Filling Narrative Gaps - Timeline

5th century BCE (final composition)

Numbers 12:1

Hebrew Bible

1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married (for he had married an Ethiopian woman). 2 They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Has he not also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than any man on the face of the earth.)

300–1200 CE

Pseudo Jonathan Numbers 12:1

Targum

And Miriam and Aharon spake against Mosheh words that were not becoming with respect to the Kushaitha whom the Kushaee had caused Mosheh to take when he had fled from Pharoh, but whom he had sent away because they had given him the queen of Kush, and he had sent her away. And they said, Hath the Lord spoken only with Mosheh, that he should be separated from the married life? Hath He not spoken with us also? And it was heard before the Lord. But the man Mosheh was more bowed down in his mind than all the children of men upon the face of the earth; neither cared he for their words.

6th century BCE (final composition)

Deuteronomy 22:20

Hebrew Bible

16 The young woman’s father must say to the elders, “I gave my daughter to this man and he has rejected her. 17 Moreover, he has raised accusations of impropriety by saying, ‘I discovered your daughter was not a virgin,’ but this is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity!” The cloth must then be spread out before the city’s elders. 18 The elders of that city must then seize the man and punish him. 19 They will fine him 100 shekels of silver and give them to the young woman’s father, for the man who made the accusation ruined the reputation of an Israelite virgin. She will then become his wife, and he may never divorce her as long as he lives. 20 But if the accusation is true and the young woman was not a virgin, 21 the men of her city must bring the young woman to the door of her father’s house and stone her to death, for she has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by behaving like a prostitute while living in her father’s house. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.

70–90 CE

Matthew 1:19

New Testament

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately. 20 When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

150–200 CE

Protoevangelium of James 14

Early Christian

14 Joseph was deeply afraid and withdrew from Mary, thinking about what he should do. He said to himself, “If I cover up her sin, I will be going against the law of the Lord; but if I expose her to the people of Israel, I fear that what’s inside her might be from an angel, and I’ll be responsible for condemning innocent blood to death. What should I do? I’ll quietly divorce her.” As night fell, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Don’t be afraid because of this girl, for what’s conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you will name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Joseph woke from his dream, glorifying the God of Israel for the grace he had been given, and he watched over her.

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 3:4

Hebrew Bible

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit from the trees of the orchard; 3 but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touch it, or else you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

300 BCE – 100 CE

1 Enoch 69:6

Pseudepigrapha

5 The second, Asbeêl, gave evil counsel to the holy sons of God, leading them to defile themselves with the daughters of men. 6 The third, Gâdreêl, showed the children of men all the deadly strikes, led Eve astray, and introduced the weapons of death to the sons of men, including the shield, the coat of mail, the sword, and other weapons. 7 From his hand these have been used against those who live on the earth from that day and forever.

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 4:8

Hebrew Bible

6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast? 7 Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.” 8 Cain spoke to his brother Abel.²¹ While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?” 10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!

3rd century BCE

LXX Genesis 4:8

Septuagint

6 And the Lord God said to Cain, Why have you become very sorrowful and why is your face fallen? 7 Have you not sinned if you have brought it rightly, but not rightly divided it? be still, to you shall be his submission, and you shall rule over him. 8 And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go out into the plain; and it happened that when they were in the plain Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and killed him. 9 And God said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? and he said, I do not know, am I my brother's keeper? 10 And God said, What have you done? the voice of your brother's blood cries to me out of the ground.

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 4:8

Hebrew Bible

6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast? 7 Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.” 8 Cain spoke to his brother Abel.²¹ While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?” 10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!

130–120 BCE

Samaritan Genesis 4:8

Samaritan

6 And Shema said to Cain: “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 Look, if you do well, you will be forgiven, and if you do not do well, crouch at the door of sin! And its return is to you, but you can rule over it.” 8 And Cain said to Ebel his brother: “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Ebel and killed him. 9 And Shema said to Cain: “Where is Ebel your brother?” And he said: “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And he said: “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 9:24

Hebrew Bible

23 Shem and Japheth took the garment and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his drunken stupor he learned what his youngest son had done to him. 25 So he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves he will be to his brothers.”

300–1200 CE

Pseudo Jonathan Genesis 9:24

Targum

23 But Shem and Japheth took a mantle, placed it on both their shoulders, and going backwards, covered their father’s nakedness; their faces were turned away so that they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew by being told in a dream what had been done to him by Ham his son, who was slight in merit because he was the cause of his not begetting a fourth son. 25 And he said, 'Cursed be Canaan, who is his fourth son. A slave reduced to slavery shall he be to his brothers.'

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 12:13

Hebrew Bible

11 As he approached Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive. 13 So tell them you are my sister so that it may go well for me because of you and my life will be spared on account of you.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife was taken into the household of Pharaoh, 16 and he did treat Abram well on account of her. Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

160–60 BCE

1Q20 20:10

Dead Sea Scrolls

8 is lovely.” And when the king heard the words of Hyrcanus and the words of his two companions, for the three of them spoke with one mouth, he desired her greatly, and he sent 9 quickly and had her brought. And he saw her and was amazed at all her beauty, and he took her for himself as a wife. And he sought to kill me, but Sarai said 10 to the king, “He is my brother,” so that I might profit on her account. And I, Abram, was left alive because of her, and I was not killed. And I, Abram, wept 11 bitterly, I and Lot my brother’s son with me, on the night when Sarai was taken from me by force.

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 12:13

Hebrew Bible

11 As he approached Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive. 13 So tell them you are my sister so that it may go well for me because of you and my life will be spared on account of you.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife was taken into the household of Pharaoh, 16 and he did treat Abram well on account of her. Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 13:11

Pseudepigrapha

10 And he moved from there and went towards the south, and he came to Hebron and Hebron was built at that time, and he dwelt there two years, and he went (from there) into the land of the south, to Bealoth, and there was a famine in the land. 11 And Abram went into Egypt in the third year of the week, and he dwelt in Egypt five years before his wife was torn away from him. 12 Now Tanais in Egypt was at that time built — seven years after Hebron. 13 And it came to pass when Pharaoh seized Sarai, the wife of Abram that the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 12:20

Hebrew Bible

18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Pharaoh gave his men orders about Abram, and so they expelled him, along with his wife and all his possessions.

3rd century BCE

LXX Genesis 12:20

Septuagint

18 And Pharao having called Abram, said, What is this you have done to me, that you did not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, She is my sister? and I took her for a wife to myself; and now, look, your wife is before you, take her and go quickly away. 20 And Pharao gave charge to men concerning Abram, to join in sending him forward, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him.

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 22:1

Hebrew Bible

1 Some time after these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham replied. 2 God said, “Take your son—your only son, whom you love, Isaac—and go to the land of Moriah! Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will indicate to you.” 3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out for the place God had spoken to him about.

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 17:16

Pseudepigrapha

15 And it came to pass in the seventh week, in the first year of it, [2003] in the first month in this jubilee, on the twelfth of this month, there were voices in heaven regarding Abraham, that he was faithful in all that He told him, and that he loved the Lord, and that in every affliction he was faithful. 16 And the prince Mastêmâ came and said before God, 'Behold, Abraham loves Isaac his son, and he delights in him above all things else; tell him to offer him as a burnt-offering on the altar, and You will see if he will do this command, and You will know if he is faithful in everything in which You try him. 17 And the Lord knew that Abraham was faithful in all his afflictions; for He had tried him through his country and with famine, and had tried him with the wealth of kings, and had tried him again through his wife, when she was torn (from him), and with circumcision; and had tried him through Ishmael and Hagar, his maid-servant, when he sent them away.

500 CE

Genesis Rabbah 55:4

Rabbinic

a bull nor a ram.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘[I do not require your gifts. I know that] even if I would make a condition with you requiring that you sacrifice your son you would not refuse.’ According to the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, who said: [When, instead of] “God,” [it is written] “and God” – it refers to Him and His court, the ministering angels had said: ‘This Abraham rejoiced and caused everyone else to rejoice, but he did not set aside anything for the Holy One blessed be He, neither a bull nor a ram.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘[I do not require his gifts. I know that] even if I would make a condition with him requiring that he sacrifice his son, he would not refuse.’ [Another interpretation,] Isaac and Ishmael were arguing with one another. This one [Yishmael] was saying: ‘I am more beloved [to God] than you are, as I was circumcised at the age of thirteen years.’ And the other one [Isaac] was saying: ‘I am more beloved [to God] than you are, as I was circumcised at eight days.’ Ishmael said to him: ‘I am more beloved because I had the

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 22:1

Hebrew Bible

1 Some time after these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham replied. 2 God said, “Take your son—your only son, whom you love, Isaac—and go to the land of Moriah! Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will indicate to you.” 3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out for the place God had spoken to him about.

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 17:16

Pseudepigrapha

15 And it came to pass in the seventh week, in the first year of it, [2003] in the first month in this jubilee, on the twelfth of this month, there were voices in heaven regarding Abraham, that he was faithful in all that He told him, and that he loved the Lord, and that in every affliction he was faithful. 16 And the prince Mastêmâ came and said before God, 'Behold, Abraham loves Isaac his son, and he delights in him above all things else; tell him to offer him as a burnt-offering on the altar, and You will see if he will do this command, and You will know if he is faithful in everything in which You try him. 17 And the Lord knew that Abraham was faithful in all his afflictions; for He had tried him through his country and with famine, and had tried him with the wealth of kings, and had tried him again through his wife, when she was torn (from him), and with circumcision; and had tried him through Ishmael and Hagar, his maid-servant, when he sent them away.

450–550 CE

Sanhedrin 89b

Rabbinic

§ Apropos the binding of Isaac, the Gemara elaborates: It is written: “And it came to pass after these matters [hadevarim] that God tried Abraham” (Genesis 22:1). The Gemara asks: After what matters? How does the binding of Isaac relate to the preceding events? Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: This means after the statement [devarav] of Satan, as it is written: “And the child grew, and was weaned, and Abraham prepared a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned” (Genesis 21:8). Satan said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, this old man, you favored him with a product of the womb, i.e., a child, at one hundred years of age. From the entire feast that he prepared, did he not have even one dove or one pigeon to sacrifice before You as a thanks-offering? God said to Satan: Did Abraham prepare the feast for any reason but for his son? If I say to him: Sacrifice your son before Me, he would immediately slaughter him. Immediately, after these matters, the verse states: “And God tried Abraham.”

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 28:12

Hebrew Bible

11 He reached a certain place where he decided to camp because the sun had gone down. He took one of the stones and placed it near his head. Then he fell asleep in that place 12 and had a dream. He saw a stairway erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it 13 and the Lord stood at its top. He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the ground you are lying on. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. And so all the families of the earth may receive blessings through you and through your descendants.

1–100 CE

Ladder of Jacob 1:3

Pseudepigrapha

1 Now Jacob went to his uncle Laban, and he found a place and fell asleep there, laying his head on a stone, for the sun had set, and there he saw a vision. 2 And there, a ladder was set up on the earth, whose top reached to heaven. 3 And the top of the ladder was a face like a man's, hewn out of fire. 4 Now it had twelve steps up to the top of the ladder, and upon each step up to the top were two human faces on the right and on the left — twenty-four faces seen down to their chests, on the ladder. 5 But the middle face was higher than them all, which I saw made of fire, to the shoulder and the arm, very terrifying, more than the twenty-four faces.

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 35:22

Hebrew Bible

20 Jacob set up a marker over her grave; it is the Marker of Rachel’s Grave to this day. 21 Then Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond the Tower of the Flock.⁴³ 22 While Israel was living in that land, Reuben went to bed with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons: 23 The sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, as well as Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 33:2

Pseudepigrapha

1 And Jacob went and dwelt to the south of Magdaladra'ef. And he went to his father Isaac, he and Leah his wife, on the new moon of the tenth month. 2 And Reuben saw Bilhah, Rachel's maid, the concubine of his father, bathing in water in a secret place, and he loved her. 3 And he hid himself at night, and he entered the house of Bilhah [at night], and he found her sleeping alone on a bed in her house. 4 And he lay with her, and she awoke and saw, and behold Reuben was lying with her in the bed, and she uncovered the border of her covering and seized him, and cried out, and discovered that it was Reuben. 5 And she was ashamed because of him, and released her hand from him, and he fled. 6 And she lamented because of this thing exceedingly, and did not tell it to any one.

5th century BCE (final composition)

Genesis 38:6

Hebrew Bible

2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. Judah acquired her as a wife and slept with her. 3 She became pregnant and had a son. Judah named him Er. 4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 5 Then she had yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib. 6 Judah acquired a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise up a descendant for your brother.”

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 41:2

Pseudepigrapha

1 And in the forty-fifth jubilee, in the second week, (and) in the second year, [2165] Judah took for his first-born Er, a wife from the daughters of Aram, named Tamar. 2 But he hated, and did not lie with her, because his mother was of the daughters of Canaan, and he wished to take himself a wife of the kinsfolk of his mother, but Judah, his father, would not permit him. 3 And this Er, the first-born of Judah, was wicked, and the Lord killed him. 4 And Judah said to Onan, his brother 'Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed for your brother.' 5 And Onan knew that the seed would not be his, (but) his brother's only, and he went into the house of his brother's wife, and spilt the seed on the ground, and he was wicked in the eyes of the Lord, and He killed him.

Sixth–fourth centuries BCE; earlier traditions; final dating disputed

Exodus 32:5

Hebrew Bible

4 He accepted the gold from them, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molten calf. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it, and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow will be a feast to the Lord.” 6 So they got up early on the next day and offered up burnt offerings and brought peace offerings, and the people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.

300–1200 CE

Pseudo Jonathan Exodus 32:5

Targum

And he took them from their hands, and bound them in a wrapper, and wrought it with a tool, having made a molten calf; and he said, These, Israel, are thy gods, which brought thee forth from the land of Mizraim. For Aharon had seen Hur slain before him, and was afraid; and he builded an altar before him, and Aharon cried with doleful voice, and said, Let there be a feast before the Lord to‑morrow, of the sacrifice of the slain of these adversaries who have denied their Lord, and have changed the glory of the Shekinah of the Lord for this calf. And on the day following, they arose, and sacrificed burnt-offerings; and the people sat around to eat and to drink, and rose up to disport themselves with strange service.

300 BCE – 100 CE

1 Enoch 12:3

Pseudepigrapha

1 Before these things, Enoch was hidden, and no one among the children of men knew where he was hidden, where he lived, or what had happened to him. 2 His dealings were with the Watchers, and he spent his days among the holy ones. 3 And I, Enoch, was praising the Lord of majesty and the King of the ages, and look! the Watchers called me - Enoch the scribe - and said to me: 4 'Enoch, you scribe of righteousness, go, tell the Watchers of heaven who have left the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have defiled themselves with women, and have acted as the children of earth do, and have taken wives for themselves:

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 4:22

Pseudepigrapha

20 And in the twelfth jubilee, [582-88] in its seventh week, he took to himself a wife, and her name was Edna, the daughter of Danel, the daughter of his father's brother, and in the sixth year in this week [587] she bore him a son and he called his name Methuselah. 21 And he was moreover with the angels of God these six jubilees of years, and they showed him everything which is on earth and in the heavens, the rule of the sun, and he wrote down everything. 22 And he testified to the Watchers, who had sinned with the daughters of men; for these had begun to unite themselves, so as to be defiled, with the daughters of men, and Enoch testified against (them) all. 23 And he was taken from among the children of men, and we conducted him into the Garden of Eden in majesty and honour, and behold there he writes down the condemnation and judgment of the world, and all the wickedness of the children of men.

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 4:10

Pseudepigrapha

9 And Cain took Âwân his sister to be his wife and she bore him Enoch at the close of the fourth jubilee [190-196]. And in the first year of the first week of the fifth jubilee, [197] houses were built on the earth, and Cain built a city, and called its name after the name of his son Enoch. 10 And Adam knew Eve his wife and she bore nine more sons. 11 And in the fifth week of the fifth jubilee [225-31] Seth took Azûrâ his sister to be his wife, and in the fourth (year of the sixth week) [235] she bore him Enos.

1st century CE

Pseudo Philo, Biblical Antiquities 1:2

Classical

1 The beginning of the world. Adam fathered three sons and one daughter: Cain, Noaba, Abel, and Seth. 2 After he fathered Seth, Adam lived 700 years and fathered 12 sons and 8 daughters. 3 These are the names of the sons: Eliseel, Suris, Elamiel, Brabal, Naat, Zarama, Zasam, Maathal, and Anath. 4 These are his daughters: Phua, Iectas, Arebica, Sifa, Tecia, Saba, Asin.

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 5:2

Pseudepigrapha

1 And it came to pass when the children of men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, that the angels of God saw them on a certain year of this jubilee, that they were beautiful to look upon; and they took themselves wives of all whom they chose, and they bore them sons and they were giants. 2 And lawlessness increased on the earth and all flesh corrupted its way, alike men and cattle and beasts and birds and everything that walks on the earth — all of them corrupted their ways and their orders, and they began to devour each other, and lawlessness increased on the earth and every imagination of the thoughts of all men (was) thus evil continually. 3 And God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt, and all flesh had corrupted its orders, and all that were upon the earth had done all manner of evil before His eyes.

500–800 CE

Tanchuma Noach 12

Rabbinic

Similarly, Isaac told Jacob: Arise! Go to Padan-aram, to seek a wife proper for him. He did not wish him to be like the men of the generation of the flood, who wallowed in unchastity and indulged in sexual intercourse with species other than their own. Observe what is written concerning them: The sons of God saw the daughters of men … and took them wives, whomsoever they chose. That was the reason they were obliterated from the earth. The animals, likewise, copulated with species other than their own: the horse with the ass, the ass with the horse, and the serpent with the bird, as it is said: And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Notice that Scripture does not say in this verse “all man” but all flesh. Therefore, He blotted out every living substance which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle. No being that had copulated with a species other than its own entered the ark, as it is said: From all the pure cattle. Because the ark could harbor only pure beings, they came from among those alone, as it is said: Two and two unto Noah.

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 10:26

Pseudepigrapha

25 For this reason the whole land of Shinar is called Babel, because the Lord confounded there all the language of the children of men, and from there they were dispersed into their cities, each according to his language and his nation. 26 And the Lord sent a mighty wind against the tower and overthrew it upon the earth, and behold it was between Asshur and Babylon in the land of Shinar, and they called its name 'Overthrow'. 27 In the fourth week in the first year [1688] in its beginning in the four and thirtieth jubilee, they were dispersed from the land of Shinar.

500–800 CE

Tanchuma Noach 18

Rabbinic

The Holy One, blessed be He, thereupon declared: You evil men, because you have sinned with the words Come, let us, I shall confound you through those very words, as it is said: Come, let us go down there and confound their language (ibid., v. 7). R. Hiyya the son of Abba said: One third of the tower they erected was consumed in fire, another third was swallowed into the earth, and the remainder was left standing. Yet if one climbed to the summit of the remaining third, the palm trees in Jericho below appeared no larger than grasshoppers.

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 17:16

Pseudepigrapha

15 And it came to pass in the seventh week, in the first year of it, [2003] in the first month in this jubilee, on the twelfth of this month, there were voices in heaven regarding Abraham, that he was faithful in all that He told him, and that he loved the Lord, and that in every affliction he was faithful. 16 And the prince Mastêmâ came and said before God, 'Behold, Abraham loves Isaac his son, and he delights in him above all things else; tell him to offer him as a burnt-offering on the altar, and You will see if he will do this command, and You will know if he is faithful in everything in which You try him. 17 And the Lord knew that Abraham was faithful in all his afflictions; for He had tried him through his country and with famine, and had tried him with the wealth of kings, and had tried him again through his wife, when she was torn (from him), and with circumcision; and had tried him through Ishmael and Hagar, his maid-servant, when he sent them away.

450–550 CE

Sanhedrin 89b

Rabbinic

§ Apropos the binding of Isaac, the Gemara elaborates: It is written: “And it came to pass after these matters [hadevarim] that God tried Abraham” (Genesis 22:1). The Gemara asks: After what matters? How does the binding of Isaac relate to the preceding events? Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: This means after the statement [devarav] of Satan, as it is written: “And the child grew, and was weaned, and Abraham prepared a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned” (Genesis 21:8). Satan said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, this old man, you favored him with a product of the womb, i.e., a child, at one hundred years of age. From the entire feast that he prepared, did he not have even one dove or one pigeon to sacrifice before You as a thanks-offering? God said to Satan: Did Abraham prepare the feast for any reason but for his son? If I say to him: Sacrifice your son before Me, he would immediately slaughter him. Immediately, after these matters, the verse states: “And God tried Abraham.”

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 33:2

Pseudepigrapha

1 And Jacob went and dwelt to the south of Magdaladra'ef. And he went to his father Isaac, he and Leah his wife, on the new moon of the tenth month. 2 And Reuben saw Bilhah, Rachel's maid, the concubine of his father, bathing in water in a secret place, and he loved her. 3 And he hid himself at night, and he entered the house of Bilhah [at night], and he found her sleeping alone on a bed in her house. 4 And he lay with her, and she awoke and saw, and behold Reuben was lying with her in the bed, and she uncovered the border of her covering and seized him, and cried out, and discovered that it was Reuben. 5 And she was ashamed because of him, and released her hand from him, and he fled.

100 BCE – 100 CE

Testament of Reuben 3:10

Pseudepigrapha

8 Now, my children, love the truth and it will protect you. Listen to the words of Reuben your father. 9 Do not stare at the face of a woman, do not get involved with another man's wife, and do not get caught up in the affairs of women. 10 If I had not seen Bilhah bathing in a sheltered place, I would not have fallen into this great sin. 11 Once my mind took hold of the thought of the woman's nakedness, it would not let me sleep until I had done the terrible thing. 12 While our father Jacob had gone to his father Isaac, when we were in Eder, near Ephrath in Bethlehem, Bilhah became drunk and fell asleep uncovered in her room. 13 I went in and saw her nakedness and committed the sin without her knowing, and I left while she was still sleeping. 14 Immediately an angel of God told my father what I had done, and he came and mourned over me, and never touched her again.

130–120 BCE

Samaritan Genesis 4:8

Samaritan

6 And Shema said to Cain: “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 Look, if you do well, you will be forgiven, and if you do not do well, crouch at the door of sin! And its return is to you, but you can rule over it.” 8 And Cain said to Ebel his brother: “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Ebel and killed him. 9 And Shema said to Cain: “Where is Ebel your brother?” And he said: “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And he said: “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.

3rd century BCE

LXX Genesis 4:8

Septuagint

6 And the Lord God said to Cain, Why have you become very sorrowful and why is your face fallen? 7 Have you not sinned if you have brought it rightly, but not rightly divided it? be still, to you shall be his submission, and you shall rule over him. 8 And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go out into the plain; and it happened that when they were in the plain Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and killed him. 9 And God said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? and he said, I do not know, am I my brother's keeper? 10 And God said, What have you done? the voice of your brother's blood cries to me out of the ground.

c. 100 BCE

Judith 5:8

Deuterocanon

7 They sojourned before this in Mesopotamia, because they didn’t want to follow the gods of their fathers, which were in the land of the Chaldeans. 8 They departed from the way of their parents, and worshiped the God of heaven, the God whom they knew. Their parents cast them out from the face of their gods, and they fled into Mesopotamia and sojourned there many days. 9 Then their God commanded them to depart from the place where they sojourned, and to go into the land of Canaan. They lived there, and prospered with gold and silver, and with exceedingly much cattle. 10 Then they went down into Egypt, for a famine covered all the land of Canaan. They sojourned there until they had grown up. They became a great multitude there, so that one could not count the population of their nation.

170–125 BCE

Jubilees 12:7

Pseudepigrapha

6 And his father said to him, I also know it, my son, but what shall I do with a people who have made me to serve before them? 7 And if I tell them the truth, they will slay me; for their soul cleaves to them to worship them and honour them. 8 Keep silent, my son, lest they slay you.' And he spoke these words to his two brothers, and they were angry with him and he kept silent. 9 And in the fortieth jubilee, in the second week, in the seventh year of it, [1925] Abram took to himself a wife, and her name was Sarai, the daughter of his father, and she became his wife.

1st century CE

Pseudo Philo, Biblical Antiquities 8:8

Classical

7 Jacob lived in the land of Canaan, and Sichem the son of Emor the Correan forced his daughter Dina and violated her. Simeon and Levi the sons of Jacob went in and killed all their city with the edge of the sword, and took Dina their sister, and went out from there. 8 Afterward Job took her as his wife and fathered by her 14 sons and 6 daughters, that is, 7 sons and 3 daughters before he was struck with affliction, and afterward, when he was made whole, 7 sons and 3 daughters. These are their names: Eliphac, Erinoe, Diasat, Philias, Diffar, Zellud, Thelon; and his daughters Meru, Litaz, Zeli. And the names of the later children were the same as those of the former.

500 CE

Genesis Rabbah 57

Rabbinic

The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You need not [fear], the one who will experience it [suffering] has already been born. “Utz his firstborn, and Buz his brother.”’ When did Job live? Reish Lakish said in the name of bar Kappara: He lived in the days of Abraham, as it is stated: “Utz his firstborn” and it is written: “There was a man in the land of Utz, Job was his name” (Job 1:1). Rabbi Yaakov bar Kahana said: He lived in the days of Jacob, as Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Dina was Job’s wife, as it is written regarding Job’s wife: “You are speaking like one of the disgraceful women [hanevalot] speak,” (Job 2:10), and it is written in Dina’s regard: “For he had committed an outrage [nevala] in Israel” (Genesis 34:7). Rabbi Levi said: He lived in the days of the Tribes. That is what is written: “[This I have seen, and I shall tell of it,] that wise men speak up and do not withhold from their fathers” (Job 15:17–18) – this refers to Reuben and Judah. What reward did they receive for this? “To them alone the land was given” (Job 15:19).

93–94 CE

Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 2.9

Classical

2 During this time, the Egyptians found further motivation for eradicating the nation of the Hebrews. A sacred scribe, known for accurately predicting the future, advised Pharaoh that around this period a Hebrew child would be born who would lower the kingdom of Egypt and raise the Israelites, standing out in virtue and remembered forever. Alarmed by this prophecy, the King commanded that every male Hebrew infant be cast into the river, ordering the Egyptian midwives who assisted Hebrew mothers to obey this edict on pain of death. This was an extreme affliction for the Hebrews, forced to do away with their sons or face punishment, seeing their entire future extinguished. Yet no one can outwit God’s power, no matter how many cunning devices are devised. For the child, whose birth the scribe had predicted and whose life Pharaoh sought to end, was saved and hidden. The prophet also did not err in predicting this child would elevate the Hebrews and ruin the Egyptians.

300–1200 CE

Pseudo Jonathan Exodus 1:15

Targum

15 And Pharaoh said that while he slept, he saw in his dream that all the land of Egypt was placed on one balance of a weighing scale, and a lamb, the young of a ewe, on the other balance of the weighing scale; and the balance of the weighing scale on which the lamb was placed weighed down. Immediately he sent and summoned all the magicians of Egypt and told them his dream. Immediately Jannes and Jambres, the chief magicians, opened their mouths and said to Pharaoh: 'A son is to be born in the assembly of Israel, through whom all the land of Egypt is destined to be destroyed.' 16 Therefore Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, took counsel and said to the Jewish midwives—one of whom was named Shiphrah, she is Jochebed, and the other was named Puah, she is Miriam, her daughter. 17 And he said, 'When you act as midwives for the Jewish women, you shall look at the birthstool: if it is a male child, you shall kill him; but if it is a female child, she shall live.' 18 But the midwives feared before the Lord, and they did not do as the king of Egypt told them but let the sons live.

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