by Geza Vermes
For the editio princeps, see J. M. Allegro and A. A. Anderson, DJD, V, 77-9; cf. J. Strugnell, RQ 7 (1970,) 252-4;J. T. Milik, JJS 23 (1972), 110-24.
Interpretation concerning the ages made by God, all the ages for the accomplishment [of all the events, past] and future. Before ever He created them, He determined the works of ... age by age. And it was engraved on [heavenly] tablets... the ages of their domination. This is the order of the cre[ation of man from Noah to Abraham, un]til he begot Isaac; ten [weeks (of years)].
And the interpretation concerns Azazel and the angels who [came to the daughters of men; and] they bore to them giants. And concerning Azazel ... and iniquity, and to cause them all to inherit wickedness... judgements and judgement of the congregation.
The Book of Noah
(1Q19, 1Q19 bis, 4Q534-6, 6Q8,19)
Several groups of small fragments from Qumran Caves 1, 4 and 6 appear to be the relics of a Book of Noah mentioned in Jubilees x, 13 and xxi, 10 and reproduced in an abbreviated form in Aramaic in the Genesis Apocryphon 11ff. and in Enoch CVI (cf. J. T. Milik, DJD, I, 84-6; 152; DJD, III, 116-19, 136). 1Q19 and 19bis are remains of a Hebrew version; 6Q8 and 19 belong to an Aramaic Noah narrative.
1Q19, 6Q8 and 1QapGen deal with the miraculous birth of Noah, as does also 4Q534, which was originally understood by scholars as describing the birth of the Royal Messiah (cf. p. 370 above). In 1Q19 fr. 1 the subject is the miserable state of mankind before the Flood; frs. 3 and 13-14 (as well as 6Q8) allude to the birth of Noah, accompanied by miraculous signs.
For the editio princeps of 4Q534-6, see E. Puech, DJD, XXXI, 117-70.
1Q19, fr. 3
... [to] his father. And when Lamech (Noah’s father) saw the ... [the child made] the rooms of the house [shine] like the rays of the sun ... to frighten the ...
Frs. 13-14
... for the glory of your splendour ... for the glory of God... [will be] lifted in glorious majesty... will be glorified amidst [the sons of h]eaven and ...
4Q534
I ... of his hand: his two kn[ee]s. [And on his head] on his hair a birth-mark of reddish colour. And the shape of a lentil (will be) on [his face?], and small birthmarks on his thigh. [And after t]wo years he will know (how to distinguish) one thing from another in his heart. In his youth, he will be like... [like a m]an who knows nothing until the time when he knows the three Books. And then he will acquire prudence and learn und[erstanding] ... w[ise] seers come to him, to his knees. And with his father and his ancestors... of brothers will hurt him. Counsel and prudence will be with him, and he will know the secrets of man. His wisdom will reach all the peoples, and he will know the secrets of all the living. And all their designs against him will come to nothing, and (his) rule over all the living will be great. His designs [will succeed], for he is the Elect of God. His birth and the breath of his spirit... and his designs shall be for ever...
4Q536 (4Q534, fr. 7)
... Blessed be every m[an who teaches his sons the doctrine of wisdom]. For he will not die in the days of wickedness. Woe to you, O fool, for your mouth will deceive you by ... (incurring) the death penalty. Who will write these words of mine in a book that will not decay, and keep this word of mine [in a scroll (?) which will not] fade away? Behold ... and the pleasure of the wicked will cease for ever...
Words of the Archangel Michael
(4Q529, 6Q23)
In this poorly preserved Aramaic fragment the speaker, Michael, addresses the angels in general and the archangel Gabriel in line 4 about a vision. The subject is unclear, but since he refers to the sons of Noah, Shem and Ham, and to the construction of a city filled with wickedness, it is possible that the author alludes to the building of the tower of Babel. If there are two mountains in each direction (east, west, north, south), the ninth indicated in the text must be special: Zion or Sinai?
For the editio princeps, see E. Puech, DJD, XXXI, 1-8.
Fr. 1
Words of the book which Michael addressed to the angels... He said: I found there divisions of fire ... [and I saw there] nine mountains: two to the eas[t, and two to the west, and two to the north and two to the so]uth. I saw there the angel Gabriel... like a vision. [Then] I showed him the vision. And he said to me: ... in the books of my Master, the Lord of the world, it is written: Behold, ... [between] the sons of Ham and the sons of Shem. And behold my Master, the Lord of the world... when they ... the tear from... And behold a city was built to the name of my Master, [the Lord of the world, and there] everything that is evil will be done before my Master, the Lor[d of the world] ... And my Master, the Lord of the world, will remember his creation... [and] my Master, the Lord of the world, [will be] merciful to him and to him... the man will be in the faraway province... he, and he will say to him: Behold this... for me silver and gold... And he will say: ... [and] the righteous man...
The Testament of Levi (i)
(4Q213-114, 1Q21)
Among the numerous small fragments representing the Aramaic Testament of Levi from Cave 4, all dating to the mid-first century BCE, a damaged portion of two columns of 4Q213a contains parts of a prayer of Levi. As the best part of the same text survives also in Greek in a manuscript from Mt Athos (Monastery of Koutloumous, Codex 39, dating to the eleventh century), it is possible to complete most of the missing sections of this prayer. Other small Aramaic fragments of the Testament of Levi, mentioning among other matters the ‘kingdom of the high priesthood’, are listed under 1Q21 (cf. J. T. Milik, DJD, I, 87-91).
For the editio princeps, see M. E. Stone and J. C. Greenfield, DJD, XXII, 1-71. For the Testament of Levi in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, see HJPIII, 767-81.
4Q213a
I [Then] I raised [my eyes and face] towards heaven [and opened my mouth and spoke. And I stretched out] the fingers of my hands and my hands... for truth towards the holy ones and I prayed and said, Lord, Thou [knowest every heart, and T]hou alone knowest all the thoughts of [the heart. And now my sons are with me. Give me all] the paths of truth, and distance [from me, O Lord, the evil spirit and the evil] inclination and fornication and repulse [pride from me. And give me counsel, and w]isdom and knowledge and might [so as to do that which pleases Thee] and find favour before Thee [and give thanks for Thy dealings with me, O Lord, in order to do] that which is splendid and good before Thee. [And let n]o adversary have dominion over me [to lead me astray from Thy way. And be merciful t]o me, O Lord, and draw me near that I may be Thy II [servant and minister well to Thee] ...
[Thou], O Lord, [hast blessed Abraham my father and Sarah my mother and Thou didst say that Thou wouldst give them] a righ[teous] seed [which would be blessed for ever. Listen therefore to] the prayer of [Thy] ser[vant Le]vi ... [to practise] righteous judgement for a[ll eternity] ... [And do not remove] the son of Thy servant from be[fore Thee]
... Then I went along... to my father Jacob. And when... from Abel-Mayin. Then I lay down and dwelled ...
4Q213 (completed from the Cairo Geniza)
Fr. 1 i
... [And] I [instruct you, my sons, and I will show to you, my loved ones, the truth.] The chief of all your deeds shall be [truth, and it shall be with you for ever.] Righteousness and truth... you will bring in a blessed harvest. He who sows good will bring in good, and he who sows evil, his sowing will turn against him. And now teach your sons letters, doctrine and wisdom, and wisdom will be with you for everlasting honour. He who studies wisdom will be honoured, but he who despises wisdom will be turned into scorn and disdain. My sons, look at Joseph, my brother, who has studied letters and wise doctrine for glory and greatness and for kings... Do not be remiss in the study of wisdom... Everyone who studies wisdom ... To every land and province to which he goes as a brother... and he is not like a stranger, nor as a ... all will grant him honour on its account because all wish to learn wisdom. Those who love him are many and His well-wishers are great in number. They will make him sit on a throne of honour to hear his words of wisdom. Wisdom is great wealth of honour for those who kno
w it, and a good treasure for those who buy it. If powerful kings come and a big crowd [and horsemen and many chariots will be with them, they will carry away the wealth of a country and of a province, and plunder everything in them, they will not plunder the treasuries of wisdom, and will not find] ...
4Q213b
[The seven departed from me] and I woke up from my sleep. Then [I said, ‘This is a vision and I am so amazed that I should have any vision.’
And] I [concealed] this also in my heart [and disclosed it] to no man. And we went to my father, Isaac, and he too blessed me thus. Then Jacob, my father, tithed all that he had in conformity with his vow and I was the first at the head [of the priesthood] and to me, one of his sons, he gave a gift ... to God, and he clothed me with the garment of the priesthood and he ordained me, and I became a priest of the everlasting God...
4Q214 fr. 2
[To sprink]le [blood on the walls of the altar. And again wash your hands and] your [f]eet of [the blood and start offering the salted parts. Offer] fi[rst the head and cover it with the fa]t and let not [the blood of the sacrificed bull] be seen [on it. And afterwards] the [neck] and afterwards the forelegs [and afterwards the breast with the sides, and after]wards the thighs and the spine [of the loin. And after the thighs the washed hind legs] with the intestines. And they all [will be salted with salt as they should. And] after that fine flour is to be mixed with oil [and] after all this [pour out] wine [and burn incense over them and] your action should follow the ru[le].
4Q214a, fr. 1
... These a[re what he said to me to be fit for offering below the burnt offering] on the altar. And wh[en you have made an offering from these trees on the altar and the fire has started] to [be kindled] ...
Frs. 2-3 i 3-6
[The fortieth year of my life she bore in the seventh/fou]rth [month. And I was again with her and she conceived and bore me a daughte]r and I gave her the name of Jochebed. I sai[d, ‘She is born to me for the honour of Israel.’] In the sixty-fourth year of my life she was born on the first (day) of the seventh [month].
4Q214b, frs. 2-6
... s[p]lit [woo]d, [and first examine it for worms and the]n [offer it, for] thus did I see Abraham, [my father, taking care]. He s[ai]d to me [that any of the twel]ve (kinds of) trees [is fit for] offering on the altar, [the fragrance of whose smoke] goes up. And these are [their] names: [the cedar, the juni]per, the almond tree, [the fir, the pine, the ash,] the cypress, the ..., the olive tree, the laurel, the myrtle and the ... These are (the trees) which he [said to me that they are fit to offer] below the burnt offerings [on the altar. And when you have offered any of] these [trees] on the altar [and the fire has started to burn them, then you will start to sprinkle the blood] on the walls of the altar. And again [you will wash your hands and feet of the blood and start to offer] the sa[lte]d [l]im[bs]. The he[ad] ...
Testaments of the Patriarchs: the Testament of Levi or Testament of Jacob
(4Q537 and 540-41)
An Aramaic work of which numerous fragments are extant in Cave 4 resembles the Testament of Levi from among the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. The central figure is Levi, but the testament is probably that of his father, Jacob. Hence 4Q537 is referred to also as the Jacob Apocryphon. Palaeographically its proposed date is the end of the second century BCE. Both 4Q537 and 541 allude to an eschatological priestly figure (recalling the pseudepigraphic Testament of Levi XVII-XVIII) whose mission encounters opposition due to the wickedness of the men of his generation. 4Q537 probably represents Jacob’s dream at Bethel. The three fragments of 4Q540 are very truncated and provide no basis for meaningful translation.
For the editio princeps, see E. Puech, DJD, XXXI, 171-90 and 225-56.
4Q537 Fr. 12
... and how will be the buildin[g] ... [and how will the prie]sts be dressed and [their hands] be purified, and how will [they] offer sacrifices on the altar, and ho[w on the who]le earth will they always eat part of their sacrifices [and how they shall drink the water] which will come out of the city under the walls...
4Q541, fr. 9
I... and he will pass on [to them (his sons) his w]isdom. He will atone for all the sons of his generation and will be sent to all the sons of his [peo]ple. His word is like a word of heaven, and his teaching is according to the will of God. His eternal sun will shine, and his fire will spring forth to all the ends of the earth, and will shine over darkness. The darkness will pass away [fr]om the earth, and deep darkness from the dry land. They will utter many words against him and many [ ... ]s. They will invent stories about him, and will utter everything dishonourable against him. Evil will overturn his generation [because... ] will be, and because lies and violence will (fill) his existence, and the people will go astray in his days and will become perplexed.
4Q541, fr. 24 ii
... Do [n]ot mourn in sackcloth... and do not... redeemed whether they are hid[den] fault[s] or revealed faults and... Search and seek and know what is sought by the dove and do not smite one who is exhausted with consumption and troubles ... And you will make a joyous name for your father and a tried foundation for your brothers. And you will see and rejoice in the everlasting light and you will not be from among the enemies. vacat
The Testament of Judah and Joseph
(4Q538-9)
Four small fragments of an Aramaic work (4Q538) were first recognized as belonging to the Testament of Judah by J. T. Milik (‘Ecrits préesséniens de Qumrân: d’Hénoch à Amram’, in Qumrân. Sa piété, sa théologie et son milieu, ed. M. Delcor (1976), 91-106). The script belongs to mid-first century BCE. The five fragments of the Testament of Joseph (4Q539) are too small for translation. However, the allusion to ‘my uncle Ishmael’ (fr. 3) whose children acquired Joseph as a slave, and to the minister of Pharaoh, Pentephres, the Greek form of Potiphar (fr. 4), who bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites, seem to confirm Milik’s identification of the document.
For the editio princeps, see E. Puech, DJD, XXXI, 191-2 11.
Frs. 1-2
... if there is in their heart [an evil spirit] towards me (Joseph). vacat When I... and they came [to me,] they all [brou]ght to me the bags... and [they fell to the ground] before Joseph and revered [him]. He then knew that there was no evil [sp]irit [in their heart] and he could no longer... (suspect them) ... and he could no longer... And he presented his brothers [with] a big [mea]l ... on my (Judah’s) shoulder (literally: neck) and embraced me ...
The Testament of Naphtali
(4Q215)
Two reasonably intact fragments, dating to the turn of the era, represent the Hebrew text of the Testament of Naphtali, with occasional similarities to the version which survives in Greek. Fr. 1 partly overlaps with TNaphtali 1, 9, 11-12, without being identical with it. Fr. 2 depicts the blessedness of the end of time and may belong to a separate sectarian document.
For the editio princeps, see M. E. Stone, DJD, XXII, 73-82.
Fr. 1
... with the sisters(?) of (or: with Ahiyot,) the father of Bilhah, ... Deborah, who suckled Reb[eccah] ... And he went into captivity and Laban sent out and rescued him and gave him Hannah, one of [his] maidservants. [And she conceived and bore] a first [daughter], Zilphah, and gave her the name Zilphah after the name of the town whe[re] he was taken into captivity. She conceived and bore Bilhah, my mother, and Hannah called her name Bilhah, for when she was born, [she was in] a hurry to suck. And she said, ‘What? Is my daughter in a hurry?’ And she called her again Bilhah. vacat When my father Jacob came to Laban, fleeing from Esau, his brother, and after... the father of Bilhah my mother. And Laban led Hannah, the mother of my mother and her two daughters, [and he gave one to Lea]h and one to Rachel. And when it came to pass that Rachel did not bear sons, ... [Jaco]b my father, and he gave him Bilhah my mother and she bore Dan [my] brother...
Narrative and Poetic Compositiona—c (formerly ‘A Joseph Apocryphon’)
(4Q371-3)
4Q371-3 form a very fragmentary Hebrew narrative relating to the period of
the Patriarchs and Moses. Palaeographically they are dated to the second half of the first century BCE. 4Q372 appears to be the relic of an anti-Samaritan polemical work, antedating the destruction of the Temple on Mount Gerizim under John Hyrcanus I (134-104 BCE). No sectarian features are apparent in this writing. It should be noted that the joint reference to the tribes of Levi, Judah and Benjamin (line 14) is paralleled in 1QM 1, 2. 4Q373, parallel to 2Q22, describes the battle between a Jewish hero, possibly Moses, and the giant Og, king of Bashan (cf. Num. xxi, 21—35). The model of the story is the duel between David and Goliath.
