captivity of Israel (5). Seven months later he saw another vision. Jacob and his sons were standing by the Sea of Jamnia. A vessel full of dried fish appeared ; hut it had no rudder or sails. They embarked, and a storm arose. They were threatened with destruction ; Levi prayed, and, though the vessel was wrecked, they were saved upon pieces of the wreckage (6). Naphtali told his visions to his father, who saw in them a token that .Joseph was living (7). With the prediction of the Messiah (8. 9) the Testament closes.— (9) Gad, o» Hatred. After the customary account of him- self, Gad (1) confesses that he hated Joseph and brought about his sale to the Ishmaelites (2. 3). He warns his children against hatred, points out its evil, and urges them to cherish and exercise love (4-8).— (10) Asher, on the Two Aspects of Vice and Virtue. This patriarch begins with a por- traiture of the two ways open before men, de- seribiny each carefully (1. 2). He commends sim- plieity of lieiul and devotion to virtue (3), gives rea^.m^ . ti. an.l a^.iin commends the path of virtue (5, (J), . l..-iim with warnings and predictions (7. 8). — (II) .loM'].h, I'll Chastity. Joseph begins with the contrasts between his many-sided suflering and God's many-sided help and deliverance (1). He then proceeds to narrate the circumstances of his servitude in Egypt (2), his temptation (3-7), his imprisonment (8. 9), and exhorts to brotherly love (10) and the fear of God (11). He further goes back to tell the story once more of the circum- stances of the temptation (12-15), and concludes with an exhortation to honour Levi and Judah, predicting that from them should arise the Lamb of God (17-20).— (12) Benjamin, on a Pure Mind. Benjamin begins by telling of his birth (1) ; then of the meeting with Joseph in Egypt (2). This leads to the exaltation of Joseph as the perfect man, who should be imitated (3. 4). A pure mind will be recognized by the wicked (5). Beliar himself cannot mislead the pure-minded (6). There is a sevenfold evil in wickedness, and a sevenfold pun- ishment is to be measured out to those who practise it (7). Flee wickedness, he urges, and concludes with the prediction of corruption among his de- scendants (8. 9), and of the resurrection and the judgment which will follow.
Ltterary questions.— The book is extant in a Greek text, also in a complete Armenian and fraijmentary Syriac and Aramaic versions. The Latin version, frequently reprinted from the 16th century onwards, is Grosseteste's. An ancient Latin translation is not known to exist. A Slavonic version of un- certain origin is also published by Tichonravolt (Deiikm. d. altruss. Apocr. Litt., St. Petersb. 1863).
The original of the work was either Greek or Hebrew. Grabe fXpirihv). Fair. 2, 1714, I'?9-144l arL'UPii for the Hebrew. All
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APOCALYPTIC LITERATUEE
APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE
des ApoGrypkes, i. 1S56. njphische Bucher (Tubi ^ Kautzsch'sPj>'f?»depi^r. 19110 Pair. ISin ; Reii'ss, Geich . ' 'Die Test, der .Ml Patr ' m I herausg. \. Eeuss unri Cunil Test. Patr. 1857; HilgenfiM van Hengel, ' De Tes,!
op nieuw ter sprake gebragt in tiodgcleerdc Bijdragen, 186r Geiger, Jud. Zeit. S- Wisi. u Leben, 1869, pp. 116-135, 18": 123-125; Presb. Rev. 1880; Sclinapp, Test, der Zimlr Pat,
10. The Book of Jubilees. — This book was known and often alluded to by tlie ancient and mediaeval ecclesiastical writers up to the days of Theodorus Metochita (A.D. 1332). It was called 'Jubilees' ('The Book of Jubilees'), or 'Little Genesis ' (Pcu-va Genesis, Aeirroyiixais). Some time after the middle of the 14th cent, it disappeared, and was known only through the references to it of the earlier writers. Its recovery in modern times was accomplished by the African missionary Krapf in 1844. Krapf found an Ethiojjic version of it in Abyssinia, which he sent to Europe. Here it came into the hands of Dillmann, and was by him translated and published first in German and afterwards in Ethiopic.
Contents. — The general plan of this book follows so closely that of the canonical Genesis that it will suffice to designate some of its distinctive features only. The book gives a haggadistie version of the history contained in Genesis, including also Exodus as far as ch. 14. The main events are identical in all essential points, but very many additions and embellishments are introduced. First of all, the whole of time is represented as subdivided into jubilee periods, these into sabbatical periods, and these into years. This, it is said, was the original plan of God, and the knowledge of it was com- municated to Moses by revelation. The account of the manner and time of the revelation is given in ch. 1, in which, further, the angclus interpres (who is in this case the Angel of the Presence) furnishes an outlook into the future and foretells the apostasy of Israel and her restoration to God. In the rest of the book the feasts and observances of the Mosaic ritual are traiisfiTi 1(1 (.. i hi' days of Noah and Abraham, and in uiii,i,il ih,. (•\.ii'ts dl this earlier jieriod are tic;itiil w illi niucli liirdiim and illustniti-il by Miii|.liliraiioii and liaditioii. In the account .if I hr Civai ion. an aJ.liti.ju is made with ri'lVivn.'.- lo il„. .aval ion oi I l,r .an-els. The luminaiii',, n^alr,! on llir lourlli day are said to be for SSabbaLlis and lusUvals. J^ve' was created during the second week. Therefore the command 'that their defilement is to be seven days for a male child and fourteen days for a female.' Adam is said to have been set to keep the garden from tlie incursions of the beasts of the held. Before tlie Fall animals could speak. It was between the 63rd and 70th year of Adam's life that Cain was born ; between the 70th and 77th that Abel was born ; between the 77th and 84th that Awan his only daughter was born. Adam and Eve had nine other sons (making twelve children altogether). The names of the wives of anttalihnians are -fiicr- ally given. Enoch's wifi- was E.lna, tho .laimhlcr of Daniel. The corruption of mankind which h'dto the Flood is said to have spread tlir(nij;li the whole creation, so that even animals were made subject to it, for which reason they perished in the waters. The Nephilim, who sprang from the union of the sons of God with tlie daucliti^rs of men, were set at enmity wiUi on.' .aiadhcr, an. I -^Lw each man his neiglilioui." All.T Ih.' V\ I, N.iah .illered a sacri- fice w hi. h is .h -.lih, .1 a- ill i'\cn' [..articular con- forming to the LevUi.;al law. The feast of the first-fruits was observed by Noah. The feast of the New Moon also had its origin at this time. The year consists of 13 months, each of 28 days, or