The Rewritten Bible in Late Antiquity: »Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer«, »Jubilees« and the »Cave of Treasures«

The Rewritten Bible in Late Antiquity: »Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer«, »Jubilees« and the »Cave of Treasures«

Gavin McDowell

 

Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer (PRE) is most famous for introducing into rabbinic tradition several legends about biblical figures not found in the classical rabbinic corpus of Talmud and Midrash. Modern scholarship considers the non-rabbinic legends in PRE an example of the survival of Second Temple literature within Jewish tradition. The present study, however, will attempt to explain the non-rabbinic material found in PRE as the result of the author’s adoption (and adaptation) of elements from the surrounding Christian and Muslim cultures rather than through the direct transmission of Second Temple works among Jews. This hypothesis will be tested through the examination of two works close to PRE in form and content, Jubilees (second century BCE) and the Cave of Treasures (sixth century CE). All three are examples of the "Rewritten Bible," which recount the history of ancient Israel independently of the biblical text. The study concludes that region, rather than religion, shaped the author’s presentation of the history of the ancient prophets and patriarchs  

 

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111590776

eBook ISBN: 9783111590776

Hardcover ISBN: 9783111590332

Creative Commons

BY-NC-ND 4.0

Safety & product resources

• Manufacturer information:
  Walter de Gruyter GmbH
  Genthiner Straße 13
  10785 Berlin
  productsafety@degruyterbrill.com

Frontmatter

Open Access

	I
Dedication Open Access

	V
Acknowledgements Licensed
Contents Open Access

	XI
A Note on Translations Open Access

	XIII
Introduction
1 The Problem of Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer Open Access

	1
Part One: Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer
2 Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer in its Time Open Access

	37
3 Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbinic Tradition Open Access

	84
4 Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Open Access

	105
Part Two: Jubilees
5 Vestiges of Hebrew Jubilees Open Access

	153
6 Jubilees in Christian Tradition Open Access

	197
7 Jubilees and Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer Open Access

	257
Part Three: The Cave of Treasures
8 The Cave of Treasures Cycle Open Access

	293
9 The Cave of Treasures in Christian and Muslim Tradition Open Access

	323
10 The Cave of Treasures and Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer Open Access

	351
Conclusion Open Access

429