The Genesis Apocryphon

from MetaReligion Website


Behold, I thought then within my heartthat conception was due to
the Watchers and the Holy Ones and to the Giants and my heart was troubled within me because of this child. Then I, Lamech, approached Bathenosh, my wife, in haste and said to her, "By the Most High, the Great Lord, the King of all the worlds and Ruler of the sons of Heaven, tell me This truthfully and not falsely. Is the seed within you mine?"

Then Bathenosh my wife spoke to me with much heat and said, "O my brother, O my lord, remember my pleasure, the lying together and my soul within its body. And I tell you all things truthful.

My heart was then greatly troubled within me, and when Bathenosh, my wife, saw that my countenance had changed, then she mastered her anger and spoke to me saying, "O my lord, O my brother, remember my pleasure! I swear to you by the Holy Great One, the King of the heavens, that this seed is yours and that this conception is from you. This fruit was planted by you and by no stranger or Watcher or son of Heaven. Why is your countenance thus changed and dismayed, and why is your spirit thus distressed? I speak to you truthfully."

Then I, Lamech, ran to Methuselah my father, and I told him all these things. And I asked him to go to Enoch, his father, for he would surely learn all things from him. For he was beloved, and he shared the lot of the angels, who taught him all things. And when Methuselah heard my words, he went to Enoch, his father, to learn all things truthfully from him.

He went at once to Parwain and he found him there and he said to Enoch, his father, "O my father, O my lord, I say to you, lost you be angry with me 1 conn1 here ...

And I said, "Until now, you have not come to the Holy Mountain."

And I departed and traveled towards the south until I came to Hebron at the time when Hebron was being built; and I dwelt there two years.

Now there was famine in all this land, and hearing that there was prosperity in Egypt I went to the land of Egypt. I came to the river Karmon and crossed the seven branches of the River. We passed through our land and entered the land of the sons of Ham, into the land of Egypt.

And on the night of our entry into Egypt, I, Abram, dreamt a dream; and behold, I saw in my dream a cedar tree and a palm tree. Men came and they sought to cut down the cedar tree and to pull up its roots, leaving the palm tree standing alone. But the palm tree cried out/saying, "Do not cut down this cedar tree, for cursed be he who shall fell it." And the cedar tree was spared because of the palm tree and was not felled.

And during the night I woke from my dream, and I said to Sarai, my wife, "I have dreamt a dream and I am fearful because of this dream." She said to me, "Tell me your dream that I may know it." So I began to tell her this dream and told her the interpretation of the dream: that they will seek to kill me, but will spare you. Say to them of me, 'He is my brother, and because of you I shall live, and because of you my life shall be saved.'"

And Sarai wept that night on account of my words.

Then we journeyed towards Zoan, I and Sarai.

And when those five years had passed, three men from among the princes of Egypt came at the command of Pharaoh of Zoan to inquire after my business and after my wife and they gave goodness, wisdom, and truth. And I exclaimed before them because of the famine. And they came to ascertain with much food and drink the wine.

During the party, the Egyptians must have seen Saraii, and on their return they praised her to the king, saying "How beautiful is her face! How fine are the hairs of her head! How lovely are ho eyes! How desirable her nose and all the radiance of her countenance. How fair are her breasts and how beautiful all her whiteness! How pleasing are her arms and how perfect her hands, and how desirable all the appearance of ho hands! How fair are her palms and how long and slender are her fingers! How comely are her feet, how perfect ho thighs! No virgin or bride led into the marriage chamber is more beautiful than she; she is fairer than all other women Truly, her beauty is greater than theirs Yet together with all this grace she possesses abundant wisdom, so that whatever she does is perfect."

When the king heard the words of Harkenosh and his two companions, for all three spoke as with one voice, he de sired her greatly and sent out at once In take her. And seeing her, he was amazed by all her beauty and took her to be his wife, but me he sought to kill. Sarai said to the king, "He is my brother," and so I, Abram, was spared because of her and was not slain.

And I, Abram, wept aloud that night, I and my nephew Lot, because Sarai had been taken from me by force. I prayed that night and I begged and implored and I said in my sorrow while my tears ran down: "Blessed are you, O Most High God, Lord of all the worlds, Yon who are Lord and King of all things and who rules over all the kings of the earth and judges them all! I cry now before you, my Lord, against Pharaoh of Zoan the king of Egypt, because of my wife who has been taken from me by force. Judge him for me that I may see your mighty hand raised against him and against all his household, and that he may not be able to defile my wife this night and that they may know you, my Lord, that you are Lord of all the kings of the earth." And I wept and was sorrowful.

And during that night the Most High God sent a spirit to scourge him, an evil spirit to all his household; and it scourged him and all his household. And he was unable to approach her, and although he was with her for two years he knew her not.

At the end of those two years, the scourges of afflictions grew greater and more grievous upon him and all his household, so he sent for all the sages of Egypt, for all the magicians, together with all the healers of Egypt, that they might heal him and all his household of this scourge. But not one healer or magician or sage could stay to cure him, for the spirit scourged them all and they fled.

Then Harkenosh came to me, beseeching, me to go to the king and to pray for him and to lay my hands upon him that he might live, for the king had dreamt a dream. But Lot said to him, "Abram, my uncle, cannot pray for the king while Sarai his wife is with him. Go, therefore, and tell the king to restore his wife to her husband; then he will pray for him and he shall live."

When Harkenosh had heard the words of Lot, he went to the king and said, "All these scourges and afflictions with which my lord the king is scourged and afflicted.are because of Sarai, the wife of

Abram. Let Sarai be restored to Abram, her husband, and this scourge and the spirit of festering shall vanish from you."

And he called me and said, "What have you done to me with regard to Sarai?' You said to me, 'She is my sister,' whereas she is your wife; and I took her to be my wife. Behold your wife who is with me; depart and go hence from all the land of Egypt! And now pray for me and my house that this evil spirit may be expelled from it."

So I prayed for him and I laid my hands on his head; and the scourge departed from him and the evil spirit was expelled from him, and he lived. And the king rose to tell me he had given her much silver .and gold and much raiment of fine linen and purple and he appointed men to lead me out of all the land of Egypt. And I, Abram, departed with very great flocks and with silver and gold, and I went up from Egypt together with my nephew, Lot. Lot had great flocks also, and he took a wife for himself from among the daughters of Egypt.

I pitched my camp in every place in which I had formerly camped until I came to Bethel, the place where I had built an altar. And I built a second altar and laid on it a sacrifice and an offering to the Most High God. And there I called on the name of the Lord of worlds and praised the name of God and blessed God, and I gave thanks before God for all the riches and favors which he had bestowed on me. For he had dealt kindly towards me and had led me back in peace into this land.

After that day, Lot departed from me on account of the deeds of our shepherds. He went away and settled in the valley of the Jordan, together with all his flocks; and I myself added more to them. He kept his sheep and journeyed as far as Sodom, and he bought a house for himself in Sodom and dwelt in it. But I dwelt on the mountain of Bethel and it grieved me that my nephew Lot had departed from me.

And God appeared to me in a vision at night and said to me, "Go to Ramath Hazor which is north of Bethel, the place where you dwell, and lift up your eyes and look to the east and to the west and to the south and to the north; and behold all this land which I give to you and your seed forever."

The next morning, I went up to Ramath Hazor and from that high place I beheld the land from the River of Egypt to Lebanon and Senir, and from the Great Sea to Hauran, and all the land of Gebal as far as Kadesh, and all the Great Desert to the east of Hauran and Senir as far as Euphrates. And he said to me, "I will give all this land to your seed and they shall possess it forever. And I will multiply your seed like' the dust of the earth which no man can number; neither shall any man number your seed. Rise and go! Behold the length and breadth of the land for it is yours; and after you, I will give it to your seed forever."

And I, Abram, departed to travel about and see the land.' I began my journey at the river Gihon and traveled along the coast of the sea until I came to the Mountain of the Bull [Taurus]. Then I traveled from the coast of the Great Salt Sea and journeyed towards the east by the Mountain of the Bull, across the breadth of the land, until I came to the river Euphrates. I journeyed along the Euphrates until I came to the Red Sea [Persian Gulf] in the east, and I traveled along the coast of the Red Sea until I came to the tongue of the Sea of Reeds [the modern Red Sea] which flows out from the Red Sea. Then I pursued my way in the south until I came to the river Gihon, and returning, I came to my house in peace and found all things prosperous there. I went to dwell at the Oaks of Mamre, which is at Hebron, northeast of Hebron; and I built an altar there, and laid on it a sacrifice and an oblation to the Most High God. I ate and drank there, I and all the men of my household, and I sent for Mamre, Ornam, and Eshkol, the three Amorite brothers, my friends, and they ate and drank with me.

Before these days, Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, had set out with Amrafel, king of Babylon, Ariok, king of Kaptok, and Tidal, king of the nations which lie between the rivers; and they had waged war against Bera, king of Sodom, Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, Shemiabad, king of Zeboim, and against the king of Bela. All these had made ready for battle in the valley of Siddim, and the king of Elam and the other kings with him had prevailed over the king of Sodom and his companions and had imposed a tribute upon them.

For twelve years they had paid their tribute to the king of Elam, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled against him. And in the fourteenth year, the king of Elam placed himself at the head of all his allies and went up by the Way of the Wilderness; and they smote and pillaged from the river Euphrates onward. They smote the Refaim who were at Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zumzamim who were at Ammon, the Emim who were at Shaveh ha-Keriyyoth, and the Horites who were in the mountains of Gebal, until they came to El Paran which is in the Wilderness. And they returned at Hazazon Tamar.

The king of Sodom went out to meet them, together with the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela; and they fought a battle in the valley of Siddim against Kedorlaomer, the king of Elam, and the kings who were with him. But the king of Sodom was vanquished and fled, and the king of Gomorrah fell into the pits. And the king of Elam carried off all the riches of Sodom and Gomorrah and they took Lot, the nephew of Abram, who dwelt with them in Sodom, together with all his possessions.

Now one of the shepherds of the flocks which Abram had given to Lot escaped from captivity and came to Abram; at that time Abram dwelt in Hebron. He told him that Lot, his nephew, had been taken, together with all his possessions, and that he had not been slain, and that the kings had gone by the Way of the Great Valley of the Jordan in the direction of their land, taking captives and plundering and smiting and slaying, and that they were journeying towards the land of Damascus.

Abram wept because of Lot, hit nephew. Then he braced himself; he rose up and chose from among his servants three hundred and eighteen fighting men trained for war, and Ornam and Eshkol and Mamre went with him also He pursued them until he came to Dan, and came on them while they were camped in the valley of Dan. He fell on them at night from four sides and during the night he slew them; he crushed them and |put them to flight, and all of them fled before him until they came to Hel-bon, which is north of Damascus. He rescued from them all their captives, and all their booty and possessions. He also delivered Lot, his nephew, together with all his possessions, and he brought back all the captives which they had taken.

When the king of Sodom learned that Abram had brought back all the captives and all the booty, he came out to meet him; and he went to Salem, which is Jerusalem.

Abram camped in the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king, the valley of Beth-ha-Kerem; and Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out food and drink to Abram and to all the men who were with him. He was the Priest of the Most High God. And he blessed Abram and said, "Blessed be Abram by the Most High God, Lord of I leaven and earth! And blessed be the Most High God who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him the tithe of all the possessions of the king of Elam and his companions.

Then the king of Sodom approached and said to Abram, "My lord Abram, give me the souls which are mine, which you have delivered from the king of Elam and taken captive, and you may have all the possessions."

Then said Abram to the king of Sodom, "I raise my hand this day to the Most High God, Lord of Heaven and earth! I will take nothing of yours, not even a shoelace or shoestrap, lest you say, Abram's riches come from my possessions! I will take nothing but that which the young men with me have eaten already, and the portion of the three men who have come with me. They shall decide whether they will give you their portion." And Abram returned all the possessions and all the captives and gave them to the king of Sodom; he freed all the captives from this land who were with him, and sent them all back.

After these things, God appeared to Abram in a vision and said to him, "Behold, ten years have passed since you departed from Haran. For two years you dwelt here and you spent seven years in Egypt, and one year has passed since you returned from Egypt. And now examine and count all you have, and see how it has grown to be double that which came out with you from Haran. And now do not fear, I am with you; I am your help and your strength. I am a shield above you and a mighty safeguard round about you. Your wealth and possessions shall multiply greatly." But Abram said, "My Lord God, I have great wealth and possessions but what good shall they do for me? I shall die naked and childless. A child from my household shall inherit from me. Eliezer shall inherit from me." And he said to him, "He shall not be your heir, but one who shall spring from your body shall inherit from you.

 



TRANSLATION OF

1Q GENESIS APOCRYPHON

from TeligiousStudies Website

 

 

Prepared in consultation with the photographic images SHR 4445-4453; 7301-2A-7322 reproduced in The Dead Sea Scrolls on Microfiche: A Comprehensive Facsimile Edition of the Texts from the Judean Desert (ed. E. Tov and S.J. Pfann; Leiden: IDC and E.J. Brill, 1993).

 

I have also used the transcriptions of:

  • J.A. Fitzmyer, The Genesis Apocryphon of Qumran Cave I: A Commentary (2d rev. ed.; Rome: Biblical Institute Press, 1971);

  • B. Jongeling, C.J. Labuschagne, and A.S. van der Woude, Aramaic Texts from Qumran (Semitic Study Series 4; Leiden: Brill, 1976) 77-119;

  • J.C. Greenfield and E. Qimron, "The Genesis Apocryphon Col. XII," Abr-Nahrain Supplement 3 (1992) 70-77;

  • M. Morgenstern, E. Qimron, and D. Sivan, "The Hitherto Unpublished Columns of the Genesis Apocryphon," Abr-Nahrain 33 (1995) 30-54;

  • The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (2 vols.; ed. F. Garcνa Martνnez and E.J.C. Tigchelaar; Leiden: Brill, 1997-98) 1.26-48.

[xxx … ] enclose conjectural restorations or illegible damage
(xxx) enclose words not present in the text but which improve the English sense
vacat signals blank spacing deliberately left by the scribe



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Then I considered whether the pregnancy was due to the Watchers and Holy Ones, or (should be ascribed) to the Nephil[im], and I grew perturbed about this child. vacat

Then I, Lamech, became afraid and went to Batenosh, [my] w[ife … saying, "Dec]lare [to me] by the Most High, by the Lord of Greatness, by the E[ternal] King [whether the child comes from the] heavenly beings! Everything will you truthfully tell me, whether [ … … ] you will tell me without lies: is this [ … … swear] by the Eternal King until you speak truthfully to me and not with lies [ … ]." Then Batenosh my wife spoke with me forcefully. [She we]pt and said, "O my brother and master, recall for yourself my pregnancy [ … … ] marital relations, and my breath within its sheath (?). (Can) I truthfully [tell you] everythin[g?]" [ … … ] then I was perturbed even more. vacat

When Batenosh my wife noticed that my face had changed (its) expression [ … … ] then she gained control of her emotion(s) and spoke with me. She said to me, "O my master and [brother, recall for yourself] my pregnancy. I swear to you by the Great Holy One, by the Ruler of Hea[ven] that this seed is yours, that this pregnancy is from you, that from you is the planting of [this] fruit [and that it is] not from any alien, or from any of the Watchers, or from any heavenly bein[g. Why has the appearance] of your face changed like this upon you? And (why) is it disfigured, and your spirit dejected like this? [ … for I] tell you (this) truthfully. vacat

Then I, Lamech, hurried to Methuselah, my father, and [communicated] all this to him [so that he might consult Enoch] his father, and come to know everything with certainty from him since he is loved and fav[ored by God, and with the Holy Ones] has his lot been apportioned, and (hence) they (God and the angels) reveal everything to him. vacat

When Methuselah heard [these things], he hurried to Enoch, his father, to learn from him the truth of the whole matter [ … … ] his approval, and he (Enoch?) had previously gone to Parvayyim. There he found E[noch his father, and] he said to Enoch, his father, "O my father and master, I have co[me] to you [ … … ] and I say to you to not be angry with me because I have come here to y[ou … … ] respect for you [ … …]"

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[… …missing first 2 lines, except for last two words …] and not for length […… ……] for during the days of Yared, my father [… … … …] sons [… …. … … … … …] and to you they will be [… … …] upon the whole of the earth [… … …] my land to this sea (?) [… … …] earth [… …] earth […] And now, go [… …] truthfully, not with lies [… … … … … …] he divided all the earth [… … 7 lines missing …] and for their labor […4-5 lines missing …].

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from [… … …] they will rage and [… … …] for all eternity […] evil [… … … 7 lines missing …] I beheld the judicial sentence [… … …] great and the end [… … …] surface of the earth [ … 1 line missing] upon them [… …bottom half of column missing, perhaps 14-15 lines …]

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and he wrote [… …] vacat

And to you, Methuselah my son […] this child. Behold, when I Enoch [… …] and not from (the) heavenly beings, but rather from Lamech your son [……] and he is unlike [… …] instead [… …] Lamech your son feared his appearance [… …] truthfully believe that […] vacat

And now I say to you, my son, and I declare to you […] truthfully [… …] Go, speak to Lamech your son [… … …] and placed/cast it/him on the earth, and every deed of the heavenly beings [… … …] he lifted his face, and his eyes shone like the s[un … …] this child, fire (?) and [… … 2 lines missing …] Behold, then they were confused and [… … …] eternal [Lord?] they give [… …] they will commit many deeds of violence until [… … …] and ascending (?), and all the paths [… … …] And now I shall declare to you the mystery [… … to Lamech] your son declare this mystery [… … …] during his days … the deed [… … …] praised be the Lord of all [… … …] And when Methuselah heard [… … …] and with Lamech his son he spoke privately [… … …] And when I, Lamech, [… … …] he declared that he issued from me [… … …] vacat

Copy of the book of the words of Noah [… …]

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from corruption, and in my mother’s womb I swelled for (the sake of) righteousness. When I emerged from the womb of my mother, I was planted for righteousness, and during all my days I conducted (myself) righteously and walked in the paths of eternal truth, and [the] Holy One[(s) was/were] with me [… …] righteousness, and to protect me from [paths?] of deception which lead to darkness and [… …] and I bound my loins with the vision of righteousness and wisdom [… … … …] all the paths of violence. vacat

Then I, Noah, became an adult. I held firmly to righteousness and I took hold [… … … …] and ’Amzar‘a his daughter I took as my wife. I impregnated her and she bore to me three sons [and ? daughters …]. Then I procured wives for my sons from among the daughters of my brother, and I gave my daughters to the sons of my brother in accordance with the eternal law <and> ordinance [… …. …] the Most High to humanity. vacat

And during my days, when the amount which I had calculated was completed for me [… …] ten jubilees, then my sons finished acquiring wives for themselves in marriage [… … …] heaven. I beheld in a vision and I was shown and taught about the deed of the heavenly beings, and what [… … … …] heaven. And I kept this secret to myself and did not reveal it to any person. vacat

[… …] to me, and a great Watcher to me as a messenger with a message of the Holy One [… … … …] he spoke with me in a vision and stood before me [… … … …] message of the Great Holy One. He made me hear a voice (saying), ‘To you they say, O Noah [… …. … …] and I thought .. I had knowledge of all the behavior (?) of the inhabitants of the earth, and I declared every [… … … … …] they will prosper (?) [… … … … … …] two weeks, and then sealed (?) [… … … … …] the blood which the Nephilim shed. I was quiet and waited until [… … … … …] the Holy Ones who were with mortal women [… … … … 2 lines missing … …] But I, Noah, found favor, distinction, and righteousness [… … … … … 1 line missing …] unto the gates of heaven [… … … … …] to humans, cattle, wild animals, birds, and [… … … 1 line missing …]

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[… …] on/over them, the land and everything which is on it, in the seas and among the mountains [… … …] all the constellations of heaven, sun, moon, and stars and
Watchers [… … … … 2 lines missing … …] I shall hand over to you [… …. … … 0.5 line missing] vacat

[… …] the Great Holy One. And I rejoiced at the words of the Lord of Heaven, and I summoned [… … … …] for all [… …] regarding this [… … … … … 9+ lines missing …] heaven greatly (?) and the ends [… … … …] to remove me and to build [… … … …] foolishness [… … … 2 lines missing …] and I gathered [… … approximately 7 lines missing …]

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his wife after him/her [… … … 3.5 lines missing … …] the world/eternity [… … 4 lines missing … … …] and in all [… … remainder of column, approximately 18-20 lines, missing … …]

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[… … … all 27-29 lines missing … …]

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great. vacat Then […] everything which my sons [… … …] to Noah .. in the nights [… … …] in the nights [… … … … 4+ lines missing … …] they praised and extolled […] a blessing [… … … …] all of you for your Lord […] to the King of all the Ages forever and ever for every age. vacat

Then […] upon the earth […] and he took from [… … … …] find, for [… … …] the ark settled (upon) one of the mountains of Ararat and eternal fire (?) [… … … …] I atoned for all the earth and its origin (?) [ … ] the goat first, and after it came [……] and I burned the fat (of the goat) on the fire; secondly, [… …] I poured their blood at the base of the altar, and all their flesh I burned on the altar; thirdly, as for the doves [… …] an offering on the altar [… …] I placed on it fine sifted flour soaked in oil (and mixed) with incense as a meal-offering [… …] on all of them I had placed salt, and the odor of my burning rose to heaven. vacat

Then the Most High [… … remainder of column, approximately 10 lines, missing … …]

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[…] I, Noah, was at the doorway of the ark [… … … 7 lines missing … …] to the mountains and those of the deserts to [… … … …] four. vacat

Then I, Noah, departed and traveled through the land, through its length and its breadth [… … …] abundant with their foliage and their fruit. And all of the land was filled with vegetation, grass, and grain. Then I gave praise to the Lord of Heaven who had acted commendably, for He is eternal and praise is His, and I again gave (Him) praise because He had compassion on the earth, and because He removed and destroyed from it all those who practiced violence, wickedness, and deceit, but had spared a righteous man for [… …] on his/its account. vacat

[The Lord] of Heaven appeared to me, spoke with me, and said to me, ‘O Noah, do not be afraid! I will be with you and with your descendants—those who are like you—forever [… … …] the land, and rule over all of them … and its deserts and its mountains and all that is in them. Behold, I give all of it to you and your descendants for eating vegetables and plants (produced) by the land, but any sort of blood you will not eat. Fear of you and terror of you [… … … …] forever [… … … … …] I am yours. When your descendants sleep (?) [… … … … remainder of column, approximately 5 ½ lines, missing …]

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[…] behold, I have put My bow [in the cloud], and it will be a sign for Me in the cloud and will be [… … …] the earth [… … …] was revealed to me [… … 2 ½ lines missing …] vacat

[… …] among the mountains […] a vineyard in the mountains of Ararat. And after this I descended to the lower slopes of that mountain, I, my sons, and my grandchildren [… …] for devastation was great on the earth. [So]ns [and da]ughters were born to [me] after the Flood. [To Shem], my oldest son was born first Arpachshad two years after the Flood, [and] all the sons of Shem, all of them w[ere El]am, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram, as well as five daughters. vacat

[And the sons of Ham were Kush, Mitzrai]n, Put, and Canaan, as well as seven daughters. vacat

And the son[s] of Yaphet were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Yavan, Tuval, Meshuk, and Tiras, as well as four daughters. vacat

And I began together with all my sons to farm the land. I planted a large vineyard on Mount Lubar, and after four years it produced wine for me […] all [… …] vacat

When the first festival came, on the first day of the first festival of the [seventh?] month [… …] of my vineyard. I opened that vessel and I began to drink of it on the first day of the fifth year [… …] On that day I summoned my sons, my grandsons, all of our wives, and their daughters, and we assembled together and went [… …] and I offered praise to the Lord of Heaven, to God Most High, to the Great Holy One who delivered us from destruction [… …] and to all [… …] of his fathers, they drank and [… … …] and I poured upon [… …] and the wine [… … remainder of column, approximately 11 lines, missing …]

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[… … beginning of column, 7 ½ lines, missing …] wild animals [… …] and land-dwelling insects changed (?) [… …] gold, silver, stones, and potsherds were cutting down and taking away from it for themselves. I continued to observe the gold ones and the silver ones [… …] iron: they were cutting down all of its trees and taking them for themselves. I continued to observe the sun, moon, and stars cutting down and taking away from it for themselves. I continued to observe until the land-dwelling reptiles and the aquatic reptiles destroyed it […] and it ended. vacat

I turned to look at the olive tree, and behold, the olive tree increased in height, and for a long time […] much foliage [… … …] and appearing in them. I studied that olive tree, and behold, the quantity of its leaves [… … …] tied to it, and I marveled greatly at that olive tree and its copious foliage. I marveled [… …] four winds of heaven blowing strongly and (they?) damaged that olive tree, stripping its branches and disintegrating it. First [was the wind from] the west: it assailed it and shook off some of its leaves and fruit, and scattered it in every direction. After it [… … remainder of column, approximately 9-12 lines, missing …]

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[… … … first 7 ½ lines missing …] knowing [… … …] vacat

[…] pay attention and hear! You are the large cedar [… …] in a dream standing/rising before you on the peak of the mountains […] the shoot emerging from it and growing up to its (the cedar’s?) height (represents?) three sons [… … …] and as for when you saw the first shoot attached to the trunk of the cedar [… …] and the wood from it [… … …] he will never separate from you throughout the whole of his life, and among his descendants shall be one named [Abraham? … … ……] will come forth as a righteous plant for all [… … … … …] shall endure forever. And as for when you saw the shoot attached to the trunk [… … …] and as for when you saw […] the other shoot [… … …] vacat

[… …] some of their branch(es) intertwine among the branch(es) of the first (represents?) two sons [… … …] from the earth […] to the left/north [… …] and as for when you saw some of their branch(es) intertwine among the branch(es) of the first [… … … …] they placed on the earth [… … … … …] I revealed the mystery to him [… … almost 3 lines missing …. … … …] first he sent [… … over 4 lines missing … … …] the cedar [… … …]

(col. 15)

[… … … first 8 lines missing …] and as for when you saw all of them [… …] they will turn away, the majority of them will be wicked. And as for when you saw the man coming from the south of the land with a scythe in his hand and fire accompanying him [… … …] he is the one who will come from the south of the land [… … … …] and wickedness. They will cast on the fire every [… … … …] and he will come between [… … ] And as for when you saw [… … … … …] among them a wall. Four angels [… … … 3 lines missing … …] among all the nations. And all of them will serve them and become confused [… …] do not be amazed at it [… … …] I tell you all truthfully, for thus is it written about you [… …] Then I, Noah, [woke up] from my sleep, and the sun [… … … 1 ½ lines missing … …] the righteous one [… … … remainder of column, approximately 8 lines, missing]

(col. 16)

[… … first 8 lines missing …] the inlet which is between them, the source of the spring until the Tina River [… … …] all the northern land, all of it until it approaches [… … …] and this border crosses the waters of the Great Sea (i.e., the Mediterranean) until it approaches [… …] he apportioned by lot to Yaphet and his descendants to possess as (their) permanent possession. vacat

The second lot came forth for Shem to take possession, for both him and his descendants as a permanent possession. [… …] the waters of the Tina River come out [… … … …] until the Tina River [… … … …] the Great Salt Sea (i.e., the Dead Sea), and this border goes [… … … … …] which turns to the west and passes [… … … …] until it approaches [… … … …] to the east [… … … rest of column, approximately 8-10 lines, missing …]

(col. 17)

[… first 5 ½ lines missing … …] vacat

My son Shem divided his apportionment among his sons. The first (share) fell to Elam: in the north next to the waters of the Tigris River until it approaches the Red Sea at its source which is in the north, and it turns to the west to Asshur until it reaches the Tigris [… …] and after him, to Aram: the land which is between the two rivers (i.e., Mesopotamia) until it reaches the peak of Mount Asshur [… … …] fell that Mount of the Bull, and the portion crosses over and goes west until it reaches Magog [… … …] east, in the north of the bosom (?) of that inlet which is by the top of the three portions by that sea to Arpachshad [… … …] to the border which faces south, all the land which the Euphrates waters, and all [… … … …] all the valleys and plains which are between them, and the island which is in the middle of the inlet [… … … …] to the descendants of Gomer […] and Amana until it approaches the Euphrates [… … … …] the portion which Noah, his father, divided and gave to him. vacat

And Yaphet divided among his sons. He gave first to Gomer (the land) in the north until it reaches the Tina River. And after him, (he gave) to Magog, and after him to Madai, and after him to Yavan (he gave) all the islands next to Lud (i.e., Lydia), and (what was) between the inlet next to Lud and the second inlet to Tubal [… …] in the land, and to Meshek the sea [… …] and to Tiras […] four [… … …] inlet of the sea that lies next to the portion of the descendants of Ham [… … …] vacat

[… remainder of column, approximately 10-12 lines, lost …]

(col. 18)

[… entire column, approximately 27-30 lines, missing …]

(col. 19)

[… … first 6 lines missing … … There I built an alta]r [and I called] the[re on the name of G]o[d …], and I said, ‘You are m[y everlasting]g G[od’ … … …] I had not yet reached the holy mountain. I proceeded to […] and I was journeying to the south [… …] until I reached Hebron, for [at that time] Hebron had been bui[lt], and I dwelt [there two year]s. vacat

A famine took place throughout all this land, but I heard that grai[n] wa[s avail]able in Egypt. So I moved to [enter] the land of Egypt [ … … … ] I reache[d] the Carmona River, one of the branches of the river [ … … ]. Now we [ … ] our land, and I [cro]ssed the seven branches of this river which [ … … … ]. Now we passed out of our land and entered the land of the children of Ham, the land of Egypt. vacat

And I, Abram, dreamed a dream during the night of my entering the land of Egypt. I saw in my dream one cedar tree and one palm tree, [a very beautifu]l one, and huma[n] figures came and tried to chop down and uproot the cedar in order to leave the palm by itself. But the palm restrained (them) when she said, ‘Do not chop down the cedar, for both of us are from o[ne r]oot!’ And the cedar was left alone thanks to the protection of the palm and was not [chopped down]. vacat

I woke up from my dream in the night, and said to Sarai, my wife, ‘I have (just) dreamed a dream, [and I] am afraid [on account of] this dream!’ And she said to me, ‘Tell me your dream that I might know (it), and so I began to relate this dream to her. [And I revealed] to [her the meaning of that] dream, and I [said, ‘… …] for they will seek to kill me, but you they will spare [… …] this, every favor [which you must do for me] in every [place] where [we are, say] of me that "he is my brother," and I will remain alive by your protection and survive thanks to you.’ [… … ‘they will try] to remove you from me and to kill me!’ And Sarai wept over my words that night. [… … … …] and Pharaoh Z[oan … … …] Sarai to go to Zoan [with me, for she was v]ery [careful] with her person so that no [one] would see her […]. But after those five years, three men who were princes of Egypt [came … …] of Pharaoh Zoa[n] about my affairs and about my wife, and they presented [me numerous gifts and aske]d m[e to teach them] values, wisdom, and truth. So I read in their presence the [book of] the words of [En]och [… … …] in the famine which [… … 1 ½ lines garbled … …] with much eating and [much] drinking [… … ] wine [… … … remainder of column, approximately 6-7 lines, lost … …]