; om. 'and one voice'.
" were given to them: so BCXC;'; all other MSS om. for the whole verse I ' 1)'
have ' . \ n d those in the heavens alnive (I)' add. 'and all the hosts') received a
coiiimaiul and one voice and one light like fire'.
Kit. 'before a word' (i.e. before uttering any other word).
" Kth.I om. ''' Q ' t h e righteous'.
" (; 'they will weigh their deeds'; . M y i l V B ' 'will their deeds be weighed'.
" Kth.I 'ofthe Kord ofSpirits' (but L' om. by hml. 'and iheir path . . .judgement
ofthe Kord of Spirits').
" Kth.I N hallow'. MD'they'.
" .So some Kth.II .MSS: all other .MSS om.
 / Ii>!Oc/l -iiS
a n d glorify'" and e x a l t " him. in the spirit offaith. and in the spirit of
wisdom and of p a t i e n c e . " and in the spirit of mercy, and in the
spirit of justice and of peace, and in the spirit of goodness: and they
will all say with one voice. Blessed is hc, and blessed b e " the name
li o f t h e Lord ofSpirits for c\er and ever. .Ml those who do not sleep in
heaven above will bless him; all h i s " holy ones who are in heaven
will bless him. and all the chosen ones who dwell in the (iarden of
Life, a n d every spirit of light which is able to bless, and praise, and
exalt a n d hallow your h o l y " name, and all flesh which beyond ih
l;i p o w e r will praise and bless your name for c\er and e\ cr. For great
is the mercy o f t h e Lord ofSpirits. and he is long-sulfcring; and all
his works and all his forces, as many as he has m a d e . ' " he has
revealed to the righteous and the chosen in the name ofthe Lord of
Spirits.

LXII. . \ n d t h u s ' the Lord connnanded the kings and the mighty
a n d the exalted, and those who dwell upon the e a r t h , ' and said.
O p e n your eyes, and raise your h o r n s , ' if you are able to acknow-
2 ledge the C:hosen O n e . .And the Lord ofSpirits sat" on the throne of
his glory, and the spirit of righteousness was poured out on him,
a n d the word ofhis mouth kills all the sinners and all the lawless,
:i a n d they arc d e s t r o y e d ' befiire him. .And on that day all the kings
a n d the mighty and the exalted, and those who possess the earth,"
will s t a n d up; and they will see and recognise how he sits on the

'° and nlorify: Kth.I om. •' and exalt: (J om.

and of patience: so some Kth.II .\I.SS;JI..\' 'and iji the spirit ol patience'; other
.M.S.S 'and in patience'.
and hlessed lie: D'l" 'and thev will l.less'
" Kth.I B X V C ' t h e ' . Kth Ihles.sed'.
-'' and all his forces . .. made: so Kth.II; M 'and the whole extent of his works'; f
'and everything that he has made'; ' P 'and all his forces and every thing that he has
made'; CiQD' corrupt; L' defective.

' I ) ' '.And alter this".

• Q 'who dwell upon the dry ground'; D ' 'who [Xissess the earth'.
' and raise your horns: V om.; D ' 'and rai.se your eyelids'.
' .So all MSS. bul often emended to set him'.
' G Q ' f L ' 'and all the lawless are destroyed' (U om. 'all'); .MDV 'and all the
lawless; they arc destroyed'.
" .Some Kth.II .MSS'dry ground'.
244 / Enoch
t h r o n e ofhis glory, and the righteous are judged in righteousness'
before him, a n d no idle word is spoken before him. .And pain will
c o m e upon them as upon a w o m a n in labour for whom .giving birth
is dillicult, when her child enters the mouth ofthe womb, and she
h a s dilficulty in giving birth. And one half of them will lcx)k al the
o t h e r , a n d they will be terrified, and will cast down their faces, and
pain will lake hold o f t h e m , when they see that Son o f a W o m a n '
sitting on the throne ofhis glory. .And the mighty kings," and all
those w h o possess the earth, will praise and bless and exalt him
w h o rules everything which is h i d d e n . F o r from the beginning the
Son of .Man was hidden, and the Most High kept him in the
presence ofhis power, a n d revealed him only to the chosen; and the
c o i n m u n i t y o f t h e holy and the chosen will be sown, and all the
chosen wiil stand before him on that day. .And all the mighty
k i n g s , " a n d the exalted, a n d those who rule the dry ground, will
fall d o w n before him on their faces and worship; and they will set
their hope upon that Son of .Man, and will entreat him, and will
petition for mercy from him. But that Lord ofSpirits will t h e n " so
press t h e m that they will hasten to go out from before him, and
their faces will be filled with s h a m e , and the darkness will grow
d e e p e r on their faces. .And the angels of punishment will take
t h e m , " that they may repay them for the wrong which they did to
his c h i l d r e n ' " a n d to his chosen o n e s . " And t h e y " will become a
spectacle to the r i g h t e o u s " and to h i s " chosen ones; they will

' and the righteous . . . righteousness: N O B ' om. 'in rightetjusness'; G M Q D '
'and rightet)usness is judged'; T 'and righteousness does not faif; L' deficctive.
" GQfLD".SonofMan'.
'' G M Q L ' '.And the kings and the mighty'.
O r (less plausibly) 'who rules everything, who was hidden'.
" ( ; . M Q f D ' K N 'And all the kings and the mighty'; EH 'And all the mighty';
BX And all the kings'.
" G.NffUD'om.
" M ' . \ n d the angels will take them for punishment' (and so probably intended
by ' P ) ; f ' . \ n d they will hand them over to the angels for punishment'; G Q D '
make no sense; L' defective throughout verses 1 If.
'" to his children: Q O B ' o m .
" and to his chosen ones: O B ' om.; Q 'to his Clhosen One'.
"> Q D ' O B " i t ' .
" and to his chosen ones . . . to the righteous: some Eth.II .MSSom.
'• D " m y ' .
 / Enoch 24f)
rejoice over tliem, Ibr the anger ofthe Lorci ofSpirits will rest upon
t h e m , a n d the sword ofthe Lord ofSpirits will be drunk with them.
13 .And the righteous and the chosen will be saved on that day, and
they will never see the face o f t h e sinners and the lawless from then
11 o n . . \ n d the Lord ofSpirits will remain over them, and with that
.Son of M a n they will dwell, a n d " eat, and lie down, and rise up for
1.1 ever a n d ever. .And the righteous and chosen will have risen from
the e a r t h , a n d will have ceased to cast down their faces, and will
Ki h a \ e put on the g a r m e n t of life." .And this will be a garment of life"
from the Lord ofSpirits; and your garments will not wear out, and
y o u r glory will not fail before the Lord ofSpirits.

LXin, In those days the mighty kings' who possess the dry-
g r o u n d ' will entreat the angels ofhis p u n i s h m e n t ' to whom they
h a v e been h a n d e d over that they" might give them a little respite,
a n d ' that they might fall down and worship before the Lord of
2 Spirits, a n d confess their sin before him. .And they will bless and
praise the Lord o f S p i r i t s , and say. Blessed be the Lord ofSpirits
a n d the Lord of kings, the Lord o f t h e mighty and the Lord o f t h e
:i rich,* a n d the Lord of glory and the Lord of wisdom! .-\nd every­
t h i n g secret is clear before you,' and your power is for all
generations,* a n d your glory- for e\-cr and ever; deep, and without
n u m b e r , are all your secrets, and your righteousness is beyond
t r e c k o n i n g . ' Now we realise that we ought to praise and bless the
b L o r d of kings and the one who is king over all kings. And they will
say. W o u l d that we might be given a respite, that we might praise
a n d t h a n k a n d bless h i m , ' " and make our confession before h i s "
" dwell and: CJ.MQTL'N' om : D ' Son of Man. and thi-v will cat'.
'» I-:tli.I a n d J . \ P ' ( ? ) ( : ' -Klory-'.
(j.\rf L'D' '.-\nd this shall 1«- your garment, the garment of life'.

' Kth.I 'the kings and the mighty'; .-NEHKNC:' 'the kings'.
' Q D V ' t h e earth'. ' Q T ' o f punishment; U ' o f his anger'.
* So H K : ' ; all other MSS he'. ' Kth.I om.
' U'e.xalted'. ' before you: so C:'; all other .MSS om.
* GQ'I'D' *.-\nd in everything secret your power shines for all generations';
.M corrupt; U defective.
° C:' 'deep are all your secrets, and your righteousness is beyond measure'.
'" praise . . . him: (J.MTUD' 'sing praises and give thanks'; Q 'praise and thank
him'. " GQrUD"your'.
 2 Ki / Emxh
I) glt'iy. A n d now wc long for a little respite, but do not find it: wc arc
d r i \ c n oil', a n d do not obtain //; and the light has passed away from
; belbre us, a n d darkness will be our dwelling lor ever and ever. For
we have not m a d e our confession before him. and we have not
praised the n a m e o f t h e Lord of k i n g s , " and we h a \ e not praised
the Lord " for all his works.'* but our hope has been on the sceptre
I) o f " o u r kingdom and of our glory. "'.Anci on t h e d a y ofour aflliction
a n d distress he docs not save us, and we hnd no respite to make our
confession that our Lcjrd is faithful in all his doings, and in a l l " his
j u d g e m e n t s and his justice, and that his j u d g e m e n t s show no
<i respect for persons. . \ n d wc pass away from before him because of
II) o u r works, a n d all our sins h a \ c been counted exactly. T h e n they
will say to t h e m . O u r souls arc sated with possessions gained
t h r o u g h inic|uity, but they d o not prevent our going down into the
11 flames'" o f t h e torment of .Sheol. .And after this their faces will be
lillecl with d a r k n e s s and s h a m e belcirc that Son of .Man, and they
will be driven from before him, and the sword will dwell''' a m o n g
12 t h e m belbre him. .And thus says the Lord of .Spirits, I'his is the law
a n d the j u d g e m e n t for the mighty and the kings and the exalted,
a n d for those who possess the dry ground, before the Lord of
Spirits.

1.2 LXIV. .And I saw other figures hidden in that place. I heard the
voice of the angel saying. T h e s e are the angels who came down
from h e a v e n ' onto the earth, and revealed what is secret to the sons
of m e n , and led astray the sons of men so that they committed sin.

" C;i)'I'.FC:' -llu- iianu- o l i h r l.<)rcl oLSpirits (I)' adds 'and of kings')': Q -llic
I.ord ofspirils and his name'; .\I 'the name oflhe Lord ol'lords'.
" t i . M y i D ' onrLord'; Ideleclive.
" lor all his works: (IMQ) T ' l ' D ' om.
" ihe seepire ol": so some M.SS; olher .M.S.S 'the throne of, or 'the seepire ofthe
throne o f . or 'the throne ofthe seepire of; BC:X om.
'" and of our glon,: I ' D ' om.; (;.M 'and on our glors'; Q 'and of our gior\ and of
our riches'.
" in all; C ; . M f r D ' < m i . ; Q corrupi.
'" the flami-s: D' om.; C Q L ' 'the heart'.
'" D' may the .sword dwell'.

' from heaven: (J.MQL'D' om.

 / Enoch 247

LXV. Anci in those days N o a h ' saw that the earth liad tilted, and
2 t h a t its destruction was near. .And h e ' set off from there, and went
to the ends of the earth, and cried out to his' great-grandfather
Knoch; a n d -Noah .said" three times in a bitter voice. Hear mc, hear
;i me, h e a r me! .And h e ' said to him. Tell me what it is that is being
d o n e on the earth that the earth is so afliicted and shaken, lest I be
4 destroyed with it. .And immediately there was a great disturbance
on the e a r t h , and a voice was heard from heaven, and I fell upon
.1 my face. .And my great-grandfather Knoch came and stood by me,
a n d said to me, W h y did you cry out to me with such bitter crying
() a n d weeping? .And a c o m m a n d has gone out from before the Lord
against those who dwell upon the dry ground that this must be
their end, for they have learnt all the secrets o f t h e angels, and all
the w r o n g d o i n g of the satans, and all their secret power, and all
the power* of those who practise magic arts, and the fxjwer of
e n c h a n t m e n t s , a n d the power' of those who cast molten images for
7 all the e a r t h ; a n d further" how silver is produced from the dust of
8 t h e e a r t h , a n d how soft metal occurs on the earth; for lead and tin
a r e not" produced from the earth like the former; there is a spring
which produces them, and an angel who stands in it, and that
9 angel distributes them. And after this my great-grandfather Knoch
took hold of me with his h a n d , a n d raised me, and said to me. Go,
for I h a v e asked the Lord ofSpirits about this disturbance on the
10 e a r t h . .And he said to me. Because oftheir iniquity their judgement
h a s been completed, and t h e y " will no longer be counted before
' I ' l Noah'. ' TV. • T my'.
•• f 'and I said'; Q D ' 'and Noah said lo him'.
' G.MQT'UD'T.
' and all ihcir secret power, and all the power: G f I)' 'and all their power, the
most secret secrets, and all the power'; 'and all the power ofthe most secret
secrets, and all the power'; Q t ' A E H N ' 'and all the secret power' ( Q . \ N ' om.
'secret').
' of enchantments and the power: BX om.; Q 'of those who practise enchant­
ments and the power'.
» GTUD'om. ' D'om.
'° G Q D ' ' b y my hand'.
" So M; all other .MSS have verb in singular. Bul the text appears to be corrupt
a n d may represent a mistranslation of an original .Aramaic 'their judgement has
been completed and will not be withheld before me'.
218 / Enoch
mc: because of the sorceries" which they have searched out and
learnt, the e a r t h " and those who dwell upon it will be destroyed.
. \ n d lor these there will be no place of refuge for e\er. for they
s h o w e d to them what is secret, and they have been condemru'd:"
but not so l()r y o u . " m\ son; the I.ord of .Spirits knows that you are
ptirc and innoceiu ofthis reproach concerning the secrets. . \ n d hc
has established your n a m e a m o n g the holy, and will keep you from
a m o n g s t those who dwell upon the dry groinid; and he has des­
tined your offs|)ring i[i righteousness"' to be k i n g s " and for great
h o n o u r s , and from your olfs|)ring will [low out a spring of the
righteous and hoK without tunnber for e\cr.

LXVI. . \ n d alter this he showed t n e the angels of ptinishmeiu who

were ready to cotne and release all the forces ofthe water which is
utider the e a r t h iti order to bring j u d g e m e n t and destruction on all
those who reside and dwell' upon the dry ground. . \ n d the Lord of
.Spirits c o m m a n d e d the angels who were Ihen coming out not to
raise Iheir h a n d s , but to keep watch; liir those angels w e r e in charge
o f t h e liirccs of the waters. . \ n d I came out from before Lnoch.

LXVU. .And in those days the wtird ofthe Lord came to me. and hc
said to m e , N o a h , behold' your lot has come up belorc me, a lot
w i t h o u t reproach, a lot o f h n e and of uprightness. .And now the
angels a r c m a k i n g ' a wooden slmclure, and when the angels come
o u t ' I t i r that task, I will put my hand on it, and keep it safe, and
from it will come the seed of life, and a change shall take place that
'•' SDrtxrii-s: all M.SS 'iiKiiitlis'. But tlu- ti-xt makes little sense, ami -muntlis' has
eomuKinK' been taken as a mislranslatidu o f t h e Hebrew aiul .\raniaie word llir

" and learnt, the earth: so ( i f I ' ; .MQ l-^h.ll 'thi-y have learnt that the earth'; D'
nirrupl.
I)' 'for they showt-d what is st-cret to those who h a \ e been fomlemned'.
" (fQ*f I ' D ' ' b u t as liir\()u'. "' Kth.I'your righteous ollspring'.
" Q (and so probably I ) •Ixith for kingship'; ( i M l ' I ) ' rorrupt.

' who reside and dwell: Q -who dwrll'; I B X 'who reside'.

' (i.MQr'lD'om - Kth.I X have nuide'.

' come out: so [• Kth.II; ( i . M y l D ' h a v e a dillerent verb (
their text does not make sense.
 / Enoch 249
;i the d r v g r o u n d may nol remain emply.'' And I will establish your
ollspring before me for ever and ever, and I will scatter those who
dwell yvith you over the face ofthe dry g r o u n d ; ' 1 will not again put
Ihem to the test on the face ofthe earth." but they will be blessed and
t will increase on the dry ground in the name ofthe Lord. . \ n d they'
will shut u p those angels who shoyved inic|uity in that burning
valley which my great-grandfather Knoch had shown to me previ­
ously, in the west, near the mountains of gold and silver and iron
b a n d soft-metal and tin. . \ n d I saw that valley in which ihere was a
(1 great d i s t u r b a n c e , and a heaving o f t h e waters. .And when all this
h a p p e n e d , from that hery molten metal and the disturbance which
d i s t u r b e d Ihe walers in that place a smell of sulphur was produced,
a n d it was associated with those waters. .And that valley of the
7 angels yvho led tnen astray burns under the ground; and through the
valleys of that s a m e area flow out ri\ers of hre where those angels
will be punished who led astray those who dwell upon the dry
fj g r o u n d . .And in those days those waters will ser\ e the kings and the
m i g h t y a n d the exalted, and those who dyvcll upon the dry ground,
lor the healing of soul and body," but also for the punishment ofthe
spirit. .And their s p i r i t s ' are so full of lust'° that they will be
p u n i s h e d in their bodies, for they denied the Lord ofSpirits. .And
thc> see their p u n i s h m e n t every day, yet they do not believe in his
yi n a m e . .And the more their bodies arc burnt, the more a change will
c o m e over their spirits for ever and ever; for no one can speak an
10 idle word before the Lord ofSpirits. Forjudgement will come upon
t h e m , for they believe in the l u s t " o f t h e i r bodies, but deny the
11 spirit o f t h e Lord. .And those same waters will undergo a change in
those d a y s ; for when those angels are punished in those d a y s , " the
t e m p e r a t u r e o f l h o s e springs of water will change, and when the
angels come up from the water, that water ofthe springs will change
IL' anci will become cold. .And 1 heard the h o l y " Michael answering
" and a iliangc . . . empty: so Q E C ; other .MSS probably to Ix- translated 'and
the drv ground shall inxiergo a change that it may not remain empty'.
' over the lace ol the dry ground: so CKP'BIxiXYB'; other MSS om.
" .So KFHP-: other .MSS dry ground'. BDOXVB' om. by hmt. 'I will not again
. . . lace ofthe earth (drv ground)'. ' F.ih.l F 'he'.
« of soul and Ixxiv: G Q U D ' 'ofthe Ixxly'. ° D' 'souls'.
GQU'desire'. " C;QUD"desire'.
" F.th.I'waters'. " the holv: F^th.I om.
 2r)0 //•;««(•/(

a n d saying, lliis judgfmcnt uitli wliiili llu' angels are judged is a

testimony for the kings and the mighty who possess the dry
1 i groiMid. I'or these waters ol judgemeiu serve for the healing o l t h e
bodies of the kings,'" and for the l u s t " ol'their bodies; but they do
not see a n d d o not belie\e that these waters will ehange, and will
b e c o m e a lire which burns t<)re\cr.

LXVIII. .And after this my great-grandfather Knoch g a \ e me the

e x p l a n a t i o n ' of all the secrets in a book and the parables which had
been g i \ c n to him; and hc put them together for mc in the words of
1 the Book' of the Parables. .And on that day the holy' .Michael
a n s w e r e d R a p h a e l , saying," The power oi'the spirit seizes me and
makes me tremble' because o P the harshness of the j u d g e m e n t ofthe
secrets, the judgement o f t h e angels.' W h o can endure the harsh­
ness of the j u d g e m e n t which has been executed." and before which
;i they melt with fear? . \ n d the holy' Michael answered Raphael
a g a i n , a n d said to him," W h o would not sohcn his heart'" over it.
a n d iciiose mind would not be disturbed by this word? J u d g e m e n t
h a s gone o u t " against them, u p o n " those whom they have led out
t like this. But it came to pass, when h c " stood belbre the Lord of
.Spirits, that the holy' .Michael spoke as Ibllows to Raphael, I will
not take their part under the eye ofthe Lord, for the Lord ofSpirits
j is a n g r y with them, for they act as ifthey were the Lord. Because of
'•• lor ihr luMli.is; . . . ol llic kings: so all M.SS rxci-pl B C . W . allhougli tin- .MSS
h a \ f 'angels' instead ol'kings'. But it seems likeK that 'angels' is a mistranslation.
BX "Tor their healing'; C) 'l<)r the healing ofthe angels': y defective.
" So .M: ( i C j I l ' D ' 'desire'; Kth.I 1 'death'.

' I ) ' 'teaching'.

•' ( ; ' i n the l«Mik of the words'. ' the holv: Kth.I om.
' t ; y i : i ) " a n s w e r e d me. saying to Raphael'.
' and makes me tremhle: all .MSS (except I)') 'and makes meangry'. hut it seems
likely that the wrong meaning of the underlying .\ramaic word was liillowed. W
' a n d makes me go up*.
" Q Kth.II (except V) and h e c a u s e o f .
' ofthe angels: C.MI T O ' o m . " Kth.II adds and remains'.
" ( ; y i ' 'answered me again, and said to Raphael'.
y 'Who.se heart would not he softened'; CiMQT'L' 'Whose heart would not
feel convicted'; lY 'Whose heart h.-is not felt convicted'.
'' ( ; y i J ' 'hy this word ofjudgement which has gone out' (CiQ om. 'which').
'•' O r ' f r o m ' , or'Ix'cause of. " D''thev*.
 1 Enoch 251
this the hidden j u d g e m e n t ' ' ' w i l l come upon them lor ever and ever;
lor neither any other angel, nor any man, will receive their lot, but
they alone have received their judgement for ever and ever.

LXIX. .And after this j u d g e m e n t they will terrify them and make
t h e m tremhle. for they have shown this' to those who dwell upon
t h e dry g r o u n d . .And behold' the names of those angels. .And these
a r e their n a m e s : the hrst of them is Semyaza. and the second
.Artaqifa, and the third .Armen, and the fourth Kokabiel, and the
fifth 'I Uriel, and the sixth Ramiel, and the seventh Daniel, and the
eighth .Nuqacl, and the ninth Baraqiel, and the tenth .Azazel. the
eleventh .Armaros, the twelfth Batriel, the thirteenth Basasael, the
fourteenth .Ananel, the Hfteeiuh Turiel, the sixteenth Samsiel, the
s e v e n t e e n t h Vetarel, the eighteenth 'I'umiel, the nineteenth 'I'uriel,
the twentieth Rumiel, the twenty-first .Azazel. .And these arc the
chiefs o f t h e i r angels, and the names o f t h e i r ' leaders of hundreds,
a n d their leaders of fifties and their leaders of tens. The name ofthe
first is V e q u n , a n d this is the one who led astray all the children of
t h e holy'' angels; and he brought them down onto the dry ground,
a n d led t h e m astray through the daughters of men. .And the name
of the second is .Asbeel: this one suggested' an evil plan to the
children of the holy angels," and led them astray, so that they
c o r r u p t e d their bodies with the daughters of men. .And the name of
t h e third is Gadreel: this is the one who showed all the deadly blows
to the sons of men; and he led astray Eve, and he showed the
w e a p o n s of d e a t h to the children of men, the shield and the
b r e a s t p l a t e a n d the sword for slaughter, and all the weapons of
d e a t h to the sons of men. .And from his' hand they have gone out

'•' the hidden judgemciii: Klh. I 'everything whieh is hidden'.

' T om.; Q 'this judgement'.

' behold: D ' adds 'I will n a m e ' ; ( ; . \ l apparently add corruptions o f I will name'.
' and the names oftheir: Kth.I KH 'and their names, and their'.
'• holy: (i.MQL'D' and some Kth.II .MSS oin.: it is (xissible that the text derives
from a false translation of'all the (holy) children ofGod' (i.e. 'all the (holy) angels).
. \ all the children ofthe angels ofthe Kord'.
' Q D ' 'recommended'.
' Possibly a false translation of'lo the holy children of (".(xf (cp. note t).
' Q D ' 'their'.
 •252 / F.muli

a g a i n s t tliosc w h o dwell upon the dry ground, from that time" and
K for ever a n d ever. .And the n a m e o f t h e fourth ;.v Penemue: this one
s h o w e d the sons of men the hitter and the sweet, and showed them
!* all the seerets o f t h e i r wisdom. He taught tnen the art ofwriting
with ink a n d [)aper. a n d through this many have gotie astray from
10 eternity to eternity, a n d to this day. For men were not created for
this, t h a t they should confirm their faith like this with pen and ink.
11 F o r m e n were created no differently from the angels, that they
m i g h t r e m a i n righteous and p u r e ' and death, which destroys
e v e r y t h i n g , would not have touched them; but through this
k n o w l e d g e of theirs they arc being destroyed, and through this
IL' p o w e r it'° is c o n s u m i n g m c . " .And the n a m e of the fifth is
K a s d e y a e : this one showed the sons of men all the evil blows ofthe
spirits a n d o f t h e d e m o n s , a n d the blows which attack the embryo in
the w o m b so that it miscarries, a n d the blows which attack the .soul,
t h e bite of the serpent a n d the blows w hich occur at midday, the
l;i son o f t h e serpent w h o is . . . s t r o n g . " .And this is the task" of
K e s b e e l , the chief of the oath, who showed the oath to the holy ones
It w h e n hc dwelt on high in glory, and its'" n a m e is Beqa. .And this
o n e told the h o l y " .Michael that hc should show h i m " ' t h e " secret
n a m e , that they might mention it in the oath,'" so that those who
s h o w e d the sons of men everything which is secret trembled before
l.i t h a t n a m e a n d o a t h . .And this is the power o f t h i s oath, for it is

• ( i . M I L i y day-.
' ( J N f f I T ) ' ' p u r r and righteous'; Q 'jlure and holy".
'° i.e. d e a t h .
" n"us'.
'fhe text is awkward; in lull it reads 'whose naine is 'I'abaet'. I have omitted
' n a m e ' (which could easily have come in by mistake) and take ' T a b a e t ' as the word
meaning ' m a l e ' or 'strong'. But the passage remains obscure.
" Eth. ' n u m l K - r ' . but C:harles's suggestion that the translation is ba.setl on a
misreading o f an original 'task' is verv plausible.
" Or'his'.
" the h o l v : Eth. I om.
S o G M T U I ) ' : Q o m . ; Eth.II them'.
" .M'ln'E.N'C:' 'his'.
" that they . . . the oath: so CJQ; T that they might mention that secret name';
.\1L'D' 'that they might mention that (M 'evil a n d ) secret name, that they might
mention it in the oath'; Eth.II that they might see that secret name, that they might
mention it in the oath'.
 / Enoch 253
powerful a n d strong; and he placed this oath Akae''' in the eharge
o f t h e h o l y " Michael. .And these are the secrets ofthis oath . . . and
they a r e s t r o n g ' " through his oath, and heaven was s u s p e n d e d "
before the world was created and for ever. .And through it the
e a r t h " was founded upon the water, and from the hidden recesses of
t h e m o u n t a i n s " come beautiful waters'" from the creation o f t h e
world a n d for ever. .And through that oath the sea was created, and
as its foundation, Ibr the time of anger, he placed for it the sand,
a n d it does not go beyond it from the creation ofthe world and for
e \ e r . .And through that oath the deeps were m a d e firm, and they
s t a n d a n d d o not move from their place from the creation of \\\cviov\A
a n d for ever. .And through that oath the sun and the mcwn complete
their course a n d d o not transgress their c o m m a n d from the creation
of the world and for e v e r . " .And through that oath the stars
cotriplete their course, and he calls their n a m e s , " and they answer
h i m " from the creation 0 / the world and for ever; and likewise the
spirits o f t h e water, o f t h e winds, and of all the breezes, and their
p a t h s , according to all the groups ofthe spirits. .And there are kept
the storehouses o f t h e sound o f t h e thunder and o f t h e light o f t h e
l i g h t n i n g ; ' " a n d there are kept the storehouses o f t h e hail and the
hoar-frost,'" a n d the storehouses ofthe mist, and the storehouses of
" .Since \ er.ses 1 HI. and \ er.ses 1 b-ib apjx-ar 10 deal with two dill'erent oaths, it is
possible that the obscure name -.Vkae' (so all M.SS except QIV) is a corruption of
the word 'other', viz. 'and he placed this other oath . . .' Q(?) 'this engraved oath';
\y 'this evil oath'.
and they are strong (or and they were m.ide firm'): so M T Kth.II; but the text
is not entirely intelligible as it stands and it is [xissible that something like '.Ml
things were created' has dropped out from Ix'fore 'and they are strong' (bul see note
21). C Q L ' and i( is strong'; IV and its strength'.
" Q H ' . \ n d these are the secrets ofthis oath, and they are (Q 'it is') strong:
through his oath heaven was susix-nded'. and other MSS perhaps to be translated
similarly.
" ( J . ' V r i ' l ' 'through it, and the earth'.
Some Kth. .MSS 'the hidden mountains'.
''* beautiful walers: l.'KN'.-\' 'waters for the living'; BC;X 'beautiful waters for the
living'.
from the creation . . . Itir ever; .M om.; (i'l'L' om. 'and for ever'.
I V ' a n d they call their names'; Q ' t h e y are called'. " D''them'.
" the storehouses . . . lightning: Kth.I the sound ofthe thunder and the light of
the lightning'.
'" Kth.I 'and the storehouses ofthe hoar-frost'.
2^1 I Enoch
the rain anci dew. .-\nd all these make their confession and give
t h a n k s before the Lord o f S p i r i t s and sing praises with all their
jjowcr; a n d their food consists of all their thanksgiving, and they
g i \ c t h a n k s a n d praise and exalt in the n a m e o P " the Lord ofSpirits
for ever a n d ever. . \ n d this oath is strong over them, and through it
they are kept safe, a n d their paths arc kept safe, and their courses
a r e not d i s t u r b e d . . \ n d they had great joy, and they blessed and
praised a n d exalted because the n a m e of that Son o P ' .Man had
l)ccn revealed to them. .And hc sat on the throne ofhis glory, and
the whole j u d g e m e n t " was given to the Son of . M a n , " and he will
c a u s e the sinners to pass away and be destroyed from the face of the
e a r t h . ' ' ' .And those who led astray the world will be bound in
c h a i n s , and will be shut up in the assembly-place of their destruc­
tion, a n d all their works will pass away from the face o f t h e earth.
.And from then on there will be nothing c o r r u p t i b l e , " Ibr that Son
of M a n has a p p e a r e d and has sat on the throne ofhis .glory, and
e v e r y t h i n g evil will pass away and go from before him; and the
w o r d of tliat Son oP* . M a n " will be strong'" before the Lord of
Spirits. This is the t h i r d ' " parable of Enoch.

LXX. .And it c a m e to pass after this lhal. while he was living, his
n a m e was lifted from those who dwell upon the dry ground to the
p r e s e n c e of that Son of .Man a n d ' to the presence o f t h e Lord of
Spirits. .And h e ' was lifted on the chariots o f t h e spirit, a n d h i s '

in llu- name of: I ) ' oni.; Q N oni. 'in'.

" Son of: . X n i ' D ' o m .
'•' I.il. 'and llu- sum of llic judgi-mcnt'.
.\nd lie sal . . . Son of .Man; D' om.
''' ;ind lie will c ause . . . the earth; D ' ';uid he will nol pass away nor lie destroyed
from the face ofthe earth'; G M I ' l ' and he (? it') will pass away and be destroyed
from the fair ofthe earth'; Q 'and the sinners ofthe earth have passed away from
before his face'.
" I ) ' 'there will not be this corruption'.
"' .Son of: B o m . " .Man: G N ' a woman'.
and the word . . . be strong: s o T and .some Kth.II .MSS; other .MSS 'and they
( . \ I ) ' 'he') will speak to thai .Son of .Man. and he will lie strong'.
" KFHNP-om.

' So CJQ'I'D': other .MSSom. ' f his name'.

' So MQD'YC:': other MSS the'.
 / Enoch -'.') j
3 n a m e vanished a m o n g them. And from that day I was not counti-d''
a m o n g t h e m , a n d lie plated me between two wiiid.s.' between the
n o r t h a n d the west, where the angels took the eords to measure for
4 m c the place for the chosen and the righteous. .And there I .saw the
first fathers and the righteous who from Ihe heginning of the world
dwelt in that place.

LXXI. .And it came to pass a h e r this that my spirit was carried

oil', a n d it went up into the heavens. I saw the sons of the holy
a n g e l s ' treading upon flames of hre, and their garments were white.
2 a n d their clothing, and the light oftheir face was like snow. .And I
s a w two rivers of fire, and the light of that hre shone like hyacinth,
3 a n d I fell upon my face hcliirc the I.ord of.Spirils. .And the angel
M i c h a e l , one o f t h e archangels, took hold of n i e by my right hand,
a n d raised mc, and led me out to all the secrets ol'mercy and the
4 secrets of righteousness.' .And he showed mc all the secrets ofthe
e n d s ofhcaven and all the storehouses of all the stars and the lights.
r> from where they come out before the holy ones. .And the spirit
carried Enoch olf to the highest heaven,' and I saw there in the
m i d d l e of that light something built of crystal stones, and in the
() m i d d l e ol'those stones tongues of living hre. .And my spirit saw a
circle of hre which surrounded that house; from its four sides came
7 rivers full of living fire, and they surrounded that house. .And
r o u n d a b o u t were the Seraphim, and the CMieruhim and the
O p h a n n i m ; these are they who do not sleep, but keep watch o\er
8 t h e t h r o n e ofhis glory. .And I saw angels who could not be counted,
a t h o u s a n d thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, sur-
!i r o u n d i n g that house; and Michael and Raphat'l''and (iabriel and
.So (; ( j f D ' j ' ; M Kill.II •imliulrd'; f •praiscif.
' Or'c|iiarl(Ts*. 'region.s'.

' Fossiblv a false iraiislation o f t h e holv sons of (JtKl' (( p. chap. Ixix. n. 4). .Some
Eth.II .M.SS(mi.'holy'.
' to a l l . . . righteousness: D ' 'to all the secrets of mercy. and he showed me all the
secrets of righteousness'; (i.MQTU 'to all the secrets, and he showed mc all the
secrets of mercy, and he showed me all the secrets of righteousness'.
" (*QL* '.And he carried olTmy spirit, and Enoch uas in the highest heaven'; 'I'D'
•.\nd he carried off my spirit, and I, Enoch, utu in the highest heaven'; .M '.And he
carried olf my spirit, says Enoch, in heaven was 1'. In all Eth.l mss. 'he carried olf
my spirit' is grammatically anomalous. * and Raphael: QL' om.
 2")(i / Enoch

P h a n u e l , anci the holy angels who are i?i the hea\ ens al)o\e, went in
a n d out ot'that house. . \ n d .\Iirhael and Raphael and GabrieP and
Phanuel,'' a n d m a n y holy angels without number, eatne out from
1(1 that house; a n d with them the Head of D a y s , ' his head white and
11 p u r e like wool, and his g a r m e n t s indescribable. .And I fell upon my
face, a n d my whole body melted, and my spirit was transformecl;
a n d I cried out in a loud voice in the spirit ol'power, and I blessed"
12 a n d p r a i s e d ' and exalted. .And these'" blessings whieh came o u t "
i:i from my m o u t h were pleasing before that Head of Days. .And that
H e a d of Days c a m e with .Michael and Gabriel, R a p h a e l " and
P h a n u e l , " a n d thousands and tens of thousands of'angels without
11 n u m b e r . .And that angel''' came to me, and greeted mc with his
voice, and said to mc, You are the Son of M a n who was born t o "
righteousness, and righteousness remains over you, and the right-
1') eousness o f t h e Head of Days will not leave you. And he said to
me, H e proclaims peace to you in the n a m e ofthe world which is to
c o m e , for from there peace has come out from the creation o f t h e
11) world; a n d so you will have it for ever and for ever and ever. .And
all'* will w a l k " according to your way, inasmuch as righteousness
will never leave you; with you will be their dwelling, and with you
their lot, and they will not be separated from you, for ever and ever
17 a n d ever. .And so there will be length of days with that Son of .Man,
a n d the righteous will have peace, and the righteous will have an
u p r i g h t way'* in the n a m e ofthe Lord of .Spirits for ever and ever.

' .NiyUKHN 'aiul (Jabricl and Rapliacl'; BC'.()X.\' and CJabricl. Raphael'.
• and Phanuel: C . M Q ' f f ' A oni
' KHP^ofihroalh'. " adds him'.
• QFP-'add'him'. Kih.rthosc'.
" came out: D ' j u m p s from this word to lxx\ iii.Hh, hut iK'gins again with Ixxii.l
alter reaching lxxxii.2().
'•' Q f L X and CJahriel and R a p h a e l ; Ci.M and Raphael and CJabriel'.
" .Alter Phanuel' CJMC,)'! go hack by mistake to Phanuel' in verse H and repeal
all (so G) or parts tif the intervening text.
" that angel: I ' om.; CJM'f 'that one' or he'.
'" .Some ."VI.SS'in'.
Eth. 11 adds 'will IK- and' (Al.B' 'who will be and').
" Q'dwell'.
'" and the righteous will h;ive an upright way: so C'; om. ( h m t ) ; all olher
M S S om. 'will have'. Eth.II (except ( " ) 'his upright way' instead o f ' a n upright
wav'.
 / Eiwcfi

LXXII. r i i c book oi'du' rcNoliitioiis oi the liglits oliicavcii, i-acli as

it is. aicorciing to tlicir tiasscs, according to ihnvperio/i0/ rule and
their times, according to their names and their places oforigin, and
a c c o r d i n g to their tnotiths. whit h L riel. the holy atigcl who was
with mc a n d is their leader, showed to me: and he showed me all
their regulations cxactK as they are. lor each year ofthe world and
for e \ c r , until the new crcatioti shall be made which will last for
c \ c r . . \ n d this is the hrst law of the lights. The light the sun, its
rising is in the gates ofhcaven which are towards the east, and its
setting is in the western gates ofhcaven. .And I saw six gates from
which the sun rises, and six gates in which the sun sets, and the
m o o n also rises and sets in those gates, and the leaders ofthe stars
together with those whom they lead; iherearesix in the east and six
in the west, all exactly iti place, one next to the other; and there are
m a n y windows to the south and north' of those gates. .And lirst
there rises the greater light, named the sun. and its disk is like the
disk o f h c a v e n . and the whole ofit is lull o f a lire which gives light
a n d w a r m t h . The wind blows the chariots on which it ascends, and
the s u n goes down from heaven and returns through the north in
o r d e r to reach the east and is led so that it comes to the appropriate
g a t e , a n d shines again in heaven. In this way it rises in the hrst
m o n t h in the large gate, namely it rises through the fourth of those
six gates which are towards the east. .And in that fourth gate, from
which the sun rises in the hrst month, there are twelve window-
o p e n i n g s ' from which, whenever they arc opened, flames come
out. W h e n the sun rises in heaven, it goes out through that fourth
g a t e for thirty days, and exactly in the fourth gate in the west of
h e a v e n it goes down. .And in those days the day grows daily longer,
a n d the night grows nightly shorter, until the thirtieth morning.
.And on that day the day becomes longer than the night by a double
pari,' a n d the day a m o u n t s to exactly ten parts, and the night
a m o u n t s to eight parts. .And the sun rises from that fourth gate,
a n d sets in the fourth gate, and returns to the hfth gate in the east
lor thirty mornings; and it rises from it, and sets in the hfth gate.

' I.it. "to ttie rigtit and lelV. - I.it. "ojH'n windows".
' by adoublc/iar/: i.e. by two parts. C Q l ' I V add "by nine parts" (QL"D' [xissibly
"by a ninth part").
 2.')H / Emcli
\1 A n d then the day becomes longer by two p a n s , and the day
a m o u n t s to eleven parts, and the night becomes shorter and
1 i a m o u n t s to s e \ e n parts. . \ n d the sun returns to the east, and comes
to the sixth gate, and rises and sets in the sixth gate for thirty one
it m o r n i n g s ' ' because of its sign. . \ n d on that da\ the da\ becomes
longer t h a n the night, and the day becomes double the night; and
the d a y a m o u n t s to twelve parts, and the night becomes shorter
\:) a n d a m o u n t s to six parts. .And the sun rises up that the day may
g r o w shorter, and the night longer; and the sun returns to the cast,
a n d comes to the sixth gate, and rises from it and sets for thirty
l(> m o r n i n g s . .And when thirty mornings have been completed, the
d a y becomes shorter by exactly one part; and the day amounts to
17 elcNcn p a r t s , and the night to s e \ e n parts. .And the sun goes out
Irom the west through that sixth gate, and goes to the east, and
rises in the hfth gate for thirty mornings: and it sets in the west
IB a g a i n , in the hith gate in the west. O n that day the day becotnes
s h o r t e r by two parts, and the day a m o u n t s to ten parts, and the
l!i night tt) eight parts. .And the sun rises from that h h h gate, and sets
in the hfth gate in the west, and rises in the fourth gate for thirty
211 o n e m o r n i n g s because ofits sign.' and sets in the west. Oti that day
the d a y becomes equal with the night, and is ti/equal length; and the
2: night a m o u n t s to nine parts, and the day to nine parts. .And the sun
rises from that .gate, and sets in the west, and returns to the east,
a n d rises in the third gate for thirty mornings, and sets in the west
22 in the third gate. .And on that d a \ the night becomes longer than
the d a y , and the night grows nightly longer," and the day grows
daily s h o r t e r until the thirtieth m o r n i n g ; ' and the night amounts to
2:i exactly ten p a r t s , and the day to eight parts. .And the sun rises from
that third gate, and sets in the third gate in the west, and returns to
the east; a n d the sun rises in the second gate in the east for thirty
i n o r n i n g s , a n d likewise it sets in the second gate in the west of
24 h e a v e n . .And on that day the night a m o u n t s to eleven parts, and the

* G'f L'D' 'thirty inornings'; ( j corrupt; .\1 defective.

' C;.\lQ'r add in the fourth gate in the cast"; I" adds in the east"; D ' adds "in the
fourth gate".
" and the night grows nightly longer: so (JQ TUO': M 'and on that day the night
grows longer': Kth.II 'until the thirtieth morning'.
' morning: Q o m . ; Kth.II (except KKK.N") "day".
 / Enoch 2 J9
a d a y to sc\eii parts. .\iid tlic sun rises on that day from that second
g a t e , a n d sets in the west in the second gate, and returns to the east,
to the hrst gate," lor thirty one mornings,'' and sets in the west in
2() t h e first g a t e . ' " . \ n d on that day the night heconies longer, and
b e c o m e s d o u b l e the day; a n d the night a m o u n t s to exactly twelve
_'7 p a r t s , a n d the day to six parts. . \ n d with this the sun has completed
the divisions ofits j o u r n e y , " a n d it turns back again along t h e s e "
divisions of its j o u r n e y ; " and it comes through that first g a t e " for
'.'H thirty m o r n i n g s , a n d sets in the west opposite it. .And on that d a y "
the night becomes shorter in length by one p a r t ' " and a m o u n t s
•»i to e l e \ e n p a r t s , a n d the day to seven parts. .And the sun returns,
a n d comes to the second gate in the east, and it returns along those
divisions of its j o u r n e y " for thirty mornings, rising and setting.
;iO .And o n that day the night becomes shorter in length, and the night
;!! a m o u n t s to ten parts, and the day to eight parts. .And on that day
t h e s u n rises from that second'" .gate, and sets in the west, and
r e t u r n s to the east, a n d rises in the third gate for thirty one
;i2 m o r n i n g s , a n d sets in the west ofhcaven. .And on that day the night
b e c o m e s shorter, a n d a m o u n t s to nine parts, a n d the day a m o u n t s
to nine p a r t s , a n d the night becomes ec|ual with the day. .And the
y e a r a m o u n t s to exactly three h u n d r e d and sixty four days. .And
the length o f t h e day a n d the night, and the shortness o f t h e day
a n d the night - they are different because of the journey of that sun.
:i4 Because of i t , " its j o u r n e y becomes daily longer, and nightly

" lo llu- firsi gale: O ' 'and risi-s in tlu- (iist gatr'.
•* B ' X add 'because ofits sign'.
'" in the west in the Hrst gate: .\I 'in the west in thi- sixth gate'; ( J Q in it on the
first d a y in the west ofhcaven'; I ' U U ' 'on that day in the west ofhcaven'.
" the divisions of its journey: n ' ( ? ) 'its appearances'.
" Kth.I J l " those'.
" divisions of its journey: D ' ( ? ) 'appearances'.
''' .\I 'those gates"; Q I ' U D ' "all the gates"; (; "all its gates".
" day: L" om.; G Q O ' F "night".
by one part: .\I oni.; G Q L " D ' "by nine pans" (L"I)' possibly 'b\ a ninth part" i.
.-\11 .\1SS add 'that is one part", a gloss apparently intended to explain that the word
')d, used here wilh the meaning "part", is the et|uivalent ofthe word kifil.
" divisions of its journey: D'(.') "appearances".
'« G . M Q l D ' - o m .
i.e. to this end. to bring about the dilVerence in the length of tlay ami night.
 2t)() / Enoch
i j s h o r t e r . .And this is tiie law and the Journey o f t h e sun, and its
r e t u r n , as often as it returns; si.xty times it returns and rises, that is
the great eternal light'" which for c \ c r and ever is named the sim.
id .And this which rises is the great light, which is so named after its
;i7 a p p e a r a n c e , " as the I.ord c o m m a n d e d . .And thus it rises a n d
s e t s ; " it neither decreases, nor rests, hut runs day and night in its
c h a r i o t . " .And its light is se\cn times brighter than that of the
m o o n , b u t in size the two arc ccjual.

LXXIII. .And after this law I saw another law, for the smaller light
•1 n a m e d the moon. .And its disk is like the disk o f t h e sun,' a n d the
wind blows its chariot on which it rides, and in hxed measure light
;i is given to it. .And every month its rising and its setting change, and
its d a y s are as the days o f t h e sun, a n d when its light is unilbrmly
1 /////, it is a seventh part ofthe light ofthe sun. .And thus it rises, and
its first pha.se' is towards the east; it rises on the thirtieth morning,
a n d on that d a y it a p p e a r s and becomes lor you the hrst p h a s e ' of
the m o o n , on the thirtieth m o r n i n g , ' together with the sun in the
.j g a t e t h r o u g h which the sun rises. .And a half" . . . with a seventh
p a r t , a n d its entire disk w empty, without light, except lor a seventh
I) p a r t , a fourteenth p a r t ' ofits total light. .And on the day it receives a
seventh part and a h a l f ofits light, its light amounts to a sevcnth-

-'" as o l t c n a s . . . c U T i i a l l i g h t : (ICj'I'LI)' "as o l t c n a s - s i x t y t i m e s - that g r e a t

l i g h t r e t u r n s anci r i s e s ' ( Q T L ' D ' o m . ' s i x t y t i m e s ' ) ; M ' a s o f t e n a s it r e t u r n s ; it
r e t u r n s and rises, t h a t i s t h e g r e a t l i g h t ' .
" D ' '.And this is the o n e w h i c h r i s e s a c c o r d i n g t o i t s a p | x - a r a n c e " .
" ( ; i y '.Vs it r i s e s , s o it .sets'; .\I ' f h u s it r i s e s a n d s e t s ' ; Q T t h u s it rises a n d
thus it sets'; L' '.And thus it sets'; .ANX '.And thus it sets and rises',
in lis c h a r i o t : C . M Q f ' U D ' o m .

' .So M and s o m e Eth.II MSS: o t h e r .MSS ' h e a v e n ' .

- first p h a s e ; lit. ' I x - g i n n i n g ' .
' E t h . l 'day'.
'• .All .MSS e x c e p t D ' C K a d d ' i s d i s t a n t ' , h u t t h i s m a k e s iu> s e n s e . We ex[x-ct a
v e r b m e a n i n g ' t o rise", ' t o a p p e a r ' .
' a f o u r t e e n t h part: s o Q U D ' . h u t D ' a d d s "ofits l i g h t , a s e v e n t h part"; CJ c-orrupt;
.M'l" E t h . I I 'from t h e f o u r t e e n p a r t s ' .
* ( J Q D ' O . A ' B ' { w i t h s e \ T r a l u n g r a m m a t i c a l v a r i a t i o n s ) 'a s e v e n t h p a r t o f a
half.
 / Enoch 2(i 1
and-sevfritli part and a half.' It sets with the sun," and when the
s u n rises, tlie moon"' rises with it. and receives a halfot'one part of
light; a n d on that night at the beginning of its morning, at the
b e g i n n i n g o f t h e m o o n ' s day, the mtxin sets with the sun, and is
d a r k on that night in six and seven'" parts and a half. . \ n d it rises
on that d a y with exactly a seventh part, and goes out, and recedes
from the rising o f t h e sun, and becomes bright on the remainder of
its d a y s in Ihe olher six and s e v e n " parts.

LXXIV. .\iid a n o t h e r journey and another law I saw for it. in that
a c c o r d i n g to this law it makes its monthly journey. .And Uriel, the
holy angel who is the leader o f t h e m all, showed mc everything.'
a n d I wrote down their positions as hc showed them to me; and I
w r o t e d o w n their m o n t h s , as they are, and the appearance oftheir
light until fifteen days have been completed. In s e \ c n t h parts it
inakes all its darkness full,' and in seventh parts it makes all its
light full, in the east and in the west.' .And in certain months it
c h a n g e s its setting, a n d in certain months it follows its own indi-
\ i d u a l course. In two months it sets with the sun in those two gates
which are in the middle, in the third and in the fourth gate. It goes
out lor seven d a y s , and turns back, and returns again to the gate
from which the sun rises; and in that gale* it makes all its light full,

' (i.MQlDT) a seventh part and a half (but QU' om. and'); r(?) a .seven-
and-sixth part and a half*. Tlie tiumliers are hard to interpret and no MS provides a
text that makes mueh sense. In the .Aramaic fr.-igments a much fuller table ofthe
phases o f t h e nnxin has survived, and the Kthiopic appears to Ix* a rather garbled
summarv cif this.
« ( a i Q l i r -.And the sun sets'.
' the moon; ( j y i D ' i t ' .
six and .seven; .so .MQfO'JI.B'C:'; other MSS 'seven and seven'.
" six and seven: so Kth.I N C ; other .MSS 'seven and seven'.

' Kth.I '.And all this L'riel, the holy angel who is the leader of them all, showed
me'; C . M Q D ' add 'and their positions'.
' \y makes its darkness full lo the fifteenth day'.
' il makes all its darkness full. . . west: so some Kth.II .MSS and (basically) D';
G.MQf'L'.A 'it makes all its light full, in the east and in the west'; P and other
Eth.II .MSS it makes all its light full in ihe east, and in seventh parts it makes all iis
darkness full in the west'.
' in that,?a(f: G M Q ' f ' L ' D ' o m .
 2(i'2 / Enoch
a n d it recedes Irom the sun, and comes in eight days to the sixth
7 g a t e from which the sun rises. .And when the sun rises from the
fourth gate, the moon goes out for seven days until it rises from the
fifth gate; a n d again it returns in se\en days to the fourth gate, and
m a k e s all its light full, and recedes, and comes to the first gate in
K eight d a y s . .And again it returns in seven days to the fourth gate
'I from which the sun rises. T h u s I saw their positions, how the
1(1 m o o n s rose a n d the sun set in those days. .And if' five years are
a d d e d together, the sun has an excess of thirty days; but all the
d a y s which accrue to it for one year of those five years, when they
11 a r e complete, a m o u n t to three h u n d r e d and sixty four days. And
t h e excess o f t h e sun and the stars comes to six days; in five years,
six days each j w r , they have an excess of thirty days, and the moon
IL' falls b e h i n d " the sun and the stars by thirty d a y s . ' And the moon
c o n d u c t s " the years exactly, all o f t h e m according to their eternal
positions; they are neither early nor late even by one day, bul
c h a n g e the y e a r ' . . . in exactly three h u n d r e d and sixty four days.
i:i In three years there are one thousand and ninety two days, and in
five years one t h o u s a n d eight h u n d r e d and twenty days, so that in
eight years there a r e two thousand nine hundred and twelve days.
It F o r the moon alone the days in three years come to one thousand
a n d sixty two d a y s , ' " and in five years it is fifty days b e h i n d " . . .
l.j .And there are one thousand seven hundred and seventy days in

' lidw the mixiiis . . .\n<l if: .so (J.MT'D'; L' dcfcciivc; Q I ' "according to the la«
o l t h c i r months the sun rising and setting in those days. .And iT"; Eth.II 'acctirding tc
the law oftheir months the sun rising and setting. .And in those days i/"".
• ( ; . \ l ( ^ f ' L " "and they fall lichind"; D ' "and it falls behind".
' by thirty days: Q l " o m ; ("..M add 'behind the sun and behind the stars'; T' add;
'behind the sun and the stars': O ' adds 'Ijchind the sun and the mcxm and the stars'.
" V)' '.And they conduct'.
" .All Eth. .\ISS add 'prerisely' which looks like an alternative rendering o;
'exactly'.
( J Q L ' D ' (hy mistake) "one thousand and thirty days"; D ' adds 'and in t h r o
years it is sixty two (a mistake for 'thirty') days behind'. D ' continues 'In live yean
thne art one thousand seven hundred and seventy days, and in five years it is fifty
days behind, so that for the moon . . .'.
" .All .\ISS except D ' add here 'for to its sum is to be added sixty two days (C
margin 'one thousand and sixty two days')'. This appears to be a corrupt glos!
whose insertion has seriously disrupted the text; D ' (see note 10) seems to preserve
the text in a better state.
 / Enoch -'1)3
fi\c years, so that for the moon the clays in eight years amoimt to
two t h o u s a n d eight hundred and thirty two days. I'or the diller-
cnce in eight years is eighty days, and all the days w hieh Ihe moon is
b e h i n d in eight years are eighty days. .And the year is completed
exactly in a c c o r d a n c e with their p o s i t i o n s " and the positions ofthe
s u n , in that sun and moon rise from the gates from which Ihe sun rises
a n d sets for thirty days.

LXXV. . \ n d the leaders ofthe heads of thousands whoflr^'in charge

of the whole creation a n d in charge of all the stars have lo do also
with the four days which are a d d e d , and are not separated from
their position.' according to the whole' reckoning ofthe year. .And
these serve on the lour davs which arc not counted in the reckoning
o l ' t h c year. .And because o f t h e m men go wrotig in thcni. for these
lights really s e r \ e in the stations o f t h e world, one in the lirst gate,
a n d o n e in the third g a t e , ' and one in the fourth gate, and one in the
sixth gate; a n d the exact h a r m o n y of the course of Ihe world is
completed'' in the separate three hundred and sixty four stations of
the world. For the signs and the times and the years and the days
the angel l'riel showed to me. whom the I.ord of eternal glory has
p l a c e d ' in charge of all the lights ofhcaven. in heaven and in the
world, that they might rule on the face of hcaxeii. and appear over
the e a r t h , a n d be the leaders of day and night, namely the sun, and
the moon, a n d the stars, and all the serving creatures who revolve
in all the chariots ofhcaven.'' Likewise Uriel showed to me twelve
g a t e - o p e n i n g s ' in the disk o f t h e chariot ofthe sun in heaven from
w h i c h the rays o f t h e sun come out; and from them heat* comes out
over the earth, when they are opened at the times which are

'•' C J Q l ' L ' l ) ' 'llK'irworld-iHi.sition.s'.

' C ; . \ l ' f ' 1 ' Troiii theiroUiif'.

' Kth.I oni. ' Kth.I adds ol'heaven'.
'' (; 'and with exactness the course of Ihe world is conipletetl'; I)' 'the year is
completed exactly'; Q 'and the exactness ofthe year he completes' CI'l." also have
the active 'he completes').
' C.M'fL'K 'whom the Kord of Clory has for ever placed'; (,) 'vvhom the Ixird of
Spirits has for c\er placed'; D ' defective.
in . . . hca\'en; C^ 'with all the armies ofhcaven'.
' I.it.'open gates'. " .\IQB''death'.
 2M I Enoch
j a p p o i n t e d Ibr them. .And Ihere are such Ibr the wind.s anil lor the
spirit o f t h e dew, when they are opened" at the appointed times,'"
Il open in heaven at the e n d s . " I saw twelve gates in h e a v e n . " at the
e n d s o f t h e e a r t h , from which the sun, and the moon, and the stars
7 a n d all the works ofhcaven go out in the east and in the west. .And
there are m a n y w i n d o w - o p e n i n g s " to the north and to the south'•*-
a n d each window at its appointed time sends out h e a t " - corres­
p o n d i n g to those gates from which the stars go out in accordance
with his c o m m a n d to them, and in which they set according to
H their n u m b e r . .And I saw chariots in heaven, running through the
world al)ove and below'" those gates, in which the stars which
'I never set rotate. .And one is bigger than all Ihe others, and it goes
r o u n d through the whole world.

LXXVI. .And at the ends ofthe earth I saw twelve gates open to all
the w i n d s , ' from which the winds come out and blow over the
J e a r t h . T h r e e o f t h e m are open in the front ofhcaven, and three in
the west, a n d three on the right ofhcaven, and three on the left.
i .And the three hrst are those which are towards the east, and three
are t o w a r d s the north, and the three after these' on the left are
I t o w a r d s the south, and three are in the west. T h r o u g h four ofthem
c o m e winds of blessing and peace, and from those eight come
w i n d s of p u n i s h m e n t ; when they are sent, they bring devastation to
the whole earth, a n d to the water which is on it, and to all those

" .And there are such . .. opened: I r a n s t a t i o n and meaning u n c e r t a i n .

'° at the appointed imci: C . M Q T ' C D ' om.
'' open in heaven al the ends: D ' om. and probahly copied by inistakc from verse
b (Ibr 'open' cp. D ' in note 12).
'• I saw twelve gates in heaven: G M Q f ' L " 'When they are opened, there are
I w e K e gales in heaven' {"When they are opened' repealed by mistake from verse.'));
O ' ungrammatical, bul probably 'There are twelve gates open in heaven'.
" [.it.'open windows'.
" l.il. "to the left and to the right".
" Q.A' "death".
"• and below: Kth.I and some Kth.II .MS.S om.

' O r "to all directions" (in txith Kthiopic and .Aramaic the word for 'wind' c a n
also have the meaning "quarter, direction").
= after these: so Cl.M; T Eth.II "opp<isilc (lit. at the back o f ) those'; QUO'dilfer
slightly.
 / Enoch 2().')
w h o dwell upon it, and to everything whieh is in' the water and on
') the dry g r o u n d . .And the hrst wind from those gates, called the east
wind, comes out through the hrst gate which is towards the east, the
one which inclines to the south; from it comes devastation, drought.
() a n d heat,'' a n d d e s t r u c t i o n . ' .And through the second gate in the
m i d d l e comes what is right, and from it come rain,'' and rruitful-
ness, a n d prosperity and dew; and through the third gate, which is
7 t o w a r d s the north, come cold and drought. .And after these the
winds t o w a r d s the south come out through three gates. First,'
t h r o u g h the first of the gates, the one which inclines towards the
K east, comes a hot wind." .And through the middle gate, which is
next to it, come pleasant fragrances, and dew, and rain, and
!) prosperity a n d life. .And through the third gate, which is towards
10 the west, come dew, and rain, and locusts and devastation. .And
after these the winds towards the north" . . . From the seventh
g a t e , ' " which is towards the e a s t , " . . . come dew and rain, locusts
11 a n d devastation. .And through the middle gate exactly come rain,
a n d dew, a n d life" and p r o s p e r i t y . " .And through the third gate,
which is towards the west,''' . . . come mist, and hoar-frost, and
11 s n o w , a n d rain, and dew and locusts. .And after t h e s e " . . . the

' KKHP-"<in'. •• Q F J . \ . \ " d o a i h ' ; D"pimislmifm'.

' r'force'.
" . \ n ( l Ihrmigli . . . rain: so all MSS (wilh niimir variations) ( xccpl ( J I I V J : (iJ
•.And ihrough ihc second gale in the middle, from il come rain' (omission hv hmi.);
D ' '.And ihrough the second gale exactly in the middle, from it come rain'; V
corrupt. 'What is right' is awkward, and D ' . although itself possibly defective, gives
heller sense,
' . S o G . M f K t h . i l and .Aram.: Q l O ' o m ,
" .MI'L' 'hot winds'; .A'B' a wind of death'; C;0' corrupt,
' .All Klh. M.SS add a gloss 'named the sea' (Ibr a Palestinian the sea is the west,
not the north).
From the seventh gate: so I correct VA\\. which in all its various Ibrms appears
corrupt, G Q ' f I ' D ' and which came out (D' come out') from the seventh gate'; .M
'and which came out from the great seventh gate'; Eth.II 'From three, the seventh
gate' or 'From, thirdly, the seventh gate'.
" .All Kth, .MSS add here a g l o s s - t h u s Q adds the south'. ( J T L D ' a d d towards
the south'. .M Eth.II add 'which inclines towards the south',
'- rain , , , life: Eth,I life, and rain, and dew',
" and prosperity: G D ' om.
''' .All Eth, .MSS add here by mistake 'which inclines towards the north',
" .All Eth. .MSS add here a gloss 'fourthly'.
 2()() / Knoch
w i n d s t o w a r d s the west. T h r o u g h the hrst gate, which inclines
t o w a r d s the north, come dew. a n d r a i n , " and hoar-frost, and cold,
l i a n d snow a n d frost. .Xnd from the middle gate come dew a n d rain,
prosperity a n d blessing. .Vnd through the last gate, which is to­
w a r d s the south, come drought a n d devastation, burning and
11 d e s t r u c t i o n . . \ n d thus the twelve gates of the four quarters" of
heaven a r e complete. .And all their laws, and all'* their punish­
m e n t s a n d all their b e n e h t s " I have shown to you, my son
Methuselah.

LXXVII. T h e y call the hrst q u a r t e r eastern, because it is the hrst;

a n d they call the second the south, because there the .Most High
d e s c e n d s , ' a n d there especially' the one who is blessed for ever
L' d e s c e n d s . . \ n d the western q u a r t e r is called waning, because there
;i all the lights ofhcaven wane a n d go down. .And the fourth quarter,
n a m e d the north, is divided into three p a r t s . ' .And the hrst ofthem
/.(the dwelling-place for men; a n d the second contains seas of water,
a n d the deeps, a n d forests, a n d rivers, a n d darkness and mist; and
t the third" part contains the G a r d e n of Righteousness. I saw seven
high m o u n t a i n s which were higher than all the mountains which
are on the earth, a n d from them snow comes. .And days and times
.j a n d years pass away and go b y . ' I saw seven" rivers on the earth
larger t h a n all the other rivers; one o f t h e m comes from the east and
(i p o u r s out its water into the Great Sea. .And two ofthem come from
the n o r t h to the sea a n d pour out their water into the Erythraean
7 sea in the east. .And the remaining fbur flow out on the side ofthe
n o r t h to their sea, ( t w o t o ) ' the Erythraean sea, and two into the
and rain: Kill.I om.
" So .Xrani: Kill, by niisiakc rt-pcacs gates'. " QL'om.
and all iheir benelils: Q a n d many Kth.II .\ISSom. 'all'; D' 'and their benefits
and everything'.

' So Kill., but often thought to Ix" corrupt lor 'dwell' which .\ram. now attests.
• I ) ' 'and especially Ix'cause there'.
' .Aram, has a much fuller lext than Kth. in verses '2-3a. .Apart from other
dillerences .Aram, explains the name of the northern quarter and provides a second
explanation ofthe name ofthe eastern quarter.
' C ; Q I U D ' second'.
» andgoby:C;.\riUD'om. ' Kth.I om.
' two to: required for the sense, although omitted by all MSS ( D ' alone has 'to').
 / limch -Hu
G r e a t Sea, and* they discharge themselves there, but some say:
8 into the wilderness. .And I saw seven large islands in the sea and on
the land: two oti the land, and hve in the (Jrcat Sea."

LXXVIII. The names ofthe sun areas follows: the hrst ()r\ ares, and
2 t h e second Tomascs. The moon has lour names: the hrst name is
.Asonya, a n d the second Kbla, and the third Baiiase. and the fourth
:\ E r a ' e . T h e s e are the two great lights; their disk is like the disk of
4 h e a v e n , a n d in size the two are equal.' In the disk o f t h e sun are
seven parts of light which arc added to it more than to the moon,
a n d in h.xcd measure light is transferred to the moon until a seventh
.i p a r t o f t h e sun is exhausted. .And they set, and go into the gates of
t h e west, a n d go round through the north, and rise through the
(i gates o f t h e east on the face ofhcaven. .And when the moon rises, it
a p p e a r s in heaven and has a half of a seventh part of light; and on
7 the fourteenth day it makes all its light full.' .And fiheeii parts of
light a r e transferred to it, until on the hftecnth day its light is full,
a c c o r d i n g to the sign ofthe year, and amounts to hheen parts. .And
8 the moon comes into being by halves o f a seventh part. .And in its
w a n i n g on the hrst day it decreases to fourteen parts ofits light, and
on the second to thirteen parts, and on the third to twelve parts,
a n d on the fourth to eleven parts, and on the h h h to ten parts, and
on t h e sixth to nine parts, and on the seventh to eight parts, and on
the eighth to seven parts, and on the ninth to six parts, and on the
t e n t h to hve parts, and on the eleventh to four parts, and on the
twelfth to three, and on the thirteenth to two,' and on the
fourteenth to half of a seventh part, and all the light that remains

« Eth.II om.
' two . . . Sea: some Eth.II .M.SS 'two and five in the (ireat .Sea"; .M iwoon ilie
land a n d five in the Erstliraean sea"; ( J Q ' f l " ! ) ' "seven and two in the Ervtliraean
sea".

' L" 'and the size ofthe disk ofboth iscqual": G.M(2TD' "and the size ofthe disk of
both - like the disk ofhcaven - is equal".
' G M Q ' f D ' text uncertain, perhaps "it appears in heaven with a half ofa seventh
part; the light becomes whole in it; on the fourteenth day it makes its light full"; L'
corrupt.
> G.\IQUD'D'a"toahair.
 268 / Enoch
'} from the total disappears on the fifteenth day.'' . \ n d in certain
m o n t h s the moon has twenty nine days in each month, a n d once
111 twenty eight. .And Uriel showed me another law, namely when light
is transferred to the moon, a n d on which side it is transferred from
11 t h e s u n . .Ml the time that the moon is increasing in its light, it
transfers light lo itself opposite the sun until, in fourteen days, its
light is full in h e a v e n ; ' a n d when it is all ablaze, its light is full in
12 h e a v e n . .And on the first day it is called the new moon, for on that
1 i d a y light rises on it. .And its light becomes full exactly on the day the
s u n goes d o w n into the west, a n d it rises from the east at night. And
the moon shines through the whole night until the sun rises oppo-
11 site it, a n d the moon is seen* opposite the sun. .And on the side on
which the li.ght of the moon a p p e a r s , there again it wanes until all
its light d i s a p p e a r s , a n d the days of the moon come to an end, a n d
1.') its disk r e m a i n s e m p t y , without light. And for three months, at its
p r o p e r time, it achieves thirty days, a n d for three m o n t h s ' it
achieves in each month twenty nine days, d u r i n g which it completes
its w a n i n g , in the first period of time a n d in the first gate, in one
Iti h u n d r e d a n d seventy seven days. .And in the time ofits rising for
three m o n t h s it a p p e a r s in each month for thirty days, a n d for three
m o n t h s it a p p e a r s in each month for twenty nine days. By night, for
t w e n t y d a y s each time,* it looks like a m a n , a n d by d a y like heaven,
lor there is nothing else in it except its light.

LXXIX. .And now, my son M e t h u s e l a h , ' I have shown you every-

2 t h i n g , a n d the whole law oP the stars ofhcaven is complete. And he
" G M L ' D ' a (with soinc corruptions and variations) 'and on the fourteenth to a
half a n d a scv enth part of all its light, and on the fifteenth day what remains from the
total disappears": Q D ' 'and on the fourteenth to a half and with a seventh part all
its light decreases, and on the fifteenth day what remains from the total disappears';
'f partially corresponds lo E t h . I I and partially l o G . M U D ' a .
' in h c i v e n : Eth.l om. ' G Q U D ' a . K ' i s equal'.
' .And for three months . . . three months: G.MTD'D'a (with some corruptions
and variations) '.And for three months il achieves . . . days (numeral is missing, and
text corrupt; only P has thirty"), and at its proper time, when it completes its
waning, for three months'; Q U unintelligible, but similar to G.M etc.
" for twenty days each time: D ' om.

' G.MQUD'D'aom.
' U 'all the laws of; G . M Q T D ' a 'the law of all"; D ' the law and all'.
 / Enoch 269
s h o w e d me the whole law for these, for every day, and for every
time, a n d for c\cr\ period q/ rule,' and Ibr every year, and for the
e n d thereof, according to its c o m m a n d for every month and every
3 week; a n d the waning o f t h e moon which occurs in the sixth gate,
for in that sixth gate its light becomes full, and a h e r that it is the
4 begimiing o f t h e month; and" the waning which occurs in the hrst
g a t e , at its proper time, until one h u n d r e d and seventy seven days
a r e complete (reckoned according to weeks: twenty hve weeks and
-y two d a y s ) ; and h o w ' it falls behind the sun, according to the law of
the s t a r s , by exactly five days in one period of time, and when this
li place which you see has been traversed. Such is the appearance
a n d the likeness o P every light which Uriel, the great angel who is
their leader, showed to inc.

LXXX. .And in those days Uriel' answered mc and said to me.

Behold I have shown y o u ' everything, ( ) Knoch, and have revealed
e v e r y t h i n g to you, that you may see this sun, and this moon, and
those w h o lead the stars o f h c a v e n , and all those who turn them,
2 their tasks, a n d their t i m e s ' a n d their rising. But in the days ofthe
s i n n e r s the years will become shorter, and their seed will be late on
their land a n d on their helds, and all things on the earth will
c h a n g e , a n d will not a p p e a r at their proper time. .And the rain will
3 be w i t h h e l d , a n d heaven will retain it.* .And in those times the fruits
o f t h e e a r t h will be late and will not grow at their proper time, and
4 t h e fruits o f t h e trees will be withheld at their proper time. .And the
m o o n will c h a n g e its customary practice, and will not appear at its
.') p r o p e r time. But in those days it will a p p e a r in heaven,' and come
. . . " on t o p ' o f a large chariot in the west, and shine with more than

' and for every- period of rule: D' om.; ( ; M Q T ( l ' ) I ) ' a 'which is for ruling'.
* ihc month; and: so Eth.II, bul possiblv corrupt Ibr'the waning; and'; Eth.l om.
' and how: G . \ I Q U » ' D ' a om; C om. 'how'. ' I.it. 'from'.

' L'riel; Q om.; ( i M T D ' the angel Uriel'; D'a defective.

' C;f L'D' I will show vou'. ' G . M I D ' D ' a a d d ' a n d they turn them'.
' G Q ' f ' U D ' D ' a ' w i l l stand .still'.
' it will appear in heaven: so G'f U D ' D ' a ; all other M.SS 'heaven will appear (or
'will be seen')'.
' Text unintelligible; I have omitted the word 'drought' which all MSS read here
('and drought will come"). ' on top: possible meaning but text obscure.
270 1 Enoch
n o r m a l brightness. .And many heads ol'thc stars in c o m m a n d will
go astray," and these will change their courses and their activities,
a n d will not a p p e a r at the times which have been prescribed for
t h e m . . \ n d the entire law o f t h e stars will be closed to the sinners,
a n d the thoughts of those who dwell upon the e a r t h ' will go astray
over t h e m , and they will turn from all their ways, and will go
a s t r a y , a n d will think them gods. . \ n d many evils will overtake
t h e m , ' " a n d p u n i s h m e n t will come upon them to destroy them all.

LXXXI. .And he said to me, O Enoch, look at the book o f t h e '

tablets of heaven, a n d read what is written upon them, and note
every individual fact. .And I looked at everything in' the tablets of
h e a v e n , a n d 1 read everything which w.as written, and I noted
e v e r y t h i n g . .And I read the book and everything which was written
in it. all the deeds of men, and alP who will be born of flesh on the
e a r t h " for the generations of eternity. .And t h e n ' I immediately
blessed the Lord," the eternal king of glory,' in that he has m a d e all
the works of the world, and 1 praised the Lord because of his
p a t i e n c e , a n d 1 blessed him on account o P the sons o f A d a m . ' And
at that t i m e ' " I said, Blessed is the man who dies righteous
a n d good, concerning w h o m no book of iniquity has been written,
a n d against w h o m no guilt has been found." .And these t h r e e "
" in corntnaiid (lit. 'orcotnmaiid') will go astray: Q ' 'will go astray in regard to
the t o m i n a n d ' ; C t j ' D ' O B ' rorrupt. " CJMQ T ' U D ' n ' a •olthoseon theearth'.
I.it. 'And evil will increase over them'.

' ( ) Knoch . . . the l)ook of the: Kth.I 'Uxik, ( ) Knorh, at these (D' 'the')'.
- everything in: .\IQ'f L ' D ' D ' a om.
' ( ; i ) ' a 'the Iwok, all the deeds of men, and all'; .Mf 'the book of all the deeds of
men. and of all'; D ' that Ixxik. and all the deeds of irien, and all'; U defective.
' who will. . . earth: lit. 'the children of llesh who «i7/Af on theearth'.
' GM'flD'D'aom. • K t h . I ' t h e great Kord'.
' BC;.\ 'the king of glory'; G.M'fUD'D'a 'the king of glory for ever'; Q ' t h e king,
the Kord of glory for ever'.
' blessed him on account of D ' wept on earth because of,
" Some Eth.II M S S ' t h e children of the world'.
G M Q T ' U D ' a 'And after this'; O' '.Xftcr this'.
" Q 'and against whom no guilt will be found'; G'f'L'D'a 'nor will be found on
the day ofjudgement'; M 'nor has been found on the day ofjudgement'; T ' 'and
against whom no guilt has been found on the day ofjudgement'; D'(?) 'and against
tcAom j u d g e m e n t has not been found on that day'. Eth.l'seven'.
 I Enoch 271
holy ones brought mc a n d set me on the earth before the door of my
h o u s e , a n d said to m e . Tell everything to your son Methuselah,
a n d show all your children that no flesh is righteous before the
L o r d , for he created them. For one year wc will leave you with your
c h i l d r e n , " until \ o u have regained your s t r e n g t h . " that you may
t e a c h your children, a n d write these things down for them, and
testify to all your children. .And in the second year they will take
you from a m o n g them. Let your heart be strong, for the good will
p r o c l a i m righteousness to the good, the righteous will rejoice with
the righteous, a n d they will wish each other well. But the sinner
will die with the sinner, a n d the apostate will sink with the
a p o s t a t e . .And those w h o practise righteousness will d i e " because
o f t h e d e e d s of men, a n d will be gathered i n " because ofthe deeds
o f t h e impious. .And in those days they hnished speaking to me, a n d
I went to my family, as 1 blessed the Lord ol'thc a g e s . "

LXXXII. .And now. my son .Methuselah, all these things 1 recount

to you a n d write down for you;' I have revealed everything to y o i r
a n d have given you books about all these things. Keep, my son
.VIethuselah,' the books from the hand ofyour father, that you may
pass them on to the generations'* of eternity. 1 have given wisdom to
you a n d to your children,' a n d to those who will be your children,
t h a t they m a y give ('/ to their children Ibr all the generations for
e v e r ' - this wisdom which is beyond their t h o u g h t s . ' .And those who

" G.Myi LI)"son'.

''• u n t i l . . . s t r e n g t h : .so .\ff l - i t h l l ( p o s s i b l y t o b e translatcci 'until y o u h a v e
g i v e n v o u r last e o n i m a n d s a g a i n ' , b u t in this e a s e ' a g a i n ' is a little s t r a n g e ) ; I ' o n i . ;
(LJU'ira e o r r u p l ; Q ' u n t i l v o u h a v e a g a i n i on.l'c.rleci h i m ' .
" D'D'a-'willnotdie'.'
" a n d . . . i n : D' ' t h e v w i l l b e g a t h e r e d i n ' ; I ) ' a ( ? ) ' b u t t h e v will b e h i d d e n ' .
" ( i M r i i r n ' a ' o r i h e world'.

' lbryou:G.\lI'I)'aom.
• 1 h a v e . . . t o y o u ; s o m e Kth.II MSS o m . ; IV o m . e v e r y t h i n g ' ; I ' o m .
' e v e r v t h i n g t o v o u ' ; D'a 'I w i l l r e v e a l e v e r M h i n g t o v o u ' .
' G.MQD'b'aom. '' G ' e h i l d r e n ' .
' 'f ' a n d t o y o u r s o n ' ; C* c o r r u p t ; M a d d s a s e c o n d ' a n d t o y o u r c h i l d r e n ' .
' C ' 'for e t e r n a l g e n e r a t i o n s " ; Q a n d s o m e Kth.II .MSS 'for t h e g e n e r a t i o n s Ibr
e v e r ' ; GM'fUD'a 'for g e n e r a t i o n s ' ; D' ' a n d for g e n e r a t i o n s ' .
' t h a t t h e y m a y g i v e . . . t h e i r t h o u g h t s ; D'lVa ( w i t h .some c o r r u p t i o n s a n d
 / Enocli

u n d e r s t a n d it wiil not sleep, hut will incline their ears that they
m a y learn this wisdom, a n d it will he better lor those who eat/row //
t t h a n good food. Blessed are all the righteous, blessed arc all those"
w h o walk in the way of righteousness, and d o not sin like the
s i n n e r s in the n u m b e r i n g olall their days in which the sun journeys
in h e a v e n , coming in a n d out through the gates for thirty days with
the h e a d s o \ e r t h o u s a n d s ofthis" order of stars, and with the four
which a r e a d d e d a n d divide'" between the l()ur parts o f t h e year,
,'i which lead them a n d a p p e a r with them on four days. Because of
t h e m m e n g o wrong, a n d they d o n o t " reckon them in the reckon­
ing o f t h e whole course of the w o r l d ; " for men go wrong in respect of
(1 t h e m , a n d d o not know them exactly. For they belong in the
r e c k o n i n g o f t h e y e a r , " a n d are truly recorded therein for ever, one
in t h e hrst gate, a n d one in the third, a n d one in the fourth and one
in the sixth. . \ n d the year is completed in three hundred a n d sixty
7 four d a y s . ' " . \ n d the account ofit is true, and the recorded reckon­
ing ofit is exact, for the lights, a n d the months, and the feasts, a n d
the years, a n d the days L'riel showed mc, and he inspired mc - hc
to w h o m the Lord of the whole created world gave c o m m a n d s
H a b o u t the host o f h c a v e n for me. . \ n d hc has power in heaven over
night a n d d a y to cause light to shine on m e n : the sun. and the
m o o n , a n d the stars, a n d all the powers ofhcaven which rotate in
!i their o r b i t s . . \ n d this is the law of the stars which set in their places.
(I at their times, a n d at their feasts, a n d in their months. . \ n d these
are t h e n a m e s of those w h o lead them, who keep watch that they
a p p e a r " at their times,"' a n d in their orders, and at their proper

variations) 'that they may give this wisdom to their ehildren liir generations, and all
the wise will sing praises, and wisdoni will lie ujxin your thoughts'.
" hlessed are all those: CJV om.: .\I 'hlessc-d are all the righteous'; Q 'blessed then
are all those'; D ' D ' a blessed are those'; V deleetive.
" C n ' D ' D ' a the'; . \ I Q l ' corrupt.
(;.\IlI)'a.\()B"aredivided'
" do not: D ' B tmi.
the whole fours^o/Mr world: V 'the roursco/VA^ world'; 1)' 'the ve;tr"; B 'all men'.
" I'-"the world'; L'the world and the year'.
" Kth.I '.Vnd the year o l t h r e e hundred and sixty lour days is ecmipleted'.
" Kit. ' w h o keep watch and they apix-ar'; 1' 'who apjx'ar'; D ' 'who appear and
the\' set'.
'* CJ.Myi'O'n'a add 'who lead them in their places'; I ' adds 'who lead them'.
 / Enoch 27:5
times, a n d in their months, and in their periods ol'rule, and in their
positions. I'heir lour leaders who divide the four parts of the year
a p p e a r hrst; and after them the twelve leaders o f t h e orders who
divide the m o n t h s and the years into three hundred and sixty four
days, with the h e a d s " over thousands who separate the days; and
lor the lour days whieh are added to them there are the leaders who
s e p a r a t e the four parts of the year. .And as for these heads over
t h o u s a n d s , one is added between the leader and the led'" behind a
position, but their leaders make the separation. .And these are the
n a m e s o f t h e leaders who separate the four appointed parts ofthe
year: .\Iclkiel, Helemmelek, .\leleyal and .Narel. .And the names of
those w h o m they lead are .Adnarel, lyasusael and lylumiel; these
three follow behind the leaders o f t h e orders, and each one follows
behind the three leaders of the orders who Ibllow behind those
leaders of positions who separate the four parts ofthe year. In the
b e g i n n i n g o f t h e y e a r " .\Ielkiel rises hrst and rules, the one who is
called the southern sun;'" and all the days of his period of rule during
which hc rules are ninety one. .And these are the signs o f t h e days
which a r e to be seen on earth in the days ofhis period olVule: sweat,
a n d h e a t , " and calm;" and all the trees bear fruit, and leaves
a p p e a r on all the trees, and the wheat harvest, and rose llowers,
a n d all the flowers b l o o m " in the held, but the trees of w i n t e r " are
w i t h e r e d . .And these are the names o f t h e leaders who are under
t h e m : " Berkcel, Zelebsael, and another one who is added, a head
over a t h o u s a n d n a m e d Heloyaseph. .And the days ofthe period of

" and the years . . . wiili the heads: (J.MQL'D'D'a (with some corruptions and
variations) 'and Ibr the three hundred and sixty rfaVJ there a i e the heads': T'and the
three hundred and sixt\ lour days, with the heads'.
'» between . . . the led: CJ.Ml'D'D'a iM-tween leader and leader'; Q I T ) defec­
tive. The meanini; ofthis verse is rather ol)scure.
ofthe year: G Q f L'DT)'a om.
•° Kth. has ' T a m a ' a y n i and sun' (the word for 'southern' was transliterated, not
translated, and 'and' was introduced bv mistake).
-•' B ' d e a t h ' .
" and calm: so f. but with a small correction; ail other .MS.S 'and sorrow'.
" atid all . . . bloom: GQ'I D ' D ' a 'and all the flowers which come out'; .Ml'
defective.
" D ' a ' o f t h e field'
" So all .MSS except L' (but wc expect'him'); L' om. 'who arc under them'.
271 / Enoch
rule ol' this one a r c complete. T h e second leader alter h i m " is
H e l e m m e l e k w h o m they call the shining sun; and all the days of
his light are ninety one. .And these are the signs of the d a y s " on
e a r t h : heat, and drought; and the trees bring their fruit to ripeness
a n d m a t u r i t y , a n d make their fruit dry;'" and the sheep mate, and
becoine p r e g n a n t ; and men gather all the fruits o f t h e earth, and
e v e r y t h i n g which is in the helds, and the vats of wine. .And these
things occur in the days of his period of rule. .And these are the
n a m e s a n d the orders and the l e a d e r s " . . . of these heads over
t h o u s a n d s : G e d a e y a l , Keel and Heel;'" and the n a m e o f t h e head
over a t h o u s a n d who is a d d e d to them is .Asfael. .And the days ofhis
period of ride are complete.

LXXXIII. .And now, my son .Methuselah, I will show you all the'
visions which I saw. recounting them before you. T w o visions I saw
before I took a wife, and neither one was like the other. For the first
t i m e when I learnt the art ofwriting, and for the second time before
I took your m o t h e r , I saw a terrible vision; and concerning them I
m a d e supplication to the Lord. I had lain down in the house ofmy
g r a n d f a t h e r Malalel, when I saw in a vision how heaven was thrown
d o w n a n d removed, a n d it fell upon the earth. .And when it fell
u p o n the earth, I saw how the earth was swallowed up in a great
abyss, a n d m o u n t a i n s were suspended on mountains, and hills
satik d o w n upon hills, and tall trees were torn up by their roots,'
a n d were thrown down, and sank into the abyss. -And then speech

.So ( ; f U D ' D ' a : other .MSS them'.

the signs of the days: .M'f 'the days of his sign'; G Q U D ' D ' a corrupt or
deleetive.
and maturity . . . dry: (J.MQ TD'D'a (with some corruptions and omissions)
'and prociuce all their fruit ripe and mature'; U defective.
•'' .Ml .MSS except G Q U D ' a add 'who art under them', but the text is awkward,
and I omit wilh G Q . 'Who are under him' would be easier, bul the text is still
confusing. D'a 'and the leaders oflhose who are under these heads'; U defective.
Keel and Heel: G . M Q U D ' a om. and Heel'; D ' 'Hclyael and Kiel'.

' ( i . M Q 'my'. From the beginning of chapter Ixxxiii onwards there are so many
omissions and corruptions in U that it has not been thought worth recording them
except in a few special cases.
* Lit. 'from their rcxjts' or 'from their trunks'.
 / Emicli 27.')
fell into my moutli. anci 1 raised my voice' to cry out and said. Tiic
cartli is destroyed! .And my grandfatlicr Malalel roused me. while I
lay n e a r him. and said to me. Why do you cry out so. my son. and
why d o you moan so? .And I recounted to him the whole \ision
which I had seen, and hc said to me, .A terrible thing you have seen,
my son! \ ' o u r dream-vision concerns'' the secrets ofall the sin ol'thc
e a r t h ; ' it is about to sink into the abyss, and be utterly destroyed.
.And now, my son, rise, and make supplication to the Lord ol'CJlory
- for you are I'aithl'ul - that a remnant may be leh on the earth, and
that hc may not wipe out the whole earth.'' .My son. from heaven all
this will come upon the earth, and upon the earth there will be
great destruction. .And then 1 rose, and prayed, and made suppli­
c a t i o n , ' a n d wrote my prayer down for the generations of eternity,
a n d I will show everything to you. my son Methuselah. .And when
I went out below, and saw heaven, and the sun rising in the east."
a n d the moon setting in the west, and some stars, and the whole
e a r t h , ' a n d everything as lie knew it at the beginning, then I
blessed the Lord ofjudgement, and ascribed majesty to him, for hc
m a k e s the sun come out from the windows o f t h e east so that it
a s c e n d s a n d rises'" on the face ofhcaven, and sets out and goes in
t h e p a t h which has been shown to it.

LXXXIV. .And I raised my hands in righteousness, and 1 blessed

the Holy a n d Cireat O n e . and I spoke with the breath ofmy mouth,
a n d with the tongue of flesh which Ciod has made for men born of
flesh,' that they might speak with it; and he has given them breath,
' C; 'and I rose";'rN 'and I began'.
' "^'our dream-vision coneerns (lie 'is heavy wiili'): I ) ' '.V hard vision you have
d r e a m e d vvilli regard to'; Ci.MQf unintelligihie.
' the seerets . . . earth: C" 'the seerets olall the sin; theearth'; CJ 'the sin olall the
sin; t h e e a r t h ' ; .\1 (corrupt?) 'thesinol'all the sin oi'the earth'; Q D ' 'the sin olall the
earth'.
" and that . . . earth: (J.MQom
' (;.\rriy add and petitioned'.
" C;.\IQ add and the sun',
and the whole earth: T and some Kth.II .\IS.Som.
Kit. 'and it ascends and rises'.

' Kit. 'I()r the children ofthe flesh of men'; soitie Kth.II .M.SS 'for the children of
men'; Q 'for the children of men of flesh'.
 '276 I Enoch
a n d a tongue a n d a m o u t h , that they might speali with them.
L' Blessed are you, O Lord King, and great and powerful in your
majesty. Lord o f t h e whole creation ofhcaven. King of Kings, and
G o d of the whole world! .Xnd your kingly authority, and your
sovereignty a n d your majesty will last for ever, and for ever and
ever, a n d your power for all generations. .Vnd all the heavens are
y o u r throne for ever, and the whole earth your footstool for ever,
:i a n d for e \ e r a n d ever. For you m a d e , and you rule' everything, and
n o t h i n g is tcxj h a r d for you, and no wisdom escapes you; it does not
t u r n a w a y from your t h r o n e , ' nor from your presence. . \ n d you
know anci see and hear everything, and nothing is hidden from
4 you, for you see everything. And now the angels ofyour heaven are
d o i n g wrong, and your anger rests upon the flesh of men until the
.i d a y of the great j u d g e m e n t . . \ n d now, O God and Lord and Great
K i n g , I entreat a n d ask that you will fulfil my prayer to leave mc a
posterity on earth, and not to wipe out all the flesh of men and
ti m a k e the earth e m p t y , so that there is destruction for ever. And
now, my Lord, wipe out from the earth the flesh which has pro­
voked you to anger, but the flesh of righteousness and uprightness
establish as a seed-bearing plant lor ever. .And do not hide your
face from the prayer ofyour servant, O Lord.

LXXXV. .And after this I saw another d r e a m , and 1 will show it all'
2 to you, my son. And Enoch raised his voice^ and said to his son
.Methuselah, T o you I speak, my son. H e a r my words, and incline
;i y o u r ear to the dream-vision of your father. Before I took your
m o t h e r E d n a , I saw in a vision o n ' my bed, and behold a bull came
o u t o f t h e e a r t h , and that bull was white; and after it a heifer came
o u t , a n d with the heifer" came two bullocks,' and one ofthem was

- Sonic Eth.II ,\lSS'fiir.

' So Q : all other .\ISS except U have a corrupt dittograph 'from her life, your
throne'; U defective.

' it all: C; 'the whole dream'.

' Q rose'; T D ' . N C answered' ' CJ.MTD' of.
- Lit. ' a n d with it (fem.)'; M T O ' E F H P ' 'and with it (masc.)'; Q 'with it
(masc.)'.
' two bullocks: so CiNC;'; other .\ISS have an ambiguous phrase perhaps to be
translated 'other bullocks'.
 / Enoch 'in
1 black, a n d t h r other red. .And that black bullock struck the red one,
a n d p u r s u e d it o\ er the earth, a n d from then on 1 could not see that
red bullock. But that black bullock grew, and a hcil'er went with it;
a n d I saw that m a n y bulls came out from it which were like it and
() followed behind it." .And that cow, that hrst one, came from the
p r e s e n c e of that hrst bull, seeking that red bullock, but did not hnd
7 it; a n d t h e r e u p o n it m o a n e d bitterly,' and continued to seek it. .And
I looked until that hrst bull came to it a n d calmed it. and from that
« t i m e it did not cry out. .And a h e r this she bore another white bull,"
'.) a n d after it she bore m a n y black bulls and cows. .And I saw in my
sleep that white bull, how it likewise grew and became a large
w h i t e bull, a n d from it came m a n y white bulls, and they were like
II) it. .And they began to beget m a n y white bulls which were like them,
o n e following another."

LXXXVI. .And again I kxiked with my eyes as I was sleeping, a n d I

saw h e a \ c n above, a n d behold a star fell from h e a \ c n , and it arose
•i a n d a t e a n d p a s t u r e d amongst those bulls. .And after this I saw the
large a n d the black bulls, and behold all of them changed their
p e n s a n d their pastures and their heifers, a n d they began to m o a n , '
:i o n e after a n o t h e r . ' .And again I saw in the vision and looked at
h e a v e n , a n d behold I saw m a n y stars, how they came down and
w e r e t h r o w n down" from heaven to that Hrst star, and amongst
those heifers a n d bulls; they were with them, pasturing" amongst
4 t h e m . .And I looked at them a n d saw, and behold all ofthem let out
their private p a r t s like horses a n d began to mount the cows o f t h e
bulls, a n d they all became pregnant and bore elephants and
.i c a m e l s a n d asses. .And all the bulls were afraid o f t h e m and were
t e r r i h e d before them, a n d they began to bite with their teeth, and

" CJ.Nffl)' Ihem-.

' C;(jl)' 'and il moaned billerlv over it (Ci 'in respeet tilit")'.
" ( J Q O ' tvvo while bulLs'.

' CIMQ'in' 'many Ibllowing, one alter another'.

' C; 'to live'.

' Kth.II 'one with another'.
' O r 'and threw them.sekes down'.
* a n d amotigsl . . . pasturing: O M t ^ D ' 'and amongst those heiters they lieeame
bulls, and with them they pastured': T unintelligible.
 27H / Enoch
Il to clc\-oui-. a n d to gore with tlicir horns. .And so they began to
dc\<)nr those bulls, and behold all the children ofthe earth began
to t r e m b l e and shake before them, and to lice.'

LXXXVII. .And again I saw them, how they began to gore one
a n o t h e r a n d to devour one another, and the earth began to cry out.
2 .And I raised my eyes again to h c a \ c n and saw in the vision, and
behold there came from heaven beings who were like white men;
;i a n d four' c a m e from that place, and three others with t h e m . ' .And
those three who came out last took hold of me by my hand, and
raised me from the generations o f t h e earth, and lifted me onto a
high place, and showed me a tower high above the earth, and all
1 the hills were lower.' .And one" said to me. Remain here until you
h a \ e seen everything which is coming u[)on these' elephants and
c a m e l s a n d asses, and upon the stars, and upon all the bulls.''

LXXXVIII. .And I saw one of those lour w ho had come out hrst, how
he took hold of that hrst star which had fallen from heaven, and
b o u n d it by its h a n d s and its feet, and threw it into an abyss; and
2 that abyss was narrow, and deep, and horrible' and dark. .And one
o f t h e m d r e w h i s ' sword and gave // to those elephants and camels'
a n d asses, and they began to strike one another, and the whole
:i e a r t h shook because o f t h e m . .And as I looked in the vision, behold
o n e of those lour w h o had come out cast from heaven and gathered
a n d took" all the large stars whose private parts were like the private
p a r t s of horses, a n d bound them all by their hands and their feet,
a n d threw them into a chasm ofthe earth.
' G.MD' add 'from ihrni'.

' .So Kill.I: Klh.II •one'. ' .So .M: olher MSS -him'.
' . S o l ' K l h . I I : G.MQ-huilt'l?): I)' -hrmlv fixed'(?).
* Q a i i d many Klh.II .MSS ihey'.
' Kth.I 'those'.
" G.MQ'I'D' and u(X)n the hulls and all ofthem'.

' D ' and enclosed": (J.M r{.') and de.solate'; Q(.') and worm-infested'.
-' Kth.I 'a'. ' and camels: CJ.MQD' om.
' cast . . . and nxik: so T Kth. 11. hut N reads cast a sword from heaven' etc., and
T reads 'and hc cast from heaven' etc. T h e text is awkward, hut the Kth.I variants
(some or all - so D ' - ofthe verbs in the plural) do nol give liclter sense.
 / limch

LXXXIX. And one ol'those lour went to a white bull' and taught
h i m ' a mystery, trembling as he w a s . ' He was born a bull, hut
b e c a m e a m a n . and built for himself a large vessel and dwelt on it,
a n d three bulls dwelt with him in that vessel, and they were
L' covered over." .And I again raised my eyes to heaven and saw a
high roof, with seven water-channels on it, and those channels
3 d i s c h a r g e d much water into an enclosure. .And I looked again, and
behold s p r i n g s ' opened on the floor of that large enclosure, and
w a t e r began to bubble up and to rise above the floor; and I looked
4 at that enclosure until'' its whole floor was covered by water. .And
w a t e r a n d darkness and mist increased on it; and I looked at the
height of that water, and that water had risen above that enclosure
a n d was pouring out over the enclosure, and it remained on the
.') e a r t h . .And all the bulls of that enclosure were gathered together
until I saw how they sank and were swallowed up and destroyed in
(i t h a t water. .And that vessel floated on the water, but all the bulls
a n d elephants and camels and asses sank to the bottom, together
with all the animals, so that I could not see them. .And they were
u n a b l e to get out, but were destroyed and sank into the depths.
7 .And again I looked in the vision until those water-channels were
removed from that high roof, and the chasms of the earth were
8 m a d e level,' and other abysses were opened. .And the water began
to run down into them until the earth became visible, and that
vessel settled on the earth; and the darkness departed, and light
9 a p p e a r e d . .And that white bull who became a man went out from
that vessel, and the three bulls with him. .And one ofthe three bulls
w a s white, like that bull, and one ofthem was red as blixxf, and o n e

' a white hull (or 'that white bull'): so .yrani. 'one of the bulls': other Kth.
.MS.S 'those white bulls'.
= B ' N X C 'them'.
' B ' N X 'trembling as they were'; G Q 'without him trembling'.
' and they were covered over: G M Q om. 'and'; D' (but with a minor mistake)
' a n d this vessel was closed over them'; .Aram, 'and the vessel was closed and covered
[over them]'.
' .Aram, 'chambers'; D ' 'chasms' (cp. verse 7).
' and I looked . . . until: so G ' f ( U ) ; Eth.II 'and made that enclosure invisible
until'; .MQD' corrupt; .Aram, '[and] I looked until'.
' and the chasms . . . le\'el: .Aram.'] the chambers were stopped'.
 281) / Enoch
Id was black;" a n d that white bull passed away from them. .And they
began to beget wild-animals and birds, so that there arose from
t h e m e \ e r y kind of species: lions, tigers, wolves, dogs, hyenas,
wild-boars, foxes, badgers, pigs, falcons, vultures, kites, eagles and
11 r a v e n s . Btit amongst them was born a white bull. .And they began
to bite one another; but that white bull which was born amongst
t h e m begat a wild ass and a white bull with it, and the wild asses'
I'J increased. But that bull which was born from it begat a black
wild-boar a n d a white sheep; and that wild-boar'° begat many
l;i b o a r s , a n d that sheep begat twelve sheep. \nd when those twelve
s h e e p had grown, they handed one o f t h e i r n u m b e r over to the
asses, a n d those asses in turn handed that sheep over to the wolves;
II a n d that shc-ep grew up amongst the wolves. .And the Lord brought
the eleven sheep to dwell with it and to pasture with it amongst the
\:> wolves, a n d they increased a n d became many flocks of sheep. And
the wolves began to make them afraid," and they oppressed them
until they m a d e away with their young, and they threw their young
into a river with much water; but those sheep began to cry out
Ki b e c a u s e oftheir young, and to complain to their Lord. But a sheep
which had been saved from the wolves fled and escaped to the wild
asses. .And I saw the sheep moaning and crying out, and petition­
ing their Lord with all their piower, until that Lord of the sheep
c a m e d o w n at the call of the sheep from a high r o o m , " and came to
17 t h e m , a n d Icxiked at t h e m . " And he called that sheep which had
fled from the wolves, and sfioke to it about the wolves that it should
18 w a r n t h e m that they should not touch the sheep. And the sheep
w e n t to the wolves in accordance with the word o f t h e Lord, and
a n o t h e r sheep met that sheep''' and went with it; and the two of
t h e m t o g e t h e r " entered the assembly of those wolves, and spoke to
t h e m , a n d warned them that from then on they should not touch
W the sheep. .And after this I saw the wolves, how they acted even
m o r e harshly towards the sheep with all their power, and the sheep

" and one icaj black: Kth.I oni. ' .Some Kth.II ,\ISS 'and the wild ass'.
and that wild-boar: .\1C2'I D ' 'and the former' (lit. 'and that one'); G defective.
" .Some Kth. MSS 'to fear them'.
" f D ' B 'from the room ofthe .Most High'.
" O r ' a n d pastured them'. " G M Q D ' ' m e t it'.
" ( ; . \ I Q D ' add 'went and'.
 I Enoch

(Tied out. .And their I.ord came to the .sheep, atid hegaii'" to heat
those woKes; a n d the wolves began to moan, but the sheep became
silent, a n d from then on they did not cry out. . \ n d I looked at the
s h e e p until they escaped from the wolves; but the eyes ofthe woKcs
were blinded, and those woKcs went tiut in pursuit o f t h e sheep
with all their forces. .And the I.ord ofthe sheep went with them as
hc led t h e m , a n d all his sheep followed him; and his face ifai
glorious, a n d his a p p e a r a n c e terrible and magiiiliceiit." But the
woKes began to pursue those sheep until they met them by a
stretch of water. .And that stretch of water was divided, and the
w a t e r stood on one side and on the other before them; and their
I.ord, as hc led them, stood between them and the wolves. .And
while those wolves had not yet seen the sheep, they went'" into the
m i d d l e of that stretch of water; but the wolves pursued the sheep,
a n d those woKcs ran a h e r them into that stretch of water. But
w h e n they saw the I.ord o f t h e sheep, they turned to llee before
him; but that stretch of water howed ttjgethcr again and suddenly
r e s u m e d its natural form, a n d the water swelled up and rose until it
covered those wolves. .And I Itxiked until all the wolves which had
p u r s u e d those sheep were destroyed and drowned. But the sheep
escaped from that water and went to a desert where there was
n e i t h e r water nor grass; a n d they began to open their eyes and to
see; a n d I saw the Lord tif the sheep pasturing them and giving
t h e m water a n d grass, and that sheep going and leading them. .And
t h a t sheep went u p to the summit o f a high rock, and the Lord of
the s h e e p sent it to them. .And after this I saw the Lord ofthe sheep
s t a n d i n g before them, a n d his a p p e a r a n c e was terrible and ma­
j e s t i c , ' " a n d all those sheep saw him and were afraid of him. .And all
of t h e m were afraid a n d trembled before him; and they cried out
after that sheep with t h c m ' ° which was in their m i d s t , " We cannot
" ( j y f I ) ' 'and they liegan"; .\I rorrupt.
' • and his a p p e a r a n r e . . . maKiiifirenl; G.\f f I)' 'and niagnifirent and terrible to
see'; 'and terrible to see'.
'" n ' (in part rorruptly) 'had nol yet seen him. the sheep went'.
'" terrible and majestic: so Kth.II; Kth.I 'great and lerribleand majestic'; .\ram.
'strong and great and['.
'° with I h e m ; so CI; M Q 'with them to the other sheep'; H' 'which led them and
the other sheep'; I" Kth.II 'which was with him lo the other sheep'.
D ' adds and said'.
 L'»2 / Enoch
M Stand before our Lord, nor look at him. And that sheep which led
t h e m again went up to the summit of that rock; ancj the sheep
b e g a n to be blinded and to go astray from the path which it had
:i;> s h o w n to them, but that sheep did not know. . \ n d the Lord ofthe
s h e e p was extremely angry with them, and that sheep knew, and
went d o w n from the summit o f t h e rock, and came to the sheep,
a n d found the majority o f t h e m with their eyes blinded and going
:i I a s t r a y from his p a t h . " . \ n d when they saw it, they were afraid anci
t r e m b l e d before it, and wished that they could return to their
.!.') enclosure. .Xnd that sheep took some other sheep with it, and went
to those sheep which had gone astray, and then began to kill
t h e m ; - ' a n d the sheep were afraid o f i t . .Vnd that sheep brought
back those sheep which had gone astray, and they returned to their
:i() enclosures. .Vnd I looked there at the v i s i o n " until that sheep
b e c a m e a m a n , and built a house for the Lord o f t h e sheep, and
:i7 m a d e all the sheep stand in that house. .Vnd I looked until that
s h e e p which had met that sheep which led the s h e e p " fell asleep;
a n d I looked until all the large sheep were destroyed and small
ones rose up in their place, and they came to a pasture, and drew
:iK n e a r to a river of water. .Vnd that sheep which led them, which had
b e c o m e a inan, separated from them and fell asleep; and all the
;i<( s h e e p sought it and cried out very bitterly over it. .Vnd 1 looked
until they left off crying for that sheep and crossed that river of
w a t e r ; a n d there arose all the sheep which led them in place of
to those which had fallen asleep, and they led them. .Vnd I looked
until the sheep c a m e to a good place and a pleasant and glorious
land, a n d I looked until those sheep were satished; and that house
•i: ivas in the middle o f t h e m in the pleasant land. And sometimes
their eyes were opened, and sometimes blinded, until another
s h e e p rose u p and led them, and brought them all b a c k , " and their
42 eyes were opened. .Vnd the dogs and the foxes and the wild-boars
began to d e v o u r those s h e e p " until the Lord ofthe sheep raised up
from his path: G M Q f D ' om.
-•' and then . . . kill them: G.MQO' killing them'.
there at the \'isioti: CiNf f U' 'in this vision'; Q 'in that vision'.
" ( ; . \ l Q D " w h i e h led them'.
••' O ' and they all eame hack'.
^' Cik.^ ' . \ n d the dogs began to devour the sheep, and the wild-boars and the
Ibxes devoured them'.
 / Enoch 283
4:i a r a i i r " Irom a m o n g t h e m " whieh led them. And that ram began to
b u t t those dogs a n d foxes and wild-boars, on one side and on the
44 o t h e r , until it had destroyed them all.'" .Vnd the eyes of that sheep
were o p e n e d , a n d it saw that r a m " in the middle ofthe sheep, how
it r e n o u n c e d its g l o r y " and began to butt those sheep, and how it
4:j t r a m p l e d on them and behaved u n b e c o m i n g l y . " .And the Lord of
the s h e e p sent the sheep to another s h e e p " and raised it up to be a
r a m , a n d to lead the s h e e p " in place of that sheep'" which had
4() r e n o u n c e d its g l o r y . " .And it went to it. and spol<c with it'" alone,
a n d raised up that rain, and m a d e it the prince and leader o f t h e
47 s h e e p ; " a n d d u r i n g all this those"" dogs oppressed the sheep. .And
the hrst r a m pursued that"' second ram, and that second ram rose
a n d fled"' before it. .And 1 looked until those dogs made the first
48 r a m fall."' .And that second ram rose up and led the small"" sheep,
a n d that r a m begat m a n y sheep and fell asleep; and a small sheep
b e c a m e r a m in place of it, and became the prince and leader of
49 those sheep."' .And those"' sheep grew and increased; but all the"'
•" iiiilil ihi- I.ord . . . a ram: so C (Jk.' and similarly .N; all olhcr Klh. .M.SS

Cik.' 'from llu' sheep" and om. "whieh led them".

'" (»k.^ "to hint and to pursue with its horns, and to hurl itselfagainst the liixes,
and after them against the wild-lxjars; and it destroyed many wild-ljoars, and alter
them (it injure|d the dogs".
" (;k.* ".\nd the sheep (plur.) whose eyes were opened ItKiked at the ram".
" how . . . its glory: Gk.' "until it left its way".
" and began . . . unbccoiriingly: Gk.' "and began to walk oil'the way".
''' the sheep to another sheep: Gk.' this lamb to another lamb".
" and raised . . . the sheep: CJk.' "to apfxiint it as the ram in command ofthe
sheep".
D "that ram" (lit. "that male sheep").
" Gk.' 'in place ofthe ram which had left its way". In notes ;i'2.3:i, and :i7asmall
fragment of . \ r a m . appears to support the originality of (Jk.' 'way".
" Gk.' adds "secretly".
" and raised up . . . the sheep: Gk.' "and raised it up to Ix- the ram and leader and
prince ofthe sheep"; G.MQD' corrupt.
"» G M Q f D ' Gk.' "the".
•" G k . " t h e " .
and that second . . . fled: (Jk.' "and it fled".
-" Gk.' ' f hen I looked at the first ram until it fell b<-fore the dogs".
•" small; Gk.' om.
and that ram . . . those sheep; Gk.' om.
" .So some Kth.II .MSS Gk.': other Kth. MSS "those".
 •2H t / Enocli
dogs a n d foxes and wild-boars'" were afraid and fled from it,"" and
t h a t rani butted and killed all the animals, and those animals did
not again [jrevail amongst the sheep and did not seize anything
jo further from t h e m . .And that house became large and broad, atid
hir those sheep a high tower was built on that house'"' for the I.ord
o f t h e sheep; and that house was low. but the tower was raised up
a n d high; a n d the Lord o f t h e slieej) stood on that tower, and they
.il s p r e a d a full table before him. .And I saw those sheep again, how'"
they went astray, and walked in many ways, and left that house of
theirs; a n d the Lord ofthe sheep called some ofthe sheep and sent
:>•> t h e m to the sheep, but the sheep began to kill them. But one of
t h e m was s a \ e d and was not killed, and it sprang away and cried
out against the sheep, and they wished to kill it; but the Lord o l t h e
s h e e p saved it from the hands of" the sheep, and brought it up to
.j:i m e , a n d m a d e it remain there. .And he sent many other sheep to
.it those sheep to testify to them and to lament over them. .And after this
I saw how when they left the house ofthe Lord ofthe s h e e p " and
his tower, they went astray in everything, and their eyes were
blinded; a n d I saw how the Lord of the sheep wrought much
s l a u g h t e r a m o n g them in their pastures until those sheep them.selve.s
.i.i invited that slaughter and betrayed his place. .And he gave them
into the h a n d s o f t h e lions and the tigers and the wolves and the
h y e n a s , a n d into the h a n d s ofthe foxes, and to all the animals; and
.')(> those wild a n i m a l s began to tear those sheep in pieces. .And I saw
how hc left that house of theirs and their tower and g a \ e them all
into the h a n d s o f t h e lions, that they might tear them in pieces and
:u d e v o u r t h e m , into the hands ofall the animals. .And I began to cry
o u t with all my power, and to call the Lord ofthe s h e e p , " and to
r e p r e s e n t to him with regard to the sheep that they were being
.is d e v o u r e d by all the wild animals. But he remained still, although
he saw it, a n d rejoiced that they were devoured and swallowed up
'" and w i l d - l K i a r s : (ik.' nm.
were afraid . . . from it: (ik.' 'fled from it a n d feared it' ((Jk.' ends here).
" and for . . . htmse: .so many Klh.II M.S.S; all olher .M.SS (e.veepi (;(2l') have two
versions o f t h i s . Later this double reading was shorieiied, in Kth.II probably
deliberately, in ( i Q L probably by arcident.
'° (i.Mf most Kth.II .M.SS add a g a i n '
" the h a n d s of: ( i M I V o m .
" o f t h e sheep: G.MQXn' o m . " ( i M Q I ) ' ' o f t h e lions'.
 / Enoch 285
a n d carried oil', a n d hc gave them into the hands ofall the animals
,W for Ibod. . \ n d he called seventy''' shepherds and cast olf those
s h e e p " that they might pasture them; and he said to the shepherds
a n d to their c o m p a n i o n s . Each one of you from now on is to pasture
(io the sheep, and d o whatever I c o m m a n d you. .And 1 will hand them
over to you duly n u m b e r e d and will tell you which ofthem are to be
destroyed, a n d destroy them. .And he handed those sheep over to
(il t h e m . .And he called another and said to him. Observe and see
e v e r y t h i n g that the shepherds do against these sheep, for they will
destroy from a m o n g them more than I have commanded them.
(i2 .And write down all the excess and destruction which is wrought by
the s h e p h e r d s , how many they destroy at my command, and how
m a n y they destroy oftheir own volition; write down against each
(i:i s h e p h e r d individually all that he destroys. .And read out before me
exactly how m a n y they destroy of their own volition," and how
m a n y a r e h a n d e d over to them for d e s t r u c t i o n , " that this may be a
testimony for me against them, that 1 may know all the deeds ofthe
s h e p h e r d s , in order to h a n d them over for destruction, and may see
w h a t they do, whether they abide b y " my command which 1 have
(")4 c o m m a n d e d them, or not. But they must not know this, and you
m u s t not show this to them, nor reprove them, but only write down
a g a i n s t each individual in his time all that the shepherds destroy
(i.i a n d bring it all up to mc. .And 1 looked until those shepherds
p a s t u r e d at their time, and they began to kill and to destroy more
t h a n they were c o m m a n d e d , and they gave those sheep into the
fifi h a n d s of the lions. .And the lions and the tigers devoured and
swallowed up the majority of those sheep, and the wild-boars
d e v o u r e d with them; and they burnt down that tower and de­
li? molished that house. .And 1 was extremely sad about the tower,
because that house of the sheep had been demolished; and after
t h a t I was unable to see whether those sheep went into that house.
(iH A n d the s h e p h e r d s and their companions handed those sheep over
to all the animals that they might devour them; each one ofthem at
his time received an exact n u m b e r , and of each one of them after
C;.\1Q'seven'. " G Q D ' a d d ' t o ihem'.
of their own volition: G.MQTD' and many Eth.II M S S o m .
O r 'and how many they hand over for destruction'.
D ' 'act according to'.
 28li / Enoch
the o t h e r there was written in a booii how many of them he
1)9 ciestroycd'" . . . And each one liillcd and destroyed more than was
prescribed, a n d I began to weep and to moan very much"" because
711 ol' those sheep. .Vnd likewise in t h e " vision I saw that one who
wrote, how every day he wrote down each one which was destroyed
by those shepherds, and how he brought up and presented and
s h o w e d the whole book to the Lord o f t h e sheep, everything that
they had d o n e , a n d all that each one ofthem had m a d e away with,
71 a n d all that they had handed over to destruction. . \ n d the book was
read out before the Lord of the sheep, and he took the book i n " his
Ti h a n d , a n d read it. a n d sealed it, and put it down. -And after this I
saw how the s h e p h e r d s pastured for twelve hours, and behold,
t h r e e of those sheep returned and arrived and came and began to
build u p all that had fallen down from that house; but the wild-
7:i b o a r s hindered them so that they could not. .And they began again
to build, as before, and they raised up that tower, and it was called
the high tower; and they began again to place a table before the
71 tower, but all the bread on it was unclean and was not pure. And
besides all this the eyes of these sheep were blinded so that they
could not sec, and their shepherds likewise; and they handed yet
m o r e of them o \ e r to their shepherds for destruction, and they
7.') t r a m p l e d upoti the sheep with their feet and devoured them. But
the Lord of the sheep remained still until all the sheep were
s c a t t e r e d a b r o a d and had mixed %vith them,"' and they did not save
7ii t h e m from the h a n d o f t h e animals. .And that o n e " who wrote the
book b r o u g h t it up, and showed it, and read it our. in the dwelling of
the L o r d " o f t h e sheep; and he entreated him on behalf of them,
a n d petitioned him as he showed him all the deeds of t h e i r "

" and 0/ each . . . lie dcsiniyt-d: so Ktli.il. although the text is a little awkward
and perhaps should he emended to read 'and o/earli oneol'them the other (cp. verse
(>l) wrote in a IxKik . . . ' ; Kth.I .M.S.Soffer litle.sense. .\11 M.SS (except L') repeatsome
words at the end oi'the verse bv mistake.
~' verv much: CJ.MQTD' om. " D ' 'my'.
" G M T D ' ' f r o m ' ; Q corrupt. " i.e., apparcntlv, with the animals.
" CJ.MQf'this one'; l ) " t l i e one'.
" and read . . . the Kord: so .MQ'P{?) Kth.II; G 'and read iV out before the Kord';
f 'and read out the great things to the Ixird'; D ' 'and read out the great things of
the Kord'.
""' G . M Q D " t l i e ' .
 ; Enoch 287
s h e p h e r d s , and testified l)el<)re him against all the shepherds. .\nd
hc took the hook, and put it down by him,'''' and went out.

XC. .And I looked until the time that thirty-seven' shepherds had
p a s t u r e d the sheep in the same way. a n d . each individually, they all
c o m p l e t e d their time like the hrst ones; and others received them
into their h a n d s to pasture them at their time, each shepherd at his
o w n time. .And after this I saw in the vision' all the birds ofhcaven
c o m i n g : the eagles, and the vultures, and the kites, and the ravens;
but the eagles led all the birds; and they began to devour those
s h e e p , a n d to peck out their eyes, and to devour their flesh. .And the
s h e e p cried out because their flesh was devoured by the birds, and
I cried o u t ' and lamented in my sleep on account of that shepherd
w h o p a s t u r e d the sheep. .And I looked until those sheep were
d e v o u r e d by the dogs and Ijy the eagles and by the kites, and they
left on them neither flesh nor skin nor sinew until only their bones
r e m a i n e d ; and their bones fell upon the ground, and the sheep
b e c a i n e few. .And 1 looked until the time that twenty three
shepherds'* had pastured the sheep; and they completed, each in his
t i m e , fifty eight times. .And small l a m b s ' were born from those
w h i t e sheep, a n d they began to open their eyes, and to see, and to
cry to the sheep. But the sheep did not cry to them a n d ' did not
listen to w h a t they said to t h e m , ' but were extremely deaf and
their eyes were extremely and excessively blinded." .And 1 saw in
the vision how the ravens flew upon those lambs, and took one of
those l a m b s , and dashed the sheep in pieces and devoured them.
A n d I looked until horns came up on those lambs, but the ravens
"' W adds 'in iht- same way'.

' .So all .\ISS i-xa-pt .\I ( Q D ' rorniptly). bul a inisiak.- liir 'itiiriv-livc': .M om,
' G Q ' f 'in mv vision';D' 'wilh mv eves'.
• G Q 'and I l.xjked'; M 'and I saw'.
' GMQD'om.
' G . M Q T D ' '.And Ix-liold. lambs'.
* D'l.'N '.And the sheep ericd to them, but they'; G O B ' Bul they did not rry lo
them a n d ' ; .\I 'But they oppressed them and'; Q '.And they cried to them, but ihey';
T 'But thev did not hear them and'.
' what thev said lo litem; CJMQ TD'N their words'.
" and excessively blinded; so T Eth.II; G M Q 'blinded and heavy'(?). but the text
is of uncertain meaning; D ' corrupt.
 2«8 / Bwc/i
cast their horns down;'' and I ioolced until a big horn grew on'° one
II) ol'those sheep, and their eyes were o p e n e d . ' ' .And it looked at them,
a n d their eyes were opened, and i t " eried to the sheep, and the
11 r a m s saw it, a n d they all ran to it. .And besides all this those eagles
a n d vultures a n d ravens and kites were still continually tearing the
s h e e p in pieces and Hying upon them and devouring them; and
I'.' the s h e e p were silent, but the rams lamented and cried out. .And
those ravens battled and fought with it, and wished to make away
l:i with its h o r n , but they did not prevail against it. .And I looked at
t h e m until the s h e p h e r d s and the eagles and those vultures and
kites c a m e a n d cried to the ravens that they should dash the horn of
that r a m in pieces; and they fought and battled with it, and it
It fought with them and cried out that its help might eome t o it. ".And
I looked until that man who wrote down the names of the
s h e p h e r d s a n d brought them u p before the Lord ofthe sheep came,
a n d he helped that ram and showed it everything, namely lhal its
I,') h e l p was c o m i n g d t m n . " .And I ltx)ked until t h a t " Lord o f t h e
s h e e p c a m e to them in anger, and all those who saw him lied, and
Ki they all fell into t h e " shadow before him. .All the eagles and
v u l t u r e s a n d ravens and kites gathered together and brought with
t h e m all the wild s h e e p , " and they all came together and helped
17 o n e a n o t h e r in o r d e r to dash that horn o f t h e ram in pieces. .And I
looked at that m a n who wrote the book at the c o m m a n d ol'thc Lord
until he o p e n e d that book ofthe destruction which those twelve last
s h e p h e r d s had wrought, a n d he showed before the Lord of the
s h e e p that they had destroyed even more than Ihose before them.
18 A n d I looked until the Lord o f t h e sheep came to them and took in
his h a n d the staff of his anger and struck the earth; and the earth

" ly 'broke their horns'.

So GC: all olher .MSSom ('one oflhose sheep' will then IK- in apposition to 'a
big horn').
" G M ' f add 'and their eves saw'.
" GQ'f'they'. " to it: G . M Q F D ' . m i .
" G 'and he helped il, and savetl it. and showed it every thing; he had eome down
for the help of that ram'.
" G ' f O ' 'the'; .M rorrupt.
" .So (J.MD': olher .MSS'his'.
" Some Kth.II .MSS 'and brought with ihem all the wild ;>s.ses'; G Q O ' ( Q D ' in
part eorruplly) 'and all the w ild sheep rame with them'.
 / Enoch 289

w a s split, and all the animals a n d ' " the birds ol'heaven fell from
those sheep a n d sank in the earth, and it closed over them. .And I
looked tintil a big sword was given to the sheep, and the sheep went
out against all t h e " wild animals to kill them, and all the animals
a n d the birds of heaven fled belbre them. .And I looked until a
t h r o n e was set up in the pleasant land, and the Lord oi'the sheep
sat on it; and they tiMik all the sealed btxiks and opened'" those
books before the Lord of the sheep. .And the Lord called those
m e n . " the seven lirst white ones, and commanded Ihem to bring
before him the hrst s t a r " which went before those stars whose
p r i v a t e parts ivere like the private parts of h o r s e s " . . . and they
b r o u g h t t h e m all before h i m . " .And he said to that man who wrote
before him, who was one of the seven white o n e s " — he said to
h i m , ' " Take those seventy shepherds to whom I handed over the
s h e e p , a n d who, on their own authority, took and killed more than
I c o m m a n d e d them. .And behold 1 saw thcni all bound, and they
all stood before him. .And t h c j u d g e m e n t was held hrst on the stars,
a n d they were j u d g e d and found guilty; and they went to the place
of d a m n a t i o n , and were thrown into a deep place, full of hre,
b u r n i n g and full of pillars of hre. .And those seventy shepherds
were j u d g e d and found guilty, and they also were thrown into that
a b y s s of hre. .And I saw at that time how a similar abyss was
o p e n e d in the middle o f t h e earth which was full of hre, and they
b r o u g h t those blind sheep, and they were all judged and found
guilty a n d thrown into t h a t " abyss of hre, and they burned; and
t h a t ' " abvss was on the s o u t h " of that house. .And I saw those

(;.\I(jfI)'.icki'alf.
all iho: I X -llie': some Klh.II .M.S.S -ihcsc'.
Kxik . . . openccl: the verbs ar<- in the singular (TI)' have the second one in the
plural), bill I take them to be u.sed impersonallv.
•' Klh.II om.
•' the lirsi star: so (JK; all other .M.SS "lieginning with the first star' (lit. "Irom the
first star'), and the text has commonly Ix-en emended to read 'beginning with the
first star which led the way, all the stars whose . . .'.
.Ml .M.SS add a dittograph and the first star whiih fell ((; 'went out') first'.
••' and they brought . . . Ix-lbrc him: C 'they brought it Ix-fbre him'.
. M t j I ' D ' 'one of tliose seven white ones'; Ci 'from those white ones'.
C ; Q D ' H C ) X B ' totlu-m'. " CJ-this'.
Some Kth. MSS 'this'; .M corrupt. " I.it. 'right'.
 •-><.)() / Enocli
•in s h e e p ljurniiig. and their l)ones were l)urning. And I stocxl up to
loot; until he folded u p ' " that old house, and they removed all the
pillars, a n d all the beams and ornaments of that house were folded
up with it; and they removed it and put it in a place in the south'" of
•_".» the land. . \ n d I looked until the Lord o f t h e sheep brought a new
house, larger a n d higher than t h a t " hrst one. and hesct it u p o n the
site o f t h e hrst one which had been folded up; and all its pillars were
n e w , " a n d its o r n a m e n t s were new and larger thati those oJ the hrst
one, the old one which hc had removed. .And the Lord ofthe sheep
M) was in the middle o f i t . " .And I saw all the sheep which were leh,
a n d all the animals on the earth and all the birds of hea\ en falling
d o w n a n d worshipping those sheep, and entreating them and
:il o b e y i n g t h e m ' " in e\ery c o m m a n d . .And after this those three who
were dressed in white and had taken hold of me by my hand, the
ones w h o had brought mc up at hrst - they, with the hand of that
r a m also holding me, took me up and put mc down in the middle of
M those sheep before the judgement was held. .And those sheep were
all white, a n d their wool thick and pure. .And all those which had
been destroyed and scattered and all the wild animals and all the
birds of heaven gathered together in that house, and the Lord of
the sheep rejoiced very much because they were all good and had
it r e t u r n e d to his house. .And I looked until they had laid down that
sword which had been given to the sheep, and they brought it back
into h i s " house, and it was sealed before the Lord; and all the
s h e e p were enclosed in'" that house, but it did not hold them. .And
the eyes ofall o f t h e m were opened, and they saw well, and there
was not one a m o n g them that did not see. .And I saw that that
:i7 h o u s e was large and broad and exceptionally full. .And I saw how a
w h i t e bull was born, and its horns were big, and all the wild animals
a n d all the birds of heaven were afraid of it and entreated it
38 continually. .And I looked until all their species were transformed,
a n d they all became white bulls; and the hrst one among them
Ibldcd up: so ^'F'(^'); D ' 'changed'; M corrupi; olher .M.S.S 'suhnu-rged'.
" .MQ'I'D'ihe'.
" f D ' B ' N . X add and iis Inams uere new'
" So .M and some Klh.II .MSS (.Mom. ' . \ n d ' ) : all olher .MSS'.\nd all ihe sheep
w e r e w i l h i n i r (G o m . ' . \ n d ' ) .
" and obeying them: CJt,) om.
" C; I h e ' . " G 'invited into'.
 1 Enoch 291
w a s " a wild-ox,'" and that wild-ox w a s " a large animal and had hig
black horns on its head. . \ n d the Lord o f t h e sheep rejoiced over
39 t h e m a n d over all the bulls. .And 1 was asleep in the middle ofthem;
10 a n d I woke up a n d saw everything. And this is the vision which 1
s a w while 1 was asleep, and I woke up and blessed the Lord of
41 righteousness and ascribed .glory to him. But after this 1 wept
bitterlv, a n d my tears did not stop until I could not endure it: when
1 looked, they ran d o w n " on account of that which I saw, liir
e v e r y t h i n g will come to pass and be fulhlled; and all the deeds of
VI m e n in their order were shown to me. T h a t night I remembered
my"" hrst d r e a m , and because of it 1 wept and was disturbed,
because I had seen that \ ision.

XCI. .And now, my son .Methuselah, call to mc all your brothers

a n d g a t h e r to mc all the children ofyour mother,' for a voice calls
mc, a n d a spirit has been poured out over me, that 1 may show to
you everything that will come upon you for ever. .And aher this
.Methuselah went and called all his brothers' to him and gathered
3 his relations. .And hc spoke about righteousness to all his sons' and
said. H e a r , iny children, all" the words o f y o u r father and listen
properly to the voice o P my mouth, lor 1 will testify to you and
4 s p e a k to you, my beloved.'' Love uprightness and walk in it. .And do
not d r a w near to uprightness with a double heart, and do not
associate with those o f a double h e a r t , ' but walk in righteousness,
my children," and it will lead you in good paths, and righteousness
" Or-beiam.-'.
'" All Kth. .\ISS have 'word' {nagmy. in all pri.liahiliiy ihi.s derives uliimately
Irom a Iraiislileratioii o t l h e .Arainaie word liu •vvild-os'.
when I . . . ran down: (i 'when 1 Icxiked. lor lliese ran down'; M lorrupi;
Q f ' D ' 'but Ihey ran down'. " f ; V I Q I D ' 'the'.

' (; ' e a l l t o n i e a l l the children olvour mother and gather tome all vour brothers'.
- G . M T D ' a d d ' a n d called'.
' about righteousness . . . his sons: G Q D ' V B ' 'to all the sons olrighteousiu-ss'; M
corrupt; 'f 'about his righteousness to all his sons'.
•* G Q K ' 'vou children ol'Knoch. all'; M D ' 'all vou children of Knoch'.
' the voice of: .MQ I ' D ' o m . - ( J . M Q ' I D ' ' O Inloved'.
' and do not associate . . . double heart: GL' om.; D ' 'and do not a.ssm iaie with
those who walk with a double heart'.
" in . . . children: G 'in uprightness and in righteousness'.
 292 / Enoch
j will be your compaiiioii. I'\)r I know that tht- state of wrongdoing
will c o n t i n u e on the earth, and a great punishment will be carried
out on the earth, and an end will be m a d e ofall iniquity, and it will
I) be cut oil at its roots, and its whole edifice will pass awav, .And
iniquity will again be complete on the earth, and all the deeds of
iniquity a n d the deeds" of wrong and of wickedness will prevail'"
7 for a second t i m e . " . \ n d when iniquity and s i n " and blasphemy
a n d w r o n g a n d all kinds oi'eiildeeds" increase, and when apostasy
a n d wickedness a n d uncleaimess increase, a great punishment'''
will come from heaven u[X)n all these, and the holy Lord will
ii c o m e " in anger and in wrath to execute judgement on the earth. In
those d a y s wrong-doing will be cut olf at its roots, and the roots oP"
iniquity together with deceit will be d e s t r o y e d " from under
9 h e a v e n . And all the idols ofthe nations will be given up; their towers
will be b u r n t in fire, and they will remove them from the whole
e a r t h ; a n d they will be thrown down into t h c j u d g e m e n t offire and
will be destroyed in anger and in the severe judgement which is lor
II) ever. .And the righteous will rise from'" sleep, and wisdom will rise
11 a n d will be given to them. .And a h e r this the nxits of iniquity will be
cut olf, a n d the sinners will be destroyed by the sword; from the
b l a s p h e m e r s they will be cut olf in every place, and those who plan
w r o n g d o i n g and those who commit blasphemy will be destroyed
12 by the s w o r d . ' " .And after this there will be another week, the
eighth, that of righteousness, and a .sword will be given to it that

' ific dt'ccis; M o n i .

and all ihc deeds . . . will prevail: Q'l" 'and il will contain all ihe deeds oi"
illi(}uily and of wrong and of wickedness', and similarly IV; Ct corrupi.
" O r ' t o a double extent'.
" ( J . M Q I D ' sin and iniquity'.
" ( ; . \ r r 'in all kinds of deeds"; I)' corrupt.
" . \ n d when . . . increase, and when apostasy . . . increase, a great punishment:
.Mf ".\nd after this . . . will increase, and apostasy . . . will increase, and a great
punishment".
" (; adds 'upon earth".
" the nxilsof: ( i Q o m . ( Q a l s o o n i . 'and').
" will Ix- destroyed: so some Kth.I I M.S.S; CIQ om.; olher M.SS and ihey will Ix-
destroved".
(;.MQ1)'X add "their".
For verse 11 .\ram. has 'And they will upriKit the Ibundationsol wrongdoing
and the works of deceit in it in order to carry out [the judgement)".
 / Enoch 293
the righteous judgcincut may l)c e x e c u t e d ' " on those who d o
w r t ) n g . a n d t h e s i n n e r s w i l l be h a n d e d over into the h a n d s o f t h e
r i g h t e o u s . " .And at its end they will a c q u i r e houses because oftheir
r i g h t e o u s n e s s . " a n d a house will be built Ibr the great king in glory
for ever. .And a h c r this in the n i n t h week the righteous j u d g e m e n t
will be revealed to the whole w o r l d , " a n d all the deeds of the
i m p i o u s will v a n i s h from the whole e a r t h ; a n d the world will be
w r i t t e n d o w n for d e s t r u c t i o n , " a n d all men will look to the p a t h of
u p r i g h t n e s s . " .And after this in the t e n t h week, in the seventh p a r t ,
t h e r e will b e t h e e t e r n a l j u d g e m e n t which will be executed on the
W a t c h e r s , a n d the great e t e r n a l heaven which will s p r i n g from the
m i d s t of t h e a n g e l s . " .And the hrst heaven will vanish a n d pass
a w a y , a n d a new heaven will a p p e a r , a n d all the powers o f h c a v e n
will s h i n e for e v e r " wilh seventiild light. .And after this there will be
m a n y weeks w i t h o u t n u m b e r for ever'" in g(XKlness a n d in right­
e o u s n e s s , a n d from then on sin will n e \ e r again be m e n t i o n e d . .And
n o w I tell you, my c h i l d r e n , a n d show you the p a t h s of righteous­
n e s s a n d t h e p a t h s of w r o n g d o i n g ; a n d I will show y o u " again that

*" tt) it . . . hv t ' x r n n e d : so ( I D ; Vi' 'to it tliat the juclgrniriit I7ia\ bt' t'xriutcd it)
righteousness'; all olher Kth. MSS 'to it that judgement and rightetmsness may l>e
practised'; . \ r a m . 'to all the righteous to execute a righteous judgement'.
on those . . . the righteous; .Aram, 'on all the siniu'rs. and they will IM* given into
their h a n d s ' .
" houses . . . righteousness: .Aram, 'riches in righteousness".
*' .Aram, to all the children o l t h e whole earth".
•'' a n d the world . . . I'or destruction: so .M Kth.II; ( i Q corrupt; I D ' "and he will
write them down liir destruction for e\er' (or (X'rhaps 'he will write the world down
for destruction"); .Aram, 'and they will cast into the pitf.
.Aram, 'the path of eternal righteousness'.
•'' there will IM* . . . the angels; so most Kth.II .MSS; I D ' J 'there will IM* the eternal
j u d g e m e i u which will be executed on the Watchers ofthe eternal hea\en, the great
judgement which will spring from all {} 'the midst of) the angels"; (»'there will Ix* the
great eternal judgement which will spring from the midst oflhe angels"; M 'there
will be the great eternal judgement in which he will take \engeance among the
angels', a n d similarly the corrupi Q . ".Spring" is a simple corruption of 'lake
\'cngeance'; 'f D ' Kth.II appear to derive from a combination of alternative versions
o f l h e text represented by M.
" for ever: (J.AHK om., bul something equivalent is present in .Aram.
" G D ' '.And after this there uill he main weeks w ithoul number Ibr ever, and thev
will all be ( D " a n d i l will IM*')'.
•" G Q ' f D ' 'and I have shown you'.
 294 / Enoch
1') you m a y know what is to come. And now listen,'" my children,
a n d " walk in the paths of righteousness, and do not walk in the
p a t h s o f w r o n g d o i n g ; for all those who walk in the path of iniquity
will be destroyed for e\cr.

XCII. W r i t t e n by Enoch the scribe - this complete wisdom

t e a c h i n g , ' praised by all men and a j u d g e o f t h e whole earth - for
all my sons who dwell upon the earth and for the last generations
•_' w h o will practise uprightness and peace. Let not your spirit be
s a d d e n e d because of the times, for the H o l y ' Great O n e has
:i a p p o i n t e d days for all things. And the righteous m a n ' will rise from
sleep," will rise and will walk in the path of righteousness, and all
his p a t h s a n d his j o u r n e y s will be in eternal goodness and mercy.
1 H e will show mercy to the righteous m a n ' and to him give eternal
u p r i g h t n e s s a n d to him give power; and he will live' in goodness and
.') in righteousness and will w a l k ' in eternal light. And sin will be
destroyed in d a r k n e s s ' for ever and from that day will never again
be seen.

•1 XCIII. .And after this Enoch began to s p e a k ' f r o m the books. And
E n o c h said, Cionccrning the sons of righteousness and concerning
t h e chosen o f t h e w o r l d ' and concerning the plant of righteousness
a n d u p r i g h t n e s s ' 1 will speak these things to you a n d make them
k n o w n " to you, my children, I Enoch, according to that which

(; om.; .\l corrupt; Q'ff)''lislon to mc". " (; om.

' Written . . . wisdom te-aching: so Kth.II; CJ 'fhe book written by Knoch. Enoch
indeed wrote this coinplete wisdom explanation and teaching'; M Q ' f D ' un­
intelligible.
• Some Kth. .\ISS add 'and'.
' the righteous man; (i 'wisdom'; .\I 'righteousness'.
' . \ I D ' ' f r o m his sleep'; C; deleetive. ' G Q to righteousness'.
» I.it. be'; I D ' 'judge'. ' G Q ( D ' ) and they will walk'.
" D ' ' . \ n d sin and darkness will !«• destroyed'.

' Knoch began to speak: .so Kth.II; .MI'D' 'Knoch was speaking'; G 'Enoch gave
and Knoch began to speak'; Q unintelligible; U 'Knoch gave'.
- of the world; C ' ' I b r ever'.
* righteousness and uprightness: G M T D ' 'uprightness'; Q 'rightcrousness'.
'• M I D ' "and h a \ c made tliem known'.
 / Enoch 29.')
a p p e a r e d to me in the heavenly \ i.sion, and which I know from the
w o r d s of the holy angels and understand from the tablets of
:i h e a \ e n . .And Knoch' then" began to speak from the books and said.
I was lK)rn the seventh in the hrst week, while justice and rightcous-
4 ness still lasted.' .And after me in the second week great w ickedness
will arise, a n d deceit will have sprung up; and in it there will be the
hrst end, a n d in it a man will be saved. .And aher it has ended,
;•) iniquity will grow, and hc will make a law" for the sinners. .And
after this in the third week, at its end, a man will be chosen as the
p l a n t of righteous judgcmetit; and after him will come the plant of
f) righteousness" for ever. .And a h e r this in the fourth week, at its end,
visions o f t h e holy and righteous'" will be seen, and a l a w " for all
7 g e n e r a t i o n s and an enclosure will be made for them. .And after this
in the hfth week, at its end, a house of glory and of sovereignty will
8 be built for ever. .And a h c r this in the si.xth week all those who live
in it will be blinded, and the hearts ofall, lacking wisdom, will sink
into impiety. .And in it a man w ill ascend; and at its end the house
of s o s e r e i g n t y " will be burnt with hre, and in it the whole race of
9 the chosen r o o t " will be scattered. .And after this in the seventh
week an a p o s t a t e ' " generation will arise, and many will be its deeds,
10 but all its deeds will be aposta.sy. .And at its end the chosen righteous
from the eternal plant of righteousness will be c h o s e n , " to whom
will be given sevenfold teaching concerning his whole c r e a t i o n . "
11 Yov is there any m a n who can hear the voice ofthe Holy O n e , and
not be disturbed? .And who is there who can think his thoughts?
12 .And w h o is there who can look at all the works o f h c a v e n ? " .And
how should there be anyone who could'" understand the works of
» I D ' he-. » C:' nni.
' O r 'while jiidgrmcm and righieou.sness held hack".
" O r "covenant": Q N C / "and a law will be made"; ( i M corrupt.
" and alter him . . . righteousness: so Kth.I I; C; om. (hmt.); .\IQ TI)' ol"uncertain
meaning.
G "a vision of the holy and righteousness"; f C ' 'holy and righteous visions'.
" Or'covenant'. " K'the house of the sanctuary".
" chosen nxit: M { Q ) T ' r o o t of power". " GMom.
" Some Kth.I I MSS 'rewarded'; .Aram, adds 'to l>e witnesses of righteousness'.
" (JQD'prtJperty'. " MD'DF1>='of giKKiness'.
'" G adds 'look at heaven, and who is there who can'; .MT add 'look at (I"
' u n d e r s t a n d ' ) heaven, and how should there be anyone w ho could"; Q defective, hut
based on a similar lext.
29(i / Enoch
h f a \ f i i anci sec a soul'" or a spirit'" and could tell ahoul ilr' or
ascend a n d sec all their ends and comprehend them or make
anylhing like thent? And is there"' an\ man who could know what is
the b r e a d t h and the length of the earthl* And to whom have all its
measurements"'' been shown? O r is there any man who could know
the length ofhcaven, and what is its height, and on what it is hxed,
a n d how large is the mimber of the stars, and where all the lights
rest?

XCIV. . \ n d now I say to you. my children, lo\e righteousness and

walk in it; hir the paths of righteousness are worthy of acceptance,
but the p a t h s of iniquity will quickh be destroyed and \ anish. . \ n d
to certain men from a Julure generation the paths ofwrongdoing
a n d of d e a t h will be r e \ e a l e d . and they will keep away from them
a n d will not follow them. .And now I say to you, the righteous: do
not walk in the wicked path, nor in wrongdoing,' nor in the paths of
d e a t h , a n d d o not d r a w near to them, lest you be destroyed. But
s e e k ' a n d choose lor yourselves righteousness and a life that is
pleasing, a n d walk in the paths of peace, that you may live and
prosper. .And hold my words hrmly in the thoughts ofyour heart,
a n d let Ihem not be erased from your heart, for I know that sinners
will t e m p t men to debase wisdom,' and no place will be found for
it, a n d temptation will in no way decrease. Woe to those who build
iniquity a n d wrongdoing and found deceit, for they will c]uickly be
t h r o w n d o w n and will not have peace. Woe to those who build
their houses with sin, for from their whole foundation they will be
t h r o w n d o w n , a n d by the sword they will fall; and those who
a c q u i r e gold and silver will quickly be destroyed in thcjudgement.
W o e to you, you rich, lor you have trusted in your riches, but from
y o u r riches you will depart, for you did not remember the .Most

"• .SoC;.\IQD'XV: oihcr .M.SS his .soul'.

-° .So .VffD'X Y: C,(2 rorrupt; other .MSS Or his spirit'.
-' ( J . M y 'and rould make Ihem'; D ' 'and could remain'.
••- .MCj'f I)' '.\nd how should there Ix'.
"' all its measurements: so 'I"; other .MSS 'the measurements olall olthem'.

' nor in wrongdoing: (J.MQI'I)' tim.

' But seek; (i like those who seek wickedness'.
" I.it. 'to make wisdom had'.
 / ICmch -I'M
!i H i g h in llic days o f y o u r riches. Vou have committed blasphemy
a n d iniquity a n d arc ready lor the day o f t h e outpouring of blood
a n d for the d a y of darkness and Ibr the day ofthe great j u d g e m e n t .
t) I b u s I say a n d make known tti you lhal H e who created you will
t h r o w you d o w n , a n d over your fall there will be no mercy, but
.1 y o u r creator will rejoice al your destruction. .And your" righteous
in those d a y s will be a reproach to the sinners and to the impious.

XCV. W o u l d that my eyes were a cloud of water that I might weep

over you a n d pour out my tears like a cloud of water, so that I
2 m i g h t have rest from the sorrow ofmy heart! W h o permitted you to
p r a c t i s e h a t r e d a n d wickedness? May j u d g e m e n t come' upon you,
;i t h e sinners! Do nol be afraid o f t h e sinners, you righteous, lor the
L o r d will again dclixcr them into your hands that you may execute
1 j u d g e m e n t upon them as you desire. Woe to you who pronounce
a n a t h e m a s that you cannot loose;' healing will be far from you
b e c a u s e o f y o u r sin. W o e to you who repay your neighbours with
ti evil, for you w ill be repaid according to your deeds. Woe to you,
lying witnesses, a n d to those w h o weigh out iniquity, for you will
7 quickly be destroyed. W o e to you, you sinners, because you perse­
c u t e the righteous, for you yourselves will be handed over and
p e r s e c u t e d , you men of iniquity,' and their yoke" will be heavy
u p o n you.

XCVI. Be hopeful,' you righteous, for the sinners will quickly be

d e s t r o y e d before you, a n d you will have power over them as you
2 desire. .And in the d a y o f l h e distress ofthe sinners your young will
m o u n t u p a n d rise' like eagles, a n d your nest will be higher than
that of vultures; a n d you will go u p and like badgers enter the
crevices of the e a r t h a n d the clefts of the rock for ever before the
•• your: Kill.II lias plural. CJMQfn' singular.

' {;.\iyf(D')C:' •Judg.-m.-nt will tonic'.

• tliat cannot be lixi.sed'; GM't,^!)' ilial can Ix- kxised'.
' GM{(:2)''' 'Ix-causcol initiuitv'; I'corrupt.
- G.MQD' its yoke'.

' ri' Rejoice'.

' D' 'and be revealed'; V.W 'and be throwti down'.
 •2'm I F.mch
lawless, but tbcy will groan and weep because t)l you, like satyrs,
i . \ n d d o not be afraid, you who have sulfered, for you will receive
healing, a n d a bright light will shine upon you, atid the voice of rest
t you will hear from heaven. Woe to you. you sinners, for your riches
m a k e you a p p e a r righteous, but your hearts prove to you that you
are sinners; a n d this word will be a testimony against you as a
•) r e m i n d e r ofyour evil deeds. Woe to you who devour the hnest ofthe
w h e a t a n d drink the best of the water and trample upon the
i; h u m b l e through your power. Woe to you who drink water all the
time, for you will tjuickly be repaid a n d ' will becoine exhausted
7 a n d dry," lor you have left the spring of life. Woe to you who
c o m m i t iniquity a n d deceit and blasphemy; it will be a reminder
H against you for e\ il. Woe to you, you powerful, who through power
o p p r e s s the righteous, for the day ofyour destruction will come; in
those d a y s m a n y good days will come for the righteous - in the day
of your judgement.

XCVII. Believe, you righteous, that the sinners will become an

1 object of s h a m e a n d will be destroyed on the day of iniquity. Be it
k n o w n to you sinners that the Nhist High remembers yourdestruc-
;) tion, a n d lhat the angels' rejoice over your destruction. What will
you d o , you sinners, a n d where will you Hee on that day ofjudge-
t m c n t , when you hear the sound ofthe prayer ofthe righteous? But
you will not b e ' like them, vou against w h o m ' this word will be a
.") testimony, You have been associated with the sinners. . \ n d in
those d a y s the prayer o f t h e holy" will come before the Lord, and
ti lor you will come the days of your judgement. .Xnd all the words of
your iniquity will be read out before the Great a n d ' Holy O n e , and
y o u r faces will blush with shame,* a n d every deed which is founded

' will <niickly IH- n-paid and; .MQ T D ' . i n i . -will b<- rt-paid and',
and dry; BCX 'and ymi do wrong'.

' (;.\l(,)riVN add ofhcaven'.

- CQD' 'will be'.
' C ; D ' 'like those again.st whom'; T 'like them, for against y o u ' ; ( : ' 'like them, but
against you'.
' S o ( ; and some Kth.II .\ISS; other MSS 'righteous'.
' (;C;a.MQNGk."'om.
*• and \ o u r faces . . . shame: ( J k . ' " 'Ix-fbre your laces'.
 / Enoch 299
7 u p o n iniquity wiil be rejected.' Woe to you, you sinners, who are in
t h e m i d d l e o f t h e sea a n d on the dry ground; their memory will be
8 harmful to y o u . ' W o e to you who acquire silver and gold,' but not
in righteousness, a n d say. We have become very rich and have
9 possessions a n d have acquired everything that we desired.'" .And
n o w let us d o what we p l a n n e d , " for we have gathered silver and
filled o u r storehouses, a n d a i m a n y as water a r e the h u s b a n d m e n of
10 o u r houses. A n d like water your lie will flow a w a y , " for y o u r "
riches will not stay with you,'" but will quickly go up from you; for
you a c q u i r e d everything in iniquity, and you will be given over to a
great curse.

XCVIU. .And now 1 swear to you, the wise and the foolish,' that you
2 will see m a n y t h i n g s ' on the earth. For you men will put on
yourselves more a d o r n m e n t s than a woman and more coloured
garments than a girF in sovereignty a n d in majesty and in power;
a n d silver" a n d gold a n d purple a n d honour and food will be
3 p o u r e d out like water. Because of this they will have neither
k n o w l e d g e nor w i s d o m , ' a n d through this they will be destroyed

' G Q ' f D ' "and he will reject e\er\ deed whieh is liiuiided upon iiii(juit\'; (ia
corrupt; CJk.'" ' f hen he will reirio\ c all the works which have shared in inic|uit\'.
" their ineniory . . . harmful to you (lit. 'evil against you'): (Jk.'" 'Itiere n an evil
record against vou".
" (Jaf'l (Jk."'''gold and silver".
'" and have possessions . . . desired: (Jk."' 'and h a \ e got and have actjuired
possessions".
" . \ n d now . . . planned; (J.\I corrupt; (Ja ".And now let us do all that we
planned", Q '.And now let us d o what wc desired"; (ik."' ".And let us do all that we
desire".
" for wc ha\ e gathered . . . How away; so F.th., but text appears corrupt in several
respects; (Jk."' "for we have stored up siKcr in our storehouses and many gtxxis in
our houses, and like water they have been poured out (probable reading; text
corrupt). You have been deceived'.
" So ( L ' ) D ' G k . ' " : other F:th. .MSSom. " with you: (Jk.'"om.

' G G a Q ' f G k . ' " ' a n d not to the foolish". ' Gk."'"iniquities".
' (ik.'" 'For men will put on beauty like women, and fair colour more than girls'.
* a n d silver: so G a . M Q T D ' ; other Eth. .MSS 'and in silver'.
' a n d silver . . . nor wisdom: Gk."" 'They will hav e silver and gold for food, and in
their houses they will be poured out like water [because] they (have) neither
knowledge, nor insight'.
 300 / Enoch
t o g e t h e r with their possessions and with all their glor\ and their
h o n o u r ; ' a n d in s h a m e a n d in slaughter and in great destitution
1 their spirits will be thrown into the hery h i r n a e e . ' 1 swear to you,
you sinners, that as a m o u n t a i n has not. a n d will not, become a
slave, nor a hill a w o m a n ' s maid, st) sin was not sent on the earth,
but m a n ol' himself created it, a n d those who commit it will be
.") subject to a great curse. .And barreness" has not been given to a
w o m a n . ' ' but because o f t h e deeds of her h a n d s ' " she dies without
(i c h i l d r e n . I swear to you, you sinners, by the Holy a n d " Great O n e ,
t h a t a l l " your evil deeds a r e " revealed in heaven, and thai your
7 w r o n g d o i n g is not covered or hidden.''' .And do not think in your
s p i r i t , " nor s a y " in your heart that you dt) not know and do not see
lhal every s i n " is written down'* every day in heaven'" before the
H .Most H i g h . From now on you know'" that all your wrongdoing
w h i c h you d o " will be written down every day until the day o P '
!) y o u r j u d g e m e n t . W o e to you, you fools, for you will be destroyed
t h r o u g h your folly; a n d you d o not listen t o " the wise, and gocxd

" and diroiigh this . . . htinour: Cilv.'" 'so you will IM- dt-stroyt-d together with all
your possessions and all your glory and your honour' (remainder ot verse ;i and
verse 4 severely damaged).
' into the fierv I'urnaec: M Q t IV om.
" C ; ( ( ; a ) M ( ^ \ ' 'an excuse'; D ' rorrupt; (;k,"'om. (hut childlessness' possibly lo
be supplied).
" Gk.'" 'to a barren woman'.
'" Gk.'" a d d s what ap|M-ars to IM- an alternative version of verses tl.. 'For it was
not delcrmined that a slave should be a slave; Irom alx)ve it was not given, but it
c a m e alK)Ut ihrough oppression. Likewise ini(|uily was not given from alxjve. bul it
catne about from transgression. Likewise a woman w-as nol creatt-d barren, but
because of her own misdeeds she was reproached with childlessness".
" GQI'D'(;k.'"om. " P'Gk.'"om.
" (;k.'" "will be".
'* and that vour . . . hidden; Gk."' 'No unrighteous deed of vours will IK- hidden'.
" C;k.'" 'soul'. " (ik.'" 'think'.
" n"alloursin'.
that you do n o l . . . down: G' 'They do not know and do not see all our sin. for it
is written down'; (ik."' "that they do not know and do not see, and lhat your
misdeeds arc ivol observed. n<»r written down".
'" every-dav in heaven: Gk.'"om. you know: (ik.'" imperative.
" which you do: ( i a N G k . " ' o m . " the day of; Gk.'" om.
G G a 'and you act impiously against'; D ' 'and you do not act impiously
against'; M 'and you do not know'; Q 'and you do not see'.
 I Enoch 301
10 will not come upon you.'" .And now know that you arc ready for the
d a y of destruction. \\\d d o not hope that you will live," you
sinners; r a t h e r you will go and die, for you know no ransom, for"
you a r e ready for the day ofthe great j u d g e m e n t and for the day of
11 distress a n d great s h a m e for your spirits. Woe to you, you stublxirn
of heart who d o evil and eat blood. Whence do you have gtxxl
things to eat a n d to drink and to be satisfied? From all the good
things which o u r Lord, the .\h)st H i g h , " has placed in a b u n d a n c e
V> on the e a r t h : Iherejore you will not have peace. Woe to you who love
d e e d s of inicjuity. W h y d o you hope for good for yourselves?
K n o w ' " that you will be given into the hand o f t h e righteous, and
they will cut your throats a n d ' " kill you and will not have mercy on
l:i y o u . ' " W o e to you who rejoice in the distress o f t h e righteous, for
It graves will not be d u g for y o u . " Woe to you who declare the words
l.i o f t h e righteous e m p t y . " for you will have no hope of life." Woe to
you w h o write lying words and the words ofthe impious,'" for they
write their lies that men may hear and not forget their folly;" and
they will not h a \ c peace, but will die a sudden d e a t h . "

-•• C;k."' .-idds •hut evil [will befall) you'.

" that you will live: CJk.'" 'lo Ix- saved'.
for you know no rans(Hi). for: s o G a Klh.II; G "for you know a ransom, and'; M
•for you know no ransom'; f obscure; Q D ' 'for you know lhal'; (Jk.'" 'knowing
[lhal]'(reniainder of verse 10. verse 11, and ihe beginning of verse 12, severely
damaged).
our Kord. the .\Iosl High: (JGa.MQTir 'ihe Kord .\losl High'.
(;k."' '.Now Ix- it known to you'.
cut your throats (lil. 'necks') and; (Jk.'" om.
(Jk.'" 'not spare you'.
" ( J ( J a n ' 'for no grave of yours w ill Ix-seen'; G k . " " n o grave will Ix-dug for you'.
'- (Jk.'" uncertain, possibly 'Woe to you who w-ish to make of no elfecl the w-ords
o f l h e righteous'.
" (Jk."' 'of .salvation'.
''* and the words . . . impious; (Jk.'" 'and words of error'.
" for they write . . . folly; so K t h . l L G M Q f ' f o r they write their lies (.Mom. 'their
lies') that men may hear tltem and act impiously against their neighbour'; ( J a l ) '
corrupt; Gk.'" 'they write llum and will lead many astray through iheir lies. You
yourselves have gone astray'.
" and they . . . sudden death: (ik.'" 'and you have no joy, but will quickly be
destroved'.
;«)2 / Enoch

XCIX. W o e to you w h o d o impious deeds a n d praise a n d h o n o u r

lying w o r d s ; ' you will he d e s t r o y e d a n d will not have a good life.'
W o e to you w h o ' a l t e r the w o r d s of t r u t h , a n d they distort t h e
e t e r n a l law" a n d c o u n t t h e m s e l v e s ' as being w i t h o u t sin; they* will
be t r a m p l e d u n d e r foot on t h e g r o u n d . ' In those days" m a k e r e a d y ,
you r i g h t e o u s , to r a i s e ' y o u r p r a y e r s as a r e m i n d e r , a n d lay t h e m ' "
a s a t e s t i i n o n y before t h e angels t h a t they m a y l a y " the sin o f t h e
s i n n e r s before the .Most H i g h " as a r e m i n d e r . In those d a y s the
n a t i o n s will be t h r o w n into confusion, a n d the races o f t h e n a t i o n s
will r i s e " on t h e d a y o f d e s t r u c t i o n . ' " \nd in those d a y s those w h o
a r c in n e e d will go out a n d seize their children a n d cast o u t their
c h i l d r e n ; " a n d t h e i r olfspring will slip from t h e m , ' * a n d they will
cast out t h e i r c h i l d r e n while they a r e s u c k l i n g s " a n d will not
r e t u r n to t h e m ' " a n d will not h a v e mercy o n " their beloved ones.
.And a g a i n I s w e a r to you, the s i n n e r s , t h a t sin is ready for the d a y

' (ik.'" AN'tK* to you wlio cause errors and by ytnir false deeds gain honour and
glory'; the Kth. MSS confuse second and third person forms in this verse and only T
consistently has the second perscti.
- C you will l)e destroyed a n d will have no hope of life'; Cik."" 'you are
destroyed, vou have tio salvation for gcxxf.
' ( K i a . M ' U c M - t o those who'. •• O r ' c o v e n a n t ' .
' C (;k."' 'Woe to you who alter the words of truth, and distort the eternal law
((ik.'" pervert the eternal covenant'), and count yourselves'.
" C 'you'.
' Cik.'" 'they will be swallowed u p in the earth'.
" In those days; G k . ' " ' I h e n ' . " to raise: G k . ' " ' a n d olfer'.
"' a n d lav them; so G I ; other Kth. .MSS corrupt; Gk.'" 'give them'.
" T(»')Gk.'"'bring'. '- Gk.'" a d d s ' G o d ' .
" (ik."' ' . \ n d then they will be thrown into confusion, and they will rise'.
" Q D ' ofthe destruction ofthe sinners'; .Mf 'ofthe destruction of sin'; G k . " 'of
the destruction ofwrongdoing'.
" . \ n d in . . . their children: so Eth., but G G a . M Q T D ' 'and cast them out' for
' a n d cast out their children'; Gk.'" '.At that very time those who give birth will cast
out a n d remove and abandon their infants'.
'" and tlieirolfspring will slip from them: i.e. in premature birth; G k . " " a n d those
who are with child will [ . . . ] ' .
" Kth.II ' a n d while they are sucklings they will cast them out'; G k . " 'and those
who suckle will cast out their children'.
to them; (ik.'" ' t o their infants, nor to their sucklings'.
have mercy on: ( i k . " 'spare' (the remainder of verse 5, verse 6, and beginning
ofvcrse 7, has not survived).
 / Enoch :«)3
7 o r u i u e a s i i i g bloodshed. . \ n d they worship stotie, and some carve
images of gold and of silver and ol'wood and ofelay.'" and some,
with no knowledge,'' worship u n c l e a n ' ' spirits and demons and
8 every kind 0/ e r r o r , " but no help will be obtained from them. .And
they will sink into impiety''' because of the lolly oC their hearts,
a n d their eyes will be blinded through the fear ol'their hearts and
!) t h r o u g h the vision of their d r e a m s . " I h r o u g h these they will
b e c o m e impious and fearful, for they do all their deeds with lies
a n d worship stones, and they will be destroyed at the same
10 m o m e n t . " .And in those days blessed are all those who accept the
w o r d s of wisdom and understand t h e m . " and lc)llow the paths'" of
the .Most High, and walk in the path of righteousness.''' and do not
11 act impiously with the impious, for they will be saved.'" Woe to you
w h o extend c\il to your neighbours, for you will be killed in Sheol.
Vi W o e to you who lay foundations ofsin and deceit," and to thosewho
cause b i t t e r n e s s " on the earth, for because ofthis an end will be
13 m a d e o f t h e m . " Woe to you who build your houses with the toil of
o t h e r s , ' ' ' a n d all their building materials are the bricks and stones of

-° and somv carve . . . clay: (;k.""|. . .|aiid ihosr who c a n e images of silver and of
gold, of WCXKI j . . .) and of clay'.
-' wilh no know ledge: . s o t i t j f l ) ' ; CJa corrupi: .\I 'hut nol in iheiemples'; Klh.II
'in the lemples'.
" GCia.MCjTO' 'evil'.
-' and some, with . . . error: (ik.'" 'and worship phantoms and demons [. ..] and
evil spirits [and] all errors, with no knowledge'.
" C;k."' Ami they will go astray'.
' ' and their eyes . . . dreams: (ik.'" 'and the visions al'itteir dreams will lead you
astray'.
^* Through these . . . same m o m i - i u : (ik.'" (jbscure. '>ou and yotir lying works
that you have made and wrought of stone, and together you will perish'.
(ik."' 'And then hlessed are all those who hear the words ofthe wise and will
learn them'.
and follow the paths: (ik.'" 'in order to fulfil the commands'.
*' GCia.MQD' 'in the path o f h i s righteousness'; T (ik.'" 'in the paths ofhis
righteousness".
and walk . . . saved: Gk."' 'and they will walk in the paths ofhis righteousness,
and will not go astray with those who go astray, and will Ije saved'.
" G Q D ' J ' 'who make false and deceitful measures'; (ia.\I corrupt.
" cause bitterness: ( i Q D ' know'; Ga advise'.
" G k . " ' o m . verses 1 If
" G k . " 'Wcx- (oMwc who build their houses not (by) their own toil".
 Mn I Enoch
11 s i n ; " I say to you, 'I'ou will not have p e a c e . " Woe to those who
rt-ject the m e a s u r e " and the eternal inheritance oftheir fathers'*
a n d cause their souls to follow after e r r o r , " for they will not have
I,') rest.''" W o e to those"" who commit iniquity and help wrong and kill
II) their neighbours until the day o f t h e great j u d g e m e n t , for"" hc will
throw d o w n " ' your .glory and put evil into your hearts'''' and rouse
the spirit ofhis anger that he may destroy"' you all with the sword;
a n d all the righteous and holy"' will remember your sin.

C. .And in those d a y s ' in one place fathers and sons will strike one
a n o t h e r , a n d brothers will together fall in death until there flows of
i their blood as it were a stream. For a man will not in mercy'
w i t h h o l d his h a n d from his sons, nor from his sons' sons,' in order
to kill t h e m , a n d the sinner will not withhold his h a n d from his
h o n o u r e d brother;" from d a w n until the sun sets they will kill one
:i a n o t h e r . ' .And the horse will walk u p to its chest in the blood of
t s i n n e r s , a n d the chariot will sink up to its height.' .And in those
" (;k.'" and from stoiu-s and from bricks you make every building".
" I say . . . peace: CJk.'" uncertain, but dilfcrent from Kth.
" Q "the leaders"; D ' 'the foundation".
C;k."' "Woe to Ihose who despise the Ibundation and the inheritance oftheir
fathers which is from etcrnitv".
'" t;a(.\I) "and whose souls Ibllow after error"; G(^f(»') 'and follow after the
soul of error"; Gk.'" 'for the spirit of error will pursue you'. (Kth. 'soul' might also be
translated 'spirit'.)
''° G . M Q f D ' 'for vou will not have rest"; Gk.'" 'There is no rest Ibr vou'.
-' G M Q I ' D ' G k . ' " "you". ""^ G k . " ' a d d s ' t h e n ' .
'" throw down: Gk."' uncertain, possibly 'destroy'.
"" and p u t . . . hearts: Gk.'" om.
" ( ; M 'and rouse his anger and his spirit; he will destroy'; Q T "and rouse his
anger, and his spirit will destroy"; D ' 'and rouse the anger ofhis spirit, and will
destroy'; Gk."' and rouse |his] anger (against] you; he will destroy'.
" (iCJa.MQD' 'holy and righteous'; C;k."' probably only 'righteous'.

' C;k.'" ' . \ n d then" (remainder of verse sevcrelv damaged).

' in mercy: G G a . M Q D ' G k . " ' o m .
' (J.M'f 'sons, nor from his son's son'; G a Q corrupt; Gk."' 'son, nor from his
beloved'.
' and the sinner . . . brother; Gk.'" and the sinner from the honoured man, nor
from his brother'.
' Gk.'" 'they will be killed together'.
' Gk."' sink down lo its axles'; G G a Q T D ' corrupt.
 / Enocli 30")
d a y s ' the angels will come down" into the hidden places and gather
together in one place all those who have helped' sin,'° and the
Most H i g h will rise on that d a y " to execute the great judgement on
all the s i n n e r s . " .And he will set guards from the holy angels over
all the righteous and holy, and they will guard t h e m " like t h e a p p l c
of an eye until an end is m a d e of'' all evil and all s i n ; " and even il"
the righteous sleep a long sleep, they have nothing to fear." .And
the wise men will sec the t r u t h , " and the sons o f t h e earth will
u n d e r s t a n d all the words o f t h i s book,'" and they will know that
their riches will not be able to save them in the overthrow oftheir
s i n . " W o e to you, you sinners, when you afflict the righteous on the
d a y of severe trouble and b u r n ' " them with h r e ; " you will be repaid
a c c o r d i n g to your deeds. Woe to you, you perverse of h e a r t , ' ' who
w a t c h to devise evil; fear will come upon you. and there is no one
w h o will help you. Woe to you, you s i n n e r s , " for'" on account of
the w o r d s of your m o u t h , and on account of the deeds of your
h a n d s which you have impiously d o n e , " you will burn in blazing
flames of fire. .And now know that the angels will inquire in
h e a v e n ' " into your deeds f r o m " the sun and the moon and the

' (jk.'"'.And <jn ttiat d a > * (ik.'" add.s'descending'.

" ( ; ( ; a . M Q 'who brought down'.
and gather . . . sin: Gk.'" uncertain, but apparently ' ( a n d ) tho.sc who have
helped unrighteoustiess will be gathered together into one place'.
" ( ( ; ) ( ; a ( . \ I ) Q ( D ' ) 'onihatdayorjudgetnent';C;k.'"'oniheday ofjudgement'.
" (JCJa.MQ 'amongst the sinners'; Gk.'" 'on all'.
' ' (;k.'" will be guarded'. " CiGa.MQ' he makes an end of.
" (;k."' 'until evils and sin come to an etid'.
'" CJk.'" 'and from that lime the pious will sleep a sweet sleep, and there will no
longer be a n v o i u * to make them afraid'.
" the truth: so (Q)r Eth.II; G G a M D ' unintelligible.
'" Gk."' ''fhen the wise among men will see. and the sons ofthe earth will pay
attention to these words of this epistle'. '" (ik.'"'of unrightetiusncss'.
Q '.save'; Cik.'" keep', but probablv corrupt for burn'.
" (ik.'"..dds'lbr'. " G G a M Q T D ' G k . ' " vou stubborn of hcirt'.
" Gk."' 'all you sinners'. " G . M Q f D ' Gk.'"om.
" which you . . . done: G M 'which your impiety has wrought'; CiaQ 'which are
the works ofyour impiety'; 'I'D' 'because ofthe works ofyour impiety'; Gk."' 'for
you [have] gone astray (f""Ti> holy deeds' (remainder ofvcrse 9, verse 10. and
majority ofvcrse 1 I. severely damaged).
C i G a M Q I ' D ' 'that from the angels hc will inquire in heaven (G 'from
heaven')'. " G G a . M Q I D ' 'and from'.
 ;50f) / Enoch
s t a r s , that is into your sins, for on cartfi you execute j u d g e m e n t on
11 tlie righteous. And all the clouds and mist and dew and rain will
testify against you,'* for they will all be withheld from you so that
12 they d o not fall on you, and they will t h i n k " about your sins. . \ n d
n o w ' " give gifts to the rain that it may not be withheld from falling
on you, a n d that the dew, if it has accepted gold and silver from
13 you, m a y fall." W h e n " hoar-frost and snow with their cold and all
the s n o w - w i n d s with all their torments fall on you, in those d a y s "
you will not be able to stand before them.'"

CI. Clonteniplate liea\en, all' you sons of heaven, and all the
works o f t h e .Most H i g h , ' and fear him and do not do evil before
2 h i m . ' If he closes the windows ofhcaven, and withholds the rain
a n d the dew so that it does not fall on the earth" because of you,
i w h a t will you do? . \ n d if he sends his anger upon you and upon all
y o u r d e e d s , ' will you not entreat him?* For you speak' proud and
h a r d words against his righteousness," and you will not have peace.'
4 .And d o you not see the kings'" o f t h e ships, how their ships are

And all . . . against vou: so ( ; ( G a ) Q D ' P - ; other Eth. .M.SS 'And he will call to
testify against you all the clouds and mist and dew and rain'.
-" and they will think: so V,Q\: (ia defective; TB 'and they will tiot be"; other
Eth. .MSS 'and they will not think'.
M 111 •'I'herefore'.
" and that . . . may fall: so Eth. ( . M y may not fall; some Eth.II .MSS o m . ' t h a t '
a n d 'may fall'); (ik.'" uncertain, apparently and to the dew and (clouds] and mist;
pay gold that they may fall'.
" (ik.'" For if. " in those days: Gk.'"om.
''' (ik.'" 'before cold and their torments'.

' GGaNK2T'»'om.
•' Gk.'" 'Cionsider therefore, you sons of men, the works ofthe .Most High'.
' Cik.'"'and fear lo do evil belbre him'. '' on the earth: G k . " ' o m .
' f (ik.'" 'and upon your deeds'; (ia.M 'because of (Ga adds 'all') your deeds';
G Q D ' defective.
' will you not entreat him?: so E H L C ' Gk.'"; other Eth. .MSS 'you will not be able
to entreat him'.
' (ik."' 'Why do you speak with your mouth?'
" (ik."' 'majesty'. ' and you . . . peace: G k . ^ o m .
'" So all Eth. .MSS. but a mistake, deriving from a misreading ofthe .Aramaic for
'sailors'.
 / Enoch 307
tossed by the w a \ e s and roeked by the winds, and are in distress?"
j .And because ofthis they are a f r a i d , " for all their good possessions
go out on the sea with t h e m , " and they think nothing good in their
h e a r t s , namely t h a t ' " the sea will swallow them up, and lhat they will
li be destroyeci in it. Is not all the sea and all its waters and all its
m o v e m e n t " the work o f t h e .Most High, and did hc not seal all its
7 doings"" a n d bind it all with s a n d ? " .And at his rebuke it dries up
a n d becomes afraid,'" and all its h s h " die and everything that is in
H it; but you sinners who are on earth do not fear him. Did hc not
m a k e heaven and earth and e\ crything that is in them? .And who
gave knowledge and wisdom'" to all the things that move on the
!) g r o u n d a n d " in the sea? Do not those k i n g s " ofthe ships fear the
s e a ? " Vet siimers d o not fear the .Most H i g h . "

Cn. .And in those days if he brings a herce fire upon you.' whither
will you flee, and where will y o u ' be safe? .And when he utters his
2 voice against you, will you not be terrihed and afraid?' .And all the
lights will shake with great fear, and the whole earth will be
:i terrified a n d will tremble and quail. .And all the angels will carry
out their c o m m a n d s and will seek to hide before the one who is
' ' Cik.'" '\on [sec] the sailors who sail thr sra. thrir ships tossed by thr w a v e s and
storm".
'^ Cik."' ".-\nd beaten by the storm they are all atraid".
" Cik.'" "and east out into the sea |all| their l.gtKKlsj and jxissessions".
'•' and they think . . . that: so IClh.ll; CJCia.XigTl)" unintelliRible; C;k."' and thry
suspect in their hearts that". " and all its movement: Cik."' o m .
" and did . . . its doings: .so r.th.II. except K; K "and did he not establish (or
p e r h a p s "presrrilx"") all its doings"; GCia.MQ'I'D' unintrlligihlr; Cik."' "and did hr

not establish their [limitsf. " Cik."' "antl bind it. an<l I'ciuc it with sand?"
'" dries up . . . becomes afraid: Ci.MC^lD'X Cik.'" trans|X)se; Cia o n i . and
becomes afraid'.
''* Cik."' 'and the fish' (the remainder ofvcrse 7 and Ix-ginning of \crse li has not
survived).
and wisdom: G k . " ' o m . " on the ground and: Cik.'" om.
^' So all Elh. .M.SS, but corrupt for 'sailors' (cp. note 10).
Gk."' '"fhe sailors fear the sea'.
" V e t . . . .Most High: Gk.'" om. by hmt.
' Gk.'" '.And when he throws out against you the waves of the fire of your
burning'.
^ where wil! you: Gk.'" om. ' Cik."'adds'at the great sound'.
:m I i-inocii
g r e a t in g l o r y / a n d the ehildren of the e a r t h will tremble a n d
s h a k e ; ' a n d you s i n n e r s will he cursed liir ever a n d will not have
p e a c e . * D o not be afraid, you souls ofthe righteous, a n d he hopeful,
you w h o h a v e d i e d ' in righteousness." . \ n d d o not be sad that your
s o u l s h a v e g o n e d o w n " into Sheol in s a d n e s s , a n d /Aa/your bodies'"
d i d not o b t a i n d u r i n g your lile a reward in a c c o r d a n c e with vour
g o o d n e s s , " b u t on t h e d a y on which you b e c a m e as sinners a n d on
t h e d a y of c u r s i n g a n d p u n i s h m e n t . . But when you die. the
s i n n e r s s a \ a b o u t y o u , " .As wc die, the righteous have d i e d , ' " and
of w h a t use to t h e m were their deeds? Behold, like us they have
d i e d in s a d n e s s a n d in d a r k n e s s , " a n d w h a t a d v a n t a g e d o they
h a v e o v e r us?'* F r o m now on we a r e e q u a l , a n d what will they
r e c e i v e , " a n d w h a t will they sec for ever? For, behold, they too
h a v e d i e d , a n d from now on they will never again see light.'" 1 say
to y o u , you s i n n e r s . You a r e content to eat a n d d r i n k , a n d strip
m e n n a k e d a n d steal a n d s i n , ' " a n d a c q u i r e possessions and sec

' ( K i a . M Q ' f (1)') -Mmc ilic grcai glor>'.

' .And all the lights . . . will tremhle and shake: (ik.'" in part corrupt and
apparently out ol"order, ".And the whole earth will be shaken and trembling and
thrown into confusion a n d the angels will be carrying out that which has In-en
c o n n n a n d e d them, ami heaven and the lights will Ar shaken, and all the children of
the earth will be trembling".
" (ik.'" "and you. vou sinners accursed for ever, there is no joy for you".
' you who have died: some Eth.II .\ISS "on the day you dic":<i(2r "they who have
died"; ( i a i ) ' "the souls of those who have died".
" (ik.'" "Be couraget)US, vo« souls ofthe righteous dead, ofthe righteous anti the
pious".
" ' f Eth.II add "into great distress and crying and grt»aning and".
'" (ik."' "and that the Ixxly of ytnir Hesh".
" Cik.'" "holiness".
'^ but tm . . . punishment . . .: so Eth., but ctirrupt; (ik.'" "for the days which you
lived were days of sinners and accursed men on the earth".
" Cik.'" ' W h e n you die. then the sinners will say".
'•* (ik.'" "'fhe pious have died according to their fate".
" (ik.'" ".And they like us have died. .See then how they tlie in grief and tlarkness".
"• t ) v e r u s : g " I ' D ' { i k . ' " o m .
" CiCiaQO' "Frtjm now tin we are ctiual. and how will they rise"; Gk."' 'From nt)w
on let them rise and Ix: saved".
'" and what will they see . . . light: (ik.'" 'and theywill ftir ever see us ((ik.'" 'you')
eating a n d drinking well'.
G.VIQ'fO' 'and steal and sin and strip men naked'.
 / Enoch m)
good d a y s . ' " But you s a w " the righteous, how their end was
p e a c e , ' ' for no wrong was found in them until the day of their
d e a t h . " But they were destroyed''' and became as though they had
not been, a n d their s o u l s " went down into Sheol in distress.

c m . A n d now I swear to you, the righteous, by his great glory and

his h o n o u r , a n d by his magnihcent sovereignty' and by his majesty
I s w e a r to you that I understand t h i s ' mystery. .And' I have read
the tablets o f h c a v e n a n d seen the writing o f t h e holy ones,'' and I
found written a n d engraved in it' concerning t h e m ' that all gcxxl'
a n d j o y a n d h o n o u r have been m a d e ready and written down for
the spirits of those who" have died in righteousness, and lhat much
good will be given to you in recompense for your toil, and that your
lot ivill be m o r e excellent than the lot ofthe living. .Vnd the spirits of
y o u ' w h o have died in righteousness will live,'" and their spirits
will rejoice a n d be g l a d , " and the memory o f t h e m will remain'^

•° I say . . . gcKxt days: Ck."' 'Then (you do well to eat and drink and) steal and
sin and steal clothes and acquire possessions and see gocxi days'.
" But vou saw: so D ' P ^ .MT' and some Kth.II MSS 'You saw'; T and some
Kth.I I .MSS 'Have vou seen'; other Kth. MSS 'I saw'.
peace; C;(;a.Miyi'ir om. " G T I ) ' ' u n t i l they died'; .MQ corrupt.
" But you saw . . . destroyed: CJk."' 'See therefore, they who justify themselves,
how their eiul was, for no righteousness was found in them until they died and were
destroved'.
GMQin"spirit.s'.

' by his great . . . sovereignty: so Kth. 11; CJ 'by the glory of the O n e who is great
a n d honoured and mighty in sovereignty'; Q T D ' 'by ihcglory of the Great O n e and
by his magnificent sovereignty'; other Kth.I .MSS differ slightly. .Most of verse 1 has
not survived in Gk.'".
' this; GGa.MQ om. ' Gk.""for'.
•* ( O ) Q ( T ) 'the holv writing'; D ' corrupt; G k . " 'the writing of authoritv'.
' G.\lQTD"thcm''.
' a n d I found . . . them; Gk.'" 'I learned what was written and engraved on them
[concerning) you'; ID' also has 'concerning you'.
' all gcxxl; Gk.""gocxI things'.
" G Q D ' 'Ibr your spirits which'; G a corrupt; G k . " 'for the s[ouls) of those who".
" .MI'D"ofthose'.
'" and that much good . . . will live; G k . " om. by hmt.
" and be glad: G(Ga) and be glad and will not be destroyed'; M corrupt; Q T D '
Gk." 'and will not be destroyed'.
'^ G M Q f ' D ' Gk." 'nor will the memory ofthem be destnyeiT.
 310 I Enoch
bcloiT the ( i r e a t O n e for all the generations oleternitx,. Therefore
j d o not fear their abuse. Woe to you. you s i n n e r s , " when you die
in''' your sin. and those who are like you say about you, Ble.ssed
li were the sinners; they saw all their d a y s . " . \ n d now they have died
in prosperit) and wealth; distress and slaughter they did not s e c "
d u r i n g their life, but they died in glory, and judgement was not
7 executed on them d u r i n g their life. K n o w " that their souls'" will be
m a d e to go down into Sheol, and they will be wretched, a n d ' " their
K distress will be great;'" and in darkness and in chains and in
b u r n i n g flames your s p i r i t s " will come to the great judgement, and
the great j u d g e m e n t will l a s t " lor all generations Ibr e v e r . " Woe to
<i you, lor you will not have p e a c e . " Do not say to the righteous and
good w h o were a l i v e . " In the days of o u r " affliction we toiled
laboriously a n d saw every affliction and met many evils;" wc were
III spent a n d became few, and our spirit small. We were destroyed,'"
a n d there was no one who helped us with words or deeds; we were
II powerless a n d found n o t h i n g . " We were tortured and destroyed,
a n d did not expect to see life from one day to the next.'" We hoped

" C i G a . M Q f U ' Woe lo you. you sinnt-rs who an- dead'; C;k."' -.ynd you. you
who are dead f)l"lhe .sinners'.
" GCIa.MI'D' add ihe wealth of.
" (ik.'" when you die they will say alxiut you. Blessed wm Iht sinners all the
days lhal they saw'.
'" . \ n d now . . . luit see: (;k.'"otn. hy hmt.
" B C X C ' 'Do you know'; (ik."' 'You yourselves know'.
'" f 'their spirits'; ( i Q D ' 'vour spirits'; ( J k . ' " 'vour souls'.
" So D ' C C ' : other Eth. .\ISS om.
and they . . . great: Gk."' 'and there they will be in great distress'.
" your spirits: Gk.'" 'and your souls'.
••' and the g r e a t . . . last: ( i k . " om.
•' G G a ( M ) ( 2 T D ' 'for all (Ga(.\l)t>m. 'all') the generations of eternity'; Gk.""in
all the generations of eternity'.
** (ik.'" '\\"(x: to you, there is no joy Ibr you'.
*' (ik.'" 'For do not say, you who were righteous ( a n d ) holy in your life'.
•" .\I Gk."' om.; (iGaC^T'D' 'their'; (ia continues with the third person through­
out verses <1- 1S and in pari in verses U f
-' and saw . . . many evils; Gk.'" om.
" and our spirit . . , destroyed: (ik.'" om.
^'' and there was no one . . . found ix>thing: ( i ( ( i a ) . \ I Q D ' 'and did nol find
anyone to help us even with a word'; G k . " 'and we did not find a helper'.
Gk.'" 'and gave up hope of knowing safely again day by day'.
 I Enoch 311
to become the head, but became the tail. We toiled and laboured,
but were not masters of the fruits of our toil;" u e became food for
the sinners, a n d the lawless madc^' their yoke heavy upon us.
12 T h o s e w h o hated us and those who goaded u s " were masters of
us,^'' a n d to those who hated us we bowed our necks, but they did
13 not have mercy on us.-" We sought to escape I'rom them that we
might flee a n d be at r e s t , " but we found no place where we might
14 flee a n d be safe from them. We complained about them to the
rulers in our distress and cried out against those who devoured
u s , ' ' but they took no notice of our c r y " and did not wisli to listen
I,') to o u r voice. And they helped those who plundered us and de­
voured us a n d those who made us few," and they concealed their
w r o n g d o i n g a n d did not remove from us the yoke of those who-*"
d e v o u r e d us a n d scattered us and killed us;^' and they concealed
o u r slaughter and did not remember that they had raised their
h a n d s against us."^

CIV. 1 swear to you, you righteous,' that in heaven the angels

r e m e m b e r you for good before the glory of the Great O n e , and thai
" Ck.'" corrupt, apparciuly 'ol'our wascs'.
'-' C G a M Q i n ' Tor the simu-rs and the lawless, and ((la.MQ'ri)' om. and')
they inadc'.
" and those who goaded us: Q 'and those who hated us and goaded us'; I)' and
those who goaded us and surrounded us'.
Those who . . . masters of us: (Jk.'" 'Those who rule u.. our enemies, goad us
and surround us'.
" and to those , . , mercy on us: (Ik."'out.
that wc might . . . rest: Gk.'" 'that we might be refreshed' (the remainder o(
verse and beginning of\erse 14 has not sur\-ived).
" C;k."' 'agaicist those w ho struck us down and inllieled violence on us'.
Gk.'" 'and they did not receive our petitions'.
(ik.'" '.And they did not help us, not finding anvMin? against those who inflicted
violence on m and (devoured us, but they harden against us them <who) killed us
and m a d e us lew".
•"' the yoke of those who: so GGa.MFOB'C:'; other Kth. M.SS 'their yoke, but
they'.
•" and they concealed their . . . killed us: Gk."' oin.
and they concealed our . . . against us: Gk.'" 'and they bring no charge
concerning those of us who have been murdered, and concerning {the) sinners
they do not remember their sins'.

' you righteous: G G a . M Q T ' D ' Gk.'"om.

 :i\2 I Enoch
y o u r n a m e s are written down beliire the glory o f t h e (Jreat O n e . '
L' Be hopeful! For you were formerly put to shame t h r o u g h ' evils
a n d alTlietions, but now" you will shine like the lights of heaven'
:i a n d will be seen, and the gate" ofhcaven will be opened to you. .And
persevere in your cry forjudgement, and it will a p p e a r to you, for
justice will be exacted from the rulers for all your distress,' and from
I all those who helped those who plundered you." Be hopeful, and do
not a b a n d o n your hope, lor you will have great joy like the angels of
.') heaven." W h a t will you have to do?'° You will not have to hide on
the day of the great j u d g e m e n t , nor will you be Ibund to be
s i n n e r s . " Fhe eternal j u d g e m e n t will be upon you for all the
II generations of e t e r n i t y . " . \ n d n o w " do not be afraid, you righteous,
w h e n you see the sinners growing strong and prospering in their
d e s i r e s , " and do not be associated witti them, but keep far away
from their w r o n g d o i n g , " for you shall be associates of the host'" of
7 h c a \ c n . " For you sinners say. None of our sins will be inquired
i n t o ' " a n d written down! - but they will write down all your sins
li every d a y . ' " .And now I show to you that light and darkness, day
[t a n d night, see all your sins. Do not be impious'" in your hearts, and
- and lliai your . . . (Jrcal One: .AHKN' (;k."'i)m.
' Ck.'" 'Be eouraseoiis. kn vou have grown old in'.
' bulnow:(;k.'"om. ' ( ; G a M ( y ) T a d d ' y o u will shine'.
" 'and ihe gales'; Gk.'" 'ihe windows'.
' (ik.'" ' . \ n d your ery will be heard, and your judgemeiu for which you cry will
a p p e a r againsi everything which will help <againsl> you in respect of ytnir
alliiction'.
" and from . . . plundered you: Gk."' 'and il uill be rxeculed on all who lixik part
with those who inllicted violence on you and devoured vou'.
" ( ; k . ' " o m . verse t.
"> So GCia.MQK: olher Kth. .MSS '.As lor what you will have to dt>'.
" What . . . be sinners; (»k."'defective and reconstruction uncertain, bul the text
clearly dilfcred from Kth - at least in the first part. .Mter 'sinners' Cik.'" adds 'you
will be troubled a n d ' (Il is likely that something like 'But as for you sinners' has
d r o p p e d out ofthe lext before this: cp. note 1'2).
'•' T h e e t e r n a l . . . eternity: this only makes sense as an atldress to the sinners, and
perhaps it was so originallv.
" .\ndiiow:Gk.'"om. ' " GGa.MC,)™'C;k.'"'ways'.
" Gk.'" 'all their misdeeds'. '" G . M Q T ( D ' ) 'the good ones'.
" for you shall . . . heaven: Cik."' om.
'" will Ix- inquired into: so NG'; other Kth. .MSS corrupt.
'" Cik."' in verse 7 obscure and incomplete, bul apparently similar lo Klh.
'° G k . " " D o n t > l g o a s l r a v ' .
 I Enoch 313
d o not lie, a n d d o not alter the words of truth, nor say that the
w o r d s of the Holy and^' Great O n e are lies, a n d do not praise your
idols, for all your lies a n d all your impiety lead not to right-
in eousness,-^ but to great sin. .And now I know this mystery, that
m a n y sinners will alter and distort the words of t r u t h , " and speak
evil w o r d s , " a n d lie, a n d eoncoct great fabrications, and write
11 books in their oun words.^' But when they write out all m y " words
exactly in their languages, and do not alter or omit anything from
my w o r d s , but write out everything exactly, e v e r y t h i n g ' ' which I
12 testified a b o u t them before - then I k n o w " another mystery, that
books^' will be given to the r i g h t e o u s " and wise which will be the
l;i source o/joy a n d truth a n d m u c h w i s d o m . " .And btwks will be given
to t h e m . ' - a n d they will believe in them and rejoice over them; and
all the righteous who have learnt from them all the ways of truth
will be g l a d . "

CV. .And in those days, says the Lord, they shall call and testify to
the sons of the e a r t h about the wisdom in t h e m . ' Show it to them,
for you are their leaders, a n d the rewards which are to come over all
2 the e a r t h . F o r i a n d my son will join ourselves with them for ever in

-' C;y T (;k."' om. -and V.tvM .

-'• Romaiildcr o l v r r s c <l and iK-giimhii; olvi-rsi- 10 losi in (;k."'.
many . . . irulh: (ifCJa.MjTI" 'ilip .sinnrrs will alter and di.stort the words of
truth in many ways' (or perhaps 'the siimers will alter the words of truth and
per\'ert m a n y ' ) ; (jk.'" 'the sinners alter and write against [the words] of truth and
lead astray (jit. 'change') the many'.
••' and s|X-ak c\ il words: (Jk.'" om.
and write tKX)ks in their own words (or 'concerning their words'): (XJa.Mtjn'
' a n d write out my Ixxiks in their iiwn words'; C;k."' 'and write out the .scriptures in
their ou'n names'.
'•- G C i a M Q D ' the'. " Qom.
•" But when . . . know: (Jk."' '.Vnd would that they woidd write out all my words
exactly in their names, and not omit or change any/Am^ in these words, but write out
exactly all the things which I testify to them. .And again I know'.
( ; k . " " m y Ijooks'. " ( J k . " ' a d d s ' a n d holy'.
" which . . . wisdom: Gk."' "for joy of truth'.
.And lKX»ks . . . them: (Jk."'om.
Gk.'" 'and all the righteous will be glad to leant from them all the ways of
t r u t h ' ; in Eth. for 'be glad' many MSS have '!»• rewarded'.

' the wi,sdom in them: i.e. in the btxiks (lit. 'their wisdom').
Mi I Enoch
tht' p a t h s ol uprightiu'ss during their lives, and you will have
peace. Rejoice, you sons ol'uprightness! . \ m c n . '

CVI. .And alter some days my son .Methuselah took for his son
L a m c c h a wife,' and she became prcgnatit by him a n d ' bore' a son.
.And his body was white like snow and red like the flower ofa rose,
a n d the hair ol'his head was white like wool". . . and his eyes were
beautiful;' and when he opened his eyes, he made the whole house
bright like the sun so that the whole house was exceptionally
bright." .And when hc was t a k e n ' from the hand ofthe midwife," he
o p e n e d his m o u t h and spoke to the Lord of Righteousness." .And
his father'" Lamcch was afraid of him and fled and went to his
father .Methuselah. .And he said to him, I have begotten a strange
son; hc is not like a man, but is like the children o f t h e angels of
h e a v e n , o f a dilfcrent type, and not like us. .And his eyes are like the
rays o f t h e sun. a n d his face glorious. .And it seems to me that he is
not s p r u n g from me, but from the a n g e l s , " and I am afraid lest
s o m e t h i n g extraordinary should be d o n e " on the earth in his days.
.And n o w , " my father, I am entreating you and petitioning you to
g o ' " to o u r father Knoch. a n d " learn from him the truth, for his

• (Jk.'" om. chap. cv. but from the IraKmciit.s lhat have survived it is clear lhat
. \ r a m . had itiaterial corresponding at least in \ crse I and iwrhaps to the end ofvcrse

' (Jk.'" '.And alter some time I took a wife for my son .Methuselah, and she Ixirc a
son and called his name I.amech; righteousness was brought low until that day.
.And when he came of age. he l(K)k a wife for himself.
^ became pregnant b\' him and; (Jk."' om.
' (Jk.'" adds 'to him'.
- All Kth. .M.S.S add what seems to !«• a gloss, 'and his hair'; Ck.'" 'And when the
child was born, his IxKiy was whiter than snow and redder than the rose, his hair all
white, and like white wool, and curly and glorious'.
' and his eyes . . . beautiful; Gk.'" om.
" he iriadc . . . exceptionally bright: (Jk."' 'the house shone like the sun'.
' (Ja '.And thereupon he rose'; (Jk.'" '.And he rose'.
" (JaGk.'"add'and'.
" and spoke . . . Righteousness: (Jk."' 'and blessed the Ixjrd'.
'" his father: Gk.'" om. " (Jk.'"'an angel'.
'^ (Jk.'" 'and I fear him lest something should occur'.
'•' now: (Jk."'om. '* It) go: (Jk.'"'Go'.
" Remainder of verse 7 and beginning ofvcrse 8 has not survived in Gk.'".
 / Enoch i 1.')
dwelling is with the angels. . \ n d when Methuselah heard the
w o r d s of his son, he came to me at the ends of the earth, for he had
h e a r d that I was t h e r e . " . \ n d he cried o u t , " and I heard his voice
a n d went to him. .And 1 said to him,'" Behold. I am here, my son. for
you h a v e " come to mc.-° .And he answered me^' and said. Because
of a great m a t t e r " have I come to you.^' and because of a disturb­
ing vision have I come near.^'' .And now hear me. my father, for^' a
child has been born to my son Lamech whose form and type are not
like the type of a man; his colour is whiter than snow and redder
t h a n the flower o P ' a rose, and the hair of his head is whiter than
white wool, and his eyes are like the rays of the sun; and he opened
his eyes and m a d e the whole house bright.*' .And he was taken
from'" the h a n d of the midwife and opened his mouth and blessed
t h e Lord of H e a v e n . " .And his father Lamech'" was afraid and fled
to me. .And he does not believe that he is sprung from him, but thinks
him to Ac" from the angels'- of heaven. .And behold I have come to
you that you may make known to me the truth. .And I, Knoch,
a n s w e r e d and said to h i m . " The Lord will do new things on the
e a r t h , a n d this I have already seen in a vision and made known to
you.''' f o r " in the generation of my father J a r e d some from the

" Ibr . . . ihiTc: (Jk.'" 'wlicre lu- |.s;nv| thai I was thou'.
" .And he cried out: (Jk.'" ".And he said to me. | M \ j father, hear my voice and
come |to) me'.
" to him: Gk.'"oni. Gk.'"'Why have you'.
Gk.'" adds'mv son". ^' m e : ( i k . " ' o m .
" G G a M I'D'(;k.'"'.u-cd'. to you: (Jk.'"'here, father'.
" and because . . . near: Gk.'" om. hear me . . . for: Gk.'" om.
" thenowerur:C;k.'"om.
" and he opened . . . bright: Gk.'" om.
" .And he was taken from (or perhaps 'rose from'): so GBCKI.K:'; other F.th.
.•VISS '.And he rose in'; Gk.'" '.And he rose from'.
" G k . " " o f Eternity". (Jk."".And my son I j m e c h " .
" but thinks him lo be: GGa.MH "but thai his form is'.
" Gk.'" '.And he does not Ijcheve that he is his son, but that ht is from the angels'
(after this one line of text seems to have dropped out and what remains of the verse is
corrupt).
" G k . " 'Then I answered, saying'.
Gk."^ in part obscure. 'The Ix)rd will make a new command on the earth, and
in the same way {?), my son, I h a \ e seen and made il known to you'.
" for: in Eth. could also be translated 'that'.
 I Enoch

11 height oi" heaven transgressed the word of tlie'" L o r d . " .\iid be­
hold, they commit sin and transgress the law,'" and have been
p r o m i s c u o u s with women and commit sin with them, and h a \ e
1,') m a r r i e d some o f t h e m , and have begotten children by t h e m . " .And
there will be great destruction over the whole'"' earth,'" and there
will b e ' " a deluge, and there will be great destruction for one year.
Hi But this child who has been born to you'" will be leh on the earth,''''
a n d his three sons will be saved with him:'" when all the men'"'who
17 are on the earth die, he and his sons will be saved.'" T'hey will beget
on the earth giants, not of spirit, but of flesh, and there will be great
w r a t h on the earth,''" and the earth will be cleansed from all
IK corruption.'''' .And now make known to your son Lamcch-'" that the
o n e w h o has been born is truly his .son.'" .And call his name .Noah,
lor hc will be a r e m n a n t for y o u , " and he and his sons will be saved
from the destruction which is coming on t h e e a r t h because ofall the
sin a n d all the iniquity which w ill be committed on the earth in his
\9 d a y s . But after this there will be yet greater iniquits than that
which was committed on the earth before. For I know the

CKiaQD'T'- and some Eili.ll M.S.S 'niy'.

" .some . . . Lord: . \ 'ihe angi'is ofhcaven transgressed tiie word ofmy Lord*; I)'
CJk.'" 'they transgressed the word oflhe (I)' 'my') \Am\. deparlmgfnms the covenant
ofhcaven'.
(;k."' 'custom'.
" by them: C;aQ.\.\ om. '" CiaKHKNC:'om.
•" and have tiegotlcn . . . earth: Cik.'" 'and tliey bvAr children not like spirits, but of
flesh. .And there will be great wrath on the earth' (cp. verse 17).
- ' there will be: Cik.'"dm.
'" to you: C;k."' om. " on the earth: CJk.'" om.
" with him: C;k.'" om. '"' all the men: CJk.""those'.
hc and his sons will be saved: CiCiaQD' Cik."' om. (probably re|H-ated hy
mistake). G G a also om.. but hy hmt.. ''I'hey will beget on the earth'. For CJk."' cp.
also note 48.
*" 'fhey will beget . . . wrath on the earth: Cik."' om.. but has a very similar
pas.sage at the end ofvcrse 14 and the beginning of verse I.') (cp. note41). \'ersc 17a
in i-'.lh. is probably an alternative version of the end ofvcrse 14 and the iK'ginningof
verse 1 b which has been intrtKluced into the te.xt in the wrong [ilace.
Cik." 'and he will calm the earth from the corruption that is on it'.
Cik."' '.And now tell Lamech'.
" lhal . . . his son: Cik."' ' H e is your son in truth and holiness'.
Cik."' adds 'whereby you will have rest' (after this there appears to be a lacuna,
and the text ofthe remainder ofthe verse is obscure).
 I Enoch :M7
mystcrii's of the holy ones, for that L o r d ' ' showed them to ine and
m a d e them known to me, and I read them in the tablets of heaven.

CVIL .And I saw written on t h e m ' that generation upon generation

will d o wrong- until a generation of righteousness shall arise, and
w r o n g d o i n g shall be destroyed, and s i n ' shall d e p a r t from the
2 e a r t h , and everything good shall come upon it.-* .And now. my son,
g o , ' m a k e known to your son Lamech that this child who has been
:i b o r n is truly his son, and this is no lie. .And when Methuselah had
h e a r d the words of his father Knoch - for he showed everything' to
him which is secret' - he returned, having seen him," and called the
n a m e of that, child Noah; for he will comfort the earth after all the
destruction."

CVIII. .Another book which Knoch wrote for his son Methuselah
a n d for those who should come after him and keep the law in the
2 last days, ^'ou who have observed //' and are waiting- in thesedays
until an end shall be m a d e of those who do evil, and an end shall be
;i m a d e of the power of the wrongdoers, d o ' indeed wait until sin

" \'orsf l!> down as I'ar as 'I.ord' has not survived in (Jk.'".

' . \ n d I saw . . . [hcni: so Kth. .\rani.; (Jk.'" ' Tht-n I saw what was written oti
them-.
' that . . . wrong: (Jk.'" 'that one generation (will he] w()r[se| than another';
. \ r a n i . 'that [generation] upon generation will do wrong in |. . [and wrong will IK-
["; (Jk.'" adds 'and then I saw' (perhaps a duplicate version ofthe beginning ofthe
verse).
' .Vram. 'violence'.
' and e\erything . . . U(X>n it ((Ja 'U|X)n the earth'): (Jk."' 'and gixKl things will
come lo them upon the earth'; .\ram. damaged, but did apparentiv have 'U) them'.
' {Jk.'"'run'.
' (Jk.'"om.
' which is secret: (J(Ja.\IQ I'D' (Jk.'" in secret'.
' he returned, having seen him: G a Q G k . " ' o i n . ; 0 ' om. 'having seen him'; . \ 1 "he
returned and showed ttiein to him', and similarly G (which is defective).
" Gk.'" '.And his name was called Noah, comforting the earth after the
destruction'.

' (i(Ja ' \ ' o u who have done good'.

' and are waiting: GGa.\lQ)B' 'will wait'.
' GGa.\lQTD"Anddo'.
 318 1 Enoch
shall pass away; for their names will be erased from" the books of
the holy o n e s , ' a n d their olTspring will be destroyed for ever, and
their spirits will be killed, and they will cry out and moan in a
c h a o t i c ' desert place, and will b u r n ' in hre, for there is no earth
I t h e r e . .And there I saw something like a cloud which could not be
d i s c e r n e d , for because ofits depth I was not able to look up at it;
a n d the flames ofa fire I saw burning brightly, and things like bright
.') m o u n t a i n s revolved and shook from side to side. .And 1 asked one of
the holy angels who were with me and said to him. What is this
bright place? For there is no heaven, but only the flames of a
b u r n i n g fire a n d the sound of crying and weeping and moaning
t) a n d severe pain. And he said to me, I'his place which you s e e - h e r e
will be t h r o w n ' the spirits o f t h e sinners and o f t h e blasphemers,
a n d of those who do evil, and of those who alter everything which
the Lord has s p o k e n ' by the mouth of the prophets about the things
7 which shall be d o n e . P'or there are books and records about them in
h e a v e n above, that the angels may read them and know what is to
c o m e u p o n the sinners, and upon the spirits ofthe humble,'" and of
those w h o afflicted their bodies and were recompensed by God,
H a n d of those who were abused by evil men; who l o v e d " God, and
did not love gold, or silver, or any worldly good, but gave up their
9 bodies to torment; who, from the moment they existed, did not
desire earthly food, but counted themselves as a breath which
passes a w a y , a n d kept to this; and the Lord tested them much, and
10 their spirits were found pure that they might bless his name. .And
all their blessings I have recounted in the books; and he has
assigned t h e m their reward, for they were found to be such as loved

* C;Ga add 'the book of life and from'; Q adds 'from the IxKjks ofthe living and
from'; .VITD' add 'the book and from'.
' the books ofthe holy ones: .\1Q T D ' K B ' C 'the holy books'; G 'the book ofthe
Holy O n e (or 'holy ones')'.
* chaotic: lit. 'that cannot be seen', but in the light o f t h e I.XX of Gen. i. 2
probably to tic translated 'chaotic'.
' will burn: so D'ABCIXC:'; other .\ISS 'have burnt'.
* G Q D ' 'led'.
' G G a Q D ' 'done'.
M a n y Eth.U .MSS 'the humble spirits'; D ' 'the spirits of those who have gone
astray'.
" So A B D E X : other MSS'love'.
 I Enoch 319
h e a v e n more than their life in the world,'- and even though they
were t r a m p l e d u n d e r loot by evil men, and had to listen to reviling
a n d reproach from them and were abused, yet they blessed me.
11 . \ n d now I will call the spirits ofthe good who are ofthe generation
of light, and I will transform those who were born in darkness, who
in the flesh were not recompensed with honour, as was fitting lo
Vi their faith. . \ n d I will bring out into shining light those who l o v e "
my holy n a m e , a n d I will set each one on the throne of his honour.
13 A n d they will shine for times without number, for righteousness is
the j u d g e m e n t of God, Ibr with the faithful he will keep I'aith in the
11 dwelling of upright paths. .And they will see those who were born in
1j d a r k n e s s thrown''' into darkness, while the righteous shine. .And
the sinners will cry out as they see them shining, but they
t h e m s c K c s will go where days and times h a \ e been written down
for t h e m .

in the world: .so (Ja: all othci .\ISS 'whiih » lor o.-r'.
" G . M Q T D ' loved'.
" G.MQD'led'
 2 ENOCH

INTRODIC: riON

2 Knoch. or '.Shuonic Knoch' (so-called to distinguish it I'rom

'Kthiopian Knoch"). or "The Book ol'thc Secrets ol'Knoch' (a title
based on the titles in some ol'the inanuscripts). has been preserved
only in Slavonic in two distinct recensions, each attested by more
t h a n one family of manuscripts.
.Attention was first d r a w n to it in modern times by an extract
contained in two .\ISS in the Synodal Library in .Moscow printed
by .A. \ ' . Cjorsky and K. I. Nevostrue\' in their catalogue of .MSS in
that library, published in IH;")!).' The first edition ofthe work as a
whole was that of .A. N. P o p o \ . who in 18H0 printed the text from
the Poltava .MS (our P). written in l(i79. In 1884 S. Novakovic
p r i n t e d a much shorter text, with a number of obvious lacunae,
from a Kith-1 7th cent. .MS in the .National Library in Belgrade
(our .N): this text is a Serbian redaction, but there are se\eral clear
indications that it was derived from a Russian original. I w o years
later .\L I. Sokolov discovered another .MS containing the work,
also in Belgrade, and o f t h e IBth cent., but in middle-Bulgarian
(our R ) : the contents tallied much more closely with Popov's
Poltava text than with that in the other Belgrade .MS, and .Sokolov
concluded that this longer version represented the original and
that the shorter text was an abbreviation of it.
1 he next few years witnessed fresh discoveries, both of MSS
(including the earliest ol'all, that in the L'varov collection, o f t h e
l.')th cent. - o u r U) and of a n u m b e r of fragments in the form of
extracts and quotations preserved in other works. Despite the fact
that the new evidence showed that the shorter version was known
before the longer, and also that all the fragments were taken from
it, Sokolov still maintained his opinion that the longer version was
to be preferred, and accordingly chose as the basis for his edition of
1899 the Belgrade .MS R, though his posthumous papers, edited
' Sec .\. \ ' . Gorsk) and K. I. Nf\ostruc\. Opaameilavyansktkh rukopnn Moikoiskoi
iinadal'noi (palnanhei) bibUoteki. II. ii (Moscow. lH.i9). pp. (iL'6-7. The MSS arc now
in the I,ibrar\ ol'thc State Historical .Museum in .Moscow.
:m 2 Enoch
by M . N. Spcransky in 1910, show that hc eventually relented to
the extent of recognizing U as a witness to the existence ot an
Mntermediate version" from which the shorter version was derived.
T h e G e r m a n scholar Bonwetsch, in il- Introduction to his
translation of 1922, denied the existence of this 'intermediate
version" a n d argued that U is much better explained as a primary
witness to the text of the shorter version; but he still followed
Sokolov in maintaining the priority of the longer version. How­
ever, hc m a d e the point that the shorter version cannot reasonably
be regarded as the abbreviation o f t h e contents of any one o f t h e
existing 'longer" .\ISS. Nevertheless, all the MSS, wide as the
divergences arc, were (according to Bonwetsch) derived ulti­
mately from the same original Slavonic translation.
.Meanwhile, N. Schmidt had in 1921 argued cogently, in a brief
article of only six pages, for the priority ofthe shorter version; and
in this view he was supported by .A. X'aillant in his full critical
edition of 19.52. But whereas Schmidt thought that the two Sla­
vonic versions were traceable to two previously existing recensions
in Greek, \ ' a i l l a n t , like Bonwetsch, preferred to think - ' t h e m as
Slavonic recensions and to trace them back to a single .Slavonic
t r a n s l a t i o n , m a d e probably in .Macedonia in the 10th or 11th
centuries. T h i s translation, Vaillant thought, survives in all essen­
tials in the 'short recension", attested by five MSS dating from the
15th to the 18th centuries ( U B . W ' B a . ) , and by the fragments Mpr.
C:hr. R u m . a n d T r . T h e 'long recension' in its pristine form (found
only in the Belgrade M S R) V'aillant attributed to a reviser, who
worked between the second half of the 13th cent, and the early part
o f t h e 1 6 t h - m o s t probably towards the end ofthe 15th: this reviser
was responsible for very many relatively minor corrections and
a l t e r a t i o n s , and also for a n u m b e r of substantial additions of new
m a t e r i a l . Finally, a second reviser, fairly soon afterwards, worked
over his predecessor's text, paraphrased it sometimes rather freely,
t r a n s p o s e d an item here and there, and m a d e a few more additions:
this second reviser's activity is attested by the MSS J and P, both of
which a r e unfortunately incomplete (as arc also the .VISS NVBa. of
t h e 'short recension').
V a i l l a n t ' s edition is therefore an edition of the 'short recension',
his text being based on the oldest MS U. T h e variants ofall the
 2 Enoch '.m
M S S a n d the fragments arc, however, cited in his a p p a r a t u s with
t h e exception ofthe putative additions of new material made by the
first reviser: these are collected together in an appendix at the end
(the text here being that of R, printed over an a p p a r a t u s showing
t h e v a r i a n t s in J a n d P).
O u r translation is a translation ofthe text ol'the 'short recension"
as given in Vaillant's edition. In the tbotnotes will be Ibund a
selection of the more important of the minor variations; but only
occasionally, for obvious reasons, are the major variants of the
' l o n g recension' either given in full, or, indeed, mentioned. When
R a p p e a r s in the footnotes, it is to be understood that it is sup­
p o r t e d by both J and P where extant, unless it is stated otherwise.

A b o u t the d a t e , authorship, and original language o f t h e work

o p i n i o n s have differed widely. \ i one extreme R. H. Clharles
c o n c l u d e d that it was written about the beginning ofthe C:hristian
e r a , by an Alexandrian J e w , and in Greek (though certain parts of
it 'were founded on Hebrew originals'). .At the other extreme Mrs
A. S. D. M a u n d e r argued that it is a Bogomil work, written
originally in Bulgarian, between the 12th and the 15th centuries.
As a third, intermediate, view may be instanced that of V'aillant,
w h o could refer to it as 'Clhristian Enoch' in contrast with 'Jewish
E n o c h ' (i.e. I E n o c h ) , though he was in no doubt that the author
w a s a Jewish Christian, who was concerned to produce a CUiristian
c o u n t e r p a r t to the well-known Jewish Enoch, and wrote in Greek,
p r o b a b l y in the second or early third century \V).
T h e r e is no certain indication, however, that 2 Enoch, even in
t h e short recension, was known to any of the (Jreek or Latin
F a t h e r s . For example, it is customary to explain 'I saw all
m a t e r i a l things', quoted and attributed to Enoch both by Cllement
of A l e x a n d r i a ' a n d by O r i g e n ' in the light of several passages in 2
E n o c h xiii.'' But there are two difficulties here. In the first place,
b o t h in C l e m e n t a n d in Origen the words appear as an exact
q u o t a t i o n ('when Enoch said. I saw . . . ' ) , whereas not one ofthe
suggested passages from 2 Enoch xiii is verbally identical; and
secondly, O r i g e n not only ascribes the quotation to Enoch, but
' CIcm-Alcx. Eel. proph. ii. 1. ' Orig. fnne. W. iv. 8.
* xiii. 5 - 8 , 14-15, 2 0 - 2 2 . 2;i-2ti, 27.
 :m 2 Knoch
also says lhat il was •written in the same book' as another of
K n o t h ' s sayings he has j u s t quoted, and which appears to be taken
from 1 Enoch xxi. 1. W h a t the answer is wc do not know. It may be
t h a t the words "1 saw all material things' did in fact stand in the
(Jreek copy of 2 Knoch xiii used by Clement and Origen, and the
.Slavonic translator either omitted them or paraphrased them - in
which case Origen will have been guilty o f a lapse of memory in
s a y i n g that they occured in the same book as 1 Knoch xxi. 1.
.Alternatively it may be that Origen was correct and that they did
o n c e stand in some lexis of 1 Knoch, though ihcy are nol found
t o d a y in any known lexl of that work. O r it may be that the words
were not intended originally as an exact quotation at all, but
merely as a loose reference (to 1 Knoch xix. 3, for instance), and
O r i g e n may have remembered them from his reading of Clement,
or both may have been familiar with them independently from
s o m e collection of Knoch's sayings circulating in .Alexandria or
from c o n t e m p o r a r y oral traditions about Knoch. .And there are a
n u m b e r of olher possibilities. W h a t we cannot have is certainty.
.And there is a similar uncertainty about all the other suggested
patristic q u o t a t i o n s .
But quite a p a r t from the question whether or not 2 Enoch was
k n o w n to the Fathers, it is highly probable, if we are to argue from
a n a l o g y , lhat there was at one time a Greek text, of which the
earliest Slavonic text was a translation. It is also highly probable
t h a t this (ireek text was the original: there are a n u m b e r of
linguistic pointers in this direction; and the Septuagint, rather
t h a n the H e b r e w , seems to have been the author's Bible. However,
this by itself tells us very little about him. Some ofthe names, found
only in 2 Enoch, such as .AdoiF and Sofonima,* suggest at the very
least a J e w i s h background. T h e author, then, may well have been a
J e w of .Alexandria (as C^harles maintained) or of some other city of
the Dispersion, who spoke a n d wrote in Greek, and who quite
n a t u r a l l y regarded the Septuagint as his Bible. And yet there are
no specihcally J e w i s h features anywhere: Enoch's admonitions
a b o u t gifts a n d ofierings,' for instance, and the descriptions ofthe

' xi. 7. <• x.xiii. \ .>.vic.

' ii. '2-4; xiii. 4ti-47; xv. ( i - 7 . 17-20; xvii. 7.
 2 Enoch 325
priestly runetioiis and activities of Methuselah" and Nir," are ail
\ c r y general, and they exhibit no points of contact in detail either
with the sacrificial requirements of the Pentateuch or with any
k n o w n Teinple practices.
The case for a Ohristian origin depends partly on general con­
s i d e r a t i o n s , partly on the lack of specifically Jewish features just
m e n t i o n e d , partly on alleged influence from the books ofthe New
Testament (CUiarles's list of parallels can just as easily be
explained as echoes o f t h e New T e s t a m e n t in 2 Enoch as they can
as echoes of 2 Enoch in the New T e s t a m e n t ) , but more particularly
on how we u n d e r s t a n d the .Melchizedek story in chap, xxiii at the
very e n d .
.According to this story Melchizedek is born, without the agency
of a h u m a n father, from the Ixndy of .Sofonima after her death: he
h a s on his breast 'the seal o f t h e priesthood','" and Nir is told that
he will be 'a priest of priests for e v e r ' ; " after the Flood the Lord will
raise u p a n o t h e r generation and .Melchizedek will be 'chief priest'
in t h a t g e n e r a t i o n : " until then he is to be kept safe in the Garden of
E d e n . It is t e m p t i n g to read this story as a development of what is
said a b o u t .Melchizedek in the F-pistle to the Hebrews. In Hebrews
.Melchizedek a p p e a r s 'without father, without mother, without
genealogy','-' a n d his priesthood is the type o f t h e priesthood of
C h r i s t , w h o is described more than once both as 'a priest forever'''*
a n d as ' t h e m e d i a t o r ' of a 'new (or 'better') c o v e n a n t ' . " Ifwe read
the story in 2 Enoch so, then 2 Elnoch cannot be much earlier than
the end o f t h e first century and its origin must be Christian. O n
the o t h e r h a n d , the details in Hebrews and 2 Enoch that arc
alleged to correspond are not sufficiently close to establish any­
t h i n g like a water-tight case for dependence: wc know from the
evidence of Q u m r a n that J e w s , no less than Christians, were
interested in .Melchizedek; and there is, therefore, no reason to
s u p p o s e that both a J e w i s h a u t h o r and a Christian author could
not have developed this interest independently, one in 2 Enoch and
t h e o t h e r in H e b r e w s .

" x.x. I-L>; .v\i. 7 - l . y ' xxii. 15, 22-24.

"> .xxiii. 18. " xxiii.'2<l. '= xxiii. 34.
" Hd). vii.3. " Hcb. v.r>;vii.21:rp.vii. 3.
" Hcl>. viii.6;ix. 15;xii.'24:cp. vii. 22.
:-i2(i 2 Enoch
A n d there i.s the hirtlier dilliculty that we cannot hc sure that tht
.Mclcliizcdclc story is an integral part of the original 2 Knoch
Clhaptcrs x.\i-.\xiii arc missing altogether in .Nhirhll's and Forbes".'
t r a n s l a t i o n s ; and Bonwetsch relegated all three chapters to an
a p p e n d i x - the reason being that they are not included in the .\ISS
.N a n d Ba. o l ' t h c short iccctision (both of which end with chap,
xviii), while o f t h e .\1.SS oi'the long recension P ends with chap, xx
attd J at xxiii. 2. N'aillant, however, printed all ofthem as part ofhis
text, following U B and two of the fragments (short recension)
t o g e t h e r with R (long recension); and as explained above, we, in
o u r translation, have followed X'aillant.
Finally, a point of some interest in this coimcction has been
m a d e bv . \ . Rubinstein. Knoch, in his admonitions about sacrifice
at X V . 8 - 9 lays it d o w n . ".And all you have for food, bind it by the
four legs . . . The m a n who kills any beast without binding i t - i t is
an evil custom". For this binditig o f a victim before slaughter there
is n e i t h e r Biblical nor Rabbinic parallel. Yet later in 2 Knoch both
.Methuselah (at xxi. 9) and Nir (at xxii. 23) observe the provision.
C;haps. xxi a n d xxii, therefore, even if not xxiii, have a very dehnite
link with w h a t goes before, although thev arc lacking in three ofthe
.M.S.S.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

.\. .\'. P()[>0\', Bihliogrqficheskie materidy (ii-viii) ( = ChOIDR;

.Moscow, 1880, 1 1 1 , ix), pp. 8 9 - 1 3 9 . [The text of P]
S . . \ ( ) \ A K C ) \ ' l O , '.Apokrifo E n o h u ' in Slarine, xvi (Zagreb, 1884),
pp. 6 7 - 8 1 . [The text o f . \ ]
.\L I. S O K O I . O V , Materidyizametkipostarinnoislavyanskoiliterature,
I I I . vii: Slavyanskaya kniga Enokha (= ChOIDR; Moscow, 1899,
l Y . ii). [.An edition ofthe text of R ofthe long recension, together
with a n a p p a r a t u s recording the variants of U and P and also a
L a t i n translation, followed by an edition of B of the short recen­
sion with a n a p p a r a t u s recording the variants of N and V.]
, Materialy i zametki po starinnoi slavyanskoi literature, I I L vii:
Slavyanskaya kniga Enokhapravednogo {= ChOIDR; Moscow, 1910,
 2 Emuli •yil
W. ii. 1). [An edition ol' the te.\t.s of V and Ha of the .short
recension, together with a n u m b e r of fragments. |
\ . \ ' . \ I I , 1 , . \ N r, Le Liire des secrets d'Hennch (= Texles puhlies fxir
rinstitut d'Eludes slaves. \ \ \ Paris, 19.')2 - reprinted !97()). [.An
edition o f t h e short recension, with a full a])paratus and a French
t r a n s l a t i o n - the major additions of the long recension are
p r i n t e d in an appendix, together with French translation.]

r R . \ N S I . . \ I IONS

English
R. H . C : i l . \ R I . i ; s and W . R . . M o R l l I . I . . The Book oj Ihe Secrets of
Enoch: Translatedfrom the Slavonic by \\. R . WaV,Y\\.\.. and edited,
with Introduction, .\otes, and Indices, by R . H . C H . V R I . I ' . S (Oxford.
189()). [.A translation of a text based on Popo\"s edition of P,
t h o u g h using also .Novakovic's edition of N and some readings
supplied by Sokolov before publication.)
N . F O R B I - S i n R . H . C:n.\Rl.KS, .APOTVi, pp. 42.')-Hi9. [The long
a n d the short recensions in parallel columns.)

Erench

A . \ ' . \ I L I . . \ N r, Ac Livre des secrets d'Hennch . . . [as above).

German
G . . \ . B o . N W K T S C H , Das slavische Henochbuch (= Abhandlungen der
koniglichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften CM Gdltingen, Philologisch-
historische Klasse. .N.F. i. 3; Berlin. 1896). [Both recensions, the
longer above the shorter, with an I n t r o d u c t i o n ]
, Die BUcher der Geheimnisse Henochs: Das sogennante slavische
Henochbuch ( = 7"r'xliv. 2; Leipzig, 1922). [.A translation, first of
the l o n g recension, a n d then ofthe short, with a full a p p a r a t u s in
e a c h case, a n d an Introduction.!
P. R E I S S L K R , AjSaB\ p p . 4 5 2 - 4 7 3 . [Ofthe short recension.)

F . C . BvRKVn, Jewish and Christian Apocalypses (London, 1914),

pp. 75-76.
:m 2 Enoch
R . H . C : H . \ R I , K , S , ' T h e Date anci Place o r W r i t i n g ol'tlif Slavonic
Knoch" in /T^S"xxii (1921), pp. I f i ! - l h 3 .
D K . M S , IPGAT. pp. 2 8 - 2 9 .
( ) . KissKKKl) I , OTI. pp. r)22-f)2;5.
J . K . F o i H K R K \ ( ; H . \ . \ K ' T h e Date anci Place of Writing of the
Slavonic Knoch" inyr.S"xx (1919). p. 252.
, "The Kaster C a l e n d a r and the Slavonic Knoch" in JTS xxiii
( 1 9 2 2 ) , p p . 49-.5(i.
J . - B . F R K Y . art. ".\pocrvphcs de r.Xncien Testament" in DliSup i,
cols. 4 4 8 - 4 5 3 .
L . ( J i N / . B K R C ; . The Legends of the jews. \ (Philadelphia, 1909), pp.
130-1.37 and v (Philadelphia. 1925). pp. 1.58-lh2.
K . K . \ K K , "The Date ofthe Slavonic Knoch" in HTRwi (1923), pp.
397-398.
K. L i r i W K W N , art. 'Knoch. Books of: II. Slavonic Knoch" inJEv
{Sew York, 1903). p p . 181-182.
. \ . S. D . . M . M ' N D K R , "The Date and Place of Writing of the
.Slavonic Knoch" in The Obsematory, xii (1918), p p . 309-31().
J . 'T. M i K I K , The Books of Enoch: Aramaic Fragments of Qiimran Caie4
(Oxford, 197f)), p p . 1(J7-1 Hi.
P. RlKSSKKR,/l;6"flfi', p p . 1297-1298.
L . R o s r , EATAP, pp. 8 2 - 8 4 .
. \ . R l ' B K N S f KKN, 'Observations on the Slavonic Bexjk of Knoch" in
jr/5 .xiii (19r>2), p p . 1-21.
. \ . Sc:H.MIDf, ' T h e 'Two Recensions of Slavonic Knoch' in jAOS
xii (1921), p p . .307-312.
K. S c H t ' R K R , GjVZJC iii, p p . '290-294.
K. T l R D K . W l ' , '.Apocrvphes bogomiles et apocryphes pseudo-
bogomiles' in Reuue de I'hisloire des religions, cxxxviii (1950), pp.
181-187.

P'rom the secret books o f t h e taking u p of Knoch the J u s t (in the

Lord, O master, give a blessing), a wise m a n , a great man of letters,
w h o m the Lord received that he might be an eyewitness o f the life
above and ofthe most wise and great and unchangeable majesty of
Almighty God, of the most great, many-eyed, and immoveable
' Kmcndcd on the basis ofRJ ('that lie might see').
 2 Enoch
2 Knoch m
t h r o n e o f t h e Lord, ofthe most bright station ofthe servants ofthe
L o r d , a n d ofthe mighty, fire-born, ranks ofthe hea\enly hosts, and
o f t h e ineffable h a r m o n y of a great multitude of elements, and of
the varied aspect and inexpressible singing of the hosts of the
c h e r u b i m , and to be the witness of immeasurable light.-

I. . \ n d at that time, said Knoch, when ! had completed three

L' h u n d r e d a n d sixty-five years.' in the first month, on a certain day-
o f t h e first m o n t h . I was in my house alone, weeping and sorrowing
;i with my eyes. While I was resting on tny bed. sleeping.' there
a p p e a r e d to me two men. very great, such as I had never seen on
t e a r t h . Their faces were like the shining sun. their eyes burned like
.') candles, out of their mouths came what looked like fire, and their
clothing was a diffusion of foam, and their arms like golden wings
fi at the head of my bed; and they called me by my name. I awoke
7 from my sleep, and the two men were really standing by me.'' .Xnd I
m a d e haste and got up and bowed down to them; and my face was
H covered with frost from fright. .And the men said to me. Take
c o u r a g e , Knoch. d o not be afraid: the eternal Lord has sent us to
n you; a n d behold, you shall go up with us today to heaven. .And tell
y o u r s o n s ' all they must do on earth, and in your house; and let no
() o n e look for you until the Lord returns you to them. .And I obeyed
t h e m a n d went out. I called my sons .Methusalom and Rigim' and
I told them everything the men had said to me.

II. .And I said lo Ihem, Behold, my children. I do not know where I

•> a m going or what will become of me. .And now, my children, do not
t u r n a w a y from God, hut live your lives in the Lord's presence, and

- Full litlf in L R j P o n l y .

' R has 'when my one hundred and sixty-fifth year was aieomplished, I begot m\'
stjn .Methusalam. .And after that I lived two hundred years: ! completed all the
years of my life, three hundred and sixty-five'.
- R adds 'the first day', which \'aillant explains as the first or seventh day of
Kaster (the l.'jth or '^^nd ofthe luonth .N'isan). a festal day which Knoch spends in
retreat. * L' 'I slept'.
•* R 'and I saw clearly the two men standing l>elore me'.
' So L': BN etc. add 'and (R + 'all') your household".
' R adds "and Gaidad'.
330 2 Ennch
keep his judgi'ineius; and do not refuse' the saerihce of your
salvation, a n d the Lord will not refuse' the labour ofyour hands.
Do not deny the Lord his .shifts, and the Lord will not deny vou his
possessions in vour storehouses. Bless the Lord with the hrstborn
o f y o u r flocks and herds, and you will be the blessed ofthe Lord for
ever. Do not turn asid<- from the Lord, nor worship idols, who have
m a d e neither heaven nor earth: may the Lord conhrrn your hearts
in the fear of him. . \ n d now. my children, let no one look for me
until the Lord returns mc to you.

III. . \ n d it came to pass, when I had spoken to my sons, the two

m e n called mc and took me up on their wings; and they carried me
u p into the first heaven and set me down there. . \ n d they brought
before mc the elders, the masters ofthe ranks ofthe stars, and they
showed me their movementj^ and their displacements from year to
year. . \ n d they showed mc two h u n d r e d ' angels, who rule the stars
a n d the constellations' in heaven. .And they showed me there a sea,
very great, mtich greater than the earthly sea; and angels were
flying with their wings. .And they showed mc the treasuries ofthe
s n o w a n d ice,' and terrifying angels guarding the treasuries. .And
they showed mc there the storehouses'' o f t h e clouds, from which
they r i s e ' a n d go out. .And they showed me the treasuries of the
d e w , like the Ivalm of olive trees, and the angels guarding their
treasuries; and their appearance" was like all the flowers of the
earth.

IV. .And those two men took me up into the second heaven and set
me d o w n in the second heaven. .And they showed me the prisoners,
u n d e r g u a r d , o f the immeasurable j u d g e m e n t ; ' and there 1 saw
angels that had been condemned, weeping. .And I said to the men
w h o were with me. W h y are these in torment? T h e men answered
' B lessen'; R make odious'. -' BR eu. short'.

' two hundred = BNBaR: V 'in the light'.

' I.it. combinations'. ' .So B.N'R: I'Ba eold'.
' r 'the treasuries, and thev showed me the storehouses'.
' I ' 'go in'. ' .\Ba 'clothing'.

' R'awaiting'. ' So BBa. supjxirted by NR: L'is corrupt.

 2 Enocli 331
me, Tkese are apostates from the Lord, u l i o were not obedient to
•t t h e L o r d ' s c o m m a n d s , ' but took coimsel with their own will.'' .And
I w a s very sorry for them. And the angels bowed lou to me and said,
.i .Man of (Jod, weaskymi that you would pray to the Lord for us. .And
I a n s w e r e d them a n d said. W h o a m 1. a mortal m a n . that I should
p r a y for angels: for who knows where I am going, or what will
b e c o m e of me, or w h o will pray for me?

V. .And the men took me from there and led tne up to the third
'2 h e a v e n , a n d set me in the midst of Paradise. .And that place i.s more
beautiful than a n y t h i n g there is to see - all trees in full bkxjin. all
fruit ripe, every kind oJ food always in a b u n d a n c e . e\ery bree/e
;i fragrant. .And there are four rivers flowing by in silent course: the
4 whole g a r d e n is good, producing what is good to eat.' .And" the tree
of life is in that place, where the Lord rests, when h e ' goes into
P a r a d i s e ; a n d that tree is indescribable for the quality of its
5 fragrance. .And there is another tree nearby, an olive, which flows
(i ceaselessly with oil. .And every tree is laden with good fruit: there is
7 n o tree there without fruit; and the whole place is blessed." .And the
angels w h o g u a r d Paradise are most glorious, and they serve G<xl
8 c o n t i n u a l l y ' with unceasing voice and sweet singing. .And I said,
9 H o w very blessed is this place. T h e men answered me, This place,
E n o c h , is p r e p a r e d for the righteous, who will endure hardshi[)s in
this life, a n d mortify themselves, and turn their eyes away from
u n r i g h t e o u s n e s s , a n d execute true justice, to give bread to the
h u n g r y , a n d to cover the naked with a garment, and to lift up
a n y o n e w h o has fallen, and to help those who have been wronged,
10 w h o live their lives in the Lord's presence and ser\ e him alone. F o r
t h e m is this p l a c e ' prepared as //(«V eternal inheritance.
11 .And those m e n took me from there and carried me up to the
n o r t h of the heaven and showed me there a very terrible place.
' Lit. 'voice'.
•* R .idds 'they deserted with their prince and lliost who are inade fast in the fifth
he

' B "producing every kind that is gixxl to eat'.

' R adds "in the midst". ' U the I.ord'.
* .So B.NBa; L' 'sweet smelling'.
' Lit. 'throughout all days'. " I ' om.
 'm 2 Enoch
VI Every kind of"torment and torture « in tliat plate, and darkne.ss
a n d mist; a n d there is no light there, hut a dark lire flaming up
eternally in that place, and a river ol'hre rising up against all that
li place. And Ihere are cold and ice and prisons in lhal place, and herce
a n d cruel angels who carry weajions and inhict t o r m e n t s ' without
l,!.') m e r c y . .And I said. How very terrible is this place. .\nd the men
a n s w e r e d m c . This place, Enoch, is prepared for the impious, who
d o godless deeds on earth, who deal in spells and incantations" and
boast of w h a t they do, who steal the souls of men" secretly, who
Ki loose the yoke that binds Ihem, who grow rich from others" [ x i s s e s -
sions throtigh injustice, and ha\ c left the man who is hungry to die of
s t a r v a t i o n when they could have satished him. and have stripped
17 the naked when they could have clothed Ihem. who did not
a c k n o w l e d g e their creator, but worshipped idols and made
Ki i m a g e s , a n d bowed dowti to the work of Iheir own h a n d s . .\nd for all
these is this place prepared as Iheir etertial inheritance.

VI. .And the men led me u p from there and carried me u p ' to the
2 fourth heaven. .And behold, they showed me there all the
:i m o v e m e n t s ' a n d all the rays ofthe sun and moon. .And I measured
their m o \ e m c n t and c o m p a r e d their light; and I saw lhal the sun
h a s a light seven times greater than the m o o n . ' Their'' path and the
chariot on which each of them travels is like the wind in motion;
a n d there is no rest for them as they go and return by day and
1 night. .And / saw four great stars hanging on the right o f t h e sun's
.1 c h a r i o t and four on the left, which go with the sun eternally. .And /
saw angels .going before the sun"s chariot, flying spirits: twelve
w i n g s has each angel that d r a w s the sun"s chariot, carrying the
d e w a n d the heat, when the Lord c o m m a n d s them to go down to
e a r t h with the sun"s rays.
(),7 A n d the men took mc to the east ofthe heaven. .And they showed
m e the doors through which the sun goes out according to the times
a p p o i n t e d , and according to the circuits o f t h e m o o n ' o f t h e whole
.intl iiilliit tornifius = B e t e : L' is corrupt.
" S.i . \ B a R : V 'laluninics'. " f om. 'olmt-n'.

' Irom thtrc-. . up = BNBa: f om.

' BR acid and clisplaci'mcuts'.
' L' 'sun'. " V 'its'. ' B 'mouths'.
 2 Enoch 333
year, a n d according to the shortening and lengthening' ofthe dayi
H a n d of the night^s.' And they showed me six doors, one open, at a
distance of thirty stades; and I tried to measure their size, but 1
9 could not." Through them the sun e n t e r s ' and goes to the west.
10 T h r o u g h the first door he goes out forty-two days, through the
second thirty-five days, through the third thirty-five days, through
the fourth thirty-five days, through the fifth thirty-five days,
11 t h r o u g h the sixth forty-two days. .And again, returning through the
sixth door according to the circuit of the seasons, he goes in
t h r o u g h the fifth door thirty-five days, through the fourth door
thirty-five days, through the third door thirty-five days, through
Vi the second thirty-five days. .And the days o f t h e year are ended
a c c o r d i n g to the cycle ofthe seasons.
i:i .And the men led me up to the west ofthe heaven and showed me
there the six great doors, open according to the circuit of the
heavenly eastern doors opposite, through which the sun sets accord­
ing to his e n t e r i n g ' ' through the eastern doors and according to the
11 n u m b e r of the d a y s . " Thus he sets through the western doors; and
w h e n he comes out from the western doors four angels take his
l.i c r o w n a n d carry it up to the Lord. But t h e s u n turns his chariot and
Ki goes without light; a n d t h e r e " they put the crown on him. 'They
showed me this n u m b e r i n g ' ' ' o f t h e sun and oJ the doors through
which he goes in and out; for these doors the Lord made, and he
a p p o i n t s the sun to be the hour-keeper ofthe year.
17 .And of the moon they showed me another numbering: they
showed me all her movements and all her circuits and h e r " doors.
18 They showed me twelve doors to the east: they showed me the doors
o f t h e c r o w n , " through which the moon goes in and out according

* So Ba: I ' i s corrupt. and o f t h r nighti == B etc.: I ' o m .

" Lit. 'and I mcasuri-d their size and I could not comprehend their size".
' . \ "rises'. R ' t h e four seasons".
" B.XBa rising'.
R adds 'three hundred and sixty-five and a quarter'.
NBa a d d ' a t the eastern doors'.
'•* So R; L' reads 'waxing', which is in all probabilitv a corruption of "numbering".
" and her = BN: U om.
" circuits . . . crown. The pa.ssage is corrupt. O n the basis ofthe variants N'aillant
emetids 'circuits, and they showed me her dtK)rs. They showed me tweUe doors like
a crown to the east, and twelve such dcxjrs like a crown to the west'.
 :m 2 Enoch
l'l l o t h e a c c u s t o m e d t i m e s . 1 l i r o u g l i t l i e first d o o r t o t h e e a s t t h i r t y -
o n e " d a y s certainly, a n d t h r o u g h t h e second thirty-five d a y s
c e r t a i n l y , a n d Ihrough t h e t h i r d t h i r t y - o n e ' " d a y s e x c e p t i o n a l l y , a n d
t h r o u g h the fourth thirty days certainly, a n d through the h h h
t h i r t y - o n e " d a y s extraordinarily, a n d t h r o u g h the sixth thirty-one
d a y s certainly, t h r o u g h t h e seventh thirty days certainly, through
the eighth thirty-one days extraordinarily, a n d through the ninth
t h i r t y - o n e d a y s precisely, a n d through the tenth thirty days
certainly, through the eleventh thirty-one days exceptionally,
t h r o u g h t h e twcll'th d o o r s h e e n t e r s t w e n t y - t w o d a y s ' " c e r t a i n l y .
•J(i And s o a l s o t h r o u g h t h e w e s t e r n d o o r s , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e c y c l e a n d
n u m b e r o f t h e e a s t e r n d o o r s : t h u s s h e g o e s in a l s o t h r o u g h t h e
western doors; a n d s h e completes the year with three hundred a n d
L'l s i x t y - l o u r - " d a y s . S h e g o e s i n t o t h e y e a r w i t h l o u r e x c e p t i o n a l
quarler days: f o r t h i s r e a s o n the> a r e e x c e p t e d and set a p a r t from t h e
h e a v e n a n d t h e y e a r a n d a r c n o t c o u n t e d in t h e n u m b e r o f t h e d a y s ;
for t h e y c h a n g e " t h e s e a s o n s o f t h e y e a r , t w o n e w m o o n s w h e n s h e
is w a x i n g a n d a s e c o n d t w o n e w m o o n s w h e n s h e is w a n i n g . ' '
•22 W h e n s h e h i i i s h c s a t t h e w e s t e r n d o o r s , s h e r e t u r n s and g o e s t o t h e
•'-.i e a s t e r n w i t h h e r l i g h t : t h u s s h e g o e s d a y a n d n i g h t in a c i r c l e . H e r
o r b i t is l i k e t h e s k y ; a n d t h e c h a r i o t o n w h i c h s h e g o e s u p is a w i n d
i n m o t i o n , a n d d r a w i n g h e r c h a r i o t are h e r flying s p i r i t s , e a c h
21 a n g e l h a v i n g s i x w i n g s . T h i s is t h e n u m b e r i n g o f t h e m o o n .
2.') I n t h e m i d s t o f t h e h e a v e n I s a w a n a r m e d host serving t h e
L o r d " o n c y m b a l s a n d o r g a n s and with a c e a s e l e s s v o i c e ; a n d I w a s
e n c h a n t e d as I listened to them.'"

VII. A n d t h e m e n took m e from there a n d carried m e u p to t h e

2 fifth h e a v e n . .And I s a w t h e r e a n i m m e n s e h o s t ' - t h e W a t c h e r s . '
T h e i r a p p e a r a n c e ' was l i k e m e n ' s a p p e a r a n c e : i n s i z e t h e y w e r e

" B-thirty". BR "thirty".

" .SoR: U is corrupt.
" So B.NBa: L'R 'three hundred and sixtv-five".
" .So BNBaR: L" 'exceed'.
" and a second . . . waning = B: L' om. The passage is obscure.
" .So BNBaR: l" "G<xi".
and I was . . . to them = B.NBaR: I" om.

' So B etc.: U corrupt. ' See 1 Enoch i..'). etc.

 2 Enoch .3:1')
bigger t h a n great giants, and their faces were sad and their mouths
silent;' a n d there was no service in the fifth heaven.'' .And I said to
t h e men who were with me, Why are they so ver\- sad, and their
faces downcast, and their mouths silent, and why is there no service
in this h e a \ e n ? .And the men answered me. These are the
W a t c h e r s , who did not join their brothers,' t w o ' princes and ihe
two h u n d r e d others who followed after t h e m ' and went down to
e a r t h a n d broke their vow on the shoulder of mount Hermon to
defile themselves with h u m a n women; and because they defiled
themselves the Lord condemned them. .And these are bewailing
their brothers and the punishment which was laid upon them.*
A n d I said to the Watchers, I have seen your brothers, and I have
h e a r d w h a t they did; and I k n o w ' their prayers, and I have prayed
for t h e m . .And behold, the Lord has condemned them below the
e a r t h ' " until the heavens and the earth pass away: why then are
you waiting for your brothers, and why are you not serving in the
L o r d ' s presence? Resume your previous ser\ices: olfervourservice
in t h e L o r d ' s n a m e , " in case you anger the Lord your God, andhc
t h r o w s you down from this place. They listened to what I said and
were persuaded; and they stood in four ranks in the heaven. .And
b e h o l d , " as I stood there, they began to blow together on four
t r u m p e t s , a n d the Watchers began to ser\c, as if with a single
voice, and their voice went up into the Lord's presence.

Vin. .And the men led me up from there and carried me up to the
sixth heaven. .And I saw there seven angels in a group, bright and

' Lit. 'and the silence oltheir mouths (R ;idds 'perpetual')'.

' in the filth heaven = BR: L' om.
' Lit. 'who separated fi-om themselves' (B 'who drove themselves out').
" So B: L' -two hundred". ' after them = B: I ' om.
' p u n i s h m e n t . . . u[x>n them = B: L' corrupt.
' So B: U corrupt.
T h e r e is some confusion here. That the condemned angels were imprisoned
'below the earth' would seem to be part of a generallv accepted tradition (e.g. J u b .
V. fi, 10; 1 Knoch Ix.x.xviii. 15; 2 Pet. ii. 4), yet the angels Knoch is referring to would
seem to be those he has already met and talked with in the second heaven (see
c h a p , iv above). " BR'in the Lord's presence".
T h e v listened . . . in the heaven. .\nd beh[>ld = BR: L' oin.
 :VM'> 2 Enoch
•> very glorious; and their faces' shone like a ray of sunlight. T h e r e is
1 tio ditference between Ihem in face or size or style of clothing.' These
a r r a n g e and teach the right ordering ofthe world, the m o v e m e n t ' of
the stars, of the sun and of the moon, and of the angels, their
g u i d e s , a n d o f t h e heavenly voices;'' and they bring harmony to all
4 the life o f h c a v e n . .And they arrange also the regulation and order
a n d e x e c u t i o n ' of the singing and the offering of all the praise and
glory, a n d the angels'" who are over the seasons and the years, and
the angels who are over the rivers and over the scas.and the angels
who are over the fruits and grass and all that grows, and the angels
.i o f a l l the peoples. .And these bear rule and record the deeds of all
(i living things in the presence of the L o r d . ' .And a m o n g them are
s e \ e n phoenixes and seven cherubim and seven six-winged
angels," speaking together and singing together in unison; and it is
7 impossible to describe their songs. And the Lord rejoices in his
footstool.

IX. .And the men raised me up from there and carried me up to the
2 seventh heaven. .And 1 saw Ihere a greal light, and all the hery hosts
of the incorporeal ones, the archangels, the angels, and the
i b r i g h t n e s s ' o f t h e o p h a n n i m ; ' a n d I was afraid and trembled. And
t h e m e n took me into their midst, and they said to me. T a k e
4 c o u r a g e , Enoch, d o not be afraid. T h e y showed me from afar the
Lord sitting on his throne; and all the heavenly armies, grouped
a c c o r d i n g to their rank, came forward and worshipped the Lord,
a n d Ihen they returned again and went to their places in joy and
•) g l a d n e s s and in measureless li,ght. .And there were the glorious ones,
w h o serve him by night a n d d o not depart by d a y , ' standing in the
() I.ord's presence and doing his will. And all the hosts of the

' So B etc.: U corrupt.

' So BN'R (lit. 'or in tlu- modification ofMcirclottiing'): I ' corrupt.
' So NBaR: U liirtli'.
* BNBa angels'. ' I.it. sweet voices'.
*• O r " . . . praise and glory; and these are tfic angels . . .'
' I.il.'.\nd these rule and write all life Ix-fore the face ofthe Ixird'.
* So BNBaR: L' 'and seven cherubim, six-winged creatures'.

' I.it.'the bright station'. ' B'seraphim'.

' .So BNBaR; U to-dav'.
 •2 Enoch 337
c h c r u b u n i ' ' wm around his tiironc, and did not dcpart/rom //. and
t h e six-winged angeh who cover his throne, singing in the Lord's
7 presence. . \ n d when I had seen all this, the two men departed from
8 m e , a n d I saw them no more. Ihey left me alone at the end ofthe
h e a v e n ; and I was afraid and lell on my lace.
>.i . \ n d the Lord sent to me one of his glorious ones, (iabriel; and he
said to m e . Take courage, Knoch, d o not be afraid. Ciel up, and
10 c o m e with me, and stand in the presence ofthe Lord for ever. . \ n d I
a n s w e r e d him and said, .Mas, my lord, I am paralized by fear; call
to m e the men who brought me lo this place; for 1 have confidence'
11 in t h e m , a n d with them I will enter the Lord's presence. .\nd
G a b r i e l caught me up, just as a leaf is caught up" by the wind and
IL' he swept me along and set me down in the Lord's presence. .And I
s a w ' the Lord - his face mighty and most glorious and terrible.
l;i W h o a m I to describe" the proportions o/ his being,' and the Lord's
face, inighty and most terrible, and his many-eyed and many-
voiced choir,'" and the Lord's immense throne, made without
h a n d s , or the c o m p a n y " assembled round it (the hosts o f t h e
c h e r u b i m and s e r a p h i m ) , or the unchanging and ineffable, never-
11 silent a n d glorious ser\ice that is offered lo him? .And I fell down on
iTiy face a n d worshipped the Lord.
!;•) .And with his own mouth the Lord called me. Take courage,
Knoch, d o not be afraid: get up and stand in my presence for e\er.
.And .Michael, the Lord's great archangel,'^ raised me up and led
11) m e into the Lord's presence. .And the Lord made trial of his
s e r v a n t s and said to them. Let Knoch come up to stand in my
presence for ever. .And the L o r d ' s " glorious ones bovved down and
17 said. Let him come up. .And the Lord said to .Michael, Take Knoch
a n d take olf his earthly garments, and anoint him with good oil, and
clothe him in glorious g a r m e n t s . .And .Michael took off from me my
l« g a r m e n t s a n d anointed me with good oil. .And the appearance of

- BNBa a d d ' a n d ih<-seraphim'. ' So B etc.: I ' c o r r u p i .

" caught up = N supported by R: I'BBa corrupt.
' So BR: U corrupt. " L ' W ' h o is to conlcss . . .'
' .A probable translation. The .\ISS are corrupt. R has 'the incomprehensible
being ofthe Lord'. So R.
" BR a d d ' o f t h e choir'. '•' .So L': BNBaR'archistrategc'.
" Lord's = BNBa: U om.
 m 2 Enoch
the oil was more resplendent than a great light, and its richness like
sweet dew, and its fragrance like myrrrh, shining like a ray of the
l'l sun.'" .And I looked at myself and 1 was like one o f t h e glorious
ones, a n d there was no a p p a r e n t diflercnce.

X. .And the Lord called W e v e i l , ' one ofhis archangels, who was
w isc a n d wrote down everything that the Lord did. .And the Lord
said to W e v e i l , T a k e the bcKjks from their storeplace, and give
i Lnoch a pen a n d dictate the hooks to him. .And Weveil made haste
a n d b r o u g h t me the books, b r i g h t ' with smymiiun,' and gave me a
1 pen from his own h a n d . .And he told me all that happens in heaven"
a n d on the e a r t h and in the sea, and the movements and courses' of
all the elements, and the changes of the years, and the movements
a n d m u t a t i o n s of the days, and the regulation and order and
execution'' of the singing, and the .going in of the clouds and the
going out ofthe winds, and all the w o r d s ' ofthe songs" ofthe armed
.-) host." .And all that it was proper that 1 should learn Weveil
explained to me in thirty days and thirty nights: his lips were never
silent, as he went on speaking; and 1, for my part, had no rest for
I, thirty d a y s a n d thirty nights, as I m a d e my notes.'" .And when I
h a d hnished, W e v e i l said to me, Sit down: write out everything I
h a v e explained to you. -And I sat down a second time for thirty days
7 a n d thirty nights; and I wrote out everything exactly. .And I wrote
t h r e e h u n d r e d and s i x t v " books.

" Kiiifiidcd on the basis of L' ('its ray. .as il were, ol ihc sun') and B ('like a
shining ray of the sun').

' Nol only do the .\ISS \ ary considei ably from one another in ihe spelling ofthis
n a m e in each o f t h e five instances in which il occurs in ihis chapter, bul they also
differ individually from instance to instance, fhus, in the first instance BBa read
' \ r c t e i l ' , N 'XretiP, and P 'Pravuil'; and B reads "Vreteil' in the first instance, but
V'rcvcil' in the others.
' .So Ba: R 'decorated'; L'BN are corrupt.
' .So \'aillant. supposing a Gk. original a^vgvtov rather than ofiOgva ('myrrh').
•* So BBa (lil. all the works of heaven'): L' 'all the works of the Lord'.
' Lit.'lives'. " Lit. "the sweet voice".
' Lit.'language'. ' .So B: L''of the new song'.
" C p . vi. 2.1 above. Lit. 'writing all the signs'.
" R P 'three hundred and sixtv-six'.
 2 Enoch 3:59
XI. .And the I.ord called me. and he set me on his let't hand, nearer
2 t h a n CJabriel; a n d I worshipped the Lord. . \ n d the Lord said to me,
.All that you h a \ e seen. Knoch, all that is' and all that mo\-es. and
all that h a s been created by me. I svill reveal it to you. tbelore all
c a m e to be from the first.'i'- all that I have created and brought from
non-existence into being, and from what is invisible into what is
:i seen. .Not even to my angels have ! revealed my secret, nor have I
told t h e m how they t h e m s e k e s were formed, nor do they know how
m y infinite a n d incomprehensible creation was accomplished; yet
1 I a m revealing it to you to-day. Eor before what is visible was
b r o u g h t into being, light a p p e a r e d ; ' but I. although surrounded by
light, was like o n e o f t h e invisible ones, and I journeyed'' as the sun
.5 j o u r n e y s from east to west and from west to east. The sun will find'
Ii rest; but I found no rest, for I was creating everything. Since I had
p u r p o s e d to establish a tbutidation to form a visible creation, I
g a v e c o m m a n d to the depths that one ofthe invisible things should
7 rise u p and become \\s\h\c. And .\Ac>\\ came out, immense in si/e; and
I looked at him, a n d behold, he had the great a g e ' in his belly, and
I said to him. O p e n yourself, .Adoil, a n d let what is visible be born
8 from you. .And he opened himself, a n d the great a g e ' came out of
h i m ; a n d thus was bom the light /rom him who bears the whole
<) creation which I purposed to create. .And 1 saw that // was good;
a n d I set a throne for myself and sat upon it; but to the light I said,
G o u p higher, a n d establish yourself, and be the foundation ofthe
10 things a b o v e . .And above the light there is nothing else.
11 .And I got u p from my throne, a n d I looked' a n d called a second
time to t h e d e p t h s , a n d I said," Let what is hard a n d visible come
\2 o u t from the invisible. .And .Aruchaz came out, hard, h e a \ y , and
13 very b l a c k . ' .And I saw that it was right;'" and I said to him, Go
d o w n below a n d establish yourself, a n d be the foundation of the
' l,il. 'stands'.
- I will . . . the first: ttjrrupt. X'aillatit t r a n s l a t e s 'nioi jc tr Trxplicjiu-rai d'avant
qu'il no suit apparu au dcf)ut'. ' I.it. ' o p e n e d itsell''.
•* "was like . . .journeyed = NBa: I", supjMjrted fjy R, ' a l o n e jouriu-yed a m o n g the
invisible things'. ' B 'Tlie sun Ibund'; R 'The sun has'.
' So L B : NBa 'a ver\ great s t o n e ' ; R 'a great light'.
' .SoB:NBa'lsaw';L"lsaid'.
" So B etc.: L' corrupt. " R red'.
O r 'that he was s u i t a b l e ' .
 :m 2 Emch
things below. .\iid he went down and established himself, and was
II the foundation ofthe lower things. .And beneath the darkness there
is n o t h i n g else.
Ij I encircled the ether with light, and 1 thickened it flnrfstretched it
o u t over the darkness, a n d from the waters I built up great stones;
a n d I c o m m a n d e d the m i s t s " o f t h e abyss to become dry, atid I
K; c a l l e d " what fell b a c k " the abyss. When I had gathered the sea
together into one place, I bound it with a yoke, and I set an eternal
b o u n d a r y between the earth a n d " the sea, .10 lhat it should not be
burst by the waters: I lixcd the vault of heaven and founded it
I7 a b o v e the waters. .And for all the heavenly host I formed the sun
from the great light, and I set it in the heaven that it might shine
in over the earth. From the stones I struck a great hre: and from the
h r e I created all the incorporeal host, and all the starry host, and
the c h e r u b i m , a n d the seraphim, a n d the o p h a n n i m (and all this I
1!) struck from the h r e ) . .And I c o m m a n d e d t h e e a r t h to make all kinds
of trees to grow, a n d all m o u n t a i n s , " and all life-giving plants, and
every kind of seed that is sown:"' before I created living souls, I
21) p r e p a r e d food lor them. .And I c o m m a n d e d the sea to prtxluce its
fish, a n d all the reptiles that c r e e p " over the earth, and all the birds
21 t h a t fly. .And when I had hnished everything, I commanded my
w i s d o m to create man.'*
22 .And now, E n o c h , " all I have told you, and all you h a \ e seen in
the heavens, a n d all you have seen on earth, and all you have
w r i t t e n in the books, it was by my wisdom that I planned to create it
2:i a l l . ' " I created it from the lowest foundation to the highest and to
21 t h e farthest ends o/hoth: I had neither counsellor nor helper. I alone
am eternal, not m a d e by h a n d s : my unchanging purpose is my

" BBa waves'. '•' So BaK: I ' l o r r u p t .

" w h a t fell h.iek = .NBaR: L' eorrupl.
" hetween . . .uul = BNBa: f om.
X'aillanI suggests 'all Iruit'. on the basis oft ien. i. 1 1.
So BNB:i: f all live seed whieh sows seed'.
" S o B N R : f corrupt.
R has .1 \ e r \ mueh more extended aetount ofthe creation in this paragraph,
attributing (iod's separate works to separate days (:is in (ien. i) and ending nol only
with a reference to the blessing of the seventh day. but also to the appointment of the
'the eighth d a y ' a s ' t h e lirst'. .So BNBaR:L'om.
^° to create it all = BN'R: L' it'.
 2 Enoch 31]
counsellor, and my word is my deed, and my eyes watch over all
things: if I turn away my face, all things perish; but if I Icwk at all
L'f) things, they remain in being. Consider, Enoch, and realize who it is
that is speaking to you; and take the books which vou have written
( a n d I give you Semeil and Rasuil,-' who brought you up to me),
a n d go down to earth, and tell your sons all I have said to you, and
2f) d\\ you have seen from the lowest heaven right up to my throne. {.\ll
the hosts have I created: there is not one among ihem who is opposed
to m e a n d is not subject to me: all are subject to my authority and
27 s e r \ e my might alone.) . \ n d give them the books which your hand
has w r i t t e n , a n d they will read them and recognize the creator,-''
a n d they will also understand that there is no other creator but me;
a n d they will pass on the btxiks your hand has written to their
children, a n d their children to their children, and next-of-kin to
2!i n e x t - o f - k i n , " from one generation to a n o t h e r . " For I give you,
'2!i E n o c h , as an intercessor,^' Michael, Prince of my hosts. For what
you have written, and what your fathers .Adam and ,Seth^' have
w r i t t e n , will not be destroyed to the end of time; for I have
c o m m a n d e d my angels .Arioch^' and .Marioch," whom I have set
on the earth to g u a r d it and to order temporal things, to preserve
y o u r fathers' writing, so that it is not destroyed in the flood which is
to come, and which I shall bring ufxjn the earth in your
generation."
I know the wickedness of m a n , that they will not bear the yoke
t h a t I have laid upon t h e m , ' " nor do they sow the seed that I have
:n given t h e m . But they have cast off my yoke, and they will take
a n o t h e r yoke and will sow worthless seed, and they will worship
idols a n d reject my authority, and the whole earth will s i n " with
;i2 injustice a n d transgressions a n d adulteries and idolatries. T h e n
will I b r i n g a flood upon the earth; and the earth itself will perish in
3:i a mighty s w a m p . .And I will leave one righteous man of your stock
" R-Raguir. " .So BNBaR: U ' i T c a t r d ' .
U 'ihcir c r e a t o r ' - i.e. the creator of the fKx>ks.
Lit. 'and generation to generation' ( o r ' a n d nation to nation').
" R 'curator'.
" So B etc.: U 'Joseph'. .So UBBa: N OritK'h.; RJ '.Xriuch'.
^" So L B N B a : RJ Pariuch'.
^' O r ' u p o n vour nation'. ^° I.it.'raised up for thetn'.
" .So L B : B a N R ' w i l l be laden'.
 U2 2 Emch
with all his household, who will carry o u t " my wishes; and from
their children will arise a n o t h e r " generation,''' the l a s t , " many in
:il n u m b e r , and with great ambitions.'" Then, in the c o u r s e " of that
g e n e r a t i o n , ' ' ' the books you and your fathers have written will be
revealed; for the g u a r d i a n s o f t h e earth will show them to men of
faith, a n d they will be explained to that generation''' and come to
be m o r e highly thought of afterwards than they were before
i.i Btit now. Enoch, I am giving you a respite'" of thirty days, so
that you can spend it in your house and tell your sons ererylhingyou
have heard from mc, and your household, and everyone who keeps
m v commands with all his heart (let them read and understand that
iii there is none but mc). .And after thirty days I will send the angels
for you, a n d they will take y o u ' " from the eartli and from your
;i7 sons'"' to mc. '"For a place is prepared for you, and you shall live in
my presence for ever and see my secrets; and you shall be my
servants" scribe, for you shall write down everything that happens
on e a r t h a n d everything that is done by those who are on earth and
in the heavens, and you shall act for me as a witness in the
;i!i j u d g e m e n t o f t h e great age. .Ml this the Lord said to me just as if he
uere a m a n speaking to his trusted friend.

m '

Xlll. . \ n d now, my children, listen to what your father says and to

all the c o m m a n d s I give you to-day: live your lives as in the Lord's
p r e s e n c e , ' and see that whatever you have to d o ' is in accordance

'-• U ' w h o d i d ' . fi.m.

" O r iiation". " ilif last = I'BR: .\Ba 'alicrvvards'.
" I.il.'and \ T r \ insaliablc'. " R ' a l thr end'.
.S<i BNBaR; f" corrupt. " l ' adds 'ui mc".
'"' L' adds 'they will take you'. " .Sec note 1 to chap, xiii Ix-low.

' T h i s chapter (found only in R) describes how Enoch is restored tt> earth, how
he (inwid .Mcthusalam awaiting him, how he instructed him to assemble his
household, and how, when they were assembled, he Ix-gan the farewell address
which follows in chap. xiii.

' fhe passage 'For a place (xi. 37) . . . the Ixxd's presence' and thr phrase 'you
have to d o ' are found in U only, and \ aillant regards them both as interpolations.
 2 Enoch 3 K5
2 with the Lord's will.' For I am sent to you by the Lord's c o m m a n d '
to tell you e\ erything that is and ever% thing that will be to the day
;i of j u d g e m e n t . And now, my children, it is not from my own mouth
that I a m speaking to you to-day, but from the Lord's mouth, who
I h a s sent me to you. For you hear my words from my mouth.yrom the
mouth of a. m a n fashioned just like you; but I have heard the Lord's
words from the Lord's fiery mouth (for the L o r d s mouth is a fiery
.•) furnace a n d his words a fiery flame that issues forth). You, my
children, see my face, the face of a man fashioned just like you; but I
h a v e seen the Lord's face, like a piece of Won heated in the fire that
t) s c a t t e r s sparks. For you see a man's eyes, the eyes of a man fashioned
j u s t like you; but I have seen' the Lord's eyes, like the rays ofthe
7 s h i n i n g sun that dazzles huinan eyes, ^'ou, my children, see my
right h a n d motioning to you,"* the hand of a man made just like you;
b u t I have seen the Lord's right hand motioning to m e ' an(/filling
8 t h e heaven, ^'ou can see how large my body is, that it ti just like
y o u r s ; but I have seen how great the Lord is, that he is immeasur-
<> able, i n c o m p a r a b l e , and has no end. For you hear the words of my
m o u t h ; but I have heard the Lord's words, like'great thunder ;e//A
10 u n c e a s i n g tumult o f t h e clouds. And now, my children, listen to
s o m e o n e talking about an earthly king and saying. It is terrifying
a n d perilous to stand before an earthly king, frightening and very
11 p e r i l o u s , ' for the king's will is death and the king's will is life. But to
s t a n d before the King of kings' - who can endure the infinite fear or
12 t h e great heat? But the Lord called one of his angels in charge of
T a r t a r u s ' a n d set him by me; and the appearance of that angel was
like snow, a n d his h a n d s were ice, and he cooled my face (for I
l;i could not e n d u r e the terror o f t h e fiery heat). . \ n d so the Lord
spoke all his words to me.
He supposes that the original passed without a break froiTi t h e words o f t h e Ix)rd to
those of Knoeh. and that the additions, both in L' and in R (i.e. ehap. xii) are
independent attempts to elfect a smooth transition. He further explains 'w hatever is
in accordance with the Lord's will' as a chapter-heading incorporated into the text.
' Lit. 'from the mouth ofthe Lord'.
' L'spoken'. •* O r . as BR,'helping you'.
' O r . as B R , ' h e l p i n g me'. ' U'-asof.
' U om. "and very perilous'. ' of kings = B: L' o m .
" one of his angets in charge o f Tartarus ( o r ' t h e horror') = BNBa: I ' R ' o n e o f his
terrible elder angels'.
 Ml 2 Enoch
II So now, my i h i l d r e n , I know all things, some from the mouth of
t h e Lord, some my eyes have seen, from the beginning to the end
1j a n d from the end to the renewal, I know everything, and I have
written down in the books the extent o f t h e heavens and all that is
in t h e m : 1 have measured their movements and I know their hosts;
I h a \ e completed Ihecouni of" the stars, a great multitude without
III n u m b e r . W h a t m a n can understand their revolutions" or their
m o v e m e n t s or their returnings, or those that lead them or those
that a r c led? Not even the angels know their number; but I have
17 written down their names. And I have measured the circle of the
sun, a n d I have n u m b e r e d its r a y s " and its goings in and its .goings
IH out a n d all its movements: I have written down their names. And I
h a v e m e a s u r e d the circle of the moon, and its movements every­
d a y , the w a n i n g " of its light every day and hour; and 1 have
l'l written out its n a m e s in the b o o k s . T h e dwellings o f t h e clouds
a n d their m o u t h s and their wings and their rains and their drops
h a v e 1 explored; a n d I have written o / t h e rumbling of the thunder
21) a n d the w o n d e r o f t h e lightning. .-\nd they showed me their custo­
d i a n s and the passages measured out for them to go up and down"
(they go up b o u n d and descend bound, lest with rude violence they
21 t e a r d o w n the clouds and destroy everything that is on the earth). I
h a v e written down the treasuries ofthe snow and the storehouses of
the ice a n d the cold airs:'" I have observed how from time to t i m e "
their custodians hll the clouds, yet the treasuries are not
22 e x h a u s t e d . 1 have written down the resting-places o f t h e winds: I
have looked a n d seen how their custodians bring their balances
a n d m e a s u r e s : hrst they put them on the b a l a n c e , " a n d then in the
m e a s u r e ; a n d Ihey let them out by measure over the whole earth,
lest with a r u d e breath they shake the earth.
2:i F r o m there I was taken down and came to the place ofjudge­
m e n t ; a n d I saw hell open, and I saw there a piece of level g r o u n d "
'" BR I have syrillcn down".
" I.il.'llu-circuits of llit-ir ehaiiges'. '• So BR: L''their faces'.
" the waning = BR: I ' corrupt.' " C:p. 1 Enoch lx.xviii. 2.
" I.il. 'their passages where they go up hy measure'.
"• the cold airs: Ba 'cold air; B.N 'the air and cold'.
" Lit. 'how at limes'.
'" and measures . . . on the balance = BNBaR: L' om.
.So B (lit. a certain plain'): L' corrupt.
 L' Knoch .il!)
•Jl like a prison, a judgenu-nt-/)/aff without measure. . \ n d I descended
a n d w r o t e down all the j u d g e m e n t s ol'w hose who were judged, and
I s a w ' " all their Cjucstionings; and I sighed and wept I'or the
perdition ol'thc impious, and 1 said to myself, H a p p y the man who
w a s never born, or who after birth lived without sin in the Lord's
eyes, so as not to come to this place or bear the yoke ofthis place.
L"') .And I saw the keepers o f t h e keys of hell standing by the massive
g a t e s : their faces" were like the Jace.i 0/ great asps, their eyes like
c a n d l e s that had gone out, a n d their teeth were bared and reached
•2C> down to their chests. .And I said to them openly. Would d i a t " I had
not seen you nor caught sight" of what you do: may none ol' my
k i n s m e n eier came to you.
•-'7 .And from there I went up into the Paradise ofthe righteous; and
I saw there a blessed place, and every creature is blessed, and all
live in joy a n d gladness, and in measureless light, and in eternal
2!) life. Then I said, my children (and n o w " 1 say // again to you),
H a p p y the man who fears the n a m e ofthe Lord, who will serve him as
though in his presence a l w a y s , " and make gifts, olferings of life,"
29 a n d w h o will live his life a n d die. H a p p y the man who will do what is
just a n d right,"' and clothe the naked with a garment and give
:i(l b r e a d to the hungry. H a p p y the man who will c h a m p i o n " the
o r p h a n a n d widow, and who will help all who have been wronged.
:il H a p p y the man w h o will refuse" the unstable way, and who walks
in the p a t h s of righteousness. H a p p y , too, the man who sows righte-
;i:i ous seed, for he shall reap it sevenfold. H a p p y the man in whom is
:il t r u t h a n d who speaks the truth to his neighbour. H a p p y the man on
w h o s e lips is true pity a n d gentleness. H a p p y Ihe man who shall
u n d e r s t a n d the works o f t h e I . o i d a n d glorify him, a n d ' " through
his works come to know him who m a d e them.
:iti .And behold, my children, after I had examined the things that
'" \'aillani emends •] imderstotxi'.
-' .So BNBaR: 1'eorrupl.
" .So \ aillaiit. fhe .\ISS diller and are clearly all corrnpt.
and now = NBa: I ' o m .
••• I.it. •who will ser\e hefore his face for ever'.
•' O r 'will make gifts hy ollerings of life".
•'' I.il. "who will make a righteous judgement (to)".
•' BNBaR "turn back from".
'" and glorify him. and: so the fragment Mpr: L' om.
 341) Enoch
); have been ordained" on earth. I wrote them down. I compared all
the years, and ol'the year I measured the months, atid ofthe month
in I counted the days, and ofthe day I counted the hours. I measured
the hours wrote them out: I distinguished between the different
kinds of men'" on earth; and I measured and proved every measure
i!) and every honest balance, as "the Lord commanded me. .And I
found a difference in these things: one year is more notable than
another year, one day than another day. one hour than another
10 hour." So also one man is more notable than another man, one
because of Aw great possessions, another because of his wisdom,
another because of his intelligence, his skill, and his ability to keep
11 q u i e t . " But there is none greater than the man who fears the Lord;
for those who fear the Lord will be honoured" for ever.
1.' The Lord created man with his own hands, and in the likeness of
i:i his own face: small and great the Lord made Ihem. He who re\iles
the face of man, reviles the face ofthe Lord: he who detests the face
of m a n , detests the face ofthe Lord: he who despises the face of man
despises the face of the Lord: wrath and great judgement are
11 appointedfor Ihose who spit in the face of man. But happy the man who
turns his heart''' towards every man, to help the man on trial," to
raise u p the fallen," and to give to the needy; for in the day o f ' the
great judgeiTient all men's deeds will be recalled by the record.'"
1.') H a p p y the man whose measure is honest and his weight honest and
his balance honest; for in the day of the great judgement every
measure and every weight and every balance will be on show, as if
in the market, and each man will know the truth about his measure
iti and receive his reward accordingly. The man who makes" an
offering before the Lord, the Lord will make his affairs to prosper:''"

'" So \'aillant: V 'leaving the countries (or 'limits')'.

Lit. 'I distinguished e\'er\' seed on earth'. The sequel in \erses 40 and 41
helow, as \'aillant points out, makes it clear that 'seed' is a metaphor as in
Kcclus. X. 19.
^' the Ixird . . . another hour = .\Ipr. supported by some .\1SS: U corrupt.
" Lit. 'and the silence ol'his mouth'.
" Or'glorious'. " his heart = .\Ipr etc.: I ' o m .
" Lit. him who is judged'. O r ' t h e bruised'.
" in t h e d a y o r = .\Ipr etc : L'om. " Lit. "the writing'.
B ' H e who hastens'; R 'He who hastens and makes'.
'° Lit. will direct (R, supported l)y B, 'hasten') his acquisitions'.
 2 Enoch 347
t h e m a n who hlls the lamp before the Lord with oil, the Lord will
t7 fill his b a r n s with wheat.'" Does the Lord need bread or candles or
s h e e p or cattle? Nol al all; but in this way the Lord tests the heart of
48 m a n . For then the Lord will send his great light, and in t h a f " will
t h c j u d g e m e n t be; and who, if there, can be hidden?
4!) N o w , my children, bear all this in mind, and pay attention to
w h a t your father is saying - to everything I am telling you as the
.')() L o r d instructed m e . ' " Take these books, the books written by your
father's h a n d , a n d read them, and learn from them the Lord's
•il w o r k s , that there is none but the Lord alone, who has set the
foundations on the unknown, stretched out the heavens above the
invisible, set the earth on the waters and founded it on the unstable,
w h o alone m a d e the countless Ihings in his creation {/or who has
c o u n t e d the dust o f t h e earth or the sand ofthe sea, or the drops of
'y> t h e clouds?), who has bound together the earth and the sea with
indissoluble bonds, who has struck out from the fire the incom­
p r e h e n s i b l e beauty ofthe stars"" and has adorned the heaven, who
h a s created all things so that what was invisible became visible,"'
being himself invisible. .And pass these books on to your children,
a n d see lhat your children pass them on to their children, and lo all your
kin a n d all your generations,"* to"' those who b a s e wisdom and
fear the Lord; and"' they will receive them and take more delight in
t h e m t h a n in any choice food, and they will read them and hold
.')4 fast"' to them. But the foolish and those who d o not know the Lord
will not receive them, but will repudiate them; for their yoke will
.").') weigh t h e m down. H a p p y the man who will bear their yoke and hold
fast to it, for he will hnd his recompense*'' in the day of the great
judgement.
.•)f> For 1 swear to you, my children, that before man existed, a place
o f j u d g e m e n t was prepared for him; and a measure and a weight,
" Lit. 'the man who increases tlie lamp before the Uird, the Ixird will increase
his b a r n s ' . '" So BR Mpr: L' 'in the darkness'.
" Lit. 'I am telling you from the Lord's mouth'.
" ofthe stars = B, supported by R: U om.
'*' L i t . ' . . . all things from the invisible into the visible (soB; R 'into appearance';
L'corrupt). '" O r ' n a t i o n s ' .
'" So V'aillant: L' reads '. . . generations: those who have wisdom . . . Ixird will
receive . . .' hold fast = BR: L' corrupt.
" T h e probable sense: L' reads 'he will find it'.
 A-m 2 Emxh
by which m a n will be tested, has been prepared there bel()rehand.
j/ .And I shall set down e\ery m a n ' s deeds in writing, and no one will
'>() be able to escape. So then, my children, live out your span oriife in
p a t i e n c e a n d gentleness, so that you may inherit the eternal age
.')!! that is to come. .And every blow and e\ery woimd and scorching heat
a n d every evil word, if it comes upon you'" for the Lord's sake.
e n d u r e it; and though you may be able to retaliate, do not retaliate
u p o n your neighbour, for retaliation is the Lord's, and he will be
Wi y o u r avenger in the day o f t h e great judgement. Suifer the loss of
y o u r gold and silver for your brother's sake, so that you may
lil receive heavenly" treasure in the day of j u d g e m e n t . .And stretch
out your h a n d s to the o r p h a n and the widow, and help the p(M)r to
the utmost of your power; and they will be a protection'^ in the time
til' of trial. Kvery hard and heavy y o k e , " if it comes upon you for the
L o r d ' s sake, e n d u r e it,'"* and thus you will find your reward in the
(>:! d a y o f j u d g e m e n t . In the m o r n i n g and at noon and in the evening
o f t h e d a y " it is good to go into the house ofthe Lord to glorify the
c r e a t o r of all things,
tit H a p p y the man who opens his heart to praises, and who praises
the Lord: a curse upon him who opens his heart to reviling and to
s l a n d e r i n g his neighbour,
(i.i H a p p y the man who opens his mouth to bless and glorify the
L o r d : a curse on him who opens his mouth to curse and blaspheme
in the L o r d ' s presence.
(i(i H a p p y the man who honours all the Lord's works: a curse upon
h i m w h o reviles the Lord's creation.
(i7 H a p p y the man who r e g a r d s " the labours of his own hands to
establish t h e m : " a curse upon him who Itxiks /nr an occasion to
destroy the labours of others.
6H H a p p y the man who maintains the foundations o f t h e fathers of
'° iijx)ii you - H.N'Hii; I* om.
" heavenly: . ..in.pt in all M.SS: f "which i.s ol the llesh'; R "whit h is luir; NBa
.\Ipr 'not st amy'.
B 'and \oii will find protection'.
" ,So BR .Mpr: I ' corrupt.
" So B: U 'l(K)sen it'; R 'endure all and loosen them'.
" ol'the day = BNBaR: V and t o d a y ' .
So BNBaR: I ' 'compares'.
Lit. 'to raise theiri up'.
 2 Enoch 349
old:'" a curse upon him who destroys his fathers' laws and
boundaries.
(i9 H a p p y Ihe man who sows peace: a curse upon him who destroys
those w h o are at peace.
7(1 H a p p y Ihe man who speaks peace, " a n d peace is with him: a
curse upon him w ho does not speak p e a c e " and there is no peace in
his h e a r t .
71 .Ml this will be revealed in the measure and in the btxiks in the
d a y o f t h e great judgement.""
72 So, my children, keep your hearts from all wickedness: taccord-
T.i ing to the balance of light, be heirst"' for ever. You must not say,
my children, our father is with the I.ord and in answer to his
74 p r a y e r s we shall be forgiven our sin."' You see that I record all the
d e e d s of every m a n ; and no one can destroy what my hand has
7.i w r i t t e n , for the I.ord sees everything. .So now, my children, listen to
all y o u r father's words, all that I am saying to you, so that they may
7ii be an inheritance of peace for you. .And the books that I have given
you, d o not hide them:"' explain them to all who desire lo look into
77 ihem. for they"" may, p e r h a p s , recognize the works ofthe Lord. For
behold, my children, the day of the time appointed is drawing
near, a n d the time appointed leaves me no choice: the angels who
are to go with me are standing before mc; and tomorrow I shall go
78 u p to the highest heaven, to my eternal inheritance. This is why I
c o m m a n d you, my children, to do the Lord's will in all things.

XIV. .Mathusalom answered his father Enoch, What kind of food,

father, would you like us to get ready for you, so that you can bless

c)ur d w e l l i n g s , a n d y o u r s o n s , a n d a l l y o u r h o u s e h o l d , a n d g l o r i f y

o l o l d = BR .\lpr: l ' c r r u p l .
and p e a c e . . . nol speak peace = B. supfxiried by NBaR: I ' o n i .
*" So B e l c : L* 'ihe judgenieni oflhe proud one'.
*' 'fhe .\ISS are in confusion here. \'aillanl I r a n s l a l e s 'in ihe balance inheril ihe
lighl'. The idea seems l o lie lhal after Enixh's sons ( o r their hearts) had been
weighed in the balance and approved ihey should inheril eternal light (cp. the
illustrations in ihe Kgyptian Papyrus o f .\ni o f the weighing of .Ani's heart in a
balance and his subsequent introduction into the presence o f Osiris),
l.il. 'and h e will pray us out o f our sin'.
.So NBaR: f ' d o not cast them aside'.
" So NBa: U vou'.
 :!")() 2 Enoch
i y o u r p e o p l e , b e f o r e y o u g o a w a y ? .And K n o e h a n s w e r e d h i s s o n a n d
s a i d . L i s t e n , m y ciiild: from t h e d a y w h e n the L o r d a n o i n t e d m e
w i t h t h e o i l o f h i s g l o r y , I h a v e h a d n o food a t a l l : ' f o o d is o f n o
:i c o n s e q u e n c e ' t o m e ; a n d I h a v e n o d e s i r e for a n y e a r t h l y f o o d . B u t
call y o u r b r o t h e r s a n d all o u r ' h o u s e h o l d a n d t h e e l d e r s of t h e
I people, that I may speak to them and then depart. And
. M e t h u s a l o i n m a d e h a s t e a n d c a l l e d h i s b r o t h e r s R e g i m a n d .Vriim
a n d . A c h a z u c h a n a n d C l h a r i m i o n ' ' a n d all t h e e l d e r s o f t h e p e o p l e ;
a n d h e b r o u g h t t h e m t o h i s f a t h e r K n o c h , a n d t h e y b o w e d d o w n to
.') him.' . A n d K n o c h r e c e i v e d Ihem a n d b l e s s e d t h e m ; a n d h e a n s w e r e d
t h e m a n d said.

XV. L i s t e n , m y c h i l d r e n . I n t h e d a y s o f y o u r ' f a t h e r . A d a m , t h e
L o r d c a m e d o w n t o e a r t h t o v i s i t it a n d a l l h i s c r e a t u r e s ' t h a t h e
•_' h i m s e l f h a d m a d e . And t h e L o r d s u m m o n e d a l l t h e c a t t l e o n t h e
e a r t h a n d all t h e r e p t i l e s o n t h e e a r t h a n d all t h e b i r d s w i t h w i n g s ,
a n d h e b r o u g h t t h e m to y o u r ' father .Adam, so t h a t he m i g h t give
;i n a m e s t o e v e r y t h i n g o n e a r t h . .And t h e L o r d left t h e m w i t h h i m ; ' '
a n d h e s u b j e c t e d e v e r y t h i n g t o h i m a s his i n f e r i o r , a n d m o r e o v e r *
m a d e it d u m b ; " t h a t it s h o u l d b e s u b m i s s i v e ' a n d o b e d i e n t t o
I m a n . F o r t h e L o r d c r e a t e d m a n and sel him o v e r * a l l h i s p o s s e s ­
s i o n s : t h e r e w i l l t h e r e f o r e b e n o j u d g e m e n t for a l l l i v i n g s o u l s , b u t
.i f o r m a n o n l y . T h e r e is o n e p l a c e in t h e g r e a t a g e for a l l t h e s o u l s o f
t h e c a t t l e , a n d o n e fold a n d o n e p a s t u r e ; for t h e s o u l o f a n a n i m a l
w h i c h t h e L o r d h a s m a d e will not p e r i s h ' until the j u d g e m e n t , b u t

' .inoimcd me . . . ai all = BNBaR: V anointed my he.id with oil. and I wa.s
afraid'. • 1-it.'is not .sweet".
' So U N : BBaR "vour". •• R adds and (iaidad".
' I.' "to Knoeh": R 'Ix'lore hi.s laee'.

' SoL'BaR:BN.\lpr'our'.
' L i t . ' h i s creation". ' B.NBaR M p r ' o u r ' .
" R ' . \ n d the Lord set him as king over all things".
' Lit. "secondly". ' U ' d e a f : R ' d u m b and d e a f .
' that it should be submissive = B etc.: L' corrupt.
" .\Ipr 'For he created man lord over . . .'.
" Lit. 'will not be shut olT in the sense of abandoned to death' (for the metaphor
sec Ps. Ixxviii. M in the L X X - xal xii m^yri aOribvel:; BdvazovawttcXiian).
 2 Enoch 1
(i all souls will accuse m a n . ' " T h e man who feeds the soul ofa b e a s t "
badly, transgresses against his own soul; but the man who otfers a
saerihce of an animal without blemish - it is healing (he heals his
7 o w n soul). ".And the man who ofliirs a sacrihcc of birds without
8 blemish - it is healing (he heals his own soul). .And all you have for
food, bind it by the four l e g s - i t is healing (he heals his own s o u l ) . "
9 T h e m a n who kills any beast without binding it - it is an evil
10 c u s t o m " (he transgresses against his own soul). T h e man who
does injury to a beast secretly - it is an evil c u s t o m " (he transgres-
11 ses against his own soul). The man who docs injury to another
m a n ' s soul injures his own sold; and there is no healing for him for
V2 ever. '•"The m a n who commits murder kills his own soul; and there
13 is no healing for him for ever.'" I h c man who pushes another man
into a t r a p will be caught in it himself and there is no healing lor
h i m lor ever; and the m a n who drags another man into c o u r t , " his
own j u d g e m e n t will not cease for ever.
14 Xow, therefore, my children, keep your hearts from all
unrighteousness which the Lord hates, and above all from every
1.5 living soul which the Lord made. J u s t as a man asks for his own
soul from the Lord, so shall he do to every living soul; for in the
g r e a t age there are many dwelling-places"' prepared for man, some
Ui very good houses, and others, evil houses without number. H a p p y
the man who goes into the blessed houses, for in the evil ones there is
17 n o possibility of c o n v e r s i o n . " .And if a man resolves in his heart to
olTer a gift to the Lord, and his hands do not do it. then the Lord
will bring the labour of his hands to nothing, so that there is no
18 profit from il. If his hands do it, and his heart d i s s e n t s , " even

man = M p r e l c : I ' eorrupl.

'' the .soul ofa beast = BNBa: L" 'his own'.
. \ n d the man who offers . . . his own soul = B supported l)y R: I ' om.
" Lit. 'law'.
'•' T h e man w ho commits . . . for ever = B .\Ipr: U om.
" Lil. pushes another man intojudgement'.
'* 'fhe normal word for 'barn' or 'refuge'. \'aillant translates 'rctraites' and
.\Iorfill 'mansions' (though this is not the word used in the .Slavonic al John xiv. 2).
" O r 'getting out ofthem'. 'fhe primary meaning of the word is 'asylum', but the
secondary meaning 'conversion' is supported by BBaR 'return', 'turning back'.
Lit. ' m u r m u r s ' .
 :-i')2 2 Enoch
t h o u g h the d o u b t in his heart persists.'" it will do hint no harm.-'"
W H a p p y the m a n who in his patience oilers a gilt to the Lord, for he
L'l) will find his recompense. .And when a man promises that at a set
t i m e he will ofLer a gift to the Lord, and does it, then he will find his
r e c o m p e n s e ; but if the time he has set goes by. vc' he fiilfils his
p r o m i s e afterwards, it is indeed repentance. Ihouoh he will not be
21 b l e s s e d , " for every delay is a cause of offence. . \ n d if a man clothes
the naked and gives bread to the hungry, he will find AM recom­
pense; but if his heart dissents,'" he will be a loser and gain
22 n o t h i n g . And when the poor man is satisfied, if h i s " heart is
arrogant,'' then he will lose all his well-doing and get no gain; for
the Lord detests an arrogant man.

XVI. .And it caine to pass, when Knoch had spoken to his sons and
to the princes o f t h e people, all his people and all his neighbours
h e a r d the Lord calling Knoch. .And they agreed together, saying,
2 Let us go a n d greet Knoch. .And about two thousand' men assem­
bled, a n d they c a m e to the place .Azuchan. where Knoch was and
S his sons a n d the elders of the people. .And they greeted Knoch,
s a y i n g . You, w h o m the Lord, the eternal king, has blessed, bless
now y o u r people, and glorify us in the Lord's eyes, for the Lord has
chosen you ' a n d appointed you to take a w a y ' our sins.

XVII. Knoch answered his people, saying. Listen, my children.

Before all things were, before all creation came into being, the Lord
a p p o i n t e d the age of creation: after that he created all his creation,
both what is visible a n d what is invisible; and after all that he made
m a n in his own image, and he set in him eyes to see and ears to hear

" Lit. "and the* pain ot"hi.s heart does not eease'.
-° Reading with B ('the murmuring profits nothing'): the other MS.S diverge.
^' So L': tfie other .\ISS diil'er. \'aillatit projxjses " . . . his promise, his repentance
will not be acceptable'.
" i.e. the heart ofthe giver.
^•^ So V'aillant. L', supported by NBaR. reads '.And the ptKir man, when his heart
is satisfied, and he (i.e. the p<K)r man) is arrogant'.

' .So L'R: B.NBa 'four thousand'.

' and appointed . . . away (lit. 'to set you up as him wlio takes a w a y ) = B:
U corrupt.
 2 Emch 333
a n d a heart to think and a mind to consider. I'hcn the Lord
a r r a n g e d ' the age liir m a n ' s beneht, and hc divided it into seasons'
a n d into hours, that m a n might consider the changes" and ends of
the seasons, the heginnings tif the years and the ends ofthe months
a n d the days and the hours, a n d that he might reckon the length of
his own life.'' When the whole creation which the Lord has made
comes to an e n d . and every m a n goes to the Lord's great judge­
m e n t , then the seasons will perish, and there will hc no years any
m o r e , nor will the months nor the days and hours he reckoned any
m o r e , hut there will he a single age. .Vnd all the righteous who
escape the Lord's greal j u d g e m e n t will hc united with the great
age. a n d the a g e ' will hc united with the righteous, and they shall
live eternally." . \ n d they shall have no more labour nor sulfering
nor sorrow nor fear of persecution.' nor labour nor night nor
darkness;" but they shall have ahoul Ihem a great light for ever and
an indestructible wall, and in the great Paradise shall they have the
shelter of an eternal dwelling-place. H a p p y the righteous who
escape the Lord's great judgement, for their laces will shine as
brightly as the sun.
So now, my children, keep your souls from all unrighteousness;
from all that the Lord hates. Live your lives as in the Lord's
presence, a n d ser\ c him alone, and bring him every olfcring he has
ordained. If you look u p to heaven,'' the Lord is there, for the Lord
created the h e a \ c n s : " ' if you look at the earth and the sea, and you
consider'" the things under the earth, the Lord is there also, lor the
Lord created all things. Nothing you do can be hidden from the
L o r d ' s eyes. 1^1 il he in patience, in gentleness, and in the alliiction
o f ' your sorrows, lhat you lea\'e this world ol sulleriiig.

' I.il. •delivered'.

' inlo .seasons =1'; B.NBa "into vears and inlo nionihs'.
' SoNR:l.'sea.sons'.
•* f 'lhal he mighi give his lile and deaih'.
' f" om. 'and ihe age'.
* I.il. 'and ihey shall be elernally' (or 'and ihey shall be In-longing lo ihe age').
' I.il. 'nor expectalion ol'\ioleiu-e'.
" nor labour . . . darkness: L' 'and no lalxiur neiiher ofnighi nor of darkness'.
" SoBR:L'IflieliK)ksupv>ard'.
S(» BR: L' 'if he l<Mjks . . . and he considers'.
' ' of: I ' 'and in' (bul the ease endings show thai this is corrupt).
3')1 2 Enoch
XVIII. While Knoiii was speakitig to his people.' the Lord sent a
blackness on the earth, and it was dark, and the darkness covered
the men who were standing with Enoch. . \ n d the angels made
haste, and the angels took up Enoch and led him up to the highest
heaven; and the Lord received him, and he set him before him for
ever. .And the darkness departed from the earth and it was light,
a n d the people saw and understood' how Enoch had been taken;
a n d they glorified God and went to their own homes.'

XX. .And .Methusalom m a d e haste.' and his brothers. Enoch's

sons, a n d they built an altar at the place .Azuchan' where Enoch
h a d been taken, and they took sheep and cattle and sacrificed
before the Lord. .And they called together all the people' who had
c o m e with them to the feast; and the people brought gifts to
E n o c h ' s sons, a n d they m a d e merry and rejoiced for three days.""

XXI. .And on the third day. at sunset, the elders of the people
spoke to .Methusalom, saying. Go and stand before the Lord and
before your people, 'and before the altar of the Lord, and you
will be glorified b y ' your people. .And .Methusalom answered his
p e o p l e , ' T h e Lord, the God of m y ' father Enoch, he himself will
raise u p a priest over his people. And the people waited there the
whole of that night in the place .Azuchan;'' and -Methusalom stayed

' M this point V, inserts a title, 'Ofthe taking up of Enoch'.

' .So U: B etc. 'did not understand'.
' .NBa end with this chapter.

' C h a p t e r \ \ \ , which gives a suminarv of Enoch's activities, is found onlv

in R a n d P.

' .So BR: L' corrupt.

• So U: BR '.\chuzan'.
' called . . . people = BR: L' corrupt.
'' Here, with a brief concluding Ibrniula, P ends.

' ^' and . . . people = BR: I ' oin. (and in consequence, .Mcthusaloin's stalenient.
vvhich follows, is attributed to the elders).
• Lit. 'in'. ' So BR: L' vour'.
' So L B : R '.Achuzan'.
 2 Enoch AM
b y the a l t a r a n d prayed to the Lord and said, Ltcrnal Lord, the
only G o d , ' w h o hast chosen o u r ' lather Knoch, do thou. Lord,
a p p o i n t ' a priest for thy people, and give//;«> hearts understanding
to (ear thy glory and to do all things according to thy will. . \ n d
M e t h u s a l o m fell asleep, and the Lord appeared to him in a vision
by night a n d said to him. Listen, .Methusalom, 1 am the Lord, the
G o d of your father Knoch: pay attention to what your people are
s a y i n g , a n d stand before them and before my altar, and 1 will
glorify you before these my people all the days of your life. . \ n d
M e t h u s a l o m rose up from his sleep and blessed him" who had
a p p e a r e d to him. . \ n d the elders ofthe people came to .Methusalom
in the m o r n i n g ; a n d the Lord God turned .Methusalom's heart so
t h a t he listened to what the people said, and he said to them. T h e
Lord o u r ' (Jod, let him do what he pleases to these his people.
. \ n d S a r s a n and C^harmis and Zazas'° and the elders of the
people m a d e haste and arrayed Methusalom in a gorgeous robe
a n d put a splendid crown on his head; and the people made haste
a n d b r o u g h t sheep and cattle and the kinds of birds that were
a p p o i n t e d , so that .Methusalom could sacrifice before" the Lord
a n d b e f o r e " the people. .And Methusalom went up to the altar of
the Lord, like the morning-star when it rises, and all the people
followed after him. .And .Methusalom sttxxi at the altar, and all the
people were round about the altar. .And the elders ofthe people took
the sheep a n d the cattle and bound them by the four feet, and they
laid t h e m at the head of the altar; and the people said to
M e t h u s a l o m , T a k e your knife and slaughter these appointed
victims before the Lord. .And .Methusalom stretched out his hands
to h e a s e n a n d i i n o k e d the Lord, saying, .Ah me. Lord! W h o am I to
S t a n d at the head of thine altar and at the head of all thy people?
" A n d now, Lord, Lord, look upon thy servant, and on the head of
all t h y p e o p l e , " and o n all these who have been chosen, and give
g r a c e to t h y servant before these people, that they may understand

' Lit. 'Lord of all the age, who art alone'.

' BR 'mv'. ' .So L' (lit. 'show forth'): BR raise up'.
' So U: BR 'the Lord'. ' B 'your'.
So L'R: B ' . \ n d Sarsai and C:harlis' (om. Zazas).
" R ' i n the name of.
'^"'^ .And now . . . people = B. supported by R: L' om.
 ;•!')() 2 E/ioc/i
\'> that thoti hast o r d a i n e d " a priest liir tliy iieople. And it eame to
p a s s , while .Methusalom was praying, the altar trembled, and the
knife rose u p from the altar, and the knife leapt into .Methusalom's
Ii h a n d s before all the people. . \ n d all the people trembled and
glorified the I.ord; and .Methusalom was honoured before the Lord
11 a n d before all the people from that day o n w a r d s . . \ n d .Methusalom
I.') t o o k " a n d slaughtered all that had eome from the p e o p l e . " . \ n d
the people rejoiced and m a d e merry belbre the Lord and before
.Methusalom on that day; and after that the> went to their own
homes.

XXII. But .Methusalom stood at the head o f t h e altar and at the

•J head ofall the people from that day. In the rear 1480 he exjilored'
the whole e a r t h and sought out all those who had believed in the
Lord, and those who had fallen away:- he corrected and converted
t h e m ; a n d no m a n was found, who had fallen a w a y ' from the
:i L o r d ' s w a y s , ' all the days that .Methusalom lived. .And the I.ord
blessed .Methusalom in his sacrifices and bis olferings and in all his
ministry before the Lord.
I .And when .Methusalom's days were near their end," the I.ord
a p p e a r e d to him in a vision by night and said to him, Listen,
.Methusalom, I a m ' the God o f y o u r father Knoch. I would have
you know that the days ofyour life are at an end and the day ofyour
rest is a p p r o a c h i n g . Gall Nir, your son I.amcch's second son, and
a r r a y him in your own holy robes and set him at my altar, and tell
t) h i m e v e r y t h i n g that will h a p p e n in his days. Kor the time is coming
for the destruction of the whole earth and of every man and of
7 e v e r y t h i n g that moves on the earth. For in his days there will be
g r e a t d i s o r d e r on the earth, for m a n has become envious of man;
a n d people will o p p r e s s ' people, and nation will make war upon
" .So HK: t • iliai thou art: ordain'. '" R adds 'thr knilc'.
" BR 'all that had hern brought by thr propir'.
' B 'In \H2 hr rxplorrd': I ' 'Iti 49'2 hr inhrritrd'; R rrrasts thr passage. 'Frttm
that day liu ten years, hoping Ibr the eternal inheritanre, he sought out . . .'.
X'aillant's emendation is based on the numlier til'years Irom the C:reatioti arrording
lo the ligures in the Septuagint. ' I.it. 'changed'.
' I.it.'lace'. ' Lit.'.\iid alier the ending o t l h e davsof Methusalom'.
' BR add the Uird'.
" B 'threaten'; R behave themselves proudly against'.
 2 Knock 3.') 7
n a t i o n : the wliole eartti will be filled with blofxl and with evil
H d i s o r d e r . .\Ioreo\er, they will fall away from their C'.reator and
w o r s h i p what is fixed in heaven and what moves on earth' and the
waxes of the sea; and the adversary will magnify himself and
') rejoice in w hat they d o to my sorrow. The whole earth will change
its order, a n d all the fruits and all the grass will" change their
seasons," for they will be waiting for the time of destruction; and all
111 n a t i o n s on the earth will fall away,'" and all I have d e s i r e d . " .And
then will 1 c o m m a n d the abyss and it will pour itself out on the
e a r t h , a n d the treasuries of the waters of heaven will pour
themselves out on the earth, and all will be without form as it was
in the b e g i n n i n g ; " and the whole structure ofthe earth will perish,
a n d the whole earth will tremble and lose its s t a b i l i t y " from that
11 d a y o n w a r d . T h e n will I preserve Noe, your son Lamech's eldest
son; a n d I will raise up from his descendants another world, and
his d e s c e n d a n t s shall endure for ever.
\2 .And w h e n he got up from his sleep, .Methusalom was much
l;i distressed a b o u t the d r e a m . H e called all the elders o f t h e people,
a n d he told them everything the I.ord had said to him and the
II vision the Lord had revealed to him. .And the people loo were
distressed about his vision, and they answered him. T h e Lord has
p o w e r to d o what he wills; so you must now d o everything the Lord
1.') has told you. .Methusalom called .\ir, Lamech's second son, and
a r r a y e d him in the priestly robes before all the people, and he set
him at the head o f t h e altar and taught him all that he had to do'"*
Hi a m o n g the people. .And .Methusalom said to the people. Behold
.\ir! Behold, he shall be your l e a d e r " from today and the guide of
17 the princes. .And the people answered .Methusalom, May the word
iti of the Lord be fulfilled on us as he promised y o u . " .And while
.Methusalom was speaking to the people, his spirit was troubled,
' .Ml .M.SS l o r n i p l . L' ihc movement over the earth': BR 'the fixing in the heaven
and the movement ofthe earth".
" will: L' om. ' R 'seeds'.
I.it.'will change'. " B ' t o my sorrow'.
I.it. *. . . (jn the earth, in matter as great as primiti\e matter". The reference is to
the primaeval "matter" otit of which the world was made.
" So R: BU "its strong one". " L'"all that he did".
" Lit.-he shall Ix-before you".
'" So L': B and R have slightly longer variants.
 358 2 Enoch
a n d lie fell on his linccs and stretcht-d out his hands to heaven and
p r a y e d to the Lord; a n d as hc prayed, his spirit left him.
l<» . \ n d .Nir m a d e haste, and all the people, and built a tomb for
.Methusalom; a n d they put there incense and sweet-cane and many
21) things to consecrate i t . " . \ n d Nir and the people went, and they
took up .Methusalom's body a n d laid it in the tomb that they had
21 built for him a n d covered .And the people said, Blessed was
22 .Methusalom before the Lord and before all the people. And after-
w a r d s ' " they assembled together, and Nir said to the people. M a k e
h a s t e today, and bring the sheep and the bullock and the turtle­
d o v e a n d the pigeon, so that we may saerihce before the Lord, and
2:i he shall rejoice today;'" and then go to your own homes. .And the
people listened to Nir the priest: they m a d e haste and brought the
victims a n d b o u n d them at the head o f t h e altar; a n d Nir took the
21 sacrihcial knife a n d sacrificed before the Lord. And the people
m a d e haste a n d did what they had been told, and they m a d e merry
before the Lord the whole day: they glorified the Lord God, the
•>b s a v i o u r " of Nir, before the people. From that day there was peace
a n d o r d e r t h r o u g h o u t the whole earth in Nir's days, for two
h u n d r e d a n d two y e a r s . "
2ti .And after that the people fell a w a y " from the Lord and began to
be envious of one another; a n d people stood up against people and
n a t i o n rose u p against nation in strife, and there was great tumult.
27 .And -Nir the priest heard about il, and he was much distressed a n d
said to himself. T h e time has come and the words are fulfilled that
the Lord spoke to my grandfather Methusalom.

XXIII. .And behold,' Sofonima, Nir's wife, was barren and had
2 b o r n e Nir no child. .And Sofonima was well on in years and very
n e a r her d e a t h ; a n d she conceived, although Nir the priest had not
" Su I ' : B 'many lights'; R has a longer conflate reading.
'" So BR; U 'and set il down'.
'" I.it. ' . \ n d from there'. '° B 'and rejoice today'.
•' the saviour = V: B 'ofhcaven and'; R 'ofhcaven and earth and'.
" \ aillant suggests emending 2 0 2 to 2 2 0 0 (ofi' tofio), which would be the date
o f t h e generation preceding the flood.
"' Lit. 'the people changed'.

' .So BR Rum.: U om.

 2 Enoch 3')<)
h a d iiucrcoursc with her since the day the Lord set him before the
;i p e o p l e . ' Sofoiiima" was ashamed and hid hersellday after day, and
n o one o f t h e people knew; and the day came when she should give
4 birth. .And . \ i r remembered his wife and called her to him in his
house to talk to her; and .Sofonima went to her husband, and
.') behold, she was about to give birth.'' .And when .Nir saw her he was
very a s h a m e d because of her. and he said to her. Why have you
d o n e this, wife, a n d brought shame upon me before all the people?
i> .And now, away from me: go where you have so shamefully con­
ceived,' in case I sully my hands on you and sin before the Lord.
7 .And Sofonima answered her h u s b a n d , saying. Behold, my lord, I
a m well on in years* and no youthful desires are left in me: I do not
8 know how in my innocence I have conceived. Nir did not believe
her, a n d he said to her a second time, .Away from me. in case I
9 Strike you a n d sin before the Lord. .And it cairie to pass, while Nir
w a s speaking to his wife, that Sofonima fell down at .Nir's feet and
died.
II) A n d Nir was greatly distressed and said to himself. Is it because
of w h a t I s a i d ' that this has happened to her? But now the eternal
11 Lord is merciful, for I lifted no hand against her." .And .Nir made
h a s t e a n d s h u t ' the doors of his house and went to his brother Noe
12 a n d told him everything that had happened to his wife. .And .Noe
made haste a n d went to his brother's house; and his brother's wife
l;i was clearly d e a d , and she was about to give birth.'" .And Noe said
to Nir, Do not be distressed, .Nir. my brother, for the Lord has
concealed o u r s h a m e today, since no one ofthe people knows about
this; a n d now make h a s t e , " let us bury her, and the Lord will

' Here.) ends.

' R ' W h r n .Sofonima realized that she had eoneei\ed. she'.
I.it. 'she h.ad in her womb at the time of birth'.
' I.it. 'you have conceived the shame of your womb'.
" BR Rum. add 'and the day of my death ( + has come R)'.
' Lit. 'Is it from my word ( = B Rum.: R 'voice'; L 'Lord').'
' U adds here 'And the archangel Gabriel appeared to Nir and said to him. Oo
not think your wife Sofonima died as a result of sin. This child that is born of her is
righteous fruit; and I will take him up to Paradise, so that you l)e not a father to a gift
of G o d ' . " So BR Rum.: L opened'.
Lit. 'and the aspect of his brother's wife M'AJ in death, and her wombat the time
of birth'. " BR Rum.'let us make haste".
 :•!()() 2 Enoch
I t cotKcal o u r d i s g r a c e . " .And they laid Soi'oninia on a bed, and
clothed her in black g a r m e n t s , and shut the door, and went and
hollowed out t o m b s ' " secretly.
1.) .And when they had gone out to her tomb,''' the child came out of
It) the corpse of Sofonima and sat on the bed. .And . \ o e and Nir came
in to bury Sofonima. and they saw the child sitting by the corpse,
17 a n d hc had a g a r m e n t on h i m . " .And Noc and .Nir were very
frightened, for the child's body was perfect: he spoke with his
m o u t h a n d blessed the Lord. Noe and .Nir stared at him, saying,
1!) This is the L o r d ' s doing, my brother. .And behold, the seal of the
19 priesthood was on his breast, and he was a joy to look at. And
Noc said to .Nir, Brother, behold, the Lord will restore the holy
ill t a b e r n a c l e after us. .And Nir and Noe m a d e haste and washed the
child a n d a r r a y e d him in the priestly garments, and they gave him
b r e a d that had been blessed and he ate it; and they called him
•11 .Mclchiscdek. .And Noc and Nir took Sofonima's body and took the
black g a r m e n t s offher; and they washed her body and clothed her
in splendid a n d exquisite g a r m e n t s . .And they built her a t o m b ; "
a n d .Noe went, a n d Nir a n d .VIclchisedek, and they buried her with
Tl h o n o u r openly. .And Noe said to his brother, Keep the child
secretly until the time appointed, for the people's wickedness has
increased everywhere on earth, and ifthey see him, they will hnd
n s o m e way of killing him. .And Noe returned home.
L' I .And behold, all kinds o/iniquities increased g r e a t l y " everywhere
on e a r t h in Nir's days; a n d .Nir was greatly distressed, the more so
lb for the child, saying. W h a t can 1 d o for him? Nir stretched out his
h a n d s t o w a r d s heaven and invoked the Lord, saying, .Alas, eternal
Lord, all kinds q/iniquities have increased greatly on earth in my
'ill d a y s , a n d I sense that our end is near. .And now. Lord, what is the
future o f t h i s child, and what his fate? W h a t can 1 d o for him, so
'J7 that he is not involved with us in this destruction? T h e Lord heard
.Nir and a p p e a r e d to him in a vision at night and said to him,

'• R 'the disgrace of our shame'.

.So r - no doubt assuming a separate tomb lor the child: BR Rum. tomb'.
''' .So X'aillant: U to her bed'; B Rum. 'to Nir's house'; R om.
" So U fr.: R Rum., supported by B, 'and wiping his garments'.
" B Rum., suported by R, 'another house'.
" increased greatly = B Rum., supported by R: L' om.
 Enoch 'M\ I
Bcliold. Nir, the corruption on the earth is universal:'" no longer
.'8 will I tolerate or endure //. Behold, I intend very soon to bring a
great destruction on the earth; but h a \ e no worries about the child,
.Nir, Ibr alter a little while I will send iny archangel ( J a b r i e l , " and
.'!) he will take the child and put him in the Paradise ol'Kden. He will
not perish with those who are about to perish, for I have sent him as
a sign;'" for he shall be to me a priest of priests t{)r ever -
.Melchisedek. and I will set him a p a r t . " and I will make of h i m " a
g r e a t people who will honour me.
;i() . \ n d Nir got up from his sleep and blessed the I.ord who had
a p p e a r e d to him, saying. Blessed art thou. Lord (iod of o u r "
fathers, w h o hast not let reproach fall on my priesthood o r " the
priesthood of my fathers, lor thy word has created a high priest in
;n the w o m b of my wife Sofonima. For I had no children, and this
child shall b e " in place of my own children and become"' my son;
a n d thou shalt count him with thy s e r v a n t s " '"with Sonfi and
O n o c h a n d Rusi and .Milam and Seruch and . \ r u s a n . Nail and
Knoch a n d .Methusalom and thy servant .Nir;'" and .Melchisedech
;i'.' shall be chief priest in a n o t h e r generation. For I know"* that this
g e n e r a t i o n will end in turmoil and all will perish, and Noe my
b r o t h e r will be presersed to a n o t h e r generation'" to be its father;"
a n d from his family will spring a numerous people, and
.Melchisedek will be chief priest a m o n g a people that is subject to
thee, ( ) Lord, and serveth thee.
.And it c a m e to pass, when the child had been in .Nir's house for
forty d a y s , the Lord said to the archangel G a b r i e l , " (Jo down to
e a r t h , to .Nir the priest, and take the child Melchisedek that is with
I.it. 'a groat iniquity has already bct-n on the earth'.
'" Tr.R luy archistrategc .Michael'.
'° Lit. 'and I have shown him forth'.
Lit. 'and I will sanctify him'.
" So L' (lit. "and I will change him into'): BR Tr. Ruin, 'and I will set him up .as'.
-So L': BR Rum. 'my'. " Lit. in'
So B Rum.: L'R and itiay this child be'. '"' BR add as it were'.
•' BR Rum. add and with thy priests'.
So L : BR Rum. difl'er not a little. " .So BR: L corrupt.
So L'R: B Rum. 'in that d a \ ' : R continues 'and the procreation will l>e from his
tribe, and there will Ix* another people, and there will be another .Melchisedek, chief
of the priests . . .'. " Lit.'for the procreation'.
" So U: BR Rum. 'to .Michael'.
 M)2 2 Enoch
SI h i m " a n d put hhn in the garden ol' Kden to keep him sale. P"or the
time is now very near when I shall let loose all the waters o\ er the
e a r t h , a n d all that is on the earth shall perish; and I will give him a
place of h o n o u r in a n o t h e r generation, and .Mclchiscdek shall be
Sb chicl'priest in that generation. .And Gabriel''' made haste and flew
d o w n by night; and that night .Nir was asleep on his bed and
( i a b r i e l ' ' ' a p p e a r e d to him anrfsaid to him. Thus says the Kord to
ill Nir, Let the child I entrusted to you come to me. .And Nir did not
r e c o g n i / c WIK) it was that was speaking to him, and hc was much
troubled a n d said to himself. Clan it be that the people know about
the child, a n d want to take him away and kill him? (Kor the
people's thoughts and inclinations were evil in the Lord's sight.)
:i; .And he answered (iabriel''' and said, I have no child, neither do I
iii know who it is that is speaking to me. .And Ciabriel" answered him.
H a v e no fear. Nir. I am the archangel Ciabriel:'" The Lord has sent
mc; a n d behold, I will take your ch.ild today and I will go with him
;i't a n d put him in the Paradise of Kden. .And .Nir remembered his first
d r e a m , a n d hc believed and answered Ciabriel,''' Blessed be the
Lord w h o has sent you to me today; and now bless your ser\'ant
Nir, a n d take the child and d o w ith him everything you have been
10 told to d o . .And Ciabriel'" took the child .Mclchiscdek on his wings
11 t h a t night a n d put him in the P a r a d i s e of Kden..And when Nir got
u p in the m o r n i n g and went into the house, he did not hnd the
child; a n d this was for Nir a cause both of great joy and of s o r r o w , "
for he had come to look upon the child as a .son."
" with him = BR Rum.; I ' om. '* So l ' : BR Rum. '.Michael'.
" .So I ' ; B Rum. '.Michael'; R 'he thai s[x)ke to nu-'.
So I ' : BR Rum. 'I am the arehistratege ofthe l.ortt'.
" So V: BR Rum. '.\iicl Nir had great sorrow in place ofjoy'.
f acids a doxology, 'Glory be lo our (»od always, now and for ever, and lo the
ages of ages. . \ m e n ' .
In B our apoeryphon forms part o f a series of Biblical stories and is followed
immediately by an account ofthe Flood.
R ends '. . in place ofjoy. for he had no other son but him. So .Nir died; and
afterwards there was no priest among the people. .And from that time arose much
tumult on the earth'. I h e n follows a very much condensed account of the Flood and
.Noah's subset)uent history.
Rum. ends with the opening sentence ofa FIcjod account.'. . . in place ofjoy. for he
had come to look upon the child as a son. Bul in that time all greal tumult arose on
the earth, fhe Lord called .Noe to the mountain .Asir and told him to make an ark
speedily'.
 THE APOCALVPSK OK ABRAHAM

Botli the pscudo-Athaiiasiaii Synopsis and tlic Sliiiioini-liy ol

X i c c p h o r u s include "Ahrahani" in tlicir lists of apocryphal hooks;
b u t w h e t h e r they are relerrini:; to om- ApoeaK psc-. or to l u u
r e s t a m e n l . or to some other work bearint; A b r a h a m ' s name, it is
impossible to say. Priseillian is similarly vague when he ;isks
w h e t h e r a n x o n e has e\ er 'read a book of .\braliam iimoiig the
p r o p h e t s o l ' t h e established canon".' I'Aen more imcertain is the
identity o f t h e book (or books) "ofthe Three Patriarchs' mentioned
at the very end ol'the apocryphal list in the well known passage in
Tlie Apostolic Constitutions ( \ ' l . .\vi. 3 ) - is one book being relerred to
here or are three? . \ r e the 'three patriarchs" relerred to . \ b r a h a m .
I s a a c , a n d Jacob (as we should n a t m a l l y expect)? O r is the tiut
t h a t they occur at the \ er\ end ofthe list (after "I- aiah' and ' l ) a \ id"
a n d 'Elijah") signihcant, and are three later worthies therefore In
mind?
E p i p h a n i u s , at first sight, is more definite. He records that
a m o n g the a p o c r y p h a l books used by the Sethians was one passing
u n d e r the n a m e of . \ b r a h a m which also they assert lo be ;i
r e v e l a t i o n ' . ' The o b \ i o u s interpretation ofthis staiemeiu is that it
is a reference to our .Apocalypse. O n the other hand, the l e s t a m e n t
c o n t a i n s not a little apocalyptic material; and this is recognised, lor
e x a m p l e , in the title of the T e s t a m e n t in the R u m a n i a n version
("The Life a n d Death of our Father .Abraham, the Righteous,
w r i t t e n a c c o r d i n g to the .Apocalypse . . . " ) . So there could clearly be
confusion between .Xpocalypse and l e s t a m e i n . I h e Scllnans.
a b o u t w h o m E p i p h a n i u s is writing, may h a \ e used either the
.Apocalypse or the 1 estament, or, perhaps, another wcjrk incor­
p o r a t i n g material in one, or the other, or both, or neither.
Even greater uncertainty surrounds the interpretation of a
p a s s a g e in the Prologue to Palladius"s Lausiac History. In the tradi­
tional text of this passage Palladius refers to "those who have-
w r i t t e n the li\es o f t h e Fathers, .Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and

' I'risc-. Trael. iii.

•" Kpipli. Haer. xxxix. v. I.
364 The Apocalypse of Abraham
M o s e s also and Klijah, and those who eame after t h e m ' . ' But the
s t a n d a r d m o d e r n te.xt reads "those who have written the lives ofthe
F a t h e r s . .Abraham and those who came after him. Moses and
Klijah and J o h n ' . " W h e t h e r or not Palladius knew three 'Lives' of
all three p a t r i a r c h s , or only a single 'Life' of .Abraham, is for our
present purposes immaterial. W h a t is important to note is that the
d e s c r i p t i o n 'Life' hts the 'Festament of .Abraham just as well as it
does the .Apocalypse. 'Fhough it may well be that Palladius was
referring to neither, but to a dilfcrent work altogether, now no
longer extant.
In m o d e r n times the .Apocalypse has been preserved only in
.Slavonic. 'Fwo editions of the Slavonic text were published in­
d e p e n d e n t l y by . \ . S. Tikhonravov and L L Sreznevsky in 1863
from the 14th ceiu. Oodex Sylsestcr (in which the .Apocalypse
a p p e a r s as o n e item in a collection of li\cs of saints); and these two
editions o f t h e text were followed by the publication o f a facsimile
edition o f t h e XLS itself in 1891. 'Fhe .Apocalypse is also found in
s o m e o f t h e .M.SS ofthe Palaea inlerprelala,^ and the texts of several of
these .MSS have been edited.
O u r translation is based on the Sylvester text ( = S). This text,
however, is in m a n y places manifestly corrupt and not infrequently
inferior to otic or the other of the Palaea texts: in such cases the
Palaea texts have been preferred. 'Fhree Palaea texts have been
used:.) = the 15th cent. .MS of the Pa/aM in the J o s e p h .Monastery
at \ ' o l o k o l a m s k (now in .Moscow), edited by . \ . S. Tikhonravov;
K = the 17th cent. .MS originally in Solovetsk, transferred to
K a z a n , and edited by L "Ya, Porfir'ev; a n d R = the M S d a t e d AD

' e.g./'C; xxxiv. l(X):i-t (rcprimcd frcim Duiariis).

Cullibcrl Butler, The Lamiac History of Palladius. II ( = TSw. ii; Cambridge,
19IH).p. I I .
' 'file Palaea is a compendium of miscellaneous items collected together
primarily to show how the Old Testament was fulfilled in the New. Individual items
var\ not a little from .MS to .MS. 'The basic collection is thought to have been made
in (irei k in the 8th or 9th cents, and to have been translated into Slavonic in the
loth cent.: over the years it was much enlarged and expanded. Besides T h e
.\poi alypsc of Abraham the Palaea has preserved, among other things. The Ladder
o f j a c o b . a number of sagas about C:ain, .\bel, Lamech, and other Old Testament
worthies, and, most important ofall, the Slavonic version of The Testaments ofthe
Twelve Patriarchs.
 The Apocalypse of Abraham 3()5
149t in llii- R u i i n ; m t s c \ M u s e u m (now the Leuiu l.il)rary) in
M o s e o u . edited by A. N. Pypin.
Most ol'tiie I'alaea texts l)egin uitii a prologue not tc)und in S: we
have printed this prologue in lull from R and K in the aijparaluson
p. 3()9. Some Palaea texts (and a m o n g them R and K) contiiuie
i n n n e d i a t e l y with the opening words of e h a p . i. although this
m a k e s a \ e r v awkward conneetion; but others omit chaps, i-vi
a l t o g e t h e r and follow the prologue with the beginning of cha|). vii
( W n d .Xbiaham. h a \ i n g reasoned thus, came to his father, saying.
Kather Thara. fire is more h o n o t n a b l e than images . . . " ) . R stops
short at the end of c h a p . \iii - i.e. it contains only the 'legendary'
p a r t o f t h e .\pocalypse and not the more s])ecifu'ally "apocalyptic".
J a n d K agree in olfering a more satisfactory conclusion, which is
lacking in S: but. even here. J seems lo be defectixc at the \ cry end.
.And thi"ougli()ut there are m a n y \ a r i a n t s . omissions, additions,
a n d disj)lacements, by no means all of which are recorded in our
a p p a r a t u s . .Also noteworthy is the \acillation between the use of
the first and third |)ersons in the narrative - the result of uncer-
taintv in the tradition about whether .Abraham himself is telling
the stoi'N or someone else is telling it about him. .Moreover, the
work know n as "The Tale of the J u s t .Man .Abraham".'' although it
caimot be desc ribed as an 'abridgement" ofthe .ApoeaK pse. ne\ er-
theless shows clear traces of dependence on the same tradition, and
by its \ er\ existence pro\ ides an interesting illustration of how that
t r a d i t i o n , in the Slavonic world at least, was being continually
a d a p t e d and re-shaped.
Des|)ite the wide variations in the extant Slavonic texts of the
.ApoeaK pse. and tlie conse(iuent difliculty in tracing any part of it
with aii\ degree of certainty to a (ireek or Semitic original, there
c a n be no d o u b t at all that a very great deal of the material
c o n t a i n e d in it is ultimately J e w i s h . T h u s , the tradition that
Israel's ancestors in .Mesopotamia 'even Terah, the father of
.Abraham, a n d the father of N a h o r . . . served other gods' is attested
as early as Josh. x x i \ . 2. T h e Book of Jubilees relates how .Abraham
d i s p u t e d with l e r a h about the lolly of idol-worship and how he "set
fire to the idols' house' in L ' r o f t h e Chaldees, and then how later in
" l'iil)li.slu-(l most n-ii-mlv In I". .\. Lavrov in SORYaS Ixvii. 3 (St. IVtcrstnirK,
1KW1). pp. 7(1-H1.
 The Apocalypse oJAbraham

H a r a n . u liilc obscrx ing "tlic signs oi'tlii' stars", lu- perceived at last
the t r u t h a b o u t the Creator, was thus led to forsake all kinds of false
w o r s h i p , a n d set out at the Divine conunand on his journey to
C a n a a n ' . .And this account in Jubilees is repeated and developed
in a \ aricty of ways in later Jewish writings.
^'ct this docs not in itself prove that the a u t h o r ofthe .Apocalypse
w a s a J e w . Christians read, not only their Bibles, but also Jubilees
a n d o t h e r Jewish literature. They were also in touch in certain
a r e a s a n d at certain times with not a little Jewish oral tradition,
r i i c r c is clear evidence, from sources quite unconnected with the
. \ p o c a l y p s e . that in this instance they knew some, at least, o f t h e
c.\tra-Biblical Jewish traditions about .Abraham." .And there are in
the .Apocalypse several passages which show- signs of Christian
iidluctice. partictilarly towards the end (and pre-eminently chap,
xxix). These j^assages may. of course, be C.hristian interpolations
into a n originally purely Jewish work. But not necessarily so.
. \ possible indication of d a t e is the description o f t h e burning
a n d pillaging ofthe Temple by the heathen in chap, xxvii. This has
been held to point to a d a t e after 70. But chap, xxvii is in the
second, "apocalyptic", part o f t h e bcjok (ix-xxxi); so that for those
w ho. like ( i i n z b e r g , think that the "apocalyptic" part was originally
i n d c p c n d c n t ofthe "legendary" (i—viii), chap. xx\ ii is only evidence
for the d a t e o f t h e "apocalyptic" part.
H o w e \ e r . as the book stands, there are certainly connections
between the two parts (chaps, xxv and xxvi make unambiguous
references to the contents of i-viii). Consequently, even ifthe two
p a r t s were originally independent, they have not simply been
j o i n e d together, but a dehnite attempt has been m a d e to fuse them.
.And the fusion (if such it was) would seem to have been m a d e by
t h e m i d d l e of the -kh cent, at the latest, since the Clementine
Recognitions refer to .Abraham,

"who. sinc-e he was an astrologer, was able to recognise the Creator from the
dispositioti and order of the stars, atid understood that all things arc

' Jul), xii. 1-8, 12, l()-"28.

" .Sec- cspri-ially I.. Gitizlic-rg, "Die Haggada liei deu Kireheiiviitern und in der
apokrypliiselien Litteratur" in Monatsschri/l Jiir (ieschichte und Wissenschaft des
Judenthums. xliii (1899). pp. -186—19(1.
 The Apocalypse of Abraham 3()7
rcgulaU-d by His piovi(ifiu<-. W'liciuc also a n aiigt-l slaiiding hy liim in a
vision, iiistniilcci liiiii iiKirc Hilly about iliosc iliiiigs which he uas bcgiu-
iiiiiy; to pcri'ci\f. Hti! he shewed him also what was destined liu his lat i-
and posteiily. a n d pniiiiised that these places should not so iiuiih be given
to tlieiii a s festoted'."

.Nothing is said in the Recoi>iiilions about the source ol'thc writer's

i n l o r n i a t i o n about .Abraham at this point, l-'urtliermore. the
' l e g e n d a r y ' interest ol'thc passage is concentrated on .Miraham's
p r a c t i c e ofastrology . rather than on his attack on idolatry. which is
the m a i n t h e m e (il'the lirst part ol'thc .\pocalypse. Kxcii so. what is
s i g n i h c a n t is that in the Recogtiilioiis the ' l e g e i i d a i N ' and the
'apocaly|)tic" elenicnts in the .Abrahain tradition are closely associ­
a t e d , a n d that the latter part of the passage quoted 'rortiis (as Ho.\
p u t s it) a good description o l t h e second or apocalyptic part ol'our
B o o k ' . ' " In other words, Recngnilioris. i. MI. would seem to be
e \ i d e n c e that the .\[)ocalyj)se existed, at any rate in embryti. as
early as c. 3.')(). liowc\-er much it may subsequently lia\c been
re-modelled, rc-writtcn. expanded, or interpolated. c\eii perhaps
as late as the Kith or 17tli cents, (the date olOtir latest .Slavonic
.\ISS).

bibli()(;r.aphv

N . S. T l K H O N R . W O V ' . Pamyalniki olrechemioi nisskoililernliiry. i (St.

P e t e r s b u r g , 1863), pp. .il'-y.i ( = S ) , pp. 'yl-77 [= J | .
I. I. S R K Z N 1 ' . \ ' . S K V , Drevnie pamyalniki nisskogo pis'ma i yazyka:
obshchee povremennoe obozrenie (= Izvesliya Imperalorskoi akadernii
nauk po oldeleniyu russkogo yazyka i slovesnosti. x (St. Petersburg.
18()l-(i3), cols'. 6 4 8 - b h 5 ) [ = S].
, Drevnie.. ., i ( T h c a b o \ e reissued in book Ibrm; St. Petersburg.
1866). p p . 2 4 7 ' ' - 2 5 ( ) ' [ = S j .

" Clem. Rewgn. i. (Rulinus's translation o l t h e Recogmliom is to he ilautl r. All

400). (;. H. Box, The .Ipocalyp.v oj .Umham. p. x\ ii.
:5()8 The Apocalypse of Abraham
I. PoRl-l R r.\'. Apokrificheskie skazaniya o lelkhozaielnykh litsakh i
sohylivakh po riikopisyam Solotelskoi bibllolekl (= SORYaS x\ ii. i (St.
IVtcrshurg. 1877).'pp. 111-1:50) [ = K).
. \ . . \ . P S I ' I N . Lozhnye i olrechennye knigi russkoi stariny ( = cel. (J. \ .
Krslli;i.i:\-Bc./.BORODKO, Pamyatniki stariimoi russkoi titera-
lury. iii (.Si. Pclcrsburg, 18()2). p p . ' i l - ' i l i ) [ = Rj.
[For t h e I'aisimile edition o f S see Olkroienie Airaama = Obshcheslvo
lyuhilelei dreineipis'memiosti. No. 9!) (Si. Petersburg. 1891).)

rR.\.\.sl..\ riD.NS
linglish
(;. H . Box (with the a.ssistanceot'j. I. I..\N1)S.\I.\N). The Apoca­
lypse of Abraham: Edited, with a Translation from the Slavonic Text and
Soles ( = S . P . ( ! . K . , Translations of Early Documents; London,
1918).
(ierman
(;. N . B o . w v i ; r s c : H , Die Apokalypse Abrahams (= Studien zur
(ieschicleder TheologieundKirche. Bd. i. Heft 1 (Leipzig, 1897), pp.
1-70).
P . Rii;.ssi.r.R, AjSaB-. pp.. i:5-:59.
B. P H I I . I ) N I ; n k o - S . \ V . \ R a n d .\L P m i . o N K N K o in JSh-rZV.
.5 (1982). p p . 4 1 5 - 4 6 0 .

. \ . - . \ L D K M . S , JPGAT p p . :57-:58.
L . G i N / . H 1 ; R ( ; , a n . '.Abraham, .Apocalypse o f in JE\ (.New York,
1901). p p . 9 1 - 9 2 .
. The legends ofthe Jews, i (Philadelphia, 1909), p p . 2 0 9 - 2 1 3
a n d V (Philadelphia, 192J), p p . 2 1 7 - 2 1 8 , 229-2:50.
P. RlK.ssi.r.R,.-!7Afl/?,'pp. 12(57-12(39.
. \ . R l ' B I N . S T K I . V . ' H e b r a i s m s in the Slavonic .Apocalvpsc of
. A b r a h a m ' in JJS iv (193:5), p p . 108-1 l.i a n d v (19.34), p p .
1:52-1:5.3.
K. S c H i R K R , G/LZ/c^ iii, p p . :5:5ti-:5:58.
E . T'L'RDr..\NL', 'L'Apocalypse d'Abraham en slave' in The Journalfor
the Study of Judaism, iii (1972), pp. 13:5-180.
H . U K I N K I . i n f r . V , p p . 167-170.
 apocalypse of abraham
The Apocalypse 0/ Abraham 'Mi[i
The Book ol'thc Rc\ elation o l A h r a h a n i . the son of Iherin. the son
o l ' N a c h o r . the son ot'Seinch. the son ol'Roch, the son o l A i p h a x a d ,
the son ol Sim, the son ol' Noe. the son ol' l.ainech. the son ol
.Methusalam, the son of Knoch. the son ol'.Xretl.'

I. O n e cla\. when I was [)laning the gods ol'my I'athei Theran' and
the gods oi'my hrother N a o c h . ' wheti I was en(|iniing who in tiulh
the .Mighty ( i o d is. I, .Vhraham was doing my diit\ and devoting
myself to the services flm/sacriiices of m\ lather Thara to his gods of
wood, stone, gold. siKer. brass, and iron. .\nd I went into their
t e m p l e for the ser\ ice; and I Ibimd the god .Marinnatli by name.
who was carved from stone, lallen down at the feet of the god
N a c l i o r , ' who was of iron. . \ n d w hen I saw il. I was distressed. I was
s u r e that I. . \ b r a h a m , cotild not put him back in his place by
myself, for he was a massive lump of stone «H^/hea\y. So I went and
told my father; and he came in to help me.'' . \ n d while we were
lifting him to put him back in his place, his head fell olf him; and I
was still holding him by the head. . \ n d when my lather saw that
. M a r u m a t h ' s head had fallen olf, he said to me, .Abraham. .\nd I
said. H e r e a m I. . \ n d he said to tne. Bring me the axes and pincers'
from the house. . \ n d I brought ihem to him from the house. .\nd he
carxed a second .Marurnath from a second stone without a head.

' R has thr title 'The Btxik al«iiit .\hraham. Icireliither and patriae h'. RK hegin
' T h a r a was .Xbrahain's father, and Thara began to dt) what he saw done at his
lather Nahor's: and he worshipped idols and burned safrifices i)el()re thern. Ixtth
eaK es and heiters. and did all that is pleasing to the devil. When .\brahaiti saw this,
he was \ ery perturbed; and he said to himself. Behold, nn father Thara is dei eived
by these gtnls of wtMxi, Ibr the>- have no .st)uls (R om.) in them; they h a \ e eyes bin
the> do not see. they h a \ e ears but the\ do not hear, the\ have hands but they do not
feel, they have feet but they do not walk (R omits this clause). the\ have noses bia
they do not stnell. and there is no voice in their mouths. So I think in very truth nn
lather Thara is deceived. .And .Abrahan), having reasoned thus' . . . (see alxni- p.

• RJK-Thara'.
- my brother .Naoch: RK '.Nahor'.
SoJ:RK. '.Nachin'; S 'Naritsen'.
I.it 'came in with me'.
' K om. and pincers'.
;570 The Apocalypse oJ Abraham
a n d he put on il the liead that had fallen olf Mariiniath; hut the rest
of M a r i u i i a t h he destroyed."

II. . \ n d he m a d e hve other gods, and he ga\ e them to me and told

m e to sell them outside in the lits street. . \ n d I saddled my father's
ass a n d put them on it and went out onto the highway to sell thein.
. \ n d behold, m e r c h a n t s from I'andana in .Syria came with camels,
on their way into Kgypt to trade. . \ n d 1 fell into conversation with
t h e m . ' O n e oftheir camels snorted, and the ass took fright, and ran
a w a y a n d upset the gods; and three o f t h e m were broken, and only
two r e m a i n e d whole. .\m\ when the Syrians saw 1 had gods, they
said lo mc. W h y did \ ou not tell us you had gods? We would h a \ c
b o u g h t t h e m ' before the ass heard the camel's snort,' and you
would not h a \ e had this loss. But gite us the remaining gods, and
wc will pay \ o u the proper price for the broken gods as uell as for
the gods lhat remain whole.* (Kor I was worried how I should make
ai ('oiiiit' to my father.) .And the three broken ones 1 threw into the
u a t c r o f t h e r i \ e r (Jur." which was in that place; and they sank to
the b o t t o m a n d were seen no more.

III. . \ n d as 1 went on my way a n u m b e r of questions arose in my

m i n d which disturbed m e . ' .And I t h o u g h t , ' Behold, .\larumath
K ' . \ I H I he lul ihe head iTdm a seeoiid stone gtxl and lastened il lo the god
.Maiuin.illi. who had lalh-n d i m n ; and the head whieh had lallen oil"hitn. and the
rest o l t h e second god. he destroved".

' R J K ". . . on their wa\ into Kgypt to huy there scarlet dye Irom the Nile. .And I
asked them, and they told me not ( K (mi.), and I talked with ihem". The word
kokunitii here translated "siarlct dye" is obscure. I.andsnian translates 'papyrus". It
seems moic likely to be a corruption o l t i k . XOKKIVO; ("scarlet colour") and to mean
some kind of scarlet dve. [lossibly cochineal.
- \<>u had . . . bought them = ' R J K : S mn.
' f i t . "voice".
"* J "But gi\e us the remaining gtKis. and we will pay you a proper price. .And I
thought about il; and llie\ paid the price ofthe broken gods as well as that for the
remaining gods". ' Kit. 'how I should bring the merchandise".
" RTu.".

' Kit. '. . . way. my heart was troubled and my thought strayed within me'.
•' RJK. add verses li and 4. 'What is this evil that my father is doing? Is he not
himselj Tdihcr the god ofhis gods, since ihcy owe their existence to his carving and
 The Apocalypse oJ Abraham 'M 1
fell d o w n and could not get tip in his otcn temple, nor could 1 lift
him up on my own. until my father came, and wc both lifted him;
(i a n d while we were imablc lo do this, his head fell oil'him. and my
f a t h e r ' put it on another stone of a second god. which he had made
7 without a head. . \ n d the other li\c gods, w hich were smashed uheii
Ihey jell olf the ass. were not able either to sa\'e t h e m s e k e s . or lo do
h a r m to the ass because it had destroyed them: nor did their
H fragments come up out o f t h e ri\er. .\nd I thought. If this be so.
how then shall .\Iarunuilh. my lather's god. with a head made from
one slone and a body made from another stone.'' be able to s a \ c a
m a n . or hear a m a n s prayer, and reward him;'

IV. . \ n d as I pondered thus. I came to my father's house; and I

w a t e r e d the ass and pia out has for it. I look oiu the mone\ and
J g a \ e it into my lather I h a r a ' s hands. When he saw it. he was glad
and said. Blessed are you. . \ b r a h a m . of my gods, for you have
brtnight the price ol'thc gods, so that my laboiu' might not be in
:i vain. . \ n d I answereti and said to him. Listen, father I'era:' blessed
a r e the gods of you. for you arc their god. inasmuch as you h a \ e
created t h e m ; ' l()r their blessing is destruction and their might' is
\ a i i i ; a n d since ihey did not help themseKes. how will ihey help
1 you, or bless me.^ It is I who h a \ e done you ser\ ice in this transac­
tion, for by my astuteness I h a \ e secured you the money li)r the
.") broken gods'' as well as for Ihe others. .\ncl when he heard what I said,
he was fiu'iously angry with me. because I had spoken disparagingly
a b o u t his gods.

planing and sk'iU? Would it not hv ratluT better tor tbern to worship in\ lather sint e
they owe their existenee to his work.' What is this delusion ol nn liither in his
works?'
' I.it. he'.
^ Lit. 'basing the head ol'a seeond stoiu-. and nuule Irorn a second stone'. The
translation attenipts to give a sense that is in accordance with what wc ;ire told at
i.r.'.

' RJK here and subsetjuentK read 'Thara'.

* blessed are the gods . . . created them = RJK: .S is here corrupt.
' J'help'. Lil.'broken ones'.
 372 The Afyucahpse oJ Abraham
1.2 V. But 1 took note ol'my I'alhcr'.s I'uiy and uciit o i u , ' Hc called mc.
1 saying, .Abraham: and I said. Here am I. . \ n d he said.' Clollei I the
shavings ol'thc wood, from which I was makinu; gods olpine-wood
\ before vou came, and take Ihem and make mc liiod liir dinner. .\nd
while I was picking up the wood shav ings I liiund a m o n g them a
little god, lying iu the shelter on my left; and on his liirehead was
•) w r i t t e n . (Jod Barisat. . \ n d I did not tell my tiithcr 1 had liiund the
Il w o o d e n god Barisat a m o n g the shavings. .And when 1 put the
shav ings on the fire lo make liiod liir mv father, beliire I went awav
7 to ask about the liiod. I stood Barisat by the lire / ha<l made. .And I
gave him instructions and said. Barisat. look after the lire until 1
c o m e back, so that it does not go out: if il is going out. blow on it. so
K.'i that it b u r n s up. I went away and did what I had iiiiciided. When I
c a m e hack. I hiund Barisat lying prostrate, his feet well into' the
10 lire, a n d terribly burnt. .And I burst into laughter and said to
11 myself, Barisat, you can indeed make a lire and cook food! .\iid as 1
was saying this in my mockcrv." he was graduallv burnt up by (he
12 lire a n d reduced to ashes. .And I took the food to my father, and he
13 ate it. .\iid 1 gave him wine and milk, and lie drank il and was
II satished; and hc blessed his god .\Iarumatli. .And I said to him.
f a t h e r I c r a , do not bless your god . \ I a r u m a t h . do not praise him:
praise rather your god Barisat, for hc, out of love for you, threw
L'l himself into the hre to cook your Itiod. .And he said to me. Where is
III he now? .And I said, H c has been reduced to ashes by the liirv of the
17 h r e a n d is become dust. .And hc said, (ireat is the might of Harisat:
I will m a k e a n o t h e r today; and tomorrow he shall make my liiod.

VI. But when I. . \ b r a h a m , heard words like this from my father, 1

laughed in my mind, v et groaned in the griefrtwrfanger ofmy soul.
2 .And 1 said. How can my father be served by what has been made
:i by him - Av idols m a d e wilh his own hands? Will he subject his body to

' R ' B i i l I . l H - i a i . . s < - ( i r n i v r a l l i < - . ' s l i i r v , Weill m . f . R | K a d d - . V i i c l a l t e r I h a d g<ii

out'.
• .\udhesaid = RJK:Som.
' L i t . - . s u r r o u n d e d hv '.
* R J K 'in m y m i n d ' : K a d d s "atui l a u g h e d ' .
 The Apocalypse of Abraham ;573
his soul, aiici then the soul of the spiritual spirit to iblK and
1 i g n o r a m c ? ' . \ n d I said. It is only right to suH'er t'\il once: 1 will set
niy mind on what is pure, a n d 1 will tell him plainK what I think.
.') .And"' I answered a n d said. Father T'era. whichever ol'these gods
() you praise. \ o u are deluded in yotn- mind. See. the gods of your
b r o t h e r .Nachor.' which stand in the holy temple, are more honour-
7 a b l e t h a n yours. See too. Zuch. your brother .\ron's god. is more
h o n o u r a b l e than . \ I a r u m a t h your god. lor he is m a d e o f g o l d . which
!! is highly prized by men. .And il'he ages with the years, he can be
r e m a d e ; but .Marurnath. if he is smashed^ or broken, camiot be
restored, because he is of stone. .And it is the same with the god
U) . \ \ o n w h o s t a n d s alongside Zuch. Barisat himseU'is burnt up in the
11 fire.' a n d is reduced to ashes, a n d is no more. . \ n d )W you say,
Tocla) 1 will make another, a n d tomorrow he shall make my food.
IL' H e h a s perished utterly."

VII. Fire. I s a y . ' is more honourable than images; f o r e \ e n things

t h a t a r e otherwise u n s u b d u e d are subdued bv it. and it mocks what

' r i i c (il)srurily here is pniljahly due l o disloialioii in itic Ii-xi. JK rtad 'Will hi-
have subjcilfd Ills IXKK l o his soul, and ihi- soul to tlic spirit, and the sjiirit to lolly
and ignorancf?"
• So.n.
' RK 'my liiothcr N a t hor'; J 'your father Naehor'.
I.it. 'changed'.
' . \ n d it is the same . . . hre: RJK '.Vs Ibr the god j o a u v (R ' j a v ' ) . who stands
alongside Zuch alK>\e the other gtxis - he is more worshipful than vour giKl Barisat,
w h o is ntad<- ofwcxKl, lijr Ac is forged of silver: as there is adaptatioi] lorhim also!.-*),
he is highly prized by men because ofthe brilliance (lit. 'show') t)f his app<-arance.
But Barisat. your g<Kl. when he was still not made, was rooted in the earth, great
and wtJiiderful, with branches and blossoms and praises; and tlieti you cut him with
an axe, atid he was made into a god by your skill. .And Ijchold, now he is withered,
and his richness has jxrished (for this clause R reads 'and here is the stump'), and
from the height he is fallen to the ground, and from greatness has he come to
littleness, and his outward Ibrni has disap[«-ared. and he is burnt up in the hre'.
" I.it. 'to destruction".

' He has perished . . . I say; J K ' H e has no might left, having perished utterly.
.And .Abraham. ha\-ing reasoned thus, came to his lather, saying. F a t h e r T h a r a , lire
. . . ' ( s e e a b o v e p . ;ili:-)').
 !574 The Apocalypse oJ Abraham

I pt-rishcs so easily in its l i a n i c s . ' But m o r e h o n o u r a b l e still a r e the

;) w a t e r s , for they o v e r c o m e hre a n d satisfy the e a r t h . But neither
w o u l d I call t h e m god, for they a r e s u b d u e d , a n d a r e inferior t o ' the
t e a r t h . But I call the e a r t h m o r e h o n o u r a b l e still, since it overcomes
•| t h e s i d ) s t a n c c a n d a b u n d a n c e o f t h e waters." But I would not call it
g o d . s i n c e it is dried u p by the s u n . a n d it is m a d e lor the use of
(i m a n . 1 w o u l d call t h e sun m o r e w o r t h y of w o r s h i p t h a n the e a r t h , '
7 for w i t h its rays it illumines the universe a n d the several airs. But I
w o u l d tiot a c c o u n t it god, for by night a cloud obscures its course."
ii . \ ( i r , a g a i n , w o u l d I call the moon a n d stars god, lor they too in
9 t h e i r s e a s o n a r e d a r k e n e d in their light at night. Listen, Tcra, my
f a t h e r , 1 will e x a m i n e with you the question w h o is the G o d ' w h o
HI c r e a t e d all these gods lor w h o m wc c a r e . For w h o is he, or what is
hc, w h o h a s m a d e t h e h e a v e n s p u r p l e , w h o m a d e the sun gold, and
II w h o set light in t h e m o o n , a n d the stars with h e r ? \ V h o ishewhohas
m a d e t h e d r y land in between t h e m a n y w a t e r s , a n d has given you
VI t h e p o w e r of speech?" Let ( i o d himself a p p e a r to u s . '

- images; for . . . (lames; RJK •yuiirgiKlsdlgold,silver.sione.and WMKI, Vorlhefire

liliriis your gods, a n d llie gods il burns are subjeel l o ihe (ire. and ihe hre moeks
iliem; and il has devoured your giKls. Bul neiiher would I call il god, Ibr il is subject
l o the waters'. " Lit. "they are sulxiued. turning under".
•* SR "the substance iuid abundance ol'thc earth"; J K 'the substance of water".
' 1 would . . . earth = RJK; S o m .
'" liir . . . course: R J K 'lor when ihe night conies it is overcast with darkness".
' So S: R J K "I wil'l tell you alxiui the God".
" I.it. "and set you yourself in words": RJK a d d 'and has sought me oui in the
confusion o f mv thoughts".
" R J K a d d a Ghrisiian gloss and then continue "When his father "fhara heard
this, he looked al . \ b r a h a n i w ith bitter eyes, liir what . \ b r a h a m had said displeased
him, became he loved the deceit handed down by his father .\achor. .Abraham said to
himself, I will test my father"s gods and see whether they are able to help themselves.
.And .Abridlam took lire, and he set light t o the temple where his falher"s gods were.
W h e n .Aron (K ".Aran"). .Ahraham"s broiher. saw this (since he was devoted to the
idols) hc tried to save the idols from the hre; and so he himself was burned with his
l a t h e r s gods, and died beliire his father - Ibr before this n o son had died before his
father, but the father had always died before the son; bul after this men liegan lo die
before their fathers. .And God loved .Abraham, and God said t o .Abraham,
.Abraham. .Abraham! \ou have sought the God o f gods: leave now your father's
house, a n d g o into the land I will direci you t o , and I will make you into a great
nation, a n d a l l the generations o f the earth shall be blessed from you! .Another
Ghrisiian gloss follows, and then the lext continues wilh the beginning ofchap. viii
('While 1 was talking . . .).
 'Die Apoadypse o/Abra/uim ^i/.')
VIII. .\IK1 while 1 was lalkiiig' in this wa\ to n n iVia in the
ratliiM
•_' coiu-tyafcl of niy house, the xoiie ol the .Mightv O n e tell IVoni
h e a \ e n in a deluge of lire, saying iind calling oiil. .\l)iahani.
i.t . \ h f a h a m ! . \ n d I said. Here am I. ,\nd the ivite said. Ytm are
seeking ( J o d . ' the Cireator. I)\ the imdersl.mdini^ of your mind: I
j a m he. I.eav e yoiu' lather, I'era. and lea\ e his house, so that you do
(> not perish also in the sins of s o u r father's house. .\ii(l I went out.
7 . \ n d w h e n I had u;one out. betiire I could reach t l i e o u t e r d o o r o l the
coin't. a thtmderholt dropped from the sky.' and it binned him and
his house a n d all that was in his house to the s^roimd. nil forts cubits
of it.-'

I X . 1 hen came a voice saving to me twice. .Miraham. . \ b r a h a m !

.And I said. Here am I. . \ n d Ihe voice said. Heboid, it is I: do not be
afraid: l()r I am the mighty (iod, who was beliire the w o r l d . ' w h o in
I the beginning- created the light o l ' t h e world.' . \ n d I am \<)ur
.") shield, a n d 1 am your helper. ( i o rtHr/get me a calfol three years old.
a n d a she-goat of three \ ears old, and a ram of three vears old, and
(i a l u r t l e - d o \ e , a n d a pigeon, and set out a pure sacrilice for me. .\nd
in that sacrifice I w ill set out/»r row llie secrets oj the ages, and tell you
h i d d e n things: and you shall see great thini,'s. which you ha\-e not
seen; l<)r you h a \ e loved me to seek me out. and I have called \ o u
7 my friend.' Bin abstain from all cooked ICXKI.'' and from drinking
K wine, a n d from anointing v««r.vc// with oil i'uv f'ort\ days. . \ n d then
set out the sacrilice for me. which I have commanded > o i i . in the
n place I will show you - on a high mountain. . \ n d there will I show
you the ages, w hich h a \ e been created and established, made and
r e n e w e d , by my word; and I will lell you the ihiiiKs thai will come
to pass in them, on ihose who ha\ e clone e\ il and Ihose ulio have dime
righteousness in the h u m a n race.

' I.il. rcllcdini;'. - R J K ' t h e (iiid ol'gcHls'.

' I.il. ';i \()icc ortliuiiclcr c;imc": K adds 'and fire Icll Ircmi hc.ivcn'.
' HcrcRc-nds.

' I.il. 'age' or -accm'.

' I.it. •formerly". K reads the clause 'who loriterly created heaven and earth and
then the first light ofthe wcirld and the age'.
' Lit. 'lover': cp. L'Chron. x.\. 7; Isa, xli. H: James ii.
* I.it. 'fi>od which comes from fire'.
 Mh The Afxualyf/.ie of Abraham
X. A n d w h e n 1 h e a r d i h e v o i e e s p e a k i n g w i i i c l s like i h i s t o m e , I
l o o k e d this w a\ a n d t h a t ; iind beliold. i h e r e w a s no sign o r ; m \ o i i e . '
J A n c i I w a s l e r r i t i e i l : n u s e n s e s leli m e : ; i n d I b e c a m e like ;i s t o n e
) a n d fell d o w n u p o n t h e g r o u n d . - . \ n d w h i l e I w i i s still o n m y l a c e o n
1 t h e g r o u n d . I h e a r d t h e \ o i c c s i i y i n g , ( J o , . N i i o i l . ' a n d l)\ \ i r t u c ol'
m y i n c l l a b l e n a m e s i i n c t i l y t h a t iiuiii t o m e . iiiul s t r e n g t h e n h i m in
•> h i s t e r r o r . . \ n c i t h e a n g e l t h a t h c s e n t t o m e l a m e . mid he uas in
; i p p e a r a n c e l i k e a m ; i n : a n d h e t o o k m e b y t h e r i g h t h a n d ; i n d set
i; m e o n i n \ I c e t . . \ n d h e s a i d t o m e . .Siitnd u p . r r i e i i d i ) r ( J o d . w h o
7 l o \ e s y o u : iiiid let n o h u m a n t e r r o r h o l d y o u in its g r i p . F o r b e h o l d .
I a m s e n t t o y o u t o s t r e n g t h e n \ o t i . ; i n d t o b l e s s y o u in t h e n a m e ol
(i ( J o d . t h e cre;U()r o l h c i i M - n a n d e a i l h . w h o l o \ e s y o u . I'iike c o u r a g e .
'1 a n d c o m e w i t h m e l o m e e t h i m w i t h ;ill s p e e d . ' ' I ;im l l o i l . ' s o
n a m e d by h i m \\ h o s h a k e s w h a t is w i t h m e o n t h e s e v e n t h e x p a n s e
; i l ) o \ i ' t h e \';itill ol h c ; i \ e t i . a [ j o w e r by v i r t u e o l t h e i n e l l a b l e i i a n i e
in t h a t d w e l l s in m e . 1 ;iin h e w h o is a p p o i n t e d b y h i s c o m m a n d t o
i i p p e a s e the strile the t h e r u b i c creiiturcs h a \ e with one another,
itnd to te;ich t h o s e w h o b e a r h i m the song'' d e c r e e d lor the s e v e n t h
II h o u r ot t h e h u m ; i n n i g h t . 1 ; i m h e w h o is o r d a i n e d l o r e s t r a i n
\'2 l . c x i a t h a i i ; for t h e a t t a c k a n d t h r e a t o l f v c r y r e p t i l e a r e s u b d u e d by
l:i m c . ' 1 ; i m h e w h o w a s l o t m n a n d c d t o set h r e l o y o u r f a t h e r ' s h o u s e ,
II i i i i d t o d e s t i o y h i m w i t h it," liir h e g a \ ' e h o n o u r t o d e a d t h i n g s . And
I a m s e n t t o y o u n o w t o b l e s s y o u a n d In hless t h e l a n d w h i c h t h e
K t e r n a l O n e . w h o m y o u h a \ ' e i i u o k e d . h a s m a d e r e a d y l<)r y o u :
l.-> a n d (/ is Ifir y o u r s a k e t h a t I h a v e m a d e t h e j o u r n e y t o e a r t h . . S t a n d
u p . A b r a h a i n : t a k e c o u r a g e a n d l o m c : rejoice a n d b e g l a d at h e a r t :
a n d I will rejnire w i t h y o u ; liir e t e r n a l h o n o u r h a s b e e n p r e p a r e d for
III y o u by t h e K t e r n a l O n e . ( l o m c , c a r r y t h r o u g h t h e s a c r i f i c e a s y o u
h a v e b e e n c o m m a n d e d ; liir b e h o l d , I a m a p p o i n t e d In he w i t h y o u

' I . i t . 'nil liriMtli o r n l a n ' .

•' ) K a d d liir t l i e r c w a s nci s l r c n u l l i in n i r In s t a n d n|)iin l l i r u n m n d ' .
' J K '.Mir/'.
* I . i l . ' T a k e ( ( l u r . i g r a n d l i a s t r n t(i h i m ' .
' .1 ' . \ o l ' ; K ' J a i . r ,
" t l m s r . . . scing = J K ; .S is r o r r u p t .
' JK a d d ' I a m h r w h o h a s h r r n r o m m a n d r d to IcKisrn h r l l a n d l o d r s l r o y i h o s r
w h o w c i n d r r (J ' h i m w h o w o n t l r r s ' ) a l d r a d t h i n g s ' . L a n d s m a n i r a n s l a i r s '. . .
d e s t r o y h i m w h o s l a r r l h a t (or ' i r r r i l i r t h ' ) t h r d r a d ' .
" I.il. ' t o v o n r l a t h r r ' s h o u s r w i t h h i m ' .
 The Apocalypse of Abraham 377
aiul will) till- people who are lo spring I'rom yon." .\ntl with me
.\Iiehael g i \ e s Miii his blessing to eternity, l a k e coinage: come.

XI. .\IK1 I got up and looked at him w ho had taken n n right hand
a n d sel me on n n leel. . \ n d his body w a s ' like sapphire, and his
face like chrysolite, and the hair ol'his head like snow; and there was
a linen band about his head, and it was like a rainbow, and ihe
robes he was wearing were purple, and he had w golden stall in his
right h a n d . . \ n d he said lo me, . \ b r a h a m : and I said. Behold, sour
servant. . \ n d he said. Do not lei what I look like or what I sa\
I'righUMr you: do not be upset; but come with me. . \ n d 1 ;<•(//go
with you: vou will be able lo see me until the sacrilice. but alter tlu-
saciilice \ o u will see me no m o r e . ' Take coinage: come.

XII. .\n(l wc went both together, forty days and nights: and I ate
no brc;id. nor did I drink water, for to look upon the angel who was
with me was lood to m e . ' and his conversation with me was my
drink. . \ n d I ' c a m e to the glorious moimlaiii ol (iod. to Horeb. . \ n d
I said to the angel. Singer of the Eternal O n e . behold. I have no
sacrilice with me. nor do I know of an\ altar on the m'ounlain: and
how shall I make a sacrifice? . \ n d he said. Look behind you. . \ n d I
looked behind me; and behold, liillowing us were all the prescribed
victims for the sacrilice - a calf, a she-goat, and a ram. and a
turtle-dove, and a pigeon. . \ n d the angel said to me. .\braliaiii; and
I said. Here am 1. . \ n d he said to me. Slaughter all these, and
d i \ i d c the animals into halves, and place each piece opposite its
c o r r e s p o n d i n g piece.' but do not di\ ide the birds. . \ n d give them to
the m e n . whom I will show you. who will he standing by you; llir
thev are the altar on the mountain, on which you must oiler'' the

" I.il. 'tlu- pi-iiplf pnpari-d liorii yuu'. Cp. xxii. 7.

' J K '.\IK1 till' li-ft 1)1 his IXKIV wt-rc'.

• . S d j K : S is corrupt.
' vou will he ahic . . . n o more: lit. 'visible until the sacrilice. but alter thesac rifice
invisible liirc-ver'.

' .So | K : S adds 'and drink'. • j 'we'; K 'thev'.

' and |>lace . . . corresponding piece: lit. 'one against another'.
•* Lit '. . . mountain to oiler ( o r ' b r i n g ' ) ' .
'Mi\ The Apocalypse of Abraham
s a i rifuc to the 1-Ucnial O n e . But the turtle-dove and the pigeon you
must gi\ (• to me; and I w ill go u p on the w ings o l t h e birds to show
\()u 'ahat is in heaven and on earth, and in the sea and the abysses,
a n d in the lowest parts, and in the garden ol'Kden. and in its rixcrs,
a n d in the fulness ofthe universe and its eirele: you shall see it all.'

XIII. . \ n d 1 did everything the angel had eommanded me. .\nd I

g a \ ( ' the di\ ided atiimals to the angels who had come to us; but the
a n g e l ' look the birds. .\ncl I waited lor the evening olfcring. . \ n d an
u n c l e a n bird Hew down upon the carcasses; and I d n n e it away.
. \ n d the luiclcan bird spoke to mc and said. What arc \()u doing,
. \ b r a h a m . on the sacred heights, where men neither cat nor drink,
nor is there h u m a n food here: all these things will be consumed
with lire, and you will be burnt up as well. Leave the man who is
with you and make your escape; for if you persist,' \ o u will be
d e s t r o y e d . .And when I saw the bird speaking. I said to the angel.
W h a t is this, my lord? . \ n d hc said, This is Wickedness, .Azazil; Ibr
. \ b r a h a m " s lot is in the heavens, but yours on earth. He said to
h i m . .Shame upon you, / a z a l ; ' for you have chosen and have loved
to li\ c in your uncleanncss'' here. That is why the Lternal Ruler,
the .Mighty O n e . has appointed you to A? a dweller upon earth. .And
t h r o u g h you the e\il and deceitful spirit works among men. and
t l n o u g h you r e t r i b u t i o n ' and misfortunes fall on the generations of
the inirighteous. ^'ct the Kternal .Mighty God has not decreed that
the bodies of the righteous should be in your hands: Ibr them a
righteous life is assured, and perdition for wickedness. Listen,
fellow, be a s h a m e d of yourself and go. Kor you were not appointed
to tempt all the righteous. Leave this man alone: you cannot
beguile him for hc is your enemy, and Ihe enemy oi'those who follow
you a n d dote on what you want. The garment that of old was set
a p a r t in the h c a \ c n s for you, is now set apart for him; and the
corrtiption that was his has been transferred to you.

' K adds j a u i r . ' I.il.'liir ifyciu go up into the height'.

' K '.\zaziT: j oni. He said . . /.azal'. and K places it hel'ore Tor .Miraham's lot
, .'. * l.il. "and have loved the dwelling-place ofyour uncleanness'.
 The Apocalypse oj Abraham 379
•) XIV. Tlic aiigfi said to .Miialiam.' Say to him, .May vou l)c a
Iniriiina; coal oi thi- earthly fiiniace. . \ / a / i ! went into the inaeees-
10 sible p a r t s o f t h e e a r t h . ' . \ n d the angel said to me. Do not answer
h i m , lor (Jod has given him p o w e r ' over those who answer liim.^
l;i .And h o w e v e r m u c h he begged me to go down with himj' I did not
a n s w e r him.

XV. .And as the sim was settini; . behold, smoke as from a fnrnace.
L' .And the angels w h o had the divided \ ictims rose nj) from the top of
:i the s m o k i n g ftniiace. .And the ansel look me by the right hand, and
he set m e on the right wing o f t h e pigeon, and he himself sat on the
left w i n g o f t h e t i n t l e - d o \ e - neither of which had been slaughtered
t,.') o r d i \ ided. . \ n d he took me u p to the edge of a liery llame. . \ n d we
w e n t u p . as \\ borne aloft by m a n y winds, to the heaven established
(j on t h e e.\|)anses. . \ n d 1 saw in the air, on the height to which wc
7 w e n t u p . ' a great light, which is indescribable. . \ n d behold, by that
light / .Vflic a b u r n i n g lire of people - many people, males all of
t h e m , c h a n g i n g Iheir a p p e a r a n c e and their form,' running hither and

' J K ''Tlic angel said lo ine. .Mirahani; and 1 said. Here am 1, >onrseivani. -'.\nd
lie said. By lllis will you know lliat llle Kleinal O u r . wlimn \ o u liave loved, lias
chosen you. ' l a k e courage, and do with \ igour wh.it 1 tell you against him who
maligns the truth. 'Shall I noi he alile lo reprove him who lias hcir.iv ed the licavcnK
secrets and taken counsel ag.iinsi the .Mights ()ne.-'"
• .\/.a/.il . . . earth; JK '(Jo. .\zazil, into the iiiai cessihlc parts o l l h c I'arth. "For
your dominion is over lho.se who are with vou. with the stars and ihe clouds, who
g i \ c birth (K 'who are born') with the men whose lot is lo judge you b\ >our being
(K 'whose lot you are. ;ind who exist lo \oii In \(>ur being'); ami righteousness is
vour eiieniv (lil. 'enmilv'). "For this reason, because vour doom is sealed ilit, 'In
your p e i d i l i o n ) . gel oul u l m y siglil! ".Vnd I ^|;..k.• the words lll.il h<- h..<l l;.u^hl i.i,'.
".Vild he said. .Xbr.iham; and I said. Behold, vour ser\anl'.
' I.it. 'will'.
•* J K add '.And he spoke to me a second time: and the angel said. Whalever he
says lo you. do not answer, so that his [xiwer (lit. will') may not prevail over you.
"F"or the .Mighty O n e . before the ages, gave him authority and [Kiwer (lit. 'weight
and will"). '-' I did what the angel coininanded me".
* I.it. ".And however much he said to me that I should go down". L.tiidsman
translates simply '.And however much he spake lo me', following Sre/nevskv's
ililerprelation.

' .And we went up . . . wc went up = J K : .S '.And we went up on the height'.

• changing . . .Itirm = SiiiiKl. 21 I: .S is corrupt.
 380 The Apocalypse of Abraham
ihilher as they cliaiigccl their Ibrm, and worshipping and crying out
in a l a n g t i a g c ' I did not know.

XVI. .And I said to the angel. W h y ' have you brought me now to
this place; lor I cannot now sec, my strength is gone, and I am at
'2 the point o l ' d e a t h . ' .And he said to me, .Stay by me, and do not be
afraid: hc whom you will see coming straight towards us with a
great a n d holy x o i c c ' he is the Kternal O n e , who has set his love on
3.4 you. (But you will not actually see him''). Do not let your spirit
fail.' for I a m with you to strengthen you.

XVII. .And while hc was speaking, behold a hre round about, and il
uas c o m i n g towards us; and there was a voice in die lire like the
2 s o u n d of rushing waters, like the roaring ofthe sea. .And the angel
;i with m e bowed his head and wdrshipped.' .And I would have fallen
p r o s t r a t e on the ground; but the place on the height, where wc
were s t a n d i n g , at one moment lifted itself up'' and at the next sank
4 back again. .And he said. Only worship, .Abraham, and sing the
song I have taught you (for there was no ground to fall on). .And I
(i w o r s h i p p e d only, and I sang the song hc had taught me. .And hc
said. Sing without stopping; a n d I sang, and he himself also sang
the s o n g , '
7 Eternal O n e , .Mighty O n e , Holy O n e , Kl, God, .Monarch,
H Sell-begotten, incorruptible, unsullied, unborn, immaculate,
i m m o r t a l , self- perfect, self-illumincd,
9 W i t h o u t mother, without father, without birth, the High O n e ,
t h e Fiery One,''
' I.it. 'with a voice 1)1 words'.

' SojK:S whither'.

' Lit. 'I am already weakened, and my spirit is departing Irom me'.
' .So J {'a great \oice of holiness'); S is corrupt; K reads 'with a great voice,
saying. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord'.
'• Lit. 'But himsellyou will not see'.
' J K add Tor the shouting' (i.e. iK-cau.se o l t h e paean ot praise).
' So JK; S '.Xnd the angel, liowing more, worshipped'.
^ at;,iic...up;Som.
" K adds the first songol .Vhrahani, which the holy angel Jaoil taught him,going
with him ihrough the air'. '' J K add the Righteous One'.
 The Apocalypse of Abraham 381
U) L u \ c f o f n i a i i , ' g c i u T O u s . houmirul, my clcrcnclcr, l o i i g s u l U T i n g ,
most mctciriil,
11 Kli (that is mv ( i o d ) . ftciiial. mightv. iioK. Sabaotli. most
glorious. Kl. Kl, l i Hl.Jaoil.
12 1 llou a r t l i i ' w h o m my soul hath loved, preserver. Kterual O n e ,
lire, .Shining O n e , whose \oice is like thunder,'' whose aspect is like
lightning, many-eyed, who reeeivest the prayers of those who
honour thee.'
It Thou, the Light, shinest b e f o r e the light o f morning on thy
creation; and" in the heavenly dwelling places sullicient is the other
light from the inexpressible d a w n ofthe lights of thy face.
Ki Receive my prayer,'' and also the sacrifice which thou hast made
17 for thyself through me who sought thee. Receive me favourably,
a n d show me, and teach me, and tell thy s e r s a m what thou hast
p r o m i s e d me.

XVIII. .And while I was still singing my song, the tongues' of fire on
2 the e x p a n s e rose up higher. .And I heard a \ oice. like the roaring of
:i the sea; a n d it was not alfected by the strength ofthe fire.' .And as
the fire rose u|), soaring into the height, I saw beneath the fire a
t h r o n e of lire, a n d , round about it, a throng of many-eyed ones
singing the song, a n d , beneath the throne, four living creatures of
4 fire s i n g i n g . ' .And they all looked the same: each one had four faces.
.•) O n e face was like a lion's, a n o t h e r like a m a n ' s , another like an
(i o x ' s , and a n o t h e r like an eagle's - each one had four heads.'' .And each
o n e h a d three pairs oj wings,' one pair at their shoulders, and another
^ J K aci(i 'losing'.
» S o J K : .S-wliose voi.x u nol like lliundcr'.
' J K add 'and turning ttiysfirironi the prayers ofthose who iinjlortune thee with
ttieir importunities l)y their provocations. "ResoKer of" the confusions of the
universe in the corruptible age. which are among the unclean and the unrighteous
(K 'righteous'), renewing the age of the righteous'.
" J K 'and from thy face it is day on earth. ".And'
" J K add 'and have pleasure in it'.

' I.it. 'lips'.

•' I.it. "and it did not cease because of the strength (JK 'great abundance') of the
lire'. ' K adds'Ix-autifully and loudly'.
'' J K add 'on their iMxIies. so that there were sixteen (J 'thirteen') faces to the four
living creatures'. ' .1^ 'had six wings'.
 Mil The Apocalypse of Abraham
7 a( their sides." a n d another M tlicir loins. .\iid with the wings at their
s h o u l d e r s they covered their faces, and with the wings at their loins
they c o \ c r e d their feet, a n d the middle wings they stretched out
;i a n d flew liirward with them. .\iid when they had finished singing,
<i tlic\ looked at one a n o t h e r in a threatening m a n n e r . ' . \ n d when
the angel w h o was with me saw them threatening one another, he
left m e . a n d hurried towards them, and turned each" face of each
li\ ing c r e a t u r e from the face opposite it. so that they could not see
111 eat'li o t h e r ' s thrcalciiiiig faces. . \ n d he taught them the song of
11 p e a c e which has its origin in the Kternal O n e . . \ n d while I was
s t a n d i n g alone a n d looking. I saw behind the living creatures a
1.' chariot with wheels of hre. each wheel full of eyes all round. .Xnd
o\ er the w heels was the throne that I saw; a n d it was covered with
lire, a n d lire encircled it all round; a n d an inellable light o f a hery
l i host s u r r o u n d e d //. .And 1 heard their holv voices' like the voice of

XIX. . \ n d the \(iicc from the lire' came to mc saying, .Abraham,

.i .Abraham! .And 1 said. Here a m I. .And it said. Look now at the
e x p a n s e s which CJod set in o r d e r ' u n d e r n e a t h the h r m a m e n t on
w hich you a r c now standing; and see how on no expanse is there
a n y o n e else but him w h o m you have sought or has set his love on
1 you. . \ n d w bile he was still speaking, behold, the expanses parted,
,-) a n d b e n e a t h mc lay the heavens. .And I saw on the seventh
h r m a m e n t , on which 1 was standing, a spreading hre, and light,
a n d d e w , a n d a m u l t i t u d e of angels, a n d a power of invisible glory
from a b o v e ; a n d 1 saw the living creatures, but 1 saw no one else
I) t h e r e . .And I looked from the height where I stood to the sixth
e x p a n s e ; a n d there 1 saw a m u l t i t u d e of spiritual angels, without
bodies - those, that is, w h o d o the bidding of the hery angels on the
7 seventh' h r m a m e n t , on the heights of which 1 stood. .And behold,

ami another al ihcir sides: .S om.

' So J K (I.it. ". . . anolhcr. and threatened one another'): S '. . . another, and
deceived one another'. " Lit.'the'.
" l.il. 'the voice ol'their holiness'.

' J K ' . \ n d a voice from the midsl ofthe fire'.

' Lit.'which are lofitxf. ' fhe .MSS read'eighth'.
 The Apocalypse nj Abraham !i8!5
there was no power on tlial e\])anse eithei', in any other lorni. hiU
K oiiK thai oj the spiritual .mgels. And the power which I saw on the
seventh lirnianient ordered the sixth'* expanse to remove ilself.
'I A n d I saw there, on the lit'th expanse, the starry poweis, and the
e o n n n a n d s they are bidden to lullil. a n d t h e elements of e . n l h
which obey them.

•i XX. . \ n d (he l'',ternal .Mightv O n e said l o inc. .Mnaham. .Xnd I

i said. H e r e am I. . \ n d he said,' Look down at those stars thai a r e
•\ below you: count them, and lell me how many there arc. .\nd I
."isaid. H o w ' can 1. for I am but a man.^' .\nd he said t o me. .\s the
n u m b e r of the stars and their might, s o will I appoint [l<)r] your
d e s c e n d a n t s a race of people - a [jcople set apart tor me in in\
() heritage with . \ z a / a i l . .And I said. Kternal O n e , .Mighty O n e . let
thy servant speak in thy presence, and may thy fury nol be |)ro-
7 voked against thy chosen one. Behold, betiire thou didst raise me
u p here, .\zazail rev iled mc: so how now. when he is not beliire thee,
hast thou joined'' thyself with him.'

XXI. .And he said to me. Look now beneath your ti-et at ihe
e x p a n s e ; and consider now the creation liireshadowed of old, the
creation on this expanse, and the things that are in it. and the age
i p r e p a r e d after it. .And I looked at the expanse at my teet; and I saw
b e n e a t h what won the third heaven and what is in it. and the earth
a n d its fruits.' and the things on it that move, and the ihings on it
that have breath, and the might of its men. and its spiritual
:\ u n c l c a n n e s s . and its righteousness; ;ind I saw its lowest parts and
t the destruction llial is in ihem. a n d d i e al)yss a n d its loriiuiii.-i.- I

' SoJKi.S'tliircl'.

' .And lie said = JK.: S cm.; K ..dds lo nic'.

- I.it.'wtii-n'
' J 'Itir I am A«/diisl .ind .tshrs'; K 'for I am :\ niiin, but dwsl iind .islics'.
•* Lit.'cstahlislicd'. ' So J K : .S'ilirm'.

' J K 'and I .saw bcnralh ihr likriifss of a lifavi-n (or 'under die sivciilli luavrn')
wliii h was with it. and the earth there and its fruit'.
^ J K 'and ttieir righleinisn<-ss. and the heginnini; ol'their works; 'and / \mt the
ahyss and its torments, and the lowest parts and llie deslnietion whieh is in ihein'.
 384 Tlie .Apocalypse of Abraham
saw tluTc tlic sea a n d its islands, and its cattle and its fish, and
Le\ iathan a n d his realm, a n d his bed and his caves, and the world
which lies a b o \ c him, a n d his rollings a n d the destructions in the
:> world w hiih he causes. I saw there the rivers a n d their risings and
li their courses. . \ n d I saw there the garden orKden, and its Iruit, the
s p r i n g nnd the river that issues Irom it, and its groves and their
'.8 llowers, a n d those who do what is right. . \ n d I saw in it their focxi
') a n d their peace. . \ n d I saw there a throng of people, men, women,
a n d children, a n d half of them were mi the right side ofthe picture,
a n d half of t h e m ' on the left side ofthe picture.

XXII. . \ n d 1 said, Kternal O n e ' .Mighty O n e , what is this picture

of creation? .And he said to me. This is my will wilh regard to what is
in the world, a n d I was pleased with it; a n d afterwards I gave
;t c o m m a n d to them by my w o r d . ' .And everything I had planned to
be c a m e into being: it was already pre-figurcd in this, for all the
things and all the people you have seen stood belbre me before they
4 were created. .And I said. .Mighty and Kternal Ruler, who then are
t h e p e o p l e ' in this picture on this side and on that? .And he said to
me, Those on the left side are the many peoples which have existed
in the past, a n d after you are appointed," some forjudgement and
restoration, some for vengeance and perdition, until the end ofthe
ti a g e . .And those on the right side ofthe picture, they are the people
7 set a p a r t for me from the people with .Azazil. 'These are the people
w h o a r e going to spring from y o u ' a n d will be called my people.

XXIII. Look further into the picture and see who it was that
beguiled Eve a n d what the fruit ofthe tree was, a n d you will learn
w h a t will be a n d what will happen to your n a m e a m o n g the people
2 as this age runs its course. O r , if you cannot understand it, I will
' on the riglu . . . tiall'of them: .Som.

' J K T're-cxisicnl O n e ' .

' L a n d s m a n translates ' I his is m\ will with regard to those who exist in the
(divine) world-counsel, and il seemed well-pleasing l)efore my sight, and then
afterwards I gave commandment to them through my Word'. Siet may mean cither
'light' or 'world': sovetui s"v'et'K the normal word for counsel'.
' Lil. 'who is this people'. ' Lil. 'prepared'.
' Lit. ' f hcsc arc tticy whom I prepared to hc born from you'. Cp. x. lb.
 The Apocalypse oJ Abraham 385
explain ;/ to vou (kn I u a s pleased with it):' and I will tell you what
:i is d e t e r m i n e d . ' . \ n d I looked into the picture, and my eyes ran to
1 the side of the garden of Kden. . \ n d I saw there a man. immensely
tall. alarmingK solid, such as I had n e \ e r seen beliire.' who was
e m b r a c i n g a woman that was the man's ecjual holh in her appear-
.") a n c c a n d her size. .\nd they were standing under one o l t h e trees in
Kden; a n d the fruit on that tree looked like a bunch of dates. .\nd
behind the tree there stood what looked like a snake, with hands
a n d feet like a m a n ' s , and w ings on its shoulders, three on its right
i> a n d three on its left.'' . \ n d they held in their hands a bunch from the
7 tree; a n d llic\ were eating* - the two I had seen embracing. .\nd 1
said. W ho are these who are embracing each other? Who is it who
is between them.' . \ n d what is the fruit they arc eating. .Mighty
H Kternal One.^ . \ n d he said. This is the h u m a n world:" this is
9 . \ d a n i . a n d this is their desire upon earth: this is K\ e. .\nd what is
between them is the wicked path they started on towards perdi-
U) tion. iianicU .\zazil. .And I said, Kternal .Mighty O n e . why hast
thou g r a n t e d anyone like him the power to destroy in this way the
II race of men through what they do on earth? .And he said to mc.
Listen. .Abraham, 1 hate those who desire evil, because of what
they do; ami I ha\ c granted him aiilhorily over them to rule and to be
\2 loved by them. . \ n d I answered and said. Kternal .Mighty O n e .
why hast thou willed that men should desire evil in their hearts?
I:i Kor thou art angry with what thou hast willed thyself when a man
goes after the things that are of no substance in thy world.

XXIV. . \ n d he said to me, // has been arranged like this as a wound to

the nations' for your sake, and for the sake ofthe people ofyour race
' what will happen . . . with it: J K "what will happen to your deseendant.'i in the
eourse oi'the years. ' . \ n d what ytm cannot understand. 1 will tell you because I have
been pleased with voti'.
-' I.it. 'and I will tell you the things laid up in niy heart'.
' I.it. 'inconifiarable in aspect".
'* J K 'six wings on its right and six on its lelt'.
^ O r 'having intercourse". .\ll .M.S.S are corrupt.
' K "the human counsel".

' I.it. "near to the nations", file emendation is obtained by reading blizna rodom
instead of A/i.; ruirodom. I.andsnian and Bonwetsch render 'Being angered at the
nations".
 386 The Apocalypse of Abraham
w h o arc set a p a r t after you, and whose afflictions you will see in the
2 p i c t u r e ' .And I will tell you what will befall you, and what will
3,4 h a p p e n in the last days. Now look at the picture yourself .And I
looked, a n d I saw there the things in creation that were before me.
b 1 saw w h a t looked like .Adam, and Eve with him, and with them the
wily a d v e r s a r y , and C^ain who transgressed through the adversary.
() And I saw the m u r d e r e d .Abel and the violence the transgressor
7 displayed against h i m . ' I saw there fornication and those who lust
after it. a n d how a b o m i n a b l e it is, and how devoted to il they are
who practice it; and / saic too the fire of their corruption in the lowest
8 p a r t s o f t h e earth. I saw there theft and those who are concerned in
9 it, a n d how they go to work.* I saw there naked men, with their
foreheads against each other, and their shame, and their passion
10 for o n e a n o t h e r ; a n d / saw their retribution. I saw there Desire, and
in her h a n d s the fount of every kind of lawlessness.'

XXV. I saw there what looked like the idol of Jealousy,'' like one of
2 the carved wooden images my father made. Its body a w of glitter­
ing brass; a n d before it stood a man worshipping it, and there was an
a l t a r in front of it, with young men slaughtered on it before the idol.
3 .And I said to him. W h a t is this idol? W h a t is this altar? W h o are
4 the victims? W h o is it that is sacrificing? .And what is the temple,
which 1 see, so beautifully constructed? Its beauty wlike thy'glory,
3 which is beneath the throne. .And he said. Listen, .Abraham: this
t e m p l e a n d the altar you have seen, and the fine craftsmanship, are
my idea of the sacredness of my glorious name, in which every
p r a y e r of men rejoices, and so too the kings and prophets who will
arise, a n d whatever sacrifice I c o m m a n d them to make to me
(j a m o n g my people who will come from your race. But the idol you
h a v e seen is my anger, with which my people, who will come from
7 you, will anger me. .And the m a n you have seen sacrificing, he it is
• Lit. 'as you will sec the alllictious on them in the picture'.
' Lit. 'and the destruction brought upon him and given through the trans­
gressor'.
•• J K add ' W / i a a t h e i r r e t r i b u t i o n n n r f t h e j u d g e m e n t ofthe great judgement'.
' J K add and her silence (or 'scorn') and her waste, given over to destruction".

' C p . Ezek. viii. 3ir.

' SoJK: S'my'.
 The Apocalypse of Abraham 387
w h o angers me with murderous sacrihees. which are a witness to me
ol the j u d g e m e n t ol'the end, even at the beginning of creation.

XXVI. .And I said, Kternal .Mighty O n e , why hast thou ordained

1 that it should be like this? Canst thou not change thy mind?' .And he
said to m e . Listen . \ b r a h a m : take in what 1 am telling you; anrfgive
3 m e an a n s w e r to what I am about to ask you. ^'our father Tera -
why did he not pay any attention to what you said and give up his
4 devilish idolatr\ until his whole house perished with him? .And I
said, .Most Kternal. for no other reason than because he would not
5 listen to me; but I did not do as he did. .And he said. Listen.
.Abraham, .As was your father's light' in him, and as is your light'
in you, so is the light' of my will in me: it is ready belbrehand Ibr the
d a y s that are to come. You will not know them, nor will you see
with your own eyes what will happen in them: they are for your
6 d e s c e n d a n t s . Look in the picture.

XXVII. . \ n d I looked and 1 saw; and behold, the picture started to

m o v e . .And a heathen people ran from the left side of it. and they
2 pillaged those on the right side, men, women, and children. .And
3 s o m e they killed,' and some they retained as slaves. I saw them
r u n n i n g t o w a r d s them for four generations;' and they burned the
t e m p l e with fire, and they plundered the holy things that were in it.
4 .And I said, Kternal O n e , behold, the hordes o f t h e heathen are
pillaging the people thou hast appointed to be born from me; and
some of them they are killing, and some they are keeping to take into
5 exile; a n d they have burned down the temple with lire, and they
(i a r e stealing the works of art in it. Kternal Mighty O n e , if this be so,
why hast thou s a d d e n e d ' my heart, and why must this be so? .And
he said. Listen .Abraham. Everything you have seen must be
' Lit. turn baci( this revelation". Landsman translates 'Wherefore hast thou
established that it should be so. and then proclaim the knowledge thereol?'
' ()r'eounse!"(soK).

' . \ n d some thev killed: S om.

' Skhod (lit. "descent", 'issue'; hence 'generation'). J K read ikhod ('entranie').
L a n d s m a n translates 'I saw them run towards them through four entrances'. In an\
case it is probable that the reference is to the lour world empires - Babylon. Media,
Greece, and Rome. ' K provoked'.
 388 The Apocalypse oj Abraham
bt'caiisc your cicsct'udant.s will provoke uiy auger wilh the idol and
the m u r d e r you ha\ e seen in the pieture - the idol«/ Jealousy in the
t e m p l e : everything you h a \ e seen must be. . \ n d I said. Kternal
.Mighty O n e . let the e\ il done in ungodliness pass by. and ordain
p u n i s h m e n t s for them, hul show me rather the righteous deeds ofthis
7 one;'* for this thou canst do. . \ n d he said to me. The righteous
period will come hrst. through the holiness oi'Iheir kings: and I will
j u d g e truly those whom at the hrst I c h o s e ' to rule among them.
H F r o m them shall men come forth to care liir them, as I have told
you a n d you h a \ c seen.

XXVIII. . \ n d I answered and said. .Mighty O n e . hallowed by thy

L' s t r e n g t h , be gracious to my reciuest. And so tell me, thy beloved,
i, I w hat I ask. Will what I ha\ e seen be upon them for long.' .\iid hc
s h o w e d mc a large g r o u p of his people and said to me, Kor four
g e n e r a t i o n s , ' as you have seen, they will provoke me: and during
those generalions I will bring retribution upon them for what thev
.') d o . But in the fourth g e n e r a t i o t r o f a hundred vears, e \ e n ' one
h o u r of the age (that is a hundred years), Ihey will be held in
o p p r e s s i o n a m o n g the heathen.''

XXIX. .And I said, Kternal O n e , and how long is an hour o f t h e

2 age? .And hc said, Kor twelve years of this impious age have I
d e t e r m i n e d to keep Ihem a m o n g the heathen, and all you h a x e s e e n
shall come upon your descendants right up to the end oi'lhal time.'
'' 'fhi.s s c n l r i u f i.s manii'i'slly corrupi iu S. J K read 'lei ihc e\il honour and the
deeds o f l h o s e who ha\'e fulfilled the ordinances pass f>y rather tfian tiis righteous
deeds.' I.andsnian translates '.May the works of evil (wrought) in ung(Klliiu-ss now
pass by. bul (show nie) rather those who fulhlled the loinniandrnenls. even the
works ofhis (?) righteousness'.
' I.it. 'created'. J K read 'by the holiness ol'kings. lo those who judge truly ( K 'to
those who are in truth'), whom 1 created from them at the first to ruleatnong them'.

' Skhod (see aliove, chap, .v.xvii. n. 2).

' .So S, reading JA'AO(/: | K read -Mod ( e n t r a n c e ) . C;p. Cien. xv. Ki.
' I.it. ' a n d ' .
* J K add 'but the hour is liir their grace. e\en with reproaches among the
heathen'.

' to keep . . . time; l.arulsman translates 'to rule among the heathen and in tliy
seed; and until the end ofthe limes it shall IM- as thou sawest'.
 The Apocalypse oj Abraham 389
;i .Now m a k e your caleuiatioiis and yonr m e a s n i e m e n l s . and look
1 into the p i e t i n e . . \ n d I saw a m a n eoming o i u I'rom the left - from
the heatlien side; ami A threat crowd of people, men. women, and
c h i l d r e n , c a m e out from the heathen sidcfl/.io. and they worshipped
.') h i m . . \ n d while I was still looking, others came oiU from the right
side; a n d some ol'them mocked that m a n , and some assaulted him.
(i Init s o m e of them worshipped him. I saw them worshi|)ping him;
a n d . \ / a z i l ran up and worshipped, a n d . after kissing his face,
7 t u r n e d a n d stood hehind him. . \ n d I said. I'.ternal .\Iit;hty O n e .
w h o is the m a n who has been mocked and assaulted, but yet is
» w o r s h i p p e d by the heathen a n d ' .\zazil? . \ n d he answered and
s a i d . Listen . \ b r a h a m : the m a n you h a \ e seen mocked and
a s s a u l t e d , a n d yet worshipped, he is the respite granted by the
h e a t h e n to the people who will come from you in the last days, in
!l this twelfth year ol'the ungodly age. But in the twelfth year of my
age o l ' t h e end I will raise up this m a n you have seen from among
1(1 yinir d e s c e n d a n t s - from my own people. . \ n d they will all imitate
h i m . a n d will realize he has been called by mc and change their
11 m i n d s . " . \ n d those you have seen coming from the left side ol'the
picttire a n d worshipping him - that is. m a n y o f t h e heathen will
12 trust in him. .Vs you h a \ e seen^wne of your descendants on the right
side mocking a n d assaulting him. and yet some worshipping him -
l:i m a n y o l ' t h e m will find him a stumbling-block.* But those of your
d e s c e n d a n t s w h o worship him he will put to the test in the twelfth
It h o u r at the end. so as to shorten the ungodly age. Beliire the new
g r o w t h o f t h e righteous age begins to show, my j u d g e m e n t will be
a c c o m p l i s h e d on the lawless heathen through your d e s c e n d a n t s -
1.') the people set a p a r t Ibr me. In those days I will bring ten plagues
u p o n all creatures on the earth; and they will be afflicted by mis-
Ui fortunes a n d diseases, and groan in bitterness of soul. I will bring
all this on the generations o f men who are upon it. because o f t h e
17 corrupt practices by which they provoke my anger. .\iid then will be
left the righteous from among your descendants, whose numbers are

• I.il. 'witir.
' Tlu- passage is iihseure. i h e eTiienclalion is ohlained by reading/)nn/i l\>r priluci
( K pritci.] pricti). Bonvvetseh and l.aiuisinan translate "and such as are railed by tne
(will) join. (e\'en) those who change in their counsels".
' ()r"willbeledastravl)vhim'.
 390 The Apocalypse of Abraham
sale in my Icccping, wlio press onward in tlie glory ofmy name to the
place prc()arcd Itir them berorchand, which \ ou ha\ e seen laid waste
IH in the picture. . \ n d they will live by the established sacrihces and
ollerings of righteousness and truth in the righteous age. and they
1>> will rejoice in me for ever. .And thc> shall destroy those who
destroyed them, and insult those who insulted them with ihe words oJ
ill their oicn blasphemies. They shall spit in the face of Ihose who are
r c p n n c d by me; and they shall gaze upon mc, rejoicing with my
21 people as thci, rejoice, and welcoming those who turn to m e . ' You
have seen, . \ b r a h a m , what you h a \ e seen; and ponder'' what you
22 have heard. Cio to the place allotted you;' and behold. I am with you
for c\ er.

1.2 X X X . . \ n d while hc was still speaking, I Ibund myscH'on earth. .And

W I said, Kternal O n e ! I am not now in the .glory 1 was in above, and
what my soul desired to understand with my heart 1 do not under-
1 s t a n d . .And he said to me. 1 will tell you what your heart desired: you
desired to see the ten plagues I ha\ e prepared against the heathen,
Ihe plagues I have prepared after the passing of the twelfth hour on
') e a r t h . Listen to what I will reveal to you. T h e hrst plague will be great
(i distress through want: the second, the burning of cities by hre: the
third, destruction of cattle by pestilence: the fourth, universal
starvation:' the h h h , destruction a m o n g rulers by the ravages of
7 earthcpiake and sword: the sixth, deluges of hail and snow: the
seventh, lethal attacks by wild animals:' the eighth (to vary the
m o d e ofdestruction), famine and pestilence: the ninth, retribution
by the sword and flight in terror: the tenth, crashing thunder and
destructive e a r t h q u a k e s . '

XXXI. Then will I sound the trumpet from the air. and I will send
' I.il. 'and receiving ihose who lurn to n i e . J K and receiving and turning t o m e
in repentance". ** I.it. 'know'.
' I.it. '(Jo to your l o t . J K read verses 21 and 22 'See. .Abraham, what you have
seen: hear what you have heard and what you have known. (Jo to my lot'. K then
adds a briel'sumniary of what has gone before.

' l.il. 'starvation ofthe world and their generation'.

-' I.it. 'wild animals will lie their grave'.
' I.it. 'the tenth, thunder and voices and earthquakes for destruction'.
 The Apocalypse of Abraham 3!) 1

2 m y Klcit O n e , with a lull mi-asuiT' ofail m y ' power, .\iici he shall

s u m m o n my people who are despised a m o n g the heathen: and those
w h o h a v e reviled them a n d h a \ e had dominion o \ e r them in the
W present age will I b u r n with lire. . \ n d 1 uill g i \ e those who h a \ c
4 p o u r e d seorn on m e to the seorn of the age to come. For 1 ha\ e
a p p o i n t e d them as lixid Ibr the fire of hell and lo lly through the air
unceasingly in the d e p t h s beneath the e a r t h . '

' I.il. 'havini' in him an equal mea.sure'.

• J his'.
' Here S ends. J continues 'the worms' lull womb. ^ \ n d those who have done
right, who have chosen lo do my will, who have openlv kept my conintandments.
shall see Ihem there', and K 'the wombs filled with the worms fruit. '.And those who
have openly kept my commandments shall see in litem those who have done right,
who have chosen lo do my will'. Both J and K continue further ".And they shall
rejoice with joy at the destruction ofthe remainder (lit. 'the i n e n who remain'), wfio
pursued idols and murder. ''For they shall rot in the womb ofthe cunning worm
.Azazil. a n d they shall burn in the fire of .Azazil's tongue. "For I hoped they might
come to me. but they would not: and they gave their praises to a foreigner and joined
themselves to him, for whom they were not intended, and forsook the mighty Lord
(lit. 'ruler'). XX.XIl. 'Andio. .Abraham, listen and understand (lit. hear and s e e ) .
'Behold, your seventh generation will go out with you into a foreign land, and a
foreign people will enslave and afflict them, for one hour of the ungodly age. 'But the
people they will be stibject to will I judge'. K then adds "".And the U)rd said this
also, Listen, .Abraham, to w hat I have told you about what will happen to yotir race
in the last days. '.And .Abraham heard what God had said and pondered it'.
 THE r K S r A M E X r OF
ABRAHAM

IN 1 R ( ) i ) L c ; r i ( ) N

T h e Testanieiit is ]<noun from more llian thirts (ireel: MSS, uliieli

contain a variety of Icgencls. lives of saints, anci other hagiograiihi-
cal material, and d a t e frotn the \ 'Mh to the 1 7th cetits. It is known
also from several versions - Coptic (Bohairic). .\rahic, Kthiopit,
Slavonic, atid Riiinaiiian.
T h e (ireek .MSS arc clcarK di\ isiblc into two distinct recensions
— the longer ( = A) and the shorter ( = B); and these recensions are
distinct in the sense that they represent dilfcrent arraiigemcnts of
w h a t is Ireciiiently tiilfereiit material, and there are no reasons for
t h i n k i n g either that B is an abridgement of .\ or that A is an
e x p a n s i o n of B. The C|iiestion to what extent the \ersions support
o n e or other of these recensions admits ol tio easy answer. I lius,
t h e Cloptic follows neither exactly: it is on the whole much closer
to B, but some details in it, which are absent from B, show
r e s e m b l a n c e s to material contained in .\. I h e Rumanian inclines
t o w a r d s . \ , although it is by no means identical with it. I h e
Slavonic, on the other hand, inclines very dchiiitcly towards B,
t h o u g h the situation here is complicated by the fact that, as.soohcn
with Sla\'onic texts, a n u m b e r of dilfcrent 'iimer-Sla\C)nic' recen­
sions h a \ c to be reckoned w ith. O f t h e .\rabic and Ethiopic (which
a p p e a r s to have been m a d e from the .\rabic) there are no printed
editions; but from what is known ofthe .\rabic it would seem that
it, like the .Slavonic, also inclines towards B, though again with
considerable variations. So also the Ethiopic.
J a m e s in his edition printed the Circck text o f b o t h recensions
one after the other, using six .MSS for .X and three for B. X'assiliev
p r i n t e d only the text of the .X recension, relying on a single .MS
( C o d . \ ' i n d . thcol. 237 = J a m e s ' s E). T h e Cireek text printed
o p p o s i t e Stone's English translation is a photographic reproduc­
tion o f j a m c s ' s text ofboth recensions. O u r own translation follows
t h e A recension, except that fbur passages which are of more than
1594 The Teslamenl nJ Abraham
orclinaiy interest and whieli are iaeking in A, have l)een added
from B. These passages will be found in ehaps. \ ii. xi, xii, and xiii;
a n d tiiey a r e distinguislied by a liea\ y vertical line in the left-hand
margin.
. \ b o u t the d a t e and place of origin f)f the Testamem opinions
ha\'e \ a r i e d . J a m e s styled it "another fragment of early popular
Clhristiati literature' atid suggested that it was written as early as
the second century (probably in Kgypt), that it embodied e\en
earlier legends, and that it recei\i'd its present Ibrm perhaps in the
n i n t h tir tenth cent.' O n the other hand, Koliler, Ciiiizberg, and
Box, all stressed the essentially Jewish character o f t h e work, and
a r g u e d in one way or another for a Semitic original, though Box
noted that our present (Jreek text does not read like a translation:
"The story in its original (Hebrew) form", he wrote, "probably grew
u p in the first halfof the hrst t e n t u r y A.n . . . This probably formed
the basis of a free (Jreek \ ersion, which was embellished with some
special features (e.g. in the description of the .\ngel of Death)
w h i c h owed their origin to Kg\pt'.-' .\gainst this. Schiirer saw no
reason for thinking that the story was of Jewish origin, on the
g r o u n d that m a n y such legends were iiuented by Clhristians.
Bousset-Ciressmann were prepared to compromise and regarded
the Testament as an example of Ohristian adaptation of pre­
existing J e w i s h legend.' .More recently, N. Turner has maintained
t h a t J a m e s over-emphasized the Christian elements. For Turner
the 'Testament is Jewish in origin, but written in Greek - in all
p r o b a b i l i t y in Fgypt, though rather earlier than J a m e s suggested:
it s u b s e q u e n t l y passed into CUiristian hands and became very
p o p u l a r in the C h u r c h from the fifth century onwards: Recension B
m a y reasonably be dated to the third century, while Recension .K,
as it s t a n d s , cannot be earlier than the fifth or sixth century, and it
m a y well be \ e r y m u c h later. Even more recently, -M. Delcor has
a r g u e d along much the same lines: the traces of Clhristian
influence are m u c h fewer and less definite than James and his
followers t h o u g h t : the original 'Testament, which lies behind both

• J a t t t r s . p . ."».
• Bo.x. p p . x x v i i i - x . \ i . \ .
' VV. B o u s . s c t - H. ( ; r f s . s i i i : i i i i i . Die Religion des Judentums ini spalhellenistischen
Z/Uallet^ ( T i i b i n g c i i . l5IL't)). p . t.'i.
 The Testament of Abraham 39.5
recensions, was a Jcwisli worl< incorporating a variety ol tradi­
tions, s o m e traceable to the Septuagint. some paralleled in t h e
Palestinian Targum; and it was written in Kgypt. perhaps b\ a
m e m b e r o f t h e sett ofthe Therapeutae. about the beginning ol the
Clhristian era.
. \ s was pointed out in the Introduction to the .Apocalypse," b o t h
t h e pseudo-.Vthanasian Synopsis and the Stichomctry o f
N i c e p h o r u s mention ".Xbraham" in their lists of apocryphal b o o k s ;
b u t w h e t h e r they are referring to the .Apocalypse, or to the
1 e s t a m e n t , or to some other work b e a r i n g .Vbraham's name a n d
noyv lost, it is impossible to say. What patristic evidence there is is
equally ambiguous. C3f the nine .\1SS used by James. Ibiu-delinitely
give "The Testainent of .Abraham" as the title, a n d in three o f the
o t h e r s the word ' r c s t a m e n t " occurs at some point in more e l a b o ­
r a t e titles; but of the remaining two MSS, one entitles the work
' T h e .Narrative (Aifjyrjaig) concerning the Life and Death o f t h e
righteous .Abraham", and the other entitles it ' T h e .Account
(AOyoi;) concerning the Death of .Abraham". .Among the versions,
t h e Slavonic calls it simply, ' T h e Death of .Abraham", the Ruma­
n i a n ' T h e Life and Death of our father .Abraham", while the
Coptic-.Arabic-Ethiopic tradition (in which the Testaments o f
.Abraham, Isaac, and J a c o b , hgure a s a trilogy) i n t n K h u c s
A b r a h a m with a short preface explaining that what follows is a n
a c c o u n t o f ' t h e going forth from the body of our holy fathers, the
t h r e e p a t r i a r c h s , .Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob", and goes on to
describe it as a 'homily" or "discourse" of .Athanasius, adding that
.Athanasius had discovered the substance ofit in ancient apostolic
writings.
In the light of these facts wc caimot assume cither that
' T e s t a m e n t ' was the work's original title, or that it was widely
k n o w n as a ' T e s t a m e n t ' in the early Clhurch. In any event, little
a t t e m p t seems to have been m a d e to make it look like one. The
n o r m a l ' T e s t a m e n t ' professes to be a record ofits hero's last words
of instruction and c o m m a n d , delivered in the hrst person to his
family circle gathered round him. But the Testament of .Abraham
m a k e s no such profession. Instead it provides a plain, factual.

* Sec above p. MM.

39() The Testament oJAbraham
a c c o u i u ol'thc events which led up to A b r a h a m ' s death, written in
the third person. In the circumstances, some such title as ' T h e
-Narrative o f t h e Death of .Abraham' would seem very much more
suitable.
But w h a t e v e r may have been the original title ofthe Testament
a n d by whatever titles it may have been known subsequently, the
existence of the versions is clear proof of its popularity in certain
a r e a s in the C h u r c h from the beginning ofthe mid-patristic period
o n w a r d s . W h a t is perhaps remarkable is that there is no clear
testimony to its existence previously. The ab.sence of a Latin
version p r e s u m a b l y indicates that it was not as popular in the West
as it was elsewhere.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Creek
R. J.VMKS, The Testament oJ Abraham: The Greek Text now first
edited with an Introduction andXotes ( = TO 11, ii (Cambridge, 1892),
p p . 1-130).
. \ . \'.\SSIl.Ii;\', Anecdota Graeco-Byzantina. i (.Moscow, 1893),
pp. 292-308.

Coptic
I. Gl'IDI, // testo copio del Testamento di Abramo (= Rendiconti della
Reale Accadernia dei Lincei: Classe di scienze morali, sloriche e
filologiche, Ser. \", ix (Rome, 1900), p p . 1.37-180).

Slaionic
.N. ,S. TlKHONR.WOX', Pamyatniki otrechennoi russkoi literatury, i (St.
P e t e r s b u r g , 1863), p p . 7 9 - 9 0 .
G. P()I.I\K.\, 'Die apokryphische Erzahlung vom 'Tode
.Abrahams' in ArchieJiir slavische Philologie, xviii (1896), pp. 112—
125.
 The Testament of Abraham 397
Rumanian
M . ( J A S I K R , The Apocalypse oJ Abraham: Trom Ihe Roumanian Text,
Discovered and Translated ( = Transactions of the Society of Biblical
Archaeology, ix (Lomloii. IfiiCi). pp. 1!).")-22()|.

IR.\.\S1..\I IONS

linglish
W. :\. C ; R . \ 1 ( ; I 1 : . The Testament of .\braliam (= Ante-.Mcene
Christian Library. .Additional Volume (Kcliiil)urgli. 1H97). pp. 1 8 3 -
201 ) - a iraiislation ol'botli (Jreek recensions arranged in paral­
lel eoliimiis.
CJ. H . B o x . The Teslment of .Abraham: Translated from the Creek Text
with Introduction and .\otes ( = .S.P.CK.. Translations of Early Doni-
ments; L o n d o n . 1927) - a translation ol'lioth (Jreek recensions.
. \ L L . S l O . M . . The Testament of Abraham: The Creek Recensions trans­
lated {= SBL Texts and Translations. 2: Pseudepigrapha Series, 2;
.Missoula, 1972).
G . . \ L \ ( ; R . \ r . , " The Coptic r c s t a m e n t of/Xbraham' in Studies on the
Testament of Abraham (ed. (J. \V. K. \ I C K I . l . H I U R C i , j r - as
below), p p . 3 2 7 - 3 4 0 .
\V. K. B A R . M . S , "Lxtracts from the Testament olWhraham" in .\L
R . J A M K S , The Testament of Abraham ... ( = r,STL ii (Cambridge,
1892). p p . 13.5-139) - from the .Arabic.
\V. L K S L . M ' , "The l e s t a m e n t of.Abraham" in Ealasha Anthology:
Translated from Ethiopic Sources with an Introduction (= Yale Judaica
Series, vol. vi (.New Has en, lit.'il), pp. 9 2 - 1 0 2 and 17ti-18()).
1). S . C ( ) ( ) l ' l . R a n d H . B . W K B K R , "The Clhurch .Slavonic Testa­
m e n t of.Abraham" in Studies on the Testament oJ Abraham (ed. (J.
\V. L . N l ( : K I . K . S B L R ( ; . j r . - a s below), p p . 3 0 1 - 3 2 6 .
. \ L CJ.XS T K R , as above - from the R u m a n i a n .

French
. \ L D K I . C O R , Le Testament d'Abraham: Introduction, traduction du texte
grec et commentaire de la recension grecque longue, suivi de la traduction des
Testaments d'Abraham, d'Isaac et de Jacob d'apres les versions orientates
(= SVTP 2; Leiden; 1973) - the translations o f t h e two (Jreek
398 The TestamenI oJ Abraham
rct'cnsions arc by Dclcor hiiiisclC. the translation oltlic C:optic is
l)\ M . ( l h a i n c . that ofthe Arabic by M. C h a i n c and 1'. Mar(;ais,
a n d that ol'thc Kthiopii- by M. (lhainc and A. Caciiiot.

(ierman
P. R K I S S I . K R . AjSaB\ pp. 1091-1 l():5-a translation of the shorter
(Jreek recension.
E . J . X N N S K N in./i'//-rZ I I I . 2 (197.')). pp. 193-2.')()-a translation of
both (Jreek recensions in parallel cohinins.
H. . \ M ) 1 ; R . S S ( ) N . sphinx, vi ( I ' p p s a l a , 1903). pp. 220-231) - from
the (loptic.

D l l I . C O R . as a l x n e .
A . - . \ I . D r . N l S , ira.W. pp. 3 1 - 3 7 .
C . \V. K I S H I U R . M ; , "I Corinthians iii. 1 0 - 1 a n d the Testament of
. A b r a h a m ' in .Vr.S'.xvii (October 1970), pp. 109-1 1.3.
L. ( ; I . \ / . B 1 ; R { ; , art ".Abraham, Testament of in JE \ (New York,
1901), p p . 9 3 - 9 b .
, The Ugends ofthe Jews, i (Philadelphia, 1909). pp. 299-30G
a n d V (Philadelphia, 192,3), pp. 2WJ-2(i7.
K . K o H I . K R , "The P r e - T a l m u d i c H a g g a d a . II. The .Apocalypse of
.Abraham a n d its K i n d r e d ' inJQR\'\\ (1895). pp. 581-60(i.
( ; . \V. K . N l C l K K I . S B U R G , j r . (ed.) Studies on the Testament oJ
Abraham (= SBL Septuagint and Cognate Studies, (j; Missoula,
I97G).
P. RlKS.si.KR./lji'flB', pp. 1332-1333.
K . . S C H L R K R , GjVZja iii, p p . 3 3 8 - 3 3 9 .
E . T l ' R O K . A N L ' , 'Notes stir la tradition littcraire du Testament
d'Abraham' in Silloge bizantina in onore di Silvio Giuseppe .\lercati ( =
Studi Bizantini e Keoellenici. ix; Rome, 1957), p p . 4 0 5 - 4 1 0 .
-N. T U R N E R , ' T h e " T e s t a m e n t of .Abraham": Problems in Biblical
G r e e k ' in NTS\(\Tob), pp. 219-223.
H . \V E I N E I . in EUX. p p . 170-172.
 testament of abraham

The Testament oJ Abraham '.W

I. Now A b i a h a n i had hvcd out his life's span ot'nine hnndied and
2 n i n e t y - h \ e years. .Ml the years o f h i s life he had li\ed in peace.
:i gentleness, a n d righteoustiess. H e was. moreo\er. \ e r \ hos­
p i t a b l e : ' for he pitched his tent at the crossroads In the oak of
M a m r e a n d welcomed c\cryone. rich and poor, kings and rulers,
the m a i m e d and the weak, friends and strangers, neighbours atid
4 t r a \ e l l e r s . . \ n d the pious, all-holy, righteous, and hospitable . \ b -
.•) r a h a m m a d e them all welcome witlioiit distinction. Hut the bitter
c u p of d e a t h , w hich is universal and ine\ itable. and life's uncertain
fi e n d . overtook even liim. .So it came about that the I.ord (Jod
s u m m o n e d his archangel .Michael a n d said to him. Prince
7 .Michael! (Jo down to . \ b r a h a m a n d tell him about his death, so
8 t h a t he can set his affairs in order. I'or I h a \ e blessed him as the
s t a r s ol heaven a n d as the sand ofthe sea shore: throughout his life
a n d in his m a n y business concerns hc has prospered exceedingly:
9 a n d h e is \ ery rich indeed. H c has been righteous beyond all men in
10 every good deed, hospitable and lo\ ing to the end ofhis days. (Jo.
a r c h a n g e l .Michael, to . \ b r a h a m , my well-loved friend, and inform
11 h i m a b o u t his death. CJi\c him this assurance. You are going now
to leave this vain world: you a r e going to forsake iw/r body, and
a m i d blessings' come to your Lord.

II. T h e Prince left (Jod's presence and went down to .\brahani at

•1 t h e oak of .Mamre. . \ n d hc found the righteous .\braliam in the
held n e a r b y , assisting with the yokes of oxen that did the plough­
ing, together with the sons of .Masck, a n d with others of his
5 s e r v a n t s , t w e l \ e in n u m b e r . ' The Prince Michael was approach­
ing, when lo, . \ b r a h a m saw him in the distance looking like a most
4 h a n d s o m e soldier. So . \ b r a l i a m got up and went to meet him. as it
h w a s his custom to go o u t a n d welcome every stranger. But the
Prince welcomed him hrst and said, CJreetings, most honourable
father, ( i o d ' s righteous chosen o n e , ' the H c a \ c n l y One's true
6 friend! .Abraham said to the Prince, (Jreetings, most honourable

' I.it. ''flic riglitcous one was ver\' hospitable'.

' O r ' a m o n g the e o m p a i n ot'tfie giKKi'. I.it. 'iti gtKKi l/iingi' or 'in g(MKl rneri'.

' Recension B adds ' . \ b r a h a m liMikcd very old. and hc was liolding his son in his
arms'. - I.it. 'soul'.
 •K)() The Testament of Abraham
soldier, whose face shines like the sini and whose form is inor
h a n d s o m e than any ol'the sons of men: you are welcome indeec
7 But I mtist ask s o u r Presence, what is the secret ol'your youthl'i:
fi bloom? I ell me, I beg y o u , ' where clo you come Irom, what army d
you belong lo. and what is the purpose ol'your Grace's journey tha
'I you have come here?'' .And the Prince replied, 1 come, righteoti
1(1 .Abraham, from a ' great city. I have been sent by the great king t
that city to a r r a n g e lor the departure" ol'a true friend of his; for th
11 king is calling Ibr him. .And .Abraham said. C o m e sir! Glome wit
I'.MS m e to iTiy lield. The Prince replied. I will come. They went to th
II field where the plcnighing was going on and sat down to talk. Ani
.Abraham said to his servants, the sons of Masek, ( i o to the stable
l.'i .And fetch two good-natured a n d gentle horses, that have bee
Hi broken in, for m e a n d this our guest to ride on. But the Prince saic
No. my lord .Abraham: let them not fetch horses, for I never ride o
17 a four-l()oted beast." .\ly king is indeed rich, with great commercic
interests; and. he has esery kind of man and animal at his com
IH.ll m a n d . But I myself never ride on a four-footed beast." .So, rightt
Otis o n e , ' let us make o u r way to your house, without fuss, on loo
L>ii .And .Abraham said, \ ' e r y well: so let it be!

III. .And as they were going from the held ttnvards his house,
cypress tree' by the roadside cried out with a h u m a n voice at God'
b i d d i n g a n d said. Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord CJod who calls t
2 himself those w h o l o \ e him. .Abraham said nothing,' supposing th
:i Prince h a d not heard the tree's voice. .And when they came to th
t h o u s e they sat down in the court. .And Isaac saw the angel's fac
a n d said to S a r a h his mother, .\Iy lady mother, the man sittin
with my father .Abraham is no member o f t h e race that dwells o

' I.il. 'Toll mc. your sup[>liaiir.

' I.il. 'and from what road has your Ix-auty arrived'.
' I.il. 'the'.
" O r 'to takr the plait-'. I.it. "to proiurt- the suro-ssion'.
' I.il. 'the herd of horses'.
" I.it. 'beeause I refrain from this - namely, from e\er sitting on a fbur-fbote
beast'.

' In Reeension 15 the tri-e is 'like a tamarisk'.

' I.it. ' . \ b r a h a m hid the mvsters".
 The Testament oJ Ahraham 101
5 e a r t h . .And Isaae ran otit and wekonied him respeetfiilly. falling at
<i the spirit'"s feet. The spirit' blessed him and said, fhe I.ord ( J o d
will graciously grant you his promise whieh he made to your father
. \ b r a h a m and his descendants, and he will also graciously grant
7 you your father's and mother's dear prayer. . \ n d .Abraham said to
his son Isaac, Isaac, my child, draw some water from the well and
b r i n g it to me in a basin, so that we can wash our guest's feet: for hc
8 has cotne to us after a long Journey atid is tired. So Isaae ran to the
9 well, drew water in the basin, and brought it to them, .\braliam got
u p a n d washed the Prince .Michael's feet; and he'' was much moved
111 a n d wept over the stranger. Isaac saw his father weeping, and he
11 w e p t too. .And the Prince saw them weeping, and he also wept with
VI t h e m . .And the Prince's tears fell onto the basin, into the water of
i:i the bowl, and became precious stones. When . \ b r a h a m saw the
w o n d e r he was astonished, and he took the stones surreptitiously
a n d said n o t h i n g ' and kept the matter to himself

IV. Then .Abraham said to his .son Isaac. (Jo, my bclo\ed son, to
2 the dining-room and make it fcsti\c. .Make up two couches for us
there, one for mc and one for this m a n . who is our guest to-day; and
see that there is there a seat Ibr two. a lamp-stand, and a table full
i oI good things. .Make the room lesti\ c, my son: lay out the napkins
4 and the purple cloths and the silk. Burn c\ery kind o/ costly and
precious incense; and bring in sweet-smelling plants from the
.i g a r d e n a n d hll our house with them. Light seven oil lamps, so that
we m a y m a k e merry, because this guest of ours to-day deserves
m o r e h o n o u r than kings and governors: his very appearance is
ti s u p e r i o r lo that ofall other men. .So Isaae set e\'erythiiig in excel-
7 lent order. .And .Abraham took the Prince .Michael and wcnl up to
8 the dining-room. Both ofthem took their seats on the couches, and
I s a a c ' brought forward the table full of good things and put it
9 b e t w e e n them. T h e n the Prince got up and went outside, as if
w a n t i n g to relieve himself; and he went up to heaven in the
10 twinkling of an eye. H e stood before (Jod and said to him.
' Lit. 'tile iiieorporeai one'.
•* I.it. '.\braliain'. ' I.it. 'and hid the ni\ster\'.
 HYl The TestamenI oJ Abraham
.S()\crcigii Lord, tin .\Lijcsty must know that I cannot make
11 m e n t i o n o i 7 ( » dcatli to tiiat riglitcous man. Lor I liavc n c \ c r seen
upon earth a man like him - mercil'ui. hospitable, righteous, trusts .
\'l rcligitnis, uW incapable of doing a i n tiling that is csil."' .So now thou
11 knowest. Lord, that I cannot make mention of death. But the
Lord replied, (Jo down. P r i m e .Michael, to my friend .Mjraham;
II a n d w h a t e s e r he tells you. d o it. Whatever he eats, eat il al.so witli
l.'i him. I will send forth my HoK Spirit upon his son Isaac, and I will
put into Isaac's mind the thought" of his death, so that he sees his
HI l a t h e r ' s d e a t h in a d r e a m . Isaac will recount what he has seen and
17 s o u shall interpret (/. . \ n d Ihen Abraham himself svill recognize that
li! his end is near. The Prince said. Lord, all heasenls spirits are
without bodies and neither eat nor drink, but this man has laid a
table for me ssitli an a b u n d a n c e of escry kind of earthly and
1'.) p e r i s h a b l e dainty. W h a t nosv. Lord, a m I to do? Hoss am I to see he
L'li does not notice when I am sitting at the same table with him? The
L'l Lord said. (Jo down to him. and b a s e no anxiets on this score. For
while you are sitting with him I svill send upon you an all-
d e s o u r i n g spirit, and it svill consume from your hands and through
v o u r m o u t h everything that is on the table; and make merry with
22 h i m in escrs way. Only you must interpret properK the meaning of
the vision, so that . \ b r a l i a m can recognize D e a t h ' s reaping-hook
a n d life's uncertain end, and so make a settlement of'all his goods.
23 For I b a s e blessed him above the sand ofthe sea and as the stars of
heaven.

V. The Prince then went dosvn to .Abraham's house and KKik his
2 seat svith him at the table; and Isaac svaited on them. When the
meal svas oser .Abraham said his customary prayer, and the
3 a r c h a n g e l prayed with him. Lach svas resting upon his couch, and
I s a a c said to his father. Father, I svould like to stay' with you in this
r o o m , to listen to your talk; for I think I should .gain much profit
4 from what this excellent man has to say.' But .Abraham said. No,
' I.it. "abstaiijiiig from escry esil deetl".
' I.it. '111011111)11' C|). V. li: vii. 22.

' I.it. 'rest'.

•' I.it. 'liir I lose to hear the exeelleme til the eoiisersatitm of this all-s irtlioiis
 Tlie Teslanieril oj Ahrdlium lOS
niv son: go to vour oun room and rest on your oiiti bed: u c do not
') w a n t to be a burden to this man. llieii Isaae. after beitig lilessetl by
t h e m and h a \ i n g blessed them, went olf lo his own room and hi\
t) d o w n upon his bed. .\iid (Jod put the thought' ofdeath into I s a a c s
mind by means of dreams: and about the third hour of the tiight
7 I s a a e woke up. He got up from his bed and went in great haste to
8 the room where his lather and the a n liaiigel were sleeping. When
he got to the door he < ried out. sa\ ing. F a t h e r . \ b r a l i a m . get up and
0]K'n llie door tiir me (luiekly. so that I tan cotne in and put my arms
9 r o u n d you and kiss you hefore they take \oii awa\ from me. .So
It) . \ b r a l i a m got up and opened llie door for him. Isaac went in and put
II his a r m s round him and began to weep loudK. .\braliam was in
consetpience iiiiieli m i n e d and wejit loutlly himself in sMiipathy.
2.1;) W h e n the Prince saw them weeping, he wept also. Now Sarah was
in her tent, and when she heard them weeping, she came running
II to t h e m a n d liiund them weeping in one another's arms. .\nd Sarah
said with tears. .\Iy lord .Xbraliain. what does this weeping mean?
Tell me, my lord: this brotlier. who is our guest to-dav, has he
b r o u g h t you news about your nephew Lot, that he is dead, and is
l.i that why you are making this lamentation? 'fhe Prince replied and
said to her. No. sister Sarah, it is not as you say. Wnn son Isaac, I
think, had a d r e a m , and hc < ame to us weeping: and when we saw
h i m . wc were much n u n c d . and we wept too.

VI. . \ n d S a r a h rccogtii/.ed something in the way the Prince spoke'

a n d realized immediately that the speaker was an angel of the
2 Lord. So S a r a h m a d e signs to .Abraham to go outside the door;'
a n d she said to him, .\ly lord .Abraham, do you know who iliis
:i, 4 m a n is? .Abraham said. I do not. .And Sarah said. .My lord, you
r e m e m b e r the three heavenly beings who were our guests in our
tent by the oak of .Mamre. when you killed the calf without blemish
.T a n d p r e p a r e d a meal for them? When the meat had been eaten, the
calf rose up again and joyhilly sucked from its mother. Vou
r e m e m b e r , my lord .Abraham, do you not, that they gave us the
' I.it. •niriitinir. Cp. iv. i.i; vii, 22.

' I.il. '.\ml .Sarah hrard thr (listiiutioii urthc PriiurVs toiu crs.itiorr.
• Lit. 'to go to thi- door outside'.
K)4 Tlie TestamenI oj Abraham
proinisc ol'a child, Lsaai ? This is one ol'thosc three holy men. .And
.Abraham said. W h a t you say. .Sarah, is true. Praise and .glory be to
( i o d the I ' a t h c r . ' Indeed, when I was washing his feet in the bowl
o l ' t h e washing-basin late this evening, I said to mysell'. These are
the feet ofwHCw/ the three men that I washed then. .Atitl later on his
tears fell into the basin and turned into precious stones. .And
. \ b r a h a m took the stones'* from the fold ol'his cloak and gave them
to .Sarah saving. II you do not believe me. now look at these. .And
S a r a h took them atid kissed them^ and liindled them.^ saying, (ilorv'
be to (iod who shtnvs his wonders to us. \ou may be certain, my
lord .Abraham, that we are to receive a revelatit)ii about .something,
w h e t h e r for evil or for good.

VII. .And .Abraham left Sarah and went back inside the room, and
he said to Isaac, C o m e , dear son: tell me the truth. What was it that
you s a w . and what liap|X'ned to you that you came to us in such a
h u r r y ? .And Isaac m a d e answer and began. In my sleep to-night, my
lord, I saw the sun and moon over my head. The sun encircled me
with its ravs and gave me light.' .And while I was kxjkingon at this
a n d rejoicing at it. I saw heaven wide open; and I saw a brilliant''
m a n coming down out of heaven, who shone more brightly than
seven s u n s . .And that m a n , who was like the sun, came and took the
s u n a w a y from my head, and he went back into the heavens, where
he h a d come from; and I was very upset, because he had taken the
s u n from me. .And after a little, while I was still upset and ill at ease,
I s a w that m a n leave heaven a second time; and he took away the
m o o n from my head as well. .And I wept bitterly. .And I implored
t h a t brilliant m a n a n d said. No, my lord, please do not take my
glory from me: have pity on me and hear me! Kven if you must take
the sun from me, at least leave me the moon. .And he said. You
m u s t let them be taken up to the King above, for he wills to have
t h e m there. .And he took them from me; but the rays he left upon
mc.

' I.it. '(ilors and praise IVoin (ICKI and Father'.

* I.it.'.And he tcKjk them'. ' Ov'him'.

' I . i t . ' . . . the sun and the mcxjntiver tny head, and encirclitig me withies rays and
giving me light'. ' I.it. 'light-hearing'. Clp. xii. 7; xiv. 10; xvi. \f>.
 The Testament oJ Ahraham K)')
12 Till' sun and the moon and the stars mourned, sa\ inu;. Do not
13 take a w a y o u r g l o r i o u s might. . \ n d that radiant man answered and
said to me. Do not weep Ijeeause I liave taken the light of your
h o u s e ; for he has been removed from toils to rest, and from a
14 h u i n b l e state to an exalted one. He is being lihed' from a(l\ersit\
15 into prosperity: he is being lifted' from darkness into light. .\iid I
16 said to him. I beg you sir. take the rays with him as well. .\iid he
said to m e . There are tweKe hours in the day, and then wiil 1 take
all the rays. .And while the radiant man was speaking I saw the sun
o f m y house going up into liea\en; but I saw that erowii no more.
, \ n d that sun was like you, father.
18 .And the Prince said. Listen, rightoiis .\braliam. The sun your
boy has seen is you, his father; and the moon, similarly, is his
m o t h e r .Sarah. The brilliant m a n . who came down out of h e a \ e n .
he is a m a n sent from God, and he is about to take your righteous
19 soul a w a y from you. Lor you must realize, most honoured
.Abraham, that you are now about to lea\ e your earthly lili- behind
20 vow a n d depart to G o d . Then said .Abraham to the Prince, This is
the most astonishing thing I have ever heard!" So it is you, is it, who
21 a r e to take tny soul away from me? The Prince said to him, I am
22 .Michael, the Prince, who stands in the presence of (Jod, I have
been sent to you in order to put into your mind the thought' of
23 d e a t h . .After that I shall go back to him. as we were commanded.
24 .And .Abraham said, Now I know that you are an angel ofthe Lord
a n d you have been sent to take away my .soul: yet 1 will not follow
25 you. But d o whatever he c o m m a n d s .

VIII. . \ n d when he heard what . \ b r a h a m said, the Prince at oiiee

2 d i s a p p e a r e d . .And he went u p to heaven and stood before (Jod and
g a v e a n account of everything hc had seen in .Abraham's house.
3 F u r t h e r m o r e , the Prince also told his Lord, Thy friend .Abraham
also says this, I w ill not follow you; but do whatc\ er he c o m m a n d s .
4 Is there then anything, .Almighty Lord, that thy (Jlory and immortal
5 Majesty now c o m m a n d s ? .And God said to the Prince .Michael. Go
6 d o w n to my friend .Abraham once again and tell him. Thus says the
' Lit. "'flicN' are lifting liim".
•* I.it. "(), latest wonder of wonders'.
' Lit. "mention". C p . iv. 15; v. (>.
 -K)() The Testament oj Abraham
Lord your ( i o d . who has hrouglu sou iiilo tlu- land olproniisi'. who
has blessed you above the santl ol'the s e a and above the stars ol'
heaven, and who granted you the ehild Isaac, born ol'the barren
7 S a r a h , in your old age: I jjidtnise vou I will bless \ o u in every way
ii a n d m a k e \oin-descendants too many to be counted. I will give you
e\ e r y t h i n g you can ask olnic; l()r I am the LortI voinCJod and there
'.I is none other but me. But why are \ o u resisting me, and why are
111 vou distressed? Tell me. . \ n d why arc you resistins; my archangel
11 .Michael? Do you not know that M men uhn areilescenileiU'rom \(\<m\
\1 a n d I'\'e have died? Not one ol'the prophets has esca|)cd death: no
ruler has ever been immortal: none ol'your ancestors has escaped
l;i d e a t h ' s mystery. .Ml have died; all have been rei civ ed in Hades: all
It h a \ e been gathered by the reaping-hook o l D e a t h . Hul lo vou' I did
1.") not send Death. I did not allow an\ deadK disease to come near
you: I did not agree that Death's reaping-hook should visit you:
Hi nor did I permit the nets of Hades to enl()ld you. I willed that no
17 evil slunild befall \ o u at a n \ lime. Instead, I have sent you my
Prince .Michael for your good comliirt, lo iiiliirm you of vour
d e p a r t u r e from the world, so that vou can make arrangements
a b o u t your house and all vour goods, and so that vou can pro-
1!) n o u n c e a blessing over your dear son Isa;ic. .\nd you nuist know
HI that I have done this out of no desire to cause you pain. Why. then.
211 did yt)u sa\ to m\ Prince. 1 will not Itillow you? Why did you sa\
21 this? .Are you not aware that if I were to allow Death to come to
s o u . then I could indeed see w hether you would come or not?

IX. .After receiving the Lord's instructions the Prince went down
2 to .Abraham. .And when the righteous man saw him. he fell on his
face to the ground as ij he were dead; and the Prince told him
H everything he had heard from the .Most High. Then the pious and
righteous .Abraham got up and threw himself at the s[)irit''s feet
I a n d with m a n y tears m a d e supplication to him, saying, I implore
you. Prince o f t h e powers on high, since you yourself have deigned
to c o m e to me, your sinhil and unworlhv ser\ ant. I beg you now to
take a message for me yet once more lo the Most High. Tell him.
' Lit.'ii|)<>ii\im'.

' I . i t . ' t l x - i i i c o r f x n i - i i l <iiu-'.

 The Testament oJ Ahraham 407
A b r a h a m thy slaxc lias this t<i s a \ . Lcircl, Liircl. in t'\cry deed and
word WIKMI I besought thee, thou hast heard me and hast brought
(i to completion everything I planned. . \ n d now. ( ) I.ord. I would
not resist thy might, lor I know indeed that I am not immortal but
7 m u s t die. .Vnd so. just as all things yield to thine ordinance, and
s h u d d e r and tremble in the presence ol'thy power. I al.so am lull of
H fear, ^'et one rc(|uest I would make of thee; and now. ( ) Sovereign
<) L o r d , listen to my prayer. I would, while \ c t in this body, see the
whole e a r t h and all created things, which thou didst establish by a
10 single word. When I have seen these, then will I dep;irt from life
w i t h o u t regret.
\'i So the Prince went away again and stood beliire (kid. .Vnd he
told him everything, saying. Iliy friend .Vbiaham has this to say. I
l;) would behold the whole earth in mv life here before 1 die. .\nd when
the .Most High heard this he gave instructions to the Prince
14 .Michael once again. .\iid hc said to him. l a k e a cloud of light and
I.i the angels who arc in c o m m a n d ofthe chariots. Thcii go down and
take the righteous .Vbraliam and set him on the cherubim-chariot
a n d lift him up to the heights' o f h c a v e n . so that he mav see the
whole earth.

X. . \ n d the archangel .Michael went down and took .Vbraliam and

set him on the cherubim-chariot and lihcd him up to the heights' of
h e a v e n a n d acted as his guide on the cloud together with si.xty
2 a n g d s . .\iid .Abraham went up on the chariot over the entire earth;
3 a n d .Abraham looked out on the world just as it was that day. He
saw some men pltiughing, others driving wagons: in one place they
were looking after their sheep, elsevvliere ihey were out in the fields,
d a n c i n g a n d m a k i n g merry and playing the kithara: here they were
in conflict' and going to law with one another, there thev were
4 w e e p i n g a n d then burying their dead. He saw too the iicvvly-
5 m a r r i e d being escorted home. In a word, he saw everything lhat
6 was h a p p e n i n g in the world, both good and evil. So, as .Abraham
j o u r n e y e d , he saw a group of swordsmen brandishing their
7 s h a r p e n e d swords in their h a n d s . .And .Abraham asked the Prince,
- I.it. •upper air'.

' I.it. •upper air'. ' I.it. •they were wrestlini;'.

 HI8 The Testament of Abraham
li W h o arc llicsc.' And ihc Prince said, I'IK'SC arc thieves, whose
intention it is to commit m u r d e r and steal and kill and destroy.
'I . \ n d .Xbraham said. Sir. could you not b i d ' wild beasts come out of
111 the wood and eat them up.^ .And immediately, as he spoke, wild
11 bi-asts I a m e out ofthe wood and ate them up. .Vnd in another place
he saw a man and a w o m a n in fornication together; and he said.
V2 Sir. bid the earth open and swallow them. .And the earth was split
li in two at once and swallowed them. In another place he saw men
b r e a k i n g into a house and carrying olf another man's property;
a n d he said. Sir. bid lire descend from heaven and consume them.
U .\n(l innnediately. as he spoke, lire descended from heaven and
1j c o n s u m e d them. .And there came at once a voice from heaven to the
Prince, saying. Prince hael, bid the chariot stand still and stop
11) . \ b r a h a m from seeing the w hole ofthe earth. For if he sees all those
i; w h o a r e engaged in sin. he will destro\ every living thing. For It).
Hi . \ b r a h a m has not sinned, and he has no pity l()r sinners. But I have
m a d e the world, and I have no wish to destroy any o f t h e men I
have created;'' but I put olf the sinner's death until he turns again
\') a n d lives. T a k e .Abraham up to the first gate of heaven, so that he
may view the j u d g e m e n t s and the retributions there, and repent for
ihc s i n n e r s ' souls he has destroyed.

XI. .Michael turned the chariot and brought .Abraham eastwards

•1 to the first gate of heaven. .And .Abraham saw two ways: the first
wav was narrow and restricted and the second broad and spacious.
;i {.And he saw there two gates: one broad gate) across the broad
t way, and one narrow gate across the narrow way. .And outside the
j two gates there, they saw a man seated on a golden throne. .And the
m a n ' s a p p e a r a n c e was terrifying, like that of the Sovereign Ij)rd
(i himselj.' . \ n d they saw many souls being driven along by angels
a n d herded through the broad gate; and they saw a few other souls
7 being taken by angels through the narrow gate. .And whenever the
w o n d r o u s being who was seated on the golden throne saw a f«?w
going ill through the narrow gate and many through the broad one,
' I.it. 'Sir. sir. Iie.ir nn Miiee .ind bid'.
I.il. lodestrov i i o d i i e D l l b e i n ' .

' Si) .\: I) 'the .Sovereign .Messiah' [or '(:hrist'K C:K "our Lord Jesus Christ'.
 The Testament of Ahraham 409
lu"' at oiu'c tore tlic hair of liis head and his heard, and luirlcd
hiniseir from his throne to the ground, weeping and wailing. But
w h e n e v e r he saw iiiaiiy sotils going in through the narrow gate,
then he got up lidni the ground and hc took his seat on his throne
rejoicing and exulting with great gladness. .\iid .Miraliain asked
the Prince. lord Prince, who is this most wondrous man. who is
decked out with so greal a glorv. and who at one moment weeps
a n d wails, and at the iiexi rejoices and exults.' I'he spirit" made
a n s w e r . 1 his is .Adam, the lirst man lo he made.'' who is in .so great
a glory. Hc surveys the world, inasmuch as all men owe their origin
to him. \ \ henever he sees tiianv souls going in through the narrow
g a t e , then he gets up and sits on his throne, rejoicing and exulting
witli gladness. Kor this narrow gale is Ihe gale of the righteous,
which leads to life, and those who go in In it go to Paradise. That is
why the lirst man'' . \ d a n i rtjoices. because hc sees .souls being
saved. .And when he sees m a i n .souls going in through the broad
g a t e , then he plucks at the hair olliis head and hurls himselfto the
g r o u n d , weeping and wailing bitterly. // is because the broad gate
is the gate ol sinners, and it leads lo destruction and eternal
|)iiiiishmeiit. That is win the first man'' .Adam throws liimsell'
Irom his throne and weeps and wails at the sinners" destruction,
b e c a u s e those w ho arc perishing arc many, whereas those who are
being saved arc few. For in seven ihousaiid there is scarcely lo be
liiund a single soul who is being saved, who is righteous and
uiidchled.
.And .Abraham said, Hc that cannot enter through the narrow
g a t e , can hc not enter into lile? riicn ,\braliam wept and said, .Ah
me! W h a t shall I do? I am a big man.'' and h o w i an I enter through
the narrow gate, when a youth olTirtccn could not get through it?
.And .Michael ans-vvered and said to .Abraham. Do not be afraid,
father, and do not worry; lor you will go through it without
h i n d r a n c e , and so will all who are like vou.

l.il. ' t h a t wiiiulroiis m a n ' .

I . i t . ' riic i i u o r p t i r e a i u m ' * .
l.il. ' t h e lirst-liirmccf.
I.it. ' . V l a m lalls'.
I . i l . ' a m a n l i r o a i l in IKKIV'
 HI) The TestamenI of Abraham
XII. While he was still speaking.' lo. two angels came, liery in
a p p e a r a n e e . niereiless iti purpose, and relentless in expression,
a n d they were driving ten thousand souls along, beating them
mercilessly with liery thongs; t a n d one soul the angel seizedt.'
•1 . \ n d they directed all the souls through the broad gate for destruc-
:i tion. .So we also followed the angels and came inside that broad
1 g a t e . .Now between the two gates stood a fearsome throne.' Hashing
:> like lire. O n it sat a wondrous man, bright as the sun, like a son of
( i o d ; a n d belbre him stood a table, all of gold and covered with the
(i finest linen, which shone like crystal. O n the table lay a book, six
ctibils thick and ten ctibits broad, and on its right and on its left
7 were s t a n d i n g two angels holding paper and pen and ink. In front
o f t h e table sat a brilliant* angel holding in his hand a pair of scales,
ii O n his left sat a liery angel, entirely without mercy and relentless,
a n d in his h a n d he held a trumpet that contained all-devouring fire
9 inside it. as a m e a n s of testing sinners. .And while the wondrous
m a n w h o sat on the throne was giving hisjudgemcnts and sentenc­
ing the souls, the two angels on his right and on his left were
111 recording. T h e angel on the right recorded the good deeds, the one
11 on the left the sins. .And the angel in front ofthe table, who held the
pair of scales, weighed the souls, and the fiery angel, who held the
Vi fire, put the souls to the test. .And .Abraham asked the Prince
i;i .Michael. W h a t is it we are looking at? .And the Prince replied,
W h a t you are seeing, holy .Abraham, is the j u d g e m e n t and retribu-
14 tion. .And lo, the angel who held the soul in his hand appeared, and
Ij he b r o u g h t it before the j u d g e . .And the j u d g e said to one o f t h e

' .So I). J a n i r s ' s Icxl ("Wlliic he was yel speakhig these things to nie") is a
reeollstriietitin basetl on the untranslatable V.. .\ has 'While he was yel speaking
these things to us' (ep. verse and the Rumanian version '.And while they were
speaking'.
' So . \ . The other .\1S.S \ a r y considerably throughout the verse, though the
general sense is clear, apart from the details ol'this final clause. However, there can
be no doubt that something very like this must have st(X)d, in the original text
because ofthe references back, Ixith in verse 14 below and at xiv. 1. Furthermore, in
the parallel passage in the B recension only one angel figures as the driver instead of
two: he is driving sixty thousand souls (not ten thousand); and the soul he is holding
in his hand, whose good deeds and evil deeds are of equal weight, is that ofa\
' So CT)F: .AB adtl 'that Itxiked like fearsome crystal'.
•* I.it. 'light-bearing'. (Ip. vii. .'>; xiv. 10; x\i. 16.
 The Testament of Abraham 411
angels that were waiting on him. O p e n this book liir mc and hnd
If) m c the sins ofthis soul. .\nd when hc had ojicncd the book hc found
17 that its sins and its good deeds balanced cxcnly. So hc neither gave
it o \ e r to the torturers, nor did he assign it a place among those who
were being sa\ cd. but set it in the middle.
. \ n d . \ b r a h a m said to .Michael, Sir, is this the angel that takes
souls otit o f t h e i r bodies, or is it not? .Michael answered and said,
riiis is Death; and he takes them away to the judgement-place for
the judge to pass judgement on them. .\nd . \ b r a h a m said. My
L o r d , I beg you to take me uj) to thejudgemcnt-place, so that I can
•21 sec for myself how the\ are judged. Then .Michael took .Abraham
22 on a cloud and brought him to Paradise. .And as he came near the
place where t h c j u d g e was. the angel appeared and presented a
s o u F to t h c j u d g e ; and the soul was saying. H a \ c mercy on ine,
lord. .And t h c j u d g e said. Why should I have mercy on you, when
you Noursclf had no mercy on your daughter lhat you had, your
own child?" W hy did you m u r d e r her? .And Ihe soul made answer.
N o lord! I a m no murderer: my daughter has told lies about me.
I h e j u d g e then ordered the writer ofthe records to come. .And lo,
c h e r u b i m came, carrying two books, and with them was a man of
i m m e n s e size. .And he had on his head three crowns: one crown was
higher than the other two; and they were called Clrow ns of Witness.
28 In his h a n d the m a n had a pen of gold; and the judge said to him,
29 Let us h a \ e the details ol'thc sin' ofthis soul. .And the man opened
o n e ofthe books belonging to the cherubim, and he searched for the
sin o f t h e w o m a n ' s soul and found it. .And thcjudge said. Wretched
soul! H o w can you say that you have done no murder? Did you not
after your h u s b a n d ' s death, go and commit adtiltery with your
d a u g h t e r ' s h u s b a n d and kill your daughter?" .And he convicted her
of o t h e r sins as well, all that she had committed since she was a
child. W h e n the woman heard this she cried out, saying, .Alas!
li'hile I uas in the world I forgot all the sins that I committed, but
here they a r e not forgotten. T h e n they took her and handed her
over to the torturers.

' I.it. •that soul'.

'• I.it. •the fruit ofyour wonih'.
' I.it. 'Suhsiantiate the sins'.
" I.it. 'and idll her'.
 \ 12 The Testament of Abraham
XIH. A n d A l i r a h a n i s a i d , . \ I y l o r d P r i i u c , w h o is t h i s w o n d r o u s
2 j u d g e , a n d w h o a r e t h e s e r e c o r d i n g a n g e l s ? A n d w h o is t h e a n g e l
l i k e t h e s u n , w h o h o l d s t h e s c a l e s , a n d w h o is t h e fiery a n g e l w h o
;i h o l d s t h e fire? . \ n d t h e P r i n c e s a i d , .Most h o l y . A b r a h a m , d o y o u s e e
I t h e t e r r i f y i n g m a n w h o is s i t t i n g o n t h e t h r o n e ? H e is t h e s o n o f t h e
f i r s t i n a n ' . A d a m , a n d is c a l l e d . A b e l , a n d h e w a s k i l l e d b y t h e
,') w i c k e d ( l a i n . H e sits here t o j u d g e every c r e a t u r e , ' e x a m i n i n g both
r i g h t e o u s a n d s i m i e r s , b e c a u s e G o d h a s s a i d , I t is n o t I w h o j u d g e
() y o u , b u t by m a n shall every m a n be j u d g e d . F o r this reason h eh a s
c t m i m i t t e d j u d g e m e n t t o h i m , t o j u d g e t h e w o r l d until his otengreat
7 a n d g l o r i o u s d o m i n g . . A n d t h e n , r i g h t e o u s . A b r a h a m , w i l l follow
t h e final j u d g e m e n t a n d r e t r i b u t i o n , e t e r n a l a n d u n c h a n g e a b l e ,
8 w h i c h n o o n e will b e a b l e t o d i s p u t e . F o r all m e n h a v e their origin
!) f r o m t h e first m a n ; ' a n d s o b y h i s s o n t h e y a r e first j u d g e d h e r e . .At
t h e s e c o n d c o m i n g t h e y a n d e v e r y spirit a n d e v e r y c r e a t u r e ' will b e
10 j u d g e d b y t h e t w e l v e t r i b e s o f I s r a e l . ' A t t h e t h i r d s t a g e t h e y w i l l b e
j u d g e d b y t h e S o v e r e i g n G o d o f all; a n d t h e n a t last will t h e w h o l e
11 p r o c e s s r e a c h i t s e n d . " T h e s e n t e n c e s w i l l s t r i k e t e r r o r ; a n d there
\2 will be n o o n e t o r e s c i n d them. . A n d s o t h r o u g h t h r e e t r i b u n a l s t h e
j u d g e m e n t o f t h e w o r l d w i l l b e a c c o m p l i s h e d a n d its r e t r i b u t i o n .
i;i ( . A n d t h a t is w h y a m a t t e r c a n n o t finally b e s e t t l e d o n t h e e v i d e n c e
of o n e o r t w o witnesses b u t 'on t h e evidence of three witnesses
14 every fact' m u s t b e established'.) T h e t w oangels, o n e o n the right
15 a n d o n e o n t h e left, t h e s e r e c o r d t h e s i n s a n d t h e g o o d d e e d s . T h e
o n e o n t h e r i g h t r e c o r d s t h e good d e e d s , t h e o n e o n t h e left t h e s i n s .
Hi T h e a n g e l w h o is l i k e t h e s u n , w h o h o l d s t h e s c a l e s i n h i s h a n d , h e is
the archangel Dokiel: he preserves a n honest balance' a n d weighs
17 t h e g o o d d e e d s a n d t h e s i n s w i t h t h e j u s t i c e o f G o d . T h e fier)- a n d
m e r c i l e - s s a n g e l , w h o h o l d s t h e fire i n h i s h a n d , h e is t h e a r c h a n g e l
18 P y r u e l , w h o h a s p o w e r o v e r fire, a n d h e t e s t s m e n ' s d e e d s b y fire. I f
t h e fire b u r n s u p a m a n ' s d e e d , t h e a n g e l o f j u d g e m e n t t a k e s h i m a t

' Lit.'llic tirsl-rorrm-ci'. • O r ' a l l ircatiim'.

' So .A: with variation in detail, C:DK and the Rumanian read '.\t the second
l o m i n g they and . . . will be judged b \ the twcKe apostles': B combines both
readings ('.At the second coming the twelve tribes of Israel and . . . will Ix-judged by
the apostles').
•• Lit. ' a n d then already the end of that judgement is near'.
' Lit.'word'or'thing'. ' Lit.'(IDokiel). thejust weigher'.
 The Testament oj Abraham 413
o i u T a n d cariics him oH'lo tlic sinners" p l a c c - a most disagrccalilc
1!) place (if p u n i s h m e n t . I f t h e lire tests a man"s deed and does not
touch it. he is accounted righteous and the angel of righteousness
takes him and carries him up to he saved a m o n g the n u m b e r ofthe
20 r i g h t e o u s . . \ n d so, most righteous .Abraham, all things in all m e n '
a r c tested by lire and scales.
21 I h i s one, w l i o presents the souls is the teacher ofhcaven and
e a r t h , the scribe of righteousness, Knoch. Kor the Lord sent them
h e r e that the sins and the good deeds of each might be recorded.
23 .And .Abraham said. But how can Knoch take responsibility for" the
souls, since he has not /t;m.s?// experienced'' death? How can hc
24 p r o n o u n c e sentence on all the souls? .And .\IJchacl said. If he were
to p r o n o u n c e sentence on them, his sentence would not stand. It is
not Knoch's function to sentence: it is the Lord who sentences; and
Enoch's only function is to write. Kor Knoch prayed to the I.ord.
s a y i n g . Lord, I have no wish to sentence souls; in case I might be
h a r s h to any o f t h e m . Then said the Lord to Knoch. I shall bid you
w r i t e the sins ol'thc soul that makes atonement, and it shall enter
i n t o life. But il a soul makes no atonement and does not repent, you
will find its sins in writing, and that soul will be sent olf to
punishment.

XIV. .And .Abraham said to the Prince, .\ly lord Prince, the soul
that the angel was holding in his h a n d , how is it lhat it was
2 condeiTincd to be set in the middle? .And the Prince said. Listen,
r i g h t e o u s .Abraham: ;/ was because t h c j u d g e found its sins and its
3 good deeds equal. So he consigned it neither to judgement nor to
4 salvation, until t h c j u d g e ofall shall come. .Abraham said to the
.5 P r i n c e . W h a t more does the soul require to be saved? The Prince
a n s w e r e d . If it can come by one gCKid deed more than its sins, it
6 a t t a i n s s a K a t i o n . .And .Abraham said to the Prince, Come, Prince
.Michael a n d let us make intercession on this soul's behalf, and let
7 us see w h e t h e r God will hear us. And the Prince said. Amen: so let
8 it be! .And they m a d e supplication and intercession on the soul's
b e h a l f a n d (Jod heard them; and when they got up from their
' Or 'ill cvcrN p a r t i c u l a r ' .
" I.it. ' b e a r t h e b u r d c u o f .
' I.it. ' s e e n ' .
 11 4 The Testament oJ Abraham
9 p r a y e r , ihey did not .see the soul standiim; lliere. .\iid .Mirahani said
to the angel. Where is the soul you were keeping in the middle?
10 .And the angel said. It has heeii saved by yonr righteous interces­
sion; a n d lo. the brilliant' angel has taken it and carried it up into
11 P a r a d i s e . .And .Abraham said. I will gloril'y the n a m e olXJod .Most
12 H i g h and his mercy that is without measure. .And .Abraham said to
the Prince. I beg you. archangel, grant me my request, and let us
beseech the I.ord once more and throw o u r s e k e s on his compas-
l;i sion. .And let us entreat his mercy for the souls ofthe sinners I once
ctirsed in malice and sent to their destruction - those that the earth
swallowed u p . and the wild beasts tore to pieces, and the tire
11 c o n s u m e d , because of what I saitl. Now I realize that I sinned
1.') belbre the I.ord ourCJod. Come, .Michael, Prince of the p o w e r s oti
high: come, let us with tears beseech (iod to forgive me my sin and
Hi gratit them to tne. .\tid the Pritice lisiettetl to hitn. atid they matle
17 supplication beliire (jod. When they had been praying for a long
time, there came a voice from heaven, saying, .Abraham,
.Abraham. I have heard your voice and your supplication; and I
IK forgive you vot/r sin. .And those, whom you imagine I destroyed, I
hav e recalled and in my m e r c y ' brought them back to life; because
19 for a time 1 have requited them in' judgement. But tlitise whom I
destroy while they are alive on earth, I will not requite in death.''

XV. The voice of the Lord said also to the Prince, .Michael.
2 .Michael, my minister, return .Abraham to his house. For lo. his end
:i is n e a r and the span of his life complete. H e will thus be able to set
e v e r y t h i n g in order; and after that, take him and bring him up to
t m e . .And the Prince turned the chariot and the cloud and brought
.5 .Abraham to his house. .And Abraham went into his dining-room
(i a n d sat upon his couch. .And .Sarah his wife came and flung her
a r m s r o u n d the spirit's feet,' as if she were a suppliant, and said, I
' I.it. 'ligfit-beuritig'. Cp. \'ii. :r. xii. 7; x\i. Ki.
' I.it. 'through mj extrrtuc gcxxlncss'.
' Lit. 'into'.
•* The text is vcr\ uncertain at this (xiint. .\ omits the last clause in verse IH
altogether and also has variants in verse 19: B reads almost completely difl'erently
throughout.

' Lit. 'the feet ofthe incorjwireal one'.

 The TeslamenI of Abraham 415

thank y o u , s i r , for b r i n g i n g b a c k m y l o r d . \ b r a h a m ; for l o , w c

7 t h o u g h t hc h a d b e e n t a k e n u p Irom us. . \ n d his son Isaae also c a m e
K a n d ptit h i s a r m s r o u n d his n e c k . . \ n d so t o o all his m a l e a t i d f e m a l e
slaves assembled about .\braliam and embraced him. praising
9 God. .\nd the spirit' said to h i m . Listen, righteous .Abraham,
b e h o l d , y o u r wile S a r a h ; a n d behold, y o u r beloved son Isaac; a n d
10 b e h o l d , y o u r m e n - s e r v a n t s a n d m a i d - s c r \ a i i t s all a r o u n d y o u . S e t
e \ e r y t h i n g y o u l i a \ e in o r d e r , b e c a u s e t h e d a y is a t h a n d w h e n y o u
11 a r e t o l e a \ c rowr b o d y a n d g o o n c e a g a i n t o t h e L o r d . .And . A b r a h a m
12 s a i d . H a s t h e L o r d s a i d ihis. o r a r c y o u s a y i n g it y o t i r s e l l ? .And t h e
P r i n c e s a i d . L i s t e n , r i g h t e o u s . \ b r a h a m : t h e S o v e r e i g n Lord h a s
l;i c o m m a n d e d / / . a n d I a m t e l l i n g y o u .i«. .And . A b r a h a m s a i d . I will
14 not follow y o u . .And w h e n t h e P r i n c e h e a r d that a n s w e r hc leh
.Abraham i m m e d i a t e l y a n d went up into the heavens and stood
I.i before (Jod . M o s t H i g h . .And h e s a i d . L o r d . A l m i g h t y , b e h o l d , I
h a v e l i s t e n e d to e v e r y t h i n g t h y friend . A b r a h a m h a s said to t h e e ,
16 and I h a v e g r a n t e d h i s r e q u e s t . I h a \ c s h o w n h i m ihe exlenl o/thy
17 d o m i n i o n , a n d a l l t h e l a n d a n d s e a t h a t is u n d e r h e a v e n , j u d g e ­
ment a n d r e t r i b u t i o n h a v e I s h o w n h i m by m e a n s of c l o u d and
19 c h a r i o t . . A n d y e t a g a i n h e s a y s . I w i l l n o t f o l l o w y o u . .And t h e .Most
H i g h s a i d to t h e a n g e l . D o e s m y friend . A b r a h a m really say a g a i n , I
20 w i l l n o t f o l l o w y o u ? . A n d t h e a r c h a n g e l s a i d . L o r d . A l m i g h t y , t h i s is
21 w h a t h e s a y s . .And I w o u l d n o t t o u c h h i m b e c a u s e h c h a s b e e n t h y
f r i e n d f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g a n d h a s d o n e e v e r y t h i n g t h a t is p l e a s i n g
i n t h y s i g h t , a n d t h e r e is n o m a n l i k e h i m o n e a r t h , n o t e v e n J o b ,
22 t h a t w o n d r o u s m a n ; ' a n d t h a t is w h y I w o u l d n o t t o u c h h i m . S o
m a y I have instructions. Immortal King, about what should now
be done?

XVI. T h e n t h e . M o s t H i g h s a i d . C a l l D e a t h h e r e t o m e - / / » • one w h o
2 is c a l l e d T h e S h a m e l e s s F a c e a n d t h e P i t i l e s s L o o k . .And . M i c h a e l
t h e s p i r i t ' w e n t a w a y a n d said to D e a t h , C o m e : the Sovereign of
3 c r e a t i o n , t h e I m m o r t a l K i n g is c a l l i n g for y o u . W h e n D e a t h h e a r d

' I.it. "tlu- iiiforporral oiu'".

' So I) (and. it wdultl .set'ni, the original text). .\ reads J a c o b ' lor "Job*; 15 omits
the negative: CF. om. the entire clause.

' I.it. 'the incorjioreal one'.

 416 The Testament of Abraham
this hf was much ahirmcd and shivered and shook; and he camt
with great trepidation and stood before the invisible Father,
shivering, groaning, and trembling, as he awaited his Sovereign's
4 b i d d i n g . .And the invisible God said to Death, Gome, you mosi
bitter a n d savage n a m e in all the world ! Hide your ferocity,
cover u p your corruption, put olf your asperity' from you, and put
on ytiur beauty and all your glory, and go down to my friend
(i, 7 .Abraham. T a k e him and bring hitn to me. 'i'et i tell you now not to
frighten him, but win him with gentle guile, for he is my own true
i! friend. Death listened and went out from the presence ofthe Most
H i g h ; a n d he put on a most brilliant robe and made his face shine
9 like the sun. H e a p p e a r e d ' more handsoine and beautiful than any
h u m a n , having assumed an archangel's f o r m , and his checks
HI, 11 flashed with fire. .And so he went off to .Abraham. Now the righte­
ous .Abraham had left his room and was sitting under the trees of
-Manire. his chin on his h a n d , waiting for the archangel Michael to
c o m e back, when lo, there came in his direction a pleasant smell
IL' a n d a flashing light. .And .Abraham turned round and saw Death
13 c o m i n g t o w a r d s hitn in great glory and beauty. .And .Abraham got
14 u p to meet him, for he thought he was God's Prince. .And when
D e a t h saw him, he bowed lo him and said. Greetings, honoured
.Abraham, righteous soul, true friend of God .Most High, and
I.i c o m p a n i o n ofthe holy angels. .And .Abraham said to Death, Greet-
Ifi ings to you. You a r e like the sun, and you shine as does the sun:
17 most glorious helper, brilliant,'' wondrous man! Whence comes
18 y o u r S p l e n d o u r to us? W h o are you? And whence come you? Death
said, .Most righteous .Abraham, lo, I tell you the truth: I am the
19 bitter c u p of d e a t h . .Abraham said to him, No: you are the world's
p a r a g o n of loveliness: you are the glory and the beauty of angels
a n d of m e n : you are more nobly formed than any form there is; and
20 yet you say you arc the bitter cup of death. Should you not rather
21 say, I a m more nobly formed than nobility itselP' .And Death said,
No: I a m telling you the truth: it is that very n a m e which God has
22 given me that I a m telling you. And .Abraham said, Why have you
'23,24 c o m e here? .And Death said, I have come for your holy soul. So
•' Lit. 'I)ittt'rnc-s.s'. ' Lit. 'He bt-cami'.
'' Lit. 'light-bearing'. C:p. vii. j ; xii. 7; xiv. 10.
' Lit. 'than evcrv good thing'.
 The Teslamenl oj Abraham 417
A b i a l i a m s a i d . 1 u n d e r s t a n d w l i a t y o u a r c s a \ i n g ; l)ut I w i l l n o t
.'.') follow you. . \ n d D e a t h w a s silent a n d a n s w e r e d h i m not a word.

.J XVII. I h e n . \ l ) r a h a m got u p a n d w e n t into his hotise. Hut D e a t h

:i f o l l o w f d h i t n all t h e w a y . . \ n d . A b r a h a m w e n t u p to his r o o m ; b u t
t Death also went u p with h i m . . \ n d . A b r a h a m la\ dowti on his
.') c o u c h ; a n d D e a t h c a m e a n d s a t a t h i s feet. . \ n d . A b r a h a m s a i d . ( J o
(1 a w a y . g o a w a y f r o t n m e ; for 1 w a n t t o r e s t oti n i \ c o u c h . D e a t h s a i d ,
7 I will not g o a w a \ until I take y o u r spirit from you. . \ b r a l i a n i said
t o h i m , B \ ( J o d , w h o is i m m o r t a l , I b i d NOU tell m e t h e t r u t h : a r c
!i Mill D e a t h ? D e a t h said to h i m , I a m D e a t h : I a m the one w h o
9 d c s i r o N S t h e w o r l d . .And . A b r a h a m s a i d . S i n c e y o u a r e D e a t h . I
p r a y y o u . tt41 m e w h e t h e r \ o u c o m e t o all m e n in t h i s w a y . in l i n e
III l o r m a n d g l o r y a n d b e a u t \ l i k e t h i s ? .And D e a t h s a i d , .No. m y l o r d
.\brahatii: \oui righteous deeds a n d the boundless ocean ofyour
h o s p i t a l i t y a n d t h e i m m e n s i t y o f y o u r l i n e of (Jod l i a \ e b e c o m e a
11 c r o w 11 u p o n m y h e a d . 1 a p p r o a t li t h e r i g h t e o u s in b e a u t y , a n d \ e r \
c]uietly. a n d w i t h g e n t l e guile; but s i n n e r s 1 a p p r o a c h , stinking of
corruption, with the greatest possible ferocity and asperity,'
\2 a n d a n e x p r e s s i o n t h a t is b o t h s a x a g e a n d w i t h o u t m e r c y . .And
. A b r a h a m s a i d . 1 p r a y y o u . listen to m c . a n d s h o w m c y o u r ferocity.
l:i a n d Myour l o r r u p t i o n a n d a s p e r i t y . ' .And D e a t h s a i d . \\>u could
It n o t s e e m y f e r o c i t y , m o s t r i g h t e o u s . A b r a h a m . .And . A b r a h a m s a i d .
\ c s : I c o u l d s e e a l l y o u r f e r o c i t y , b e c a u s e o f t h e n a m e o f t h e li\ i n g
If) ( J o d : f o r t h e p o w e r o f m y ( J o d w h o is in l i e a \ e i i is w i t h m e . Ihen
D e a t h s t r i p p e d h i m s c H d f a l l h i s r a d i a n c e a n d b e a u t y , a n d all t h e
glory a n d sun-like a p p e a r a n c e he had a s s u m e d , a n d he put on a
It) t y r a n t ' s r o b e . . \ n d h e g a v e h i m s e l f a llireateiiiiig look, m o r e s a v a g e
t h a n a n y k i n d ol w i l d b e a s t a n d I b u l e r t h a n a n y foul t h i n g k n o w n t o
17 m a n . ' H c d i s p l a y e d t o . A b r a h a m s e \ e n fiery d r a g o n s ' h e a d s a n d
18 f o u r t e e n faces of b l a z i n g h r e a n d g r e a t ferocity - o n e d a r k - l o o k i n g
f a c e , o n e v i p e r - l i k e o f t h e b l a c k e s t k i n d , o n e a m o s t h o r r i b l e clilf,
o n e fiercer t h a n a n a s p . o n e o f a f e a r s o m e lion, a n d o n e o f a h o r n e d
I!) \ i p c r a n d a b a s i l i s k . .And h c d i s p l a y e d a l s o t h e f a c e o f a fiery s w o r d ,
a face b e a r i n g a s w o r d , a face of d r e a d f u l h a s h i n g l i g h t n i n g , a n d a
20 s o u n d o f fearful t h u n d e r . . M o r e o v e r , h e d i s p l a y e d a n o t h e r face o f a
' l.il. •Iiittcriicss'.
' I . i l . 'roiiliT t h a n all tcniliif.ss'.
 418 The Testament oj Abraham
ferocious raging sea, and a fiercel\ l)oiling river, and a terrilying
L'l t h r e e - h e a d e d dragon, and a cuj) ol' poisons mixed togctlier. In
short, lie displayed to him ferocity in plenty. asperit\' bcNond
e n d u r a n c e , a n d ever\ kind of deatlK disease - the smell of death
Tl h u n g about it a l l . ' .And so great was the asperity' and ferocity
displayed that the m e n - s e r \ a n t s and inaid-ser\ants died, in
n u m b e r about s e \ e n thousand. .And e \ e n the righteous .Abraham
himselj\:ui\v to the brink of death.* and his spirit failed him.'

XVIII. . \ n d when the all-hoK .Abraham had seen all this in this
way, he said to Death, I beg you. all-destructive Death, hide your
ferocitv, a n d put on the beauty and the liirm you had before.
L' T h e r e u p o n D e a t h h i d h i s I'erocitv a n d juit o n lii.s b e a t t t y In- h a d h a d
;i before. .And .Abraham said to Death, \ \ h \ ha\ e you done this? Wm
h a v e killed all my men-servants and maid-servants: did CJod send
4 you here to-day for this? .And Death said. No. my lord .Abraham, it
.") is not as you suggest:' it was because of vou I was sent here. .And
.Abraham said to Death, .And how then was it that these senants
(i died, if the I.ord had not given word? .And Death said. Believe me,
most righteous .Abraham, the marvel is that you too were not taken
7 oll'along with them. I a m only telling you the truth when I say that
if the right hand of (iod had not been with you in that hour, you ttxi
K would have had to depart this life. .And righteous .Abraham said, I
realize now that I have come to the brink o f d e a t h , ' a t i d my s p i r i t '
fails m e . Nc\ertheless, I beg you, all-destructive Death, since my
serv a n t s have died before their time, come, let us beseech the Lord
o u r (Jod to hear us a n d raise up those who perished before their
I. 11 time t h r o u g h your ferocity. .And Death said, .Amen: so let it be! So
.Abraham got u p a n d fell upon his face on the earth in prav er. and
D e a t h with him; a n d (Jod sent the spirit of life upon those who had
' I.il. '. . . (ii-atli-lx-ariiig disfa.si-. as til tin- sriicll D r d r a l h ' ,
•• ( ) r Wild rigliu-olis .Mjraliani fiilcrfd the laiiit cifdcilli'. I.il. . i aiiic tvcn tii
tlu- m-gliTi oldi-alir. C:i). xviii. K: xx. 12.
' O r 'and his breathing began in liiil'. C:p. x\iii. 8.

' I.it. '.say'.

•' O r 'that I have entered the taint nl death'. I.it. '. . . the iiegleet ul death'. C;p.
xvii. 2:i: .vx. 12.
' O r ' b r e a t h ' . C:p. xvii. 2;i.
 The Testament oj Abraham 419
12 died, a n d tlicy were restored to lile. .So then the righteous .Vhrahain
ascribed glory to (Jod.

XIX. .And Abraham went up to his room and la\ down to rest: but
2 D e a t h c a m e and stood before him. .And .Abraham said to him. (Jo
3 a w a y from me: I want to rest; liir I am exhausted.' .And Death said.
4 I will not leave you utitil I take your soul. .And .Abraham, with a
sullen face and angr\ look, said to Death. W h o has ordered you to
.1 say this? \ ' o u are blulfmg and saying this on your own; and I will
not follow \ o u until the Prince .Michael comes to mc. and then I will
t) go with him. .And further.' if you want me to follow you. explain lo
7 mc all your changes of a p p e a r a n c e - the sc\cn licry dragons'
h e a d s , and what the face ofthe clilf mcfl/w, and the ruthless sword,
a n d the great boiling river, and the turbid sea raging furiously.
8 Explain to mc also the insulferable thunder and the terrifying
lightning, a n d what the stinking cup of poisons mixed together
9 means: explain them all to mc. .And Death said. Listen righteous
.Abraham, for seven ages 1 create havoc in the world and bring all
men d o w n to H a d e s : kings and rulers, rich and poor, slaves and free
m e n , I escort to the depths of Hades; and that is why I showed you
10 the seven dragons" heads. I'hc lace office I showed you because
m a n y arc burned to death by fire, and so it is through the
11 face o l ' h r e that they see death. I'hc face o f t h e clilf I showed you
b e c a u s e m a n y men fall from the top of trees or fearful dill's and
d i s a p p e a r and perish; and so it is in the form o f a fearful clilf (/w/
12 they see d e a t h . The face ol'thc sword I showed you because many
a r e killed by the sword in wars; and they sec death in the form oJ a
13 s w o r d . T h e face o f t h e great boiling river I showed you because
m a n y are carried olf by i n u n d a t i o n s ' and swept away by mighty
rivers a n d die by drowning; and they see death belbre their time.
14 'Lhe face of the ferocious raging sea I showed you because many
e n c o u n t e r violent storms at sea, are shipwrecked, and sink beneath
15 the waves; and they see death as the sea. The insulferable thunder
a n d the fearful lightning I showed you because many men come to

' f i t . niy .spirit is invosu-d witli nt-gli-i t'.

• I.it. 'But this alsd 1 say to you'.
' Lit. 'hv the inrush oi'manv waters'.
 4'2() The Testament of Abraham
a time of wrath,'' with insufferable t h u n d e r and fearful lightning,
Hi a n d perish s u d d e n l y ; ' and that is the way they see death. I showed
you also poisonous creatures,* asps and basilisks, and leopards,
a n d lions, a n d cubs, and bears, and vipers, and, in short, the faceol
every beast did 1 show you, most righteous one, because m a n y men
a r c killed by beasts, and others die after being b i t t e n ' by poisonous
17 s n a k e s , ( d r a g o n s , asps, horned vipers, basilisks)," and the viper. I
s h o w e d you also deadly cups of poisons mixed together, because
m a n y men a r e given poisons to drink by other men and without
apparent cause are carried off at once.

XX. .And .Abraham said. Tell me, I pray you, is the kind 0 / d e a t h
2 that comes to a man incalculable? Death said, I tell you truly, by
:i G o d ' s t r u t h , there are seventy-two deaths. O n e oJ these is the
r i g h t e o u s d e a t h which has its appointed hour;' and many men
4 a r r i \ e at d e a t h a n d burial within a single hour. Lo, I have told you
.') e v e r y t h i n g you asked. .Now I tell you, most righteous .Abraham,
h a v e d o n e with all this discussing, and once and for all stop
() q u e s t i o n i n g me. Clonic, follow me, even as God, the J u d g e of all has
7 d i r e c t e d me. But .Abraham said to Death, Leave me yet a little
8 longer to rest on my couch, for I am very feeble.' From the moment
I set eyes upon you my strength failed: all my limbs seem like
!i l u m p s of lead; a n d I a m very short of b r e a t h . ' Go away for a little
H) while, for I must confess'' I cannot bear the sight of you. .And his
11 son I s a a c c a m e and fell upon his breast, weeping. .And his wife
S a r a h c a m e too, a n d she flung her a r m s round his feet, wailing
' i.e. tlic Divine wrath. Sonic cnicntl to 'the time otdeath'.
* I.it. 'and become in the taking away ormen'.
" Lit. beascs".
' Lil. 'hav ing been made to swell'.
" These wtirds were inserted by James. They are lound complete only in .\!S .\.
where they Itjllow immediately after 'wrath' in verse 1,') and must be read there as
genitiv es depending on 'w rath' .\ relic ofthe reading sur\i\ es in B at the same point
in a j u m b l e that makes no sense. Several other details in verses 15 and 16, Ixith of
text and interpretation, are also far froiri certain.

' Lit.'its limit'.

' Lit. 'for want of heart is great upon me'.
' O r 'and my spirit is much distressed'.
' Lit. 'for I have said'.
 The Teslamenl of Ahraham VI 1
11' hilti'i'ly. Atid all his malt- and Icinalc sla\i-s tamt- as ui'll. and tht-y
gathcrt-d loiiiid his cotuh; and Ahiahaiii caiiu- to the hiink of
l:i d e a t h . ' .\iid Death said tt) .\hiahaiii. (lome. kiss my right hand:
a n d max joy and life and power eome to yon (liir Death was
II d e t e i x i n g .Miraham). . \ n d Ahraham kissed his hand, and
I.i i m m e d i a t e l y his soul stuek last to Death's hand. .\nd at onet- the
a r c h a n g e l Michael was at his side, with a host orangels. and they
took his precious soul in their hands, in a sheet divinely woven.
III . \ n d with di\ inely-sicnt(-d myrrh and spices they tended righteous
.Miraham's body until the third day alter his death; and they
17 buried him in the land of pidinise. at the oak of .Manne. .\nd the
angels escorted his precious soul and went up into heaven, chant­
ing the Trisagion hynm to (iod. the .Sovereign o f a l l ; and they
IH placed it where it could worship (iod the Father. . \ n d when the
great h y n m of praise and doxology to the I.ord was ended, and
w h e n . \ b r a h a m had worshipped, there came the clear vtiice of(iod
the F a t h e r , saying. Take my friend . \ b r a h a m to Paradise, where
are the tents of my righteous ones and the resting-places of my
ni s a i n t s j . Isaat- and Jacob in his bosoinj. I hen- is no toil there, no
grief, no sighing, but peace and rejoicing and endless life.''

^ O r 'aiid .Miriiliaiii ciUfral the iLiiiit tirtlcath'. I.it. ', . . i anir to llu- iicglft i til'
d e a t h ' . (:|i.x\ii.l.>:i:xviii.H.
" fhe liill(ivviiii> addition is liiund in all the .M.S.S:
'Let us also, nu lielo\ed hreihren. imitate the patriarih .Miraham's hospitality.
and let us .main to his virtuous way oriil'e; so that we may he wiirthy ollile eternal,
giviiii; glory to lhe Father, and to the Son, ami to the Holy (ihost. To him be glory
and power liir e\ er and ever, .\meii'.
 testament of isaac
THE T E S T A M E N r OF ISAAC

IN I R O D I C I I O N

The T'cstaniciu of Isaac has survived in Coptic. .\ral)ic. and

P^thiopic. O f t h e Coptic tliere are two versions, one in Sahidic and
o n e in Bohairic. each extant in only a single .MS. T h e Sahidic
version is found as the second of four items in a MS in the Pierpont
-Morgan collection in .New ^'ork (M . dated 894/.')). and the
Bohairic in Cod. \ ' a t . Copt, fil (dated .\1) 91)1/2) where it is
g r o u p e d together with the Testaments of .Abraham and J a c o b as
t h e fifth item in a series of ten. Both the .Arabic and Kthiopic
versions agree with the Bohairic in olfering texts of all three
' T e s t a m e n t s and also in grouping them together.
G u i d i , in the Introduction to his edition o f t h e Bohairic text of
the Testaments of Isaac and J a c o b . ' argued that both are imita­
tions o f t h e Testament of .Abraham and that both were composed
in C o p t i c . In this case the .Arabic and Kthiopic versions will have
been derived from the Cloptic. .And this hypothesis ma>- be sup­
ported by the observation that the later versions follow the
Bohairic. not only in grouping the Testaments of .Abraham. Isaac,
a n d J a c o b , together as a unit, but also in attributing them iti their
present form to St. .Athanasius.'
O n the other h a n d , even if it be conceded that the two later
T e s t a m e n t s are imitative, that is no reason why they should not
h a v e been composed in (Jreek, although the (ireek originals have
not as yet come to light. If the reference lo the book, or books, 'of
t h e three P a t r i a r c h s ' in The Apostolic Constitutions (\'I.xvi.3) is to
o u r 'Testaments of .Abraham, Isaac, and J a c o b , then there must
h a v e been a Greek Isaac and a Greek J a c o b as well as a Greek
A b r a h a m . Similarly, it might be argued that the enigmatic passage
in Priseillian (tract, iii) shows that Priseillian knew a Latin version
of all three Testaments,-' and that this is further evidence in favour
' Guidi, p.'223. • See above p. 39.1.
' What Priscilliati says (romincnting oti an Old-Latin rendering olTobit iv. 12)
is: 'Nos fill pTOphrlarum mmus: S'of pwf/ta fuil el .Abrallam el Isac el lacob el omnes palres
nostri qui ab initio saecutipro/elaverunl. Q u a n d o in ranone profetae Noe liber leetus est?
4'J4 The Testament of Isaac
ot a (Jreek Isaac and a (ireek J a c o b . If there was, then various
S( licnics of \ crsion descent are fwssible. But il would be idle to
s p e c u l a t e on these possibilities when there arc no (ireek texts of
e i t h e r Isaac or J a c o b actually available.
It would seem therefore, that, so far as d a t e a n d place of origin
a r c c o n c e r n e d , we can a l h r m even less about the Testaments of
I s a a c a n d J a c o b than wc can about the Testament of . \ b r a h a m .
The a t t r i b u t i o n ofall three to St. .Athanasius in the doptic-.Arabic-
Kthiopic tradition must ine\itably be suspect; a n d even if it were
not, the further s t a t e m e n t in the preface to the Testament of
.Abraham in the Bohairic that .Athanasius "found" them "in ancient
books of otir holy fathers the apostles""" would be too vague to l)e of
a n y real use (it looks far too mueh like a pious c o n j e e t i i r e on the
p a r t of .some editor or scribe). I'Acn so, such evidence as there is
p o i n t s to Kgypt as the place of origin - the n a m e .Athanasius, the
g e o g r a p h i c a l distribution o f t h e extant texts, and the similarity of
the Testaments of Isaac and J a c o b to the 'Testament of .Abraham,
w hich in all probability was itself written in Kgypt. 'This last point
is of s o m e i m p o r t a n c e . I f t h e a u t h o r s oi'the Testaments of Isaac
atid J a c o b were not the same as the a u t h o r or compilers o f t h e
Testament of .Abraham, they must not only have known .Abraham,
but also have thought it worth while composing very passable
i m i t a t i o n s of it. However, it should be noted that although the
p a t t e r n o f t h e Testament of Isaac follows the pattern of .Abraham
closely, there is a new element introduced, viz. the moral and
religious teaching a t t r i b u t e d to Isaac; and it might well be argued
t h a t this new element is d u e to a Coptic a u t h o r or redactor, since a
s t r o n g practical a n d pastoral interest is one of the recurring
features in all Coptic literature. 'The 'Testament o f j a c o b is much
m o r e imitative than is the 'Testament of Isaac, but it seems t o
i m i t a t e the Testament of Isaac rather than the 'Testament of
. A b r a h a m directly. The o u t s t a n d i n g characteristic o f this 'Testa­
m e n t is its d e p e n d e n c e throughout o n the book ofGenesis.

quis iiiItT profelas dispositi eanonis Abrahae librum Icgii? quis quod aliquando
Isac profctasset edocuit? quis profetiam lacob quod in canone poneretur audivit?'
'' C;p. also fcsi. J a c o b xi. 2 and xiii. 11.
 The Teslameiit nJT.uiac 42")
In their present tiirni the Teslanients ol Isaae and jaeol) are
•ertainly C h r i s t i a n . N'et it nia\ he maintained, as it lias been
i i a i n t a i n e d in tlie ease o f t h e Testament of .Abraham, that tlie\
•ontain Jewish legendary material. e\cn il they were not ihem-
i e h e s the work of Jewish authors. In the Testament of Isa.u the
wplieitly Christian elements nia\ lia\c been super imposed, lor
ihey a p p e a r to be easily detachable. In the Testamem ofjacob, on
ihe o t h e r h a n d . thc\ liirm a more integral part o f t h e whole. Hul
ivhatever be the truth here, there are signs that our existing lexis
lia\ e a long history behind them, although "the \ iolent treatment
to which the Teslumenis (more especially the TestamenI oj jaaih) liaxc
been subjected, lies a long way b(4iiiid their present Coptic liirm."'
The .Sahidic text in the Pierpont .Morgan .MS has been chosen as
the basis for the translation ofthe Testament olTsaai that liillows.
as being the most ancient text extant. The Holiairic was almost
certainly m a d e from the Sahidic. although as it has come down to
us it does not a l w a \ s l()llow it exactly: it may. theretiire. on
occasion h a \ c preserved some features otherwise lost. In (on-
s c q u c n c e , major di\ ergences between Sahidic and Bohairic. w hich
atfect the s u b j e t t - m a t t e r . h a \ e attention drawn lo them in the
notes.

BIBLIOGR.APHV

i;ni H O N S

Coptic (Sahidic)
K . H . K l ' H N , •'The Sahidic version ol'the Testament ol'Isaac' in
JTS\.S. viii (19.37). p p . 22,3-239.

Coptic (Bohairic)
I. G L U M . // Testamento di Isacco e il Testamento di Giacobbe
(= Rendiconti della Reale Accademia dei Lincei: Classe di science
morali. storicheejilologiche. Ser. \ ' , ix (Rome. 1900), pp. 2 2 4 - 2 4 4 ) .

' So (iasclce in (i. H. Box. Ttte TestamenI oJ .{t/raham. p. .">!).

42() The Testament of Isaac

IRANSLAIIONS

English
K . H . K l ' H N . "An English Translation o f t h e Sahidic X'ersion of
the ' l e s t a m e n t of Isaac" in JTS N . S . xviii (1967), pp. .'52.')-33G.
.S. ( ; . \ S i ; i . K i : , "The Testament of Isaac" in G. H . B o x , The
Testament of Abraham . . . with an Appendix containing a Translation
from the Coptic Version of the Testaments of Isaac and Jacob
( = .S.P.Cl.K., Translations of Early Documents; London, 1927), pp.
.')7-7.') - from the Bohairic.
W . L. B.XR.NKS. "Lxtracts from t h e ' T e s t a m e n t of Isaac' in .XL R.
J . W I l ' . s . 77;? Testament oJ Abraham . . . (= TS I I.ii (Gamliridgc,
"l»92), p p . 140-l.')l) - from the.Xrabic.

French
.XL CH.xiNf, in .XL D K I . C O R , Le Testament d'Abraham . . . (Leiden,
1973) - from the Bohairic (pp. 19(5-205). Arabic (pp. 2 5 2 - 2 6 1 ) ,
a n d Lthiopic (pp. 2 2 4 - 2 3 3 ) . The translations ofthe .Arabic and
Kthiopic, left only in draft by Clhaine, were revised and prepared
for publication b \ P. .XlAR(,;.MS and .A. C : A ( , ) C O I respectively.

Cerman
K. . A N D K R S S O N , Sphinx, vii ( U p p s a l a , 1903), pp. 7 7 - 9 4 - f r o m the
Bohairic.
P. Rl K S S K K R , AjSaB\ pp. 1135-1148 - from the Arabic(?).

GKNKRAK

.XL D K K C O R , Le Testament d'Abraham . . . (Leiden, 1973), pp.

78-83.
S. G.XSKKKK [as above], pp. 5 5 - 5 6 .
1. G L ' I D I [as a b o v e ] , p . 223.
.XI. R. J.x.MlCS, The Testament of Abraham . . . [as above], pp.
1.5.5-161.
 The Testament oJ Isaac 427
P. . \ A ( ; K I . . ' / u r sahidisdicn N'crsioii des Ifstanicnli-s Isaaks" in
H'issenschajtliche Zeltschrifl der Marlin-Luther-l'nnersitdt Halle-
Wittenherg. xii. 3/4 (1963). p p . 2.i9-2(i3.
P. Rii:.ssi.i;R,.ly.9fliR-. pp. 1334-133.3.
H . U K I N K I . i n A ' t X p. 172.

Thi.s is the going Ibrtli liom tlu- l)od\()tTsaac tlu- patriarili: lie died
on the twcnty-Uiurtli o l M e s o r c ' in the p c a t c ol'Ciod. .\nien.

I. .Now Isaac tiic patriarcli writes his testament and addresses his
w o r d s ol' instruction to his son Jacob and to all those gathered
1 r o u n d him. The blessings ol' the patriarch will be on those who
c o m e alter us. e\ en those who listen to these words, to these words
ofinstrtiction and these medicines oriife, so that the grace of (Jod
;i m a y be with all those who belie\e. This is the end of o b e d i e m e . as
it is written, \ ' o u h a \ e heard a word, let it abide with s o u ' - which
4 m e a n s that a m a n should stri\ e patiently with w hat he hears.-' (Jod
gives grace to those who believe: he w ho believes the words of (Jod
.') a n d of his saints will be an inheritor o f t h e Kingdom of (Jod. (Jod
h a s been with the generations gone by. which have passed away.
() b e c a u s e of their innocence and their I'aith towards (Jod. He w ill be
with the generations to come also.

II. Now it c a m e to pass, when the time had come for the [jatriarch
I s a a c to go forth from the body, (Jod sent to him the angel' ol'his
2 father .Abraham at dawn on the twenty-second of .\Iesore. He said
i to h i m . Hail, soti of promisel (Now it was the daily custom ofthe
4 r i g h t e o u s old m a n Isaac to converse with the angels.) He lifted his

' i.e. 17 .August. Boh. gi\cs 2\ .August, whirh is conhruu'ti as the coiti-
mi-moration dav ol'all t h r i r p a t r i a n h s . .Abraham. I.saai, and Jaitil), at Test. Jaroh
xiii. I I .

' Probably ait adaptation, or variant reading. orKirliis. xix. 10.

• From here to thr end ol'the chapter Boh. elalxirates without adding any thing
essentially new.

' Boh. "archangel .Michael".

4'2K The Testament of Isaac
face u p to the I'aic ol'thc aiigch hc saw him assuming tlic likeness of
his lather A h r a h a m ; and he opened his mouth and raised his voice
and cried out in great joy, I h a \ c seen your lace like someone who
has seen the lace of (Jod. The angel said to him. Listen, my beloved
Lsaac: 1 h a \ e been sent for you by (Jod to take \(iu to the heavens
and set you beside your father .Abraham, so that you can see all the
saints; for your father is expecting you and is coming for you
himself. Behold, a throne has been set up tiir you close to your
father .Abraham, and your lot and your belo\ed son Jacob's lot will
s u r p a s s that o f a l l others in the whole ol (Jod's c r e a t i o n r that is
why you have been given for evermore the name of Patriarch and
L a t h e r ol'thc World. But the (Jod-loviiig old man Isaac said to the
angel, I a m astonished 1)\ you. Ibr you are my father, fhe angel
a n s w e r e d . .\Iy beloved Isaac, I am the angel that ministers to your
l a t h e r .Abraham. But rejoice now, tor I am to take vou out ot sorrow
into gladness, out ol'sulfcring to rest t b r c \ c r . I am to transport you
Irom prison to a place where you can range at will — to a place ofjoy
a n d gladness: I am to take you to uhere there Is light and merriment
a n d rejoicing and a b u n d a n c e that never fails. So then, draw up
ytjur testament and a statement for your household.' for I am to
t r a n s l a t e you to rest Ibr all eternity. Blessed is your father who
begot you: blt-sscd are you also: blessed is your son Jacob; and
blessed are vour descendants that will come after vou.

• Boll, adds tlu- 'I'riiiitariaii Ibriiiula 'in tlu- glory ortlic I-"atiu*r and the Son and
llu- Holy Spirit'.
' Sinrr llu- word rendered 'testament' tiere tan al.so mean 'will', the whole
sentence can (jiiitc profx-rly be undersUHKt to mean 'make your will and set your
domestic affairs in order'; and tliis understanding of" it is strengthened by the
ot)ser\ation that passages in the 'I'eslament or.Ahraham. wfiere Micfiael is bidden
lo instruct .Abraham (and does instruct him) alxiut wfiat lie is to do in preparation
liir his death, must reli-r to the disposition olhis woddly giKxIs ( T. .Abr. i.7. viii. 17.
XV. 3. 10). O n iheother hand. T. Isaac x. H. I.i. '.'(Iseem most naturally to rcler to the
written '"festament" ol' Isaac (cp. alsoi. 1) rather than to Isaac"s will", just as
'f. J a c o b i. 2 seems to be an even clearer relt'rence lo the written " restanient" ol"
J a c o b (in a context and in language \ery similar lo the context and the language ol"
our present passage). It. then, we are lo lx-lie\e. as many do, lhal T. .Abr. served as a
model for the autfiors of the later Testaments, we have lo assume also a shill in
understanding somewhere along the line; there can be little doubt alxjut the
meaning of'T. J a c o b i. 2; bul the meaning ol'T. Isaac ii. 11 is nothing like so certain.
 The TestamenI nJ Isaac 429
III. N o w , J a c o b heard them talking together, hul he said tiothiiig.
2 O t i r lather Isaac said to the angel with a hea\ y heart. What shall I
d o a b o u t the light of my eyes, my beloved son Jacob? For I am
S afraid cA' what F.sau might do to him - you know the sittiation.' The
angel said to him, .My beloved Isaac, if all the nations on earth
were gathered together, they would not be able lo bring these
t blessings pronounced over J a c o b to nothing. When you blessed him.
the F a t h e r and the .Son and the Holy S p i r i t ' blessed him; and
.Mit'hael a n d ( i a b r i e f and all the angels and all the heavenly ones
a n d the spirits ol all the righteous and your lather .Abraham all
,") a n s w e r e d . .Amen. The sword.* therefore, shall not touch his body;
but he shall be held in higii honour and grow great and spread far
t) a n d wide, and twelve thrones shall spring from him. O u r father
Isaac said to the angel, ^'ou have given me nuicli comfort, but do
7 not let Jacob know in case he is distressed. The angel said to him,
.My beloved Isaac, blessed is everv righteous man who goes forth
8 from the body: blessed are they when they meet with Ciod. Woe.
woe, woe. three times woe. to the simier. because he has been born
into this world: great sulferings will come to him. Isaac, beloved of
(I ( i o d . (jive these instructions, therefore, to your sons, and the
10 instrtictions your father has given you. Hide nothing from J a c o b ,
so that he can write them as instructions for the generations that
will come after you. and those who love (iod may live their lives in
11 a c c o r d a n c e with t h e m . ' .And take care that I am able to fetch you
12 with Joy. without delay. The peace of my Lord that he has given
m e . I give to you. as I go to him who sent me.

IV. .And when the angel had said this, he rose Ironi the' bed o n
2 which Isaac was sleeping. H e weiu back to the worlds on high
while o u r father Isaac watched him go, astonished at the vision he
:i h a d seen. .And he said, I shall not see dayiighi before I am sent for.
4 .And while he was thinking this, behold, J a c o b got up and came to

' Lit. 'you know the end ofi-vcri thing'.

• Boh. omit.s the reference to the Son and the Htjiy .Spirit.
' Boh. omits the reference to (iahriel.
•• O r "Chains'. ' I.it. "ttiay work by them".

' I.it. 'his' (i.e. Isaac's bed).

 -VM) The Testament of Isaac
".> tlu- d o o r oi'tlu- room. T h e angel had east a sleep over him so that he
should n o t hear them; and he got up and ran t o where his father
slept nnd said t o him, .My father, whom have you been talking to?
() O u r father Isaac said to him, ^'ou have heard, m\ son: your aged
7 father has been sent l()r to be taken from you. . \ n d . J a c o b put his
a r m s round his father's neck and wcpl. saying, . \ h me! .My strength
H has left me: to-day you have m a d e mc an o r p h a n , my father. O u r
father Isaac embraced his son J a c o b and wept; and both wept
together imtil they could weep no m o r e ' .And Jacob said. T a k e me
ID with you, father Isaac. But Isaac replied, I would not have it so, my
11 s o n : ' wait until you arc sent for, my loved one. I remember'* on the
d a y w h e n the whole earth was shaken from end to e n d ' talking to
m> l o r d and father .Abraham, and I had n o s t r e i i K t h t o d o anything.
\2 W h a t god has ordained, he has ordained for each one by sure
l:i a u t h o r i t \ : his ordinances are immutable. But I know, and I am
glad that I a m to go to CJod, and I am strengthened by a guiding"
II s p i r i t ; ' for this is a way that no one can escape. Listen, my son,
\S'hcrc is the hrst creation o f t h e h a n d s of God - our father .Adam
I.i a n d o u r m o t h e r L\'c? W h e r e is .Abel,' and after him .Mahalalel, and
J a r e d , a n d our father Enoch, and .Methuselah,' and our father
Hi .Noah, a n d his sons Shem, H a m , and J a p h e t h ? .After these
.Arpachshad, and Gainan, and Shelah, and Eber, and Reu, and
S c r u g , a n d Nahor, and Lerah, and my blessed father .Abraham,
17 a n d Lot his brother? .All these experienced death except the perfect
IK o n e , o u r father E n o c h . ' " .After these, forty-two generations m o r e "
- I.il. 'uiiiil ihcy ceased'.
' Boh. adds bul thanks be lo (Jod that you t<x) are a lather, my loved one'.
'• I.it. 'I know myself.
' I.it. when the extremity and the edge ofthe world was moved': alternatively
when the capital and the pillar oflhe world was moved'. In Boh. the whole sentence
runs ' 1 also remember a day when the high and flourishing cypress was moved . . . '
(cp. f. .\br. iii. 1-2). In either version the argument seems to be that though
creation and created matter may be shaken, yet GtxI's ordinances arc unshakeable.
' O r 'princely'.
and I am strengthened . . . spirit: in Boh. Jacob is exhorted to be strong and to
Slop weeping.
" Boh. adds a reference lo Seth and Enosh.
" Boh. adds a reference to Lamech.
Boh. adds an explicit reference to Enoch's translation.
" C p . Matt. i. 17. .According to Boh., iwelve generations.
 Tlte Testament of Isaac 431
shall pass iiiuil Christ lotiics. horti ol'a ptiri- \ irgiti callccl M a r y . "
20 H e will s[)eiicl thirty years preaehiiig in the world. .\t the etid ol'all
this, he will choose twcKe iiieii and re\'eal to them his nnstcries
a n d teach them about the archetype ol'his body and his true blood
by m e a n s ot'bread and wine: and the bread will becotne the bod\ of
21 God and the wine will become the blood ol'Ciod. .And theti he will
ascend the tree ofthe cross and die liir the w hole creation, and rise on
the'-' third day and despoil hell, and deliver all matikitid from the
22 e n c m \ . I h c generations to come will be sa\ ed by his bod\ atid by
2:i his blood until the end of time. The sacrifices of Clhristians will not
cease until the end of time, whether offered secretly or openly: and
the .Antichrist will not a p p e a r so long as they olfcr up //(c/r sacrilice.
24 Blessed is every man who performs that service and believes in it.
because the archetypal service''' is in the heavens; and they shall
celebrate with the .Son of (iod in his kingdom.

V. While the (iod-loviiig old man. our father Isaac, was saying
2 this, all his household gathered round him and wept. His .son told
.3 all his relations, and they came to him in tears. Now our father
Isaac had m a d e for himself a bedroom in his house; and when his
sight began to fail he withdrew into it and remained there ftir a
h u n d r e d years, fasting daily' until evening, and olfering Ibr himself
4 a n d his household a young animal for their soul. .And he spent half
5 the night in prayer and praise tt) (iod. Thus he lived an ascetic life
6 for a h u n d r e d years. .And he kept three periods of forty days as fasts
each year, neither drinking wine nor eating fruit nor sleeping on his
7 bed. .And he prayed and gave thanks to God continually.

VI. Now when it became generally known that the man of (iod

'- I'llc rest ol'this t haptor (on Cihrist's work and the Kucharist). together with v.
l - : i a , is lacking in Boh.
" I.il. 'his'.
I.it. 'the archetype, which is done'.

' Lit. '. . . in his house; when the light ol'his eyes was dim, he withdrew into it
until the end ofa hundred years, fasting daily'. It is here that Boh. rejoins our text,
beginning '.\nd (iod was with him until he had completed a hundred years, and he
fasted dailv'.
 y.V2 The Teslamenl of Isaac
h a d n-gairu'd his siglu.' people gathered to him liom everywhere,
listening to his w o r d s ' oriil'e: for they realized that a holy spirit of
J CJod was s[)eaking in him. f h e great oties who eame said to him.
You can now sec d e a r l y enough: how comes it that after your sight
;t had failed you h a \ e now regained it? l h e CJod-Ioving old man
smiled a n d said to them. .My sons and brothers, the CJod o f m y
father . \ h r a h a m has brought this about to comfort me in my old
1 a g e . Hul the priest of CJod said to him. Tell me what I ought to d o , '
i my father Isaac. O u r father Isaac said to him. Keep your body
I) holy, for the temple of CJod is set in it." Do not engage in contro-
7 \ t r s y w ith olher men in case an angry word escapes yi)ur mouth. Be
on y o u r g u a r d against evil-speaking, against vainglory,' and
against uttering any thoughtless w o r d ; ' a n d sec that your hands do
(1 not reach out alter w hat is not yours. D o not oiler a sacrifice with a
blemish in it;' and wash yourself with water when you approach the
!) a l t a r . Do not mix the thoughts o f t h e world with the thoughts of
HI CJod when you stand before him. Do your utmost to be at peace
II with everyone. W h e n >ou stand before CJCKI" and oiler your
sacrifice." w hen you come to offer it on the altar, you should recite
p r i v a t e l y " ' a h u n d r e d prayers to CJod and make this confession to
CJod saying,
\2 O CJod, the incomprehensible, the unfathomable, the unattain­
able, the pure treasure, purify me in love; for I am flesh and blood.
l:i a n d I run dchled to thee, that thou maycst purify me. I come
b u r d e n e d , and I ask that thou maycst lighten my burden: a hre will
It b u r n w o o d , ' ' and thy mercy will take away mine iniquities. Forgive
m e , me that a m a sinner: I forgive" the whole creation that thou

' I.il. 'llu- man ofCJcxi saw ck-arly'.

-' I.il.'u-achings'. ' I.il. ' Ti-ll nu-a word'.
'' In Boh. lhe allusion lo 1 t:or. iii. Iti is clearer and an exhortation to keep ihe
llcsh pure and holy is added.
' Boh. adds the w-arning not to speak alone with a woman.
" Boh 'idle word'.
' B o h . ' w h e n there is a hiemish in you'. " I.it.'him'.
" Boh. takes the ecjuivaleni ofthis clause with the preceding \-erse, which seems
prelerahle. '° I.it. 'hy yourself.
" O r 'matter'. In Boh., which elalxjrates this passage, the reference is un-
(pu-stionably lo created mailer.
Boh. 'do thou forgive' (im|K-raiive).
 Tlu Tfslamenl of Isaac 433
Ij hast m a d e , 1 have no comphiint against anvont-: I am at pcatc uitli
ail that is made in thine image: I am tnimoved by all the evil
K) reasonings that ha\ e been brought before me. I am thy servant and
the son of thy maidservant: 1 a m the one who sins, thou art the one
w h o forgives: liirgive me and enable me to stand in thy holy plaee.
17 Let my sacrilice be acceptable beliire thee: do not reject tne
because of mv sins; but receive me luuo thee, in spile o P ' my many
18 sins, like a sheep that has gone astray. {) (iod. who hast been with
o u r father .Adam, and .\bel. and Noah, and our father . \ b r a h a m ,
a n d his son Isaac, who hast been with J a c o b , be thou with me al.so,
a n d receive my sacrilice from my hand.
l!i .\s vou recite all this, take your sacrilice and offer it; and strive
h e a v e n w a r d s because of the sacrilice of (iod, so that you do not
:.'() displease him. For the work ofthe priest is no small thing.

VII. Kvery priest to-day (and till the end of time) must be
t e m p e r a t e as regards his tiiod and drink and sleep:' neither should
he talk about events connected with this world, nor listen to
•2 a n y o n e w h o is talking about them. Rather should he spend his whole
life occupied with prayer and vigils and recitation uinil our (iod
:J sends for him in peace. Kvery man on earth, be he priest or monk
(for after a long time they will love the life of holy retreat), must
renoimce the world and all its e\ il cares and join in the holy service
4 the angels render in purity to (iod.- .And they will be honoured
before (iod and his angels because of their holy sacrifices and their
angelic service, which is like the archetype that is rendered in the
.1 h e a v e n s . .And the angels will be their friends, because of their
perfect faith a n d their purity; and .great is their honour before (iod.
ti. 7 I n a word, whether great or small, sinlessness is required of us. The
chief sins worthy of repentance are these: You shall not kill with the
8 sword; You shall not kill with the tongue either: ^'ou shall not
c o m m i t fornication with your body; \"ou shall not commit fornica­
tion with your thoughts; You shall not go in to the young to defile

" I.il. bccau.se ol".

' In Boh. the list of prohibitit)ns starts with wine and the referenee to sleep is
omitted.
'* I.it. "and be in the holy service ofthe angels ofthe pure CitHj".
 431 The Testament qf Isaac
9 t h e m : \ou shall not hc envious; Vou shall not be angry until the
s u n has set; \ O u shall not be proud in dispositon; X'ou shall not
II) rejoice o \ c r your neighbour's fall: Vou shall not slander; Vou shall
not look at a w o m a n with a lustful eye; a n d . Do not readily listen to
II slander." W e need to beware of these things, and of others like
t h e m , till each one of us is secure from the wrath that shall be
r c \ c a l c d from heaven.

VIII. Now when the people gathered about him heard hini, they
1 cried out aloud saying. This is meet and right: .Amen. But the
( i o d - l o v i n g old m a n was silent: he drew up his blanket: he covered
:i his face. . \ n d the people and the priest were silent, so that he could
t rest himself a little. But the angel ofhis father .Abraham came to
j him ami took him u p into the heavens. He saw terrors and tumults
S()rcad a b r o a d on this side and on that; and it was a terror and a
i> t u m u l t fearful to behold. Some had the face ofa camel, others had
the face o f a lion: some had the face ofa dog, others had but one eye
7 a n d h a d tongs in their h a n d s , three ells long, all of iron.' I looked,
a n d behold, a m a n was brought, and those who brought him went
K with h i m . ' W h e n they reached the beasts, those who went with him
w i t h d r e w to one side: the lion advanced towards him, tore him
a p a r t into little pieces, and swallowed him: it then vomited him up,
a n d he b e c a m e like himself again; and the next beast treated him in
9 j u s t the s a m e way. In short, they passed him on from one to the
other:" each one would tear him into pieces, swallow him, and then
10 \ t i m i t him up; and he would become like himself again. I said to
the a n g e l . W h a t sin has this m a n committed, my lord, that all this
11 is d o n e to him? T h e angel said to me, T h i s man you are looking at
now h a d a cjuarrel with his neighbour,'' and he died without their
12 being reconciled. Sec, he has been h a n d e d over to hve chieP
' 111 llifs calaloguc Boh. adds a reference to blasphemy and omits the last clause:
there are also other minor dilfcrences.

' In the list of animals Boh. adds hyenas and leopards and omits the reference to
longs.
- I.it. 'and behold, one they brought him, they going with him'.
' I.it. 'they gave him into one another's hand'.
'* .According to Boh. the quarrel had lasted for fi\'e hours.
' Boh. has no equivalent for this word.
 The TestamenI oj Isaac 43")
t o r n i c i u o r s : they spend a year lormeiitiim liim for every lioiir'' lie
Ki spent Cjtiarrelinguith his neighbom'. The angel also said to inc. My
b e l o \ e d Isaae. do you think these are the only ones? Believe me.
Isaae. belo\ ed olCjod. there are si.\ hundred thousand'' tormentors.
14 They spend a year tormenting a man lor e\ ery hour that he spends
s i n n i n g - il'he did not repent, that is. betide he went liirth I'rom the
body.

IX. H e led me on and brought me to a liery ri\er. the u a \ e s of

u h i e h weie an ell' high, and its noise like the noise ot heaven's
2 t h u n d e r . And 1 saw a host ot'souls submerged in it;' and those who
were in that r i \ e r cried otu and wept aloud, and there was ki great
:i c o m m o t i o n and much groaning. But it is a discerning lire that docs
not totich the righteous, yet bintis up sinners and boils them in the
4 stench that surrotinds them. I saw also the ])it of the abyss, the
s m o k e of which went up in clouds:' I saw men stuik in it grinding
their teeth, crying out and wailing, and each one was groaning.
5.6 T h e angel said to me. Look and see these others too. .\nd when I
h a d looked at thein. the angel said to me,'' T h e s e ' are those who
have committed the sin of .Sodom: these are indeed in great distress.
7 I saw also pits full of worms that do not sleep: 1 saw .\bdemer-
ouchos.'' who is in charge of the punishmeius, made all ot lire.
t h r e a t e n i n g the tormentors in hell and saying. Beat them initil they
H know that God is. I saw a house huill of liery stone,' and there were
y g r o w n men u n d e r n e a t h it, crying out and wailing. The angel said
10 to m e . Look with your eyes and contemplate the |)unishmems. I
said to the angel, .My eyes could not enduie it:" for how long must

* Boh. *sc\cnt\ ihousaiul'.

' Boh.'ihirty ells'. • Boh. a d d s ' n i n e ells (/(•<•//.

' I.il. 'the smoke ol which was very high'.
' So Boh.; Sah. 'him'.
' .Vccording to Boh. they were submerged iti the cold.
*• Boh. '.•\btelniolouchos'. Probably a corruption of the adjective u^nckofixoq
('care-taking'), applied to a 'tutelary' or 'guardian' angel, and then taken as an
individual angel's name. -See .\I. R. J a m e s . The .Ipocnphat .\'ru- TestamenI (Oxford.
I9'24), p. .507.'
' Boh. 'I saw another abyss that was all fire'.
" Lit. 'behold them'.
 •I'M) The Teslamenl of Isaac
II ihesi- punishmenls go on? He said to me. Until the merciful (iod has
pity.

X. .Mter this the angel took me up into the heavens: I saw iny
2 father .Abraham a n d 1 m a d e obeisance to him. H e saluted me, with
all the saints, and the saints honoured me because of my father:
:l they walked with me and took me to my Father. I worshipped him
t with all the saints. Songs of praise rang out, Thou art holy, thou art
holy, thou art holy. King, Lord Sabaoth: the heavens and the earth
') a r e full of thy holy glory. T h e Lord said to my father from the holy
p l a c e , ' 11 is good that you have come, .Abraham, \ ou righteous root
and faithful saint: it is good that you have come to our city.
I) \ \ ' h a t c \ c r you may want to ask now, make your rcciuests in the
n a m e o f y o u r beloved son Isaac, and they shall be yours indeed.'
7 .My father .Abraham said. T h i n e is the power, ( ) Lord .Almighty.
H I'hc Lord said to .Abraham, .As for all those who arc given the n a m e
o f m y beloved Isaac, let Mf/i ow o/them copy out his t e s t a m e n t ' a n d
h o n o u r it, a n d feed a poor man with bread in the n a m e o f m y
b e l o \ e d Isaac on the day ofhis holy commemoration: to you will I
9 g r a n t t h e m as sons in my kingdom. .Abraham said. My Lord
.Almighty, if a man cannot copy out his testament,' can'st thou not
in thy mercy accept him, for thou art merciful and compassionate?
III 'Lhe Lord said to .Abraham, Let him feed a poor man with bread,
a n d I will give him to you as a gift and as a son in my kingdom, and
hc shall come with you to the first hour of the thousand years.
11 .Abraham said, Suppiose he is poor and has no means of getting''
12 b r e a d ? The Lord said, Let him spend the night of my beloved
I s a a c ' i commemoralion without sleep, and I will give him to you as a
13 gift a n d an inheritor in my kingdom. .My father .Abraham said,
S u p p o s e he is weak a n d has no strength, can'st thou not in thy
14 m e r c y accept him in love. T h e Lord said to him. Let him oiler up a
little incense in the n a m e ofyour beloved son Isaac, and 1 will give
15 h i m to you as a son in my kingdom. If he has no means of getting''
incense, let him seek out a copy of h'ls testament and read it on my
' Boh. adds 'Kvi-rs man who shall give lhe name ofmy beloved Isaac lo his son,
my blessing shall be on his house for ever'.
' Lit. yours for a eovenam'. C:p. xii. 111.
' L i l . ' w r i t e his Icslamcnf. '' L i t . ' h a s not found'.
 The TestamenI of Isaac V.Vi
Ki bcltncci Isaac's clay. II'he camiol read il, lei him go and listen lo
17 otlicis who can. H'he is tmable to do any ol'thesc things, let him go
into his house and say a hundred ])rayers. and I will give him to
18 you as a son in my kingdom. Hut the most essential thing ol'all is
that he should oll'er a sacrilice in my beloved Isaac's name, liir his
K) body was oU'ered as a sacrilice.' \'el not onK will I gi\c vou
everyone called by my beloved Isaac's name as a son in my
k i n g d o m : / uill give you also evervdiie who does one ol'the things I
•-'II have mentioned. .\IK1 /willgiveyou evcrvone who concerns liimseH'
a b o u t Isaac's" life and his testament, or does any compassionate
ai't. such as giving someone a cup of water to drink, or who copies
out his testament'' with his own hand. fl«^/ those who read it with all
•-'1 their heart in faith, believing everything that I have said. .My
p o w e r and the power of my beloved Son and" the Holy Spirit shall
be with them, and I will give them lo you as sons in my kingdom.
'12 Peace to all of you. all my saints.

XI. .Now when he had said this, songs of praise rang out. Thou art
holy, thou art holy, thou art holv. King. I.ord .Sabaoth: the heavens
2 a n d the earth are full ol'thy holy glory. The Father said lo .Michael
from the holy place, .Michael, my steward, go quickly and gather
together the angels and all the saints, so that they may come and
'i meet my beloved Isaac. . \ n d .Michael sounded the trumpet at
4 once. .Ml the saints gathered with the angels and came lo the couch
of o u r father Isaac:' the Lord mounted his chariot.' and the
f> s e r a p h i m wcnl in front of him with the angels." .And when they
c a m e to o u r father Isaac's couch, our father Isaac beheld our
(i Lord'.s face inunedialely. turned towards him full of joy. He cried
o u t . it is good that thou hast ctjme, my Lord, and thy great
a r c h a n g e l .Michael: it is good that you have come, tny father
Abraham, and all the saints.
' Holt, oillit.s the rcrcrcitci- to the sarrifitr oCLsaae.
" I.it. 'his'. ' I.it. 'writes his testament'.
" Boh. omits 'my helovetl .Son and'.

' Boh. omits the rel'erenees to .\Iiehael sounding the trumj>et and to the
a.ssembling ol'the saints and angels.
- Boh. 'the chariot ofthe cherubim' (cp. Kcclus. xiix. H-also T. .\br. ix. 1.') and
X. i). ' Boh. omits from here to the end ofthe chapter.
 438 The Testament of Isaac
XII. Now when he had said this, J a c o b embraced his I'atiier: he
1 Icisscd his m o u t h and wept. O u r father Isaac hxed his eyes on him'
:i a n d motioned to him to be silent.' O u r father Isaac said to the
4 L o r d . R e m e m b e r my beloved J a c o b . T h e Lord said to him, .\Iy
p o w e r shall be with him; a n d when the time comes and I become
m a n a n d die and rise from the dead on the third day, I will put your
n a m e in everyone's mind, and they will invoke you as their lather.'
.T I s a a c said t o j a c o b . My beloved son, this is the last c o m m a n d m e n t
ti I give you to-day: keep a s h a r p eye on yourself Do not dishonour''
the image of God; Ibr what you d o to the image of man, you do to
the image of God, and God will d o it to you too in the place where
',8 you will meet him. This is the beginning and the end. Now when he
had said this, o u r Lord brought his soul otit ofhis body, and it was
9 white as snow. H c greeted it: he set it on the chariot with him: he
took it up into the heavens, with the seraphim making music before
10 h i m , a n d all the angels and the saints. H e freely granted him the
good things ofhis kingdom for ever, and all the requests our father
. \ b r a h a m had asked of the Lord he freely granted him as a
c o v e n a n t lor ever.

XIII. T h i s is the going forth from the body of our father Isaac, the
'1 p a t r i a r c h , on the twenty-fourth ofthe month Mesore.' .'\nd the day
on which his father . \ b r a h a m olfered him as a saerihce is the
3 e i g h t e e n t h of M e c h i r . ' T h e heavens and the earth were full ofthe
s o o t h i n g o d o u r of our father Isaac, like choice silver: this is the
4 sacrifice of o u r father Isaac the patriarch. W h e n .Abraham offered
h i m as a sacrifice to God, the soothing odour of Isaac's sacrifice
h went u p into the heavens. Blessed is every man who performs an
act of mercy in the n a m e of these patriarchs, for they will be their
(i sons in the kingdom o f t h e heavens. Vox our Lord has made with

' Lit. 'gave liim a sign by winking with his eyes'.

• Boh. adds a request from Abraham asking the Ixird to remember his son.
' Boh. omits the Christologieal reference and has a more detailed promise for
J a c o b only. * Lil.'afflict'.

' See p. 427. n. 1. Boh. adds a reference to .Abraham's death on the same day and
gives Isaac's age as a hundred and eighty years.
' i.e. 12 February.
 The Testament of Isaac 439
t h e m a covenant Ibr ever, that e\eryone who performs an act of
tnercy on the day of their commemoration shall be given to them as
a son in the kingdom ofthe heavens forever. .\nd they shall come
to the first hour of the thousand years, in accordance with the
proinisc of o u r Lord, even our God and our .Saviour Jesus Ghrist,
t h r o u g h w h o m every glory is due to him and his good Father and
the Holy Spirit, the giver of life to all creation and one in being with
the Father and the Son, now and alwavs, for ever and ever.' .\nien.''

' Boh. has a less cialxiralc form ofdoxology- with no rrtVrcnct* to the Holy Spirit.
•* In Boh. there follows a colophon asking prayer for the scribe, Macarius.
 THE T E S T A M E N T OF jAClOB

'I'lu- text of tlu- Ti-staiiu-iit of Jacob here translated is the Cioptic

(Bohairic) text contained in Clod. \ ' a t . C:o|)t. (il. There are also
\ ersions extant in .Arabic and Kthiopic. Kor partii ulars about these,
versions, their interrelationship, and Ibr some views oti the
relationship ol' tlu- Testanu-nt ol J a c o b to the Testaments of
.Abraham and Isaac, rerercnce should be made to the prefatory
r e m a r k s on the 'Testament of Isaat- (above, pp. T23-4'2.'i).
To what is said there only one further observation need be
a d d e d . The distinguishing marks ol'thc Testament ofjacob. i.e. its
essentiallv derivative character (especially its dependence on the
book ol'CJenesis) and the impression that the Clhristian elements in
it a r e less easily detachable than in the Testauient of Isaac,
coupled with the fait that no Sahidic text ofit has been preserved
(as is the case with the Testainent of Isaac), might suggest an
origin independent of both the Testaments of .Abraham and of
Isaac. It might be argued, for example, that the Testament of
.Abraham was written lirst, in CJreek: that the Testament of Isaac
c a m e later as an independent work (though whether written in
CJreek, or Sahidic, or aiivthiug else, it is impossibh- to say); and
that later still the Bohairic translator of these two 'Testaments put
t h e m together and himself composed (in Bohairic) a Testament of
J a c o b to make a trilogy.
.At the other extreme, though perhaps with less cogency, it might
be a r g u e d that the three Testaments were designed as a trilogy
from the start, and that all three, therefore, were originally written
in Circck. In this case, it will be pure accident that only the
Testament of .-\braham has survived in Cireek, that there are no
surviving Sahidic texts of either it or the Testament ofjacob, and
that the Bohairic is the hrst extant text to group all three together.
442 The TestamenI nj Jacob
A n d i h r i f arc. ol course, several inlcrtncdialc possibilities, such
as the \ ieu olCJuidi alreadv leferreti to.'

BIHI.KKJR.M'HV

HONS

Coptic (liohairu)
I. ( ; I T 1) I. / / Testamento di Isacco e il Tf stamen to di Giacobbe ( = Rendi­
conti della Reale Accademia dei Lincei: Classe di science morali. storiclie e
Jilologiche. .Ser. \ ' . i.\ (Rome, MHK)), pp. 24.')-2Gl).

1 R.\.NSI..\HONS

linillish
S. ( ; . \ S l . l . t : i ; . - r h e l e s t a m e n t of Jacob" in C;. H. H ( ) \ . The
TestamenI «/ Abraham . . . with an .Appendix containing a 'Translation
from the Coptic I ersion oj the Testaments oj Isaac and Jacob (=
.S.P.O.K.. Translations oj Early Documents: London. 1927),
p p . 7()-!i9.
W . v.. B.\R.\i;.s. •Testament o l j a c o b (.Abstract)" in .\L R.j.X.MKS,
The Testament of .Abraham . . . ( = '/IV II. ii (Cambridge, 1892), pp.
1 ,')2- IJ4) - from the .Arabic.

Erench
.\I. C l I . x i M . in .\I. D l l I . C O R . Le TestamenI d'Abraham . . . (Leiden.
1973) - from the Btihairic (pp. 2();)-2l3). .Arabic (pp. •2t)l-2t57),
a n d Kthiopic (pp. 2 3 3 - 2 4 1 ) . The translations ofthe .Arabic and
Kthiopic. left only in draft by C:haine, were revised and prepared
Ibr publicatioti by P. . \ I . \ R ( , : . \ ! S a n d .A. C . x y i ' o I respectively.

German
K. . X N D F . R . S . S O N , .S>/»nv. vii ( L p p s a l a . 1903), pp. 1 2 9 - 1 4 2 - f r o m
the C o p t i c .

' Set* alxivo p. t'i'.J.

 testament of jacob
The Testament ofJacob 443

S . G . \ s r . l , i ; r . [as a b o v e ] , p p . .').•)-.•)().
I, G i l l ) I [as above], p . 223.
M . R. j . \ . \ n : . S . The Testament of Abraham . . . [as a b o \ c ] .
p p . 1;").')-161.

I'his again is ihc going liirth frotn (he body ol'our fatherjacob the
p a t r i a r c h , who is called Israel, on the twenty-eighth ofthe month
. M c s o r c ' in the peace of (iod. . \ m e n .

I. Now it came to pass when the time had come lijr our beloved
f a t h e r j a c o b the patriarch, the son of Isaac, the .soti ol'.\braham, lo
go forth from the body (and the (iod-loviiig J a c o b was well on in
2 y e a r s ) , the Lord sent .Michael the archangel to him. .And hc said to
h i m , Israel, my beloved, you righteous root, write your words of
instruction for your sons, and d r a w up your testament for them,'
a n d concern yourself about those o f y o u r household, for the time
has c o m e / o r vow to go to your fathers and rejoice with them for ever.
3 .And when the (iod-loving J a c o b heard this from the angel, he
a n s w e r e d and said to him. .My lord - Ibr it was his daily custom to
4 talk to angels. Hc said to him. .May the will ofthe Lord be done.

1,2 II. .And (iod blessed our f a t h e r j a c o b . Hc made for himsell a place
a p a r t , lo which hc withdrew and olfered his prayers to God day
a n d night, while the angels visited him and guarded him and kept
3 h i m safe a n d gave him strength in everything. God blessed him;
a n d his people increased greatly in numbers in the land of Egypt.
4 F o r at the time he went down to Egypt lo his son Joseph, his sight
w a s failing as a result of continual weeping and worrying over his
son J o s e p h ; but after hc arrived in E,gypt and had seen his son
5 J o s e p h ' s face, he saw everything clearly again. .And J a c o b Israel flung

' i.e. 21 .\ugu.st.

' Sec note on f. Isaac ii. 11 (p. 428 aliove).

 444 The TestamenI ofJacob
h i n i s e l l O n ' his son J o s e p h ' s neel:: he greeted him witli tears and
said, Now let me die, for I have seen your face once more while you
() a r c still alive, my beloved. Xnd J o s e p h ruled over the whole of
7.H Kgypt. J a c o b lived in the land of Gashen for seventeen years. He
becattie \ e r y t)ld a n d attained a great age: he kept all the
c o m m a n d m e n t s and Iked always in the fear of the Lord: and his
sight failed so that he could see no one because of extreme old age.

III. H e lifted his eyes towards the radiance o f t h e angel who was
s p e a k i n g to him, who was in a p p e a r a n c e and in face like his father
2 I s a a c : he was afraid a n d troubled. T h e angel said to him. Do not be
afraid, J a c o b : I a m the angel who has been' with you from your
3 y o u t h . I chose you to receixe your father Isaac's blessing, and your
4 m o t h e r Rebecca's. I a m with you, Israel, in everything you d o and
.i e v e r y t h i n g you have seen. It was I who delivered you from Laban
w h e n he pursued you: I blessed you, and all your wives, and your
6.7 sons, a n d all your cattle. It was I too who rescued you from Ksau. It
w a s I too w h o brought you down into the land of Kgypt, Israel; and
8 I h a v e spread you out far and wide. Blessed is your father
A b r a h a i n , for he became a friend ofthe .Most High God because of
9 his hospitality. Blessed is your lather Isaac who gave you life, for
10 his sacrifice was perfect and pleasing to God. Blessed are you too,
J a c o b , for you saw God face to face and beheld the host of the
11 angels o f t h e .Most High God. Vou saw the ladder set up on the
12 e a r t h with its top reaching to heaven. Vou also saw the Lord sel on
13 t h e top of it in power too great lor words. Vou cried out saying,
14 T h i s is the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. Blessed are
you, for you have found strength in God and Armstrong a m o n g men,
15,16 N o w , therefore, d o not be troubled, beloved of God. Blessed are
you, Israel, a n d blessed are all your descendants, for you shall be
called p a t r i a r c h s until the end ofthis age; for you are my people,
17 a n d you are the root ofthe servants of God. Blessed is every nation
w h i c h e m u l a t e s your purity, and your virtues, and your righteous-
18 ness, a n d your good works. Blessed is the man who commemorates
19 you on your honoured festival. Blessed is he who does a charitable
' I.it. 'cast liimsclt'upon his lace on'.

' I.it.'walked'.
 The Teslamenl oJ Jacob 445
deed in your n a m e , or gives a man a cup of cold water, or brings a
perfect olfcring to your place,' or to any place, in your name, or
receives a stranger, or \isits the sick, or comforts an orphan, or
20 clothes someone who is naked, in your name. Hc shall lack no good
t h i n g in this world; and in the world to come < he shall have)*
•21 eternal life. . \ n d hirther. whoever writes an accoum o f y o u r life
with its^* labours, or whoever makes a copy o f i t ' with his hands, or
w h o e v e r reads it attentively, and whoever listens to it with faith
a n d a resolute heart, and whoever enudates your manner of life -
they shall be forgiven all their sins, and they shall be freely granted
22 you in the kingdom o f t h e heavens. So get up now, for you are to
e x c h a n g e trouble and sorrow for eternal rest, and you arc to be
b o r n e a w a y to a repose that never ceases, to a rest that never ends,
a n d to a light that never sets, and to pleasure and gladness and
23 spiritual joy. So now, give your connnands to your sons, and peace
be with you; for I am about to go to him who sent me.

IV. . \ n d when he had said this to him, the angel leh him in peace
2 a n d returned to the heavens, while J a c o b ' ga-zed a h e r him. .Xnd
those w h o were in the house heard him giving thanks to the Lord
3 and glorifying him with praises. . \ n d all his sons gathered round
h i m , from the youngest to the eldest o f t h e m , all in tears and in
4 great distress, saying. H e is about to go away and leave us. .And
they said to him. W h a t shall w c d o , beloved father, Ibr we are aliens
b in a foreign land? .And J a c o b said to them. Do not be afraid, for
G o d a p p e a r e d to me in Mesopotamia saying, I am the God ofyour
fathers: d o not be afraid: I am with you for ever, and with your
d e s c e n d a n t s that shall come after you for ever: tlic land on wfiich
you a r e s t a n d i n g I will give to you and your descendants Ibr ever.
6 .And again he said to me, Do not be afraid to go down into Egypt: 1
will go with you down to Egypt; and 1 will increase your numbers,
a n d your descendants shall flourish for ever, and J o s e p h shall lay

^ Killlcr j a i o l i ' s burial place, or (more probablv ) a shrine dediealeii to him.

' fhese words were [lerhaps omitted under the influenee of .Mark x. 30 || I.uke
xviii. 30. ' Or'his'.
' Lit. 'whoever writes it'.

' Lit.'he'.
 44ft The TestamenI of Jacob
7 his h a n d s upon your eyes. And your people sliali increase greatly in
I'.gypt: a n d then they shall return to i n e here, and I will do thern
good hecatise o l y o u . But now you must lea\e this place.

V . .And after this the time drew near for Jacob Israel to go forth
•-' from the body. He called Joseph and spoke to him a s liillows. If I
h a \ c Ibund favour with you, then put vour blessed hand upon my
thigh a n d swear to me on oath beliire the I.ord to lay my body in
:i my fathers" grav c. .And Joseph said to him, I will do as you ask, my
4 (Jod-loving father. His father said to him. I would have you swear;
a n d Joseph swore the oath to Jacob his father that he would take'
.T his bodv to his fathers" grave. . \ n d J a c o b bowed himself upon his
son"s neck.

VT. Xow after this it was reported to Joseph. Behold, your father is
2 in a sorry state. He took his two sons, I'.phraim and .\lanasseh. and
;i c a m e to his father Israel. When Israel saw them, he said tojoseph,
4 W h o are these,' my son? Joseph said to his father J a c o b Israel,
I hese are my sons that Ciod has given me in the land of my
.i,6 h u m i l i a t i o n . Israel said. Bring them near to me. Now Israel's sight
7 h a d failed because of his great age, and he could hardly see. .And
8 J o s e p h ' brought them close to him; and he kissed them. When
Israel had e m b r a c e d them, he said, Ciod will add to your descend-
9 a n t s . ' .And Joseph m a d e his two sons, Kphraim and .Manasseh, do
o b e i s a n c e to him on the ground: J o s e p h put .Manasseh under his
10 right h a n d a n d Kphraim under his left hand. But Israel changed
his h a n d s : he laid his right hand on Kphraim"s head and his left
' I.it. '.\lld Joseph swore to J a c o b his father aeiording to these words to take'.

' I.it. 'these of vours'.

- I.it. 'he'.
* .-\ rather abrupt and truncated echo of Jacob's words at CJen. xl\-iii. 11 in the
.Septuagint ('Behold, was I not JOT a time deprived of your person? .And behold, now
(jod has let me see your children tcxi' - lit. "(Jcxl has shown me your seed also'). It is
tempting to suppose there has been at .some stage in the tradition some textual
corruption, either through omission or misunderstanding - perhaps both. Ifwe are
to think in terms of misunderstanding, it may be that Sahidic/ouo {'show') has been
confused with Bohairic toulio ('add'), and that the sense originally intended was the
s a m e as that of the final clause in the .Septuagint (i.e. 'Ciod has let me see vour
children').
 The Testament of Jacob 447
11 liand on M a n a s s t 4 r s head. .\nd lie bles.sed them: he g a \ c them
their p a t r i m o n y , sa\ ing,
12 The ( i o d who approved my lathers .Miraham and Isaac.
The ( i o d who has looked alter me Irom my eliildliood till
to-day.
T h e angel who rescues mc Irom all my tribulations.
Bless these lads who are m\ sons.
W i t h w h o m is left n u n a m e .
.•\iid the n a m e ofmy holy ratlicrs .\braliam aiul Isaac.
They shall multiply: they shall increase:
T h e y shall become a great people on the earth.
13 .Mterwards Israel said to Joseph. I am dying: but you" will return
14 to the land ofyour" fathers, and (iod will be with you." Behold, you
h a \ e been more favoured than your brothers, lor I have taken the
. \ m o r i l e s with n n bow and my sword.

VII. J a c o b called all his sons and said to them, d o m e to me. all of
you, so that I can tell you what will happen to you. and also what
2 will h a p p e n to each one of you at the end of time. .Ml Israel's sons
3 g a t h e r e d round him, from the youngest to the eldest of them. Jacob
Israel answered and said to his sons. Listen, sons ofjacob, listen to
4 Israel your father, from Reuben my hrst-born unto Benjamin. He
told his sons what would happen to all tweKe of them, name by
.T n a m e a n d tribe by tribe, with heaven's blessing. I h e n all' kept
silence so that hc might rest a little.

VIII. H e was taken up into the heavens to visit the restiiig-[)laees.

!.3 . \ n d behold, a host of tormentors came out. flic appearance of
each one was dilfcrent; and they were ready to torment the sinners
- that is the fornicators, and the harlots, and the catamites, and the
sodomites, and the adulterers, and those who have corrupted
G o d ' s creation, and the magicians, and the sorcerers, and the
u n r i g h t e o u s , a n d the idol-worshippers, and the astrologers, and
4 t h e slanderers and the double-tongued. In short, many are the
"* I.it. 'you . . . your . . . you' (plural).

' I.it. 'tlic multitude of men'.

 •M8 The Testament q/ Jacob

p u i i i s h n u ' i u s Ibr all the s i n s wc lia\ c m e n t i o n e d : the i n K | i i e n c h a b l e

fire, t h e o u t e r d a r k n e s s , the p l a c e w h e r e t h e r e s h a l l be w e e p i n g and
.") g r i n d i n g ol teeth, a n d the w o r m that d o e s not s l e e p . . \ n d it is a
t e r r i b l e t h i n g l()r you to be b r o u g h t beliire the j u d g e , a n d it is a
I) t e r r i b l e t h i n g to c o m e i n t o the h a n d s o f t h e l i v i n g ( J o d . Woe lo all
s i n f u l men for w h o m t h e s e t o r t u r e s and t h e s e t o r m c i U o r s are
7 p r e p a r e d . .And a g a i n a f t e r w a r d s he took me and s h o w e d me the
p l a c e w h e r e my f a t h e r s .Abraham and Isaac were.' a place that was
all l i g h t ; a t i d t h e y were g l a d and r e j o i c e d in the k i n s d o m o f t h e
H h e a v e n s , in the c i t y of the b e l o v e d . . \ n d he s h o w e d me all the
r e s t i n g - p l a c e s a n d all the good t h i n g s p r e p a r e d lor the r i g h t e o u s ,
a n d the t h i n g s that eye has not seen nor ear h e a r d , and have not
c o m e i n t o the h e a r t of m e n . that ( J o d has p r e p a r e d for t h o s e who
l o v e him a n d do his will on e a r t h (liir. if t h e v end well, t h e v do his
will).

IX. .After t h i s , Jacob s a i d to his .sons. Behold 1 am a b o u t to be

t a k e n a w a y a n d l a i d to rest w i t h my p e o p l e : lay my b o d y w i t h my
p e o p l e in the d o u b l e g r a v e in the lield of IJphroii the Hittite, w h e r e
. A b r a h a m a n d his w i f e .Sarah were b u r i e d , w h e r e Isaac was b u r i e d ,
in the p a t h o f t h e field a n d the g r a v e that is in it, w h i c h was b o u g h t
2 f r o m t h e sons of H e t h . .And w h e n J a c o b had finished s a y i n g t h i s , he
d r e w his feet up on to his bed: he w e n t forth from the b o d y like
;i e v e r y m a n . .And the Lord c a m e from h e a v e n w i t h .Michael and
( J a b r i e l a c c o m p a n y i n g him, and m a n y l e g i o n s of a n g e l s s i n g i n g
1 b e f o r e h i m . T h e y took the s o u l o f j a c o b Israel to a b o d e s of light
5 w i t h his h o l y f a t h e r s .Abraham and Isaac. Such w a s ' the lilt- of
6 J a c o b Israel the p a t r i a r c h . J o s e p h p r e s e n t e d him to Pharaoh w h e n
he w a s a h u n d r e d and t h i r t y y e a r s old. and he s p e n t a n o t h e r
s e v e n t e e n y e a r s in Kgypt: t o g e t h e r t h i s m a k e s a h u n d r e d and
7 I b r t y - s e v c n y e a r s . H e w e n t to his rest in a r i p e old age. perfect in
e v e r y v i r t u e a n d s p i r i t u a l g r a c e ; and he g l o r i f i e d ( J o d in all his
w a y s , in the p e a c e of G o d . .Amen.

' Lit. 'the place where niy lathers were, .\hrahani aiitl my father lsaa<'.

' Lit. *.\()w these are the \ears of.

 The Testament of Jacob 449
X. J o s e p h (iireu himseHupon liis lather, kissing him and weeping
•i lor hini. . \ n d Joseph instriuted his servants, the embalmers. say­
ing. Knihalm m\ lather in aeeordaiiee with the best Egyptian
;i p r a e t i e e . The) spent forty days embalming Israel; and when the
forts d a y s of Israel's e m b a l m i n g svere oser, they sjieiit another
t eights days m o u r n i n g liir him. .And when the days of Pharaoh's
m o u r n i n g \\ ere os er (for he had been sveepiiig liir J a c o b because of
his lose liir Joseph). Joseph sjjoke with Pharaoh's great ones and
•) said to t h e m . If I may claim this favour I'roni you. speak on my
b e h a l f to P h a r a o h the king saying. .\Iy liithcr made me take an oath
svlicii hc was about to go fortli from the body, saying. Bury my
(i body in my fathers" grave in the land ofCaiiaan. .So now I ask to be
allowed to go a n d ' bury my liitlier there and come back again.
7 P h a r a o h the king said to Joseph the wise. ( J o in peace and bury
y o u r lather as he m a d e you swear to do: take svith you chariots and
svagoiis. a n d all the great ones ofmy kingdom, and as many ofmy
K s e r s a n t s as you need. Joseph worshipped (iod in Pharaoh's
9 p r e s e n c e a n d went out from him. .4H(/Joscph set out to bury his
10 father. .Many o f P h a r a o h ' s servants went with him. and the elders
of E g s p t . as well as all Joseph's household, and his b'rothcrs, and
11 the svholc of Israel's household. . \ n d there went up with him
\i c h a r i o t s a n d horsemen: they svere a very great company. .Vnd they
st(i()ped at the threshing lloor of ( i a d a d . svliicli is on the bank on
i:i the o t h e r side of Jordan. They mourned for him there with a great
a n d bitter m o u r n i n g ; and they mourned for him for scscn days.
II I h o s e in the losvland heard the mourning at the thrcshing-lloor of
( i a d a d . and they said. This great mourning is a mourning of the
E g y p t i a n s , so that that place is called ' l h e .Mourning of Kgypt' to
15 this d a y . They took Israel a n d buried him in the land o f C a n a a n in
the d o u b l e grave that .Abraham had bought as a burial-place' for
Ki silver from Kphron the Hittitc, opposite .Mamre. .And Joseph
r e t u r n e d to Kgypt together svith his brothers and the party from
17 P h a r a o h ' s household. .After his father's death J o s e p h lived Ibr
IH m a n y more years and svas king over Kgspt. But J a c o b Israel died
a n d svas laid svith his people.

' I.il. '.Now. i h t T f l i i r e . lei h i m hid me lhat I'.

• Lit. '.Ml'. ' Lil. 'property, p o s s e s s i o n ' .

 450 The TestamenI of Jacob
XJ. Behold now, we have (old VOH these things as best we eoiild' in
o r d e r to instruet you about the going forth from the body of oiu'
1 father the patriarch J a c o b Israel. -'It is written in the divinely
inspired scriptures and the ancient books of our fathers the apostles,
3 e \ e n I. .Athanasius your father. If you want conlirmation ol'this
t e s t a m e n t ol' the patriarch J a c o b , take the book (n-nesis o f the
p r o p h e t .\Ioscs. the lawgiver, and read what is in it: your mind will
4 be enlightened: you will find this, and more, written aboiu it. .And
a g a i n , vou will find mention of (jod and his angels. Itjr ( j o d ' was a
friend to the patriari h s ' while they were yet in the body and spoke
5 with t h e m m a n y times in many passages of scriptine. .And you will
find that he spoke too in many passages in scripture with the
p a t r i a r c h J a c o b , saying. I will bless your descendants and make them
6 as many as the stars of heaven. .And again, J a c o b spoke with his son
J o s e p h saying, .\Iy (iod appeared to me in the land of C a n a a n at
Luz: he blessed me saying, I will bless you and make you too many
to be coimted, and peoples and nations shall spring from you: I will
give this land to your descendants after you as a possession for all
time.

XII. See. then, my beloved, we have heard these things about our
2 fathers the patriarchs. Let us therefore emulate their deeds and
their virtues, a n d their love of (iod and their love of men, and their
hospitality, that we may be worthy to become their sons in the
k i n g d o m o f t h e heavens, arid that they may pray for us to (iod that
he m a y save us from punishments in hell which the holy patriarch
J a c o b spoke about in his words full ol'all sweetness, when he taught
his sons about the punishments and called them the sword ofthe
3 Lord ( i o d . T h e s e are the river of fire that is prepared, and which
engulfs sinners in its waves and those that have defiled themselves.
4 These a r e the things the patriarch J a c o b revealed when he taught
t h e rest of his sons, that those that love instruction should listen lo
him a n d d o what is good at all times, and love one another, and

' Lil. 'aiTorcling lo the measure to whieh we have attained' (or 'we could
attain').
' T h e sequence would be clearer if. with .Andcrsson (n. 32), we were lo supply
some such verb as *l h a \ e found' and continue 'it written . . ., even I, .Athana
your father'. ' Lit. 'he . . thi
 The Testament of Jacob 451
5 strive alter lo\e and pity. Vor pity triumphs oxer judgement and
l(j\e rovers a multitude o l s i n s ; ' and again. He who has pity on a
poor m a n lends on usury lo (Jod.'

XIII. So now. my sons, let neither prayer nor fasting { be laeking).

a n d persist in them continually; for they drive away the demons.
2 .My sons, keep yourselves from fornication, and anger, and
a d u l t e r y , a n d cxery e\il thing, and especially /row \iolence, and
3 blasphemv', and theft. For no man oJ violence will inheril the
k i n g d o m o f t h e h e a \ c n s , neither will any fornicator, nor catamite,
n o r sodomite, nor blasphemer, nor ctnetous man. nor curscr, nor
4 a n y o n e who is dchled. In short, these and the others wc have
.•) m e n t i o n e d will not inherit the kingdom of (Jod. .My sons, honour
the saints, for it is they who pray li)r you, that your descendants
m a y p r o s p e r ' and that the land may be yours as an inheritance for
I) e \ e r . .My sons, be hospitable, that you may share the lot ol'our
7 father .Abraham, the great patriarch. .My .sons, love the poor. that.
as you d o to the poor man here, so (Jod inay give you the bread of
H eternal life in the heavens unto the end. He who feeds a poor man
9 with b r e a d here, CJod will feed him from the tree of life. Clothe the
p o o r m a n w h o is naked here on earth, that CJod' may put on you a
robe of glory in the heavens, and so you may become a Ime son of
o u r holy fathers the patriarchs. .Abraham and Isaae and J a c o b , in
10 the heavens Ibr ever. Call to mind the word of Clod here and
r e m e m b e r the saints, and lake care that copies o/ their memoirs and
their h y m n s are m a d e ' for the encouragement ol'those who hear
t h e m , so that your n a m e also may be written in the book of life in
the heavens, and you too may be numbered with the number of
G o d ' s " saints who have pleased him in their generation, and take
11 p a r t in the chorus with the angels in the land o f t h e living. W'e
c o m m e m o r a t e the saints, our fathers the patriarchs, at this very

' Lit. 'covers tlieir many sins'. Cp. I'rov. .\. 12;.James v. 20; 1 I'd. iv. ii.

- Prov. xix. 1 7.
' I.il. 'mav increase in numbers'.
- I.it.'he'.
* Lit. '. . . saints, that they may write their memoirs and their hynuis'.
Lit. 'his'.
 4'>2 The Testament ofjacob
t i m e every year: our fatlier Al)raham the patriarcli on the twenty-
eighth o l M e s o r e , also our lather Isaac the patriarch on the twenty-
eighth o f M c s o r e , and again our lather J a c o b on the twenty-eighth
of this s a m e m o n t h Mesore, as we lia\e Itiund it written in the
a n c i e n t books ol' our holy lathers who were pleasing unto God.
12 T h r o u g h their supplication and their prayers may all ol'us together
be g r a n t e d to share their lot in the kingdom ol'our I.ord and our
G o d a n d o u r .Saviour J e s u s Ghrist. through whom is the glory of
the F a t h e r with him and the Holy lil'e-gix ing Spirit now and always
a n d Ibr ever. . \ m e n .
R e m e m b e r me, that God may forgive me all my sins and gi\ e me
u n d e r s t a n d i n g and give me stability without sin. . \ n i e n . '

' This last sentcnrc is the scribe's colophon.

 1 HE L A D D E R OE J A C O B

T h e L a d d e r o i ' J a c o b is cxiant only in Slavonic, in two distinct

recensions, preserved in several .\ISS ol'thc Falaea inlerprelala.'
. \ b o u t its origin nothing whatever is known, .\ccording to
K p i p h a n i u s ' the Kbionitcs possessed an apocryphal work called
'AvafiaOfiol 'laxwfiov {'Jacob's/James's Steps'); but the contents
ol the work as described by Kpiphanius in no way correspond with
the contents ol'thc Ladder. Moreover, both the literary context in
which Kpiphanius places it {'. . . other .Acts ofapostlcs'). and the
fact that he uses the declinable Ibrm ol'thc proper n a m e ('IdKcu^og)
strongly suggest that it was a .New Testament apoeryphon to
which hc was referring and that it was concerned with J a m e s , the
L o r d ' s brother."
'The central feature oi'the Ladder is J a c o b ' s dream at Bethel. It
begins as an a m p l i h c a t i o n o f G c n . xxviii. 10-12 after the manner of
J e w i s h haggada. Then an angel a p p e a r s , in typical apocalyptic
style, to interpret J a c o b ' s d r e a m and goes on to prophesy his
d e s c e n d a n t s ' future sulfering and their ultimate vindication.
T h a t a Greek text lies behind the Slavonic is not only probable in
itself, but it is also rendered more probable by certain pxiints of
c o n t a c t between c h a p , vii in the 'longer' recension and one ofthe
sources o f t h e Sanative concerning things done in Persia, a 5th (?) cent.
G r e e k work, hrst published in full in a critical edition by Bratke in
1899. If there was a Greek text ofthe Ladder, it will doubtless have
formed part of the Greek Palaea; and since the Greek Palaea is
usually dated in the 8th or 9th cents., a Greek Ladder must be
p u s h e d back into the 7th or 8th cents, at the latest, and it may well
be very m u c h earlier. 'There are no sound arguments for suggesting
a Semitic original, though obviously such a possibility cannot be
a l t o g e t h e r excluded.
Since the L a d d e r is relatively brief it has been thought worth­
while to print translations of both the available Slavonic recen-
' Oil the Palaea see alxive. p. litit, ii. .i.
' Kpiph. Haer. X X X . xvi. 7.
' f h e normal Clhristian Cireek I'or the patriarch Jacoh is the indeclinable form,
'laxiit^. following the Septiagiiii (e.g. J o h n iv. 5; Ep. Bam. viii. 4).
4,')4 The Ijidder ofJacob
sioiis one after the other. First is printed the "shorter" recension
frotn the Palaea in the Rumyantsev collection ( = Rum. 453; A D
1494). published by \ . N. Pypin in 1862, and designated by the
s y m b o l "R". T h e n follows a translation of the 'longer' recension
from the Palaea ofthe Solos etski Library ( = .Sol. 431) published by
1. ^'a. Porfir'ex" in 1877: this last .\IS is designated by the symbol
S"; a n d in the a p p a r a t u s arc added certain readings from the
Palaea of the Troitse-Sergicva monastery (no. 38), written in
K o l o i n n a in SY) 1406. published by . \ . S. 'Fikhonravov in 1863,
a n d designated 'K". The chapter and verse numerations arc so far
as possible the same in both recensions.
The r e a d e r can thus study the differences between the recen­
sions for himself and appreciate the problems that their existence
raises. I h e "longer" recension not only offers a more satisfactory
o p e n i n g , but also in chaps, v-vii goes into far greater detail about
I s r a e f s vindication (in particular there is a lull description o f t h e
a c c o t i i p a n i m e n t s o f t h e coming o f t h e ' m a n from the Most High',
m u c h of it, if not all, manifestly Christian). O n the other hand, the
' s h o r t e r ' recension offers in chap, ii a longer version of J a c o b ' s
p r a y e r . . \ n d both recensions have sufTcred from having interpreta­
tions of the Palaea incorporated into the text (see especially the
a d d i t i o n in c h a p . i). In these circumstances it would be hazardous
to alFirm simply that one recension is to be preferred and that the
o t h e r is either an 'expansion' or an 'abbreviation'. And it would be
e q u a l l y h a z a r d o u s to pick out passages here and there and
s t i g m a t i z e t h e m as 'later additions' or 'interpolations' - unless, o f
c o u r s e , they are very evidently pieces of Palaea interpretation. In a
situation like this such terms as 'original' and 'interpolation' tend
to lose their m e a n i n g . In both recensions, it seems, we are dealing
with a d o c u m e n t in an almost p e r m a n e n t state of literary flux.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
EDITIONS

.A. . \ . P \ ' I ' I N , Lozhnye i olrechennye knigi russkoi slariny ( = ed. G. A.

KLSHELEV-BEZBORODKO, Pamyatniki starinnoi russkoi
literatury, iii (St. Petersburg, 1862), p p . 2 7 - 3 2 ) . [ = R)
 Tlie Ladder of Jacob 433
N . S. ' r i K H O N R . W X l N ' . Pumratiiiki utrecliemioi russkoi lileralury. i (St.
P e t e r s b u r g . I8G3). pp. 9 1 - 9 3 . [ = K.]
I. \d. P c ) R F I R ' K \ ' . Apokrificheskieskazaiiija o letklwzavetnykli lilsakb i
sohxtirakhpo nikopisyaniSolovelskoi bihiioteki (= SORYaSx\ii. 1 (St.
Pe'tcrsburg, 1877)! pp. 138-1 19). [= S]

rR.\N.SI..\llO.N.S

English
M . R. J.V.MK.S, LAOT, pp. 9()- 103. [.\ conflation ol'thc two recen­
sions based on Botiwctsch's CJcrinan rendering.]

German
G . . \ . B O N U K r.SC:H, Die apokryphe "Leiter Jakobs" (= Sachrichten
von der Konigl. Gesellscliaft der U'issenscliaflen c« Giiltmgen. Philolog.-
hisl. KL. 1900: H e h i; Gottingcn. 1900. pp. 7()-87.). [.\ transla-
tioti of both recensions with a briclTiitroduction.]

C;I:.\T;R.\I.
A. \ ' . \ . S S I l . n : \ ' , .\necdota Graeco-Byzantina. i (.Moscow, 1893),
p p . xx.x-xxxii.
E . B R.XFK K, Das sogenannle Religionsgesprdch am Ho/ der Sasaniden (=
TL N.F. iv. 3; Eeipzig. 1899), pp. 101-6.
H . U ' F I N l - I . i n A ' f . V , pp. 1 7 2 - 3 .

I. . \ n d behold, a ladder was set u p on the earth, whose top

r e a c h e d to heaven; a n d the top ofthe ladder was in Ibrm like a m a n ,
h e w n out offire. It h a d twelve steps to the top ofthe ladder, and on
e a c h step, u p to the top, were two h u m a n forms, on? on the right and
one on the leh: there were twenty-four' forms on the ladder, visible as
far as their breasts. But the central form, which I saw, was of hre as
far as the shoulders a n d a r m s and m u c h more terrifying than those
twenty-four forms. .And while I was looking, behold, the angels of

' Emended in tlie light ofvcrse 3 below: the .MS re.ids 'Ibor'. C:p. al.so the reading
of K at i. 2 in the 'long recension' (p. KiO below).
 ladder of jacob
4.')fi The [jidder ofJacob
( i o d were ascciidiiig and descending on il; and the Lord liad tai<en
his s t a n d upon it.
.•) ' F o r so it is lo he understood, as wlien a man leans on his stall'. Ol
6 the angels we u n d e r s t a n d : those who were ascending are a figure ol
this - when the tree ol'the (TOSS was hxed in the earth at the Lord's
passion, as the ladder was fixed in Jacob's sight, and the Lore
received the heathen who were baptized, and they ascended intc
h e a \ en; but those who were descending - Ihey are the di.sobedient
7 pcrvCISC ones. For .Moses prefigured Ihis. and said to them. Deceit­
ful a n d perverse generation! Is this your thanksgiving to the Lord':
H 111 this, then, we see the heathen ascending, but the Jews descend­
ing . . . '
'I . . . ' on the highest Ibrm. . \ n d from there he called to me, saying
ID.l I J a c o b , J a c o b . .-\nd I said. Here am I, Lord! .And he said to me, 'I'ht
land on which you are sleeping, to you will I give it, and to youi
d e s c e n d a n t s after you; and I will multiply your race as the stars o
IL' h e a v e n a n d as the sand o f t h e sea. T h r o u g h your descendants wil
t h e w h o l e land be blessed, and those who live in it, until the lasi
t i m e s , even the years of the end: my blessing, with which I havi
i:i blessed you, shall go forth from you to the last generation. .And thi
Last a n d West shall all be hlled with your race.

IL .And as I heard his voice from the height, fear and trembling fel
2 on m e . .And I got u p from my sleep; and while the voice was stil
speaking, a n d the word of Ciod was in my ears, I said. How awcsomi
is this place! this is none other but the house of Ciod, and this is th<
3 g a t e of heaven. .-\nd the stone, which had been my pillow, I set up
as a pillar, a n d I poured oil' on the top of it; and I called the name o
4 t h a t place the house of Ciod . . . ' C) Lord God of .Adam, thy ...,' am
L o r d Ciod of .Abraham and Isaac my fathers, who were righteous ir
b all their ways before thee, who sittest in might upon the cherubirr

()l)\ioiisly an inicrprctativcClhrisiian gloss.

' Lacuna in the MS.

' Oil from trees (not animal oil).

' Lacuna in the MS. We must supply at least '.•\n(l I prayed to (Jtxl and spoke a
follows' (or something similar) as in SK: cp p. tliO IM-IOW-.
' Lacuna in the MS: Pypin suggests 'creature'.
 The Ladder offacob 4")7
a n d on tlic liciy throne ot'glory and the many-cycd ones (as I saw
in niy d r e a m ) . Ihou who sustaincst the Icnir-I'accd cherubim,
w h o bcarcst also the many-eyed seraphim, who bcarcst the age of
all b e n e a t h thine a r m and art supported by nothing; thou hast
established the heavens to the glory ol'thy name and stretched out
on the clouds ol'heaven the shining hca\ en beneath thee, that thou
niightcst m o \ e the sun below it. and hide it in the night, that it
s h o u l d not be taken for God. Thou hast set on them a course Ibr the
m o o n a n d the stars: the former thou makcst to wane and to wax;
a n d the stars thou commaiidcst to pass by. that they too should not
be taken Ibr gods. O i ' t h e face of thy glory the six-winged seraphim
a r c afraid; and they hide their feet and their faces with their wings.
.\iid. as they lly with the others, they sing . . .* High One, with
t w e U e faces, m a n y - n a m e d . Fiery O n e , in Ibrm like lightening.
Holy O n e , holy, holy, h o l y , J a o . J a o v a , Jaoil, .Sabakdos, Clhabod,
S a b a o t h . Omielech, Ilabir, '.Xmis'mi. Barcch,' Kternal King.
S t r o n g O n e , .Mighty O n e , .Most Great, longsulferiiig, blessed, who
hllcst the heavens and the earth and the sea and the abyss and all
the ages with thy glory. H e a r my song which I have sung to thee,
a n d g r a n t me my recjuest which 1 shall ask of thee; and tell me the
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f m y d r e a m , as thou art God. mighty, powerful,
a n d glorious. lioK G o d , Kord ofmy fathers and my God.

III. .\iid w bile 1 was still making my prayer, a \ oice spoke' betore
my face, saying, Sarekl, elder of the joyful ones, vou who are o\cr
d r e a m s , go a n d explain t o j a c o b the d r e a m that hc has seen, and
tell hint everything that he has seen; but hrst give him a blessing.
.And the archangel Sarekl eame to me, and I looked upon him: there
w a s a face. . . .' But 1 was not afraid ofhis glance, for the face 1 had
seen in my d r e a m ' was more terrifying than this; and 1 was not
afraid o f t h e angel's face. .And the angel said to me. What is your
n a m e ? .And 1 said, J a c o b . And he said. Your n a m e shall be called

' Lacuna in the .\1S.

Bonwetsch '.\nie ['). .S'nic Barech'.

' Lit. 'saw': Bonwetsch translates 'appeared'.

• Lacuna in the MS.
' l h e NLS adds pritvame which appears to be Ixith superfluous and corrupt.
 4.")8 The Ladder ofJacob
7 JiU'ol) no longer, but your n a m e sliall be like my n a m e - Israel. And
w h e n I was coming from Kandana" in .Syria to meet Esau my
b r o t h e r , h e ' c a m e to mc and blessed me and called my name Israel.
K .And hc did not tell me his n a m e until I adjured him; and then he
told m c . .As you h a \ e prexailed.'

IV. Then hc said to mc. The ladder which you have seen, having
twelve steps, and each step having two h u m a n forms on il, changing
•-' their s h a p e - the ladder is this age. and the twelve steps are the
:t times of this age; but the twenty-four forms are the kings o f t h e
1 h e a t h e n tribes ofthis age. U n d e r those kings . . . ' ofyouriows. 'I'hey
will rise against the hcathenncss ofyour children's children; and he
will lay waste this place through four generations' o f t h e sins of
,') \ ( n i r c h i l d r e n ' s children. .And from the wealth ol' their forefathers
will be built a sacristy in the temple to the n a m e ofyour Gixl and the
I) (iod of your fathers. .And because of the provocation of your
c h i l d r e n it will lie waste until the fourth generation' ofthis age, for
7 vou h a v e seen lour forms. The hrst — him whom you saw stumbling
u p o n the step (the angels ascending and descending, and the forms
H in the midst oi'the steps) - that is, the .Most High will raise up a king
from the descendants'' o f y o u r brother Esau, and they will receive
all the rulers o f t h e races o f t h e earth, who have done evil to your
9 d e s c e n d a n t s ' . .And they will be given into his hand; and they will
II) sulfcr him unwillingly. H e will hold them by force and rule them;
a n d they will not be able to resist him until the day he decides* lhat
11 'Ihey should serve idols . . P and sacrifice to dead things. And he will command
1 •> thai all the people in his kingdom be forced lo do this. And of those who will

' i.e. I'addaii-arani (Cu'ii. xxxv. 9).

' i.e. the aiii;el.
' fhe .M.S reads kop-iut, whieh is unclear: the translation 'pre\ailed' is derived
from G e n . xxxii. 28. 'file remainder ofthe sentence has presumably been lost.

' I.acuna in the M.S: cp. the text of K in the long recension' at iv. 3.
' I.it. 'ends', 'descents'.
' Lit. end', 'descent'.
' Lit.'children's children'. ' Lil.'seed'.
' I.it. until the day when his intention goes out over them'.
' Lacuna in the .MS. T h e words in italics arc taken from the Palaea interpreta­
tion, where they are quoted as coming frtmi the text.
 The Ladder ofJacob 4')9
hc giiihy ofsucli an oH'ciicc, sonic uill sene the greatest" ot'\()ur race,
a n d sonic Falkonagargail."

V. . \ n d your descendants, Jacob, will be like strangers in a liireign

land; a n d they will be ill-treated, and m a d e sla\es of. and Hogged
2 daily. But the heathen, to whom they will be subjeit, (iod will
j u d g e . W h e n a king shall rise up and execute judgement, then will
there be a place for him: then will your descendants. Israel, be
d e l i \ e r e d from the oppression of the heathen, who have held them
by lorcc. a n d they will be free rrom every reproach oftheir' enemies;
lor the king will be source'ofall vengeance'and retribution upon
those who have alliicted \()u. ( ) Israel. .And at the end ol'thc age.
those w h o have sulfered bitterly'' will rise up and ci'\ out. and the
Lord will hear them, and be m o v e d . ' and the .Mighty O n e will led
;i c o m p a s s i o n for their sulfering. Lor the angels and archangels pour
•1 t)ut their prayers" belorc him Jor Ihe sparing '0/ your Irihe.^ I h e n w ill
their w o m e n be fruitful; and then will the Lord protect your race."

j . A C O B . S X'ISIO.N O L .A L.ADDLR

I. .Now J a c o b was going to Laban his uncle; and he found a place

a n d fell asleep there. ha\ ing laid his head on a stone. Now the sun
h a d gone d o w n , and he saw there a dream; and behold, a ladder
w a s hxed on t h e e a r t h , and it r e a d i e d to the heavens. .And at its top
t h e r e was a form, like a man, hewn out of hre. Now it had twelve
steps; a n d on c\'cry step there were two h u m a n forms, one on the
" R is herr corrupt: the restoration is Irom .S ami K.
** Porlir'e\' suggests this is a corruption ol"Cireek xoi^Kdg (a bronze statue) and
Hebrew Sergal (the .Mesopotaniian idol mentioned at 2 Kings \ \ ii. lit)).

' .So S and K in vi. 1 o l t h e 'long recension' (below), where much olthe material
in this chapter is found in a dilfcrent order: R reads 'your".
• Lit. "head".
' Reading m'Uenie for the kreltenie ('baptism') ofthe text as in S and K.
'' Lit. '. . . the age, the bitter ones".
' Lit. 'be entreated".
" ,So S and K: R'lightnings'.
Lacuna in the MS: the words in italics are from the Palaea interpretation.
* Here follows the Palaea interpretation.
 4()() The ladder nf Jacob
riglit atui one on the left: Ihere were twciity-foui' Ibrms on the ladder.
:i . \ n d the central Ibrm. which 1 saw, icfli ol'hre as far as the shoulders
a n d the a r m s , and much taller than all lhe nihers: he was very
terrifying, m u c h more lerrijying than the other twenty-lour forms.
1-7 .And while I was looking, behold, the angels of (iod were ascending
a n d descending on it; and the I.ord had taken his stand upon it.'
H.<) ( i o d stood, as it were, above the highest tijrin. .And from there he
10.11 called to me. saying, J a c o b , Jacob. .Atitl I said, Here am I. .And hc
said to m e . The land on which yoti are sleeping, to you w ill I give it.
IL' that it may be lilled with your dcscctidants. .My blessing, with
which I l i a \ e blessed you. shall go fnjni vtiu to the last generation.
i:i .And the Kast and the West shall all be hlled with \(nir race.

II. .And as I heard his voice from the height, trembling and terror
•> fell on me. '.M'tcr getting up. / . J a c o b , I'roni my sleep, / said (the
;i voice was still in my cars) - after getting up. / said, to my feet, I
p r a y e d to G o d ' and spoke thus. Lord, the Creator, Lord tif all
1 C r e a t i o n . .And again I said, (iod of .Abraham and of Isaac my
father, a n d (iod ofall who h a \ c walked before thee in righteous­
ness: behold. I saw a terrifying vision, and trembling lell on me.
.i But r e m e m b e r , ( ) Lord, .Abraham my forefather, how hc walked
before thee in innocence and was perfect in all the ways of thy
() c o m m a n d m e n t s . So also my father, thy servant Isaac, did not
7 disobey thy c o m m a n d m e n t s . Therefore. O I.ord. look mercifully
u p o n me also, on thy servant, and tell me iihal is Ihe inlerfnelalion of
this terrifying vision I ha\ c seen.

III. .And while the voice and prayer were still on Jacob's lips,
behold, an angel of (iod stood before him, saying, Jacob, I am sent
2 by the Clreator ofall to you to explain your d r e a m to you. .Sti pay
a t t e n t i o n to the explanation ofyour dream.

' So K: S 'two anrf lour'.

• Here follows an itm-rprctativf gloss similar to that in R: .set- alxne (p. t.'lti).

' - ' 'fhfrc is obviously some confusion here alxiut whether the narrative should
be in the first person or the third, and presumably also some dittography or
dislocation ofthe text.
 The Ladder oj Jacob K) 1
IV. 1 h e lacidci' w l i i i h y o u liavc s e e n . Iiaxing i w c K c s t e p s , a n d
1.' e a c l i s t e p h a \ i n g t w o I m r i i a n I b r m s oii II. e h a n g i n i ; t h e i r s h a p e - tlie
l a d d e r is t h i s a g e , a n d t h e t w e k e s t e p s a r e t h e t i m e s o l ' t h i s a g e . a n d
t h e t w e n t \ - l i n n ' r o r m s a r e t h e r u l e r s o f t h e t r i b e s ol t h e h e a t h e n
i,l a g e . H y t h o s e t r i b e s will v o u r e h i l d r e i r s e h i l d r e i r ' b e t r i e d . . \ i i d
t h e v will rise a g a i n s t t h e h e a t h e n n e s s of y o u r e h i l d r e i r s c h i l d r e n .
a n d t h e y w i l l m a k e t h i s p l a c e d e s o l a t e for f o u r g e n e r a t i o n s ' o f y o u r
.') e h i l d r e i r s c h i l d r e n . . \ n d in t h e n a m e of Iheir l i i r e f a t l i e r s a t e m p l e
li will b e built in v o u r name and t h a t o l y o u r fathers. .\iid the
provocation of your children w i l l c a u s e (/ t o lie w a s t e for l i n n
7 g e n e r a t i o n s ' ' o f t h i s a g e . for y o u h a \ ' e s e e n f o u r f o r m s . T h e first,
li w h o s t u m b l e d o n t h e s t e p - llial is. t h e r e will b e a r u l e r f r o m y o u r
'.I k i n . a n d h e will d o evil t o y o u r d e s c e n d a n t s ; a n d h e will b e sulfered
111 u i i w i l l i i i g k b \ t h e m . . \ n d h e will h o l d t h e m b y liirce t o r u l e t h e m ;
a n d t h e \ will n o t b e a b l e t o resist'' h i m ; a n d h e will d e c i d e " t h a t
11 t h e y s h o u l d s e r v e i d o l s a n d s a c r i l i c e l o d e a d t h i n g s . . \ i i d h e will
c o m m a n d t h a t a l l t h e j j c o p l e i n h i s k i n g d o m b e l i i r c e d t o d o ihis.
11' And ql those w h o w ill b e g u i l t y o f s u c h a n o f f e n c e . siHiie w i l l s e r v e t h e
g r e a t e s t of y o u r race, a n d s o m e l'"alkoiiagargail.'

V. Know. J a c o b , t h a t y o u r d e s c e n d a n t s w i l l b e s t r a n g e r s in a
f o r e i g n l a n d ; a n d t h e y w i l l b e i l l - t r e a t e d , a n d m a d e s l a v e s of, a n d
'.' H o g g e d d a i l y . B u t t h a t p e o [ ) l e . w h o s e s l a v e s t h e y a r e , t h e I.ord will
j u d g e ; f()r t h e . M i g h t y O n e w i l l feel c o m p a s s i o n for t h e i r s u f f e r i n g .
;i T o r t h e a n g e l s a n d a r c h a n g e l s p o u r o u t t h e i r j i r a y e r s b e f o r e h i m fiir
t h e d e l i v e r a n c e o f y o u r r a c e , a n d t h a t t h e .Most H i g h s h o u l d h a v e
4 mercy. I h e n will t h e i r w o m e n b e fruitful; a n d a l t e r t h a t the I.ord
will d e f e n d y o u r race with terrilying a n d mighty signs against
.•) t h o s e w h o e n s l a v e d t h e m . T h e i r s t o r e h o u s e s , w h i c h w e r e full, w ill
b e f o u n d e m p t y o f w i n e a n d o f e v e r y k i n d of c o r n : t h e i r l a n d will
s e e t h e w i t h r e p t i l e s a n d all k i n d s o i ' d e a d l y t h i n g s ; a n d t h e r e will b e
m a n y earthquakes a n d catastrophes.
' So K: .S'iwt)rtw/t(>ur'.
' K a d d s 'and the faniih' olyour sons'.
' I.il. 't-nds'. 'drsrt-nls'.
•* I.il. 'ends', 'desienis'. Bonwelseh translales ihe whole phrase al ihe liinrlh end
ol'this a,ge'. ' .So K: S is eorrupt.
" I.it. 'and his intention will go out upon them'.
' K ' K a l k o n a g a r g a i r . .See note 9 to ehap. 'w on p. l.'j'J (abo\e).
 4()2 The Ladder qf Jacob
VI. Then will tlu- .Most High execute judgi'im-nt on that place and
d c l i \ c r your d e s c e n d a n t s liom iheir servitude to those peoples who
ride o \ cr thcni by force; and they will be saved from the reproach of
2 their enemies. For the king will be the source ofvengeance, and will
:i rise up in bitterness against them. .And they will cry out, and the
Lord will hear them; and he will pour out his anger on Leviathan
the s e a - m o n s t e r and kill the heathen Falkon' with the sword, for
1 against the ( J o d of gods hc will exalt his pride. Then, Jacob, will
c o m e your vindication,' and lhal o f y o u r forefathers; and others,
j too, will come alter you and share also in your prosperity.' .And
then will your descendants blow the trumpet, and the whole
k i n g d o m of L d o m will perish together with all the rulers and the
tribes o f t h e .Moabites.

VII. . \ i i d as you saw angels' ascending on the l a d d e r - lhal is in the

last years there shall be a man from the .Most High, and he will join
2 the higher things with the lower. O f him before' his coming shall
:i y o u r sons a n d d a u g h t e r s prophesy a n d ' sec visions about him. .And
there shall be these signs at the time ofhis coming - a tree felled
with the axe will drip blood; three-month old babies" will speak
rationally: a child in his mother's w o m b will proclaim his way; and
t a y o u n g m a n will be like an old m a n . .And then will come the
.1 .Awaiteci O n e , whose p a t h will be found by n o n e . ' T h e n will the
e a r t h rejoice, having received the glory ofhcaven; and what was
ti a b o v e will be below also. .And from your descendants will sprout a
kingly shoot;" and he will rise up and overthrow the power of evil.
7 H c will be the saviour ofall lands, peace to those who labour, and a
8 cloud protecting the whole world from the heat. Otherwise what
w a s in disorder could not be pal into order,'' if he did not come:
' O r 'idof. See iv. 12 and llie note in the 'short recension' (p. 4.i9 alxive).
' Lit. ' f h e n , J a c o b , will your righteousness appear'.
' Lit. 'and after you there will be those who will go out in your righteousness'.

' K a d d s ' d e s c e n d i n g and'. * So K: Som.

' K a d d s 'your young men'.
' So S: K 'a three-month old baby'.
' So S: K'whose precursor you are'.
' So S: K 'Otherwise the ordered will not
interpretation in R ('otherwise what was spoken
* Lit.'root'.
be put in order'. Cp. the Palata
would not be fulfilled').
 The Ladder ofJacob 463
9 o t h e r w i s e the lower things could not he joined to the higher. When
he conies the hulls o l h r a s s and stone and all the c a r \ c d images will
give tongue lor three days and they will tell the news to certain wise
m e n . that they may know what is to hc on earth, and they will lintl
their way to him by a star. O n earth will the\ see him whom the
10 angels d o not sec. Then will the .Mmighty be found with a body on
e a r t h , and be embraced by mortal arms; and he will renew
h u m a n k i n d and give life to . \ d a n i and K \ e - d c a d through the fruit
11 o f t h e tree. Then will the deceit ofthe impious be uncovered, and
all idols w ill fall down and be put to shame before his face, clothed,
as hc will be, in splendour; for they thought only how they might
dcccixc," but they will be able to rule no longer, nor will they be able
12 lo g i \ e prophecies. Their splendour will be taken from them, and
they will be left without /A«> glory; for hc who is to come will take
their power and their might from them, and he w ill give the truth to
13 .Abraham, which hc promised to him belorc. Then will he make all
s h a r p things blunt and the rough smooth, and he will cast all
u n r i g h t e o u s n e s s into the depths ofthe sea and perform miracles in
14 h e a v e n a n d on earth. .And hc will be wounded inside the house of
the Beloved;' and when he is wounded, then comes salvation and
15 the end ofall corruption. .And those who h a \ e wounded him will
receise a w o u n d themselves, from which they will never be healed.
16 .And all creation will bow down to the Wounded ( 3 n e . and many
will p u t their trust in him; and everywhere, and in all lands, he will
17 be k n o w n . T h o s e who have known his n a m e will not be ashamed;
a n d his power and years will never fail.

I.il. .S Tor ihey imagined in deceit*; K "for they are lying otiniaginatit
C p . Zech. xiii. 6.
 J O S E P H A N D ASENP:TH

IN T R O i n C T I O N

O n two occasions Origen quotes Irom a work entitled "The Prayer

of J o s e p h " . ' O n the former occasion he describes it as "one ol'thc
a p o c r y p h a current among the Hebrews"; and this would seem to
icientify it with "The Prayer of Joseph" mentioned in the lists of
apocry|)hal books.' \cl this work can hardly be identical with our
J o s e p h a n d .Aseneth inasmuch as: (I) neither of Origcn's quota­
tions (atid the first is of some length) occur in any known recension
of J o s e p h and .Aseneth. and (2) the long prayer in the middle of
J o s e p h a n d .Aseneth (chaps, xii-xiii) is a prayer of.Aseneth and not
ofjoseph.
The hrst certain notice ofjoseph and .Aseneth in the West is to
be found in the Speculum of X'incent of Beauvais (cl2.')()). .At the
a p p r o p r i a t e point in his n a r r a t i \ c in the Speculum Hiitoriale'
X'incent gives a Latin version o f t h e story, introducing it with the
w o r d s "Lx liistoria .Assenech". This Latin version was reprinted by
Fabricius in the lirst volume o f h i s Codex Pseudepigraphus I'eleris
Testamenti* and in his second volume' he added a fragmentary
Greek text (corresponding to something like the hrst third of
\'inccnt"s Latin version), which had been copied for him by J.-C:.
Wolif fiom the mutilated Bodleian God. (Jr. Barocc. 148.
Lo-day some twenty or more MSS containing the ( J r e e k text are
known: they d a t e from the 10th to the 19th cents; and in all ofthem
J o s e p h a n d .Aseneth appears as one o f a number of miscellaneous
items - mostly lives of saints and passions. Two quite distinct
Latin versions have come to light, and it seems that \'incent"s
extract represents an abridgement of one ofthem. .A Syriac version

' Orig. Comm. in loann. ii. 31 (on J o h n i. (i); PItitoc. xxiii. 1:') (I'roni the lost
lonimcntarv on (Jcnesis. quoted in Eus. Pratp. Eiang. xi. 64).
• For a lull discussion see Jonathan /.. Smith, 'fhe Prayer ol'Joseph' in Religions
in .Aniiquilr. Essays in .Memory ojEruin Ramsdell Coodenough (= Studies in the History of
Religions: Supplements to .N'umen. xiv; Leiden, 1968). pp. 2.51-294.
' ii (118-124). •• i. pp. 774-784.
' ii. pp. 8.5-102.
t()(i Joseph and Aseneth
is p i c s c r \ cd as tlic sixth chapter ofthe hrst book ofthe anonymous
Ecclesiastical History attributed to Zacharias Scholasticus: there are
A r m e n i a n , .Slavonic, and R u m a n i a n versions; and there was prob­
ably also at one time a version in fkhiopic, and perhaps versions in
C o p t i c a n d . \ r a b i c as well, although these are no longer extant.
i h e titles given to the work in the dilfcrent authorities vary a
good deal. Thus, one Greek M S gives ' T h e Confession and Prayer
of .Aseneth, the d a u g h t e r of Pentephres, the priest", another ' T h e
w h o l e s o m e Narrative concerning the corn-giving o f j o s e p h , the
all-fair, a n d concerning .Aseneth, and how God united them", while
the Syriac has more simply ' T h e History o f j o s e p h the just and
.Aseneth his wife". The popular modern title, 'Joseph and .Aseneth",
is found in none of the authorities.
Similarly, there is considerable variation between the authori­
ties in text. Throughout the work the Greek MSS dilfcr widely in
their wording (as in the choice of synonyms, or whether an idea is
expressed by a participle or by a main verb with ' a n d ' ) : phrases,
a n d sometimes whole clauses, a p p e a r in dilfcrent places; and there
a r c continual minor additions, or omissions, which sometimes
all'ect the sense, but more often do not. In some cases these dif­
ferences are confined to the Greek, in other cases they are reflected
in o n e or other o f t h e versions, or in one or more .MSS ofa version.
F r o m time to time the dilfcrences are more substantial: in chap,
xix, Ibr example, the dialogue between Joseph and .Aseneth is
m u c h longer in some authorities than in others: between chaps, xxi
a n d xxii some authorities have an additional prayer of Aseneth;
a n d there are several dilfcrent endings to the book, one of which
gives a brief s u m m a r y of the subsequent history o f j o s e p h and
.Aseneth, a n d records their deaths, mainly in the Ibrm of an extract
from G e n . 1. 2'2-26. From all this it is clear that the text was treated
with the greatest freedom, and it seems to have been so treated
from the very beginning.
T h e hrst critical edition was BatiflbTs, published in 1889-90.
Batilfol used four Greek . M S S - V a t . Gr. 803 (1 I t h - I 2 t h cent: A),
V a t . Palat. Gr. 17 ( l l t h - 1 2 t h cent.: B), Bodl. Gr. Barocc. 148
(15th cent.: C - the fragment published already by Fabricius), and
Bodl. G r . Barocc. 147 (15th cent.: D). BatilfoTs text is based on A
(with which C generally agrees where it is available) rather than
 Joseph and Asenelh Hi?
on B (with whicli Dgcncralls agrees). .\ lull eoiispeciiisdl\ariaiits
is given in the a p p a r a t u s , togetlier witli the evicieiue of the Syriae
( q u o t e d from ()ppenlieini's Latin rendering). There is a ;57-|)ai.;e
I n t r o d u e t i o n . .\iid at the end is printed, as an appendix, the text ot
one o l ' t h e Latin \ersions from two Cambridge .\IS.S whieh had
been collated for Batitliil by .\I. R. J a m e s .
Philonenko's edition of liKifi contains not onl\ a text with
a p p a r a t u s , but also a French translation, notes, and a very lull
I n t r o d u c t i o n . When one compares his edition with Balitlol's. one
becomes aware how much ot the material now available liir the
reconstruction ofthe text has only become a\ ailable since Balitlol's
d a y . But, in ordering and controlling it. Philonenko had the
a d v a n t a g e of being able to prolit from several critical studies which
h a d a p p e a r e d in the interval - noiabK Burcliard's inasterK
i'niersuchungen zt'Joseph and Asenelh. published in 191).').
Following Burcliard, Pliilonenko divided the (ireek .\IS.S into
four groups (designated abed). But whereas Burcliard had main­
tained that the most reliable text w as to be found in the witnesses lo
b, a n d had held that d was an abbreviated text, a and < being in
their different ways "improvecT texts, Pliilonenko preferred d ( t h e
short recension") and explained b c and a as expansions of it Ctlie
first long recension', "the second long recension", and "the third
long recension", respectivcK ). BatiHiiTs .\IS.S .\ and C belong to
the a g r o u p , his B and D to the group. .\iid among the versions,
the .Slavonic is allied with the group and all the rest with the b
group.
.Accordingly, in contrast with Batitfol, whose edition was (in
Philoneiiko"s terms) an edition of tlie third long reiensioti" (a).
Philonenko himself set oul to produce an edition of The short
recension" (</). His primary authorities were the .\ISS B and D and
the Slavonic version; and all the variants of B and D are recorded
in his a p p a r a t u s . In addition to these twti .\ISS he used also five
o t h e r .\ISS - \ (BatiffoTs primary authority), representing «; L
(.Athos \ ' a t o p e d i ()()(): L5thcetil.) F (Bucharest (ir. 9()(); 17th cent.)
a n d C (Chillicothe, Ohio: Kith cent.), representing h: and H
( J e r u s a l e m , St. Sepulchre 73: 17th cent.), representing c. How­
ever, readings from .AF,F(JH are only cited in the apparatus
spasmodically. T h e result is that, while the reader is left in no
4()8 Joseph and Aseneth
d o u b l about Philoticnkos views aljout wliat tlie true text ol the
short recension is, and the evidence on which those \iews arc
b a s e d , he gains little or no idea oi'the text olaiiy o l t h e three long
recensions. For the text ol' the a recension hc imist still go to
BatilFol: for the text of A he must rely on the \ ersions (other than the
.Slavonic);" whilc so far as the text off is concerned, he is left almost
completely in the dark.
In spite ofits limitations, however, it lias been thought best to
take Pliiloiicnko's text as the basis ofthe translation which follows.
K. \V. BrtKiks's translation, published in 1918 was, of course, based
on Batilfol's text. C'.onsetiuently. anyone who is so minded can. by
the simple expedient of comparing the twti translations, at least
i n t r o d u c e himself in a rudimentary way. in F.iiglish. to some ofthe
textual complexities with which the work abounds.

.As regards the origin o f j o s e p h and .Xsenetli. the earliest fixed

point is provided by the Syriac \ersion. The Syriac. as already
m e n t i o n e d , is preserved in Pseudo-Zacharias's Ecclesiastical
History, where wc are told, not only that it was made from the
Greek, but also that the (ireek text used by the translator was
found in 'a very ancient manuscript". I h c Ecclesiastical History
itself, on internal e\ idence. cannot have been put together later
t h a n .\1) .')7(). I'his would seem to carry back the date ofthe "very
ancient" Greek text to the m i d - h h h century at the latest. .And if
P h i l o n e n k o is right in thinking that the b recension (to wliith the
Syriac belongs) is secondary, then the d recension, of which it is an
e x p a n s i o n , must be still earlier.
But further back than this it is impossible to go with any degree
of certainty. The work is patently a romance based on the three
p a s s i n g references to .Aseneth at (ien. xii. 4.'), ')0-.')2, and xKi. 20.
The Rabbinical literature shows that there were legends about
.Aseneth circulating in Jewish circles in the hrst centuries of the
G h r i s t i a n era - in particular, a legend that she was only the
foster-child of Potipherah, being in fact the daughter of Dinah,
b o r n after the r a p e by Shechem and spirited away to Fgypt by an
angel, a n d therel'ore not an Egyptian at all. But these legends have
* 'I'his is parlitularly uiiliirtuiiatc inasmuch as Burcharti was ol'thc o[)iniou that
b olTercd the best text ofall.
 Joseph and Aseneth 469
no direct contact witli Jciscph and Ascncnh in the form in whieh we
know it.
traces of J e w i s h influence and Jewish interests are clear
e n o u g h - Icir example, the statement in chap, i that .\sencth 'was
q u i t e unlike the d a u g h t e r s o f t h e Kgyptians. but in c\ery respect
like the d a u g h t e r s of the Hebrews", and that her charms were
similar to those of Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel,' or, again, Joseph's
expostulation in c h a p , viii, when .\seneth advanced to kiss him.
that 'it is not right for a man who worships (Jod . . . to kiss a strange
w o m a n . . . . So too it is not right for a woman who worships God to
kiss a s t r a n g e m a n , because this is an abomination in God's eyes."
O n the o t h e r h a n d , the description o f t h e man who worships God"
in the passage in c h a p , viii just quoted as one who 'eats the blessed
b r e a d of life and drinks the blessed cup of immortality and is
a n o i n t e d with the blessed unction of incorruption"" seems just as
clearly to betray Clhristian interest and influence, and the same
m a y be said about the incident ofthe angel and the honeycomb in
c h a p . xvi.
.According to Batiflbl the work originated in .Asia .Minor in the
4th or 5th cent. .\n, and the a u t h o r was a Clhristian, though he was
depende'nt for m u c h ofhis subject-matter on Jewish traditions and
legends. B u r c h a r d , representing a contrary point of view, was of
the opinion that Batiflbl and those who followed him had not
merely over-emphasized the importance ofthe so-called 'Clhristian
e l e m e n t s ' in the work, but had also radically misunderstexxi them.
For B u r c h a r d there is nothing in it, anywhere, that cannot quite
satisfactorily be explained as Jewish; and Burchard tcxik the view
that the a u t h o r was a J e w o f t h e Dispersion, who wrote in Kgypt,
either in the last century BC: or the first century . \ D . O t h e r views
h a v e been that the a u t h o r was a nationalist and orthodox J e w of
Palestine (.Aptowitzer), or that he was an Kssenc (Riesslcr), or that
he belonged to the T h e r a p e u t a e ( K . G. K u h n ) .
Philonenko, in the Intrcxluction to his edition, attacked the
p r o b l e m in the light of his analysis of the textual evidence. T h e
p r i m a r y d recension, he argued, is unquestionably Jewish: it was
' i. 7-8.
" viii. .5-7.
' v i i i . .5; c p . XV. 4.
4 70 Joseph and Aseneth
d c s i g i H ' c i partly as a missionary tract, aimed at potential (iciitilc
converts, and partK as a defence ol'mixed marriages between Jews
a n d Cjentiles. aimed at those j e w s who were unable to see the
o b \ i o u s proselytizing possibilities in such marriages; and it is a
p r o d u i t of the Dispersion in Kgypt. written probably about .\D
1 0 0 - 1 10. . \ b o u t the origin, date, and purpose, o f t h e b recension
Philonenko was more doubtful: it may h a \ e been made by a J e w
m u c h given to mystic speculation, or by a (inostic Christian. But
a b o u t the c and a recensions being due to Christians Philoiu-nko
h a d no d o u b t s at all.
\N'hate\er may be thought about the details ofthis exposition
( a n d it would be a mistake to press the details), the great merit ofit
is that it takes into account, and cotisiders togetlier. all the separate
issues in\-ol\ed - historical, theological, literary, and textual. If a
generally agreed solution of the problem is e\cr arrived at. it is
likely to be along the lines that Philonenko has laid down.
But one thing is certain: J o s e p h and .\scncth was written in
(ircek. The text of the Old Testament presupposed is that o f t h e
S e p t u a g i n t , and the language and st\ le are Scptuagintal through­
out. There are no grounds at all for regarding the (ircek as a
translation of either a Hebrew or an .Aramaic original.

.As previously indicated, the Greek text here translated is

Philoncnko's. The symbols for the .\ISS are his; and the majority of
the variants recorded in his a p p a r a t u s , which arc capable of being
dilferentiated in translation, h a \ e been noted.

BIBLIOGR.APHY

Knrno.Ns

Greek
P. B . \ I I F F O L , U Livre de la Priere d Aseneth (= Studia Palristica, i-ii;
Paris, 1 8 8 9 - 9 0 ) .
 Joseph and Aseneth 4 71
M . P M I I . O M ' . N K O . 7»if/)/( el Aseneth: /nirodiirtlnn. Teste critique.
Traduction, el Soles (= SPB\m\ I.cidcn. 19()!i).

Latin

V. B A n l-l O I . . Le Litre . . . [as above], pp. H9- 1 1.').

Syriac
E . W . B R O O K S , Historia Ecclesiastica Zachariae Rhelori iidgo ad.scripta
(= CSCO. Scriptores Syri. I I I . v. 7>.V/M.(; Paris. 1919). pp.
21-.5.5.
I.atin translations ol'tlie Syriae in;
(;. O I ' I ' K N H K I . M . Tabula Josephi et A.senethae apocrypha e lihro
syriaco laline versa (Berlin. 1881)).
K. W. B R O O K S , Historia Ecclesiastica. . . [as above] ( = CSCO.
Scriptores Syri. I I I . v, I'ersio; Loiivain. 1924), pp. l.j-39.

Armenian
A. C . \ R R I 1 ; R K , ' L ' n e version arinenienne de I'Histoire d'.Assenetli'
in Souveau.x .Melanges Ort'enlau.x (= Publications de I'Ecoledes Langues
Orientales Vivanles, I P Serie, \<)1. xix; Paris, 188f)), pp. 471-;-)12.
[ T h e text of ehaps. xxii-xxix only, followed by a French
translation.]
S. H O \ S I : 1 ' H I : A N I V . . .4 Treasury oj Old and Sen- Primitive Writers.
\ ' o l . I [L'ncanonical Books oj the Old Testament: N'enice, 189()).
p p . 1.52-198.
Knglish translation uf the .Armenian in:
J . i s S A V E R D K N S , VWOTK 79-128.

Slavonic
S. N o \ ' . \ K O V K ' : , 'Srpsko-slovenski zbornik iz vremena despota
Stefana Lazarevica: 10. Zitie .Asenethi" in Starine. ix (Zagreb,
1877), p p . 2 7 - 4 2 .
v . M . Is'I'RI.X, '.Apokrif ob losife i .Asenefc' in Drevnosti: Irudy
Slavyanskoy komissii Imperalorskogo Moskovskogo arkheologicheskogo
obshchestv'a, iii (-Moscow, 1898), pp. 146-199.'
472 Joseph and Aseneth

IRANSl.AI IONS

English
M . B R O D R K K (Prepared by, from Notes supplied by the late S I R
Pi. l E R I . K P A G I ; R K . N O L K ) , The Life and Confession of Asenath the
Daughter of Pentephres nf Heliopolis, narrating hoiv the all-heautiful
Joseph took her to Wife (London, 1900).
L. W . B R O O K S , ,/oj?/)/( and Asenath: The Confession and Prayer of
Asenath, Daughter of Pentephres the Priest ( = S.P.Cl.K.., Translations
of Early Documents; London, 1918).

Erench
M. PHILOSESKO, Joseph et Aseneth . . . [as a b o v e ] ,

Cerman
P. R i r . S S I . I - R , AfSaB\ p p . 497-.5:58.

V. A P T O W I T Z E R , ' A s e n a t h , the Wife o f j o s e p h : A H a g g a d i c

Literary-Historical S t u d y ' in HUCA i (1924), p p . 2 3 9 - 3 0 6 .
C . B l ' R C H . V R n , L'ntersuchungen zu Joseph und Aseneth: llberlieferung-
Ortsbestimmung (= Wissenschaftliche L'ntersuchungen zum Neuen
Testament, 8;'YiJihingcn, 1965).
. Der dreizehnte Zeuge: Traditions-und kompositionsgeschichlliche
L'ntersuchungen zu Lukas' Darstellung der Fruhzeil des Paulus ( =
Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments,
103; G o t t i n g c n , 1970), p p . .59-86.
-, ' Z u m I'cxt von J o s e p h und .Aseneth' in Journalfor the Study of
Judaism, i {1970), pp. 3 - 3 4 .
-, ' J o s e p h et .Aseneth: Questions actuelles' in La litterature juive
entre Tenach et Mischna: Quelques problemes (ed. W . G. V.AN
U.N N I K ; Rech. Bib. 9; Leiden, 1974), p p . 7 7 - 1 0 0 .
A . - M . D E N I S , IPGAT, pp. 4 0 - 4 8 .
L . G I N / . B E R G , The Legends of the Jews, ii (Philadelphia, 1910), p p .
I 7 0 - 1 78 a n d v (Philadelphia, 1925), p p . 3 7 4 - 3 7 5 .
 joseph et aseneth
Joseph and Aseneth 473
K . K O H I . K R , a r t . " . X s c n a t l i . I . i i i - a n d Clonli-ssion o r P r a y e r o i " in //•."
ii ( N e w Y o r k , l>.)l)'i). p p . I 7 2 - I 7 ( ) .
K . ( i . K l ' H N . ' T h e L o r d .s S u p p e r a n d t h e C o m m u n a l .Meal a t
Q u m r a n " in The Scrolls and the Sew Testament ( e d . K . S Tl'.ND.XH I.;
N e w X ' o r k . I9.')7). p p . 7 1 - 7 7 .
. M . P H I I . ( ) M . N K ( ) , " j t w e p h e t .A.seneth: Q u e s t i o n s a e t u e l l e s " in La
litterature juice entre Tenach et Mischna: Quelque problemes ( e d .
W . C . \ ' . \ N U N N I K ; Rech. Bib. 9 ; L e i d e n , 1 9 7 4 ) , p p . 7 3 - 7 ( i .
P . R I r.ssi.KR. " J o s e p h u n d . \ s e n a t h : L i n e a l t j i i d i s e h e Krzahluni,'" in
Theologische Quartaischrift. eiii ( 1 9 2 2 ) . p p . 1 - 1 3 .
. .4/s:i/i'. p . 1 3 0 3 - 1 3 ( 1 1 .
L . S C H l ' R K R . (ijVZJC* iii, p p . 3 9 9 - 102.

I. 11 c a m e t o p a s s i n t h e lirst y e a r o f t h e s e \ e n y e a r s o f p l e n t y , in
t h e s e c o n d m o n t h , that P h a r a o h sent o u t J o s e p h to g o r o u n d t h e
•1 y\ h o l e l a n d o f L g y p t . . A n d j o s e p h c a m e . ' in t h e l i i u r t h m o n t h o f t h e
lirst y e a r , o n t h e e i g h t e e n t h d a y o f t h e m o n t h . ' inlo t h e district of
:J H e l i o p o l i s . . \ n d h c w a s ( o l l e i t i n g all t h e c o r n o l ' t h a t l a n d , a s t h e
t s a n d o f t h e s e a . N o w t h e r e w a s in t h a t c i t y a m a n , a s a t r a j ) o f
P h a r a o h ; a n d t h i s man w a s t h e c h i e f o f a l l P h a r a o h " s s a t r a p s a n d
.') l o r d s . ' . A n d h c " w a s v e r y r i c h , a n d w i s e , a n d g e n e r o u s , a n d h c w a s
P h a r a o h s counsellor, a n d his n a m e w a s P e n t e p h r e s ; a n d he w a s
(i t h e p r i e s t o f H e l i o p o l i s . ' .And P e n t e p h r e s h a d a v i r g i n d a u g h t e r o f
a b o u t e i g h t e e n y e a r s o f a g e . tall a n d b e a u t i f u l a n d graceful, m o r e
7 b e a u t i f u l t h a n a n y o t h e r v i r g i n in t h e l a n d . " . A n d s h e w a s q u i t e
u n l i k e t h e d a u g h t e r s o f t h e ' K g y p t i a n s , b u t in e v e r y l e s p e e t lik<- t h e
a d a u g h t e r s " o f t h e H e b r e y v s . .And s h e w a s a s tall a s S a r a h , a n d a s
b e a u t i f u l a s R e b e c c a , a n d a s fair a s R a c h e l ; a n d t h i s v i r g i n " s n a m e
<) w a s . A s e n e t h . . A n d t h e f a m e o f h e r b e a u t y s p r e a d t h r o u g h a l l t h a t
' to i>o routid . . . came: B om.
- ill the fourth . . . month: .Slav. om.
" a n d this man . . . lords: B om.
'' I.it. 'this man'.
' B 'and Pentephres was the first man of Hcliop<ilis': D om.
" O r 'upon theearth".
" d. of the: O o m .
" hut . . . daughters = H . \ : BD Slav. and".
 1/4 Joseph and Asenelh
laiul. even to its tfiiiott-st corners;'* anti all the sons ol the lords and
o l t h c s a t r a p s a n d o l t h e kings sought her h a n d in marriage, young
Id m e n all oJ ihem. And there was great rivalry hetween them because
of her, a n d thc> began to hght a m o n g themselves'" because of
11 A s e n e t h . . \ n d P h a r a o h ' s eldest son heard about her, and he begged
12 his l a t h e r to gi\ c her to him as his wile. .And hc said to him. Ciivc mc
.Aseneth the d a u g h t e r ot'Pentcphres the p r i e s t " ol'Hcliopolis as my
wile. .Vnd his father P h a r a o h said to him. Why should you want a
l i wife of lower station than yourscll? .Are you not k i n g " ofall the
II e a r t h " . ' No! See now.'" the d a u g h t e r of King J o a k i m " is betrothed
lo you. a n d she is a queen and very beautiful indeed: take her as
y o u r wife.

II. .Now .Aseneth despised all men and regarded them with con­
t e m p t ; yet no m a n had e \ e r seen her, for Pentephres had a tower in
his house, a n d it was large and very high. .And the top storey had
;i ten rooms in it. fhe lirst room was large and pleasant; and it was
p a \ e d with p u r p l e stones, a n d its walls were faced with precious
I stones of dilfcrent kinds. .And the ceiling of that room was of gold;
anci within it' were ranged the innumerable gods of the Egyptians,
•) in gold a n d silver. .And .Aseneth worshipped all these; and she
li feared them a n d olfered sacrihces to t h e m . ' T h e second room
c o n t a i n e d all Ihe finery Jor .Aseneth's a d o r n m e n t and her Ireasure-
7 c h e s t s . ' .And there was much gold in it, and silver, and garments
woven with gold, a n d precious stones of great price, and hue
.(I linens. .And all her girlish o r n a m e n t s were there." T h e third rcxim
c o n t a i n e d all the good things o f t h e e a r t h ; ' and it was .Aseneth's

"' ainoiii; iliciti.si-lves: B o m .

" B -llu- lirsI man'.
'•' .So 0 ; BK 'liini; a s v o u arc'; C; ' f o r vou arc king'.
" Or'land'.
"* Sec now: D o m .
" .So BI) Slav.: KH ofilie king ol'.Moah'; .\ 'ol'kingjoachim ol'.Moab'.

' I.il. 'lhal room'. ' FH a d d 'daily'.

' In ihis verse lhe auihoriiiesdill'er nol a liule among ihemsel
though without any change in lhe general sense.
•* Kit. '.And there was all the atU)rmriem o f her virginitv'.
' O r land'.
 Joseph and Aseneth 475
HI S t o r e - h o u s e . .And seven virgins had the remaining seven rooms,
11 o n e eaeli. .And they used to wait on .Aseneth. and were oi'the same
age as she was, liir they were all born on the same tiight as .Aseneth;
a n d they were very beautilul. like the stars ol'heaven, and no man
Vi or boy had ever had anything to do with them. .And .Aseneth's large
1.3 r o o m , w h e r e she spent her time," had three windows. O n e window
looked out o \ e r the courtyard to the east: the second looked to the
14 n o r t h , onto the street; and the third to the south. .And a golden bed
i.i stood in the room, lacing the east. .And the bed had a coverlet of
16 p u r p l e woven with gold, embroidered with blue, and line linen. In
this bed .Aseneth used to sleep alone, and no man or woman ever''
17 sat u p o n it, except .Aseneth only. .And there was a great court all
r o u n d the house, and a wall round the court, very high andhuWl of
18 great rectangular stones. .And there were lour gates to the court,
overlaid with irtjii; and eighteen strong young men-at-arms used to
19 g u a r d each o l t h e m . .And along the wall inside the court every kind
o f b c a u t i h i l tree that produces fruit had been planted; and the fruit
20 on every one o f t h e m was ripe, for it was harvest time. .And on the
right o f t h e court there was an ever-bubbling* spring of water, and
b e n e a t h the spring a great cistern' that received the water from the
s p r i n g and out of which a river flowed through the middle o f t h e
court a n d watered all the trees in it.

III. .And it came to pass' in the fourth month, on the eighteenth'

d a y o f t h e m o n t h , that J o s e p h came into the district of Heliopolis.'
2 .And as he a p p r o a c h e d the city, J o s e p h sent twelve men in front of
h i m to Pentephres, the priest of Heliopolis, saying, -May I be your
guest to-day," for it is near noon and time for the mid-day meal?
3 T h e s u n ' s heal is overpowering, and I would enjoy some refresh-
4 m c n t u n d e r your roof W h e n Pentephres heard this, he was ovcr-
' Lit. •vvlliTc l i c r v i r g i n i t v was nurtured".
' So BH Slav.: D o m .
* Lit. 'rich': D o m .
" Slav, adds "ofmarblc".

' BH Slav, add 'in the first year ol'thc seven years ol'plenty".
' So H Slav. Syr. . \ r m . Lat.: BDF.A 'twenty eighth".
' B Slav, add "and he was gathering the corn of that land" (Slav. + "as the sand of
the sea"), " L i t . ' I will stay with you to-day".
 476 Joseph and Aseneth
5 joyed and said. Blessed be the L o r d , the G o d of J o s e p h . .And
f) P e n t e p h r e s c a l l e d h i s s t e w a r d ' a n d s a i d tt) h i m , . M a k e h a s t e a n d
g e t m y h o u s e i n t o o r d e r , a n d p r e p a r e a g r e a t feast, b e c a u s e J o s e p h ,
7 t h e m i g h t y m a n o f G o d , is c o m i n g t o u s t o - d a y . .And . A s e n e t h h e a r d
t h a t h e r father a n d m o t h e r h a d c o m e back from their family estate
8 i n t h e c o u n t r y . " .And s h e r e j o i c e d a n d s a i d , 1 w i l l g o a n d s e c m y
f a t h e r a n d m y m o t h e r ' for t h e y h a v e c o m e b a c k f r o m o u r e s t a t e in
!) t h e c o u n t r y . .And . A s e n e t h h u r r i e d " a n d p u t o n a h u e l i n e n r o b e o f
b l u e w o \ c n with gold a n d a golden girdle round her waist, and she
p u t " b r a c e l e t s r o u n d h e r h a n d s a n d feet, a n d s h e p u t o n g o l d e n
10 t r o u s e r s a n d a n e c k l a c e r o u n d h e r n e c k . .And t h e r e w e r e p r e c i o u s
s t o n e s all a b o u t h e r . w i t h the n a m e s o f t h e E g y p t i a n g o d s inscribed
o n t h e m e v e r y w h e r e , on the bracelets a n d on the stones; a n d the
11 n a m e s o f t h e i d o l s w e r e s t a m p e d o n t h e s t o n e s . .And s h e p u t a t i a r a
on her head a n d b o u n d a diadem round her temples and covered
h e r h e a d w i t h a veil.

IV. .And s h e h u r r i e d a n d c a m e d o w n by t h e s t a i r c a s e from her

s t o r e y at t h e t o p ; a n d she c a m e to h e r father a n d m o t h e r and
2 g r e e t e d t h e m . . A n d it g a v e P e n t e p h r e s a n d h i s w i f e g r e a t j o y t o s e e
3 t h e i r d a u g h t e r . A s e n e t h a d o r n e d a s t h e b r i d e o f G o d . .And t h e y t o o k
o u t a l l t h e g o o d t h i n g s t h e y h a d b r o u g h t f r o m t h e i r e s t a t e in t h e
4 country, and they gave them to their d a u g h t e r . ' .And . A s e n e t h
r e j o i c e d at t h e g o o d t h i n g s , a n d at t h e fruit, t h e g r a p e s a n d the
d a t e s , a n d a t t h e d o v e s a n d a t t h e p o m e g r a n a t e s a n d t h e figs, for
b they w e r e all delightful. .And Pentephres said to his daughter
. A s e n e t h , My c h i l d : s h e s a i d , L o , here I am, my l o r d . . A n d h e s a i d t o
6 h e r , S i t d o w n , p l e a s e , ' b e t w e e n u s : I w a n t t o t a l k t o y o u . ' .And
7 A s e n e t h s a t d o w n b e t w e e n h e r f a t h e r a n d h e r m o t h e r . .And h e r

' Lit. 'him who was over his house'.

^ Lit. 'the field oftheir inheritance'. .\nd so similarly at iii. 8, iv. 3, xvi. 2, xx. b,
xxiv. 14. and xxvi. 1.
' and my mother: BF om.
" B adds 'into the room where her robes lay'.
" she put = Slav.: B D o m .

' and thev gave . . . daughter: B om.

= SoBH:bom.
' Lit. 'and i will speak my words to you'.
 Joseph and Aseneth 477
father Pentephres'' took her right haiul in liis right h a n d ' and said
H to her. .1/)' child; and .\seneth said. W h a t is it, father?" .And
P e n t e p h r e s said to her, .See, J o s e p h , the mighty man of Ciod, is
c o m i n g to us to-day, and hc is ruler ofall the land of Kgypt, lor
P h a r a o h has appointed him ruler of all our land;' and he is the
d i s t r i b u t o r of corn throughout the country and is to save it from the
9 famine that is to come upon it. . \ n d J o s e p h is a man that worships
Ciod: he is discriminating, and a virgin (as you arc to-day), and a
m a n of great wisdoni and knowledge, and the spirit of Ciixl is" upon
10 h i m , a n d the grace ofthe Lord is" with him. So come, my child, and
I will give you to him as his wife: you shall be his bride, and he shall
11 be y o u r bridegroom Ibr ever. .And when .•\scncth heard what her
father said, a great red sweat came over her, and she was furious'"
1'.' a n d looked sideways at her father.'' .And she said. Why should my
lord a n d my father speak like this and talk as if he would hand me
over like a pri.soner to a man of another race, a man who was a
l;i fugitive a n d was sold as a slave? Is not this the shepherd's son from
14 t h e land of Clanaan, and he was a b a n d o n e d by him? Is not this the
m a n w h o had intercourse with his m i s t r e s s , " and his master threw
h i m into prison where he lay in d a r k n e s s , " and Pharaoh brought
l.'i h i m out of prison, because he interpreted his dream? No! I will
If) m a r r y the eldest son o f t h e king, for he is king ofall the earth.'" On
h e a r i n g this, Pentephres thought it wiser to say no more to his
d a u g h t e r about J o s e p h , lor she had answered him arrogantly and
in a n g e r .

V. .And behold, one o f t h e young men from Pentephres's retinue

'2 burst in a n d said, Lo, J o s e p h is at the gates of our court. And

" .So I): B o m .

' ill his righl hand = B Slav.: D o m .
" I.it. 'I.fl my lotxi and (B om. 'my lord and') my father speak'.
' ofall our land; D F om.
" So F . \ : BD 'was'; KH om.
' BD'was'.
Kit. 'she was angry with a great wrath'.
" at her father: B o m .
'" Is not . . . mistress = D Slav.: B om.
" Lit. 'into the prison of darkness'.
''• O r 'land': D adds 'of Kgypt'.
 47H Joseph and Aseneth
Asciu'th quickly Icl'l her lather and her mother and ran upstairs
a n d went into her roont and stood at the big window that looked
t o w a r d s the east, so as to sec Joseph as hc came into her father's
:i house. .And Pentephres and his wife and all his relations went out
1 to meet Joseph. .And the gates o f t h e court that looked cast were
o p e n e d , and J o s e p h came in, sitting in P h a r a o h ' s viceroy's chariot.
') .And there were four horses yoked together, white as snow, with
li golden reins; and the chariot was covered over' with .gold. .And
J o s e p h was wearing a marvellous white tunic, and the robe
w r a p p e d r o u n d him w as purple, m a d e of linen woven with gold:
there was a golden crow n on his head, and all round the crown w e r e '
t w c K c precious stones, and above the stones twelve golden rays;
7 a n d a royal sceptre was in his right hand. .And he held an olive
8 b r a n c h stretched out, and there was much fruit on it. .And Joseph
.'> c a m e into the court, a n d the gates were shut. .And strangers,
w h e t h e r men or w o m e n , remained outside, because the gate-
10 keepers had shut the d o o r s . ' .And Pentephres came, and his wife,
a n d all his relatives, except their d a u g h t e r Aseneth; and they m a d e
11 o b e i s a n c e t o j o s e p h with their faces to the ground. .And J o s e p h got
dow n from his chariot and extended his right hand to them.

VI. .And .Aseneth saw J o s e p h and she was cut to the quick, her
s t o m a c h t u r n e d over,' her knees became limp, and her whole body
2 t r e m b l e d . .And she was m u c h afraid and cried out and said. Where
shall I go, a n d where can I hide myself from him? .And how will
J o s e p h , the son of God, regard me, for I have spoken evil' of him?
:i W h e r e can I flee a n d hide myself, for he sees everything, and no
secret is safe from hitn, because of the great light that is in him?
•t .And now m a y J o s e p h ' s God be propitious to m c ' because 1 spoke
.1 evil in ignorance. W h a t can I hope for," wretch that 1 am? H a v e I

' Lit. 'shaded over'. Is the reference to a golden awning over the chariot, or was
the chariot itself overlaid with gold?
•' the crown were: B om.
' D adds 'and all strangers were shut out'.

' Lit. 'and she was stronglv pricked in the soul, and her inwards were broken'.
' Dom. > D ' h a v e mercy on me'.
' Lit. ' W h a t then shall I see ( = DF: B.\ 'follow')'.
 Joseph and Aseneth 479
not spoken, saying, J o s e p h is coming, the shcplicrd's son liom the
land of Clanaan? . \ n d now, behold, the sim is c o m e ' to lis from
(i heaven in his chariot and has come into our house to-day. But I
w a s foolish and reckless to despise him. and 1 spoke c\il of him and
7 did not know that J o s e p h is the son of CJod. For who among men
will ever father such b e a u t ) , and what mother" will ever bear such a
light? W r e t c h that I am and foolish, for I spoke e\il oJ him to my
8 father. .Now let my father g i \ e me t o j o s e p h ' as a maidservant and
a slave, and I will serve him for ever.

VII. .And J o s e p h came into Pentephres's house and sat down on a

seat; and he washed his feet, and hc placed' a tabic in front of him
separately, because he would not cat with the Kgyptians, for this
2 w a s an a b o m i n a t i o n to him. .And Joseph spoke to Pentephres and
all his relations, saying. W h o is that woman standing in the .solar'
3 by the w indow? Tell her to go a w a \ ( T h i s was because Joseph w as
afraid she too might solicit him;'' for all the w ivcs and daughters of
the lords a n d satraps ofall the land o P Kgypt used to solicit him to
4 lie with him." .And many of the wives and d a u g h t e r s ' of the
F^gyptians sulfered much, after seeing J o s e p h , because hc was so
h a n d s o m e ; and they would send emissaries to him with gold and
5 silver a n d valuable gifts." .And J o s e p h would reject them out of
6 h a n d , ' saying, I will not sin before the CJod o f l s r a e l . .And Joseph
kept his father J a c o b ' s face before his eyes continually,'" and he
r e m e m b e r e d his father's c o m m a n d m e n t s ; for J a c o b used to say to
J o s e p h a n d his brothers, Be on your guard, my children, against
the s t r a n g e w o m a n , and have nothing to do with her, lor she is ruin
' B'like llic sun is he loim-'.
" L i t . ' w h a l kind of womh'.
' tojoseph; Bom.

' So BE.\; D 'they placed".

-' So B D ; E F H . \ "top storey".
' Lit. 'Let her leave this house'.
' she . . . him: D o m .
> the land of: BF om. ' DE 'them".
' D a d d s ' o f the potentates".
" gold . . . gifts: B 'many gifts'.
" Lit. 'would send them back with threats and insults'.
'« D H . S l a v . o m .
 480 Joseph and Aseneth
1 a n d destruction, l h a t is w h y J o s e p h s a i d , Tell t h a t w o m a n t o g o
H away.") . V n d P e n t e p h r e s s a i d t o h i m . My l o r d , t h e w o m a n y o u
h a v e s e e n i n t h e s t o r e y a t t h e t o p is n o s t r a n g e r : s h e is o u r d a u g h t e r ,
a virgin, w h o detests m e n ;a n d n o o t h e r " m a n h a s ever seen her,
9 a p a r t f r o m y o u t o - d a y . . \ n d if y o u w i s h i t , s h e s h a l l c o m e a n d s p e a k
Id w i t h y o u ; f o r o u r d a u g h t e r is y o u r s i s t e r . .Vnd J o s e p h w a s o v e r j o y e d
11 b e c a u s e P e n t e p h r e s s a i d . S h e is a v i r g i n w h o d e t e s t s m e n . A n d
J o s e p h a n s w e r e d P e n t e p h r e s a n d h i s w i f e a n d s a i d . I f s h e is y o u r
d a u g h t e r , t h e n l e t h e r c o m e , f o r s h e is m y s i s t e r , a n d I w i l l r e g a r d "
h e r a s m y sister from to-day.

VIII. . \ n d .Aseneth's m o t h e r went u p to t h e t o pstorey a n d brought

.Aseneth dotvn t o J o s e p h ; a n d P e n t e p h r e s s a i d to h i s d a u g h t e r
. A s e n e t h , G r e e t y o u r b r o t h e r , f o r h e t o o is a v i r g i n a s y o u a r e
t t j - d a y , a n d h e d e t e s t s a l l s t r a n g e w o m e n j u s t a s y o u detest a l l
2 s t r a n g e m e n . . A n d . A s e n e t h s a i d t o j o s e p h , . M a y y o u h a v e j o y , my
l o r d , b l e s s e d asyou are o f G o d . M o s t H i g h ; a n d J o s e p h .said t o h e r ,
:5 . M a y G o d , w h o h a s g i v e n a l l t h i n g s life, b l e s s y o u . .And P e n t e p h r e s
4 s a i d t o . A s e n e t h , G o m e n e a r a n d k i s s y o u r b r o t h e r . .And w h e n s h e
c a m e n e a r t o kiss J o s e p h , J o s e p h s t r e t c h e d his right h a n d out, a n d
.i l a i d it a g a i n s t h e r b r e a s t , a n d s a i d . I t is n o t r i g h t f o r a m a n w h o
w o r s h i p s G o d , w h o w i t h his m o u t h blesses t h e living G o d , a n d eats
t h e b l e s s e d b r e a d o f life, a n d d r i n k s t h e b l e s s e d c u p o f i m m o r t a l i t y ,
a n d is a n o i n t e d w i t h t h e b l e s s e d u n c t i o n ' o f i n c o r r u p t i o n , t o k i s s a
s t r a n g e w o m a n , w h o w i t h h e r m o u t h blesses d e a d a n d d u m b idols,
a n d eats o f t h e i r table t h e bread of anguish,' a n d drinks of their
l i b a t i o n s t h e c u p o f t r e a c h e r y , ' a n d is a n o i n t e d w i t h t h e u n c t i o n o f
() d e s t r u c t i o n . .A m a n w h o w o r s h i p s G o d w i l l k i s s h i s m o t h e r a n d h i s
s i s t e r t h a t is o f h i s oivn t r i b e a n d k i n , " a n d t h e w i f e t h a t s h a r e s h i s
7 c o u c h , w h o w i t h t h e i r m o u t h s b l e s s t h e l i v i n g G o d . S o t o o it is n o t
right for a w o m a n w h o w o r s h i p s G o d t o kiss a s t r a n g e m a n ,
8 b e c a u s e this is a n a b o m i n a t i o n in G o d ' s eyes. A n d w h e n A s e n e t h

'' I.it. 'Let that ( D F H 'the') woman leave this house".

B 'strange'. " Lit. 'love'.

' of life . . . unction = H . \ : BD Slav, om.; cp. xv. 4.

^ Lit. 'strangling': D 'shame'.
' Lit.'ambush'. " and kin: BE om.
 Joseph and Asenelh 481
hcaici what J o s e p h said, slie was most distressed and ericd out
a l o u d ; and she fixed her gaze on J o s e p h , and her eyes were filled
9 with tears. .And J o s e p h saw her and his heart went out to her - \hr
Joseph was tender-hearted and compassionate and feared the
1(1 L o r d . ' .And he lifted up his right hand above her head and said.

( ) L o r d , the (iod of n n father Israel, the .Most High, the

.Mighty O n e .
W h o didst (|uicken all things, and didst call them from
d a r k n e s s into light.
.And from error into truth,'' and from death into life;
Do thou, O Lord, lliysell ciuicken and bless this \irgin.
11 .And renew her by thy spirit,' and remould her by thy secret
hand,
.And quicken her with thy life.
.And may she eat the bread of tin life."
.And m a y she drink the cup of thy blessing.
.She w h o m thou didst choose before she was begotten."
.And may she enter into tin rest, which thou hast prepared
for thine elect.

IX. .And .Aseneth was filled with joy at Joseph's blessing, and she
went u p ' ill haste to her storey at the top and fell on her couch
e x h a u s t e d , because she felt not only happy, but also disturbed and
very frightened;' and she had been bathed in perspiration from the
m o m e n t she heard Joseph speaking' to her in the name of (iod
i .Most H i g h . .And she wept bitterly, and she repented of liergcxis she
'.\ used to worship; and she waited fiir evening to come. .And.Joseph
a t e a n d d r a n k ; and he said to his servants. 'I'oke the horses to the
' for Jos.-ph . . . Lord: D i m i .
" .\IK1 from . . . trulh = H.\: BO Slav. om.
' n . \ 'holy spirit'.
" ami rrnioiild . . . thy lifi- = F I.at.: BI) Slav. om. (.\ om. 'and remould . . .
hand').
" She . . . hegotten = Bl) Slav.: F.\ '.And numln-r her with th\ |«-oplr which thou
didst choose belbre all things came into being'.

' So BK.\ Slav.: OFH away'.

-'" ' I.it. 'and a continual ( 0 om.) sweat was [xiured aljout her (= D: BF.\ om.
'was |>oured alxiut her') when she heard these words from.Joseph who had spoken'.
 482 Joseph and Asenelh
chariot (l()r lie said. 1 must depart and go round the whole city and
4 t h e district"). . \ n d Pentephres said to Joseph. Stas the night here.
.') niy lord, and to-morrow go your w a \ . . \ n d Joseph said. .No! I must
be going now. for this is the day when (Jod began his works: in eight
d a \ s time I will come back a g a i n ' and stay the night here with
you.

X. Then Pentephres and his relations went away to tlieir estate.

.And .Aseneth was left alone with the' virgins, and she was listless
a n d wept until sunset: she ate no bread and drank no water; and
:i while all slept she alone was awake. .And she opened Ihe door and
went d o w n to the' gate; and she found the portress asleep with her
1 children. .And .Aseneth quickly took down the leather curtain from
the door, and she hlled it with ashes and carried it up to the ttip
.') storcv a n d laid it on the floor. .And she secured the door and
fastened it with the iron bar from the side; and she groaned aloud
() a n d wept. .And the \irgiti that .Aseneth lo\ed most of all the
v i r g i n s ' heard her mistress groaning, and she roused the other
7 v i r g i n s ' and came" and found the door shut. .And she listened to
.Aseneth groaning and weeping and said. Why arc you .so
H sorrowful, my lady? W h a t is it that is troubling you? Open lhe door
for us, so that we can see you. .And .Aseneth said to them from
inside (shut in as she was). I h a \ e a violent headache and am resting
on my bed; and I have no strength leh to open to you n o w f o r I am
9 Utterly exhausted;'' but go each of you to her room. .And .Aseneth
got u p a n d opened her door quietly, and went into her second
r o o m , where her Ireasure-chcsts and lhefinery for her adornment were,
a n d she opened her w a r d r o b e and took out a black and sombre
10 tunic. (.And this was her mourning tunic, which she had worn for
11 m o u r n i n g when her eldest' brother died). .And .Aseneth took offher
royal robe a n d put on the black one, and she untied her golden
' I.it. 'land'.

' .So D.Slav.: BF.F.\om.

' D1icr'. - most o l . . . virgins: D o m .
' and . . . virgins = EF.\: BIKJIl Slav. om.
' B ' m a d e haste'. ' BF om.
" I.it. Tor I am grown weak in all my limbs'.
' So BD.A Sla\.; EFG 'younger'.
 Joseph and Asenelh 183
girdle a n d tied a rope round her waist inslead. and she took her tiara
oil her head a n d the diadem, and the bracelets from her hands.
\2 A n d s h e took her best robe, just as it was," and threw it out ofthe
1.3 w i n d o w , for the poor. . \ n d she took all her imunnerable gold and
silver gods a n d broke them u p into little pieces, and threw" them
14 oul of the tcindoiv for the poor a n d needy.'" . \ n d .\seneth took her
royal d i n n e r , even the fatted beasts and the lish and the meat, and
all the sacrifices for her gods, and the wine-vessels liir their
libations; a n d she threw them all out ofthe window as liiod liir the
1.1 d o g s . .And after this she took the ashes and poured them otit on the
Hi floor. .And she took sackcloth and wrapped it round her waist, and
she r e m t n ed the hllet from her hair and sprinkled herself with
17 a s h e s ; a n d she fell down upon the ashes. .And she beat her breast
repeatedly with her t w o " hands and wept bitterly and groaned all
18 night until the inorning. .And in the morning .\seneth got up and
looked, a n d lo. the ashes underneath her were like mud because of
1".) her tears. .And again .Aseneth fell down on her face upon the ashes
2(1 until sunset. .And so .Aseneth did for seven days: and she tasted
neither food nor d r i n k . "

XI. .And it c a m e to pass on the eighth day that .Aseneth' looked up

from the floor where she was lying (for she was losing the use of her
limbs as a result of her great alTliction).

XII. .And s h e ' stretched her h a n d s out towards the east, and her
eyes looked u p to hea\ e n . ' and she said.
" Lit. "all luT I liosctl rollr'. Is the ri-li-ri-iuT to tin- nival rolie' orvrrsc 11 - as wi-
have assuilled? O r o l l g h l we to take moXij Crohe') here in ihe more general sense ot
•et)uipiiient' and translate 'all her choice apparel'.' II so. ihe girdle, the tiara, the
d i a d e m , and the bracelets, which .Aseneth had just taken oil, will also be included
(as the editors o t t h e a recension distinctly state), and [lerhaps •.oine other items as
well - though xiv. I,i and xviii. li make it clear that .Aseneth did not empty her
w a r d r o b e ctmipletely! " I)'g.i\c'.
'° and needy: D o m . " Bom.
'•' Lit. 'and she tasted nothing at all'.

' So D: B.Slav, 'she'.

' D '.Asenelh'. B prefixes to this chapter the title 'Prayer and Confession of
.Aseneth', which is fiiund also in .A between \erses 1 and '2.
• looked up to hea\ en: BD Sla\'. om.
484 Joseph and Aseneth
( ) Lord, (Jod ol'thc ages, that didst give to all the hieath of
lile.
That didst bring into the light the things unseen.
That hast m a d e all things and m a d e visible what was
in\isil)le.
That hast raised u p the hea\ en and l<)undetl the earth upon
the waters.
l h a t hast h.xcd the great stones upon the a b \ ss of water.
W h i c h shall not be submerged.
But to the end they d o thy will.'
( ) Lord, m> (Jod, to thee will 1 cry: hear m\ supplication;''
.And' u n t o thee will I make conl'cssion ofmy sins.
.And u n t o thee will I reveal my transgressions ol'thy law.
I h a \ c sinned, ( ) Lord. 1 have sinned:
I h a \ e transgressed thy law atid acted impiously.
.And I have spoken things evil before thee.
.\Iy m o u t h . ( ) Lord, has beecti dchled by things olfered to
idols,
.And by the table ol'thc gods" ofthe Kgyptians.
I have sinned, (3 Lord, before thee; I ha\ e sinned a n d acted
impiously.
W o r s h i p p i n g idols, dead a n d d u m b ,
.And I a m not worthy to open my mouth unto thee, wretch
that I a m .
1 h a v e sinned, ( ) Lord, belbre thee.
L t h e d a u g h t e r of Pentephres the priest,
/, t h e h a u g h t y a n d arrogant Aseneth.
Lo thee, ( ) L o r d , ' I present my supplication, and unto thee
will I cry:
I^eliver m c from my persecutors, Ibr unto thee" have I fled.
Like a child to his father and his mother.
.And d o thou, ( ) ' Lord, stretch forth thy hands over me,

' I) 'ordiiiaiui'".
* hear tny . s u p p l i c a t i o n : Ii oni.
' Doin.
t(j i d o l s . . . the gtKls: D 'to t h e idols'.
' C)I.ord = D S l a v : B a l s o ' .
" w i l l I crv . . . u n t o t h e e = B Slav.: D om. " B mv'.
 IHieph and Aseneth 485

As a I'atlu-r thai lovt's his i l i i l d r c n ' " a n d is tenderly

aircctionatc."
A n d s n a u h inc frotn ihi- hatid of the ctictny.
For lo. the wild primaeval I.ion p u r s u e s " me:
.And his ehildren are the gtxIs ofthe Fgyptiaiis that
I have abandotied atid destroyed;
.And their father the Devil is trying to devour me.
But d o thou, ( ) Lord, deliver me from his hands.
.And reseue me frotn his mouth.
Lest he snateh me like a wolf and tear me.
.And east me into the abyss of lire, and into the tempest ofthe
sea;
.And let not the great .Sea-monster swallow me.
S a \ e me, ( ) Lord, deserted as I am.
For my father and mother denied me,
Beeause I destroyed and shattered their gods;
i \ n d now I am an o r p h a n and deserted,
.And I have no other hope save in thee, ( ) Lord;
For thou art the father ofthe o r p h a n s , and the champion of
the persecuted,
.And the help of them that are oppressed.
F o r ' lo, all the g o d s " of my father Pentephres arc but lor a season
a n d u n c e r t a i n ; but the habitations of thine inheritance, C) Lord,
a r e incorruptible and eternal.

XIIL Look upon my o r p h a n h o o d , O Lord, for unto thee did I flee,

( ) L o r d . ' Lo, I took olfmy royal robe interwoven with gold and put
on a black tunic instead. Lo, 1 loosed my golden girdle and girt
myself with a rope and sackcloth. Lo, I threw off my diadem from
my head a n d sprinkled myself with ashes. Lo, the floor of my room
once scattered with stones of different colours and of purple, and

" over . . . thildrcn = B Slav.: O o m .

' and is . . . alTcctionatc = B: D Slav. oin.
' the wild . . . pursues = B: D 'as a lion he pursues'.
' -So B Slav.: DFH 'habitations'.

(.) Lord . . . ( ) Lord = D: B '() Lord"; Slav. om. altogether.

 Joieph and Asenelh

besprinkled with m y r r h , ' is now sprinkled with my tears' and"

I) scattered with a s h e s . ' l.o. Lord, from the ashes and Irom my tears
there is as much mud inside my room as there is on a public"
7 h i g h w a y . Lo. L o r d , ' my royal dinner and my fatted beasts have I
K given to the dogs." . \ n d lo. for seven days and sc\cn nights" I have
neither eaten bread nor drunk water; and my mouth is dr\- like a
d r u m , a n d my tongue like horn, and my lips like a potsherd, and
my face is shrunken, and my eyes are failing as a result of my
'.I incessant tears.'" But do thou. ( ) Lord, pardon mc. for in ignorance
did I sin against thee and uttered calumnies against my lord
10 Joseph. .\tid I did not know, wretch that I am, that hc is th\ son, O
L o r d ; for thev told me that J o s e p h was a shepherd's son from the
land o f C a n a a n , and I believed them; but I was wrong, and I
despised J o s e p h , thine elect one, and I spoke evil of him, not
11 k n o w i n g that hc is thy son. For what man e\er was so handsome,
a n d who else is as wise and strong as Joseph? But to thee, my Lord,
VI d o I entrust him; for I love him more than mine own soul. Preserve
h i m in the wisdom of thy grace, and give me to him as a servant, so
t h a t I m a y wash his feet and s e r \ c him and be his slave for a l l " the
scasotis o f m y life.

XIV. .And as .\seneth hnished her confession to the Lord, lo, the
•_' m o r n i n g star rose in the eastern sky. .And .Aseneth saw it and
rejoiced a n d said, I h e Lord God has indeed heard me, for this star
;i is a messenger and herald ofthe light ofthe great day. .And lo, the
h e a v e n was torn open near the morning star and an indescribable
4 light a p p e a r e d , .And Aseneth fell on her face upon the ashes; and
t h e r e c a m e to her a m a n from heaven' and stood at her head;' and

• and bospr. with m : B o m . ' with my tears: D om.

•* B D o m . : Slav, adds-to-day'.
' s r a l t r r c d with ashes: D o m .
" I.it. -hroad'. ' B -mv I.ord'.
" .So B . \ : DFH Slav, -the strange dogj-.
" and seven nights: Slav. om.
"' I.it. -as a result oi'the inflammation ofmy t e a r s .
" Bom.

' So F t i : B -a man of light from fleaven'; D -fhe man of Ood'.

• I.it. 'over her head'.

 Joseph and Asenelh 487
3 he called to her. .Vsetieth.' .\iid .she said. W h o called me? For the
d o o r ol'my room is shtit and the tower is high: how then did anyone
f) get into'' m \ room?.And the m a n ' c a l l e d her a second time and said.
.Aseneth. .Aseneth; and she said. Here am I. n n lord, lell me who
7 yon are. .And the m a n said. I am the connnaiider'' o f t h e Lord's
h o u s e ' a n d chief captain" ol'all the host ol'the .Most High:" stand
« u p , " ' a n d I will speak to \ o u . .And she looked up and saw a man like
J o s e p h in every respect, with a robe and a crown and a royal stalf.
9 But his face was like lightning, a n d his eyes were like the light ol'thc
s u n , " a n d the hairs of his head like l l a m e s " of fire, and his hands
10 a n d his feet like iron from the fire. .And .Aseneth looked al him. and
11 she fell on her face at his feet in great fear and trembling. .And the
m a n said to her. Take heart. .Aseneth. and do not be afraid: but
12 s t a n d u p . " and I will speak to you. .And .Aseneth got up. and the
m a n said to her. Take olf the black tunic you are wearing and the
sackcloth r o u n d your waist.''' and shake the ashes olf your head.
13 a n d wash your face with water. .And put on a new robe that you
h a v e n e \ e r worn b e f o r e . " and tie your bright girdle rotmd your
14 waist - the double girdle ol'your \ irginity. .And ihen come back to
15 m e , a n d I will tell you what I have been sent to you lo say. .And
.Aseneth went into the room where her Ireasure-chesls and Ihefinery for
her a d o r n m e n t were;'" a n d she opened her wardrobe and took oul a
new, fine, robe, a n d she took olf her black robe and put on the new
16 a n d brilliant one. .And she untied the rope and the sackcloth round
her w a i s t ; " a n d she put on the brilliant double girdle of her

' .So B: D Slav. om.

I.il. and how did hi- conn- into' (= B Slav.: D 'and how did you romc hi-rc
into'). ' B '.And lie'.
" So BD: .\ c h i d i a p t a i n ' ; KF(; ruler'.
' .So BKF Slav.: C; 'ofthe Ixird': O 'ofglory ofthe I.ord'; .\ 'ofthe Lord tJixl'.
" So D: FIF'G.A 'and commander'.
' So G.A Slav.: I) 'of all the host ofthe Lord Most Hish'; F 'of all the heavenly
host"; B om. 'and chief.. . High' altogether.
Lit. "stand upon your feet' (D 'stand up from the floor').
" B ' h i s eyes like the sun'. " Lit.'a flame'.
" Lit. 'stand upon your feet' (D om. 'upon your feet').
'•* round your waist (lit. 'from your loins') = F"(f.A: B "from you'; D Sla\'. om.
" Lit. 'a new robe, undehled'.
'* where . . . were: B om.
" .And . . . waist: D o m .
 488 Joseph and Aseneth
virginity - o n e girdle round h e r waist a n d the other round her
17 b r e a s t . .And s h e s h o o k t h e a s h e s olf h e r h e a d , a n d w a s h e d h e r lace
w i t h p u r e w a t e r , a n d c o v e r e d h e r h e a d w i t h a line a n d lovely veil.

XV. . A n d s h e c a m e back t o t h e m a n ; a n d w h e n t h e m a n s a w h e r h c
s a i d t o h e r , T a k e n o w t h e v e i l o l T y o u r h e a d , for t o - d a y y o u a r e a
2 p u r e v i r g i n a n d y o u r h e a d is l i k e a y o u n g m a n ' s . S o s h e t o o k it o i l '
l i c r h e a d ; a n d t h e m a t i s a i d t o h e r . T a k e h e a r t , . A s e n e t h . ' liir lo, t h e
-i I . o r d h a s h e a r d t h e w o r d s o f y o u r cotif'cssion. T a k e h e a r t . . A s e n e t h ; '
y o u r n a m e i s w r i t t e n i n th<; b o o k o f l i f c . a n d it w i l l n e v e r b e b l o t t e d
4 out. Frimi t o - d a y y o u will b e m a d e n e w , a n d r e f a s h i o n e d , a n d
g i v e n n e w life; a n d y o u s h a l l c a t t h e b r e a d ol lilt; a n d d r i n k t h e c u p
of i m m o r t a l i t y , a n d b e a n o i n t e d with t h e unction of incorruption.'
.i T a k e h e a r t , Aseneth:'' lo. t h e I.ord has given you t o j o s e p h to be his
6 b r i d e , a n d h e shall b e y o u r b r i d e g r o o m . A n d you shall n o more be
c a l l e d . A s e n e t h , b u t ' C i t y o f R e h i g c ' s h a l l b e y o u r n a m e ; for m a n y
n a t i o n s shall t a k e refuge in v o u , a n d u n d e r y o u r wings s h a l P many
p e o p l e s " h n d s h e l t e r , ' a n d within y o u r walls those w h o give their
7 a l l e g i a n c e t o G o d i n p e n i t e n c e w i l l find s e c u r i t y . I ' o r P e n i t e n c e is
the Most High's daughter a n d sheentreats the Most High on sow
b e h a l f e v e r y h o u r . * a n d o n b e h a l f o f a l l w h o r e p e n t ; " f o r h e is t h e
f a t h e r o f P e n i t e n c e ' " a n d s h e t h e m o t h e r o f v i r g i n s , a n d every h o u r
s h e p e t i t i o n s h i m I b r t h o s e w h o r e p c i u ; fiir ' s h e h a s p r e p a r e d a
h e a v e n l y b r i d a l c h a m b e r I b r t h o s e w h o l o v e h e r , ' ' ' a n d s h e will look
8 a f t e r t h e m f o r e v e r . A n d P e n i t e n c e is herself a v i r g i n , v e r y b e a u t i f u l

' BFH.A Slav, a d d 'you pure virgin'.

' T a k e heart .-\seneth: D o m . : B.A add 'you [.\ + 'pure") virgin'.
' T h e authorities dilfer not a littU- in detail here. .\ll, however, irfcr to .Vsencth's
eating o f t h e bread a n d all except F to her drinking ol'thc cup. Her anointing with
the unction appears in HG.A .Arm., but m)t in BDF.F Slav. Cf). viii..').
" B . \ a d d ' y o u (.A 4 'pure') virgin'.
' u n d e r . . . shall: D om.
^ B 'nations"; O om.
' find shelter (lit. 'shelter themselves") '" V.VM: B 'lodge and sh. th.'; D om.
" on vour b. cvcrv hour: B om.
" a n d (B om.) on b. ofall (BG om.) who r.: D o m .
'" for . . . Penitence: D o m .
'' she the mother . . . for: B om.
B'him'.
 Joseph and Asenelh 489
a n d p u r e and chaste a n d gentle; and God Most High lo\es her, and
y all his angels do her r c \ c r c n c c . And lo, I a m on n i v way t o j o s e p l i ,
a n d I will talk to him a b o u t you, and he will come lo you to-day
a n d see you and rejoice over you; and he shall be your bridegroom.
:o So listen to me, Aseneth, and put o n y o u r wedding r o b e , the
ancient'-' r o b e . ' " the first" that was stored away in y o u r room, and
deck yourself in all your finest jewcllry. and adorn yourself as a
:1 b r i d e , a n d be ready to meet him. I-'or lo, he is coming to you to-day;
VI a n d he will sec you a n d rcjoit:e. .And when the man had finished
13 s p e a k i n g .Aseneth was o v i T J o y e d . .And she fell at his feet and said to
h i m . Blessed be the I.ord God"" that sent you out to deliver me
from d a r k n e s s a n d bring me into light; and b l e s s e d be his n a m e f()r
11 ever. Let mc speak now, my lord, if I have found l i i v o u r with you: sit
d o w n a little on the bed, and I will get a table read) and Ibod Ibr
you to e a t ; " and I will bring you good wine, ofthe finest f l a v o u r , Ibr
you to d r i n k ; ' " and then you shall go y o u r way.

XVI. . \ n d the m a n said to her, Bring mc, please, a h o n e y c o m b too.

2 .And .-Xseneth said. Let me send someone, my lord,' to my famil)
3 e s t a t e in the c o u n t r ) , and 1 will get you a h o n e y c o m b . .And the man
said to her, G o into your innermom a n d you will find a h o n e y c o m b
4 there. Xnd Aseneth w e n t into her inner room and found a honey­
c o m b K ing on the table; a n d the c o m b was a s white as snow and
5 full of honey, and its smell was like the b r e a t h ' oflifc. .And .Ascnctli
took the c o m b a n d brought it to him; and the man saiil to her. Why
did you say. T h e r e is no h o n e y c o m b in my house? .And lo, you have
6 b r o u g h t me this. .And .Aseneth said. My lord, I had no h o n e y c o m b
in my house, but it h a p p e n e d j u s t as you said: did it perchance
1 c o m e out o l ' y o u r m o u t h , for it smells like m y r r h ? ' And the m a n

" .SoBEKHA:Dom.
" .So BFA: D E H om.
" So BD: H . \ 'even the first'; E F om.
" liom.
" Lit. '. . . and bread, and eat' (imperative).
I.it. "wine, whose savour rea(-hes to the heavens, and drink' (imperative).

' SoD:BSlav.om.
' Lit. 'smell'.
' D a d d s "from vour mouth'.
 m) Joseph and Asenelh
stiTlchcd his h a n d out and placed it on her head and said. You are
blessed, . \ s e n e t h , lor the indescribable things" o f O o d ' have been
revealed to you; and blessed too are those who give their allegiance
K to the Lord" God in penitence, for they shall eat ofthis comb. T h e
bees of the Paradise of Delight' have m a d e this honey, and the
angels of God eat ofit, and no one who eats ofit shall ever die. And
t h e m a n stretched his right hand out and broke off a piece o f t h e
lu c o m b a n d ate it; and he put apieceoi'h' into .Aseneth's mouth. .And
the m a n stretched his h a n d out and put his hnger' on the edge of
the c o m b that faced eastwards; and the p a t h ' " ofhis hnger became
11 like blood. .And he stretched his hand out a second time and put his
h n g e r on the edge of the comb that faced northwards; and the
IJ p a t h ' " o f h i s hnger became like blood. .And .Aseneth was standing
\'i on the left a n d watching everything the man was doing. .And bees
c a m e u p from the cells ofthe comb, and they were as white as snow,
a n d their wings were irridescenl - purple and blue and gold;" and
they h a d golden d i a d e m s on their heads and sharp-pointed stings.
14 . \ n d all the bees flew in circles round .Aseneth, from her feet right
u p to her head; a n d yet more b e e s , " as big as queens, settled on
I.i .Aseneth's lips. .And the m a n said to the bees. Go, please, to your
Ui places. .And they all left .Aseneth and fell to the ground, every one q/"
17 Ihem." a n d died. .And the m a n said. Get up now, and go to your
place; a n d they got u p ' " and went, every one of ihem, to the court
r o u n d .Aseneth's lower.

XVII. .And the m a n said to .Aseneth, H a v e you observed this? .And

' So B D H : (; 'llic hidden things'; F 'the mysteries'; .X "the indescribable

mvsterics'.
' So BDA: F C ; H "the .Most High".
» BF add "your".
' i.e. the Garden of F:den (cp. the I.XX at e.g. Gen. iii. 23 and Ezek. xxxi. 9).
" I.it. "and he gave of the comb with his hand".
' B Lat. "his forefinger".
'° So D Lat.: B Slav, "appearance".
" I.it. 'and their wings were as purple, and hyacinth, and as threads of gold'
( = B: .\ ' . . . hyacinth, and as scarlet": D Slav. om. 'and as threads of gold').
' ' .Xscneth . . . bees; D o m .
" every one ofthem = B; D Slav. om.
" .And they got up = BFG .A Slav.; D om.
 Joseph and Asenelh '1-91
2 she said, Ves,' my lord, 1 have observed it all. And the m a n said. So
3 shall be t h e ' words I h a \ e spoken to you. . \ n d the m a n touc:hed the
c o m b , a n d fire went u p from the table a n d burnt up the comb; a n d ,
as it b u r n e d , the c o m b gave out a re/rcshing fragrance that /ilJed
4 the rootri. .And .Aseneth said to tlic m a n , [ h e r e are, my lord, seven
\irgiiis with mc, who have been brought up with me, and who wait
u p o n tne: they were born in the same night as I was and I love
t h e m : let me call t h e m , ' so that you can bless them as you have
j blessed me. .And the m a n said. Call them;'' and .\sencth called
t h e m , a n d the m a n blessed t h e m and said, Ciod,' the Most High,
6 will bless you" for ever. .And the m a n said to Aseneth, 'Take this
table away; a n d .Aseneth turned to move the table, a n d ' the m a n
\ a n i s h e d out of her sight, and .Aseneth saw what looked like a
7 chariot of lire being taken up into heaven towards the east. .And
.Aseneth said, Be merciful, C) I^ord, to thy maidservant, bcc.iiisc it
was in" ignorance that I spoke evil" belbre thee.

XVIII. And while this was h a p p e n i n g , ' b e h o l d , ' a young m a n , one

of J o s e p h ' s ' servants, c a m e a n d said, I.o. Jo.seph, the mighty m a n
2 of G o d is coming to you" to-day. .And Aseneth called her s t e w a r d '
a n d said, C Jet ready a special dinner for mc, because J o s e p h , the
3 m i g h t y m a n of G o d , is coming to us. .And .Aseneth went into her
r o o m a n d opened her w a r d r o b e , and she took out her finest" robe
4 t h a t s h o n e like lightning, and she put it on. .And she tied a resplen­
d e n t royal girdle r o u n d her waist - and this girdle w a s ' ol'prccious

' Lit.-1.0'. ' B'my'.

' Lit. T r a y , 1 will call tlicni = D G . \ : Botn.
And the man . . . ttiem = BG; Slav. '.\nd he said. CAW liie.TrC\ D oin.
' So D L l ' G Slav.: A 'the Lord (iod'; B om.
'' E adds 'and you shall be seven pillars ofthe City of Refuge'.
' B adds 'immediately'.
" D adds 'my'. " B 'this word'.

' .So B: U Slav, 'and when .-\sencih said this'; L "and .\seneth was saying these
things to herself; A 'and while .Aseneth was yet saying these things to herself.
,So B Slav.: D 'immediately'.
' So BDA Slav.: ELG 'Pentephres's'.
"* So L) Slav, (plural): B ' y o u ' ( s i n g . ) . ^ Lit'himwhowasoverherhouse'.
" Lit.'first'. ' and this g. was: Born.
 492 Joseph and Aseneth
') stoiu-s. And stic put golden hraielets round her hands, and golden
boots on her feet, and a costly necklace about her neck; and she put
a golden crown upon her head, and in the crown, in front, were the
),7 costliest of stones. .And she covered her head with a \ eil. .And she
said to her m a i d s e r v a n t . Bring mc pure water from the spring. .And
.Aseneth bent down to the water in the basin [on the cockle-shell [;"
a n d her face was like the sun. and her eyes like the rising morning
star.

XIX. .And a little slave came and said to .Aseneth. Lo,.Joseph is at

the gates of our court; and .Aseneth went down with the se\en
'1 virgins to meet h i m . ' .And when J o s e p h saw her. he said to her.
Clonic to me, p u r e virgin, for I have had g i K i d news about you from
3 h e a v e n , explaining everything about you.' .And J o s e p h stretched
his h a n d s out and embraced .Aseneth, and .Aseneth embraced
J o s e p h , ' a n d they greeted each other for a long time and received
new life in their spirit."

XX. .And .Aseneth said to him. Clonic, my lord, come into my

h o u s e ; a n d she ttxik his right hand and brought him' inside her
•2 h o u s e . .And J o s e p h sat down on her father Pentephres's seat, and
she b r o u g h t water to wash his feet; and J o s e p h said to her. Let one
3 of >o«r virgins come, and let her wash my feet. .And .Aseneth said to
h i m , .No, my lord, for my h a n d s arc your hands, and your feet my
feet,' a n d no one else shall wash your feet; and so she had her way

" Plliloilt'tiko would exclude these words on the ground that they make no sense.
H e interprets the \'erse as a description of" a rite of" divination flecanomancy):
.•\seiielh, therefore, could not bend over both a basin and a shell at the same time. It
is worth noting, however, that Batiffol's much fuller text, not only makes no
mention o f a shell, but also leaves no room for doubt that .Aseneth's purpose in
sending for the water was 'to wash her face', and that it was only when she saw her
reflection in the water that she desisted ('I.esI 1 wash ofl" this great and welcome
beauty').

' So D: BF.A'Joseph'. ' t'rom hea\'en . . , you; D om.

' and embraced .As . . Joseph = D.A; B o m .
* O r 'by their breath'; D om. 'and rec. . . . spirit'.

' So B: D 'and hand in hand (lit. 'holding each other's right hands') they
entered'. ' So DF.A Slav.: B 'mv feet vour kn'.
 Juseph and Aseneth 193
4 a n d w a s h e d his feet. .And J o s e p h tooii her by the right hand and
1 kissed i t / a n d . \ s e n e t h kissed his h e a d . And Aseneth's parents"
c a m e back from their country estate, a n d tliey saw .Aseneth sitting
with J o s e p h a n d w e a r i n g a w e d d i n g ' robe; and they rejoiced and
6 glorified G o d , a n d they ate a n d they d r a n k . A n d Pentephres said to
J o s e p h , T o - m o r r o w 1 will invite the lords and s a t r a p s of Egypt,
a n d I will celebrate your w e d d i n g , a n d you shall take Aseneth as
7 your wife. A n d J o s e p h said, First I must tell P h a r a o h about
A s e n e t h , becati.se he is my father; a n d he will give mc Aseneth as my
8 wife himself. A n d Joseph stayed that day with Pentephres; and he
did not sleep with Aseneth, for he said, It is not right for a m a n who
worships G o d to have intercourse with his wife belbre their
marriage.

XXI.' A n d J o s e p h got up early in the morning, a n d he went away

2 to P h a r a o h a n d told him a b o u t A s e n e t h . ' And P h a r a o h sent and
3 c a l l e d ' P e n t e p h r e s a n d Aseneth." And P h a r a o h was astonished at
her b e a u t y a n d said, T'he Lord will bless you, even the G o d o f
J o s e p h , ' ' w h o has chosen you to be his bride, for' he is the first-born
son of G o d , and* you will be called the d a u g h t e r ofthe Most H i g h ,
4 a n d Joseph shall be y o u r bridegroom for ever. And P h a r a o h took
5 golden c r o w n s a n d p u t t h e m on their heads a n d said, Gorl Most
6 H i g h will bless you a n d prosper your family' for ever. A n d

' Or'her'.
" B a d d s 'both her fatlier and her mother'.
' So BA Slav.; U 'bright'.

' Philonenko's text ofthis chapter is for the most part a reconstruction from the
Slavonic, B and D having a n u m b e r of omissions. A, on tlie other hand, agrees in the
main W\\h the Slavonic apart from a few small variations, expansions, and addi­
tions.
' a n d told . . . Aseneth: BD oni.
' And Phar called = Slav.: D 'And Phar. called'; B om.
•* Pent, and As. = D: Slav. 'Pent, and his daughter'; B om.
' And P h a r . . . . God of = (A) Slav.: BD om.
" So A: Slav. 'Israel'; BD om.
' w h o . . . for = (A) Slav.: BD om.
" he is . . . a n d = F(A) Syr.: BD Slav. om.
' Lit. ' a n d multiply you'.
 494 Joseph and Asenelh
P h a r a o h t u r n e d them t o w a r d s each other, and they kissed each
o l h e r . .And P h a r a o h celebrated their wedding with a banquet and
m u c h m e r r y - m a k i n g ' " for seven days; and he invited all the chief
7 tnen in the land of F.gypt." And he issued a proclamation, saying,"
. A n y " m a n w h o docs any work d u r i n g the se\ en days ofjoseph and
8 .Aseneth's w e d d i n g ' ' ' shall die. .And when the wedding was over
a n d t h e b a n q u e t ended, J o s e p h had intercourse with .Vscneth; and
.Aseneth conceived by Joseph and bore Mana.sseli and his brother
K p h r a i m in J o s e p h ' s " house.

XXII. .And al'lcr this the seven years of plenty came to an end, and
2 t h e seven years of famine began. And when J a c o b heard about his
s o n ' J o s e p h , hc c a m e into Kgypt, with all his family, in the second
m o n t h , on the tvventy-hrsl day o f t h e m o n t h ; and he settled in the
.3 l a n d of G o s h e n . ' .And .Aseneth said to Joseph, I ' will go and see
y o u r father, because your father Israel is my father; and Joseph
4 said to her, Let us go together. .And J o s e p h and .Aseneth came into
t h e l a n d of G o s h e n , a n d J o s e p h ' s brothers met them*' and made
5 o b e i s a n c e to t h e m upon the g r o u n d . .And they came t o j a c o b and
he blessed thein a n d kissed them;" and .Aseneth hung upon his
6 f a t h e r ' J a c o b ' s neck a n d kissed him. .And after this they ate and
7 d r a n k . A n d Joseph a n d .Aseneth went to their house, and Simeon
a n d Levi escorted t h e m , to protect t h e m : ' Levi was on Aseneth's
8 r i g h t h a n d a n d Simeon*' on the left. And .Aseneth took Levi's hand
because she loved him as a m a n who was a prophet and a worshipper
l.il. 'drinking'.
" yon v^'iil be called . . . ligypt = (A) Slav.: B D o m ,
" .And . . . saying - (D) (.A) Slav.: B om.
" So BFGA Slav. (lit. 'cverv'): I) ' i l a n y ' ('man does . . . he shall d i e ) .
B Slav, add 'that m a n ' .
" So D f A Slav.: BG ' P h a r a o h ' s ' .

' his son: Slav. om.

' So BA Slav.: D 'Egypt'.
' So B E E G A Slav.: D 'we'.
'' into . . . them = B A S I a v . : D 'and Joseph's brothers'; B adds in the land of
Cioshen'. ' and ki.ssed them = B Slav.: Dom.
' his father: D o m .
• Lit. 'escorted them because their enemies were envious ofthem'.
" So B: D F A Slav. 'Joseph'.
 Joseph and Aseneth 495
of G o d and a man who (cared the I.ord. . \ i i d he used t o s e e l e t t e r s
w r i t t e n in the h e a \ c n s , and he would read them and interpret
t h e m " to .\seneth privately: and Levi saw the placeol'her rest in the
highest h e a \ e n .

XXIII. . \ n d as J o s e p h and .\seneth were passing b y . Pharaoh's

2 eldest son saw t h e m ' I'rom the wall.' .And when he saw .Aseneth' he
w a s driven to distraction by her because she was s o beaiuitul; and
P h a r a o h ' s son sent messengers' and summoned .Simeon and Le\i
;i to him. and they came to him and sttxKl before him.* .And Pharaoh's
son said to t h e m . I have h e a r d ' that you are better soldiers than
a n y others there are on earth, and that with your own right hands
you destroyed the city of Shechem and with yourot^^n two swords
4 you cut to pieces thirty thousand fighting men." I need your help:
let us get together without delay:'' and 1 will g i v e you g o l d and
silver in a b u n d a n c e , and menservants and maidservants, and
houses a n d great estates." .Make a compact w i t h me," and s h e w
kindness to me; for I was greatly wronged by y o u r brother Joseph,
b e c a u s e he married .Aseneth a l t h o u g h ' " she was originally pledged
5 to me. .And now come with me, and I will take up arms against
J o s e p h a n d kill him with my sword, and I will marry .Aseneth; and
6 you shall be my brothers a n d " my friends for ever. But if you will
not listen to me, I will kill you with my sword (and as he said this he
7 b a r e d his sword and showed it them). Now Simeon was a brave but
i m p e t u o u s m a n , and he drew his sword from its scabbard and
8 m a d e a rush at P h a r a o h ' s son. as if to strike him. .And Levi was
' So B (lil. 'he would reveal t h e m ' ) : 1 ) 'he would reveal all thiiiRs".

' D'her'.
- from the wall = BK.\: DFG Slav. om.
> SoBF.\Slav.:IX;om.
' and sttKxl l>efore him = BFG: 0 Slav. om.
' Lit. 'I know'.
' Lit. 'thirty thousand inen o f war' (D om. 'of war').
' So Slav. (lit. 'I rail you to my aid: make haste. Ix), I will take you as
companions'): D "I call you to my aid: make haste'; B '.And lo, I will take you to my
aid this day'; . \ 'And I this day will take you to myself as companions'.
' Lit. 'inheritance'.
' So G: B 'swear t o me'; D 'listen t o me'; A 'strive to.gether w i t h me'.
Lit.'and'. " my brothers and: U om.
 49f) Joseph and Asenelh
a u lire ol'ulial Simcoti wa.s alxnit to do. lor l,f \ i was a [)roplut and
foresaw c\crythiiia; that was to happen; and I,e\i trod hard on
'I Simon"s right foot as a sign to hini to eiirli his wrath. .\iid l.e\i said
to hini. \ \ hy so angry with him? For we are the ehildren ofa man
w h o wiirsliips (jod. and it is not right liir a man who worships (iod
1(1 to repay his neighbour evil liir e\il. .\iid I.e\i said to his neigh­
b o u r . " P l i a r a o i r s son. respeetlully and in good humour. .\/v lord,
why d o you speak to us like this? F o r " we are men who worship
( j o d . a n d o u r lather is the servant of (iod .Most High, and our
b r o t h e r Joseph is loved by (iod; how eould we d o " a n \ t h i n g so
11 wieked in ( i o d ' s eyes? .And now. listen to fis. and li<' earelul you
12 i i e \ e r repeat what you h a \ e j u s t said about our brother Joseph. If.
how e\ er, you persist in this wieked plan, see. our swords are drawn
li against NOU. .And t h e y " drew their swords Irom their seabbards
a n d said. Do you see these swords? It was with them that the
I.ord'" ( i o d avenged the outrage on the sons o f l s r a e l . whieh the
men of Sheehem eommitted in the alfair of our sister Dinah.
11 w h o m " .Shechem. H a n i o r ' s son. defiled. .And Pharaoh's son saw
their d r a w n swords, and he was afraid and trembled and fell on his
l:i face to the g r o u n d at their feet. .And Levi stretched his hand out
a n d lifted him up, saying. Do not be afraid: only be careful you say
Ui n o t h i n g against our brother. .And they went out from him. leaving
h i m trembling and afraid.

XXIV. .And P h a r a o h ' s son was in much alliiction and torment

2 because of .Aseneth. and hc was greatly distressed. .And his servants
w h i s p e r e d in his ear, Lo, the .sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. the
m a i d s e r v a n t s of Leah and Rachel, Jacob's wi\es, hate Joseph and
.Aseneth a n d are jealous o f t h e m , and they will do what you want.
:i .And P h a r a o h ' s son sent messengers' and summoned them, and
they c a m e to him by night; and Pharaoh's son said to them, I have
1 h e a r d ' that you arc gowi soldiers. .And (iad and Dan, the elder

" his ncighlxiur: D o m . " l.il.'.Vrur.

'•' Lil. 'and how ( D o m . ) shall wo do'.
" D'.Simeon and L e \ i ' .
lhe Lord: D o m . ' ' BD Slav. :idd in'.

' SoB(iA.Sl.av.:DFom. ' Lit I know'.

 Joseph and Asenelh 497
b r o t h e r s , said to P h a r a o h ' s son. Let o u r lord tell his servants what
5 It is he w a n t s , a n d we will d o it.' And P h a r a o h ' s son was overjoyed,
a n d he said to his servants, O o a w a y a n d leave us alone, for I have
fi s o m e t h i n g to .say to these men privately. .Vnd all the .servatits went
out; a n d P h a r a o h ' s son told them lies, .saying, I ofler you a choice
between prosperity a n d death:" so choose prosperity' and not
7 d e a t h . I know that you are good soldiers, a n d that you will not die
as w o m e n die; but act like men a n d take vengeance on" your
8 e n e m i e s . I h e a r d (he c o n t i n u e d ' ) your brother J o s e p h say to my
father P h a r a o h , D a n a n d G a d a r e the children of maid.scrvants'
9 a n d a r e not my b r o t h e r s . And I a m o n l y waiting for my lather to die
to take action against t h e m a n d all their progeny, so that they will
not s h a r e the inheritance with us, for they are the children of
m a i d s e r v a n t s , a n d it was they v.'ho sold tne to the Ishmaelitcs.
10 W h e n my father is d e a d I will repay t h e m for the wrong they did
11 m c . And my father P h a r a o h c o m m e n d e d J o s e p h a n d said to him,"
W h a t you h a v e said is quite right, my son; a n d n o w ' " take some of
my s o l d i e r s " a n d proceed against them as they did against you,
12 a n d I will help you. And when the men h e a r d what P h a r a o h ' s son
told t h e m they were m u c h " troubled a n d distressed, and they said
to h i m . W e a p p e a l to you, our lord, to help us; a n d whatever you tell
13 y o u r s e r v a n t s to d o , we will d o it. And P h a r a o h ' s son said to them,
T o - n i g h t 1 will kill my father, for my father P h a r a o h is l i k e ' ' a
father tojo.seph; a n d ' " d o you also kill J o s e p h , ' " a n d I will m a r r y
14 A s e n e t h . A n d D a n a n d Gatl said to him. W e will d o everything you
h a v e told us to. W e o v e r h e a r d J o s e p h say to Aseneth, G o to­
m o r r o w to o u r country estate, for it is vintage-time; and he has
a r r a n g e d for six h u n d r e d a r m e d soldiers to go with her and fifty

' Lit. 'his ( = B: DEGA Slav, 'your') will'.

" Lit. 'Blessing and death ate before your face ( = BFG(A): D Slav, 'befoie the
laceofGod'). ' Lit.'theblessing'.
* a n d . . . on = DA Slav.; B 'and greet'.
' Lit. 'he says'.
' B 'a maidservant'.
to him: B o m . Lit.'for the rest'.
'' D Slav, a d d 'with you'.
" DFSlav.om. " Dom.
a n d . . Joseph = D Slav.; B F o m .
 498 Joseph and Aseneth
15 outriiniKTs. •' A n d when P h a r a o h ' s son heard this, h e " gave the
four m e n five liundred men each a n d appointed them tiicirofficers
Iti a n d c o m m a n d e r s . .And D a n and G a d said to h i m , " We will go by
n i g h t a n d lie in wait at the brook a n d hide in the woods on the
17 banks."* .And as for you, take fifty men with you. archers on
h o r s e b a c k , a n d go on a h e a d , " some distance in front; and .Aseneth
will l o m c a n d fall into o u r ' " h a n d s , " a n d we will cut down the men
18 w h o a r e with h e r . " .And .Aseneth will lice in her chariot and fall
i n t o y o u r h a n d s and you will be able tn deal with iier as you wish.
19 .And afterwards wc will kill J o s e p h while he is fretting about
20 .Aseneth; a n d wc will kill his children before his eyes. .And Pharaoh's
son w a s delighted when he heard this, and he sent two thousand
21 soldiers after t h e m . .And they c a m e to the brook and hid in the
w o o d s on the banks, a n d hve h u n d r e d men took up their position in
front; a n d in between t h e m was a h i g h w a y . "

XXV. A n d P h a r a o h ' s son went to his father's room to kill him; but
2 his father's g u a r d s would not allow h i m ' to go in to him. .And
P h a r a o h ' s son said to t h e m , 1 want to see' my father because I am
3 g o i n g olf to g a t h e r the grapes from my newly planted vine.' .And
t h e g u a r d s said to him. Your father is in pain, and he has been
a w a k e all night; but he is resting now; and he said to us. Do not let
4 a n y o n e in to me, not even my eldest son. .And he went away in
a n g e r ; a n d he took fifty m o u n t e d archers, and he went in front of
5 t h e m as D a n a n d G a d had told him to. And Naphtali and Ashcr"
said to D a n a n d G a d , W h y must you plot' again against our father
Israel a n d against o u r b r o t h e r J o s e p h ? For God looks after him as if
" a n d fifty o n t r n n n e r s = Slav: B D o m .
" when . . . hc: D 'the son of Pharaoh'.
" I ) ' t h e son of Pharaoh'.
'" Lit. 'in the wood of rccd(s)' (and so subscquentiv at xxiv. 21; x.xvii. 7; xxviii.
5.7;. • BA a d d ' o f her'.
So E F . \ Slav.: B 'vonr' (plur.): f)Ci 'vour' (sing.).
KF'ambush'.
" w h o a r e with her: B om.
^' Lit. 'a wide ( B o m . ) road'.

' B a d d s 'to kill him or'.

' L i l . ' I will sec'. ' I)'vineyard'.
** a n d .Asher: B om. ' Lit. 'work evil'.
 Joseph and Asenelh 199
f> he were the ap])le ol'his eye. Did you not once sell Joseph as a slave.
a n d to-day he is king ol'the whole earth." and saviour.' and gives
7 us corn? . \ n d now. ifyoii make plots against him again, he will eall
upon the (Jotl ol'Israel." and he will send lire from heaven." and it
will btirn vou up, and the angels ol'CJod will light against y o u . ' "
li .Vnd their elder brothers Dan and (Jad were angry with them.
saying. .Are we then to die like women? ( J o d liirbid! .\ntl thev vveiu
out to eneotmter Joseph and .Aseneth.

XXVI. . \ n d .Aseneth got up early in Ihe morning And said to, Joseph. I
a m going to otir estate in the eountry: but I am Irighlened beeause
2 you are not coming with me. .And Joseph said to her, l a k e heart
a n d d o not be afraid, but go; for the Lord is with yoti and he will
:i keep you from all evil' as the apple of an eye. .And 1 will go and
d i s t r i b u l e my corn, and give corn to all the men in the (ity,' so that
4 no one dies of famine in the land olT'.gypt.' .And .Aseneth departed
.') on her j o u r n e y and Joseph to the distribution of the corn. .And
.Aseneth c a m e to where the brook was with her six hundred men;
a n d suddenly* the men that wete with Pharaoh's son leaped out
from their a m b u s h ' and joined battle with .Aseneth's soldiers, and
they cut them down with their swords and killed all" .Aseneth's
i,7 o u t r u n n e r s . .And .Aseneth fled' in her chariot. .And Levi, the son of
L e a h , was informed about all this (for he was a prophet), and he
told his brothers" about .Aseneth's danger; and they took, each one

* B ( ; . \ "hind oIKgyi)!'.
' and ils saviour: B oui.
" thr (iod olIsr,acl = BD: .A 'ihr .Most High': Slav, 'heaven' |. ,,. l'.(; Syr. 'he will
go up into heaven').
** from heaven: .Slav. otti.
and the angels . . . you: Slav. oni.

' B 'danger'.
' all . . . city = F . \ : BD 'those in the city'; Slav, "all men'.
' So D . \ : Slav, "in all the land"; B "in Kgvpt, in all the land which is under it".
Slav. om.
' from their ambush; .Slav. om.
" killed all: B o m .
' . \ n d . \ s . fled = EFG.A Slav.: D '.And .As. was distressed and lied'; B t)m.
" .And Levi. . . brothers = B: D '.And Levi was informed a b o u t . . . told the men of
his counsel'; Slav. '.And Levi told his brothers'.
 500 Joseph and Aseneth
of t h e m , " his sword on his thigh, and their sliields on their arms,"'
a n d their spears in their right h a n d s , " and they went after .Asenctli
8 w i t h w h a t speed they c o u l d . " And Aseneth fled, and lo, Pharaoh's
son met her, a n d hfty men with iiim; and .\sencth saw him, and she
w a s afraid a n d t r e m b l e d . "

.2 XXVII. . \ n d Benjamin was sitting with her in the chariot. .And

Benjamin was a s t u r d y ' lad, about eighteen years old, indescribably
.3 h a n d s o m e , ' a n d as strong as a young lion; and he feared (iod. .And
B e n j a m i n j u m p e d d o w n from the chariot, and hc took a round
s t o n e from t h e brook a n d hurled it with all his m i g h t ' at Pharaoh's
son a n d hit him on his left** temple a n d wounded him severely,' and
4 h e fell from his horse half-dead. A n d Benjamin clambered up on a
rock a n d said to the driver of Aseneth's chariot, (iive me fifty
5 s t o n e s from the brook; a n d he gave him hfiy stones. And Benjamin
h u r l e d the stones a n d killed the fifty men that were with Pharaoh's
6 son; a n d t h e stones sank inlo the temples of each one ofthem. Then
t h e sons of I.cah, R e u b e n and Simeon, Levi a n d j u d a h , Issachar'
a n d Z c b u l o n , went after the men who had lain in a m b u s h ; and they
fell u p o n t h e m suddenly, and cut d o w n ' the two thousand men,
7 a n d t h e six of them* killed them. .And their brothers, the sons o f
B i l h a h a n d Z i l p a h , fled; a n d they said, We have been ruined
t h r o u g h o u r b r o t h e r s ; ' " a n d " P h a r a o h ' s son is dead, killed by
' o f t h e m = BASIav.: D E F G o m .
'» a n d . . . a r m s = DA Slav.: BF 'and their shields'.
" a n d . . . h a n d s - F.ASIav. (cp. F ' a n d their spears in their hands'); B'and their
spears on their arms'; D om.
with what speed they conid (lit. 'at a swift run") = EF(A) Slav.: BD om.
" A Slav, add 'and she called upon the name of (.A + 'the Lord') her God'.

' So B.A: the others vary not a little here.

^ D a d d s ' b e y o n d the nature of m a n ' .
' Lit. 'filled his hand and buried it': ep. 2 Kings ix. 24.
' BDoin.
' Lit. ' a n d wounded him with a great and grievous wound" ( = Ci Slav.: F.F.A 'and
w o u n d e d him with a grievous wound'): BD om.
o Slav.om. ' Dadds'alf.
* Lil. 'the six (D add ' h u n d r e d ' ) men'.
' the sons of": D om.
'° Lit. ' W e are perished from out of our brethren'.
" D'for'.
 Joseph and Aseneth M1
Bciijaniin. a n d all those with hitn have perished at his i i a n d ; "
eonie now. let us k i l l " .\seneth [and BenjaTnin|.'''and let us make
8 for the woods. . \ n d they came, with their swords drawn, covered in
blood; a n d .\sencth saw them, and she said, ( ) Lord my (iod, that
didst citiicken me from death, that didst say to me. Thy soul shall
li\ e for e\ er, deliver me Irom these men. .\nd the Lord (iod heard
her \()ice. and i m m e d i a t e l y " their swords fell from their hands lo
the g r o u n d a n d were reduced to dust.

XXVIII. .\ntl the sons ol'Bilhah and /.ilpah saw the miracle lhat
h a d h a p p e n e d and they were afraid' and said. I h e Lord is hghting
'2 for . \ s e n e t h against us. . \ n d they fell on their faces to the ground
a n d m a d e obeisance to .Aseneth. saying. Have mercy on us. your
ser\ a n t s , liir you are our mistress and queen, and"' we have done
3 s o u ' a great wrong and our brother Joseph.'' .\nd now (iod has
b r o u g h t retribution on us: we pra\ you. therel()rc. have mercy on
us, a n d deliver us from our brothers" h a n d s . ' liir they will avenge
1 the o u t r a g e done to you and their swords will be against us. .And
.Aseneth said to them, l a k e heart and do not be afraid, fiir" your
b r o t h e r s are men who worship (iod, and do not repay evil for e\ iP
•.> to any m a n . " But retire to the woods inuil I can secure your pardon
a n d mollify their wrath; for what you have been trying to do to
I) t h e m is indeed no trifling matter." Take heart though, and do
7 not be afraid, for the Lord will see justice done between us.'" .And
8 D a n a n d ( i a d fled to the woods. .And behold, the sons of Leah
'- and all . . . hand: B D o m .
" So | ; F ( ; , \ Slav.: BD'niak.vvai againsl'.
" .So a l l .M.SS: S l a v , oni,

" she said . . . ininiediaiclv = (.\) Sl.av.: Bl) o n i .

' I X ; 'niiiih alraid'.

' vdiir servanis . . . queen and = F(.\}: lil) 'vour servaiiLs. beeause'; Slav, 'our
mistress*. ' I) a d d s ' o u r lady'.
•• and . . .Joseph: Slav. om.
' BF)'Irom our brothers'.
" .\iid . . . Ibr = Kt;(.\) Slav.: D '.And . . . them. Do not lear lor'; B '.\nd we know
that'. " for evil: Bom.
" l o a n y man: D o m .
" I.it. 'for you have dared great things against them'.
I.il. 'between me and you' ( = E.\ Slav.: BD 'lietween you').
 502 Joseph and Aseneth
c a n u ' . r u n n i n g like dccrs in pursuit of tiicm; and Ascnetli got down
fi from licr chariot, and she greeted them with tears. . \ n d they made
o h c i s a n c c to her on the ground and wept aloud; and they asked
a b o u t their brothers, the maidservants" sons, intending to kill
111 t h e m . . \ n d .Aseneth said to them. Spare your brothers and do them
no h a r m , for the Lord has shielded me and reduced the swords in
their h a n d s to dust, and they melted away like wax before the hre.
II Surely this is enough for us that the Lord is hghting for us: s o "
Vi s p a r e your brothers. .And Simeon said to .Aseneth, Why should our
l:i mistress p l e a d " for her enemies? No! We will cut them d o w n ' ' w i t h
o u r swords, because they have plotted evil against our father Israel
a n d against o u r brother J o s e p h ' " now on two occasions," and they
It have plotted against you to-day. .And .Aseneth said to him. No
b r o t h e r , you must not repay evil for evil to your neighbour,"' for
I.i the Lord will avenge this outrage. .And after t h i s " Simeon bowed
to .Aseneth;"' a n d L e \ i came to her. and he kissed her right hand
III a n d blessed her.'"* Thus .Aseneth saved the men from their brothers'
w r a t h , so that they did not kill them.

XXIX. .And P h a r a o h ' s son lifted himself up from the ground and
sat u p ; a n d hc spat blood from his mouth, because his blood was
•1 r u n n i n g from his temple into' his mouth. .And Benjamin advanced
u p o n h i m ' a n d took hold of his s w o r d ' and drew it from its
:i s c a b b a r d (for Benjamin had no sword ofhis own with him). .And as
hc was a b o u t to strike P h a r a o h ' s son, Levi rushed up and seized
h i m by the h a n d and said. No brother, you must not do this, for we
" I.il. •forlhorcsl'.
'- I.il. W h y docs our mistress speak".
" D a d d s ' l i m b Irom limb".
" against our father . . .Joseph = .\rm.: B "concerning our brother Joseph and
his lather Israel"; D "against our father Joseph".
" .So D F (lit. 'now this twice"); B oni.
evil for . . . ncightxiur = B.-\: F(j 'evil for evil"; D 'your neighbour evil".
" alter this = B : D o m .
So B (lit. 'Simeon greeted .\seneth'); D '.•Wneth greeted Simeon".
and blessed her = B; D o m .

' Lit. "in".

' upon him = B F . \ ; D o m .
' D adds "to strike him".
 Joseph and Asenelh 503
a r e m e n w h o w o r s h i p G o d , a n d it is nol right t()r a man w h o
w o r s h i p s G o d to repay evil for evil, or to t r a m p l e upon a m a n who
4 has already fallen, or to harry his enemy to d(;ath. But come: let us
b i n d u p " his w o u n d ; a n d if he lives, he will be o u r friend, and his
i father P h a r a o h will be our father. And Levi raised P h a r a o h ' s son
up a n d w a s h e d the blood off his face and bound a b a n d a g e round
his w o u n d ; a n d he set him on his horse a n d took him to his father.
6,7 A n d Levi told h i m everything that had h a p p e n e d . And P h a r a o h
got u p ' from his throne a n d m a d e obeisance to Levi upon the
8 g r o u n d . " .-Xnd on the third d a y P h a r a o h ' s son died from the wound
9 of B e n j a m i n ' s s t o n e . ' A n d P h a r a o h m o u r n e d for his eldest son,"
10 a n d he w a s worn out with grief And P h a r a o h " died at'" the age of
11 o n e h u n d r e d a n d nine; a n d he left his c r o w n " to Jose])h. . \ n d
12 J o s e p h was king in Egypt for'" forty-eight years. And after this
J o s e p h gave the crown to P h a r a o h ' s g r a n d s o n ; and J o s e p h was like
a father to him in Egypt.

Lit. 'let us heal him Irom'.

So BFGA; D 'Antd when Pharaoh heard he got up'.
B a d d s 'and he blessed him.'
So BFG: D 'his wound which Benjamin gave him',
for . . . son = BA: D 'and all the council ofthe palace".
So B Slav.: D 'he'.
° D a d d s 'about'.
' So BEG.A: F 'the crown of his kingdom'; D 'his dominion and his ciown'.
 IHE T E S T A M E N T S OF THE
TWELVE PATRL\RCHS

IN I R O D I C ; H O N

The TeslamciUs. as wc know them, arc a coMcction ol' the 'last

words" ol the twelve sons ol'Jacoh. In the form in which they have
been transmitted to us they arc clearly the work o f a single author
or editor, inasmuch as each individual testament is constructed
a c c o r d i n g to the same overall pattern. First, the patriarch gives his
i m m e d i a t e family, assembled round his death-bed, details about
his own early life and experiences: next he discourses at some
length either on a particular \ i r t u e they should cultivate or on a
p a r t i c u l a r vice they should avoid, charging them meanwhile to
keep ' t h e law o f t h e Lord' and live in obedience to "the commands
o f t h e Most High": then hc warns them (not infrccjucntly on the
basis of what hc has read in 'the writing of Lnoch") oi'the c\ lis that
will c o m e upon them as a result of their moral deterioration,
t h o u g h he can usually assure them that 'in the last times" (iod will
bring 'salvation", not only to Israel, but also to the (icntilcs; and
then, hnally, he asks to be buried, not in Kgypt, but in C a n a a n , at
the family burial-place in Hebron - and it is recorded in each
instance that this was done.
T h e earliest explicit reference to the existence ofthe Testaments
in a n y t h i n g like their present Ibrm is in Ruhnus"s translation of
O r i g e n ' s Homilies on Joshua:' here Origen seems to be referring to
the passage about ' t h e seven spirits of error' in T. Rcub. ii and iii:
he calls the work in which the passage occurs (according to
Rufinus) 'a certain little bcwk which is called The Testament (sic)
of the Twelve Patriarchs'; a n d hc notes that it is extra-canonical.
Similarly, J e r o m e knew a 'Book ofthe Patriarchs', and adds that it
is a p o c r y p h a l : ' he says he found in it a statement which is most
n a t u r a l l y understood as a free quotation from 'T. .Naph. ii. 8; .so
there can hardly be any d o u b t that it is to our 'Testaments he is
referring. Later on, the 'Patriarchs' occur among the recognized
' Orig./n Ifsu hom. x\. a.
' Hicron. Trad. dePs. w. 7.
")()() The Testaments ofthe Twelve Fatriarctts
a p o i i y p h a in the List of Sixty Boolis, the psctido-Athanasian
Synopsis, a n d the Stiihonictry of Xiccphorus, though not in the
(Jeiasian Decree. Parallels between the Testaments and Christian
writers earlier than Origen (especially Hermas, Irenaeus,
H i p p o l y l u s , and Tertullian) have sometimes been noted and u.sed
to a r g u e that these writers knew the Testaments and were in­
fluenced by them, but the evidence is in fact insullicient to prove
d e p e n d e n c e in either direction: what it suggests, rather, is the
c o m m o n use ofthe same popular contetnporary ideas and phrases.
Tor the text o f t h e Testaments wc are dependent to-day uf)on
twenty-six witnesses in all — nineteen continuous Greek m a n u ­
scripts, three collections of extracts from the Greek text, and four
\-ersions ( . \ r m e n i a n , Slavonic. Serbian, and 'New Cireck'). . \ Latin
\ e r s i o n should also be mentioned, m a d e in the thirteenth century,
by Robert CJrosseteste from the Greek manuscript now in the
L'niversit\ Library at C a m b r i d g e (Ff. 1. 24: 10th cent.).
It was this C a m b r i d g e manuscript that J . K. G r a b c used for his
text in the first printed edition ofthe Testaments in 1698; and to it
he a p p e n d e d a selection of variants from the Oxford -MS. Bodl.
Barocc. (ir. 133 (13th cent.), ( i r a b e ' s text was reprinted b y j . A.
Fabricius in 1713 and by A. (iallandi in 176.5 ( = PC ii.'l02.5-
1160). In 1869 R. Sinker provided the first genuinely critical
edition: he printed a much more accurate reproduction of the
C a m b r i d g e .MS as his text and added a full conspectus of variant
r e a d i n g s from the Oxford .MS in his a p p a r a t u s : ten years later he
p u b l i s h e d an Appendix with collations of two more .MSS.
To R. H. Clharles belongs the distinction of having investigated
for the first time the details and inter-relationship of all the evi­
d e n c e then available. In his edition of 1908 Charles used nine
Cireek M S S (designated by the letters a to i') together with the
.Armenian a n d Slavonic versions. H e divided the Greek -MSS into
two g r o u p s , a a n d /3. a represented the agreement of chi: all other
.MSS belonged to they3-group, which in turn Charles divided into
two smaller groups. 'The former o f t h e smaller groups consisted of
aef to which the Slavonic version was related: the latter consisted
ofhdg, to which the .Armenian version was related. Charles thought
t h a t in general the a-group was preferable to the /3-group, and for
' In this designation C a m b . Ft. 1. 24 = * and Oxf. Bodl. Barocc. 133 = a.
 Tlie Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs ")()7
t h e construction ofhis text hc relied chiefly, within t h e a - g r o u p . (jn
f ( = \ ' a t . Cod. (Jr. 731: 13ih cent.).
The next d e \ e l o p m c n t was dc J o n g c ' s eititw minor of 1964.
T h i s was in no sense a ri\al edition to Clharles's. It was, rather, an
a b r i d g e m e n t and simplification, the purpose of which was 'to
assist scholars in using Dr. Charles's material to greater proht'. Its
i i n p o r t a n c c lies in its editor's radical dissent from Charles's prefer­
ence lor the a-group a m o n g the CJreek .\ISS. Instead of reprinting
C h a r l e s ' s a-typc text based on c. d e j o n g e rc\ertcd to the practice
of C h a r l e s ' s predecessors and printed as his own text a transcript of
b ( = C a m b . Vi'. 1. 24), which he regarded as the best rcpresentati\e
of the preferable /3-group. T o his a p p a r a t u s hc admitted only
corrections of obvious mistakes and corruptions in b. and also a
small selection of other variants (taken from Charles) that he
t h o u g h t might have some claim to originality or were interesting
on their ow n account. The only exception here was the inclusion of
v a r i a n t s found in the extracts from the Testaments in Cod. X'enct.
.Marc. C r . 494 (13th cent.), published by .M. R. J a m e s in 1927. and
which he designated k.
F o u r t e e n years later, in 1978, followed the promised editio maior-
t h e j o i n t work of de J o n g c and three colleagues. .\ number of
discoveries had been made since Charles's day, but their total
effect on the new edition was not nearly as great as might have been
expected. (3f the ten additional continuous Greek .MSS discovered
eight turned out to be copies of .MSS already known, and therefore
of no i n d e p e n d e n t value: ofthe three collections of Greek extracts
only one (A) proved to be of any serious signihcance; and ofthe four
versions, only the . \ r m e n i a n was thought worth citing regularly in
t h e a p p a r a t u s . So far as the lext itself is concerned, Charles's
division ofthe (Jreek .MSS inlo the a and groups was abandoned.
Since all witnesses except b (k) exhibit common errors against b
{k), a n d since b {k} exhibit common errors against all other witnes­
ses, the true division was recognized to be between b [k) and the
rest - between what were now called Fam. I and Fam. II. .At the
l o p of the s t e m m a , as reconstructed, stands the archetype of the
whole tradition, which in course of lime was developed and de­
b a s e d : b (k) represent the earliest surviving direci derivatives from
t h e a r c h e t y p e : other groupings spring from later developments
508 The Testamenis oJ the Twelve Patriarclu
a n d d e b a s e m e n t s . The te.xt printed is theref()re an "eeleetic' text, in
which the readings of'Kam. I (b(k)) are usually, though not invari­
ably, preferred to variants from Fam. II.
O u r translation follows \ e r y closely the text ol d e j o n g e ' s editio
maior. a n d the symbols in the notes are the symbols from its
apparatus.

.Attempts to determine the origin of the Testaments have

occasioned no little controversy.
G r a b e , recognizing that in their present Ibrm they embody both
J e w i s h a n d Christian elements, suggested that they were written
by a J e w and interpolated afterwards by a Christian. But his
theory was not accepted before 1884, when I'. Schnapp, using
Sinker's new critical edition, revived and de\eloped it. In the
i n t e r v e n i n g period the Testaments were universally thought to be
a C h r i s t i a n work, and a r g u m e n t centred on the Cjuestion whether
the a u t h o r was a Jewish Christian or a (Jentile Christian.
S c h n a p p ' s analysis, however, was adopted by Schiirer in the
second edition of his Geschichte (1886) and thus became wideK
d i s s e m i n a t e d . Bousset accepted it in a modified form. .And so did
Charles.
W h e n purged o f t h e i r interpolations, Clharles maintained, the
' T e s t a m e n t s are patently Jewish. Their original language was
H e b r e w ; a n d they were written in the later years ofjohn Hyrcanus
(in all probability between 109 and 106 BC:). The author was a
Pharisee, who combined loyalty to the best traditions of his party
with u n b o u n d e d a d m i r a t i o n for H y r c a n u s , in whom the Pharisaic
p a r t y had come to recognize the actual Messiah. Having dated the
T e s t a m e n t s thus exactly, Clharles went on to stress that their
p e r m a n e n t value lies, not .so much in the light they shed on
m o v e m e n t s within J u d a i s m in the late second century BC, as in the
influence they exercised on the authors of the New Testament.
' T h e m a i n , the overwhelming value ofthe book', he wrote, "lies . . .
in its ethical teaching, which has achieved a real immortality by
influencing the thought and diction of the writers of the New
T e s t a m e n t , a n d even those of our Lord'."
* R. H. C:llarle5, The Teslaments oJ Ihe Twelve Falnarchi. IramlaledJiom the Editor's
Greek Text, p . .wii.
 Tlu Teslamenls ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 309
This account ol'thc ' I c s t a m c n t s met with a ready welcome and
soon hnind its way into the text-books, with the result that the
T e s t a m e n t s became hrmly established as an essential part o f t h e
"background reading" required ofall students of New lestament
theology and ethics. In 1933, however, in his The Testaments qf the
Twelve Patriarchs: A Study qf their Text, Composition, and Origin, dc
J o n g c challenged the whole basis of Charles"s position. So far from
being an interpolated Jewish work, dc J o n g c argued, the
r e s t a m e n t s were in origin a Christian work that incorporated and
a d a p t e d traditional Jewish material. I'hey were to be dated, in all
probability, about 200. To use them as "background" evidence
for the u n d e r s t a n d i n g oi'the New Testament, except in the most
general way, is therefore illegitimate. What they illustrate is not
"the p r e p a r a t i o n of Christianity" but "the social and religious life of
the early Clhristian C h u r c h " . '
De J o n g e ' s challenge inevitably forced on all those interested in
t h e 'Testaments a fundamental reconsideration o f t h e question of
their origin. From the ensuing debate it has become clear that
neither hypothesis is tenable in its extreme form, and that many of
t h e details in both require considerable mcxlihcation if either is to
be seriously maintained.'' .And a n u m b e r of mediating hypotheses
h a v e been p u t forward - H. C. Kec, for example, after investigat­
ing the ethical background ofthe Testaments, suggested that they
were produced in a Jewish environment that thought and spoke in
G r e e k , possibly Fgypt, about 100 BC:. It has become apparent, tcxj,
that certain lines of demarcation can no longer be drawn as hrmly
a n d hnely as was once assumed. T'or instance, the distinction
b e t w e e n the terms 'Jewish' and "Christian", so far as they arc
a p p l i c a b l e to the contents ofthe Testaments, has become blurred:
a very great deal of the material in them is neither spiecifically
J e w i s h nor specihcally Christian - to counsel love for the brethren
is not necessarily Christian, nor is it necessarily Jewish to utter
w a r n i n g s a b o u t the dangers of fornication. O r again, although in

' M. dc J o n g c , Tlie Testaments of the Tuelie Patnarchs . . . . p. 1 '28.

" It is perhaps worth remarking that in the progress o f t h e debate d e j o n g e
himself played a not inconspicuous part, both by weighing carefully and answering
the criticisms levelled at him, and by modifying details where hc tliought it
expedient.
f) 1 () The Testaments of the Tivehe Patriarchs
theory the ciistiiietion between a hypotliesis whieh postulates a
Jewish original interpolated by Clhristians and an alternative
whieh postulates a CUiristian original based on traditional Jewish
m a t e r i a l is plain enough, ifthe (Ihristian interpolations are held to
be n u m e r o u s in the one ease and the basic Jewish material to be
extensive in the other, the dillerence between the two in practice is
n o t h i n g like so great as might be supposed.
O n the Jewish side, attention has been concentrated on the
detailed examination ol'the contacts ol'the Testaments with post-
Biblical J u d a i s m . Kspecially striking are the parallels between
s o m e ol'the 'extra-canonical" items in the T e s t a m e n t s and the Book
o l ' J u b i l e e s : thus, J u d a h ' s exploits in battle, recounted in T, Jud.
i i i - v i i . lit naturally into the eotuext ol'the wars o f j a c o b atid his
sons against the Claiiaanites described in J u b . xxxi\. 1-9, while T.
N a p l i . i. 9—12 and J u b . xx\iii. 9 agree in representing Zilpah and
Bilhah as sisters. .Such parallels might easily be explained, of
c o u r s e . b \ supposing that a Clliristian a u t h o r o f t h e Testaments
had read Jubilees in Cireek (Ibr we know that there was a Greek
version of Jubilees circulating in the Clhurch). But this kind of
e x p l a n a t i o n is by no means unixersally applicable. M T. Zeb. iii. 2,
for instance, is found the rather odd piece of information that, after
selling J o s e p h , his brothers took the money and bought sandals
with it for themselves and their families. T h e statement is paral­
leled in the Targum of Pseudo-Jonathan to Cien. .xxxvii. 28 and
a g a i n in the Pirke de Rabbi Eliczer xxxviii. In such instances there
can h a r d l y be any d o u b t that the a u t h o r of the Testaments was
directly d e p e n d e n t on popular Jewish traditions, cither oral or
written.
O f special interest in this connection are the so-called '.Aramaic
Levi' a n d ' H e b r e w .Naphtali'. .Among the manuscripts discovered
in the G e n i z a h of the synagogue at CaWo, and published in the
early years of this century, were some sizeable fragments of two
h i t h e r t o u n k n o w n works. O n e was a text in Aramaic, which was
most n a t u r a l l y interpreted as part of a Testament of Levi and
exhibited a series of verbal parallels with our T. Levi viii-ix and
x i - x i i i : the other was a ' T e s t a m e n t of N a p h t a l i ' in Hebrew, com­
plete, a n d which, although essentially very different from our T .
N a p h . , nevertheless had a n u m b e r of points of contact - particu-
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 511
larly in its far longer version o f t h e two visions recorded in 1'.
N a p h . V a n d vi. The m a n u s c r i p t s containing both works are to be
d a t e d in t h e early mediaeval period. .Subsequently (in the 1950s)
further fragments containing texts similar to the Cairo texts,
t h o u g h by n o m e a n s identical with t h e m , came to light at Q u m r a n .
W e c a n t h u s be certain that in pre-Christian times there were in
existence a T e s t a m e n t of Levi in .Aramaic and a Testament of
N a p h t a l i in H e b r e w , though what, if any, connection there was
b e t w e e n t h e m we d o not know. T h e fact that one was in .Aramaic
a n d t h e o t h e r in H e b r e w does not suggest any immediate connec­
tion. It m a y be, of course, that both derive ultimately from a
collection of twelve T e s t a m e n t s , written either in H e b r e w or
in .Aramaic, a n d the the preservation of the particular texts wc
h a v e is d u e to accident a n d no more. Yet, if so, it still remains true
t h a t texts of Levi a n d N a p h t a l i alone have been preserved for us,"
t h a t two texts o f b o t h have been discovered quite independently in
two different places a n d in m a n u s c r i p t s of widely disparate dates,
a n d t h a t both texts of Levi a r c in A r a m a i c a n d both texts of
.Naphtali a r e in H e b r e w . In any event, the ancient texts recovered
difler so m a r k e d l y from the Levi and .Naphtali we know as to
p r e c l u d e the possibility t h a t they were in either case the Semitic
original of which o u r Greek text is a translation.
O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , as might be expected, our Greek T e s t a m e n t s
show t h e u n m i s t a k a b l e influence of the Septuagint. .A trivial
i n s t a n c e of this occurs at T . J o s . viii. 2, where Potiphar's wife
c l u t c h e s at J o s e p h ' s ' g a r m e n t s ' (in the plural, as in the Septuagint
of G e n . xxxix. 12), a n d not at his 'c:Ioak' (in the singular, as in the
H e b r e w ) . .A m o r e substantial instance in the s a m e T e s t a m e n t is
t h e m e n t i o n o f t h e h i p p o d r o m e ' by Rachel's tomb." M a n y of these
i n s t a n c e s a r e explicable as changes m a d e casually by copyists, or
as d e l i b e r a t e modifications introduced into the text by revisers.'
B u t n o t all. In his initial work on the Testaments d e j o n g e drew

' 'flic fragment.s of .Aramaic Levi at Q u m r a n appear to come from no less than
foui s e p a r a t e ."VISS, wliich makes tlie absence of texts of'any olher Testaments
(apart from Hebrew Naphtali) all the more significant.
* f. Jos. XX. .3, from the Septuagint of Gen. xlviii. 7.
' f h u s , in the first instance just quoted 'cloak' is read by a number of the M.SS in
preference to the ' g a r m e n t s ' of our preferred text.
512 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
a t t e n t i o n to the s t a t e m e n t in T . Iss. iii. 1 that Issachar grew up to
be a farmer, which reflects the Septuagint of Gen. xiix. l.'j as
a g a i n s t the H e b r e w ('a slave in forced l a b o u r ' ) ' " . Since there are
a l l u s i o n s to farming all through the Testament, and Issachar's
s o n s a r e also described as farmers, it follows that this is no freak
r e n d e r i n g , a s c r i b a b l e to some translator o f a H e b r e w or Aramaic
o r i g i n a l , who, when he c a m e to T . Iss. iii. 1 j u s t substituted the
S e p t u a g i n t r e n d e r i n g from Genesis for what he found in the text in
front of him. ' T h e T e s t a m e n t of Issachar as a whole must have been
c o m p o s e d in Greek. .And, if Issachar, then in all probability the
o t h e r T e s t a m e n t s as well.
It w a s observed at the beginning o f t h i s Introduction that in
their present form all twelve T e s t a m e n t s arc constructed accord­
ing to the s a m e overall p a t t e r n , a n d therefore we must suppose
t h e y a r e the work o f a single a u t h o r or editor. W h o it was that first
conceived the idea of p r o d u c i n g this collection of twelve Testa­
m e n t s from t h e material a t his disposal we d o not know. ( T h e
likelihood is t h a t he was a Christian o f t h e second century.) W h a t
d o e s seem fairly certain is that the material at his disposal was
c o n s i d e r a b l e , t h a t others before him had produced Testaments of
i n d i v i d u a l p a t r i a r c h s , a n d that others after him ( t o j u d g e from the
complexities o f t h e textual problems raised by both the surviving
m a n u s c r i p t s a n d the versions) h a d no scruples about continuing
t h e t r a d i t i o n he h a d inherited by altering his text and introducing
f u r t h e r modifications a n d additions oftheir own.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

EDITIONS

Greek
R . S I N K E R , Teslamenta XIIPalriarchamm; adfidemcodicis Cantabrigi-
ensisedita: accedunt lecliones cod. Oxoniensis ( C a m b r i d g e , 1869).
, T e s t a m e n t a X I I P a t r i a r c h a r u m : Appendix containing a colla­
tion of the Roman and Patmos MSS and bibliographical notes
( C a m b r i d g e , 1879).
M d e j o n g e . The Teslaments . . ., p p . 7 7 - 7 8 .
 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 513
R . H . U H A R I . K . S , The Greek Versions oJ the Testaments oJ the Twelve
Patriarchs, edited from nine .MSS. together wilh Ihe variants of Ihe
Armenian and Slavonic Versions and some Hebrew fragments (Oxford,
1908).
R . J.\.\IK.S. ' I h e X'enice Kxtraits from t h e Testaments o f t h e
'Twelve Patriarchs" inyri"xxviii (19'27). pp. 3 3 7 - 3 4 8 .
M . I ) K J ( ) . \ ( ; K , Testamenta X I I Pairiarcharum, edited according lo
Cambridge University Library MS Ffl. 24. foi. 203a-262b, with Short
Notes (= P]TG I. i; Leiden, 1964).
. in co-operation with H . \V. H ( ) L I . A N D 1 . R , H . J . I5K
J O N t i K , a n d T H . K O R I K W K C ; , The Testaments of the Twelve
Patriarchs: A Critical Edition of the Greek Text (= P\TG I. ii;
L e i d e n . 1978).

Armenian
S. H ( ) \ ' S K P H K A . \ " 1 / . , .4 Treasury of Old and New Primitive Writers.
\ ' o l . I {L'ncanonical Books ofthe Old Testament; X'enice, 1896),
pp. 27-l.')l.

Slavonic
N . S. T l K H O N R . W O V ' , Pamyalniki otrechennoi russkoi lileralury, i (St.
P e t e r s b u r g , 1863), pp. 9 6 - 2 3 2 .

TRA.NSLAriONS

English
R . Sl.NKKR, The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs Translated { =
Ante-Nicene Christian Library, xxii. 2 (Edinburgh, 1871),
p p . .5-79).
R . H . C ; H A R L E . S , The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, translated
from the Editor's Greek Text and edited, with Introduction, Notes, and
Indices {London, 1908).
./ITOTii, pp.'282-367.
, The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs ( = S . P . C . K . , Transla­
tions of Early Documents; London, 1917).
J . LSSAVKRDEN'S, L ' U ' O P , p p . 2 6 7 - 3 5 8 - f r o m the A r m e n i a n .
514 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs

German
F. S c H N A I M ' i n F . K A I ' r / s c H . APATw. p p . 4J!i-J()().
P. R l K S S l . K R , / ! y & B ' , pp. 1149-12.50.
J . B K C : K K R i i i , / . S / ( - r Z I I I . 1 (1974). pp. l - l t i 4 .

J . B K C : K K R . I'ntersuchungen zur Entstehungsgeschicle der Testamente der

Zwdlf Patriarchen (= Arbeiten zur Geschicte des antiken Judentums und
des i'rchristentums.H; Leiden, 1970).
E. ]. B i C K K R . M A . N , ' I h e D a t e o f t h e I'estanients o f t h e T w e k e
P a t r i a r c h s ' inJBL Ixi.x (19.50), pp. 24,5-2tiO.
\V. B O L S.SKl, 'Die Testamente dec Zwiilf Patriarchen' in Z.VITi
(1900). p p . 1 4 1 - 1 7 5 , 187-209, :544-:54ti.
F . - . \ L B R A I N , 'Les Testaments des .XII Patriarches et le
p r o b l c m e d c leur origine' in R Bibl Ixvii (19t)0), pp. 5 l t ) - 5 4 9 .
C;. B L R C : H . \ R D , ' Z u r armenischen Uberlieferung der Testamente
d e r zwdlf P a t r i a r c h e n ' in (ed. W . K l . I i : , S IKR) Studien zu den
Testamenten der ZwolJ Patriarchen (= Beihejte zur ZA'IT, xxx\i;
Berlin, 1969), p p . 1-29.
F . C . C l O N V B K A R K , ' O n the J e w i s h .Authorship of the
T e s t a m e n t s o f t h e 'Twelve Patriarchs' in JQR v (.April 1893),
pp. 375-398.
A.-M. D E N I . S , IPGAT, pp. 49-59.
O . E I S S F E L D T , OTI. p p . 6 3 1 - 6 3 6 .
J . - B . F R E Y , art. 'Apocrvphes d e T.Ancien Testatiient' in DBSup i,
cols. 3 8 0 - 3 9 0 .
J . VV. H U N K I N , ' T h e Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs' in JTS
xvi (1915), p p . 8 0 - 9 7 .
M . D E J O N G E , The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs: A Study of their
Text, Composition and Origin (Assen, 1953).
(ed.). Studies on the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs: Text and
Interpretation (= SVTP'i; Leiden, 1975).
, ''The M a i n Issues in the Study of the 'Testaments of the
T w e l v e P a t r i a r c h s ' in A^TOxxvi. 4 (July 1980), pp. 5 0 8 - 5 2 4 .
H . C . K E E , ' T h e Ethical Dimensions of the T e s t a m e n t s of the X I I
 The Teslamenls ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 51 j
P a t r i a r c h s as a Clue to P r o s e n a n c e ' in NTS xxiv. 2 (Jan. 1978).
pp. 2.')9-270.
K. KOHI.KR, ' T h e P r e - T a l m u d i c H a g g a d a l.A. T h e Testaments
o f t h e T w e l v e Patriarchs" in JQR v (April 1893), p p . 4 0 0 - 4 0 6 .
, a r t . "Testaments o f t h e 'Twelve Patriarchs' in JE\\\ (.New
York, 1906), p p . 1 1 3 - 1 1 8 .
E . P R E r s c i l K N , "Die a r m c n i s c h c C b e r s e t z u n g der Testanicntc
d e r zwolf P a t r i a r c h c n ' in Z V l l ' l (1900), p p . 106- I M).
K. H . RENCi.S'fORI', ' H e r k u n h und Sinn der Patriarchen-Reden
in d e n T e s t a m c n t c n d e r zwolf Patriarchcn" in La lilteralure juiie
enlre Tenach et Mischna: Quelques problemes (cd. VV. C. V.W
U N N I K ; Rech. Bib. 9, Ecidcn, 1974). p p . 29 A T .
P. RlFS.SLER..4/5"<2i?',pp. 1335-1338.
E . R o s T , EATAP, pY>- 106-110.
E. S ( ; H , N . \ F F , Die Testarnenle der zu:olf Patriarchen untersucht (Halle,
1884).
E. SCIILRER, HJPTjCn. iii. p p . 1 1 4 - 1 2 1 .
, GjVZJC* iii, p p . 339-3:56.
C . C . TORREV, AL, p p . 1 2 9 - 1 3 1 .
E. Tl-RDEANi:, "Ees Testaincnts des Douze Patriarches en s l a \ c '
in Journal fur the Study of Judaism, i (1970), p p . 148-184.

testament of reuben
THE TESTA.VIENT O F R E U B E N .
A B O U T IDEAS

I. .\ copy of the T e s t a m e n t of Reuben, which he gave as a

c o m m a n d to his sons before iic died, in the h u n d r e d and twenty-
fifth year o f h i s life.
2 W h e n he w a s ill, two years after the death ofjoseph, his sons and
3 g r a n d s o n s met together to visit him. .And hc said to them, .My
4 c h i l d r e n , I a m d y i n g a n d going the way of my fathers. .And seeing
t h e r e J u d a h a n d G a d a n d .Asher, his brothers, he said to them.
R a i s e m e u p , my b r o t h e r s , so that I can tell my brothers and my
:> c h i l d r e n w h a t lies hidden in my heart; for I a m about to die. .And he
,') U) The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs
gol 11]) a n d kissed iheni a n d said, weeping. Listen, my brothers,
l)a\ a t t e n t i o n ( m y s o n s ) , ' to Reuben your fatlier. and to the
l o m m a i i d s 1 give you. .And behold. I call the Cod of heaven to
witness against you to-day. so that you do not live your lives in the
i g n o r a n c e of youth a n d give yourselves up to fornication, as I did,
a n d delilcd my father Jacob's bed. For I tell you, he struck me with
a lotil disease in my loins for seven months; and had not my father
J a c o b prayed for me to the Lord, ( I would have d i e d ) . ' for' the
Lord was minded to destroy me. For I was thirty years old when I
did this e\il beliire the Lord; and Ibr seven months I was
d a n g e r o u s l y ill. .And with determination I sel myself for .seven
years to repent before the Lord. I drank no wine nor strong drink,
no m e a t entered my m o u t h , a n d I tasted no pleasant Itxid at all. as
I m o u r n e d o \ e r n i \ sin (lor il was great). .\hiy no such thing ever
again hapiicn in Israel!

II. . \ n d now listen lo me. children, and I will tell you what I saw
c o n c e r n i n g the s e \ e n spirits of error when I re]3ented. .Seven spirits
were a p p o i n t e d ' by Beliar against m a n . and they are responsible
for w h a t he does when y o u n g . ' [' .Also se\eii spirits were given him
at the creation to be the means of his doing everything.'' The first is
the si)iril oflifc, with which man's substance is created. The second
(.V the spirit of sight, with which comes desire. The third is the spirit
of h e a r i n g , with which is g i \ e i i ' teaching. The fourth is the spirit of
smell, with which taste is given to draw in air and breath. The fifth
is the spirit of speech, with which comes knowledge. TA? sixth is the
S[)irit ol taste, with which conies eating and drinking;" and by
' I'hc rrsioraiioii sfrni.s talltti for l)y Rcubcn'.s (Ifscriptioii of himself as 'your
fallu-r' Im add 'and my thildrru' and c/n add 'and my sons' after 'my brothers', and
d re.ids 'ehildren' instead of'mv brothers'. Cp. T. Jos. i. 2.
• C p . r . J u d . xix. 2; r. (Jadv.!!.
' Su I) ef: gtdm a clii am.

' I.it. 'givfn'.

•' Lit. 'and they are the origin ofthe works of yt)uth'.
' We follow C;harles in braeketing ii. 3-iii. 2 as an interpolation: iii. '.^ lullows
naturally on ii. 2.
* Lit. 'so that by them should be i/one every work of man'.
' So Idm ej: bka c/it 'with whieh comes'.
* Lit. 'with which comes the eating of foods and drinks'.
 The Teslamenls oflhe Twelve Palriauhs 517
t h e m ' man's s t r e n g t h is built u p (for food is the foundation of
« s t r e n g t h ) . The seventh is the spirit of procreation and sexual
9 i n t e r c o u r s e , wih which sin enters t h r o u g h love of pleasure. For
this r e a s o n it is last in the order of creation and hrst among the desires of
y o u t h , b e c a u s e the t r u t h a b o u t it goes unrecognized,* and it leads
t h e y o u n g m a n like a blind m a n to a pit, and like a beast over a
precipice.

ni. Besides all these there is an eighth spirit of sleep, with which
w e r e b r o u g h t into being the d e e p sleep' of n a t u r e and the image of
2,3 d e a t h . W i t h these spirits is mingled the spirit' of error.] The first,
t h e spirit of fornication, is seated in the n a t u r e a n d the senses: the
s e c o n d , the spirit of insatiate desire, in the s t o m a c h : the third, the
4 spirit of fighting, in the liver a n d the gall. The fourth is the spirit of
o b s e q u i o u s n e s s a n d chicanery, so that by studied effort a man can
?> m a k e a good impression. Fhe fifth is the spirit of arrogance, so that
he can b o a s t ' a n d have a good opinion of himself The sixth is the
spirit of lying, which leads a man to invent things in depravity and
e n v y , a n d to conceal things" from his family a n d the m e m b e r s ofhis
6 h o u s e h o l d . The seventh is the spirit of unrighteousness, with which
come theft a n d acts of rapacity, so t h a t a man can satisfy his own
n a t u r a l love of p l e a s u r e ; ' for unrighteousness works together with
7 t h e o t h e r spirits by a m u t u a l give-and-take.* [And besides all these
t h e spirit of sleep, the eighth spirit, is c o m b i n e d with error and
8 p h a n t a s y . ] ' A n d so every y o u n g m a n perishes and plunges his
m i n d i n t o d a r k n e s s a w a y from the t r u t h , i n a s m u c h as he neither
u n d e r s t a n d s the law of G o d nor takes note ofhis fathers' warnings
9 (as, i n d e e d , h a p p e n e d to m e in my y o u t h ) . And now, c:hildren, love

' So bi. 11-/ (d) 'by it' (i.e. by the spirit of taste).
" Lit. 'because it has been filled with ignorance'.

' O r ' t r a n c e ' or Tear' (Gk. EKoraertj: cp. Gen. ii. 21, xv. 12; 1 Sam xi. 7; etc.).
^ So bdm: \ l-dm 'are mingled the spirits'.
' So II; W s o that he can be excited'.
•* b com. ' a n d to conceal things'.
' Lit. 'so that he can d o the love of pleasure ofhis heart'.
* T h e r e are several different readings here, none of which is entirely satisfactory.
C h a r l e s preferred 'by the taking of gifts'.
' C p . verse 1.
 518 The Teslaments of Ihe Twelve Patriarchs
llic triitli a n d it will keep yoti sale. This is ni> adxicc to you," Listen
to y o u r father Reuben,
10 Pay no attention to a w o m a n ' s laee, and never be alone with
a n o t h e r m a n s wile, nor be too in(]uisiti\e about w o m e n s alfairs.
Ii Lor had I not seen Bilhah bathing in a seeluded plaee I would not
\1 h a v e fallen into so great a sin." For my mind was obsessed by the
thotight of/;cr w o m a n ' s nakedness and would not let me sleep until
13 I had d o n e the a b o m i n a b l e thing. For while ottr lather Jacob was
a w a y on a visit to his father Isaac, when we were in F.der. near the
hotise o l ' H p h r a t h (that is Bethlehem).'" Bilhah had been drinking;
a n d she was lyin.g asleep in her bedroom with nothing over her.
It .And I wetit in a n d saw her nakedness and did the wicked deed; and
15 I left her still asleep and went away, .And immediately an angel of
( i o d told my father Jacob about my wickcdntfss; and he came and
motirned o \ e r me. .And as for Bilhah. he had no further relations
with her.

IV. Pay no attention, therefore, to women's beauty, neither bother

y o u r m i n d s about their affairs; but live in simplicity of heart and in
the fear of the Lord, persevering in your labours and devoting
y o u r s e U e s to learning and the tending of your flocks,' until the Lord
gives you the wife he has chosen for you,' so that you do not suffer
L' as I did. L'ntil' my father's death I had not the courage to look
J a c o b in the face, nor to speak to any of my brothers because oftheir
3 r e p r o a c h e s . .And even now my conscience smites me because of my
t sin. However, my father encouraged mc, for he prayed to the Lord
for me, that the Lord's anger might pass me by, even as the Lord
s h o w e d me. .And frotn then on I repented and* I have been very
•i careful a n d have not siimed. So, my children, observe all the
(i c o m m a n d s I give you and you will not sin. For fornication is

" Lit. 'I am teaching you'.

•* Lit. 'into the great sin'.
.So 6: Idme 'near Kphrath and Bethlehem'; a/ncAt 'near F.phrath in Bethlehem'.

' and devoting . . . flocks: lit. 'and wandering in letters and yonr flocks'.
• Lit. 'a wife whom he wills'.
' S o * : II 'for until'.
' So gtd .Ann.: b 'from then on therefore'; « / 'from then on even in my thoughts';
citi 'from then on until now'.
 The Teslamenls oflhe Twelve Palriarchs ") 19
destruction to tiie soul: it separates from (Jod and drives Ihose who
indulge in it to idols, inasmuch as it clouds the mind and under­
s t a n d i n g ; a n d it leads young men down to Hades beliire their
7 t i m e . ' YoT fornication has ruined many: because, e\en though a
m a n be old or of noble birth, it makes him an object of reprovnh and
8 a laughing-stock with both Beliar and his fellow men.'' For it was
b e c a u s e J o s e p h a\c)ided women and kept his mind pure from all
t h o u g h t s of Ibrnication that hc found favour with the I.ord and
9 m e n . For the Kgyptian woman did many things to him, and sent
for magicians, and brought him love-potions; but hc stood firm
10 against t e m p t a t i o n . ' .And so the (Jod o f m y fathers rescued him
11 from every visible and hidden death. For if fornication has not
g a i n e d the mastery over the mind." neither will Beliar gain the
m a s t e r y over you.

V. W o m e n are evil, my children: because they ha\ e no power or

s t r e n g t h to stand up against mati, they use wiles and try to ensnare
2 h i m by Iheir c h a r m s ; ' and man. whom woman cannot subdue by
3 s t r e n g t h , she subdues by guile. For, indeed, the angel of (Jod told
m e a b o u t them and taught me that women yield to the spirit of
fornication more easily than a man does, and they lay plots in iheir
h e a r t s against men: by the way they adorn themselves they hrst
lead their minds astray, and by a hxik they instil the poison, and
4 t h e n in the act itself they take them captive - lor a woman cannot
5 o v e r c o m e a m a n by force. So shun fornication, my children, and
c o m m a n d your wives and daughters not to adorn their heads and
faces,' for every w o m a n that uses wiles of this kind has been
(i reserved for eternal punishment. It was thus that they allured the
W a t c h e r s before the flocxi; for, as a result of seeing them continu­
ally, the W a t c h e r s ' lusted after one another, and they conceived
t h e act in their minds and changed themselves into the shape of
m e n a n d a p p e a r e d to the women'' when they were having inter-

' L i t . ' n o t in their time'. ' Lit.'and the sons of men'.

' Lit. 'the inclination ofhis soul admitted no evil desire'.
" So A a: I l - a ' y o u r mind'.

' Lit.'forms'. ' So AA; II a d d s ' t o deceive the mind'.

' Lil. 'these'. '' Lil. 'them'.
 r)'2() The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
I c o u r s e witli tiicir h u s b a n d s . . \ n d tlic w o m e n . ' lusting in their
m i n d s alter their (jhantom forms, gave birth to giants (Ibr the
W a t c h e r s seemed to them tall enough to touch the sky).

VI. Beware, then, of fornication; and if you would be pure in mind,

•> g u a r d your senses against every w o m a n . ' .\iid command the
w o m e n . ' too, not to make close friends of tnen,' so that they also
;t m a y be p u r e in mind. I"or constant meetings, even though no sinful
acts m a y be i n \ o l \ e d , are for w o m e i r a disease for which there is no
I c u r e , and for us an eternal reproach of Beliar. For indulgence in
fornication allows no scope for either understanding or godliness,
a n d the lust that inspires it provides a home for e\ery kind of
.') jealousy." . \ n d s o you will be j e a l o u s ' o f t h e sons o f Levi and seek'
(i to be raised above them; but you will not succeed. For God will
7 a v e n g e t h e m , and you will die a cruel death. For to Levi the Lord
g a v e the s o v e r e i g n t y - a n d t o j u d a h (and with them also to me and
K D a n a n d J o s e p h , that we should be rulers too). For this reason I
c o m m a n d you to listen to Levi, for he will know the law ofthe Lord
a n d interpret his precepts and offer sacrifice Ibr all Israel until the
'I c o m i n g " of the anointed high priest,' of whom the Lord spoke. I
c h a r g e you by the God of heaven to deal honestly, each one with his
111 n e i g h b o u r , a n d to have lo\e, each one for his brother." And
a p p r o a c h Levi with humility, so that you may receive a blessing
II from his m o u t h . For he shall bless Israel and J u d a h , because the
VI L o r d has chosen him to rule as king over all the peoples. . \ n d
a c c o r d his sons their proper reverence' for they'" will die in wars on
o u r behalf (/n wars seen and unseen), and he'° will be among you an
e t e r n a l king.

' I.il. 'I'cniiilc'.

- I.il. 'thrni'.
' I.il. '11(11 lo associalc with men as couples'.
' I.it. 'For fornication has neither understanding nor godliness in itself, and all
jealousy dwells in its lust'.
' The tenses \ ar\' in the .\ISS: the future seems preferable in both places.
" Lit. 'until the coiisuinmatioii ofthe times'.
' O r 'of C:hrist, the high priest'.
" So I I : A om 'and to have . . . brother'.
" Lit. ' . \ n d lx)w down l>efore his seed'.
"' Lit. 'it' (i.e. his seed).
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 521

VIII. A n d w h e n he h a d given his sons these c o m m a n d s , Reuben

2 d i e d . . \ n d they p u t him in a cofhn until they carried him up from
E g y p t a n d buried him in H e b r o n in the double cave where his
fathers were.

testament of simeon
T H E TESTAME.NfT O F SIMEO.N,
A B O U l ENVY

I. A copy o f t h e w o r d s of Simeon, which he spoke to his sons before

he d i e d , in the h u n d r e d a n d twentieth year ofhis life - the year in
2 w h i c h J o s e p h died. For they c a m e to visit him when he was ill; and
he m a d e a n efibrt a n d sat u p and kissed t h e m , and he said to them,'

n. Listen, children, listen to Simeon your father, and I will tellyou

2 w h a t is' in my h e a r t . 1 was my father J a c o b ' s second son; and
L e a h , niy m o t h e r , called me Simeon because the Lord had heard
3 h e r p r a y e r . I b e c a m e a h a r d e n e d warrior: no venture deterred me;
4 a n d I w a s afraid of nothing. For my heart was hard, Tiy wilF
5 inflexible, a n d my feelings' without compassion (for courage is a
gift to m e n from the .Most High and is manifest both in /^«V souls and
in their bodies).
6 .And at t h a t time I was jealous o f j o s e p h , because o u r father
7 loved h i m . A n d I d e t e r m i n e d " to kill h i m , because the prince of
e r r o r sent t h e spirit ofjealousy and blinded my mind, so that I did
not r e g a r d h i m as a brother, nor did 1 consider my f a t h e r j a c o b .
8 But his G o d a n d his fathers' God sent his angel and rescued him
9 from m e . For w h e n I had gone to Shechem to take ointment for the
flocks, a n d R e u b e n had gone to D o t h a n (where o u r stocks were, and
10 all o u r s t o r e s ) , o u r b r o t h e r J u d a h sold him to the Ishmaelites. And
w h e n R e u b e n c a m e , he was upset, for he had intended to take him
11 b a c k safely to his father. But I was angry with J u d a h because of

' So b: II om. 'lo them'.

' Lit. 'what I have'.

' Lit. 'liver'. ' Lit. 'bowels'.
" Lit. 'I .set my liver against him'.
 ?)'2'2 Tlie Testamenis ofthe Twelve Patriarchs

t h i s ' (Ix'tattsc lie iiad let him go a h \ e ) ; and for fi\c months 1
\2 ( o n l i n u c d so. But (Jod" restrained me and withheld from me the
use ol my h a n d s ; for my right hand was half withered for seven
l:i d a y s . .And I realized, ehildren, that it was beeause ofjoseph that
this had h a p p e n e d to me; and 1 repented and wept, and I prayed to
the Lord that I might be restored' and keep nnself fron) all
11 pollution and envy and from all wrong-doing." For I realized that
w h a t , in e n \ y , I had plamied to do to my brother Joseph was wrong
in the L o r d ' s sight and my father J a c o b ' s .

III. .And now, my children, beware ofthe spirits of error and envy.
2 For envy d o m i n a t e s a m a n ' s whole mind and lets him neither eat
:t nor drink nor do a n y t h i n g that is good. It is contiiuially suggesting
to him that he should kill the man that is envied; yet' the man that
is etivied contitiues to flourish, while the tnan that etivies wastes
4 a w a y . For twt) whole y e a r s ' I humbled myself with fasting in the
fear o f t h e Lord; and I realized that deliverance from envy comes
from the fear of (Jod. I f a man flees to the Lord for shelter, the evil
ti spirit runs away from him, and the load on his m'md is lightened. .And
from then on he feels syinpathy for the man that is envied and
shows no prejudice against those who love him; and so he is
envious no more.

IV. .And my father asked about me, because he saw that I was sad;
2 a n d I said, .\Iy heart is torn with anguish.' (For I mourned more
t h a n all my brothers, because it was I who was responsible for selling
:i J o s e p h . ) .And when we went down into Egypt and he bound mc as
4 a spy, I knew that I was sufl'cring justly and was not put out. But
J o s e p h was a good m a n . and he had the spirit of God in him: he was

' .So II: i (III oiii. IxTati.Sf ofthis'.

' So A: II 'the Lord'.
' So gt eaj: b 'that ht* might restore m\' haritl'; dm (hi 'that my hand might l)e
restored'. " Lit. 'folly'.

' Lit. ' a n d ' .

• Lit. 'For two vears of davs'.
• .SoM: II 'for if.

' Lit. 'I am distressed in my liver'.

 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 523
c o m p a s s i o n a t e atid merciful; and he bore m c no grudge, but loved
m c j u s t as hc did his other brothers. So beware, m y children, ofall
j e a l o u s y a n d envy, and live in sincerity of soul and with a good
h e a r t , keeping in mind the example of your father's brother, so that
G o d iTiay give you also grace and glory atid blessing on your heads,
j u s t as you saw in him. Never in all his days did he hnd fault with us
tor w h a t w c d i d , ' but hc loved us as his own soul and honoured us
m o r e t h a n his s o n s , ' and h c bestowed riches a n d cattle and fruits
on all of us. So too each one of you, m y beloved'' children, must kivc
his b r o t h e r with a good heart, and you must rid yourselves of the
spirit of envy. For this makes the soul savage and destroys the
b o d y : it causes a n g e r a n d conflict in the mind, a n d acts as a spur to
d e e d s of blood: it impairs a m a n ' s n a t u r a l powers of tliought and
p a r a l y s e s his intelligence:' moreover, it deprives him of sleep,
c a u s i n g confusion in his soul a n d trembling in his body. And even if
he gets s o m e sleep," some vicious passion deludes him and devours
h i m , a n d with evil spirits disturbs his soul, stirs up his body, and
e n s u r e s t h a t he wakes up with his mind in turmoil; and h c appears
in c o n s e q u e n c e to olher men as someone possessed of an evil and
p o i s o n o u s spirit.

V. T h e reason why J o s e p h was h a n d s o m e and good-looking was

t h a t n o wickedness h a d found a home with him; Ibr the face is an
i n d e x o f t h e turmoil in the spirit.' . \ n d now, m y children, set your
h e a r t s on w h a t is pleasing to the F o r d , and follow a straight path
a m o n g m e n , a n d you will win favour with G o d and men. . \ n d
b e w a r d of c o m m i t t i n g fornication, for fornication is the mother of
all evils: it s e p a r a t e s from God a n d drives those who indulge in il to
Beliar. F o r I h a v e seen it recorded in the writing of Enoch that your
s o n s t o g e t h e r with y o u ' will be corrupted b y fornication and turn

' Lit. ' c o n i r n i i i i g this thing'.

' So I I : A reads '. , . soul, and more than his sons, and he honoured us'.
" So A: II om.
' Lit. 'it leads the thinking process to ecstasy and does not allow intelligence to
work in m e n ' . * Lit.'.Xnd even in sleep'.

' Lit. 'for out ofthe distress oflhe spirit the fare makes clear',
^ So A: 11 'your sons after you'.
 524 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
j y o u r swords against Levi.' But tliey will not be able tt) get the
b e t t e r of Levi, for it is the Lord's war he will be fighting and he will
f) gain the victory over all your company. .And your S O I L S " will be few
in n u m b e r , scattered in Levi and J u d a h ; ' and no one of you will
e \ e r be chosen as a leader,'' just as my father J a c o b prophesied in
his blessings.

VI. Behold, I have told you e\erything belbrehand, .so that 1 may
•> not be a n s w e r a b l e for the sin of your souls. If, then, you can rid
yourselves of envy and all stubbornness,
.As a rose shall my bones llourish in Israel.
.And as a lily my flesh in J a c o b ,
.And my fragrance shall be as the fragrance of Lebanon.
.And as cedars shall my faithful sons' be multiplied l()r ever.
.And their branches shall stretch afar off.
;i Then shall perish the olfspring of C a n a a n ,
.And n o r e m n a n t shall be left to .Amelek.
.And all the C a p p a d o c i a n s shall perish,
.And all the Hittites shall be destroyed,
t T h e n shall fail the land of H a m ,
.And all the people perish.
Then shall the whole earth rest from trouble,
.And all that is u n d e r heaven from war.
.•j T h e n shall Shem be glorified,
P'or the Lord, the great God of Israel, shall appear on earth as
man
A n d shall save .Adam through h i m . '
() T h e n shall all the spirits of error be trodden under foot,
.And m e n shall rule over the wicked spirits.

' Lit. do harm to Levi with the sword'.

•* Lit. '.\tid thfv'. ' Cp. Geii. xiix. 7.
" Lit.'will IM* lor leadership'.

' Lit. 'holy men from me'.

' Lit. '. . . Israel, appearing on earth as man and saving .Adam in him'. There is
uncertainty about the details of the text at this point, but all authorities are in
agreement about GcxI's appearance on earth.
 The Teslamenls of the Twelve Patriarchs 525
7 riic-ii shall I arisf in joy;
A n d I will hlcss the Most High hetausc ofhis marvellous
works,'
Because (Jod took a body, and ate with men, and saved men.

VII. . \ n d now, my ehildren, submit to Levi, and through J u d a h '

you will gain your freedom; and do not set yourselves up against
these two tribes, because ;/ is from them that (Jod"s salvation will
2 c o m e ' to you. Lor the Lord will raise up from Levi as it were a high
priest, a n d from J u d a h as it were a king, God and man: h e ' will
:5 save all the (Jentiles and the race of Israel. T h a t is why I am giving
you all these c o m m a n d s , so that you also may command your
children to observe them generation a h e r generation.

VIII. .And Simeon hnished his c o m m a n d s to his .sons; and he slept

2 with his fathers, being an h u n d r e d and twenty years old. .And they
put him in a colfin made of wtwid that would not rot, to take his
bones up to H e b r o n ; and they carried them up secretly during'
1 a w a r of the Egyptians. For J o s e p h ' s bones were kept by the
•t E g y p t i a n s with the royal treasures.' For the magicians told them
that if J o s e p h ' s bones were taken a w a y , ' there would be darkness
a n d gloom t h r o u g h o u t all the land of Egypf" - a very great plague
for the P^gyptians, so that they would not be able to recognize one
a n o t h e r even with the aid ofa l a m p .

IX. .And Simeon's sons wept for their father in accordance with
2 the law of m o u r n i n g . .And they were in Egypt until the day they left
Egypt u n d e r Moses.'
' I.it. 'in his marvellous works'.

' I.it.'in Judah'. ^ Lit.'spring up, sprout'.

' So II (i.e. the king - reading ovrog oCuaei): b 'so he' (i.e. the lx)rd - reading
oCrwg aibaci).

' Lit.'in'.
' Lit. in the treasure-houses ofthe kings (A / palaces)'.
' Lit. 'that at the exodus ofjoseph's bones'.
" So II: A o m . ' t h e land of.

' Lit. until the day oftheir exodus from Egypt by the hand ofMoses'.
testament of levi
526 The Testamenis of the Twelve Patriarchs

IHK TESTAMEN'r O F LEVI.

A B O U F T H E P R I E S T H O O D AND ARROGANCE

I. . \ copy o f t h e words of Levi, which he left as a testament to his

sons before his d e a t h , ' about everything they would do, and what
w a s going to h a p p e n to them, till the day ofjudgement. He was in
good health when he called them to him (for it had been revealed to
h i m that he was about to die). .And when they had met together he
said to t h e m ,

II. I, Levi, was conceived in H a r a n and born there; and after that
1 I c a m e with my father to Shechem. .And I was a young man, about
t w e n t y , when, with Simeon, I took vengeance on H a m o r because of
:i what he had done to o u r sister Dinah. .And when we were' feeding the
flocks in .Abel-meholah a spirit of understanding from the Lord
c a m e upon me, and I observed all men's evil w a y s , ' and that
u n r i g h t e o u s n e s s had built itself walls, and iniquity had entrenched
1 itself behind r a m p a r t s . ' .And I was grieved on m a n ' s behalf; and I
.") p r a y e d to the Lord that I might be saved. T h e n sleep fell upon me,
a n d I saw a high m o u n t a i n - that is mount Aspis in .Abel-meholah.
fi .And behold, the heavens opened, and an angel of the Lord said to
7 m e , Levi, come in. .And I went from the first heaven into the
« second; a n d I saw there water hanging between the two. And I
saw" a third heaven, far brighter and more brilliant' than these
9 t w o , a n d infinite in height. .And I said to the angel, Why is this?
.And t h e angel said to me. Do not stay wondering at these, for when
you h a v e gone u p there, you will see four other heavens even more
10 brilliant a n d beyond comparison with them; for you will stand close
to the Lord a n d be his minister, and you will declare his mysteries
to men a n d be the herald of the good news about the one who is to

' So I I-(i: Afl om.'before his death'.

' So bl: 11 'when I was'.

' Lit. 'all men having destroyed their way'.
* Lit. 'iniquity sat upon towers'.
* So A*: 11 a d d s ' y e t ' .
' So II: M o m . ' a n d more brilliant'.
 The Testaments of the Ttfelve Palriarchs 527
11 c o m e to set Israel free. .And through you a n d j u d a h will the Lord
a p p e a r a m o n g men and bring salvation through them'" to all
12 m a n k i n d . .And the Lord's portion will provide your livelihood; and
hc will be your held and vineyard, vour frtiits. fl«(/vour gold and silver.

III. H e a r , then, about the seven heavens. T h e lowest is the

gloomiest because it witnesses' all the unrighteous deeds of men.
2 T h e second holds hre, snow, ice, ready for the day which the Lord
has d e c r e e d ' in the righteous judgement of God: in it arc all the
3 s p i r i t s ' of retribution for vengeance on the wicked. In the third are
the w a r r i o r hosts appointed to wreak vengeance on the spirits of
e r r o r a n d of Beliar at the day ofjudgement. But the heavens down to
4 the fourth above these are holy." Lor in the highest ofall the Great
5 Glory dwells, in the holy of holies, far above all holiness. .And in the
heaven next to it are the angels ofthe Lord's presence, who minister
a n d m a k e expiation to the Lord for all the sins committed unwit-
6 tingly by the righteous; and they olfer to the Lord a sixithingodour,
7 a spiritual a n d bloodless offering. .And in the heaven below it are the
angels w h o bear the answers to the angels ofthe Lord's presence.
8 .And in the heaven next to it are thrones and powers, in which
9 p r a i s e s , ' are ofl'ered to God continually. .And when the Lord looks
u p o n us, all of us are shaken; and the heavens and the earth and the
10 abysses are shaken at the presence ofhis majesty. Yet men do not
perceive these things, a n d they sin and provoke the .Most High.

I'V. But know' that the Lord will execute judgement on men,
because when the rocks are being rent, and the lighl of the sun
extinguished, a n d the waters dried u p , and fire losing its power,'

" I.it. 'ill then)' {sobklmj-.geaj'ftn liiniscH'; Mi in hiins<4r: rfom.

' So II: A 'it is near"; A "it rnduros'.

' I.it. 'the day ol'thc f o r d ' s decree'.
' O r 'winds'.
'* 'I'hc te.xt is difficult, 'fhere is clearly a division at this point between the three
lower heavens, described already, and the four higher, which arc now dcscrilK-d in
descending, instead of ascending, order. C:harles pro[)osed to emend '.\nd the four
heavens above these are holy'. ' I.it. 'hymns'.

' Lit. '.Now, therefore, know ( p i . ) ' ' Lit. 'cowering'.

 528 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs
a n d all creation in confusion, a n d the unseen spirits wasting away,
a n d H a d e s despoiled t h r o u g h the suffering o f t h e Most High, men
will be unbelieving a n d persist in their iniquities; and on this
2 a c c o u n t will they b e j u d g e d and p u n i s h e d . ' But the Most High has
h e a r d your })rayer: he will separate you from iniquity and make
you his son" a n d servant a n d a iriinistei of his presence.

3 A b r i g h t light of knowledge will make you to shine in J a c o b ,

.\nd like t h e sun will you be to the whole r a c e ' of Israel.
t .'\nd a blessing shall be given to you a n d to all your s o n s , '
U n t i l the L o r d looks upon all the Gentiles with the alfcction
of his soti for ever.

N e v e r t h e l e s s , your sons will lay h a n d s on him to get hitn out of

5 t h e i r way." A n d this is why wisdom and u n d e r s t a n d i n g have been
(i given you, t h a t you m a y instruct your sons about him. For blessed
shall he be w h o blesses him, and they who curse him shall perish.

V. A n d the angel opiened to me the gates of heaven, and I saw the

2 holy t e m p l e , a n d the Most High silting on a t h i o n e of glory. And he
said to me, Levi, T o you have I given the blessings of the pricst-
3 h o o d until I c o m e and dwell in the midst of Israel. Then the angel
b r o u g h t me d o w n to e a r t h ; a n d he gave m e a shield a n d a sword
a n d said. T a k e vengeance on Shechem because of Dinah, and 1 will
4 be w i t h you, Ibr the Lord has sent me. (.And it was at that time that
I killed the sons of H a m o r , as it is written in the heavenly tablets.)
5 A n d I said to h i m . Please, sir, tell me your n a m e , so that I can call
6 o n you in t i m e of trouble. .And he said, I a m the angel that
i n t e r c e d e s for t h e nation of Israel, so that no one may destroy them
7 c o m p l e t e l y , for every evil spirit is ranged against t h e m . ' And
a f t e r w a r d s I woke u p , a n d I blesst'd the Most High and the angel
t h a t intercedes for the nation of Israel and all the righteous.

VI. A n d w h e n I was going to my father, 1 found a bronze shield

' Lit. 'in puiiislirnenl will they bejudged'.

' Lit. 'to separate you frotn iniquity and to bcrome to hitn a son'.
' I.it.'seed'. " So M: I I ' t o crucify him'.
 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 529
(luMue the n a m e of m o u n t Aspis. which is' near Gclial to the south
2,3 o i ' . \ l ) i i a ) . And I l<ei)t tlicsc things in m i n d . I urged my lather and
m y b r o t h e r R e u b e n to tell the sons of H a m o r they must be
c i r c u m c i s e d - Ibr I was furious at the abfiniinable thing they had
4 d o n e ill Israel. And 1 killed Shechem first, a n d Simeon killed
,=) H a m o r . ,\n(l afterwards our brothers c a m e a n d put the city to the
G s w o r d . .\n(i o u r father heard about it and was angry, and he was
grieved that they had accepted circumcision a n d a h e r that had
been p u t to d e a t h ; a n d in his blessings he m a d e an exception of us
7 a m o n g o u r b r o t h e r s . " For we sinned because we had d o n e this
!! a g a i n s t his will ( h e ' was in lact unwell that d a y ) . But I saw that
(Jod h a d p r o n o u n c e d sentence" on Shechem because they had
w a n t e d to d o to S a r a h w h a t they had d o n e to o u r sisicr Dinah; and
9 the L o r d p r e v e n t e d t h e m . . \ n d so too they had persecuted our
l a t h e r . \ b r a l i a n i as a foreigner; and they trampled on* his flocks
w h e n they were p r e g n a n t , and they shamefully ill-lreaicd jeblae,
10 w h o h a d been born in his household. And they behaved like this to
all liircigners: they took their wives away from them by Ibrcc and
i1 then sent t h e m a w a y . But retribution from the Lord^ov ertook them
at last.

VII. . \ i i d I said to my father. Do not be angry, sir, Ibr by you the

L o r d will destroy the G.anaanitcs a n d give their land to you and
2 )'our d e s c e n d a n t s after you. For from to-day Shechem will be
called a city of imbeciles; Ibr as a m a n mocks a fool, so did we make
3 a m o c k e r y of t h e m , because they had indeed committed an out-
4 r a g e ' in Israel by defiling o u r sister. .And wc look our sister away
from t h e r e a n d d e p a r t e d a n d came to Bethel.

So II: i lor it is'.

^ Lit. 'he did Jor 'made') otherwise'. W hatcver precisely this obscure exjircssion
may mean, there can be no doubl that it refers to Gen. xlix. 7. where .Simeon and
Levi arc cursed bv Jacob and told thev will be 'scaitrri-d in Israel'.
' So Ac: l l - f - r ' .
" Lil. 'that there was a senleiue of God for e\ iis'.
' So/)/; ll-/'llir> vexed' (5 is absent).
" Lit. 'the Lord's wrath'.

' Lit.'folk'.
 ~yM) The Testaments oJ the Twelve Patriarchs

VIII. . \ I K I a t ' U T wc liad l)ccn llicrc scxciitv (lass, I had another

2 \i.sion' jii.st a.s I had had Ijclbrc. . \ n d 1 saw seven tnen clothed in
w hite saying to me, (Jet u|), p m on the robe ofthe priesthood, and
the crown of righteousness, and the breast-piece of understanding,
a n d the m a n t l e of truth, and the rosette of faith, and the turban of
:i the sign, and the ephod of prophecy. .\nd one b\ one they brought
these things and put them on me and said. From now on be a priest
t of the I.ord. you and your descendaius for ever. .\nd the lirst
i a n o i n t e d me with holy oil and g a \ e tne a stalf of judgetnetit. The
second washed me with pure water atid fed mc with bread and
wine (the holiest of holy things) and arraved me in a holy and
tl glorious robe. The third clothed me with a linen \estincnt like an
7.1) e p h o d . The fourth put round tne a girdle like purple. The fifth g a \ e
'i.lii me a b r a n c h ol rich olive. I h e sixth put a crown on my head. I h e
seventh put round m e ' a diadem of priesthood; and thev filled my
h a n d s ' with incense, so that I might serve as priest to the I.ord.
11 .\iid they said to me. Levi, b\ three functions will your descendants
be distinguished.'' for a sign of tliegloi-y ofthe I.ord who is to come.
\2 .And he who believed will be the first, and no office'' shall be greater
i.l I t h a n his." The second will be the priesthood. The third will be
called by a new n a m e , for a king shall arise out of Judah and
establish a new priesthood, after the fashion ofthe (Jetitiles, Itirall
1.') the (Jentiles. .And his coming will he marvellous, as o f a mighty
\t\ p r o p h e t , ' o f t h e stock of .Abraham our father. Everything that is
d e s i r a b l e in Israel shall be yours and your descendants'; and you
shall eat of everything that delights the eye, and from the Lord's
17 table shall your descendants assign themselves a portion. .And
s o m e o l ' t h e m shall be high priests, and judges, and scribes; for by
It) their testimony" shall what is holy be preserv ed.' .And when I woke

' I.it. -aij.iiii I savv.i lliiiii," (W: II -a vision').

• So frt/ (III {Idm arc missing): tik cxplicitlv 'put on my head',

' This is the technical Old lestament term lor consecration to the priestly olhce
I sec e g . Kxod. xxxii. •.'!l;.Judg. xvii. :\ I'.': 1 Kings xiii. ;i3l.
' I.it. 'into three heginnings thy seed will he divided'. (iharles rendcied 'thy seed
shall be div ided into three olhces'.
' Lit, 'lot'. " I.it, it' or 'he'.
• S o M : II 'as o l a prophet o t l h e Most High'.
" I.it. "their mouth'.
" O r 'shall the holy place be guarded'.
 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 531
19 u p I realized t h a t this vision was like the other one. And I kept this
o n e secret too, a n d I told it to nobody.

IX. A n d after two days J u d a h a n d I went u p with our father to

'2 I s a a c . And my g r a n d f a t h e r bles.sed me in words that recalled the
:i v i s i o n s ' I had seen; and he would not come with us to Bethel. But
w h e n we cariic to Bethel, my father Jacob saw in a vision about me
4 t h a t I s h o u l d be their priest before G o d . And hc got up cat Iv in the
m o r n i n g a n d paid tithes to the Lord on everything through me.
5,6 A n d we w e n t to H e b r o n to settle there. .And Isaac sent for mc
r e p e a t e d l y to instruct me i n ' the law o f t h e Lord, just as the angel of
7 G o d h a d s h o w n m c . .And hc taught mc the law ofthe priesthood, of
s a c r i h c e s , o f whole-olferings, of first-fruits, of freewill-offerings, and
8 of peace-ofibrings. .And each day he continued instructing me and
9 b u s i e d himself on my behalf before the Lord. And he said. Beware,
my s o n , o f t h e spirit of fornication; for this will persist, and through
10 y o u r d e s c e n d a n t s it will pollute the s a n c t u a r y . ' .So find yourself a
wife while you a r e y o u n g , a^?zV/without fault, not worldly minded,
11 a n d not of foreign'' or of Gentile stock. .And beliire you enter the
s a n c t n a t y , ' b a t h e ; a n d when you offer the saerihce, wash, and
\2 w h e n you finish the sacrifice, wash again. Use only wood from the
twelve trees that always have leaves to preacnlyour offerings to the
13 L o r d by fire, as indeed -Abraham taught m e . ' .And sacrifice to the
14 L o r d only clean a n i m a l s a n d birds. -And offer" the choicest ofall
first-fruits a n d wine. A n d every saciificc you m u s t salt with salt.

X. N o w , children, observe the c o m m a n d s I give you, liir what I

2 h a v e h e a r d from my fathers I have told you. 1 a m innocem ofall
y o u r u n g o d l i n e s s a n d o f t h e sin' you will commit at the end of time
a g a i n s t the Saviour o f t h e world, acting godlessly, leading Israel
3 a s t r a y , a n d stirring u p against it great evils from the Lord. And
t o g e t h e r with the rest o f l s r a e l you will sin against the law, so that

' I.it. hlessed me acrording lo all the words oCmy visions'.

^ Lit. 'to put me in remembrance of.
' L i t . ' t h e holy things'. M J r •Phiiisiine'.
= C p . j u b . xxi. 12. ' " So*:IIadds'tothel,oid'.

' Lil. 'transgtession'.

 532 The Teslaments of ihe Twelve Palriarchs
he will not h e a r witii J i T u s a l f i i i ' b e c a u s e oi y o u r w i e k e c i i i e s s , but
1 will tear iti two the temple \ eil" so as not to cover your shame. And
you will be scattered as captives a m o n g the CJentiles and be" a
.') r e p r o a c h a n d a c u r s e ' a n d be trampled under loot. For the house
w h i c h the Lord will choose shall be called J e r u s a l e m , as it stands
w r i t t e n in the book o f t h e righteous Enoch.

XI. W h e n I married I was twenty eight years old, and my wife's

•1 n a m e w a s .\Ielcha. . \ n d she conceived and bore a son. and she
called h i m Ciershom because we were living as foreigners in our
;i l a n d (for CJershom m e a n s ' iiviiig as a foreigner'). . \ n d I saw in a
t vision a b o u t him that he would not be in the front rank. .And
.') Koliatli w a s born in my thirty fifth year, towards sunrise. .And I saw
in a vision that he was standing raised above the rest of the
(i c o n g r e g a t i o n round about him (that is why I called him Kohath,
7 w h i c h is 'beginning of greatness' a n d •reconciliation'-). .And as a
third son s h e bore m e .\lerari in my fortieth year; and it was a
dilfictilt birth (that is why his mother called him Merari, which is
H "my b i t t e r n e s s ' - a n d his life too was in d a n g e r ) . .Aiidjochebed was
b o r n in my sixty fourth year, in Egypt; Ibr by then I was much
e s t e e m e d a m o n g my brothers.

XII. .And ( i c r s h o m married, a n d his wife bore him Libni and

•1 S h i m e i . .And K o h a t h ' s sons were .Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and
,t L'zziel. .And .Merari's sons, .\lahli a n d .Vtushi. .And in my ninety
fourth year .Amram married my d a u g h t e r J o c h e b e d , for they were
.') born t h e s a m e day, he a n d my d a u g h t e r . I was eight years old when
I went into the land of C a n a a n and eighteen when 1 killed
S h e c h e m , a n d at nineteen I became a priest; and / w a s twenty eight
6 when I m a r r i e d a n d forty when I came into Egypt. .And you, my
c h i l d r e n , a r e a third generation. J o s e p h died in my hundred and
e i g h t e e n t h year.

- O r '.SCI that ji-rusalcin will not Ix-ar il'.

' I.it. •garmc-nt'. ' .Soi: II acleis'there'.
^ .So I\-gm: b gni om. 'and a cnrse'.

' Lit. is written'.

' Lit. 'bitnging together'.
 The Testaments oj the Twelve Patriarchs 533

XIII. .And now. my children. I command you to fear the Lord with
all y o u r heart and li\e in .sincerity in accordance with all his law.
•1 .And you too must teach your children how to read.' so that they
m a y have u n d e r s t a n d i n g all their life through reading the law of
1 G o d contituially. For everyone that knows the law ot'CJod will he
4 honotircd and accepted where\ er he goes. He will in fact hnd many
m o r e friends than his parents; and not a few will he anxious to do
h i m service and hear the law from his mouth. Do good works, my
() children, on earth, so that you may find vo«r reward in heaven. .And
sow good things in your souls, so that you may hnd them in your
life; for if you sow e\ il things, you will reap every A;«(/o/ trouble and
7 t r i b u l a t i o n . .Acc|uirc wisdom in the fear of CJod with diligence; for
even if exile comes, and cities and lands are devastated, and gold
a n d siUer and all possessions become a total loss, no one can take
a w a y the wise m a n ' s wisdom - only the blindness of ungodliness
8 a n d the d i s a b l e m e n t ' that comes oism. For w i s d o m ' will be for him a
shinitig lighl even atnong enemies, and in a strange (ountry a
9 fatherland, and in the midst of foes she will be found a friend. If
a n y o n e teaches these things and acts on them, he will share a king's
throtic, as indeed J o s e p h our b r o t h e r d i d .

XIV. .And now, children, I understand from the writing of Lnoch

t h a t at the end you will sin against' the Lord, and lay hands . . .' in
all wickedness, a n d your brothers will be ashamed because of you,
2 a n d you will b e c o m e ' a laughing-stock a m o n g all the Gentiles. But
o u r father Israel will not be held responsible for" the godlessncss of
the chief priests wlio will lay their h a n d s upon the Saviour ofthe
3 world. Fhe heaven is purer than the earth; and you are the lights of
4 h e a v e n , ' like sun a n d moon. W h a t will all the Gentiles do. if you
' I.it. ti'.nh your cliildrcti letters'.
' .So bg: dim eaj (hi 'eallousness'.
' I.it. 'she'.

' I.it. you will act godlessly towards'.

' .An object is required here: chi have 'upon him'.
' So kt eajc: b gdm hi 'and there will liecome'.
* I.it. 'will be pure I'rom' (so bkl: II-/ 'is pure from').
' So bkl: I I - / ' I s r a e l ' .
 334 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs
a r c d a r k e n e d hy ungodliness and bring a curse upon our race, for
whose sake the light ol the law" was given (Jor what was gi\en
t h r o u g h you was given for the enlightennient o f every man)? Him
\ ' o u will desire to kill; and you will teach c o n n n a n d m e n t s contrary
.') to the precepts olCiod. ^ On will rob the Lord's ollerings; Irom the
p o r t i o n s allt)ted to him yoti will steal; and before sacrificing to the
Lord you will u\V.t: for yourselves the choicest pieces and share them
ti like c o m m o n food' with whores. \'ow will teach the Lord's com-
m a n d t i i e n t s for yotir own personal gain. \o\\ will pollute married
w o m e n a n d defile the \ irgins o f Jerusalem." and you will be united
with prostitutes and adulteresses. \ ' o u will take Cientile women a s
wives a n d purify them with a form 0 / p u r i h c a t i o n contrary to the
l a w ; a t i d your unions will be like S o d o m a n d ( i o m o r r t i h in
7 u n g o d l i n e s s . . \ i i d you will be full o f self-importance on account o f
the priesthood and set yottrscKes u p against other men; and not
only s o . but you will think yourselves o f more importance even
t h a n the c o m m a n d i n e n t s o f (iod, and ><)U will mock at holy things'
a n d m a k e c h e a p jokes about t h e m . ' "

XV. . \ n d s o the temple, which the Lord will choose, will be laid
w a s t e because o f )'o«r uiicleanness,' and \ ( ) U will be carried of] as
1 captives by a l l the (ieiitiles. .And you will be an abomination to
t h e m a n d bear the reproach and eternal shame o f having been
;i c o n d e m n e d by the righteous j u d g e m e n t o f (iod. .And a l l who see
t you will turn and run away from you. .And if it were not because
o f .Abraham, Isaac, and J a c o b , our fathers. I should have no
d e s c e n d a n t left alive on earth.

XVI. .And now I u n d e r s t a n d in the book of Knoch that you will go

a s t r a y a n d profane the priesthood and pollute the sacrifices lor
•> seventy weeks. .And you will set aside the law and discredit the
w o r d s of the prophets: you will persecute righteous men with a

' Sii i;m faj cli: l)ki •the light of the world'; W'thc light ofthe world and the law'.
Lit. 'and eat litem in contempt'.
" .SoAt: 1 1 'Israel'. ' O r ' t h e holy place'.
"' and make . . . them: lit. 'jesting in contempt".

' I.it. "will he desolate in unclcanness'.

 The Teslamenls of lhe Twelve Palriarchs :)3')
c r a z \ d e t e r m i n a t i o n and iiate tiie godly and abhor the words ofthe
:t faithful. . \ n d you will brand as a deceiver a man who renews the
law in the power of the .Most High, unaware of who he is.' and >(iu
will hnally kill him. as you suppose, and through iflwr wickedness
4 b r i n g innocent blood upon your heads. Because' of him your
s a n c t u a r y will be laid waste, levelled to the ground, and polluted.
.And your l a n d ' will be unclean; and" a curse will rest upon you.
a n d you will be dispersed a m o n g the CJentilcs until hc comes to you
a n d once more receives you in pity t h r o u g h ' faith and water.

XVII. .And since I lia\e told you about the seventy weeks, let me
2 tell you also' about the priesthood. Kor in each jubilee there will be
a priesthood. I n ' the first jubilee the hrst priest anointed to the
priesthood will be great, and hc will speak to CJod as to a father;
a n d his priesthood will be perfect with the Lord.' and on his day of
3 j o y he will stand up for the salvation o f t h e world. In the second
j u b i l e e the anointed priest will be conceived amid the distresses of
his people;" and his priesthood will be held in high honour and
4 esteem by all. .And the third priest will be overcome by sorrow.
b .And the Itiurth will sulfcr anguish because unrighteousness will
inake a d e t e r m i n e d assault upon h i m , ' and Israelites'' will hate one
6,7 a n o t h e r . T h e hfth will be overcome by darkness. .And so also the
8 sixth a n d the seventh. .And in the seventh jubilee there will be
pollution of a kind that I cannot speak of in the presence ofthe Lord
9 a n d m e n ' (but they will know w h o d o these things). Because of this
they will be taken as captives and plundered, and their land and
10 their possessions will be destroyed. .And in the hfth week they will
r e t u r n to their land in its desolation, and they will renew the house

' I.it. •unaware olllis niajest\\

So A A: II •.\iid because'. ' I.it •place'.
•• Lit. 'but'. " Lit. •iir.

' I.it. •since you have heard . . . hear also'.

' So A /: 1 1 - / 'and in'.
' So 1 1 : A 'perfect with the fear ofthe Lord'.
•* Lit. 'in the sorrow ofthe beloved ones'.
' Translation uncertain.
*• Lit. •and al! Israel'.
' .So b: II om. 'the Lord and'.
xW) The Testaments of the Twelve Palriarclis
o l ' t h c I.ord. .\iid in the scxcnth week will come priests, idio willbi
idolaters, ciiiarrelsomc, money-lovers, arrogant, lawless, licenti-
O t i s , c o r r u p t e r s of children, and given to unnatural vice will
animals.

XVIII. . \ n d alter j u d g e m e n t has come upon them from the Lord

the priesthood will fail.
Tlieii will the Lord raise up a new priest.'
10 w h o m all the words ofthe Lord will he revealed;
.\iid he will execute true j u d g e m e n t on earth Ibr many days.
. \ n d his star will arise in heaven, as a king.
Lighting up the light of knowledge as the sun the day;'
.And he will rank as great in the world until he is taken up.
H e will shine forth like the sun on the earth.
.And dispel all darkness from under heaven;
.And there will be peace in all the earth.
The heavens will e.xult in his days,
-And the earth will be glad, and the clouds rt'joice;
.And the knowledge o f t h e Lord will be poured out on the
earth.
Like the water o f t h e seas.
.And the angels of glory ofthe Lord's presence will be glad in
him.
The heavens will be opened.
.And from the temple of glory will come his call to his sacred
olTice'
W i t h the F a t h e r ' s voice, as from .Abraham Isaac's father.
.And the glory o f t h e Most High will be uttered over him,
.And the spirit of u n d e r s t a n d i n g and holiness will rest upon
h i m in the water.
H e will declare" the majesty ofthe Lord to his sons in truth
for e \ e r m o r e .

' .So II: A ''.And after . . . from the Lord, ^then will the Lord
prie.sthood a new prie.st'.
- The MS.S \ar\- here: none i.s entirely satisfactory.
' Lit. 'w ill come u|X)n him the sacred thing".
•* I.it. ' g i \ e ' .
 'I'he Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 537
A n d t h e r e will h e no s i u c e s s o r t o h i m h'om g e n e r a t i o n l o
g e n e r a t i o n fiir e v e r .
. \ i i d i n liis p r i e s t h o o d t h e C i e i i t i l e s w i l l i i u r e a s e in k n o w l e d g e
on the earth.
.Vnd b e e n l i g h t e n e d t h r o u g h t h e g r a c e o f t h e Lord;
B u t I s r a e l will b e w e a k e n e d t h r o u g h i g n o r a n c e .
.And p l u n g e d i n t o d a r k n e s s by s o r r o w . '
I n h i s p r i e s t h o o d will all sin c o m e l o a n e n d .
.And t h e l a w l e s s c e a s e to d o evil;
.And t h e r i g h t e o u s will rest in h i m .
.And h c will o p e n t h e g a t e s of P a r a d i s e ,
.And destroy t h e p o w e r o f t h e sword that t h r e a t e n e d .Adam.
.Anci h c w i l l g i v e t h e s a i n t s the right t o e a t f r o m t h e t r e e o l l i l i . ' .
.And t h e spirit o f h o l i n e s s will b e o n t h e m .
.And B e l i a r will b e b o u n d b y h i m .
.And h c will g i v e p o w e r t o h i s c h i l d r e n t o t r e a d t h e evil s p i r i t s
underfoot.
.And t h e L o r d will rejoice o v e r his c h i l d r e n ,
.And'' l a k e p l e a s u r e in t h o s e w h o a r e d e a r to h i m Ibr ever.
T h e n will . A b r a h a m a n d I s a a c a n d J a c o b s h o u t in e x u l t a t i o n ,
.Vnd 1 will b e ,glad,
.Vnd all t h e s a i n t s will b e c l o t h e d w i t h j o y .

XIX. .And n o w , m y children, y o u h a v e heard everything. Choose,

t h e n , for y o u r s e l v e s either d a r k n e s s o r light, either t h e l a w o f t h e
L o r d o r t h e w a y s ' of B e l i a r . A n d w e a n s w e r e d o u r f a t h e r , s a y i n g ,
I n t h e L o r d ' s p r e s e n c e w e will live o u r lives in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h his
l a w . A n d o u r f a t h e r s a i d , T h e L o r d is a w i u i e s s , a n d h i s a n g e l s a r e
w i t n e s s e s , a n d I a m a witness, a n d you a r e witnesses, of w h a t you
ha\e said. .And w e said, W'e are w i t n e s s e s . . A n d w i t h t h i s Levi
b r o u g h t his c o m m a n d s to his sons to a n e n d ; a n d he stretched o u t
h i s icei, a n d w a s gathered to his fathers, w h e n hc w a s a h u n d r e d
a n d t h i r t y s e \ e n y e a r s o l d . .And t h e y [lut h i m in a cofhn; a n d later
o n t h e y b u r i e d h i m i n H e b r o n , by t h e s i d e o f A b r a h a m , I s a a c , a n d

*^ ^ So I i: 6A 0111. ".And in his priestliood .

" So I I : A (A) add-tiic f o r d ' .
testament of judah
i)'Mi The Teslamenls oj the Twelve Patrianhs

I H K r K S T A M K N T OK I I D A I I .
AHOIT C : 0 L R A ( ; K . A N D K ( ) \ K OK M O N K V .
AND KORNICAITON

I. A copy ol'thc words ol'liidah that he spoke to his sons bcltire he

d i e d . They met together and l a m e to him; and he said to them. I
was my lather's fourth son. and my mother' called mc J u d a h .
s;iying, I g i \ e thanks to the Lord because he has gi\eii me ;i liiurth
son as well. I was agile a n d actixc in m\ yoiuh; and I was obedient
to my father in everything. . \ n d I blessed' my tnother and m\
m o t h e r ' s sister. . \ n d when I grew up. my father J a c o b promised
m e . ' .s;iyiiig. \ ' < H I will be a king and p i D s p c r in all lliin,;s.

II. . \ n d the Lord showed me liivoin- in everything I did. both out

in the country and at home - ;is I saw when' I raced a hind and
c a u g h t it a n d m a d e it into a meal bn my father. The ga/.elles I
would catch as they ran. and I could overtake anvthing on the
plains. . \ wild m a r e I overtook and caught (/ and tamed it: and I
killed a lion a n d rescued a kid from its moiuh. I took a bc-ar b \ its
p a w a n d d a s h e d it against a crag;' and any beast, if it tinned on
mc. I tore it a p a r t like a dog. I raced the w ild boar and grasijed it as
I r a n . a n d I tore il in pieces. . \ leopard in Hebron j u m p e d oul on my
d o g . a n d I caught it by the tail and sent it Hying and destroyed it.'
. \ wild ox. which was feeding in the fields near Cia/a. 1 took by the
h o r n s , a n d whirled // round and stunned // and threw it on the
g r o u n d a n d killed it.

III. .And w h e n the two kings ol'the C a n a a n i t e s , armed with their

coats of mail, came against the flocks with all iheir forces, on my
ow n I fell upon the king of Hazor. seized him and struck him on the
gi e a \ c s , a n d I dragged him down and so killed him. .And the other,
' So A: II 'my moilier l.cali'.
- S(j b: 11 "honoiirccr.
' So b cht: gtdm m/ "prayrd l(>r doit's bti'surit' on mc".

' .So the probable text behind 6: II "I know th;tt'.

• Lit. "rolled it away into a crag'.
* Lit. "and it was broken'.
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 539
the king of I ' a p p u a h . I killed as he was sitting on his horse; and so 1
3 s c a t t e r e d all his people.' .And when I killed king .Achor' (one ofthe
g i a n t s v\ h o was shooting arrows in front of him and behind him as he
sat on his horse), I took aim with a stone weighing sixt> pounds and
4 flung il at his horse and killed it. And I fought . \ c h o r for two hours.
5 a n d I killed him; a n d I cut his shield in two a n d cut off his feet. .And
as I w a s strijipiiig olf his breastplate, eight comrades ofhis began
6 to light with m c . So I w o u n d my g a r m e n t round my hand and
t h r e w stones at them; a n d 1 killed four o f t h e m , but the others Hcd.
7 / \ n d o u r f a t h e r j a c o b killed Beelisas, the leader o f t h e kings,' a
8 g i a n t ill s t r e n g t h a W o i r r eighteen feet in height! And terror" seized
9 t h e m , a n d they b r o u g h t their war against us t<i an end. .\Iy lather
10 h a d no anxiety, if there was a war, and 1 was with my brothers. For
hc h a d seen in a vision a b o u t mc that an angel of might always
followed me everywhere, so that 1 should not be overcome.

IV. .And in the south we became involved in a more serious war

t h a n t h e o n e in S h e c h e m . .And I took the held with my brothers;
a n d I w e n t in p u r s u i t o f a t h o u s a n d men, and I killed two h u n d r e d
2 m e n o f t h e m a n d lour kings. .And I went up againsi them on the
3 wall, a n d I killed two more kings. .Also wc set Hebron free and
l i b e r a t e d all the prisoners that had been taken by the kings.'

V. O n the next day wc set olf for A r e t a n , a city strongly fortified,

2 inaccessible a n d m e n a c i n g . ' ( i a d a n d I a p p r o a c h e d from ihe east
3 o f t h e city, a n d R e u b e n a n d Levi from the west.' -And the men that
' So b. I e hi explicitly 'hi.s people'; .^^nj c 'their people'.
^ fhere is obviously some coulusioii here since only two kings arc mentioned in
ver.se 1, but verse 3 introduces a third with a proper name. Charles argued, on the
basis ol Rabbinic sources, that verses IJ-.i originally described Jutlali's encounter
with the king of I appuah and that the otherwise unknown name .Achor arose as a
ctirrupt dittography of 'the other" (Heb.'a^r) at the beginning of verse 2. He
accordingl)' brackcteci the end of verse 2 and the beginning of verse 3 as an
interpolation. ' I.it.'king of all the kings".
* I.it. 'iretiibiing".

' Lit. "and we took all the captivity oflhe kings'.

' Lit. "promising death to us'.

' So 1 1 - / : * / add "and on the south'.
540 The Testaments of the Twelve Falnarchs
w e r e on the wall, thinking we were alone, were d r a w n away after
lis. A n d so the rest of our iirothers, without being seen, climbed up
the wall on the other two sides on l a d d e r s ' and entered the iit\
while the defenders were u n a w a r e of it. .And v\e took it and put il (o
t h e s w o r d ; a n d as fiir those w ho had taken refuge in the tower, we
set fire to the tower and took both it and them. . \ n d as we were
g o i n g a w a y the men o f ' I ' a p p u a h set upon t)ur prisoners; and we
p u t these in c h a r g e of o u r sons," and we fought with them as far as
T a p p u a h . .And we killed theiri too and burned their city, and
e \ c r y t h i n g in it we carried offas spoil.

VI. .And w h e n I was at the waters ofCozt4ja, the men ofjobel tof)k
t h e field against us. .And we titught with t h e m ; ' and wc killed their
allies from Shiloh and gave them no opportunitv to attack us.- .And
the men of .Vlachir' c a m e upon us on the fifth day to take our
p r i s o n e r s , a n d we a d v a n c e d against them and got the better of
t h e m in a fiercely contested battle (for there were m a n y seasoned
w a r r i o r s a m o n g t h e m ) : a n d we killed them before they had gone up
t h e slope. But w h e n we c a m e to their city, their women rolled down
s t o n e s on us from the brow o f t h e hill on which the city stood. .And
S i m e o n a n d I hid o u r s e k e s at the back; a n d we seized the heights
a n d destroyed the whole city.

VII. A n d the next d a y we were told that the men of Gaash, the city of
t h e k i n g s , ' were coming against us with a massive force. So Dan
a n d I p r e t e n d e d to be .\inorites and gained e n t r a n c e into their city
as allies. .And at d e a d of night our brothers c a m e , and we opened
the g a t e s for t h e m ; a n d wc destroyed all the i n h a b i t a n t s ' a n d their
possessions, a n d we took as booty everything they had, and razed

' I.it. 'by stakes'.

So sdl eqf [m is iaekiiig): t> 'and tiaving taken ilie.se with us together with our
sons'.

' So i: gdl fa/ a d d 'and defeated them'.

- Lit. 'no passage to eome in against us'.
• O r '.And from .Machir they'.

So (e) of; there is a bewildering variety of readings at this point

Lit. 'all of them'.
 The Testaments oJthe Twelve Patriarchs 541
4 their three walls to the g r o u n d . . \ n d we a p p r o a c h e d I'imnah,
w h c r r all those were w h o had taken refuge from' the warring kings.
•) Here'' they were abusive, a n d in my fury I rushed against them to
the b r o w ofthe hill on which the city stood.^ And they kept slinging stones
(i a n d throwing d a r t s at me. .And had not my brother Dan fought w ith
7 m e . they would have killed me. But so furious was our assault on
t h e m t h a t they all fled; a n d they found their way to my father by a
different route, a n d they pleaded with him, and hc m a d e peace
8 with t h e m . .And wc did them no h a r m , but m a d e a truce with them
9 a n d restored all our prisoners to them. .And I rebuilt'' T i m n a h , and
10 my father rebtiilt'* R a b a e l . I was twenty years old when this war
11 h a p p e n e d . .And the Canaatiitcs were afraid o f m y brothers and of
mc.

VIIJ. .And I h a d a n u m b e r of flocks and herds, and my chief

2 h e r d s m a n w a s I r a n the A d u l l a m i t e . W h e n I went to see him 1 met'
B a r s a t n , king of .Adullam. .And he gave us a feast; and he invited
.1 m e a n d gave m c his d a u g h t e r B a t h s h u a in marriage. She bore me
Kr a n d O n a n a n d Shelah: two of them the Kord struck down
childless; b u t Shelah w a s s p a r e d , ' a n d you a r e his children.

IX. After wc c a m e out of M e s o p o t a m i a , from L a b a n , into Canaan

o u r f a t h e r ' lived in peace with his b r o t h e r Esau for eighteen years,
2 a n d his sons with us. A n d when eighteen years had gone by, in my
o w n fortieth year, Esau, my father's brother, attacked us with a
3 large a n d powerful c o m p a n y . And hc fell by the bow o f j a c o b and
w a s t a k e n u p wounded' in the hill-country of Seir; and he died on
4 t h e r o a d a b o v e .Anonirain. .And we went in pursuit of Esau's sons.
X o w they h a d a city with a wall of iron and gates of brass, and wc
could not get into it; a n d we e n c a m p e d r o u n d a b o u t ; / a n d beseiged
.T t h e m . .And w h e n after twenty days they had not opened the gates
' I.it. 'where was ail the refuge o f .
" I.it. ' ' f h e n ' . ' C p . vi. 4,
I.it.'built'.

Lit. 'lived'.

So I \-d: b d 'our lather and ourselv

Lit. ' d e a d ' .
 542 The Testamenis ofthe Twelve Patriarchs
a n d were looking at us. I got a ladder, and. with my shield over my
h e a d , climbed ujj and was met with a shower ofstones' weighing
nearly three talents; and when I got to the lop I killed four of their
(1 w a r r i o r s . .And on the day following Reuben and G a d went in and
7 killed sLx" more. Then they asked us for t e n n s of peace, and, after
8 c o n s u l t i n g o u r father, we put them to forced labour. .And they used
to give us each rear two h u n d r e d cors of wheat, live hundred baths of
oil. a n d hiteen h u n d r e d measures of wine, until we went down into
Kgypt.

X. .After this my son Kr married Tamar,' a girl from

2 .Mesopotamia, an .Aramaean. .And Kr was wicked and had doubts
a b o u t T a m a r because she was not from Clanaan; and an angel of
:i the Lord struck him on the third day in the night.' .And he had not
h a d intercourse with her as a result of his mother's crafty schem-
l ing; for he did not want to have children by her.' While the
w e d d i n g was still being celebrated," I gave her O n a n in marriage
as a h u s b a n d ' s brother; a n d he too was wicked and would not have
i n t e r c o u r s e with her, though he lived with her for a whole year.
j .And when I threatened him, he lay with her but spilled his seed on
the g r o u n d , j u s t as his mother had told him to; and he also died
(i t h r o u g h his wickedness. .And I wanted to give ,Shelah to her as well,
but my wife B a t h s h u a would not agree to it; for she had set her face
against 'Tamar, because she was not a C a n a a n i t e as she was
herself.

XI. .And 1 was well a w a r e that the C a n a a n i t e stock was wicked,

•> but youthful passion blinded my mind. And when I saw her
p o u r i n g out the wine at d i n n e r , ' I was led astray under the influ-
3 ence o f t h e wine a n d spent the night with her. .And she, while 1 was
' Lit. "aiic] I went upaeeeptitigstone.s*.
•• So II-/;A/-sixty-.

' .According to Gen. xxx\ iii. li J u d a h himself was responsible Ibr marrying Er to
Tamar. ' So b: gdtiafon the third night'; m -on the third day';cAiom.
' O r 'she did not want him to have children by her'.
•• I.it. "In the days ofthe bride-chamber'.

• Gp. xiii. 3 - 7 .
 The Teslamenls nflhe Twelve Palriarchs >i3
1 a w a \ . uciit and Ibuiici a wife Ibr Shelah from Catiaan. Ami when I
S discovered what she had done. 1 cursed her in my distress. .And she
died too throtigh her sons' uickcdiiess.

XII. .And after this, while Tamar was a widow, she heard, two
years later, that I was on my way to shear n n sheep; a n d she
a d o r n e d licrself in bridal array and sat in the city of Knaini.' at the
2 g a t e . For it was a custom ofthe .Amorites tliat a girl who was about
:i to m a r r y should sit by the gate for seven days as a prostitute. I had
myself been drinking at the waters ofClozeba, and. hiddled as I was
with wine. I did not recognize her; moreover, the way she had
a d o r n e d herself m a d e her seem the more desirable; and so I w as
1 deceived. .And I turned to her and said. Let me lie with you. .\iid
she said. W h a t will you give me? .And I gave her my stalf and ni\
belt a n d the diadem o f t h e kingdom, and I lay with her; and she
.i conceived. .And not knowing whal she had done, il was mv inten­
tion to kill h e r ; ' but she secretly sent me the pledges, and
(i h u m i l i a t e d me. .And when 1 asked her to come and see me, she told
m e ' also what I had said to her privately while I was lying with her
in my d r u n k e n stupor; a n d (w I could not kill her. for it was the
7 L o r d ' s doing. .And I thought'' perhaps it was a trick and she had got
8 t h e pledges from someone else. But I never approached her again.'
because I had done something that all Israelites regard as an
y a b o m i n a t i o n . . \ n d the people in the city said there had been no
prostitute" in the .gate' (because she came from somewhere else
10 a n d sat in the gate for only a little while). .And I thought that no one
11 knew that I had had intercourse with her. .And aher this wc went
12 into Lgypt, t o j o s e p h . because ofthe famine. .And I was forty-six;
a n d I lived there for seventy three years.

XIII. .And n o w . my instructions to you.' Pay attention, my

' ' f luTt* a r e a l u i m l i e r ot'v a r i a n t s h e r e : e s e e m s lo g i v e l h e o r i g i n a l le.xi.
' Cp. ( i e n . x.xxviii. 24.
' Lit. 'I h e a r d ' . •* Lil. 'I s a i d ' .
Lil. 'Bill I d i d n o l a p p r o a c h h e r anv' m o r e until m y d e a t h ' .
* Lit. ' t e m p l e - p r o s t i t u t e ' .

' So I I - / ( ( / i s l a e k i n g a n d chi h a v e a d i l l e r e n t l e x l ) : h I in t h e c i t y ' .

' Lit. ' w h a t s o e v e r t h i n g s I e o m m a i i d y o u ' .

 344 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
i h i l d r c n . to your latlu-r,' and keep all tny sa\ ings, and eontijrni to
t h e o r d i n a n c e s ' o f t h e Lord, a n d obey the c o n n n a n d m e n t s ofthe
L' Lord Clod.'' And d o not follow after your natural desires, nor yield
to t h e p r o m p t i n g s of your own inclinations: d o not be proud and
o v e r b e a r i n g ; ' and d o not boast of your feats in youth, for this too is
:i evil in the Lord's eyes. 1 myself boasted that when at war no
bcatitiful w o m a n ' s lace ever beguiled me, a n d I censured my
b r o t h e r Reuben because oftvhat he had done to Bilhah, my father's
wife; yet the spirit of pride* and fornication ranged itself against me
until I had spent the night with Bathshua, the (lanaanite, and with
1 T a m a r , w h o h a d been married to my sons. . \ n d I said to my
father-in-law, I will talk to my father about it, and on/v so will 1 take
yotir d a u g h t e r . . \ n d he showed me an immense hoard of gold that
•) w a s e a r - m a r k e d for his d a u g h t e r ' (for he was a king). .And he
a d o r n e d her with gold and pearls and got her to pour out the wine
t) for us at d i n n e r a n d display her beauty.* .And the wine turned away
7 my eyes, a n d pleasure dulled my wits. .And I became enamoured of
her, a n d I spent the night with her a n d transgressed the Lord's
8 c o m m a n d a n d my father's also; a n d I married her. .And the Lord
r e w a r d e d m e as I deserved, inasmuch as I had no joy of her
children.

XI'V. .And now, my children, d o not give way to drunkenness, for

wine ttirns the mind away from truth, inflames our lustful inclina-
2 tions, a n d leads the eyes into error. For the spirit of fornication
u s e s ' wine as a n instrument to give pleasure to the mind; and both
;i of these destroy a m a n ' s powers. For if a m a n drinks wine a n d
m a k e s himself drunk, it disturbs his mind with filthy thoughts
which lead him on to fornication, a n d it heats his body to hanker after
sexual intercourse; and if there is opfxirtunity to gratify his lust, he
•' So b: II IO Judah vour lather'.
' S o * : II '.aiftheortiitiatiees'.
- So Am: I l-m'ofCJod'.
' d o not . . . overbearing: lit. "in the haughtiness of your heart'.
' Or 'jealousy' (lit. 'zeal').
' that . . . daughter: lit. in his daughter's name'.
* I.it. '. . . at dinner in the beauty ol'\

' Lit. 'has'.

 The Teslamenls oJ lhe Twelve Palriarchs 545
I lomrjiils tlu- sin and is not ashamed. .Such is Ihe ejjecl oJ whic. my
.") childi'cn; l<)i- a man that is drunk has no respect for anyone. For
look h o u il m a d e mc go astray, so that although there were many
people in the lity I was not ashamed to lurn aside to Tamar iiefore
t h e m all: and I conmiitted a great sin and brought shame on my
i> s o n s . ' Similarlr. after I had heen drinking wine. I was not ashamed
to transgress the c o m m a n d of (iod, and I took a C a n a a n i t e woman as
1 my !fije. So the man who drinks wine needs lo exercise discretion, my
children: and discretion means drinking liir only as long as one can
K prcser\-e one's self-respect.' Otherwise, if one goes beyond this
limit, the spirit of error gets into the mind and makes the drunkard
i n d u l g e in hlllu talk and transgress and feel no shame, but rather
take ])ridc in what is dishonourahlc and think it something good.

XV. The m a n who i-omtiiits liiriiicatioii has no inkling that he is

•_' being d a m a g e d and no shame at being frowned upon. Kor c\eii if
he is a king, if he t-ommils fornication, he is stripped ofhis kingship
a n d goes away naked:' he has become the slave of fornication and
:i has been stripped, just as I was myself. Kor I g a \ e away my stalf
(that is the p r o p ofmy tribe) and my belt (that is my power) and my
1 d i a d e m (that is the glory ofmy kingdom). .\iid after I had repented
o f i t , I d r a n k no wine nor did I eat ain meat'' until I was an old
.") m a n ; a n d I took no part in any Icstivitics. . \ n d ( i o d ' s angel showed
mc that wtimen hold sway over king and beggar alike, and that
(i ihcy always will.' From the king they t a k e a w a y his glory, and from
the w a r r i o r his strength, and from the beggar even the little that
keeps him from utter destitution.''

XVI. So when you drink wine, my children, observe the limit; Ibr
there a r e four evil spirits in it - lust, consuming passion, profligacy,

' I.it. 'and mu'tivt-rcd tlir i-o\('riiig ol'my sons' imtlfaniifss'.

' O r 'respect Tor others'.

' in \crses I and 2 b om. 'has no inkling . . . it he loniniils Irjrnication' through

holllioteleuton. and then adds a negati\e beliire 'goes away' Iti help the sense.
• I.il. 'wine and llesh I did not take'.
' I.it. 'liir ever'.

^ I.il. 'the smallest prop ol'his [xi\erly*.

 ,') H) The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
•i and inoiicv-grubbing. Ii you drinli wine at a celebration,' do it with
m o d e r a t i o n ' and in the fear ol" G o d ; ' lor il" you drink immod­
e r a t e l y . ' and the fear of God is lacking, drunkenness ensues and
:i shamelessness creeps in. But better still, do not drink at all." so that
yoti d o not sin through violent talk and quarrelling and slander
a n d transgression o f t h e c o m m a n d s of God, and you perish before
t y o u r time. .\Ioreo\er, wine reveals the secrets of God and men to
foreigners Qust as I revealed the c o m m a n d s of (iod and the secrets
of my father Jacob to the C a n a a n i t e w o m a n , Bathshua); and God
•> has told us not to reveal them to them. .And wine, too, is a cause of
strife' a n d confusion.

XVII. I w a r n you, my children, not to be lovers of money nor to

focus your attention on women's beauty, because it was her money
2 a n d her b e a u t y ' that led me astray to Bathshua the C a n a a n i t e . For
I well know that it is these two things that will lead my family into
i w ickediiess: they will corrupt even the wise men a m o n g my sons;
a n d they will be responsible for the decline of the kingdom of
J u d a h . which the I.ord gave me because of my obedience to my
1 lather. For I never disobeyed' my father J a c o b : whatever he told
'1 me, I did. .\iid . \ b r a l i a n i . my father"s father, gave me his blessing
a n d said that I should be king in Israel; and Isaac again gave me a
tj similar blessing. . \ n d so I know that it is from me that the royal line
will s t e m . '

XVIII. .And I have also read in the books of the righteous Knoch
1 a b o u t the evils you will d o in the last days. So be on your guard, my
children, against fornication and the love of money: pay attention
;i to y o u r father J u d a h . Kor these things separate us from the law of

' O r 'willi a iiu-rry heart'; ht. 'in gladnes.s'.

' I.it. 'tieiiig respeettui . . . not Iwiiig respeettul'.
' b adds 'you will live' atid so understands the sentenee dilVerently ('II' you
drink . . . with iiKKieration . . . you will live').
' b seems to be defeeti\ e here: the other MSS difl'er w idelv. though thev agree on
the general sense. ' Lit.'war'.

' I.it. 'shapeliness'.

• Lit. caused grielwith regard to the word of.
' Lit. 'the royal thing will stand'.
 The Teslamenls of lhe Twelve Palriarchs :M1
(Jod. a n d distract our tlioiiglits.' and encourage arrogance, and
+ p r c \ e n t us I'rom sliowing mercy to one anotlicr. 'I'liey rol) a man's
soul ofall goodness, and op|)ress him uitli toils and troubles, and
.T d e p r i v e him ofhis sleep, and devour his Hesh. .And he holds back
the sacrihces due to ( i o d , ' and ignores his blessing, and pays no
heed to a prophet when he speaks, and is otfended by even so nnich
(j as a mention of religion.' For the man who is a slave to two passions
t h a t are contrary to (Jod's c o m m a n d s camiot obey (iod. because
they h a \ e blinded him; and hc walks abotu in broad daylight as if it
were night.

XIX. .\Iy children, the love of money is a sure i)ath to idolatry,

because, when led astray by m o n e \ , men call gods those that are no
2 gods,' atid it d r i \ e s to distraction w h o e \ e r is in its grip. For the sake
of money I lost my children; and had I not repented and humbled
myself, a n d had not m\ f a t h e r j a c o b prayed for m e , I should have
3 died childless. But the God o f m y fathers, the compassionate and
1 g r a c i o u s one, pardoned me. because I did it in ignorance. For the
prince of error blinded mc, and I was ignorant, being but a man
a n d a crealure made o/ flesh, corrupted by hts sins; and I came to
u n d e r s t a n d my own weakness when I had been thinking myself
itu incible.

XX. L'nderstand then, my children, that two spirits attend on

2 m a n . the sfiril of truth and the spiril of error. .And in between is the
spiril of rational u n d e r s t a n d i n g , ' to incline us whichever way it
3 wills. .And men's deeds of truth and deeds of error are written on
1 their h e a r t s ; ' and tlie I.ord k n o w s eat li o n e o f t h e m . .\iid there is iiti
t i m e when men's deeds can be hidden, f.ccause they have been
.') written in his innermost h e a r t ' before the I.ord. \ncl the spirit of
' I.it. 'hiiiiti llu- inclination ol'thc soul'.
* Lit. *.-\nd hc hinders the sacrifices of Citxi'.
' Lit. "hy a word of godliness'.

' O r 'those that do not exist'.

' I.it. 'the spirit ofthe understanding ofthe niind'.

• Lit. '.Vnd the things of truth and the things of error are written on the hreast of
man'. ' I.it.'in the hreast ofhis Ixmcs'.
 548 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
t r u t h testifies to everything and accuses everyone; and the sinner is
destroyed l)y fire on the evidence o f his own heart and cannot even
raise liis face to tlic j u d g e .

XXI. . \ n d now. children, show I>evi the respect due to him, ' so
that you may e n d u r e , and d o not set yourselves up against him, or
1 you will be swept away completely. Kor the Lord gave me the
k i n g d o m a n d him the priesthood; and he m a d e the kingdom
;i inferior to the priesthood. H e gave me the things on earth, him the
t things in heaven. .As the heaven is higher than the earth, so is God's
priesthood iiigher than the kingdom on earth, unless it falls away
from the Lord through sin and becomes subservient to the earthly
.') k i n g d o m . ' For the Lord chose him rather than you,' to approach
h i m , a n d to eat at his table, and to offer the first-fruits, the choice
fi offerings.'' o f t h e sons of Israel. But you will be king in J a c o b ; ' and
you will be like a sea for them.'' For just as on the sea both upright
a n d wicked a r e tossed about, and some are taken prisoner while
o t h e r s inake their Ibrtunes, so also jAa//every race of men be in you:
s o m e will be in d a n g e r and taken prisoner while others will grow
7 rich t h r o u g h plunder. For those who reign as kings will behave'
like sea-monsters and gulp down men like fish: they will enslave
sons a n d d a u g h t e r s that are free and plunder houses, lands, llocks,
« a n d money. .And in their wickedness they will feed the flesh of
m a n y to the ravens and the cranes;" and they will excel in every kind
9 of evil, s p u r r e d on by greed. .And false prophets will appear like
h u r r i c a n e s and persecute all upright men.

XXII. But the Lord will divide them into opposing groups, and
'1 t h e r e will be continual wars in Israel. .And my kingdom will be

•* L i l . ' i s Inmictl up out of"'.

' Lit. love Levi'.

' M o m . 'unless . . . kingdom'.
' Lit. 'tlli-f'. Note ttic aljrupt iliangc to second person singular (cp. T. Iss. v.
4-:")): clii accordingly add 'the angel ol'the Lord said to me' before 'the Lord chose
him'. •• So * (/): 11-/ 'the first-fruits ofthe choice offerings'.
' b om. 'But . . . J a c o b ' .
" So Art: Il-rt'ainong them'.
' Lit. 'be'. " Gr. 'ibises'.
 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs .i4!)
b r o u g h t to au cud by men ol'another race before the salvation of
Israel comes a n d the (iod of righteousness a p p e a r s . ' so that Jacob
H a n d all the (icntilcs may rest in peace. . \ n d he will preserve my
soxereign r i g h t s ' for e\er; for the Lord swore to mc on oath that my
k i n g d o m and my descendants' kingdom shall never fail to the end of
time.'

XXIII. Now I am much grieved, my children, because of the

lil cntiotis acts and meddlings in witchcraft and idolatries of which
\()U will be guilt>. ( o n t r a r y to the royal lau-. in ruiming after
1? \ c n t r i l o q u i s t s . omens, and the demons of error, ^'ou will turn your
d a u g h t e r s inlo singing-girls and prostitutes and take part in the
:i a b o m i n a b l e things the (icntilcs do. Because ofthis the Lord will
b r i n g on you famine and pestilence, death and sword, unrelenting
siege a n d vicious dogs' and taunts from friends, destruction and
failure of eyesight, slaughter of children and abduction of wives,
seizure of )««r possessions, the burning of//;<• temple of (iod, the
desolation of vo«r land, and your own enslavement by the (icntilcs.
t..") .And thev will make .some of you eunuchs f()r their wives. .And
w h e i r you return to the Lord in purity of heart and repent and
o r d e r your lives in accordance with God's c o m m a n d s , then the
Lord will show you mercy and restore you from your captivity
a m o n g your enemies.

XXIV. .And after this a star will come forth for you out ofjacob in
peace, a n d a m a n will arise from a m o n g my descendants like the
sun of righteousness, living with men in meekness and righteous­
ness, a n d no sin will be found in him.

2 .And the heavens will be opened over him.

Lo p o u r out the blessing o f l h e spirit ofthe Holy Lather;
.And hc will p o u r out the spirit of grace upon you.
:i .And vou will be his sons in truth,
' Lit. 'until tlx-salvation oflsrael (omcs, until the appearing (CJk. .-roeouota) of the
Ciod of righteousness'. ' Lit. 'the power ofmy kingdom'.
' So A g: the other .\ISS vary. hut give mueh the same sense.

' Lit. 'and dogs for tearing enemies in pieces'.

' .So At;: 11-? •until'.
 ')')() The Teslaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
And in a c c o r d a i u c with his coniniands I'rom first to last.
4 This is the shoot of Ciod Most High.
.\iid this the fountain that gives life to' all mankind.
') ' I h e n will the sceptre of my kingdom shine Ibrth.
.And from your root will come a stem.
(> . \ n d I'ronr it will spring a stalfof righteousness for the
Cientiles.
T o j u d g e a n d to s a \ e all that invoke the Lord.

XXV. . \ n d after this .Abraham and Isaac and J a c o b will rise to life
a g a i n , a n d my brethren and I will be chiefs of our tribes in Israel:
L e \ i will he first. I s e c o n d , J o s e p h third, Benjamin fourth, Simeon
•1 fifth, I s s a c h a r sixth, and so all in order. .And the Lord will bless'
L c \ i . the angels of the presence me, the powers ofthe glory Simeon,
the liea\eii Reuben, the earth Issachar, the sea Zebulon, the
m o u n t a i n s J o s e p h , the tabernacle Benjamin, the lights of heaven
D a n , H d e i r .Naphtali. the sun Ciad. the olive' .Asher.

:i .And there will be one people ofthe Lord and one language;
.And there will be no spirit of error of Beliar any more.
Lor he will be thrown into the fire for ever.
4 .And those w h o l i a \ e died in grief will rise again in joy.
.And those who are in penury for the Lord's sake will be made
rich,
.And those who are in want" will eat their fill,
.And those w h o are weak will receive strength,
.And those w h o h a \ e been put to death for the Lord's sake will
a w a k e to life.'
.5 .And the harts o f j a c o b will run with gladness,
.And the eagles of Israel will fly with joy

' I.it. till- rDuntairi to tlie life ol",

- O r •througli" (lit. "in").
' So gdm eJ: bl chi "thr Lord blessed"; kn larking.
- Lit. the deliraey' ( = v rgtapt^, used a number of times in the Greek Old
r e s t a m e n l to render the Hebrew "Eden").
" .So h .Arm. (ep. Oeut. xx.xiii. 24): others "the moon".
•* So A: dm e/'m hunger"; I ga chi lacking.
' I.it. "in life".
testament of issachar
The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs ')") 1
(But the ungodly will mourn a n d sinners weep).
. \ n d all the peoples will glorify the I.ord liir ever.

XXVI. . \ n d so. m> ehildren. o h s e r \ e the whole o f t h e law o f t h e

2 Lord, for there is hope lor all who make straight their way.' . \ n d he
said to them. I a m a h u n d r e d a n d nineteen years old. a n d I am to
i d i e in the sight of you all this day. Do not bury me in e.xpensive
clothes, nor tear my helly opeti (for this is uhat those who are kings
1 would d o ) : a n d take me u p to Hebron with you. . \ n d as he hnished
s p e a k i n g J t i d a h fell asleep; a n d his sons did e\erything he had
c o m m a n d e d them, a n d they buried him in Hebron with his
fathers.

THE TK.ST.V.ML.NT O L IS.S.-\C:H.\R.

.ABOUT ,SIMPLIC:i l Y

I. .A copy o f t h e words of Issachar.

H c called his sons a n d said to them. Listen, children, to your
father, Issachar: listen carefully, you whom the Lord loves, to what
2 I say, I was born t o j a c o b as his hfth son as a result ofthe hire for
.3 t h e m a n d r a k e s . ' For R e u b e n ' brought in mandrakes from the
4 c o u n t r y , a n d Rachel met him outside a n d took them. .And Reuben
w a s in tears; a n d Leah, my mother, heard him crying and came out.
.T ( N o w these mandrakes were sweet-smelling apples that the land of
.Aram used to produce on a piece of high ground underneath a
(i w a t e r - s p r i n g . ) .And Rachel said, I will not give them to you: I will
7 t r e a s u r e them as if they were my children.' .Now there were two
apples;" a n d Leah said. Surely it is enough for you to have taken
a w a y the h u s b a n d I married as a girl:' will you take these

' .Ml the M.SS read either his w.ay' (W) or 'his ways' (11-/): Mi. in addition, Iwve
'hold fast to' instead of'make straight'.

' Lit. 'in hire ofthe mandrakes'.

• So I I : i 'Jacob'.
' I will. . . children: lit. 'for they will be to me instead of children'.
'• So A: II two of these apples'.
' Lit. 'the husband ofmy virginity'.
 i)?)'2 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs

« a w a y too? And she said. Behold, J a c o b shall be yours to-night in

(I e x c h a n g e lor your son's m a n d r a k e s . . \ n d Leah said to her. Do not
be so superior and flatter yourself, for J a c o b is mine, and 1 am the
Kl wife ol'his youth. But Rachel said. How so? Kor he was pledged in
m a r r i a g e to me lirst, and it was for my sake he served our father
II fourteen years. W h a t should I d o to you? For men's deceit and
c u n n i n g are always on the increase, and on earth deceit prospers.
]•> H i t were not so. you would not be li\ing with J a c o b n o w . ' For you
a r c not his wife, but you were deceitfully foisted on him instead of
i;i m e . .And my father deceived me and took me away that night, and
would not let me see what was going on; for, if I had been there, this
14 would not have h a p p e n e d . .And Rachel said, 'Fake one mandrake,
I.') a n d for the o t h e r ' I will hire him out to you for one night. .And
J a c o b slept with Leah, and she conceived and bore me; and on
a c c o u n t ol'the hire 1 was called Issachar.

n. I hen an angel o f t h e Lord appeared to J a c o b , saying, Rachel

shall bear two children, for she has declined intercourse with her
2 h u s b a n d a n d chosen continence. .And had not Leah, my mother,
given u p ' the two apples in exchange for intercourse she would
h a v e b o r n e eight sons: as it was, she bore only six, and Rachel bore
t h e other two because the Lord looked favourably on her because of
3 t h e m a n d r a k e s . ' For he saw that it was for children she wanted
4 i n t e r c o u r s e with J a c o b a n d not for pleasure. For on the very next
d a y she gave J a c o b u p again to get the other m a n d r a k e also. .And
.i s o ' the Lord took notice of Rachel because ofthe mandrakes." For
t h o u g h she very m u c h wanted to, she would not eat them, but
d e d i c a t e d t h e m in the house ofthe Lord and presented them to the
priest o f t h e Most High who was there at that time.

IIL So w h e n I grew u p , my children, I lived an upright life, and I

" I.il. 'you would not !)<• seeing the fare ofjaeob'.
' I.it. "the one'.

Lit. ' p a i d ' (.so*: II 'sold').

Lit. 'i(K)ked upon her in the mandrakes'.
S o * : II om. '.And so'.
Lit. 'listened to Rachel in the mandrakes'.
 The Teslamenls oJ the Twelve Palriarchs

b e c a m e the I'amily's farmer' anci l)roiiglu in Ihe I'ruits o f ilie liclcis in

! their season. And m\ father blessed me. for hc saw that I li\cd
I simply. . \ n d 1 was not a busybody in what 1 did, nor wicked' and a
I s l a n d e r e r of niy neighlxiur. I never spoke evil of anyone, nor did I
> c e n s u r e any m a n ' s style 0/ life, li\ing simply myself.' . \ n d so I was
thirty w h e n 1 married; for my labours exhausted my strength, and
the t h o u g h t of pleasure with a woman hardly ever entered my
m i n d , for I used to be so worn out that sleep would get the better of
i me almosi at once. And m\ father always rejoiced in my simplicity;
for w h a t e x c r it was I was labouring at, all the choice fruits and all
the firstfruits I would olfcr hrst through the priest to the Lord, then
'1 to my father, a n d then I would enjoy it' myself . \ n d the Lord
d o u b l e d my possessions;' and J a c o b also knew that ( J o d was
i assisting my simplicity. Lor 1 used to bestow the good things ofthe
e a r t h on c\ eryone that was poor and everyone that was oppressed
in simplicity of heart.

IV. .And now. listen to me, my children, and live in simplicity of

1; h e a r t ; ' for I have o b s e r \ e d that it hnds favour with the Lord.' The
simple-/iMr/C(/ man does not covet .gold, is not jealous ofhis neigh­
b o u r , is not concerned about variety in his food, is not always
i w a n t i n g diflerent clothes, makes no p l a n s ' for a long life, but waits
I on the will of Ood alone. . \ n d the spirits of error have no [xiwer
over him, for he averts his eyes from a w o m a n ' s beauty, so as not to
:') mislead or corrupt his mind. . \ o envy will i n \ a d e his thoughts:
malice does not subvert his soul; nor is his mind obsessed by
(i money-getting.'' Kor he lives an upright life, and looks at every­
t h i n g simply, a n d gives no countenance to the wickedness that

' Lit. 'a f a r n u T o t i m liiilicrs and nn lirotlu-rs'.

- Sob I: II-/'fnvimi.s'.
' Lit. 'walking in simplicity olcycs'.
'' f h r addition 'would enjoy it' is in f a d found in (/ (m) add 'would partake of
them". ' I.it.'the gtKKl things in nu hands'.

' So b: 1 1 'in the simplicity ofyour hearts'.

' Lit. 'for I have seen in it all the gtxxi pleasure ol the Lord".
' franslalion uncertain.
* .So b (lit. 'nor does he think of money-getting with insatiable desire"). For
"money-getting" [:ioQionoi') II reads "distraction" [neQtoTtaai^Ov).
55'! The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
results from the error o f t h e w o r l d , ' so as not to get a distorted view
of a n v of' t h e L o r d ' s c o m m a n d s .

V . So keep the law of G o d . m \ children, and try to li\ e simply and

in i n n o c e n c e ; a n d d o not be over-inc|uisitive about the Lord's
c o m m a n d s , nor a b o u t the allairs cAynur neighbour. But love the
L o r d a n d j o « r n e i g h b o u r , and show compassion Ibr the poor and the
w e a k . Put y o u r backs into your work as farmers; give yoursclv(.-s up
to y o u r l a b o u r s in the lield of every kind; and oiler gifts to the Lord
w i t h thanksgiving. For with the'first-fruitsof the earth has theLord
b l e s s e d ' y o u , ' just as he has bl(;sscd all the saints from Abel uiuil
n o w . For t h e s h a r e allotted you is no other than the richness ol'thc
e a r t h , whose fruits are produced hy toil. For^ o u r father J a c o b blessed
m e with blessings of the earth and of first-fruits. .And Levi and
J u d a h were h o n o u r e d by the Lord a m o n g J a c o b ' s .sons; for the
L o r d gave t h e m each their share," and to the one he gave the
p r i e s t h o o d a n d to the other the kingdom. .So then, obey them, and
live simply like yotir father (for to ( i a d , too, it has been granted to
d e s t r o y the raiders that are coming on Israel).

VI. I know, my children, that in the last times vour sons will turn
t h e i r backs o n simplicity and become obses.sed by greed:' they will
a b a n d o n innocence a n d resort to cunning; and, forsaking the
L o r d ' s c o m m a n d s , they will a t t a c h themselves to Beliar. And they
will give up farming a n d follow their own wicked inclinations; and
t h e y will be dispersed a m o n g the Gentiles and enslaved by their
e n e m i e s . A n d tell y o u r t hildren this, so that, if they sin, they may
t h e m o r e quickly r e t u r n to the Lord; for he is merciful and will
deliver t h e m a n d restore them to their land.

^ .So * (lit. 'not accepting vvi( kcdiics.s with Atvcycs from the erroi o( the world'): 11
'not at t epling wi( ked eyes from the error (.>i"the world'.
" .So A: II o m . 'any o f .

• So A: I I'will the Lord bless'.

- SolLAom. ' So A: 11 T o r even'.
' I.it. "fast lots among them'.

' Lit. 'ami will clea\e to insatiable desiie'.

 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 555

VII. I a m a h u n d r e d and twenty two years old, a n d I am not aware

2 t h a t 1 h a v e c o m m i t t e d any deadly sin. I have not had intercourse
with a n y o t h e r w o m a n but my wile: I have not committed fbrnica-
3 tion t h r o u g h a lustful eye.' I h a \ e not d r u n k wine to be led astray
by it: I h a v e n o t coveted any desirable thing that was my neigh-
4 h o u r ' s . M y h e a r t has h a r b o u r e d n o deceit: no lie has ever passed
.T m y li[)s. If a n y o n e were in distress, I joined my sighs with his; and
w i l h t h e poor have I shared my bread. I never a t e alone. No
b o u n d a r y - s t o n e have I moved. I have been reverent and truthful
6 all m y d a y s . 1 have loved the Lord with all my strength; and in the
s a m e w a y 1 have loved all m e n as though they w e r e ' my own
7 c h i l d r e n . D o these things too, tny children, a n d every spirit of
Beliar will t u r n a n d run, a n d nothing that wicked men can do will
p r e v a i l against you; and you will gain the mastery over' every wild
b e a s t , since you have with you the G o d o f h c a v e n , sharing men's
8 c o m p a n y , " in simplicity of heart. . \ n d hc c o m m a n d e d them to
c a r r y h i m u p to H e b r o n a n d bury him there in the cave with his
9 fathers. .And he stretched out his feet and died (jacoh's hfth t o n ) , ' in
a good o l d age, in full pcxs.session o f a l l his faculties;" and with his
s t r e n g t h u n i m p a i r e d he slept the eternal sleep.

testament of zebulon
T H E TLST.AMLNT O F ZLBULON.
. A B O U T C O M P . A S S I O N .AND . M E R C Y

I. .A copy o f t h e w o r d s ' of Zebulon, which hc left as a lestament to

his c h i l d r e n , in t h e h u n d r e d a n d fourteenth year of his life, t w o '
years after the d e a t h o f j o s e p h .
.And h e said to them, Listen to mc, J O H sons of Zcbulon, pay
a t t e n t i o n to y o u r father's words. I a m Zebulon, a good gift to my

' I.it. i ) y lhe upiil'ling oflhe eyes".

' So A: II 'more than'. ' Lit. you will enslave'.
" L i t . ' w a l k i n g w i t h men'. ' Soft: II om.
' I.it. "having every limb healthy'.

' So eajchi: film ' o f t h e testament*; hgom.

' So II: 6 'thirty-two'.
 fxif) The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs
p a r e n t s ; tor when I was born, the n u m b e r s of our lather's floeks
a n d h e r d s h a d been mueh inereased by the share he had received
1 as a result o f t h e strategem ofthe dilferent coloured rods.' I am not
a w a r e , my children,'' that I have ever sinned, save only in thought.
.') .Nor d o I r e m e m b e r that I have done anything contrary to the law,
except for the part I played without knowing what I was doing in
the conspiracy against J o s e p h (lor I promised my b r o t h e r s ' not to tell
I) my father what had h a p p e n e d ) . .And I wept much" when I was on
my o w n , for 1 was afraid of my brothers, because they had all
agreed that if anyone betrayed the secret he should be put to the
7 s w o r d . But when they warned to kill him, I warned them solemnly
with tears against this wicked deed.

II. For Simeon a n d Ciad were incensed against J o s e p h and made

an attack on h i m . ' intending to kill him; a n d J o s e p h tell on his lace
2 a n d said to them. H a v e mercy on me, brothers, pity our father
J a c o b : d o not raise your h a n d s against me to shed innocent blocxl.
:i for I have not sinned against you. .And if indeed I ha\ e sinned, then
p u n i s h me; but d o not raise your hand against me- Ibr our father
4 J a c o b ' s sake. .And as he was saying this, I felt pily for him and began
.i to weep, a n d I was overcome completely.' .And J o s e p h too was
w e e p i n g , a n d I wept with him; a n d my heart was throbbing, and
the j o i n t s of my body refused to function,'' a n d I could not stand.
li .And w h e n he saw me weepirig with him, and the two o/ them coming
on h i m to kill h i m , he took refuge behind me and begged them for
7 mercy. But R e u b e n stood up a n d said. Brothers, let us not kill him,
but let us throw him into one of these dry pits that our fathers d u g
8 a n d found no water. {¥or that is why the Lord prevented water
9 from welling u p in them, so that J o s e p h should be preserved. .And
the Lord did so until they sold him to the Ishmaelitcs.)
' I.il. *. . . i i u T c a s e d when in ihe Hill'erenl c o l o u r e d rixis he had tits share". C:p.
G e n . XXX. L>.i-4:i. ' -So *: 11 om. "mv diildren".
' Translalion uncertain: * , ? ( / ) ' ! c o v e r e d Ibr my brothers'; (/mea/rAi'I conhrmed
to my brothers'. * So A; II '.-Vnd I wept many days a l x j u t J o s e p h ' .

' I.it. 'For Simeon and Gad came a g a i n s t J o s e p h with (* om.) anger (6 om.)'.
' '.Against tne' is in fact added by gdm (/.T i^t) and eqf (>iOt).
' Lit. 'and my liver was loosened and all the substance of my Ixjwels Ix'came
weak upon my soul'. ' I.it. "and the joints ol'my Ijody w e n t out ol'place".
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 557

III. -And I refused, my children, to take my share of the money that

2 w a s p a i d for Joscf)h. But Simeon a n d G a d and o u r six other
b r o t h e r s took w h a t was p a i d for J o s e p h and bought sandals for
3 t h e m s e l v e s a n d for their wives a n d children, saying. W e will not
b u y food with it,' for it is o u r b r o t h e r ' s blood-money, b u t let us
t r e a d it well u n d e r foot, because he said he would be king over us;
4 a n d so let us see w h a t will become ofhis d r e a m s . (That is why it is
w r i t t e n in t h e writing of the law of Enoch that whoever will not
r a i s e a c h i l d ' for his brother, his s a n d a l shall be taken off a n d his
5 face s p a t u p o n . J o s e p h ' s brothers h a d no wish for their brother to
6 live; a n d t h e Lord took offjoseph's s a n d a P from them. For when
they c a m e into Egypt they had their sandals taken off by J o s e p h ' s
s e r v a n t s as soon as they arrived at the gate, a n d so they m a d e their
o b e i s a n c e to J o s e p h , as was the custom a t the P h a r a o h ' s court.'
7 A n d not only did they m a k e obesiance to h i m , b u t they were also
s p a t u p o n i m m e d i a t e l y they fell d o w n in front of him; a n d so they
8 w e r e p u t to s h a m e before the Egyptians. For the Egyptians heard
a f t e r w a r d s h o w disgracefully we had treated J o s e p h . )

f,2 rv. A n d t h e n they sat d o w n t o e a t . ' But I ate nothing for two days
a n d two n i g h t s o u t of pity for J o s e p h ; a n d j u d a h did not eat with
t h e m either, b u t kept w a t c h on the pit, for he w a s afraid that Simeon
3 a n d G a d m i g h t m a k e off a n d kill him. .And w h e n they saw that I too
4 w a s n o t e a t i n g , they set m e to g u a r d him until he was sold. And he
s p e n t t h r e e d a y s a n d three nights in the pit; and so when he was
5 sold he w a s very h u n g r y . A n d w h e n R e u b e n heard that he had
b e e n sold while he was a w a y , hc tore his clothes off a n d lamented,
f) s a y i n g , H o w shall I look my f a t h e r j a c o b in the face? And he tcx)k
t h e m o n e y a n d r a n after the m e r c h a n t s , b u t did not hnd anyone;

' Lit. AVc will not eat it'. ' Lit.'raise up seed'.
' So A: 11 explains the sandal that they wore against their brother Joseph'.
" Lit. 'they were taken off'.
' Lit. ' a c t o r d i n g to the form prescribed by the Pharaoh (so b g: U-g 'by King
Pharaoh').

' T h e r e are wide variations between the MSS here. T h e translation is based on b
('After these things they threw to cat').
 y)5H The Testaments nJ the Tivehe Patriarchs
for ihcy had h-l't tlic main road and gone od'tlirough tlie country of the
7 I rogolocolpitcs hy a short cut. And Reuben ate nothing that day.
K So D a n c a m e to him and said. Do not weep or mourn, ibr I have
<) t h o u g h t of- something u e can tell our lather Jacob. Let us kill a
he-goat, a n d d i p Joseph's tunic in its blood, and say. Do you
recognize it? Is this your s o n s tunic? . \ n d this is what they d i d . '
II) I'or they had stripped,Joseph ol'our lather's tunic when they were
11 a b o u t to sell him and had put a slave's old coat on him. .Now
S i m e o n had the tunic and would not g i \ e it up. and he wanted to
cut it in pieces with his sword, because he was aneyy Joseph wdsstilt
12 alive a n d he had not killed hini. But we all stood up against him
together a n d said. H'you will not give it up. we will say you did this
1! evil thing in Israel on your own. .And so he gave it up: and they did
as D a n had suggested.

V. .And now, my children, I appeal to you to keep the Lord's

c o m m a n d s , and to show mercy to your neighbour and be compas­
s i o n a t e towards all men - and not only towards h u m a n s , but
2 t o w a r d s animals too. For that was why the Lord blessed me, and
w h e n all my brothers were taken ill. I escaped unharmed; for the
:i Lord knows each m a n ' s motives. So let mercy reign in your hearts,'
my children, because as a man treats his neighbour, so also will the
t Lord treat him. For my brother's sons were being taken ill as well
as their fathers, and were dying, on account ofjoseph, because they
h a d shown him no mercy; but my sons were preserved in perfect
.') h e a l t h , as you well know. .And when I was in C a n a a n , on the coast,
I used to catch lish for my father Jacob; and although many other
people were d r o w n e d in the sea, I survived unhurt.

VI. I was the first to make a boat to sail on the sea, for the Lord
2 g a v e m e the necessary knowledge and skill.' .And I fitted a r u d d e r '
b e h i n d it a n d stretched a sail on an upright piece of wcxxl in the
' I.il. T tiavc found'.
' So II: Aoniil.s the whole ciau.se.

' Lil. ' H a v e , therefore, nierey in your Ixiwels'.

' Lit. 'gave me understanding and wisdom in it'.

•' Lit ' . \ n d I let down a piece of wtKxl'.
 The Teslamenls of the Twelve Patriarchs .•)')',)
:i m i d d l e ofit. And I sailed it along the shores and caught hsh for my
4 father's household until we came to Egypt. .And' out of compassion
.5 I gave some of m> catch to" every man that was a foreigner. .And if
there was a n y o n e who was foreign, or ailing, or aged. I boiled and
dressed the hsh a n d offered it to all men. as each had need, making
6 t h e m my guests out o f a fellow-feeling for them. .And so the Lord
g a v e me a rich catch of hsh; for hc who shares whal he has with his
7 n e i g h b o u r is repaid many times over by the Lord. I caught hsh for
five years; and I shared it with whoever I came across' and there
8 w a s still enough for my father's entire household. In the summer I
c a u g h t fish, and in the winter I looked after the sheep with my
brothers.

VII. .Now I will tell you what I did. I saw a man w ho was in distress
because he had nothing warm to put on in winter,' and 1 had
c o m p a s s i o n on him; and I took a garment from my house without
2 a n y o n e noticing and gave it to the man that was in distress. So you
too, my children, must show compassion and mercy to all men
w i t h o u t partiality, and give to every man with a good heart from
3 the things that Ood has given you. .And if you have nothing at the
time to give a m a n in need, have a fellow-feeling for him, and show
4 h i m compassion and mercy. I r e m e m b e r ' I had nothing ready to
h a n d on one occasion to give a needy man, so I accompanied him on
his j o u r n e y for seven furlongs in tears, and my heart went out to
h i m in s y m p a t h y .

VIU. .And so, my children, be compassionate and merciful to every

m a n , that the Lord may be compassionate and merciful to you too.
2 (Because, indeed, in the last days the Lord sends' his compassion
on the e a r t h , a n d wherever he finds a merciful heart,' he makes his
3 dwelling there.) For j u s t in so far as a man has compassion on his
' vi. 4-(>, 7b ('and 1 shared . . . household") and vii. I-viii. 3 (". . . on him") are
found in A?/rf (m) only. So *: .?/i/m I shared widi".
' Lit. 'with every man I saw".

' Lit. 'in distress by nakedness of winter'.

^ Lit. 'I know'.

' So Arf:A?/(m)'will send'. ' Lit.'bowels of mercy'.

.")()() The Teslaments oJ Ihe Twelve Palriarchs
lu-iglihour. so has tlic L o r d ' compassion on him. . \ n d when we went
d o w n to Egypt. J o s e p h hore no malice against us; and when he saw
me he had compassion.•* Let him be an example to you and bear no
malice either,' my children, a n d l o \ e one another," and do not,
each o l y o u , keep a record ofhis brother's wrongdoing. Lor this is a
b a r to unity a n d splits up any family, a n d is a source ol confusion in
the soul a n d destroys a m a n completely.' Kor the m a n that bears
malice is devoid of mercy."

IX. See uhal happens to water; for when it Hows all of it together as a
sinole river it sweeps along with it stones, wood, earth,' sand. But if
it is divided into a munhcv oJ separate streams, it disappears into the
g r o u n d a n d becomes of no account at all. So will you be too, if you
a r e d i \ ided. Do not let yourselves, therefore, be split in two, so that
you have two h e a d s , ' for everything the Lord has made has but one
head only: he has prov ided two shoulders, hands, and feet; but all
the limbs obey the one head. I understand from the writing of my
fathers that in the last days you will forsake the Lord, a n d ' you will
be divided in Israel and follow two kings, and you will commit
every ^/n(/o/ abomination a n d worship every kind of \do\. .Vnd your
e n e m i e s will take you away as captives, and you will be oppressed
by" the Gentiles a n d suifer every A/nc/o/'indignity' and distress and
m e n t a l anguish." .And afterwards you will remember the Lord and
r e p e n t ; a n d he will bring you back again, Ibr he is merciful and
c o m p a s s i o n a t e and has no evil designs on men, because he knows
that they are flesh a n d •that the spirits of error deceive them in
e v e r y t h i n g they do. .And then shall the Lord himself, the light of
' SiiA/t:!;/,/miicI(I'al.sii'
•* and when . . . coinpa.ssion: found in AifWonly.
' So II fi (it): olhers om. 'and hear . . . cilhfr'.
" S o hfi (il): oiticrs add 'also'.
' I.it. 'and destroys existenee': so lit eaj\ tig om. through homoioteleuton; chi
evidentlv seeondary. " For . . . merey: fijund in ligidim\\.

' hi w longly 'tlte' (sand) - reading TTJV for y^v.

-' I.it. 'split into two heads'.
' in the last . . . Lord, and: Ibund in i^Wonly.
•* .So^/ eaj In: bdc 'you will Ix' forced to li\e among'.
' Lit. 'weakness'.
" and mental atiguish: found in bgldim\\.
 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 561
r i g h t e o u s n e s s , arise i'or you, and licaiing a n d compassion shall be
in his w i n g s : ' hc shall r a n s o m m a n k i n d from their slavery to Beliar;
a n d every spirit of error shall be trampled underl<)ot. And hc shall
c o n v e r t all the (Jentiles, so that they are hlled with zeal for him."
. \ n d you shall see God'' in h u m a n form in the house'" which the Lord
9 will choose ( J e r u s a l e m is its n a m e ) . .Vnd then by the wickedness of
y o u r d o i n g s " you will provcike him again, a n d you will be thrown
o u t until the end of time.

X. .And now, my children, d o not be sad because I am dying, nor

2 cast d o w n at my d e p a r t u r e . For I shall rise again in the midst of
you, as a ruler in the midst of his sons; and I shall rejoice in the
m i d s t o f m y tribe with as m a n y as have kept the law oi'the Lord atid
3 t h e c o m m a n d s o f t h e i r father Zebulon. But upon the ungodly will
t h e L o r d b r i n g eternal hre, and he will destroy them for all time.
4,.T .Meanwhile,' 1 a m going to my rest, as did my fathers. Do you fear
t h e L o r d y o u r G o d with all your strength all the days ofyour life,
b A n d w h e n he h a d finished speaking, he slept the perfect' sleep; and
7 his sons p u t him in a coffin. A n d afterwards they carried him up to
H e b r o n a n d buried him with his lathers.

testament of dan
T H L TES'lAMEN'L OF DAN,
AB(3UI ANGER AND FALSEHOOD

I. A copy o f t h e words of D a n , which he spoke to his sons in his last

d a > s , in the h u n d r e d a n d twenty-fifth year ofhis life.
H e called his family together a n d said, Listen to my words, J O M
s o n s of D a n , a n d pay attention to what your father has to say.' I
h a v e found by experience all t h r o u g h my life that truth and just
' a n d healing , . . wings: Ibund in hkgtdm only.
" .So l>kgl (d): others 'And you shall return to your own land'.
" So bkl: gdm ea/'thc Lord' (with subsequent omission through liomoiotcleuton in
eaf). '° Some such addition is needed: cp. T. Levi X. .5. XV. 1.
" W w o r d s ' : 11 'works',

' So \ \-g: bk \g) om. ' Lit.'good'.

' Lit. 'the words ol'your father's mouth'.

3<)2 The Testaments oJ the Twelve Patriarchs
(icaliiig arc good a n d pleasing to ( J o d , and tliat falschcxid and
a n g e r a r c evil, b e c a u s e ' they teach man every kind ofwickedness. I
confess to you to-day. my children, that I was myself delighted
w h e n it was suggested that we should kill Joseph,' although he was
a true a n d good m a n . . \ n d I was overjoyed when Joseph'' was sold,
because his father loved him more than us. For the spirit of
j e a l o u s y and self-esteem said to me, Vou are his son as well. . \ n d
o n e o f the spirits of Beliar egged mc o n . ' saying, l a k e this sword
a n d kill Joseph with it, and your father will love you when he is
d e a d . (This spirit that tried to persuade mc to thirst for J o s e p h ' s
blood, like a leopard for a kid's, is the spirit of anger.) But the God
of our" f a t h e r j a c o b would not let him fall into my hands, and he
p r e \ e n t e d me from e \ e r finding him alone to do that wieked deed
a n d t h u s destroy two tribes in Israel.

II. . \ n d now, my children, 1 am dying, and I assure you that

unless you keep yourselves from the spirit of falsehood and anger,
a n d love truth and patience, you will perish, .\nger blinds a man,
my children, and the angry m a n can see no one as he truly is.' For
t h o u g h it is his own father or mother, he treats them as enemies:
t h o u g h it is his brother, he does not recognize him: though a prophet
o f t h e Lord, he disobeys him: though a righteous man, he takes no
notice of him: though a friend, he does not acknowledge him. For the
spirit of a n g e r w r a p s the nets of error round him and blinds his
n a t u r a l eyes: t h r o u g h ' falsehood it darkens his mind and gives him
its ow n distorted vision. . \ n d what does it blind' his eyes with? With
a bitter hatred;" and it makes him like itself,'so that he is envious of
his brother.

III. .Xnger is evil, my children, for it becomes as il were a soul to the

•• .So A: II om.
' I.il. 'that in my heart I was delighted about the death ofjoseph'.
' .Soitll'he'. ' I.it.'worked with me'.
" So A: II 'my'.

' I.it. ' f h e r e is blindness in anger, my ehildren. and no (4 adds 'angry') man sees
a face in truth'. ' So i: I I ' a n d through'.
' Lit. wrap round'. ' Lit.'With haired of heart'.
' I.il. 'and it gives him its own heart'.
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 563
soul itself. And it makes the body o f t h e angry m a n its own. and
g a i n s t h e m a s t e r y over his soul, and motivates the bt)dy to commit
i n i q u i t y ol'cvery kind. And when it docs it, the soul justifies what is
d o n e , ' b e c a u s e it docs not see. C o n s e q u e n t l y , the m a n that is
a n g r y , if he is a m a n of infhiencc. has a threefold power in his
a n g e r ; first, t h r o u g h the power a n d ' the help of fiis servants;
s e c o n d l y , t h r o u g h his wealth, which enables him to exert pressure
a n d win the verdict, a l t h o u g h he is in the wrong; and thirdly,
b e c a u s e he h a s the n a t u r a l power oi his own body and himself' does
t h e evil. . \ n d even if the m a n that is angry is a weakling, he
nevertheless has twice the power that was given him by nature; Ibr
a n g e r a l w a y s helps trangressors. T h i s spirit, together with the spirit
0 / f a l s e h o o d s t a n d s ' ever at S a t a n ' s right h a n d , so that by cruelty
a n d falsehood his ends m a y be achieved.

IV. U n d e r s t a n d , then, how powerful anger is, a n d how deceptive

it is.' For first of all it provokes by word; then it strengthens the man
p r o v o k e d by d e e d s , a n d ( T c a t e s disorder and makes havoc in his
m i n d ; ' a n d thus it goads his soul to fury. So when anyone criticizes
y o u , you m u s t n o t ' be moved to anger; and if anyone praises you as
g o o d m e n , you m u s t not be too elated d o not all ofa sudden either
g o i n t o ecstacies or take offence. For first it delights the ear, and so
it a l e r t s the m i n d to consider what has been said in provocation, and
t h e n , in a fit of rage, the man thinks his anger justified. If any loss or
d e p r i v a t i o n befalls you,"* my children, d o not lose your heads, for
this very spirit makes a man desire what he has been deprived of so
t h a t he b e c o m e s angry t h r o u g h longing /ar it. If you sutler a loss
v o l u n t a r i l y , ' d o not grieve about it, for grief leads on to anger* with

' O r , p o s s i b l y , ' . \ n d vvlion it ( i . e . ' t h e s o u l ' ) d o e s it. it j u s t i f i e s w h a t is d o n e ' .

' Sci A: 11 o m . ' t h e p o w e r a i t d ' . ' I.it. " t h r o u R h h i m s e l f .
" L i t . ' g o e s ' o r ' l i v e s its life'.

' L i t . ' t h a t it is i n v a i n ' ( t h e O k . w o r d / « i r a i o s , u s u a l l y t e n d e r e d ' \ a i u ' o r ' e m p t y ' ,

is i n s e v e r a l p a . s s a g e s i n t h e Gk. O l d l e s t a m e n t u s e d t o r e n d e r t h e H e b . Iiaaabli, ' l i e ,
f a l s e h o o d ' - e . g . . A m o s i i . 4 ; K./.ek. x i i i . (i).
- Lit. ' a n d d i s t u r b s his m i n d with bitter d a m a g e s ' .
' bom. " . S o i ; 1 1 ' I f y o u fall i n t o a n y l o s s o r d e p r i v a t i o n ' .
^ S o A t: 1 1 - / a d d ' o r i n v o l u n t a r i l y ' .
* L i l . ' i b r f r o m g r i e f it c a u s e s t o a r i s e a t i g c r ' .
 ')(j4 The Testamenti of the Twelve Palriarchs
falsehood. .Viigcr with falschiwd is a double evil, and eaeh assists
the o t h e r to stir up the mind; and when the soul is stirred up
c o n t i n u a l l y the Lord d e p a r t s from it and Beliar has dominion over

V. So keep, my children, the Lord's c o m m a n d s and observe his

law; a n d turn from anger and hate falsehood, that the Lord may
-'> dwell in you a n d Beliar may Hee from you. Speak the truth to each
o t h e r , a n d you will be preserved from the ill-effects q/'pleasure' and
from troubles; a n d ' you will be at peace, since you will have wilhyou
;i the Clod of peace, and contention will have no hold over you. Love
the Lord t h r o u g h o u t ' your life, and one another with a true heart.
I Kor I know that in the last days you will turn away from the Lord,
a n d you will despise Levi and set yourselves up against J u d a h , but
you will be powerless against them; for an angel o f t h e Lord will
.T g u i d e t h e m both, because by them will Israel stand. . \ n d when you
t u r n from the Lord, you will give yourselves up to every kind of
evil, d o i n g all the a b o m i n a b l e things the Gentiles do and wantonly
p u r s u i n g the women o f t h e lawless, while the spirits of error work
ti in you e \ e r y kind ofwickedness. P'or I have read in the book ofthe
r i g h t e o u s Knoch that your prince is Satan, and that all the spirits of
fornication a n d a r r o g a n c e will turn their attention to Levi" and
c o n s t a n t l y dog the footsteps of Levi's sons in order to make them
sin against the Lord.

7 .And my sons will associate themselves with Levi,

.•\nd j o i n with them in all their sins;
. \ n d J u d a h ' s sons will be covetous,
.And p l u n d e r other m e n ' s goods like lions.
n Because ofthis you will be carried captive with them,
.And there will you suffer all the plagues of Egypt,
.And all the evils o f t h e Gentiles,
9 Y e t , ' when you return to the Lord,

' I.it. 'you will nol fall into plca.surc' (.so i: II "wrath').
• Lit. 'but'.
• O r ' w i t h all' (lit. 'in all').
' O r "will obcv Levi" (lit. "listen lo Levi").
' Lit.'.And so'.
 Tlte Testamenis of Ihe Tivelve Palriarclis .')().")
^'ou will find mercy,
. \ n d he will bring you lo hi.s sanctuary,
P r o c l a i m i n g to you* peace.
10 .And there will arise to you from the tribe ofjudah a n d / r e m Levi
the L o r d ' s salvation,
. \ n d he will make war against Beliar.
.And a \ c n g c o u r lathers in a mighty victory.'
11 .And he will set free the prisoners ofBeliar"
( T h e souls, thai is, ofthe saints);
.And he will turn the hearts ofthe disobedient back to the
Lord again;
.And he will give to them that call on him eternal peace.
12 .And the saints will rest in Kden,
.And in the new Jerusalem will the righteous rejoice,
.And it will be to the glory of Ciod for ever.
i;i .And no longer will Jerusalem lie in ruins.
N o r Israel e n d u r e captivity;
Lor the Lord will be in the midst of it.
Living together with men,
.And the Holy O n e of Israel will r e i g n ' o v e r them
In humility and poverty.
.And he w h o has faith in him will reign in truth in the
heavens.

"VI. .And. now fear the Lord, my children, and beware of Satan and
2 his spirits. Draw near to CJtxl and to the angel that intercedes for
you, for he is a mediator between God and men for the peace of
Israel; a n d he will' stand up against the kingdom o f t h e enemy.
;i This is why the enemy is at such pains to overthrow all those that
4 invoke the Lord. Kor he knows that on the day that Israel puts its
5 faith in G o d ' the enemy's kingdom will be brought to an end. T h e

" .SoM: II -.And IR-will give you'.

' I.il. '.And he shall give a vengeance oi'viclory to our fathers {b 'lx)undaries')'.
" Lit. '.And the captivity shall he lake frotn Beliar'.
" Lit. '. . . Israel reigning".

' So A: 11 ". . . CicxI and men; and for the peace of Israel he will. . .".
' L i t . ' I s r a e l Ix-lieves'.
 ")6() The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs
a n g e l of peace hitnself will strengthen Israel and preserve il from
t h e worst of evils. But in the time of Israel's lawlessness the Lord
will leave t h e m a n d go to the Gentiles that do his will, for none of
t h e angels will be equal to h i m . ' . \ n d his n a m e shall be in e\ery
p l a c e of Israel and a m o n g the (icntilcs, his name ( / S a v i o u r . Keep
yourselves, therefore, my children, from e\cry wicked deed, and
t u r n y o u r backs on a n g e r a n d all falsehood, and lo\e truth and
patietice. .And w h a t you have h e a r d from your father pass on to
y o u r own children, so that the Sa\ iour" of the Gentiles may accept
y o u ; for he is true a n d patient, meek a n d lowly, and teaches the law
of G o d by w h a t hc docs. T u r n , then, from unrighteousness of every
k i n d a n d hoki fast to the righteousness o f t h e law o f t h e Lord; and
y o u r race will be kept safe for ever.' .And bury mc near my fathers.

Vll. A n d after saying this, he kissed them and slept the eternal
sleep. .And his sons buried him; a n d afterwards they carried up his
b o n e s and laid them alongside those q/.Abraham and Isaac and.Jacob.
N e v e r t h e l e s s , just a s ' D a n had prophesied to them (that they
w o u l d forget the law o f t h e i r God and be alienated from their own
l a n d a n d from the race o f l s r a e l and their family and kinsmen'), so
it c a m e to p a s s . '

testament of naphtali
TIIL LESTA.VIENT OF NAPHTALI,
ABOUT NATURAL (iOODNESS
I. .A copy o f t h e Lestament of N a p h t a l i , which hc left as a testa­
m e n t at the time o f h i s d e a t h , in the h u n d r e d and thirty-.sccond
y e a r o f h i s life.
V\ hen his sons were met together in the seventh m o n t h , on the
f o u r t h ' d a y o f t h e m o n t h , while he was still in good health, he m a d e
' So fl: 4 '. . . leave them and go alier him that docs his will, tor to none ol the
angels will he be as to liim'. " So II-/: M/'Father'.
' So II: * omits this last d a n s c .

' So A: II o m . ' j u s l as'. ' .So II: 6 o m . ' a n d kinsmen (lit.'seed')'.

' So b(d):l \ i-d) om. the final clause.
 The Testaments of the Twelve Palriarchs 567
3 a feast for t h e i n ' - in fact, a b a n q u e t . .-\nd after he h a d wotten up
n e x t m o r n i n g lie .said to t h e m , I a m going to die. .And they did not
4 believe h i m . .And he blessed the Lord a n d insisted that after the
5 feast o f t h e day before he would die. So he began to say to his sons,'
L i s t e n , m y children, you sons of .Naphtali, listen to what your
6 father is saying. I w a s Bilhah's child; a n d because Rachel craftily
g a v e Bilhah t o j a c o b instead of herself a n d she bore me on Rachel's
7 t h i g h s , I w a s consequently called N a p h t a l i . A n d Rachel loved m e
b e c a u s e I w a s born on her thighs; a n d as 1 was an attractive child,"
s h e w o u l d kiss me a n d say. M a y I live to see a brother of yours, from
8 rriy o w n w o i n b , j u s t like you. So it c a m e a b o u t that J o s e p h was like
9 m e in e v e r y t h i n g , in answer to Rachel's prayers. .And my mother
w a s ' Bilhah, t h e d a u g h t e r of Rotheus, the brother of Deborah,
R e b e c c a ' s n u r s e , a n d she was born on the very same day as Rachel.
10 .And R o t h e u s w a s of .Abraham's stock, a C h a l d a e a n , devout, free-
11 b o r n , a n d well-bred. .And he was taken as a prisoner and bought by
L a b a n , a n d h e gave him Aina, his slave-girl, as his wife; a n d she
b o r e a d a u g h t e r , a n d he called her Zilpah after the village where he
12 h a d been taken prisoner. A n d again" she bore a daughter and he
called her B i l h a h , ' saying. M y d a u g h t e r is o n e of those w h o are
a l w a y s in a h u r r y to run after a n y t h i n g new;" for as soon as she was
b o r n s h e was in a h u r r y to be suckled.

n. .And since I w a s as light-footed as a deer, my father J a c o b chose

m e for all missions a n d messages; a n d as if I were a deer he gave me
2 his blessing. For j u s t as the potter knows how m u c h the vessel he is
making is to c o n t a i n , a n d takes the right amount o/ clay Ibr it, so too the

^ .So 1): 4'hc m a d e a supper himselC.

' So A: II o m . ' t o his sons'.
So A (lit. 'being delicate in form'); II 'when 1 was still young' (lit. 'being still
delicate').
' Lit. 'is'.
" Lit. 'next'.
' T h e text in all the MSS is difficult here. Kither wc must assume that some
w o r d s have fallen out (hence our translation, whieh Itillows a reconstruction based
on t h e analogy of the previous verse), or we must emend the inasculine particle
'saying' to the feminine in order to make .Aina, and not Rotheus, the speaker (and so
the parent responsible ibr giving Bilhah her name).
* Lit. ' M y d a u g h t e r is a hurrier-after-novelty'.
 r)()H The Testaments qf the Tivelve Patriarchs
Lord makes the body with a view to the spirit it is to contain.' and
3 lie p u t s the spirit into // according to the body's capacity. .And the
p r o p o r t i o n s of the two correspond perfectly,' for the whole
t c r e a t i o n ' o f t h e .Most High has been fashioned by weight and measure
a n d rule. .And j u s t as the potter knows what the use of each vessel
is. and what it is ht for, so also the Lord knows for how long the body
.') will persist in goodness and when it will turn to evil.'' Vov there is
n o t h i n g that is m a d e and no thought which the Lord docs not
(i know, for he created every man in his own image. .As is a m a n ' s
s t r e n g t h , so also is his work; and as his mind, so also his skill;' and
as his purpose, so also his achievement; and as his heart, so also his
m o u t h ; a n d as his eye, so also his sleep; and as his soul, so also his
7 w o r d , either in the law ofthe Lord or the law of Beliar. .And as there
is a distinction between light and darkness, and between seeing and
h e a r i n g , so also there is a distinction between one man and
a n o t h e r , a n d between one w o m a n and another; and it cannot be
H said that one is like a n o t h e r either in face or in mind.'' For God
m a d e all things good in their order: first the hvc senses in the head
( a n d he j o i n e d ' the neck to the head and the hair to give it glory"),
then the heart Ibr understanding, the belly tfor secretion o f l h e
s t o m a c h t . the windpipe for health, the liver for anger, the gall for
bitterness, the spleen for laughter, and kidneys for shrewdness, the
muscles ofthe loins for power, the ribs to form a chest,' the loins for
9 s t r e n g t h , and so on. .So then, my children, order your lives lo do
w h a t is right'" in the fear of God, and do nothing that is not in
10 o r d e r , out of context, or not in season. For if you tell the eye to hear,
it c a n n o t : so neither, if your are in darkness, will you be able to do
t h e deeds of light.

' I.il. 'wilh a view lo lhe likriicss ol'lhc .spiril'.

'' I.il. '.ynd ihcrc is no rt-niaiiuk-r. one out ofthe one, a third ofa hair'.
' O r 'for every creature'.
'' I.it. 'when il Ix-gins in evil'.
' .So 11: A wrongly repeals 'his work'.
" .Ml the (;k. .\ISS are more or less corrupt: the translation is based on a
reconstruction made wilh the help of .yrm.
' Sob: II 'andjoining'.
" So 6/: I I - / ' . . . to the head, adding also toil the hair to give//dignity and glory'.
" O r 'lhe sides for sleeping on'. Both text and translation are uncertain.
'" b 'be in order to good things': II 'let all your works be in order lo good things'.
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 569

III. D o n o l . then, be goaded into wrong-doing by covetou.sness,'

n e i t h e r deceive yourselves with e m p t y words, because if you keep
silent iti p u r i t y o( heart you will u n d e r s t a n d h o w ' to hold fast God's
will a n d reject the devil's. Sun moon and stars d o not change their
o r d e r : so too you m u s t not c h a n g e the law of God by the disorderli-
ness of w h a t you d o . The Gentiles went astray and forsook the I.ord
a n d c h a n g e d their order, a n d they went after stones a n d stocks, led
a w a y by spirits of error. But you will not be so, my children: you
h a v e recognized in the vault of heaven, in the earth, and in the sea,
a n d in all created things, the Lord w h o m a d e them all, .so that you
s h o u l d not b e c o m e like Sodom which changed the order of its
n a t u r e . Similarly, the W a t c h e r s also changed the order of their
n a t u r e , a n d the Lord cursed them also at the flood, and was
b e c a u s e of t h e m that he m a d e the earth a waste, without inhabi­
t a n t s or fruits.

IV. I a m telling you this, my children, because I have read in the

holy w r i t i n g of E n o c h that you yourselves also will forsake the Lord
a n d d o the s a m e wicked things that the Gentiles d o and behave like
t h e lawless m e n of S o d o m . ' And the Lord will bring captivity upon
you, a n d you will be slaves there to your enemies and subjected to
every kindryhardship and ill-treatment until the Lord has m a d e an
e n d of you altogether. .And after y o u r n u m b e r s have diminished
a n d y o u r s t r e n g t h is exhausted, you will return and acknowledge
the L o r d y o u r G o d ; a n d in his great mercy he will bring you back
into y o u r own land. And it shall be, when they have come into the
l a n d of their fathers, they will again forget the Lord and act
i m p i o u s l y . .And the Lord will scatter t h e m over the whole surface of
t h e e a r t h , until the L o r d ' s compassion comes - a man that does
r i g h t e o u s n e s s a n d deals mercifully with all those who are far olf
a n d those w h o a r e near by.

' Lit. 'Be not eager, therefore, to corrupt your deeds through covctousness'.
- So I I : A'you will be able'.

' L i t . ' . . . the Lord, walking accoiding to all the wickedness ofthe Gentiles, and
you will d o according to all the lawlessness of .Sodom'.
 ')7() The Teslamenls of lhe Twelve Palriarchs

V. In llu- Ibrticlli year o f m y life I had a vision' on the Mounl of

O l i v e s ' (on lhe east of Jerusalem), lhal the sun and the moon were
2 standinu; still. . \ n d behold. Isaae, my father's father, said to us.
R u n a n d take hold of Ihem, each one of you as best he can, and
w h o e v e r lays h a n d s on Ihem, to him will the sun and the moon
:i belong. .And wc ran, all of us together; and Lc\i took hold o f t h e
s u n , a n d j u d a h was the hrst to lay hands on the moon, and both of
1 t h e m were lifted up with them. .And when Levi was as the sun, a
y o u n g m a n g a \ c him twelve palm branches; and J u d a h was
:> r a d i a n t like the moon, and under his feet were twcKe rays, .And
Levi and J u d a h ran towards each other and took hold of one
i; a n o t h e r . .And behold, a bull appeared upon the earth, having two
great horns, and Ihere were eagle's wings on its back; and we wanted
7 to lay h a n d s on it, but we could not. For J o s e p h got hold ofit first
1! a n d ascended U[) on high with it. .And I looked' (for I was in lhe
g a r d e n s ' ) , and behold, a holy writing appeared to us, saying,
.Assyrians. .\Iedes, Persians, Llamites, (Jalachians, C:haldaeans,
Syrians, shall in turn take captive'' the twelve tribes oflsrael.

VI. .And again, seven months afterwards, I had a vision o f our

f a t h e r j a c o b standing by the sea o f j a m n i a , and we, his sons, were
2 w ith him. .And behold, a ship came sailing by. full of salt fish,' bul
w i t h o u t sailors or steersman; and the ship was inscribed. T h e
i S h i p ' of Jacob. .And our father said lo us. Let us get into our ship.
I .And w h e n wc had gone on board, a violent storm got up, and there
w a s a great gust of wind, and our father, who was al the helm, was
.i blown away from us. .And we drifted'' storm-tossed; and the ship
filled with water, and il was pounded by massive waves so lhat it

' I.il.'Is.iw'.
• I.il. 'on tli<-niounlain.sololi\T(s)'.
' Sugdlm .Ann.; oihcrs forropi.
'' Lil. 'sliall inlu-ril in capliviiy'.

' I.il 'I saw'.

- In all prolialiililv 'full of salt fish' is a rorrupt ditlographv o f t h e following
.vithout sailors'. ' So II-/: Worn. •TheShip'.
'' Lil. 'we were carried over the sea'.
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 57 i
6 was b r o k e n u p . A n d J o s e p h m a d e his escape in a dinghy; and we
got a w a y on ten planks (Levi and J u d a h were on one plank together).
7,H .And we were all scattered to the ends of the earth. But Levi, in
9 sackcloth p r a y e d for us all to the Lord. .And when the storm ceased,
t h e s h i p reached the land, j u s t as if nothing unusual had hap-
10 p e n e d . ' .And behold, o u r father J a c o b came, and we all rejoiced
together.

V n . 1 told the two d r e a m s to my father, and he said to m c . These

t h i n g s m u s t be fulfilled at their proper time, after Israel has
2 suffered m u c h . T h e n my father said to me, I believe that J o s e p h is
alive, for I see that the Lord always includes him along with you.
3 .And he said in tears. You a r e alive, J o s e p h , m> child, though I am
u n a b l e to look on you, a n d you cannot see J a c o b who b<;got you.
4 .And he reduced us to tears as well by w h a t he said; and I lotigcd' to
tell him that Joseph had been sold, but I was afraid of my brothers.

VUL -And behold, my children, I have shown you what shall be in

2 t h e last times, lor all these things shall h a p p e n in Israel. Instruct
y o u r children, therefore, that they keep united with Levi and
J u d a h ; for t h r o u g h J u d a h will salvation come to Israel,' and in him
3 will J a c o b be blessed. For through his tribe God will appear,
d w e l l i n g a m o n g m e n on the earth, to save the race of Israel; and he
4 will g a t h e r together the righteous o f t h e Gentiles. If you d o what is
g o o d , my children, both men and angels will bless you; and God
will b e glorified t h r o u g h you a m o n g the Gentiles, and the devil will
flee from you, a n d the wild animals will be afraid of you, and the
3 L o r d will love y o u , ' a n d the angels will keep close to you. For just
as a m a n w h o has brought up a child well is remembered as a
() benefactor, so also a good work is a sure memorial before G o d . ' But
w h o d o e s not d o w h a t is good - men a n d angels will curse him; and
' L i t . ' a s it were in peace'.

' Lit. 'I burned in iny bowels'.

' Lit. 'will salvation sprout up for Israel'.

' %ogle: all others om. 'and the Lord will love you' through homoioteleuton.
' Lit. 'Lor as when anyone has brought up a chiltl well, he has a happ>
r e m e m b r a n c e , so also lor a gotxi work there is a happy remembrantc bcf()re God'.
 572 The Testaments nf Ihe Twelve Palriarchs
G o d will be d i s h o n o u r e d anionu; the (Jentiles through hini. and the
devil will use him as his own peculiar instrument, and c\cry wild
a n i m a l will gain the mastery over him, and the I.ord will hate him.
7 For the c o m m a n d m e n t s of the law are far from simple, and the
8 k e e p i n g o f t h e m requires some skill.'' For there is a time to embrace
o n e ' s wife, a n d there is a time to abstain, so that one can give
9 oneself to prayer. There arc, then, two c o m m a n d m e n t s ; and,
unless their p r o p e r order is maintained, the result is sin. .And so too
10 it is with the other c o m m a n d m e n t s . So be wise in (Jod. and
p r u d e n t ; a n d u n d e r s t a n d the order ofhis c o m m a n d m e n t s and the
laws of every action, so that the Lord may love \ o u .

IX. .And when he had charged them with many sueh wiirds. he
asked them to take his bones to Hebron and bury them with his
2 fathers. .And when hc had eaten and drunk and made merry, he
3 h i d ' his face and died. .And his sons did everything their father
.Naphtali had instructed them.

testament of gad
THL T L S T . A . M L N T O F (J.AD.
.ABOUT H.ATRLD

I. .A copy o f t h e Testament of (Jad, which hc gave' to his son in

2 t h e h u n d r e d a n d t w c n t y - s c N c n t h ' year ofhis life, saying, I was .he
n i n t h ' son born t o j a c o b , and 1 was a courageous keeper o f t h e
3 flocks. I used to g u a r d the flock at night, and whenever a lion came
a g a i n s t the flock, or a wolf, or a leopard, or a bear, or any wild
a n i m a l , 1 would go after it and get hold ofit by the ftxit with my
h a n d , a n d whirl it round my head and stun it and send it flying from
4 m e , " a n d so kill it. Now J o s e p h had been feeding the flocks with us
for a b o u t a m o n t h , and, delicate as he was, he was alfected by the

' Lit. '. . . arc dimlilc, and tlirouKh skill niusi tlicy be rulliUal'.

' Lit. 'covered'.

' Lit. 'sp<ike'.

- So A/: II-/'filth'. ' S<i 1 1 : A'seventh'.

' Lit. 'and hurled it over two stades' - i.e. afxiut a quarler ofa mile!
 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 573
j heat a n d taken ill. .And he returned to Hebron to his' (athcr; and he
() t n a d e him lie down near him, beeause he loved him. .And Joseph
said to o u r father, Zilpah and Bilhah's sons are killing the best of the
sheep'' a n d eating them without J u d a h and Reuben's knowledge.'
7 For he had seen that I had rescued a lamb out o f a bear's mouth
a n d killed the bear, and 1 had destroyed the l a m b because I was
worried that it would not live, and we had eaten it; and he told our
8 father." .And I held this against J o s e p h until the day he was sold
!> into Fgypt. .And the spirit of hatred was in me, and I did not want
either to see J o s e p h or to hear about h i m ; ' and he accused us to our
faces of eating the sheep without J u d a h knowing it. .And whatever he
told o u r father, he believed him.

II. 1 confess my sin now. my children, how 1 often wanted to kill

h i m , because I cordially hated him and had no kindly feelings
'1 t o w a r d s him at all.' .And I hated him even more because o f h i s
d r e a m s ; a n d I would have licked him out o f t h e land ofthe living,
;i j u s t as a calf licks up the fresh green grass olfthe ground. T h a t was
why J u d a h ' a n d 1 sold him to the Ishmaelitcs for thirty pieces of
gold; a n d we hid ten of t h e m ' and showed the other twenty to our
1 b r o t h e r s . .And so through covctousness 1 was bent on killing him.
.i Buf* the Cixl of my fathers saved him from me and prevented me
froin c o m m i t t i n g an outrage in Israel.

III. .And now, my children, listen to the truth:' do what is right and
keep the whole law ofthe Most High; and do not be led astray by the

' .So A: II our'.

• I.il. '. . . killing ihrgixxl things'.
' O r ' i n d r i i a n c f o l Judah and Rculx'u' (lil. 'I'onlran. lo ihf opinion of Judah and
Rcuhon').
" So 6: Il-rfom. 'and hr told our lalhcr'; d 'and having si'cn ihc lainh he spoke
againsi us l o j a c o b ' .
" I.il. 'and I did nol wish cither through eyes or through hearing to see Joseph'.

' I.it. 'because i hated him up to the soul and there was altogether no liver of
mercy in me for him'. ' So i: II'Simeon'.
' I.it. 'we hid the ten'. ' I.it. '.\nd'.

' I.it. 'listen to words of truth'.

 374 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs
2 spirit ol hatrcci, I'or it corrupts all h u m a n relationships.' .\ man
inspired hy hatred takes exception to anything anyone does: if
a n y o n e keeps the law ol'thc Lord hc gets no praise: ifanyone fears
:i the Lord a n d strives for what is right, he is not loved. .4 man inspired
hy hatred maligns the truth, envies the successful, welcomes back­
biting, anrfloves arrogance; for hatred has blinded him.'.And this is
how I regarded J o s e p h .

IV. .So beware of hatred, my children, because it is a sin' against

2 the L,ord himself Lor it refuses to listen to his c o m m a n d m e n t s that
:i we should love our neighbours, and it sins against God. Lor if a
•brother s t u m b l e s . ' it wants to publish it abroad immediately to
everyone, and urges that hc should be brought into court for il. and
t p u n i s h e d , and put to death. .And with a servant, it stirs him up
against his master, and applies every kindoy pressure,' in the hope
.i t h a t it can somehow kill him. For hatred joins forces with envy
against those who prosper: when it hears oftheir success, or sees it,
li it is a l w a y s dismayed.'' For just as love would bring back the dead
to life a n d revoke a death sentence, so hatred would kill those who
a r e alive a n d allow no one to live who is guilty of even the smallest
7 c r i m e . For the spirit of hatred co-operates with Satan in exerything
t h r o u g h faint-heartedness, and the result is men's death; but the
spirit of love co-operates with the law ofGod by long-suffering, and
the result is m e n ' s salvation.

V. H a t r e d is evil, for it invariably goes hand in hand with false­

hood a n d speaks against the truth; and it makes small things out to
be great, represents darkness as light, calls what is sweet bitter,
a n d b r e e d s ' slander and w r a t h ' and war and violence and a

•' Lit. Tor it is evil in all the doings ol'inen'.

' Lit. 'his soul'.

' Lit. 'it makes lawlessne.ss".

- .Soi: II 'falls'.
' So */: 1 1 - / 'and rejoices over him in cverv alliiction'.
" Lit. 'sickly'.

' Lit. tearhes'. ' So II: A o m . ' a n d wrath'.

 The Testaments of the Tweke Patriarchs 575
c r a v i n g lor all kinds of evil t h i n g s , ' a n d it lills the heart with
2 devilish poison. .And'* I tell you this from nry own experience, itiy
c h i l d r e n , so that you tnay turn ) o u r backs on h a t r e d ' and hold fast
:i to t h e love o f t h e Lord. Righteousness gets rid of hatred: humility
d e s t r o y s h a t r e d : for the righteous a n d the h u m b l e man is ashamed
to d o w h a t is u n r i g h t e o u s , since he is rebuked, not by someone else.
b u t by his own conscience,'' because the Lord looks at his inten-
4 t i o n s . H e speaks n o ill of anyone.'' Ibr the fear o f t h e Most High"
o v e r c o m e s h a t r e d . Because he is afraid he might offend the Lord.
6 h e will d o no w r o n g at all to anyone, c\ en in thought. I learned this
myself in the end, after I had repented of my behaviour t o j o s e p h .
7 Kor t r u e r e p e n t a n c e , as G o d u n d e r s t a n d s it," destroys ignorance,'"
d r i v e s out d a r k n e s s , enlightens the eyes, gives knowledge to the
8 s o u l , a n d leads the mind to salvation. And w h a t it has not learned
y from inen, it comes to know through r e p e n t a n c e . For God afflicted
m e w i t h a disease o f t h e liver, and if it had not been for the prayers
10 of m y father Jacob, I would in all probability have d i e d . " F"or by
t h e very s a m e things by which a m a n transgresses, by them is he
11 p u n i s h e d . C o n s e q u e n t l y , since it was my li\ er that was set against
J o s e p h w i t h o u t mercy, in my liver was I j u d g e d and sulfered
w i t h o u t m e r c y Ibr eleven m o n t h s - for j u s t as long as 1 had nursed a
g r u d g e a g a i n s t Joseph until he was sold.

VI. .And n o w , my children, love each one of you his brother, and
p u t a w a y h a t r e d from your hearts, and love one another in deed
2 a n d w o r d a n d t h o u g h t . ' For in my father's presence 1 would speak
a m i c a b l y t o j o s e p h , and, when 1 had gone out, the spirit of hatred
3 w o u l d d a r k e n my m i n d a n d excite my soul to kill him. So love one

' Lit. ' a n d all covctousness ofevil things'.

" So A: n om.
' So Ir. I I 'so that you may drive out the hatred ofthe devil'.
" Lit. 'heart'.
' So b (lit. 'of a m a n ' l : 11 'ofa holy m a n ' .
' So A/: 11-/'of God'.'
Lit. 'true repentance according to God'.
.So I I : A'disobedience'.
' ' Lit. '. . . J a c o b , my spirit would almost have been lost from me'.

' Lit. ' a n d inclination of the sou!'.

57C The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
a n o t h e r from the heart. And i f a n y o n e .sins against you, spealc to
h i m as a friend, having^^Ar-s' got rid o f t h e poison of h a t r e d , and be
frank with h i m ; a n d if he confesses and repents, forgive him. But if
he d e n i e s it, d o not get involved in a dispute with him, in case hc
s t a r t s to s w e a r a n d you become responsible for a double sin. Do not
let a n o t h e r m a n h e a r your secret in an action at law:' if you do, he
will h a t e you a n d become your enemy a n d d o you serious h a r m ; '
for often e n o u g h when he talks to you dcceithilly, or concerns
himself in y o u r affairs with evil intent, he has only caught the poison
from y o u . And if he denies a n d yet exhibits a sense of s h a m e
w h e n r e p r o v e d , desist:" d o not provoke him any further, for a man
w h o d e n i e s something m a y repent a n d not w r o n g you again: on the
c o n t r a r y , he m a y even d o you h o n o u r , a n d be afraid ojyou, and live
at p e a c e with you. But if he is shameless a n d persists in his wrong­
d o i n g , even so forgive him from the heart, a n d leave vengeance to
God.'

Vll. I f a n y o n e is m o r e prosperous than you a r e , do not distress

y o u r s e l v e s ; b u t p r a y for him, that he may have perfect prosperity,
for to do so, t n a y b e , is for your own good.' And if he is even more
successful, d o not be envious: r e m e m b e r that everyone must die;
a n d offer a h y m n ' to the L o r d , w h o gives good a n d profitable
t h i n g s to all m e n . S t u d y the L o r d ' s J u d g e m e n t s , a n d he will not
forsake y o u r m i n d , b u t give it p e a c e . ' And if a m a n gets rich by evil
m e a n s , like E s a u m y father's brother, do not be jealous; but" wait
for t h e time a p p o i n t e d by the L o r d . ' Lor either he takes away what
h a s b e e n a c q u i r e d by evil m e a n s , or hc forgives those who repent,
o r for t h e u n r e p e n t a n t he reserves p u n i s h m e n t for ever. For the

^ O r 'in a q u a r r c f (lit. 'in battle'). T h e alternative in the translation has been

preferred because the a u t h o r was evidently influenced liere by Prov. xxv. 8-10.
' Lit. 'and commit a great sin against you'.
" So II (lit. 'keep quiet'): b has a passive form of the verb ('he is to be left
u n d i s t u r b e d ' (?) ).

' O r 'for to do so is just as much for your own good".

' So A/: 11-/'olfer hymns'.
' A combination ofthe readings of A (which leaves out 'not') and ofthe prototype
of 11 (which leaves out the emphatic 'he.'). " So II: i 'for'.
' Lit. 'the limit ofthe Lord".
 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 577
mail who is poor and hce h o m I'ln y, who gives ihaniis to the Lord
in all things, is himself rieher than all men." because he avoids the
7 \ e x a t i o n s of other m e n . ' H a \ e done, then, with hatred, and love one
a n o t h e r in sincerity."

VIII. .And also, tell your children to honour J u d a h and Le\i; for
•1 from t h e m will the Lord raise up a saviour' for Israel. For I know
t h a t at the last your children will turn away from them and be
involved in all kinds o/ wickedness and oppression and corruption
;i before the Lord. .And when he had rested a little, he said to t h e m '
a g a i n , .\ly children, obey your father and bury me near my lathers.
.And he drew up his feet and fell asleep in peace. .And hve years
afterwards thev carried him up and buried" him in Hebron with his
fathers.

testament of asher
LHL T L S T.A.MK.N r O F .ASHLR,
.ABOL T FHL I W O .A.SPKC:TS'
OF \TC:L .A.ND \ T R T U L

I. .A copy o f t h e T e s t a m e n t of .Asher, which he gave' to his sons in

the h u n d r e d and twenty-sixth' year of his life.
While he was still in good health he said to them. Listen,
children of .Asher. to your father, and I will tell you e\ erything that
is right in the sight of God. Two ways has God appointed for
m a n k i n d , and two impulses, and two kinds of action, and two

* So II; A ' r i r h among all nu'n".

' O r 'because he does not engage in the worthless unlsfA'oltttr men' (lit. "because
he has not the evil distraction o r m e n ' - cp. Kcd. i. Li; etc.).
" Lit. 'in uprightness ofheart".

' So A; Idm eaj "arise as a sa\ iour"; kg cht .\rm. "raise up sakatitjn".
• So b: II oni. "to them".
' .So II: A "laid".

' Lit. "laces' - and so throughout this Testament.

' I.it.'spoke'. • So II: i "hundred and twentieth".

5 7<S The Testamenti of the Tivelve Patriarchs
c o u r s e s , ' a n d two e n d s . T h u s , all things are in twos, one over
a g a i n s t the otlicr. 'I'hcre are two w a \ s , of good and e\ il. and along
w i t h these a r c the two intpulses in our breasts that make the
d i s t i n c t i o n s Ijctween thetn. .So. ifthe soul is well disposed to what
is g o o d , its every action is in righteousness, and, if it sins, it
r e p e n t s at once; for when a m a n ' s thoughts are set on things that
a r e righteous a n d he rejects what is wicked, he upsets what is evil
irntnediately a n d uproots what is sinful. But \(the soul inclines the
i m p u l s e to wickedness, its every action is in wickedness: having
s p u r n e d w h a t is good, such a man takes to himself what is evil, and
u n d e r Beliar's control, even if he docs a n y t h i n g good, he turns it to"
w i c k e d n e s s ; for w h e n e v e r he begins as though to d o good, the end
o f h i s action spurs h i m on to doing evil,' since the ti casure-house of
t h e impulse'' is hlled with the poison of an evil spirit.

II. S o m e o n e , then, may say what is good' (he said) lor the sake of
evil, a n d the end of w h a t he docs leads to evil. . \ man m a y ' ( . . . ) , '
b e c a u s e hc shows no compassion f()r his accomplice in evil: this
i n d e e d h a s two aspects, but the whole is c\ il. A man may love a
k n a v e : " hc is j u s t as m u c h involved in wickedness as the other man,
b e c a u s e he would be w illing even to die in evil tjecau.sc of him; and
h e r e too it is clear that there a r e two aspects, but the result as a
w h o l e is evil. T h o u g h it is love, it is wickedness,' Ibr it conceals
w h a t is evil: it may look good nominally,'' but the end tends to evil.
.'\nother man is a thief, a scoundrel, a robber, and a. cheat, and yet
h a s pity on the poor: this case also has two aspects, but the whole is
evil. By c h e a t i n g his neighbour, h e ' angers God and swears falsely

' .So I I : * ' p l a c e s ' . ' Lir. 'in'.

' O r ' h e forces the e n d o f h i s action into d o i n g evil'.
" SolfA'oftliedcvi!'.

' I.it. ' ' f h e r e is, t h e n , a soul s a y i n g tiie g o o d ' .

• I . i t . ' T h e r e is a m a n " - a n d s o s u b s e q u e n t l y .
•' ( c o m p a r i s o n w i t h v e r s e s u g g e s t s t h a t a c l a - j s c is m i s s i n g h e r e .
' Lit. ' t h e wicked-doer".
' -So A: 11 ' i t is i n w i c k e d n e s s ' .
' S o I I : i> is c o r r u p t .
' S o 4: 11 ' H e w h o c h e a t s liis n e i g h b o u r . . .".
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 579
a g a i n s t the Most High, yet he pities the poor: the Lord, who
c o m m a n d s the law, he flouts and treats with contempt, and yet to
7 t h e p o o r m a n he gives relief. He dehles the soul and makes the body
g l a m o r o u s : he destroys many and pities a few; and this also has two
8 a s p e c t s , but the whole is evil." .Another man commits adultery and
fornicates, yet abstains from food: while he fasts he docs e\il, and
by his power and wealth drags dowti many others with him, and yet
in spile ol' his excessive wickedness he does what is commanded:
9 this also has two aspects, but the whole is evil. Such men are like
10 pigs or hares; for they are half clean, but in truth are unclean. Kor
G o d has said so in the heavenly tablets.

i n . So d o not be like them, my children, men of two aspects, one

good a n d the other evil; but cling to goodness only, lor ( i o d ' makes
'2 his h o m e in it and men strive after it. T u r n away from evil and,
d e s t r o y the devil by your good works; for those of two aspects do
not serve God, but their own lusts, in order to please Beliar and
m e n like themselves.

IV. Kor good men and those ofa single aspect, though they may be
t h o u g h t sinners by those of two aspects, are righteous in (iod's
2 eyes. For m a n y who kill the wicked do two things - a good thing
t h r o u g h an evil one;' but the whole is good because whoever does it
3 h a s u p r o o t e d and destroyed what is evil. .A man may hate the man
w h o pities the poor and is unrighteous, and the man who commits
a d u l t e r y and fasts:' this also has two aspects, but the thing as a
whole is good, because he follows the Lord's example in not
a c c e p t i n g what seems good t o g e t h e r with w h a t is in truth evil.
4 A n o t h e r man will not keep a festival' with profligates, in case he
m a y defile his mouth'' and pollute his soul: this also has two

' So b: II 'lor fvpii (iod'.

' So 1 1 - ^ : hg 'an evil thing through a gtxKl one'.

• So 1 1 : i . through eorruption, has a slightly dill'erent text here with a eoinpletely
dill'erent (atid itttpossible) meaning.
' Lit.'will not see a gtxxl d a y ' ( e p . Esther viii. 17;ix. I'.t. 22: also 1 .Sam. .\xv. H).
'' So A: II 'his body'.
 380 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs
5 a s p e c t s , b u t the whole is good. F o r ' such men are like stags and
h i n d s b e c a u s e j u s t like wild a n i m a l s they seem to be unclean, but
t h e y a r c altogether clean because they live their lives hill ofzeal tor
G o d : in so far as they a b s t a i n from what G o d hates too, and forbids
by his c o m m a n d m e n t s , they keep what is evil away from what is
good.

V. So you see, my children, how there a r e two in all things, the one
2 o v e r a g a i n s t the o t h e r , a n d the one is hidden by the other.' Death
s u c c e e d s to life, d i s h o n o u r to glory, night to day, a n d darkness to
light; b u t all things a r e u n d e r the day, a n d the things that are
r i g h t e o u s u n d e r lift (that is why eternal life has to wait f o r ' d e a t h ) .
3 A n d it c a n n o t be .said that trtith is a lie, nor right wrong; for all
4 t r u t h is u n d e r the light, j u s t as all things a r e u n d e r God. .All this
h a v e I p r o v e d in my life, and I have not strayed from the path of
t r u t h w h i c h the Lord m a r k e d out;-* a n d I have examined the
c o m m a n d m e n t s of the Most H i g h and lived, so far as I could, with
a single aspt'ct directed to what is good.

VI. O b s e r v e then, my children, the c o m m a n d m e n t s o f t h e Lord

2 yourselves, a n d follow the truth with a single aspect. For men of
t w o a s p e c t s receive a two-fold p u n i s h m e n t . ' H a t e the spirits of
3 e r r o r t h a t c o n t e n d against men. K e e p the law o f t h e Lord, and do
n o t look on evil as if it were good; but concentrate your attention on
w h a t is really good, a n d persevere in it along w i t h ' all the Lord's
c o m m a n d m e n t s , a n d settle yourselves d o w n in i t ' a n d take your

' So 4: II om.

' I'his short text is found in b g: k and / are larking; dm eqf chi liave various
additional clauses. Originally the (probably secondary) longer text may have read
'by the olher: in a j u d g e m e n t is hidden partiality, in ownership greed, in feasting
d r u n k e n n e s s , in laughter sorrow, in marriage self-indulgence'.
' Lit. 'eternal life waits lor'.
' Lit. 'I have nol wandered from the truth ofthe Lord'.

' Again dm eaf ch have an obviously secondary addition, "for they both do what is
evil a n d a p p l a u d those that do it": subsequently eaf ch read 'following the example
o f instead o f ' H a t e ' . ^ L i t . ' a n d keep it in'.
' So II: A 'in him'.
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 381
1 rest ill it.' For men's ends re\eal tlieir progress in righteousness,
w h e n they m a k e the aetiuaintanee o f t h e angels ofthe Lord and the
r> angels of .Satan. Lor i f t h e soul de[>arts from the body troubled, it is
t o r m e n t e d h\ the e\il spirit that it served in lusts and evil deeds.
(i But if/V departs quietly and with joy, that man has already become
a c q u a i n t e d with the angel of peace that wiil comfort him with^life.

VII. Do not, children,' be like Sodom, which did not recognize the
2 L o r d ' s angels and perished for ever. For I know that you will sin
a n d be h a n d e d over to your enemies, and your land will be desol­
a t e d a n d your holy places destroyed.' and you will be scattered to
the lour corners of the earth and be dispersed and despised like
w a t e r that is useless, until the .Most High looks with favour on the
3 e a r t h . .Xnd he will come himselfas a m a n . eating and drinking with
m e n a n d quietly breaking the head ofthe dragon through water: in
this way hc will save Israel and all the (Jentiles - Ciod playing the
1 p a r t of m a n . 'fell this, then, to your children, so that they do not
,i disbelieve him. For I h a \ e read in the heavenly tablets that you
certainly will disbelieve him and you will undoubtedly treat him
shamefully, a n d pay no attention to the law of Ciod but only to the
r> c o m m a n d s of m e n . ' Because o f t h i s you will be scattered like my
b r o t h e r s Ciad and Dan, who will forget their own lands and tribe
7 a n d t o n g u e . But the Lord will gather you together in faith because
o f t h e h o p e ofhis compassion for you. for .Abraham and Isaac and
J a c o b ' s sake.

VIII. .And when he had hnished speaking to them he gave them

instrueti<ins, saying. Bury me in H e b r o n . .And he died and slept the
2 perfect sleep.' .And afterwards his sons did as he had instructed
t h e m a n d carried him up and buried him with his fathers.

i.ii.-iir.

' .So A: 1 1 om.

' So 1 1 ; A om. "and your holy placi-s dcsiroyt-d".
" So A / a: gde add "carried away hy wickedness of single aspei l". a reading lhal
prohabiy underlies the \ariants in7 and chi.

' I.it. ".\iid he died, having lallen asleep with a gtxxl sleep".
testament of joseph
r)82 The Teslaments of the Twelve Patriarchs

THK T K S T A M E N r O F J O S E P H ,
A B O U F C H A S l FI Y

I. A copy ol'thc Icstamciit ofjoseph.

W h e n he was about to die he called his sons and his brothers and
said to t h e m . M y children and brothers.
Listen to Joseph, IsraeFs loved one:
Listen carefully, my .sons, to your I'athcr.
I h a v e seen in my life envy and death,
Btit' I did not go astray in the truth ofthe Lord.
I h e s e my brothers hated me. but' the Lord lo\ed mc:
Fhey w a n t e d to kill me, b u t ' the C o d ol'my fathers kept me
safe:
'Fhey let me down into a pit, b u t ' the .Most High brought mc
u p again.
I was sold into slavery, b u t ' the L o r d ' set me free:
I was taken into captivity, b u t ' his strong hand supported
me:
I was assailed by hunger, b u t ' the Lord himself fed me:
I w a s alone, b u t ' God gave me comfort:
I was ill, b u t ' the .Most High came to my help:
I was in prison, b u t ' the Saviour showed me favour;
In b o n d s , a n d he released me;
.Slandered, a n d he pleaded my cause;
Reviled by the F-gyptians, and he delivered me;
Envied by my fellow-servants,' and he promoted me.

n. And thus it came about that Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's

b o d y g u a r d , ' entrusted his household to me. And I had to struggle
' bit. 'and'.
- So A / : I I - / ' t h e Lord of all'.
' So II (lit. 'in cnvyings with mv fcllow-scr\ants'); i 'envied and trieked' (lit. 'in
envyings with tricks').

' I.it. I'haroah'schief-ctxjk': already in tticCik. Old Testament the title seems to
have changed its meaning (cp. especially Dan. ii. 14, in Ixith the Septuagint and
'Theodotion's translatiort, with Joscphus. Ant. X. x. 3 (§197) ).
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 383
a g a i n s t a siianiflcss w o m a n , wlio was pressing mc to transgress
w i t h her; bnt the (Jod ot'my father Israel kept n i e ' from the burning
;i flame. I was thrown into prison, I was beaten, I was mocked; b u t '
4 the Lord caused the jailer to take pity on mc. Lor he will not forsake
those w h o fear him, whether it be darkness they are in, or prison, or
rt distress, or need. Lor (Jod is not ashamed as a man is ashamed, nor is
he afraid like a mortal, nor is he weak or easily pushed out o f t h e
fi w a y like an e a r t h - b o r n human. But in all places he is near at hand,
a n d g i \ e s comfort in diflerent ways, though for a little while he may
7 a b s e n t himself in order to test the disposition o f t h e soul. By ten
t e m p t a t i o n s hc showed his approval of me, and in all o f t h e m I
e n d u r e d ; for e n d u r a n c e is a first-rate'' medicine, and tbrtitude
bestows on us m a n y excellent gilts.

III. H o w often did the Lgyptiaii woman threaten me with death!

H o w often did she give mc o \ c r to punishment, and then call me
b a c k a n d threaten me, when I refused to h a \ e intercourse with her!
2 And she would say to m e . Vou shall be my lord, and lord ofall I
possess, if you will g i \ e yourself to me, and you shall be as our
3 m a s t e r . But I would r e m e m b e r the wiirds ofmy f a t h e r j a c o b , ' and
4 I would go into my room and pray to the Lord. . \ n d I used to fast
d u r i n g those seven years, b u t ' I looked to the Kgyptian' as if I were
living on the fat o f t h e land (liir God grants those who fast for his
5 sake the gift o f a healthy look"). . \ n d if he was away from home, I
w o u l d not drink w i n e ; ' and for three whole days I would take my
fi food a n d give it to the poor and the sick. .And I used to get up early
to seek the Lord a n d weep for the Kgyptian woman of .Memphis,
for she kept on pestering m e - e \ e i i during the night she wtiuld
c o m e to me under the pretence that she was concerned about me.

• S o i : II 'delivered tiif'.
' I.it. '.ind'. '* I.it. 'great'.
' T h e text here is very ronrused. the .M.SS varying hetween 'the words of nu
fathers' and 'the words of niy father' (with or without 'Jacob'); A combines all
possibilities and reads 'the words ofthe fathers and ofmy fatherjacob' ( c p . j u b .
xxxix. ()): the lext translated is liiund only in d.
^ I.il. 'and'. ' i.e. to Potiphar.
'' I.il. 'for those who fast for Gixl's sake receive grace of face'.
' So 1 1 - / d: A (t) rf (?) '.ynd if he gave tne wine I would nol drink it'.
 584 Tlie. Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
7 A n d at first," because she had no s o n , ' she pretended to regard mc
8 as a son; a n d so I prayed to the Lord, a n d she bore a s o n . ' T h u s , "
for a t i m e it was as a son that she e m b r a c e d me, and I did not
recognize the truth; but at last she tried to lure m e ' into fornication.
9 A n d w h e n I realized it, I was ready to die with grief; and after she
h a d g o n e a w a y , I c a m e to myself, a n d I m a d e a lamentation for her
for m a n y d a y s , because I was now a w a r e of her wiles a n d Aer deceit.
10 A n d I r e p e a t e d to her the words o f t h e Most High, in the hope that
s h e m i g h t t u r n ' " from her evil lust.

I V . H o w often did she flatter me with words as a holy tnan, craftily

in h e r talk p r a i s i n g my chastity in her h u s b a n d ' s presence, while
w h e n we w e r e alone she would d o all she could to bring about my
2 downfall. She would laud me openly as chaste, but in secret say to
m e , H a v e n o fear of my h u s b a n d , for he is convinced about your
c h a s t i t y ; a n d even if a n y o n e told him afjout tis, he would not
3 believe it. A n d because of all this' I would lie on the ground in
s a c k c l o t h a n d beseech G o d that the Lord would deliver me from
4 t h e E g y p t i a n w o m a n . But when she saw she h a d achieved nothing,
s h e c a m e to m e again u n d e r the pretence that she wanted to be
5 i n s t r u c t e d a n d learn the word o f t h e Lord. And she said to mc, if
y o u w a n t m e to forsake idols, be persuaded by m e , ' and I will
p e r s u a d e t h e E g y p t i a n to give u p idols too, and both of us will live as
6 t h e law of y o u r Lord r e q u i r e s . ' But I said to her, The Lord
r e q u i r e s " t h a t his w o r s h i p p e r s should not live unclean lives, nor
7 h a s he a n y use for a d u l t e r e r s . A n d she m a d e n o reply, sdll craving
8 for t h e satisfaction of h e r lust. And as for me, 1 gave myself even
m o r e to fasting a n d to p r a y e r that the Lord might deliver me from
her.

' S o A rf: I l - r f o m . ' A n d a t f i r s t ' .

' L i t . ' m a l e child . . . a male'.
' S o A: I I o m .
" I.it. 'she lured me'.
S o A: I I ' r e t u r n ' .

' L i t . ' I n all t h e s e t h i n g s ' .

' S o A: 1 1 ' l i e w i t h m e ' .
' L i t . '. . . g i v e u p i d o l s , w a l k i n g (pi.) in t h e l a w o f y o u r L o r d ' .
" S o I I (lit. ' w i l l s ' ) : A ' s a y s ' .
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 385

V. A n d a g a i n , on a n o t h e r occasion, she said to mc, if you will not

c o m m i t a d u l t e r y , I will kill the Egyptian, a n d so take you as a
2 lawful h u s b a n d . A n d 1, when I h e a r d this, rent my robe a n d said.
W o m a n , s h o w s o m e respect for the Lord, a n d do not d o such an
evil t h i n g : ' if you do, you will destroy yourself; for I will let
3 e v e r y b o d y know o f y o u r impious plan. So she was frightened and
4 b e g g e d m e not lo tell a n y o n e about her wickedness. And she went
a w a y a n d sent m e all kinds of delectable gifts to mollify me.

1,2 V I . .And she sent m e food mixed with incantations. And when the
e u n u c h t h a t b r o u g h t it c a m e , I looked up a n d saw a frightening
m a n prcstmting tne with a sword together wilh the dish; and I
realized t h a t she h a d had recourse to m a g i c ' to lead my soul astray.
3 A n d w h e n he had gone out, 1 wept; and I ate neither that nor any
4 o t h e r of h e r food. So then, a d a y later, she came to me, and noticing
t h e food said to m e . W h y is it you have not eaten any o f l h e food?
5 A n d I said to her, it is because you have hlled it with death. Did
6 you n o t say, I will serve idols no m o r e , ' but the Lord only? So I can
tell you now t h a t the G o d o f m y father revealed your wickedness to
m c t h r o u g h a n angel, a n d I have kept the food' as evidence against
7 y o u , in t h e h o p e t h a t you might see it a n d repent. But so that you
c a n learn t h a t t h e wickedness of evil-doers has no power over those
w h o w o r s h i p G o d in chastity, (I took some of the food a n d ate it in
front of her, saying.) T h e God of my fathers and the angel of
8 A b r a h a m will be with m e . And she fell on her face at my fiset a n d
9 w e p t ; a n d I lifted her u p a n d a d m o n i s h e d her. And she promised
not to t r a n s g r e s s again.

VIII. B u l b e c a u s e her heart was set' on me a n d she was still hoping

to s e d u c e m e , ' she took to g r o a n i n g a n d throwing herself to the
' Lit. tliis evil deed'.

' O r 'I realized that her scheme was'

' Lit. 'I do not approach idols'.
' Lit. 'kept it'.

' So *: II 'was still set'.

' Lit. '. . . set on me with a view to licentiousness'.
 riHG The Teslaments of ihe Twelve Palriarchs
2 g r o u n d . ' . \ n d when the Kgyptian saw her. he said to her. Why are
you looking so sad?" And she said. I am pained at heart, and my
spirit's groanings distress me. . \ n d he took s[)eeial eare ol'her,
i a l t h o u g h there was nothing wrong with her. Then she rushed in to
me, while her h u s b a n d was away from h o m e , ' and said to me, I
shall h a n g myself, or throw myself down a well, o r o v e r a elill', if you
1 will not be perstiaded by me." . \ n d when I saw that the spirit of
.i Beliar was troubling her, I prayed to the Lord. .And 1 said to her.
W h y a r e you so troubled and distraught, and blinded by voursins?
Do not forget that if you kill yourself, .Setho, your husband's
e o n e u b i n e , your ri\al, will ill-treat your ehildren and obliterate
Il v o u r m e m o r ) from the earth. .And she said to me. .So then you do
lo\<- me! It is enough for me that >ou are eoneeriied about my life
a n d my children's lives: I h a \ e a good hr)pe that I shall attain my
7 e n d . ' .And she did not realize that it was betause of my (iod I had
!! said this, a n d not because of her. Kor if a man has yielded to the
passion of an evil desire, and become a slave to it, as she had,
w h a t e v e r good thing he hears about the passion he is inercome by,
he takes as a j u s t i h c a t i o n ofhis evil desire."

VIU. I tell you, my children, it was about noon when she left me;
a n d I spent ihe rest of the day and all the night in prayer to the
L o r d . .And about d a w n I got up in tears, begging to be rescued
2 from the Kgyptian w o m a n . In the end, she took hold of my clothes
:i a n d forcibly dragged me to her to have intercourse with me. .And
w h e n I saw that in her madness she was holding onto my clothes by
1 force, I fled naked. .And she falsely accused m e , ' and the Kgyptian
i m p r i s o n e d me in his house; and ne.xt day he had me flogged and
.') sent me to P h a r o a h ' s prison.' .And because I was now in fetters the

St) tt: 11 'aiiti Itxiking satl'.

Lil. 'Why has your fate I'allfn.^'
Lil. 'was still outsitlt-'.
So i: II 'ilyou will not lit- with mc'.
Lit. 'that I shall enjoy my desire'.
I.it. 'he takes it ttiwards an e\il desire'.

So II: It adds 'to her husband'.

.So 1 1 : 4 wrongly repeats 'the Egyptian sent me to the pri
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 587
E g y p t i a n w o m a n was prostrate with grief; and she heard about
m c , how I was singing praises to the Lord, a l t h o u g h ' in the house
of d a r k n e s s , and rejoicing with a cheerful voice, and glorilying my
G o d - for I had been at last set free from the Egyptian woman.''

IX. .And she sent to mc frequently saying. If you will consent to

g r a n t me my desire, then 1 will release you fromjuar bonds and set
2 you free from the darkness. But the idea of giving in to her never
e n t e r e d my head; for God prefers a man, who in a den of darkness
fasts in chastity, to the man who lives in extravagance and wanton-
3 ness in his a p a r t m e n t s in a p a l a c e ' (.\nd the man who lives in
chastity w a n t s glory too. and i f t h e .Most H i g h ' knows that it is
g o o d / o r him, he bestows this on him also, even as he did on me.)
4 H o w often, although unwell, did she come down to me in the dead
of night a n d listen to my voice as I prayed; but when I heard her
.') g r o a n i n g s I kept quiet. For when I was in her house she would bare
h e r a r m s a n d breasts and legs to entice mc into having intercourse
with her; for she was more than ordinarily beautiful, and she
a d o r n e d herself especially to beguile me. But the Lord protected
m e from her devices.

X. So you see, my children, what great things fortitude can do,

2 together with prayer and fasting. .And you too - if you strive for
chastity a n d purity in fortitude and humility of heart, the Lord will
3 dwell in you, for he loves chastity, .And wherever the Most High
dwells, even though a m a n encounters envy, or slavery, or slander,
o r d a r k n e s s , ' the Lord who dwells in him, because ofhis chastity,
not only rescues him from the evils, but also exalts him and glorihes
4 h i m , even as he did me. For in every way man is under constraint, in
5 d e e d a n d word and thought. .My brothers know how my father

' So b (lit. 'being'): II om.

' Lit. ' - only that by the occasion I had been set free. . . .'

' So / (lit. 'in the inner rooms of palaces'): gm eaf (with a one-letter dilTerenee in
the Gk.) 'in the inner rooms of kings'; b 'in inner rooms'.
' So A: 11 '.Vnd ifthe man . . . too, and the Most High . . .'

' So II: i o m . or darkness'.

 388 The Testaments qf the Twelve Palriarchs
loved m e . a n d yel I did not set myself a l x n e them in my heart:'
a l t h o u g h hut a child. I had the fear of (iod in my m i n d , ' Ibr 1 knew
(i t h a t all things will pass away. .And 1 knew my proper place, and I
h o n o u r e d my brothers; and out of respect for t h e m ' I kept quiet
w h e n I was being sold, so that I did not tell the Ishmaelites my
race, or that I was a son o f j a c o b , a great and powerful man.

XI. Vou t(K), then, must have the fear of (iod before your eyes' in
e v e r y t h i n g you d o , ' and honour your brothers; for everyone that
2 keeps the law ofthe Lord will be loved by him. .And when I came to
the Indocolpitae with the Ishmaelites, they questioned me, and I
said, I a m their home-born slave, so as not to shame my brothers.
;i .And the senior a m o n g them said t o me, Vou are no slave: only t o
look at you makes that clear enough. .And he threatened me with
4 d e a t h . But I said, I a m their slave. .And when we came into Lt?ypt
they began to quarrel over mc, about which of them should pay
.5 m o n e y / o r me a n d take me as his own. However, it was agreed that I
s h o u l d be left in Egypt with one oftheir retailers until they came
() back again with more goods for s a l e ' .And the Lord made the
retailer well-disposed towards me, and he entrusted his household
7 to me. .And the Lord blessed him through me, so that he became
H richer a n d richer.".And I was with him three months and hve days.

XII. // was at that time lhat the .Memphian woman, the wife of
P e t e p h r i s , passed in a chariot' with a great display, and she cast
h e r eyes in my direction, for the eunuchs had told her about me.
2 .And she said to her h u s b a n d with reference to the retailer. He has
got his riches through a young Hebrew; and they say that he was
:5 stolen out o f t h e land o f C a n a a n . Now then, see that justice is done

So i: II •. . . in my mind . . . in my lu-an'.
Lie and because of liar o l t h e m ' .

So 11: A om. 'before your eyes'.

So II: A 'in what you do'.
O r 'with the profits oftheir trading'.
Lit. 'and he multiplied hiin in silver and gold'.

So ll-g: bgom. 'in a chariot'.

 The Teslaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 589
lo h i m a n d take t h e youth a w a y to be your steward; and the God of
t h e H e b r e w s will bless you, for the favour of h e a v e n ' is on him.

XIII. .And P c t e p h r i s was p e r s u a d e d by what she said, and he

o r d e r e d t h e retailer to be brought; a n d he said to him, W h a t is it
t h a t I h e a r , t h a t you steal people' out o f t h e land o f t h e H e b r e w s '
2 a n d sell t h e m as slaves? But the retailer fell on his face and
i m p l o r e d h i m , saying, Please, my lord, 1 d o not understand what
3 you a r e saying. But he said, W h e r e then, did you get your Hebrew
s e r v a n t from? .And he said. T h e Ishmaelites p u t him in my charge
4 until t h e y c a m e back. .And he did not believe him but ordered him
to be s t r i p p e d a n d beaten. .And w h e n he persisted in his s t a t e m e n t '
.T P c t e p h r i s said. Let the y o u n g m a n be b r o u g h t . And when I was
b r o u g h t in, I d i d obeisance to the chief e u n u c h (tor he was third in
r a n k b e s i d e P h a r o a h a n d in charge of all the e u n u c h s , with a wife
6 a n d c h i l d r e n a n d c o n c u b i n e s ) . And he took me a p a r t from him and
7 said to m e , .Are you a slave or a freeman? And I said, A slave. "And
8 he said [to m e ] . W h o s e [slave are you]? And I said [to h i m ] , The
I s h m a e l i t e s ' . .And [again] he said to m e . How did you become their
slave? A n d I said. T h e y bought me out o f t h e land of C a n a a n . '
9 .And he d i d not believe m e a n d said," You are lying. .And he ordered
m c to be s t r i p p e d a n d beaten.

XIV. But the M e m p h i a n w o m a n w a s looking out o f t h e window

w h i l e I w a s being beaten, a n d she sent to her h u s b a n d , saying.
W h a t you a r e d o i n g ' is unjust, for you are punishing a free man
2 t h a t h a s b e e n stolen as if he were a n evil-doer. .And when, after
b e i n g b e a t e n , I m a d e no c h a n g e in w h a t I said, he ordered me to be
3 i m p r i s o n e d , U n t i l , he said, the boy's owners come. And his wife

^ Lit. 'for favour fiom lieaven'.

' Lit. 'souls'.

' So A: II 'the laud ol'Canaari'.
•* So I I : * o m . ' i n his statement'.
" T h e bracketed words in verses 7 and 8 are not found in 11.
^ So I I : A ' o u t ofCianaan'.

' . \ n d he did n o t . . . said: so A; 11 'And he said to me'.

' Lil. ' Y o u r j u d g e m e n t ' .

 590 The Testaments qf the Twelve I'atriarchs
said to h i m . W h y are you iceeping him u n d e r at test? He came here as
a c a p t i v e a n d is a well-bred boy: far better set him free and make
4 h i m o n e o f y o u r s e r v a n t s . (For she wanted to see mc as a result of
,T h e r sinful y e a r n i n g ; a n d [ was completely u n a w a r e ofit.) But he
said to the .Memphian w o m a n . It is not the custom^ o f t h e Egyptians
6 to take a w a y w h a t belongs to others before proof is given. Fhis he
said with reference to the retailer; a n d about me he said that I must
be kept in p r i s o n . '

XV. .And twcnty-f<)ur days afterwards the Ishmaelites came. And

2 t h e y h a d h e a r d that m y f a t h e r j a c o b was m o u r n i n g for mc. .And
t h e y said to m c . H o w was it t h a t you said you were a slave? W c
h a v e discovered t h a t you are the son o f a great m a n in the land of
3 C a n a a n , ' a n d y o u r father is in m o u r n i n g ' in sackcloth. And again I
could h a v e w e p t , ' b u t I restrained myself so as not to s h a m e my
b r o t h e r s . A n d 1 said, I d o not know anything about that at all: 1 am a
4 slave. F h c n they m a d e u p their minds to sell me in case 1 should be
.i found in their po.ssession. For they were afraid tliat J a c o b might
w r e a k a s a v a g e vengeance on them; for it was reported" that hc was
6 a g r e a t one with the Lord and with m e n . t Fhen the retailer said to
7 t h e m . Release m e from the judgement of Petephris. And they c a m e
a n d asked m c , saying, H c was b o u g h t by us with money. And he
set us free.' t

XVI. A n d t h e .Memphian w o m a n told her h u s b a n d to buy me, For

2 I h e a r (said she) they are selling him. And she sent a eunuch to the
I s h m a e l i t e s a n d asked them to sell me. .And the chief of the

' T h i s is implied in all M S S and added explicitly ing I dm Arm.

^ So A: I I 'and the boy. A^ ifltV/, must be kept in prison'.

' So 11: A 'in ( ' a n a a n ' .

' So A: I I a d d s ' f o r yon'.
' Sob {lit. '.And again I wanted to weep'): II '.And I wanted very much to weep'.
" So A: I I 'for they heard'.
' O r '.And hc sent us away'. T h e text of verses 6 and 7 is clearly in disarray. In
verse 7 there a r e wide variations between the MSS, from no one of which, when
taken by itself, is it possible to construct a consistent sense, nor, when all are taken
together, is it possible to reconstruct a hypothetical original with any degree of
probability, f h e translation olfered is a fairly literal rendering of what is found in b.
 The Testaments ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 591
b o d y g u a r d s u m m o n e d the I s h m a e h t e s and also asked them to sell
3 m e . ' .\nd as he was not able to eome to an agreement with t h e m . '
h e w i t h d r e w . But the e u n u c h who had been sounding them out
told his mistress, They a r e asking a n e n o r m o u s price for the boy.
4 A n d she sent a n o t h e r e u n u c h , saying, Kven if'they want two minas
in g o l d , d o not worry or be sparing with the gold; only buy the boy
5 a n d b r i n g him. A n d he paid them eighty pieces olgoid for me, but
he told the E g y p t i a n w o m a n that a h u n d r e d had been paid for me.
fi .And a l t h o u g h I h a d seen it,^ I kept tjuiet, so that the eunuch should
not be called to account."

XVII. You see, my children, how m u c h 1 had to put up with in

2 o r d e r not to s h a m e my brothers. So you too must love one another
3 a n d hy your e n d u r a n c e hide one a n o t h e r ' s faults. Kor God delights
in b r o t h e r l y concord a n d in the inclination o f a heart directed to
4 love. A n d w h e n my brothers c a m e into Egypt, when they dis­
covered that I h a d returned their money to them, and I did not
b r e p r o a c h t h e m b u t r a t h e r welcomed t h e m , a n d when, after J a c o b ' s
d e a t h , I s h o w e d even more love towards them a n d did even more
6 t h a n h e h a d told m e to, they were astonished.' For I would not let
t h e m suifer even the most trivial h a r d s h i p : indeed, I gave them
7 e v e r y t h i n g I h a d . T h e i r sons were my sons, a n d my sons as their
slaves: their life' was my life,' a n d all their suffering was my
suffering, a n d every weakness of theirs my own feebleness: my land
!) was their land, their will my will.' A n d I did not arrogantly exalt
myself a m o n g t h e m because of my worldly glory, but I was a m o n g
t h e m as one o f t h e least.

' So mo.st M S S . In A^^rfcthere i.s an omi.s.sion ttirough homlotek'utoii resulting in

the whole verse appearing as ' . \ n d he (she?) sent a eunuch to the Ishmai4ites and
asked them to sell m e ' .
- So *; II om. 'to come to a n agreement with them'.
' So A: II '.And although I knew it'.
" O r ' t o r t u r e d ' . So A; II 'put to shame' (,§(/m have ati obviously secondary form of
the sentence, 'so that I should not shame the eunuch' - cp. xi. 2, xv. 3, xvii. 1).

' So A: II om. 'they were astonished'.

' Lit. 'soul'.
' So I I : A'my will their will'.
 y.yl The Testaments oj the Twelve Patriarchs

XVIII. .So il' you too, my tliilcircu, live iu a i i ' o r d a u c c with the
Lord'.s c<)mmand.s. hc will exalt you h e r e ' and hc will hlcss you
2 with w h a t is good for ever.' .And i f a n y o n e tries to h a r m you, treat
h i m well a n d p r a y for him, and you will hc delivered' hy the I.ord
:i from every evil. For you know well e n o u g h ' that it was because ol
m y e n d u r a n c e that I married a d a u g h t e r of my masters; and a
h u n d r e d talents ol'gold were g i \ e n mc with her. for the I.ord nutdc
1 t h e m as ij they were my slaves. .And he gave mc beauty also, like a
flower, s u r p a s s i n g the beauties o f l s r a e l ; and he preserved me into
old age in s t r e n g t h and in splendour, because I was l i k e j a c o b in
everything.

1,2 XIX. Listen, my children, also to the visions' that I saw. I h e r e

w e r e twelve stags feeding, and nine o f t h e m were dispersed and
8 s c a t t e r e d ' ov er the e a r t h , ' a n d .so also ivere the oM^r t h r e e ' ' . . . . .And I
s a w t h a t from J u d a h was born a virgin wearing a linen robe, and
from h e r c a m e forth a l a m b without blemish; and on his left hand

' O r ' i n lliis world . . . in etcrniiv'.

- l.il. redeemed'. ' l.il.'I'or behold, von see'.
' So A c; all o l h e r witnesses, including . \ r t n . . rcail singular.
• So M/ (g!): all others, including .\rm.. om. 'dispersed and'.
' So Ilk: 11 'over all the earth'; .\rm. om.
' f o r 'and . . . three' .\rm.. reads 'but three were saved; and (»n the next d;iv they
loo were scattered'. Kor verses 3 - 7 only .\rm. is extant: whether it h;is preserved the
original (ik. text, cither as a whole or in f>art. is nol dear: the rollowing is .\I. K.
.Stone's translation in his The Armenuiri Versiim uf the Testmnent nf Joseph: Introdiution,
Critical Edition, and Translation [S.B.L. Texts and Translations Series, ti: Pseudepigrapha
Series. .">; .Missoula, .Montana. HI7."). pp. .i;i-.").")):
;i . \ n d I saw that the three stags became three lambs and they cried out to the
I.ord and he brought them Itirth out ol'darkness inUi light and he brought them
•I to a green and watered place. Ami there they cried out to the Kord until the
nine stags were gathered to them and they became like twelve sheep, and alter
a little they i i u T c a s c d and became many flocks.
.") .M'tcr this I saw and. Iwfiold. twelve bulls which were sucking the one cow
whicli. through the vast amount other milk, was making a sea. .Vnd the twelve
fi flocks and the innunieralile herds were drinking from il. Ami lhe horns ol'thc
rourth bull were elevated up to the hc;ivens ;md iK-came like a wall Ibr the flocks
7 and another horn flowered fietween the horns. .And 1 saw a caH'which circled il
twelve times and became an aid to the bulls altogether.
 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs ")93
there was a.s il were a lion; a n d all the animals made an assault on
h i m , h u t ' the l a m b overcame them and destroyed them and tramp-
9 led t h e m underfoot. . \ n d the angels rejoiced because of him, a n d
1(1 m e n rejoiced also, a n d the whole earth." .And these things shall come
11 to pass at their proper time, in the last days. So you must, my
children, observe the Lord's c o m m a n d s , a n d honour Judah and
Levi, lor from them shall c o m e ' to you the L a m b of CJod, who by
12 grace will save all the Oentiles a n d Israel. For his kingdom is an
eternal kingdom, that shall not be shaken. But my kingdom among
you shall come to an end like a w a t c h m a n ' s hut in a fruit-garden,
lor after the s u m m e r it will disappear.

XX. I know that after my death the Kgyptians will oppress you.
but Ciod will avenge you a n d will bring you into the land he promised
2 to your fathers.' But you must lake my bones up with you; Ibr while
my bones a r e on the way. the Lord will be with you in light, and
3 Beliar will be in darkness with the Egyptians. .And take up your
m o t h e r Zilpah also, a n d bury her near Bilhah,' by the hippo-
4 d r o m e . ' close to Rachel. .And when he had finished speaking, he
.i stretched oul his feet a n d slept the eternal sleep. .And all Israel
G m o u r n e d for hitn. a n d all Egypt, with a great mourning; for he had
felt for the Egyptians as if they were part of himself," a n d he had
helped them a n d stood by them in all their undertakings a n d plans
a n d business matters.

' I.il. 'and'.

" In \i*rsfs 8 and 9 .\rni. has a n u m l H T ofvarianls whith art' nol hkt4y to In-
original. Nt'\rrlht'lf-ss iht- .Armenian tt-xt ollht-st'\ t-rst-s is given (ibr infurinaliun) in
Stone's translation:
8 . \ n d I saw among the horns a \ irgin who had a man\-eoloiired garment and
from her a lamb w cnl lt)rth. .And from its right side all w ild beasis and ert-eping
!t things atlaeked and the lamb overcame them and destroyed them. .And the
bulls and the cow and the thrt-e horns were glad because olii and rejoiced with
it.
T h e variants in .-Vrm. in \erses 10- 12 [mainly omissions) ha\t' not Iweii thought
worth recording. ' I.il. "arise'.

' M 'into the promise ol'your lathers': gtejc "into the promises ol'your lathers':
il "into the land ol'the promise ofytiur Tathers'; malii are lacking.
- Clp. J u b . xxxiv. 16. ' C:p. (ien. xK-iii. 7 (I..\x").
•* I.it. '.as Ibr his own limbs'.
testament of benjamin
o94 The Teslamenls of lhe Twelve Palriarchs

THE T E S T A M E N T OE BENJAMEN,
ABOL'l A PURE MIND

I. A copy ol'thc words ofBcnjamin, w hich hc left as a testament to

his sons after he had lived a hundred and twenty-h\e years.'
2 . \ n d after he had kissed them he said. .As Isaac was born to
:i .Abraham in his h u n d r e t h year, so also was I t o j a c o b . .And since
Rachel died in giving mc birth, I had no milk: so I was suckled by
4 Bilhah, her slave-girl. For Rachel was barren Ibr twcK c years after
she h a d b o r n e J o s e p h ; and she prayed to the Eord and fasted for
:> twelve d a y s , a n d ajlerwards she conceived and bore me. For our
father lo\ ed Rachel \ ery dearly and was longing to have two sons
6 by h e r , ' l h a t was why I was called Son of days (that is Benjamin).

II. .Now when I wctit into Egypt and my brother Joseph recog­
nized me, he said to me, W h a t did they tell my father when they
2 sold me'? .And I said to him, I'hey spattered your tunic with blood,
a n d sent it a n d said. Do you recognize this as your son's tunic?
3 '.And he said to me. Yes, brother; for when the Ishmaelites took
m e , one of them stripped ofl' my tunic, gave me a loincloth, and
4 flogged me, a n d told me to run off. But when he went away to hide
.5 my coat, a lion met him and killed him. .And so his companions
were frightened and sold me to some others ofthem.

III. So you, my children, must love the Lord, the God ofhcaven,
and keep his c o m m a n d m e n t s , and follow the example ofthe good
2 and holy m a n J o s e p h . .And let your mind be set on what is good,
just as you know mine is:' lhe man who has his mind so set' sees all

' So 1 1 : 4 'a luiiulrccl and twcniy years'.

• Lit. 'to sec two sons I'rom her'.' '

' In ii. 3 - iii. .5 the .Armenian has a very dillerent text. There is no reason to
suppose il original despite the somewhat inconsequential nature of the (Jreek as
preserved.

' Lit. 'be towards the good, as also you know mc'.
- L i t . ' h e who has the mind g(X)d'.
 The Testamenis of ihe Twelve Palriarchs ')9')
;i things rightly. Tear the Lord, and love j o u r ncighhour: and i-vcit if
the spirits ol" Beliar elaim you, and ajjliclyoii with every kind oj evil
a n d h a r d s h i p , ' yet no evil or h a r d s h i p ' will gain the mastery over
1 you, even as Ihey did not over my brother Joseph. How many there
were that wanted to kill him! But Ciod protected him; Ibr a man
w h o fears (Jod and loves his neighbour cannot be struck down by
t h e spirit of the air (lhal is the spirit of Beliar), because he is
.') protected by the fear of (Jod. .Nor can he be overcome by anything
that men or animals contrive against him, Ibr he is helped by the
fi love o f t h e Lord, which he has towards his neighbour. Lor Joseph
begged o u r father'' to pray for his sons,' that the Lord would not
7 hold t h e m accoutitable for their wicked plots against him. .And it
w a s because ofthis that J a c o b cried out. My child Joseph, you good
child," you h a \ e won your father J a c o b ' s heart.' .And he embraced
f! h i m a n d kissed him for two hours, and said. In you shall be fulhllcd
t h e p r o p h e c y of heaven about the L a m b of (Jod and the Saviour of
t h e world - that one without blemish shall be olfered up on behalf
of sinners, a n d one without sin shall die on behalf of the ungodly, in
t h e blood o f t h e covenant, for the salvation o f t h e (Jentiles and of
Israel, a n d he shall destroy Beliar and those who serve him.

IV. You saw, children, how that good man was rewarded in the
e n d . ' I m i t a t e , therefore,' his compassion in sincerity,' so that you
2 also m a y wear crowns of glory. ' I h e good man has not an eye that
c a n n o t see;"* for he shows mercy to all men, sinners though they
;i m a y be, a n d though they may plot his ruin. 'Lhis man. by doing
g o o d , ' overcomes evil, since he is protected by the good; and he
4 loves the righteous as his own soul. If anyone is honoured, he does

' I.il. 'evil of"iriI)ulalion'.

' So 11: i 'fiir I begged our failier j a e o b ' .
" So 11 (Idm -for tii.s sons'): h 'Ibr our brothers'.
" So |)rol)al)lv the original text: b oin. vou g<M)d child': / eaf r oni. Mr child
.Joseph'.
' Lit. ou have conquered the Ixiwels t)l your father Jacob .

' Lit. 'N'ou saw. children, the end ofthe gixxf man'.
' .SoILAom. ' Lit.'in good purpose'.
Lit. "has not a dark eye'.
' So II (lit. "This man who does gocxl'): b ' Tlius Ihe man whodcx-s gixxi'.
 596 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
not envy him: ifanyone is rich, lie is not jealous: ifanyone is brave,
he a p p l a u d s him: the m a n who is chaste he irusts and sings his
praises: on the poor m a n hc has mercy: on the sick compassion; and
j t h e praises o f G o d are ever in his mouth. Whoever fears (Jod he
defends: whoever loves tJod he helps:" if anyone repudiates the
Most High, he a d m o n i s h e s him and reclaims him; and whoever
has been blessed with a good spirit hc loves as dearly as he loves
himself.

V. If, then, your minds are predisposed to what i s g c M i d , children,'

wicked men will live at peace with you, the profligate will rever­
ence you a n d turn towards the good, and the money-grubbers will
not only turn their backs on the things they have been striving for,
but even give what they lia\ e got by their money-grubbing to those
2 w h o a r e in distress. If you d o good, the unclean spirits will keep
a w a y from you, a n d even the wild animals will be afraid of you.'
1 F o r w h e r e there is the light of giKid w o r k s ' in a man's mind, darkness
4 flees from him. For ifanyone insults a holy m a n , he repents; Ibr the
holy m a n shows mercy on the man that has reviled him and says
.T n o t h i n g in reply. .And ifanyone betrays a righteous man,'' and the
righteous man prays about it, though he may be humiliated for
a little while, not long afterwards hc appears in far greater
s p l e n d o u r , as my brother J o s e p h did.

VI. Fhe good m a n ' s impulse is not in the power ofthe error ofthe
2 spirit of Beliar, for the angel of peace acts as a guide to his soul. And
he does not look with greedy eyes on the things that perish, nor
3 d o e s he pile u p riches and delight in them. H e takes no delight in
p l e a s u r e : he causes his neighbour n o pain: hc does not overload
himself with luxuries:' nor is he led astray by a lustful eye;' for the
" Soft: II 'he agrees with' (lit.'riitis together with').

' Snbt: II-/om.

= .So II: « -will run away Irom you in tear'.
' So 11: 4 reverenee lor gtxxl works'.
' I.it. 'soul'.

' So II: A 'lixxl' (with one letter dillerent in theCJk.).

' Lit. 'he does not go astray hy uplifting of eyes'.
 The Testamenis of the Twelve Patriarchs 597
L o r d is all in all to him. H i s ' good impulse acknowledges neither
h o n o u r n o r d i s h o n o u r from men, neither does it countenance any
deceit, o r lie, or strife, or reviling; for the Lord dwells in him and
lights u p his soul a n d gives him joy in the face of all men always.
H i s good m i n d will not let him speak with two tongues,* one of
blessing a n d one of cursing, one of insult and one of compliment, one
of s o r r o w a n d one of joy, one of quietness and one of tumult, one of
h y p o c r i s y a n d one of t r u t h , one of [)Overty a n d om of wealth; but it
h a s a single disposition only, simple and pure, lhat says the same
t h i n g to e v e r y o n e . ' It has no double sight or hearing; for whenever
such a man does, or says, or sees anything," he knows that the Lord is
looking into his soul in j u d g e m e n t . A n d he purifies his mind .so that
he is not c o n d e m n e d by ( i o d a n d m e n . But everything that Beliar
d o e s is d o u b l e a n d has n o t h i n g single about it at all.

vn. Be w a r y , therefore, my children, of Beliar's malice; for to

those w h o trust it he gives a sword. But the sword is the mother of
seven evils. T o start with, the mind conceives through Beliar, and
t h e first child is envy, secondly comes destruction, third oppression,
fourth exile, fifth famine, sixth t u m u l t , .seventh desolation.' And
this is w h y ( i a i n was given over to seven vengeances by God; for the
L o r d b r o u g h t o n e plague on him every h u n d r e d years, .\fter two
h u n d r e d y e a r s ' he began to suffer, a n d in t h e ' nine h u n d r e d t h year
he w a s d e s t r o y e d ' a t the flood, because o f t h e righteous Abel, his
b r o t h e r . By t h e seven evils" was C a i n j u d g e d , but Lamech by
s e v e n t y times seven. For those w h o like C a i n are inspired by env7
to h a t e their brothers will always be j u d g e d with the same
punishment.

" Lit, 'The'.

" Lit. ' I h e good mind has not two tongues".
' Lil. " . . . p u r e , tout erned widi all men'.
" Lit. 'Ibr everything he does or says or sees'.

' O r 'destruction' (cp. verse 4).

^ O r 'when he was two hundred years old . . . in his'.
' L i t . ' d e s o l a t e d ' ( e p . verse 2).
" So gtdm Arm.: * / ' i n the seven hundred years'; e 'in (by) the seven hundred':
a 'by (in) the seven'; c 'by (in) all the evils'.
598 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs

VIII. A n d so you, my children, must turn your backs on malice,

e n v y , a n d h a t r e d of your brothers, a n d take your stand with
g o o d n e s s a n d love. A m a n witli a pure mind, who is well-grounded in
love, never looks at a w o m a n with a view to Ibrnication; for there is
n o defilement in his h e a r t , because G o d ' s spirit rests upon him. For
as t h e sun is not defiled when it shines o n ' m a n u r e and m u d , but
r a t h e r dries both u p a n d drives away the unpleasant smell, so also
t h e p u r e m i n d , t h o u g h s u r r o u n d e d by the defilements ofthe earth,
r a t h e r b e c o m e s a source of s t r e n g t h , ' but itself is not defiled.

IX. But I g a t h e r from the words o f t h e righteous Enoch that you

will give yourselves u p to evil practices.' For as the men q/^Sodom
c o m m i t t e d fornication, so also will you, a n d all but a few of you will
p e r i s h . . \ n d you will renewjowr wanton relations with women: and
t h e L o r d ' s k i n g d o m will not r e m a i n ' a m o n g you, for hc himselfwill
t a k e it awdiy from you immediately. But G o d ' s temple will be in your
p o r t i o n , a n d the last will be more glorious t h a n the first;' and the
twelve tribes will be g a t h e r e d together there, a n d all the Gentiles,
until the M o s t H i g h s e n d s forth his salvation by the visitation of an
o n l y - b c g o t t c n p r o p h e t . " And he will enter into the first temple, and
t h e r e t h e Lorcl will be insulted a n d treated with c o n t e m p t ' and
lifted u p on a tree. A n d the c u r t a i n ofthe temple will be torn apart;
a n d G o d ' s spirit will pass to* the Gentiles, like a fire poured out.
A n d he will c o m e u p from H a d e s a n d a s c e n d ' from earth to
h e a v e n . (And I know how h u m b l e he will be on earth, and how
glorious in heaven.)

X. And w h e n Joseph w a s in Egypt, I longed to sec what he was

' Lit. 'when it turns towards'.

^ Lit. ' r a t h e r builds u p ' .

' Lit. ' t h a t there will be also doings among you that arc not good'.
' Lit. 'will not be'.
' .So gld: bk are corrupt and ea/incotnplcte.
" So I I ; bk om. 'prophet'.
' So bk: II om. 'and treated with contempt'.
" So \ \-d: Mrf'will descend on'.
' S o M ; II 'pass'.
 The Teslamenti ofthe Twelve Patriarchs 399
like, a n d w h a t his laee looked like; and through the prayers o f tny
father J a c o b I did see hint, while I was awake in the daytitne,
2 exactly as he was. You must reali/e, my children, that I am d \ itig.
:i Deal honestly, therefore, each one of you with his neighbour, and do
w h a t is right and just to encourage mutual trust." and keep the law
4 o f t h e Lord a n d his c o m m a n d s . For these things, I tell you, are of
g r e a t e r value than anythitig else I can bequeath to you:" you t(K).
t h e n , must give them to your children as an etertial possessioti; l()r
b so did . \ b r a h a m and Isaac atid J a c o b . Fhey left all these things to
us as a heritage, saying. Keep ( J o d ' s c o m m a n d s until the I.ord
(i reveals his salvation to all the Cientiles. Fhen will you sec F.nocli,
.Noah, a n d .Shem, and .Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, rising on
7 t h e right h a n d in gladness. I h e n shall we also rise, each one over
o u r tribe, and worship the king of heaven, who appeared on earth
in the guise o f a h u m b l e m a n ; and all those who believed him on
8 e a r t h will rejoice with him. I'lieii, too, all men will rise, some to
glory a n d some to disgrace, .And the Lord will j u d g e Israel first for
the wickedness d o n e to him; for when he appeared as (i(Kl in the
9 flesh, as a deliverer, they did not believe him. .And then he will
j u d g e all the Gentiles, everyone ol'them who did not believe him
10 w h e n he a p p e a r e d on earth. .And he will convict Israel through the
chosen ones o f t h e Gentiles, just as he convicted Ksau through the
M i d i a n i t e s , who refused to become their brothers because oi their
fornication a n d idolatry,'" and they were estranged from CitKl and
11 h a d n o place a m o n g those who fear the L o r d . " But if you live in
holiness in the Lord's presence, you will again dwell in security
w i t h " m c . and all Israel will be gathered to the Lord.

XI. .And I shall be called a ravening wolf no longer tjecause of your

r a v a g e s , but a worker ofthe Lord, who provides food for those who
2 d o w h a t is good. .And in the last times there will a p p e a r from
a m o n g my d e s c e n d a n t s a man beloved by the Lord, who will hear

' Lit. ' D o , therefore, truth and righteousness, eaeh one with his ncighlmur, and
j u d g e m e n t to assurance*.
' Lit. 'For these things I teach you instead of all inheritance*.
'° .None ofthe extant readings in this clause is intelligible.
" Lit. '. . . from CJIKI, Iwconting not children in the portion ofthose who lear the
Lord*. " I.it. 'in'.
 tiOO The T?slaments oflhe Twelve Patriarchs
his \()i(i- on e a r t h , a n d do liis will and pleasure,' and enlighten all
the (Jentiles with new knowledge: he will he a light of knowledge
b u r s t i n g in on Israel w i t l r saKation. ravaging t h e m ' like a wolf.
a n d giving uhal he has snatchedJrom them to the synagogue ot the
:i (Jentiles. .And until the end ol time his tame will endure" in the
s y n a g o g u e s oi'the (Jentiles, a n d a m o n g their rulers, like a musical
t t u n e that is in e\ eryone's mouth. .And both his deeds a n d his words
will h n d a place in the sacred books,' a n d he will be one ol'(Jod"s
.') chosen ones liir e \ e r . .And it was to him that my lather J a c o b was
relerririg when he said lo me. H e will compensate liir the
deficiencies o f y o u r tribe.

XII. .And when he h a d got to the end of w hat he had to say. he said,
1 I'harge you. my children, carry my bones up out of Kgypt, a n d
2 b u r y m e in H e b r o n , near my fathers. .And Benjamin was a hundred
a n d twenty-five years old when he died, having achieved a ripe old
:i a g e ; ' a n d they put him in a cofhn. .And in the ninty-first year after
the entry' o f t h e sons of Israel into' Kgypt their children' took the
b o n e s o f t h e i r fathers u p secretly, during the w a r with (Canaan."
4 a n d buried them in H e b r o n , at their lathers" leet. .And they
r e t u r n e d from the land o f C a n a a n a n d lived in Kgypt until the day
o f t h e i r d e p a r t u r e from the land of Kgypt.

' I.il. '. . . I.ord. hearing on eiirlh iii.s \()iie. ami doing die gotKi pleasure o f his
will': soti fa/; e'... Uird. hearing . . . and doing . . . ol'his niouth':/i.i;/oni. and doing
. . .ol'his will'. •' I.il.'in'.
' A 'him'. '' Lil. ' . . . lime, he shall he'.

' Lil. '.And in tllesaered Ixxiks he will be wrillen up. Ixilh A/i work and his word'.

' Lit. '. . . died, in a gixxl old age'.

^ .All .\1SS read 'e.\o<lus . . . from', whieh must lx* wrong in the light otverse 4:
Jul). \\v. I and .xlvi. 9, when taken together, supjxirt the emendation that this
h a p p e n e d ninety-one years alter the entry.
' Lit. they and their brothers'.
' So II (lil. in the war orC:anaan'): 6 in a place called Canaan'.
assumption of moses
THE A S S U M P T I O N OF MOSES

IN T R O D r c : r i O N

I hi" A s s u m p t i o n is preserved only in an ineotn[)lete Latin version,

whieii has survived as the underwriting on a single cjuire ofa (ith or
7th cent, palimpsest in the . \ m b r o s i a n library al Milan (Cod. C7:5
Inf.). I h i s palimp,scst contains on other quires the Latin fragments
o l ' J u b i l e e s a n d also fragments of an anonymous heretical com­
m e n t a r y on St. Luke. The text was published by Ceriani iti 1861 in
the first fascicle ofhis Momimenta Sacra et Pro/ana. .\lthough the hrst
three lines o f t h e .\ssumptioti are unfortunately wanting, it seems
that the work started at the beginning ol'thc quire. But at the end
the text breaks olf in mid-setiteiice, a n d there are no means of
k n o w i n g how much has been lost.
Lhc .\LS itself gives the work no title. T he common title. ' T h e
.Assumption of .Moses", was inferred by Ceriani from the fact that
CJelasius of Cyzicus, in his Collection ofthe .Acts ofthe Clouncil of
.Nicaea, quotes i. 14 a n d explicitly attributes it to the .Assumption,'
a work independently proved to have been known in the early
Clhurch from references in other patristic writers and from the
a n c i e n t lists of apocryphal books.
.Nevertheless, the identification is not certain. 'Lite lists mention
a 'T estament" of .Moses as well as an ".Assumption"; and •Testa­
ment" is a description that fits the contents of our fragment very
well. .Moreover, the lists all place the Testament before the
.Assumption. .A variety of possibilities is therelbre opened up.
T h r e e of t h e m m a y be stated: (1) that o u r fragment is indeed the
.Assumption, as Ceriani inferred, a n d that the 'Testament either
has been lost or is Jubilees under another name (this last hypothesis
will explain why the fragments ofjubilees were found in such close
proximity to o u r fragment in the same palimpsest); (2) that our
fragment is the 'Testament a n d not the .Assumption, and that
Gelasius"s ascription of i. 14 to the .Assumption is d u e to confusion
on his part between the two (in this case it is the .Assumption which
' Ciclasius, Hist. Cone. .Vie, II. xvii. 17
()()2 The Assumption ofMoses
ha.s been lost); and (3) that the Testament and the .Assumption,
originalK two distinct works, were at an early date combined and
sid)scqucntly circulated as the ".Assumption", and that it is the
o p e n i n g of this combined work which has been preserved in our
fragment (this was Clharles's view).
But whatcx er the true solution may be it is worth observing that
(Jclasius a t t r i b u t e s two further quotations to the .Assumption, and
that neither of them is found in our fragment. Both concern a
d i s p u t e between the archangel Michael and the Devil:
In tlic Book o f t h e .A.ssimiption ofMoses", (Jelasius writes, ".Michael the
a r c h a n g e l , d i s p u t i n g with the Devil, says. For from his Holy Spirit wc all
w e r e i reated. . \ i i d again hc says. From God"s presence went forth his
Spiril. a n d the world c a m e into being".'

.More details about this dispute may be gleaned from other

F a t h e r s , some of w h o m explicitly n a m e the .Assumption as their
source. Fhe earliest reference to the legend is to be found in the
Kpistle of j u d e in the New Festament. Fhere we are told that the
d i s p u t e was "about the body of .Moses", and Michael is quoted as
h a v i n g said to the D c \ i l '.May the Lord rebuke you!"; but there is no
m e n t i o n of any source.'

P r o b l e m s of d a t e and origin, though by no means simple, are not

i n t r a c t a b l e . Ostensibly the .Assumption supplies details which are
lacking in .Moses"s hnal charge t o j o s h u a as recorded in Deut. xxxi.
In fact it is an apocalypse, which sketches the history of Israel from
the time of Moses's death to the final consummation (i. 18). In vi. 2
If. .Moses predicts the succession o f ' a n insolent king . . . who will
not be of priestly stock . . . and he will treat them ruthlessly . . . for
thirty-four years". Fhis king is clearly Herod the Great, who
succeeded the .Maccabaean priest-kings in 37 BC. and reigned till 4
BC:. .Moses goes on to predict that this king will have sons, 'who will
succeed him and rule for shorter periods': 'a powerful king of the
west' will come and 'take them captive and burn a part oftheir
t e m p l e with fire, a n d crucify some o f t h e m round their city'; and
t h e n the Knd will come (vii. i).

' Gelas. Hist. Com. Sic. I f xxi. 7. ' J u d e 9.

 The Assumption of Moses 603
Clharles argued that this reflects a situation soon after Herod's
d e a t h and before any ofhis sons had reigned as long as their father
- i.e. the period between 3 BC and ,\1) 30. .According to this view,
t h e 'powerful king o f t h e west' is \ ' a r u s , the Rotnan governor of
Syria, w h o in 4 BC suppressed a Jewish rebellion and crucified two
t h o u s a n d J e w s after the troops ofhis lieutenant Sabinus had set fire
to the roof of the Teniple. .And this view has been \ery generally
accepted.
.Another, very dilU'ient. \ lew has b e e n proposed b y ) . Licht and
a d o p t e d and developed by G. W. I".. Nickelsburg. .According to this
view the .Assumption was originally written during the persecution
of .Antiochus Epiphancs, near the beginning ofthe fourth decade of
t h e second c e i U u r y BC (that is, roughly about the same time as the
a p o c a l y p t i c parts of Daniel - perhaps even earlier), and it was
subset]tiently interiJolated and ujjdated in Herodian times. In this
case, there are two distinct strata in the text as we have it, and we
h a \ e to deal both with an original author and with at least one
editor.
.At the other extreme, G. Holscher and others, accepting the
unity of the work, have connected it with the second-century .\D
revolt in H a d r i a n ' s time. Holscher himself identified the 'powerful
king o f t h e west' with T i t u s , and explained what this king is said to
d o against the background ofthe events of .\D 70; and he suggested
, \ D 130 as the date at which the author wrote - just before the
Second Revolt began. O n the other hand, K. Haacker, who attri­
b u t e d the work to a Samaritan, would date it after the Second
Revolt - at any time between 13.1 and the end ofthe century.
In any event the author was not a revolutionary. Clharles
described him as 'a Pharisaic Quietist'; though it must be admitted
t h a t there is no sound reason for connecting him so unambiguously
with the Pharisees. .Nor d o there seem any sound reasons for
c o n n e c t i n g him with any other Jewish sect or party of which we
h a v e a n y definite knowledge - least of all with the Zealots, as
Schiirer proposed! But there can be no doubt whatever about his
belief t h a t the passive obedience exhibited by the Hasidim, rather
t h a n the militancy displayed by the Maccabees, was the attitude
t h a t would earn O o d ' s final vindication (ix. 6 - x . 10). And in this
connection we should note that the figure ofthe Levite Taxo, who
604 The Assumption ofMoses
is to a p p e a r at tiie end (ix. 1) and exiiort liis seven sons to retire to a
r a v e a n d die rather than transgress the eominandmeiits, is mani­
festly modelled on elements in the stories o f t h e scribe Klie/.er and
the sexen sons ofa mother, who die rather than cat pork in 2 .\Iacc.
vi. 1 8 - v i i . 42, a n d o f t h e faithful who were cut to pieces in their
hiding-places rather than profane the .Sabbath in 1 .\lacc. ii. 29-3H
a n d 2 M a c e . vi. 11.
There arc no discernible traces of Clhristian iiinuenee anywhere.
The text ofthe fragment is \ e r y corrupt and its Latin debased. It
is clearly a version translated from (ireek, for a n u m b e r of (ireek
w o r d s have been transliterated, and many ofthe curiosities in the
Latin inay be explained as (ireek phrases and idioms that have
been translated over-literally. .Mso. the patristic evidence strongly
s u p p o r t s the existence at one time o f a Greek version. . \ n d behind
the Greek, in all probability, lay a Semitic original, though
w h e t h e r that original was in H e b r e w or .Vramaic is an open
question.
'The translation which follows is a revision of Clharles's transla­
tion: a n u m b e r of his emendations have been dispensed with,
however, when the text can be m a d e to yield a tolerable sense as it
stands.

BIBLIOGR.VPHY

A . M . G E R 1 A . N I , Monumenta sacra elprofana, I. i (.Milan, 1861), pp.

5 5 - 6 4 . [Ceriani's text is reproduced, not only by Charles, but
also by V o l k m a r and by Laperrousaz - sec below.]
A . H H . G E N F E L D , Novum Testamentum extra canonem receptum, fasc. i
(Leipzig, 1866), p p . 9.3-116.
R. H . C H . A R E E S , The Assumption of Moses, translated from the Latin
sixth-century MS, the unemended Text of which is published herewith,
together wilh the Text in its restored and critically emended form, edited
with Introduction, Notes, and Indices (London, 1897).
C . C L E M E N , Die Himmelfahn des Mose {= Kleine Textefiir theologische
Vorlesungen und Ubingen, 10; Bonn, 1904-2nd edit. 1924).
 The Assumption of .\toses 605

IRANSI-AHONS

English
R. H . ( I H A R I . K S . The Assumption of Moses, translated . . . [as above)
( L o n d o n , 1897).
, i n APOTn, pp. 407-424.
W . J . P " K R R . \ R , The Assumption of Moses, translated icith Introduction
and Notes ( = S.P.Cl.K., Translations of Early Documents; London,
1917).

Erench
E.-.\L L . M ' F . R R O i s . A Z , Testament de Moi'se (generalement appele
'Assomption de .Moi'se'): Traduction avec introduction et notes (= Semitica,
x i x ; Paris, 1970).

German
G . \ ' ( ) 1 . K . \ I A R , .\Iose Prophetic und Himmelfahrl: Eine Qitellefiir das
Neue Testament znm ersten .Male deutsch herausgegeben (Leipzig,
1867).
C;. G l . K M K N i n K. K A T I Z . S C H . .4P/17ii.. p p . 31 1-331.
P. R l K S S I . K R , AjSaB\ p p . 48.5-495.
E . B R A N n F . N T U R G K R \nJSh-rZX. 2 (1976), p p . 5 7 - 8 4 .

(JK.NKRAI.

F. C. B V K K V I V , Jewish and Christian Apocalypses (\.ondoi\. 1914),

p p . 19 a n d 3 7 - 4 0 .
. • \ . - . \ L D K . M S , IPGAT, pp. 128-141.
O . E i s s F K i . n T , OTI, p p . 6 2 3 - 6 2 4 .
J . - B . F R K Y , art. '.Apocryphes de r . \ n c i e n T e s t a m e n t ' in DB Sup i,
cols. 4 0 3 - 4 0 9 .
K . H . \ A C K F ; R , ' A s s u m p t i o Mosis - eine samaritanische Schrift?'
in X X V (1969), p p . 3 8 5 - 4 0 5 .
G . H O L S C H F : R , ' U b e r die Entstehungszeit der "Himmelfahrt
M o s e s " i n Z M t ' x v i i (1916), p p . 108-127 and 149-158.
M. R. J A . M K S , LAOT, pp. 42-51.
J . L I C : H I ' , ' T a x o , or the Apocalvptic Doctrine of W n g c a n c e ' in JJS
xii (1961), p p . 9 5 - 1 0 3 .
 606 The Assumption of Moses
G . VV. E. . \ l C : K K I , . s m ; R G , j R . {eA.),Studies on the Testament of Moses
(= SBL Septuagint and Cognate Studies, 4; C a m b r i d g e Mass..
1973).
P. R\v:'A<.l.¥.K,AjSaB\ p p . 1301-1.303.
F . R O S F . N I ' H A I . , Vier apokryphische Biicher aus der Zeil und Schule R.
Akiba's (Leipzig, 1885), p p . 1-38.
L. R ( ) S T , £ y l 7 : 4 / ' , p p . 110-112.
E. S c H U R E R , / / / P 7 7 C I L i i i , p p . 73-83.
, GjVZJC iii, p p . 2 9 4 - 3 0 5 .
C . C . T O R R K Y , al, p p . 1 1 4 - 1 1 6 .
S . Z E I ' I L I N , ' T h e .Assumption o f M o s e s a n d the Revolt of Bar
K o k b a ' i n J Q , R s . a . xxxviii (July, 1947), p p . 1-45.

I. ( ' F h e ' F e s t a m e n t of Moses - the instructions he gave in the one

2 h u n d r e d a n d twentieth y e a r o f his life,)' t h a t is the two thousand
3 five h u n d r e d t h year from the creation o f t h e world (or according to
o r i e n t a l r e c k o n i n g ( t h e two t h o u s a n d seven h u n d r e d t h ) , a n d the
4 l o u r h u n d r e d t h ) after t h e d e p a r t u r e from Phoenicia, when the
p e o p l e h a d g o n e o u t after t h e E x o d u s , ' u n d e r the feadership of
5 .VIoses, to A n n r i a n b e y o n d the J o r d a n [, in the prophecy that was
6 m a d e by M o s e s in t h e book D e t i t e r o n o m y ] . .Moses' called to him
7 J o s h u a t h e s o n of N u n , a m a n a p p r o v e d by the Lord to be the
m i n i s t e r " of t h e people a n d of the Labernacle of the Testimony
8 w i t h all its holy things, a n d to b r i n g the people into the land given
9 to their fathers, so t h a t it might be given t h e m in accordance with
t h e c o v e n a n t a n d the o a t h , ^ which hc h a d declared in the T a b e r -
10 n a c l e t h a t he would give it them by J o s h u a . A n d Moses said to
J o s h u a , ' Promise* to d o with all diligence everything you have
' f h r e e hnes a r e wanting at the beginning of the .MS. T h e translation is of
Charles's restoration, based on the nitxlel of T h e fesiaments of the Twelve
Patriardis.
' Lit.'after the departure'. ' Lit.'who'.
' Lit. 'successor'. T h e Lat. successor, which occurs again at x. 15, is in all
probability a rendering of a n underlying Gk. diAdoxog, used in several passages in
the Gk. Bible, a n d elsewhere, in the sense of'minister' (cp. especially Ecclus. xlvi. 1).
' Lit. ' ( . . . give it l/iem by.Joshua), saying t o j o s h u a this word'.
' Text '.Vnd promise'. A verb seems to have fallen out: Charles conjectured ' ( B e
strong) and ofa good courage' on the basis of Deut. xxxi. 7.
 The Assumption of Moses 607
11 b e e n c o m m a n d e d , so that you may be blameless before God. So says
12 t h e L o r d o f t h e world. For he created the world lor his people's
13 s a k e . B u t he did not reveal this purpose in creation at the world's
f o u n d a t i o n , so t h a t the Gentiles might thereby be convicted, and
m i g h t by their a r g u m e n t s with one another, to their own humilia-
14 tion, convict themselves. Accordingly, he chose and appointed
m e , ' a n d p r e p a r e d me from the foundation o f t h e world, to be the
15 m e d i a t o r " of his covenant. A n d now I w a r n you that my span of life
is n e a r its end a n d that I a m about to pass on to sleep with my
16 fathers, even in the presence of all the people. So study this writing
carefully, so t h a t you m a y know how to preserve the books that 1
17 e n t r u s t you with. Set them in order a n d anoint them with cedar-oil
a n d store theni a w a y in jars of e a r t h e n w a r e in the place the Lord
i n t e n d e d ' from the beginning of the creation ofthe world as the place
18 where m e n should invoke his n a m e till the Day of Repentance, when
he will look on t h e m with favour at the final c o n s u m m a t i o n . ' "

II. ( A n d n o w ) u n d e r y o u r leadership' they shall enter the land

w h i c h h e d e t e r m i n e d to give them a n d promised to their fathers.
2 Y o u shall bless them a n d give to each one of t h e m a portion in it, and
confirm their inheritance in it,' a n d establish Ibr them a kingdom;
a n d you shall appoint local magistrates for t h e m , ' in accordance
3 w i t h their L o r d ' s design, i n j u s t i c e a n d in righteousness. . . . But
after they e n t e r their land . . . years; a n d afterwards they shall be
r u l e d by chiefs a n d kings for eighteen years, a n d Jor nineteen years
4 ... F o r t w o ' t r i b e s will g o d o w n a n d transler theTabemacleof the
5 Testimony.* T h e n the G o d of heaven will make there the court ofhis

' Lit. ' h e thought out and invented tne'.

* Lat. arbiter (and so also at iii. 12).
" L i t . ' i n the place he inade'.
'° L i t . ' . . . in the respect with which the Lord will respect thein i n the consumma­
tion o f t h e end of the days'.

' L i t . ' t h r o u g h you'. ^ T e x t ' i n ine'.

' Lit. 'and you shall send out olfices of places for them'.
•* I'he text here is untranslatable {el 'xviiii' anms abrumpens lib- x - ) . Charles
suggested either 'the ten tribes will be apostates' or 'the ten tribes will break away'.
' So text. Charles emendt-d to 'twelve' and saw here a reference to 2 Sam. vi. 1-2.
' Lit. 'the testimony of the tabernacle'.
 608 The Assumption ofMoses
t a b e r n a c l e a n d the tower ot his s a n c t u a r y , a n d the two holy tribes
shall be established there (but the ten tribes will establish kingdoms
6 for t h e m s e l v e s a c c o r d i n g to their own a i r a n g c m e n t s ) . And they
7 will offer sacrifices for twenty years. .And seven will surround the
place w a l l s , ' a n d 1 will protect" nine, a n d (four) shall transgress
t h e I.ord's c o v e n a n t a n d profane the oath the I.ord m a d e with
8 t h e m . .And they will sacrifice their sons to tbreign gods, and they
S will set u p idols in the s a n c t u a r y a n d serve them. .And in the Lord's
h o u s e they will commit ail kinds of a b o m i n a t i o n s a n d carve repre­
sentations of every kind of animal all round the walls.

III. (.And) in those d a y s a king from the cast will come against
2 t h e m a n d his cavalry will cover their land. .And he will burn their
city' with fire, together with the Lord's holy t(^mple, and hc will
3 c a r r y off all the holy vessles. .And he will drive out the whole
p o p u l a t i o n a n d take t h e m to his own country; a n d the two tribes he
+ will lake a l o n g with him. Then will the two tribes call indignantly on
t h e ten tribes, like a lioness on the dusty plains, hungry and thirsty.
5 .And they will cry out aloud, Righteous a n d holy is the Lord, for
b e c a u s e you h a v e sinned, we too, in just the same way, have been
6 c a r r i e d off with you, together with o u r c h i l d r e n . ' Lhen the ten
tribes will m o u r n , w h e n they hear the reproaches ofthe two tribes,
7 a n d they will say, W h a t can we d o for you, brothers: has not this
8 m i s e r y c o m e to all the house oflsrael? And all the tribes will mourn
9 a n d cry to h e a v e n saying, God of .Abraham, and God of Isaac, and
G o d o f j a c o b , r e m e m b e r thy covenant which thou didst make wilh
t h e m , a n d the o a t h which thou didst swear to them by thyself, that
they should never lack d e s c e n d a n t s in the land which thou didst
10 give t h e m . Lhen will they r e m e m b e r me in that day, tribe saying to
11 t r i b e , a n d one m a n saying t o ' another. Is not this w h a t Moses said
woiild h a p p e n to us" in his prophecies - Mo.ses who suffered much
in E g y p t a n d in the Red Sea a n d in the wilderness for forty years?
' Lit. ' s u r r o u n d tlic walls'. C p . iv. 7.
'* Lit. 'go r o u n d ' , 'encircle'.

' Lit. 'colony'. C p . v. 6; vi. 8.

In tilt text 'together with our children' follows 'thirsty' at the end of verse 4.
^ Lit. ' a b o u t ' .
*• Lit. 'Is not this what Moses was testifying to us'.
 The Assumption of Moses 609

Vi H e w a r n e d u s ' (and summoned heaven and earth to witness

against us) not to transgress God's* c o m m a n d m e n t s , of which he
13 was himself ihv mediator to us. These things have happened to us
alter his d e a t h , just as he said they would and as he warned u s ' at
the time; a n d his prophecies have been fullilled," even to our being
14 carried offas captives into eastern lands. .And they will be kept in
slavery for some seventy-seven years.

IV. Then one of those set o \ e r them will go into his house and
s p r e a d out his h a n d s a n d fall on his knees and pray for them,
2 saying. Lord ol'all, king who sittest on the lofty throne, who rulest
the world, a n d dost will that this people should be thy chosen
people: then didst thou will that thou shouldcst be called their
G o d , according to the covenant thou didst make with their fathers.
;i .And they have gone as capti\ es into another land with their wives
a n d their children, a n d they are living a m o n g ' foreign jieoplcs and
4 w h e r e there is much idolatry.' Look upon them and have pity on
.5 t h e m , ( ) Lord of heaven. Then will (Jod remember them because of
the covenant that he made with their fathers, and he will show his
(i pity at that time also. .And he will put it into the mind o f a king to
pity t h e m ; a n d he will send them back to their own land and
7 c o u n t r y . 'Lhen some from the tribes' will go up and come to their
8 a p p o i n t e d place a n d once again surround the place with walls. .And
the two tribes will continue in the I'aith appointed for them, in
s a d n e s s a n d lamentation because they will be unable to offer
9 sacrifices to the Lord of their fathers. .And the ten tribes will be
fruitful a n d increase a m o n g the Gentiles during the time of their
captivity.''

" Lil. 'he I f s i i l i c d ' . Cp. Di-ui. iv. •.>.i-L'7

* Lit.'Ills'. • L i t . ' h e trslilicd U) us'.
" Lit. ' a n d wliicli things have romc to pass'.

' Lit. ' a n d around the gate ol".

' Text 'great majestv'. The translation ollered is based on t:harles's emendation
great vanity' ('vanity' in the Old Testament is not infrequently asstxiated with
idols).
' Lit. 'some parts ofthe tribes'
'• .\fter Wnd the ten tribes will be fruitfur the text Ix-comes more than usually
uncertain.
 () 1 0 The Assumption of Moses

V. A n d when the day of reckoning' draws near and retribution

•> comes through kings who share their guilt and punish them, they
:i themselves also will be divided as to t r u t h - h e n c e the sayings. They
will a b a n d o n righteousness and turn to iniquity, and. They will
d e h i c with M«/r pollutions the house oftheir worship, a n d . They will
4 t u r n w a n t o n l y to foreign gods. For they will not follow the truth of
O o d ; but some of them will pwllute the altar with the (very) gifts
they offer to the Lord, who are not priests but slaves and sons of
:> slaves. .Vnd those who are their masters, that is their teachers at that
time, will show favour to the rich and u k e bribes and sell judge-
(> m e n t s in return for presents. .And so their city' and their whole land'
will be hlled with acts of lawlessness and deeds of evil; and their
judges will be ungodly men, who have turned their backs on the Lord,
a n d a r e ready to give j u d g e m e n t s for money as each man wants.''

VI. T h e n shall arise kings to rule over them, and they shall be
called priests o f t h e .Most High God (they will be responsible for
2 m u c h ungodliness in the holy of holies). .And an insolent king will
succeed t h e m , who will not be of priestly stock, an arrogant and a
;i s h a m e l e s s m a n ; and he will j u d g e them as they deserve. .And he
will put their leaders to death with the sword, and biuy them
4 secretly so that no one should know where their bodies are. He will
b kill both old a n d young and spare no one. He will be the object of
(i universal d r e a d a n d detestation.' .And he will treat them ruth­
lessly, as the Egyptians treated them, for thirty-four years, and
7 m a k e their lives unbearable. .And he will produce children, who
8 will succeed him and rule tor shorter periods. Into their parts will
' I.it. 'tht' times oi'eeiisuritig'.
• I.it. "colony", (".p. i i i . v i . 8.
' I.il. 'and the l)orders oftheir dwelling'.
"* Lit. 'as each may wish", 'fhe text of verses .i and 6 is very corrupt, although the
general sense is plain. In verse 5 t:harles excised 'lhal is their teachers' and 'in return
for presents' as explanatory glosses, and hc preferred the emendation "pervert
judgement" for the "sell judgements" of the .MS. In verse 6 six lines of text are
repeated in the MS with a number of variations: the second version is. on the whole,
the better, and this has been followed, so far as it can be made to yield any
consecutive sense at all.

' Lit. " I h e n the fear of him will be bitter unto them in their land'.
 The Assumption of Moses (i 1 1
c o m e the cohons a n d a powerful king o f t h e west, who will conquer
t h e m , a n d take t h e m captive, a n d b u r n a part oftheir temple with
fire, and crucify s o m e of them r o u n d their city.'

Vll. A n d after this the rimes shall come lo an end, in a moment the
2 . . . c o u r s e shall ( c o m e to an e n d ) : the four hours shall come. They
3 will be forced . . .' .And in their t i m e ' pestilential a n d impious men
4 will b e a r rule, alleging that they a r e righteous. .And these will stir
u p their m i n d s to a n g e r , ' for they will be crafty men, self-indulgent,
h y p o c r i t i c a l , ready for a parly at any hour of the day, gluttons,
5,6 g u z z l e r s , . . w h o d e v o u r the goods ofthe ( p o o r ) on the pretext of
7 justice, but in reality to destroy them, gruinblers, deceitful people who
h i d e t h e m s e l v e s away in case they should be recognized, impious,
n full oi'every vice a n d villany, who say from sunrise to sunset, Let u s '
h a v e feasts a n d revels, eating a n d drinking; and let us behave like
9 p r i n c e s . ' A n d a l t h o u g h their h a n d s a n d minds are occupied with
t h i n g s u n c l e a n , they will m a k e a fine show in words, even saying,'
D o not t o u c h ( m e ) , lest you pollute me in the place where. . . .*

Vlil.' . . . A n d there shall come upon them ( a second) retribution

a n d w r a t h , such as has not befallen them from the beginning until
t h a t t i m e , w h e n he will stir u p against them the king ofthe kings of
t h e e a r t h , a man who rules with great power, w h o will crucify those

' Lit. 'colony'. C p . iii. 2; v. 6.

' At the beginning of this chapter the .MS is so defective as to be virtually

untranslatable.
' O r ' . \ n d from a m o n g these'.
' Lil. 'stir u p the anger oftheir minds'.
" M S again defective. ' L i t . ' W e shall'.
' I.it. ' a n d we shall esteem ourselves as though wc shall be princes'.
' Lit. ' a n d moreover they will say'. ' MS dcfectix e.

' . \ c c o r d i n g to Charles, chaps, viii and ix reflect the period of .Antiochus

E p i p h a n c s and the Maccabees so closely that in their present context they nmst be
out of place: originally, Clharles thought, chaps, viii and ix stood between v and vi,
a n d they were transposed 'by the final editor'. Granted the truth of Charles's
observation, however, it may well be (in view ofthe chaotic state ofthe existing text)
t h a t their present position is due to some accident in the textual tradition rather
t h a n deliberate transposition.
 612 The Assumption of Moses
2 w h o confess their circumcision. .And tliose who deny t/' he will
S t o r t u e a n d p u t in c h a i n s and impri.son. .And their wives will be
given to the gods a m o n g the Gentiles, a n d their young sons will be
o p e r a t e d o n by the doctors to look as though they had not been
4 circumcised. .And others a m o n g them will suffer p u n i s h m e n t by
t o r t u r e a n d fire a n d sword; a n d they will be forced to carry round
t h e i r idols publicly, polluted things, j u s t like lhe shrines that h o u s e '
5 t h e m . .And in the s a m e way they will be forced by those who torture
t h e m to e n t e r their inmost s a n c t u a r y a n d forced with goads to
b l a s p h e m e a n d insult the Name," a n d , as if that were not e n o u g h , '
t h e laws as well by h a v i n g a pig upon the altar.

IX. Then in that day there will be a m a n o f t h e tribe of Levi, whose

2 n a m e will be Laxo, a n d he will have seven sons. .And he will ask
t h e m , saying, See, my sons, a second cruel a n d unclean retribution
h a s c o m e u p o n the people and a p u n i s h m e n t without mercy and far
3 worse than the first. For w h a t nation or w hat region or what people
a m o n g those w h o d o not worship the Lord, w h o have done m a n y
a t r o c i o u s things, h a v e suffered as great calamities as have befallen
4 tis? So now, my sons, listen to m e : you know well enough' that
n e i t h e r the fathers nor their forefathers provoked God by trans-
5 grossing his c o m m a n d m e n t s . For you know that our strength lies
6 h e r e , a n d let us act a c c o r d i n g l y . ' Let us fast for three days; and on
the fourth d a y let us go out to a cave in the country, a n d let us die
r a t h e r t h a n transgress the c o m m a n d m e n t s of the Lord of lords, the
7 G o d of o u r fathers. For if wc do this a n d die, o u r blood will be
a v e n g e d before the L o r d .

X. .And t h e n shall his kingdom a p p e a r t h r o u g h o u t all his

creation;
A n d t h e n shall the Devil meet his end,
' Reading negantes for tlie necmtes o f t h e text. Charles suggested celanlei ('tfiose
w h o conceal it'). .Vnorher suggestion is manlei or circumsecantes ('those who ci.'cum-
c i s e ' - c p . 1 M a c e . i. 61).
' I.it.'contain'. " T e x t ' t h e Word'.
' Lit. 'finally after these things'.

' L i t . ' s e e and know'.

'• Lit. ' F o r you know that these things are strength to us and this will we do'.
 The Assumption oJ Moses 613
A n d s o r r o w shall d e p a r t with him.
T h e n shall be c o n s e c r a t e d ' the angel who has been'
a p p o i n t e d chief.
W h o will i m m e d i a t e l y avenge t h e m oftheir enemies.
F o r t h e H e a v e n l y O n e will { arise) from his royal throne,
.And go forth from his holy dwelling-place
W i t h w r a t h a n d a n g e r because ofhis sons.
A n d t h e e a r t h will tremble:
It will be s h a k e n to its farthest b o u n d s ;
.And high m o u n t a i n s will collapse
A n d hills be shaken a n d fall.'
.And t h e s u n will not give its light;
A n d t h e h o r n s o f t h e moon will be t u r n e d into darkness,
.And they will be broken,
A n d it will be t u r n e d wholly into blood;
.And t h e orbit o f t h e stars will be d i s t u r b e d .
.And t h e sea will retire into the abyss,
And t h e fountains of w a t e r s will fail,
.And t h e rivers dry up.
F o r t h e M o s t H i g h will arise, the Kternal G o d alone,
.And he will a p p e a r to punish the Gentiles,
.And he will destroy all their idols.
' J h e n h a p p y will you be, Israel;
.And you will t r a m p l e upon their necks [and the wings of an
eagle],'
F o r t h e t i m e allotted t h e m will have r u n its course."
.And G o d will exalt you,
A n d set you in h e a v e n a b o v e the s t a r s , '

' Lit. ' T h e n shall be filled tiie hands of. C p . KxcxI. xxviii. 41, xxix. 9; Lev. xxi. 10.
' T e x t reads '.And high mountains will be brought low and shaken and valleys
will fair.
' I h e first two lines ol this verse are clearly inspired by Deut. xxxiii. 29 as read in
the S e p t u a g i n t a n d other versions ('Happy are you I s r a e l , . . . and you shall trample
(lit. 'go u p o n ' ) t h e i r n e c k ( s ) ' ) . Hence the words in square brackets are likely to be a
gloss, p r e s u m a b l y added by someone who took the original 'go upon' in the sense of
' m o u n t ' or 'ride Uf)on', and had either Exod. xix. 4 o r Isa. xl. .SI in mind.
" Lit. 'And they will be ended' (Lat. et inptebuntur). C p . Luke xxi. 24 (Lat. donee
impteantur tempora nationum).
' Lit. 'And make you abide in the heaven ofthe stars'.
 614 The Assumption of Moses
In the place w h e r e he dwells himself."
10 . \ n d you will look from on high and sec your enemies on
earth,'
. \ n d you will recognize them a n d rejoice,
.•\nd give t h a n k s a n d confess your C r e a t o r .

11 .Atid as for you, J o s h u a , son o/ N u n , take heed of what is written in

12 this b o o k . ' F o r from my d e a t h [, that is my a s s u m p t i o n , ] ' until his
i:i a d v e n t there shall be two h u n d r e d a n d fifty times.'" And this is the
c o u r s e of these ( t i m e s ) , which they will p u r s u e until they are
,1,') c o m p l e t e . But I a m a b o u t to d e p a r t to sleep with my fathers. So
t h e n , J o s h u a , son o/.Nun, Be strong: G o d has chosen you to be the
m i n i s t e r in my place o f t h e s a m e covenant.

XI. .And w h e n J o s h u a had h e a r d what Moses had written in his

w r i t i n g a n d all he had foretold,' he rent his clothes and threw
2 himself at the feet of Mcjses. And Moses comforted him and wept
3 w i t h h i m . A n d J o s h u a answered him a n d said. W h a t kind of
consolation is it t h a t you give me, my lord Moses, and how can I be
4 consoled w h e n you tell m e something so distressing? W h e n you say
t h a t you a r e a b o u t to leave this people, tears and laments are
.'l.o b o u n d to be. ( B u t n o w ) , where will you be b u r i e d ? ' O r what shall
7 be t h e sign t h a t m a r k s j o u r burial place? O r w h o shall d a r e to move
y o u r b o d y from it as if it were that of an ordinary m a n from place
8 to place? For all m e n when they die have their burial-places
c o r r e s p o n d i n g to the age in which they live' on earth, but your
b u r i a l - p l a c e is from the rising to the setting sun, a n d from the south
to t h e confines of the n o r t h : the whole world is your burial-place.

' Text T n their (masc.) dweUing-place'.

' C h a r l e s would read in Gehenna', supposing that Lat. in lerram was a rendering
of Gk. mge, a n d that the Gk. here was a transliteration of Hcb. .gc ('valley'), used
absolutely (or ge-Hinnom as in J e r . ii. 23 (cp. vii. 31, 32).
' Lit. 'keep these words a n d this btxik'.
According to Charles, an addition by the editor who combined the 'Assump­
tion' with the ' T e s t a m e n t ' ,
i.e. weeks of years.

' O r 'said previously'.

' L i t . ' w h a t place will receive you?' ' O r ' c o r r e s p o n d i n g to ; t e r age'.

 The Assumption of Moses 615
.1/)' lord, you are about to go away; and who shall feed this people? O r
11 w h o is there to pity them, and who shall guide them on the way? O r
w h o shall pray for them day by day," so that I may be able to lead
12 t h e m into the land oftheir forefathers?' How, then, am 1 to look after
this people as a father looks after his only son, or as a mother" her
virgin d a u g h t e r , who is being brought up to be given the husband
she will revere (Jor the mother will shield her body from the sun and
13 take care she does not run about without her shoes)? (.And how)
shall I supply them with food and drink aeeording to their needs?'
It For they n u m b e r some six h u n d r e d thousand ( m e n ) . ' and they
1.') h a v e b e c o m e so many through your prayers, lord .Moses. .And
w h a t wisdom or u n d e r s t a n d i n g have I that I should either give
It) j u d g e m e n t or answer by word in the house ( o f t h e Lord)? .And the
kings o f t h e .Amorites also, when they hear we are attacking them,
and believing that there is no longer among them that sacred spirit
w o r t h y o f t h e Lord, m a d e up of many parts and beyond all under­
s t a n d i n g , the lord of the word, faithful in all things, the divine
p r o p h e t throughout the earth, the most perfect teacher in the
world - believing that he is no longer a m o n g them, they will say. Let
17 us go against them. If only once our enemies have done what is
w r o n g againsi the Lord, they have no advocate" to offer prayers lor
t h e m lo the Lord, as did Moses the great messenger, who hour by
h o u r , d a y a n d night, prayed without ceasing/or them,'" looking to
h i m w h o rules the whole world with mercy and justice, and remind­
ing him o f t h e covenant made with their fathers and propitiating the
18 L o r d with an oath. For they will say. H e is not with them: so let us
19 g o a n d wipe them olTthe face of the earth. W h a t then shall become
o f t h i s people, mj lord Moses?

XIL .And when J o s h u a had finished speaking, he threw himself to

2 t h e g r o u n d again at the feet of .Moses. And .Moses took his hand
•* Lit. '. . . for thctn not omitting a single day'.
' Text aral}ontm. The emendation supposes atavorum: another possibility is amorr-
eorum - cp. verse 16.
' Lit. 'lady'.
' Lit. 'according to the will oftheir will'.
" Text ' < . . . ) for of them there were a hundred thousand'. Cp. Exod. xii. 37.
' Lit. 'defender'.
Lit. 'had his knees fixed to the earth praying'.
 G16 The Assumption ofMoses
3 a n d lifted hini u p into the seat in front of him. And he answered
a n d said to hitn, J o s h u a , do not belittle yourself, but take courage
4 a n d listen to m e , G o d has created all the nations on the earth, a n d
he has created us: hc has foreseen whal will happen lo both them and us
from the beginning o f t h e creation ofthe earth to the end ofthe age;
a n d n o t h i n g h a s been overlooked by him, not e\cn the smallest
d e t a i l , but he has forestxn everything and brought everything about.
5 ( A n d ) e v e r y t h i n g t h a t is to be on this earth the Lord has foreseen,
6 a n d lo, it is brought ( i n t o the light Lhe Lord) has appointed mc
( t o p r a y ) for t h e m a n d for their sins and ( t o make intercession) for
7 t h e m . For it w a s not because of any virtue or steadfastness on my
p a r t , b u t because he willed it so,' that his pity and patience took
8 h o l d of me. A n d I tell you, J o s h u a , it is not because ofthis people's
9 godliness t h a t you are to destroy the nations. .All the pillars o f t h e
h e a v e n and t h e e a r t h have been m a d e and approved by God and arc
10 u n d e r the signet ring o f h i s right h a n d . T h u s , those who keep a n d
11 o b s e r v e God's c o m m a n d m e n t s will increase a n d prosper. But those
w h o sin a n d ignore the c o m m a n d m e n t s will be denied the blessings
t h a t h a v e been m e n t i o n e d , a n d they will be punished with many
12 t o r m e n t s by t h e n a t i o n s . Yet it is impossible that he should wholly
13 d e s t r o y t h e m a n d forsake them. For God has gone forth, he who
h a s foreseen e v e r y t h i n g to the end, and his covenant has been
e s t a b l i s h e d ; a n d by the oath which . . }

' Lit. 'but by careful arrangement'. If Charles was right the original will have
m e a n t 'but ofhis good pleasure'.
' T h e M.S breaks off in mid-sentence.
 T H E T E S T A M E N T O FJ O B

INTRODUCTION

I f t h e "lihiT q u i a p p c l l a l u r T ' c s t a m i - n t u m J o l ) . a p o c r \ p h u s "

ineiitioiifci in t h e ( j c l a s i a n D e c r e e relers t o o u r T e s t a m e n t , t h e r e
w o u l d s e e m t o h a v e b e e n a L a t i n v e r s i o n o f it c i r c u l a t i n g i n t h e
W e s t i n t h e lil'th a n d s i x t h c e n t u r i e s . B u t a p a r t f r o m t h i s |X)ssi-
b i l i t y , t h e r e is n o r e f e r e n c e t o t h e l e s t a m e n t , o r c e r t a i n q u o t a t i o n
f r o m it, a n y w h e r e in a n t i q u i t y .
T ' h e T e s t a m e n t w a s first i n t r o d u c e d t o t h e m o d e r n w o r l d b \ . \ .
-Mai, w h o in p r i n t e d a ( J r e e k t e x t in t h e s e v e i u h v o l u m e o f h i s
Scriplorum Veterum S'ova Col/eclio. . \ I a i d i d n o t d i s c l o s e t h e s o u r c e o f
h i s t e x t , s i n c e i d e n t i f i e d a s t h e 1 3 t h c e n t u r y X ' a t i c a n .\I.S \ a t . g r .
1238. I n 1890 .\I. R . J a m e s ' w a s able to e x a m i n e a M S o f t h e
T ' e s t a m e n t a t P a r i s " : t h i s w a s B . N . g r . 2(j.58 (1 1 t h c e n t u r y ) , c o n ­
t a i n i n g a l s o t h e T e s t a m e n t s o f t h e T w e l v e P a t r i a r c h s a s well a s t h e
w e l l - k n o w n "Interpretation of H e b r e w N a m e s ' a n d the 'Questions
a n d . A n s w e r s " a t t r i b u t e d t o . A n a s t a s i u s o f S i n a i ; a n d it w a s t h i s . M S
t h a t w a s u s e d b y J a m e s a s t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f h i s e d i t i o n in 1897, t h e
v a r i a n t s o f .Mai's text, w h i c h a r e often c o n s i d e r a b l e , being set o u t
i n full i n t h e a p p a r a t u s . T"he o n l y o t h e r . M S k n o w n t o J a m e s w a s
P a r i s B..N. g r . 9 3 8 ( Kith c e n t u r y ) , w h i c h w a s o b v i o u s l y a t r a n s c r i p t
o f B . N . g r . 2()58 a n d t h e r e f o r e n e g l i g i b l e . I n 1911 t h e c o l l a t i o n o f a
f o u r t h .MS (.Messina S a n S a l v a t o r e 2 9 ; .\D 1307), m a d e against
J a m e s ' s t e x t , w a s p u b l i s h e d b y .A. . M a n e i n i . '

M e a n w h i l e , t h e e x i s t e n c e o f a v e r s i o n in . S l a v o n i c h a d b e e n
b r o u g h t t o l i g h t . I n 1 8 7 8 S . . N o v a k o v i c p u b l i s h e d t h e first t e x t o f
t h i s v e r s i o n f r o m a . M S i n B e l g r a d e ; a n d t h i r t e e n y e a r s l a t e r CJj.
P o h ' v k a p r o d u c e d a critical e d i t i o n , p r i n t i n g t h e text o f a S a f a n k .MS
a s h i s b a s i c t e x t a n d a d d i n g t h e v a r i a n t s o f t h e B e l g r a d e .MS a n d
a n o t h e r from .Moscow in his a p p a r a t u s . F o r text-critical purposes,
h o w e v e r , t h e Slavonic version h a s not proved of m u c h assistance;
it is e x c e e d i n g l y p e r i p h r a s t i c a n d t h e r e a r e m a n y ( o b v i o u s l y
deliberate) abbreviations a n d expansions.

' A. Maneini. 'Per la criliea del "Testamenium l o b " (= Rendiconti della Reale
Accademia dei Lincei, Ser. \ ' , xx (1911), pp. 479-.502).
() 18 The Teslamenl of Job
r i u ' (ircek text in S. P. Brock's edition ol' 19()7, as in J a m e s ' s
edition, is basically that o l t h e Paris .MS ( = P); though where P is
manit'estly corrupt prcCerencc is given to the readings ol'either the
X'atican .MS ( = \ ' ) , or tiie San Salvatore .MS ( = S), or both.
Because tif its internal complications reference is made in the
a p p a r a t u s to the Slavonic \ersion only when it dearly confirms a
(ircek variant.
The . \ m e r i c a n Society of Biblical Literature Pseudepigraha
( i r o u p edition, which was published seven years a h c r Brock under
the etiitorship o f R . .X. Krafi, had of necessity to rely on the same
( i r e e k .M.SS. However, as might be expected in an attempt at wliat
was described as "a step towards an eclectic text', P assumes rather
less p r o m i n e n c e than previously. .Moreover, the traditional verse
d i \ isions were not a little modihed.

. \ b o u t the origin and date ofthe Testament nothing whatever is

k n o w n . .Nevetheless, several widely differing opinions have been
expressed. Lor example, Kohler, in the introduction to his transla­
tion, published in 1897, declared himself in favour of an Lssene
origin for the work and a prc-Clhristian date. O n the other hand,
J a m e s , in the introduction to his edition, published in the same
year, m a i n t a i n e d that the a u t h o r was 'a J e w by birth, a Clhristian
by faith", a n d that he lived in Lgypt in the second or third century
. \ n . S u b s e q u e n t l y , Kohler seems to have modified his views some­
w h a t , for in his Jewish Encyclopaedia article of 1904 there is no
m e n t i o n of the Lssenes, and he refers simply to the Testament
b e i n g "one ofthe most remarkable productions ofthe pre-Christian
era, explicable only when viewed in the light of ancient Hasidean
practise". .Another strong supporter of the Testament's Jewish
origin was 'Torrey, who characteristically saw beneath the extant
G r e e k 'texts' an underlying original in .Aramaic, which he dated to
t h e first century BC:.
W h a t is indisputable, however, is that the author ofthe Testa­
m e n t as il now slands knew and used the canonical J o b in the Greek
S e p t u a g i n t version and not in the Hebrew original or any other
version: this m e a n s that he wrote in Greek and that he was not
t r a n s l a t i n g from A r a m a i c or anything else - the Septuagint words
a n d p h r a s e s are throughout so much part ofthe texture ofthe work
 The TestamenI of j o b (i 19
that they cotild not possibly be due to a translator. In other words,
the T e s t a i n e n t is a Hellenistic work through a n d through. Hence
P h i l o n e n k o , for instance, looked to Egypt and went on to suggest a
possible origin a m o n g the I h e r a p e u t a e there during the first
century . \ D .
F u r t h e r , there is m u c h to be said for the view that the author was
familiar with the .New r e s t a m e n t as well as with the Old - such
e x p r e s s i o n s as ajTQoaojndArjnrdg^ariv [6 Kvgiog]. cocodidovgiKdaro)
{iv. 8: cp. 1 Pet. i. 17; R o m . ii. 6 . . .), aKwXrjKdfiQojrog (xx. 8: cp.
.Acts xii. 23), a n d ttg r6 dij;vejc/c(xxxiii. 7: cp. Heb. vii. 3. x. 1. 12,
14) tell strongly in favour of it; a n d it may also be argued that the
•patience" or •endurance" of J o b (i. .")) a n d his final vindication
(lii-liii) a r e presented as a type of the sulferings and 'end" of Christ
(cp. J a m e s \-. 11). If this be so the a u t h o r must have been a
C:hristian, although he seems to have m a d e no conscious attempt
lo •Clhristianize" the details ofhis material, and his contacts with
the .New Festament look much more like unconscious reminiscences
t h a n deliberate allusions.
Beyond this it is dillicult to go. H e may have known a Hebrew
M i d r a s h on J o b or an .Aramaic l a r g u n i : he may have been familiar
with stories about J o b from contemporary Jewish folk-lore; or he
m a y h a v e been d e p e n d e n t on his own creativ e imagination, except
in so far as il was inspired by the contents o f t h e canonical Job in
the ,Septuagiiit, a n d modified by such scraps of Jewish tradition as
t h a t Job"s wife was n a m e d Dinah - a tradition which appears both
in t h e T a r g u m to,Job a n d in Pseudo-Philo (who clearly identified
h e r with the d a u g h t e r o f j a c o b ' ) , although it is to be observed that
in t h e 'Fcstaineiit J o b marries twice a n d Dinah is his setoiid wife
(i. 6 ) . In a n y case, the Septuagint,Job emerges as the only 'source"
t h a t c a n be certainly identified.
F'inally, ifthe a u t h o r was a Clhristian a n d familiar with the New
F e s t a m e n t , he cannot have written before the second century. His
v o c a b u l a r y contains some 'late' words - "late" either in occurrence
o r in t h e m e a n i n g he attaches to them; a n d this fact should make us
p a u s e before assigning the earliest possible date to the Testament.

- Psoudo-Philo, Uber .\ntiquitalum Bibticarum. viii. H.

620 The Teslamenl of Job
O u r translation is based on Brock's edition and for the most part
follows his text.

BIBLIOCJRAPHV

Greek
A. M . \ l . Scriplorum Velerum S'oia Colleclio, \ii {R<jme. 1833).
pp. 180-191.
R. J,\.\II'.S, •The T ' e s t a m e i U o f J o l ) ' in Apocrypha Anecrhla. ii
(= TS V . i; C a m b r i d g e , 1897), p p . Ixxii-cii a n d 103-137.
S . P. B R ( ) C : k , Teslamenlum /obi (= PVTG ii (Leiden, 19(i7),
p p . 1-60).
R. A. K R . V F f , with H.VROl.l) A l T R l D t n . . RtS.SKI.l. .Sl'uri.KR.
a n d J.ANKI ri.MBI.K. The Teslamenl of Job: Greek Text and English
Translalion (= SBL Texts and Translations Pseudepigrapha Series 4;
M i s s o u l a , 1974).

Slavonic
S . N()\'.\K()\T(':, '.Apokrihia prica o J o v u ' in Slarine, x (Zagreb,
1878), p p . 1.57-170.
O j . P ( ) I . ( \ K . \ , ".Apokrifna prica o Jovu' in Slarine, xxiv (Zagreb,
" 1891), PI). 135-1.5.1.

rR.\.\.Sl..MI().NS

English
K. KOHI.KR, ''Lhe L e s t a m e n t of J o b : , \ n Kssenc .Midrash on
the Book of J o b , re-edited and translated with Intrtxductorx- and
Kxegetical .Notes' in G. .A. K o H l ' I (ed.). Semitic Studies in
memory of Rev. Dr. Alexander Kohul ( B e r l i n , 1897), p p . 2 6 4 -
3 3 8 - t h e t e x t is a r e p r i n t of .Mai's.
R. P. S P H T I . K R in R. .A. K R . \ F I , The Testament of Job . . . [as
above].
 The Testament of Job (i'l 1

Fretich
M . P H I l.ONKNKC), /,<" Testament de Job: Introduction, traduciton el notes
(= Semilica, win; Paris, lf)()H).

German
P. RlK.SSI.KR,,l>Sa/i', pp. 1 104-11:51.
B. S(:H.\I.I.r.Rin,/.SV;-rZIlI. 3 (1979), pp. ;501-3«7.

.\I. I ) r . l . c : ( ) R , 'Lv IVstanu'iit dc j o b , la prii-rc dc Naboiiidc ct les

t r a d i t i o n s targoumit)ues" in .S. \V.\(;Nr.R(ed.),ftAW und Qiimran
(Berlin, 1968), p p . .57-74.
. \ . - . \ l . D K N I S , IPGAT. pp. 100-104.
J . - B . F R K V , art. ".Apocryphes dc r.Ancicn Testament' in DB .Sup i,
col. 455.
L . G l N / K K R t ; , The legends of the jews, ii (Philadelphia, 1910), pp.
2 2 5 - 2 4 2 a n d v (Phiiadelphia, 1925), p p . 3 8 1 - 3 9 0 .
K . K o H I . K R , art. ' J o b . Testament o f inJA'vii (.New York, 190-1),
pp. 2 0 0 - 2 0 2 .
M . P H I I . O M ' . N K O , 'Le 'Testament de Job et les Therapeutes' in
Semilica. viii (1958), pp. 4 1 - 5 3 .
D. R . \ H N K N K i " H R K R , ' D a s Testament des Hiob und das Ncue
' T e s t a m e n t ' in ZVM'lxii (1971), p p . (")8-93.
P. R[V:ssi.KR,AjSaB\ pp. 1333-1334.
B. S c H . M . I . K R , ' D a s Testament Hiobs und die Scptuaginta-
L ' b e r s e t z u n g des Buches H i o b ' in Biblica, Ixi, fasc. 3 (1980),
pp. 3 7 7 - 4 0 6 .
E . S C H l ' R K R , GjVZJC" iii, p p . 4 0 6 - 4 0 7 .
¥ . S p i f f . \ , ' D a s Lestament Hiobs und das Ncue 'Testament' in
Zur Geschichle und Lilleratur des I'rchrislenlums, I I I . 2 (Gottingcn,
1907), p p . 1 3 9 - 2 0 6 .
VV. B . S T K V K N S O . N , ThePoemoJJob (London, 1947), pp. 7 8 - 8 0 .
C . C:. T o R R K V , / ! / , , p p . 1 4 0 - 1 4 5 .
 testament of job
()2'2 The TestamenI of Job

I. Tlie Book olThe Words oi'Job, who was railed j o b a b .

•J O n the day when he was taken ill and about to bring his
s t e w a r d s h i p to an end. he called his seven sons and his three
:i d a u g h t e r s to him. Their names were Tersi. Choros. Huon, Nike,
P h o r o s . Phiplie. Phrotion. Hemera, Classia, and .\nialtheias-keras.
1 .\iid when he had called his children, he said, ( l a t h e r round, my
children, g a t h e r round me, so that 1 can describe to you what the
') I.ord did to mc and everything that has happened to me. For I am
y o u r father J o b . who has endured much; and you are a chosen,
(i h o n o u r e d , race, o f t h e stock o f j a c o b . your mother's father. For I
a m o f t h e sons of Fsau. J a t o b ' s brother; and your mother Dinah,
t h r o u g h w h o m I became your father, was J a c o b ' s daughter' - my
former wife, with ten other children, died a bitter death. So listen to
me, my children, and I will tell you what befell me.

1,2 II. I was J o b a b before the I.ord gave me the n a m e of Job. When I
w a s called J o b a b , I used to li\ e at that time very near a much-
;i v e n e r a t e d idol's temple.' .And as I looked continually at the whole
1 burnt-oircrings olfered to it, I thought to myself, (Ian this really be
the (jod w h o m a d e the heaven and the earth and the sea and us
ourselves? H o w can I know?'

III. . \ n d in the night, while I was asleep, there came to me a loud

2 voice with a very great light, saying, J o b a b , J o b a b . . \ n d I said.
H e r e a m I; and it said, (Jet up and I will show you who it is you
3 w a n t to know. H e to whom they bring the whole burnt-olTerings
a n d p o u r out drink-otferings is not God but the power of the Devil,
t by w h o m h u m a n n a t u r e is' deceived. .And when I heard this, I fell
.•) d o w n on my bed in worship. .Xnd I said, .\Iy lord, who hast come
(> for the salvation ol'my soul; I beg thee, if this is the s a n c t u a r y ' of
' I.it. T'or I am of the sons of Ksau, brolhcr of Jarol), of whom is your mother
Diualt, from whom I Ix-got you'.

' \ ' has a much fuller text in this chapter and reads here 'near my house there was
a certain idol (lit. 'an idol of someone') that was worshipped hy the people'.
- .So PS: \ ' adds 'what is true'.

' Lit. 'will be'. ' Lit. 'place'.

 The Testament oJJob ()'23

S a t a n , b y w h o m m e n a r e ' d e c e i v e d , give m e a u t h o r i t y to go o u t
7 a n d c l c a n . s c iii.s . s a n c t u a r y , ' .so t l i a t I c a n p u t a n e n d t o h i s d r i n k -
o l i e r i n g s - a n d w h o is t h e r e t o s t o p m e , s e e i n g I a m k i n g o f t h i s
land?

IV. . \ n d t h e light a n s w e r e d m c a n d said, ' i d u can indeed cleanse

t h i s s a n c t u a r y ; ' b u t I must let y o u k n o w e v e r y t h i n g t h e I . o r d h a s
2 c o m m a n d e d m c t o tell y o u . .Vnd I s a i d , K v c r y t h i n g h e h a s c o m -
:i m a n d c d m e , his s e r \ a n t , I will listen to a n d d o . . \ n d a g a i n h e s a i d ,
1 I h i s is w h a t t h e I . o r d s a y s . I f y o u d o a t t e m p t t o c l e a n s e S a t a n ' s
s a n c t u a r y , ' h c w i l l t u r n a g a i n s t y o u in a n g e r a n d h g h t a g a i n s t y o u ;
b u t a l t h o u g h h e w i l l alTlict y o u w i t h m a n y c a l a m i t i e s , h e w i l l n o t b e
.i a b l e t o kill y o u . H e w i l l t a k e y o u r p o s s e s s i o n s a w a y : h e w i l l d e s t r o y
6 y o u r c h i l d r e n . B u t if y o u e n d u r e , I w i l l m a k e y o u r n a m e famous
7 a m o n g a l l g e n e r a t i o n s o n e a r t h till t h e e n d o f t i m e . .And I w i l l
r e t u r n y o u r p o s s e s s i o n s to y o u , a n d d o u b l e shall b e r e s t o r e d to y o u .
8 so t h a t you m a y k n o w that the L o r d ' h a s n o favourites a n d richly
9 r e p a y s e v e r y o n e w h o o b e y s him. .And y o u w i l l b e r a i s e d u p a t t h e
10 r e s u r r e c t i o n ; f o r y o u w i l l b e l i k e a b o . x e r in t h e g a m e s ' w h o k e e p s
11 t h e s t r u g g l e u p a n d g a i n s his c r o w n . T h e n y o u w i l l k n o w t h a t t h e
L o r d is j u s t , t r u e , a n d s t r o n g , a n d g i v e s s t r e n g t h t o h i s e l e c t .

V. .And I, m y c h i l d r e n , m a d e a n s w e r t o h i m . T o d e a t h w i l l I
2 e n d u r e , a n d I w i l l n o t y i e l d . .And a f t e r I h a d b e e n s e a l e d b y t h e
a n g e l , h e d e p a r t e d f r o m m e ; and t h e n , m y c h i l d r e n , t h e n e x t n i g h t I
g o t u p a n d t o o k h f t y s e r v a n t s w i t h m e a n d s e t o u t for t h e s h r i n e o f
3 t h e i d o l ' s t e m p l e a n d r a z e d it t o t h e g r o u n d . .And t h i s d o n e , I w e n t
b a c k i n t o m y h o u s e , with o r d e r s that the d o o r s w e r e to b e securely
fastened.

VI. .And y o u will b e a s t o n i s h e d , m y c h i l d r e n , w h e n y o u h e a r w h a t

2 h a p p e n e d next.' For as soon as I had gone into m y house and had
3 s e c u r e d m y d o o r s , I g a v e o r d e r s to m y d o o r - k e e p e r s , Ifanyone
c o m e s f o r m e t o - d a y , d o n o t tell m e a b o u t it, b u t s a y , H e is n o t

' I.it. 'place'. ' I.it. 'he'.

' I.it. 'like ail athlete boxing'.

' I.it. 'Hear, mv children, and maricl'.

 624 The Testament of Job

4 a v a i l a b l e ; f o r h e is i n d o o r s d e a l i n g w i t h u r g e n t b u s i n e s s . . \ n d w h i l e
I w a s i n d o o r s , S a t a n disguised himself as a b e g g a r a n d knocked at
5 t h e d o o r . A n d h e s a i d t o t h e g i r l a t t h e d o o r , Tell J o b I w a n t t o s e e
f),7 h i m . T h e g i r l c a m e in a n d t o l d m e t h i s . A n d s h e w a s i n s t r u c t e d t o
m a k e it c l e a r t h a t I w a s n o t a t t h e m o m e n t a v a i l a b l e .

VII. W h e n S a t a n h e a r d this, h e w e n t a w a y a n d p u t a n a s s a l i o n ' o n

h i s s h o u l d e r s , a n d h e c a m e a n d s p o k e to t h e girl a t t h e d o o r a n d
2 s a i d . S a y to J o b , G i v e m c of y o u r b o u n t y ' a loaf of b r e a d , so t h a t 1
3 r n a y have something lo e a t . . A n d 1 g a v e t h e g i r l a l o a f t h a t h a d b e e n
4 b u r n t to give h i m ; a n d I sent a m e s s a g e to h i m , ' D o not expect to
5 e a t o f m y b r e a d a g a i n , f o r y o u h a v e b e c o m e m y e n e m y . .And t h e g i r l
a t t h e d o o r w a s a s h a m e d to give h i m the loaf t h a t w a s b u r n t a n d
6 a s h y (for s h e d i d n o t k n o w t h a t h e w a s S a t a n ) ; so s h e took a g o o d
7 l o a f o f h e r o w n a n d g a v e h i m . H e t o o k it, a n d , k n o w i n g w h a t h a d
h a p p e n e d , said to the girl. G o back, you good-for-nothing servant,
8 a n d f e t c h t h e l o a f t h a t w a s g i v e n y o u t o g i v e m e . .And t h e g i r l w a s
m o s t u p s e t , a n d s h e s a i d in t e a r s , Y o u a r e q u i t e right to say I a m a
g o o d - f o r - n o t h i n g s e r v a n t . If I h a d n o t b e e n , I w o u l d h a v e d o n e a s
9 m y m a s t e r told m e . A n d she went back a n d brought him the burnt
10 loaf, a n d s a i d t o h i m . M y l o r d s a y s , Y o u s h a l l n o t e a t of m y b r e a d
11 a g a i n , b e c a u s e I h a v e b e c o m e y o u r e n e m y : yet 1 h a v e given you
this so t h a t I c a n n o t be a c c u s e d of refusing a n e n e m y w h o asked of
12 m e . W h e n S a t a n h e a r d this, h e s e n t the girl b a c k to m e , saying.
J u s t a s t h i s l o a f is b u r n t t h r o u g h a n d t h r o u g h , s o t o o w i l l I m a k e
y o u r b o d y ; for I g o m y w a y , a n d w i t h i n a s i n g l e h o u r 1 will m a k e
13 y o u d e s o l a t e . A n d I a n . s w e r e d h i m a g a i n . D o w h a t y o u w i l l , a n d if
y o u a r e d e t e r m i n e d t o afflict m e , " I a m r e a d y t o b e a r w h a t e v e r y o u
lay u p o n me.

Vin. When he had left m e , h e w e n t a w a y and roamed to and fro

2 b e n e a t h the v a u l t of h e a v e n . A n d he got the L o r d to p r o m i s e h i m
' A word of doubtful meaning, which does not occur elsewhere in Greek. Kohler
(SemiticStudies . . ., p. 316) declares that it is (or SioiXXa ( = («9"0N ), and, appealitig
to K o h u t ' s Amiih (S.V.^DK), translates it as 'basket'; but this word in l)Oth Hebrew
a n d Greek means 'yoke'. V a d d s the adj. 'ragged': hence Kohler's translation, 'an
old torn basket'. ' Lit. 'from your hands'.
' Lit. 'and I said to him'.
** Lit. ' D o what you are doing; for if you wish to bring something on me'.
 The Testament of job 625
a u t h o r i t y over my possessions. . \ n d tiien, when he had been given
the a u t h o r i t y , he e a m e a n d took away all my wealth.

IX. So listen, for I will tell you everything that happened to me

2 a n d w h a t was taken from me. For 1 had a h u n d r e d and thirty
3 t h o u s a n d s h e e p ; a n d 1 set a p a r t seven t h o u s a n d ofthem to be shorn
4 for t h e clothing of o r p h a n s , widows, the poor, a n d the helpless. I
5 h a d a p a c k of eight h u n d r e d dogs t h a t guarded my flocks; and I
h a d a n o t h e r two h u n d r e d dogs that g u a r d e d ' my house. I had nine
t h o u s a n d camels; a n d from t h e m I selected three thousand and set
t h e m to work in various cities;' a n d I loaded them with goods, and
I sent t h e m ofl" into the c:ities a n d villages with instructions to go
a n d d i s t r i b u t e to the helpless and to those in w a n t and to all the
6 w i d o w s . I h a d a h u n d r e d a n d forty' t h o u s a n d asses in the pastures;
a n d I set a p a r t five h u n d r e d of t h e m and gave orders t h a t their
foals" s h o u l d be sold a n d the proceeds given to the poor and needy.
7 A n d t h e p o o r ' from all countries used to come and seek me o u t ; '
8 a n d t h e four d o o r s o f m y house were ever open. And I would give
my s e r v a n t s o r d e r s that these should be kept open: my aim was to
e n s u r e t h a t no one should come asking for charity and see me
sitting at the door, a n d turn away out of nervousness, and get
n o t h i n g . My aim was r a t h e r that whenever people saw me sitting at
o n e d o o r , they should go in by a n o t h e r and get as much as they
needed.

X. T h e r e were thirty tables set u p in my house, available at all

2 h o u r s , for the exclusive use of strangers: I h a d also twelve other
3 t a b l e s laid for widows; a n d if any stranger a p p e a r e d asking for
c h a r i t y , he h a d to be fed at table before being given what he needed
4 - for I w o u l d not allow anyone to leave my d o o r e m p t y - h a n d e d . '
5 .And I h a d three t h o u s a n d five h u n d r e d yoke of oxen; a n d from
' So SV Slav.; P om. 'my flocks . . . that guarded'.
' Lit. 'three thousand to work iu cveiy city'.
' So SV Slav.: P ' t h i r t y ' . * Lit.'ollspring'.
' So \ ' S l a v . ; PS'.And air. ' L i t . ' c o m e to meet me'.

' Lit. 'with an empty bosom'. Not infrequently 'l>osom' was used metaphorically
for the fold o f t h e g a r m e n t above the girdle in which valuables were stowed (e.g.
Prov. xvii. 23; Luke vi. 38); hence the natural meaning here is what we m e a n h y the
()2() The Testament oj Job
lluTii I |)i(kfd out li\(' limidicd yok(> and allocated them to plough-
iiig in any lield ol anyone who could tisc them; and what thev
prodticecP I set a p a r t lor the poor at their table. .Arid I had litty
bake-honses, from which I provided what was necessary for the
service o f t h e beggars" table.

XI. .And there were also some strangers who saw my goodwill and
were anxious to help in the service themscKcs. .And there were
s o m e others w h o were at the time without the wherewithal and so
were unable to contribute anything.' and they would come and
ap|Kal to me, saying. .Might we also share in this service,' although
we have nothing? .As a favour to us. lend us money, so that we can
go olf a n d trade in cities far away, a n d so be able to render service
to the poor. .And afterwards we can repay you what is yours. .And
w h e n I heard this, I was glad that they would actually take money
from m e to eare for the beggars. .And 1 would eagerly accept the
bond a n d give them as much as they wanted. .And 1 took no
security from them, apart from just the written record. .And so they
would t r a d e with what was mine. .And .sometimes they would be
successful in their trading and make enough to give to the beggars.
S o m e t i m e s , again, they would be robbed: and they would come
a n d a p p e a l to mc. saying. Be patient with us. we beg you, while we
see' IKJW we can pay you back. .And when I heard this. I would feel
s y m p a t h y liir them a n d bring out their note of hand and read it in
their presence a n d tear it u p and release them Irom their debt,''
saying. I n a s m u c h as I trusted you in the cause o f t h e poor, I will

phra.sf 'witli his [xickets cinpiN*. However, it is just possible that in this partitular
context the sense inteiicled was 'with an empty stomach', though such an extended
meaning liir 'IKISOIH' would be unusual, ilTiot uii|)araileled. In any case we are
dealing with an exact tjucitation from J o b xxxi. lit in the Septuagint version, which
u n d e r s t a n d s the whole passage rather diil'erently from what is implied by the
Hebrew original.

- I.it. 'and their fruit'.

' I.it. 'unable to spend'.

' I.it. ' W e beg \ o u , can we alsti perliirni this serv ice?'
' S \ ' Slav, 'that we may see': I* 'let us see'.
' .\iid when I heard . . . debt: so \ ' ; PS obscure.
 The Teslamenl ujJob 627
12 t a k e n o t h i n g i r o m y o n . .\ncl 1 w o u l d n o t a c c e p t a n y t h i n g from a n y
debtor.'

XII. . A n d i f c x c r a n y w e l l - i n t e n t i o n e d m a n ' c a m e t o m e a n d s a i d , I
h a v e n o t myselt'the m e a n s to aid t h e poor, yet 1 w o u l d gladly s e r \ c
•-> t h e b e g g a r s t o - d a y a t \ o u r t a b l e , p e r m i s s i o n w o u l d b e g r a n t e d , h c
w o u l d d o his service, a n d h c w o u l d be given his o w n meal; a n d
w h e n e v e n i n g c a m e a n d hc w a s lea\ ing to go oll'home. he would be
:i m a d e t a k e s o m e t h i n g l i o m m e . I<)r I w o u l d s a y . I k n o w \ o u a r e a
w o r k i n g - m a n , w h o e x p e c t s a n d l o o k s l()r y o u r w a g e s : y o u m u s t
t a k e s o m e t h i n g . .And I w o u l d n o t a l l o w t h e hireling's w a g e s to
r e m a i n w i t h m e in m y h o u s e .

XIII. Q u i t e s p e n t w e r e t h o s e w h o m i l k e d t h e t o w s , liir t h e m i l k '

s t r e a m e d o n the mountains; a n d the butter was spread over my
2 p a t h s . .And m y c a t t l e w e r e s o n u m e r o u s t h a t they w e r e folded
:i a m o n g t h e r o c k s a n d t h e m o u n t a i n s b e c a u s e o f t h o s e in l a b o u r . S o
it w a s t h a t t h e m o u n t a i n s w e r e d r e n c h e d w i t h m i l k a n d b e c a m e
1 l i k e s o l i d b u t t e r . .My s l a v e s w h o c o o k e d t h e w i d o w s ' l i K i d g r e w
:') w e a r y . . A n d , w i t h s c a n t r e g a r d for t h e p o o r , t h e y c a l l e d d o w n
c u r s e s o n m c , s a y i n g . W o u l d C i o d w e w e r e hill o f h i s m e a t s -
li w h e r e a s I w a s b e i n g m o r e t h a n o r d i n a r i l y k i n d .

1.2 XIV. I h a d s i x harps' a n d a t c n - s t r i n g c d l y r e . .And e v e r y d a y . a f t e r

t h e w i d o w s h a d b e e n fed, I w o u l d g e t u p a n d t a k e t h e lyre a n d play
:t it f o r t h e m , a n d t h e y w o u l d s i n g . .And w i t h t h e h a r p I w o u l d
4 r e m i n d t h e m o f C i o d , s o t h a t t h e y m i g h t g l o r i f y t h e I . o r d . .And if
ever m y slave-girls started complaining, I would take the harp u p
a n d sing o f t h e w a g e s of r e c o m p e n s e ; a n d I would p u t an e n d to
their fault-finding' a n d complaints.

' I.it. 'from mv debtor'.

' .So S \ ' : P om. 'the milk'. \ ' has several sigoifieaot divergeuees. l)oth here and
elsewhere, in this chapter.

' Reading V"""jeia for VaV"*;: cp. J o b xxi. r2(l.XX).

' So S \ ' : P adds 'ofthe psalm, that is'.
 ()2B The Testament oJ Job

XV. . A n d c'MTV d a y . u l u - i i t h e iiiiiii.stry o f s e r v i c e wa.s o v e r , m y

2 s o n s w o u l d h a v e t h e i r d i n n e r . .And t h e y w o u l d g o t o t h e i r e l d e s t
S b r o t h e r ' s house to dine with him; a n d they would take with them
t h e i r t h r e e s i s t e r s a n d t h e i r a t t e n d a n t m a i d s e r \ a n t s ' (l()r w h e n m y
1 s o n s w e r e a t t a b l e t h e y h a d m a l e s l a v e s w a i t i n g o n t h e m ) . .And I
w o u l d g e t u p e a r l y a n d olfer sacrifices o n t h e i r b e h a l f a c c o r d i n g to
t h e i r n u m b e r , t h r e e h u n d r e d p i g e o n s , fifty h e - g o a t s , a n d t w c K e
s h e e p . .All t h i s , a f t e r w h a t w a s n e e d e d for t h e a c t u a l s a c r i f i c e s h a d
b e e n s e t a s i d e , ' I w o u l d o r d e r t o b e g o t r e a d y for t h e b e g g a r s ; a n d I
w o u l d s a y t o t h e m . T a k e t h i s , w h i c h is o \ e r a n d a b o v e w h a t is
H n e e d e d l o r t h e s a c r i f i c e s , ' s o t h a t y o u c a n p r a y for m y c h i l d r e n . It
m a y b e t h a t m y s o n s h a \ e s i n n e d in t h e L o r d ' s s i g h t b y b o a s t i n g .
7 s a y i n g superciliously. W e are this rich m a n ' s children a n d these
H g o o d s a r e o u r s . \N'hy t h e n s h o u l d w e d o s e r v i c e too? - b e c a u s e p r i d e
!) is a n a b o m i n a b l e t h i n g in t h e s i g h t o f G o d . .And a g a i n w o u l d I o l f e r
o n G o d ' s a l t a r a c h o i c e b u l l o c k , in c a s e m y s o n s h a d p l o t t e d evil in
their heart before G o d .

XVI.' . A n d I h a d b e e n d o i n g t h i s for s e v e n y e a r s a f t e r t h e a n g e l ' s

•i m e s s a g e t o m e . T h e n S a t a n , a f i c r h e h a d b e e n g i v e n a u t h o r i t y , a t
li l a s t c a m e d o w n w i t h o u t p i t y . H e b u r n e d u p t h e s e v e n t h o u s a n d
sheep appointed lor the c l o t h i n g of the w i d o w s a n d the three
thousand camels a n d t h e five h u n d r e d a s s e s a n d t h e five h u n d r e d
4 y o k e o f o x e n . .All this h e d e s t r o y e d himself, since h e h a d been given
;') a u t h o r i t y t o t a k e a c t i o n a g a i n s t m e . .And t h e r e s t o f m y b e a s t s w e r e
(•) t a k e n off b y m y f e l l o w - c o u n t r y m e n . I h e y h a d a l w a y s b e e n well
t r e a t e d b y m e ; b u t n o w t h e y r o s e a g a i n s t m e a n d took olf m y
7 r e m a i n i n g a n i m a l s I b r t h e m s e l v e s . .And I w a s t o l d a l x j u t t h e l o s s o f
m y p o s s e s s i o n s ; a n d I g a v e praise to G o d a n d did not b l a s p h e m e .

XVIL TTien t h e Devil, w h e n h e s a w m y r e a c t i o n , ' contrived a plot

' I.it. 'and the things laid upon the maidscn.ants'.
' I.it. 'after the arratigement'.
* I.it. 'which is superfluous after the arrangement'.

' \ ' has a dilFcrent (and shorter) text for this chapter.

' I.it. 'having come to know my heart'.

 The Testament of Job f)29
1 against itic. Hc disgtiiscci liiinsclf as tlic king uf the Persians,
a p p e a r e d befdre my cit\, and assembled all the rtigues that were in
:i it. .\iid he addressed them in a threatening m a n n e r and said. This
m a n j t i h a l ) has squandered all the gtitid things (ifthe earth until
there is luitliing left, and he has shared them (lUt amimg the needy,
1 the blind, and the lame. He has a l s d destniyed the shrine o f t h e
great Ciod and laid waste the |)lacc of libation, and iiir this I will
b r i n g retribution on him - liir what he has done to the house of
Ciod. .So get together, and despoil him yourselves ofall his animals
') a n d w hatcver else hc has on earth. .And they answered and said to
h i m . H e has seven sons and three daughters: suppose they flee Ibr
protection to other lands and lodge complaints against us for
l)eha\iiig like tyrants, and then, they might raise a force against us
ti a n d kill us. .And he said to them, H a \ e no fear a l all: the greater
p a r t o f h i s [Xissessions I h a \ e already destroyed by fire, the rest 1
have taken from him, behold,' I will destroy' his children also.

XVIII. W h e n he had said this, he went olf and brought down the
•_) house upon my children and killed them. .\ly fellow-countrymen,
w h e n they saw that what he said had really happened, turned on
m c s u d d e n l y and drove mc out and started to lay their hands on
:i e v e r y t h i n g in my house. 1 saw with my own eyes worthless and
t d i s r e p u t a b l e men silting at my tables and on my couches. .And I
w a s u n a b l e to utter a word, liir 1 was exhausted like a woman in
.') l a b o u r , whose loins are weakened by the intensity ofthe pains. But
I was especially mindful of what the Lord had foretold to me
t h r o u g h his angel about the campaign there was lo be againsi me, as
well as the panegyrics lhal were lofollow, alxiut svhich hc had spoken
t) to me too. .And I became like someone who wants to go into a city to
7 see its wealth and inherit a part ofits glory - like (someone with) a
c a r g o on board a sea-going ship, who, when out in mid-ocean, sees
t h e rising swell a n d adverse winds, and flings the cargo into the
sea, saying, 1 am prepared to lose everything provided 1 can get
R into this city to inherit better things than chattels and ship. In this
w a y 1 t h o u g h t o f m y possessions as nothing when compared with
that city the angel had spoken to me about.
' .So SV; P 'now'.
' So S \ ' ; P o m . ' I will drstrov'.
 630 The TestamenI of Job

XIX. W h e n t h e final messenger c a m e a n d informed mc of die loss

2 of m y children, I was greatly distressed. .And I rent rn\ robe a n d
:i said to the m a n w h o brought the message. How was it then that
you csca[)cd? A n d then, when I utiderstood what had happened. I
( ried out a n d said,
4 1 h e Lord gave, the Lord tias taken away:
.As it pleased the Lord, so has it come to pass.
Blessed be the n a m e o f t h e Lord.
XX. So, w h e n all that I h a d was lost, Satan reali/ed that he could
2 not turn m c into a mocker. / \ n d he went olf a n d begged my body
:i from the Lord, so that h e might strike me with diseases. T h e n the
L o r d h a n d e d m e over to him to do witfi my body as he would, but
4 o v e r m y life' h e gave him no authority. .And he c a m e to mc as I was
5 sitting on m y t h r o n e , m o u r n i n g the lo.ss of my children. .And he was
like a great h u r r i c a n c e a n d overturned my throne, a n d I spent
b t h r e e h o u r s in my t h r o n e , u n a b l e to get otit.'.And he struck me with
7 a cruel disease from head to foot. .And in great agitation and
8 distress I went outside the city a n d sat on a dunghill. My body was
e a t e n by w o r m s , a n d I drenched the earth with moisture: pus
9 s t r e a m e d from me, a n d ' m a n y were the worms in my body. .And if
ever a w o r m crawled out, I would pick it u p a n d put it back" in the
s a m e place, saying. Stay in the s a m e place where you were put, till
i n s t r u c t i o n s a r e given by him w h o gave you your orders.

XXI. .And I s p e n t forty-eight years on the dunghill outside the city,

2 d i s e a s e d as I w a s . W i t h my own eyes, my children, I saw my first
wife c a r r y i n g w a t e r to s o m e fine fellow's house like a maidservant,
3 so t h a t s h e m i g h t get b r e a d a n d bring it to m e . .And cut to the quick
I w o u l d say, 6, the pretentious a r r o g a n c e o f t h e rulers ofthis cityl
4 H o w can they treat m y wife like a slave-girl? .And then I would
r e s u m e my p a t i e n t mtisings.

' O r 'soul'. Gk. yivxfl as in the I . X X at J o b ii. 6 for the Hebrevv' nepliesti.
' So PS: \ ' ' . . . tftrcc hours lying on the ground'.
' So \ (reading xai ix£H>egr6voiufiOTdg/wv IggeovKai): PS om. IggeovKai.
•* So \ ' : PS ' b r i n g it near'.
 The Testament of Job (j31

XXII. . \ n d after e l e v e n y e a r s t h e y p r e v e n t e d e v e n t h e b r e a d from

b e i n g b r o u g h t to m e . scarcely allowing m y wile' to have h e r o w n
2 f o o d . . X n d w h e n s h e g o t i t . s h e w o u l d s h a r e it o u t b e t w e e n h c r s e l l
a n d m e , s a y i n g i n h e r g r i e f . W o e is m e ! .Soon t h e r e w i l l n o t e v e n b e
;i b r e a d f o r h i m t o e a t . . \ n d s h e h a d n o h e s i t a t i o n in g o i n g o u t i n t o
t h e m a r k e t - p l a c e t o b e g b r e a d from t h e b r c a d s e l l e r s , s o a s U) b r i n g
it t o m e t o e a t .

XXIII. . \ n d S a t a n , wlien he h e a r d about this, disguised himselfas

2 a b r e a d s e l l e r . .And, t i u i t c b y c h a n c e , m y wife w e n t t o h i m a n d
3 a s k e d f o r b r e a d , t h i n k i n g h e w a s h u m a n . .And S a t a n s a i d t o h e r .
4 Put down the purchase-money, a n d take what you want. She
a n s w e r e d h i m a n d s a i d . W h e r e a m I to get m o n e y from? D o y o u
.i n o t k n o w a b o u t t h e e \ iis t h a t h a v e c o m e u p o n u s ? H a \ e p i t y , if y o u
(i c a n : if n o t , t h e n l e t it b e . ' . A n d h e a n s w e r e d h e r , s a y i n g . H a d y o u
7 n o t d e s e r v e d y o u r ills, t h e y w o u l d n o t h a \ e c o m e u p o n y o u . ' B u t
n o w , if y o u h a v e n o m o n e y w i t h y o u , l e a v e t h e h a i r o f y o u r head
w i t h m e a s a p l e d g e a n d t a k e t h r e e l o a v e s : m a y b e y o u will b e a b l e
8 t o l i v e on them f o r t h r e e d a y s more. T h e n s h e t h o u g h t . W e l l , w h a t is
the hair of m y head to m e compared with m y hungry husband?
9 .And s o w i t h s c a n t r e s p e c t for h e r h a i r , s h e s a i d t o h i m . \ ' e r y w e l l . '
10 t a k e i t . T h e n w i t h a p a i r o f s c i s s o r s h e c u t h e r h a i r o f f a n d g a \ c h e r
11 t h r e e l o a v e s , p u b l i c l y . S h e t o o k t h e m a n d c a m e a n d b r o u g h t t h e m
to m e ; a n d S a t a n followed h e r along t h e road, b u t so as s h e should
not s e e him,'' a n d led h e r heart astray.

XXIV. .As s o o n a s m y w i f e c a m e n e a r m e , s h e c r i e d o u t , w a i l i n g ,
a n d s a i d t o m e . J o b , J o b , h o w l o n g will y o u g o o n s i t t i n g o n t h e
d u n g h i l l o u t s i d e t h e c i t y , t h i n k i n g it w i l l o n l y b e for a l i t t l e w h i l e
2 l o n g e r , a n d w a i t i n g a n d h o p i n g for y o u r d e l i v e r a n c e ? .As for m e , I
w a n d e r a b o u t from place to place, a v a g a b o n d serving-maid; a n d '
' I.it. 'allowing lii-r'.

' Lit. 'but ilnot. sec to it yourself.

' Lit. 'you would not have received them'.
' Lit.'.Arise and'. '* Lit.'walking secretly'.

' P 'wherefore': SV for already' - cp. J o b ii. 9 b ( L X X ) .

 632 The Testament of Job
y o u r m e m o r i a l has vanished from the earth - that is, the sons and
d a u g h t e r s t h a t I bore a n d e n d u r e d the ])ains of labour for, all to no
3 p u r p o s e . You yourself sit stinking and infested with worms, and
4 you s p e n d t h e night u n d e r the open sky. And I, again, utterly
w r e t c h e d , work by day a n d suffer at night to get bread to bring you.
5 F o r it is diflicult enough now to get my own food,' a n d I share it out
G b e t w e e n us; for I d o not think it right that you should be racked
7 with p a i n a n d at the s a m e time have nothing to eat. T h a t is why I
m a d e u p my m i n d to go out shamelessly into the market-place.
8 .And w h e n the breadseller said to me, Pay me the money a n d you
9 can lake the b r e a d , ' I told him a b o u t our poverty. And I heard him
say, If you h a v e no mcjney, w o m a n , let me have the hair of your
h e a d , a n d take three loaves; m a y b e you will he able lo live on them for
10 t h r e e d a y s more. A n d I lost heart a n d said to him. Very well," cut it
off. A n d ' so h e got u p a n d d i s h o n o u r e d me by cutting olfmy hair
w i t h a p a i r of scissors in the market-place, while a gaping crowd
s t o o d by.

X X V . And they said,

2 W h o is not a m a z e d t h a t this is Sitidos, the wife of Job, she who
u s e d to h a v e fourteen curtains to protect her sitting-room, a n d a
d o o r inside the other d o o r s so that only someone who was of real
i m p o r t a n c e could gain access to her?
3 N o w she e x c h a n g e s h e r hair for bread!
4 H e r camels loaded with good things ttsed to carry them abroad
for b e g g a r s .
Yet now she gives her h a i r in r e t u r n for bread!
5 L o ! S h e w h o a t h o m e h a d seven tables that were never moved, at
w h i c h t h e beggars a n d every s t r a n g e r used to eat.
Y e t n o w she sells h e r hair for bread!
6 See! She w h o h a d a basin to wash her feet in, m a d e of gold and
silver,

' So (it scenis) P: SV Slav, have a longer text.

' T h e text here is in considerable confusion. T h e MSS dilfer widely and several
conjectural restorations have been proposed. O u r translation is based on V, which
offers a sense that is reasonably consecutive, even if not perfect.
" Lit. 'Arise a n d ' .
' So SV Slav.: P o m . 'Very w e l l . . . And".
 The Teslamenl of Job 633
But now she goes barefoot,' a n d even gives her hair in exchange
Ibr b r e a d !
7 Lo! 'Lhis is she w h o h a d clothing of hne linen embroidered with
gold.
B u t now she is dressed in rags a n d gives her hair in exchange for
bread!
8 See her t h a t h a d gold a n d silver couches.
But is now selling her hair for b r e a d !
9,10 O n c e for all. J o b , ' to cut a long story s h o r t , ' I tell you straight. My
will is b r o k e n a n d my strength is gone;" get u p , take the loaves, and
satisfy y o u r h u n g e r ; a n d then c u r s e ' the Lord and die; a n d L at
least, sliall be s p a r e d the exhaustion that comes from my concern for
your body's pain.

X X V I . .And I a n s w e r e d her, Lo, 1 have been afflicted by diseases

for s e v e n t e e n years, a n d I have s u b m i t t e d patiently to the worms in
2 m y b o d y . B u t I have never been so dispirited by the pains as by the
3 w o r d s you h a v e j u s t uttered. C u r s e ' the Lord and die. This is a
b u r d e n we b o t h of us bear together - the loss of our children and
possessions: would you have us now curse' the Lord and so deprive
4 ourselves o p the great wealth lhal is lo be? W h y is it you do not
r e m e m b e r t h e great benefits we once enjoyed? If, then, we have
received good a t the L o r d ' s h a n d , should we not also endure evil?
5 B u t let us be patient till the Lord is moved with pity and shows us
6 m e r c y . D o you not see the Devil s t a n d i n g behind you a n d turning
w h a t goes o n in your m i n d upside down, so that he can lead me
a s t r a y as well? For he w a n t s to c a s t ' you as one of those brainless
w o m e n w h o subvert their own h u s b a n d s ' integrity.

' Lit. 'she treads the ground with her feet'.

^ So SV Slav.: P ' J o b . J o b ' .
' Lit. ' m a n y things there are that have been .said'.
" Lit. 'Because o f t h e weakness of my heart my bones arc broken'. In Hebrew
' b o n e s ' in the plural are not infrequently used for the whole personality: for the
parallelism ' h e a r t . . . bones' cp. Isa. Ixvi. 14.
' Lit. 'speak a work against'.

' Lit. 'Speak a word against'.

' Lit. 'and so be alienated from'.
' Lit. 'show'.
 B!3-l The Testament of Job

XXVII A n d I turned b a t k w a r d s t o w a r d s Satan, wlio w a s hehind

n i y w ife, a n t i I s a i d , C ' o m e o u t i n t o t h e o p e n . S t o p l i i d i n g y o u r s e l f .
D o e s a l i o n c l i s p l a ) - h i s s t r e n g t h i n a e a g e ? D o e s a b i r d fly a w a y
2 w h e n in a b a s k e t ? C o m e o u t a n d d o battle with m e . T h e n h e c a m e
o u t from b e h i n d m y wife a n d stood a n d l a m e n t e d , s a y i n g , L o , J o b ,
I a m e x h a u s t e d , a n d I give in to you, t h o u g h y o u a r c h u m a n a n d 1
a m a s p i r i t : \ o u a r e s t n i t t e n b>- d i s e a s e , b u t 1 a m i n g r e a t d i s t r e s s as
3 well. F o r it is a s if t w o a t h l e t e s w e r e w r e s t l i n g , ' a n d o n e t h r e w t h e
other; a n d t h e o n e that w a so n t o p silenced t h e o n e u n d e r n e a t h by
1 filling his m o u t h with sand a n d twisting his e\cry limb. But the o n e
u n d e r n e a t h b o r e it a l l w i t h p a t i e n t e n d u r a n c e , a n d d i d n o t g i v e i n ' ,
5 a n d it w a s t h e o n e o n t o p t h a t al / a j / s h o u t e d o u t that he was beaten. S o
y o u too. J o b , were u n d e r n e a t h , a n d smitten by disease; b u t you
h a v e o v e r c o m e m y wrestling tricks that I e m p l o y e d against you.
.7 F h e n S a t a n w e n t a w a ) ' from m e in s h a m e for t h r e e w h o l e y e a r s . S o
n o w , m y children, y o u too must b e patient w h a t e v e r happens to
y o u ; f o r p a t i e n c e is b e t t e r t h a n a n y t h i n g .

.2 XXVIII. . A n d a f t e r 1 h a d b e e n s m i t t e n f o r t w e n t y y e a r s , t h e neigh­
bouring k i n g s h e a r d w h a t h a d h a p p e n e d t o m c , a n d t h e y s e t o u t a n d
c a m e t o m e , e a c h o n e from his o w n c o u n t r y , to visit m e a n d console
;i m e . W h e n t h e y w e r e s o m e d i s t a n c e off, t h e y d i d n o t r e c o g n i z e m e ;
b u t they cried o u t a l o u d a n d lamented, a n d they rent their robes
4 a n d s p r i n k l e d t h e m s e l v e s w i t h e a r t h . . A n d t h e y s a t d o w n b y m c for
s e \ e n d a y s a n d seven n i g h t s , a n d n o t o n e of t h e m said a w o r d to
) m e . . A n d it w a s n o t b e c a u s e t h e y w e r e b e i n g p a t i e n t w i t h m e t h a t
t h e y w a i t e d w i t h o u t s p e a k i n g : it w a s b e c a u s e t h e y h a d k n o w n m e
before t h e s e evils in m y w e a l t h y d a y s , w h e n 1 w o u l d display' to
t h e m my p r e c i o u s s t o n e s , a n d t h e y w o u l d l o o k o n w i t h a m a z e m e n t
a n d c l a p t h e i r h a n d s , a n d s a y . I f a l l t h a t w e t h r e e k i n g s po.ssess
were brought together into a single place, there would be no

' .A liee translation o l a n unrcrtain text.

' ( J r "and did not laint'. So S \ ' : if we read without the negative, as in P, the sense
would seem to be 'though mueh weakened'. .Again, the text in this verse is vtrry
uncertain.

' Lit. 'when I would begin to bring up'.

 The Teslamenl of job (KJ')
f) r o i n p a r i s o n with the splciidici stoin-s ol'your kingdom, l-'or I was
7 the leading nobleman o l t h e East. .\n(l when they r a m e to the land of
Ausitis. they asked in the rity. Where is j o b a b . who is the kingol'all
« E g y p t ? ' . \ n d people told them about me. He is sitting on the
dunghill outside the city, for he has not eome up inside the eity for
<> t w e n t y years. 'I'hey asked again about my possessions and it was
e.xplained to them what had happened to me.

XXIX. .And when they heard (/. they left the eity in company with
'1 the citizens, and my fellow-citizens pointed tne out to them. Hut
3 they contradicted Ihem. saying that I was tiot Jobab. While they
were still in open disputation, Eliphaz, the king ofthe fcmanites,
4 t u r n e d towards me and said, .Arc you Jobab, our fellow-king? 1
wept a n d sprinkled earth upon my head, and by nodding 1 made it
plain to them that I was.

XXX. .And w hen they saw mc nod my head, they lell to the ground
2 in a faint. .And their armies were alarmed at the sight ofthe three
kings lying prostrate on the ground {for ihey remained Ihere for three
3 h o u r s , like corpses), 'riicii they got up and said to one another. It is
4 hc. .And hnally they sat for seven days, discussing my affairs,
reckoning up my cattle and possessions, and saying, Wc were
a w a r e , were we not, oi'the many good things that were sent by him
to the villages and cities round about for distribution to the
beggars, besides what was given a w a y ' in his house? How is it that
he is now reduced to this corpse-like condition?

XXXI. .After they had discussed the matter in this way for seven
d a y s , Elihu' answered and said to his fellow-kings. Eet us go closer
to him a n d examine him carefully to see whether it is really he or
2 not. Now they were about a hundred yards away, because ofthe
3 s t e n c h from my body. .And they got up and came closer to mc with

• So all MSS. Pcrliap.s an cady copyist's slip I'or '.Ausitis'. \ ' adds 'and ofthis
country'.

' So \ ' : PS 'lyinj! alxiut'.

' So all .MSS. .Sec note at x.\.\iii. 1.

 63f) The Testament ofJob
perfumes in their h a n d s , while their soldiers, accompanying them,
b u r n e d ' incense all round me, so that they could come near me.
!..•) T h r e e d a y s they spent b u r n i n g ' incense. . \ n d when they came up
to m e , Klihu took up the tale" and said to me, .Are you J o b a b , our
fellow-king? .Are you the man who once was held in great esteem?
.Are you the m a n who was like the day's sun throughout the earth?
.Are you the m a n who was like the moon and the stars shining at
(),7 m i d n i g h t ? .And I said to him. I am. .And at this he raised a great
8 l a m e n t a n d lifted up his voice in a royal dirge, while the other kings
a n d their arinies m a d e response.

X X X n . H e a r , then, the lament of P^lihu, declaritig to his servarus

t h e wealth of J o b :
2 \'QU a r e the m a n who mustered the seven thousand sheep liir
the clothing ofthe beggars!
W h e r e then is the glory of your throne?
You a r e the m a n who mustered the three thousand camels
for the carriage of goods lor the poor!
W h e r e then is the glory of your throne?
i You a r e the m a n who mustered the three thousand cattle for
the poor m a n ' s ploughing!
W h e r e then is the glory of your throne?
4 Y'ou a r e the m a n who had the golden couches, but are now
sitting on a dunghill!
W h e r e now is the glory of your throne?
b You a r e the m a n who had the throne of precious stones, but
a r e now sitting in ashes!'
W h e r e now is the glory of your throne?
() F o r w h o was like you in the midst of your children? For you
blossomed together like a fragrant apple-tree!
W h e r e now is the ,glory of your throne?
7 You a r e the m a n who established the sixty tables set apart for
the beggars!
W h e r e now is the glory of your throne?

- Lit. 'threw". ' Lit. 'supplyitig'.

•* Lit. 'answered'.

' So S ( = tvanobCp): P 'in a roadway' ( = ivbiXit). \' om. verses and ti.
 The Testament of Job 637
Y o u a r e the m a n w h o h a d the censers for the sweet-smelling
a s s e m b l y / b u t now you live in a stench!
( W h e r e now is the glory o f y o u r t h r o n e ? ) '
Y o u a r e the m a n w h o h a d the golden l a m p s upon the silver
l a m p s t a n d s , b u t now you wait for the light o f l h e moon!
W h e r e t h e n is the glory o f y o u r throne?
Y o u a r e t h e m a n w h o h a d the o i n t m e n t made with resin from
t h e frankincense-tree, b u t now you are in want."
W h e r e t h e n is the glory o f y o u r throne?
Y o u a r e t h e m a n w h o laughed the wrong-doers a n d sinners
to s c o r n , b u t now youjouri^Z/havc become a jest!
W h e r e n o w is the glory o f y o u r throne?
Y o u a r e J o b , w h o h a d great glory!
W h e r e now is the glory of your throne?

XXXIII. E l i h u ' w e n t on with his lament, a n d his fellow-kings m a d e

r e s p o n s e , so t h a t there w a s a great d i s t u r b a n c e . . \ n d when the
noise c e a s e d , J o b said to t h e m , Silence!

N o w will I s h o w you my t h r o n e .
A n d its glory a n d its s p l e n d o u r t h a t is a m o n g the saints.
M y t h r o n e is in the r e a l m s above the world.
A n d its glory a n d its s p l e n d o u r a t the right h a n d o f t h e
Father.'
F h e w h o l e world will pass away a n d its glory be destroyed,
A n d those w h o a r e a t t a c h e d to it will perish with it;
But m y t h r o n e is in the holy land.
A n d its glory is in the worlti of changelessness.
T h e rivers will d r y u p .
A n d t h e p r i d e oftheir waves will go d o w n to the depths ofthe
abyss;
B u t t h e rivers o f m y land, where m y throne is,
• So P S : V 'the censers Ibr song wuidt of precious %\ones,\
' P omits this line altogether: SV insert it between '. . . assembly' and 'but now
. ..' above.
•* So PS ( = ivimoQlc/.): V 'in rottenness' ( = tvoanQlq).
' So PS: V 'Eliphaz'. 'Eliphaz' would seem to be required all through ehaps.
xxxi-xxxiii. So P: S 'Ciod'; V 'the Saviour'; Slav, 'the heavenly king'.
 (J38 The Teslament of job
Do not dry u p . nor \\ ill llu-y disappear.
But t h c \ will last forever.
K These kings will pass away, and the leaders will pass on,
. \ n d their glory and Iheir boast will be like a refteclion in a
tnirror.'
'I But my kingdom is for ever.
.And lis glory and its splendour are a m o n g the Father's
chariots.

:l XXXIV. .And as I said this to them to silence them. Fliphaz said

angrily to his friends. W h a t tise is there in our having come to him
;! as we h a \ e . with our armies, to console him? Lo! he even casts
as|)ersions on us as well: let us, therefore, go back to our own lands.
1 H e himself sits in misery, eaten by worms and smelling horribly,'
a n d yet he exalts himself against us - Kingdoms pass away and
their g o v e r n m e n t s , he says, but my k i n g d o m ' will last for ever!
•) .Much d i s t u r b e d Fliphaz got up and turned away from them in
high d u d g e o n , saying, I a m going; for we have come to console
h i m , a n d vet he has rebtiffed us in the presence of our own soldiers.

X X X V . Then Bildad took hold of him, saying. You must not speak
like this to a man who is in m o u r n i n g / o r his children and is sulfering
u n d e r m a n y other afflictions too. We are in the best of health, and
yet, because ofthe stench, we were not able to get near him without
i the help of many perfumes. Have you forgotten altogether, Fliphaz,
! w h a t you were like when you were ill yourself for only two days. So
let us now be patient and try to find o u t ' what his condition really
is. It m a y be, may it not, that his mind has gone? It may be, may it
not, that he r e m e m b e r s his former good fortune and has been
.-> d r i v e n m a d by it? For who would not be put out ofhis mind and
(i d r i v e n m a d when beset with such plagues? But let me approach him
a n d try to find out what his condition is.

' S ( ) S \ ' : P'like a mirror'.

' I.it. 'in distress of worms and (in) stenches'.

- .So .S\'Slav.: P "and lo, ours'.

' .So SV Slav.: P om. and tr\ to find out'.

 The Testament of Job 639

XXXVI. T h e n Bildad got itp and a p p r o a c h e d i n e , saying, ,'\re you

L' J o b ? .And 1 said to hint. Yes. .And he said, ; \ r e you in your right
:i m i n d ? -And I said. My mind is not set on eartlily things (f()r the
e a r t h is transient a n d so are tliey that dwell on it), but my m i n d ' is
set on heavenly things, because there is no disturbance in heaven.
1 Bilciad a n s w e r e d and said, W c know that the earth is transient,
since from time to time it changes: sometimes it is directed rightly,
a n d s o m e t i m e s it is at peace, and then at other times it is at war.
.") But a b o u t heaven we hear that it enjoys tran()uillity. If you are
(5 really s a n e I will ask you a question. If you answer me sensibly to
begin with, I will ask you a second question. .And if you answer me
satisfactorily again, we shall know for certain that your mind is in
n o way i m p a i r e d .

XXXVII. A n d a g a i n he said to me, In w h o m d o you put your trust?'

.And I said. In the living ( i o d . .And again he said to me, W h o took
1 a w a y y o u r possessions a n d brought these mislbrtunes on you? .And
I said, G o d . A n d again he answered and said to mc, So you put
y o u r trust in ( i o d . Was he not unjust (it is for you to judge)' in
b r i n g i n g these misfortunes on you or taking your possessions
6 a w a y ? If hc gave and took away, he ought not to have given
a n y t h i n g at all - no king will ever humiliate his own soldier, his
t r u s t y g u a r d s m a n (though who is there that can ever comprehend
t h e d e p t h s qf the mysteries ofthe I.ord and ofhis wi.sdom?) G r should
7 w c p r e s u m e ' to a t t r i b u t e injustice to the Lord? .Answer mc this,
ii J o b . .And again I say to you. If you are in your right mind, show me
(if you u n d e r s t a n d ) how it is we see the sun rise in the cast and set
in the west, yet when w e get up a g a i n in the morning, wc hnd the
s a m e sun rising in the cast? Explain this to me, if you are God's
servant.

XXXVni. .And to this I said, I d o have u n d e r s t a n d i n g , and my

m i n d is s a n e e n o u g h . W h y . then, should I not speak o f t h e Lord's
' I.it. 'but it'.

' O r ' O n what do you pin your h o p e s ' '

^ F o l i o w i u g j a m e s : ail M.SS arc corrupt.
' I.it. ' O r docs anyone presume'.
 640 The Testament ojjnh
m i g h t y w o r k s ? S h o u l d m y m o u t h fail a l t o g e t h e r i n i t s d u t y t o m y
2 M a s t e r ? G o d forbid! F o r w h o a r e w e to pry into heavenly things,
3 s e e i n g w e a r c m o r t a l a n d o u r p o r t i o n d u s t a n d a s h e s ? S o , in o r d e r
t o p r o v e t o y o u t h a t I a m s a n e , listen t o a q u e s t i o n I will p u t to y o u .
Food e n t e i s the body t h r o u g h t h e m o u t h , a n d t h r o u g h t h e s a m e
m o u t h w a t e r t o o is d r u n k , a n d it p a s s e s d o w n t h e s a m e t h r o a t ; b u t
when b o t h g o l o w e r still,' they a r e s e p a r a t e d from o n e a n o t h e r .
4.5 W h o , then, m a k e s t h e separation? Bildad said, I d o not know. I
a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d t o h i m , If, t h e n , y o u d o n o t c o m p r e h e n d t h e
w o r k i n g o f t h e b o d y , h o w c a n y o u c o m p r e h e n d celestial things.
6 .'\nd Z o p h a r , answering, said. W e a r e not conducting a n enquiry
i n t o w h a t i s b e y o n d o u r p o w e r s : w h a t w e w a n t t o k n o w is w h e t h e r
y o u a r e i n y o u r r i g h t m i n d ; a n d in f a c t w e h a v e d i s c o v e r e d that
7 y o u r powers of thought have not deserted you.W h a t , then, would
you h a v e u s d o for y o u ? F o r , s e e , w e have b r o u g h t with u s ' t h e
p h y s i c i a n s o f o u r three kingdoms. Will you b e treated b y them, a n d
8 s o , p e r h a p s , find r e l i e f ? B u t I a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d , . M y h e a l i n g a n d
my treatment a r e from t h e I.ord, w h o is t h e c r e a t o r e v e n o f
physicians.

XXXIX. A n d a s 1 w a s s a y i n g t h i s t o t h e m , m y wifi: S i t i d o s c a m e i n
2 h e r r a g s . S h e h a d r u n a w a y f r o m t h e m a s t e r , t o w h o m s h e w a s in
s e r v i c e , b e c a u s e s h e h a d b e e n p r e v e n t e d f r o m g o i n g o u t in c a s e m y
3 f e l l o w - k i n g s s h o u l d s e c h e r a n d t a k e h e r olf. . A n d w h e n s h e c a m e ,
she flung h e r s e l f a t t h e i r feet, a n d s h e w a i l e d a n d s a i d . D o y o u
4 r e m e m b e r m e , E l i p h a z a n d y o u r t w o f r i e n d s ? Doyou remember w h a t
I u s e d t o b e l i k e a m o n g y o u a n d \\O\N gorgeously I u s e d t o b e a r r a y e d ?
5.6 B u t n o w , see h o w I a m dressed w h e n I go out! T h e n they set u p a
great wailing, till t h e y b e c a m e d o u b l y w e a r y a n d g r e w silent.
7 E l i p h a z t o o k h o l d o f h i s p u r p l e c l o a k t o t e a r i t o f f a n d t h r o w it
8 r o u n d m y wife. A n d s h e b e g g e d t h e m saying. B i d y o u r soldiers, 1
a s k y o u , t o d i g in t h e r u i n s o f t h e h o u s e that collapsed over m y
c h i l d r e n , s o t h a t t h e i r b o n e s m a y b e p r e s e r v e d a s a m e m o r i a l of
9 ihemj F o r w e h a v e n o t b e e n a b l e to do it ourselves^ b e c a u s e o f t h e
' I.it. 'go into the drain'.
- Following Brock's restoration: all .MSS are corrupt.

' O r 'for a cotnmemoration of ttiem', or 'for a tomb'.

' may be preserved . . . able: so S(V) Slav.; P corrupt.
 Tlie Testament of Job 641
10 e x p e n s e : w e shall a t least t h e n b e a b l e to look u p o n their bones. A m
I only a wild beast or have I the w o m b o f a brute that m y ten
11 children a r e d e a d , a n d not o n e o f t h e m have I buried? A n d they
w e r e g o i n g off t o d i g , b u t I r e s t r a i n e d t h e m , s a y i n g , D o n o t l a b o u r
12 i n v a i n . Y o u w i l l n o t find m y c h i l d r e n , b e c a u s e t h e y h a v e been
i;^ t a k e n u p i n t o h e a v e n b y t h e i r m a k e r and their k i n g . T h e n a g a i n t h e y
a n s w e r e d m e a n d s a i d . W h o n o w will n o t s a y y o u a r e o u t of y o u r
mind a n d m a d to say, .\Iy children have been taken u p into
h e a v e n ? S h o w u s h o w this c a n b e true.

XL. I a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d t o t h e m . Lift m c u p , s o t h a t 1 c a n s t a n d .
2 S o t h e y lifted m c u p a n d s u p p o r t e d m y a r m s o n c i t h e r side. A n d
3 t h e n , s t a t i d i n g u p , I g a v e t h a n k s to t h e F a t h e r . ' .And after m y
p r a y e r 1 s a i d t o t h e m . Lift u p y o u r e y e s t o t h e e a s t a n d s e c m y
c h i l d r e n w i t h c r o w n s on iheir heads b e s i d e t h e g l o r y o f t h e H e a v e n l y
4 One. When m y w i f e S i t i d o s s a w them, s h e fell t o t h e g r o u n d i n
w o r s h i p a n d said, X o w I know that I have a memorial with the
L o r d . 1 will g e t u p a n d g o i n t o t h e city a n d s h u t m y e y e s a little a n d
.') r e f r e s h m y s e l f for m y m e n i a l t a s k s . A n d s h e set olf to t h e city, a n d
s h e w e n t i n t o t h e b y r e w h e r e h e r o w n cattle w e r e t h a t hati b e e n
6 s e i z e d b y tfie r u l e r s w h o s e s l a v e s h e w a s . . A n d b e s i d e a m a n g e r s h e
7 fell a s l e e p a n d d i e d c o n t e n t . The ruler, w h o owned her, searched
8 for h e r w i t h o u t success. I n t h e evening h e went into t h e cattle-byre
9 a n d found h e r p r o s t r a t e corpse. All w h o s a w h e r cried o u t , lowing
a n d w a i l i n g o v e r h e r , ' a n d t h e noise w a s h e a r d t h r o u g h o u t t h e city.
1,11 F h e n t h e y r u s h e d i n t o find o u t w h a t h a d h a p j i e n e d . . A n d t h e y
f o u n d h e r d e a d , a n d t h e a n i m a l s s t a n d i n g r o u n d a n d w a i l i n g for
12 h e r . S o t h e y c a r r i e d h e r o u t a n d b u r i e d h e r ; a n d t h e y l a i d h e r i n the
13 ruins of t h e h o u s e t h a t h a d c o l l a p s e d o v e r h e r c h i l d r e n . . A n d t h e
b e g g a r s in t h e city m a d e a great l a m e n t a t i o n , saying.
Sec! T h i s is S i t i d o s , t h e w i f e t o b o a s t a b o u t a n d g l o r y i n !
S h e w a s n o t thought worthy o f a proper burial!
14 .Atitf t h e d i r g e m a d e o v e r h e r y o u w i l l find i n t h e P a r a l e i p o m e n a .

' So P: S Slav, 'tirsi (oin. Slav.) to llic Lord and lo God'; V 'lo (Jod tirsi'.
' O l l h i s incident.James wrote (TS V. i, p. c); ' I ' h c sense oi'the o r i g i n a l . . . is 1
think this, thai when the employer of Sitis found her dead in the stable, all lhe beasts
cried out over \\cr ^erix fivK^^zo^ KAavdfioD: and the noise the> made aitracttrd the
citizens, who rushed in and found her dead, and the beasts weeping over her'.
 M'2 The TestamenI ofJob

XLI. L l i p h a z a n d t h e rest s a t d o w n b e s i d e m e after this, a r g u i n g

a n d s a y i n g m a n y fine t h i n g s a g a i n s t m e . .After t w e n t y s e v e n d a y s
i t h e y g o t t i p t o g o t o t h e i r o w n c o u n t r y . ' .And t h e n Klihu m a d e t h e m
s w e a r a n o a t h , s a y i n g . S t a y w i t h m e till I h a v e m a d e t h i n g s p l a i n t o
h i m . for y o u h a v e s p e n t far t o o m a n y d a y s listening p a t i e n t l y to
1 . J o b s b o a s t i n g a b o u t h i s r i g h t e o u s n e s s . F o r m y p a r t I will n o t p u t
u p w i t h it. F o r f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g I, like y o u , ' h a v e k e p t u p t h e
l a m e n t for h i m . r e m e m b e r i n g h i s f o r m e r g o o d fortune; a n d h e h a s
o n l y u s e d it f o r s e l f - g l o r i f i c a t i o n . High-sounding and presump-
') t i o u s a r e h i s w o r d s , s a y i n g , h e h a s his t h r o n e in h e a v e n . B u t listen
Il t o m e . a n d I w i l l s h o w y o u t h a t h e h a s n o p o r t i o n Ihere.' T h e n
Klihu. inspired by Satan, launched into a scurrilous attack upon
m e , a s is r e c o r d e d i n t h e P a r a l e i p o m e n a o f K l i p h a z . ' '

XLII. .After h e h a d c e a s e d h i s l i n e w o r d s , t h e L o r d a p p e a r e d t o m c
2 a n t i s p o k e t h r o u g h w h i r l w i n d a n d c l o u d s . .And h e c e n s u r e d Klihu,
m a k i n g it c l e a r t o m e t h a t h e w h o h a d b e e n s p e a k i n g b y h i m w a s
:i n o t a m a n b u t a b e a s t . .And w h i l e t h e L o r d w a s s p e a k i n g t o m e
t h r o u g h t h e c l o u d , t h e four kings also h e a r d his voice as h e spoke.
I . A n d a f t e r t h e L o r d h a d finished s p e a k i n g t o m e , h e s a i d t o E l i p h a z ,
:i W h a t n o w E l i p h a z ? V o u h a v e s i n n e d a n d y o u r t w o f r i e n d s also; f o r
II y o u w e r e w r o n g in w h a t y o u s a i d a b o u t m y s e r v a n t J o b . S o bestir
y o u r s e U e s a n d g e t h i m t o ofler sacrifices o n y o u r behalf, t h a t y o u r
s i n m a y b e r e m o v e d ; f o r h a d it n o t b e e n for h i m , I w o u l d have
7 d e s t r o y e d y o u . . A n d t h e y b r o u g h t m e t h e m a t e r i a l s for s a c r i f i c e .
ii .And 1 took t h e m a n d olfered t h e m o n their behalf; a n d t h e L o r d
a c c e p t e d the sacrifice a n d f o r g a v e t h e m t h e i r s i n .

XLIII. T h e n Eliphaz, Bildad, a n d Z o p h a r perceived that the Lord

had forgiven them their sin (though h e h a d not d e e m e d Elihu
<:i w o r t h y ) . . A n d E l i p h a z w a s i n s p i r e d a n d s a n g a h y m n . . A n d h i s

' .Sii PS: \ ' lias a niuili lon.gcr ifxl in these first two verses, giving the substance of
the friends arguments against J o b .
• I.il. -I aLso'.
' .So PS: \ ' •what his [xirtion is'.
•• .So the MSS. Should we read TllihuVCp. note on xxxiii. 1.
 The Testament ofJob 643
o t h e r friends a n d tlie a r m i e s m a d e response to him near tlie altar.
4 H i s h y m m w a s this:'
B a n i s h e d a r e o u r sins, a n d i)uried is our wickedness.
5 E l i h u , Elihu, the only wicked one, will have no memorial
a m o n g the living:
H i s lam() is q u e n c h e d , its light has failed:'
6 T h e brilliance ofhis torch will turn to judgement on himself;
F o r he is the child of d a r k n e s s a n d not of light.
A n d t h e d o o r - k e e p e r s of darkness will inherit his glory and
his s p l e n d o u r .
7 H i s k i n g d o m has passed away: his throne has crumbled into
dust;
.And the h o n o u r of his dwelling-place' is in H a d e s .
8 H e h a s loved the serperu's b e a u t y a n d the d r a g o n ' s scales:
Its v e n o m a n d its poison shall be his food.'*
9 N e v e r h a s hc sought the L o r d ' s favour,' nor has he feared
him,
.Viid even those w h o are h o n o u r e d by him hc has provoked.
10 T h e L o r d h a s forgotten him, a n d the saints" have a b a n d o n e d
him;
11 A n d a n g e r a n d passion shall be his dwellitig-place.'
12 H e h a s no pity in his h e a r t , nor peace in his m o u t h : '
'Lhe poison of asps he has on his tongue.
13 R i g h t e o u s is the Lord: true are his judgemtrnts.
W i t h h i m is n o favouritism: hc willjudgc us all alike.
14 L o , t h e L o r d is at h a n d : lo, the saints* have been m a d e ready.
W h i l e c r o w n s with panegyrics lead the way.
15 L e t t h e saints* rejoice, let them be joyful in heart,
16 F o r they h a v e o b t a i n e d the glory for which they hoped.
17 D o n e a w a y is o u r sin, cleansed is o u r wickedness.
But wicked Elihu has n o memorial a m o n g the living.
' Lit. ' T h u s Eliphaz spoke'.
' Lit. 'he (it) has put out its light'.
' Lit. ' t a b e r n a c l e ' .
" R e a d i n g cig/iogdv: P.SV Slav, tic (ioQedv ('to the north'),
' Lit. ' H e has not gained the Lord lor himsell'.
° O r 'holy ones' (i.e. 'angels'}.
'' R e a d i n g ^ v r ^ 0 T < ) / i a n a i ) T O * : P ivz.owuazi av. ('in his body'); SV Slav, om.
() 14 The Testament of Job

XLIV. Alur Kliphaz h a d hnishcd the hymn, while all made

le.spoiise to h i m a n d eireled r o u n d t h e altar, w e got u p a n d went
into t h e city w h e r e w e n o w h a v e o u r h o m e . . \ n d w e held great
festivities a n d t o o k o u r d e l i g h t in t h e L o r d ; a n d o n e e a g a i n I d i d m y
hest to h e l p t h e b e g g a r s . . \ n d all m y friends e a m e to m e . a n d those
w h o k n e w how t o d o g o o d . ' . A n d t h e y a s k e d m e , s a y i n g . W h a t d o
yoti a s k o l ' u s n o w ? .And I, w i t h t h e b e g g a r s in m i n d , to d o t h e m
g o o d a g a i n , a s k e d them a n d s a i d . G i v e m e . e a e h o n e o f y o u , a l a m b
l o e l o t l i e t h e b e g g a r s ' n a k e d n e s s w i t h . .And t h e n e a e h o f t h e m
b r o u g h t m e a l a m b a p i e c e a n d a t e t r a d r a c h m o f g o l d . .And t h e L o r d
b l e s s e d e s c r y t l i i n g 1 h a d a n d d o u b l e d it.

XLV. . \ i i d n o w , s e e . m y c h i l d r e n , I a m a b o u t t o d i e . N'ever forget

t h e L o r d . D o g o o d t o t h e b e g g a r s , and d o n o t n e g l e c t t h e h e l p l e s s .
And d o n o t m a r r y w i v e s that are daughters o f f o r e i g n e r s . . A n d n o w , m y
c h i l d r e n , I will d i v i d e ' a m o n g y o u e v e r y t h i n g I h a v e , s o t h a t e a c h
o n e o f y o u m a y b e i n c o m p l e t e c o n t r o l o f t h e p o r t i o n t h a t is h i s . '

XLVI. .And thc\- b r o u g h t what w a s to b e divided to the seven

b o y s . ' . A n d h e s e t a s i d e n o t h i n g f r o m t h e p r o p e r t y for t h e g i r l s ' al
all. . \ n d t h e y w e r e h u r t a n d s a i d t o t h e i r f a t h e r . O u r l o r d a n d
father, a r e w e n o t also your children? W h y have y o u not given us a
s h a r e in y o u r p r o p e r t y ? J o b said t o t h e g i r l s , ' D o n o t b e d i s t r e s s e d ,
m y d a u g h t e r s , for I h a v e n o t forgotten y o u . I n fact I h a v e p r o v i d e d
for y o u ' a n i n h e r i t a n c e b e t t e r t h a n t h a t o f y o u r s e v e n brothers.
I h e n h e m o t i o n e d to his d a u g h t e r called H e m e r a . a n d h e said to
her. T a k e t h i s " r i n g a n d g o t o t h e s t r o n g - r o o m a n d fetch t h e t h r e e
little g o l d e n u r n s , so t h a t I m a y give y o u y o u r inheritance. S h e
w e n t a w a y a n d fetched t h e m . .And h e o p e n e d t h e m a n d took o u t

' .So I': .S\' 'tliosf wlio knew lhat I wa.s doing giMKl'.

' I.il. "Behold, thereliire, tny ehildren, I divide".

' With ihe.se words J o b ends his personal testimony, and at the beginning ol'the
next chapter the narratise, with which the work o(H*ned. is resumed. It appears
Irom li. 4 that the narrator is Nereos, J o b s brother.

' I.it. "males". ' I.it. "females".

' Lit. I sent to vou" * Lit. "the".
 The Testanienl ofJob 645
t h r e e cords of m a n y colours, such as no m a n could possibly
8 d e s c r i b e ; for they were not of earth but of heaven, flashing with
9 s p a r k s of h r e like the rays o f t h e sun. A n d he gave one cord each to
his d a u g h t e r s , ' saying, f a k e t h e m a n d gird t h e m round you, that
they m a y keep you safe all the d a y s o f y o u r life and fill you with
every good thing."

XL Vll. The o t h e r d a u g h t e r , called Cassia, said to him. Father is

this t h e i n h e r i t a n c e you were saying was better than our brothers'?
W h a t is the use of these strange cords? H o w can we live on them?
2 A n d their father said to t h e m , Nol only will you be able to live on
3 t h e m ; b u t these cords will lead you to the greater world - to life in
1 t h e h e a v e n s . Surely, children, you cannot be u n a w a r e ofthe value
of these ropes? Fhe Lord thought m e worthy o f t h e m on the day
w h e n hc willed to have mercy on m e a n d to cure my body of the
h diseases a n d the w o r m s . H e called to me a n d supplied mc with
t h e s e t h r e e cords, .saying to mc. Arise, gird up your loins like a
6 m a n : I will q u e s t i o n you, a n d d o you answer m e . I took the cords a n d
g i r d e d myself; a n d immediately, from t h a t very m o m e n t , the
w o r m s d i s a p p e a r e d from my body, and so too did the diseases.
7 A n d after t h a t my body received strength through the Lord, as
8 t h o u g h it h a d not suffered a n y t h i n g at all. And I even forgot my
9 d i s t r e s s of m i n d . A n d the Lord spoke to me in power, showing me
10 wfiat h a s been a n d w h a t will be. C o n s e q u e n t l y , my children, with
t h e s e cords you will never now have the E n e m y arrayed against you
n o r even his t h o u g h t s in y o u r hearts, because it is the F a t h e r ' s '
11 a m u l e t . G e t u p , then, a n d gird t h e m round you before I die, so that
you m a y be a b l e to see those w h o are coming for my soul and
m a r v e l at G o d ' s creatures.

XLVm. -Accordingly, the one called H e m e r a got up and wound her

r o p e a b o u t her, just as her father h a d said. .And she assumed
a n o t h e r h e a r t , n o longer m i n d i n g earthly things. -And she gave

' So SV: P om. 'each to his dauglitcrs'.

' .So V: PS ' T a k e them about your breast, that it may be well (Pom.) with you all
the days ofyour life'.

' So P: SV Slav, 'the Lord's'.

() K) The Teslament ofJob
u l l i ' i a i u ' i ' i n t l u - s p c c t l i o f a n g f i s . s e n d i n g u p a i i y r n n t o CJtxi aftet
t h e p a t t e r n oi t h e a n g e l s " h y m n o d y ; a n d t h e S p i r i t let t h e h y m n s
she uttered be recorded on her robe.

X L I X . . \ n d t h e n C a s s i a g i r d e d h e r s e l f , a n d s h e loo e x p e r i e n c e d a
c h a n g e of heart, so that s h e no longer gave thought to worldK
t h i n g s . . A n d h e r m o u t h t o o k u p t h e s p e e c h o f t h e heavenly p t ) \ v e r s .
a n d s h e l a u d e d t h e w o r s h i p o f t h e h e a v e n l y s a n c t u a r y . ' S o il
a n y o n e w a n t s l o k n o w a b o u t t h e w o r s h i p t h a t g o e s o n in h e a v e n , '
h e c a n f i n d it i n t h e h y m n s o f C a s s i a .

L. . A n d t h e r e m a i n i n g o n e , t h e o n e c a l l e d . A m a l t h e i a s - K e r a s , p u t
o n h e r g i r d l e ; a n d s h e likewise g a v e u t t e r a n c e w i t h h e r m o u t h i n t h e
s p e e c h o f t h o s e o n high. H e rheart too was c h a n g e d a n d w i t h d r a w n
f r o m w o r l d l y i h i n g s ; a n d s h e sixikc in t h e l a n g u a g e o f t h e c h e r u b i m ,
e x t o l l i n g t h e I.ord o f V i r t u e s , a n d p r o c l a i m i n g their glory. .Anyone
w h o w o u l d p u r s u e t h e K a t h e r ' s g l o r y a n y f u r t h e r w i l l find it s e t o u t
in t h e p r a y e r s o f . \ m a l t h e i a s - I s . c r a s .

LI.' .After t h e t h r e e h a d finished s i n g i n g Iheir h y m n s , I , .N'ereos,

j o b ' s b r o t h e r , s a t d o w n b e s i d e h i m a s h e l a y upon his bed; a n d I
listened to m y brother's three d a u g h t e r s a s they discussed together
t h e heavenly m y s t e r i e s ' . . A n d I w r o t e d o w n t h i s b o o k , e x c e p t f o r t h e
h v m n s a n d t h e s i g n s o f t h e w o r d , for t h e s e a r e t h e m v s t e r i e s ' o f
c;od.

LII. S o J o b l a y ' ill i n b e d , y e t w i t h o u t p a i n a n d s u l f e r i n g , f o r p a i n

' Lil. -she lauded the work ol'the High Place'.

- Lit. 'to know the work ol'the hcaiens'.

' The trati.slatiou in this chapter Ibllows \', which yields a reasonably consistent
sense. P and S are l>oth dillicult and in vary ing degrees very evidently corrupt.
' Lit. the great things'.

' So v. P and .S are corrupt and add -.\nd after three days- at the beginning (by
dittography frotn the next verse).
 The Testament of Job 647
w a s n o l o n g e r a b l e to aO'cct h i m b e c a u s e o f t h e s i g n of t h e g i r d l e
2 t h a t h c w o r e . .'\nd after three d a y s he s a w the holy a n g e l s ' w h o
:i c a m e f o r h i s s o u l . . A n d h e g o t u p i r m n e d i a t e l s a n d t o o k a l y r e a n d
4 g a v e it t o h i s d a u g h t e r H e m e r a : t o C a s s i a h c g a v e a c e n s e r : to
h ,\malthcias-Keras he g a v e a t a m b o u r i n e ; that they might give
fi p r a i s e t o t h o s e w h o h a d c o m e for h i s s o u l . . \ n d a s t h e y t o o k t h e m ,
7 t h e y s a w t h e s h i n i n g c h a r i o t s w h i c h h a d c o m e lot h i s s o i t l . A n d
H t h e y g a v e p r a i s e a n d h o n o u r , e a c h i n h e r s p e c i a l t o n g u e . .And a f t e i
y t h i s , h c w h o s a t in t h e g r e a t c h a r i o t got o u t a n d g r e e t e d J o b (this
t h e t h r e e d a u g h t e r s s a w , a s d i d al.so t h e i r f a t h e r , b u t n o o n e e l s e ) .
10 H c t o o k J o b ' s s o u l , w e n t o f l v v i t h it i n h i s a r m s , a n d p l a c e d it in t h e
11 c h a r i o t a n d journ(;ycd to the cast. Rut J o b ' s b o d y w a s m a d e ready
12 f o r b u r i a l a n d c a r r i e d t o t h e g r a x c . H i s t h r e e d a u g h t e r s led t h e
w a y , w i t h t h e i r g i r d l e s r o u n d t h e m , s i n g i n g h y m n s of p r a i s e to the
Father.'

LIII. .And I .Nereos, his b r o t h e r , a n d t h e s e \ e n b o y s , ' t o g e t h e r w i t h

2 t h e p o o r a n d o r p h a n s a n d all t h e h e l p l e s s , m a d e l a m e n t a t i o n . .And
t h e y s a i d . W o e t o u s t o - d a y , d o u b l e w o e , for t o - d a y t h e s t r e n g t h o f
'i t h e h e l p l e s s h a s b e e n t a k e n a w a y , t h e light o f t h e blind has b e e n
t a k e n a w a y , the father o f t h e o r p h a n s has been taken a w a y , he w h o
received strangers has been taken away, hc who clothed the
4 w i d o w s ' h a s b e e n t a k e n a w a y . W l i o , t h e n , w i l l n o t m o u r n for t h e
5 m a n o f G o d ? N o s o o n e t liatl t h e y b r o u g h t t h e b o d y n e a r t h e g r a v e
t h a n all t h e w i d o w s a n d o r p h a n s g a t h e r e d r o u n d a n d p r e v e n t e d his
6 b e i n g p u t i n i t . ' B u t a f t e r t h r e e d a y s t h e y l a i d h i m in t h e g r a v e .

' So \ ' : PS om. 'the holy angels'.

' So P (lit. 'singing praise in tiymns ofthe Father'): SV Slav, singing prai.se to
f ;oH in h y m n s ' .

' I.it. 'male children'.

' Lit. 'the clothing o f t h e widows'. So P: the other MSS have some additional
clauses in the catalogue. ' Lit. 'in the grave'.
f)48 The Testament ofJob
s l e e p i n g p e a e e f u l l y a s h e w a s , h a v i n g w o n for h i m s e i f a n a m e t o b e
h o n o u r e d in e v e r y s u c c e e d i n g g e n e r a t i o n . .Amen.''

' So 1' Slav.: S \ ' oin. '.Amen'. Tlicn S Slav, adds:

'.And j o l ) lived alter the plamie (Slav. + and his snllerings'l one hundred and
se\ enty \ ears, and the whole span ol'his life was twi> hundred and forty-eight years.
. \ n d he saw his children's ehildren (Slav, 'children and grandchildren and great
grandchildren') /oMt* fourth (Slav, 'third') generation'.

\ ' adds:
' H e left se\en sons and three daughters; and there were not found under heaven
; i n \ fairer than J o b ' s daughters. J o b was fornterly named J o b a b ; but his name was
changed to J o b by the Lord. He lived l)el()re the plague I'or eighty-fi\e \ears; and
alter the plague he received double of all things, including also his years, one
h u n d r e d and seventy. .So he li\ed altogether two hundred and forty-eight years.
.And he saw his children's children to the fourth generation. It is written al.so that he
rose with those whom the I.ord raised. T o Citxl be glory'.
 THE PSALMS OF S O L O M O N

IM R o n r c n i o N

The Psalms of Solomon a r e tieither q u o t e d n o r referred to

e x p l i c i t l y b y a n y o l ' t h c I ' a l h c r s . T h e e a r l i e s t m e n t i o n o l t h e m is in
t h e c a t a l o g u e o l ' c o n t e n t s i n t h e Codex Alexandrimi.s o f t h e B i b l e in t h e
B r i t i s h L i b r a r y (fith c e n t . ) w h e r e " e i g h t e e n P s a l m s o f S o l o m o n ' a r e
listed r i g h t a t t h e e n d . after t h e t w o Lpistlcs of C l e m e n t , w h i c h in
turn follow t h e ' . \ [ x x a l y p s c of John". P r e s u m a b l y Alexandnnus
c o n t a i n e d a t e x t o f t h e P s a l m s , b u t it d o c s s o n o l o n g e r ; i t s l a s t
l e a v e s h a \ e b e e n l o s t , a n d t h e t e x t b r e a k s o l f r a t h e r m o r e t:i;'.n
h a l f - w a y t h r o u g h '2 ( l l c m c n t . L a t e r o n , t h e P s a l m s o c c u r in t h e Li.:t
o f S i x t y B(X)ks, a s a l s o in t h e p s e u d o - . A t h a n a s i a n S y n o p s i s a n d i t i e
S t i c h o m c t r y of .Nicephorus. I n t h e last t w o . h o w e v e r , t h e y a r e
joined together with the O d e s - 'Psalms a n d ()de(s) of Solomon .
I ' h e y a r c n o t m e n t i o n e d in t h e ( i e l a s i a n D e c r e e .
' I ' h c t e x t o f t h e P s a l m s is p r e s e r v e d in s o m e t e n C r e e k m a t u i -
scripts ( t w oo f t h e m defecti\e), o n e (ireek fragment (consisting cf
x v i i . ' 2 - x v i i i . 1 4 ) . ' a n d a l s o in t w o d e f e c t i v e S y r i a c manuscripts
and t w o Syriac fragments (both, oddly enough, containing x\i.
f)-13). T h e ( i r e e k . \ I S S d a t e from t h e l a t e lOth o r e a r l y 1 1th c e n t ,
to the early l.Tth, a n d in a l l o f t h e m the Psalms appear as one
among a number of other works, some Biblical and some
ecclesiastical. In the t w o Syriac .\ISS, however, the Psalms a r e
p r e c e d e d b y t h e ( J d e s , b u t t h e r e is n o d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n them;
t h e P s a l m s iblltiw i m m e d i a t e l y o n t h e O d e s w i t h o u t a b r e a k : all a r e
g i v e n t h e title ' P s a l m s ' ; a n d they a r e n u m b e r e d consecutively from
the beginning of t h e (3des - t h u s . P s a l m i in o u r n u m e r a t i o n
b e c o m e s P s a l m xliii i n t h e S y r i a c , a n d s o o n u p t o lx. N e i t h e r S y r i a c
M S c o n t a i n s a n y o t h e r w o r k . O n e o f t h e m ( R y l a n d s C o d . S y r . 9;
l(5th c e n t . ) is d e f i c i e n t a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e O d e s a n d a l s o f r o m
P s . x v i i . 3 8 t o t h e e n d : t h e o t h e r ( B . L . . A d d i t . 14.538; 9 t h o r 1 0 t h

' See W. Baars. '.-\ .\ew Kragmem ofthe Greek Version ofthe Psalms of Solomon"
in l ' 7 " x i ( 1 9 l i l ) . p p . 441-444.
(")")() The Psalms of Solomon
C f i i t . ) c o n t a i n s o n l y O d e s x v i i . 7 - x l i i . 2 0 a n d P s s . i . i - i i i . .') a n d x .
4 - x \ i i i . ,').
I h c c o n i b i n a t i o n o f O d c s a n d P s a l m s in a single scries k n o w n a s
' P s a l m s " in t h e S y r i a c t r a d i t i o n raises t h e q u e s t i o n . W a s this a
p e c t i l i a r i t y o f t h e . S y r i a c - s p e a k i n g c h u r c h o r w a s it a l s o k n o w n
e l s e w h e r e ? .As w e h a \ e s e e n , b o t h t h e p s e u d o - . A t h a n a s i a n . S y n o p s i s
a n d t h e S t i c h o m e t r y o l ' X i c c p h o r u s list t h e ' P s a l m s a n d O d e ( s ) of"
. S o l o m o n " t o g e t h e r . I t is p o s s i b l e t h a t t h e r e is e v i d e n c e h e r e t h a t t h e
P s a l m s a n d O d e s w e r e c o m b i n e d in s o m e G r e e k . M S S - t h o u g h in
t h e r e v e r s e o r d e r , it w o u l d s e e m , f r o m t h e o r d e r i n t h e S y r i a c . It is
p o s s i b l e , t o o , t h a t w h e n Alexandrmus a n d t h e L i s t o f S i x t y B o o k s
m e n t i o n t h e ' P s a l m s ' only they a r e relerring to a similar c o m b i n a ­
t i o n . - ' B u t a l l t h i s is m e r e h y p o t h e s i s . T h e ( a c t s a r e t h a t o n l y t e n
( J r e e k .MSS o l ' t h e P s a l m s a r e k n o w t i , all o f w h i c h h a v e p r e s e r v e d
the P s a l m s withotit t h e O d e s ; a n d these, together with the Syriac,
a r c t h e o n l y e v i d e n c e t h e r e is f o r t h e t e x t o f t h e P s a l m s .

It is n o w g e n e r a l l y a g r e e d t h a t t h e P s a l t n s w e r e o r i g i n a l l y w r i t t e n
in H e b r e w . T h e Cireek will a c c o r d i n g l y b e a v e r s i o n from t h e
H e b r e w . I t h a s b e e n s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e S y r i a c is a l s o a v e r s i o n
f r o m t h e H e b r e w ; b u t t h i s s u g g e s t i o n h a s f o u n d few s u p p o r t e r s ,
a n d mt)st r e g a r d t h e S v r i a c a s a s e c o n d a r v version m a d e from t h e
(ireek.
T h e r e a r e n o o b v i o t i s l y C h r i s t i a n p a s s a g e s in t h e P s a l m s n o r a n y
t h a t Itjok a s if t h e y h a d b e e n w o r k e d ov e r b y C h r i s t i a t i e d i t o r s . l " h e
Psalms a r e Jewish through a n d through a n d breathe the atmos­
p h e r e o f t h e c a n o n i c a l P s a l m s of D a v i d , in c o n s c i o u s i m i t a t i o n o f
w h i c h they were doubtless written.
r h e w r i t e r h i m s e l f b e l o n g s t o t h e circle o f ' t h e r i g h t e o u s " (iii.
3 - 8 ) , o r G o d " s ' h o l y o n e s ' (ix. 3 ) , o r ' t h o s e w h o fear t h e L o r d ' (xv.
13), a s a g a i n s t their o p p o n e n t s ' t h e tmrighteous' (xv. 4 - 1 3 ) , o r
' s i n n e r s ' (ii. 3 4 - 3 . 5 ) , o r 'lawless o n e s ' (xiv. 6 ) . T h e s e latter a r e
charged, not merely with general misbehaviour, immorality, a n d
u n g o d l i n e s s (e.g. iv. 1 - 2 2 ) , b u t specifically with h a v i n g set u p a
n o n - D a v i d i c m o n a r c h y (xvii. 4 - 6 ) a n d w i t h h a v i n g profaned the
T e m p l e a n d its sacrifices (ii. 3 ; viii. 1 1 - 1 2 ) . T h e w r i t e r a n d his
- Though this is most unlikely in the case of AUxandrinus, since the text, as it
stancis. refers explicitly to 'eighteen' Psalms.
 The Psalms qf Solomon 651
c i r c l e a b h o r s u c h lawless d e e d s (xii. 1 - 4 ) : t h e y p r i d e t h e m s e l v e s
t h a t t h e y ' w a l k in t h e r i g h t e o u s n e s s ol'IOod's] o r d i n a n c e s , in t h e
l a w w h i c h h e c o m m a n d e d " ( x i v . 2 ) ; a n d t h e y a w a i t in p a t i e n c e t h e
advent o f t h e l e g i t i m a t e D a v i d i c . M e s s i a n i c K i n . g ( x v i i . 21—3.5:
c p . xviii. 5 - 9 ) .
I t is n o t d i f f i c u l t t o s e e h e r e a r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n
t h e P h a r a s a i c a n d .Sadducaean parties sometime during the first
century BC:. R e f e r e n c e s to a foreign conqueror in t h r e e of the
P s a l m s e n a b l e u s t o fix t h e d a t e o f t h e s e t h r e e , a t l e a s t , more
e x a c t l y . T h e foreign c o n q u e r o r c a m e 'from t h e e n d of t h e e a r t h "
( v i i i . 15) a n d s e n t off h i s c a p t i v e s "to t h e w e s t " ( x v i i . 12) - so f r o m
t h e w e s t h c p r e s u m a b l y c a m e . .At first h e w a s w e l c o t n e d b y s o m e of
t h e n a t i o n , a n d t h e w a y w a s l e h o p e n for h i m t o a p p r o a c h J e r u s a l e m
( v i i i . 1 6 - 1 8 ) . L a t e r , it s e e m s , h c e n c o u n t e r e d r e s i s t a n c e a n d u s e d
battering-rams to breach the walls (ii. i). Having captured
J e r u s a l e m , h e w a s r e s p o n s i b l e for a g e n e r a l m a s s a c r e ( v i i i . 1 9 - 2 1 )
and introduced his soldiers into the T e m p l e where they con­
temptuously 'trampled' the altar (ii. 2). L'ltimately he was
m u r d e r e d i n L g y p t , a n d h i s b o d y l a y e x p o s e d for l a c k o f b u r i a l (ii.
26-27). 'Lhese details correspond very closely with what is
r e c o r d e d elsewhere o f t h e details of P o m p e y ' s c a p t u r e o l j e r u s a l e m
i n 6 3 BC: a n d h i s d e a t h in L g y p t in 4 8 BC.
W h e t h e r t h e P s a l m s w e r e all t h e w o r k o f a single a u t h o r o r not
w e h a v e n o m e a n s o f k n o w i n g . N o r c a n w c tell h o w d o s e in d a t e t h e
other Psalms arc to t h e three w h i c h refer to P o m p e y . Many
m o d e r n s think o f a 'school' as having produced the Psalms rather
t h a n a s i n g l e a u t h o r , a n d m o s t w o u l d c o n n e c t it w i t h t h e P h a r i s e e s
— hence the popular ( b u t q u i t e unofficial) t i t l e ' P s a l m s of the
P h a r i s e e s ' . S o m e , h o w e v e r , w o u l d d i s p u t e this connection, partly
o n t h e g r o u n d that the Psalms themselves provide only the most
g e n e r a l e v i d e n c e f o r it, a n d p a r t l y o n t h e g r o u n d t h a t w e k n o w a s
yet far t o o little a b o u t the v a r i o u s m o v e m e n t s a n d parties within
J u d a i s m i n t h e 1st c e n t . B C t o m a k e c e r t a i n t y p o s s i b l e - i n p a r ­
t i c u l a r , it s e e m s l i k e l y t h a t t h e r e w a s i n f a c t a m u c h g r e a t e r v a r i e t y
in t h e g r o u p i n g s a n d factions at the time than the conventional
P h a r i s e e — S a d d u c e e - E s s e n e c a t e g o r i z a t i o n s u g g e s t s ( i n w h i c h ca.se
t h e a u t h o r s o f t h e P s a l m s m a y well h a v e b e l o n g e d to o n e of t h e s e
otherwise 'unknown' groups).
652 The Psalms of Solomon
B u t i n a n y c a s e , t i i c r c is n o n e e d t o s u p p o s e t h a t a l l t h e P s a l m s
w e r e w r i t t e n a t o n e e . S e h i i p p h a u s . for e . x a m p l e , h a s m a i n t a i n e d
t h a t t w o s e p a r a t e 'clusters' of P s a l m s c a n h e identified, w h i c h , h e
claimed, represent t w o s e p a r a t e s t a g e s in t h e d e \ e l o p m e n t of a
single community (though it w a s f o r . S e h i i p p h a u s a Pharisaic
c o m m u n i t y ) : o n e c l u s t e r s t e m s frt)m t h e t i m e o f t h e R o m a n i n v a s i o n
in 6 3 B C , t h e o t h e r from s o m e w h e r e b e t w e e n 4 8 a n d 4 3 / 2 B C .
O n a n y hypothesis, however, the Psalms a r e patently Palestinian;
a n d t h e p r o b a b i l i t y is t h a t t h e y w e r e w r i t t e n i n J e r u s a l e m .

The translation which f o l l o w s is b a s e d o n ( J r a y ' s . The verse

numeration is t h a t o f v o n C i e b h a r d t ( w i t h ( i r a y ' s n u m e r a t i o n in
brackets).

BIBI.IOGR.VPHV

Greek
H . E . RVI.K a n d R . J . \ . M i ; s VaX/iol loXo/j&vzog: Psalms of Ihe
Pharisees, commonly called The Psalms of Solomon. The Texl newly
revisedfrom all Ihe MSS, Edited with Inlroduction, English Translalion.
Notes, Appendix, and Indices ( C a m b r i d g e , 1 8 9 1 ) .
O. \ ( ) \ G E B H . A R D T , Vcdfiol ZoXo/i&vrog: Die Psalmen Salomo's
zum ersten .Male mil Benutznng der Athoshandschriften und des Codex
Casanatensis herausgegeben (= TU\vn. 2 ; L e i p z i g , 1 8 9 5 ) .
J. V r i ' K . V U a n d F . . \ L \ R r i . \ , Les Psaumes de Salomon. Introduction,
texle grec et traduction . . . avec les principales variantes de la version
syriaque (= Documents pour I 'etude de la Bible; P a r i s , 1 9 1 1 ) .
H.'B. S U E T K , The Old Testament in Greek', iii ( C a m b r i d g e , 1912),
pp. 765-787.
, The Psalms of Solomon with the Greek Fragments of the Book of
£nof/( ( C i a m b r i d g e , 1 8 9 9 ) , p p . 1 - 2 3 . [ R e p r i n t e d f r o m t h e a b o v e . )
:\. R A H L F . S , Seplua,ginta\ ii ( S t u t t g a r t , 1 9 5 2 ) , p p . 4 7 1 - 4 8 9 .

Syriac
J. RK.NDKL H.\RRIS, The Odes and Psalms of Solomon, now first
published from the Syriac version ( C a m b r i d . g e , 1 9 0 9 ; 2 n d e d . 1 9 1 1 ) .
 The Psalms qf Solomon 653
J. RK.NDKL H A R R I S and A. MI.\C;ANA,The Odes and Psalms of
Solomon, re-editedfor the (iovemors of the John Rylands Library. \ ' o l . i:
The Text with facsimile Reproductions ( M a n c h e s t e r , 1 9 1 6 ) .
W. B.\.\RS, Peshitta. P a r t I'a.sc. 6 ( I . e i d c n , 1972). p p . l - v i .
1-27.

IRANSI.A riONS
English
H. R v i . I ' . a n d .M. R . J A . M l ' . s . H'aXnolZol [as a b o v e ] .
G . B . ( ; R . \ V i n R . H . C ; H A R I . I : S . .XPOTW, p p . 62.5-6.52.
J. RKNT)1;I. HARRIS, The Odes and Psalms of Solomon, now first
publishedJrom the Syriac version ( C l a m b r i d g c , 1 9 0 9 ; 2 n d e d . 1 9 1 1 ) .
j . RKNDKI. H A R R I S and .\. .MI.NCJA.NA, 77t^ Odes and Psalms of
Solomon, re-edited for the Governors of the John Rylands Library. \ ' o l . ii:
The Translation with Introduction andSotes ( . M a n c h e s t e r , 1 9 2 0 ) . . .
[from t h e .Syriac].

French
J. VlIKAf a n d F . . \ F \ R r i N , . . . [as above].

German
:\. HlI.(;r..M'i;i.n, 'Die Psalmen Salomo's, deutsch ubersetzt u n d
a u f . N e u e u n t e r s u c h t ' i n Zeilschrifl fiir wissenschaftliche Theologie
(Leipzig, 1871), p p . 3 8 3 - 4 1 8 .
R. K l T T K I . in E . K A L T Z . S C H , APATn (Tubingen. 1900), p p .
127-148.
P . R l K S S l . K R , AjSaB\ pp. 881-902.
S . H ( ) I . . \ I - N T i ; i . S i ; . \ i n JSh-rZ W. 2 ( 1 9 7 7 ) , p p . 4 9 - 1 1 2 .

GKNKRAI.

J. B K ( i R I ( : H , ' D e r Te.xt d e r P s a l m e n S a l o m o s ' i n Z M L x.xxviii

(1939), p p . 131-164.
A.-M. D E N I S , IPGAT, pp- 60-64.
O . E i s s F E i . n r , OTI, p p . 6 1 0 - 6 1 3 .
VV. F R A N K E N B E R G , Die Datierung der Psalmen Salomos (= Beihefte
zur ZAIV, i; G i e s s e n , 1896).
J.-B. FRF.'V', a r t . ' . ' V p o c r y p h e s d e I ' A n c i e n T e s t a m e n t ' i n DBSup i,
cols. 3 9 0 - 3 9 6 .
654 The Psalms of Solomon

K. CJ. K L ' H N . Die dllesle Texlgeslall der Psalmen Salomos, inbesondere

auf Grund der syrischen L'berselzung neu untersuchl (= Beitrdge zur
Wissenschaft vom Allen und Neuen Teslamenl, I V . F o l g c , 2 1 . H e f t ;
Stuttgart. 1937).
J . ( ) " D K I , I „ ' T h e Religious Background o f t h e Psalms of Solomon
(Re-evaluated in t h e light o f t h e Qumran T e . x t s ) ' i n Revue de
Qiimran. I I I . 2 ( 1 9 6 1 - 1 9 6 2 ) , p p . 2 4 1 - 2 5 7 .
P . Rn:s.SI.i;R.4;'.S'fl5', p p . 1 3 2 2 - 1 3 2 3 .
L . Ros\\EATAP,pp. 89-91.
] . S c H f ' P P H . M ' S , Die Psalmen Salomos: Ein Zeugnisjerusalemer Theo-
lo^ie und Erdmmigkeil in der Mitle des vorchrisllichen Jahrhunderls
(= ALGhJl; L e i d e n , 1 9 7 7 ) .
L . S c : n i R i : R , HJPTJCU.
iii, p p . 1 7 - 2 3 .
, GjrZJC* iii, p p . 2 0 . 5 - 2 1 2 .
C . C . T o R R K V , AL, p p . 1 0 6 - 1 0 8 .
C. H . '\'o\, a r t . ' P s a l m s o f S o l o m o n , T h e ' ' i n JE\. ( N e w York,
1905), p p . 2.50-251.
R. B . W R I G H r, ' T h e P s a l m s of S o l o m o n , t h e Pharisees a n d t h e
Essenes' i n SCS 2 ( e d . R . A . K R . \ F T ; Missoula, 1972), p p .
136-1.54.

I ' c r i e d t o t h e L o r d in m y u t t e r affliction,
I o G o d w h e n sinners assailed.
S u d d e n l y t h e r e w a s h e a r d t h e c l a m o u r of w a r before m e :
/ said. H e w i l l l i s t e n t o m e , f o r I a m full o f r i g h t e o u s n e s s .
1 c o n s i d e r e d i n m y h e a r t t h a t I w a s full o f r i g h t e o u s n e s s
W h e n I p r o s p e r e d a n d w a s rich in children;
T h e i r wealth w a sspread over thewhole earth,
T h e i r glory reached the extremity ofthe earth.
T h e y w e r e raised u p to t h e stars:
Men s a i d . T h e y w i l l n e v e r f a l l .
B u t t h e y b e c a m e insolent in their prosperity.
And have no understanding.'
' J e r u s a l e m is speaking.
' So Syr.: Gk. has ' a n d they brought not (>cal ovx ^ ( y x a v ) ' , which may be ;
corruption of >fal oinc iyvotKav, presupposed by Syr.
 psalms of solomon
The Psalms of Solomon t
7 T h e i r s i n s w e r e in secret.
And I knew il n o t .
8 T h e i r l a w l e s s d e e d s weni b e y o n d t h o s e o f t h e h e a t h e n b e f o r e
them;
T h e y utterly profaned the sanctuary' ofthe Lord.

II

A Psalm. OJ Solomon. Concerning Jerusalem.

W h e n t h e s i n n e r b e c a m e p r o u d h e c a s t d o w n fortified w a l l s
with a battering-ram,
. A n d t h o u d i d s t n o t r e s t r a i n him.
F"oreign n a t i o n s w e n t u p t o t h i n e a l t a r .
I n p r i d e t h e y t r a m p l e d il w i t h t h e i r s a n d a l s ;
B e c a u s e t h e s o n s of J e r u s a l e m h a d defiled t h e s a n c t u a r y ' of
the Lord,
H a d profaned t h e ofierings to G o d with lawless deeds.
W h e r e f o r e h e s a i d . C a s t t h e m far from m c ,
I take no pleasure in t h e m . '
Her' g l o r i o u s b e a u t y w a s h e l d o f n o a c c o u n t b e f o r e G o d ,
It w a s utterly d i s h o n o u r e d .
Her s o n s a n d her d a u g h t e r s w e r e i n g r i e v o u s c a p t i v i t y .
Their neck bears a seal-ring, a mark* a m o n g the nations:
H e d e a l t w i t h t h e m in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h their sins;

' Lit. 'holy things'.

' Lit. 'holy things'.

' Following Hilgcnfcld's emendation (OVK [vdoxCb (vavroi^ lor cm eviudiuxev
aHzolgin the .\1SS). Ifthe reading {and punctuation) ofthe .\ISS be followed, verses
4 - 5 will run:
'\V*herefore he said. Cast them far from me.
Her glorious beauty did not prosper them.
It was held of no account before Ood,
It was utterly dishonoured'.
' i.e. J e r u s a l e m ' s (cp. verse 20). So .\I: others 'his'.
' Lit. 'Their neck in (with) a seal, in (with) a mark . . .'. Prisoners had a thong or
rope around their necks, fastened with a seal.
 () j<) The Psalms vj Solomon
F o r h e a b a i i c l o n e d t h e m i n t o tlie h a n d s o l ' t h o s e u l i o
prevail.
B F i e t u r n e d a w a y h i s face from p i t y i n g t h e m .
'S'otiiig a n d o l d a n d t h e i r e h i l d r e n t o g e t h e r ;
!» F o r t h e y d i d evil t o g e t h e r in n o t l i s t e n i n g .
\) {10) . \ i i d h e a v e n a b h o r r e d them a n d t h e e a r t h d e t e s t e d t h e m ,
(111 F o r n o m a n u p o n it h a d d o n e w h a t t h e y d i d .
10 (l.'i . A n d t h e e a r t h s h a l l r e c o g n i s e all t h v r i g h t e o u s i t i d g e m e n l s .
()(;od.
11 (l;i) T h e y s e t t h e s o n s o f J e r u s a l e m t o b e m o c k e d b e i a u s e o l ' t h c
h a r l o t s in h e r :
F \ c r y p a s s e r b y e n t e r e d in in t h e full l i g h t o l ' d a y .
V2 (11) T h e y u s e d t o m a k e m o c k w i t h t h e i r l a w l e s s d c e t l s . a s t h e y
themscKcs used to d o :
I n t h e full l i g h t ( j f d a y t h e y p a r a d e d t h e i r i i i i t [ t i i t i e s .
l;i .And t h e d a u g h t e r s of J e r u s a l e m w e r e profane a c c o r d i n g to
thy judgement,
(1")) B e t a u s e t h e y h a d d e h l e d t h e m s e l v e s in u i i t t a t t i r a l
intercourse.
It I a m p a i n e d in m y b o w e l s a n d m y i n w a r d p a r t s a t t h e s e
things.
I.') (Ki) I w i l l J u s t i f y t h e e , ( ) G o d . i n u p r i g h t n e s s o f h e a r t .
F o r i n t h y j u d g e m e n t s lies t h y r i g h t e o u s n e s s , ( ) ( J o d .
Ki (17) F o r t h o u h a s t r e n d e r e d t o t h e s i n n e r s a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r
deeds,
. A n d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r s i n s , which were v e r y w i c k e d .
17 (181 ' I ' h o u h a s t u n c o v e r e d t h e i r s i n s . t h a t t h y j u d g e m e n t m i g h t b e
manifest:
(10) ' F h o u h a s t b l o t t e d o u t t h e m e m o r y of t h e m from t h e e a r t h .
18 ( J o d is a r i g h t e o u s j u d g e , a n d will respect n o o n e .
19 (20) F o r t h e n a t i o n s r e v i l e d J e r u s a l e m , t r a m p l i n g it d o w n :
H e r b e a u t y w a s d r a g g e d d o w n from t h e t h r o n e of glory.
20 (21) S h e g i r d e d o n s a c k c l o t h i n s t e a d o f h n e r a i m e n t ,
.A r o p e a b o u t h e r h e a d i n p l a c e o f a c r o w n .
21 (22) S h e r e m o v e d t h e d i a d e m o f g l o r v w h i c h CJod h a d s e t u p o n
her:
(2:i) I n d i s h o n o u r w a s h e r beauty cast upon the g r o u n d .
22 (24) . A n d I s a w , a n d e n t r e a t e d t h e L o r d a n d s a i d .
 The Psalms of Solomon 657
L o n g e n o u g h . L o r d , h a t h t h y h a n d Ix'cn hca\-y o n J c r u . s a l c m
w i t h till' o n s e t o f t h e n a t i o n s .
•n {•1')) L o r t h e y h a v e m o c k e d , a n d s p a r e d n o t . i n w r a t h a n d
implacable anger;
(2()) L o r t h e y ' will b e u t t e r l y d e s t r o y e d , unless t h o u , L o r d ,
r e b u k e t h e m in t h y w r a t h .
T\ {il) L o r it w a s n o t o u t o f z e a l t h a t t h e y a c t e d , b u t in l u s t o f .soul.
{•_'!!) S o a s t o p o u r o u t their w r a t h u p o n u s in p l u n d e r .
i') {i'.)) D e l a y n o t , ( ) G o d , t o b r i n g r e c o m p e n s e u p o n t h e i r h e a d s ,
l o change" t h e pride of the d r a g o n into dishonour.
•-'() Ctill . \ n d 1 d i d n o t w a i t l o n g b e f o r e C i o d s h o w e d m e h i s b o d y , '
Stabbed, on the mountains ofLgypt,
E s t e e m e d o f less a c c o u n t t h a n t h e least o n l a n d a n d s e a -
•-'7 H i s b o d y , c a r r i e d a b o u t o n t h e w a v e s in g r e a t i g n o m i n y .
W i t h n o n e t o b u r y him, b e c a u s e h e " h a d r e j e c t e d h i m in
dishonour.
L'ti H e d i d not consider that hc was m a n .
(:)•-') N o r did hc consider the end.
29 (.iii) H e s a i d , I w i l l b e l o r d o f l a n d a n d s e a ;
. • \ n d h e d i d n o t r e c o g n i s e t h a t Ciod is g r e a t ,
.Mighty in his great strength.
10 c i l ) H e is k i n g i n t h e h e a v e n s .
.\tid j u d g e s kings a n d dominions.
:il ([i.'i) I t is h e w h o r a i s e s m e u p t o g l o r y ,
. \ n d l a y s l o w t h e p r o u d i n e t e r n a l d e s t r u c t i o n , in
dishonour.
Because they knew h i m not.
11 (:it>) . A n d n o w b e h o l d , p r i n c e s o f t h e e a r t h , t h c j u d g e m e n t ofthe
Lord,
L o r h c is a g r e a t k i n g , a n d r i g h t e o u s , j u d g i n g the earth t h a t
is u n d e r h e a v e n .
' i.e. tlu- (x-oplf oljcnisalcni. I'hc passKc in the CJk. may. however, rest on a
tnistranslaiion.
' Gk. "say', due to a misinterpretation ol'an underlying Heh. Imr {ihrllimrj. taken

' Gk. "his insolence*, due to a misinterpretation ofan underlying Heh. guiw (lor
guylw}, taken as g'u-lu\ 'fhe allusion is in all probability to the details oi' the
assassination of Pompey in the neighlxjurhtxxi o(" Mount Gassius. near Pelusium in
Kgypt. in 4H BC. * i.e. Gixi.
 658 The Psalms of Solomon
33 (37) B l e s s G o d , y o u w h o f e a r t h e L o r d w i t h u n d e r s t a n d i n g .
F o r t h e m e r c y o l ' t h c L o r d is o n t h o s e w h o f e a r h i m , i n
Judgement;
31 (38) S o a s t o d i s t i n g u i s h b e t w e e n r i g h t e o u s a n d s i n n e r ,
l o r e c o m p e n s e s i n n e r s for e v e r a c c o r d i n g to their d e e d s ;
3.i (3'Ji A n d t o h a v e m e r c y o n t h e r i g h t e o u s , delivering him f r o m t h e
affliction ol'thc sinner.
A n d t o r e c o m p e n s e t h e s i n n e r for w h a t h e h a s d o n e to t h e
righteous.
3f> (40; F o r t h e L o r d is g o o d t o t h o s e w h o c a l l o n h i m i n p a t i e n c e .
A c t i n g a c c o r d i n g to his mercy towards his holy ones.
S e t t i n g Ihem c o n t i n u o u s l y b e l b r e h i m i n s t r e n g t h .
37 (41) B l e s s e d be t h e L o r d f o r e v e r b e f o r e h i s s e r v a n t s .

Ill
A Psalm. Of Solomon. Concerning the Righteous.

1 W h y d o y o u s l e e p , mj s o u l , a n d why doyou n o t b l e s s t h e L o r d ?
I (2) S i n g a n e w . s o n g t o G o d w h o is w o r t h y o f p r a i s e .
•1 S i n g a n d b e w a k e f u l in \ i g i l a n c e for h i m ,
F o r p l e a s i n g t o G o d is a p s a l m f r o m a g l a d h e a r t .
3 (3) T h e r i g h t e o u s r e m e m b e r t h e L o r d c o n t i n u a l l y .
W i t h thanksgiving a n d justification, the Lord's
judgements.
4 (4) T h e r i g h t e o u s man w i l l n o t b e h e e d l e s s w h e n c h a s t e n e d b y
the Lord,
H i s g o o d p l e a s u r e is a l w a y s before t h e L o r d ,
.•j (5) T h e r i g h t e o u s man s t u m b l e d , andyel h e l d t h e L o r d r i g h t e o u s ;
H e fell, a n d w a t c h e s w h a t G o d will d o for h i m ,
(6) H e g a z e s e a g e r l y towards the source w h e n c e h i s d e l i v e r a n c e
will c o m e .
fi (7) T h e s t e a d f a s t n e s s o f t h e r i g h t e o u s is f r o m G o d t h e i r s a v i o u r .
I n t h e r i g h t e o u s man's h o u s e s i n h a s n o p e r m a n e n t
lodging':
' I.it. 'In the righteous man'.i house there does not lodge sin upon sin': ep. verse
10(12).
 The Psalms of Solomon 659
7 (8) T l i f r i g h t e o u s man c o n t i n u a l l y s e a r c h e s h i s h o u s e .
S o a s t o rcmoNC u n r i g h t e o u s n e s s a r i s i n g from u n w i t t i n g
sin.
8 (9) H c m a d e a t o n e m e n t f o r sins o / i g n o r a n e e h y f a s t i n g a n d
affliction o f h i s soul;
(10) . \ n d t h e L o r d p u r i f i e s e \ e r y m a n t h a t is h o l y t o g e t h e r w i t h
his house.
9(11) ' L h e s i n n e r s t u m b l e d , a n d h c c u r s e s h i s life,
L h e d a y o l ' h i s b i r t h , a n d his m o t h e r ' s t r a v a i l .
10(12) H e h a s a d d e d s i n s t o s i n s i n h i s l i f e t i m e .
(Ki) H e fell - h o w ' g r i e v o u s h i s fall! .And h c s h a l l n o t r i s e u p .
11 L h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e s i m i e r is f o r e v e r .
(11) . A n d God' w i l l n o t r e m e m b e r h i m w h e n h c v i s i t s t h e
righteous.
12 (I.i) T h i s is t h e p o r t i o n o f s i n n e r s f o r e v e r ;
(16) B u t t h e y t h a t f e a r t h e L o r d s h a l l r i s e t o life e t e r n a l .
. A n d t h e i r life shall be i n t h e l i g h t o f t h e L o r d , a n d s h a l l
c o m e to a n e n d n o more.

1\"

Com-ersation oJ Solomon wilh Ihe men-pleasers.

W h y d o y o u sit, g o d l e s s m a n , in t h e c o u n c i l o f t h e holy.
W h e n ' y o u r h e a r t is f a r r e m o v e d f r o m t h e L o r d ,
P r o v o k i n g w i t h t r a n s g r e s s i o n s t h e Gcxl o f I s r a e l ?
E . x t r a v a g a n t in s p e e c h , c x t r a v a g a i u in a p p e a r a n c e a b o v e all
men.
Is t h e m a n s e v e r e i n s p e e c h w h e n h e c o n d e m n s s i n n e r s i n
judgement.
A n d h i s h a n d is first u p o n h i m a s i/\n z e a l .
W h i l e ' h e is h i m s e l f g u i l t y o f m a n i f o l d s i n s a n d o f
inteiTiperance.

' C k . "bfcau.sc': llu- u n d e r l y i n g Hcb. ky. h o w e v e r , w a s p r o b a h l y e.\elanuiIory

' Ck. 'he'.
 660 The Psalms oJ Solomon
4 H i s eyes a r e upon every w o m a n without discrimination;
His t o n g u e is lying when he makes a contract with an oath.
5 At n i g h t a n d in secret he sins as if he were not seen;
W i t h his eyes he speaks to every w o m a n in evil agreement:
5 (6) H e is quick to e n t e r every house cheerfully as though
w i t h o u t guile.
fi (7) M a y G o d destroy those w h o liv<; in hypocrisy in the c o m p a n y
o f t h e holy:
W i t h c o r r u p t i o n ofhis flesh a n d with penury may God
destroy his life.
7 (ii) M a y G o d reveal the works o f t h e men-pleasers:
\Vith mockery a n d derision may God reveal his works.
8 (9) And m a y t h e holy vindicate the jndgeirient oftheir God,
W h e n sinners are d e s t r o ) e d from the presence o f t h e
righteous -
(10) T h e m a n - p l e a s e r w h o proclaaims the l a w ' with deceit.
9(11) . \ n d their eyes are u p o n the house o f t h e m a n who is in
security.
T h a t like a serpent they m a y destroy each o t h e r ' s ' wisdom
with t r a n s g r e s s o r s ' words.
10 (12) H i s w o r d s a r e deceptions for the a c c o m p l i s h m e n t of an
u n r i g h t e o u s desire:
;13) H e diti not cease until he had succeeded in scattering
families as if'm bereavement:
11 H e laid w a s t e a h o u s e for the sake o f a lawless desire.
(14) H e deceived with w o r d s , saying. T h e r e is no one who sees and
judges.
12 (15) At this he w a s filled with lawlesstiess.
A n d his eyes turned to a n o t h e r house,
T o d e s t r o y it with high-flown words;
13 Yet his soul, like Sheol, is not sated with all these.
14 (16) M a y his portion, L o r d , be d i s h o n o u r e d before thee;
.May he go forth g r o a n i n g , a n d return h o m e cursed.
15 (17) M a y his life be spent in anguish a n d penury a n d want, O
Lord:
^ L i t . ' w h o S p e a k s law'.
^ each other'.s: so the Cxk., but probably corrupt, though no satisiUctory .sugges­
tion has been put forward.
 The Psalms oJ Solomon 661
Ki (IH) M a ) liis s l c t - p hi- besel w i l h g r i f f , a n d h i s w a k i n g w i l h
anxiety.
.May sleep h e laken from his eyelids at night:
. M a y h e fail d i s h o n o u r a b l y in e v e r y w o r k h e u n d e r t a k e s . ' '
17 (I'J) . M a y h e e n t e r h i s h o u s e e m p t y - h a n d e d .
. \ n d m a y h i s h o u s e b e \'oid of e v e r y t h i n g w h e r e w i t h to
satisfy his a p p e t i t e .
18 (L'O) . M a y h i s o l d a g e r i g h t u p t o h i s d e a t h ' be spent in l o n e l i n e s s
without ehildren.
l!i (LM) . M a y t h e f l e s h o f t h e m e n - p l e a s e r s b e l o r n a p a r t b y w i l d
beasts,
. \ n d m a y t h e b o n e s o f t h e l a w l e s s lie d i s h o n o u r e d i n t h e
sight ofthe sun.
a ) (•>•>) . M a y r a v e n s p l u e k o u t t h e e y s o f h y p o c r i t e s ,
('.':i) K o r t h e y h a v e laid w a s t e m a n y h o u s e s of m e n
dishonourably,
. • \ n d h a v e s c a t t e r e d them i n their l u s t ;
21 ('21) . \ n d t h e y w e r e n o t m i n d f u l o f ( J o d ,
N o r d i d t h e y fear G o d in all t h e s e t h i n g s ;
(2:')) .Andthey provoked a n d aroused G o d ' s anger.
•22 .May h c d e s t r o y t h e m from t h e e a r t h .
B e c a u s e with deceit they have beguiled the souls ofthe
innocent.
2 3 (2(i) B l e s s e d a r e t h o s e w h o f e a r t h e L o r d i n t h e i r i n n o c e n c e :
(27) T h e L o r d will d e l i v e r t h e m from deceitful m e n a n d
sinners,
.And h c will d e l i v e r u s from e v e r y s n a r e o f l h e lawless.
24 (28) . M a y G o d d e s t r o y t h o s e w h o i n s o l e n t l y w o r k e v e r y k i n d o f
unrighteousness,
K o r a g r e a l j u d g e , a n d m i g h t y , is t h e I . o r d o u r G o d in
righteousness.
2 5 (28) M a y t h y m e r c y . L o r d , b e u p o n a l l t h o s e w h o l o v e t h e e .

'' I.it.'work ol'his hands'.

' Lit. ' t o his being taken u p ' (cp. Luke ix. 51).
 ()()2 The Psalms of Solomon

A Psalm. OJ Solomon.

1 ( ) L o r d ( J o d , I will p r a i s e t h y n a m e w i t h joy.
I n t h e m i d s t o f t h o s e w h o h a v e k n o w l e d g e of thy r i g h t e o u s
judgements.
2 L o r t h o u a r t g o o d a n d merciful, the refuge o f t h e poor:
2 Ci) W h e n I c r y u n t o t h e e , d o n o t d i s r e g a r d m e in s i l e n c e .
;i (4) F o r n o o n e w i l l t a k e s p o i l f r o m a m i g h t y m a n ;
(.')) And w h o s h a l l t a k e o f a l l t h a t t h o u h a s t m a d e , u n l e s s t h o u
t h y s e l f g i v e it?
4 (()) F o r m a n a n d h i s p o r t i o n lie b e f o r e t h e e in t h e b a l a n c e :
H e c a n n o t m a k e i n c r e a s e b e v o n d w h a t is p r e s c r i b e d b y
thee,'() God.
b (7) W h e n w e a r e a f f l i c t e d w e w i l l c a l l u p o n t h e e I b r h e l p ,
. \ n d t h o u wilt not t u r n back o u r p r a y e r .
Because thou art our God.
fi (fi) .Make not thy h a n d heavy upon us.
Lest, from d i s t r e s s , ' w e sin.
7 (9) . \ n d if t h o u d o s t n o t r e s t o r e ns,yet w e w i l l n o t k e e p a w a y .
B u t u n t o t h e e will w e c o m e .
8 (10) F o r if I h u n g e r , I w i l l c r y u n t o t h e e , ( ) G o d ;
And t h o u w i l t g i v e t o m e .
9 (11) T h o u d o s t f e e d t h e b i r d s a n d t h e fish.
W h e n t h o u givest rain to the s t e p p e s t h a t green grass m a y
spring up,
10 S o a s t o p r o v i d e ' f o d d e r o n t h e s t e p p e for e v e r y l i v i n g
thing;
(12) . A n d if t h e y h u n g e r , t h e y lift t h e i r f a c e t o t h e e .
11 (13) K i n g s a n d r u l e r s a n d p e o p l e s d o s t t h o u n o u r i s h , ( ) G o d ,
A n d w h o is t h e h o p e o f t h e p o o r a n d t h e n e e d y , u n l e s s it b e
thou. Lord?
12 (14) . A n d t h o u w i l t l i s t e n ( f o r w h o is g o o d a n d k i n d b u t t h o u ? ) ,

' Lit. 'f)cyotid thyjudgement'.

' O r 'under restraint'.
' .So the .\ISS. \ ' o n Gebhardt conjectured "Thou hast provided'.
 The Psalms oJ Solomon

M a k i n g g l a d tlic s o u l o l ' t h c h u m b l e by o p e n i n g thy h a n d

in m e r c y ?
13(15) M a n ' s g o o d n e s s is g r u d g i n g a n d . .
A n d if h e r e p e a t il w i t h o u t m u r m u r i n g , t h a t t o o is m a r \ e l -
lous.
14 (Ifi) B u t t h y gift is g r e a t in g o o d n e s s a n d g e n e r o u s ;
. • \ n d h e w h o s e h o p e is i n t h e e w i l l n o t b e s p a r i n g in g i v i n g .
15(17) T h y m e r c y . L o r d , is u p o n t h e w h o l e e a r t h , in g o o d n e s s .
Hi (l(i) H a p p y is t h e m a n w h o m C i o d r e m e m b e r s a n d s u p p l i e s w i t h
w h a t h e n e e d s in m o d e r a t i o n . '
(19) I f m a n h a s a n e x c e s s , then h e s i n s .
17 ('10) S u l f i c i e n t a r e m o d e r a t e m e a n s w i t h r i g h t e o u s n e s s .
. \ n d in t h i s t h e b l e s s i n g of t h e L o r d b e c o m e s a b u n d a n c e
with righteousness.
18 (21) May t h o s e t h a t f e a r t h e L o r d rejoice" in p r o s p e r i t y ,
. \ n d let t h v g o o d n e s s be u p o n I s r a e l in t h y k i n g d o m .
19 B l e s s e d is t h e g l o r y o f t h e L o r d , for h e is o u r k i n g .

VI

In Hope, (y Solomon.

1 H a p p y t h e m a n w h o s e h e a r t is s e t t o c a l l u p o n t h e n a m e o f
the Lord;
2 W h e n h e m a k e s m e n t i o n o f t h e n a m e o f t h e L o r d , h e will
be saved.
2 (3) H i s w a y s are guided by the Lord,
A n d t h e w o r k s o f h i s h a n d s a r e p r o t e c t e d bv t h e L o r d his
God.
3 (4) H i s s o u l will n o t b e d i s t u r b e d w i t h t h e s i g h t of evil d r e a m s :
(5) W h e n h e c r o s s e s r i v e r s , a n d w h e n t h e s e a s toss, h e will n o t
be dismayed.
4 (6) H e a r o s e from his s l e e p a n d blessed t h e n a m e of t h e L o r d :

* Gk. 'and the inorrow' (similarly Syr., expanded), which catmot be right.
Possibly the undedying Hcb. was bmljT ('at a price').
' Lit. 'remembers in due proportion of sufticiency'.
' .May . . . rejoice: .\tSS 'rejoiced'.
 604 The Psalms of Solomon
(7) I n peacofulncss o f h e a r t he s a n g to the n a m e ofhis G o d ;
5 A n d h e e n t r e a t e d t h e L o r d Ibr all his h o u s e h o l d .
(8) A n d t h e L o r d h e a r s ' t h e p r a v e r o f e\. e r v o n e who is in f e a r o f
God:
T h e L o r d g r a n t s every request o f t h e soul that hopes upon
him.
(9) B l e s s e d is t h e L o r d w h o a c t s m e r c i f u l l y t o t h o s e w h o l o v e h i m
in t r u t h .

VII

0/Solomon. 0/turning.'

1 R e m o v e not thy h a b i t a t i o n from us. O G o d ,

Lest t h o s e that h a t e us w i t h o u t c a u s e assail us.
2 F o r t h o u hast rejected them, O God:
L e t n o t t h e i r foot t r a m p l e u p o n t h y h o l y i n h e r i t a n c e .
3 D o t h o u c h a s t e n us in thy g o o d p l e a s u r e ;
V e t g i v e us n o t o v e r t o t h e n a t i o n s .
4 F o r if t h o u s e n d e s t d e a t h .
T h o u t h y s e l f g i v e s t it c h a r g e c o n c e r n i n g u s ;
5 F o r thou art merciful,
.And w i l t not b e a n g r y a n d d e s t r o y us utterly.
6 (5) W h i l e t h y n a m e d w e l l s i n o u r m i d s t , w e s h a l l find m e r c y ,
(ti) .And n o n a t i o n will prevail a g a i n s t us;
7 For thou art our protector,
(7) .And w e s h a l l call u p o n t h e e , a n d t h o u wilt h e a r us;
8 (8) F o r t h o u w i l t p i t y t h e r a c e o f I s r a e l for e v e r .
A n d w i l t n o t r e j e c t us;
9 A n d w e shall be u n d e r t h y y o k e f o r e v e r ,
A n d u n d e r t h e lash of thy c h a s t e n i n g .
10 ( 9 ) T h o u w i l t g u i d e u s i n t h e t i m e t h a t t h o u h e l p c s t u s .
S h o w i n g mercy to the house o f j a c o b on the day thou didst
promise them.

' The Gk. could mean 'conversion' or 'restoration'. Neither, houev

suitable in the light ofthe contents ofthe psalm itself.
 The Psalms of Solomon fiti.i

Of Solomon. For victory.

1 D i s t r e s s a n d tlic s o u n d o f w a r h a s n i y c a r h e a r d .
The noise ol'thc t r u m p e t soundini» o u t slaughter a n d
destruction,
2 T h es o u n d o f m u c h people as o f a great a n d howling wind,'
.\s a hurricane with mighty hre sweeping through the
wilderness.
3 . \ n d I s a i d in m v h e a r t . W h e r e , t h e n , will G o d ' s j u d g e m e n t
be?'
4 I h e a r d t h e s o u n d a t J e r u s a l e m , t h e holy city:
4 (.i) M y l o i n s w e r e b r o k e n a t h e a r i n g (/,
.i (()) .\Iy knees tottered, m y heart w a s afraid.
. \ i y b o n e s w e r e s h a k e n l i k e fla.x.
li (7) I s a i d . T h e y e s t a b l i s h t h e i r w a y s in r i g h t e o u s n e s s .
7 I c o n s i d e r e d the j u d g e m e n t s of (iod since the creation of
heaven a n d earth:
I h e l d G o d r i g h t e o u s in h i s j u d g e m e n t s w h i c h h a v e b e e n
from of old.
8 (8) G o d laid o p e n their sins to t h e s u n ,
.Ml t h e e a r t h c a m e t o k n o w t h e r i g h t e o u s j u d g e m e n t s o f
God.
9 (9) I n h i d d e n p l a c e s b e n e a t h t h e e a r t h iLcre t h e i r i n i q u i t i e s
perjormed i n p r o v o c a t i o n :
(10) T h e y c o m m i t t e d incest, s o n with m o t h e r , a n d father w ith
daughter;
10 (11) I ' h e y c o m m i t t e d a d u l t e r y , e v e r y m a n w i t h h i s n e i g h b o u r ' s
wife.
They m a d e agreements under oath with o n e another
concerning these things.

' f i t . ' o l a n e x a r d i n g l y greal wind'.

-' I.it. 'Where, then, will God judge h i m ? ' - i . e . Israel. 11 is possible, however, that
ihrough a simple misunderstanding on the part ofthe (ik. translator, two pronouns
h a \ e been eimfused - hence the suggested emendation. 'Where, then, will Gtxi
j u d g e us?'
 666 The Psalms of Solomon
11 (12) r h c y p l u n d e r e d t h e s a n c t u a r y ' o f ' G o d ,
A s t h o u g h t h e r e w a s n o heir t o redeem.*'
12;i3,i T h e y t r a m p l e d t h e a l t a r o f t h e I . o r d , c o w / « ^ ,s/ra!^fAM"rom a l l
kinds of u n c l c a n n e s s ,
.And w i t h m e n s t r u a l b l o o d t h e y defiled t h e sacrifices a s
though they were c o m m o n flesh,
l.'i (14) T h e y left n o s i n u n d o n e , w h e r e i n t h e y d i d n o t s u r p a s s t h e
heathen.
14 [\b] T h e r e f o r e G o d r n i x t ; d f o r t h e m a s p i r i t t o m i s l e a d them,
. A n d g a v e t h e m t o d r i n k a c u p o f u n d i l u t e d w i n e t o make
them d r u n k .
I.T (ifi) H e b r o u g h t the man t h a t is f r o m t h e e n d o f t h e e a r t h , the man
w h o s e l a s h is r u t h l e s s : '
(17! H e deterniined u p o n w a r against J e r u s a l e m a n d h e r land.
16 18) T h e r u l e r s o f t h e l a n d w e n t t o t n e e t h i m w i t h j o y .
T h e y s a i d t o h i r n , W e l c o m e is y o u r j o u r n e y ! C o m e , e n t e r
in w i t h p e a c e .
17(19) T h e y l e v e l l e d o u l t h e r o u g h w a y s b e l b r e h i s e n t e r i n g i n .
T h e y o p e n e d t h e g a t e s t o j e r u s a l e m , t h e y c r o w n e d its
walls.
IB ('20) H e e n t e r e d , a s a f a t h e r enters h i s s o n s ' h o u s e , i n p e a c e :
H e s e t d o w n h i s feet w i t h g r e a t a s s u r a n c e .
19 (21) H e t o o k p o s s e s s i o n o l ' h e r f o r t i f i e d t o w e r s , a n d o f t h e w a l l o f
Jerusalem;
(22) F o r G o d led h i m o n in a s s u r a n c e , while they w e n t astray.
20 (23) H e p u t t o d e a t h t h e i r r u l e r s , a n d e v e r y m a n w i s e i n c o u n s e l :
H e poured out the blood ofthe inhabitants ofjerusalem
like u n c l e a n w a t e r :
21 (24) H e l e d a w a y t h e i r s o n s a n d d a u g h t e r s , w h o m t h e y h a d
b e g o t t e n in defilement.
'22 (25) T h e y d i d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r u n c l c a n n e s s , a s t h e i r f a t h e r s had
done:
(26) I h e y defiled J e r u s a l e m a n d t h e things con.secrated to t h e
n a m e of God.

I.it. 'lhc holy things'.

i.e. to recover vvhal had been taken avvay.
Lit. 'hitn wliostnites mightily'.
 The Psalms of Solomon 667
23 (27) G o d is s t i o w n r i g h t e o u s i n h i s j u d g e m e n t s a m o n g t l i e n a t i o n s
ofthe earth;
(28) A n d t h e h o l y o n e s o f G o d a r e l i k e l a m b s i n n o c e n t in t h e i r
midst.
24 (29) W o r t h y t o b e p r a i s e d is t h e L o r d w h o j u d g c s t h e w h o l e e a r t h
in his r i g h t e o u s n e s s .
25 (30) B e h o l d n o w , O G o d , t h o u h a s t s h o w n u s t h y j u d g m e n t in t h y
righteousness:
(31) O u r eyes have seen thy ju d g e me n ts , O God.
2(i W e h a v e j u s t i f i e d t h y n a m e t h a t is h o n o u r e d for e v e r ;
(32) L o r t h o u art the G o d of r i g h t e o u s n e s s , w h o judges Israel
with discipline.
27 (33) T u r n , O G o d , t h y m e r c y u p o n u s .
A n d h a v e pity on us:
28 (.34) G a t h e r t o g e t h e r t h e d i s p e r s i o n o f I s i a e l w i t h m e r c y a n d
goodness,
(35) F o r t h y f a i t h f u l n e s s is w i t h u s .
29 A n d w e stiffened o u r neck;
And thou art our chastener.
.30 (36) D i s r e g a r d u s n o t , O o u r ( J o d ,
L e s t t h e n a t i o n s s w a l l o w us u p , as t h o u g h t h e r e w e r e n o n e
to deliver.
31 (37) B u t t h o u a r t o u r G o d f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g ;
A n d u p o n t h e e is o u r h o p e , O Lord.
32 (38) A n d w e s h a l l n o t b e d i s t a n t f r o m t h e e ,
Yor t h y j u d g e m e n t s u p o n u s are g o o d .
33 (39) L ' p o n u s a n d o u r c h i l d r e n is thy g o o d w i l l f o r e v e r :
O L o r d o u r Saviour, w c shall never m o r e be moved.
34 (40) W o r t h y o f p r a i s e for h i s j u d g e m e n t s is t h e L o r d b y t h e m o u t h
ofhis holy ones;
A n d I s r a e l is b l e s s e d b y t h e L o r d for e v e r .

IX

Of Solomon. For rebuke.

I W h e n I s r a e l w a s l e d a w a y in c a p t i v i t y t o a f o r e i g n l a n d ,
W h e n t h e y fell a w a y f r o m t h e L o r d w h o r e d e e m e d t h e m .
 668 The Psalms of Solomon
1 (2; T ' h e y w e r e c a s t o u t frotn t h e i n h e r i t a n c e w h i c h t h e L o r d
had given them.
2 T h e d i s p e r s i o n o f I s r a e l was a m o n g e \ e r y n a t i o n , a c c o r d i n g
to t h e word of G o d ,
(3) ' l h a t t h o u m i g h t e s t b e j u s t i f i e d , O G o d , in t h y
righteousness by reason ofour transgressions;
(4) F o r t h o u a r t a j u s t j u d g e over all the peoples of the earth.
3 (5) F o r n o o n e w h o d o e s evil shall b e h i d d e n from t h y k n o w l e d g e ,
{6} A n d t h e r i g h t e o u s d e e d s o f t h y h o l y o n e s are b e l b r e t h e e , O
Lord;
, \ n d w h e r e shall m a n hide himself from t h v knowledge, O
God?.
4 (7) O u r a c t i o n s ' are s u b j e c t t o o u r o w n c h o i c e a n d f r e e d o m o f
will.
T o d o r i g h t o r w r o n g in t h e w o r k s o f o u r h a n d s ;
(8) And i n t h y r i g h t e o u s n e s s d o s t t h o u v i s i t t h e s o n s o f t n e n .
f> ( 9 ) . A n d h e w h o d o e s r i g h t l a y s u p life f o r h i m s e l f w i t h t h e L o r d .
.And h e w h o d o e s w r o n g is r e s p o n s i b l e for h i s o w n
destruction;
(10) F o r t h e j u d g e m e n t s o f t h e L o r d are given i n r i g h t e o u s n e s s
f o r e a c h m a n a n d his h o u s e .
() (11) U n t o w h o m w i l t t h o u s h o w k i n d n e s s , O G o d , if it b e n o t t o
t h e m t h a t call u p o n t h e L o r d ?
(12) H e w i l l p u r i f y a s o u l i n s i n w h e n c o n f e s s i o n and
a c k n o w l e d g e m e n t is made;
(13) F o r s h a m e is u p o n u s a n d u p o n o u r f a c e s o n a c c o u n t o f a l l
these things.
7 ( 1 4 ) A n d t o w h o m w i l l h e f o r g i v e s i n s , if it b e n o t t o t h o s e w h o
have sinned?
(l.i) T h o u s h a l t b l e s s t h e r i g h t e o u s a n d n o t c a l l Ihem t o a c c o u n t '
for t h e s i n s t h e y h a v e c o m m i t t e d ;
.And t h y g o o d n e s s is u p o n s i n n e r s w h e n t h e y r e p e n t .
8(16) A n d now, thou a r t owrGod, a n d w eare thepeople wht)m thou
hast loved:

' I.it. 'works'.

^ T h e sense o f t h e verb is uncertain - possibly 'atid wilt thou not guide Ihem (ii
cases where they have sinned)?'
 The Psalms oJ Solomon 669
L o o k a n d s h o w p i t y , ( ) O o d o f I s r a e l , Tor w e a r e t h i n e ;
.And r e m o v e n o t t h y m e r e y from u s , lest t h e y a s s a i l u s .
9 (17) L o r t h o u d i d s t c h o o s e t h e s e e d o t ' . A h r a h a t n a b o v e a l l t h e
nations,
.And d i d s t set thy n a m e u p o n us, ( ) L o r d ;
(18) A n d t h o u wilt never cast us oIL'
10 I h o u didst m a k e a c o v e n a n t with o u r lathers concerning us;
(19) . A n d w e s h a l l h o p e in t h e e , a s o t i r s o u l s t u r n lo thee.
T h e m e r c y o f t h e L o r d he u p o n t h e h o u s e o f I s r a e l for e v e r
a n d ever.

.1 Hymn. Of Solomon.

1 H a p p y is t h e m a n w h o m t h e L o r d r e m e m b e r s b y giving a
reproof,
. A n d w h o is f e n c e d o l F f r o m t h e e v i l r o a d b y a w h i p .
T h a t h e m a y b e c l e a n s e d o f s i t i , s o a s n o t t o m u l t i p l y il.
2 H c w h o p r e p a r e s h i s b a c k for l a s h e s s h a l l b e p u r i f i e d ;
L o r t h e L o r d is g o o d t o t h o s e w h o e n d u r e his d i s c i p l i n e .
2 (3) F o r h e will m a k e s t r a i g h t th( w a y s o f t h e r i g h t e o u s , a n d not
t u r n them a s i d e b y d i s c i p l i n e ;
3 (t) . A n d t h e m e r c y o f t h e L o r d is u p o n t h o s e w h o l o v e h i m in
truth.
4 . A n d t h e I . o r d w i l l r e m e m b e r h i s s e r v a n t s in m e r c y ;
(5) For t h e t e s t i m o n y is in t h e l a w o f t h e e v e r l a s t i n g c o v e n a n t .
T h e t e s t i m o n y o f t h e L o r d f o r t h e w a y s o f m e n a t his
visitiation.
b (6) J u s t a n d h o l y is o u r L o r d i n h i s j u d g e m e n t s for e v e r .
A n d Israel shall praise the n a m e ofthe Lord with gladness,
6 (7) A n d t h e h o l y o n e s s h a l l g i v e t h a n k s in t h e a s s e m b l y o f t h e
people;

' Lit. '.And thou wilt not rest (or cease') for ever": von Ccbhardt, by eonjectu
'and thou wilt not reject us for ever".

' Lit. "encircled": Syr. (by emending the Gk.) "restrained".

 670 The Psalms of Solomon
A n d u p o n t h e poor shall G o d have mercy, to the joy of
Israel.
7 (8) F o r G o d is e t e r n a l l y g o o d a n d m e r c i f u l ,
.And t h e c o n g r e g a t i o n s o f I s r a e l shall glorify t h e n a m e o f
the Lord.
8 T h e s a l v a t i o n o f t h e L o r d be u p o n t h e h o u s e o f I s r a e l f o r
everlastingjoy.

XI

OJ Solomon. For expectation.

I .Sound in Sion t h e t r u m p e t to s u m m o n t h e saints,

1 (2) P r o c l a i m inJ e r u s a l e m t h e voice of him w h obrings good
tidings
T h a t t h eG o d of Israel h a ss h o w n mercy in hisvisitation of
them.
2 (3) S t a n d u p o n t h e h e i g h t , O J e r u s a l e m , a n d b e h o l d y o u r
children.
F r o m t h eeast a n d the west, gathered together by the Lord.
3 (4) F r o m t h e n o r t h t h e y c o m e i n t h e j o y o f t h e i r G o d :
FVom t h e i s l a n d s far a w a y h a s G o d g a t h e r e d t h e m .
4 (5) H i g h m o u n t a i n s h a s h e m a d e l o w t o make a p l a i n f o r t h e m :
(6) T h e h i l l s fled a t t h e i r a p p r o a c h .
5 T h e woods gave them shade as they passed by:
(7) G o d caused t o s p r i n g u p f o r t h e m e v e r y kind oJ s w e e t -
scented tree;
() T h a t Israel m i g h t pass b y a t t h e visitiation of the glory of
their God.
7 (8) P u t o n , O J e r u s a l e m , t h e g a r m e n t s o f y o u r g l o r y :
M a k e r e a d y t h e r o b e of y o u r consecration;
F o r G o d h a s s p o k e n g o o d concerning I s r a e l , f o r e v e r a n d
ever.
8 (9) M a y t h e L o r d p e r f o r m w h a t h e h a s s p o k e n c o n c e r n i n g I s r a e l
and Jerusalem:
M a y t h e L o r d raise u p Israel by hisglorious n a m e .
9 T h e m e r c y o f t h e L o r d be u p o n I s r a e l f o r e v e r a n d e v e r .
 The Psalms oJ Solomon G 71

XII

Of Solomon. .iQainsI Ihe longue of lawless men.

1 O Lorci, d e l i v e r m y soul from t h e lawless a n d wicked m a n .

F r o m t h e t o n g u e t h a t is l a w l e s s a n d s l a n d e r o u s ,
.•\nd w h i c h u t t e r s lies a n d d e c e i t .
2 Inhnitely agile a r e the words o l t h c tongue ofthe wicked
man.
Like h r e b u r n i n g u p stubble on a threshing-floor.'
i The purpose o / h i s s o j o u r n is t o h l l h o u s e h o l d s w i t h a l y i n g
tongue.
T o c u t d o w n t h e trees of the jov that sets t h e lawless on
fire,'
3 (4) ' L o c o n f o u n d h o u s e h o l d s ' in w a r f a r e b y m e a n s of
s l a n d e r o u s lips.
4 M a y G o d r e m o v e far from t h e i n n o c e n t t h e lips o f t h e lawless
b y bringing them to w a n t ;
. - \ n d m a y t h e b o n e s o f s l a n d e r e r s b e s c a t t e r e d Jar f r o m
t h o s e w h o fear t h e L o r d :
(5) M a y t h e s l a n d e r o u s t o n g u e p e r i s h i n f l a m i n g fire Jar f r o m
the holy.
3 (6) M a y t h e L o r d preserve t h e quiet soul that hates t h e unjust;
And m a y t h e L o r d g u i d e t h e m a n w h o m a k e s p e a c e i n t h e
home.
6 (7) T h e s a l v a t i o n o f t h e L o r d be u p o n I s r a e l h i s s e r v a n t f o r e v e r ;
.And m a y s i n n e r s p e r i s h a l t o g e t h e r a t t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e
Lord;
.And m a y t h e holy o n e s o f t h e L o r d inherit t h e p r o m i s e s of
the Lord.

' So one .MS (H), though this may t)c a secondary conjecture to mal^e sense ofthe
difficult reading ofthe other MSS and Syr. (Mike fire among tlie people burning up
its b e a u t y ' ) .
' Both text and interpretation of tliis verse are very uncertain. 'The trees ofjoy'
arc probably the righteous: 'on hre' - sc. with envy?
' Text, 'law4ess households'; but the adjective is probably by dittography from
the preceding line.
 ()72 The Psalms oJ Solomon

XIII

Of Solomon. A Psalm, (.'omjorl Jor Ihe righteous.

1 The r i g h t h a n d o l ' t h c I . o r d s h e l t e r e d m e .
T h e right h a n d ol'the Lord spared us:
2 l h c a r m o l ' t h e L o r d s a v e d us from t h e s w o r d that passes
through,'
F r o m famine a n d the death ofsitmers.
;i Lvil beasts rushed u p o n them:
W i t h their teeth they tore their llesh.
W i t h their fangs they c r u s h e d their bones,
•t (:)) B u t f r o m a l l t h e s e t h e L o r d d e l i \ creel u s .
b (4) I h e godly' m a n w a s t r o u b l e d o n a c c o u n t o f h i s e r r o r s .
Lest he should be taken a w a y along with the simiers;
f) (.1) F o r t h e o v e r t h r o w o f t h e s i n n e r is t e r r i b l e .
B u t n o t o n e of these things shall touch t h e righteous.
7 ((i) F o r t h e c h a s t e n i n g o f t h e r i g h t e o u s / o r sins done in i g n o r a n c e
.'\nd t h e o v e r t h r o w ol'the sinners a r e not alike:
8 (7) T h e r i g h t e o u s is c h a s t e n e d w i t h c i r c u m s p e c t i o n .
S o t h a t t h e s i n n e r m a y n o t rejoice over t h e righteous;
9 (8) F o r h e will a d m o n i s h t h e r i g h t e o u s a s a beloved s o n .
A n d h i s c h a s t i s e m e n t is t h a t o f a f i r s t b o r n ;
10 (9) F o r t h e L o r d will s p a r e his holy o n e s ,
. A n d w i l l w i p e o u t t h e i r e r r o r s b y means oy d i s c i p l i n e .
11 F"or t h e life o f t h e j u s t is f o r e v e r .
(10) B u t sinners shall be taken a w a y into destruction,
A n d their m e m o r i a l shall be found no more.
1 2 ( 1 1 ) B u t u p o n t h e h o l y is t h e m e r c y o f t h e L o r d ,
.And u p o n t h o s e w h o fear h i m h i s m e r c y .

' Sc. l h c l a n d ( c p . K z c k . x i v . 1 7 ) .
' S o U c l l h a u s c n , by a n easy e m e n d a t i o n : M S S •ungtxily'.
 The Psalms qf Solomon 673

XIV

.1 Hymn. Oj Solomon.

1 F a i t h f u l is t h e L o r d t o t h o s e w h o l o \ e h i m in t r u t h ,
Lo t h o s e w h o e n d u r e his discipline,
2(1) F o t h o s e w h o w a l k in t h e r i g h t e o u s n e s s o f h i s o r d i n a n c e s .
I n t h e l a w w h i c h h e c o m m a n d e d us t h a t w e m i g h t live.
i (2) T h e L o r d ' s h o l y o n e s s h a l l l i v e b y it for e v e r :
T h e g a r d e n o f t h e Ltird. t h e trees oflifc, a r e his holy o n e s .
+ Ci) T h e i r p l a n t i n g is r o o t e d for e v e r :
' I h e y s h a l l n o t b e p u l l e d u p all t h e d a y s o f h c a v e n ;
.i F o r t h e p o r t i o n a n d t h e i n h e r i t a n c e o f G o d is I s r a e l ,
fi (4) But not so are the sinners a n d lawless ones.
W h o p r e f e r r e d a d a y in t h e c o m p a n i o n s h i p o f t h e i r s i n :
7 I h c i r d e s i r e w a s for t h e b r i e f n e s s of c o r r u p t i o n ,
(.i) . \ n d they r e m e m b e r e d not God.
8 F o r t h e w a y s of m e n a r e k n o w n b e f o r e h i m a t all t i m e s ,
. \ n d h e k n o w s the s e c r e t s ' o f t h e h e a r t before they c o m e to
pass.
9 (ti) F h e r e f o r e t h e i r i n h e r i t a n c e is .Sheol a n d d a r k n e s s a n d
destruction,
. A n d t h e y s h a l l n o t b e f o u n d in t h e d a y w h e n t h e r i g h t e o u s
obtain mercy.
10(7) B u t t h e L o r d ' s h o l y o n e s s h a l l i n h e r i t life w i t h j o y .

XV

A Psalm. OJ Solomon. With a Song.

1 W h e n I w a s in d i s t r e s s I c a l l e d u p o n t h e n a m e o f t h e L o r d ,
I h o p e d for t h e h e l p o f t h e G o d o f j a c o b , a n d w a s s a v e d ;
I (2) F o r t h o u a r t the h o p e a n d the refuge o f t h e poor, O G o d .

' I.il. 'slorf-houscs'.

 674 The Psalms of Solomon
'1 (3) F o r w h o , O G o d , is s t r o n g , e x c e p t t o g i v e t h a n i < s t o l l i e e i n
truth?
(4) .And h o w c a n a m a n s h o w his p o w e r . ' e x c e p t in g i v i n g
thanits to thy n a m e ?
:i (.i; \ n e w p s a l m w i t h s o n g in g l a d n e s s o f h e a r t .
F h e f r u i t o f t h e l i p s t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e t o n g u e in h a r m o n y , '
' F h e first-fruits o f t h e l i p s f r o m a h o l y a n d r i g h t e o u s h e a r t -
4 (()) H e w l i o p e r f o r m s t h e s e t h i n g s s h a l l n e v e r h e s h a k e n b y e v i l :
I h e flame o f fire a n d t h e w r a t h a g a i n s t t h e u n r i g h t e o u s
shall not touch h i m ,
b (7) W h e n it g o e s f o r t h f r o m b e l b r e t h e L o r d a g a i n s t s i n n e r s ,
I o d e s t r o y all t h e s u b s t a n c e of s i n n e r s ;
(> (8) F o r t h e m a r k o f G o d is u p o n t h e r i g h t e o u s for s a l v a t i o n ,
7 F a m i n e a n d s w o r d a n d d e a t h shall be f a r f r o m t h e r i g h t e o u s ,
(!)) P ' o r t h e y s h a l l flee f r o m t h e h o l y a s m e n p u r s u e d i n war;'
8 B u t t h e y s h a l l p u r s u e s i n n e r s a n d o v e r t a k e them,
.And t h o s e w h o a c t lawlessly shall n o t e s c a p e t h e
Judgement ofthe Lord:
y .As b y e n e m i e s s k i l l e d in war s h a l l t h e y b e o v e r t a k e n ,
(10) F o r t h e m a r k o f d e s t r u c t i o n is u p o n t h e i r f o r e h e a d .
10(11) . A n d t h e i n h e r i t a n c e o f s i n n e r s is d e s t r u c t i o n a n d d a r k n e s s ,
.And t h e i r iniquities shall p u r s u e t h e m to Sheol below:
11 (12) I h e i r i n h e r i t a n c e s h a l l n o t b e f o u n d b y t h e i r c h i l d r e n ,
(1 ;i) F o r sins shall devastate t h e houses of sinners;
12 . A n d s i n n e r s s h a l l p e r i s h for e v e r o n t h e d a y o f t h e L o r d ' s
Judgement,
(14) W h e n G o d visits t h e e a r t h w i t h his j u d g e m e n t .
13(15) B u t t h o s e w h o f e a r t h e L o r d s h a l l find m e r c y o n i t .
.And s h a l l live b y t h e c o m p a s s i o n o f t h e i r G o d ;
But sinners shall perish eternally.

' I.il. '.Viicl w l i t T c i n is a man iniijlity'.

•' I.il. •The I'ruii ol'thc lips with a wcll-iuncd insirumenl o l l h c tongue'.
' The .\ISS read famine'.
 The Psalms of Solomon (

XVI

.1 Hym. Of Solomon. For Help lo lhe Holy.

W h e n m y soul s l u m b e r e d , a w a y from t h e L o r d . I a l m o s t
slipped
I n t h e l e t h a r g y o f t h e s l e e p of those' f a r f r o m ( i o d -
M y soul w a salmosi poured o u t to death,
C l o s e lo t h e gates of Sheol, alongside the siimer.
W i t h m y soul s e p a r a t e d from t h e Lord ( i o d o f l s r a e l -
H a d n o l t h e L o r d s u c c o u r e d m c in his e v e r l a s t i n g m e r c y .
H e g o a d e d m e , a s a h o r s e is s p u r r e d , t o a w a k e n m e t o h i m ,
.My s a v i o u r a n d h e l p e r a t a l l t i m e s s a \ e d m e .
I w i l l g i v e t h a n k s t o t h e e , ( ) G o d , for t h o u d i d s t h e l p m e , t o
s a v e me,
. • \ n d t h o u d i d s t n o t r e c k o n m c a m o n g s i m i e r s for
destruction.
R e m o v e n o t t h y m e r c y from m e , ( ) Ciod,
X o r m i n d f u l n e s s of thee from m y heart until d e a t h .
H o l d m e b a c k ' from wicked sin,O G o d ,
. A n d f r o m e v e r y w i c k e d ' w o m a n w h o c a u s e s t h e Ibolisli t o
stumble;
.And let n o t t h e b e a u t y o f a w o m a n w h o acts lawlessly beguile
me,
. \ o r t h a t of a n y useless t h i n g w h i c h l a k e s its origin in s i n .
D i r e c t t h e w o r k s o f m y h a n d s before t h e e . ' '
.And p r e s e r v e m y footsteps in t h e m i n d f u l n e s s of thee.
K e e p m y t o n g u e a n d m y lips in w o r d s of t r u t h :
.Anger a n d u n r e a s o n i n g w r a t h r e m o v e far from m e .
C o m p l a i n t a n d f a i n t - h e a r t e d n e s s in alTliction k e e p far from
me.
W h e n , i f i s i n , t h o u c h a s t e n e s t m e t o t u r n me b a c k .

' Rt-ading J6JV lor r ^ .

' I.it. 'prevail over me'.
' Possibly read J i o e v f t a ; ('ol'imch.istity') Ibr .-roiTjeti; ('wieked').
'' .M.S.S 'in thy place'.
 ()7(j The Psalms of Solomon
V> B u i c o n f i r m m y s o u l w i t h g o o d will a n d c h e e r f u l n e s s :
W h e n t h o u s t r e n g t h e n e s l m y s o u l , w h a t is g i v e n me w i l l
sulfice m e .
13 F o r if t h o u s t r e n g t h e n e s t n o t .
W h o will e n d u r e c h a s t i s e m e n t in p e n u r y ?
14 W h e n a m a n is r e b u k e d b e c a u s e o f h i s c o r r u p t i o n .
T h y t e s t i n g of him is i n h i s flesh a n d i n t h e a l l l i c t i o n o f
penury.
l.T I f t h e r i g h t e o u s e n d u r e s in all these, h e shall receive m e r c y
from t h e Lord.

\ \ II

A Psalm. OJ Solomon. With Song. Of the King.

1 ( ) L o r d , t h o u a r t o u r k i n g for e v e r a n d e v e r .
F o r in thee, O G o d , shall o u r soul glory.
2 W h a t is t h e d u r a t i o n o f m a n ' s life u p o n e a r t h ?
. \ s a r e h i s d a y s , s o is h i s h o p e s e t u p o n t h e m .
3 B u t w e will h o p e in G o d o u r s a v i o u r ;
F ' o r t h e m i g h t o f o u r G o d is l o r e v e r w i t h m e r c y ,
3 (4) . A n d t h e k i n g d o m o f o u r G o d is l o r e \ e r o v e r t h e n a t i o n s i n
judgement.
4(5) T ' h o u , L o r d , d i d s t c h o o s e D a v i d a s k i n g o \ e r I s r a e l ,
. A n d t h o u d i d s t s w e a r t o h i m c o n c e r n i n g h i s p o s t e r i t y for
ever,
' F h a t h i s k i n g d o m w o u l d n o t fail b e f o r e t h e e .
5 (6) B u t , for o u r sins, there rose u p against us sinners:
T h e y a s s a i l e d u s a n d t h r u s t u s o u t {they t o w h o m t h o u d i d s t
give n o promise),
(7) T h e y took possession with violence, a n d did not praise thy
honourable name.
6 ' F h e y s e t u p in s p l e n d o u r a k i n g d o m in t h e i r p r i d e , '
(8) T h e y laid w a s t e t h e t h r o n e o f D a v i d in t h e a r r o g a n c e of
their f o r t u n e . '

' Till- sense ofthe CJk. is uncertain: possibly 'as a result oftheir elevati<
- Lit. 'change' (i.e. of fate).
 The Psalms of Solomon iMl
7 A t u i t h o u . ( ) CJod. w i h o v e r t h r o w t h c n i a n d w i h r e m o v e their
ofrspring from the eartli,
(9) W l i e n t h e r e r i s e s u p a g a i n s t t h e m a m a n t l i a t is l o r e i g n t o
our race.
8 (10) . \ c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r s i n s w i l t t h o u r e c o m p e n s e t h e m . C) CJod,
T h a t it m a y b e f a l l t h e m a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r w o r k s .
9(11) ( J o d w i l l s h o w t h e m n o p i t y .
H c s o u g h t o u t t h e i r o f f s p r i n g , a n d let n o t o n e o f t h e m g o .
10 (12) F a i t h f u l is t h e F o r d i n a l l h i s j u d g e m e n t s w h i c h h c p e r f o r m s
on earth.
11 (i:t) F h e l a w l e s s o n e l a i d w a s t e o u r l a n d s o t h a t n o n e i n h a b i t e d it:
They d e s t r o y e d y o u n g a n d old a n d their children together.
12 (11) I n t h e w r a t h o f h i s a n g e r ' h e s e n t t h e m o l f t o t h e w e s t ,
. A n d t h e r u l e r s o f t h e l a n d he exposed t o d e r i s i o n w i t h o u t
mercy.
l;i (13) I n his f o r e i g n w a y s t h e e n e m y a c t e d a r r o g a n t l y ,
. A n d h i s h e a r t w a s a l i e n f r o m o u r CJod.
I t (Hi; . A n d e v e r y t h i n g h c d i d i n J e r u s a l e m
W a s i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h w h a t t h e h e a t h e n do i n t h e i r s t r o n g
cities.''
15 (17) . A n d t h e c h i l d r e n o f t h e c o v e n a n t r u l e d o v e r t h e m amonii;
p e o p l e s of m i x e d origin:
T h e r e w a s not a m o n g them one w h o dealt honestly and
f a i t h f u l l y in t h e m i d s t o f J e r u s a l e m .
10 (18) F h o s e w h o l o v e d t h e a s s e m b l i e s o f t h e h o l y fled f r o m t h e m ,
.As s p a r r o w s s c a t t e r e d f r o m t h e i r n e s t .
17 (19) T h e y r o a m e d a b o u t i n d e s e r t e d p l a c e s t h a t t h e i r s o u l s m i g h t
be preserved from harm;
.•\nd p r e c i o u s in t h e eyes of t h o s e w h o lived a b r o a d w a s a n y
t h a t e s c a p e d alive from them.
18 (20) O v e r t h e w h o l e e a r t h w e r e t h e y s c a t t e r e d b y l a w l e s s m e n .
(21) F o r t h e h e a v e n s w i t h h e l d the rain from d r o p p i n g u p o n the
earth:

' CJk. 'beauty', which can hardly be right. Perhaps an original Heb. 'pyii ('his
anger') was misread as i/»iu- ('his Ix-auty'). or alternatively the (ik. xOXXovq
('beauty') may be a corruption ofKa-ivoC ('smoke' - i.e. 'in his smoking anger', cp.
Isa. Ixv. 5).
' .M.SS 'in their cities to their gods'.
 678 The Psalms of Solomon
19 The p e r e n n i a l springs from the deeps were stopped up, an</
the streams from the high m o u n t a i n s stayed;
F o r t h e r e w a s n o n e a m o n g them who dealt righteously and
justly.
20 F r o m their ruler to the lowest o f t h e people, they were utterly
sinful:
(22) T h e king was a transgressor, a n d the judge disobedient,
a n d t h e people sinful.
21 (23) B e h o l d , O L o r d , a n d raise up for them their king, the son of
David,
F o r t h e t i m e which thou didst foresee, O God, that he may
reign over Isrei thy servant.
22 (24) A n d gird h i m with strength, that he may s h a t t e r unrighteous
rulers;
(25) And purify J e r u s a l e m of the nations which t r a m p l e her
d o w n in destruction.
23 (26) I n w i s d o m , in righteousness, m a y he e x p c F sinners from the
inheritance:
M a y he s m a s h ' the sinner's a r r o g a n c e like a potter's
vessel.
24 W i t h a rod of iron m a y he b r e a k ' in pieces all their substance:
(27) M a y he d e s t r o y ' the lawless nations by the word ofhis
mouth,
25 So t h a t , at his r e b u k e , nations flee before him;
A n d m a y he r e p r o v e ' sinners by the word oftheir own
hearts.
26 (28) A n d he shall g a t h e r together a holy people, w h o m he shall
lead in righteousness.
A n d he shall j u d g e the tribes o f t h e people which has been
sanctified by the Lord his G o d .
27 (29) A n d h e shall not p e r m i t unrighteousness to lodge any more
in their midst.
N o r shall there dwell with t h e m any m a n with knowledge
of wickedness;
(30) F o r he shall know t h e m , t h a t they a r e all sons oftheir G o d .

' T h e s e verbs could be taken as infinitives rather than optatives (i.e. following
'gird h i m . . . t h a t . . . ' ) .
 The Psalms oJ Solomon 679
28 A n d h c shall divide t h e m u p by their tribes over the land:
(31) N e i t h e r s e t t l e r n o r a l i e n shall live a m o n g t h e m a n y m o r e .
29 H c shall j u d g e p e o p l e s a n d n a t i o n s in t h e w i s d o m o f h i s
righteousness. Sclah.
30 (32) - A n d h e s h a l l h a v e t h e p e o p l e s o f t h e G e n t i l e s t o s e r v e h i m
u n d e r his yoke;
A n d h c s h a l l glorify t h e L o r d a t t h ec e n t r e * o f a l l t h e e a r t h ,
(33) A n d h c s h a l l p u r i f y J e r u s a l e m , m a k i n g it h o l y a s o f o l d ;
31 (34) S o t h a t n a t i o n s s h a l l c o m e f r o m t h e e n d s o f t h e e a r t h t o s e c
his glory.
B r i n g i n g a s gifts h e r s o n s w h o h a d f a i n t e d ,
(35) A n d t o s e c t h e glory o f t h e L o r d , w i t h w h i c h G o d glorified
her.
32 A n d h e shall he a r i g h t e o u s k i n g , t a u g h t b y G o d , o v e r t h e m ,
(36) A n d t h e r e s h a l l b e n o u n r i g h t e o u s n e s s in his d a y s in t h e i r
midst,
F o r all shall b e holy, a n d their king the anointed Lord.
33 (37) . ' \ n d h c s h a l l n o t p u t h i s t r u s t i n h o r s e a n d r i d e r a n d b o w .
N o r s h a l l h e i n c r e a s e h i s s t o r e o f g o l d a n d silver for w a r .
N o r s h a l l h e c o n c e n t r a t e his h o p e s o n n u m b e r s f o r t h e d a y
of battle.
34 (.38) T h e L o r d h i m s e l f w h i s k i n g , t h e h o p e o f h i m w h o is s t r o n g i n
the hope ofGod;
A n d h e s h a l l h a v e m e r c y o n a l l t h e n a t i o n s that stand before
h i m in fear.
35 (.39) F o r h e w i l l s m i t e t h e e a r t h w i t h t h e w o r d o f h i s m o u t h f o r
ever:
(40) H e will bless t h e p e o p l e o f t h e L o r d with wi.sdom a n d joy;
36 (41) A n d h e h i m s e l f w p u r e f r o m s i n , s o t h a t h c m a y r u l e a g r e a t
people,
T h a t h e m a y rebuke rulers, a n d remove sinners by the
m i g h t ofhis word.
37 (42) A n d d u r i n g h i s d a y s h e s h a l l n o t b e w e a k e n e d , relying o n h i s
God;

' Lit. ' m a r k ' (i.e. navel). Others take the phrase as 'conspicuously before'; but it
is doubtful wficther the Gk. can bear this meaning.
 680 The Psalms of Solomon

F o r G o d c r e a t e d h i m s t r o n g in t h e h o l y s p i r i t ,
A n d w i s e in p r u d e n t c o u n s e l , t o g e t h e r w i t h s t r e n g t h a n d
righteousness;
38 (43; . A n d t h e b l e s s i n g o f t h e L o r d is w i t h h i m p r o \ i d i n g ' s t r e n g t h .
.And h e s h a l l n o t b e w e a k e n e d .
39 ;+4; H i s h o p e is u p o n t h e L o r d :
W h o then can prevail against him -
40 S t r o n g in his w o r k s , a n d m i g h t y in t h e fear of G o d ,
f4.')) S h e p h e r d i n g t h e flock o f t h e L o r d f a i t h f u l l y a n d r i g h t e o u s ! )
. A n d h e w i l l n o t l e t a n y a m t ) n g t h e m l a n g u i s h in t h e i r
pasturing.
41 (46) . A n d h e s h a l l l e a d t h e m in e q u i t y ;
A n d t h e r e s h a l l b e n o a r r o g a n c e a m o n g t h e m t h a t a n \ of
thetn should be oppressed.
42 (47) L h i s is t h e m a j e s t y o f t h e k i n g o f I s r a e l , o f w h i c h G o d h a s
knowledge.
S o a s t o r a i s e h i m u p o v e r t h e h o u s e of Israel, to e d u c a t e
thein.
43 (48) H i s w o r d s are r e f i n e d m o r e t h a n t h e v e r y c h o i c e s t g o l d :
I n t h e a s s e m b l i e s h e will a d m i n i s t e r justice to the tribes of
a p e o p l e t h a t h a s b e e n sanctified:',
(49) H i s w o r d s are a s t h e w o r d s o f h o l y men a m i d s t s a n c t i f i e d
peoples.
44 (50) B l e s s e d are t h t - y w h o s h a l l b e i n t h o s e d a y s .
S e e i n g t h e g o o d t h i n g s o f I s r a e l w h i c h Ciod s h a l l a c c o m p l i s h
in t h e g a t h e r i n g o f t h e tribes.
45(51) - M a y G o d h a s t e n h i s m e r c y u p o n I s r a e l ,
.May h e d e l i v e r u s " from t h e u n c l c a n n e s s of p r o f a n e
enemies.
46 T h e L o r d is o u r k i n g f o r e v e r a n d e v e r .

Gk. 'In'.
Gk. he w i l l deliver i
 The Psalms of Solomon 681

XVIII

A Psalm. Of Solomon. Again of lhe Anointed of the Lord.'

1 L o r d , i h y m e r c y is o v e r t h e v v o i k s o f tiiy h a n d s f o r e v e r :
I ' h y g o o d n e s s is o v e r I s r a e l w i t h a r i c h gift.
2 L h i n e e y e s l o o k u p o t i t h e m , a n d n o t o n e o f t h e m i s ' in w a n t :
2 {?,) T h i n e cars listen' to t h e hopeful prayer ofthe poor.
3 T h y j u d g e m e n t s extenduwx t h e w h o l e e a r t h in m e r c y ,
(t) . A n d t h y l o v e is u p o n A b r a h a m ' s c h i l d r e n , t h e s o n s o f
Israel.
4 ' L h y d i s c i p l i n e is u j j o n u s a s o n a f i r s t - b o r n , a n o n l y s o n .
S o a s t o t u r n t h e o b e d i e n t soul a w a y from i g n o r a n t
stupidity.
.') (6) . M a y G o d p u r i f y I s r a e l f<>r t h e d a y o f m e r c y a n d b l e s s i n g .
F o r t h ed a y of election, at the manifestation' ofhis anointed
one.
6 (7) B l e s s e d are t h e y w h o s h a l l b e i n t h o s e d a y s .
S e e i n g t h e g o o d t h i n g s o f l h e L o r d w h i c h h e will p e r f o r m
t o r t h e g e n e r a t i o n t h a t is t o c o m e .
7 ^8) L ' n d e r t h e r o d o f d i s c i p l i n e o f t h e L o r d ' s a n o i n t e d in t h e fear
ofhis God,
In w i s d o m of spirit, a n d ofjustice a n d of might,
8 {".)) S o a s t o d i r e c t every m a n i n w o r k s o f r i g h t e o u s n e s s i n t h e f e a r
ofGod,
S o a s to e s t a b l i s h t h e m all before t h e L o r d ,
9 (lo; .A g e n e r a t i o n e x c e l l e n t i n t h e f e a r o f G o d in t h e d a y s oihis
mercy. Selah.
10(11; G r e a t i s o u r G o d a n d g l o r i o u s , d w e l l i n g i n t h e h i g h e s t ,
(12; H c w h o e s t a b l i s h e d t h e l u m i n a r i e s i n their course f o r t h e
d e t e r m i n i n g of s e a s o n s from year to year,
.And t h e y h a v e n o t t u r n e d a s i d e from t h e p a t h w h i c h h e
appointed them.

' O r 'anointed Lord' (cp. xvii. ;H2).

' Gk. -shall be . . . will listen'.
' Following .Manson's conjecture of dvadcifct for dvd^et in the MSS - a word
otherwise unknown.
 682 The Psalms of Solomon
11 (13) T h e i r p a t h e a e h d a y i.s i n t h e f e a r o f G o d ,
F r o m the d a y G o d created them unto eternity:
12 (14) T h e y h a v e n o t g o n e a s t r a y f r o m t h e d a y h e c r e a t e d t h e m ,
F r o m t h e g e n e r a t i o n s of old they h a v e not t u r n e d aside
from their paths.
E x c e p t when G o d o r d e r e d t h e m t h r o u g h t h e c o m m a n d o f
his servants.
 THE ODES OF SOLOMON

INTRODUCriOX
F o r thi- text o l ' t h e Otii-s w e a r e d e p e n d e n t o n t w o S y r i a e M S S
( b o t h d e l e e t i v e ) . s u p p l e m e n t e d b y a ( j r e e k text ofont- o l t h e O d e s
and a l s o b v a C o p t i c v e r s i o n o f five o f t h e m p r e s e r v e d in t h e
w e l l - k n o w n ( i n o s t i c w o r k Pislis Sophia.
' F h e t w o S y r i a c M S S a r e : ( 1 ) R y l a n d s Clod. S y r . 9 ( K i t h c e n t . :
= H ) in t h e j o h n R y l a n d s Library at M a n t h c s t e r , u h i e h contains
a l l t h e O d e s e x c e p t i, i i . a n d t h e b e g i m i i n g o l ' i i i ; a n d ( 2 ) I L L .
. A d d i t . \15'M\ ( 9 t h o r l O t h c e n t . : = B ) , w h i c h h a s a m u c h g r e a t e r
d e f i c i e n c y a t t h e b e g i n n i n g , b u t is c o m p l e t e f r o m t h e m i t l d l e ol'xx ii.
7 t o t h e e n d . F h e t e x t o f t h e s i n g l e o d e w h i c h h a s s u r \ i\ e d in C r e e k
( O d e x i ) is o n e o f a n u m b e r o l i t e m s i n a 3 r d l e n t u r y p a p y r u s cotU-x
in t h e B o d m e r c o l l e c t i o n a t ( J e n e x a ( P a p . B o d . . \ l ) . ' I h e live o d e s
p r e s e r x e d i n C o p t i c i n t h e P W / H Sophia a r e i, v . \ i . x x i i . a n d x x \ .
O d e ii is t h u s u n a t t e s t e d b y a n y a u t h o r i t y , a s is a l s o t h e b e g i n n i n g
o f O d e iii.
O d e i is e x t a n t o n K - i n C o p t i c a n d o u r t r a n s l a t i o n o f it h a s b e e n
m a d e b y D r . K . H . K u h n f r o m S c h m i d t ' s t e x t o f t h e Pntis Sophia.
O t h e r w i s e t h e t r a n s l a t i o n is f r o m t h e S y r i a c . I t l i i l l o w s m a i n l y t h e
t e x t o f H , a l t h o u g h I'roin x v i i . 7 o n w a r d s B h a s b e e n preferred
o c c a s i o n a l l y : all d i l l e r e n c e s b e t w e e n H a n d B, h o w e \ er, h a v e been
r e c o r d e d in t h e footnotes, a s well a s t h e C o p t i c a n d G r e e k variants
w h e r e they occur.

I f w e t a k e t h e O d e s a s they s t a n d , there c a n be n o d o u b l at all

t h a t t h e y a r e C h r i s t i a n . C h r i s t is m e n t i o n e d b y n a m e : t h e r e a r e
r e f e r e n c e s t o e v e n t s in t h e G o s p e l s ( e . g . , t o t h e B a p t i s m i n x x i v ) ;

' The remaiiiing iti-ms in the eiKlex a r e a nii.seellanenus lolleetion - two psalms
from the O l d Testament, J u d e and the two Kpistles of Peter from the New Testa­
ment, the apocryphal correspondenceol'St. Pan! with theCorinthiatis. the Nati\it\
o f M a r y (The .\[)ocaIypse o t James), the .•Xpolotiy olPhileas, and Melilo's Ihmih on
the Poich.
684 The Odes of Solomon
a n d t h e p r e \ a i h n g a t m o s p h e r e is C l l i r i s t i a n t l i r o u g h o u t ( e . g . , t h e
o p e n i n g ol.xix e o u l d not h a \ e b e e n u r i t t e n by a n y o n e w h o was not
a e o n v i n r e d Trinitarian). .Nevertheless, several theories ol'redac­
tion a n d i n t e r p o l a t i o n h a v e been put f o r w a r d , the most infhieiuial
b e i n g t h a t o f H a r n a c k , w h o m a i n t a i n e d t h a t O d e s i\ a n d \ i w e r e
J e w i s h in o r i g i n ( o n t h e b a s i s o f t h e r e l e r e n e c s t o t h e T e m p l e ,
w h i c h J e s u s h a d s a i d w a s to be d e s t r o y e d ) , t h a t xix a n d xxvii w e r e
p u r e l y C h r i s t i a n , a n d t h a t t h e rest w e r e originally Jewsish o d e s
l a t e r i n t e r p o l a t e d by a C h r i s t i a n . But n o n e of these theories h a s
met with any general acceptance.
F r o m a r a t h e r d i l f c r e n t p o i n t o f v i e w it h a s b e e n a r g u e d t h a t t h e
O d e s b e t r a y ( J n o s t i c i n f l u e n c e . I n p a r t i c u l a r , H . .Schlier h a s s u g ­
g e s t e d t h a t t h e y s t e m f r o m a s y t u t e t i s t i e B a p t i s t s e c t , w h i i h in
s o m e r e s p e c t s h a d s i m i l a r beliefs a n d p r a c t i c e s to t h e . M a n d a e a t i s .
^ ' e t t h e r e is n o e v i d e n c e in t h e O d e s e i t h e r o f t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c
G n o s t i c d o c t r i n e of e m a n a t i o n s from a d i s t a n t ( i o d . or o f a radical
d u a l i s m b e t w e e n m a t t e r a n d s p i r i t : o n t h e c o n t r a r y . O t i c xvi
w i t n e s s e s to a d o c t r i n e of C r e a t i o n w h i c h w o u l d h a v e b e e n i m p o s ­
s i b l e for a n y t h o r o u g h g o i n g ( i n o s t i c . U l t i m a t e l y , of c o u r s e , t h e
e v a l u a t i o n o f s u c h ( i n o s t i c a l F i n i t i e s a s t h e r e a r e in t h e O d e s
d e p e n d s o n t h e g e n e r a l t h e o r y held o f t h e nattire of ( i n o s t i c i s m a n d
t h e d a t e o f i t s ri.se. B u t t h i s m u c h is c e r t a i n , t h a t , w h i l e t h e O d e s
m a y v e r y w e l l h a v e b e e n c o m p o s e d in a n a r e a w h e r e ( i n o s t i c ( o r
p r o t o - C j n o s t i c ) s p e c u l a t i o n s w e r e c u r r e n t , a n d t h e i r theoltjgy
affected a c c o r d i n g l y , they s h o w n o trace of a n y d e v e l o p e d , or
logically formulated, (inostic system.
If, t h e n , w e a r e t h i n k i n g in t e r m s o f a s i n g l e a u t h o r ( a n d t h e r e is
n o s o u n d r e a s o n for s u g g e s t i n g a p l u r a l i t y o f a u t h o r s ) t h e m o s t t h a t
t h e e v i d e n c e w i l l p e r m i t u s t o s a y is t h a t h c w a s a C h r i s t i a n . I n a l l
p r o b a b i l i t y h e w a s a J e w i s h C h r i s t i a n . . \ n d , if w e a r e p r e p a r e d t o
s t r e s s c e r t a i n parallels b e t w e e n the O d e s a n d the Q u m r a n litera­
t u r e , a n d at t h e s a m e t i m e a c c e p t the view t h a t the m e m b e r s o f t h e
Q u m r a n c o m m u n i t y w e r e Essenes, we c a n go on to s u p p o s e (with
J . H . C h a r l e s w o r t h ) that the a u t h o r either h a d been himself an
E s s e n e before his c o n v e r s i o n , o r at least subjected to very strong
Essene influences.
B u t w h a t e v e r the truth, from very early d a y s the O d e s were
a s c r i b e d t o S o l o m o n . N o c l a i m t o S o l o m o n i c a u t h o r s h i p is m a d e in
 The Odes oJ Solomon ()8.T
t h e t e x t a n d t h e r e is l i t t l e tt) s t i g g e s t i t . I t m a y b e t h a t t h e b e l i e l ' t h a t
S o l o m o n w a s the a u t h o r arose beeause o f t h e association o f t h e
O d e s w i t h t h e P s a l m s . T h i s a s s o c i a t i o n o b t a i t i s tiot o n l y in t h e
S y r i a c t r a d i t i o n , bitt a l s o in t h e C o p t i c a n d t h e (Jreek. In t h e t w o
available Syriac .\ISS both O d e s a n d Psalms are arranged as a
s i n g l e c o l l e c t i o t i w i t h t h e O d e s first: t h e i n d i v i d u a l p i e c e s a r e
n u m b e r e d c o n s e c u t i \ e l y i - l x ( i . e . VI O d e s + 18 P s a l m s ) ; a n d a l l o f
t h e m s e e m t o h a \ e b e e n k n o w n a s ' P s a l m s " . W h e r e o u r O d e i is
C | u o t e d i n t h e C o p t i c Pislis Sophia it is d e s c r i b e d a s ' t h e n i n e t e e n t h
O d e " , w h i c h is c l e a r e n o u g h e v i d e n c e t h a t in t h e t r a d i t i o n k n o w n t o
t h e a u t h o r o f Pislis Sophia t h e P s a l m s a n d t h e O d e s w e r e a l s o
c o m b i n e d ( b u t in t h e r e v e r s e o r d e r t o t h a t found in t h e S y r i a e ) , a n d
a l s o t h a t t h e w h o l e collection w a s k n o w n to t h e C o p t s a s "Odes".
T h e t w o ( J r e e k lists of Biblical b o o k s , t h e pseudo-.Xthaiiasiaii
S y n o p s i s a n d t h e S t i c h o m e t r y o f N i c e p h o r u s , b o t h refer to t h e
' P s a h n s a n d ( ) d e ( s ) o f . S o l o m o n " . T h i s l a s t p h r a s e is m o s t n a t u r a l l y
u n d e r s t o o d a s a reference to t w o distinct collections, with t w o
s e p a r a t e t i t l e s , a l t h o u g h it c a n b e i n t e r p r e t e d a s t h e t i t l e o f a s i n g l e
collection — especially as t h e .Stichometry very obviously treats the
t w o t o g e t h e r a n d a s s i g n s t h e m in a l l 2100 slichoi. H o w e v e r , in e i t h e r
c a s e . P s a l m s a n d O d e s a r e \ cry closely related.
B u t w h e t h e r t h e O d e s w e r e c o m p o s e d in t h e first i n s t a n c e a s a n
entirely independent work or were designed as a Christian supple­
m e n t t o t h e P s a l m s , t h e r e c a n b e n o d o u b t a b o u t t h e a n t i q u i t y of
t h e t i t l e ' O d e s " . . \ o t o n l y is ' O d e s " t h e t i t l e o f t h e c o m b i n e d w o r k i n
t h e t r a d i t i o n r e p r e s e n t e d b y t h e a u t h o r o f t h e Pistis Sophia ( 3 r d
c e n t u r y ? ) : t h e G r e e k text of O d e xi, p r e s e r v e d in B o d m e r P a p y r u s
X I ( a l s o 3 r d c e n t u r y ) , is p r e f a c e d Ijy t h e h e a d i n g ' O d e o f .Solomon";
a n d t h e L a t i n a p o l o g i s t L a c t a n t i u s ( f . 2 4 0 - f . 3 2 0 ) q u o t e s from O d e
x i x i n s u c h a w a y a s t o m a k e it q u i t e c l e a r t h a t h e w a s f a m i l i a r w i t h
a collection o f ' O d e s ' which were n u m b e r e d as ours are ('Solomon
i n o d e u n d e v i c e s i m a i t a d i c i t : Infirmatus est uterus Virginis . ..').' The

- I,.ictantiiis, Dii. /ml. xii. :i (One .MS reads 'psalmo' in plan- t>l''txic').
W h e t h e r Laetantius was quoting from an independent eolleetion ol'Odes or from a
eombined eolleetion of Odes and Psalms eannot, of cotirse, l)e detenniiu'd; hut ifthe
latter, the Odes will have preceded the Psalms, as in our two Syriac MSS. Nor can
we know whether Lactantius was quoting from a Latin version or making his own
translation (presumahly fn)m the Greek).
()8() The Odes of Solomon
t i t l e " O d e s ' w o u l d t h u s a p p e a r t o b e v e r y a n e i e n t i n d e e d , if n o t
o r i g i n a l : a n d it w a s i n a l l p r o b a b i l i t y i n s p i r e d b y t h e s u m m a r y o f
S o l o m o n ' s a c h i e v e m e n t s i n 1 K i n g s i v . '.V2 (".And h e u t t e r e d t h r e e
thousand proverbs: a n d his songs [Sept. 'odes'] immbered a
thousand a n d hvc').
The qut)tation o f t h e O d e s by Lactantius as ifthey were Scripture,
and also b y t h e a u t h o r o f t h e Pislis Sophia, t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e
evidence of the B o d m e r papyrus, suggests that they were known
a n d respected over a wide geographical area b y t h e e n d ofthe third
c e n t u r y at t h e latest. Clomparison with other early writers, how­
e v e r , y i e l d s little o f a n y real v a l u e . T h e r e a r e possible literary
coimcctions between t h e O d e s o n t h e o n e hand, a n d Cyril of
J e r u s a l e m , t h e .Vets o f l h o m a s , a n d K p h r a e m S y r u s , o n t h e o t h e r .
\ ' e t t h e e v i d e n c e is f a r f r o m c o n c l u s i v e . M o r e c o m p e l l i n g t h a n a n y
a r e a n u m b e r of rather striking similarities between the O d e s a n d
I g n a t i u s of .\ntioch: s o m e of these m a y be accidental, b u t there a r e
too m a n y to b e entirely so; a n d , although insulhcient to prove
literary d e p e n d e n c e o n e w a y o r t h e other, they leave n o d o u b t that
both the a u t h o r o f t h e O d e s a n d Ignatius were products ofthe
s a m e e n v i r o n m e n t . O n t h e w h o l e , t h e r e f o r e , a d a t e for t h e O d e s
f . . \ l ) 10()-'2()() is t h e m o s t p r o b a b l e a n d S y r i a a n d i t s n e i g h b o u r ­
h o o d t h e m o s t likely p l a c e of o r i g i n . B u t w h e n , w h e r e , a n d in w h a t
circumstances they were hrst combined with t h e P s a l m s it is
impossible to say.
T h e r e r e m a i n s t h e q u e s t i o n o f t h e o r i g i n a l l a n g u a g e . T h e fact
t h a t t h e te.xt o f t h e O d e s h a s c o m e d o w n t o u s i n S y r i a c , C o p t i c ,
G r e e k , a n d L a t i n (albeit in a s o l i t a r y q u o t a t i o n ) , s u g g e s t s G r e e k a s
t h e c o m m o n d e n o m i n a t o r ; a n d t h e r e is n o l a c k o f s c h o l a r s w h o
h a v e a r g u e d Ibrcefully for a G r e e k o r i g i n a l . Y e t t h e m e r e e x i s t e n c e
o f a G r e e k text, from w h i c h Syriac, Coptic, a n d Latin versions m a y
have b e e n d e r i v e d , is n o g u a r a n t e e o f i t s o r i g i n a l i t y . F r o m a n
entirely different a n g l e attention h a s been d r a w n to certain Semitic
features in t h e O d e s - n o t a b l y to t h e regular use of parallelism, a n d
to t h e o c c u r r e n c e from time to time of indubitably Semitic con­
s t r u c t i o n s ( e . g . ' H e r i c h l y b l e s s e d m e ' a t x x v i i i . 4); a n d a r g u m e n t s
h a v e b e e n a d v a n c e d a c c o r d i n g l y in f a v o u r o f H e b r e w , A r a m a i c , o r
S y r i a c o r i g i n a l s . S i n c e t h e a u t h o r w a s a C h r i s t i a n , h o w e v e r , h e is
unlikelv to h a v e written in either H e b r e w o r A r a m a i c a t t h e d a t e
 The Odes of Solomon 6B7
s u g g e s t e d a b o v e , s o t h a t , i f w e a r e t o s u p p o s e a .Semitic o r i g i n a l ,
S y r i a c is t h e m o s t p r o b a b l e . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , it is c l a i m e d t h a t
the Semitic features can quite adequately be accounted for b y
supposing that t h e a u t h o r w a s w r i t i n g in G r e e k , b u t in a con­
sciously 'Biblical' stvie, a n d taking a s his model t h e poetical books
o l ' t h e S e p t u a g i n t . T h e d i s c o v e r y o f t h e G r e e k t e x t o f O d e xi a n d i t s
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 1 9 . 5 9 g a v e a f r e s h i m p e t u s t o t h e d i s c u s s i o n i n t h a t it
was n o w a t last p o s s i b l e t o set t h e G r e e k side b y side w i t h t h e
. S y r i a c a n d c o m p a r e t h c i n , e v e n if o v e r a v e r y l i m i t e d a r e a . B u t t h e
c o m p a r i s o n h a s r e s u l t e d iti n o f i r m e r c o n c l u s i o n s t h a n formerly.
M . 'I'eslu/., w h o e d i t e d t h e G r e e k text of O d e xi, declared himself
definitely in f a v o u r of a Greek original, while frtxly admitting
S e m i t i c i t i l l u e n c e s . H o w e v e r , , ] . . \ . E m e r t o n , in 1 9 6 7 , a t t h e e n d
ofa v e r y full t l i s c u s s i o n o f a l l t h e a r g u m e n t s b r o u g h t f o r w a r d t o
d a t e , c o u l d s u m u p , ' I h e m o s t p r o b a b l e c o n c l u s i o n t o b e d r a w n is
that t h e O d e s of Solomon were composed in S y r i a c ' ; a i i d , J . H .
G l i a r l e s w o r t h , t o j u d g e from t h e n o t e s in his cditifin of 1 9 7 3 , w o u l d
seem inclined to agree.'

BIBLKXJR.APHY

Greek
M . T E S I ' I ' Z , La Onzieme Ode de Salomon i n Papyrus Bodmer, X - X I I
(Geneva, 1959), pp. 4 7 - 6 9 .
E . v r i K K , Die Oden Salomos . . . [ a s b e l o w ] , v o l . 1 .

•' A technical point is pertiaps worth noting in this connection. In the Odes, the
third person prefbrmative ol'the imperfect begins with n-(rather than.)-). From the
evidence ofthe Syriac inscriptions it seems that the change took place round about
200 (see E. J c n n i , 'Die altsyrischcn Inschriften, 1 .-;i.,Iahrhuridcrt n.
Chr.' TZ in
xxi (1965), p p . 371-38.5). We cannot, of course, be precise in such
matters, and
there may well have been a time lag between the change in popular speech in some
places a n d its a p p e a r a n c e in in.scriptions. Nevertheless, this suggests that we can
scarcely d a t e tfic present Syriac text of the O d e s much before .\n 200 - though
inevitably, in it.self, it gives us no help in deciding whether lhat text is the author's
original, or a n edited version ofthe original, or a translation from Greek!
(i88 The Odes qf Solomon
J. H . CHARI.KSWOR IH, Papyri and Uather Manuscripts . . . [as
below), p p . 7-12.

Syriac
]. R K N D K I . H . V R R I S , The Odes and Psalms of Solomon, now first
published from Ihe Syriac version ( C a m b r i d g e , 1 9 0 9 ; 2 i i d e d i t . 1 9 1 1 ) .
J. R I : N I ) 1 : I . H A R R I S a n d \ . - M I N C J A N A , The Odes and Psalms of
Solomon, re-editedfor the Governors oflhe John Rylands Library. V o l . i:
The Te.xt wilh Facsimile Reproductions ( . M a n c h e s t e r , 1 9 1 6 ) .
J . H . C H A R I . K S U O R I H , The Odes of Solomon, edited with Translalion
and XolesiOxlhrd, 1973).
, Papyri and Leather Manuscripts of Ihe Odes qf Solomon (= The
Dickerson Series of Facsimiles of Manuscripts Important for Christian
Origins. V o l . 1; D u r h a m . \ . C . 1 9 8 1 ) . p p . 2 1 - 8 9 .
.M. L . \ 1 I KK. Die Oden Salomos in ihrer Bedeutungfiir \eues Testament
und Gnosis. 3 v o l s . ( = Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis, X X X " . 1, l a , 2 ;
Fribourg and Gotungen, 1979/80. [ T h e S y r i a c t e x t is p r i n t e d
i n F s t r a n g e l a i n v o l . l a , a n d t h e r e is a t r a n s l i t e r a t e d v e r s i o n o f i t
f a c i n g t h e t r a n s l a t i o n i n v o l . 1. X ' o l . 2 c o n t a i n s G r e e k , S y r i a c ,
a n d Cloptic concordances.)

Coptic
C . S ( ; H . \ l H ) f , P i s t i s S o p h i a neu herausgegeben, mil Einleitung nebst
griechischem und koptischem Wort-und Samenregister (= Coptica I I ;
C o p e n h a g e n , 192.5). [ F o r t h e t e x t o f C J d e s i, v , v i , x x i i , a n d x x v . )
.M. L . \ f IKK, Die Oden Salomos . . . [ a s a b o v e ] , v o l . 1.
J . H . C : H A R K K S \ V ( ) R T H , Papyri and Leather Manuscripts . . . [ a s
above], p p . 1.3-20.

fRANSI.ATIONS

English
J. R K N D K K H A R R I S , The Odes and Psalms of Solomon, now first
publishedfrom the Syriac Version ( C a m b r i d g e , 1909; 2 n d e d i t . 1 9 1 1 ) .
J. RKNDKK H A R R I S a n d A. MINGAN.A, The Odes and Psalms of
Solomon, re-editedfor Ihe Governors of the John Rylands Library. V o l . ii:
The Translation with Introduction and Notes ( M a n c h e s t e r , 1 9 2 0 ) .
J. H . B K R N A R D , The Odes of Solomon ( = 7 5 V H I . h i ; C a m b r i d g e ,
1912).
 The Odes oJ Solomon 689

j . H . C H A R I . K S U O R I ' H . The Odes oJSolomon . . . [ a s a b o v e ) .

G. H { ) R . M ; R , Pistis Sophia ( L o n d o n , 1 9 2 1 ) . [ O f O d t - s i, v , v i , .xxii,
a n d XXV, l i o n i t h e Cloptie. j

French

J. LABOIRT, "Les O d e s d e .Salomon" i n R Bibl . \ . s . vii ( O e t .

1 9 1 0 ) . p p . 484-r)(K) a n d .N.s. viii (.Jan. 1 9 1 1 ) . p p . . 5 - 2 1 . [ R e p r i n t e d
inj. LABOlRland P. H.WIVVOI. Les Odes de Salomon: Inearurre
chretierine des environs de I 'an 100-120 ( P a r i s , 191 1 ) , p p . . 5 - 3 8 . ]

(ierman

]. Kl.i;.\I.MI.\(; a n d . \ . H . \ R N . \ ( ; K . Einjiidisch-chrislliches/'salmbuch
aus dem ersten Jahrhiinderl. ausdem syrischeniibersetzl {= TL'xxxv. 4;
Leipzig. 1910).
\V. B A IKR. 'Die Oden Salomos' in L . H K . \ . M ; ( : K K and W.
SCH.NKK.MKKCHKR, S'eutestamentliche Apokryphen in deutscher
I'bersetzung'. ii ( T i i b i n g e n , 1 9 6 4 ) , p p . .")76-()2.').
G . . S c H . M i n r . Koptisch-gnostische Schrijten. 1. Die Pistis Sophia, usw.
(= GCS 1 3 ( L 5 ) ; L e i p z i g , 1 9 0 , 5 - 3 r d e d . 19.59). [ O f O d e s i, v , v i .
xxii, a n d x x v , from theGoptie.)
. \ I . L A Tl K K , Die Oden Salomos . . . [ a s a b o v e | , v o l . 1.

K. \ . . A B B O T I ' , " T h e O r i g i n a l L a n g u a g e o f t h e O d e s o f - S o l o m o n "

i n JTS x i v (.April 1 9 1 3 ) , p p . 4 4 1 - 4 4 5 a n d .xv ( O e t . 1 9 1 3 ) , p p .
44-45.
.A. . A l ) . \ . \ l , ' D i e u r s p r i j n g l i c h e S p r a c h e d e r S a l o m o - O d e n " i n Z . V I L
lii ( 1 9 ( i l ) , p p . 1 4 1 - 1 . 5 6 .
P . B A r i K K O I . , ' L e s O d e s d e . S a l o m o n " in R Bihl S.s.v'u ( O e t . 1910),
pp. 483-484, N . s . v i i i ( J a n . 1 9 1 1 ) , p p . 2 1 - 5 9 , a n d N . s . viii
(.April 1911), p p . 1 6 1 - 1 9 7 . (Reprinted i n J . L . V B O L R l a n d P.
B . \ TIKKOl., Les Odes de Salomon: L'ne cruvre chretienne des environs de
I 'an 100-120 (Paris, 1911), p p . 3 9 - 1 1 5 . |
\ V . B . M K R , ' T h e O d e s o f S o l o m o n ' i n A T . 4 ii, p p . 8 0 8 - 8 1 0 . [ A
translation, by R. .\I(:L. WiLSON, of the Introduction to
B a u e r ' s G e r m a n t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e O d e s (see a b o v e ) . )
J. C . \ R . \ I I ( ; . N . \ c : , ' L e s aflinites Q u m r a n i e n n e s d e la o n z i e m e O d e
d e S a l o m o n ' i n Revue g i / w r a n , 1 I I . i ( 1 9 6 1 - 1 9 6 2 ) , p p . 71 - 1 0 2 .
()90 The Odes of Solomon

, ' R c c i i e r c h c s s u r la l a n g u c o r i g i n c l l c d e s O d e s d e S a l o m o n " in
Revue de Qumran, \ \ . iii ( 1 9 6 3 ) , p p . 1 2 9 - 4 3 2 .
H. C H . K D W IC:K, "Some Refleetioiis on the Character and
I ' h c o l o g y o l t h e O d e s o l ' S o l o m o n " i n Kyriakon: Festschrift Johannes
(.hasten, i (ed. P. G K A . N H KI.D a i i d j . .\. j I N G . M . W X ; .\Iiinster,
\91{]), pp. 266-270.
J. H . Cll,\RI.K.S\V()R T H ' T h e O d e s o f S o l o m o n - . \ o t G n o s t i c ' in
CBQ .x.xxi ( 1 9 6 9 ) , p p . 3 . i 7 - 3 6 9 .
, " L e s (.)des d e S a l o m o n et les m a i i u s c r i t s d e la . \ I e r . M o r t e ' in
R Bibl I x x v i i ( O c t . 1 9 7 0 ) , p p . . ' ) 2 2 - . i 4 9 .
R. H . ( ; o N . \ O L L V . ' T h e O d e s o f S o l o m o n : Jewish o r Clhristian?"
i n / 7 ; 9 x i i i ( J a n . 1912), p p . 2 9 8 - 3 0 9 .
, " G r e e k t h e o r i g i n a l L a n g u a g e o f t h e O d e s o l ' S o l o m o n " i n JTS
x i v ( J u l y , 1 9 1 3 ) , p p . .530-;")38. a n d xv ( O c t . 1 9 1 3 ) , p p . 4 . 5 - 4 7 .
. \ . - \ \ . D K N I . S , IRGAT, p p , 6.')-(i6.
J. I ) K Z \ V . \ A X , " T h e l",dessciic O r i g i n o f t h e O d e s o l ' S o l o m o n ' in
(hiantulacumque: Studies presented to Kirsopp Lake ( e d . R . P . C A S K ^ • .
S~ L A K K a n d . \ . K . L . \ K K ; L o n d o n 1 9 3 7 ) , p p . 2 8 5 - 3 0 2 .
H.J. \V. DRIJ\KRS, ' D i e O d e n S a l o m o s u n d d i e P o l c m i k rnit d e n
Markionitcn i m s ) r i s c l i e n C l i r i s t e n t u m " i n Symposium Synaam
1976 (= Orientalia Christiana Analecta, 205; Rome, 1978), p p .
39-55.
, ' T h e 19th O d e of Solomon' In JTS \ . S . xxxi (1980), p p .
337-355.
J. .\. L M K R I O X , " S o m e P r o b l e m s o f T e x t a n d L a n g u a g e in t h e
O d e s o f . S o l o m o n " in jr.V N.s. xviii ( O c t . 1 9 6 7 ) , p p . 3 7 2 - 4 ( J 6 .
R. . \ L G R A N T , ' L h e O d e s ol'Solomon a n d theC h u r c h of .\ntioch'
i n JDL Ixiii ( 1 9 4 4 ) . p p . 3 6 2 - 3 7 7 .
H. C/UNKKI., ' D i e O d e n S a l o m o s ' in Z A ' d ' x i (1910). pp, 2 9 1 -
328.
(j. KlTTEK, Die Oden Salomos, iiberarbeitel oder einheitlich? (=
Beitragezur Wissenschaft vom Alten Testament, x \ i ; I , e i p z i g , 1 9 1 4 ) .
H . S c H I . I K R . ' Z u r . M a n d a e r f r a g e ' i n Theologische Rundschau, N . K , v
(1933), p p . I - 3 4a n d 69-92.'"
W. H . V V O R R E K K , ' F h e O d e s o l ' S o l o m o n a n d t h e Pistis Sophia' i n
JTS xiii ( O c t . 1 9 1 1 ) , p p . 2 9 - 4 6 . ( C o n t a i n s a n f l n g l i s h transla­
t i o n o f t h e fixe C o p t i c o d e s . ]
 odes of solomon

The Odes of Solomon 691

1 i ' h c I . o r d is u p o n n i y h e a d l i k e a v v r c a t l i .
.And I s h a l l not leave h i m .
2 T h e w r e a t h o f t r u t h h a s b e e n p l a i t e d for m c .
. A n d it h a s l e t t h y b r a n c h e s b u d w i t h i n m e ;
.3 F o r it is n o t l i k e a w i t h e r e d w r e a t h t h a t d o c s n o t b u d :
4 But t h o u art alive u p o n m y head,
.And t h o u h a s t b u d d e d u p o n m e .
5 T h y f r u i t s a r e full a n d perfect:
T h e v a r e full o f t h v s a K a t i o n .

II

T h i s o d e is n o l e x t a n t .

Ill

1 . . . 1 clothe.
2 .And h i s ' l i m b s a r e with h i m ,
.And I h a n g o n t h e m , a n d he l o \ e s m e ;
3 F o r I s h o u l d n o t h a v e k n o w n h o w to love t h e L o r d ,
If h e h a d n o t loved m e .
4 W h o can u n d e r s t a n d love.
B u t h e w h o is l o v e d : '
5 I love t h e B e l o v e d O n e , a n d m y soul loves h i m ;
. A n d w h e r e h i s r e s t is, t h e r e t o o a m I.
6 .And I shall not be a s t r a n g e r .
B e c a u s e t h e r e is n o g r u d g i n g ' w i t h t h e . M o s t H i g h a n d merciful
Lord.

' E x i a n t o n l y in C o p t i c .

' T h e r e is s o m e c o n f u s i o n i n t l i e .VKS b e t w e e n t h e r e a d i n g s ' h i s ' a n d ' n

' Cir'envv',
 692 The Odes of Solomon
I w a s u n i t e d to him, l i e e a u s e tiie l o v e r h a s l i i u n d t h e B e l o v e d O n e ,
B e c a u s e I l o v e t h a t S o n , I shall h e c o n i c a s o n ; '
F o r h e w h o is j o i n e d t o h i i n t h a t d o e s n o t d i e .
H e t o o will b e c o m e i i n m o r t a l ,
. A n d h e w h o t a k e s p l e a s u r e in life''
\ \ ill b e c o m e a l i v i n g o n e .
T h i s is t h e g u i l e l e s s S p i r i t o l ' t h c L o r d ,
I h a t t e a c h e s m e n to k n o w his w a y s .
Be wise, a n d u n d e r s t a n d , a n d be attentive.
Hallelujah.

IV

1 N o m a n c h a n g e s thy holy place, O m y (Jod,

. A n d t h e r e is n o o n e w h o w i l l c h a n g e it a n d s e t it in a n o t h e r p l a c e ,
2 L o r n o n e h a s a u t h o r i t y o v e r it;'
Yov t h o u d i d s t p u r p o s e t h y s a n c t u a r y b e f o r e t h o u m a d e s t p l a c e s :
:i W h a t ' is o l d e r w i l l n o t b e c h a n g e d b v t h o s e t h a t a r e v o u n g e r t h a n
it.'
I h o u h a s g i v e n t h y h e a r t , O L o r d , to t h y faithful o n e s :
4 I h o u wilt never be inellectual,
•Nor w i l t t h o u b e f r u i t l e s s ;
.i F o r o n e h o u r o f t h y f a i t h f u l n e s s ' '
Is b e t t e r t h a n all d a y s a n d y e a r s .
6 YoT w h o w i l l p u t o n t h y g r a c e a n d b e r e j e c t e d ?
7 B e c a u s e t h y s e a l is < k n ) o w n ,
A n d t h y c r e a t u r e s a r e k n o w n t o it,
8 A n d < t h e ) h o s t s < h ) o l d it,
. A n d t h e e l e c t a r c h a n g e l s a r e c l o t h e d i n it.
9 ' I h o u hast given us c o m m u n i o n with thee:'

T f x l ' B f c a u s f I s h a l l lent- t h a i S o n . in o r d e r t h a t I m a y beo

D i l f e r e n t l y p o i n t e d , the c o n s o n a n t s could m e a n 'the living (

O r " B e c a u s e t h e r e is n o a u t h o r i t v o \ e r it".
O r 'He who'. > Or he".
Or"railh i n t h e e "
O r ' t h y fellowship".
 modes of Solomon 693
11 was not that thou wast in need of us, but that we were in need of
thee.
10 Sprinkle upon us thy dews,
.\nd open thy rich springs whiehflowwith milk and honey for us.
11 For there is no regret with thee,
That thou shouldcst feel regret for anything that thou hast
promised;
12 And the end was manifest to thee.
1.3 For what thou hast given thou hast given freely.
So that thou shouldcst not take thern back henceforth;'
For everything was manifest to thee, as God,
14 And was prepared from the,beginning before thee;
.'\nd thou, O God, hast made all.
1.5 Hallelujah.

1 I thank thee, O Lord,

Because I love thee.
2 O Most High, do' not forsake me,
Because thou art my hope.
3 Freely I received thy grace:
I shall live by it.
4 My persecutors will come, but will not see me:
5 A cloud of gloom will fall (ujxsn) their eyes,
And a mist of obscurity will bring darkness upon them;
6 And they will not have light lo see,
That they may not seize me.
7 Their plan will become stupidity,'
And what they have plotted will come back upon their own heads;
8 For they have thought out a plan.
But it will not come to anything for them;
' Text So that thou shouldcst not henceforth pull a n d take them'.

' T h i s verb may also be translated as an indicative. Conversely, verses 5 - 7 may

express wishes rather tliati statements.
' Lit. 'swellings'.
 694 The Odes of Solomon
They h a \ cwickedly m a d e preparations.
B u t t h e y h a v e b c i m f o u n d t o b e in v a i n .
F o r m y h o p e is i n t h e F o r d .
,-\nd I shall n o t b e afraid;
.And b e c a u s e t h e F o r d is m y d e l i v e r a n c e .
I shall n o t be afraid.
- A n d h c is o n m y h e a d l i k e a c r o w n ,
.And I shall n o t b e s h a k e n ;
. A n d e v e n if e v e r y t h i n g is s h a k e n ,
I shall r e m a i n ;
- A n d e v e n if e v e r y t h i n g t h a t is v i s i b l e p e r i s h e s ,
I shall not die:
B e c a u s e t h e L o r d is w i t h m e , a n d I a m w i t h h i m .
Hallelujah.

VI

1 .As t h e ( w i n d ) ' m o v e s o v e r t h e h a r p , a n d t h e s t r i n g s s p e a k ,
2 S o d o e s t h e S p i r i t o f t h e L o r d Sfjcak i n m y m e m b e r s , a n d I s p e a k b y
his love.
3 F o r h e d e s t r o y s a n y t h i n g liireign,
. A n d e v e r y t h i n g is o f t h e Lord.
4 F o r s o it w a s f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g ,
-And will b e t o t h e e n d ;
.i T h a t nothing might withstand him,
.And n o t h i n g m i g h t rise u p against h i m .
6 T h e L o r d h a s multiplied t h e knowledge of himself,'
.And h a s b e e n z e a l o u s t h a t t h e t h i n g s s h o u l d b e k n o w n w h i c h , b y
his grace, have been given us.
7 . A n d hc h a s g i v e n n s h i s p r a i s e f o r h i s n a m e :
O u r spirits praise his H o l y Spirit.
8 F o r a s t r e a m w e n t o u t , a n d b e c a m e a g r e a t a n d b r o a d river,
F o r it o v e r w h e l m e d e v e r y t h i n g , a n d b r o k e it u p , a n d c a r r i e d it t o
the temple;'

' T h e word supplied also r

^ O r 'his ktiow4cdge'.
' O r ' a n d broke up and carried away the temple
 The Odes of Solomon

9 A n d t h e r e s t r a i n t s o l ' n i c n w e r e n o t a b l e t o r e s t r a i n it.
N o r t h e skill o l ' t h o s e w h o r e s t r a i n w a t e r ;
10 K o r it c a m e t i p o n t h e l a c e o l ' t h e w h o l e e a r t h ,
.And filled everything;
11 .And all t h e t h i r s t y o n e a r t h d r a n k ,
. A n d their t h i r s t w a s b r o u g h t t o a n e n d a n d q u e n c h e d ;
12 F o r t h e d r i n k w a s g i v e n b y t h e .Most H i g h .
13 B l e s s e d , t h e r e f o r e , a r e t h e m i n i s t e r s of t h a t d r i n k .
T h o s e w h o h a v e b e e n e n t r u s t e d w i t h his w a t e r :
14 ' F h e y h a v e refreshed t h e d r y lips,
.And h a v e r a i s e d u p t h e will t h a t w a s p a r a l y s e d ;
1.5 .And s o u l s t h a t w e r e n e a r to e x p i r i n g
T h e y h a v e held back from d e a t h ;
16 .And l i m b s t h a t w e r e fallen
'Fhey h a v e s t r a i g h t e n e d a n d raised up:
17 F h e y h a \ e given s t r e n g t h to their c o m i n g ,
.And light to t h e i r eyes;
18 F"or e v e r y o n e h a s k n o w n t h e m in t h e L o r d ,
. A n d b y m e a n s o f t h e w a t e r s t h e y l i v e d e t e r n a l life.''
Halleltijah.

VH

L i k e the course of a n g e r over wickedness.

S o is t h e c o u r s e o f j o y o v e r t h e B e l o v e d O n e ;
.And h e ' b r i n g s in of its fruits w i t h o u t h i n d r a n c e .
. M y j o y is t h e L o r d , a n d m y c o u r s e is t o w a r d s h i m :
' F h i s m y p a t h is b e a u t i f u l ;
F"or I h a v e a h e l p e r t o t h e L o r d .
H e m a d e h i m s e l f k n o w n t o m e , w i t h o u t g r u d g i n g , ' in h i s
generosity;
F o r in his k i n d n e s s h e set a s i d e his m a j e s t y . '

•* O r 'And they lived by means o l t h e eternal living waters'.

' O r 'it' (i.e. the course).

' O r ' a s one without envy'.
' Lit. 'For his kindness made little his greatness'.
 (")96 The Odes of Solomon
-i H e b e c a m e like m e , in o r d e r t h a t I m i g h t a c c e p t h i m :
I n a p p e a r a n c e h c s e e m e d like m e , in o r d e r t h a t I m i g h t p u t h i m o n .
5 A n d I did not tiemble when I saw him,
B e c a u s e he h a d pity on m c .
6 H e b e c a m e l i k e m y n a t u r e , in o r d e r t h a t I m i g h t l e a r n to know h i m .
A n d l i k e m y i i i r m , i n o r d e r t h a t 1 m i g h t n o t t u r n a w a y from h i m .
7 lhe Fatherof'knowlcdgc
Is the W o r d ol'knowlcdgc:
8 H e w h o created Wisdom
Is w i s e r t h a n his w o r k s ;
9 And he w h o created m e before I c a m e into being
K n e w ' ' w h a t I should do when I came into being.
10 T h e r e f o r e h c h a d p i t y o n m c in his g r e a t p i t y ,
A n d g r a n t e d m c to a s k of h i m , a n d to rccciv c o f h i s s a c r i h c c ;
11 B e c a u s e h e is i n c o r r u p t i b l e .
The completion ofthe ages a n d their father.
12 H e g r a n t e d h i m to a p p e a r to t h o s e w h o a r e his,
In order that they might recognize him w h o made them,
. \ n d t h a t t h e y m i g h t n o t t h i n k t h a t t h e y h.ad c o m e i n t o b e i n g o f
themselves.
13 F o r to k n o w l e d g e he set his w a y : '
H e m a d e it b r o a d a n d l o n g , a n d b r o u g h t it t o a l l p e r f e c t i o n ;
14 A n d h e s e t u p o n it t h e f o o t p r i n t s o f h i s l i g h t .
A n d i t ' w e n t from t h e b e g i n n i n g to the e n d ;
\5 For by him was he served,'
A n d he w a s well pleased with the Son.
IC A n d b e c a u s e o f h i s d e l i v e r a n c e he will t a k e h o l d of e v e r y t h i n g ;
A n d t h e -Most H i g h will b e k n o w n in his s a i n t s ,
17 T o proclaim to those w h o have psalms ofthe coming ofthe Lord,
T h a t they m a y g o o u t to m e e t h i m , a n d m a y sing to him,
W i l h j o y a n d w i t h t h e h a r p of m a n y s o u n d s .
18 ' F h e seers will g o before h i m .
A n d be seen before h i m ;
19 . ' \ n d t h e y will p r a i s e t h e L o r d in h i s love,

" M S 'knows'.
' O r 'For he appointed knowledge as his way'.
' Some prefer to point the consonants so as to read ' I ' .
' O r 'was it m a d e ' .
 The Odes of Solomon 697
B e c a u s e h e is n e a r a n d s e e s .
A n d J i a t r e d will b e t a k e n a w a y from tlie e a r t h .
. \ n d will b e d r o w n e d t o g e t h e r w i t h j e a l o u s y ;
For ignorance has been destroyed,
B e c a u s e t h e k n o w l e d g e o f t h e I.ord h a s c o m e .
T h o s e w h o s i n g will s i n g o f t h e g r a c e o f t h e I.ord M o s t H i g h , "
. \ n d will olfer their jisalms;
.And t h e i r h e a r t will b e like t h e d a y ,
.And t h e s o u n d o f t h e i r v o i c e s like t h e g r e a t b e a u t y of t h e L o r d .
.And t h e r e will b e n o t h i n g t h a t lives
F h a t is e i t h e r i g n o r a n t o r dumb;'
F o r h e h a s g i v e n a m o u t h to his c r e a t i o n ,
Yo o p e n t h e v o i c e o f t h e m o u t h t o h i m , a n d t o p r a i s e h i m .
P r a i s e his p o w e r , a n d p r o c l a i m his g r a c e .
Hallelujah.

VIII

O p e n , o p e n y o u r hearts to the exultation o f t h e L o r d ,

A n d let y o u r love o v e r f l o w ' from t h e h e a r t to t h e lips,
I o b r i n g f o r t h f r u i t s t o t h e L o r d , e v e n a h o l y life,
A n d t o s p e a k w i t h w a t c h f u l n e s s in his light.
.•\rise a n d s t a n d u p .
Y o u w h o o n c e w e r e b r o u g h t low:
Y o u w h o w e r e in silence.
S p e a k , for y o u r m o u t h s h a v e b e e n o p e n e d :
You w h o were despised,
F r o m h e n c e f o r t h b e r a i s e d u p , for y o u r r i g h t e o u s n e s s h a s b e e n
raised up;
F o r t h e r i g h t h a n d o f t h e L o r d is w i t h y o u ,
. ' \ n d h e is y o u r h e l p e r ,
.And p e a c e w a s p r e p a r e d Ibr y o u

' O r ' T h o s e who sing of the grace ofthe Lord Most High will .sing'.
' Lit. '.And there will be nothing with life,
.Nor with ignorance, nor with sorcery'.
 698 The Odes of Solomon
Before vour war began.
8 H e a r the w o r d of t r u t h ,
. A n d r e c e i v e t i i e l < n o w l e d g e of t h e M o s t H i g t i .
9 Y o u r flesli w i l l n o t k n o w w h a t 1 a m s a y i n g t o y o u .
N o r y o u r c l o t h i n g w h a t 1 a m d e c l a r i n g to y o u .
10 K e e p m y s e c r e t , y o u w h o a r e k e p i b y it:
11 K e e p m y f a i t h , y o u w h o a r c k e p t b y it;
12 . A n d k n o w m y k n o w l e d g e , y o u w h o k n o w m e i n t r u t h .
V.i L o v e m e w i t h a l f e c t i o n ,
Y o u w h o love.
It F o r I d o n o t t u r n m y face from t h o s e t h a t a r c m i n e .
Because I know them;
1.1 . A n d b e f o r e t h e y c a m e i n t o b e i n g
I perceived them:
. \ n d on t h e i r faces I set m y seal,
ifi I fashioned their m e m b e r s ;
.And m y b r e a s t s 1 p r e p a r e d lor t h e m ,
' F h a t t h e y m i g h t d r i n k m y h o l y m i l k , t h a t t h e y m i g h t l i v e b y it.
17 I w a s well p l e a s e d with t h e m ,
.And 1 a m n o t a s h a m e d ofthem;
18 F o r t h e y a r e ni)' o w n w o r k ,
.And t h e p o w e r o f m y thoughts.
19 W h o , t h e r e f o r e , will s t a n d a g a i n s t m y w o r k .
O r w h o is h c t h a t is n o t s u b j e c t t o t h e m ?
20 I willed a n d formed m i n d and heart,
.And they a r e m i n e ;
.And I set tny c h o s e n o n e s at m y right h a n d .
21 .And m y r i g h t e o u s n e s s g o e s b e l b r e t h e m ;
.And t h e y will n o t b e s e p a r a t e d from iny n a m e .
B e c a u s e it is w i t h t h e m .
22 P r a y a n d c o n t i n u e e a r n e s t l v in t h e l o v e o f t h e Lord,
. A n d , y o u w h o a r e b e l o v e d , in t h e B e l o v e d O n e ;
. A n d , y o u w h o a r c k e p t , in h i m w h o l i v e d again;
. A n d , y o u w h o a r e d e l i v e r e d , in h i m w h o w a s d e l i v e r e d ;
Zi . A n d y o u w i l l b e f o u n d i n c o r r u p t i b l e in a l l a g e s b e c a u s e o f t h e n a m e
of y o u r Father.
Hallelujah.
 The Odes of Solomon 699

IX

O p e n your ears,
A n d I will s p e a k to y o u ;
Oivc mc yoursekes,'
T h a t I too m a y give you myself,'
T h e w o r d o f t h e L o r d , a n d his will,
I'he h o l y p u r p o s e w h i c h he p l a n n e d c o n c e r n i n g his C h r i s t .
F o r i n t h e w i l l o f t h e L o n i is y o u r lift-,
A n d y o u r p e r f e c t i o n is i n c o r r u p t i b l e .
B e c o m e r i c h in ( i o d t h e F a t h e r ,
. \ n d r e c e i v e t h e m i n d o f t h e .Most H i g h :
B e s t r o n g , a n d b e d e l i v e r e d in his g r a c e .
F o r 1 p r o c l a i m p e a c e to you, his pious ones.
T h a t n o n e o f t h o s e w h o h e a r m a y fall i n t h e w a r ,
.And t h a t t h o s e a l s o w h o h a v e k n o w n h i m m a y n o t p e r i s h ,
. A n d t h a t t h o s e w h o r e c e i v e hm m a y n o t b e a s h a i n e d .
T r u t h is a n e t e r n a l c r o w n
( B l e s s e d a r c t h o s e w h o s e t it o n t h e i r h e a d s ) ,
.A s t o n e o f g r e a t p r i c e ;
For the wars are on account ofthe crown;
. A n d r i g h t e o u s n e s s t o o k it
. A n d g a v e it t o y o u .
P u t o n t h e c r o w n in t h e t r u e c o v e n a n t of t h e Lt)rd;
A n d a l l t h o s e w h o h a v e b e e n \ i t ; t o r i 6 u s w i l l b e w r i t t e n in h i s b o o k ;
F o r t h e i r b o o k is t h e \ i c i o r y t h a t is y o u r s ;
.And s h e ' sees v o u before h e r . a n d wills t h a t v o u m a v be d e l i v e r e d .
Hallelujah.

F h e L o i d directed tny m o u t h by his w o r d ,

.And o p e n e d m y h e a r t b y his light.
' Lit. S o u r stiul.s'.
' I.it. "my soul'.
' i.e., victorv.
700 The Odes of Solomon
A n d c a u s e d h i s i m m o r c a l l i l e t o d w e l l in m e ,
A n d g r a n t e d m e t o tell o f t h e fruit o f h i s p e a c e .
T o r e s t o r e t h e s o u l s of t h o s e w h o w i s h to c o m e to h i m .
A n d to lead a g o o d l y b a n d of captives back to freedom.
I b e c a m e s t r o n g a n d p o w e r f u l a n d led the w o r l d c a p t i v e ,
. \ n d it b e c a m e t o m e t o t h e g l o r y o f t h e M o s t H i g h , e v e n o f G o d m y
Father.
. \ i i d t h e p e o p l e s w h o yvere s c a t t e r e d w e r e g a t h e r e d t o g e t h e r ,
.And I w a s n o t defiled b y m y s i n s , '
B e c a u s e t h e y p r a i s e d ' m e in h i g h places.
A n d t h e footprints of light w e r e set on their h e a r t s .
A n d t h e y w a l k e d i n m y life a n d w e r e d e l i v e r e d .
A n d b e c a m e m y p e o p l e ' for e v e r a n d e v e r .
Hallelujah.

XI'

M y h e a r t w a s c i r c u m c i s e d , ' a n d its flowers appeared,

. A n d g r a c e s p r o u t e d u p in it;
A n d it b o r e f r u i t t o t h e L o r d . '
F o r t h e M o s t H i g h circumcisixi' m e with his Holy Spirit,
A n d laid b a r e m y k i d n e y s t o w a r d s himself;
. A n d filled m e w i t h h i s l o v e .
A n d his circumcision" b e c a m e my deliverance;
A n d I r a n in t h e w a y in his p e a c e ,
In the way of truth:
F r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g to the e n d
I received his knowledge.'

' A slight change o f t h e pointing woiild render possible the translalion 'by my
love'. ' Or'ronfessetf.
' O r ' . A n d were with me'.

' O d e xi is extant in Greek as well as in Syri.-ic, and all but minor ways in which
the former differs from the latter are recorded in the notes. Some obv ious errors in
the Greek are ignored. ^ Or'cut'.

' Gk. 'God'. " O r 'incision'.

' O r ' k n o w l e d g e of him'.
 The Odes of Solomon 701
A n d I w a s (irniK cstalilishcd o n t h e roek o f t n i t h , "
W i i e i e he set nie;
A n d s p e a k i n g w a t e r s t o u e l i e d m y lips
F r o m tlte L o r d ' s s p r i n g ' w i t h o u t g r u d g i n g ; "
A n d I drank, and was intoxicated
By t h e Hxing,'' i m m o r t a l , w a t e r s ;
.And m y i n t o x i e a t i o n w a s not w i t h o u t k n o w l e d g e .
But I ' " a b a n d o n e d vanities,
.And t u r n e d ' " t o w a r d s t h e .Most H i g h , m y G o d ,
. A n d b e c a m e r i c h t h r o u g h h i s gift;
. A n d I a b a n d o n e d l o l l y , w h i c h is c a s t o v e r t h e e a r t h . "
. A n d I s t r i p p e d it o l l ' a n d c a s t it f r o m m e ;
.And t h e L o r d r e n e w e d m e w i t h his clothing,
.And p o s s e s s e d m e " w i t h his light,
.And g a \ e m e i n c o r r u p t i b l e r e f r e s h m e n t from a b o v e , "
. A n d I b e c a m e l i k e t h e g r o u n d w h i c h s p r o i u s a n d r e j o i c e s in its
fruits.
. \ n d t h e L o r d is l i k e t h e s u n
I ' p o n t h e face o f t h e g r o u n d :
H e enlightened m y eyes,'''
.And m y face r e c e i v e d " t h e d e w ;
.And m y b r e a t h took p l e a s u r e
In the pleasant fragrance"'of the Lord;
.And h e b r o u g h t ine to his p a r a d i s e .
W h e r e are the riches ofthe pleasure ofthe Lord."

" (;k. '.1 tirin rock'. ' (;k. adds 'oriilc'.

" O r 'Froni llic spriim o l l h c Lord who is wiihoul c i n y ' .
" Cik. om.-liviiig'. '•>"• t;k. 1 turnrci li,.[i. vi.iiitics-,
" O r 'lolly lying on ihe ground' - so Gk.
'' Cfk. 're\i\'ed me', or 'regained me for himsell"'.
" (ik. '.And hroughl me lo lil'e again wiih his incorrnpiion'.
O r ' m y eyes s h o n e ' - s o Gk. " G k . ' w a s besprinkled with'.
(Jk. 'the fragrance ofthe kindtiess'.
" Gk. a d d s , "I beheld trees, l)eautiful and bearing fruit.
.And their crown was a natural growth;
Their branches sprouted, and their fruits laughed;
Their sh(M)ts (amt up from an immortal land.
.And the ri\er ofjoy watered them.
.And fioii-ed round their land of eternal life.'
( T h e word translated 'shoots' usually means 'rtwis'.)
 702 The Odes of Solomon
17 A n d I w o r s h i p p e d the L o r d because ol'his glory:
IH A n d I said. Blessed, O Lord,
. \ r e t h o s e w h o h a v e b e e n p l a n t e d in t h y g r o u n d ,
. \ n d t h o s e w h o h a v e a p l a c e in thy p a r a d i s e .
19 . \ n d g r o w u p in t h e g r o w t h o f t h y t r e e s ,
. \ n d h a \ c m o v e d from d a r k n e s s to light.
L'li B e h o l d , all t h y l a b o u r e r s a r c excellent,
'"\\ ho perform good works,
•_'] . \ n d t u r n from wickedness to thy pleasantness.
. \ n d h a \ c t u r n e d the b i t t e r n e s s of the trees a w a y from t h e m .
W h e n t h e y w e r e p l a n t e d in thy g r o u n d . ' "
•>•> .And e v e r y t h i n g h a s b e c o m e like a relic of thee,'"'
. \ n d a n e l e r n a l r e m e m b r a n c e of t h y faithful s e r \ a i i i s .
L':i L o r t h e r e is m u c h r o o m in t h y p a r a d i s e .
. A n d t h e r e is n o t h i n g t h a t is u n p r o f i t a b l e ;
B t i l c \ e r \ t h i n g is full of'" fruits.
P r a i s e b e t o t h e e . ( ) CJod, " t h e p l e a s u r e t h a t is in t h e e t e r n a l
paradise."
Hallelujah.

XII

H c h l l e d m e w i t h t h e w o r d s of t r u t h .
I n o r d e r t h a t I m i g h t s p e a k it;
. \ n d t r u t h f l o w e d f r o m m y m o u t h l i k e t h e flow o f w a t e r s .
. \ n d m y lips d e c l a r e d its' fruits.
. \ n d h e ' m a d e h i s ' k n o w l e d g e a b o u n d in m e .
B e c a u s e t h e m o u t h o f t h e L o r d is t h e t r u e W o r d ,
.And t h e g a t e o f h i s light.
.And t h e .Most H i g h g a v e h i m ' to his w o r l d s .
"'" (ik. ••fhey makegiMKi traiisr<)rniation.s
From wirkfdiu'ss to kindness;
'fhe t)itterness ofthe plants is changed in thy land."
(ik "becomes like thy will". It then adds "Blessed are the ministers of thy
ers". Gk. 'bears'.
'•"' (ik. "in the paradise of eternal delight".

'fhese [)ronoims can be translated into F>iglish as either masculine or neuter.

 The Odes of Solomon 703
T h e interpreters ofhis beauty,
A n d the tiarrators oliiis glory.
A n d the conlt'ssors ofhis thought.
A n d tlie p r e a c h e r s o f h i s mind.
A n d t h e s a n c t i f i e r s (?) o f h i s w o r k s .
F o r t h e swiftness o f t h e W o r d cannot be told.
-And like i t s ' t e l l i n g , so t o o a r e i t s ' s w i f t n e s s a n d i t s ' s p e e d .
. A n d h i s c o u r s e is w i t h o u t l i m i t :
H e n e \ e r falls, b u t s t a n d s fast,
.And h e k n o w s n o t his d e s c e n t , n o r his w a v . '
F o r a s is h i s w o r k , s o is h i s e x p e c t a t i o n ; ' '
F o r it is t h e l i g h t a t i d s u n r i s e o f t h o u g h t .
.And b y h i m t h e w o r l d s s p o k e one to a n o t h e r ,
.And t h o s e t h a t w e r e silent accjuired s p e e c h ;
.And b y h i m f r i e n d s h i p a n d a g r e e m e n t c a m e i n t o b e i n g ,
- A n d t h e y s p o k e o n e t o t h e o t h e r w h a t t h e y h a d to saj;
.And t h e y w e r e g o a d e d o n by the W o r d ;
.And t h e y k n e w h i m w h o m a d e t h e m ,
B e c a u s e t h e ) w e r e in a g r e e m e n t ;
F o r t h e m o u t h o f t h e M o s t H i g h s p o k e to t h e m ,
.And t h r o u g h h i m h i s e x p l a n a t i o n h a d free c o u r s e .
F o r t h e h a b i t a t i o n o f t h e W o r d is a m a n , '
. A n d h i s t r u t h is l o v e .
Blessed are those who have understood everything through him,'
. A n d h a v e k n o w n t h e I . o r d in h i s t r u t h .
Hallelujah.

XIII
B e h o l d , t h e L o r d is o u r m i r r o r :
O p e n y o u r e y e s a n d see t h e r n in h i m ;
.And l e a r n h o w y o u r face is,

^ i.e. o f tiie s w i f t n e s s : a s l i g h t c i i a n g e in t h e p o i n t i n g u o n l t t r e n d e r possitile t h e

translation 'his'.
^ W i t h a sligiit e n i e n d a t i o n , '.And his d e s c e n t a n d his w a y a r c u n k n o w n ' .
" T h e f o r m is a n o m a l o u s h u t v e r y c l o s e t o t h e w o r d l o r h i s e x p e c t a t i o n ' .
^ O r ' m a n ' : o r ' t h e S o n of m a n ' .
704 The Odes of Solomon
A n d u u e r p r a i s e s to his Spirit;
. A n d w i p e t h e filth' f r o m y o u r f a t e .
. A n d l o v e h i s h o l i n e s s a n d p u t it o n ;
. \ n d y o u will b e w i t h o u t b l e m i s h all t h e t i m e w i t h h i m .
Hallelujah.

XIV

Like t h e eyes o f a son o n his father,

So a r e m y eyes, O Lord, contiiuially towards thee;
Because with thee are my breasts and my pleasure.
L u r n not thy c o m p a s s i o n a w a y from m e , O Lord,
.And t a k e n o t t h y k i n d n e s s from m e .
S t r e t c h o u t t h y r i g h t h a n d t o m e c o n t i n u a l l y , C) m y L o r d ,
.And b e a g u i d e to m e until t h e e n d b e c a u s e ol'thy g o o d p l e a s u r e .
1 s h a l l ' b e p l e a s i n g before t h e e b e c a u s e of thy glory,
.And b e c a u s e o f t h y n a m e 1 s h a l l ' b e d e l i v e r e d from t h e evil o n e ;
. A n d t h y g e n t l e n e s s , C) L o r d , w i l l ' a b i d e w i t h m e ,
.And t h e fruits of thy love.
L e a c h m e the p s a l m s of thy truth,
' L h a t I m a y b e a r f r u i t s in t h e e ;
.And o p e n to m e t h e h a r p of thy H o l y Spirit,
T h a t 1 m a y praise thee, O Lord, with every melody.
.And a c c o r d i n g to t h e a b u n d a n c e of thy c o m p a s s i o n , so m a y c s t
thou grant me;
.And m a k e h a s t e to g r a n t o u r r e q u e s t s .
. A n d t h o u a r t s u f h c i e n t for a l l o u r n e e d s .
Hallelujah.

XV

.As t h e s u n is a j o y t o t h o s e w h o s e e k i t s d a y ,
S o m y j o y is t h e L o r d ;
' 'fhe Syriac word here is otherwise unknown.

' 'fhese verbs may be optali\'e rather than indicative.

 The Odes of Solomon 705
B e c a u s e h e is m y s u n ,
A n d iiis r a y s r o u s e d m e .
A n d h i s l i g h t d i s p e l l e d all t h e d a r k n e s s from m y face.
1 o b t a i n e d eyes by him,
A n d s a w his holy day:
Kars b e c a m e mine.
A n d I h e a r d his truth.
T h e t h o u g h t of knowledge b e c a m e mine,
. \ n d I delighted myself through him.
1 forsook t h e w a y of error,
.-\nd I w e n t to h i m a n d r e c e i v e d from h i m d e l i v e r a n c e w i t h o u t
grudging;'
A n d a c c o i d i n g t o h i s gift h e g a v e t o m e ,
.And a c c o r d i n g to his g r e a t b e a u t y h e m a d e m e .
I p u t o n i n c o r r u p t i o n t h r o u g h his n a m e .
A n d I p u t oil"corruption by his g r a c e .
D e a t h w a s d e s t r o y e d from before m y face,
.And S h e o l w a s b r o u g h t to n o t h i n g a t m y w o r d .
. A n d i m m o r t a l life r o s e u p in t h e l a n d o f t h e Lord,
. A n d it b e c a m e k n o w n t o h i s f a i t h f u l o n e s ,
A n d w a s g i v e n u n s p a r i n g l y t o a l l t h o s e w h o t r u s t in h i m .
Hallelujah.

XVI

.As t h e w o r k o f t h e p l o u g h m a n is t h e p l o u g h s h a r e ,
. \ n d t h e w o r k o f t h e h e l m s m a n is t h e s t e e r i n g o f t h e s h i p ,
S o , t o o , m y w o r k is t h e p s a l m o f t h e L o r d i n h i s p r a i s e s .
M y craft a n d m y o c c u p a t i o n a r e in his praises,
B e c a u s e his love n o u r i s h e d m y heart,
. A n d it b r o u g h t u p h i s f r u i t s t o m y l i p s .
F o r m y l o v e is t h e L o r d ,
T h e r e f o r e I will s i n g to h i m ;
F o r I a m m a d e s t r o n g b y his p r a i s e s .
A n d I h a v e f a i t h in h i m .

' O r 'received deliverance from him lhat is without e n v y ' .

706 The Odes of Solomon
I will o p e n m y m o u t h ,
A n d h i s vSpirit w i l l p r o c l a i m i n m e
T h e glory o f t h e L o r d a n d his beauty.
The work ofhis hands,
. \ n d w h a t his h n g e r s h a v e m a d e .
Lor the multitude ofhis mercies,
. \ n d for t h e i n i g h t o f h i s Word.
F o r t h e W o r d o f t h e L o r d s e a r c h e s o u t w h a t is u n s e e n ,
.And p e r c e i v e s his t h o u g h t ;
Lor t h e eye sees his w o r k s ,
.And t h e c a r h e a r s his t h o u g h t .
H c spread out the earth.
.And set t h e w a t e r s in t h e s e a :
H e stretched out the heavens,
.And set in o r d e r t h e s t a r s ;
. A n d s e t i n o r d e r t h e c r e a t i o n a n d e s t a b l i s h e d it;
.And h e restcti from his w o r k s .
A n d t h e c r e a t e d t h i n g s r u n in t h e i r c o u r s e s .
A n d perform their tasks,
A n d k n o w n o t h o w t o s t a n d still a n d b e idle;
/ \ n d t h e h o s t s a r e subjei-t to his \ \ ' o r d .
L h e t r e a s u r y o f t h e l i g h t is t h e s u n .
. A n d t h e t r e a s u r y o f t h e d a r k n e s s is t h e n i g h t ;
. A n d h e m a d e t h e s u n for t h e d a y t h a t it m i g h t b e b r i g h t .
.And n i g h t b r i n g s d a r k n e s s u p o n t h e face o f t h e e a r t h .
A n d they take over, the one from the other;
T h e y proclaim' the beauty ofGod.
A n d t h e r e is n o t h i n g t h a t is a p a r t f r o m t h e L o r d ,
B e c a u s e he w a s before a n y t h i n g c a m e into being.
A n d t h e w o r l d s c a m e into being by his W o r d ,
. A n d b y t h e t h o u g h t o f h i s h c a i t.
G l o r y a t i d h o n o u r b e to his n a m e .
Hallelujah.

O r •complete'.
 The Odes of Solomon 70'

W I I

I w a s iTowiH'd hy m y G o d .
.•\iid m y c r o w n is Uic L i v i n g O n e ;
.And I w a s j u s t i f i c d by m y L o r d .
. A n d m y d c l i v i ' r a n c c is i i u - o r r u p t i b l c :
I w a s rfleascd from vain tilings.
.And I a m not a m a n c o n d e m n e d :
.\Iy b o n d s w e r e s e v e r e d by his' h a n d s :
I r e c e i v e d t h e face a n d likeness o f a n e w p e r s o n ;
. A n d I w a l k e d in h i n r a n d w a s d e l i v e r e d ,
.And t h e t h o u g h t olTrutli led m e :
. A n d I w e n t a f t e r it a n d d i d n o t g o a s t r a y .
.And all w h o s a w m e w e r e a m a z e d .
.And I s e e m e d to t h e m to b e a s t r a n g e r .
. A n d h e w h o k n e w a n d b r o u g h t m e u p is t h e .Most H i g h in all h i s
perfection;
. A n d h e h e l d m e in h o n o u r ' in h i s k i n d n e s s ,
.And h e r a i s e d m y m i n d to t h e h e i g h t of t r u t h .
.And t h e n c e h e g a v e m e t h e w a y o f h i s s t e p s .
.And I o p e n e d t h e g a t e s that w e r e shut;
.And I b r o k e in p i e c e s t h e b a r s of iron;
B u t m y fetters'* g r e w h o t a n d m e l t e d b e f o r e m e .
.And n o t h i n g s e e m e d to m e to b e s h u t .
B e c a u s e I w a s t h e o p e n i n g of e v e r y t h i n g ;
.And I w e n t to all m y ' p r i s o n e r s to r e l e a s e t h e m .
T h a t I m i g h t leave no m a n b o u n d a n d ' binding.
.And I g a v e m y k n o w l e d g e w i t h o u t g r u d g i n g , '
. A n d m y p r a y e r was in m \ l o v e .
. A n d I s o w e d m y f r u i t s in h e a r t s ,
. A n d I t r a n s f o r m e d t h e m in m y s e l f .
.And t h e y r e c e i v e d m y blessing a n d lived,

' r i i e removal ofa point gi\TS this translation insteaci ol'the 'her' in the .M.S.
' O r 'I entered into it'.
' -So H: B ' A n d he is glorified'.
' I.it.'mv own iron'. ' So H: B ' t h e ' .
" .SoH: B ' o r ' . ' Or'envv'.
708 The Odes of Solomon
A n d w e r e g a t h e r e d to m c a n d dehvercd,
Because they became my members,
-And I a m t h e i r h e a d .
( i i o r v b e t o t h e e , o u r h e a d , (3 L o r d C h r i s t .
Hallelujah.

XVHI

.\Iy h e a r t w a s raised u p by the love o f t h e M o s t H i g h a n d w a s

enlarged.
That I might praise him through my name.
M y members were strengthened,
L h a t t h e y m i g h t n o t fall f r o m h i s p o w e r :
D i s e a s e s d e p a r t e d far f r o m m y b o d y ,
. A n d i t ' s t o o d u p for t h e L o r d b y h i s w i l l .
B e c a u s e h i s k i n g d o m is h r m .
C) L o r d , b e c a u s e o f t h o s e w h o l a c k the knowledge of thee.
W i l t t h o u take a w a y ' thy w o r d from me?
.Neither, b e c a u s e oftheir works,
W i l t ' t h o u w i t h h o l d from m e thy perfection.
'Lhe light will not b e c o n q u e r e d b y d a r k n e s s .
N o r w i l l t r u t h flee f r o m f a l s e h o o d .
' L h y r i g h t h a n d will m a k e o u r d e l i v e r a n c e v i c t o r i o u s ,
.And t h o u wilt receive from every p l a c e ,
. A n d w i l t p r e s e r v e , e v e r y o n e w h o is h e l d b y e v i l . "
I h o u a r t m y G o d : f a l s e h o o d a n d d e a t h a r e n o t in t h y m o u t h .
B u t t h y w i l l is p e r f e c t i o n ;
.And t h o u k n o w e s t not v a n i t y .
B e c a u s e it, t o o , k n o w s n o t t h e e ;
.And t h o u k n o w e s t not e r r o r .
B e c a u s e it, t o o , k n o w s n o t t h e e .
.And i g n o r a n c e a p p e a r e d as h n e d u s t .

' .So H: B tlu-v'.

' So H: B -cast'.
' T h e verhs in verses 5 - 7 may be optalive
' O r 'by misfortunes'.
 The Odes of Solomon 709
A n d as the s c u m o f t h e sea.
. \ n d \ a i i i p e o p l e t h o u g h t c o n c e r n i n g it t h a t it w a s g r e a t :
T h e y , ' t o o , c a m e t o r e s e m b l e it a n d b e c a m e v a i n .
.\nd those who have knowledge understood' and thought,
. \ n d w e r e n o t d e l i l c d in t h e i r t h o u g h t s :
B e c a u s e t h e y w e r e in t h e m i n d o f t h e .Most H i g h ,
. \ n d t h e y l a u g h e d a t t h o s e w h o w e r e w a l k i n g in e r r o r :
But they spoke the truth
K r t n n t h e i n s p i r a t i o n w h i c h t h e .Most H i g h b r e a t h e d i n t o t h e m .
( J l o r v a n d g r e a t h o n o u r ' ' be to his n a m e .
Halleltijah'.

XIX

. \ c u p of milk w a s olfered to m e ,
. A n d 1 d r a n k it i n t h e s w e e t n e s s o f t h e k i n d n e s s o f t h e L o r d .
T h e S o n is t h e c u p .
A n d h e w h o w a s m i l k e d is t h e F a t h e r ,
.And t h e H o l y Spirit m i l k e d h i m ; '
B e c a u s e h i s b r e a s t s w e r e full,
. A n d it w a s n o t d e s i r a b l e t h a t h i s m i l k s h o u l d b e e m i t t e d w i t h o u t
reason;
The H o l y Spirit opened her' bosom,
.And mixed the milk ofthe two breasts ofthe Father,
And g a v e t h e m i x t u r e to the w o r l d w i t h o u t their k n o w i n g ;
.And t h o s e w h o r e c e i v e il a r e i n t h e f u l n e s s o f t h e r i g h t h a n d .
Fhe w o m b o f t h e V i r g i n e m b r a c e d ' j7.
.And she conceived and bore;
A n d the Virgin became a mother with great compassion;

' .So H: B And they'.

" I.it. 'knrw'.
' Lit. "beauty'.

' So H: B '.And she who milked him is the Holy Spirit' (The Syriae word for
'Spirit' is feminine).
' C:p. note'. If a point were removed, 'his' (i.e. the Father's) could be read.
' Or'caught'.
 710 The Odes of Solomon
A n d s h e w a s in l a b o u r , a n d b o r e a S o n w i t h o u t feeling p a i n .
B e c a u s e it d i d n o t h a p p e n w i t h o u t a r e a s o n ;
A n d s h e d i d not seek a midwife,
Because he delivered" her.
S h e b o r e a s it w e r e a m a n b y t h e w i l l oJ 6W.'
. A n d b o r e him a n d m a d e h i m k n o w n , *
A n d o b t a i n e d him i n g r e a t p o w e r ;
A n d s h e l o v e d him i n d e l i v e r a n c e ,
A n d g u a r d e d him i n k i n d n e s s ,
A n d m a d e him k n o w n iti g r e a t n e s s .
Hallelujah.

XX
1 I a m a priest ofthe Lord,
A n d to h i m I minister a s priest,
2 A n d t o h i m I ofler t h e oU'ering o f h i s t h o u g h t .
3 F o r not as t h e world,
. \ o r a s t h e flesh, i s h i s t h o u g h t .
N o r a s t h o s e w h o s e r v e i n a fleshly w a y .
4 ' F h e o f f e r i n g o f t h e L o r d is r i g h t e o u s n e s s ,
. A n d p u r i t y of h e a r t a n d l i p s .
5 Offer your' kidneys without blemish,
- A n d l e t n o t y o u r b o w e l s afflict another's b o w e l s .
A n d l e t n o t y o u r s o u l a f f l i c t another's .soul.
6 Y o u shall n o t a c q u i r e a stranger by the blood o f y o u r soul,
.Nor shall y o u seek to d e f r a u d y o u r n e i g h b o u r .
N o r shall y o u deprive h i m ofthe covering ofhis nakedness.
7 But put on thegrace ofthe ungrudging Lord;'
.And c o m e t o t h e ' p a r a d i s e , a n d m a k e y o u r s e l f a g a r l a n d from his
tree,
* O r ' k e p t alive'.
' Or-by tier own WAV.
I.it. '.And bore kim in showing forth'.

' SoH:B'niy'.
' O r ' t h e Lord who is without envv'.
' So H : B 'his'.
 The Odes of Solomon 111
A n d p u t it o n y o u r h e a d , a n d d e l i g h t in it.
A n d r e c l i n e o n his serenity.
A n d his g l o r y will g o before y o u ,
A n d y o u will receive o f h i s kindness a n d o f h i s goodness."
A n d g r o w f a t in t h e g l o r y o f h i s h o l i n e s s .
G l o r y a n d h o n o u r be to his n a m e .
Halleluiah.

XXI
1 raised m y a r m s ' on high
T o t h e pity of the Lord,
B e c a u s e he cast a w a y m y b o n d s from m e ;
.Vnd m y h e l p e r r a i s e d m c u p to his pity a n d his d e l i v e r a n c e .
A n d I put olTdarkness,
.And p u t o n light.
.And m y soul a c q u i r e d members
I n w h i c h is n o ' p a i n .
N e i t h e r distress, n o r sufferings.
.Antl s u p r e m e l y h e l p f u l t o m e b e c a m e t h e t h o u g h t o f t h e L o r d ,
.And his i n c o r r u p t i b l e fellowship.
A n d I w a s r a i s e d u p in his light,
.And I p a s s e d ' before his face;
.And I c a m e n e a r to h i m .
Praising and thanking him.
H e m a d e m y h e a r t o v e r f l o w , a n d it w a s f o u n d in m y m o u t h .
A n d it a p p e a r e d o n m y l i p s ;
A n d t h e e x u l t a t i o n o f t h e L o r d a n d " h i s p r a i s e lit u p ' m y f a c e .
Hallelujah.

" So H: B 'grace'.

' So H: B ' a r m ' .

' So B: H om. 'no'.
' So B: H "worked', ' i h e onlv difTerence is the position ofa point.
-SoH:B'in'.
' Lit. ' b e c a m e great upon'.
712 The Odes oJ Solomon

XXII

H c w h o b r o u g h t m e d o w n from the height,

A n d r a i s e d m c u p from t h e l o w e r r e g i o n s ,
And h e w h o g a t h e r e d t h e t h i n g s t h a t w e r e in t h e m i d d l e
A n d l a i d t h e m ' l o w for m e .
H e who scattered my enemies.
A n d my adversaries;
H e w h o gave mc power over bonds,
T h a t I m i g h t loose t h e m ;
H e w h o o v e r t h r e w by m y h a n d s the s e v e n - h e a d e d d r a g o n ,
( A n d t h o u d i d s t set m c over his r o o t s , ' t h a t I m i g h t d e s t r o v his
seed) -
11 IS thou-?
T h o u wast there and didst help me.
A n d in e v e r y p l a c e t h y n a m e w a s b l e s s e d b y m c . "
T h y r i g h t h a n d d e s t r o y e d his evil v e n o m ; '
. ' \ n d t h y h a n d m a d e t h e w a y l e v e l f o r t l i o s e w h o b e l i e v e in t h e e ,
.And c h o s e t h e m from t h e graves.
And set t h e m a p a r t from the d e a d :
It took d e a d b o n e s .
A n d covered them with bodies;
A n d they were motionless.
A n d it g a v e t h e m h e l p * f o r life.
T h y w a y a n d thy person' were incorruptible:
T h o u didst b r i n g thy w o r l d to c o r r u p t i o n .
That everything might be dissolved a n d renewed.
A n d t h a t t h e f o u n d a t i o n for e v e r y t h i n g m i g h t b e t h y r o c k ;
A n d u p o n it t h o u h a s t b u i l t t h y k i n g d o m ;

' So B: om. H.
= So H: B 'roof.
' T h e syntactical relationship ofthis verse to verses \-b is dillicult.
" So H; B 'was encircling me' (and similarly the Coptic).
' So H: B 'the venom of evil'.
' So H: B 'energy'.
' .According to the punctuation ofthe MSS 'thy person' goes with the next line to
give 'And thou didst bring thy person into the world, even into corruption'.
 77;? Odes of Solomon 71 '.i
A n d t h o u d i d s t l i f c o i n c " tlic d w e l l i n g - p l a c e of t h e s a i n t s .
Hallelujah.

XXH!

Joy b e l o n g s t o t h e s a i n t s .
. A n d w h o w i l l p u t it o n b u t t h e y a l o n e ?
( J r a c e b e l o n g s to tlie elect.
. A n d w h o w i l l r e c e i \ e it b u t t h o s e w h o h a \ e t r u s t e d in it f r o m t h e
beginning?
L o v e b e l o n g s to the elect.
. A n d w h o w i l l p u t it o n b u t t h o s e w h o h a v e p o s s e s s e d it f r o m t h e
beginning?
W a l k i n t h e k n o w l e d g e o f t h e .Most H i g h , '
.And y o u will k n o w t h e g r a c e o f t h e L o r d ' w i t h o u t g r u d g i n g . '
H i s exultation a n d the perfection ofhis knowledge.
.And h i s t h o u g h t w a s like a l e t t e r .
H i s " will c a m e d o w n from o n high;
. A n d it w a s s e n t l i k e a n a r r o w f r o m a b o w ,
L h a t is s h o t w i t h f o r c e ;
.And m a n y h a n d s r u s h e d u p o n t h e letter.
I o s n a t c h it a n d t a k e it a n d r e a d it;
. A n d it fled f r o m t h e i r fingers;
. A n d t h e y w e r e a f r a i d o f it a n d o f t h e s e a l w h i c h w a s u[5on it.
B e c a u s e they w e r e not allowed to loose h i s ' seal.
F o r t h e p o w e r t h a t w a s u p o n the seal w a s g r e a t e r t h a n they.
B u t t h o s e w h o s a w it w e n t a f t e r t h e l e t t e r ,
' F h a t t h e y m i g h t k n o w w h e r e it w o u l d s t o p ,
. A n d w h o w o u l d r e a d it,
. A n d w h o w o u l d h e a r it.

* So H: B Wnd it bccanic'.

' So H: B ollhc Lord'.

- And you will know . . . l.ord': om. H.
' Or who is without envy'.
* So H: B And his'.
' S o H : B'its'.
 714 The Odes qf Solomon
11 B u t a w h e e l r e c e i v e d it,
. A n d it e a m e u p o n it;
\-> A n d w i t h it w a s a s i g n
or k i n g s h i p a n d o f g o v e r n m e n t .
l;i .And e v e r y t h i n g t h a t w a s m o v i n g t h e w h e e l
It m o w e d a n d c u t d o w n ;
11 . A n d it g a t h e r e d a m u l t i t u d e o f a d v e r s a r i c s ;
. A n d it c o v e r e d u p r i v e r s ;
1.3 . A n d it c r o s s e d o v e r a n d u p r o o t e d m a n y w o o d s , "
.And m a d e a b r o a d p a t h .
Ul T h e h e a d c a m e d o w n t o t h e feet,
B e c a u s e a s far a s t h e feet' r a n t h e w h e e l ,
. A n d w h a t w a s c o m i n g " o n it.
17 T h e l e t t e r w a s o n e of c o m m a n d , '
B e c a u s e ' " all p l a c e s w e r e g a t h e r e d t o g e t h e r .
Hi .And o n h i s ' h e a d a p p e a r e d t h e h e a d that w a s revealed,
.And t h e S o n of t r u t h from t h e M o s t H i g h Father.
1<) . A n d h e t o o k p o s s e s s i o n o f e v e r y t h i n g a n d r e c e i v e d it;
.And t h e t h o u g h t s of m a n y c a m e to n o t h i n g .
L'O .And all w h o led a s t r a y e s c a p e d " a n d fled,
.And t h o s e w h o p e r s e c u t e d w e r e e x t i n g u i s h e d a n d blotted o u t .
Ul But the letter b e c a m e a great tablet.
W h i c h w a s written completely by the h n g e r o f G o d ;
T2 . A n d t h e n a m e o f t h e F a t h e r w a s u p o n it,
.And o f t h e S o n , a n d o f t h e H o l y Spirit,
T o r e i g n for e v e r a n d e v e r .
Hallelujah.

" .SoH: B peoples'.

' .So B: H loot'.
" .So H: B 'had come'. H the word were dilVerently pointed the line might be
translated '.And that which was the sign upon it'.
" So H; B It was a letter and a command'.
So H: B '.And tiecause'.
" Text-were lK)ld'.
'•' So B; H'irritated'.
 The Odes of Solomon 11')

XXI\

T h e c i o \ e flew u p o n l h c h e a d o f o u r L o r d ' ( I h r i s l .
Because he was her head.
.And s h e s a n g o \ e r h i m .
.And h e r voice w a s iieard.
.And l h c i n h a h i l a n l s feared,
.And llie selllers i r e m b l e d .
' L h c b i r d s ' forsook their w ings.'
. A n d a l l t h e r e p t i l e s d i e d in i h e i r h o l e s .
. A n d t h e d e p t h s w e r e o p e n e d a n d w e r e c o \ e r e d «;'«/«,
. A n d t h e y s o u g h t t h e L o r d l i k e t h o s e in t r a v a i l ;
B u t h e w a s n o t g i \ e n t o t h e m tiir l i i o d .
B e c a u s e he was nol theirs.
B u t t h e d e p t h s w e r e i m m e r s e d in t h e i n i m e r s i o i i o f t h e L o r d .
. A n d t h o s e w h o e x i s t e d f r o m o f o l d p e r i s h e d in t h a t t h o u g h t ;
I'or t h e y b e c a m e corrupt'' from the beginning,
. A n d t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e i r c o r r u p t i o n ' w a s life.
.And e v e r y o n e of t h e m that w a s lacking p e r i s h e d .
B e c a u s e t h e y w e r e n o t p e r m i t t e d t o u t t e r a w o r d " in o r d e r t o
remain.
.And t h e L o r d d e s t r o y e d t h e t h o u g h t s
O f all t h o s e w i t h w h o m the t r u t h w a s not:
For they lacked wisdom.
T h o s e who were proud ofheart.
.And t h e y w e r e rejected.
B e c a u s e the truth w a s not with them.
B e c a u s e t h e L o r d m a d e his w a y manifest.
.And e n l a r g e d his g r a c e .
. A n d t h o s e w h o p e r c e i v e d it
K n o w his holiness.
Hallelujah.
' the head ofour Lord: om. H. ' So H: B ' I t flew ««</•.
' T h e exact meaning of these three words is uncertain: the translation 'took to
flight'has also been suggested. '' Or travailed'.
' This is the usual meaning. But the cognate verb can mean 'travaihxl' Icp. note'),
a n d so perhaps this noun means 'travail'.
" O r 'Because thev had no word to utter'.
716 The Odes oj Solomon

XXV

I e s c a p e d From m y b o M d s ,
A n d to t h e e 1 fled, O m y G o d ,
B e c a u s e t h o u liast b e e n a right liand ol'dcli\ c r a n c c .
.\nd m y helper.
I ' h o u h a s t r e s t r a i n e d t h o s e vvlio rose u p a g a i n s t m e ,
.And I s h a l l n o t see h i m a g a i n , '
Because thy person was with mc.
W h i c h s a v e d m c in t h y g r a c e '
B u t 1 w a s d e s p i s e d a n d r e j e c t e d in t h e e y e s o i ' m a n y .
.And 1 w a s in t h e i r e y e s a s l e a d .
And strength from thee was given mc.
A n d help.
T h o u d i d s t s e t a l a m p f o r m e o n m y r i g h t h a n d a n d o n m y left.
.And t h e r e will b e ' n o t h i n g in n i e w i t h o n t light.
. A n d I w a s c o v e r e d w i t h t h e c o v e r i n g o f th> S p i r i t ,
.And I r e m o v e d from m y s e l f t h e ' g a r m e n t s of skins,
B e c a u s e thy right h a n d raised m e up.
A n d c a u s e d sickness to pass a w a y from m c .
.And I b e c a m e m i g h t y in t h e ' t r u t h ,
.And h o l y in t h y r i g h t e o u s n e s s .
A n d all w h o w e r e o p p o s e d to m e w e r e a f r a i d of m e .
A n d I b e c a m e t h e L o r d ' s , in t h e n a m e of t h e L o r d .
. A n d I w a s j u s t i f i e d in h i s k i n d n e s s ;
A n d h i s r e s t is f o r e v e r m o r e .
Hallelujah.

XXVI

I p o u r e d forth praise to the Lord,

B e c a u s e 1 a m his.

' S o H: B ' A n d ( l i e y w e r e n o l s e e n a g a i n ' , ' .So H : B ' g o o d n e s . s

' .So H: B ' T h a t t h e r e m i g h t b e ' ; a n d , s i m i l a r l y , t h e C o p t i c ,
T h e c o n s o n a n t s inight be pointed to read T h o n d i d s t r e m o v e from m c '
' .So H: B mv', " " .So H: B ' t h v ' .
 The Odes of Solomon 11 7
A n d I u i l l u t t e r hi.s h o l y p s a l m ,
B e e a u s e m y h e a r t is w i t h h i m ;
F o r h i s h a r p is in t n y h a n d s ,
. \ t i d t h e p s a l m s o f h i s r(>st w i l l n o t h e s i l e t i t .
1 will e r y to h i m w i t h all m y h e a r t :
I will p r a i s e a n d e x a l t h i m w i t h all m y m e m b e r s ;
l-'or f r o m t h e e a s t t o t h e w e s t
P r a i s e is h i s .
.And from t h e n o r t h to t h e s o u t h
T h a n k s g i v i n g is h i s ,
.And frotn t h e t o p o f t h e h e i g h t s to t h e i r ftirthest p a r t
P e r f e c t i o n ' is h i s .
W h o c a n write the psalms ofthe I.ord.
O r w h o can reeite t h e m ?
O r w h o e a n i n s t r u e t h i s s o u l for life.
That his soul m a y be delivered?
O r w h o c a n n-st u p o n t h e .Most H i g h .
T h a t h e m a y s p e a k from his motith?
W h o is a b l e t o i n t e r p r e t t h e w o n d e r s o f t h e I . o r d ?
F o r h e w h o i n t e r p r e t s will b e d e s t r o y e d ,
.Atid w h a t is t o b e i n t e r p r e t e d w i l l r e m a i n .
F o r it is e n o u g h t o k n o w a n d r e s t ;
F o r t h e p s a l m i s t s r e m a i n in r e s t .
Like a river that has an a b u n d a n t spring,
. A n d flow l o r t h e h e l p o f t h o s e w h o s e e k it.
Hallelujah.

X.WII

I spread out my hands,

.And s a n c t i f i e d m y L o r d ;
B e c a u s e t h e s t r e t c h i n g o u t o l ' m y h a n d s is h i s s i g n , '
. A n d m y s p r e a d i n g o u t ' is t h e u p r i g h t w o o d .
Hallelujah.

' O r pcrtiap.s, 'wtiolc-ofVcritig'.

' .So H: B 'wa.s hindered'.

' T h e word often means 'simpHcity'.
718 The Odes of Solomon

XXVIII

L i k e t h e w i n g s of d o v e s o v e r t h e i r y o u n g
( A n d t h e m o u t h s ' of tlieir y o u n g a r e t o w a r d s their m o u t h s )
So, too, a r e the w i n g s o f t h e Spirit over my heart.
M y h e a r t is d e l i g h t e d a n d l e a p s for j o y .
L i k e t h e b a b e w h o l e a p s in t h e w o m b o f h i s m o t h e r .
I b e l i e v e d : t h e r e f o r e ' I w a s at rest,
B e c a u s e h e is f a i t h f u l i n w h o m I b e l i e v e d .
Lie r i c h l y b l e s s e d m e .
A n d m y h e a d is t o w a r d s h i m ;
A n d n o s w o r d shall s e p a r a t e m e from him,
Xor blade;
B e c a u s e I w a s m a d e r e a d y ' before destruction c a m e ,
-And I w a s p l a c e d o n his i n c o r r u p t i b l e w i n g s , "
/ \ n d i m m o r t a l life c a m e f o r t h , '
A n d kissed me.
A n d f r o m it is t h e S p i r i t i n * m e .
A n d s h e ' c a n n o t d i e f o r s h e is l i v i n g . "
T h o s e w h o saw m e wondered.
Because I was persecuted;
A n d thc)- t h o u g h t that I w a s s w a l l o w e d u p .
B e c a u s e I a p p e a r e d to t h e m as o n e of those t h a t perish.
But my oppression
Became m y deliverance.
.'\nd I b e c a m e a n a b o m i n a t i o n to t h e m ,
B e c a u s e t h e r e w a s n o e n v y in m e :
B e c a u s e I did g o o d to every m a n ,
I was hated;

So B: H 'mouth'.
So H: B 'therefore, also'.
So H : B ' I made ready'or'I «
Or 'ttic wings of incorruption'
.So H: B 'embraced mc'.
S o H ; B ' w h o is in'.
See note'at Ode x i x . 2 .
SoH:B'hfc'.
 The Odes of Solomon 71!)
A n d i h f y s u r r o u n d e d m c like m a d d o g s .
W h o ignorantly attack their masters.
B e c a u s e t h e i r i n t e l l i g e n c e is c o r r u p t e d .
A n d their intellect perverted.
B u t I w a s h o l d i n g w a t e r s in m y r i g h t h a n d ,
A n d I e n d u r e d ' their bitterness by my sweetness;
A n d I did not perish, because I was not their brother,
N o r w a s m y b i r t h like t h e i r s . ' "
A n d they s o u g h t m y d e a t h , but w e r e not successful.
B e c a u s e I w a s older than their m e m o r y .
A n d in v a i n d i d t h e y a t t a c k " m e .
A n d t h o s e w h o were after m e "
S o u g h t in v a i n to destroy
T h e m e m o r y of h i m w h o was before them;
B e c a u s e t h e m i n d o f t h e M o s t H i g h is n o t t o b e f o r e s t a l l e d ,
A n d h i s h e a r t is b e t t e r t h a n a l l w i s d o m .
Hallelujah.

XXIX

T h e L o r d is m y h o p e :
I s h a l l n o t b e a s h a m e d in h i m .
F o r a c c o r d i n g to his glory he m a d e me;
A n d a c c o r d i n g to his g o o d n e s s , ' so he gave to m e ;
A n d a c c o r d i n g to his compassion he raised m e up;
A n d a c c o r d i n g to his great beauty he exalted me;
A n d h e b r o u g h t m e u p from the d e p t h s of Sheol,
A n d from the m o u t h of d e a t h he drew mc.
.'\nd I laid low m y enemies,
A n d h e j u s u f i e d m e in his g r a c e ;
F o r I b e l i e v e d in t h e L o r d ' s C h r i s t ,

' So H: B 'forgot'.
So H : B ' N o r did lliev recognize my birtli'.
" So H : H'^'S and B 'ca.sl lots u p o n ' . '
" So H: B o m . ' m e ' .

' So H : B 'grace'.
Tlu The Odes uJSolomon
A n d it w a s p l a i n t o m c t h a t h c w a s t h c L o r d .
.\tid h c s h o w e d m c ' his sign.
. \ n d l e d m c in h i s l i g h t ;
. \ n d hc g a v e m c thc rod ofhis strength.
l h a t I m i g h t s u b d u e t h e t h o u g h t s of p e o p l e s .
.And lay low t h e p o w e r of m i g h t y m e n ;
I o m a k e w a r by his w o r d ,
. \ n d to gain thc victory by his m i g h t .
.And t h e L o r d cast d o w n m y e n e m y by his w o r d ,
, \ n d h e b e c a m e like t h e chaff w h i c h t h c w i n d c a r r i e s a w a y .
.And 1 g a \ c p r a i s e to t h e .Most H i g h ,
B e c a u s e h e m a d e g r e a t his s e r v a n t a n d t h e son o f h i s h a n d m a i d .
Hallelujah.

XXX

D r a w y o u r s e l v e s w a t e r f r o m t h c li\ i n g s p r i n g o f t h e L o r d ,
B e c a u s e it h a s b e e n o p e n e d t o y o u .
. \ n d c o m e , all y o u w h o thirst, a n d t a k e a d r a u g h t ,
.And rest b y t h e s p r i n g o f t h e L o r d ,
B e c a u s e it is e x c e l l e n t a n d p u r e .
.And g i v e s rest to t h e s o u l .
F o r its w a t e r s a r e far p l e a s a n t e r t h a n h o n e y ,
. A n d t h e h o n e y c o m b o f b e e s is n o t t o b e c o m p a r e d w i t h it;
B e c a u s e it c o m e s o u t f r o m t h e l i p s o f t h e L o r d ,
. A n d f r o m t h e h e a r t o f t h e L o r d is i t s n a m e .
. A n d it c a m e u n h i n d e r e d a n d u n s e e n ,
. A n d u n t i l it w a s s e t i n t h e i r m i d s t m e n d i d n o t k n o w it.
B l e s s e d a r e t h o s e w h o d r a n k f r o m it.
. A n d w e r e r e f r e s h e d b y it.
Hallelujah.
 The Odes oJ Solomon

XXXI

1 The d e p t h s melted helore the Lord,

A n d d a r k n e s s w a s d e s t r o y e d hy his a p p e a r a n c e :
2 K r r o r erred a n d perished before h i m , '
. \ n < i f o l l y ' b e c a m e i n a e t i x e , ' a n d it s a n k b e c a u s e o f t h e t r u t h o f t h e
Lord.
:i H e o p e n e d his m o u t h a n d spoke grace a n d joy,
. \ n d s p o k e a n e w s o n g of p r a i s e to his n a m e :
4 .And h e lifted u p h i s \ o i c e t o t h e .Most H i g h .
.And h e p r e s e n t e d to h i m those s o n s w h o h a d c o m e into being
t h r o u g h him;''
,') .And his p e r s o n w a s justified.
B e c a u s e h i s h o l y F a t h e r h a d g r a n t e d h i m t h a t it s h o u l d b e .so.
li Clonic forth, you w h o have been oppressed,
.And r e c e i v e j o y ;
7 .And t a k e p o s s e s s i o n o l ' y o u r souls t h r o u g h g r a c e .
. A n d t a k e t o y o u r s e l v e s i m m o r t a l life.
8 .And t h e y c o n d e m n e d m e w h e n I s t o o d u p ,
.Me, w h o w a s uncondemned:
9 .And t h e y d i v i d e d m y spoil,
.Although n o t h i n g w a s o w i n g to t h e m ,
It) B u t I e n d u r e d , a n d w a s silent a n d quiet.
T h a t I m i g h t not be m o v e d by them;
11 B u t I s t o o d w i t h o u t i n o v i n g , l i k e a firm r o c k .
W h i c h is b u l f e t e d b y t h e w a v e s andyet endures;
12 .And I b o r e t h e i r b i t t e r n e s s l i e e a u s e of h u m i h t y .
I n o r d e r t h a t I m i g h t d e l i v e r m y p e o p l e a n d t a k e p o s s e s s i o n of
them,
13 .And t h a t I m i g h t not r e n d e r void t h e p r o m i s e s to t h e p a t r i a r c h s .
W h o s e seed I p r o m i s e d to d e l i v e r . '
Hallelujah.

' I.il. 'I'rom him'.

•' So B: H ronu-mpi'.
' I.il. ' r c c T i v c d (so B: H ' g a v e ' ) i m m o h i l i i y ' .
' O r ' w h o w e r e in h i s h a n d s ' ( s o H: B ' h a n d ' ) .
' O r 'For l h c d e l i v e r a n c e o l " w h o s e seed I was p r o m i s e d ' .
 7'22 The Odes of Solomon

XXXII
1 T h e blessed h a v e j o y from their heart,
.'Vnd l i g h t f r o m h i m w h o d w e l l s in t h e m ,
2 A n d t h e W o r d from the t r u t h w h o w a s ' frorn' himself;
3 B e c a u s e h e b e c a m e s t r o n g in t h e h o l y p o w e r o f t h e M o s t H i g h ,
.Vnd will r e m a i n u n m o v e d tor e v e r a n d ever.
Hallelujah.

XXXIII
B u t a g a i n g r a c e ' r a n a n d left c o r r u p t i o n ,
.And c a m e d o w n u p o n h i m to b r i n g h i m to n o t h i n g .
.And h c d e s t r o y e d d e s t r u c t i o n ' f r o m tiefore h i m ,
.And s p o i l e d all his worlc.
.And h e s t o o d u p o n a h i g h p e a k a n d u t t e r e d his voice,
F r o m o n e e n d ot t h e e a r t h t o t h e o t h e r ;
.And h e d r e w to h i m s e l l all those w h o o b e y e d h i m ,
.And h e d i d n o t a p p e a r a s a n ' evil o n e .
B u t a perfect virgin stood.
Proclaiming, a n d crying out, and saying.
T u r n , you sons of m e n ,
.And y o u , t h e i r d a u g h t e r s , c o m e ,
.And leave t h e w a y s o f t h i s c o r r u p t i o n ,
.And d r a w n e a r to m e .
.And 1 will e n t e r into y o u .
A n d bring you out from destruction,
A n d m a k e y o u w i s e in t h c w a y s of t r u t h .
D o not be corrupted,
.And d o n o t p e r i s h .

' O r ' e a m e into being'.

' B om.

' ' G r a c e ' is fem.: corruption' is masc.

' O r 'wrought complete destruction'.
' Or'the'.
 The Odes of Solomon 723
10 H e a r m e a n d be delivered,
For I proclaim a m o n g you the grace of'God;
11 A n d b y m e y o u will b e delivered a n d b e c o m e blessed:
I a m your judge.
12 A n d t h o s e w h o h a v e p u t m e o n will n o t b e rejected.
B u t will o b t a i n i n c o r r u p t i o n in t h e n e w w o r l d .
13 O m y e l e c t o n e s w a l k in m e !
A n d I will m a k e m y w a y s k n o w n to t h e m t h a t seek m e .
A n d c a u s e t h e m to t r u s t in m y n a m e .
Hallelujah.

XXXIV

1 T h e r e is n o d i f f i c u l t w a y w h e r e t h e r e is a s i m p l e h e a r t .
N o r a b a r r i e r ' in u p r i g h t t h o u g h t s ,
2 N o r a s t o r m in the d e p t h of an enlightened thought.
3 W h e r e t h e m a n w h o is v i r t u o u s is s u r r o u n d e d o n e v e r y s i d e .
T h e r e is i n h i m n o t h i n g d i s c o r d a n t , '
4 T h e l i k e n e s s o f w h a t is b e n e a t h .
H e is w h a t ' i s a b o v e ;
5 F o r e v e r y t h i n g is a b o v e ,
A n d b e n e a t h is n o t h i n g ,
B u t t h e r e is b e l i e v e d t o b e s o m e t h i n g b y t h o s e w h o h a v e n o
knowledge.
6 G r a c e w a s r e v e a l e d for y o u r d e l i v e r a n c e :
B e l i e v e , a n d live, a n d b e delivered.
Hallelujah.

XXXV

1 T h e d e w ' o f t h e L o r d o v e r s h a d o w e d m e in r e s t , '
A n d h e set u p a c l o u d of jieace a b o v e m y h e a d ,

' O r 'ofTi-iicc't the word u.suallv means 'wound".

= O r ' d o u b t f u l ' (lit.'divided').'

•* O r a t t a c h i n g verse 4a to 4b instead of to 3b, read 'Is he who'.

' Or'shower'. ^ So H; B ' g e n d e n e s s ' .

724 The Odes of Solomon
W h i c h k e p t m c coiitiiiLially.
And became my deliverance'.
. M l things* w e r e s h a k e n a n d a g i t a t e d ,
. \ n d s m o k e a n d j u d g e m e n t ' w e n t out from them;
. \ n d 1 w a s a t p e a c e i n t h c l e g i o n * ot t h e L o r d ,
. \ n d he w a s to m e m o r e t h a n d e w ' a n d m o r e than a Ibundation.
.And r w a s c a r r i e d as a child by his m o t h e r ,
.And h e g a v e m e as milk the dew o f t h e Lord;
. A n d I g r e w u p a c c o r d i n g to h i s gift,
-And I r e s t e d in h i s p c r f c c t i o t i ;
. A n d I s p r e a d o u t m \ ' h a n d s in t h c a s c e n t o f m y s o u l ,
. \ n d s t o o d erect* t o w a r d s t h c .Most H i g h .
.And w a s d e l i v e r e d w i t h ' him.
Hallelujah.

XXX\T

I rested on the Spirit ofthe Lord,

.And s h e ' r a i s e d m c o n high;
. A n d s h e m a d e m e s t a n d o n m y liset o n t h e L o r d ' s h e i g h t s .
Before his perfection a n d his glory,
W h i l e I w a s p r a i s i n g ' hm in t h e c o m p o s i t i o n o f h i s p s a l m s . '
S h e b o r e m e before t h c face o f t h e Lord;
A n d a l t h o u g h I w a s a son of m a n ,
I w a s n a m e d the Shining" O n e , thc Son ofGod,
W h i l e 1 w a s praised' a m o n g those who are praised.'

' .So B ; I I ' . A n d w a s m i n e i n d e l i v e r a n c e ' .

* H m i g h t a l s o b e t r a n s l a t e d ' a i l people o r e v e n ' e v e r y o n e ' .
' S o H: B ' a j u d g e ' . * Or'precept'.
• I ' h e w o r d s ' d e w ' h e r e a n d in v e r s e 5, ' o v e r s h a d o w e d ' i n v e r s e 1. a n d ' c h i l d ' in
v e r s e .0 a l l c o n i c f r o m s i m i l a r r o o t s . H e r e tlic w o r d might he 'shade', wrillen
defectively.

* O r ' w a s directed'. " O r ' t o w a r d s ' a s in 7b.

' S e c n o t e ' a t O d e xix. 2.

' ' f h e participle could be cither active or passive.
' B c o n n e c t s this line with t h c next verse.
'' O r ' e n l i g h t e n e d ' . ' .So B : H ' w h o p r a i s e ' .
 The Odes of Solomon I'lb

A n d w a s great* a m o n g the great ones;

•) K o r a c c o r d i n g t o t h e g r e a t n e s s o f t h e M o s t H i g h , s o site m a d e m e .
.And a c c o r d i n g lo his r e n e w a l h e r e n e w e d m c .
fi .And h e a n o i n t e d m e from his perfection,
.And I b e c a m e o n e o f t h o s e n e a r to h i m .
7 .And m y m o u t h w a s o p e n e d like a c l o u d of d e w ,
.And m y h e a r t g u s h e d forth like' a fount of r i g h t e o u s n e s s ;
H . A n d m y a c c e s s t o h i m w a s in p e a c e ,
.And I w a s e s t a b l i s h e d in t h e Spirit of p r o v i d e n c e .
Hallelujah.

XXX\ II

I spread out my hands towards my' Lord,

. A n d t o w a r d s t h e . M o s t H i g h I lifted u p m y v o i c e ;
.And I s p o k e w i t h t h e lips of m y h e a r t .
.And h e h e a r d m e w h e n m y voice r e a c h e d ' h i m .
H i s w o r d c a m e to m e ,
' L h a t g a v e m e t h e fruits of m y l a b o u r s ,
.And g a v e m e rest in t h e g r a c e o f t h e L o r d .
Hallelujah.

XXXVIII

I w e n t u p i n t o t h e l i g h t o f L r u t h a s if i n t o a c h a r i o t .
A n d ' L r u l h led m c a n d b r o u g h t m c .
A n d took m e across c h a s m s a n d rifts,'
A n d delivered m e from crags a n d valleys;'
A n d he b e c a m e to m e a h a r b o u r of deliverance,
A n d p l a c e d m e o n t h e a r m s " o f i m m o r t a l life;

' Or'tlie greatest'. 'Bom.

' S o H : B-tlie'. ' I.it. 'fell to'.

' Or, perhaps, 'ship'. ' .So H: B 'empty rifts'.

' Or'waves'. ' So H: B'stair'.
 726 The Odes of Solomon
4 A n d h e w e n t w i t h m e a n d g a v e m c r e s t , a n d d i d n o l let m e e r r ,
Because he was' Truth.
.') . A n d I w a s in n o d a n g e r , b e c a u s e I w a l k e d w i l h h i m ,
. \ n d I e r r e d in n o t h i n g , b e c a u s e I o b e y e d h i m ;
t) F o r E r r o r fled f r o m h i m ,
.And d i d not m e e t h i m .
7 But T r u t h went along a straight path;
.And c\ c r y t h i n g w h i c h I did n o t k n o w
Hc showed mc.
H E v e n a l l t h e d r u g s of E r r o r ,
.And all t h e s c o u r g e s o i ' d e a t h " w h i c h a r e t h o u g h t ' to b e .sweetness.
<i .And t h c c o r r u p l o r of c o r r u p t i o n
I s a w w h i l e t h e b r i d e w h o is c o r r u p t e d " w a s a d o r n i n g h e r s e l f .
E v e n t h e b r i d e g r o o m w h o c o r r u p t s a n d is c o r r u p t e d ;
10 . A n d I a s k e d T r u t h , W h o a r e t h e s e ? .And h e s a i d l o m e ,
' F h i s is t h e D e c e i v e r , ' a n d that is E r r o r ;
11 .And t h e y i m i t a t e t h e B e l o v e d O n e a n d his b r i d e ,
.And c a u s e t h e w o r l d t o e r r , a n d c o r r u p t il;
12 .And t h e y invite m a n y to a b a n q u e t ,
.And g i v e t h e m to d r i n k t h e w i n e o f t h e i r i n t o x i c a t i o n ,
Ki .And t h e y c a u s e t h e m lo v o m i t their w i s d o m a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g ,
.And t h e y r e n d e r t h e m ' " i r r a t i o n a l ;
14 .And t h e n they a b a n d o n t h e m .
But they go about raving" and corrupting,"
Because they are without understanding.
F o r n e i i h e r d o t h e y s e e k it.
1.') . A n d I a c t e d w i s e l y , s o t h a t I d i d n o t fall i n t o t h e h a n d s o f t h e
Deceiver."
.And I c o n g r a t u l a t e d myself, b e c a u s e T r u t h h a d g o n e with m e .

» S o H : B ' w a s a n d is-.
' O r 'of d e a t h ' m a y go with -sweetness'. The word translated 'scourges' could
also he rendered 'attractions'.
' So B: H 'which m e n suppose'.
" So H ; B h a s a participle which could be active or passive.
" L i t . ' f h i s is h e w h o c a u s e s t o e r r ' .
'° S o H : t h e f e m . s i n g , p r o n o u n i n B p r e s u m a b l y r e f e r s t o w i s d o m .
" S o B: H entreating' or 'commanding'.
" Or 'corrupted'.
" S o H : B p l u r a l . S e c a l s o n o t e ' o n v e r s e 10.
 The Odes of Solomon 121

A n d I b e c a m e strong, a n d lived, a n d w a s delivered.

A n d m y f o u n d a t i o n s w e r e laid n e a r ' " t h e Lord;
Because he planted me.
F o r he set the root,
. • \ n d w a t e r e d it, a n d m a d e it f i r m , a n d b l e s s e d it;
A n d its fruits will b e Ibr e v e r .
It w e n t d e e p , a n d g r e w tall, a n d s p r e a d o u t ,
A n d b e c a m e full a n d l a r g e .
•And t h e L o r d a l o n e w a s p r a i s e d
F o r h i s p l a n t i n g a n d for his c u l t i v a t i o n .
F o r his c a r e a n d lor the blessing ofhis lips.
F o r t h e beautiful planting ofhis right h a n d .
A n d for t h e d i s c o v e r y " o f h i s p l a n t i n g ,
. \ n d for t h e i n t e l l i g e n c e o f h i s m i n d .
Hallelujah.

XXXIX

M i g h t y rivers are the power ofthe Lord,

Which carry headlong
T h o s e w h o despise them.
A n d twist their steps.
A n d ruin their fords,
.And seize t h e i r b o d i e s .
A n d d e s t r o y their souls;
F o r t h e y a r e swifter t h a n lightning'
And faster.
B u t t h o s e w h o c r o s s t h e m in faith
Will not be shaken.
A n d those w h o walk on them without blemish
Will not be perturbed;
B e c a u s e t h e L o r d is a s i g n i n t h e m .

O r 'on the hand o f .

" S o m e emend to 'splendour

So H; B 'lightnings'.
728 The Odes of Solomon

A n d t h e s i g n h c c o n i c s t h f p a t h o f t h o s e w l i o c r o s s in t h e n a m e o f
the I.ord.
P u t o n , t h e r c l i i r c , t h e n a m e o f t h e .Most H i g h , a n d k n o w h i m .
.\ii(l v o u will c r o s s w i t h o u t d a n g e r .
B e c a u s e t h e rivers will b e ohcdieiit to y o u .
T h e L o r d b r i d g e d t h e m by his W o r d ,
. A n d w a l k e d , a n d c r o s s e d t h e m o n foot;
.And his liiotpriiits r e m a i n o n t h e w a t e r s , a n d h a v e n o t b e e n
obliterated.
B u t a r e l i k e a p i e c e o f w o o d w h i c h is h r m l y ' f i x e d :
O n t h i s s i d e a n d t h a t t h e w a v e s a r c lifted u p .
But the footprints o f o u r Lord Christ remain,
. A n d ;ire n o t e f f a c e d .
O r obliterated;
.And a p a t h h a s b e e n e s t a b l i s h e d Ibr t h o s e w h o c r o s s after h i m ,
. A n d f o r t h o s e w h o f o l l o w in t h e s t e p s o f h i s f a i t h .
.And w o r s h i p his n a m e .
Hallelujah.

XL

.As h o n e y d r i p s f r o m t h e h o n e y c o m b o f b e e s ,
. A n d m i l k flows f r o m t h e w o m a n w h o l o v e s h e r c h i l d r e n ,
.So. t o o , is m y h o p e o n t h e e , O m y G o d .
.As a s p r i n g b r i n g s f o r t h i t s w a t e r s ,
.So m y h e a r t b r i n g s f o r t h t h e p r a i s e o f t h e L o r d ,
.And m y lips u t t e r p r a i s e t o h i m .
. A n d m y t o n g u e is s w e e t ( i n ) h i s a n t h e m s , '
. A n d m y m e m b e r s g r o w fat i n ' h i s p s a l m s ;
. A n d m y f a c e ' n y o i c e s in h i s e x u l t a t i o n ,
. A n d t n y s p i r i t e x u l t s in h i s l o v e ,

• O r ' i n initir.

' O r "(ill) i i i t i n i a c y w i t l i l i i m ' .

- Sci B : H o m . ' i s .swi-rt . . . fat i n ' , . . . t t i o u g f i ' i n ' w a s p r o b a l j l y r c a t l l)cfbrc ' h i s
p s a l m s ' a n d later erased.
' B ' a l s o ' . T h e l i i l l o w i n g v e r s e e o i i l d b e e o n s t r i i e d w i t h t h e s u b j e c t i>f :5b.
 The Odes oJ Solomon T29
A n d m y s o u l s h i n e s in h i m .
. \ n d h e w h o is f e a r h i l w i l l t r u s t in h i m ,
. A n d d e l i v e r a n c e vvill h e e s t a b l i s h e d in h i m ;
. A n d h i s g a i n is i t r u n o r t a l life,
. A n d t h o s e w h o r e c e i v e it a r e i t u - o r r u p t i b l c .
Hallelujah.

XLI

.All' h i s c h i l d r e n w i l P p r a i s e t h e L o r d .
/ \ n d t h e y w i l l ' r e c e i v e t h e t r u t h o f h i s faith;
A n d his s o n s will b e k n o w n to h i m ; "
I ' h e r e f o r e let u s s i n g in his l o v e .
W ' e l i v e ' in t h e L o r d b y h i s g r a c e ,
A n d w e r e c e i v e lili; t h r o u g h h i s C h r i s t ,
F o r a g r e a t d a y h a s s h o n e u p o n us,
. A n d m a r v e l l o u s is h e w h o g a v e US'" o f h i s p r a i s e s .
L e t us all, t h e r e f o r e , j o i n t o g e t h e r in t h e n a m e o f t h e L o r d ,
.And let u s h o n o u r h i m in his g o o d n e s s ;
. A n d l e t o u r f a c e s s h i n e in h i s l i g h t ,
. A n d l e t o u r h e a r t s m e d i t a t e in h i s l o v e .
By night atid by day:
Let us exult on account o f t h e exultation ofthe Lord,
.All t h o s e w h o s e e m e w i l l m a r v e l .
B e c a u s e 1 a m of a n o t h e r race;
For the F a t h e r of truth r e m e m b e r e d m e -
H c w h o possessed m e from the beginning;
F o r his wealth gave m c birth,
.And t h c t h o u g h t o f h i s ht^art.
. A n d h i s W o r d is w i t h u s a l l a l o n g o u r w a y ,
riie d e l i v e r e r w h o g i v e s n e w life to us d o e s n o t r e j e c t o u r s o u l s -
F h e m a n w h o w a s b r o u g h t low,

' SoH:B-.\ilotus\
^ T h e vertis in this \ ersc (.:uulcl express a wisii,
' So H : B ' w e shall'.
' B originally read ' . \ n d they will be known to his sons',
' .So H; B'rejoice'. ' Bom.'ns'.
T.W The Odes of Solomon
A n d w a s r a i s e d u p in h i s r i g h t e o u s n e s s .
T h e Son ol'the Most High appeared
In the perleetion ofhis Father;
A n d t h e light d a w n e d from the W o r d .
T h a t w a s ' b e f o r e h a n d in h i m .
I ' h e C h r i s t is o n e in t r u t h ,
. \ n d w a s k n o w n from before the foundation o f t h e world,
F h a t h e m i g h t g i v e n e w life t o .souls for e v e r in t h e t r u t h o f h i s
name.
Lei there be a n e w s o n g o f p r a i s e t o t h e L o r d f r o m t h o s e w h o l o v e
him.
Halleltijah.

XLII

I s p r e a d o u t m y h a n d s , a n d d r e w n e a r to m y L o r d ,
B e e a u s e t h e s t r e t c h i n g o u t o f m y h a n d s is h i s s i g n ,
. \ i i d m y s p r e a d i n g o u t ' is t h e o u t s p r e a d ' w o o d .
W h i c h w a s set u p on the w a y o f t h e U p r i g h t O n e .
. \ n d I b e c a m e useless
I o those ' w h o knew me.
In o r d e r t h a t I m i g h t b e h i d d e n from t h o s e '
W h o d i d not take hold of m e ;
And I will b e w i t h t h o s e
W h o love m c .
,\11 m y p e r s e c u t o r s d i e d ;
. A n d t h e y w h o t r u s t e d in m e s o u g h t m e , b e c a u s e I a m a l i v e ;
.And I a r o s e a n d a m w i t h t h e m ,
.And I will s p e a k t h r o u g h t h e i r m o u t h s .
For they rejected those w h o persecute them,
.And I h a v e laid u p o n t h e m t h e yoke of m y love.
.As t h e a r m o f t h e b r i d e g r o o m u f ) o n t h e b r i d e .
S o is m y y o k e u p o n t h o s e w h o k n o w m e ;

' O r ' l a m c into being'.

' Tlie.se two words eould tx' translated 'simplicity' and 'simple' respectively.
So B: H o m .
 The Odes qf Solomon
A n d a s t h c b e d t h a t is s p r e a d in t h e b r i d a l c h a n i l x ' r .
S o is m y l o v e u p o n t h o s e w h o b e l i e v e in m e .
I w a s n o t r e j e c t e d , e v e n t h o u g h 1 w a s t h o u g h t to be,
. • \ n d I d i d n o t p e r i s h , e v e n t h o u g h t h e y s u p p o s e d it o f m e .
Sheol saw m e and was grieved.
And D e a t h disgorged me, and m a n y with me:
I w a s v i n e g a r a n d bitterness to h i m ,
, \ n d I w e n t d o w n w i t h h i m a s far a s his d e p t h e x t e n d e d ;
. ' \ n d h e l e t feet a n d h e a d h a n g l o o s e , '
B e c a u s e they"* c o u l d n o t e n d u r e m y f a c e .
A n d I m a d e a n a s s e m b l y of living m e n a m o n g his d e a d ,
.•\nd 1 s p o k e to t h e m w i t h living lips.
I n o r d e r t h a t m y w o r d m i g h t n o t b e w i t h o u t effect.
.And t h o s e w h o h a d d i e d r a n to m e .
A n d c r i e d a n d s a i d . H a v e p i t y o n u s , .Son o f ( J o d !
.And d e a l w i t h u s a c c o r d i n g to t h y k i n d n e s s ,
.And b r i n g u s o u t o f t h e b o n d s of d a r k n e s s ,
.And o p e n for u s t h e g a t e .
T h a t b y it w e m a y c o m e o u t w i t h t h e e .
F o r w e see that o u r d e a t h does not touch thee.
.May w e too be delivered with thee.
B e c a u s e thou art our deliverer.
.And I h e a r d their voice,
. A n d s e t t h e i r f a i t h in m y h e a r t , '
A n d I set' m y n a m e on their heads.
B e c a u s e t h e y a r e free m e n ' a n d a r c m i n e .
Hallelujah.

^ O r ' l e t go of feet and head'.

" SoH:B'he'.
' H omits this line.
' So B: H unintelligible.
' Lit. 'thev are sons of free m<
 T H E T E S T A M E N T OF S O L O M O N

INT RODLCITION

The T e s t a m e n t , w h i c h is e.xtant o n l y in (Jreek,' r e l a t e s h o w S o l o m o n

d i s c o v e r e d t h a t his building o p e r a t i o n s on the 'Temple were being
f r u s t r a t e d b y t h e d e m o n O r n i a s : h o w in a n s w e r t o p r a y e r h e w a s
g i v e n a u t h o r i t y , not o n l y o v e r O r n i a s b u t a l s o o v e r all t h c d e m o n s ,
t o ' c o n f i n e ' t h e m a n d u s e t h e m a s b u i l d e r s ; a n d h o w , in t h e e x e r c i s e
o f t h i s a u t h o r i t y , h c s u m m o n e d t h e m before h i m o n e by o n e a n d set
e a c h a p a r t i c u l a r task until the Temple w a s completed. Ostensibly,
t h e T e s t a m e n t is S o l o m o n ' s w a r n i n g t o I s r a e l a g a i n s t t h e d a n g e r s
of a p o s t a s y , idolatry, a n d d e m o n - w o r s h i p , written shortly belbre
his d e a t h a n d as a result ofhis o w n bitter experience (chaps, xv a n d
x x v i ) . I n f a c t , it is a n e s s a y in p o p u l a r d e m o n o l o g y a n d m a g i c .
W c a r c t h u s i n t r o d u c e d b y t h e T e s t a m e n t to t h a t a r e a of beliefs
a n d p r a c t i c e s w h i c h is p r o b a b l y b e s t i l l u s t r a t e d b y t h e c o n t e n t s o f
t h e H e l l e n i s t i c m a g i c a l p a p y r i . B u t w e c a t c h g l i m p s e s o f i t a l s o in a
v a r i e t y o f s o u r c e s — for i n s t a n c e , i n t h c i n c i d e n t a l a l l u s i o n in t h c
G o s p e l s , .Vets, a n d P a u l i n e Epistles to ' t h e r u d i m e n t s ' (or 'ele­
m e n t s ' ) of the w o r l d , ' ' to 'devils' (or ' d e m o n s ' ) as the cause of
d i s e a s e , ' a n d to t h e ' c a s t i n g o u t ' " of t h e m a n d c u r e s ' by 'exorcists'.'
In view of the w i d e s p r e a d a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e s e i d e a s in the
a n c i e n t w o r l d it is h a r d l y s u r p r i s i n g t h a t J e w s , w h o r e f l e c t e d o n t h e
a c c o u n t s o f t h e n a t u r e a n d e x t e n t o f S o l o m o n ' s w i s d o m r e c o r d e d in
I K i n g s iv. 2 9 - . 3 4 a n d W i s d . vii. 1 7 - 2 2 , s h o u l d a s s u m e t h a t h e
k n e w as m u c h a b o u t d e m o n s as he did about the other depart­
m e n t s of n a t u r e , a n d t h a t h e h a d b e e n given p o w e r to control t h e m .
J o s e p h u s , a t a l l e v e n t s , is a w i t n e s s t o t h i s b e l i e f I n h i s d e s c r i p t i o n
of S o l o m o n he writes:

' G. Graf (GtsMc/ilechnsl. arab. Lileralur, I. {= Studie Tesli, 118; Vatican, 1944),
p. '210) has, however, drawn attention lo the existence ofa Syriac .VIS in Paris (B.N.
Fonds Syriaque 194; IGlh cent.) and an Arabic MS in the Vatican (Vat. ar. 448;
17th cent.), lx)th of w4iich seem to contain texts ofthe Teslatncnt.
' (Jal. iv. :i; C:ol. ii. 8.
• Malt. xii. 22. •* Mark iii. l.'i, 22.
' Luke ix. 42. " Acts xix. 13.
7!M The Teslamenl of Solomon
"AtiH (Jod g t a i u c d him kiiowlctls,'!- o f t h e art used agaitist detiiotis Ibr the
betii-fit atid liealitig o l t i i e t i . H e also eomposeci itieatnations by whieh
ilhiesses are relieved, a n d left b e h i n d fortns of e.vorcistns with which
t h o s e p o s s e s s e d by d e m o n s d r i v e thetn out. never to r e t u r n ' . '

.\iid J o s e p h t i s goes on to record h o w he himself h a d seen a certain

J e w , n a m e d H l e a z a r , e x o r c i s e a d e m o n in t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e
R o m a n K m p e r o r V e s p a s i a n a n d his retinue. Kleazar held u n d e r
tlie p o s s e s s e d m a n ' s n o s e a r i n g "which h a d u n d e r its seal o n e o f t h e
r o o t s p r e s c r i b e d b y . S o l o m o n ' , a n d t h e n , a s t h e m a n s m e l l e d it,
K l e a z a r d r a g g e d the d e m o n out t h r o u g h the m a n ' s nostrils. T h e
m a n i m m e d i a t e l y fell t o t h e g r o u n d . K l e a z a r t h e n s o l e m n l y forbade
t h e d e m o n t o r e - e n t e r t h e m a n , u s i n g t h e n a m e of S o l o m o n a n d
p r o n o u t u i n g over h i m o n e o f t h e .Solomonic incantations. J o s c p h u s
d o e s n o t s a y e x p l i c i t l y in t h i s p a s s a g e t h a t .Solomon w r o t e d o w n t h e
' i n c a n t a t i o n s ' , a n d "forms of e x o r c i s m ' w h i c h h e c o m p o s e d . But
t h a t h e d i d s o is a n a t u r a l i n f e r e n c e . . \ t a l a t e r d a t e , O r i g e n
c e r t a i n l y k n e w of exorcists w h o used ' a d j u r a t i o n s written by
Solomon."
B u t t h e r e s t a m e n t is v e r y f a r f r o m b e i n g a c o l l e c t i o n o f S o l o m o n ' s
m a g i c f o r m u l a e . .As a ' t e s t a m e n t ' it b e l o n g s t o a n e s t a b l i s h e d
l i t e r a r y c a t e g o r y - a c a t e g o r y , m o r e o v e r , w h i c h it s e e m s w a s
o r i g i n a t e d b y J e w s . F u r t h e r , its m a i n m o t i f ( t h a t . S o l o m o n a c -
q u i r e d p o w e r over the d e m o n s a n d used t h e m to build the T e m p l e )
r e a p p e a r s in t h e T a l m u d . ' T h i s m e a n s t h a t t h e T e s t a m e n t ' s
f r a m e w o r k , a t l e a s t , is f i r m l y fixed w i t h i n J u d a i s m . O n t h e o t h e r
h a n d , d e s p i t e m a n y f e a t u r e s in t h e b o d y of t h e w o r k t h a t a r e
u n m i s t a k e a b l y J e w i s h (such as the n a m e o f t h e d e m o n .Asmodeus
i n c h a p , v a n d t h e p h r a s e q u o t e d a t iii. 5 f r o m W i s d . ix. 4), t h e r e a r e
m a n y m o r e t h a t a r e a t t r i b u t a b l e to p a g a n , a n d particularly
( J i i o s t i c , i n f l u e n c e . .A g o o d i l l u s t r a t i o n h e r e is t h e s u m m a r y i n
c h a p , xviii of ' t h e thirty-six e l e m e n t s ' : these a r e t h e w e l l - k n o w n
decani o f t h e Z o d i a c c i r c l e , w h i c h a r e d e s c r i b e d , for e x a m p l e , b y
C l e l s u s , ' " t h o u g h i n l e s s d e t a i l t h a n i n t h e T e s t a m e n t . .And t h e r e
a r e , t o o , a n u m b e r of distinctively C h r i s t i a n features. T h u s ,

' Jos., Am. \ ' I I I . ii. .'). (§ 4."): Loeb I.ibrarv translation).
" b r i g . .Uall.comm.ier. 110.
' r. B. CiV/mliHa-b.
Orig. c. Cels. viii. .58.
 The Testament nf Solomon 73")
C h r i s t ' s p o w e r o v e r t h e d e n i o i i s is r e f e r r e d t o s e v e r a l t i m e s . " I t is
t r u e t h a t C l h r i s t is n o t t n e n t i o n e d h y n a m e , b u t t h c r e f e r e n c e s t o h i s
N'irgin Birth a n d Clrucihxion a r e u n m i s t a k e a b l e . " .\h)St interest­
i n g o f a l l i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n is t h e p a s s a g e i n c h a p , xi d e s c r i b i n g t h c
'legion of d e m o n s ' subordinate to the 'Lionbcarer'. w h o is i n ­
h i b i t e d ' b y t h e n a m e of h i m that e n d u r e d after m a n y sulferings at
t h e h a n d s o f m e n , w h o s e n a m e is E m m a n u e l , w h o e \ e n n o w h a s
enchained u s a n d will c o m e t o p l u n g e u s f r o m a clilf u n d e r t h e
water'. T h i s is a c l e a r a l l u s i o n t o t h c s t o r y o f t h e healing ofthe
G e r a s c n c d e m o n i a c a s r e c o r d e d in . M a r k \ . l-'2() a n d E u k e viii.
26-39."

Fleck, t h c hrst editor of t h e Testament, regarded it a s a

B y z a n t i n e w o r k o f t h e . M i d d l e .Ages. B o r n e m a n n d a t e d it e a r l y i n
t h e 4 t h c e n t u r y o n a c c o u n t o f t h e r e s e m b l a n c e s b e t w e e n its d e ­
monology and the demonology o f t h c Institutes o f Lactantius.
Conybeare suggested that a n original Jewish document of un­
certain date w a s worked over by a Christian, possibly as early as
.•\D 1 0 0 . S c h u r c r s i m p l y d e s c r i b e d the Testament as 'Christian'
and suggested no date.
I n h i s e d i t i o n o f 1837 Fleck p r i n t e d t h e text o f a single 16th cent.
P a r i s .MS ( B . N . .Vnciens fonds grecs, n o . 38 - C o l b e r t 489.i). F o r
his edition o f 1 9 2 2 .McClown h a d a c c e s s t o n o less t h a n twelve
additional .MSS (all 15th o r 16th cent.) which represent four
different recensions (.ABCID). .As t h c b a s i s of the Testament
. V I c C o w n p o s t u l a t e d a n initial J e w i s h tale, b e g i n n i n g w i t h .Solomon's
b i r t h a n d c o n t i n u i n g with stories ofhis dealings with d e m o n s a n d
h i s b u i l d i n g o f t h e T e m p l e , r o u g h l y s i m i l a r t o w h a t is n o w f o u n d i n
Recension D , t h o u g h v e r y far from i d e n t i c a l w i t h it. I'he Testa­
m e n t w a s a n a d a p t a t i o n ofthis nucleus by a Greek Clhristian. w h o
w r o t e , p e r h a p s i n .Asia, p e r h a p s i n E g y p t , b u t m o r e p r o b a b l y i n
Galilee, somewhere between 2 0 0 a n d . \ D 2 5 0 - in a n y case t h e
Testament m u s t h a v e b e e n in e x i s t e n c e b y 4 0 0 at t h c latest,
b e c a u s e it is q u o t e d a s ' h i s ( i . e . S o l o m o n ' s ) T e s t a m e n t ' , i n The
Dialogue of Timothy and Aquila. R e c e n s i o n .A d i f f e r s l i t t l e f r o m t h e

" xi. (>; XV. 10. 11; xvii. 4; xxii. '21). " xii. 3; xv. 10: xxii. 21).
" Tlic parallel version in Matt, viii 28-114 does not mention the name 'Legion'.
'•' C;p. F. C:. Oonylieare. Tlie Dialogues of Alliantuius andZacchaeus andoJTimolliy and
Aquila (= Anecdota Oxoniensia, CUassiral Series. Part viii; Oxford, 1898), p. 70.
TM) The Teslamenl of Solomon

original, though it is o b v i o u s l y s e c o n d a r y a t t h e b e g i n n i n g a n d
s h o w s s i g n s o f e x p a n s i o n a t t h e e n d . R e c e n s i o n B , w h i c h is i n d e ­
p e n d e n t or,\, fills o u t t h e d e t a i l s a b o u t i n d i v i d u a l d e m o n s a n d is
a l s o i n c l i n e d t o e x p a n d t h e O h r i s t i a n p a s s a g e s ; it is t o b e d a t e d i n
the fourth o r t h e fifth century. Finally, p e r h a p s a s late a s t h e
t w e l f t h o r t h i r t e e n t h c e n t u r y , c a m e R e c e n s i o n CI, a f u r t h e r recen­
sion of Recension B.
Fleck's Paris .\I.S b e l o n g s to Recension B, a n d so both
B o r n e m a n n ' s ( J e r m a n translation a n d O o n y b e a r e ' s Knglish trans­
l a t i o n follow this r e c e n s i o n . ' F h e text in .McClown's edition, h o w ­
e v e r , i s b a s e d m a i n l y o n R e c e n s i o n A; a n d it w a s t h i s t e x t t h a t w a s
a d o p t e d b y R i e s s l e r for h i s G e r m a n t r a n s l a t i o n in 1927. I ' h e text
p u b l i s h e d b y D c l a t t e is t h a t o f t h e P a r i s M.S B . N . 2 0 1 1 ( 1 8 t h c e n t . ) :
it i s a s i m i l a r , t h o u g h s u b s t a n t i a l l y l o n g e r , v e r s i o n o f t h e material
in .McGown's Recension D . O u r o w n translation is b a s e d o n
.\lcGown.

BIBLIOGR.APHV

F. F . Fl.KC.K, H'issenschqflliche Reise durch das siidliche Deulschland.

Italien,Sicilienund Frankreick. I I . iii ( L e i p z i g , 1 8 3 7 ) , p p . lll-IK).
[Fleck's text is r e a d i l y available in t h e r e p r i n t i n PG cxxii.
1 3 1 , 5 - 13.58, t o g e t h e r w i t h a c c o m p a n y i n g L a t i n translation.!
C . C . . V k : C ( ) \ V . \ , The Testament of Solomon, ediledjrom manuscripts at
Mount Athos, Bologna, Holkham Hall, Jerusalem, London, .Milan.
Paris and Vienna, with Introduction ( = i'ntersuchungen zum Neuen
Testament, H e f t 9 ; L e i p z i g , 1 9 2 2 ) .
A. DEI-ATTK, Anecdota Atheniensia, ' L o m e I ( = Bihliotheque de la
Faculte de philosophic et lettres de TUniversite de Liege, f a s c . x x x v i ;
L i e g e a n d Paris, 1927), p p . 2 1 1 - 2 2 7 .

TR.\N'SI..\I'U).\S

English

F. C . C O N Y B E . X R E i n x i ( O c t . 1898), p p . 1 - 4 5 . [Translation
with Introduction]
 The Testament oJSolomon Til

German
V. A . B O R . M ' . M A N N i n Zeitschriftfirdiehistorische Theologie. N.K.. B d .
V I I I , H i ' l t iii ( 1 8 4 4 ) , p p . 9 - . i 6 . ( T r a n s l a t i o n w i d i I n t r o d u c t i o n ]
P . RlKSSl.KR, .4;i'.4fi'. p p . 1 2 . i l - T 2 ( i 2 .

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Bihlische Studien von Geistlichen des Konigreichs .Sachsen. 11. J a h r g a n g
(184:5), p p . 4.1-60. I \ ' . J a h r g a n g (184(i). p p . 2 8 - 6 9 .
A.-.\l. DKNI.S,/Pf;.4r. p. 67.
J . - B . YKV.W DBSup i, c o l s . 4 5 . ' ) - 4 . i 6 .
L . C J i N / . B K R t ; . The Legends oJ the Jens, iv ( P h i l a d e l p h i a , 19i:5),
p p . 1 4 9 - l.i4 a n d vi ( P h i l a d e l p h i a . 1928), p p . 291-'29:5.
P . R l K S S K K R , . 4 7 5 " . 4 / i ' . p p . 1:5:58-13:59.
K. S O H i R K R , / / / P T y C I I . i i i . p p . l . i l - l . i . i .
, GjVZJCVu. p p . 4 0 7 - 4 1 4 , 4 1 8 - 4 2 0 .
Cl. H . T o y , a r t . ' S o l o m o n . T e s t a m e n t of" in JE \i ( N e w Y o r k ,
190.1), p p . 4 4 8 - 4 4 9 .
. \ . L l ' K V N W l l . l . I A . M S , " T h e Clult o l ' t h c .Angels a t C:olo.ssae" in
77:S"x ( A p r i l 1 9 0 9 ) . p p . 4 2 4 - 4 2 . 1 .

Blessed a r t thou, O L o r d G o d , w h o didst give to S o l o m o n this

a u t h o r i t y ; t o t h e e b e g l o r y a n d m i g h t for e v e r . . A m e n .

I. . A n d b e h o l d , w h i l e t h c t e m p l e o f t h e c i t y o l j e r u s a l e m w a s b e i n g
b u i l t a n d t h e c r a f t s m e n w e r e a t w o r k o n it. t h e d e m o n O r n i a s used
to c o m e at sunset a n d take half the p a y o f t h e y o u n g overseer' a n d
h a l f h i s r a t i o n s . .And h e u s e d to suck t h e t h u m b o f h i s right h a n d
e v e r y d a y . .And t h e y o u n g m a n , w h o m I loved dearly, w a s wasting
away.
N o w I, S o l o m o n , q u e s t i o n e d t h e y o u n g m a n o n e d a y a n d said to
h i m . D i d I n o t t h i n k m o r e o f y o u ' t h a n all t h e craftsmen that w o r k

' (iii. neuiXo^aToTuig: the meaning is unknown.

• Kit. 'love vou more".
 testament of solomon
738 The Teslament of Solomon
i n t l i e t e m p l e o l ' G o d a n d g r a n t y o u d o u b l e p a y a n d r a t i o n s ? H o w is
4 it t h a t y o u a r e w a s t i n g a w a y d a y b y d a y ? B u t t h e y o u n g m a n s a i d ,
L e t m e tell y o u , ( ) k i n g , w h a t h a s h a p p e n e d to m e . A l t e r w e a r e
d i s m i s s e d from work on the temple ol'God at sunset, while I a m
r e s t i n g , a n evil d e m o n c o m e s a n d takes a w a y half m y pay a n d half
m y r a t i o n s , a n d t a k e s h o l d of m y r i g h t h a n d a n d sucks m y thuirib.
A n d b e h o l d , m y s o u l is i n t o r m e n t a n d m y b o d y is w a s t i n g a w a y
day by day.
b W h e n I h e a r d t h i s , I, k i n g S o l o m o n , w e n t i n t o t h e t e m p l e of G o d
a n d p r a y e d h i m w i t h all m y soul, p r a i s i n g h i m d a y a n d night, t h a t
the d e m o n m i g h t be delivered into my hands a n d that I might have
G a u t h o r i t y o v e r h i m . . A n d it c a m e t o p a s s , a s I w a s p r a y i n g t o t h e
G o d o f h e a v e n a n d e a r t h , t h a t a little r i n g w i t h a seal c a r v e d from a
p r e c i o u s s t o n e w a s given m e from the L o r d .Sabaoth by the arch-
7 a n g e l M i c h a e l . .And h e s a i d to m c , 'Lake, S o l o m o n , s o n of D a v i d , a
gift s e n t y o u b y t h e L o r d S a b a o t h , t h e M o s t H i g h G o d , a n d y o u
will b e a b l e t o c o n h n e all t h e d e m o n s b o t h f e m a l e a n d m a l e , a n d ,
t h r o u g h t h e i r a g e n c v , b u i l d J e r u s a l e m w h i l e y o u w e a r this seal of
God.
a .And w i t h v e r y g r e a t j o y I b e g a n to p r a i s e a n d glorify t h e L o r d of
h e a v e n a n d e a r t h . A n d t h e next d a y I o r d e r e d the y o u n g m a n to
9 c o m e t o m c a n d g a v e h i m t h e s e a l a n d s a i d t o h i m , .At w h a t e v e r
h o u r t h e d e m o n c o m e s u p o n you t h r o w this ring at the d e m o n ' s
c h e s t a n d s a y t o h i m , S o l o m o n s u m m o n s y o u t o h i m ; a n d then c o m e
to m e quickly, a n d d o not be frightened or a l a r m e d . '
10 . \ n d b e h o l d , a t t h e tistial h o u r c a m e O r n i a s , t h e c r u e l d e m o n ,
l i k e b u r n i n g fire, t o t a k e t h e y o u n g m a n ' s w a g e s a s w a s h i s c u s t o m .
11 B u t the lad, a c c o r d i n g to Solomon's orders, threw the ring at the
d e m o n ' s c h e s t , s a y i n g to h i m , S o l o m o n s u m m o n s y o u to h i m ; a n d
12 h e w e n t olf in h a s t e to S o l o m o n . T h e d e m o n cried o u t a l o u d a n d
s a i d to t h e y o u n g m a n , W h y did you d o this? T a k e the ring a n d give
it t o S o l o m o n , a n d I w i l l g i v e y o u a l l t h e s i l v e r a n d g o l d t h e r e is in
13 t h e e a r t h ; o n l y d o n o t t a k e m e a w a y to S o l o m o n . A n d the y o u n g
m a n s a i d . A s t h e L o r d lives, t h e G o d of I s r a e l , I c a n n o t c o p e w i t h
14 y o u u n l e s s I t a k e y o u a w a y t o S o l o m o n . .And t h e y o u n g m a n c a m e
and said to S o l o m o n , King Solomon, I have brought you the

' I.it. ' t a k i n g n o t h o i i g h t o f w l i a t is l i k e l y t o f r i g h t e n y o u . "

 The Testament of Solomon 739
d e m o n , a s y o u t o l d m c t o , a n d b e h o l d , h c is s t a n d i n g i n f r o n t o f t h e
g a t e s o u t s i d e , b o u n d , a n d c r y i n g o u t in a l o u d v o i c e t h a t h e w i l l
g i v e m e a l l t h e s i l v e r a n d g o l d t h e r e is in t h c e a r t h t o p r e v e n t me
b r i n g i n g h i m to you.

II. A n d w h e n I, S o l o m o n , h e a r d this, 1 got u p from rny t h r o n e a n d

s a w t h c d e m o n s h i v e r i n g a n d t r e m b l i n g ; a n d I said to h i m , w h o a r e
y o u , a n d w h a t is y o u r n a m e : ' T h e d e m o n .said, I a m c a l l e d O r n i a s .
2 . \ n d I s a i d t o h i m . T e l l m c w h a t s i g n o f t h e z o d i a c y o u lie u n d e r .
And the demon answered and said. T h e VVater-pourer; a n d I
s u f f o c a t e t h o s e w h o lie u n d e r t h e W a t e r - p o u r e r , w h o b e c a u s e o f
3 Iheir l u s t I b r w o m e n h a v e c a l l e d u p o n t h e s i g n o f t h e V i r g i n . 1 a l s o
a p p e a r i n s l e e p , c h a n g i n g i n t o t h r e e f o r m s : s o m e t i m e s / nm l i k e a
m a n l u s t i n g f o r t h e b e a u t y o f y o u n g g i r l s n o t y e t fully g r o w n , a n d a t
my touch they are in g r e a t pain: sometimes 1 take wings to
4 h e a v e n l y r e g i o n s : s o m e t i m e s I t a k e o n t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f a lion. 1
am a n o f f s p r i n g o f t h e a r c h a n g e l , t h e P o w e r of G o d , b u t I am
5 inhibited by thc archangel Uriel. W h e n 1, S o l o m o n , h e a r d the
n a m e o f t h e a r c h a n g e l 1 p r a y e d a n t i g l o r i h c d t h e CJod ofhcaven
a n d e a r t h ; a n d w h e n I h a d scaled t h c d e m o n I set h i m to w o r k a t
s t o n e - c u t t i n g , to cut the stones o f t h e temple that were lying by the
6 sea s h o r e a n d h a d been b r o u g h t t h r o u g h the A r a b i a n sea. A n d he
w a s a f r a i d to t o u c h t h e c u t t i n g tools,' a n d h e s a i d to m e , I p r a y you,
k i n g S o l o m o n , set m e free a n d 1 will b r i n g all t h e d e m o n s u p to y o u .
7 S i n c e h e r e f u s e d t o b e s u b j e c t to m e , I p r a y e d t h e a r c h a n g e l U'riel
to c o m e to m y aid; a n d i m m e d i a t e l y I saw the archangel Uriel
8 coming down t o m e f r o m h e a v e n . .And h c o r d e r e d g r e a t h s h to
c o m e u p o u t o f t h e sea, a n d h e d r i e d u p their p r o v i n c e , a n d cast his
p o r t i o n u p o n t h e g r o u n d ; a n d in t h a t w a y a n d t h i s h e s u b j e c t e d t h e
g r e a t d e m o n O r n i a s so t h a t h e cut t h c s t o n e s a n d c o n t r i b u t e d to
t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e t e m p l e w h i c h I, S o l o m o n , w a s building.
9 A n d again I glorihcd the G o d ofhcaven and earth; and 1 ordered
O r n i a s to g o r o u n d to his p o r t i o n , a n d I g a v e h i m the seal a n d said.
B e off! A n d b r i n g m e h e r e t h e r u l e r o f t h e d e m o n s .

IU. O r n i a s t o o k t h e r i n g a n d w e n t off t o B e e z e b u l a n d s a i d t o h i m ,
2 S o l o m o n s u m m o n s you to h i m . Beezebul said to h i m . Tell m e , w h o
 740 The Teslamenl of Solomon
3 is tliis S o l o m o n y o u s p e a k o P O r n i a s t h r e w t h e r i n g a t B e e z e b u T s
1 c h e s t , s a y i n g . K i n g S o l o m o n s u t i n n o n s yoti. .And B e e z e b u l c r i e d
o u t a s i f ' a t a g r e a t b u r n i n g flame o i ' t i r e , a n d h e g o t u p a n d f o l l o w e d
.i h i m o f n e c e s s i t y a n d c a m e t o m e . .And w h e n I s a w t h e r u l e r of t h e
d e m o n s , I g l o r i f i e d God a n d s a i d . B l e s s e d a r t t h o u , O L o r d CJod
. A l m i g h t y , w h o d i d s t g i v e to t h y s e r v a n t S o l o m o n w i s d o m t h a t sits
b e s i d e tiiy t h r o n e , ' a n d d i d s t m a k e s u b j e c t to m e all t h e p o w e r of
(> t h e d e m o n s . . A n d I C ) u e s t i o i i e d h i m a n d s a i d , l e l l m e . w h o a r e y o u ?
7 The d e m o n said, 1 am Beezebul, the leader of the d e m o n s . 1
commanded that he should stay close beside me and make
arratigemenis for t h e d e m o n s t o a p p e a r before m e . H e himself
promised t o b r i n g t o m e a l l t h e u n c l e a n s p i r i t s i n c h a i n s . .And 1
a g a i n glorified t h e O o d of h e a v e n a n d e a r t h , giving t h a n k s to h i m
at all times.

IV. I en(|uired o f t h e d e m o n w h e t h e r there was a female among

'1 t h e d e m o n s . W h e n h e s a i d t h e r e w a s , I a s k e d t o s e e h e r . ' .And
B e e z e b u l w e n t o l T a n d f e t c h e d O i i o s k e l i s ' for m e t o s e e . ' S h e w a s
v e r y b e a u t i f u l in f o r m , a n d h a d t h e b o d y o f a f a i r - s k i n n e d woman.
;i b u t t h e s h a n k s of a m u l e . W h e n s h e c a m e to m e 1 s a i d to her. T e l l
4 m e w h o y o u a r e . S h e s a i d , I a m c a l l e d O n o s k e l i s , a s p i r i t in bcxf ily
f o r m , w h o l u r k s i n h o l e s o n e a r t h , for I h a v e m y d w e l l i n g i n c a v e s ;
b u t m y w a y s are varied. -Sometimes 1 choke a m a n : sometimes 1
p e r v e r t t h e m f r o m t h e i r n a t u r e . .My m o s t f r e q u e n t d w e l l i n g s a r e
t> c l i f f s , c a v e s , c h a s m s . O f t e n , t o o , I h a v e i n t e r c o u r s e w i t h m e n , s i n c e
t h e y c o n s i d e r m e a w o m a n - m o s t often w i t h t h e olive-skinned,
b e c a u s e t h e y s h a r e m y s t a r , for t h e s e w o r s h i p m y s t a r holh s e c r e t l y
a n d o p e n l y , a n d then d o not realize that they h a r m themselves and
s t i m u l a t e m e to m o r e m i s c h i e f Lor they w a n t t h r o u g h the recollec-
7 t i o n oJil t o g e t m o n e y . B u t 1 s u p p l y l i t t l e even t o t h o s e w h o w o r s h i p
m e well.
8 I asked her whence she was born. .And s h e s a i d . F r o m an
u n s e a s o n a b l e n o i s e , t h e s o - c a l l e d e c h o o f t h e s k y w h e n it e m i t s a

' t : p . WLsd. 4.

' I.it. T wislifd to know'. Some .M.SS, IIOWCV.T, read M wislii-d to s.-r'.
• This could be translated 'Donkey Shanks'. She was a well-known Helle.tistic
demon ' I.it. '.Vnd gmnv. away Beelzcbul showed me Onoskelis'.
 The Teslamenl of Solomon 741

!i l e a d e n n o i s e , w a s I h o r n in a w o o d . I s a i d t o h e r . l ' n d e r w h a t s t a r
d o y o t i p a s s ? . \ n d s h e s a i d , L ' n d e r t h c full m o o n , b e c a u s e it is u n d e r
t h e m o o n t h a t I t r a v e l for t h c m o s t p a r t . I s a i d . W h a t is t h e a n g e l
10 t h a t i n h i b i t s y o u ? . \ n d s h e s a i d . T h e v e r y s a m e a s in y o u , ( ) k i n g .
11 T h i n k i n g t h a t t h i s w a s a p i e c e of foolery, I o r d e r e d a s o l d i e r to hit
h e r ; b u t s h e c r i e d o u t a n d s a i d , I tell y o u , ( ) k i n g , b y t h e w i s d o m o f
12 C j o d t h a t is g i v e n t o y o u . . \ n d I b l e s s e d ' ' t h e n a m e o f t h e H o l y O n e
o f l s r a e l ; a n d I o r d e r e d h e r t o s p i n h e m p for t h e r o p e s o f t h e w o r k o f
t h e t e m p l e o f CJod. T h u s s c a l e d a n d b o u n d s h e w a s i n h i b i t e d , s o
that I m a d e her stand spinning h e m p night and day.

V. . \ n d I o r d e r e d a n o t h e r d e m o n t o b e b r o u g h t t o m e . . \ i i d h e
2 b r o u g h t m e . V s m o d e u s , ' t h c evil d e m o n , b o u n d . I a s k e d h i m . W h o
:i a r e y o u ? . \ i i d h e , w i t h a t h r e a t e n i n g l o o k , s a i d , .And w h o a r e y o u ? I
s a i d t o h i m . U n d e r p u n i s h m e n t , a s y o u a r e , d o y o u dare a n s w e r m e
l i k e t h i s ? . A n d h e h.xcd m e w i t h t h c s a m e l o o k a n d s a i d , H o w s h o u l d
1 a n s w e r you? You are a m a n ' s son, and I an angel's (though born'
o f a m a n ' s d a u g h t e r ) , s o t h a t n o w o r d from a member oi heavenly
t r a c e t o a n e a r t h b o r n is o v e r b e a r i n g . . \ l y s t a r l u r k s in h e a v e n a n d
m e n call m c t h c W a g g o n , ' o t h e r s SnakefcKited. F o r this r e a s o n
s m a l l e r s t a r s t o o t a k e t h e i r p o s i t i o n a l o n g w i t h m y s t a r , for m y
f) f a t h e r ' s d i g n i t y a n d t h r o n e is in h e a v e n t o t h i s d a y . D o n o t a s k m e
m a n y q u e s t i o n s , S o l o m o n , for y o u r k i n g d o m a l s o in d u e t i m e w i l l
b e t o r n i n p i e c e s : t h i s g l o r y o f y o u r s is t r a n s i e n t , y o u h a v e i u / a s h o r t
t i m e t o t o r m e n t u s ; a n d lhen w e s h a l l a g a i n h a v e free r a n g e o v e r
m a n k i n d , t h a t t h e y m a y w o r s h i p u s a s g o d s (for t h e y d o n o t k n o w

6 t h e n a m e s o f t h e a n g e l s t h a t a r e a p p o i n t e d o v e r u s ) . W h e n I,
S o l o m o n , h e a r d this, I b o u n d him with greater precaution, and I
o r d e r e d h i m t o b e flogged a n d t o c o n f e s s w h a t h e w a s c a l l e d a n d
7 w h a t w a s his function. 'The d e m o n said, I a m called renowned
A s m o d e u s . I increase m e n ' s evil-doing throughout the world, I
plot a g a i n s t the newly-wed: I m a r the beauty of m a i d e n s a n d
8 e s t r a n g e t h e i r h e a r t s . I said to h i m . Is this y o u r only function? H e

•* I.il. 'sfHike'.

' C;p.. Tobil iii. 8. 17. In Hebrew (e.g. f. B. Cillin M a - b ) he is .yshmedai.

^ I.it. 'and I was Ixirn'.
' Another name ofthe Greal Bear.
742 The Testament of Solomon
replied, T h r o u g h the stars 1 spread madness a m o n g women, a n d
then spreads itself i n g r e a t w a v e s ; a n d I h a v e k i l l e d u p t o s e v e n .
A n d so 1 adjured him by then a m e ofthe Lord Sabaoth, Fear Cod,
Asmodeus; a n d tell m e w h a t angel you are inhibited by. The
d e m o n said, R a j j h a e l , w h o s t a n d s in t h e p r e s e n c e of G o d : I a m also
d r i v e n a w a y b y t h e l i v e r o f a fish a l o n g w i t h i t s g a l l s m o k e d over
saffron ashes. I questioned h i m again, saying. D o not hide any­
t h i n g f r o m m e , b e c a u s e I a m S o l o m o n t h e s o n o f D a v i d , a n d tell m e
t h e n a m e o f t h e fish y o u r e v e r e n c e . A n d h e s a i d , F h e n a m e i s c a l l e d
s h e a t - f i s h : it is f o u n d i n t h e r i v e r s o f A s s y r i a , f o r t h e r e o n l y is i t
produced, b e c a u s e 1 t o o a m f o u n d in t h o s e p a r t s . .And I said t o
h i m , N o t h i n g else from y o u , A s m o d e u s ? .And h e said t o m e .T h e
p o w e r of G o d , w h o t h r o u g h his seal b o u n d m e with unbreakable
bonds, knows that what I t o l d y o u is t r u e . B u t 1 b e g y o u , k i n g
S o l o m o n , d o n o t c o n d e m n m e t o w a t e r . B u t I s m i l i n g s a i d , .As t h e
L o r d l i v e s , t h e G o d o f m y f a t h e r s , y o u shall h a v e i r o n t o w e a r , a n d
you shall make clay for t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e t e m p l e . -And I
o r d e r e d that there should be ten water-pots a n d that they should
b e h e a p e d u p o n him. . \ n d with a terrible g r o a n thed e m o n began to
carry out his orders. Asmodeus d i d this because he had foro
k n o w l e d g e also. A n d I, S o l o m o n , glorified G o d , w h o h a d given m e
t h i s a u t h o r i t y . ' F h e l i v e r o f t h e fish a n d t h e g a l l a l o n g w i t h a p i e c e o f
white storax I burnt over Asmodeus, because ofhis strength; a n d
h i s v o i c e w a s i n h i b i t e d a n d h i s t i K ) t h full o f s h a r p n e s s .

VI. A n d I o r d e r e d Beezebul to s t a n d before m e again, a n d 1 sat

h i m b e s i d e m e , a n d I t h o u g h t i t fit t o a s k h i m , W h y a r e y o u t h e o n l y
ruler of t h e d e m o n s ? H e said to m e . Because I a m the only o n eof
t h e h e a v e n l y a n g e l s left r e m a i n i n g . F o r I w a s a l e a d i n g h e a v e n l y
angel called Beezebul. A n d with m e w a s a second impious one
w h o m G o d c u t off, a n d n o w c o n f i n e d h e r e h e r u l e s m y folk t h a t a r e
i m p r i s o n e d i n F a r t a r u s : h e g e t s h i s food i n t h e R e d S e a , a n d in h i s
o w n t i m e will c o m e to t r i u m p h . A n d I said to h i m , W h a t a r e y o u r
functions? .And h e said t o m e , 1 t o o destroy t h r o u g h tyrants, a n d
c a u s e t h e d e m o n s to b e worshi])ped a m o n g m e n , a n d excite holy
p r i e s t s , who have been c h o s e n by God, t o l u s t ; a n d I b r i n g about
j e a l o u s i e s in cities a n d m u r d e r s , a n d I b r i n g o n w a r s . A n d I said to
h i m , B r i n g m e t h e o n e y o u m e n t i o n e d , w h o feeds in t h e R e d S e a .
 The Teslamenl oJ Solomon TM
B u t h c s a i d . I vvill n o t b r i n g u p a n y o n e t o y o u mjselj; b u t o n e c a l l e d
K p h i p p a s s h a l l c o n i c , w h o will b i n d h i m a n d b r i n g h i m u p from t h c
6 d e p t h . . \ n d I s a i d t o h i m . Tell m c h o w h e c o m e s t o b e in t h e d e p t h
o f t h e R e d S e a a n d w h a t h i s n a m e is. H e s a i d . D o n o t a s k m e : y o u
c a n n o t l e a r n // f r o m m c ; for h c h i m s e l f w i l l c o m e t o y o u b e c a t i s e I
7 too a m with you. I said to h i m . fell me, what star are you
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h ? H e s a i d . W h a t is c a l l e d t h c K v c i i i n g S t a r a m o n g
8 m e n . I s a i d . Tell m c w h a t a n g e l y o u a r c i n h i b i t e d b y . H e s a i d . By
t h c a l l - p o w e r f u l G o d : h e is c a l l e d a m o n g t h e H e b r e w s P a t i k e ( h e
t h a t c a m e d o w n f r o t n o n h i g h ) ; b u t h e is Ihe E m m a n u e l ofthe
G r e e k s . .And I a m afraid of h i m a n d t r e m b l e before h i m . ' Ifanyone
y a d j u r e s m e b y E l o i . ' h i s g r e a t n a m e of p o w e r , I d i s a p p e a r . W h e n I.
S o l o m o n , h e a r d this, I c o m m a n d e d h i m to s a w Theban marbles.
W h e n h c b e g a n to s a w , all t h c d e m o n s s h o u t e d w i t h a l o u d voice
10 b e c a u s e o f t h e i r k i n g B e c / e b u l . I. S o l o m o n , c j u c s t i o n c d h i m , s a y ­
ing, If y o u w a n t to o b t a i n ro«r r e l e a s e , tell m e a b o u t heavenly
t h i n g s . .And B e e z e b u l s a i d . L i s t e n , ( ) k i n g . If y o u b u r n g u m a n d
i n c e n s e a n d s e a - b u l b s , n a r d a n d s a l f r o n , a n d l i g h t s e v e n l a m p s in
a n e a r t h c j u a k e , y o u w i l l m a k e y o u r h o u s e s e c u r e . B u t if ( t h a t is. if
y o u a r e p u r e ) y o u l i g h t t h e m in t h e e a r l y m o r n i n g s u n l i g h t , y o u
will sec h o w thc heavenly serpents wind along and draw the
11 c h a r i o t o f t h e s u n . W h e n I, S o l o m o n , h e a r d t h i s , I r e b u k e d him
a n d s a i d . Be q u i e t , a n d s a w t h e m a r b l e s I told you to.

C : h a p s . \ T I to X \ T I I all Ibllow t h c s a m e p a t t e r n . D e m o n s a r e s u m ­
m o n e d , q u e s t i o n e d as to their n a m e s a n d functions a n d the a n g r l hy
w h o m e a c h is i n h i b i t e d , a n d (inally a s s i g n e d t o work on the t e m p l e , f h e
contents are summarised.

VII. L i x f e t r a x , ' w h o c a r r i e s his face high in t h e air, h u t t h e rest o f h i s

b o d y w i n d i n g like a s n a i l . H c raises a violent d u s t stortn to frighten
S o l o m o n . H c is b u s i e s t in s u t n m c r , c a u s i n g colics a n d fires a n d s e m i -
t e r t i a n fever, a n d is i n h i b i t e d by t h c a r c h a n g e l .Azael. H c is o r d e r e d to
t h r o w s t o n e s to t h e c r a f t s m e n on t o p o f t h e t e m p l e .

' I.it. T fear h i m w i t h t r e m b l i n g ' .

- C : p , . M a r k x v . 31.

' An e m e n d a t i o n o f M e C o w n . T h e s e t e r m s o c c u r in t h e m a g i c a l f o r m u l a e k n o w n
a s Ephfsiaca gTammata.
744 The Testament of Solomon

VIII. S e v e n i n t e r t w i n e d cornel) d e m o n s . ' t h e s e v e n e l e m e n t s , vvorki-

r u l e r s of d a r k n e s s . G u i l e , .Strife, C l o t l i o , S t o r m , E r r o r , P o w e r . W o r s t : this
l a s t o n e t b r e t e l l s S o l o m o n ' s s u c c u m b i n g to love. They a r e set to dig t h e
foutidatioiis o f t h e temple.

IX. .A h e a d l e s s d e m o n , . M u r d e r , s e e i n g t h n j u g h his b r e a s t s , c o n t i n u a l l y
s e v e r i n g a n d d e v o u r i n g m e n ' s h e a d s , i t i h i b i t e d by t h e fier)- l i g h t n i n g . F o r
t h e r n o t n e n t h e is o i d e r c d to r e m a i n w i t h B e e z e b u l .

X. . \ d e m o n like a g r e a t d o g , called R o d , m a s t e r i n g m e n ' s m i n d s t h r o t i g h

t h e t h r o a t a n d d e s t r o y i n g t h e m , i n h i b i t e d by B r i a t h u s . H e offers to s h o w
S o l o m o n ' s s e r v a n t a g r e e n s t o n e in a m o u n t a i n a n d Solomtjn a g r e e s . W h e n
h e b r i n g s it S o l o m o n d e c r e e s t h a t h e a n d t h e h e a d l e s s d e i n o n . M u r d e r ,
s h o u l d b e b o u n d a n d c a r r y t h e s t o n e r o u n d like a l a m p d a y a n d n i g h t t o t t i c
c r a f t s m e n a t w o r k . L a t e r t h e y too a t e set to wot k r u t t i n g m a r b l e .

XI. .An A r a b i a n d e m o n like a lion r a m p a n t , called L i o n b e a r e r . H e h.-is a

legioti of d e m o n s s u b o r d i n a t e to h i m ; a n d , whcti S o l o m o n asks by w h o t n he
is i n h i b i t e d , r e p l i e s , ' B y t h e n a m e o f h i m t h a t e n d u r e d after m a n y suffer­
i n g s a t t h e h a n d s of m e n , w h o s e n a m e is L m m a n u e l , vvfio even now h a s
e n c h a i n e d us a n d will e o m e to p l u t i g e tis from a cliff u t i d c r t h e w a t e r . '
SoloiTion o r d e r s t h e legion to c a r r y wcxid, a n d tfie d e m o n to s a w it u p fine
w i t h h i s n a i l s a n d feed t h e f u r n a c e .

XII. A t h r e e - h e a d e d s e r p e n t , called S e r p e n t ' s C r e s t , inhibitt;d by ' t h e

p l a c e o f t h e s k u l l , ' for t h e r e t h e .Angel o f t h e G r e a t Ciouneil I b r e - o r d a i n e d
t h a t 1 s h o u l d suffer, a n d n o w openlv h e will d w e l l u p o n a c r o s s . ' H e tells
S o l o m o n t h a t t h e r e is m u c h gold h i d d e n in t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f t h e t e m p l e .
S o l o m o n finds t h i s a t i d o r d e r s h i m to m a k e b r i c k s .

XIII. .A f e m a l e d e i n o n w i t h l o n g d i s h e v e l l e d h a i r , called O b y z u t h , a t t a c k ­
i n g w o m e n a n d c h i l d r e n , i n h i b i t e d by t h e a n g e l R a p h a e l , w h a s e n a m e
w r i t t e n o n a s c r a p of p a p e r is a p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t h e r Ibr w o m e n in
c h i l d b i r t h . S o l o m o n o r t i c r s h e r to be b o u n d by t h e h a i r a n d h u n g u p in
f r o n t o f t h e t e m p l e t h a t t h e c h i l d r e n of Israel e a n see her a n d glorify ( i o d .

' I ' r o h a b l y t h e P l e i a d e s : t h e t h i r d , C l o t h o , t h e S p i n s t e r , w a s t h e n a m e of o n e of
t h e t h i e e Cireek fates.

' I.it. ' t h e b r a i n ' .

 The Testament qf Solomon 74.T

XIV. . \ (iciiioii wilh tlu' laic and li'i-l ofa m a n and lhe limhs ol a serpent,
with wings on its bark, called Winged Serpent, who caii.ses al«)rtioiis in
pregnancy among bcaiitiiiil women. He threatens .Solomon, and burns up
with his breath the Ibrests of'I.ehation. the timtier destined lor the temple.
Solomon invokes the angel who inhiljits him, Hazazath. and condemns
him to saw marbles.

XV. . \ three headed lemale demon, lallcd l',ne[)sigus. who is also •called
by countless names'.' .She has connections with the moon and can be
brought down by enchantment, inhibited by Rathanael. She prophecies to
.Solomon the division ol'his kingdom and the destruction of the temple,
when the jars in which he has enclosed the demons will be broken and ihcy
will be dispersed over the world again, until the .son of (;<K1 should be
stretched upon a tree, he whose number is f)44 - i.e., Knnnantiel.' Solomon
does not believe her until his death, w hen he writes the Testament to warn
the children of Israel alx)ut thr demons. He orders her to be lettered with
unbreakable bonds.

XVI. . \ demon like a horse in I'rotu and a fish liehind, living in the sea and
causing shipwrecks, who also transforms him.seir inlo a nirfn, called
Cynopegiis,' inhibited by lameth. He is beginning to faint without water,
so Solomon puts him in a j a r with ten measures of sea water, smears the
mouth with asphalt, pitch, and low, seals il with the ring, and orders it lo
be stored in the temple.

XVII. .An anonymous lascivious spirit ofa giant slaughtered in thc time of
thc giants, who lives in tombs and causes men to become demoniacs,
inhibited hy "the .Saviour that is to descend'. He is confined wilh thc rest.

XVIII. The thirty-six elements, man-shaped, bull-shaped, bird-faced,

animal-faced, sphinx-faced, serpent-shaped. Most ofthem cause physical

' Reminiscent of .Artemis, who had three forms, being also the moon and, as
Hecate, a goddess oflhe underworld, fhe epithet ^vewuvti/zo? recalls Isis. who also
had connections with the moon.
' Ifthe (Jreek letters of Kmmanuel are taken as numerical symlxils they add up to
644, though, of course, ti44 would normally be expressed by the three letters XM^ fas
it is here).

' 'fhe name appears to IK- a compound of 'dog' and 'fountain', and the demon
probably has a connection with Poseidon.
 746 The TestamenI of Solomon
t r o u b l e s , a n d often r h a r t n s a n d r e m e d i e s a r e g i v e n for t h e s e . T h e y a r e set
to d r a w water.

XIX. . \ n d I, S o l o i n o n , w a s h o n o u r e d b y all m e n u n d e r h e a v e n . I
w a s b u i l d i n g t h e t e m p l e of G o d , a n d m y kingdotn w a s prospering.
2 .All t h e k i n g s u s e d t o c o m e t o m e t o s e c t h e t e m p l e o f G o d w h i c h I
w a s b u i l d i n g , a n d t h e y u s e d t o b r i n g m e g o l d a n d s i l v e r a n d offer
b r o n z e a n d i r o n a n d l e a d a n d t i m b e r for t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n of t h e
3 t e m p l e . . A m o n g t h e m also c a m e S h e b a , q u e e n of the S o u t h , w h o
w a s a n e n c h a n t r e s s of g r e a t skill, a n d s h e d i d o b e i s a n c e to m e .

XX. .And b e h o l d , a n a g e d m a n , o n e o f t h e c r a f t s m e n , t h r e w h i m ­
self d o w n b e f o r e m c s a y i n g . K i n g S o l o m o n , son of D a v i d , h a v e pity
o n m y o l d a g e . A n d 1 s a i d t o h i m , l e l l m e , o l d m a n , w h a t it is y o u
2 w a n t . H e said, I a p p e a l to you, O king. 1 h a v e a n only son. a n d
e v e r y d a y h e m a k e s s o m e k i n d o f a t t a c k o n m e ; for h e h a s h i t m e i n
t h e f a c e a n d o n t h e h e a d a n d t h r e a t e n s t o m u r d e r m e . T h i s is w h y 1
3 h a v e c o m e to y o u so t h a t you m a y a v e n g e m e . W h e n 1 h e a r d this,
I g a v e o r d e r s t h a t his s o n s h o u l d b e b r o u g h t to m e . W'hen he c a m e , I
4 said t o h i r n . I s t h i s t h e t r u t h a b o u t y o u ? .And h e s a i d , O king,
I m u s t h a v e b e e n o u t o f m y m i n d to f r i g h t e n m y f a t h e r in t h e w a y I
have.' Be merciful t o m e , O k i n g , for s u c h i r r e g u l a r behaviour
0 m a k e s a s o r r y s t o r y . ' S o w h e n I, S o l o m o n , h a d h e a r d the y o u n g
m a n , I u r g e d t h e o l d m a n t o t h i n k it o v e r . B u t h e w a s u n w i l l i n g t o
a n d said. H e s h o u l d be p u t to d e a t h .
6 And when I s a w that the detnon O r n i a s laughed, I was very
a n g r y a t his l a u g h i n g in m y p r e s e n c e ; a n d I p u t the o t h e r aside a n d
o r t J e r e d O r n i a s t o c o m e , a n d I s a i d t o h i m . A c c u r s e d o t i e , how dare
7 y o u l a u g h a t m e ? H e said, I a p p e a l to y o u , O king. It w a s not
b e c a u s e of y o u that I l a u g h e d , b u t b e c a u s e o f t h e unfortunate old
m a n a n d t h e w r e t c h e d y o u t h , h i s s o n ; for in t h r e e d a y s h e will b e
d e a d , a n d b e h o l d , t h e o l d m a n w a n t s to p u t h i m to a painful d e a t h .
8,9 A n d I s a i d . Is this really so? T h e d e m o n s a i d . Yes, O king. A n d I
o r d e r e d t h e d e m o n to s t a n d a s i d e , a n d t h e old m a n a n d his son to

' L i t . T h a v e b e e n fuil m a d t o m a k e m y f a t h e r q u a k e t h r o u g h m y h a n d . '

^ L i t . T o r it would be c o n t r a r y t o w h a t is e s t a b l i s h e d t o h e a r s u c h a p a r a b l e a n d
distress'.
 The Testament of Solomon 747
ID c o m e , a n d I o r d e r e d t h e m t o b e c o m e f r i e n d s . . \ n d I s a i d to tlie o l d
m a n . I n t h r e e d a y s b r i n g y o u r s o n to m e h e r e , f h e y d i d o b e i s a i u e
and departed.
II .Vnd I g a \ e o r d e r s t h a t O r n i a s s h o u l d b e b r o u g h t to m e a g a i n .
a n d I s a i d t o h i m . Tell m e h o w y o u k n o w t h i s , t h a t in t h r e e d a y s t h e
VI y o u n g m a n w i l l b e d e a d . .Vnd h e s a i d . W e d e m o n s m o u n t i i | ) o n t h e
v a u l t o f h e a v e n a n d fly a m i d t h e s t a r s , a n d w e h e a r t h e d e e r e e s t h a t
V^ e o m e f o r t h f r o m ( J o d a n d t h a t r e l a t e t o t h e l i v e s o f m e n . I'lien w e
g o , a n d w h e t h e r b y liirce of i n f l u e i u e . o r by lire, o r b y s w o r d , o r by
II m i s h a p , w e d i s g u i s e o u r s e l v e s a n d d e s t r o y . Vnd I a s k e d h i m . Tell
m e , t h e n , h o w is it t h a t y o u d e m o n s a r e a b l e t o g o u p i n t o h e a v e n .
I.i H e s a i d t o m e . W h a t e v e r is d o n e t o [ l e r f e e t i o n in h e a v e n , s o a l s o is
it u p o n e a r t h ; for t h e r u l e r s a n d a u t h o r i t i e s a n d p o w e r s fly a b o v e
16 a n d a r e t h o u g h t w o r t h y of e n t r a n e e to h e a \ en. But w e d e m o n s get
e . x h a u s t e d , l o r w e h a v e n o f o o t h o l d for a s e e n d i n g o r r e s t i n g , a n d w e
fall a w a y l i k e l e a v e s f r o m t r e e s , a n d t h e m e n t h a t s e e (/ t h i n k s t a r s
17 a r e f a l l i n g f r o m h e a \ e n . I t is n o t s o , O k i n g : w e fall b e e a i i s e o l d u r
w e a k n e s s ; a n d , b e c a u s e w e h a v e n o s u p p o r t from a n y tpiarter, we
fall d o w n l i k e l i g h t n i n g s u p o n t h e e a r t h , a n d b u r n u p c i t i e s , a n d s e t
h e l d s o n h r e . B u t t h e s t a r s o f h e a \ e n a r e s e c u r e in t h e v a u l t of
18 heaven. W h e n I. S o l o m o n , h e a r d t h i s , I o r d e r e d t h e d e m o n t o b e
k e p t u n d e r g u a r d for h \ e d a y s .
19 .Vfter t h e h \ e d a y s w e r e o v e r I s u m m o n e d t h e o l d m a n , a n d h e
w a s unwilling to come. Then he c a m e , a n d I saw he was broken
20 a n d m i s e r a b l e . .Vnd I s a i d t o h i m . W h e r e is y o u r s o n , o l d m a n ? H c
s a i d , I a m n o w c h i l d l e s s , O k i n g , a n d I, w i t h o u t h o p e , k e e p w a t c h
21 b y m y s o n ' s t o m b . W h e n I, S o l o m o n , h e a r d t h i s , a n d k n e w t h a t
w h a t h a d b e e n t o l d m e b y t h e d e m o n w a s t r u e , I g l o r i f i e d t h e (J<K1
ofhcaven and earth.

XXI. . V n d S h e b a , t h e q u e e n o f t h e S o u t h , w a s a s t o n i s h e d w h e n s h e
s a w t h e t e m p l e I w a s building, a n d she gave ten t h o u s a n d shekels
2 of b r o n z e . S h e went into the temple a n d saw the altar, and the
c h e r u b i m a n d s e r a p h i m o v e r s h a d o w i n g the mercy scat, a n d the
t w o h u n d r e d p r e c i o u s s t o n e s o f t h e l a m p s flashing w i t h different
3 c o l o u r s , l a m p s o f e m e r a l d a n d h y a c i n t h s t o n e s a n d s a p p h i r e . .Vnd
s h e s a w t h e v e s s e l s of silver a n d b r o n z e a n d g o l d , a n d t h e b a s e s of
t h e p i l l a r s e n t w i n e d w i t h b r o n z e w r o u g h t like c h a i n s . S h e s a w afso
 748 The Testament of Solomon
4 t h e b r a z e n s e a w i t h i t s b a s e ' a n d t l i c t h i r t y - s i x b u l l s . .And t h e y w e r e
a l l w o r k i n g i n t h e t e m p l e o f C i o d - for t h e w a g e o f o n e g o l d t a l e n t ,
e x c e p t for t h e d e m o n s .

XXII. N o w .Adarces, king o f t h e .Arabians, sent a letter which ran

as follows,
.Adarces, k i n g of t h e A r a b i a n s , to k i n g S o l o m o n g r e e t i n g . Be­
h o l d , w e h a v e h e a r d of t h e w i s d o m t h a t h a s b e e n g i v e n y o u a n d
t h a t , m a n as y o u a r e , u n d e r s t a n d i n g has been gi\'en you from the
L o r d in r e s p e c t of t h e s p i r i t s of t h e a i r a n d e a r t h a n d u n d e r t h e
2 e a r t h . T h e r e is a s p i r i t i n . A r a b i a ; f o r a t d a w n t h e r e t : o m e s a w i n d
w h i c h b l o w s u n t i l t h e t h i r d h o u r , a n d i t s b l a s t is t e r r i b l e , a n d it kills
meti and cattle, and nothing t h a t b r e a t h e s c a n live b e l b r e the
3 d e m o n . I b e g y o u , t h e r e l b r e , s i n c e t h e s p i r i t is l i k e a w i n d , l o d e v i s e
s o m e t h i n g w i s e i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e w i s d o m t h a t h a s b e e n g i \ cii
y o u b y t h e L o r d y o u r G o d , a n d d e i g n t o s e n d a m a n a b l e to a r r e s t
4 it. .And b e h o l d , w e will b e y o u r s , k i n g S o l o m o n , b o t h 1 a n d all m y
p e o p l e ; a n d a l l m y l a n d , e v e n a l l . A r a b i a , w i l l b e a t p e a c e , if y o u c a n
5 b r i n g a b o u t t h i s d e l i v e r a n c e ' ftir u s . W h e r e f o r e w e b e g y o u , d o n o t
i g n o r e o u r s u p p l i c a t i o n , a n d b e c o m e o u r l o r d f o r a l l t i m e , Ibr e v e r .
.May m y lord fare well a l w a y s , continually.
6 I S o l o m o n , w h e n I h a d r e a d t h i s l e t t e r , f o l d e d it a n d g a v e it t o
m y s l a v e , s a y i n g to h i m . After seven d a y s r e m i n d m e o f t h i s letter.
7 J e r u s a l e m h a d been built, a n d the temple w a s being completed.
A n d t h e r e w a s a g r e a t corner-stone, that 1 w a n t e d to p u t into place
8 a s t h e m a i n c o r n e r - s t o n e , t o c o m p l e t e t h e t e m p l e o f G o d . .And a l l
t h e c r a f t s m e n a n d all t h e d e m o t i s t h a t w e r e c o - o p e r a t i n g with t h e m
c a m e t o g e t h e r t o b r i n g t h e s t o n e a n d s e t it o n t h e p i n n a c l e o f t h e
9 t e m p l e ; b u t t h e y w e r e n o t s t r o n g e n o u g h t o lift it. B u t a f t e r s e v e n
d a y s I r e m e m b e r e d t h e letter of the king of the .Arabians; a n d I
10 c a l l e d m y slaveling a n d said to h i m , L o a d u p y o u r camel, a n d take
a w i n e - s k i n a n d this seal, a n d g o to .Arabia, to t h e place w h e r e the
e v i l s p i r i t b l o w s , a n d h o l d t h e w i n e - s k i n a n d t h e r i n g in f r o n t o f t h e
11 m o u t h o f t h e w i n e - s k i n . A n d w h e n t h e w i n e - s k i n is i n f l a t e d , y o u
w i l l find t h a t it is t h e d e m o n w h o i n f l a t e s i t . T h e n q u i c k l y t i e t h e

' T h e meaningot^jrioraSdvis uncertain. See 1 Kings \ii. 2 3 - 2 5 ; 2Chr(>n. iv. 2 - 4 .

' Lit. 'vengeance'.

 The Testament of Solomon 719
u i i i c - s k i i i u p t i g l i t h . a n d , w h e n y o u h a v e s c a l e d it w i t h t h c r i n g ,
l o a d it o n t o \ ( ) u r c a m e l a n d b r i n g it h e r e . S o g o , a n d f a r e y o u w e l l .
VI I h e n t h c slave d i d a s h e w a s o r d e r e d a n d journeyed to . \ r a b i a .
.Vnd t h e p e o p l e t h e r e w e r e d o u b t f u l w h e t h e r h c w o u l d after all h e
i;i a b l e t o a r r e s t t h e e \ il s p i r i t . Vnd a t d a y b r e a k t h e s e r v a n t g o t u p
a n d s t o o d in front o f t h e s p i r i t ' s blast; a n d h e p u t t h e wine-skin o n
t h e g r o u n d , a n d o n it h e p u t t h e r i n g a l s o . .Vnd it e t i t e r e d t h e
II w i n e - s k i n a n d i n l l a t e d it. Btit t h e s l a v e s t o o d a n d tied t h e w i n e - s k i n
tighth a t t h c m o u t h , in t h e n a m e o f t h e I . o r d S a b a o t h ; a n d t h e
I.i demon w a s kept a p r i s o n e r ' in t h e w i n e - s k i n , f h e slave, too.
r e m a i n e d for t h r e e d a y s to s e e t h a t all w a s well;'' a n d t h e spirit n o
l o n g e r b l e w , a n d t h e . V r a b i a n s r e c o g n i s e d t h a t h e h a d safely c o n -
Ki h i i c d t h e spirit. I h e n h e l o a d e d t h e wine-skin o n t o his c a m e l . I'he
. V r a b i a n s s e n t t h e s l a v e o n h i s w a y w i t h gifts a n d h o n o u r s , p r a i s i n g
(Jod (for t h e y n o w h a d p e a c e ) . B u t t h e slave b r o u g h t thc spirit a n d
s e t it o n t o p o f t h e t e m p l e .
17 O n t h c n e x t d a y I, S o l o m o n , w e n t i n t o t h e t e m p l e ; a n d I w a s
w o r r i e d a b o u t t h e m a i n c o r n e r - s t o n e . Vnd t h e w i n e - s k i n , s t a n d i n g
u p , w a l k e d s e v e n [laces, a n d s t o o d o n its m o u t h a n d d i d o b e i s a n c e
18 t o m e . . V n d a m a / e d t h a t , a l t h o u g h lied up in t h e w i n e - s k i n , it still
w a s a b l e t o w a l k , I t o l d it t o s t a n d u p . T h e w i n e - s k i n s t o o d u p . a n d
H) s t o o d i n f l a t e d o n i t s feet. . V n d I C | u e s t i o n e d h i m . sav i n g . W h o a r e
you? T h e spirit inside said, I a m a d e m o n called K p h i p p a s , the
L'O . A r a b i a n . .And I said to h i m , \ \ h a t angel a r e y o u inhibited b y ? H e
s a i d . B y h i m w h o is t o b e b o r n o f a v i r g i n , s i n c e a n g e l s w o r s h i p
h i m , a n d w h o is l o b e c r u c i f i e d b y t h e J e w s .

XXIII. I s a i d t o h i m . Tell m e , w h a t c a n v o u d o : ' H e s a i d , I l a i i

'1 m o v e m o u n t a i n s a n d t r a n s p o r t h o u s e s a n d t h r o w d o w n k i n g s . .And
I s a i d t o h i m . I f y o u c a n , l i h t h i s s t o n e u p t o t h e h i g h e s t p o i n t of t h e
c o r n e r o f t h e t e m p l e . H e s a i d , .Not o n l y w i l l I lift t h i s s t o n e u p , O
k i n g , b u t w i t h t h e h e l p o f t h e d e m o n in t h e R e d S e a / will lift up also
t h e a i r y p i l l a r t h a t is i n t h c R e d S e a , a n d y o u c a n s e t it w h e r e y o u
;i w i l l . . A n d , s a y i n g t h i s , h c s l i p p e d in u n d e r n e a t h t h c s t o n e , a n d h e
l i f t e d i t , a n d m o u n t e d t h e s t e p s c a r r y i n g t h c s t o n e , a n d p l a c e d it at

' I.it. 'the tleiiinn reinaiiied'.

•* I.it. . . liir three (lavs as a cletiionsiration'.
 The TestamenI oJ Solomon

4 t h e lop of t h e c i i t r a i i c ' c t o t h e t e m p l e . 1, S o l o m o n , s a i d in e l a t i o n ,
T r u l y n o w h a s b e e n fulfilled t h e s c r i p t u r e t h a t s a y s . T h e s t o n e t h a t
t h e b u i l d e r s rejected, this b e c a i n e the h e a d o f t h e c o r n e r - a n d so

XXIV. And a g a i n I s a i d t o h i m . ( i o . a n d b r i n g m e t h e p i l l a r in t h e
R e d S e a y o u s p o k e o f K p h i p p a s w e n t olf a n d b r o u g h t u p t h e
2 d e m o n a n d t h e p i l l a r , b o t h of them c a r r y i n g it f r o m . A r a b i a . B u t I .
b e c a u s e t h e s e t w o s p i r i t s w e r e a b l e t o s h a k e t h e w h o l e w o r l d in a
single m o m e n t , cleverly outw itted t h e m by sealing t h e m a r o u n d on
:i t h i s s i d e a n d t h a t , a n d I s a i d . K e e p c a r e f u l w a t c h . .And t h e \ h a v e
r e m a i n e d s u p p o r t i n g t h e p i l l a r in t h e a i r t o t h i s d a y . a s a d e m o n -
4 s t r a t i o i i o f t h e w i s d o m t h a t w a s g i v e n i n e . T h e [>inar. o f a n e n o r m ­
o u s s i z e , w a s h a n g i n g in t h e a i r , s u p p o r t e d b y t h e s p i r i t s ; a n d f r o m
."> b e l o w t h e s p i r i t s s u p p o r t i n g it l o o k e d a s i l T h e y w e r e a i r . W h e n w e
l o o k e d c a r e f u l l y , t h e b a s e o f t h e p i l l a r s e e m e d s l i g h t l y a s k e w ; a n d it
is s o t o t h i s d a y .

X X V . . A n d I a s k e d t h e o t h e r d e m o n , t h e o n e w h o c a m e u p frotn t h e
sea w i t h the pillar. W h o are you, a n d w h a t are you called, a n d
2 w h a t is y o u r f u n c t i o n , for I h a v e h e a r d m u c h a b o u t y o u ? .And t h e
d e m o n s a i d , I, k i n g S o l o m o n , a m c a l l e d . A b e z e t h i b u , a n d o n c e I
3 u s e d t o d w e l l i n t h e first h e a v e n , w h i c h is n a m e d . A m e l u t h . I, t h e n ,
a m a m a l e v o l e n t winged spirit, with a single wing, w h o plots
againsi everything that breathes under heaven. I was present
w h e n M o s e s w e n t in lo P h a r a o h , k i n g of K g y p t ; a n d I h a r d e n e d his
4 h e a r t . I a m he w h o m J a n n e s a n d J a m b r e s invoked, w h e n they
w i t h s t o o d .Moses in K g y p t . I a m h e w h o w r e s t l e d a g a i n s t .Moses
n w i t h w o n d e r s a n d s i g n s . S o I s a i d t o h i m . H o w w a s it t h e n t h a t y o u
6 w e r e f o u n d i n t h e R e d S e a ? H e s a i d , .At t h e e x o d u s o f t h e s o n s o f
Israel I h a r d e n e d P h a r a o h ' s heart; a n d I stirred up P h a r a o h a n d
h i s s e r v a n t s a n d c a u s e d t h e m t o p u r s u e a f t e r t h e s o n s o f I s r a e l . .And
P h a r a o h f o l l o w e d c l o s e upon them a n d so did a l l t h e K g y p t i a n s . I w a s
t h e r e t h e n , a n d w e f o l l o w e d c l o s e ; a n d w e all c a m e to t h e R e d S e a .
7 . A n d it c a m e t o p a s s t h a t w h e n t h e s o n s o f I s r a e l h a d c r o s s e d , t h e
w a t e r turned back a n d covered the entire Kgyptian army. I was
w i t h t h e m t h e n , a n d I t o o w a s c o v e r e d b y t h e w a t e r ; a n d so I
8 r e m a i n e d in t h e s e a , k e p t u n d e r t h e pillar, until K p h i p p a s c a m e . I,
 The Testament of Solomon 751
S o l o m o n , c h a r g e d h i r n s o l e m n l y l o s u p p o r t t h e p i l l a r till t h e e n d o f
t i m e . . \ n d w i t h G o d ' s h e l p I a d o r n e d h i s t e m p l e w i t h all s e e m l i -
n e s s . A n d I c o n t i n u e d to rejoice a n d glorify h i m .

XXVI. N'ow 1 took wives without n u m b e r from every land and

k i n g d o m , .And I w a s on a visit to t h e k i n g of t h e J c b u s i t e s ; a n d I
saw a woman in t h e i r k i n g d o m , a n d fell v i o l e n t l y in l o \ e , and
w a n t e d to a d d h e r to m y w i v e s . A n d I said to t h e i r priests. G i \ e m e
t h i s S h u m a n i t e [sic), b e c a u s e 1 h a v e f a l l e n v i o l e n t l y in l o v e w i t h
h e r . ' I ' h e y s a i d t o m c . I f y o u h a \ e f a l l e n in l o v e w i t h o u r d a u g h t e r ,
w o r s h i p o u r gods, great R a p h a n a n d Moloch, a n d take her. But 1
r e f u s e d t o w o r s h i p a n d s a i d , I d o n o t w o r s h i p a foreign g o d . But
t h e y m a d e t h e g i r l p r o m i s e , . s a y i n g . I f it s h o u l d h a p p e n t h a t y o u g o
i n t o S o l o m o n ' s k i n g d o m , s a y to h i m , I will n o t s l e e p w i t h you,
u n l e s s y o u d o w h a t m y p e o p l e d o : ' t a k e five l o c u s t s a n d s l a u g h t e r
t h e m in t h e n a m e of R a p h a n a n d M o l o c h . I, b e c a u s e I I t n e d t h e
damsel (for s h e w a s v e r y b e a u t i f u l ) , a n d b e c a u s e I w a s w i t h o u t
t i n d e r s t a n d i n g , t h o u g h t n o t h i n g o f t h e blood of the locusts; a n d I
t o o k t h e m u n d e r m y h a n d s a n d s a c r i f i c t ^ d in t h e n a m e o f R a p h a n
a n d -Moloch. A n d I took the girl into m y royal p a l a c e .
.And t h e s p i r i t of G o d w a s t a k e n a w a y from m e . a n d from that
d a y o n w a r d s w h a t I s a i d s e e m e d l i k e n o n s e n s e . .Atid s h e f o r c e d m e
t o b u i l d t e m p l e s to idols. S o I, m i s e r a b l e w r e t c h , did w h a t s h e told
me; and the glory of G o d d e p a r t e d from m c altogether, a n d my
s p i r i t w a s p l u n g e d in d a r k n e s s , a n d I b e c a m e a l a u g h i n g - s t o c k t o
idols a n d to d e m o n s .
T h a t is w h y I h a v e w r i t t e n t h i s m y l e s t a m e n t , s o t h a t y o u , w h o
h e a r m a y p r a y , a n d g i v e h e e d t o t h e l a s t t h i n g s a n d n o t t h e first, and
s o m a y find a full m e a s u r e o f g r a c e f o r e v e r a n d c \ e r . . A m e n .

Lit. ' u n l e s s y o u b e c o m e like m y p e o p l e

 THE A P O C A L Y P S E OF ELIJAH

INT R ( ) I ) L C : r i ( ) N

A m o n g t h c C o p t i c B i b l i c a l f r a g m e n t s f r o m A k h m i m . a c t j u i r e d for
t h c B i b l i o t h e q u c N a t i o n a l c i n P a r i s b y Ci. . \ I a s p e r o in t h e e a r l y
1 8 8 0 s , w e r e f o u r t e e n p a p y r u s l e a v e s in t h e . \ k h m i m i c d i a l e t t a n d
s e v e n in t h e .Sahidic. T h e s e i)roved oti e x a m i n a t i o n to b e t h e
r e m a i n s of t w o distinct codices. T h e texts were previously u n ­
k n o w n , t h o u g h u n d o u b t e d l y of an apocryphal work or works.
T h e r e w a s a c o n s i d e r a b l e o v e r l a p b e t w e e n t h e m s o t h a t it w a s
f r e q u e n t l y p o s s i b l e t o r e s t o r e g a p s in t h c . \ k l i m i m i c f r o m t h e
. S a h i d i c a n d rice versa. T h e p r e s u m p t i o n , t h e r e f o r e , w a s t h a t t h e y
w e r e , a t l e a s t i n p a r t , t w o v e r s i o n s in d i l f c r e n t d i a l e c t s o f t h e s a m e
original(s).
T h e h r s t e d i t o r ( f . B o u r i a n t i n 188;i) t o o k t h e \ i c w t h a t o n l y a
s i n g l e w o r k w a s i n v o l v e d ; a n d f r o m t h c fact t h a t Z e p h a n i a h a p ­
p e a r e d a s t h e s p e a k e r o n o n e of t h e S a h i d i c leaves he c o n c l u d e d
t h a t t h c w o r k w a s t h e lost . X p t i c a l y p s e o f Z e p h a n i a h , k n o w n t o
h a v e e x i s t e d f r o m i t s m e n t i o n in t h e L i s t o f S i x t y B t x i k s . . \ s i m i l a r
v i e w w a s t a k e n b y L . S t e r n in t h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r . H o w e v e r , in 1 8 8 8
a further eight leaves, recently acquired by the Berlin M u s e u m ,
w e r e i d c n t i h e d a s belonging to t h e s a m e codex as t h e fourteen
. \ k h m i m i c leaves in t h e Bibliothequc Nationalc; a n d at thc e n d of
t h e t e x t o n o n e o f t h e s e l e a v e s (it w o u l d s e e m t h e l a s t in t h e c o d e x )
w a s t h e c o l o p h o n 'T h e . \ p o c a l y p s c of Llijah". C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e
codex m u s t have tontained more than one work. T h equestion was
(and is).H o w many?
. \ n a n s w e r d e p e n d s p a r t l y u p o n t h c o r d e r in w h i e h t h c loose
l e a v e s f r o m b o t h c o d i c e s a r e a r r a n g e d , a n d p a r t l y u p o n w h a t is
p r e s u m e d t o b e t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e t w o ctxiices. T'he
codices certainly overlapped. B u t that does not necessarily m e a n
t h a t t h e i r c o n t e n t s w e r e p r e c i s e l y t h e s a m e . .And B o u r i a n t a n d
S t e r n h a d e a c h a r r a n g e d t h e P a r i s leaves in a different o r d e r .
I n t h e I n t r o d u c t i o n t o h i s e d i t i o n o f t h e t e x t s in 1 8 9 9
G . S t e i n d o r f f e x a m i n e d this q u e s t i o n in d e t a i l a n d c o n c l u d e d t h a t
7.")4 The Apocalypse of Elijah
t h r e e w o r k s w e r e i n v o l v e d : ( I ) a n a p o c a l y p s e of E l i j a h ; ( 2 ) an
a p o c a l y p s e of / e p h a n i a h ; a n d (3) a n ' A n o n y m o u s " apocalypse.
This i n t e r p r e t a t i o n w a s decisively rejected by .Schurer s o m e ten
years later, w ho maintained not only that there were no adequate
g r o u n d s for d i s t i n g t i i s h i n g t h e ' . A n o n y m o u s ' from Z e p h a n i a h , b u t
also that t h e r e w e r e n o n e Ibr d i s t i n g u i s h i n g a s e p a r a t e Elijah
a p o c a l y p s e e i t h e r . Elijah, h e p o i n t e d o u t . w a s referred to in t h e text
o f t h e a l l e g e d s e p a r a t e a p o c a l y p s e t w i c e , t o g e t h e r w i t h E n o c h , in
t h e t h i r d p e r s o n ; ' b u t if E l i j a h w e r e i n f a c t b e i n g r e p r e s e n t e d b y t h e
a t i t h o r as the recipient o f t h e revelations a n d as himself recording
t h e m , h e m i g h t n a t t i r a l l y b e e x p e c t e d t o r e f e r t o h i m s e l f in t h e first
person. T h u s , in s p i t e o f t h e c o l o p h o n a t t h e e n d o f t h e . A k h m i m i c
t(;xt. w e h a \ e to d o (so .Schiirer a r g u e d ) , n o t w i t h t h r e e w o r k s , b u t
with o n e only, a n d that the .Apocalypse of Z e p h a n i a h .
.Although m a n y subsequent students have been doubtful about
S t c i n d o r l F s " . A n o n y m o u s ' , f e w , if a n y , h a v e b e e n p r e p a r e d t o t r e a t
the h n a l c o l o p h o n as cavalierly as did Schurer, especially since the
p t i b l i c a t i o n in 1 9 1 2 b y E . .A. W a l l i s B u d g e in h i s e d i t i o n o f B . L .
O r . 7,")9t ( a n u n c i a l . \ I S o f t h e m i d 4 t h c e n t . , c o n t a i n i n g S a h i d i c
t e x t s o f D e u t e r o n o m y , J o n a h , .Acts, a n d R e v e l a t i o n ) o f w h a t he
called 'the opening p a r t o f a s h o r t c o m p o s i t i o n ' , w r i t t e n in a
c u r s i s e h a n d a t t h e e n d o f .Acts. T h i s ' o p e n i n g p a r t ' o f B u d g e ' s
" s h o r t ( " o m p o s i t i o n ' w a s i d e n t i f i e d b y C . S c h m i d t in 1 9 2 5 a s t h e
b e g i n n i n g o f t h e Elijah a p o c a l y p s e isolated by Steindorff;' a n d so
an additional argument w a s p r o d u c e d in favour of S t e i n d o r f T s
a n a l y s i s , a t l e a s t s o f a r a s h i s i s o l a t i o n o f t h e E l i j a h a p o c a l y p s e is
c o n c e r n e d a n d h i s d e f i n i t i o n o f its c o n t e n t s .
The final v i n d i c a t i o n of S t e i n d o r f T s view w a s p r o v i d e d by the
d i s c o v e r y o f y e t a n o t h e r S a h i d i c t e x t in t h e C h e s t e r B e a t t y c o l l e c ­
t i o n in D u b l i n ( P . C ^ h e s t e r B e a t t y 2 0 1 8 ) . T h i s t e x t h a d b e e n k n o w n
to exist s i n c e the 1950s, b u t n o details b e c a m e generally available
u n t i l .A. P i e t e r s m a a n d S. T . C o m s t o c k p u b l i s h e d t h e i r e d i t i o n o f it
in t h e a u t u m n of 1 9 8 1 .
T h e m a n u s c r i p t c o n s i s t s o f t e n l e a v e s , o f w h i c h t h e first five a r e
virtually complete, while the remainder are rather more
f r a g m e n t a r y . Q u i t e a p a r t from t h e f r a g m e n t a r y n a t u r e of these last

' At iii. "2.5 and 91. ' i.e. i. 1-15.

 The Apocalypse of Elijah 755
l e a v e s , h o w e v e r , t h e m a m i s e r i p t e o m e s l o a n a b r u j J t eiiil a t iii. 7 2 .
O n p a l a e o g r a p h i e a l g r o u n d s t h e e d i t o r s a r g u e d that this w a s n o t
d u e t o a e e i d e n t a l loss o r rntitilation. b u t t o t h e c o p y t h a t t h e s e r i b e
h a d before h i m having ended similarly. Vet. whether or not w e a r e
p r e p a r e d t o a e e e p t t h e editors" a r g u m e n t s in their e n t i r e t y , t h e faet
is t h a t P . C h e s t e r B e a t t y 2()1H b e g i n s a n d (liir p r a e t i e a l purposes)
e n d s w i t h t h e E l i j a h a p o e a l y p s e , a n d t h e r e is n o i n d i c a t i o n t h a t it
e v e r c o n t a i n e d a n y t h i n g e l s e : i n t h i s r e s p e c t it d i l f e r s markedly
from t h e p r i m a r y . \ k h m i m i c a n d .Sahidic t e x t s d i s c o v e r e d in t h e
188()s. I t s h o u l d a l s o b e n o t e d t h a t in t h o s e t e x t s , c o m p l e m e n t a r y
a s t h e \ o t h e r w i s e w e r e , t h e r e w a s a g a p b e t w e e n i i . K5 a n d ii. 2:5.
c a u s e d b y t h c a b s e n c e o f a single leaf of t h e . \ k h m i m i c . w h e r e there
was no complementary Sahidic: t h i s g a p ( i . e . ii. 1 1 - 2 2 ) w a s
c o v e r e d b y t h c C h e s t e r B e a t t y m a m i s e r i p t . w i t h t h e r e s u l t t h a t it a t
l a s t b e c a m e p o s s i b l e to r e a d t h r o u g h t h e text of t h e a p o c a l y p s e
from b e g i n n i n g to e n d a s a single ( o n t i n u o u s whole.
I n t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s n o e x c u s e is n e e d e d liir t r e a t i n g • E l i j a h "
a s a s e p a r a t e e n t i t y h e r e , a n d i<)r l e a v i n g • / . e p h a n i a h " a n d t h e
' . \ n o n y m o u s " for i n d e p e n d e n t t r e a t m e n t later.

T h e r e c a n b e n o d o u b t t h a t t h e early Clhurch k n e w of at least o n e

a p o c r y p h a l w o r k b e a r i n g E l i j a h s n a m e . O r i g e n . i n h i s Commentary
on Matthew (according to the Latin translation) attributes St.
PauTs quotation at 1 C o r . ii. 9 t o " t h e S e c r e t s of Elijah the
P r o p h e t ' . ' . \ m b r o s i a s t e r r e f e r s it t o ' t h e . V p o c a l y p s e o f E l i j a h " . ' '
Jerome, in d e n y i n g this a n d e x p l a i n i n g t h e q u o t a t i o n a s a f r e e
p a r a p h r a s e o f I s a . I x i v . 1. n e v e r t h e l e s s a d m i t s t h e e x i s t e n c e o f a n
'.Apocalypse o f Elijah", from which some said St. Paul w a s
q u o t i n g . ' S i m i l a r l y , E p i p h a n i u s e x p l a i n s E p h . v . 14 a s a q u o t a t i o n
f r o m ' E l i j a h " . * .An a p o c r y p h a l ' E l i j a h ' ( w i t h o u t f u r t h e r d c h n i t i o i i )
i s m e n t i o n e d i n The Apostolic Constitutions;'' a w o r k ' O f E l i j a h t h e

' Orig. [Matt. com. jcr. 117): 'in nuiio cnini rrgulari Vibru hoc [XJ.siuirn invt-niliir.
nisi in sccrctis Kliac prophetac'. fhe (ik. original is, ol course, no longer cxiani.
'' .Vnibrosiasl. (in / Cor. ii.'.)): 'hoc scriplum esl in Ksaia prolela aliis verbis |esl in
apocalypsi Heliae in a|X)cr\hs)'.
' Hieron. (£>. Ivii. 9; in &ai. Ixiv. l - . i ) .
' Epiph. {Haer\lAl. xii. :i); 'zo()Todti^iptQCTai:iae<iJij/'HXIif'.
' Const. Aposl. \ ' l . xvi. 3.
756 The Apocalypse oJ Elijah
prophet' is l i s t e d in the pseudo-Athanasian Synopsis and the
S t i c h o m e t r y of N i c e p h o r u s ; a n d an ' A p o c a l y p s e of Elijah' occurs
in t h e List of S i x t y R o o k s . B u t t h e o n l y a n c i e n t reltretice, w h i c h
gives atiy serious indication of c o n t e n t s , is a passage in the
a p o c r y p h a l E p i s t l e of T i t u s , p u b l i s h e d from a n iith c e n t . W i i r z -
burg MS by D o m D o n a t i e n d e B r u y n e in 1925." T h e pa.ssage,
w h i c h p r e s u m a b l y c o m e s from the Elijah a p o c r y p l o n mentioned
p r e v i o u s l y in t h e E p i s t l e , " r u n s a s follows:

'.And t h e n t h e p r o p h e t F.hjah w i t n e s s e s to w h a t h e s a w : " T h e angel of

t h e L o r d " , h e s a y s , ' " s h o w e d m c a d e e p valley, w h i c h is called ( i e h e n n a ,
b u r n i n g w i t h s u l p h u r a n d p i t c h . .And in t h a t p l a e e a r e m a n y souls of
s i n n e r s , a n d t h e y a r c t o r t u r e d t h e r e w i t h t o r m e n t s of dilferent k i n d s .
S o m e suffer t h r o u g h h a n g i n g by t h e i r g e n i t a l s , o t h e r s by t h e i r t o n g u e s ,
s o m e by t h e i r e y e s , a n d yel o t h e r s h a n g i n g u p s i d e d o w n ; a n d w o m e n
w i l l b e t o r t u r e d t h r o u g h h a n g i n g hy t h e i r b r e a s t s , a n d y o u n g m e n by
t h e i r h a n d s : s o m e girls a r e r o a s t e d o n t h e g r i d i r o n , a n d s o m e souls a r e
i m p a l e d a n d in p e i p e t u a l p a i n . By t h e s e d i t t c r e n l | ) i i n i s h m c n i s is
p r o c l a i m e d w h a t e a e h o n e h a s d o n e : t h o s e t h a t suifer t h r o u g h their
g e n i t a l s a r e t h e a d u l t e r e r s a n d p e d e r a s t s : t h o s e t h a t a r e s u s p e n d e d by
t h e i r t o n g u e s a r e t h e b l a s p h e m e r s a n d lalse w i t n e s s e s : t h o s e t h a t a r e
hung up b y t h e i r eyes a r e t h o s e w h o h a \ c c a u s e d t h e i r owti fall t h r o u g h
w h a t t h e y s e e , g a z i n g in c o n c u p i s c e n c e on t h e g u i l t y d e e d s of o t h e r s :
t h o s e t h a t w e r e h a n g i n g u p s i d e d o w n , tlie.se a r e t h o s e w h o h a t e d t h e
r i g h t e o u s n e s s o f G o d , m e n o f e v i l c o u n s e l ( n o o n e of t h e m is in a g r e e ­
m e n t with his b r o t h e r ) - rightly, therefore, d o they e n d u r e the punish­
m e n t d e c r e e d for t h e m . A n d a s lor t h e w o m e n t h a i a r e o r d e r e d to b e
t o r m e n t e d in t h e i r b r e a s t s , t h e s e a r e t h o s e w h o g a v e t h e i r b o d i e s to m e n
in w a n t o n n e s s ; a n d t h e m e n also will b e close by t h e m in t h e i r t o r m e n t s ,
h a n g i n g b y t h e i r h a n d s Ibr this very l e a s o n . " " "

* D. de Bruyne, 'Epistula Titi, di.sripuli Pauh, De Dispositione Sanctimonii" in

R Ben xxxvii (192.')), pp. 4 7 - 7 2 . .-V u.sefttl discussion ol'the epistle, especially o l i t s
(juotations of Biblical and apocryphal texts, was almost immediately afterwards
published by A. von Harnack, 'Der aix)kryphc Brief des Paulu.sschulers Titus "De
dispositione sanctimonii" ' in Silnrngsheric/ile derpieussischen Akademie der Wissenschaf-
Un,jalitg. 1925: phU.-hiit. Kl. (Berlin, 192.')), p p . 180-21.3. Harnack assigned the
Epistle to the iith cent, and argued that it was Priscillianist.
" de Bruyne, o p . cit., pp. .Vt-.iS: . . . ' O divina dei tneditacio ut ante praeviderct
dc f'uturo saeculo, ut Enoch iustus de primo [wpulo reputato constituitur scribere
gesta h o m i n u m priora, et Hellas sanctus huius plebis serotiiiae novae consciiberet
a c t a . . .'. '" de firuyne, op. cit , p. 38.
 The Apocalypse of lilijah 757
S u c h d e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e t o r m e n t s o f H e l l a r e n o t u n c o m m o n in
a p o c a l y p t i c l i t e r a t u r e , e s p e c i a l l y in t h e l a t e r l i t e r a t u r e ( c p . , for
e x a m p l e , , \ p o c . E s d r a s iv. 7 - v . 6 - b e l o w , p p . 9 ; i 5 - 7 ) . B u t n o t h i n g
l i k e it is t o b e found in o u r C o p t i c a p o c a l y p s e . " N f ) r a r e S t . P a u l ' s
a l l e g e d q u o t a t i o n s a t 1 C o r . ii. 9 a n d E p h . v . 14 t o b e f o u n d t h e r e
( h i t h e r , a l t h o u g h it is p o s s i b l y n o t w i t h o u t s i g n i h c a n c e t h a t t h e h r s t
o f t h e m d o c s (xx-ur a t t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g o f t h e a p o c r y p h a l Titus,
w h e r e it a p p e a r s t o b e c i t e d a s if it w e r e a w e l l - k n o w n ' w o r d o f t h e
L o r d ' . F r o m t h e e v i d e n c e a v a i l a b l e , t h e r e f o r e , it l o o k s a s if t h e r e
w e r e s e v e r a l a p o c r y p h a , b e a r i n g t h e n a m e o f E l i j a h , c i r c u l a t i n g in
t h e e a r l y centuries. T h e y m a y h a v e been dilfcrent recensions ofthe
s a m e basic m a t e r i a l : they m a y have been complet(;ly independent.
W e h a v e n o m e a n s of k n o w i n g .
B u t a b o u t o u r C o p t i c a p o c a l y p s e t w o t h i n g s m a y b e .said w i t h
l i t t l e f e a r o f c o n t r a d i c t i o n : ( 1 ) it is o f s o m e r e s p e c t a b l e a n t i q u i t y ;
a n d ( 2 ) if n o t e n t i r e l y C h r i s t i a n i n o r i g i n , w h a t e v e r J e w i s h s o u r c e s
it m a y h a v e h a d h a v e b e e n s o t h o r o u g h l y C h r i s t i a n i z e d a s t o b e
virtually unrecognizable.
Lo t a k e t h c hrst point hrst. T h c t w o m a i n M S S c o n t a i n i n g thc
S a h i d i c text (i.e. Steindorff's a n d the C h e s t e r Beatty) a r c d a t e d
e i t h e r i n t h e l a t e 4 t h c e n t , o r in t h e e a r l y 5 t h , a n d t h a t c o n t a i n i n g
the Akhmimic in thc 4th. T h e cursive hand which made the
a d d i t i o n c o r r e s p o n d i n g t o t h e o p e n i n g verses o f t h e . A k h m i m i c text
a t t h c e n d o f . A c t s i n B . L . O r . 7 5 9 4 is d a t e d t o c. .M) 3 5 0 ; .so t h a t t h i s
t e x t m u s t h a v e c o m e i n t o existent;e in t h e e a r l i e r h a l f of t h e 4 t h
cent, at t h e latest. M o s t C o p t i c texts o f t h i s kind are translations
f r o m G r e e k ; a n d t h a t o u r a p o c a l y p s e is n o e x c e p t i o n w a s m a d e a s
c e r t a i n a s c a n b e b y t h e p u b l i c a t i o n b y E . Pistelli in 1912 o f a s m a l l
4 t h c e n t , p a p y r u s f r a g m e n t , t h e v e r s o o f w h i c h c o n t a i n s ( t h o u g h in
a v e r y m u t i l a t e d s t a t e ) t h c G r e e k t e x t o f iii. 9 0 - 9 2 . I f w e a r e t o
a l l o w t i m e for t h e G r e e k t e x t t o b e c o m e g e n e r a l l y k n o w n , t o b e
t r a n s l a t e d i n t o C o p t i c , a n d t h e n t o b e c o m e k n o w n i n C o p t i c , it
w o u l d s e e m that w e m u s t p u s h back the date of composition into
the 3rd cent, or even earlier.
T h e (Christian e l e m e n t s in t h e a p o c a l y p s e a r e u n d e n i a b l e , es-

" T h e nearest approach is tlic very general statement at iii. 8 6 - 8 7 (cp. also
' A n o n . ' Apoc. i. 6, ii. 4, iii. 1 2 - 16 - below, pp. 920, 922, 924).
 758 The A jiocaiypse of Elijah
pecially the m a n y apparent reminiscences ofthe New Testament.
It is p o s s i b l e to d i s c o u n t s o m e of t h e c o n t a c t s w i t h Revelation
( s u c h a s " t l i e y s h a l l n e i t h e r h u n g e r , n o r s h a l l t h e y t h i r s t ' a t i. 1 0 -
c p . i i i . 6 1 , o r ' t h e > w i l l g i v e t h e m t h e r i g h t t o e a t f r o m t h e t r e e o f life
a n d t o w e a r w h i t e g a r m e n t s ' a t iii. 6 0 ) " a s n o m o r e t h a n p a r t o f t h e
c o m m o n s t o c k - i n - t r a d e of a p o c a l y p t i c literature, w h e t h e r J e w i s h
o r C h r i s t i a n . B u t it is n o t s o e a s y t o a p p l y t h i s e x p l a n a t i o n t o t h e
d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e -Antichrist as ' t h e S o n of P e r d i t i o n ' a n d 'the
Lawless One' at ii. 3 3 - 3 4 : " the w a r n i n g against believing in
t h e . A n t i c h r i s t ' s c l a i m s a t iii. 1 - 2 l o o k s v e r y m u c h a s if it d e r i v e d
f r o m O u r L o r d ' s w o r d s as r e c o r d e d at M a t t . xxiv. 5, 2 3 ; a n d the
i n j u n c t i o n ' L o v e n o t t h e w o r l d n o r t h e t h i n g s in t h e w o r l d ' a t i. 2
seems to b e a n exact cjuotation of 1 J o h n ii. 15. Furthermore,
a c c o r d i n g t o iii. 3 , w h e n t h e C h r i s t c o m e s , h e will b e p r e c e d e d b y
' t h e s i g n o f t h e c r o s s ' ; a n d a t i. 6 - 7 t h e r e is a n tinmistakeable
s t a t e m e n t o f t h e D o c t r i n e o f t h e I n c a r n a t i o n ( ' F h a t is w h y t h e G o d
of g l o r y t o o k p i t y o n us: h e sent his S o n into t h e w o r l d to deliver us
f r o m our s l a v e r y . W h e n h e c a m e t o u s , h e t o l d n e i t h e r a n g e l n o r
a r c h a n g e l nor a n y power; but he a s s u m e d the form o f a m a n w h e n
h e c a m e t o u s t o s a v e u s ' ) . ' " W h a t is u n c e r t a i n is w h e t h e r these
C h r i s t i a n e l e m e n t s are a n original p a r t o f t h e apocalypse or were
s u p e r i m p o s e d by a Christian editor w h o re-wrote and expanded a
J e w i s h s o u r c e (as h a s b e e n a r g u e d by several s c h o l a r s , n o t a b l y by
Steindorflfhimself. Bousset, and Rosenstiehl).
I n 1897 M . B u t t e n w i e s e r p u b l i s h e d from a .Munich M S a J e w i s h
.Apocalypse of Elijah, which records a revelation m a d e by the
archangel Michael to Elijah on .Mount C a r m e l concerning the
t i m e s o f t h e E n d . F r o m t h e h i s t o r i c a l r e f e r e n c e s i n it B u t t e n w i e s e r
t h o u g h t t h a t t h e o r i g i n a l a p o c a l y p s e h a d b e e n w r i t t e n s o o n after
AD 2 6 0 a n d t h a t it h a d b e e n e d i t e d a n d e x p a n d e d in t h e 6 t h a n d 7 t h
cents. There are indubitably contacts between this Jewish
a p o c a l y p s e a n d o u r C o p t i c a p o c a l y p s e , p a r t i c u l a r l y in t h e h i s t o r i ­
c a l s e c t i o n i n c h a p , ii o f o u r a p o c a l y p s e , t h o u g h n o n e o f t h e m a r e
v e r y c l o s e . A c c o r d i n g t o R o s e n s t i e h l , o u r a p o c a l y p s e , a s it n o w

'-' C p . Rev. ii. 7. vii. 9. 16.

" C p . 2 Thess. ii. 3, 8.
C p . Ep. ad Dingnelum, vii. 2-4.
 The Apocalypse oJElijah 7:)9
s t a n d s , d a t e s i'roin t h e :h'd c e n t , o l ' o u r e r a ; a n d it is t h e w o r k o f a n
a u t h o r w h o r e f a s h i o n e d m a t e r i a l c o m p o s e d i n t h e 1st c e n t . B C h y a
j e w w i t h E s s e n e l e a r n i n g s , w h o l i v e d in E g y p t .
T h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a J e w i s h b a s e m u s t c o n s e q u e n t l y h e left o p e n .
H o w e v e r , it is w o r t h n o t i n g t h a t if t h a t b a s e w a s in i t s e s s e n t i a l s t h e
s a m e a s t h c n u c l e u s t h a t B u t t e n w i c s e r d i s c e r n e d in his a i ) o c a l y p s e ,
a n d h c w a s r i g h t i n d a t i n g t h a t n u c l e u s a h c r . \ D 2()() ( a d a t e w i t h
w h i c h Bousset c o n c u r r e d ) , then o u r apocalypse caimot have been
t h e " S e c r e t s o f E l i j a h " k n o w n t o O r i g e n ( s i n c e O r i g e n d i e d c. 2.')0).
E i k e w i s c , R o s e n s t i e h T s 3 r d c e n t , d a t e for t h e a p o c a l y p s e a s it n o w
s t a n d s w o u l d s e e m to suggest the s a m e conclusion. But, as w a s
remarked previously, there were probably several 'Elijahs"
c i r c u l a t i n g in t h c e a r l y c e n t u r i e s in v a r i o u s l a n g u a g e s , s o m e of
w h i c h w e r e o n l y d i s t a n t l y r e l a t e d t o o n e a n o t h e r , if r e l a t e d a t a l l .

I h e t r a n s l a t i o n w h i c h f o l l o w s is b a s e d o n t h e . \ k h m i m i c t e x t a s
p r i n t e d in S t c i n d o r l F s e d i t i o n , t h e S a h i d i c t e x t s , w h e n a v a i l a b l e ,
b e i n g u s e d t o hll t h e g a p s in t h e . V k h m i m i c , w h e t h e r t h e s e g a p s b e
of only a word or two, or more extensive (the minor gaps are
i n d i c a t e d by the sign ' ( ) ", o t h e r s b y ' . . . " ) . O c c a s i o n a l l y , t o o , a
S a h i d i c r e a d i n g h a s b e e n preferred to the .Xkhmimic as represent­
i n g a b e t t e r t e x t . B u t in a n y c a s e , all s i g n i h c a n t t e x t u a l v a r i a n t s , o r
a n y t h a t m i g h t b e t h o u g h t of a n y s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t , h a v e a t t e n t i o n
d r a w n t o t h e m in t h e n o t e s .
T h e c h a p t e r a n d verse divisions are those adopted by Roscn-
s t i e h l ; b u t for c o n v e n i e n c e S t e i n d o r n " ' s p a g e - n u m e r a t i o n , accord­
i n g t o h i s o r d e r i n g o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l l e a v e s , h a s b e e n i n s e r t e d in
b r a c k e t s in t h e t r a n s l a t i o n w h e r e a p p l i c a b l e - t h u s , ' ( . \ 19)' indi­
cates page 19 in the .Akhmimic codex as reconstructed by
S t e i n d o r f f , t o b e f o u n d o n p p . 6 6 - 6 7 o f h i s e d i t i o n , a n d '(Sa"" 6 ) '
i n d i c a t e s p a g e 6 o f h i s S a h i d i c t e x t , t o b e f o u n d in his e d i t i o n o n p p .
1 2 0 - 1 2 . T . S i m i l a r l y i n t h e n o t e s , '.A' a n d 'Sa'"*" i n d i c a t e S t c i n d o r l F s
A k h m i m i c a n d S a h i d i c respectively, ' S a ' " ' i n d i c a t e s t h e C:hester
B e a t t y S a h i d i c , a n d 'Sa^*^*" i n d i c a t e s t h e S a h i d i c f r a g m e n t f r o m t h e
b e g i n n i n g o f t h e apocalypse as edited by Schmidt.
' F h u s , a p a r t f r o m t h c G r e e k f r a g m e n t f r o m iii. 9 0 - 9 2 , t h e t e x t s
available are:
A : i. I - i i . 13 ( ' . . . s a y i n g ' ) ; ii. 2 3 ( ' T h e c i t i e s . . . ' ) - i i i . 19 ( ' . . . all t h e
760 The Apocalypse oJElijah

s a i n t s ' ) ; iii. 3 3 ( ' S h a m e l e s s O n e . . . ' ) - i i i . 6 9 ('. . . p e r i s h i n ' ) ; iii.

8 4 ('.A r i g h t e o u s j u d g e m e n t . . . ' ) - i i i . 9 9 .
S a ' " : i. 1 - i i i . 12 ('. . . p a s s e d m e b y ' ) .
S a ^ ' : i. 2 3 ( ' b e c a u s e . . .')-ii. 13 ( ' . . . s a y i n g ' ) ; iii. 7 ( " t h e s k y
. . . ' ) - i i i . 8 4 ('. . . give t o n g u e ' . )
S a " " ' ' : i. 1 - 9 (". . . l o r v o u t h r o n e s ' ) ; i. 12 ( ' o f t h e e a r t h . . . ' ) - l . " ) ( ' . . .
the I-vilOne').

BIBLIOGR.APHV

Coptic
L'. B o L ' R I . w r , 'Les papyrus d'.Akhmim (Fragments de manu-
s c r i t s e n d i a l e e l e s b a c h m o u r i q u e e t t h c b a i n ) ' i n Memoirespublics
par les membres de la mission archeologique Jranqaise au Caire, t o m . i,
fase. 2 ( P a r i s , 1885), p p . 24'2-304."
G . S r i; I N D O R K K, Die Apokalypse des Elias, eine unbekannte Apokalypse,
und Bruchstiicke der Sophonias-Apokalypse: koptische Texte, Ubersetzung,
Glossar{= TUw'u (.N.F. ii) 3 a ; L e i p z i g , 1 8 9 9 ) .
L. .A. \ V . \ l , L i s BuDtJK, Coptic Biblical Texts in the Dialect of Upper
Egypt ( L o n d o n , 1 9 1 2 ) , p p . I v - l v i i a n d 2 7 0 - 2 7 1 .
C;. S c H . M i n r , ' D e r K o l o p h o n d e s .VIS o r i e n t 7 5 9 4 d e s B r i t i s c h e n
. M u s e u m s : e i n e U n t e r s u c h u n g z u r E l i a s - . A p x j k a l y p s e ' i n Sitzungs-
berichte der preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Jahrg. 1925:
phil.-hist. Kl. ( B e r l i n , 1 9 2 5 ) , p p . 3 1 2 - 3 2 1 .
.A. P l K T K R S . \ l . \ a n d S . ' F . G O M . S T O C K , w i t h H . \ V . A T T R I D G E ,
The Apocalypse 0/ Elijah based on P. Chester Beatty 2018 (SBL: Texts
and Translations 19, Pseudepigrapha Series 9; S c h o l a r s P r e s s , C h i c o ,
California, 1981).

Greek

E. P i S T E L I . I , Papiri greci e latini, i ( F l o r e n c e , 1912), p p . 1 6 - 1 7

C". VVE,SSEI.Y, ' L e s p l u s a n c i e n s monuments du christianisme

e c r i t s s u r p a p y r u s : t e x t e s e d i t e s , t r a d u i t s e t a n n o t e s ' i n PO x v i i i .
3 (Paris, 1924), p p . 4 8 7 - 4 8 8 .
 The Apocalypse oJElijah 761
A . - M . Dl'.NTS. Eragmenta Pseudepigraphomm quae supersunt (iraeca ( =
PVTG\n\ I.eidcn. 1970), p . 104.
y\. PliriKR.s.M.A a n d S . C u M S I ' O C K , The Apocalypse of Elijah . . .
[as a b o v e ] , p p . 9 0 - 9 4 .

IRAN.SL.A riON.S

English
\\. P . H o r t M I T O N , ' T h e C o p t i c A p o c a l y p . s e ' i n Aegyptus, .xxxix
(1959), p p . 179-210.

Erench
V.. B ( ) t . R l / \ M , ' L e s p a p y r u s . . .' [ a s a b o v e ] .
j . - . \ L R O S E N S I ' l E H L , LApocalypse d'EHe: Introduction, Traductionet
Notes (= 'Textes et Etudes pour servir a Thistoire du judaisme inter-
testamentaire, i; P a r i s , 1 9 7 2 ) .

German
L . S l E R N , ' D i e koptische A p o c a l y p s e d e s S o p h o n i a s , m i t einein
.•\nhang uber d e n untersahidischcn Dialect' i n Zeitschri/t fiir
dgyptische Sprache und Alterthumskunde ( L e i p z i g . 1 8 8 6 ) , p p . 1 1 5 -
135.
G . S T E I N D O R F F , Die Apokalypse des Elias . . . [ a s a b o v e ] .
C . S C : H . \ I I D r, ' D e r K o l o p h o n . . . ' [ a s a b o v e ] .
P. RlESSLER.4;.Sai5', p p . 114-125.
\ V . S C H R A G E , mJSh-rZW 3 (1980), p p . 193-288.

VV. H c t L S S E T , ' B e i t r a g e z u r G e s c h i c h t c d e r L s c h a t o l o g i e , L D i e
.Apokalypse d e s Elias' i n Zeilschn/t fiir Kirchengeschichte, x x
( G o t h a , 1899), p p . 103-112.
M . B U F I E N V V I E S E R , Die hebrdische Elias-Apokalypse und ihre Stetlung
in der apokalyptischen Litteratur des rabbinischen Schrijttums und der
Kirche ( L e i p z i g , 1 8 9 7 ) .
A . - . M . D E N I S , IPGAT pp. 163-169.
J.-B. F R E Y , a r t ' . A p o c r y p h e s d c I ' . A n c i e n l e s t a m e n t ' i n DBSup i.
cols 4 5 6 - 4 5 8 .
 apocalypse of zephaniah

762 The Apocalypse of Elijah

M. R.JAMES, 1/107, pp. 53-61.
P. RiESSl,KR,.4;&fi', p . 1272.
VV. . S C H . V E E . M E I . C H E R , ' S p a l e r e A p o k a l y p s c n ' i n E . H E N . X E C K E
and VV. . S c : n . \ ' E E . M K I . C : H E R , Neuteslamentluke Apukryphen\ ii.
(Tubingen. 1 9 6 4 ) , p . 5 3 4 . [ T r a n s l a t e d , b y E . B E S T , in . \ T . 4 ii.
p. 752.]
E . S C H L R E R , GjVZJC iii, p p . 3 6 1 - 3 6 9 .
H . V V E I N E L i n A X X pp. 164-167.

I. [A 1 9 ) T ' h e w o r d o f t h e L o r d e a m e t o m c , s a y i n g . S o n o f m a n , '
s a y t o this p e o p l e , W h y d o y o u ' pile sin u p o n sin a n d provoke t h e
L o r d ( J o d w h o h a s m a d e y o u to w r a t h ? Love not the world nor the
t h i n g s i n t h e w o r l d , f o r t h e b o a s t f u l n e s s o f t h e w o r l d is o f t h e d e v i l
and its d e s t r u c t i o n . R e m e m b e r that the Lord of glory,' w h o h a s
m a d e all t h i n g s , h a s t a k e n pity o n y o u to deliver us from t h e slavery
o f t h i s present a g e . F o r t i m e a n d t i m e a g a i n t h e D e v i l h a s d e s i r e d t o
s t o p t h e s u n from shining on the earth, a n d to stop the earth from
b e a r i n g its f r u i t , a n d w a n t e d t o d e v o u r m e n l i k e t h e fire t h a t r u n s
(A 2 0 ) a m o n g t h e s t u b b l e , ' ' w a n t i n g t o d e v o u r t h e m like w a t e r .
T h a t i s w h y t h e G o d o f g l o r y ttjok p i t y o n u s : h e s e n t ' h i s S o n i n t o
t h e w o r l d t o d e l i v e r u s f r o m our s l a v e r y . W h e n h e c a m e t o u s , h e
told neither angel nor archangel nor any power;' but he assumed
t h e I b r m o l ' a m a n w h e n h e c a m e to u s to save u s . ' F o r this reason
( y o u w i l l ) b e h i s s o n s , s i n c e h e is y o u r l a t h e r . R e m e m b e r h e h a s
p r e p a r e d f o r y o u t h r o n e s a n d c r o w n s i n h e a v e n , s a y i n g , .Ml w h o
o b e y m c s h a l l r e c e i v e t h r o n e s a n d c r o w n s f r o m w h a t is m i n e ( s a i d
t h e L o r d ) ; for I will w r i t e m y n a m e u p o n t h e i r f o r e h e a d a n d seal
t h e i r {A 2 1 ) r i g h t h a n d . T h e y s h a l l n e i t h e r h u n g e r , n o r s h a l l t h e y
thirst, n o r shall the Son of Lawlessness have his w a y with them,
n o r s h a l l t h r o n e s h i n d e r t h e m ; b u t they shall w a l k with angels to

, Sa'''i^'^''^'^''otn.'Sonolman'.
I Sa<-l'-^"''''*''"\Vhydoyou.smand'.
1 S a ' - " ' " " ' ^ ' ' ' o m . -of glory'.
.So .Sa*^ ^''': A 'that runs witli a voice' (i.e. noisily).
» S a ' ' " ' h e will send'.
» S a * ^ " o m . 'nor any power'.
' .Sa'^'" a d d s '{from the) flesh'.
 The Apocalypse of Elijah 763
11 m y city. B u t s i n n e r s stiall b e p u t to s h a m e : they" shall not p a s s
b e y o n d t h c t h r o n e s ; b u t t h e t h r o n e s of d e a t h will h o l d t h e m b a c k
a n d rule over them, because the angels do not acknowledge t h e m '
and t h e y h a v e b e c o m e s t r a n g e r s t o G o d ' s ' " d w e l l i n g - p l a c e s .
12 L i s t e n , w i s e m e n of t h e e a r t h , a n d be on y o u r g u a r d against-' the
13 d e c e i v e r s , o f w h o m t h e r e w i l l b e m a n y a t t h c e n d o f t i m e . L o r t h e y
w i l l h a v e d o c t r i n e s t h a t a r e n o t o f G o d : t h e y will reject t h c l a w o f
G o d - m e n w h o h a v e m a d e (\ 22) their belly ihcir g o d , " saying,
14 F a s t i n g h a s n o s u b s t a n c e a n d G o d d i d n o t c r e a t e it. 'I'hey make
t h e m s e l v e s s t r a n g e r s to the c o v e n a n t ( o f G o d ) " a n d rob them­
s e l v e s o f t h e g l o r i o u s p r o m i s e s . S u c h m e n a r e n e v e r e s t a b l i s h e d in
1.5 firm faith. S o d o n o t let t h e m l e a d y o u a s t r a y . R e m e m b e r ( t h a t ) t h e
L o r d c r e a t e d f a s t i n g w h e n h e m a d e t h e h e a v e n s , for m e n ' s p r o f i t ,
b e c a u s e o f t h e p a s s i o n s a n d desires''' that a r c at w a r w i t h y o u , so
Hi t h a t t h e Evil O n e m a y not b u r n you u p . " But I have created a pure
17 f a s t i n g , s a i d t h c L o r d . T h e m a n w h o f a s t s a l w a y s ( A 2 3 ) vvill n o t s i n
18,19 t h r o u g h j e a l o u s y o r s t r i f e . ' " L e t t h c m a n w h o is p u i c l a s t . B u t t h c
m a n w h o f a s t s , a n d is n o t p u r e provokes the Lord and the angels
a l s o ; a n d h c h a r m s h i s o w n s o u l , l a y i n g u p for h i m s e l f a s t o r e o f
20 r e t r i b u t i o n for t h c d a y of r e t r i b u t i o n . B u t I h a v e ' ' ' c r e a t e d a p u r e
21 f a s t i n g w i t h a p u r e h e a r t a n d p u r e h a n d s . I t f o r g i v e s s i n s : it h e a l s
d i s e a s e s : it d r i v e s o u t d e m o n s : it is e f f i c a c i o u s a t t h e t h r o n e o f C J o d ,
l i k e a "^sweetener, like a f r a g r a n t - e , for t h e fiirgivencss o f s i n s ' " b y
22 p u r e p r a y e r . W h a t r e s p e c t a b l e w o r k m a n a m o n g v o u will g o o u t
i n t o t h e fields w i t h o u t {\ 2 4 ) his tools? O r w h o will g o o u t to fight
23 i n w a r w i t h o u t a b r e a s t p l a t e ? W i l l h c n o t b e k i l l e d if h e is f o u n d .
24 b e c a u s e h e h a s d e s p i s e d t h e k i n g ' s s e r v i c e ? S o , t o o , it is i m p o s s i b l e
2j for a n y b o d y t o c o m e to t h e holy p l a c e a n d d o u b t . T h e m a n who

* S a ' " om. 'shall be put to shame: they'.

' L i t . ' d o not agice with them'.
Lit. 'his'.
" Lit. 'Listen, wise men of the earth, cniirerning'.
" Slightlv emended on the basts of S a ' " " " ' ' "'''.
" SoSa'*"""'^'".
Sa< " a d d s 'of diflere.it kinds'.
" S a ' " ' m a y not deceive you'.
'" Lit. 'sin with jealousy and strife in him'.
" S a ' " 'Hut the Lord has".
'" So Sa^'": .A is slightly defective here.
 /64 The Apocalypse of FJijah
doubts - his jjraycr is . . . i n h i m s e l f ; ' " n e i t h e r d o the angels
'?.() a c k n o w l e d g e h i m . ' " B e t h e n o f o n e m i n d a l w a y s in t h e L o r d . " s o
t h a t y o u m a y be able to i n t e r p r e t a l l t h i n g s . "

II. B u t a s for t h e . A s s y r i a n k i n g s a n d t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e heaven

a n d t h e e a r t h a n d the t h i n g s u n d e r the e a r t h ' - from n o w on they
shall not prevail over (those w h o are mine), said the Lord; and
',' t h o s e w h o are m i n e ' shall not be afraid {,'\ 2')) i n t h e w a r . When
t h e y ( s e e a k i n g ) a p p e a r i n g in t h e n o r t h , ( t h e y will c a l l h i r n ) t h e
;i ( . A s s y r i a n ) k i n g ( a n d ) t h e K i n g of U n r i g h t e o u s n e s s . ( H e will m a k e
e n d l e s s ) w a r s o n E g y p t a n d be the cause oj m a n y d i s t u r b a n c e s : t h e r e
will be groaning throughout t h e l a n d , Ibr y o u r c h i l d r e n will be
4 c a r r i e d a w a y . . \ I a n y w i l l s e e k d e a t h in tho.se d a y s , b u t d e a t h will
3 e l u d e t h e m . ' A n d a k i n g w i l l a r i s e in t h e l a n d s o f t h e w e s t , w h o will
() b e c a l l e d t h e K i n g of P e a c e . H e will r u n u p o n t h e s e a like a r o a r i n g
7 l i o n ; and h e w i l l kill t h e K i n g o f U n r i g h t e o u s n e s s . H e will take
K v e n g e a n c e o n E g y p t w i t h m u c h f i g h t i n g a i t d b l o o d s h e d . (X 2 6 ) And
it w i l l c o m e t o p a s s in t h o s e d a y s t h a t t h e o r d e r s ( p e a c e ) Irom
9 ( E g y p t ) a n d a n ( e m p t y ) gift.t ( H e will give) p e a c e to the (saints,
10 saying). T h e n a m e of ( G o d ) is o n e . ( H e w i l l ) d o h o n o u r t o t h e
11 p r i e s t s o f G o d " a n d e x a l t ' t h e p l a c e s o f t h e s a i n t s . " H e will give
+emptyt gifts to t h e h o u s e of G o d : h e will w a n d e r a b o u t in the
12 c i t i e s o f E g y p t in s e c r e t a n d w i t h o u t t h e i r k n o w l e d g e . H e will c o u n t
t h e h o l y p l a c e s : h e will w e i g h t h e idols o f t h e G e n t i l e s : h e will c o u n t
13 t h e i r r i c h e s : h e w i l l s e t u p p r i e s t s for t h e m . H e w i l l o r d e r t h e w i s e
m e n o f t h e laitd a n d t h e g r e a t m e n o f t h e p e o p l e lo be a r r e s t e d a n d
t a k e n t o t h e m e t r o p o l i s t h a t is b y t h e s e a , s a y i n g , T h e r e is b u t o n e
14 s i n g l e l a n g u a g e . A n d w h e n y o u h e a r . T h e r e is p e a c e a n d j o y . . .

" Sa"" H e who doubts ill his prayer is dark in himsell' (and similarly Sa'''^).
'" I . i t . ' a g r e e with him'.
^' S,i' " a d d s ' b e wise in the time'.
" So Sa'-""-'"' . \ 'every hour' or 'at every hour'.

1 saeBan.iSiQu^ and the things under the earth'.

' I.it ' a n d thev'.

3 3 y C B a „ d S i , ; ^ 'but death will elude diem'.

4 SoCB'""^S':A',othesainl.s'.
' Or'erect'.
6 S a ' ' * ^ " < ' ^ " t h e holy places'.
 The Apocalypse oJElijah 765
( S a ' " 7) b e h o l d , I vvill tell y o u w h a t is d i s t i n c t i v e a b o u t h i m , ' s o
•) t h a t y o u c a n r e c o g n i z e h i m . F o r h c h a s t w o s o n s , o n e o n h i s r i g h t
a n d o n e o n h i s lelt. X o w , t h c o n e o n h i s r i g h t will look like a d e v i l ,
and h e w i l l d e f y t h e n a m e o f G o d ( f o r f o u r k i n g s c o m e f r o m t h a t
6 k i n g ) . B u t i n h i s t h i r t i e t h y e a r h e w i l l c o m e d o w n * t o M e m p h i s , and
,7 h e will b u i l d a t e m p l e in . M e m p h i s t h e n . H i s o w n s o n will rise u p
a g a i n s t h i m a n d kill h i m : t h e w h o l e l a n d w i l l b e i n t u r m o i l o n t h a t
,H d a y . H c w i l l i s s u e a n e d i c t t h r o u g h o u t t h c w h o l e l a n d t h a t t h e
p r i e s t s o f t h e l a n d a n d a l l t h e s a i n t s b e a r r e s t e d , s a y i n g , .Ml t h e gifts
a n d all t h c g o o d t h i n g s m y father g a v e you, ( S a ' " 8 ) y o u shall give
19 b a c k t w i c e o v e r . H e w i l l s h u t u p t h e h o l y p l a c e s : h e w i l l t a k e a w a y
20 t h e i r h o u s e s : ' h c w i l l m a k e c a p t i v e s o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n . H e w i l l g i v e
o r d e r s t h a t t h e y o f f e r s a c r i h c e s which are a b o m i n a t i o n s a n d bring
d e e p d i s t r e s s u p o n t h e l a n d : h c will a p p e a r b e n e a t h t h e s u n a n d t h e
21 m o o n o n t h a t d a y . F h e p r i e s t s o f t h e l a n d w i l l r e n d t h e i r g a r m e n t s .
22 W o e t o y o u , r u l e r s o f F g y p t . i n t h o s e d a y s , f o r y o u r d a y h a s p a . s s e d :
t h e v i o l e n c e d o n e t o t h c p o o r will r e d o u n d o n y o u ; a n d y o u r
2.3 c h i l d r e n w i l l b e c a r r i e d off a s s p o i l . ( . \ 2 7 ) T h e c i t i e s o f K g y p t w i l l
g r o a n i n t h o s e d a y s , for t h e y w i l l n o t h e a r t h e v o i c e o f t h e s e l l e r n o r
24 lhe voice qf thv b u y e r . T h e m a r k e t - p l a c e s o f t h c c i t i e s o f E g y p t w i l l
g a t h e r d u s t : t h o s e in I \ g y p t will w e e p t o g e t h e r : t h e y will seek
2.T d e a t h , bul d e a t h w i l l e l u d e t h e m a n d p a s s t h e m b y . I n t h o s e d a y s
t h e y w i l l r u n u p o n t o t h e r o c k s a n d j u m p off, s a y i n g . F a l l d o w n
26 u p o n u s ; a n d still t h e y will n o t d i e . ' " T w o f u r t h e r afflictions will
27 c o m e u p o n t h e w h o l e l a n d i n t h o s e d a y s . ' F h e k i n g w i l l g i v e o r d e r s
that all w o m e n with children at the breast b e arrested a n d brought
before h i m b o u n d , a n d that they suckle d r a g o n s , (A 28) a n d that
28 t h e i r b l o o d b e s q u e e z e d o u t of t h e i r b r e a s t s , a n d t h a t it b e u s e d a s
29 p o i s o n f o r a r r o w s . ' ' B e c a u s e o f t h e n e e d for soldiers for t h e w a r s " h c
will a l s o o r d e r t h a t all children of twelve a n d u n d e r b e taken a n d
30 m a d e t o l e a r n h o w t o s h o o t w i t h b o w a n d a r r o w . Every m i d w i f e i n

L i t . ' I will lell vou his signs'.

" Or'up'.
' Lit. 'their house'.
S a < " adds 'but death will elude them'.
" Lit. 'and that it (or 'they') be given to the poison of thc arrows'.
" So S a ' " (lit. the need o f t h e wars'): .X 'the need of (i.e. "the famine in') thc
cities'.
 7(36 The Apocalypse oJ Elijah
t h e h i n d w i H m o u r n ; and t h e w o m a n w h o h a s c h i l d r e n w i l l r a i s e h e r
eyes lo h e a \ c n , s a y i n g . W h y e v e r d i d I sit o n t h e b i r t h - s t o o l to
bring children i n l o t h e vvorld? T h c childless a n d the virgin will
3! r e j o i c e , s a y i n g , N o w is t h e t i m e f o r u s t o r e j o i c e b e c a u s e w e h a v e n o
c h i l d r e n u p o n e a r t h : o u r c h i l d r e n a r e in t h e h e a v e n s .
32 I n t h o s e d a y s t h r e e (\ 2 9 ) kings will a r i s e a m o n g thc Persians
and vvill t a k e t h c J e w s t h a t a r c i n E g y p t , a n d t r a n s p o r t t h e m lo
33 J e r u s a l e m ; a n d t h e y w i l l i n h a b i t it a n d d w e l l t h e r e . T h e n if y o u
h e a r . S a f e t y i s " i n J e r u s a l e m , lhen r e n d y o u r g a r m e n t s , y o u p r i e s t s
o f t h e l a n d , f o r t h e c o m i n g o f ( t h e ) S o n o f P e r d i t i o n vvill n o t l o n g b e
34 delayed. T h e L a w l e s s O n e will a p p e a r in t h o s e d a y s in t h e h o l y
places.
3,5 T h e kings o f l h e P e r s i a n s w i l l ficc i n ( t h o s e ) d a y s t o I l r e a r i t ' "
3() w i t h t h e . A s s y r i a n k i n g s . F o u r k i n g s will h g h t w i t h t h r e e . T h e y will
s p e n d t h r e e y e a r s in t h a t p l a c e u n t i l t h e y c a n l a y t h e i r h a n d s u p o n
thc riches o f l h e t e m p l e " there.
37 I n t h o s e d a y s (.A 3 0 ) b l o o d w i l l flow f r o m K o s t o . M e m p h i s . T h e
riv e r o f L g y p t w i l l t u r n i n t o b l o o d , a n d n o o n e w i l l b e a b l e t o d r i n k
38 f r o m it f o r t h r e e d a y s . W o e t o I J g y p t a n d t h o s e w h o l i v e t h c i c !
39 I n t h o s e d a y s a k i n g will a p p e a r in t h e c i t y c a l l e d t h e C i t y o f
the Sun; '"and t h e w h o l e l a n d will b e in t u r m o i l . H e will hurry
4(J u p t o M e m p h i s in t h e s i x t h y e a r of t h e P e r s i a n k i n g s . H e will s t a r t
a rebellion" in Memphis: he will kill the .Assyrian kings; and
41 t h e P e r s i a n s will w r e a k v e n g e a n c e o n t h e l a n d . H c will o r d e r the
slaughter of all the G e n t i l e s a n d the lawless: hc will o r d e r the
t e m p l e s o f t h e G e n t i l e s to be p l u n d e r e d a n d their priests destroyed:
h c w i l l o r d e r t h e t e m p l e s o f t h e s a i n t s t o b e ( r e ) b u i l t ; and h e w i l l
42 g i v e d o u b l e g i f t s (.A 3 1 ) t o t h e h o u s e o f G o d . H e w i l l s a y , I ' h e n a m e

S a ' " 'Sal'cly and seruriiy arc".

'" O b s c u r e : p e r h a p s a place-name, or alternatively a verb ol'unknovvn meaning.
" S a ' ^ ' ^ o m , ' o f thc temple'.
T h e translation ol'verses 3 9 b - 4 2 follows Sa'-", which seems to give a better
sense in the context, j \ reads '. . , and thc whole land will be in turmoil <and> flee up
to .Vlcinphis. In the sixth year the Persian kings will start a rebellion in Memphis,
•fhey will kill the .Assyrian king; and thc Persians will wreak vengeance on the land
a n d o r d e r the slaughter ofall the Gentiles and the lawless. They will order the holy
t e m p l e s to be (re)built: they will give double gifts ' . \ 31) to the house of God. They
will say. 'I'he n a m e of C o d is one',
' Lit, 'he will act treacherouslv".
 The Apocalypse of Elijah 761
4;i o f C i o d is o n e . 1 h e u l i o l e l a n d will w o r s h i p t h e P e r s i a n s : a n d the
r e m n a n t w h i e h h a s s u r v i v e d t h e o n s l a u g h t will s a y . The L o r d h a s
s e n t u s a r i g h t e o u s k i n g .so t h a t t h e l a n d m i g h t n o t b e c o m e a d e s e r t .
44 t H e will c o m m a n d tioi t o give a n y k i n g f ' l b r t h r e e y e a r s a n d si.x
months. 1 h e l a n d w i l l b e l u l l o f g o o d t h i n g s i n g r e a t a b u n d a n t e.
4.T T h e living will t u r n t o w a r d s the d e a d a n d say. Rise u p a n d s h a r e
w i t h u s t h i s life o f p e a c e . "

III. I n t h e f o u r t h y e a r of t h a t k i n g , t h e S o n of L a w l e s s t i e s s will
2 a p p e a r , s a y i n g , I a m t h e C l l i r i s t ' ( t h o u g h h e is n o t ) . D o n o t b e l i e v e
3 him. When t h e CUirist c o m e s , h e w i l l c o m e ( . \ '.i'2) e n c i r c l e d by
a n g e l s , l i k e a flock o f d o v e s c i r c l i n g r o u n d t h e i r d o v e - c o t e : ' h e w i l l
w a l k ' o n t h e c l o u d s of h e a v e n , with the sign o f t h e cross preceding
4 h i m . T h e w h o l e w o r l d will see h i m , like t h e s u n t h a t s h i n e s from t h e
eastern r e g i o n s to t h e w e s t e r n : t h u s will h e c o m e , ' ' w i t h all his
5 a n g e l s r o u n d h i m . T h e S o n of L a w l e s s n e s s will a l s o t r y t o s t a n d in
6 t h e h o l y p l a c e s . H e w i l l s a y t o t h e s u n . F a l l ; a n d it w i l l fall: h e w i l l
7 s a y . S h i n e ; a n d it w i l l : h e w i l l s a y . B e d a r k e n e d ; a n d it w i l l . ' H e w i l l
s a y t o t h e m o o n . T u r n i n t o b l o o d ; a n d it w i l l . H e w i l l g o w i t h t h e m
8 t h r o u g h t h e s k y . H e w i l l w a l k u p o n t h e s e a a n d (A 3 3 ) o n t h e r i v e r s
a s if o n t h e d r y l a n d . * H e w i l l m a k e t h e l a m e w a l k : h e w i l l m a k e t h e
d e a f h e a r : h e will m a k e t h e d u m b s p e a k : h e will m a k e t h e b l i n d see:
9 h e w i l l m a k e t h e l e p e r s d e a n : h e w i l l h e a l t h e s i c k ; andhc will cast
o u t d e m o n s f r o m t h o s e p o s s e s s e d b y t h e m . H e will d o m a n y signs
10 a n d w o n d e r s in t h e s i g h t o f e v e r y o n e . H e will d o e v e r y t h i n g ' t h a t

" .A possible emendation inii;ht be '. . . anything to the king' (i.e. 'He will
c o i n m a n d that nothing be given to the king'). Pietersma and ComsttK-k rendered
Sa^'* 'Me will command that n o king l>e given them'.
" I.it. 'and be with us in this rest'.

' .\t)te that in Cioptic Xgtfftbi; always has the article, whether it is used as a title
('the Christ', 'the .Anointed One') or as a proper name (•C:hri5t').
' I.it. 'he comes like a dove-cote, with a crown oldoves surrounding him'.
' I.it. 'he walks'.
•* Lit. 'thus he comes'.
' .Sa^'** reverses the order o f t h e last two commands to the sun and omits the
following command to the moon.
' .Sa' ^' convert the following sentence into a command introduied by "He
will say. Walk . . .'. with further variants between the two authorities.
' Lit. 'the wtirks'.
 768 The Apocalypse qf F.lijah
11 t h c C h r i s t will d o , ' e x c e p t o n l y t h c r a i s i n g o f t h e d e a d . B y this y o u
w i l l k n o w t h a t h e is t h e S o n o f L a w l e s s n e s s , for h e h a s n o p o w e r
12 over t h e soul. Behold, 1 w i l l tell y o u w h a t his distinguishing
13 f e a t u r e s a r c , s o t h a t y o t i m a y b e a b l e l o r e c o g n i z e h i m . H c is a
s p a r e , ' w e e d y , ' " m a n , t a l l , " thin-legged, with a patch of grey hair
at t h e front of his head, {\ .34) hul otherwise b a l d , with his
e y e b r o w s " r e a c h i n g t o h i s ears, a n d with l e p r o u s sores o n t h e tips
M o f h i s h n g e r s . " H c will t r a n s f o r m h i m s e l f in front of t h o s e w h o look
a t h i m : ' " h c will b e c o m e a c h i l d : h e will b e c o m e a n o l d m a n : " h e
will t r a n s f o r m all his features; b u t what distinguishes his head
15 c a n n o t b e c h a n g e d . B y t h i s y o u m a y b e c e r t a i n t h a t h c is t h e S o n o f
Lawlessness.
16 l h e v i r g i n , w h o s e n a m e is T a b i t h a , w i l l h e a r t h a t t h c S h a m e l e s s
17 O n e h a s a p p e a r e d i n t h e h o l y p l a c e s . .And s h e w i l l p u t o n h e r l i n e n
18 g a r m e n t a n d p u r s u e h i m u p i n t o J u d a e a ; a n d s h e will reproach
19 h i i n a l l t h e w a y t o J e r u s a l e m , crying out, O S h a m e l e s s O n e , O S o n o f
Lawlessness, O you w h o have been a n enemy ofall thc saints.
20 (Sa^' 6) T h e n t h e S h a m e l e s s O n e will t u r n in fury u p o n t h e
21,22 v i r g i n . H e will p u r s u e h e r t o t h e w e s t . H c will s u c k h e r b l o o d a t
e v e n t i d e , a n d t h r o w it" o n t h c t e m p l e ; a n d it" will b e c o m e t h e
23 s a l v a t i o n o f t h c p e o p l e . S h e will a r i s e in t h e m o r n i n g , alive, a n d
will r e p r o a c h h i m , s a y i n g . S h a m e l e s s O n e , y o u h a v e n o p o w e r over
24 m y s o u l , n o r o v e r m y b o d y ; f o r I l i v e i n t h c L o r d a l w a y s . ( S a ^ ' 7)
And she will say a l s o . M y b l o o d y o u h a v e t h r o w n o n t h c t e m p l e h a s
b e c o m e t h e salvation ofthe people.
25 T h e n , w h e n Elijah a n d Enoch hear that the Shameless O n e has
a p p e a r e d i n t h e h o l y p l a c e , t h e y will c o m e d o w n t o fight a g a i n s t
h i m , s a y i n g , A r e y o u t h e n n o t a s h a m e d t o c l i n g t o t h c s a i n t s , " for
26 y o u a r e a s t r a n g e r , a l w a y s ? Y o u h a v e b e e n a n e n e m y o f w h a t is i n

' So Sa'""': . \ 'has done', and so apparently S a ' " .

' I.it. 'little'.
M e a n i n g doubtful.
'' So .Sa^': A 'young'; S a ' " is defective at this point.
Sa'^B'cyelids'.
" Lit. 'there being bareness of leprosy at thc front ofhis hands'.
'•' . S a ' " ^'"^ 'in front of you'.
15 S a ' " ""^ reverse the order ('. . . old man . . . child').
" ' l e x t ' h e r " . . . 'she' (cp. verse 24).
" S a ' ' " c m . 'to cling to the saints'.
 The Apocalypse of Elijah 769
27 h e a v e n a n d w h a t is o n t h e e a r t h : y o u h a v e b e e n a n e n e m y ofthe
28 t h r o n e s a n d o f t h e a n g e l s , V o u a r e a s t r a n g e r a l w a y s . V o u fell f r o m
29 heaven like the morning stars. Vou abandoned your proper
30 h o m e : ' " y o u w e r e alienated from y o u r t r i b e . " . \ r e y o u then n o t
a s h a m e d t o c l i n g t o G o d , for y o u a r e t h e D e v i l ?
31 T h e S h a m e l e s s O n e w i l l h e a r it a n d b e f u r i o u s , a n d h e w i l l fight
w i t h t h e m in t h e m a r k e t - p l a c e o f t h e g r e a t city; a n d h e will s p e n d
32 seven days fighting w i t h t h e m . ' " . \ n d t h e y will lie d e a d in t h e
m a r k e t - p l a c e for t h r e e a n d a h a l f d a y s ; a n d all t h e p e o p l e will s e e
33 them. B u t o n t h e f o u r t h d a y t h e y will a r i s e a n d r e p r o a c h h i m ,
s a y i n g . O ( . \ 3.')) S h a m e l e s s O n e , O s o n o f L a w l e s s n e s s , " a r e y o u
t h e n n o t a s h a m e d t o l e a d a s t r a y t h e p e o p l e o f G o d , for w h o m y o u
34 h a v e n o t s u l f e r e d ? D o y o u n o t k n o w t h a t w e live in t h e L o r d , s o t h a t
w e c a n r e p r o a c h y o u continually when you say. O v e r these have I
3.5 p r e v a i l e d ? " W e w i l l l a y a s i d e t h e flesh o f t h e b o d y " a n d kill y o u ,
3fi s i n c e y o u will h a v e n o p o w e r t o s p e a k o n t h a t d a y . F o r w e a r e
s t r o n g ' ' ' in t h e L o r d a l w a y s ; b u t y o u a r e e v e r a n e n e m y of G o d . "
37 ' F h e S h a m e l e s s O n e w i l l h e a r it a n d b e f u r i o u s a n d fight w i t h t h e m ;
38 a n d t h e w h o l e c i t y will g a t h e r r o u n d t h e m . O n t h a t d a y t h e y will
s h o u t a l o u d t o h e a v e n , s h i n i n g like the stars, a n d a l l t h e p e o p l e " a n d
39 t h e w h o l e w o r l d w i l l s e e t h e m . ' F h e .Son o f L a w l e s s n e s s w i l l n o t
40 p r e v a i l o v e r t h e m . {\ 3 6 ) H e w i l l v e n t h i s f u r y o n t h e l a n d " a n d s e t
41 h i m s e l f t o s i n a g a i n s t t h e p e o p l e . H e will h u n t d o w n all t h e s a i n t s ,
a n d t h e y w i l l b e b r o u g h t to him a s p r i s o n e r s w i t h t h e p r i e s t s o f t h e
42 l a n d . H e w i l l kill t h e m a n d d e s t r o y t h e m . . . , ' " a n d t h e i r e y e s w i l l
43 b e p u t o u t w i t h i r o n s p i k e s . H e will p e e l off t h e i r s k i n s from t h e i r

I.il. "you I lianKCcl'.

So.Sa'" (lil. 'lhcirilH-bixanu-darknessr(iry()u'):.Sa'"isfragmentaryhere.but
it certainly read 'your trilje'.
.Sa'-" a d d s ' a n d kill them'.
" .So . \ : Sa< om. ' O Son of Lawlessness'.
" So S a ' " in . \ the last half ofthis verse is manifestly corrupt.
" So Sa^': . \ 'spirit'; S a ' " is defective at this point.
" Sa^' 'for we li\e'; Sa''^ is defective.
••' S a ' ^ - ' ^ ^ ' o m . ' O f G o d ' .

!„ (^3t:Ba„dSl .jj^j people'.

" .So S a ' " " " ' ' ' * ' : . V ' H e will go to the land'.
" Lhis lacuna in . \ eannot be filled from Sa, since both Sa''* and Sa^' om. verse
41 and \ crsc 42 as far as here.
 770 The Apocalypse of Elijah
44 h e a d s : ' ' h e will p u l l o u t t h e i r nails o n e b y o n e . H e will order
45 v i n e g a r a n d lye to b e p u t in their noses. T h o s e w h o a r e unable to
e n d u r e t h e t o r t u r e s o f t h a t k i n g w i l l t a k e their m o n e y a n d flee o n
46 ferries to desert places.'" W h e n t h e y d i e t h e y will b e like m e n
47 asleep." l h e L o r d will receive to himself their spirits a n d their
s o u l s . T h e i r (.A 3 7 ) flesh w i l l b e as permanent as r o c k : " n o w i l d b e a s t
48 s h a l l e a t t h e m u n t i l t h e l a s t d a y o f t h e g r e a t j u d g e m e n t . Then w i l l
t h e y r i s e u p a n d find a p l a c e o f r e s t ; b u t t h e y w i l l n o t s h a r e in t h e
49 k i n g d o m o f t h e C h r i s t like those w h o h a v e e n d u r e d . F o r t h e L o r d
s a i d , I will g r a n t t h e m t o sit o n m y " right h a n d . F h e y will o b t a i n
.50 g r a c e f o r o t h e r s . ' " T h e y w i l l b e v i c t o r i o u s o v e r t h c S o n o f L a w l e s s ­
n e s s : t h e y will s e e t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f h c a v e n a n d e a r t h : t h e y will
51 o b t a i n t h e t h r o n e s o f g l o r y a n d t h e c r o w n s . S i x t y r i g h t e o u s will b e
c h o s e n i n t h o s e d a y s , w h o a r c p r e p a r e d : " t h e y will a r m t h e m s e l v e s
w i t h t h c b r e a s t p l a t e o f G o d , a n d r u n t o J e r u s a l e m , a n d fight w i t h
52 t h e S h a m e l e s s O n e , s a y i n g . A l l t h e m i g h t y w o r k s (.A 3 8 ) w h i c h t h e
p r o p h e t s d i d f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g , y o u h a v e d o n e ; but y o u c o u l d n o t
r a i s e t h e d e a d , for y o u h a v e n o p o w e r o v e r t h e soul. B y this w e
54 h a v e r e c o g n i z e d t h a t y o u a r e t h e S o n of L a w l e s s n e s s . H e will h e a r
it a n d b e f u r i o u s , a n d o r d e r fires t o b e lit o n t h e a l t a r s ' * a n d t h e
.55 righteous to b e b o u n d a n d p u t o n them a n d burned. A n d on that
d a y m a n y w i l l c h a n g e t h e i r m i n d s a n d d e s e r t h i m , s a y i n g . T h i s is
n o t t h e C h r i s t : t h e C h r i s t d o e s n o t kill t h e r i g h t e o u s : h c d o e s n o t
p u r s u e h o n e s t m e n : does h e n o t r a t h e r seek to p e r s u a d e t h e m by
signs a n d w o n d e r s ? "
36 I n t h o s e d a y s t h e C h r i s t will t a k e p i t y o n h i s o w n . H e will s e n d

" S a ' ^ ^ o m . - H e . . . heads'.

30 j^^CBandSi .j^^^, ferrics (Sa''' 'rivers"), saying, Ferry us to thc desert".
" I.it. 'They will sleep like men asleep'.
" Sa^', wronglv. "Their flesh tastes like h a m (i.e. Ktgva for ittrga)': S a ' " is
defective. ' " So Sa'^"""'"'^": A'their'.
.,. Sa''""""! S' om. this sentence.
" So Sa*': . \ S a ' ' * 'Sixty righteous w h o arc prepared Ibr this hour will hear'
(Sa'-" a d d s 'in those days').
'" Lit. ' a n d order altars to be kindled'. Sa'"" *' om. the reference to the
kindling ofthe altars, though thc righteous are burned on thetn.
" So Sa"": A, obviously corruptly, 'he does not pursue men while he will seek, but
he persuades them bv signs a n d wonders'. Sa'-" is defective but appears to agree
substantiallv with Sa*'.
 The Apocalypse of Elijah 11\
his angels from heaven, in number six h u n d r e d and four
bl t h o u s a n d , ' * e a c h o n eof t h e m h a v i n g six (A 39) w i n g s . Their voice
w i l l s h a k e h e a v e n a n d e a r t h a s t h e y b l e s s a n d g l o r i f y their Lord.
38 T h o s e u p o n w h o s e f o r e h e a d t h e n a m e o f C h r i s t is w r i t t e n , a n d
59 u p o n w h o s e - ' h a n d is t h e s e a l , b o t h s m a l l a n d g r e a t , t h e y w i l l s e t
GO u p o n their w i n g s a n d protect'"' t h e m from his w r a t h . T h e n will
G a b r i e l a n d Uriel b e a pillar of light to lead t h e m " ' into t h e holy
l a n d ; a n d t h e y will g i v e t h e m t h e r i g h t t o c a t f r o m t h e t r e e o f life,"'
and to ( w e a r white) g a r m e n t s , a n d to b e g u a r d e d ( b y angels).
61 ( T h e y shall) n o t (thirst),"' n o r (shall) t h e S o n of (Lawlessness)
62 h a v e p o w e r o v e r t h e m . ( B u t ) o n ( t h a t d a y ) t h e l a n d will b e in
t u r m o i l ( a n d t h e s u n b e ) d a r k e n e d : p e a c e a n d t h e spirit will b e
r e m o v e d f r o m t h e e a r t h : " " t h e t r e e s w i l l b e u p r o o t e d a n d fall: t h e
G.'i w i l d b e a s t s a n d t h e c a t t l e will d i e in confusion. ( A 4 0 ) T h e b i r d s
w i l l f a l l d e a d t i p o n t h e g r o u n d : " ' t h e e a r t h w i l l b e d r y ; " * and t h e
64 w a t e r s o f t h e s e a will b e d r i e d u p . T h e s i n n e r s o n t h e e a r t h will
groan, saying. W h a t have you done to us. Sonof Lawlessness, by
65 s a y i n g , 1 a m t h e Christ, t h o u g h y o u a r e t h e Devil? Y o u have n o
66 p o w e r t o s a v e yourself: h o w c a n you save us? Y o u h a v e performed"'
( s i g n s ) b e f o r e u s a n d " " e s t r a n g e d ( u s ) f r o m t h e (Christ w h o m a d e
67 u s . " ' (Wot^) to u s ( t h a t w e have) listened to you. (Behold, n o w we)
68 s h a l l d i e o f f a m i n e . " * ( W h e r e ) n o w is t h e r e t h e v e s t i g e o f a ( r i g h t ­
e o u s m a n t h a t w e m a y ) r e v e r e n c e h i m ? " O r w h e r e is t h e r e ( a
69 t e a c h e r ) t h a t w e c a n a p p e a l t o ( h i m ) ? N o w w e shall perish in (Sa'"

38 i^^tiBatidSi 'sixty-four thousand".

" Sa'"""''''*'add'right'.
"° Lit. 'take'.

41 jj^CBand St ^.j^.^ [jj.;,.,^ them'.

"' O n the restorations from here to the end of.A'39 see Schmidt, WerA^o/n/iAon...'.
p. 321. Sa'-''"'"''^"They shall not hungernorthirst'.
"" Lit. "They will carty the (peace) from upon the earth and the spirit'. The
'spirit', which is to be 'removed from the earth', is presumably the Divine spirit,
which was active initially at the creation (Gen, i. 2) and subsequently 'filled the
whole world' (Wisd. i. 7). •" Cp. Ation. Apoc. iii. 26 (below, p. 925).
'"' ,Sa*^" om. 'the earth will be dry'.
•" S a ' " add 'empty'. On the restorations from here to the end of .\ 40 see
Schmidt, Der Kolophon . . ., p. 321. "» I.it. 'until vou'.
•"' So A Sa^': Sa'^'* 'everyone'.
50 sjgCB ana St C^^J tribulation'.
" . \ 'it': S a ' " 'you' (i.e. 'thee'); Sa**' leaves the pronoun unexpressed.
 772 The Apocalypse of Elijah
70 1 3 ) ' ' the day oj w r a t h , f o r w c h a \ c d i s o b e y e d CJod. W e w e n t t o t h c
71 d e e p p l a c e s i n t h e s e a ; bul w e f o u n d n o w a t e r . W e d u g i n t h e r i v e r s
72 to a depth oj s i x t e e n c u b i t s ; but w e l ( ) u n d n o w a t e r . I h c t ) will t h c
S h a m e l e s s O n e w e e p " o n t h a t d a y , s a y i n g . W o e is m e t h a t m y t i m e
73,74 h a s passed m e b y . 1 said m y time would n o t pass m c by. .\Iy years
h a v e b e c o m e m o n t h s , m y d a y s h a \ e v a n i s h e d like d u s t d r i v e n b y
75 t h e w i n d : n o w I shall perish with you. R u n out, therefore, into the
76 d e s e r t ; l a y h a n d s u p o n t h e b r i g a n d s , and kill t h e m . B r i n g t h e . s a i n t s
77 u p ; f o r it i s b e c a u s e o f t h e m ( S a ^ ' 14) t h a t t h e e a r t h b e a r s f r u i t . F o r
it is b e c a u s e o f t h e m t h a t t h e s u n s h i n e s u p o n t h e e a r t h . F o r it is
78 because of them that the d e w comes down upon thc earth. T h e
s i n n e r s will w e e p , s a y i n g . Y o u h a v e m a d e us e n e m i e s o f G o d . ( I f )
you can, (get up) a n d pursue (them).
79 T h e n w i l l h e s p r e a d h i s f i e r y w i n g s a n d fly f o r t h a f t e r t h c s a i n t s .
80,81 H c w i l l fight w i t h t h e m a g a i n , l h e a n g e l s w i l l h e a r oj il, a n d t h e y
82 w i l l c o m e d o w n a n d fight w i t h h i m i n a w a r w i t h m a n y s w o r d s . Ow
t h a t d a y t h e 1 - o r d w i l l h e a r a n d O l d e r t h c h e a v e n a n d t h c e a r t h in
83 g r e a t a n g e r t o s e n d f o r t h fire. . ' \ n d t h e fire w i l l o v e r w h e l m t h e e a r t h
to an extent of s e v e n t y - t w o c u b i t s : it w i l l d e v o u r t h e s i n n e r s a n d t h e
84 d e v i l s l i k e s t u b b l e . ( A 4 1 ) .A r i g h t e o u s j u d g e m e n t w i l l t h e r e b e o n
85 t h a t d a y : t h c m o u n t a i n s o f t h e e a r t h will g i v e t o n g u e . ' " I'he p a t h s
will s p e a k w i t h o n e a n o t h e r . D i d y o u h e a r to-day t h e s o u n d " of (a)
m a n w a l k i n g , w h o d i d n o t cotne t o t h c j u d g e m e n t o f t h e S o n of
God?
86 T h e s i n s of e a c h w i l l s t a n d a g a i n s t h i m i n t h e p l a c e w h e r e t h e y
were committed - those committed in t h e d a y a s well a s t h o s e
87 c o m m i t t e d i n t h e n i g h t . T h c r i g h t e o u s " ' a n d t h c . . . will s e c tlie
s i n n e r s in ( t h e i r ) p u n i s h m e n t s , b o t h those w h o havt; p e r s e c u t e d
88 tfieni a n d t h o s e w h o h a v e h a n d e d t h e m over to d e a t h . Then the
s i n n e r s . . . w i l l s e e t h c p l a c e o f t h e r i g h t e o u s , a n d t h u s w i l l tht^y b e
89 f a v o u r e d . " I n t h o s e d a y s w h a t t h e ( r i g h t e o u s ) ( A 42) a s k for m a n y
" O n e folio of A is missing here; bul Sa''' is available until \ resumes at verse 84,
as is also S a ' ' " as far as thc end of verse 72.
" l e x t ' f h e n the Shameless O n e wept'.
So Sa^': A h a s " . . . in a righteous judgement. O n that day will the mountains
a n d the earth give tongue'.
" Lit. 'voice'.
" Text 'unrighteous'.
" Lit. ' a n d thus there will he grace'.
 The Apocalypse of Elijah 11?>
90 t i m e s will b e g i v e n t h e m . O n t h a t d a y will t h e L o r d j u d g e h e a v e n
a n d e a r t h . H e will j u d g e tht)se w h o h a v e t r a n s g r e s s e d in h e a v e n
and t h o s e w h o h a v e d o n e t h e s a m e o n e a r t h . H e will j u d g e t h e
s h e p h e r d s o f t h e p e o p l e . H e will a s k t h e m a b o u t t h e s h e e p ; a n d
t h e y will b e given h i m ,u n e n c u m b e r e d b y wickedness a n d l i e s . "
91 T h e n ii-Ul E l i j a h a n d E n o c h d e s c e n d . ' L h e y will l a y a s i d e their
92 w o r l d l y l l e s h a n d t a k e o n s p i r i t u a l l l e s h . T h e y will p u r s u e t h e S o n
93 of L a w l e s s n e s s a n d kill h i m w i t h o u t h i s b e i n g a b l e t o s p e a k . On
91 t h a t d a y h e w i l l m e l t b e l b r e t h e m l i k e (.\ 4 3 ) i c e m e l t e d b y l i r e . H e
9,5 w i l l p e r i s h l i k e a d r a g o n t h a t h a s n o b r e a t h . H e w i l l b e t o l d , \ ' o u r
t i m e h a s passed y o n by: n o w you a r e to perish together with those
9f) w h o b e l i e v e in y o u . T h e y will b e flung i n t o t h e pit o f t h e a b y s s , a n d
it w i l l b e s h u t o v e r t h e m .
97 O n t h a t d a y t h e C h r i s t , t h e K i n g , w i t h all t h e s a i n t s , will c o m e ' ' '
98 from h e a v e n . H e will b u r n " t h e e a r t h , a n d s p e n d ' " a t h o u s a n d
y e a r s u p o n it; l o r t h e s i n n e r s h a d t a k e n p o s s e s s i o n o f it. H e will
m a k e a n e w h e a v e n a n d a n e w (?arth, n o d e v i l . . . will be*" in t h e m .
99 H e w i l l r e i g n w i t h t h e s a i n t s , g o i n g u p ( a n d ) d o w n ; a n d t h e y will b e
with t h e (.\ 4 4 ) angels always, a n d with the Christ a thousand
years.

The . \ p o c a l y p s e of Elijah

Lit. 'tliere lieiiig no deadly deeei

Lit. 'comes . . . burns . . . spends
Lit. 'is'.
 THE ASCENSION OF ISAIAH

INTR0DLC:T!C)N

A t r a d i t i o n t h a t I s a i a l i w a s " s a w n in t w o " l)y M a n a s s c l i w a s tcnowii

b y b o t h J e w s a n d C l h r i s t i a n s . .Most e a r l y C l h r i s t i a n w r i t e r s g i v e n o
d e t a i l s , ' a l t h o u g h s o m e specify t h a t t h c s a w used w a s m a d e of
w o o d . ' T h e T a l m u d , h o w e v e r , is m o r e e x p l i c i t . I n o n e v e r s i o n
I s a i a h is b r o u g h t t o t r i a l b e f o r e . M a n a s s e h : a t t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e
h e a r i n g I s a i a h p r o n o u n c e s t h e N a m e a n d is i m m e d i a t e l y s w a l ­
l o w e d u p b y a c e d a r - t r e e : t h c c e d a r is s a w n i n t w o . a n d " w h e n t h c
s a w r e a c h e d his m o u t h h c died".' In a n o t h e r Talmudic version
M a n a s s e h r e s o l v e s t o kill I s a i a h : I s a i a h h e a r s o f i t a n d flees a n d
h i d e s h i m s e l f inside a c e d a r - t r e e : u n f o r t u n a t e l y a p i e i e of his
g a r m e n t sticks o u t a n d betrays him: so .Manasseh orders the cedar
t o b e c u t t h r o u g h ; a n d it is t h i s c r i m e w h i c h is a l l u d e d t o p a r t i c u ­
l a r l y a t 2 K i n g s x x i . 16 ( ' . M a n a s s e h s h e d s o m u c h i m i o c c i u b l o o d ,
t h a t h e filled J e r u s a l e m w i t h it u p t o t h e b r i m " ) . ' ' \vt another
v a r i a n t o f t h e s a m e s t o r y is t o b e f o u n d i n a f r a g m e n t p r e s e r v e d a s a
g l o s s a t t a c h e d t o I s a . Ixvi ( t h e l a s t c h a p t e r i n t h e b o o k ) in t w o .MS.S
o f t h e T a r g u m o f J o n a t h a n o n t h c P r o p h e t s - Codex Reuchlinianiu
a n d C o d . V a t . E b r . U r b i n . 1: a c c o r d i n g t o t h i s a c c o u n t . I s a i a h ,
o u t r a g e d b y . M a n a s s c h " s p r o f a n a t i o n o f t h e T e m p l e , p r o p h e s i e d its
d e s t r u c t i o n b y N e b u c h a d r e z z a r : w h e n . M a n a s s e h h e a r d o f it h e
w a s filled w i t h f u r y ,

' H e s a i d to h i s s e r v a n t s , Rini a l t e r hint, seize hint! I'hey r a n alter hiin.

H c fled from before t h e m , a n d a c a r o b tree o p e n e d its m o u t h a n d
s w a l l o w e d h i m . T h e y b r o u g h t s a w s [-1- of iron Cod. Reuch.] a n d cut
t h r o u g h t h e tree until I s a i a h ' s Mood flowed like w a t e r . " '

The first indication of the existence of a separate apocryphal

' e.g. T e n . {pal. scarp. 8).

' e.g. J u s t i n (Try/iA. rxx. 14-l.i).
' T . B. Yebamot'h, 49 h. '' T. j . Sanhedrm. x. 2.
' See I', de Lagarde, Hrophilae Chaldaice (Leipzig, 1872), p. xxxiii; I'. (Jrelot,
' D e u x tosephtas targouniiques incdites sur Isate L X \ T in R Bibl Ixxix (1972).
p p . .iI.3-.518.
7 76 The Ascension oJIsaiah
w o r k c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h i s i n c i d e n t is found i n O r i g e n . ' I t is c l e a r ' ,
O r i g e n writes, "that tradition relates that Isaiah the p r o p h e t was
sawn asunder and t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s a r e r e c o r d e d in a certain
a p o c r y p h o n . ' ' In a similar passage he n a m e s this a p o c r y p h o n 'the
Isaiah apocryphon'.' .And in y e t a n o t h e r p a s s a g e ( i n J e r o m e ' s
translation) he mentions a tradition that Isaiah was condemned
for b l a s p h e m i n g . M o s e s a n d t h e L a w ; * a n d t h e t e n n s in which
Origen s t a t e s this c h a r g e h a v e o b v i o u s p o i n t s of c o n t a c t with
B a l c h i r a ' s a c c u s a t i o n in . A s c e n s i o n iii. 6 - 1 0 .
In t h e c e n t u r y after O r i g e n , D i d y m u s the Blind, w h e n describ­
i n g t h e d e t a i l s of I s a i a h ' s m a r t y r d o m in t h e c o u r s e o f h i s c o m m e n t
o n P s . . x x x v . 1,5, m e n t i o n s a s e c o n d c h a r g e a s h a v i n g b e e n b r o u g h t
a g a i n s t I s a i a h also — that he h a d described his c o n t e m p o r a r i e s as
' r u l e r s o f S o d o m ' a n d ' a p e o p l e o f G o m o r r a h ' ; ' a n d it is t o b e n o t e d
t h a t p r e c i s e l y t h e s a m e s e c o n d c h a r g e follows i m m e d i a t e l y o n the
h e e l s o f t h e b l a s p h e m y c h a r g e in . X s c e n s i o n iii. 10. . \ g a i n , w h e n
c o m m e n t i n g o n E c c l . xi. 6, D i d y m u s refers to C h r i s t ' s j o u r n e y i n g
t h r o u g h t h e h e a v e n s a n d a d d s t h a t h i s s o u r c e is t h e d e s c r i p t i o n ' b y
Isaiah . . . in t h e . A s c e n s i o n ' (a c l e a r a l l u s i o n to .Ascension x.
' 2 0 - 3 1 ) . ' ° E p i p h a n i u s , too, a b o u t the s a m e time (end of 4th cent.),
refers t w i c e to ' T h e .Ascension of I s a i a h ' as a c c e p t e d a n d used b y
heretics: the Archontici used it:" the Egyptian heretic Hieracas
a p p e a l e d t o it f o r c o n f i r m a t i o n o f h i s d o c t r i n e o f t h e S p i r i t ; a n d i n
t h i s l a s t c o n n e c t i o n E p i p h a n i u s cites A s c e n s i o n ix. 3 5 - 3 6 in f u l l . "
I n t h e e a r l y 5 t h c e n t . J e r o m e p r o v i d e s t h r e e pieces of evidence:

(I) He records that contemporary Jewish opinion gave two

r e a s o n s for I s a i a h ' s c o n d e m n a t i o n - first, I s a i a h h a d o f f e n d e d all
c l a s s e s in J e r u s a l e m b y a d d r e s s i n g t h e m a s ' r u l e r s of S o d o m ' a n d ' a
p e o p l e o f G o m o r r a h ' ( I s a . i. 1 0 ) ; a n d s e c o n d , w h e r e a s G o d h i m s e l f
h a d l a i d it d o w n t h r o u g h . M o s e s , ' N ' o m a n m a y s e e m e a n d l i v e '

' Ep.adAjTu.9.
' Comm. in .Mall. lorn. .V. 18 (on .Man. xiii. .56): cp. .\tall. comm. in. 28 (on Matt,
xxiii. 37-;i9). " In Es. hom. i. 5.
" Comm. in Pss. 218'"'* ( = .M. (Ironcwald, Papyrologische Texte und Abhandlungen.
viii (Bonn, 1969), pp. 354-357).
'" Comm. in Eccl. 3 2 9 " " " ( = C . Binder and L. I.iesentxjrghs, Pap. TexleundAbh. ix
(Bonn, 19t)9), pp. 6(>-67). " Haer.\h.ii.2.
" Haer. l.\\U. iii. i.
 The Ascension qf Isaiah 777
{ E x o d . xxxiii. 2 0 ) , Isaiali liad d a r e d t o claim T s a w t h e Eord" ( I s a .
vi. 1). 'I'lie s a m e t w o c h a r g e s , a s w e h a v e s e e n , a r c l i i u i i d in
c o n j u n c t i o n b o t h i n t h c m o u t h o l ' B a l c h i r a a t . \ s c e n s i o n iii. ( i - l O
a n d in D i d y m u s : J e r o m e , h o w e v e r , h a s t h e m in t h e r e v e r s e o r d e r ,
i n f l u e n c e d , p e r f i a p s . b v t h c o r d e r o f t h e p a s s a g e s in t h c c a n o n i c a l
Isaiah."
(2) I w o i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s of Isa. Kii. 1-2, J e r o m e says, a r e possible.
E i t f i e r t h c p a s . s a g e c a n b e t a k e n g e n e r a l l y a s a relc-rencc t o all t h o s e
w h o s e ' i n n o c e n t b l o o d ' . M a n a s s e h s h e d , o r it c a n b e t a k e n a s a
p r o p h e c y b y Isaiah of his o w n m a r t y r d o m . Both inteipretations
a r c a l l o w e d b y t h e J e w s of J e r o m e ' s d a y , a n d t h e tradition that
I s a i a h w a s ' s a w n i n t w o b y M a n a s s e h w i t h a w o o d e n s a w ' is ' a v e r y
h r m l y established tradition a m o n g them'.'"'
(3) I n c o m m e n t i n g o n I s a . Ixiv. 4-,5 J e r o m e r e m a r k s t h a t t h e s e
v e r s e s a r e p a r a p h r a s e d b y S t . P a u l a t 1 C o r . ii. 9: h e t h e n a d d s ' T h e
A s c e n s i o n o f I s a i a h a n d t h c A p o c a l y p s e o f Elijah also q u o t e this
p a s s a g e ' . T h e q u o t a t i o n is f o u n d ( i n i t s P a u l i n e f o r m ) i n t h e L a t i n
a n d in t h e S l a v o n i c v e r s i o n s a t .Ascension xi. 3 4 , t h o u g h n o t in t h e
Ethiopic."
In thc mid-sixth century the unknown author ofthe Pscudo-
Chrysostom Opus imperjectum in Matthaeum g i v e s a n a c c o u n t ofan
i n t e r v i e w o f H e z e k i a h w i t h M a n a s s e h a n d I s a i a h , w h i c h is n o t
o n l y g e n e r a l l y v e r y s i m i l a r t o t h e s c e n e d e s c r i b e d i n A s c e n s i o n i,
but also exhibits many detailed points of contact." But since
Pseudo-Chrysostom m e n t i o n s n o s o u r c e , it is i m p o s s i b l e t o s a y
w h e t h e r h e w a s d e p e n d e n t u p o n t h e A s c e n s i o n a s . w e k n o w it, o r
(possibly) upon a source o f t h e Ascension, or whether he derived
his information independently fiom tradition.
A n d finally, in t h e e l e v e n t h c e n t u r y , G e o r g i u s C e d r e n u s says
t h a t I s a i a h p r o p h e s i e d t h c c o m i n g ol t h e . A n t i c h r i s t , t h e d u r a t i o n
o f t h e A n t i c h r i s t ' s rule o n e a r t h a n d his being cast into ' T a r t a r u s ' ,
t h e c o m i n g o f (Christ, a n d t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n t o j u d g e m e n t ofboth
gootf a n d evil, ' i n t h e T e s t a m e n t of H e z e k i a h Kitig of J u d a h ' " — a

" Comm. mEs. i. 10.

'•* Comm. in Es. Ivii. 1-2. Comm. in Es. Ixiv. 4-.').
" Op. imperj. in .Malt. Hom. i ( = PC Ivi. 626).
" Ilistorianim (Compendium (— Corp. scr. hist. B\z. (t'd. 1. Bekker; Bonn, 18.S8, vol. i,
p p . 120-121:also/'6'cxxi. 1.V2).
778 The Ascension of Isaiah
w o r k w h o s e e x i s t e n c e is o t h e r w i s e u n a t t e s t e d . H ' C e d r e n u s h a d n o t
n a m e d h i s s o u r c e s o d i s t i n c t l y , it w o u l d n a t u r a l l y b e a s s u m e d t h a t
h e w a s a l l u d i n g to . \ s c e n s i o n i\. 12-18. Was Cedrenus, then,
g u i l t y o C a s l i p in n a m i n g h i s s o u r c e ? O r w a s " r h e T e s t a m e n t o f
H e z e k i a h ' a r e c o g n i s e d a l t e r n a t i v e t i t l e f<)r t h e . A s c e n s i o n ? O r w a s
it, p e r h a p s , t h e title of o n e o f t h e . A s c e n s i o n ' s c o n s t i t u e n t parts,
w h i c h t n a y s t i l l h a v e s u r v i v e d in t h e e l e v e n t h c e n t u r y a s a s e p a r a t e
work?

T h e c o m p l e t e t e x t o f t h e . A s c e n s i o n h e r e t r a n s l a t e d is p r e s e r v e d
o n l y in K t h i o p i c . T h r e e K t h i o p i c m a n u s c r i p t s a r e a v a i l a b l e : .A
( B o d l . . A e t h . d . 1 3 - f o r m e r l y H u n t i n g t o n t)2(); 1,5th c e n t . ) . B ( B . L .
O r . .')()!; l.')th c e n t . ) , a n d C: ( B . I.. O r . MY.i: 18tli c e n t . ) . T o r
c o m p a r i s o n with the Kthiopic there are also available: (I) seven
l e a v e s o f a p a p y r u s c o d e x o f t h e . ' ) t h - ( ) t h c e n t u r i e s in t h e . A m h e r s t
C o l l e c t i o n ( n o w p a r t o f t h e P i e r p o n t M o r g a n L i b r a r y in N e w
^ ' o r k ) , g i x i n g a G r e e k t e x t o f ii. 4 - i \ - . 4 w i t h s o i n e l a c u n a e , first
p u b l i s h e d b y B . P . C i r e n f e l l a n d .A. .S. H u n t in 1 9 0 0 ; ( 2 ) t w o L a t i n
i ' r a g m e n t s f r o m a X ' a t i c a n .M.S ( \ ' a t . l a t . ,57,50; 5 t h - t ) t h c e n t . ) ,
c o n t a i n i n g ii. 1 4 - i i i . 13 a n d v i i . 1 - 1 9 , first p u b l i s h e d b y .A. .Mai in
1 8 2 8 ; ( 3 ) a L a t i n t e x t o f v i - x i , first p r i n t e d b y . A n t o n i u s d e F a n t i s
in 1522 f r o m a n u n k n o w n .MS a n d s u b s e q u e n t l y r e p r i n t e d from d e
K a n t i s b y J. K. L . G i e s e l e r , G . F . .A. D i l l m a n n , a n d R. H . C h a r l e s
( ' w i t h c e r t a i n c o r r e c t i o n s ' ) ; a n d ( 4 ) a S l a v o n i c t e x t o f v i - x i , now-
k n o w n f r o m s i x . M S S , first p u b l i s h e d b y .A. .N. P o p o v in 1 8 7 9 . .All
t h e s e t e x t s w i l l b e I b u n d c o n v e n i e n t l y a , s s e m b l e d in p a r a l l e l c o l u m n s
in C;harles's edition ( p p . 8 3 - 1 3 9 ) . ' *
.As f u r t h e r a u t h o r i t i e s m a y b e l i s t e d : ( 5 ) t w o v e r y f r a g m e n t a r y -
leaves of a mid-to-late 4th century p a p y r u s codex giving the
S a h i d i c t e x t o f iii. 3 - 6 , 9 - 1 2 , a n d x i . 2 4 - 3 2 , 3 . 5 - 4 0 ; ( 6 ) t h i r t e e n
e v e n less w e l l p r e s e r v e d f r a g m e n t s o f a p a p y r u s roll g i v i n g s c r a p s of
a n A k h m i m i c text e x t e n d i n g from the very b e g i n n i n g o f t h e book to
v e r y n e a r t h e e n d , a n d p r o b a b l y a l s o d a t i n g from t h e 4 t h c e n t . ; (7)
t h e s o - c a l l e d ' G r e e k L e g e n d ' , p u b l i s h e d b y O . v o n G e b h a r d t in
1 8 7 8 f r o m a 12th c e n t u r y P a r i s .MS ( B . N . G r . 1534), w h i c h

"• It is to bo observed that t:harles printed the .Slavonic text ina I.atin translation
tnade bv Bottwetsch.
 The Ascension oJ Isaiah 77!'
c o n t a i n s a n u i n l j c r of legends of s a i n t s c o t n n i e n i o r a t c d between
1 M a r c h a n d 31 M a y - t h c I s a i a h l e g e n d s e e m s t o b e b a s e d o n a t
least some knowledge of t h e contents of thc Ascension, and
C h a r l e s , i n r e p r i n t i n g f r o m v o n ( i e b h a r d t t h e m a j o r p a r t o f i t in h i s
edition ( p p . 1 4 1 - 8 ) , has picked out the possible literary parallels
b y t h e u s e o f h e a v y t y p e ; a n d (8) a n o t h e r -Slavonic text p u b l i s h e d
b y L . S t o j a n o v i c in 1 8 9 0 .
T h e t r a n s l a t i o n w h i c h f o l l o w s is a t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h c K t h i o p i c ;
a n d in t h e a p p a r a t u s all t h c m o r e i m p o r t a n t v a r i a n t s o f t h e t h r e e
Ethiopic manuscripts arc recorded. Similarly recorded arc all
important v a r i a n t s in t h c . A m h e r s t G r e e k t e x t ( = ' G k " ) . in t h e
L a t i n s ( \ ' a t . L a t . .')7.')0 = ' L ' " : d c L a n t i s = ' L ' " ) . in t h c S a h i d i c ( =
' S a h " ) , i n t h e . A k h m i m i c ( = ".Akh.") a n d in P o p o v "s S l a v o n i c ( =
' S l a v ' ) . O n a few o c c a s i o n s t h e e v i d e n c e o f t h e Cireek L e g e n d h a s
b e e n cited ( = 'Cik'").

-As it n o w s t a n d s in E t h i o p i c , t h c . A s c e n s i o n d i v i d e s n a t u r a l l y
i n t o t w o p a r t s — i - v a n d v i - x i . The hrst part describes thc events
t h a t led u p to t h e d e a t h of I s a i a h a n d t h e details o f h i s m a r t y r d o m
a t t h e h a n d s of .Vlanasseh: t h e s e c o n d p a r t t a k e s t h e r e a d e r b a c k to
' t h e t w e n t i e t h y e a r o f t h e reign of H e z e k i a h " a n d describes a vision
which I s a i a h s a w in t h a t y e a r , p r e c e d e d b y t h e t i t l e " T h e v i s i o n
w h i c h I s a i a h t h e s o n o f - A m o z s a w " . .And t h i s t w o f o l d d i v i s i o n in t h e
E t h i o p i c is s u p p o r t e d b y b o t h L ' a n d S l a v . , w h i c h a r e n o t f r a g ­
m e n t s , b u t v e r s i o n s o f t h e v i s i o n and no more ( i . e . o f v i - x i o n l y ) ; a n d
t h e y a l s o b o t h h a v e t h e t i t l e a t t h e b e g i n n i n g " l h e v i s i o n . . .'
C h a p t e r s v i - x i , t h e r e f o r e , c i r c u l a t e d i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f t h e rest of
the work. I t is p o s s i b l e o f c o u r s e t h a t s o m e l a t e e d i u i r ol thc
A s c e n s i o n d e t a c h e d f r o m it t h e l a s t s i x c h a p t e r s a n d s o t u r n e d
t h e m i n t o a s e p a r a t e w o r k w h i c h he called ' T h e Vision". Neverthe­
l e s s t h e f a c t t h a t t h c E t h i o p i c a l s o h a s t h e t i t l e b e f o r e vi m a k e s it
m u c h m o r e likely t h a t these c h a p t e r s w e r e originally s e p a r a t e a n d
t h a t it w a s o n l y l a t e r t h a t t h e y w e r e j o i n e d o n t o i - v b e c a u s e t h e y
also were about I s a i a h . I n a n y c a s e , v i - x i s h o w c l e a r s i g n s of
C h r i s t i a n a u t h o r s h i p (e.g. ix. 1 2 - 1 7 a n d xi. 1 - 2 2 ) , w h e t h e r w e a r e
prepared to leave it a t that or prefer to p a r t i c u l a r i z e further
and attribute their origin to 'Ghristian-Gnostic circles' (so
Hclmbold).
780 The Ascension of Isaiah
C ; h a p t c r s i - v r a i s e m o r e c i i l l i e u l t q u e s t i o n s . N o t o n l y is t h e s t o r y
of Isaiah's inartyrdom rooted firmly i n J u d a i s m , h u t t h e r e a r e in
t h e s t o r y a s it is t o l d i n t h e s e c h a p t e r s n o t a few f e a t u r e s that
s u g g e s t a J e w i s h o r i g i n for t h e m ( e . g . t h e s t a t e m e i u a t ii. 2 t h a t
B a l e h i r a w a s a S a m a r i t a n ) . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e r e is e \ e n more
e v i d e n c e o f a O h r i s t i a n o r i g i n ( e . g . i. 7 a n d iii. 1 3 - 2 0 ) . . \ t t h e v e r y
beginning there is s o m e confusion about whether Hezekiah's
purpKxse i n s u m m o n i n g . M a n a s s e h w a s t o g i v e h i m ' c o m m a n d s ' (i. 6;
ii. 1) o r t o ' d e l i v e r t o h i m ' t h e w r i t t e n r e c o r d s o f h i s o w n \ i s i o n in
his fifteenth y e a r a n d o f I s a i a h ' s v i s i o n i n h i s t w e n t i e t h y e a r (i.
2 - b ) . . A n d t h e p r o g r e s s o f t h e n a r r a t i v e b e t w e e n iii. 12 a n d v. I is
very awkwardly interrupted by the details of a n o t h e r vision of
I s a i a h , i n w h i c h a r e d i s c u s s e d t h e I n e a r t i a t i o n , t h e CIrui i f i x i o n , t h e
R e s u r r e c t i o n , the early history o l ' t h c O h u r c h , the events leading
u p to the Knd, a n d the Last J u d g e m e n t .

T h e g e n e r a l l y a g r e e d s o l u t i o n o f t h e s e d i l l i c u l t i e s is t h a t the
b a s i s o f i—V is a d o c u m e n t r e c o u n t i n g I s a i a h ' s m a r t y r d o m , prob­
a b l y J e w i s h in o r i g i n , i n t o w h i c h a C'hristian e d i t o r h a s i n s e r t e d a
C ; h r i s t i a n a p o c a l y p s e (iii. 1 3 - i v . 22) a n d m a d e a l s o a n u m b e r of
o t h e r a d d i t i o n s a n d a d a p t a t i o n s . W h e t h e r o r n o t it w a s t h i s s a m e
e d i t o r w h o a t t h e s a m e t i m e a d d e d v i - x i t o i - v it is i m p o s s i b l e t o
s a y . C ^ e r t a i n it is t h a t , i n a s m u c h a s i. .') l o o k s f o r w a r d t o v i - x i . t h i s
v e r s e a t a n y r a t e is u n l i k e l y t o h a v e b e e n a d d e d u n t i l v e r y n e a r t h e
final s t a g e in t h e . A s c e n s i o n ' s h i s t o r y .
T h a t this final stage was reached by the mid-fourth century at
t h e l a t e s t is p r o v e d by the Sahidic fragments. T h e s e I'ragments
r e p r e s e n t t w o l e a v e s from a s i n g l e c o d e x : t h e y p r e s e r v e s e c t i o n s of
t e x t f r o m o p p o s i t e e n d s o f t h e b t x j k ; a n d t h e y a r e t o b e d a t e d c. .\D
3 5 0 - 3 7 . T . I f w e a r e p r e p a r e d t o a l l o w a r e a s o n a b l e m a r g i n for t h e
c i r c u l a t i o n o f t h e w o r k in S a h i d i c b e f o r e o u r p a r t i c u l a r .MS w a s
copied, for its t r a n s l a t i o n into S a h i d i c from Greek, and for its
c i r c u l a t i o n i n G r e e k a f t e r final e d i t i n g , w e a r e t a k e n b a c k t o . \ n 3.50
a s t h e l a t e s t p o s s i b l e d a t e . " A n d t h e a c t u a l d a t e is i n a l l p r o b a b i l i t y
v e r y m u c h e a r l i e r . I n d e e d , C l h a r l e s c o m m i t t e d h i m s e l f t o a d a t e in
' t h e l a t t e r half o f t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r v ' a n d w e n t on to claim that the

I f w e can rely on the approximate 4th cent, tiatc suggested for the .Mthmii
fragments, they will, of course, support this coiulusion.
 The Ascension of Isaiah 781
t h r e e ' c o n s t i t u e n t s . . . c i r c u l a t e d i n d e p e n d e n t l y a s e a r l y a s t h e first
century".'"
C h a r l e s m a y v e r y w e l l b e r i g h t . W h a t is i m p o r t a n t t o r c m e m b c i
is t h a t O r i g e n ' s ' I s a i a h a p o c r y p h o t i ' m a y h a v e b e e n n o m o r e t h a n
t h c section recording t h e m a r t y r d o m , a n d , further, that although
Epiphanius and Jerome refer explicitly to ' T h e Ascension of
I s a i a h ' a s t h e s o u r c e o f q u o t a t i o n s f r o t n c h a p s , i x a n d x i , t h i s is n o
clear proof that they knew the book in its final form - ' T h e
A s c e n s i o n o f I s a i a h ' m a y h a v e b e e n t h e i r n a m e for v i - x i only.
This last possibility is, h o w e v e r , unlikelv. Whatever Origen's
'apoeryphon' m a y h a v e contained, t h e likelihood ( e s p e c i a l l y in
v i e w o f t h e e v i d e n c e of t h e S a h i d i c f r a g m e n t s ) is t h a t ' T h e A s c e n ­
sion' k n o w n to D i d y m u s , E p i p h a n i u s , a n d Jcrotnc, w a s thc.Vscen-
s i o n a s w e k n o w it t o - d a y .
If t h e s e c t i o n r e c o u n t i n g t h c m a r t y r d o m w a s of J e w i s h origin, a
g o o d c a s e c a n b e m a d e f<)r i t s h a v i n g h a d a H e b r e w o r . A r a m a i c
original, wiiich w a s later translated into Greek. B u t the original
l a n g u a g e o f t h e other t w osections w a s undoubtedly Greek (as w a s
t h e l a n g u a g e o f t h e c o m p l e t e b o o k ) . A n d , t o j u d g e from t h c evi­
dence of the surviving Greek fragments, t h e E t h i o p i c is a v c r v '
faithful translation.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ethiopic
R. L.Al.'RF.XCJE, Ascensio Isaiae Vatis, Opusculum pseudepigraphum,
muUis abhinc seculis, ut videtur, deperditum, nunc autem apud Aethiopas
compertum, et cum versione Latina Anglicanaque publid iuris factum
(Oxford, 1819).
C. F . A . D i L L M A N . N , Ascensio Isaiae Aethiopice et LMtine, cum pro-
legoments, adnotationibus criticis et exegeticis, additis versionum
Latinarum reliquiis ( L e i p z i g , 1 8 7 7 ) .

R. H . Charles, Tlie Ascension of Isaiah (London, 1900), pp. xi-xii.

7H2 The Ascension of Isaiah
R . H . C H A R L E S , The Ascension of Isaiah, translated from the Elhiopic
version, which, together with the new Greek fragment, the Latin versions
and the Latin translation ofthe Slavonic, is here published in full. Edited
with Introduction, Notes, and Indices ( L o n d o n , 1 9 0 0 ) .

Greek
B. "P. G R E . N F E L L a n d .A. S . H U N T , The .Amherst Papyri, being an
account of the Greek papyri in the collection of the Right Hon. Lord
Amherst (if Hackney. P a r t I ( L o n d o n , 1 9 0 0 ) , p p . 1 - 2 2 .
O . V O N G E B H A R i r r , ' D i f .Asccnsio Lsaiac a l s H c i l i g e n l c g e n d e " in
Zeil.schriftfiir wissenschaftliche Theologte, x x i ( 1 8 7 8 ) , p p . 3.30 3,53.
Coptic
L. ' L H . L E F O R T , 'Coptica L o v a n i c n s i a ' in U Museon, li ( 1 9 3 8 ) ,
pp. 1-32.
, 'Fragmt^nt.s d'.Apocryphcs m C o p t e - A k h m i m i q u c ' in
Museon, Iii ( 1 9 3 9 ) , p p . 1 - 1 0 .
-, Les manuscrits copies de I'Unwersite de Louvain, i (Textes Lilteraire.s;
Lotivain, 1940), p p . 7 2 - 7 8 .
P. LAC.'\U, 'Lragment.s d e I'Aseension d'Isaic e n C o p t e ' in U
Museon, l i x ( 1 9 4 6 ) , p p . 4 , 5 3 - 4 6 7 .

Latin
.A. . V L \ 1 , Scriplorum Veterum Nova Collectio e Vaticanis codicibus edita,
I I I . ii ( R o m e , 1 8 2 8 ) , p p . 2 3 8 - 2 3 9 .

Slavonic
A. . N . P O P O V , Opisanie rukopisei i katalog knig tserkovnoi pechali
hihliolekiA. I. Khludova ( M o . s c o w , 1 8 7 2 ) , p p . 4 U - 4 1 9 .
—, Dibliograficheskie materialy, i ( = ChOIDR; M o . s c o w , 1 8 7 9 I . v i i ) ,
pp. L3-20.
L . S T O | . A N O V T C , ' S t a r e srpske hrisovulje, akli, biografije, letopisi,
tipici, pomenici, zapisi i d r . ' ( = Spomenik Srpske Kraljevske
Akademije, i i i ( B e l g r a d e , 1 8 9 0 ) , p p . 1 9 0 - 1 9 4 ) .
A. A. SHAKHMATOV and P. A. LAVROV, Shomik XII veka
Moskovskogo Uspenskogo sobora, i ( = ChOIDR; . M o s c o w , 1 8 9 9 I I .
ii. 1), pp. 129-136. [Reproduced photographically with an
Introduction by D . ClZEVSKlJ, T h e Hague, 1957.]
I . l\-.\SO\',Bogomilskiknigiilegendi{So{i!i, 1925), p p . 134-149.
 The Ascension of Isaiah 783

•IRANSI.ATIONS
English
R. I-AURKNC:F,, Ascensio Isaiae Vatis . . . [ a s a b o v e . The English
v e r s i o n w a s r c p r i n t ( ; c l u n d e r t h c t i t l e The Ascension qf Isaiah tlw
Prophet, translated from the Ethiopic; ( J l a s g o w , 1 8 8 9 . ]
R . H . C l I A R I . K S , The Ascension qf Isaiah . . . [ a s a b o v e ] .
, ' T h e - M a r t y r d o m of I s a i a h ' i n . - 1 P 0 7 ' i i , p p . I.")5-I6'2 [.\
t r a n s l a t i o n o f ' i . 1 - i i i . 12 a n d v . 1 - 1 4 o n l y ] .
, The Ascension of Isaiah ( = S . P . C . K . , Translations qf Early
Documents: L o n t i o n , 1 9 1 9 ) .
D. I I i L L , ' T h e - \ s c c n s i o n o l T s a i a h " i n NTA ii, p p . 6 4 2 - 6 6 3 . [ . \ n
E n g l i s h v e r s i o n o f t h e G e r m a n t r a n s l a t i o n of J . F l . K . M M INC, a n d
H. D LKNSING b(4ow.]

Erench
R . B A S S E T , Les Apocryphes Ethiopiens traduils en fram^ais. I I I . L'Ascen-
siondTsaie [ParhJmA).
E . TlSSER.A.NT, Ascension d'Isaie: Traduction de la version ethiopienne
avec les principales variantes des versions grecque, latines et slave: Intro­
duction et notes ( P a r i s , 1 9 0 9 ) .

German
G . B E E R i n E . K A U T Z S G I I , APATW, p p . 119-127 \.\ translation
o f i i . 1-1.5, iii. 1 - 1 2 , a n d V. 2 - 1 4 o n l y ) .
J. FLEMMING and H . DUENSING 'Die Himmelfahrt des jesaja'
i n E . H E N N E C K E a n d VV. SVM\Y.yM\LVcm.V., Neulestamentlliche
Afwkryphen in deutscher (jhersetzung\ ii ( ' F i i b i n g e n , 1 9 6 4 ) , p p . 4.54-
468.
P. R f E S S I . E R , AjSaB^, p p . 4 8 1 - 4 8 4 [X t r a n s l a t i o n o f i. 1 - 2 , i i .
1-iii. 12, a n d V. l - 1 4 o n l y ] .
E. H A M M E R S H A I M B inJSh-rZ 11. 1 ( 1 9 7 3 ) , p p . 1 - 3 4 [ \ t r a n s l a ­
tion o f i . 1-iii. 1 2 a n d v . I-I4only].

G . H . Box, I n t r o d u c t i o n i n The Ascension of Isaiah ( t r a n s . R . H .

CH.ARLES; S.P.C.K., Translations of Early Documents; London,
1919), p p . vii-xxvi.
 784 The Ascension of Isaiah

F . C:. liVKV^VVY, Jewish and Christian Apocalypses ( L o n d o n , 1914),

pp. 4 5 - 4 8 a n d 72-74.
J . D . W l f i L O L , The Theology oJJewish Christianity The Development
oJ Christian Doctrine bejore the Council oJNicaea, 1. ' F r a n s l a t e d a n d
e d i t e d b v j . .V. B . \ K F . R ; L o n d o n , 1 9 6 4 ) , p p . 1 2 - 1 4 .
. \ . - . \ L D K . M S , IPGAT, p p . 1 7 0 - 1 7 6 .
O . E l S S F E I . D T , OTI, p p . 6 0 9 - 6 1 0 .
D. F'l.LSSKR, ' T h e . V p o c t A ' p h a l B o o k o f Ascensio Isaiae a n d t h e
D e a d S e a S e c t ' i n Israel Exploration Journal, iii ( 1 9 5 3 ) , p p . 3 0 - 4 7 .
J.-B. F R K Y , a r t . ' A p o c r y p h e s d e I ' A n c i e n ' F e s t a m e n t ' i n DBSup i,
cols. 4 0 9 - 4 1 1 .
L. GiNZBERG, The Legends of the Jews, i v ( P h i l a d e l p h i a , 1913),
p p . 2 7 7 - 2 7 9 a n d vi ( P h i l a d e l p h i a , 1928), p p . 3 7 0 - 3 7 5 .
A. K. HEL.MBOLD, 'Gnostic Elements in t h e " A s c e n s i o n of
I s a i a h " ' in ^VTOxviii (Jan. 1972), p p . 2 2 2 - 2 2 7 .
E . L r r T . M . A N N , a r t . ' I s a i a h , A s c e n s i o n o f , i n JE vi ( N e w Y o r k ,
1904), p p . 6 4 2 - 6 4 3 .
W . L i ' D T K E , ' B e i t r a g e z u s l a v i s c h e n . A p o k r y p h e n : 3 . Zur Ascensio
Isaiae' i n Z / l I F x x x i ' ( 1 9 1 1 ) , p p . 2 2 2 - 2 2 6 .
M. P H I I . O N E . N ' K O , ' L e Martyre d'Esaie e t I ' h i s t o i r e d e l a s e c t e d e
Q o u m r a n ' i n Pseudepigraphes de I'Ancien Testament et manucrits de la
merMorte, i (Paris, 1967), p p . 1-10.
P . RlV.SSLV.K, AjSaB\ pp. 1300-1301.
L . Ro.sT, EATAP, p p . 1 l ' 2 - l 14.
E . S C H U R E R , / / / / ' 7 7 C I L iii, p p . 1 4 1 - 1 4 6 .
. GjVZJC iii, p p . 3 8 6 - 3 9 3 .
C . C . I'ORREY, AL, p p . 1 3 3 - 1 3 5 .
E. TURDE.VNU, 'Ajxjcryphes b o g o m i l e s et a p o c r y p h e s pseudo-
b o g o m i l e s ' i n Revue de I'histoire des religions, c x x x v i i i ( 1 9 5 0 ) , p p .
213-218.
A. V.\ILL.\NT, ' U n apocryphe pseudo-bogomile: La Vision
d ' I s a i e ' i n Revue des eludes slaves, x h i ( 1 9 6 3 ) , p p . 1 0 9 - 1 2 1 .

I. A n d it c a m e t o p a s s i n t h e t w e n t y - s i x t h ' y e a r o f t h e r e i g n o f
H e z e k i a h , k i n g o f j u d a h , t h a t h e s u m m o n e d M a n a s s e h his s o n (his
2 o n l y s o n ) . A n d h e s u m m o n e d h i m in t h e p r e s e n c e of I s a i a h t h e s o n
' Gk.'- 'twenty-fifth'; Akh. 'sixteenth'.
 ascension of isaiah
The Ascension of Isaiah 785
o f A i n o z , t h e p r o p h e t , a n d i n t h c p r e s e n c e o l j o s a b I s a i a h ' s s o n , in
o r d e r to deliver to h i m the t r u t h s ' the king himscli'had seen a b o u t '
the eternal j u d g e m e n t s , " and thc torments of'Gehenna, and what
c o n c e r n s t h e p r i n c e of t h i s world' a n d h i s a n g e l s a n d h i s s o v e r e i g n ­
i t i e s a n d h i s p o w e r s , a n d t h e e x p e c t a t i o n s for t h e c o m i n g ofthe
B e l o x c d , " w h i c h h e h i m s e l f h a d s e e n in t h e h f t e e n t h y e a r ofhis
reign during h i s i l l n e s s . .\nd hc delivered to him the written
r e c o r d s t h a t S a m n a s thc scribe h a d m a d e , ' a n d also those that
I s a i a h t h e s o n of .Vnioz h a d g i v e n to h i m a n d to t h e prophets,'* so
that they m i g h t write out a n d store u p with him what he himself
h a d s e e n in t h e k i n g ' s h o u s e ' a b o u t t h c j u d g e m e n t of t h c a n g e l s a n d
t h e d e s t r u c t i o n of this w o r l d , a n d a b o u t the g a r m e n t s o f t h e saints
a n d their'" g o i n g forth, a n d a b o u t their'" transformation, a n d the
p e r s e c u t i o n a n d a s c e n s i o n o f t h e B e l o v e d . In t h e t w e n t i e t h year of
H e z e k i a h ' s reign Isaiah had seen the words ofthis prophecy, and
h c h a d d e l i v e r e d t h t m to J o s a b his s o n . A n d w h i l e H e z e k i a h " w a s
g i v i n g his c o m m a n d s , awrf J o s a b , I s a i a h ' s s o n , was s t a n d i n g by,
I s a i a h said to king H e z e k i a h (thus .Manasseh was not thc only
o t h e r p e r s o n w h o h e a r d w h a t I s a i a h s a i d " ) , .As t h c L o r d l i v e s ,
whose Name has not been entrusted to this world, a n d as the
B e l o v e d o f m y L o r d l i v e s , a n d a s t h c S p i r i t t h a t s p e a k s in m c l i v e s ,
all t h e s e c o m m a n d s a n d all t h e s e p r e c e p t s " will b e r e p u d i a t e d by
y o u r s o n . M a n a s s e h , a n d I m y s e l f will b e t o r t u r e d by h i m a n d so

' Lit. 'words ot'trutti'.

' Lit.'and'.
" So . \ : BC 'tticjudgcments ofthis world'.
' So Dillmann: A reads 'the place of eternal punishment' and BC: read 'the place
of punishment ofthis world'.
" Lit. 'and the words oi'laith in the Beloved'.
' Lit. 'the written words . . . had written'.
" .\ 'that Isaiah the son of .Amoz and the prophets also had given to him'.
" A 'what the king alone had seen'.
Charles regarded these pronouns as 'all but certainly wrong': in hisjudgcment
thc 'going forth' and the 'translbrrnalion' arc the .Messiah's. Cp. iii. Kl.
" l.it.''he'.
'• Lit. 'but not in the presence of .Manasseh only did hc .say to him". Clould the
original here possibly have meant that Manasseh was no/ present at this stage of the
proceedings - i.e. that when the essential business had been concluded Manasseh
disappeared and only Josab was left, in addition to Hezekiah. to hear Isaiah's
oracle? " Li.t. 'words'.
 786 The Ascension of Isaiah
8 d c p a i ' t lhis life. A n d B a l e h i r a will s e r v e S a m m a e l b e f o r e M a n a s s e h . ' "
a n d will c a r r y o u t all h i s d e s i g n s ; a n d . M a n a s s e h " will l i e c o m c a
9 disciple of Beliar rather than of m e . . \ n d m a n y t h e r e a r e in
J e r u s a l e m a n d in J u d a e a t h a t h e will t u r n a w a y from t h e t r u e laith;
a n d B e l i a r will t n a k c h i s a b o d e in . M a n a s s e h , a n d b y his h a n d s 1
10 s h a l l b e s a w n i n t w o . W h e n h e h e a r d t h e s e w o r d s H e z e k i a h w e p t
very bitterly, a n d h e rent hisg a r m e n t s a n d p u t earth upon his head
11 a n d fell o n h i s f a c e . B u t I s a i a h s a i d t o h i m . T h e d e s i g n o f S a m m a e l
against Manasseh is a c c o m p l i s h e d already: t h e r e is n o t h i n g y o u
\2 c a n d o . . A n d H e z e k i a h d e t e r m i n e d t h e r e a n d t h e n t o kill h i s .soti
l;i Manasseh. But Isaiah said to Hezekiah, T h e Beloved has
f r u s t r a t e d y o u r p l a n , a n d y o u r p u r p o s e w i l l n o t b e a c h i e v e d ; for t o
this e n d " h a v e I been called, a n d I shall inherit w h a t t h e Beloved
has in store lor m e . ' "

II. .And after H e z e k i a h died a n d M a n a s s e h b e c a m e king, h e d i d

n o t r e m e m b e r h i s f a t h e r H e z e k i a h ' s c o m m a n d s , b u t forgot them;
a n d S a m m a e l m a d e h i s a b t j d e in . M a n a s s e h a n d c l u n g fast t o h i m .
2 /\rid .Manasseh abandoned t h e s e r v i c e o f h i s f a t h e r ' s Ciod a n d
3 served S a t a n a n d his angels a n d his hosts. A n d he turned away his
f a t h e r H e z e k i a h ' s h o u s e h o l d from t h e p u r s u i t of w i s d o m ' a n d from
+ t h e service of G o d . A n d M a n a s s e h turned a w a y his o w n heart to
serve Beliar f o r t h e a n g e l o f l a w l e s s n e s s , w h o is t h e r u l e r o f t h i s
w o r l d , is B e l i a r . w h o s e n a m e is M a t a n b u k u s . A n d h e d e l i g h t e d i n
J e r u s a l e m b e c a u s e o f M a n a s s e h a n d s u p p o r t e d h i m in h i s l e a d i n g
5 Judah a s t r a y , a n d i n t h e l a w l e s s n e s s p n ^ v a l e n t in J e r u s a l e m . M a g i c
and sorcery a n d divination and augury a n d fornication and
a d u l t e r y ' increased, as also the persecution of the righteous by
M a n a s s e h a n d BalcTiira- a n d T o b i a h t h e C a n a a n i t e a n d J o h n of

lOth. reads 'And Sammael Malchira will serve .Manasselr, which suggests that
.Malchira is a sort of s u r n a m e of Satnirtael's. T h e emendation a.ssumes that
.Malchira is a corruption ofthe Balehira or Belt liira, who appears at ii. 12, iii. 1, etc.
(or, p e r h a p s , the original Ibrm ofthe name).
Lit. 'for with this calling'.
'* Lit. 'inherit the inheritance of the Beloved'.

' Lit. '.And he turned away the house ofhis liither which had been before the face
of Hezekiah (fron^ the words of wisdom'. ' Gk. om. 'and adultery'.
•' Cik. om. ' a n d Balehira'.
 The Ascension of Isaiah 787
G A n a t h o l h , a n d b y Z a d o k " t h e chief o f t h c vvoiks. A n d t h e rest of
v \ ' h a t h a p p e n e d is r e c o r d e d i n t h c b o o k o f t l i e k i n g s o f J u d a h a n d
Israel.
7 .Andw h e n Isaiah, t h c son of .Anio/, s a w t h c lawlessness that w a s
r o i n m o n p r a c t i c e in J e r u s a l e m , a n d t h c w o r s h i p o f S a t a n a n d his
w a n t o n n e s s , h c left J e r u s a l e m a n d s e t t l e d i n B e t h l e h e m o f J u d a h .
8 i A n d t h e r e t o o t h e r e w a s m u c h l a w l e s s n e s s , s o t h a t h e left Beth-
9 l e h e m a n d s e t t l e d o n a m o u n t a i n in a d e s e r t p l a c e . .And M i c a i a h
thc p r o p h e t , a n d t h e aged .Ananias, a n dJoel, a n d H a b a k k u k , a n d
h i s s o n J o s a b , a n d m a n y o f t h e f a i t h h i l w h o b e l i e v e d in t h e a s c e n ­
s i o n i n t o h e a v e n , also left where they were a n d s e t t l e d o n t h e m o u r i -
10 t a i n . T h e y w e r e a l l c l o t h e d vvith g a r m e n t s o f h a i r , ' a n d t h e y w e r e
all o f t h e m p r o p h e t s : they h a d n o t h i n g w i t h t h e m , b u t w e r e n a k e d ;
and they all l a m e n t e d vvith a g r e a t l a m e n t a t i o n because of the
11 a p o s t a s y of Israel. Anti they h a d n o t h i n g to e a t b u t only t h e wild
h e r b s that they g a t h e r e d o n the m o u n t a i n s ; a n d they cooked them
and lived o n t h e m together with thc prophet I s a i a h . -And t h e y
r e m a i n e d o n t h e m o u n t a i n s a n d o n tfie h i l l s i b r t w o y e a r s .
12 .And after this, while they were in t h c d e s e r t , there w a s in
S a m a r i a a c e r t a i n m a n n a m e d B a l c h i r a , " o f t h e family o f Z e d e k i a h ,
the son of Clhenaanah, t h e false p r o p h e t , whose home w a s in
Bethlehem. (Now Zedekiah,' the son of Chcnaaiiah, was
B a l c h i r a ' s * f a t h e r ' s b r o t h e r , a n d in t h e d a y s o f A h a b k i n g of Israel
h c h a d b e e n t h e m a s t e r o f t h e four h u n d r e d p r o p h e t s of Baal, a n d
had himself hit Micaiah, the son of .Amada, the prophet, a n d
a b u s e d h i m . -And M i c a i a h h a d also b e e n a b u s e d by -Ahab a n d p u t
in p r i s o n w i t h t h e p r o p h e t Z e d c k i a h . T h e y w e r e w i t h .Ahaziali, s o n
14 o f A h a b , k i n g o f S a m a r i a . ' . A n d K l i j a h t h e p r o p h e t f r o m T h e b o n ' " in
G i l e a d w a s r e p r o v i n g -Ahaziali a n d S a m a r i a ; a n d h e p r o p h e s i e d
a b o u t A h a z i a h that h e w o u l d die u p o n a b e d of sickness, a n d that

" So (Jk. only: I'.tli. lias no ;iamc.

' I'liey . . . hair: B oni. (perhaps because o f l h e succeeding siatemcnt lhal ihcy
were n a k e d ) .
" So B C here: A -Belchira'; C k . 'Belichciar'. fhere is considerable variation
between the authorities at other occurrences of the name. VVc print regularly
'Balchira'. ' So Cik.: F.th.'He/ekiah'.
« Lit. 'hi.s'.
" Clharles's restoration ofa text which is a jumble, both in Lth. and CJk.
"' S o . \ : B C ' / e b o n ' .
 788 The Ascension oJTsaiah
Samaria would be delivered into the h a n d s of Shalmaneser,"
15 b e c a u s e h e h a d s l a u g h t e r e d the p r o p h e t s of G o d . A n d w h e n the
false p r o p h e t s w h o w e n ; w i t h A h a z i a h , t h e son of A h a b , a n d their
m a s t e r J a l e r j a s of m o u n t E p h r a i m " - h e ' ' w a s / e d e k i a l i ' s b r o t h e r
— heard t h e y p e r s u a d e d A h a z i a h , king of G o m o r r a h . ' " a n d he
killed"-Vlicaiah).

ni. .And Balehira' was well a c q u a i n t e d with the place where

I s a i a h a n d t h e p r o p h e t s w h o w e r e with h i m were, a n d he h a d seen
it, for h e h i m s e l f l i v e d n e a r B e t h l e h e m ; a n d h e w a s a n a d h e r e n t o f
. M a n a s s e h . . \ n d h e p r o p h e s i e d lies in J e r u s a l e m ; a n d m a n y ofthe
p e o p l e in J e r u s a l e m a t t a c h e d t h e m s e l v e s to h i m , t h o u g h h e w a s a
2 Samaritan. ( F o r w h e n S h a l m a n e s e r , ' king of .\ssyria, attacked
a n d c a p t u r e d S a m a r i a a n d took a w a y the nine a n d a h a l f tribes as
c a p t i v e s a n d c a r r i e d t h e m olf to t h e m o u n t a i n s ' * o f t h e .Medes a n d
3 t h e r i v e r s o f G o z a n , ' t h i s Balehira, w h i l e still a y o u t h , g o t a w a y a n d
c a m e t o j e r u s a l e m in t h e d a y s of H e z e k i a h , k i n g o f j u d a h ; b u t he
d i d n o t f o l l o w t h e w a y o f life o f h i s S a m a r i t a n f a t h e r , for h e w a s
4 a f r a i d o f H e z e k i a h . .And in H e z e k i a h ' s t i m e h e w a s I b u n d m a k i n g
5 seditious statements'' in J e r u s a l e m . .And Hezekiah's servants
accused him, and h e m a d e his e s c a p e to the n e i g h b o u r h o o d of
6 B e t h l e h e m . A n d they persuaded . . . A n d Balehira accused Isaiah
a n d the p r o p h e t s w h o were with him, saying, Isaiah a n d those w h o
a r e with h i m arc prophesying against J e r u s a l e m and against the

" E t h . ' I . e b a .\"asr'; Gk.'.Alnasar'.

" So L'; Eth. 'Joel' or 'Ijorl'; Gk. 'Islal' (corrupt Ibr 'Israel'?').
" So !.'; Eth. ' I b c h i r a ; G k . 'Becheira'.
'" So Gk. atid L ' : Eth. '.Aguaioii'. Gomorrah is a contemptuous reiiticncc to
S a m a r i a (cp. Isa. i. 10;Jer. xxiii. 13-14).
" .So 1.'; Gk. 'they killed'; Eth. om.

' So Gk. L'; Eth. 'And to Belchira'.

- VAh. 'Alagar / a g a r ' ; Gk. 'Algasar'; E' 'Salmanassar'.
' So Gk. and I.'; Eth. om. 'and a half.
•* So (5k.: I,' 'tnouiitain'; Eth. 'boundarif:s'.
' So Gk. I.': E t h . ' Tazon'.
* I.it. 'speaking words of lawlessness'.
' T h e r e a p p e a r s to be a g a p in the text at this point. Gk. reads '.Vnd they
p e r s u a d e d ' a n d then carries straight on: similarly Eth. and Sah. with '.And he
p e r s u a d e d ' ; I.' om. 'And (t}he(y) persuaded' altogether.
 The Ascension of Isaiah 789
c i t i e s o(" J u d a l i , saying t l i a t t h e y vvill h e l a i d i n r u i n s , a n d a g a i n s t t h e
s o n s o l j u d a h a n d B e n j a m i n * t h a t t h e y will g o i n t o c a p t i v i t y , a n d
a g a i n s t y o u , my l o r d k i n g , t h a t y o u w i l l g o loo, loaded w i t h h o o k s a n d
7 i r o n c h a i n s . B u t t h e y p r o p h e s y falsely a g a i n s t Israel andjudah.
8 . \ n d Isaiah himself has said, I see more than the prophet Moses.
9 F o r M o s e s s a i d . N o m a n c a n see ( i o d a n d live; h u t I s a i a h h a s said,
!() I h a v e s e e n G o d , a n d b e h o l d I a m slill a l i v e ! Y o u m u s t k n o w , o
k i n g , ' t h a t h e is a l i a r . ' " F u r t h e r m o r e , h e h a s called J e r u s a l e m
Sodom a n d addressed the princes of J u d a h a n d J e r u s a l e m " as
people of G o m o r r a h . .And B a l c h i r a " brought many charges
11 a g a i n s t I s a i a h a n d t h e p r o p h e t s b e f o r e . M a n a s s e h . .Now B e l i a r h a d
t a k e n u p h i s a b o d e in t h e h e a r t o f M a n a s s e h , a n d in t h e h e a r t s o f
t h c p r i n c e s of J u d a h a n d B e n j a m i n , a n d t h c king's e u n u c h s a n d
12 c o u n s e l l o r s . A n d w h a t B a l c h i r a s a i d p l e a s e d M a n a s s e h " g r e a t l y ,
a n d h e sent a n d h a d Isaiah arrested.
13 F o r Beliar w a s especially furious with Isaiah b e c a u s e o f his
v i s i o n , a n d b e c a u s e o f h i s e x p o s u r e o f S a m m a c l , a n d b e c a u s e it w a s
t h r o u g h h i m t h a t t h e g o i n g forth o f t h e Beloved from t h c seventh
heaven h a d been m a d e known, a n d his transformation, a n d his
d e s c e n t lo earlh, a n d t h e l i k e n e s s i n t o w h i c h h e w o u l d b e t r a n s ­
f o r m e d (that is t h c l i k e n e s s o f a m a n ) , a n d t h c p e r s e c u t i o n t o w h i c h
he w o u l d b e subjected, a n d thc torments the sons oflsrael would
inflict o n h i m , a n d t h e calling a n d instruction'" of his twelve
d i s c i p l e s , a n d t h a t before t h e s a b b a t h h e w o u l d b e crucified u p o n
14 t h e t r e e , " a n d t h a t h e w o u l d b e crucified with wicked m e n , a n d
t h a t h e w o u l d b e b u r i e d in t h e t o m b , a n d t h e twelve w h oh a d been
w i t h h i m w o u l d h a v e t h e i r faith in h i m s h a k e n , a n d t h c g u a r d s w h o
15 would guard t h e tomb, a n d the descent of the a n g e l " of the

* So L ' : Eth. om 'agaitist thc sons o f j u d a h and'; Gk. om. 'that they will be laid
. . . sons o f j u d a h ' .
" Lit. ' O king, know'.
'" So Gk. L ' ; Eth. 'that they are prophets of lies'.
" So Eth. L ' : Gk. S a h . ' I s r a c f .
A G k . Sah. L " h e ' : B C ' t h e y ' .
Lit. ' h i m ' .
'" So E t h . (lit. ' a n d the presence (or 'advent') and tcatliing'): Gk. 'and the
t e a c h i n g ' only.
" Gk. om. this clause.
" So . \ Gk.: BC 'angels'.
 790 The Ascension of Isaiah
C l l i r i s t i a n i h u r t h w h i c h is i n t h e h e a v e n s ( w h o m h e w i l l s u m m o n
16 i n t h e l a s t d a y s ) , a n d lhal ( C i a b r i c l ) , " t h e a n g e l o l ' t h e H o l y .Spirit,
a n d .Michael, t h e prince ol'the holy angels, would o n t h e third d a y
17 open the tomb, a n d the Beloved himself, sitting upon their
s h o u l d e r s , ' " w o u l d c o m e forth a n d s e n d o u t his twelve disciples.
18 .And they will teach all nations a n d every language aboul t h e
r e s u r r e c t i o n o f t h e B e l o v e d ; a n d t h o s e w h o believe in his cross a n d
in h i s a s c e n s i o n t o t h e s e v e n t h h e a v e n ( w h e r e h e c a m e from) will
19 b e s a v e d . .And m a n y w h o b e l i e v e in h i m will s p e a k b y t h e H o l y
211 S p i r i t . . A n d m a n y w o n d e r s a n d m i r a c l e s w i l l b e p e r f o r m e d i n t h o s e
21 d a y s . . A n d a f t e r w a r d s , b e f o r e h e c o m e s a g a i n , " h i s d i s c i p l e s will
forsake t h e t e a c h i n g of t h e twelve apostles a n d their faith'" a n d
22 t h e i r l o \ e a n d t h e i r p u r i t y . .And t h e r e will b e m u e h strife before h e
23 comes." I n t h o s e d a y s m a n y t h e r e will b e w h o love ollice, e v e n
24 t h o u g h t h e y a r e d e v o i d o f w i s d o m . .And t h e r e will b e m a n y lawless
e l d e r s a n d s h e p h e r d s w h o o p p r e s s t h e i r flocks; a n d t h e y will r a v a g e
25 Ihem, because they have not holy s h e p h e r d s . " .And m a n y will
e x c h a n g e t h e h o n o u r o f t h e g a r m e n t s o f t h e s a i n t s for t h e g a r m e n t s
o f m o n e y - l o v e r s ; a n d t h e r e will b e m u c h r e s p e c t o f p e r s o n s in t h o s e
26 d a y s , a n d m a n y f r i e n d s o f t h i s w o r l d ' s p o m p . .And t h e r e will b e
much backbiting a n d empty ambition before the Lord comes,"
27 a n d t h e H o l y .Spirit will t u r n a w a y f r o m m a n y ; a n d t h e r e will b e
o n l y a few in those d a y s , w h e t h e r p r o p h e t s o r a n y o t h e r s " w h o s e
28 w o r d s c a n b e t r u s t e d ' ' ' - j u s t o n e h e r e a n d o n e t h e r e in different
places, b e c a u s e of t h e spirit of error a n d fornication a n d e m p t y

" There is a laeuiia in the Gk. at this point: the suggestion that it was filled by
' G a b r i e l ' is due toGrenfell and Hunt. ' T h e angel of the Holy Spirit'appears several
tiines in the .-Xscension {e.g. iv. 21, vii. 23): cp. especially xi. 4.
'" So BC: Gk.: ..\ 'upon the shoulders ofthe seraphim'.
" Lit. 'when he (the I.ord) draws near'.
.A G k . ' t h e Faith'.
" So Gk.: F;th. 'much strife at his coming and when he draws near'.
" F^th. is hopelessly corrupt after 'and they will ravage'. Gk. has a lacuna and
resumes with what appears l o b e the end ofa passive participle ( ' . . . ed Ix-cause they
have not pure shepherds'). O u r translation follows C:harlcs in combining elements
from Ixith F^th. and G k . a n d assumes that 'pure' i n G k . ((iyvoDg) is a corruption of an
original (liy/ou?) preserved in i'.lh.
" So Kth.: C;k. 'and there will not be in those days many prophets'.
^* Lit. 'whose words are strong'.
 The Ascension oJ Isaiah 7!) 1
ambition a n c i l o v e ol' m o n e y ' ' in t h o s e w h o w i l l b e e a l l e d the
29 s e r v a n t s ol'thc B e l o v e d " a n d h a \ c received h i m . " S h e p h e r d s and
30 e l d e r s w i l l h a t e o n e a n o t h e r . F o r in t h c l a s t d a y s t h e r e w i l l b e g r e a t
j e a l o u s i e s , b e c a u s e e a c h o n e w i l l p r o c l a i m w h a t h e h i m s e l t ' t h i n k s is
31 r i g h t . . \ n d t h e y will i g n o r e t h c p r o p h e c i e s o l ' t h c p r o p h e t s t h a t w e r e
b e f o r e m e , a n d t h e s e m y v i s i o n s " a l s o t h e y w i l l r e p u d i a t e in o r d e r
t o g i v e free e x p r e s s i o n to t h e i r o w n l u s t s .

IV. .And n o w , H e z e k i a h , a n d son J o s a b , at t h e c o n s u m m a d o n oi'the

2 w o r l d it w i l l h a p p e n l i k e t h i s . ' . \ t t h e c o n s u m m a t i o n ' B e l i a r , t h e
g r e a t p r i n c e , will c o m e d o w n , t h e k i n g o f t h i s w o r l d , w h o h a s h a d
d o m i n i o n o v e r it s i n c e it h r s t c a m e i n t o b e i n g : h e w i l l e o m e d o w n
f r o m h i s a b o d e i n t h e v a u l t o f h c a v e n ' in t h e I b r m o f a m a n , as a
3 l a w l e s s k i n g and a m a t r i c i d e . . \ n d t h i s k i n g ' ' w i l l p e r s e c u t e t h e p l a n t
w h i c h t h e t w e l v e a p o s t l e s o f t h e Beloved h a v e p l a n t e d ; a n d o n e of
4 t h e t w e l v e w i l l b e d e l i v e r e d i n t o h i s h a n d . B e l i a r ' w i l l c o m e in t h e
f o r m o f t h a t k i n g , " a n d all t h e p o w e r s o f t h i s w o r l d will c o m e w i t h
5 h i m , a n d t h e y w i l l d o w h a t e v e r it is h e w a n t s . .At h i s c o m m a n d t h c
s u n will rise d u r i n g t h e n i g h t , a n d h e will m a k e t h c m o o n a p p e a r at
6 m i d - d a y . . A n d h e w i l l h a v e h i s o w n w a y in t h e w o r l d o v e r e v e r y ­
t h i n g : h e w i l l a c t a n d s p e a k l i k e ' t h e B e l o v e d a n d w i l l s a y . I t is 1
7 w h o a m t h e L o r d , a n d b e f o r e m e t h e r e h a s b e e n n o o t h e r . .And a l l
8 t h e p e o p l e in t h c w o r l d w i l l b e l i e v e in h i m . .And t h e y w i l l s a c r i f i c e
t o h i m a n d s e r v e h i m , s a y i n g , T h i s is t h e L o r d , a n d b e s i d e h i m
9 t h e r e is n o o t h e r . .And h e w i l l t u r n a w a y t h e g r e a t e r p a r t o f t h o s e

'* Gk. has a lacuna from here to thc end of\crsc 30.
" I.it. 'that one'.
^' B 'the visions'.

' Lit. 'these arc the days oflhe consummation ofthe world'. For •consummation'
FUh. has an unusual form, which might be rendered 'calling', but in any case il can
hardly be right. Gk. has been imperfectly preserved, though there is little doubt that
the word here was 'filling' or 'filling up'.
' Lit. 'After it is consummated'.
' Lit. 'from his firmament'.
* The translalion here offers a slightly abbreviated version ofboth Eth. and Gk.
texts, neither of which in its present form gives an entirely satisfactory sense.
' G Gk. 'this prince': AB 'this prince Beliar'.
" So BG Gk.: A -even this king will come'.
' So AC: B 'he will make himself like'.
 792 The Ascension of Isaiah
10 w h o h a v e b e e n u n i t e d t o r e c e i v e tlte B e l o v e d after h i m . .And t h e
elliect o f h i s m i r a c l e s w i l l he. Jell i n e s e r y c i t s a n d i n e v e r y p l a c e .
11,12 . ' \ n d h e will s e t uj) a n i m a g e o f h i m s e l f in e v e r y city. . \ n d h e will
i:s r u l e for t h r e e y e a r s a n d seven* m o n t h s a n d t w e n t y - s c \ e n d a y s . . \ n d
of t h e t a i t h f u l a n d o f t h e s a i n t s w h o s a w h i m i n w h o m t h ( ; y h o p t ^ d
( h i m w h o w a s c r u c i f i e d , that is]csus, t h e I . o r d C h r i s t ) - a f t e r t h a t I,
Isaiah, h a d seen h i m w h o w a s crucihed a n d ascended" - a n d of
t h o s e t o o w h o h a v e b e l i e v e d i n h i m without .seeing him, f e w w i l l b e left
a s h i s s e r v a n t s i n t h o s e d a y s . I h e y w i l l flee f r o m o n e d e s e r t p l a c e t o
a n o t h e r as they await his coming.
14 . \ n d after ( o n e t h o u s a n d ) three h u n d r e d a n d t h i r t y - t w o ' " d a y s t h e
L o r d w i t h h i s a n g e l s a n d w i t h t h e h o s t s o f t h e h o l y o n e s " will c o m e
frotn t h e s e v e n t h h e a v e n with t h e glory o f t h e seventh heaven, a n d
15 h e w i l l t a k e B e l i a r a n d h i s h o s t s a w a y t o ( i e h e n n a . .Vtid h e w i l l g i v e
r e s t t o t h e g o d l y t h a t h e finds s t i l l i n t h e flesh i n t h i s w o r l d [ w h i l e
t h e s u n will b e a s h a m e d " ] a n d t o all w h o t h r o u g h faith in h i m h a v e
It) c u r s e d B e l i a r a n d h i s k i n g s . B u t t h e s a i n t s will c o m e w i t h t h e I.ord,
w i t h t h e i r g a r m e n t s t h a t a r e now s t o r e d u p o n h i g h i n t h e s e v e n t h
h e a v e n : w i t h t h e L o r d will c o m e t h o s e w h o s e spirits a r e reclothed,
and t h e y w i l l c o t n e d o w n a n d w i l l b e i n t h e w o r l d ; a n d h e w i l l
s t r e n g t h e n t h o s e f o u n d i n t h e flesh t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e s a i n t s , i n t h e
g a r m e n t s o f t h e s a i n t s , a n d t h e L o r d w i l l m i n i s t e r t o tho.se w h o
17 h a v e k e p t w a t c h i n this w o r l d . A n d after t h a t , t h e y will c h a n g e into
t h e i r g a r m e n t s from o n h i g h , a n d t h e i r flesh w i l l b e left b e h i n d i n
18 t h i s w o r l d . T h e n will t h e voice o f t h e B e l o v e d r e b u k e t h e h e a v e n
a n d t h e e a r t h " in a n g e r , a n d t h e m o u n t a i n s a n d t h e hills, a n d t h e
cities a n d t h e desert, a n d t h e tn-es, a n d t h e angel o f t h e sun'" a n d
the angel o f t h e m o o n , " a n d e v e r y t h i n g B e l i a r h a s u s e d t o p u b l i c i z e

' So .AC: B'three'.

"* Charles thought this parenthesis 'an editorial addition made to adapt the
Testament of Hezekiah to its present context'.
A reads 'three hundred and thirty and two' {without 'one thousand'); BC
'thirty times one hutidred and thirty-two'.
" Or'saints'. " Cp. Isa. xxiv. 23.
'- So \ : B 'the heaven and that which is of the earth'; C 'that which is in the
heaven and that which is ofthe earth'. Charles, by a slight emendation, 'the things
of heaven and the things of earth'.
'" B om. 'and the angel ofthe sun'.
" So BC; \ 'and the moon'.
 The Ascension of Isaiah 793
hiinsi'll'and h i s a c t i v i t i e s in t h i s w o r l d . T h e n will c o n i c t h c r e s u r ­
rection and t h c j u d g e m e n t ; a n d t h c B e l o v e d will s e n d h r e a m o n g
them,"' and it w i l l b u r n u p a l l t h c u n g o d l y , a n d t h e y will b e a s
t h o u g h they had never been.
19 . \ i i d t h e r e s t o f t h e d e t a i l s " o f t h e \ i s i o n is w r i t t e n in t h e v i s i o n o f
20 B a b y l o n . . A n d t h e r e s t o f t h e \ i s i o n o f t h e L o r d , b e h o l d , it is w r i t t e n
i n t h c p a r a b l e s I h a v e w r i t t e n d o w n in t h e b o o k w h i c h c o n t a i n s m y
21 p u b l i c p r o p h e c i e s . .And t h c d e s c e n t o f t h c B e l o v e d i n t o S h e o l ,
b e h o l d , it is w r i t t e n in t h c p l a c e " w h e r e t h e L o r d s a \ s . B e h o l d , m y
s o n w i l l u n d e r s t a n d . ' " .And a l l t h e s e t h i n g s a r c w r i t t e n in t h e
P s a l m s , ' " i n t h e p a r a b l e s o f D a v i d , t h e s o n o f J e s s e , a n d in t h e
P r o v e r b s o f S o l o m o n h i s s o n , a n d in t h e w o r d s o f K o r a h a n d o f
L t h a n t h c I s r a e l i t e , a n d in t h e w o r d s o f . A s a p h , a n d a l s o in t h e
o t h e r p s a l m s w h i c h t h c a n g e l o f t h e S p i r i t h a s i n s p i r e d (thai is in
22 t h o s e " which have no n a m e attached t o t h e m ) , a n d in t h e w o r d s o f
m y father .Amos, a n d o f t h e p r o p h e t H o s c a , a n d of . \ I i c a h , a n d of
J o e l , a n d of N a h u m , a n d o f j o n a h , a n d o f O b a d i a h , a n d of H a b a k k u k ,
a n d of H a g g a i , a n d of / e p h a n i a h , a n d of Z e c h a r i a h , " a n d of
. \ l a l a c h i , a n d in t h c w o r d s o f j o s e p h t h e j u s t , a n d in t h e w o r d s o f
Daniel,

V. T h e n B e l i a r ' s a n g e r w a s r o u s e d a g a i n s t I s a i a h b e c a u s e of t h e s e
v i s i o n s , a n d h e t o o k u p h i s a b o d e in . M a n a s s e h ' s h e a r t ; a n d h e
2 s a w e d I s a i a h i n t w o w i t h a w o o d - s a w , ' .And w h i l e I s a i a h w a s b e i n g
s a w n , h i s e n e m y B a l c h i r a s t o o d b y , a n d a l l t h e false p r o p h e t s s t o o d
:i b y , l a u g h i n g a n d r e j o i c i n g a t w h a t w a s h a p p e n i n g t o I s a i a h . .And
B a l c h i r a , inspired by M e c h e m b e c h u s , ' c a m e n e a r to I s a i a h , '
l.il. will cause a fire to go up Irom him'.
" I.it.'wiirds'. .So .Ui: B'the psalms'.
'» i.e. Isa. Iii. 1 3 ( 1 . . \ X ) .
•'' Charles thought 'the Psalms'a gloss, added toe.vplain 'the parables otDavid'.
-' So BC: .\'aud in those'.
" So . \ C : B 'and ofZechariah. and of Zephaniah'.

' fhe 'wooden saw' olthe .\ISSand the tradition is due, according toC:harles. to
a misunderstanding o f a n original Hebrew phrase, 'a saw of wood', which was
intended to mean 'a saw Ibr sawing wtxxl', presumably made of metal - indeed, in
one passage in Gk.'- (iii. 14- 1.3) it is specifically said to be 'an iron saw'.
' I.it. 'in .\l.': Dillmann emended -and .\I.' to accord with the verbs in the rest of
the verse which are plural. ' Lit.'stood up before Isaiah'.
 794 The Ascension of Isaiah
1 l a u g h i n g a n d m a k i n g fun'' of him. A n d B a l e h i r a ' s a i d t o I s a i a h , S a y ,
I h a \ c h f c n w r o n g ' ' in e v e r y t h i n g I h a v e said: w h a t . M a n a s s e h d o e s
j is g o o d a n d r i g h t . .Vnd w h a t B a l e h i r a a n d t h o s e w i t h h i m d o is a l s o
(> g o o d . . \ n d t h i s h e s a i d t o h i m w h e n t h e y s t a r t e d s a w i n g h i m i n t w o .
7 B u t I s a i a h w a s in a vision o f t h e L o r d : his eyes w e r e o p e n b u t h e d i d
ti ( n o t ) s e e t h e m . .Vnd B a l e h i r a s a i d t o I s a i a h , S a y w h a t I tell y o u t o ,
a n d I w i l l m a k e t h e m e h a n g e t h e i r i n i n d s ; a n d I will m a k e M a n a s s e h
a n d t h e p r i n c e s o f j u d a h a n d t h e p e o p l e a n d a l l J e r u s a l e m fall
<i d o w n b e f o r e y o t i . . \ n d I s a i a h a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d , .Ml I c a n s a y i s ,
.May y o u b e a c c u r s e d a n d d a m n e d , y o u a n d all y o u r p o w e r s a n d all
1(1 y o u r h o u s e . ' F o r y o u c a n t a k e n o t h i n g / r o m me b u t o n l y t h e s k i n off
11 m y b o d y . F h e n t h e y t o o k I s a i a h , t h e s o n o f . V m o z , a n d s a w e d h i m
IL' ill t w o w i t h a w o o d - s a w . .And M a n a s s e h a n d B a l e h i r a a n d t h e false
i;i p r o p h e t s a n d t h e p r i n c e s a n d t h e p e o p l e a l l s t o o d l o o k i n g o n . B u t
b e f o r e h e w a s s a w n in t w o h e h a d said t o t h e p r o p h e t s w h o w e r e
w i t h h i m , .Make y o u r e s c a p e info t h e region of T y r e a n d Sidon,
It b e c a u s e G o d h a s mi.xed t h i s c u p for m e a l o n e . .And w h i l e h e w a s
b e i n g s a w n in t w o I s a i a h n e i t h e r cried o u t n o r w e p t ; b u t h e w e n t o n
I.i s p e a k i n g b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t u n t i l h e w a s s a w n r i g h t t h r o u g h . T h i s
B e l i a r d i d t o I s a i a h u s i n g B a l e h i r a a n d . M a n a s s e h a s h i s a g e n t s ; for
S a m m a e l h a d been furious with Isaiah since t h e days of Hezekiah,
k i n g o f j u d a h , b e c a u s e o f t h e vision h e h a d seen a b o u t t h e Beloved,
U) a n d b e c a u s e oi' Ihe vision aboul t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f S a m m a e l h e h a d
s e e n t h r o u g h t h e L o r d , w h e n H e z e k i a h h i s " f a t h e r w a s still k i n g .
.And h e " a c t e d in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e will o f S a t a n .

F h e N'ision w h i c h I s a i a h , t h e s o n o f .Amoz, s a w .
VI. I n t h e t w e n t i e t h y e a r o f t h e r e i g n o f H e z e k i a h , k i n g o f j u d a h ,
I s a i a h t h e s o n of .Amoz, a n d J o s a b , Isaiah's son, c a m e from Gilgal'
•2 t o H e z e k i a h i n J e r u s a l e m . . A n d I s a i a h s a t d o w n o n t h e k i n g ' s
c o u c h ; a n d t h e y b r o u g h t h i m a seat, b u t h e w o u l d n o t sit o n i t . '
:i . A n d I s a i a h b e g a n t o t a l k t o k i n g H e z e k i a h a b o u t w h a t w a s c e r t a i n
So C: .XB 'laughing, making fun'. Charles omitted 'laughing' as a doublet.
' So B: .\C: 'Beliar'. * Lit. 'I have lied'.
' So B: .\ and C: have se\ eral small variations.
" i.e. .Manasseh's. ' i.e. Manasseh.

' So C. supported by (;'': .\B 'from Galilee'; L^ Slav. om.

• and they b r o u g h t . . . on it: L^ Slav. om.
 The Ascension of Isaiah 795
a n d s u r e , a n d all t h e p r i n c e s of Israel a n d t h e ciuuichs a n d t h e
k i n g ' s c o u n s e l l o r s w e r e s e a t e d round him:' a n d t h e r e w e r e r o r t y *
p r o p h e t s a n d sons o f t h e p r o p h e t s w h o h a d c o m e l i o m the villages
and t h e m o u n t a i n s a n d the plains, when they heard that Isaiah
4 h a d c o m e f r o m C i i l g a F t o H e z e k i a h . .And t h e y h a d c o m e t o greet
.') h i m , a n d t o h e a r w h a t h c s a i d . . A n d they hoped h e w o u l d l a y h i s
h a n d s o n t h e m , a n d t h a t they m i g h t p r o p h e s y a n d h c w o u l d listen
t o t h e i r p r o p h e c y ; " a n d a l l o f t h e m w e r e assembled b e l i i r e I s a i a h .
ti .And w h i l e I s a i a h w a s talking a b o u t w h a t w a s sure a n d c e r t a i n ' to
H e z e k i a h , " they all h e a r d a d o o r o p e n e d a n d t h c voice o f t h e Holy
7 S p i r i t , ' .And t h c k i n g g a t h e r e d t o g e t h e r all t h e p r o p h e t s a n d all t h c
p e o p l e that could b e found there, a n d they came; a n d .\Iicah a n d
t h e a g e d H a n a n i a h a n d Joel a n d , J o s a b ' " were sitting o n his right."
(i .And w h e n t h e y all h e a r d t h e \ o i c e o f t h e H o l y Spirit, all o f t h e m
w o r s h i p p e d and Jell o n t h e i r k n e e s a n d g l o r i h c d t h e G o d o f t r u t h ,
t h e M o s t H i g h — h e w h o is i n t h e w o r l d a b o v e , t h e H o l y O n e , w h o
9 s i t s o n h i g h , a n d w h o t a k e s h i s r e s t a m o n g t h e s a i n t s . " .And t h e y
g a v e praise to h i m w h o h a d thus given to a m a n a door into a n
10 u n k n o w n w o r l d . " .And w h i l e h e w a s s p e a k i n g in t h e H o l y S p i r i t in
t h c h e a r i n g o f a l l , h e suddenly b e c a m e s i l e n t , a n d h i s s p i r i t w a s
c a u g h t u p into heaven,''' a n d he n o longer s a w the m e n w h o were
11 s t a n d i n g in front o f h i m . B u t h i s e y e s w e r e o p e n a l t h o u g h h i s lips
12 w e r e s i l e n t , a n d t h e spirit o f h i s b o d y w a s t a k e n u p from h i m . " . A n d

' I.'.Slav. were .standing l)i4iirc him'.

•• I.-.Slav.om.
' .So BC: 1.-' Slav.: .\ GaliUr'.
" So AC: B 'and that hc mlKht prophesy and that they might listen to his
prophecy'. IJ and Slav. ha\e the whole passage dillerently ordered and slightly
abbreviated, though it is clear that they support .\C: in that it w.as thc prophets who
were to prophesy and not Isaiah (as in B).
' I.it. 'was speaking words of truth and offaith' (and similarly in verse ;i).
" So .AC: B om. to Hezekiah'; L.- Slav. om. and of I'aith to H.'
Slav, 'the Holy Spirit came upon him. and all saw and heard the words of
the Holy Spirit'. "' L' Slav. om. 'and Josab".
" L'Slav, add'and on his left'.
" Or 'holy ones'. Slav, abbreviate ' . . . knees and sang to the Most High Gtxl.
who takes . . . saints'.
" Lit. 'who thus has given a dtxir in an unknown world, has given (Vtoa man': L'
Slav, dilfer here. " and . . . heaven: L' Slav. om.
" and . . . from him; L' Slav, om.
 796 The Ascension of Isaiah
i:i o n l y h i s b r e a t h r e m a i n e d in h i m , " lor h e w a s in a \ ision. A n d t h e
a n g e l t h a t w a s s e n t t o e x p l a i n t h i n g s t o h i m in t h e v i s i o n " w a s n o t
o f t h i s w o r l d , ' " n o r w a s he o n e o f t h e angels of glory ofthis world,
14 b u t h a d e o m e from t h e s e v e n t h h e a v e n . . \ n d , a p a r t from t h e circle
o f t h e p r o p h e t s , t h e people w h owere there d i d (not)'" believe that
\i t h e h o l y I s a i a h h a d b e e n c a u g h t u p inlo heaven. F o r t h e v i s i o n t h a t
t h e h o l y I s a i a h s a w w a s n o t a vision o f t h i s w o r l d , b u t o f t h e w o r l d
16 t h a t is h i d d e n f r o m m a n . ' " .Vfter I s a i a h h a d s e e n t h i s v i s i o n h e g a v e
a n a c c o u n t of it t o H e z e k i a h a n d t o h i s s o n J o s a b " a n d t o t h e o t h e r
17 prophets w h oh a d come. But the magistrates a n d eunuchs a n d the
p e o p l e d i d n o t h e a r it, b u t o n l y S a m n a s t h e s c r i b e , a n d J o a c h i m ,
a n d . A s a p h " t h e s e c r e t a r y o f s t a t e ; for t h e y w e r e m e n w h o d i d w h a t
is r i g h t a n d w e r e a p p r o v e d o f b y t h e . S p i r i t . " .And t h e p e o p l e d i d
n o t h e a r ;/ either, f o r M i c a h a n d h i s s o n J o s a b h a d s e n t t h e m a w a y
w h e n t h e w i s d o m of this w o r l d h a d b e e n t a k e n from h i m , a n d h e
w a s left l o o k i n g l i k e a c o r p s e .

vn. .And I s a i a h related t h e vision h e h a d seen to Hezekiah, a n d to

his son J o s a b , a n d to M i c a h , a n d to theother prophets:
2 W h e n I w a s prophesying a n d y o u were listening to m e , I s a w a
g l o r i o u s a n g e l , w h o s e g l o r y w a s n o t like t h a t o f t h e a n g e l s I h a d
b e e n i n t h e h a b i t o f s e e i n g ; f o r h e h a d a g l o r y a n d a d i g n i t y ' of a kind
3 so great that I cannot describe the splendour ofthis angel.' A n d I
w a s l o o k i n g at him w h e n h e t o o k m e b y t h e h a n d ; ' a n d I s a i d t o h i m ,

I.^ 'sfd inspiratio sancti spirilus crat cum illo', and -similarly .Slav, without
'sancti'. Both U atid Slav, om the end ofthis verse and verse 13.
" L i t . ' s e n t to make him see'. '* Lit.'firmament'.
" Supplied from L ' Slav.; Kth. has no negative.
Lit. 'from his (i.e. man's) flesh'. So AC: B 'whilst he (i.e. man) is in the llesh';
L^SIav. 'from all flesh'.
•' a n d to the other . . . vii. I his son Josab: L ' Slav. om.
" We should probably emend 'Joachim, son of .\saph' (see 2 Kings xviii. 18, 37,
a n d par.).
Lit. 'and had upon them the soothing txlourof the Spirit'.

' Lit. 'order': L^ Slav, 'light'; L' 'holy' (i.e. 'a great and holy glory').
' I? Slav, 'which (i.e. the light) I cannot make known'; L' 'which glory I cannot
describe'.
' L ' '.Xnd he approached and ttxik me by the hand'; L ' Slav. '.And he took me by
the hand and raised me on high'.
 7 'he Ascension of Isaiah 797
W h o a r e y o u ? W h a t is y o u r n a m e ? A n d w h e r e a r e g o i n g t o take m e ?
4 ( F o r t l i c p o w e r t o tallc t o h i m h a d b e e n g i v e n t o m e . ) And h c s a i d t o
mc. When I h a v e tatLen y o u u p a n d sliown y o u t h e vision I h a v e
b e e n s e n t t o s h o w y o u , t h e n y o u will u n d e r s t a n d w h o I a m , b u t m y
n a m e y o u shall n o t know," because y o u a r e to return again to your
:') f l e s h . B u t i n t h e p l a c e w h e r e I a m t o t a k e y o u , ' y o u w i l l s e e a vision,
6 for I h a v e b e e n s e n t for this v e r y p t t r p o s e . " A n d I w a s o v e r j o y e d
7 b e c a u s e h e s p o k e g e n t l y t o m e . A n d h e .said t o m e . A r e y o u t h e n
overjoyed b e c a u s e I h a v e spoken gently to you? A n d h c said. O n e
w h o is g r e a t e r t h a n I a m will y o u s e e , a n d h e will s p e a k t o y o u
8 g e n t l y a n d g r a c i o u s l y . A n d t h e F a t h e r o f t h e O n e w h o is g r e a t e r
than I am w i l l y o u a l s o s e c , ' f o r I h a v e b e e n s e n t f r o m t h e s e v e n t h
9 h e a v e n t o e x p l a i n a l l t h i s t o y o u . And w e w e n t u p , h c a n d 1, i n t o t h c
vault o f h c a v e n , a n d there I s a wS a m m a c l a n d his hosts; a n d there
w a s m u c h strife t h e r e , for t h e angels* of S a t a n were all j e a l o u s of
K) one another. And a s it i s o n h i g h , s o a l s o i s i t o n e a r t h : what
h a p p e n s in t h e v a u l t of h e a v e n h a p p e n s similarly here o n e a r t h .
11 . A n d 1 s a i d t o t h e a n g e l , ( W h a t is t h i s s t r i f e a n d ) ' w h y t h i s j e a l o u s y ?
12 .And h e s a i d t o m e , I t h a s b e e n like this since t h e w o r l d w a s m a d e
t i l l n o w ; ' " a n d t h i s s t r i f e will continue u n t i l t h e O n e y o u a r e t o s e c
comes a n d destroys him.
13 . A f t e r t h i s h e t o o k m c u p ( i n t o t h c regions)" a b o v e t h e v a u l t ,
14 w h i c h is t h e f i r s t " h e a v e n . A n d t h e r e I s a w i n t h e m i d d l e o f i t a
15 t h r o n e ; " a n d o n i t s r i g h t a n d o n i t s left w e r e a n g e l s . . A n d t h e a n g e l s
o n t h e l e f t " w e r e n o t like t h o s e o n t h e right; b u l t h o s e o n t h e right
h a d a g r e a t e r glory a n d they all s a n g praises t o g e t h e r . I ' h e throne

" .So Eth. I.^ Slav.: L ' T will nol tell you'.
' L'L^ Slav. 'But when I have taken you u p ' .
' Slav. o m . 'Ibr I . . . purpose'.
' T h e r e is not a little variation in detail b e t w e e n the a u t h o r i t i e s here.
" So I.' ( a n d by i m p l i c a t i o n Slav., which have a s u b s t a n t i a l l y diU'erent text):
Eth. ' w o r d s ' ( r c a i d i n g A d y o i forfiyyfAoi).
Supplied from L': L' .Slav. ' W h a t is this strife and jealousy and conflict?'
It has been . . . now: 1.^ Slav, 'this is the Devil's strife'.
'' Supplied from I . ' Slav.
Slav, a d d ' a n d on it there sat an a n g e l in g r e a t glory'.
" So L ' : Eth. om. 'And the a n g e l s on the left'; L^Slav. om. 'And the a n g e l s . . . left
. . . right'.
Lit. 'with one voice'.
 79fi The Ascension of Isaiah
w a s i n t h e m i d d l e , a n d t h e y s a n g p r a i s e s . " . A n d t h o s e o n t h e left
s a n g p r a i s e s after t h e m , b u t t h e i r voices w e r e n o t like t h e voices o f
t h o s e o n t h e r i g h t a n d t h e i r p r a i s e s w e r e n o t like t h e o t h e r s ' p r a i s e s .
Ill . A n d I a s k e d t h e a n g e l w h o w a s a c c o m p a n y i n g m e a n d s a i d t o h i m ,
17 T o w h o m is t h i s p r a i s e a d d r e s s e d ? .And h e s a i d t o m e . To the glory of
him who is in'* t h e s e v e n t h h e a v e n , t o h i m w h o t a k e s h i s r e s t i n t h e
h o l y w o r l d , " a n d to t h e Beloved, from w h o m I h a v e been sent to
you.'"
18 .And a g a i n h e took m e u p - into t h e second heaven ( n o w t h e
h e i g h t o f t h i s h e a x e n is t h e s a m e a s the distance f r o m t h e h e a v e n t o
M) t h e e a r t h " ) . . A n d ( t h e r e , a s ) ' " i n t h e first h e a v e n , t t w a n g e l s o n t h e
r i g h t a n d o n t h e lefi. a n d a t h r o n e in t h e m i d d l e , a n d t h e p r a i s e s o f
t h e a n g e l s in t h e s e c o n d heaven; a n d the o n e w h o w a s seated o nt h e
t h r o n e i n t h e s e c o n d h e a v e n h a d g r e a t e r g l o r y t h a n a l l the rest."
20 . A n d g r e a t w a s t h e g l o r y i n t h e s e c o n d h e a v e n , a n d t h e i r p r a i s e s
'21 w e r e n o t l i k e t h e p r a i s e s o f t h o s e i n t h e first h e a v e n . " .And I fell o n
m y face to w o r s h i p h i m ; b u t t h e angel w h o w a s a c c o m p a n y i n g m e "
w o u l d n o t p e r m i t it a n d s a i d t o m e . Y o u m u s t n o t w o r s h i p a n y
t h r o n e o r a n g e l t h a t is i n t h e s i x h e a v e n s " ( t h a t is w h y " I h a v e
b e e n s e n t t o a c c o m p a n y y o u " ) , hulyou shall worship o n l y him w h o m
22 I s h a l l tell y o u t o in t h e s e v e n t h h e a v e n . " F o r y o u r t h r o n e , y o u r
g a r m e n t s , a n d y o u r c r o w n , w h i c h y o u w i l l s e e later, a r e s e t a b o v e
23 all t h e s e h e a v e n s a n d t h e i r a n g e l s . .And I rejoiced g r e a t l y b e c a u s e

'•^ T h e [hronr . . . praises; L- .Slav, o u r ; L' oni. 'and they sang praises'.
" Kth. "In the glorv of. The emendation is ba.sed on L'lJ Slav., but more
particularly on I,'.
" .So . \ : the other authorities vary. C:harles thought them all corrupt and
suggested as a possible original "to him who inhabits eternity".
'" Kill, adds 'thither is it sent'.
" So BC I.'; I,^ Slav, 'from the first heaven to the earth'; .\ 'fi^m the earth to the
heaven'; then Kth. 1.' add 'and to the vault'.
'° Supplied on the basis o l l - ' l , ' Slav. '.And I saw there as' (L' + 'I had seen').
•' and a throne . . . all lire rest: IJ Slav, om.; L' breaks olTat 'middle'.
" 'And the glory of these angels and their song were more excellent than those
(>f the first angels'; and similarly Slav.
•' I.' Slav, 'instructing me'.
" So Eth.; L ' 'in that heaven'; Slav, 'from heaven'.
" So I.= Slav.; Eth. 'whence'.
" L ' S l a v . ' t o instruct you'.
" I.^ Slav. om. 'in the seventh heaven'.
 The Ascension oJ Isaiah 799
t h o s e w h o l o v e t h e M o s t H i g h a n d h i s B e l o v e d w i l l in t h e e n d b e
t a k e n u p there by t h e angel o f t h e Holy Spirit.
24 -And h e took n i e u p into t h e t h i r d h e a \ e n ; a n d . a s before. I s a w
angels o n t h e r i g h t a n d o n t h e l e h . a n d t h e r e a l s o a t h r o n e w a s s e t in
the middle,-'" b u t the m e m o r y ofthis world h a d n o place there.'''
25 . A n d I s a i d t o t h e a n g e l w h o w a s w i t h m e ( f o r m y face w a s
b e c o m i n g b r i g h t e r a n d b r i g h t e r ' " a s I w e n t u p from h e a v e n to
h e a v e n ) . H a s nothing, then, of that \ ain world a n y place h e r e ? "
26 . A n d h c a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d t o m e . N o t h i n g oJ lhal world h a s a n y
p l a c e " b e c a u s e o f i t s f r a i l t y , y e t n o t h i n g is h i d d e n h e r e o f w h a t is
27 d o n e t h e r e , " . A n d I a s k e d ' " h o w it is k n o w n , a n d h e a n s w e r e d ,
s a y i n g . W h e n I h a v e b r o u g h t y o u u p to t h c s e v e n t h heaven, from
w h i c h I w a s s e n t , lhal is t o lhe heaven w h i c h is a b o v e t h e s e heavens,
y o u w i l l u n d e r s t a n d t h a t n o t h i n g is h i d d e n f r o m t h e t h r o n e s a n d
f r o m t h o s e w h o l i v e in t h e h e a v e n s a n d f r o m t h e a n g e l s , .And g r e a t
w e r e t h e praises which they sang a n d the splendour ofthe one who
w a s s e a t e d o n t h e throne; a n d t h e glory o f t h e angels on t h e right
a n d o n t h e left w a s g r e a t e r t h a n t h a t o f t h e h e a v e n s b e n e a t h
them."
'28 A n d a g a i n he took m e u p - into t h e Iburth heaven; a n d the height
f r o m t h e t h i r d to t h e fourth h e a v e n w a s g r e a t e r t h a n that from t h e
29 e a r t h t o t h e v a u l t o f h c a v e n . .And t h e r e I s a w a g a i n a n g e l s o n t h e
r i g h t a n d angels o n t h e l e h , a n d o n e s e a t e d o n a t h r o n e in t h e
30 m i d d l e ; ' * a n d t h e r e t o o t h e y s a n g p r a i s e s . .And t h e p r a i s e s a n d t h e
s p l e n d o u r o f t h e a n g e l s o n t h e r i g h t w e r e g r e a t e r t h a n t h o s e of the
31 angels o n t h e left. S o a l s o t h e s p l e n d o u r o f t h e o n e w h o w a s s e a t e d
o n t h e t h r o n e w a s greater than that o f t h e angels o n thc right, yet
t h e i r g l o r y w a s g r e a t e r t h a n the glory o f t h o s e w h o w e r e b e l o w .

" So B: \V. add 'and one who sal'; I.' Slav, invert . . . I saw a little throne and
angels on thc right and on the left'.
" I.it. 'ofthis world was not named'.
'° I.it. 'for the glory of iny face was l)eing transformed'.
" I.it. 'Is nothing . . . world named here?'
" I.it. is named'.
" So Slav.: Eth. I.' 'and nothing is hidden there of what is done'.
" Lit. '.And I desired to understand'.
" Both 1.^ and Slav, have much shorter texts in this verse.
'* L ' Slav. '.And there I saw a throne and angels on the right and on the left'. I.'
o m . from here to the end of\erse 30.
 800 The Ascension of Isaiah
32,;i3 A n d h e t o o k m e u p i n t o t h e filth h e a v e n . A n d a g a i n 1 saw angels
on t h e r i g h t a n d o n t h e left, a n d o n e s e a t e d o n a t h r o n e , more
34 g l o r i o u s t h a n t h o s e o f t h e f o u r t h h e a v e n . B u t t h e g l o r y oi'ihe angels
35 o n t h e r i g h t w a s g r e a t e r t h a n the glory o f t h o . s e o n t h e l e f t . " . A n d t h e
s p l e n d o u r of the o n e w h o was seated on the throne w a s greater
36 t h a n t h a t o f t h e a n g e l s o n t h e r i g h t . .And t h e i r p r a i s e s w e r e more
37 g l o r i o u s t h a n t h o s e o f t h e fourth h e a v e n . .And I p r a i s e d h i m w h o
cannot b e n a m e d , a n d t h e o n l y - b e g o t t e n S o n w h o d w e l l s in t h e
h e a v e n s , w h o s e n a m e h a s not been revealed to a n y m a n , ' ' w h o has
g i v e n s u c h g r e a t g l o r y t o t h e a n g e l s a n d e v e n g r e a t e r g l o r y still t o
t h e o n e w h o is s e a t e d o n t h e t h r o n e . ' "

VUL .'And h e t o o k m e u p i n t o t h e a i r o f t h e s i x t h h e a v e n a n d 1
b e h e l d a g l o r y I h a d n o t s e e n i n t h e five h e a v e n s w h i l e I w a s b e i n g
2.3 t a k e n u p , a n d a n g e l s ' r e s p l e n d e n t in great g l o r y . ' A n d t h e praises
4 t h e r e w e r e s u b l i m e ' a n d w o n d e r f u l . " .And I s a i d to t h e a n g e l w h o
5 w a s a c c o m p a n y i n g m e . W h a t is i t t h a t 1 s e e , m y l o r d ? . A n d h e s a i d
6 t o t n e , I a m n o t y o u r lord btit y o u r c o m p a n i o n . ' A n d a g a i n 1 asked
h i m a n d s a i d t o h i m . W h y a r e t h e r e n o c o m | 5 a n i o n s for t h e a n g e l s
7 on the right?'' A n d h e s a i d . F r o m t h e s i x t h h e a v e n a n d a b o v e i t t h e r e
a r e n o m o r e angels on t h e left, n o r is t h e r e a t h r o n e s e t i n t h e m i d d l e ,
but ( t h e y h a v e their d i r e c t i o n ) ' from the power of the seventh
h e a v e n , w h e r e h e dwells that c a n n o t b e n a m e d , a n d t h e Fleet O n e ,
w h o s e narntr h a s n o t b e e n r e v e a l e d , a n d w h o s e n a m e n o n e of t h e
8 h e a v e n s c a n l e a r n . ' F o r i t is t o h i s v o i c e a l o n e t h a t a l l t h e h e a v e n s

" E t h . a d d s 'from the third to the fottrth heaven'.

" Lit. 'flesh'.
L ' Slav, diverge widely from Eth. in their description ol the lifth heaven: verses
3 2 - 3 4 are much abbreviated, 35 is lacking, and 37 is altogether dillcrent.

' C h a r l e s emended ' . . . five heavens. Eor I saw a n g e l s . . . ' on the basis of L'Slav.
' Both L ' and Slav, have a n additional clause here about the angelic powers.
' I.it. 'holy'.
" So L ' Slav.: Eth. reads manbar ('throne'), presumably a corruption ofmanker.
' So Eth.: piobably a rendering of an original atvdovXoi ('fcllow-scrvant'), from
w h i c h , through a corruption, I.^ Slav, got'counsellor' (aOfiflovXoi;).
" L^ Slav. om. this verse.
' Supplied on t h e basis of L ' 'they have llieir arrangement' a n d Slav, 'they are
administered'.
* 'where is the precious Son of G o d ' and Slav, similarly.
 The Ascension oj Isaiah 801

a n d tlu' tliroiu's r e s p o n d ; a n d I h a v e h e e n e m p o w e r e d a n d sent to

!i h r i n g y o t i u p h e r e s o t h a t y o u may b e h o l d t h i s g l o r y , a n d s o t h a t
y o u m a y see t h e L o r d of all t h e s e h e a v e n s a n d of these t h r o n e s ,
111 t r a n s f o r m i n g h i m s e l f u n t i l h e b e e o n i e s l i k e y o u in f o r m a n d in
11 a p p e a r a n c e . " . A n d I t e l l y o u . I s a i a h , n o m a n w h o is t o r e t u r n i n t o a
b o d y o f t h a t w o r l d h a s ever c o m e u p here a n d s e e n w h a t y o u s e e ,
IL' w h a t y o u h a v e s e e n , a n d w h a t y o u will s e e . ' " Kor y o u h a v e been
p e r m i t t e d t o c o m e u p h e r e because you are to share in t h c lot ofthe
l:i Lord." .And I glorihcd and praised my Lord, because through
It sharing in h i s lot 1 w a s t o g o u p t h e r e . . A n d h e s a i d t o m c . H e a r t h e n
this a g a i n from y o u r c o m p a n i o n . " W h e n by the angel o f t h e Spirit
y o u l i a \ e b e e n t a k e n u p t h e r e f r o m t h a t a l i e n b o d y of yours." then
w i l l y o u r e c e i v e t h e g a r m e n t ' ' ' t h a t y o u w i l l s e e , a n d y o u w i l l also
I.i s e c o t h e r g a r m e n t s n u m b e r e d a n d s t o r e d u p Ihere. .And t h e n w i l l
Hi y o u b e c o m e e c p i a l t o t h e a n g e l s o f t h e s e v e n t h " h e a v e n . .And h c
t o o k m e u p i n t o t h e s i x t h h e a v e n , a n d t h e r e w e r e n o angels o n t h e
left n o r was ihere a t h r o n e i n t h e m i d d l e , b u t a l l Ihe angels l o o k e d t h e
17 same and t h e i r p r a i s e s w e r e e q u a l . .And I w a s allowed to sing
praises with t h e m too. a n d also the angel w h o was a c c o m p a n y i n g
18 m e , ' " a n d o u r p r a i s e s w e r e like t h e i r s . .And t h e y g l o r i h c d t h c L a t h e r
of a l l , " a n d his B e l o v e d , ' " t h e Clhrist, a n d t h e H o l y Spirit, all
19 t o g e t h e r . " . A n d the voices of these angels w e r e n o t l i k e t h e v o i c e s o f t h e
'2(1 a n g e l s i n t h c h \ e h e a v e n s , ' " n o r l i k e t h e i r w o r d s ; b u t t h c v o i c e s
21 w e r e dilfcrent t h e r e , a n d t h e r e w a s m u c h l i g h t t h e r e . .And t h e n .

" I.- S l a \ . om. verse 111. 'flu- rererellee is lo the su(eessi\-e transtiirmations
descriliecliiideiaili.ix. I7lf
"' Tile iraiislalion olthis verse follows ( Iharles's lead in a sliglil re-arrangemeiil
o f l h e delails.
" Klh. a d d s lirsI 'in the lot of the cross' and then and iheni c c omcs the [lower ol
the sixth heaven ami ol the air'.
Hear . . . companion: !.'' Slav. om.
" So .\C B 'when (icKi the Spirit has taken yon up in an alien Ixidy'; K' Slav,
follow a text which is dilfcrent.
K' 'your garment'; Slav . 'a garment'. Both om. the rest ofthe verse.
" K'' 'sixth'.
'" Kit. 'and with lhat angel'.
" So K' Slav.: Klh. '.\nd they all named the first (C om.) Father'.
'" So .\: BC: 'the Beloved'; K' Slav, 'his iM-loved .Son' and om. 'the C:hrisi'.
" Kit.'all wilh one voice'.
-'" K" Slav, 'the fifth heaven' and om. 'nor like their words'.
 802 The Ascension oJTsaiah
w h e n 1 w a s i n t h e s i x t l i h e a \ t - n , I t l i o i i g l i t t i i e l i g h t I h a d s e e n in t h e
22 five h e a v e n s " w a s d a r k n e s s . . \ n d I r e j o i c e d a n d g a v e p r a i s e t o h i n i
w h o h a d b e s t o w e d such lights on those w h o awaii his p r o m i s e . "
2:i .And I b e s o u g h t the angel w h o w a s accompanying mc" that 1
2t m i g h t n o t have to r e t t u r i f r o m t h e r e t o t h e w o r l d o f t h e l l e s h . : F o i
t r u l h l o t e l l , H e / e k i a h a n d s o n J o s a b a n d M i c a h , - " t h e r e is g r e a t
2.) darkness here.) , \ n d the angel who was aicompanying nie"
r e a l i z e d w h a t I w a s t h i n k i n g a n d " s a i d . If y o u rejoice in this light,
h o w m u c h m o r e will y o u rejoice in t h e s e v e n t h h c a x e n w h e n y o u
26 s e e t h e lights w h e r e a r e t h e L o r d a n d his Beloved,'" a n d also the
g a r m e n t s a n d t h e t h r o n e s a n d t h e c r o w n s s t o r e d u p for t h e r i g h t e o u s ,
f o r t h o s e , that is. w h o b e l i e \ c i n t h a t L o r d w h o w i l l d e s c e n d i n y o u r
human f o r m ( I b r g r e a t a n d m a r \ e l l o u s is t h e l i g h t t h a i is t h e r e ) . "
27 B u t a s for y o u r n o t r e t u r n i n g to y o u r bodv - t h e t i m e h a s n o t c o m e
28 f o r y o u r c o m i n g h e r e . / \ n d w h e n 1 h e a r d this 1 w a s m u c h troubled;
but he said, D o not be troubled.'*

IX. -Anti h e t o o k t n e u p i n t o t h e a i r o f t h e . s e v e n t h h e a v e n , a n d
a g a i n ' I h e a r d a v o i c e : it s a i d , H o w l a r m a y a n y o n e g o u p w h o lives
2 a m o n g a l i e n s : " . \ n d 1 w a s afraid a n d t r e m b l e d . ,\.nd'' a s I t r c n i b l e d ,
b e h o l d t h e r e c a m e a s e c o n d v o i c e w h i c h s a i d . T h e h o l y I s a i a h is
.3 p e r m i t t e d t o c o m e u p h e r e , f o r h e r e is h i s g a r m e n t . " . A n d 1 a s k e d
t h e a n g e l w h o w a s w i t h m e a n d s a i d . W h o w a s it w h o f o r b a d e m e t o
4 g o u p , a n d w h o w a s it w h o p e r m i t t e d ' m e ? . A n d h e s a i d t o m e , H e

" I.- Slav, 'tlte lilth hfaveii'.

" L'Slav, •men >'. L'Sia\ .'i:islrii( ting me'.
-•'Hezekiah . . . Micah: 1/Slav. om.
" realized , . . and: l . - S l a v . o m .
So Kth.: I,' Slav, 'where bit.s the heaveiiK Falliei :nnl liis oTily-begottcn .Son';
Kth. then adds 'whence 1 have been sent, who is to be called Son in this world. -Not
vel has he been inanirested. he who sh;ill be in the corriifitible world",
foi those . . . there: I.' Slav. om.
but . . . troubled: V Slaw om.

' I.' Sla\. o!Ti. 'again'.

^ So Kth.: K' Slav, 'who wills to live in the Hesh'.
' Kth. adds'he said to me'.
•' I.' Slav. V ary in the details o f this veise.
^ Kth. "turned to": Slav, "commanded". The emendation is deiivcd Irom
6 cmxQincDVfioi in Gk.' ii. 24.
 7 he Ascension oj Isaiah 80:-!
w h o f o r b a d i ' y o u is h c w h o is o v e r " t h c p r a i s e s o t ' t h c s i x t h h e a v e n .
. A n d t i e w h o p e r m i t t e d ' y o u is v o u r L o r d . ' t l i e I . o r d o f t h e v v o r l d . t h e
L o r d C h r i s t , w h o w i l l i n t h e w o r l d b e c a l l e t l Jesus;'* b u t h i s n a m e
y o u c a n n o t h e a r u n t i l y o u h a v e left y o u r I x i d y .
.And h c took m c u p into t h c s e v e n t h h e a v e n , a n d 1 s a w there a
m a r v e l l o u s l i g h t a n d a n g e l s i n n u m e r a b l e . ' . A n d I s a w t h e r e ;ill t h c
r i g h t e o u s f r o m t h e t i m e o f . A d a m . . A n d I s a w t h e r e t h e h o l y .Abel
a n d a l l l h e r i g h t e o u s . .And I s a w t h e r e Laiocli a n d a l l w h o w e r e w i t h
h i m . " ' s t r i p p e d o f t h e g a r m e n t s o f l h e t i e s l i ; a n d I s a w t h e m in t h e i r
g a r m e n t s o f t h e vvorld a b o v e , a n d t h e y w e r e like a n g e l s . " s t a n d i n g
t h e r e in g r e a t glory. B u t they w e r e n o t seated o n their thrones, a n d
t h e i r c r o w n s o f glory w e r e n o t u p o n t h e m . .And I asked t h e angel
w h o w a s with m e , ' - W h y have they received the garments, but not
t h c t l i r o n e s a n d c r t i w n s ? . A n d h e s a i d t o m c , T h e v mtll n o l r e c e i v e
c i t h e r their c r o w n s o r iheir t h r o n e s o t ' g l o r y ( i i l t h o u g h t h e y s e e a n d
k n o w now w h i c h o f t h e m w i l l h a v e t h e t h r o n e s a n d w h i c h t h e
c r o w n s ) u n t i l t h e B e l o v e d d e s c e n d s i n t h e f o r m in w h i c h y o u w i l l
s e e h i m d e s c e n d . H e w ill i n d e e d d e s t : e n d i n t o t h c w o r l d i n t h c l a s t
days t h e L o r d w h o will b e called C'hrisl a h e r h e h a s d e s c e n d e d
a n d b e c o m e l i k e y o u in t c i r n i ; " a n d t h e > will t h i n k h e is l l e s h a n d a
m a n . ' ' . A n d t h e p r i n c e " o f t h a t w o r l d will s t r e t c h o u t his h a n d
a g a i n s t t h e . S o n , ' " a n d i h c y w i l l h a n g h i m o n a t r e e a n d w i l l kill
h i m , " n o t k n o w i n g w h o h e i s . . A n d h i s d e s c e n t , :is y o u w i l l s e c , w i l l

Kill, "(in w linn; is"; I.- Slav . rciul ihc verse "... is lhe angel who is o\-cr thcangi-ls
(Slav . oni. 'the angels") ofthe sixth heaven who sing (iraises".
' So .\B; V. is our I.ord"; I.- Slav, "is thr Son of (iod".
' L'Slav. oni. "thi- f cud of thc world . . .Jesus".
L - Slav. '.\nd I saw certain ofthe righteous".
" I.' Slav. om. "like angels".
" who was v\ ith n i c : L' Slav. "and I said".
" like you in form: 13 'as you will sec".
Kth. 1.-and Slav, diilrr widely in vcr.scs IJarid 13, and all three arc dilHcult.
Charles suspected a displacement in Kth. and would transf<:r thc clause wiihir:
brae ki:ts in verse 12 to follow 'Clhrist" in ^erse 13 ('. . . (ailed Ciirist, although they
see . . . ciowns after he has descended . . ."). " .So L ' Slav.: Kth. "god".
"" Klh. "bv the hand ofhis S o n ' : L' 'his hand againsi thc Son ofGod (cp. Slav. . . .
on itccouni o: his .Son will stretch out his hands against him").
" I thc Son • and if.ey . . . kill him; Kth. 'and thry will lay thrir hands upon hitn and
will hang him on a tree"; 'and hc will kill him and will hang him on a tree and will
kill Aim'; Slav, 'and ihey will hang him on a tree and he will kill him".
8() t The Ascension of Isaiah
be h i d d e n e \ e n f r o m t h e h e a v e n s , s o t h a t it w i l l n o t b e k n o w n w h o
h e is. . \ n d w h e n h e h a s p l u n d e r e d t h e a n g e l o f d e a t h , h e will a s c e n d
on the third d a y ( a n d h e will h a v e b e e n in t h e w o r l d for five
h t t n d r e d a n d lorty-live d a y s ) . ' " T h e n will m a n y o f t h e righteous
a s c e n d with h i m , w h o s e souls d o not receive their g a r m e n t s until
t h e L o r d Cihrist a s c e n d s a n d they a s c e n d w i t h h i m . " T h e n will
t h e y receiv e t h e i r [ g a r m e n t s a n d t h e i r ] ' " t h r o n e s a n d t h e i r c r o w n s ,
when h e h a s a s c e n d e d i n t o t h e s e v e n t h h e a v e n . And I asked h i m
w h a t I h a d a l r e a d y a s k e d h i m in t h e t h i r d " h e a v e n . . \ n d h e said t o
me. Lverything t h a t h a p p e n s i n t h a t w o r l d is k n o w n h e r e . . - \ n d
w h i l e I w a s still t a l k i n g t o h i m , o n e o f t h e a n g e l s t h a t s t o o d n e a r b y ,
w h o w a s e \ e n more glorious than the angel w h o h a d brought m e
t i p f r o m e a r t h , s h o w e d m e a b o o k " a n d o p e n e d it, a n d t h e b o o k
h a d w r i t i n g i n i t , " b u t n o t l i k e Ihe writing in t h e b o o k s o f t h i s w o r l d .
. \ i i d h e g a \ e // t o m e . a n d 1 r e a d it; a n d b e h o l d , t h e d e e d s ofthe
sons of Israel" were written in it, a n d a l s o t h e d e e d s o f o t h e r s
w h o m y o u d o ( n o t ) k n o w , " m y s o n J o s a b . " A n d I s a i d . T h e r e is
indeed n o t h i n g t h a t h a p p e n s i n t h i s w o r l d t h a t is h i d d e n i n t h e
scNcnth h e a v e n . " . \ n d I s a w there m a n y garments stored u p , a n d
m a n y t h r o n e s a n d m a n y crowns. . \ n d 1 said to the angel. Whose
a r e these g a r m e n t s , a n d thrones, a n d crowns? . \ n d h e said to m e ,
I h e s e are ihe g a r m e n t s which m a n y f r o m t h e w o r l d w i l l r e c e i v e , ' *

(:li.irlfs was [HTSiiacIrd that this t latisc was not part ol the original, though he
thought that the F.th. translator found it in his Gk. texl since the idea is Gnostic.
Both I.- a n d Slav., however, omit it. although they have a much fuller text ofverses
1 a n d 1(1 containing a clear referenee to the Descent into Hell.
w hose . . . with him: I," Slav, a n d he will send out his preachers into all the
world a n d will ascend into the heavens".
I." .Slav. om. "garments and their".
-•' l.-Slav. "fir.st" ( h u t s e e v i i . - i ? ) .
•'- F.th. "lxK)ks' (and plurals similarly throughout this verse).
I.it. "the IxKik was written".
•' the sons of Israel: I.^ Slaw "Jcrusalein".
•' lull, "whom you know"; Slav, "whom I do not know"; L ' 'concerning which I
also was". I.'Slav. o m . ' m y son J o s a b ' .
" I.-' Slav, have an additional quc-stion at this point about the identity o f t h e
"more glorious' angel, who is named in the answer as Michael (cp. verses 29 and
•12).
-'" .So Kth.: lose'; Slav. Ix-robljed of. Both and Slav, require t h a t ' t h e one'
later in the verse be taken as a reference to the .\ntichrist.
 The Ascension of Isaiah 8() j
w h o h c h c x c i n t l i c w o r d s o l t h c O n e w h o is t o b e n a m e d , ' ' ' a s I t o l d
y o u ; a n d t h e y w i l l o b s e r v e t h e s e t h i n g s ' " a n d w i l l b e l i e v e in t h e m , "
a n d t l i c y w i l l b e l i e \ e in h i s c r o s s - l o r t h e m a r c t h e s e g a r m e n t s s t o r e d
27 u p . " . \ n d I s a w O n e standing, whose glory surpassed that olall thc
2ii o t h e r s , a n d his glory was great a n d w o n d c r h i l . . \ n d w h e n I saw
h i n i , " all t h e r i g h t e o u s I h a d s e e n , a n d t h e a n g e l s also I h a d seen,
a p p r o a c h e d h i m , a n d . \ d a m a n d .Abel a n d .Seth a n d all t h e r i g h t e o u s
c a m e near him and worshipped him a n d praised him with one
voice; a n d 1 too s a n g praises with them, a n d m \ jjraiscs were as
29 t h e i r s . .And t h e n all t h c a n g e l s c a m e n e a r a n d ' " w u r s h i p p e d and
:m s a n g p r a i s e s . . A n d I " w a s t r a n s l b r m e d a g a i n " ' a n d b e c a m e l i k e ati
:il angel. Then the angel w h o w a s a c c o m p a n y i n g tne said. W o r s h i p
32 h i m ; a n d I w o r s h i p p e d a n d s a n g p r a i s e s . .And t h e a n g e l s a i d tt) m e .
;« T h i s is t h e L o r d o f a l l t h e s p l e n d o u r s \ o u h a v e s e e n . .And w h i l e h e "
w a s still s p e a k i n g I s a w a n o t h e r g l o r i o u s O n e like h i m . a n d the
r i g h t e o u s c a m e n e a r h i m a n d w o r s h i p p e d a n d s a n g jiraises. a n d I'"
s a n g p r a i s e s w i t h t h e m ; b u t m y ' ' ' g l o r y w a s n o t t r a n s f o r m e d sti t h a t
34 I l o o k e d like them.''" f h e n the a n g e l s c a m e tiear a n d w o r s h i p p e d
3.5 him. .And I saw the Lord and a second angel, and they were
3(i s t a n d i n g . B u t t h e s e c o n d t h a t I s a w w a s o n m y L o r d ' s left. .Atid I
a s k e d . W h o is t h i s ? . A n d Ihe angel who was accompanying me s a i d t o m e .
W o r s h i p h i m , l o r t h i s is t h c a n g e l o f t h e H o l y S p i r i t , w h o is u p o n
37 y o u , a n d w h o h a s s p o k e n a l s o i n t h c o t h e r r i g h t e o u s . " ' .And t h e e y e s
o f m y spirit w e r e o p e n , a n d I s a w the (Jrcat Olory; but 1 could not

••' I,- ,Slav. om. -who is to lit- mim.-d'.

'" So .\C;; B 'oliserxr his c o m m a i K i i i i f i i t s ' .
" S o . \ : BC-him'.
" .\C: 'hut ((ir tlli-m aiestori-d n\i': B ' w h n li lot ihriii . u r s t o u d up'. I.' Sl.iv. ..in
' a n d thry will ohscrvc . . . stored tip'.
" .\lld I saw O n e . . . I saw him: !.•' .Slaw '.\nd being turned I saw t h e I.ord in
great glory, and I feared exceedingly. .\nd'.
I,' Slav. '.Viid then Michael came near and worshipped and with hitn all the
angels' (cp. verses 23 and 42).
" .So I . ' S l a v : K l h . ' h e ' .
So I.-' Slav.: Klh. om. 'again'.
" So Slav.: Kth. T ' (I.- o m . 'while . . . speaking').
So Kth.: K- Slav. 'he'.
Klh. 'his', supported by K' Slav, 'and he transformed not liinisell".
'*" Kit. 'transformed after the manner oftheir appearance'.
"' I,- S l a v . ' . . . Holy Spirit, w ho speaks in you and in all the righteous'.
 806 The Ascension of Isaiah
t h e n l o o k u p o n hiw. n o r c o u l d t h e a n g e l w h o w a s w i t h m e . n o r a n y
:)8 of the angels I h a d seen worshipping m y Lord. Vet I saw the
;!'.) r i g h t e o u s g a / i n g i n t e n t l y u p o n t h e G l o r y . * " .And m \ L o i i l ( a n d t h e
a n g e l o f t h e S p i r i t t o o ) c a m e n e a r m e a n d .said, P r i v i l e g e d i i n l e e d
you a r e to have been allowed to see G o d . a n d privileged also,
U) b e c a u s e o f y o u . is t h e a n g e l w h o is w i t h y o u . " ' . \ n d I s a w i i o w m y
L o r d w o r s h i p p e d , a n d t h e angel o f t h e Holy"" Spirit too, a n d both
4: t o g e t h e r g a v e p r a i s e t o G o d . " ' .And t h e n all t h e r i g h t e o u s came
42 near a n d worshipped, a n d the angels came near a n d worshipped;
a n d all t h e angels s a n g praises.""

X. . A n d I h e a r d t h e n t h e v o i c e s a n d t h e p r a i . s e s l h a t I h a d h e a r d in
2 e a c h o f t h e s i x h e a v e n s - t h a t 1 had h e a r d a s I a s c e n d e d . A n d a l l the
voices and the praises w e r e a d d r e s s e d t o t h a t C d o r i o u s O n e , ' v \ h o s e
3 g l o r y I c o u l d n o t l o o k u p o n . . A n d I h e a r d a n d sav^ t h e p r a i s e s which
4 were feeing sung t o h i m . . A n d t h e L o r d a n d t h e a n g e l o f t h e S p i r i t w e r e
:> h e a r i n g a n d s e e i n g e v e r y t h i n g . - ' F o r a l l t h e p r a i s e s w h i c h c o m e u p
b f r o m t h e s i x h e a v e n s a r c n o t o n l y h e a r d b u t s e e n . .And 1 Iieard t h e
a n g c l , w h o w a s a c c o i n p a n v i n g m c , speaking to me: a n d h e s a i d , ' F h i s
is t h e M o s t H i g h , w h o s i t s e i i t h r o n i - d a b o v e t h e h e a v e i i K ' l u i s t s , '
w h o d w e l l s in t h e holy w o r l d a n d rests a m o n g his holy ones, w h o
will b e called b y t h e H o l y S p i r i t t h r o u g h t h e lips o f t h e righteous
7 t h e F a t h e r o f t h e L o r d . " . A n d I h e a r d t h e v o i c e o f t h e .Most H i g h ,
t h e F a t h e r o f m y L o r d , s a y i n g t o m y L o r d t h e ( T i r i s t , w h o will b e
8 c a l l e d J e s u s , ' G o a n d d e s c e n d t h r o u g h all t h e h e a v e n s : d e s c e n d to

.So I..': I'.lh. 'upon lliat One's glorv': .Sla\. upon his glory .
'•^ Lit. 'See tiovv it is given to y<.m to see G(M1, and ht:i auseofvou power (B adds 'of
t timing here') is gi\cn It) the angel who is with \ou'.
Bt:oin. -Holy'.
" '"came near . . . to God: L- Slav, '(ame near (Slav. + 'to them') and they
worshijiped (I.' t 'him'; antl sang [liaises both together'.
•'*' There arc a number offninor variations in verses 11 and 42. L-^ Slav, again
have a relerence to Michael (cp. verses 2:i and 29).

' .\nil all . . . Glorious One: L' Slav. Wnd all were glotilying him'.
' L ' Slav. om. verses 3 and 4.
' Lit. 'the Most High of the high ones'.
^ L^ .Slav, express the details ofthis verse rather diilercntly: instead of'will be
called' they have 'is praised', and they omit the Lather of the Lord".
^ 1.- Slav, 'the voice of the F.tcrnal saying to the Lord Son'.
 The Ascension oj Isaiah <H()7
llic \ a u l l ( ) l h c a \ c i i a n d l o tlu: w o r l d : " d e s c e n d t o t h e a n g e l in S h e o l ;
9 b u t to H a g u c l y o u shall nol g o . ' A n d y o u m u s t iranslbrm yourscll
;u s o a s t o b e l i k e a l l t h o s e w h o a r c i n t h c five h e a v e n s . . \ n d y o u m u s t
t a k e c a r e to t r a n s l o r i n yourself s o a s l o b e l i k e t h e a n g e l s of t h e
11 v a u l t o f h e a v e n as well, a n d t h e a n g e l s a l s o w h o a r e in S h e o l . " . \ n d
so n o n e o l t h e a n g e l s o l t h e w o r l d w i l l k n o w t h a t v o u a r e L o r d vvith
12 m c o l t h c s e v e n h e a v e n s a n d o l ' t h e i r a n g e l s . / \ n d t h e y will n o t k n o w
t h a t y o u a r e w i t h m c u n t i l w i t h a l o u d v o i c e 1 c a l l lo t h c h e a v e n s a n d
t h e i r a n g e l s a n d t h c i i l i g h t s , r i g h t uf) t o t h c s i x t h h e a v e n , s o t h a t
V (HI m a y j u d g e a n d d e s t r o y t h e p r i n c e s a n d t h e a n g e l s a n d t h e g o d s
ol that world a n d the world itselj over which they exercise
1.3 ( i o i n i i i i o n . " l-'or t h e y h a v e d e n i e d m e a n d h a v e s a i d , W'e a l o n e a r c .
14 a n d w h o is t h e r e a p a r t h ' o m u s ? . A n d a l t e r w a r d s y o u w i l l a s c e n d
f r o m t h c a n g e l s o f d e a t h t o y o u r appointed p l a c e : ' " a n d v o u vvill h a v e
n o n e e d t o t r a i i s l b r m y o u r s e l f a s y o u g o u p , " fiir y o u vvill a s c e n d i n
f) g l o r y t o s i t o n m y r i g h t h a n d . T h e n t h e p r i n c e s a n d p o w e r s of t l i e
lf> world - will w o r s h i p y o u . .And I h e a r d the (.real (ilory" giving
these c o m m a n d s to m y Lord.
17 / A n d s o it w a s t h a t w h e n h c h a d left t h e s e v e n t h h e a v e n . 1 s a w m y
18 Lord i n t h c s i x t h h e a v e n . ' " * .And t h c a n g e l w h o h a d a c c o m p a n i e d
trie'"'' f n i n i t h i s v v o r l d vvas w i t h m e , a n d l i e .said t o m e . U n d e r s t a n d
this, I s a i a h , a n d w a t c h . ' " .so t h a t y o u m a y s e e " t h e t r a i i s l o r m a t i o i i
19 a n d d e s c e n t o l ' t h c L o r d . -And 1 l o o k e d , ' " a n d w h e n t h e a n g e l s s a w

' dtscf i.tl u, the V iiult ol hravfii and l o dir world: s „ .X: U( : d.-.si .-nd l o llic vai.ll
o l l h c heaxcii ol llic world": I." Sif-iv. "and vou will be in lhe world".
• 1)111 . . . go: l.-Slav. oTii. " who arc i:i ihc live . . . Sheol: L-'oi:i.
" f h e Kill. .\ISS diller in ihi.s verse and an agreed l e M is liiglilv uneerlaiii. I.­
Slav . have a much shorter and simpler text both in verse 11 and in verse 12.
'" .\ild arteivvards . . . [ilac t:: .XC '.And altenvards . . . Irom the gods oldeath . . .
[ilace"; li "and when vou have tiled and lisen vou uill astcnd to vour '.ipfKi'uiied\s\\n-i:'\
Slav. 'and when you arc raised from the earth"; K' oni.
" I.it. "and you shall not transform vourscirin each heaven".
'- I.- Slav . expand the delails here.
" So l!(;:.\ "bin; ofthe great glory".
L'' Slav. ':\tid tiicn ilic Lord weiu out trom lhe sev cnth heaven and descended
into the sixth licavcn".
1.- .Slav. 'who was inslrjcling tne". and then nni. "fioiii this . . . and he",
'•• Lit. sec".
" .So .yC: B "so that you may know"; K' Slav, what is'.
" L- Slav . oni. '.-\nd I looked" (and s o similarly at the beginning of verse 201.
 JiOfi The Ascension of Isaiah
him. t l i o s f i n t h e s i x t h h c a \ c n g a v e h i m g l o r y a n d p r a i s e d h i m (li.)r
h e h a d n o t b e e n transforTtied s o a s t o l o o k l i k e t h e a n g e l s t h e r e ) :
20 a n d t h e y p r a i s e d h i m . a n d 1 a l s o p r a i s e d him w i t h t h e m . . A n d I s a w
that when he descended i n t o t h e lil'th h e a \ e n and transformed
h i m s e l f i n t h e Hfth h e a v e n t o l o o k l i k e t h e a n g e l s t h e r e , t h e y d i d n o t
2: p r a i s e h i m . for h i s f o r m w a s like t h e i r s . .And t h e n h e d e s c e n d e d i n t o
t h e f o u r t h h e a \ e n a n d t r a n s l b r i n e d h i m s e l f to look like t h e a n g e l s
22 t h e r e ; a n d w h e n they s a w h i m , t h e \ n e i t h e r g a v e h i m glory n o r did
23 t h e y p r a i s e h i m , ['ov h i s l i i r r n w a s l i k e t h e i r l i i r m . '".And I .saw a g a i n
that when he descended into the third hea\en he transliirmed
24 h i m s e l f t o l o o k l i k e t h e a n g e l s in t h e t h i r d h e a v e n . . A n d t h o s e w h o
k e p t t h e g a t e o f t h e third f i c a \ c n d e m a n d e d t h e p a s s w o r d , a n d t h e
I.ord gave to t h e m , so lhat he might not be recognized; a n d w h e n
t h e y s a w h i m , t h e y n e i t h e r gavt- hini g l o r y n o r d i d they p r a i s e h i m ,
2."i l o r h i s f o r m w a s like t h e i r f o r m . .And a g a i n 1 s a w ' " l h a t w h e n h e
d e s c e n d e d into the second heaven, there again be gave the pass­
w o r d , f o r t h o s e w h o k e p t t h e g a t e d e m a n d i x l it a n d t h e I . o r d g a v e il
2ii to them. . A n d I s a w t h a t w h e n h e w a s m a d e l i k e t h e f o r m o f t h e
a n g e l s in t h e sec^ond h e a \ e n , t h e y s a w h i m a n d d i d n o t p r a i s e h i m ,
27 for h i s f o r m w a s like t h e i r f o r m . .And I s a w h i m a g a i n , w h e n h e
d e s c e n d e d i n t o t h e first h e a v e n , a n d t h e r e t o o h e g a v e t h e p a s s w o r d
to t h o s e w h o kept t h e g a t e ; a n d h e m a d e himself'like t h e Ibrm o f t h e
a n g e l s w h o w e r e o n t h e left o l ' t h e t h r o n e t h e r e , a n d t h e y n e i t h e r
g a \ e h i m g l o r y n o r d i d t h e y p r a i s e h i m . f o r h i s f o r m w a s like t h e i r
28 f o r m . B u t a s liir m c , n o o n e q u e s t i o n e d m e b i ; c a u s e o f t h e a n g e l w h o
29 w a s a c c o m p a n y i n g t n e . .And a g a i n h e d e s c e n d e d into t h e vault of
h e a v e n w h e r e d w e l l s t h e p r i n c e of this w o r l d . " a n d h e g a v e t h e
p a s s w o r d t o t h o s e o n t h e left; a n d h i s f o r m vuas l i k e t h e i r s , a n d t h e y
did n o t p r a i s e h i m t h e r e - instead, they w e r e all jealous of o n e
another and were fighting o n e a n o t h e r ( s u c h is t h e p o w e r ofevil
:i0 t h e r e a n d o f j e a l o u s y a b o u t t h i n g s t h a t d o n o t m a t t e r " ) ..And I s a w

" I,- .Slav, summarize verses 2 3 - 2 8 ('.And lie eame into the ihird heaven and into
tlic second ami into the first, transforming hiiiis(4f in each of them, so that tliey
neillier sang praises to hiir, nor worshipped liim, ior he looked like them. .And he
showed the signs to tlic guardians of the gates as he passed through each of the
heavens'). .So .A: HC: add'him',
where . . . world - Eth. Slav.: I.'om.
So .At:: 15 om. 'about. . . matter': L' Slav. om. 'instead . . . matter'.
 The Ascemiun oJTsaiah 809

l h a t w h e n h r d e s c i - n t h - d a n d m a d e h i i n s c i r h k e tht- a i i g r l s o f t h e a i r ,
31 h c l o o k e d just like o n e o f t h e m . / \ n d h e g a v e n o p a s s w o r d , loi e a c h
one of them vvas busy cheating and doing violence to his
neighbour.''

XI. ; \ t i d a f t e r t h i s 1 l o o k e d , a n d t h e a n g e l w h o w a s t a l k i n g vvith
mc, w h o was accompanying m e , ' said to m e . U n d e r s t a n d this,
2 I s a i a h , s o n o f . A m o z . for t h i s i s w h y I h a v e b e e n s e n t b y G o d . ' . A n d I
saw elearlv a w o m a n o f the family o f thc prophet Uav id, w h o s e
n a i t i c w a s . M a r y , a n d s h e w a s a v i r g i n ; a n d s h e vvas b e t r o t h e d t o a
m a n w h o s e n a m e w a s Jo.scpli. a c a r p e n t e r ( a n d he t o o w a s o f t h e
s t o c k a n d f a m i l y ' o f t h e r i g h t e o u s D a v i d , o f B e t h l e h e m in J u d a h ;
3 a n d h c h a d r e c e i v e d h e r a s h i s w i f e b y lof*-. XnA w h e n s h e vvas
b e t r o t h e d s h e vvas f o u n d t o b e vvith c h i l d ; a n d J o s e p h t h c c a r p e n t e r
4 w a s m i n d e d t o r e p u d i a t e h e r . B u t t h e a n g e l o f l h e .Spirit' a f i p c a r e d
in t h i s w o r l d ; a n d a f t e r t h a t J o s e p h d i d n o t r e p u d i a t e h e r , b u l k e p t
.•) M a r v - a n d t o l d n o o n e a n v l h i i i g a b o u t it. .And h e d i d n o t a p p r o a c h
Mar) but kept h e r a s a holy v i r g i n , t h o u g h a child w a s in h e r
x7 womb. . A n d h e d i d n o t l i v e w i t h h e r Jor t w o m o n t h s . .And t w o
m o n t h s a f t e r w a r d s J o s e p h w a s i n h i s h o u s e a n d .Mary h i s wife;''
!i a n d t h e y w e r e a l o n e t o g e t h e r . .And w h i l e t h e y w e r e a l o n e , Mary
9 l o o k e d u p a n d s a w a l i t t l e c h i l d ; a n d s h e w a s f r i g h l e n e d . .And at

Sci f.lh.: Slav. Ibrllicv tlid nol ask himJnom': I.-''anti ihrv sang no prai.srs'.

• I.^ Slav . om. 'who was talking . . . ;iLC*.):npan\ ing mc'.

' So Elh. Slav.: f - 'the L.ird'. L' Slav, then give vciscs 2-2'.' only in summary
('. . . scnl by (iod) lo show you all things, I'or no man before you has seen, nor will
any m a r . afttT you btrable to see. what you have seen and heard. .\nd 1 saw one like a
son of man. and he lived with men in thc world, and tiiey did not recognize him').
-' B om. 'and lamily*.
^ Lit. 'and he entered into possession ot his lot', this curious statcnient is
explicable in the light oflhe tradition that appears in the/'ru/wrtnjjf/ium of James (ix.
1, xix. 1) lhat Mary had been brought up in the femple, and that when siir was
twelve years oid. all thc widowers in thc neighbourhood were assembled in the
Temple, each bringing a rod, so thai a sign from heaven through the rods might
indicate which of the widowers should be her husband. When, after praver.
Joseph's rod was handed back lo him. a dove Hew out ofit and settled on his head.
' So .AC: B ' H o l y Spirit'.
' So .AC {though in .A it has been almost completely erased): B 'betrothed'.
 810 The Ascension of Isaiah
t h a i v e r y i i i o i n c n t ' l i e r \ \ ( ) n i l ) w a s f o i i n d " a s it l i a d h e e n h e f o r e s h e
10 h a d r o n r e i v e d . A n d w h e n h e r h u s b a n d " J o s e p h s a i d t o h e r , W h a t is
it t h a t h a s l i i g h t c n c d y o u ? , h i s e y e s w e r e o p e n e d a n d h e s a w t h e
i n f a n t a n d p r a i s e d t h e L o r d , b e c a u s e he leaHzed that G o d h a d c o m e
11 i n t o w h a t w a s h i s . . - \ n c l t h e r e l a m e a voice lo llicin, Tell n o o n e
12 a b o u l lllis v i s i o n , ^ ' e t t h e s t o r y o f t h e infant s p r e a d i h r o i i g h Belh-
is lehein. I h e r e were s o m e w h o said. ,\larv tlu' virgin h a s borne a
11 c h i l d less t h a n t w o m o n t h s after s h e w a s m a r r i e d . , \ n d m a n y said.
S h e h a s n o t b o r n e a c h i l d , for n o r n i d w i t c h a s a t t e n d e d tier, a n d w e
h a v e h e a r d n o c r i e s oi labour p a i n s . . A n d tlic> w e r e a l l k e p t from
r e r o g n i / i i i g w h o IK- w a s : l h c > a l l k n e w a b o u t h i m : fiiit t h e y d i d n o t
I.i know where he came Irom. .And t h e ) " took him and went to
16 . N a z a r e t h in G a l i l e e . ' - ' .And I s a w , H e z e k i a h a n d s o n J o s a b ( a n d I
sa) t h i s a l s o t o t h e o t h e r p r o p h e t s w h o a r e s t a n d i n g b ) " ) - / saw
t h a t Ihe whole of this w a s h i d d e n f r o m a l l t h e h e a v e n s a n d f r o m a l l
17 t h e p r i n c e s a n d from all t h e g o d s o f t h i s world.'•* /\iid I s a w h o w a s
a b a b e a t N a z a r c l l i fie suc-keri t h e b r e a s t l i k e a i i ) o t h e r b a b e , " i n
18 o r d e r n o t t o b e r e c o g n i z e d . .And w h e n h e w a s g r o w n u[), g r e a t w e r e
h i s m a r v e l s a n d w o n d e r s in t h e l a n d o f I s r a e l a n d a l J e r u s a l e m .
I'.i . A n d t h e n t h e E n e m y , i n a fit o l J e a l o u s ) - , r o u s e d t h e s o n s o f I s r a e l
agiiinst h i m (not knowing w h o h e w a s ; , a n d they h a n d e d h i m over
to l h c king a n d crucified him; a n d he descended t o t h e a n g c l oj
),21 Shenl."' I n J e r u s a l e m t h e n I s a w h i i n h a n g i n g u [ ) o n a c r o s s . . \ n d .so
a l s o a f t e r t h e t h i r d d a y / saw him r i s e a g a i n a n d r e m a i n on earth for
several d a y s . " (/\nd the angel who was accompanying m e said,
22 Understand this, I s a i a h . ) .And I s a w h i m w h e n h e sent o u l the
23 t w e l v e a p o s t l e s a n d a s i - c n d c d . .And I s a w h i m , a n d h e w a s in t h e
v a u l t o f h e a v e n , ' " b u t h e h a d n o t t r a n s f o r m e d himself; a n d all t h e

' L i t . '.'\ri(l a f t e r slii- w a s l r i g l i i e i i « r .

" .So . \ : BC: ' s h e loiint^ h e r w o m b - .
" h e r t i u s b a i i d = . U J { b u t e r a s e d in . \ ) : B o m .
"' I . i l . ' i n t o h i s p o r t i o n ' . •' i.e. J o s e j j i i a n d M a r v .
'-' B o m . ' i n G a l i l e e ' . " I.it.'who are there'.
" So\ C fi ' a n d f r o m h i m w h o is o f t h i s w o r l d ' .
''' I . i t . ' . . . b r e a s t , a n d it w a s a e e o r d i n t ; t o t i i s t o i i i ' .
D e s e e n t ' t o t h e a n t ^ c l o f S f i e o l ' i.s m e n t i o n e d i n (i"- i i . 39.
" S o . \ B : C l b r l b r t y d a y s ' . C j i . i x . 16.
'•" . A n d I s a w h i t n ( B t r J o i n . ' ) . . . v a u l t o f h e a v e n : I ,^ S l a v . '.Anil I .saw Aim asc e i : ( l i n g
inlo the vault of heaven'.
 The Ascension oJTsniah H1 1
a n g e l s o f t h e \aiilt a n d S a t a n " s a w h i m . a n d they worshipped.'"
•-'•1 . A n d t h e r e w a s m u e h l a m e n t a t i o n t h e r e a s " t h e y s a i d . H o w w a s it
t h a t otir L o r d deseeiided into o u r m i d s t " a n d w e d i d not perceive
t h c g l o r y w h i c h w a s u p o n h i m rtwrf w h i c h w e s e c h a s b e e n u p o n h i m
2b f r o m t h e si.xth h e a v e n ? . A n d h c a s c e n d e d i n t o t h c s e c o n d licav e i i r '
2C a n d h e d i d n o t t r a n s l o r i n h i m s e l f . B u t a l l t h e a n g e l s w h o w e r e o n
t h e r i g h t a n d o n t h e left a n d t h c t h r o n e i n t h e m i d d l e b o t h w o r s h i p ­
p e d h i m a n d p r a i s e d h i m : a n d t h e y s a i d . H o w w a s it t h a t o u r L o r d
was hidden from us while he w a s descending a n d we did not
21 j ) e r c c i \ e his glory?-'' . A n d s o t o o h e a s c e n d e d i n t o t h e t h i r d h e a \ c i i ;
28 a n d t h e \ - p r a i s e d him a n d s a i d t h c s a m e . . A n d i n t h c l i i u r t h h e a v e n
29 a n d a l s o i n t h c fifth t h e y s a i d p r e c i s e l y t h e s a m e . B u t n o w t h e y
could a l l s e c h i m in h i s t r u e g l o r y , liir h e d i d n o t transform
;il) h i m s e l f . " . A n d I s a w t h a t w h e n h e a s c e n d e d i n t o t h e s i x t h h e a v e n
:il they worshipped h i m a n d p r a i s e d h i m . .And in cverv h e a v e n t h e
32 p r a i s e s i n c r e a s e d . . A n d I s a w h o w h c a s c e n d e d i n t o t h e s e v e n t h
h e a v e n a n d all t h c r i g h t e o u s a n d all t h e a n g e l s " ' praised h i m ; a n d
then I s a w h i m sit d o w n o n t h e right h a n d o f t h e ( i r e a t Cilory,"
33 w h o s e g l o r y I t o l d y o u I w a s n o t a b l e t o l o o k u p o n . ' " . \ i i d I s a w a l s o
31 t h e a n g e l o f t h e H o l y S p i r i t ' " s i t t i n g o n t h e left h a n d . .And t h i s a n g e l
s a i d t o m e . I s a i a h , s o n o f . A m o / . . I s e t y o u f r e e ; ' " for y o u h a v e s e e n

1,- .Sl.iv. 1)111. 'unci Satan'.

•" a n d tlicy wor.sliippcd = AC: B oni.: I.' Slav, and llicy Icarcd grcatlv and
worshipped'. •' 1.' Slav. oiii. 'there v\as . . . as'.
'-• Kth. 'upon us': 1.-' in our midst': Slav, 'in the midst'. Both 1.' and Slav,
continue 'and we did not recognize the king olglory' I omit ling'which . . . heaven'I.
K' Slav. '.And Irom the first heaven he ascended more glorious'; Sah. 'Amllif]
ascended into the hr|.i( htaven .
" \.- Slav. ' H o w did you pass through us. Kord. and we did not see (Slav,
"recognize') you. nor did we worship you.'' Both then summarize verses 27-311
( ' . \ n d thus he ascended into the second and the third and the fourth and the Iifth
and the sixth heaven'). Sah. agrees sulistantially with I.- Slav . ;igaiiist \'A\\. as l';ir as
'the fifth heaven' in the summary in verse 29. hut after this it apfiroximales rather
more closely to Kth.
Kit. 'But there was hut a single glorv. and from it he did not change himself.
So Kth. .Sah.; I.' .Slav, add 'and all the powers'.
•" .So B Sail. Slav.: .XC: 'of him'; I,' om. 'and then 1 .saw . . . (ilory'.
So lOth. .Sail.; I.' Slav, 'ujion whom ('which'?) I was not able to l(M)k'.
So Kth.: Slav, 'the angel ofthe Spirit'; K-' "a marvellous angel".
So Kth.: I.'' Slav, "it is enough for you": and then Kth. a<lds •|c)r these are great
things".
 812 The Ascension of Isaiah
3.') w h a t n o m o r t a l m a n h a s ever seen hejore.^' Y e t y o u n u i s t r e t u r n t o
y o u r g a r m e n t s oj the flesh u r u i l y o u r H a y s a r e c o m p l e t e d . T h e n w i l l
you come u p here.
H6 These things Isaiah s a w a n d told t h e m " to all w h o were in
37 attendance, a n d they sang praises." , \ n d he spoke to king
38 H e / e k i a h a n d said. Thus have I spoken. .And" thee n dofthe world
39 a n d a l l t h i s v i s i o n will b e fullilled in t h e last g e n e r a t i o n s . " A n d
I s a i a h m a d e h i m s w e a r t h a t h e w o u l d n e i t h e r tell t h e p e o p l e o f
10 I s r a e l ntjr g i v e ' * t h e s e w o r d s t o a n y m a n t o t r a n s c r i b e . . . . .And
t h e n s h a l l y o u r e a d Ihem?'' . A n d k e e p w a t c h i n t h e H o l y S p i r i t , s o
t h a t y o u m a y receive your g a r m e n t s a n d thrones a n d crowns of
g l o r y , w h i c h a r e s t o r e d u p Jor you i n t h e s e v e n t h h e a v e n . ' *
41 It w a s b e c a u s e of these visions a n d prophecies that Sammael
S a t a n s a w e d I s a i a h , t h e s o n of .Amoz, t h e p r o p h e t , in t w o , using
42 M a n a s s e h a s h i s a g e n t . A n d H e z e k i a h e n t r u s t e d all these things to
43 Manasseh in t h e t w e n t y - s i x t h y e a r . " B u t M a n a s s e h d i d n o t r o
mcrnber t h e m , n o r d i d h e take a n y notice of t h e m ; a n d so, b y
b e c o m i n g t h e servant of Satan, h e w a s destroyed.
H e r e e n d s t h e vision of Isaiah t h e p r o p h e t together with his
ascension.

" I.^ Slav. add Isa. Ixiv. 4 a.s quot<:d bv' St. t'aul at 1 Cor. ii. 9; they then eontintte
'.\nd he said to me. Return . . . ' .
" So 1.' Slav.: F.th. 'These things 1 .saw, and Isaiah told them' (whieh would
seem to be supported by .Sah.).
" So F.th.: \ } Slav, 'atid when they hi;ard these marvellous things they (I.^ +
'all')sang praises and glorified God who shows such favour to men'.
I.' Slav. om. 'and .said . . . spoken. And'.
" B 'at the last day'.
L- Slav. ',\nd he lorbade them to tell . . . and to give'.
'• There must be a lacuna here since I.saiah is obviously speaking. 'I'he transla­
tion follows . \ C . L'and Slav, both have long and interrelated texts; but they do not
help since both are corrupt.
"' I.' Slav, 'in the heavens'; they then add '.And he finished speaking and went
out from king Hezekiah" and om. verses 4 1 - 4 3 . Sah. would seem to have ended
similarly, although it certainly read 'in the seventh heaven".
B adds 'ofhis reign'.
So .AC: B o m . altogether; \ ? 'Here ends the vision of Isaiah the prophet'; Slav,
has a doxology instead.
 THE p a r a l e i p o m p : x a of
JEREMIAH

I.\ TRODLCTION

T h e f a c t t h a t t e x t s o l ' t h i s w o r k h a v e s u r v i \ e d i n O r e e k , in K t h i o p i e ,
i n a t l e a s t t h r e e d i l l e r e n t A r m e n i a n r e e e n s i o n s , a n d in m o r e t h a n
o n e S l a v o n i c r e c e n s i o n , s u g g e s t s t h a t it w a s k n o w n i n a n t i c i u i t y
o v e r a w i d e a r e a a n d e n j o y e d c o n s i d e r a b l e p o p u l a r i t y . Y e t it s e e m s
never to h a \ c been either quoted or referred t o l)\ a n y o f t h e
F a t h e r s . . N e i t h e r , a p p a r e n t l y , d o e s it o c c u r in a n y o f t h e ( J r e e k li.sis
o f a p o c r y p h a l b o o k s . ' It d o e s , h o w e v e r , f i n d a p l a c e in b o t h the
A r m e n i a n a n d t h e S l a x o n i c lists.
.•\s a t i t l e , ' ' F h e P a r a l e i [ X ) m e n a o f j e r e m i a h " r e p r e s e n t s a n a b b r e \ i-
a t i o n of w h a t , to j u d g e from the m a n u s c r i p t s , w a s the popular
G r e e k t i t l e — ' I h e P a r a l e i p o m e n a o f J e r e m i a h t h e P r o p h e t " . . \ n d .so
similarly the .Armenian a n d the Slavonic traditions. "Paraleipomena'
( i . e . ' t h i n g s left o u t " ) , u s e d a b s o l u t e l y , w a s t h e r e c o g n i z e d t i t l e for
t h e B o o k s o f C ' h r o n i c l e s in t h e ( J r e e k O l d Festament; a n d . as a
r e s u l t , t h e t e r m g a i n e d a w i d e r c u r r e n c y a n d c a m e to b e u s e d ,
especially among those concerned with Biblical a p o c r y p h a , to
d e s c r i b e a n e w e d i t i o n of a w o r k a l r e a d y in e x i s t e n c e , o r , more
o f t e n , a s u p p l e m e n t t o it - for e x a m p l e , i n I ' h e ' F e s t a m e n t o f J o b
t h e r e a d e r is r e f e r r e d ihr f u r t h e r d e t a i l s a b o u t a m o r e t h a n o r d i n a r i l y
' s c u r r i l o u s a t t a c k " u p o n J o b to "the P a r a l e i p o m e n a of F l i p h a z ' . '
As w e have seen, the (Jreek, .Armenian, a n d Slavonic traditions
a g r e e in c a l l i n g o u r w o r k ''Fhe P a r a l e i p o m e n a of J e r e m i a h ' (or
s o m e t h i n g s i m i l a r ) , b u t t h e K t h i o p i c t r a d i t i o n prefers a s a title
' T h e R e s t o f t h e W o r d s o f B a r u c h ' ; a n d , s i n c e it w a s in i t s K t h i o p i c
v e r s i o n t h a t t h e b o o k first b e c a m e k n o w n t o t h e m o d e r n w o r l d , it

' T h e r e is no reason lo suppose lhal ihe "Barueti pseudepigraption". whieh

figures towards the end of the lists in I*seudo-.\thanasius and Nieephorus. was
intended to refer to the Paraleipomena. No number of jticAoi is indicated; and if a
reference to a work now extant was intended, it is far more likely to have lieen to the
Greek .Apocalypse of Baruch.
' T e s t . J o b x l i . 6 ; c p . xl. 14 (see alxive pp. 642 and 6+1).
81 l The J'aralei/iomeiiti oj Jeremiah
wa.s o n l y n a t u r a l t h a t il s h o u l d i n i t i a l l y hi* g r o u | H ' d a m o n g t h c
H a r u c h b o o k s . \v\. m a n i l c s t l y t h c b o o k is p r i m a r i l y a b o u t
J e r e m i a h a n d n o t B a r u c h : B a r u c h is a n i m p o r t a n t , b u t s u b s i d i a r y ,
l i g t i r c ; a n d h i s i m p o r t a n c e lies in h i s r i u i c t i o n a s s c r i b e ( a s in t h e
c a n o n i c a l J e r e m i a h ) . K u r t h e r m o r e . w h e n n u m b e r s began to b e
a s s i g n e d t o t h c d i U c r c n t B a r u c h b o o k s ( I B a r u c h . L' B a r u c h .
3 B a r u c h , 4 B a r u c h ) . there w a s inevitably confusion about which
b o o k w a s w h i c h , a n d p a r t i c u l a r h b e t w e e n t h e last t w o . H o n e c a m e
a c r o s s a r e f e r e n c e in a n a u t h o r l o "I B a r u c h " w i t h o u t f u r t h e r
e x p l a n a t i o n , w a s it t o b e u n d e r s t o o d t h a t t h e r e l e r e n c e w a s t o t h c
P a r a l e i p o m e n a o f j e r e m i a h o r t o t h e ( J r e e k . \ p o c a l \ [)sc o f B a r u c h ?
( ) r , t o p u t t h e ( | u e s t i o n t h e o t h e r w a y r o u n d , il O n e w a n t e d t o refer
t o t h e P a r a l e i p o m e n a s h o u l d oiu- c a l l it Bariu h' (with M . R.
J a m e s ' ) o r "4 B a r i u h " ( w i t h R . H . C h a r l e s ' * ) . ' I n c ( ) n s c c | u e n c e . it
h a s b e c o m e increasingly c o m m o n to distinguish t h e t w o works by
r e v e r t i n g t o t h e u s e o f t h c t i t l e s f o u n d in t h c a n c i e n t ( J r e e k m a n u ­
s c r i p t s , c \ ' c n t h o u g h w c c a n n o t b e s u r e in e i t h e r c a s e t h a t t h e s e
t i t l e s a r c o r i g i n a l . ( . V n d it m a y b e n o t e d , t o o . t h a t it h a s a l s o
b e c o m e n n i c h m o r e c o m m o n t h a n o n c e it w a s t o s p e a k o f ' I h e
. S y r i a c . A p o c a l y p s e o f B a r u c h " r a t h e r t h a n "'_' B a r u c h " ) .

T h e a t t e n t i o n of t h e m o d e r n W e s t w a s fust d r a w n to t h c
P a r a l e i p o m e n a b y C . K. .A. D i l l m a n n ' s a r t i c l e o n t h e O l d f e s t a ­
m e n t p s e u d e p i g r a p h a i n t h e l i r s t e d i t i o n o f H e r / . o g " s Real-
EncyklopadieJiirproleslnnlische Theologie uiii/ Kirche w h i c h a p p e a r e d in
.1860."' D i l l m a n n t h e r e d e s c r i b e d it a s "a C h r i s t i a n a p o e r y p h o n " .
Six y e a r s later h c himself p u b l i s h e d a n edition o f t h e Kthiopic text,
w h i c h w a s t r a n s l a t e d i n t o C J e r m a n b y K. P r a t o r i u s in 187'2, a n d
a g a i n b y K. K b n i g i n 1 8 7 7 ; a n d s o it b e c a m e g e n e r a l l y a v a i l a b l e .
.An e d i t i o n o f t h e ( i r e e k t e x t w a s p u b l i s h e d b y .A. . \ I . C e r i a n i in
1 8 6 8 o n t h c b a s i s o f a s i n g l e l.')th c e n t . . \ 1 S f r o m B r a in P i e d m o n t ,
s u p p l e m e n t e d by e v i d e n c e from s o m e o f t h e M c n a e a .\ISS o f t h e
K a s t c r n C h u r c h for 4 N o v e m b e r ( w h e n t h e Fall o f J e r u s a l e m w a s
c o m m e m o r a t e d ) . These . \ l e n a e a . \ I S S p r e s e r v e only p o r t i o n s of
t h e t e x t i n a n a b b r e v i a t e d a n d less p u r e f o r m , s o t h a t , d e s p i t e t h e

' .VI. R. J a m e s , Apocrypha Anecdota, ii ( = TS V. i (Cambridge, 1897), pp. liii and

Ixxi). ' ' R . H . C h a r l e s . . I W r i i . p. 171.
^ J . J. Her/og. op. cil.. vol. xii. p. ;il4.
 7 'he Paraleipomena of Jeremiah 815
(act t h a t t h e r e a r e a d d i t i o n s liere a n d ttiere, tliey r e p r e s e n t what
would norrnalK b e c a l l e d a ' s h o r t r e c e n s i o n ' : t h e t i t l e in t h e m is
u s u a l l y c i t h e r ' N a r r a t i v e a b o u t t h e C i a p t u r e of J e r u s a l e m a n d the
L a m e n t a t i o n ol t h e P r o p h e t J e r e m i a h a n d c o n c e r n i n g t h e T r a n c e
o r A b i m c l c c l i ' o r a v a r i a n t v e r s i o n of'it.''
J. Retidcl H a r r i s ' s e d i t i o n of 1889 p r o v i d e d a critically con­
s t r u c t e d G r e e k text ( o f t h e 'long recension'), with an apparatus
and lull I n t r o d u c t i o n . In c o n s t r u c t i n g his text H a r r i s relied on
t h r e e G r e e k M S S (a = C o d . B r a i d e i i s i s . \ . F . ix. 3 1 . l.'nii c e n t . -
C e r i a n i ' s . \ I S ; h = C l o d . S. S e p u l c r i 3 1 , 1 1 t h c e n t . ; a n d r = C o d . S.
Sepulcri fi. lOth c e n t . ) , t h e e v i d e n c e of several o l ' t h e .Menaea
( ' s h o r t r e c e n s i o n ' ) M S S , a n d a l s o o l ' t h e E t h i o p i c v e r s i o n for w h i c h
he professed a high regard.
S i n c e H a r r i s ' s d a y a n u m b e r of o t h e r m a n u s c r i p t s h a v e c o m e to
l i g h t b e l o n g i n g t o b o t h r e c e n s i o n s ; b u t few of t h e m hav e a s yet b e e n
a d e q u a t e l y e x a m i n e d . .Moreover, the relationship between the two
r e c e n s i o n s (if. i n d e e d , t h e r e a r e o n l y t w o ) , a n d t h e v e r s i o n a l m a t e r i a l
i n i t s v a r i o u s r e c e n s i o n s , is m o r e t h a n o r d i n a r i l y c o m p l e x , and
little d e t a i l e d w o r k h a s so lar b e e n d o n e to u n r a v e l the c o m p l c x i t v .
H o w e v e r , in t h e b r i e f i n t r o d u c t o r y m a t t e r to t h e i r pilot e d i t i o n of
1 9 7 2 R . : \ . K r a f t a n d . A . - E . P u r i n t i n g a v e a c o n v e n i e n t list o f all
k n o w n a n d ' s u s p e c t e d ' w i t n e s s e s u p to t h a t d a t e , togetlier w i t h a
s u g g e s t e d classification. W i t h a c o m m e n d a b l e honesty they e m p h a ­
s i z e d t h a t ' a l l t h e m a t e r i a l s p r e s e n t e d h e r e a r c in e v e r y w a y p r o v i ­
s i o n a l ' . A n d it is c l e a r t h a t t h i s s t a t e m e n t is i n t e n d e d t o c o v e r n o t
o n l y t h e i r list o f a v a i l a b l e w i t n e s s e s a n d t h e i r s u g g e s t t ; d classifica­
t i o n o f t h e m , b u t t h e i r e c l e c t i c CJreek text o l ' t h e ' l o n g r e c e n s i o n ' as
well.

F h e s c e n e o f t h e P a r a l e i p o m e n a is s e t i n J e r u s a l e m b o t h a t t h e
b e g i n n i n g a n d the e n d o f t h e B a b y l o n i a n exile. J e r e m i a h goes with
t h e e x i l e s t o B a b y l o n : B a r u c h s l a y s n e a r J e r u s a l e m , l a m e n t i n g its
d e s o l a t i o n ; a n d .Abimelech (i.e. t h e E b e d - m e l e c h of J e r . xxxviii.
7 - 1 3 ) , h a v i n g b e e n s e n t t o g a t h e r figs s o t h a t h e m a y n o t s e e t h e

' .A lair specimen o f t h i s 'short recension' text will he li>und in .A. N'a.ssiliev.
Anecdola Graeco-Byzanlina, i (.Moscow. 1893), pp. 3U8-3lt). The text is from Vat.
Barberini 3 (a. 1497).
81() The Paraleipomena oJJeremiah
i i r i p e n d i n g d e s t r u c t i o n o i ' t l i e c i t y , i'alls i n t o a m i r a c u l o u s sleep
which l a s t s f o r s i x t v - s i x y c a i s . S i n c e t l i c L o r d f i r o c l a i m s 'I w i l l
s h e l t e r h i t n t h e r e u n t i l 1 b r i n g t h e p e o p l e b a c k t o t h e c i t y ' (iii. 1 0 ) ,
t h e s i x t v - s i x v e a r s of W b i n i e l e e h s s l e e p a r e p r e s u m a b l v ot s i g n i f i ­
c a n c e in d e t e r m i n i n g t h e d a t e o f t h e Return.
So, at .my rate, H a r r i s , w h o by identitying thc destruction of
Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar i n 5 8 6 lit; w i t h i t s s a c k b y the
R o i t i a n s in 7 0 , a n d a d d i n g 6 6 , a r r i v e d a t t h e d a t e .M) 1 3 6 . T h e
a u t h o r , H a r r i s a r g u e d , w a s c l e a r l y a C h r i s t i a n , a n d in h i s o p i n i o n a
J e w i s h C l h r i s t i a n , w h o w a s w r i t i n g a T r a c t tiir t h e l i m e s . . M t e r t h e
Second Jewish Revolt had been liiially crushed in 135,
J e r u s a l e m , w h i c h h a d b e e n a r u i n tor m o r e t h a n sixtv y e a r s , w a s
r e b u i l t a n d r e n a m e d . \ e l i a C a p i t o l i n a . It w a s to be p e o p l e d e x c l u ­
sively by Cientiles, a n d a n imperial edict prohibited J e w s from
e n t e r i n g o n p a i n of d e a t h . 'I'hc P a r a l e i p o m e n a p o i n t s out t l i a t j e w s
can evade this edict by Ibrsaking Babylon (i.e. J u d a i s m ) and
e n t e r i n g t h e i r r i g h t f u l c i t y ( i . e . t h e C h r i s t i a n C J h u r c h ) . ' L h e b o o k is
t h e r e f o r e ' t h e C J h u r c h ' s L i r c n i c o n to the S y n a g o g u e , at t h e t i m e of
thc Hadrianic edict'.'

I ' h i s v i e w , a c c e p t e d in its e s s e n t i a l s b y a n u m b e r of s u b s e c j u e n t
s c h o l a r s , n o t a b l y b y P. B o g a e r t in t h c I n t r o d u c t i o n to his t r a n s l a ­
tion of t h e S y r i a c .Apocalypse of B a r u c h , h a s not gone unchal­
l e n g e d . L . S c h i i r c r , for e x a m p l e , d r e w a t t e n t i o n to a n u m b e r of
w h a t w o u l d s e e m to b e d i s t i n c t i v e l y J e w i s h It'atures in t h c w o r k ;
a n d l a t e r , G. Delling emphasized thc fundamental concern with
the fate of J e r u s a l e m and the future of the J e w i s h people, the
r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e n e e d l o r s o c i a l p u r i t y ( v i . 1 3 - 14, v i i i . 2 - 5 ) being
e s p e c i a l l y s i g n i h c a n t i n t h i s r e s p e c t . S o . a c c o r d i n g t o D e l l i n g , it is
' a b o o k f o r e d i f i c a t i o n ' , s t r e s s i n g t l i e i m p o r t a n c e fbi J e w s o f t h e
H o l y C i t y , t h e T e m p l e , a n d t h e r e g u l a r life o f p r a i s e a n d p r a y e r ;
a n d it is t o b e d a t e d a t a n y t i m e in t h e h r s t t h i r d of t h e s e c o n d
c e n t u r y AD.
If w e t a k e this last v i e w w c shall, of c o u r s e , h a v e to explain the
CUiristian e l e m e n t s in t h e b o o k a s l a t e r a d d i t i o n s . T h e r e is n o
d i l T i c u l t y i n e x p l a i n i n g i x . 1 0 - 3 2 in t h i s w a y ( a s d o c s D e l l i n g ) : ix.
10—32 g i v e s a c i r c u m s t a n t i a l a c c o u n t of h o w J e r e m i a h w a s re-

' j . R . Harris, The Rest q/lhe Words oJ Buruch. p. 14.

 The Paraleipomena oj Jeremiah 81 7
s t o r e d t o lile t h r e e d a y s a l t e r h i s n a t u r a l d e a t h , h o w h e p r o p h e s i e d
the advent of Christ a n d w h a t liillowed from it ( i n e l u d i n g the
e.xplieit r e f e r e n e e to ' t h e S o n of ( J o d w h o a w a k e n s us o u t of sleep.
J e s t i s C h r i s t ' ) , a n d h o w this p r o p h e c y p r o v o k e d t h e j e w s to s t o n e
h i n t : a n d it m a y w e l l h a \ e b e e n a d d e i l a s a s u i t a b l e t a i l - p i e c e in
o r d e r to Christianize an otherwise purely Jewish work.
B u t is t h e w o r k , a p a r t f r o m ix. 1 0 - 3 2 . p u r e l y J e w i s h ? T h e r e a r e .
in p a r t i c u l a r , s e v e r a l a p p a r e n t r e m i n i s c e n c e s of t h e N e w Testa­
m e n t , s u c h a s ' J e r u s a l e m w h i c h is a b o v e ' ( v . M: c p . ( J a l . iv. 2()),
"teaching them to keep themselves from t h e p o l l u t i o n s of the
( J e n t i l e s ' ( v i i , 3 2 ; c p . .Acts x v . 1 9 - 2 0 ) . a n d ' t h e t r u e T i g h t w h i c h
lightcth me' (ix. 3; c p . John i. !)). . \ r e these examples to be
e x p l a i n e d as g e n u i n e r e m i n i s c e n c e s of C h r i s t i a n writings on the
p a r t o f a C h r i s t i a n atithor? O r , are they Christian intrusions into a
J e w i s h d o c u m e n t ? O r , are they, perhaps, mere \ erbal coincidences?
I f w e a r e p r e p a r e d t o a c c e p t t h e b o o k a s a u n i t y a n d r e g a r d it a s
C h r i s t i a n t h r o u g h o t i t , t h e o r i g i n a l l a n g u a g e is l i k e l y t o h a v e b e e n
G r e e k , I f it w a s J e w i s h , a p a r t f r o m t h e l a t e r C h r i s t i a n modifica­
t i o n s , t h e n it m a y h a v e b e e n w r i t t e n o r i g i n a l l y e i t h e r in ( J r e e k , o r
i n H e b r e w o r . X r a m a i c . T h e m e n t i o n ol ' / a r ' a s a g o d ' s n a m e a t \ ii.
'2b h a s s o m e t i m e s b e e n h e l d t o p o i n t t o a H e b r e w o r i g i n a l , i n ­
asmuch a s zaT is t h e c o m m o n H e b r e w w o r d [ht ' s t r a n g e ! r ) ' o r
'foreign(er)'. But this a r g u m e n t is n o t c o n c l u s i v e . It c a n n o t be
s u p p o s e d t h a t the hypothetical translator into (Jreek did not know
w h a t zar m e a n t a n d t h e r e f o r e t r a n s l i t e r a t e d , s i n c e in t h e v e r y n e x t
verse he refers to J e r e m i a h ' s grief b e c a u s e his contemporaries
' w e r e i n v o k i n g a f o r e i g n g o d " ( v i i . 2()). . N e v e r t h e l e s s , ' t h o u g o d / a r '
is u n d o u b t e d p r o o f t h a t t h e ( J r e e k t e x t h a d a S e m i t i c b a c k g r o u n d ,
e v e n if it w a s n o t a t r a n s l a t i o n f r o m H e b r e w . . \ n d a n o t h e r p i e c e o f
e v i d e n c e t h a t t e l l s in t h e s a m e d i r e c t i o n is t h e u s e o f 6 IKCLVOC: liir
' t h e . A l m i g h t y ' at vi. 3, w h i c h a c c o r d s w i t h t h e p r a c t i c e o f t h e later
translators ofthe Old T e s t a m e n t (i.e. .Aquila, S y m m a e h u s , and
' T h e o d o t i o n ) , w h o n o r m a l l y r e n d e r t h e H e b r e w shaddai in t h i s w a y ,
t h o u g h usually without the article.
Finally, a number of contacts with the other apocryphal
J e r e m i a h o r B a r u c h b o o k s d e s e r v e n o t i c e . ' T h u s , t h e a c c o u n t of
J e r e m i a h ' s h i d i n g o f t h e T e m p l e v e s s e l s a t iii. 7 - 8 is p a r a l l e l e d o r
e c h o e d , n o t o n l y in 2 . \ I a c c . ii. 4 - . 5 , b u t a l s o in S y r . .Af)oc. B a r . v i .
818 'I'ke Paraleipomena ofjeremiah
7 - 1 0 . i n t h e a p o i T v p h a l r . i f s - o f j e r e m i a h i n The Lues of the Prophets."^
a n t i i n t h e ( i a r s i u m i ' J e r e m i a l i . A p o e r y p l i o n ' e d i t e d l)y . \ . \ f i n g a n a
in t h e h r s t v o l u m e o f t h e Wondbrooke Studies i n 1 9 2 7 . " . A g a i n , t h e
s t o r y o f . A b i m e l e c h a n d h i s l o n g s l e e p r e a p p e a r s in t h c ' J e r e m i a h
. A p o e r y p h o n " . a n d it is a l s o a p p a r e n t l y r e f e r r e d t o i n t h e P r o l o g u e
to Cik. . \ p o c . liar. (i. 2 ) . E s p e c i a l l y i m p o r t a n t a r e t h e d o z e n o r s o
p a r a l l e l s vvith S y r . . \ p o c . B a r . , t h e m o r e s t r i k i n g o f w h i c h o c c u r i n
t h c s a m e r e l a t i v e o r d e r in b o t h b o o k s ( e . g . P a r . J e r . i. 1 - 2 : S v r .
B a r . i i . 1 - 2 ; P a r . J c r . i v . 3 - 4 | S y r . B a r . x . 1 8 ; P a r . J e r . v i i . 8 - 1 2 li
S y r . B a r . Ixxv i i . 1 9 - 2 6 ) . T h e o r e t i c a l l y it is p o s s i b l e t o e x p l a i n t h e s e
p a r a l l e l s e i t h e r by s u p p o s i n g t h a t t h c a u t h o r o f t h e Paraleipomena
k n e w a n d used t h c Syriac .Apocalypse, or that the a u t h o r ofthe
S y r i a c .\[XHalv p s e knew a n d u s e d t h e P a r a l e i p o m e t i a , or that b o t h
a u t h o r s k n e w a n d used a c o m m o n source. .Among those w h o have
discussed t h c question, P. Bogaert preferred t h e hrst alternative,"
a n d G. W. E. Nickelsburg thc third."
I t is p e r h a p s a l s o w o r t h n o t i n g t h a t t h e s t a t e m e n t o f t h e people
a f t e r J e r e m i a h ' s p r o p h e c y ol t h e a d v e n t o f C h r i s t a t ix. 2 0 ( ' T h e s e
a r c t h e very s a m e w o r d s that were spoken by Isaiah, the son of

" I.ifc ol Jert-mi.ih. 9 - 1 2 (Set C. C. Torrey. The Lives oJ liie Propiiels (- JBL
Monograph Series, i; Phifidciphia, 1946), pj). 22 and :«i).
" A. .\Iingana. H'ooSrooheSludies. i{Cambn6s;e, 1927). pp. ; 2 j - 1 3 « a n d 148-233
(= Hullelin of lhe John Rylandi Libran. xi (Manehesier, 1927). pp. 329 342 and
.3.V2 437): see espedallv pp. 171-173 ; = Bulldin . . pp. 37.1-377). l h e
apoeryphon had previously been translated into French by E. .\nielincau in his
Cantes et romans de t'Egvple chielienne. ii (Paris, 1888), pp. 97-l,">l. under the title
'Histoirr de la captivitc de Babylone'. .Another edition oflhe text, together with a
French translalion. was published by L. Eeroy and P. Dib under thc title T..'n
apocrvphc carchouni sur la captivite de Bab>lone', in Revue de I'Orieiil chretien, xv
(Paris'. 1910). pp. 2.">.")- 274, 3 9 8 - 4 0 9 and xvi (Paris. 1911), pp. 128-154. T o what
extent this apociy phon should be icgardcd as a completely separate work, and not
just another (though widely divergent) recension of thc Riralcipoinena, is
(lebatcablc.
.A. Mingana. op. cil., pp. I(i7 and 185-187 ( = Bulletin . . ., pp. 371 and
;«9-391).
" .As b.id previouslv. for example. R. H. Charles. The .•ipoadypsc of Baruch
(Limdon, 1896), p. xviii.
" Nickelsburg rightly points out in this connection that the author of 2 .Mac­
cabees claitns to be dependent lor his story ofjeremiah anti thc Temple furnishings
on an extant writicn source (2 Mace. ii. 4), so that presumably there were written
jcretniah-Baruch tiaditicms in circulation whirh antedated thc Syriac .Apocalypse.
 The i'araleipnmena nf Jeremiah 819

Amoz, when he said, I beheld G o d a n d the S o n olGod") shows

a c q u a i n t a n c e witli a d e t a i l in t h e t r a d i t i o n o f I s a i a h ' s martyrdom
which reap|iears elsewhere in O r i g e n , " i n J e r o m e , a n d in t h e
a p o c r y p h a l /Xscension of I s a i a h . "

Our t r a n s l a t i o n is. in all e s s e n t i a l s , a t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e text a s

p r i n t e d b \ H a r r i s , w h i c h , a s e x p l a i n e d a b o v e , r e p r e s e n t s t h e Mong
recension".

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Creek

A. M . C E R I , \ , \ 1 , Monumenla sacra et pro/ana, X'. i ( . X l i l a n , 1868';.

pp. 9-18.
J. RKN'DF.L HARRIS, The Rest of the Words of Baruch: A Christian
ApocalyJ)se of theyear 136 M) ( G a m b r i d g e . 1889).
R. A . K R A F T a n d A . - F . . P U R I X T U X , Paraleipomena Jeremwu (=
SBL Texts and Translations 1. Pseudepigrapha Series I ; . X l i s s o u l a .
1972).

Elhiopic

C. F. A. DiLL.MANX, Chreslomathia aethwpwa {Leipzig, 1866),

p p . v i i i - x a n d l-l,'i.

Armenian

S . H O V S E P H E A N T Z . .4 Treasury of Old and New Pnimlive Writers.

X'ol. 1 (IJncanonical Rooks of the Old Teslament; X ' e n i c e , 1896).
p p . 349-.'377.

Slavonic

N . S . ' F l K H O X R A V O X ' , Pamyatniki otrechennoi russkoi literatury. i ( S t .

P e t e r s b u r g , 1863), p p . 2 8 4 - 2 9 7 a n d 2 7 3 - 2 8 4 .

'" Orig. In Es. liom. i. h.

Hieron. Cimm in Es. i. 10.
" Asc. Isa. iii. H-y (see above p. 789).
821) The Paraleipomena oJJeremiah
A. N. P()l'()\. Opisanie rukopisei i katalog knig tserkovnoi pechati
hihliotekiA. I. Khludova { M o s c o w . 1 8 7 2 ) . p p . U M i - H S .
S . \ ( ) \ AKOXTC":. ".Apokrifi j e d n o g a s r p s k o g c i r i i o v s k o g / b o r n i k a
\ i c k a " i n Starine. viii { / a g r c b . 1 8 7 6 ) . p p . 4 0 - 4 8 .

IRA.N.SI.AIION.S
English
R. . \ . KR.VI I a n d P l R I M U N [as above],
j . l.S.S.W l,Kl)r,NS. UW'OT-. p p . 1 9 3 - 2 3 2 [Separate translations of
three ofthe .Armenian versions|.

Erench
R . H,\.SSi; I . l.es Apocryphes Ethiopiens traduits enJrani;ais. I. Livre de
Baruch et la IJgende dejeremie ( P a r i s . 1 8 9 3 ) .

German
V. PRAIORIIS. 'Das apokryphische Buch Baruch im
.Athiopischen' in Zeitschrijt fiir wissenschaftliche Theologte, .xv
(1872), p p . 230-247.
v.. K(")N K ; , ' D e r R e s t d e r W o r t e B a r u c h s . .Aus d e m . A e t h i o p i s c h e n
i i b e r s e t z l u n d m i l . A n m e r k u n g e n v e r s e h e n ' i n TheologischeStudien
undKritiken, I (1877), p p . 318-338.
P . R l K S S I . K R . AjSaBK p p . 9 0 3 - 9 1 9 .

P . B ( ) ( ; . \ K R T, L'Apocahpse Syriaque de Baruch, i ( = Sources chretiennes,

no. 1 4 4 ; P a r i s , 1969)", p p . 1 7 7 - 2 2 1 .
G. V)V.\A.\\V<. Judische Lehre und Erdmmigkeit in den Paralipomena
Jeremiae ( = Beihe/tezur ZAH'. 1 0 0 ; B e r l i n , 1 9 6 7 ) .
A . - . M . D K . M . S . IPGAT, pp. 70-78.
J.-B. F R K X ' , a r t . ' . A p o c r y p h e s d e I ' . A n c i e n T e s t a m e n t ' i n DBSup i,
c o l s . 4,54-4.5.').
1,. C J I N Z B K R C ; , The Legends of the Jews, iv ( P h i l a d e l p h i a , 1913),
p p . 3 1 8 - 3 2 1 a n d vi ( P h i l a d e l p h i a , 1928), p p . 4 0 9 - 4 1 1 .
K. KoHI.KR. ' T h e Pre-Talmudic Haggada, I. B . T h e S e c o n d
Baruch or rather the Jeremiah . A p o c a l v p s e ' i n JQR v (April
1893), p p . 4 0 7 - 4 1 9 .
 paraleipomena of jeremiah
The Paraleipomena oJJeremiah 821
G. \V. E. NICKELSBURG, JR., 'Narrative 'IVaditions i n tlic
P a r a l i p o i n c n a o f ' j c r e i n i a i i a n d 2 B a r u c l i ' i n CBilwwi (1973),
pp. 60-68.
P . R l L S S L r , R , ^ ; ; S W , p . 1.323.
E . S C H U R i : R , CjVZJO iii, p p . 393-39.').
M. E . S r O N K , ' S o m e O b s c r v a t i o n . s o n t h c . A r m e n i a n V e r s i o n of
t h c P a r a l i p o i n c n a of J c r c m i a i r in Cfi() xxxv {1973). p p . 47-.')9.

I. I t c a m e t o p a s s , w h e n t h e Lsraelitcs w e r e t a k e n c a p t i v e hy t h e
k i n g o f t h e C h a l d a c a n s , G o d s p o k e tv) J e r e m i a h jajJin", J e r e m i a h ,
m y c h o s e n o n e , g e t u p a n d l e a v e t h i s c i t y , y o u a n d B a r u c h , for I a m
a b o u t t o d e s t r o y it b e c a u s e o f t h e m a n y s i n s o l ' t h o s e w h o l i v e i n it.
2 E o r y o u r p r a y e r s a r c l i k e a .solid p i l l a r i n t h c m i d d l e o f i t , a n d l i k e a
3 w a l l o f a d a m a n t a r o u n d i t . G e t u p n o w , both o / y o u , a n d l e a v e il,
4 b e f o r e t h e a r m y o f t h e C h a l d a e a n s s u r r o u n d s it. A n d J e r e m i a h
answered, saying, I beseech thee, Eord, permit thy servant to
s p e a k before thcc. A n d t h e E o r d said to him. Speak, J e r e m i a h , m y
5 c h o s e n o n e . A n d J e r e m i a h s p o k e , s a y i n g , E o r d A l m i g h t y , wilt t h o u
d e l i v e r t h e c h o s e n city into t h c h a n d s o f t h e C h a l d a e a n s , so that t h e
k i n g c a n boast, together with his hosts, a n d s a y , 1 have prevailed
6 a g a i n s t t h e h o l y c i t y o f G o d ? N o , m y L o r d : if it is t h y w i l l , l e t it b e
7 destroyed b y t h i n e o w n h a n d s . .And t h e L o r d said to J e r e m i a h ,
S i n c e y o u a r e m y c h o s e n o n e , g e t u p a n d leave this city, y o u a n d
B a r u c h , f o r 1 a m a b o u t t o d e s t r o y it b e c a u s e o f t h e m a n y s i n s o f
8 t h o s e w h o live in it. E o r n e i t h e r t h c k i n g n o r his a r m y will b e a b l e to
9 e n t e r it, u n l e s s I Hrst o p e n i t s g a t e s . S o g e t u p , a n d g o t o B a r u c h .
10 a n d tell h i m w h a t I h a v e s a i d . . A n d t h e n , g e t u p bolh uJ y o u a t
m i d n i g h t , ' a n d g o o n t o t h e city w a l l s , a n d I will s h o w y o u t h a t
U u n l e s s I first d e s t r o y t h e city t h e y will n o t b e a b l e t o e n t e r it. A n d
w h e n h e h a d s a i d t h i s , t h e L o r d left Jeremiah.

n. A n d J e r e m i a h rent his clothes a n d p u t dust u p o n his head; a n d

2 h e w e n t in t o t h e s a n c t u a r y o f G o d . .And w h e n B a r u c h s a w h i m
w i t h d u s t s p r i n k l e d o n h i s h e a d a n d h i s clothes rent, h e cried o u t

' I.il. 'at thc .sixth liour (ifthe night'.

 ii'i'J The Paraleifmneua ofJeremiah
aloud, saying. Father Jeremiah, What is t h e m a t t e r w i t h y o u ? '
:i W h a t s i n h a \ e t h e p e o p l e c o m m i t t e d now? (And he said Ihis b e c a u s e ,
w h e n e v e r the people sinned, J e r e m i a h would sprinkle dust on his
1 h e a d a n d p r a y f o r t h e p e o p l e , t h a t t h e i r s i n m i g h t b e f o r g i v e n . Thai
is why B a r u c h a s k e d h i m , s a y i n g . F a t h e r , w h a t is t h e m a t t e r w i t h
j \()tf?') .And J e r e m i a h said t o h i m . .See t h a t y o u loo r e n d your
c l o t h e s , btit r a t h e r let u s r e n d o u r h e a r t s ; a n d let u s n o t d r a w w a t e r
f o r t h e d r i i i k i i i g - t r o u g h s , b u t r a t h e r l e t u s w e e p a n d lill t h e m w i t h
i> t e a r s , f o r t h e L o r d w i l l h a v e n o m e r c y o n t h i s p e o p l e . .And B a r u c h
7 s a i d . F a t h e r J e r e m i a h , w h a t h a s h a p p e n e d ? .And J e r e m i a h said.
(Jod is d e l i v e r i n g t h e city into the hands of t h e king of the
a ( l l i a l d a e a n s , t o t a k e t h e p e o p l e c a p t i \ e to B a b y l o n . .And w h e n
Baruch Iieard this, h e too rent his clothes a n d said. Father
'I J e r e m i a h , w h o h a s t o l d y o u t h i s ? .And J e r e m i a h s a i d t o h i m . S t a y
w i t h m e here a l i t t l e l o n g e r , u n t i l m i d n i g h t , ' a n d y o u w i l l l e a r n t h a t
111 w h a t I have told y o u is t r u e . S o t h e y r e m a i n e d by the altar
weeping.

III. .And w h e n midnight c a m e ' Jeremiah a n d Baruch went u p

t o g e t h e r o n t o t h e c i t y w a l l s in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e L o r d ' s i n s t r u c -
•2 t i o n s to Jeremiah. .And b e h o l d , a t r u m p e t - b l a s t sounded, and
a n g e l s c a m e f o r t h f r o m h e a \ e n w i t h t o r c h e s in t h e i r h a n d s ; a n d
;i t h e y s t o o d o n t h e city w a l l s . .And w h e n J e r e m i a h a n d B a r u c h s a w
them, they wept, saying. N o w we know indeed that what w e were
1 t o l d is t r u e . . A n d J e r e m i a h p l e a d e d w i t h t h e a n g e l s , s a y i n g . D o n o t
d e s t r o y t h e city yet, 1 b e g you, before 1 h a v e h a d a n o p p o r t u n i t y to
s a y s o m e t h i n g t o t h e L o r d . .And t h e L o r d s a i d t o t h e a n g e l s . D o n o t
d e s t r o y t h e city before I h a v e spoken with J e r e m i a h , m y chosen
o n e . And Jeremiah s a i d . L o r d . I p r a y Ihee. b i d m e s p e a k b e f o r e t h e e .
.And the Lord said. Speak, Jeremiah, m y chosen o n e . .And
.(i J e r e m i a h s a i d . B e h o l d , L o r d , n o w w c k n o w t h a t t h o u a r t d e l i v e r i n g
t h y c i t y i n t o t h e h a n d s o f its e n e m i e s , a n d t h e y will c a r r y olf t h e
7 p e o p l e t o B a b y l o n . W h a t s h o u l d w e d o w i t h t h e s a c r e d t h i n g s in t h y
temple a n d t h e v e s s e l s u s e d i n t h y s e r v i c e ? W h a t w o u l d e s t t h o u h a v e

' I.il. •Wh.-il is il lovDU.''

' I.il. 'until lhc sixlh hour ofthe night'.

' I.it. '.\n<l when the hour ofthe night came'.

 'I'ke I'araleipvmenaojJerem'iah {!23
il u s (]() w i t h t h e m ? A n c i t l i e L o r d s a i d t o h i m , T a k e t h e m a n d c o n s i g n
t h e m t o t h e e a r t h . ' s a y i n g . L i s t e n , O c a r t l i , to t h e voice of h i m w h o
c r e a t e d y o u in t h e a b u n d a n c e o f t h e w a t e r s , w h o s c a l e d y o u w i t h
sc\cn seals in seven [ l e r i o d s o f tinu-. a n d w h o will afterwards
r e c e i v e y o u r b e a u t y : g u a r d t h e vx-sscls o f t h c s e r x i c e till t h c c o m i n g
9 o f t h e B e l o v e d O n e . A n d , J e r e m i a h s a i d , I b e s e e t li t h e e . L o r d , s h o w
m e loo w h a t I s h o u l d d o a b o u t . A b i m e l e c h t h e E t h i o p i a n , for h e h a s
d o n e m a n y k i n d n e s s e s to t h e p e o p l e , a n d to t h y s e r v a n t J e r e m i a h
( f o r it w a s h e w h o h o i s t e d m e u p o u t o f t h e m u d d y p i t ) , a n d 1 w o u l d
not wish h i m to see t h c city's destruction a n d desolation, a n d be
10 d i s t r e s s e d a b o u t i t . .And t h e L o r d s a i d t o J e r e m i a h . S e n d h i m t o t h e
\ i n c y a r d o f . A g r i p p a b y t h e m o u n t a i n road; a n d I w i l l s h e l t e r h i m
11 t h e r e u n t i l 1 b r i n g t h e j i c o p l c b a c k t o t h e c:ity. . A n d t h e L o r d also
s a i d t o J e r e m i a h . Cio w i t h y o u r p e o p l e to B a b y l o n , a n d s t a \ ' with
12 t h e r n a n d p r e a c h t o t h e m , ' until I b r i n g I h e m b a c k to t h c city. B u t
13 l c a \ c B a r u c h h e r e u n t i l I s p e a k t o h i m . .And w h e n h c h a d s a i d t h i s ,
14 h e left Jeremiah a n d went u p i n t o h e a v e n . .And J e r e m i a h a n d
B a r u c h w e n t i n t o t h e s a n c t u a r y a n d c o n s i g n e d t h e \ essels ofthe
service to thc earth," as the Lord h a d instructed them, a n d the
e a r t h s w a l l o w e d t h e m instantly; a n d t h e two o f t h e m sat d o w n a n d
Ij w e p t . / \ n d i n t h c m o r n i n g e a r l y . J e r e m i a h .sent . A b i m e l e c h a w a y ,
s a v i n g , 'Vdkcyvur basket a n d g o to A g r i p p a ' s larrn by t h c m o u n t a i n
r o a d : f e t c h a f e w figs, a n d g i v e them t o t h o s e o f t h e p e o p l e w h o a r e
ill: o n y o u be ']o\ f r o m t h e L o r d , a n d may Ins g l o r y resl u p o n y o u r
16 h e a d . . A n d . A b i m e l e c h w e n t oiVand did .is h e h a d b e e n t o l d .

IV. A n d in t h e m o r n i n g early, behold, t h ea r m y ofthe C h a l d a c a n s

s u r r o u n d e d t h c city; a n d t h c great angel blew t h c t r u m p e t , saying.
E n t e r t h e c i t y , a r m y o f t h e C ' h a l d a c a n s , for b e h o l d , t h c g a t e h a s
2 b e e n o p e n e d I b r y o u . S o t h e k i n g e n t e r e d w i t h h i s h o s t a n d took all
3 t h e p e o p l e c a p t i v e . .And J e r e m i a h t o o k t h e k e y s o f t h e t e m p l e , a n d
w e n t o u t s i d e t h c c i t y a n d t h r e w t h e m up i n t h c l a c e o f t h e s u n ,
s a y i n g , I tell y o u , s u n , t a k e t h c k e y s of G o d ' s t e m p l e , a n d g u a r d
t h e m u n t i l t h c d a y w h e n t h c L o r d tells y o u w h a t to d o w i t h t h e m ;
+ b e c a u s e w c h a v e p r o v e d u n w o r t h y g u a r d i a n s o f t h e m a n d faithless
' .So ah: c K.lli, add 'and to l!u- altal'. C:[). verse 14,
' l.il, "Slav vvith thern evangeli/ing them', C p , v, 21,
" So nb Kth,: radds and to thc altar', C:p, verse ti.
 824 The Paraleipomena of Jeremiah
") s t e w a r d s . And w l i i l e J e r e i n i a h w a s still w e e p i n g I b r t h e [ j e o p l e , he
fi and t h e y w e r e d r a g g e d o i l t o B a b y l t j n . B u t B a r u c h p u t d u s t o n h i s
h e a d , a n d sat d o w n a n d u t t e r e d this l a m e n t , s a y i n g .

W h y is J e r u s a l e m desolated?
B e c a u s e o f t h e sins o f t h e beloved people
S h e is d e l i v e r e d i n t o t h e e n e m i e s " h a n d s .
B e c a u s e o f o u r s i n s a n d the sins o f t h e p e o p l e .
7 B u t let n o t t h e l a w l e s s o n e s b o a s t a n d s a y .
W e h a v e b e e n a b l e to take G o d ' s city by o u r o w n s t r e n g t h .
Y o u h a v e indeed prevailed against her;
B u t it w a s b e c a u s e o f o u r s i n s t h a t w e w e r e d c l i \ e r e d u p .
» A n d o u r G o d will h a v e pity o n us.
A n d h e will r e s t o r e us to o u r city:
I5ut a s Ibr y o u , y o u will n o t e n d u r e . '
9 B l e s s e d a r e o u r l a t h e r s , . A b r a h a m , Isaat:, a n d , j a c t ) b ,
Kor t h e y d e p a r t e d frotn this w o r l d
A n d d i d n o t see the d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h i s city.

II) . \ n d w h e n he h a d said this, he went out weeping a n d saying. O

11 J e r u s a l e m , I leave you, mourning I b r y o u . .And h e remained,
s i t t i n g o n a t o m b , w h i l e t h e a n g e l s c a m e a n d t o l d h i m in d e t a i l
about everything.

V. N o w . A b i m e l e c h h a d g o n e t o f e t c h t h e figs a n d w a s b r i n g i n g
t h e m b a c k in t h e m i d d a y h e a t ; ' a n d h e c a m e u p o n a tree, a n d sat
d o w n in its s h a d e to rest a w h i l e . A n d h e l e a n e d his h e a d o n t h e
fig-basket a n d fell a s l e e p ; a n d h e s l e p t s o u n d l y for s i x t y - s i x y e a r s
2 w i t h o u t w a k i n g u p . i \ n d afterwards, w h e n he did wake up, he said.
I t is a p i t y I d i d n o t s l e e p a l i t t l e b i t m o r e : 1 feel v e r y d i o w s y , '
3 b e c a u s e I h a v e not h a d e n o u g h sleep. T h e n he took ofl'the cover
4 over the fig-basket a n d f o u n d t h e figs o o z i n g s a p . . A n d h e s a i d , 1
w o u l d h a v e l i k e d a b i t m o r e s l e e p , b e c a u s e 1 feel .so d r o w s y . ' B u t 1
a m a f r a i d t h a t if I d o g o t o s l e e p , I m i g h t n o t w a k e u p for s o m e t i m e ,
a n d m y f a t h e r J e r e m i a h w i l l b e p u t o u t ; for if h e h a d n o t b e e n in a

I.il. ".And .Abimelech lif-tched the fig.s in the heat".

I.it. 'my head is weighed down".
 The Paraleipomena oJJeremiah 82")
() h u r r y , h e w o u l d n o t h a v e s e n t i n e o u t t o - d a y a t d a y b r e a k . S o I w i l l
g e t u p , a n d g o o n in t h e h e a t - would that I could find somewhere
7 where there is no heat and daily toil!' H e g o t u p a c c o r d i n g l y , a n d
p i c k e d u p t h e h g - b a s k e t a n d p u t il o n h i s s h o u l d e r s , a n d m a d e h i s
w a y i n t o J e r u s a l e m : a n d h e d i d n o t r e c o g n i z e it, n e i t h e r A M h o u s e ,
n o r t h c d i s t r i c t w h e r e h e l i v e d , ' ' nor could he find ofhis relations.-'
H . X n d h c s a i d . B l e s s e d b e t h e I . o r d . for I m u s t b e in a t r a n c e : t h i s is
9 n o t t h c c i t y . I a m l o s t . I()r I c a m e b y t h e m o u n t a i n r o a d a f t e r I w o k e
10 u p f r o m m y sleep. . \ n d b e c a u s e I w a s d r o w s y " t h r o u g h not h a v i n g
11 h a d e n o u g h s l e e p . I m u s t h a v e l o s t m y w a y . / / ivould be a b s u r d t o
1'.' t e l l J e r e m i a h t h a t I g o t l o s t . . \ n d h e w e n t o u t some distance f r o m t h c
c i t y ; a n d , l o o k i n g a t it, h e s a w t h e c i t y ' s l a n d m a r k s a n d s a i d . This
Ki is i n d e e d t h e c i t y , b u t I a m l o s t . . \ i i d h e w e n t b a c k a g a i n i n s i d e t h e
city, a n d s e a r c h e d , a n d discovered no single person that hc knew
II . \ n d h c s a i d . B l e s s e d b e t h e I . o r d , for a m i g h t y t r a n c e h a s f a l l e n o n
1.1 m c . . A n d h e w e n t o u t s i d e t h c c i t y a g a i n , a n d r e m a i n e d t h e r e in
11) d e e p d i s t r e s s , n o t k n o w i n g w h e r e t o g o . .And h c p u t t h e basket
d o w n , s a y i n g , I w i l l sit h e r e u n t i l t h e I . o r d t a k e s t h i s t r a n c e a w a y
17 f r o m m c . . \ n d w h i l e h e w a s s i t t i n g there, h e s a w a n o l d m a n c o m i n g
in f r o m t h e c o u n t r y ; a n d .Abimelech said to h i m , fell m e , old m a n ,
18 w h a t c i t y t h a t is? . A n d h e s a i d t o h i m , J e r u s a l e m , .And . A b i m e l e c h
s a i d t o h i m . W h e r e is J e r e m i a h t h e p r i e s t , a n d B a r u c h t h e s c r i b e ,
a n d all t h e p e o p l e o f t h i s city, b e c a u s e I h a v e n o t b e e n a b l e to find
19 t h e m ? .And t h e o l d m a n s a i d to h i m . S u r e l y y o u m u s t be from this
20 city yourself: otherwise why should you be thinking about
J e r e m i a h t o - d a y a n d a s k i n g a b o u t h i m s u c h a long t i m e after h e
21 w e n t a w a y ? J e r e m i a h is i n B a b y l o n w i t h t h c p e o p l e ; l()r t h e y w e r e
t a k e n c a p t i v e b y k i n g . N e b u c h a d n e z z a r , a n d j c r c n i i a h is w i t h t h e m
22 preaching to them and instructing them." .And as .sfK)n as
2:i . A b i m e l e c h h e a r d w h a t t h e o l d m a n t o l d h i m , h e s a i d to htm. N o o n e
s h o u l d i n s u l t a n y o n e w h o is o l d e r t h a n h e is h i m s e l f , a n d if y o u
w e r e n o t a n o l d m a n , I w o u l d l a u g h a t y o u a n d c a l l y o u m a d t o tell

' Harris'.s reconslruclion (in lhe basLs ol'rt and A: r o n i . ; Kill, is clearly corrupi.
'' I.il. 'nor place'.
^ I.il. 'nor his own slock'.
* I.il. '.And my head being heavy'.
' I.il. 'no one ofhis own people-.
" I.il. -IO evangelize ihem and inslruci ihem in the word'. Cp. iii. 11.
 8L'() The Paraleipomena oJJeremiah
•_>( n i c t h a i t h e p e o p l e h a v e b e e n taken captive to B a b y l o n . Kven ifthe
c a t a r a c t s of heaven'' h a d descended on them there would not yet
lb h a \ (• b e e n t i m e f o r t h e m t o r e a c h B a b y l o n . K o r h o w l o n g is it s i n c e
m y l a t h e r J e r e m i a h s e n t m e t o A g r i p p a ' s f a r m f o r a f e w figs t o g i v e
l(i t o t h o s e o f t h e p e o p l e w h o a r e ill? 1 w e n t o l f a n d f e t c h e d t h e m , a n d
on the way back i n t h e h e a t I c a m e t o a t r e e , a n d 1 s a t d o w n t o r e s t a
bit, a n d leaned m y head o n t h e basket, a n d went tosleep; a n d when
1 w o k e u p , I t(Mik o l f t h e c o v e r o v e r t h e f i g - b a s k e t , a s 1 t h o u g h t I
l i a \ c b e e n r a t h e r a l o n g t i m e , a n d I f o u n d t h e figs o o z i n g s a p , a s if I
h a d J u s t p i c k e d t h e m . \ \ ' \ y o u tell m e t h e p e o p l e h a v e b e e n t a k e n
11 c a p t i x c t o B a b y l o n . S o t h a t y o u t n a y k n o w that I am tellingyou the
m truth, c o m e , l o o k a t t h e figs. . A n d h e t o o k o l f t h e c o v e r o f t h e
L"l.:il) l i g - b a s k e t f o r t h e o l d m a n . . A n d h e too s a w t h e m o o z i n g s a p . . A n d
w h e n t h e old m a n s a w t h e m he said, .\ly son, you a r e a righteous
m a n , a n d ( J o d w o u l d n o t let y o u s e e t h e c i t y ' s d e s t r u c t i o n ; for it is
(Jod w h o has brought this t r a n c e u p o n y o u . F o r , b e h o l d , i t is
si.\ty-six years to t h e \ e r y d a y since t h e people were taken captive
il t o B a b y l o n . .And s o t h a t y o u m a y u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h i s is t r u e , m y
child, look o u t o n t h e c o u n t r y s i d e , a n d see h o w m u c h progress t h e
c r o p s l i a \ e m a d e , a n d y o u w i l l r e a l i z e t h a t it is n o t y e t t h e t i m e for
M figs.'" F h e n . A b i m e l e c h c r i e d o u t a l o u d , s a y i n g , I will b l e s s t h e e ,
Lord (Jod of heaven a n d earth, the repose of t h e souls of t h e
;i;i r i g h t e o u s in every p l a c e . .And h e said to t h e old m a n . W h a t month
:il is i t ? . A n d h e s a i d , N i s a n ; a n d it is t h e t w e l f t h o f N i s a n . " . A n d
.Abimelech p i c k e d o u t s o m e o f t h e figs, a n d g a v e t h e m t o t h e o l d m a n ,
a n d s a i d t o h i m , ( J o d will light y o u r w a y t o t h e city ofjerusalem
w h i c h is a b o v e .

VI. .After t h i s . A b i m e l e c h w e n t o u t s i d e t h e c i t y a n d p r a y e d t o t h e
L o r d . .And l o . a n a n g e l o f t h e L o r d c a m e a n d led h i m b a c k t o w h e r e
1 B a r u c h w a s ; a n d h e f o u n d h i m s i t t i n g o n a t o m b . .And w h e n t h e y
s a w e a c h o t h e r , t h e y b o t h w e p t a n d k i s s e d e a c h o t h e r . .And B a r u c h

" S c c t i r n . vii. I I. viii. L'Kings v i i . 1 1 1 ; .Mai. iii. l O - i n t h c I . X X .

"' Bolh text a n d interpretation here are iineertain; hut the translation attempts
to give the sense that seems to he retjuiretl.
" ab '.Nisan, which is the twelfth month'; r'Isaac is this month'; Kth. 'the twelfth
o f t h e intinth Nisan, which is .Mijazja'.
 The Paraleipomena ofJeremiah 827
l o o k e d u p a n d s a w t h e h g s e o x e r e d u p in t h e b a s k e t ; a n d h e l i h e d
h i s e y e s u p t o h e a v e n a n d p t a y e d , s a y i n g , I t is G o d w h o r e w a r d s
his s a i n t s . P r e p a r e yourself, m y h e a r t , a n d m a k e m c r n , a n d rejoice
while you are i n y o u r b o d y ' - t h a t i s , i n y o u r h o u s e o f f l e s h ; for y o u r
s o r r o w h a s b e e n t u r n e d i n t o j o y . I ' o r t h e . M m i g h t y is c o m i n g , a n d
h c w ill t a k e y o u o u t o f y o u r b o d y , for t h e r e is n o s i n in y o u . R e v i v e ,
m y v i r g i n I'aith, a n d b e l i e v e t h a t y o u w i l l l i \ e . L o o k a t t h i s b a s k e t o f
figs; for l o , t h e y a r c s i x t y - s i x y e a r s o l d a n d t h e y h a \ e n o t g o n e
m o u l d y , n o r d o t h e y s m e l l a t a l l , b u t t h e y a r c o o z i n g s a p . .So w i l l it
b e w i t h y o u , m y ficsh, if y o u d o w h a t y o u a r e c o m m a n d e d b y t h c
a n g e l o l ' r i g h t c o u s n e s s . H c w h o h a s p r e s e r v e d t h c b a s k e t o f figs, h e
will p r e s e r v e y o u a g a i n b y h i s p o w e r . .Vnd t h e n B a r u c h s a i d to
. \ b i m c l c c h . G e t u p , a n d let u s p r a y t o t h e L o r d a n d a s k h i m t o
s h o w u s h o w w c c a n s e n d w o r d t o J e r e m i a h i n B a b y l o n and tell him
a b o u t h o w y o u h a v e b e e n p r o t e c t e d . .And B a r u c h p r a y e d , s a y i n g ,
O L o r d o u r (}od, o u r S t r e n g t h , t h c c h o s e n L i g h t w h i c h c a m e forth
from his m o u t h , I b e g thcc a n d beseech thcc by thy goodness, thc
g r e a t . N a m e n o m a n c a n k n o w , h e a r t h e v o i c e o f t h y s e r v a n t , a n d let
t h e r e b e k n o w l e d g e in m y h e a r t . W h a t w o u l d c s t t h o u t h a t w c
s h o u l d d o ? H o w c a n I s e n d word t o J e r e m i a h in B a b y l o n ? W h i l e
B a r u c h w a s still p r a y i n g , b e h o l d , a n a n g e l o f t h e L o r d c a m e a n d
said t o B a r u c h , B a r u c h , counsellor of light, h a v e n o anxiety a b o u t
h o w y o u a r e t o s e n d word t o J e r e m i a h ; f o r t o - m o r r o w , a t d a w n , a n
e a g l e will c o m e t o y o u , a n d y o u c a n s e n d h i m a s a m e s s e n g e r to
J e r e m i a h . . A n d w r i t e a l e t t e r , s a y i n g . S p e a k t o t h c I s r a e l i t e s and say
to them, T h c s t r a n g e r t h a t is a m o n g y o u , l e t h i m b e s e p a r a t e d Jrom
you, a n d l e t t h i s c o n t i n u e f o r fifteen d a y s ; a n d a h e r t h i s I w i l l b r i n g
y o u t o y o u r city, says t h e L o r d . W h o e v e r does n o t s e p a r a t e himself
f r o m B a b y l o n , J e r e m i a h , s h a l l n o t e n t e r t h e city; a n d I will p u n i s h
t h e m , s o that they a r e not received back again by t h e Babylonians,
s a y s t h e L o r d . A n d a f t e r s a y i n g t h i s , t h e a n g e l left B a r u c h . . A n d
B a r u c h sent to t h c Gentiles' .Market' a n d got s o m e p a p e r a n d ink,
a n d w r o t e a letter a s follows,
B a r u c h , s e r v a n t o f G o d , t o J e r e m i a h , w h o is o f t h e c a p t i v i t y t h a t
is i n B a b y l o n , g r e e t i n g . R e j o i c e t h a t G o d h a s n o t a l l o w e d u s t o

' I.it. 'icm, taljcrnailc'. Cp. 2 Cor. v. 1. 4.

- .Sor: ab 'to the Diaspora ol'thc (Jentiles"; Kth. to the street (or "n arket')'.
 828 The Paraleipomena oJJeremiah
l e a v e t h i s b o d y in m o u r n i n g for t h e c i t y ' s d e s o l a t i o n a n d h u m i l i a -
18 t i o n . Rejoice b c c : a u s e t h e L o r d h a s h a d c o m p a s s i o n o n o u r t e a r s a n d
remetnbered t h e c o v e n a n t he m a d e with o u r fathers, .Abraham,
19 I s a a c , a n dJ a c o b . F o r he sent m e his angel a n d spoke these words
20 t o m e t h a t now I s e n d t o y o u . T h e s e , t h e n , a r e t h e w o r d s t h e L o r d
God o f I s r a e l h a s s p o k e n , w h o b r o u g h t u s o u t o f t h e l a n d o f K g y p t ,
21 o u t o f t h e mighty furnace. Because you did not keep m y precepts,
b u t w e r e a r r o g a n t a n d obstinate, I w a s furious a n d delivered y o u
22 i n a n g e r t o t h e f u r n a c e i n B a b y l o n . II, t h e n , y o u w i l l l i s t e n t o m e ,
s a y s t h e L o r d , a n d d o a s m y s e r v a n t J e r e m i a h tells y o u , ' - w h o t ; v e r
l i s t e n s I will b r i n g b a c k f r o m B a b y l o n , b u t w h o e v e r will n o t listen
23 s h a l l b e c o m e a s t r a n g e r both t o J e r u s a l e m a n d t o B a b y l o n . Y o u
s h a l l t e s t t h e m b y t h e w a t e r o f J o r d a n , and w h o e v e r w i l l n o t l i s t e n
w i l l b e o b v i o u s e n o u g h : t h i s is t h e s i g n o f t h e g r e a t s e a l .

1.2 vn. .\nd Baruch g o t u p a n d left the tomb.' A n d the eagle

a n s w e r e d in a h u t n a n voice a n d said. Hail, Baruch, steward ofthe
3 faith. A n d B a r u c h said to h i m , Chosen you a r e , you w h o n o w
s p e a k , o u t o f all t h e b i r d s o f h e a v e n ; for this is p l a i n from t h e light
4..i i n y o u r e y e s . ' F e l l m e , t h e n , w h a t y o u a r e d o i n g h e r e . .And t h e e a g l e
said to him, I w a s sent here so that y o ucould send a n y message you
6 w a n t e d b y m e . A n d B a r u c h said to h i m . C a n y o u take this message
7 t o J e r e m i a h i n B a b y l o n i ' . A n d t h e e a g l e s a i d t o h i m . T h i s is w h y I
8 w a s s e n t . . A n d B a r u c h p i c k e d u p t h e l e t t e r , a n d fifteen figs f r o m
9 A b i m e l e c h ' s b a s k e t , a n d t i e d t h e m r o u n d t h e e a g l e ' s n e c k . .And h e
s a i d t o h i m , I tell y o u , k i n g o f b i r d s , g o i n p e a c e , a n d carrv- n i y
10 m e s s a g e safely. D o n o t b e like t h e r a v e n , w h i c h N o a h sent o u t , a n d
w h i c h n e v e r r e t u r n e d t o h i m in t h e a r k a g a i n ; b u t b e like t h e d o v e ,
w h i c h o n t h e third occasion brought back a message to that good
11 m a n . So d o y o u too take this me^ssage o f e n c o u r a g e m e n t ' to
J e r e m i a h a n d t h o s e with h i m , a n d lare you well: take this letter' to
12 t h e c h o s e n p e o p l e o f G o d . E v e n if a l l t h e b i r d s o f h e a v e n g a t h e r

' I.il. '. . . Lord, by the mouth o t t n y s e r v a n t j e r e m i a h ' .

' So al> Eth.: c a d d s 'and he (bund the eagle sitting outside the tomb'. Clearly
s o m e t h i n g has d r o p p e d out at some stage.
' Lit. 'this good message'.
' L i t . ' t h i s piece ofpaper'.
 The Paraleipomena ofjeremiah 829
r o u n d y o u , a n d a l l t h c e n e m i e s o f t r u t h s e t t h c i n s e h c s in a r r a y
a g a i n s t y o u , h g h t t h e m ; and m a y t h c L o r d g i v e y o u s t r e n g t h . L l y
s t r a i g h t a s a n a r r o w , w i t h o u t d e v i a t i n g c i t h e r t o r i g h t o r t o left, in
13 t h c s t r e n g t h o l ' G o d . T h e n t h e e a g l e Hew o i l ' w i t h t h e l e t t e r a n d
m a d e his w a y to B a b y l o n , a n d he a l i g h t e d o n a tree o u t s i d e the city
14 i n a n u n f r e q u e n t e d s p o t . .And h e s t a y e d t h e r e iti s i l e n c e u n t i l
J e r e m i a h c a m e by, a c c o m p a n i e d by s o m e o t h e r s of the people,
c o m i n g out to bury a m a n w h o had died. (For J e r e m i a h had asked
.Nebuchadnezzar, saying, (iive me a place where I can bury my
l.i p e o p l e ' s d e a d . .And h c h a d g i \ e n h i m o n e . ) S o t h e y w e r e c o m i n g
o u t of the city a n d w e e p i n g o v e r t h e d e a d m a n , a n d t h e y c a m e u p t o
w h e r e t h e e a g l e w a s ; a n d t h c e a g l e c r i e d o u t , s a y i n g , I tell y o u ,
J e r e m i a h , G o d ' s c h o s e n o n e , g o a n d g a t h e r t o g e t h e r all t h e p e o p l e ,
a n d b r i n g t h e m h e r e to h e a r the gotxl news I h a v e b r o u g h t you
16 f r o m B a r u c h a n d . A b i m e l e c h . W h e n J e r e m i a h h e a r d t h i s , h c g a v e
p r a i s e to G o d ; a n d hc w e n t olf a n d g a t h e r e d t h e p e o p l e together,
w i t h the w o m e n a n d thc children, a n d c a m e where the eagk was.
17 A n d t h e e a g l e flew d o w n u p o n t h c m a n t h a t w a s d e a d , a n d h e c a m e
18 t o life a g a i n ( t h i s h a p p e n e d s o t h a t t h e y s h o u l d b e l i e v e ) . .And a l l
t h e p e o p l e w e r e a m a z e d a t w h a t h a d h a p p e n e d , s a y i n g . Is n o t this
t h e G o d w h o a p p e a r e d t o o u r f a t h e r s in t h e w i l d e r n e s s t h r o u g h
M o s e s ? D i d h c n o t t h e n r e f e r t o h i m s e l f a s if h e w e r e a n e a g l e ? " H a s
19 h e n o t n o w a p p e a r e d t o u s t h r o u g h t h i s g r e a t e a g l e h e r e ? ' .And t h e
e a g l e s a i d t o J e r e m i a h . C o m e , u n t i e t h i s l e t t e r , a n d r e a d it t o t h c
20 p e o p l e . S o h e u n t i e d t h e l e t t e r a n d r e a d it t o t h e p e o p l e . .And w h e n
21 the people heard t h e y w e p t a n d p u t d u s t o n t h e i r h e a d s . .And
t h e y s a i d t o J e r e m i a h , H e l p u s , a n d tell u s w h a t w c m u s t d o t o
22 r e g a i n o u r c i t y . .And J e r e m i a h a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d t o t h e m . D o
e v e r y t h i n g y o u h a v e b e e n t o l d t o d o in t h e l e t t e r , a n d G t x l w i l l
23 b r i n g u s t o o u r c i t y . .And J e r e m i a h a l s o w r o t e a l e t t e r t o B a r u c h a s
follows.
D o n o t neglect, m y d e a r son, to m a k e p e t i t i o n for u s in y o u r
prayers that God may prosper our w a y till w e e s c a p e f r o m t h e
c o n t r o l o f t h i s l a w l e s s k i n g ; for y o u w e r e found r i g h t e o u s before
h i m a n d h e d i d n o t let y o u c o m e h e r e with us, so that you m i g h t not

' C p . Exod. xix. 4; Deut. xx.xii. 10-11.

' Lit. ' . . . Moses, and hc made liimsellin the form ofan eagle, and appeared to us
through this great eagle.''
 830 The Paraleipomena of Jeremiah
sec t h e alHiction that h a s befallen t h e people at t h e h a n d s ofthe
•Jl B a b y l o n i a n s . F o r j u s t a s a n y o n e w h o is a n x i o u s t o d o w h a t h e c a n
for a l a t h e r , w h o s e o n l y s o n h a s t o u n d e r g o p u n i s h m e n t , will p u t
s o m e t h i n g o v e r t h e f a t h e r ' s l a e e .so t h a t h e e a n n o t s e e t h e s o n
a e t u a l l y being p u n i s h e d a n d thus be mortified e \ e n m o r e than he
w a s b e f o r e , s o G o d h a d p i t y o n \ ( ) u a n d d i d n o t let y o u e o m e t o
B a b y l o n , s o t h a t y o u m i g h t n o t s e e t h e p e o p l e ' s a l l l i c t i o n ; for s i n c e
we came to this city w e h a \ e been a l l l i c t e c l c o n t i n u o u s K , for
•Jf) s i x t y - s i x y e a r s to t h e \ c r y d a y . F o r often e n o u g h w h e n I h a v e c o m e
o u t o f d o o r s I h a v e f o u n d .some o f t h e p e o p l e a b o u t t o b e h a n g e d b y
k i n g . N e b u c h a d n e z z a r , a n d t h e y wotild b e in tears, s a y i n g . H a v e
_>!) m e r c y u p o n u s , t h o u g o d Z a r . " W h e n 1 h e a r d t h i s I w a s d i s t r e s s e d
a n d m a d e a d o u b l e lamentation, not only because they were being
h a n g e d , b u t also b e c a u s e t h e y w e r e i n v o k i n g a f o r e i g n g o d , s a y i n g ,
L'7 H a \ e m e r c y o n u s . .And 1 w o u l d r e t n e m b e r t h e feast d a y s w e k e p t
in J e r u s a l e m before we were made c a p t i v e s . .And w h e n 1 re­
membered t h e m . I w o u l d g r o a n a n d t u r n b a c k t o m y h o u s e in
•JK a n g u i s h a n d i n t e a r s . S o n o w m a k e p e t i t i o n i n ' t h e p l a c e w h e r e y o u
a r e , y o u a n d .Abimelech, o n this people's b e h a l f that they m a y
listen to m e a n d t h e instructions that 1 give t h e m , a n d that w e m a y
L"i e s c a p e f r o m h e r e . F o r I tell y o u , t h e w h o l e t i m e w e h a v e b e e n h e r e
the B a b y l o n i a n s " have pestered us a n d said. Sing us o n e of the
s o n g s o f / . i o n , e v e n t h e s o n g of y o u r G o d . .And w e w o u l d a n s w e r
t h e m . H o w c a n w e s i n g t o y o u , s e e i n g w e a r e in a foreign l a n d ?
:i(l . A n d a f t e r lhis Jeremiah t i e d t h e l e t t e r t o t h e e a g l e ' s n e c k , s a y i n g ,
:il (Jo i n p e a c e , a n d m a y t h e I . o r d w a t c h o v e r b o t h of Ihem. . A n d t h e
e a g l e flew olf. a n d c a r r i e d t h e l e t t e r , a n d g a v e it t o B a r u c h . . A n d
B a r u c h u n t i e d i t , a n d h e r e a d it a n d k i s s e d i t , a n d w h e n h e h e a r d
;i2 about t h e d i s t r e s s e s a n d alflictions o f t h e p e o p l e h e w e p t . .And
J e r e m i a h t o o k t h e figs a n d d i s t r i b u t e d t h e m a m o n g t h e p e o p l e w h o
w e r e i l l . . A n d h e r e m a i n e d there t e a c h i n g t h e m t o k e e p t h e m s e l v e s
from the pollutions ofthe Gentiles of Babylon.

" .So II and h. "Zar* is a transliu-ration of du- conunon Hebrew word zur ~
•stranite' or 'loreinn' (for ils use in the phra.se 'stranse gtKl' see Pss. xliv. 20 and
lx.\.\i. 01. f reads '.Sabaoth' I'he Kth. .\ISS van, between Zar'. '.Sorot'. and'Sarot'.
' I.it. "to" (are.).
" I.it. 'thev'.C:p. Ps. e.xx.vvii. :i.
 The Paraleipomena of Jeremiah 831

VIII. . \ i u l t h e d a y l a i i u " u l i e n ( J o d led t h e p e o p l e o u t o f B a b y l o n .

2 . \ n d t h e I . o r d .said t o J e r e m i a h , ( j e t u p . bolh y o u a n d t h e p e o p l e ,
a n d m a k e \ f ) t i r u a \ t o J o r d a n ; a n d s a y t o t h e p e o p l e . H e t h a t is for
t h e I . o r d , let h i m l e a v e b e h i n d w h a t w a s d o n e in B a b y l o n - t h e m e n
who married Babylonian' wives and the w o m e n who married
:i B a b y l o n i a n ' h u s b a n d s . . \ n d let t h o s e w h o l i s t e n l o y o u c r o s s o v e r ,
a n d b r i n g t h e m to J e r u s a l e m ; b u l t h o s e w h o will not listen to y o u .
1 d o n o t b r i n g i n t o il. . \ n d J e r e m i a h told t h e m t h i s ; a n d t h e y got u p
a n d c a n u " t o J o r d a n t o c r o s s o v e r , a n d h e r e p e a t e d to t h e m w h a t t h e
L o r d h a d told him. . \ n d hairol'those w h o had m a r r i e d Babylonians'
r e r u s e d to l i s t e n to J e r e m i a h , b u t s a i d to h i m . W e will n e v e r leave
1 o u r w i\ e s b e h i n d : let u s t a k e t h e m b a c k w i t h u s t o o u r c i t y . S o t h e y
c r o s s e d t h e J o r d a n a n d c a m e to J e r u s a l e m . . \ n d Jeremiah stood
u p . a n d B a r u c h . a n d . \ b i m c l e c h . a n d s a i d , .No o n e w i t h a B a b y l o -
I) n i a n p a r t n e r shall e n t e r this city. . \ n d t h e y said to t h e m . Let us
t h e n r e t u r n to B a b y l o n w h e r e we b e l o n g . ' . \ n d they went a w a y .
7 B u t w h e n t h e \ c a m e to B a b v l o n . t h e B a b y l o n i a n s c a m e o u t to m e e t
t h e m , s a y i n g . \\n\ s h a l l n o t e n t e r o u r c i t y b e c a u s e in y o u r h a t r e d
f o r u s y o u left s e c r e t l y : y o u s h a l l n o t r e t u r n t o u s liir t h a t r e a s o n .
F o r w e h a v e b o u n d o u r s e l v e s b y o a l h . in t h e n a m e o l ' o u r g o d . n o t
t o r e c e i v e e i t h e r \ o u o r y o u r c h i l d r e n , b e c a u s e y o u lelt u s s e c r e t l y .
!! . \ n d w h e n t h e y h e a r d t h i s , t h e y t u r n e d b a c k a n d c a m e lo a d e ­
s e r t e d p l a c e s o m e d i s t a n c e r r o m j e r u s a l c m ; a n d t h e y b u i l t a c i t y liir
!) t h e m s c K e s a n d c a l l e d it S a m a r i a . . \ n d J e r e m i a h s e n t a message t o
t h e m , s a y i n g . R e p e n t , for t h c a n g e l o f r i g h t e o u s n e s s is c o m i n g a n d
will lead \ o u to y o u r place o n high.

IX. .Vnd t h o s e w h o w e r e o f j c r c m i a h ' s p a r t y rejoiced a n d ollered

2 s a c r i h c c o n t h e p e o p l e ' s b e h a l f c o n t i n u o u s l y Ibr n i n e d a y s . O n t h e
:i t e n t h d a y J e r e m i a h a l o n e o l l e r e d s a c r i h c c . .Xnd h e p r a y e d , s a y i n g .
H o l y , holy, holy, the I n c e n s e o f t h e living trees, the true Light which
4 l i g h t e t h m c till I a m t a k e n u p t o t h c c , b e y o n d t h e s w e e t v o i c e o f t h e

' I.il. inarriecl Irom them'. .Vlu-r Babylonians' in verse 4 ilie lexl off breaks oil
and eonelndes wilh a eolleelion ot hislorieal scraps, mosllv derived Irom 1 and 2
Ksdras ( I . X X l .
' I.il. 'lo Babylon, to our plat e'.
832 The Paraleipomena of Jeremiah
t w o s e r a p h i m , a n d beyond the sweet smell ol'the ineense ol'the
eherubim.' . M i c h a e l , t h e a r c h a n g e l o f r i g h t e o u s n e s s , is m y c o n ­
stant delight till he brings the righteous in.' 1 beseech thee,
.Almighty L o r d of all creation, t h e U n b e g o t t e n a n d t h e I n c o m ­
prehensible, in w h o m all j u d g e m e n t was hidden before these
t h i n g s c a m e i n t o b e i n g . . . .And a s J e r e m i a h w a s s a y i n g this,
s t a n d i n g a t t h e altar with B a r u c h a n d .Abimelech, he sank into a
d e a t h - l i k e s w o o n . ' . A n d B a r u c h a n d . A b i m e l e c h s t a y e d there w e e p ­
ing a n d c r y i n g o u t aloud, J e r e m i a h o u r father, t h e priest of G o d ,
h a s left u s a n d g o n e a w a y . . A n d a l l t h e p e o p l e h e a r d t h e i r w a i l i n g ,
a n d they all r a n to t h e m a n d s a wJ e r e m i a h lying d e a d u p o n t h e
g r o t m d ; a n d they rent their clothes a n d p u tdust o n their heads a n d
m a d e a b i t t e r l a m e n t a t i o n . .And a f t e r w a r d s t h e y m a d e prepara­
t i o n s t o b u r y h i m . .And lo, a voice c a m e , s a y i n g . B u r y n o t a m a n
w h o is s t i l l a l i v e , b e c a u s e h i s s o u l is c o m i n g back i n t o h i s b o d y
a g a i n . .Andw h e n they h e a r d t h e voice they d i d not bury h i m , b u t
r e m a i n e d r o u n d h i s body'* for t h r e e d a y s d i s c u s s i n g , b u t n o t k n o w ­
i n g , w h e n h e w o u l d r i s e u p . .And a f t e r t h r e e d a y s h i s s o u l c a m e back
i n t o h i s b o d y , a n d h e r a i s e d h i s voice in t h e m i d d l e of t h e m all a n d
s a i d , ( i l o r i f y G o d , g l o r i f y ( i o d , a l l o f y o u , a n d also t h e .Son o f G o d
w h o a w a k e n s u s o u t o f s l e e p , J e s u s C h r i s t , t h e L i g h t of all t h e a g e s ,
t h e u n q u e n c h a b l e L a m p , t h e L i f e o f f a i t h . .After f o u r h u n d r e d a n d
s e v e n t y - s e v e n y e a r s from n o w , h e will c o t n e ' to e a r t h ; a n d t h e T r e e
o f Life, w h i c h w a s p l a n t e d in t h e m i d d l e o f P a r a d i s e will m a k e all
t r e e s t h a t a r e b a r r e n b e a r fruit, a n d t h e y will g r o w a n d s p r o u t . '
.And a s for t h o s e t h a t h a v e s p r o u t e d a n d b o a s t a n d s a y , W e h a v e
t h r u s t o u t o u r t o p m o s t b r a n c h e s t o t h e s k y ' - t h e T r e e t h a t is firmly
r o o t e d will m a k e t h e m w i t h e r , tall t h o u g h t h e y a r e , a n d will b e n d
t h e i r b r a n c h e s to the earth. . A n d it w i l l m a k e s c a r l e t w h i t e l i k e w o o l :

' So f.tli.: ab 'I bi-st-rih thee l)cyoild aiiotlliT swt-ct smell olineeiise'.
' .So ab: Kth. T beseech thee that .Michael, skilled in song (the angel otrighteous-
ness is he), may hold open the gates of righteousness till they enter in'.
' I.it. 'he became like one ol'those deliveritig up his soul'.
* I.it.'his tabernacle'. C;p.'2 C:or.v. 1,4.
' Kit. • There are, alter these times, other lour hundred and seventy-seven years,
and he comes'.
" So ab: Kth. adds 'and their fruit will dwell with the angels'.
' Lit. 'We gave our end to the air'.
 The Paraleipomena ofjeremiah 833
s n o w w i l l b e t u r n e d b l a c k ; and s w e e t w a t e r w i l l b e c o m e s a l t . " in t h e
17 g r e a t l i g h t o f t h c g l a d n e s s o f ( i o d . A n t i h e w i l l b l e s s t h e i s l a n d s , s o
18 t h a t t h e y b e a r fruit b y t h e w o r d o f t h e m o u t h o f h i s ( i h r i s t . I'or h e
will t o m e a n d g o o u t a n d c h o o s e Ibr himsell twelve apostles to
p r e a c h t h e g o s p e l a m o n g t h e G e n t i l e s (I h a \ e s e e t i h i m adornetl by
his F a t h e r a n d c o m i n g into t h c world o n t h e m o u n t o f ( ) l i \ e s ) ; anti
19 h e vvill f e e d t h e h u n g r y souls. While J e r e m i a h w a s saying this
about the coming ofthe .Son o f ( i o d i n t o t h c w o r l d , t h e p e o p l e
20 b e c a m e incensed a n d said. F h c s c a r e t h c very .same w o r d s that
w e r e s p o k e n b y I s a i a h , t h c s o n o f .'\mo7., w h e n h c s a i d , I b e h e l d
21 ( i o d a n d t h e S o n o f ( i o d . ( i o n i c t h e n : l e t u s kill h i m , b u t n o t i n t h e
22 s a m e w a y a s w e k i l l e d I s a i a h : let u s r a t h e r s t o n e h i m t o d e a t h . And
Baruch a n d Abimelech were m u c h distressed by this madness,
especially because they were anxious I b r a full a c c o u n t o f t h e
2;i m y s t e r i e s t h a t h c h a d seen. . \ n d J e r e m i a h said to t h e m , .Make n o
m o v e , ' ' a n d d o n o t w e e p , for t h e y will n o t kill m c uruil 1 h a v e t o l d
21 y o u e v e r y t h i n g that 1 s a w . , \ n d h e said to t h e m . Bring m e a stone.
2.') . \ n d h c s e t it u p a n d . s a i d . L i g h t o l ' t h c a g e s , m a k e t h i s s t o n e b e c o m e
26,27 like m c . . \ n d t h e stone a s s u m e d t h e likeness o f j e r e m i a h . . \ n d they
28 s t o n e d t h e s t o n e , t h i n k i n g t h a t it w a s J e r e m i a h . . A n d meanwhile h e
d e l i v e r e d all t h c mysteries h c h a d seen to B a r u c h a n d .Abimelech.
29 Then, with t h e h r m intention of bringing his stewardship to a n
•HO e n d , h e went and s t o o d i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e p e o p l e . - A n d t h e s t o n e
s h o u t e d o u t , s a y i n g . Y o u foolish Israelites, w h y a r e you stoning
me, under thc impression that 1 a m J e r e m i a h ? L o . J e r e m i a h is
31 s t a n d i n g in t h e m i d d l e of you. A n d w h e n they s a w h i m , they bore
d o w n u p o n h i m at o n c e with m a n y stones. A n d his stewardship
32 w a s fulfilled. .And B a r u c h a n d .Abimelech c a m e a n d b u r i e d h i m ;
" a n d t l i c y t o o k t h e s t o n e a n d s e t it u p a s a m e m o r i a l t o h i m , a n d
i n s c r i b e d t h e s e w o r d s u p o n i t . T h i s is t h c s t o n e t h a t c a m e t o t h c a i d
ofjeremiah.'"

" Eth. atJtJs 'and salt water will become sweet'.

" Lit. 'Be silent'.
'» u and * add '.And the rest oi'the words ofjeremiah. and all hu might, behold,
are thev not wiittcn in the Epistle of Baruch':"
 T H E S Y R L V C A P O C I A L Y P S E

O F

B A R U C : H

INTRODLCTTON

R c t ' e r c i u c s a n d c|U()tati()ns i n p a t r i s t i c w r i t e r s m a k e it c l e a r t h a t
several other books, either attributed to, or connected with,
B a r u c h w e r e k n o w n in a n t i q u i t y in a d d i t i o n t o t h e B a r u c h o l ' o u r
.Apocrypha a n d the books translated in t h e p r e s e n t collection.
T h u s , w e h e a r of: ( I ) a b o o k o l ' ' B a r u c h ' , t o w h i c h t h r e e .M.SS o f
C l y p r i a n ' s Testimonia a s c r i b e a n o t h e r w i s e u n k n o w n q u o t a t i o n o f
s o m e t w e l v e l i n e s , w h i c h a p p e a r s (iti t h e s e . M S S o n l y ) a t Test, iii,
2 9 : ( 2 ) a b o o k , I'rom ' n e a r t h e e n d o l ' w h i c h ' a n a l l e g e d p r o p h e c y o f
C h r i s t ' s b i r t h , m o d e o l ' d r e s s , d e a t h , a n d r e s u r r e c t i o n , is q u o t e d in
t h e Altercatio legis inter Simonem ludaeiim et Theophilum Christiamim ol'
t h e m o n k E v a g r i u s ; ' a n d ( 3 ) a G n o s t i c b o o k w h i c h is q u o t e d a n d
d i s c u s s e d at length by H i p p o l y t u s . ' But about these books w e have
no further information. .As b o o k s t h e y h a v e d i s a p p e a r e d com­
pletely.
T h e S y r i a c . A p o c a l y p s e o n l y n a r r o w l y e s c a p e d a s i m i l a r fate. F o r
r e a s o n s a t w h i c h w e c a n b u t g u e s s , it s e e m s t o h a v e b e e n e s p e c i a l l y
p o p u l a r in t h e Syriac-speaking c h u r c h e s o f t h e East a n d on occa­
s i o n t o h a v e b e e n i n c l u d e d in t h e S y r i a c Bible. .Normally, h o w e v e r ,
o n l y c h a p s . I x x v i i i - l x x x v i w e r e i n c l u d e d in t h e Bible; a n d these
c h a p t e r s a p p e a r e d a s a n i n d e p e n d e n t w o r k , w i t h t h e title ' T h e
Epistle of B a r u c h ' , o r s o m e t h i n g similar, a n d with n o hint that they
w e r e a n e x t r a c t . It t h u s c a m e a b o u t t h a t , a l t h o u g h t h e 'Epistle'
w a s w e l l k n o w n t o t h e m o d e r n w o r l d b e c a u s e it w a s f o u n d i n a

' See CSEL \\\ (X'icnna, KKM), p, I'.l, The [x>ssil)ility that this iKKik is to 1«-
identified with T h e Paraleipomena of",Jeremiah (which has a prophecy of the
cotiiini; of C;hrist in the middle ofthe hnal chapter: see Par. j e r . i.x. Ki-lfi) would
seein to be ruled out by the fact that the words quoted by 'I'heopliilus' are not found
there. However, the whole section Par, Jer. ix, l()-:i'2 is easily detachable (seealx)ve
pp. Hlf)-7), and it may be that 'Theophilus' was quoting I'rom a dill'erent r
- Hip[K)lyt. Pliitosopli. v. '24-27.
iVM) The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
m i r i i h c r o f S y r i a c B i b l i c a l M S S , t h c b o o k a s a w h o l e w a s lost u n t i l
. \ . M . C e r i a n i d i s c o v e r e d it in t h e m i d - n i n e t c c n t h - c c n t u r y in t h e
now famous sixth-century .MS o f t h e B i b l e in t h e .Ambrosian
L i b r a r y a t . M i l a n ( C o d . B . 21 I n f ) . C e r i a n i p u b l i s h e d first a L a t i n
translation in 1 8 b f j . ' a n d t h e n t h e S y r i a c t e x t i t s e l f in I 8 7 I . .A
j j h o t o - l i t h o g r a p h i c f a c s i m i l e o f t h c c o m p l e t e . A m b r o s i a n .MS fol­
l o w e d in 1 8 7 f ) - 1 8 8 3 . . \ n o t h e r e d i t i o n o f t h e t e x t o f t h e . X p o c a l y p s e
o n l y w a s p u b l i s h e d b y .M. K m o s k o in 1 9 0 7 ( w i t h a L a t i n I n t r o d u c ­
t i o n a n d t r a n s l a t i o n ) , a n d y e t a n o t h e r , b y S. D e d e r i n g , in 1 9 7 3 .
T h e t i t l e o f t h c b o o k i n t h e .MS s t a t e s t h a t t h e S y r i a c was
t r a n s l a t e d f r o m t h e CJreek. W h e t h e r this s t a t e m e n t g o e s b a c k to t h e
t r a n s l a t o r , o r w a s i n s e r t e d b y a l a t e r c o p y i s t o r e d i t o r , it is i m p o s s ­
i b l e t o s a y . B u t t h e r e is n o r e a s o n t o d o u b t i t s t r u t h . .Ml t h e i n t e r n a l
e v i d e n c e is i n f a v o u r o f it; a n d t h e d i s c o v e r y a t O x y r h y n c h u s i n
1897 o f a fragmentary leaf from a fourth or fifth-century Greek
c o d e x , c o n t a i n i n g xii, l - x i i i . 2 a n d xiii. 1 1 - x i v . 3, p r o v e s the
e x i s t e n c e at o n e t i m e of at least a G r e e k version.''
T h e e a r l i e r c r i t i c s a l l a s s u m e d t h a t G r e e k w a s t h e l a n g u a g e in
w h i c h t h e b o o k w a s w r i t t e n . R. H . C h a r l e s q u e s t i o n e d this a s s u m p ­
t i o n a n d a r g u e d in f a v o u r o f a H e b r e w o r i g i n a l ; a n d h i s a r g u m e n t s
w e r e for m a n y y e a r s v e r y w i d e l y a c c e p t e d . S u b s e q u e n t l y , h o w e v e r ,
P. B o g a e r t q u e s t i o n e d C h a r l e s ' s a r g u m e n t s : n o n e of t h e suggested
instances of mistranslation, Bogaert maintained, on which Charles
h a d m a i n l y r e l i e d t o s u p p o r t h i s c a s e , a r e a t a l l c o m p e l l i n g ; a n d for
B o g a e r t t h e h y p o t h e s i s o f a n o r i g i n a l in G r e e k , a d d r e s s e d in a l l
p r o b a b i l i t y t o t h e J e w i s h D i s p e r s i o n is e q u a l l y p l a u s i b l e .
.\nd similarly with regard to the unity of the book. Charles
c l a i m e d t o h a v e i d e n t i f i e d n o less t h a n six s e p a r a t e s o u r c e s , s o m e
t a k i n g a n o p t i m i s t i c v i e w of I s r a e l ' s f u t u r e in t h e w o r l d a n d s o m e
thc reverse, while some presupposed that Jerusalem was still
s t a n d i n g ( a n d w e r e t h e r e f o r e to b e d a t e d b e f o r e .\D 70) a n d s o m e

' In Monumeniamcraelpwjana. I. ii. pp. i-iv and 7 3 - 9 8 .

•• .So far as ihc possible existenceofv ersions in oiht-r languages is concerned. P. S.
van Koningsveld ('.\ti .Arabic Manuscript of the .Apocalypse of Baruch' in The
Journal for Ihe Sludv oJJudaism, vi (197.i), pp. '20.5-207) has drawn attention to thc
existence ofan .Arabic version in a Mt. Sinai .MS (no. 589 in .A. S. .Atiya's hand list),
v\hich is especially interesting liecause it is clearly not a direct translation ofthe
Syriac text as given in the .Ambrosian MS.
 The Syriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch 83 7
p r e s u p p o s e d t h a t it h a d a l r e a d y h e e n d e s t r o y e d ( a n d w e r e t h e r e ­
f o r e t o b e d a t e d a f t e r Al) 7 0 ) . T h e s e s i x s o u r c e s , C h a r l e s s u g g e s t e d ,
were assembled, and in m a n y r e s p e c t s r a d i c a l l y a l t e r e d , b y a n
e d i t o r w h o w o r k e d r o u n d a b o u t AD 1 0 0 . B o g a e r t , o n t h e o t h e r
h a n d , w a s i m p r e s s e d b \ t h e e v i d e n c e o f a n u n d e r l y i n g p l a n in t h e
b o o k , a n d in c o n s e c j u e n c e w a s c o n c e r n e d t o s t r e s s its l i t e r a r y t n i i t y .
I n c o n s i s t e n c i e s t h e r e c e r t a i n l y a r e : it is a l s o p o s s i b l e t h a t s o m e o f
t h e t n m a y b e a c c o u n t e d for b y t h e u s e o f d i l l ' e r e n t s o u r c e s , s o m e
b e l o n g i n g t o t h e y e a r s b e f o r e AD 7 0 a n d s o m e a f t e r : b u t t h a t t h e s e
sources can be identified with that d e g r e e of precision which
C h a r l e s c l a i m e d , a n d the history o f t h e composition o l ' t h e book
r e c o n s t r u c t e d in s u c h d e t a i l , is u n l i k e l y .
H o w e v e r , Clharles's final d a t e I b r t h e b o o k a s it s t a n d s (c. AD
1 0 0 ) is p r o b a b l y n o t f a r w i d e o f t h e m a r k . B . X'iolet p u t it a l i t t l e
l a t e r - f . . \ D 1 I.i. a n d t h o u g h t it n o t i m p o s s i b l e t h a t F . R o s e n t h a l
w a s r i g h t in s e e i n g t h e a u t h o r as a m e m b e r o f t h e circle g a t h e r e d
r o u n d R a b b i .Akiba at J a m n i a . B o g a e r t p a r t i c u l a r i z e d e v e n further
and suggested as a possibility t h e n a m e of R a b b i J o s h u a ben
H a n a n i a h [c. AD 4 0 - 1 2 , ' ) ) .
.•\t a l l e v e n t s , t h e a u t h o r w a s n o t a C h r i s t i a n ; for t h e b o o k s h o w s
n o t r a c e of C h r i s t i a n influence of a n y kind. H e was unmistakeably
a J e w , w h o w a s l i v i n g in t h e d i l f i c u l t t i m e s f o l l o w i n g t h e d e s t r u c ­
tion o f j e r u s a l e m in . \ l ) 7 0 , w h o s e g e n e r a l o u t l o o k w a s e s s e n t i a l K -
t r a d i t i o n a l , a n d w h o s e m a i n c o n c e r n w a s to give his dispirited
co-religionists, whether in Palestine, or scattered among the
G e n t i l e s , a m e s s a g e o f h o p e . O b s e r v a n c e o f t h e L a w is h i s c o n s t a n t
refrain - ' L o o k at w h a t has befallen Zion, a n d w h a t has h a p p e n e d
t o j e r u s a l e m . . . I f y o u e n d u r e a n d p e r s e v e r e in t h e f e a r o f h i m , a n d
d o n o l f o r g e t h i s l a w , t h e t i m e s w i l l c h a n g e for y o u r g o o d , a n d y o u
will s e e t h e c o n s o l a t i o n of Z i o n ' : ' t h e w h o l e w o r l d will b e t r a n s ­
f o r m e d , t h e d e a d raised, a n d 'those w h o h a v e n o w been justified by
o b e d i e n c e to m y l a w ' will b e glorified a n d a t t a i n ' t h e w o r l d w h i e h
d o e s n o t d i e ' . ' - M o r e o v e r , t h e E n d is a t h a n d , ' f o r t h e y o u t h o f t h e
w o r l d is p a s t . . . t h e t i m e s h a v e r u n t h e i r c o u r s e a n d t h e e n d is very-
n e a r : t h e p i t c h e r is n e a r t h e c i s t e r n , t h e s h i p t o p o r t , t h e t r a v e l l e r t o
t h e c i t y , a n d life t o ils c o n s u m m a t i o n ' . ' '
838 The Syriac Apocalypse of Banich
Attention should be drawn to a n u m b e r of parallels with the
H/ra Apoealypse (4 Kzra in t h c V u l g a t e a n d '2 E s d r a s in o u r
A p o c r y p h a ) a n d a l s o w i t h The Biblical Antiquities o f p s e u d o - P h i l o . "
These parallels h a v e usually been explained by theories of literary
d e p e n d e n c e o n the part ofthe authors, either on o n eor both ofthe
o t h e r w o r k s a s w e k n o w t h e m , o r o n t h e i r s o u r c e s . T h i s m a y b e .so.
Btit all t h r e e w o r k s s e e m t o reflect t h e s a m e b a c k g r o u n d a n d t h e y
a r e p r o b a b l y r o u g h l y c o n t e m p o r a r y . 'There is. therefore, n o need
to s u p p o s e that a n y o n e of t h e m w a s directly d e p e n d e n t on the
o t h e r s . .Ml t h r e e w e r e p r e s u m a b l y w r i t t e n u n d e r t h e i n f l u e n c e o f
the s a m e traditions, ideas, a n d aspirations, a n d several authors
m a y q u i t e i n d e p e n d e n t l y h a v e g i v e n e x p r e s s i o n t o t h e m in very
m u c h the same words."
F u r t h e r m o r e , it h a s b e e n s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h c w o r d s q u o t e d from
" a n o t h e r p r o p h e t ' a t Ep. Bam. x i . 9 a r e i n f a c t a q u o t a t i o n f r o m S y r .
. V p o c . I x i . 7. I f t h i s is s o t h e q u o t a t i o n will b e t h e e a r l i e s t p i e c e o f
e v i d e n c e t h e r e is f o r t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e S y r i a c . - \ p o c a l y p s e . U n ­
f o r t u n a t e l y t h e d a t e o f T h e E p i s t l e o f B a r n a b a s i s , if a n y t h i n g , e v e n
less c e r t a i n than a r e t h e d a t e s o f t h e E z r a . A p o c a l y p s e , o f The
Biblical Antiquities, a n d o f t h e S y r i a c . A p o c a l y p s e i t s e l f !

F h e t r a n s l a t i o n w h i c h follows is C l h a r l e s ' s t r a n s l a t i o n r e v i s e d .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

KDITION.S

Syriac
\ . . \ L G K R I . X N I , .Monumenta sacra et projana, \ ' . ii ( . M i l a n , 1871),
pp. 113-180.

" flu- p,irallcls with thc Kzra .\pocalypsc will be found conveniently set out in
G. H. Box, Tlu Eira-Apocalypse (London, 1912), p p . Ixix-lxx. and those with
pseudo-Philo in M . R . J a m e s , Tlie Biblical Aniiquilies oJ Philo (.S.P.G.K., Translalions
oj Early Documents: [.ondon, 1917), pp. 46-.54. Parallels with The Paraleipomena of
J e r e m i a h are discussed atxive on pp. 8 1 7 - 8 , those with T h e Greek .Apocalypse of
Baruch are discussed below on pp. *KK)- 1.
' O n the figure of Baruch generally in Jewish tradition and the legends attached
to his n a m e see I.. Ginzberg, Tlie Legends of tht Jews, iv (Philadelphia, 1913),
p p . 322-32.T and vi (Philadelphia, 1928), pp. 4 1 1 - 4 1 3 .
 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch 839
, Translalio Syria Pescitto Veteris Teslamenti ex codice Ambrosiano sec.
fere in, photoliihographice edita ( M i l a n , ( 1 8 7 6 - 1 8 8 3 ) . f o i l . 2 , 5 7 a -
267a.
R . H . C H . V R I . K . S , The Apocalypse of Baruch, translated from the Syriac . . .
(London, 1896), p p . 1 2 5 - 1 6 7 . [.\n edition o f t h e text of'The
P^pistle o f B a r u c h ' o n l y - s e e below.]
.M. K.\lO.SK(), Patrologia Syriaca I . ii ( P a r i s , 1907), coll. 105()-
1306.
S . D K D K R I . N C ; , Peshitla. P a r t I \ ' . f a s c . 3 ( L e i d e n , 1973), p p . i - i v
and 1-.50.

Greek
B. P . G R I A K K I . I . a n d . \ . .S. H l N I , The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, iii
( L o n d o n , 1903), p p . 3 - 7 (no. 403).
r e p r i n t e d in
R . H . C H . V R I . K S , APOTU, pp. 487-490.
B . V ' l O I . E r . Die Apokalypsen des Esra und des Baruch . . . [ a s b e l o w ] ,
pp. 219-220 and 222-223.
A . - . \ L D K . M S , Fragmenta Pseudepigraphontm quaesupersunl Graeca ( =
P I T G i i i ; Leiden, 1970), p p . 1 1 8 - 1 2 0 .
P. B O G . X K R T , L'Apocahpse .syriaque de Baruch . . . [ a s b e l o w [ , i.
pp. 40-43.

TR.WSK.X I I O N S

English
R . H . C H . \ R L K S , The Apocalypse of Baruch translated from the Syriac.
Chapters l—LXX\ 11from the sixth cent. .MS in the .Ambrosian Library of
Milan, and Chapters LXXVIII-LXXXVII - the Epistle of Baruch -
from a new and critical text based on ten .MSS and published herewith.
Edited, with Introduction, Notes, and Indices ( I > o n d o n , 1 8 9 6 ) .
, APOTW, pp. 470-526.
, The Apocalypse of Baruch ( = .S.P.Cl.K., Translations of Early
Documents; L o n d o n , 1918).

French
P . B O C J . A K R T , L'.ipocalypse syriaque de Baruch, inlroduction, traduction
du synaque et commentaire, 2 v o l s . { = Sources chretiennes, n o s . 14-f—5;
Paris, 1969).
 The Syriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch

(ierman

\ . R v s s K l . i n v.. K . M T / . s c H . / i / M r i i , p p . 4 0 2 - 4 4 6 .
B . \ lOl.l", I , Die Apokahpsen des Plsra und des Baruch in deutscher Gestalt
( = GCS B d . 3 2 ; L e i p z i g , 1 9 2 4 ) . p p . 2 0 3 - 3 3 6 .
P. R I K . s . s i . K R , AjSaB-. p p . . ' ) . ' ) - 1 1 3 .
.\. L . J . Kl.UN'in,/.S7(-rZ\'2 (1976),pp. 103-191.

W . B . \ . \ R S , " N e u e l e x t z e u g e i i d e r s y r i . s e h e n B a r i u l i a p o k a l y p s e ' in
ITxiii (1063), pp. 4 7 6 - 4 7 8 .
.\.-.\L DI;NIS,//Y;.4r, pp, 182-186.
(). L i . s . s F K i . i ) T, 0 7 7 , p p . 6 2 7 - 6 3 0 .
J.-B. F R K ^ ' , a r t . ' . \ p o c r v p h e s d e T.-Vncien T e s t a m e n t " i n DBSup i,
cols. 4 1 8 - 4 2 3 .
L. ( ; i N / . H r . R ( ; , art. "Baruch, .Apocalypse ol'tSyriac)" inyA'ii ( N e w
^ ' o r k , 1 9 0 2 ) . p p . .XT1-.").I6.
L . ( i R ^ " , " L a d a t e d e l a fin d e s t e m p s s c i o n l e s r e v e l a t i o n s o u l e s
c a l c n l s d u P s e u d o - P h i l o n e t d c B a r u c h ' i n R Bibl x l v i i i ( 1 9 3 9 ) ,
pp. 337-3,56.
J. H.\I)()"1", "La D a t a t i o n d e TApocalypse syriaque de Baruch' i n
Semilica, x v ( 1 9 6 5 ) , p p . 7 9 - 9 5 .
J. RKNIIKI. H.\RRIS, The Resl of Ihe Words of Baruch ( L o n d o n ,
1889), p p . 6 - 9 .
.\L R . J.y.MF.S, ' . N o t e s o n . A p o c r v p h a ' in / r i ' x v i (.April 1915),
pp. 4 0 3 - 4 0 5 .
.A. F . J . K l . I J N , ' T h e S o u r c e s a n d t h e R e d a c t i o n o f t h e Syriac
. A p o c a l v p s e o f B a r u c h ' i n 77ie Journal Jor the Study oJ Judaism, i
(1970),'pp. 6.5-76.
G. \ V . L. .NIC:KI.F:SBL"RG, J R . , ' N a r r a t i v e Traditions in t h e
Paralipomena ofjeremiah a n d 2 B a r u c h " i n CBQ_\\\\ (1973),
pp. 60-68.
W. O . K. OK.SfKRI.KY, Introduction i n R . H . G H A R 1 , F ; S , The
Apocalypse oJ Baruch ( = S . P . C . K . , Translations of Early Documents;
L o n d o n , 1918), p p . vii-.xxxiii.
P . RW.SSLY.V., AjSaB\ pp. 1270-1272.
 (syriac) apocalypse of baruch

The Synac Apocalypse oJ Baruch 841

F. R O S K N I'HAI., Vier apokryphische Biicher aus der Zeil und Schule
Akiba's ( L e i p z i g , 1 8 8 . 5 ) , p p . 7 2 - 1 0 3 .
L. Rusw EATAP. pp. 9 4 - 9 7 ,
L . S C : I I ( R I ; R , HJPTJCW. iii, p p , 8 3 - 9 3 ,
, ajVZIC iii, pp. 3().5-3L5.
C:. C:, ' F ( ) R R | - . V , . 4 / , , p p , 1 2 3 - 1 2 ( i .
B . \ ' l < ) I . K r . Die Apokalypsen . . . [a.s a b o v e ] , p p . I v i - . \ e v i .
F. /IM.MKR.MANN, " F e x t u a l O b s e r v a t i o n s o n t h e . A p o c a l y p s e ol
B a r u c h " \n}TS\\ ( 1 9 3 9 ) . p p . 1.51 - 1 .iti.

Fhe Boolv o f t h e R e v e l a t i o n o f B a r u c h , t h e s o n o f N e r i a h :
F r a n s l a t e d from t h e G r e e k i n t o .Syriac.

I. . A n d it c a m e t o p a s s i n t h e t w e n t y - f i l t h y e a r o f j e c o n i a h , k i n g o f
Judah, that the word of t h e Lord came to Baruch, t h e .son o f
2 . N e r i a h , a n d s a i d t o h i m . H a v e y o u seen all t h a t this p e o p l e a r e
d o i n g to m e , that t h e e\ils which these t w o tribes that remained
h a v e d o n e a r e g r e a t e r t h a n those of t h e t e n t r i b e s t h a t w e r e c a r r i e d
3 a w a y a s c a p t i v e s ? F o r t h e former tribes w e r e forced by their kings
t o c o m m i t s i n , b u t t h e s e t w o tribes h a v e o f t h e m s e l v e s b e e n f o r c i n g
4 a n d c o m p e l l i n g their kings to c o m m i t sin. F o r this reason I am
about t o b r i n g r u i n o n t h i s c i t y a n d o n i t s i n h a b i t a n t s , a n d for a
t i m e it s h a l l b e t a k e n a w a y o u t o f m y s i g h t ; a n d 1 w i l l s c a t t e r t h i s
people a m o n g the Gentiles, that they m a y d o good to the Gentiles.
b . A n d m y p e o p l e s h a l l b e c h a s t e n e d ; b u t t h e t i m e will c o m e w h e n
t h e y will seek p r o s p e r i t y o n c e m o r e .

II. I h a v e t o l d y o u t h i s s o t h a t y o u m a y tell J e r e m i a h , a n d all t h o s e

2 t h a t a r e l i k e y o u , t o l e a v e t h i s c i t y . F o r y o u r d e e d s a r e like a solid
p i l l a r t o t h i s c i t y , a n d y o u r p r a y e r s like a n i m p r e g n a b l e w a l l .

HI. . A n d I s a i d , O L o r d , m y l o r d , h a v e I c o m e i n t o t h e w o r l d for n o
o t h e r p u r p o s e t h a n to s e e t h e evils o f m y m o t h e r ? Surely n o t , m y
2 l o r d . I f I h a v e w o n t h y f a v o u r , t a k e m y life a w a y first, so that I
3 m a y join m y fathers a n d not witness m y mother"s destruction. 1a m
c a u g h t in a d i l e m m a : I c a n n o t resist thee; a n d yet I c a n n o t b e a r to
 (S4'2 Tile Syruii: Apocalvpse of Baruch
1 w a t c h t h c r u i n ' o l ' m y m o t h e r . B u t o n e t h i n g I will ask o l ' t h c c , ' O
.-| L o r d . \ \ h a t is t o h a | ) | ) e n a f t e r t h i s ? F o r if t h o u d c s t r o y r s l l h \ c i t y
a n d d o s t d e l i v e r u p t h y l a n d to t h o s e t h a i h a l e u s , h o w will t h e
r> n a m e o f l s r a e l a g a i n h c r e m e i n b e r c r l ? H o w w i l l a n y o n e proclaim
7 t h y p r a i s e s ? ' I ' o w h o m w ill w h a t is in t h y law b e e x p l a i n e d ? I s t h e
universe-' t o r e t u r n t o its o r i g i n a l s t a t e a n d t h e w o r l d to r e v e r t to
a j i r i i n e v a l s i l e n c e ? Is t h e h u m a n r a c e " to b e destroyed a n d m a n k i n d
9 t o b e b l o t t e d o u t ? ' And w h a t is t o b e c o m e o f a l l t h o u d i d s t s a y t o
.VIoses a b o u t u s ?

IV. . A n d t h c L o r d .said t o m e , ' i ' h i s c i t y s h a l l b e giv c n u p for a t i m e ,

a n d f o r a t i m e t h c p e o p l e s h a l l b e c h a s t e n e d ; y e t t h c w o r l d vvill n o t
2 b e c o n s i g n e d t o o b l i v i o n . D o y o u t h i n k t h a t t h i s is t h e c i l y a b o u t
3 w h i c h I s a i d , (.)n t h e p a l m s o f i n y h a n d s h a v e I e n g r a v e d y o u ? I ' h i s
b u i l d i n g , w h i c h n o w s t a n d s in y o u r m i d s t , is n o t t h e o n e t h a t is t o
b e r e v e a l e d , that is w i t h n i e now, t h a t w a s p r e p a r e d b e f o r e h a n d h e r e
a t t h c t i m e w h e n 1 d e t e r m i n e d t o m a k e P a r a d i s e , a n d s h o w e d it t o
. A d a m before h c s i n n e d ( t h o u g h w h e n he disobeyed w>'ccimmaiid-
4 m c n t it w a s t a k e n a w a y f r o m h i m . a s w a s a l s o P a r a d i s e •. .And a f t e r
this I showed it t o m y servant .Abiahani by night among thc
3 d i v i d e d p i e c e s o f t h e v i c t i m s . . \ i i d a g a i n I shciw-ed it a l s o t o . M o s e s
o n m o u n t .Sinai w h e n I s h o w e d h i m t h e p a t t e r n o f t h e tabernacle
6 and all its v e s s e l s . / \ n d n o w it is p r e s e r v e d w i t h m e , a s is a l s o
7 P a r a d i s e . G o , then, a n d d o as I c o m m a n d you.

V. .And I a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d .

S o , t h e n , I a m t o b e h e l d r e s p o n s i b l e for Z i o n , '
F o r t h i n e e n e m i e s will c o m e to t h i s p l a c e ,
.And t h e y will p o l l u t e t h y s a n c t u a r y ,
.And t h e y will lead t h i n e i n h e r i t a n c e into captivity

' Lil. '10 sec llic cvifs'.

• Lit. 'I will say ticlcin- tticc'.
' fcxt 'oriiaiiicill', doubtless through a inisundcrstaudiug ofthr (ik. Kdafioc.
' Lit. 'the iiiukiiucic ol'souls'.
^ Lit. 'and the tiatureornian not again tie named'.

' Lit. '.So, then, I am to be .euilly Ibr Zion'. Charles emended '.So, then, I am
destined to grieve for Zion'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch 843
A n d m a k e t h e m s e l v e s m a s t e r s o f t h o s e w h o m tiiou h a s t
loved;
A n d thev will d e p a r t a g a i n to t h e p l a c e o f t h e i r idols,
A n d t h e y will b o a s t b e l b r e t h e m .
.•\iid w h a t w i l t t h o u d o for t h y g r e a t n a m e ?

2 ,'\.nd t h e L o r d s a i d t o i n e .

M y n a m e a n d m y g l o r y a r e to all e t e r n i t y ;
A n d m y j u d g e m e n t w i l l m a i n t a i n i t s r i g h t in i t s o w n t i m e .
A n d N o u will sec w i t h y o u r eyes
3 T h a t t h e e n e m y will n o t o v e r t h r o w Z i o n ,
\ o r shall they b u r n Jerusalem,
B u t t h e y s h a l l b e t h e m i n i s t e r s o f t h e J u d g e for a t i m e .

4 B u t g o a n d d o w h a t 1 h a v e told vou to.

b .'\nd 1 w e n t a n d took J e r e m i a h , a n d Iddo, a n d Seriah, a n d Jabish,

a n d G e d a l i a h , a n d all t h e n o b l e s o f t h e p e o p l e , a n d 1 led t h e m o u t
to t h e K i d r o n v a l l e y ; a n d 1 r e p e a t e d to t h e m c\ e r y t h i n g t h a t h a d
6,7 b e e n t o l d m e . - A n d t h e y c r i e d o u t a l o u d , a n d a l l o f t h e m w e p t . .And
w e s a t t h e r e a n d fasted until the e v e n i n g .

VL A n d o n t h e n e x t d a y t h e C h a l d a e a n a r m y s u r r o u n d e d the city;
a n d w h e n e v e n i n g c a m e , I, B a r u c h , left t h e p e o p l e , a n d I w e n t a n d
2 stood by the oak.' A n d I was giieving over Zion and lamenting
3 over the captivity that had come upon the people. And suddenly a
powerful spirit' lifted me up and carried m e over the wall of
4 J e r u s a l e m . A n d I s a w four a n g e l s s t a n d i n g a t t h e four c o i n e r s of
5 t h e city, each of t h e m h o l d i n g a f i e r y t o r c h in h i s h a n d s . .And
a n o t h e r a n g e l b e g a n to d e s c e n d from heaven; a n d he said to them,
6 K e e p h o l d o f y o u r l a m p s , a n d d o n o t l i g h t t h e m till I tell y o u . F o r I
a m s e n t first t o s p e a k a w o r d t o t h e e a r t h a n d t o p u t i n it w h a t t h e
7 L o r d , t h e M o s t H i g h , h a s c o m m a n d e d m e . .And 1 s a w h i m d e s c e n d
i n t o t h e H o l y o f H o l i e s , a n d t a k e f r o m it t h e v e i l , a n d t h e h o l y ark,'
a n d ils c o v e r , a n d t h e t w o t a b l e t s , a n d t h e h o l v v e s t m e n t s o f t h e

' t : p . ixxvii. i i i .
- O r 'a strong wind'.
-' Text 'ephod'.
 841 The Syriac Apocalypse oJ Bantch
j j r i e s t s , a n d t h e a l t a r ot i n c e n s e , a n d t h e f o r t y - e i g h t p r e c i o u s s t o n e s
with which t h e priest was a d o r n e d , a n d a l l t h e v e s s e l s o f t h e
8 t a b e r n a t l e . . \ n d h e c r i e d t o t h e e a r t h in a l o u d v o i c e ,

Earth, earth, earth, hear the word ofthe mighty God,

. - \ n d r e c e i v e w h a t I c o i n m i t t o vou.
.And g u a r d t h e m until t h e last t i m e s .
S o t h a t , w h e n y o u a r e o r d e r e d , you m a y r e s t o r e t h e m .
. A n d s t r a n g e r s may n o t g e t p o s s e s s i o n o l ' t h e m .
'I F o r t h e t i m e h a s c o m e w h e n j c r u s a l c m a l s o will b e d e l i v e r e d
for a tiiTie,
l . ' n t i l it is s a i d t h a t it s h a l l b e r e s t o r e d a g a i n forever.

!() .And t h e e a r t h o[)ened its m o u t h a n d s w a l l o w e d t h e m u p .

VII. A n d a f t e r t h i s 1 h e a r d that a n g e l s a y i n g to the a n g e l s t h a t h e l d

the lamps.

D e s t r o y a n d t h r o w d o w n t h e wall t o its f o u n d a t i o n s .
So that the enemy cannot boast a n d say.
W e h a v e t h r o w n d o w n t h e wall of Zion,
A n d w e have burnt the place ofthe mighty G o d .

2 A n d t h e s p i r i t r e s t o r e d m e t o ' t h e p l a c e w h e r e I had been s t a n d i n g

before.

VIII. T h e n t h e a n g e l s d i d a s h e had c o m a n d e d t h e m ; a n d w h e n
t h e y h a d b r o k e n u p t h e c o r n e r s o f the w a l l s , a v o i c e was h e a r d f r o m
t h e i n t e r i o r o f t h e t e m p l e , a f t e r the wall h a d l a l l e n , s a y i n g ,

2 E n t e r , y o u e n e m i e s of Jerusalem,
. A n d l e t iter a d v e r s a r i e s c o m e i n ;
F o r h e w h o k e p t t h e h o u s e h a s a b a n d o n e d it.

.14 .-And 1, B a r u c h , w e n t a w a y . . A n d a f t e r t h i s the C h a l d a e a n army

e n t e r e d and t o o k p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e h o u s e and a l l t h a t was r o u n d
.i a b o u t it. . A n d t h e y c a r r i e d t h e p e o p l e off a s c a p t i v e s : s o m e o f t h e m
t h e y k i l l e d ; and t h e y put Z e d e k i a h t h e k i n g i n f e t t e r s and s e n t h i m
to t h e king o f B a b y l o n .

' Conjectural reading based on vi. 3. Text '."^nd you have seized'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch S-Ij

IX. And I. B a r u c h , t a m e , t o g e t h e r w i t h J e r e t n i a h , wliose lieart

w a s f o u n d p u r e f r o m s i n s , and who h a d n o t I j e e n c a p t u r e d w h e n t h e
2 city w a s t a k e n . . \ n d w e rent o u r clotlics and w e p t , a n d w e m o u r n e d
a n d fasted seven days.

X. .And after s e v e n d a y s t h e w o r d of (Jod c a m e to m e a n d said to

2 m e . T e l l J e r e m i a h t o g o t o B a b y l o n a n d s u p p o r t t h e p e o p l e in t h e i r
:i c a p t i v i t y Ihere. B u t y o u m u s t r e m a i n h e r e t o s h a r e in / . i o n s d e s o -
4 l a t i o n ; ' a n d I w i l l s h o w y o u a f t e r w a r d s w h a t is t o h a p p e n a t t h c i - n d
a o f d a y s . . A n d I p a s s e d o n t o j e r e m i a h t h e I . o r d ' s c o m m a n d s . .And
h c w e n t a w a y w i t h t h c p e o p l e ; b u t I . B a r u c h , r e t u r n e d a n d s a t in
front o f t h e gates o f t h e t e m p l e a n d m a d e this lament over / i o n a n d
said,

6 H a p p y the m a n who was never born.

O r the child w h o died at birth.'
7 B u t a s for u s w h o a r e a l i v e , w o e to u s .
B e c a u s e w e see t h e afflictions o f / i o n .
.And w h a t h a s h a p p e n e d t o j e r u s a l e m .
8 1 w i l l s u m m o n t h c s i r e n s f r o m t h c s e a . and say.
Clome y o u n i g h t - d e m o n s from the desert,
.And y o u , d e m o n s a n d j a c k a l s from t h e forests:
. A w a k e a n d p r e p a r e y o u r s e l v e s for m o u r n i n g ,
.And t a k e u p w i t h m e t h e dirges,
.And m a k e l a m e n t a t i o n w i t h m e .
9 S o w not again, you farmers;
A n d w h y , e a r t h , s h o u l d you yield y o u r c r o p s at h a r v e s t ?
K e e p to y o u r s e l f y o u r g o o d l y fruits.
10 .And w h y a n y longer, vine, s h o u l d y o u p r o d u c e y o u r wine?
F o r n o o l l e r i n g o f it w i l l a g a i n b e m a d e in / i o n ,
X o r a g a i n w i l l t h e y offer first-fruits f r o m it.
11 .And y o u , h e a v e n s , w i t h h o l d y o u r d e w ,
.And o p e n n o t t h e t r e a s u r i e s of rain.
A n d you, sun, withhold the brightness ofyour rays.

' I . i l . ' . . . here amid t h e dt-solation ol Zion'.

• Lil. 'Or hc, who having been born, h a s died'.
 846 The Synac Apocalypse of Baruch
12 A n d y o u , m o o n , c o n c e a l t h e brilliance ol'your light;
Vox w h y s h o u l d a n y l i g h t a g a i n b e s e e n
W h e r e t h e l i g h t o f Z i o n is d a r k e n e d ?
13 A n d y o u , b r i d e g r o o m s , g o n o t i n t o the bridal chamber.
A n d l e t n o t t h e brides' a d o r n t h e m s e l v e s w i t h g a r l a n d s ;
A n d l e t n o t t h e married w o m e n p r a y f o r c h i l d r c t i ,
1} F o r t h e b a r r e n shall rejoice a b o v e all,
. \ n d t h o s e w h o h a v e n o s o n s will b e g l a d ,
A n d t h o s e w h o d o h a v e s o n s will b e in a n g u i s h .
Ui F o r w h y s h o u l d t h e y b e a r children in p a i n .
O n l y t o b u r y them i n g r i e i ?
16 O r w h y , again, shottld m e n have sons.
O r w h y a n y m o r e s h o u l d a h u i n a n infant" be given a n a m e .
W h e r e t h i s m o t h e r is d e s o l a t e
A n d h e r sons a r e carried a w a y a s ca|)tivcs?
17 vSpeak n o t h e n c e f o r t h o f b e a u t y .
N o r talk of comeliness.
18 / \ n d y o u , priests, take t h e keys o f t h e s a n c t u a r y ,
.'Vnd t h r o w t h e m up t o t h e h e a v e n a b o v e ,
.And g i v e t h e m t o t h e L o r d a n d s a y ,
G u a r d t h y h o u s e thyself.
F o r w e h a v e b e e n found lalse s t e w a r d s .
19 \nA y o u ,\ irgins, w h o w e a v e h n e linen
.And silk w i t h t h e g o l d ofOphir,
T a k e q u i c k l y a l l these t h i n g s a n d t h r o w them i n t o t h e fire.
T h a t it m a y b e a r t h e m u p t o h i m w h o m a d e t h e m ,
. A n d t h e flame c a r r y t h e m t o h i m w h o c r e a t e d t h e m .
L e s t t h e e n e m y g(;t p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e m .

XI. . A n d 1, B a r u c h , s a y t h i s a g a i n s t y o u , B a b y l o n ,
Ifyou h a d prospered
.And Z i o n h a d d w e l t in h e r glory.
G r e a t w o u l d h a v e been o u r grief
l h a t y o u should be equal to Zion.
2 B u t n o w OMr g r i e f is i n f i n i t e

' Text 'virgins', who (irst (rightly) occnr in verse 19.

•* Lit. 'the seed oftheir kind'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch 817
A n d our l a m e n t a t i o n m e a s u r e l e s s ;
F o r lo, y o u a r c prosperous
A n d Zion desolate.
•i W h o will b e t h c j u d g e c o n c e r n i n g these things?
O r t o whoiTi s h a l l w c c o m p l a i n a b o u t w h a t h a s b c l ' a l l e n u s ?
O L o r d , h o w h a s t t h o u b o r n e it?
4 O u r f a t h e r s w e n t t o their r e s t w i t h o u t s u f f e r i n g ,
. A n d t h e r i g h t e o u s s l e e p i n the e a r t h i n p e a c e ;
,-) F o r they d i d not know ofthis present distress.
. \ n d h a d h e a r d n o t h i n g a b o u t w h a t h a s befallen us.
6 W o u l d that you h a d cars, o earth,
.And t h a t y o u h a d a h e a r t , o d u s t .
S o t h a t y o u c o u l d g o a n d a n n o u t i c c in S h e o l ,
A n d say to the dead,
7 Y o u a r e h a p p i e r t h a n we w h o a r e a l i v e l

XII. B u t I w i l l t e l l y o u w h a t is i n m y m i n d ,
.And I will s p e a k a g a i n s t y o u , p r o s p e r o u s l a n d .
2 T h c noonday does not always burn.
N o r d o t h c s u n ' s rays c o n s t a n t l y give light:
3 D o n o t e x p e c t [ a n d h o p e ] t h a t y o u will b e a l w a y s p r o s p e r o u s
a n d joyful;
And be not proud a n d domineering.
4 F o r w i t h o u t d o u b t in its o w n g o o d time
L h e divine w r a t h w i l l a w a k e a g a i n s t y o u ,
W h i c h n o w is r e s t r a i n e d b y p a t i e n c e
A s if b y r e i n s .

5 ,And w h e n I h a d s o said, I fasted seven d a y s .

XIII. A n d after this, I, B a r u c h , w a s s t a n d i n g o n m o u n t Z i o n , a n d

2 lo, a voice c a m e from o n high a n d said to m e , Stand u p , Baruch,
S a n d h e a r t h e w o r d of t h e m i g h t y G o d . Because you have been
d i s m a y e d a t w h a t h a s h a p p e n e d t o Z i o n y o u s h a l l b e k e p t safe a n d
4 preserved u n t i l t h c c o n s u m m a t i o n o f t h e t i m e s . .And y o u shall
s e r v e a s w i t n e s s , s o t h a t if e v e r t h o s e p r o s p e r o u s c i t i e s s a y , W h y
.•> h a s t h c m i g h t y G o d b r o u g h t t h i s r e t r i b u t i o n o n u s ? , y o u c a n s a y to
t h e m ( y o u a n d t h o s e l i k e y o u w h o h a v e .seen t h i s e v i l ) , ( T h i s is t h e
H Ki The Syriac Apocalypse oJHanich
e v i l ) a n d i c t r i b u t i o n u h i c l i h a s comv on you a n d o n y o u r p e o p l e i n
i l s appointed t i m e , s o t h a t t h e n a t i o n s m a y h e t h o r o u g h l y c h a s t e n e d .
. \ n d t h e y w i l l h e w a i t i n g tiir the end oj it.' . \ n d i l ' t h e y s a y a t t h a t
t i m e . W h e n ivill the end oj it he?, y o u s h a l l s a y t o t h e m .

You w h o i i a \ e d r u t i k t h e w i n e l h a t h a s l ) e e n s t r a i n e d .
Drink also ofits dregs.
This is t h e j u d g e m e n t o i ' t h e K x a l t e d O n e .
W iio h a s n o favourites.
I'or this very reason he once h a d n o mercy o n his o w n sons.
B u t a l l l i c t e d t h e m a s il t h e y w e r e h i s e n e m i e s .
Because they sinned:
Thus were they ciiastened then.
That they might he sanctified.
Bui n o w , y o u peoples a n d nations, you a r e guilty.
B e c a u s e \ o u hav e a l w a y s t r o d d e n d o w n t h e e a r t h .
.And t r e a t e d t h e c r e a t i o n shamel'ully:
T o r I h a v e a l w a y s s h o w e r e d m y gilts u p o n y o u ,
. \ n d y o u h a v e a l w a y s h e e n u n g r a t e f u l for t h e m .

XIV. .And I a n s w e r e d a n d said, Lo, t h o u hast shown me the

c o u r s e o f t h e t i m e s a n d w h a t is t o h e a f t e r t h e s e t h i n g s ; a n d t h o u
hast e x p l a i n e d to m e that retribution, which thou hast described to
m e , s h a l l c o m e u p o n t h e n a t i o n s , .And n o w I k n o w t h a t t h e r e h a v e
b e e n m a n y s i n n e r s , a n d t h e y h a v e lived in p r o s p e r i t y a n d d e p a r t e d
f r o m t h e w o r l d ; b u t t h e r e w i l l b e f e w n a t i o n s left i n t h o s e t i m e s , t o
whom what t h o u h a s t s a i d c a n b e r e p e a t e d . W h a t a d v a n t a g e is
t h e r e i n t h i s ? W h a t w o r s e evils t h a n t h o s e w e h a v e s e e n c o m e u p o n
us a r e w e to e x p e c t to see?
O n c e a g a i n will I s p e a k in thv p r e s e n c e . H o w h a v e t h e y p r o f i t e d ,
w h o w e r e m e n o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g in t h y s i g h t , a n d d i d n o t p u r s u e
p a t h s t h a t l e d n o w h e r e like t h e rest o f t h e n a t i o n s , a n d n e v e r said t o
dead idols. G i v e u s life, b u t a l w a y s f e a r e d t h e e a n d f o l l o w e d t h y
w a y s ? L o ! L h e y h a v e b e e n c a r r i e d olf; n o r b e c a u s e o f t h e m hast
t h o u h a d m e r c v o n Z i o n . K v e n if o t h e r s d i d e v i l , w a s it n o t d u e t o
Z i o n t h a t s h e s h o u l d b e f o r g i v e n b e c a u s e o f t h e good t h i n g s t h a t

' I.it. 'they will Ix- (-xfK-ctiiiK'.

 The Synac Apocalypse oj Baruch 8 1 9
t h e y d i d , i n s t e a d o l i j e i i i g ( n e r w h e l i n e d b e c a u s e ol t h e evil t h i n g s
8 t h e o t h e r s d i d i * B u t w h o , ( ) L o r d , m y L o r d , c a n c o m p r c i i e n d ihe
workings of t h y J i t d g e r n e n t ? O r w h o c a n s e a r c h o u t t h e d e p t h s o l ' t h y
9 w a y , ' O r w h o c a n t r a c e t h c p r o f u n d i t y o f th>- p a t h ' : ' O r w h o c a n
describe t h y unfathomable counsel? O r w h a t m a n that has ever
b e e n b o r n h a s e v e r d i s c o v e r e d e i t h e r t h e b e g i i u i i n g o r tlie e n d o f
.11 t h y w i s d o m ? F o r w e a l l h a v e b e e n m a d e l i k e a b r e a t h . F o r a s our
breath c o m e s u p from i n s i d e us. a n d d o c s n o t r e t u r n , b u t d i s ­
a p p e a r s , s o it is w i t h m e n : ' t h e y d o n o t d e p a r t lhis life a s a n d w h e n
t h e y w o u l d . ' n o r d o t h e y k n o w w h a t w i l l h a p p e n t o t h e m in t h c
\2 e n d . T h e r i g h t e o u s q u i t e r i g h t l y l o o k f o r w a r d t o Iheir mA, a n d t h e > '
l e a v e t h e i r d w e l l i n g h e r e w i t h o u t fear, b e c a u s e they h a v e a s t o r e of
1.3 good w o r k s laid t i p in t h y t r e a s u r i e s , -So t l i c y l e a v e t h i s world
w i t h o u t fear, a n d t r u s t t h a t t h e y will a t t a i n t h c w o r l d w h i c h t h o u
•t h a s t p r o m i s e d t h e m . B u t a s f o r u s , o u r l o t is h a r d : ' w c siifl'cr i n j u r )
15 a n d i n s u l t n o w , a n d w e c a n o n l ) - l o o k f o r w a r d \.o further But
thou knowest truly what thou hast done" on behalfoF thy servants;
f o r w e c a n n o t u n d e r s t a n d w h a t is g o o d a s t h o u , o u r c r e a t o r , l a r i s t .
16 .Vnd yet again I will s p e a k in t h y p r e s e n c e , O L o r d , m y lord.
!7 W h e n of o l d t h e r e w a s n o w o r l d , a n d n o o n e t o i n h a b i t it, i h o u d i d s t
m a k e thy plan, a n d thou didst utter thy word, a n d immediately the
18 w o r k s o f c r e a t i o n s t o o d before t h c c . .And t h o u didst s a y t h a t t h o u
w o u l d c s t m a k e m a n for t h y w o r l d to b e t h e a d m i n i s t r a t o r of t h y
w o r k s , s o t h a t it m i g h t b e k n o w n t h a t h e w a s n o t m a d e b e c a u s e o f
19 t h e v v o r l d , b u t t h e w o r l d b e c a u s e o f h i m . . A n d n o w it w o u l d s e e m
t h a t " t h e w o r l d w h i c h w a s m a d e b e c a u s e of us r e m a i n s , b u t we, for'
w h o m it w a s m a d e , d i s a p p e a r .

XV. ,And t h c L o r d a n s w e r e d a n d said to m e . Y o u a r e quite rightly

p e r p l c x c d a b o u t t h e d i s a p p e a r a n c e o f m a n , b u t y o u a r c w r o n g in
2 w h a t y o u t h i n k a b o u t t h e evils t h a t c o m e u p o n sinners. W h e n y o u

' Lit.'witti the nature of men'.

^ f .it. 'according to their own will'.
•' Lit. 'woe to us'.
" Or 'made'.
' Or 'by means o f .
" Lil. '.And now I sec that'.
• Lit. 'because o f .
 8,50 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
said, T h e r i g h t e o u s a r e c a r r i e d oil', a n d t h e w i c k e d a r e p r o s p e r e d ;
;i a n d a g a i n , w h e n y o u s a i d , M a n c a n n o t c o n i p i c h e r i d the workings of
4 t h y j u d g e m e n t - l i s t e n , a n d 1 will tell y o u : p a y a t t e n t i o n , a n d I will
5 e x p l a i n t o y o u . M a n w o u l d h a \ e h a d e x c u s e for n o t u n d e r s t a n d i n g
m y j u d g e m e n t , il'he h a d not been given the law, a n d I had not
G i n s t r u c t e d h i m in u n d e r s t a n d i n g . R u t n o w , b e c a u s e h e h a s t r a n s ­
g r e s s e d w i t h h i s eyes o p e n , o n lhis g r o u n d a l o n e (that h e knew) h e
7 m u s t b e j j u n i s h e d , .And a s r e g a r d s w h a t y o u said al)out t h e r i g h t e o u s ,
t h a t it w a s b e c a u s e o l ' t h e m t h a t t h i s w o r l d c a m e i n t o b e i n g , s o a l s o
8 shall t h a t w h i c h is t o c o m e come into being b e c a u s e o l ' t h e m . F o r t h i s
w o r l d i s f o r t h e r n a place of atrii'c, a n d w e a r i n e s s , a n d m u c h t r o u b l e ;
b u t t h a t w h i c h is t o c o m e will he a c r o w n w i t h g r e a t g l o r y .

XVI. A n d 1 a n s w e r e d a n d said, O Lord, m y lord, o u r years here'

a r e l e w a n d e v i l , a n d w h o is a b l e i n s o b r i e f a time t o a c q u i r e w h a t
cannot be measured.

XVII. .'\nd t h e Lord answered a n d said to m e , With the Most High

'2 it d o e s n o t m a t t e r w h e t h e r a m a n ' s life b e l o n g o r s h o r t . ' F o r w h a t
p r o f i t w a s it t o A d a m t h a t h e l i v e d n i n e h u n d r e d a n d t h i r t y y e a r s ,
.3 a n d y e t t r a n s g r e s s e d t h e c o m m a n d t h a t h a d b e e n g i v e n h i m . T h e
l e n g t h of t i m e t h a t h e lived d i d n o t profit h i m , b u t b r o u g h t d e a t h
4 a n d s h o r t e n e d t h e lives o f h i s d e s c e n d a n t s . O r in w h a t w a y w a s
M o s e s t h e loser in t h a t h e lived o n l y a h u n d r e d a n d t w e n t y years,
a n d y e t , i n a s m u c h a s h e o b e y e d h i s c r e a t o r , b r o u g h t tlie l a w t o t h e
s o n s o f j a c o b a n d lit a l a m p f()r t h e n a t i o n o f I s r a e l ?

XVIII. A n d 1 a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d , H e t h a t lit the lamp t o o k advantage

2 o f its l i g h t ; ' b u t t h e r e a r e l e w w h o h a v e d o n e a s h e d i d . M a n y o f
t h o s e t o w h o m h e h a s g i v e n light hav e [""eferred' . A d a m ' s d a r k n e s s
a n d h a v e n o t rejoiced in t h e light o f the l a m p .

' Lit. 'the years ol'this time'.

' Lit. 'With the Most 1 ligh aeroiiiit is not taken olmnch time nor ol'a l(-v

' Or 'He that lit the tiglit rereivctJ il from rhe Light' (.so Bogaert).
' Lit. 'have taken from'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse oj Hanich 8.') 1

XIX. . \ i i c i h e a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d t o n i e , T l i a t is w h y h e e s t a b l i s h e d
a ( ( n e n a n t f o r t h e m a t t h a t t i m e a n d s a i d . B e h o l d I h a v e set b e f o r e
y o n life a n d d e a t h ; a n d h e s u m m o n e d h e a \ e n a n d e a r t h t o w i t n e s s
2 a g a i n s t t h e m . F o r h e k n e w t h a t his t i m e w a s short, but that h e a v e n
:i a n d e a r t h w o u l d e n d u r e for e v e r , ^ ' e t a h e r h i s d e a t h t h e y s i n n e d
a n d t r a n s g r e s s e d , t h o u g h they knew that they had the law against
litem, a n d t h e light w h i e h n o t h i n g eould deceive, a n d the celestial
1 s p h e r e s t o a d d t h e i r t e s t i m o n y , a n d a l s o m c . N o w .so far a s t h e
p r e s e n t s t a t e o f t h i n g s is c o n c e r n e d , it is for m e t o p a s s j u d g e m e n t ,
s o d o n o t w o r r y a b o u t t h e m n o r distress yourself b e c a u s e of w h a t
.T h a s h a p p e n e d . F o r it is n o w t h e e n d o f t i m e t h a t s h o u l d b e c o n ­
s i d e r e d ( w h e t h e r (/ /,( a mailer of b u s i n e s s , o r of p r o s p e r i t y , o r of
(i misfortune) and not thc beginning ofit. Because though a m a n
may have been prosperous when h c w a s y o u n g , if misfbrtune
comes upon him in h i s o l d a g e , h e w i l l f o r g e t all h i s former
7 p r o s p e r i t y . Clonversely. t h o u g h a m a n m a y h a v e b e e n the \ ictim of
m i s f o r t u n e w h e n h e w a s y o u n g , if a t t h e e n d o f h i s life h e b e c o m e s
« p r o s p e r o u s , h c will n o t r e m e m b e r his f o r m e r m i s l b r t u n e s . F u r t h e r ­
m o r e , e v e n if from the d a y on w h i e h d e a t h w a s decreed against
t r a n s g r e s s o r s , e v e r y single m a n h a d b e e n p r o s p e r o u s all t h r o u g h
h i s l i f e , ' a n d in t h e e n d h a d b e e n d e s t r o y e d , it w o u l d a l l h a v e b e e n
in v a i n .

X X . B e h o l d , t h e t i m e is c o m i n g w h e n t h e d a y s w i l l s p e e d o n m o r e
s w i f t l y t h a n of o l d , a n d t h e s e a s o n s will s u c c e e d o n e a n o t h e r m o r e
r a p i d l y t h a n in t h e p a s t , a n d t h e y e a r s w i l l p a s s b y m o r e Cjuickly
2 t h a n t h e y d o n o w . T h a t is w h y I h a v e n o w t a k e n Z i o n a w a y , s o t h a t
:i I m a y t h e m o r e s p e e d i l y p u n i s h t h e w o r l d a t its a p p o i n t e d t i m e . S o
n o w h o l d fast in y o u r h e a r t e v e r y t h i n g t h a t I c o m m a n d y o u a n d
4 s e a l it i n t h e r e c e s s e s o f y o u r m i n d . .And t h e n w i l l I s h o w y o u t h e
.i j u d g e m e n t o f m y m i g h t , a n d m y w a y s t h a t a r e u n f a t h o m a b l e . G o ,
t h e r e f o r e , a n d p u r i f y y o u r s e l f for s e v e n d a y s : e a t n o b r e a d , d r i n k n o
(i w a t e r , a n d s p e a k to n o o n e . A n d a f t e r w a r d s c o m e to this p l a c e , '
a n d I w i l l r e v e a l m y s e l f t o y o u , a n d tell y o u h i d d e n t r u t h s , a n d g i v e

' Lit. 'all that time'.

' Lit. 'that plaec'. Presumably mount Zion (cp. .xiii. I and xxi. 2).
 H!)'2 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
y o u i n s t r u c t i o n a b o u t t h e c o u r s e o f t h e t i m e s ; for t h e y a r e c o m i n g ,
a n d t h e r e will b e n o d e l a y .

XXI. . \ n d I w e n t a w a y a n d s a t in a c a v e in t h e hillside in t h e
K i d r o n \ a l l c y , a n d I purified myself there, a n d t h o u g h I a t e n o
bread 1 w a s not hungry, a n d though I drank no water I was not
t h i r s t y ; a n d I w a s t h e r e till t h e s e v e n t h d a y , a s h e h a d c o m m a n d e d
•2 m c . . \ n d a f t e r w a r d s I c a m e t o t h e p l a c e w h e r e h e h a d s p o k e n w i t h
;i m e . . \ n d at sunset m y m i n d w a s beset by m a n y thoughts, a n d I
I b e g a n t o s p e a k in t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e .Mighty O n e . A n d I said, O
t h o u w h o h a s t m a d e t h e e a r t h , h e a r m e , t h o u w h o h a s t fixed t h e
\ a u l t o f h e a v e n by thy word' a n d h a s t m a d e f a s t t h e h e i g h t o f it b y
t h y s p i r i t , t h o u w h o h a s t c a l l e d into being f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e
w o r l d t h i n g s w h i c h d i d n o t previously exist, a n d they obey thee.
') 1 h o u w h o hast c o m m a n d e d the air b y t h y n o d , a n d hast seen t h e
II t h i n g s w h i c h a r e t o b e a s t h e t h i n g s w h i c h have been already. T h o u
w h o r u l e s t i n thy g r e a t d e s i g n t h e h o s t s t h a t s t a n d b e f o r e t h e e , and
dost control, a s with a rod of iron,' t h e countless holy beings w h o m
t h o u d i d s t m a k e f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g , o f flame a n d fire, w h i c h s t a n d
7 around t h y t h r o n e . ' I ' o t h e e o n l y d o e s it b e l o n g t o d o a t o n c e
H w h a t e v e r t h o u d o s t w i s h . T h o u m a k e s t t h e r a i n t o fall d r o p b y d r o p
u p o n t h e e a r t h , a n d t h o u a l o n e knowest t h e e n d o f t h e times before
'1 they c o m e : have respect u n t o m y prayer. For thou alone a r t able to
s u s t a i n a l l w h o a r e , a n d t h o s e w h o have passed away, a n d t h o s e w h o
10 a r e t o b e , t h o s e w h o s i n , a n d t h o s e w h o are righteous.' F o r t h o u
a l o n e d o s t live, i m m o r t a l a n d past finding out, a n d thou knowest
11 t h e n u m b e r o f m a n k i n d . . \ n d if i n t h e c o u r s e o f t i m e m a n y h a v e
s i n n e d , y e t o t h e r s , n o t a few in n u m b e r , h a v e b e e n r i g h t e o u s .
\2 T h o u k n o w e s t the place w h i c h t h o u h a s t r e s e r v e d f o r t h e e n d o f
those w h o have sinned, a n d thedestiny ofthe others who have been
i:i r i g h t e o u s . F ' o r if t h e r e w e r e t h i s life o n l y , w h i c h b e l o n g s t o a l l m e n .
It n o t h i n g c o u l d b e m o r e b i t t e r t h a n t h i s . F o r w h a t g a i n is s t r e n g t h
that t u r n s to weakness, or plenty that turns to famine, o r beauty

' IVxi 'in its fulness": ep. Ps. .xxxiii. 6.

• I.it. "control in anger".
' Text "who arc justified'. T h e text then adds 'as living and being past finding out'
- clearly a dittograpli ofthe opening clause ofthe next verse.
 The Syriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch ii J 3
15 t h a t t u r n s t o u g h n c s s ? K o r t h c n a t u r e o f m a n is a l w a y s c h a n g i n g .
16 VoT w h a t w e o n c e w e r e , n o w w e n o l o n g e r a r e , a n d w h a t w e n o w
17 a r e , w e s h a l l n o t l o n g r e m a i n . K o r i f a t e r m h a d n o t h e e n s e t \hr a l l .
18 t h e i r b e g i n n i n g w o u l d h a v e b e e n in v a i n . B u t d o t h o u inform m c
a b o u t e v e r y t h i n g that c o m e s from thee, a n d enlighten m c a b o i u
e v e r y t h i n g I ask thee.
19 F o r h o w l o n g w i l l w h a t is c o r r u p t i b l e e n d u r e , a n d for h o w l o n g
w i l l m o r t a l s t h r i v e o n e a r t h , ' ' a n d t h e t r a n s g r e s s o r s ' in t h e w o r l d
20 c o n t i n u e in their pollutions a n d corruptions? In t h \ mercy issue
thy command a n d bring to pass e v e r y t h i n g thou saidst thou
wouldst, that it m a y b e m a d e k n o w n to those w h o think thy
21 p a t i e n c e is b u t w e a k n e s s , . \ n d s h o w t o t h o s e w h o d o n o t k n o w that
e v e r y t h i n g t h a t h a s h a p p e n e d t o u s a n d t o o u r c i t y u p till t i o w has
been i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e p a t i e n c e o f t h y p o w e r , b e c a u s e l<)r t h y
22 n a m e ' s s a k e t h o u h a s t c a l l e d u s a b e l o v e d p e o p l e . So bring mortality
23 to an end now.'' R e s t r a i n t h e a n g e l o f d e a t h , a n d l e t t h y g l o r y a p [ ) e a r
a n d t h e m i g h t o f t h y b e a u t y b e k n o w n : let S h e o l b e s e a l e d s o t h a t
from now onwards it m a y n o t r e c e i v e t h e d e a d ; a n d let t h e
24 t r e a s u r i e s o f s o u l s r e s t o r e t h o s e t h a t a r c h e l d fast i n t h e m . F o r t h e r e
h a v e b e e n m a n y y e a r s of d e s o l a t i o n since t h e d a y s of . A b r a h a m a n d
I s a a c a n d J a c o b , a n d o f a l l t h o s e like t h e m w h o sleep in t h c e a r t h ,
25 o n w h o s e a c c o u n t t h o u d i d s t s a y t h o u d i d s t c r e a t e t h e w o r l d . .And
n o w s h o w t h y g l o r y q u i c k l y , a n d d o n o t p u t off w h a t t h o u hast
promised,
26 A n d when I had hnished this p r a y e r I w a s completely ex­
hausted.

XXn. .And after this, behold, t h e h e a v e n s o p e n e d , a n d I s a w a

vision, a n d s t r e n g t h w a s g i v e n m e , a n d a voice w a s h e a r d from o n
2 h i g h , a n d it s a i d t o m e , B a r u c h , B a r u c h , w h y a r e y o u t r o u b l e d ?
3 W h a t c o m f o r t i s t h e r e f o r a m a n if h e s e t s o l T o n a j o u r n e y b y r o a d
a n d n e v e r r e a c h e s h i s j o u r n e y ' s e n d , o r if h e g o e s b y s e a a n d n e v e r
4 a r r i v e s a t t h e p o r t h e w a s m a k i n g for? O r if h e p r o m i s e s t o g i v e
someone else a p r e s e n t a n d n e v e r d o e s , is it n o t equivalent to

'' L i t . ' w i l l l h e l i n u - o f m o r t a l s lx- p r o s i x r i d ' .

' O r " t h o s e w h o p a s s a w a y ' : c p . v e r s e 9.
' Te.xt " E \ e r y n a t u r e , f r o m n o w o n w a r d s , is m o r t a l " .
 8:)4 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
b r o b b e r y ? O r i l ' h e s o w s s e e d i n t h e e a r t h , b u t d o c s n o t r e a p t h e Iriiit
6 f r o m it i n i t s s c a s o t i , d o e s h e n o t sull(?r a t o t a l l o s s ? O r i f h e p l a n t s a
p l a n t , c a n h e e x p e c t a n y f r u i t f r o m it b e f o r e t h e r e g u l a r t i m e I b r
7 f r u i t ? O r if a p r e g n a n t w o m a n b e a r s a s t i l l - b o r n c h i l d , is s h e n o t t h e
8 unwitting c a u s e o l ' h e r i n f a n t ' s d e a t h ? O r i f a m a n b u i l d s a h o u s e a n d
d o e s n o t f i n i s h it b y p u t t i n g a r o o f o n it, c a n it properly b e c a l l e d a
h o u s e ? Tell m e t h a t f i r s t ,

.2 XXJII. A n d I a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d , I n d e e d , n o , O L o r d , m y l o r d . .And
h e a n s w e r e d a n d said to m e , W h y then a r e you troubled about
w h a t y o n d o n o t know, a n d upset by things you d o not understand,
3 F o r just a s y o u h a v e n o t fbtgotten t h e people w h o n o w a r e , a n d
those w h o h a v e passed away, so I r e m e m b e r those w h o are to
1 c o m e . ' Because w h e n .Adam sinned a n d death w a sdecreed against
t h o s e w h o w e r e l o l)e b o r n from him, t h e n t h e n u m b e r o f t h o s e l o b e
b o r n w a s fixed, a n d f o r t h a t n u m b e r a p l a c e w a s p r e p a r e d where
t h e l i v i n g m i g h t live o u t t h e i r lives a n d t h e d e a d m i g h t b e kept in
,T s e c u r i t y . I ' h u s , u n t i l t h a t n u m b e r is r e a c h e d , n o c r e a t u r e w i l l live
a g a i n ( s i n c e m y s p i r i t i s t h e c r e a t o r o f life) a n d .Sheol w i l l l e c e i v e
6 t h e d e a d . . A n d a g a i n , y o u a r e t o b e p r i v i l e g e d t o h e a r w h a t is t o
7 c o m e a l t e r t h e s e t i m e s . F o r m y r e d e m p t i o n is n e a r a n d is n o t a s f a r
a w a y a s o n c e it w a s .

XXIV. For behold, t h e t i m e is c o i n i n g w h e n t h e b o o k s will b e

o p e n e d in w h i c h a r e w r i t t e n t h e sins o f all w h o h a v e s i n n e d , a n d
a l s o t h e t r e a s u r i e s i n w h i i h a r e s t o r e d the records of the righteous
2 d e e d s o f all c r e a t e d b e i n g s w h o h a v e b e e n r i g h t e o u s . A n d t h e n y o u
w i l l a p p r e c i a t e ' ( a n d m a n y w i t h y o u ) t h e p a t i e n c e o f t h e IVIost
H i g h in e v e r y g e n e r a t i o n ; for h e h a s b e e n e v e r p a t i e n t w i t h all m e n ,
3 b o t h w i t h t h o s e w h o s i n a n d w i t h t h o s e w h o a r c r i g h t e o u s . .And I
a n s w e r e d a n d said. B u t behold. I,ord, n o one knows h o wm a n y a r e
the ihings that a r e already past, n o r h o w m a n y there a r e that are
4 y e t t o c o m e . F'or 1 k n o w o n l y too well w h a t h a s h a p p e n e d t o us, b u t
w h a t w i l l h a p p e n t o o u r e n e m i e s I do n o t k n o w ; n o r d o 1 k n o w
w h e n t h o u wilt visit t h y w o r k s .

' Text '.so 1 remember those who are remcmljereri and iliose who are to come'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch 855

XXV. . \ r i d h e a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d t o m e , Y o u t o o w i l l i)e p r e s e r v e d
till t l i e t i m e o f the coming oj t h e s i g n w h i c h thc Most High will
2 p r o v i d e for t h o s e o n e a r t h a t t h c e n d o f d a y s . .And this shall b e t h e
S sign - w h e n a s t u p o r seizes those o n earth a n d they a r e assailed by
4 all k i n d s ol'mislbrtune a n d adverse circumstances. A n d w h e n they
s a y a s a r e s u l t o f t h e i r suflisrings. T h e .Mighty O n e h a s n o longer
a n y i n t e r e s t in t h e e a r t h , then, w h e n they h a v e given u p hope, t h e
t i m e will c o m e . '

XXVI. . A n d 1 a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d . W i l l t h e p e r i o d o f s u l f e r i n g l h a t is
t o b e c o n t i n u e f o r l o n g , a n d vvill t h e o r d e a l l a s t m a n y y e a r s ?

XXVII. .And h e a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d t o m e , T h a t t i m e will b e d i v i d e d

i n t o t w e l v e s e p a r a t e p e r i o d s , ' a n d e a c h o n e o f t h e m will h a v e its
2 o w n s p e c i a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . ' I'hc h r s t p e r i o d will s e e t h c b e g i n n i n g
3 o f l h e t r o u b l e s . I n t h e s e c o n d p e r i o d will o c c u r a s s a s s i n a t i o n s of the
4 g r e a t o n e s oJ the earth. I n t h c t h i r d p e r i o d t h c a n n i h i l a t i o n o f m a n y
5,6 b y d e a t h . I n t h c f o u r t h p e r i o d d e s t r u c t i o n b y t h c s w o r d . ' Iti t h e
7 hfth period l a m i n e a n d lai k of rain." I n t h e sixth period carth-
8,9 q u a k e s a n d t e r r o r s . . . ' I n t h e e i g h t h p e r i o d the appearance of m a n y
10 s p e c t r e s a n d a t t a c k s b y d e m o n s . I n t h e n i n t h p e r i o d t h c falling o f
11 hre from heaven. In ihc tenth period cverv kind of havoc a n d
12 o p p r e s s i o n . I n t h e e l e v e n t h p e r i o d much w i c k e d n e s s a n d i m p u r i t y .
13 .And in t h e twelfth p e r i o d c h a o s resulting from t h c m i x i n g together
14 o f a l l t h e s e t h i n g s . F o r although e a c h o f t h e p e r i o d s o l t h a t t i m e w i l l
b e m a r k e d o l f f r o m t h e r e s t b y its s p e c i a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , t h e y will
15 ultimately all b e m i x e d together a n d reinforce o n e another." F o r

' Lit.'the time will awake'.

' Lit. 'twelve parts' (and similarly subsequently).

• Lit. 'each one ofthem is reserved for that w4iieli is appointed for it'.
' I.it. 'the sending ofthe sword".
" Lit.'withholding of rain".
" 'In the seventh p e r i t K l . . . " is cunitted in the MS.
" Charles thought verses 14 and 15 not only 'obscure' bul al.so 'possibly corrupi".
He translated 'for tthese pans of that time arc reseived. and't shall be mingled one
with another and minister one to anolhcr. l''or some shall leave out some oftheir own,
and receive in lU.'.tead from others, and some complete their own and thai ofoihcs. so
that those . . .'.
85() Tlif Syriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch
some w i l l fall s h o r t ' ' i n t h e e a l a i i i i t i e s t h e \ b r i n g a n d h a \ e t h e i r
d e H c i e n e > m a d e u p b y o t h e r s , w h i l e s o i r i e w i l l s u p p l y t h e i r full t a l e
t h e m s e l v e s a n d a l s o m a k e u p l<)r w h a t is l a c k i n g i n o t h e r s , s o t h a t
t h o s e o n e a r t h in those d a y s m a \ n o t i m d e r s t a n d t h a t t h i s is t h e
final consummation.

XX\1II. N e v e r t h e l e s s , w l i o e \ e r is w i s e t h e n w i l l u n d e r s t a n d , f o r
t h e m e a s u r e a n d r e c k o n i n g of that time a r e t w o parts • weeks of
s e x e n w e e k s . ' . A n d 1 a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d . It is g o o d liir a m a n l o
c o m e t o t h a t t i m e a n d s e e whal happens then: y e t il is s u r e l y better
t h a t h e s h o u l d n o t c o m e in c a s e h e fails. [ B u t I will a s k ' t h i s a l s o .
W i l l t h e I n c o r r u p t i b l e d e s p i s e w h a t i s c o r r u p t i b l e a n d nol care about
what happens to t h e corruptible, a n d concern himself only with
w h a l i s n o t c o r r u p l i b l e ? [ - ' B u t if, I . o r d , w h a l t h o u h a s t ftirt^told t o
m c w i l l a s s u r e d l y c o m e t o p a s s , r e v e a l t h i s a l s o t o m e . if I h a v e
indeed found fa\our with thee. Will these ihings h a p p e n in o n e
place o r i n just o n e a r e a " o f t h e e a r t h , o r w i l l t h e w h o l e earth
experience lliem^

XXIX. .And h e answcri^d a n d said to m e , W h a t e v e r h a p p e n s then

will happen to the whole earth; so that all w h o a r e alive will
e x p e r i e n c e it. I ' o r a t t h a t t i m e I w i l l p r o t e c t o n l y t h o s e w h o a r e
found i n t h o s e d a y s i n t h i s l a n d . A n d it s h a l l b e t h a t w h e n a l l is
accomplished t h a t w a s t o c o m e t o p a s s i n t h e twelve p e r i o d s bejore
the end? the Messiah shall then begin to b e r e v e a k ^ d . .And
B e h e m o t h shall a p p e a r from his place a n d L e v i a t h a n shall ascend

. S e n s e r e q u i r e d bv t b e e o n i e M : t e x t ' i n c r e a s e ' .

' S o literally. (.:harles t h o u g h t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n 'impossible'. O n various pos­

s i b i l i t i e s s e e M . R . J a m e s ' s n o t e i n Tlte Biblical Anliqmtie.s itj I'hiln ( L o n d o n , 1 9 1 7 ) ,
pp. i;!l-l:-i2. ' ' I.it.'say'.
' V e r s e s 4 a n d 5 b r e a k t h e c o n n e c t i o n o l t h o u g h t , a n d n o a c c o u n t is t a k e n n l t h e m
i n t h e c o n t e x t , a l t h o u g h s o m e s o r t of a n s w e r a p p e a r s to b e g i v e n u i t h e q u e s t i o n i n
xliii. 2. * L i t . ' o r i n o n e of t h e p a r t s ' .

' I.it. ' i n t h o s e p a r t s ' . W e h a v e t a k e n t h e reference h e r e to b e ui t h e twelve

d i v i s i o n s o f t h e t i m e o f t h e IVlessianic w o e s ( d e s c r i b e d in d e t a i l in c h a p , xxvii):
h o v v c v Cf. t h e r c f i ? i e n c e c o u l d p o s s i b l y b e t o t h e ' p a r t s o f t h e e a r t h " l u e n t i o n e d i n
 The Synac Apocalypse oJ Baruch !!37
from t h c s e a - t h o s e t w o g r e a t m o n s t e r s 1 c r e a t e d o n t h c hfth d a y oi'
c r e a t i o n a n d h a \ e Icept u n t i l t h e n ; a n d t h e n t h e y s h a l l s e r v e a s food
J f o r a l l t h a t s u r x i v e . T h e e a r t l i a l s o s h a l l \ i e l d i t s fruit t e n i h o u s a n d -
Ibld; a n d o n e a c h vine t h e r e shall be a t h o u s a n d b r a n c h e s , a n d each
b r a n c h shall [iroduce a thousand clusters, a n d each cluster pro­
d u c e a t h o u s a n d grapes, a n d each grape produce a cor of wine.
ti . \ n d t h o s e w h o h a v e b e e n h u n g r y will rejoice; a n d . also, t h e y shall
7 s e e m a r v e l s every d a y . F o r w i n d s shall g o forth from m e b e a r i n u
t h e s c e n t o f a r o m a t i c f r u i t s e v e r y m o r n i n g , a n d , a t t h e c l o s e ol d a y ,
R c l o u d s distilling a health-giving dew. . \ n d at that time the store­
h o u s e o f m a n n a shall d e s c e n d from o n high a g a i n ; a n d they shall
c a t o f i t i n t h o s e y e a r s , b e c a u s e it is t h e y w h o h a v e c o m e t o t h c final
consummation,

XXX. - A n d it s h a l l c o m e t o p a s s a f t e r t h i s , w h e n t h e l i m e o f t h e
presence' ofthe .'Vlessiah on earth h a s r u n i t s c o u r s e , t h a t h c w i l l
r e t u r n i n g l o r y to the heavens: t h e n a l l w h o h a v e d i e d a n d h a v e s e t
2 t h e i r h o p e s o n h i r n w i l l r i s e a g a i n . A n d it s h a l l c o m e t o pa.ss a t t h a t
t i m e t h a t t h c t r e a s u r i e s w i l l b e o p e n e d in w h i c h is p r e s e r \ c d t h e
n u m b e r o f t h e s o u l s o f t h e r i g h t e o u s , a n d t h e y will c o m e o u t . a n d
t h e m u l t i t u d e o i s o u l s w i l l a p p e a r t o g e t h e r in o n e s i n g l e a s s e m b l y ;
a n d t h o s e w h o a r c h r s t will rejoice, a n d t h o s e w h o a r e last will n o t
3 b e cast down. F o r each o n e of them will k n o w ' that thc pre-
4 d e t e r m i n e d e n d o f t h e times h a s come. B u t t h e souls ofthe wicked.
5 w h e n t h e y s e e all t h i s , will b e t h e m o r e d i s c o m f o r t e d . ' F o r t h e y will
k n o w t h a t t h e i r t o r m e n t is u p o n t h e m a n d t h a t t h e i r p e r d i t i o n h a s
arrived.

XXXJ. .And after this I went to t h e p e o p l e a n d said to thern,

'i S u m m o n a l l y o u r e l d e r s t o m c , a n d I will s p e a k t o t h e m . .And t h e y
3 all a s s e m b l e d in t h c K i d r o n valley. .And 1 a n s w e r e d a n d said to
thcni,

F I c a r , ( ) I s r a e l , a n d I will s p e a k to y o u ,
A n d g i v e e a r , y o u s o n s o f j a c o b , a n d I will i n s t r u c t y o u .

' Or •advcnl' [Gk. :^CLQOVOUI).

' l.il. 'For hc Iciiuws'.
' r.il. 'will waste awav ihc iiiorc'.
 8.')B The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
•\ Koi'gcl not Zii)n,
B u t k e e p in i T t i i c n i b t a i n f lhc a n g u i s h ot J c r u s a i c n i .
•) K o r l)t'lio!cl, t l i c t i m e is c o m i n g ,
W ' l i c n c \ c r y t l i i i i g t h a t is s l i a i l b e c o m e t l i c p i c \ o l ' c o r r u p t i o n ,
.XtuI b e a s t h o u g h it h a d n e v e r b e e n .

X X X I I . B u t a s tiir y o u , it y o u p r e p a r e y o u r h e a r t s , a n d s o w in t h e m
t h e I'rtiits o f t h e l a w . it w i l l b e a p r o t e c t i o n t o \ ( i u w h e n t h e . M i g h t y
2 ( )iie s h a k e s t h e w h o l e c r e a t i o n . I'or after a little w h i l e the b u i l d i n g
;t o f Z i o n w i l l b e s h a k e n s o t h a t it m a y b e b u i l t a g a i n . B u t l h a l
b u i l d i n g will not e n d u r e , b u t will after a t i m e b e r a z e d to the
1 g r o u n d . ' a n d it w i l l r e m a i n d e s o l a t e u n t i l t h e appointed t i m e . .And
a f t e r w a r d s it m u s t b e r e n e w e d in g l o r y a n d b e m a d e pcrfcrt l<>r
•) e \ e r m o r e . W e s h o u l d n o t , t h e r e f o r e , b e distressed-' s o m u c h ov er t h e
Il e \ il w h i c h h a s c o m e n o w a s o v e r w h a t is still t o lie. f o r t h e r e will b e
a g r e a t e r trial t h a n either of these two tribulations w h e n the
7 . M i g h t y O n e r e n e w s h i s c r e a t i o n . .And n o w , d o n o t K i n i e n e a r m e
8 f o r a f e w d a y s , a n d d o n o t s e e k m e o u t u n t i l I c o n i c t o v o n . .And
w h e n I h a d s a i d all t h i s t o t h e m . I. B a r u c h , w e n t m y w a y ; a n d
w h e n t h e p e o p l e s a w m e g o i n g l h e y c r i e d o u t in d i s m a y , " s a y i n g ,
9 W h e r e a r e you going, B a r u c h , a r e you g o i n g to desert us, as a
f a t h e r m i g h t d e s e r t his c h i l d r e n , a n d leave t h e m o r p h a n s ?

XXXIII. .Are these the orders your companion, the prophet

2 J e r e m i a h , g a v e you w h e n h e said to you. Look after this people
w h i l e I g o a n d s u p p o r t t h e r e s t oi our b r o t h e r s in B a b y l o n , who
:i h a v e b e e n s e n t e n c e d to b e h e l d a s c a p t i v e s t h e r e ? If n o w y o u a r e
g o i n g t o d e s e r t u s t o o , it w e r e b e t t e r for a l l o f u s t o d i e w h i l e y o u a r e
still w i t h u s , ' a n d t h a t o n l y t h e n s h o u l d you g o a w a y .

X X X I V . . A n d I a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d t o t h e p e o p l e . Ciod t b r b i d l h a t I
s h o u l d d e s e r t y o u o r leave y o u . I a m only g o i n g to the H o l y of
H o l i e s t o i n q u i r e o f t h e . M i g h t y O n e a b o u t y o u a n d a b o u t Z i o n , in

' I.il. ' h t ' r(«)it'(l o u l ' .

-• T e x l h a s ihi- a i l i v c ' c a u s e K r i e l " .
' I.il. ' l h e y l i l t e d u p i h e i r v o i c e a n d l a m e n i e d ' .

' I.il. ' l o d i e h e l o r e v o u ' .

 Tlie Syriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch 8 J9
t h c l i o p c t h a t I m a y g e t s o m e t'tiither i m d c r s t a n c i i n g . Alter this I
will c o m e h a c k to y o u .

XXXV. . \ n d I, B a r u c h , w e n t t o t h e h o K p l a c e a n d s a t d o w n a m i d
t h e rtiins, a n d I wept a n d said.

W o u l d t h a t m i n e e y e s w e r e s p r i n g s of water.
. \ n d m i n e eyelids a fouiuain oftears:
:i K o r h o w s h a l l I l a m e n t for Z i o n .
. \ n d h o w s h a l l I m o u r n liir J e r u s a l e m ?
4 B e c a u s e in t h e \ c r y [)lace w h e r e 1 n o w lie p r o s t r a t e ,
Khc h i g h [jricst o t O l d o l l e r e d h o l y s a c r i h c e s ,
. \ n d b u r n e d incense orfragrant odours,
.i B u t now o u r pride h a s turned to dust,
. \ n d o u r hearts" desire to ashes.

X X X V I . . A n d w h e n 1 h a d s a i d t h i s 1 fell a s l e e p t h e r e ; a n d 1 s a w a
2 \ i s i o n i n t h e n i g h t . .And l o , a l i i r c s t o f t r e e s p l a n t e d o n a p l a i n , w i t h
h i g h m o u n t a i n s a n d s t e e p clill's a l l r o u n d i t ; a n d t h e forest c o v e r e d
:i m o s t o f t h e p l a i n . . A n d l o , a l o n g s i d e it t h e r e g r e w u p a \ i n e , a n d
4 f r o m u n d e r n e a t h it i s s t i e d a s o h l y - f i o w i n g s t r e a m . .And w h e n t h e
s t r e a m r e a c h e d t h e f o r e s t it b e c a m e a r a g i n g t o r r e n t , a n d i t s w a v e s
s u b m e r g e d t h e f o r e s t a n d i n a m o m e n t u p r o o t e d n e a r l y a l l the trees
lhat were in t h c f o r e s t a n d t m d e r m i n c d t h c m o u n t a i n s t h a t w e r e
.') r o u n d a b o u t it. .And t h c t o p m o s t b r a n c h e s o f t h e forest w e r e laid
l o w , a n d t h e p e a k s o f t h e m o u n t a i n s c r u m b l e d ; ' a n d Ihe waters from
t h e s t r e a m i n c r e a s e d m o r e a n d m o r e , s o that n o t h i n g w a s leh of
(') t h a t g r e a t f o r e s t b u t a s i n g l e c e d a r . .And w h e n t h e y h a d b e a t e n
d o w n a n d d e s t r o y e d a n d u p r o o t e d a l l t h e o t h e r trees that were in t h e
f o r e s t , s o t h a t n o t h i n g w a s left o f i t , n o r c o u l d t h e p l a c e w h e r e o n c e
it h a d b e e n b e r e c o g n i z e d , t h e n t h e v i n e c a m e w i t h t h e s t r e a m , v e r y
q u i e t l y a n d u n o b t r u s i v e l y , t o a p l a c e n o t far from w h e r e t h e c e d a r
7 w a s lying; a n d t h e s t r i c k e n c e d a r f o u n d i t s e l f c l o s e t o t h e v i n e , ' .And
I l o o k e d , a n d lo, t h e v i n e o p e n e d its m o u t h a n d s p o k e a n d s a i d t o
t h e c e d a r , .Are y o u n o t t h e c e d a r t h a t w a s l e h o f t h e f o r e s t o f
wickedness, by whose m e a n s wickedness persisted a n d flourished

' I.it.-were laid low'.

- I.it. •and they brouRht the icdar that h,id hccn cast down to it'.
 8()() The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
8 all those years, a n d g o o d n e s s never? V o u kept c o n q u e r i n g what
was not \i)urs. a n d you showed n o pity t o w a r d s w h a t w a s not
y o u r s : y o u k e p t e x t e n d i n g y o u r p o w e r o v e r t h o s e w h o w e r e far
d i s t a n t I r o m y o u . a n d t h o s e w h o w e r e n e a r y o u . y o u h e l d last in t h e
toils o l ' y o u r w i c k e d n e s s ; a n d a l w a y s y o u carried yourselfproudly
9 a s if v o u c o i d d n e v e r b e u p r o o t e d . B u t n o w y o u r t i m e h a s g o n e b y
10 a n d y o u r h o u r is c o m e . S o . c e d a r , g o t h e w a y o l ' t h e f o r e s t , w h i c h
h a s g o n e b e f o r e y o u , a n d b e r e d t u e d t o d u s t like it, a n d let all y o u r
11 a s h e s b e m i n g l e d t o g e t h e r . R e c l i n e n o w in a n g u i s h a n d t a k e y o u r
e a s e i n t o r m e n t till y o u r l a s t h o u r c o m e s , w h e n y o u w i l l e o m e b a c k
again a n d be tormented e\en more.

XXXVII. . \ n d after this I s a w t h e c e d a r burnin.g, a n d t h e vine

f l o u r i s h i n g ; a n d a l l a r o u n d it t h e p l a i n w a s full o f u n f a d i n g f l o w e r s .
. \ n d 1 a w o k e a n d gotu p .

XXXVIII. And I prayed a n d s a i d , C) L o r d , m y l o r d , t h o u dost

2 a l w a y s e n l i g h t e n t h o s e w h o s e g u i d e is u n d e r s t a n d i n g . I ' h y l a w is
:i life a n d t h y w i s d o m t h e t r u e g u i d e . E x p l a i n t o m e , t h e r e f o r e , w h a t
t this vision m e a n s . For thou knowest that I have always followed
t h e p a t h o f thy l a w , a n d from m y earliest d a y s I h a v e never turned
awa\ from t h y wisdom.

XXXIX. .And h e a n s w e r e d a n d said to m e , Baruch, t h i s is t h e

2 i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e vision y o u h a v e s e e n . Y o u s a w t h e g r e a t forest
w i t h h i g h a n d r u g g e d m o u n t a i n s r o u n d it - t h e m e a n i n g is t h i s :
:i Behold, t h e t i m e is c o m i n g w h e n t h i s k i n g d o m , w h i c h o n c e d e ­
s t r o y e d Z i o n , will itself b e d e s t r o y e d , a n d it will b e m a d e s u b j e c t b y
4 a n o t h e r t h a t w i l l c o m e a f t e r i t . . A n d t h e n , a f t e r a t i m e , t h a t kingdom
a l s o will b e d e s t r o y e d , a n d y e t a n o t h e r , a t h i r d , will a r i s e ; a n d t h a t
also will have the sovereignty for i t s t i m e , a n d then it w i l l b e
:> d e s t r o y e d . .And after this a f o u r t h k i n g d o m will a r i s e , w h i c h will
p r o \ e far m o r e tyrannical a n d savage t h a n a n y o f t h o s e that went
b e f o r e i t ; a n d it w i l l e x t e n d i t s r u l e ' l i k e t h e f o r e s t s o n t h e p l a i n , a n d
it w i l l h o l d s w a y f o r m a n y y e a r s ' a n d e x a l t i t s e l f e v e n m o r e t h a n t h e

' Lit. ' a n d it will rule tnany times'.

• I.it. lor times'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch 861
6 c e d a r s ol L e b a n o n . 1 r u t h w i l l b e h i d d e n b y i t . a n d all t h o s e w h o
a r c p o l l u t e d b y i n i c j u i t y w i l l t a k e r e f u g e i n it, j u s t a s e v i l b e a s t s t a k e
7 r e f u g e a n d c r e e p i t i t o t h e forest. . \ n d w h e n t h c t i m e for its e n d h a s
c o m e , a n d i t s l a l l is i m m i n e n t , t h e n w i l l b e r e v e a l e d m y . M e s s i a h ' s
k i n g d o m , ' w h i c h is l i k e t h c s t r e a m a n d t h c v i n e ; a n d w h e n t h a t is
8 r e v e a l e d , it w i l l d e s t r o y " t h e h o s t s t h a t a r c g a t h e r e d r o u n d it. . \ n d
a s for t h c lofty c e d a r t h a t y o u s a w , ' t h c sole s u r v i v o r of t h c forest,
a n d w h a t y o u h e a r d t h e v i n e s a y i n g t o it, t h e m e a n i n g is t h i s :

XL. T h e l a s t l e a d e r o f t h a t l i m e w i l l b e left a l i v e a f t e r t h e r e s t o f h i s
h o s t s h a v e b e e n d e s t r o y e d , a n d h e will b e p u t in fetters a n d t a k e n
u p t o m o u n t Z i o n ; a n d m y .Mcssiali will c h a r g e h i m w i t h all his
iniquities, and will enumerate all thc evils his hosts have
2 p e r p e t r a t e d , a n d will c o n f r o n t h i m w i t h t h e m . . \ n d a l t e r w a r d s h c
will p u t h i m lo d e a t h ; a n d he will p r e s e r v e t h e r e m n a n t of m y
3 p e o p l e , g a t h e r e d i n t h e p l a c e t h a t 1 h a v e c h o s e n . .And h i s k i n g d o m '
s h a l l s t a n d for e v e r , u n t i l t h i s w o r l d o f c o r r u p t i o n c o m e s to a n e n d
4 a n d t h c t i m e s a p p o i n t e d a r e f u l f i l l e d . ' F h i s is y o u r v i s i o n , a n d t h i s is
w h a l it m e a n s .

XLI, . A n d 1 a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d , W h o w i l l t a k e p a r t in t h i s , a n d how-
m a n y o f t h e m w i l l t h e r e be'? . A n d w h o w i l l b e j u d g e d w o r t h y ofa
2 p l a c e in t h a t w o r l d ? ' F o r 1 will d e c l a r e to t h e e m y t h o u g h t s a n d ask
3 a b o u t w h a t is i n t n y m i n d . F o r I s e e m a n y o l ' t h y p e o p l e w h o h a v e
4 rejected thy covenant and t h r o w n ofi" t h e y o k e o f t h y l a w . But
a g a i n , I h a v e seen others w h o have a b a n d o n e d their vanities a n d
.i fled f o r r e f u g e b e n e a t h t h y w i n g s . W h a t is t o h a p p e n t o t h e m , a n d
6 w h a t w i l l b e t h e i r l o t a t t h e e n d ? C a n it b e t h a t e v e r y t h i n g t h e y
h a v e d o n e t h r o u g h o u t t h e i r l i v e s ' will b e w e i g h e d , a n d t h e y will be
j u d g e d as the b a l a n c e tips?

'lext 'l)(-giiiiiiiig- (prol)at)ly ilirough a misunderslaiidiiig oi an underlying C;i<.

agxfi - cilf cr -beginning, origin' or -first place, sovereignty').
" Lit. 'uproot'.
' CJr -.And as lor the cedar you saw lying on the ground- (cp. xxxvi. 6..

' Sec n.' to the previous chapter.

' Lit. -worthy to live at that time'.

' Lit. 'Or perhaps the time of these'.
 K()2 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch

XLII. . \ t i d h e a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d t o m e , I will e x p l a i n t h e s e t h i n g s
•-' t o y o u a s w e l l . \'ou a s k e d . W h o w i l l t a k e p a r t i n t h i s , a n d h o w
m a n y o f t h e m will t h e r e b e ? B e l i e v e r s will r e c e i v e t h e g o o d t h i n g s
3 t h e y h a \ e b e e n p r o m i s e d a n d s c o f f e r s t h e r e v e r s e . .And y o u a s k e d
a b o u t those w h o have e m b r a c e d t h e covenant a n d those who have
t a b a n d o n e d i t . ' T h e a n s w e r is t h i s . T ' h o s e w h o w e r e a t o n e t i m e
s t d i j e c t lo Ihe coienanl. a n d a f t e r w a r d s w e n t o l f a n d i n i n g l e d w i t h
f o r e i g n e r s o f m i x e d d e s c e n t - t h e i r f o r i n e r m a i m e r o f life w i l l c o u n t
.T l o r n o t h i n g . .And t h o s e w h o s t a r t e d in i g n o r a n c e b u t a f t e r w a r d s
f o u n d t h e secret oflifc, a n d j o i n e d t h e people' set a p a r t from o t h e r
p e o p l e s - t h e i r f o r m e r m a n n e r o f l i f c w i l l c o u n t for n o t h i n g e i t h e r . '
(i . \ n d tinu- will s u c c e e d t o t i m e , a n d s e a s o n t o s e a s o n , a n d o n e will
r e c i \ c f r o m a n o t h e r ; a n d t h e n , a t t h e e n d , e x e r y t h i n g will b e
c o m p a r e d ' according to t h e measure ofthe times a n d thehours of
7 t h e s e a s o n s . F o r c o r r u p t i o n will c l a i m t h o s e w h o b e l o n g t o it, a n d
8 life t h o s e w h o b e l o n g t o i t . . A n d t h e d u s t w i l l b e s u m m o n e d a n d
t o l d . G i v e u p w h a t is n o t y o u r s , a n d s u r r e n d e r e v e r y t h i n g y o u h a v e
g u a r d e d u n t i l i t s appointed t i m e .

XLIII. B u t you, Baruch, must apply your mind to what h a s been

s a i d t o y o u , a n d u n d e r s t a n d the visions t h a t h a v e b e e n s h o w n y o u ;
2 l o r m a n y e t e r n a l c o n s o l a t i o n s a w a i t y o u . F o r y o u will d e p a r t from
h e r e , a n d leave b e h i n d y o u t h e scenes now so familiar to you; a n d
y o u will forget these c o r r u p t i b l e t h i n g s a n d h a v e n o recollection o f
:i w h a t h a p p e n s a m o n g m o r t a l s . .So g o a n d g i v e y o u r p e o p l e t h e i r

' I . i t . ' t h o s r w h o h a \ r d r a w n i i t ' a r a n d t h o s e w h o h a \ e g o n e a w a \ ".

' Te.xt ' t h e p e o p l e s ' .

•' T h e w h o l e o l ' t h i s p a s s a i ; e is o b s e u r e a n d v e r s e s 4 a n d .') a r e p e e u l i a r l y dilTieuIt.
W e h a v e taketi o u r c u e from B o g a e r t , w h o s e t r a n s l a t i o n n o t only m a k e s gtxxl sense,
b u t a l s o h a s t h e m e r i t oI'lH-ing i n l i n e w i t h t h e d o c t r i n e o f r e t r i b u t i o n f o r m u l a t e d b y
E z e k i e l . C l h a r l e s r e n d e r e d t h e v e r s e s , ' \ % for t h o s e w h o w e r e b e f o r e s u b j e c t , a n d
a f t e r w a r d s w i t h d r e w a n d mitiglcd themselves with the seed ofmingled peoples, t h e
t i m e o f t h e s e w a s t h e f o r m e r , a n d w a s a c c o u n t e d a s s o m e t h i n g e x a l t e d . . \ n d a s for
t h o s e w h o b e f o r e k n e w n o t b u t a f t e r w a r d s k n e w life, a t i d m i n g l e d only w i t h t h e s e e d
o f t h e people w h i c h h a d s e p a r a t e d itself, t h e t i m e o f t h e s e is t h e lanet, a n d is
a c c o u n t e d a s s o m e t h i n g e x a l t e d ' ( = APOTW, p . 50'2: h i s e a r l i e r v e r s i o n i n The
Apocalypse of Baruch, p p . 6 7 - t > 8 , h a s s e v e r a l s i g n i f i c a n t d i l T e r e n c e s ) .
' S o (.iharles: Bogaert r e n d e r e d 'toutes choses de\'icndront egales'.
 Tlu Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch H()3
o r d e r s , a n d e o i n c b a c k l o l l i i s p l a c e ; a n d a l ' l c r w a r d s fast s e v e n
d a \ s , a n d t h e n I will c o m e lo y o u a n d s p e a k lo y o u .

XLIV. . A n d I, B a r u c h . w c i i i a n d c a m e t o m y p e o p l e ; a n d I c a l l e d
m y e l d e s t s o n a n d G e d a l i a h , my f r i e n d , ' a n d s e \ c i i o f t h e e l d e r s o l ' l h c
p e o p l e , a n d 1 said lo i h e m .

B e h o l d . I go lo m y fathers,
.And t r e a d t h e w a \ ' o l a l l t h e e a r t h .
D o not hirsake the way o f t h e law.
B u t g u a r d a n d g u i d e t h e p e o p l e t h a t a r e left.
Lest t h e y liirsake the coniinaiidiiients o f t h e .Mighty O n e .
T o r y o u c a n s e e t h a t h e w h o m w e s e r v e is j u s t .
.And t h a t o u r c r e a t o r h a s n o favourites.
L o o k at w h a t has befallen Zion,
.And w h a t h a s h a p p e n e d t o j e r u s a l e m .
L o r t h e j u d g e m e n t o f t h e . M i g h t y O n e will b e m a d e k n o w n
thereby,
.And his w a \ s . w h i c h t h o u g h u n f a t h o m a b l e , a r e right.
F o r if y o u e n d u r e a n d p e r s e v e r e in t h e f e a r o f h i m ,
.And d o n o l forget his l a w .
I h e t i m e s w ill c h a n g e l o r y o u r g o o d .
.And y o u will see t h c c o n s o l a t i o n of Z i o n .
B e c a u s e w h a t c \ e r is n o w , is n o t h i n g .
B u t w h a t is t o b e w i l l b e v e r y g r e a t .
F o r e\ c r y t h i n g c o r r u p t i b l e will p a s s a w a y ,
.And e \ e r y t h i n g m o r t a l will d i s a p p e a r :
N o m e m o r \ o f i t will e n d u r e .
F o r il is d e f i l e d w i t h c \ i i s .
W h a l m a k e s g o o d p r o g r e s s n o w w i l l e n d in v a n i t y .
- A n d w h a t p r o s p e r s n o w w i l l s h o r t l y fall
.And b e reciuced to d u s t .
W h a t is l o b e w i l l b e c o m e t h c o b j e c t o f d e s i r e ,
. A n d o n w h a t is t o c o m e w i l l w e s e t o u r h o p e s .
F o r it is a t i m e t h a t d o e s n o t p a s s a w a y .

' 'fi-xi 'llic ( i c d a l i a h s . niy friends'.

• I.it. •.According to t h e w a y ' .
 1 The Svriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch
V> I ' h c a g e ' is c o m i n g , w h i c h a l i i d c s I'or c \ c r ,
.And t h c n e w w o r l d w h i c h d o e s not t u r n to c o r r u p t i o n
T h o s e w h o o w n its sway:''
I t h a s n o p i t y for t h o s e o n t h e r o a d t o t o r m e n t .
. A n d l e a d s n o t t o p e r d i t i o n t h o s e w h o li\ e in it.
l:i T o r t h e s e a r c t h e y w h o will i n h e r i t t h e t i m e t h a t h a s h e e n
s p o k e n of,
. A n d t h e i r s is t h e i n h e r i t a n c e o l t h e t i m e t h a t h a s h e e n
promised.
11 T h e s e a r c t h e y w h o h a v e w o n liir t h e m s c K e s t r e a s u r i e s o f
wisdom.
.And w i t h w h o m a r c liiund stores o r u i i d c r s t a n d i i i g .
.And liax'c n o t t u r n e d t h e i r h a c k s o n m e r e y .
.And h a v e h e l d last to t h e t r u t h o l t h e law.
1") To t h e m will h e g i \ e n t h e w o r l d to c o m e :
B u t t h e d w e l l i n g - p l a c e o l ' t h c r e s t ( a n d t h e r e a r c m a n y ol'
them)
W i l l h c in t h e abyss o/ l i r e .

\:i XLV. .So i n s t r u c t t h e p e o p l e a s b e s t > o u c a n : t h a t is o u r t a s k . K o r if

you teach t h e m , you m a y preserve them.

XLVI. .And m y s o n a n d t h c c i d e r s o t ' t h c p e o p l e a n s w e r e d a n d said

t o m e . D o e s t h e . M i g h t y O n e w i s h t o c h a s t e n u s s o m u c h t h a t h e is
2 p r e p a r e d t o t a k e y o u f r o m u s s o s o o n ? T h e n w e s h a l l r e a l l y b e in
d a r k n e s s , a n d t h e r e w i l l b e n o l i g h t at all I b r t h e p e o p l e w h o a r e left.
:i K o r w h e r e a g a i n s h a l l w c l o o k for instruction in t h e l a w . o r w h o w i l l
4 s h o w u s t h e d i l l e r e n c e i H ' t w c e n d e a t h a n d life? .And I s a i d t o t h e m ,
I c a n n o t r e s i s t t h c w i l l ' o f t h e . M i g h t y (3nc: nevertheless, Israel
shall n e v e r w a n t a wise m a n , nor thc race o f j a c o b a son o f t h e law.
.i O n l y m a k e u p y o u r m i n d s to o b e y thc law; a n d be subject to those
w h o , in t e a r , a r e w i s e a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g , a n d d e t e r m i n e t h a t you
t) w i l l n e v e r d e p a r t f r o m t h e m . K o r if y o u d o t h i s , t h c g o t x l t h i n g s I
t o l d y o u a b o u t before will c o m e to y o u ; a n d y o u will e s c a p e t h e

' Lie 'hour'.

* L i l . ' i h i i s r w l i o w a l k i n i t s bt*gitiriinc!'. S f r n . ' t o c h a p , xxxi.v.
 The Syriac Apocalypse of Raruch 865
7 punishtnctit, a b o u l w h i c h 1 w a r n e d you. But 1 said noltiing about
n i ) b e i n g t a k e n u p . ' e i t h e r lo t h e m o r to m y son.

XLVn. . A n d I d i s m i s s e d t l i e m a n d w e n t a w a y , a n d I .said l o l l i e m
a s I w e n t , I a m g o i n g t o H e b r o n , l()r t h e . \ l i g l i t y O n e l i a s s e n t iiit;
2 t h e r e . A n d I c a m e to t h e p l a c e w h e r e 1 h a d b e e n told to go; a n d I
sat there, a n d I lasted seven days.

XL VIII. .And after t h e sexentli d a y I p r a y e d before t h e M i g h t y (^ne

a n d said,

2 O m y L o r d , t h o u d o s t s u m m o n t h e t i m e s l o c o m e lo ihee.
And they s t a n d before thee:
' L h o u d o s t c a u s e t h e p o w e r of t h e a g e s lo p a s s a w a y ,
.And t h e y d o n o t resist thee:
T h o u dost arrange the course ofthe seasons,
.And t h e y o b e y thee.
3 l h o u a l o n e k n o w e s t for h o w l o n g t h e g e n e r a t i o n s will
endure.
.And t h o u revealest not thy mysteries to m a n y .
4 T h o u m a k e s t k n o w n t h e m i g h t o f fire,
.And t h o u w e i g h e s t t h e lightness o f t h e w i n d ,
.i T h o u d o s t e x p l o r e t h e l i m i t of t h e h e i g h t s .
.And s c r u t i n i z e t h e d e p t h s of d a r k n e s s .
6 T h o u d o s t d e c r e e t h e n u m b e r of those w h o p a s s a w a y a n d cif
those w h o are preserved,
.And t h o u p r e p a r e s ! a n a b o d e for t h o s e w h o a r e to b e .
7 T h o u dost r e m e m b e r the beginning thou hast made,
. A n d f o r g e t t c s t n o t t h e d e s t r u c t i o n t h a t is t o b e .
8 W i t h frightening and formidable signs thou dost c o m m a n d
the flames,
.And t h e y c h a n g e into spirits.'

' L i t . "taketi". T h i s w o u l d m o s t n a t u r a l l y h e u n d e r s t o o d s i m p l y a s a releretice to

B a r u c h ' s i m p e n d i n g d e a t h , h a d h e n o t a l r e a d y a n n o u n c e d t h i s in n o uncertain
t e r m s a t x l i v . 2 . T h e p r o b a b i l i t y is t h a t w h a t is i n t e n d e d h e r e is a n " a . s c e n s i o n " o r
' t t a n s l a t i o n ' ( a s a l s o a t xlviii. 3 0 ) , a s e n s e well a t t e s t e d in t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t ( ( i e n .
v . '24; 2 K i n g s ii. .=), 9 ; I ' s s . x i i x . \5. I x x i i i . '24; E c c i u s . x h i i i . 9 ) .

' Or'winds'.
866 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
A n d with a w o r d thou dost quirlcen that which w a s not,
. • \ n d w i t h lhy m i g h t y p o w e r t l i o u h o l d e s t b a c l t t h a t w h i c h n o t
yet h a s c o m e .
T h o u dost instruct created things by thy u n d e r s t a n d i n g .
A n d t h o u t e a c h e s t t h e s p h e r e s to m i n i s t e r in t h e i r o r d e r s .
.•\rmies i n n u m e r a b l e stand before thee,
. • \ n d m i n i s t e r in t h e i r o r d e r s q u i e t l y a t t h y n o d .
H e a r thy servant,
.'\nd give e a r to m y petition.
F o r w e a r c b o r n t o l i v e o n l y l()r a l i t t l e w h i l e ,
A n d very soon wc go away.
B u t w i t h t h e e h o u r s a r c like a n a g e ,
.And d a y s a s g e n e r a t i o n s .
B e n o t t h e r e f o r e a n g r y w i t h m a n , for h c is n o t h i n g ,
. ' \ n d t a k e n o a c c o u n t o l ' o u r d e e d s , for w h a t a r e w e ?
F o r l o , it is b y t h y g i f t t h a t w e c o m e i n t o t h e w o r l d .
A n d w e d o n o t l e a v e it b y o u r o w n d e c i s i o n .
F o r w c said not to o u r parents. Give us birth.
N o r d i d w e s e n d to Slieol a n d s a y . Receive us.
H o w then can our strength withstand thy wrath.
O r h o w c a n we e n d u r e thy j u d g e m e n t ?
P r o t e c t u s in t h y c o m p a s s i o n ,
. \ n d in t h y m e r c y h e l p u s .
B e h o l d t h c little o n e s t h a t a r e subject lo t h e e .
A n d s a v e all t h o s e t h a t d r a w n e a r to thee;
A n d d e s t r o y not t h c h o p e of o u r people
A n d c u t n o t s h o r t t h e times of o u r aid.
F o r t h i s is t h e n a t i o n ' t h o u h a s t c h o s e n ,
A n d t h e s e a r c t h e p e o p l e w i t h o u t e q u a l in t h i n e e y e s .
B u t I n o w will s p e a k befiire t h e e .
A n d t e l l t h e e w h a t is i n m y m i n d .
I n t h e e d o w e t r u s t , f o r l o , t h y l a w is w i t h u s .
A n d w e k n o w w e s h a l l n o t fall s o l o n g a s w e k e e p t h y s t a t u t e s .
F o r all t i m e a r e w e blessed in this at least,
T h a t we have not mingled with the Gentiles.
F o r w e a r e all o n e f a m o u s p e o p l e ,

^ Text 'until'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch Hf)7
W h o h a \ c received otic l a w from t h e only O n e ;
A n d t h e l a w w h i c h is w i t h u s w i l l h e l p u s .
. V n d t h e m a t c h l e s s w i s d o m w h i c h is i n o u r m i d s t w i l l s u s t a i n
tis.

2.i . \ n d alter I had prayed a n d said these things I w a s niucli

exhausted.
2(i .Andh e a n s w e r e d a n d said to m e ,

^'our prayer h a s been plain enough, Baruch.

.And all y o u r w o r d s h a v e b e e n Iieard.
27 B u t m y j u d g e m e n t c l a i m s w h a t is d u e t o i t .
.And m y l a w e x a c t s its rights.
28 I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h y o u r o w n w o r d s will I a n s w e r y o u .
.And i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h y o u r p r a y e r will I s p e a k t o y o u .

2<) F o r t h e t r u t h i s . h e t h a t h a s b e c o m e c o r r u p t is n o t a t a l l : ' h e h a s
d o n e evil s o far a s h e could d o a n y t h i n g ; a n d h e h a s n e i t h e r
;«) p o n d e r e d " ' m y g o o d n e s s n o r u n d e r s t o o d ' ' m y p a t i e n c e . B u t y o u will
:il i n d e e d b e t a k e n u p , ' a s I h a v e already t o l d y o u . . A n d t h a t t i m e I
h a v e also t o l d y o u a b o u t w i l l c o m e , a n d t h e t i m e o l ' d i s t r c s s b e g i n : it
will c o m e a n d p a s s b y w i t h a s u d d e n lury, c r e a t i n g h a v o c t h r o u g h
32 t h e v e h e m e n c e o f i t s o n s e t . .And in t h o s e d a y s a l l t h e i n h a b i t a n t s o f
t h e e a r t h will lean u p o n o n e a n o t h e r . ' ' b e c a u s e they a r e u n a w a r e
that m yjudgement has come upon them.

33 F o r t h e r e will n o t b e found m a n y wise at that time,

.And t h e p r u d e n t will b e b u t few;
.And e v e n t h o s e p o s s e s s e d o f k n o w l e d g e will k e e p silent.
31 .And t h e r e will b e m a n y r u m o u r s a n d n u m e r o u s i d l e t a l e s ,
.And u n c a n n y t h i n g s will b e seen to h a p p e n ,
.And n o t a few p r e d i c t i o n s will p a s s from m o u t h t o m o u t h :
S o m e o f t h e m will prove u n f o u n d e d ,
. A n d s o m e will be c o n f i r m e d .
35 A n d h o n o u r will b e t u r n e d to s h a m e ,

•' Charles described ihe texl here as 'uiiititelligible".

* I.it. "remembered . . . accepted".
' See II.' to chap. xKi.
" I.it. "rest against each other". Charles would emend "be moved one against
another".
 8()8 The Syriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch
A n d s t i c i i g t l i fall i n t o d i s r e p u t e :
C o n f i d e n c e will d i s a p p e a r .
. \ n d b e a u t y will b e c o m e a n object olcontempt.
. A n d m a n y w ill s a y t o o t h e r s a t t h a t t i m e .
W h e r e h a s d i s c r e t i o n h i d d e n itself".
. A n d w h e r e h a s w i s d o m fled f o r r e f u g e ?
;i7 .Andwhile they a r c m e d i t a t i n g on these things.
T h o s e w h o h a d t h o u g h t n o t h i n g o f t h e m s e l v e s will b e s e i z e d
by e n v y .
.And t h c e v e n - t e m p e r e d m a n will b e c o m e a p r e y t o p a s s i o n :
. M a n y will b e s t i r r e d u p b y a n g e r t o their m u t u a l h u r t ,
. A n d t h e y w i l l r a i s e u p a r m i e s t o s h e d each others' b l ( X ) d .
.And in t h e e n d t h e y will p e r i s h all t o g e t h e r .
:iK . A n d it w i l l c o m e t o p a s s a t t h a t v e r y t i m e ,
I h a t it w i l l b e a p p a r e n t t o a l l t h a t t h e t i m e s a r e c h a n g i n g .
B e c a u s e in all t h o s e t i m e s t h e y p o l l u t e d themscKes
. A n d o p p r e s s e d the poor;
.And e a c h o n e o f t h e m w e n t his o w n w a y ,
.And r e m e m b e r e d n o t t h e l a w o f t h e .Mighty O n e .
T h e r e f o r e a fire s h a l l c o n s u m e t h e i r t h o u g h t s ,
. A n d i n t h e flame s h a l l t h e p l a n s t h e y h a v e m a d e b e t e s t e d ;
Kor t h c j u d g e will c o m e a n d will n o t d e l a y .
10 Kach o n eofthe earth's inhabitants knew when he was
sinning.
But b e c a u s e oftheir pride they w o u l d not recognize' m y law.
11 B u t m a n y will t h e n w:cep b i t t e r l y
O v e r t h e living m o r e t h a n over the dead.

42 . A n d I a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d , O . A d a m , W h a t w a s it t h a t y o u d i d t o a l l
y o u r p o s t e r i t y ? . A n d w h a t s h o u l d hc s a i d t o FAC w h o first l i s t e n e d t o
4;i t h e s e r p e n t ? K o r a l l t h i s m u l t i t u d e is , g o i n g t o c o r r u p t i o n : i n n u m e r ­
a b l e a r e t h o s e w h o m t h e fire w i l l d e v o u r .
l,4.i Y e t a g a i n I will s p e a k in t h y p r e s e n c e . ' T h o u , O L o r d , m y Lord,
4(i k n o w e s t w h a t is i n t h y c r e a t u r e . F o r t h o u d i d s t o f o l d c o m m a n d t h e
d u s t to p r o d u c e .Adam; a n d thou knowest t h e n u m b e r of those w h o
h a v e b e e n b o r n from h i m , a n d h o w m u c h they h a v e sinned before
thee - those w h o h a v e been b o r n a n d h a v e n o t confessed thee a s

' I.it. 'tticv did not know'.

 The Syriac Apocalypse oJ Baruch 869
17 t h e i r c r e a t o r . . \ r i d , s o l a r a s all t h e s e a r e c o i K e r n e d , t h e i r e n d will
convict them, and thy law, which they have transgressed, will
requite t h e m on thy day.
48 I3ut n o w let u s l e a v e a s i d e t h e w i c k e d a n d i n q u i r e a b o u t the
49 r i g h t e o u s . .And I will r e c o u n t t h e i r b l e s s e d n e s s a n d p r o c l a i m ' t h e
,iO g l o r y t h a t is r e s e r v e d f o r t h e m . F o r w i t h o u t q u e s t i o n , j u s t a s in t h i s
transitory world in w h i c h you l i v e , y o u h a v e for a l i t t l e w h i l e
e n d u r e d m u c h t o i l , s o i n t h a t w o r l d , t o w h i c h t h e r e is n o e n d , y o u
will receive great light."

XLIX. B u t I will a g a i n ask of"thee,C) M i g h t y O n e . a n d b e g tnercy

2 f r o m h i m w h o m a d e all t h i n g s . I n w h a t f o r m will t h o s e live w h o live
3 i n t h \ d a y , a n d w h a t w i l l t h e y l o o k l i k e a f t e r w a r d s ? ' V\'ill t h e y t h e n
r e s u m e their present form a n d put on these entrarnmelling mem­
b e r s , w h i c h a r e n o w i n v o l v e d in ev ils a n d a r e t h e i n s t r u m e n t s o f
e v i l s : o r w i l t t h o u p e r h a p s t r a n s f o r m w h a t h a s b e e n in t h e w o r l d , a s
a l s o t h e w o r l d itself?

L. .And h e a n s w e r e d a n d said to m e , Listen, B a r u c h , to w h a t I say,

2 a n d k e e p a r e c o r d in y o u r m i n d o f e v e r y t h i n g y o u l e a r n . F o r t h e
e a r t h w i l l c e r t a i n l y t h e n r e s t o r e t h e d e a d it n o w r e c e i v e s s o a s t o
p r e s e r v e t h e m : it w i l l m a k e n o c h a n g e in t h e i r f o r m , b u t a s it h a s
r e c e i v e d t h e m , s o it w i l l r e s t o r e t h e m , a n d a s I d e l i v e r e d t h e m t o i t ,
3 s o a l s o w i l l it r a i s e t h e m . F o r t h o s e w h o a r e t h e n a l i v e m u s t be
s h o w n t h a t t h e d e a d h a v e c o m e t o life a g a i n , a n d t h a t t h o s e w h o
4 h a d d e p a r t e d h a v e r e t u r n e d . .And w h e n t h e y h a v e r e c o g n i z e d t h o s e
t h e y k n o w n o w , t h e n t h e j u d g e m e n t will b e g i n , ' a n d w h a t you h a v e
b e e n t o l d a l r e a d y will c o m e to p a s s .

* L i t . ' a n d n o t b e silent in celebrating*.

*" A c c o r d i n g t o C i l i a r l e s v e r s e s 4 8 - 5 0 a t e a f r a g m e n t o f a n a d d r e s s d e l i v e r e d b>
Baruch t o t h e p e o p l e , a n d n o t t o G o d . H e ff>und a n o t h e r f r a g m e n t o l ' t h i s s a m e
a d d r e s s ( o r i g i n a l l v p r e c e d i n g 4 8 - 5 0 h e r e ) in liv. 1 6 - 1 8 , a n d vet a n o t h e r (Ibllowing
4B-.50)inlii". .5-7.

' I.it. 'and h o w w i l l t h e a p p e a r a n c e ( o r ' s p l e n d o u r ' ) ol t h o s e a l t e r t h a t time

i:ontinue?'

' Lit.'will grow strong'.

 870 The Syriae Apocalypse of Baruch

LI. A n d a f t e r t h c a p p o i n t e d d a y is o v e r , t h e a p p e a r a n c e ' o f t h o s e
w h o h a v e h e e n c o n d e m n e d will b e c h a n g e d , a s will also b e t h e
2 g l o r y o f l h o s e w h o h a v e b e e n j u s t i f i e d . Vox t h e a p p e a r a n c e ofthe
i e v i l - d o e r s will g o f r o m b a d t o w o r s e , a s t h e y sulTer t o r m e n t . .Again,
the glory of those w h o have n o w been justified t h r o u g h ' their
obedience to m y l a w , w h o h a v e h a d u n d e r s t a n d i n g i n t h e i r life, a n d
w h o h a v e p l a n t e d i n t h e i r h e a r t t h e r o o t o f w i s d o m - t h e i r f a c e s vvill
s h i n e e v e n m o r e b r i g h t l y a n d t h e i r f e a t u r e s will a s s u m e a l u m i n o u s
b e a u t y , ' so that they m a y be able to attain a n d enter the world
4 w h i c h docs n o t d i e , w h i c h h a s been promis(;d to t h e m then. For
o v e r t h i s , m o r e t h a n o v e r a n y t h i n g e l s e , w i l l t h e others w h o c o m e
t h e n l a m e n t that they rejected m y law,a n d stopped u p their ears,
5 s o t h a t they m i g h t n o t h e a r w i s d o m o r receive understanding. F o r
t h e y will s e c t h o s e w h o a r e n o w their inferiors in a l a r bettei a n d
m o r e g l o r i o u s s t a t e t h a n t h e y a r e - for t h e s e will b e t r a n s f o r m e d s o
that they l o o k like a n g e l s , w h i l e t h e y c a n o n l y c o n t e m p l a t e in
6 h o r r o r t h e d e c a y i n g s h a d o w s o f t h e i r f o r m e r s e l v e s . " F o r t h e y will
s e e all this first; a n d a f t e r w a r d s t h e y w i l l d e p a r t t o t h e i r t o r m e n t .

7 B u t those w h oh a v e been saved by their works.

W h o s e h o p e h a s been in t h e l a w .
W h o h a v e p u t their trust in u n d e r s t a n d i n g ,
•And t h e i r c o n f i d e n c e in w i s d o m .
Shall see m a r v e l s in their time,
y F o r t h e y s h a l l b e h o l d t h c w o r l d w h i c h is n o w i n v i s i b l e t o
them,
.And r e a l m s ' n o w h i d d e n from t h e m ,
9 A n d t i m e s h a l l n o l o n g e r a g e them.-

' So, by the change of a single diacritical point: text 'pride'.

' Or'in'.
' Lit. 'their a p p e a r a n c e (or'splendour') will be glorified in changes and thc form
o f t h e i r face will be turned into the light oftheir beauty'.
" That the initial punishment ofthe wicked is not only to witness the iran.slbrma-
tion o f t h e righteous, but also to appreciate to the full thc serious deterioration in
their own condition, would seem to be thc sense required in this most difficult
passage. Charles (perhaps over-literally) rendered 'they shall yet more waste away
in w o n d e r at the visions and in the beholding of the Ibrms'.
' Lit. 'the time'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch 871
10 F o r in t h e h c i g i i t s o f t h a t w o r l d s h a l l t h e y d w e l l ,
, \ n d t h e y s h a l l b e m a d e like t h e a n g e l s ,
A n d b e m a d e e q u a l to t h e s t a r s ;
.And t h e y s h a l l b e c h a n g e d i n t o w h a t e v e r form t h e y will,
F r o m b e a u t y into loveliness.
A n d from light into t h e s p l e n d o u r of glory.

11 F o r t h e e x t e n t o f P a r a d i s e will b e s p r e a d b e f o r e t h e m , a n d t h e y will
be shown the majestic beauty of the living creatures that arc
b e n e a t h t h e t h r o n e , a n d all t h e a r m i e s o f t h e a n g e l s , w h o a r e n o w
k e p t b a c k b y m y w o r d lest t h e y s h o u l d reveal t h e m s e l v e s , a n d a r e
r e s t r a i n e d b y my c o m m a n d , s o t h a t t h e y m a y k e e p t h e i r p l a c e s u n t i l
12 the momenl of t h e i r a d v e n t c o m e s . T h e n s h a l l t h e s p l e n d o u r ofthe
13 r i g h t e o u s exceed even the s p l e n d o u r o f t h e angels. For the first
s h a l l r e c e i v e t h e last, t h o s e w h o m t h e y w e r e e x p e c t i n g , a n d the last
those of w h o m they h a d heard that they had passed away."

i'l F o r t h e y will t h e n h a v e b e e n d e l i v e r e d from this w o r l d of

misery
. \ n d laid d o w n the b u r d e n of .sorrow.
15 F o r w h a t t h e n h a v e m e n l o s t t h e i r life.
Ami for w h a t h a v e t h o s e w h o w e r e o n e a r t h e x c h a n g e d t h e i r
soul?
16 F o r t h e n t h e y c h o s e t<)r t h e m s e l v e s t h i s t i m e ,
W h i c h cannot pass without sorrow:
l h e y c h o s e for t h e m s e l v e s t h i s t i m e .
W h o s e i s s u e s a r e full o f l a m e n t a t i o n s a n d e v i l s ,
.And t h e y d e n i e d t h e w o r l d w h i c h a g e s not t h o s e w h o c o m e to
it,
. A n d r e j e c t e d t h a t t i m e a n d t h e g l t i r y of it,
S o t h a t t h e y c a n n o t s h a r e in t h e t r i u m p h s a b o u t w h i c h 1 h a v e
told you.

LII. . A n d I a n s w e r e d a n d s a i d . H o w c a n w e fiirget t h o s e w h o s e
2 f u t u r e is p u n i s h m e n t ? . A n d w h y , a g a i n , d o w e m o u r n for t h o s e w h o

' I ' h o d i . s t i i K l i o n h e r e s c r m s t o 1)C n o t b e t w e e n t h e a n g c l . s a n d t h e r i g h t e o u s , b u t

b e t w e e n t h e r i g h t e o u s w h o h a v e a l r e a d y d i e d a n d t h o s e w h o w o u l d n o t join t h e m
until after t h e resurrection: c p . 2 E s d r a s \ . 12; 1 T h c s s . i\-. 15 - a l s o \.xx. l-:i
(abt)\e).
8 72 77;? Syriac Apocalypse qf Bai uch
d i e , a n d w e e p I'oi- t h o s e w h o d e p a r t t o S i i e o l ? K a r b e t t e r , surely, k e e p
our l a m e n t a t i o n s lf)r t h e b e g i n n i n g o l ' t h a t t o r m e n t w h i e h is t o b e ,
a n d r e s e r v e vur t e a r s I b r d e s t r u c t i o n w h e n it c o t n e s . B u t o n t h e
o t h e r h a n d - t h e r i g h t e o u s : w h a t s h o u l d tlicv d o n o w : ' 1 w o u l d s a y , '
R e j o i c e in t h e sulh:ring y o u n o w e n d u r e : w h y c o n c e r n \oursel\es
a b o u t ' t h c d o w n f a l l o f y o u r e n e m i e s ? M a k e y o u r s e l v e s r e a d y for
w h a t is r e s e r v e d f o r y o u , a n d p r e p a r e y o u r s e l v e s for t h e r e w a r d l a i d
u p for y o u . '

LIII. . A n d w h e n I s a i d t h i s I fell a s l e e p t h e r e , a n d I s a w a v i s i o n ;
a n d l o , a v e r y g r e a t c l o u d w a s c o m i n g u p o u t o f t h e s e a . .And I k e p t
l o o k i n g a t i t . . A n d l o , it vvas full o f w a t e r s , w h i t e a n d b l a c k ; a n d
t h e r e w c i e m a n y c o l o u r s in t h o s e w a t e r s , a n d w h a t looked like
flashes o f l i g h t n i n g a p p e a r e d a t t h c t o p o f i t . .And I w a t c h e d t h c
c l o t t d a s it m o v e d , a n d it q u i c k l y c o v e r e d a l l t h c e a r t h . A n d a f t e r
t h i s , t h e c l o u d b e g a n t o p o u r t h e w a t e r s t h a t w e r e i n it o n t h e e a r t h .
. \ n d 1 s a w t h a t t h e w a t e r s t h a t d e s c e n d e d f r o m it w e r e n o t a l l t h e
s a m e . F o r a t hrst. lor a time, they w e r e all black; b u t afterwards I
saw t h a t t h c w a t e r s b e c a m e b r i g h t ( t h o u g h t h e r e w e r e frvvcr o f
t h e m ) ; a n d a f t e r tliis a g a i n 1 .saw b l a c k waters, a n d t h e n again
b r i g h t ; a n d a g a i n black, a n d again bright. 'Fhis h a p p e n e d twelve
t i m e s ; b u t t h e r e w e r e a l w a y s m o r e b l a c k w a t e r s t h a n b r i g h t . .And
w h e n t h e e n d o f t h e c l o u d c a m e , l o , it r a i n e d b l a c k w a t e r s , d a r k e r
than all that h a d b e e n before, with h r e m i x e d with them; a n d
w h e r e t h o s e w a t e r s d e s c e n d e d t h e y left a t r a i l o f d e v a s t a t i o n a n d
d e s t r u c t i o n . .And after this I s a w t h c lightning I h a d seen at the
t o p o f t h e c l o u d t a k e h o l d o f it a n d h u r l it t o t h e e a r t h . . A n d t h e
l i g h t n i n g s h o n e s o b r i l l i a n t l y t h a t it lit u p t h e w h o l e e a r t h , a n d i t
r e s t o r e d t h o s e r e g i o n s w h e r e t h e l a s t w a t e r s h a d d e s c e n d e d a n d left
s u c h d e v a s t a t i o n . . A n d it t o o k h o l d o f t h e w h o l e e a r t h a n d s u b j e c t e d
it t o i t s c o n t r o l . - A n d a f t e r t h i s I l o o k e d a n d I s a w t w e l v e r i v e r s
c o m i n g u p o u t o f t h e sea; a n d they began to s u r r o u n d the lightning
a n d b e c o m e s u b j e c t t o it. .And I w o k e u p in t e r r o r .

• T h e r e n d e r i n g o f v e r s e s i a n d 5 here given r e p r e s e n t s a slight re-ordering ofthe

t e x t in a n a t t e m p t t o m a k e s o m e s e n s e . C h a r l e s r e n d e r e d ' B u t e v e n in t h e lace ol
t h e s e t h i n g s w i l l I s p e a k . / \ n d a s I b r t h e r i g h t e o u s . W h a t w i l l t h e y d o n o w ?'
' L i l . A V h y d o y o u look for?'
' S e e n.** t o c h a p , x l v i i i .
 The Synac Apocalypse of Banich 873

T h e P r a y e r oi B a r u e h .

LIV. A n d I b e s o u g l i t t h e .Miglity O n e a n d s a i d .

L h o u a l o n e , O L o r d , k n o w e s t b e f o r e h a n d t h e s e c r e t s ' ot t h e
world.
. A n d w h a t h a p p e n s in i t s t i m e t h o u d o s t l i r i n g a b o u t b y t h )
word;
. A n d in t h e l i g h t o f w h a t is d o n e b y ' t h o s e o n e a r t h
l h o u wilt s p e e d u p the b e g i n n i n g s o f t h e times.
. A n d t h e e n d of t h e a g e s t h o u a l o n e k n o w e s t .
F o r t h e e n o t h i n g is ttjo h a r d .
F h o u d o e s t e\ e r y t h i n g easily by a n o d .
I'o t h e e t h e d e p t h s c o m e a s t h e h e i g h t s .
.And t h e b e g i m i i n g s ' o f t h e ages a r e o b e d i e n t to thy w o r d .
F h o u r e v e a l e s t t o t h o s e w h o f e a r thee w h a t is p r e p a r e d for
them,
.And s o d o s t t h o u comfort t h e m .
F h o u s h o w e s t w o n d e r s ttj t h e i g n o r a n t :
' F h o u d o s t b r e a k d o w n t h e d i v i d i n g w a l l f()r t h o s e w h o d o n o t
know;
. A n d t h o u d o s t l i g h t u p w h a t is d a r k
. A n d r e v e a l w h a t is h i d d e n t o t h e p u r e .
W h o in faith h a v e s u b m i t t e d to t h e e a n d to thy law.
' F h o u h a s t s h o w n thy s e r v a n t this vision:
R e v e a l t o m e a l s o its i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .
F o r I k n o w that w h e n I have besought thee, thou hast
answered me,
.And w h e n I h a v e m a d e r e q u e s t , t h o u h a s t m a d e resoon.se to
me.
' F h o u didst reveal to m e with w h a t language" I should praise
thee,
. A n d w i t h w h i c h o f m y m e m b e r s I s h o u l d offer wv p r a i s e s a n d
h a l l e l u j a h s to thee.

' Lit. ' t h e h e i g h t s ' (i.e. the iiiaeeessible thitigs).

• L i t . Wnd agaitist (or ' a c c o r d i n g to') the works o C .
' O r ' p r i n c e s ' (i.e. a n g e l s ) .
' Lit. 'voice'.
 874 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
ii F o r i f a / / rn\- m e m b e r s w e r e m o u t h s , a n d t h e h a i r s ol m ) h e a d
\oices.
FA e n t h e n I c o u l d n o t p r a i s e o r m a g n i f y t h e e a s I s h o u l d .
N o r t o u l d I r e c o u n t t h \ p r a i s e n o r lell t h e g l o r y o f t h y
beauty.
9 For what am I among men,
. \ n d w h v a m 1 r e c k o n e d a m o n g t h o s e of far m o r e w o r t h t h a n
I,
T h a t I s h o u l d h a \ e h e a r d all t h e s e m a r v e l l o u s t h i n g s from
t h e .Most H i g h .
. \ n d n u m b e r l e s s p r o m i s e s from h i m w h o created mc?
10 H a p p y m y mother a m o n g those that bear children,
. A n d v v o r l h v o f p r a i s e a m o n g w o m e n is s h e w h o g a v e m e
birth!
11 F o r 1 will n o t c e a s e to p r a i s e t h e .Mighty O n e ,
.And w i t h a t h a n k f u l voice 1 will r e c o u n t his w o n d e r s .
12 F o r w h o c a n d o w o n d e r s like t h i n e , ( ) G o d .
O r w h o c a n u n d e r s t a n d t h y p u r p o s e in c r e a t i o n ? '
I.i F o r w i t h t h y c o u n s e l t h o u d o s t g o v e r n all t h e c r e a t u r e s
W h i c h thy right h a n d has created,
.And t h o u h a s t e s t a b l i s h e d every s o u r c e of light beside thee,
.And t h e t r e a s u r i e s of w i s d o m t h o u hast p r e p a r e d b e n e a t h thy
throne.
14 Justly d o t h e y perish w h o h a v e not loved thy law:
T h e t o r m e n t o f j u d g e m e n t awaits those w h o have not sub­
mitted to thy power.

15 F o r t h o u g h . A d a m first s i n n e d a n d b r o u g h t u n t i m e l y d e a t h upon
all m e n , yet e a c h o n e o f t h o s e w h o w e r e b o r n from h i m h a s either
p r e p a r e d l o r h i s o w n s o u l its f u t u r e t o r m e n t o r c h o s e n for h i m s e l f
16 t h e g l o r i e s t h a t a r e t o b e ( f o r w i t h o u t d o u b t h e w h o b e l i e v e s will
17 r e c e i v e his r e w a r d ) . B u t n o w , a s ibr you, y o u w i c k e d t h a t n o w are,
p r e p a r e to m e e t " d e s t r u c t i o n : y o u r p u n i s h m e n t will c o m e quickly,
b e c a u s e y o u h a v e rejected the u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the M o s t High.
18 F o r w h a t he h a s d o n e has not taught you, nor has the craftsman-
19 s h i p r e v e a l e d p e r p e t u a l l y in h i s c r e a t i o n p e r s u a d e d y o u . " T h u s

' L i t . ' t l i y d e e p t h o u g h t o f life'.

' L i t . ' t u r n to'. ' .See u . " t o e h a p . .xlviii.

 The Syriac Apocalypse oj Baruch 87.')
. \ c l a i i i w a . s r e s p o n s i b l e for h i n i s e i f o n K e a e h o n e o l i i s is h i s o w n
2(1 . \ d a n i . B n t d o t h o u . O I.ord. explain to nie t h e things thon hast
revealed t o nie, a n d give m e a n a n s w e r to the t|iiestions that I
21 a s k e d . F o r a t t h e e o i i s u m m a t i o n r e t r i b u t i o n w i l l fall o n t h o s e w h o
h a v e d o n e e v i l for'' t h e e v i l t h e y h a v e d o n e , a n d t h o u w i l t make
22 glorious t h e faithful for'' t h e i r f a i t h f u l n e s s , f o r those w h o are
a m o n g thine o w n thou rulest. a n d those w h o sin thou dost nnit out
from a m o n g thine own.

LV. . \ n d w h e n I h a d finished this p r a y e r . 1 sat d o w n there u n d e r a

2 t r e e , t o r e s t i n t h e s h a d e o(its b r a n c h e s . . \ n d a s 1 c o n s i d e r e d it. I
w a s a s t o n i s h e d a n d a m a z e d at t h c i m m e n s i t y o f t h e gtwdness that
s i n n e r s o n e a r t h h a v e rejected, a n d thc scale o f t h e torment they
h a v e d e s p i s e d , a l t h o u g h they w e r e very well a w a r e t h a t they w o u l d
;i b e t o r m e n t e d for t h e i r s i n s . . \ n c l w h i l e I w a s p o n d e r i n g t h e s e a n d
s i m i l a r things, lo, t h c angel Ramiel, w h o presides over genuine
1 visions, w a s sent to m e ; a n d he said to m e . W h y a r e y o u so
.') d i s t r a u g h t . B a r u c h , a n d w h y s o t r o u b l e d in m i n d ? F o r if y o u a r e s o
m o v e d ( w h e n ) y o u h a v e o n l y h e a r d a b o u t t h c j u d g e m e n t , w h a t are
(i you going lo he like w h e n y o u s e e it h a p p e n i n g b e f o r e y o u r e y e s ? .And
if y o u a r e s o o v e r w r o u g h t a t t h e p r o s p e c t o f t h e c o m i n g o f t h c d a y o f
7 t h e . M i g h t y O n e , w h a t will you be like w h e n it a c t u a l l y a r r i v e s ? . \ n d
if y o u a r e s o u p s e t b y w h a t y o u h a v e b e e n t o l d a b o u t t h e t o r m e n t o f
t h e e v i l - d o e r s , h o w m u c h m o r e so icill you he w h e n t h e c o m p l e x
8 d e t a i l s a r e d i s c l o s e d ? ' . A n d if y o u a r c d i s t r e s s e d a b o u t w h a t y o u
h a v e h e a r d is t o h a p p e n t h e n ( t h i n g s b o t h g o o d a n d b a d ) , h o w will
il be with you w h e n y o u s e e w h a t t h e Mighty One in his m a j e s t y w i l l
r e v e a l , w l i e n h e < o i i v i c t s s o m e a n d g i v e s o t h e r s c a u s e for r e j o i c i n g ?

LVI. H o w e v e r , y o u h a v e a s k e d t h e .Most H i g h to r e v e a l t o y o u t h e
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e \ i s i o n y o u h a v e s e e n , a n d I h a v e b e e n .sent t o
2 tell y o u . F o r t h e .Mighty O n e h a s i n d e e d m a d e k n o w n t o y o u t h e
s e q u e n c e o f t h e times that have passed a n d of those that a r e yet to
b e i n t h e w o r l d , from t h e b e g i n n i n g o f its c r e a t i o n r i g h t u p t o its

" I.it. *'f hus .Adam is not the cause, hut olhis own soul onK '.
" Lit. 'according to'.

' Lit. 'w hen the work ('event') reveals marvels'.

 fi7() The Syriac Apocalypse oj Baruch
.\ ( o i i s i i r i i m a t i o i i - t i m e s o f T a l s c h o o d a n d t i m e s o f t n i t h . \'ou s a w a
g r e a t eloiid eoiniiig u p o u t ol'the sea that went o n a n d covered t h e
e a r t h : t h i s cloud is t h e d u r a t i o n o f t h e a g e o f t h e w o r l d , w h i c h t h e
4 .Mighty O n e deterniined w h e n he decided to m a k e the world. . \ n d
s o it w a s t h a t w h e n t h e w o r l d h a d g o n e o u t f r o m h i s p r e s e n c e , t h e
f l u r a t i o n o l ' t h e w o r l d c a m e i n t o b e i n g , s o m e t h i n g of s m a l l a c c o u n t ,
e s t a b l i s h e d a c c o r d i n g to t h e richness o f t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g of him
.'> w h o s e n t i t . . \ n c l y o u s a w a t t h e t o p o f t h e c l o u d b l a c k w a t e r s
d e s c e n d i n g l i r s t u p o n t h e e a r t h - t h i s is t h e t r a n s g r e s s i o n o f t h e h r s t
li m a n , .Adam. For when he transgressed untimely death appeared:
s o r r o w c a m e t o b e . a n d suffering w a s p r o d u c e d a n d pain created,
a n d toil b e c a m e t h e r u l e : p r i d e r e a r e d its h e a d : ' S h e o l insisted o n
b e i n g r e n e w e d by blood: the loiiceptioii of children w a s brought
a b o u t a n d tlie p a s s i o n o f p a r e n t s r o u s e d : m a n ' s w h o l e s t a t u s
7 r e c e i \ c d a blow; a n d goodness languished. W h a t eould be blacker
H o r d a r k e r t h a n a l l t h i s ? F h i s is t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e b l a c k w a t e r s
!i t h a t y o u s a w . . A n d f r o m t h e s e b l a c k w a t e r s a g a i n olher b l a c k waters
II) were derived, a n d even greater darkness' w a s produced. For the
m a n w h o w a s a d a n g e r to himself b e c a m e a danger even to the
11.12 a n g e l s . F t i r a t t h e t i m e h e w a s c r e a t e d t h e y e n j o y e d f r e e d o m . . A n d
s o m e o l ' t h e m c a m e d o w n to earth a n d h a d i n t e r c o u r s e w i t h w o m e n .
i:i,l 1 . A n d t h o s e w h o d i d s o t h e n w e r e t o r m e n t e d i n c h a i n s . B u t t h e r e s t
1.") o f t h e i n n u m e r a b l e ' h o s t o f a n g e l s r e s t r a i n e d t h e m s e l v e s . . A n d
t h o s e w h o l i \ e d o n e a r t h perished all together t h r o u g h t h e waters
11) o f t h e f l o o d . I h e s e a r e t h e h r s t b l a c k w a t e r s .

LVII. . A n d a l t e r t h e s e y o u s a w b r i g h t w a t e r s : t h e s e represent t h e
fount o f A b r a h a m a n d his family, a n d t h e c o m i n g ofhis son a n dof
2 h i s g r a n d s o n , a n d o f t h o s e like t h e m . F o r a t t h a t t i m e t h e u n w r i t t e n
law w a s observed by' them a n d the provisions' ofthe command­
ments w e r e t h e n fulfilled: then originated belief in t h e c o m i n g
j u d g e m e n t : h o p e for a w o r l d t o b e r e n e w e d w a s t h e n e s t a b l i s h e d ;

' C h a r i r s r e n d e r e d 'disease i K ' g a n l o Iw e s t a b l i s h e d ' .

' I.it. ' a n d t h e d a r k n e s s e s ol d a r k n e s s e s ' .
' T h e text h a s n o negative.

' Lil. ' w a sn a m e d among'.

' I.il. ' w o r k s ' .
 Tlie Syriac Apocalypse oJBarucli H77
a n d t l u - p r o i n i s f o f a lifi- t o c o n i c l i c r c a l t c r w a s i i i i [ ) l a i i t c d in men's
;i hearts. T h e s e a r c t h e h r i g h t w a t e r s t l i a t y o u s a w ,

LVIII. . A n d t h e b l a c k t h i r d w a t e r s t h a t y o u s a w - t h e s e represent t h e
m i x t u r e of a l l t h e s i n s o f t h e n a t i o n s t h a t f o l l o w e d t h e d e a t h o f t h o s e
r i g h t e o u s m e n , a n d t h e w i c k e d n e s s o f t h e l a n d o f l'.gy|)t in s i i b j e t t-
2 i n g t h e i r s o n s t o s u c h c r u e l s e r \ i t i i d e , H o w e x e r , t h e s e in t h e i r t u r n
had their day,

LIX. . A n d t h c l i r i g h t f o u r t h w a t e r s t h a t y o u s a w represent t h e c o m ­
i n g of . M o s e s a n d . A a r o n a n d M i r i a m a n d J o s h u a , t h e s o n ol N u n .
2 a n d C l a l e b a n d all t h o s e like t h e m . Kor at t h a t t i m e t h e l a m p o f t h e
e t e r n a l l a w s h o n e o n a l l t h o s e in d a r k n e s s , g i v i n g t o b e l i e \ e r s t h e
p r o m i s e of their r e w a r d , a n d w a r n i n g unbelievers a b o u t the tor-
;i m c n t of h r e r c s e r \ e d for t h e m . .At t h a t t i m e , t o o , t h e h e a v e n s s h o o k ,
a n d w h a t w a s b e n e a t h t h c t h r o n e o f t h e -Mighty O n e t r e m b l e d .
I w h e n h c w a s t a k i n g .Moses to himself. Kor h e s h o w e d h i m m a n y
o t h e r t h i n g s t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e o r d i n a n c e s of t h e law' - t h c c o n s u m ­
m a t i o n o f t h e times' (just as h e h a s also s h o w n y o u ) , a n d similarly
t h e p a t t e r n o f / i o n a n d its d i m e n s i o n s , a s it w a s to b e c o n s t r u c t e d .
.i and t h c p a t t e r n o f t h e s a n c t u a r y , a s it n o w is. T h e n h c s h o w e d h i m
a l s o t h c d i m e n s i o n s o f t h e h r e , t h e d e p t h s o f t h e a b y s s , t h e w e i g h t of
fi t h e w i n d s , a n d t h e n u m b e r o f t h e d r o p s of r a i n ; a n d t h c m a s t e r y of
7 a n g e r , thc d i g n i t y ' of patience, a n d the truth ofjudgement; a n d the
r o o t o f w i s d o m , t h e r i c h e s of u n d e r s t a n d i n g , a n d t h e fount of
8 k n o w l e d g e ; a n d t h e h e i g h t of t h c air, thc extent of P a r a d i s e , the
c o n s u m m a t i o n o f t h e a g e s , a n d t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e d a y of j u d g c -
;) m c n t ; a n d t l i e n u m b e r of t h e o l l e r i n g s , a n d t h e e < m i i t r i e s w h i i h
It) w e r e a s y e t u n k n o w n ; ' a n d t h e m o u t h of G e h e n n a , t h e a b o d e of
11 v e n g e a n c e , t h e h o m e o f f a i t h , a n d t h e d w e l l i n g - p l a c e of h o p e ; a n d
t h e vision o f t h e future t o r m e n t , t h e t h r o n g of i n n u m e r a b l e angels,
t h e flaming hosts, the splendour o f t h e lightning, thc sound o f t h e
t h u n d e r , t h e o r d e r s o f t h e archangels,'' the t r e a s u r i e s of light, the
12 c h a n g e s o f t h e s e a s o n s , ' a n d the careful s t u d y o f t h e l a w . T h e s e are
the bright Iburth waters that you saw.

' l e x t 'laws . , , time', •' I.it. alitmdaiue',

' L i t , ' a n d t h e e a r t h s ( i , e , M a u d s ' ) w h i e h h a d n o t >et t o m e ' ,
•* T e x t ' e h i e l l s i n g , } o f t h e a n g e l s ' , ^ I.it,'times'.
S7H The Syriac Apocalypse of Banich

LX. A n d t h e b l a c k fifth w a t e r s y o u s a w c o i n i n g d o w n a s r a i n a r e
what t h e A m o r i t e s d i d , t h e i r spells a n d i n c a n t a t i o n s , t h e e\ils of
t h e i r m y s t e r i e s , a n d t h e c o n t a m i n a t i n g elfect' o f t h e i r pollutions.
F o r e v e n I s r a e l w a s t h e n p o l l u t e d a n d w e n t a s t i a \ in t l i e d a v s o f t h e
j u d g e s , ' a l t h o u g h t h c \ ' witnessed m a n y signs given t h e m bs their
creator.

LXI. . A n d t h e b r i g h t s i x t h w a t e r s t h a t y o u s a w - t h i s is t h e t i m e
w h e n D a v i d a n d S o l o m o n w e r e b o r n . .-\nd a t t h a t t i m e Z i o n w a s
built, a n d the sanctuary dedicated; a n d mucii blood ofthe nations
t h a t h a d s i n n e d t h e n w a s s h e d , a n d m a n y oni;;rings w e r e olfered a t
the dedication of the sanctuary. ,\nd peace and tranquiilit)-
r e i g n e d a t t h a t t i m e . The voice w/ v v i s d u i n w a s h e a r d i n t h e a s s e m b l y ,
a n d t h e r i c h e s o f u t i d e r s t a n d i n g w e r e p r i z e d in t l i e c o n g r e g a t i o n s .
-And t h e h o l y I c s t i v a l s w e r e c e l e b r a t e d e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y ' a n d w i t h
m u c h joy. I'he r u l e r s ' j u d g e i n c n t s w e r e then seen to b e u n b i a s e d ,
a n d the justice ol'thc precepts ol'thc Might)- O n e w a s maintained
i n t r u t h . . A n d b e c a u s e t h e l a n d e n j o y e d God's lavour-^ a t t h a t t i m e ,
a n d b e c a u s e t h o s e w h o l i v e d t h e r e d i d n o t s i n , it w a s m a d e more
g l o r i o u s t h a n a n y o t h e r l a n d ; a n d t h e city o f Z i o n b e c a m e t h e ruler
ol'all lands a n d countries. These a r e t h e bright waters that ) o u
saw.

LXII. .And t h e black s e v e n t h waters t h a t y o u s a w represent t h e

p e r v e r s i o n brought about b y J e r o b o a m ' s p l a n t o m a k e t w o g o l d e n
c a l v e s ; a n d all t h e i n i q u i t i e s o f t h e kings after h i m ; a n d t h e c u r s e of
J e z e b e l , ' a n d t h e idol-worship that Israel practised a t that time;
a n d t h e w i t h h o l d i n g o f t h e rain, a n d t h e l a m i n e s t h a t ttillowed until
w o m e n even a t e their o w n children; a n d ihe captivity that overtook

' Lit. 'and thi: minglint;'.

' Text 'judgeinent-.

' Lit. in .goodness'.

^ I.it. 'the land was beloved'.

• So litei ally: it is unclear whether the relerence is to the curse pronounced upon
Jezebel and its riilHIniem {1 Kings xxi. 2:i; 2 Kings ix. 10, ,30-37]. or to :hc curse
which Jezebel was in herself and consec|uenily to Israel ;2 Kings ix. 34).
 Tlie Syriac Apocalypse oj Barucli 879
() tlu' nine and a hall tiihcs hccausc of llu'lr many s i n s (for
Shalmancsof. k i n g o l ' A s s y r i a . c a m e a n d l a i r i c d t h e m oil a s c a p -
7 t i \ ' c s ) . A n d s o f a r a s t h e ( i c n t i l c s a r c c o n c e r n e d , t h e r e is n o n e e d t o
s t r e s s h o w t h e y a l w a y s d i d w h a t w a s sinful a n d w i c k e d , a n d n e \ c r
H what w a s righteous. These a r e t h e black s e \ c i u h waters that \ o u
saw.

LXIII. . \ n d t h e bright eighth waters that you s a w - these a r e the

integrity a n d honesty of H e / e k i a h . king of J u d a h . a n d the grace
2 t h a t w a s a c c o r d e d h i m . ' T o r w h e n Seniuicherib w a s stirred u p to
destroy himself, a n d his a n g e r m a d d e n e d h i m into leading to their
d e s t r u c t i o n also t h e motley collection of peoples that were with
;i him: when, moreoycr, king Hezekiah heard what the king of
. \ s s y r i a w a s plotting, to cotne a n d destroy his people (the two a n d a
h a l f t r i b e s t h a t w e r e left - a t i d h e w a n t e d t o l a \ w a s t e / . i o n t o o ) :
t h e n H e z e k i a h . in trust a n d r e l i a n c e o n his r i g h t e o u s n e s s , s p o k e
•I w i t h t h c . M i g h t y O n e a n d s a i d . B e h o l d , S e n n a c h e r i b is r e a d y t o
d e s t r o y u s ; a n d h e will b o a s t w h e n h e h a s laid / . i o n w a s t e a n d take
.i c r e d i t to h i m s e l f . \ n d t h e .Mighty O n e h e a r d h i m . lor Hezekiah
w a s wise, a n d h c listened to his prayer, because he w a s righteous.
li .And t h e M i g h t y O n e then g a \ e instructions to his angel Ramiel
7 (the angel w h o is s p e a k i n g t o y o u now). . A n d I w e n t a n d d e s t r o y e d
the w h o l e host of them - the n u m b e r of the olhcers alone w a s a
h u n d r e d a n d eighty-hve thousand, a n d each one o f t h e m had an
H e q u a l n u m b e r under his command. . A n d o n t h i s o c c a s i o n I b u r n e d
their bodies inside, b u t their outer clothing a n d their a r m o u r I
p r e s e r v e d intact, s o that w h a t t h e .Mighty O n e h a d d o n e might
s e e m still m o r e w o n d e r f u l , a n d l h a l a s a result his n a m e m i g h t b e
9 s p o k e n of t h r o u g h o u t t h e entire earth. Thus / i o n w a s saved a n d
10 J e r u s a l e m d e l i v e r e d : I s r a e l t o o w a s f r e e d f r o m its d i s t r e s s . .And a l l
t h o s e w h o w e r e i n t h e h o l y l a n d ri>joiced. a n d t h e n a m e o f t h e
11 . M i g h t y O n e w a s g l o r i f i e d s o t h a t it w a s s p o k e n oi'ereiywhere. T h e s e
a r c t h c b r i g h t w a t e r s t h a t y o u sayv.

LXIV. . A n d t h c b l a c k n i n t h w a t c r s t h a t y o u s a w - t h e s e represent a l l
t h e w i c k e d n e s s t h e r e w a s in t h e d a y s of . M a n a s s e h , H e z e k i a h ' s son.

' t.it 'and liis grace".

 880 The Syriac Apocalypse of Banich
2 I ' o r lu- dici v e r y m a n y w i c k e d d i i n g s : h e k i l l e d t h e r i g h t e o u s : h e
p e r v e r t e d j u d g e m e n t : h e s h e d t h e b l o o d o l ' t h e i n n o c e n t : h e vio­
lated a n d polluted married w o m e n ; a n d he demolished the altars
a n d d e s t r o y e d t h e i r oU'erings, a n d d r o v e o u t t h e priests so t h a t they
;f c o u l d n o t m i n i s t e r in t h e s a n c t u a r y . A n d h e m a d e a n i m a g e with
l i v e l a c e s , f o u r o l ' t h e m l o o k e d t o t h e ( b u r w i n d s , a n d t h e fifth a t t h e
t o p o f t h e i m a g e was there t o p r o v o k e t h e j e a l o u s y o f t h e . M i g h t y
1 ( ) n e . . \ t t h a t t i m e a sentence o / w r a t h w e n t o u t f r o m t h e p r e s e n c e ol
t h e . M i g h t y O n e t h a t Z i o n s h o u l d b e r o o t e d u p ( a n d it h a s h a p -
:t p e n e d in y o u r d a y s ) . . \ n d a l s o a g a i n s t t h e t w o a n d a h a l f t r i b e s
t h e r e w e n t o u t a d e c r e e t h a t t h e y t o o s h o u l d b e c a r r i e d off a s
li c a p t i s e s ( a s y o u h a v e n o w s e e n ) . And t o s u c h l e n g t h s d i d t h e
i m p i e t \ o f . M a n a s s e h g o t h a t t h e g l o r y o f t h e Mo.st H i g h d e p a r t e d
7 l i o m t h e s a n c t u a r y . F o r t h i s r e a s o n . M a n a s s e h w a s e v e n in h i s o w n
H d a y t a i l e d ' F h e I m p i o u s ' , a n d h i s final l o d g i n g w a s in t h e fire. F o r
t h o u g h t h e .Most F l i g h a t last h e a r d his p r a y e r w h e n h e w a s s h u t u p
i n ' t h e b r o n z e horse, a n d the horse w a s melting, a n d a sign w a s
9 g i v e n t o h i m t h e n , h i s life w a s f a r f r o m p e r f e c t , a n d a l l h e d e s e r v e d
111 w a s H) k n o w b y w h o m h e w o u l d b e t o r m e n t e d in t h e e n d . ^ F o r h e
w h o is a b l e t o d o g o o d is a l s o a b l e t o p u n i s h .

LXV. F h u s .Manasseh did m a n y wicked things, a n d he thought

that in his t i m e t h e .Mighty O n e w o u l d not i n q u i r e i n l o them.
2 I h e s e are the black ninth waters lhal you saw.

LX'Vl. . A n d t h e b r i g h t t e n t h w a t e r s l h a t y o u s a w - t h e s e a r e t h e
f a i t h f u l n e s s o f t h e g e n e r a t i o n of Josiah, king o f j u d a h , w h o w a s t h e
o n l y o n e at the time w h o s u b m i t t e d himself to the Mighty O n e with
2 a l l h i s h e a r t a n d s o u l . .And h e p u r g e d t h e l a n d o f i d o l s , a n d
h a l l o w e d all t h e vessels t h a t h a d b e e n p o l l u t e d , a n d r e s t o r e d t h e
o f i e r i n g s to t h e a l t a r , a n d lihed u p the h e a d s ' of t h e holy, a n d
e x a l t e d t h e righteous, a n d h o n o u r e d m e n of w i s d o m a n d under­
s t a n d i n g , ancl b r o u g h t b a c k t h e p r i e s t s to t h e i r ministry-, a n d
destroyed and removed the magicians and soothsayers and

' I.il. -when he was thrown into'.

' 'I'cxt corrupt'(C;harles).
 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch 881
3 n e c r o m a n c e r s f r o m t h c l a n d . . A n d n o t o n l y d i d h c kill t h e i m p i o u s
t h a t w e r e still a l i v e , b u t h c also h a d t h e b o n e s o f t h e d e a d t a k e n
4 f r o m t h e i r g r a v e s a n d b u r n t . .And t h e festivals a n d t h c s a b b a t h s h e
r e s t o r e d w i t h their p r o p e r rites:' h e b u r n e d those w h o were pol­
luted: h e b u r n e d also t h e lying p r o p h e t s that h a d deceived thc
p e o p l e ; a n d t h c people that h a d listened to t h e m h c threw alive into
.') t h e b r o o k K i d r o n , a n d r a i s e d a h e a p o f s t o n e s o \ e r t h e m . A n d h e
d e v o i c d himself heart a n d soul to t h e M i g h t y O n e ; a n d hc w a s
r e m a r k a b l e i n h i s d a y for h i s strict o b s e r v a n c e o f t h e l a w , ' so t h a t
d u r i n g h i s l i f e - t i m e n o o n e t h a t w a s u n c i r c u m c i s e d w a s left a n y -
6 w h e r e in t h e l a n d , n o r a n y evil-doer. H e will i n d e e d receive a n
e t e r n a l r e w a r d , a n d h e will b e m o r e h o n o u r e d b y t h c .Mighty O n e
7 t h a n m a n y a t t h e last t i m e . F o r it w a s b e c a u s e of h i m , a n d t h o s e
like h i m , t h a t t h c h o n o u r s a n d t h e glories y o u w e r e told a b o u t
8 before were created a n d prepared. These are the bright waters that
you saw.

LXVII. . A n d t h e b l a c k e l e v e n t h w a t e r s t h a t y o u s a w - t h e s e a r e t h e
2 c a l a m i t y that h a s n o w overtaken Zion. D o you imagine that the
a n g e l s in t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e M i g h t y O n e e x p e r i e n c e n o pain that
Z i o n s h o u l d b e so delivered u p , a n d when they sec thc Gentiles
b o a s t i n g in t h e i r h e a r t s , a n d c r o w d s before their idols saying,

S h e is n o w t r o d d e n d o w n , s h e w h o s o o f t e n t r o d others d o w n ,
.And s h e h a s b e e n r e d u c e d to servitude, s h e w h o r e d u c e d
others?
3 D o y o u i m a g i n e t h e M o s t H i g h r e j o i c e s a t t h i s , o r t h a t h i s n a m e is
4 t h e r e b y g l o r i h c d ? H o w w i l l it s e r v e t o w a r d s h i s r i g h t e o u s j u d g c -
m e n t ? Y e t a f t e r t h i s , g r e a t t r o u b l e s w i l l afnii:t t h o s e w h o a r e
d i s p e r s e d a m o n g t h e G e n t i l e s , a n d w h e r e v e r t h e y m a y b e li\ i n g
6 t h e y will b e h u m i l i a t e d . S o l o n g a s Z i o n is d e l i v e r e d u p a n d
J e r u s a l e m l a i d w a s t e , i d o l s will p r o s p e r in t h e G e n t i l e cities; a n d
while t h c s w e e t s m o k e o f l h e i n c e n s e o f t h e r i g h t e o u s n e s s w h i c h is
a c c o r d i n g t o t h e l a w n o l o n g e r a s c e n d s i n Z i o n , it w i l l b e r e p l a c e d

^ C h a r l e s rendered 'he established in their sanctity', although thc last word i

plural.
' Lit. ' a n d he alone was firm in the law at that time'.
 882 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
e v e r y w h e r e in / i o n ' s n e i g h b o u r h o o d by tlie s m o k e o f ' g o d l e s s n e s s . '
A n d t h e k i n g o f B a b y l o n , w h o h a s n o w d e s t r o y e d / i o n , will e x a l t
h i m s e l f , a n d h e will m a k e g r e a t c l a i m s in t h e M o s t H i g h ' s p r e ­
s e n c e . B u t h e a l s o will c o m e t o grief at last. 'I'hcsc a r e t h e black

LXVIII. . X n d t h e b r i g h t t w e l f t h w a t e r s t h a t y o u s a w - t h i s is t h e
2 m e a n i n g of thern. /Xftcr a l l t h i s , a t i m e w i l l c o m e w h e n y o u r p e o p l e
w i l l b e i n s u c h a s o r r y s t a t e t h a t t h e r e is a r i s k o f t h e i r perishing
3 a l t o g e t h e r , F - \ e n s o , t h e y w i l l b e s a v e d , a n d t h e i r e n e m i e s w i l l fall
k.T b e f o r e t h e m . And I b r a t i m e t h e y will h a v e m u c h j o y . .And t h e n ,
a f t e r a s h o r t i n t e r v a l , Z i o n will b e r e b u i l t , a n d its offerings will b e
r e s t o r e d a g a i n , a n d t h e p r i e s t s will r e t u r n t o t h e i r m i n i s t r y , a n d t h e
fi ( J e n t i l e s a l s o will c o m e a n d a c c l a i m i t . ' H o w e v e r , t h i n g s will n o t b e
7 a s t h e y w e r e in f o r m e r t i m e s . .And after t h i s , d i s a s t e r will s t r i k e
8 m a n y nations. T'hese a r e t h e bright waters that y o u s a w .

LXIX. T h e last' w a t e r s t h a t y o u s a w . d a r k e r t h a n all that h a d been

b e f o r e t h e m - t f i o s e waters t h a t c a m e a f t e r t h e g a t h e r i n g t o g e t h e r o f
2 t h e t w e h e o t h e r w a t e r s c o n c e r n t h e w h o l e w o r l d . F o r t h e .Most
H i g h m a d e a s e p a r a t i o n a t t h e b e g i n n i n g , - becau.se h e alone k n o w s
i w h a t will h a p p e n . A s for t h e e n o r m i t i e s a n d i m p i o u s d e e d s that
1 w o u l d b e c o m m i t t e d before him, h e Ibresaw six kinds of them. . \ n d
a s foi t h e g o o d d e e d s o f t h e r i g h t e o u s t o b e d o n e b e f o r e h i m , h e
f o r e s a w s i x k i n d s o f t f i e m abo, a p a r t f r o m w h a t h e h i m s e l f w o u l d d o
b a t t h e c o n s u m m a t i o n o f t h e a g e . ' F h a t is w h y t h e r e w e r e n o t blac;k
waters mixed w i t h black, nor bright w i t h b r i g h t ; ' f o r it is t h e
consummation.

• L i t . ' . . . i n Z i o n , a n d i n t h e p l a e e o f V . i o n e v e r y w h e t e , l o . t h e r e is t h e s m o k e o f
godlessness'.

' L i t . 'roine toglorily it'.

' Lit. 'other'.

' T h e p h r a s e s '.gathering t o g e t h e r ' a n d ' m a k e a s e p a r a t i o n ' recall t h e l a n g u a g e of
G e n . i. / a n d 10.
' T h i s , a s it s t a n d s , is o b s c u i e . W h a t i s c l e a r , h o w e v e r , is t h a t t h e b l a c k w a t e r s o f
the ' c o n s u m m a t i o n ' a n d t h e b r i g h t w a t e r s t h a t follow a r e t o h e u n d e r s t o o d a s
d i s t i n c t from t h e p r e \ ious a l t e r n a t i o n s of b l a c k a n d b r i g h t w a t e r s in t h e c o u r s e of
world historv.
 The Syriac Apocalypse uJ Barucli 883

LXX. H e a r t h e n t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e last b l a c k w a t e r s w h i c h
2 a r c t o c o m e a f t e r t h e other b l a c k walers: t h i s is t h e m e a n i n g . B e h o l d ,
the d a y s a r e coming, a n d when the time ofthe a g ehasripened, and
t h e h a r v e s t ' o f i t s evil a n d its g o o d s e e d s h a s c o m e , t h c M i g h t y O n e
will b r i n g u p o n t h e e a r t h a n d its i n h a b i t a n t s , a n d u p o n its rulers,
3 t r e p i d a t i o n o f s p i r i t ' a n d c o n s t e r n a t i o n o f m i n d . . \ n d thc> w i l l h a t e
one another, a n d piovoke o n e another to hght; a n d obscure m e n
w i l l h a v e d o m i n i o n o \ ' c r m e n o f r e p u t a t i o n , a n d t h e l o w l y b o r n will
4 b e e x a l t e d a b o v e t h e n o b l e s . .And t h e m a n y will b e d e l i v e r e d into
t h e h a n d s o f t h e f e w , a n d t h o s e w h o w e r e n o t h i n g will r u l e o v e r t h c
s t r o n g , a n d t h c p o o r will h a v e m u c h m o r e t h a n t h e rich, a n d t h c
5 i m p i o u s w i l l s e t t h e m s e l v e s u p a g a i n s t t h e b i a v c . A n d t h e w i s e will
b e s i l e n t , a n d only f o o l s w i l l s p e a k : n e i t h e r t h e d e s i g n s of ordinary
m e n , n o r t h e p l a n s o f t h e p o w e r f u l , ' w i l l c o m e t o a n y t h i n g , n o r will
6 a n y h o p e s for t h e f u t u r e p r o v e w e l l - l b u n d e d . ' .And w h e n w h a t h a s
b e e n p r e d i c t e d h a s h a p p e t i c d , t h e n will c o n f u s i o n d e s c e n d u p o n all
m e n : s o m e o f t h e m w i l l fall i n b a t t l e : s o m e o f t h e m w i l l p e r i s h i n
a n g u i s h , a n d s o m e o f t h e r n w i l l b e destroyed" b y t h e i r o w n p e o p l e .
7 1 h e n will t h c M o s t H i g h reveal those peoples w h o m h c h a s pre­
pared beforehand, a n d t h e y will c o m e a n d m a k e w a r w i t h t h e
8 l e a d e r s t h a t t h e n a r c left. . A n d w h o e v e r e s c a p e s i n t h e w a r w ill d i e
by earthquake, a n d whoexer escapes thc earthquake will be
b u r n e d b y fire, a n d w h o e v e r e s c a p e s t h e fire w i l l b e destroyed' b y
9 f a m i n e . .And w h o e v e r , w h e t h e r of t h e victors or t h e s a n q u i s h c d ,
e s c a p e s a l l t h e s e t h i n g s , a n d c o m e s safely t h r o u g h t h e m , will b e
10 delivered into thc hands o f m y servant, the Messiah. For the whole
e a r t h will d e v o u r t h o s e w h o live o n it.

LXXI. B u t t h c h o l y l a n d will h a v e m e r c y o n its o w n , a n d will

2 p r o t e c t t h o s e w h o a r e l i v i n g t h e r e a t t h a t t i m e . T h i s is t h e \ i s i o n
3 t h a t y o u s a w , a n d t h i s is t h c i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f i t . . A n d 1 h a v e c o m e t o
tell y o u this b e c a u s e y o u r p r a y e r h a s b e e n h e a r d b y t h e M o s t H i g h .

' Plural in t h e M S .
' S i n g u l a r in t h c M S .
' L i t . ' t i o r will t h e h o p e ol t h o s e w h o h o p e h e c o n f i r m e d ' .
" Text 'be hindered'.
' T e x t -will a d d ' .
 HH4 The Syriac Apocalypse of Banich

LXXII. L i s t e n n o w a l s o lo whal I have lo lell you a b o u t t h e b r i g h t

waters' t h a t a r e to e o m e at t h e e o n s u m m a t i o n after these black
2 icalers: t h i s is t h e m e a n i n g oJ Ihem. A f t e r t h e s i g n s h a v e a p p e a r e d ,
w h i c h y o u w e r e t o l d a b o u t b e l i i r c , w h e n t h e n a t i o n s a r e in c o n f u ­
s i o n , a n d t h e t i m e o f m y . M e s s i a h is c o m e , h e w i l l c a l l a l l t h e n a t i o n s
t o g e t h e r , a n d s o m e o l ' t h e m h e will s p a r e , a n d s o m e o f t h e m h e will
;i d e s t r o y . T h i s is w h a t w i l l h a p p e n t o t h e n a t i o n s s p a r e d b y h i m .
I K v e r y n a t i o n t h a t h a s n o t exploited' I s r a e l a n d h a s n o t t r a m p l e d
j t h e r a c e o f j a c o b u n d e r f o o t will b e s p a r e d . . \ n d t h i s will b e b e c a u s e
li s o m e o u t o f all t h e n a t i o n s will b e c o m e s u b j e c t t o y o u r [jeople. B u t
a l l t h o s e w h o h a v e h a d d o m i n i o n o v e r y o u , o r h a v e exploited^ y o u ,
will b e given o v e r to t h e s w o r d .

LXXIII. . A n d w h e n h e h a s b r o u g h t l o w e v e r y t h i n g t h a t is i n t h e
world, a n d has sat down i n p e a c e for e v e r o n t h e t h r o n e o f h i s
kingdom,

l h e n shall Joy be revealed,

•And r e s t m a d e nianifest.
L' .And then shall healing descend as dew,
.And d i s e a s e s h a l l d i s a p p e a r ;
.And a n x i e t y a n d a n g u i s h a n d l a m e n t a t i o n shall pass from
men,
.And g l a d n e s s s p r e a d t h r o u g h all t h e e a r t h .
;i .And n e v e r a g a i n shall a n y o n e d i e before his time,
.Nor s h a l l a n y a d v e r s i t y s u d d e n l y befall.
1 .And l a w suits' a n d accusations a n d contentions a n d
revenges,
.And m u r d e r ^ a n d p a s s i o n s a n d e n v y a n d h a t r e d ,
.And a l l t h i n g s like t h e s e shall b e d o n e a w a y
.And g o t o their c o n d e m n a t i o n .

' Both here a n d al Ixxiv 1 Charles substiluud lightning' lor 'water

•ith the details ol the vision as given in liii. 8 - 1 1 ) .
•' Text 'known'.

' I.it. 'judgements'.

• I.it.'l.l.KKl'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch 885
5 F o r i t is t h e s e t h i n g s t h a t h a v e filled t h i s w o r l d w i t h e v i l s .
. A n d i t is b e c a u s e o f t h e s e t h a t t h e lile o f m a n h a s b e e n s o
troubled.
6 .And wild b e a s t s shall cotne from t h e Ibicst
.And m i n i s t e r to m e n ,
A n d a s p s a n d d r a g o n s shall c o m e o u t o f t h e i r holes
'1 o s u b m i t t h e m s e l v e s t o a l i t t l e c h i l d .
7 .And w o m e n shall n o longer have pain w h e n they bear
children.
N o r s h a l l t h e y suffer a g o n y w h e n t h e y y i e l d t h e fruit o f t h e
womb.

LXXrV. .And in t h o s e d a y s t h e r e a p e r s shall n o t g r o w w e a r y .

N o r those that build b e toilworn;
For both works a n d workers together
W i l l p r o s p e r in c o m p l e t e a c c o r d .
2 F o r t h a t t i m e m a r k s t h e e n d o f w h a t is c o r r u p t i b l e
.And t h e b e g i n n i n g o f w h a t is i n c o r r u p t i b l e .
3 F h u s , w h a l w a s p r e d i c t e d will b e fulfilled i n it:
I t is b e y o n d t h e g r a s p o f evil m e n ,
A c c e s s i b l e o n l y to t h o s e w h o will n o t d i e . '

4 F h e s e a r e t h e b r i g h t w a t e r s ' t h a t c a m e after t h e last d a r k w a t e r s .

I.XXV. A n d I a n s w e r e d a n d said.

W h o c a n b e c o m p a r e d w i t h thee, O F o r d , in thy g o o d n e s s ?
F o r it is b e y o n d u s a l t o g e t h e r .
2 O r w h o c a n s e a r c h o u t thine infinite c o m p a s s i o n ?
3 O r w h o c a n c o m p r e h e n d thine understanding?
4 O r w h o is a b l e t o d e s c r i b e t h e w o r k i n g s o f t h y m i n d ?
5 W h o a m o n g m o r t a l s c a n h o p e t o c o m e near doing any o / t h e s c
things,
U n l e s s h e is o n e o f l h o s e t o w h o m t h o u a r t m e r c i f u l a n d
gracious?
' So, .strictly, thc Syriac, which has masculines for 'evil' aud 'those who will not
d i e ' . It is possible, however, to take the Syriac masculines as a misunderstanding of
original neuters - as Clharlcs {'It is far away from evils, and near to those things
w h i c h die n o t ' ) .
^ See note on l.xxii. 1.
8}i() The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
Vor i l ' t l i o u d i d s t n o t h a \ c c o m p a s s i o n u p o n m a n .
T h o s e w h o a r c u n d e r thy right h a n d
Cotild not acliiexc these t h i n g s -
( ) n l y t h o s e w h o a r e called to be a m o n g the n u m b e r lhou hast
determined.'
H u l i f w e , w h o a r e a l i v e , k n o w liir w h a t r e a s o n w c h a \ e
come.-
. \ i i d s u b m i t o u r s e l v e s to h i m w h o b r o u g h t us o u t of Kgypt.
W e s h a l l c o m e a g a i n ' a n d r e m e m b e r w h a t is p a s t ,
. \ i i d rejoice in w h a t h a s b e e n .
B u t i f w e d o not k n o w lor w h a t reason we h a v e c o m e "
. \ n d d o n o t r e c o g n i z e t h e s o v e r e i g n t y ot h i m w h o b r o u g h t u s
out of Kgypt.
W e shall c o m e a g a i n ' a n d regret'' w h a t h a s been n o w ,
. \ i i c l g r i e v e o v e r w h a t is p a s t .

LXXVI. . \ i i d h e t i n s w e r e d a n d s a i d to m e . S i n c e t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n
o f t h i s vision h a s b e e n given you as you a s k e d . Listen to w h a t the
. M o s t H i g h h a s t o s a y , s o t h a t y o u m a y k n o w w h a t is t o h a p p e n t o
y o u a f t e r t h i s . Kor y o u m u s t c e r t a i n l y l e a \ e t h i s w o r l d , yet y o u will
n o t d i e , b u t y o u will be p r e s e r v e d until t h e c o n s u m m a t i o n ' ofthe
t i m e s . S o g o u p t o t h e t o p of t h a t m o u n t a i n , a n d y o u will get a v i e w
o f t h e e n t i r e l a n d a n d b e a b l e to d i s t i n g u i s h its v a r i o u s f e a t u r e s ^ -
the t o p s ' o f t h e m o u n t a i n s , the b o t t o m s ' o f t h e valleys, the d e p t h s
o f t h e seas, a n d the m a n y rivers, so that you can see what you are
l e a v i n g b e h i n d a n d w h e r e y o u a r e . g o i n g . T h i s s h a l l b e in t b r t y d a y s
t i m e from now. But now go a n d spend these days teaching the
p e o p l e a s b e s t y o u c a n , so t h a t t h e y m a y u n d e r s t a n d w h a t will lead
t o d e a t h a n d w h a t t o life in t h e l a s t t i m e s . ' '

' I.il. 'who arc able lo be called in the iiuttibers named'.

- i.e. 'we h a \ e been Ixirn'.
' i.e. at the resurrection.
•• I.it. 'desire'.

' Text 'but to the presercation'. Cp. xiii. !i and xx\'. 1.

' I.it. 'and all the re.gions ofthe land shall pass lielbre you and the figure ofthe
wiirld'. ' Singufar in the .MS.
I.it. 'so that they may learn so as not In die in the last times, but may learn in
order that thev mav live in the last times'.
 The Syriac Apncaly/ise oj Baruch 8H7

LXXVII. . \ i K i I . B a n u l i , w e n t a \ v a \ ; a n d I c a i n c t o tlu- p c o i ) i c . a n d
•J I called thciti t o g e t h e r , high a n d low alike. . \ n d I said to thern.
L i s t e n , voir s o n s o l T s r a e l : s e e h o w m a r r y t h e r e a r e o l y o u w h o h a v e
.i s u r \ i \ c d , o u t o l t h e t w c K c t r i h e s o l T s r a e l . L o r // was t o y o u a n d t o
t y o u r l a t h e r s lhat t h e L o r d g a \ e t h e l a w . arrd n o t t o a l l p e o p l e s . . \ r r d
h c c a u s c y o u r b r o t h e r s d i s o b e y e d t h c .\h)st H i g h ' s c o m m a n d m e n t s
h e b r o u g h t retribtttion both o n you a n d o n thenr: h e did not spare
t h c o n e , a n d h e c a u s e d t h e o t h e r s t o b e l e d a w a y a s c a p t i \ e s arrd left
.•).ii n o n e o f t h e n r b e h i r r d . Birt y o u a r e h e r e w i t l r m e . If. t h e n . \()ir d i r e c t
y o i t r w a y s a r i g h t , y o u w i l l rrot g o a s y o u r b r o t h e r s w e n t ; b u t t h e y
7 w i l l c o m e t o y o u . L o r h c w h o m y o u w o r s h i p is m e r c i f u l , a n d h e iir
w h o r n y o u h o p e is g r a c i o u s ; a n d h e carr b e r e l i e d o n t o d o g o o d a n d
H.!i n o t e \ il. \ ' o u h a v e s e e n . h a \ e y o u n o t . w h a t h a p p e n e d t o / . i o n ? D o
y o i r t h i r r k . p e r h a p s , t h a t it w a s t h e p l a c e t h a t s i n n e d , a n d t h ; i t it
w a s b e c a u s e o f t h i s t h a t it w a s o \ c r t h r o w r r ? O r agaui. t h a t t h e larrd
h a d c o m m i t t e d s o m e o u t r a g e , a r r d t h a t w a s w h y it w a s d e l i v e r e d
III u p ? .Are y o u n o t a w a r e t h a t it w a s b e c a u s e o f y o u . w h o h i u i s i n n e d ,
t h a t the cily. w h i c h h a d rrot sirrrred. w a s o v e r t h r o w n , a n d l h a t it w a s
b e c a u s e of you e \ i l - d o c r s t h a t lhe land, w h i c h h a d d o n e n o e v i l , w a s
11 d e l i v e r e d u p lo its e n e m i e s ? . A n d t h e w h o l e p e o p l e a n s w e r e d a n d
s a i d t o m e . .So f a r a s w e c a n r e c a l l t h e g o o d t h i n g s t h e . M i g h t y O n e
h a s d o n e l()r u s , w e d o r e c a l l t h e m ; a r r d w h a t w e d o n o t r e m e m b e r ,
12 h c i n h i s m e r c y k n o w s . B u t d o t h i s for u s . y o u r p e o p l e : w r i t e t o o u r
b r o t h e r s i n B a b y l o r r a l e t t e r o n a s c r o l l , a /W/cr o f i n s t r u c t i o n a n d
e n c o u r a g e m e n t , to reassure t h e m also before you l e a \ e us.

l:i Lor the shepherds olTsrael have perished.

. \ i u l t h e l a m p s that g a v e light h a v e g o n e o u t .
.And t h c f o u n t a i n s h a v e h e l d b a c k their s t r e a m s ,
I ' r o m w h i c h w e irsed t o d r i n k .
It . A n d w e a r e left i n d a r k n e s s ,
. A m i d t h e t r e e s o f t h e f o r e s t , a n d irr t h c t h i r s t o f t h e
wilderness.

I.') .And I a n s w e r e d a n d said to t h e m .

S h e p h e r d s a n d l a m p s a n d fountains c o m e from t h e law;

.And t h o u g h w c d e p a r t , yet t h c l a w r e m a i n s .
11) If, t h e n , y o u r e s p e c t t h c l a w a n d t u r n y o u r h e a r t s t o w i s d o m .
 888 The Synac Apocalypse oJ Banich
A l a m p w i l l n o l l)c w a u l i n g a n d a s h e p h e r d ' w i l l n o l fail.
A n d n o r o i i n t a i n will d r y u p .

17 B u t , a s y o u a s k e d m e . I w i l l w r i t e a letter t o y o u r b r o t h e r s in
B a b y l o n , a n d I w i l l s e n d it b y t h e h a n d s o f m e n ; a n d I w i l l w r i t e
a l s o a s i m i l a r letter t o t h e n i n e a n d a h a l t t r i b e s , a n d s e n d il l)y
l« m e a n s o l ' a b i r d . .And o n t h e t w e n t y - h r s t d a y o f t h e e i g h t h m o n t h , I .
B a r u e h . e a m e a n d s a t d o w n u n d e r t h e o a k ^ in t h e s h a d e o f i t s
19 b r a n e h e s , a n d n o o n e w a s w i t h m e - 1 w a s a l o n e , .And I w r o t e t w o
letters: o n e I sent b \ a n eagle to the nine a n d a half tribes; a n d the
o t h e r I s e n t t o t h o s e t h a t w e r e in B a b y l o n b y t h e h a n d s o f t h r e e
i.Jl m e n , . A n d I e a l l e d t h e e a g l e a n d s a i d t o i t . T h e .Most H i g h e r e a t e d
'12 y o u t o b e t h e k i n g o f a l l t h e b i r d s , ( i o n o w : s t o p n o w h e r e on your
journey: n e i t h e r l o o k liir a n y r o o s t i n g - p l a e e , ' ' n o r s e t t l e o n a n y t r e e ,
till y o u h a v e c r o s s e d t h e b r o a d w a t e r s o f t h e r i \ e r K u p h r a t e s , a n d
c o m e t o t h e p e o p l e t h a t d w e l l t h e r e , a n d l a i d t h i s l e t t e r a t t h e i r feet.
•-':t R e m e m b e r h o w . a t t h e t i m e o f t h e flood, a d o v e b r o u g h t N o a h b a c k
•J 1 a n o l i \ e . ' w h e n h e h a d s e n t it o u t f r o m t h e a r k . R a v e n s , t o o , w a i t e d
o n F.lijah, a n d b r o u g h t h i m food, a s t h e y h a d b e e n commanded.
L'.i S o l o m o n also, w h e n h e w a s king, w h e n e v e r h e w a n t e d to send a
m e s s a g e o r h n d o u t a n y t h i n g , w o u l d give instructions to a bird.
2(> a n d it o b e y e d h i s i n s t r u c t i o n s . .And n o w , n e v e r m i n d h o w t i r e d y o u
a r e : d o n o t s t r a y f r o m y o u r c o u r s e , e i t h e r t o r i g h t o r left, b u t fly
straight there; a n d carry out theinstructions of the Mighty O n e . as
1 h a \ e explained t h e m to you.

The L e t t e r of B a r u c h , t h e s o n of N e r i a h , w h i c h h e wrote to the

.Nine a n d a H a l f ' L r i b e s .

LXXVIU. T h i s is t h e l e t t e r ' t h a t B a r u c h . t h e s o n o f N e r i a h , s e n t t o
t h e n i n e a n d a h a l f t r i b e s , w h i c h w e r e a c r o s s t h e r i v e r K u p h r a t e s , in
which these things were written.
2 B a r u c h , - t h e s o n o f .Neriah, t o h i s b r o t h e r s in c a p t i v i t y , .Mercy

' Text "mind". ' Cp. vi. 1.

* I.it.'lo be higllcr tluin". * I.il.'neither enter a nest".
' I.it. 'the Iruit o l a n olive'.

' I.it. 'These are the words ol the letter'.

• I.it. ' T h u s savs Barueh'.

 7 'he Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch 889
3 a n d p e a c e to you. I c a n n e v e r forget, m y b r o t h e r s , t h e love of h i m
w h o c r e a t e d u s , w h o l o \ e d u s from tlic b e g i n n i n g a n d n e v e r h a t e d
4 u s , b u t r a t h e r s u b j e c t e d u s t o d i s c i p l i n e . .Nor c a n I I b r g c t t h a t a l l w e
o f t h e twelve tribes a r e united by a c o m m o n bond, inasmuch as we
.•) a r e d e s c e n d e d f r o m a s i n g l e l a t h e r . H e n c e m y c o n c e r n t o l e a v e y o u
i n t h i s l e t t e r , b e f o r e I d i e , s o m e w o r d s o f c o m f o r t a m i d t h e e \ iis t h a t
h a v e c o m e u p o n y o u , in the hope t h a t y o u m a y a l s o b e m o v e d t o
s h a r e i n y o u r b r o t h e r s ' g r i e f a t t h e evil t h a t h a s befallen t h e m , a n d ,
again, that you m a y accept as just t h c s e n t e n c e the .Most High
p a s s e d u p o n y o u , n a m e l y , t h a t y o u s h o u l d b e c a r r i e d off a s c a p t i v e s
( e \ e n t h o u g h w h a t y o u h a v e s u l f e r e d is s c a r c e l y in p r o p o r t i o n t o
w h a t y o u d i d ) , in o r d e r t h a t in t h e last t i m e s y o u m a y b e found
(i w o r t h y o f y o u r f a t h e r s . F o r if y o u r e a l i z e t h a t w h a t y o u n o w sulTcr
is f o r y o u r g o o d , s o t h a t y o u m a y n o t i n t h c e n d b e c o n d e m n e d a n d
t o r m e n t e d , t h e n y o u w i l l r e c e i v e e t e r n a l h o p e - if, t h a t i s , y o u h a v e
p u r g e d y o u r m i n d s o f t h e vanities a n d errors that were t h e cause of
7 y o u r b e i n g t a k e n a w a y . F o r if y o u d o t h i s , h c w i l l r e m e m b e r y o u
c o n t i n u a l l y , h e w h o a l w a y s promi.scd o n o u r behalf to those w h o
w e r e far s u p e r i o r t o o u r s e l v e s , that h e will n e v e r forget u s o r forsake
n s , b u t i n t h c g r e a t n e s s o f h i s m e r c y will g a t h e r t o g e t h e r again
t h o s e w h o h a v e b e e n disp(;rsed.

LXXIX. . N o w , m y b r o t h e r s , h e a r first w h a t h a p p e n e d t o Z i o n , h o w
2 - N e b u c h a d n e z z a r , king of Babylon, m a d e a n attack o n us. (For w c
had sinned against h i m w h o created us a n d h a d not kept thc
c o m m a n d m e n t s h e gave us, although he did not chasten us as we
3 d e s e r v e d . ) A n d s o w e feel f a r g r e a t e r s y m p a t h y f o r y o u s i n c e w h a t
h a p p e n e d to y o u h a p p e n e d also to u s . '

LXXX. A n d n o w , m y b r o t h e r s , 1 tell y o u t h a t w h e n t h e e n e m y
h a d s u r r o u n d e d t h e city, t h e a n g e l s o f l h e M o s t H i g h w e r e sent,
a n d it was t h e y who t h r e w d o w n t h e f o r t i h c a t i o n s o f t h e s t r o n g w a l l
a n d d e s t r o y e d t h e firm i r o n c o r n e r s , w h i c h c o u l d n o t b e d i s l o d g e d .
2 B u t t h e y h i d all t h e v e s s e l s ' o f t h e s a n c t u a r y , s o t h a t t h e y s h o u l d n o l

' Both text and translation ticre are very nncertain.

' T e x t 'But tlicv hid thc vessels ofthe vessels'.

 890 The Syriac Apocalypse of Banich
3 he polluled b y tlie e n e i i i > . - A n d w h e n t h e y h a d t l o n c this, t h e y
s u r r e n d e r e d to the e n e m y t h e wall that h a d been thrown d o w n , the
plundered house, the burnt temple, a n d the people w h o were
o v e r c o m e b e c a u s e t h e ) h a d been surrendered, so that the enemy
c o u l d n o t b o a s t a n d s a y . B y o u r p r o w e s s in b a t t l e h a v e v \ e b e e n
4 a b l e t o l a y w a s t e e v e n t h e h o u s e of t h e M o s t H i g h . \ ' o u i - b r o t h e r s ,
too, w e r e pin in c h a i n s a n d t a k e n a w a y (o B a b y l o n a n d m a d e t o
-J live t h e r e . B u t w e h a v e b e e n left h e r e ; a n d t h e r e a r e \ e r y f e w o l ' u s .
H.7 T h i s is t h e w r e t c h e d s i t u a t i o n 1 a m writing to you about. I'or I
k n o w full w e l l w h a t a c o n s o l a t i o n it w a s f o r y o u w h e n / . i o n w a s
i n h a b i t e d : t h e k n o w l e d g e t h a t it p r o s p e r e d w a s a m . i j o r c o n s o l a ­
t i o n f o r t h e s u f f e r i n g y o u e n d u r e d in b e i n g e x i l e d f r o m i t .

1.2 LXXXI. B u t a s t o c o n s o l a t i o n , I s h o u l d tell y o u t h i s . ' I w a s m o u r n ­

i n g f o r Z i o n , a n d I p r a y e d t h e M o s t H i g h fiir m e r c y , a n d I s a i d .

3 W i l l t h i n g s c o n t i n u e l o r u s a s t h e y a r e t o t h e eiid?^
. \ n d will t h e s e c \ i l s c o m e u p o n u s a l w a y s ?
4 . \ n d t h e M i g h t y O n e r e s p o n d e d ' ' in t h e fullness ol'his meri-y.
And h e s p o k e t o m e by w a y o f r e v e l a t i o n , "
.So t h a t I m i g h t r e c e i v e t : o n s o l a t i o n ;
.And h e s h o w e d m c visions.
S o t h a t I s h o u l d suffer n o m o r e a n g u i s h ;
.And h e m a d e k n o w n t o m e t h e m y s t e r y ol'the ages,
.And t h e a d v e n t o f t h e times h e s h o w e d m e .

LXXXII. .And s o , m y b r o t h e r s , I a m w r i t i n g t o y o u , s o t h a t y o u m a y
2 find consolation in t h e midst ol'your m a n y troubles. D o not doubt
t h a t o u r c r e a t o r w i l l a v e n g e u s o n a l l o u r e n e m i e s , in a c c o r d a n c e
w i t h w h a t e a c h o n e o f t h e m h a s d o n e t o u s : a b o v e a l l , have no doubt
t h a t t h e c o n s u m m a t i o n w h i c h t h e . M o s t H i g h h a s a p p o i n t e d is \ c r y
n e a r , a n d h i s m e r c y t h a t is c o m i n g ; a n d t h e c o n s u m m a t i o n ofhis
j u d g e m e n t is n o t f a r olf.

^ Charl<r.s emended '!esl the enenn should get possession o f them'.

' I.it. 'hear the word'.

^ O r [according to othei MS.S) 'How long v\ill these things continiie fu
' I.it. 'acted'.
" I.it. '.\nd he revealed to me the word'.
 The Syriac Apocaljpie of Baruch B!) 1
I'or l o . w c s e c n o w t h c ( i c n t i l c s in g r e a t p r o s p e r i t y ,
T h o u g h their deeds arc impious;
R u t t h e y s h a l l b e l i k e a b r e a t h o f w i n d lhal dies away.
And w e b e h o l d t h e extent of their power.
T h o u g h w h a t t h e y d o is w i c k e d ;
B u t t h e v s h a l l b e c o m e l i k e a d r o p Jrom a huckel.
, \ n d w c sec the strength oftheir might,
T h u t i g h t h e y resist t h e M i g h t y O n e c \ c r y h o u r ;
B u t t h e y s h a l l b e t r e a t e d like sjiittlc.
.And w c c o n s i d e r their glory a n d g r a n d e u r ,
1 hotigh they d o not observe the Most High's statutes.
B u t t h e y s h a l l d i s a p j ) e a r like s m o k e .
. \ n d w e reflect o n their b e a u t y a n d their gracefulness,
T h o u g h they a r e s o a k e d in pollutions;
B u t a s g r a s s t h a t w i t h e r s shall they fade a w a s .
.And w e c o i r s i d c r t h e i r b r u t a l i t y a n d ( ruelty,
'I'hough they give n o thought to //;«>end;'
B u l a s a p a s s i n g w a v e shall they b e broken,
.And w c r e m a r k tht; b o a s t i n g s o f t h e i r m i g h t ,
T h o u g h t h e y d e n y t h c b e n e f i c e n c e o f t h e C i o d w h o ,ga\ c il
them;
Bul a s a p a s s i n g cloud shall they pass away.

LXXXIII. T o r t h e M o s t H i g h will a s s u r e d l y s p e e d u p h i s
times,
A n d h e vvill a s s u r e d l y b r i n g o n h i s s e a s o n s .
. A n d h e vvill a s s u r e d l y j u d g e t h o s e w h o a r c i n h i s w o r l d ,
.And will truly p u n i s h all m e n , '
In a c c o r d a n c e with their h i d d e n ' works.
A n d h e w i l l a s s u r e d l y e x a m i n e iheir sccrel thoughts.
A n d w h a l is s t o r e d a w a y in t h c i n n e r m o s t r e c e s s e s o f t h e i r
being,'
A n d h c w i l l e x p o s e a n d c e n s u r e them o p e n l y .

' Or-lotliecndf)/!/',

' Lit, 'all thiii,gs',

- .ynotlioi reailiti.g h 'siiifui',
' Lit. 'iti the riianibfrs wliiih arc in all tl-.c limbs olinati'.
 892 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
4 D o not. then, w o r r y yourselves a b o u t these present things," but
r a t h e r l o o k t o t h e f u t u r e , b e c a u s e w h a t h a s b e e n p r o m i s e d to u s will
j c o m e . A n d l e t u s n o t n o w fix o u r a t t e n t i o n u p o n t h e d e l i g h t s t h e
G e n t i l e s e n j o y i n t h e p r e s e n t age, b u t let u s r e m e m b e r w h a t has
6 b e e n p r o m i s e d t o u s in t h e e n d . F o r s e t t i m e s a n d s e a s o n s , ' a n d a l l
7 that goes with t h e m , " w i l l a s s u r e d l y p a s s a w a y . Xnd then the
c o n s u m m a t i o n o f t h e a g e will r e v e a l t h e g r e a t m i g h t o f i t s ruler,
8 w h e n a l l t h i n g s c o m e t o j u d g e m e n t . S o p r e p a r e y o u r s e l v e s for the
coming « / w h a t y o u h a v e b e l i e v e d in in t h e p a s t , s o t h a t y o u d o n o t
find y o u r s e l v e s t h e l o s e r s i n b o t h w o r l d s , b y h a v i n g b e e n c a r r i e d off
9 a s c a p t i v e s h e r e , a n d b e i n g t o r m e n t e d t h e r e . F o r in w h a t is n o w , o r
i n w h a t h a s b e e n , o r i n w h a t is t o c o m e , in a l l t h e s e t h i n g s , t h e e v i l
is n o t e n t i r e l y e v i l , n o r , a g a i n , is t h e g o o d e n t i r e l y g o o d .

10 F ' o r a l l t h e h e a l t h t h a t n o w is is t u r n i n g i n t o d i s e a s e .
11 . A n d a l l t h e s t r e n g t h t h a t n o w is is t u r n i n g i n t o w e a k n e s s ,
. A n d a l l t h e m i g h t t h a t n c i w is is t u r n i n g i n t o i m p o t e n c e .
12 A n d a l l t h e e n e r g y o f y o u t h is t u r n i n g i n t o o l d a g e a n d
dissolution,
.And all t h e b e a u t y a n d g r a c e f u l n e s s t h a t n o w a r e a r e t u r n i n g
into decay a n d ugliness.
Vi . A n d a i l t h e p r o u d d o m i n i o n t h a t n o w is is t u r n i n g i n t o
humiliation and shame.
14 A n d a l l p r a i s e o f t h e s p l e n d o u r t h a t n o w is is t u r n i n g i n t o t h e
s h a m e of speechlessness,
.And all t h e l u x u r y a n d p o m p that n o w a r e a r e t u r n i n g into
silent ruin.
15 .And all t h e d e l i g h t a n d j o y t h a t n o w a r e a r e t u r n i n g to w o r m s
and corruption.
16 . A n d a l l a c c l a i m o f t h e p r i d e t h a t n o w is is t u r n i n g i n t o d u s t
a n d stillness.
17 . A n d a l l h e a p i n g - u p o f r i c h e s t h a t n o w is is t u r n i n g o n l y i n t o
Shetil.
la A n d all t h e spoils of passion that n o w are are t u r n i n g into
inexorable death,

" Lit. 'Lot none of these present things, therefore, go up into your hearts'.
'' I.it. 'For the limits ofthe times and of the seasons'.
' L i t . ' a n d all that is in them'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch 893
A n d a l l p a s s i o n o l ' t h c l u s t s t h a t n o w is is t u r n i n g i n t o a
j u d g e m e n t of torment.
19 A n d all artifice a n d craftiness lhat n o w a r ea r c turning into a
proof of truth.
20 .And all sweet-smelling ointments that n o w are are turning
intojudgement a n d condemnation.
21 A n d a l l l o v e o f f a l s e h o o d is t u r n i n g i n t o w e l l - e a r n e d
degradation.

22 Since, then, all these things a r e h a p p e n i n g n o w , c a n a n y o n e b e -

23 l i e v c t h a t v e n g e a n c e is f a r o f i ? ' T h e c o n s u n n n a t i o n o f a l l t h i n g s w i l l
result in truth.

LXXXIV. Behold, 1 have informed y o u about these things while I

am s t i l l a l i v e , a n d I a m t e l l i n g y o u about them s o t h a t y o u m a y
understand what is w o r t h pttrsuing;' for t h c .Mighty O n e h a s
c o m m i s s i o n e d m e t o i n s t r u c t y o u , a n d 1 w i l l , therefore, r e m i n d y o u
2 of s o m e of t h c precepts h e h a s given u s ' before I die. R e m e m b e r
how M o s e s at o n e time s u m m o n e d heaven a n d earth to witness
a g a i n s t y o u a n d s a i d . If y o u t r a n s g r e s s t h e l a w y o u will be s c a t -
3 t a r e d , b u t i f y o u k e e p it y o u w i l l b e firmly p l a n t e d ' in your land. .And
o t h e r t h i n g s , t o o , h e told y o u w h e n y o u , t h c twelve tribes, w c i e
4 t o g e t h e r in t h e w i l d e r n e s s . B u t after his d e a t h y o u rejected them;
5 a n d s o t h e r e c a m e u p o n y o u w h a t h a d been predicted. Moses told
y o u b e f o r e h a n d , s o t h a t it m i g h t n o t h a p p e n t o y o u ; a n d it h a p -
6 p e n e d t o y o u , " b e c a u s e y o u f o r s o o k t h e l a w . . A n d n o w I a l s o tell
y o u , a f t e r y o u h a v e s u H c r e d , t h a t if y o u t a k e n o t e o f w h a t y o u h a v e
b e e n t o l d , y o u will receive from t h c M i g h t y O n e w h a t e v e r h as been
7 appointed a n d reserved for y o u . T u r t h e r m o r e , m a y this letter
s t a n d a s a w i t n e s s between us ( b e t w e e n y o u a n d m e ) , s o t h a t y o u
m a y r e m e m b e r t h e c o m m a n d m e n t s o f t h e .Mighty O n e , a n d that I
8 also m a v h a v e a defence before h i m w h o sent m c . R e m e m b e r thc

' Lit. 'that tht-y will tint be a v e n g e d ' '

' Lit. 'that you may learn the things that are excellent'.
^ Lit. ' a n d 1 will set before you some ofthe commandments of his judgeme
' .Another reading is 'you will be kept'.
" O r 'Moses told you belbre it happened to you, and il happened to you".
 894 The Syriac Apucalypse vf Baruch
l a w a n d / i o n , t h e h o l y \<.md a n d y o u r b r o t l i o r b , a n d t h e c o s e i i a i i t o f
'J v o u r f a t h e r s ; a n d d o n o t forget t h e festivals a n d t h e s a l j b a t h s . A n d
h a n d o n this lettet a n d t h e t r a d i t i o n s o f t h e l a w to y o u r sons after
l(j y o u , j u s t a s y o u r f a t h e r s h a n d e d thern o n t o y o u . B e a l w a y s r e g u l a r
in y o t t r p r a y e r s , a n d p r a y d i l i g e n t l y w i t h all > o u r h e a r t t h a t t h e
. M i g h t y O n e m a y r e s t o r e yoti t o h i s f a v o u r , a n d t h a t h e m a y n o t
t a k e a c c o u n t o l ' y o u r m a n y sins, b u t r e m e m b e r t h e faithfulness of
11 y o u r f a t h e r s . F o r i f h e is n o t t o j u d g e u s in t h e f u l l n e s s o f h i s m e r c y ,
w o e t o till o f u s p o o r m o r t a l s ! '

LXXXV. C ^ o i i s i d e r , t o o , t h a t in d a y s g o n e b y a n d in t h e g e n e r a t i o n s
of old o u r lathers h a d to help them' righteous m e n a n d holy
2 p r o p h e t s . .Moreover, w e w e r e in o u r o w n land; a n d they helped us
w h e n w e s i n n e d , a n d . r e l y i n g o n t h e i r merits,^ intercetlcd Ibr us
with o u r creator, a n d t h e Mighty O n e heard their prayer a n d
3 forgave us. But n o w the righteous have been gathered to their
fathers, a n d t h e p r o p h e t s h a v e fallen a s l e e p , a n d w e also h a v e been
e x i l e d f r o m our l a n d : / i o n h a s b e e n t a k e n f r o m u s , a n d n o t h i n g is
4 left u s n o w s a v e t h e . M i g h t y O n e a n d h i s l a w . B u t i f w e d i r e c t a n d
d i s p o s e o u r h e a r t s aright, w e s h a l l r e t r i e v e e v e r y t h i n g t h a t w e h a v e
l o s t , a n d gain m a n y m o r e a n d m u c h b e t t e r t h i n g s t h a n w e h a v e l o s t .
.") F o r w h a t w e h a v e lost w a s s u b j e c t to c o r r u p t i o n , b u t w h a t w e shall
f) r e c e i v e is i n c o r r u p t i b l e . ( A n d I a m w r i t i n g a l s o t o o u r b r o t h e r s i n
B a b y l o n in t h e s a m e t e r m s , to a s s u r e tliem a b o u t these things.)
7 K e e p ( ; v e r y t h i n g y o u h a v e b e e n told c o n s t a n t l y in m i n d , b e c a u s e
s o l o n g a s t h e b r e a t h is i n o u r b o d i e s w e a r e still free t o c h o o s e . '
B O n c e a g a i n , t h e M o s t H i g h is p a t i e n t w i t h u s h e r e : h e h a s s h o w n u s
w h a t i s t o b e a n d h a s n o t h i d d e n f r o m u s w h a t is t o h a p p e n i n t h e
9 e n d . Before, t h e n , the j u d g e m e n t d e m a n d s its o w n , a n d t h e truth
w h a t is i t s d u e , let u s p r e p a r e o u r s e l v e s t o t a k e po.ssession, a n d n o t
b e t a k e n p o s s e s s i o n of, t o h o p e a n d n o t b e p u t t o s h a m e , a n d t o
h a v e rest w i t h o u r fathers a n d nol b e in t o r m e n t with o u r enemies.
10 F o r t h e y o u t h o f t h e w o r l d is p a s t , a n d t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e c r e a t i o n

' I.il. 'all iif us who have hern horn!'

• I.it. 'had helpers'.

^ I.il. 'herause they trusted in their works'.

' Lit. 'because we are still in the spirit and the power olour liberty'.
 The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch S9r>
a l r e a d y e x h a u s t e d : t h e t i m e s h a v e r u n t h e i r c o u r s e a n d t h e e n d is
very n e a r : t h e p i t c h e r is n e a r t h e c i s t e r n , t h c s h i p t o p o r t , t h e
; I t r a v e l l e r t o t h c c i t y , a n d life t o i t s c o n s u m m a t i o n . A n d y e t a g a i n ,
p r e p a r e yourselves, so that when y o u have finished your journey
a n d l e a v e t h e s h i p , y o u m a y find r e s t a n d t n a y n o t b e c o n d e m n e d
12 w h e n y o u g o a w a y . F o r w h e n t h e . M o s t H i g h b r i n g s a l l t h e s e t h i n g s
to p a s s , t h e r e will b e t h e r e n o f u r t h e r o p p o r t u n i t y for r e p e n t a n c e ,
n o s e t t i m e s " n o r a p p o i n t e d s e a s o n s , ' n o possible c h a n g e i n w a y s qf
life,'' n o p l a c e f o r p r a y e r n o r o f f e r i n g ' o f p e t i t i o n s , n o a c q u i r i n g o f
k n o w l e d g e n o r g i v i n g of love, n o p l a c e o f r e p e n t a n c e for t h e soul
n o r s u p p l i c a t i o n for ofitmces, n o i n t e r c e s s i o n b y t h e fathers n o r
I.i p r a y e r b y t h e p r o p h e t s n o r h e l p f r o m t h e r i g h t e o u s . B u t t h e r e will
b e there t h e sentence ofdestruction, the w a y offire a n d the path
14 t h a t l e a d s t o G e f i e n n a . T h a t is w h y t h e r e is o n e l a w , given b y o n e
1.') man, o n e w o r l d a n d a n e n d f o r a l l w h o a r e i n i t . ' F h c n w i l l the Mighty
One p r e s e r v e t h o s e h e c a n f o r g i v e , a n d a t t h e s a m e t i m e d e s t r o y
t h o s e w h o a r e p o l l u t e d b y their sms.

LXXXYl. S o w h e n y o u receive this letter that I h a v e written, see

2 t h a t y o u r e a d it i n y o u r c o n g r e g a t i o n s . . \ n d t h i n k a b o u t it, e s -
3 pccially o n y o u r fast-days. . \ n d m a y this letter serve as a m e a n s of
y o u r r e m e m b e r i n g m c , a s 1 a l s o h a v e r e m e m b e r e d y o u i n writing i t ,
a n d a l w a y s do rememberyou.

LXXXVII. /\nd when I had finished t h i s l e t t e r , a n d h a d w r i t t e n it

c a r e f u l l y t o t h e v e r y e n d , I f o l d e d i t , a n d s e a l e d it a s a s a f e g u a r d ,
a n d t i e d it t o t h e e a g l e ' s n e c k , a n d d e s p a t c h e d it a n d s e n t it off.

H e r e ends the Book of Baruch, the son of .\eriah

' L i t . ' n o limit to the limes'.

' Lit. ' n o length for thc seasons'.
' The text is uncertain here owing to variations in the MSS.
' Lit. 'sending'.
 T H E GREEK APOCALYPSE
OF B A R U C H

INTRODUC: TION

T h e r e c a n b e h t t l e d o u b t t h a t t h i s a p o c a l y p s e is " t h e b o o k o f
B a r u c h t h e p r o p h e t ' k n o w n in O r i g e n ' s d a y a n d s a i d b y h i m t o
c o n t a i n 'very clear information about the sc\en worlds or
heavens'.'
T h e c r e d i t for i t s d i s c o v e r y in m o d e r n t i m e s b e l o n g s t o D o m
C u t h b c r t B u t l e r , w h o f o u n d a C i r e e k t e x t o f i t in 1H9() a m o n g a
c o l l e c t i o n o f a p o c r y p h a l a n d e c c l e s i a s t i c a l i t e m s in a l a t e f i f t e e n t h
c e n t u r y p a p e r m a n u s c r i p t in t h e B r i t i s h L i b r a r y ( B . L . . \ d d i t .
1 0 0 7 3 ) . T h i s C i r e e k t e x t w a s p u b l i s h e d b y . \ L R . J a m e s in t h e
f o l l o w i n g y e a r . It m e n t i o n s , h o w e v e r , o n l y h v e h e a v e n s .
' L e n y e a r s b e f o r e B u t l e r ' s d i s c o v e r y .S. . N o v a k o v i c h a d p u b l i s h e d
t h e t e x t o f a . S l a v o n i c v e r s i o n , p r e s e r v e d in a fiheenth century
S e r b i a n m a n u s c r i p t ; a n d J a m e s p r i n t e d a n Knglish t r a n s l a t i o n of
it, b y \ V . R. M o r h l l , i m m e d i a t e l y a h e r his o w n e d i t i o n of t h c
G r e e k . T h i s S l a v o n i c text w o u l d s e e m to b e e v e n less c o m p l e t e
t h a n t h e G r e e k , i n a s m u c h a s it m e n t i o n s o n l y t w o h e a v e n s .
M e a n w h i l e , u n k n o w n t o J a m e s , t h e r e h a d b e e n p u b l i s h e d (in
1 8 9 4 ) .N. S . ' L i k h o n r a v o v ' s t e x t o f a s e c o n d S l a v o n i c v e r s i o n c o n ­
t a i n e d in a . M o s c o w m a n u s c r i p t , a l s o of t h e fiheenth ceiuury.
S u b s e q u e n t l y o t h e r M S S o f b o t h S l a v o n i c v e r s i o n s h a v e c o m e to
l i g h t , a s well a s a n o t h e r Cireek m a n u s c r i p t . T h e c o m p l i c a t i o n s
a r i s i n g f r o m t h e s e d i s c o v e r i e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y s o far a s t h e S l a v o n i c
v e r s i o n s a r e c o n c e r n e d , b o t h in t h e i r m u t u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p t o o n e
a n o t h e r a n d in their j o i n t r e l a t i o n s h i p to thc Greek, h a v e not been
r e s o l v e d ; a n d it w a s for t h i s r e a s o n t h a t J , - C : . P i c a r d , in h i s e d i t i o n
o f 1 9 6 7 , i g n o r e d t h e S l a v o n i c v e r s i o n s a l t o g e t h e r , e x c e p t for s e v e r a l
p a g e s d e v o t e d t o t h e s t a t e m e n t a n d d i s c u s s i o n of s o m e of t h e
p r o b l e m s i n h i s I n t r o d u c t i o n , H o w e v e r , P i c a r d d i d m a k e full u s e o f
t h e o t h e r G r e e k M S ( . \ n d r o s , . M o n a s t e r y o f t h e H a g i a , 46; l.ith

' O r i s . De print. M. iii. (i.

898 The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch
c e n t . ) , w h i c h h e h a d d i s c o v e r e d h i m s e l f ; b u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y it is s o
c l o s e l y a l l i e d t o t h e B r i t i s h L i b r a r y . \ I S t h a t it is o f l i t t l e h e l p i n
e s t a b l i s h i n g a critical text.
I t is p f ) s s i b l e t h a t t h e r e w a s a t o n e t i m e a L a t i n v e r s i o n a s w e l l a s
a S l a v o n i c , w h i c h w a s in c i r c u l a t i o n a t least in t h e n o r t h - w e s t e r n
a r e a o f S p a i n i n t h e s e v e n t h c e n t u r y . B u t t h e e v i d e n c e h e r e is o n l y
i n d i r e c t . T h e r e a r e n o s u r v i v i n g L a t i n texts o r f r a g m e n t s o f text.^

.\bout t h e d a t e a n d origin of t h e Greek .\pocalypse tipinions

d i i l ' e r . J a m e s t o o k t h e v i e w t h a t it is ' a C h r i s t i a n . - V p o c a l y p s e o f t h e
s e c o n d century'. 'There a r e some passages that could have been
written only by a Christian. 'The author betrays knowledge, not
o n l y o f t h e P a u l i n e epi.stlcs, b u t a l s o o f c e r t a i n o f t h e ajxjcryphal
w r i t i n g s - n o t a b l y of t h e P a r a l e i p o m e n a of J e r e m i a h , w h i c h (on
H a r r i s ' s d a t i n g ) is a s s i g n a b l e t o \n 136. Y e t t h e G r e e k .Apocalypse
w a s k n o w n t o O r i g e n . I t m u s t a c c o r d i n g l y b e d a t e d c. . \ D 1 4 0 - 2 0 0 .
I n oppositioti to J a m e s , L. G i n z b e r g w a s o f t h e opinitjn t h a t t h e
book w a s almost wholly Jewish. 'Only o n e passage', he main­
tained, 'can with certainty be considered a Christian interpolation;
a n d t h a t is t h e o n e c o n c e r n i n g t h e v i n e . . . i n c h . i v ' . T h e a u t h o r ,
m o r e o v e r , b e t r a y s signs of b o t h I n d i a n a n d G n o s t i c influence. H e
was, therefore, a Jewish Gnostic, w h owrote 'about the beginning
of t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y , w h e n gnosis w a s a t its h e i g h t a m o n g b o t h
J e w s a n d Christians'.'
H . M . H u g h e s , in t h e I n t r o d u c t i o n t o his t r a n s l a t i o n in R . H .
C h a r l e s ' s Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, t r o d a m i d d l e r o a d b e t w e e n
these t w o extremes. For Hughes the framework ofthe apocalypse
w a s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y J e w i s h , a n d a n u m b e r o f f e a t u r e s m a r k it o u t
as a w o r k of J e w i s h origin. B u t ' t h e h a n d o f a Christian redactor
c a n b e t r a c e d in certain interpolations'. T h e s e interpolations a r e
n o t c o n f i n e d t o t h e p a s s a g e a b o u t t h e v i n e in c h a p , iv: they a r e ,
in fact, ' m o s t evident in t h e c o n c l u d i n g c h a p t e r s ' . T h e original
( J e w i s h ) a p o c a l y p s e , a c c o r d i n g t o H u g h e s , is t o b e d a t e d s o m e ­
w h e r e near t h e beginning ofthe second century, a n d the Christian
r e d a c t o r ' s o o n a f t e r . \ D 1 3 6 ' . T h e b o o k i n i t s p r e s e n t f o r m is t h u s

' Sec R. J a m e s in J T S xvi (1915), p. 413.

' L. Ginzl)erg i n y £ i i (1902), p. 551.
 The Greek Apocalypse cf Baruch 899
r o u g h l y c o n t e m p o r a r y with Jeremiah's P a r a l e i p o m e n a (on Harris's
d a t i n g ) , a p r o d u c t of the s a m e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , a n d inspired b y t h e
s a m e m o t i v e s - i,e. ' t h e c o n v e r s i o n of J e w s a n d E b i o n i t e s ' .
A n y u l t i m a t e l y a c c e p t a b l e s o l u t i o n t o this q u e s t i o n will t h u s
obviously d e p e n d o n w h a t answers a r e given to t h e two subsidiary,
b u t r e l a t e d , q u e s t i o n s : ( 1 ) H o w c o m p e l l i n g in t h e m s e l v e s a r e t h e
alleged C h r i s t i a n elements, a n d h o w integral a r e they to t h e work
a s a w h o l e ? ; a n d (2) H o w significant a r e t h e parallels with t h e
other Baruch literature, and how are these parallels best
ex[)lained?
The passage concerning t h e vine in c h a p , i v is u n i v e r s a l l y
admitted t o b e C h r i s t i a n , t h o u g h , if w e a r e t h i n k i n g o f it a s a
Christian interpolation, opinions m a y difli-r about the actual
e x t e n t o f t h e i n t e r p o l a t i o n ( i v . L5 is i n f a c t t h e o n l y v e r s e i n t h e
p a s s a g e t h a t is i n c o n t r o v e r t a b l y C h r i s t i a n ) . A t x i i i . 4 t h e m e n t i o n
o f t h e r e t i c g a d c s ' i n the c h u r c h ' ( e v iKKXrjalg.) a n d of'/fefr spiritual
fathers' s o u n d s C h r i s t i a n e n o u g h : on t h e other h a n d at xvi.4 the
reference to those w h o 'despised my commandments and my
assemblies (r(bv CKKArfolajv fiov), a n d insulted t h e priests w h o
proclaimed m y w o r d s t o t h e m ' , t h o u g h it m a y b e C h r i s t i a n , is
m o r e n a t u r a l l y t a k e n a s J e w i s h ; a n d o u r j u d g e m e n t i n e i t h e r c a s e is
l i k e l y t o d e p e n d o n w h e t h e r w e t r a n s l a t e eKKXrjala as 'church' or
' a s s e m b l y ' . S i m i l a r l y , t h e c a t a l o g u e s o f v i c e s a t i v . 1 7 , viii. 5 a n d
x i i i . 4 , m a y b e e c h o e s o f s u c h N e w T e s t a m e n t p a s s a g e s a s .Vfatt. x v .
19 ,1 M a r k v i i . 2 1 - 2 2 a n d G a l . v . 1 9 - 2 1 ; o r t h e y m a y e q u a l l y w e l l
b e e x p l a i n e d as n o m o r e t h a n part of t h e stock-in-trade of a n y
ancient writer w h o w a s concerned with morals, whether pagan,
Jewish, or Christian.'' Evidence of this kind is unfortunately
indecisive.
O f f a r m o r e s i g n i f i c a n c e is t h e o c c u r r e n c e o f t h e r a t h e r c u r i o u s
w o r d t r a n s l a t e d ' s m i t e ' a t x v i . 3 [dixoTo^^aare: lit. ' c u t in t w o ' ) .
T h i s w o r d also o c c u r s in a n a l m o s t identical context a t M a t t . xxiv.
51 L u k e x i i . 4 6 , w h e r e it is u s u a l l y r e m a r k e d o n b y t h e c o m ­
m e n t a t o r s a n d not infrequently explained as a misunderstanding
o f a n A r a m a i c o r i g i n a l o n t h e p a r t of t h e G r e e k t r a n s l a t o r of o n e of

" C p . e.g. Diog. I.aert. vii. 110-114 (Zeno); Dead Sea Mm. Due. iv. 9 - 1 1 ; Wisd.
xiv. '25-2(j; Philo, Depost. Cain, xv; Ep. Bam. xx. 1-2.
900 The Greek Apocalypse oJ Baruch
t h e ( i o s p t l s o u i T c s . W h a t m a k e s t h e u s e ol t h e w o r d a t ( j k . A p o e .
. w i . !5 e \ e n m o r e s i g u i h e a i i t is t h e fact t h a t it is f o u n d o n l y t h r e e
\ e r s e s a f t e r a \ e r y c l e a r r e m i n i s c e n c e o f M a t t . x x \ . 21 ( o n e o f t h e
t h r e e passaires b r a c k e t e d by H u g h e s as i n d u b i t a b l y (Ihristian
i n t e r p o l a t i o n s ) . . \ d d to this two p h r a s e s Ibund elsewhere ('no
l i v i n g c r e a t u r e w o u l d b e p r e s e r \ e d " , v i i i . 7; a n d ' G t ) d . . . s h o r t e n e d
its d a y s " , ix. 7 ) . c o m p a r e t h e m w i t h ' . \ n d e x c e p t t h e L o r d h a d
s h o r t e n e d t h e d a \ s, n o f l e s h w o u l d h a v e b e e n p r e s e r v e d ; b u t for t h e
s a k e o f t h e elect . . . h e s h o r t e n e d the d a y s " (.Mark xiii. 20 .Matt.
x x i \ . 2 2 ) ; a t i d it is d i l l i c u l t t o e s c a p e t h e c o n c l u s i o n l h a t w e a r e
d e a l i n g i n t h e ( i r e e k . A p o c a l y p s e w i t h a n a u t h o r w h o is w r i t i n g
w i t h t h e L o r d " s D i s c o u r s e c o n c e r n i n g t h e K n d in m i n d , a n d ,
m o r e o v e r , w i t h s o m e o n e w h o k n e w it in i t s . M a r k a n l i i r m a s w e l l a s
i t s . M a t t h a e a n . ' .And w e m i g h t t a k e t h e [Xiint e v e n f u r t h e r b y
a r g u i n g that the w h o l e idea o f t h e t h r e e classes of angels, s o m e of
w h o m o l f e r . M i c h a e l b a s k e t s full o f f l o w e r s , o t h e r s b a s k e t s o n l y
p a r t i a l l y full, a n d y e t o t h e r s n o t h i n g a t a l l ( t h e i d e a w o r k e d o u t in
d e t a i l in c h a p s , x i i - x v i ) w a s i n s p i r e d from t h e s a m e ( i o s p e l s o u r c e
- i.e. b y t h e s c e n e at t h e end o f t h e P a r a b l e o f t h e 'I'alents, w h e r e
o n e s e r v a n t oilers his m a s t e r hve talents gained by trading, a n o t h e r
t w o , but a t h i r d n o t h i n g (.Matt. xxv. 1 4 - 3 0 ) .

.All t h i s m e a n s t h a t w e c a n n o t a c c o u n t s a t i s f a c t o r i l y for s u c h a
c o m p l i c a t e d s i t u a t i o n e i t h e r b y s u g g e s t i n g t h a t it is a c c i d e n t a l o r
j u s t b y p o s i t i n g ' O h r i s t i a n i n t e r p o l a t i o n ' a n d l e a v i n g it a t t h a t . T h e
final r e d a c t o r , o r editor, or a u t h o r , w h o e v e r he m a y h a v e been, w a s
u n d o u b t e d l y a Christian. Whatever Jewish material he may have
used he certainly re-phrased a n d very thoroughly recast. H e was
not a mere interpolator.
' I h e parallels with the other B a r u c h literature can be dealt with
m o r e briefly, since there a r e n o verbal parallels o t h e r t h a n those
w h i c h arise naturally out o f t h e narrative setting. In verse 2 ofthe
P r o l o g u e B a r u c h is i n t r o d u c e d , l o c a t e d b e s i d e a r i v e r , ' w e e p i n g
o v e r t h e captivity o f j e r u s a l e m ' : this c o r r e s p o n d s generally to the
c o n t e n t s o f S y r . . A p o c . v . 5 - 6 a n d v i . 2 , a n d P a r . J e r . i v . 6—10. T h e
s t a t e m e n t in t h e n e x t v e r s e that ' h e w a s s i t t i n g a t t h e beautiful

' To a p p r c i i a t c the lull force of this argument the relevant texts should be
compared in Cireek in each instance.
 The Greek Apocalypse qf Baruch 901
g a t e s , w h e r e t h e H o l y of H o l i e s lay', c a n b e c o m p a r e d w i t h Syr.
A p o c . X. 5 a n d xxxiv. 1-xxxv. l." T h e p a r t i c u l a r l y noteworthy
f e a t u r e i n t h i s v e r s e is t h e r e f e r e n c e t o A b i m e l e c h a n d h i s b e i n g
'preserved by the h a n d o f G o d at Agrippa's farm', which plainly
r e f e r s t o t h e c o n t e n t s o f P a r . J e r . iii. 9 - 1 0 , 1.'), v . 1—vi. I , e v e n if n o t
t o t h c t e x t . ' . ' \ n d t h e n i m m e d i a t e l y , a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f c h a j ) . i, d i e
s t a t e m e n t t h a t B a r u c h w a s w e e p i n g o v e r J e r u s a l e m ' s c a p t i v i t y is
r e p e a t e d ( t h o u g h t h i s t i m e i n t h e first p e r s o n ) , w i t h t h e a d d i t i o n a l
i n f o r m a t i o n l h a t t h i s w a s m a d e t h e o c c a s i o n Ibr a n a n g e l i c v i s i t a ­
t i o n : w e m a y c o m p a r e a g a i n S y r . , \ p o c . vi. 2 a n d P a r . J e r . iv. 6 - 1 0
w i t h t h e a d t j i t i o n o f S y r . A p o c . v i . 3 - 4 a n d P a r . J e r . iv. 1 1 .
I t is t h u s e v i d e n t t h a t t h e G r e e k a p o c a l y p s e b e l o n g s s q u a r e l y
within what m a y b e c a l l e d ' t h e B a r u c h t r a d i t i o n ' , so far a s its
n a r r a t i v e s e t t i n g is c o n c e r n e d . B u l t h e r e a r e f e w , if a n y , c o n t a c t s
outside this setting. If w e are p r e p a r e d to t a k e t h e text of the
o p e n i n g v e r s e s a s t h e y s t a n d , w e c a n a r g u e e q u a l l y well either t h a t
the a u t h o r knew both the Syriac Apocalypse and the Paraleipomena
m u c h as w c k n o w t h e m to-day, or, alternatively, that he h a d access
to much the same sources and traditional material that their
authors had. If, however, wc are doubtful about whether the
P r o l o g u e is a n o r i g i n a l p a r t o f t h e b o o k ( o n t h e g r o u n d t h a t it r e f e r s
to B a r u c h in t h e third person, w h e r e a s the rest o f t h e book p u r p o r t s
t o h a v e b e e n w r i t t e n b y B a r u c h h i m s e l f i n t h e first p e r s o n ) , t h c c a s e
for d i r e c t k n o w l e d g e of t h e S y r i a c . A p o c a l y p s e a n d t h e Paralei­
p o m e n a o n t h e p a r t o f o u r a u t h o r is v e r y m u c h w e a k e r , i n a s m u c h
a s t h e m o s t t e l l i n g c o n t a c t s a r e to b e f o u n d in t h e P r o l o g u e o n l y .
B u t i n e i t h e r c a s e it is t e m p t i n g t o s e e t h e G r e e k A p o c a l y p s e a s a
later apocalyptist's amjilifu a t i o n of t h e s i t u a t i o n described so
n e a t l y a t P a r . J c r . i v . 11 ( ' A n d h e [ i . e . B a r u c h ] r e m a i n e d , s i t t i n g o n
a tomb, while the angels came and told him in d e t a i l about
e v e r y t h i n g ' ) . I n n o c a s e a r e t h e r e g r o u n d s for p o s i t i n g d e p e n d e n c e
in t h e reverse direction. The G r e e k A p o c a l y p s e m a y be later than
t h e o t h e r t w o w o r k s , o r it m a y b e c o n t e m p o r a r y w i t h t h e m : it is
unlikely to be earlier.

' At P a r . J e r . iv. 11 (cp. vi. 1 and vii. 1) Barucli sits on a tomb.

' A g r i p p a ' s property is described as a x<^Qt<>v ('farm' -lit. 'place', 'estate') at Gk.
Apoc. prol. 2 a n d P a r . J e r . iii. 15, v. 25, but as mid/uteXdiv {'vineyard') at Par.Jer.
iii. 10.
902 The Greek Apocalypse oJ Baruch
T h e r e r e m a i n s t h e question o f t h e identity o f o u r present book
w i t h ' t h e B o o k o f B a r u c h , t h e p r o p h e t ' k n o w n in O r i g e n ' s d a y .
O r i g e n says that his book gave information about seven heavens
( t h e u s u a l n u m b e r v \ h e n a p l u r a l i t y o f h e a v e n s is m e n t i o n e d ) ,
w h e r e a s o u r b o o k t r e a t s o f o n l y five. I s o u r s u r v i v i n g text a n
a b b r e v i a t e d r e c e n s i o n o f t h e original? W a s O r i g e n suffering from a
l a p s e of m e m o r y w h e n h e specified seven heavens? I f h e w a s not
f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e c o n t e n t s of t h e book himself, h a d h e been mis­
i n f o r m e d a b o u t t h e details? O r w a s h e referring to a dilferent book
altogether?

S i n c e t h e t r a n s l a t i o n w h i c h I b l l o w s h a s b e e n b a s e d o n t h a t of
H u g h e s , it h a s b e e n t h o u g h t b e s t t o r e t a i n t h e s q u a r e brackets
w h i c h H u g h e s inserted to identify w h a t h e t h o u g h t w e r e t h e m o r e
noteworthy Christian interpolations.

BIBI.IOGR.A.PHY

Greek
. \ I . R . J . \ . \ I F . S , T h e . \ p o c a l v p s e o f B a r u c h ' i n Apocrypha Anecdota u
(= TS\. i ( C a m b r i d g e , 1897), p p . li-lxxi a n d 8 3 - 9 4 ) .
J.-C. P l C . \ R D , Apocalypsis Baruchi Graece {= PVTG ii ( L e i d e n ,
1967), p p . 6 1 - 9 6 ) .

Slavonic
S . X o V . V K O \ ' l ( J , ' O t k r i v e n j e Y a r u h o v o ' i n Starine, x v i i i ( Z a g r e b ,
1886), p p . 2 0 3 - 2 0 9 .
. \ . S . TiKHONR.AVOX', Apokrificheskie skazaniya (= SORYaSWiiiA
(St. P e t e r s b u r g 1894), p p . 48-.54).
. \ L I . S O K O L O V , ' A p o k r i f i c h e s k o e O t k r o v e n i e \ ' a r u k h a ' in
Drevnosti: trudy Slavyariskoi komisii Imperatorskogo Moskovskogo
arkheologicheskogo obshchestva, i v , 1 ( M o s c o w , 1 9 0 7 ) , p p . 2 0 1 - 2 5 8 .
1. l\ANO\, Bogomilski knigi I legendi [Soiia, 1 9 2 5 ) , p p . 1 9 3 - 2 0 0 .
 The (ireek Apocalypse of Baruch 903

IRANSI.A r i O N S

English

H. M. Hr(;nr.sin R. H. C H A R I . K . S . APOTW. pp. ?sH-5A\.

\ V . R . . M o R r i l . l . . • T h e .\poralyp.s(> o f Bariu-h: Translated froni
t h e . S l a v o n i e " i n Apocrypha Anecdota ii ( = TS \ . i (Cambridge,
ia97),pp. 9 J - I 0 2 ) .

German

\ . RVSSKI. in K. l s . A l - | ZStlH. .l/Mrii, p p . 4 Hi-4.')7.

P . R l K S S l . K R . AjSaB\ p p . 40-.")4.
W . H.UiKinJsh-rZX. I (1974). p p . 1-44.
N. BONW K r s c i l , T ) a s slaviseh erhaltene Baruehbueh" in
Sachrichten con der Kdnigl. Gesellschajt der Wissemchaften rjt Gottingen.
Philolog.-hist. Klasse(\MR. H e f t i; ( J b t t i n g e n . I 8 9 ( i . p p . 9 1 - 1 0 1 ) .
[Ofthe .Slaxonie.j

(JKNKRAI.

D K N I S . IPGAT. pp. 79-84.

O . K i s s K K l . D l , OTI. p p . 0 3 0 - 0 3 1 .
L. GiNZBKRt;. art. 'Baruch, .\poealvpse of (Greek)' i n fE ii
( 1 9 0 2 ) , p p . .549-.x)l.
R. J.\.\IKS. '.Notes o n .Vpoerypha vi: Traces of t h e G r e e k
. • \ p o c a l v p s c o f B a r u c h i n o t h e r w r i t i n g s ' i n JTS x v i ( 1 9 1 . 5 ) , p p .
410-413.
\ V . L C n i ' K K , ' B c i t r i i g c z u s l a x i s c h e n . \ p o k r y p h c n : 2. .Apokalypse
d e s B a r u c h ' in Z.4(Vxxxi (1911), pp. 2 1 9 - 2 2 .
P. R l K S S K K R , / I j S a ^ ' , pp. 1269-1270.
L. R O U T , EATAP, pp. 86-88.
E. SCIHCRKR, G / E Z / C i h , pp. 313-314.
E. 'TL'RDK.XNL' '.Apocryphes b o g o m i l e s et a p o c r y p h e s pseudo-
b o g o m i l e s ' i n Revue de Thistoire des religions, c x x x v i i i ( 1 9 5 0 ) , p p .
177-181.
, U Apocalypse de Baruch e n s l a v e ' i n Revue des Eludes slaves, x l v i i i
(1969), p p . 2 3 - 4 8 .
 (greek) apocalypse of baruch
!l( )4 The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch

Prologue
A n a r r a t i v e a n d revelation of B a r u e h c o n c e r n i n g those inelfable
t h i n g s w h i c h h e s a w b y c o m m a n d of G o d . .May t h e L o r d a d d his
blessing.'
i . \ r e v e l a t i o n o f B a r u c h , w h o w a s b e s i d e t h e r i v e r GQV weeping
over t h e c a p t i v i t y of J e r u s a l e m , w h e n also .Xbimelech w a s pre-
;i s e r v e d b y t h e h a n d o f G o d a t . X g r i p p a ' s f a r m . . A n d h e w a s s i t t i n g a t
t h e b e a u t i f u l g a t e s , w h e r e t h e H o l y of Holies lay.

1. I. B a r u c h . w a s w e e p i n g in m y m i n d a n d sorrowing' on a c c o u n t
of t h e people, a n d because .Nebuchadnezzar the king had been
1 p e r m i t t e d by G o d to d e s t r o y his city, s a y i n g . L o r d , w h y didst thou
s e t o n h r e t h y v i n e y a r d a n d l a y it w a s t e ? W h y d i d s t t h o u d o t h i s ?
. \ n d w h y . L o r d , d i d s t t h o u n o t p u n i s h u s in s o m e o t h e r w a y , b u t
d i d s t d e l i v e r u s t o n a t i o n s s u c h a s t h e s e , s o t h a t t h e y r e p r o a c h us
;i a n d s a y . W h e r e is t h e i r G o d ? . A n d b e h o l d , a s I w a s w e e p i n g a n d
saying such things, I saw an angel ofthe Lord coming and saying
t o m e . L i s t e n B a r u c h . - / o r VOM are a man m u c h b e l o v e d : d o n o t b e s o
d i s t r e s s e d a b o u t the c o n d i t i o n o f j e r u s a l e m - so says the L o r d , the
•t .Almighty. F o r he h a s sent m e to you to m a k e k n o w n a n d to s h o w
.i y o u a l l t h e t h i n g s o f G o d . F'or y o u r p r a y e r h a s b e e n h e a r d b y h i m
t) a n d h a s r e a c h e d t h e e a r s o f t h e L o r d G o d . .And w h e n h e h a d s a i d
t h i s t o m e , I w a s s i l e n t . .And t h e a n g e l s a i d t o m e , .Argue w i t h G o d
n o m o r e , a n d I will s h o w y o u o t h e r m y s t e r i e s , g r e a t e r t h a n these.
7 . A n d I , B a r u c h , s a i d , .As t h e L o r d G o d l i v e s , i f y o u w i l l s h o w m e a n d
1 h e a r f r o m y o u , I w i l l s a y n o t h i n g m o r e : m a y G o d h o l d it a g a i n s t
H m e ' in t h e d a y o f j u d g e m e n t if I d o s a y m o r e ! . A n d t h e a n g e l o f t h e
p o w e r s s a i d to m e . C o m e a n d I will s h o w y o u t h e m y s t e r i e s of G o d .

IL .And h e took m e a n d b r o u g h t m e w h e r e the v a u l t of h e a v e n w a s

set. a n d w h e r e there w a s a river that no m a n can cross, nor a n y
' I.il.-Bless t l i o i i . O Lord'.
• James suggested 'Kidron', atl original KEA\PaN\ having been corrupted into
PEA: cp. .Syr. .\(X)c. v. .i, XNI. 1. xxxi. 2.

' Reading-TfvOtuv tor

•' I.it. I ' n d e r s t a n d . ( ) tnan'.
' I.it. 'God shall add judgetnetit to me'.
 The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch 905
2 a l i e n c r e a t u r e ' front a n y o l ' t h o s e t h a t ( i o d c r e a t e d . . \ n d h c took m c
a n d b r o u g h t m e t o t h e first h e a v e n a n d s h o w e d m e a d o o r o f g r e a t
s i z e ; a n d h e s a i d t o m c . L e t u s g o i n t h r o u g h it. . \ n d w c w e n t in a s if
we were being carried along o n w i n g s , a b o u t a t h i r t y d a y s " j o u r n e y .
:i . \ n d h e s h o w e d m e a plain inside the heaven; a n d there were m e n
l i v i n g o n it w i t h t h e f a c e s o f o x e n , a n d t h c h o r n s o f s t a g s , a n d t h e
4 feet o f g o a t s , a n d t h e h i n d - q u a r t e r s o f l a m b s . . \ n d I . B a r u c h , a s k e d
t h e a n g e l . T e l l m e , p r a y , w h a t is t h e e x t e n t o f t h e h e a v e n in w h i c h
w e j o u r n e y e d , w h a t a r c i t s d i m e n s i o n s , a n d w h a t is t h c p l a i n , s o
b t h a t I a l s o m a y t e l l m y fellow m e n ? .And t h e a n g e l , w h o s e n a m e w a s
P h a m i c l , ' s a i d t o m e . T h i s d o o r t h a t y o u s e c is Ihe door o f t h e
h e a v e n , a n d t h c e x t e n t oi'Ihe hearen is a s g r e a t a s t h e d i s t a n c e f r o m
e a r t h t o t h c h e a \ e n ; a n d a g a i n , t h e l e n g t h o f t h e p l a i n y o u s a w is a s
6 g r e a t a s Ihe dislance (i'rom n o r t h t o s o u t h ) . .And a g a i n t h c a n g e l o f t h e
p o w e r s s a i d t o m c , Clome a n d I will s h o w yoti g r e a t e r m y s t e r i e s .
7 B u t I s a i d , I p r a y y o u s h o w m e w h a t t h e s e m e n a r e . .And h e s a i d t o
m c , ' L h e s e a r e Ihe men w h o b u i l t t h e t o w e r o f s t r i f e a g a i n s t C i o d . a n d
the Lord banished them.

III. A n d t h e a n g e l o f t h e L o r d t o o k m e a n d b r o u g h t m e t o a s e c o n d
h e a v e n a n d s h o w e d m c t h e r e a l s o a d o o r l i k e t h c first a n d s a i d . L e t
2 u s g o i n t h r o u g h it. .And w c w e n t i n , c a r r i e d o n w i n g s , a b o u t a sixty
3 d a y s ' j o u r n e y . . A n d h e s h o w e d m e a p l a i n t h e r e t o o , a n d it w a s full
4 o f m e n ; a n d t h e y l o o k e d l i k e d o g s , a n d Iheir feet like s t a g s ' li-et. .And
5 I a s k e d t h e a n g e l . My l o r d , I p r a y y o u tell m e w h o t h e s e a r e ? A n d
h e s a i d , ' L h e s e a r e Ihe men w h o p l a n n e d t h e b u i l d i n g o f t h e t o w e r ;
f o r lhe men y o u s e e d e p o r t e d m u l t i t u d e s o f b o t h m e n a n d w o m e n t o
m a k e b r i c k s ( a n d n o w o m a n w h o w a s m a k i n g liricks w a s allowed
to s t o p , even w h e n a b o u t to give birth to a child, b u t h a d to
p r o d u c e h e r c h i l d w h i l e s h e w a s still m a k i n g t h c b r i c k s , a n d
6 s u p p o r t h e r c h i l d i n her a p r o n , a n d g o o n m a k i n g t h c b r i c k s ) . .And
w h e n t h e y h a d b u i l t t h e t o w e r t o a heighl o f I b u r h u n d r e d a n d
s i x t y - t h r e e c u b i t s t h c L o r d a p p e a r e d to t h e m a n d confused their

' O r brcc/c".
' A lorruplion. cillii-r o f l ' h a m i d ' , whicli is supp(irtccl bv the Slavonic
I Knoch xl. !l, liv. b, Ixxi. H, 'I, 13), or o f R c m i c r (cp. .Svr. .\|>oc. Iv. 3: als.
XX. 8 and 2 Ksdras iv. 3b).
9()f) The (ireek Apocalypse of Banich
s p e e c h . Aiici t h e y t o o k a d r i l l a n d t r i e d t o h o r e t h r o u i r l i t h e h e a v e n ,
s a y i n g . L e t u s s e e whether t h e h e a v e n is m a d e o f c l a y . o r o l h r a s s . o r
o f i r o n . W h e n ( J o d s a w t h i s h e w o u l d n o t a l l o w t h e m t o , l)ut s t r u c k
t h e m w i t h b l i n d n e s s a n d conl'tision o l ' s p e e c h , a n d m a d e t h e m a s
vou see.

IV. . A n d I , B a r u c h , s a i d . B e h o l d , my l o r d , y o u h a \ e s h o w n mv some
g r e a t a n d w t i n d e r f u l t h i n g s ; a n d n o w s h o w m e all t h i n g s lor t h e
L o r d ' s s a k e . . A n d t h e a n g e l s a i d t o m e . d o m e let u s g o t h r o u g h
(.And 1 w e n t ) with t h e angel from there aboin a himdred a n d
e i g h l \ - f i v e d a y s " j o u r n e y . .And h e s h o w e d i n e a p l a i n a n d a s e r p e n t ,
which appeared to be two hundred plethra in length.' A n d h e s h o w e d
m e H a d e s ; a n d il l o o k e d d a r k a n d g o d - f o r s a k e n . .And 1 s a i d . W h o is
t h i s d r a g o n , a n d w h o is t h e c r u e l creature r o u n d h i t n ? .And t h e a n g e l
said, I h e d r a g o n is t h e o n e w h o e a t s t h e b o d i e s o f t h o s e w h o l i v e
w i c k e d l i v e s , a n d h e d e p e n d s o n t h e m liir s u s t e n a n c e . .And t h i s is
H a d e s , w h i c h i t s e l f is v e r y l i k e h i m . i n t h a t it d r i n k s a b o i n a c u b i t
o u t o f t h e s e a , a n d vW the leiel oJ the sea d o e s n o t g o d o w n a t a l l a s a
r e s u l t . B a r u c h s a i d , . A n d h o w is this? .And t h e a n g e l s a i d . L i s t e n , t h e
L o r d ( J o d m a d e three h u n d r e d a n d sixty ri\crs, of which t h e most
i m p o r t a n t a r e . A l p h i a s , . A b y r u s , a n d t h e ( J e r i c u s ; a n d it is b e c a u s e
o l ' t h e s c that the level 0 / t h e s e a d o c s n o t g o d o w n . . A n d I s a i d , . S h o w
m e , I p r a y y o u , w h i c h t r e e it w a s t h a t l e d . A d a m a s t r a y . . A n d t h e
angel said t o m e . It w a s t h e vine, w h i c h the angel SammaeP
p l a n t e d , a n d t h e L o r d ( J o d w a s a n g r y a b o u t it a n d c u r s e d h i m a n d
h i s p l a n t ; a n d for t h i s r e a s o n h e f o r b a d e . A d a m t o t o u c h it, a n d t h a t
w a s w h y t h e devil w a s r o u s e d to envy a n d deceived h i m t h r o u g h
h i s v i n e . [.And I , B a r u c h , s a i d . S i n c e t h e n t h e v i n e h a s b e e n t h e
c a u s e o f s o m u c h e v i l , a n d is u n d e r t h e j u d g e m e n t o f t h e c u r s e o f
G o d , a n d brought about t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e first c r e a t e d m a n , how­
ls it t h a t it is n o w s o u s e f u l ? .And t h e a n g e l s a i d , .A giKxl q u e s t i o n .
When ( J o d b r o u g h t t h e flood u p o n t h e e a r t h , a n d d e s t r o y e d a l l
mankind-* a n d four h u n d r e d a n d nine t h o u s a n d giants, a n d t h e

' It wotild seem that the entry to the third heaven is to IK- located here, hut that
the descriptive dt-tails h a \ e somehow fallen out ofthe text. Cp. tt' to chap. x.
- Read i ng <U5 ojxiaf (u;.xt<eeao form; <ue<iaf(u;.-If epag (i.e. nearly four miles).
" Text -.Samuel-: cp. ix. 7. •• I.it. -|lesh-.
 The (ireek Apocalypse of Baruch 907
w a t e r r o s e fti'tecn c u b i t s a b o v e t h c h i g h e s t mountains, then t h c w a t e r
e n t e r e d P a r a d i s e a n d destroyed every flower there; l)ut it d i s l o d g e d
t h c v i n e ' h - o i n i t s p l a c e i n s i d e P a r a d i s e a l t o g e t h e r a n d t h r u s t it o u t .
11 A n d w h e n t h e e a r t h a p p e a r e d o u t ol'thc water, a n d Noah came out
12 o f t h e a r k , h e b e g a n to p l a n t s o m e o l ' t h c p l a n t s h c foinid. .And h e
found a s h o o t o f t h e v i n e " a n d p i c k e d it u p a n d a s k e d h i m s e l f What
13 is it? A n d I c a m e a t i d told h i m a b o u t it. .And h e s a i d , S h a l l I p l a n t
it, o r w h a t shall I do? I f . A d a m w a s d e s t r o y e d b e c a u s e o f i t , I h a v e n o
d e s i r e t o i n c u r G o d ' s a n g e r t h r o u g h it. .And so s a y i n g iu p r a y e d
14 that G o d would reveal to h i m w h a t to d o a b o u t it. H c p r a y e d
e a r n e s t l y a n d w e p t f o r forty d a y s ; a n d w h e n h e h a d finished his
p r a y e r h e s a i d . L o r d , I e n t r e a t t h c c t o r c \ c a l (o t n c w h a t to d o
15 a b o u t t h i s p l a n t . .And G o d s e n t h i s a n g e l S a r a s a e l a n d s a i d t o h i m ,
U p , - N o a h , a n d p l a n t t h e s h o o t , for t h e s e a r e t h e L o r d ' s w o r d s .

Its bitterness shall be changed into sweetness.

A n d its curse shall b e c o m e a blessing,
A n d w h a t is p r o d u c e d f r o m it s h a l l b e c o m e t h e b l o o d o f G o d .

- A n d a s i t w a s i h r o u g h it t h a t t h c h u m a n r a c e w a s c o n d e m n e d , so
a g a i n t h r o u g h J e s u s C h r i s t , t h c I m m a n u e l , will t h e y b e r e s t o r e d in
It) h i m a n d g a i n e n t r y into Paradise.] B u t you m u s t realize, Baruch,
that just a s it w a s t h r o u g h this very tree that .Adam w a s con­
d e m n e d a n d d i v e s t e d o f t h e g l o r y o f G o d , s o m e n w h o n o w drink'
t h e w i n e t h a t c o m e s f r o m it w i t h o u t m o d e r a t i o n a r e w o r s e t r a n s ­
g r e s s o r s t h a n . A d a m , a n d a r e far from t h c glory o f G o d a n d o n t h c
17 r o a d t o e t e r n a l fire. L o r ( n o ) g o o d c o m e s o u t o f i t . T h o s e w h o d r i n k
t o e x c e s s a r c l e d a s t r a y i n a l l s o r t s o f w a y s : * b r o t h e r h a s n o p i t y for
b r o t h e r , n o r f a t h e r for s o n , n o r c h i l d r e n for p a r e n t s : f r o m drinking"
w i n e c o m e a l l evils - m u r d e r s , a d u l t e r i e s , f o r n i c a t i o n s , perjuries,
t h e f t s , a n d s u c h l i k e ; a n d n o t h i n g g o o d is a c h i e v e d b y it.

V. . A n d I, B a r u c h , s a i d t o t h c a n g e l . L e t m c a s k y o u o n e t h i n g , my
2 l o r d . Y o u t o l d m e t h a t t h e d r a g o n d r i n k s a c u b i t o u t o f t h e s e a : tell

' Lit. "the shoot olthe vine'.

' Lit. 'the shoot'.
^ ReadingJTivovrf? for dpttii^f^.
' Lil.'. . . excess do these things'.
^ Readingjrciaew^ (or .TTtwaro)^.
 !1()B The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch
:i m c a l s o h o w b i g is h i s b e l l y ? A n d t h e a n g e l s a i t i . H i s b e l l y is H a d e s ;
and it e x t e n d s a b o u l a s f a r a s t h r e e h t t n d r e d m e n c a n t h r o w a
()lummet.' lUit come, so that 1 m a y show you even greater
w o n d e r s " than these.

VI. . A n d h e ttjok m e a n d b r o u g h t m e t o w h e r e t h e s u n s t a r t s o u t on
2 ils daily journey. And h e s h o w e d m e a c h a r i t j t a n c l f o u r , u n d e r w h i c h
b t i r n e d a tire; a n d in t h e c h a r i o t a m a n w a s sitting, w e a r i n g a
c r o w n o f f i r e , and t h e c h a r i o t was d r a w n b y f o r t y a n g e l s . . A n d
b e h o l d , a b i r d was c i r c l i n g b e l i i r e t h e s u n . a b o t i t n i n e . . . a w a y . '
:t . A n d 1 s a i d t o t h e a t i g e l . W h a t is t h i s b i r d ? .And h e s a i d t o m e . T h i s
1 is t h e g u a r d i a n t)f t h e w o r l d . . A n d I s a i d , . \ / v l o r d , h o w is it t h e
:> g t t a r d i a t i o l ' t h e w o r l d ? E x p l a i n t o t n e . .Atid t h e a n g e l s a i d t o m e .
T h i s b i r d flies b e s i d e t h e s u n , a n d , a s it s t r e t c h e s o u t i t s w i n g s , it
(i t a t c h e s Ihe .utn's l i e r y r a y s . I f it d i d n o t c a t c h t h e m , t h e h u m a n r a c e
w o u l d n o t b e p r e s e r v e d , n o r a n y o t h e r living c r e a t u r e . (Jtxi
7 a p p o i n t e d t h i s b i r d lo do lhis. And Ihe bird s t r e t c h e d o u t i t s w i n g s ,
a n d I s a w on i t s r i g h t w i n g s o m e v e r y l a r g e l e t t e r s i n d e e d , as large as
t h e a r e a o f a threshing-floor - a b o u t four t h o u s a n d modii; a n d t h e
H l e t t e r s w e r e o f g o l d . .And t h e a n g e l s a i d t o m e . R e a d t h e m . .And I
r e a d iheni. a n d t h e y s a i d t h i s , . N e i t h e r e a r t h n o r h e a v e n b r o u g h t m e
9 t o t h e b i r t h , b u t w i n g s o f fire b r o u g h t m e t o t h e b i r t h . . A n d I s a i d .
It) W h a t i s t h i s b i r d , my l o r d , a n d w h a t is i t s n a m e ? .And t h e a n g e l s a i d
11 t o m e . I t s n a m e is P h o e n i x . . A n d ( I s a i d ) . W h a t d o e s it e a t ? .And h e
\2 s a i d t o m e . T h e m a n n a o f h e a v e n a n d t h e d e w o f t h e e a r t h . .And I
s a i d . D o e s t h e b i r d e x c r e t e ? .And h e s a i d t o m e . It e x c r e t e s a w o r m ,
a n d t h e e x c r e m e n t o f t h e w o r m is c i n n a m o n , w h i c h k i n g s a n d
Ki p r i n c e s u s e . B u t w a i t a n d y o u shall s e e t h e glory of G o d . A n d while
he w a s talking with m e there c a m e a thunder-clap, a n d the place
w a s s h a k e n w h e r e w e w e r e s t a n d i n g . .And I a s k e d t h e a n g e l . W h a t
is t h i s n o i s e , mj l o r d ? A n d t h e a n g e l s a i d t o m e . T h e a n g e l s a r e n o w
o p e n i n g t h e t h r e e h u n d r e d a n d sixty-five g a t e s of h e a v e n , a n d t h e
14 l i g h t is b e i n g s e p a r a t e d f r o m t h e d a r k n e s s . A n d a v o i c e c a m e ,

' I.it. ami a.s lar as a pluiiitnrt is tlirowii <l)\) thrrc hundred men. sti big is his
belly'. ' I.it.'works'.

' f h e text reads ui^dgci (vvta, liir which no satisfactory emendation has yet been
proposed.
 The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch 909

15 w h i c h said, I.ightgivcr, give brightness to thc world. , \ n d when 1

16 h e a r d t h c b i r d ' s c r y I s a i d . W h a t is t h i s c r y , my l o r d : ' . \ n d h e s a i d .
T h i s i s the bird t h a t w a k e s u p t h e c o c k s o n e a r t h . F o r j u s t a s o t h e r s d o
through their mouths,' .so t o o d o e s t h e c o c k p r o c l a i m h i s m e s s a g e t o
t h o s e w h o a r e i n t h c w o r l d i n h i s o w n w a y . F o r t h e s t m is m a d e
r e a d y b y t h c angels, a n d t h c cock crows.

VII. . V n d I s a i d , .And w h e r e d o c s t h e s u n b e g i n its l a b o u r s after t h e

'1 c o c k c r o w s ? . A n d t h c a n g e l s a i d t o m c . L i s t e n , B a r u c h . .All t h c
t h i n g s I s h o w e d ) O u a r e i n t h e h r s t a n d s e c o n d h e a v e n ; a n d in t h e
t h i r d h e a v e n t h e s u n passes t h r o u g h a n d gives brightness to the
3 w o r l d . B u t wait a n d y o u shall sec t h eglor\ ol'God. A n d while I w a s
t a l k i n g w i t h h i m , I s a w t h e b i r d , a n d it a p p e a r e d i n f r o n t , a n d it
4 g r e w s m a l l e r a n d s m a l l e r , a n d then r e t u r n e d t o i t s full s i z e . . A n d
behind the bird' 1 s a w t h e s h i n i n g s u n . a n d t h e a n g e l s w i t h it
d r a w i n g it, a n d a c r o w n o n i t s h e a d - a s i g h t t o o b r i l l i a n t f o r o u r
5 eyes to look upon. .And a s s o o n a s t h e s u n s h o n e t h e p h o e n i x
s t r e t c h e d o u t its w i n g s . .And w h e n 1 beheld s u c h great glory I w a s
r e d u c e d t o a b j e c t t e r r o r , a n d I b a c k e d a w a y a n d h i d in t h e w i n g s o f
6 t h e a n g e l . A n d t h e angel said t o m c . D o n o t be a h a i d B a r u c h : only
wait a n d y o u shall see their setting also.

VIII. A n d h c t o o k m e a n d b r o u g h t m c t o t h e w e s t . .And w h e n t h e
t i m e o f t h e s e t t i n g c a m e , 1 a g a i n s a w t h c b i r d c o m i n g in f r o n t , a n d
t h e s u n c o m i n g w i t h t h e a n g e l s ; a n d a s s o o n a s it c a m e 1 s a w t h e
2 a n g e l s , a n d t h e y t o o k t h e c r o w n off its h e a d . B u t t h e b i r d stood
3 e x h a u s t e d a n d w i t h its w i n g s folded. .And w h e n I saw this I said.
W h y d i d t h e y t a k e t h c c r o w n o l f t h e s u n ' s h e a d , my l o r d , a n d w h y is
4 t h e b i r d s o e x h a u s t e d ? -And t h e a n g e l s a i d t o m c . T h e s u n ' s c r o w n ,
w h e n i t h a s b e e n t h r o u g h t h e d a y , f o u r a n g e l s t a k e it a n d c a r r y it u p
t o h e a v e n a n d r e n e w it, b e c a u s e its r a y s h a v e b e e n defiled o n e a r t h ;
5 a n d s o it is r e n e w e d in t h i s w a y e a c h d a y . A n d I, B a r u c h , s a i d . A n d
w h y , my l o r d , a r e i t s r a y s d e f i l e d o n e a r t h ? . A n d t h e a n g e l s a i d t o
m c . B e c a u s e it b e h o l d s t h e l a w l e s s n e s s a n d u n r i g h t e o u s n e s s o f m e n
- their fornications, adulteries, thefts, extortions, idolatries,

^ Reading rii did orOfiaTog Ibr rCi dlaropia.

' Lit.'this'.
 910 The Greek Apocalypse oJBaruch
carousals, murders, quarrels, jealousies, slanders, wranglings,
g o s s i p i n g s , d i v i n a t i o n s , a n d so forth, w h i c h a r e n o t pleasing to
i> G o d : t h a t i s w h y it is d e f i l e d , a n d t h a t is w h y it is r e n e w e d . . \ n d j o «
asked a b o u t t h e b i r d , h o w it g e t s e x h a u s t e d . I t k e e p s t h e s u n s r a y s
u n d e r c o n t r o l t h r o u g h t h e fire a n d b u r n i n g h e a t o f t h e e n t i r e d a y ,
7 a n d it g e t s e x h a u s t e d b y i t . K o r , a s w e s a i d b e f o r e u n l e s s i t s w i n g s
a c t e d a s a screen t o t h e s u n ' s rays, n o living c r e a t u r e would b e
preserved.

IX. . \ n d w h e n t h e y h a d g o n e a w a y , t h e n i g h t fell, a n d w i t h it came

2 the chariot' o f t h e m o o n , together with t h e stars. . \ n d I. Baruch,
s a i d . .1/)' l o r d , s h t j w m e t h i s a l s o . I b e g y o u . h o w it g o e s o u t , w h e r e
:i it goi-.s f r o m , a n d i n w l i a l f o r m it m o v e s a l o n g . .And t h e a n g c l s a i d .
W a i t , a n d y o u s h a l l s e e t h i s a l s o s h o r t l y . .And o n t h e n e x t d a y I s a w
it i n t h e f o r m o f a w o m a n , s i t t i n g i n a w h e e l e d c h a r i o t . .And i n f r o n t
o f it w e r e o x e n , a n d t h e r e w e r e l a m b s i n t h e c h a r i o t , a n d a m u l t i -
I tilde o f a n g e l s likewise. .And I said. W h a t a r e t h e oxen a n d t h e
b l a m b s , my l o r d ? . A n d h e s a i d t o m e , ' I ' h e y a l s o a r e a n g e l s . .And a g a i n
I a s k e d . W h y is it t h a t a t o n e t i m e it w a x e s , b u t a t a n o t h e r w a n e s ?
ti (.And h e said to me.) Listen, Baruch, W h a t you a r e looking a l n o w
w a s i n t e n d e d b y G o d l o b e t h e m o s t beautiful of all t h e t h i n g s h e
7 m a d e . - . A n d w h e n t h e first . A d a m s i n n e d , it w a s n e a r S a m m a e l
w h e n h e t o o k t h e s e r p e n t a s a g a r m e n t . . A n d it d i d n o t h i d e i t s e l f
a w a y ; a n d G o d w a s a n g r y w i t h it a n d p u n i s h e d i t , a n d s h o r t e n e d
« i t s d a y s . . A n d I s a i d , . A n d h o w is it t h a t it d o e s n o t s h i n e a l w a y s , b u t
o n l y in t h e n i g h t ? .And t h e a n g e l s a i d . L i s t e n : a s c o u r t i e r s c a n n o t
s p e a k freely in t h e p r e s e n c e o f a king, s o t h e m o o n a n d t h e stars
c a n n o t s h i n e in t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e s u n ; for t h e s t a r s a r e a l w a y s
s u s p e n d e d in their places, b u t l h e y a r e o v e r p o w e r e d ' bv' the light of t h e
s u n , a n d t h e m o o n , a l t h o u g h it is n o t i n j u r e d , is w o r n o u t b y t h e
sun's heal.

X. .And w h e n I h a d l e a r n e d all these t h i n g s from t h e a r c h a n g e l , h e

' Redding zd&Qfia lor/jeriiKal.

• I.il. "this (Icm.) w h i c h y o u a r c looking a i w a s w r i i t c u b y ( i o d b e a u t i f u l ;
o t h e r (fetii.)'.
' I.it. 'dispersed'.
 The (ireek Apocalypse of Baruch 911
•1 t o o k me a n d b r o u g h t iiic i n t o a f o u r t h ' h e a v e n . . \ n t i I s a w a l e v e l
:\ p l a i n , a n d i n t h e m i d d l e o f i t a p o o l o f w a t e r . . A n d t h e r e w e r e in it
m a n y l l o e k s o f b i r d s o f a l l k i n d s , b u t n o t l i k e t h o s e h e r e on earth: for
t h c c r a n e I s a w icas as hig a s g r e a t o x e n , a n d a l l Ihe birds w e r e m u c h
1 b i g g e r t h a n t h o s e in t h e w o r l d . . A n d I a s k e d t h e a n g e l . W h a t is t h e
p l a i n , a n d w h a t is t h e p o o l , a n d w h a t a r e t h e m a n y flocks o f b i r d s
.') r o t m d i t ? . A n d t h c a n g e l s a i d . L i s t e n . B a r u c h : t h c p l a i n t h a t h a s t h e
p o o l i n it a n d o t h e r w o n d e r s is Ihe place w h e r e t h e s o u l s o f t h c
r i g h t e o u s c o i t i c w h e n e v e r t h e y m e e t t o g e t h e r in g r o u p s t o t a l k t o
(i o n e a n o t h e r . B m t h e w a t e r is w h a t t h e c l o u d s r e c e i v e a n d r a i n
7 u p o n t h e e a r t h a n d c a u s e its frtiits t o g r o w . ' .And I s a i d t o t h e a n g e l
o f t h e L o r d a g a i n , .And t h e b i r d s ? .And h c s a i d t o m e . f h e y a r e
H t h o s e w h i c h s i n g t h c L o r d ' s p r a i s e s c o n t i n u a l K . .And I, B a r u c h ,
s a i d . My l o r d , h o w is it t h a t m e n s a y t h a t t h e w a t e r w h i c h d e s c e n d s
it a s r a i n is f r o m t h e s e a ? .And t h e a n g e l s a i d . W h a t d e s c e n d s a s r a i n is
f r o m t h c s e a , a n d also from t h c w a t e r s o n e a r t h ; b u t w h a t m a k e s
It! t h e f r u i t s g r o w is f r o m t h c l a t t e r s o u r c e . \'ou m u s t u n d e r s t a n d t h a t
t h i s is w h e r e w h a t is c a l l e d t h e d e w o f h e a \ e n c o m e s f r o m .

XI. . A n d t h e a n g e l t o o k m e a n d b r o u g h t m e f r o m t h e r e t o a h h h
'2 h e a v e n . . A n d t h e g a t e w a s s h u t . . A n d I s a i d . My l o r d , c a n n o t t h i s
g a t e w a y b e o p e n e d ' for u s t o g o i n ? .And t h e a n g e l s a i d t o m c , W ' e
c a n n o t g o in until .Michael c o m e s , w h o h o l d s t h e keys of t h e
k i n g d o m o f h c a v e n : o n l y w a i t a n d y o u s h a l l s e e t h c glory o f ( i o d .
;i . A n d t h e r e w a s a g r e a t n o i s e , l i k e t h u n d e r . . A n d I s a i d . W h a t is t h i s
i n o i s e , my l o r d ? .And h c s a i d t o m e . P r i n c e . M i c h a e l is n o w c o m i n g
.") d o w n t o r e e e i \ e t h e p r a y e r s o f m e n . . A n d l i e l i o l d , a \ o i e e c a m e .
s a y i n g . L e t t h c g a t e s b e o p e n e d ! .And t h e y w e r e o p e n e d ; ' a n d t h e r e
a w a s a r o a r , a s o f t h u n d e r . .And M i c h a e l c a m e , a n d t h e a n g e l w h o

' ' I h o U'xi rt-ads i h i r d ' . B u l B a r u c h is c o n d u c i c d i n l o ' a l i t i h h e a v e n ' a l x i . 1;

h e m e w e m u s l ( j i e s u m e l h a l l h e e v e n l s r e c o r d e d in i h a p s . i v - i x l i a p p e n e d in l h e
i h i r d h e a \ c n . d e s p i t e t h e a l i s e n c e o l ' a i n e x p l i c i t i n d i c a t i o n t o t h a t elii'ct a t i\. I -'J.
C p . . h o w e v e r , v i i . 2: a l s o n . ' t o c h a p . i v .
• I.it. ' a n d l h e Irihts g r o w ' .

' I.it. 'is n o t this gau-way o p e n e d ' .

• I . i t . ' . \ n d t h e \ ( i m p e r s o n a l ) o p e n e d ihetn'.
!H 2 The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch
was with mc met him and made obeisance to h i m a n d said,
(irectings, m y p r i n c e , a n d prince o f a l l t ) u r o r d e r . . A n d P r i n c e
.Michael said, Cireelings to y o u also, o u r b r o t h e r a n d t h e inter­
p r e t e r o f t h e r e v e l a t i o n s t o t h o s e w h o l i v e g o o d l i v e s . .And a f t e r
s a l u t i n g o n e a n o t h e r in this w a y , t h e y s t o o d still. .And I s a w t h a t
P r i n c e . M i c h a e l h a d i n h i s h a n d s a n e n o r m o u s b o w l : it w a s a s d e e p
a s the distance f r o t n h e a v e n t o e a r t h , a n d a s w i d e a s the distance f r o m
n o r t h t o s o u t h . . A n d 1 s a i d . My l o r d , w h a t is it P r i n c e . M i c h a e l is
holding? .And h e said t o m e . T h i s is w h e r e t h e m e r i t s o f t h e
righteous enter, a n d such good works as they do, which a r e carried
i n it i t i t o t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e {Jf)d o f h e a \ e n .

XII. .And a s I w a s talking with t h e m , behold, angels c a m e with

b a s k e t s full o f f l o w e r s ; a n d t h e y g a v e t h e m t o M i c h a e l . . A n d I a s k e d
t h e a n g e l . W h o a r e t h e s e , my l o r d , a n d w h a t a r e t h e y b r i n g i n g w i t h
t h e m ? .Atid h e s a i d t o m e . T h e s e a r e t h e a n g e l s who are o v e r t h e
righteous.' .And t h e a r c h a n g e l took t h e b a s k e t s a n d e m p t i e d them
i n t o t h e b o w l . .And t h e a n g e l said t o m e . T h e s e flowers are the
m e r i t s o f t h e r i g h t e o u s . .And I s a w o t h e r a n g e l s c a r r y i n g b a s k e t s
that were ( n e i t h e r ) e m p t y n o r full.^ . A n d t h e y b e g a n t o l a m e n t a n d
w o u l d n o t c o m e n e a r b e c a u s e w h a t t h e y h a d t o offer w a s i m p e r f e c t . '
.And .Michael cried o u t a n d said, O o m e here, y o u angels, a n d bring
me w h a t y o u h a v e b r o u g h t a s w e l l . . A n d . M i c h a e l w a s v e r y s a d ( a s
w a s a l s o t h e a n g e l w h o w a s w i t h m e ) b e c a u s e t h e y d i d n o t fill t h e
bowl.

XIII. .And t h e r e c a m e in t h e s a m e w a y o t h e r a n g e l s w e e p i n g a n d
w a i l i n g , a n d s a y i n g i n f e a r . S e e , l o r d , h o w w o r n o u t w e a r e , ' for w e
w e r e a l l o t t e d t o evil m e n , a n d w e w a n t t o g e t a w a y f r o m t h e m . .And
. M i c h a e l s a i d . V o u c a n n o t g e t a w a y from t h e m , o r t h e E n e m y will
w i n t h e v i c t o r y i n t h e e n d ; b u t t e l l m e w h a t y o u a r e a s k i n g for. .And
t h e y s a i d , W e b e g y o u , .Michael, o u r p r i n c e , transfer u s a w a y from
t h e m , for w e c a n n o t r e m a i n a t t a c h e d t o w i c k e d a n d foolish m e n ,

' RraditigdiTOtwrlbr^^ouaid;!'.
' Reading ovrc Kfvd oiJTC y^fiovxa Ibr KCVCI OV yi/Mvza.
' I.it. •bi-iaiisc they had nut the prizes complete'.

' I.it.'how blackened we are'.

 The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch 9 1 3
(or there is n o t h i n g g o o d i n t l i e i n , b u t only e v c r \ liind of u n -
t r i g h t e o u s n e s s a n d greed. F o r w e h a v e n e \ e r seen them d(!voting
t h e m s e l v e s [ i n the c h u r c h c i t h e r t o //;?;> s p i r i t u a l f a t h e r s o r ) t o a n y
o n e g o o d t h i n g . ' b u t w h e r e t h e r e is m u r d e r , t h e r e a r c i h e y in t h c
m i d d l e ofit, a n d where there are fornications, adulteries, thefts,
slanders, perjuries, envyings, carousals, quarrels, jealousies,
w r a n g l i n g s , i d o l a t r y , d i v i n a t i o n , a n d so forth, there a r e they d o i n g
t h i n g s l i k e t h i s , a n d o t h e r s w o r s e . .So w e b e g y o u t o let u s b e q u i t o f
t h e m . . A n d M i c h a e l s a i d t o t h e a n g e l s . W a i t till I h a v e b e e n t o l d b \
t h e L o r d w h a t is t o h a p p e n .

XIV. .And .Michael d e p a r t e d imiticdiatcly. a n d thc doors were

2 s h u t ; a n d t h e r e w a s a n o i s e like t h u n d e r . .And I a s k e d t h e a n g e l ,
W h a t i s t h c n o i s e ? . A n d h e s a i d t o m c , . M i c h a e l is n o w p r e s e n t i n g
thc merits of m e n to God.

XV. .And t h e n .Michael came down aoain. a n d the gate was

2 o p e n e d ; a n d h c w a s c a r r y i n g o i l . . \ n d he went to t h c a n g e l s w i t h t h e
b a s k e t s that had been full; a n d h e filled t h e m w i t h o i l , s a y i n g . T a k e it
a w a y , r e w a r d o u r friends a h u n d r e d times over - those w h o have
t o i l e d i n p a t i e n c e a n d d o n e g o o d t h i n g s ; for t h o s e w h o h a \ c s o w e d
3 g e n e r o u s l y s h a l l a l s o r e a p g c n e r o i t s l y . .And h e said also t o t h o s e
w h o h a d b r o u g h t t h e b a s k e t s t h a t w e r e n o t full, ( J o r n c h e r e a s w e l l :
t a k e t h c r e w a r d t h a t is d u e f o r w h a t y o u b r o u g h t , a t i d d i s t r i b u t e it
4 among t h c rac;e o f m e n . [ L h e n h e s a i d b o t h t o t h o s e w h o h a d
b r o u g h t t h e full baskets a n d t o t h o s e who had brought the baskets that
were n o t f u l l . G o a n d b l e s s o u r f r i e n d s a n d s a y t o t h e m . S o t h e L o r d
s a y s . Y o u h a v e b e e n ' f a i t h f u l i n a few t h i n g s , ' h c w i l l p u t y o u i n
c o n t r o l of m a n y things: c o m e a n d s h a r e t h e joy o f y o u r Lord.]

XVI. A n d h e t u r n e d r o u n d a n d said to those w h o h a d brought

n o t h i n g , L h e L o r d s a y s toyou, D o n o t b e g l o o m y a n d w e e p ; a n d d o

^ Lit. ' f o r we tiid not see thein enter in church e\er eitiier inl(»spiritual fathers or
into line good thing". I"he syntax here is very dillicult and it may well be that the
original text has been lainpered with.

' Lit. "Vou are".

^ Reading dUya for inl oUyji.
 914 The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch
i> n o t l c a \ f t h e r a c t - o l ' i n c n a l o n e . B u t i n a s n i u e h a s t h e y a n g e r e d i n e
by what they did, go a n d make them jealous a n d angry a n d
e m b i t t e r e d a g a i n s t a people thai is n o p e o p l e , a g a i n s t a p e o p l e t h a t
;t h a s n o u n d e r s t a n d i n g . .And m o r e - a l l l i e t t h e m w i t h c a t e r p i l l a r a n d
m a g g o t , a n d rust a n d locust, ( a n d ) hail with flashes of lightening
a n d w r a t h , a n d smite t h e m ' with s w o r d a n d with d e a t h , a n d their
1 c h i l d r e n with d e m o n s , Kor they d i d not heed m y voice, neither did
lhe\ o b s e r v e m y c o m m a n d m e n t s n o r d o thern: b u t t h e y d e s p i s e d m y
c o m m a n d m e n t s a n d m y assemblies.- a n d insulted the priests w h o
p r o c l a i m e d m y words to them,

1,2 XVII. . A n d a s h e s p o k e t h e d o o r w a s s h u t , a n d w e w i t h d r e w . . A n d
t h e a n g e l t o o k m e a n d r e s t o r e d n i e t o nhere I tens a t t h e b e g i n n i n g .
:t . A n d w h e n 1 c a m e t o m y s e l f 1 a s c r i b e d glorv t o G o d , w h o h a d
4 a c c o u n t e d m e w o r t h y o f s o g r e a t a n h o n o u r . . A n d d o y o u , my
b r o t h e r s , w h oh a v e been g r a n t e d such a revelation, ascribe glory to
G o d a l s o y o u r s e l v e s , s o t h a t h e t o o m a y glorify y o u n o w a n d
a l w a v s , e v e n t o all e t e r n i t v . .Amen.

' I.it. ' r u t ilicni in I w o ' . Sec Inirmiuclion (pp. (!!I!)-!I0(1 alKivr).
• O r 'und my churches' (CJk. xal x6iviKKXnaluivnov).
 THE A P O C A L Y P S E OF ZEPHANIAH
AND
AN ANONYMOUS APOCALYPSE

IN T R O D I C I T O N

I'hc d e t a i l s o f t h e d i s c o v e r y o f t h e C o p t i c M.S.S c o n t a i n i n g t h c t e x t
of t h e s e a p o c a l y p s e s , t h e p r o b l e m s i n v o k e d in t h e a r r a n g e m e n t of
t h c i n d i v i d u a l leaves in s o m e sort of intelligible order, a n d the
o p i n i o n s of thc editors a n d other scholars w h o have worked on
t h e m , h a v e a l r e a d y b e e n t r e a t e d in t h e I n t r o d u c t i o n t o T h e
. \ p o c a l y p s e of Klijah.'
. A c c o r d i n g tt) S t e i n d o r l f t h r e e d i s t i n c t w o r k s a r e p r e s e r v e d i n
t h e s e l e a v e s , in v a r y i n g d e g r e e s of c o m p l e t e n e s s : (1) a n a p t x a l y p s c
of Z e p h a n i a h , of w h i c h only a very small portion has been pre­
s e r v e d o n o n e s i d e of o n e o f t h e S a h i d i c l e a v e s , ' a n d t o t h c text of
w h i c h t h e r e is n o p a r a l l e l i n t h e . A k h m i m i c : ( 2 ) a n a p o c a l y p s e o f
E l i j a h , c o n t a i n e d o n t h e l a s t t h i r t e e n . A k h m i m i c l e a v e s in t h e o r d e r
in w h i c h S t e i n d o r l f a r r a n g e d t h e m , a n d a l s o o n t h e r e m a i n i n g six
S a h i d i c l e a v e s , w h i c h olfer ( w i t h g a p s ) a p a r a l l e l text to a c o n s i d e r ­
a b l e p o r t i o n o f t h e . A k h m i m i c text; a n d (3) a n ' . A n o n y m o u s "
a p o c a l y p s e c o n t a i n e d in t h e h r s t n i n e o f t h e . A k h m i m i c leaves.
-Nearly all s u b s e q u e n t a u t h o r i t i e s h a v e followed S t e i n d o r l f to t h c
extent of distinguishing thc hrst two apocalypses - the passage on
t h c s i n g l e S a h i d i c leaf w h e r e Z e p h a n i a h s p e a k s in t h e h r s t p e r s o n
( " T r u l y I, Z e p h a n i a h , s a w " ) lias b e e n g e n e r a l l y r e g a r d e d a s con­
c l u s i v e e v i d e n c e t h a t o n t h i s leaf, a t l e a s t , w c h a \ c b e f o r e u s p a r t o f
t h e text o f a Z e p h a n i a h a p o c a l y p s e , while t h e colophon at w h a t
a p p e a r s t o b e t h e e n d of t h e .Akhmimic codex ("The .Apocalypse of
Elijah") w a s u s u a l l y t a k e n t o b e sufficient p r o o f t h a t w h a t i m ­
m e d i a t e l y p r e c e d e s it w a s t h e t e x t o f a n E l i j a h a p o c a l y p s e , e v e n
b e f o r e t h e p u b l i c a t i o n of t h e m u c h fuller S a h i d i c text of this
a p o c a l y p s e c o n t a i n e d i n P . C l h e s t e r B e a t t y 2 0 1 8 left n o d o u b t a t a l l
a b o u t its s e p a r a t e identity.
' Set* alxivc, pp. 7.i:t-.5.
• I'lie text on the other side ofthis leaf is illegible.
91 () Tlte Apocalypse of Zephaniah
B u t b e y o n d t h i s t h e r e h a s b e e n l e s s u n a n i m i t y . T h e first n i n e
l e a s e s of t h e . \ k h m i m i e eodex ( a e e o r d i n g t o S t e i n d o r i r s a r r a n g e ­
m e n t ) a r e s o m a r k e d l y dilliL-rent in s u b j e e t - m a t t e r f r o m t h e l a s t
t h i r t e e n (i.e. t h e Klijah a|X)ealypse) that they m u s t b e l o n g to a
d i l f e r e n t w o r k . T h e q u e s t i o n is. Is t h a t 'different work" yet a t h i r d ,
i n d e p e n t l e n t , a p o c a l y p s e ( l o r a b o u t its b e i n g a n a p o c a l y p s e t h e r e
c a n b e n o d o u b t a t a l l ) , o r is it p a r t ( i n d e e d , t h e m a j o r p a r t ) o f t h e
/.ephaniah apocalypse?
.\s w e have seen, Steindorif preferred the former alternative; a n d
h e called his third a p o c a l y p s e " T h e . A n o n y m o u s .Apocalypse", b e ­
c a u s e i n t h e p o r t i o n o f i t s t e x t t h a t h a s b e e n p r e s e r v e d t h e s e e r is
not n a m e d . B u t this further distinction of SteindorfFs h a s been
c h a l l e n g e d f r o m m o r e t h a n o n e a n g l e . It h a s b e e n p o i n t e d o u t t h a t
t h e f a c t l h a t t h e r e is n o . A k h m i m i c p a r a l l e l l o t h e s i n g l e . S a h i d i c
" / . e p h a n i a h " leaf, w h e r e a s t h e r e a r e A k h m i m i c p a r a l l e l s t o t h e
r e m a i n i n g s i x S a h i d i c l e a v e s , is a l m o s t c e r t a i n l y a c c i d e n t a l : t h e
m a j o r i t y ol t h e s u r v i v i n g . A k h m i m i c leaves h a v e n o S a h i d i c p a r a l ­
l e l s ; a n d t h e r e is n o r e a s o n t o s u p p o s e l h a l t h e c o v e r a g e is l i k e l y t o
b e c o m p l e t e o n otie side r a t h e r t h a n t h e olher. In a n y case, the
. A k h m i m i c t e x l o f t h e p r e s u m e d " . A n o n y m o u s " is i l s e l f f a r f r o m
c o m p l e t e : w e d o n o t k n o w , f o r i n s t a n c e , h o w m u c h is m i s s i n g a t t h e
b e g i n n i n g ; a n d t h e S a h i d i c " / e p h a n i a h " f r a g m e n t m a y well b e l o n g
t h e r e , o r in t h e g a p in t h e m i d d l e , o r , e v e n , a t t h e e n d . .Moreover,
t h e r e a r e s o m e v e r y e v i d e n t c o n t a c t s in s u b j e c t - m a t t e r b e t w e e n t h e
• / e p h a n i a h ' l e a f a n d t h e ' . A n o n y m o u s ' : Ixjth a r e c o n c e r n e d w i t h
t h e t o r m e n t s o f H e l l ; a n d t h e r e a r e .several c o i n c i d e n c e s o f
l a n g u a g e , t h e m o s t o b v i o u s b e i n g c o n c e n t r a t e d in .Apoc. Z e p h . 6 - 7
a n d ' . A n o n . ' . A p o c . i. 1 1 - 1 2 . .All t h i s t e l l s i n f a v o u r o f t h e i r n o l b e i n g
two independent works, but one and the same.

A further complication w a s intrcxiuced into the d e b a t e by the

p u b l i c a t i o n in 1 9 4 0 b y L . T ' h . L e f o r t ' o f a v e r y s m a l l , a n d for t h e
m o s t p a r t illegible, fragment, which m a y h a v e s o m e bearing on
t h e p r o b l e m . .As r e c o n s t r u c t e d b y L e f o r t , t h e t e x t o f t h e f r a g m e n t
e n d s with the words '('Fruly I / e ) p h a n i a h s a w (these things)',
followed b y t h e c o l o p h o n ' ( T h e .Apocalypse of Z e ) p h a n ( i a h ) ' . I f w e

' I.. I'll. Leliirt, Us manuscnts coptes de rVniversite de Ijomam, i {= Texles Litteraires;
Louvain, l<)l(J),pp. 7<)-80.
 The Apocalypse of Zephaniah 917
a r c t o t r u s t L c l b r t ' s r e c o n s t r u c t i o n , a n d if t l i c r c is a n y r e l a t i o n s l i i p
at all between the new h-agment and thc previously known
'Zephaniah' leaf, it would seem that thc first lines on the
' Z e p h a n i a h ' leaf, a s f a r a s ' T r u l y I, Z e p h a n i a h , s a w a n d t o o k n o t e
of these things', a r e the conclusion o f t h e Z e p h a n i a h apocalypse,
and t h a t w h a t follows (from '.And t h e a n g e l o f t h e I . o r d . . .")
b e l o n g s t o . s o m e t h i n g e l s e - u n l e s s , o f c o u r s e , ' T r u l y 1, Z e p h a n i a h ,
saw these things' was a kind of refrain, occurring regularly
t h r o u g h o u t the a p o c a l y p s e at thc c u d of each section, a n d then,
finally, a t t h e v e r y e n d . H o w e v e r , in v i e w o f t h e f a c t t h a t o n L c l b r t ' s
fragment c m l y v e r y f e w c o m p l e t e w o r d s a r c l e g i b l e , it w o u l d b e
u n w i s e to p u r s u e thc possibilities here.
F o r t h e s e r e a s o n s it h a s b e e n t h o u g h t b e s t t o t r e a t t h c w h o l e o f
the 'Zephaniah'-'Anonymous' material together and prim the
t r a n s l a t i o n s of t h e S a h i d i c a n d .Akhmimic texts o n e after t h c other.
T h o s e w h o follow Steindorff c a n then read t h e m , as hc did, as
fragments of two separate works. Fhose w ho do not can either read
t h e m a s f r a g m e n t s o f t h e s a m e w o r k (i.e. a s all b e l o n g i n g to t h e
A p o c a l y p s e o f Z e p h a n i a h ) , o r a l t e r n a t i v e l y i n d u l g e in w h a t e v e r
re-ordering of the individual leaves a n d identihcation of their
contents they please.

A Zephaniah apocalyjisc was certainly known in t h e early

C h u r c h , s i n c e o n e is m e n t i o n e d in t h c L i s t o f S i x t y B o o k s ; a n d t h i s
a p o c a l y p s e is i n a l l p r o b a b i l i t y t h e s a m e w o r k a s ' T h e B o o k o f t h c
Prophet Zephaniah' mentioned by pseudo-.Vthanasius and the
S t i c h o m c t r y of N i c e p h o r u s . A n indication of c o n t e n t s m a y p e r h a p s
b e f o u n d in a s o l i t a r y q u o t a t i o n in C l e m e n t o f . A l e x a n d r i a . I'hc
p a s s a g e i n C l e m e n t r u n s a s fijilows:

' A r e n o t t h e s e s t a t e m e n t s like t h o s e of Z e p h a n i a t i t h e p r o p h e t ? ".And

t h e s p i r i t t o o k m c , a n d b r o u g h t m e u p to t h e fifth h e a v e n , atid I lieheld
a n g e l s c a l l e d l o r d s ; a n d t h e i r d i a d e m h a d b e e n s e t u p o n t h e m by t h c
H o l y S p i r i t ; a n d e a c h of t h c i n h a d a t h r o n e seven t i m e s b r i g h t e r t h a n
t h e l i g h t o f t h e r i s i n g s u n ; a n d t h e y d w e l t in t e m p l e s of s a l v a t i o n , and
t h e y h y m n e d t h c ineffable M o s t H i g h G o d . " '"

But Clement's quotation h a s n o p a r a l l e l , e i t h e r in t h e S a h i d i c

" Clem.-Alex. Strum. V. xi. 77.

91}i The Apocalypse of Zephaniah
• / e p h a n i a h " I r a g n i e i i t o r in w h a t r e m a i n s ol S t e i n d o r l l ^ s • A n o n y ­
m o u s " ; n o r is t h e r e a t i y o b v i o u s g a p a n y w h e r e i n t o w h i c h it m i g h t
s u i t a b U b e fitted.
The S a h i d i c " / e p h a n i a h " fragment allijrds n o clue a s to the
o r i g i n o f i t s te.xt: t h a t t e x t m i g h t b e . J e w i s h in o r i g i n : it m i g h t b e
C h r i s t i a n ; a n d it m i g h t e q u a l l y w e l l b e a r e - w o r k i n g b y a C h r i s t i a n
of a n originally .Jewish source. O n t h e other h a n d , most agree that
t h e " . A n o n y m o u s " w a s in o r i g i n J e w i s h , b u t t h a t t h e . J e w i s h o r i g i n a l
h a s b e e n r e w o r k e d b y a C h r i s t i a n , t h o u g h f a r less d r a s t i c a l l y t h a n
t h e a s s o c i a t e d . A p o e a K p s e o f K l i j a h : t h e r e a r e in t h e " . A n o n y m o u s "
no uncrjuixocally Christian passages or phtases. but there a t e
several a p p a r e n t rentinisccnccs of the N e w restament."'

.As i n t h e . A j j o t a l y p s e o f K l i j a h . t h e t r a n s l a t i o n is b a s e d <jn t h e
t e x t s a s editeci b y S t e i n d o r i f a n d h i s p a g e n u m e r a t i o n h a s been
i n s e r t e t l in b r a c k e t s w h e r e a p p l i c a b l e , in o r d e r to facilitate
r e f e r e n c e . ' ' ' S a ' = " S a h i d i c ' a n d •.A' = • . A k h t n i m i c ' .

bibkio(;raphv

KDI TIONS
Coptic
U . Boi'RI.A.NI, ' K e s p a p y r u s d ' . A k h m i m ( K t a g m e n t s d e m a n u ­
s c r i t s e n d i a l e c t e s b a c h m o u r i q u e e t t h c b a i n ) ' in Memoirespublics
par les membres de la mission archeologique fran(aise au Caire, t o m . i,
fa.sc. 2 ( P a r i s , 188.5), p p . ' 2 4 2 - 3 0 4 . '
G . S TKI .N noRFl". Die Apokalypse des Ulias, eine unbekannte Apokalypse,
und Bruchstiicke der Sophonias-Apokalypse: koptische Texte, I'bersetzung,
Clossar{= Ti'xv'u (N.K. ii) 3 a ; Li-ipzig, 1 8 9 9 ) .

rR.\NSI..M I O N S
Knglish
H . P . HouCiHTON. " T h e C i o p t i c . A p o c a l v p s e ' in Aegyptus, x x x i x
(19.59), p p . 4 0 - 9 1 .
' e.g.. w i l h i. ;i i p . .Man. x.xiv. ( 0 - 11 I.uk<- xvii. :it-:i.5; w i l l . ii. 111-12 <p. Rt-v. i.
l:t, I;-), ii. IH, x i x . 10. xxii. H-0;arKl w i t h iii. IHcp. 1 Cor. x v . Ml
' Sec a l x n e p. 7.')0.
 apocalypse of zephaniah

The. A pocalypse of Zephaniah 919

French

L'. ROURIAM . ' L e s p a p y r u s d ' A k m i m . . . [as al)ovc[.

German
L. S IFRN, ' D i e koptisihe Apocalvpse d e s Sophonias, mit einem
Anhang iibcr d e n untersahidischcn Dialect' i n Zeii.schrift fur
agyplische Sprache und Alterthumskunde (Leipzig, UUiti), p p . 1 1 . 5 -
135.
G . S l K l X D O R F F , Die Apokalypse des Elias . . . [ a s a b o v e ] .
P. RIF..SSLF:R, 4 7 " & ^ ' , p p . 1 6 8 - 1 7 7 .

A . - M . D E . \ I S , / / ' 6 M 7 ; pp. 192-193.

J . - B . L R K Y , a r t . ' . A p o c r v p h e s d e l ' . A . ' L . " i n DBSup i, c o l s . 4 5 6 - 1 5 8 .
M . R. JAMKS. / . - 4 0 7 ; p p . 7 2 - 7 4 .
P. RrF.SSl.F.R,4;.Va/i'.pp. 1274-1275.
VV. SCHNF.F.,MF;r,CHF.R, ' S p a t c r e A p o k a l y p s e n ' i n L . H K X N I ; C : K K
and W. ScHM;KMF.i,C;HI-,R, Xeutestamentliche Apokryphen\ ii
(Tubingen, 1 9 6 4 ) , p p . 5 3 3 - 5 3 4 . [ T r a n s l a t e d , b y L . Bi'.si'. in
.V7:4ii, p p . 751-752.1
L. S C H C R K R , GjVZJC iii, p p . 3 6 7 3 6 9 .
H . U ' E I . X n . i n EL'X, pp. 162-164.

T H E APOCALYPSE O F ZEPHA.NIAH

( S a 1 ) { I s a w ) a s o u l , h v c t h o u s a t i d a n g e l s s e t o v e r it ( a n d ) g u a r d i n g
i t , t a k i n g ( i t ) t o t h e c a s t , a n d c a r r y i n g it t o t h c w e s t , s t r i k i n g . . .
2 g i v i n g it h u n d r e d ( ? ) . . . s c o u r g e s e a c h o n e d a i l y . 1 w a s a f r a i d : 1
3 t h r e w m y s e l f o n m y face, for m y knees w e r e w e a k . T h e angel g a v e
mc his hand. H e said to m e . Be victorious t h a t yoti m a y b e
victorious, a n d b e strong that you m a y be victorious over thc
4 a c c u s e r a n d m a y c o m e u p from hell.' A n d w h e n I got u p , I said,

' C p . Anon. .\poc. iii. 1, 6 - 7 (pp. 923 and 924 below).

 anonymous apocalypse

920 .In Anonymous Apocalypse

w h o is t h i s t h e y a r c s e t o v e r ? H e s a i d t o i n c . T h i s is ( a ) s o u l
w h o s e lawies.s d o i n g s w e r e n o s e c r e t r a n d b e f o r e it s u c c e e d e d in
r e p e n t i n g , it w a s \ i s i t e d a n d t a k e n o u t o f its b o d y . T r u l y I .
/ . e p h a n i a h , s a w a n d took n o t e of these things.'
. \ n d the angcl o f t h e Lord walked with me. I saw a wide open
p l a c e , w i t h t h o u s a n d s u p o n t h o u s a n d s s u r r o u n d i n g it o n t h e left
a n d m y r i a d s u p o n m y r i a d s o n t h e right.'' T h e n a t u r e of e a c h o n e
w a s d i l l e r e n t . t h e i r h a i r all loose like w o m e n ' s h a i r , (their) teeth
like t h e teeth of. . .

.\N .WO.W.MOLS .\P()C:.\LYPSL

I. ( . \ I) . . . d i e s , w e w i l l b u r y h i m l i k e e v e r y m a n : i f h e d i e s , w e w i l l
c a r r y h i m o u t , a n d play the lyre before h i m , a n d sing o u r songs
over his body.
B u l l w e n t with the angel o f t h e Lord. H e took m e over m y whole
city. T h e r e w a s n o o n e to b e seen. Then I s a w t w o m e n walking
t o g e t h e r o n t h e s a m e r o a d : I s a w ( t h e m t a l k i n g ) . .Xnd I s a w a l s o
t w o w o m e n g r i n d i n g at a mill together: a n d 1 s a w t h e m talking.
.And I s a w (also) t w o o n (one) c o u c h , ( b o t h o l ' t h e m taking) their
( r e s t ( ? ) ) o n t h e i r c o u c h . (.And 1 s a w ) t h e w h o l e w o r l d ( s u s p e n d e d )
l i k e a d r o p o f ( w a t e r , h a n g i n g f r o m a b u c k e t ) (.A 2) t h a t c o m e s u p
( f r o m ) a w e l l . ' I said to t h e a n g e l o f t h e L o r d , Is there n o d a r k n e s s
n o r n i g h t i n t h i s p l a c e ? H e s a i d t o m e . N o ; for w h e r e t h e r i g h t e o u s
a n d t h e s a i n t s a r e , i n t h a t p l a c e t h e r e is n o d a r k n e s s , b u t t h e y a r e
a l w a y s i n t h e l i g h t . .And I s a w a l l t h e s o u l s o f m e n w h o w e r e
u n d e r g o i n g p u n i s h m e n t . .And I c r i e d o u t u n t o t h e L o r d . A l m i g h t y ,
( H o w long) wilt t h o u a b i d e w i t h the saints a n d be p a t i e n t with the
w o r l d ( a n d ) these souls which are undergoing punishment? T h e

- Lit. 'a soul which was found in its lawlessness".

' Lit. 'saw, seeitig these thit),i;s'. For the [xissihility that these words mark the end
ol'the apocalypse see the Introductiott (pp. 9 U i - 7 above).
•* C:p. .ynon. .-Vpoc. i . i l .
' C:p. .\tioti. .\poc. i. \2. ii. 7.

' t : p . Isa. xl. 1.5. Fhe text is restored Ibllowing P. I.acau ('Remarques sur le
manuscrit akhmimique des .Apocalypses de .Sophtinie et d'fllie' in Journal asialique,
ccliv(19titi),pp. Ui!)-19.5).
 An Anonymous Apocalypse 921
atigt'l o f t h c L o r d s a i d to m c . C o m e a n d I will show y o u . . . of
r i g h t e o u s n e s s . . A n d h e t o o k m c u p o n t o m o u n t .Seir; and h c ( s h o w e d
m e ) t h r e e m e n , (.A 3 ) w i t h w h o m t w o a n g e l s w e r e w a l k i n g , h a p p y
H a n d rejoicing over t h e m . I said to thc angel. W h o ' are these? H e
said to m e . T h e s e are thc three sons o f j o a t h a m the priest, w h o did
not k e e p their father's c o m m a n d m e n t , nor did they observe thc
s t a t u t e s o f t h e L o r d . T h e n I saw t w o m o r e angels w e e p i n g o\ cr the
9 t h r e e s o n s o f . J o a t h a m the priest. I said (to) the angel. W h o are
t h e s e ? H c said. T h e s e a r e the angels o f t h e Lord .Almighty, w h o
w r i t e d o w n all t h e g o o d w o r k s of t h e r i g h t e o u s u p o n their' roll,
w h i l e t h e y (sit) at t h e g a t e o f h e a v e n . But I take t h e m from t h e m
a n d b r i n g t h e m ( u p ) (.A 4 ) b e f o r e t h c L o r d . A l m i g h t y for h i m t o
HI w r i t e t h e i r n a m e in t h c b(X)k o f t h e l i v i n g . .And t h e o t h e r a n g e l s o f
t h e a c c u s e r , w h o is o n t h e e a r t h , a l s o w r i t e d o w n a l l t h e s i n s o f m e n
u p o n t h e i r roll; a n d t h e y t o o sit a t t h e g a t e o f h c a v e n a n d r e a d t h e m
o u t t o t h e a c c u s e r for h i m t o w r i t e t h e m d o w n o n h i s r o l l , s o t h a t h e
11 c a n accuse t h e m w h e n they come out o f t h e world down below. I
t h e n w a l k e d further w i t h ( t h e ) a n g e l o f t h e L o r d , and I I t x i k c d in
front of m e : I saw a place there . . . thousand a n d myriads u[K)n
V> m y r i a d s o f a n g e l s w a l k i n g t h r o u g h (it." Their) face w a s like a
p a n t h e r ' s , t h e i r t u s k s p r o t r u d e d from t h e i r m o u t h s (like) a wild
b o a r ' s , t h e i r e y e s ( A 5) w e r e b l o o d s h o t , t h e i r h a i r a l l l o o s e l i k e
13 w o m e n ' s h a i r , " a n d t h e y h a d s c o u r g e s o f h r e in t h e i r h a n d s . .And
w h e n I s a w t h e m , I w a s a f r a i d ; and I s a i d t o t h a t a n g e l w h o w a s
14 w a l k i n g w i t h m e . W h o ' a r e these? H e said to m e . These a r e the
a t t e n d a n t s u p o n the w h o l e creation, w h o c o m e to the souls o f t h e
u n g o d l y a n d take t h e m a n d put t h e m here. 'They spend three days
g o i n g r o u n d w i t h t h e m in t h e a i r before t h e y t a k e t h e m a n d h u r l
I.i t h e m i n t o t h e i r e t e r n a l p u n i s h m e n t . 1 s a i d , I p r a y y o u , my l o r d , g i v e
Hi t h e m n o a u t h o r i t y t o c o m e to m e . ' T h e a n g e l s a i d . H a v e n o fear: I
w i l l n o t a l l o w t h e m t o c o m e t o ( y o u ) , for y o u a r e h o l y b e l b r e (.A 6 )
the Lord: I will not a l l o w t h e m t o c o m e t o y o u , for t h e Lord
17 A l m i g h t y h a s s e n t m e t o y o u , for ( y o u a r c ) h o l y b e f o r e h i m . T h e n
h e signalled to t h e m , a n d they turned back a n d kept their distance
from me.
' Lit. 'What sort'. ' Text 'his'.
* Cp. .Apoc. Zcph. 7.
' Lit. 'What sort'.
 922 . I n Anonymous Apocalypse

II. B u t I w a l k e d w i t h t h e a n g e l o f C J o d . I l o o k e d in front ol'nie; and

1 s a w gates. T h e n , w h e n 1 a p p r o a c h e d them, 1 found they were
g a t e s o f c o p p e r . T h e a t i g e l t o u c h e d t h e m and t h e y o p e n e d b e f o r e
•2 h i m . 1 w e n t i n w i t h h i m . 1 f o u n d m y s e l f i n w h a t s e e m e d to b e t h e
m a i n s t r e e t of' ( a ) b e a u t i f u l city. 1 w a l k e d d o w n t h e m i d d l e o f it.
Then t h e angel o f t h e Lord transformed himself beside m e there.
:i .And I looked a n d I s a w - gates of c o p p e r with bolts of copper a n d
b a r s o f i r o n . (.A 7) . A n d t h e y c l o s e d a g a i n s t m e t h e r e . 1 s a w i n f r o n t
o f m e t h e g a t e s o f c o p p e r b r e a t h i n g o u t fire lo a distance o / a b o u t fifty
1 s t a d e s . . A g a i n I t u r n e d ; ' and 1 s a w a g r e a t s e a . .And I t h o u g h t it w a s
a s e a o f w a t e r . I f o u n d it w a s a w h o l e s e a o f fire, l i k e a m a r s h , t h a t
b r e a t h e d o u t fire c o n t i n u a l l y , a n d i t s w a v e s b u r n e d w i t h s u l p h u r
•) a n d p i t c h . L h e y b e g a n t o c o m e n e a r m e . I t h o u g h t t h e r e f o r e t h a t
t h e L o r d . A l m i g h t y h a d c o m e t o v i s i t m e . W h e n 1 s a w ( h i m ) , ' ' 1 fell
IJ o n m y f a c e b e f o r e h i m t o w o r s h i p h i m . 1 w a s \ e r y m u c h a f r a i d . I
i m p l o r e d (.A 8 ) h i m t o s a v e m e f r o m t h i s t o r m e n t . I c r i e d o u t ,
s a y i n g , Eloi, L o r d .Adonai .Sabaoth. I e n t r e a t thee t o s a v e m e from
this t o r m e n t that h a s come upon m e .
7 L h e n ' 1 sttKid up. I s a w a g r e a t a n g e l i n f r o n t o f m e , h i s h a i r flying
o u t round his head l i k e t h e l i o n e s s e s , h i s t e e t h showing o u t s i d e h i s
m o u t h l i k e a b e a r ' s , h i s h a i r flying o u t l i k e w o m e n ' s , " w h i l e h i s
K b o d y w a s l i k e s e r p e n t s w h o w a n t e d t o s w a l l o w m e . .And w h e n I s a w
h i m . I w a s s o afraid o f h i m t h a t e v e r y l i m b in m y b o d y w a s
!) p a r a l y s e d . I fell d o w n o n m y f a c e : I w a s n o t a b l e t o s t a n d . I p r a y e d
b e f o r e (.A 9 ) t h e L o r d . A l m i g h t y , I pray thee that t h o u w i l t s a v e m e
from this t o r m e n t , t h o u w h o d i d s t deliver Israel from P h a r a o h ,
k i n g of Egypt, thou w h o didst deliver S u s a n n a o u t o f t h e h a n d of
the u n r i g h t e o u s elders, thou w h o didst deliver the three saints,
S h a d r a c h , M e s h a c h , and . A b e d n e g o , o u t o f t h e fiery b l a z i n g
f u r n a c e , I p r a y t h e e t h a t t h o u wilt save m e from this t o r m e n t .
10 T h e n I g o t u p and s t o o d upon my /eel. I s a w a g r e a t a n g e l s t a n d i n g

' Lit. 'I found its whole street like that of".
' Lit. '.And I looked at them, and I found that they were'.
' Here follows a word (lit. 'they will walk") which seems to have no place in the
context. '• .So Lacau.
' I . i t . ' I n that same hour'.
° d p . Apoc. Zeph. 7 (p. 920above).
 An Anonmous Apocalypse 923
i n f r o n t o f ini-: h i s f a c e s h o n e lilte t l i c r a y s ' o f t h e s u n in i t s gloi">; h i s
f a c e w a s l i k e t h e f a c e o f a m a n filled w i t h i t s g l o r y ; a n d h e h a d w h a t
l o o k e d l i k e a g o l d e n g i r d l e r o u n d h i s b r e a s t , and hh feet w e r e like
11 b r a s s [A 1 0 ) r e f i n e d b y fire. . A n d w h e n I s a w h i m . I r e j o i c e d , for I
t h o u g h t t h e L o r d . M m i g h t y h a d c o m e t o v i s i t m c . I fell o n m y f a c e :
12 I w o r s h i p p e d h i m . H c s a i d t o m e . I t is C i o d y o u m u s t p a y h o m a g e
to:" y o u m u s t not worship m c . I a m not t h e Lord .Mmighty; but I
a m t h e g r e a t a n g e l E r c m i e l . w h o i f place is in Ihe world b e l o w , and I
haie been appointed o v e r t h e a b y s s a n d h e l l , in w h i c h a l l s o u l s h a v e
b e e n i m p r i s o n e d from t h e e n d o f t h e hood, which w a s upon t h c
Ki e a r t h , u n t i l t o - d a y . " T h e n I a s k e d t h e a n g e l . \ V l i a t is t h e p l a c e I
It h a v e c o m e down'" t o ? H e s a i d t o m c . T h i s is h e l l . I t h e n a s k e d h i m .
W h o is t h i s g r e a t a n g e l I h a v e s e e n , w h o is s t a n d i n g a s h e is? H e
s a i d , L h i s is t h e o n e w h o a c c u s e s m e n b e f o r e t h c L o r d . T h e n (I>
l o o k e d : I s a w h e h a d a r o l l (A I I ) i n h i s h a n d , and h c b e g a n t o
l.'i u n l c i l d i t . . A n d w h e n h e h a d s p r e a d it o u t , I r e a d it i n m y o w n
l a n g u a g e . I found all t h e sins I h a d c o m m i t t e d written d o w n by
h i m , f r o m m y c h i l d h o o d till t o - d a y , a l l w r i t t e n o n t h a t roll o f m i n e
Ui w i t h o u t a m i s t a k e a n y w h e r e . If I h a d n o t b e e n to \isit ( a ) sick
p e r s o n o r a w i d o w , I f o u n d it a s c r i b e d t o m c a s a f a i l u r e o n m y r o l l :
a n o r p h a n I h a d n o t visited I f o u n d " a s c r i b e d to m e a s a failure o n
17 m y r o l l . If Ihere had been a d a y w h e n I d i d n o t f a s t , w h e n I d i d n o t
p r a y a t t h e h o u r o f p r a y e r , I f o u n d it a s c r i b e d t o m e a s a v e r y b a d
t h i n g i n d e e d o n m y r o l l ; (.A 12) a n d if ihere had been a day when I h a d
n o t v i s i t e d t h e s o n s o f l s r a e l , I f o u n d it a s c r i b e d t o m e a s a f a i l u r e
18 o n m y r o l l . S o I fell d o w n o n m y f a c e a n d p r a y e d b e l b r e t h c L o r d
A l m i g h t y , M a y t h y m e r c y r e a c h a s far a s m e a n d w i p e m y roll
c l e a n ; f o r t h y m e r c y is e v e r y w h e r e a n d h l l s e v e r y p l a c e .

III. T h e n I g o t u p and s t o o d upon myfeel. 1 s a w a g r e a t a n g e l in f r o n t

o f m e , s a y i n g t o m e . B e v i c t o r i o u s , b e s t r o n g ; for y o u h a v e b e e n
strong, y o u have been victorious over the accuser, you have come
u p from hell a n d t h e a b y s s , ' y o u shall n o w cross at t h e ferry-place.

' Text'gifts'. " Kit.'Devote voursclf to liim".

" C:p. 1 Knoch XX. 7 (Cik.-*-); 2 Ksdras iv. ;iti.
"' Text "up". " Text'was found'.

' C:p. .Vpoc. Zcph. 3 (p. 919 above).

 924 An Anonymous Apocalypse
•J A g a i n h e b r o u g h t a n o t h e r r o i l , w r i t t e n b y h a n d : h e b e g a n t o u n f o l d
i t . I r e a d i n i t . I f o u n d it w a s w r i t t e n i n m y o w n l a n g u a g e . . . 2pages
i missing . . . {A 13) ' I ' h e y h e l p e d m e : t h e y s e t m e u p o n t h a t b o a t : t h e y
w e r e s i n g i n g praises before m e , n a m e l y t h o u s a n d s u p o n t h o u s a n d s
and m y r i a d s u p o n m y r i a d s of angels. I also p u t o n a n angelic
I g a r m e n t . I s a w all those angels p r a y i n g . I toop r a y e d together with
.') t h e m : I k n e w t h e i r l a n g u a g e t h a t t h e y s p o k e w i t h m e . ( T h i s , m y
s o n s , is t h e t r i a l t h a t h a s t o b e - t h a t t h e g o o d a n d e v i l deeds oJevery
c, man a r e w e i g h e d i n a b a l a n c e . ) T h e n a g r e a t a n g e l c a m e o u t w i t h a
g o l d e n t r u m p e t i n h i s h a n d . H e s o u n d e d it t h r e e t i m e s o v e r m y
h e a d , s a y i n g . B e v i c t o r i o u s , he w h o h a s b e e n v i c t o r i o u s , b e {A 14)
7 s t r o n g , he w h o h a s b e e n s t r o n g . F o r y o u h a v e b e e n v i c t o r i o u s o v e r
li t h e a c c u s e r , y o u h a v e e s c a p e d from t h e a b y s s a n d hell.' Y o u shall
n o w c r o s s a t t h e f e r r y - p l a c e ; for y o u r n a m e h a s b e e n w r i t t e n i n t h e
'I b o o k o f t h e l i v i n g . I w a n t e d t o e x c h a n g e g r e e t i n g s w i t h h i m ; but I
HI c o u l d n o t , s o g r e a t w a s h i s g l o r y . T h e n h e h u r r i e d off t o a l l t h e
righteous, to .Abraham, a n d Isaac, a n d J a c o b , a n d Enoch, a n d
E l i j a h , a n d D a v i d . H e t a l k e d w i t h t h e m like a friend w i t h friends,
while they t h e m s e l v e s w e r e in conversation w i t h o n e another.
11 ' I h e n t h e g r e a t a n g e l c a m e t o m e , t h e g o l d e n t r u m p e t in h i s h a n d .
H e s o u n d e d it u p t o h e a v e n ; and t h e h e a v e n o p e n e d f r o m e a s t t o
1L> w e s t , f r o m n o r t h t o s o u t h . I s a w t h e s e a I h a d s e e n ( A 1 5 ) d o w n i n
hell: its w a v e s rose u p to t h e clouds. I s a w all t h e souls s u b m e r g e d
in it. I s a w s o m e b o u n d w i t h their h a n d s t o their n e c k s , a n d fetters
i:t o n t h e i r h a n d s a n d feet. I s a i d , W h o a r e t h e s e ? H e s a i d t o m e ,
' F h e s e a r e t h o s e w h o s e a r c h m e n out^ a n d g i v e t h e m g o l d a n d s i l v e r
to lead t h e souls of m e n astray.
14 A n d I s a w o t h e r s c o v e r e d w i t h fiery m a t s . I s a i d . W h o a r e t h e s e ?
H e said to m e . T h e s e a r e those w h o lend m o n e y o n interest a n d
l.'i take interest o n interest. A n d I s a wothers, blind m e ncrying out. I
w a s a s t o n i s h e d w h e n I h a d seen all these w o r k s of G o d . I said, W h o
11) a r e t h e s e ? (A 1 6 ) H e s a i d t o m e . T h e s e a r e t h o s e w h o w e r e u n d e r
i n s t r u c t i o n a n d h e a r d t h e w o r d o f G o d , b u t w e r e w e a k a n d fell
17 a w a y . ' B u t I s a i d t o h i m . H a v e t h e y n o opportunity for r e p e n t a n c e ?
H e s a i d . Y e s . I s a i d . H o w l o n g for?* H e s a i d t o m e , U n d l t h e d a y
' Text 'who carry (hem along".
' I.il. 'but were not perfect in the thing which they heard'.
' I.it. 'Until what day?'
 An Anonymous Apocalypse 92')
18 w h e n t h e L o r d w i h j u d g e Ihe world. A n d I s a w o t l i e r s w i t h t l i e i r h a i r
o n t h e m . I s a i d . Arc t h e r e h a i r a n d b o d y i n t h i s p l a c e ? H e s a i d , ^ ' e s :
t h e L o r d gives t h e m body a n d hair a s he pleases.
19 . A n d I s a w v e r y m a n y o t h e r s also: h e b r o u g h t t h e m o u t , a n d t h e y
l o o k e d a t a l l t h e s e p u n i s h m e n t s . ' L h e y c r i e d o u t in p r a y e r b e f o r e
t h e L o r d . A l m i g h t y , s a y i n g . W e b e s e e c h t h e e (.A 17) f o r t h o s e w h o
suffer all these p u n i s h m e n t s , that thou wouldcst have mercy o n
20 t h e m all. B u t w h e n 1 s a w t h e m , 1 said to the angel w h o w a s talking
w i t h m e , IVho are these? H e s a i d . T h o s e w h o a r e i n t e r c e d i n g w i t h t h e
21 L o r d a r e A b r a h a m a n d I s a a c a n d J a c o b . .At t h e s a m e t i m e e a c h
d a y they c o m e with t h e great angel. H e sounds the trumpet u p to
h e a v e n a n d a n o t h e r f a n f a r e o v e r t h e e a r t h . .All t h e r i g h t e o u s h e a r
22 t h e fanfare. They come running, praying daily to thc Lord
23 A l m i g h t y f o r t h e s e w h o s u f i e r a l l t h e s e p u n i s h m e n t s . .And a g a i n t h e
g r e a t a n g e l c o m e s w i t h t h e g o l d e n t r u m p e t in his h a n d a n d s o u n d s
it o v e r t h e e a r t h . I t is h e a r d f r o m e a s t t o w e s t a n d f r o m s o u t h t o
n o r t h . . A g a i n h e s o u n d s t h e t r u m p e t (.A 18) u p t o h e a v e n ; and h i s
t r u m p e t - c a l l ' is h e a r d .
24 I s a i d , my l o r d , w h y d i d y o u n o t l e t m e s e e t h e m a l l ? H e s a i d t o
m e , I h a v e n o a u t h o r i t y to s h o w t h e m to you, until t h e Lord
A l m i g h t y arises in his w r a t h to destroy t h e e a r t h a n d t h e heavens.
25 T h e y w i l l s e e what is happening a n d b e t r o u b l e d , a n d a l l w i l l c r y o u t ,
s a y i n g . A l l m e n ' w h o b e l o n g t o t h e e , w e w i l l g i v e Ihem a l l t o t h e e o n
26 t h e d a y o f t h e L o r d . W h o will b e a b l e t o s t a n d before h i m w h e n h e
a r i s e s i n h i s w r a t h t o ( d e s t r o y ) t h e e a r t h a n d ( t h e h e a v e n s ) ? .All
t r e e s t h a t g r o w u p o n t h e e a r t h will b e u p r o o t e d w i t h their roots a n d
fall d o w n . A n d a l l h i g h t o w e r s a n d t h c b i r d s t h a t fly ( o v e r t h e m )
[ d o w n a n d a l l h i g h t o w e r s ] w i l l fall ( t o t h e g r o u n d ) . '

' Lit. 'sound'.

• Lit. 'flesh'.
' T h e text is restored following Laeau. Cp. .\poc. Elijah iii. 6 2 - 6 3 (p. 771 alx
 THE APOCALYPSE OF ESDRAS

INTROnUCTIOX
Apart from the canonieal Book of E z r a in t h e O i d Testament,
several apocryphal books bearing Ezra's n a m e have been at one
t i m e o r a n o t h e r k n o w n a n d e s t e e m e d in tlie C h u r c h .
In the -VISS o f t h e G r e t ^ k B i b l e t h e b o o k e n t i t l e d 'Esdras :V
represents a parallel version of the material contained in thc
canonical 2 Chron. xxxv-xxx\i, Ezra, a n d N e h c m i a h : there arc
two substantial omissions, one noteworthy addition, and a variety
o f m i n o r v a r i a t i o n s b o t h i n o r d e r a n d i n d e t a i l . T h e r e is n o r e a s o n
for t h i n k i n g t h a t E s d r a s A w a s d e r i v e d d i r e c t l y from t h c c a n o n i c a l
E z r a - N c h e m i a h , e i t h e r i n H e b r e w o r i n G r e e k , i n a l l p r o b a b i l i t y it
was a fresh Greek translation of a diflerent recension of the
Hebrew. I n t h c L a t i n B i b l e it a p p e a r s a s ' I I I E z r a ' ( o r E s d r a s ) ,
and it is n o w usually printed an an appendix after the JNew
T e s t a m e n t . I n t h e E n g l i s h . A p o c r y j i h a i t s t a n d s first a s ' 1 E s d r a s ' . '
' 2 E s d r a s ' , w h i c h s t a n d s n e x t i n o u r A p o c r y p h a , is a c o m p l e t e l y
i n d e p e n d e n t w o r k with complications ofits o w n . In the Latin Bible
i t is i d e n t i f i e d a s ' I V E z r a ' ( o r E s d r a s ) , a n d i n t h e m o d e r n e d i t i o n s
follows ' H I E z r a ' in t h c a p p e n d i x . T h e c e n t r a l p a r t o f t h e book
( c h a p s , i i i - x i v ) is p r e s e r v e d n o t o n l y in L a t i n , b u t a l s o in n o t less
t h a n s e v e n O r i e n t a l v e r s i o n s ; a n d i t is e v i d e n t f r o m q u o t a t i o n s i n
t h e L a t h e r s t h a t t h e r e w a s at o n e time a G r e e k version as well.
Most scholars regard chaps, iii-xiv (which are in form an
a p o c a l y p s e ) a s t h e o r i g i n a l c o r e , w r i t t e n b y a J e w in e i t h e r H e b r e w
o r . A r a m a i c a b o u t t h e e n d o f t h e first c e n t . AD, t o w h i c h w e r e a d d e d
subsetjuently c h a p s , i-ii as an introduction a n d chaps, x v - x v i as a
c o n c l u s i o n . T h e s e a d d i t i o n s n o w survive only in L a t i n , a l t h o u g h a
4 t h c e n t , f r a g m e n t o f a G r e e k t e x t o f x v . 5 7 - 5 9 is k n o w n , having-
b e e n p u b l i s h e d in 1 9 1 0 . ' I t is n o t u n c o m m o n , f o l l o w i n g t h c l e a d o f
' ' E s d r a s B' of thc Greek Bible is t h r translation ofthe canonical Ezra-Nehciniah
(reckoned as a single Ijook). In the Latin tradition, however, it became the custom
to distinguish them: hence in Latin Bibles 'I Ezra' (or Esdras) = the canonical Ezra
a n d ' I I E z r a ' (or Esdras) = the canonical Nehcmiah.
' P a p . O x y r . 1010. Published by A. S. H u n t in T/ie Oxyrhynchus Papyn.vii 0910),
pp. 11-1.5.
92ii The Apocalypse of F.sdras

s o t m - or t h e I . a t i n .M.SS. t o ii'liT t o t i i c s c a d d i t i o n s a s ' \ ' K z i a ' ( o r

I'.sdras) a n d ' \ T Ezra" respectively.
S t a n d i n g in t h e s a m e t r a d i t i o n a s 2 K s d r a s . of w h i c h they a r e
[jiainly l a t e r d e v e l o p m e n t s , a r e t h e t h r e e E z r a h o o k s t r a n s l a t e d in
t h i s c o l l e c t i o n - v i z . I h e . A p o c a l y p s e o f E s d r a s . I h e A'ision o f
E s d r a s . a n d The .Apocalypse ol'Sedrach. O t h e r Ezra hooks which
h a v e n o l h e e n i n c l u d e d i n t h e c o l l e c l i o n , htit w h i c h m a y h e
m e n t i o n e d , a r e : (1) a S y r i a c a[)ocalv p s e . e d i t e d a n d t r a n s l a t e d into
( i e r m a n b y H a e t h g e n i n 1U8(). w h i c h is c h i e t l v c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e
d u r a t i o n o l ' t h e rule o f I s l a m ; ' (2) a n E t h i o p i c a p o c a l y p s e , edited
a n d t r a n s l a t e d i n t o E r e n c h b y H a l e v y i n H)()2,'' w h i c h r e v i e w s t h e
w h o l e c o u r s e o f h u m a n h i s t o r y f r o m t h e d a y s o t ' . A d a m . d i v i d i n g it
i n t o " w e e k s ' , a n d a s s i g n i n g t o l',thio|)ia a n d "the S o n o l ' t h e I.ioti' a
p i t i t n i t i c t i t p l a e e iti t h e e v e n t s j u s t b e f o r e t h e E n d ; a n d ( 3 ) t h e
. A r m e i i i a n " I i K j u i r i e s m a d e b y t h e p r o p h e t E s d r a s o f t h e .Angel o f
t h e I . o r d c o i u e r n i n g t h e S o n s o f . M e n ' , t h e . \ r m e t i i a n te.\t o l ' w h i c h
w a s p r i n t e d b y H o v s e p h e a n t z i n 1891")' a n d a n E n g l i s h t r a n s l a t i o n
b y I s s a v e r d e n s i n 1901."* T h i s l a s t h a s i n g e n e r a l m o r e i n c o m m o n
with o u r three works than either the Syriac or Ethiopic
a p o c a l y p s e s , i n t h a t i n it E s d r a s e n q u i r e s ( a n d is i n f o r m e d ) a b o u t
w h a t C i o d h a s p r e p a r e d liir t h e r i g h t e o u s a n d I b r s i n n e r s "at t h e e n d
o f t i m e ' , b u t t h e r e a r e n o p o i n t s of c o n t a c t in detail.

The .Apocalypse of Esdras, with which we are immediately

c o n c e r n e d , is k n o w n f r o m t w o .M.S.S. T h e first ( P a r i s B . - \ . g r . 9 2 9 ;
l.'lth c e n t . ) c o n t a i n s a t e x t i n v e r y p o o r c o n d i t i o n . I t w a s t h i s t e x t
t h a t CI. r i s c l i e i i d t i r f u s e d a s t h e b a s i s for h i s e d i t i o n o f I8()(i, it
b e i n g t h e n t h e o n l y text a v a i l a b l e . S u b s e q u e n t l y a s e c o n d text in
a n o t h e r P a r i s . M S ( B . . \ . g r . :590; K i t h c e n t . ) w a s b r o u g h t t o l i g h t ,
b u t i n a s m u c h a s this text apfiears to h a v e been copied directly
' .Sec F. Bat'tllgt'tl. "BfSthreibuiig d r r syrischen Handschriti ""Sachan Fil"" aiil"
dcr Kiiniglichcii Bihlituhck zu Berlin" in Z l l l v i (l«Hli), pp. I(l<»--.'lll.
•* J. Flalevy, ••Fe"ezaza Sanhat (C:<)nunandenient5 du Sahhat), acconipatjne de
si.\ a u t r e s t'crits pseudo-epit^raphitjues" ( = Hihttotbeque df t'EfliU des Hautes Etudes:
section des sciences hlstoriques etphilologtques. I'asc. cxxxsii (Paris. I*.lt)2). pp. xviii-xxii,
.•i7-7!», and I7«-I!».5|.
' S. H o v s e p h e a n t z , . 1 Treasuty oJOld and Sew Pntnitne H'nters. Vol. I [l 'ncanonical
/looks oJ Ihe Old Teslamenl: Venice. I8>ll>). pp. :itKl-:ilM.
• j . Issaverdens, IWOT'-. pp. .5ti:i-.it)<t.
 The Apocalypse of Esdras 929
f r o m t l i a l i n t h c e a r l i e r M S its c r i t i c a l v a l u e is m i n i m a l . B o t h , o f
c o u r s e , w e r e u s e d b y ( ) . W a h l in his e d i t i o n of 1977.
T h e similarities b e t w e e n o u r a p o c a l y p s e a n d w h a t m a y be re­
g a r d e d a s its m o d e l . 2 K s d r a s , a r e n u m e r o u s . B o t h w o r k s g r a p p l e
w i t h t h e p r o b l e m of evil a n d seek to justify t h e w a y s o l ( j ( K i to m a n
in thc Ibrm and language of apocalyptic. God's justice is
q u e s t i o n e d , a n d h i s t r e a t m e n t o f t h e r i g h t e o u s is c o n t r a s t e d with
his treatment of thc unrighteous. I'he f u n d a m e n t a l question is
a s k e d , w h y w a s . \ d a m a l l o w e d to sin? . M a n ' s s t a t e u n d e r j u d g e ­
ment is c l a i m e d t o b e w o r s e t h a n t h a t o f t h e b r u t e b e a s t s . Deep
c o n c e r n is s h o w n for s i n n e r s a n d K s d r a s p l e a d s for t h e m , t h a t t h e y
m a y b e s p a r e d , h a v e t i m e a n d o p p o r t u n i t y t o r e p e n t , a n d .so g a i n
t h e r e w a r d o l ' t h e i r r e p e n t e n c e . ( I n t h c . A p o c a l y p s e , t h i s c o n c e r n is
emphasised b y t h c i n c i d e n t at thc e n d , w h e r e K s d r a s refuses to
s u r r e n d e r h i s s o u l a n d e n j o y t h e e t e r n a l life w h i c h is p r o m i s e d h i m
u n t i l h e is s a t i s f i e d a b o u t t h e f a t e o f t h e s e w h o a r e b e i n g p u n i s h e d
for t h e i r s i n s . )
O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e r e a r e few e x a c t v e r b a l p a r a l l e l s b e t w e e n
t h e t w o w o r k s , s o t h a t it c a n h a r d l y b e m a i n t a i n e d t h a t t h e w r i t e r o f
t h e . A p o c a l y p s e w a s u s i n g 2 K s d r a s a s a s o u r c e in t h c a c c e p t e d
sense ol'that word. T h e closest p a r a l l e l s a r c t h c d a t i n g of K.sdras's
v i s i o n i n t h e . A p o c a l y p s e i n ' t h e t h i r t y - s e c o n d y e a r ' (i. 1; c p . 2 K s d r .
i i i . 1 ) , t h e i n s t r u c t i o n t o h i m t o fast (i. 3 - . ' ) ; c p . 2 K s d r . v. 1 3 , v i . 3 1 ,
3 5 ) , t h e d e s c r i p t i o n of .Adam as t h e w o r k of ( i o d ' s h a n d s followed
b y t h e d e t a i l s o f h o w h e w a s set in P a r a d i s e a n d t h e r e t r a n s g r e s s e d
the Divine c o m m a n d ( i i . l O - K i ; c p . 2 K s d r . iii. 5 - 7 ) , a n d thc
r e p e a t e d a s s e r t i o n t h a t it w e r e ' b e t t e r for m a n n o t t o h a v e b e e n
b o r n t h a n t o c o m e i n t o t h c w o r l d ' ( i . (>, ' 2 1 , v. 9 , 14; c p . 2 K s d r . iv.
1 2 , \ ii. 1 1 6 ) . E s p e c i a l l y i n s t r u c t i v e i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n is s u c h a
p a s s a g e a s . A p o c . v . 1 2 - 1 3 . H e r e a c o m p a r i s o n is m a d e b e t w e e n t h c
' f a r m e r ' w h o ' s o w s w h e a t s e e d in t h e e a r t h ' a n d ' m a n ' w h o ' s o w s
h i s s e e d i n t h e field o f a w o m a n ' , a n d t h e n t h e p r o c e s s o f g r o w t h till
the time of birth is d e s c r i b e d in d e t a i l . 'Khe p a s s a g e , though
i n t e l l i g i b l e , d o e s n o l h e l p t h e a r g u m e n t , a n d it is d i f f i c u l t t o s e e
w h y i t h a s b e e n p l a c e d w h e r e it i s . T h e p a r a l l e l a t 2 E s d r . v i i i . 4 1 ,
h o w e v e r , is i n f o r m a p a r a b l e ( ' T h e f a r m e r s o w s m a n y s e e d s i n t h e
g r o u n d . . ., b u l n o t a l l t h e s e e d s s o w n c o m e u p . . . S o t o o i n t h e
w o r l d o f m e n : n o t all w h o a r e s o w n will b e s a v e d ' ) . I'herc t h e p o i n t
930 The Apocalypse of Esdras
is c l e a r e n o u g h , t h e a r g u m e n t is i l l u m i n a t e d , a n d t h e c o m p a r i s o n
fits t h e c o n t e x t a d m i r a b l y . W e a r e left w i t h t h e i m p r e s s i o n t h a t t h e
p a r a b l e i n 2 E s d r a s is p r i m a r y a n d t h a t s o m e h o w , i n t h e t i a d i t i o n
a s it h a s h e e n h a n d e c l o n b y t h e a u t h o r of t h e . \ p o c a l y p s c , t h e
o r i g i n a l p o i n t h a s b e e n lost, a l t h o u g h c e r t a i n k e y - w o r d s h a v e been
preserved.
T h e . A p o c a l y p s e a s it s t a n d s is p a t e n t l y C h r i s t i a n , a n d , a l t h o u g h
a t t e m p t s h a v e b e e n m a d e t o e x p l a i n it a s a fitndamenfally Jewish
w o r k with extensive Christian interpolations,^ they can hardly be
s a i d t o h a v e b e e n successful. T h e r e c a n b e little d o u b t t h a t t h e
a u t h o r w a s a C h r i s t i a n , since C h r i s t i a n features a r e discernible on
a l m o s t e v e r y p a g e . F o r i n s t a n c e , E s d r a s p l e a d s t h r e e t i m e s for ' t h e
r a c e o f ( C h r i s t i a n s ' , a t i. 6 , ii. 7 , a n d v . I: P a u l a n d J o h n are
m e n t i o n e d a t i. 1 9 , ' a l l t h e a p o s t l e s ' a t ii. I , a n d ' P e t e r a n d P a u l a n d
L u k e a n d M a t t h e w ' in b e t w e e n ' E n o c h a n d E l i a s a n d M o s e s ' a n d
' a l l t h e r i g h t e o u s a n d t h e p a t r i a r c h s ' a t v. 2 2 : M a r k xiii. 7 - 8 ,
1 2 - 1 3 , 2 8 - 2 9 , is c l e a r l y t h e s o u r c e o f iii. 1 2 - 1 3 , w h i l e 1 C o r . x v . 5 2
is q u o t e d i n p a r t a t i v . 3 6 .
L h e i e is a p r e s u m p t i o n , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t o u r G r e e k t e x t is n o t a
translation but (apart from its c o r r u p t i o n s ) what the original
a u t h o r w r o t e . W i t h t h i s a c c o r d s t h e close a g r e e m e n t of vii. ,5-7
w i t h t h e S e p t u a g i n t G r e e k t e x t o f I s a . x l . 12 a n d P s . c x x x v i . 2 5 .
V a r i o u s d a t e s h a v e b e e n s u g g e s t e d . J a m e s , for i n s t a n c e , t h o u g h t
t h e A p o c a l y p s e a s l a t e a s t h e 9 t h c e n t . .AD." O t h e r s h a v e d a t e d it
e a r l i e r . ' .All t h a t c a n s a f e l y b e s a i d is t h a t if it s t a n d s i n t h e s a m e
t r a d i t i o n a s 2 E s d r a s a n d i s i n d e e d a l a t e r d e v e l o p m e n t o f it, t h e n
t h e A p o c a l y p s e c a n n o t b e d a t e d b e f o r e c. .AD 1 5 0 a t t h e e a r l i e s t .
A g a i n s t s u c h a n e a r l y d a t e is t h e f a c t t h a t t h e r e a r e n o c e r t a i n l y
i d e n t i f i a b l e q u o t a t i o n s f r o m t h e A p o c a l y p s e i n a n y F a t h e r ; n o r is
t h e r e a n y c e r t a i n r e f e r e n c e t o it i n a n y o f t h e S c r i p t u r a l l i s t s ( t h e
'Apocalypse of Esdras' mentioned at the very e n d of the O l d
Testament items in the List of Sixty Books may be to our

' T h u s , Riessler distinguished: (1) the Jewish base (i. l-iii. 10; iii. 16-iv. 8;iv.
1 6 - 2 1 ; v . 6 - v i . 2 ) a n d (2)'theChristian interpolations (iii. 1 \-\'y,
iv. 9-1.=); iv. 22-v.
.•); vi. .3-vii. 16).
" .VI. R.yAmc%, Apocrypha Anecdota {= TIV I I . iii; Cambridge, 1893), p. 1 l.'i.
' e.g. P. Batilliil (art. 'Apocalypses apocryphes' in F. Vigouroux Dictionaire de la
Bible, L ii (Paris, 1892), col. 765) suggested the 5 t h - 8 t h cents.
 The Apocalypse of Esdras 931

A p o c a l y p s e , b u t it is m u c h m o r e p r o b a b l y a r e f e r e n c e t o 2 I v s d r a s ) .

T h e t r a n s l a t i o n w h i c h f o l l o w s is m a d e f r o m t h c t e x t a s p r i n t e d
b y W a h l . A n d i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n it is w o r t h o b s e r v i n g t l i a t t h c l a t e
G r e e k s t y l e i n w h i c h t l i e . A p o c a l y p s e is w r i t t e n h a s c o m b i n e d w i t h
thc unsatisfactory condition o f t h e M S S t o m a k e it e x t r e m e l y
d i l l i c u l t iti m a n y p a s s a g e s t o c o a x t h e t e x t i n t o y i e l d i n g a n y t h i n g
a p p r o a c h i n g a tolerable sense.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

C. TlSCMlKNDORF, Apocalypses Apocryphae (Leipzig, 1866),

pp. 24-33.
O . W , \ H I , , Apocalypsis Esdrae. Apocalypsis Sedrach. Visio Bealae E'idrae
( = FVTG\M; Leiden 1977), p p . 2 5 - 3 5 .

1R.A.NSLAT10.\S

English
.A. W A L K E R , Apocryphal Gospels, Acts, and Revelations (= Ante-Nicene
Christian Library, x v i ; E d i n b u r g h , 1 8 7 0 ) , p p . 4 6 8 — 4 7 6 .

German
V. R\V.i,SL\.R,AjSaB\Y>Y>. 126-137.
U . B . M 0 L L E R i n JSh-rZ V . 2 ( 1 9 7 6 ) , p p . 8 5 - 1 0 2 .

A . - . M . D E N E S , IPGAT, pp. 91-96.

M. R . J A M E S , 'The Testament of Abraham ( = ' A ' I I . ii; C a m b r i d g e ,
1892), p p . 6 4 - 6 5 .
, in R . L . B E N S L V , The Fourth Book of Ezra (= TS I I I . ii;
C a m b r i d g e , 1895), p p . Ixxxvi—Ixxxix.
P . RlESSLER,47.Sa/?', p . 1 2 7 3 .
 apocalypse of esdras
932 The Apocalypse of Esdras
v.. I ' l S C H K N D O R I - , ' H i n l c i t i i n g in d i e O i r c i i l i a r u i i g d e s J o i i a n n c s
i i s w . " i n Theologische Studien und Kritiken ( H a n i l ) u r g , 1 8 5 1 ) , p p .
423-131.
H . X ' l O I . K I . Die Esra-Apokalypse (IV Esra) (= CCS s\n\: Leipzig,
1 9 1 0 ) , p p . 1-lix.

.\ word a n d revelation of t h e holy prophet Lsdras. even God's

beloved.
. \ L t \ our L a t h e r a d d h i s b l e s s i n g . '

I. It e a m e t o p a s s in t h e t h i r t y - s e c o n d y e a r a n d o n t h e t w e n t i e t h
2 day o f t h c m o n t h I w a s i n m y h o u s e . . V n d I c r i e d o u t , s a y i n g t o t h e
:i . \ I o s t H i g h , L o r d , g r a n t m e t h e p r i v i l e g e t o s e c ' t h y m y s t e r i e s . .And
w h e n it w a s n i g h t t h e r e c a m e a n a n g e l , . M i c h a e l t h c a r c h a n g e l , a n d
h c s a i d t o m c , L r o m t o - m o r r o w , L s d r a s , ' y o u m u s t a b s t a i n from
I food I b r s e v e n t y days. . A n d I f a s t e d a s h e t o l d m c . .And R a p h a e l , t h e
.') p r i n c e , c a m e a n d g a v e m e a n i n c e n s e stick. .And I fasted for t w i c e
li five'' w e e k s ; a n d I s a w G o d ' s m y s t e r i e s a n d h i s a n g e l s . A n d I .said t o
t h e m , I w o u l d p l e a d w i t h G o d I b r t h e r a c e o f C h r i s t i a n s : // were
b e t t e r lor m a n n o t to have been born than to c o m e into the world,
7 S o I w a s taken u p into heaven. I s a w i n t h e first h e a v e n a g r e a t
» c o m p a n y o f a n g e l s ; a n d t h e y l e d m e t o t h e j u d g e m e n t s . \nA I
heard a voice saying to m c . H a v e mercy on us, Esdras, God's
c h o s e n o n e . T h e n I began to say. W o e to t h e sinners, w h e n they sec
t h e r i g h t e o u s a b o v e a n g e l s , a n d t h e y t h e m s e l v e s a r e i n t h e fires o f
1(1 h e l l , ' . A n d E s d r a s s a i d . H a v e m e r c y o n t h e w o r k s o f t h y h a n d s , t h o u
11 who art full o f c o m p a s s i o n a n d m e r c y ; p a s s s e n t e n c e o n m e r a t h e r
t h a n o n t h e s o u l s o f t h e s i n n e r s ; t o r it is b e t t e r t o p u n i s h o n e s o u l
11.' t h a n t o b r i n g t h e w h o l e w o r l d t o d e s t r u c t i o n . .And Gtxd s a i d , I w i l l
1 ;i g i v e r e s t t o t h e r i g h t e o u s i n P a r a d i s e ; a n d 1 a m indeed m e r c i f u l . A n d
14 E s d r a s said. Lord, w h y dost thou favour the righteous? For just as

' l.il. 'Bless. Falher'.

- I.il. 'Lord, give the glor\ that 1 may see'.
' Lit "the prophet Esdras'.
'' .So Walker (thus making seventy days in all): the .\ISS read 'sixty'.
' I.it. into the (Jehenna of fire'.
 The Apocalypse of Esdras 933
a h i r e d s e r v a n t ' w h o h a s s e r \ e d h i s t i m e a n d g o e s a w a y , a n d Ihen
e o m e s a g a i n i n t o t h e s e r v i c e oiKxsJormer m a s t e r a s ;i s h i v e b y a l u c k y
c h a n c e , ' s o a l s o is t h e r i g h t e o u s man who has r e c e i \ e d h i s r e w a r d ' i n
1.") h e a v e n . B u t h a v e m e r c y o n t h e s i n n e r s , for w e k n o w t h a t tiioii a r t
Ki m e r c i f u l . .And G o d said, I d o not see h o w I c a n h a \ e m e r c y o n
17,If! t h e m . .And Ksdras said. T h e y c a n n o t e n d u r e thy w r a t h . . \ n d ( i o d
I!) s a i d . T h e y h a v e b r o u g h t it t)n t h e m s e l v e s . " .And (icKl s a i d . I w o u l d
'in h a v e y o u a s P a u l a n d J o h n : y o u o l f e r m c f r e e l y , u n c ( j r r u p t . t h e
i n v i o l a b l e t r e a s u r e , t h e p r e c i o t t s jewel o f virginity," t h e r a m p a r t o f
•Jl m e n . . A n d K s d r a s s a i d . Il were b e t t e r f o r m a n n o t t o h a v e b e e t i b o r n .
'i'i b e t t e r n o t to be alive: t h e irratitinal creatures a r e better wheti
c o m p a r e d w i t h m a n . b e c a u s e t h e y h a v e lo endure t i o p u n i s h m e t i t .
23,Jt B u t t h o u hast fashioned us, a n d given us over to j u d g e m e n t . W o e
t o s i n n e r s i n t h e w o r l d t o c o m e , for t h e i r j u d g e t n e t i t is i n t e r m i n a b l e
a n d their flame unquenchable.

II. W h i l e I w a s talking t h u s with h i m , .Michael c a m e , a n d ( i a b r i e l .

'J,:i a n d a l l t h e a p o s t l e s , a n d s a i d . H a i l , faithful m a n of ( i o d . (.And
4 E s d r a s s a i d , ) U p , L o r d , a n d c o m e w i t h m e t o j u d g e i n e n t . .And ( i o d
s a i d . B e h o l d , I give y o u ' m y c o v e n a n t , m i n e a n d y o u r s , ' Ibr your^
.').(i a c c e p t a n c e . .And E s d r a s s a i d . L e t u s p l e a d in t h i n e e a r . .And (itid
s a i d , .Ask . A b r a h a m y o u r f a t h e r h o w a s o n s h o u l d p l e a d w i t h a
7 f a t h e r , ' a n d then c o m e and p l e a d w i t h me.'' .And E s d r a s s a i d , .As t h e
L o r d lives, I will n o t c e a s e p l e a d i n g w i t h t h e e o n b e h a l f of the r a c e
K o f C h r i s t i a n s . W h e r e a r e t h y a n c i e n t m e r c i e s . L o r d ? W h e r e is t h y
9 p a t i e n c e ? . A n d G o d s a i d , .As I m a d e n i g h t a n d d a y . I m a d e t h e
r i g h t e o u s a n d t h e s i n n e r , a n d Ihe sinner s h o u l d h a v e l i v e d a s t h e

' Gk.ftlaeiog Cllirctl srrvailt') . . . fliaOdv ('rfwartl'l. lioth translation antl sense
in this verse are far frotn certain.
' Reading IjiuvxCbg I'm i.-nrvx^iv.
* Lit. 'These things are of such men'.
Reading naQOevlai; f'or :taQ6tvov.

' .Singular. - Plural.

' Lit. '. . . \ our father what sort of son pleads in a father'. (The occurence here of
the rare i)iK<i5«'9ai6'should be noted, which, if the B text ofthe L X X a t J u d g . vi 'M
is a n y guide, should mean 'plead against': in this case the reference could conceiv-
ablv be to G e n . xxii rather than toCien. xviii).
MSS'US'.
 9'M Tlie Apocalypse of Tsdras
III r i g l i t c o i i s . A n d t h e p r o p h e t s a i d . W l i o m a d e tiic l i r s t - f o r i n c d
11 . \ d a n i , t l i c first man? . \ i i d ( i o d s a i d . .\I> u n s u l l i e d h a n d s . . \ i i d I set
IL' h i m i n P a r a d i s e t o k e e p t h e p a s t u r e ol t h e t r e e o f l i f c . B u t h e t h e n
li set his m i n d on disobedience a n d transgressed. .\iid the prophet
II said. W a s he not g u a r d e d by a n angel? .\iid was he not watched
o \ e r b y t h e c h e r u b i m in this life so lhal he mighl come t o t h e w o r l d t h a t
1.) h a s n o e n d ? H o w t h e n w a s it t h a t h e w h o w a s w a t c h e d o v e r b y
a n g e l s w a s d e c e i v e d ? I h o u didst specifically coniiiiand h i m to take
III h e e d a n d t o ( ( i n l i i r m t o w h a t thou d i d s t s a y t o h i m . ' \'ri if t h o u
h a d s t n o t given him Eve, t h eserpent w o u l d n o t h a v e deceived h i m .
1 7 As for thee, w h o m t h o u w i l i e s t t h o u d o s t s a v e , a n d w h o m t h o u
IK w i l l e s t t h o u d o s t d e s t r o y . . \ n d t h e p r o j j h c t s a i d . E e t u s p a s s o v e r ,
l'l n n E o r d . t o a s e c o n d j u d g e m e n t , . \ i i t l ( i o d s a i d . I ( a s t h r e u p o n
-'II S o d o m a n d ( i o m o r r a h . . A n d t h e p r o p h e t s a i d . E o r d . t h o u t l o s t
L'l r e w a r d u s a s w e d e s e r v e . " . \ n d ( i o d s a i d , 'k'our s i n s e x c e e d t h e
•JJ l i m i t s o f m y t o l e r a n c e . ' . \ n d t h c p r o p h e t s a i d . R e m e m b e r t h e
S c r i p t u r e s , i n y F a t h e r , who d i d s t m e a s u r e o u t J e r u s a l e m a n d s e t it
.'i u p : h a v e m e r c y . E o r d , o n s i i m e r s : h a v e m e r c y o n t h \ c r e a t i o n :
L'l h a \ e p i t y o n t h y w o r k s . F h c n ( i o d r e m e m b e r e d w h a t h e h a d m a d e .
L'."> a n d h e s a i d t o t h e p r o p h e t . H o w c a n I h a v e m e r c y o n t h e m ? f h e y
g a v e m c v i n e g a r a n d g a l l t o d r i n k , a n d not even then d i d t h e y
L'l) r c [ ) e n t . . \ i i d t h c p r o p h e t s a i d . R e v e a l t h y c h e r u b i m , a n d let u s g o
L'7 t o g e t h e r t o j u d g e m e n t ; a n d s h o w m e w h a t t h c d a y o f j u d g e m e n t is
l.L'ii l i k e . . \ n d G o d s a i d , V o u a r e w r o n g . E s d r a s ; f o r t h e d a y o f j u d g e ­
m e n t is l i k e a d a y o n w h i c h t h e r e is n o r a i n u p o n t h e e a r t h :
i,:il c o m p a r e d w i t h t h a t day" it is a m e r c i f u l j u d g e m e n t . . A n d t h e
p r o p h e t s a i d , I w i l l n o t c e a s e p l e a d i n g w i t h t h e e , u n l e s s I s e e lhat
iL' f i n a l d a v ( . A n d ( i o d s a i d . ) C o u n t t h e s t a r s a n d t h e s a n d o f t h e s e a :
a n d if y o u c a n c o u n t t h e m , y o u c a n a l s o p l e a d vvith m e .

HI. .And t h e p r o p h e t said. Eord, thou knowesi that I a m but

' ' f l u * l e x l in v e r s e s \ '2- 1.') is verv b a d l v prt-srr

licin iilltTi-d is l i i g h l y c|ui-slii)n.il)lc.
" l . i l . 'vvciriliily d o s i l l i m i l i r i n i ; il u p o n u s ' .
' l . i l . ' i - x i T c d inv k i n d m - s s ' .
" Ri-Miinnntttgav tor ia.-jtyaf.
l.il. ' t h e d a v o l ' l h r consuinnialion'.
 The Apocalypse ofEsdras 935
L' h u m a n . ' a n d h o u c a n I c o u n l l l i c s t a r s o f h c a x c n a n d t h e s a n d o l '
;i t h e s e a ? .And ( i o d s a i d . . \ I y p r o p h e t , m y c h o s e n o n e , n o m a n m a y
k n o w t h a t great d a y a n d t h e maiiil'estalion that m u s t [irecedc t h e
1 j n d g e n i e i i t o l ' t h e w o r l d . ' F o r y o u r sake, m y p r o p h e t , 1 h a v e told
.") y o u t h e d a y , h u t t h e h o u r 1 l i a \ e n o t t o l d y o u . . A n d t h e p r o p h e t
li s a i d . L o r d , tell m e a l s o t h e y e a r s . . A n d ( ( i o d s a i d . ) H I s e e l h a l t h e
w o r l d ' s r i g h t e o u s n e s s h a s i n c r e a s e d . I will h e p a t i e n t w i t h i h e m .
B u t if n o l , I w i l l s t r e t c h m y h a n d o u t a n d t a k e h o l d o f t h e w o r l d h y
t h e f o u r c o r n e r s , a n d I w i l l c o l l e c t a l l Ihe peoples i n t o t h e s a l l e y o f
J e h o s h a p h a l . a n d I will w i p e o u t t h e r a c e o f m e n , a n d t h e w o r l d
7 will b e n o m o r e . .And t h e p r o p h e t s a i d . H o w t h e n c a n t h y right
8,!i h a n d b e g l o r i f i e d ? . A n d ( i o d s a i d , I a m g l o r i f i e d b y m y a n g e l s . .And
t h e p r o p h e t s a i d . L o r d , if t h o u d i d s t p u r p o s e s o . w h y d i d s t t h o u
10 f a s h i o n m a n ? I ' h o u d i d s t s a y t o . A b r a h a m o u r f a t h e r . I will g r e a t l y
m u l t i p l y y o u r d e s c e n d a n t s imlil Ihey are as numerous a s t h e s t a r s o f
heaven a n d a s t h e s a n d o n t h e s e a s h o r e . W h e r e , t h e n , is t h y
11 p r o m i s e ? .And ( i o d s a i d . First I will m a k e e a r t h q u a k e s a n d b r i n g
r.' r u i n o n b e a s t s a n d m e n . .And w h e n y o u s e e l h a t b r o t h e r b e t r a y s
b r o t h e r t o d e a t h , a n d c h i l d r e n t u r n a g a i n s t p a r e n t s , a n d a wife
l;i leaves h e ro w n h u s b a n d , a n d when nation makes w a rupon nation.
It t h e n \ o u w i l l k n o w t h a t t h e e n d is n e a r . ' F h e n b r o t h e r w i l l h a v e n o
m e r c y o n b r o t h e r , n o r m a n o n wife, n o r c h i l d r e n o n p a r e n t s , n o r
I.') friends o n friends, n o r slave o n master. F o r t h e .Adversary of m e n
h i m s e l f will a s c e n d from ' F a r t a r u s a n d m a k e a g r e a t d i s p l a y belbre
Hi m e n . W h a t shall I d o with you. Esdras; a n d w h yd o you plead with
me?

IV. .And t h e p r o p h e t s a i d . L o r d , I will n o t c e a s e t o p l e a d w i t h t h e e .

2,.i . A n d G o d s a i d . C o u n t t h e flowers o n t h e e a r t h . I f y o u c a n c o u n t
4 t h e m , y o u c a n a l s o p l e a d w i t h m e . .And t h e p r o p h e t s a i d . L o r d , I
c a n n o t c o u n t them: I a m b u t h u m a n ; ' b u t i n s p i t e o f t h i s I w i l l n o t
.i c e a s e my p l e a d i n g w i t h t h e e . I w o u l d . L o r d , s e e a l s o t h e l o w e r p a r t s
(i,7 o f T a r t a r u s . .And G o d s a i d . C o m e d o w n a n d see. .And h e g a v e m e
K . M i c h a e l a n d G a b r i e l a n d t h i r t y - f o u r o t h e r a n g e l s . .And I w e n t

' I.it. -I wear liumati flesh'.

• I.it. "the nianilestatioti whieh holds back ti)jud,ge the world'.

' L i t . ' I wear h u m a n llesh".

 '.>'M> The Apocalypse of Esdras
d o w n c i g l u y - l i \ c s t e p s ; a n d t h e y t o o k n i c d o w n another l i v e h u n d r e d
'I s t e p s . . \ i i d I s a w a l i c r y t h r o n e , a n d u p o n it a n o l d m a n icfli s i t t i n g ,
111 a n d h i s j u d g c m e n t w a s m e r c i l e s s . . A n d I s a i d t o t h e a n g e l s . W h o is
11 t h i s , a n d w h a t ii-as h i s s i n ? .And t h e y s a i d t o m e . T h i s is H e r o d w h o
lor a s h o r t spell w a s a king, a n d o r d e r e d t h e s l a u g h t e r ol'thc balics
:.l:i f r o m t w o y e a r s o l d a n d u n d e r . .And I s a i d . .Alas for h i s s o u l . .And
a g a i n t h e y l e d m e d o w n a further t h i r t y s t e p s , a n d I s a w t h e r e a
It s e e t h i n g l i r e , a n d in it a m u l t i t u d e o f s i n n e r s ; a n d I h e a r d t h e i r
1) v o i c e s , h u t t h e i r iiirms I d i d n o t s e e . .And t h e y led m e d o w n m a n y
111 s t e p s l o w e r s t i l l , w h i c h I c o u l d n o t c o u n t . .And I s a w t h e r e a g e d
m e n . a n d red-hot lengths of metal were being screwed' into their
. Ki e a r s . .And I s a i d . W h o a r e these, a n d w h a t t h e i r s i n ? .And t h e y
i'l s a i d t o m e . T h e s e w e r e ' e a v e s d r o p p e r s . .And t h e y led m e d o w n
.'0 a g a i n a n o t h e r h v e h u n d r e d s t e p s . .And 1 s a w t h e r e t h e w o r m t h a t
•Jl d o e s n o t s l e e p , a n d t h e h r e t h a t c o n s u m e s t h e s i n n e r s . .And t h e y l e d
m e d o w n t o t h c b o t t o m oUhepit o/ d e s t r u c t i o n , a n d 1 s a w t h e r e t h e
12 t w e l v e p l a g u e s o l ' t h c a b y s s . .And t h e y led m e a w a y t o w a r d s t h c
s o u t h , a n d 1 s a w there a m a n h a n g i n g by his eyelids, a n d the angels
•Ji w e r e s c o u r g i n g h i m . . A n d I a s k e d . W h o is t h i s , a n d w h a t was h i s
Jl s i n ? .And P r i n c e .Michael said t o m e . This m a n c o m m i t t e d incest
w i t h h i s m o t h e r : a s a p u n i s h m e n t for h i s m i s e r a b l e lust" h e w a s
J") o r d e r e d t o b e h a n g e d . .And they led m c a w a y t o w a r d s t h e n o r t h .
Jii a n d I s a w t h e r e a m a n h e l d d o w n b y i r o n b a r s . .And I a s k e d . W h o is
11 t h i s ? . A n d h e s a i d t o m e . T h i s is the man w h o s a y s , I a m t h e .son o f
Jii G o d , a n d w h o m a d e stones' b r e a d a n d w a t e r w i n e . .And t h e
p r o p h e t s a i d . L o r d , tell m e w h a t h e l o o k s l i k e , a n d I will i n s t r u c t * '
j'l m a n k i n d n o t t o b e l i e v e h i m . . A n d h e s a i d t o m e , H i s f a c e is l i k e a
w i l d b e a s t ' s . H i s r i g h t e y e is l i k e t h e D a y s t a r , ' ' a n d t h c o t h e r d o e s
:in n o t m o v e : " h i s m o u t h is a c u b i t across: h i s t e e t h are each a s p a n l o n g :
il h i s h n g e r s are l i k e p r u n i n g - h o o k s : h i s f o o t m a r k s measure t w o s p a n s ;

• I.il. 'and IniniillK piv<ils were liiriiiii!;!'.

' I.il. are'.
I.il. 'Ilav ing aec(iniplished his hide will'.
' Reading kWovi liir nkfiBovi.
" Kvd,Am{!,:taQayyel£>\uvjzoQayytXXxu.
' l.il. likcaslar lhal rises early'. C:p. Isa. xiv. 12; Rev. ii. 2 8 , xxii. Hi.
" (;k. iadXevroi;- the (ircek Bible rendering Ibr lhe 'phylactery' which was to be
worn 'between the eyes' (at Exod. xiii Hi and Deut. vi. 8. xi. 1 8 ) .
 The Apocalypse oJ Esdras 937
a n d o n h i s f'ori-hoad is a n i n s c r i p t i o n . " . A n t i c h r i s t " . H e lia.s l ) c c n
e x a l t e d t o h e a v e n : t o h e l l s h a l l h e d e s c e n d . " .At o n e t i m e h e w i l l
:t( b e c o m e a c h i l d , a t a n o t h e r a n o l d m a n . .And t h e p r o p h e t said.
Lord, how canst thou permit a n d meanwhile t h e h m n a n r a c e is
S'l l e d a s t r a y ? .And ( J o d s a i d . L i s t e n , m y p r o p h e t : h e b e c o m e s b o t h a
c h i l d a n d a n o l d m a n , a n d vc/ n o o n e b e l i e v e s h i m , l h a t h e is m y
;i(i b e l o v e d s o n . .And a l t e r this a t r u m p e t will s o u n d . " a n d t h e t o m b s
M will b e o p e n e d , a n d t h e d e a d will b e r a i s e d i m o r r u p t i b l e . T h e n t h e
.Adversary, when h e h e a r s t h e fearful t h r e a t , will h i d e himself
:iK o u t s i d e i n t h e d a r k n e s s . ' L h e n w i l l t h e h e a v e n a n d t h e e a r t h a n d t h e
;W s e a b e d e s t r o y e d : t h e n w i l l I b u r n t h e h e a v e n lo Ihe exieni 0/ vighiy
1(1 c u b i t s a n d t h e e a r t h lo Ihe exieni 0 / e i g h t h u n d r e d ( i i b i t s . .Atid t h e
tl p r o p h e t s a i d . . A n d w h a t s i n h a s t h e h e a v e n c o m m i t t e d ? .And ( J o d
1".' s a i d . W h e n ( . . . ) t h e r e is t h e e v i l . .And t h e p r o p h e t s a i d . L o r d , a n d
i;i what sin has the earth committed? .And ( i o d s a i d . W h e n t h e
. A d v e r s a r y , a f t e r h e a r i n g m y fearful t h r e a t , h a s h i d d e n himself, a n d
b e c a u s e o f t h i s , I w i l l m e l t t h e e a r t h in a f u r n a c e a n d w i t h it t h e
rebel ofthe h u m a n rate.

V. . A n d t h e p r o p h e t s a i d . H a v e m e r c y . L o r d , 011 t h e r a c e o f d h r i s t -
L' i a n s . . A n d I s a w a w o m a n h a n g i n g , a n d f o u r w i l d b e a s t s were
:i s u c k i n g h e r b r e a s t s . . A n d t h e a n g e l s s a i d t o m e , l h i s w o m a n nol only
b e g r u d g e d t o g i v e h e r m i l k , b u t s h e a l s o t h r e w her i n f a n t s i n t o t h e
4 rivers. .And I s a w g r i m d a r k n e s s a n d night without stars o r mtion.
.') A n d t h e r e is t h e r e n e i t h e r y o u n g n o r o l d , n o r b r o t h e r w i t h b r o t h e r ,
t) n o r m o t h e r w i t h c h i l d , n o r wife w i t h h u s b a n d . .And I w e p t a n d
7 s a i d , S o v e r e i g n L o r d , h a v e m e r c y o n t h e s i n n e r s . .And w h i l e I w a s
s a y i n g this a cloud c a m e a n d took hold o l m e a n d carried m e a w a y
«,<» a g a i n t o h e a v e n . . A n d I s a w t h e r e m a n y j u d g e m e n t s . .And I w e p t
b i t t e r l v a n d s a i d . B e t t e r were il f o r a m a n n o t t o h a v e c o m e o u t o f h i s
111 m o t h e r ' s womb. .And t h o s e w h o w e r e u n d e r g o i n g punishment
c r i e d o u t s a y i n g . S i n c e y o u c a m e h e r e , y o u h o l y man o f ( J o d , w e
II h a v e f o u n d little respite. .And t h e p r o p h e t said. Blessed a r e they
Vi t h a t w e e p f o r t h e i r s i n s . A n d G o d s a i d . L i s t e n my b e l o v e d E s d r a s ,

' C:p. Isa. xiv. l : i - l . i ; .Matt. xi. 2:5 I.ukc x. l.'i.

O r 'him'.
" So B: . \ oni.'will sound'.
'•' C o d ' s answer here is clearly incomplete.
 938 The Apocalypse oj Esdras
J u s t a s a f a r m e r sows w h e a t seed in t h e e a r t h , so also a m a n sows
l:t h i s s e e d iti t h e field o f a w o m a n . During lhe first monlh it r e m a i n s a s it
w a s , ' in the s e c o n d it i n c r e a s e s i n size,* in the t h i r d it g r o w s h a i r , in lhe
f o u r t h it g r o w s n a i l s , in lhe fifth it t a k e s m i l k l o r f o o d , ' in lhe s i x t h it
becomes r e a d y " a n d r e c e i v e s ;'/,( s o u l , in lhe s e v e n t h it p r e p a r e s
i t s e l f , ' and in lhe n i n t h t h e d o o r s o f t h e w o m a n ' s w o m b " a r e o p e n e d
11 a n d i l is b o r n s a f e a n d s o u n d u p o n t h c e a r t h . . A n d t h c p r o p h e t s a i d ,
1.') L o r d , b e t t e r w e r e it f o r t h e m a n n o t t o h a v e b e e n b o r n . W o e t o t h c
16 h u m a n ( r a c e ) t h e n , w h e n t h o u c o m c s t ' t o j u d g e m e n t , .And I .said l o
the L o r d , L o r d , w h y didst thou fashion m a n a n d deliver h i m to
17 j u d g e m e n t ? . A n d G o d s a i d w i t h . s o m e v e h e m e n c e . " 1 w i l l n o t h a v e
18 m e r c y o n t h o s e w h o d i s r e g a r d m y c o v e n a n t . .And t h e p r o p h e t s a i d ,
19 L o r d , w h e r e i s t h y g o o d n e s s ? .And G o d s a i d , 1 c r e a t e d a l l t h i n g s f o r
20 m a n ' s s a k e , a n d m a n d o e s n o t k e e p m y c o m m a n d m e n t s . .And t h e
21 p r o p h e t said. Lord, show m e thejudgements a n d Paradise. A n d
t h e a n g e l s led m e a w a y t o w a r d s t h c cast, a n d 1 s a w t h e tree oflifc.
22 .And I s a w there E n o c h a n d Elijah a n d M o s e s a n d Peter a n d Paul
a n d L u k e a n d M a t t h e w " a n d all t h e righteous a n d t h e patriarchs.
2i .And I s a w t h e r e t h c t p u n i s h m c n t t ' " o f t h e air a n d t h e blowing of
t h c w i n d s a n d tlie s t o r e s o f c r y s t a l s a n d t h e e v e r l a s t i n g j u d g e -
24,2,i m e n t s . A n d I .saw t h e r e a m a n h a n g i n g b y h i s h e a d . .And t h e y s a i d
26 t o t n e , T h i s m a n m o v e d b o u n d a r y - s t o n e s . .And 1 s a w t h e r e s o m e
c r u e l j u d g e m e n t s . " .And I said to t h e L o r d , .Sovereign L o r d , w h a l
, *27 m a n i s t h e r e w h o h a s e v e r b e e n b o r n and h a s n o t s i n n e d ? .And t h e y
led m e d o w n l o w e r in L a r l a r u s , a n d I s a w t h e sinners all m o u r n i n g
28 a n d w e e p i n g , a n d ( l a m e n t i n g ) their vxW l o t . " .And 1 w e p t a l s o w h e n
1 s a w t h e h u m a n r a c e b e i n g p u n i s h e d .so.

' Lit. 'it is all tog(.-tlier'.

• Reading oyKotxai for oi'xwfirr.
' I.it.'it becomes milky'.
•* Reading Iroifiov ibr atn/iov.
' Here thc eighth stage is omitted.
Lit. 'gale-house'.
' So M S (UBng). Perhaps we should read 'it comes'
" Lit. 'with a lofty proclamation'.
" Reading MarOalov for Mardciav (.Matthias).
Gk. KdXaoiv.
" I.it. 'And I saw there great judgements'.
" So A: B o m ' a n d {lamenting)/te>evil lot'.
 The Apocalypse of Esdras 939

VI. r i i e i i G o d .said l o m c . D o y o u Icnow, K s d r a s . t l i c n a m e s of"tlic

2 a n g e l s a t t h e c o n s u m m a t i o n - M i c h a e l , CJahriel, L'ricl, R a p h a e l ,
i (Jabuthcloii, .\ker, .\rphugitonos. Bebtiros. a n d /ehiiloii? Then
c a m e a voice to m e . G o m e d i e . Ksdras m y lieloved. a n d give u p
1 w h a t w a s e n t r u s t e d t o y o u . .And t h e p r o p h e t s a i d , .And h o w will
y o u g e t a t m y s o u l t o t a k e it a w a y ? .And t h e a n g e l s s a i d . W e c a n g e t a t
(i it a n d e x p e l it t h r o u g h y o u r m o u t h . . A n d t h e p r o p h e t s a i d . . M o u t h
t o m o u t h I s p o k e w i t h ( J o d . a n d it s h a l l n o t c o m e o u t ' f r o m t h e r e .
7.li . A n d t h e a n g e l s s a i d . L e t u s t a k e it t h r o u g h y o u r n o s t r i l s . .And t h e
!i p r o p h e t s a i d . . M y n o s t r i l s h a v e s a v o u r e d t h e g l o r y o l ' G o d . .And t h e
II) a n g e l s s a i d . L e t u s g e t it a n d t a k e it t h r o u g h y o u r e y e s . .And
II t h e p r o p h e t s a i d , .My e y e s d i d s e e t h e h a c k p a r t s o f ( J o d . .And
t h e a n g e l s s a i d . L e t u s g e t it a n d t a k e it t h r o u g h t h e t o p o f y o u r
li; h e a d . .And t h e p r o p h e t said, I w a l k e d together with M o s e s o n t h e
l:i m o t m t a i n - / o / » , a n d it s h a l l n o t c o m e o u t ' f r o m t h e r e . .And t h e a n g e l s
n s a i d . L e t u s t a k e it a n d e x p e l it t h r o u g h y o u r t o e s . .And t h e p r o p h e t
I.') s a i d , . M y feet a l s o w a l k e d a t t h e a l t a r . . A n d t h e a n g e l s w e n t a w a y
II) w i t l u i u t s u c c e s s , s a y i n g . L o r d , w e c a n n o t t a k e h i s s o u l . T h e n h e
said to his only-begotten S o n .(Jo d o w n , m y beloved Son, with a
17 g r e a t h o s t o f a n g e l s , a n d t a k e t h e s o u l o f m y b e l o v e d K s d r a s . .And"
t h c L o r d t o o k a g r e a t h o s t o f a n g e l s a n d went down and s a i d t o t h e
prophet. Give u p to m e what w a s entrusted to you - what I
IK e n t r u s t e d t o y o u : t h e c r o w n h a s b e e n m a d e r e a d y for y o u . .And t h e
prophet s a i d . L o r d , if t h o u takest m y soul from m e , w h o will
I!) r e m a i n t o p l e a d w i t h t h e e o n b e h a l f o f t h e h u m a n r a c e ? .And G o d
s a i d . S i n c e y o u a r e m o r t a l a n d o f t h e e a r t h y o u should n o t p l e a d
2CI w i t h m e . . A n d t h e p r o p h e t s a i d , I w i l l n o t s l o p my p l e a d i n g w i l h
L'l t h e e . .And ( J o d s a i d , Kven s o , give u p n o w w h a t h a s b e e n e n t r u s t e d
22 t o y o u : t h e c r o w n h a s b e e n m a d e r e a d y for y o u . G o m e d i e , s o t h a t
23 y o u m a y o b t a i n it. T h e n t h e p r o p h e t b e g a n to w e e p a n d s a y , O
L o r d , w h a t h a v e I . g a i n e d / r o w my p l e a d i n g w i t h t h e e , if I a m n o w t o
24 s i n k d o w n i n t o t h e e a r t h ? .Alas, a l a s , I b r I a m t o b e c o n s u m e d b y
2.5 w o r m s . W e e p f o r m e a l l s a i n t s a n d r i g h t e o u s m e n ; Jor I p l e a d e d
2fi m u c h . W e e p f o r m e a l l s a i n t s a n d r i g h t e o u s m e n , for I h a v e e n t e r e d
t h e d e p t h s o f hell.''
' I.it. 'it docs not conic out'.

- I.it.'For'. ' I.it.'the dish ol'Hadcs'.

 940 The Apocalypse oJ Esdras

VII. And G o d s a i d t o h i m , L i s t e n , L s d r a s m y b e l o v e d . I , a l t h o u g h
i m m o r t a l , e n d u r e d a cross; I tasted v i n e g a r a n d gall: I w a s buried
2 in a toitib; a n d I r a i s e d u p m y c h o s e n o n e s . A d a m I called forth
f r o m hell, t h a t t h c h u m a n race m i g h t h a v e n o c a u s e to b e afraid of
i d e a t h . F o r t h a t part of man w h i c h is o f m e , t h a t is his s o u l , d e p a r t s t o
h e a v e n ; t h a t pari of him w h i c h i s o f t h e e a r t h , t h a t is his b o d y ,
4 d e p a r t s t o t h e e a r t h f r o m w h i c h it w a s t a k e n . . A n d t h c p r o p h e t s a i d ,
5 A l a s , a l a s . W h a t shall I d o ? H o w shall 1 lare? I d o n o t know. A n d
t h e n t h e blessed L s d r a s b e g a n to say,

( ) eternal G o d ,t h e creator ofall that is.

W h o didst m e a s u r e the heaven with thine outstretched hand,
.And dost h o l d t h e e a r t h in % g r a s p ,
6 W h o ridest u p o n the cherubim.
W h o didst take u p t h c p r o p h e t Elijah to heaven
In a chariot offire,
7 W h o g i v e s t f o o d t o a l l flesh.
W h o s e p o w e r all t h i n g s fear.
A n d before w h o s e face they t r e m b l e ; '
« (iivc c a r to tne a n d m y constant pleading with thee,
9 A n d g r a n t to all w h o transcribe this book.
A n d to all who h a v e charge of it,
A n d r e m e m b e r m y n a m e a n d preserve m y memory,
G r a n t t o t h e m blessing from heaven.
10 A n d bless all their'concerns
A s t h o u didst also bless the e n d ofjoseph,
11 . A n d r e m e m b e r n o t their' f o r m e r s i n s
I n t h e d a y of their'judgement.
12 B u t a s m a n y as d o n o t believe this book
Will be utterly consumed.
A s were S o d o m a n d G o m o r r a h .

13 .And there c a m e to h i m a voice saying, Esdras, m y beloved, what-

14 e v e r y o u h a v e a s k e d I will g r a n t t o e a c h o n e . A n d i m m e d i a t e l y h e
s u r r e n d e r e d h i s p r e c i o u s soul w i t h m u c h h o n o u r , in t h e m o n t h of

' I.it. 'at w h o m all things shudder and tremble before the face of thy power'.
' .MSS.'his'.
 The Apocalypse oJ Esdras 941

O c t o b e r o n t h e e i g h t e e n t h day. And they buried him with due

c e r e m o n y ; ' a n d h i s h o n o u r e d a n d h o l y b o d y is a p e r p e t u a l s o u r c e
o f s t r e n g t h , both o f s o u l a n d b o d y , t o t h o s e w h o a r e t n o v e d t o c o m e
t o h i m . T o H i m t o w h o m it b e l o n g s be g l o r y , p o w e r , h o n o u r , a n d
w o r s h i p , to t h e F a t h e r , a n d to the S o n , a n d to the H o l y Spirit, n o w
a n d always, world without end. .\men.

' Lit. 'with incense and psain

 THE VISION OF ESDRAS

I.N T R O D U C TION

T h e X ' i s i o n oi K s d r a s , iilvi" I h c . A s s u m p t i o n o l . \ l o s e s , is e.xtant o n l y

i n L a t i n ; a n d w h e n ( i . . \ I c r c a t i p t i h l i s h c d h i s e d i t i o n in 1901 h c h a d
t o r e l y o n a s i n g l e .\I.S ( \ ' a t . l a t . 3 8 3 8 ; 1 2 t h c e n t . ) . S e v e n t y y e a r s
later, b y t h e t i m e ( ) . W a h l c a m e to p r e p a r e his edition olall three of
t h e L s d r a s a p o c r y p h a t r a n s l a t e d in t h e p r e s e n t c o l l e c t i o n , a s e c o n d
M.S o f t h c X'ision h a d a l s o b e c o m e a v a i l a b l e ( L i n z . Bibliothek d e s
P r i e s t e r s e m i n a r s . \ I/fi; l O t h o r 1 1 t h c e n t . ) . I ' h i s s e c o n d M S r a i s e d
u n e x p e c t e d c o m p l i c a t i o n s . W h e n a second M S of the .Apocalypse
o f K s d r a s w a s d i s c o v e r e d , a s w e h a v e s e e n , ' t h c ellect w a s m i n i m a l ,
s i n c e t h c n e w l y d i s c o v e r e d .MS w a s n o m o r e t h a n a c o p y oi'the o n e
a l r e a d y k n o w n . N o t s o w i t h t h e tiew .MS o f t h e X ' i s i o n . I n t h e
X ' i s i o n t h e r e a r c s e v e r a l n o t e w o r t h y d i v e r g e n c i e s in b a s i c s u b j e c t -
m a t t e r b e t w e e n t h e t w o .XISS t o w a r d s t h e e n d o i ' t h e t e x t ( a d d i ­
t i o n a l c l a s s e s o f s i n n e r s a p p e a r in t h c L i n z .XIS w h i c h a r e a b s e n t
f r o m t h c X ' a t i c a n ) : t h e r e a r e c o n t i i u i a l d i l f c r e n c e s in w o r d i n g
t h r o u g h o u t ( e s p e c i a l l y in t h e o r d e r of w o r d s , e v e n w h e n t h e s a m e
w o r d s a r e u s e d ) ; a n d f u r t h e r , w h e r e a s i n t h c X ' a t i c a n .XIS t h c
n a r r a t i v e r e f e r s c o n s i s t e n t l y t o L s d r a s i n t h e t h i r d p e r s o n , in t h e
L i n z .XIS L s d r a s a l m o s t i n v a r i a b l y s p e a k s o f h i m s e l f i n t h e h r s t . .A
s p e c i m e n will s e r v e to i l l u s t r a t e t h e s e last t w o p o i n t s :

r«/;f««.l/.V Lm-.\LS
I \'eiiiel)anl v iri Ibrtissiini ( \ ' e n i e l ) a n u j u e per se viri itiagiii
et t r a n s i c b a r i t flanrnrani, et t r a n s i e b a n t l l a m r n a n r cius,
.") et rron t a n g e b a t c o s . K.t dixit b el n o n c o s t a n g e b a t . El i m e r r o -
Ksdras: gavi angelos, qui m c ducebant:
Q u i s u n t isti, q u i l a m sectiri Q u i s u n t isti, q u i c u m tatilo
procedunt? gaudio proccdurn?

H o w a r e t h e s e d i l l e r e n c e s t o b e a c c o u n t e d for? I f t h e X'ision w a s
o r i g i n a l l y w r i t t e n in L a t i n , d i d s o m e l a t e r w o r t h y t a m p e r w i t h , o r
' i m p r o v e ' , t h e a u t h o r ' s t e x t ? O r , if L a t i n w a s n o t t h c o r i g i n a l

' .\l)ove. pp. 928-!).

944 The Vision of Esdras
l a n g u a g e , are we to s u p p o s e there were two independent transla­
tions o f t h e s a m e (presumably Greek) original? O r were there two
( n o t n e c e s s a r i l y i n d e p e n d e n t ) t r a n s l a t i o n s of t w o different recen­
s i o n s o f t h e o r i g i n a l ? W a h l v e n t i l a t e d possibilities o f t h i s k i n d in his
I n t r o d u c t i o n b u t , u n d e r s t a n d a b l y , d i d n o t p u r s u e t h e m ; a n d in t h e
body of his work he printed the text of both . \ I S S in parallel
columns.
W a h l ' s t y p e s c r i p t w a s r e a d y for t h e P r e s s w h e n t h e r e c a m e l o h i s
n o t i c e a f u r t h e r t e x t o f t h e X ' i s i o n t u c k e d a w a y a t t h e e n d o f t h e first
b o o k o f t h e . M a g n u m L e g e n d a r i u m . A u s t r i a c u m in a l a t e 1 2 t h c e n t .
.M.S f r o m L o w e r . A u s t r i a ( H e i l i g e n k r e u z , c o d . 1 1), w h i c h h a d , in
fact, a l r e a d y b e e n e d i t e d b y . \ . -Mussafia as long a g o a s 1871.^
Kortunatcly, this additional evidence necessitated no serious
rearrangement o f h i s b o o k a s il t h e n s t o o d . T h e Heiligenkreuz
c o d e x a l i g n e d itself very definitely w i t h M e r c a t i ' s V a t i c a n MS,
t h o u g h it w a s f a r f r o m i d e n t i c a l w i t h it, s o t h a i a l l W a h l n e e d e d t o
d o w a s t o r e c o r d i t s v a r i a n t s a t t h e foot o f h i s ' X ' a t i c a n ' c o l u m n .
I n t h e a b s e n c e , therefore, of a n y e s t a b l i s h e d critical edition, a n d
of a n y c l e a r i n d i c a t i o n as to h o w s u c h a n edition m i g h t be e s t a b ­
l i s h e d , it s e e m e d l h a t t h e w i s e s t c o u r s e I b r u s w a s l o b a s e o u r o w n
t r a n s l a t i o n u n r e s e r v e d l y o n t h e V a t i c a n .MS ( = V ) . F r o m t i m e t o
t i m e , h o w e v e r , a t t e n t i o n is d r a w n in t h e f o o t n o t e s t o a n y v a r i a n t s
offered b y e i t h e r t h e L i n z ( = L) o r H e i l i g e n k r e u z ( = H ) .MSS that
m i g h t e i t h e r b e i m p o r t a n t for t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e d o c u m e n t
a s a w h o l e o r b e of i n t e r e s t in t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of a n y p a r t i c u l a r
passage.

F h a t t h e X ' i s i o n is r e l a t e d i n s o m e w a y t o t h e . A p o c a l y p s e o f
L s d r a s is c l e a r e n o u g h . I n b o t h V i s i o n a n d . A p o c a l y p s e E s d r a s is
t a k e n o n a t o u r of t h e n e t h e r regions to inspect the t o r m e n t s of the
d a m n e d a n d c o n d u c t e d d o w n a series of steps by a n g e l s . ' In b o t h
he asks the angels w h o the particular individuals are that are
u n d e r g o i n g p a r t i c u l a r p u n i s h m e n t s : h e receives a n s w e r s in t h e
f o r m ' T h e s e a r e . . . ' ; a n d h e t h e n b e s e e c h e s G o d for m e r c y o n e a c h
p a r t i c u l a r c l a s s o f s i n n e r . S o m e o f t h e p u n i s h m e n t s d e s c r i b e d in

• .\. .Mussafia, Sultn viswne di Tundato (= Sitzungsberichlf der phii.-hist. Classe der
Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissemchajlen. Batid 67 (Vienna, 1871), pp, 202-206).
' \'is. Esdr. 2. 12, cp. .Vpoc. Esdr. iv. 8, 13, I.i. 19.
 Tlie Vision nj Esdras 945
both b o o k s a r c . o f l o u r s i - . s i m i l a r , a s is i n e v i t a b l e in t h i s t y p e o f
literature, and s o a l s o a r e .some of t h e s i i m e r s ; b u t especially
signihcant lor thc relationship between thc Vision and the
. \ p o c a l y p s e a r e t h e d e s c r i p t i o n s i n e a c h o f K i n g H e r o d s e a t e d o n "a
fiery t h r o n e " . ' ' a n d t h c d e s c r i p t i o n s of t h e p u n i s h m e n t of the in­
c e s t u o u s - it is t o b e n o t e d t h a t in b o t h \ " i s i ( ) n a n d . \ p o c a l y p s e t h i s
particular punishment is i n l l i c t e d in " t h e s o u t h " . ' . A t t e n t i o n tna>
a l s o b e d r a w n to t h e p a s s a g e at t h c e n d o f t h e X'ision. w h e r e K s d r a s
refuses thc angels" first olfer to take h i m to h e a \ e n , where hc
compares m a n " s lot o n e a r t h u n f a v o u r a b l y w i t h t h a t of t h e a n i ­
m a l s , a n d w h e r e G o d r e p l i e s "1 f a s h i o n e d m a n i n m y o w n image
a n d 1 c o m m a n d e d t h e m t h a t they s h o u l d not sin, a n d they did sin:
t h a t is w h y t h e y a r c i n t o r m e n t s " . T h e r e a r e p a r a l l e l s h e r e , n o t o n l y
i n t h e . X p o c a l y p s e , b u t a l s o i n t h e . A p o c a l y p s e o f S e d r a c h a n d in
2 Ksdras."
N o n e of t h e s e last p a r a l l e l s ( n o r , i n d e e d , a n y o f t h e o t h e r s ) a r e
sufTiciently close to d e m a n d direct literary d e p e n d e n c e . They sug­
g e s t r a t h e r t h a t t h e X'ision s t a n d s s q u a r e l y in t h c K z r a apochry-
p h a l t r a d i t i o n a n d t h a t it is e s s e n t i a l l y a n i n d e p e n d e n t rc-working
of s o m e of thc s a m e material that found its w a y a l s o i n t o the
.Apocalypse ( c h a p s . i\' a n d \'). W h e n t h c X'ision a s a w h o l e is
c o m p a r e d w i t h t h e o t h e r K z r a a p o c r y p h a , it l o o k s v e r y m u c h a s if
t h e a u t h o r w a s c o n c e r n e d t o c o n c e n t r a t e o n o n e e l e m e n t o n l y in
the tradition - namely, the details ofthe torments ofthe damned.
.No d o u b t h e h a s h i m s e l f e l a b o r a t e d it a n d d e v e l o p e d it. B u t the
result has been t h a t all t h c o t h e r e l e m e n t s in t h c t r a d i t i o n arc
virtually ignored. That is w h y , lor instance, the fundamental
q u e s t i o n w h y G o d c r e a t e d m a n a n d then a r r a n g e d things so that
h e s u f f e r s a s h e d o e s ( a q u e s t i o n w h i c h is d i s c u s s e d a t s o m e l e n g t h
i n t h e o t h e r K z r a a p o c r y p h a ) g e t s in t h e X'ision o n l y a v e r y c u r s o r y
m e n t i o n , a n d then only at the very end.
T h a t t h e a u t h o r w a s a G h r i s t i a n c a n h a r d l y b e d e n i e d . It is t r u e
that he is less obviously Clhristian than the author of the

' \ ' i s . Ksdr. ;i7-:iy: ep. .\poe. Ksdr. iv. 9 - IL'.

' \ is. Ksdr. H)-'21: ep. .\p<K. Ksdr. iv. Tl-H.
" With \ ' i s . Ksdr. .")()-57 ep. .Apoe. Ksdr. vi. '.\-\'> and .\poc. Sedr. ix. with
\ ' i s . Ksdr. 6'2 ep. .\(X)e. Ksdr. i. L'L' and L' Ksdr. vii. (i.5-(i(i. viii. '-'9-:il): with \ ' i s . Ksdr.
63 cp. Apijc. Ksdr. ii. 10-12, Apoc. .Sedr. iv. 4 - 6 . and 2 Ksdr. iii. . i - 7 .
94(j The Vision oj Esdras
Apocalypse. H e makes n o m e n t i o n ol' C h r i s t i a n s a s s u c h , o r of
Christian worthies; a n d there a r e n o explicit references in t h e
X'ision t o t h e .New T e s t a m e n t ( o t h e r t h a n t o H e r o d "who in B e t h ­
l e h e m o f J u d a e a killed y o u n g c h i l d r e n b e c a u s e o f t h e L o r d ' ) . O n
t h e o t h e r h a n d , there a r e references to ' t h e L o r d ' s D a y ' ( 1 0 ) , t o
' b a p t i s m ' ( 4 ( ) ) . t o t h e ' M a s s ' ( 1 0 L H ) , t o " c o n f e s s i o n ' (2f) X ' H , 3 6
\'H, 6 4 ) , a n d to " p e n a n c e ' ( 3 6 X ' H , 6 4 ) . . \ n d with this agrees t h e
a u t h o r ' s ( " o n c c n t r a t i o n o n t h e t o r m e n t s in Hell. T h e .Apocalypse o f
Peter (? 2 n d c e n t . ) provides a very early e x a m p l e of Christian
interest in these m a t t e r s , a n d t h e .Xpocalypse of Paul (xxxi-xliv)
a n o t h e r , rather later (4th cent.).
. A b o u t t h e d a t e o f t h e X ' i s i o n it is i m p o s s i b l e t o s a y v e r y m u c h . I f
it w a s w r i t t e n i n L a t i n , it c o u l d b e a s l a t e a s t h e 1 0 t h c e n t , ( t h e d a t e
of t h e earliest M . S ) . If, o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , o u r L a t i n t e x t is a
t r a n s l a t i o n o f a C r e e k original, a n y d a t e b e t w e e n t h e .ith a n d 9 t h
c e n t u r i e s is p o s s i b l e . '

BIBLIOGRAPHY

G. M K R C : . \ T l , Note di letteratura biblica e cristiana antica (= Studi e

Testi, V ; R o m e , 1 9 0 1 ) , p p . 6 1 - 7 3 .
O . W'.VHI., Apocalypsis Esdrae. Apocalypsis Sedrach. Visio Beati Esdrae
(= PVTG iv; L e i d e n , 1977), p p . 4 9 - 6 1 .

TR.\NSI..\TK)NS

German
P. R i K S S L K R , AjSaB\ p p . 350-3.54.

' In his edition Mcrcati drt-w allentimi to the fait ihal the phrasr 'becauseofthe
Lord* {propter dominum). which occurs at the end ofthe description of Herod (38), is
found also in one ofthe antiphons set in some breviaries for use al Lauds on Holy
Innocents' Day. Dtwrs this mean that the author ofthe X'ision wrote in I.atin and
was influenced by the Liturgy, or that a translator from (ireek was so influenced, or
that the phrase was added by a later copyist?
 visions of esdras
The Vision oI Esdras 947

A . - M . D K . M S , / P C / 1 r . p. 93.
P . R l K S S L K R , 4AVflB', p . 1 2 9 1

E s d r a s p r a y e d l o lh<; E o r d , s a y i n g , ( i i v e m e . L o r d , f a i l h s o l h a t 1
2 m a y n o t fear w h e n I s e c t h e j u d g e m e n t s o l t h e s i n n e r s . .And s e \ e n
a n g e l s of T a r t a r u s were given him, w h o carried h i md o w n ' seventy
3 s t e p s i n t o t h e n e t h e r r e g i o n s . Atid h e s a w t h e h e r y g a t e s ; a n d in
t h f \ s e g a t e s h e s a w t w o l i o n s lyin.g, f r o m w h o s e m o u t h s a n d n o s t r i l s
1 a n d e y e s h e r c e tongues o / flame p r o t r u d e d . .And s t r o n g m e n w e r e
c o m i n g a n d p a s s e d t h r o u g h t h e flame; a n d it d i d n o t t o u c h them,
j . A n d E s d r a s s a i d . W h o a r e t h o s e w h o w a l k through theflame w i t h s u c h
() confidence?' Lhe angels said lo h i m , 'Ihose a r c thc righteous
7 whose fame has reached to heaven, those w h o have done great
w o r k s o f m e r c y , who h a v e c l o t h e d t h e n a k e d , and w h o s e thoughts
8 a n d i n c l i n a t i o n s h a v e b e e n a l w a y s g o o d . ' .And o t h e r s w e r e c o m i n g ,
and tried t o g o i n Ihrough t h e g a l e s ; a n d t h c l i o n s " m a u l e d t h e m , a n d
9, lU t h e fire b u r n ( ^ d t h e m . . A n d E s d r a s s a i d . W h o a r c t h o s e ? T h c a n g e l s
said, Lhosc a r c they w h o denied the Lord, a n d on thc Lord's D a y '
i 1 sinned with w o m e n . A n d Esdras said. Lord, spare the sinners.
12 A n d t h e y l e d h i m a f u r t h e r fifty s t e p s l o w e r d o w n ; a n d h e s a w
I.S there m e n standing a n d undergoing punishment. .Some angels
w e r e p i l i n g fire u p o n t h e m i n f r o n t , a n d o t h e r s w e r e b e a t i n g t h e m
14 with fiery w h i j i s . . A n d t h e e a r t h w a s c r y i n g o u t , s a y i n g . B e a t them,
a n d d o n o t s p a r e t h e m , b e c a u s e it was u p o n m c that t h e y d i d t h e i r
15 wicked deed. A n d Esdras said. W h o are those w h o a r e daily
16 punished so severely? The angels said. T h o s e a r e they w h o h a d
17 i n t e r c o u r s e w i t h m a r r i e d w o m e n . T h e m a r r i e d w o m e n a r e women
w h o a d o r n e d t h e m s e l v e s , n o l for t h e i r o w n h u s b a n d s , b u t t o p l e a s e

' Lit. 'over': L 'down in'.

• L ' w h o walk with such great joy'.
' Lit. 'and desired a good desire'.
" All three .MSS read 'dogs'.
' L H a d d 'before M a s s ' .
 948 The Vision of F.sdras
if! o t h e r s (atici s o y i e l d e d t o t h e i r e v i l i n c l i n a t i o n s ) . * ' A n d K s d r a s s a i d ,
L o r d , s p a r e t h e sitiners.
19 . A n d a g a i n t h e y look him and set h i m d o w n ' a t t h e s o u t h ; a n d h e
s a w a fire, a n d p o o r people h a n g i n g t i p , both m e n * a n d w o m e n , a n d '
'21) a n g e l s w e r e b e a t i n g t h e m w i t h fiery cudgels. A n d Esdras said,'"
21 W h o a r e t h o s e ? . A n d t h e a n g e l s .said, J ' h e s e {sic) a r e t h e y w h o h a d
intercourse with their m o t h e r s , a n d yielded t o t h e i r evil incli-
22 n a t i o n s . " .And E s d r a s s a i d . L o r d , s p a r e t h e s i n n e r s .
23 . A n d t h e y l e d h i m down Jiirtherjnto the nether regions;'^ a n d he
s a w a c a l d r o n o f b u r n i r i g ' - ' s u l p h u r a n d p i t c h , a n d the level qf\l rose
24 a n d fell l i k e a w a v e o f t h e s e a . A n d s o m e r i g h t e o u s w e r e c o m i n g ,
a n d t h e y w e r e w a l k i n g i n t h e m i d d l e o f it, o v e r t h e w a v e s o f fire,
p r a i s i n g t h e n a m e o f t h e L o r d , j u s t a s if t h e y w e r e w a l k i n g o v e r d e w
25 o r c o o l w a t e r . A n d E s d r a s s a i d . W h o a r c t h o s e ? The a n g e l s s a i d ,
26 T h o s e a r e t h e y w h o t o t h e i r profit d a i l y m a d e confession in t h e
p r e s e n c e of G o d a n d ofhis holy priests, by doing works of mercy,
27 and b y r e s i s t i n g s i n s . ' " A n d s o m e s i n n e r s c a m e , w a n t i n g t o c r o s s
over, a n d angels of T a r t a r u s c a m e a n d p l u n g e d t h e m into the
2t! b u r n i n g fire. A n d t h e y c r i e d o u t f r o m t h e fire, s a y i n g . L o r d , h a v e
29 m e r c y o n u s ; b u t " h e s h o w e d t h e m " n o m e r c y . Their v o i c e s c o u l d
be h e a r d , b u t t h e y themselves could n o t b e s e e n " because of t h e
30,31 fire a n d t o r m e n t . .And E s d r a s s a i d . W h o a r e t h o s e ? T h e a n g e l s
s a i d . T h o s e w e r e c o v e t o u s men a n d t h i e v e s ' " a l l t h e i r d a y s : n o
32 s t r a n g e r d i d they take in, n o w o r k of m e r c y d i d they d o . They took
for t h e m s e l v e s u n j u s t l y whal belonged to others: they followed
33 t h e i r evil i n c l i n a t i o n s ; ' " a n d t h a t is w h y t h e y a r e in t o r m e n t s . A n d
E s d r a s said, Lord, spare t h e sinners.

^ Lit. 'desiring a n evil desire'.

' L '.And lhey tool; mc down and set me down'.
« \ om. ' " L H a d d 'four'.
'° \ ' a d d s 'Lord, spate the sinners'-ofn-iously in error.
" Lit. '(icstring ati c\'il desire'.
'^ So X'H: L specifies that he was talcen down what wouid seetu to be an
impossible n u m b e r of steps ('H quingentos'). " V om.'f>urning'.
'" L ' T h o s e are they w ho did many worlis of mercy and clothed the nalied'.
" Lit.'and'. '* V o m . ' t h e m ' .
" Lit. '.A voice was heard and no flesh was seen'.
'" O r 'slandereis' (so V H , Lat 'detractores'): L 'robbers' (Lat. 'raptores').
'" Lit. 'they h<ad (L 'desired') an evil desire'.
 The \ 'ision of Esdras 949
it A n d h c w a l k e d o n f u r t h e r , a n d h e s a w in a d a r k p l a c e t h e w o r m
i.T t h a t d o e s n o t d i e ' " - i t s s i z e h e c o u l d n o t m e a s u r e . .And in front o f i t s
m o u t h w e r e s t a n d i n g m a n y s i n n e r s ; a n d w h e n it d r e w i n a b r e a t h
t h e y w e r e s u c k e d i n t o i t s m o u t h " l i k e flies, b u t w h e n it b r e a t h e d
id o u t t h e y a l l c a m e o u t again w i t h a d i l f c r e n t c o l o u r . .And P^sdras s a i d .
W h o a r c t h o s e ? . A n d t h e a n g e l s s a i d . T h o s e w e r e full o f e v e r y c \ i l ,
a n d they passed over without confession a n d p e n a n c e . "
i? . A n d h c s a w ' ' a m a n s i t t i n g o n a fiery t h r o n e , a n d f r o m t h e h r e hts
servants m i n i s t e r e d t o h i m o n e v e r y s i d e , a n d h i s c o u n s e l l o r s s t < K x l
liii r o u n d a b o u t h i m i n t h e h r e . . A n d E s d r a s . s a i d . W h o is t h a t ? .And t h e
a n g e l s s a i d , T h a t m a n w a s a k i n g for m a n y y e a r s . H e r o d b y n a m e ,
w h o in B e t h l e h e m o f j u d a h killed" young children because ofthe
li'.i L o r d . .And E s d r a s said. Lord, thou hast pronounced a proper
judgement.
U) . A n d h e w a l k e d on further a n d s a w m e n b o u n d , a n d a n g e l s o f
tl T a r t a r u s w e r e s t a b b i n g t h e m in t h e e y e s w i t h t h o r n s . .And E s d r a s
s a i d . W h o a r e t h o s e ? T h e a n g e l s s a i d . Those w h o s h o w e d t h e l o s t
y> w r o n g w a y s . E s d r a s s a i d . L o r d , s p a r e t h e s i n n e r s .
l:i .And h e s a w girls c o m i n g with shackles weighing h v e h u n d r e d
44 p o u n d s t o w a r d s t h e w e s t . . A n d E s d r a s s a i d . W h o a r e t h o s e ? . A n d
t h e a n g e l s s a i d . T h o s e a r e the girls w h o v i o l a t e d /A^iV v i r g i n i t y b e f o r e
their marriages.
4") . A n d h e s a w " a c o l l e c t i o n o f o l d m e n l y i n g on the ground, a n d o v e r
t h e m w a s being p o u r e d molten iron a n d lead; a n d h e said, W h o a r e
41) t h o s e ? T h e a n g e l s s a i d . Those a r e t h c doctors of t h e law w h o
confused b a p t i s m a n d t h e law of t h e Lord, because they used to
t e a c h w i t h w o r d s only and n o t f o l l o w u p Iheir words s v i t h d e e d s ; " a n d

" Lit, -tlu- immort.-il worm' (cp. Isa. Ixvi. 24; .Mark ix. 48),
•'' I.it, 'tlicy entered its mouth'.
So \ ' H : I. om. 'and they . . . penance'. Then I.H add '.-\nd he walked on turther
still a n d saw a fiery river and a great bridge over it. .\nd some righteous men came
and crossed over it with joy and exultation. And some sinners <ame. and the bridge
was reduced to the thinnest thread. .And they fell into the river confcs.sing their sins.
and saying, W'e have done every evil thing there is to do, and that is why we are being
punished in this way. .And they were begging for mercy; but no mercy was granted
them". .So V: LH '.And he walked on further and saw'.
" \'om.
" V o m . ' h e .saw'.
^* Lit. 'were not hlling out in deed'.
930 The I'iswn nj Ksitras
they arc judged in t h i s way. And Ksdras said. Lord, spare llie
sinners,
. \ n d lie s a w ( i v e r a . g a i n s t t h e s e l l i n g ( i f t h e s u n a s n i e l t i n g - f u r n a c e
o f c i K i r m t H i s s i z e b u r n i n g w i t h fire, i n t o w h i c h w e r e b e i n g t h r o w n
m a n y kings a n d princes ofthis world. .\iid m a n y thousands o f t h e
p o o r were a c c u s i n g t h e m a n d s a y i n g . T h o s e a r e t h e o n e s w h o m a d e
u s e o f t h e i r p o w e r to o p p r e s s u s , a n d t u r n e d fiee m e n - ' into sla\ es,
.\iid he s a w a n o t h e r furnace b u r n i n g with pilch and sulphur,
i n t o w h i c h w e r e b e i n g t h r o w n s o n s w h o h a d laid h a n d s u[)on t h e i r
p a r e n t s , a n d d o n e t h e m injury wilh their mouth.-"
.And in a \ e r y d a r k p l a c e h e s a w a n o t h e r f u r n a c e b u r n i n g , into
which m a n y w o m e n were being thrown; a n d he said. W h o are
t h o s e ? T h e a n g e l s s a i d . T h o s e a r e t h e y w h o c o i i e e i \ e d " " c h i l d r e n in
adultery and killed t h e m . .And the little o n e s t h e m s c K c s were
a c c u s i n g t h e m , saying. I.ord, the souls thou ga\cst us. they lia\c
d e s t r o y e d . ' " .And h e s a i d . W h o a r e those? The a n g e l s said. Those
a r e t h e w o m e n w h o k i l l e d t h e i r c h i l d r e n . " .And K . s d r a s s a i d . I . o r d ,
sfjarc the s i n n e r s .
Then came .Michael a n d ( J a b r i e l a n d said to h i m . Clonic to
h e a v e n . ' ^ . A n d K s d r a s s a i d . As m y I . o r d l i \ e s , I w i l l n o t c o m e b e f o r e
I s e e all t h e j u d g e m e n t s o f t h e s i n n e r s . "
.And t h e y led h i m d o w n i n l o t h e n e t h e r regions a further fourteen
s t e p s . .And h e s a w lions a n d little d o g s ' " lying r o u n d a flame of h r e ;
and the righteous were passing through them and crossing over
i n t o P a r a d i s e . .And h e s a w m a n y t h o u s a n d s o f t h e r i g h t e o u s ; a n d
their dwellings were very splendid a n d e n d u r i n g . "
O r 'lurried our eliildren*.
^" I.H add ' . \ n d into ii were also tieing ilirown liiose wtio fiaci denii'd (J<K1 ami
iiad not paid their llired servants die wages due t<) tliem'.
" I.it. ' h a d ' .
I.H add '.And he saw other women hanging in the hre. and serpents sucking
their hreasts'.
" I.H add '.And did not give their hreasts to olhers nhii iccrcorphans'.
'•^ 1. ildds 'that we may celebrate the Pasch'.
" I.H add '.And he saw liiriher some men who were being mauled by w ild beasts.
. \ n d he said. Who are those? .And the angels said. Those are men who altered
b o u n d a r y - m a r k s and gave false witness. .And he said, I.ortI, spare the sinners*.
^* I.H 'lions antl camels'.
'•^ I.H add 'Light is there, and ]o\. and prosperity. .Ami every day they have
L from heaven, beeause they did many deeds of mercy while on earth. .And
 Tlie \ i.iioii ql Ksdras 9j 1

And after he liad seen these things he u a s taken ii|) iiiKi

h e a \ e n ; " ' a n d a host of a n g e l s e a m e a n d said to h i m . I n t e r c e d e with
the Lord for t h e s i n n e r s . . \ n d t h e y s e t h i m d o w n in t h e L o r d ' s
presence.
. A n d h e s a i d . L o r d , s p a r e t h e s i n n e r s . .And t h e L o r d s a i d . L s d r a s .
l e t t h e m r e c e i v e w h a t is d t i e t o t h e m f r o m t h e r e c o r d o f t h e i r d e e d s .
.And L s d r a s s a i d . L o r d , t h o u h a s t d e a l t m o r e leniently with the
animals than with us: they feed on grass and render thee no
p r a i s e s : they die a n d h a v e no sin; but us thou dost t o r m e n t Iwtli
when l i v i n g a n d when d e a d . .And t h e L o r d s a i d . L s d r a s . I f a s h i o n e d
m a n in m y o w n i m a g e , a n d I c o m m a n d e d t h e m t h a t they should
n o t s i n . a n d t h e y d i d s i n : t h a t is w h y t h e y a r e in t o r m e n t s . H u t t h e
e l e c t " will g o to e t e r n a l rest by \ i r t u e of confession a n d p e n a n c e ' "
a n d t h c a b u n d a n c e ol7/i«r w o r k s of m e r c y . . \ n d L s d r a s said. L o r d ,
w h a t is it t h a t t h e r i g h t e o u s d o s o t h a t t h e y e s c a j i c j u d g e m e n t ? . \ n d
t h c L o r d s a i d t o h i m . T h e s l a v e yvho h a s d o n e w e l l for h i s l o r d will
r e c e i v e his f r e e d o m : s o a l s o t h e r i g h t e o u s t h e k i n g d o m ofheaven.
.Amen.

llicrc arc main llicrc w h o ( h d nol do ihem. hciau.sc ihcy had nol ihc whcrcwiih.il
{!.+ 'they were inhihiled by Mcir small means'). Nevertheless thev enjoy a similar
rest because oi'the giHKlwill they had. .And so tlie\ praise the I.ortI our (IIKI. who has
always lo\'ed rightetmsness'.
'* L specifies that Ksdras was taken up into lhe seventh heaven.
" Kit. '.And those who are chosen'.
So V H : K 'by virtue of penance and prayer and conlession'.
 THE A P O C A L Y P S E OF SEDRACH

IN TRODLCTION

T h i s w o r k is e x t a n t o n l y in ( J r c c k a n d w a s e d i t e d b y M . R . J a m e s
f r o m a s i n g l e M S in t h e B o d l e i a n L i b r a r y a t O x f o r d ( B o d l . C o d .
M i s c . g r . 5 6 ; 1 5 t h c e n t . ) , in w h i c h it o c c u r s a s t h e final i t e m . T h e
t e x t , e v e n m o r e t h a n t h e t e x t o f t h e . \ p o c a l y p s e o f L s d r a s , is in
t n a n y p l a c e s \ c r y c o r r u p t , w i t h t h e r e s u l t t h a t t h e s e n s e is o f t e n far
f r o m c l e a r : p a r t i c u l a r l y is t h i s s o in c h a p , x i , w h e r e S e d r a c h u t t e r s
a lamentation o \ e r the \arious m e m b e r s ofhis body. .Moreover,
t h e o r i g i n a l o p e n i n g o f t h e w o r k s e e m s at s o m e s t a g e to h a v e b e e n
l o s t . L h c t e x t a s it n o w s t a n d s in t h e .MS b e g i n s w i t h a t h r e e - a n d - a -
h a l f p a g e h o m i l y o n l o \ e , w h i c h is o b v i o u s l y a s e p a r a t e p i e c e a n d in
all p r o b a b i l i t y to b e a t t r i b u t e d to L p h r a e m S y r u s . J a m e s printed
only the opening and closing sections of this homily, a n d an
abbreviated v e r s i o n o f t h e s e s e c t i o n s h a s b e e n i n c l u d e d in o u r
t r a n s l a t i o n ( c h a p . i).
T h e t i t l e ' T h e . \ p o c a l y p s e o f S e d r a c h " is d u e t o j a m e s . T h e t i t l e
i n t h e M S is ' T ' h e W o r d o f . . . S e d r a c h " , t h o u g h w h e t h e r o r n o t t h i s
w a s t h e a u t h o r " s o w n t i t l e it is i m p o s s i b l e t o s a y - it m a y w e l l b e
d u e l o a l a t e r e d i t o r o r s c r i b e . B u t in a n y c a s e t h e w o r k is n o t a n
a p o c a l y p s e a s t h e t e r m ' a p o c a l y p s e " is u s u a l l y u n d e r s t o o d ; for,
a l t h o u g h S e d r a c h , l i k e S t . P a u l , is c a u g h t u p i n t o ' t h e t h i r d h e a v e n '
( i i . 4 : c p . '2 C:or. x i i . 2 ) , n o r e v e l a t i o n in t h e s t r i c t s e n s e is m a d e t o
h i m . ' I n s t e a d , t h e r e follows a d i a l o g u e b e t w e e n S e d r a c h a n d G o d
i n w h i c h S e d r a c h q u e s t i o n s G o d a b o u t H i s p u r p o s e s in C^reation
and God defends himself a g a i n s i a n y c h a r g e s of injustice and
c r u e l t y in H i s t r e a t m . e n t of m a n .
T h e n a m e 'Sedrach' also present a problem. 'Sedrach' appears
in t h e G r e e k v e r s i o n s o f t h e B o o k of D a n i e l as t h e e q u i v a l e n t o f t h e
H e b r e w a n d . A r a m a i c ' S h a d r a c h ' - i.e. it is t h e r e c o g n i s e d G r e e k
f o r m o f t h e n a m e g i v e n to D a n i e l ' s friend H a n a n i a h by the chief of

' 11 is also worth noting that, although the title explicitly states that the work is
a b o u t "the second coming ofour Lord Jesus Christ' as well as "love and repentance
a n d orthodox Christians', there is tio mention ofthe Second Coming in it anywhere.
954 The Apocalypse of Sedrach
t h e e u n u c h s a t t h e B a b y l o n i a n c o u r t ( D a n . i. 7, e t c . ) ; a n d it m a y
w e l l b e t h a t o u r a u t h o r h a d S h a d r a c h - H a n a n i a h in m i n d w h e n h e
w r o t e . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , it is m u c h m o r e p r o b a b l e t h a t J a m e s ' s
c o n j e c t u r e is c o r r e c t a n d t h a t ' . S e d r a c h ' r e p r e s e n t s t h c c o r r u p t i o n
o f a n original 'Esdras'.
I'he main reason for thinking this is t h a t the work is un­
doubtedly related both to 2 E s d r a s a n d to I'hc .Apocalypse of
Esdras - it s t a n d s firmly, t h a t is, w i t h i n t h e a p o c r y p h a l Esdras
t r a d i t i o n . . \ o t o n l y is t h c t h e m e o f t h e j u s t i h c a t i o n o f ( i o d ' s w a y s t o
m a n , s o p r o m i n e n t i n S e d r a c h , t r e a t e d a t l e n g t h in b o t h t h e s e o t h e r
w o r k s : t h e r e a r e also a n u m b e r of often very close parallels b e t w e e n
S e d r a c h a n d o n e o r o t h e r o f t h e m , o r b o t h . .As e x a m p l e s o f s u c h
parallels may be given: (1) ( J o d ' s p a r t i c u l a r choices - 'among
animals thc sheep, . . . a m o n g rivers the J o r d a n , a m o n g cities
Jerusalem' ( S e d r . viii. 3 : c p . 2 E s d r a s v. 2 3 - 2 7 ) ; (2) Sedrach's
r e l u c t a t i c e t o s u r r e n d e r h i s .soul i m m e d i a t e l y h e is a s k e d t o d o s o
and, when hc finally a g r e e s , h i s q u e s t i o n a b o u t w h a t l i m b it w o u l d
b e t a k e n o u t t h r o u g h ( S e d r . i x - x : c p . .Apoc. E s d r a s vi. 3 - v i i . 3);
a n d ( 3 ) S e d r a c h ' s o b s e r v a t i o n t h a t ' i t w e r e b e t t e r for m a n if h e h a d
n o t b e e n b o r n ' , his f u n d a m e n t a l q u e s t i o n w h y did G o d m a k e m a n
i n t h c fiist i n s t a n c e if H c w o u l d n o t h a v e m e r c y o n h i m , a n d G o d ' s
r e p l y t h a t m a n ' s p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n is d u e t o h i s d i s o b e d i e i r c e in
P a r a d i s e ( S e d r . i v : c p . 2 E s d r a s i v . 12 a n d A p o c . E s d r a s i. 6, 2 1 ,
V . 9 , 1 4 ; 2 E s d r a s v i i . 1 1 6 - 1 2 6 a n d A p o c . E s d r a s iii. 9 ; 2 E s d i a s iii.
5 - 7 a n d . A p o c . E s d r a s ii. 1 0 - 1 7 ) .
B y w a y o f c o n t r a s t , t h e r e is l i t t l e o b v i o u s c o n t a c t b e t w e e n S e d ­
r a c h a n d T h e V i s i o n o f E . s d r a s . W h a t p a r a l l e l i s m s t h e r e a r e a r e few
a n d i n s u b s t a n t i a l : t h e y a r c confin<!d t o t h e s e c t i o n a t t h c v e r y e n d
ofthe Vision;' and each ofthem is s h a r e d w i t h t h e o t h e r Esdras
b o o k s . A l l i n a l l , t h e g e n e r a l i m p r e s s i o n c r e a t e d is t h a t t h e a u t h o r
o f t h c V i s i o n s e l e c t e d for a m p l i f i c a t i o n from t h e e l e m e n t s in thc
t r a d i t i o n t h a t f o u n d a p l a c e in t h e . A p o c a l y p s e t h e d e t a i l s a b o u t t h e
t o r m e n t s o f t h e d a m n e d ( i . e . .A[)oc. K s d r a s i v - v ) , w h i l e t h e a u t h o r
of S e d r a c h c h o s e to c o n c e n t r a t e o n the m o r e fimdamental t h e m e of

^ T h e y arc: (I) the prophet's rcluctanee to surrender his soul (Sedr. i x - x : cp.
Vision 56-.T7); ( 2 ) his questioning of (iod about thc leasons Ibr man's present evil
lot (Sedr. iv: cp. Vision 6'2-63); and (3) his final entry into heaven (Sedr. xvi. 9: cp.
Vision 60).
 The Af)()calypse nf Sedrach 953
t h e j u s t i c e o f G o d ' s (dealings w i t h H i s c r e a t u r e s . I f t h e q u e s t i o n b e
a s k e d w h y it s h o u l d b e t h o u g h t t h a t - S e d r a c h r e p r e s e n t s a l a t e r
s t a g e i n t h e t r a d i t i o n t h a n t h e A p o c a l y p s e r a t h e r t h a n vice versa, t h e
a n s w e r is t h a t a c l o s e s t u d y o f t h e p a r a l l e l s s u g g e s t s i l . F o r i n s t ­
a n c e , a t S e c l r . i.x. 1 G o d ' s ' o n l y - b e g o t t c n S o n ' is v e r y a w k w a r d l y
i n t r o d u c e d without warniirg as the agent chosen lo d e m a n d Sed-
r a c h ' s s u r r e n d e r o f h i s .soul, w h e r e a s a t / \ p o c . F . s d r a s v i . 1 - 1 7 a
b a n d o f a n g e l s is s e l e c t e d f o r t h i s t a s k a n d t h e o n l y - b e g o t t e n is o n l y
c o m m i s s i o n e d t o lead t h e m o n a s e c o n d a t t e m p t after their hrst
attempt o n t h e i r o w n h a d failed; a n d , in t h e s a m e context, t h e
argument w i t h t h e a n g e l s t h a t follows F.sdras's q u e s t i o n about
w h i c h l i m b h i s s o u l s h o u l d b e t a k e n o u t t h r o u g h a t .Apoc. E s d r a s
vi. 5 - I t m a k e s m u c h b e t t e r s e n s e t h a n G o d ' s distinctly o b s c u r e
r e p l y t o S e d r a c h ' s s i m i l a r q u e s t i o n a t S e d r . x . 1 - 4 . '1 h e r e s h o u l d
b e n o d i f T i c u l t y h e r e i n d e c i d i n g w h i c h v e r s i o n is p r i m a r y a n d
which secondary.
If J a m e s ' s d a t e for t h e .Apocalypse o f E.sdras in t h e 9 t h cent, b e
a c c e p t a b l e , t h e n t h e l i k e l i h o o d is t h a t S e d r a c h w i l l b e 1 0 t h o r 1 I t h
cent., t h o u g h b o t h m a y be very m u c h earlier.' I n lavour of a late
d a t e is t h e fact t h a t t h e l a n g u a g e o f S e d r a c h a b o u n d s in n e o - G r e e k
forms a n d constructions a n d not infrequently (as James rather
unfortunately p u t it) ' d e g e n e r a t e s into m o d e r n G r e e k ' . N o r is
S e d r a c h m e n t i o n e d i n a n y o f t h e lists o f a p o c r y p h a l b o o k s . S o m e
s c h o l a r s h a v e c l a i m e d t o b e a b l e to d e t e c t a t v a r i o u s points evi­
d e n c e f o r t h e u s e o f J e w i s h s o u r c e s , w h i c h , it s e e m s , w e r e n o t u s e d
b y t h e a u t h o r s o f t h e o t h e r E s d r a s books;" b u t w h a t e v e r justifica­
t i o n t h e r e m a y , o r m a y n o t , b e f o r t h i s c l a i m , t h e r e is n o g a i n s a y i n g
t h e e v i d e n c e of s u c h inconlrovertibly (Christian features a s t h e
i n t r o d u c t i o n o f G h r i s t h i m . s e l f a s t h e s p e a k e r a l x i i . 1, t h e r e f e r e n c e s
to 'apostles', 'gospels', 'services', a n d ' m y holy c h u r c h e s ' a t xiv.
1 0 - 1 2 , a n d t h e k n o w l e d g e o f b o o k s t)f t h e N e w ' F e s t a m e n t dis­
p l a y e d a t v i . 5, vii. 7 - 8 , xiv. 5 - 6 , a n d xv. 3 , 6 - 7 .

' See above p. 9.'5()

" e.g. R. M e v e r , a r t . 'Sedracb-Apokalvpse' i n Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwarl.'
; i 9 6 l ) , o o l . 1631.
!)')() The Apocalypse of Sedrach

bibli()(;r.\phy

KOmONS

M . R . ]\SU.S, Apocrypha Anecdota (= 7'.S'11. iii; C a m b r i d g e , I H M ) ,

pp. 127-137.
( ) . \ \ ' . \ H I . , Apocalypsis Esdrae. Apocalypsis Sedrach. I'isio Beati Esdrae.
( = FVT(; i v ; I . e i d c n , 1 9 7 7 ) . p p . 3 7 - 4 ! ! .

IR.WSL.A n o . N S

English
\ R f I'HF.RKORI), The Apocalypse of Sedrach (= .\nte-Sicene Christian
Library. Additional [ b / u m * ' ( K d i n b u r g h , 1 8 9 7 ) , p p . 1 7 . 5 - 1 8 0 ) .

German
V. RiKS.SI.KR, . l > S ' f l 5 ' , p p . l . ' ) ( ) - l ( ) 7 .

. \ . - . \ I . D K N I S , IBGAT, pp. 97-99.

. \ 1 . R . J . \ . \ I K S , The Testament of Abraham {= TS I I . i i ; C a m b r i d g e .
1892), p p . 3 1 - 3 3 , 6 0 .
G. .VlKRCl.MI, ' I ' h e . A p o c a l y p s e o l ' S e d r a c h ' i n JTS xi ( 1 9 1 0 ) ,
pp. 572-3.
P. R i K S S K K R , . 4 / 5 a B ' , p . 1 2 7 4 .
B . V i o i . K I , Die Esra-Apokalypse (IV Esra) ( = f ; C 5 x v i i i ; L e i p z i g ,
1910), p p . 1-lix.

' L h e w o r d o f t h e h o l y a n d b l e s s e d S e d r a c h c o n c e r n i n g love a n d
r e p e n t a n c e a n d orthodox Christians a n d concerning the second
c o m i n g of o u r L o r d J e s u s Christ. Lord, give t h y blessing.

I. B e l o v e d , l e t u s p r e f e r n o t h i n g b e f o r e u n f e i g n e d l o v e . . . . T h e r e is
n o g r e a t e r l o v e t h a n t h a t a m a n l a y d o w n h i s life f o r h i s f r i e n d s .
 apocalypse of sedrach
The Apocalypse ofSedrach 957

II. A n d a n u n s e e n v o i c e s o u n d e d i n h i s e a r s saying. C o m e , Sed-

r a c h , s i n c e y o u d e s i r e so e a r n e s t l y to s p e a k w i t h G o d a n d to ask
h i m t o r e v e a l w h a t y o u w o u l d e n q u i r e a b o u t . .Xnd S e d r a c h s a i d ,
W h y so, m y l o r d ? . A n d ( h e \ ' o i c e s a i d t o h i m , I a m s e n t t o y o u t o
b r i n g y o u u p h e r e i n t o h e a v e n . A n d h e s a i d , I w o u l d indeed speak
l a c e t o f a c e ' w i t h G o d ; but I a m n o t w o r t h y , l o r d , t o g o u p i n t o t h e
h e a v e n s . A n d s t r e t c h i n g o u t his w i n g s the a n g e l took h i m , and
w e n t u p i n t o t h e h e a v e n s , a n d s e t h i m d o w n in t h e t h i r d h e a v e n .
And the flame of the G o d h e a d rested u p o n him.

III. . A n d t h e L o r d s a i d t o h i m . I t is w e l l y o u h a v e c o m e , m y b e l o v e d
Sedrach. What is it t h a t y o u w o u l d p l e a d b e f o r e t h e G o d who
formed y o u , for y o u s a i d , I w o u l d s p e a k face t o face' w i t h (icxi?
S e d r a c h said to h i m , I w o u l d indeed plead before thee, as a son
w i t h tiis f a t h e r . " W h y , m y L o r d , d i d s t t h o u m a k e t h e e a r t h ? The
L o r d s a i d t o h i m . F o r t h e s a k e o f m a n . S e d r a c h s a i d , .And w h y d i d s t
t h o u m a k e t h e s e a ? W h y d i d s t tliou s o w every g o o d t h i n g u p o n the
e a r t h ? T h e L o r d s a i d , F o r t h e s a k e o f m a n . S e d r a c h said to h i m . If
t h o u d i d s t t h e s e t h i n g s , w h y d i d s t t h o u then d e s t r o y h i m ? T h e L o r d
s a i d , M a n is m y w o r k , a n d w h a t m y h a n d s h a v e f a s h i o n e d , a n d I
d i s c i p l i n e hiin^ a s I find necessary.

IV. S e d r a c h s a i d t o h i m , T h y d i s c i p l i n e ' is p u n i s h m e n t a n d fire:

t h e y a r e b i t t e r , m y L o r d . I t w e r e b e t t e r f o r m a n if h e h a d n o t b e e n
b o r n . W h y t h e n d i d s t t h o u m a k e him, my Lord? W h y didst thou
w e a r y t h y u n s u l l i e d h a n d s w i t h toil a n d f a s h i o n m a n , s i n c e t h o u
w'ouldcst not h a v e m e r c y on him? G o d said to h i m , 1 m a d e the
first-formed . \ d a m , a n d I s e t h i m in P a r a d i s e w h e r e g r e w ^ t h e t r e e
o f l i f e ; a n d I s a i d t o h i m , Youmay cdii o f a l l t h e f r u i t s , o n l y k e e p a w a y

' Lit. 'mouth to mouth'.

' Lit. 'mouth to mouth'.

^ Lit. 'Yes: the sun has a cause mc the lather'
^ Or 'I educate him'.

' Or 'education',
' Lit '. . . Paradise, in the midst o f .
 958 The Apocalypse of Sedrach
t) f r o m t h f t r i ' f of'lii'c. f o r i f y o u c a t o f it, y o u w i l l mo.st s u r e l y d i e . . \ i i d
h e d i s o b e y e d m y c o m m a n d a n d w a s d e c e i v e d b y t h e d e \ il a n d a t e
o f t h e tree.

V. . S e d r a c h s a i d t o h i m . I t w a s i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h y w i l l , m y
•1 L o r d , t h a t . A d a m w a s d e c e i v e d . T h o u d i d s t c o m m a n d t h i n e a n g e l s
t o w o r s h i p . A d a m ; a n d t h e first o f t h e a n g e l s w h o d i s o b e y e d t h y
:i c o m i n a n d a n d d i d n o t w o r s h i p h i m . t h o u d i d s t b a n i s h , because he
transgressed' t h y c o m m a n d a n d r e f u s e d t o a p p r o a c h w h a t t h y
1 h a n d s h a d f a s h i o n e d . If t h o u d i d s t love m a n , w h y d i d s t t h o u n o t
") k i l l t h e d e v i l , w h o d e v i s e s « r o / r m i y q / w i c k e d n e s s ? W h o c a n fight a n
i n v i s i b l e s p i r i t ? H e e n t e r s t h e h e a r t s o f m e n like s m o k e ( a n d )
t)t e a c h e s t h e m e v e r y s i n . H e e v e n fights a g a i n s t t h e e , t h e i n i t n o r t a l
7 G o d . W h a t t h e n c a n w r e t c h e d t n a n d o a g a i n s t h i t n ? Bitt h a v e
m e r c y , L o r d , a n d r e m i t thy p u n i s h m e n t s : o r e l s e , c o t m t ^ m e a l s o
H a m o n g t h e sinners. If thou hast n o tnercy u p o n sinners, w h e r e a r e
t h y m e r c i e s , w h e r e is t h y c o m p a s s i o n . L o r d ?

VI. C j o d s a i d t o h i m , X ' o u m u s t u n d e r s t a n d t h a t I g a v e . A d a m '

2 d o m i n i o n o v e r all things. I m a d e h i m wise a n d heir of h e a v e n a n d
:t e a r t h , a n d I p u t a l l t h i n g s u n d e r h i m . .And e v e r y other l i v i n g t h i n g
4 r u n s a w a y f r o m h i m a n d avoids h i s p r e s e n c e . B u t a l t h o u g h h e h a d
r e c e i v e d m y gifts, h e b e c a m e e s t r a n g e d and a n a d u l t e r e r a n d a
.•) s i n n e r . W h a t f a t h e r is there, tell m e , w h o a f t e r g i v i n g h i s s o n h i s
s h a r e o f h i s e s t a t e , a n d the son, a f t e r t a k i n g w h a t w a s now h i s , left h i s
f a t h e r , a n d w e n t a w a y into a foreign land a n d b e c a m e t h e slave o f a
() f o r e i g n m a s t e r - w h a t f a t h e r is t h e r e , ^ s e e i n g t h a t h i s s o n h a s
7 d e s e r t e d h i m , will n o t b e f u r i o u s , ' a n d g o after h i m a n d t a k e his
p r o p e r t y b a c k , a n d d i s o w n h i s s o n , " b e c a u s e h e di;.serted h i s f a t h e r ?
8 H o w then should it be otherwise with me? I , t h e t e r r i b l e a n d j e a l o u s
G o d , g a v e A d a m ' all t h i n g s , a n d h e , after h e h a d received t h e m ,
b e c a m e a n adulterer a n d a sinner.
' M S 'Why did tic transgress . .
' I.it.'receive'.

' I.it.'him'.
• I.it. a n d the father'.
' I.it. 'his heart is stntjking'.
•* Lit. ' a n d banish him from his glory ' .
 The Apocalypse of Sedrach 959

VII. . S e d r a c h s a i d l o h i m , T h o u . I . o r d , d i d s t I'asliioii m a n . Tliou

k n o w e s t ol w h a t kind his inclinations were, a n d of w h a t kind o u r
k n o w l e d g e i s , a n d )W t h o u d o s t p l e a d m a n himself a s t h e e x c u s e i'or
•> h i s p u n i s h m e n t . B u t cast h i m o u t - surely I a l o n e w i l l n o t he
:i sufficient to h l l t h c h e a v e n l y p l a c e s ? ( I f n o t . ) s a v e t n a n a l s o . I . o r d ; / o r
1 wretched m a n h a s s i n n e d , I.ord. a g a i n s t t h y will. ( ( J o d said t o
him,) W h yd o y o u waste words on m e ,Sedrach? I fashioned . \ d a m
a n d h i s wife a n d t h e s u n ( a n d t h e m o o n ) , a n d I said. Look at o n e
a n o t h e r , and see h o w h r i g h t t h e o t h e r ' is ( f o r t h c s u n a n d . \ d a m h a d
.") t h c s a m e s t a m p u p o n t h e m ' ) . L h e w i f e o f . A d a m is m o r e r a d i a n t i n
i> b e a u t y t h a n t h e m o o n ; a n d h e g a v e h e r l i f e ' S e d r a c h s a i d . .And
7 w h a t d o e s b e a u t y p r o h t if it w a s t e s a w a y in t h e e a r t h ? H o w was it
that t h o u d i d s t s a y . L o r d , D o n o t r e p a y c \ i l for e v i l ? H o w is it,
ii I.ord? T h e word of thy (Jodhead n e v e r lies: s o w h y d o s t thou
!i reward m a n thus'? D o s t t h o u n o t w i l l e v i l f o r e v i l ? I k n o w that
a m o n g t h e a n i m a l s n o o n e o f t h e m is m o r e c o n t r a r y t h a n t h e m u l e .
II Y e t w c f o r c e it to go w h e r e w c w a n t it t o w i t h a b r i d l e . T h o u h a s t
a n g e l s : s e n d t h e m a s g u a r d i a n s ; ' ' a n d w h e n m a n t a k e s a s t e p in t h e
d i r e c t i o n o f s i n , l e t t h e m t a k e h o l d o f o n e o f h i s feet s o t h a t h e d o e s
not go where he would.

VIII. G o d s a i d t o h i m , I f i w e r e t o t a k e h o l d o f h i s foot, h c w o u l d
only s a y , L h o u d i d s t s h o w m e n o k i n d n e s s i n t h e w o r l d . S o I l e h h i m
'-' t o h i s w i l l b e c a u s e I l o v e d h i m . L h a t is w h y I s e n t m y r i g h t e o u s
:i a n g e l s t o g u a r d h i m n i g h t a n d d a y . S e d r a c h s a i d , I k n o w , I . o r d ,
t h a t a m o n g t h y c r e a t u r e s t h o u didst love m a n hrst, a m o n g a n i m a l s
t h e s h e e p , a m o n g trees t h c olive, a m o n g fruits t h e g r a p e , a m o n g
w i n g e d c r e a t u r e s t h e b e e , a m o n g rivers the J o r d a n , a m o n g cities
J e r u s a l e m . .And a l l t h e s e t h i n g s m a n a l s o l o v e s , m y L o r d . ( J o d s a i d

' I.it. 'hctw bright he' or 'how bright it'.

' I.it. the .sun and .Adam were one stamp'.
' T h i s passage is more than usually obseure. From the text as it stands it is
unclear w hether the comparison is between .Adam and Kve on the one side and the
sun a n d mcjon on the other, or tx'tween .Adam and the sun on the one side and Kve
a n d the moon on the other. However, in either case, not a little must have
disappeared Irom the original text. Perhaps, also, we should emend the final clause
to read 'and I gave her lile'.
'' Kit. 'send lliem to guard them'.
 960 The Apocalypse oJ Sedrach
t o S e d r a c h , I will a s k y o u o n e q u e s t i o n , S e d r a c h . I f y o u c a n a n s w e r
m e , I c a n rightly take your part, a l t h o u g h y o u h a \ e been cross-
6 examining h i m w h o fashioned you. Sedrach said. W h a t is t h e
7 q u e s t i o n , ' my L o r d G o d . ( I ' h e L o r d G o d s a i d t o h i m , ) S i n c e the day
that 1 m a d e a l l t h i n g s , h o w m a n y m e n h a v e b e e n b o r n , h o w m a n y
S h a v e d i e d , h o w m a n y will die, a n d h o w t n a n y hairs h a v e they? Tell
m e , S e d r a c h , s i n c e t h e h e a v e n a n d t h e e a r t h w e r e c r e a t e d , how-
m a n y t r e e s h a v e t h e r e b e e n oti t h e e a r t h , h o w m a n v h a \ e fallen,
h o w m a n y will fall, h o w m a n y will t h e r e b e , a n d h o w m a n y leaves
9 have they? Tell m e , Sedrach. since 1 m a d e t h e sea, how rnany
w a v e s h a v e r i s e n u p , h o w m a n y h a v e fallen b a c k a g a i n , h o w m a n y
10 will rise u p , a n d h o w m a n y w i n d s blow o n t h e seashore? Tell m e ,
S e d r a c h , s i n c e t h e c r e a t i o n o f t h e a g e s o f t h e e a r t h , w h e n it r a i n s ,
h o w m a n y d r o p s h a v e f a l l e n o n t h e ( ; a r t h , a n d h o w m a n y w i l l fall?
11 .And S e d r a c h said. T h o u alone. L o r d , k n o w e s t all these things;
12 t h o u a l o n e h a s t u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f all these t h i n g s . O n l y , I p r a y
t h e e , s e t m a n free f r o m p u n i s h m e n t ; o t h e r w i s e , I t o o m u s t g o to
p u n i s h m e n t a n d n o t b e s e p a r a t e d from o u r race.

IX. And G o d s a i d t o h i s o n l y - b e g o t t e n S o n , G o , t a k e t h e s o u l of m y
2 b e l o v e d S e d r a c h , a n d s e t it d o w n i n P a r a d i s e . T h e o n l y - b e g o t t e n
Son said to Sedrach, (Give u p what was entrusted to you),' what
o u r F a t h e r d e p o s i t e d in y o u r m o t h e r ' s w o m b , in t h e holy tabernacle
3 q / y o u r body b e f o r e y o u w e r e b o r n . S e d r a t : h s a i d , I w i l l n o t g i v e m y
4 s o u l t o t h e e . T h e Son^ s a i d t o h i m . W h y t h e n w a s I s e n t a n d c a m e
.-) h e r e , a n d y o u m a k e excuses to tne? F o r 1 w a s ordered by m y Father
n o t t o t a k e y o u r soul b y force:' so then, give m e y o u r soul which he
desires so much.

X. A n d S e d r a c h said to G o d , A n d h o w wilt t h o u take m y soul?

2 F r o m w h a t limb? A n d G o d said to him. D o y o u not k n o w that your
' Lit. -.Sedratit said. Say'.

' N o t in the .MS: supplied from .-\poi. Ksdi. vi. 'i (see above, p. 939).
' Reading 6 t>i6; for 6 &eOg. W h a t follows immediately leaves no doubt that it is
the Son who is spcakitig here, though there is some confusion later on (ep. especially
X. I a n d xii. I). . \ parallel ambivalence, if not necessarily a confusion, may be
observed at .\poc. Ksdr. vi. 16, 17, 19, and 21.
' Lit. 'shamelessly'.
 The Apocalypse of Sedrach 961
s o u l is c e n t r e d i n y o u r l u n g s a n d y o u r h e a r t ( a n d ) is d i s p e r s e d
t h r o u g h a l l y o u r l i m b s ? I t is b r o u g h t u p t h r o u g h t h r o a t a n d l a r y n x
a n d t h e m o u t h . . A n d w h e n t h e t i m e c o m e s f o r it t o c o m e o u t , it is
h r s t o f a l l c o l l e c t e d a n d g a t h e r e d t o g e t h e r from t h e toes a n d all t h e
other l i m b s , a n d then it h a s t o b e s e p a r a t e d f r o m t h e b o d y a n d p a r t e d
from the heart. When .Sedrach h a d h e a r d all this, a n d thought
a b o u t t h e r e f e r e n c e t o d e a t h , h e w a s m u c h d i s t u r b e d . .And S e d r a c h
s a i d t o G o d , G r a n t m e . L o r d , a l i t t l e r e s p i t e " s o t h a t I c a n w e e p : for I
h a v e h e a r d ( t h a t ) t e a r s a r c a m o s t p o w e r f u l a n d effective m e d i c i n e
for t h e w e a k b o d y t h a t t h o u h a s t f a s h i o n e d .

XI. .And h e b e g a n to s a y w i t h tears a n d l a m e n t a t i o n ,

C) h e a d , so m a r v e l l o u s and a d o r n e d l i k e h e a v e n .
B r i g h t a s t h c s u n that lights t h e heaven a n d earth!
Y o u r hairs arc wiser guides than T e m a n ,
Y o u r eyes than Bozrah,
Your ears than thunder.
Your tongue than a trumpet.'
. A n d y o u r b r a i n is but a t i n y c r e a t u r e ;
Yel the h e a d c o n t r o l s t h e w h o l e b o d y ' s m o v e m e n t .
O f a i r e s t a n d m o s t b e l o v e d o f a l l my members,
N o > \ ' m u s l you' s i n k i n t o t h e e a r t h a n d b e f o r g o t t e n .

O h a n d s , so g e n t l e , d o c i l e , a n d h a r d - w o r k i n g ,
' [ ' h r o u g h w h i c h t h e b o d y ' receives its food!
O h a n d s , .10 w e l l a d a p t e d t o p r o v i d e d o m e s t i c n e e d s . "
() fingers e m b e l l i s h e d a n d a d o r n e d w i t h gold a n d silver!
Great works arewrought by the fingers.
'Lhe three joints unite the palms
.And e n h a n c e t h e i r b e a u t y .
.And n o w y o u m u s t b e c o m e s t r a n g e r s lo this w o r l d .

* Reading ivtoiv for laaiv (cp. .Apoc. Esdr. v. 10).

' Lit. ' T h o s e who know are your hairs Irom T e m a n , your eyes from Bozrah, your
cars from thunder, your tongue from a trumpet'. (For Edom as the traditional home
of wi.sdom c p . J e r . xlix. 7-'2'2, where both T e m a n a n d Bozrah are specifically
mentioned.) ' Text'it'.
' Lil. 'the vessel'.
* Lit. ' ( ) hands, most apt ofall, which heaping up, you equipped the houses'.
 962 The Apocalypse of Sedrach
'J C) feet t h a t w a l k s o w e l l , t h a t rtiii o f y o u r o w n a e c o r d ,
.Most agile, t h a t e a n n o t b e r e s t r a i n e d ! '
HI ( ) knees, fojoined that without you the b o d y ' d o e s not nio\e!
:1 T h e feet r u n Ay the light of sun a n d m o o n .
By night a n d by d a y :
They provide everything to eat a n d drink,
. \ n d g i v e t h e b o d y ' food.
12 ( ) f e e t m o s t swift* a n d n i m b l e , t h a t s t i r u p t h e d u s t o f t h e
earth.
It) stoek h o u s e s with every good thing!
l;i ( ) feet t h a t c a r r y t h e w h o l e b o d y .
T h a t r u n to t h e holy places to d o p e n a n c e ' a n d entreat the
saints!
N o w must vou stay motionless.

11 O h e a d a n d h a n d s a n d feet.
N o w n o longer m a y I keep you."

1,') C) s o u l , w h a t s e n t y o u i n t o m y l o w l y a n d w r e t c h e d b o d y ?
Hi . N o w m u s t y o u b e s e p a r a t e d f r o m it
.And g o u p w h e r e t h e L o r d calls y o u ,
.And t h e w r e t c h e d b o d y g o a w a y t o j u d g e m e n t .

17 ( ) b o d y b e a u t i f i e d : h a i r flowing like t h e s t a r s :
H e a d e m b e l l i s h e d and a d o r n e d l i k e h e a v e n !
18 O face, fragrant with o i n t m e n t :
E y e s t h a t give light:
ly V o i c e like t h e s o u n d o f a t r u m p e t : t o n g u e m o s t g e n t l e :
B e a r d m o s t h a n d s o m e : h a i r like s t a r s :
H e a d r e a c h i n g u p t o w a r d s t h e sky:
B o d y m o s t b e a u t i f u l l y a d o r n e d , l i g h t - g i v i n g , elegant,'' a l l -
knowing!

' Lit. 'Mo.sl swill, exceedingly invincible'.

ReadingoiifOraroi IbrdvOtJrarof.
' O r '. . . holy places in penitence'.
" I.it. 'until now have I kept you'.
" Reading yAa^Ju^v for yXeCiqfOQOv.
 The Apocalypse oJ Sedrach 963

20 N o w m u s t y o u s i n k i n t o tlie e a r t l i ,
And b e n e a t h t h e e a r t h y o u r b e a u t y d i s a p p e a r .

XII. C h r i s t s a i d t o h i m , E n o u g h , S e d r a c h . H o w l o n g will y o u s h e d
t e a r s a n d m o a n ? P a r a d i s e h a s b e e n o p e n e d for y o u , a n d b y d y i n g
2 y o u will live. S e d r a c h s a i d t o h i m , Y e t o n c e a g a i n will I speak to
t h e e , L o r d . H o w l o n g h a v e I t o live before I die? D o n o t refuse m e
3,4 m y r e q u e s t . T h e L o r d said to h i m . Speak, S e d r a c h . ( S e d r a c h said,)
I f a m a n l i v e s e i g h t y ( o r ) n i n e t y y e a r s , o r even a h u n d r e d , a n d l i v e s
t h e m a s a s i n n e r , ' a n d t h e n t u r n s a g a i n a n d l i v e s in p e n i t e n c e , i b r
h o w m a n y d a y s m u s t h c h a v e l i v e d i n p e n i t e n c e before t h o u d o s t
5 f o r g i v e h i s s i n s ? G o d s a i d t o h i m , I f a m a n lives a h u n d r e d ( o r )
e i g h t y y e a r s , a n d lhen t u r n s a n d r e p e n t s f o r t h r e e y e a r s a n d h a s
fruits of righteousness to show, a n d then d e a t h overtakes him, I
will n o t r e m e m b e r a n y o f h i s sins.'

Xni. S e d r a c h said to h i m . T h r e e years a r e a long time, m y Lord:

s u p p o s e d e a t h o v e r t a k e s h i m b e f o r e h e h a s c o m p l e t e d h i s Ihreeyears
2 of p e n i t e n c e . Have mercy. Lord, upon thine image, a n d have
3 c o m p a s s i o n , for t h r e e y e a r s a r e a long time. G o d said to h i m , I f a
man lives a h u n d r e d years a n d then r e m e m b e r s his death a n d
m a k e s h i s c o n f e s s i o n ' b e f o r e m e n a n d I find h i m , a f t e r a t i m e I w i l l
4 forgive all his sins. S e d r a c h said again. Lord, yet again I implore
t h y c o m p a s s i o n ( f o r ) t h y c r e a t u r e ' s s a k e . T h e t i m e is l o n g : s u p p o s e
6 d e a t h overtakes h i m a n d snatches h i m away at once. T h e Saviour
s a i d t o h i m , I w i l l p u t o n e (pit^stion t o y o u , S e d r a c h , m y b e l o v e d :
t h e n s h a l l y o u p u t y o u r s t o m e . ' I f t h e s i n n e r r e p e n t s for forty d a y s ,
I will r e m e m b e r n o n e o f t h e sins that h e c o m m i t t e d .

XIV. A n d Sedrach said to the archangel Michael, Hear me,

p o w e r f u l a d v o c a t e , a n d h e l p m e , a n d a c t a s my a m b a s s a d o r , and
Reading vnb yijg Ibr vnaye.

' Lit. 'lives them in sitis'.

' Lit. 'all his sins'.

' O r 'confesses me' (cp. M a t t . x. 32 i| Luke xii. 8).

' Something seems to be missing from the text here, since God asks no question,
nor docs Sedrach reply with another question or repeat his previous one.
 964 Tke Apocalypse of Sedrach
'I plead t h a t G o d h a v e m e r c y o n t h e w o r l d . . \ n d f a l l i n g d o w n o n t h e i r
f a c e s together t h e y p r a y e d l o ( l O d a n d s a i d , L o r d , t e a c h u s h o w m a n
is t o b e s a v e d . W h a t k i n d o f p e n i t e n c e is n e c e s s a r y , a n d w h a t i n
3 p a r t i c u l a r m u s t h e d o . ' ( G o d s a i d , ) M a n is s a v e d b y a c t s o f p e n i ­
t e n c e , b y i n t e r c e s s i o n s , b y s e r v i c e s i n c h u r c h , b y f l o o d s o f t e a r s , and
4 b y fer\e n t lamentations. D o you not know that m y prophet David
was saved hy t e a r s ? . A n d t h e r e s t t o o - d o y o u not k n o w t h a t t h e y w e r e
.') s a v e d , each of them, a t o n e c r i t i c a l m o m e n t ? D o y o u nol k n o w ,
.Sedrach, that there a r e Gentiles w h o , though they have not the
f) l a w , ( y e t ) fulhi ( t h e r e q u i r e m e n t . s ) o f t h e l a w ? ' F o r ( e v e n t h o u g h )
tliey a r e u n b a p t i s e d , yet m y divine spirit h a s entered into them,
a n d they a r e convertetj to m y baptism, a n d I receive them with m y
7 r i g h t e o u s o n e s in A b r a h a m ' s bosom. . \ n d there are some, w h o
h a v e been baptized with m y baptism a n d have been anointed with
m y h o l y ^ o i l , w h o y e t t u r n t h e i r b a c k s o n it a l t o g e t h e r a n d s h o w n o
8 sign of a c h a n g e of mind. But with deep compassion and an
unfailing wealth of mercy I w a i t for their r e p e n t a n c e , although
t h e y d o w h a t m y G o d h e a d hates a n d p a y n o attention to t h e wise
9 m a n s . s a y i n g , . \ o s i n n e r is e v e r a c q u i t t e d . ' D o y o u r e a l l y n o t know-
t h a t S c r i p t u r e says, A n d those w h o repent shall not see punish-
".0 m e n t ? A n d ( t h e y p a y n o a t t e n t i o n either t o the) apostles, n o r tom y
11 w o r d i n t h e g o s p e l s ; a n d t h e y m a k e m y a n g e l s s a d . .And m o r e , in
m y a s s e m b l i e s a n d services they d o not respect m y messenger.''
12 Neither d o they keep quiet' in m y holy c h u r c h e s , b u t instead of
falling o n t h e i r k n e e s in fear a n d t r e m b l i n g , t h e y s t a n d u p a n d
make fine s p e e c h e s , w h i c h I d o n o t a c c e p t m y s e l f , n e i t h e r do m y
angels.

' Lit. '(ye^ (Jo (the things) of the law'.

^ Lit. 'liivine'.
' Lit, ' I n no wise tio wejustify a sinner'.
•* .Vleaning oliscure (Gk. ov ngoacixovaiv zdv ayyeAdv fiov). T h e occurrence of
ngooevxciv in the active is unusual, to say tlie least. Furthermore, who is the Syytkoi;
- Ghrist, o r the angel presumed to be in attendance at the service, or the Christian
minister in charge?
' Reading Kaeioravrai for laxavxm though the corruption is probably more
deep-seated. It is possible that the details here have been suggested by the parable
in Luke xviii. 9 - 1 4 . (I owe this lastob.servation to D r .\. M.AUchin, who has kindly
assisted me over some ofthe other liturgical passages in this document. Ed.)
 The Apocalypse of Sedrach 965

XV. Sedrach said to G o d , Lord thou alone a r t sinless a n d of

2 infitiite c o m p a s s i o n , a n d h a s t m e r c y a n d pity u p o n sinners. Yet thy
Godhead said, 1 c a m e n o t to call t h e r i g h t e o u s h u t sinners to
.3 repentance. .And t h e L o r d said t o S e d r a c h , D o y o u n o t know,
S e d r a c h that t h e r o b b e r w a s saved a t o n ecritical m o m e n t w h e n hc
4 r e p e n t e d ? ' D o y o u not know that m y apostle' a n d evangelist w a s
b also h i m s e l f s a v e d a t o n e critical m o m e n t ? ( B u t sinners a r e not so
s a v e d , ) b e c a u s e t h e i r h e a r t s a r e l i k e a d e c a y i n g s t o n e - the.se a r c
those w h o follow unholy paths a n d a r e to b e destroyed with
6 . A n t i c h r i s t . S e d r a c h s a i d . M y L o r d , t h o u d i d s t a l s o s a y , .My d i v i n e
spirit entered into thc Gentiles, w h o though they h a \ e not the law
7 ( y e t ) fulfil ( t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s ) o f t h e l a w . ' .As w i t h t h e r o b b e r , a n d
the apostle a n d evangelist, a n d the others w h o have attained to"
8 thy kingdom, m y L o r d , s o al.so. L o r d , p a r d o n t h o s e w h o h a v e
sinned a t t h e l a s t , f o r life is full of h a r d s h i p a n d oilers little
o p p o r t u n i t y for r e p e n t a n c e .

XVI. T h c L o r d said to S e d r a c h , I m a d e t h r e e periods in m a n ' s

2 l i f e . ' W h e n h e i s a y o u t h I o v e r l o o k h i s f a i l u r e s b e c a u s e t h e y a r e the
failures o f a y o u t h ; w h e n l a t e r he becomes a m a n , 1 k e e p w a t c h o v e r
h i s t h o u g h t s ; a n d w h e n l a t e r still h e g r o w s o l d , 1 w a t c h o v e r h i m
3 also, in t h e h o p e that h e m a y repent. S e d r a c h said. Lord, thou
k n o w e s t a l l t h e s e t h i n g s a n d u n d e r s t a n d e s t them: o n l y b e c o m p a s -
4 s i o n a t e t o w a r d s sinners. T h c L o r d said to h i m , Sedrach, m y be­
l o v e d , I p r o m i s e t o b e c o m p a s s i o n a t e ; a n d I will r e d u c e t h e forty
h d a y s t o t w e n t y . ' .And w h o e v e r m a k e s m e n t i o n o f y o u r n a m e shall
n o t s e e t h e p l a c e of p u n i s h m e n t , b u t shall b e w i t h t h e righteous in a
6 p l a c e o f r e f r e s h m e n t a n d rest. A n d i f a n y o n e r e c o r d s this a d m i r ­
a b l e d i s c u s s i o n ' i n w r i t i n g , h i s s i n s h a l l n e v e r b e r e c k o n e d againsi

' Lit. 'wa.s saved . . . to repent'.

' R e a d i n g dsidazoXog for djiOmoXot.
' Lit '(ycOdo<thc things^ of the law'.
" Re^d'mg q>9iiaavreg tig (or jnalanvzeg.

' Lit. 'I m a d e m a n in three orders'.

' Lit. '. . . compassionate even Irom below the forty days as far as rwenty .
' O r 'saying'.
966 The Apocalypse oJ Sedrach
him. A n d S e d r a c h said, L o r d , i f a n y o n e b r i n g s i l h i m i n a t i o n to thy
servant, deliver him. Lord, from every evil. . \ n d Sedrach, the
s e r v a n t o f ' G o d , s a i d . N o w l a k e m y s o u l . L o r d . .And G o d t o o k h i m
a n d s e t fiirn i n P a r a d i s e w i t h a l l t h e s a i n t s . T o w h o m b e g l o r y a n d
m i g h t for c\ e r a n d e v e r . A m e n .
 INDEX OF SCRIPTURAL
REFERENCES

OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis xx.xviii.6 542

i. 1 . . . . 1,2 xxx\iii. 24 .543
i. 2 . . . . . 239, 3IH, 771 xxxviii. 26 120
i. 7, 10 . 882 xxxix. 6 1!6
i. 11 . . . 340 xxxix. 12 511
ii. 21 . . . 17 xii. 45 468
ii. 22 . . . 18 xii. .50-52 468
iii. 23 . . 490 xlv. 12 !25
iv. 1 . . . 1.V2 xlvi. 20 468
V. 24 . . 8f).i xlvi. .30 -.28
vii. 11 . 82(i xlviii. 7 5U.593
.826 xlviii. 11 446
. .28 xlix. 7 .524.529
xii. 6 49 xlix. 15 512
xii. 1 0 - 2 0 3 1.22-26 466
xiv. 1 4 - 2 0 .51
XV. 11 53 Exodus
XV. 12 517 xii. 6 !35
XV. 16 388 xii. 11 136
XV. 17 53 xii. 37 615
XV. 20 53 xiii. 16 936
xvii. 8 54 XV. 22 1.2
xviii 933 xix. 4 613.829
XX. 1-18 3 xix. 5 .58
xxi. 25 79 xix. 6 .58
xxi. .30 79 xxiv. 4 1
xxii 933 xxiv. 7 1
xxii. 13 63 xxiv. 1 2 - 1 8 1
xxv. 27 ti4 -xxiv. 16 in
xxv. 30 77 xxviii. 41 613
xxvi. 1-17 3 xxix. 9 613
xxvi. 14 78 xxxii. 29 530
xxvii. 11 64 xxxiii. 20 777
xxviii. 1 0 - 1 2 453 xxxiv. 27 1
xxx. 2.5-43 556
XXX. 28 90 Leviticus
XXX. 3 2 - 4 2 90 ii. 13 69
xxxii. 28 4.58 iii. 9 - 1 0 68
xxxv. 9 458 xxi. 10 613
968

i. 36 ix. 10, 3 0 - 3 7 878

, ')-!0 ix. 24 500
ix.34 878
.\uii:bcT.s xvii. 30 459
xxix. 3.5 xviii. 18.37 796
xxi. 16 775

Deulcronornv 2 Chronicles
iv. 2.5-27 . .'. . . . 609 iv. 2 - 1 . 748
vi. 8 . . . 936 . 375
vii, 6 . 58. 65 . 927
xi. 18 , . . 936
xvi. 3 . . 136 Nchcmiah
. . . 602 viii. 18 . . .
. . . 606
xxxii. 10-11 829 Ksther
xxxiii. 24 550 viii. 17 . . 579
xxxiii. 29 613 ix. 19,22 ,579

Joslu.a )ob
XV. 3 . . 'ii.6 . . . . 630
xxiv. 2 .631
xxi. 12 .627
jiid.ges xxxi. 34 . 626

vi. 32 Psalms
xvii. 5. xxxiii. 6 852
xxxv. 15 776
1 .Samuel xliv. 20 830
xi.7 517 xiix. 15 865
xxv. 8 579 Ixxiii. 24 865
Ixxviii. .50 .3.50
2 Samuel Ixxxi. 9 .8.30
vi. 1-2 . . . 607 cxxxvi. 25 . 930
cxxxvii. 3 .830
1 Kings
iv. 2 9 - 3 4 733 I Proverbs
iv. 32 686 X. 12 .451
vii. 2 3 - 2 5 748 ! xvii. 23 . . , .625
xiii. 33 5.30 xix. 17 . . . (51
xxi. 23 878 xxv. 8 - 1 0 . 576

2 Kings F.cdesiaslcs
ii. 5 . 9 . . ]. 13 . 0//
vii. 2, 19 xi.6 .776
 969

Isaiah vii. 3 1 . 32 614

i, 1(1 776, 7Hfi xxiii. 1 3 - 1 4 788
vi. 1 777 xlix. 7 - 2 2 961
xiv. 12 936
xiv. 1 3 - 1 5 937 F/.ckicl
xxiv. 23 792 \iii. 3 n" 386
xl. 12 . 930 xiii. 6 563
xl. I j .920 xiv. 17 672
xl. 31 . 6 1 3 xxxi. 9 490

!3 . Daniel
. 1-2 .9.54
Iviii. 13 17 ii. 14 . . . 582
lxi\. 4 . . . . 75,5.812
Ixiv. 4 - 5 777 .Amos
Ixv. 5 . 677 ii.4 . .
Ixvi . . .
Ixvi. 14 . 633
Ixvi. 24 . 919

Jeremiah .Vlalachi
'ii. 23 . . . . iii. 10 . .

APOCRVPH.A
2 Esdras j vii. 1 7 - 2 2 733
iii. 1 929iix. 4 , 734, 740
iii. 5 - 7 929, 945, 9.54 I xiv. 2 5 - 2 6 899
iv. 12 929.9.54 ;
Iv. 36 905, 923 j Ecclesiasliei
V. 13 929 X. 19
V, 2 3 - 2 7 ,9.54 ' xix, 10 427
V, 42 871 xlvi. I . ,606
vi.31,35 929 xlviii, 9 .865
vii, 6 5 - 6 6 945 xlix. 8 , ,437
vii, 116 929
vii, 116 126 9.54 1 .Vlaccab
viii, 29-.30 945 i. 61 .612
viii, 41 929 ii. 2 9 - 3 8 .604
xv.57-,59 927
: 2 Maccabees
Tobit ii.4-5 .817-18
iii, 8. 17 .741 vi. 11 . . . . 604
iv, 12 . . . 4 2 3 vi. 1 8 - v i i . 42 . . . . 604

Wisdom
i.7 . . . .
970

See <ilw:
A b r a h a m . T h e T a l c of I h e j u s i M a n 365
.Adam, I h e .Apocalvpse of 141
Adam. I'he Book of 141
A d a m a n d Eve with Satan. T h e Conflict of HI
.Adam. T h e Penitence of 141
.Adairi. T h e [estament of 141
KzckicI Apocrvphon, T h e xv,
Hezekiah. Kin.a; of.Judah, T h e Testainent of 777- 78
lo.seph. The Praver of 46.5
4 Maccabees xvi
Moses, ThcApocalyp.sc of 6, \ \2. 158. 161-7
Narrative concerning things done m Persia 453
N o a h , B o o k i s i o f . .'. 173

.\i;\V ITSl AMKXT

.Matthew viii.'26-39 735
i. 17 430 i x . 4 2 733
viii.'28-34 735 ix. 51 6(il
X. 32 063 X. 15 937
xi. 23 937 xii. 8 963
xii. 22 . . . . xii. 46 899
XV. ! 9 xvii. 34-.35 918
xxii. 3 7 - 4 0 xviii. 9 - 1 4 964
xxiv. 5. 23 xviii. 30 M5
xxiv. 22 . . . xxi. 24 613
xxiv. 40 4 1
x.xiv. 51 . . . John
xxv. 1 4 - 3 0 i.9 , .817
xxv. 21 . . . . . 453
xxv. 31 . . . . !7'l
.351

Mark
iii. 1.5,22 . 733
xii. 23 619
V. 1-20 . 735
XV. 1 9 - 2 0 817
vii. 2 1 - 2 2 . 899
xix. 13 733
ix.48 .949
X. 30 .445
Romans
xii. 2 9 - 3 1
ii. 6 . . . . .619
xiii. 7 8, 1 2 - 1 3 . 2 8 - 2 9
xiii. 20
1 Corinthians
XV. 34
ii. 9 755,757,777,812
iii. 16 432
Luke XV. .38 918
vi. 38 XV. .52 9.30
2 Clorinthians
V. !, 1 . 827. 8,32 i. 23 . 37")
xii. 2 [m .-. I 1 .619
.1.51
Calatians
iv. 3
W. 26 1 Pfirr .619
V. 19-21 . . . i. 17 . . .4.51
n.il ..

2 IVicr
ii.4 . . .
Col
ii. 8 1 John

1 •nK's.saloiiiat ii. I:i . .

Jude
2 Thessalonians
1 4 - I .= 161, 169, 174. 185
ii.3,8

Revelation
. . . . 32.i i. 13. I.i . . . 918
32.i. 6;9 . 758
. . . . :m ii. 18 . . . . 918
ii. 28 . , . .936
vii. 22 vii. 9, 16 . 7,58
xix. 10 . .918
viii. 6 .918
X. I. 12, 14 xxii. 8 , 9
xii. 24 . . . . 16 . 936

See also
James, The Prolevangelium of 809
M a r v . T h e .Nativ ity of 683
N i e o d e m u s , T h e Gospel of 143. '-58
Paul. T h e Revelation of 946
Peter. T h e ( i o s p e l o f l^l
Peter, l h e Revelation of 171.946
Pilate, T h e .Arts of 143. 1.58
T h o m a s . ' I ' h e A r t s of •
T i t u s . T h e F.pistle of 756-57
 I N D E X O F A N C I E N T A U T H O R S
A N D W O R K S

Altikur. The Sion of xiv, xv Hermas . . . 506

Ambrosiastcr Ibb Hippolytus 506. 835
Anastasius (of Sitiail fil"
Apostolic Cutislituiions. The . . . 141, 363. Ignatius (of .Antioch) .686
4L'3, 755 Irenaeus . 506
Ans'eas,'The Letter of xv
Athanasius 395, 423, 424, 150 Icromc 5, 170. 50.5, 7,5,5. 7 7 6 - 7 7 .
.Augustine fof Hippo) 170 781.819
Jonathan on the Prophets. The Tori^um
Barnoha^. The Epistle of 169, 176, of 775
i 78, 453, 838, 899 (pseudo-) Jonathan on Ihe Pentateuch.
Hereshith Rnhbnh 2, 32 Tlie Targum of 510
Josephits 2. 143. 582, 733. 7.31
Cedix-nus 6 . 7 7 7 . 7 7 8 .[iistin Martyr 775
(pseudo-) Chrysosioni. Opus irnpeffectum
in Matthaeurn 777 Lactantius 685,686, 7.35
C'lement (of Alexandria) . . . . 323, 324, I.islof Sixty Books, The (.SeeSixty)
917
Clententine Recoonitions. The . . . . 3 6 6 - 6 7 Manual of Discipline. The 899
Cyril (of.Jerusalen-.) 686 Melito 172,683
Cyprian 835
Nicephorus . . . 43. 170, 181, 363, 395,
Damascus Document, The 5.6 .506, 649, 6,50, 685, 7,56, 813, 917
(See Zadokite Work)
Didymus (the Blind) . 5. 776, 777, 781 Origen 169, 170, 175, 323, 324,
Diogenes Laertius 899 465, .505. .506, 734, 755, 7.59, 776,
Dioanetus, The Epistle to 758 781,819.897.898,902

F.phraem (Syrus) 686 Palaea interpretatu 364, 4 5 3 - 5 4

F.piphanius . . 5, 6, 141. 363, 453, 755, Palladius 363.364
776, 781 Phileas 683
r.B. Erubin 2 Philo 899
Eitsehius (ofCaesarea) 465 ( ( 3 s e u d o - 5 Philo 619.838
F'.vagrins fmotikj 835 Pirke Aholh xiv
Ptrke de Rabbi Eliezer 510
Pistis Sophia 683. 685. 686, 688
Priseillian 363.423
Celasian Decree. The . 5 . 1 4 1 . 1 70. 506.
617,649 Rtiftnus 505
Gelasitis (of Cyzicus) 601, 602
T. B. Git/in 734, 741 Samaritan Chronicle. 'The 27
974

T.J. .Sanheilrin 775 Timothy anti .igmla. The Dialogue of . 735

Sihylline Oracles, The x\
.Sixlj Hooks. The List of i 70, 506. Vincent ,'{>f"Beauvais) 465
649. 650, 75;-!, 756, 917. 9,30
Svnrellu.s 6, 3.3. .34. 1,52. 170. 171. 174. T. B. Yebnmoth 775
:75. 176, 179. 181
Synopsis {lli<; pscudo-Athanasian) (psciidd-) Zacharias Sc holastii us , , , ,
" 170. 363. 395, 506. 649. 650. 685. 7.56. 466.468
813.917
Zadol<itc Work. T h c Fra,e;incnts o l a , ,
Tcrtiilli; ;69. 178, .506.
(See Damascus Danment)
 INDEX OF MODERN AUTHORS

A b b o t t . K. .\ (.189 Box, G . H 9.367.368.394.397.

Ackroyd, P. R xxi 425. 426. 783.838
Adam, A fi89 Brandcnhi^rger. E 605
Allrhiii. A. M 964 Bratke. E. .' 453,455
.\mclincaii, K 8!8 B r a u n . F.-M 514
Andf-rssoii, E 398. 42(i.442. ijO Brock, S. P xviii. ! 81, 618. 620
.A|)(o\vit/er. \ ' 469. 472 Brodrick. M 472
Ativah, A. S 836 Brooks. K. W 468,4 71,472
Attridgc, H . \ V 62U. 760 Brown. F 183
Bruce, | 170
Baars. \V 649. 6.-)3, 840 Budge.'E. A. \V 145,7,54,760
Baethgen, F 928 B u r c h h a r d , C 467. 468. 469, 472,
Baiilct. M 8 514
Bakrr.j.A 784 Burkitt. F, C, , 178. 183.327.605. 784
Bartics. \V, E 397. (26. 442 Butler. C 364, 897
Barthelemv, D 7 Bjtlenwieser. .\I 758, 759, 761
Bas.sct. R. 783.820
Batiilbl, P 466, 467, 468, 469.
4 7 0 . 4 7 1 , 492.689,9.30 C a q u o t . A 398
Bauer. W 689 C a r m i g n a c . J 689
Berkei. J .')14 Garricre. A.' 471
Bcer.G ;82. 783 (.:ascv, R, P 690
Hegriih.J 6.')3 Ceriani. A,.M 6 . 8 . 142. 144.601.
Bekker. 1 777 6 0 4 , 8 : 4 , 8 1 9 , 836,833
Bcnsly. R. L 931 C h a d w i c k . H 690
Berger. K 9 Chainc. M 398,426,442
Bernard,,]. H 688 C b a d e s , R. H, , , . ix. x. xi. xiii, xiv. xv.
Best. E 762.919 xvi. xvii. xix,6, 7 , 8 . 9 . 10. 13, 17.20.27.
Bezold.0 144, :4(i 28. 3 1. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39. 40. 43, 47.
Bickerman. E . J .514 5 1 . 53, .54, 69. 73. 77. 84. 90. 96. 97.
Binder. G 776 100. 101, 113, 114, 115, 125, 127,
Blaek. .\1 181 128. 130, 142. 145. 171. 172. 174.
Bbhlig.A 145 175. 176, 177. 178. 179. 180. 182.
Bogaert. P. . . . 816, 818, 820. 836. 837, 252. 323, 324. 325. 327. 328. ,50f>,
839, 850. 862 507, 508. 509. 513. 516. 517. 527,
Bonner. 172. 177. 181 530, 539, 602, 603. 604. 605. 606.
Bonwetsch. G. N 322. 326. 327, 607, 609, 610. 611.() 12. 614.616.
368, 335. 3 8 9 . 4 5 5 . 457. 461. 778.903 652. 653, 778. 779, 780. 781. 782.
B o r n e m a n n , F. .A 735. 736, 737 783. 785, 787. 790. 792. 793. 794.
Bouriant. U 171. 180,7.53.760. 798,800. 8 0 1 . 8 0 3 . 8 0 4 . 8 1 4 . 8 1 8 .
761.918.919 836. 837, 838. 839. 840, 842, 855,
Bousset. W 394. .508. 514. 7.58, 856, 862, 867. 869. 870.872. 876.
759,761 880. 881. 884, 885, 890, 898. 903
976

Charlesuonh.j. H 6 K ; . f>«7. 0 8 8 . Flcmn-Jng. | . 179. 180. 182. 689. 783

Fl-tsser. D 784
Chrisiie. P XX Forbes. \ 326. 327
(':i7.cvskii. D 78'.' Fotheringham.J. K 328
Ck-tncn. C Cm. 6 0 5 F r a n k e n b e t g . \V 653
C o m s t o r k , .S. T. . . . 7 3 4 . 7 6 0 : 7 ( i l . 7 6 7 Frev..J.-B. ' 9. 183. 328. 511. 605.
Cor.nollv. R. H 6 9 0 621. 653. 737. 761. 784. 820. a4(i. 919
C o n v b c i r e . F. C:. . . 1 4 . 5 , . 5 1 4 . 7 3 . 5 . 7 3 6
Fuchs.C 146
C:o<)pcr. I ) . S 3 9 7
C r a l g i c . W. . \ 3 9 7 G a l l a n d i . .A
Caselee. S 425. 426. 442,
IJaiiiclou. J 7 8 4 Gaster, M
D.ivcnport.C. 1 9 Gieseler. J . K. L
d c Bru\ lie. D 756 (iildernieister. J 180
Dcricriiig. S 8 3 6 . 8 3 9 G i n z b e r g . I.. ' 146. 183. ,328. 366,
d c F a n l i s , .A 778.779 368. 391, 398, 472, 621. 737, 781, 820,
dc.Jon.ge. H . j 5 1 3 838, 840, 898.. !)03
dc jonsi-. 5 0 7 . 5 0 8 . 5 0 9 . 5 1 1 . G o r s k s , .A. V :i21
5 1 2 , 5 1 3 . 5 1 4 Giabe, j , K 506.
dc I.agardc. P 7 7 5 Graf; Ci
Dclatte. .A 7 3 6 Granfield, P
Delcor, .VI. . . . 3 9 4 , 3 9 7 . 3 9 8 . 4 2 6 . 1 4 2 . G r a n t , R. .\I
621 G r a y , G. B 652.
Dolling. C; 8 1 6 . 8 2 0 Greenfield. J. G
Deni.S.' ,A.-.\I. . . X X , 8 . 9 , 1 4 6 . 1 8 3 , 3 2 8 , Gr(4ot. P. .' 183,
36.'!, 3 9 8 . 472. 514, 605. 621, 653. 690. Grcnfell. B. P 778, 782, 790.
737. 7 6 1 . 784. 820, 839. 840, 903. 919. Gressmann, H
93:. 947, 956 Cironewald, M
de Vanx. R 8 Grosseteste. R
de Zvvaan. J 6 9 0 Grv. I
Dib. P. . . ' . 8 1 8 G u i d i . I. . 396. 123, 425, 426, 442.
Dillmann, C F . A . . . 6 , 7 . 9 , 1 4 6 , 1 7 1 . Gunkel, H
179. 180, 182, 778. 781. 7 9 3 , 8 : 4 , 8 1 9
Dindorf, W 6 , 1.52. 1 7 0 . 1 8 1 H a a t ker, K (•)03, 6f)5
Drijvers. H . J . VV 6 9 0 Hadot, J 840
Durnsing, H 783 H a g e , \V 903
Halevv,J. 928
F.issfeldt, O xxi, 9 , 1 4 6 , 1 8 , 3 , . 3 2 8 . H a m m e r s h a i n i b , F.. 783
514.60.5, 6,53,784,840,903 Harnack. .\ . 681, 689, 756
Etticrton,.J. ,A 6 8 7 , 6 9 0 H a r p e r . R. F 183
Harris, J . R 652, Ii53, Ii88, 815,
Fabricius, J . .A 4 6 5 . .506 8 1 6 , 8 1 9 , 8 2 5 . 8 4 0 . 8 98
F c r t a r , \V..J 6 0 5 Helmboid,.A. K 779, 784
Finkelstein. 1 9 Hennecke. F 689. 7(i2, 783, 919
Fisbbtirne. C . W 3 9 8 Herzo.g.J..) 814
Fleck, F . F 7 3 5 . 7 3 6 Hil.genf(;ld, A fi04, 653, 655
 977

Hill. D 783 Kraft. R. A . 6 1 8 . 620, 654. 815,

Hinrflcv, J. C 183 819.820
Holscher. G 603. 605 Kuhn, K G . J69, 473, 6.54
Hollander, H . W . . 513 K u h n . K. H. . 425.426. 683
653 K u m m e l . W. G XX
Horner. G 6^9 Kunik'idzcC. 145
Hort, F . J . . \ H 6 . 790 Kushelev-Bezboiodko. G. A. 368. 4.)4
H o n g h t o n . H. P . . . 761,918
Hcvscphcantz. S. 144,471.513.819.
Eabib, P 145
928
Eabourt.J. . . 689
H u g h e s , H . M. . 898, 902. 903
Lacau, P . 782. 9 2 0 , 9 2 2 . 9 2 5
H u n k i n , J. W 514
Lake. A. K. . . 690
H u n t . A ' . S . . . . 778, 782, 790, 839. 927
Lake, K 328
Lake. S 690
Issaverdens. J. xxi 14.5. 4 7 1 . 5 1 3 , 8 2 0 .
L a n d s m a n , J . 1. 368, 370, 379. 385,
928
387. 388, 389
Istiin. V. M 471
L a p e r r o u s a z . E -.VI 605
Ivanov, I. 145, 782.902
Lattke, M. . . 687.688.689
Laurence, R. 170. 180, 182. 781, 783
Jagic, V 145
Lavrov. P . A . 365.782
James. . \ 1 R ix. xi. xx. 144, 146.
L a w l o r . H. J. . 183
158, 171, 1 8 1 . 3 9 3 , 3 9 4 , 3 9 5 . 3 9 6 . 4 1 0 .
Lefort, L . f . . . 782.916- !7
420, 426. 435. 443, 4.55, 467, .507, 513,
Leroy,I 818
605. 6 1 7 , 6 1 8 , 620. 639. 641.652, 653,
Leslan. \V. . . . 397
762, 814. 838. 840. 8.56. 897. 898, 902.
Licht,J 603.605
903, 904, 919, 930, 9 3 1 , 9 5 3 . 954,955.
Liesenborghs. L 776
956
L i t t m a n n . E. . 9 . 6 9 . 183.328. 784
Jannsen, E 398
Lods. A 171. 180
Jenni, E 687
Liidtke.W. . 784.903
Jungmann. J. A 690

Kautzsch. E xix. 9. 146. 182. 514, .MacRae.G. . 397

605. 653, 783, 840. 903 Mahe, J . - P . .. 146
Kec. H . C .509.514 Mai, A 171 176, 180,617.620.
K e n v o n . K. G 181 778.782
Kittel, 0 690 .Malan, S C . 145
Kittel, R 653 .Mancini, A. . . 617
Klijn,.A. F . J 840 .Marcjais. P . . . 398
K m o s k o , .M 144,836,839 Martin, F 182,6.52.653
K n i b b . M. A. . . xi, 172. 173. 174, 178, M a s p e r o . G. . 753
179, 180, 182 M a u n d e r . A . S. D. 323. 328
Konig, E 814,820 M c C o w n , C. C. 735, 736. 743
Kohler. K 9, 394, 398, 473, 515, .Meicati.G. . 943. 94f>. 9.56
618, 620, 621,624, 820 Meyer, R. . . 955
K o h u t , G. A 620. 624 .Mever, VV. . . 142. 143. 144
Kortcwcg, T 513 M i g n e , J. P . . . xxi
978

Miiik, I-T, . . . 7 , « , 1 7 2 . 1 7 4 . 17.5. 1 7 6 . 4 7 3 . 5 1 4 . 5 ! 5 . r>05. 6 0 6 . 6 2 1 . 6 : ) 3 . 6 5 1 ,

177. I 7 « . 181, l K : i . 3 2 8 736. 737. 7 6 i , 762, 783. 784. 820. 821.
.Vlingana. .\ 6,-)3. 6 « ( i . 8 1 8 8 3 9 . 8 4 0 . 9 0 3 . 9 1 9 . 930. 9 3 1 . 9 4 6 . 947,
Mo<ire, (;. F 183 9.(6
.VIorttI!. \ V . R . . 3 2 6 . 3 2 7 . 3,") 1. 8 9 7 , 9 0 3 Ronsch. H . 127
.Vlorgeiistcin. ) 9 Rosenstiehl.J.-.\I . 761
MozN-v.J. H.' 1 1 3 . 144 Rosenthal. F .81!
-Miilifi. B 931 Rost. L x i x , 9, 146, 51.5,
.V-IiJssafia, . \ 944 tifXi, 6 5 4 . 903
Rowlev, H. H . . 10
Nagcl, P 427 R u b i n s t e i n . .V . 368
N e v o s t r u e v , KA 321 Rutherford. A , 956
N i c k l e s h u i - g . ] r , C . VV. E . . . . 397. 398. Rvie, H. E .653
603.606,818,821,840 Rvssel. V .903
Novakovic. S 3 2 1 . 3 2 6 . 4 7 : , 6 : 7,
620, 820, 897, 902 Sihaller. B 62!
Schlicr. H 6 8 . i , (i90
(ri)rll, ( 6.51 .Schmidt. C 6 8 3 , 688, 689. 754,
( V s t c r l c v . VV. ( X F 182,840 7.59, 7 6 0 , 7 6 1 , 7 7 !
O p p c i i h e i m , (; 4 6 7 , 171 Schmidt, H xix
. S c h m i d t , N' 183,322,328
P h i l o n e n k o , M , . . . 368. 467. 468. 469. Schtiapp. F 508,514,515
4 7 0 , 4 7 1 , 4 7 2 . 173. 4 9 2 . 4 9 3 , 6 1 9 , . S c h n e e i n c l c h e r , ^V 689, 762. 783.
6 2 1 , 784 919
Philonenko-Savar. B 368 .Sthodde.G. H a
Picard.J.-C. .' 897,902 S c h r a g c . V\' 761
P i e t e r s m a , .\ 7.54.760.761,767 Sehiipphaus. ) 6 5 2 . 6.54
P i r o t , I. xix St h i i r e r , E . x x . 10, 1 4 6 , 1 8 3 , 3 2 8 ,
Pistclli. E 757. 760 3 6 8 , 3 9 4 , 3 9 8 , 4 7 3 , .508, 5 1 5 , 6 0 3 ,
Polivka.G 396.617,620 606, 6 2 1 , 6 5 1 , 735, 737, 754, 762,
Popov, \ . N. . 3 2 1 , 326. 778. 779, 782, 784,816.821,811,903,919
820 S h a k h m a t i n , A. A 782
P o r f l r V s . I. Y a . . . . 3 6 4 , 3 6 8 , 4 5 4 , 4.55 Sharpe,,). L 146
Pratotins, F 814,820 S i m m o t i d s . J. S . G xviii
Preuschen, E 146, 515 S i n k e r , R. ' .506, 5 0 8 , 5 1 2 , 5 1 3
P u r i n t i n , ,A.-E 815,819,820 Smith..}. Z 465
P y p i n , .\. N 365,368.454,456 Smith,'\V 146
Sokolov. M, 1 321, 322, 326, 902
Radermacher, 1 182 Sperarisky, M . N 322
Rahllb. A 652 Spitta. F 621
Rahnenliihrer, D 62i S p i t t l e r , R. P 620
Renan, K 144, 115 S r e z n e v s k v . 1. 1 364.367,379
Rengstorf, K. H 515 Steitidorir. G 753. 7.54, 7 5 7 . 7,58.
R e n o u f , P . le P 472 759, 760, 761, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919
Riessler, P xix. 9. ; 4 6 , 182, 183. Stendahl, K 473
327. 328, 368. 398, 426, 427. 469. 472. Stern, 1 753,761,919
 979

Strvorison. VV. B 621 \'i,s;ouroux. F 930

Stojancnir, 1 779. 782 Violet, B 837.839,840,841.932.
.Stone. M. E. . . I8.S. 39:i. .397. 592. 821 956
Swete. H. B 181.652 Vilcau. ) 652. (;53
Volkmai. O 605
'lavlor. S XX vtni ( i e b h a r d t . ( ) 652. 662. (iby.
T e s t u / . .M 10.687 778. 779. 782
TikhonravoN. N . S 361, 367. 396.
4;)4. 45.5. .')13.819.897.902 Waie. H 146
Timble.J 620 VVa.gner. S (i21
Tisrhemlorf. C;. . . . 142. 144.928, 931, W a h l . (,) 929, 931, 943, 914. 9-16.
932 9,i6
'I'isserant. E 6. 8, 783 Walker, A :45. 93 I
•|oncy,(:.C xix. 6. 10. 146. 183, Weber. H, B 397
515. 606, 6! 8, 621. 654, 784. 818. 841 Weincl, H. , , , xix, 368. 398. 427. 4.55,
lov.C. H 6,54.737 762.919
T n i n i p p , I". 145 Wcllhauscn, J 672
Tiirdeanij, E 146, 328. 368. 398. VVelLs. r.. S. .V 142. 145
515. 784,903 Wesselcy. C 760
Turner. N 394. 398 Wicsenbcrg, E 10
Williams. A , L 737
Ullendorir E. 178. 179, 183 Wilson, R, McF xx,689
Wolff. J.-C 465
V'aillant. A 322. 323. 326. 327, Worrell. W . H 690
329, 333, 338, 339, 340, 342, 345, 346, W r i g h t , R, B 654
347. 349, 351, 352, 3.56, 358. 360, 784
van den Brock. R 146 Voutie. H, C 181
Vanderkam. J,C 10
van Koningsveld, P, S 836 Zcitlin, S 10.606
van Unnik. VV. C 473,515 Zimmermami, F 841
V'assilicv. A 393.396,455,815 Zuntz. C 181
V'ermaseren. \T. | 146
 INDEX OF SUBJECTS

Abel: sits as j u d g e before the gates ofhcaven 4 1 0 - 1 2 .

.Abraham: argues with his father about his idols 47, 371, 372-74.
. \ b y s s , the: the place of punishment and torment 196, 210. 27.5. 278. 289. 923. 924.
.Adam: 'the first-formed' 409. 934; the secrets o f t h e future revealed to .A. in Eden
a n d subsequently told to Seth I,54-.5,'); .A. sits as an observer outside the gates of
heaven 4 0 8 - 9 ; each man 'is his own .A.' 875.
.Addition: n a m e o f t h e final day o f t h e feast of Tabernacles 101. See Feasts and
Festivals.
Atigel: the a. of A b r a h a m 4 2 7 - 2 8 . .585: thc a. of thcChristian Church 789-90; the a.
of d e a t h 853; thc a. ofthe Holy Spirit 790. 799. 8 0 5 - 6 . 8 0 9 . 8 1 1 - c p . 'the a. ofthe
Spirit' who has in.spired certain psalms to which no name is attached 793: the a.
that intercedes tor Israel 528, .565.
.Angels: a. of the presence 13, 14,527; guardian a. 108; their Ibod 1 4 7 - c p . 490: their
language 646. 924; they must not be worshipped 923: they will be friends of
perfect priests and monks 433; they write the records of thc deeds of men 336.921,
923; their function as recorders at the Jud.gement 289, 4 1 0 - 1 2 , and as accusers
921, 923; in thc age to come the ri.ghteous will be made like a. 871 - cp. 231.
Angels (the fallen): their names 189. 1 9 0 - 1 . 251-52; their fall 188-90, 203, 251,
277, 316, 519; their imprisonment 25, 4 1 , 196. 210, 246. 249. 278. 330. 335. 876;
their j u d g e m e n t and final punishment 196, 199, 201. 208. 210, 233-35, 249-.50,
289, 293,' 785. .See Watchers.
Antichrist, the: 431, 7 6 7 - 7 3 , 777, 7 9 1 - 9 2 , 9 3 5 , 9 3 6 - 3 7 ; he fell from heaven like thc
morning stars 769; his personal appearance described 768, 9 3 6 - 3 7 . .See The
.Shameless O n e , T h e Son of I.aw4essness, T h e Son of Perdition.
.Archetypal Temple in heaven, the: dates from the Creation and shown to Adam,
A b r a h a m , and Moses 842 - cp. 528, 877, and 790 where the Christian Church 'is
in the heavens'; cp. also 431 and 433 where men's service on earth corresponds to
the archetypal service in heaven, and 347 where mati's judgement-place, with the
necessary weight and measure, was prepared for him before hc existed.
.Atonement, the Day of: fore-ordained 26; instituted on the news of the loss ofjoseph
106.
Awaited O n e , thc (title ofChrist): 462.
Azazel (in 1 E n o c h a l e a d e r ofthe fallen angels): 190, 193,195,251, .378-79.38;i-8.5,
389 - cp. 277: his imprisonment 195. 199, 233 - cp. 278; his judgement and final
p u n i s h m e n t 195, 2 3 4 - 3 5 - cp. 289.

Babel: Baruch sees the builders ofthe Tower in the second heaven 9 0 5 - 6 .
Balance. See Weighing of souls.
B a p t i s m : 155, 158,949,964.
B a r u c h : will be preserved until the End 847, 855, 886.
Beezebul: 739. 740, 7 4 2 - 4 3 .
Behemoth; 239,8.56-57. See also Leviathan.
Beliar: 12, 56 and very frequently in Test. X I I Pat. and chaps, i - v of Asc. Isa.
9«2

Bfloxrd (One), the: title of Christ in O d . Sol. (691-92, 69,"), 698, 726), throu.ghoiit
. \ s r . Isa. ( 7 8 5 - 8 6 , 789. 7 9 0 - 9 8 . 798. 8 0 1 - 3 ; . and otiee in I'ar. j e r . (823).
Rinding ofa sarrifiria! animal before slaughter in 2 F'.norh, the: 326, 35'.. 355, 358.
Blood, eating of forbidden: 2 8 - 9 , 3 4 - 5 , 6 8 - 9 , 301.
Hook of Life! the: 95, 110, 451, 488.
Books, heavenly: record the deeds nl men 95, 110, 116, 270. 309. 318. 804, 921, 923;
and inspected at the Judgement 229, 289, 349, 4 1 0 - 11, 854.
Books of .Moses, the: to be preseived in earthenware jars 607.
Bread of Lile. the; 451. 480. 488 - cp. 481.
Burial: the b. or..\dam and .Abel in the regions of Paradise by Michael and Uriel the
pattern for h u m a n b. 160.

C a i n : the victim of seven different plagues brought on him at intervals ofa hundred
years 597: the m a n n e r of his death was in accordance with the rule on the
heavenly tablets 24.
C . n a r a c t s ofheaven, the: 826,
C h a r i o t : the (4i. o f t h e cherubim 164, 407 - cp. 437; the great ch. (of'God) ( i 4 7 - c p .
153; a t h . of fire 491.940.
Chp.stening: Ciod's ch. o f t h e righteous 658, 669, 672. 673. 6 7 5 - 7 6 ; of Israel 664.
681. 84 L 848.
C h e r u b i m : 163, 166, 2 0 1 - 2 . '209, 242, 255, 329. 3 3 6 - 3 7 . 340. 411, 456-57 ('four-
faced'), 646. 832, 934,940.
Chosen. Sre Elect.
Christ 'Jesus): mentioned bv name K58, 431, 4.52. fretjuentiv in O d . Sol., 745, 792,
801, fi03. 806, 8 3 2 - 3 3 , 907, 956; his advent will be 5500 vears after the death of
; \ d a i n 158, 42 generations after the death of Isaac 4 3 0 - 3 1 , and 477 years after the
death of J e r e m i a h 832: tlte signs ofhis advent 462; the historical details described
- his Virgin Birth 431, 592, 709-10, 749, 8 0 9 - 10; the Star and the Wise Men 463,
536; his Baptism 158, 536, 715; his miracles and masterv' over demons 463,
7 4 4 - 4 5 , 749, 810; his call of die .Apostles 431, 789, 833; his persecution bv the
Jews 389, 593, 598, 785, 789; his Crucifixion 431, 4,56, 463, .595, 598, 717, 730,
7 4 4 - 4 5 , 749, 789, 792, 803, 810, 940; the Rending ofthe Temple Veil 598; the
H a r r o w i n g of Hell 431, .598, 804, 807, 810, 9 4 0 - cp. 1,58; his Resurrection 431,
438, 7 8 9 - 9 0 , 810; his .Ascension ,598, 785, 790, 792, 804, 810: the apostolic
preaching 790, 810, 833; the conversion and salvation of the Gentiles 389, 4.56,
571, 593, .595, 5 9 8 - 9 9 ; the Christian Church 1.58, 431, 4 6 2 - 6 3 , ,593, .595, 790-2;
the second {'') advent 767. See Incarnation, Son of God, Lamb of God. Saviour of
the World, .Awaited O n e , Beloved (One).
Christians: 431, 9 3 2 - 3 3 , 937,9.56.
Cotilession: cleanses I'rom sin 668; c. and penance 9 4 8 - 4 9 , 9 5 1 ; Aseneth's c. 4 8 3 - 6 .
C o n s u m m a t i o n , the final: 196, 205, 520, 607, 7 9 2 - 9 3 , 8 5 6 - 5 7 , 882, 886, 8 9 2 - 9 3 ; it
is very near 890, 895, See Day.
C o v e n a n t : God's c. with Noah 28, with A b r a h a m 53. 5 4 - 5 .
C r e a t i o n : the acts ofc. and the twenty-two kinds nf created things descrilied 14-15,
16; the details revealed by God to Enoch 3 3 9 - 4 0 ; apparently ex nihilo 852 cp.
 983

866: ihc existing world was created for man's sake 849. for Israel's .sake 607, or Ibr
the sake o f t h e righteous 8,'iO, 8.')3: it will be transformed or renewed and the riew
c. will last forever 13, 2'27, 257, 293,8.58. 864. 870. 87(i,
C u p , the: of (God's) blessing 481; of immortalitv 480, 488; of life 488.

D a u g h t e r : a yoimger musl not be given in marriage before her elder sister 88,
D a y . the ( = t h e d . ofthe Lord, when hc will destroy the earlh and thc heavens. 925):
that great d. 234; the d, o f t h r great consummation 205; thc (great) d, of (thc
greal) judgement 25. 72. 212. 276, 312, 527, 904, e t c ; thc d," of cursing and
p u n i s h m e n t .30fi; thc d. ol darkness 297; thc d. of destruciion 30! 2; tlie d. of
distress 184. 235. 301; the d, of inif]uity 298; the d, of repentance 607. See
Judgement.
D e a d , thc; the abode of 2 1 0 - 1 2 ,
D e a t h : thc spirit scnl by God to claim the soul of .Abraham 406. 115-21 - cp. H I :
his reaping-hook 402. 406; the angel of d. 853,
Devil, the: originallv an angel driven out ofheaven because he refirsed to worship
.Adam 150.958,
Dispersion, thc: Israel is dispersed among the Gentiles 532. 535. 5.54. 581. 592. 668.
881; a praver for their gathcritjg together again 667; God will gather them 670.
889.

Eden, See Paradise, nho Garden,

Elect (Chosen) O n e , mv; title applied t o j o s e p h 486, Jeremiah 82 1, 822, 829, and
Esdras 935; mv (thc) El, O n e = the Messiah 223, 226, 227, 2.30, '231, 232. 233.
'235,'242,243, 391,800.
Elect (i:hoscn) ones: thc el. of Israel 14; more generally 481; and especially in
1 Enoch as a synonym Ibr thc righteous 184, 2 3 6 - 3 7 , etc.
E m m a n u e l : title ofChrist 743, 744. 745, See Immanuel,
E n d . See C o n s u m m a t i o n .
E n o c h : the .scribe (of righteousness) 198. 203, 294, 413 - cp, 342; the first man on
earth l o w r i t e 2 2 - 3 - c p . 274; his writings listed 23; his writings quoted orrelerred
to 68. 31 7, 328 especially in Test. X I I , Pat, 523. 532. 533. 5-46, 557, 564, .569.
598; they describe what is in the heavens 344, and what is lo happen on earlh 756;
some 360 ofhis books were written at thc dictation ofthe archangel V'rcvcil 338.
340, 3 4 1 . 344; all arc to be carefully preserved for the benefit and profit of future
generations 271, 313, 341. 342. 347, 349; he did not die 413, 430. bul was
translated 2 5 4 - 5 5 , 342-, 3,54; in Eden he keeps the records of men's deeds till thc
Day ofjud.gcment 23 4 - cp. 42,342, 348,349; hc will descend with Elijah on thc
Dav and destroy the .Antichrist 773, and hc will function as a witness at the
J u d g e m e n t 42, .342,
Error: thc prince of cr. 521; the spirit ofer, 790; the spirits ofer, 524, 527, .561, .569.
.580; the seven spirits of er. 5 1 6 - 1 7 .
E t e r n a l Iiti;: 196, 221, 224, 237, 345, 353, 445, 6 5 9 - c p . eternal rest 428, etc.

Fasting: created when God made thc heavens 763.

984
Feasis and Festivals:
First-fruits ( = 'VVeel<s') origin and regulations 2 9 - 3 0 : eeleiirated in iieaven from
tlte creation 29, by .Abraham when God made his covenant with him 54, by
A b r a h a m when Isaac was born 58, by .Abiaiiam with Isaac, IshmacI, and
J a c o b , before his death 7 0 - 3 , by .Jacob before setting out for Egypt 126.
Passover, the: origin and regulations 134-37.
S a b b a t h , the: instituted at the creation 16-17; rules and regulations 138-39;
a sign of the resurrection and the rest of the age to come 161.
T a b e r n a c l e s {'the F'east'): origin and regulations 5 9 - 6 0 ; the additional day 101,
Unleavened Bread: mentioned 137.
First-fruits. Sef Feasts.
Friend oFGod: title applied to Abraham f)4, 3 7 6 - cp. 375, 400, 402, 407. 415, 416,
4 2 1 . 444, also 380, 382; Levi was described on the heavenly tablets as a fr, 95; God
spoke to Enoch as a trusted fr, 342, and was a fr. to the patriarchs during Uieir
life-time 450.

G a r d e n , the (-^ Edeni: of life 243; of ri,ght<:ousticss 2!9, 241, 266 - cp. 239. See
Paradise.
G a r m e n t :;s): of life, the reward ofthe righteous, 245 cp. 771. 785. 790,924; they are
stored already in the sevetith hitaven 792, 798, 8 0 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 , 812. where Enoch is
clothed in his bv Michael 337.
Gate(s) ofheaven, the: the entrance(s) 312, 4 0 8 - 1 0 , .528, 905, 9! 1, 9! 3, 914, 921.
G a t e s (Doors) o f h e a v e n , the: the openings in h. through which the sun, moon,
stars, a n d winds, go out and in 2 1 9 - 2 0 , 2 5 7 - 7 2 , 3 3 2 - 4 . 908.
G e h e n n a : n a m e for the place of torment 756, 785. 792. 877. 895, 9 3 2 - c p . 216,289.
Gentiles, the; will be saved 525,527,528,530,537, .549,550, .561.571,581,593, .595,
598, 599, 600 - cp. 229.
G i a n t s , the: born from the union of angels with women 25. 33, 190, 193, '203, 5 2 0 -
cp. 277: thev became evil spirits on earth 204: their destruction 25, 3 3 - 4 , 66,
19,5-6, 199, 201, 203. 205 - cp. 278.
Glorv. the Great: title for God 527.805.807, 811 - cp. 'He who is great in glorv' 202,
308,

H e a d of Days, the: title for God 227, 228, 2'29, 234, 238, 2,56.
H e a v e n : a new h. will replace the old 2 9 3 - c p . 13.
Heavenly Tablets. See Tablets.
Heavenly T e m p l e . See Archetypal.
Heavenly Voice, the: 5.36, 853.
H e a v e n s , the seven: described in detail 3 3 0 - 4 2 , 3 7 9 - 9 0 . 5 2 6 - 2 7 , 7 9 6 - 8 1 2 , 9 0 4 - 1 4
- c p . 376, 750, 789, 790, 792,917.
H e b r e w : the original language in which the early books were written, but which fell
out of use after the collapse of Babel, taught to A b r a h a m 49.
H e r o d : 936, 945, 949.
H i p p o d r o m e by Rachel's tomb, the: 511. .593.
Holy places: there are four on earth (Eden, the mount of the east, Sinai, and Zion)
' 2 4 - c p . 38.
 985

Holv Spiril. the; 1.58, 402, 429, 437, 439, 4')2, 680, 6 9 ! , 700. 704. 709. 714. 790, 794.
795. 8 0 1 . 80.5. 806, 811.812. 941. .See Spirit olGoel.

I m m a n u e l : title ofChrist 907. .See Emmanuel,

Immortality, See C u p ,
Impulses, the uvo in man: 577 78, 596-97,
I n e a r n a l i o n , the: God will appear am.ong men 527. hc will dwell with men on earth
13. 155. 565. 571, in the midst of Israel 528. in human form 524. 561. ,581. in the
guise ofa humble man 599, and hc will become man 438, with a human body 463,
525; thc Elect O n e will dwell among men 227; thc Son assumed the form of man
when he r a m e to save us 762; the Saviour will be both CJod and man 525; the
Beloved will be like a man in form 789, 801, 803, See Christ, etc,
Incorruption, the unction of: 480. 488,
Isra{4: ( i o d ' s eldest son whom he has hallowed Ibr e\er 16; his .servant 671.
Is.sachar: a farmer 511 - 12.

j e a l o u s y , the idol of: 3 8 6 - 8 - cp. 880,

Jerusalem: the navel o f t h e earth 38. 679 - cp, 215: the holy city 665, one of (Jod's
four holy places on earth 24 - cp, 38; (iod will gather her dispersed children
to,eelher670; in the new creation J , will beset apart for the hallowing of the earlh
24: in thc n e w j , thc Lord will live with men ,565 - cp, 290. 842; 'J, which is above'
8'26,
j o b a b : thc original name of Job 622.
J o h n (.St,): 933.
J o s e p h : thc SOIL ofG™! 478. 479: the first-bort: son ofGod 493: a writing described as
'the words ofjoseph the just' 793,
Jubilee(s); instructions about 'the year of jubilee" (i,e, every fiftieth year) and thc
m e a s u r e m e n t of time in 'jubilees" (i,c. periods of fifty years) 3 - 5 . 13, I37-.38.
j u d g e m e n t , the: references to the final j , as distinct from the first (i.e. the flcKKl. e g ,
234) are very frequent, and common phrases in this connection are 'the great j , '
( 2 1 1 ) , ' t h e eternal j . " (312),'the great day ofj," (195). or s i m p l y ' t b e d a y o f j , ' (72):
sometimes the emphasis is on its aspect as a universal world j , - cp. 160-61. 185.
293, a n d for representative descriptions ofthe details .527-'28, 7 9 2 - 9 3 , 9 3 5 : more
often interest is concentrated on t h e j . of individuals, particularly on s i n n e r s - c p .
110, 238, 674, and for detailed descriptions 26, 3 0 5 - 6 , 4 0 8 - 1 4 ; arrording to
2 Enoch m a n ' s place of j , , together with a measure and a weight, was prepared for
him before even he existed 347; according to T . .\br. there are three judgements
for each individual, the first before .\be!. the second before the twelve tribes of
Israel, a n d the third belbre the Sovereign God ofall 412. See Consummation.
Day,
Justification: by obedience lo the Law 87(,1,

Keys, the: ofthe T e m p l e entrusted to the keeping of the sun by Jeremiah 823, and lo
heaven bv the priests 846; of thc kingdom ofheaven held by .Michael 911; the
keepers o f t h e k, ofliell .345,
986

Kiiigdom: Job's k. is eternal 638; the advent ol'God's k. t i l ^ - 14: the keys ofthe k, of
heaven held bv Michael 91 K
K.ittim:79, WI.'

l.atnh of God. the: a christologiral title ,i98. . W . i - c p . ')92.

Law, the: the patriarchs obeyed it before it was written 87ti: man is justified by
obedience to it 870; it is life 860: it is eternal 'iOl'. 887 - cp. 669: it is a lamp ihr
Israel lit l)y Moses 8.')0. 877; Israel will never want' 'a son ofthe I.' 864; in the
distress of exile there is nothing left to Israel but God and his I. 894.
Lawless O n e . the: 7.'j8. 766. See Son of Law Icssness.
Length ol'human life, the: 7 4 - 6 .
Levi: chosen for the priesthood because of his zeal in the affair of Shechem 94; Isaac
blesses him 97. .531, and teaches him the law o f t h e priesthood ,531: L.'s own
visions o f h i s appointment and that ofhis sons and ofhis installation 99. .5'28.
530—31: Jacob has a sitnilar vision 531. he instttlls L. 99. and passes on to him the
ancestral books bet'orc his death 129; L. and his sons must be accorded their
p r o p e r reverence 9 7 , 5 2 0 . 5 2 5 . 5 4 8 ; he was a prophet who foresaw everything that
was about to happen 496, 4 9 9 - cp, 495; the service of the levitical priesthood the
earthlv counterpart of that of the angels in heaven 94, 97.
L e v i a t h a n : '239. 376. 384. 462, 856-57" See aho Behemoth.
Lord of Spirits, the: a title Ibr God 221 (and so regularlv in I F.noi h xxxv ii-lxxi).
L o r d ' s Dav. the: 947.
Love of G o d : associated with love of neighbour xvii, ,5.54, 555. .564.
Luke (.St.): 938.

.Mankind: the n u m b e r of tliose to be b o m was fixed when death was decreed 854 -
c p . 868.
\ f a r r i a g e : with C a n a a n i t e s forbidden 66, 72, 8 0 - 1, 86 - cp. .542-46, with Gentiles
9 3 - 4 , , 5 3 1 - c p . 831.
.Vlastema: 4 1 , 45, 6 1 - 2 . 66. 132-34.
M a t t h e w (St.): 9.38.
Melchizedek: his birth 3 6 0 - 6 1 ; put by Gabriel in the garden of F.den to keep him
safe from the flood 362; cp. 325-'26.
.Messiah ( = .Anointed O n e ) , the: so named 2;iO. 232, 681, 8.56, 857, 861, 8 8 4 - c p .
679; otherwise the F.lect (Chosen) O n e (q.v.), the Righteous O n e 221, the
Righteous and CUio.sen O n e 233, the Son of Man (q.v.), the .Son ofDavid 678, My
Son 313; he will spring from J u d a h 97, 530, .549-50, .592, from Levi 5 3 6 - 3 7 , from
J u d a h a n d / o r Levi 520, .565; the signs ofhis advent 855 57. 884; his role and
activities 549, .565. 6 7 8 - 8 0 , 681. 8,57. 861, 884; the (Messianic) age and its joys
1 3 - 1 4 , 7 6 - 7 , 196-98, 2 2 6 - 2 7 . 2 3 6 - 3 7 , 245, 256, 5 3 6 - 3 7 , .550-51, 565, 612-14,
861,884-85.
.Millenium, the: 4.39. 7 7 3 - c p . 857,
M o o n , the j o u r n e y i n g s o f the: 2 6 0 - 6 3 , 3 3 3 - 3 4 , 920.
Moses: the intercessor for Israel 616; the mediator of (iod's covenant and com­
m a n d m e n t s 607, 609; revelations concerning the natural order and the future
m a d e to hitn on Sinai 11-14, 842. 877.
 987

Music in thc heavens: 3 3 l - 3 f i , Ti''>- 3 8 0 - 8 2 . t 2 1 . 43(1-38. 4.51. G!fi-47. 7 9 7 - 8 0 1 .

8():i-ri.

N a m e , ihc: 1 10. 78,i - cp. mv N. 843. thv .N. 664: the great -N. 76. 8 2 7 - ( [i. ihv greal
, \ . 843. h i s g r c a i . \ . 231.

O n e , the: 797. 8(ri.

O p h a i m i m : 2 4 2 . 2 5 J . 336.340.

Paradise ( = Eden): , \ d a m and Kve in P. 1 9 - 2 1 . ;47. 162-67. 38.0-86, etc: Knoch

was translated there ar.d keeps his records there 23; it is i n ; harge of Oabriel 209:
angt4s eat its hone\ and no mortal who eats will ever die 490; the P, shown to
Enoch in the third liea\ en was prepared Ibr the righteous 331; thc new priest will
open its gates for them to enter 537: here they will find their eternal resting-place
353. 409. 42 1. .565; the P. of righictiusness (the righteous) described 153 .54. 331.
345. 701 2. 938; the heavenh archetvpe C) is pre.ser-.ed with God 842. See
(iarden.
Passover, the. See Feasls.
Paul (St.): 933, 938; Benjamin prophesies his mission and fame 599-600.
Penitence: 4 8 8 - 9 0 , 9(i3-64; thc p. o f , \ d a m and Exe l 4 7 - ; 5 ; ; the p. of Aseneth
4 8 1 - 8 6 : see also 949, 951.
Peter (St.): 791. 938.
Phoenix, the: 9 0 8 - c p . 3.36.
Plant of righteousness ( = Israel), the: 59, 110. 196, 294. 2 9 5 - c p . ' a t ; upright plant'
12.
Priest: the anointed high p. who is to come 52(*; a new p. wil! be raised up 536: a king
will arise from J u d a h who will establish a new priesthood liir the Gentiles 530.
P u n i s h m e n t of sinners, the: it is eternal 332, 391. 409, 921. 933; references to the
place(s) of p. 34. 4 1, 12. 72, 2 0 5 - 1 0 , 212, 216,246, 310.318. 331 - 3 2 , 3 4 4 - 4 5 , 383.
386. 3 9 1 . 413. 756. 864, !)23. 924; thc tormcnts and the tormenttirs 411. 4 3 4 - 3 6 ,
4 4 7 - 4 8 . 756. 857, 9 1 9 - 2 2 . 924. 936. 937, 938, 947-.50.

Q u m r a n : 5. 6. i 72, 1 7 4 - 7 7 , 325, 511. 684.

Rebirth: to lile eternal by water and the Holy .Spirit 1.58.

R e n i e i n b r a n r e , Days of (marking thr four divisions ofthe year): 30.
R e p e n t a n c e : thc Day of (national) R. before thc final consummation 607; r secures
salvation for the individual 413, 575, and eternal life 224, though the op­
portunities will not be available indefinitely 895 (cp. '245-46!; r. still possiblctill
the j u d g e m e n t 9 2 4 - 2 5 ; questions about how long the periotl of penitence must be
beliire Icirgiv eness is secured and what form the penitence should take 963-64.
R e s u r r e t t i o n . thc: of .Adam 166, o f t h e patriarchs 5.50. .561, .599, of,Job 623:
sometimes it is to be a r. ofall the dead 231. 550, 561. .599. 793. 857(:-'),'862, 8(i9,
937(?). sometimes ofthe righteous only 245, 292, 294, 659, 7 7 0 - I; it is to be a r. of
the bodv, ina.smuch as the dead will ri.se looking as they did when they died, so
that they can be recognized, transformation in iheir appearance for better or
988

worse supervening upon tise judgenicnl 8 6 9 - 7 0 : tlie sabbath is a sign ofthe r. and
the rest ofthe age to come 161.
Resuscitation ofJ e r e m i a h after three days, the: 832.
Righteous, the: their merits and good deeds are presented by Michael to God
9 1 2 - 13; thev have a store of good works laid up in the heavenly treasuries 849,
8,'i4, a n d recorded in the heavenly books 9.5. 309. 312. 318, 921, whirh will be
opened and inspected at the judgement 2 2 8 - 2 9 , 349, 8.51: tiescriptions of their
future blessings van, - they may be rewarded by an extended life on earth 2 1 4 - 1 5
; i o n t r a s t 852). though almost invariably their lili" is eternal 2 3 6 - 3 7 . 353. in a
world that endures for ever 864. 869: sometimes the emphasis is on the joys of
their condition 3 0 9 - 1 0 . 312. 3 1 8 - 1 9 , 874, and they may be clothed in heavenly
g a r m e n t s 245, 7 9 2 - 8 1 2 . or become (like) angels 231. 3 1 2 . 8 7 0 - 7 1 ; sometimes it is
on the place of light and peace to which they go 2 2 2 - 2 4 , 428. 965, which is often
Par;idisc 353, 409, 8 7 0 - 7 1 , 932, 963, 966, and there, it seems, individual resting-
places may be allotted them 351, 4-48.

S a b b a t h , the. See Feasts.

S a m a r i t a n s : their origin 831.
Saviour ( = God): 566. 582, 667, 676.
Saviour o f t h e world ( = Christ): 531. 5 9 5 - c p . 593. 762.
Scales. See Weighing.
Sea-monster, the great: 485.
S e r a p h i m : 242, 255. 337, 340, 437, 438, 832; the song ofthe s. 457.
Serpent, the: wisest of all the animals 162; originally had hands and feet like a
m a n ' s , and six wings, 385; u.sed by the devil as his mouthpiece to beguile Eve
1 6 2 - 6 3 ; used as a cloke by Sammael to tempt .Adam 910; as a result he is cursed
a n d Itises his h a n d s , feet, ears, and wings 1 6 5 - 6 6 - c p . 20.
Shameless O n e ( = the .Antichrist), the: 768, 769, 770, 772,
Shechemites: v engeance on the Sh. 93, 529; their destruction became a legttnd 495,
496.
Signs o f t h e End: 85.5-.56, 8 6 7 - 6 8 . 883 - cp. 613.
Solomon; his wisdom a gift from God 740, 741. 748, 750, but taken away from him
because ofhis idolatry 751.
Sou o f D a v i d ( - the Messiah), the: 678 80.
Son of G o d , the: ofjoseph 478, 4 7 9 - c p . 'the fiist-born s. ofG.' 493; ofChrist 158,
4 3 1 , 745, 832, 8 3 3 - c p . ' h i s s . ' 762, 'his onlv begotten s.'939, 960 (also .598 and
806). ' m y s . ' (ofthe Messiah?) 313.
Son of Lawlessness ( = the .Antichrist), the: 762, 767-73,
Son of M a n ( = the Mes5iiah), the: 174-75, 227, '229. 239. 244, 245, 246, 2,54, 256.
Son of Perdition ( = the .Antichrist), the: 758. 766.
Spirit of God (the Lord), the: 249, 477, 522, ,598- cp. 25, 481, 785, 852(}).See Holy
Spirit.
Spirits o f t n i t h and error, the two: 547,
Stone: J e r e m i a h ' s memorial st, 833.
Sun, the journeyingsof the: 2 5 7 - 6 0 , 3 3 2 - 3 3 , 9 0 8 - 10.
 989

T a b c n i a r l c s . See Feasls.
Taljlets: two sets oft., one olrlay and the other of stone, recorcins; the lives of,\dam
a n d Lvc. m a d e bv Seth 160-161; 'the heavenlv ;.' are lhe heavenlv oriiiinal ofthe
levitieal laws 1 9 . 2 1 . 2 1 . 2 6 , 2 0 , 30, ,31, .56. .W. 63. 8«. 93. 100. 101. 103. I.S.'i, .-)79.
reeord good incn's names and deeds .57. 64. 95. 99. 270. 309. 528. and predict the
events o f t h e future 77. 80. 295. 317, 581.
Tartarus; 208. 777, 935, 938, 947, 948. 949,
T a x o ; 603 4 . 6 : 2 .
T e r a h ; is a worshipper of idols, . \ h r a h a m aigucs with him, and sets hre to his idols'
house 4 7 - 4 8 ; he is not onl\* an idolater but also a craftsman who makes and sells
itiols. .Abiaham argues with hitn. and his bouse is tiestioyed by act o f G o d
369-75.
T h r o n c i s ) : the throne o f G o d 164. :m. 207. 214. 289. 329, 336. 337, 339. 341,
3 8 1 - 8 2 , 609. 613 - cp. 'lhe throne of (his) glorv' 226. 228. 235, 238, 242. 243. 244.
25 1, 255, 457, 528; thrones are prepared in heaven liir thc patriarchs 428. for J o b
637, 642, and Ibr thc righteous 762. 770, 802. 803. 804. 812,
T o r m e n t s of the d a m n e d , the. See Punishment,
I'reasurirs, heavenlv: tr, where thc rightroiis have a store ofgotid works laid up849.
854; tr. in which their souls are preserved alter death 857 - cp, 8.53.
Freels): the tree of knowledge in F.dcn 1,54, l,5fi, was variously a fig-tree 161. or a
date-palm 385. o r a vine 906 cp. "the tree of wisdom' 219; the treeofmeriv from
which flows the oil oflifc 157, 1,58: the tree oflifc 163. 164. 166.331,451,537,771,
832. 9 5 7 - 5 8 (eaten by .Adam: - cp. 2 1 3 - 1 5 (a date-palm): God's 'holv ones' are
'trees of life'673.
Trinity, thc: 429. 437. 709. 714. 801, 806, and in doxologies 439, 452, 941.
Trisagion h v m n , the: 421.

Unction: 964, 'the unction of im orruption'. 480, 488.

T'nleavcncd Bread. See Feasls.

N'esscls of lhe Temjjlc. the: carried awav hv Nebuchadne/,"/,ar608; ctinsigned to the

e a r t h lo prevent this happening, by Jeremiah 823, by an angel 843-44, 889,
Vine, thc: as the h u m a n race vvas condemnetl through the v,, so it will be restored
(through the F.ucharist) 907,

W a t c h e r s ( = archangels): 198. cp, 208, 223, 243, 255, also 335,

( = fallen angels): 22 (?:, 23, 33, 36. 41. 184. 195. 198, 200. 203. 204. '205.
'293, 3 3 4 - 3 5 . 519, 569. to.Angels (fallen).
W a y s , the two: 577, 5 7 8 - cp. '291, 294. 296. a l s o 4 0 8 - 10.
Weeks. See Feasts.
W e i g h i n g of .souls at t h c j u d g e m e n t ; 224. 242. 349. 410. 412. 9'24.
W i s d o m : G o d ' s agent in creation 340; from heaven she sought a dwelling-place on
earth and did not find il 225.
W o o d : regulations about thc w. to be used in sacrifices 69.
W o r d (of G o d ) , the: 47, 702, 703, 706, 722, 7'29, 730, 852f').
W o r s h i p G o d ; men ( o r w o m c n ) who w. G. 4 7 7 . 4 8 0 . 4 9 3 . 4 9 4 - 9 5 , 4 9 6 , ,501. 503.585.-
990

W r i t i n g f s ) : S e l l i m a k e s t w o s e t s i i f l a h k l s . iinc nf c l a y , t h e othi-r o f s K i n e , ri-cdrdins;

t h e l i v e s o f . \ d a i n a n d K v c ! 6 0 - ( i l : t h r w r i t i n g s o f . A d a m a n d .Setti a r e t o e n d u r e t o
t h e etid of t i m e 341 - cp. t h e ati.gel I ' e n e m u e t a u g h t m e n t h e a r t o f w r i t i n o ;
w i t h i n k a n d p a p e r , t h r o u g h w h i ( 4 i n i a t t v h a v e b e e n l e d a s t r a v 2.')2; f.not h w a s
t h e first a m o n g t n e n t o w r i t e 2 2 - 3 - i p . 2 7 4 ; W e v e i l i l i c t a t e s i l i e h o o k s t o I'.iioch
! i 3 8 . a t i d E n o c h is t o g i v e t h e m t o h i s c h i l d r e n a s a p e r m a n e n t l e g a c y for f u t u r e
g e t i e r a t i t u i s 3 4 1 - 1 2 ; K a i i i a i n finds a n d t r a n s c r i b e s a n a n c i e n t i n s c r i p t i o n on a
r o c k , c o n t a i n i n g tht'' t e a c h i n g o f t h e W a t t I t e r s 3 6 ; N o a h w r i t e s a m e d i c a l t r e a t i s e
and l e a v e s e v e r v t h i n g h e h a d w r i t t e n to S h e m 12; . M j r a h a m transcribes and
s t u d i e s h i s f i l t h e r s " b o o k s 4 9 . a n d t o m r n e t i d s tfietn t o I s a a c ( i . e . ' t h e w o r d s o f
E",noch' a n d ' t h e w o i t i s o f N o a h ' l 6 8 ; . | a i - o h r e a d s f r o m ' t h e w o r d s o f . \ b r a h a t n '
I Iti. a n d pa.sses o n t h e a n c c s t i a l b o o k s to I,r\i 129: Levi u s e d to see 'letters
w r i t t e n i n t h e h e a v e n s ' a t i d r e a d a n d i n t e r p r e t t h e m t o . A s e n e t h 49.'); Z e b u l o n
r e f e r s t o ' t h e w r i t i n g o f m v f a t h e r s ' :iGO.
This is a volume of translations of the more important of the non-
canonical Old Testament books (e.g. Jubilees, The Odes of
Solomon, The Apocalypse of Elijah) by a team of scholars, edited
with introductions and brief bibliographies. The book is designed
for general, rather than strictly academic use: it should be found
valuable by those who in the past have had to resort to R.H.
Charles's second volume. The Pseudepigrapha, being both more up-
to-date in its approach and more handy to use. It is planned as a
complement to M.R. James's The Apocryphal New TestamenI, which
over the years has proved its worth.

Dr Sparks was Oriel Professor of the Interpretation of Holy

Scripture in the University of Oxford from 1952 to 1976.

ALSO PUBLISHED BY OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the O l d Testainent

Edited in conjunction with many scholars by R. H. Charles
Volume 1. The Apocrypha
Volume 2. The Pseudepigrapha

T h e A p o c r y p h a l N e w Testainent
Being the Apocryphal Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypses with
other narratives and fragments
Translated by Montague Rhodes James
ISBN 0 - 1 9 - 8 2 6 1 7 7 - ?

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