Aramaic Levi Document

Levi's prayer for the spirit of holiness and his vision in Abel-Mayyin — the heavens opened, the angel of the presence, and his washing in the running waters.

1Then I, Levi, washed myself in running waters at Abel-Mayyin. I cleansed all my flesh from every defilement. I lifted up mine eyes and my face unto heaven; I opened my mouth, and I spake. I stretched out the fingers of my hands; even my hands lifted up in truth, in the face of the holy ones.

2I prayed, and said: O Lord, Thou knowest all hearts. Thou alone understandest all the thoughts of the children of men. Now my children are with me. Grant me all the ways of truth. Make far from me, O Lord, the unrighteous spirit, and evil thought, and harlotry; turn pride away from me.

3Let there be shown unto me, O Lord, the holy spirit; and grant me counsel, and wisdom, and knowledge, and strength — that I may do what is pleasing in Thy sight, and may find favour before Thee, and may praise Thy words with me, O Lord. Let no satan have power over me to make me to stray from Thy path.

4And have mercy upon me, and bring me near to be Thy servant, and to minister well unto Thee. The wall of Thy peace be about me; and let the shelter of Thy might be over me, against all evil. Wipe away iniquity from beneath the heavens; and end iniquity from the face of the earth.

5Cleanse my heart, O Lord, from all impurity, and lift me up unto Thee. Hide not Thy face from the son of Thy servant Jacob. Thou, O Lord, hast blessed Abraham my father, and Sarah my mother. Thou hast spoken of giving us the seed of righteousness for ever and ever. Hear, also, the voice of Thy servant Levi — that he may be near Thee. Make me a partaker of Thy words, that I may do true judgment for all time, even I and my sons, for all the generations of the ages.

6Hide not Thy face from the son of Thy servant. And I, Levi, ceased speaking; and I prayed unto the Lord. And then I went unto my father Jacob; and when I had departed from Abel-Mayyin, I lay down upon a mount; and I slept. And I beheld a vision in the height of the heavens.

7Behold, the heavens were opened. And an angel of the Lord said unto me: Levi, come thou in. And I entered into the first heaven; and I beheld there great waters, suspended. And I entered into the second heaven; and I beheld a clearer light, brighter than the first. And I said unto the angel: Wherefore is this so? And the angel said unto me: Marvel not at this, for thou shalt see another heaven brighter, and incomparable; and when thou hast ascended thither, thou shalt stand by the Lord, and thou shalt be His minister, and thou shalt declare His mysteries unto men.

Levi's investiture by seven angels — the bestowal of the priestly garments, the anointing with oil, and the seven gifts of the priesthood.

1And I beheld in my vision, in the third heaven, a holy temple. And I beheld in it the throne of glory; and round about the throne stood the angels of the presence, that minister continually unto the Lord.

2And the angel said unto me: Levi, thy prayer hath been heard. Thou shalt be a priest of the Most High God; thou and thy seed shall be His ministers. Thy seed shall divide into three offices: the priesthood for the Most High; the priesthood for the messianic king; and the priesthood for the day of the Lord.

3Then seven angels came unto me. They clothed me with seven holy garments. The first angel anointed me with the holy oil, and gave me a sceptre of judgment. The second angel washed me with pure water, and fed me with the bread of holiness, and the wine of the holy place. The third clothed me with a robe of glory, even the linen of the priesthood.

4The fourth set about me a girdle, even a girdle of purple, and a sash like unto the rainbow. The fifth gave unto me a branch of rich olive, and the sweet fragrance of the holy place. The sixth set upon mine head a crown of righteousness. The seventh set upon my brow a diadem of priesthood, and made my hands as the hands of a minister of the inner sanctuary.

5And they said unto me: Levi, henceforth thou art a priest of the Lord — thou and thy seed for ever. Walk thou in His statutes, and thou shalt be set unto the Most High in the throne of glory. The seven offices of the priesthood are thine: the offering, the blessing, the teaching, the cleansing, the judging, the interpreting, and the offering of incense before the throne.

6And the angel showed me the patterns of the heavenly altar. He said: From this thou shalt make the earthly altar, after this pattern. The Most High looketh down from heaven; and He shall ratify whatsoever thou settest in order according to the pattern shown unto thee. So shall He receive the offerings of thy hand for ever.

7And I awoke; and I knew that the dream was a true vision. And I said within mine heart: Now I shall do all the things which I have been commanded; and I shall keep the priesthood pure for my seed unto everlasting generations. And the Lord shall be my portion for ever.

Levi's instruction unto his sons — the wisdom of the priestly path, the separation from idolatry, and the keeping of the holy seed unto the latter days.

1And now, my sons, I command you to walk in the fear of the Lord with a single heart. Hearken unto His voice. Keep His commandments. Walk in His statutes. Hate not the truth; love not unrighteousness. The Lord is righteous; His judgments are true.

2Be not joined unto the daughters of the strangers; for they shall lead your hearts astray, and the Lord's covenant shall be broken in you. Take wives from your brethren — even from the daughters of Aaron and the daughters of Levi — that the seed of the priesthood may be preserved pure.

3Teach your children the wisdom of the law. Read it unto them by night and by day. Instruct them in the festivals; instruct them in the offerings; instruct them in the manner of cleanness, and the manner of uncleanness. They shall be a holy seed; the Lord shall multiply them as the stars of the heavens.

4Take heed, my sons: in the latter days my seed shall stray; they shall mingle with the strangers; the priesthood shall be defiled; the temple shall be polluted. There shall arise wicked priests, and they shall sell the sanctuary for silver. The blood of the just shall be shed in the holy place. There shall be great mourning in Israel.

5Yet take heart, my sons. The Lord shall not forsake His covenant. He shall raise up at the appointed time a New Priest — even He whose word shall be as the word of God, and who shall stand in the inner sanctuary, and shall make atonement for the children of His people. He shall judge in righteousness; and the heavens shall rejoice in His days. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, even as the waters cover the sea.

6Then shall the law of the Lord be revealed in fullness; and the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek shall be set up again — and shall not pass away. Many of the children of men shall be brought near; and the gentiles shall be blessed in the seed of Abraham.

7Therefore keep ye these words, and lay them up in your hearts. Hand them down unto your children. Hide them in a sure place; and they shall be brought forth in the appointed time, when the New Priest shall arise. Glory be unto the Lord of priesthood, the God of Levi, the Holy One of Israel. Forever and ever. Amen.