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4Q213

Aramaic Levi a

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Fragment 1 i

1 […] 2 [And in the one hundred and eighteenth year of my life, the year when] there died 3 [Joseph my brother, I called my sons and their sons, and I began to instruct] them 4 [in all that was in my heart. I spoke up and said] to my sons, 5 [“Listen to the word of Levi your father, and pay attention to the instructions of the friend of God.] To you I 6 [give instruction, my sons, and I show you the truth, my beloved. Let the chief] of all your deeds 7 [be truth, and let it remain with] you [forever.] Righteousness and truth 8 [… you will bring in a blessed harvest.] Whoever sows good brings in good,⁠ 9 [and whoever sows evil, his seed returns upon] him. And now, reading and instruction and wisdom 10 [teach to your sons, and wisdom will be with you] as eternal honor. Whoever learns wisdom, honor⁠ 11 [is his; but whoever despises wisdom] is given over to contempt and scorn. Look, my sons, 12 [at Joseph my brother, who taught reading and the instruction of] wisdom, for honor and for greatness and for kings 13 […] do not be slack in learning wisdom. 14 […] … a man who learns wisdom, all 15 [… to] him; every land and province to which he goes, 16 [a brother …] … in it, and he is not like a stranger in it,⁠ and not 17 [like a scoundrel in it … for all of them] give him honor in it, since all wish 18 [to learn his wisdom. His friends] are many, and those who wish him well are great ones. 19 [And on a seat of honor they seat him,] to hear the words of his wisdom. 20 [Great wealth of honor is his wisdom for] those who know it, and a fine treasure⁠ 21 [for all who acquire it. If] mighty [kings come,] and a [great] people [and an army and horsemen]

Texts in conversation

Compare 4Q213 1:20 and Wisdom of Solomon 7:14

Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Retellings · Deuterocanon

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Summary

In 4Q213 from the Dead Sea Scrolls, Levi describes wisdom as a treasure that brings honor. Wisdom of Solomon uses the same treasure image, but makes friendship with God the reward for acquiring wisdom.

Passages

4Q213 1:20

Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Retellings · Aramaic Levi a
17 [like a scoundrel in it … for all of them] give him honor in it, since all wish 18 [to learn his wisdom. His friends] are many, and those who wish him well are great ones. 19 [And on a seat of honor they seat him,] to hear the words of his wisdom. 20 [Great wealth of honor is his wisdom for] those who know it, and a fine treasure 21 [for all who acquire it. If] mighty [kings come,] and a [great] people [and an army and horsemen]
160–60 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 4Q213

Wisdom of Solomon 7:14

Deuterocanon
11 All good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches are in her hands. 12 And I rejoiced over them all because wisdom leads them; although I didn’t know that she was their mother. 13 As I learned without guile, I impart without grudging. I don’t hide her riches. 14 For she is a treasure for men that doesn’t fail, and those who use it obtain friendship with God, commended by the gifts which they present through discipline. 15 But may God grant that I may speak with discernment, and to conceive thoughts worthy of what has been given me; because he is one who guides even wisdom and who corrects the wise.
50 BCE – 50 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Wisdom of Solomon

References

“... A dominant image in this passage is wisdom as a city, particu- larly as a city that cannot be conquered or plundered. This image is rather unusual. Later in the text, wisdom is described as price- less: see 13:13 and commentary there. [...] “Treasure” is often used of the fruit of wisdom or of righteous action: see Wisdom 7:14, ben Sira 29:11 and 29:12; compare 2 Enoch 50:5.374 Wisdom is also described as a treasure in 13:10 as in Isaiah 33:6 and Wis- dom 7:14 [...] In biblical wisdom literature, wisdom is often compared to gold, said to be better than gold, but it is not said to be gold. In many other passages it is compared with precious met- als and jewels: see Job 28:18, Proverbs 8:11 and 16:16. ...”
Jonas C. Greenfield, Michael E. Stone, and Esther Eshel, eds., The Aramaic Levi Document: Edition, Translation, Commentary, SVTP 19 (Leiden: Brill, 2004), 203, 213.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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4Q213 1:20 and Wisdom of Solomon 7:14

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