My LORD’s BibleTestament of Judah 1
Pseudonymously presented as Judah's deathbed testament, one of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs; actual author unknown and date debated (proposals span the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD). Recounts Judah's own failures with greed, drunkenness, and Tamar (Genesis 38), alongside royal and messianic material tied to his line.
1THE copy of the words of Judah, what things he spake to his sons before he died.
Ἀντίγραφον λόγων Ἰούδα, ἃ ἐλάλησε τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ πρὸ τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν αὐτόν. (7361)
2They gathered themselves together, therefore, and came to him, and he said to them: Hearken, my children, to Judah your father.
Συναχθέντες οὖν ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἀκούσατε, τέκνα μου, Ἰούδα τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν· (10119)
3I was the fourth son born to my father Jacob; and Leah my mother named me Judah, saying, I give thanks to the Lord, because He hath given me a fourth son also.
ἐγὼ τέταρτος υἱὸς ἐγενόμην τῷ πατρί μου Ἰακώβ, καὶ Λεία ἡ μήτηρ μου ἐπωνόμασέν με Ἰούδαν, λέγουσα· Ἀνθομολογοῦμαι τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι ἔδωκέν μοι καὶ τέταρτον υἱόν. (15935)
4I was swift in my youth, and obedient to my father in everything.
Ἐγὼ ὀξὺς ἤμην ἐν νεότητί μου, καὶ ὑπήκουον τῷ πατρί μου κατὰ πάντα λόγον. (7159)
5And I honoured my mother and my mother's sister.
Καὶ ἐτίμων τὴν μητέρα μου καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν τῆς μητρός μου. (5281)
6And it came to pass, when I became a man, that my father blessed me, saying, Thou shalt be a king, prospering in all things.
Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἠδρύνθην καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ηὔξατό μοι, λέγων· Βασιλεὺς ἔσῃ κατευοδούμενος ἐν πᾶσιν. (8137)
8I know that I raced a hind, and caught it, and prepared the meat for my father, and he did eat.
Οἶδα ὅτι συνέδραμον ἐλάφῳ καὶ ἐπίασα αὐτὴν καὶ ἐποίησα αὐτὴν βρῶμα τῷ πατρί μου καὶ ἔφαγεν. (8611)
9And the roes I used to master in the chase, and overtake all that was in the plains.
Τὴν δὲ δορκάδα διὰ τοῦ δρόμου ἐκράτουν, καὶ πᾶν ὃ ἦν ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις κατελάμβανον. (4856)
10A wild mare I overtook, and caught it and tamed it.
11I slew a lion and plucked a kid out of its mouth.
Τὸν λέοντα ἀπέκτεινα καὶ ἀφειλόμην ἔριφον ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ. (5975)
12I took a bear by its paw and hurled it down the cliff, and it was crushed.
τὴν ἄρκον λαβὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ ποδὸς ἀπέλυσα εἰς τὸν κρημνόν, καὶ συνετρίβη. (5623)
13I outran the wild boar, and seizing it as I ran, I tore it in sunder.
Τῷ ἀγρίῳ χοίρῳ κατέδραμον, καὶ προέλαβον ἐν τῷ τρέχειν με καὶ κατεσπάραξα αὐτόν. (8515)
15I found a wild ox feeding in the fields, and seizing it by the horns, and whirling it round and stunning it, I cast it from me and slew it.
Βοῦν ἄγριον εὗρον τὴν χώραν νεμόμενον, καὶ κρατήσας τῶν κεράτων καὶ κύκλῳ συσσείσας καὶ σκοτίσας ῥίψας ἀνεῖλον αὐτόν. (12754)
16And when the two kings of the Canaanites came sheathed, in armour against our flocks, and much people with them, single handed I rushed upon the king of Hazor, and smote him on the greives and dragged him down, and so I slew him.
Ὅτε δὲ ἦλθον οἱ δύο βασιλεῖς τῶν Χαναναίων τεθωρακισμένοι ἐπὶ τὰ ποίμνια ἡμῶν καὶ λαὸς πολὺς μετ' αὐτῶν κἀγὼ μόνος δραμὼν ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα τὸν ἕνα καὶ κρούσας αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὰς κνημῖδας κατέσπασα, καὶ οὕτως ἀνεῖλον αὐτόν. (20366)
18Achor, the king, a man of giant stature, I found, hurling javelins before and behind as he sat on horseback, and I took up a stone of sixty pounds weight, and hurled it and smote his horse, and killed it.
Τὸν Ἀχὼρ βασιλέα ἄνδρα γίγαντα βάλλοντα τόξα ἔμπροσθεν καὶ ὄπισθεν ἐφ' ἵππου ἀνελόμενος λίθον ἐξήκοντα λιτρῶν ἀκοντίσας ἔδωκα τῷ ἵππῳ καὶ ἀπέκτεινα αὐτόν. (13338)
19And I fought with this other for two hours; and I clave his shield in twain, and I chopped off his feet, and killed him.
Καὶ πολεμήσας τὸν Ἀχὼρ ἐπὶ ὥρας δύο ἀπέκτεινα αὐτόν, καὶ εἰς δύο μέρη ποιήσας τὴν ἀσπίδα αὐτοῦ συνέκοψα τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ. (12758)
20And as I was stripping off his breastplate, behold nine men his companions began to fight with me,
Ἐν δὲ τῷ ἐκδύειν με τὸν θώρακα αὐτοῦ, ἰδού, ἄνδρες ὀκτώ, ἑταῖροι αὐτοῦ, ἤρξαντο πολεμεῖν με. (8850)
22And Jacob my father slew Beelesath, king of all the kings, a giant in strength, twelve cubits high.
Ὁ δὲ πατήρ μου Ἰακὼβ ἀνεῖλε τὸν Βελισάθ, βασιλέα πάντων τῶν βασιλέων, ἄνδρα γίγαντα τῇ ἰσχύι πηχῶν δώδεκα. (10891)
23And fear fell upon them, and they ceased warring against us.
Καὶ ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τρόμος, καὶ ἐπαύσαντο πολεμοῦντες ἡμᾶς. (5334)
24Therefore my father was free from anxiety in the wars when I was with my brethren.
Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ πατήρ μου ἀμέριμνος ἦν ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις, ὅτε ἐγὼ σὺν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου ἤμην. (7787)
26And in the south there came upon us a greater war than that in Shechem; and I joined in battle array with my brethren, and pursued a thousand men, and slew of them two hundred men and four kings.
Καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο γέγονεν ἡμῖν κατὰ νότον πόλεμος μείζων τοῦ ἐν Σικίμοις· καὶ παραταξάμενος σὺν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου ἐδιώξαμεν χιλίους καὶ ἀπεκτείναμεν ἐξ αὐτῶν διακοσίους. (14459)
27And I went up upon the wall, and I slew four mighty men.
Καὶ ἀνῆλθον ἐγὼ ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους, καὶ ἀνεῖλον τὸν βασιλέα αὐτῶν. (5974)
28And so we captured Hazor, and took all the spoil.
Καὶ οὕτως ἠλευθερώσαμεν τὴν Χεβρών, καὶ ἐλάβομεν πᾶσαν τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν. (8036)
31And they that were upon the wall, thinking that we were alone, were drawn down against us.
Καὶ νομίσαντες οἱ ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους, ὅτι ἡμεῖς μόνοι ἐσμέν, ἐφελκύσθησαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. (6853)
32And so my brothers secretly climbed up the wall on both sides by stakes, and entered the city, while the men knew it not.
Καὶ οὕτως λάθρα οἱ ἀδελφοί μου ἐξ ἑκατέρων τῶν μερῶν πασσάλοις ἐπανέβησαν τῷ τείχει καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀγνοούντων αὐτῶν. (14438)
34And as for those who had taken refuge in the tower, we set fire to the tower and took both it and, them.
καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῷ πύργῳ καταφυγόντας ἐν πυρὶ ἐνεπρήσαμεν καὶ οὕτως πάντας ἐλάβομεν καὶ πάντα τὰ αὐτῶν. (11525)
35And as we were departing the men of Tappuah seized our spoil, and seeing this we fought with them.
Καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀπιέναι ἡμᾶς, ἄνδρες Θαφφουὲ ἐπέβαλον τῇ αἰχμαλωσίᾳ ἡμῶν καὶ παραδόντες αὐτὴν τοῖς υἱοῖς ἡμῶν συνήψαμεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἕως Θαφφουέ. (16113)
36And we slew them. all and recovered our spoil.
Καὶ ἀπεκτείναμεν πάντας καὶ πάλιν ἐλάβομεν τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν ἡμῶν. (4634)
37And when I was at the waters of Kozeba, the men of Jobel came against us to battle.
Καὶ ὡς ἤμην ἐν τοῖς ὕδασι Χωζηβά, οἱ ἀπὸ Ἰωβὴλ ἦλθον ἐφ' ἡμᾶς εἰς πόλεμον. (6367)
38And we fought with them and routed them; and their allies from Shiloh we slew, and we did not leave them power to come in against us.
Καὶ συνάψαντες ἐτρέψαμεν αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ Σιλὼμ συμμάχους αὐτῶν ἀπεκτείναμεν καὶ οὐκ ἐδώκαμεν αὐτοῖς διέξοδον τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. (15309)
39And the men of Makir came upon us the fifth day, to seize our spoil; and we attacked them and overcame them in fierce battle: for there was a host of mighty men amongst them, and we slew them before they had gone up the ascent.
Οἱ δὲ πάλιν ἀπὸ Μαχὴρ ἐπῆλθον ἡμῖν τῇ πέμπτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ προσάξαντες πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐν κραταιᾷ μαχαίρᾳ περιεγενόμεθα αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπεκτείναμεν καὶ αὐτοὺς πρὸ τοῦ ἀναβῆναι τὴν ἀνάβασιν. (12405)
40And when we came to their city their women rolled upon us stones from the brow of the hill on which the city stood.
Ὡς δὲ ἤκομεν ἐν τῇ πόλει, αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν ἐκύλιον λίθους ἐφ' ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ ὄρους ἐν ᾧ ἦν ἡ πόλις. (10947)
41And I and Simeon had ourselves behind the town, and seized upon the heights, and destroyed this city also.
Καὶ ὑποκρύψας ἐγώ τε καὶ Συμεὼν ἐξόπισθεν ἐπελαβόμεθα τῶν ὑψηλῶν, καὶ ἐξολοθρεύσαμεν καὶ ταύτην τὴν πόλιν. (11280)
42And the next day it was told us that the king of the city of Gaash with. a mighty host was coming against us.
Καὶ τῇ ἑξῆς ἐρρέθη πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὅτι Γαὰς πόλεως ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐν λαῷ πολλῷ ἔρχεται πρὸς ἡμᾶς. (7842)
44And in the depth of night our brethren came and we opened to them the gates; and we destroyed all the men and their substance, and we took for a prey all that was theirs, and their three walls we cast down.
Νυκτὶ δὲ βαθείᾳ ἐλθόντων τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν ἠνοίξαμεν τὰς πύλας αὐτοῖς καὶ πάντας αὐτοὺς καὶ τὰ αὐτῶν ὀλοθρεύσαμεν καὶ πάντα τὰ αὐτῶν προνομεύσαντες τὰ τρία τείχη αὐτῶν καθεῖλαμεν. (20196)
45And we drew near to Thamna, where was all the substance of the hostile kings.
Καὶ ἐπροσεγγίσαμεν τῇ Θάμνᾳ, ἐν ᾧ ἦν πᾶσα ἡ ἀποσκευὴ αὐτῶν. (4750)
46Then being insulted by them, I was therefore wroth, and rushed against them to the summit; and they kept slinging against me stones and darts.
Τότε οὖν ὑβριζόμενος παρ' αὐτῶν ὠργίσθην, καὶ ὥρμησα ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφήν· κἀκεῖνοι ἐσφενδόνιζόν με ἐν λίθοις καὶ τόξοις. (11675)
47And had not Dan my brother aided me, they would have slain me.
Καὶ εἰ μὴ Δὰν ὁ ἀδελφός μου συνεμάχησέν με, εἶχόν με ἀνελεῖν. (4074)
48We came upon them, therefore, with wrath, and they all fled; and passing by another way, they fought my father, and he made peace with them.
Ἀπήλθομεν οὖν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς μετὰ θυμοῦ καὶ πάντες ἔφυγον, καὶ ἀπελθόντες δι' ἄλλης ὁδοῦ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἡμῶν ἐδεήθησαν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐποίησαν εἰρήνην μετ' αὐτοῦ. (13085)
49And we did to them no hurt, and they became tributary to us, and we restored to them their spoil.
Καὶ οὐκ ἐποιήσαμεν αὐτοῖς οὐδὲν κακόν, ἀλλ' εἴχομεν αὐτοὺς ὑποφόρους, καὶ ἀπεδώκαμεν αὐτοῖς τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν αὐτῶν. (12433)
50And I built Thamna, and my father built Pabael.
Καὶ οἰκοδόμησα ἐγὼ τὴν Θάμναν καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου τὴν Ῥαβαήλ. (3441)
51I was twenty years old when this war befell. And the Canaanites feared me and my brethren.
Ἤμην δὲ ἐγὼ χρόνων εἴκοσι, ὅτε ἐγένετο ὁ πόλεμος οὗτος. Καὶ ἦσαν οἱ Χαναναῖοι φοβούμενοι καὶ ἐμὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου. (10508)
52And I had much cattle, and I had for chief herdsman Iram the Adullamite.
Ἦσαν δέ μοι κτήνη πολλά, καὶ εἶχον ἀρχιποίμενα Ἱεράμ τὸν Ὀδολομήτην. (3944)
53And when I went to him I saw Parsaba, king of Adullam; and he spake unto us, and he made us a feast; and when I was heated he gave me his daughter Bathshua to wife.
Πρὸς ὃν ἐλθὼν εἶδον Βαρσαβὰ τὸν βασιλέα Ὀδολάμ· καὶ ἐλάλησεν ὑμῖν καὶ ἐποίησεν ἡμῖν πότον· καὶ παρακαλέσας δέδωκέ μοι τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ ὀνόματι Σαβὰ εἰς γυναῖκα. (10212)