Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
Anonymous
Book Testament of Reuben · Chapter 2
About this work
A collection of farewell discourses attributed to the twelve sons of Jacob, combining ethical exhortation, autobiographical retelling, and eschatological material. The transmitted text preserves Jewish traditions alongside Christian material or interpolation, and its compositional history remains debated.
- Author
- Anonymous
- Date
- Second Temple Jewish material; transmitted form includes later Christian elements.
- Origin
- Unknown
- Genre
- Testamentary Literature / Pseudepigrapha
- Textual language
- Greek textual tradition; earlier sources and layers are debated.
- Translator
- R. H. Charles
- Translation / Edition
- R. H. Charles translation, first published 1908.
And now hear me, my children, what things I saw concerning the seven spirits of deceit, when I repented.
Seven spirits therefore are appointed against man, and they are the leaders in the works of youth.
[And seven other spirits are given to him at his creation, that through them should be done every work of man.
The first is the spirit of life, with which the constitution (of man) is created. The second is the sense of sight, with which ariseth desire.
The third is the sense of hearing, with which cometh teaching. The fourth is the sense of smell, with which tastes are given to draw air and breath.
The fifth is the power of speech, with which cometh knowledge.
The sixth is the sense of taste, with which cometh the eating of meats and drinks; and by it strength is produced, for in food is the foundation of strength.