(16) Japheth [also] divided between his sons. First he gave to Gomer in the north up to the river Tina, and after him to Magog, and after him (17) to Media, and after him to Javan, all of the coastlands that are alongside Lud. And between the bay that is near Lud and the [s]econd bay. To Tubal, that which is on the other side of \u2026 (18) in the land. To Meshech \u2026 of the sons of Ham.<\/p>\n
Column 19<\/p>\n
(7) There I invoked the [name of] G[od] and I said, \u201cYou are \u2026 (8) eternal.\u201d \u2026 I had still not reached the Holy Mountain. So I set forth to [ ] (9) and I traveled southward \u2026 went until I reached Hebron, and [at that time] Hebron was built. And I lived (10) [th]ere [two yea]rs. Now there was a famine in all of this land, and I heard that there was g[rai]n in Egypt. So I traveled to \u2026 (11) to the land of Egypt \u2026 [When] I [reach]ed the Carmon River, one of the (12) heads of the river, [I sa]id \u2026 \u201cUntil now we have been in our own land.\u201d And I [p]assed the seven heads of this river \u2026 (13) \u201cBehold, now we have crossed our land and have entered the land of the sons of Ham, the land of Egypt.\u201d
\n(14) And I, Abram, dreamt a dream on the night that I entered the land of Egypt. I saw in my dream a cedar tree and a palm tree \u2026 (15) together from [one] roo[t]. People came, seeking to chop down and to uproot the [ce]dar tree and to spare only the palm tree. (16) Now the palm tree cried out and said, \u201cDon\u2019t cut down the [c]edar, for both of us have [sprouted] from one root,\u201d and the cedar tree was spared for the sake of palm tree (17) and was not chopped down.
\nI awoke in the night from my sleep and said to Sarai, my wife, \u201cI dreamt a dream \u2026 (18) [I] am afraid [because of] this dream.\u201d She said to me, \u201cTell me your dream that I may know (it).\u201d So I began to tell her my dream (19) and said to [her] \u201c\u2026 dream \u2026 that they will seek to kill me and to spare you. But this is all the favour (20) that [you can\/must do for me]: every[where] that [we go say] of me, \u2018He is my brother,\u2019 that I may live for your sake and my life will be spared on your account \u2026 (21) to ta[k]e you away from me and to kill me.\u201d And Sarai cried at my words on that night.
\n(22) \u2026 Pharaoh Zo[an] \u2026 and Sarai, to turn to Zoan \u2026 (23) greatly within her that no [man] should see her [for five year]s, and at the end of those five years \u2026 (24) three men from the nobles of Egypt \u2026 of Phara[oh] Zoan about my words and my wisdom, and they gave [me] \u2026 (25) and they [asked] for themselves literature, knowledge and truth; so I read before them the book of the words of Enoch \u2026 (26) in the famine that \u2026 to remain until \u2026 (27) with much food and drink \u2026 wine \u2026<\/p>\n
Column 20<\/p>\n
(2) How splendid and beautiful is the form of her face, and how \u2026 (3) and fine is the hair of her head, how lovely are her eyes, how delightful is her nose, and all the radiance of (4) her face \u2026 How lovely is her breast, and how beautiful all her whiteness. Her arms, how beautiful, and her hands, how (5) perfect, and \u2026 the appearance of her hands. How lovely are her palms, and how long and fine all the fingers of her hands; her feet, (6) how beautiful! and how perfect are her thighs. No virgin nor bride who enters the bridal chamber is more beautiful than she; more than (7) all women she is beautiful, and her beauty surpasses all of them. And with all this beauty, there is much wisdom in her; her handiwork (8) is fine.
\nNow when the king heard the words of Horkanos and the words of his two companions\u2014that the three of them spoke with a single voice\u2014he greatly desired her, and sent (9) quickly and had her brought. When he saw her, he was astounded at all her beauty. He took her as his wife, and was about to kill me. But Sarai said (10) to the king, \u201cHe\u2019s my brother,\u201d so that I might be rewarded for her sake. Thus I, Abram, was spared for her sake, and was not killed. Then I, (11) Abram, cried bitterly with Lot, my brother\u2019s son, the night that Sarai was taken from me by force.
\n(12) That night I prayed, entreated and asked for mercy, and I said in sorrow\u2014with my tears running down\u2014\u201cBlessed are you, LORD Most High, LORD for all (13) eternities. For you are LORD and Sovereign over all. You are empowered over all the kings of the earth to mete out justice. Now, (14) I place my complaint before you, regarding Pharaoh Zoan, king of Egypt, because my wife has been taken away from me by force. Mete out justice to him for me, and show your great hand (15) against him and all his household; let him not be allowed this night to defile my wife for me! Then they shall all know you my LORD, that you are the LORD of all the kings (16) of the earth. I cried and fell silent. That night God Most High sent a spirit of affliction to afflict him and all the people of his household\u2014an evil spirit\u2014(17) and it afflicted him and all the people of his household, so that he was unable to touch her, nor did he have intercourse with her, though she was with him (18) for two years. At the end of two years the afflictions and diseases grew too strong and powerful for him and his household, so he sent for (19) and summoned all the [wise men] of Egypt and all the magicians, along with all the physicians of Egypt\u2014could they cure him from this affliction along with the men of (20) his household? But all the physicians, magicians and wise men could not even begin to cure him, for the spirit afflicted all of them (21) and they fled.
\nThen Horkanos came to me and requested of me that I come and pray for (22) the king, and that I lay my hands upon him that he could live, for he had seen [me] in a [d]ream. Now Lot said to him, \u201cMy uncle Abram cannot pray for (23) the king while Sarai his wife is with him. Go now and tell the king that he should send his wife back to her husband and he will pray for him and he will live.\u201d
\n(24) When Horkanos heard Lot\u2019s words, he went and said to the king, \u201cAll the afflictions and diseases (25) with which my LORD, the king, is afflicted and diseased are on account of Sarai, Abram\u2019s wife. Now return Sarai to Abram her husband (26) and this affliction and spirit of purulence will depart from you.\u201d So he summoned me to him and said to me, \u201cWhat have you done to me? Why did you tell (27) me \u2018She is my sister,\u2019 when she was your wife, so that I took her as a wife? Here is your wife. Take her and leave (28) all the provinces of Egypt. Now pray for me and my house and let this evil spirit be exorcised from us!\u201d So I prayed for \u2026 (29) him, and I laid my hands on his [hea]d, the affliction was removed from him and the evil [spirit] was exorcised [from him] and he lived. Then the king arose and gave (30) me \u2026 many gift[s] and the king swore an oath to me that he had not [had intercourse] with her and had not [defiled] her. Then he re[turned] (31) Sarai to me and the king gave her [mu]ch [silver and g]old, and much raiment of fine linen and purple \u2026 (32) before her \u2026 and even to Hagar. Then he handed her over to me, and appointed with me a man to take [me \u2026] out of Egypt.
\n(33) Then I Abraham went with great amount of flocks and also with silver and gold, and I went up from [Egypt, with Lot], (34) my brother\u2019s son, with me. Lot too acquired for himself great flocks, and took a wife for himself from the daughters of [Egypt]. So I camped [with him]<\/p>\n
Column 21<\/p>\n
(1) everywhere that I (had) encamped until I reached Beth El, the place where I had previously built the altar, and I built it for a second time (2) for [myself] and I offered upon it burnt offerings and a meal offering to God Most High, and there I invoked the name of the LORD of all ages, and praised the name of God and blessed (3) God and there gave thanks before God for all the property and the goodness that He had bestowed upon me: that He had been good to me and returned me (4) to this land in well-being.
\n(5) After that day, Lot parted from me on account of our shepherds, and he went and settled in the Jordan Valley and all his flocks (6) with him. Furthermore, I added a great deal to what he already had. He was pasturing his flocks and reached Sodom; there he bought a house for himself (7) and settled in it, while I was settled in the mountain of Bet El. I was unhappy that Lot, my brother\u2019s son, had left me.
\n(8) God appeared to me in a night vision and said to me, \u201cGo up to Ramat Hazor, which is to the north (9) of Bet El where you are living, and lift up your eyes and look to the east, the west, the south and the north, and look at all (10) this land that I am giving you and to your progeny for all ages. So I went up the next day to Ramat Hazor and I looked at the land from (11) that high place\u2014from the River of Egypt to Lebanon and Senir, and from the Great Sea to Hauran and all the land of Gebal up to Kadesh and all the Great Desert (12) to the east of Hauran and Senir up to the Euphrates. Then He said to me, \u201cTo your progeny I shall give all of this land and they will inherit it for eternity, (13) and I shall multiply your progeny as the dust of the ground, that no man can count; so too your progeny will not be counted. Arise, walk and go (14) and see how great is its length and how great is its depth, for I shall give it to you and to your progeny after you for all eternity.
\n(15) Then I, Abram, went off to go around and look at the land, and I started to go around from the River Gihon and went alongside the sea until (16) I reached Mount Taurus. Then I went a[long] the Great Sea of Salt and went alongside Mount Taurus to the east to the breadth of the land (17) until I reached the Euphrates River, and I turned by the Euphrates until I reached the Red Sea to the east. Then I betook myself along (18) the Red Sea until I reached the bay of the Reed Sea that comes off the Red Sea. I turned southward until I reached the Gihon (19) River, then I turned back and came to my house in well-being. I found all the people of my household in well-being. I went and settled at Elone Mamre in Hebron, (20) North\u2013East of Hebron, and I built an altar there and offered upon it a burnt offering and a meal offering to God Most High. Then I ate and drank there (21) along with all the people of my household, and I sent to call Mamre and Ernam and Eshkol, the three Amorite brothers, my friends, and they ate together (22) with me and drank with me.
\n(23) Before those days, Chedarlaomer, the king of Elam, Amraphel, the king of Babylon, Arioch, the king of Cappadocia, (and) Tiral, the king of Goiim, which (24) is Mesopotamia, came and waged war against Bera, the king of Sodom, and against Birsha, the king of Gomorrah, and against Shinab, the king of Admah, (25) and against Shemiabad, the king of Zeboiim, and against the king of Bela. All these banded together for battle in the Valley of Siddim. But the king (26) of Elam and the kings who were with him overpowered the king of Sodom and all of his allies, and they imposed a tribute upon them. For twelve years they (27) paid their tribute to the king of Elam, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled against him. So in the fourteenth year the king of Elam led all (28) his allies, and they went up by way of the desert, striking and plundering from the Euphrates. They struck the Rephaim who were in Ashtera-(29) Karnaim, the Zumzummim, who were in Ammon, the Emim, [who were in] Shaveh-Hakerioth, and the Hurrians, who were in the mountains of Gebal, until they reached El-(30) Paran, which is in the desert. They then turned back and destroyed Ein-[Dina] \u2026 which is in Hazazon-Tamar.
\n(31) The king of Sodom went out to meet them along with the king of [Gomorrah, the k]ing of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela. They began the battle (32) in the Valley o[f Siddim] against Chedarlaomer [and the kings] who were with him. The king of Sodom was defeated and fled and the king of Gomorrah (33) fell, and many \u2026 The king of Elam plundered all the property of Sodom and (34) [Go]morra[h] \u2026 and Lot was taken captive, the son of the brother<\/p>\n
Column 22<\/p>\n
(1) of Abram who was living in Sodom together with them, and all of his flocks. Then one of the shepherds (2) whom Abram had given to Lot and had escaped from the captivity came to Abram\u2014now Abram was (3) still living in Hebron\u2014and told him that Lot, his brother\u2019s son, had been taken captive along with all of his property, but had not been killed, and that (4) the kings had set out by way of the Great Valley toward their city, taking captives and plundering and striking and killing while going (5) to the city of Damascus.
\nAbram cried out over Lot, his brother\u2019s son, but regained his strength (6) and selected from his servants three hundred and eighteen warriors elected for battle. Arnem, (7) Eshkol and Mamre also set out with him. He pursued them until Dan, and found them (8) encamped in the Valley of Dan. He attacked them by night from all four sides, and went on killing (9) them through the night. He routed them and pursued them, and they all fled (10) until they reached Helbon, which is situated to the north of Damascus. He took away from them everyone that they had captured (11) and everything that they had plundered, and all their valuables. He also rescued Lot, his brother\u2019s son, along with all of his flocks, and all (12) of the captives that they had taken he brought back. Now the king of Sodom heard that Abram had brought back all of the captives (13) and all of the plunder, and went up to meet him. He came to Salem\u2014that is Jerusalem\u2014and Abraham was encamped in the Valley (14) of Shaveh\u2014that is the Valley of the King in the Valley of Bet-Hakerem. And Melchizedek, the king of Salem, brought out (15) food and drink for Abram, and all of the people with him. Now he was a priest to God Most High, and he blessed (16) [A]bram and said: \u201cBlessed is Abram to God Most High, Master of the heavens and the earth. And Blessed is God Most High (17) who delivered up your enemies into your hand.\u201d Then he gave him a tenth of all of the property of the king of Elam and his companions.
\n(18) Then the king of Sodom approached and said to Abram, \u201cMy master Abram, (19) give me the people of mine who are in your captivity, whom you took from the king of Elam, and (20) all of the goods are left for you.\u201d Then Abram said to the king of Sodom, \u201cI raise my (21) hand today to God Most High, the Master of the heavens and the earth, lest I take a thread or even a bootstrap (22) from anything that is yours, lest you should say \u2018All of the wealth (23) of Abram is from me,\u2019 except for what the young men who are with me have already eaten, and except for the portions of the three men who (24) went with me. They have the right to give you their portion.\u201d So Abram returned all the goods and all (25) the captives and gave (them) to the king of Sodom. He released all of the captives that he had with him from that land (26) and sent them all off.
\n(27) After these things, God appeared to Abram in a vision and said to him, \u201cBehold, ten years (28) have now elapsed since you left Haran. You passed two here, seven in Egypt and one (29) since you returned from Egypt. Now, inspect and count everything that you have and see how many times they have multiplied over (30) all that left with you on the day you left Haran. Now, do not fear. I am with you, and I shall be to you (31) a support and strength; I shall be a shield upon you and a buckler for you, against anyone who is stronger than you. Your wealth and property (32) will greatly increase.\u201dBut Abram said: \u201cMy Master, Oh LORD, I have plenty of wealth and property; what use are (33) all of [th]ese given that when I die, I shall go bare, bereft of children, and one of my household servants will inherit me, (34) Eliezer son [of Damascus] \u2026 to \u2026 me. And He said to him, \u201cThis one will not inherit you, but rather the one who shall go forth \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Admonition Based on the Flood<\/p>\n
Alex P. Jassen<\/p>\n
The Admonition Based on the Flood (scroll 4Q370) consists of two fragmentary columns. Column 1 is a prose narrative recounting the Flood and the events leading up to it. It begins by describing the agricultural abundance in which God created the world. In return, he demanded that humans properly acknowledge this bounty by blessing God (and presumably remaining obedient). The text reports that humans instead did evil and rebelled against God, and then God punished them by bringing the Flood. What follows is a reformulation of portions of the Flood story of Gen. 6\u20139. Column 2 of 4Q370 is extremely fragmentary and therefore difficult to decipher with certainty. It contains several statements regarding human sin and redemption as well as the transient nature of human life. It concludes with an exhortation not to rebel against God\u2019s words.
\nThe two columns are very different in their content and literary style. We cannot know for certain what preceded or followed the fragmentary remains of each column or if the content of these two columns is related. Several factors suggest that they are intended to be read together. The story of the Flood in column 1 is employed as a historical example of the disastrous results of human sin and disobedience to God. This example is reinforced in column 2 by references to the ephemeral character of human life. The author then draws upon the historical example to exhort the reader to remain faithful to God. The specific language of the admonition in column 2 (line 9, \u201cDo not rebel\u201d) brings the reader back to the very first act of collective human insolence in column 1 (line 2, \u201cand they rebelled against God\u201d). The use of historical examples for exhortation and admonition is a technique well known in biblical and Jewish literature. See, for example, Deut. 1\u20133; Ps. 78; 105; 106; Neh. 9; 3 Macc. 2:1\u201320; 6:1\u201315; and the Damascus Document 1\u20138, 19\u201320 (the Flood example, however, is not found in any of these sources).<\/p>\n
Authorship and History<\/p>\n
The text of 4Q370 was most likely not composed by the Qumran community. It lacks any explicit sectarian language and freely employs the Tetragrammaton (the four-letter name of God, which was generally avoided in sectarian writings). In addition to literary correspondence with other Second Temple texts, it contains many themes and ideas prevalent in Judaism at the time. In particular, 4Q370 contains many points of contact with Second Temple Wisdom traditions, and two of the textual overlaps are with Wisdom texts (Hymn to the Creator and 4Q185, Sapiential Work). Based on this evidence, 4Q370 was probably composed sometime in the late Second Temple period, perhaps within Wisdom circles.
\nWhat remains of the Admonition is one Hebrew fragment (10 \u00d7 19 cm) containing two columns, found in Qumran Cave 4. Its date of composition is unknown. The manuscript is written in a late Hasmonean-era semiformal script, which suggests that the manuscript was copied around the second half of the 1st century BCE. It is not clear, however, how much earlier the text was composed. Several portions contain literary parallels with other Second Temple writings (see below). The direction of influence, however, is not always certain. Moreover, many of the parallel texts are themselves difficult to date.<\/p>\n
Significance<\/p>\n
Several textual parallels with biblical and Second Temple literature appear within 4Q370. In the case of the biblical literature, the author has clearly reformulated this material. In the case of similarities between 4Q370 and certain works from Second Temple literature, it is not always clear which text came first.
\nThe text\u2019s opening reference to the Earth\u2019s agricultural abundance is an expansion of a passage from the Hymn to the Creator, a hymn praising God as creator that is found in the Cave 11 Psalms Scroll (11QPsa 26:9\u201315). This hymn contains several Wisdom elements. That 4Q370 expands the Hymn suggests that the former is a reformulation of the latter.
\nCarol Newsom has highlighted several textual parallels between 4Q370 and Ezek. 36:19\u201320, 30\u201331, 36. Ezekiel 36 describes divine punishment for human misdeeds and the restoration of Israel to its land and its renewed enjoyment of the land\u2019s abundant bounty. Both themes figure prominently in 4Q370\u2019s rewriting of the Flood narrative.
\nThe majority of column 1 is a retelling of the Flood story in poetic parallelism. The basic structuring elements and many of the details follow the text of the Flood account in Gen. 6\u20139. Additional details not found in Genesis are drawn from inner biblical references to the Flood, related biblical imagery, and Second Temple traditions. Slight variations from the book of Genesis are likely the result of the author quoting the text from memory or using a textual tradition different from the Masoretic Text, although several exegetical modifications can be found. The Flood story is not merely summarized; rather, the author emphasizes the particular aspects of the story that are useful for the text\u2019s larger didactic purposes. For example, Noah is completely ignored throughout the text. The reformulation of the story focuses on the nature of human apostasy and the disastrous results of this disobedience. Including details about Noah would reorient the story to one of human righteousness and salvation.
\nThe second half of column 2 (4Q370 2:5\u20139) contains significant textual overlaps with 4Q185 1\u20132 i\u2013ii (Sapiential Work). 4Q185 exhorts its audience to faithful obedience by appealing to the example of God\u2019s mighty deeds during the Exodus. Although only the first few overlapping words are preserved in 4Q370, it seems likely that the remainder of the lines contained further material from 4Q185. The admonition in column 2 of 4Q370 therefore contains its own historical example (the Exodus) while simultaneously referring back to the example of the Flood in column 1, to instill a sense of obedience in the audience. The few textual differences indicate that these manuscripts are not multiple copies of the same text. Rather, one text has slightly adapted the other, though it is not clear which text came first.<\/p>\n
SUGGESTED READING<\/p>\n
Feldman, Ariel. \u201cThe Reworking of the Biblical Flood Story in 4Q370.\u201d Hen 29:1 (2007): 31\u201349.
\nGarc\u00eda Mart\u00ednez, Florentino, and Gerard P. Luttikhuizen. Interpretations of the Flood. Themes in Biblical Narrative 1. Leiden: Brill, 1998.
\nJassen, Alex P. \u201cA New Suggestion for the Reconstruction of 4Q370 1 i 2 and the Blessing of the Most High (Elyon) in Second Temple Judaism.\u201d DSD 17:1 (2010): 88\u2013113.
\nLewis, Jack P. A Study of the Interpretation of Noah and the Flood in Jewish and Christian Literature. Leiden: Brill, 1968.
\nNewsom, Carol A. \u201c370. 4QAdmonition Based on the Flood.\u201d In Qumran Cave 4.XIV: Parabiblical Texts, Part 2, edited by M. Broshi et al., in consultation with J. C. VanderKam, 85\u201397. DJD 19. Oxford: Clarendon, 1995.
\n\u2014\u2014\u2014. \u201c4Q370: An Admonition Based on the Flood.\u201d RevQ 13 (1988): 23\u201343.<\/p>\n
TRANSLATION<\/p>\n
(1:1) He crowned the mountains with pro[duce and] He poured out food upon them.
\nAnd (with) good fruit He satisfied all. \u201cAll who shall do my will, let them eat and be satisfied,\u201d said the L[o]rd, (2) \u201cand they shall bless the name of [the Most Hig]h.\u201d \u201cAnd behold, they then did evil in my eyes,\u201d said the LORD. And they rebelled against God with their a[cti]ons. (3) And the LORD judged them according to a[l]l their ways and according to the thoughts of the [evil] inclination of their heart.
\nHe thundered against them with [His] strength.
\nAll the (4) foundations of the ea[rth] shook;
\nand [wa]ters broke from the depths.
\nAll the windows of the sky were opened; and all the de[pths] overflowed [with] mighty waters.
\n(5) The windows of the sky p[our]ed out rain.
\nHe destroyed them in the Flood [\u2026];
\n[\u2026] all of them, for it crossed over [\u2026]
\n(6) Therefore everything wh[ich was on] dry land was [wiped out]; and humankind and [beast and all] birds, every winged thing d[ie]d.
\nThe Gi[an]ts too, did not escape.
\n(7) And [\u2026]
\nGod made [a sign of the covenant];
\nHis bow He set [in the cloud so] that He would remember the covenant
\n(8) [\u2026] [There shall never again be] floodwaters for [destruction];
\nThe rumbling of waters [shall not be lo]osed
\n(9) [\u2026] they made \u2026 and clouds [\u2026] for waters [\u2026]
\n(10) [\u2026]<\/p>\n
(2:1) from iniquity, they will seek[
\n(2) the LORD will declare innocent[
\n(3) and He will purify them from their iniquity[
\n(4) their evil in their knowing (how to distinguish) bet[ween good and evil
\n(5) they spring forth, but like a shadow are their days o[n the earth
\n(6) and forevermore He will have compassion[
\n(7) the mighty acts of the LORD, remember the won[ders
\n(8) on account of the dread of Him; and [your] sou[l] will rejoice[
\n(9) those who follow you. Do not rebel against the word[s of the LORD.<\/p>\n
Jubilees<\/p>\n
James L. Kugel<\/p>\n
The book of Jubilees is arguably the most important and influential of all the books written by Jews in the closing centures BCE. It is a treasure-house of ancient biblical interpretation, composed by an unknown author who thought deeply about the Torah and Judaism. Jubilees was prized by the Dead Sea Scrolls community; parts of no fewer than 15 manuscripts of this book were found in the caves at Qumran. But its influence certainly went beyond this group. Although Rabbinic Judaism rejected Jubilees, in part because of some of its doctrines, many of its interpretive traditions are paralleled in the Talmuds and various midrashic collections, as well as in the early poetry of the synagogue, suggesting possible influence. It also played an important role in early Christian communities, and it is thanks to them that the book has been preserved in its entirety to this day.
\nJubilees is a retelling of much of the book of Genesis and the first part of the book of Exodus. It claims to have been communicated to Moses on Mount Sinai by God\u2019s chief angel, the \u201cangel of the Presence.\u201d Moses had gone up the mountain to receive the Torah; before he could go down again, Jubilees relates, God ordered His angel to dictate another book to Moses, a dated history of events \u201caccording to the Torah and the Testimony\u201d (see below). That other book was the book of Jubilees itself. Although it retells much of the material in Genesis and Exodus, its retelling is accompanied by all sorts of new information designed to answer questions about the biblical narrative: How did humanity continue to develop if Adam and Eve had only sons? When did God decide that Israel was to be His special people? Where was Abraham when God first spoke to him? When and why was the tribe of Levi chosen for the priesthood in Israel? In addition to answering such questions, Jubilees\u2019 author sought to communicate an overall message of hope and encouragement to the Jews of his day and to urge them to follow stricter standards of morality and religious observance.<\/p>\n
Authorship and History<\/p>\n
The date of Jubilees\u2019 composition is still the subject of some debate. Most scholars believe that it was written sometime early in the 2nd century BCE, although a still earlier date is not to be ruled out. It was composed in Hebrew by a learned Jew who probably lived in or near Jerusalem. Among the Hebrew fragments found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, the earliest has been dated (on the basis of its paleography and carbon-14 dating) to the last quarter of the 2nd century BCE.
\nDespite its early popularity, Jubilees would probably have been lost forever because of its disapproval by Rabbinic authorities, who exercised extensive control over Judaism within of the Land of Israel after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. The Rabbinic prohibition on studying the \u201coutside [or \u201cheretical\u201d] books\u201d (M. Sanh. 10:1) doubtless included Jubilees on various counts. The Hebrew text of Jubilees apparently ceased to be copied and preserved by Rabbinic Jews at this time. Early Christians, however, included it within the collection of books they considered sacred, and it was soon translated into Greek and (apparently) Syriac, then the principal languages of much of the Christian world. From Greek it was translated into Latin and Ge\u2019ez (an ancient language of Ethiopia).
\nThe book was thus known in the Christian world and alluded to here and there in the writings of the church fathers. It was cited at length by three Christian writers in particular: Epiphanius of Salamis and the Byzantine chroniclers Georgius Syncellus and Georgius Cedrenus. As time went on, however, its influence waned, and the Greek and Latin translations disappeared from sight. It was only in the mid-19th century that a Christian missionary in Ethiopia, J. L. Krapff, \u201crediscovered\u201d the work in the biblical manuscripts of the Abyssinian Church and brought a copy of it to Europe, where the Semitist August Dillmann prepared a German translation (1850\u201351). Ten years later, M. Ceriani found and published a Latin manuscript containing about a third of the book. In 1989, J. C. VanderKam published a scholarly edition and translation of the Ethiopic text, noting all the important textual variants of the extant Hebrew, Latin, and Syriac fragments. His edition remains the most reliable basis for the text of Jubilees.<\/p>\n
Title of the Book<\/p>\n
\u201cJubilees\u201d was apparently not the original title of this book. The earliest reference to its title is found in the Damascus Document (col. 16:3\u20134) of the Dead Sea Scrolls community, where it appears as \u201cThe Book of the Divisions of Times according to Their Jubilees and in Their \u2018Weeks.\u2019 \u201d This title well reflects one of the book\u2019s outstanding features: its frequent assigning of a date to the events of Genesis by referring to the jubilee and year in which they took place. Thus, Cain was born \u201cin the third week of the second jubilee.\u201d The length of a jubilee is somewhat ambiguous in the Bible: according to Lev. 25:8, it is a period of 49 years, while according to Lev. 25:11, 50 years. The author of Jubilees held by the former interpretation. As a result, each jubilee divides easily into seven subgroups of seven years apiece; these subgroups are conventionally called \u201cweeks,\u201d although \u201cgroups of seven\u201d would be a more accurate translation. In asserting that Cain was born \u201cin the third week of the second jubilee,\u201d therefore, Jubilees\u2019 author means that Cain was born sometime after the world\u2019s first jubilee (years 1\u201349) plus two more \u201cweeks\u201d (years 50\u201363), but before the start of the fourth week in the year 71. In other words, Cain was born sometime between the years 64 and 70 after the Creation.
\nThe title given in the Damascus Document is not, however, the same as the title that appears in the various Ethiopic manuscripts of the book. There the title is longer and probably better reflects how the full Hebrew title read: \u201cThis is the account of the divisions of times\u2014according to the Torah and to the Testimony\u2014of the events of the years, of the weeks of their jubilees throughout all the days of yore as was related to Moses on Mount Sinai.\u201d
\nThe expression \u201caccording to the Torah and to the Testimony\u201d\u2014which also appears in Jub. 1:4\u20135, 26, 29, and later verses\u2014was an important one for the overall stance of the book. It derives from a somewhat mysterious verse in the book of Isaiah, where God says: \u201cBind up the testimony [te\u2018udah], seal up the instruction [torah] with My disciples\u201d (Isa. 8:16). Even today it is not clear what Isaiah was referring to, nor\u2014more to the point\u2014is anyone sure what the author of Jubilees meant by quoting this phrase. The word Torah certainly seemed, in Second Temple times, to refer to the Pentateuch; but what was the te\u2018udah? The author of Jubilees may have understood it to be the name of an otherwise unknown book, or he may have decided to see in the word te\u2018udah a reference to part of the book known today as 1 Enoch, which he does indeed call a te\u2018udah later on in Jubilees (see below on 4:18\u201319). Whichever the case, the author of Jubilees is asserting that his own history of patriarchal times is based on these two authoritative works, books that were mentioned in tandem by God in the time of Isaiah. By mentioning these two works, the author is, in effect, stating Jubilees\u2019 credentials: \u201cThis chronological account is based on those two sacred books mentioned by Isaiah, the Torah and the [book of] the Te\u2018udah.\u201d
\nAs for the actual word te\u2018udah, since it seemed to come from the common Hebrew root for \u201ctestify,\u201d the Greek (and consequently the Ethiopic) translators rendered it as \u201ctestimony.\u201d But the author of Jubilees probably did not wish it to be understood in that sense, nor more broadly as \u201cmessage,\u201d but rather as warning, since his own work\u2014based, as he says, on the book of the Te\u2018udah\u2014warns of the fell consequences of Israel\u2019s disobedience. For that reason, it is best to translate the te\u2018udah referred to in the title as \u201cthe [book of the] Warning.\u201d
\nOne matter deserves further clarification. Our book of Jubilees is not itself the te\u2018udah, \u201cthe [book of the] Warning.\u201d Rather, the author states clearly what Jubilees is: \u201cthe book of the divisions of times.\u201d This crucial phrase ought best to be understood as meaning a chronological history. That is to say, Jubilees is not merely a list of dates and in that sense the \u201cdivisions of the times.\u201d Rather, it is a presentation of the early history of Israel and its ancestors\u2014based, the author claims, on the historical data found in those two books, the Torah and the Te\u2018udah\u2014with dates provided for all the important events. In fact, at one point the author seems to say that Jubilees presents only a part of the great chronology that God has worked out for Israel\u2019s history; according to Jub. 1:29, the divinely arranged series of jubilees runs all the way to the eschaton, the end-time when all life will be renewed. That is why God sets out for His angel the specific limits of the history to be given to Moses: it is to run from the creation of the world until the building of the desert Tabernacle (1:27). The rest is to remain hidden.<\/p>\n
Significance<\/p>\n
Apart from answering specific questions about the stories of Genesis and Exodus, the author of Jubilees had a definite ideological message he wished to communicate through his book. He lived in a time when, no doubt, many of his countrymen were despairing of Israel\u2019s future. It may well be, they reasoned, that at one point God adopted Israel as His own people, just as ancient Scripture related (Exod. 19:5\u20136). But that day was long gone. In the meantime, He had allowed the Northern Kingdom of Israel to fall to the Assyrians, never to rise again; the Southern Kingdom, Judah, had similarly fallen to the Babylonians, and much of its citizenry had been exiled to Babylon. Unlike the Northerners, the Judean exiles had subsequently been allowed to return to their homeland, but they were nonetheless a subject people, ruled over first by Persia, then Ptolemaic Egypt, then Seleucid Syria. Was this a fitting arrangement for a people allegedly chosen by the LORD of heaven and earth? Instead, it seemed a clear indication that God\u2019s adoption of Israel as his own people, an act inaugurated with the great covenant at Mount Sinai, must no longer be in force. Israel had violated that covenant\u2014first the Northerners, then the Southerners\u2014and had therefore been rejected; the apparently unending years of foreign domination were a clear indication that Israel had fallen into God\u2019s disfavor.
\nIt was principally to combat such a negative reading of history that the original author of Jubilees wrote his book. He began by having Moses hear the \u201cprediction\u201d of all the evils that would lead to up to the Babylonian exile (Jub. 1:9\u201314). This was to be a terrible catastrophe, but it would ultimately be followed by Israel\u2019s repentance and restoration (Jub. 1:15) as well as the explicit reversal of the Pentateuch\u2019s own curses that were said to be Israel\u2019s lot if it violated the Sinai covenant (Jub. 1:16). In other words, Jubilees\u2019 author readily accepted that Israel had sinned and been punished\u2014but this hardly spelled the end of its historic bond with its God. Israel was and always had been God\u2019s own people.
\nIsrael\u2019s continuing connection with God was, for Jubilees\u2019 original author, the great message carried by the book of Genesis\u2014and the reason why he chose a retelling of its stories as the ideal instrument for communicating his theme. Genesis is, after all, full of accounts of God\u2019s dealings with Israel\u2019s remote ancestors, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and his wives and children. These stories all give evidence of the close connection between God and Israel\u2019s forebears; they not only interact directly with God, but God rewards them\u2014most tangibly in the grant of the land of Canaan to them and their descendants. For the author of Jubilees this was proof positive that God\u2019s adoption of Israel did not begin at Mount Sinai, as one might assume from a straightforward reading of Exod. 19:5\u20136, but that it had begun long before\u2014going back, his book asserted, to the very first Sabbath in history (the one that immediately followed the six days of the Creation), when God decided to create Israel as His people (Jub. 2:19\u201320). The covenants concluded with Abraham in Gen. 15 and 17, along with the promises made to Jacob in Gen. 28:13\u201314, were thus not, as it might seem, merely intended as a grant of the land of Canaan, nor yet a vague pledge of numerous descendants, but an eternal alliance. They, no less than the Sinai covenant, bound Israel to its God forever.
\nTo say this likewise implied a certain diminution of the importance of the Sinai covenant itself. It was not the first and sole basis of the alliance between God and Israel, but only one covenant among several; its violation, therefore, could hardly have occasioned a definitive rupture between the two parties. So yes, Israel had failed to keep the conditions of the Sinai covenant, a sin for which it had been duly punished through the Babylonian conquest and exile. But once punished, the child is forgiven. Whatever the political ups and downs that had subsequently characterized Israel\u2019s history, there could be no doubt that God\u2019s alliance with Israel was still in effect and would continue eternally.
\nThis was the basic message of comfort that the author of Jubilees wished to communicate, and in retelling Genesis he sought to give it concrete expression. Thus, as mentioned, God\u2019s choice of Israel as His people was moved back from Exod. 19 to the seventh day of the Creation (based in part on the divine assertion in Exod. 4:22 that Israel was God\u2019s \u201cfirstborn son\u201d). The author also went to the trouble of having Israel\u2019s remote ancestors worship God in much the same way as they were to worship Him after Sinai. True, there was no temple or tabernacle in pre-Sinai times, indeed, no established priesthood. But Genesis did mention that various patriarchs had built altars and offered sacrifices to God. With this slim bit of evidence to support him, the author of Jubilees asserted that a chain of priests had in fact existed from earliest times\u2014one priest at a time\u2014and that these priests were in every sense continuous with the later levitical priesthood. Thus, Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Levi are represented in Jubilees as forming a continuous chain of priests, with each new priest being instructed by his predecessor in proper priestly procedure.
\nTo further illustrate the continuity between these pre-Sinai priests and their post-Sinai successors, the author of Jubilees detailed the form and content of the sacrifices that they offered, having these conform to prescriptions for sacrifices found later in the Pentateuch, principally in Leviticus. For the same reason, the author depicted these pre-Sinai priests as celebrating (and properly observing the sacrificial laws of) various holy days\u2014the Festival of Booths, the Feast of Weeks, the Day of Atonement\u2014even though these holy days were first mentioned only later in the Torah, as part of or following the Sinai covenant.
\nIndeed, the author was so bold as to assert that the very reason for the existence of these holy days was to be found not in the divinely given prescriptions of the Sinai covenant, but in the events of the patriarchs\u2019 own lives. That is to say, God did not command Abraham to celebrate the Festival of Booths (Sukkot); on the contrary, such-and-such a thing happened in Abraham\u2019s life, and as a result he inaugurated the celebration of this festival on his own initiative (Jub. 16:5\u201327). Only later did God tell Moses to promulgate a law in the Torah (Lev. 23:33\u201335) commanding Israelites to celebrate the festival and to celebrate it on the precise date that Abraham had chosen for it. Similarly, Noah planted a vine and picked its fruit in the fourth year, which he guarded until the fifth year (Jub. 7:1\u20133); it was only much later, and in apparent imitation of Noah\u2019s act, that the Torah ordained similar treatment for the fruit of all trees (see Lev. 19:23\u201325). The Day of Atonement, Jubilees relates, came about because of the false report that Jacob\u2019s sons gave him, to the effect that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast. Jacob \u201clamented all night \u2026 and all the next day,\u201d and as a result, it was decreed in the Torah \u201cfor the children of Israel that they mourn [for their sins] on the tenth (day) of the seventh month.\u201d Once again, here was a practice inaugurated by a patriarch on his own initiative (and based on what turned out to be a lie!) that later came to be a divinely commanded holy day. The author\u2019s purpose in saying these things is clear. They were another way of undercutting the importance of the Sinai revelation. Things really didn\u2019t begin at Sinai, but with Israel\u2019s ancestors\u2014especially Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God had established his earliest covenants with them\u2014with them and their descendants, that is, with us, the Jews of Jubilees\u2019 own day. We were God\u2019s people long before the Sinai covenant, we worshiped Him back then in the same way that we worship Him now, and we will remain His people forever.
\nNot all, of course, was sweetness and light in the view of Jubilees\u2019 author. In particular, he believed that Judah in his own day was plunged in fornication and impurity, the latter term referring not to the ritual impurity imparted by contact with dead bodies and the like, but impurity arising largely from sexual immorality and contact with \u201cforeigners,\u201d that is, non-Jews. In addition, he felt that Israel in his day was lax about a number of other commandments: he repeatedly stresses Israel\u2019s failure to observe properly the Sabbath and various holy days. It was for such reasons, he claimed, that Israel still lived under foreign domination and had not yet been restored to its former glory and power. But if it now could abandon its waywardness in these matters, God would surely return His people to their proper place of honor and their lives would be blessed beyond measure (Jub. 23).
\nThe author had another argument to use against those who despaired of Israel ever rising to its former glory. It was not an argument that he himself invented. Even before he wrote, others had suggested that any despair about Israel\u2019s future was the result of people\u2019s failure to see the \u201cbig picture.\u201d If only one could step back and view history not in terms of tens or even hundreds of years but still larger units, one would recognize the hand of God behind all the apparently chaotic ups and downs that had characterized the Judeans\u2019 history since the Babylonian conquest and subsequent exile.
\nOne such \u201cbig picture\u201d approach was to see in the very successsion of foreign powers who ruled Judea\u2013Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks\u2014an expression of a divine plan, since each oppressor had ruled for a time, only to be cast off later on. A somewhat different and potentially more sophisticated approach adopted by other writers during Second Temple times was to fix on the larger unit of time called the jubilee. After all, the jubilee was mentioned as a significant measure of time within the Torah itself\u2014so it must be important! This 49-year unit was not only composed of seven subunits of seven years apiece (\u201cweeks of years\u201d\u2014see above under \u201cTitle of the Book\u201d), but the jubilee itself could be thought of as a subunit of still larger blocks of time. So it was that some writers of this period liked to think of history as moving forward in units of 10 jubilees apiece\u2014490 years. But even that might be on the small side; perhaps the main events in Israel\u2019s history were demarcated by even larger units. The point was that, if one considered these larger numerical patterns, the idea of divine control of Israel\u2019s history could be upheld despite the little surface disturbances that might spring up for a century or two and then disappear.
\nIn his recounting of patriarchal history, the author of Jubilees was careful to divide his chronological history into jubilees as a way of invoking this idea. History, he seemed to be asserting with each new date, marches forward in multiples of these 49-year units. Indeed, he explicitly endorsed this notion at the end of the book, pointing out that precisely 50 jubilees (2,450 years) separate the \u201ctime of Adam\u201d (i.e., the time of the creation of the world in six days) from the time of Israel\u2019s crossing the Jordan and entering the land of Canaan (Jub. 50:4\u20135). Surely that round number\u201450 jubilees exactly!\u2014could not be an accident, and it indicated that similarly large patterns were to be found in Israel\u2019s later history as well. So do not despair, the author was saying to his countrymen, the apparent disorder of a few hundred years disappears when you consider these larger patterns.
\nWith regard to his own post-exilic period, the author of Jubilees never gets around to having the angel of the Presence say what those larger patterns might be. They were apparently written in the \u201cbook of the Te\u2018udah,\u201d where they are said to go on \u201cuntil eternity.\u201d But these things were not revealed to Moses, to whom the angel transmitted only that part of the chronological history that dealt with the past and immediate future, from the Creation to Israel\u2019s entry into Canaan. The author was thus content to suggest that God\u2019s master plan for history worked in extremely large units without going into the details. Keep this in mind, he seemed to say, and the apparent chaos of recent times could be made to disappear.<\/p>\n
The Interpolator<\/p>\n
As sometimes happened with books in ancient times, the original text of Jubilees underwent modification during the course of its transmission. An anonymous writer, known here as the Interpolator, inserted 29 passages of his own into the book\u2014a little more than one passage in every two chapters. Most of his interpolations are brief, some consisting of only a single sentence or two; others, however, go on for as long as 15 verses. They are easily identified by their distinct terminology. Thus, the Interpolator frequently refers to laws that are \u201cordained and written in the heavenly tablets.\u201d (The \u201cheavenly tablets\u201d seem to be just that, writing tablets that had been inscribed and kept in heaven since the beginning of time, and on which were recorded not only the laws to be given to Moses on Mount Sinai, but also halakhic rulings on various matters and a record of future events and divine rulings about individual people.) Sometimes the Interpolator omits mention of the tablets but simply refers to things that have been \u201cwritten and ordained\u201d or \u201cwritten and inscribed\u201d for the Israelites to do; with such phrases, it seems to be understood that it is on the heavenly tablets that these things are written. The Interpolator also likes to have the angel of the Presence turn to Moses and say, \u201cAnd you, Moses, command the Israelites to do such-and-such.\u201d Finally, he is fond of asserting that the law or practice that he has just described \u201chas no temporal limits\u201d but is to be kept by the Israelites \u201cfor eternal generations.\u201d All these phrases constitute the \u201csignature\u201d of the Interpolator. The fact that his legal rulings sometimes conflict with the original author\u2019s words, and that he sometimes even seems to have misunderstood what the original author meant, make it clear that these \u201cheavenly tablets\u201d passages are all later insertions and not the work of the original author.
\nAlthough we do not have a great deal of his writing, the Interpolator\u2019s ideology emerges fairly clearly from his various insertions in the book (see below). He obviously shared many of the original author\u2019s beliefs, including a horror of foreigners and their \u201cimpurity.\u201d Like the original author, he also utterly rejected the lunisolar calendar endorsed by other Jews, espousing instead a calendar based on the sun alone. Indeed, it seems possible that the Interpolator belonged to a larger group that lived in accord with these principles and claimed the book of Jubilees as their authoritative source. Yet, there were aspects of the book that he (and, quite possibly, his group) found profoundly troubling. Primary among these was the original author\u2019s implication here and there that the laws promulgated at Sinai had originated in the spontaneous actions of the patriarchs\u2014that, in the example given above, the laws of the Festival of Booths later promulgated by Moses in the Torah were essentially based on what Abraham had spontaneously done. But for the Interpolator, all the Torah\u2019s laws must have originated with God. That is why he insisted in his interpolations that, despite what the text of Jubilees might seem to be saying, the rules governing festivals and other practices had actually been written in the heavenly tablets long before Abraham or Israel\u2019s other ancestors had seemingly observed them for the first time.
\nThe Interpolator did not invent the idea of the heavenly tablets. The idea of such heavenly writings, and even the phrase \u201cheavenly tablets,\u201d is found in texts going back to ancient Mesopotamia, and the tablets are mentioned frequently in 1 En. 81:1\u20132, 93:2, 103:2, 106:19, 107:1, and elsewhere in the biblical Pseudepigrapha. But in these other texts, what is recorded on high are future events, or the good and bad deeds of human beings. The Interpolator adopted the idea of these heavenly writing tablets but turned it to a new purpose; they would be the place in heaven where God had also inscribed the Torah\u2019s laws from the beginning of time. Therefore, no matter what the original author had implied about Noah or Abraham or Jacob having initiated this or that practice, the Interpolator was usually quick to add: \u201cAnd thus it is ordained in the heavenly tablets,\u201d or \u201cThat is why it is written in the heavenly tablets to do exactly this,\u201d and so forth. Through some unmentioned act of divine manipulation, God had arranged for the patriarchs to unwittingly inaugurate a practice that had already been prescribed in laws written on high long before.
\nThe Interpolator\u2019s insertions definitely changed the overall thrust of the original Jubilees. Now the book seemed to be saying that the deeds of Israel\u2019s ancestors did indeed match some of the laws given to Moses on Mount Sinai, but not because God had decided to institutionalize in the Torah certain practices that those ancestors had created on their own initiative. Rather, now it seemed that those ancestors had simply been manipulated into obeying laws that were written long before in the heavenly tablets. Moreover, in order to drive this point home, the Interpolator sought to expand on the original author\u2019s list of precedents for the laws of festivals and other matters so as to include all sorts of other laws from the Pentateuch\u2014Cain\u2019s punishment after the murder of Abel reflected a divine statute that was also written down in the law of Deut. 27:24; God\u2019s covenant with Noah was consonant with the law of the tamid sacrifices (Exod. 29:38\u201342 and Num. 28:3\u20138), and so forth. In these cases as well, the Interpolator asserted, the actions of these ancient figures from Genesis merely reflected things established in God\u2019s eternal laws, which He Himself had inscribed on the heavenly tablets from the beginning of time.
\nThe Interpolator\u2019s insistence that human actions had had no role whatsoever in the creation of the Torah\u2019s laws is of a piece with what he writes about the calendar. One calendrical system in use in Second Temple times was similar to the one used later in Rabbinic times: months were determined by the phases of the moon, with each month starting after two reliable witnesses had attested to having seen the new moon (see M. RH 1\u20132). Such a system was a horror to the Interpolator, precisely because it depended on human intervention for the fixing of dates\u2014not only the start of each month, but, as a consequence, also the occurrence of all God\u2019s sacred festivals and other holy days within each month. Were not such things fixed in advance by God? He therefore has the angel of the Presence warn Moses against \u201cthose who will examine the moon diligently\u201d and use it to determine the beginnings of months (Jub. 6:36).
\nAs mentioned above, both the original author (see Jub. 2:9) and the Interpolator (6:34\u201337) espoused a calendar in which the moon plays no part. Months are (as in today\u2019s civil calendar) arbitrary units of days with no connection to the moon; every month must consist of exactly 30 days, so that 12 months equal 360 days. The Interpolator further specified that the official year is to consist of 364 days; that is, to the 360 days of the 12 months were added four apparently extramensual days (i.e., free-floating days outside the regular sequence of months) at equal intervals, one apiece after the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months (see 6:23\u201331). The official year thus had exactly 364 days or\u2014more to the point\u2014exactly 52 Sabbaths.
\nIn the same spirit, the Interpolator could not accept the biblical stipulation that the date of the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) was to be determined by people counting seven weeks from the time of Passover. In one of his longest interpolations, he set out to claim that the name of this festival did not refer to \u201cweeks\u201d (shavuot) counted by people each year, but to \u201coaths\u201d (shevuot), specifically, the oaths sworn by Noah and his sons after the great Flood. Thus, the \u201cFestival of Oaths\u201d had nothing to do with humans counting\u2014in fact, the Interpolator asserts, this festival had been celebrated in heaven long before human beings began celebrating it. All this bespeaks his own particular mentality.
\nSuch positions put him at odds with the school of ancient Judaism known variously as that of the Pharisees, the \u201csages,\u201d the \u201celders,\u201d and so forth\u2014a close spiritual ancestor of Rabbinic Judaism. In the Interpolator\u2019s comments there is a clear anti-Pharisaic note. He disagrees with them not only on the issue of the calendar, but also about the laws of the Sabbath and various festivals, the second tithe, fruit trees, and so forth. Perhaps most significantly, he apparently rejected their whole reliance on orally transmitted traditions of halakhah and interpretation. That may indeed be why he became an interpolator into, rather than just an interpreter of, the book of Jubilees itself: it was crucial to him that all his ideas appear to be part of some reputedly ancient written source, since only written words, and not oral traditions, had validity in his eyes.
\nDespite the rather different outlooks of Jubilees\u2019 original author and the Interpolator, and despite the strikingly unique terminology used by the Interpolator to introduce his legal insertions, the final document incorporating the Interpolator\u2019s remarks into the original book of Jubilees reads quite smoothly. Indeed, it is only recently that scholars have come to consider the possibility that Jubilees is not a unitary work. In part this is because the two authors did agree on a number of basic issues (which is probably one reason why the Interpolator spent the effort he did on \u201ccorrecting\u201d parts of Jubilees rather than writing an entirely new book). But one must also credit the Interpolator with having gone about his work with some care and even artistry. Moreover, although the number of insertions by the Interpolator is rather large, they still constitute only a small percentage of the overall book; Jubilees remains overwhelmingly the work of its original author. For all these reasons, the composite nature of Jubilees is not immediately apparent. In any event, in its final form Jubilees went on to have a distinguished career; it won a faithful following among members of the Dead Sea Scrolls community and doubtless other Jewish groups in Second Temple times; it also attracted numerous readers among early Christians. Still later, it went on to influence (sometimes unwitting) commentators and homilists on the book of Genesis in later centuries of the Common Era; indeed, its message of renewed hope and a return to God continued to speak to generations of readers.<\/p>\n
Passages Attributed to the Interpolator<\/p>\n
2:24\u201333, The Laws of the Sabbath.
\n3:9\u201314, Impurity after Childbirth.
\n3:29\u201331, Nudity Forbidden.
\n4:5\u20136, Cain\u2019s Curse Anticipates Deut. 27:24.
\n4:31\u201332, Death of Cain and Lev. 24:19\u201320.
\n5:13\u201319, Strict Justice after the Flood and the Day of Atonement.
\n6:10\u201314, Blood Not to Be Eaten, But instead Used for Tamid Sacrifices (connection to Exod. 29:38\u201342 and Num. 28:3\u20138).
\n6:17\u201322, The Festival of Shavuot.
\n6:23\u201338, The 364-Day Calendar.
\n13:25\u201327, Law of the Tithe.
\n14:20b, Abraham Kept Shevuot (connected to \u201cThe Festival of Shavuot\u201d above).
\n15:25\u201334, Addition to the Laws of Circumcision.
\n16:3\u20134, Isaac\u2019s Name Was Already Written in Heavenly Tablets.
\n16:9, Lot Condemned.
\n16:28\u201331, Supplement to Festival of Booths Laws.
\n18:18\u201319, The Binding of Isaac took Place on Passover.
\n19:8\u20139, Abraham\u2019s Tenth Trial.
\n23:32, Moses\u2019s Predictions Recapitulate the Heavenly Tablets.
\n24:33, Isaac\u2019s Curse of Philistines Recapitulates the Heavenly Tablets.
\n28:6b\u20137, Wrong to Marry the Younger Daughter First.
\n30:8\u201317, Prohibition of Intermarriage Operates in Both Directions.
\n30:18\u201323, God\u2019s Friends and Enemies.
\n31:31\u201332, Isaac\u2019s Blessing Written on the Heavenly Tablets.
\n32:9c\u201315, Law of the Second Tithe.
\n32:27b\u201329, The Eighth Day of Assembly.
\n33:10\u201320, Why Reuben and Bilhah Were Not Killed.
\n41:23\u201326, Why Judah and Tamar Were Not Killed.
\n49:2\u201317, Laws of Passover Sacrifice.
\n49:22\u201323, Laws of Unleavened Bread.<\/p>\n
SUGGESTED READING<\/p>\n
Doran, R. \u201cThe Non-Dating of Jubilees: Jub. 34\u201338; 23:14\u201332 in Narrative Context.\u201d JSJ 20 (1989): 1\u201311.
\nKister, M. \u201cObservations on Aspects of Exegesis, Tradition, and Theology in Midrash, Pseudepigrapha, and Other Jewish Writings.\u201d In Tracing the Threads: Studies in the Vitality of Jewish Pseudepigrapha, edited by J. C. Reeves, 1\u201334. SBL EJL 6. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1994,.
\nKugel, J. Traditions of the Bible. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1998.
\n\u2014\u2014\u2014. A Walk through Jubilees. Leiden: Brill, 2012.
\nNajman, H. Seconding Sinai: The Development of Mosaic Discourse in Second Temple Judaism. SJSOT 77. Leiden: Brill, 2003.
\nSegal, M. The Book of Jubilees: Rewritten Bible, Redaction, Ideology and Theology. Leiden: Brill, 2007.
\nVanderKam, J. C. Textual and Historical Studies in the Book of Jubilees. HSM 14. Missoula MT: Scholars Press, 1977.
\n\u2014\u2014\u2014. The Book of Jubilees: A Critical Text. CSCO 510; Scriptores Aethiopici 87. Louvain: E. Peeters, 1989.
\n\u2014\u2014\u2014. The Book of Jubilees (Translation). CSCO 511; Scriptores Aethiopici 88. Louvain: E. Peeters, 1989.
\nWerman, C. \u201cThe Rules of Consuming and Covering the Blood in Priestly and Rabbinic Law,\u201d RevQ 16 (1995): 621\u201336.<\/p>\n
TRANSLATION: THE BOOK OF DIVISION<\/p>\n
Title<\/p>\n
This is The Account of the Division of Days of the Law and the Testimony for Annual Observance according to their Weeks (of years) and their Jubilees throughout all the Years of the World just as the LORD told it to Moses on Mount Sinai when he went up to receive the tablets of the Law and the commandment by the word of the LORD, as He said to him, \u201cCome up to the top of the mountain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moses Is Summoned to the Mountain<\/p>\n
1:1In the first year of the Exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, in the third month on the sixteenth day of that month, the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, \u201cCome up to Me on the mountain, and I shall give you two stone tablets of the Law and the commandment, which I have written, so that you may teach them.\u201d
\n2And Moses went up to the mountain of the LORD. And the glory of the LORD dwelt upon Mount Sinai, and a cloud overshadowed it for six days. 3And He called to Moses on the seventh day from the midst of the cloud. And the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like fire burning on top of the mountain. 4And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.<\/p>\n
Moses Is Instructed to Write a Book<\/p>\n
And the LORD revealed to him both what (was) in the beginning and what will occur (in the future), the account of the division of all of the days of the Law and the testimony. 5And he said, \u201cSet your mind on everything which I shall tell you on this mountain, and write it in a book so that their descendants might see that I have not abandoned them on account of all of the evil which they have done to instigate transgression of the covenant which I am establishing between Me and you today on Mount Sinai for their descendants. 6And thus it will be, when all of these things happen to them, that they will know that I have been more righteous than they in all their judgments and deeds. And they will know that I have truly been with them.<\/p>\n
Moses Is Told How the People Will Forsake the LORD in the Land of Promise<\/p>\n
7\u201cAnd you, write for yourself all of these words which I shall cause you to know today, for I know their rebelliousness and their stubbornness before I cause them to enter the land which I swore to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, \u2018I will give to your seed a land flowing with milk and honey.\u2019 8And they will eat and be satisfied, and they will turn to strange gods, to those who cannot save them from any of their affliction. And this testimony will be heard as testimony against them, 9for they will forget all of My commandments, everything which I shall command them, and they will walk after the Gentiles and after their defilement and shame. And they will serve their gods, and they will become a scandal for them and an affliction and a torment and a snare. 10And many will be destroyed and seized and will fall into the hand of the enemy because they have forsaken My ordinances and My commandments and the feasts of My covenant and My Sabbaths and My sacred place, which I sanctified for Myself among them, and My tabernacle and My sanctuary, which I sanctified for Myself in the midst of the land so that I might set My name upon it and might dwell (there). 11And they will make for themselves high places and groves and carved idols. And each of them will worship his own (idol) so as to go astray. And they will sacrifice their children to the demons and to every work of the error of their heart.<\/p>\n
The Murder of Prophets, the Captivity, and the Loss of the Cult<\/p>\n
12\u201cAnd I shall send to them witnesses so that I might witness to them, but they will not hear. And they will even kill the witnesses. And they will persecute those who search out the Law, and they will neglect everything and begin to do evil in My sight. 13And I shall hide My face from them, and I shall give them over to the power of the nations to be captive, and for plunder, and to be devoured. And I shall remove them from the midst of the land, and I shall scatter them among the nations. 14And they will forget all of My laws and all of My commandments and all of My judgments, and they will err concerning new moons, Sabbaths, festivals, jubilees, and ordinances.<\/p>\n
Repentance and Restoration<\/p>\n
15\u201cAnd afterward they will turn to Me from among the nations with all their heart and with all their soul and with all their might. And I shall gather them from the midst of all the nations. And they will seek Me so that I might be found by them.
\nWhen they seek me with all their heart and with all their soul, I shall reveal to them an abundance of peace in righteousness. 16And with all My heart and with all My soul I shall transplant them as a righteous plant. And they will be a blessing and not a curse. And they will be the head and not the tail. 17And I shall build My sanctuary in their midst, and I shall dwell with them. And I shall be their God and they will be My people truly and rightly. 18And I shall not forsake them, and I shall not be alienated from them because I am the LORD their God.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moses\u2019s Prayer of Intercession<\/p>\n
19And Moses fell upon his face, and he prayed and said, \u201cO LORD, my God, do not abandon Your people and Your inheritance to walk in the error of their heart. And do not deliver them into the hand of their enemy, the Gentiles, lest they rule over them and cause them to sin against You.
\n20\u201cO LORD, let Your mercy be lifted up upon Your people, and create for them an upright spirit. And do not let the spirit of Beliar rule over them to accuse them before You and ensnare them from every path of righteousness so that they might be destroyed from before Your face. 21But they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You saved by Your great might from the hand of the Egyptians. Create a pure heart and a holy spirit for them. And do not let them be ensnared by their sin henceforth and forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
The LORD Predicts a Restoration of the People<\/p>\n
22And the LORD said to Moses, \u201cI know their contrariness and their thoughts and their stubbornness. And they will not obey until they acknowledge their sin and the sins of their fathers. 23But after this they will return to Me in all uprighteousness and with all of (their) heart and soul. And I shall cut off the foreskin of their heart and the foreskin of the heart of their descendants. And I shall create for them a holy spirit, and I shall purify them so that they will not turn away from following Me from that day and forever. 24And their souls will cleave to Me and to all My commandments. And they will do My commandments. And I shall be a father to them, and they will be sons to Me. 25And they will all be called \u2018sons of the living God.\u2019 And every angel and spirit will know and acknowledge that they are My sons and I am their father in uprightness and righteousness. And I shall love them.<\/p>\n
Moses Told Again to Write<\/p>\n
26\u201cAnd you write down for yourself all of the matters which I shall make known to you on this mountain: what (was) in the beginning and what (will be) at the end, what will happen in all of the divisions of the days which are in the Law and testimony and throughout their weeks (of years) according to the jubilees forever, until I shall descend and dwell with them in all the ages of eternity.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Angel of the Presence Is Instructed to Write the History for Moses<\/p>\n
27And He said to the angel of the Presence, \u201cWrite for Moses from the first creation until My sanctuary is built in their midst forever and ever. 28And the LORD will appear in the sight of all. And everyone will know that I am the God of Israel and the father of all the children of Jacob and king upon Mount Zion forever and ever. And Zion and Jerusalem will be holy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Angel of the Presence Receives the Tablets Containing the History<\/p>\n
29And the angel of the Presence, who went before the camp of Israel, took the tablets of the division of years from the time of the creation of the law and testimony according to their weeks (of years), according to the jubilees, year by year throughout the full number of jubilees, from [the day of creation until] the day of the new creation when the heaven and earth and all of their creatures shall be renewed according to the powers of heaven and according to the whole nature of earth, until the sanctuary of the LORD is created in Jerusalem upon Mount Zion. And all of the lights will be renewed for healing and peace and blessing for all of the elect of Israel and in order that it might be thus from that day and unto all the days of the earth.<\/p>\n
Description of Six Days of Creation<\/p>\n
2:1And the angel of the Presence spoke to Moses by the word of the LORD, saying, \u201cWrite the whole account of creation, that in six days the LORD God completed all his work and all that he created. And He observed a Sabbath the seventh day, and He sanctified it for all ages. And He set it (as) a sign for all his works.\u201d
\n2For on the first day He created the heavens, which are above, and the earth, and the waters and all of the spirits which minister before Him:
\nthe angels of the Presence,
\nand the angels of sanctification,
\nand the angels of the spirit of fire,
\nand the angels of the spirit of the winds,
\nand the angels of the spirit of the clouds and darkness and snow and hail and frost,
\nand the angels of resoundings and thunder and lightning,
\nand the angels of the spirits of cold and heat and winter and springtime and harvest and summer,
\nand all of the spirits of His creatures which are in heaven and on earth.
\nAnd (He created) the abysses and darkness\u2014both evening and night\u2014and light\u2014both dawn and daylight\u2014which He prepared in the knowledge of His heart. 3Then we saw His works and we blessed Him and offered praise before Him on account of all his works because He made seven great works on the first day.
\n4And on the second day He made the firmament in the midst of the water. And the waters were divided on that day. One half of them went up above, and one half of them went down beneath the firmament (which is) in the middle over the surface of all of the earth. And He made only this (one) work on the second day.
\n5On the third, day He did as He said to the waters, \u201cLet them pass from the surface of the whole earth into one place, and let the dry land appear.\u201d 6And the waters did as He said. And they turned aside from upon the surface of the earth into one place outside of this firmament. And dry land appeared. 7And on that day He created for it all of the seas in each of their gathering places, and all of the rivers, and the gathering places of the waters on the mountains and in all the earth, and all of the ponds, and all of the dew of the earth, and the seed which is sown, and everything which is eaten, and trees which bear fruit and (other) trees, and the Garden of Eden in Eden\u2014in (the place of) luxury\u2014and everything. These four great species the LORD made on the third day.
\n8And on the fourth day He made the sun and the moon and the stars. And He set them in the firmament of heaven so that they might give light upon the whole earth and rule over the day and the night and separate light and darkness. 9And the LORD set the sun as a great sign upon the earth for days, Sabbaths, months, feast (days), years, Sabbaths of years, jubilees, and for all of the (appointed) times of the years\u201410and it separates the light from the darkness\u2014and so that everything which sprouts and grows upon the earth might surely prosper. These three kinds He made on the fourth day.
\n11And on the fifth day He created the great sea monsters in the midst of the depths of the waters\u2014for these were made by His hands as the first corporeal beings\u2014and all the fish which move in the waters, and all the birds which fly, and all of their kind. 12And the sun rose above them to make them prosper and above everything which was on the earth, everything which sprouts from the earth, and every tree which bears fruit, and all flesh. These three kinds He made on the fifth day.
\n13And on the sixth day He made all of the beasts of the earth and all of the cattle and everything which moves upon the earth. 14And after all of this, He made man\u2014male and female He made them\u2014and He gave him dominion over everything which was upon the earth and which was in the seas and over everything which flies, and over beasts and cattle and everything which moves upon the earth or above the whole earth. And over all this He gave him dominion. And these four kinds He made on the sixth day. 15And the total was twenty-two kinds. 16And He completed all of His work on the sixth day, everything which is in the heavens and the earth and the seas and the depths and in the light and in the darkness and in every place.<\/p>\n
The Significance of the Sabbath<\/p>\n
17And He gave us a great sign, the Sabbath day, so that we might work six days and observe a Sabbath from all work on the seventh day. 18And He told us\u2014all of the angels of the Presence and all of the angels of sanctification, these two great kinds\u2014that we might keep the Sabbath with Him in heaven and on earth. 19And He said to us, \u201cBehold I shall separate for Myself a people from among all the nations. And they will also keep the Sabbath. And I will sanctify them for Myself, and I will bless them. Just as I have sanctified and shall sanctify the Sabbath day for Myself thus shall I bless them. And they will be my people and I will be their God. 20And I have chosen the seed of Jacob from among all that I have seen. And I have recorded him as My firstborn son, and have sanctified him for Myself forever and ever. And I will make known to them the Sabbath day so that they might observe therein a Sabbath from all work.\u201d
\n21And thus He created therein a sign by which they might keep the Sabbath with us on the seventh day, to eat and drink and bless the one who created all things just as He blessed and sanctified for Himself a people who appeared from all the nations so that they might keep the Sabbath together with us. 22And He caused their desires to go up as pleasing fragrance, which is acceptable before Him always.
\n23There were twenty-two chief men from Adam until Jacob, and twenty-two kinds of works were made before the seventh day. The former is blessed and sanctified, and the latter is also blessed and sanctified. One was like the other with respect to sanctification and blessing. 24And it was granted to the former that they should always be the blessed and sanctified ones of the testimony and the first law just as he had sanctified and blessed Sabbath day on the seventh day.<\/p>\n
The Laws for Keeping the Sabbath<\/p>\n
25He created heaven and earth and everything which He created in six days. And the LORD made the seventh day holy for all of His works. Therefore He commanded concerning it, \u201cLet everyone who will do any work therein die. And also whoever defiles it let him surely die.\u201d
\n26And you, command the children of Israel, and let them guard this day so that they might sanctify it and not do any work therein, and not defile it because it is more holy than any day. 27And everyone who pollutes it let him surely die. And anyone who will do any work therein, let him surely die forever so that the children of Israel might guard this day throughout their generations and not be uprooted from the land because it is a holy day and a blessed day. 28And every man who guards it and keeps therein a Sabbath from all his work will be holy and blessed always like us.
\n29Make known and recount to the children of Israel the judgment of the day that they should keep the Sabbath thereon and not forsake it in the error of their hearts. And (make known) that it is not permitted to do work thereon which is unlawful, (it being) unseemly to do their pleasure thereon. And (make known) that they should not prepare thereon anything which will be eaten or drunk, which they have not prepared for themselves on the sixth day. And (make known that it is not lawful) to draw water or to bring in or to take out any work within their dwellings which is carried in their gates. 30And they shall not bring in or take out from house to house on that day because it is more holy and it is more blessed than any day of the jubilee of jubilees. On this day we kept the Sabbath in heaven before it was made known to any human to keep the Sabbath thereon upon the earth.
\n31The Creator of all blessed it, but He did not sanctify any people or nations to keep the Sabbath thereon with the sole exception of Israel. He granted to them alone that they might eat and drink and keep the Sabbath thereon upon the earth. 32And the Creator of all, who created this day for a blessing and sanctification and glory, blessed it more than all days. 33This law and testimony was given to the children of Israel as an eternal law for their generations.<\/p>\n
The Naming of Animals<\/p>\n
3:1And in six days of the second week, by the word of the LORD, we brought to Adam all of the beasts, and all of the cattle, and all of the birds, and everything which moves on the earth, and everything which moves in the water, each one according to its kind, and each one according to its likeness: the beasts on the first day, and cattle on the second day, and the birds on the third day, and everything which moves upon the earth on the fourth day, and whatever moves in the water on the fifth day. 2And Adam named all of them, each one according to its name, and whatever he called them became their names. 3And during these five days Adam was observing all of these, male and female according to every kind which was on the earth, but he was alone and there was none whom he found for himself, who was like himself, who would help him.<\/p>\n
The Creation of Eve<\/p>\n
4And the LORD said to us, \u201cIt is not good that the man should be alone. Let us make for him a helper who is like him.\u201d 5And the LORD our God cast a deep sleep upon him, and he slept. And He took one bone from the midst of his bones for the woman. And that rib was the origin of the woman from the midst of his bones. And He built up the flesh in place of it, and He constructed a woman.
\n6And He awakened Adam from his sleep, and when he awoke, he stood up on the sixth day. And He brought her to him and he knew her and said to her, \u201cThis is now bone of my bone and flesh from my flesh. This one will be called my wife because she was taken from her husband.\u201d
\n7Therefore a man and woman shall be one. And therefore it shall be that a man will leave his father and his mother and he will join with his wife and they will become one flesh.<\/p>\n
The Laws of Purification after Childbirth<\/p>\n
8in the first week Adam was created and also the rib, his wife. And in the second week He showed her to him. And therefore the commandment was given to observe seven days for a male, but for a female twice seven days in their impurity.
\n9And after forty days were completed for Adam in the land where he was created, we brought him into the Garden of Eden so that he might work it and guard it. And on the 80th day his wife was also brought in. And after this she entered the Garden of Eden. 10And therefore the command was written in the heavenly tablets for one who bears, \u201cIf she bears a male, she shall remain seven days in her impurity like the first seven days. And thirty-three days she shall remain in the blood of her purity. And she shall not touch anything holy. And she shall not enter the sanctuary until she has completed these days which are in accord with (the rule for) a male (child). 11And that which is in accord with (the rule for) a female is two weeks\u2014like the two first weeks\u2014in her impurity. And sixty-six days she shall remain in the blood of her purity. And their total will be eighty days.\u201d
\n12And when she finished those eighty days, we brought her into the Garden of Eden because it is more holy than any land. And every tree which is planted in it is holy. 13Therefore the ordinances of these days were ordained for anyone who bears a male or female that she might not touch anything holy and she might not enter the sanctuary until these days are completed for a male or female. 14This is the law and testimony which is written for Israel so that they might keep it always.<\/p>\n
The First Seven Years in Eden<\/p>\n
15And during the first week of the first jubilee Adam and his wife had been in the Garden of Eden for seven years tilling and guarding it. And we gave him work and we were teaching him to do everything which was appropriate for tilling. 16And he was tilling. And he was naked, but he neither knew it nor was he ashamed. And he was guarding the Garden from the birds and beasts and cattle and gathering its fruit and eating. And he used to set aside the rest for himself and his wife. And what was being guarded he set aside.<\/p>\n
The Fall<\/p>\n
17At the end of seven years which he completed there, seven years exactly, in the second month on the seventeenth day, the serpent came and drew near to the woman. And the serpent said to the woman, \u201cThe LORD commanded you, saying, \u2018You shall not eat from any tree which is in the Garden.\u2019 \u201d 18And she said to him, \u201cThe LORD said, \u2018Eat from all of the fruit of the trees which are in the Garden.\u2019 But the LORD said to us, \u2018You shall not eat from the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the Garden, and you shall not touch it lest you die.\u2019 \u201d 19And the serpent said to the woman, \u201cIt is not (true) that you shall surely die because the LORD knows that on the day you eat of it your eyes will become opened and you will become like gods, and you will know good and evil.\u201d
\n20And the woman saw the tree that it was pleasant and it was pleasing to the eye and its fruit was good to eat and she took some of it and she ate. 21And she first covered her shame with a fig leaf, and then she gave it to Adam and he ate and his eyes were opened and he saw that he was naked. 22And he took a fig leaf and sewed it and made an apron for himself. And he covered his shame.
\n23And the LORD cursed the serpent and He was angry with it forever. And He was angry with the woman also because she had listened to the voice of the serpent and had eaten. And He said to her, 24\u201cI will surely multiply your grief and your birth pangs. Bear children in grief. And to your husband is your return and he will rule over you.\u201d 25And to Adam He said, \u201cBecause you listened to the voice of your wife and you ate from that tree from which I commanded you that you should not eat, the land shall be cursed because of you. Thorns and thistles shall sprout up for you. And eat your bread in the sweat of your face until you return to the earth from which you were taken because you are earth and to the earth you will return.\u201d<\/p>\n
Expulsion-Day Sacrifice and the Law of Covering Shame<\/p>\n
26And He made for them garments of skin and He dressed them and sent them from the Garden of Eden. 27And on that day when Adam went out from the Garden of Eden, he offered a sweet-smelling sacrifice\u2014frankincense, galbanum, stacte, and spices\u2014in the morning with the rising of the sun from the day he covered his shame. 28On that day the mouth of all the beasts and cattle and birds and whatever walked or moved was stopped from speaking because all of them used to speak with one another with one speech and one language. 29And He sent from the Garden of Eden all of the flesh which was in the Garden of Eden and all of the flesh was scattered, each one according to its kind and each one according to its family, into the place which was created for them. 30But from all the beasts and all the cattle He granted to Adam alone that he might cover his shame. 31Therefore it is commanded in the heavenly tablets to all who will know the judgment of the Law that they should cover their shame and they should not be uncovered as the Gentiles are uncovered.<\/p>\n
The End of the First Jubilee in \u2018Elda<\/p>\n
32And on the first of the fourth month Adam and his wife went out from the Garden of Eden and dwelt in the land of \u2018Elda, in the land of their creation. 33And Adam named his wife Eve. 34They had no son until the first jubilee but after this he knew her. 35And he tilled the land as he had been taught in the Garden of Eden.<\/p>\n
The First Murder and the Law of Manslaughter<\/p>\n
4:1And in the third week in the second jubilee, she bore Cain. And in the fourth she bore Abel. And in the fifth she bore Awan, his daughter. 2And at the beginning of the third jubilee, Cain killed Abel because the sacrifice of Abel was accepted, but the offering of Cain was not accepted. 3And he killed him in the field, and his blood cried out from the earth to heaven, making accusation because he killed him. And the LORD rebuked Cain on account of Abel because he killed him. And He made him a fugitive on the earth because of the blood of his brother. And He cursed him upon the earth. 4And therefore it is written in the heavenly tablets, \u201cCursed is one who strikes his fellow with malice. And all who have seen and heard shall say \u2018so be it.\u2019 5And the man who saw and did not report (it) shall be cursed like him.\u201d 6Therefore when we come before the LORD our God we will make known all of the sins which occur in heaven and earth and which are in the light or in the darkness or in any (place).<\/p>\n
The Descendants of Adam<\/p>\n
7And Adam and his wife were mourning four weeks of years on account of Abel. And in the fourth year of the fifth week they rejoiced. And Adam again knew his wife and she bore a son for him. And he named him Seth because he said, \u201cThe LORD has raised up another seed for us upon the earth in place of Abel because Cain killed him.\u201d 8And in the sixth week he begat \u2018Az\u016bra, his daughter.
\n9And Cain took his sister, Awan, as a wife, and she bore for him Enoch at the end of the fourth jubilee. And in the first year of the first week of the fifth jubilee, buildings were constructed in the land. And Cain built a city and he named it with the name of his son, Enoch. 10And Adam knew Eve, his wife, and she bore nine more children.
\n11And in the fifth week of the fifth jubilee, Seth took \u2018Az\u016bra, his sister, as a wife. And in the fourth year of that week, she bore for him Enosh. 12He was first to call the name of the LORD upon the earth.
\n13And in the seventh jubilee in the third week, Enosh took Noam, his sister, as a wife. And she bore a son for him in the third year of the fifth week. And he named him Ken\u0101n.
\n14And at the end of the eighth jubilee, Ken\u0101n took for himself a wife, Mu\u2019aleleth, his sister, (as) a wife. And she bore a son for him in the ninth jubilee in the first week in the third year of that (week). And he called him Mahalalel.
\n15And in the second week of the tenth jubilee, Mahalalel took for himself a wife, Dinah, the daughter of Baraki\u2019el, the daughter of his father\u2019s brother, as a wife. And she bore a son for him in the third week in the sixth year. And he called him Jared because in his days the angels of the LORD, who were called Watchers, came down to the earth in order to teach the sons of man, and perform judgment and uprightness upon the earth.<\/p>\n
The Birth and Work of Enoch<\/p>\n
16And in the eleventh jubilee Jared took for himself a wife and her name was Baraka, the daughter of Rasuyal, the daughter of his father\u2019s brother, as a wife, in the fourth week of that jubilee. And she bore a son for him in the fifth week, in the fourth year of the jubilee. And he called him Enoch.
\n17This one was the first who learned writing and knowledge and wisdom, from (among) the sons of men, from (among) those who were born upon earth. And he wrote in a book the signs of the heaven according to the order of their months, so that the sons of man might know the (appointed) times of the years according to their order, with respect to each of their months. 18This one was the first (who) wrote a testimony and testified to the children of men throughout the generations of the earth. And their weeks according to jubilees he recounted; and the days of the years he made known. And the months he set in order, and the Sabbaths of the years he recounted, just as we made it known to him. 19And he saw what was and what will be in a vision of his sleep as it will happen among the children of men in their generations until the day of judgment. He saw and knew everything and wrote his testimony and deposited the testimony upon the earth against all the children of men and their generations.
\n20And in the twelfth jubilee in its seventh week, he took for himself a wife and her name was \u2018Edni, the daughter of Dan\u2019el, his father\u2019s brother, as a wife, and in the sixth year of this week she bore a son for him. And he called him Methuselah.
\n21And he was therefore with the angels of God six jubilees of years. And they showed him everything which is on earth and in the heavens, the dominion of the sun. And he wrote everything, 22and bore witness to the Watchers, the ones who sinned with the daughters of men because they began to mingle themselves with the daughters of men so that they might be polluted. And Enoch bore witness against all of them. 23And he was taken from among the children of men, and we led him to the Garden of Eden for greatness and honor. And behold, he is there writing condemnation and judgment of the world, and all of the evils of the children of men. 24And because of him none of the water of the Flood came upon the whole land of Eden, for he was put there for a sign and so that he might bear witness against all of the children of men so that he might relate all of the deeds of the generations until the day of judgment. 25And he offered the incense which is acceptable before the LORD in the evening (at) the holy place on Mount Qater. 26For the LORD has four (sacred) places upon the earth: the Garden of Eden and the mountain of the East and this mountain which you are upon today, Mount Sinai, and Mount Zion, which will be sanctified in the new creation for the sanctification of the earth. On account of this the earth will be sanctified from all sin and from pollution throughout eternal generations.<\/p>\n
The Generations from Enoch to Noah<\/p>\n
27And in the fourteenth jubilee Methuselah took as his wife \u2018Edna, daughter of \u2018Azri\u2019al, his father\u2019s brother, as a wife, in the third week in the first year of that week. And he begot a son. And he called him Lamech.
\n28And in the fifteenth jubilee in the third week, Lamech took for himself a wife, and her name was Betenos, the daughter of Baraki\u2019il, the daughter of his father\u2019s brother, (as) a wife. And in that week she bore a son for him and he called him Noah, saying, \u201cThis one will console me from my grief and from all of my labor and from the land which the LORD cursed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Death of Adam<\/p>\n
29And at the end of the nineteenth jubilee in the seventh week, in the sixth year, Adam died. And all of his children buried him in the land of his creation. And he was the first who was buried in the earth. 30And he lacked seventy years from one thousand years, for a thousand years are like one day in the testimony of heaven and therefore it was written concerning the tree of knowledge, \u201cin the day you eat from it you will die.\u201d Therefore he did not complete the years of this day because he died in it.<\/p>\n
Abel Avenged\u2014Law of Retaliation<\/p>\n
31At the end of that jubilee Cain was killed, one year after him. And his house fell upon him, and he died in the midst of his house. And he was killed by its stones because he killed Abel with a stone, and with a stone he was killed by righteous judgment. 32Therefore it is ordained in the heavenly tablets:<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the weapons with which a man kills his fellow
\nhe shall be killed
\njust as he wounded him,
\nthus shall they do to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Birth of Noah\u2019s Sons<\/p>\n
33And in the twenty-fifth jubilee Noah took a wife for himself and her name was Emzara, daughter of Rake\u2019el, daughter of his father\u2019s brother, as a wife, in the first year, in the fifth week. And in its third year she bore for him Shem. And in its fifth year she bore for him Ham. And in the first year of the sixth week she bore for him Japheth.<\/p>\n
Corruption of All Flesh When Angels Mate with Humans<\/p>\n
5:1And when the children of men began to multiply on the surface of the earth and daughters were born to them, the angels of the LORD saw in a certain year of that jubilee that they were good to look at. And they took wives for themselves from all of those whom they chose. And they bore children for them; and they were the giants. 2And injustice increased upon the earth, and all flesh corrupted its way; man and cattle and beasts and birds and everything which walks on the earth. And they all corrupted their way and their ordinances, and they began to eat one another. And injustice grew upon the earth and every imagination of the thoughts of all mankind was thus continually evil.<\/p>\n
The Punishment of Angels and Annihilation of Their Offspring<\/p>\n
3And the LORD saw the earth, and behold it was corrupted and all flesh had corrupted its order and all who were on the earth had done every sort of evil in his sight. 4And He said, \u201cI will wipe out man and all flesh which I have created from upon the surface of the earth.\u201d 5But Noah alone found favor in the sight of the LORD.
\n6And against his angels whom He had sent to the earth He was very angry. He commanded that they be uprooted from all their dominion. And He told us to bind them in the depths of the earth, and behold, they are bound in the midst of them, and they are isolated. 7And against their children a word went forth from before His presence so that He might smite them with the sword and remove them from under heaven. 8And He said, \u201cMy spirit will not dwell upon man forever; for they are flesh, and their days will be one hundred and ten years.\u201d 9And He sent his sword among them so that each one might kill his fellow and they began to kill one another until they all fell on the sword and they were wiped out from the earth. 10And their parents also watched. And subsequently they were bound in the depths of the earth forever, until the day of great judgment in order for judgment to be executed upon all of those who corrupted their ways and their deeds before the LORD. 11And He wiped out every one from their places and not one of them remained whom He did not judge according to all his wickedness.<\/p>\n
A New Righteousness: The Impartial Judge Will Forgive<\/p>\n
12And He made for all His works a new and righteous nature so that they might not sin in all their nature forever, and so that they might all be righteous, each in his kind, always. 13And the judgment of all of them has been ordained and written in the heavenly tablets without injustice. And (if) any of them transgress from their way with respect to what was ordained for them to walk in, or if they do not walk in it, the judgment for every (sort of) nature and every kind has been written. 14And there is nothing excluded which is in heaven or on earth or in the light or in the darkness or in Sheol or in the depths or in the place of darkness. And all their judgments are ordained, written, and engraved. 15He will judge concerning every one: the great one according to his greatness and the small one according to his smallness, and each one according to his way. 16And He is not one who accepts persons, and He is not one who accepts gifts when He says that he will execute judgment upon each one. If one gave everything which is in the earth, he would not accept gifts or persons. And He would not accept (anything) from his hand because He is a righteous judge.
\n17And for the children of Israel it has been written and ordained, \u201cIf they return to Him in righteousness, He will forgive all of their sins and He will pardon all of their transgressions.\u201d 18It is written and it is ordained, \u201cHe will have mercy on all who return from all their error, once each year.\u201d 19But to any who corrupted their way and their counsel before the Flood, He did not show partiality, except Noah alone, for He showed partiality to him for the sake of his sons whom He saved from the waters of the Flood (and) for his sake because his heart was righteous in all of his ways just as it was commanded concerning him. And he did not transgress anything which was ordained for him.<\/p>\n
The Flood<\/p>\n
20And the LORD said, \u201cLet everything which is upon dry land be blotted out: men and cattle and beasts and birds of the heaven and whatever moves on the earth.\u201d 21And He commanded Noah to make an ark for himself so that He might save himself from the water of the Flood. 22And Noah made an ark in all respects just as He commanded him in the twenty-second jubilee of years in the fifth week in the fifth year. And he entered it in the sixth year in the second month on the first of the second month until the sixteenth day. 23And he and everything which we brought to him entered into the ark. And the LORD shut it up from outside on the evening of the seventeenth.<\/p>\n
24And the LORD opened the seven floodgates of heaven,
\nand the mouths of the springs of the great deep were seven mouths in number;
\n25and these floodgates sent down water from heaven forty days and forty nights,
\nand the springs of the deep sent up water until the whole world was full of water.
\n26And the water increased upon the earth,
\nfifteen cubits the water rose over every tall mountain;
\nand the ark rose from upon the earth,
\nand it moved upon the surface of the water.
\n27And all of the water stayed upon the surface of the earth five months, one hundred and fifty days.<\/p>\n
28And the ark went and rested on the top of Lubar, one of the mountains of Ararat. 29And in the fourth month the springs of the great deep were closed and the floodgates of heaven were held shut. And on the first day of the seventh month, all of the mouths of the deeps of the earth were opened. And the water began to go down into the depths below. 30And on the first of the tenth month, the heads of the mountains appeared, and on the first of the first month, the land appeared. 31And the water dried up from upon the earth in the fifth week, in its seventh year. And on the seventeenth day in the second month, the land was dry. 32And on its twenty-seventh day, he opened the ark and he sent out of it the beasts, and cattle and birds and whatever moved.<\/p>\n
Debarkation and Sacrifice<\/p>\n
6:1And on the first of the third month, he went out of the ark, and he built an altar on that mountain. 2And he made atonement for the land. And he took the kid of a goat, and he made atonement with its blood for all the sins of the land because everything which was on it had been blotted out except those who were in the ark with Noah. 3And he offered up the fat upon the altar. And he took a calf, a goat, a lamb, [kids], salt, a turtledove, and a young dove, and he offered up a burnt offering on the altar. And he placed upon them an offering kneaded with oil. And he sprinkled wine, and placed frankincense upon everything. And he offered up a sweet aroma which was pleasing before the LORD.<\/p>\n
The Covenant with Noah and Laws Prohibiting the Eating of Blood<\/p>\n
4And the LORD smelled the sweet aroma, and He made a covenant with him so that there might not be floodwaters which would destroy the earth. All the days of the earth, seed (time) and harvest will not cease. Cold and heat and summer and winter and day and night will not change their ordinances or cease forever. 5\u201cBut as for you, increase and be multiplied on the earth and become many upon it, and become a blessing upon it. Fear and terror of you I will set upon everything which is on the land or in the sea. 6And behold, I have given you all of the beasts and everything which flies and everything which moves upon the earth and in the water, the fish and everything, for food like the green herbs. And I have given you everything so that you might eat. 7But flesh which is (filled) with life, (that is) with blood, you shall not eat\u2014because the life of all flesh is in the blood\u2014lest your blood be sought for your lives.<\/p>\n
8From the hand of every man,
\nfrom the hand of every (creature),
\nI will seek the blood of a man.
\nWhoever pours out the blood of a man,
\nby man his blood shall be poured out,
\nbecause in the image of the LORD He made Adam.<\/p>\n
9And as for you, increase and become many in the land.\u201d
\n10And Noah and his sons swore that they would not eat any blood which was in any flesh. And he made a covenant before the LORD God forever in all of the generations of the earth in that month.
\n11Therefore, He spoke to you so that you also might make a covenant with the children of Israel with an oath in this month upon the mountain. And you will sprinkle blood upon them on account of all of the words of the covenant which the LORD made with them for all time. 12This testimony is written concerning you so that you might keep it always lest you ever eat any blood of the beasts or birds or cattle throughout all of the days of the earth. And the man who eats the blood of the beasts or cattle or birds throughout all of the days of the earth shall be uprooted, he and his seed from the earth. 13And you, command the children of Israel not to eat any blood so that their names and seed might be before the LORD God always. 14And there is no limit of days for this law because it is forever. They shall keep it for their generations so that they might make supplication on your behalf with blood before the altar on every day. And at the hour of daybreak and evening they will seek atonement on their own behalf continually before the LORD so that they might guard it and not be rooted out.
\n15And He gave a sign to Noah and his children that there should not again be a flood upon the earth. 16He set His bow in the clouds for a sign of the covenant which is forever, that the water of the Flood should therefore not be upon the earth to destroy it all of the days of the earth.<\/p>\n
The Feast of Shevuot<\/p>\n
17Therefore, it is ordained and written in the heavenly tablets that they should observe the feast of Shevuot in this month, once per year, in order to renew the covenant in all (respects), year by year. 18And all of this feast was celebrated in heaven from the day of creation until the days of Noah, twenty-six jubilees and five weeks of years. And Noah and his children kept it for seven jubilees and one week of years until the day of the death of Noah. And from the day of the death of Noah, his sons corrupted it until the days of Abraham, and they ate blood. 19But Abraham alone kept it. And Isaac and Jacob and his sons kept it until your days, but in your days the children of Israel forgot it until you renewed it for them on this mountain.
\n20And you, command the children of Israel so that they might keep this feast in all of their generations as a commandment to them. One day per year in this month they shall celebrate the feast, 21for it is the feast of Shevuot and it is the feast of the firstfruits. This feast is twofold and of two natures. Just as it is written and engraved concerning it, observe it. 22This is because I have written it in the book of the first law, which I wrote for you, so that you might observe it in each of its appointed times, one day per year. And I have told you its sacrificial offerings so that the children of Israel might remember them and observe them in their generations in this month one day each year.
\n23And on the first of the first month and on the first of the fourth month and on the first of the seventh month and on the first of the tenth month are the days of remembrance and they are the days of appointed times in the four parts of the year. They are written and inscribed for an eternal witness. 24And Noah ordained them for himself as feasts for eternal generations because they were a memorial for him. 25And on the first of the first month, he was told to make an ark. And on it the land dried up, and he opened up and saw the land. 26And on the first of the fourth month, the mouths of the deeps of the abysses which were beneath were shut. And on the first of the seventh month, all of the mouths of the depths of the earth were opened, and the water began to go down into them. 27On the first of the tenth month the heads of the mountains appeared, and Noah rejoiced. 28And therefore he ordained them for himself as feasts of remembrance forever, and thus they are ordained.
\n29And they set them upon the heavenly tablets. Each one of them is thirteen weeks from one to another of the remembrances, from the first to the second, and from the second to the third, and from the third to the fourth. 30And all of the days which will be commanded will be fifty-two weeks of days, and all of them are a complete year. 31Thus it is engraved and ordained on the heavenly tablets, and there is no transgressing in a single year, from year to year.<\/p>\n
The Danger in Failing to Observe a 364-Day Calendar<\/p>\n
32And you, command the children of Israel so that they shall guard the years in this number, three hundred and sixty-four days, and it will be a complete year. And no one shall corrupt its (appointed) time from its days or from its feasts because all (of the appointed times) will arrive in them according to their testimony, and they will not pass over a day, and they will not corrupt a feast. 33But if they are transgressed, and they do not observe them according to his commandment, then they will corrupt all of their (fixed) times, and the years will be moved from within this (order), and they will transgress their ordinances. 34And all of the sons of Israel will forget, and they will not find the way of the years. And they will forget the first of the month and (appointed) times and Sabbaths. And they will set awry all of the ordinances of the years. 35For I know and henceforth I shall make you know\u2014but not from my own heart, because the book is written before me and is ordained in the heavenly tablets of the division of days\u2014lest they forget the feasts of the covenant and walk in the feasts of the Gentiles, after their errors and after their ignorance.
\n36And there will be those who will examine the moon diligently because it will corrupt the (appointed) times and it will advance from year to year ten days. Therefore, the years will come to them as they corrupt and make a day of testimony a reproach and a profane day a festival, and they will mix up everything, a holy day (as) profaned and a profane (one) for a holy day, because they will set awry the months and Sabbaths and feasts and jubilees. 38Therefore, I shall command you and I shall bear witness to you so that you may bear witness to them because after you have died your sons will be corrupted so that they will not make a year only three hundred and sixty-four days. And therefore, they will set awry the months and the (appointed) times and the Sabbaths and the feasts, and they will eat all of the blood with all flesh.<\/p>\n
Noah\u2019s Sacrifice<\/p>\n
7:1And in the seventh week in the first year in that jubilee, Noah planted a vine on the mountain on which the ark rested, whose name is Lubar, (one) of the mountains of Ararat. And it produced fruit in the fourth year, and he guarded its fruit; and he picked it in that year in the seventh month, 2and he made wine from it, and he put it in a vessel, and he guarded it until the fifth year, until the first day on the first of the first month. 3And on that day he made a feast with rejoicing. And he made a burnt offering to the LORD, one calf from the bulls, one ram, a lamb of seven years, and one kid of the goats in order that he might thereby seek atonement for himself and for his sons. 4And he prepared the kid first. And he placed some of its blood on the flesh which was on the altar which he had made. And all of the fat and the bull and the ram and the lamb he offered up upon the altar, where he made the burnt offering. And he offered up all of their flesh upon the altar. 5And he placed all of their sacrifice upon it, kneaded with oil. And after that, he sprinkled wine in the fire which he had placed upon the altar. And he presented frankincense upon the altar, and offered up a sweet odor which is pleasing before the LORD his God, 6and rejoiced. And he drank some of that wine, he and his sons, with rejoicing.<\/p>\n
The Curse of Canaan and the Blessing of Shem<\/p>\n
7And when evening came, he entered into his tent, and lay down drunk. And he slept, and was uncovered in his tent as he was sleeping. 8And Ham saw Noah, his father, naked. And he went out, and told his two brothers outside. 9And Shem took his garment, and he stood up, he and Japheth, and they placed the garment on their shoulders and, turning backward, they covered the shame of their father, and their faces were backward.
\n10And Noah woke up from his wine, and knew everything which his youngest son had done to him. And he cursed his son and said, \u201cCursed is Canaan, let him be an enslaved servant of his brothers.\u201d
\n11And he blessed Shem, and said:<\/p>\n
\u201cMay the LORD, the God of Shem, be blessed.
\nAnd may Canaan be his servant.
\n12May the LORD enlarge Japheth,
\nand may the LORD dwell in the dwelling place of Shem,
\nand may Canaan be his servant.\u201d<\/p>\n
13And Ham knew that his father cursed his youngest son, and it was disgusting to him that he cursed his son. And he separated from his father, he and his sons with him: Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan.<\/p>\n
The Cities of Noah\u2019s Three Sons<\/p>\n
14And he (Ham) built a city for himself and he named it after his wife, Na\u2019eltama\u2019uk. 15And Japheth saw it and was jealous of his brother. And he also built a city for himself and named it after his wife, \u2018Adataneses. 16And Shem dwelt with his father, Noah, and built a city near his father on the mountain. And he also named it after his wife, Sedeqetelebab. 17And behold, these three cities were near Mount Lubar, Sedeqetelebab was in front of the mountain on its east, and Na\u2019eltama\u2019uk was facing south, and \u2018Adataneses was toward the west.<\/p>\n
The Sons of Shem And Japheth<\/p>\n
18And these are the sons of Shem: Elam and Ashur and Arpachshad, who was born two years after the Flood, and Lud and Aram. 19The sons of Japheth are: Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan, Tubal and Meshech and Tiras. These are sons of Noah.<\/p>\n
The Testament of Noah: Avoid Fornication, Blood Pollution, Injustice<\/p>\n
20And in the twenty-eighth jubilee Noah began to command his grandsons with ordinances and commandments and all of the judgments which he knew. And he bore witness to his sons so that they might do justice and cover the shame of their flesh and bless the one who created them and honor father and mother, and each one love his neighbor and preserve themselves from fornication and pollution and from all injustice. 21For on account of these three the Flood came upon the earth. For (it was) because of the fornication which the Watchers, apart from the mandate of their authority, fornicated with the daughters of men and took for themselves wives from all whom they chose and made a beginning of impurity. 22And they begot sons, the Naphidim, and all of them were dissimilar. And each one ate his fellow. The giants killed the Naphil, and the Naphil killed the Elyo, and the Elyo mankind, and man his neighbor. 23And everyone sold himself in order that he might do injustice and pour out much blood, and the earth was full of injustice. 24And afterward, they sinned against beasts, and birds and everything which moves or walks upon the earth. And they poured out much blood upon the earth. And all the thoughts and desires of men were always contemplating vanity and evil. 25And the LORD blotted out everything from the face of the earth on account of the evil of their deeds. And on account of the blood which they poured out in the midst of the land, He blotted out everything.
\n26\u201cAnd we were left, I and you, my children, and everything which entered with us into the ark. And behold, I see your deeds before me that you have not been ones who walked in righteousness because you have begun to walk in the paths of corruption. And each one of you will be separated from his neighbor. And this one will be jealous of that one, and (I see) that you will not be together, O my sons, each one with his brother. 27For I see, and behold, the demons have begun to mislead you and your children. And now I fear for your sakes that after I die, you will pour out the blood of men upon the earth. And you will be blotted out from the surface of the earth. 28For all who eat the blood of man and all who eat the blood of any flesh will be blotted out, all of them, from the earth.
\n29And no man who eats blood or sheds the blood of man will remain upon the earth;<\/p>\n
and neither seed nor posterity will remain alive for him under heaven.
\nFor they will go down into Sheol,
\nand into the place of judgment they will descend.
\nAnd into the darkness of the depths they will all be removed with a cruel death.<\/p>\n
30\u201cAnd let no blood from any of the blood which is in anything be seen upon you on the day when you sacrifice any beast or cattle or what flies upon the earth. But do a good deed for yourselves by covering that which will be poured out upon the surface of the earth. 31And you shall not be like one who eats with blood, but beware lest they should eat blood before you. Cover the blood, because thus I was commanded to testify to you and to your children together with all flesh. 32And you shall not eat living flesh lest it be that your blood which is your life be sought by the hand of all flesh which eats upon the earth. 33For the land will not be cleansed of the blood which is poured out upon it, because by the blood of one who poured it out will the land be cleansed in all of its generations.<\/p>\n
The Testament of Noah and the Law of Reserving Firstfruits<\/p>\n
34\u201cAnd now, my children, hear (and) do justice and righteousness so that you might be planted in righteousness on the surface of the whole earth, and your honor may be lifted up before my God who saved me from the water of the Flood. 35And behold, you will go and build for yourselves cities, and you will plant in them every plant which is upon the earth and every tree, moreover, which bears fruit. 36For three years its fruit will not be gathered from everything which may be eaten, but in the fourth year its fruit will be gathered. And let one offer up the firstfruits which are acceptable before the LORD Most High, who made heaven and earth and everything, so that they might offer up in the juice the first of the wine and the oil as firstfruits upon the altar of the LORD, who will accept it. And that which is left the servants of the house of the LORD will eat before the altar which receives (it). 37And in the seventh year make its release so that you might release it in righteousness and uprightness. And you will be righteous and all your plants will be upright, 38because, thus, Enoch, the father of your father, commanded Methuselah, his son, and Methuselah (commanded) Lamech, his son. And Lamech commanded me everything which his fathers commanded him. 39And I am commanding you, my sons, just as Enoch commanded his son in the first jubilees. While he was alive in his seventh generation, he commanded and bore witness to his son and his grandsons until the day of his death.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cainan\u2019s Discovery of Astrological Lore<\/p>\n
8:1And on the twenty-ninth jubilee in the first week, at its beginning Arpachshad took a wife and her name was Rasu\u2019eya, daughter of Susan, daughter of Elam, as a wife. And she bore a son for him in the third year of that week, and he called him Cainan, 2and the child grew. And his father taught him writing. And he went forth in order that he might seek a place where he could build a city. 3And he found a writing which the ancestors engraved on stone. And he read what was in it. And he transcribed it. And he sinned because of what was in it, since there was in it the teaching of the Watchers by which they used to observe the omens of the sun and moon and stars within all the signs of heaven. 4And he copied it down, but he did not tell about it because he feared to tell Noah about it lest he be angry with him because of it.<\/p>\n
The Descendants of Cainan<\/p>\n
5And in the thirtieth jubilee in the second week in its first year, he took a wife and her name was Melka, daughter of Madai, son of Japheth. And in its fourth year he begot a son and he called him Shelah because, he said, \u201cI have certainly been sent out.\u201d
\n6And in the fourth year Shelah was born and he grew up. And he took a wife and her name was Mu\u2019ak, daughter of Kesed, his father\u2019s brother, as a wife in the thirty-first jubilee in the fifth week in the first year. And she bore a son for him in its fifth year, and he called him \u2018Eber.
\n7And he took a wife, and her name was \u2018Azurad, daughter of Nebrod, in the thirty-second jubilee in the seventh week in its third year. 8And in its sixth year she bore a son for him. And he called him Peleg because in the days when he was bom the sons of Noah began dividing up the earth for themselves. Therefore he called him Peleg. 9And they divided it in an evil (manner) among themselves, and they told it to Noah.<\/p>\n
The Division of the Earth<\/p>\n
10And it came to pass at the beginning of the thirty-third jubilee, that they divided the land (in) three parts, for Shem, Ham, and Japheth, according to the inheritance of each, in the first year in the first week, while one of us who were sent was dwelling with them. 11And he called his children, and they came to him, they and their children. And he divided by lot the land which his three sons would possess. And they stretched out their hands and took the document from the bosom of Noah, their father.<\/p>\n
Shem\u2019s Portion<\/p>\n
12And the lot of Shem was assigned in the document as the middle of the earth, which he would take for his possession and for his sons for eternal generations from the midst of the Rafa Mountains, from the mouth of the water of the river Tina. And his portion goes toward the west through the midst of this river, and it goes on until it draws near to the water of the abysses from which this river goes forth. And its waters pour forth into the Me\u2019at Sea. And this river goes on into the Great Sea. And everything which is toward the north belongs to Japheth, and everything which is toward the south belongs to Shem. 13And (his portion) goes on until it draws near Karaso, which is in the bosom of the tongue which looks toward the south. 14And his portion goes on toward the Great Sea. And it goes straight until it draws near to the west of the tongue which looks toward the south because the name of this sea is the tongue of the Sea of Egypt. 15And it is turned from there toward the south, toward the mouth of the Great Sea on the shore of the waters. And it goes on toward the west of \u2018Afra. And it goes on until it draws near the water of the river Gihon, and toward the south of the water of Gihon, toward the shore of that river. 16And it goes on toward the east until it draws near to the Garden of Eden toward its south, to the south and east of all the land of Eden, and to all of the east. And it turns in the east, and it comes forth until it draws near toward the last of the mountain whose name is Rafa. And it goes down toward the shore of the mouth of the Tina River. 17This portion was assigned by lot to Shem and to his sons to possess it forever for his generations forever.
\n18And Noah rejoiced because this portion was assigned to Shem and for his sons. And he remembered everything which he spoke with his mouth concerning him because he said: May the LORD God of Shem be blessed, and may the LORD dwell in the dwelling place of Shem.
\n19And he knew that the Garden of Eden was the holy of holies and the dwelling of the LORD. And Mount Sinai (was) in the midst of the desert and Mount Zion (was) in the midst of the navel of the earth. The three of these were created as holy places, one facing the other. 20And he blessed the God of gods, who placed in his mouth the word of the LORD, and also the Eternal God. 21And he knew that a blessed portion and blessing had reached Shem and his sons for eternal generations: all the land of Eden, all of the land of the Red Sea, all of the land of the East, India, along the Red Sea, and its mountains, all of the land of Basa, all of the land of Lebanon, the islands of Caphtor, all of Mount Senir, Amanus, Mount Asshur, which is north, all of the land of Elam, Asshur, Babel, Susa, Media, all of the mountains of Ararat, and all of the region beyond the sea, which is beyond Mount Asshur, which is toward the north, the blessed and wide land. And everything which is in it is very good.<\/p>\n
Ham\u2019s Portion<\/p>\n
22And to Ham was assigned the second portion toward the other side of the Gihon, toward the south on the right of the Garden. And it goes on toward the south, and it goes along all of the mountains of fire. And (his portion) goes on toward the west, toward the Atel Sea. And it goes on westward until it draws near the Ma\u2019uk Sea, to which nothing descends without perishing. 23And it goes forth in the north to the end of Gadir. And it goes forth along the edge of the water of the sea into the waters of the Great Sea until it approaches the river Gihon. And it goes on along the Gihon River until it approaches the right side of the Garden of Eden. 24And this is the land that went forth to Ham as a portion which he will possess forever for himself and for his children for their generations forever.<\/p>\n
Japheth\u2019s Portion<\/p>\n
25And for Japheth the third portion was assigned beyond the Tina River toward the north of the mouth of its waters. And it goes on toward the northeast of all of the region of Gog and everything east of it. 26And it goes on toward the north to the north. And it goes toward the mountains of Qelt toward the north, toward the Ma\u2019uk Sea, and it comes toward the east of Gadir up toward the edge of the water of the sea. 27And it goes on until it draws near toward the west of the Fereg and it returns toward \u2018Afreg. And it goes on toward the east, toward the water of the Me\u2019at Sea. 28And it goes on toward the side of the Tina River, toward the northeast until it approaches the end of its waters, toward Mount Rafa. And it goes around to the north. 29This is the land that came to Japheth and to his sons as the portion of his inheritance which he will possess for himself and for his sons for their generations forever: the five great islands and a great land in the north. But it is cold, and the land of Ham is hot, but the land of Shem is not hot or cold because it is mixed with cold and heat.<\/p>\n
The Portions of the Sons of Ham, Shem, and Japheth<\/p>\n
9:1And Ham divided (his land) among his sons. And the first portion was assigned to Cush toward the east, and west of him for Mizraim. And west of him for Put. And west of him for Canaan. And toward his west was the sea. 2And Shem also divided among his sons. And the first portion was assigned to Elam and his sons toward the east of the Tigris River until it approaches toward the east of all of the land of India, along the Red Sea on its shores, the waters of Dedan, and all of the mountains of Mebri and Elam all of the land of Susa, and everything which is beside Pharnak as far as the Red Sea and up to the Tina River. 3And also to Asshur was assigned the second portion, all of the land of Asshur and Nineveh and Shinar and as far as the vicinity of India. And then it goes up and skirts the river. 4And to Arpachshad was assigned the third portion, all of the land of the region of Chaldea toward the east of the Euphrates, which is near the Red Sea, and all of the waters of the desert as far as the vicinity of the tongue of the sea which faces toward Egypt, all of the land of Lebanon and Senir and Amana as far as the vicinity of the Euphrates. 5And to Aram the fourth portion was assigned, all of the land of Mesopotamia, between the Tigris to the Euphrates, toward the north of the Chaldeans up to the vicinity of Mount Asshur and the land of Arara. 6And to Lud the fifth portion was assigned, Mount Asshur and everything pertaining to it until it approaches the Great Sea. And it draws near toward the east of Asshur, his brother.
\n7And Japheth also divided the land of his inheritance between his sons. 8And the first portion was assigned to Gomer toward the east from the north side up to the river Tina. And in the north to Magog was assigned all of the inner parts of the north until it approaches toward the Sea of Me\u2019at. 9And to Madai: his portion was assigned that he should take from the west of his two brothers as far as the islands and up to the coasts of the islands. 10And to Javan the fourth portion was assigned, every island and the islands which are toward the side of Lud. 11And to Tubal the fifth portion was assigned in the midst of the tongue which draws near toward the side of Lud\u2019s portion as far as the second tongue into the region beyond the second tongue into the third tongue. 12And to Meshech the sixth portion was assigned, everything on the other side of the third tongue until it approaches the east of Gadir. 13And to Tiras the seventh portion was assigned, four great islands in the midst of the sea which approaches the portion of Ham. And the islands of Kamaturi were assigned by lot to the sons of Arpachshad as an inheritance for him.<\/p>\n
The Curse Against Violating Boundaries<\/p>\n
14And thus the sons of Noah divided for their children before Noah, their father. And he made them all swear an oath to curse each and every one who desired to seize a portion which did not come in his lot. 15And they all said, \u201cSo be it and so let it be to them and to their sons forever in their generations until the day of judgment in which the LORD God will judge them with a sword and with fire on account of all the evil of the pollution of their errors which have filled the earth with sin and pollution and fornication and transgression.\u201d<\/p>\n
Noah\u2019s Prayer against the Demons<\/p>\n
10:1In the third week of that jubilee the polluted demons began to lead astray the children of Noah\u2019s sons and to lead them to folly and to destroy them. 2And the sons of Noah came to Noah, their father, and they told him about the demons who were leading astray and blinding and killing his grandchildren. 3And he prayed before the LORD his God and he said, \u201cGod of the spirits which are in all flesh, who has acted mercifully with me and saved me and my sons from the water of the Flood and did not let me perish as You did the children of perdition, because<\/p>\n
Great was Your grace upon me,
\nand great was Your mercy upon my soul.
\nLet Your grace be lifted upon my sons,
\nand do net let evil spirits rule over them,
\nlest they destroy them from the earth.<\/p>\n
4But bless me and my sons. And let us grow and increase and fill the earth. 5And You know that which Your Watchers, the fathers of these spirits, did in my days and also these spirits who are alive. Shut them up and take them to the place of judgment. And do not let them cause corruption among the sons of Your servant, O my God, because they are cruel and were created to destroy. 6And let them not rule over the spirits of the living because You alone know their judgment, and do not let them have power over the children of the righteous henceforth and forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Binding of the Nine Tenths of the Demons<\/p>\n
7And the LORD our God spoke to us so that we might bind all of them. 8And the chief of the spirits, Mastema, came and he said, \u201cO LORD, Creator, leave some of them before me, and let them obey my voice. And let them do everything which I tell them, because if some of them are not left for me, I will not be able to exercise the authority of my will among the children of men because they are (intended) to corrupt and lead astray before my judgment because the over of the sons of men is great.\u201d 9And He said, \u201cLet a tenth of them remain before him, but let nine parts go down into the place of judgment.\u201d
\n10And He told one of us to teach Noah all of their healing because He knew that they would not walk uprightly and would not strive righteously. 11And we acted in accord with all of His words. All of the evil ones, who were cruel, we bound in the place of judgment, but a tenth of them we let remain so that they might be subject to Satan upon the earth. 12And the healing of all their illnesses together with their seductions we told Noah so that he might heal by the means of herbs of the earth. 13And Noah wrote everything in a book just as we taught him according to every kind of healing. And the evil spirits were restrained from following the sons of Noah. 14And he gave everything which he wrote to Shem, his oldest son, because he loved him much more than all of his sons.<\/p>\n
The Death of Noah<\/p>\n
15And Noah slept with his fathers and was buried on Mount Lubar in the land of Ararat. 16Nine hundred and fifty years he completed in his life, nineteen jubilees and two weeks and five years. 17On account of his righteousness in which he was perfected, his life on earth was more excellent than (any of) the sons of men except Enoch, for the work of Enoch had been created as a witness to the generations of the world so that he might report every deed of each generation in the day of judgment.<\/p>\n
The Tower of Babel<\/p>\n
18And in the thirty-third jubilee, in the first year of this second week, Peleg took a wife whose name was Lomna, daughter of Sina\u2019ar. And she bore a son for him in the fourth year of that week. And he called him Reu because, he said, \u201cBehold, the sons of man have become evil with perverse counsel so that they are building a city and a tower for themselves in the land of Shinar.\u201d 19For they departed from the land of Ararat toward the east into Shinar, because in his days they built a city and a tower, saying, \u201cCome let us go up in it into heaven.\u201d
\n20And they began building. And in the fourth week they baked bricks in fire, and bricks were for them like stones. And the mud with which they plastered was bitumen, which came out of the sea, and the springs of water in the land of Shinar. 21And they built it; forty-three years they were building. Its width was two hundred and three bricks. And the height of a brick was one third its length. Five thousand, four hundred and thirty-three cubits and two palms its height rose up. And thirteen stades (was its wall). 22And the LORD our God said to us, \u201cBehold, the people are one and they have begun working. Now nothing will escape them, behold, let us go down and let us mix up their tongues so each one will not hear another\u2019s word, and they will be scattered into cities and nations, and, therefore, one counsel will not reside with them until the day of judgment.\u201d
\n23And the LORD went down and we went down with him. And we saw the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 24And He mixed up their tongues, and, therefore, one did not hear another\u2019s word. And so they ceased to build the city and the tower. 25Therefore, all of the land of Shinar is called Babel because there the LORD mixed up all the languages of the sons of men. And from there they were scattered into their cities according to each of their languages and nations. 26And the LORD sent a great wind upon the tower and overthrew it on the earth, and behold, it is between Asshur and Babylon in the land of Shinar; and He called it \u201cthe Overthrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canaan\u2019s Seizure of Land in Shem\u2019s Portion<\/p>\n
27And in the fourth week in the first year in the beginning of it, in the thirty-fourth jubilee, they were scattered from the land of Shinar. 28And Ham and his sons went into the land which was his possession, which he found in his portion in the land of the south. 29But Canaan saw that the land of Lebanon as far as the river of Egypt was very good. And he did not go into the land of his inheritance toward the west, that is the sea, but he dwelt in the land of Lebanon, eastward and westward, from the bank of the Jordan and from the shore of the sea. 30And Ham, his father, and Cush and Mizraim, his brothers, said to him, \u201cYou have dwelt in a land which is not yours nor did it come forth for us by lot. Do not do this, because if you do this, you and your children will fall in the land and be cursed with sedition because by sedition you have dwelt and by sedition your children will fall and you will be uprooted forever. 31Do not dwell in the dwelling of Shem because it came to Shem and his sons by lot. 32You are cursed and you will be cursed more than all of the sons of Noah, our father.\u201d 33But he would not listen to them and he dwelt in the land of Lebanon from Hamath to the entrance of Egypt, he and his sons, until this day. 34And, therefore, that land is called Canaan.<\/p>\n
The Settlement of Japheths\u2019s Sons<\/p>\n
35And Japheth and his sons went toward the seam and they dwelt in the land of their portion, but Madai saw the land of the sea and it did not please him. And he begged it from Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad, from the brother of his wife. And he dwelt in the land of Media near his wife\u2019s brother until this day. And he called his dwelling place and the dwelling place of his sons Media after their father, Madai.<\/p>\n
The Birth of Serug Marks the Rise of War and Other Evils<\/p>\n
11:1And in the thirty-fifth jubilee, in the third week, in the first year thereof, Reu took a wife and her name was \u2018Ora, daughter of \u2018Ur, son of Kesed. And she bore a son for him and he called him Seroh in the seventh year of that week in that jubilee. 2And the sons of Noah began fighting in order to take captive and to kill each other, to pour the blood of man upon the earth, to eat blood, to build fortified cities and walls and towers, so that (one) man will be raised up over the people, to set up the first kingdoms to go to war, people against people and nation against nation and city against city, and everyone (will act) to do evil and to acquire weapons of battle and to teach their sons war. And they began to take captive a city and to sell male and female slaves. 3And \u2018Ur, the son of Kesed, built the city of \u2018Ur of the Chaldees and he named it after his name and his father\u2019s name. 4And they made for themselves molten images, and everyone worshiped the icon which they made for themselves as a molten image. And they began making graven images and polluted likenesses. And cruel spirits assisted them and led them astray so that they might commit sin and pollution. 5And the prince, Mastema, acted forcefully to do all of this. And he sent other spirits to those who were set under his hand to practice all error and sin and all transgression, to destroy, to cause to perish and to pour out blood upon the earth. 6Therefore he called the name of Seroh, \u201cSerug,\u201d because everyone had turned back to commit all sin and transgression.<\/p>\n
The Birth of Nahor<\/p>\n
7And he grew up and dwelt in \u2018Ur of the Chaldees near the father of his wife\u2019s mother. And he used to worship idols. And he took a wife in the thirty-sixth jubilee, in the fifth week, in the first year thereof. And her name was Melka, daughter of Kaber, daughter of his father\u2019s brother. 8And she bore for him Nahor in the first year of that week. And he grew up and he dwelt in \u2018Ur among the Chaldeans, and his father taught him the researches of the Chaldeans in order to practice divination and astrology according to the signs of heaven.<\/p>\n
The Birth of Terah Marks a Devastation by Crows<\/p>\n
9And in the thirty-seventh jubilee, in the sixth week, in the first year thereof, he took a wife. And her name was \u2018Iyaska, daughter of Nestag of the Chaldees. 10And she bore for him Terah in the seventh year of that week. 11And Prince Mastema sent crows and birds so that they might eat the seed which was being sown in the earth in order to spoil the earth so that they might rob mankind of their labors. Before they plowed in the seed, the crows picked it off the surface of the earth. 12And therefore he called him Terah because the crows and birds were impoverishing them. And they ate their seed. 13And the years began being barren because of the birds. And they ate all of the fruit of the trees from the groves. If ever they were able to save a little from all of the fruit of the earth in their days, it was with great effort.<\/p>\n
The Birth of Abram and His Piety<\/p>\n
14And in this thirty-ninth jubilee, in the second week, in the first year, Terah took a wife and her name was \u2018Edna, daughter of \u2018Abram, daughter of his father\u2019s sister. 15And in the seventh year of that week, she bore a son for him, and he called him Abram, after the name of his mother\u2019s father because he died before his daughter conceived a son. 16And the lad began understanding the straying of the land, that everyone went astray after graven images and after pollution. And his father taught him writing. And he was two weeks of years old. And he separated from his father so that he might not worship the idols with him. 17And he began to pray to the Creator of all so that He might save him from the straying of the sons of men, and so that his portion might not fall into straying after the pollution and scorn.<\/p>\n
Abram\u2019s Successful Efforts against the Crows<\/p>\n
18And the seed time arrived for sowing in the land. And they all went out together so that they might guard their seed from before the crows. And Abram went out with those who went out. And the lad was fourteen years old. 19And a cloud of crows came so that they might eat the seed, and Abram used to run up to them before they settled upon the earth. And he would call out to them before they settled upon the earth to eat seed, and he said, \u201cDon\u2019t come down. Return to the place whence you came.\u201d And they turned back. 20And he caused the cloud of crows to turn back seventy times in that day. And none of the crows settled on any of the fields where Abram was, not one. 21And all who were with him in all of the fields saw him as he was calling out. And all of the crows turned away. And his reputation was great in all the land of Chaldea. 22And all who would sow came to him during that year. And he used to go with them until the seed time passed. And they sowed their land and harvested in that year enough food, and they ate and were satisfied.
\n23And in the first year of the fifth week, Abram taught those who were making the implements for oxen, the skilled carpenters. And they made implements above the ground facing the handle of the plow so that they might place seed upon it. And the seed would go down from within it onto the point of the plow, and it would be hidden in the earth. And therefore they were not afraid of the crows. 24And they did likewise upon all of the plow handles above the ground. And they sowed and tilled all of the earth just as Abram commanded them. And therefore they were not afraid of the birds.<\/p>\n
Abram\u2019s Plea to Avoid Idolatry<\/p>\n
12:1And it came to pass in the sixth week, in its seventh year, that Abram spoke to Terah, his father, saying, \u201cO father.\u201d And he said, \u201cBehold, here I am, my son.\u201d 2And he said:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat help or advantage do we have from these idols before which you worship and bow down?
\n3Because there is not any spirit in them,
\nfor they are mute,
\nand they are the misleading of the heart.
\nDo not worship them.
\n4Worship the God of heaven,
\nwho sends down rain and dew upon the earth,
\nand who makes everything upon the earth,
\nand created everything by His word,
\nand all life is in His presence.
\n5Why do you worship those who have no spirit in them?
\nBecause they are works of the hands,
\nand you are carrying them upon your shoulders,
\nand there is no help from them for you,
\nexcept great shame for those who made them
\nand the misleading of the heart for those who worship them.
\nDo not worship them.\u201d<\/p>\n
6And his father said to him, \u201cI also know (that), my son, but what shall I do to the people who have made me minister before them? 7And if I speak to them in righteousness, they will kill me because their souls cleave to them so that they might worship them and praise them. Be silent, my son, lest they kill you.\u201d 8And he told this matter to two of his brothers, and they were angry with him, and he kept quiet.<\/p>\n
The Marriages of Abram and His Brothers<\/p>\n
9And in the fortieth jubilee, in the second week, in its seventh year, Abram took a wife and her name was Sarai, daughter of his father, and she became a wife for him.<\/p>\n
10And Haran, his brother, took a wife in the third year of the third week, and she bore a son for him in the seventh year of that week. And he called him Lot. And Nahor, his brother, took a wife.<\/p>\n
Abram Burns the House of Idols<\/p>\n
In the sixtieth year of the life of Abram, i.e. in the fourth week, in its fourth year, Abram arose in the night and burned the house of the idols. And he burned everything in the house. And there was no man who knew. 13And they rose up in the night, and they wanted to save their gods from the midst of the fire. 14And Haran rushed to save them, and the fire flared up over him. And he was burned in the fire and died in Ur of the Chaldees before Terah, his father. And they buried him in Ur of the Chaldees.<\/p>\n
Departure to Haran<\/p>\n
And Terah went out of Ur of the Chaldees, he and his sons, so that they might come into the land of Lebanon and into the land of Canaan. And he dwelt in Haran. And Abram dwelt with Terah, his father, in Haran two weeks of years.<\/p>\n
Abram\u2019s Night Nigil<\/p>\n
16And in the sixth week, in its fifth year, Abram sat up during the night on the first of the seventh month, so that he might observe the stars from evening until daybreak so that he might see what the nature of the year would be with respect to rain. And he was sitting alone and making observations; 17and a word came into his heart, saying, \u201cAll of the signs of the stars and the signs of the sun and the moon are all in the hand of the LORD. Why am I seeking?
\n18If He desires, He will make it rain morning and evening, and if He desires He will not send (it) down; and everything is in His hand.\u201d
\n19And he prayed on that night, saying:<\/p>\n
\u201cMy God, the Most High God, You alone are God to me.
\nAnd You created everything,
\nand everything which is was the work of Your hands,
\nand You and Your kingdom I have chosen.
\n20Save me from the hands of evil spirits
\nwhich rule over the thought of the heart of man,
\nand do not let them lead me astray from following You, O my God;
\nbut establish me and my seed forever,
\nand let us not go astray henceforth and forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
21And he said, \u201cShall I return unto Ur of the Chaldees who seek my face so that I should return to them? Or shall I dwell here in this place? Make the straight path prosper before You in the hand of Your servant that he might serve. And do not let me walk in the error of my heart, O my God.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abram Is Called to the Land of Promise<\/p>\n
22And he finished talking and praying and behold, the word of the LORD was sent to him by my hand, saying, \u201cCome forth from your land and from your kin and from your father\u2019s house into the land which I shall show you, and I shall establish you as a great and numerous people.
\n23And I shall bless you
\nand I shall make your name great,
\nand you will be blessed in the land
\nand all the nations of the earth will bless themselves by you. And whoever blesses you I shall bless
\nand whoever curses you I shall curse.<\/p>\n
24And I shall be God for you and your son and for the son of your son and for all of your seed. Do not fear henceforth and for all the generations of the earth. I am your God.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Revival of Hebrew<\/p>\n
25And the LORD God said to me, \u201cOpen his mouth and his ears so that he might hear and speak with his mouth in the language which is revealed because it ceased from the mouth of all of the sons of men from the day of the Fall.\u201d 26And I opened his mouth and his ears and his lips and I began to speak with him in Hebrew, in the tongue of creation. 27And he took his father\u2019s books\u2014and they were written in Hebrew\u2014and he copied them. And he began studying them thereafter. And I caused him to know everything which he was unable (to understand). And he studied them (in) the six months of rain.<\/p>\n
The Blessing of Terah<\/p>\n
28And it came to pass in the seventh year of the sixth week that he spoke with his father and let him know that he was going from Haran to walk (in) the land of Canaan so that he might see it and return to him. 29And Terah, his father, said to him:<\/p>\n
\u201cGo in peace.
\nMay God eternal make straight your path
\nand the LORD be with you
\nand protect you from all evil
\n[and grant favor upon you and mercy and grace before those who see you.]
\nMay none of the sons of men rule over you to do evil to you. Go in peace.<\/p>\n
30And when you have seen a land pleasant to your eyes to dwell in, come and take me to you. And take Lot, the son of Haran your brother with you (as) a son for yourself. The LORD be with you. 31But Nahor, your brother, leave with me until you return in peace. And we will all go together with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abram\u2019s Sojourn at Bethel<\/p>\n
13:1And Abram went from Haran. And he took Sarai, his wife, and Lot, his brother Haran\u2019s son, into the land of Canaan. And he came to [Hazor]. And he walked to Shechem. And he dwelt by a tall oak. 2And he saw, and behold the land was very pleasant from the entrance of Hamath to the tall oak. 3And the LORD said to him, \u201cto you and to your seed I will give this land.\u201d 4And he built there an altar and he offered up upon it a burnt offering to the LORD, who appeared to him.
\n5And he removed from there into the mountain, with Bethel toward the west and Ai toward the east, and he pitched his tent there. 6And he saw and behold, the land was wide and very good and everything was growing upon it: vines and figs and pomegranate trees, oaks and ilexes and terebinths and olive trees and cedars and cypresses and date trees and every tree of the field, and water was upon the mountains. 7And he blessed the LORD who brought him out of Ur of Chaldees and brought him into this land. 8And it came to pass in that first year, in the seventh week, on the first of the first month, (that) he built an altar on that mountain and he called on the name of the LORD: \u201cYou (are) my God, the eternal God.\u201d 9And he offered up a burnt offering to the LORD upon the altar so that He might be with him and not forsake him all the days of his life.<\/p>\n
Abram Travels South to Hebron and Egypt<\/p>\n
10And he arose from there and he went toward the South and he reached Hebron\u2014and Hebron was built then. And he dwelt there two years. And he went to the land of the South as far as Bealoth. And there was a famine in the land. 11And Abram went into Egypt in the third year of the week and he stayed in Egypt five years before his wife was taken from him. 12And Tanis of Egypt was built then, seven years after Hebron.
\n13And it came to pass when Pharaoh took Sarai, the wife of Abram, that the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues on account of Sarai, the wife of Abram. 14And Abram was honored with many possessions: sheep and oxen and asses and horses and camels and male and female servants and silver and much gold. And Lot, his brother\u2019s son, also had possessions. 15And Pharaoh returned Sarai, the wife of Abram. And he sent him out from the land of Egypt.<\/p>\n
Abram Returns to Bethel and Is Promised the Land<\/p>\n
And he went to the place where he had pitched his tent first, to the place of the altar. Ai was east and Bethel west. And he blessed the LORD his God who brought him back in peace. 16And it came to pass in that forty-first jubilee, in the third year of the first week, (that) he returned to this place. And he offered up upon it a burnt offering and he called upon the name of the LORD. And he said: \u201cYou, O God, Most High, (are) my God forever and ever.\u201d 17And in the fourth year of that week Lot separated from him. And Lot dwelt in Sodom. And the men of Sodom were great sinners. 18And his heart was sad because his brother\u2019s son had separated from him, because he had no sons.
\n19(It was) in that year, when Lot was taken captive, that the LORD spoke to Abram after Lot had separated from him, in the fourth year of that week: \u201cLift up your eyes from the place where you are dwelling toward the North and South and West and East, 20because all of the land which you see I will give to you and your seed forever. And I will make your seed like the sands of the sea. (Even) if a man were able to number the sands of the earth, he would not (be able) to number your seed. 21Arise and walk in the land in its length and its breadth and see all (of it) because I will give it to your seed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abram at Hebron Reacts to Lot\u2019s Capture<\/p>\n
And Abram went to Hebron and he dwelt there. 22And in that year Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; and Amraphel, king of Shinar; and Arioch, king of Sellasar; and Tergal, king of the nations, came and killed the king of Gomorrah, but the king of Sodom fled. And many fell with wounds in the valley of Siddim, by the sea of salt. 23And they took captive Sodom and Adam and Zeboim. And they took Lot, the son of Abram\u2019s brother, captive and all of his possessions. And he went to Dan. 24And one who escaped came and told Abram that his brother\u2019s son had been taken captive. 25And he armed the servants of his house.<\/p>\n
The Law of the Tithe<\/p>\n
[U]pon Abram and his seed a tenth of the firstfruits to the LORD. And the LORD ordained it (as) an ordinance forever that they should give it to the priests, to those who minister before him so that they might possess it forever. 26And there is no limit of days for this law because He ordained it for eternal generations so that they might give one tenth of everything to the LORD: grain and wine and oil and oxen and sheep. 27And He gave (it) to His priests to eat and drink while rejoicing before Him.<\/p>\n
Abram Restores Booty to the King of Sodom<\/p>\n
28And the king of Sodom approached him and bowed down before him. And he said, \u201cOur lord Abram, give us the people whom you saved, but let the booty belong to you.\u201d 29And Abraham said to him, \u201cI life my hand to the God Most High (that) I will (not) take anything of yours, (even) a thread or shoelace lest you say \u2018I have made Abram rich,\u2019 but only what the young men have eaten and the portion of the men who went with me, \u2018Aner and \u2018Eschol and Mamre. Let them take their portion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abram\u2019s Dream and Sacrifice at Mamre<\/p>\n
14:1And after these things, in the fourth year of this week, on the first of the third month, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a dream, saying, \u201cDon\u2019t fear Abram, I am your defender and your reward (will be) very great.\u201d 2And he said, \u201cO LORD, O LORD what will you give me? I am going on without children, and the son of Maseq, the son of my handmaid, is Eliezer of Damascus. He will be my heir, but you have not given seed to me.\u201d 3And He said to him, \u201cThis one will not be your heir, but one who will come from your loins will be your heir.\u201d 4And He took him outside and he said to him, \u201cLook into the heaven and count the stars if you are able to count them.\u201d
\n5And he looked at the heaven and he saw the stars. And He said to him, \u201cThus shall your seed be.\u201d
\n6And he believed the LORD and it was counted for him as righteousness. 7And He said to him, \u201cI am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldees so that I might give you the land of the Canaanites to possess forever and (so that I might) be God for you and for your seed after you.\u201d 8And he said \u201cO LORD, O LORD, how shall I know that I shall inherit?\u201d 9And He said, \u201cTake for Me a young animal of three years and a goat of three years and a sheep of three years and a turtledove and a pigeon.\u201d
\n10And he took all of these in the middle of the month. And he was dwelling by the oak of Mamre, which is near Hebron. 11And he built and altar there. And he slaughtered all of these, and he poured out their blood upon the altar. And he divided them in the middle. And he placed them facing one another, but the birds he did not cut up. 12And the birds came down upon the pieces and Abram kept turning them away and he did not let the birds touch them.
\n13And it came to pass when the sun set that a terror fell upon Abram. And behold a great dark horror fell upon him. And it was said to Abram, \u201cSurely know that your seed with be strangers in an alien land. And they will serve them. And they will make them suffer four hundred years. 14But I will judge the people whom they will serve. And afterward they will come forth from there with many possessions. 15And you will go to your fathers in peace and be buried in a good old age. 16And in the fourth generation they will return here because the sins of the Amorites have not yet been completed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Covenant with Abram<\/p>\n
17And he woke up from his sleep and stood up. And the sun had set and there was a flame. And behold an oven was smoking and flames of fire passed between the pieces. 18And on that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, \u201cto your seed I will give this land from the river of Egypt to the great river the Euphrates River: the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Perizzites, and the Rephaim, the Phakorites, and the Hivites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.\u201d
\n19And that day passed and Abram offered up the pieces and the birds and their (fruit) offering and their libation. And the fire consumed them. 20And on that day we made a covenant with Abram just as we had made a covenant in that month with Noah. And Abram renewed the feast and the ordinance for himself forever.<\/p>\n
Sarai Offers Her Handmaid, Hagar, to Abram<\/p>\n
21And Abram rejoiced and he told all of these things to Sarai, his wife. And he believed that he would have seed, but she did not give birth. 22And Sarai advised Abram, her husband, and she said to him, \u201cGo into Hagar, my Egyptian maid. It may be that I will build seed for you from her.\u201d 23And Abram heard his wife Sarai\u2019s word and he said, \u201cDo (it)!\u201d And Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian maid, and she gave her to Abram, her husband, so that she might be a wife. 24And he went into her. And she conceived and bore him a son and she called him Ishmael, in the fifth year of that week. And that year was the eighty-sixth year in the life of Abram.<\/p>\n
The Offering of the Firstfruits and the Covenant Changing Abram\u2019s Name<\/p>\n
15:1In the fifth year of the fourth week of that jubilee in the third month, in the middle of the month, Abram made a feast of the firstfruits of the harvest of grain. 2And he offered up a new sacrifice upon the altar, the firstfruits of the food for the LORD, a bull and a goat and a sheep upon the altar (as) a burnt offering to the LORD. And (their) fruit offering and their libation he offered up upon the altar with frankincense. 3And the LORD appeared to Abram and He said to him, \u201cI am God Shaddai. Be pleasing before Me and be perfect. 4And I will make My covenant between Me and you and I will make you increase very much.\u201d
\n5And Abram fell on his face and the LORD spoke to him, saying, \u201cBehold, My ordinance is with you and you will be the father of many nations. 7And your name therefore will not be called Abram, but your name will henceforth and forever be Abraham because I have established you (as) the father of many nations. 8And I shall make you very great and I shall make you into nations. And kings will come from you. 9And I shall establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an eternal ordinance so that I might be God for you and your seed after you. 10And I shall give to you and your seed after you the land where you sojourn, the land of Canaan, which you will possess forever. And I shall be God for them.\u201d
\n11And the LORD said to Abraham, \u201cAnd you also keep My covenant, you and your seed after you. And you will circumcise all of your males. And you shall circumcise your foreskins and it will be a sign of the eternal ordinance between Me and you. 12And a son on the eighth day you will circumcise, every male in your generations, the servant of the house and whomever you purchase with money from all of the sons of the foreigner, whom you have acquired, who was not from your seed. 13The (servant) born in your house will certainly be circumcised and the one whom you have purchased with money will be circumcised. And My covenant will be in your flesh for an eternal ordinance. 14And whatever male is not circumcised, the flesh of whose foreskin was not circumcised on the eighth day, that soul shall be uprooted from its family because he has broken My covenant.\u201d 15And the LORD said to Abraham, \u201cSarai, your wife, will therefore not be called Sarai because Sarah is her name. 16And I will bless her and I will give you a son from her. And I will bless him. And he will become a people. And kings of nations will come from him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abraham\u2019s Concern for Ishmael<\/p>\n
17And Abraham fell on his face and he rejoiced and pondered in his heart whether a son would be born to one who was one hundred years old or (whether) Sarah, who was ninety years, would give birth. 18And Abraham said to the LORD, \u201cWould that Ishmael might live before You.\u201d 19And the LORD said, \u201cYes, but Sarah will bear a son for you and you will call him Isaac. And I shall raise up My covenant (as) an eternal covenant with him and with his seed after him. 20And concerning Ishmael I have heard you. And behold I shall bless him, and make him grow and increase him very much. And twelve princes he will beget. And I shall make him into a great people. 21But My covenant I shall establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear for you in another year during these days.\u201d 22And He finished talking with him and the LORD ascended from Abraham.<\/p>\n
The Circumcision of Abraham\u2019s Household<\/p>\n
23And Abraham did as the LORD said to him and he took Ishmael, his son, and all of the male servants of his house and also whomever he bought with money, every male who was in his house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins. 24And that very same day Abraham was circumcised and every man of his house and the servant of his house. And all of those who were purchased for money from the sons of aliens were also circumcised with him.<\/p>\n
The Laws of Circumcision<\/p>\n
25This law is for all the eternal generations and there is no circumcising of days and there is no passing a single day beyond eight days because it is an eternal ordinance ordained and written in the heavenly tablets. 26And anyone who is born whose own flesh is not circumcised on the eighth day is not from the sons of the covenant which the LORD made for Abraham since (he is) from the children of destruction. And there is therefore no sign upon him so that he might belong to the LORD because (he is destined) to be destroyed and annihilated from the earth and to be uprooted from the earth because he has broken the covenant of the LORD our God. 27Because the nature of all of the angels of the presence and all of the angels of sanctification was thus from the day of their creation. And in the presence of the angels of the presence and the angels of sanctification He sanctified Israel so that they might be with Him and with his holy angels.
\n28And you command the sons of Israel and let them keep this sign of the covenant for their generations for an eternal ordinance. And they will not be uprooted from the land 29because the commandment was ordained for the covenant so that they might keep it forever for all of the children of Israel. 30For the LORD did not draw Ishmael and his sons and his brothers and Esau near to Himself, and He did not elect them because they are the sons of Abraham, for He knew them. But He chose Israel that they might be a people for Himself. 31And He sanctified them and gathered them from all of the sons of man because (there are) many nations and many people, and they all belong to Him, but over all of them He caused spirits to rule so that they might lead them astray from following Him. 32But over Israel He did not cause any angel or spirit to rule because He alone is their ruler and He will protect them and He will seek for them at the hand of His angels and at the hand of His spirits and at the hand of all of His authorities so that He might guard them and bless them and they might be His and He might be theirs henceforth and forever.<\/p>\n
A Prediction of Future Faithlessness Regarding Circumcision<\/p>\n
33And now I shall announce to you that the sons of Israel will deny this ordinance and they will not circumcise their sons according to all of this law because some of the flesh of their circumcision they will leave in the circumcision of their sons. And all of the sons of Beliar will leave their sons without circumcising just as they were born. 34And great wrath from the LORD will be upon the sons of Israel because they have left His covenant and have turned aside from His words. And they have provoked and blasphemed inasmuch as they have not done the ordinance of this law because they have made themselves like the Gentiles to be removed and be uprooted from the land. And there is therefore for them no forgiveness or pardon so that they might be pardoned and forgiven from all of the sins of this eternal error.<\/p>\n
Account of Sarah\u2019s Laughter<\/p>\n
16:1And on the new moon of the fourth month, we appeared to Abraham at the oak of Mamre and we talked with him and we also caused him to know that a son would be given to him by Sarah, his wife. 2And Sarah laughed because she heard that we discussed this matter with Abraham. And we reproached her. And she was afraid and denied that she laughed about the matter. 3And we told her the name of her son Isaac\u2014just as his name was ordained and written in the heavenly tablets\u20144and (that) when we returned to her at a specific time she would have conceived a son.<\/p>\n
The Destruction of Sodom<\/p>\n
5And in that month the LORD executed the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah and Zeboim and all of the district of the Jordan. And He burned them with fire and sulphur and He annihilated them till this day just as (he said), \u201cBehold, I have made known to you all\u201d of their deeds that (they were) cruel and great sinners and they were polluting themselves and they were fornicating in their flesh and they were causing pollution upon the earth.\u201d 6And thus the LORD will execute judgment like the judgment of Sodom on places where they act according to the pollution of Sodom.<\/p>\n
The Sin of Lot\u2019s Daughters<\/p>\n
7And we saved Lot because the LORD remembered Abraham and He brought him out from the midst of the overthrow. 8And he and his daughters also committed sins upon the earth which were not (committed) on the earth from the days of Adam until his time because the man lay with his daughters. 9And behold it is commanded and it is engraved concerning all of his seed in the heavenly tablets so that He will remove them and uproot them and execute their judgment just like the judgment of Sodom and so that He will not leave seed of man for him on the earth in the day of judgment.<\/p>\n
Events Surrounding the Birth of Isaac at Beer-Sheba<\/p>\n
10And in this month Abraham moved from Hebron and went and dwelt between Qadesh and Shur in the mountains of Gerar. 11And in the middle of the fifth month he moved from there and he dwelt by the Well of the Oath. 12And in the middle of the sixth month the LORD visited Sarah and did for her as He had said. 13And she conceived and she bore a son in the third month, in the middle of the month, in the time when the LORD told Abraham. Isaac was born on the feast of the firstfruits of the harvest. 14And Abraham circumcised his son on the eighth day. He was the first one circumcised according to the covenant which was ordained forever.
\n15And in the sixth year of the fourth week we went forth to Abraham at the Well of the Oath. And we appeared to him just as we said to Sarah that we would return to her. And she had conceived a son. 16And we returned in the seventh month and we found Sarah pregnant before us. And we blessed him and we announced to him everything which was commanded for him that he would not die until he begot six more sons and he would see (them) before he died. And through Isaac a name and seed would be named for him. 17And all of the seed of his sons would become nations. And they would be counted with the nations. But from the sons of Isaac one would become a holy seed and he would not be counted among the nations 18because he would become the portion of the Most High and all his seed would fall (by lot) into that which God will rule so that he might become a people (belonging) to the LORD, a (special) possession from all people, and so that he might become a kingdom of priests and a holy people. 19And we went our way and we announced to Sarah everything which we had told him. And both of them rejoiced very greatly.<\/p>\n
Abraham Observes the Feast of Booths at Beer-Sheba<\/p>\n
20And he built an altar there to the LORD who delivered him and who made him rejoice in the land of his sojourn. And he celebrated a feast of rejoicing in this month, seven days, near the altar which he built by the Well of the Oath. 21And he built booths for himself and for his servants on that festival. And he first observed the feast of the booths on the earth. 22And in these seven days he was making offering every day, day by day, on the altar a burnt offering to the LORD: two bulls, and two rams, and seven lambs, one kid on behalf of sins so that he might atone thereby on behalf of himself and his seed. 23And for a thank offering: seven rams and seven sheep and seven lambs and seven he-goats and their (fruit) offerings and their libations and all their fat he offered upon the altar as chosen burnt offering to the LORD for a sweet-smelling odor.
\n24And in the morning and evening he offered the fragrance of frankincense, and galbanum, and stacte, and nard, and myrrh, and spices, and costum. All seven of these he offered, crushed, mixed in equal parts (and) pure. 25And he observed this feast seven days, rejoicing with all his heart and with all his soul, he and all of those who were in his house. And there was no alien with him or any who were not circumcised. 26And he blessed his Creator who created him in his generation because by His will He created him for He knew and He perceived that from him there would be a righteous planting for eternal generations and a holy seed from him so that he might be like the one who made everything. 27And he blessed and rejoiced and called the name of this festival \u201cthe festival of the LORD,\u201d a joy acceptable to God Most High.
\n28And we eternally blessed him and his seed who are after him in every generation of the earth because he observed this feast in its (appointed) time according to the testimony of the heavenly tablets. 29Therefore it is ordained in the heavenly tablets concerning Israel that they will be observers of the feast of booths seven days with joy in the seventh month which is acceptable before the LORD (as) an eternal law in their generations throughout all (time), year by year. 30And there is no limit of days for this because it is ordained forever concerning Israel so that they should observe it and they should dwell in tents and that they should place crowns on their heads and so that they should take branches of leaves and willow from the stream. 31And Abraham took branches of palm trees and fruit of good trees and each day of the days he used to go around the altar with branches. Seven times per day, in the morning, he was praising and giving thanks to his God for all things.<\/p>\n
The Feast for the Weaning of Isaac<\/p>\n
17:1In the first of the fifth week in that jubilee Isaac was weaned. And Abraham celebrated a great feast in the third month on the day that his son, Isaac, was weaned. 2And Ishmael, the son of Hagar, the Egyptian woman, was in the presence of Abraham, his father, in his place. And Abraham rejoiced and he blessed the LORD because he had seen his sons and had not died without sons. 3And he remembered the word which was told to him on the day that Lot separated from him. And he rejoiced because the LORD had given him seed upon the earth so that they might inherit the land. And he blessed the Creator of all with all his eloquence.<\/p>\n
The Banishment of Hagar<\/p>\n
4And Sarah saw Ishmael playing and dancing and Abraham rejoicing very greatly. And she was jealous of Ishmael and she said to Abraham, \u201cDrive out this girl and her son because the son of this girl will not inherit with my son, Isaac.\u201d 5And the matter was grievous in the sight of Abraham because of his maidservant and because of his son that he should drive them away from him. 6And the LORD said to Abraham, \u201cLet it not be grievous in your sight on account of the lad and the girl. (As for) everything which Sarah said to you, obey her words and do (it) because it is through Isaac that a name and seed will be named for you. 7But regarding the son of this girl, I will make him into a great people because he is from your seed.\u201d
\n8And Abraham rose at the crack of dawn and he took bread and a water skin and set it on the shoulder of Hagar and the lad and he sent her away. 9And she went and wandered in the desert of Beersheba and the water was used up from the skin and the lad thirsted and was unable to walk and he fell. 10And his mother took him and cast him under one of the olive trees and she went and sat opposite him a distance of one (arrow) shot because, she said, \u201cLet me not see the death of my child.\u201d And sitting down, she wept.
\n11And an angel of the LORD, one of the holy ones, said to her, \u201cWhat are you weeping for, Hagar? Having arisen, pick up the child and take him in your arms because the LORD has heard your voice and He has seen the child.\u201d 12And she opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the water skin. And she gave the child a drink and arose and went toward the desert of Paran. 13And the child grew and was a hunter. And the LORD was with him. And his mother took a wife for him from the maids of Egypt. 14And she bore a son for him and he called him Nebaioth because, she said, \u201cThe LORD was near to me when I called to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mastema\u2019s Plot to Test Abraham<\/p>\n
15And it came to pass in the seventh week, in its first year, in the first month, in that jubilee, on the twelfth of that month, that words came in heaven concerning Abraham that he was faithful in everything which was told him and he loved the LORD and was faithful in all affliction. 16And Prince Mastema came and he said before God, \u201cBehold, Abraham loves Isaac, his son. And he is more pleased with him than everything. Tell him to offer him (as) a burnt offering upon the altar. And You will see whether he will do this thing. And You will know whether he is faithful in everything in which You test him.\u201d
\n17And the LORD was aware that Abraham was faithful in all of his afflictions because He tested him with his land, and with famine. And He tested him with the wealth of kings. And He tested him again with his wife, when she was taken (from him), and with circumcision. And He tested him with Ishmael and with Hagar, his maidservant, when he sent them away. 18And in everything in which He tested him, he was found faithful. And his soul was not impatient. And he was not slow to act because he was faithful and a lover of the LORD.<\/p>\n
The Sacrifice of Isaac<\/p>\n
18:1And the LORD said to him, \u201cAbraham, Abraham.\u201d And he said, \u201cHere I am.\u201d 2And he said, \u201cTake your beloved son, whom you love, Isaac, and go into the high land and offer him up on one of the mountains that I will make known to you.\u201d
\n3And he arose while it was still dark at daybreak and he loaded his ass and took two of his young men servants with him and Isaac, his son. And he split the wood of the sacrifice and he went to the place on the third day. And he saw the place from afar. 4And he arrived at a well of water and he said to the young men, \u201cStay here with the ass and I and the child shall go. And when we have worshiped we shall return to you.\u201d
\n5And he took the wood of the sacrifice and put it on the shoulder of Isaac, his son, and he took the fire and the knife in his hand. And the two of them went together to that place. 6And Isaac said to his father, \u201cFather.\u201d And he said, \u201cHere I am, my son.\u201d And he said to him, \u201cBehold, the fire and the knife and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering, father?\u201d 7And he said, \u201cThe LORD will see about the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.\u201d
\nAnd they drew near to the (holy) place of the mountain of the LORD. 8And he built an altar and he placed the wood on the altar. And he bound Isaac, his son, and he placed him on the wood which was on top of the altar, and he stretched forth his hand, and took the knife in order to slaughter Isaac, his son.
\n9And I stood before him and before Prince Mastema. And the LORD said, \u201cSpeak to him. Do not let his hand descend upon the child. And do not let him do anything to him because I know that he is one who fears the LORD.\u201d 10And I called out to him from heaven and I said to him, \u201cAbraham, Abraham.\u201d And he was terrified and said, \u201cHere I am.\u201d 11And I said to him, \u201cDo not put forth your hand against the child and do not do anything to him because now I know that you are one who fears the LORD and you did not deny your firstborn son to me.\u201d
\n12And Prince Mastema was shamed. And Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw a ram was caught in the thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 13And Abraham called that place \u201cThe LORD has seen,\u201d so that it is said \u201cin the mountain the LORD has seen.\u201d It is Mount Zion.
\n14And the LORD called Abraham by his name again from heaven just as He caused us to appear so that we might speak to him in the name of the LORD. 15And He said, \u201cI swear by Myself, says the LORD, because you have done this thing and you have not denied your firstborn son, whom you love, to Me that I shall surely bless you and I shall surely multiply your seed like the stars of heaven and like the sand of the seashore and your seed will inherit the cities of their enemies. 16And all of the nations of the earth will bless themselves by your seed because you obeyed My word. And I have made known to all that you are faithful to Me in everything which I say to you. Go in peace.\u201d
\n17And Abraham went to his young men and they got up and went (to) Beer-sheba together. And Abraham dwelt by the Well of the Oath. 18And he observed this festival every year (for) seven days with rejoicing. And he named it \u201cthe feast of the LORD\u201d according to the seven days during which he went and returned in peace. 19And thus it is ordained and written in the heavenly tablets concerning Israel and his seed to observe this festival seven days with festal joy.<\/p>\n
The Death and Burial of Sarah<\/p>\n
19:1In the first year of the first week in this forty-second jubilee Abraham returned and dwelt two weeks of years opposite Hebron, Kiryath Arba. 2And in the first year of the third week of this jubilee, the days of Sarah\u2019s life were completed and she died in Hebron. 3And Abraham went to weep for her and bury her.
\nAnd we were testing him whether he would exercise self-control. And he was not impatient, with the words of his mouth and he was found self-controlled in this also and he was not filled with anxiety 4because with the self-control of his spirit he spoke with the sons of Heth so that they might give him a place in which to bury his dead. 5And the LORD gave him favor in the presence of all who saw him. And he begged politely from the sons of Heth and they sold him the land of the cave of Machpelah, which is opposite Mamre, i.e. Hebron, for four hundred silver (pieces). 6And they begged him, saying, \u201cLet us give (it) to you free.\u201d
\nBut he did not take (it) from their control free because he gave the price for the place (in) full silver. And he bowed down to them twice and afterward he buried his dead in the cave of Machpelah. 7And all the days of the life of Sarah were one hundred and twenty-seven. These (are) two jubilees and four weeks and one year. These (are) the days of the life of Sarah. 8This (is) the tenth trial with which Abraham was tried. And he was found faithful, controlled of spirit. 9And he did not say a word concerning the rumor which was in the land that the LORD said He would give it to him and to his seed after him, but he begged a place there so that he might bury his dead because he was found faithful and he was recorded as a friend of the LORD in the heavenly tablets.<\/p>\n
The Marriage of Isaac and the Birth of His Children<\/p>\n
10And in the fourth year thereof he took a wife for his son, Isaac, and her name was Rebecca, daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, Abraham\u2019s brother, the sister of Laban and daughter of Bethuel. And Bethuel was the son of Melca, who was the wife of Nahor, Abraham\u2019s brother. 11And Abraham took a third wife and her name was Keturah from the daughters of his household servants because Hagar died before Sarah. 12And she bore six sons for him: Zimram, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah, in two weeks of years.
\n13And in the sixth week in the second year Rebecca bore two children for Isaac, Jacob and Esau. And Jacob was smooth and upright, but Esau was a fierce man and rustic and hairy. And Jacob used to dwell in the tents. 14And the youths grew up and Jacob learned writing, but Esau did not learn because he was a rustic man and a hunter. And he learned war, and all of his deeds were fierce.<\/p>\n
Abraham\u2019s Blessings for Jacob<\/p>\n
15And Abraham loved Jacob, but Isaac loved Esau. 16And Abraham saw the deeds of Esau and he knew that in Jacob a name and seed would be named for him. And he called Rebecca and he commanded concerning Jacob because he knew that she loved Jacob more than Esau. 17And he said to her, \u201cMy daughter, guard my son Jacob because he will be in place of me upon the earth and for a blessing is in the midst of the sons of men and a glory to all the seed of Shem 18because I know that the LORD will choose him for himself as a people who will rise up from all the nations which are upon the earth. 19And behold, Isaac, my son, loves Esau more than Jacob, but I see you as one who loves Jacob rightly. 20Be even better to him and let your eyes be lovingly upon him because he will be for us a blessing upon the earth henceforth and for all generations of the earth. 21Let your hands be strong and let your heart rejoice in your son, Jacob. Because I love him more than all of my sons. He will be blessed forever and his seed will be one which fills all of the earth. 22If a man is able to count the sand of the earth, then his seed will be counted. 23And all of the blessings with which the LORD blessed me and my seed will be for Jacob and his seed always. 24And in his seed my name will be blessed and the names of my fathers Shem and Noah, and Enoch, and Mahalalel, and Enosh, and Seth, and Adam. 25And they will serve to establish heaven and to strengthen the earth and to renew all of the lights which are above the firmament.\u201d
\n26And he called to Jacob in the sight of Rebecca, his mother, and he kissed him and blessed him, and said, 27\u201cJacob, my beloved son, whom my soul loves, may God from above the firmament bless and may He give you all of the blessings with which He blessed Adam and Enoch and Noah and Shem. And everything which He told me and everything which He said that He would give me may He cause to cleave to you and your seed forever according to the days of heaven above the earth. 28And may the spirit of Mastema not rule over you or over your seed in order to remove you from following the LORD who is your God henceforth and forever 29and may the LORD God be for you and for the people a father always and may you be a firstborn son. Go, my son, in peace.\u201d
\n30And the two of them went out together from Abraham. 31And Rebecca loved Jacob with all of her heart and all of her soul much more than Esau, but Isaac loved Esau more than Jacob.<\/p>\n
Abraham\u2019s Farewell Testimony for His Children<\/p>\n
20:1And in the forty-second jubilee, in the first year on the seventh week, Abraham called Ishmael and his twelve children and Isaac and his two children and Keturah\u2019s six children and their sons. 2And he commanded them (a) that they should guard the way of the LORD so that they might do righteousness and each one might love his neighbor, and (b) that it should be thus among all men so that each one might proceed to act justly and rightly toward them upon the earth, 3and (c) that they should circumcise their sons in the covenant which He made with them, and (d) that they should not cross over either to the right or left from all of the ways which the LORD commanded us and (e) that we should keep ourselves from all fornication and pollution, and (f) that we should set aside from among us all fornication and pollution. 4And when any woman or girl fornicates among you you will burn her with fire, and let them not fornicate with her eyes and hearts and let them not take wives from the girls of Canaan because the seed of Canaan will be rooted out of the land.
\n5And he told them the judgment of the giants and the judgments of the Sodomites just as they had been judged on account of their evil. And on account of their fornication and impurity and the corruption among themselves with fornication they died.<\/p>\n
6And you guard yourself from all fornication and impurity,
\nand from all corruption of sin,
\nso that you might not make our name a curse,
\nand all your life a hissing,
\nand all your sons a destruction by the sword.
\nAnd you will be cursed like Sodom,
\nand all your remnant like the sons of Gomorrah.
\n7I exhort you, my sons, love the God of heaven,
\nand be joined to all of His commands.
\nAnd do not go after their idols and after their defilement.
\n8And do not make gods of molten or carved images for yourselves,
\nbecause it is vain and they have no spirit.
\nBecause they are the work of hands,
\nand all those who trust in them trust in nothing.
\nDo not worship them and do not bow down to them.
\n9But worship the Most High God,
\nand bow down to Him continually,
\nand hope for His countenance always,
\nand do what is upright and righteous before Him,
\nso that He might be pleased with you,
\nand grant you His mercy,
\nand bring down rain for you morning and evening,
\nand bless all your works which you have made on the earth
\nand bless your food and your water,
\nand bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land,
\nand the herds of your cattle and the flocks of your sheep.
\n10And you will become a blessing upon the earth,
\nand all of the nations of the earth will desire you,
\nand they will bless your sons in my name,
\nso that they might be blessed just as I am.<\/p>\n
11And he gave gifts to Ishmael and to his sons and to the sons of Keturah and he sent them away from Isaac, his son, and he gave everything to Isaac, his son. 12And Ishmael and his sons and the sons of Keturah and their sons went together and they dwelt from Paran to the entrance to Babylon in all of the land which faces the east opposite the desert. 13And these mixed with each other, and they are called Arabs or Ishmaelites.<\/p>\n
Abraham\u2019s Farewell Testimony for Isaac<\/p>\n
21:1And in the sixth year of the seventh week of this jubilee Abraham called Isaac, his son, and he commanded him, saying, \u201cI am old and I do not know the day of my death and I am filled with my days. 2Behold I am one hundred and seventy-five years old, and throughout all of the days of my life I have been remembering the LORD and sought with all my heart to do His will and walk uprightly in all His ways. 3I hated idols, and those who serve them I have rejected. And I have offered my heart and spirit so that I might be careful to do the will of the one who created me 4because He is the living God. And He is holy, and faithful, and He is more righteous than all (others) and there is no accepting of persons with Him or accepting of gifts because He is a righteous God and He is the one who executes judgment with all who transgress His commandments and despise His covenant. 5And you, my son, keep His commandments and ordinances and judgments, and do not follow pollutions or graven images or molten images. 6And do not eat any blood of beasts or cattle or any bird which flies in heaven. 7And if you slaughter a sacrifice as an acceptable burnt offering of peace, slaughter it, but pour out its blood on the altar. And offer up all the fat of the burnt offering on the altar with fine flour kneaded with oil, together with its libation. You will offer it all together on the altar (as) a burnt offering, (as) a sweet aroma before the LORD, 8and the fat of the thanksgiving offering you will place upon the fire which is on the altar. You shall remove the fat which is on the belly, all of the fat of the internal organs and the two kidneys, all of the fat which is on them and on the thighs and the liver together with the kidneys. 9And you will offer all of this up as a sweet aroma which is acceptable before the LORD together with its (fruit) offering and its libation for a sweet odor, the bread of a burnt offering to the LORD. 10And eat its flesh on that day and in the second (day), but do not let the sun of the second (day) set upon it until it is consumed. And do not let it remain until the third day because it will not be acceptable since it was not chosen. Therefore, it will not be eaten. And all of those who eat it will raise up sin against themselves. Because thus I have found written in the books of my forefathers and in the words of Enoch and in the words of Noah. 11And you shall put salt in all of your offerings, and you shall not omit the salt of the covenant from any of your offerings before the LORD. 12And take caution with the wood of the offering that you do not bring wood for the offering except of such as these: cypress, bay, almond, fir, pine, cedar, juniper, fig, olive, myrtle, laurel, and asphalathos. 13But place some of these trees under the burnt offering on the altar (with) their appearance tested. And you will not place any split or dark wood, (but) wood strong and pure which has no spots, perfect, and new growth. And you will not place old wood (there) because its aroma has gone out because there is not, therefore, an aroma upon it as before. 14Except for these trees, there is none other that you will put on (the altar) because its aroma has separated and the smell of its aroma will go up to heaven. 15Keep this commandment and do it, my son, so that you might act uprightly in all of your deeds. 16And at all of the (appointed) times be pure in your body and wash yourself with water before you go to make an offering upon the altar. And wash your hands and your feet before you approach the altar. And when you have completed making the offering, wash your hands and feet again. 17And let there not be seen any blood upon you or your garments. Be careful, my son, be extremely careful of blood. Cover it in the earth. 18And, therefore, do not eat blood because it is life, and you shall not eat any blood. 19And do not accept gifts for any human blood lest it be poured out in vain, without judgment, because it is blood which is poured out to cause sin for the earth. And the earth is not able to be purified of human blood except by blood of one who shed it. 20And you shall not accept gifts or tribute for human blood\u2014blood through blood\u2014so that you may be accepted before the LORD God Most High, and He will be the protector of the good, and so that you might guard yourself from all evil, and so that He might save you from all death,<\/p>\n
21I see, my son,
\nevery deed of mankind, that (they are) sins and evils;
\nand all of their deeds are defilement and corruption and contamination;
\nand there is no righteousness with them.
\n22Be careful not to walk in their ways,
\nand to tread in their path,
\nor to commit a mortal sin before God Most High
\nso that He will hide His face from you,
\nand deliver you into the power of your sin,
\nand uproot you from the earth,
\nand your seed from beneath the sky,
\nand your name and seed will perish from all the earth.
\n23Turn yourself aside from all their deeds and from all their defilement;
\nand keep the commands of God Most High,
\nand perform His will, and act uprightly in all things.
\n24And He will bless you in all your deeds,
\nand He will raise up from you a righteous plant in all the earth
\nthroughout all the generations of the earth;
\nand my name and your name shall not cease from beneath heaven forever.<\/p>\n
25Go, my son, in peace. May God Most High, my God, and your God strengthen you to do His will, and may He bless all of your seed and the remnant of your seed for eternal generations with all righteous blessing so that you might be a blessing in all of the earth.\u201d 26And he went out from him rejoicing.<\/p>\n
Abraham\u2019s Celebration of the Feast of Firstfruits<\/p>\n
22:1And it came to pass in the first week of this forty-fourth jubilee in the second year, that year in which Abraham died, that Isaac and Ishmael came from the Well of the Oath to Abraham, their father, to observe the feast of Shavuot, which is the feast of the firstfruits of the harvest. And Abraham rejoiced because both of his children came, 2for Isaac had many possessions in Beer-sheba. And Isaac used to go and inspect his possessions and return to his father.
\n3And in those days Ishmael came to see his father. And both of them came together, and Isaac slaughtered a sacrifice as a burnt offering and offered (it) up upon the altar of his father which he built in Hebron. 4And he sacrificed a thank offering and made a feast of joy before Ishmael, his brother. And Rebecca made new round cakes of new grain. And she gave them to Jacob, her son, to take to Abraham, his father, from the firstfruits of the land so that he might eat and bless the Creator of all before he died. 5And Isaac also sent by the hand of Jacob a good thank offering to Abraham so that he might eat and drink. 6And he ate and drank and blessed God Most High who created heaven and earth and who made all the fat of the earth and gave it to the sons of man so that they might eat and drink and bless their Creator: 7\u201cAnd now I thank You, my God, because You have let me see this day. Behold, I am one hundred and seventy-five years old, and fulfilled in days. And all of my days were peaceful for me. 8The sword of the enemy did not triumph over me in anything which You gave to me or my sons all of the days of my life until this day. 9O my God, may Your mercy and Your peace be upon Your servant and upon the seed of his sons so that they might become an elect people for You and an inheritance from all of the nations of the earth from henceforth and for all the days of the generations of the earth forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abraham\u2019s Blessing for Jacob<\/p>\n
10And he called Jacob and said, \u201cMy son, Jacob, may the God of all bless you and strengthen you to do righteousness and His will before Him. And may He elect you and your seed so that you become a people for Him who always belong to His inheritance according to His will.
\nAnd you, my son, Jacob, draw near and kiss me.\u201d 11And he drew near and kissed him. And he said:<\/p>\n
\u201cBlessed is my son, Jacob, and all his sons,
\nunto the LORD, Most High, forever.
\nMay the LORD give you righteous seed,
\nand may He sanctify some of your sons in the midst of all the earth.
\nMay the nations serve you,
\nand all the nations bow down before your seed.
\n12Be strong before men;
\nAnd rule over all the seed of Seth,
\nThen may your ways be righteous, and the ways of your sons,
\nin order to be a holy people.
\n13May the Most High God give you all blessings
\n(with) which He blessed me,
\nand (with) which He blessed Noah and Adam;
\nmay they rest upon the holy head of your seed throughout each
\ngeneration and forever.
\n14May He cleanse you from all sin and defilement,
\nSo that He might forgive all your transgressions, and your erring through ignorance.
\nMay He strengthen you and bless you,
\nand may you inherit all of the earth.
\n15And may He renew His covenant with you,
\nSo that you might be a people for Him, belonging to His inheritance forever.
\nAnd He will be God for you and your seed in truth and righteousness throughout all the days of the earth.
\n16And you also, my son, Jacob, remember my words,
\nand keep the commandments of Abraham, your father.
\nSeparate yourself from the Gentiles,
\nand do not eat with them,
\nand do not perform deeds like theirs.
\nAnd do not become associates of theirs.
\nBecause their deeds are defiled,
\nand all of their ways are contaminated, and despicable, and abominable.
\n17They slaughter their sacrifices to the dead,
\nand to the demons they bow down.
\nAnd they eat in tombs.
\nAnd all their deeds are worthless and vain.
\n18And they have no heart to perceive,
\nand they have no eyes to see what their deeds are,
\nand where they wander astray,
\nsaying to the tree \u2018you are my god,\u2019
\nand to a stone \u2018you are my LORD, and you are my savior\u2019;
\nand they have no heart.
\n19But (as for) you, my son, Jacob,
\nmay God Most High help you,
\nand the God of heaven bless you.
\nAnd may He turn you from their defilement,
\nand from all their errors.
\n20Be careful, my son, Jacob, that you do not take a wife from any of
\nThe seed of the daughters of Canaan,
\nbecause all of his seed is (destined) for uprooting from the earth;
\n21because through the sin of Ham, Canaan sinned,
\nand all of his seed will be blotted out from the earth,
\nand all his remnant,
\nand there is none of his who will be saved.
\n22And for all of those who worship idols and for the hated ones,
\nthere is no hope in the land of the living;
\nbecause they will go down into Sheol.
\nAnd in the place of judgment they will walk,
\nand they will have no memory upon the earth.
\nJust as the sons of Sodom were taken from the earth,
\nso (too) all of those who worship idols shall be taken away.
\n23Do not fear, my son, Jacob,
\nand do not be in terror, O son of Abraham.
\nThe Most High God shall protect you from destruction,
\nand from all the ways of error He will deliver you.<\/p>\n
24This house I have built for myself so that I might cause my name to dwell upon it in the land. It has been given to you and to your seed forever. And it will be called the house of Abraham and will be given to you and to your seed forever because you will build my house, and you will raise up my name before God forever. Your seed and your name will remain in all the earth\u2019s generations.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Second Blessing for Jacob<\/p>\n
25And he ceased commanding him and blessing him. 26And both of them lay down together on one bed. And Jacob slept on the bosom of Abraham, his father\u2019s father. And he kissed him seven (times), and his compassionate heart rejoiced over him, 27and he blessed him with all his heart and he said, \u201cGod Most High (is) the God of all, and Creator of all who brought me out from Ur of the Chaldees so that He might give me this land to inherit it forever and to raise up a holy seed so that the Most High may be blessed forever.\u201d 28And he blessed Jacob, saying, \u201cMy son (is) one in whom I rejoice with all my heart and all my emotion. And may Your favor and Your mercy rest upon him and upon his seed always. 29And do not forsake him and neglect him henceforth and for the eternal days. And may Your eyes be open upon him and upon his seed so that You might protect him and bless and sanctify him for a people who belong to your heritage. 30And bless him with all of Your blessings henceforth and for all of the eternal days. And renew Your covenant and Your mercy with him and with his seed with all Your will in all of the earth\u2019s generations.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Death and Burial of Abraham<\/p>\n
23:1And he placed the two fingers of Jacob on his eyes and he blessed the God of gods. And he covered his face, and stretched out his feet and slept the eternal sleep, and he was gathered to his fathers. 2During all of this (time) Jacob was lying on his bosom and did not know that Abraham, his grandfather, was dead. 3And Jacob awoke from his sleep and, behold, Abraham was cold as ice, and he said, \u201cO father, father!\u201d And none spoke. And he knew that he was dead.
\n4And he rose up from his bosom and ran and told Rebecca, his mother. And Rebecca went to Isaac in the night and told him. And they went together and Jacob was also with them, and a lamp was in his hand. And when they went, they found Abraham lying dead. 5And Isaac fell upon his father\u2019s face and wept and kissed him. 6And the sound was heard in Abraham\u2019s house and Ishmael, his son, arose and went to Abraham, his father. And he wept for Abraham, his father, he and all of Abraham\u2019s house, and they wept greatly. 7And his sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Sarah, his wife. And all of the men of his house and Isaac and Ishmael and all of their sons and all of the sons of Keturah wept for him forty days in their places. And the days of Abraham\u2019s weeping were completed.<\/p>\n
A Discussion of the General Decline in Longevity<\/p>\n
8And he lived three jubilees and four weeks of years one hundred and seventy-five years. And he completed the days of his life, being old and full of days. 9For the days of the lives of the ancients were nineteen jubilees. And after the Flood they began to be less than nineteen jubilees and to grow old quickly and to shorten the days of their lives due to much suffering and through the evil of their ways\u2014except Abraham. 10For Abraham was perfect in all of his actions with the LORD and was pleasing through righteousness all of the days of his life. And behold, he did not complete four jubilees in his life until he grew old in the presence of evil (and) his days were full.
\n11And all of the generations which will arise henceforth and until the day of the great judgment will grow old quickly before they complete two jubilees, and their knowledge will forsake them because of their old age. And all of their knowledge will be removed. 12And in those days if a man will live a jubilee and a half, they will say about him, \u201cHe prolonged his life, but the majority of his days were suffering and anxiety and affliction. And there was no peace, 13because plague (came) upon plague, and wound upon wound, and affliction upon affliction, and evil report upon evil report, and sickness upon sickness, and every evil judgment of this sort one with another: sickness, and downfall, and sleet, and hail, and frost, and fever, and chills, and stupor, and famine, and death, and sword, and captivity, and all plagues, and suffering.\u201d
\n14And all of this will come in the evil generation which sins in the land. Pollution and fornication and contamination and abomination are their deeds. 15Then they will say, \u201cThe days of the ancients were as many as one thousand years and good. But behold, (as for) the days of our lives, if a man should extend his life seventy years or if he is strong (for) eighty years, then these are evil. And there is not any peace in the days of this evil generation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Description of the Future Evil Generation<\/p>\n
16And in this generation children will reproach their parents and their elders on account of sin, and on account of injustice, and on account of the words of their mouth, and on account of great evil which they will do, and on account of their forsaking the covenant which the LORD made between them and Himself so that they might be careful and observe all of His commandments and His ordinances and all of His Law without turning aside to the right or left. 17For they all did evil and every mouth speaks of sin and all of their deeds (are) polluted and abominable. And all of their ways (are) contamination and pollution and corruption.
\n18Behold, the land will be corrupted on account of all their deeds, and there will be no seed of the vine, and there will be no oil because their works are entirely faithless. And all of them will be destroyed together: beast, cattle, birds, and all of the fish of the sea on account of the sons of man. 19Some of these will strive with others, youths with old men and old men with youths, the poor with the rich, the lowly with the great, and the beggar with the judge concerning the Law and the Covenant because they have forgotten the commandments and covenant and festivals and months and Sabbaths and jubilees and all of the judgments. 20And they will stand up with bow and swords and war in order to return them to \u201cthe way,\u201d but they will not be returned until much blood is shed upon the earth by each (group). 21And those who escape will not be turned back from their evils to the way of righteousness because they will lift themselves up for deceit and wealth so that one shall take everything of his neighbor; and they will pronounce the great name but not in truth or righteousness. And they will pollute the holy of holies with their pollution and with the corruption of their contamination.<\/p>\n
Punishment on that Generation Followed by Repentance and God\u2019s Blessings<\/p>\n
22And there will be a great plague upon the deeds of that generation from the LORD and He will give them to the sword and to judgment and to captivity and pillage and destruction. 23And He will rouse up against them the sinners of the nations who have no mercy or grace for them and who have no regard for any persons old or young or anyone. For (they will be) cruel and powerful so that they will act more evilly than any of the sons of men.<\/p>\n
And they will cause turmoil in Israel and sin against Jacob;
\nand much blood will be shed upon the earth;
\nand there will be no one who will gather and no one who will bury.
\n24In those days, they will cry out and call and pray
\nto be saved from the hand of the sinners, the Gentiles,
\nbut there will be none who will be saved,
\n25and the heads of children will be white with gray hairs,
\nand an infant three weeks old will look aged
\nlike one whose years (are) one hundred,
\nand their stature will be destroyed by affliction and torment.
\n26And in those days, children will begin to search the law,
\nand to search the commandments and to return to the way of righteousness.
\n27And the days will begin to increase and grow longer
\namong those sons of men, generation by generation,
\nand year by year, until
\ntheir days approach a thousand years,
\nand to a greater number of years than days.
\n28And there (will be) no old men and none who is full of days.
\nBecause all of them will be infants and children.
\n29And all of their days they will be complete
\nand live in peace and rejoicing
\nand there will be no Satan and no evil (one) who will destroy,
\nbecause all of their days will be days of blessing and healing.
\n30And then the LORD will heal His servants,
\nand they will rise up and see great peace.
\nAnd they will drive out their enemies,
\nand the righteous ones will see and give praise,
\nand rejoice forever and ever with joy;
\nand they will see all of their judgments and all of their curses among their enemies.
\n31And their bones will rest in the earth,
\nand their spirits will increase joy,
\nand they will know that the LORD is an executor of judgment;
\nbut He will show mercy to hundreds and thousands, to all who love Him.
\n32And you, Moses, write these words because thus it is written and set upon the heavenly tablets as a testimony for eternal generations.<\/p>\n
Jacob Buys the Right of Firstborn from Esau<\/p>\n
24:1And it happened after the death of Abraham that the LORD blessed Isaac, his son. And he arose from Hebron and went to the Well of the Vision in the first year of the third week of this jubilee, and he lived there seven years.
\n2And in the first year of the fourth week a famine began in the land other than the first famine which occurred in the days of Abraham. 3And Jacob was cooking lentil soup, and Esau came in from the field hungry, and he said to Jacob, his brother, \u201cGive me some of this reddish-colored soup.\u201d And Jacob said to him, \u201cHand over your primogeniture (i.e.) this right of firstborn, and I will give you bread and also some of this lentil soup.\u201d 4And Esau thought, \u201cI will die. Of what use is this right of firstborn to me?\u201d And he said to Jacob, \u201cI give it (to) you.\u201d 5And Jacob said, \u201cSwear to me today.\u201d And he swore for him. 6And Jacob gave his brother, Esau, bread and soup. And he ate until he was satisfied. And Esau despised his right of firstborn. Therefore, Esau\u2019s name was called Edom, on account of the reddish-colored soup which Jacob gave him for his right of firstborn. 7And Jacob became the older one but Esau was lowered from his seniority.<\/p>\n
Isaac\u2019s Sojourn at Gerar<\/p>\n
8And there was a famine upon the earth, and Isaac started to go down to Egypt in the second year of this week and he went to the Philistine king at Gerar, to Abimelek. 9And the LORD appeared to him and he said to him, \u201cDo not go down to Egypt. Dwell in the land where I shall tell you. And sojourn in that land. And I shall be with you and bless you 10because I will give all of this land to you and to your seed. And I will carry out My oath which I swore to Abraham, your father. And I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky. And I will give to your seed all of this land. 11And all of the nations of the earth will bless themselves by your seed because your father obeyed Me and observed My restrictions and My commandments and My laws and My ordinances and My covenant. And now, obey My voice, and dwell in this land.\u201d 12And he dwelt at Gerar three weeks of years. 13And Abimelek gave orders concerning him and everything which was his, saying, \u201cAny man who touches him or anything which is his let him surely die.\u201d<\/p>\n
An Account of the Wells Dug By Jacob from Gerar to Beer-Sheba<\/p>\n
14And Isaac grew prosperous among the Philistines and had many possessions: oxen, and sheep, and camels, and asses, and much property. 15And he sowed in the land of the Philistines, and he raised grain one hundredfold. And Isaac became very wealthy, and the Philistines became jealous of him. 16And all of the wells which the servants of Abraham dug during Abraham\u2019s lifetime the Philistines stopped up and filled them with dirt after Abraham\u2019s death. 17And Abimelek said to Isaac, \u201cGo away from us because you are much greater than we.\u201d
\nAnd Isaac went away from there in the first year of the seventh week. And he sojourned in the valleys of Gerar, 18and they dug again the wells of water which the servants of Abraham, his father, had dug\u2014and the Philistines stopped them up after the death of Abraham, his father. And he named them just as his father, Abraham, had named them. 19And the servants of Isaac dug wells in the valley, and they found running water. And the shepherds of Gerar became angry with the shepherds of Jacob, saying, \u201cThe water is ours.\u201d And Isaac named that well \u201cHarshness,\u201d because they had been harsh with us.
\n20And they dug another well and they also contended about it. And he named it \u201cHostility.\u201d And he rose from there, and they dug another well, but they were not angered about that, and he called it \u201cBreadth,\u201d and Isaac said, \u201cNow the LORD has made wide (a place) for us. And we have increased in the land.\u201d 21And he went up from there to the Well of the Oath in the first year of the first week in the forty-fourth jubilee. 22And the LORD appeared to him during that night, on the first day of the first month, and he said to him, \u201cI am the God of Abraham, your father. Do not fear, because I am with you and I shall bless you and I shall surely multiply your seed like the sand of the earth because of Abraham, my servant.\u201d 23And he built an altar there where Abraham, his father, had built at first and called upon the name of the LORD and he offered a sacrifice to the God of Abraham, his father.
\n24And they dug a well and found running water. 25But the servants of Isaac dug another well and did not find water. And they went and told Isaac that they did not find water. And Isaac said, \u201cI have sworn (an oath) on this day to the Philistines. And this thing has happened to us.\u201d 26And he named that place \u201cthe Well of the Oath,\u201d because he swore an oath there to Abimelek and to \u2018Ahuzzat, his friend, and to Phicol, the commander of his army.
\n27And Isaac knew on that day that under pressure he swore an oath to them to make peace with them! 28And Isaac cursed the Philistines on that day, and he said, \u201cCursed be the Philistines for the day of wrath and anger from among all the nations. May the LORD make them as scorn and a curse and (the object of) wrath and anger at the hands of the sinners, the nations, and in the hands of the Kittim. 29And whoever escapes from the sword of the enemy and from the Kittim, may the righteous people uproot them from beneath the sky with judgment, because they will be enemies and foes to my sons in their generations upon the earth.<\/p>\n
30And no remnant will be left to them,
\nnor one who escapes on the day of the wrath of judgment;
\nbecause all of the Philistine seed is (destined) for destruction and uprooting and removal from the earth.
\nAnd, therefore, there will not be any name or seed which remains upon the earth for any of the Caphtorim.
\n31Because if they go up to heaven, from there they will fall;
\nand if they are set firm in the earth, from there they will be torn out;
\nand if they are hidden among the nations, from there they will be uprooted;
\nand if they go down to Sheol, even there their judgment will multiply,
\nand also there will be no peace for them there.
\n32And if they go into captivity by the hand of those who seek their life, they will kill them along the way.
\nAnd neither name nor seed will be left for them in all the earth, because they shall walk in an eternal curse.\u201d<\/p>\n
33And thus it is written and engraved concerning him in the heavenly tablets to be done to him in the day of judgment so that they might be uprooted from the earth.<\/p>\n
Rebecca Gives Instruction to Jacob Regarding Marriage<\/p>\n
25:1In the second year of this week, in this jubilee, Rebecca called Jacob, her son, and spoke to him, saying, \u201cMy son, do not take for yourself a wife from the daughters of Canaan as (did) Esau your brother, who took for himself two wives from the daughters of Canaan. And they have embittered my soul with all their impure deeds, because all of their deeds (are) fornication and lust. And there is not any righteousness with them because (their deeds are) evil. 2And I love you very much, my son. And my heart and affection bless you at every hour of the day and (every) watch of the night. 3And now, my son, heed my voice, and do the will of your mother. And do not take for yourself a wife from the daughters of this land, but from my father\u2019s house and my father\u2019s kin. You will take for yourself a wife from my father\u2019s house. And the Most High God will bless you, and your children will be a righteous generation and a holy seed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacob\u2019s Response<\/p>\n
4And then Jacob spoke with Rebecca, his mother, and said to her, \u201cBehold, O mother, I am nine weeks of years old. And I have not known or touched or been betrothed to any woman. Nor have I been thinking about taking for myself a wife from the daughters of Canaan, 5because I recall, O mother, the words of Abraham, our father. For he commanded me that I should not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan because I should take for myself a wife from the seed of my father\u2019s house and from my (own) kin. 6I heard some time ago that daughters had been born to your brother, Laban. And I have set my heart upon them that I might take a wife from among them. 7And, therefore, I have guarded myself in my soul lest I sin or be corrupted in any of my ways all the days of my life because my father, Abraham, gave me many commands regarding lust and fornication. 8In spite of everything which he commanded me, for these twenty-two years my brother has contended with me and he frequently spoke with me and said, \u2018My brother, take as a wife one of the sisters of my two wives.\u2019 But I did not desire to do as he had done. 9I swear, O mother, before you all the days of my life, that I will not take for myself a wife from the daughters of the seed of Canaan and I will not act wickedly as my brother has done. 10Do not fear, O mother. Trust that I will do your will. And I will walk uprightly and will never corrupt my ways.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s Blessing for Jacob<\/p>\n
11And then she lifted her face toward heaven and spread out the fingers of her hands and opened her mouth and blessed the Most High God who created heaven and earth. And she gave to Him glory and praise. 12And she said, \u201cMay the LORD God be blessed, and may His holy name be blessed forever and ever, He who gave to me Jacob, a pure son and a holy seed; because he is Yours and his seed will (belong) to You for all times and in all generations forever. 13O LORD, bless him and place in my mouth a righteous blessing so that I might bless him.\u201d 14And at that time, when a spirit of truth descended upon her mouth, she placed her two hands upon the head of Jacob and said:<\/p>\n
15\u201cBlessed are You, O LORD of righteousness and God of Ages;
\nand may He bless you more than all the generations of man.
\nMay He grant to you the way of righteousness, my son;
\nand to your seed, may He reveal righteousness.
\n16May He multiply your sons in your life(time);
\nmay they rise up according to the number of the months of the year.
\nAnd may their sons be more numerous and greater than the stars of heaven;
\nand more than the sand of the sea, may their number increase.
\n17And may He give to them this pleasant land,
\njust as He said that He would, give it to Abraham and his seed after him always;
\nand may they hold it (as a) possession forever.
\n18And may I see, O my son, that you shall have blessed sons in my lifetime;
\nand a blessed and holy seed, may all your seed be.
\n19And just as you have given rest to your mother\u2019s soul in her lifetime;
\nthe womb of the one who bore you likewise blesses you.
\nMy affection and my breasts are blessing you;
\nand my mouth and tongue are praising you greatly.
\n20Increase and overflow in the land,
\nand may your seed be perfected in every age in the joy of heaven and earth.
\nAnd may your seed be glad;
\nand on the great day of peace, may it have peace.
\n21May your name and your seed stand for all the ages;
\nand may God Most High be their God.
\nAnd may the God of Righteousness dwell with them;
\nand with them may His sanctuary be built in all ages.
\n22The one who blesses you will be blessed,
\nand all flesh which curses you falsely will be cursed.\u201d
\n23And she kissed him and said to him:
\n\u201cMay the LORD of the world love you;
\njust as the heart and affection of your mother rejoices in you and blesses you.\u201d
\nAnd she stopped blessing him.<\/p>\n
The Account of How Jacob Received A Blessing Intended For Esau<\/p>\n
26:1And in the seventh year of this week Isaac called Esau, his elder son, and said to him, \u201cMy son, I am old, and behold my eyes are too dim to see. And I do not know the day of my death. 2And now take your hunting gear, your quiver and your bow. And go out to the field and hunt for me and catch something for me, my son. And prepare for me food, such as my soul desires. And fetch it to me so that I might eat and my soul might bless you before I die.\u201d 3Now Rebecca was listening as Isaac spoke to Esau. 4And Esau went out early to the field so that he might snare and take something and bring it to his father. 5And Rebecca called Jacob, her son, and said to him, \u201cBehold, I heard Isaac, your father, speaking with Esau, your brother, saying, \u2018Snare something for me and prepare food for me. And bring it to me. And I will eat, and bless you before the LORD before I die.\u2019 6And now listen, my son, to my words which I command you. Go to your flock and take for me two good goat kids. And I will prepare them as food for your father just as he desires. And you shall take it in to your father and he will eat and bless you before the LORD before he dies. And you shall be blessed.\u201d 7And Jacob said to Rebecca, his mother, \u201cO mother, I will not refuse anything which my father would eat and which would please him, but I am afraid, my mother, lest he recognize my voice and wish to touch me. 8And you know that I am smooth and Esau, my brother, is hairy. And I shall become in his sight like one who acts wickedly and I shall be doing a deed which he did not command me to do. And he will be angry with me and I shall bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.\u201d 9And Rebecca, his mother, said to him, \u201cUpon me let your curse be, my son, but obey me.\u201d 10And Jacob obeyed Rebecca, his mother. And he went and took two good and fat goat kids. And he brought them to his mother. And his mother prepared them just as he liked. 11And Rebecca took the favorite clothing of her elder son, Esau, which was with her in the house. And she put it on Jacob, her youngest son, and hides of the goat kids she placed on his hands and on the bare parts of his neck. 12And she gave the stew and bread which she had prepared into the hand of Jacob, her son. 13And Jacob entered to his father and said, \u201cI am your son. I have done as you said to me. Come, and sit down and eat from what I have snared, O father, so that your soul might bless me.\u201d
\n14And Isaac said to his son, \u201cHow have you found (it) so quickly, my son?\u201d 15And Jacob said, \u201cIt is because your God directed me.\u201d 16And Isaac said to him, \u201cDraw near, and let me touch you, my son, to know whether you are my son Esau or not.\u201d 17And Jacob drew near to Isaac, his father. And he touched him and said, 18\u201cThe voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.\u201d
\nAnd he did not know him because the change was from heaven in order to distract his mind, and Isaac was unaware because his hands were hairy like the hands of Esau so that he blessed him. 19And he said, \u201cAre you my son Esau?\u201d And he said, \u201cI am your son.\u201d And he said, \u201cBring it near to me and I will eat some of what you snared, my son, so that my soul might bless you.\u201d 20And he brought it near to him, and he ate. And he brought him wine, and he drank. 21And Isaac, his father, said, \u201cCome to me and kiss me, my son.\u201d And he drew near and he kissed him. 22And he smelled the fragrance of the odor of his garments, and he blessed him and he said:<\/p>\n
\u201cBehold, the odor of my son is like the odor of a field which the LORD has blessed.
\n23May the LORD give and multiply to you from the dew of heaven and from the dew of earth,
\nand an abundance of wheat and oil may He multiply for you.
\nMay nations serve you,
\nand the people bow down to you.
\n24Become a lord to your brothers, and may your mother\u2019s sons bow down to you.
\nAnd may all of the blessings with which the LORD blessed me and blessed Abraham, my father,
\nbelong to you and to your seed forever.
\nMay the one who curses you be cursed,
\nand the one who blesses you be blessed.\u201d<\/p>\n
25And it came to pass after Isaac ceased blessing his son Jacob, and after Jacob went out from Isaac, his father, that he hid himself. And Esau, his brother, arrived from his hunting. 26And he also prepared food and brought (it) to his father and said to his father, \u201cLet my father arise and eat from what I have snared so that your soul may bless me.\u201d 27And Isaac, his father, said to him, \u201cWho are you?\u201d And he said to him, \u201cI am your firstborn, Esau, your son. I have done as you commanded me.\u201d 28And Isaac was very greatly astonished, and he said, \u201cWho is this who hunted and snared (game) and brought (it) to me, and I ate from all (of it) before you came, and I blessed him? And he and all his seed will be blessed forever.\u201d 29And it came to pass when Esau heard the words of his father, Isaac, that he cried out with a very loud and bitter voice and said to his father, \u201cBless me also, O father!\u201d 30And he said to him, \u201cYour brother came fraudulently and took your blessings.\u201d And he said, \u201cNow I know why his name was called Jacob. Behold he has defrauded me twice. He has taken my right of firstborn and now he has taken my blessing.\u201d 31And he said, \u201cHave you not retained a blessing for me, father?\u201d And Isaac answered and said to Esau, \u201cBehold, I have set him up as lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him that they might be servants to him. And with abundance of wheat, and wine, and oil I have strengthened him. But for you, what shall I now establish, my son?\u201d 32And Esau said to Isaac, his father, \u201cIs there only one blessing of yours, father? Bless me also, father.\u201d And Esau raised his voice and wept. 33And Isaac answered and said to him:<\/p>\n
\u201cBehold, apart from the dew of the land shall be your dwelling,
\nand apart from the dew of heaven from above.
\n34And by your sword you shall live,
\nand you will serve your brother.
\nAnd it will happen when you become great,
\nand you will remove his yoke from your neck,
\nthat then you will surely sin completely unto death,
\nand your seed will be rooted out from under heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n
35And Esau kept threatening Jacob on account of the blessing with which his father blessed him. And he said in his heart, \u201cNow let the days of mourning for my father draw near. And I will kill Jacob, my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rebecca and Isaac Counsel Jacob to Go to Haran<\/p>\n
27:1And the words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebecca in a dream, and Rebecca sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and she said to him, 2\u201cBehold, Esau, your brother, will take vengeance in order to kill you. 3So now, my son, obey me and arise and flee to Laban, my brother, to Haran. And dwell with him a few days until your brother\u2019s anger is turned away and he abandons his anger with you and forgets the full extent of what you did to him. And I will send and bring you from there.\u201d 4And Jacob said, \u201cI am not afraid. If he desires to kill me, I shall kill him.\u201d 5And she said to him, \u201c(No), lest I be bereaved of both of my sons in one day.\u201d 6And Jacob said to Rebecca, his mother, \u201cBehold, you know that my father is old. And he does not see because his eyes are dim. And if I leave him it will be grievous in his sight because I am leaving and going from you. And my father will be angry and curse me. I will not go. But when he sends me, only then will I go.\u201d 7And Rebecca said to Jacob, \u201cI will go in and I will speak to him. And he will send you.\u201d 8And Rebecca entered and she said to Isaac, \u201cI despise my life because of the two daughters of Heth whom Esau took as wives for himself. And if Jacob takes a wife from among the daughters of the land who are like these, why then shall I live, because the daughters of Canaan are evil.\u201d 9And Isaac called Jacob and he blessed him and admonished him and said to him, 10\u201cDo not take for yourself a wife from any of the daughters of Canaan. Arise and go into Mesopotamia to the house of Bethuel, your mother\u2019s father, and take a wife for yourself from there, from the daughters of Laban, your mother\u2019s brother. 11And may God Almighty bless and increase and multiply you. And become a company of nations. And may He grant the blessings of my father, Abraham, to you and to your seed after you so that you will inherit the land of your sojournings and all of the land which the LORD gave to Abraham. Go, my son, in peace.\u201d 12And Isaac sent Jacob. And he went to Mesopotamia, to Laban, the son of Bethuel, the Syrian, the brother of Rebecca, the mother of Jacob.<\/p>\n
Isaac Consoles Rebecca Regarding Jacob\u2019s Future<\/p>\n
13And it came to pass after Jacob arose to travel to Mesopotamia that the spirit of Rebecca grieved after her son. And she wept. 14And Isaac said to Rebecca, \u201cMy sister, do not weep on account of Jacob, my son, because in peace he will journey and in peace he will return. 15God Most High will protect him from all evil and He will be with him because He will not forsake him all of his days, 16for I know that He will make his ways prosper everywhere he goes until he returns to us in peace and we see him in peace. 17Do not fear on his account, my sister, because he is upright in his way and he is a perfect man. And he is faithful. And is he will not perish. Do not weep.\u201d 18And Isaac comforted Rebecca on account of Jacob, her son, and he blessed him.<\/p>\n
Jacob\u2019s Dream and Vow at Bethel<\/p>\n
19And Jacob went forth from the Well of the Oath in order to travel to Haran in the first year of the second week of the forty-fourth jubilee. And he arrived at Luz, which is in the mountains, i.e. Bethel, on the first of the first month of this week. And he reached the place when it was evening. And he turned aside from the way toward the west of the public road on that night. And he slept there because the sun had set. 20And he took one of the stones of that place and he placed it at his head beneath that tree and he was traveling alone, and he slept.
\n21And he dreamed on that night and behold a staircase was set up upon the earth and its head touched heaven. And behold, angels of the LORD were going up and down upon it. And behold, the LORD was standing upon it. 22And He spoke with Jacob and He said, \u201cI am the LORD, the God of Abraham, your father and the God of Isaac. The land upon which you are sleeping I will give to you and to your seed after you. 23And your seed shall be like the sand of the earth. And you shall increase in the West and the East and North and South. And all the peoples of the nations will be blessed in you and in your seed. 24And behold, I shall be with you and I shall protect you everywhere you go. And I shall bring you back into this land in peace because I shall not forsake you until I do everything which I have said to you.\u201d 25And Jacob awoke from his sleep and he said, \u201cTruly this place is the house of the LORD, and I did not know it.\u201d And he was afraid and said, \u201cDreadful is this place which is none other than the house of God. And this is the gate of heaven.\u201d
\n26And rising early in the morning, Jacob took the stone which he had placed at his head and he set it up as a pillar for a sign. And he poured out oil on top of it and he named that place \u201cBethel.\u201d But formerly the name of that area was Luz.
\n27And Jacob vowed a vow to the LORD, saying, \u201cIf the LORD will be with me and protect me in this way in which I am traveling, and if He will give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, and I return to the house of my father in peace, then the LORD will be my God and this stone which I have set up as a pillar for a sign in this place shall be the house of the LORD and everything which You have given me I will tithe to you, my God.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacob Is Given Leah as a Wife<\/p>\n
28:1And he traveled to the land of the East, to Laban, Rebecca\u2019s brother. And he was with him and served him for Rachel, his daughter, one week. 2And in the first year of the third week, he said to him, \u201cGive me my wife for whom I have served you seven years.\u201d And Laban said to Jacob, \u201cI will give you your wife.\u201d 3And Laban prepared a banquet and he took Leah, his elder daughter, and he gave her to Jacob as a wife. And he gave to her Zilpah, his handmaid, as an attendant. But Jacob did not know it because Jacob assumed that she was Rachel. 4And he entered into her and behold, she was Leah. And Jacob was angry with Laban and he said to him, \u201cWhy have you treated me thus? Was it not for Rachel that I served you, and not for Leah? Why have you offended me? Take your daughter, and I will go because you have done evil against me.\u201d 5For Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah because the eyes of Leah were weak, but her appearance was very beautiful, and Rachel (had) good eyes and good appearance and she was very beautiful.<\/p>\n
The Rule Regarding the Marriage of the Elder Daughter First<\/p>\n
6And Laban said to Jacob, \u201cIt does not happen thus in our land, to give the younger woman before the elder.\u201d And it is not right to do this because thus it is ordained and written in the heavenly tablets that no one should give his younger daughter before the elder because he should first give the elder and after her the younger. And they will write it down as sin in heaven concerning the man who acts thus. And no one who does this thing will be righteous because this deed is evil before the LORD. 7And you command the children of Israel so that they will not do this thing: \u201cLet not the younger woman be taken or given without the elder one being first (given) because that is very evil.\u201d 8And Laban said to Jacob, \u201cLet the seven days of banquet for this woman continue and then I will give you Rachel so that you might serve me another seven years (and) pasture my sheep just as you did in the previous week.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Marriage to Rachel and the Birth of Children<\/p>\n
9And on the day when the seven days of Leah\u2019s banquet passed, Laban gave Rachel to Jacob so that he might serve him another seven years. And he gave to Rachel, Bilhah, the sister of Zilpah, as an attendant. 10And he served seven years more on account of Rachel because Leah had been given to him gratis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(16) Japheth [also] divided between his sons. First he gave to Gomer in the north up to the river Tina, and after him to Magog, and after him (17) to Media, and after him to Javan, all of the coastlands that are alongside Lud. And between the bay that is near Lud and the [s]econd … <\/p>\n