G — Biblically Based Apocryphal Works

The Testament of Levi (i) (4Q213-114, 1Q21)

1Among 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

2good 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 know 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

3carry 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].

44Q214a, 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] ...

5Testaments 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

6I... 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