Chronicles of Jerahmeel (Gaster, 1899) Reader

XIX. (1) The sages tell that the dead have a large habitation, in front of which there flows a brook from the Garden of Eden, and by the side of this brook is a field. On every Sabbath eve between the afternoon and evening services the souls of the dead go forth from their secret abode and eat on this field and drink from this brook, (2) and every Israelite who drinks water between the afternoon and evening services of the Sabbath robs the dead. When the congregation on Sabbath eve exclaim, ' Bless the Lord, who is blessed,' they return to their graves, and God revives them, and causes them to stand upon their feet alive; (3) and all the dead of Israel rest on the Sabbath, and all stand up alive from their graves, and great multitudes come before God and sing praises unto Him upon their graves, and going to the synagogues, prostrate

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themselves before Him, as it is said, ' The pious exult in honour, and they sing upon their resting-places.'

(4) Every Sabbath and every new moon they rise from their graves, and coming before the Divine Presence, prostrate themselves before Him, as it is said, ' And the people of the earth shall worship Me, on Sabbaths and on the new moons.' What is meant by the people of the earth? Those who are hidden in the earth, as it is written, ' And it shall come to pass that on each new moon and upon each Sabbath all flesh shall come to worship Me.'

XX. (1) There are nine palaces in the Garden of Eden, *and all of them consist of well-built houses with upper chambers, and the length of the houses is sixty myriads of miles. Each one of them is presided over by sixty myriads of ministering angels, and in each of these houses there are well-arranged canopies made of species of rose and myrtle trees. Every pious man has his place allotted to him according to his deeds, and to their appointed places the ministering angels lead them. There the angels of mercy dance and sing praises before him, as it is mentioned above.

(2) In the midst of the Garden of Eden there are sixty myriads of species of trees, the fruit of which the pupils of the sages eat. There the light of the righteous is as the light of the sun, and sixty myriads of ministering angels attend them and feed them, while sixty myriads of angels of mercy sing and dance before them, and they bring spiced wine and the juice of the pomegranates, which they drink with delight.

(3) E. Joshua ben Levi said, ' I saw in the Garden of Eden ten companies and (well) built houses, each one of which was twelve myriads of miles in length, one hundred and ten myriads of miles in breadth, and one hundred myriads of miles in height. (4) The first house was opposite the first entrance of the Garden of Eden, wherein there dwelt those proselytes who had converted themselves (to the Jewish religion) from love. The beams thereof were of white glass, and the walls thereof of cedar-wood. When I went to measure it, all the proselytes stood up and tried to prevent me, when Obadiah immediately rose and said to

them, " Happy would ye be if you should be deemed ^Yorthy to dwell with such a righteous man." They thereupon allowed me to measure it. (5) The second house, corre- sponding with the second gate, is built of silver and its walls of cedar; therein do the penitent dwell, presided over by Manasseh. (6) The third house is built of gold and silver, wherein are to be found all the good things of heaven and earth, and wherein every kind of food and drink is arranged. In this house Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob dwell, as well as those who died in the wilderness — the generation of the wilderness, all the sons of Jacob, and the twelve tribes, with Moses and Aaron presiding over all of them. There also are David and Solomon and Caleb, who is alive, and every generation except those of Absalom and Korah. (7) I saw there precious stones, beds of gold and of precious stones, and couches and prepared lights. David exclaimed, " These are prepared for my children, who dwell in the world from which I have come." I then said to him, " Are not all the Israelites here?" At this our ancestor Jacob interposed and said, " All Israel are my children, and they are not like the other nations of the world, nor are they like the children of Abraham, my (grand)father, nor like the children of Esau, my brother; for whosoever of these performs good deeds in the world from which thou comest is rewarded there, and afterwards descends to Gehinnom; but my children, even the wicked among them, though they are punished, it is only during their lifetime, but after death they inherit the Garden of Eden." (8j The fourth house is built corresponding to the first man (Adam): its walls are of olive-wood, and those who dwell there are those who, though they have been punished in this world, have not rebelled against Providence. Why is this house built of olive-wood? Because their life had been bitter to them as olive-wood. (9) The fifth house is built of onyx stones and of precious stones. Its walls are of gold, and of fine gold, and it is perfumed with balsam. Thence the river Gihon flows forth and illumines the upper world; a fragrance breathes through it, which is

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more exquisite than the perfume of Lebanon. There are couches of gold and silver, covered with blue, purple, and vermilion covers woven together. In this place dwells the Messiah, the son of David and Elijah the Tishbite, and there is a palanquin of the wood of Lebanon, which Moses made in the wilderness [i.e., the Tabernacle], covered (overlaid) with silver. Its floor is of gold and its seat of purple, and in the midst of this palanquin sits the Messiah, the son of David, the beloved one of the daughters of Jerusalem. Elijah takes him by his head, and placing him in his bosom, holds him and says, "Bear the judgment, 0 my master, for the end is near." (10) And every Monday and Thursday and every Sabbath and holy -day the patriarchs and the pious and the tribes, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, and all the kings of the house of David, come to him, and, weeping, take hold of him and say, " Oh, bear thou the judgment of thy Master, for the end is near." Korah and his company and Absalom come also to him every Thursday, and ask, " When is the end to come? When wilt thou return and bring us to life?" To which he replies, " Go ye to your ancestors and ask them." They are then abashed, and do not go to ask them. When I came before the Messiah, the son of David, he asked and said, " What are my children doing in the captivity?" And I answered, " Every day they await thee in their captivity among the nations of the world, which oppress them." He then lifted up his voice and wept.

XXI. (1) ' After this I implored him and said, " Do thou show me Gehinnom, which I desire to behold." But he would not allow me. And I said unto him, "Why wilt thou not let me see it?" To which the Messiah answered and said, "It is not meet for the righteous to see it, for there are no righteous people in hell." (2) I then forthwith sent to the angel Qipud that he might measure hell from beginning to end; but he was not able to do so, because at that time E. Ishmael, E. Shim'on, son of Gamliel, and ten other pious men were put to death. I tried, but

could not succeed. (3) After this, I went to the angel Qip5d, who went with me until I came before the fire at the gates of hell. The Messiah (also) went wdth me, and when the wicked in hell saw the light of the Messiah, they rejoiced and said, " This one will bring us forth from this fire." They showed me then a compartment in hell, which I entered, and, going round it, I measured it.' (4) R. Joshua said, ' When I measured the first compartment of hell, I found it to be one mile in length and breadth, and behold, there were many open pits in which were lions, and the lions were of fire. There were also two brooks, and when the wicked people fall therein, they are swallowed up, and lions of fire standing above cast them into the fire. (5) When I measured the second, I found it as the first, and I asked the same questions as I asked about the first, and they made the same reply. There were in it some of the nations of the world, presided over by Absalom, and one nation says to the other, " If we have sinned, it is be- cause we did not wish to accept the law; but you, wdiat sin have you committed?" And they reply, "We have com- mitted the same sin as you." And they say to Absalom, " If thou hast not listened, thy ancestors have done so. And why hast thou then been punished in such a manner?" " Because," he replied, " I did not listen to the exhorta- tions of my father." (6) An angel stands with a rod of fire, and this angel that smites them is named Qushiel. He orders the other angels to throw them down and to burn them, and one by one they are brought in, and after smiting them, they are cast upon the fire and burned until all the people have been consumed. After this, Absalom is brought in to.be smitten, when a voice is heard to say, " Do not smite him nor burn him because he is one of the sons of those whom I love, who said on Mount Sinai, ' We shall do, and w^e shall hear.' " After they have finished smiting and burning the wicked these emerge from the fire just as if they had not been burnt; they are then smitten again, and again thrust into the fire, and this is repeated seven times every day and three times every

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night. But Absalom is saved from all this because he is one of the sons of David. (7) The third compartment contains seven nations of the world, who are judged in the same manner, and Korah and his company are with them. The name of him who smites them is Shabtil (b^ton::^). But Korah and his company are saved from all this, because they exclaimed on Mount Sinai, "We shall do, and we shall hear." (8) The fourth compartment contains four nations of the world, with Jeroboam to preside over them, and the one who smites them is named Maktiel. But Jeroboam is delivered from all these punishments, because he descended from those who exclaimed, "We shall do, and we shall hearken." (9) In the fifth house they are judged likewise. It contains seven nations, with Ahab among them, and he who smites them is named Hushiel. But Ahab is delivered from all this, because his ancestors said on Mount Sinai, " We shall do, and we shall hearken." (10) The sixth house, containing ten nations of the world, is judged likewise, and Micah is among them, and the angel who smites them is named Parhiel. But Micah is rescued from all this, because his ancestors also exclaimed on Mount Sinai, "We shall do, and we shall hear." (11) The seventh compartment contains six nations of the world, which are judged in the same manner, and among them is EHsha ben Abuya; and so in all the compartments. But one cannot see the other on account of the darkness, for the darkness that existed before the creation of the world is now there.'

XXII. (1) Before Adam gave the animals their names God brought them before the angels, and said to them, 'Give names to everyone;' but they could not. God thereupon brought them before Adam, and he gave them the names by which they were ever afterwards known. Then God said to the angels, ' Were you not saying, "What is man, that Thou shouldst remember him "? Now his wisdom is greater than yours!' The angels then began to envy him, saying, ' Indeed, God will now love him more than He does us; if we can entice him to sin he will be destroyed from the earth. (2) Forthwith Samael, the angel of death,

descended and looked at every creature, but he could find none as cunning and malignant as the serpent. The serpent then went to Eve, and began to speak of various things, until he broached the tree. ' Is it true,' he said, ' that God commanded you not to eat of any tree in the garden?' ' No; He only forbade us the one tree, which stands in the midst of the garden; we are not allowed to eat of its fruit, nor touch it, for on the day that we touch it we shall die.' (3) The serpent laughed at her, saying, ' It is only out of jealousy that God has said this, for He well knows that if you eat thereof your eyes will be opened, and you will know how to create the world just as He. Indeed, who can believe that for that thou shouldst die? Forsooth, I shall go and pluck (gather) some fruit.' The serpent accordingly stood on his feet and shook the tree, so that some of the fruit fell upon the ground; and the tree cried, '0 wicked one, do not touch me!' (4) When Eve saw the serpent touch the tree and not die, she said to herself, that the words of her husband were false. Therefore, on seeing that the fruit was beautiful, she desired it and ate of it. As soon as she had eaten thereof her teeth were set on edge, and she saw the angel of death with drawn sword standing before her. She then said in her heart, ' Woe unto me that I have eaten of this death, for now I will die; and Adam, my husband, who has not eaten of it will live for ever, and God will couple him with another woman. It is better that we die together, for God has created us together even unto death.' So when her husband came she gave him some of the fruit to taste. (5) As soon as he had eaten thereof his teeth were set on edge, and he saw the angel of death standing before him with drawn sword. ' What is this evil food,' he said to Eve, 'which thou hast given me to eat? perchance thou hast given me to eat of the tree of which I was forbidden to eat.' He was then exceedingly grieved. ' Why art thou so troubled?' she said, ' since what has happened was destined to happen.' She then thought, ' I and my husband are to die for having eaten of the fruit, whilst all the other creatures which have not eaten thereof will live

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on for ever in joy. It is better that we either die together or live together, since our Creator formed us together.' She therefore forthwith fed all the creatures of the world with the fruit — beasts, animals, and birds alike — until she came to a certain bird named Hoi {h)n) or, as some say, Milham (so called because it had pity upon itself, and refused, in spite of her exceedingly strong persuasions, to eat of the fruit or to Hsten to her voice). Eve said, ' Eat of this fruit, just as thy fellows have done.' But it replied, ' Woe unto thee, thou afflicted one, who hast brought death upon thyself, upon thy husband, and upon all the creatures of the world. I alone remained to be killed by thee, but I swear that I shall never eat of that fruit.'

(6) According to another tradition, the bird Milham said to Adam and his wife, ' You have sinned, and have caused many others to sin; you are not satisfied with having brought death upon all the creatures of the world, but you wish me also to sin against God. Indeed, I shall not listen to you.' (7) At that moment a voice was heard saying to Adam, ' Thee I have commanded not to eat of the fruit, and thou hast not obeyed My commands, but Milham the bird I did not command to keep My ordinances and My decrees, yet he has fulfilled what I commanded thee; behold, I will establish him and his descendants for all generations to be an everlasting witness for Israel.' And therefore they live for ever, and exist in that city which the angel of death built, and they increase and multiply as all other creatures.

(8) The sages say that these birds live for ever, and that during the space of a thousand years they become smaller and smaller until they are like very young chickens, so that their feathers fall ofl', and their limbs are divided. Then God sends two angels, who restore them to their eggs as at first, and they feed them until they are grown up again. This is their natural change from one thousand years to another, so that they become revivified like the eagle.

XXIII. (1) Know^ and understand that, when Adam was separated for 130 years from Eve, he slept alone, and the first Eve — that is, Liiith — found him, and being charmed

with his beauty, ^Yent and lay by his side, and there were begotten from her demons, spirits, and imps in thousands and myriads, and whomever they hghted upon they injured and killed outright, until Methushelah appeared and besought the mercy of God. (2) After fasting for three days, God gave him permission to write the ineffable name of God upon (his sword?), through which he slew ninety-four myriads of them in a minute, (3) until Agrimus, the first- born of Adam, came to him and entreated him (to stop); he then handed over to him the names of the demons and imps. And so he placed their kings in iron fetters, while the remainder fled away and hid themselves in the innermost chambers and recesses of the ocean. (4) Hanoch called his son Methushelah, and said to him, ' All the men died (inrD), and they came into the power (fh^) of the angel of death.' When Methuselah died (in^), his missile (weapon, rh'c) died with him, and they buried his sword with him. (5) It is said of Methushelah that out of every word uttered by the mouth of God he used to make 230 parables in praise of God, and he studied 900 sections of the Mishna (Traditional Law). When he died, a voice of thunder was heard in the heavens, where the angels made a funeral oration, and they took him up, and the people saw 900 rows of mourners corresponding with the 900 sections of the Mishna, and the tears flowed from the eyes of the holy creatures on to the place where he died. (6) Enosh, the son of Seth, was asked, 'Who was thy father?' 'Seth,' he replied. 'Who was the father of Seth?' 'Adam.' 'And who was Adam's father?' 'He had neither father nor mother, but God formed him (shaped him) from the dust of the earth.' ' But man has not the appearance of dust.' ' After death man returns to dust, as it is said, " He will return to his dust "; but on the day of his creation man was made in the image of God.' 'How was the woman created?' He said, ' Male and female He created them.' 'But how?' asked they (his questioners). He answered, ' God took water and earth and moulded it together in the form of man.' They asked, 'But how?

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(7) Enosh then took six clods of earth, mixed them, and moulded them and formed an image of dust and clay. 'But,' said they, 'this image does not walk, nor does it possess any breath of life.' He then showed them how God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. But when He began to breathe into it, Satan entered the image so that it walked, and they went astray after it, saying, 'What is the difference between the bowing down before this image and before man?' That is what is meant when it is said, ' Then they began to apply the name of the Lord '; that is, they gave this name to other gods. On this account Enosh is mentioned in Scripture immediately before the word ' his image. ^

XXIV. (1) And Cain knew Qalmana, his wife, and Enoch was born; and he built a city and called it Enoch, after the name of his son, and he used to entice the people, and to rob and plunder them. He built that city, and surrounded it with a wall and dug trenches. (2) He was the first to surround a city (with a wall), for he was afraid of his enemies. And this city, called by the name Enoch, is the first of all cities. He was, moreover, the counterpart of Enoch the righteous whom God took to Himself and trained for the day which is entirely Sabbath. (3) Cain dedicated the city to his son's name. When the city called Enoch was finished, it was inhabited by his children, who were about double the number of those who went forth from Egypt. Now the city became very corrupt until the other Enoch will arise, the seventh from Adam, and dedicate it anew with a holy dedication, together with the sons of Lemech, who slew Cain in the seventh generation, after Cain had confessed his sin, repented, and his punish- ment had been suspended until the seventh generation. (4) And Enoch begat Irad, and Irad Mehuyael, and Mehuyael Metushael, and Metushael Lemech, the seventh from Adam. They were all wicked, for all the descendants of Cain were called the seed of evil-doers, and all his descendants were swallowed up by the flood. (5) The wicked Lemech had two wives, 'Adah and Sillah, and 'Adah bare

Jabal; he was the father of such as Hve in tents and feed the cattle. He discovered the work appertaining to shepherds, and made tents and pens for the cattle, one for the sheep, and another for the oxen, distinct from each other. He also invented the locks which are made to prevent thieves entering the house, which are like mito this, X' ^i^cl the name of his brother was Jubal, the father of all who play on the harp and the reed-pipe. (6) At this time the inhabitants of the earth began to commit violence, to defile each other, and kindle the anger of the Lord. They began to sing with the harp and the reed-pipe, and to sport with all kinds of song corrupting the earth. This Jubal discovered the science of music, whence arose all the tunes for the above two instru- ments. This art is very great. (7) And it came to pass, when he heard of the judgments which Adam prophesied concerning the two trials to come upon his descendants by the flood, the dispersion and fire, he wrote down the science of music upon two pillars, one of white marble, and the other of brick, so that if one would melt and crumble away on account of the water, the other would be saved. (8) And Sillah bare Tubal Cain, who forged all the iron implements of war, and was an artificer in all kinds of ironwork. He also discovered the art of joining lead and iron together, in order to temper the iron and to make the blade sharper. He also invented the pincers, the hammer, and the axe, and other instruments of iron. Tubal was a worker in all kinds of tin and lead, iron and copper, silver and gold. Then men began to make graven images for worship. The sister of Tubal Cain was called Naamah. It was she who invented all kinds of instruments used for weaving and sewing silk, wool and flax, and the entire art of the fancy-worker and the weaver. (9) In the days of Enosh men began to be designated by the names of princes and judges, to be made gods, applying to them the name of the Lord. They also erected temples for them, but in the time of Ee'u they were all overthrown. (10) It came to pass when man began to multiply upon the face of the earth, that the

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children of Elohim— that is, the seed of Seth — looked upon the daughters of man — that is, the seed of Cain— and they took them wives of all which they chose, and begat those giants that peopled the earth in the days of Noah. (11) During the whole hfetime of Adam the sons of Seth had not intermarried with the seed of Cain, but when Adam died they intermarried. The sons of Seth dwelt in the mountains by the Garden of Eden, while Cain dwelt in the fields of Damascus, where Abel was killed. For seven generations the descendants of Seth kept righteous, but thenceforward they became wicked. It was for this reason that God repented that He had made man. (12) From the seed of Seth and Cain there came forth the giants, who, from their haughtiness of spirit, fell and became corrupt, and were therefore swept away by the waters of the flood, and therefore they were called ' Nefilim ' (the fallen). They claimed the same pedigree as the descendants of Seth, and compared themselves to princes and to men of noble descent — sons of Elohim, lords and judges. Concerning them it is said, ' Therefore like unto man ye shall die, and as like unto princes ye shall fall.'

The Mideash of Shemhazai. and 'Azael.

XXV. (1) E. Joseph was once asked what was the story of Shemhazai and Azael, and he replied, ' When the generation of Enosh arose and worshipped idols, and when the generation of the flood arose and went astray, God was grieved that He had created man, as it is said, "And the Lord repented that He had made man, and He was grieved at heart." (2) Then two angels, whose names were Shemhazai and 'Azael, appeared before God, and said, " 0 Lord of the universe, did we not say unto Thee when Thou didst create Thy world, ' Do not create man '?" as it is said, "What is man, that Thou shouldst remember him?" " Then what shall become of the world?" said God. They replied, " We will occupy ourselves with it." (3) God said, " It is revealed and well known to Me that if perad-

venture you had lived in that earthly world, the evil inclination would have swayed you just as much as it rules over the sons of man, but you would be more stubborn than they." " Give us Thy sanction, then, and let us descend among the creatures, and then Thou shalt see how we shall sanctify Thy name." "Descend," spake the Lord, ''and dwell ye among them." Forthwith He allowed the evil inclination to sway them. (4) As soon as they descended and beheld the daughters of man that they were beautiful, they began to disport themselves with them, as it is said, "When the sons of Elohim saw the daughters of man," they could not restrain their inclination. (5) Shemhazai beheld a girl whose name was Estirah (nn^DD\s*). When he beheld her, he said, "Listen to my request." But she replied, " I will not listen to thee until thou teachest me the name by the mention of which thou art enabled to ascend to heaven." He forthwith taught her the Ineffable Name. (6) She then uttered the Lieffable Name and thereby ascended to heaven. God said, " Since she has departed from sin, go and set her among the stars " — it is she who shines brightly in the midst of the seven stars of Pleiades; for that she may always be remem- bered God fixed her among the Pleiades. (7) When Shemhazai and 'Azael saw this they took to them wives, and begat children. The former begat two children, whose names were Heyya (^V.n), and Aheyya (J^VnN). And'Azael was appointed chief over all the dyes, and over all kinds of ornaments by which women entice men to thoughts of sin.

(8) ' God then sent Metatron a messenger to Shemhazai, and said to him, " God will destroy His world, and bring upon it a flood." Shemhazai then raised his voice and wept aloud, for he was sorely troubled about his sons and his own iniquity. " How shall my children live, and what shall they eat, and if the world is destroyed what shall become of my children, for each one of them eats 1,000 camels, 1,000 horses, and 1,000 oxen daily?" (9) One night the sons of Shemhazai — Heyya and Aheyyah — dreamt dreams. One

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dreamt that he saw a great stone spread over the earth like a table, the whole of which was covered with writing. An angel descended from heaven with a knife in his hand and obliterated all the lines, save one line only with four words upon it. (10) The other dreamt that he saw a lovely garden, planted with all kinds of trees and beautiful things. An angel descended from heaven with an axe in his hand, and cut down all the trees, so that there remained only one tree containing three branches. (11) When they awoke from their sleep they were much confused, and, going to their father, they related their dreams. He said to them, " God is about to bring a flood upon the world, to destroy it, so that there will remain but one man and his three sons." They thereupon cried in anguish, and wept, saying, '' What shall become of us, and how shall our names be per- petuated?" "Do not trouble yourselves about your names. Heyya and Aheyya will never cease from the mouths of creatures, because every time that men raise heavy stones, or ships, or any heavy load or burden, they will sigh and call your names." With this his sons were satisfied (quieted).

(12) ' Shemhazai repented and suspended himself between heaven and earth, head downwards, because he durst not appear before God, and he still hangs between heaven and earth. (13) 'Azael, however, did not repent. He is appointed over all kinds of dyes which entice man to commit sin, and he still continues to sin. Therefore, when the Israelites used to bring sacrifices on the day of atone- ment, they cast one lot for the Lord that it might atone for the iniquities of the Israelites, and one lot for Azael that he might bear the burden of Israel's iniquity. This is the 'Azazel that is mentioned in the Scripture.'

XXVI. (1) Adam begat three sons and three daaghters, Cain and his twin wife Qalmana, Abel and his twin wife Deborah, and Seth and his twin wife N5ba. (2) And Adam, after he had begotten Seth, lived 700 years, and there were eleven sons and eight daughters born to him. These are the names of his sons: 'Eli, Sheel, Surei, 'Almiel,

Berokh, Keal, Nahath, Zarhamah, Sisha, Mahtel, and 'Anat (jiji; '?nnD.s*j'v ncniT nm hv2 "qVin 'ps^o'pi; n.-ii; bx.c'. ^>s); and the names of his daughters are: Havah, Gitsh, Hare, Bikha, Zifath, Hekhiah, Shaba, and 'Azm. (3) And Seth Hved 105 years and begat Enosh. After he begat Enosh, Seth Hved 707 years and begat three sons and two daughters. The names of his sons were: EHde ah, Funa, and Matath, and the names of his daughters were MeHla and Tela. (4) And Enosh Hved 180 years and begat Qeinan; and after Enosh had begotten Qeinan he Hved 715 years, and begat two sons, Ehor and Aal, and one daughter, Qatenath. (5) And Qeinan begat, after Mahalalel, three sons, Hatak, ]M5kro, and Lupa, and two daughters, Hannah and Liba. (6) And after Yered, Mahalalel begat seven sons, viz., Teqa, Maya, Nekhar, Meli, Aesh, Uriel, Luriutin, and five daughters, 'Adah, N5'ah, Yebal, Maadah, and Sihah. (7) After Enoch, Yered begat four sons, viz., L'ei'ad, 'Anaq, Sabkhe, Yeter, and two daughters, Zezekho and Lezekh. (8) After Methuselah, Enoch begat five sons, viz., 'Anaz, Le'on, 'Akhaon, Peledi, and Eled, and three daughters, viz., Teid, Lefid, Laead. Then God desired Enoch and took him away. (9) After Lemech, Methuselah begat two sons and two daughters, viz., 'Enab, Eapo, *Alumah and'Amugah. And Lemech begat Noah, and said, ' This one wih comfort us and give rest to the earth and all its inhabitants when God will visit the earth with evil on account of the wickedness of the evildoers.' (10) And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (11) Cain and his wife Temed dwelt in the land of Nod. And Cain knew his wife Temed when he was fifteen years old, and she bore him Enoch, and he built seven cities and called the first Enoch, after the name of his son. (The names of the remaining six were): Maole, Leed, Gezeh, Yeshbah, Qeled, and Yebab. (12) And after Enoch, Cain begat three sons, Ulaf, Lezef, and Fuzal, and two daughters, Seta and Mahat. (13) And Enoch took Niba, the daughter of Shem, to wife, and she bore him Zera, Qu ith, and Maddaf. And Zera begat Methushael, and

56 [XXVI. 14

Methushael, Lemech. (14) And Lemech took two wives. Ada bore Jabal, the father of all those who dwell m tents, and Jubal, the father of all who play upon the harp and the reed-pipe. (15) Then the inhabitants of the land began to commit violence and to defile the wives of their neighbours, thus kindling the anger of the Lord. And they then began to play upon the harp and the reed- pipe, and to sport with every kind of song, corrupting the earth. This same Jubal discovered the science of music, whence arose all the melodies for the two above- named instruments. This is a great science, as I have explained in its proper place (above). (16) And it came to pass, when Jubal heard the prophecy of Adam concerning the two judgments about to come upon the world by means of the flood, the dispersion and fire, that he wrote down the science of music upon two pillars, one of fine white marble and the other of brick, so that in the event of the one melting and being destroyed by the waters, the other would be saved. (17) And Sillah bore Tubal Cain, who used to sharpen all instruments of iron for war, and worked in all manner of iron. He also invented the art of alloying lead and iron together, so as to temper the iron and to make the blade sharper. He also invented the pincers, the hammer, and the axe, and all instruments of iron. (18) The sister of Tubal Cain was Na'amah. It was she who invented the art of weaving and sewing silk, wool, and flax, and the whole art of the fancy-worker and the weaver. Sillah also bore Miza and Tipa. Tubal was a worker in tin, lead, iron, copper, silver, and gold. Then men began to make graven images for their worship. (19) 'Adah also bore Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and attend to the flock. He discovered the work appertaining to shepherds, and made tents and pens for the cattle, one for the sheep and another for the oxen, distinct from each other. He also invented the locks, as a safeguard to prevent robbers entering the house, like this, x- (2^) I^^ ^^^® time of Enosh men were called princes, judges, and made gods, applying to them the name of God; and temples were

made for them, but they were overthrown m the time of Ee'u. And Enoch — who was the author of many writmgs — walked with God, and was no more, for God had taken him away and placed him in the Garden of Eden, where he will remain until Elijah shall appear and restore the hearts of the fathers to the children. (21) And the flood took place, and Noah w^ent forth from the ark and offered sacrifices, and the Lord, smelling the sw^eet savour, said, ' I shall no more curse the earth and smite every living being, but if they sin against Me, I shall judge them by famine, sword, fire, pestilence, and earthquake, and I shall scatter them hither and thither. And I shall remember this for the inhabitants of the earth until the end. And it shall come to pass, when the end of the world shall have arrived, that the light shall cease and the darkness shall weep, and I shall revive the dead and awaken those who slumber in the dust, and Sheol will repay its debt, and Abadon return its portion, and I shall requite the wicked according to their deeds and judge between the flesh and the soul. And the world shall rest in quietness (peace), and I shall destroy death for ever. The grave shall close its mouth and the earth shall no longer be without produce, nor shall its inhabitants be rooted out nor be defiled by iniquitous judg- ments, for there shall be a new earth and new heavens for an everlasting habitation.'

XXVII. (1) The sons of Jepheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Yavan, Tubal, Meshekh, and Tiras; and the sons of Gomar were Ashkenaz, Eiphath, and Togarmah; and the sons of Yavan, Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Do- danim. (2) The sons of Gomer were Teled, Lud, Deber, and Led; the sons of Magog, Qashe, Tipa, Paruta, 'Amiel, Pinhas, Golaza, and Samanakh; the sons of Dedan, Shalom, Filog, and Tuflita; the children of Tubal, Fantonya and Atipa; the children of Tiras, Maakh, Tabel, Bal'anah, Shampla, Meah, and Elash; the children of Melech, Aburdad, Horad, and Bosrah. The children of Ashkenaz were Yekhal, Sardana, and Anakh; the children of Heri, Esudad, Do'ath, Depaseat, and Hanokh; the children

58 [XXVII. 3

of Togarmah, Abihud, Shafat, and Yaftir; the children of Elishah, Zaaq, Qenath, and Mastizrida; the children of Zipthai, Mafshiel, Tina, Avla, and Jinon. The children of Tisai were, Maqol, Luon, Silagtaba; the children of Dodanim, Iteb, Beath, and Faneg. And of these the inhabi- tants of the land of Persia, Media, and those of the isles of the sea were divided. (3) And Faneg, son of Dodanim, was the first to ride the ships of the sea. At that time a third part of the land of Eomidath was flooded. And his sons subdued Yedid; and the sons of Magog subdued Degel, and the sons of Madai subdued Bitto; the sons of Yavan, Seel; the sons of Tubal, Pahath; the sons of Meshek, Nephti; the sons of Tiras, Pioo; the sons of Dinim, Gudah. And Eiphath without his sons conquered Godo; and the sons of Eiphath, Bosrah; and the sons of Targomah, Phut; the sons of Elishah, Tablo; the sons of Tarshish, Meriba; and the sons of Kittim...; and the sons of Dodanim, Qaduba. Then did men begin to till the ground, and when the land was parched, they cried to God, and He caused a fructifying rain to descend. And it came to pass, when the rain descended, the bow was seen in the clouds. When the inhabitants perceived the sign of the covenant, they blessed the Lord. (4) The children of Ham were Cush, Misraim, Put, and Canaan; and these are the children of Cush, Sheba, Tudan, Vabni (?), Maipon, Tinos, Siho, Tiluf, Gilug, Lipukh. The children of Canaan were Sidon, Andaim, Eesin, Simim, Oroin, Nimigim, Hamatim, Nipim, Tilas, Hag, and Cushim. Cush begat Nimrod, who was the first giant in pride before God. Misraim begat Ludim, 'Anamim, Lehabim, Naftuhim, Pathrosim, Kasluhim, and Kaftorim. These began to build the following cities: Sidon and its villages, Eison, Kiuza, Mazager, Ashqalon, Debir, Qamo, Tilon, Lakhish, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Seboim. (5) The children of Shem were Elam, Ashur, Arpakhshad, Lud, and Aran. The sons of Ashur were Gezron, Ishai; and Arpakhshad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat 'Eber. Two sons were born to Eber: the name of the one was Peleg, for in his

xxviii. 1] 59

days the earth was divided, and the name of his brother, Yoqtan, who begat Ahiiodad, Shalaphtra, Muzam, Eiadura, 'Uzim, Diqalbel, Mimoel, Shabethfin, Havilah, Yobab. And the children of Peleg were Eeu, Eifud, Shafra, Aqolon, Zakar, Zifd, Gebi, Shuri, Shzeiir, Palabus, Eafa, Paltia, Shafdifal, Shayish, Hartman, EKfaz. These are the children of Peleg, and these are their names. They took to them wives of the daughters of Yoqtan, by whom were born sons and daughters, so that the whole earth was filled with them. (6) And Ee'u took to him Malkah, the daughter of Euth, to wife, and begat Serug. When the days of her pregnancy were drawing to an end, Ee u said, ' From this one will issue a child, in the fourth generation, whose throne will be established on high; he will be called a perfect righteous man, the father of a multitude of nations. His testimonies will not be forsaken, and his seed shall fill the world.' And Ee'u begat after Serug seven sons, Abiel, Obed, Shalma, Dedazal, Qlniza, 'Akur, Nefesh, and five daughters, Qadima, Derifa, Sheifa, Firita, and Tehilah. (7) After Nahor, Serug begat four sons, Sillah, Diga, Soba, and Pora, and three daughters, Gizla, Hogiah, and Shelifa. And after Terah, Nahor begat six sons, viz., Eekab, Deriab, Berikhab, Shibalshaf, Nidab, and Qemuel, and eight (?) daughters, Yiskah, Tipa, Berona, Qanita. He took to wife Amtalai, the daughter of Karnabo. (8) And Terah Hved seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran begat Lot. (9) Then the inhabitants of the land began to prognosticate by the planets and to become astrologers and to practise divination. They also passed their sons and daughters through fire, but Serug and his sons did not walk in their ways.

XXVni. (1) These are the generations of Noah in their lands, according to their families, and according to their tongues. After the flood they were spread over the earth according to their nations. The children of Ham then went and appointed Nimrod to be a prince and a chief over them; while the children of Japheth appointed Pinhas to be a prince and a chief over them. And the

60 [XXVIII, 2

children of Ham appointed for themselves Yoqtan as their prince and chief. (2) These three chiefs came and took comisel together to assemble all their people while Noah their father was yet alive. And all the people accordingly drew near to them, and were as one body, and peace reigned in the land. (3) It came to pass, 640 years after Noah went out of the ark, that each chief numbered his people. Pinhas numbered the children of Japheth and the children of Gomar, and the total number of those which Pinhas numbered was 5,800; that of the children of Magog under him, 6,200; that of Madai under him, 5,700; that of the children of Tubal, 9,400; and the children of Meshech, 7,200; the children of Kiphath numbered 11,500; those of Togarmah, 14,400; those of Elishah, 14,900; of Tarshish, 12,100; of Kittim, 18,300; of Dodanim, 17,700. The number of the children of Japheth, the men of w^ar and the armour-bearers, as Pinhas their prince had numbered them was 142,000, besides women and children. (4) Nimrod the chief numbered the children of Ham under his sway, and found them to be 12,600; the children of Misraim under him were, 24,900; the children of Phut, 27,700; of Canaan, 32,900; of Sheba, 4,300 (?); of Havilah, 24,300; of Sabta, 25,300; of Ea amah, 30,600; of Sabtecha, 46,400. And the number of the children of Ham, according to the numbering of Nimrod the prince, was 492,000 valiant men who went out to w^ar, besides the women and children.^ (5) And the number of the children of Noah was 714,100. All these were numbered during the lifetime of Noah, and Noah lived after the flood 350 years. And all the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.

XXIX. (1) Now, it came to pass, when the inhabitants of the land were already spread abroad, that they gathered together and journeyed from the East, and arrived at a valley in the land of Babylon, where they stayed. Then each man said to his neighbour, ' Behold the time is coming when at the end of days man will be separated from his neighbour, and brother from brother, and there wall be war

1 N.B. — Sliem has evidently dropped out in tlie MS.

between us. Come, therefore, and let us build a city and a tower, the top of which is to reach heaven, and let us make for us a great name upon the earth.' (2) And each one said to his neighbour, ' Come, and let us make bricks, and let each one write his name upon his brick, and let us burn them, and each brick will be to us as a stone and the pitch for mortar.' Each one made his brick and wrote his name upon it, with the exception of twelve men, who did not wish to be with them. (3) These are the names of the men who were not in their counsel: Abram, Nahor, Lot, Ee u, Tinuto, Seba, Almodad, Jobab, Eser, Abimael, Sheba, and Ofir. The people of the land seized these, and, bringing them to their princes, said, ' These are the men who have transgressed the counsel we have advised, and they do not wish to tread in our paths.' (4) The princes then said to them, ' Why did you refuse to make bricks, the same as the other peoj^le of the land?' And they answered, * We shall not make bricks nor remain with you, for we know but one God, and Him we serve; even if you burn us in the fire together with the bricks, we shall not walk in your ways.' (5) The princes were very wroth thereat, and said, * As they have spoken, so shall we do; for unless they act as we do, you shall cast them in the fire together with the bricks.' (6) And Yoqtan, the head of the princes, answered and said, 'We shall not do this, but we will grant them seven days, and then, if they desire to make the bricks with us, they shall live; but if they refuse, they shall die by the fire.' For he sought to save them from their hands, as he was the head of the house of their fathers, notwithstanding that they served the Lord. So the people did, and placed the transgressors in the prison, in the house of Yoqtan. (7) And it came to pass in the evening that Yoqtan the prince called fifty men of valour, and commanded them, saying, ' Gird yourselves, and this very night take these men that are imprisoned in my house, place them upon ten (twelve) mules, and, providing both the men and the animals with food, bring them to the mountains, and there remain with them; but if you betray this thing to anyone, you shall

62 [XXIX. 8

die by fire.' (8) The men accordingly went forth to do as they were commanded. In the night they took them and brought them before Yoqtan the prince. He said to them, ' Ye who remain steadfast in God, trust in Him for ever, for He shall deliver you and save you. Therefore behold I have commanded these fifty men to take you to the moun- tains with provender and food, and there do you conceal yourselves in the valleys, for in the valleys there is sufficient water, and stay there for thirty days, for by that time either the thoughts of the people will have passed from you, or the anger of the Lord wdll be kindled against them so that He shall destroy them, for I know that they will not abide by their wicked counsel wiiich they devised, for their plan will be frustrated. (9) And at the end of the seven days, when they seek you, I will say to them, " They have broken the door of the prison and fled during the night, and I sent a hundred men to pursue and seek them: I shall do all this to appease their wrath." ' And eleven men answered him, saying, ' Behold we have found favour in thine eyes, for thou hast delivered our lives from the hands of our enemies.' (10) Abram alone w^as silent, and Yoqtan the prince said to him, ' Why dost thou not answer together with thy friends?' And Abram replied, ' Behold to-day we flee to the mountains to escape from the fire; but if wild beasts rush out of the mountains and devour us, or if food is lacking so that we die by famine, we shall be found fleeing before the people of the land and dying by our sins. Now, as the Lord in whom I trust liveth, I shall not depart from this place, wherein they have imprisoned me, and if I am to die through any iniquity, then I shall die by the will of God according to His desire.' (11) ' Thy blood be upon thine own head,' said the prince, * if thou wilt not flee with these men; for if thou wilt flee thou art sure to be saved.' Abram replied, ' I shall not flee, but remain.' He was accordingly put into prison again, and the prince sent the eleven men away in charge of fifty others, whom he commanded to remain with them for fifteen days, and to return and say, ^ We have not been

able to find them.' ' If 3'ou do not do this I shall have you burnt to death.' (12) At the end of seven days all the people assembled and said to their princes, ' Give us the men who refused to abide by our counsel, and let us burn them in the fire.' They thereupon sent for them, but found only Abram. 'Where are those men who were bound in the prison of thy house?' asked the chiefs, Pinhas and Nimrod. Yoqtan replied: ' They broke away in the middle of the night and escaped, and I have sent a hundred men after them to discover and to slay them.' And the people exclaimed, ' Since we have only found Abram, let us burn him in the fire.' (13) And they took Abram and brought him before the princes, who asked him, saying, 'Where are the men whom w^e imprisoned with thee?' ' I do not know, for I slept all the night, and when I awoke I did not find them.' So they made a brick-kiln, and heated it until the bricks in it glowed fiercely; they then placed Abram in the furnace of fire, and Yoqtan appeased the wrath of the people by the burning of Abram. (14) The Lord at that moment caused a great earthquake throughout the land, so that the fire leaped from the furnace and became a huge blaze, which devoured all the men that surrounded it, and the number of men burnt on that day was 84,500. But Abram w^as not burnt, and he came forth from the furnace of the Chaldees {i.e., the fire of the Chaldees), and, having escaped, he went to his friends upon the mountains and related all that had befallen him. They thereupon returned with him from the mountains, happy and rejoicing in the name of the Lord, nor did the people speak against them any longer. They thenceforward called the name of that place ' The God of Abraham.'

XXX. (1) It came to pass, after these things, that the people did not turn from their evil counsels, but coming to their princes, they said, ' Behold, will not man be able to conquer the world? Come and let us build for ourselves a city and tower, the top of w^iich shall reach heaven, so that it shall stand for ever.' (2) And it happened, when the}^ began to build, that God saw the city and the tower,

64 [XXX. 3

and said, ' Behold this people is of one speech; now the earth will not bear them, neither will the heaven support them. (3) Therefore I shall scatter them over the whole earth, and shall confuse their tongue, so that one shall neither be able to recognise his brother nor under- stand the speech of his neighbour. (3) And I will order them to the clefts, and they shall prepare for themselves dwellings made of reeds and straw, and they shall dig for themselves caves and holes in the dust, and the beasts of the field shall dwell among them. There they shall remain all their days, and shall not again counsel such a deed. And I will fight (or: I will draw near unto) them with shields (or: thorns^ mr^'a), and I shall destroy one portion by water and another by fire, and I shall destroy them with thirst, but Abram, My servant, I shall select; I shall bring him out of their land to the land upon which my eyes have long dwelt. (4) And when the people sinned and I brought a flood upon them, this land was not destroyed, for I did not cause the flood to descend upon it in My wrath, and I shall bring thither Abram, My servant, and shall make a covenant with him and his seed for ever, and I shall bless him and be to him a God for ever.'

(5) And it came to pass, when they commenced to build the tower, that God confused their tongue and changed their form into that of monkeys, so that one could not recognise his own brother nor could one man understand the language of his neighbour, so that when the builders ordered the people to bring stones they brought water, and when they told them to bring water they brought stubble. In this way their evil intentions were frustrated, and they ceased building the tower, and the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. (6) For they had said, ' Come and let us build for ourselves a city, and let us take axes and break open the firmament so that the water flow from there and descend below, that He may not do unto us as He did to the generation of the flood. And let us wage war with those in heaven and establish ourselves there as Gods.' (7) But how could they build the city, since they

had no stones? They made bricks from clay and pitch, and burnt them as a potter burns his pots in the oven and hardens them. In this ^ay they made the bricks, and built the city and the tower exceedingly high, with seventy steps. The ascent was made from the east and the descent was from the west. If a man fell therefrom they did not heed it much, whereas if a brick fell, they wept bitterly and said, ' When, oh, when, will another be brought up?' (8) When Abram saw their wicked ways he cursed them in the name of the Lord, but they did not pay atten- tion to his words. The Lord then descended with the seventy (thousand) angels that surround His throne, and at that time of the dispersion He confounded their tongue into seventy different languages.

XXXI. (1) These are the generations of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Children were born to them after the flood, for from Noah there came forth 72 families — from Japheth, 15; from Ham, 30; and from Shem, 27. And these 72 families were separated each according to his lineage in his own land, with their several nations, into 72 languages, the Hebrew language in Eber, the Egyptian in Egypt, the Greek in Greece, Latin in Eome, the Aramean in Syria, the Chaldean in Chaldea, etc. The nations which descended from Shem were 406, Britania, Qalabra, Tosqana, Luqa, Piqensa, etc. The whole earth was divided into three parts. (2) Shem, the eldest, chose his portion in the land of 'Asya (S'Dr), that is, the land of Persia, from Baqtris to Endiana, from the Persian Piiver until the Ocean in the west and the whole Piinos. They numbered 27 languages, and 406 peoples. Ham took his portion in the land of Afriqia, which comprises Aram, Hamath, and the mountain of Lebanon, in a well-watered land, until the Eed Sea and the Sea of Philistia, from Piinos as far as Gadaira. The number of their languages was 22, and that of the peoples 394. (3) Japheth chose his portion in the land of Eoropa (S£ii-ni^\s), that is, in the south from Media to Bodea (n5<nn), and their boundaries extended from the moun-

66 [XXXI. 3

tains of Taoro (nixo) and Mano 0^^^), in Syria and Sisilia, until the river Tanais (dn^o), until Gadaira, that is, the land of Eoropa (t^sinti^''^?, Europe). The number of their languages was 23, and that of their peoples 300. The land of Shem contained the river Euphrates; Ham, G(ih6n) which is called the Nile; Japheth, Hiddeqel (Tigris), in Media and Babylon. (4) The children of Japheth are Gomer, i.e., Gavathi (or Galathi, '•n5<^wS3) and Regini; Magog, i.e., Sqite {'W^) (Scythes), from whom arose Gog and Magog. These were the peoples which Alexander of Macedon enclosed in the Caspian Mountains; and from them arose the Guti (Goths), Pirati (^P^T?), Nordmani (^J?oi"|''ii), Bauveri (n^nixn), Langobardi, Saqsonei, Gasqonei. Madai are: Medi, Yavan-Gresi CT^.^), Armenei (>N''3>?D"ix), and Fransi CV^:"?). The river of the Gresi (^V-^f) is called Yoniu. Tubal are Iberi and Ispamia; Mesech are the Qapadoses (i^'Vnssf^). The name of the city was formerly Mesekhah (nsJi^^), and the royal city was Qapa- doqia (x^pnisp), now called Cpesarea (Kesari, ^"iDp), in the land of Kaftor; Tiras are Trases (t^V^^in). The children of Gomer were Ashkenaz, in the land of the Greeks, or Gresi (^vnj), Rifath (n^n) is Paflagronas (Paphlagonians) (C'yn^sS^ss). Togarmah are the Frezes (Phryges, ^'^jn?)). The children of Yavan were Elisa' (r::>''^5<), i.e., Eolides (t^"i''?li<^s), and they are one-fifth of the Greek tongue. Tarshish is Silisia (nsv^'p/p) — this is the Tarshish in the Book of Jonah — Kittim are Qipres (D'lQ^i?), Dodanim are Piodie (*^>nn). All these live from the mountain Amone (^MDJ<) and Taoro (^li^P), in Brittania, as far as the sea Oqeanos. [Eliezer the Levite thought fit to add here the chapter, from the beginning of Jossipon the Great's work, because it is similar to the above; and this is the very beginning of the Book of Jossipon.]

(6) And the children of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Yavan, Tubal, Mesekh, and Tiras; and these are the names of the countries of the children of Yapheth who were scattered at the time of the dispersion. The children of Gomer were the Frankos (D^p3i2), who inhabited the

XXXI. i4j 67

country of the Frankos (Dip^ns), in the land of Fransehii (^j'pvnD), on the river Segna (xj^^^^O- Eiphath are the Britanos (Di^ona), who inhabit the land of Eiphtania (s^jnan), on the river Lira (ilo), Buz (Tin), Zakhukh ("]1dt), Ugar (iJix), and Tulmes (]'D^in). All of these dwell in the North, and the names of their lands are taken from their own names, and they live by the river Hetel (^nn); but Ugar, Bulgar, and Pasinaq live by the great river called Danube ('?-l^^), i.e., the Dunai (^^jn). (8) The children of Javan are the Greeks, who dwell in the land of Nsa (x^'j)i and Macedonia. (9) Madai, that is, Edalus i^l^r^), dwell in the land of Turkhan (jS^o or Kurasan IPli?).^ (10) Tubal are the Tuscans (\:?i?*fin), who dwell in the land of Tuscania, by the river Pisa (i^P^?); Mesech, i.e., the Saqsoni (>jDpD). (11) Tirus, i.e., the Eossi (^Dn); the Saqsni (^jL^pL") and the Iglesusi (^Dp^^^x) dwell by the river of the great sea. The Eossi dwell by the river Kio (or Kiva, nvd), which flows into the Gergan (|.sn^:) Sea. (12) Elisa, i.e., Alamania (n^jo^n), inhabit the mountains of lov and Sebtimo (iD^nnc'i iv); and from them arose the Lungobardi (nnai^j^), who came from the other side of the mountains of lov and Septimo (iD-nn::'! nv), and having conquered Italia, dwelt in it until this very day on the river Pao (uss), and Tisio ()^2y^); and from them again arose the Borgonia (i^^Jijna), who dwell by the river Eodano (ini-i), and the Bidria (i<nn^n), dwelling by the river Einos (Dijn), which flows into the Great Sea. And the rivers Tisio and Pio ()i^^^) iN^^^^'n) flow into the sea Venitiqia (x^p^j^^^n). (13) Tarshish, i.e., the Trkisiani ('':)N^DV"in), who accepted the law of the Macedonians; and from them come Trasos (Dii^nn). And it came to pass, when the Ishmaelites captured the land of Trasos, that its inhabitants fled to the land of Greece, and fought hence with the Ishmaelites in Trasos. (14) Kittim, i.e., the 1 2 N.B.— These words scarcely legible in the MS.

5—2

68 [XXXI. 14

Eomans, who dwell in the valley Kapania (5<^:2d), by the river Tiberio. Dodanim (D^iin), these are the Danisqi ('p:r^i"i), who dwell in the midst of the tongues of the sea, in the land of Danemarka (j^didji) and Asidania (? ^^^n^vs), in the Great Sea, who swore not to serve the Eomans, and they hid themselves in the midst of the waves of the sea; but they could not (withstand) them, for the power of Eome extended as far as the end of the isles of the sea. (15) And thus the Moraia (n\STiD), Bruti (^SDm), Sorbin (pn-no), Lusinin (pJViS), Liumin (pr^), Krakar ("i35<nD), and Bazimin (pnnn) are reckoned among the descendants of the Dodanim. They dwell by the seashore, from the border of Bulgar {i:"?)!) until Venitiqia (t^v^^^^^^) on the sea, and from there they spread as far as the border of Saqsni {^:^p^) to the Great Sea; they are called Isqlabi (u'?pD\s). Some say they are descendants of Canaan, but they trace their descent to the Dodanim (oonn). [Thus far the Hebrew of Josippon; from the next sentence beginning, 'And it came to pass when the Lord scattered,' etc., I shall copy in connection with Esau and the kings of Edom later on. Let us now return to the narrative of Jerahmeel.] (16) The children of Shem wereElam 'Elamitet (op^pW), Ashur, i.e., Assyria (J^n^P'X); Arpachshad, i.e., Qaldea (nx^ -i^p); Lud, i.e., Lydia (ni<n>S); and Aram, i.e., Syria Cy^^). The children of Aram were 'Us, where Job was born, Geter (nn^), Qarnani ('v^57i2), Menes (^T?;?). These dwell from the Persian Gulf until the Ocean. (17) The children of Ham were Cush, Misraim, Phut, and Canaan. Cush is called Ethiopia (nt<>srns); Misraim, Egypta (xtp?i^:!\s), Phut, Libia {^^'^'b); and Canaan the Land of Israel. The children of Cush were Saba, Havilah, Sabta, Ea'amah, and Sabtecha. The children of Eaamah were Sheba and Dedan. Sheba comprises the Sabeans, Arabians, and Indians (JS^rt^); Havilah, i.e., Getili {''^n';.); Sabta, i.e., Astabari (nn^L^'S); Sabtecha and Ea'amah I have not been able to find. From the children of Ea'amah (came) the Queen of Sheba, and Dedan is a nation to the east of Cush. (18) And Cush begat Nimrod. The begin-

ning of his kingdom was Babylon and Erekh, i.e., Edessa (SLvnvs, -j-is); Accad, i.e., the city of Nisibis (^'^3>rj). Kahiah, Selevqos gave to the city of Kahia the name of Selevqia (S'-piv^D); from this land came Ashm% i.e., Bel, the son of Nimrod. And Bel begat Ninus, who built the great city of Nineveh; and Eehoboth, i.e., the wide city; and Misraim begat Ludim, and 'Anamim, and Lehabim, and the rest I do not know, for a war broke out between Ethiopia and Egypt, and all these nations were ulti- mately merged into one, so that they could no longer be distinguished. [And I, Eliezer, the scribe, have heard that the Lehabim are the Flaminga (^i'^^'^'')? and their appearance is like blazing fire, as it is said, ' And their faces are the faces of torches.'] And Canaan begat Sidon, his firstborn, by whose name the city of Sidon is called; it is in the land of Phenise {^T^^P). The Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, and Girgashites and Hivites were destroyed by the Israelites. 'Arqi, the city of 'Arqes (^'i?"!^), near Tripolis; Arvadi is the name of an island, Arvodios (::ni^nnx); Semari, i.e., Edessa, in the land of Syria; Hamathi built Hamath, i.e., Antochia. And the Canaanite boundary extended from Sidon, reaching as far as 'Azzah, and as far as Lesha, i.e., Qaliron (pi^bp). Its waters are warm, and flow into the Salt Sea. These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, their tongues, in their countries and provinces. (20) And Cush, the son of Ham, begat Nimrod, who was a mighty hunter in the land before the Lord. He caught men through his strength, and forced them to bow down to him, to make him a god, and to worship him. He therefore counselled the people to erect the city and the tower of Babel, where he established his kingdom, in order to rebel against God; and therefore, according to an ancient proverb, whosoever rebelled against the Lord was compared to Nimrod, the mighty hunter before God.

XXXII. (1) I, Jerahmeel, have found in the book of Strabon of Caphtor that Nimrod was the son of Shem; and when Noah was one hundred years old a son was born to him in his form and in his image, and he called his name

70 [XXXII. 1

Jonithes (Dn^j'r). His father, Noah, gave him gifts, and sent him to the land of Itan (in^x), of which he took posses- sion as far as the sea of Ehochora (i<"]i:3iNv;s). And Nimrod the wicked went to Jonithes to learn of his wisdom, for the spirit of the Lord was with him. But Jonithes foresaw by means of astrology that the wicked Nimrod would come to him to take counsel with him how he could obtain sovereignty; he gave him the explanation of the four kings whom Daniel saw. And Jonithes said to Nimrod that the descendants of Ashur would reign first, i.e., the children of Shem, as it is said: ' And the sons of Shem were Elam and Ashur.' (2) The beginning of Nimrod's reign was in Babylon, and there Nimrod begat Bel. At the time of the dispersion Nimrod departed thence, and allied himself with the children of Ham; therefore it is said, ' And Cush begat Nimrod.' (3) After Nimrod, Bel, his son, succeeded to the kingdom in Babylon, in the days of Serug. And Bel went to the land of Ashur, but did not capture it. When Bel died, Ninus, his son, succeeded him, and, capturing the land of Assur, reigned over it, and built Nineveh and Eehoboth; and the length of the city was a distance of thirty days' walk; it became the royal residence of Assur. From this land Assur, that is, Ninus, the son of Bel, the son of Nimrod, went forth. (4) Ninus vanquished Zoroastres the Wise, who discovered the art of Nigromancia, i.e., Nagira {^y},^). He reigned in Bractia (Bactria), and had written down the seven sciences (or arts) on fourteen pillars, seven of brass and seven of brick, so that they should be proof against the water — of the flood — and against the fire— of the day of judgment. But Ninus vanquished him, and burnt the books of wisdom. (5) And Ninus wrote (?) another book of wisdom. When Bel, his father, died, he (Ninus) made an image in the likeness and form of his father, and called it Bel, after the name of his father; and he was always grieving at the loss of his father. He called all the gods Bel, after his name, as it is said, ' Nebo bowed Bel bent down.' Whosoever Ninus hated was pardoned when he came in the name of Bel and sup-

xxxiii. 1] 71

plicated him for mercy. Thus, all the world honoured and worshipped the god Bel, and made obeisance to him. Some gods were called Ba'al, and there is a Ba al Pe'or and a Ba al Zebub. (6) In the forty-third year of the reign of Ninus Abraham was born, and on that very day the first King Pharaoh began to reign in Egypt, who was called Tibei C^^^^O); and after him all the kings of Egypt were called Pharaoh until the reign of Ptolemy, the son of Lagos, in Egypt, after whom all the kings of Egypt were called Ptolemy (^Dhn). All the kings of Assyria were called Antiochus; and all the kings of Eome were called Csesar, after the name of Julius Caesar, until this very day. (7) When Abraham was ten years of age, Ninus, the son of Bel, died, and his wife, Semeramit, reigned after him in Assyria forty-two years. After her there reigned Shim'i C'VW), the son of Ninus, who built the city of Babylon. At that time all the kings were under the king of Assyria, i.e., under Shim'i, the son of Ninus, and whoever had greater power than his fellow-man forced the other to serve him (Shim'i).

XXXIII. (1) As this is simply to be taken as a legend, we do not care to reconcile it with the other, which makes Abraham live in the time of Nimrod the Wicked. According to the latter w^e find that Nimrod acted as judge over him, since it is related that the whole household of Abraham's father were idol -worshippers, moreover they made idols and sold them in the streets. But when a man approached Abraham to sell him an idol, he would ask him, 'How much is this image?' 'Three manas,' he would reply. ' How old art thou?' Abraham would add. ' Thirty years.' ' Thou art thirty years of age, and yet worshippest this idol which we made but to-day!' The man would depart and go his way. Again, another would come to Abraham, and ask, ' How much is this idol?' ' Five manas,' he would say. 'How old art thou?' would Abraham continue. ' Fifty years.' ' And dost thou, who art fifty years of age, bow down to this idol which we made but to-day?' With this the man would depart and go his way.

72 [XXXIII. 2

(2) When Nimrod heard of Abraham's utterances, he ordered him to be brought before him, and said, ' Thou son of Terah, make me a beautiful god.' Abraham then entered his father's house, and said, ' Make a beautiful image for me.' They accordingly made it, finished it, and painted it with many colours. He went and brought it to Nimrod. [Here probably a lacuna in MS.] (3) And on that day Abraham's righteousness shone forth. It was a cloudy day, and rain fell. Therefore, when they were about to thrust him into the burning furnace, Nimrod sat down, and all the people of the dispersion did likewise. Abraham then entered, and standing in the centre, he pleaded his cause. After which Nimrod asked, ' If not the gods, whom shall I serve?' Abraham replied, ' The God of gods and Lord of lords, whose kingdom is everlasting in heaven and on earth, and in the heavens of the high heavens.' ' I shall worship,' said Nimrod, ' the god of fire; and, behold, I shall cast thee therein. Let, then, the God to whom thou testifiest deliver thee from the burning furnace.' (4) They then immediately bound him strongly and tightly, and placed him on the ground. They then surrounded him with w^ood on the four sides, 500 cubits thickness to the north, 500 cubits to the south, 500 to the west, and 500 to the east. They then set the pile on fire. (5) The whole house of Terah were worshippers of idols, and until that moment had not recognised their Creator. Their neighbours and fellow-citizens assembled, and, beating their heads, said to Terah, ' 0 shame — great shame! thy son, of whom thou didst say that he will inherit this world and the world to come has Nimrod burnt in the fire.' (6) Immediately then God's mercy was moved, so that He descended from the habitation of His glory, His greatness. His majesty, and the holiness of His great name, and delivered Abraham, our ancestor, from that shame, from that reproach, and from the burning furnace, as it is said, ' I am the Lord who brought thee out of the fire of the Chaldeans '; and since a miracle was wrought for our forefather Abraham, he and Terah were able to refute the generation of the

Dispersion, as it is said, ' Be wise, 0 my son, and let my heart rejoice, and then I shall be able to answer those who reproach me.'

XXXIV. (1) The sages tell that when our forefather Abraham was born a star appeared, which swallowed up fom- other stars from the four sides of the heavens. When the astrologers of Nimrod saw this they forthwith went to Nimrod and said, * Nimrod, of a certainty there is born to-day a lad who is destined to inherit both this world and the world to come. Now, if it is thy wish, let us give his father and mother a large sum of money, and then kill him. Whatever his father and mother wish shall be given to them.' * What kind of child is he whom ye seek to kill?' asked Nimrod. 'A boy,' said they, 'was born to-day, and a star appeared which swallowed up four stars of the heavens, and he is destined to inherit this world and the world to come.'

(2) Then said Terah, for Terah, the father of Abraham, was present there, ' This thing which you suggest is to be compared to a mule, to which man says, " I will give thee a quantity of barley, as much as a houseful, on condition that I cut off thy head." The mule replies, ''Fool that thou art; if thou cuttest off my head, of what use will the barley be to me, and who will eat it when thou givest it to me r' Thus I say unto you, if ye slay the son, who will inherit the goods and the money which ye give to his parents?' To this they answered, ' From thy words we perceive that a son has been born to thee.' ' A son has been born to me, but he is now dead.' ' But we speak of a living son, and not of one dead,' added they.

(3) When Terah heard their words he immediately went home, and hid his son Abraham in a cave for three years. After that time he brought him forth. As soon as Abraham saw the rising sun in the east he said to himself, ' Of a certainty this is the lord of the whole world, and to him I pray; he created me and the whole world.' When he saw the moon he said, ' This is the lord of the whole world, and to him I shall supplicate; he created me and

74 [xxxiv. 3

the whole world.' Thus when evenmg came, and the sun had set and the moon had risen, he prayed to the moon the whole night. When, however, the morning came, the moon set and the sun rose. As soon as he saw the sun on the morrow Abraham said, ' Now do I know that neither the one nor the other is lord of the world, but that both of them are servants of another Master, and that is Lord who created the heavens and the earth and the whole world.'

(4) Then Abraham forthwith asked his father, ' Who created this world, the heavens, and the earth V And Terah, his father, replied, ' This great image is our god.' ' If this is true,' said Abraham, ' I shall bring a sacrifice to him, and he will be pleased with me, as he is with other people.' He thereupon went to his father, and said, ' Make for me a cake of fine flour that I may offer it to him.' His father, complying with his request, made him a cake of fine flour, w^hich Abraham took and offered before the great idol, saying, ' Accept this offering from me;' but he neither took it nor ate it nor drank it. (6) When Abraham saw this he went to his mother, and said, ' Make me a meal offering better than this, that I may offer it to the god of my father.' When she made it Abraham took the meal offering to the little image, saying, ' Accept thou this meal offering from my hand, and be pleased with me as thou art with other men.' Seeing that he did not reply, Abraham said, ' This offering has not been made to his liking.' (7) Then going once more to his mother, he said, ' Prepare a meal offering better still than this.' She did so, and Abraham presented the offering to the image. When he perceived that it neither ate nor drank nor answered him a word he went once more to the large image, and said, ' I entreat thee to receive this offering from me; do thou eat and drink and be pleased with me as thou art with other men.' But as neither of them replied to him, Abraham waxed very angry, and the spirit of prophecy rested upon him, and he said, ' They have eyes, but see not; ears, but hear not; they have hands, but do not move them; and feet, but do not walk; nor do their throats

give utterance. Like them are their makers and all those who trust in them.' He then kindled a fire and burned them.

(9) "When Terah arrived home and found his idols burnt, he ^Yent to Abraham, and said, 'Who has burnt my gods?' And Abraham replied, ' The large one picked a quarrel with the little ones, and burnt them because he was angry with them.' ' Fool that thou art,' said his father, ' how canst thou say that he who cannot see nor hear nor walk, that he who has no power could burn them?' Then said Abraham to his father, ' 0 my father, hear what thy mouth utters; why dost thou forsake the living God who created the heavens and the earth, and servest gods that neither see nor hear?' (10) There- upon Terah took Abraham, our ancestor, and went with him to Nimrod. And Terah said to Nimrod, ' 0 my lord the king, judge this my son who has burned my gods, and find out who is the God which he makes for himself.' ' Who is this man'?' said Nimrod. ' My son.' Then added Nimrod, ' Why hast thou acted thus and burned the idols?' ' I did not do this, nor did I burn them,' said Abraham. ' Who, then, did act thus and burn them?' ' The great idol burnt them,' said he. 'Fool that thou art,' replied Nimrod. 'how canst thou say that that which cannot stand by itself, cannot hear nor see, nor hath any power could burn them?' 'Hear thou, my lord, what thy mouth utters. Why dost thou forsake the living God, who created the heavens and the earth and who created thee, and in whose hand is the Spirit of all living, and worshippest other gods of wood and stone, which do not hear nor see nor speak?' (11) * Who, then,' said Nimrod, ' created the heavens and the earth, if not I?' ' Art thou he?' queried Abraham. ' I am,' replied he. ' Then by this I shall know that thou art the creator of everything. Behold, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west: if thou canst by thy command cause the sun to rise in the west and to set in the east, I shall then know and believe that thou didst create all.' When Nimrod heard Abraham's words he was

76 [XXXIV. 12

dumbfounded; he put his hand to his beard and was wonder- struck at his words.

(12) As soon as the astrologers saw Abraham they recognised him at once, and said to Nimrod, * 0 lord the king, this is the child of whom we spoke on the day of his birth, and whom thou didst desire to slay. If it be thy will, we shall bring thee wood and burn him to death, and then compensate his parents with a large sum of money. Now, 0 lord, since he has come into our hands, let us burn him in the fire.' ' Do then your will,' said Nimrod. They forthwith went away, and having heated the furnace for seven (whole) days, cast him into it.

(13) Then spake the angels to God, saying, * 0 Lord of the universe, let us go and deliver this man from the fiery furnace.' At that moment a dispute arose among the angels who said, ' Let us descend and deliver this man from the furnace.' One said, ' I shall go down to deliver him,' and another said, ' I shall go down to deliver him.' Michael said, ' I shall go down,' and Gabriel said, ' I shall go down.' Then spake God himself to Gabriel, and said, ' I am One in My world, and so is this man, who was the first to declare the unity of My name in the world. It is, therefore, meet that I the One should go down and rescue him who is also one in his generation. It is pleasing to Me to descend and rescue him from the fiery furnace.' At that moment God descended in His glory and in His strength, and delivered him from the furnace of fire. He brought him forth without a blemish. When all the nations saw that Abraham was thus delivered from the burning furnace, they forthwith sanctified the name of God, and some of them were made proselytes through the means of Abraham our ancestor.

XXXV. (1) These are the generations of Terah, etc.: Haran, the firstborn, begat Lot and Yiskah, i.e., Sarai, and Milkah. And Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in Ur of the Chaldees. On account of the idols of Terah he died in the fire of the Chaldeans, for the Chaldeans worshipped the fire. Terah used to make the idols of their

gods, and Haran, his eldest son, used to sell them. But Abram did not worship them. The Chaldeans came to dip both Haran and Abram in the fire, for they were accustomed to dip them in the fire, just as some nations dip their sons in the water. Abram, who did not worship, and who did not bow down to the idol, was saved from the fire of the Chaldeans and was not burnt; but Haran, who feared the idols, who honoured them and sold them for worship, was burnt in the fire of the Chaldeans and died. When Terah saw that God delivered Abram, he deserted his former faith, and went forth with him (Abram) to dwell in a foreign country; and he gave Milkah, the daughter of Haran, to Nahor, his son, to wife, and Yiskah, that is Sarai, he gave to Abram, his youngest son, after he had weaned her and brought her up in his own house on the death of her father Haran. And he gave Lot, the son of Haran, to Abram as an adopted son, for Sarai was barren. And they went forth towards the land of Canaan. (2) Now, it came to pass, when Abram came from Babylon — i.e., Ur of the Chaldees — he betook himself to Damascus, he and his household, and was made king over that city; for Eliezer was then the ruler of Damascus; but when he saw that the Lord was with Abram he presented him with the kingdom and surrendered himself to his service. And I, Jerahmeel, have discovered in the Book of Nicolaos of Damascus that there existed a certain neighbourhood in Damascus called the dwelling-place of Abram. This they honoured ex- ceedingly.

(3} And the Lord said to him (Abram), ' I am the Lord, who brought thee forth from the fire of the Chaldeans.' The sages say that when Nimrod the Wicked cast Abram into the fiery furnace, Gabriel said to God, ' I shall go down and cool the furnace, and deliver this righteous man.' But God replied, 'lam One in My world, and he is one in this world; it is therefore proper for the One to deliver the other one.' But since God does not withhold reward from any creature, He added to Gabriel, * Thou shalt deliver three of his posterity.' For when Nebuchadnezzar cast Hananya,

78 [XXXV. 3

Mishael, ancrAzaria,mto the burning farnace Laqmi (vopi<'?), the angel who rules over hail, spake to God, and said, ' I shall go down and cool the furnace, and thus deliver the righteous men.' But Gabriel interposed, and said, ' The greatness of God would not be shown in this manner, for thou art the ruler over hail, and all people know that water quenches fire; but I who am the ruler over fire shall go clown and cool the inside while I am at the same time heat- ing the outside of the furnace. Thus I shall perform a double miracle.' Then spake God to Gabriel, ' Descend.' And Gabriel at once exclaimed, * The truth of God is ever- lasting.' (4) And Abram was rich in cattle, silver, gold, and in all the wisdom of ' hermetica ' and astrology which he had acquired in Egypt from Pharaoh's magicians, so that there was none so wise as he. From Egypt these sciences spread over Greece. And Abram was able to foretell the future by the observance of the stars, and was very wise in astrology. He taught his magic science to Zoroastres, the philosopher, and he saw from the planets that the order of the world was not as before, for the order of creation was changed on account of the flood and the dispersion. Rabbi ETazar, of Modiin, asserted that Abraham was exceedingly great in magic, so much so that all the kings of the East and West waited upon him.

(5) And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre. Josippon relates that Abram used to sit in an oak- tree, and that that oak lasted until the reign of Theodosius in Eome, when it withered, and despite the fact that it had dried up, yet its wood was excellent for medicinal purposes, for whoever took of its wood, whether animal or man, did not experience any illness to the day of his death.

(6) Then supervened the destruction of the cities of the plain. And Lot said, ' I am not able to flee to the mountain, for I am an old man, and the cold will kill me, and my soul is also weary. Behold there is a little city near to flee to; I pray thee let me escape thither, for the way is short, and my soul shall live.' And the name of the city had formerly been ' Bela'.' Now, there was a great earth-

quake; and Lot went and dwelt in a cave, for he feared the earthquake. And the Lord rained brimstone and fire from heaven upon Sodom, so that on the third day all the plain was filled with water. This they now call the Salt Sea, or ' Leber Meer ' (i^p ii'h). Neither fish nor fowl are found there. It separates the land of Israel from Arabia. During the whole of the forty years the Israelites were in the wilder- ness they travelled round this sea. No ships are able to travel thereon, because the sea is like pitch, so that nothing- can sink in it, but remains on the surface on account of the pitch; and if one places a burning torch upon the pitch, all the while it floats it burns, but as soon as it is extinguished it sinks to the bottom. And the sea vomits a kind of black pitch with which the things are joined together, for it is good for sticking. Josippon relates that he saw Vespasian cast a man into that sea, and that he hurled him with great force into it so that he should sink, but the sea brought him up again. The sand on the shores of the sea is salty, and one finds there the ' salty stones of Sodom ' looking like pieces of marble.

(7) When Jacob was born Inachus was then the first King of Argos, and reigned for fifty years, and in the third year of his reign a daughter was born to Inachus whose name was lo, and the Egyptians gave her a surname and called her Izides (C^H'T^n), and worshipped her as a God. (8) And in the nineteenth year of Jacob's life the Egyptians made Apis King of Egypt; they made him a god and called his name Sarapis. And Apis made for himself a calf by means of the magic of his magicians. On the right eye of the calf there was a white mark in the likeness of the moon, and once every day at the fourth hour it used to rise up from the river and fly in the air. And the Egyptians used to worship and pray and sing praises to it with all kinds of instruments, and prostrate themselves before it. And in a moment the calf vanished and was no more, and it was hidden and concealed as before in the river, so that the Egyptians could not see it until the morrow at the fourth hour. This the calf repeated every day. The Egyptians

80 [XXXV. 8

called it Sarapis, and for this idol-worship the Egyptians were punished by water when they perished in the Eed Sea. (9) In the ninety-second year of Jacob's life Joseph was born, and at that time there was a flood in the land of Achaya («:?^), which was a very large kingdom. There reigned in it a king whose name was Ogiges (t^*3;y^5^). This king built anew the city Akta (i^^?^), and called its name Eliozin (rTVs'''?^N*, Eleusis). At that time there arose a virgin, whose name was Titonide (n^JiD^p). She was versed in all the seven sciences. They called her Pallas, because she killed a giant called Palante O^jSq). At that place the city of Palini {'T^P) was built.

XXXVI. (1) And a great terror was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob; for they said, ' If two sons of Jacob were able to do this thing ' (namely, to exterminate a whole town), ' how much more would they exterminate the whole world if all the sons of Jacob gathered together?' This terror of them fell upon the cities, for the Lord let the terror fall upon all the nations, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. The sages say, ' They did not pursue them during that same year, but after (seven) years they pursued them, for they came back and settled there again.' The kings of the Amorites assembled themselves, when they heard that Jacob and his sons had again settled in Shekhem. They came to slay them, saying, ' It is not enough for them to have killed all the men of Shekhem, now they come also to take possession of their land.'

(2) When Judah beheld them coming, he was the first to spring in the midst of their ranks, and was soon engaged in fight with Ishub, King of Tapuah, who was covered with iron and brass from head to foot, standing in the middle of his lines (of soldiers). He rode a powerful steed, and he could throw his javelins with both hands from horseback, in front and behind, and never missed his aim even to a hair's breadth, for he was a mighty and powerful man, and could manage his spear with either hand. Judah was not at all frightened when he saw him, despite his strength,

but he picked up a heavy stone from the ground, weighing about sixty shekels, and threw it at him at a distance of two parts of a furlong; i.e., 170 cubits and one-third of a cubit. Whilst the king was advancing against Judah, dressed in iron armour and throwing his spears, Judah struck him with the stone upon his shield and rolled him oft' his horse. (3) Judah hastened to approach him, in order to kill him before he could get up again from the ground, but the king rallied quickly and sprang upon his feet. Now he began to fight with Judah, shield against shield. He drew his sword and tried to smite the head of Judah, but Judah lifted up his shield and received the blow aimed at him; the shield broke into two pieces. Judah thereupon ducked and slashed with his sword at the feet of the king and cut them off from the ankles. The king fell to the ground and his sword slipped out of his hands. Judah sprang upon him and cut off his head.

(4) Whilst he was busy stripping him of his armour, nine comrades of the dead man attacked him. Judah broke the head of the first who approached him with a stone, and killed him on the spot. He let his shield drop out of his hand, which Judah seized, and defended himself with it against the other eight. His brother Levi came to his rescue and shot the King of Ga'ash with an arrow. Judah succeeded then in killing the eight. Jacob then killed (Zehori), King of Shiloh, with an arrow, and they could not stand against the children of Jacob, but all turned and fled, and the sons of Jacob pursued them. And Judah killed on that day a thousand men before sunset.

(5) The remaining sons of Jacob came out from Shekhem, from the side where they had been standing, and pursued them among the mountains, until they came to Hasor. There, before the town of Hasor, they had to fight more than they had fought in the vale of Shekhem. (6) Jacob shot with his arrows and killed Pir'athaho, King of Hasor, and Susi, King of Sartan, and Laban, King of Horan (or Heldon, pn'pn), and Shakir (or Shikkor), King of Mahna(im). Judah was the first to climb up the wall of Hasor. Four

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warriors attacked Judah and fought with him, till Naphtali came to his rescue, for he followed Judah upon the wall; but before he came up, Judah had killed the four warriors. Judah stood now on the right side of the wall, and Naphtali on the left, and they killed all the people that were there. The other sons of Jacob jumped upon the wall after them, and destroyed it, and on that same day they took the town of Hasor, and killed all the warriors, and they did not leave one single man. After that they carried away the booty.

(7) The following day they went to Sartan. There was a great multitude of people, and the fight was a very heavy one, for it was a town built upon a height, with high walls, and it was difficult to approach in consequence of these walls; yet they subdued it on that same day, and got upon the walls. The first to climb them was Judah, on the east, after him came Gad on the west, Simeon and Levi climbed up on the north, and Eeuben and Dan on the south, whilst Naphtali and Issachar put fire to the gates of the town. The fight was very fierce upon the walls, and their remaining comrades went up to their assistance. They all stood now against a huge tower (wherein the inhabitants had fled, defying from there the assailants). That was before Judah had taken the tower. But he soon went up to the top of the tower and killed two hundred men on the roof, and the other sons of Israel killed the rest, not leaving one single man, for these were all powerful and valiant warriors. They carried away the whole booty and returned to their places.

(8) Now they went against Tapuah, for its inhabitants had tried to rob them of their spoil. First they killed all the men who had come out for the purpose of robbing them of the booty. Afterwards they rested on the waters of Jishub (31l"^), north of Tapuah. Early in the morning of the third day they marched tow^ards Tapuah. Whilst they were gathering their booty, the inhabitants of Shilo came out and attacked them. But they were all beaten and killed before noon, and they entered with the fugitives

into Shilo, and did not allow them to stand up against the sons of Jacob. On that same day they occupied the town and carried away the spoil thereof. The troop of their company which they had left against Tapuah came now to meet them with the booty from Tapuah.

(9) On the fourth day they marched against the camp of Shakir ("T'DcO. Some of the camp came out to rob them of the booty. They (the sons of Jacob) had gone down into the valley, and the (men from Shakir) ran after them, but when they tried to ascend again they were killed. After that the men from the camp of Shakir threw stones upon them; but the sons of Jacob occupied the towm, and killed all the warriors, and added the booty from this towai to the booty they had formerly collected.

(10) On the fifth day they went to Mount Ga'ash. There lived a great multitude of the Amorites. Ga ash was a fortified town of the Amorites. They fought against it, but could not well subdue it because it had three walls, one wall inside the other. And the inhabitants began to defy and to reproach the sons of Jacob. (11) Judah waxed wroth, and he was the first to jump upon the wall. He would have met his death there had not his father Jacob come to his rescue. He first bent his bow and shot his arrows wdth his right hand, then he dreW' his sword and killed right and left, until Dan sprang upon the w^all and assisted Judah. (From the right-hand side the inhabitants threw stones at him, and from inside they fought him, and they all tried to push him dow^n the w^all.) Dan drove them away from the wall. After Dan, Simeon, Levi and Naphtali came up, and they killed so many of the inhabitants that the blood flowed like a river. (And when the sun was near its setting they had taken the town and killed all the warriors) and they carried away the booty.

(12) On the sixth day all the Amorites came without arms and promised to keep peace (and friendship, and they gave unto Jacob Timna' and the whole land of Hararyah). Then made Jacob peace with them, and the sons of Jacob restored them all the sheep they had

6—2

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captured from them, and in returning them gave douhle, two for one. And Jacob built Timnah (n^^DTi), and Judah built Zabel ('pNaT). And from that time on they lived in peace with the Amorites. This it was that Jacob said to Joseph, '' I have given thee a portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow."

XXXVII. (1) And Esau went into a land away from his brother Jacob. He made a contract with him. Some say he went out of shame. The sages say: Esau went away because he had moved his property away, and not because his hatred had subsided, for " his anger did he bear perpetually and he kept his wrath for ever." Although he went away at that time, he came again to fight Jacob after- wards. Leah had just died, and Jacob and his sons were sitting in mourning, and some of his children had come to comfort him. At that time Esau came against him with a mighty host, all clad in iron and brass coats of mail, all armed with shields, and bows, and lances. They were alto- gether four thousand men, and they surrounded the fortress. Jacob, his sons, his servants, and his cattle, and all that belonged to them, were gathered, for they had all con- gregated to comfort Jacob during his mourning. (2) So they were all sitting peacefully, and never thought of any attack from any side whatsoever until that host approached the place where Jacob and his sons were dwelling. There were with them in all two hundred servants.

(3) When Jacob saw that Esau dared to war with him, and that he had come to take the fortress and to slay them, and that he shot arrows against them, Jacob stood upon the wall of the tower and spoke to Esau words of peace, friendship and brotherhood. But Esau did not heed them.

(4) After that, Judah spoke to his father Jacob, and said to him: " How long wilt thou speak unto him words of friendship and love, whilst he comes against us like an armed enemy, with coats of mail and with bows to slay us?" And immediately Jacob bent the bow, and killed Adoram

the Edomite. (5) And again he drew his bow, sent forth his arrow, and hit Esau on the right shoulder. Esau became weak from the wound, and so his sons took him up and placed him upon a white mule, and they carried him to Adoram, where he died. [Others say he did not die there.]

(6) And then came Judah, and Gad and Naphtali with him, out of the south side of the fortress, and fifty young men-servants of their father. And Levi, and Dan, and Asher came out from the east side of the fortress, and fifty servants with them. And Keuben, Issachar and Zebulun came out from the north of the fortress, and with them fifty servants. And Simeon, and Benjamin, and Enoch, the son of Reuben, came out from the west side of the fortress, and fifty servants with them. Joseph was not with them at that time, for he had already been sold.

(7) Judah strengthened himself for the battle, and he, Naphtali and Gad first rushed against the host. And they captured the iron tower (?), and caught on their shields the stones which were hurled at them. The sun was darkened through the stones, and through the arrows which were shot at them, and through the missiles which the catapults hurled at them. And Judah rushed first against the enemy, and killed sixty men. Naphtali and Gad went with him, one kept watch over him to the right, and the other to the left, guarding him lest he should be slain by the enemy. They also slew two men each, and the fifty servants who were with them helped them, and each of them slew his man, fifty in all. (8) And yet Judah, Naphtali and Gad could not drive away the host from the north side of the fortress, nor even move them from their position. Again they strengthened themselves for the battle, and each of them slew two of his adversaries. (9) And when Judah saw that they still kept their ground and that they could not move them from their place, his wrath was kindled, and he clothed himself with strength, and he slew twenty men, whilst Naphtali and Gad slew ten men. And when the servants saw that Judah, Naphtali and Gad were standing in the midst of the battle, they came to their assistance, and

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fought together with them. Judah was slaymg to the right and left, and NaphtaH and Gad slew behind him. (10) At that time they drove the army aw^ay from the north side of the city, a distance of a furlong (Eis on). And they wanted to bury (their dead), but could not do it. When the enemy saw that those who had fought against Judah had been dispersed by Judah and his brothers, they gathered together and strengthened themselves to fight with Judah and his brothers, and they arrayed their ranks to fight with strength and might. In the same manner Levi and those with him, and Simeon and those with him, prepared themselves for battle with those arrayed against them, and they were ready to fight for life or death.

(11) When Judah beheld that the whole army of the enemy had gathered against him, and that all would fight at one time, and that they stood in battle-array, he lifted up his eyes to God (imploringly) that He might help them, for they were very fatigued from the heavy fight, and they could not by any means fight any longer.

(12) At that moment God accepted Judah's prayer. He saw their trouble, and He helped them, for He sent forth a storm from His treasuries, which blew in the faces of the army and filled their eyes with darkness and obscurity, so that they could not see how to fight, w^hilst the eyes of Judah and his brothers were clear, as the wind came from behind them. So Judah, Naphtali and Gad began to slay them, and they felled them to the ground, like the harvest cut by the reaper, who binds it into sheaves and heaps them up into stacks. So did they do until they had destroyed the whole army Avhich stood against them on the north side of the fortress.

(13) Reuben, Simeon and Levi fought on their side with another portion of the army. And after Judah, Naphtali and Gad had slain those who fought with them, they went to the assistance of their brothers. The storm was still blowing, filling the eyes of the enemies with dark- ness and obscurity. Thereupon Reuben, Simeon and Levi, and those with them, fell upon the enemies, and felled them

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to the ground in heaps, whilst Judah, Naphtali and Gad were driving them before them, until all those were destroyed who fought against Levi and Keuben; and out of those who fought against Simeon four hundred were slain. The remaining six hundred ran away; with them were the four sons of Esau: Eeuel, Yeush, Ya'alam and Korah. Eliphaz did not accompany them in the war, for Jacob had been his teacher.

(14) The sons of Jacob pursued them up to the city Merodio (Herodia). There in the citadel of Merodio they left the body of Esau lying on the ground, and they ran away to Mount Se'ir, to the place leading up to 'Aqrabim. The sons of Jacob entered Merodio and encamped there over night. Finding there the body of Esau, they buried him out of respect for their father, Jacob. (Some say he did not die there, but left Merodio, though ill, and went with his children to Mount Se'ir.)

The sons of Jacob armed themselves and pursued them the way leading to 'Aqrabim, where they found the children of Esau, and all those that had fled with them. They all came out, prostrated themselves before the sons of Jacob, and sued for peace. The children of Jacob made peace with them, and made them tributary for ever.

This is the Will (Testament) of Naphtali, Son of Jacob.

XXXVIII. (1) When Naphtali grew old and came to an old age, and had completed his years of strength, and fulfilled the duty of the earth-born man, he began to command his children, and he said unto them, ' My children, come and draw near and receive the command of your father.' They answered, and said, ' Lo, we hearken to fulfil all that thou wilt command us.' And he said unto them, ' I do not command you concerning my silver, nor concerning my gold, nor concerning all my substance that I leave unto you here under the sun, nor do I command you any difficult thing which you may not be able to accomplish; but I speak to you about a very easy matter, which you can easily fulfil.'

88 [XXXVIII. 2

(2) His sons answered, and said a second time, ' Speak, 0 father, for we listen. Then he said unto them, ' I leave you no command save concerning the fear of God; Him ye shall serve, to Him ye shall cling.' They said unto him, ' What need hath He of our service?' And he answered, ' It is not that God hath need of any creature, but that all the creatures need Him. Neither hath He created the world for naught, but that His creatures should fear Him, and that none should do to his neighbour what he would not have done to himself.' They then said, ' Our father, hast thou, forsooth, seen us departing from thy ways, or from the ways of our fathers, either to the right or to the left?' And he answered, ' God and I are witnesses that it is even as ye say; but I dread only the future, that ye may not err after the gods of strange nations; that ye should not go in the ways of the peoples of the lands, and that you should not join the children of Joseph; only the children of Levi and the children of Judah shall you join.'

(3) They said to him, ' What dost thou see that thou commandest us concerning it?' He answered, ' Because I see that in the future the children of Joseph will depart from the Lord, the God of their fathers, and induce the children of Israel to sin, and will cause them to be banished from the good land into another that is not ours, as we have been exiled through him to the bondage of Egypt. I will also tell you the vision I have seen. WlienI was pasturing the flock I saw my twelve (?) brothers feeding with me in the field; and lo, our father came, and said to us, "My children, go (run) and let everyone lay hold here before me on anything that he can get." And we answered, and said, " What shall we take possession of, as we do not see anything else but the sun, the moon, and the stars?" And he said, " Take hold of them." When Levi heard it, he took a staff (rod) in his hands, and jumped upon the sun and rode on it. When Judah saw it, he did in like wise; he also took a rod and jumped upon the moon, and rode on it. So also every one

XXXVIII. G] 89

of the nine tribes rode upon his star and his planet in the heavens; Joseph alone remained upon the earth.

(4) ' Jacob, our father, said to him, " My son, why hast thou not done as thy brothers?" He answered, "What availeth the woman-born in heaven, as in the end he must needs stand upon the earth?" Whilst Joseph was speaking, behold there stood near by him a mighty bull with wings like the wings of a stork, and his horns were like unto the horns of the Eeem. And Jacob said to him, " Get up, my son Joseph, and ride upon him," And Joseph got up and mounted upon the bull. And Jacob left us. For about four hours Joseph gloried in the bull; now he walked and ran, anon he flew up with him, till he came near to Judah, and with the staff he had in his hands he began to beat his brother Judah. Judah said to him, " My brother, why dost thou beat me?" He answered, "Because thou boldest in thy hands twelve rods, and I have only one; give them unto me, and then there will be peace."

(5) ' But Judah refused to give them to him, and Joseph beat him till he had taken from him ten against his will, and had left only two wdth him. Joseph then said to his ten brothers, " Wherefore run ye after Judah and Levi? Depart from them at once!" W^hen the brothers of Joseph heard his words, they departed from Judah and Levi like one man, and followed Joseph, and there remained with Judah only Benjamin and Levi. When Levi beheld this, he descended from the sun full of anger (sadness). And Joseph said unto Benjamin, " Benjamin, my brother, art thou not my brother? Come thou also with me." But Benjamin refused to go with Joseph. When the day drew to an end, there arose a mighty storm, which separated Joseph from his brothers, so that no two were left together. When I beheld this vision, I related it unto my father Jacob, and he said unto me, " My son, it is only a dream, which will not come to pass (will neither ascend nor descend), for it hath not been repeated."

(G) ' Not a long period, however, elapsed after that before I saw another vision. We were standing all together

90 [XXXVIII. 6

with our father Jacob, at the shore of the Great Sea. And, behold, there was a ship saihng in the middle of the sea without a sailor and a man (pilot). Our father said to us, " Do ye see what I am seeing?" We answered, " We see it." He then said to us, " Look what I am doing, and do the same." He took off his clothes, threw himself into the sea, and we all followed him. The first were Levi and Judah and they jumped in (to the ship), and Jacob with them. In that ship there was all the goodness of the world. Jacob said, "Look at the mast and see what is written on it; for there is no ship on which the name of the master should not be written on the mast."

(7) ' Levi and Judah looked up, and they saw there was written, " This ship and all the good therein belongs to the son of Berakhel (the one whom God had blessed)." When Jacob heard that, he rejoiced very much, bowed down and thanked God, and said, "Not only hast Thou blessed me on earth, but Thou hast blessed me on the sea too!" He then said, " My children, be men, and whatever each one of you will seize, that shall be his share." Thereupon Levi ascended the big mast and sat upon it; the second after him to ascend the other mast was Judah, and he sat upon it. My other brothers then took each his oar, and Jacob our father grasped the two rudders to steer the ship by them. Joseph alone was left, and Jacob said unto him, "My son Joseph, take thou also thine oar." But Joseph refused. When my father saw that Joseph refused to take his oar, he said unto him, " Come here, my son, and grasp one of the rudders which I hold in my hands, and steer the ship, whilst thy brothers row with the oars until you reach land." And he taught each one of us, and he said to us, " Thus ye shall steer the ship, and ye will not be afraid of the waves of the sea, nor of the blast of the wind when it shall rise against you.'''

(8) ' When he had made an end of speaking, he dis- appeared from us. Joseph grasped both the rudders, one with the right hand and one with the left, and my other brothers were rowing, and the ship sailed on and floated

xxxviii. 10] 91

over the waters. Levi and Judah sat upon the mast to look out for the way (course) the ship was to take. As long as Joseph and Judah were of one mind, so that when Judah showed to Joseph which was the right way, Joseph accord- ingly directed thither the ship, the ship sailed on peaceably without hindrance. After a while, however, a quarrel arose between Joseph and Judah, and Joseph did not steer any longer the ship according to the words of his father, and to the teaching of Judah; and the ship went wrong, and the waves of the sea dashed it on a rock, so that the ship foundered.

(9) ' Levi and Judah then descended from the mast to save their lives, and every one of the brothers went to the shore to save himself. Behold, there came our father, Jacob, and found us cast about, one here and the other there. He said to us, " What is the matter with you, my sons? Have you not steered the ship as it ought to be steered, and as I had taught you?" We answered, " By the life of thy servants, we did not depart from anything that thou hast commanded us, but Joseph transgressed the word (sinned in the affair), for he did not keep the ship right according to thy command, and as he was told (taught) by Judah and Levi, for he was jealous of them." And he (Jacob) said unto us, " Show me the place (of the ship)." And he saw, and only the tops of the masts were visible. But lo, the ship floated on the surface of the water. My father whistled, and we gathered round him. He again threw himself into the sea as before, and he healed (repaired) the ship, and entered it; and he reproved Joseph, and said, "My son, thou shalt no more deceive and be jealous of thy brothers, for they were nearly lost through thee."

(10) ' When I had told this vision to my father he clapped his hands and he sighed, and his eyes shed tears. I waited for awhile, but he did not answer. So I took the hand of my father to embrace it, and to kiss it, and I said to him, " 0 servant of the Lord, why do thine eyes shed tears?" He answered, "My son, the repetition of thy vision hath made my heart sink within me, and my body

92 [XXXVIII. 10

is shaken with tremor by reason of my son Joseph, for I loved him above you all; and for the wickedness of my son Joseph you will be sent into captivity, and you will be scattered among the nations. For thy first and second visions are both but one." I therefore command you not to unite (combine) with the sons of Joseph, but only with Levi and Judah. I further tell you that my lot will be in the best of the middle of the land, and ye shall eat and be satisfied with the choice of its products. But I warn you not to kick in your fatness and not to rebel and not to oppose the will of God, who satisfies you with the best of His earth; and not to forget the Lord your God, the God of your fathers, who was chosen by our father Abraham when the nations of the earth were divided in the time of Phaleg.

(11) ' At that time the Lord — blessed be He! — came down from His high heavens, and brought down with Him seventy ministering angels, Michael being the first among them. He commanded them to teach the seventy descendants of Noah seventy languages. The angels descended immediately and fulfilled the command of their Creator. The holy language, the Hebrew, remained only in the house of Sem and Eber, and in the house of our father Abraham, who is one of their descendants.

(12) ' On that day the angel Michael took a message from the Lord, and said to each of the seventy nations separately, "You know the rebellion you undertook and the treacherous confederacy into which you entered against the Lord of heaven and earth, now choose to-day whom you will worship and who shall be your Protector in heaven." Nimrod, the wicked, answered, " I do not know anyone greater than those who taught me and my nation the languages of Kush." In like manner answered also Put, and Mizraim, and Tubal, and Javan, and Meseh, and Tiras; and every nation chose its own angel, and none of them mentioned the name of the Lord, blessed be He!

(13) ' But when Michael said unto our father Abraham, ^' Abram, whom dost thou choose, and whom wilt thou

XXXVITI. 15] 93

worship?" Abram answered, " I choose and I will worship only Him who said and the world was created, Him who has created me in the womb of my mother, body within body, Him who has given unto me spirit and soul — Him I choose and to Him will I cling, I and my seed after me, all the days of the world." Then He divided the nations and apportioned to every nation its lot and share; and from that time all the nations separated themselves from the Lord, blessed be He! Only Abraham and his house remained with his Creator to worship Him, and after him Isaac and Jacob and myself. I therefore conjure you not to err and not to Avorship any other god than that one chosen by your fathers.

(14) ' For ye shall know there is no other god like unto Him, and no other who can do like His works in heaven and on earth, and there is none to do such wondrous and mighty deeds like unto Him. A portion only of His power you can see in the creation of man; how many remarkable wonders are there not in him! He created him perfect from head to foot; to listen with the ears, to see with the eyes, to understand with his brains, to smell with his nose, to bring forth the voice with his windpipe, to eat and drink with his gullet, to speak with his tongue, to pronounce with his mouth, to do work with his hands, to think with his heart, to laugh with his spleen, to be angry with his liver, to digest with his belly (stomach), to walk with his feet, to breathe with his lungs, to be counselled by his kidneys, and none of his members changes its function, but every one remains at its own.

(15) 'It is therefore proper for man to bear in mind all these things — to remember who hath created him, and who it is that hath wrought him out of a drop in the womb of the woman, and who it is that bringeth him out into the light of the world, and who hath given him the sight of the eyes and the walking of the feet, and who stand eth him upright and hath given him intelligence for doing good deeds, and hath breathed into him a living soul and the spirit of purity. Blessed is the man who does not defile the Divine spirit which hath been put and breathed into him, and blessed is

94 [XXXIX. 1

he who returns it as pure as it was on the day when it was entrusted to (him by his) Creator.'

These are the words of Naphtah, the son of Israel, which he (commended) to his sons; they are sweeter than honey to the palate.

XXXIX. (1) After these things the wife of his master raised her eyes unto Joseph. Potiphar's wife, his mistress, used to entice him every day by her conversation, and used to bedeck herself with all kinds of ornaments and array herself in many dresses in order to find favour in his eyes. But he prevailed over his inclination. It w^as for this strength of mind that he became worthy of being made king and ruler over Egypt.

(2) One day all the Egyptian women assembled together to see Joseph's beauty. When Joseph was brought before them to wait upon them, his mistress offered each of them an apple and knife to peel it; but when they started peeling their apples they all cut their hands, since they were so much captivated with Joseph's beauty that they could not take their eyes from him. She (Potiphar's wife) then said, ' If you do this after seeing him but for one hour, how much more should I be captivated who see him continually?'

[Here I think it right to return to the book of Josippon at the place w^here we left, viz., the generations of Noah's sons. Josippon commenced to enumerate the generations of Adam, Seth, and Anosh, and gave a list of the names of the families of the children of Japheth, and the boundaries ■of their lands until Kittim and Dudanim, as I have WTitten above, among the generations of Noah's sons. Afterwards he wrote the following, which I write down here, as it seems to belong to this portion.]

XL. (1) It came to pass when the Lord scattered the sons of man all over the surface of the earth that they became separated into different companies. The Kittim formed one company, and encamping in the plain of Kapanya (Campania ^<^^:iQ3), they dwelt there by the river Tiberio (ij^nnn), while the children of Tubal encamped in

Toscana (s:)DCnn), and their frontier was the river Tiberio. They built a city and called it Sabino (1^30), after the name of its builders. And the Kittim also built a city for them- selves, and called its name Posomanga (sjiidivid). Now, the children of Tubal were overbearing to the Kittim, and said, ' They shall not intermarry among us.' But it happened at the harvest time, when the children of Tubal had gone to their fields, that the young men of the Kittim gathered together, and, going to Sabino, they took their daughters captives, and then climbed the mountain of Kaporisio (ix^vniSD). As soon as the children of Tubal heard of this they arrayed themselves in battle against them, but could not prevail over them on account of the height of the mountain, so they gathered all the young warriors to the mountain.

(2) In the next year the children of Tubal went out again to battle, but the Kittim brought up all the children that were born of their (Tubal's) daughters upon the wall which they had built, and said, ' You have come to fight against your own sons and daughters; are we not now your own bone and flesh?' At this they ceased fighting, and the Kittim gathered together and built a city by the sea which they called Porto (imia), and another which they called Albano (ijsn'ps), and yet another which they named Aresah (nvnx).

(3) In those days Sefo (idv), the son of Eliphaz, fled from Egypt. Joseph had captured him when he went up to Hebron to bury his father. It was then that the children of Esau tried to entice him to evil, but Joseph prevailed over him and (capturing) Sefo from them, brought him to Egypt. After the death of Joseph, Sefo fled from Egypt, to Africa, to Agnias (ds^j:ix). King of Carthage, where he was received with great honour and appointed captain of the host.

(4) At the same time there lived a man in the land of the Kittim, in the city of Posomanga (xjJDivia), named 'Usi (»v"ii;). He was to the Kittim as a vain god. He died and left no son, but only one daughter, named lania (n&<>3^).

96 [XL. 4

She was beautiful and very wise, aior w^as the Kke of her beauty to be found in all the land. Agnias sought her for his wife, as did Turnus, King of Benevento (injnin); but they (the Kittim) said to the latter, ' We cannot give her to thee, because Agnias, King of Afriqia, seeks her; we fear lest he wage war against us, and in that case thou couldst not deliver us from his power.'

(5) The inhabitants of Posomanga (x^^roivis) then sent a letter to that effect to Agnias. Thereupon he mustered all his host and came to the island of Sardinia (&<^jnnD''N). Palos, his nephew, went out to meet him, and said, 'When thou askest my father to come to thy assistance, ask him to appoint me the head of the army.' Agnias did so, and came into the province of Astiras (t^^s-l>nc♦^<) in ships. Turnus went out to meet him, and a very severe battle ensued in the valley Kapanya (Campania), in which Palos, his nephew, fell by the sword. Agnias then embalmed him, and having made a golden human image (mask?), placed him therein. After that he once more set his men in battle array and captured Turnus (c^^miD), King of Benevento, and having slain him, made a mask (image) of brass, and placed him therein. He then built a tower in the highway in his honour, and another for Palos, his nephew, and called the one ' The tower of Palos,' and the other ' The tower of Turnus,' and the latter were separated by a marble pavement, which remains unto this day. They were built between Albano (iJnSi^) and Eome. Agnias then took lania to wife and returned to his own country. From that day hence- forth Gondalas (d6idi:) and the armies of the kings of Afriqia used to ravage the land of the Kittim for spoil and plunder, Sefo (isv) always accompanying them.

(6) When this Sefo, the son of Eliphaz, travelled from Afriqia (x^pnsN) to the Kittim, the inhabitants received him with great honour, and presented him with many gifts so that he became very rich. And the troops of Afriqia (x^tsnas) spread themselves over all the land of the Kittim, and they having assembled, ascended the mountain of Kaporisio (Campo-Marzio?) (us^vniDD) on account of the

troops of Gondalos. (7) One day one of the herd of Sefo was missing, and after starting in search of it he heard the lowing of a bull in the neighbourhood of the mountain. On going to the bottom of the mountain, he discovered a cave with a great stone placed at its mouth. When he removed the stone he beheld to his surprise a huge animal devouring the bullock. From the middle downwards it presented the likeness of man, while from the middle upwards that of a goat. Sefo instantly sprang upon it, and split its head open. The inhabitants of Kittim then said, ' What shall be done for the man who has slain the beast that continually devoured our cattle?' On a festival day they assembled together and called his name Janus, after the name of the beast. They offered him drink offerings on that day and brought him meal offerings, and from that time they named the day ' The festival of Janus.'

(8) When the troops of Gondalos once more invaded the land of the Kittim for plunder, as heretofore, Janus went out against them, and having smitten them and put them to flight, he delivered the land from their raids. The Kittim then assembled and appointed Sefo to the throne of the kingdom. The Kittim then went forth to subdue the children of Tubal and the nations round about. And Janus their king went before them and subdued them. After this Sefo was called Saturnus, in addition to Janus: Janus after the name of the beast, and Saturnus after the name of the star which they worshipped in those days, i.e., the planet ' Shabtai' (Saturnus). (9) He reigned at first in the valley of Kapanya, in the land of the Kittim, and built an exceedingly large temple there. He then extended his kingdom over the whole of the Kittim, and over all Italy. Janus Saturnus, after a reign of fifty-five years, died and was buried.

(10) His successor was Piqos Faunos (l**ijind i^Mp^s), who reigned fifty years. He also erected a huge temple in the valley of Kapanya, and soon after died. His successor was named Latin us; it was he who explained the language and its letters. He likewise built a temple for his dwelling, and

98 [XL. 10

many ships. He went to battle with Astrubel ('pnnnDs), the son of Agnias, whom lania bore him, in order to take his daughter Yaspisi ('•^^SD>) to wife, as Agnias had done to the Kittim when he took lania from them in battle. And this woman was very beautiful, so much so that the men of her generation weaved her image upon their clothes in honour of her beauty. A fierce battle ensued between Astrubel, King of the Carthaginians, and Latinus, King of Kittim, and Latinus captured the fountain of water which Agnias, when he took lania, had brought with her to Carthage.

(11) For lania the queen, when arriving there, was taken ill, and Agnias and his servants were sorely grieved. Agnias said to his wise men, 'How can I cure lania's illness?' His servants replied, ' The air of our land is not like unto that of Kittim, nor our waters like theirs. Therefore the queen is ill through the change of air and water, for in her own land she only drank the water drawn from Forma (no-na), which her ancestors drew upon bridges (aque- ducts).' Agnias then ordered his ministers (princes) to bring water from Forma in Kittim in a vessel. They weighed these waters against all the waters of Africa, and found that only those of Goqar (nplj) corresponded with them. Agnias then ordered his princes to gather together stone- masons by thousands and myriads. So they hewed a vast number of stones for building; and, being in great numbers, they built a bridge (an aqueduct) from the fountain of the water as far as Carthage. All these waters were for the sole use of lania, who used them for drinking, baking, washing clothes, ordinary washing, and for water- ing all the seeds which provided her food. They also brought earth from Kittim in many ships, as well as stones and bricks, and they built therewith temples. All this they did for the great love they bore her, for through her wiles she charmed the people, and through her they called themselves blessed, and she was to them as a goddess.

(12) Now, it happened when Latinus waged war with Astrubel that he overthrew part of the bridge, so that the

troops of Gondalos were exceedingly furious, and fought desperately. Astrubel being mortally wounded, Latinus by main force captured Yaspisi (^^i'^DD^), his daughter, for his wife. He brought her to Kittim and made her queen. And Latinus reigned forty-five years.

(13) When Latinus died, Anias reigned in his stead for three years, and, after his death, Asqinus (Ascanias, D^rpDS) reigned thirty-eight years. He also built a large temple. After him Seliaqos (Dipi^^'pD) reigned twenty- nine years, and he built a large temple. After his death Latinus, who reigned for fifty years, succeeded him. This was the king who fought with Almania (i<^3?o*?x) and Burgunia (i<''j:"ii2), the sons of Elisa (nc'^'px), whom he took as tribute. He built a temple to ' Lusifer ' (navi'?), i.e., Nogah, and closed that of Saturnus, which was ' the Temple of Shabbetai.' He passed his priests through the fire on the altar of his temple, dedicated to ' Lusifer.'

(14) After the death of Latinus, Anias Trognos (Tar- quinius) reigned in his stead thirty-three years. He also erected a temple to Saturn. After him Alba reigned thirty-nine years. When he died, Avisianos (D"l:^<*':;^n^*) reigned for twenty-four years, and built a large temple. After him Qapis (D^sxp) reigned twenty-eight years, and built a temple. After him Karpitos (Dio^anp) reigned for twenty-three years, and built a temple. After him Tiberios reigned for eight years. Agrippa reigned after him for forty years. Komulus succeeded him, and reigned nine years, during which time he built several temples. After him Abtinos reigned for thirty- seven years. This is the king who waged war with the children of Eifath, who dwelt by the Lira (t^n^'p), and with the sons of Turnus, who dwelt in Toronia (s^^mo) by the river Lira. It was they who fled from Agnias, King of Afriqi {'P'l^^), and who built Purnus (C'jiid) and Anba (sa^s). These Abtinos brought to submission. After him Procas (L'Spns) reigned twenty- three years; and after him.Emilius reigned for forty- three years.

(15) After his death Komulus reigned for thirty-eight

7—2

100 [XL. 16

years. In his days David smote the land of Syria, so that Hadarezer and his sons fled into the land of the Kittim. He there obtained a place on the seashore and a place on the mountain. He there built a city, and called its name Sorento (iD^-nD). (16) At that place there dwelt a young man of a descendant of the family of Hadarezer, who had fled from David. He built the old city Albano (i^nSs), where his posterity dwell unto this day. But within the city of Sorento (iD3-nD) a well of oil sprung up, and after some years the city subsided, and the sea swept over it, i.e., between Napoli (^'pissi) and New Sorento; yet the well did not cease from flowing, for until this very day the oil bubbles and rises upon the waters of the sea, while the inhabitants are continually collecting it.

(17) Eomulus was greatly afraid of David. He therefore built a wall higher than any other wall hitherto erected by any king that preceded him, and he surrounded all the mountains and hills round about with this wall. Its length was forty-five miles, and he called the name of the city Koma, after the name of Eomulus. And they yet con- tinued to be greatly afraid of David. He made the name of the Kittim great, and they called the place Eomania (nt^'-^nin), as it is called unto this very day. He built a temple in honour of Jovis, i.e., ' Sedek,' and removed that dedicated to ' Lusifer.' And Eomulus waged great wars. He also made a covenant with David. (18) After the death of Eomulus, Numa Popilios reigned in his stead forty-one years. After him Polios (D^^^^'?^^) reigned for thirty -two years. After him Tarkinos (D^^^sm) reigned for thirty-seven years. After his death Servios (Dli^nt'O reigned thirty - four years. After him Tarkinos reigned. This Tarkinos was he who fell in love with a Eoman woman. But as she was already married, he took her l^y force. The woman was thereat grieved, and she stabbed herself with a dagger and met her death. Her brothers rose up, and, going to the temple of Jovis, they lay in wait for Tarkinos. When he came to pray they fell upon him with drawn swords and killed him.

(19) On that day the Eomans took an oath that no king should henceforth reign in Kome. They then selected seventy Koman counsellors and appointed them to rule and to guide the kingdom. ' The Old Man ' and his seven counsellors then ruled over them and subdued all the West.

(20) After the lapse of 205 years battles were fought by sea and land between Babylon and Eome, because the Komans assisted Greece when the Greeks fought with Babylon. At that time, when they rebelled, they caused the Tiber to flow into other channels, and made a bottom to the river from one gate (of Eome) to the other, from its entrance to its exit, a distance of eighteen miles, all of which covered with brass, from the gate of Eome where it flows into the sea until the gate where it takes its source, a distance of eighteen miles, for three-fourths of the people were on one side of the river and one-fourth on the other side. The river flowed in the midst of the city, and the inhabitants of Eome paved its bed. No ships or boats of the King of Babylon could henceforth enter. The Eomans feared and trembled, as they had heard that the King of Babylon had captured Jerusalem. They sent him presents by messengers, and made a treaty after that war so that wars ceased between them until the reign of Darius the Mede.

[Thus far the narrative of Josippon. After this Josippon wrote of the kingdom of Darius and Cyrus, and the book of the Maccabees, and of the kings who lived during the time of the second temple until its destruction. I shall, with the help of God, write it all in its proper place just as it is written in the book of Josippon until the end.]

XLI. (1) I also find that during the first temple, in the time of Jotham, King of Judah, two brothers, Eemus and Eomilus, arose who were the first kings of Eome. They reigned thirty-eight years. (2) I also find in 'Sober Tob ' that their mother from the pains of travail died at their birth, and that God appointed a she-wolf to suckle them until they were grown up. Eomulus built the city of Eoma. He, the first king, then appointed 100 elders as

102 [XLI. 3

counsellers. He also built a temple in Eome, and erected the ^Yalls of Eome. (3) After him, Huma (Numa) Pompilios (i;M5<^'"?^spiD so-in) reigned for forty-one years. This Huma Pompilios added two months to the year, viz., Januarius and Febrius (K^li<n3S), for the Romans had originally but ten months to the year. After him Tullus Ostihus (Dis^S^tOL-iwX) reigned for thirty-t^YO years. This Tullus, King of Rome, was the first to clothe himself in purple robes. (4) These are the seven kings that reigned in Rome: 1. Romulus; 2. Numa Pompilius; 3. Tullus Ostilius; 4. Ancus Marcus; 5. Tarquinius Priscus; 6. Servius (c♦••lS^n-lL^'); 7. Tarquinus (C'-i^npii?). Their rule over Rome lasted altogether 240 years. After them Rome remained without a king for 464 years until the reign of Julius Caesar.

[Here finishes the ' Book of Genealogies.' I now com- mence the ' Chronicles of Moses, our Teacher.']

XLH. (1) From the time that Jacob and his sons came to the land of Goshen, there reigned in it certain shepherds, for the land of Egypt was divided into three kingdoms, viz., the land of Ramses, where the Tibei {'^'T^) reigned. This was situated at the extreme end of Egypt. The Israelites built this town, which was afterwards called Ramses on account of the evil (yi, Ra) and the tribute (d*o, Mas) which were imposed upon the Israelites. The former name of the city was Heroes (^'^^n^n). Another capital was Mof, that is Menfis (^''by^), for Apis, King of Egypt, built it, and was made a god because Jovis, the god of Egypt, revealed himself to them in the form of a calf and a ram, and therefore they called him Sarapis. On this account shepherds were the abomination of Egypt in the land of Menfis, Nof, Pathros, and Tahpanhes, for the Egyptians did not eat sheep or rams because they worshipped them as gods. But the land of Goshen was the kingdom of the shepherds in honour of Joseph and Jacob and his sons, all of whom were shepherds.

(2) Now, a new king arose in Egypt who did not know

Joseph and his good deeds. This ^Yas Pharaoh Amenofis (:r^?trp5<). In his days there arose in the air the Kkeness of an ox. On its right side it had a mark resembling the moon, from which there issued sparks. When it arose in the morning with the smi, it used to fly in the air of the heaven. All the Egyptians worshipped it, and praised it with every kind of song. When it moved they also moved, and when it stood they also stood. The ox used also to sing hymns. This it did once in each year. It became a festival day in Egypt, and they called it the day of Sarapis. On account of this, the Israelites afterwards made the calf in the wilderness, as it is said, ' And he passed through the sea of affliction.'

(3) Then he (Pharaoh) said to his people, ' Behold the people of Israel are becoming mightier and stronger than we; and the Egyptians envy and hate them on account of the multitude of their families, the greatness of their riches, and their mighty strength. Come, let us take counsel lest they multiply, and let us appoint rulers over Israel, and taskmasters over these rulers from among our own people, for the purpose of subjecting them to rigorous servitude, and let us further appoint tax-gatherers over them that they may be reduced to poverty.' And they built store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Piamses, great cities which stood on the border of Pithom at the extremity of the land of Egypt, and Piamses at the other extremity. In these two cities were the stores of the king and his implements of war. They were built in such a manner that no one could possibly enter or go out of the land of Egypt without the king's knowledge. And the Egyptians enslaved the Israelites with rigour; they appointed task- masters, who beat them to obtain the taxes. They embittered their lives with hard bondage, in that they had to dig all the channels in the land of Egypt, and to carry the manure upon their shoulders in pots and in baskets to manure the fields, as it is said, 'I shall remove the burden of manure from his shoulder, and his hands shall be removed from the pots.' They had to cleanse all the

104 [XLII. 4

channels of the land on account of the Nile, which filled them once in forty years.

(4) The Egyptians decreed three kinds of punishment against Israel. One was to embitter their lives; the second to impose upon them the slavery in the field; and the third to cast all their males into the river, for they said to King Pharaoh Amenofis, ' We shall slay the males that they may not increase, and allow the females to live to be our servants and our wives, and the males that we beget from them shall be our slaves.' On this account their misery went up before the Lord. And it came to pass when the time of the pregnancy of the women had almost come to an end, they w^ent out in the field and there gave birth to their children, and they left them in the field. The Lord then sent an angel, who wvashed the children and placed in their hand two stones, from one of which they sucked milk, and from the other honey. When the children were weaned they returned to their father's house. When the Egyptians saw the children in the field, they tried to take them away, but the earth opened its mouth and swallow^ed them up. The Egyptians brought their ploughshares and ploughed the field over them, but could not harm them, for the Lord had saved them.

(5) The elders and all the people then gathered together, wept and wailed, saying, ' It would have been better had our wives been barren, for the fruit of the womb has now been annihilated. Now let no man approach his wife for some time; for it is preferable to die childless than to see our children defiled by the Gentile, until we know what the Lord will do.' Now Amram answered and said, 'Are you willing to destroy by obstinacy or with premeditation the world? But even when misery has reached the bottom of the abyss the seed of Israel will not be destroyed; for the Lord has sworn to Abraham to afiiict his seed for 400 years, and behold from the time of the covenant between the pieces which God made with Abraham, 350 years have already passed, and 130 years of these we have been slaves in Egypt. Now I shall not abide by your counsel, to fix a time

for God's intercession, and to restrain my wife from helping to peoi3le the world, for the anger of the Lord will not last for ever, nor will He forsake His people for ever, nor has He made the covenant with our ancestors in vain, neither has He increased the seed of Israel to no purpose.

(6) ' Now I shall therefore go to my wife according to the commandment of God, and, if it is pleasing to you, do you act likewise, and it shall come to pass when our wives shall conceive, that they shall conceal the fruit of their concep- tion for three months, just as Tamar, our mother, did. She did not designedly go astray, for she said, "It is better for me to die than to mix with the heathen." She there- fore concealed the fruit of her womb for three months and then confessed. Now let us do likewise, even we. And when the time of bearing comes to an end, we shall not withhold the fruit of our womb, for perchance the Lord will be zealous, and save us from our affliction.'

(7) The advice of Amram seemed good in the eyes of God, and He said to him, ' Thy words are pleasing in My sight. Therefore there shall be born to thee a son who shall be My servant for ever, who shall perform wonders in the house of Jacob, and signs and miracles among the people. And I shall show him My glory, and make My ways known to him. In him I shall cause My Hght to burn, and shall teach him My statutes and laws. I shall lead him on the high places of My righteousness and My judgments, and through him shall the light of the world be kindled. Of him have I thought from the beginning when I said, "My spirit shall not strive any longer with man, since he is to be in the flesh. His days shall be 120 years." '

(8) Amram, of the tribe of Levi, went forth and took Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, to wife. All the people likewise took to them wives. And Amram begat a son and daughter, Aaron and Miriam. And the spirit of the Lord came upon Miriam so that she had a dream in the night. She told her father, saying, ' In the night I saw a man clothed in fine linen. " Tell thy father and mother," he said, " that whatever is born to thee in the night will be

106 [XLII. 9

cast upon the waters, and by him the waters shall become dry. And through him shall wonders and miracles be per- formed, and he shall save My people Israel, and he shall be their leader for ever." ' This dream Miriam told her father and mother. But they did not believe it.

(9) Now, Jochebed had conceived for six months, and in the seventh month she bore a son. They could no longer conceal him, for the Egyptians had made houses by which they knew of the birth of a child. They therefore made a little ark, and placed the child among the bulrushes. The elders then said to Am ram, ' Did we not say to thee "It is better for us to die childless than to see the fruit of our womb cast into the sea "? ' Then said Amram to his daughter Miriam, * Where is thy prophecy?' So his sister stood a little distance off to know what would become of the child. And Pharaoh's daughter went down to wash. And she took the child and adopted him as a son.

The Chronicles of Moses.

XLIII. (1) In the 130th year after the Israelites had gone down to Egypt, Pharaoh dreamt a dream. While he was sitting on the throne of his kingdom he lifted up his eyes, and beheld an old man standing before him. In his hand he held a pair of scales as used by merchants. The old man then took the scales and, holding them up before Pharaoh, he laid hold of all the elders of Egypt and its princes, together with all its great men, and, having bound them together, placed them in one pan of the scales. After that he took a milch goat, and, placing it in the other pan, it outweighed all the others. Pharaoh then awoke, and it was a dream.

(2) Eising early next morning, he called all his servants, and told them the dream. They were sorely frightened by it, and one of the king's eunuchs said, ' This is nothing else than the foreboding of a great evil about to fall upon Egypt.' On hearing this the king said to the eunuch,. ' What will it be?' And the eunuch replied, ' A child will be born in Israel, who will destroy all the land of Egypt.

If it is pleasing to the king, let the royal command go forth in all the land of Egypt that every male born among the Hebrews should be slain, so that this evil be averted from the land of Egypt.

(3) The king did so, and accordingly sent for the Hebrew mid wives, one of whom was named Shifrah, and another Puah, and said to them, ' When the Hebrew women give birth, and ye see upon the stools that it is a son, ye slay it; but if a daughter, then let it live.' But the midwives feared God, and did not act according to the king's word, but let the males live. The king, therefore, summoned the mid- wives, and said to them, ' Why have ye done this thing, and kept the males alive?' And the midwives answered Pharaoh, saying, ' The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are like the free animals of the field which do not require midwives; before the midwives come to them the children are born.'

(4) When Pharaoh saw that he could not do anything with them, he commanded all his people, saying, ' Every male that is born ye shall cast into the river; but all the females ye shall keep alive.' When the Israelites heard this command of Pharaoh to cast their males into the river, some of the people separated from their wives, while others remained with them. It came to pass, about the time of childbirth, that the women went out into the field, and the Lord, who swore to their ancestors that He would multiply them, sent them an angel, one of his ministers, who was appointed over childbirth, to wash it, and rub it with salt; and the angel bound it in swaddling clothes, and placed in the child's hand two smooth stones, from the one of which it sucked milk, and from the other honey. God also caused its hair to grow down to its knees, so as to be well covered by it; and the angel rocked it caressingly.

(5) And when God had compassion upon them and sought to increase them upon the face of the whole land. He commanded the earth to sw^allow the children up, and protect them until they grew up, after which time it should open its mouth and let them go forth so that they should

108 [XLIII. 6

sprout as the grass of the field, and as the young trees of the forest. Then they would return to their families, and to the house of their fathers, where they would remain. (6) Accordingly, it happened that after the earth had swallowed up, through the mercy of God, the males born of the house of Jacob, that the Egyptians went out into the field to plough with teams of oxen and with the plough- share. They worked (ploughed) upon them as the spoiler in time of the harvest. But although they ploughed never so hard they were unable to injure them, and thus they increased abundantly.

[Another Version. — It came to pass at the time of birth that they left their children in the field, and the Lord, who swore to their ancestors that He would cause them to inherit the land, tamed for them the beasts of the field, and sustained and reared them, as it is said, ' And the beasts of the field were at peace with thee.' When the Egyptians saw that they (the Israelites) left their sons in the field, and that the wild beasts helped them, and led them in the forests until they had grown to manhood, they said, ' These have surely reared them in the caverns and vaults of the earth,' and each of them brought their ploughshare and their plough, and ploughed above them, etc.]

XLIV. (1) There was a Levite in the land of Egypt whose name was Amram, the son of Qehath, the son of Levi, the son of Jacob. This man betrothed Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, the sister of his father, and she conceived and bare a daughter, and called her name Miriam (the bitter), because in those days people began to embitter the lives of the Israelites. She conceived again and bare a son, whose name she called Aaron (pregnancy), because during the time of her pregnancy Pharaoh began to shed the blood of their males upon the ground, and to cast them into the river of Egypt. When, however, the word of the king and his decree became known respecting the casting of their males into the river, many of God's people separated from their wives, as did Amram from his wife.

(2) After the lapse of three years the Spirit of God came

upon Miriam, so that she went forth and prophesied in the house, saying, ' Behold, a son shall be born to my mother and father, and he shall rescue the Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians.' When Amram heard his young daughter's prophecy he took back his wife, from whom he had separated in consequence of Pharaoh's decree to destroy all the male line of the house of Jacob. After three years of separation he went to her and she conceived. And it came to pass at the end of six months from the time of her conception that she bare a son. The whole house was at that moment filled with a great light, as the light of the sun and the moon in their splendour. The woman saw that the child was good and beautiful to behold, so she hid him in an inner room for three months.

(3) At that time the Egyptian women took secret counsel together to destroy the Hebrew women; they, therefore, went to the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were carrying their little children who could not speak upon their shoulders. The Hebrew women then hid their children from the Egyptians, so that their existence might not become known to them, in order to preserve them from destruction and annihilation. The Egyptian women came thus to Goshen with their children who could not speak, and when one of them came into the house of the Hebrew she made her own child chatter in the child's language, and the hidden child, hearing it, replied in the same manner. The Egyptian women thereupon went to Pharaoh's house to tell him of it, and Pharaoh sent his officers to slay those children.

(4) After that child (Moses) had been hidden now for three months and it thus became known to Pharaoh, the mother took the child and placed it in a little ark of bulrushes, which she daubed with slime and with pitch. She then hurriedly placed the child among the flags by the river's brink, while his sister stood at a distance to wit what would be done to him.

(5j God then sent drought and great heat in the land of Egypt, so that it burnt one's very flesh upon him just

110 [XLIV. G

as when the sun is m its strength. The Egyptians were therefore sorely troubled. Pharaoh's daughter went down by the river-side to bathe, as did all the Egyptian women, on account of the heat and the drought. Her handmaids and all Pharaoh's concubines went with her. While thus occupied, she beheld the ark floating on the water, and sent her handmaid to fetch it. On opening the box, she discovered the child. It began to cry, and she had pity upon it, and said, ' This is one of the Hebrew children.' (6) At this the Egyptian women by the river came up for the purpose of suckling it, but it refused to take them. God wished to return it to the breast of its mother. The child's sister Miriam then said to Pharaoh's daughter, ' Shall I go and call a Hebrew nurse to suckle the child?' 'Yes,' said she. And she forthwith called the child's own mother. Then said Pharaoh's daughter, ' Take this child and suckle it for me, and I will give thee as a reward a monthly wage of two pieces of silver;' so the woman took the child and nursed it. (7) After two years she brought it to Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted it, and she called its name Moses, ' for from the waters I drew him.' But his father called him ' Heber,' because for his sake he joined his wife again from whom he had separated himself; while his mother called him 'Yequtiel,' because *I placed my hope in God the Almighty,' and He returned him to her. His sister called him ' Yered,' because she went down to the river after him to know what his end would be; while his brother called him 'Abi Zanoah,' saying, 'My father separated from my mother, but returned to her on account of this child.' Kehath, his grandfather, named him 'Abigedor,' because for his sake God closed up the breach of the house of Jacob, so that they no more cast the children into the water. His nurse called him ' Abi Sokho,' saying that he was hidden in a tent (or box) for three months out of fear of the descendants of Ham; and all Israel called him ' Ben Nethanel,' because in his days God heard their groaning.

(8) In the third year of Moses' birth, when Pharaoh was sitting at his meal, with his mistress on his right hand, his

XLIV. llj 111

daughter on his left, and the child in her lap, and all the princes of the kingdom sitting round the table, it happened that the child stretched out his hand, and, taking the crown from the king's head, placed it upon his own. The king and the princes, on seeing this, were confused and exceedingly astonished. (9) Then Balaam, the enchanter, one of the king's eunuchs, said,'/ Eememberest thou, my lord the king, the dream which thou didst dream and the interpretation thy servant gave it? Now, is this not one of the children of the Hebrews in whom the spirit of God is? By his wisdom he has done this and has chosen for himself the kingdom of Egypt. Thus did Abraham, who weakened the power of Nimrod, the King of the Chaldeans, and Abimelech, King of Gerar, and inherited the land of the children of Heth and all the kingdoms of Canaan. He also went down to Egypt, and said of his wife, " She is my sister," for the purpose of placing a stumbling-block in the way of the Egyptians and their king. Isaac did the same in Philistia when he sojourned in Gerar. He grew stronger than all the Philistines. Their king he also wished to lead astray when he said of his wife, " She is my sister." Jacob also went stealthily and took away his only brother's birthright and his blessing withal. He then went to Padan Aram, to the house of Laban, his maternal uncle, and by his cunning obtained his daughters, his cattle, and all that he had. He then fled to the land of Canaan. (10) His sons again sold Joseph into Egypt, where he was put in prison for two years, until the Pharaoh before thee dreamt dreams. He was then taken from prison and appointed over the princes of Egypt, on account of the interpretation of these dreams. When God brought a famine upon the land he brought his father and his brothers to Egypt. He maintained them without paying for it, and us he bought for slaves. If, now, it seems good to the king, let us shed the blood of this child, lest, when he grows up, he take the kingdom from thy hands, and Egypt perish.'

(11) God at that moment sent one of his angels, named

112 [XLIV. 12

Gabriel, who assumed the form of one of them. ' If it pleaseth the king,' said the angel, ' let onyx stones and live-coals be brought and placed before the child, and it shall come to pass, if he stretches forth his hand to the coals, then know that he has not done this by his wisdom, and let him live.' This thing being good in the eyes of the king and the princes, they acted according to the word of the angel, and they brought him the onyx and the coals. The angel then placed the child's hand near the coal so that his fingers touched it. He lifted it to his mouth and burnt his lips and his tongue, so that he became heavy of speech. The king and the princes then desisted from killing the child. (12) He lived for fifteen years afterwards in the king's palace, clothed in garments of purple, for he was reared together with the king's sons. When he was in his eighteenth year the lad longed for his parents, and consequently went to them. He went out to his brethren in the field and looked upon their burdens. He there saw an Egyptian smite one of his Hebrew brethren. When the man that was beaten saw Moses he ran to him for help, for Moses was a greatly-honoured man in Pharaoh's house. He said to him, '0 my Lord, this Egyptian came into my house in the night and, binding me with cords, went to my wife in my very presence, and he now seeks my life.' When Moses heard this evil deed he was exceedingly angry, and, turning this way and that to see that nobody was looking, he smote the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. He thus saved the Hebrew from the hand of the Egyptian. (13) Moses then returned to the palace, and the Hebrew to his house. When the man returned to his house he told his wife that he wished to divorce her, because it was not right for one of the house of Jacob to lie with his wife after she had been defiled. So the woman went out and told her brothers, who thereupon sought to kill him, but he fled into his house, and thus escaped.

(14) On the next day Moses went out to his brethren, and, seeing that some were quarrelling, he said to the wicked

one, ' Why dost thou beat thy neighbour?' But one of them retorted, * Who made thee to be a prmce and judge over us? Wilt thou slay us as thou didst slay the Egyptian?' Moses by this perceived that the thing was already known. (15) Pharaoh immediately got to hear of it, and ordered Mo'ses to be slain. But God sent Michael, the captain of His heavenly host, in the likeness of the chief butcher (slayer). He then took his sword and severed the head of the chief butcher, for his face was changed to the exact likeness of Moses. The angel then took hold of Moses' hand, and, bringing him forth from Egypt, placed him outside its border, a distance of forty days' journey. But Aaron yet remained in Egypt, who prophesied to the Israelites in the midst of the Egyptians, saying, ' Cast away from you the abominations of the Egyptians, and do not defile yourselves with their idols.' But the Israelites rebelled and would not listen. The Lord then said that He would have destroyed them, were it not that He remem- bered the covenant He had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But the hand of Pharaoh was constantly becoming heavier upon the Israelites, so that he persecuted and oppressed them until God sent forth His word and redeemed them.

XLY. (1) At that time a war broke out between Cush on the one side and the people of Qedem (East) and Syria on the other; for these rebelled against the King of Cush. Qinqanos, King of Cush, then went out to war against the other two nations, and smote Syria and the East. He took many captives and made them submit to Cush. (2) When Qinqanos went out to war against Syria and the people of the East he left behind Bala am the enchanter, i.e,, Laban the Aramean, who came from Caphtor, together with his two sons, Janis and Jambris, to guard the city and the poor people. But Bala'am counselled the people to rebel against Qinqanos, so that he should not be able to come into the city. The people, Hstening to him, swore to act accordingly. Him they made king over them, and his two sons they appointed as captains of the host of

114 [XLV. 3

the people. On two sides of the city they raised very high walls, while on the third side they dug an innumer- able number of pits between the city and the river that surrounds the whole land of Gush, and from there the people drew into them the waters of the river. On the fourth side they collected by their wiles and witchcraft an immense number of serpents, so that no one could approach them.

(3) When the king and all the captains of the army returned from the war and saw the very high walls of the cit}^ they were greatly astonished, and said, ' Behold, wdiile we have been detained at w^ar, they have built walls to the city and strengthened themselves to prevent the Canaanitish kings from waging war against them.' But w4ien they came near the city and discovered that the gates were closed, they shouted to the keepers, ' Open the gates for us, that w^e may enter the city.' But they refused to open them, just as Bala'am the enchanter had ordered them, and would not allow them to enter the city. They therefore drew up their line of battle opposite the gate, and fought so that on that day there fell 130 men of Qinqanos's army. On the second day they fought on the side of the river. But when thirty cavalrymen tried to cross they sank into the pits and were drowned. The king then commanded them to hew some wood, which they were to use as rafts upon ^yhich to cross, and they did so. When, however, they came to the w^alls, the rafts rolled from under them like a mill, and on that day 200 men that had gone upon ten rafts were sunk in the wells. On the third day they w^ent on that side of the city where the serpents lay, but they dared not approach. After 170 men had been killed by these serpents they ceased fighting against Gush. They besieged it for nine years, so that no one went out or entered the city.

(4) During this siege Moses, having fled from Egypt, came to the camp of Qinqanos, the King of Gush. He was then but eighteen years old. This young man entered their ranks, and was much beloved by the king, the princes, and all the army, because he w^as mighty and beautiful.

His height was hke the cedar and his face hke the rising sun, and his strength Hke that of a Hon. He was therefore made the king's counseUor. It came to pass after nine years that the Cushite king was seized with an iHness by which he died, so that after seven days Qinqanos departed this Hfe. His servants embahned him, and buried him opposite the gate of the city looking towards Egypt. There they erected a beautiful building and a very high temple, and engraved upon the stones his arms and the record of his mighty deeds.

(5) When they had completed the building, they said to each other, ' What shall we now do? If we try to get into the city and fight there wall be many more of us slain than before. If we give up the siege, then all the Syrian kings and those of the East, having heard of the death of our king, will come upon us suddenly, and none of us will be left. Now, let us appoint a king over us, and we shall then continue the siege until the city falls into our hands.' They then hastily stripped themselves of their garments, and, casting them upon the ground, they made a large platform, upon which they placed Moses. They then blew the trumpets, and exclaimed, ' Long live the king!' And all the princes and all the people took the oath of obedience to him, and gave him a Cushite wife, the widow of Qinqanos. They then crowned him King of Gush. He was twenty- seven years old when he was made king.

(6) On the second day of his reign they all assembled before the king, and said, ' If it is pleasing to the king, give us advice what to do. For these last nine years we have not seen our wives nor our sons, but have remained in the siege.' The king then answered the people, saying, ' Be certain that the city will be delivered into our hands if you hearken to my advice. Now, if we fight with them, many of us will fall as at first, and if we determine to cross the water we shall fare similarly. Now, go to the forest, and let each one bring a young stork, which he shall keep until it has grown up and be taught to hunt just as the hawk.' The people immediately hastened to the forest, and, climb-

8—2

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ing the fir-trees, they each brought the young (of the stork) in then- hands according to the king's word.

(7) When the young storks had grown up, the king com- manded them to starve them for two days, and on the third day he said to them, ' Let each man put on his armour and harness the horses and mules to the chariots; and when each man has taken his stork in his hand, let us rise and war against the city on the side where the serpents are lying.' This they did. When they approached the place, the king said, ' Let each send forth his young stork.' As soon as they did so the storks flew upon the serpents and devoured them, thus ridding the place of them.

(8) When the king and the people saw that the serpents had disappeared they raised a great shout, fought against the city, and captured it, so that each man went to his own house, to his own wife, and to his goods. On that day 1,100 inhabitants were killed, but of the besiegers not one. When Bala am the enchanter saw that the city was taken, opening the gate, he and his two sons fled away upon their horses to Egypt, to Pharaoh, King of Egypt. These were the magicians and the wizards, as it is written in the ' Sefer Hayashar ' (Book of the Just = Bible), that coun- selled Pharaoh to wipe out the name of Jacob from off the face of the earth.

XLVI. (1) And it came to pass when Pharaoh reigned over Egypt that he changed the statutes of the first kings and their laws, and made the yoke heavy upon all the inhabitants of his land, and also upon the house of Jacob he had no pity, through the counsel of Bala'am the enchanter and his two sons, for they were then the king's counsellors. The king then took counsel with his three advisers — one of whom was named Eeuel the Midianite, the second Job, and the third Bala'am of Petor — and said, ' Behold, the Israelites are becoming more numerous, and mightier than we. Come, let us be wise, lest they grow too numerous, and in the event of a war breaking out they will assemble against us and fight us, and go up from the land.'

(2) Then Eeuel the Midianite exclaimed, ' Long live the king! If it pleases the king, do not stretch forth thy hand against them, because God has selected them of old and taken them from all nations of the earth to be His inheritance. For whoever of all the kings of the earth stretches forth his hand against them their God will take vengeance upon him. When Abraham went down to Egypt, and Pharaoh ordered his wife Sarah to be brought to him, did not the Lord their God send great plagues upon him and upon his house until he restored Abraham's wife, and only through Abraham's prayer was he healed? Also in the case of Abimelech in Gerar. As a punishment all his house was struck with barrenness, even unto the animals. In a vision Abimelech learned the cause, and that he must restore Abraham's wife whom he had taken. After Isaac prayed for him and his household, and entreated God on their behalf, they were healed. (3) When Isaac was separated from his wife all their fountains were dried up, and their fruit-bearing trees did not yield their produce, and the breasts of their wives and cows were dried up. Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, his pasturage, and Phichol, the captain of his host. They prostrated themselves, and asked him to entreat God for them and pray to Him. When he besought God they were healed. Jacob was a simple man dwelling in tents; by his integrity he was delivered from Esau, and Laban the Aramean, and from all the kings of Canaan. Who can stretch forth his hand against them without being punished? Was it not thy father that promoted Joseph over all the princes of Egypt, for through his wisdom he rescued all the inhabitants from famine, and commanded Jacob and his sons to go down to Egypt that the land of Egypt be saved from further evil through their piety? Now, if it seems good to thee, cease destroying them, and if thou dost not wish to allow them to dwell in Egypt, send them hence, and they will go to the land of Canaan.'

(4) Pharaoh was exceedingly angry with Keuel, so he left the kingdom and went to Midian. He took Jacob's staff with him. The king then said to Job, ' Give thy

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counsel. What shall be clone with these people?' But Job briefly replied, ' Are not all the inhabitants of thy country in thy hand? Do thou what is pleasing in thine eyes.' Then spake Bala'am of Petor to the king, ' If thou thinkest to diminish them by fire, has not their God delivered Abraham from the furnace of the Chaldeans? And if thou thinkest to destroy them by the sword, has not Isaac been tested thereby, and a ram been given in his stead? Now, my lord the king, if thou seekest to blot out their name, order their babes to be thrown into the sea, because not one of them has yet been put to this test.'

(5) This advice pleasing the king, he issued a decree all over Egypt, saying that every male born to the Hebrews should be cast into the water. And it came to pass when the males of the house of Jacob were cast into the river that Moses was one of them. The Lord thereupon sent an angel to deliver them, and thus he also was saved through the daughter of Pharaoh. When Moses grew up in the king's palace Pharaoh's daughter adopted him as her son, and the whole of Pharaoh's household was afraid of him.

(6) One day it was reported to Bala'am that the son of ' Bityah (Pharaoh's daughter) wished to take his life. Bala am the enchanter and his two sons therefore fled for their lives and escaped to the land of Cush. And when Qinqanos waged war with the peoples of the East and Syria, Bala'am revolted against him and did not allow him to enter the city. Cush was therefore besieged for nine years, and during the siege Qinqanos died. The people then crowned Moses the Levite as their king. (7) By his wisdom Moses captured the city, and was placed upon the throne of the kingdom with the crown upon his head. They also gave him to wife the Cushite wife of the late monarch. But Moses, fearing the God of his fathers, did not approach her, for he remembered the oath which Abraham made Eleazar his servant swear, saying, ' Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan for my sons.' Isaac said likewise to Jacob when he fled on account of Esau. ' Thou shalt not intermarry,' said he, ' with the

children of Ham, for remember that Noah said, " The children of Ham should be servants to the children of Shem and Jafeth." ' Therefore Moses feared the Lord, and walked before Him in truth with all his heart. Nor did he deviate from the path wherein his ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob walked. The kingdom of Cush was firmly established through him, and, going to war with Edom, the East of Palestine, and Syria, he conquered them, and made them submit to Cush. The number of years during which he sat upon the throne was forty, and in all his battles he was successful, because the Lord God of his fathers was with him.

(8) In the fortieth year of his reign, when he was sitting upon the throne with his queen by his side, the queen said to the princes in the presence of the people, ' Behold now, during the whole of the forty years that this king has reigned he has not once approached me, nor has he worshipped the gods of Cush. Now, hearken ye unto me, 0 sons of Cush, do not allow this man to reign over you any longer, but let my son Mobros (DnniD) reign over you, for it is better that you serve the son of 3^our master than a stranger, a servant of the King of Egypt.' The people discussed the matter until the evening. They then rose up early next morning and crowned Mobros (Dnmn), the son of Qinqanos, king over them. But the Cushites feared to lay hands on Moses, for they remembered the oath they took to him. So they gave him valuable gifts and sent him away with great honour. Moses accordingly went forth thence, and his reign over Cush thus came to an end.

(9) Moses was sixty-seven years of age when he went out of Cush; for the thing came from God, as the time had arrived which had been fixed from olden times when the Israelites were to be freed from the children of Ham. Moses then went to Midian, for he feared to return to Egypt through fear of Pharaoh, and stayed by a well of water. When the seven daughters of Eeuel the Midianite came out to feed the sheep of their father, they came to the well to draw the water for the sheep. But the Midianite

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shepherds drove them away, and Moses rose up and assisted them m watering the sheep. Returning to their father, they told him what the man had done for them. Reuel {Le., Jethro the Kenite) then invited him into the house to take a meal with him. Moses then related to him that he hailed from Egypt, and that he had reigned over Cush; that they had wrested the kingdom from him and had sent him away. When Eeuel heard this, he said to himself, ' I shall put this man in prison, by which I shall please the Cushites from whom he fled.' Accordingly he put him in prison, where he remained for ten years. But Zipporah, the daughter of Reuel, had pity upon him, and fed him with bread and water.

(10) At the end of the ten years she said to her father, ' Nobody seeks or inquires after this Hebrew whom thou hast imprisoned these ten years. Now, if it seemeth good to thee, my father, let us send and see whether he is dead or alive.' Her father did not know that she had supplied him with food. Reuel then answered and said, ' Is it possible for a man to be imprisoned twelve (?) years without food and yet live?' But Zipporah replied, ' Hast thou not heard, 0 my lord, that the God of the Hebrews is great and powerful, and that He works wonders at all times? That he delivered Abraham from the furnace of the Chaldeans, Isaac from the sword, and Jacob from the angel with whom he wrestled by the brook of Jabbok? That even for this man He has done many wonders; that He delivered him from the river of Egypt and from the sword of Pharaoh? He will also be able to deliver him from this place.' (11) This word pleased Reuel, and he acted as she had asked. He therefore sent to the pit to see what had become of him, and found him alive, standing erect, and praying to the God of his ancestors. Having brought him forth from the pit, he shaved him, changed his prison garments, and gave him to eat. The man then went to the garden of Reuel at the back of the palace, and prayed to his God, who had done so many wonders for him. While he was praying, he suddenly beheld a staff made of

sapphire fixed in the ground in the midst of the garden. AVhen he approached it, he found engraved thereon the name of the Lord of Hosts, the ineffable name. He read that name, and pulled up the staff as lightly as a branch is lifted up in a thickly-wooded forest, and it was a rod in his hand.

(12) This was the same staff that was created in the world among the works of God after He created the heavens and the earth and all their hosts, the seas, rivers, and all the fishes thereof. When Adam was driven from the garden of Eden he took the staff with him and tilled the ground from which he was taken. It then came into the hands of Noah (son of Lamek), who handed it down to Shem and his descendants until it reached Abraham the Hebrew. He then handed over all his possessions to Isaac, including the staff of wonders, which Isaac also inherited. When Jacob fled to Padan Aram he took it with him, and when he came to his father in Beersheba he did not leave it behind. When he went down to Egypt he handed it over to Joseph as a separate gift above that which he gave to his other sons. After Joseph's death the princes of Egypt dwelt in his house, and the staff came into the hand of Eeuel the Midianite, who, when he left Egypt, took it away with him and planted it in his own garden. All the mighty men of King Qinqanos (Dl^p^^p) who wished to Aved his daughter Zipporah tried to uproot it, but without avail, so that it remained there in the garden until Moses, to whom it rightly belonged, came and took it away. W^hen Reuel saw the staff in Moses' hand he was astonished (and knew that he was the redeemer of Israel). Eeuel then gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.

(13) Moses was seventy-seven years old when he came out of prison, and took Zipporah the Midianite to wife. And Zipporah went the ways of the women of Israel; she did not even in the smallest thing fall short of the righteousness of Sarah, Eebecca, Eachel, and Leah, the pinnacles of the world. She conceived and bare a son, whom she called Gershon, for he (Moses) said: ' I was a

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wanderer in a strange land '; but by the order of Reuel his father-in-law the child was not circumcised. After the lapse of three years she conceived again and bare another son. After his circumcision Moses called his name Eleazar, because (he said) ' The God of my father is my help, and He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.'

XLYII. (1) At that time Moses used to tend the flocks of Eeuel the Midianite behind the wilderness of Sin, with his staff in his hand. But the Lord was zealous for His people and His inheritance, and, hearing their cry, said He would rescue them from the descendants of Ham, and give them the land of Canaan. He appeared to Moses, His servant, in Horeb, in a burning bush; but the fire did not consume the bush. Then God called him from the midst of the bush, and commanded him to go down to Egypt to Pharaoh, King of Egypt, and to ask him to send away His chosen people as free men. He showed him signs and wonders to perform in Egypt that they might believe that the Lord had sent him. God gave him confidence by saying, ' Go, and return to Egypt, for those that sought thy life are now dead, and they have no power to do thee harm.' (2) Moses then returned to Midian, and related to his father-in-law all that had happened. ' Go in peace,' said he. So Moses arose and went away with his wife and sons. They lodged at a certain place, and an angel came down and attacked him for his transgression of the covenant which God made with Abraham His servant, in that he did not circumcise his eldest son, and he wanted to slay him. Zipporah then immediately took one of the sharp flint stones which she found there and circumcised her son, and she rescued her husband from the power of the angel.

(3) As Aaron the Levite was walking in Egypt by the river God appeared to him, and said, * Go now, and meet thy brother Moses in the wilderness.' He accordingly went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. On beholding the woman and her children, he said to Moses, ' Who are these?' 'These are,' said he, 'my wife

and sons whom God gave me in Midian.' But Aaron was displeased, and he told him to send the woman and her sons back to her father's house. This Moses did. And Zipporah and her sons remained in the house of Eeuel, her father, until the Lord visited His people, and delivered them from Egypt from the hand of Pharaoh. (4) Moses and Aaron then went alone to Egypt to the Israelites, whom they told all that the Lord had spoken. Thereat the people exceedingly rejoiced. The next morning they rose up early and went to Pharaoh's house, taking the staff of God with them.

(5) When they came to the gate of the king's palace they saw there two young lions bound in iron chains. No one could enter or pass out from within unless the king com- manded it. The keepers on seeing them loosened the chains, and by charms set the lions free to pounce upon them; but Moses hastily waved his wand upon them, and Moses and Aaron entered the king's palace, followed by the young lions playing round them as a dog plays on seeing its master coming home from the field. When Pharaoh saw this he was greatly astonished, and still more confused on account of these men, whose appearance was like that of the children of God. The king then said to them, ' What do you wish?' And Moses said, 'The Lord God of the Hebrews has sent us to thee, saying, " Send out My people, that they may serve Me." ' Pharaoh was greatly afraid of them, and told them to go away and come again to-morrow, which they did.

(6) When they were gone Pharaoh ordered Bala am the enchanter, and Janis (d-j^) and Jambris (onnro^), his sons, the wizards, and all the magicians of Egypt to be summoned before him. He then related to them what these men had spoken. The magicians then asked, ' How did these men pass the lions that were chained at the gate of the palace?' ' They waved their staves upon the lions,' said the king, ' and they let them loose, and they followed them just as dogs who were pleased to meet them.' ' They are nothing else than wizards like ourselves,' said Bala'am. ' Send now

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after them and let them come, and we shall try them.' The king acted accordmgly.

(7) Taking the staff, they came before the king, and repeated the words which they had spoken at first. ' But how can one beheve,' said Pharaoh, ' that you are messengers of God, and that by His word you have come here? Give us a sign and we shall believe you.' Aaron then threw his staff upon the ground, and it was immedi- ately changed into a serpent. The magicians, seeing this, did the same by their incantations, and the staff of each one of them became a serpent; but Aaron's serpent at that moment hfted its head, and, opening its mouth, swallowed up the serpents of Pharaoh's magicians. Balaam the wizard, seeing this, said, ' This has been done from time immemorial, that one serpent should swallow up his neighbour just as the fish swallow each other. But change it back to a staff as we shall do, and then if thy staff' is able to swallow ours we shall thereby know that the Spirit of the Lord is with thee; but if it cannot swallow them, then thou art a wizard as we are.' Aaron then hastily took hold of the serpent by its tail, and it became a stick again. This the magicians likewise did. Then Aaron, as previously, cast his staff upon the ground, and it swallowed up those of the magicians.

(8) Pharaoh then ordered the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Egypt to be brought to him; therein were contained the names of all the gods of Egypt. When the list was read over to Pharaoh, he said, ' I do not find your God written in this book, nor do I know Him.' ' The Lord God of gods is His name,' replied they (Moses and Aaron). ' But who is the Lord,' added Pharaoh, ' that I should listen to His voice and send Israel forth? I do not know Him, and shall not allow the Israelites to go.' ' From the days of our forefathers He has been called " The God of the Hebrews." Now give us permission to go a journey of three days in the wilderness to sacrifice unto the Lord, for ever since we came down to Egypt He has not received from our hands a burnt offering, meal offering, or sacrifice.

If, however, thou wilt not let us go forth, the Lord will assuredly wax angry and smite the land of Egypt with pestilence or with the sword.'

(9) ' Tell us something of His might and power,' said Pharaoh. ' He created the heavens and all their host; the earth and all it contains; the seas with all their fishes. He it was who formed the light and wdio created the darkness; who caused the rain to fall upon the earth to irrigate it. He caused the young plants and the grass to spring forth. He created man, animals, the beasts in the forest, the birds in the heavens, and the fish in the seas. Through Him they live, through Him they die. Did He not create thee in the womb of thy mother, and give thee the spirit of life? did He not make thee grow up, and place thee on the royal throne of Egypt? He shall also take away thy spirit and thy soul, and return thee to the dust from which thou wast taken.' The anger of Pharaoh was kindled, and he said, ' Who is there among all the gods of the people that can do this? Behold, I it was who created the river, and who created myself.' He then drove them out of his presence, and from that day he made the slavery more oppressive than heretofore.

XLVni. (1) The Lord rose in His strength and smote Pharaoh and his people with many great and terrible plagues, and turned all their rivers to blood, so that when- ever an Egyptian came to the river to draw water, as soon as he looked into his pitcher, he found it turned to blood. Whether for drinking or for kneading the dough, or for boiling, it always looked like blood.

(2; After this all their waters brought forth frogs, so that whenever an Egyptian drank of them, his stomach became full of frogs, which croaked about in his entrails just as they did in the river. Whether they kneaded or whether they boiled, the water was filled with frogs. Even when they lay down upon their beds, their very perspiration was turned into frogs. (3) He then smote their dust so that it became lice two cubits high; on their very bodies they lay a handbreadth, as well on the king and queen as on the

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people. Following this, the Lord sent against them the wild beasts of the field to destroy them; serpents, vipers and scorpions to injure them; mice, weasels, lizards, and noxious reptiles; flies, hornets, and other insects to fly into their eyes and ears; fleas, ants, and every species of winged insect to torture them; they filled the innermost recesses of their houses. When the Egyptians tried to hide themselves in order to shut out and to escape the wild beasts, the Lord ordered the sea-monster (octopus? noi'p^D) to ascend to Egypt. It has arms ten cubits in length, according to the cubit of man. Eising to the roof, it uncovered the roof and exposed the rafters; and it then slid its arm inside the house; it wrenched off the bolt and lock, and thus forced open the houses of the Egyptians.. In this manner the hordes of wild beasts got into the palace of Pharaoh and his servants, and they worried them greatly.

(4) And God sent a pestilence among the horses, asses, camels, cattle and sheep. When the Egyptian rose early in the morning and went out to his pasture, he found his animals lying about dead, there remaining alive but one in ten. (5) The Lord next sent a plague of fever among the Egyptians, which afterw^ards broke out into severe boils, which covered them from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head. They broke, and their flesh was running with streams of matter, until they wasted away and rotted, and (6) the hail devastated all their vines and trees so that not even the bark or the leaves were left: all their produce was dried up, and a burning fiery flame played in the midst of it. Even the men and animals found abroad were slain by the flame, and all the libraries (houses of books) were overthrown. (7) Various kinds of locust devoured every- thing left by the hail; what one species left, the other destroyed. The Egyptians, however, were glad to hunt them and salt them for food. The Lord then raised a very strong wind, which carried them all, including the salted ones, into the Ked Sea, so that not a solitary one remained in the whole of Egypt. (8) Darkness then covered the

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earth for three clays, so that one could not see his o^Yn hand before his eyes. During this period of darkness many Hebrews who had rebelled against their Creator, rebelled also against Moses and Aaron, saying: ' We shall not go forth lest we die in the desolate wilderness by famine.' God smote them by a plague, and they were buried during these three days, lest the Egyptians should see them and rejoice at their downfall. (9) All the firstborn of the Egyptians were then slain from man to animal, even the likeness of their firstborn engraved on the walls of their houses was effaced and thrown to the ground. The bones of their firstborn that were buried in their houses the dogs of Egypt dragged away, and, breaking them to pieces, devoured them before the very eyes of the people, so that their descendants cried out in anguish. The people of Egypt then hastened to accompany the servants of God, whom they sent away with much riches and many gifts, according to the oath which God sware at the Covenant between the pieces.

(10) Moses went to Shihor (the Nile), and drawing up the coffin of Joseph, took it away with him. The heads of the tribes of Israel also assisted in bringing up each one the coffins of his forefathers. Many of the heathen joined them in their departure from Egypt and in their journey of three days in the wilderness. (11) On the third day, how- ever, they said to one another, ' Did not Moses and Aaron tell Pharaoh that they wished to go a journey of three days in the wilderness in order to sacrifice to the Lord their God? now let us rise early to-morrow morning and see if they return to Egypt to our lord; we shall thereby know that they are to be believed, but if not, we shall go to war against them and bring them back by main force.' On the fourth day they accordingly rose early, and found Moses and Aaron eating and drinking, and celebrating a festival to their God. The rabble said to them, ' Why do you not return to your master?' Moses replied: ' Because the Lord has warned us, saying, " Ye shall no more return to Egypt, but ye shall go to a

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land flowing with milk and honey, as I have sworn to your fathers." '

(12) As soon as the rabble saw that they refused to return, they went to war against the Israelites; but the Israelites prevailed against them, causing great slaughter. The remainder fled to Egypt to inform Pharaoh that the people had fled. And the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was forthwith turned against them, so that they pursued after them to bring them back to their burdens; for the Egyptians repented after they had sent them away. Pursuing them hastily, they at length overtook them while they were encamping by the Eed Sea. There the Lord wrought many miracles for the Hebrews through Moses, His chosen servant, who stretched his staff upon the sea, when the waters were immediately divided into twelve rents (for the twelve tribes), through which they all passed over dryshod, just as one passes along the highway. After them came all the Egyptians. But they were all drowned except Pharaoh, King of Egypt, who thereupon offered a thanksgiving offering to the living God, and believed that He was the living God. God then commanded Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel, the heavenly princes, to bring him up from the sea. So they brought him to the land of Nineveh, where he remained for 500 years.

(13) The Israelites then journeyed into the wilderness, and Amaleq, the son of Eliphaz, the son of Esau, went to war against them. With him there came an innumerable army of wizards and enchanters. But the Lord delivered them into the hand of Moses His servant and Joshua the son of Nun, the Ephrathite, who put them to the edge of the sword. Keuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, then came out into the wilderness to Moses, where he was encamping by the mountain of God with Zipporah and his sons, and dwelt with them among the Israelites. Moses next fought against Sihon and Og, and captured their land. He then fought against Midian and slew Evi, Eeqem, Sur, Hur and Eeb'a, the five kings of Midian. (14) He put Bala'am the enchanter and his two sons to the edge of the sword.

When Bala am the enchanter sa^Y Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, and Pmehas his son, captains of the host of Israel, following him for the purpose of slaying him, by means of witchcraft he flew in the air, just as an eagle is seen to fly heavenward. But, uttering the ineflable, revered name of God, they brought him down to the earth, and, capturing him, slew him with the rest of the princes of Midian. The Canaanites who dwelt in the mountains also descended with the Amaleqites to fight against Israel, but the Lord delivered them into the hand of Moses and the Israelites, who smote them utterly. (15) Moses w^as eighty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, King of Egypt. Through him the Lord redeemed Israel from Egypt. He reigned over them in the wilderness forty years, during which time the Lord maintained them by His mercy with the bread of the mighty and the fowd of the heaven, and from the flinty rock He brought forth fountains of w^ater for them. The cloud of the Lord gently guided them by day like children, and a pillar of fire by night, and during the whole time of their travels in the wilderness neither their garments nor their shoes wore out, and no goodness lacked them there. (16) After travelling through the wdlderness of Sin, they arrived at Mount Sinai on the third day of the third month after their departure from Egypt. The word of the Lord then came to Moses the Levite, saying, ' Come up to the mountain, and I will give thee the tablets of stone, the Law and the Commandments which I have written to teach the Israelites.' Moses accordingly told the people to sanctify themselves for three days, and on the third day, that is, on the sixth day of the third month, he ascended the mount. The Lord then gave the Israelites through Moses the 613 precepts refined as silver and tried as gold, accompanied by the sound of the trumpet, by thunders and lightnings. They next erected a tabernacle, with its vessels, for ministering to God, and the ark for the two tablets and for the scroll of the Law. They also prepared burnt-offerings, sacrifices, incense, frankincense, oil for the consecration and for anointing therewith the tabernacle

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with its vessels and the priests of God, viz., Aaron and his sons, who ministered before God and offered sacrifices and incense for the congregation. They also made for them garments of honour, and appointed the sons of Levi to guard the tabernacle of the Lord, to minister to their fellow-priests, and to sing hymns during the sacrifice. They also offered frankincense within to avert the anger and punishment of the Lord.

(17) In the fortieth year of their wanderings, Miriam the prophetess died, on the tenth day of the first month, and was buried in the wilderness of Sin, which is Qadesh. In the same year, on the first day of the fifth month, Aaron the priest died, and was buried on Mount Hor, and Eleazar and Ithamar were appointed to minister in the place of their father. The priesthood has remained in that family as an inheritance throughout all generations. (18) In tha^t same year on the seventh day of the twelfth month — i.e., Adar— Moses, the servant of the Lord, died, 120 years old, and was buried in the valley at the nethermost part of the Mount of Ebarim, and Joshua the son of Nun, the Ephrathite, was appointed leader of the people. The rest of the words of Moses relating to his power, his military deeds, his entreaties and prayers on behalf of his people, are they not written in the ' Sefer Hayashar,' which is the Law of our God? Joshua the son of Nun rose up after him. He led the Israelites across the Jordan and divided the land by lots according to the word of God.

The Death of Aaron, of Blessed Memory.

XLIX. (1) ' Better is a good name than precious oil.' Thus it was with Aaron. God said to Moses, our teacher, ' The time has arrived for Aaron to quit this world. Do thou go and tell him that his life is nearing the end.' Moses then rose and prayed the whole night. He said, ' Lord of the world, how can I say to Aaron, " Thy time has arrived to quit this world"? And God said to Moses, 'Give him

the message of a great thing and of good tidings, that I will not deliver his soul into the hand of the angel of death.'

(2) Moses then determined to change the order of things for that day. It was customary for some of the princes to rise early and wait at the door of Eleazar and Ithamar, and for all the elders to wait on Moses; but on that day the order ^vas reversed, for Moses, Eleazar, and all the princes rose early to wait on Aaron. When Aaron came to the door and saw them all standing, with Moses among them, he asked, ' 0 my brother, why hast thou changed thy custom to-day?' ' Because God has bidden me to tell thee something to-day,' said Moses. 'But canst thou not tell me privately?' 'No.' 'Speak, I entreat thee!' 'I cannot,' replied Moses, ' until we depart hence.' They then immediately went away. On other occasions Moses, Aaron, and Eleazar used to walk together — Moses in the middle Aaron at his right, Eleazar at his left, and all the Israelites behind them; but on this day Aaron walked in the middle. AVhen the Israelites perceived this they said to each other, ' The Holy Spirit has been removed from Moses, and has been given to Aaron.' They all rejoiced, because they loved Aaron with a greater love than they did Moses, because he loved peace and pursued it.

(3) ' Why,' asked Aaron, ' dost thou confer this great honour upon me to-day?' ' Because God has commanded me to tell thee something.' ' And what is that w^hich thou hast been commanded to tell me?' ' Do thou wait until we are seated.' When they were seated Aaron repeated his question, ' Now tell me, my brother.' ' Wait until we mount the hill.' And he did all this in order not to frighten him too much. The three of them, Moses, Aaron, and Eleazar, then ascended the hill, when Moses said, ' 0 my brother Aaron, return unto me what God has entrusted thee with.' 'Is it the tent of the congregation wdth all its vessels which is entrusted to me?' * Has he handed over a light to thee?' ' Yes,' said Aaron; ' the lamp with its seven lights has been entrusted to my care.' He did not yet understand that Moses referred to his soul, which is com-

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pared to a light, as the verse says, ' The light of God is the soul of man, penetrating the inmost chambers of the heart.' ' Aaron, my brother, why did Abraham, om* forefather, die? Was it not because the time had arrived for Isaac's rule? And Isaac, why did he die? — why, do you think? Because of the time having arrived for Jacob's rule, which was then to be transferred to him.' Even yet Aaron did not understand the drift of Moses' conversation. ' 0 Aaron, my brother, if one were to ask thee to give twenty years, or ten years, or one year, or even one day of thy life to that person, when that day should arrive wouldst thou deny his claim?'

(4) Aaron then at last understood that the time had come for him to die, and he said to Moses, ' Moses, the time of my death has arrived.' Moses remained silent and did not reply, for he was inwardly weeping. Aaron then, placing his hands upon his head, wept bitterly, saying, ' What avails me the good name, when I am about to quit this world, in which I have always loved peace and pursued it, and made peace between man and his neighbour, be- tween man and wife?' While they were sitting in that place, the ground suddenly opened, showing them the cave of Machpelah. After entering it, Moses said, ' Aaron, my brother, perhaps this is the cave of Machpelah— that is, the vault of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; thou art clothed in thy priestly garments, and they will become defiled. If now thou art willing, clothe thy son Eleazar with thine own garments, and array thyself in his, then thou and I will enter this vault.' Aaron forthwith stripped himself of his garments and put them upon Eleazar, his son, while he clothed himself in those of Eleazar. When they entered the cave they looked and beheld a burning lamp, a prepared bed, and a table spread. ' Go up, my brother,' said Moses, ' and lie upon this bed. Stretch out thy legs and close thine eyes and mouth.' He did so, and his soul departed.

(5) When Moses saw this he coveted such a death, saying, ' Happy the man that is born to such a death.' And God replied, ' By thy life thou shalt end thy days by

such a death.' At once Moses went out from the cave, and the mouth of it closed up by itself.

(6) Moses and Eleazar then descended the hill. When the Israelites saw Moses and Eleazar without Aaron they said to Moses, ' Where is thy brother Aaron?' ' His time had arrived to die, and he is no more,' answered Moses. Thereupon they sought to stone him, saying, ' Thou hast slain him, because we loved him more than thee.' At this Moses raised his eyes on high and stood in prayer.

(7) At that moment God said to the ministering angels,

* Lift up Aaron's coffin, and suspend it in the air that the Israelites may see it and believe Moses.' Thus they did, and the Israelites believed. They mourned for him thirty days. The ministering angels also lamented his death, saying,

* Wail, ye cypresses, for the cedar has fallen.' Even God himself uttered this verse over him, ' The law of truth was in his mouth, iniquity was never found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and righteousness, and gave many a place of refuge.' Concerning his death, it is said, 'A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death better than the day of one's birth.'

[End of the death of Aaron. May the Lord deliver us on the last day. With the help of God, I, Eleazar the Levite, add here the account of the death of Moses, our teacher.]

L. (1) The Lord said to Moses, ' Behold, the time draws near when thou shalt die.' E. Aybo related that Moses addressed God in the following manner, ' Through the very word with which I praised Thee in the law in the presence of sixty myriads of those who sanctify Thy name Thou hast sentenced me to death,' as it is said, ' Bel told, thy days draw near for thee to die; all thy gifts and punishments are meted out measure for measure, each one meted out in full, how now evil for good.' And God replied, ' Even this word which I told thee is a mark of good- ness, as, e.g., '^Behold, I send before thee an angel. Be- hold, the righteous man will be rewarded in the land."

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^^ Behold, I shall send to you Elijah, the prophet," and just as thou hast proclaimed Me before sixty myriads, so shall I, in the future, exalt thee in the midst of fifty-five myriads of perfectly righteous people.' Therefore He used the word 'behold' (jH), the numerical value of jn is 50 and 5, viz., n = 5, and j = 50.

(2) Rabbi said that the death of Moses is referred to ten times, viz.: 'Behold, the time draws near for thee to die.' ' He died upon the mount.' ' For I am about to die.' 'Thou knowestthatafter my death.' ' After my death.' 'And before his death.' ' He was one hundred and twenty years old when he died.' ' And Moses, the servant of God, died there.' ' And it came to pass after the death of Moses, the servant of God.' ' Moses My servant is dead.' From all these instances we learn that it was ten times decreed that Moses was not to enter the land of Israel; but this harsh decree was, nevertheless, not sealed until the decision of the Great Tribunal was revealed to him. (3) For God said to him, *A decree has been passed that thou shalt not pass (into the land of Israel), as it is said. Thou shalt not pass this Jordan.' This decree was, however, lightly felt by Moses, for he said, ' The Israelites have committed many grievous sins; and whenever I interceded for mercy on their behalf my prayer was accepted, as it is said, " Let me alone, that I may destroy them "; yet at the same i^lace it is written, " And the Lord repented of the evil." At the same place it is further written: ' " And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word." I, Moses, therefore, who have not sinned from my youth, if I entreat God on my own behalf, how much more will God hear my words?' When God saw that the decree was lightly felt by Moses, and that he did not turn his mind to prayer. He immediately swore by His great name that he would not enter the land, as it is said, ' Therefore thou shalt not bring this con- gregation.' ' Therefore ' means nothing else than an oath, as it is similarly said, ' Therefore, I sware to the house of Eli.' (4) As soon as Moses became aware that the judgment concerning him was finally decreed, he fasted, and drawing

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a circle he stood within it and said, ' I shall not move from this place mitil that decree has been annulled/ Having then clothed himself in sackcloth and scattered ashes upon his head, he prayed and supplicated before God until heaven and earth and the very creation were moved, and said, ' Perhaps the will of God to renew the world is being accomphshed.' A Divine voice then went forth, and saicf, * It is not God's will to renew the world; in His hand is the soul of every Man, and the spirit of all flesh.' 'Man' is applied to Moses, as it is said, ' And the Man Moses was exceedingly meek.' (5) At that moment God made a pro- clamation at every gate, and in every firmament, and at every door of the Great Tribunal that they should not accept Moses' prayer. They, therefore, did not allow his prayer to reach God as the decree had already been sealed. The angel appointed to carry out this decree was named Akhzariel. God forthwith cried out to his ministering angels, 'Hasten to go down and close all those gates of heaven so long as his prayer continues.' For his prayer strove to penetrate the heavens, for hke unto a sword it rent and cut, and was not impeded. It drew its strength from the ' Ineftable Name,' which Moses learnt from Zagzagel, his teacher, who is the scribe of all the heavenly host. To this event refers the verse: ' Behind me I heard the sound of a great noise, saying: "Blessed be the Lord from His abode." ' The voice was the cry of one suppHcat- ing, and the word ' great ' can only be applied to Moses, as it is said, ' The man Moses was very great.'

(6) What is the true meaning of the expression, ' Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His abode '? The reply is that when the wheels of the chariot and the seraphim of fire perceived that God said, ' Ye shall not receive Moses* prayer, nor show him favour, nor grant him life, nor allow him to enter the land of Israel,' they exclaimed, 'Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His abode, who is no re- specter of persons either small or great.'

(7) At that time Moses said to God, '0 Lord of the universe, it is well known to Thee what cares and troubles

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I have undergone for Israel until they became " The chosen ones" to observe Thy Law, and how much anxiety I have suffered for them until I established for them the Law and the Commandments. I said, " As I saw their evil, may I also look upon their good;" and now that they have reached that state Thou sayest to me, " Thou shalt not pass over this Jordan," behold Thou makest Thy law a falsity; for it is said, " Thou shalt give him his reward on the day due." Is this the payment for the forty years' service during which I have toiled, until they (the Israelites) became holy and faithful?' as it is said, ' While Judah was yet rebelling against God, they became a holy and faithful people.'

(8) The angel Samael, the wicked, was the chief of the Satans. Every hour he used to dilate upon the coming death of Moses, saying, ' When will the moment arrive at which Moses is to die, so that I may go and take away his soul?' Concerning this David said, ' The wicked are always watching the righteous, seeking to take their life.' But of all the Satans Samael was the most wicked, while, on the contrary, there was no man so righteous among the prophets as Moses, as it is said, ' There has not yet arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses.' This may be compared to a man who is preparing for a wedding-feast, and who anxiously inquires, ' When will thy festivity begin, that I may participate in the joy?' Thus did the wicked Samael remain on the watch for the soul of Moses, and say, ' When will Michael commence to weep, and when shall I obtain the consummation of my joy?' Michael replied, 'I shall weep when (or while) thou rejoicest.' Some are of opinion that he said, 'Do not rejoice, mine enemy; although I fall, yet I rise again, for I fall at the death of Moses, but I shall rise again at the prosperity of Joshua, when he conquers thirty-one kings. I sit in darkness at the destruction of the first temple, but afterwards the Lord shall be my light, the light of the Messiah.' In the mean- time one hour had passed.

(9) Moses then said to God, ' Lord of the universe, if

Thou wilt not permit me to enter the land of Israel, allow me to live in this world, and not die.' But the Lord replied, ' If I do not kill thee in this world, how can I bring thee to life in the world to come? And, further, thou wouldst by this falsify My law, for it is written in My law, " None shall deliver (him) from My hand." ' Thus far God forbore. Moses added, ' Lord of the universe, if I am not allowed to enter the land of Israel, allow me to remain as one of the beasts of the field, which eat the grass and drink the water, but live and see the world. Let my soul be as one of them.' God replied, 'You ask too much.' Moses continued, ' If not, allow me to remain in this world as a bird that flieth every day to the four corners of the earth, and in the evening returns to its nest. Let me be as one of them.' God still said, 'You ask too much.' ' 0 Lord of the universe, then place one of my eyes behind the door, and let them shut the door upon it three times in each year, that I may live and not die.' ' It is too much.' 'What dost thou mean, 0 Lord, w^hen thou sayest, "It is too much "?' And God replied, ' Thou hast spoken too much.' (10) When, at length, Moses perceived that there was no creature that could deliver him from death, he immediately exclaimed, ' The Eock, whose work is perfect.' Then, taking a scroll, he wrote upon it the Ineffable Name, and recited his last ' Song ' until the moment arrived for him to die. Then spake the Lord to Gabriel, ' Go thou and bring to Me the soul of Moses.' But he replied, ' How can I look upon the death of him who is worth sixty myriads of creatures? and how can I make him angry who uttereth such words as he?' Then spake God to Michael, ' Go and bring me the soul of Moses.' And he replied, * Lord of the universe, how can I, who was his instructor, look upon the death of him who was my pupil?'

(11) At length God addressed Samael, the wicked, saying, ^ Go thou and bring to Me the soul of Moses.' Then, clothing himself with anger, girding himself with his sword, and enveloping himself with eagerness, he set out to find Moses. When he saw Moses writing the Ineffable Name,

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that his brilliancy was like that of the sun, and that he looked like an angel of the Lord of hosts, Samael was seized with a great fear for Moses, and said, ' The angels cannot of a surety take away the soul of Moses.' But before Samael appeared Moses knew that he was coming.

(12) When he (again) looked on Moses he was exceedingly terrified, and trembled as a woman in travail, so that he could find no courage to speak to Moses, until Moses him- self said, ' Samael, " There is no peace for the wicked," saith the Lord. What dost thou here?' ' I have come here to take away thy life.' ' But who sent thee?' ' He who formed all creatures,' replied Samael. * Thou shalt not take my life,' added Moses. ' But the souls of all living beings are entrusted to me.' ' And I am,' said Moses, ' the son of Amram, who was born circumcised. On the day of my birth I found speech; I walked on my feet, and spoke to my parents; even the milk I did not suck. When I was three months old, I prophesied that I would in the future receive the Law on this day, from the midst of the flames of fire. When I went abroad I entered the king's palace and took the crown from off the king's head. When I was eighty years old, I performed signs and w^onders in Egypt, and brought out thence sixty myriads under the very eyes of the Egyptians. I also rent the sea into twelve parts; I made the bitter waters sweet; I went up to heaven and trod its path; in the wars of the kings I conquered them; I received the law of fire from the fiery throne, and I was hidden behind a cloud; and I spake face to face to God, and I conquered the host of heaven, and I revealed hidden mysteries to mankind; I received the law from the right hand of God, and taught it to the Israelites; I went to war with Sihon and 'Og, the two mightiest warriors of the world, for even at the time of the flood the waters would not reach their knees on account of their enormous height; I caused the sun and the moon to stand still in the horizon, while I smote those two kings with the staff that is in my hand and killed them. Who is there in the world that can do like this? Away hence.

thou wicked one. Thon hast not the permission to stay here. Depart from me, for I shall not give thee my soul.'

(13) Samael accordingly returned and hrought hack word to God, who again said, ' Go forth and hring to Me the soul of Moses.' Samael immediately drew his sword from its sheath and thus stood over Moses. But Moses' anger was kindled against him, and he took the staff of God in his hand, on which the Ineffable Name was engraved, and beat Samael with all his might until he fled before him. Moses ran after him, took away the horn of his glory from him, and deprived him of his sight. Thus far did Moses' power prevail. The last moment of Moses' life had then drawn near, when a voice (Bath Kol) was heard to say: ' Thy last moment, the time of thy death, has arrived.' But Moses entreated thus, ' 0 Lord God of the world, re- member the day on which thou didst reveal Thyself to me in the bush, when Thou didst say, " Go forth and I will send thee to Pharaoh." Remember (0 Lord) the day when I stood upon Mount Sinai, where I remained forty days and forty nights. I entreat Thee not to deliver me into the hand of the angel of death.' A voice (Bath Kol) then went forth and said, ' Do not be afraid, for I myself will attend to thy burial.'

(14) At that moment Moses stood up, and having sanctified himself just as one of the Seraphim, the Holy One, blessed be He, descended from the highest heavens together with Michael, Gabriel, and Zagzael. Michael arranged Moses' bed, Gabriel spread a garment of fine linen at his head and Zagzael a rug at his feet; Michael stood on one side and Gabriel on the other. Then spake the Lord to Moses, ' Close thy eyes one after the other, and gather up thy feet.' Then, addressing the soul of Moses from the midst of his body. He said to it, ' My daughter, after I have placed thee in Moses' body for 120 successive years, the time has now arrived for thee to go forth from it; therefore depart and do not delay.' The soul of Moses said: ' 0 Lord of the universe, I know that Thou art the

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Lord God of the spirits of all flesh, and that all souls, both of life and death, are delivered into Thy hand. Thou it was who created st me; Thou it was who formedst me and didst place me in the body of Moses for 120 years; and no human body has ever been purer than the body of Moses, in which no evil germ w^as seen, no worm or insect, wherein there never was any over-estimation. On account of all this I love him, and do not wish to depart from him.' ' 0 soul,' added God, ' depart and do not delay. I shall then carry thee up into the highest heavens, and place thee beneath the throne of My glory, with the Cherubim, Seraphim and Gedudim ' (troops of angels).

(15) Once more entreating the Lord, it said: ' Lord of the universe, from Thy Divine Presence on high there once descended two angels, 'Azah and 'Azazel, who in their desire for the daughters of the earth, corrupted their way upon the earth, until Thou didst suspend them between heaven and earth. But from the very day on which Thou didst reveal Thyself in the bush, the son of Amram did not approach his wife, as it is said, " And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses on account of his wife." I entreat Thee, 0 Lord, allow me to remain in the body of Moses.' At that moment, by a kiss of God, the soul of Moses was taken from him, and, as if weeping, God ex- claimed, ' Who will now rise up to correct the evil-doers? who will now stand up for the workers of iniquity?' The Spirit of God then wept and said, ' There has never yet arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses.' The heavens wept and said, ' A pious man has perished from the earth.' The earth wept, saying, ' There is no upright man left on the earth.' When Joshua had sought for his master and could not find him, he also wept, saying, ' Save me, 0 Lord, for the pious one is no more, and the faithful have ceased from among men.' The Israelites then wept, saying, ' He performed the righteousness of God.' And the angels of every heaven exclaimed, ' His judgments are with Israel: the remembrance of the righteous is for a blessing, and his soul returns to everlasting life.'

LI. (1) Now, what was the special merit of Moses, that God Himself should attend on his burial? It w^as for the following reason. When he went down to Egypt and the time for the redemption of Israel had arrived, all the Israelites busied themselves with the silver and gold, while Moses, for three days and three nights, wearied himself by walking round the city silently searching for Joseph's coffin, since they could not depart from Egypt without Joseph, for he had made them promise him before his death and swear that they would do it, as it is said, ' And Joseph made the children of Israel swear.'

(2) When Moses was already exceedingly tired, a woman, Serah, the daughter of Asher, met him, and, seeing him very faint and weary, she said to him, ' My lord Moses, why art thou faint?' 'Because,' said he, 'I have been wandering round the city for three days and three nights in search of Joseph's coffin, but have not yet been able to find it.' ' Come with me, and I will show thee where it is.' Leading him to a brook in that place, she then related to him that the magicians and wizards of Pharaoh had made a coffin of lead for Joseph, weighing 500 talents, and cast it into the brook. They thus spoke to Pharaoh, ' If it please the king, this nation will now not be able to go forth from this place as it cannot discover Joseph's coffin.'

(3) Standing by the edge of the brook, Moses exclaimed, ' Joseph, Joseph, thou knowest how thou didst cause Israel to swear, saying, " The Lord will surely visit you," Now bestow glory upon the God of Israel, and do not prevent their redemption. Beseech, I pray thee, thy Creator that thou mayest rise from these depths.' Im- mediately after this the coffin ascended from the depths, preceded by a bubbling of the waters, floating as lightly as a reed. Lifting it upon his shoulders, he carried it along, followed by all the Israelites. They carried the silver and the gold which they took from Egypt, whilst Moses carried the coffin. Then said the Lord to Moses, ' Thou sayest that thou hast in this done a small thing; by thy life, the

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mercy which thou hast shown is great, since thou didst not think of the silver and the gold. I shall, therefore, show thee the same mercy w^hen thou departest this life. I shall with My glory bestow kindness on thee.'

(4) Thus, when the time had arrived for Moses to quit this world, and God said to him, 'Behold, the time approaches for thee to die,' he exclaimed, ' 0 Lord of the universe, after having received the law, and having suffered such weariness, dost Thou tell me, " The day of thy death draws near "? I shall not die, but will live.' 'Thou canst not, for this is the way of man.' 'Lord of the universe,' entreated Moses, ' I beseech thee before my death to allow me to enter and search all the gates of the heavens and the depths of the earth, that they may see there is none besides Thee, as it is said, " And thou shalt know this day, and lay it up in thy heart that the Lord is God and no one else." ' God said, ' Thou hast written of Me: " and no one else." I say of thee there has not yet. arisen in Israel any one like Moses, who knew the Lord face to face.' What is the meaning of the words, ' Behold, thy day draws near to its end '? K. Simon said, ' The very day appeared before God, and said, "Lord of the universe, I shall not move nor end, so that Moses may continue to live." '

(5) The sages asked, ' What did Moses do as soon as he knew the day on which he was to die? E. Janai said, that on that day he wrote thirteen scrolls, twelve for the tribes, and one he placed in the Ark. Li the event of their seeking to falsify a word, they might refer to the one in the Ark. Then said Moses, ' While I have been occupying myself with the Torah which is living, the day has set and the decree is thus annulled.' God then forth- with made a sign to the heavens, and the day remained at a standstill, saying, ' I will not set, so that Moses shall live.' Therefore Job uttered, ' Did not I weep for him that was in trouble (whose day was fixed), that is, the day was hardened (fixed) for him?' What is the meaning of the words, ' Behold, thy day draws near '? Just as one man

says to his neighbour, ' Behold, someone has sued thee before the King.'

(6) He called Joshua, and addressed God thus, ' Lord of

the universe, let Joshua, my servant, be the ruler, and

I shall live.' God replied, ' Serve thou him as he did

serve thee.' Moses then rose up and hastened to the

house of Joshua, who was greatly afraid, and said, ' Moses,

my teacher, has come to me.' When he went out Moses

walked on Joshua's left side. "When they entered the tent

of the congregation, the pill^^r of cloud descended and

separated them; as soon as it departed Moses went up

to Joshua, and asked, ' What did the Word say to thee?'

And Joshua replied, ' When the Word was revealed to thee,

I knew what was said to thee.' Moses then wept, saying,

' Better one hundred deaths, than one jealousy.' Solomon

explains it thus, that love was as strong as death, and

jealousy as Sheol, i.e., the love which Moses bare Joshua,

and the jealousy which he showed towards him. When

Moses was about to die, God tried to appease him, saying,

' By thy life, as thou hast guarded My children in this

world, so will I in the future world make thee the leader

of My children,' as it is said, ' And He will remember the

days of old.'

(7) This is the blessing with which Moses blessed the children of Israel before his death. What is the meaning of the expression, ' Before his death '? The sages say that Moses took hold of the angel of death, and compelled him to go before him while he blessed each one of the twelve tribes. E. Meir says that the angel of death approached Moses, and said to him, * The Lord has sent me to thee, because thou must depart on this day.' Moses said, ' I seek to praise God, as it is said, " I shall not die, but live to tell of the works of God." ' ' But why,' said the angel, ' art thou so boastful? for there are others who praise Him; the heavens and the earth glorify Him every hour, as it is said, " The heavens declare the glory of God." But I wall silence them,' continued Moses, * as it is said, "Listen, 0 heavens, while I speak." ' For the second time the angel

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of death approached him, but as soon as Moses uttered the ' Shem Hammeforash ' (Ineffable Name), he fled, as it is said, 'When I call upon the name of the Lord, bring ye greatness to our God.' When the angel of death approached him the third time, Moses said, ' It is now necessary for me to justify the Divine judgment upon me,' for it is said, ' The Eock, whose work is perfect.'

(8) E. Isaac said that the soul of Moses refused to depart from him, so that Moses communed with it, saying, 'Dost thou aver that the angel of death tried to overcome thee?' ' God will not do this,' it replied, 'for " thou hast delivered my soul from death."' 'Has he caused thee to see them crying, and made thee weep with them?' ' No, for " (thou hast delivered) my eye from tears." ' 'But did he try to make me fall among them (the people)?' ' " Thou hast prevented my foot,"' said it, '"from slipping.'" 'And where wilt thou in the future walk?' The soul replied, ' I shall walk before the Lord in the lands of the living.' As soon as Moses heard this, he exclaimed, 'Eeturn, 0 my soul, to thy rest.' E. Abin said that as soon as they departed the mortals glorified God, saying, ' Moses has commanded us a law, an everlasting inheritance to the congregation of Jacob/

LII. (1) E. Joshua ben Levi said that when Moses ascended on high to receive the Law, a cloud appeared before him in a crouching position, so that he did not know whether to ride upon it or to take hold of it. How- ever, it soon opened, and having entered it, the cloud carried him aloft. Moses then walked along the firma- ment, just as one walks along the earth, as it is said, ' And Moses went in the midst of the cloud.' Qemuel, the angel appointed over 12,000 other angels of destruction, keeping- guard at the gates of heaven, met him. When he saw Moses he rebuked him, saying: ' Thou comest from a place of defilement, and darest walk in this place of purity. What dost thou, who wert born of woman, in this place of fire?' ' I am Moses, the son of Amram, and have come here to receive the law for Israel.'

(2) Moses walked along the firmament just as a man walks

along a pathway, until he came to Hadarniel. The sages say of Hadarniel that he stands 60,000 parasangs above his fellow-angels, and that every word he utters is accom- panied by 12,000 sparks of fire. On seeing Moses, he in his turn rebuked him, saying, * What doest thou in this sublime and holy place?' But as soon as Moses heard the voice of Hadarniel, he became frightened, confused, and trembled exceedingly in his presence, and the tears flowed from his eyes. He therefore entreated the cloud to cast him forth; (3) but God's mercy was moved for Moses, and He thus addressed Hadarniel: ' From the very day that I created you, you have striven before Me; when I wished to create man, all of you became his accusers before Me, saying: "What is man, that Thou shouldst remember him, and the son of man, that Thou shouldst visit him?" You gave Me no rest until I consumed many of your companies; and now, seeing that My desire is to give My law to My children, you stand in the way and will not allow My law to descend to My chosen people Israel. Indeed, were it not for Israel, who are to receive My law, there would be no dwelling in the firmament, either for Me or for you,' as it is said, ' If I had not created the day and the night, I would never have decreed the statutes of heaven and earth. '

(4) When Hadarniel heard this he rose and prayed and made supplication before God, saying, ' 0 Lord of the universe, it is revealed and known before Thee that I did not know that Moses came here with Thy permission. Now that I know it I shall act as a messenger to him, I shall go before him as a pupil before his teacher.' Thus humbling himself, he went before Moses as a pupil before his instructor, until he came to the fire of Saldalphon; (5) and then Hadarniel said: * Moses, do thou proceed, for I am not able to stand before the fire of Saldalphon. I fear lest he consume me with the breath of his mouth.' When Moses perceived Saldalphon, he was confused and trembled, and the tears flowed from his eyes. He then desired to be thrown from the cloud, and besought the

146 [LII. 5

mercy of Grod. His prayer was answered, for at that moment the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself descended and stood before Moses until he passed the fire of Saldal- phon. Concerning this it is said, ' And the Lord passed before him and he exclaimed, " The Lord, the Lord, the God of mercy and kindness." '

(6) Of Saldalphon the sages say that he towers above his fellow-angels a distance that would take 500 years to walk, and that he stands in front of the curtain weaving crowns for his Maker. The ministering angels do not know where God dwells, for it is said, ' Blessed be the Lord from His abode,' and it is not said in, but from, His abode. He (Saldalphon) therefore conjures with the Ineffable Name, and the crown departs to rest by itself on the head of the Almighty. As soon as the crown leaves the hand of Saldalphon, all the heavenly hosts are moved, and the holy creatures, till now silent, roar like lions, and they exclaim with one voice, ' Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is filled with His glory.' When the crown reaches the throne of God, all the wheels of His chariot and throne commence rolling; the sockets of fire blaze forth, and all the heavens are seized with terror. When it passes on to the throne all the heavenly hosts with their own crowns on break forth into glorification of God, saying, ' Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His abode.' Come and see the glory and greatness of God. As soon as the crown reaches His head. He strengthens Himself to receive the prayers of His servants. Then all the Hayoth, Ophanim, Seraphim, the wheels of His chariot, the throne of His glory, and the hosts above and below exalt, glorify, and break forth in words of praise, honour and glory, and all as with one mouth proclaim His Sovereignty, saying, ' The Lord will reign for ever and ever.'

(7) As soon as Moses passed away from Saldalphon, he came to Eigion, a river of fire, whose flames burn the angels of fire just as the fire which consumes man. Moses, however, was taken across by God. (8) He then met Galisur, an angel to whom is attributed the saying that

Lll. 10] 147

out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth evil and good. Why was his name called Galisur? Because he reveals the secrets of God. His wings are spread out to receive the fiery breath of the holy creatures, for, were he not to do so, no creature would be able to endure it. Galisur is appointed for another kind of work: he pro- phesies that this year shall be a good wheat crop; the barley shall ripen, and the wine shall be cheap. And yet another kind of work: taking a thick covering of iron and spreading it on the river Eigion, he places certain people upon it opposite the angels and princes, so that they may prosper, and that their fear shall fall upon the creatures. God took Moses up and brought him across the river.

(9) After this, Moses met a troop of angels of terror that surround the Throne of Glory, and that are mightier and stronger than all the ministering angels. As soon as they espied Moses, they tried to consume him with the breath of their mouths, saying, * What doest thou in this place of glory?' But God immediately spread the glory of His throne round about him, as it is said, ' He closeth in the face of His throne and spreadeth His cloud upon it.' Moses, thereby strengthened, returned the following answer: * What avails the Torah to you? The Exodus from Egypt does not apply to you, nor the worshipping of strange gods, nor the taking of oaths.' At this they immediately rendered their thanksgiving to God, as it is said, ' Our Lord, how mighty is Thy name in all the earth! Thou whose majesty extends over the heavens.* From that moment every one became Moses' friend; every one handed over to him a secret cure, and even the angel of death revealed to him his secret, as it is said, ' And he gave the frankincense and atoned for the people.' (10) Then, opening the seven firmaments, God showed him the heavenly temple and the four different hues in which the tabernacle was made, as it is said, 'And thou shalt erect the tabernacle according to the plan which thou sawest on the mount.' • 0 Lord of the universe,' said

10—2

148 [Lll. 10

Moses, ' I do not know its form.' Then spake God to him, ' Turn to the right.' He did so, and seeing angels clothed in a colour like that of the sea, God said, ' This is blue.' ' Now turn to the left,' said God. He did so, and seeing angels clothed in white, God said, ' This is the fine linen.' Then turning in front of him and seeing angels clothed in red, God said, ' This is scarlet.' ' Now turn behind thee.' Turning behind, he saw angels clothed neither in red nor green, and God said, ' This is purple.'

(11) The Lord then opened the seven doors of the seven heavens, and revealed Himself to Israel face to face in His glory and with His crown. As soon as the Israelites heard the words, ' I am the Lord thy God' from God's own mouth, their souls departed forthwith, as it is said, ' The souls of the Israelites departed when He spoke.' The Law went forth to Israel and found them all dead. Keturning to God, it said, ' Lord of the universe, to whom hast Thou given me, to the living or to the dead?' ' To the living,' said He. ' Hast thou not applied to me the verse, " It shall be thy life and the length of thy days "? and yet here are they all dead.' ' Then for thy sake I shall restore their souls;' and causing that dew to descend which is destined to revive the dead, He thus brought them to life, as it is said, ' Thou, 0 God, didst send a plentiful rain; Thou didst confirm Thine inheritance when it was weary.' He then restored their souls, as it is said, * The law of God is perfect, refreshing the soul.'

(12) There then descended, at the command of God, 120 myriads of ministering angels, of whom a pair went to each of the Israelites, one to place his hand upon his heart to prevent his soul from departing, and the other to straighten his neck that he might behold God. But why did God reveal Himself to them face to face? Because He said to them, ' Know that I reveal Myself to you in My glory and in My majesty, so that in the event of one of you leading others astray and saying to them, " Forsake your God and let us go and serve other gods," you may then say to him, *' Is there anyone who, after beholding his

Creator in His glory and in His majesty and upon the throne of His glory, would go and serve other gods?" ' (13) Then said the Lord to Moses, ' My angels are afraid of thee because the fire of thy lightnings is stronger than theirs. Let Michael My archangel go before thee, for My great name is engraved upon his heart, as it is said, *'For My name is within him." The glory of the heights is on thy right hand, and the image of Jacob thy forefather on thy left.' Moses was inwardly pleased when he saw the Most High condescending to argue with him. All the inhabitants of the world were confused; the inhabitants of every country were astonished when they saw Moses the son of Amram, who had captured the King's daughter (the Law), descending in great exultation, as it is written, ' Thou didst ascend on high; thou didst take captive and receive presents for man.' It is further written, * A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and bringeth down the strength of the con- fidence thereof.' The mountains and hills skipped like rams when they saw the canopy erected, and the daughter of God as a bride decked with precious stones. The daughter of God is the Torah (Law), and the precious stones represent the twelve tribes, who said, ' All that the Lord has spoken we shall do and hearken thereunto.' As soon as they exclaimed, ' We shall do and we shall obey,' there descended 120 myriads of ministering angels, who placed two crowns upon every one of the Israelites: one because they said, ' VYe shall do,' and the other because they exclaimed, * We shall obey.' And the glory of the Lord was revealed from heaven, from the habitation of His holiness. He gave the Torah to the children of Jacob, His chosen one, and gave them righteous judgments, a true law, statutes and commandments for their good, by which to prolong the life, to obliterate the sins, and to sow the seeds of righteousness.

LIII. (1) The sages say that while the Israelites were travelling in the wilderness they were surrounded by seven clouds of glory, one in front of them, one behind them, two on each side, and one above them to protect them from the

150 [Liii. 1

sun and the cold. Another cloud went before them, which levelled the high places and raised the lower places that they might not stumble, as it is said, ' And Thy cloud stood above them, and in a pillar of cloud Thou wentest before them.' This was the one in front of them, and the seventh was that which was placed at the head of the standards, and the light of the Divine Presence was refulgent in it. But how did it shine there? (2) The Rabbis say that there were four standards, of which the standard of Judah was in the east, and similar in shape to a lion, as it is said, ' Judah is a lion's whelp.' On the top of the banner was the form of a lion, out of which hooks of gold protruded, which ended in a sword-like pike, and on this there rested one arm of the seventh cloud, on which the three letters repre- senting the three forefathers were engraved, viz., Alef, Yod, Yod. ' Alef ' for Abraham, ' Yod ' for Isaac, and ' Yod ' for Jacob (^\s being the mnemonic sign). These letters were illuminated by the Shechinah. (3) In the south the banner of Eeuben was placed. It had the appearance of a man similar to mandrakes, on account of the passage, * And he found mandrakes.' On the top of the banner hooks of gold, which ended in a sword-like pike, and upon them rested one arm of the cloud, on which the three letters representing the three ancestors were engraved — 'Beth' for Abraham, * Sade ' for Isaac, and ' 'Ayin ' for Jacob iv)i2 being the mnemonic sign). These letters also shone from the splendour of the Shechinah.

(4) In the west the banner of Ephraim was encamped, being in appearance like a fish, on account of the expres- sion, ' And they shall increase like the fish abundantly.' On the top of the banner were placed hooks of gold ending in a sword-like pike, on which rested one arm of the cloud, with the three letters representing the three forefathers engraved upon it, viz., ' Eesh ' for Abraham, ' Heth ' for Isaac, and ' Qof ' for Jacob (the mnemonic sign being phi)- Likewise these letters shone through the splendour of the Shechinah. (5) Lastly, in the north was encamped the banner of Dan, in the form of a serpent, on account of the

expression, ' Dan shall be like a serpent by the way.' On the top of the banner were placed hooks of gold ending in a sword-like pike, above which one arm of the cloud rested, with three letters representing the three ancestors engraved thereon, viz., ' Mem ' for Abraham, ' Qof ' for Isaac, and * Beth' for Jacob (the mnemonic letters being ipt), which shone through the splendour of the Shechinah.

(6) Now, there was one letter remaining, viz., the He of Abraham, which God added to Abram from His own name, which is spelt Yod He (^'). With this God created the world, as it is said, ' For with " Yah " the Lord created the worlds.' God placed the pillar of cloud above the ark, which was surrounded by all the banners, as it is said, ' They encamped round about the tent of the congregation.' On this cloud now those sacred letters Yad, He, were fixed, and during the seven days of each week it went the round of all the camps of Israel, giving light as the sun by day and as the moon by night. They were thus able to distinguish between day and night. (7) When God wished them to remove their camps, the cloud on which the letters Yod, He were engraved moved upwards from the ark of the covenant. The four clouds on which were respectively engraved the letters ^^^? h'-iv, pni and 2pb followed after them, and as soon as the priests noticed these clouds following in the wake of the pillar of cloud, with the letters n^ on it, they blew their trumpets, and the four winds of the earth blew myrrh and frankincense, as it is said, ' Who is this coming up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense?'

(8) These trumpets were used first for assembling the people together, then as the signal to continue their journey- ing for war, and also for the Sabbaths and festivals. Every trumpet was hollow and emitted a loud sound. It was one cubit in length and broad at the mouth, and a thin reed was placed in its mouth to receive the breath, and thus to discourse music in the hearing of the people. When they were used to assemble the people, and to bring the princes together, the sons of Aaron blew on one trumpet one long

152 [LIII. 8

even sound (teqi'ah nr^n), and not a tremolo (nrnn). A Teqi'ah, or one long even sound, on two trumpets meant the assembling of the whole congregation, but the same on only one trumpet was the signal for the assembling of the princes. If a tribe required its prince, they blew a Teqi'ah on one trumpet, but not a Teru'ah or tremolo. In the same manner the assembling of all the congregation was sounded.

(9) As a signal for continuing their journey they used two trumpets and sounded the Teru'ah. At the first sound the three camps eastward, under the banner of Judah, moved onwards; at the second the three camps in the south, under the banner of Eeuben; at the third, the three camps in the west, under the banner of Ephraim; and at the fourth sound of the Teru'ah, the three camps in the north, under the banner of Dan, started on their journey. For all these the Teru'ah sound was blown. In war, however, and on a day of rejoicing, or a festival, or a new moon, the sons of Aaron blew the two sounds Teqi'ah and Teru ah. (10) These four banners correspond with the four elements of which the world is composed, and the twelve tribes correspond with the twelve stones of the ephod, as it is said, ' And the stones shall be called after the names of the children of Israel.' The banner of Judah in the east corresponds to one of the four elements, viz., fire, and of the constellations, to Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, which consist of fire, and to the first row of the stones of the ephod, viz., the sardius, topaz and carbuncle.

(11) The standard of Eeuben in the south corresponded to earth, the second of the four elements; to Taurus, Virgo and Capricornus of the constellations which are of the dust; and to the second row of the stones of the ephod, viz., the emerald, sapphire, and diamond. The banner of Ephraim in the west corresponded to water, the third of the four elements; to Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius of the constella- tions, which consist of water; and to the third row of the stones of the ephod, viz., the jacinth, agate, and amethyst.

LIIL 15] 153

(12) The standard of Dan in the north corresponded to ah% the fourth of the four elements; to Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces of the constellations, which were created of air; and to the fourth row of the stones of the ephod, viz., the beryl, onyx, and the jasper. (13) Judah's constellation is Leo and his stone the sardius; Isaachar's is Aries and his stone the topaz; Zebulun's Sagittarius and his stone the carbuncle, i.e., altogether nine corresponding to fire.* Keuben's constellation is Taurus, and his stone the emerald; Simeon's Virgo and his stone the sapphire; Gad's Capricornus and his stone the diamond, i.e., altogether nine* corresponding to dust. Ephraim's constellation is Gemini and his stone the jacinth; Menasseh's Libra and his stone the agate; Benjamin's Aquarius and his stone the ame- thyst, which are together nine corresponding to air.* Dan's constellation is Cancer and his stone the beryl; Asher's Scorpio and his stone the onyx; Naphtali's Pisces and his stone the jasper, which are altogether nine corre- sponding to water.*

(14) Each man stood by his standard, together with the ensign of his father's house, thus: Eeuben, mandrakes; Simeon, the city of Shechem; Judah, the lion's whelp; Issachar, a strong ass; Zebulun, a ship; Ephraim, an ox; Menasseh, a buffalo (or Eeem); Benjamin, a wolf; Dan, a serpent; Naphtali, a hind; Gad,' a troop (according to the passage, ' a troop will overtake him '); Asher, an olive, on account of the passage, ' He dipped his foot in oil.' Thus, a sign was given to every banner, according to the deeds and according to the name of the tribe.

(15) And these are the four camps of the standards. ' Every man by his standard, according to the house of their fathers, shall encamp round about the tent of the congrega- tion.' Between the tabernacle and the camps of the standards there was a very wide space. Three tribes formed under one banner, that is, in three separate camps according to their order, and each camp was like a large city. The camps of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, were

* I. e., if we include the names of the tribes.

154 [LIII. 15

placed in the east; Keuben, Simeon and Gad in the south; Ephraim, Benjamin and Menasseh in the west; and Dan, Asher and Naphtah in the north. The Levites encamped between the tabernacle and the camps, on the four sides of the tabernacle, at a distance from the camps, but near the tabernacle, and kept guard in the tabernacle of the Lord. Moses and Aaron and his sons encamped in the east of the tabernacle, opposite Judah's standard. The sons of Kehath encamped in the south, opposite Eeuben's banner; the children of Gershon in the west, opposite Ephraim's banner, and the children of Merari in the north, opposite Dan's banner. The tent of the congregation stood in the <3entre, surrounded on all sides by the Levites, while the four standards of the Israelites surrounded the Levites, and the clouds of glory surrounded the Israelites. That is the meaning of the verse, ' The angel of the Lord encamps round about those who fear Him.' The four standards, Moses, Aaron and the tabernacle, which are altogether seven, correspond to the seven planets, viz., Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, and the twelve tribes to the twelve constellations.

(16) K. Ele azar asked E. Simeon, ' When the Israelites went out of Egypt, did they take weavers with them?' ■* No,' replied E. Simeon. ' How, then, did they clothe themselves during the whole of the forty years?' ' The ministering angels clothed them, as it is said, *' And I shall clothe thee in fine network." *But did not the children grow to men?' said he. * Learn the reply from the purple snail whose shell grows simultaneously with it.' Thus the Israelites fared, nor did they become dirty, for the clouds were cleansing them. Further, they did not emit a malodorous smell from the perspiration of their bodies, -although they did not change their clothes.

(17) The well caused to grow various kinds of spices and sweet-smelling herbs, upon which they lay, as it is said, ' He will cause me to lie down in the well-watered pastures,' the perfume of which travelled from one end of the world to the other. The well of Miriam was placed at the entrance of

the court near Moses' tent, and indicated to all (the camps) where they were to encamp. It indicated it in this manner: When the curtains of the court were set up, the twelve pillars by the well sang the ' Shirah,' as it is said, * They dug the well with songs.' And the waters of the well swelled into rivers, one of which surrounded the camp of the Shechinah. From that river there issued four other rivers into the four corners of the court, each one of which flowed through the four corners, such as south-east, etc., to the camp of the Israelites. After passing the camp of the Levites, these rivers flowed together into one channel, encompassing first the whole camp of the Levites; and flowing between each family, and surrounding the camp of the Shechinah, there were seen many small channels. Then this great river encompassed the whole camp of the Israelites from without, forming into smaller rivers running between each tribe. These rivers marked the boundary of each camp, so that one did not encroach upon his neighbour. But do not think that they obtained nothing from the waters, because they produced all kinds of dainties similar to those of the world to come, as it is written, ' Thou art a fountain of gardens.' And all kinds of spices grew for them, as it is said, ' Thy shoots are a garden of pome- granates.... with spikenard and saffron,' etc.

(18) At the end of each camp on the east, west, north and south, there stretched an area of 4,000 cubits. Moses and Aaron and his sons were encamped in the east; the children of Kehath in the south; the children of Gershon in the west; and the children of Merari in the north. Each one of them occupied 100 cubits within the 4,000. In addition to this there were those 4,000 cubits on each side. Thus the Levites occupied one-eighth of the whole area of the tribes. But where did the animals pasture? The whole encampment extended over an area of 12 square miles, comprising the camp of the Shechinah, that of the Levites, and that of the camp of the Israelites. In the corners on each side their cattle pastured, i.e., opposite (or facing) their own encampment. The rivers

156 [LIII. 18

surrounded them from within and without, forming channels for them all round, so that the people had permission to w^alk on the Sabbath from one camp to the other. The cloud being spread over them, divided them from their cattle, as it is said, * And the cloud of the Lord rested over them by day.' From the splendour of the blue used in the tabernacle the rivers appeared blue as the blue of the morning and the light of the moon and the sun was reflected in them. When the nations beheld them from afar praising God, they said, ' Who are these people look- ing at us from the wilderness?' and fear and dread fell upon them all, as it is said, ' Fear and dread shall fall upon them.'

The Smiting of the Firstborn.

LIV. (1) The sages say that when God brought the plague of the firstborn upon the Egyptians, He started first upon their gods, as it is said, ' I shall execute judgment on all the gods of Egypt; I am the Lord.' And what was this smiting of their gods, since they were but images of stone? They were broken up into small pieces; every idol of wood rotted and became a heap of dust, and all idols of silver, brass, iron and lead were melted to metal sheets on the ground; and when the Egyptians were drowned in the Eed Sea fire descended upon their gods and consumed them, as it is said, ' And in the abundance of Thy majesty. Thou wilt overthrow all those who rise up against Thee.'

(2) The sages further say that before the plague of the firstborn descended upon them Moses went among the firstborn in Egypt and said to them, * Thus saith the Lord, About the time of midnight I shall go forth in the midst of the Egyptians, and all their firstborn shall die.' There- upon all the firstborn went to their fathers and said, ' All the plagues which Moses foretold have come to pass; he now says that all the firstborn are to die.' * Go to Pharaoh,' replied their fathers, ' for he is a firstborn.'

Going to bim, they said, * Send this people away, for if you do not, all the firstborn will perish.' Pharaoh immediately ordered his servants to go and smite them, and be said, ' I have once declared either my soul shall be taken or those of the Israelites, and now you wish them to be sent away.' Each one of them took his sword and slew his father, as it is said, ' The smiting of the Egyptians by their firstborn.' Nevertheless, at midnight, all the firstborn were slain, as it is said, ' And the Lord smote all the firstborn of the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, i.e., his son, who also died. And Pharaoh and his servants arose in the night on that account. (3) If an Egyptian married five wives, having had five sons, the next day these sons were found dead, because they were all firstborn to their mothers. In the same manner, if a woman had married five times and had obtained a son of each husband, all these sons died, because they were all firstborn to their fathers. Thus was fulfilled the statement that 'All the firstborn of the land of Egypt should die.' In the event of a house containing no firstborn, the eldest in the house died. The house wherein the firstborn had died long before, the dead came out again from the grave and died anew within the house, causing great wailing. Therefore it is written, * There was no house into which death did not enter.'

(4) As soon as Pharaoh saw that his son, the son of his wife, and the sons of his servants were dead, he meditated within him that Moses had never once yet lied to him, and said to his servants, ' All the time that he was near me he used to appease; and he prayed before his Creator, and we were then healed of all our plagues. But, a little while ago, I was incensed against Moses, and said to him, " Thou shalt not any longer look upon my face." Therefore it is incumbent upon myself to go to seek him.' Pharaoh and all his servants accordingly rose from their beds with great weeping, and Pharaoh, going the round of all the streets, inquired, * Where is Moses? Where is Moses? Where does he dwell?' When the Israelites saw

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him they laughed, saymg to him, ' Pharaoh, where art thou going, and whom dost thou seek?' ' It is Moses your master that I am searching for.' ' Here he Kves, here he Hves,' said the children, all the while laughing at him, until he at last said, 'Arise, go forth from among my people.' But the Israelites took no notice of him until he went to Moses' house and said, ' I entreat thee, 0 my lord, pray to God for us.' But Moses and Aaron and all the Israelites were at that moment in their several houses, eating their paschal lambs and singing praises to the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, and sitting at home, and no one went out of his house, because God said to the Israelites, * And no man of you shall go out of his house until the morning.' (5) So that when Pharaoh came to Moses' door, Moses said to him from within his house, ' Who art thou calling?' ' I am Pharaoh,' said he. * Why dost thou thyself come to me? Surely it is not customary for kings to come to men's houses, and, moreover, at night-time.' ' I entreat thee, go forth and pray for us, for there is no man left in Egypt that is not dead.* ' But I cannot go forth, for I have heard it from the mouth of God, saying, " You shall not go forth." ' ' I beseech thee,' said Pharaoh, 'stand at the window and let me behold thy pleasant face.' ' But,' added Moses, ' didst thou not say to me, "Thou shalt no more see my face"?' 'I said this to thee before the firstborn died, but now they are already dead. Thou hast indeed never lied before me: now, why are they all dead?' And Moses said, ' Dost thou wish them to be brought to life again?' ' Yes,' said he. (6) 'If so, then raise thy voice and say, "0 children of Israel, behold ye are free men, behold ye are your own masters. Now arise and go forth from the midst of my people. But now ye were the servants of Pharaoh, hence- forward ye are the servants of God." ' These words Pharaoh repeated. ' Say them again.' And Pharaoh did so. ' Say them a third time.' And Pharaoh said them a third time. When Pharaoh raised his voice, it was heard in all the land of Egypt, a distance of forty days or 400 parasangs.

(7) And in that night he called Moses and Aaron and said to them, ' Arise, go forth from among my people.' * But why dost thou trouble me the whole night?' said Moses. * Because,' answered Pharaoh, ' I am a firstborn, and I fear lest I die.' *Do not fear this, because thou art destined for greatness.' And the Egyptians forced Pharaoh, and persuaded him to send the Israelites from among them, as it is said, ' And the Egyptians strengthened themselves to hasten the people out of their land, for they said, " Behold we shall all of us die." ' But God answered them, saying, ' By your life you shall not all of you die here, but I shall destroy you in the sea.' When the Egyptians were drowned in the sea, fire descended upon their gods so that they were consumed.

(8) Among these Egyptians there were two wizards whose names were Johanai and Mamre. As soon as they entered the sea and saw that the waters encompassed them, by means of their wiles they flew into the air as high as the firmament. There was not another nation in the world so much addicted to witchcraft as the Egyptians. Thus our sages have said, ' Ten measures of witchcraft descended into the world: nine parts the Egyptians took, and one remained for the rest of the world.' Johanai and Mamre were the princes of witchcraft, and, from their great knowledge of it, they ascended to the firmament; nor were Michael and Gabriel able to do anything against them. They therefore cried to God in supplication, saying, * 0 Lord of the universe, these wicked men who oppressed Thy children with hard bondage dare to stand here without fear, and not only this, but they dare to defy even Thee.' (Whence do we know that God Himself descended in Egypt '? Because it is said, ' I shall go down with thee to Egypt.') ' Now, if it is Thy will, 0 Lord of the universe, execute punishment for Thy children.' At this God immediately ordered Metatron, saying, ' Throw them down and cast them to the ground, but be careful that they only fall into the sea.' Metatron accord- ingly cast them forcibly into the midst of the sea. It was then that the Israelites broke forth with the ' Shirah ' (the

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song), 'And in the abundance of Thy majesty Thou hast overthrown those who rise up against Thee.'

(9) ' The nations heard it and trembled,' The sages say that when the Egyptians pursued the IsraeHtes and beheld them, they were seized with great fear and dread, and did not wish to enter into the sea after them. God therefore sent Gabriel to them, and he appeared like a mare entering the sea. Pharaoh's horse immediately followed into the sea after it, and he was followed by all the Egyptians. Then spake God to Moses, saying, ' Stretch forth thy hand over the sea, and the waters shall return upon the heads of Pharaoh and his chariot and his riders.' Moses thus stretched forth his hand upon the sea, which was cleft asunder and rent. When the nations of the world heard the report of the exodus from Egypt, and the rending of the Eed Sea, they trembled, and in terror fled from their habitations.

The PiEBELLION OF KORAH.

LV. (1) And the children of Israel went up from the sea, and they came to the wilderness. While they were journeying in the wilderness a quarrel broke out between Korah and Moses. A certain woman had a ewe-lamb which she fed from her bread and gave to drink from her own cup, so that it was as a daughter to her. When she one day sheared the wool of her lamb, Aaron the priest came and took the wool away. Going immediately to Korah, she said to him, ' 0 my lord, I am exceedingly poor, my whole possession being but one ewe-lamb. When I sheared its wool for the purpose of clothing myself, for I am naked, Aaron the priest came up and took it away by force.' (2) Korah then went up to Aaron and said to him, ' Hast thou not sufficient with the tithes and heave-oflferings of the Israelites, that thou must needs take away the wool of this poor w^oman, who is esteemed as a dead person?' But Aaron retorted, ' Thou shalt not die in the natural way. I shall not annul, for thy sake, one letter of the law. It is written

therein, " The first of the shearing of thy flock shall be given to me." ' In three months' time the ewe bore a lamb, and Aaron came and took it away. The woman immediately went again to Korah and complained, ' 0 my lord, behold Aaron has no compassion on me, for but yesterday he took away the W'Ool, and to-day he has taken the firstborn.' And he replied, ' The law says that every male firstborn of thy cattle and of thy sheep shall be dedicated to the Lord thy God.' (3) The woman thenw^ent forth and slew the ew'e, and Aaron immediately came and took the shoulder, the jaws and the maw. Seeing this, the w^oman, sorely troubled, cried, saying, ' Thou hast all the flesh.' ' I take all the flesh,' added Aaron, it has now become our portion, as it is said, " The flesh of everything that is dedicated belongs to thee." '

(4) The woman, going to Korah, related all that had happened, and Korah, exceedingly enraged, said to Aaron, ' What claim hast thou upon this poor woman? Thou didst first take the wool, then the firstborn, and now the whole ewe itself.^ ' I shall not transgress one letter of the law on account of thy anger, for it is said, '' All the flesh shall be the priest's." ' (5) Korah was then filled with wrath, and when God commanded Moses to tell the children of Israel to make for themselves fringes, Korah arose in the night, and w^eaving 400 garments of blue, put them on 400 men. Then, standing before Moses, he said to him, ' Do these garments require fringes, as they are now made wholly of the rh'2r\' (blue)? Moses replied, 'Korah, does a house full of holy books require a Mezuzah.' 'Yes,' said Korah. ' So also do these garments require fringes.'

(6) Thus the jealousy (envy) between them grew to such an extent that God said to Moses, ' Take the Levites, and thus thou shalt do to purify them.' He then made four decrees concerning the Levites, two of which they accepted and two of which they did not accept. They then said to Moses, ' Sprinkle upon us the water of the sin-offering, and w^e shall also wash our clothes, but to the heaving and the razor w^e shall not submit.' (7) Moses then forcibly lifted

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them up from the ground agamst their will. When it came to the decree of the shaving their bodies, Moses was not able to attend to them alone, so he said to the Israelites, *A decree has been issued concerning the Levites to pass the razor over their flesh, and they have refused to submit.' Thereupon, all the Israelites stood up, laid hold of the Levites by force, and made them submit.

(8) At that time the wife of Korah said to her husband, ' The King of Life makes both you and Moses subservient to Him, but now, having passed the razor over your own flesh and over your beards, you will be a reproach and a shame to all. It is surely preferable to die than to live.' Concerning this Scripture says, ' The wisdom of woman buildeth her house, but the hands of the foolish one over- throw it.' (9) ' The wisdom of woman buildeth her house.' This refers to the wife of On, the son of Peleth, who, when she saw that the quarrel was coming to a head, said to her husband, ' My lord, hearken to my counsel: whether Korah is the prince and thou art the pupil, or Moses is the prince and thou art the pupil, what avails thee this quarrel? It is surely better to free thy soul from the punishment.' ' But what shall I do now,' he answered, * since I have already sworn to Korah that I shall abide by his counsel?' ' Thy oath will be fulfilled,' she replied, ' if thou sidest with Moses, since all the Israelites are holy.' ' May I trust thee?' said he. She answered: ' Yes.' Thereupon, on the day of visitation, she killed a lamb, and gave him to eat and to drink until he was drunk. She then put him to bed, and while he slept she sat at the street- door and uncovered her head, and combed her hair; and whoever came to call for On, the son of Peleth, saw his wife with uncovered head, and being shamed, turned aw^ay until the time passed, and On was thus saved. With reference to this the text says, ' Hide thyself for a moment until the anger has passed away.'

' But the foolish woman overthroweth it (her house) with her hands.' This alludes to the wife of Korah, who wickedly counselled her husband to quarrel with Moses, and thus he

perished from this world and from the next also, as it is said, 'And they perished from the midst of the congregation.'

(10) The sages say that through the deep counsel of Balaam the Israelites were diminished, for the sons of Moab and Midian took counsel together, and, gathering all the beautiful women of their land, they made tents for them and placed them therein close by the camp of the Israelites. And the women dwelling within the tents were decked with all conceivable kinds of ornaments and had every kind of saleable garment. At the door of the tent stood an old woman holding a garment for sale. Whenever any Israelite passed by and asked the old woman the price, she placed a very high value upon it, but said, ' Step inside the tent, and there you can choose what you desire at a low price.' As soon as he entered a beautiful maiden would stand up, beautifully decked and sprayed with scent, and, looking at him, say, ' I will sell thee these ornaments at a very low price; and if thou desirest, I will give thee these others for nothing.' Before her was placed excellent strong wine. She would then say to him, ' Drink this cup of wine for my love, and I will present thee with any precious ornament thou mayest wish.' At this time the wine of the heathen was not yet a prohibited thing. He therefore would accept the offer and drink the wine, and as soon as he had finished it he would be very drunk. She then would take hold of him and begin kissing him, so that the evil inclination should burn within him, and he would lie with her. For the great love that sprang up between them, she would not leave him until at length she would say to him, ' Worship this idol for the love you bare me;' and he would worship it.

(11) Thus the Israelites sinned through fornication as it is said, ' And the people began to commit fornication with the daughters of Moab, who enticed the people to sacrifice to their god; and the people ate of their sacrifices and bowed down to their gods.' The Lord was therefore angry with Israel, so that there died by a plague 24,000 men. (12) And all the Israelites, and all the princes, and Eleazar, and Pinehas, seeing the angel of destruction among

11—2

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the people, sat down and wept, and did not know how to act. Pmehas saw Zimri pubHcly going with a Midianite woman, and, burning with zeal, he snatched the spear from Moses. Some say that, raising his spear, he ran after him from behind, and pierced them both, so that it entered the stomach of the woman. On account of this God gave him and his sons the maw of the animals as his reward, and strengthened his arm. He fixed the spear in the ground, and both were found on the top of it, one above the other. Then Pinehas smote the young men of Israel without remorse, and dragged them, scourging them all the while, through the whole camp of Israel, that all should see and fear. E. Eleazar of Modai relates that Pinehas cast the ban of excommunication upon all Israel by means of the secret of the Ineffable Name as written upon the tables of the law — the terrestrial and celestial Tribunal sanctioned an excom- munication prohibiting every man of Israel to drink of the wine of the heathen.

LVI. (1) When the ten plagues with which the Egyptians were smitten commenced, Siqrops fled from Egypt to the city of Aqtes, in Greece, which he built as the Metropolis. There he estabhshed the throne of the kingdom of the So'anites, and became the first king of the Atinisim (Athenians) — i.e., the So anites. After him there reigned seventeen kings and nineteen princes, until the reign of Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, King of Persia. (2) At the end of the Book of Joshua it is written, ' So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.' Joseph ben Gorion asserts in his book that when the heathen made a covenant, after shedding the blood of the calf and sprinkling it upon the ground, they used to say, ' Thus shall the blood of him who breaks this covenant which we have made be shed.' Joshua then issued a decree to the Israelites that they should pour water upon the ground instead of blood, to fulfil the command, ' Thou shalt not do according to their deeds.'

(3) In those days, in the time of Joshua, there lived a certain man Eriqtonios, who was the first to construct

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a chariot in Greece. And Cadmus, King of Egypt, went from Thebes C^'5'ri) and came to Tyre and Sidon, and there reigned. In the land of Greece there also reigned Cadmus Europes Tahpanhes, and he called the name of the royal city Tahpanhes.

(4) Now, Danaus had fifty sons, and they took to them the fifty daughters of Egisates, their brother. But one day one of the brothers arose, and, killing all the others, reigned in their stead. (5) At that time, in the days of Othniel, Cadmus reigned in Thebes, and the city of Bitanya (^<^;Jt?n) was built by Tahpanhes. He first introduced the letters of the Greek writing. The city of Epira (riTQS), now called Corinthus, was also then built by Sisipo. Minos, the son of Eoripi (^D^"l^i^''^?), reigned then in Crete

LVIL (1) Philo, the friend of Joseph, the son of Gorion, has narrated in his book that after the death of Joshua the Israelites did not possess a friend to lead them. So that the Israelites asked the Lord, ' Who shall go up before us to fight against the Canaanites as in the olden times?' And the Lord replied, ' If the heart of this people is perfect with the Lord, let Judah go up, but if not, nobody shall go up.' ' But whereby shall we know the heart of the people?' they asked further. And the Lord said, ' Draw lots accord- ing to your tribes, and the tribe which the Lord shall take shall assemble according to their families, and ye shall thus know the heart of the people.' (2) The people then addressed God, saying, ' 0 Lord, appoint over us a head and a chief to assemble us for casting the lots, that he may take us out and bring us in.' And the angel of God replied,

* Cast lots in the tribe of Caleb, and the person selected by lot shall be to you the head and the chief.' They did so, and the lot fell upon Kenaz. They therefore made him a prince over Israel. Kenaz then said to the people,

* Bring me your tribes and hearken to the voice of the Lord.' And they came to him.

(3) ' You know,' said he, ' that Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you, saying, ''Ye shall not depart from

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the way which I commanded you in the Torah, neither to the right nor to the left;" this Joshua has also exhorted you to do. (4) Now, hear and mark my words, for the heart of the people is not with Him, and He has commanded us each tribe to approach for the lot to be cast. Let not the anger of the Lord be kindled against us. If I and my house be caught, then burn us with fire.' ' Thou hast spoken well,' answered the people. (5) Accordingly, the tribes assembled before him by lot, and of the tribe of Judah 345 men were taken, of Eeuben 540, of Simeon 335, of Levi 350, of Isaachar 665, of Zebulun 545, of Gad, 380, of Asher 665, of Menasseh 480, and of Ephraim 468. (6) Thus, the total number of those that were caught by lot was 6,110, all of whom Kenaz placed in a ward to inquire the word of the Lord concerning them, and said, ' Of such did Moses, the servant of the Lord, speak when he said, " Lest there be among you a root, a poisonous plant or wormwood," blessed be the Lord, who reveals our sins to us that we may not stumble through them.' (7) And Kenaz, and Eleazar the priest, and all the elders of the assembly, prayed to the Lord, saying, * Thou, 0 Lord, hast made known unto us the men who did not believe in Thy wonders what Thou didst for our forefathers from the time when Thou didst bring them forth from the land of Egypt until this very day.' (8) And the Lord replied, ' Ask these people now to confess their iniquity, and they shall be burnt with fire.' And Kenaz addressed them thus, ' You know that Achan ben Zabdi sinned by appropriating the devoted spoil, was taken by lot and confessed his sin: do you also make a confession unto the Lord, that ye may live with those whom the Lord will revive at the resurrection of the dead.'

(9) And one of them, whose name was Elah (n?^?), answered, ' We shall only die once by this fire. Now ask each tribe separately.' Kenaz thereupon commenced with his own tribe, the tribe of Judah. And they said, ' Behold, we have chosen to make a calf for ourselves, just as our forefathers did in the wilderness.'

(10) Coming next to the tribe of Eenben, they said, ' We have chosen to sacrifice to the gods of the nations.' The children of Levi said, ' We desired to try and test if the tabernacle is holy.' The children of Isaachar repHed, *We desired to ask the idols what will become of us.' (11) And the children of Zebulun, ' We wished to eat the flesh of our sons and our daughters, to know whether the Lord loved them.' The children of Dan rephed, ' We desired to teach our sons what we learned from the Amorites; behold, their books are hidden and concealed under the Mount Ebarim, where thou wilt find them.' And Kenaz sent for them and found them.

(12) Coming next to Naphtali, they answered, ' We have done all that the Amorites have done, and hidden them (?) in the tent of Elah, who requested thee to ask each tribe separately.' And Kenaz sent for them and found them there. (13) Then the sons of Gad said, ' We have lain with the wives of our neighbours.' And the sons of Asher said,

* We found seven golden idols, which the Amorites called ''The holy ones of Ninfe," C^V^); and upon them were many precious stones. We hid them beneath Mount Shechem. Send thither now and thou wilt find them.' He acted accordingly and found them. These were the idols which informed the Amorites at certain periods the deeds they should perform.

(14) Now, these are the names of the seven sinners that made them after the Flood: Canaan, Phut, Shelah, Nimrod, Elah, Diul, and Shuah. Nor was their work like that of ordinary artificers. The precious stones they brought from Havilah, where the bdelKum and the onyx are found. These were the stones used by the Amorites for their idols. In the night they shone as the light of day, and when the blind Amorites kissed the idols and touched their eyes they could see. Kenaz then placed them in a ward until he knew what was to become of them. (15) Continuing his questions, Kenaz came to Menasseh, who said, ' W^e have not observed the Sabbath to sanctify it.' Ephraim answered,

* We have been pleased to pass our sons and our daughters

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through the fire, accordmg to the custom of the Amorites.' And Benjamin said, ' We desired to test whether the law of God emanated from God or from Moses.' Kenaz thereupon entered all their replies in a book and recited them before the Lord.

(16) And the Lord said, 'Take these men, and everything that belongs to them, and bring them down to the river Pishon. There shalt thou burn them with fire.' ' Shall we also burn,' asked Kenaz, ' the precious stones which are priceless or shall we dedicate them to Thee?' And the Lord answered, ' If God would take of the accursed, why then not also man? (17) Take the books and the precious stones and keep them until I make known to thee what thou shalt do with them and how thou shalt destroy them, because fire will not consume them; but the men shall be consumed with fire. And they shall say to all the people, *' Thus shall be done to the man who turneth his heart away from the Lord." (18) When they are consumed by the fire, then take the precious stones which fire will not injure, and which iron will not break, and place them on the top of the mountain by the side of the new altar, and there I shall command the thick clouds to cause their dew to fall upon them and thus destroy them; and I shall command My angels to take these stones and cast them into the depths of the sea, so that they shall no more be seen, and to bring up to Me instead of them twelve stones more precious than those. These thou shalt place in the ephod and in the breast-plate, and sanctify them to Me.'

(19) Accordingly Kenaz, fetching everything found upon these sinners, said to the people, ' Ye have seen the miracles and the wonders which the Lord has shown us until this very day, and how He has made known unto us these sinning men so that they have been requited according to their deeds. (20) Now, cursed be the man who acts in the same manner in Israel.' And the people answered, 'Amen.' Thus those men perished in the flames. After this, Kenaz wished to test the stones in the fire, but the fire was extin-

guished. He then took the iron and tried to crush them in pieces, but the iron shpped away from them. (21) Even the books he placed in water, in order to destroy them, but the water became dry upon them. Kenaz then burst forth in praise of God, saying, 'Blessed be the Lord, for this day He has wrought miracles and wonders with the sons of man, when they sinned and did not deny their guilt.' He then took the stones and the books of the law, and placed them •on the mount by the new altar, just as God had commanded him; and upon the altar he offered sacrifices of peace- offerings, and all the people ate there together.

(22) On that night the Lord did with those stones and hooks just as He had spoken, and in the morning Kenaz found twelve precious stones, upon which were engraved the names of the sons of Israel. And the Lord said, ' Take these stones and place them in the ark together with the tables of the law, until Solomon shall have built a temple dedicated to My name, and shall place them on two <jherubim, and it shall be to Me as a memorial of the children of Israel. (23) And it shall come to pass, when the sin of the children of man shall have been completed by defiling My temple, which they will have made, that I shall take these stones, together with the tables of the law, and shall put them in the place whence they were taken of old, and there shall they remain until the end of the world, when I shall visit the inhabitants of the earth; and then I shall take them up, and they shall be as an everlasting hght to those who love Me and keep My commandments. The moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed before that light, for it shall be seven times more powerful than either of them.' (24) Then Kenaz said, ' Behold the innumerable good actions which God has done for man, and of which they have been deprived through their sins; now I know that man's work is nothing and his life vanity.'

(25) When he took the stones from the place where they were put, they illumined the whole earth just as the sun at noonday. He put them in the ark of the testimony, together with the tables of the Covenant, just as the

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Lord had commanded, and there they remain until this very day.

(26) Having chosen 300,000 armed men of war, on the second day he waged war with their enemies and slew of them 5,000. On the third day the people spoke against Kenaz, saying, ' Behold Kenaz stays in his house with his wives and his concubines; whilst we arm ourselves for battle and destroy our enemies.' (27) The servants of Kenaz, hearing of this, told their master. And he commanded them to summon before him the captains of fifties, and ordered them to place those thirty-seven men in prison who had spoken evilly against him; and they acted accordingly.

(28) He then said, ' When the Lord shall work salvation for His people, will I order the death of these men.' He commanded the captains of the fifties, saying, 'Go and choose 300 of my servants and 300 horses. Let it not become known that we are going to battle, and let them be ready to march with me to-night.'

(29) Sending spies to view the position of the Amorites' encampment, they saw at once that the Amorites were too mighty for the Israelites to fight against. The spies, there- fore, returned and reported to Kenaz. (30) He rose up in the middle of the night, holding a shofar in his hand, and taking with him 300 men. "When he approached the camp he said to his servants, ' Stay here while I alone go and look at the camp of the Amorites; but as soon as you hear the sound of the shofar, come to me, but if you do not hear it, then return home.' (31) Kenaz thus went down to the camp alone, and he prayed to God, saying, ' 0 Lord God of our fathers. Thou hast shown Thy servants all the great wonders which Thou hast performed: do Thou now likewise work Thy miracles with Thy servant, and I will go to battle against Thine enemy, that all the nations may know that Thy hand is not too short to send salvation either by means of a multitude or by a few, for Thou 0 Lord art mighty in war.' (32) And Kenaz continued, ' Let this be the sign of the salvation which Thou wilt show me this day. If when

I draw my sword from its sheath and brandish it so that it glitters in the camp of the Amorites, the latter know that I am Kenaz, I shall then know that Thou wilt deliver them into my hand; and if not, then I shall know that Thou hast not heard my prayer, but hast delivered me into the hand of the enemy for my sins.' (33) After this Kenaz overheard the Amorites say, ' Let us arise and fight against the Israelites, for our holy gods Ninfe {'?^r^) are in their posses- sion, and they will deliver them into our hands.' At that moment the Spirit of God rested upon Kenaz, so that he rose up, and brandished his sword against the Amorites; and when they saw it they exclaimed, ' Behold, this is the sword of Kenaz, to afflict us with wounds and gashes; but we know that our gods which are with them will deliver them into our hands. Now arise and give them battle.'

(34) When Kenaz heard their words, he went down to the camp of the Amorites and smote them, and the Lord sent the angel Gabriel to afflict the Amorites with blindness, so that they killed each other. And Kenaz slew of them 45,000. (35) Now, when Kenaz had finished the slaughter, it happened that his sword clave to his hand, and, noticing an Amorite fleeing from the camp, he said to him, ' Behold, thou knowest what I have done to the Amorites; now tell me, pray, by what means I can separate my sword from my hand.' And the Amorite answered, ' Slay a Hebrew and pour his warm blood over thy hand, and it will be separated.' Kenaz then slew that Amorite, and pouring his blood upon his hand, separated it from his sword. Then returning to his army, he found them all asleep, for a deep sleep had fallen upon them, so that they did not know what Kenaz had done in the night. When they awoke from their sleep and saw the whole plain full of dead men they expressed great astonishment; at which Kenaz said, 'Are the ways of God like the ways of man? The Lord hath sent salva- tion through me to His people; now arise and return to your tents.'

(36) As soon as all the Israelites heard of the salvation which the Lord had wrought through the hand of Kenaz,

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they went forth to meet him, saymg, ' Blessed be the Lord, who appointed thee to be the captain of His people, for now we know that the Lord has chosen His people.' And Kenaz replied, ' Ask the men who were with me of the work I have done.' On asking them, they rephed, ' As the Lord liveth, we do not know, for we found the plain full of dead bodies.' (37) After this Kenaz ordered the captains of the fifties to bring forth the prisoners, that they might obtain a hearing. When they were brought before him he said to them, ' Now, what is the complaint you have against me?' And they replied, ' Why dost thou ask us, seeing that the Lord has delivered us into thy hands, and commanded that we should be burnt, not for our complaint, but in connection with those former men who confessed their iniquity. We were not found out among the people when we had joined the sinners. It was for this that the Lord has delivered us into your hands.' Kenaz then said, ' Since you thus testify against yourselves, why should I withhold you from your punish- ment?' They were, therefore, ordered to be burnt to death in the flames. (38) Now, the days of the life of Kenaz were drawing to a close, and he called the two prophets Pinehas and Jabin, and also Pinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, and said to them, ' I know the heart of this people, for they will turn from following the Lord. I therefore testify against them.' And Pinehas said, ' Just as Moses and Joshua testi- fied, so do I testify against them; for they prophesied con- cerning the vineyard, the beautiful plantation of God which did not know its planter, and did not recognise its worker, so that the vineyard was destroyed and did not give forth its fruit. These are the words which my father commanded me to tell this people.' Kenaz then lifted up his voice and wept aloud, as did all the elders and the people until the evening, when they said, ' Is it for the iniquity of the sheep that the shepherd must perish? May the Lord have compassion upon His inheritance that they may not work in vain.'

(89) And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Kenaz, so that he prophesied, saying, * I have seen what I had not hoped for, and have looked upon what I had not imagined.

(40) Behold, I saw a flame ^Yllicll did not burn, and I heard in my dream the noise of the rushing of waters which had no source and no way upon the mountains, and no base in the air, but they appeared according to their form. They had no fixed place, and since the eye does not know what to see, how can the heart understand it? (41) From this flame which was not burning I saw a spark fly out and remain in the air as a shield, as a spider's web in a beam. Then I saw that this was the base and its source vomited hot foam, and became changed to the foundation of the deep, and ways (paths) were between the upper and lower bases; there shone the hidden light, and beings, in the form of men, were walking about. And then I heard a voice saying, '' Between these foundations (bases) shall the sons of man dwell 7,000 years, when the lower foundation shall be destroyed, and the upper one which is like hot foam shall be the foundation, and the light which is between them and illumines the path of man is Jerusalem, and there the men will dwell. But when the sons of man shall sin against Me, and the time of their sinning shall have been completed, then shall the spark be extinguished, and the fountain dry up, and everything pass away." '

(42) When Kenaz had thus finished prophesying, the spirit of his soul returned to him, and he no longer knew what he had uttered in his prophecy. He then said to the people, ' If such be the rest which the righteous obtain after their death, it would be preferable for them to die at their birth in this world and not sin.' And Kenaz died, and Othniel his son arose in his stead.

LVIII. (1) Josippon says that the incident of Micah and the concubine of Gibeah occurred between the time of the death of Joshua and Othniel, between the times to which the following verses refer, viz.: ' And Judah captured Azah and its boundary, and Ekron and Askalon '; and the other, ' And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and He delivered them into the hands of the Canaanites. Then the children of Dan built Laish and the mountain.' For the purpose of enabling us to calculate

174 [LVIII. 2

the days of the judges, this portion was placed at the end of the Book of Judges.

(2) After Othniel came Ehud. At that time, in the days of Ehud, the city Cinnereth in Lybia (i^^i^h) was built, and many ships were built by Tritolymus (^•iD^'plonp), for carrying wheat, for merchandise. Dionysius built the city of Niza, in Media; Troy (^^'-no) was built about the same time in Dardania. There a dog killed Piritius (c^'i^-Dn^s), and attempted to slay Tisius, and Heraclones (^^^'t^^nn) saved him. In the sixty-ninth year of Ehud the city Sirine (^;n>v) in Libia was built. (3) Shamgar succeeded him, and was followed by Deborah and Barak, who fought with Sisera. And the Lord confounded Sisera and all his charioteers and his whole camp with a fierce tempest; and He overwhelmed them all with hail, and blinding rain and lightnings and thunders, so that they could no longer stand, but fell by the sword.

(4) Sisera then fled on foot to the tent of Jael, who went out to meet him and embraced him. Then, covering him well, he fell into a deep sleep. And Jael prayed to God, saying, ' I pray Thee, 0 Lord, strengthen Thy handmaid against Thy enemy, and by this I shall know that Thou wilt deliver him into my hand, viz., if I bring him down from his bed on to the ground, and he does not awake.' She did accordingly. Then, taking a nail of the tent and a hammer, she knocked the nail into his temple, according to Deborah's prophecy. And Barak captured Hasor and slew its king, and all its inhabitants.

(5) Now, when Sisera went out to fight against Israel his mother, Tamar, with her maidens and princesses, by means of their enchantments prophesied, saying that Sisera would bring as spoil one or more of the women of Israel with their coloured garments, for she saw in her charms that he would lie upon the bed of Jael, the wife of Heber, and be covered with a coloured garment of needlework. Therefore she said, ' A damsel, two damsels to every man.'

(6) At that time the kings of Argos, who had reigned for

Lvm. 10] 175

544 years, were destroyed and exterminated, and their kingdom passed into the hands of Mesenes (t^':;^*''^). In tiie thirty-ninth year of Deborah's reign the city of Meletus was built. Gideon succeeded Barak and Deborah. He asked a sign of the Lord from the fleece of wool. (7) I find that Gideon asked for yet another sign, for he said, ' Give me a sign that God has chosen me to deliver Israel just as He gave to Moses, who delivered the Israelites from Egypt.' And the angel replied, ' Run and fetch me some water from that pool and pour it upon this rock. I shall then give thee a sign.' Having done as he was requested, the angel said, ' Tell me, shall this water be turned into blood or fire?' And Gideon answered, ' Let part of it be turned into fire and part into blood.' And thus it was, the blood neither quenching the fire, nor the fire drymg up the blood.

(8) At that time, during the reign of Gideon, Mercorius (::*-ii<nip'^p) discovered certain islands called Sirenes (C!^^^^t^'); in Ashkenaz they are called Nikes (Nix) (^'i?.\^). The inhabi- tants were like beautiful women, their lower parts resembling fishes; and the inhabitants of the forests of the islands were half men and the other half wild animals and horses. The wise man Dialus, by means of his cunning (IN^p^s^p'px), made images and idols and birds of gold and brass, and having breathed into them, the idols spoke and the images prophesied while the birds flew about, for he was exceed- ingly clever in this art. The city of Tyre was built 240 years before the Temple at Jerusalem. (9) After Gideon Abimelech, the son of his concubine, succeeded him, and at that time the measure of the Kor (nn) and the art of playing upon the timbrel were discovered in Greece. Tola, the son of Phua, succeeded Abimelech. During his reign Erkules (^^•1P7^) conquered Anteos (D-"i5<''rijis), in Lybia, in the water, and destroyed the city of Elios (DikS^'pvs) ^Yhen Priamus reigned in Troy.

(10) Yair the Gileadite rose up after him. He made an altar unto Baal, and all the Israelites turned after it and worshipped Baal, except seven righteous men, who did not worship it. These were their names, Da'al, Abi Yezre'el,

176 [LViii. 10

Gutiel, Shalom, Ashchor, Jonadab, and Shim'i. These said to Yair, ' We remember what Moses commanded Israel, saymg, " Take care lest ye tm*n aside from following the Lord to worship Baal." ' Yair then commanded his servants to bm^n those men with fire, because they spoke against Baal. Then, taking the men they cast them into the fire, but the fire swerved from them and burned instead the servants of Yair who cast them therein, together with all his household. And these seven men escaped from the fire and went on their way, for the men round about them were struck with blindness so that they could not see them, and the fire reached the house of Yair, who heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ' I have promoted thee to be a judge over Israel; but thou hast corrupted the people and caused them to turn aside from following the Lord and to worship Baal, and those who remain steadfast to Me thou hast burned with fire. But they shall live, and thou shalt die by being consumed in the flames which shall never be extinguished.' Thus the Lord consumed Yair and all his house, and Baal with 10,000 of his followers; and Yair was buried in Qamon.

(11) At that time Theseus captured Helena, but Castor and Pollux, the brothers of Theseus, and his mother, were captured. The city of Carthage (Qar Laini, ^rxDip) was then built. Nizpa (^^Iv^) invented the Latin alphabet.

LIX. (1) Yair was succeeded by Jephthah the Gileadite, who delivered the Israelites from the hands of the Ammonites. And Jephthah and all Israel prayed to God in Mizpah, saying, ' We pray Thee, 0 Lord, save us, and do not deliver Thy inheritance to the slaughter and Thy vineyard to be a spoil. Eemember, we beseech Thee, the vine which Thou hast planted and which Thou hast brought up from Egypt.' Jephthah then sent messengers to Giteal ('^^^D^), King of the Ammonites, saying, 'What dost thou want, since thou hast come to me?' etc.

(2) And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he went out to wage war against the Ammonites; and he made a vow unto the Lord, saying, ' If Thou wilt deliver

the Ammonites into my hand, then that ^Yhich cometh forth from my house to meet me on my peaceful return from the Ammonites shall he the Lord's, and I shall offer it to God as a hurnt-offering.' And Jephthah smote the Ammonites so that they were humhled before the Israel- ites. "When Jephthah returned to Mizpah, behold, all the virgins and women came forth with timbrels and dances to meet him, and his daughter, the only child he had, went in front of the others and was the first to greet him.

(3) When, however, he saw her, he rent his garments, saying, ' Alas! my daughter, thou hast sorely grieved and troubled me. Who will put my heart and my flesh in one pan of the scale to see it go down? for thou hast grieved me sorely at the feast in honour of my victories in battle, for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and now^ I am not able to retract.'

(4) Then said his daughter Seelah (^^^^•f), 'Why dost thou grieve for my death, since the Lord hath wrought vengeance for thee upon thine enemies? Eemember our forefathers, one of whom offered up his son as a burnt- offering, and the offerer and the offered were both accepted by God. Therefore, my father, do unto me as thou hast spoken. But before I die I will ask thee a favour. Grant me two months' liberty, that I may during that time pray unto Him to whom I return my soul. I shall go upon the mountains and sojourn among the hills; I shall tread the clefts of the rock and lament my virginity, I and my companions; there I shall shed my tears and thus soften the grief of my youth. The trees of the field shall w^eep for me, and the wild beasts of the fields shall mourn for me; but I do not grieve for my death, nor do I grieve that I must give up my soul on account of the vow which my father made to sacrifice me as a holocaust to God. The one thing I fear, however, is that the offering of my soul may not be accepted, that my death shall have been for nothing.'

(5) Her father having granted her request, she went forth

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with her maidens and told the sages of her people, but they answered not a word. She then went up to the mount Tlag (^^r>), and the Lord remembered her in the night, saying, 'Behold, I have closed the mouth of the sages of My people, so that they answered not the daughter of Jephthah; now her soul shall be accepted at her request, and her death shall be very precious in My sight, for the wisdom of the sage belongs to her.'

(6) Seelah, the daughter of Jephthah, then fell upon her mother's bosom, and went on the mountain of Tlag weeping, and bewailed her fate in these words, ' Hearken, 0 ye moun- tains, to the lamentation of my grief; mark, 0 ye hills, the tears of mine eyes; and ye clefts of the rocks, testify to the weeping of my soul. Alas! how has my soul been delivered to death! but not in vain; my words will be atoned for in heaven, and my tears shall be written on the firmament, for the father who has vowed to sacrifice his daughter did not have compassion on her. He did not listen to his princes, but said that he would confirm his vow by ofiering his only daughter. I have not beheld my bridal canopy, nor has the crown of my betrothal been completed. I have not been decked with the lovely ornaments of the bride who sits in her virginity, nor have I been perfumed with the myrrh and the sweet- smelling (odoriferous) aloe. (7) I have not been anointed with the oil of anointment that was prepared for me. Alas! 0 my mother, it was in vain that thou didst give me birth. Behold, thine only one is destined for the bridal chamber of the grave. Thou hast wearied thyself for me to no purpose. The oil with which I was anointed will be wasted, and the white garments with which I was clothed the moths will eat; the garlands of my crown with which thou hast exalted me will wither and dry up, and my garments of fine needlework in blue and purple the worm shall destroy. And now my friends will lament all the days of my mourning; the trees shall incline their branches and their shoots and weep for my youth. The beasts of the forest shall come together and trample upon my virginity,

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for my years are cut off and the days of my life grow old in darkness.'

(8) It came to pass, at the end of two months, that she returned to her father. He then fulfilled the vow he had made, and the virgins of Israel buried her, and mourned for her, and from time immemorial the daughters of Israel have adhered to the custom of devoting four days in the year to Jephthah's daughter. At the time of the death of Jephthah's daughter Ercules committed suicide by throw- ing himself in the fire, and was consumed by the flames. (9) Ibsan, of Bethlehem, succeeded Jephthah, and was followed by Elon the Zebulonite. About this time Alexander captured Helena (for his wife). (10) After Elon •came Abdon, the son of Hillel the Pirathonite. During his reign the royal city of Troy was captured, and 406 years after its capture began the Olympiad, for after the victory of the Greeks they began to calculate their Olympiad, which consisted of four years, just as we calculate the date from the destruction of the temple. Then Menelaus and Helena came to Egypt, and in the third year after the •capture of Troy Agnios reigned over Italy, where Janus, Saturnus, Ficus, and Faunus reigned. Three years after the capture of Troy — some say eight years — Aeneas ruled the empire, and during his reign there arose the city of Kome — i.e., the Latini, so called because the inhabitants spoke the Latin language. In the reign of Ahaz, King •of Judah, two twin brothers were born, Eemus and Eomulus, who founded the great city. They were the first kings of Eome, and reigned in Kome thirty-eight years. (11) In the ' Shocher Tob ' I have found it narrated that at the birth of these twins their mother died from the pangs of travail, and that God prepared a young she- wolf to suckle them until they were grown up. Eomulus it was who built the city of Eome. At the end of the reign of Hezekiah, King of Judah, Huma Pompilius (C'-ix^S^D^ls s?D-in) suc- •ceeded Eomulus and reigned forty-one years. He added two months to the calendar year, viz., Januarius and Februarius (c'-vxnn:;iD), which were not included in the

12—2

180 [LIX. 12

Koman year, which origmally consisted of ten months. At the end of the reign of Menasseh, King of Judah, Tullus OstiHus succeeded Numa, and reigned for thirty-two years. This Tullus, King of Eome, was the first person to clothe himself in purple robes.

(12) We now return to the judges. Many people say that in the days of Abdon, the son of Hillel the Pirath- onite, occurred the incidents of Gibeah and Micah. Micah acted just as his mother bade him. He made for him- self three images of man, and three of calves, and the likeness of an eagle, lion, and serpent. Whoever desired to obtain sons had to pray to the images of man; who- ever desired riches had to entreat the eagle; whoever wished for strength had to entreat the hon; whoever desired sons and daughters had to beseech the calves; whoever desired long life had to entreat the serpent; and whoever desired something of everything had to entreat the dove. Thus all the Israelites went astray, forsook the Lord, and worshi]3ped these idols, so that the Lord sold them to the nations of the earth; but when they at intervals repented the Lord visited them.

(13) It came to pass, when the Israelites, on account of the concubine who was found dead in Gibeah, waged war against the tribe of Dan (!) that they were smitten by the Danites (!), so that on that day 22,000 men of them were destroyed. The Israelites, then going up, wept before the Lord until the evening, and said, ' Let us ask of the Lord, saying, ''What is this iniquity through which we have stumbled?'" Thus they asked the Lord, saying, 'Shall we still continue to wage war against Benjamin our brother?' And the Lord replied, 'Go up, and I shall afterwards make known to you whereby ye have stumbled.' On the second day they accordingly went forth again to battle with Benjamin, and there fell of the Israelites 18,000 more men. The Israelites then went up to Bethel, for there the ark of the Lord was placed, and on that day they wept and fasted until the evening, and they offered Ijurnt-offerings and peace-offerings unto the Lord.

(14) Then Pinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, prayed unto God, saymg, ' 0 Lord God, if what we have done was con- sidered right in Thine eyes, why hast Thou caused us to fall into the hands of our brother? And if it was evil in Thy sight what these have done, why have we fallen before them? I pray Thee, tell Thy servant in whom this iniquity rests and we shall set it right, for, behold, I remember what I have done. In my jealousy I pierced Zimri with the sword, and Thou didst deliver me from his people, and didst slay of them 24,000 men. Now Thou didst say to the tribes of Israel, " Go up and fight Avith Benjamin." '

(15) The Lord heard the entreaty of Pinehas, and said, ' The Israelites showed their zeal for Me in this wickedness which was committed (in Gibeah), but they do not show it against Micah and his idols, who caused all the Israelites to go astray after them. Therefore, I was jealous, and wreaked my vengeance on them, for they were astounded at the one sin of the concubine and wanted to root it out, but they did not root out the worshippers of Micah's idols. Now, let the Israelites go up once more against Benjamin, and to- morrow I shall deliver him into their hands.' (16) Thus the Lord smote Benjamin before the Israelites, so that there fell 18,000 men. The total number of the Benjaminites that were slain was 25,000; 600 of them fled to the cleft of Pvimmon and escaped. The Israelites then had pity upon their brother Benjamin, and made peace with those that remained, restoring them to their inheritance, where they built cities and dwelt therein; and the Israelites went each one to his tribe and his inheritance.

(17) Now, the days of Pinehas drew nigh to die, and the Lord said to him, 'To-day thou art 120 years old, which are the years of a man's life; now arise and get thee to My mountain, where thou shalt remain many days. I shall command the ravens and the eagles to feed thee, but do not go down until the end has arrived. Then thou shalt close the heavens, and at thy command they shall again be opened. And then thou shalt be lifted up to the (Divine) place, where thy fathers have been before

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thee, and there thou shalt remam until I remember the world.' And Pinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, did as God had commanded him.

The Eight Exiles.

LX. (1) From the time our ancestors were brought out of Egypt until the destruction of the first temple they were exiled eight times. This happened on the following occa- sions: Four times Sennacherib banished them, and four times Nebuchadnezzar. The first time Sennacherib, King of Assyria, going up to Jerusalem, sent the tribes of Keuben, Gad, and the half- tribe of Menasseh into exile, and captured the golden calf which Jeroboam had placed in Dan; and the children of Gad and Reuben had brought it up from Dan, and made a holy temple (sanctuary) for it. For this they were exiled from the land of their possession to another land until this very day. When Sennacherib banished them he made them dwell in Lahlah, Habor, the river Gozan, and the cities of Media. At that time Pekah, the son of Remalyahu, reigned over Israel. When Hosea, the son of Elah, perceived that the armies of Pekah were considerably diminished, he went out to war against him and killed him. He reigned over Israel, in Samaria, five years. This was the first exile.

(2) When Sennacherib heard of this he went up against Hosea, the son of Elah, and fought against him, and Hosea, the son of Elah, going to Sennacherib, gave him a present of silver and gold and brought him the golden calf, which Jeroboam had placed in Bethel. After this he (Sennacherib) exiled the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Isaachar, because they refused to allow Hosea, the son of Elah, to reign over them. He then appointed Hosea, the son of Elah, over Samaria, and thus fulfilled the scriptural passage, ' Thus saith the Lord, Just as the shepherd delivers two legs, or the tip of the ear, from the clutches of the lion, so shall the Israelites be rescued (that sit in Samaria) in the corner of a couch, and in Damascus on a bed.'

And Hosea, the son of Elah, reigned over Israel, and Ahaz over Judah. This was the second exile.

(3) When this king died Hezekiah reigned over the whole of Judah, and at the beginning of the fourth year of Hezekiah's reign Sennacherib went up against Samaria and besieged it for three years, in the third (!) year of Hezekiah's reign, and he exiled the tribes of Ephraim and Menasseh from Samaria. This was the third exile.

(4) After an interval of five years he mustered together the Babylonians, Kuthim, Avim, the B'ne Hamath, and the Sapharvaim, and then going against Judah, besieged all the fortified cities in Judah, among the 150 places in which were the tribes of Judah and Simeon. He besieged them and took them captive, and sought to bring them to Lahlah and Habor, to the other tribes. Hearing that Tirhakah, King of Ethiopia, whose land was near Egypt, had rebelled against him, he took with him the tribes of Judah and Simeon, and ascended the mountains of Ethiopia to wage war with the Ethiopian king, and to test the strength of the tribes of Judah and Simeon. He then took these tribes and concealed them behind the mountains of dark- ness on the other side of the rivers of Ethiopia. Concerning them the prophetess 'Athrai (^nni;), the daughter of Pusai {^''^)b), prophesied, ' They shall bring my offering.' This was the fourth captivity brought about by Sennacherib, King of Assyria.

(5) There remained in Jerusalem of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin 130,000, over whom the righteous Hezekiah reigned. Sennacherib, King of Assyria, now once more became proud, and setting his face towards the holy city of Jerusalem, he assembled all his host, to the number of 40,000 and 2,590,000 warriors, and went up to besiege Jerusalem. When Hezekiah saw the great multitude he was greatly afraid, and, praying to the Lord, he called upon the people of Judah and Benjamin to proclaim a fast. Then, covering themselves with sackcloth, they went into the house of the Lord, and, repenting with all their heart, they cried unto the Lord, and He heard the prayer of the

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righteous Hezekiah, and sent His angel who smote the Assyrian camp, slaying 185,000 men, together with the kings and princes. Not one of the kings and princes of his army remained except Sennacherib and Nebuchad- nezzar. Thus Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled, who said, ' On that day the Lord shall shave with a razor that is hired, the parts beyond the river of Ethiopia, even the King of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard.' The head represents the kings, the hair of the feet represents the armies, and the beard the wicked Sannacherib, whose two sons slew him. From the fall of Sennacherib to the time of Nebuchadnezzar passed 107 years.

(6) In the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim the decree was sealed on account of the sins of the Israelites, and the remnant of those who were delivered from the mouth of the lion and the mouth of the bear, the remnant of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people that remained of the tribes were banished by Nebuchadnezzar during his first captivity. Of the tribes of Judah and Ben- jamin 3,023, and of the remaining tribes 7,000. All these were warriors skilled in the art of battle, but their sin lay heavy upon them, and he exiled them to Babylon. This was the first captivity brought about by Nebuchadnezzar.

(7) After an interval of seven years he went up to Jerusalem for the second time, and besieging it, he captured it, and exiled of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin 4,600 men, and of the remaining tribes 10,000, together with the free and the imprisoned, i.e., the kings and queens. Others explain the words tnn and -liDO to refer to the pupils of the sages who study the Torah, and thus open and shut the books. In the time of David these people were called Kerethi and Pelethi. Yet another explanation makes the words refer to the mighty men of Judah and their children. All these were banished through Jechoniah and his sons. This constituted the second captivity of Nebuchadnezzar.

(8) He made Zedekiah King of Judah, over which and Jerusalem he reigned eleven years. In the nineteenth year

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of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, while he ^Yas yet seated on the throne of his kingdom, he sent Nebuzaraddan, his captain of the guard, against Jerusalem. Having besieged it, he caught Zedekiah, and bringing him to Eiblah, to the King of Babylon, he executed his judgment upon him. He then took the pillars, the sea of brass, and all the vessels of the house of the Lord, and the bases which Solomon had made, and the treasures found in Jerusalem, and carried them to Babylon. In Jerusalem he slew 940,000 (?) men, besides those he slew in avenging the blood of Zechariah.

(9) He also besieged sixty cities of the Levites, the sons of Moses, in which there were 600,000 men, as we know from the verses, 'And the sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer; and of the sons of Eliezer the eldest was Piehabya,' and it is said, ' And the children of Piehabya con- tinually increased, i.e., increased beyond the number of 600,000 men.' The total number of those exiled from Jerusalem was 802,000, all of whom consisted of the youths of Judah and Benjamin. Concerning them the prophet says, 'And he exiled the flower of Judah,' so that there only remained in Jerusalem the poverty of the people, as it is said, ' The people of the land which Nebuzaraddan left were vile,' etc. He made the son of Ahikam king over them, and giving the land over to him, the exiles were carried to Babylon, which constituted the third exile.

(10) When Ishmael, the son of Netaniah, of the royal seed, heard that Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, was appointed over the remnant of the people, he came in stealth and slew him and all his men. The Israelites were exceedingly afraid of this and fled to Egypt, in the twenty- seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, when he besieged Tyre, and <3apturing it, killed all its inhabitants and sent its king into captivity. On his return he went to Egypt, captured it, and reduced it to desolation, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Scripture, ' Egypt shall be a desolation.' He then slew all the Jews found in Ammon and Moab, and in the surround- ing parts of Egypt. There, in Egypt, he discovered the

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prophet Jeremiah and Baruch, the son of Neriya, and carried them to Babylon. When the IsraeHtes dwelling in Egypt heard that Nebuchadnezzar had announced his intention to come there, in fear and trembling they fled to Anion, a little fortified city in Egypt, near the Salt Sea. This was the fourth captivity through Nebuchadnezzar.

(11) When Jeremiah saw that scarcely any of the Israelites were left, he lifted up his heart in prayer to God, saying, 'Why dost Thou cause me to see grief and iniquity? Why hast Thou caused the flock of Thy chosen people to fall into the hands of their enemy? I am sorely grieved and my soul is crushed within me, and mine eye sheddeth tears, and ceaseth not, for the destruction of the daughter of my people am I hurt. Mine eye weepeth with my soul, and for this do I weep day and night. Therefore do I pour forth my supplication before Thee that Thou wilt take my soul from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.' A voice was forthwith heard to say, ' By thy life wait, and behold the downfall of Babylon. Afterwards I shall pre- serve thee until I build the everlasting building.' Imme- diately upon these words, God hid him.

The Children of Moses.

LXI. (1) The banishment brought about by Titus, Vespasianus, and Hadrian, occurred on the eve of the ninth of Ab, on the outgoing of the Sabbath and the Sabbatical year. The Levites were then occupied with their ministrations, and, with their harps in their hands, were singing their hymns. But Scripture saith, ' He hath brought upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own evil.' The words ' He shall cut them off ' were not yet fully attered ere their enemies came upon them, slaughtered man}^ of them, and sent the rest into exile. Thus, also, when Nebuchadnezzar the wicked sent them into exile it fell upon the eve of the ninth of Ab, the outgoing of the Sabbatical year and the Sabbath, when the Levites were standing on their 'Duchan,' being sixty myriads in number, who were, moreover, of the seed

of Moses our instructor. While the harps were in their hands, the verse ' He hath brought upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own evil,' was- not yet fully uttered, ere the enemy came and exiled them to Babylon. When they arrived in Babylon, their enemies- and captors said to them, ' Sing us a song of Zion.' And they replied, ' How can we sing a song of Zion upon strange ground?'

(2) ' Now,' retorted their captors, ' ye shall sing by force.' But they at once cut off' their fingers with their teeth, and cast them before them. And they replied, ' How can those fingers which struck the strings of the harps in the temple strike them here in a strange land?' And God exclaimed, *If I forget Jerusalem, My right hand shall be forgotten.'

(3) A cloud then descended, and lifting all the children of Moses, with their sheep and cattle, brought them to the east of Havila. In the night they were let down, and on that same night they heard a great noise surrounding them, like that of a river, without seeing a drop of water de- scending, but heard only the rolling of stones and sand, where there had never been a river. This river then rolled great stones, and the sand, without any water, made a noise as of a great earthquake, so that if anyone came near that river, he was dashed to pieces. This continued until the Sabbath. The river they called Sabbatyon or Sabbatianus. In some part the river is less than sixty cubits in width; there the people stand and speak with those of the other side. On the Sabbath it ceases to flow, and on the eve of Sabbath a cloud descends full of smoke. No one is able to approach them, neither do they approach us. There are no wild beasts, no unclean animals, nor any reptiles or creeping things; nothing except their flocks and herds. (4) They reap and sow, and they ask the others, and thus they learned of the destruction of the second temple. Behind the sons of Moses we do not know who may be dwelling; but Naphtali, Gad, and Asher came to Dan after the destruction of the second temple; for Isaachar, who lived at the mountains of the deep, quarrelled with them and

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called them ' the sons of the handmaids.' At length, bemg afraid lest they be coming to battle, those three tribes went away until they came to Dan, and these four tribes were thus living in one place.

The Ten Banishments of the Sanhedkim.

LXII. (1) The Levites, the sons of Moses, made ten journeys and encamped on the other side of the river Sabbatyon. Our sages say that when the Israelites were exiled to Babylon, and came to the Euphrates, as it is said, ' We sat by the waters of Babylon,' etc., they said to them, ' 0 Levites, stand up before our gods, and sing a song just as you sang in the temple.' But they replied, ' 0 ye fools, if we had sung a song of thanksgiving for every miracle which God wrought for us, we should not have been exiled from our land, but would, on the contrary, have added honour upon honour; and shall we now sing a song to your idols?' Being angered at this reply, they immediately rose up and slew the Jews in heaps, and although the slaughter was so great, yet their joy had ceased, because the Jews did not worship idols. Therefore it is said, ' Their joy was turned into wailing.' The re- maining Levites then cut off their fingers that they might avoid playing on their harps; so that when they were told to play and sing on their harps, just as they had done in the temple, they showed them their mutilated fingers.

(2) When night came on a cloud covered them, together with their wives, and sons, and daughters, and the Lord gave them light by a pillar of fire, which showed them the way the whole night until the dawn of day, and brought them to the seashore. When the sun rose the cloud departed as well as the pillar of fire. And the Lord extended the length of the river Sabbatianus, so that it surrounded them completely. It hems them in so that no one can cross over to them, and He extended it all round to a distance of nine months' journey. The river surrounds them from three sides, and on the fourth is the sea. The

depth of the river is 200 cubits, and it is full of sand and stones. The noise is that of an earthquake, and reaches the distance of half a day's journey, and causes the sand and stones to roll all the six days of the week.

(3) But on the Sabbath it rests, and immediately a fire bursts forth from the western side, which lasts from the eve of Sabbath until the end. Its flames shoot out in every direction, so that one can not approach nearer the river than a distance of thirty-four miles, and this fire burns all round and consumes everything. There is not seen among them any unclean animal or bird, and no creeping thing, but only their flocks and herds. There are six fountains, which gather together and form one pool. From these they water the land and obtain in abundance all kinds of clean fishes, and all kinds of birds and fruits. They sow one seed and reap a hundred- fold. They are men of faith, students of the Law, the Scripture, Mishna and Agadah. They are pious and pure and never swear falsely. They attain the ripe old age of 120 years, nor does a son or daughter die in the lifetime of their father. (4) They see three successive generations and build for themselves houses; they sow and plough themselves, because they have no manservants or maidservants. They do not close their houses in the night-time, and a young child walks fearlessly with the cattle for many a day, without having any fear either of robbers or of an}^ possible injury, because they are holy and remained in the holiness of Moses our teacher. There- fore God gave them all this and chose them. They do not see any man, nor does any of the sons of men see them, except the four tribes, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, all of whom dwell on the other side of the rivers of Kush, with the Sabbatyon between them, and there they will remain until the end of the world. Concerning them it is said, ' To say to the captives " Go out," ' viz., referring to those behind the river Sabbatyon.

(5) There the tribes of Dan, Naphtah, Gad, and Asher, were enclosed. The question as to how they arrived at that

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place our sages have thus answered: When Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, sinned, and caused Israel to sin, and the house of David became separated from the ten tribes of Israel, he said to the people, ' Go ye forth and fight with Eehoboam and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.' But they said, ' Wherefore should we go to war against our brethren, against the house of our master, David, King of Israel and Judah?' And the elders of Israel said to him, ' In all the land of Israel there do not exist such mighty warriors and men so trained to battle as those of the tribe of Dan.' Then, commanding them forthwith to wage war with Judah, they said, ' By the life of Dan, our forefather, we shall never go to battle with our brethren, and we shall not shed their blood without any cause.' And immediately afterwards the sons of Dan, taking up their swords and spears and bows, determined to fight unto death with Jeroboam, but God saved them from the crime of shedding the blood of their brethren. (6) They spread the news then throughout the whole tribe of Dan, and ihe sons of Dan took counsel together to depart from Canaan and to go down to Egypt to destroy it and kill all its inhabitants. But their princes asked, ' Why will you go to Egypt? Is it not written in the Torah, ''Ye shall never again behold them "?' At this they gave way, but again took counsel concerning Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites. When, however, they heard that God had withheld Israel from fighting them they again gave up their intentions, until the Lord advised them better what tio do. So they went to the brook of Pishon, and journeyed ■on their camels until they arrived at the other side of the river Pishon. There they discovered that the country was fruitful and extensive, containing fruitful fields and gardens. The sons of Dan therefore determined to dwell there, and made a covenant with the inhabitants, the sons of Kush, who paid them tribute, and also dwelt among them until they increased and multiplied exceedingly.

(7) On the death of Sennacherib the three tribes of Gad, Asher, and NaphtaH left the country, and travelled until

they arrived near the border of that tribe, when they slaughtered the Kushites, a distance of four days' journey. They war with six Kushite kings, which every tribe con- tinues to do for three months in the year until this very day, each tribe separately, but the descendants of Simeon go with those of Dan. (8) The Levites journeyed and en- camped in Havila, which abounds in gold, that is as common as stones, also in sheep, cattle, camels, asses, and horses. There they sow and reap, and dwell in tents made of skin. They journey from one border to another, a distance of four days each way; and where they encamp there no man dares enter, and they only stay in the fields and vineyards, and punish in accordance with the different kinds of capital punishments meted out by the Jewish Law. Concerning them it is said, ' Those on the other side of the mountains of Kush,' etc.

(9) The tribe of Isaachar dwell on the mountains of the great deep in the nethermost parts of Media and Persia, and there they fulfil the commandment, ' the book of the Torah shall not depart from their mouth;' nor do they take upon themselves the yoke of any earthly kingdom, but only the yoke of Heaven and the yoke of the Law. They have many captains of the army, but never fight with man, but discuss the Torah. They dwell in peace and tranquillity, and no rebellious thought or evil of any kind enters their minds. They possess a country whose area covers land of ten days' journey, and they have an abundance of cattle, camels, and servants, but do not breed horses, nor do they possess any warlike instruments, except knives for preparing food, and to kill the animals for that purpose. They are men of great faith, hating oppression or robbery. If even their servant finds money by the way they will not stretch forth their hand to take it. (10) But their wicked neighbours worship fire, and take their mothers and their sisters to wives. They neither till the ground, nor reap, nor gather in the harvest, but they purchase it for money. They have a judge and a chief who metes out the four capital punish-

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ments. They speak the Hebrew and Persian languages, and that of Ivedar.

(11) The children of Zebulun encamp on the mountains of Paran, and pitch tents made of the hair of Armania (i^^jDnx) and stretch as far as the Euphrates. The tribe of Pieuben dwells opposite them behind the mountains of Paran, and between them there is love, unity, and peace. They infest the roads leading to Mecoth ()yD) and the way to Babylon. All their spoil they divide equally between them, and food is so cheap that two camel-loads can be bought for two drachmas. They speak among themselves the language of Kedar, and possess the Bible, Mishna, Talmud, and Agadoth. But every Sabbath a lecture is given in Hebrew, and interpreted in the language of Kedar. (12) The tribe of Ephraim and half the tribe of Menasseh dwells opposite the city of Meyuqa (^?prn). They have to toil for their living by the sweat of their brow% and are hard-hearted. They are riders of horses, infesting the roads, and having pity on no man. They possess no money, but only the spoil they acquire from their enemies. They are a distance of six months' march from the temple, and their numbers are incalculable and without number. They exact tribute from twenty-five kingdoms, as well as from a portion of Ishmael, but the tribes of Judah and Benjamin are scattered over the whole world. 'May the Eock of Israel gather together our dispersed brethren. Amen.'

Elchanan the Merchant.

LXni. (1) The story of Elchanan. Elchanan, the son of Joseph, w^as a large export merchant, and owned many vessels. He hailed from the province of the tribe of Dan, and was exceedingly wise and pious. He passed the day in praying, maintaining the poor, and giving a helping hand to orphan boys and girls. By means of his great skill he made a ship containing sixty chambers, of which each one of his servants made one for himself and his goods. In

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the centre of the vessel he constructed a tower which enabled him to see all his servants and their chambers. All the rooms were placed far away from his, and his servants could also not easily enter their neighbour's com- partment, nor make any designs upon his propertj^

(2) Elchanan himself was a mighty man of valour, as were also his sons, being altogether four in the tower. The ship was loaded with 10,000 talents' worth of pepper, 10,000 talents' worth of frankincense, 10,000 of calamus and cinna- mon, 1,000 litres of machik (p^DO), which they call saffron (]n i:^), and every other kind of spice, filling the whole vessel from top to bottom. Some of the servants appointed to guard the merchandise were Jews and others Ishmaelites. Besides these, there were, of course, the sailors. He had with him also 10,000 talents of silver to buy beautiful garments in various parts of the world.

(3) He acted as captain himself. His intention was to travel to a large kingdom, but was overtaken by a severe storm, which resulted in his ship drifting on to the sand in the Sea of Havila. (4) There E. Elchanan came across a certain people who spoke Hebrew. ' Who are ye?' said he. ' We are descendants of Dan,' answered they. And they forthwith invited him among them, and did very great honour to him, for E. Elchanan was beautiful and majestic in appearance. He then told them all his trouble and every- thing that befell him, and asked them many questions how they came to that place. Thereupon they related to him all their adventures. At the time when Jeroboam resigned, he said to the Israelites, ' Go ye and wage war with Eehoboam, the son of David.' And then the elders told him. Among all the tribes of Israel there is not one containing such mighty men of war and men so trained to battle as the tribe of Dan, and that they should therefore go to battle with Eehoboam and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thereupon he (Jeroboam) said to them, ' Arise, ye sons of Dan, and fight the men of Judah.' But they replied, ' By the life of our father, Dan, we shall never go against our brothers the house of David and against the King of Judah, and

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why should ^Ye shed mnocent blood?' ' If that is so,' said he, 'then depart from this land of Canaan.' For Jeroboam had made two calves of gold, by which he caused Israel to sin, so that the kingdom of the house of David was divided from that time. (5) They then took counsel against the Egyptians to destroy their land and kill its inhabitants. But their chiefs said to them, ' Is it not written in the Torah, "Ye shall no more see them?" How can we therefore go down to Egypt?' They then had designs (counselled) against Edom, Ammon and Moab, but found it stated in the Torah that God had forbidden Israel to inherit their borderland. But God gave them good advice, and they left the land and marched until they reached the brook of Pishon, a journey of seven years from Canaan. Then, journeying upon camels, they came to Kush, i.e., Havila, a land both rich and fertile, abounding in fields, vineyards, gardens and palaces. There they dwelt by the sea, where there were Ethiopians without number. (6) The news of their advent having reached the ears of the king, they gathered themselves together as one man, and said, ' It is better for us to die all on one day than little by little by the hand of this strange nation.' The Kushite kings, numbering sixty-five, encamped on the one side of the brook of Pishon, facing the others, the town being between the two hosts. The descendants of Dan, consist- ing of 200,000 foot, took their bows in their hands and crossed the brook, and a battle took place by the water, in which twenty -five Ethiopian kings were slain. Each one of these kings possessed 1,000 horsemen and 80,000 infantry.

(7) Soon after this, the descendants of Dan, while they were in their camp, heard a great shouting and a loud noise of trumpets. Almost immediately they set up a great shouting themselves, for about 300,000 men of the tribes of NaphtaH, as well as of Gad and Asher, had come to their assistance on their horses, and said, ' Brethren, ye must be weary now; rest until the morrow, and we shall join you.' Accordingly, on the morrow they slew all the

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kings of Kush, and, taking all the spoil, divided it by lot, the silver and gold being as plentiful as stones. The land of Havila measured a distance of a square, one side of which would take four months to travel, each of the four tribes occupying one side. There they dwell now securely. Concerning them it is written, ' How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together.' A king is appointed over them, and they have an abundance of sheep and oxen, silver and gold, horses, camels and asses; and they sow and gather in the harvest. The king and the judges appointed by themselves give battle every day to the kings of Kush and to strange kingdoms.

(8) These are the names of the kingdoms: Zaqlah the first (or the Eastern), Batuah, Qelalah, Arirah, 'Adirah, Zeridah, Zaryonah, Latusqah (npD^n:'), Tirah, Tiqunah, Qomah, Qalmah, Ahalah, Aholibah, Eiphtah, Saqvah, Qadvah (Qadovah), and Horiyah. They converse with each of these peoples in their own language, and, having made a covenant with them, they dwell by the rivers of Kush called ' Zahab Tob,' which is on the border of the land of Havila.

(9) These four tribes having given battle to these strange kings, they (the kings) brought them presents. Concerning this it is written, " Othri, the daughter of Pusi ('^*12), shall bring them gifts....' They possess vineyards and large fields, and dwell in tents made of hair, and no stranger can enter the land of Havila. Therein also dwells their king, Abiel, the son of Shaphat, and also the captain of the host, Abihail, the son of Shaphat, both of them of the tribe of Dan. When the trumpeter sounds the trumpet, the captain of the host comes forth with the armies, consisting of 173 banners, under each one serving 1,500 men of each tribe, and just as they go out, so they return.

(10) Then the second tribe comes forth, each of the four tribes serving three months. Each tribe keeps its own spoil, and they converse with each other in Hebrew, and in the language of Kedar, and they are all of them pious men. I dwelt among them for twelve months.

13—2

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(11) They inflict the four capital punishments in accord- ance with the decisions of the Beth Din. The tribe of Moses is also among them, as it is said, ' And all the children of Levi gathered unto him.' They encamp by the brook of Kedron, together with scattered remnants of the exiles. The brook is called Sambatyon (|Vt:::rD5<t:0, which encom- passes them with a radius of two months' walk. They sleep in houses built like towers, nor is any unclean bird or animal found among them, not even flies, or gnats, or vermin, but only their flocks and herds, which breed twice every year. Nor is there any scorpion or serpent. They reap a hundredfold for every measure of corn they sow, and they possess all kinds of fruits, herbs, spelt, leeks, melons, onions and garlic. They are living together as one nation, and possess many wells, from the waters of which all the lands are irrigated. They also possess all kinds of spices, and round about them there fly about all manner of clean birds. The river, the sand and stones continue in a whirl during the six days of the week, but on the Sabbath they rest. On the eve of every Sabbath a flaming fire ascends from one side of the river, so that no one can approach it until the Sabbath has come to an end. No man has ever seen these flames of the river Sambatyon except the descendants of Dan, Asher, Gad and Naphtali. They alone commune with them, and with reference to them it is said, ' To say to those that are bound. Go forth,' etc.

(12) They have an abundance of silver and gold; they sow and reap, and grow the worms that make the crimson colour, and they make unto themselves beautiful garments and robes, and they are more numerous than they were when they left Egypt. Concerning these four tribes it is written, ' Ah! the land of the rustling of wings which is beyond the rivers of Kush.' The river Sambatyon is four cubits wide, as far as a bowshot reaches. The noise it makes is exceedingly loud, like the billows of the sea and like a mighty tempest, and in the night-time the sound is heard at a distance of half a day's journey. If sand from

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that river is placed in a flask, it whirls about during the six days of the week, but on the Sabbath it rests.

(13) The four tribes, together with their cattle, go near the river Sambatyon to shear their flock, for the land is plain and smooth, where neither thorns nor herbs grow. When the descendants of Moses see them, they assemble at the side of the brook, and, raising their voices, say, ' 0 children of Dan, show us a camel, or ass, or dog.' And they exclaim, ' How long is this camel! and see the length of its neck! How short its ear is! It is very ugly!' These men are pious and charitable, besides being well versed in the Torah, Mishna, and Talmud. When they study they use to say, 'We have received this by tradition from Joshua and Moses, our teachers, and from God.' They do not know the other sages and their traditions are written down in the language in which our teacher Moses delivered them to them. The laws of the killing of animals are according to the words of the sages. They never swore by the name of God.

(14) But the children of Dan did so, and the children of Levi said to them, ' Why do ye take the name of God (in vain)? for has He not given thee bread to eat and water to drink? Why do ye therefore do this thing? Know now that your sons and your daughters shall die in their youth on account of your iniquities, but as for us, no son or daughter shall die in the lifetime of their father, but shall live to the ripe age of 120.' These people do not possess any manservants or maidservants, since they are them- selves skilled workmen and merchants. They have shutters with which to close their shops, but never do so because there are no thieves. It is usual for a child to go a distance of several days with the cattle, without any fear of wild beasts, evil spirits, demons or injurious beings, since they are pure and still sanctified with the holiness of Moses our teacher, as it is said, ' For they shall eat the fruit of their actions.'

(15) The children of Isaachar are as numerous as the sand of the sea, without number. They dwell on the

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mountains of the deep, behind the land of the Medes and Persians, and a distance of four months' journey from those who dwell by the brook of Pishon. The law does not depart from their mouth, thus fulfilling the command, ' The Torah shall not depart from thy mouth; thou shalt meditate upon it day and night.' They accepted no earthly yoke, but only the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, and do not fight with their fellow-men, but discuss the Talmud and the Torah. They live in peace and tranquillity, with no injurious thought or evil of any kind to tempt them, and dwell on an area of thirteen days' journey in each direction. Silver and gold, servants, camels, flocks and herds, they have in plenty, but they breed none. The only warlike instruments they use are knives for killing the sheep, oxen and birds. They receive a tribute from the heathen kingdoms, of all produce, a fourth, and of the oxen and sheep a fifth every year. From this tribute they accumulate immense riches. They have judges and they inflict the four capital punish- ments according to the decisions of the Beth Din. They converse in the Hebrew language and in that of Kedar.

(16) I dwelt among them for a period of two months, and then, takmg my departure on board ship, I fell in among the tribe of Zebulun, who dwell on the mountains of Paran, in tents of hair, in the land of Lud and Pul. Entering their land, I found them to be farmers, tilling the ground and reaping the harvest. They possess all kinds of dainties and are men of valour. For four months they go out to plunder, fighting and robbing people of their riches. They possess the Torah, the Talmud and Mishna, and are men of great faith, who observe all the Commandments. They are also good riders, having innumerable servants, horses, sheep and oxen, as well as camels and asses. They dwell in peace and tranquillity, where no man can intrude.

(17) Thence, after six days' journey, I came to the tribe of Reuben, opposite them, between Paran and Bethel, where they dwell without war. Concerning them it is written.

' And I shall cause the wild heast to cease from the land, and no sword shall pass over their land.' In the midst of the mountains of darkness they possess a fertile and fruitful land, the stones of which are iron, and from the mountains of which brass is hewn. It is a land in which one could eat his bread without any danger, for no man passes among them. They watch the roads and capture spoil without end. They dwell safely in tents of hair, and speak the Hebrew language and another strange one (ti;^).

(18) Thence I came to an extensive land by way of Shin ar, through Elam; it was the kingdom of Mehumat (nDinD) on the border of Madia, a distance of four months' journey from the city of (Medinat). I saw the river Gozan (|Ti:i), and a part of the tribes of Ephraim and Menasseh, who were harsh and hard-hearted. They also are good riders, watching the roads, and having pity on no man. All their possessions were plunder. They are men of valour and skilled in war; one of them alone could smite a thousand men. Among themselves a large amount of food could be obtained for two pieces of silver, and grapes could be obtained in the same way. Concern- ing them it is said, ' Five of you shall pursue 100, and 100 of you 10,000.'

(19) A half of the tribe of Simeon lives together with the tribe of Judah in the land of the Chasdim, near Jerusalem, a distance of four months' journey. They are countless and innumerable, and their faces are like lions' faces. They are all of them proficient riders, archers, spearsmen, and swordsmen, and dwell in tents made of hair, in a wilderness the extent of which is a journey of two months each way. They receive tribute from twenty-five kings, all of whom are white, some belonging to the Ishmaelites and others to the descendants of Keturah. They wage war with heathen kingdoms, always seeking battle. They journey the way of Mathol ('p^rdo), and the way of Babylon, until the city of the madman {V})^}^); in all directions they

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journey with their cattle from border to border, and nobody ever dares speak to them. Among themselves they speak Hebrew and Greek, and are men of faith, skilled in the Torah, Talmud, Mishna, and Agada, and also spoke the language of Togarma.

(20) I dwelt among the sons of Judah and Simeon for three years, until merchants from the land of the Danites came to buy the spoil of which they had great quantities, and also spices captured from merchants on the way, and which they had acquired for nothing. I travelled with them on board ship until we came to Elam, after a journey of four months. After the lapse of ten years from the day I departed from the Danites I returned. Those heathen whose land I passed through, and among whom the tribes dwell, were some of them worshippers of the earth, while some worshipped fire, and others worshipped a white horse and were cannibals. [End of the words of K. Elchanan the Danite. I have heard that this E. Elchanan was simple and upright, eschewing evil, and fearing God. He came from the land of India. ^]

The Midrash of Ahab ben Qolaya and Zedekiah ben Ma'aseyah.

LXIV. (1) 'Thus saith the Lord of Ahab ben Qolaya and of Zedekiah ben Ma'aseyah, which prophesy falsely in My name, behold I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, and he shall slay them before your very eyes. From them a curse shall be taken up by all the captivity of Judah and Israel in Babylon, saying, ''May the Lord make thee like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the King of Babylon 'roasted' in the fire." ' It is not said, 'They were burnt,' but 'roasted.' K. Johanan, in the name of R. Simeon ben Johai, said, ' We learn from

1 Here follows in the MS. the Hebrew translation of Daniel, which is therefore omitted in the English translation; and then the history of Bel and the Dragon, and the ' Song of Three Children,' translated and pubhshed by me in the Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archceology, 1894-95.

the above that He made them hke parched ears of corn.' ' Because they committed abomination in Israel, they com- mitted adultery with the wives of their neighbours, and spoke falsely in My name that which I had not commanded them, even I who know^ and testify against them, saith the Lord.' (2) Ahab went to the daughter of Nebuchad- nezzar, and said to her, ' The Lord said, " Hearken to Zedekiah, and there shall come forth from thee kings and prophets who will prophesy against Israel." ' Hearing this, Zedekiah also went to her, and said, ' In the same manner as Ahab has said about me, so also listen to him, and there shall come forth from thee kings and prophets who will prophesy against Israel.' When she heard this, she immediately went to her father and told him all that had happened, saying, ' Thus and thus did Ahab and Zedekiah say unto me.' And her father replied, ' The God of these men hateth lewdness. As soon as they come to thee a second time again send them to me.' When they came, she accordingly said to them, ' I cannot do anything without my father's knowledge; therefore, go ye to my father, and, placing your request before him, listen to his reply.'

(3) Going to Nebuchadnezzar, they repeated what they had told his daughter. And he replied, ' What is the cause of it that your God did not tell this prophecy to Hananya, Mishael, and Azariah? Are they not prophets?' And they said, ' He did not command Hananya, Mishael, and Azariah to do anything, but it w^as us He commanded to do this thing.' At this Nebuchadnezzar retorted, *I asked Hananya, Mishael, and Azariah, saying, ''Is this thing which you ask my daughter prohibited or permitted?" "It is prohibited," said they.' 'But we are prophets,' answered Zedekiah and Ahab, ' as they. He did not command them but us to do this thing.' (4) ' I desire, then, to test you as I tested Hananya, Mishael, and Azariah, viz., in the fiery furnace.' ' But they were three, and we are only two,' added they. ' Then choose ye one whomsoever ye wish to be tried with you.' And they said, ' We desire Joshua the

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son of Jehozadak, the high priest.' They knew that his merit was so great that he would protect them also. Accordingly the three of them were brought and cast into the fiery furnace. Ahab and Zedekiah were consumed by the fire, but Joshua, the high priest, was not touched by it; his garments merely smelt of fire, as it is said, ' He showed me Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to tempt him.' It is further written, * And the Lord said unto Satan, " The Lord rebuke thee, 0 Satan; the Lord who chose Jerusalem shall rebuke thee. Is this not a brand plucked out of the fire?'

(5) ' I know now,' said Nebuchadnezzar, 'that thou art very righteous, but how is it that thy garments were touched a little by the fire, while in the case of Hananya, Mishael, and Azariah the fire did not touch them at all?' ' Because,' said Joshua, 'they were three and I was alone.' 'But,' said he, ' Abraham was also alone.' ' True, but there were no wicked people in his company, and the Lord therefore did not allow the fire to touch him; but with me there were two wicked men, and on this account the Lord allowed the fire to touch me a little.' This is the parable of the two dry torches and the one moist, where the two dry ones burn the moist.

The History of Susanna.

LXV. (1) There dwelt a man in Babylon named Jehoiachin, and he took a wife whose name was Susanna, one that feared the Lord. She was the daughter of righteous and good parents, who brought her up in the ways of the Lord, according to the precepts of the law of Moses. Now, this man Jehoiachin was greater and more respected than any of his generation. To him all the Jews resorted daily, for no one like him w^as found among God's people. He had a beautiful garden adjoining his house, where his wife Susanna used to retire for bathing. (2) At this time two judges were appointed over the people, who came in the early morning and evening to Jehoiachin's house to deliver

judgment to the people. But when they heheld the beautiful Susanna their lust was inflamed towards her. They re- nounced their hope in heavenly reward, and, whilst sepa- rating themselves from the righteous, yet neither one revealed to the other the evil thought of his heart. But when the crowd had dispersed to their homes, they spoke to each other, and then, confessing their lust to each other, they took counsel together in which way they might lead her astray, and, watching diligently every day to defile her, they neither stopped nor rested from their sin.

(3) One day when all the people had departed to their homes they remained behind according to custom, nor did they remove the evil of their heart, but lay in wait to commit the evil. When Susanna entered the garden accompanied by her maids to wash herself on account of the heat, she sent them to bring her some oil wherewith to anoint herself, at the same time telling them to close the door behind them. When they went out they accordingly bolted the doors after them, but the old men were concealed in the beautiful garden, and when she stripped to wash they ran out of their hiding-place, and, taking hold of her, said, ' Lie with us, for if thou wilt not consent we shall bear witness against thee that a young man has lain with thee.' In fear and trembling she then said, 'What am I to do? I cannot escape these men. It is better for me to resign myself to the Lord, the righteous, the good, the great, the mighty, and the awe-inspiring God, the Deliverer, Saviour, and mighty Kedeemer, whose name is the Lord of Hosts.' (4) Then, raising her voice on high, she cried, * Save me, 0 Lord my God, from the hands of the wicked who rebel against Thee.' But they also cried aloud, and bore false witness against her. At their cry the men of her house came forth, and, entering the garden, beheld the elders bearing this testimony against her, and they and all their kindred were astonished, since they knew that the like of this was not seen or heard of her.

(5) On the morrow all the people gathered together to the house of Jehoiachin according to their custom, and

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with them the elders who rose up and testified that they had seen this woman enter the garden with her two maids, and that a young man came and lay with her. ' We then took hold of the young man, but he slipped from our hands.' The people believed their words, for the elders were held to be good and God-fearing men.

(6) Then, sending for the woman, they brought her, and there came wdth her her relatives, friends, and acquaint- ances; but she was very feeble, and came there with her face covered. But the elders cried angrily from their evil desires, ' Kemove the veil from her face!' that they might satisfy the wickedness of their eyes, and, condemning her to death, they led her forth. Then, raising her eyes on high, she said, ' 0 truthful and righteous Judge, 0 faithful Witness, behold me and save me from a death through false witnesses; let me not be found a sinner in the sight of all these people; and let not the words of these wicked men be fulfilled against me.'

(7) And the Lord heard her cry and sent a helper, for the Lord aroused the spirit of Daniel, who raised his voice, and said, ' Lord God, clear us of the death of this righteous woman.' Hearing this, the people asked, 'Who art thou that speaketh?' And they replied, ' The voice is that of Daniel;' he was then a young man in the king's household and a chamberlain in his palace. * But why dost thou speak in this manner?' And he said, ' Will ye condemn to death one in Israel without investigation? Will ye slay the innocent and the righteous in a manner contrary to the law? Eeturn to me, that I may investigate the matter.'

(8) The woman and all the people then returned, and the elders who bore witness against her said to him, ' Why does my Lord say, she is not to die, since she has done such and such a thing?' And Daniel said to the people, ' Be ye seated;' and they sat down. ' Now separate these elders one from the other.' Then, interrogating one of them, he said, ' 0 sinful old man, thou art surely condemned to death, and the angel stands over thee to cut thee in two.

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Under what tree didst thou find her?' ' Under the terebinth ' (p'pN). And Daniel said to the people, ' Behold, this man shall die, for there is no such tree in the garden.'

(9) He was accordingly taken away, and the second one brought. And he said to him, ' 0 thou of the seed of Kainan, who art not of Judah. Thus did ye act in our land. Ye enticed beautiful maidens by your false testimony, so that we became a curse and a reproach, we were led captive and became a spoil; behold, thou art destined to be slain, and no soul is to be left within thee. Tell me, before the people, under what tree didst thou find her?' ' Under a trellis of the vine' (n^'pn). Then said Daniel, 'Behold, the angel stands over thee with a drawn sword in his hand to saw thy loins asunder, for there is no such tree in the garden.'

(10) They went and found that it was the truth. Then Daniel appeared to the people in all his wisdom, and it was done to those judges just as they devised against their sister. From that day Daniel was exalted in the sight of the people of Judah, and they gave thanks and praises to the Lord God of their fathers, as did Shealtiel, the father of Susanna, and her mother, as well as all her relatives and acquaintances, and her husband Jehoiachin.