Assumption of Moses
The Assumption of Moses is an ancient Jewish text believed to date back to the first century CE, originally composed in Hebrew or Aramaic. It features a speech by Moses on his deathbed, delivered to his assistant Joshua, as he passes on leadership to him. The work is notable for its apocalyptic themes, in which Moses predicts a future era marked by wickedness and persecution faced by the Jewish people. Although it is not part of the biblical canon, the text has garnered scholarly interest due to its historical references, including allusions to the death of King Herod the Great.
Only one manuscript of the Assumption of Moses survives, which has been poorly preserved, with significant portions missing or indecipherable. The text is considered pseudepigraphical, suggesting that the true authorship lies with an unnamed member of a Jewish sect, likely a Pharisee, rather than Moses himself. The manuscript was discovered in the mid-nineteenth century in Milan, Italy, and has since undergone various translations and interpretations. The Assumption of Moses consists of twelve chapters, focusing on themes of leadership, Jewish history, and prophetic visions of future trials and divine justice. Overall, it provides insight into the socio-political tensions of its time and the enduring struggles of the Jewish community.
Assumption of Moses
The Assumption of Moses is an ancient Jewish text reportedly dating back to the first century Common Era (CE). Originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic, the text contains a speech by the dying prophet Moses as spoken to his assistant, Joshua, to whom Moses is passing the leadership of the Israelites. The work is often considered apocalyptic in nature, as Moses seemingly predicts the coming of an era of wickedness throughout several chapters. The Assumption of Moses is not considered a part of the biblical canon, however. Only a single manuscript exists, which was translated into Latin from a previous Greek edition. The book was very poorly preserved over the years, and a large amount of the text is missing or unreadable.
Overview
In the mid-nineteenth century, the Assumption of Moses was discovered in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, a famous library in Milan, Italy, by Italian scholar Antonio Ceriani.
The text was originally written in Hebrew sometime around the first century CE. It was translated into Greek and again translated into Latin at some point during the fifth or sixth century. Scholars date the writing of the text to the first century due to references to the death of King Herod the Great, which occurred in the year 4 or 3 Before the Common Era (BCE), along with other historical references. Experts believe that the text was written shortly after this event and likely in the region of Palestine.
Ceriani had the Latin translation published in 1861. A second Latin edition was published by R.H. Charles in 1897. Both of these publishers struggled to identify the exact title of the text due to the large number of missing pages. Charles and Ceriani narrowed it down to two known apocryphal texts, the Testament of Moses and the Assumption of Moses. Both titles had been mentioned in historical lists of apocryphal texts. Charles concluded that at some point, both texts were combined into the existing manuscript, with most of the assumption text being lost to time. The two titles have been used interchangeably over the years, with most referring to the work as the Assumption of Moses.
The Assumption of Moses is considered a pseudepigraphical work, meaning the author who claimed it is not the true author. The reader is led to believe the text was a product of dictation taken by Joshua from Moses. Scholars contend that the true author of the text was a member of a Jewish sect, either a Pharisee or an Essene. The book alludes to a number of political and social tensions that had erupted during this period of history. Based on a process of elimination, many experts agree that the work was most likely created by a Pharisee.
The Assumption of Moses consists of twelve chapters. Most of the chapters are indecipherable, however, due to time and damage. Some scholars also believe that the chapters are out of order. As the book exists, its first two chapters outline a dying Moses’s decision to appoint Joshua as the new leader of the Israelites. Moses tasks Joshua with showing his people the way to the Promised Land. The book’s next four chapters then go into detail about Jewish history but are narrated prophetically. This history ends with the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem in 70 CE. By chapter seven, the book’s details become confusing because of missing pages. The next four chapters discuss the future, with Moses predicting a mass persecution of the Jewish people as evil leaders ascend the throne. The book refers to a man named Taxo and his sons, who choose death over religious oppression. This prophecy ends with God punishing the non-Jewish people and blessing the Israelites. The book concludes with Moses assuring Joshua of God’s plan for the Israelites.
Bibliography
“A.D. 70 Titus Destroys Jerusalem.” Christianity Today, www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-28/ad-70-titus-destroys-jerusalem.html. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
“Assumption of Moses.” Biblical Training, www.biblicaltraining.org/library/assumption-moses. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Deane, William John. “The Assumption of Moses.” Bible Hub, biblehub.com/library/deane/pseudepigrapha/the‗assumption‗of‗moses.htm. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Israeli, Edna. “‘Taxo’ and the Origin of the ‘Assumption of Moses.’” Journal of Biblical Literature, vol. 128, no. 4, winter 2009, pp. 735–57. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lkh&AN=46835046&site=ehost-live. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
James, Montague Rhodes. “Moses (Apocalypse, Testament, Assumption).” University of Pennsylvania, 1920, ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rak/publics/mrjames/james.htm#moses. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Tromp, Johannes. The Assumption of Moses: A Critical Edition with Commentary. Brill Academic Publishers, Inc., 1992.