Studied by 0 people
Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
"These (books) also must be in your library in an accurate version, because this legislation, as could be expected from its divine nature, is very philosophical and genuine. Writers therefore and poets and the whole army of historians have been reluctant to refer to the aforementioned books, and to the men past (and present) who featured largely in them, because the consideration of them is sacred and hallowed, as Hecataeus of Abdera says."
Letter of Aristeas
Do not take the contemptible view that Moses enacted this legislation because of an excessive preoccupation with mice and weasels or suchlike creatures. The fact is that everything has been solemnly set in order for unblemished investigation and amendment of life for the sake of righteousness.
Letter of Aristeas
By calling them impure, he has thereby indicated that it is the solemn binding duty of those for whom the legislation has been established to practice righteousness and not to lord it over anyone in reliance upon their own strength, nor to deprive him of anything, but to govern their lives righteously, in the manner of the gentle creatures among the aforementioned birds which feed on those plants which grow on the ground and do not exercise a domination leading to the destruction of their fellow creatures.
Letter of Aristeas
The birds which we use are all domesticated and of exceptional cleanliness, their food consisting of wheat and pulse—such birds as pigeons, turtledoves, locusts, partridges, and, in addition, geese and others of the same kind. *As to the birds which are forbidden, you will find wild and carnivorous kinds, and the rest which dominate by their own strength, and who find their food at the expense of the aforementioned domesticated birds—which is an injustice; and not only that, they also seize lambs and kids and outrage human beings dead or alive. (Probably won't be used because it deals with the dietary law)
Letter of Aristeas
I have explained to you in summary form, brother Philocrates, as much as was needful concerning these matters, and we will next expound details of the translation. Eleazar selected men of the highest merit and of excellent education due to the distinction of their parentage; they had not only mastered the Jewish literature, but had made a serious study of that of the Greeks as well.
Letter of Aristeas
They were therefore well qualified for the embassy, and brought it to fruition as occasion demanded; they had a tremendous natural facility for the negotiations and questions arising from the Law, with the middle way as their commendable ideal; they forsook any uncouth and uncultured attitude of mind; in the same way they rose above conceit and contempt of other people, and instead engaged in discourse and listening to and answering each and every one, as is meet and right.
Letter of Aristeas
When after an interval he found an opportunity, (the king) asked the occupant of the first couch (they were seated according to age), "How can one keep his kingdom without offense to the end?" After a short pause he replied, "You would administer it best by imitating the eternal goodness of God. By using long suffering and treatment of those who merit (punishment) more leniently than they deserve, you will convert them from evil and bring them to repentance." The king commended the answer and asked the next guest, "How should one act in each case?" The reply was, "If he practiced just dealing toward all, he will perform each task well for himself, believing that every thought is manifest to God. Take the fear of God as your guiding principle, and you will not fail in anything."He received him warmly and asked another guest...[repeat this 70 times]
Letter of Aristeas
Prayer with fasting is good, but better than both is almsgiving with righteousness....It is better to give alms than to lay up gold. For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin.
Tobit
Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor, and the face of God will not be turned away from you. 8 If you have many possessions, make your gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid to give according to the little you have. 9 So you will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity. 10 For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps you from going into the Darkness. 11 Indeed, almsgiving, for all who practice it, is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High.
Tobit
These concepts:
Exile on account of wickedness
God as source of affliction
Blindness despite goodness
Death of husbands at the hands of Asmodeus à Innovation
Tobit
The story of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar, 20 and further the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator, 21 and the appearances that came from heaven to those who fought bravely for Judaism, so that though few in number they seized the whole land and pursued the barbarian hordes, 22 and regained possession of the temple famous throughout the world, and liberated the city, and re-established the laws that were about to be abolished, while the Lord with great kindness became gracious to them...
2 Maccabees
When the sons of mend had multiplied, in those days, beautiful and comely daughters were born to them. 2/ And the watchers, the sons of heaven, saw them and desired them. And they said to one another, "Come, let us choose for ourselves wives from the daughters of men, and let us beget children for ourselves."
Book of the Watchers
Asael taught men to make swords of iron and weapons and shields and breastplates and every instrument of war. He showed them metals of the earth and how they should work gold to fashion it suitably, and concerning silver, to fashion it for bracelets and ornaments for women. And he showed them concerning antimony and eye paint and all manner of precious stones and dyes.
Book of the Watchers
I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great.
Daniel 8
The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, and none could rescue the ram from its power. 8 The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.
Daniel 8
As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. "Son of man,"[b] he said to me, "understand that the vision concerns the time of the end."
While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet.
He said: "I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end.
Daniel 8
After he has entered the Council of the Community he shall not touch the pure Meal of the Congregation until one full year is completed, and until he has been examined concerning his spirit and deeds; nor shall he have any share of the property of the Congregation.... and if it be his destiny, according to the judgement of the Priests and the multitude of the men of their covenant, to enter the Community, then he shall be inscribed among his brethren in the order of his rank for the Law, and for justice, and for the pure Meal; his property shall be merged and he shall offer his counsel and judgement to the Community.
Community Rule
He shall do the will of God according to all that has been revealed from age to age.
He shall measure out all knowledge discovered throughout the ages, together with the Precept of the age.
He shall separate and weigh the sons of righteousness according to their spirit.
He shall hold firmly to the elect of the time according to His will, as He has commanded.
He shall judge every man according to his spirit. He shall admit him in accordance with the cleanness of his hands and advance him in accordance with his understanding. And he shall love and hate likewise.
He shall not rebuke the men of the Pit nor dispute with them.
Community Rule
Thus shall they do, year by year, for as long as the dominion of Belial endures. The Priests shall enter first, ranked one after another according to the perfection of their spirit; then the Levites; and thirdly, all the people one after another in their Thousands, Hundreds, Fifties, and Tens, that every Israelite may know his place in the Community of God according to the everlasting design. No man shall move down from his place nor move up from his allotted position.
Community Rule
VII and God told Habakkuk to write down that which would happen to the final generation, but He did not make known to him when time would come to an end. And as for that which He said, That he who reads may read it speedily: interpreted this concerns the Teacher of Righteousness, to whom God made known all the mysteries of the words of His servants the Prophets.
Pesher Habakkuk
For there shall be yet another vision concerning the appointed time. It shall tell of the end and shall not lie(ii, 3a)
Interpreted, this means that the final age shall be prolonged, and shall exceed all that the Prophets have said; for the mysteries of God are astounding.
Pesher Habakkuk
If it tarries, wait for it, for it shall surely come and shall not be late (ii, 3b). 10 Interpreted, this concerns the men of truth who keep the Law, whose hands shall not slacken in the service of truth when the final age is prolonged. For all the ages of God reach their appointed end as he determines for them in the mysteries of His wisdom.
Pesher Habakkuk
Behold, [his soul] is puffed up and is not upright (ii, 4a). Interpreted, this means that [the wicked] shall double their guilt upon 15 themselves [and it shall not be forgiven] when they are judged .
Pesher Habakkuk
And this was the true beginning of our war with the Romans; for they rejected the sacrifice of Caesar.
Jewish Antiquities
The soldiers out of rage and hatred amused themselves by nailing their prisoners in different postures; and so great was their number that space could not be found for the crosses nor crosses for the bodies.
Jewish Antiquities
Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the Sadducees, who are very rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews, as we have already observed; when, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition, he thought he had now a proper opportunity [to exercise his authority]. ...so he assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done; they also sent to the king [Agrippa], desiring him to send to Ananus that he should act so no more...
Jewish Antiquities
There sprang up another sort of robber in Jerusalem, called Sicarii, who slew men in the daytime in the midst of the city. This they did chiefly at festivals, when they mingled among the multitude and concealed daggers under their garments with which they stabbed those who were their enemies. When any fell down dead, the murderer joined in the cries of indignation.
Jewish Antiquities
But there was an Egyptian false prophet...got together thirty thousand men that were deluded by him; these he led round about from the wilderness to the mount which was called the Mount of Olives, and was ready to break into Jerusalem by force...But Felix prevented his attempt, and met him with his Roman soldiers, while all the people assisted him in his attack upon them, insomuch that when it came to a battle, the Egyptian ran away, with a few others, while the greatest part of those that were with him were either destroyed or taken alive; but the rest of the multitude were dispersed every one to their own homes, and there concealed themselves.
Jewish Antiquities
It happened that when the people gathered together in Jerusalem for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and as the Roman troops stood over the porticoes of the temple, one of the soldiers pulled back his garment, stooped down in an indecent manner, and turned his backside to the Jews, and made such a noise as you might expect upon such a posture.
Jewish Antiquities
The crowd calls on Cumanus to punish the soldier and began to throw stones
Cumanus calls in reinforcements; 20,000-30,000 Jews were killed in the stampede that followed
From this point "the whole of Judea was infested with brigands.
Jewish Antiquities
But when [the Romans] went in numbers into the lanes of the city, with their swords drawn, they slew those whom they overtook, without mercy, and set fire to the houses wither the Jews were fled, and burnt every soul in them, and laid waste a great many of the rest; and when they were come to the houses to plunder them, tjey found in them entire families of deada men, and the upper rooms full of dead corpses, that is of such as died by the famine...for those that were still alive, but they ran every one through whom they met with, and obstructed the very lanes with their dead bodies, and made the whole city run down with blood, to such a degree indeed that the fire of man of the houses was quenched with these men's blood.
Jewish Antiquities
And now, since [Titus'] soldiers were already quite tired with killing men, and yet there appeared to be a vast multitude still remaining alive, Caesar gave orders that they should kill none but those that were in arms, and opposed them, but should take the rest alive. But, together with those whom they had orders to slay, they slew the aged and the infirm; but for those that were in their flourishing age, and who might be useful to them, they drove them together into the temple, and shut them up within the walls of the court of the women; over which Caesar set one of his freed men, as also Fronto, one of his own friends; which last was to determine every one's fate, according to his merits.
Jewish Antiquities
So this Fronto slew all those that had been seditious and robbers, who were impeached one by another; but of the young men he chose out the tallest and most beautiful, and reserved them for the triumph; and as for the rest of the multitude that were above seventeen years old, he put them in bonds, and sent them to the Egyptian mines. Titus also sent a great number into the provinces, as a present to them, that they might be destroyed upon their theatres, by the sword and by the wild beasts; but those that were under seventeen years of age were sold for slaves. Now during the days wherein Fronto was distinguishing these men, there perished, for want of food, eleven thousand...
Jewish Antiquities
Now the number of those that were carried captive during this whole war was collected to be ninety-seven thousand, as was the number of those that perished during the whole siege eleven hundred thousand, the greater part of whom were indeed of the same nation [with the citizens of Jerusalem], but not belonging to the city itself; for they were come up from all the country to the feast of unleavened bread, and were on a sudden shut up by an army, which, at the very first, occasioned so great a traitness among them that there came a pestilential destruction upon them, and soon afterward such a famine, as destroyed them more suddenly...
Jewish Antiquities
Of other lawgivers, some have set forth what they considered to be just and reasonable, in a naked and unadorned manner, while others, investing their ideas with an abundance of amplification, have sought to bewilder the people, by burying the truth under a heap of fabulous inventions. (2) But Moses, rejecting both of these methods, the one as inconsiderate, careless, and non-philosophical, and the other as mendacious and full of trickery, made the beginning of his laws entirely beautiful, and in all respects admirable, neither at once declaring what ought to be done or the contrary, nor (since it was necessary to mould beforehand the dispositions of those who were to use his laws) inventing fables himself or adopting those which had been invented by others.
On the Making of the World
And his exordium, as I have already said, is most admirable; embracing the making of the world, under the idea that the law corresponds to the world and the world to the law, and that a man who is obedient to the law, being, by so doing, a citizen of the world, arranges his actions with reference to the intention of nature, in harmony with which the whole universal world is regulated.
On the Making of the World
Accordingly no one, whether poet or historian, could ever give expression in an adequate manner to the beauty of his ideas respecting the making of the world; for they surpass all the power of language, and amaze our hearing, being too great and venerable to be adapted to the sense of any made being.
On the Making of the World
After this Moses says that "God molded man by taking dust from the earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life." By this expression he shows most clearly that there is a vast difference between the human being who has been molded now (Gen 2:7) and the first man who was made after the image of God (Gen 1:26-27). For the human who has been molded now is perceptible to the external senses, [...] consisting of body and soul, man or woman, by nature mortal.
On the Making of the World
But the human being made after the image of God was an idea, or a genus, or a seal, accessible only to the intellect, incorporeal, neither male nor female, imperishable by nature. But he asserts that the formation of the individual, perceptible man is a composite one made up of earthly substance and divine Spirit; for he says that the body was made by the Craftsman taking dust (clay) and molding out of it a human form, but that the soul proceeds from nothing which has come to be (in time), but from the Father and Director of all.
On the Making of the World
For that which he "breathed in" (Gen 2:7) was nothing else than the divine spirit proceeding from that happy and blessed nature, sent to take up its habitation here on earth [...] in order that, even if man is mortal through his visible portion, he may be immortal in that portion which is invisible. And for this reason one may properly say that man is the borderland between mortal and immortal nature, partaking of each as far as it is necessary for him; and that he was created at once mortal and immortal, mortal as to his body, but immortal as to his mind.
On the Making of the World
Moses says also, In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth (Gen 1:1) taking the beginning to be, not as some men think, that which is according to time; for before the world time had no existence, but was made either simultaneously with it, or after it; for since time is the interval of the motion of the heavens, there could not have been any such thing as motion before there was anything which could be moved; but it follows of necessity that it received existence subsequently or simultaneously. It therefore follows also of necessity, that time was established either at the same moment with the world, or later than it—and to venture to assert that it is older than the world is absolutely inconsistent with philosophy.
On the Making of the World
But if the beginning spoken of by Moses is not to be looked upon as spoken of according to time, then it may be natural to suppose that it is the beginning according to number that is indicated; so that, In the beginning he made, is equivalent to "first of all he made the heaven;" for it is natural in reality that that should have been the first object made, being both the best of all created things, and being also made of the purest substance, because it was destined to be the most holy abode of the visible Gods (stars) that are perceptible by the external senses;
On the Making of the World
for if the Maker had made everything at the same moment, still those things which were made in beauty would no less have had a regular arrangement, for there is no such thing as beauty in disorder. But order is a due consequence and connection of things precedent and subsequent, if not in the completion of a work, at all events in the intention of the maker; for it is owing to order that they become accurately defined and stationary, and free from confusion
On the Making of the World
In the first place therefore, the Maker made an incorporeal heaven, and an invisible earth (Gen 1:2a), and a form of air and of empty space. The former of which he called darkness (Gen 1:2b) because the air is black by nature; and the other he called the abyss (Gen 1:2b), for empty space is very deep and yawning with immense width. Then he made the incorporeal substance of water and of spirit (Gen 1:2c), and above all he spread light (Gen 1:3), being the seventh thing made; and this again was incorporeal, and a model of the sun, perceptible only to intellect, and of all the light-giving stars, which are destined to stand together in heaven.
On the Making of the World
While among other lawgivers some have nakedly drawn up a code of the things held to be right among their people, and other have hidden the truth under their fictions, Moses, rejecting either method, refrained, on the one hand, from stating abruptly what should be practiced or avoided, and on the other hand, refrained from inventing fictions. This is why he wrote as the preamble an account of the world, implying that the world, made by God, is in the harmony with the Law, and the Law with the World, and that the man who observes the Law is constituted thereby a loyal citizen of the world
On the Making of the World
for God, as apprehending beforehand, as a God must do, that there could not exist a good imitation without a good model, and that of the things perceptible to the external senses nothing could be faultless which was not fashioned with reference to some archetypal idea conceived by the Intellect, when he had determined to make this visible world, previously formed that one which is perceptible only by the intellect, in order that so using an incorporeal model formed as far as possible on the image of God, he might then make this corporeal world, a younger likeness of the elder, which should embrace as many different genera perceptible to the external senses, as the other world contains of those which are visible only to the intellect.
On the Making of the World
Now we must form a somewhat similar opinion of God, who, having decided to found the great cosmic city, first of all conceived its outlines. Out of these he composed the intelligible world, which served him as a model when he completed the world visible to the external senses.
(19)(20) Just as the city that was fashioned beforehand by the architect had no location outside, but was engraved solely in the Soul of the craftsman, so in the same manner neither can the world composed of the ideas have had any other place except the Divine Reason which gives these ideas their ordered arrangement.
On the Making of the World
But while man was still living a solitary life, and before woman was molded, the history relates that a paradise was planted by God (Gen 2:8) in no respect resembling the parks which are seen among men now. For parks of our day are only lifeless woods, full of all kinds of trees, some evergreen with a view to the undisturbed delectation of the sight...
On the Making of the World
But in the paradise, made by God, all the plants were endowed in the souls and reason, producing for their fruit the different virtues, and, moreover, imperishable wisdom and prudence, by which what is good and what is evil is recognized (Gen 2:9, 2:17), and also a life free from disease, and exempt from corruption, and all other qualities corresponding to these already mentioned. (154) And these statements appear to me to be dictated by a philosophy which is symbolical rather than strictly accurate. For no trees of life (Gen 2:9) or of knowledge have at any previous time appeared upon the earth, nor is it likely that any will appear hereafter.
On the Making of the World
But I rather conceive that Moses was speaking in an allegorical spirit, intending by his paradise to intimate the dominant character of the soul, which is full of innumerable opinions as this figurative paradise was of trees. And by the tree of life he was shadowing out the greatest of the virtues, namely, piety towards the gods, by means of which the soul is made immortal; and by the tree which had the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:9), he was intimating that wisdom and moderation, by means of which things, contrary in their nature to one another, are distinguished.
On the Making of the World
I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.
Joel
You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame. Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.
Joel
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
Joel
For then, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there, on account of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations. They have divided my land
Joel
The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and will rest upon Damascus. For to the Lord belongs the capital of Aram, as do all the tribes of Israel; Hamath also, which borders on it, Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. Tyre has built itself a rampart, and heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.
Zechariah
But now, the Lord will strip it of its possessions and hurl its wealth into the sea, and it shall be devoured by fire. Ashkelon shall see it and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are withered. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ashkelon shall be uninhabited; a mongrel people shall settle in Ashdod, and I will make an end of the pride of Philistia.
Zechariah
I will take away its blood from its mouth, and its abominations from between its teeth; it too shall be a remnant for our God; it shall be like a clan in Judah, and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites. Then I will encamp at my house as a guard, so that no one shall march to and fro; no oppressor shall again overrun them, for now I have seen with my own eyes.
Zechariah
Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Hec will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off , and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
Zechariah
all the people of Sumer and Akkad, who had become corpses. He was reconciled and had mercy upon them. He examined and checked all the entirety of the lands, all of them, [12] he searched everywhere and then he took a righteous king, his favorite, by the hand, he called out his name: Cyrus, king of Anšan; he pronounced his name to be king all over the world.
Cyrus Cylinder
He made the land of Gutium and all the Umman-mand[1] bow in submission at his feet. And he{I.e., Cyrus.}} shepherded with justice and righteousness all the black-headed people, [14] over whom he[2] had given him victory. Marduk, the great lord, guardian of his people, looked with gladness upon his good deeds and upright heart.
Cyrus Cylinder
He ordered him to go to his city Babylon. He set him on the road to Babylon and like a companion and a friend, he went at his side. [16] His vast army, whose number, like water of the river, cannot be known, marched at his side fully armed. [17] He made him enter his city Babylon without fighting or battle; he saved Babylon from hardship.
Cyrus Cylinder
He delivered Nabonidus, the king who did not revere him, into his hands. [18] All the people of Babylon, all the land of Sumer and Akkad, princes and governors, bowed to him and kissed his feet. They rejoiced at his kingship and their faces shone. [19] Lord by whose aid the dead were revived and who had all been redeemed from hardship and difficulty, they greeted him with gladness and praised his name
Cyrus Cylinder
May all the gods whom I settled in their sacred centers ask daily [35] of Bêl and Nâbu that my days be long and may they intercede for my welfare. May they say to Marduk, my lord: "As for Cyrus, the king who reveres you, and Cambyses, his son,
Cyrus Cylinder
(These themes are found in...)
The return from Exile
The early Restoration
Mission of Ezra, includes first-person memoir
Nehemiah's memoir
List of returnees
Ceremonies of renewal, census Jerusalem, other lists
Resumption of Nehemiah memoir
Ezra-Nehemiah
