Texts in Conversation
The Psalms of Solomon and the Testament of Judah both reflect a developed description and expectation of resurrection, where the patriarchs and the tribal leaders are described as rising to lead a renewed Israel.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Testament of Judah 25:1
Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs
Pseudepigrapha, Testaments
1 After this Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will rise to life, and my brothers and I will be heads of the tribes of Israel: Levi first, I second, Joseph third, Benjamin fourth, Simeon fifth, Issachar sixth, and so on all in order. 2 The Lord blessed Levi; the Angel of the Presence blessed me; the powers of glory blessed Simeon; heaven blessed Reuben; the earth blessed Issachar; the sea blessed Zebulun; the mountains blessed Joseph; the tabernacle blessed Benjamin; the lights of heaven blessed Dan; Eden blessed Naphtali; the sun blessed Gad; and the moon blessed Asher. 3 You will be the people of the Lord and speak one language, and the spirit of dishonesty of Beliar will no longer be there, for he will be thrown into the fire forever.
Date: 100 BCE – 100 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
Psalms of Solomon 3:12
Pseudepigrapha, Wisdom and Poetry
8 He makes atonement for (sins of) ignorance by fasting and humbling himself, and the Lord counts every faithful man and his household as free from guilt. 9 The sinner stumbles and curses his life, the day he was born, and his mother's labor pains. 10 He adds sin to sin while he lives (?); He falls, his fall is truly terrible, and he never rises again. 11 The destruction of the sinner is forever, and he will not be remembered when God attends to the righteous person. 12 This is the fate of sinners forever. But those who fear the Lord shall rise to eternal life, And their life (shall be) in the light of the Lord, and will never end.
Date: 65–30 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... On the resurrection of Israel or the 'righteous' on the last day, see Daniel 12:1-2; 2 Maccabees 7; 4Q521 2.11; 1 Enoch 92:3-4; Psalms of Solomon 3:12; Testament of Judah 25:1 ..."
Michael F. Bird, An Anomalous Jew: Paul among Jews, Greeks, and Romans (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2016), 126.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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