The Testament of Joseph ('concerning self- control,' /3). — In all troubles, God Avas with him — his brethren hated him but God loved him, he was enslaved and God freed him, sick and the Lord visited him, in prison and his God showed him favour (i. 1-7). God helped him in all his (ten) tempta- tions (ii. 1-7). He resisted his mistress's wiles by strict fasting and abstinence, and prayers for him- self and her. In prison he thanked God for de- liverance from her (iii. 1-ix. 5). God exalts as well as delivers the humble and pure (x. 1-6). He told an untruth to the merchants and again to the Egyptian officer, even when examined by scourg- ing, to save his brethren's honour ; the Egyptian woman intervened to rescue and purchase him (xi. 1-xvi. 6). He exhorts his sons to do well even to those who seek their hurt (xvii. 1-xviii. 4). He recounts his two-fold vision : (1) of twelve harts, of which three remained and became lambs, then all were restored as twelve sheep ; (2) of twelve bulls — then of a lamb which overcame all the beasts who attacked him (xix. 1-10). He bids them honour Levi and Judah ; from them shall come Israel's salvation ; his own kingdom would be transitory (xix. 11-12). He gives a dying charge concerning his bones and those of his wife (a) (XX. 1-6).
The Testament of Benjamin ('concerning a pure mind,' /3). — He narrates the story of his birth. Joseph tells him in Egypt what his brethren did. He bids his sons fear God and love their neighbour, then they need not fear Beliar, man, or beast (i. 1-iii. 5). He speaks of Jacob's prediction that in Joseph should be fulfilled the prophecy of heaven — that the sinless should die for ungodly men (iii. 6-8). The good man overcomes evil with good (iv. 1-v. 5). His will is guided by the angel of peace ; he desires nothing overmuch, riches, pleasure, or honour ; and is sincere and single- minded (vi. 1-7). He warns them against Beliar and his sword of seven-fold evil, evidenced in the case of Cain (vii. l-.'i). The pure mind like the sun cleanses away pollutions, itself undefiled (viii. 1-3). He foresees the impurity of his descendants ; yet they shall have God's temple in their portion, and there shall the twelve tribes and the Gentiles meet (ix. 1, 2). He tells how he had a vision of
Joseph in his absence (x. 1). He charges them to keep the Law ; foretells the resurrection of all the patriarchs ; each shall rule over his tribe. Israel shall be convicted by the chosen Gentiles (x. 2-11). In the latter days one beloved of the Lord [belonging to Benjamin's seed, i.e. Paul, ;3 text] shall arise, to enlighi;en the Gentiles (xi. 1-5). lienjaniin dies and is buried (xii. 1-4).
2. Title. — The title of the whole work, if it ever had one, is far from clear. The Stichometry of Nicepliorua and the Synopsis of Athanasius refer to the book under the simple title IlaTpidpx'^'- But the earliest and indeed the only instance we possess of the use of the word ' patriarch ' with special reference to the twelve sons of Jacob is in Stephen's speech in Ac 7'- *. The reference would not be clear enough, in the absence of any context, to serve as the title of a book. There is less difficulty with regard to the fuller title 'The Testaments of the (Twelve [?]) Patriarchs or [in Hebrew] Fathers.' The use of the word SiaBiiKri in our present Greek text does not, as was once thought, imply a late date and a conception borrowed from Roman law. It is true that in the LXX it is always the equivalent of n'la, ' cove- nant.' But in the (late?) Hebrew Testament of Naphtali (see § 6) we have the simple title, 'The Biddings of Naphtali the son of Jacob ' (p ■'^ns] dniis apv). The title of the individual Testament was no doubt in this form. For the use of nrs to denote a 'testamentary disposition,' or a 'dying charge,' of. Is 38". The Greek MSS difter greatly, but tend to amplify the title, the secondary (^) recension and the Armenian adding the main theme of each Testament thus, SiaSriKr/ 'Pov^tj/i Trepl ivvoiCni.
3. Date. — The text supplies several indications of the date of the original work. It was earlier than the Roman domination, as the list of foreign conquerors in Test. Naph. v. 8 ends with the Syrians (Seleucidae). It was during the rule of the Maccabsean princes,* as the military prowess of Judah and Levi, and more particularly the lists of cities stormed (e.g. Tappuah and Hazor ; see Charles on Jubilees, xxxiv. 4), reflect the exploits of Judas and his brothers. The details of that great struggle are still fresh in the writer's mind. Further, a Maccaboean king of unique powers and position was reigning, a descendant of Levi, who was not only a warrior king(2'es<. Beub. vi. 10, 11), and a priest known by the ' new name ' (i.e. ' priest of the Most High God '), apparently first assumed by Simon, but also 'z. prophet of the Most High' (Test. Levi, viii. 14, 15). This designation is appropriate only to John Hyrcanus, 137-105 B.C. Further, as the Pharisaic author speaks of him in the highest terms, the date must be earlier than the tragic breach between Hyrcanus and the Pharisees, vihich occurred probably in 107 B.C. Charles finds an additional indication of date in tlie references to the overthrow of Shechem. Shechem itself fell to Hyrcanus about 132 B.C., but the allusion may be to the total destruction of Samaria in 120 B.C., the ancient Shechem being intended as an equivalent for the later Samaritan people.