This book examines the narratives of the two Greek recensions of the Testament of Abraham. The genre, characterization, and plot of each recension are discussed and then compared. Ludlow illustrates that Recension A used comedy and humour to give a sophisticated treatment of death, the figure death, and judgment and mercy. Through a careful comparison of narrative elements and vocabulary correspondences between the manuscripts of each recension, he discusses a possible transmission model for the recensions, concluding that Recension A, written in comic form, preceded Recension B. Recension...

This volume assembles several important studies that examine the role of language in meaning and interpretation. The various contributions investigate interpretation in the versions, in intertestamental traditions, in the New Testament, and in the rabbis and the targumim. The authors, who include well-known veterans as well as younger scholars, explore the differing ways in which the language of Scripture stimulates the understanding of the sacred text in late antiquity and gives rise to important theological themes. This book is a significant resource for any scholar interested in the...

This translation of L'apocalittica giudaica e la sua storia makes Professor Sacchi's innovative thesis on Jewish apocalyptic available to a wider, English-reading audience. Sacchi argues that the term 'apocalyptic' is a modern invention, deriving from the wish to conceptualize the field of research on the affinities between the Apocalypse of John and other works of its time. These affinities do not just relate to literary character and form but also in part to content. Focusing on the material of 'Enoch' Sacchi concludes that what is needed is a more precise, literary and historical...

The unique duality of Jewish existence, wherein a major Jewish centre in the Land of Israel flourished alongside a large and prosperous diaspora, was one of the outstanding features of Second Temple and post-Temple Jewish life. As in modern times, ongoing Jewish dispersion raised questions that went to the heart of Jewish self-identity, and declarations of allegiance to the ancestral homeland were frequently accompanied by seemingly contrary expressions of 'local-patriotism' on the part of Jewish diaspora communities. The destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 70 CE, and the subsequent...

This exemplary study presents the hermeneutical principles and theological tendencies of Pseudo-Solomon's biblical interpretation of the Exodus story in the Wisdom of Solomon. Why and how did the author interpret the Exodus story? What is the socio-historical function of his interpretation? Through a comparison with corresponding biblical and extra-biblical texts, the text's dominant interpretative technique is seen to be the reshaping of the biblical story, as the author freely handles the biblical material, ignoring the literary intention or flow of the biblical accounts. Cheon argues...

This study presents the first comprehensive reconstruction of the 'New Jerusalem' Scroll from the Dead Sea, through integration of all the known fragments into a single entity. Secret ceremonies in the temple are discussed; an architectural reconstruction of the elements described in the scroll is presented, accompanied by computerized plans; a consideration of the tradition of planning the ideal city leads to an examination of the use of metrology, mathematics; and a number mysticism in the plan of the 'New Jerusalem'. A comparison is also made with the traditions of building orthogonal...

This volume of essays explores the broad theme of the relationship between Jewish identity and patriotism in the period between the destruction of the First Temple and late antiquity, with special attention to the Graeco-Roman period. The authors focus on Jewish local identification with particular lands, including the Land of Israel, and the existence of local forms of patriotism. The approaches represented are interdisciplinary in nature and draw on a wide range of sources, including archaeological remains, literary material, and inscriptions. These essays share a comparative perspective...