An Introduction to

EARLY JUDAISM

James C. VanderKam

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, U.K.

© 2001 Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

All rights reserved

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

2140 Oak Industrial Drive N.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49505 / P.O. Box 163, Cambridge CB3 9PU U.K.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

VanderKam, James C.

An introduction to early Judaism / James C. VanderKam.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-8028-4641-9 (alk. paper)

1. Jews—History—586 b.c.–70 a.d.

2. Judaism—History—Post-exilic period, 586 b.c.–210 a.d.

3. Bible. O.T. Apocrypha—Criticism, interpretation, etc.

4. Apocryphal books (Old Testament)—Criticism, interpretation, etc.

I. Title.

DS121.65.V36 2000

296′.09′014—dc 21

00-063605

www.eerdmans.com

Contents

PREFACE

1. THE TIME OF THE SECOND TEMPLE

The Persian Period (538–332 bce)

Beginnings

Events in Yehud (Judah)

The Work of Ezra and Nehemiah

Jaddua and Alexander the Great

Events in Egypt

Events in Babylon and Persia

The Hellenistic Age (332–63 bce)

Ptolemaic Control of Egypt and Judea (ca. 305–198 bce)

Ptolemy I and Judea

Ptolemy II and the Greek Translation of the Torah

The Tobiad Romance

Seleucid Control/Influence in Judea (198–63 bce)

Antiochus III (223–187 bce)

Antiochus IV, High Priests, and Hellenism

The Hasmonean State (ca. 140–63 bce)

Simon (142–134 bce)

John Hyrcanus (134–104 bce)

Aristobulus I (104–103 bce) and Kingship

Alexander Jannaeus (103–76 bce)

Salome Alexandra (76–67 bce)

Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II (67–63 bce)

The Roman Period (63 bce and Beyond)

The Early Years (63–37 bce)

Herod (37–4 bce) and Archelaus (4 bce–6 ce)

Direct Roman Rule (6–66 ce)

The First Jewish Revolt against Rome (66–73 ce)

The Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–135 ce)

Appendix on Egyptian Judaism

2. JEWISH LITERATURE OF THE SECOND TEMPLE PERIOD

Second Temple Texts in the Hebrew Bible

The Classification of Second Temple Literature

Apocrypha

The Catholic Deuterocanonical Books

Works in Greek Bibles but Not in the Hebrew Bible

Pseudepigrapha

Jewish Writings of the Second Temple Period

Narrative Works

Histories

(1) 1 Esdras

(2) 1 Maccabees

(3) 2 Maccabees

Tales

(1) Tobit

(2) Judith

(3) Susanna

(4) 3 Maccabees

(5) Letter of Aristeas

(6) The Greek Esther

Rewritten Scripture

1 Enoch

(1) The Astronomical Book of Enoch (1 Enoch 72–82)

(2) The Book of the Watchers (1 Enoch 1–36)

Aramaic Levi

The Book of Jubilees

The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs

Apocalypses

The Apocalypse of Weeks (1 Enoch 93:3–10; 91:11–17)

The Book of Dreams (1 Enoch 83–90)

Sibylline Oracles

The Similitudes or Parables of Enoch (1 Enoch 37–71)

The Testament of Moses

Wisdom Literature

The Wisdom of Ben Sira

The Epistle of Enoch (1 Enoch 91–107 [108])

Baruch (or 1 Baruch)

The Wisdom of Solomon

Poetic Works

The Psalms of Solomon

The Prayer of Manasseh

The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men

Mockery of Idols

The Letter of Jeremiah

Bel and the Dragon

Philo and Josephus...