The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English vol.1

708 Pages·1913·55.87 MB·English

by  R. H. CHARLES

Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2007 with funding from
IVIicrosoft Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/apocryphapseudep01charuoft
¥^
9
THE APOCRYPHA
AND PSEUDEPIGRAPHA
OF THE
OLD TESTAMENT
ENGLISH
IN
INTRODUCTIONS AND CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
iVITH
TO THE SEVERAL BOOKS
EDITED IN CONJUNCTION WITH MANY SCHOLARS BY
R. H. CHARLES, D.Litt., B.D.
FELLOW OF MERTON COLLEGE, OXFORD
FELLOW OF THE BRITISH ACADEMY
VOLUME
I
APOCRYPHA
OXFORD
at the clarendon press
I9I3
/
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
LONDON EDINBURGH GLASGOW NEW YORK
TORONTO MELBOURNE BOMBAY
HUMPHREY MILFORD M.A.
PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY
B9
1QI3
V-\
— —
PREFACE
For students both of the Old and New Testaments the value of the non-Canonical
Jewish literature from 200 B.C. to a. d. 100 is practically recognized on every side
alike by Jewish and Christian scholars. But hitherto no attempt has been made to
issue an edition of this literature as a whole in English.^ Indeed, such an undertaking
would have been all but impossible at an earlier date, seeing that critical editions of
some of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha have not been published till within
the last few years.
The method observed iii, this work.
In all the contributions one and the same method has been observed. Each
contribution consists of an introduction, an English translation from the best critical
—
text in a few cases the Revised Version has been adopted and emendations suggested
—
in the notes and of a critical and exegetical commentary.^ As regards the intro-
ductions, the subjects dealt with in them have, so far as possible, been treated in
the same order to facilitate the use of the work. Though a large discretion has
naturally been given to the various editors, the following order has more or less
been observed as a guide or been actually carried out.
^ I. Short account of the book, embodying its leading features and the editor's
chief conclusions.
§ 2. Title of the book.
The MSS.
\ 3.
^ 4. The Ancient Versions.
^ 5. Date of {a) the original text, (b) of the Ancient Versions.
§ 6. Integrity or composite nature of the text.
Authorship.
^ 7.
^ 8. Influence of the book on later literature (a) Jewish ; (b) Christian.
^ 9. Theology of the book.
^10. Bibliography
(ci) Chief editions of the text (and of the Ancient Versions).
{b) Chief critical inquiries.
Chief editions of the book.
if)
1 Kautzsch published an edition in German in 1900, but on a smaller scale than the present work and embracing
fewer- bIonokthseocfatsheisoflitSeirraatcurhea(nvodl.Toi.bi1t-5t0h7e;edvoilt.orisi.h1a-v5e40)b.een allowed much beyond the normal number of pages for
their critical apparatus, which theyhave used to good purpose.
iii a 2
PREFACE
The extent of the pj^esenf ivork.
The first volume contains what is generally known as the Apocrypha Proper,
which constitutes the excess of the Vulgate over the Hebrew Old Testament, which
excess was in turn borrowed from the LXX. But this \'olume differs from the
Apocrypha Proper at once in the way of excess and in the way of defect. 3 Maccabees
has been added after 2 Maccabees, since it is contained in many MSS. of the
LXX, and 4 Ezra has been transferred to Volume ii since it is essentially a
Pseudepigraph.
Volume ii contains all the remaining extant non-Canonical Jewish books written
between 200 b. c. and a.d. 100 with possibly one or two exceptions. The greater part
—
of these books have hitherto been accessible only in expensive editions such as
Jubilees, i Enoch, Testaments of the XII Patriarchs, 2 Baruch, 4 Ezra, Psalms
of Solomon, Pirke Aboth, the Story of Ahikar, &c. As regards the last two, it is
not necessary to make an)' apology for their introduction into the present work,
although they do not properly fall within the true limits above defined, but the)^
were used, at all events partiall)-, by Jewish readers within this period, nor can they
be rightly designated Pseudepigraphs. The Fragments of a Zadokite Work are of
an historical character, and are valuable in throwing light on a lost chapter of Jewish
religious history. They contain likewise apocalyptic material of an interesting nature.
The General Editor, in conclusion, wishes to express his thanks to the Delegates
of the Press for undertaking this work, and to the Officers of the Press, whose help
and counsel were always ready to meet each difficulty as it arose. The Editor is
also under deep obligations to the many scholars who, notwithstanding the pressure
of other duties, have yet given themselves so unsparingl^' to the tasks they had
undertaken, that in every instance most valuable service has been rendered to the
student and the scholar, while in not a few instances their contributions form actual
monographs within the limits assigned. His thanks are due to Messrs. A. and C. Black,
the publishers of his editions of Jubilees, Martyrdom of Isaiah, Testament of the XII
Patriarchs, Assumption of Moses, 2 Baruch, for permission to reprint the translation
and make use of the introduction and notes contained in those editions. Finally, he
would acknowledge his indebtedness to the Rev. A. LI. Davies, who has acted
throughout as his secretary and also made the General Index.
' R. H. CHARLES.
24 B.4RDWELL Road, Oxford.
March, 1913.