• Torah (T): Bereshiyt (Genesis) 36:1-43
• Prophets (P): Obadiah 1:1-21
• Apostolic (A): Romans 9:6-18; Matthew 15:21-28
• Additional (ADD): Jubilees 37:1-25; Jubilees 38:1-24

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Job 1:1,11; Job 42:16-17e (LXX)
• Genesis 25:13-16; Genesis 26:34-35; Genesis 28:8-9 (T)
• 1 Chronicles 1:35-54 (T)
• Exodus 17:8-16 (T)
• Deuteronomy 25:17-19 (T)
• Isaiah 41:8 (T, H)
• Genesis 48:21-22 (ADD)
• Deuteronomy 14:23 (ADD)
• John 14:25-26 (ADD)
• Matthew 18:10-11; Acts 12:11-16; Hebrews 1:14 (ADD)

RELATED ADDITIONAL READINGS

• Testament of Benjamin 1:1-6 (T)
• Testament of Levi 4Q213B (ADD)
• The Words of Levi – 4Q213 Frag.1 Col. 2, Oxford Geniza Text Col. A + 1Q21, Col. B, & Col. D (T, ADD)
• Tobit 1:1-8 (ADD)
• 2 Esdras (4 Esdras) 14:36-48 (ADD)
• Sirach 30:1-13 (ADD)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.21.3, 1.22.1, 2.1.1-2 (T)

Note: (T) means the verse relates to that week’s Torah portion. (P) means the verse relates to that week’s Prophets portion. (A) means the verse relates to that week’s Apostolic portion. (ADD) means the verse relates to that week’s Additional portion.

Torah Portion (T)

Bereshiyt (Genesis) 36:1-43

36:1 These are the birthings of Esau, that is, Edom. 2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon, the Hittite; and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, the Hivite; 3 and Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebaioth. 4 Adah bore to Esau Eliphaz. Basemath bore Reuel. 5 Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Qorach. These are the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, with his livestock, all his animals, and all his possessions, which he had gathered in the land of Canaan, and went [out from the land of Canaan]^{(LXX)(SP)(mss)} away from his brother Jacob. 7 For their substance was too great for them to dwell together, and the land of their travels couldn't bear them because of their livestock. 8 Esau lived in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom. 9 These are the birthings of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir: 10 these are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz, the son of Adah, the wife of Esau; and Reuel, the son of Basemath, the wife of Esau. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek. These are the descendants of Adah, Esau's wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the descendants of Basemath, Esau's wife. 14 These were the sons of Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Qorach. 15 These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 16 chief Qorach, chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These are the chiefs who came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Adah. 17 These are the sons of Reuel, Esau's son: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah. These are the chiefs who came of Reuel in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife. 18 These are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau's wife: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Qorach. These are the chiefs who came of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. 19 These are the sons of Esau, that is, Edom, and these are their chiefs. 20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chiefs who came of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Heman. Lotan's sister was Timna. 23 These are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he fed the donkeys of Zibeon his father. 25 These are the sons of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. 26 These are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 27 These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29 These are the chiefs who came of the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, and chief Dishan. These are the chiefs who came of the Horites, according to their chiefs in the land of Seir. 31 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the sons of Israel. 32 [Balak],^(LXX) the son of Beor, reigned in Edom. The name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 [Balak]^(LXX) died, and Jobab, the son of Zerah of Bozrah, reigned in his place. 34 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 35 Husham died, and Hadad, the son of Bedad, who struck Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place. The name of his city was Avith. 36 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 37 Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the river, reigned in his place. 38 Shaul died, and Baal Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 39 Baal Hanan the son of Achbor died, and [Hadad]^(LXX) reigned in his place. The name of his city was Pau. His wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 40 These are the names of the chiefs who came from Esau, according to their families, after their places, and by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 43 chief Magdiel, and chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession. This is Esau, the father of the Edomites.

Prophets Portion (P)

1:1 The vision of Obadiah. This is what [YHWH]^(LXX) says about Edom. We have heard news from YHWH, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying, “Arise, and let’s rise up against her in battle. 2 Behold, I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says in his heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ 4 Though you mount on high as the eagle, and though [you make your nest]^(LXX) among the stars, I will bring you down from there,” says YHWH. 5 “If thieves came to you, if robbers by night—oh, what disaster awaits you—wouldn’t they only steal until they had enough? If grape pickers came to you, wouldn’t they leave some gleaning grapes? 6 How Esau will be ransacked! How his hidden treasures are sought out! 7 All the men of your alliance have brought you on your way, even to the border. The men who were at peace with you have deceived you, and prevailed against you. Friends who eat [bread with you]^(LXX) lay a snare under you. There is no understanding in him.” 8 “Won’t I in that day”, says YHWH, “destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mountain of Esau? 9 Your mighty men, Teman, will be dismayed, to the end that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter. 10 For the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be cut off forever. 11 In the day that you stood on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance and foreigners entered into his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, even you were like one of them. 12 But don’t look down on your brother in the day of his disaster, and don’t rejoice over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction. Don’t speak proudly in the day of distress. 13 Don’t enter into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity. Don’t look down on their affliction in the day of their calamity, neither seize their wealth on the day of their calamity. 14 Don’t stand in the crossroads to cut off those of his who escape. Don’t deliver up those of his who remain in the day of distress. 15 For the day of YHWH is near all the nations! As you have done, it will be done to you. Your deeds will return upon your own head. 16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually. Yes, they will drink, swallow down, and will be as though they had not been. 17 But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess [those who dispossessed them].^(LXX) 18 The house of Jacob will be a fire, the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble. They will burn among them and devour them. There will not be any remaining to the house of Esau.” Indeed, YHWH has spoken. 19 Those of the South will possess the mountain of Esau, and those of the lowland, the Philistines. They will possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria. Benjamin will possess Gilead. 20 The captives of this army of the sons of Israel, who are among the Canaanites, will possess even to Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the Negev. 21 [Those who have been saved]^(LXX) will go up on Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom will belong to YHWH.

Apostolic Portion (A)

Romans 9:6-18; Matthew 15:21-28

Romans 9:6 But it is not as though the word of Elohim has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel that are of Israel. 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children. But, “In Isaac your seed will be called.” (cf. Genesis 21:12)  8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of Elohim, but the children of the promise are counted as heirs. 9 For this is a word of promise, “At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.” (cf. Genesis 18:10, 14) 10 Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac. 11 For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of Elohim according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, 12 it was said to her, “The elder will serve the younger.” (cf. Genesis 25:23) 13 Even as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (cf. Malachi 1:2-3) 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with Elohim? May it never be! 15 For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” (cf. Exodus 33:19) 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of Elohim who has mercy. 9:17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the land.” 18 So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.

Matthew 15:21 Yeshua went out from there and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!” 23 But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.” 24 But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and bowed to him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 27 But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Yeshua answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Additional Portion (ADD)

Between 1947 and 1956 approximately 15 Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in Hebrew. The large number of manuscripts (more than for any biblical books except for Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Exodus, and Genesis, in descending order) indicates that Jubilees was widely used at Qumran. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the Ethiopic version, performed by James VanderKam, found that the Ethiopic was in most respects an accurate and literalistic translation. Scholars have dated Jubilees to have been written sometime around 160-150 B.C.

Jubilees 37:1-25 And on the day that Isaac the father of Jacob and Esau died [2162 A.M.], the sons of Esau heard that Isaac had given the portion of the elder to his younger son Jacob and they were very angry. 2. And they strove with their father, saying: “Why hath thy father given Jacob the portion of the elder and passed over thee, although thou art the elder and Jacob the younger?” 3. And he said unto them “Because I sold my birthright to Jacob for a small mess of lentils; and on the day my father sent me to hunt and catch and bring him something that he should eat and bless me, he came with guile and brought my father food and drink, and my father blessed him and put me under his hand. 4. And now our father hath caused us to swear, me and him, that we will not mutually devise evil, either against his brother, and that we will continue in love and in peace each with his brother and not make our ways corrupt.” 5. And they said unto him, “We will not hearken unto thee to make peace with him; for our strength is greater than his strength, and we are more powerful than he; we will go against him and slay him, and destroy him and his sons. And if thou wilt not go with us, we will do hurt to thee also. 6. And now hearken unto us: Let us send to Aram and Philistia and Moab and Ammon, and let us choose for ourselves chosen men who are ardent for battle, and let us go against him and do battle with him, and let us exterminate him from the land before he groweth strong.” 7. And their father said unto them, “Do not go and do not make war with him lest ye fall before him.” 8. And they said unto him, “This too, is exactly thy mode of action from thy youth until this day, and thou art putting thy neck under his yoke. We will not hearken to these words.” 9. And they sent to Aram, and to ‘Adurâm to the friend of their father, and they hired along with them one thousand fighting men, chosen men of war. 10. And there came to them from Moab and from the sons of Ammon, those who were hired, one thousand chosen men, and from Philistia, one thousand chosen men of war, and from Edom and from the Horites one thousand chosen fighting men, and from the Kittim mighty men of war. 11. And they said unto their father: “Go forth with them and lead them, else we will slay thee.” 12. And he was filled with wrath and indignation on seeing that his sons were forcing him to go before (them) to lead them against Jacob his brother. 13. But afterward he remembered all the evil which lay hidden in his heart against Jacob his brother; and he remembered not the oath which he had sworn to his father and to his mother that he would devise no evil all his days against Jacob his brother. 14. And notwithstanding all this, Jacob knew not that they were coming against him to battle, and he was mourning for Leah, his wife, until they approached very near to the tower with four thousand warriors and chosen men of war. 15. And the men of Hebron sent to him saying, “Behold thy brother hath come against thee, to fight thee, with four thousand girt with the sword, and they carry shields and weapons”; for they loved Jacob more than Esau. So they told him; for Jacob was a more liberal and merciful man than Esau. 16. But Jacob would not believe until they came very near to the tower. 17. And he closed the gates of the tower; and he stood on the battlements and spake to his brother Esau and said, “Noble is the comfort wherewith thou hast come to comfort me for my wife who hath died. Is this the oath that thou didst swear to thy father and again to thy mother before they died? Thou hast broken the oath, and on the moment that thou didst swear to thy father wast thou condemned.” 18. And then Esau answered and said unto him, “Neither the sons of men nor the beasts of the land have any oath of righteousness which in swearing they have sworn (an oath valid) for ever; but every day they devise evil one against another, and how each may slay his adversary and foe. 19. And thou dost hate me and my children for ever. And there is no observing the tie of brotherhood with thee. 20. Hear these words which I declare unto thee, If the boar can change its skin and make its bristles as soft as wool, Or if it can cause horns to sprout forth on its head like the horns of a stag or of a sheep, Then will I observe the tie of brotherhood with thee. [And if the breasts separated themselves from their mother; for thou hast not been a brother to me.] 21. And if the wolves make peace with the lambs so as not to devour or do them violence, And if their hearts are towards them for good, Then there will be peace in my heart towards thee. 22. And if the lion becometh the friend of the ox and maketh peace with him, And if he is bound under one yoke with him and plougheth with him, Then will I make peace with thee. 23. And when the raven becometh white as the râzâ, Then know that I have loved thee And will make peace with thee. Thou shalt be rooted out, And thy sons will be rooted out, And there will be no peace for thee.” 24. And when Jacob saw that he was (so) evilly disposed towards him with his heart, and with all his soul as to slay him, and that he had come springing like the wild boar which cometh upon the spear that pierceth and killeth it, and recoileth not from it; 25. Then he spake to his own and to his servants that they should attack him and all his companions.

Jubilees 38:1-24 And after that Judah spake to Jacob, his father, and said unto him: “Bend thy bow, father, and send forth thy arrows and cast down the adversary and slay the enemy; and mayest thou have the power, for we will not slay thy brother, for he is such as thou, and he is like thee: let us give him (this) honour.” 2. Then Jacob bent his bow and sent forth the arrow and struck Esau, his brother, (on his right breast) and slew him. 3. And again he sent forth an arrow and struck ‘Adôrân the Aramaean, on the left breast, and drove him backward and slew him. 4. And then went forth the sons of Jacob, they and their servants, dividing themselves into companies on the four sides of the tower. 5. And Judah went forth in front, and Naphtali and Gad with him and fifty servants with him on the south side of the tower, and they slew all they found before them, and not one individual of them escaped. 6. And Levi and Dan and Asher went forth on the east side of the tower, and fifty (men) with them, and they slew the fighting men of Moab and Ammon. 7. And Reuben and Issachar and Zebulon went forth on the north side of the tower, and fifty men with them, and they slew the fighting men of the Philistines. 8. And Shimon and Benjamin and Enoch, Reuben’s son, went forth on the west side of the tower, and fifty (men) with them, and they slew of Edom and of the Horites four hundred men, stout warriors; and six hundred fled, and four of the sons of Esau fled with them, and left their father lying slain, as he had fallen on the hill which is in ‘Adûrâm. 9. And the sons of Jacob pursued after them to the mountains of Seir. And Jacob buried his brother on the hill which is in ‘Adûrâm, and he returned to his house. 10. And the sons of Jacob pressed hard upon the sons of Esau in the mountains of Seir, and bowed their necks so that they became servants of the sons of Jacob. 11. And they sent to their father (to inquire) whether they should make peace with them or slay them. 12. And Jacob sent word to his sons that they should make peace, and they made peace with them, and placed the yoke of servitude upon them, so that they paid tribute to Jacob and to his sons always. 13. And they continued to pay tribute to Jacob until the day that he went down into Egypt. 14. And the sons of Edom have not got quit of the yoke of servitude which the twelve sons of Jacob had imposed on them until this day. 15. And these are the kings that reigned in Edom before there reigned any king over the sons of Israel [until this day] in the land of Edom. 16. And Bâlâq, the son of Beor, reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Danâbâ. 17. And Bâlâq died, and Jobab, the son of Zârâ of Bôsêr, reigned in his stead. 18. And Jobab died, and ‘Asâm, of the land of Têmân, reigned in his stead. 19. And ‘Asâm died, and ‘Adâth, the son of Barad, 6 who slew Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead, and the name of his city was Avith. 20. And ‘Adâth died, and Salman, from ‘Amâsêqâ, reigned in his stead. 21. And Salman died, and Shaul of Râ’abôth (by the) river, reigned in his stead. 22. And Shaul died, and Ba’êlûnân, the son of Achbor, reigned in his stead. 23. And Ba’êlûnân, the son of Achbor, died, and ‘Adâth reigned in his stead, and the name of his wife was Maiṭabîth, the daughter of Mâṭarat, the daughter of Mêtabêdzâ’ab. 24. These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom.

Related Scriptures

Job 1:1,11; Job 42:16-17e (LXX)

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Ausis (Uz), whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared Elohim, and turned away from evil…11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him.

42:16-17e (LXX) And Job lived after his affliction a hundred and seventy years: and all the years he lived were two hundred and forty: and Job saw his sons and his sons’ sons, the fourth generation. 17 And Job died, an old man and full of days: 17a and it is written that he will rise again with those whom the Lord raises up. 17b This man is described in the Syriac book as living in the land of Ausis (Uz), on the borders of Idumea and Arabia: and his name before was Jobab; 17c and having taken an Arabian wife, he begot a son whose name was Ennon. And he himself was the son of his father Zare, one of the sons of Esau, and of his mother Bosorrha, so that he was the fifth from Abraham. 17d And these were the kings who reigned in Edom, which country he also ruled over: first, Balak, the son of Beor, and the name of his city was Dennaba: but after Balak, Jobab, who is called Job: and after him Asom, who was governor out of the country of Thæman: and after him Adad, the son of Barad, who destroyed Madiam in the plain of Moab; and the name of his city was Gethaim. 17e And his friends who came to him were Eliphaz, of the children of Esau, king of the Thæmanites, Baldad sovereign of the Sauchæans, Sophar king of the Minæans.

Genesis 25:13-16; Genesis 26:34-35; Genesis 28:8-9 (T)

Genesis 25:13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to the order of their birth: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations.

Genesis 28:34 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 They were a bitterness of spirit to Isaac and Rebekah.

Genesis 28:8 Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan didn’t please Isaac, his father. 9 So Esau went to Ishmael, and took, in addition to the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.

1:35 The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Qorach. 36 The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zephi, Gatam, Kenaz, Timna, and Amalek. 37 The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. 38 The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. 39 The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam; and Timna was Lotan’s sister. 40 The sons of Shobal: Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. 41 The son of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hamran, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 42 The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Jaakan. The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 43 Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the sons of Israel: Bela the son of Beor; and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 44 Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 45 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 46 Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who struck Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Avith. 47 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 48 Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the River reigned in his place. 49 Shaul died, and Baal Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 50 Baal Hanan died, and Hadad reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Pai: and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 51 Then Hadad died. The chiefs of Edom were: chief Timna, chief Aliah, chief Jetheth, 52 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 53 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 54 chief Magdiel, and chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom.

17:8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out to fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with Elohim’s rod in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed. When he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands were heavy; so they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset. 13 Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 YHWH said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.” 15 Moses built an altar, and called its name “YHWH our Banner”. 16 He said, “Yah has sworn: ‘YHWH will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’ ”

25:17 Remember what Amalek did to you by the way as you came out of Egypt; 18 how he met you by the way, and struck the rearmost of you, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he didn’t fear Elohim. 19 Therefore it will be, when YHWH your Elohim has given you rest from all your enemies all around, in the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you for an inheritance to possess it, that you will blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens. You will not forget.

41:8 “But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend, 9 You whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the land, and called from its corners, and said to you, ‘You are my servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away.’

14:23 You will eat before YHWH your Elohim, in the place which he chooses to cause his name to dwell, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock; that you may learn to fear YHWH your Elohim always.

14:25 I have said these things to you while still living with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.

Matthew 18:10 See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in the heavens their angels always see the face of my Father who is in the heavens. 11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.

Acts 12:11-16 When Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 Thinking about that, he came to the house of Miriam, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate for joy, but ran in, and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” 16 But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed.

Hebrews 1:13-14 But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?” 14 Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

Additional Readings​

Though many parts of the popular collections of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs contain interpolated Christian idea added by later copyists, these testaments were originally Jewish works composed during the same period as the Dead Sea Scrolls. They are preserved only in Greek, but most scholars now agree that the testaments were modeled after Aramaic or Hebrew originals. This fact is particularly clear in the case of the Testament of Levi. Although the Greek Testament of Levi was not found at Qumran, scholars did discover portions of the present work, an Aramaic composition that seems to have influenced it.

1:1 The copy of the words of Benjamin, which he commanded his sons to observe, after he had lived a hundred and twenty-five years. 2 And he kissed them, and said: As Isaac was born to Abraham in his old age, so also was I to Jacob. 3 And since Rachel my mother died in giving me birth, I had no milk; therefore I was suckled by Bilhah her handmaid. 4 For Rachel remained barren for twelve years after she had borne Joseph; and she prayed the Lord with fasting twelve days, and she conceived and bare me. 5 For my father loved Rachel dearly, and prayed that he might see two sons born from her. 6 Therefore was I called Benjamin, that is, a son of days.

You will note some abbreviations, brackets, and symbols used in the following reading of the Dead Sea Scrolls translation:

• [ ] Square brackets surround lost areas in the scroll due to various types of damage. Words so enclosed are reconstructed and do not actually appear in the scroll. Square-bracketed portions may be simple guesses, calculated probabilities, or virtually certain: broken quotations filled out, for example, or wording that overlaps with another scroll.
• < > Angle brackets indicate errors in the original manuscript and a possible solution.
• ( ) Parentheses enclose various types of helpful information.
• { } Words that have been erased but are of interest are placed between curly brackets.
• “Q” (Qumran) numbers indicate the number of the cave the scroll was found and the manuscript number.
• Col. indicates the column number of the fragment or group of fragments. In the case of the more complete manuscripts, numbers refer to columns (e.g. 1QS and 1QH).
• An x in brackets indicates an unknown number.

Although the Greek Testament of Levi was not found at Qumran, scholars did discover portions of the present work, an Aramaic composition that seems to have influenced it.

4Q213 Frag. 1 Col. 2 …Then I went on […] to my father Jacob, and when […] from Abel-Main. Then […where] I laid down. And I remained […] Then I was shown a vision […] in the appearance of a vision, and I saw heav[en]… and a mountain] under me so high it reached [the heavens[n… and they opened] for me the gates of the heavens and an angel […] Mt. Athos MS And he said to me: Levi, to you and to your descendants the priesthood is given, to serve the Most High in the midst of the land and to atone for the sins of th eland. Then he gave the blessings of the priesthood… Oxford Geniza Text Col. A + 1Q21 …So we went to my father Isaac, and he blessed me. Then when Jacob my father was tithing everything he had in accordance with his vow, […] I ranked first, at the head of […]; and to me, of all his sons, he gave the fist of a ti[the] to Elohim, and he dressed me in priestly vestments, and officially appointed me as priest to Elohim Eternal. I offered all his slaughters and blessed my father for life and also my brothers. Then all of them blessed me, and my father too blessed me. When I finished Col. B offering the slaughters in Bethel, we left Bethel and lived in our great-grandfather Abraham’s palace with Isaac our grandfather. When Isaac our grandfather saw us all, he greeted us joyfully. When he recognized that I had become priest to Elohim Most High, the Lord of Heaven, he began to teach me authoritatively the priestly way of life. He said to me, Carefully avoid all ritual impurity and every kind of sin. Your way of life is to be more strict than all other humans. So now, my son, i will show you the proper way for you to live, not withholding from you any thing you need to know about the priestly way of life. First, carefully avoid, my son, all impure lewdness and every kind of improper sexual act. You must marry a woman from my clan, so as not to defile your seed with foreign women, because you are a holy seed, and holy is your seed as the holy temple, and because you are considered a holy priest to all the seed of Abraham. You are close to Elohim and close to all his holy angels. So keep your flesh clean from every impurity of any man. Col. D Now when four weeks of years in my life had passed, when I was twenty-eight, I took a wife from the stock of my great-grandfather Abraham, Milkah, daughter of Bathuel, the son of Laban, my mother’s brother…When I was en, I was brought into the land of Canaan, and I was eigtheen when I killed Shechem and eliminated those who commit crimes. I was nineteen years old when I became priest, and I was twenty-eight when I took a wife for myself.

The above excerpt is from Wise, Michael Owen, et al. The Dead Sea Scrolls: a New Translation. HarperSanFrancisco, 2005.

Numerous small fragments representing the Aramaic Testament of Levi from Cave 4 all date to the mid-first century B.C. Part of the Testament of Levi involves Levi being taken to the heavens and promised the priesthood forever, and then seven angels physically give him the insignia of the priesthood (as described in Exodus). This part parallels the beginning and end of a vision in the Aramaic Levi Document, whence the body of the vision is now lost; and is thought to preserve that part of the text.

[The seven departed from me] and I woke up from my sleep. Then [I said, ‘This is a vision and I am so amazed that I should have any vision.’ And] I [concealed] this also in my heart [and disclosed it] to no man. And we went to my father, Isaac, and he too blessed me thus. Then Jacob, my father, tithed all that he had in conformity with his vow and I was the first at the head [of the priesthood] and to me, one of his sons, he gave a gift … to Elohim, and he clothed me with the garment of the priesthood and he ordained me, and I became a priest of the everlasting Elohim …

Tobit, also called The Book of Tobias, found its way into the Roman Catholic canon via the Septuagint. Before the 1952 discovery of Aramaic and Hebrew fragments of Tobit among the Dead Sea Scrolls in a cave at Qumran, scholars believed Tobit was not included in the Jewish canon because of late authorship, estimated to 100 A.D. Qumran fragments of the text, which were copied between 100 B.C. to 25 A.D., evidence a much earlier origin than previously thought. These fragments evidence authorship no later than the 2nd century B.C. and, likely, contemporary with the date ascribed, by modern scholars, to the final compilation of the Book of Daniel, which did attain canonical status.

1:1 The book of the words of Tobit, the son of Tobiel, the son of Ananiel, the son of Aduel, the son of Gabael, of the seed of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali; 2 who in the days of Enemessar king of the Assyrians was carried away captive out of Thisbe, which is on the right hand of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher. 3 I, Tobit walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life, and I did many alms deeds to my kindred and my nation, who went with me into the land of the Assyrians, to Nineveh. 4 When I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, while I was yet young, all the tribe of Naphtali my father fell away from the house of Jerusalem, which was chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, that all the tribes should slaughter there, and the temple of the habitation of the Most High was hallowed and built therein for all ages. 5 All the tribes which fell away together slaughtered to the heifer Baal, and so did the house of Naphtali my father. 6 I alone went often to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it has been ordained to all Israel by an everlasting decree, having the first fruits and the tenths of my increase, and that which was first shorn; and I gave them at the altar to the priests the sons of Aaron. 7 I gave a tenth part of all my increase to the sons of Levi, who ministered at Jerusalem. A second tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it each year at Jerusalem. 8 A third tenth I gave to them to whom it was appropriate, as Deborah my father’s mother had commanded me, because I was left an orphan by my father.

2 Esdras, consisting of chapters 3-14, (also called 4 Esdras, Latin Esdras, or Latin Ezra) is the name of a book in many English versions of the Bible. Its authorship is ascribed to Ezra, a scribe and priest of the 5th century B.C., although modern scholarship places its composition between 70 and 218 A.D. It is reckoned among the apocrypha by Roman Catholics, Protestants, and most Eastern Orthodox Christians. The Ethiopian Church considers 4 Ezra to be canonical, written during the Babylonian captivity, and calls it “Izra Sutuel” (ዕዝራ ሱቱኤል). It was also often cited by the Fathers of the Church. In the Eastern Armenian tradition it is called 3 Ezra.

14:36 Let no man therefore come to me now, nor seek after me these forty days. 37 So I took the five men, as he commanded me, and we went forth into the field, and remained there. 38 And it came to pass on the next day that, behold, a voice called me, saying, Esdras, open your mouth, and drink what I give you to drink. 39 Then opened I my mouth, and, behold, there was reached to me a full cup, which was full as it were with water, but the color of it was like fire. 40 And I took it, and drank: and when I had drunk of it, my heart uttered understanding, and wisdom grew in my breast, for my spirit retained its memory: 41 and my mouth was opened, and shut no more. 42 The Most High gave understanding to the five men, and they wrote by course the things that were told them, in characters which they knew not, and they sat forty days: now they wrote in the day-time, and at night they ate bread. 43 As for me, I spoke in the day, and by night I held not my tongue. 44 So in forty days were written fourscore and fourteen books. 45 And it came to pass, when the forty days were fulfilled, that the Most High spoke to me, saying, The first that you have written publish openly, and let the worthy and unworthy read it: 46 but guard the seventy last, that you may deliver them to such as be wise among your people: 47 for in them is the spring of understanding, the fountain of wisdom, and the stream of knowledge. 48 And I did so.

Sirach 30:1-13 (ADD)

Sirach, or Wisdom of Sirach, and also known as the Book of Ecclesiasticus (abbreviated Ecclus.) or Ben Sira, is a work of ethical teachings, from approximately 200 to 175 B.C., written by the Jewish scribe Ben Sira of Jerusalem, on the inspiration of his father Joshua son of Sirach, sometimes called Jesus son of Sirach or Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira. The Sirach was almost completely uncovered in Hebrew in the Dead Sea Scrolls, at Masada, and the Cairo Geniza. The multiplicity of manuscript fragments uncovered in the Cairo Genizah evidence its authoritative status among Egyptian Jewry until the Middle Ages. Quotes from Sirach can be found in Rabbinic literature in multiple places including the Talmud in Bava Kamma 92b:13 and Hagigah 13a:2. Additionally, the Gospels and other Apostolic Scriptures quote from the Book of Sirach including the Song of Miriam in Luke 1:52 (cf. Sirach 10:14); the description of the seed in Mark 4:5, 16–17 (cf. Sirach 40:15); the statement by Yeshua in Matthew 7:16,20 (cf. Sirach 27:6); and Ya’aqov (James) 1:19 (cf. Sirach 5:11).

30:1 He who loves his son will continue to lay stripes upon him, that he may have joy from him in the end. 2 He who chastises his son will have profit from him, and will brag about him among his acquaintances. 3 He who teaches his son will provoke his enemy to zeal. Before friends, he will rejoice in him. 4 His father dies, and is as though he had not died; for he has left one behind him like himself. 5 In his life, he saw his son and rejoiced. When he died, it was without regret. 6 He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one to repay kindness to his friends. 7 He who makes too much of his son will bind up his wounds. His heart will be troubled at every cry. 8 An unbroken horse becomes stubborn. An unrestrained son becomes headstrong. 9 Pamper your child, and he will make you afraid. Play with him, and he will grieve you. 10 Don’t laugh with him, lest you have sorrow with him, and you gnash your teeth in the end. 11 Give him no liberty in his youth, and don’t ignore his follies.* 12 †Bow down his neck in his youth, and beat him on the sides while he is a child, lest he become stubborn, and be disobedient to you, and there be sorrow to your soul.‡ 13 Chastise your son, and give him work, lest his shameless behavior be an offense to you.

1.21.3 And when he was gone thence, and was come over against Ephrata, he there buried Rachel, who died in child-bed: she was the only one of Jacob’s kindred that had not the honor of burial at Hebron. And when he had mourned for her a great while, he called the son that was born of her Benjamin, because of the sorrow the mother had with him. These are all the sons of Jacob, twelve males and one female.–Of them eight were legitimate,–viz. six of Lea, and two of Rachel; and four were of the handmaids, two of each; all whose names have been set down already.

1.22.1 From thence Jacob came to Hebron, a city situate among the Canaanites; and there it was that Isaac lived: and so they lived together for a little while; for as to Rebeka, Jacob did not find her alive. Isaac also died not long after the coming of his son; and was buried by his sons, with his wife, in Hebron, where they had a monument belonging to them from their forefathers. Now Isaac was a man who was beloved of Elohim, and was vouchsafed great instances of providence by Elohim, after Abraham his father, and lived to be exceeding old; for when he had lived virtuously one hundred and eighty-five years, he then died.

2.1.1 After the death of Isaac, his sons divided their habitations respectively; nor did they retain what they had before; but Esau departed from the city of Hebron, and left it to his brother, and dwelt in Seir, and ruled over Idumea. He called the country by that name from himself, for he was named Adom; which appellation he got on the following occasion:—One day returning from the toil of hunting very hungry, [it was when he was a child in age,] he lighted on his brother when he was getting ready lentil-pottage for his dinner, which was of a very red color; on which account he the more earnestly longed for it, and desired him to give him some of it to eat: but he made advantage of his brother’s hunger, and forced him to resign up to him his birthright; and he, being pinched with famine, resigned it up to him, under an oath. Whence it came, that, on account of the redness of this pottage, he was, in way of jest, by his contemporaries, called Adom, for the Hebrews call what is red Adom; and this was the name given to the country; but the Greeks gave it a more agreeable pronunciation, and named it Idumea. 2. He became the father of five sons; of whom Jaus, and Jalomus, and Coreus, were by one wife, whose name was Alibama; but of the rest, Aliphaz was born to him by Ada, and Raguel by Basemmath: and these were the sons of Esau. Aliphaz had five legitimate sons; Theman, Omer, Saphus, Gotham, and Kanaz; for Amalek was not legitimate, but by a concubine, whose name was Thamna. These dwelt in that part of Idumea which is called Gebalitis, and that denominated from Amalek, Amalekitis; for Idumea was a large country, and did then preserve the name of the whole, while in its several parts it kept the names of its peculiar inhabitants.