t12papocrypha
Testament of Zebulun 5
Zebulun charges his children to keep the Lord's commands and to show mercy toward all — man and beast alike — naming this as the law of reciprocal return: as a man does to his neighbor, so the Lord does to him. The sickness and death that fell on the sons of his brethren is traced directly to their want of compassion toward Joseph, while Zebulun's own household was preserved. His preservation at the sea-coast, fishing for Jacob, is set alongside that mercy as a pattern: alignment with the Father's compassion carries a protecting hand.
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And now, my children, I bid you to keep the commands of the Lord, and to show mercy upon your neighbour, and to have compassion towards all, not towards men only, but also towards beasts. For for this thing’s sake the Lord blessed me; and when all my brethren were sick I escaped without sickness, for the Lord knoweth the purposes of each. Have therefore compassion in your hearts, my children, because even as a man doeth to his neighbour, even so also will the Lord do to him. For the sons of my brethren were sickening, were dying on account of Joseph, because they showed not mercy in their hearts; but my sons were preserved without sickness, as ye know. And when I was in Canaan, by the sea-coast, I caught spoil of fish for Jacob my father; and when many were choked in the sea, I abode unhurt.
