Pseudo-Philo is the name commonly used for the unknown, anonymous author of the ''Biblical Antiquities''. This text is also commonly known today under the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

title ''Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum'' (Book of Biblical Antiquities), a title that is not found in the Latin

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand or typewritten, as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in some indirect or automated way. More recently, the term has ...

s. Although probably originally written in

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

, it is preserved today only through a Latin translation found in 18 complete and 3 fragmentary manuscripts that date between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries CE. In addition, material paralleling that in the ''Biblical Antiquities'' is also found in the '' Chronicles of Jerahmeel'', a 14th-century Hebrew composition. The Latin text of the ''Biblical Antiquities'' circulated alongside Latin translations of the authentic writings of

Philo of Alexandria Philo of Alexandria (; ; ; ), also called , was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, in the Roman province of Egypt. The only event in Philo's life that can be decisively dated is his representation of the Alexandrian Je ...

. Scholars have long asserted the pseudonymous character of the text now known as the ''Biblical Antiquities''. Primary in this regard is a vastly differing approach to and use of the Jewish scriptures. For the sake of convenience, scholars continue to follow the lead of Leopold Cohn in calling the unknown author "Pseudo-Philo".

Estimated date of work

Most scholars contend that Pseudo-Philo's ''Biblical Antiquities'' was written sometime between the mid-first century CE and the mid-second century CE. Some scholars propose that the ''Biblical Antiquities'' was written shortly preceding the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in 70 CE while other scholars suggest that it was written post-70 CE, possibly as late as shortly following the

Bar Kokhba revolt The Bar Kokhba revolt (132–136 AD) was a major uprising by the Jews of Judaea (Roman province), Judaea against the Roman Empire, marking the final and most devastating of the Jewish–Roman wars. Led by Simon bar Kokhba, the rebels succeeded ...

(132-136 CE). A very small minority of scholars suggest dates outside these bounds. Examples include Abram Spiro who suggests that it was composed in the second century BCE, J. R. Porter who dates Pseudo-Philo to 25 CE, and Alexander Zeron who posits that it was composed sometime in the third or fourth centuries CE. Among the evidence cited by scholars in support of a pre-70 CE date of composition is the depiction of the temple in Jerusalem as still standing and in use for sacrifices (e.g., LAB 22:8). Further, Daniel J. Harrington writes: 'A date prior to AD 70 is suggested by the kind of Old Testament text used in the book, the free attitude towards the text, the interest in the sacrifices and other things pertaining to cult, and the silence about the destruction of the temple'. Howard Jacobson, for example, treats this view dismissively, stating that "Simply put, there are no particularly cogent arguments in support of a pre-70 date." Among the evidence cited in support of a post-70 CE date of composition are thematic parallels with 2 Baruch and 4 Ezra, Jewish texts composed post-70 CE and references to the destruction of the temple (e.g., LAB 19:7).

Original language and translational history

The scholarly consensus is that Pseudo-Philo's ''Biblical Antiquities'' was not composed in Latin but, rather that it was composed in

and translated into

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

before being translated into

by the fourth century CE. The primary evidence for this are the many difficult readings that are best explained by the existence of Hebrew and Greek antecedents.

Short description of content

Pseudo-Philo's ''Biblical Antiquities'' is a selective rewriting of Jewish scriptural texts and traditions.Daniel J. Harrington, “Pseudo-Philo,” in ''The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha'' (ed. James H. Charlesworth; 2 vols.; Garden City: Doubleday, 1983-1985), 2:297. Following a basic narrative outline derived from the Jewish Scriptures, the work opens with the creation of the world (LAB 1) and concludes with the death of King

Saul Saul (; , ; , ; ) was a monarch of ancient Israel and Judah and, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament, the first king of the United Monarchy, a polity of uncertain historicity. His reign, traditionally placed in the late eleventh c ...

(LAB 65). As Leopold Cohn observes, it “passes rapidly over” or “omits” certain aspects of the scriptural narrative while elaborating on others, even supplying “many quite novel additions” not present in the Jewish Scriptures. Many of its additions have parallels in other Jewish traditions. Some scholars have reasoned that the work's ending with the death of Saul implies there were further parts of the text which are now missing; others believe that the extant text is complete.

The work as source of legends

It is probably the earliest reference for many later legendary accretions to the Biblical text, such as the casting of

Abraham Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrews, Hebrew Patriarchs (Bible), patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father who began the Covenant (biblical), covenanta ...

into the fire, Dinah's marriage to Job, and

Moses In Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrews, Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the The Exodus, Exodus from ancient Egypt, Egypt. He is considered the most important Prophets in Judaism, prophet in Judaism and Samaritani ...

born circumcised. It also contains several other embellishments which deviate quite substantially from the norm, such as Abraham leading a rebellion against the builders of the Tower of Babel (the reason for him being cast into the fire). It includes a lament about the

human sacrifice Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more humans as part of a ritual, which is usually intended to please or appease deity, gods, a human ruler, public or jurisdictional demands for justice by capital punishment, an authoritative/prie ...

of Jephthah's daughter, with the daughter being the singer. Commentators have noted that the characterisation of the daughter is (like other female characterisations in Pseudo-Philo) much stronger and more positive than that of her biblical counterpart. She has a name (Seila), and her role is as a wise and willing - rather than passive and reluctant - participant. One commentator has observed that 'the author has done his utmost to put this woman on the same level as the patriarchs, in this case especially Isaac'.

Differences from Philo of Alexandria

According to James H. Charlesworth and Daniel J. Harrington, the attribution of Pseudo-Philo to Philo of Alexandria cannot be sustained for four main differences: Philo of Alexandria wrote in Greek, whereas the Pseudo-Philo apparently wrote in Hebrew; "1,652 years from Adam to the Flood (3:6) against Philo's 2,242; the favorable or at least neutral portrayal of Balaam (16) against Philo's negative description;

' burial by God (19:16), not by the angels." Daniel J. Harrington,'' Pseudo-Philo (First Century A.D.). A New Translation and Introduction'', in James H. Charlesworth (1985), ''The New Testament Psuedo-Epigrapha'', Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc., Volume 2, p. 300. (Vol. 1), (Vol. 2)

References

Bibliography

* Pseudo-Philo, P.-M. Bogaert, C. Perrot, J. Cazeaux, and D. J. Harrington. ''Les Antiquités Bibliques''. 2 vols. Sources Chrétiennes 229–230. Paris: Éditions du Cerf, 1976. (Critical text and French translation.) * M. R. James. ''The Biblical Antiquities of Philo''. Prolegomenon by L. Feldman. Library of Biblical Studies. New York: Ktav Pub. House, 1971. (English translation.) * "Pseudo-Philo (First Century A.D.)", translated by D. J. Harrington in ''The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha'', edited by James H. Charlesworth, vol. 2, New York, 1985, 297–377.

External links

The Biblical Antiquities of Philo
by M. R. James, translation with notes by Robert A. Kraft, 2006 {{Authority control Jewish historians 1st-century Jews 1st-century people 2nd-century Jews Latin historians Pseudepigraphy Old Testament pseudepigrapha Philo