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4Q417

4QInstruction

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Fragment 1 i

1 [… and] you who understand […] 2 […] … look, [and] into the wonderful mysteries [of the fearsome God you will gain insight. The beginning of …] 3 […] … in your … and look [at the mystery that is to be and the deeds of old, at what is and what will be] 4 [in what …] … forever … [… at what] 5 [is and at what will be, in what …] … in all […] deed and deed […] 6 [… day and night meditate on the mystery that] is to be, and study it always. And then you will know truth and iniquity, wisdom 7 [and folly] … deed […] in all their ways, with their visitation for all the ages of eternity, and the everlasting 8 visitation. And then you will know the difference between good and [evil according to their] deeds. For the God of knowledge is the foundation of truth, and by the mystery that is to be 9 he laid out its base and its works … [for all wisdom] and for all prudence he formed it, and the dominion of its works 10 for all … and everything, all … he laid out for their understanding, for all its works, to walk 11 in the [inclination of] their understanding. And he laid out for … […] … and in the fitness of understanding the hidden things of 12 his plan were made known, with his walking perfectly [in all] his works. Seek these things early and always, and consider [all] 13 their outcomes. And then you will know the glory of [his strength, with] his wonderful mysteries and the might of his works. And you 14 who understand, inherit your reward in the memorial of the [peace, for] it is coming. Your statute is engraved, and every visitation is decreed. 15 For it is engraved, decreed by God, against all … […] of the sons of Seth, and a book of remembrance is written before him 16 for those who keep his word. And that is the vision of Hagi for the book of remembrance. And he gave it as an inheritance to humankind, together with a people of spirit,⁠ for 17 according to the pattern of the holy ones he formed it. But no more did he give Hagi to the spirit of flesh, for it did not know the difference between⁠ 18 good and evil according to the judgment of its spirit. And you, son who understands, look at the mystery that is to be and know 19 … every living thing and its conduct, appointed over the works of […] … and … […] … […] 20 understand the difference between great and small. And in your council […] 21 […] your … in the mystery that is to be … […] 22 […] … every vision know, and in every […] 23 and be strong always. Do not touch iniquity [… for everyone who touches …] 24 it will not be held innocent. According to his inheritance in it he will be [declared wicked …] 25 insightful son, consider your mysteries, and the foundations of […] 26 are founded in you, all their … with the task of […] 27 you shall not stray after your heart and after your eyes […]

Texts in conversation

Compare Genesis 3:5 and 4Q417 1 i 17

Hebrew Bible · Dead Sea Scrolls, Wisdom and Instruction

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Summary

In Genesis 3, the serpent tells Eve that eating the fruit will give the knowledge of good and evil. In the Dead Sea Scroll 4Q417, the spirit of flesh is said to lack that knowledge and is denied a vision given to a people of spirit.

Passages

Genesis 3:5

Hebrew Bible
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.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
750–400 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Genesis

4Q417 1 i 17

Dead Sea Scrolls, Wisdom and Instruction · 4QInstruction
15 For it is engraved, decreed by God, against all … […] of the sons of Seth, and a book of remembrance is written before him 16 for those who keep his word. And that is the vision of Hagi for the book of remembrance. And he gave it as an inheritance to humankind, together with a people of spirit, for 17 according to the pattern of the holy ones he formed it. But no more did he give Hagi to the spirit of flesh, for it did not know the difference between 18 good and evil according to the judgment of its spirit. And you, son who understands, look at the mystery that is to be and know
200–150 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 4Q417

References

“... It is not clear to me, however, that 4QInstruction envisions a Fall, or a sin of Adam, at all. We find further echoes of Genesis 2–3 in the very fragmentary text 4Q423, which appears to take the garden as a metaphor for life, which may be either delightful or full of thorns depending on whether the gardener is faithful or not. Even there, however, there is no clear reference to a primeval sin. Rather, Genesis is treated as a paradigmatic story that outlines two permanent possibilities in life. While much is unclear in 4QInstruction, because of the fragmentary state of the text, the contrast between the people of spirit, who are formed in the image of the holy ones, and the spirit of flesh, appears to be primordial. The fact that the verb “to fashion” is imported into the paraphrase of Genesis 1 does not necessarily mean that the two accounts are being fused into a single creation. ...”
John J. Collins, Jewish Cult and Hellenistic Culture: Essays on the Jewish Encounter with Hellenism and Roman Rule, JSJSup 100 (Leiden: Brill, 2005), 177.

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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Genesis 3:5 and 4Q417 1 i 17

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