The Testament of Judah
THE TESTAMENT OF JUDAH, THE FOURTH SON OF JACOB AND LEAH
1 1, 2 The copy of the words of Judah, what things he spake to his sons before he died. They gathered 3 themselves together, and he said to them: Hearken, my brethren, and ye sons; and 4 he said to them: Hearken, my children, to Judah your father. I was the fourth son born to my father Jacob; and Leah my mother named me Judah, saying, I give thanks to the Yahweh, because He hath given me a fourth son also. 5 I was swift in my youth, and obedient to my father in everything. And I honoured my mother and my mother's sister. And it came to pass, when I became a man, that my father blessed me, saying, Thou shalt be a king, prospering in all things.
2 1, 2 And the Yahweh showed me favour in all my works both in the field and in the house. I know that 3 I raced a hind, and caught it, and prepared the meat for my father, and he did eat. And the roes I used to master in the chase, overtaking all that was in the plains. A wild mare I caught and 4 tamed it. I slew a lion and took a kid out of its mouth. I took a bear by the foot and 13 hurled it down the cliff, and it was crushed. I outran the wild boar, and seizing it as I ran, 6 crushed it. I outran the wild boar, and seizing it as I ran, 6 I crushed it. A leopard in Hebron leaped upon my dog, and I caught it by the tail, and 7 buried it in the fields, and broken in twain, I found a wild ox feeding in the fields, and seizing it by the horns, whirling it round and stunning it, I cast it from me and slew it.
Chapter 3
3 1 And when the two kings of the Canaanites came sheathed in armour against our flocks, and much people with them, single-handed 1 rushed upon the first, and smote him on the greaves 2 and crushed his breastplate. And the other, the king of Tappuah, as he sat upon his 5 horse, [I slew, other, the king of Tappuah, as he sat upon his 5 horse, [I slew, and so he fell backwards from his horse. And I took a stone of sixty pounds weight, and hurled it and smote his horse, and he fell with it. And I fought with (this) other for two 5 hours, and I smote him, and I took his shield in twain, and (this) other for two 5 hours, and I smote him, and I took his shield in twain, and I chopped off his feet. And I killed him. And as I was 6 stripping off his breastplate nine hundred men as his companions began to fight with me. And I wound my garment on my hand; and I flung stones at them, and I killed four of them, and the rest fled in fright. And 7 my father slew Beelseash, king of all the kings, a giant in strength, twelve cubits high. 8, 9 And fear fell upon them, and they ceased warring against us. Then my father was free from 10 anxiety in the wars wherewith he was with my brethren. For he saw in a vision concerning me that an angel of might followed me everywhere, that I should not be overcome.
Chapter 4
4 1 And in the second year there came upon us a greater war than that in Shechem; and I joined in battle array with my brethren, and pursued 2 a thousand men, and slew of them two hundred men and 3, 4 four kings. And I went up upon the wall, and 3 I slew four mighty men. And so we captured Hazor, and took all the spoil.
Chapter 5
5 1 On the next day we departed to Areten, 4 a city strong and walled and inaccessible, threatening us 8 with death. But I and Gad approached on the east side of the city, and Reuben and Levi on the west. And they that were upon the wall, thinking that we were alone, were drawn down against 4 us. And my brothers secretly climbed up on both sides and entered the city, 5 and as for those who had taken refuge in the tower, we set fire to the tower and took both it with the edge of the sword. And the men of Tappuah set upon them 6, and we devoted to the sword all that had taken it with the edge of the sword. And as for those who had taken refuge in the tower, we set fire to the tower and took both it and them. 6 And as we were departing the men of Tappuah set upon our spoil, and delivering it up to our sons we fought with them as far as Tappuah. 7 And we slew them and burnt their city, and took as spoil all that was in it.
6 1, 2 And when I was at the waters of Kozeha, the men of Jobel came against us in battle. And we fought with them and routed them, and pursued them as far as Selom. We slew, and we took their spoil, and took their wives. 3 Then the men of Makir came upon us to come in against us. And the Amorites came 4 upon us to come in against us. And we attacked them upon the fifth day, to seize our spoil, for there was a host of them and overcame them in fierce battle; for there was a host of mighty men. And when we came down before them they had mightily shut up the ascent. And when we came down before them they had rolled upon us stones from the brow of the hill on which the city stood. And I said: Shoot yourselves behind the town, and seized upon the heights, and destroyed this city also.
Chapter 7
7 1 And the next day it was told me that the king of the city of Gaash with a mighty host was coming 2 against us. I, therefore, and Dan disguising ourselves to be Amorites, and as allies went into their camp by night and smote the Amorites and we put them to flight, and seized upon the spoil, and Dan disguising ourselves to be Amorites, and as allies went into their three 4 walls we sat down. And we drew near to Thamna, where was all the substance of the hostile kings. Then being insulted by them, and therefore wroth, and rushed against them and slew them by them, and they kept singing against me. 5 And they said: From henceforth [illegible] 7 And had not Dan my brother aided me, they would 7 have slain me. We came upon them, therefore, with wrath, and they all fled; and passing 8 by Sammaroh way, they besought my father, and he made peace with them. And we did to them no hurt, 9 and they made tributary to us, and we restored to them their spoil. And I built Thamna, and my 10 father built Pahaanath. And I was twenty years old when this war befell. And the Canaanites feared me.
8 1, 2 And I had much cattle, and I had for chief herdsman Iram the Adullamite. And when I went to him I saw his daughter: and she pleased me, and I made her a feast. 5 and she bare me Er, and Onan and Shelah. And two of them the Yahweh smote: for Shelah lived, and his children are ye.
Chapter 9
9 1 And eighteen years my father abode in peace with his brother Esau, and his sons with us, after 2 that we came from Mesopotamia, from Laban. And when nineteen years were fulfilled, in the fortieth year of my life, the brother of my father, came up with a mighty and strong 3 people. And Jacob smote Esau with an arrow, and he was taken up wounded to Mount Seir, and 4 he died at Anoniram. And we pursued after him to Mount Seir. Now they had a city with walls of iron and gates of brass; and we could not enter into it. We came upon it by night, and 5 besieged it. And when the watchers opened not unto us by night, and I set up a ladder in the midst of all and with twenty men, I went up [here the printed edition repeats the phrase "1 went up, opening the assault of the shield upon my head" many times in succession — a print defect] and seized upon the heights, and destroyed this city also. And Reuben and [illegible]. Then they asked from us terms of peace, and having taken counsel with our father, we received them as 8 tributaries. And they gave us five hundred cors of wheat, five hundred baths of oil, five hundred measures of wine, until the famine, when we went down into Egypt.
Chapter 10
10 1 And after these things my son Er took to wife Tamar, from Mesopotamia, a daughter of Aram. 2 Now Er was wicked, and he was in need concerning Tamar, because she was not of the land of Canaan. And on the third night an angel of the Yahweh smote him. And he had not known her according to the evil craftiness of his mother, for he did not wish to have children by her. In the days of the wedding-feast I gave Onan to her in marriage; and he also in wickedness knew her not, 5 though he was spent with her a year. And when I threatened him he went in unto her, but he spilled the seed on the ground, according to the command of his mother, and he also died through wickedness. 6 And I wished to
give Shelah also to her, but his mother did not permit it, for she wrought evil against Tamar, because she was not of the daughters of Canaan, as she also herself was.
Chapter 11
11 1 And I knew that the race of the Canaanites was wicked, but the impulse of youth blinded my mind; for I saw her, and I lusted after her in the pride of my heart, and I went in unto her, and she conceived, [illegible]. 12 1 And after these things, while Tamar was a widow, she heard after two years that I was going up 2 to shear my sheep, and adorning herself in bridal array, and sat in the city Enaim by the gate. For it was a law of the Amorites, that she who was about to marry should sit in fornication seven days 3 by the gate. Therefore being drunk with wine, I did not recognize her; and her beauty deceived 4 me through the fashion of her adorning. And I turned aside to her, and said: Let me go in unto thee. And she said: What wilt thou give me? And I gave her my staff, and my girdle, and the 6 diadem of my kingdom in pledge. And I went in unto her, and she conceived. And not knowing 5 what I had done, I wished to slay her, but she privily sent my pledges, and put me to shame, saying: 7 With child am I by the lord of these pledges. And when I knew that I had sinned, and [illegible] the words which she spake when lying with her in my drunkenness; 7 and I called her, and I repented, and I did not go in unto her again, because I had defiled her, and I had haply did it in 8 subtlety, having received the pledge from another woman. But I came not again near her while 9 I lived, because I had done this abomination in all Israel. Moreover, they who were in the city said there was no harlot in the gate, because she came from another place, and sat for a while 10 in the gate. And I thought that no one knew that I had gone in to her. And after this we came into 12 Egypt to Joseph, because of the famine. And I was forty and six years old, and seventy and three years lived I in Egypt.
Chapter 13
13 1 And now I command you, my children, hearken to Judah your father, and keep my sayings 2 to perform all the ordinances of the Yahweh, and to obey the commands of Yahweh. And walk not after your lusts, nor in the imaginations of your thoughts in haughtiness of heart; and glory not in the deeds and strength of your youth, for this also is evil in the eyes of the Yahweh. Since I also gloried that in wars no woman's face ever enticed me, and reproved my brother concerning Bilhah, the wife of Reuben my father, I was lifted up in mind. And the spirits of jealousy and of fornication arrayed themselves against me, until I lay with Bathshua the Canaanite, and Tamar, who was espoused to my sons. For I said to the Canaanite, I will take counsel with my staff; that is, to be guided by my father-in-law. [illegible] in, it made me also to err, so that I was not ashamed of the multitude in the city, in that before the eyes of all I turned aside unto Tamar, and I wrought a great sin, and I uncovered the covering of my son's shame. After I had drunk wine I reverenced not the commandment of Yahweh, and I took a woman of Canaan to wife. For much dissension needeth the man who drinketh wine, my children; and herein is dissension in drinking wine. 8 [A man] may drink so long as he preserveth modesty; but if he go beyond this limit the spirit of deceit attacketh his mind, and it maketh the drunkard to talk filthily, and to transgress and not to be ashamed, but even to glory in his shame, and to account himself honourable.
Chapter 14
14 1 And now, my children, I say unto you, be not drunk with wine, [for] wine turneth the mind away 2 from the truth, and [illegible] the passion of lust, and leadeth the eyes into error. For [illegible] of fornication hath wine as a minister to give pleasure [illegible]; for these two also take away the 3 mind of man. For [illegible] drink wine to drunkenness, it disturbeth the mind with [illegible] thoughts leading to fornication, and hasteth the body to [illegible] union; and if the occasion of the lust be 4 present, he [worketh] the sin, and is not ashamed. Such is the inebriated man, [illegible] for he 5 who is drunken reverenceth no man. For,
Chapter 15
15 1 Be that committeth fornication is not aware when he suffers loss, and is not ashamed when put 2 to dishonour. For even though a man be a king and commit fornication, he is stripped of his 3 kingship by becoming the slave of fornication, as I myself also suffered. For I gave my staff, that is, the stay of my tribe, and my girdle, that is, my power, and my diadem, that is, the glory of my 4 kingdom. And indeed I repented of these things, wine and flesh 4 eat not until my old age, nor did I behold any joy. And the angel of Yahweh showed me that for ever 5 do women bear rule over king and beggar alike. And from the king they take away his glory, and from the valiant man his might, and from the beggar even that little which is the stay of his poverty.
Chapter 16
16 1 Observe, therefore, my children, the (right) limit in wine; for there are in it four evil spirits—of 2 lust, of hot desire, of profligacy and of filthy lucre. If ye drink wine in gladness, be ye modest in the fear of Yahweh. For if in 3 your assemblies wine departeth, then drunkenness ariseth, and 3 shamelessness stealeth in, while [illegible]
Chapter 17
17 1 And now, I command you, my children, not to love money, nor to gaze upon the beauty of women; because for the sake of money and beauty I was led astray to Bathshua the Canaanite. 2, 3 (For I know that because of these two things shall my race fall into wickedness. For even wise men among [men] they mar, and shall cause the kingdom of [Judah] to be diminished, which 4 the Yahweh gave me because of [my obedience] to my father. For I never caused grief to Jacob, my father; for all things whatsoever he commanded I did. And Isaac, the father of my father, blessed me 6 in like manner. And I know that the kingdom shall be established.
Chapter 18
18 1 And I know what evils ye will do in the last days. 2 Beware, therefore, my children, of fornication, and of love of money, and hearken to Judah your father. 3 For these things withdraw you from the law of Yahweh, and blind the inclination of the soul. And teach arrogance. And suffer not a man to have compassion upon his neighbour 4 They rob his [soul], oppress him with toils and troubles. And drive away [sleep] from him, And devour his flesh. 5 And he hindereth the [sacrifices] of Yahweh; And he remembereth not the blessing of Yahweh, he [hearkeneth] not to a prophet when he speaketh. And he [receiveth] the words of godliness. 6 For he is a slave to two [contrary passions]. And cannot obey Yahweh. Because they have [blinded] his soul. And he walketh in the day as in the night.
Chapter 19
19 1 My children, the love of money leadeth to idolatry; because, when led astray through money, men [call] as gods those who
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-- Left column (Testament of Judah: end of ch. 19, chs. 20-23) --
are not fools, and it causeth him who hath it to fall into madness 2 For the sake of money I lost my children, and had not my repentance, and my humiliation, and 3 the prayers of my father been accepted, I should have died childless. But the Yahweh of my fathers 4 had mercy on me, because I did it in ignorance. And the prince of deceit blinded me, and I sinned as a man and as flesh, being corrupted through sins; and I learnt my own weakness while thinking myself invincible.
Chapter 20
20 1 Know, therefore, my children, that two spirits wait upon man the spirit of truth and the spirit 2 of deceit. And in the midst is the spirit of understanding of the mind, to which it belongeth to turn whithersoever it will. 3 And the works of truth and the works of deceit are written upon the hearts of men, and each one of them the Yahweh knoweth. 4 And there is no time at which the works of men can be hid; for on the heart itself have they been 5 written down before the Yahweh. And the spirit of truth testifieth all things, and accuseth all; and the sinner is burnt up by his own heart, and cannot raise his face to the judge.
Chapter 21
21 1 And now, my children, I command you, love Levi, that ye may abide, and exalt not yourselves 2 against him, lest ye be utterly destroyed. For to me the Yahweh gave the kingdom, and to him the 3 priesthood, and He set the kingdom beneath the priesthood. To me He gave the things upon the 4 earth; to him the things in the heavens. As the heaven is higher than the earth, so is the priesthood of Yahweh higher than the earthly kingdom, unless it falls away through sin from the Yahweh and is 5 dominated by the earthly kingdom. For the angel of the Yahweh said unto me: The Yahweh chose him rather than thee, to draw near to Him, and to eat of His table and to offer Him the first-fruits of the choice things of the sons of Israel; but thou shalt be king of Jacob. 6 And thou shalt be amongst them as the sea. For as, on the sea, just and unjust are tossed about, some taken into captivity while some are enriched, so also shall every race of men be in thee: some shall be impoverished, being taken captive, and others grow rich by plundering the possessions of others. 7 For the kings shall be as sea-monsters. They shall swallow men like fishes: The sons and daughters of free men shall they enslave; Houses, lands, flocks, money shall they plunder: 8 And with the flesh of many shall they wrongfully feed the ravens and the cranes; And they shall advance in evil, in covetousness uplifted, 9 And there shall be false prophets like tempests, And they shall persecute all righteous men.
Chapter 22
22 1 And the Yahweh shall bring upon them divisions one against another. And there shall be continual wars in Israel; 2 And among men of another race shall my kingdom be brought to an end, Until the salvation of Israel shall come, Until the appearing of the Yahweh of righteousness, That Jacob [and all the Gentiles] may rest in peace. 3 And He shall guard the might of my kingdom for ever; For the Yahweh sware to me with an oath that He would not destroy the kingdom from my seed for ever.
Chapter 23
23 1 Now I have much grief, my children, because of your lewdness and witchcrafts, and idolatries which ye shall practise against the kingdom, following them that have familiar spirits, diviners, and 2 demons of error. Ye shall make your daughters singing girls and harlots, and ye shall mingle in 3 the abominations of the Gentiles. For which things' sake the Yahweh shall bring upon you famine and pestilence, death and the sword, beleaguering by enemies, and revilings of friends, the slaughter of children, the rape of wives, the plundering of possessions, the burning of the temple of Yahweh,] the 4 laying waste of the land, the enslavement of yourselves among the Gentiles. And they shall make some of you eunuchs for their wives. 5 Until the Yahweh visit you, when with perfect heart ye repent and walk in all His commandments; and He bring you up from captivity among the Gentiles.
-- Right column (Testament of Judah: ch. 24, then ch. 26, then ch. 26 again -- see structural note) --
Chapter 24
24 1 And after these things shall a star arise to you from Jacob in peace, And a man shall arise (from my seed), like the sun of righteousness, walking with the sons of men in meekness and righteousness; And no sin shall be found in him. 2 and the heavens shall be open unto him, To pour out the spirit, (even) the blessing of the Holy Father; 3 And He shall pour out the spirit of grace upon you; And ye shall be unto Him sons in truth, And ye shall walk in His commandments first and last. 4 [This Branch of Yahweh Most High, And this Fountain giving life unto all.] 5 Then shall the sceptre of my kingdom shine forth; And from your root shall arise a stem; 6 And from it shall grow a rod of righteousness to the Gentiles, To judge and to save all that call upon the Yahweh.
Chapter 26
26 1 And after these things shall Abraham and Isaac and Jacob arise unto life, and I and my brethren shall be chiefs of the tribes of Israel: Levi first, I the second, Joseph third, Benjamin fourth, 2 Simeon fifth; Issachar sixth, and so all in order. And the Yahweh blessed Levi, and the Angel of the Presence, me; the powers of glory, Simeon; the heaven, Reuben; the earth, Issachar; the sea, Zebulun; the mountains, Joseph; the tabernacle, Benjamin; the luminaries, Dan; Eden, Naphtali; the sun, Gad; the moon, Asher. 3 And ye shall be the people of the Yahweh, and have one tongue; And there shall be there no spirit of deceit of Beliar, For he shall be cast into the fire for ever. 4 And they who have died in grief shall arise in joy, And they who were poor for the Yahweh's sake shall be made rich, And they who are put to death for the Yahweh's sake shall awake to life. 5 And the harts of Jacob shall run in joyfulness, And the eagles of Israel shall fly in gladness; And all the people shall glorify the Yahweh for ever.
26 1 Observe, therefore, my children, all the law of the Yahweh, for there is hope for all them who hold 2 fast unto His ways. And he said to them: Behold, I die before your eyes this day, a hundred and 3 nineteen years old. Let no one bury me in costly apparel, nor tear open my bowels, for this 4 shall they who are kings do; and carry me up to Hebron with you. And Judah, when he had said these things, fell asleep; and his sons did according to all whatsoever he commanded them, and they buried him in Hebron, with his fathers.