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The Testament of Reuben Concerning Thoughts

Unknown

Section 6

About this work

Author: Unknown

6. Beware, therefore, of fornication; and if

‹ Section 5 Section 7 ›

you

wish

to

be

pure

in

your

mind

,

guard

your

senses

against

every

woman

.

And

command

them

likewise

not

to

company

with

men

,

that

they

also

be

pure

in

their

mind

.

For

constant

meetings

,

even

though

the

ungodly

deed

be

not

wrought

,

are

to

them

an

irremediable

disease

,

and

to

us

an

everlasting

reproach

of

Beliar

;

for

fornication

hath

neither

understanding

nor

godliness

in

itself

,

and

all

jealousy

dwelleth

in

the

desire

thereof

.

Therefore

ye

will

be

jealous

against

the

sons

of

Levi

,

and

will

seek

to

be

exalted

over

them

;

but

ye

shall

not

be

able

,

for

God

will

work

their

avenging

,

and

ye

shall

die

by

an

evil

death

.

For

to

Levi

the

Lord

gave

the

sovereignty

,

and

to

Judah

,

and

to

me

also

with

them

,

and

to

Dan

and

Joseph

,

that

we

should

be

for

rulers

.

Therefore

I

command

you

to

hearken

to

Levi

,

because

he

shall

know

the

law

of

the

Lord

,

and

shall

give

ordinances

for

judgment

and

sacrifice

for

all

Israel

until

the

completion

of

the

times

of

Christ

,

the

High

Priest

whom

the

Lord

hath

declared

.

I

adjure

you

by

the

God

of

heaven

to

work

truth

each

one

with

his

neighbour

;

and

draw

ye

near

to

Levi

in

humbleness

of

heart

,

that

ye

may

receive

a

blessing

from

his

mouth

.

For

he

shall

bless

Israel

;

and

specially

Judah

,

because

him

hath

the

Lord

chosen

to

rule

over

all

the

peoples

.

And

worship

we

his

Seed

,

because

He

shall

die

for

us

in

wars

visible

and

invisible

,

and

shall

be

among

you

an

everlasting

king

.

Notes

8
[See Lardner on this root idea of our author, vol. ii. p. 353; but he is wrong as to Levi and Mary. Also Joseph, sec. 19, note 2, infra.]
9
The reading of Cd. Oxon., μετ᾽ αὐτόν, is doubtless to be preferred.