TRADITIONS OF THE BIBLE TRADITIONS OF THE BIBLE A Guide to the Bible As It Was at the Start ofthe Common Era JAMES L. KUGEL HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS LONDON,ENGLAND Copyright©1997,1998byJamesL.Kugel Allrightsreserved PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Kugel,JamesL. TraditionsoftheBible:aguidetotheBibleasitwas atthestartofthecommonera/ JamesL.Kugel. p. cm. Rev.ed.of:TheBibleasitwas.1997. Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. ISBN0-674-79151-7(alk.paper) 1. Bible.a.T.Pentateuch-Criticism,interpretation,etc.-History. I.Kugel,JamesL. Bibleasitwas. II. Title. BS1225·2.K85 1998 222'.106'09-dc21 98-26763 Once again, to R. Contents Preface XVll 1. TheWorld ofAncient Biblical Interpreters 1 2. The Creation ofthe World 43 WisdomCameFirst • The"Beginning"DidIt • ASpecialLight TheAngelsWereAlsoCreated • GodandSomeoneElse CompletedonFriday OTHER READINGS CreatedLongBefore • TheHeavenlyThronePreceded • EdenandGehennaCreated • ThePreexistentTemple • NamedBeforetheSun • TwoThousandYearsBefore • CreationoutofNothingness • GodandWisdomWereParents • PlatoandScripture Agree • TheLogosParticipated • TheWickedDemiurge • BuiltbytheBook • ADay ofGod's • CreatedinaSingleAct • SpecialLightofCreation • TheAngelsWereAlso Created • WindyandFieryAngels • TirelessAngels • ShrinktheMoon • TheSun StandsAlone • GodandSomeoneElse • IntheImageofGod? • ImmensePrimordial Adam • AndrogynousHumanity • OneMalewithOneFemale • AdamandHisRib • YouMustBeFruitful • TheWorldforIsrael • CompletedonFriday • TheFirst Sabbath(ButNottheLast) • God'sFirstborn,Israel 3. Adam and Eve 93 DeathinaDay • ThePunishmentWasMortality SinfulnessIsHereditary • TheSerpentWasSatan BlameItontheWoman • AnExtraProviso TheEarthlyParadise • TheGardeninHeaven OTHER READINGS TheEarthlyAdam • PurifiedbeforeEden • EdentheSanctuary • TheGardenof Delight • EdenWasWisdom • EveandtheAnimals • Adam'sEx • Glorious Clothing • WorkingandGuardingtheTorah • TheDevil'sEnvy • Diabolical Ventriloquism • WhatKindofTree? • TheTreeofLifeandWisdom • GoodtoEat andSee • ThePunishmentWasMortality • HowAreYouNow,Really? • BlameIton theWoman • AnExtraProviso • StrippedofTheirFormerVirtues • SinfulnessIs Hereditary • FreeWillNevertheless • GarmentsofLight • Adam'sRestoredGlory • VIII·:· CONTENTS CursesReversed • GarmentsSaved • TheTreeIstheReward • TheRighteousArethe Trees • TotheEast,orNorth,orSomewhere • NeitherHeavenNorEarth • Penitent AdamandEve • Seth'sSnakebite 4. Cain andAbel 145 SonoftheDevil • Cain'sSisters • ProfessionsDecided DefectiveSacrifices • TheProblemWastheSacrificer TheGoodandtheBad • KilledwithaStone GodKnewWhereAbelWas • Cain'sSevenfoldPunishment Cain'sRepentance OTHER READINGS SonoftheDevil • Cain'sLustrousFace • Cain'sSisters • DifferentProfessionson Purpose • ImproperDivision • FirefromHeaven • Abel's"Bloods" • WhatYou Say? • GodKnewWhereAbelWas • EarthCursed • LandofTrembling • Cain's SevenfoldPunishment • TheSignWasaLetter • CainDiedintheFlood • TheHouse FellIn • CainKilledbyLamech • CainandtheJews • TheGnosticCain 5. Noah and the Flood CainWastheWorst • TheImmortalEnoch TheHeavenlyScribe • EnochtheSage • EnochthePenitent ABadMatch • TheWickedGiants OneHundredandTwentyuntilPunishment NoahWarnedoftheFlood • NoahtheRighteous OnlyinHisGeneration • TheAnimalsAlsoSinned ThePurifyingFlood OTHER READINGS TheImmortalEnoch • EnochtheHeavenlyScribe • EnochtheAngel • Enochthe Penitent • AntediluvianSaintsandSinners • TheFloodHadManyCauses • FornicationorUncleannessCausedtheFlood • ViolationsoftheNaturalOrder • CorruptionSpread • WickedGiantsSpreadViolence • APurifyingBath • Humanity HadBeenCorrupted • AngelsPassedOnForbiddenKnowledge • Separate PunishmentforAngels • AngelsFell • AngelsImprisoned • GiantsKilledOff • NoDivineSpiritinFlesh • The"SonsofGod"WereHuman • TheWomenAllured • OneHundredandTwentyYearsuntilPunishment • ALifespanofOneHundredand TwentyYears • TheHumanLifespanShrankTwice • Noah'sNameMeantWhat? • Noah'sMiraculousAppearance • DoubtsaboutPaternity • OnlyinHisGeneration • NoahWasYounger • ShemWasNoah'sOldestSon-orWasItJaphet? • HowLonga Flood? • TheySawtheRainbow • HamWasGuiltyofMore • Noah's Granddaughters • TheLawsofNoah'sSons(NoahideLaws) CONTENTS .:. IX 6. The Tower ofBabel 227 TheyTriedtoStormHeaven • AWaragainstGod NimrodBuiltIt • TheBuildersWereGiants TheTowerLiesinRuins OTHER READINGS The"OneLanguage"WasHebrew • OneLanguageandOnePlan • ChangedFacesof Babel • TheyTriedtoStormHeaven • AWaragainstGod • TheyMadeanIdol • WickedTaskmastersofBabel • TheBuildersWereGiants • GodandtheAngels 7. Abraham Journeys from Chaldea 243 AbrahamtheMonotheist • Terah,PriestofIdolatry AbrahamtheAstronomer • TippedOffbytheStars AbrahamRescuedfrom Chaldea • AbrahamSavedfrom Fire AbrahamWasUpset • Abraham'sDream OTHER READINGS Abraham,FriendofGod • AbrahamandtheTower • BrokenGods • Abrahamthe Astronomer • HierarchyofFalseGods • Abraham'sHeavenlyJourney • Outof Astrology • AbrahamWasinDr-orWasItHaran? • AbrahamtheMonotheist • HaranPerishedintheFurnace • WhatHappenedtoTerah? • Abraham'sDream • Sarah'sVirtueIntact • Hagar,GiftofPharaoh 8. Melchizedek 275 AGenerousHost • RighteousKingandPriest DivinelyAppointedHighPriest • TheHeavenlyMelchizedek TheChristian"OrderofMelchizedek" AnUncircumcisedPriest? • MelchizedekinSamaria MelchizedekWasShem • ServicesNoLongerNeeded OTHER READINGS Abraham'sJourney • ThirteenorThirteenth? • Abraham's318WereOne • The GnosticMelchizedek • MelchizedekWasShem • TheHeavenlyMelchizedek • MelchizedekinSamaria • MelchizedekMissing 9. The Trials ofAbraham 295 AbrahamtheTested • AbrahamSawaDireFuture ChallengedbyAngels • GodMadeItKnown IsaacWasaWillingVictim • TogetherinMind OfferingForeshadowedCrucifixion OTHER READINGS TenTests • ManofFaith • JustifiedbyFaith • SarahSmiledwithPleasure • AbrahamSawaDireFuture • Abraham'sVisionofHell • TheSinoftheAmorites •
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