Post by 1dell on Nov 10, 2003 12:29:07 GMT -5
The ancient Hebrews commonly gave a "testimony" to their children just before they died. In the Biblical text we have Abraham's, Isaac's and Jacob's "testimonies" to their children recorded. The book of "The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs" is the testimonies of Jacob's twelve sons to their children. While this book is not considered "Biblical" it contains additional understandings of the Hebrew's world and thoughts.
It had been believed that this work was a product of a very late authorship, sometime after the second or third century CE. But, fragments of this work were found within the Dead Sea caves proving a much older origin than previously thought. While it is probable that this book was first written between 500 and 100 BCE, it is very probable that its origins are much older. In the ancient Hebrew culture oral traditions were very important. The stories and teachings in this work may be the actual words of the twelve patriarchs that were passed down from generation to generation until finally recorded in writing.
www.ancient-hebrew.org/21_patriarchs.html
It had been believed that this work was a product of a very late authorship, sometime after the second or third century CE. But, fragments of this work were found within the Dead Sea caves proving a much older origin than previously thought. While it is probable that this book was first written between 500 and 100 BCE, it is very probable that its origins are much older. In the ancient Hebrew culture oral traditions were very important. The stories and teachings in this work may be the actual words of the twelve patriarchs that were passed down from generation to generation until finally recorded in writing.
www.ancient-hebrew.org/21_patriarchs.html