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4Q213

Aramaic Levi a

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Fragments 1ii-2

1 its hidden places, and they will not enter its gates, and not [… and not] 2 will they be able to conquer its walls … and not [… and not] 3 will they see its treasure. Its treasure … […] 4 and there is no price equal to it⁠ … […] 5 seeks wisdom; wisdom … […] 6 its hidden place from him […] … […] 7 and not lacking […] … all who seek it […] 8 and truth […] reading and instruction 9 of wisdom that … […] you will inherit them 10 … […] great, you will give 11 [… honor] 12 … […] also in the books 13 I read […] … chiefs and judges 14 know […] … and servants 15 […] even priests and kings 16 … […] … your kingdom 17 will be [… honor], and there is no end 18 forever [… and it will not] pass from you until all 19 [generations …] … in great honor.

Texts in conversation

Compare 4Q213 2:4 and 4Q525 4:2

Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Retellings · Dead Sea Scrolls, Wisdom and Instruction

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Summary

In 4Q213 from the Dead Sea Scrolls, Levi describes wisdom as a treasure with no equal price. Another scroll, 4Q525, makes the same point by listing gold, silver, and precious stones that cannot buy wisdom.

Passages

4Q213 2:4

Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Retellings · Aramaic Levi a
1 its hidden places, and they will not enter its gates, and not [… and not] 2 will they be able to conquer its walls … and not [… and not] 3 will they see its treasure. Its treasure … […] 4 and there is no price equal to it … […] 5 seeks wisdom; wisdom … […]
160–60 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 4Q213

4Q525 4:2

Dead Sea Scrolls, Wisdom and Instruction · Beatitudes
1 can equal her all the day […] 2 she cannot be bought with gold or [with silver … or] 3 with all precious stones […]
50–25 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 4Q525

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. [...] As priceless, wisdom here is to be compared with 4Q525 (Beatitudes) 2 3:2–3: [...] “it will not be acquired with gold o[r with silver . . .]with all precious stones”. [...] 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 2:4 and 4Q525 4:2

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