5 - The Word Of God (The Study of Scripture)

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but
the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Isaiah 40.8.

Remember the days of old.

Deuteronomy 32.7.

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I - Expositions Of Scripture

Introduction.

Believing firmly that they stood on the threshold of the New Age, the members of the Brotherhood were especially interested in searching the Scriptures for intimations of current events, A form of interpretation thereby developed in which the words of the ancient prophets were deftly applied to the contemporary scene. Such interpretations were doubtless propounded not only in the course of general study but more especially when portions of the Law and the Prophets were read during the public devotions on the sabbath.

Philo tells us distinctly concerning the Essenes that 'on the seventh day ... they go to the sacred places called synagogues ... and listen with becoming attention. Then one of them takes the Scriptures and reads, while another, selected from those most versed in the subject, comes forward and expounds it, passing over more recondite points. For they philosophize on most things by construing them symbolically [literally, by symbols], in accordance with ancient usage'. Similarly, in the Gospel of Luke we are told (4.16ff.) how Jesus once attended synagogue at Nazareth on the sabbath, read publicly the Lesson from the Prophets and then proceeded to expound it in terms of current events: Today hath this scripture been fulfilled in your hearing'.

This type of exposition is represented by a series of texts which, for purposes of convenience, scholars have called commentaries. However, they are not commentaries in the modern sense of the term. Their keyword is, in Hebrew, pesher, and pesher means properly the interpretation of a dream or the unravelling of a puzzle. It is the correlative of the term raz, 'secret, mystery', which is often applied in the Scrolls to the supposedly arcane and latent meaning which underlies the Word of God revealed in the Scriptures.

Significantly enough, while the other sectarian texts from Qumran, such as the Manual of Discipline, the 'Zadokite' Document, and the Hymns, are each represented by several copies, the 'commentaries' all exist in only one copy. (*) This would seem to indicate that they were not in the category of standard traditional literature, but were simply ad hoc products—texts of, or rough notes for, 'sermons' delivered by the various official 'interpreters'.

The fragmentary commentaries on Isaiah, Hosea and Micah scarcely deserve special comment, since they contain nothing of importance save the rather general polemic against the priests in Jerusalem.

The special interest of the Commentary on Nahum lies in the fact that it contains the only explicit historical allusion thus far found in the Scrolls—namely, a reference to an Incident which occurred in 88 B.C. and which is related in detail by Josephus. This establishes beyond doubt the date before which it could not have been written; and if it really came from the library of the Qumran 'Monastery' and was cached at the approach of the Roman legions in 68 A.D., the time of its composition can thus be fixed within about one hundred and fifty years.

It would be hazardous, however, to conclude that this necessarily settles the date of all the 'commentaries', though it clearly strengthens the hypothesis that they belong to the Roman rather than to an earlier period. Nor, further, should it be supposed that because the commentator illustrates a particular passage of Scripture by this reference to Demetrius Eucerus and Alexander Jannaeus, all other references to 'men of lies' and 'wicked priests' necessarily refer to the same persons. In other words, there is no warrant for the assumption that the Commentary on Nahum establishes a definitive frame of reference for the commentaries as a whole and hence a date for the Scrolls in general.

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(*) To be sure, there are sometimes variant commentaries on the same Scriptural text, but that is something else.

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The Commentary on Habakkuk has aroused special interest for two reasons. The first is that an observation contained in it—namely, its comment on Habakkuk 2.15—has been taken by several scholars to imply that the Brotherhood believed in a Christ-like Teacher of Righteousness who suffered a martyr's death but subsequently 'reappeared in glory' to his disciples.

The second is that the various allusions in this document to the 'teacher of righteousness', the 'wicked priest', and the 'man of falsehood' have been thought to constitute a connected biographical narrative which, once the characters are identified, might provide a definitive clue to the antiquity of the text and thence possibly to that of the Scrolls as a whole. With the untenability of the former theory and with the precariousness of the latter we have already dealt in the General Introduction to this volume. Nothing further, therefore, needs here be said on these matters.

On the other hand, there is a little detail in the Commentary on Habakkuk which appears to have been overlooked, but which may prove of considerable importance for the identification of the Brotherhood. Interpreting the prophet's words (2.17), 'The violence of Lebanon shall overwhelm thee', our author observes, 'Lebanon stands for the Communal Council'. The basis of this interpretation is, I suggest, that the name Lebanon really means 'white' (Heb. laban); and what the author had in mind was that the Communal Council was white-robed. His statement would then chime perfectly with Josephus' assertion (War, II, viii, 3) that 'the Essenes dressed in white'—a custom still observed by the Samaritans and Mandaeans. In other words, this comment might provide evidence that the Brotherhood were indeed Essenes.

The only noteworthy point in the Commentary on Psalm Thirty-seven (again fragmentary) is the reference to the forty-year period of 'Messianic tribulation', harmonizing with what is said in the War of the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness, and with a well-known rabbinic tradition.

Concerning the Commentary on Psalm Forty-five (of which only the opening lines remain) there is nothing to be said except that it anticipates by several centuries the fanciful interpretation of the title (v. 1) which is found later in rabbinic sources.

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Isaiah (1)

~~ Chapter Five ~~

(5) [And now I would have you know what I shall do to My vineyard] take away its hedge, that it go to rack and ruin, make a gap in its fence, that men come trample it down. The meaning of this passage is that God has abandoned them ...

(6) And as to the statement, Thorns and thistles shall grow up, [this refers to] ... And as to the term ..., [this refers to] ... of the way ... their eyes. (2)

(10?) Ten acres of vineyard shall yield but eight gallons, and the harvest be only one tenth of what is sown. (3) This statement has reference to the Latter Days, to the price of guilt which, through warfare and famine, the earth will then have to pay. This will occur at the time of the Visitation of the Earth. (4)

(11-14) Woe to them that rise early, to go chasing after strong drink, that stay late in the cool of the evening, while wine lights fires within them! Those carousals of theirs are but rounds of strumming and drumming, of hooting and tooting—and wine. (6) Quite oblivious they are to what the LORD is about, too blinded ever to see what He is actually doing.

That is the reason why My people, likewise unconscious, have likewise been 'carried away' —away to an alien land, their gentry starving for hunger, their masses parched for thirst. That too is the reason why it is Hell that now stretches its gorge, and Hell (6) that now holds its mouth limitlessly agape, while down goes all their proud show, all their racket and riot, and all that made merry therein!

The persons here in question are those men of impiety (7) who are in Jerusalem. These are the men of whom it is said:

(24-25) They have spurned the Law (8) of the LORD, and held in contempt the word of Israel's Holy One.

Therefore has the LORD'S anger been kindled against His people. He has stretched forth His hand against them, and struck them till mountains quaked, and their carcases lay like refuse in the midst of the streets.

Yet, despite all of this, His anger is still unabated, and His hand is still outstretched. This refers to the men of impiety who are in Jerusalem.

(29-30) [Their roaring is like a lion's, like young lions they roar; they growl and seize their prey, snatch it,] and none can rescue.

[(So God Himself) will roar against them in that day] like the roar[ing of the sea.] And if one look to the land, lo, darkness closing in, and all the daylight darkened by lowering banks of clouds.

~~ Chapter Six ~~

(9) [And as for] the statement, [Hear and hear, but do not understand]; see and s[ee, but do not perceive], ... [the term] understand [means]. ...

~~ Chapter Ten ~~

(12) When [the Lord] (9) has brought to completion that which He means to do on Mount Zion and in Jeru- salem, I then will call to account the king of A[s-syria] for the fruit of his arrogant heart and the pride (10) of his haughty looks. For (see) what he has been saying: 'By my own brain and brawn (for oh, how clever I am!) I have accomplished it (all)— shifted the bounds of peoples and rifted their stores.

The reference is to the annihilation of Babylon. (11) ... [The bounds of peoples] are the statutory Laws of [God's] people (12) [which the Man of Lies (?) (13) summarily sets aside; while the rifling of the stores refers to the] deception which he practises on the masses. ...

(20) When that day comes, those of Israel that are left and those of the house of Jacob that survive will no longer stay themselves on one who (merely) smites (14) them, but rather on the Lord, Israel's Holy One.

(21) A remnant there will be [ ] that then will find its way back to the one true Paladin, Who is God Himself. (15)

(22) Israel, though now your people [ ] be countless as sands of the sea, only a remnant among them [ ] will find its way back. In an eschatological sense, this means that [the bulk of the people] will go into capti[vity] ...; [while the statement that they are now countless as the sands of the sea] (16) implies that there will (eventually) be a diminution [of their numbers]; as the text puts it:

(22d) A decisive end will there be, a floodtide of their just deserts; (17)

(23) for a final decisive end is the Lord, the Lord of Hosts making throughout the earth.

(24) Wherefore thus says the Lord, The Lord [of Hosts] ...

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[Another Commentary]

(21) A remnant there will be that then will find its way back to the one true Paladin, Who is God Himself. [This remnant of Is]rael denotes [the congregation of the elect(?),] the godly champions of righteousness, while the [ ] are the ranks of the priests, for ...

(22) And as to the statement, Israel, though now your people, etc., [this means that ] many will perish [when judgment is rendered] on the earth. In truth ...
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(28-32) Now has he reached 'Aiath, now left [Migron] behind, [now stored his gear at Michmas.

Now are they over] the pass, at Geba' halt for the night. Now is [Ramah] a-trem[ble, Saul's Gibe'ah in flight. Now shr]iek, O maid of Gallim! [O Laishah], catch the sound! [Re-echo it, 'Anathoth!]

Madmenah [takes to its heels]; they that dwell in Gebim seek cover. Ere [this day be done he shall be standing at Nob, shaking] his fist (*) at the mount of maid Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. This statement [has reference] to the end of days, to the coming of [the Redeemer ], at the point when he marches up from the valley of 'Acho<r> (18) to wage [a migh]ty unparalleled [battle] against [ ]. Through all the ci[ties of

(19) will he pass and will eventually reach] the boundary of Jerusalem.

(33a) [Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the boughs with terror.] [The meaning is that He will wreak judgment] upon all the [ and upon] the [Kit]taeans who [ ] and [upon] all the heathen, and [His] pow[er shall be made manifest upon them].

(33b-34) [And those of high] stature shall be hewn down, [and the lofty shall be brought low]. [ ] And the thickets of [the forest] shall be cut down with [an ax]. (†) [This state]ment [has reference] to the war against the Kittaeans. (20) ['Those of high stature' are the] Kittaeans who will be consign[ed to ] ***

[And as for the statement, The thickets of the forest shall be cut down] with an ax, and Lebanon with [its] symbols of grandeur [‡] [be felled, this refers to those who have been oppressing(?)] Ju[dah and] Israel and the humble of [the land]. Grandiose [though they appear], they shall [ ] and quail, and [their] he[arts] shall melt. These ['symbols of grandeur'] are the soldiers of the Kit[taeans, while the thickets of the for]est [that shall be cut down] with an ax are their [allies], and (the words,) Lebanon with [its] sym[bols of grandeur shall be felled mean that their ringleader will meet his doom] at the hands of the notables in his own entourage, (§) (21)[and will not succeed in escaping to] safety (22) when he flees before [ ].

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[*] Heb. 'hand'.
[†] Heb. 'iron'.
[‡] Heb. 'its majestic ones', i.e., cedars.
[§] Heb. 'his great ones'.

~~ Chapter Eleven ~~

(1-4) [But out of the stock of] Jesse [shall come forth a shoot], and a scion [shall sprout] from his roots.

And upon him [shall re]st [the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wis]dom and discernment, the spirit of counsel [and of might], the spirit of knowledge [and of the fear of the Lord. And He will inspire him with fear of] the LORD (**) and [he shall not judge after] the sight of [his eyes, neither dec]ide [after the hearing of his ears], but judge [the poor with righteousness and decide with equity for the humble of the land]. [The reference is to the scion of] David (23) who will exercise his office at the end [of days].

His [ene]mies [will be felled], (24) but him will God uphold [by bestowing upon him po]wer, a throne of glory, a h[oly] crown and broidered robes. (25) A [ (26) shall be placed] in his hand, and he shall bear sway over all the hea[th]en, and Magog [shall be vanquished by him], (27) and his sword shall wreak judgment upon all the peoples. And as for the statement, He shall not [judge after the sight of his eyes] neither decide after the hearing of his ears, the reference here is to the fact that [he will follow the instructions of the priests; only] as they direct him will he judge, and by their advice [will he decide]. (28) [ ] one of the (more) distinguished priests will come forth, bearing in his hands the vestments of [royalty] (29) * * * *

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(**) Written in archaic script.

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~~ Chapter Fourteen ~~

(4-7) ... This refers to the annihilation of Babylon.

(8) The cypresses make merry over you, (and) the cedars of Lebanon, (saying): 'Now that you are laid low, no one comes up to fell us!' The cypresses and the cedars of Lebanon mean allegorically ...

(26) And as to the statement, This is the plan that has been planned against the entire earth, and this is the hand stretched forth over the nations (all). (30) Yet when the Lord of Hosts it is that has laid the plan, who can bring it to naught?

When His is the hand stretched forth, who can turn it back? This refers to [ ; for does not] Scripture assert in the Book of Zechariah: (31) ...

~~ Chapter Thirty ~~

(15-18) Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel: 'In going back to your homes, in dwelling tranquilly, you shall achieve your real triumphs; in quiet, unruffled living shall lie the proof of your strength'.

But you would have none of it. 'No! To horse!' you said. 'We must be off and away!' Then off and away shall you be —away in a headlong flight!

Or, again, you said, 'But we like to gallop around'. Then galloping you shall have —of men chasing after you! At the threat of one single man —or, at best, of a handful of men, a thousand of you shall flee, till your lone survivors are left like a mast on a mountain top, an ensign on a hill.

This is the reason why the LORD is biding His time before He shows favor to you, why He is keeping aloof from showing compassion for you: the LORD is a God of justice. (Yet happy, withal, are they who stand in wait for Him!)

This passage refers to the Latter Days and to the congregation of those, in Jerusalem, who 'seek after smooth things.' These are the men who ... the Law and do not st[udy it whole] heartedly, for/but ... they have spurned the Law ...

(19-21) Howbeit, O people in Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, nothing is here for tears! At the mere sound of your cry, He will straightway show favor to you. No sooner has He heard (it) than He (always) has answered you. So, what though the LORD now give you meager bread and scant water, as in time of siege, men there yet will be, no longer muffled up, (32) to point the way for you. (33)

Your eyes will see those men pointing the way for you, and your ears hear a word behind you, saying, Though now you be turning either to right or left, (34) this is the way; walk upon it! The reference is to the wrongdoing (35) of the congregation of] ...

~~ Chapter Fifty-Four ~~ (36)

(11) Behold, I will set your stones in antimony, This refers to the fact that ... all Israel like antimony around the eye(?).

and lay your foundations with sapphires.

This refers to the fact that they have founded the deliberative council of the community out of priests and laity— a veritable congregation of God's elect—like a sapphire among gems.

(12) And I will make your pinnacles of agate, This refers to the twelve ... who shine after the manner of the Urim and Thummim. Even the more inferior of them were like the sun in all its radiance and like ...

and your gates of carbuncle.

This refers to the heads of the tribes of Israel ... each man [filling] his assigned role, (together constituting) the rotas of ...

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Hosea

~~ Chapter Two ~~

(7) [For their mother hath played the harlot, she that conceived them hath done shamefully; for she said, 'I will go after my lovers, that gave me my bread and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink.' This means that. . .] and they took delight in ... and walked crookedly . . .

(8) [Behold, I will hedge up her way] with thorns, and her paths [shall she not find. This means that God smote them with madness] and blindness and bewilderment [of heart, (1) for throughout the era of wickedness] and the era of their perfidy (2) they did not [follow His guidance]. The persons in question are (also) the generation of the Visitation (3) ... [and] the [generation of the La[tt]er [Days] ... in throughout the eras of Wrath, (4) for ...

(9) [So she said, 'I will go back to my fi]rst [husband], for [then I fared better than now. This refers to the fact that] when the Exile was restored ...

(10) [But she knew not that] it was I that gave her corn [and must and oil], and that multiplied [the silver] and gold which they used [for Baal. This means] that [they ate and drank and] filled themselves, and then forgot God who ... They cast behind their backs His commandments which He sent to them [through] His servants the prophets, and hearkened and paid honor (instead) to men who led them astray, and, in their blindness, they stood in dread of them as though they were gods.

(11) Therefore will I take back My corn in the time thereof, and My must [in the season thereof], and shall snatch 'away My wool and My linen that it cover not [her nakedness]. And now will I discover her shame before the eyes of [her] lovers, and no [man] shall deliver her out of my hand. This means that God has smitten them with famine and nakedness, that they are become a thing of sha[me] and reproach in the eyes of the nations on whom they relied. Those shall not save them from their woes.

(13) I will make all her merriment to cease, her festivals, new moons and sabbaths, and all her seasonal feasts.

This means that ... which they accommodated to the festivals of the heathen, and that all their joy has been turned into mourning.

(14) I will lay waste [her vine and her fig tree] whereof she said, 'These are my hire [which] my [lovers gave unto me]' I will turn them into a woodland, and the be[asts of the field] shall devour them.

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Micah

Chapter One

(5) All this is because of the transgression of Jacob, and the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Surely, Samaria! ... So I will turn Samaria into a heap in a field, a place for the planting of a vineyard. This refers to the preacher of falsehood, who leads the simple-minded astray. (1)

But what are the (true) 'high places' of Jewry? Surely, Jerusalem! This on the other hand refers to those who expound the Law correctly to God's people and to all who are willing to join His elect—that is, the doers of the Law —when the latter meet together in the communal council. These will be delivered from the Day of Judgment. (2)

(6) As to the words: I will turn Samaria into a heap in a field, a place for the planting of a vineyard; and I will roll down her stones into the valley, and uncover her foundations [ ], this refers to the Jerusalemitan priests who are leading God's people astray. [God will thrust them forth, to become sojourners in a foreign land; and He will drive all] His enemies [into exile.] (3)

(8) I will go stripped and naked ... for it is come unto Judah; it reacheth unto the gate of my people, unto Jerusalem. [ ] [God] will wreak judgment on His enemies [ ] [them who sought] to betray Him. (*)

(9) As to the words: It reacheth into the gate of my people, this means that God's glory will move (once more) from Se'ir to Jerusalem. [ ] For God will come forth from [ ]. (5)

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Nahum

~~ Chapter One ~~

(3) In gust and gale (1) is His way, [and] clouds are the du[st at his feet]. [The gust and gale connote] the ex[pan]ses of His heaven and His earth, (2) which [will be convulsed] when [He comes do]wn. (3)

(4) He rebukes the sea and dries it up. (*) The 'sea' connotes the Kittians, (5) (and what is meant is that) He will wreak such judgment upon them as to wipe them out from off [the face of the earth] together with [ ] and its rulers, whose dominion will be brought to an end. A-wilt are Bashan and Carmel; a-wilt too is Lebanon's bloom. This means that through Hun the towering pride of wickedness (6) [will be abased, and the dominion of Belial brought low (?)]. 'Lebanon' connotes the latter's rulers. (7) A-wilt too is Lebanon's bloom. This connotes his (i.e., Belial's) abettors. (8) They will perish in the face of [ and of] the elect of [ ]. (9) [Judgment will fall on (?)] all that dwell in the world.

(5) Mountains quake before Him. This means that [ ] will tremble at His presence(?). (10)

(6) In the face of His fury who will stand? Who abide the blaze of His wrath? This means [ ]. (11)

~~ Chapter Two ~~

(11) Where is the abode of the lions, which was the feeding place of the young lions- [This refers to Jerusalem which has become] an abode for the wicked men of the heathen. (12)

where the lion and lioness walked, and the lion's whelp [and none made them afraid]? [This refers to Deme]-trius, the king of Greece, who, at the instance of them 'that sought smooth things', sought to enter Jerusalem. (13) [Never] from the days of Antiochus (14) until the time when the rulers of the Kittians (15) arose, [has that city daun]ted the kings of Greece; and eventually it will be trodden under.

(12) The lion rent the limbs (16) of his own whelps, and strangled his own lionesses for prey. [This refers to] the Young Lion of Anger (17) who proceeded to smite his own great men and his own confederates.

and filled his caves with prey, and his abodes (dens) with torn flesh. [This refers to] the Young Lion who [wrought venge]ance on them 'that sought smooth things', in that he proceeded to hang them up alive. (18) [Such a thing had never] before [been done] in Israel, for the Scripture designates a man hung up alive as ['a reproach unto God']. (19)

(13) Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of Hosts, and I will burn thy multitude (20) in smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions, and I will cut off thy prey from the earth. [This refers to ]. Thy multitude' means the great men of his army [and] his [confederates]. His young lions' are [ ], and his 'prey' is the property which [the priests of] Jerusalem amas[sed] (21) (and) which [ ]. [E]phraim [shall become] ; Israel shall be rendered [ ]. (22) [And the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.] ... his 'messengers' are his ambassadors, whose voice shall no more be heard among the nations.

~~ Chapter Three ~~

(1) Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of fraud and rapine. This alludes to the city of Ephraim (23)—to those (future) 'seekers after smooth things (24) who, in the Latter Days, will walk in fraud and lies.

The prey departeth not, nor do (2) the crack of the whip, the whir of wheels, the prancing horses, the bounding chariots (3) the charging horsemen, the flashing [sword], the glittering spear, the multitude of slain, the great heap of carcasses. No end is there to the bodies; men stumble over those bodies. This alludes to the period when the 'seekers after smooth things' hold sway. Never will the sword of the gentiles depart from the midst of their community, nor yet captivity, spoliation and internecine strife, nor exile through fear of an enemy. Many a guilty corpse shall fall in their days, and there shall indeed be no end to the slain. Moreover, through the guilty counsel (policy) of these men, men will indeed stumble in the body of their own flesh.

(4) Because of the manifold whoredoms of the well-favored whore, that mistress of witchery, who sells whole nations through her whoredom, and whole families through her wit[cher]y. This alludes to those who will go leading Ephraim astray, those by whose false teaching, (25) lying tongue, and guileful lips many shall indeed be led astray —kings, princes, priests, laymen, and affiliated strangers— and through whose counsel (policy) their cities and families shall go to ruin, and through whose tongues nobles and rulers will fall.

(5) Behold, I am against thee, quoth the LORD of H[ost]s, and thou shalt (yet) uncover [thy] skirts over thy face, and show the nations [thy] nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame. This alludes to ... the cities of the east, for the 'skirts' are ... the gentiles their ... their filthy abominations.

(6) And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile and render thee loathsome. (26) (7) And it shall come to pass that all who see thee shall flee from thee. This alludes to the 'seekers after smooth things' whose evil works will, at the end of the present epoch, become manifest to all Israel. Many will then discern these people's iniquity and come to hate them and to hold them loathsome on account of their guilty arrogance. Moreover, when (eventually) the glory of Judah suffers dishonor, those in Ephraim who have hitherto been duped will flee from the midst of those men's congregation and, renouncing them that led them astray, attach themselves (once more) to (the true) Israel. (27)

And they will say, Nineveh is ravaged, (but) who bemoans her? Whence can I seek any who will condole with thee? This alludes to the 'seekers after smooth things' whose counsel (policy) will come to naught and whose synagogue (28) will be dispersed. No longer will they lead the congregation astray, and those who were previously duped will no longer hold to their counsel.

(8) Art thou better than <No> Amon, that was situate by the rivers? (29) The allusion in the term 'Amon' is to Manasseh. The 'rivers' are the grandees of Manasseh, the nobles of ... who ... the ...

Water was all around her; her rampart (hayil) was the sea; water also formed her walls. The allusion is to the men of her army (hayil), her warriors. ... (30)

(9) Ethiopia is her strength; Egypt too, and it is endless. This alludes to the ... who ...

Put and Lubim (31) are among her supporters. This alludes to the wicked men of ... , (32) that divisive group (33) who ally themselves with Manasseh.

(10) She too is gone into exile, into captivity; her babes are dashed in pieces at the top of every street; over her nobles men cast lots, and her grandees are bound in chains.

This alludes to Manasseh in the final era, when its kingdom will be brought low at [the hand of] ... Its womenfolk, babes, and infants will go into captivity; while its warriors and its honored men [will fall] by the sword.

(11) Thou too shalt become drunken, become all be-louded. This alludes to the wicked men of Ephraim whose cup (of doom) (34) will follow that of Manasseh, and who will become ...

Thou too shalt go seeking in the city a refuge from the foe. This alludes to the ... [who will go seeking escape] from their enemies within (their own) cities. All thy strongholds shall be like fig trees. ...

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Habakkuk

~~ Chapter One ~~

(4) Therefore the law is numbed. This refers to the fact that they have rejected the Torah-that is, the Law-of God.

For the wicked besets the righteous ... The reference (in the word 'righteous') is to the teacher who expounds the Law aright [ ].

Therefore justice goes forth perverted.

(5) Look, ye traitors, (1) and see: marvel and be aston-ished. For it is in your own days that the deed is being done. Ye do not believe when it is told. This refers to the traitors who have aligned themselves with the man of lies. For they did not believe what he who expounded the Law aright told them on the authority (*) of God. It refers also to those who betrayed the new covenant, (2) for (the word rendered 'believe' also means 'keep faith' and therefore alludes to the fact that) (3) they have not kept faith with the Covenant of God, but have profaned His holy name. Again, it refers to future traitors-that is, to the lawless men who will betray the Covenant and not believe when they hear all the things that are to come upon the final age duly related by the priest whom God appoints to interpret in those days all the words of His servants the prophets by whom He has told of that impending disaster.

(6) For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that wild and impetuous nation. This refers to the Kittaeans, (4) who are indeed swift and mighty in war, bent on destroying peoples far and wide and subduing them to their own domination. They dispossess [ ] but do not believe in the ordinances of God [ ]. Over lowland and plain they come to smite and pillage the cities of the land. This is what the Scripture means when it speaks of them as coming to possess dwellings that are not their own.

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(*) Literally, from the mouth of.

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(7) Dreadful and awful it is: out of itself proceed both its standard of justice and its (lust for) deception. (6) This refers to the Kittaeans, the terror and dread of whom are upon all the nations. Moreover, when they meet in their council, (8) all their plans are directed to doing evil; and they behave towards all peoples with knavery and deceit

(8, 9) Swifter than leopards are its steeds, and keener than evening wolves. Their horsemen spread out and ride abroad: they come flying from afar like a vulture that hastes to devour. They all of them come for violence: the serried mass of their faces is a veritable eastwind (7).

This refers to the Kittaeans who thresh the earth with their horses and their beasts. Like a vulture they come from afar, from the isles of the sea, to devour all the nations; and they are insatiable. In the heat of fury, in searing rage, in scorching anger and with tempestuous mien (8) they speak with all the peoples; and this is what the Scripture means when it says, the serried mass of their faces is a veritable eastwind, and they amass spoil like sand.

(10) At kings it scoffs, and lordlings are a derision unto it. This refers to the fact that they scorn the great and mock the noble, make sport of kings and princes, and scoff at any numerous people.

It derides every stronghold: piles up an earthmound and takes it. This refers to the rulers of the Kittaeans who scorn the strongholds of the peoples and tauntingly deride them, surrounding them with a great host in order to capture them. (9) Through alarm and terror the latter are surrendered into their hands; and they overthrow them through the iniquity of those who dwell in them.

(11) Then the wind sweeps by and passes: and another, (10) whose might is his God, proceeds to wreak devastation. (11) This refers to the rulers of the Kittaeans. In their guilt-ridden Council House (12) they keep replacing those rulers one after another, and each comes in turn to destroy the earth. (13)

Another whose might is his God. This refers to [ ] all the peoples.

(12b-13) Him hast thou appointed, O Lord, to wreak the judgment: and him hast thou established, O Rock, to proffer the charge—him who has kept his vision pure, that it could not look upon perverseness. (14) This refers to the fact that God will not exterminate His people by the hand of the heathen, but will place the execution of judgment on all the heathen in the hands of His elect.

Moreover, it is through charges proffered by the latter that the wicked among His own people will stand condemned—that is, the people who kept His commandments only when they were in trouble. This is what the Scripture means by the words, him who has kept his vision pure that it could not look upon evil. The reference is to the fact that [God's elect] did not go a-whoring after (the lust of) their eyes during the Era of Wickedness.

(13) Why dost thou look (idly) upon traitors, and keep silent when the wicked confounds (15) him that is more righteous than he? This refers to the 'house of Absalom' (16) and their cronies who kept silent when charges were levelled against the teacher who was expounding the Law aright, and who did not come to his aid against the man of lies when the latter rejected the Torah in the midst of their entire congregation. (17)

(14-16) Thou hast made men like fishes of the sea, like crawling things, that he may have dominion over them. (18) He takes up all of them with the angle and hauls them in his net, and gathers them in his drag. Therefore he sacrifices to his net: therefore he rejoices and makes merry; therefore, too, he burns incense to his net: because thereby his portion is rich ... This again refers to the Kittaeans. What with all their plunder, they keep increasing their wealth like a shoal of fish. And as for the statement, therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his drag, this refers to the fact that they offer sacrifice to their ensigns and that their weapons are objects of veneration to them. (19)

For thereby is their portion fat and their food rich.

This refers to the fact that they apportion among all the peoples annual assignments of forced labor (†) and tribute designed to provide them with food, thereby devastating many lands. (20)

(17) Therefore does he bare his sword, (21) and never spares to slay nations. This refers to the Kittaeans who destroy many by the sword—youths, adults (?) (22) and old men, women and children alike—and have not pity even on the fruit of the womb.

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[†] Literally, 'their yoke'.

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~~ Chapter Two ~~

(1, 2) I will take my stand on my watch and post myself on my tower, and scan the scene to see whereof He will denounce me and what answer I might give when He arraigns me. And the Lord took up word with me and said: Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets that he who runs may read. God told Habakkuk to write down the things that were to come upon the latter age, but He did not inform him when that moment would come to fulfilment. As to the phrase, that he who runs may read, this refers to the teacher who expounds the Law aright, for God has made him au courant (23) with all the deeper implications of the words of His servants the prophets.

(3) For the vision is yet for the appointed time. Though it lags (24) toward the moment, it will not be belied. This refers to the fact that the final moment may be protracted beyond anything which the prophets have foretold, for 'God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform'. (25)

Though it tarry, yet await it; for it will surely come, it will not delay. This is addressed (‡) to the men of truth, the men who carry out the Law [Torah], who do not relax from serving the Truth even though the final moment be long drawn out. Assuredly, all the times appointed by God will come in due course, even as He has determined in His inscrutable wisdom.

(4) Behold, his soul shall be swollen, not reduced therein (§) (26) This refers to the fact that they will pile up for themselves a double requital (27) for their sins, and shall not be quit of judgment for them.

But the righteous through his faithfulness shall live.

This refers to all in Jewry (28) who carry out the Law [Torah]. On account of their labor and of their faith in him who expounded the Law aright, God will deliver them from the house of judgment.

(5, 6) Moreover, because wealth (29) betrays, a man grows prurient (30) and behaves unseemly, (31) in that he grows greedy like Sheol (32) and insatiable as death. All the nations are gathered unto him, and all the peoples are amassed unto him. Shall not they all take up a parable against him and heap on him jesting satire and say: 'Woe unto him who amasses what is not his! How long shall it last! He is merely heaping pledges (which must someday be returned)!' (33)

This refers to the wicked priest who, when first he came to office, enjoyed a reputation for truth, (34) but who, when he came to rule in Israel, grew arrogant and abandoned God, betraying His statutes for the sake of wealth, plundering and amassing for himself the kind of wealth usually acquired by criminals who have rebelled against God. He also took public property, thereby merely heaping upon himself the penalty of guilt Furthermore, he practised abomination, involving every kind of impurity and filth. (35)

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[‡] Literally, 'this refers'.
[§] Literally, 'Behold, his soul is swollen, not levelled therein'. In the Hebrew, the contrast is between a protuberance and level ground. But it is virtually impossible to reproduce this effect in English.

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(7, 8a) Will not they suddenly rise who will 'put their bite' (36) on thee, and will they not (suddenly) 'sting' (37) who shall rudely disturb thee? ... Because thou hast plundered nations aplenty, all the rest of the peoples (will) plunder thee? This refers to the priest who rebelled [and violated] the statutes of God, thereby causing himself to be smitten with the judgments of wickedness. The horrors of evil diseases acted upon him and he paid the price of his misdeeds in the body of his flesh. (38)

And as for the phrase, because thou hast plundered nations aplenty, all the rest of the peoples will plunder thee, this refers to the final priests of Jerusalem who will amass for themselves wealth and gain by plundering the people, but whose wealth and plunder will ultimately be delivered into the hands of the army of the Kittaeans, i.e. 'the rest of the peoples'.

(8b) Because of human bloodshed and the violence done to land and city and to all that dwell therein. This refers to the wicked priest. Because of the mischief which he had done to him who taught the Law aright and to the men associated with him, God delivered him into the hands of his enemies, that they might torture him with scourging and wear him out with bitterness of spirit for acting unrighteously against His elect.

(9-11) Woe unto him who gets evil gain for his house, setting his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! Thou hast planned but shame for thy house—the cutting off many peoples, and thou hast sinned against thine own self! For the stone shall cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond! This refers to the [ ] who planned to build himself a mansion In such a way that its very stones would be furnished through oppression and the beams of its woodwork through robbery. (39) And as for the phrase the cutting off of many peoples and thou hast sinned against thine own self, this refers to the House of Judgment where God will render His judgment in the midst of many peoples. Thence will He in turn transport him for the execution of sentence, and in their midst He will condemn him and sentence him to the fire of brimstone.

(12, 13) Woe unto him who builds a city by bloodshed and founds a town by wrongdoing! Behold, will it not come from the Lord of hosts that peoples shall labor only for fire, and nations weary themselves for naught? This state- ment refers to the preacher of lies who misled many people into building a worthless city by bloodshed and into establishing a community by falsehood, (40) directing their efforts (41) to the service of vanity and instructing them in deeds of falsehood. The result will be that all their labors will prove in vain, since they will encounter the judgment of fire for having abused and defamed God's elect.

(14) For the earth shall be filed with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as waters cover the sea. This statement refers to the fact that when God eventually re-stores them to their former glory, [ ] falsehood [will] [ ], and thereafter knowledge will be revealed to them, abundant as the waters of the sea.

(15) Woe unto him that plies his neighbor with drink, that pours out his flask [hematho], yea, makes him drunk, in order to gaze on their festivals! (42) This refers to the wicked priest, who chased after the true exponent of the Law, right to the house where he was dwelling In exile, (43) in order to confuse him by a display of violent temper [hamatho], and who then, on the occasion of the rest-day of Atonement, appeared to them in full splendor in order to confuse them and trip them up on the day of the fast, the day of their sabbatical rest. (44)

(16) Thou art sated with disgrace instead of with honor. The cup in the Lord's right hand will come around unto thee, and basest disgrace will fall upon thine honor.

This refers to the priest whose disgrace exceeded his honor, because he did not circumcise the foreskin of his heart, but kept walking in the ways of drunken debauch in order to slake his (insatiable) thirst. The cup of God's wrath will confound him, so that all he will really increase will be [shame, disgrace] and anguish.

(17) The crime (committed) against Lebanon shall overwhelm thee and the violence done to dumb beasts shall crush you, (45) because of human bloodshed and of violence done to land and city and to all that dwell therein. The statement refers to the wicked priests and means that God will mete out to him the treatment that he meted out to the needy. 'Lebanon' stands here for the Communal Council, (46) and 'dumb beasts' for the simple-minded Jews who have been carrying out the Law [Torah]. God will condemn him to annihilation, even as he plotted to annihilate the needy.

And as to the statement, because of blood shed in the city and violence done against the land, the 'city' refers to Jerusalem wherein the wicked priest wrought his abominable works and wherein he denied the sanctuary of God; while the 'violence done against the land' refers to the cities of Jewry (47) wherein he plundered the property of the needy.

(18) What value has a graven idol, when its maker has graven it, or a molten image, or teachers of lies? For the maker is but trusting in his own creation, is simply making dumb idols! This statement refers to the idols which the heathen make to serve and worship. On the day of judgment these will not deliver them.

(19) Woe unto him that says to a stock, awake: to a dumb stone, arise! This refers to [ ].

(20) Hush before the Lord, all the earth! This refers to all the heathen who have been worshipping stock and stone. On the Day of Judgment God will annihilate all who worship idols and all the wicked from the earth.

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Psalm 37

(7) Wait quietly for the LORD, (*) be patient till He comes; fret not over him whose way runs smooth, the man who achieves his ends. The reference is to the Man of Lies, who has been seducing the masses by falsehoods, in that they have come to choose ungodliness and have given no ear to him who has been mediating (true) knowledge; for these men will (eventually) perish by sword, famine, and plague.

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(*) Written in archaic script.

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(8, 9) Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil-doing. For evil-doers shall be cut off. This applies to those who return to the Law [Torah] and do not refuse to repent their evil-doing. Those, however, who are defiant about repenting their iniquity will be cut off.

But they that wait upon the LORD-those shall inherit the earth. The reference in the word those' is to the congregation of God's elect, the men who do His will.

(10) Yet a little, and the wicked shall not be. Though I (1) look closely at his place, he shall not be. This refers to all <who practise> (2) wickedness. At the end of forty years which are (first) to be completed, (3) no wicked man shall be found on earth.

(11) But the meek shall inherit the earth and delight in peace abounding. This refers to the congregation of the men who are poor (4) (currently) having to accept a period of affliction, but who will eventually be delivered from all snares of Belial and thereafter enjoy all the [riches] of the earth and regale themselves on all the delights of the flesh.

(12, 13) The wicked schemes against the righteous and gnashes his teeth over him; but the LORD will laugh at him, for He has seen that his day is coming. This refers to those in the house of Judah who violate the Covenant in that they scheme to make an end of all in the council of the community who carry out the Law. God, however, will not abandon the latter into their hands.

(14, 15) The wicked have drawn out the sword and bent their bows to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as walk the straight road. Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken in pieces.

This refers to the wicked men of Ephraim and Manasseh (5) who seek to assail the priest and the men of like counsel when this time of testing is come upon them. Howbeit, God will rescue the latter out of their hand, and thereafter they themselves will be delivered into the hands of heathen desperadoes, that judgment may be executed upon them.

(16) The little that is owned by one righteous man is worth more than the wealth of many who are wicked.

This refers to those who carry out the Law and do not [abandon themselves] to evil things.

(17, 18) For the arms of [the wicked will be broken], but the LORD will uphold the righteous. The LORD [knows that the blameless will have their day, and their heritage will endure for ever. This refers to those who do] His will [ ].

(19) They shall suffer no hurt (6) through [evil times. ...This refers to] those who will (eventually) come back from the wilderness (7) and live in safe[ty] (8) for a thousand generations. (9) The whole heritage of Adam shall be theirs and their seed's for ever. (10)

(20) But the wicked shall perish. This means that God will sustain such men when they go hungry in this period of affliction, whereas the masses who did not participate in that exodus and who [refused] to go along with the con-gregation of God's elect will perish through famine and plague.

Howbeit, they that love the LORD (11) shall be like prized lambs. (12) This means that they will become leaders and princes [among His people, like] < bellwethers > (13) among their flocks.

(But those others') shall vanish like smoke; they shall be brought to an end. (14) This refers to those princes of (the realm of) wickedness who have been oppressing God's holy people. They shall vanish like the smoke of a firebrand [in the] wind.

(21, 22) The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is generous and gives. Verily, they that are blessed of God shall inherit the earth, but they that are cursed of Him shall be cut off. This refers to that congregation of poor men who have been willing to [make over] their entire estate to the [common fund]. (15) These shall obtain as their possession that 'most eminent of Israel's mountains' (16) and revel in Him who sits in holiness upon it. But as to the 'cursed' who are to be 'cut off— these are the wicked men in Israel who violate the Covenant. They shall be cut off and [destroyed] for ever.

(23, 24) The goings of a man are ordered by the and He is concerned (17) with his every step. Though he fall, he shall not be flung headlong, for the LORD [grasps his hand] in support. This refers to the Priest who expounds the Law correctly, (18) whose office God has bespoken, whom He has appointed to build for Him a congregation (19) of [holiness (?)] and to whom He has given a straight way to His truth.

(25, 26) I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging bread. All the day long He is gracious and lends, and His seed becomes a blessing. This refers to him who expounds the Law [correctly ].

(28) [Wrongdoers'] are destroyed for ever, and the offspring of the wi[cked are cut off]. These are the men who violate [the Covenant and spurn] the Law.

(29) The righteous [shall inherit the earth and dwell for] ever upon it. [This refers to the fact that they will endure] through a thousand [generations].

(30, 31) [The mouth of the wicked utters] wisdom, and his tongue speaks [justice. He gives mind to the guidance given by his God (wherefore) his steps do not slip. This refers to] the Truth which [God] has spoken [ ], He has told them [ ].

(32, 33) The wicked watches out for the righteous, and seeks [to put him to death. The Lo]rd [will not abandon him into his hand, nor] suffer him to be condemned when he is arraigned. This refers to the Wicked [Pri]est (20) who watc[hes out] for the right[eous and seeks] to put him to death [so as to subvert the Covenant] and the Law which God has transmitted to him. Howbeit, God will not aban[don him] nor [suffer him to be condemned when] he is arraigned, but will deal to (that villain) his deserts by delivering him into the hands of heathen desperadoes, to execute [judgment] upon him,

(34) [Wait for the] LORD, and keep to His way, and He will exalt thee to possess the earth. Thou wilt see the wicked cut off. This refers to the fact that they will see wickedness adjudged, and rejoice along with God's elect in an inheritance of truth.

(35, 36) I have seen the wicked flourishing wild in all his naked pride, (21) like a flowering tree in its native soil; but anon I passed by (22) [and lo, he] was gone. I s[ought him] but he could not [be found. This refers] to the Man of Lies (23) [who has been vaunting himself] against God's elect [and see]king to stop [the sons of righteousness from ob]ser[ving the precepts of the Law] whereby they might do [deeds] of justice. (24) Highhandedly has he been venting his presumption [ ].

(37) [Mark the blameless man and behold] the upright, [for there is pos]te[rity for the ma]n of peace. This re-fers to [ They will enjoy] a peaceful [futu]re.

(38) But transgressors shall be destroyed one and all, and the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off]. This means that [ ] will perish and be cut off from the midst of the congregation of the community.

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Psalm 45

(In order to render these comments intelligible, it is necessary to present the Scriptural text and our author's literal understanding of it side by side.)

Scriptural Text

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Notes - Isaiah

1. The comments are culled from four different manuscripts; for details, see the list of sources, below, pp. 541ff. Comments on other passages are too fragmentary for translation, and in some cases only the Scriptural text, without the interpretation, is preserved.

2. The author is evidently interpreting the thorns and thistles to refer symbolically to those that seek to obstruct Israel from following the true path. The words, their eyes, may be the conclusion of a sentence saying that, in consequence of these men's machinations, the bulk of the people are following the sinful inclination of their hearts and eyes (cf. M. v.5) or doing what is right in their own eyes (cf. Z. viii.7; xix.20).

3. For the convenience of the reader, I have borrowed Moffatt's rendering, which turns the Hebrew measures into English equivalents.

4. This is a precise eschatological epoch; cp. Manual, iii.18; iv.19, 26, 'Zadokite' Document, xix.10.

5. Literally (RSV), They have lyre and harp, timbrel and flute and wine at their feasts.

6. Heb. Sheol, i.e., the netherworld.

7. Literally, 'men of scoffing'—the same expression as in the 'Zadokite' Document, xx.11; cp. also ib., i.14.

8. Heb. Torah.

9. Although the point is irrelevant to our author's interpretation, it may be suggested that in the Scriptural verse, the Lord is an interpolation due to wrong exegesis, the subject of the sentence being really the king of Assyria, who was in fact turned back at the very gates of Jerusalem; cp. Isa. 37.36-37. In that case, the sense of the verb would be inchoative, i.e., 'when he is about to consummate what .he is doing', etc,

10. As a parallel to 'fruit', the Hebrew word tiph'ereth, which usually means 'pride, splendor', may perhaps here be derived from the root p-'-r II (whence p'urah, 'branch') and rendered 'burgeoning'.

11. Actually, the prophecy was directed against Assyria, but in applying it to current events the author may be using the name Babylon, as frequently in rabbinic literature, as a cautious pseudonym for Rome.

12. The point is that the Hebrew word hoq means both 'bound' and 'statute'.

13. Since the whole purpose of the commentary is to give the prophecy a contemporary relevance, this seems the obvious restoration.

14. In the Scriptural context, the reference is, of course, to the king of Assyria. It should be observed that the verb here rendered 'stay themselves' is also used spe-cifically of leaning on a staff, so that the words 'one who merely smites them' continue this image.

15. The Hebrew words mean literally, 'God, the Warrior' or 'a divine champion"; the implication being that instead of relying on an earthly emperor, they will recognize God as the true conquering hero.

16. Restored ad sensum.

17. NEB: 'justice in full flood'. The picture is suggested, of course, by the preceding reference to 'sands of the sea'.

18. The manuscript appears to read 'Acco, i.e., the seaport of Acre. From the other places named, however, it is plain that the Redeemer is imagined as advancing upon Jerusalem from the east and northeast, through the I territory of Benjamin—consonant with the words of Isa. 41.2 (originally referring to Cyrus): 'Whom hath He roused from the east', etc. (Cp. also Sibylline Oracles, iii.652f.) Acre therefore lies in the wrong direction, besides being too far away, and we must assume a scribal error for 'Achor (Jos. 7.24; 15.7; Isa.

65.10; Hos. 2.17), i.e., the valley of the Wadi Dabr and the Wadi Mukelik, east of 'Aiath (Ai), Michmas Geba', etc.

19. The context suggests the restoration, '[Benjamin]'.

20. Cp. War, passim; Introduction, pp. 27-28.

21. The Scriptural text is usually taken to mean, 'Lebanon with its majestic ones (i.e., cedars) shall fall'; but the Hebrew is ambiguous, and our author evidently understood it (as a strict parallel to 'with an ax') in the sense of 'Lebanon by the agency of its own majestic ones shall fall'.

22. I restore: [sha]lom.

23. Cp. Jen 23.5; 33.15; Zech. 12.6.

24. I restore ['oye]baw, preceded by a verb antithetical in sense to 'uphold'.

25. These are standard appurtenances of the messianic king. For the 'throne of glory', cf. Isa. 22.23; for the 'holy crown', cf. Ps. 132.18 (where the Ancient Versions read significantly, 'upon him shall My crown flourish' instead of 'his crown', as in the Masoretic text). A similar description is given in the late Jewish midrash entitled 'Chapters about the Messiah' (J. D. Eisenstein, ed., Osar Midrashim [1928], ii, 393b): 'In that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, will adorn the Messiah with a crown and set upon his head a helmet of salvation [Isa. 59.17], and endue him with a majestic sheen and lustre, and attire him in glorious garments and make him stand upon a high mountain to herald glad tidings to Israel; and he will proclaim, "Salvation is nigh!"'

26. A gap in the text prevents our knowing what was supposed to be placed in the hand of the messianic king. A clue might perhaps be found in the words of Isa. 22.21, 23—to which verses, indeed, our passage is indebted: the priest, there envisaged as exercising the royal office, is said to be clothed in the regal robe and girdle and to have the government (or the insignia of government?) committed into his hand. Alternatively, we may think of the later Jewish belief (attested, for instance, in the Persian version of The Apocalypse of Daniel) that the Messiah would carry in his hand the wonder-working rod of Moses—a belief which appears also in Samaritan sources (e.g., Asatir xii.24; Cowley, Samaritan Liturgy, 51 Iff.; Ma'lf, § 49; Scroll of Itamar, quoted in M. Gaster, Samaritan Eschatology [1932], 263).

27. See above, pp. 27-28; cf. also Analytical Index, E. 2 (i).

28. In the future dispensation, the anointed king is to be subject to the authority of the anointed priest; see below, pp. 392, 441. The point is made explicitly in the pseudepigraphic Testament of Judah, iv.2-4.

29. What is envisaged is, of course, the investiture of the messianic king.

30. It may be suggested that in the Scriptural text these words, usually taken to refer to God's plan, really re-fer sarcastically to the grandiose schemes of the king of Assyria, the following verse then providing a crush ing counterblast.

31. The defective state of the manuscript prevents our determining the verse in Zechariah which our author has in mind. Perhaps it is Zech. 1.6: 'Like as the Lord of Hosts purposed to do unto us, according to our doings, so has He dealt with us'.

32. In view of the statement, 'your eyes shall see', I inter-pret the Hebrew word yikkaneph (a denominative verb from kanaph, 'edge of a garment') in the sense in which the cognate term is used in Arabic.

33. In Hebrew the word means also 'teachers', inevitably suggesting the future true expounders of the Law (vulgo teachers of righteousness').

34. This is usually rendered (RSV), When you turn to the right and when you turn to the left, but it is difficult to see how any path can be described as the right one if one can turn off it arbitrarily to either side! I there fore take the words to constitute a concessive clause (It may be suggested that the true reading of the Scriptural text is koh ... wekoh, rather than ki ... weki, i e., 'here you must turn to the right, and there to the left'.)

35. The Hebrew word for 'wrongdoing' means properly 'deviation, aberration', and this is the basis of the interpretation.

36. A fragmentary comment on these verses (DJD V, No. 176, frags. 8-11) refers them to a period during which Israel will be in a state of exhaustion waiting for the words of consolation and the abounding glory which God will vouchsafe and to the discomfiture of Belial who will no longer be able to afflict his servants. The fragments are too mutilated to allow of translation.

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Hosea

1. Cp. Deut 28.28.

2. Cp. 'Zadokite' Document, i.3; xx.23.

3. An eschatological era; cp. Manual, iii.18; iv.19, 26; 'Zadokite' Document, vii.9; viii.3; xix.6, 10, 15.

4. Cp. 'Zadokite' Document, i.7; Hymns iii.28. See also Analytical Index, E. 1 (a).

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Micah

1. This interpretation is based on the fact that the Hebrew words rendered a place for the planting of a vineyard could also be translated (purely formally), them that lead the vineyard astray. Since Israel is described in Scripture as God's vineyard (Isa. 5.1; 27.2), our author fancifully took the verse to mean that God would eventually 'dump' the false teachers who misled His people.

2. What the prophet meant, of course, was that Jerusalem had been turned into the equivalent of a pagan 'high place' or sanctuary. But our author took the words to imply the converse of what had previously been said. Israel, he declares, has turned to idolatry; but the true 'high place' of the Jews is the temple in Jerusalem. His further interpretation is based on the fact that the name Jerusalem can be fancifully explained as containing the two elements, y-r-h, 'teach' and shalom, 'peace'. The true sanctuary, he suggests is that built by the righteous teachers who ensure peace and security on the Day of Judgment!

3. This is a tentative restoration, seeking to recover what may have been our author's way of interpreting the Scriptural text. It is based on the fact that the Hebrew word rendered roll down resembles that which means sojourn, while the word rendered uncover is identical in form with that meaning drive into exile. The 'stones' and 'foundations' of idolatry would readily have been identified with the venal priests of Jerusalem.

4. The basis of this interpretation is that the gate of the city was the place of judgment.

5. This interpretation is suggested by the fact that the Hebrew word for 'gate', viz. sha'ar, resembles the name Se'ir, and thus calls to mind Deut. 33.2: 'The Lord came from Sinai, and rose from Se'ir unto them'. Cp. also Judges 5.4.

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Nahum

1. This rendering attempts to reproduce the alliteration in the Hebrew. The expression is something of a clich'e; cp. Isa. 29.6; Amos 1.14; Ps. 83.16.

2. The basis of this interpretation would seem to be that the Hebrew word for 'expanse' (viz. raqi'a) suggests the verb r-q- meaning 'stamp to dust' (II Sam. 22.43; Ezek. 6.11; 23.6).

3. The restoration (viz. br[dtd yzd'zu, vel. sim.]) is simply a guess.

4. In the Scriptural context, this is a transference to Yahweh of an older Canaanite myth relating how Baal discomfited the Lord of the Sea. The myth is related on tablets discovered at Ras Shamra-Ugarit, and has Mesopotamian and Hittite parallels; cp. T. H. Gaster, Thespis (2) (1961), pp. 137-53. In the Bible, the phrase is virtually demythologized.

5. See above, General Introduction, pp. 27-28.

6. For this expression cp. Hymns frag. 5.7.

7. Cp. the exposition of Isa. 10.34; above, pp. 306-7.

8. Literally, 'the men of his counsel'; for this expression, cp. HabC. v.10; ix.10; Hymns vi.10; 11.13; MFC i.3. Note that the scheming of Belial is specifically mentioned in Nahum 1.11.

9. See Analytical Index, A. 5.

10. Cp. Isa. 5.25; 63.19; 64.2; Jer. 4.24; Micah 1.4; Ps. 18.18.

11. Not impossibly, the mention of the Lord's 'blazing wrath' was taken to refer to the eschatological 'Era of Wrath', concerning which see Analytical Index, E. 1 (a).

12. The interpretation is based on Pss. 26.8; 68.6; 76.3; II Chron. 36.15, where Jerusalem (Zion) is designated as God's 'abode'; and on Jer. 2.15, where the adversaries of Israel are described as 'young lions'.

13. The comment alludes to an incident described by Josephus (Ant., Xlll, 14.1-2) in connection with an uprising of the Jews against the cruelty of Alexander Jannaeus, around 88 B.C.: They sent also to Demetrius Eucerus [king of Syria] and besought him to make common cause with them in their defense. So Demetrius came with an army and took those that had invited him, and pitched camp near Shechem. Thereupon, Alexander, with his 6,200 mercenaries and about 20,000 Jews who were of his party, went forth against Demetrius, who had 3,000 horsemen and 40,000 foot soldiers ... (Eventually) they joined battle. Demetrius won, and all of Alexander's mercenaries were slain ... Alexander took to the hills'. (The story is told also in War, I, 4.4-5.) Evidently, after his victory, Demetrius sought to enter Jerusalem and claim the throne.

14. Evidently, Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 B.C.).

15. The 'Kittians' are here evidently identified with the Romans, as later in the Aramaic Version (Targum) of Num. 24.24 and in the Vulgate.

16. The comment shows that the author read the Hebrew word BeDe, 'sufficient for', as BaDDe, 'limbs' (cp. Job 18.13).

17. Warriors or heroes are called 'mighty lions' in II Sam. 23.20; Isa. 33.7-according to a traditional interpretation—and 'whelps' (Ezek. 32.2). A similar expression is frequent in Arabic (e.g. Yaqut, III. 437, 17; 615, 13). Comparable also is Aeschylus, Choephori, 939, where Orestes and Pylades are so described. Cp. also Euripides, Orestes, 1401.

18. Cp. Josephus, loc. cit.: 'Some 6,000 Jews, moved to pity by the change in Alexander's fortune, gathered together and joined him. At this, Demetrius grew alarmed, and withdrew from the country. The Jews then turned on Alexander, but were defeated and slain in great numbers. When he had shut up the most powerful of them in the city Bethone, he besieged them therein; and when he had captured the city and brought those men into his power, he had them transported to Jerusalem and perpetrated upon them one of the most barbarous acts in the world. For while he was carousing with his concubines, in full view of the citizenry, he ordered some eight hundred of those men to be crucified; and, while they were still alive, he ordered the throats of their children and their wives to be slit before their eyes. This was by way of revenge for the injury they had done him' (Whiston's translation, slightly revised).

19. The Mishnah (Sanhedrin, 6.4) records the opinion of the sages that 'none is hanged save the blasphemer and the idolater'. This is an interpretation of the Scriptural text (Deut. 21.23) that 'he that is hanged is a curse (reproach) to God', in the sense that hanging presupposes blasphemy.

20. The comment shows that our author read RBKH, 'thy multitude', not RKBH, 'its chariotry', as in the traditional (Masoretic) text. His reading agrees with that of the Greek (Septuagint) and Syriac (Peshitta) Versions.

21. Cp. Commentary on Habakkuk 2.5-6 (below, pp. 322ff.).

22. 'Ephraim' and 'Israel' denote the Samaritans, who claimed to be the remnant of the Northern Kingdom and to be descended from Ephraim and Manasseh.

23. I.e., the Samaritans, who claimed descent from Ephraim and Manasseh, and betrayed the Jews on numerous occasions; cp. Josephus, Ant., IX.14, 3; XI.8, 6; XII.5, 6.

24. For this style, cp. Hymns ii.15, 32; 'Zadokite' Document, i.18, etc.

25. Heb. talmud.

26. The traditional Hebrew text and the Ancient Versions read 'gazing-stock'. A transposition of two letters yields our author's reading.

27. Cp. Josephus, Ant., IX.14, 3 (of the Samaritans): 'When they see the Jews in prosperity, they pretend that they are changed, and allied to them, and call themselves kinsmen, as though they were derived from Joseph and had by that means an original alliance with them; but when they see them falling into a low condition, they say they are in no way related to them' (trans. Whiston).

28. Heb. keneseth (from k-n-s, 'gather'); hence the antithesis of 'be dispersed'.

29. Heb. by the streams of the Nile. No Amon was Egyptian Thebes.

30. The commentator obviously took the prophet's words to mean that the city's ramparts had dissolved like water. For this imagery, cp. Jos. 7.5.

31. Properly, Somaliland and Libya.

32. Only the final letter -h remains. Perhaps restore: [Juda]h.

33. Heb. house of Peleg; cp. 'Zadokite' Document, viii.45. The identification was inspired by the initial letters of Put and Lubim.

34. For the imagery, cp. Hab. 2.16.

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Habakkuk

1. The traditional (Masoretic) text reads, 'Look ye among the nations' (Heb. BaGoYiM). Our author read, by a slight change, BoGeDiM, 'traitors'—a read-ing also found in the ancient Greek (Septuagint) Version.

2. Cp. 'Zadokite? Document, vi, 19; viii, 21; xx, 12-13: and see General Introduction, pp. 5, 23.

3. These words have been inserted to bring out the basis of the author's interpretation.

4. See Introduction to The War of the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness, below, p. 399.

5. The traditional (Masoretic) text reads, 'Its judgment and its dignity proceed from itself, i.e., 'it is a law to itself. It is apparent, however, from his subsequent comment that our author construed the Hebrew word se'tho, usually rendered 'his dignity', as somehow connected with the verb hishi', 'deceive'.

6. This is obviously intended as an interpretation of the words, 'His judgment [standard of justice] proceeds from himself.

7. The traditional text reads, '[are turned] eastwards' [or, 'look straight ahead'].

8. All of the terms used in the Hebrew can refer either to temper or to tempest; and this is the basis of the interpretation.

9. This has been thought to refer to standard Roman methods of laying siege to a city.

10. Literally, 'this one', which the author construed as meaning 'so-and-so'.

11. The traditional text reads, 'and becomes guilty'—Heb. ve-ashem. Our author read ve-yashem, 'and devastates'.

12. This has been thought to allude to the Roman Senate.

13. The allusion may be general rather than specific. In any case, it would fit several different historical situa-tions, so that, in the absence of further information attempts to precise it would seem both premature and futile.

14. The prophet's words are usually construed differently, viz. 'Thou hast set him, O Rock, for judgment, and established him, O Rock, for correction. [Thou art] purer of eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on perverseness'.

15. The hebrew word [bl'] means both 'swallow up' and 'confound'. It is evident that our author understood it in the latter sense.

16. Not to be taken literally as referring to a particular person called Absalom. The expression means simply, 'conspirators like the associates of the Biblical Absalom'.

17. See General Introduction, p. 29.

18. The traditional text reads, 'Which have no ruler over them'.

19. This is thought to refer to the Roman practise of worshipping military standards. This, however, is not definitely attested before Imperial times.

20. Josephus tells us (Ant., XIV, 4.5) that, until its capture by Pompey in 63 B.C., the city of Jerusalem had often to pay more than 2,000 talents annually in tribute to its foreign masters.

21. The traditional (Masoretic) text reads, 'His net' (Heb. hermo). Our author, by a change of one letter, read harbo, 'his sword'.

22. The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain.

23. This seems the only way of reproducing the author's interpretation of the words, 'That he who runs may read' (literally, 'that he who reads may run').

24. The Hebrew word (YAFIaH) is usually rendered 'pants, hastens' or possibly 'depones'. But from his subsequent interpretation it seems that the author connected it with a like-sounding root, preserved in Syriac and Arabic, meaning 'be feeble, debilitated, laggard'.

25. Literally, 'for the mysteries of God are destined to be performed wondrously'.

26. King James Version: 'Behold, his soul [which] is lifted up is not upright in him'. American Jewish Version 'Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him' The Revised Standard Version resorts to conjectura emendation and renders: 'Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fall'. This, however, is patently wrong, because it misses the contrast between the two Hebrew words in question, the one of which mean: 'swollen, protuberant' and the other 'low-lying, level'

27. The interpretation is based on a play on words: the term rendered 'swollen' is 'ft, which the author fancifully identifies with the like-sounding kfl, 'be double', and this at once suggests to him Isa. 40.2.

28. Heb. Judah.

29. The Hebrew ('Masoretic') text has hayayin, 'wine'. By a slight change, our author read hon, 'wealth'.

30. The Hebrew word yahir is usually derived from a root yhr which is assumed to mean 'be proud' and is therefore rendered 'grows insolent'. But our author may well have connected it with the Syriac and late Heb. hrhr, 'be prurient'.

31. The Hebrew word ynvh is usually connected with naveh, 'dwelling', and rendered 'and abides not at home'. But our author evidently identified it with an homophonous nvh (=n'h), 'be comely, seemly'.

32. I.e., the netherworld.

33. King James Version: 'Woe to him that increaseth [that which is] not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!' (The 'thick clay' is here com-pounded out of ancient ignorance of what the relevant Hebrew word meant. We now know that it signified 'pledge(s)'.)

34. Literally, 'who was called (renowned) for truth'. The assumption that this refers to his actual name, which he subsequently changed, is quite erroneous and over looks a common Hebrew idiom.

35. See above, n. 13.

36. This colloquialism seems the only way of reproducing the effect of the Hebrew, which lies in the fact that the word for 'creditor, usurer' derives from a verbal root meaning 'bite'!

37. The Hebrew word (yakisu), usually rendered 'awake', is fancifully construed by our author as if it were the very similar ya'kisu, 'sting'. Once again, an English colloquialism best conveys the point.

38. A. Dupont-Sommer has suggested that the reference is to the wicked priest Aristobulus II who was arrested and imprisoned and finally died of poison in prison at the hands of Pompey's supporters. But to die of poison is not to die of loathsome diseases, and what our author is trying specifically to interpret is Habak-kuk's reference to 'bites' and 'stings'. Besides, this whole business of looking for precise historical allusions seems grossly overdone; the passages in question may have in mind typical rather than actual cases. The use of the perfect tense is not against this; we may render: 'This refers to the kind of wicked priest who, in the past, was invariably exposed to this and this suffering', etc.

39. Here again the reference may be typical rather than actual.

40. H. H. Rowley (The Zadokite Fragments and the Dead Sea Scrolls, [1952], p. 67) makes the ingenious suggestion that this refers to the rebuilding of the city of David in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, mentioned in I Mace. 1.33. The wicked priest, he thinks, was Menelaus. But once again we may be chary of precise identifications.

41. Literally, 'making them weary themselves in'.

42. The traditional (Masoretic) text reads, 'in order to gaze on their nakedness' (me'orehem). In the ancient Hebrew script, the letters r and d are often barely distinguishable, and our author evidently read me'ode-hem. However, he took this to mean 'their staggerings' (rtm-'-d) rather than 'their festivals' (mo'ed), as usually understood. Hence, he interpreted the Scriptural text as referring to an occasion when the congregation was made to totter (or stumble) in the observance of a holy day.

43. See General Introduction, p. 19. The Hebrew expression (ABYT GLUT0) has been read differently (viz. ABOT GLUTO) and rendered 'desiring his exile', i.e., aiming to drive him into exile. Other considerations apart, however, it should be observed that the verb A-B-H (from which ABoT would derive) means properly 'assent to, comply with', rather than 'desire, aspire to, aim at'.

44. Cp. Lev. 16.31; 23.32.

45. The Scriptural text says: The violence of Lebanon (i.e., which lurks in the forests of Lebanon) and the assault of beasts shall crush (or, affright) you. Our author, however, takes the words, of Lebanon and of beasts, as objective rather than subjective genitives (a construction paralleled in Joel 4.19). Substantially the same interpretation as is here given is to be found also in the Aramaic Targum in loc., and is adopted in NEB.

46. The name Lebanon means 'white' (referring to the white cliffs). The point of the interpretation lies in the fact that the members of the Brotherhood wore white—as do the modern Samaritans and Mandaeans.

47. Heb. Judah.

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Psalm 37

1. The received (Masoretic) text reads: Though thou look'.

2. A word (Heb. 'ose) has dropped out.

3. In accordance with the common Jewish tradition that the 'Messianic' ministry will last for forty years and then be followed by the Golden Age.

4. The Hebrew word is ebyonim, and this has inspired the theory that the Qumran Covenanters were really the Ebiomtes, rather than the Essenes. But the inference is unnecessary, for it is difficult to see what other word the writer could possibly have used in the normal sense of 'poor, needy'.

5. The interpretation is inspired by Ps. 78.9: The children of Ephraim were as archers handling the bow'. The reference is to the Samaritans; see note 10 to The Commentary on Nahum.

6. The Hebrew word is usually rendered 'be shamed', but in Aramaic (and in Arabic) it has the sense of 'suffer misfortune' or even 'be ill', and the subsequent comment shows that the writer so understood it. (The actual quotation from Scripture is missing in the manuscript; it was written at the foot of the preceding column, which is now lost.)

7. To be understood metaphorically as well as literally; see Introduction, pp. 4, 27.

8. Restoring beyesh[a'] rather than beyosh[er], which is suggested by Allegro. Cp. Jer. 23.6.

9. In fulfillment of the Scriptural promise, Deut 7.9.

10. Cp. Gen. 12.7; 15.8; 17.7-8; 28.13; Deut. 1.8.

11. The received (Masoretic) text and all the Ancient Versions read 'But the enemies of the Lord'. In the Hebrew, there is a difference of only one letter.

12. RSV: The enemies of the Lord are as the glory of the pastures', i.e., as grass that quickly withers. But the Hebrew word rendered 'pastures' (viz. karim), if derived from a different verbal root, can mean 'lambs', and this is how the ancient Jewish interpreters understood it. (The true meaning is in any case obscure, and various emendations of the text have been suggested.)

13. The text is defective, and reads simply, '[ ] sheep'; I supply 'bellwethers' (Heb. ele) for the sense.

14. The traditional text reads, by a different vocalization of the same consonants, They shall vanish like smoke, yea vanish'.

15. See Manual of Discipline, i.11-12.

16. The expression is borrowed from Ezek. 17.23.

17. Usually rendered 'delighteth', but the word is also used in the sense of 'be preoccupied', and it is evident that the writer so understood it.

18. The expression usually rendered, Teacher of Righteousness'.

19. The word rendered 'congregation' came in Syriac to mean 'church'. It is extremely interesting to find it associated here with the verb 'build', for this usage-foreign to the Old Testament—at once recalls the New Testament's 'building the church'. Indeed, if one wishes to indulge fancy, one may even suppose that the imperfectly preserved phrase actually spoke of 'building a church [congregation] firmly on a rock', for the verb 'set firm', which is here employed, is actually used, in Ps. 40.3(2), of 'planting firmly on a rock'. In that case, we should have here a striking parallel to Jesus' famous words to Peter (Mat. 16.18).

20. Cp. HabC., viii.8; ix.9; xi.4; xii.2, 8. An historical identification is at present premature.

21. The Hebrew word, mith'areh, is of uncertain meaning in this passage. Normally, the root '-r-h means 'be naked', and our author may so have understood it, albeit in a figurative sense.

22. The traditional (Masoretic) text has, 'he passed by', but our author's reading agrees with that of the Greek (Septuagint), Latin (Vulgate), and Syriac (Peshitta) Versions.

23. Cp. HabC., ii.2; v.11; 'Zadokite' Document, xx.15. An historical identification is at present premature.

24. Restored ad sensum.

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Psalm 45

1. The identification of the Korahite choristers in the

Temple (cp. I Chron. 6.22) with the sons of the Korah who led the revolt against Moses in the wilder ness (Num. 16) is in accord with standard rabbinie tradition. Moreover, because it is said in Num. 26.11 that the 'sons of Korah did not die' when the earth swallowed up the rebels, tradition asserted that they repented their father's action and refused to make common cause with him when Moses called on him to desist; see L. Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews vi (1946), p. 104, nn. 389-90.

They are therefore exemplars of penitence. In pseudo-Philo's Biblical Antiquities (xvi.4) they are said to have been seven in number, and it is in line with that tradition that our author regards them as archetypes of seven varieties of penitents. As to their being styled lilies (a symbol of purity), cp. Midrash Tehillim, in loc. (quoted also in Yalqut Shime'oni, §747): 'Whenever a man repents his offenses, the Holy One, blessed be He, gives him an additional pet-name. Consider the case of the sons of Korah. ... After they had repented, but not before, they were called lilies ... as in the title of Psalm 45'. See further on this metaphor, I. Low, Die Flora der Juden (repr. 1967), ii.!72ff. This fanciful interpretation is further supported by the fact that the Hebrew word for 'lilies', viz. shoshanim, lends itself to a 'freak' identification with the similar shonim, 'those that change, i.e., repent'—which is how the Greek (Septuagint) and Latin (Vulgate) Versions actually render it in our passage!

2. Our author's understanding of this clause accords more closely with the punctuation in the traditional (Masoretic) text than does the usual version. The deeds of the speaker complement his word (though the latter is here evidently taken to mean God's word). The king is, of course, identified with God.

3. On inspiration by the Holy Spirit, cp. Targum, Isa. 40.13; TB Sanhedrin, 99b; Sifre, §176, etc. Aristobulus, quoted by Eusebius, Praeparatio evangelica, viii.10, 4; W. Bacher, Die aelteste Terminologie der juedischen Schriftauslegung (1899), i.!69ff.; ii.202-6.

4. Vulgo, 'the Teacher of Righteousness', but the author is evidently referring to any of the accredited expositors such as are prescribed in Manual, vi.6; 'Zadokite' Document, vii.18. See Analytical Index, B. 2 (u). Our author interprets the Hebrew word for 'writer, scribe', viz., sopher, in the later sense of 'scholar'.

5. Literally, 'utterance (response) of tongue'; cp. Prov. 16.1.

H. Everyman's Bible

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Introduction.

Of a different order are two paraphrases of portions of the Pentateuch, both only partially preserved.

§1. The first, discovered in 1947, is composed not in Hebrew, the sacred tongue, but in Aramaic, the vernacular 'understanded of the people'. Neither a formal commentary on Scripture, nor a mere set of sermon notes, it is a fanciful elaboration of narratives about the patriarchs related in the Book of Genesis. It belongs to a genre of literature (modelled, no doubt, on such romantic embellishments of Homeric and early Greek legends as are exemplified by the Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes and the Heracleid of Rhianus of Crete) which seems to have developed and enjoyed popularity in Jewish circles during the Hellenistic age (1) and which is best represented by the Book of Jubilees (alias The Little Genesis)—with which our text in fact shares several legends—the apocryphal additions to Daniel and Esther, the Biblical Antiquities falsely ascribed to Philo, and the compositions (preserved only in quotations) of such writers as Artapanus and the poetaster Ezekiel. (2) Medieval examples of the same genre are the Book of Jashar, the Chronicles of Josippon, the Samaritan Asatir (Legends) of Moses, the Anglo-Saxon paraphrases of Genesis and Exodus attributed to Caedmon, and the English poem Cleanness.

The work has come to be known as The Genesis Apocryphon, but that title is misleading. For modern read-ers, the term apocryphon suggests a work which originally purported to be divinely inspired but which, however popular it may have been, was not eventually accepted into the canon of Holy Writ. There is no evidence, however, that the present composition ever claimed or enjoyed any more exalted status than might have been accorded to the Targums (which no one would call apocrypha) or, in our own day, to any popular volume of Bible stories.

§2. Not the least interesting feature of the work is that in its fanciful elaborations of the Scriptural narrative it incorporates several motifs well attested elsewhere in world folklore.

(i) The birth of Noah is accompanied by a sudden blaze of light. This is likewise a feature of nativity-stories associated with Abraham, (3) Moses, (4) Buddha, the Greek god Asklepios and the early Roman king Servius Tullius, as well as with several Christian saints. (5) It is told also of the baptism of Jesus, (6) and is in turn bound up with the ancient notions that (a) human children begotten by gods or other supernatural beings reveal their parentage by having radiant faces, (7) and that (b) the 'genius' of a hero, situated in his head, emits rays. (8)

(ii) Lamech seeks explanation of this phenomenon by appealing to his father Methuselah to repair to his father, Enoch, which Methuselah does. Here we have but a Hebraic version of the familiar folktale motif of 'Old, older, oldest', the theme of which is that a quest for information 'moves back by progressive stages to the hoary Nestor who possesses the knowledge sought'. (9)

(iii) In order to reach Enoch, Methuselah travels to a land (or place) named Parvaim. This land or place, the location of which is still unknown, is mentioned in II Chronicles 3.6 as that from which Solomon obtained gold for coating the woodwork of the Temple. Now, since in Enoch 65.2 the ancient patriarch is said to have been translated to 'the ends of the earth', it is apparent that Parvaim is regarded by our author as a semi-mythical land in the far distance. (10) It is thus the equivalent of the Earthly Paradise or Isles of the Blest, a characteristic of which in popular lore is their abundance of gold. (11) A particularly arresting parallel is furnished in classical literature by the sands of the River Pactolus, in Lydia, which are said similarly to have yielded the gold for the bricks presented by Croesus to the shrine at Delphi, and which, even after that gold had in fact been exhausted, continued to be spoken of in proverbial lore. (12)

(iv) Abram is forewarned of the danger which awaits him and Sarai at the hands of Pharaoh by dreaming of a threatened cedar and palm, which symbolize their lives. Here, again, we have a familiar motif of popular lore— namely, that the life (or soul) of a person is bound up with that of a tree. (13) To cite but a few examples from classical sources: Domitian's death was thought to have been presaged by the falling of a tree (Suetonius, Domit., 15), and that of Severus Alexander by the felling of an ancient laurel and fig tree (Alex. Lampridius, Alex. Sev., 60.4—5). The grove of triumphal trees planted by the Caesars finally died in Nero's last year (Suetonius, Galba, i; Tacitus, Ann., xiii.58). Moreover, a story almost identical with that in our text is related in the Second Lay of Gudrun in the Poetic Edda. In similar vein, it is (or was) a Jewish custom to plant a cedar at the birth of a boy and a pine at that of a girl and later to fell them in order to build the nuptial canopy (huppah) at their wedding (Bab. Talmud, Gittin, 57a; Pal. Talmud, Erubin, iv.27b). Goethe's father is said to have planted a tree in his garden on the day the poet was born.

(v) The description of Sarai's beauty is couched in a series of cliches virtually identical with those applied to the Virgin Mary in various apocryphal infancy gospels,

(vi) The 'plague' with which Pharaoh is afflicted—usu-ally identified in rabbinical legend as leprosy (14)—here ap-pears to involve a sexual malfunction. This probably re-flects the widespread notion, attested alike in accounts of witchcraft and in Graeco-Roman spells, that impotence and similar disorders can be induced by sorcery. (15) More' over, the disorder is inflicted by a demon (spirit) , (16) and is cured by the laying-on of hands, both of which ideas are, of course, staples of folklore everywhere. (17)

(vii) Commanded by God, Abram ascends to the 'height of Hazor' and thence surveys the land promised to his offspring. Although, to be sure, this derives substantially from the Scriptural narrative (Gen. 13.14-16) and is paralleled by what Moses does from Mount Nebo (Deut. 33.49f.; 34.1-4), it may perhaps be suggested that it is here inspired also by legal usage in the writer's own day, for, as David Daube has acutely pointed out in discussing the Biblical passages, such pointing-out of boundaries (fines demonstrate), accompanied by a promise of assignment, was a recognized method of conveyance in Roman law. (18) (viii) Abram makes a tour of the Promised Land. Here we have the common motif, attested alike in practise and in story, that circumambulation of territory is a method of registering title to it. Parish bounds are periodically circuited, for instance, in British and German calendar customs even at the present day, and this procedure was likewise a regular feature of coronation ceremonies in Malaya and among several African peoples. (19)

§3. It is not yet possible to determine with certainty when our text was composed. Clues may perhaps be found in: (a) the name H-r-q-n-s (Hyrcanus?) given to Pharaoh's counsellor; (20) (b) the use of such Hellenistic and Roman geographical names as Gebalene [G-b-1] for the mountainous region south of the Dead Sea; (21) 'Red Sea' for the Persian Gulf; (22) Coele-Syria [H-w-1-i-t-a, in the later sense of the term], (23) and 'Mount of the Ox' for the Taurus range; (c) the divine titles, 'Lord of all Worlds', 'Lord of Heaven', (24) and 'the Holy and Great'; and (d) the employment of the word 'spr, if the latter be correctly identified with the Latin spams, 'curved hunting-spear'. But I do not dare to speculate.

It should be added that the manuscript is in a sorry state. Both the beginning and end are missing, whole columns have perished, and much has been obliterated. The following translation, however, includes everything that is legible.

§4. The second of the Biblical paraphrases, now in the possession of the Government of Jordan, has been called by its first editors, D. Barthelemy and J. T. Milik, The Speeches of Moses. Pieced together with phenomenal skill out of some forty-nine tiny fragments, this is a paraphrase of Moses' farewell address to Israel as recorded in the Book of Deuteronomy. The extant portion covers the exordium, the law about the Year of Release (Deut. 15.Iff.), and the ritual of the Day of Atonement. The author hews close to the Scriptural text, tricking it out from parallel passages in Leviticus. In one passage, however, he spices the narrative with the legend (apparently unknown to rabbinic sources) that the calendar date of the Day of Atonement coincides with that on which the Children of Israel ended their wanderings in the wilderness.

In connection with this text it is not without interest that a Testament of Moses (the nature of which has long been a matter of scholarly speculation) is indeed mentioned in the list of pseudepigraphic books appended to the Chro-nography of Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople in the early part of the ninth century, as well as in the so-called Catalogue of the Sixty Books sometimes tacked on to manuscripts of the Quaestiones of Anastasius of Sinai—a catalogue which may date from the sixth or seventh century. Whether or not this is our present work there is at present no way of determining.

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Notes

1. Cf. R. Pfeiffer, History of New Testament Times (1949), p. 102.

2. Cf. W. N. Stearns, Fragments from Graeco-Jewish Writers (1908).

3. Cf. L. Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews (1909fL), v.213; cf. also lb., 167, 245, 397.

4. Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 12a.

5. Cf. H. Gunter, Die christliche Legende des Abend-landes (1910), p. 89; P. Toldo, 'Leben und Wunder der Heiligen im Mittelalter', in Studien zur vergl. Literaturgeschichte, 14 (1901), 320-45.

6. Protevangelium, xviii.2; Justin Martyr, Trypho, 88; Codex Sangermanensis = M. R. James, The Apocryphal New Testament (1924), p. 33.

7. For stories involving this motif cf. A. B. Cook, Zeus, ii (1925), pp. 1003fi.; cf. also T. H. Gaster, Thespis (2) (1961), p. 431.

8. Cf. L. Stephan!, 'Nimbus and Strahlenkranz', in Mem-oires de I'Academie des Sciences de St. Petersbourg, VI Serie, Sc. pol. hist, philol., 9 (1859); R. B. Onians, The Origin of European Thought About the Body, etc. (1951), pp. 165ff.

9. This is F.571.2 in Stith Thompson's standard Motif-Index of Folk Literature. Examples from modern folk tales are cited in J. Bolte and G. Polivka, Anmer-kungen zu den Kinder-und Hausmdrchen der Bruder Grimm, ii (repr. 1963), p. 400.

10. This inference would be further supported if (despite a slight grammatical anomaly) the words immediately preceding mention of Parvaim be read, with several scholars, l'rk mt, implying that Methuselah traversed the length of the land (earth). Another reading, however, is Iqdmt, 'eastwards', which would tie in with the widespread notion that the Earthly Paradise lies where the sun rises; cf. T. H. Gaster, Myth, Legend, and Custom in the Old Testament (1969), §13(a).

11. This is F.163.1.2; 3.1 in Stith Thompson's Index. See also T. H. Gaster, Myth, Legend, and Custom in the Old Testament (1969), §15. A late Midrash says that angels set crowns made of 'gold of Parvaim' on the heads of the righteous in Paradise: Massecheth Gan 'Eden, in J. D. Eisenstein, ed., Osar Midrashim (1915), i.84a.

12. See fully J. E. B. Mayor, Juvenalis Satirae (1872-78) ii.343 (on xiv.299).

13. Cf. I. Scheftelowitz, Altpaldstinensicher Bauernglaube (1925), 25ff.; H. Floss, Das Kind2 (1884), i.71ff.; ex-tensive bibliography in Frazer-Gaster, The New Golden Bough (1959), p. 758.

14. Cf. Ginzberg, op. cit., ii.297, 355. The Samaritan ver-sion, in Asatir, vi.15, says that the princes began to be plagued both privily and openly, and Pharaoh became like a stone, as though he had been smitten by sorcery This reflects the motif of magical paralysis (Stith Thompson, D.2072).

15. Cf. G. L. Kittredge, Witchcraft in Old and New Eng-land (1929), pp. 113, 444, n. 78.

16. The demon appears (according to Fitzmyer's reading of the blurred text) to be called 'the spirit of s-h-l-i-t', which word seemingly derives from a root s-h-l, known from Syriac and post-Biblical Hebrew, meaning 'sup-purate, discharge', i.e., here 'gleet, gonorrhea'.

17. On the laying-on of hands, cf. J. A. MacCulloch, in The Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, vi.494; O Weinreich, Antike Heilungswunder (1910), p. 51; Frazer-Gaster, The New Golden Bough (1956), §76 and Add. Note, p. 181; J. Behm, Die Handauflegung im Urchristentum (Diss. Leipzig, 1911).

18. D. Daube, Studies in Biblical Law (1967), p. 27, citing Justinian, Digest, xii.2.1.2; xii.2.18.2.

19. See fully T. H. Gaster, Thespis (2) (1961), pp. 193f.; id., Myth, Legend, and Custom in the Old Testament (1969), §104.

20. See n. 24 to the translation.

21. To be sure, this designation occurs once in the Bible (Psalm 83.8), but it became popular in Graeco-Roman times. The Palestinian Targum so renders 'Se'ir' in Deut. 33.2, and the Samaritan Targum in Gen. 33.14, 16; 36.8, 9. This is the Gebalitis of Josephus, Ant., II, i, 2; iii.3, 7.

22. According to Pliny, H.N., vi.167, it was so named from the glow of the rising sun.

23. The name means properly 'sandy tract', and is in fact applied to several areas. Here it is most probably Coele-Syria, in the later sense of the term, as in Josephus, Ant., xiv, 4, 5, 'Coele-Syria as far as the River Euphrates'.

24. On these titles see A. Marmorstein, The Old Rabbinic Doctrine of God, i (1927), pp. 62f., 93f., 99; R. Marcus, 'Divine Names and Attributes in Hellenistic Jewish Literature', in Proceedings of the American Academy for Jewish Research, 1931-32, p. 83, s.v. Kosmas.

Memoirs Of The Patriarchs

A. Lamech

The Birth of Noah

Cp. Enoch 106.1-2 ii, 1-26

In the Bible, the story of Noah is preceded immediately by that of the dalliance of the 'sons of God' with the daughters of men and the consequent peopling of the earth with a race of giants (Gen. 6.1-8). This gave rise to the legend that when the hero of the Flood was born, the house was filled with a sudden and wondrous light; whereupon his father Lamech suspected that the child was of supernatural origin and sought to discover the truth from his grandfather Enoch who, in reward for his piety, had been translated to heaven (or to the ends of the earth) and made privy to celestial lore (cp. Gen. 5.24).

The legend has hitherto been known to us only from the Ethiopic Book of Enoch (ch. 106), written in the second or first century B.C., from a Latin fragment now in the British Museum, and from a partial allusion in the medieval Samaritan Legends [Asatir] of Moses (ii.6).

A fragment discovered at Qumran describes, albeit obscurely, how Lamech saw 'in the chambers of his house a light like the rays of the sun'. Our present text takes up the narrative from that point.

Suspecting then that the child had been conceived of one of the (Heavenly) Watchers (1) or Holy Beings (2) and [that it really belonged] to the giants, (3) I, Lamech, was dis-turbed at heart. In my confusion I went to my wife Bath-Enosh. (4)

'[I want you,' I said,] 'to take an oath by the Most High, the Lord Supreme, (*) the Sovereign of all worlds, (5) [the Ruler of all] the heavenly beings, to the end that you will disclose everything to me in truth. For if [you swear by the Most High, the Lord Supreme], the Sovereign of all worlds to speak with me in truth and not with lies, this too will you have to disclose to me in truth and not with lies.'

----

(*) Heb. 'Lord of greatness'.

----

At this my wife Bath-Enosh spoke to me with considerable vehemence and [heat].

'Sir cousin,' (6) said she, 'remember my delicate feelings. How[ever], the occasion is indeed alarming, and my soul [is writhing] in its sheath. (7) I will tell you everything truly.'

[Hearing this, I grew] very [excited] and perturbed at heart. But when my wife Bath-Enosh saw from my expression how perturbed I was, she repressed her indignation and proceeded to address me.

'Sir cousin,' said she, '[I will ignore] my delicate feelings, and swear to you by the Holy (and) Great One, (8) the Sovereign of hea[ven and earth] that this seed came from you, this conception was by you, and this fruit was planted by you and not by some stranger or by any of the Watchers or heavenly beings. Why, then, this troubled and marred expression and this gloomy mood? I am telling you the truth.'

Thereupon I, Lamech, rushed to my father Methuselah and [told] him the whole story, [begging him go in turn] to his father and find out definitely what the whole matter portended, since he (i.e., his father) was the favorite (of God) and [the gossip of the angels] to whom this role had been assigned and to whom they communicated all things. (9)

* * *

When Methuselah heard [my words, he in turn rushed] to his father Enoch to learn the whole truth from him and [to bespeak] his goodwill. He set out ... for Parvaim (10) and came upon him there.

'Sir and sire', said he to his father Enoch, '[Pray explain] to [me] what I am going to [tell you]. I would ask you, however, not to be angry at my coming hither. ... The fact is that I have been alarmed by [ ]'.

. . . . .

Cf. Gen. 6.1-3
Jubilees 4.15
Enoch 6.6 - iii, 3

[Then answered Enoch:] 'To be sure, in the days of my father Jared [heavenly beings did indeed come down to earth and seduce mortal women].

* * *

Cf. Enoch 106.3 v, 3-4

'(Howbeit,) I, Enoch, [have words of reassurance for you. This child does not come from any of] the heavenly beings but from [your] son, Lamech.

* * *

Enoch 106.18 v, 9-10
107.2

'(Moreover,) I have on this occasion [something else] to tell and disclose to you [ ]. Depart and inform your son Lamech [that ]'.

* * *

Enoch 107.3 v, 24-27

When Methuselah heard [these words ... he rushed home] and spoke [ ] with his son Lamech. And when I, Lamech, [learned that God] had caused [the child] to issue from me, [I was indeed reassured].

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B. Noah

The Character of Noah - vi, 2

* * *

... and all my days I behaved uprightly.

* * *

Gen. 6.9 - vi, 6

... I, Noah, was a [righteous] man, [the one blameless man in my generation].

* * *

God warns Noah of the Flood - vii, 1

"[The waters of the Flood will overwhelm] the earth and
all that is upon it, the seas [and all that is therein]."

* * *

God assures Noah of deliverance - vii, 7

.............., and I rejoiced at the words of the Lord of Heaven.

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The emergence from the Ark - x, 12-15

Gen. 8.4
Jubilees 5.28

The ark came to rest <on> one of the mountains of Ararat (i.e., Armenia).

Gen. 8.20
Jubilees 6.2

(Thereupon) I made expiation for the whole earth [ ].

Jubilees 6.3

I made smoke/burned incense on the altar. (11)

* * *

Noah's descendants are forbidden to eat blood xi, 17

Gen. 9.4
Jubilees 6.7, 13

"... You are to eat no blood

* * *

Noah's progeny xii, 10-11

Gen. 11.10
Jubilees 7.18

Arphachshad [was born] two years after the Flood. [ ].
Such, then, were all the sons of Shem in their entirety.

Gen. 10.6

[And the sons of Ham were Cush (Ethiopia) and Egypt and] Put (Somaliland?) and Canaan.

_______

[In Enoch 7.20-39 it is related that Noah commanded his sons to act uprightly and specifically to observe the rule (subsequently elaborated in Lev. 19.23-25) not to taste any produce of the earth until four years after planting. It is probable that something of the same kind filled the gap between the preceding and following sections of our text.]

_______

Noah plants the first vine xii, 13-17

Gen. 9.20
Jubilees 7.1

I and all my sons then began to work the land; (12) and I planted [ ] a vineyard on Mount Lubar. (13) After four years it yielded me wine [for my consumption].

Jubilees 7.2

On the first day of the fifth month I began to drink thereof. (14) (Thereupon) I summoned my sons and grandsons and all their wives and daughters.

Jubilees 7.6

We gathered together and went [and gave thanks] to the Lord of Heaven, the Holy and Great, Who had rescued us from destruction.

* * *

Noah parcels out the earth among his sons
and they in turn among theirs (16)

xvi, 11-12, 16

Jubilees 8.11-9.15

... all the land in the north, reaching as far as [ ].

Jubilees 8.23

The boundary on this side is the Great (i.e., Mediterranean) Sea.

Jubilees 8.25

... [reaching as far as] the River Tina (i.e., Don).

* * *

xvii, 8-11, 16

To ASHUR (i.e., Assyria) [fell the land which lies] westwards, reaching as far as [the River] Tigris. To ARAM (i.e., Syria) fell the land which lies [ ] reaching as far as the crest (or, headwaters?) (16) of [ . The boundary] on this side is the Taurus range (lit. the Mountain of the Ox). Thence this portion turns westwards, reaching as far as [ ]. Over and above (these) three portions [there was assigned] to ARPHACHSHAD [the land which lies ..... ...... reaching as far as .......].

Jubilees 9.7-8

To GOMER (i.e., the Cimmerians) he gave what lies in the northeast, reaching as far as the River Tina (Don) and the point where it turns.

To MA[GO]G (i.e., Scythia?) [he gave ].

* * *

C. Abraham

Abraham builds an altar near Bethel

xix, 7-xxii, 32

Gen. 12.8

[I was on my way from Shechem heading toward the mountain east of Bethel. I eventually pitched tent there, with Bethel on the west and 'Ai on the east] and I built an altar there [and called] there on [the name of G]O[D]. And I said: Thou art for [me] the God [ever]las[ting] (or, [of the wo]rl[d])....'

* * *

Abram and Sarai in Egypt

Cp. Gen. 12.10-20

I had not yet reached the Holy Mountain (17) but I pursued my course and went on southwards [ ] till I reached Hebron (which was built [around that time]). (18) There I stayed for [two] years. Then, however, a famine swept the entire country. Hearing that there was produce in Egypt, I made my way th[ither]—that is, to the land of Egypt [ ]. Eventually I reached the C-r-m-o-n, (19) one of the arms (†) of the River (of Egypt) [ ]. I then crossed the seven arms of that river (20) [ ] and, leaving our own land behind, entered the land of Egypt, which belonged to the children of Ham.

In the night when I entered Egypt I dreamed a dream. And behold, in my dream I saw a cedar and a palm [ ]. (Suddenly,) some men came along, seeking to cut down the cedar and leave the palm to stand by itself. Thereupon the palm restrained (them). 'Do not cut down the cedar', it said, 'for we are two of a kind'. So the cedar was spared for the sake of the palm and was not [cut down]. (21)

Awaking at night from my sleep, I said to my wife Sarai: 'I have had a terrifying dream'.

Tell it me', said she, 'that I may know what it was'.

So I proceeded to tell it to her. That dream', [I added, 'was a portent. The men I saw in it are men] who are seeking to kill me but spare you. Do me, then, this favor [When these men enquire of you, Who is this fellow? Tell them simply:] "He is my kinsman". (22) In that way I shall live on account of you, and my life will be spared for your sake. [Abduct you they may, but they will] not kill me'.

For the rest of the night [‡] Sarai kept weeping on account of my words [ ].

Then Sarai [and I journeyed on] towards Zoan, [but all the while I was] fearful for her (§) lest anyone should set eyes on her [ ].

----

[†] Heb. 'heads'.
[‡] Heb. simply, 'that night'.
[§] Heb. 'for her person'.

----

Well, after those five years, three Egyptian dignitaries [indeed came under orders] of the Pharaoh of Zoan [and confronted me] and my wife. And they kept bestowing [compliments upon her for her] goodly [grace] and wisdom and [ ]. I entreated them (**) [to listen] to what I had to say. (††) [explaining that it was] only [because we had been suffering] from the famine which [ that we had come thither]. [Paying] no [attention, however,] they went to present themselves [to their master]. Eventually, [reaching the palace, they reported to him].

[Pharaoh regaled them] with much eating and drinking, [and when they were full with meat and] wine, [they began to expatiate on the beauties of Sarai]. (‡)

'[How ,' they said]. 'How comely is the shape of her face, how [ ] and finespun are her tresses! How beautiful her eyes! How delicate is her nose and the whole lustre of her countenance! How fair are her breasts, and how comely withal is her complexion! How comely too are her arms, and how perfect her hands! How [delightful] are her hands to behold, how lovely her palms, how long and slender all her fingers! How comely are her feet! How well-rounded her thighs! No maiden or new-wed bride (§§) is fairer than she! Her beauty is greater than all other women's, and she excels them all! What is more, along with all this beauty she has great wisdom, and whatever she does turns out well. (23)

When the king heard the words of H-r-q-n-o-s (24) and of his two companions, all three of them speaking with one accord, he fell violently in love with her, and sent forthwith to have her brought to him. As soon as he set eyes on her, he was dumfounded at all her beauty and took her to wife; but me he sought to kill. Sarai, however (hoping that it might go well with me on her account), told him that I was (merely) her kinsman. So I, Abram, was spared for her sake and not killed. But throughout the night I and my nephew Lot fell to bitter weeping because Sarai had been abducted from me by force.

----

[**] Heb. 'I called out in their presence'.
[††] Heb. 'my words'.
[‡‡] This is simply a restoration ad sensum and is not intended to represent the actual words of the original.
[§§] Heb. 'None of the maidens and none of the brides that enter the marriage bower'.

----

That night I offered prayers and supplications and entreaties (25) and said in (my) anguish, as the tears rolled down: 'Blessed art Thou, O God Most High, Lord of all worlds, for Thou art the Lord and Ruler of all things and Thou art the Ruler of all the kings of the earth, executing judgment upon them. Now do I complain before Thee concerning Pharaoh of Zoan, the king of Egypt, in that my wife has been violently abducted from me. Wreak justice upon him in my behalf, and let me behold Thy hand wax mighty against him and against all his household, and let him not be able this night to defile my wife (that she be put away) from me. Let them come to know, O Lord, that Thou art the Lord of all the kings of the earth!' And I wept in my perturbation.

That night God Most High indeed sent a noisome spirit —an evil demon (*)—to plague him and all the men of his household, and it so plagued him and all the men of his household that he could not come near her, far less know her, (26) although she stayed with him for two years.

----

[*] Heb. 'spirit'.

----

When the two years were over, however, the plagues and afflictions had so overpowered him and all the men of his household that he sent and summoned all the [sages], sorcerers and physicians of Egypt to see if they could cure him and the men of his household of the plague. But none of the physicians, sorcerers or sages were able to effect a cure for him. Rather did the spirit plague them too, and they fled.

Thereupon H-r-q-n-o-s came to me and begged me to go and pray for the king and to lay my hands upon him so that he might recover, seeing that [I alone remained] in sound health. But Lot said to him: 'So long as his wife Sarai remains with the king, my uncle Abram will not be able to pray for him. Be off then and tell the king to send the man's wife back to her husband. Then he will pray for him and he will get well.'

No sooner had H-r-q-n-o-s heard Lot's words than off he went to the king.

'My lord king,' said he. 'All these plagues and afflictions have come on account of Sarai, the wife of Abram. Let Sarai be but restored to her husband Abram, and this plague and pox (27) will go from you'.

So (Pharaoh) summoned me and said to me: 'What have you done to me on account of Sarai? She told me she was (merely) your kinswoman, but she is really your wife! I took her to wife while she was really your wife! Yes, it is your wife who is with me! Depart and begone from the entire realm of Egypt, but now pray for me and my household that this evil spirit be exorcized from us'.

Thereupon I prayed (for him) that [he might be he]aled, and I placed my hand upon his [head], and the plague fell away from him, and the evil spirit was exorcized from him.

When he was recovered, the king arose and announced to me [ ] and swore an irrevocable] oath to me that he had not [defiled her], and the king gave her silver and gold in abundance and much raiment of fine linen and purple [ ] in her presence, (28) and to Hagar (29) also [ ], and he commissioned men to escort me out [of the country].

* * *

Abram reaches Beth-el

Gen. 13.3 - xx, 33-xxi, 4
Jubilees 13.15

So I Abram departed with exceeding much cattle and silver and gold and went up out of [Egypt] with my nephew [Lot]. Lot too received much cattle, and he took him a wife of the daughters of [ ].

Pitching camp now here now there, I eventually reached Beth-el, the place where I had originally built the altar. I built one a second time and offered upon it burnt offerings and meal offering to God Most High, and I called there on the name of the Lord of (all) worlds and offered praise to the name of God and blessed God and gave thanks before God for all the possessions and prosperity which He had bestowed upon me and for all the benevolence which He had shown towards me and for having brought me back safely to that land.

=======

Lot parts from Abram

Gen. 13.7-11 - xxi, 5-7
Jubilees 13.17-18

The following day, Lot parted company with me on account of what happened in connection with our grazing-grounds, (30) and went and settled in the Valley of the Jordan. Although (he took) all his possessions with him, I added lavishly to them. He went on pasturing his flocks until eventually he reached Sodom. In Sodom he bought himself a house and settled down, while I for my part settled in the mount of Beth-el. Nevertheless I was grieved that my nephew Lot had parted company with me.

=======

The Promised Land

Gen. 13.14-16 - xxi, 8-22
Jubilees 13.20-21

One night God appeared to me in a vision.

'Go up', said He, 'to the height of Hazor, (31) which lies left of Beth-el (the place where you are now settled), and lift your eyes and gaze eastward and westward and southward and northward (32) and behold all this land which I am going to give to you and to your seed for ever'.

So on the morrow I duly went up to the height of Hazor and from that height I beheld the land, from the River of Egypt as far as Lebanon and Senir, from the Great Sea as far as the Hauran, the whole area of Gebal (33) as far as Kadesh, the whole of the Great Wilderness which lies east of the Hauran, and the region of Senir as far as the Euphrates.

And God said to me: 'I am going to give this land to your seed that they may possess it for ever, and I am going to multiply that seed of yours like the dust of the earth. Just as no man can count that dust, so will your seed be countless. Up now, go, fare forth and see how long it is and how wide. Behold, I am going to give it to you and to your seed after you for ever'. (34)

So I, Abram, set out to tour and survey the land. I began the tour at the River Gihon (35) and came to the shore of the sea, beside which I travelled till I reached the Taurus range. (36) Then I turned from the [shore] of that great lake, i.e. the Dead Sea, and departed, alongside Mount Taurus in an easterly direction across the breadth of the land until I reached the River Euphrates. Then I journeyed beside the Euphrates eastward until I reached the Persian Gulf (37) and I proceeded along the Persian Gulf until I reached the tongue of the Sea of Reeds which issues out of it. I then pursued my course southward until I reached the River Gihon. At that point I turned back and came safely to my family, where I found everyone well.

Thereupon I departed and settled in the plains (38) of Mamre which lie close to Hebron, to the northeast, and there I built an altar and offered upon it burnt offering and meal offering unto God Most High. And I ate and drank there together with all the men of my household, and I sent and invited my friends, the three Amorite brothers, Mamre, Aneram (39) and Eshcol, and they ate and drank together with me.

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The rescue of Lot

Gen. 14.Iff. - xxi, 23-xxii, 26
Jubilees 13.22-29

Some time previously, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, Amraphel, king of Babylon, (40) Arioch, long of Cappadocia, (41) and Tid'al, king of Goyim (which is in Mesopotamia) came and waged war against Bera', king of Sodom, Birsha', king of Gomorram, (42) Shinab, king of Admah, and Shem-'-b-d, (43) king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela'. They assembled for combat in the vale of Siddim, and the king of Elam and his royal allies overpowered the king of Sodom and his confederates, and he imposed tribute upon them, For twelve years they paid their tribute to the king of Elam, but in the thirteenth year they revolted against him. In the fourteenth, however, the king of Elam led forth all his allies and they went up along the Way of the Wilderness (44) and proceeded to attack and plunder from the River Euphrates inwards. They attacked the Rephaim who lived at Ashteroth-Qarnaim, the Zamzummim who lived at Ammon, (45) the Emim who lived at Shaveh-haQeriyoth, and the Horites who lived in the Gebalene hills, until finally they reached El-Paran which is by the wilderness. Then they turned back [and came to and attacked the Amorites] at Hazezon-tamar.

But the king of Sodom, the king of [Gomorram, the ki]ng of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela' went out to challenge them [and joined] battle in the vale of [Siddim] with Chedorlao[mer, king of Elam and his royal] allies. However, the king of Sodom was beaten and fled, the king of Gomorram fell into some pits [ ]. Thereupon the king of Elam seized all the property that was in Sodom and Gomorram [ ], and they carried off with them also Abram's nephew Lot, who had settled in Sodom, together with all his possessions.

But one of the shepherds (46) whom Abram had given to Lot and who had escaped from captivity came to Abram, who was dwelling at the time in Hebron, and told him that his nephew Lot had been captured together with all his possessions, but not killed, and that the kings had taken the route through the Great Valley and were looting and plundering and attacking and killing, and that they were headed for the province of Damascus. Thereupon Abram wept for his nephew Lot. Bracing himself, however, he proceeded to pick out from among his servants some three hundred and eighteen doughty stalwarts who might engage in combat and, with Aneram, Eshcol and Mamre marching beside him, pursued after them until he reached Dan. He came upon them encamped in the valley of Dan and, attacking them by night from all four directions, kept wreaking slaughter among them and discomfiting them throughout the night, and subsequently chased after them. They all fled before him until they reached Helbon (47) which is situated to the left of Damascus. Howbeit, he stripped them of all that they had taken as plunder and loot and likewise of all their own goods, and he also rescued his nephew Lot, restoring to him all his possessions and all that they had taken from him as spoil.

When the king of Sodom heard that Abram had restored all the spoil and loot, he went up to challenge him, and came to Salem (that is, Jerusalem). (48) Now, Abram was encamped in the valley of Shaveh (the same is the Valley of the King in the dale of Beth-cerem). (49) And Melchizedek, the king of Salem, furnished food and drink for Abram and for all the men that were with him; and he was a priest of God Most High. And he blessed Abram, and said: 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Lord of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High Who hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand'. And he gave him a tenth part of all the possessions of the king of Elam and his allies.

Thereupon the king of Sodom approached and said to Abram: 'My lord Abram, give me the persons who are (properly) mine but who are with you only as spoil, whom you have rescued from the king of Elam, but let all the property be left with you'.

But Abram said to the king of Sodom: This day do I lift my hand (in oath) unto God Most High, Lord of heaven and earth, that I will not take even so much as a thread or a shoestring which is yours, lest you should say that all Abram's wealth comes really from my possessions. The only exception will be what my youths who are with me have already eaten and what the three stalwarts who went with me have received as their share. They must be left to control their own shares in the matter of surrendering any of them to you'.

And therewith Abram returned all the possessions and all the spoil and gave them to the king of Sodom. And he released all the captives and sent them all away.

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Abram is promised a son

Gen. 15.1-4 - xxii, 27-34
Jubilees 14.1-3

After these things God appeared to Abram in a vision and said to him: 'Behold, it is ten full years since you went up from Haran. Two years have you passed here, and seven in Egypt, and one since you came back from Egypt Now review and compute all that you have and see how it has increased to double of what went out with you in the day that you left Haran. But now, fear not, I am with you and I will be a help to you and a source of strength. I will also be a shield about you, and your spear (50) against any that is stronger than you. Your wealth and possessions will increase exceedingly'.

'My Lord God', replied Abram, 'my wealth and possessions have indeed increased, but what good are all these to me, seeing that I shall die childless and go without sons, and one of the boys of my household will inherit me, even Eliezer of [Damascus ]?'

'Nay', replied God. 'None shall inherit you save one that issues [from your loins]'.

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The Oration Of Moses - A Paraphrase Of The Law

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Moses' farewell exhortation

And [God called] unto Moses in the [fortieth] year of the going out of the [children] of Israel [from the land of] Egypt, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, saying:

[Gather together] all the congregation, and go up unto [Mount Nebo] and stand there, thou and Eleazar, [the son of] Aaron.

Interpret [the Law] [unto the heads of the families, unto the levites and all the [priests];

And enjoin upon the children of Israel the words of the Law which I commanded [thee] on Mount Sinai to enjoin upon [them].

Explain carefully in their hearing all that [I exact] of them; [and call] heaven and [earth to witness] concerning that which will befall them if they and their children [walk] not in the way which I have commanded [them throughout their lives] on earth.

[For] I declare that if they renounce Me and choose [the filthy ways of] the heathen and their abominations and their idols, and if they [worship] their godlings, these will prove but a trap and a snare.

And if they neglect [any] of the holy [convocations], or the sabbath which is itself a Covenant, [or the festivals] which I command them this day to observe, it shall redound to their being [smitten] with a great [smiting] in the midst of that land [for the possession of which] they are about to cross the Jordan.

For all the curses [of the Covenant] will come upon them and overtake them, to the end that they shall perish and be [destroyed]. Then shall they know [that] the truth has been evinced among them.

So Moses called Eleazar the son of [Aaron] and Joshua [the son of Nun and said unto] them: Rehearse [all the words of the Law] completely. ...

[Give ear,] O Israel, and hearken! This [day art thou to become a people] unto GOD (*) [your God].

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[*] A pious substitute for YHWH, the ineffable name.

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Thou shalt keep [My statutes] and Mine orders and My [commandments] which [I] command thee this day [to perform].

When thou crossest the [Jordan] to [possess thee] of great and goodly [cities], of houses filled with all [goodly things, of vineyards and olives] which thou didst not [plant], and of hewn wells which thou didst not hew; and when thou eatest and art satisfied,

[Beware] lest thy heart become haughty and thou [forget] that which I [command] thee this day. For it is [thy] life and the length of [thy] days.

Then Moses [summoned the children of] Israel and [said]:

This day it is forty [years] since we went out from the land of Egypt; and this [day] hath GOD our God [caused] all these words—[all] His judgments and commandments —[to issue] from His mouth.

How can [I myself alone bear] your cumbrance and your [burden and your strife? When I am done with imparting unto you] the Covenant and with enjoining the way in which ye are to walk, [take you wise men who] shall serve to explain [unto you] and your [children] all the words of the Law.

Take heed exceedingly unto your souls [that ye do them, lest] the wrath of [your God] be fanned into flame and blaze against you, and He shut up the heavens above that they rain no rain upon you, and the [waters] below, that [the earth] yield no [produce] for you.

And Moses [went on to rehearse] unto the children of Israel all these commandments [which God] had commanded them to do. ...

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Of the Year of Release

[At the end of every seven] years [thou shalt observe] a sabbatical rest [of the land. The produce of] the earth [during that period of rest shall serve both thee and the domestic beasts and the wild animals] of the field [for food]; and what is left shall be for the [needy] among thy brethren, who are [in the land].

No man shall [then] sow [his field] or prune his [vineyard, neither shall anyone glean the aftermath of the harvest, nor] gather fruits for himself.

[Thou shalt observe] all these [words] of the Covenant, [to perform them].

If thou [attend carefully] to the performance of [this commandment], and if thou [truly] 'relax thy [hand]' in that year, it shall mean also that anyone who is [a creditor of another] and hath [a claim of any kind] upon him [in respect of a loan] shall [likewise] 'relax [his hand'.] [It shall be called the Release] ordained by GOD [your God.]

One may exact payment from an alien, but not from any of one's own brethren. For in that year God will bless you, and He [too] will absolve you—of your iniquities.

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Of the Day of Atonement

[ ] on this day. ...

For your [fathers] were wanderers [in the wilderness] until the tenth day of the [seventh] month. ...

On the tenth [day] of the month, [all work] shall be forbidden; and on that tenth day, atonement shall be made. ...

[ ] [day] of the month [ ] shall take [ ].

[ ] [On that day, judgment shall be passed] also upon the congregation of the angels and upon the company of the Holy Beings. ...

[ ] [on behalf of the children of] Israel and on behalf of the land. He (†) shall [take of its blood] and pour [it] upon the ground [ ]. And [atonement] shall be made for them. (The rest of the text is fragmentary, It describes the ritual of the Day of Atonement.)

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[†] I.e., the high priest.

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Notes

Memoirs of the Patriarchs

1. I.e., the fallen angels. The name derives from Dan. 4.13, 17, 23. Cp. 'Zadokite' Document, ii.18; Enoch 1.51; 10.9; 12.2; 13.10, etc.

2. Cp. Zech. 14.5; Pss. 16.3; 89.8; Job 5.1; 15.15; Dan. 8.13; Enoch 1.9; 9.3; 12.2; 14.23; 39.5.

3. Heb. nephilim (cp. Gen. 6.4). The word was popularly derived from n-ph-l, 'fall' and taken to mean 'fallen angels'. Cp. Enoch 15.8: 'The giants ... from the holy Watchers is their origin'.

4. Lamech's wife is so called also in Jubilees 41.28 (Eth.). The name means 'daughter of Enosh'.

5. For this form of adjuration, cp. Enoch 98.6; 103.1. The title 'God Most High' was especially popular in Hellenistic tunes; cp. Ecclus. 41.5; 47.5; II Mace. 3.31.

6. Literally, 'My lord and kinsman (brother)'.

7. I.e., 'I am all choked up, not in command of my faculties'. The expression derives from Dan. 7.15 (cp. also Talmud, Sanhedrin 108a) and harks back to the primitive notion that the body is the sheath or envelope of the soul. A similar expression occurs in Pliny, H.N., vii, 52.

8. Throughout the Book of Enoch, God is regularly styled 'Holy and Great One', e.g., 1.3; 10.1; 14.1; 35.1.

9. Legend asserted that in reward for his piety Enoch had been made privy to heavenly secrets; cp. Enoch 1.2; 27.4; 72.1; 81.1. In Jewish folklore he was some-tunes identified with the angel Metatron.

10. See above, Introduction, §2 (iii).

11. Fumigation is an element of atonement procedures; cf. Lev. 4.10, 19, etc.; 5.12; 7.5; 9.10; 16.25. On the subject in general, cf. I. Scheftelowitz, Altpaldstin-ensicher Bauernglaube (1925), pp. 82fi.; M. Haran, The Use of Incense in the Ancient Israelite Ritual', in Vetus Testamentum, 10 (1960), 113-29.

12. The traditional Jewish text of Gen. 9.20 runs simply, Then Noah the husbandman began and planted a vineyard', but the Latin (Vulgate) and Syriac (Peshitta) Versions indeed read, 'began to work the earth', as here.

13. Lubar is mentioned both in the Book of Jubilees and in later rabbinic legend as the mountain on which the ark came to rest; cf. Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews, v.l86, 188. The name remains unexplained.

14. Noah piously observes the Law of Lev. 19.23-25 for-bidding the consumption of produce until four years after planting! On the particular application of this to vines (kerem reba'i), cf. Mishnah Pe'ah, vii.6: Terumoth, iii.9; Ma'aser Shem, v.1-3; Parah, i.l.

15. Identifications (successively modernized) of the ter-ritories allotted to the sons and grandsons of Noah are to be found in Jubilees 8.11-9.15; the Biblical Antiql-uities mistakenly ascribed to Philo, 4.4; the medieval Chronicles of Jerahmeel, ch. 31; and the Samaritan Asatir [Legends] of Moses, ii.24-31.

16. Literally, on the heads of (i.e., in addition to the main portions?). The translation is uncertain.

17. I.e., Bethel. The Samaritans identify the mountain with Gerizim; cf. Marqeh, 71b-72a (in M. Heidenheim Bibliotheca Samaritana, iii [1896], 51); Ma'lef, §§97-98.

18. Cf. Jubilees 13.10.

19. Evidently the river K-r-m-o-n (or K-r-m-y-o-n) men-tioned in Mishnah, Parah, vii.9, and in Babylonian Talmud, Baba Bathra, 74b.

20. I.e., the seven mouths of the Delta; cf. Herodotus ii.17; Pliny, HN, v.64. The Nile is often described in classical Literature as 'seven-branched'; e.g., Moschus ii.51; Catullus, xi.7; Vergil, Aeneid, vi.801; Ovid, Met., v.l87; xv.753.

21. See above, Introduction, §2 (iv).

22. The Hebrew word 'ah has a wider meaning than 'brother', as usually rendered. In urging Sarai to use this more neutral term, Abram was resorting to the diplomatic stratagem of ambiguity, rather than to downright deception.

23. Literally, 'what pertains to her hands'.

24. This name does not occur in parallel versions of the story, and is not yet satisfactorily explained. If it is indeed to be identified as Hyrcanos, the name may have reference to John Hyrcanus (135-105 B.C.) and be used in a typological and derogatory sense, inspired by that sense of 'Pharisaic', opposition to him which is reflected in Josephus, Ant., xii.10.5-6 and in the Talmud, i.e., 'a veritable Hyrcanus'. This would then be an important clue to the dating of our text. In the corresponding Samaritan tradition, the courtier is called T-r-t-s (Asatir, vi.18) or T-r-s-s (Meshalma, fol.197f.)—evidently Hellenistic names.

25. The original employs the standard terms for the different types of prayer.

26. See above, Introduction, §2 (vi).

27. Literally, spirit (demon) of gleet, i.e., gonorrhea.

28. This evidently refers to a declaration of divorce made by Pharaoh in the presence of Sarai. Rabbinic legend asserts that Pharaoh had given Sarai a formal marriage contract, cf. Ginzberg, Legends, i, p. 223. A formal declaration of divorce would then have been required, by Jewish law, before her husband could reclaim her. The Samaritan version (Asatir, vi.21) adds the picturesque detail that the whole palace was lit up by the lustre on Sarai's face.

29. There was an old legend that Hagar was the daughter of Pharaoh and that he presented her to Abram; cf. Ginzberg, Legends, v.221, n. 74.

30. Cf. Gen. 12.7ff.

31. This is the modern Jebel el-'Asur, reputedly the highest spot in central Palestine. On this episode, see above, Introduction, §2 (vii).

32. The author seems to muddle the directions, for in the subsequent specifications he presents a survey which proceeds northwards, westwards, and eastwards, agreeing more with the order in Jubilees.

33. See above, Introduction, §3.

34. See above, Introduction, §2 (viii).

35. The Gihon, one of the four tributaries of the river of Eden (Gen. 2.15) was popularly identified with the Nile; cf. Josephus, Ant., I.i.3.

36. I.e., more strictly, the Amanus section of the Taurus range.

37. Literally, the Red Sea, the Greek name for the Persian Gulf.

38. Heb. 'elone Mamre'. This is usually rendered 'the oaks of Mamre', but it may be suggested that the author may have followed an ancient tradition (preserved in the Vulgate's rendering, convallis) which interpreted the name from the like-sounding Greek aulon, 'valley'-a word which was indeed adopted into Syriac. John Mandeville similarly speaks of 'the plain of Mamre'.

39. For this form, instead of the Biblical 'Aner, cp. Gomorram for Gomorrah. Curiously enough, the Samaritan version (in the Asatir) has Arenam.

40. In the Bible, Amraphel is identified as 'king of Sh-n-'-r'. This is probably the Shanhar(a) mentioned in the Amarna Letter, 35.49, Amraphel being a semi-Hurrianized name, Amurru-pal, and having nothing whatsoever to do with the Babylonian Hammurabi, as was previously supposed. But Sh-n-'-r was commonly equated in antiquity with Shine'ar, a name for Babylonia in Gen. 10.10; 11.2; Zech. 5.11, etc., and is so rendered in both the Palestinian and the Samaritan Targums.

41. In the Bible, Ellasar, still unidentified.

42. See above, n. 39.

43. The traditional Jewish text has ShemebeR. Our a-thor's reading agrees with the Samaritan recension.

44. Literally, the sandy tract. See Introduction, §3.

45. The traditional Jewish text has, the Zuzim in Ham (variant: Ham), which some scholars would identify with modern Ham, on the southwest shore of the Dead Sea. Comparison with Deut 2.20 suggests, however, that Zuzim (i.e., Z-v-z-i-m?) and Zamzumim are simply alternative representations of the same name. It is this latter passage which justifies our author in locating them in 'Ammon.

46. The Bible identifies him only as 'a refugee'.

47. The Bible has Hobah—ihe Ube of cuneiform texts. For Helbon (modern Halbun), cf. Ezek. 27.18 and Strabo, 735; Athenaeus, i.22.

48. Actually, this may have been the modern Salim, near Shechem, as maintained by the Samaritans. But the tradition that it was Jerusalem (called Shalem in Ps. 76.3) is attested also by Josephus (Ant., 1.10.2) and by the Targums.

49. Cf. Jer. 6.1; Neh. 3.14; Mishnah, Middoth, iii.4; Nid-dah, ii.7. It is the modern 'Ain Karim, about four and a half miles west of Jerusalem.

50. The text has the word 'spr, not found elsewhere. This has been identified with an Iranian word (none too well authenticated, I am told), said to mean 'square shield, buckler', but—despite the previous mention of a shield—the preposition against, rather than from, would seem to indicate a weapon of offense rather than of defense. I would therefore tentatively suggest comparison with the Latin spams (whence our own spear), 'a short, curved weapon like a hunting-spear or scimitar'.

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