1. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 6.1-6.4 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 6.1. וַיְהִי כִּי־הֵחֵל הָאָדָם לָרֹב עַל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה וּבָנוֹת יֻלְּדוּ לָהֶם׃ 6.1. וַיּוֹלֶד נֹחַ שְׁלֹשָׁה בָנִים אֶת־שֵׁם אֶת־חָם וְאֶת־יָפֶת׃ 6.2. וַיִּרְאוּ בְנֵי־הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת־בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם כִּי טֹבֹת הֵנָּה וַיִּקְחוּ לָהֶם נָשִׁים מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר בָּחָרוּ׃ 6.2. מֵהָעוֹף לְמִינֵהוּ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָה לְמִינָהּ מִכֹּל רֶמֶשׂ הָאֲדָמָה לְמִינֵהוּ שְׁנַיִם מִכֹּל יָבֹאוּ אֵלֶיךָ לְהַחֲיוֹת׃ 6.3. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לֹא־יָדוֹן רוּחִי בָאָדָם לְעֹלָם בְּשַׁגַּם הוּא בָשָׂר וְהָיוּ יָמָיו מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה׃ 6.4. הַנְּפִלִים הָיוּ בָאָרֶץ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וְגַם אַחֲרֵי־כֵן אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל־בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם וְיָלְדוּ לָהֶם הֵמָּה הַגִּבֹּרִים אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם׃ | 6.1. And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them," 6.2. that the sons of nobles saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives, whomsoever they chose." 6.3. And the LORD said: ‘My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for that he also is flesh; therefore shall his days be a hundred and twenty years.’" 6.4. The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of nobles came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 25.11 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 25.11. וְהָיְתָה כָּל־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לְחָרְבָּה לְשַׁמָּה וְעָבְדוּ הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה אֶת־מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה׃ | 25.11. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and a waste; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Ezekiel, 3.2 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 3.2. וָאֶפְתַּח אֶת־פִּי וַיַּאֲכִלֵנִי אֵת הַמְּגִלָּה הַזֹּאת׃ 3.2. וּבְשׁוּב צַדִּיק מִצִּדְקוֹ וְעָשָׂה עָוֶל וְנָתַתִּי מִכְשׁוֹל לְפָנָיו הוּא יָמוּת כִּי לֹא הִזְהַרְתּוֹ בְּחַטָּאתוֹ יָמוּת וְלֹא תִזָּכַרְןָ צִדְקֹתָו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְדָמוֹ מִיָּדְךָ אֲבַקֵּשׁ׃ | 3.2. So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that roll." |
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4. Anon., 1 Enoch, 14.8-14.9, 90.38-90.42, 91.11-91.17, 93.1-93.10 (3rd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 14.8. written. And the vision was shown to me thus: Behold, in the vision clouds invited me and a mist summoned me, and the course of the stars and the lightnings sped and hastened me, and the winds in 14.9. the vision caused me to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven. And I went in till I drew nigh to a wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and it began to affright 90.38. birds of the air feared him and made petition to him all the time. And I saw till all their generations were transformed, and they all became white bulls; and the first among them became a lamb, and that lamb became a great animal and had great black horns on its head; and the Lord of the sheep 90.39. rejoiced over it and over all the oxen. And I slept in their midst: and I awoke and saw everything. 90.41. gave Him glory. Then I wept with a great weeping and my tears stayed not till I could no longer endure it: when I saw, they flowed on account of what I had seen; for everything shall come and 90.42. be fulfilled, and all the deeds of men in their order were shown to me. On that night I remembered the first dream, and because of it I wept and was troubled-because I had seen that vision.Section V. XCI-CIV (i.e. XCII, XCI. 91.12. And after that there shall be another, the eighth week, that of righteousness, And a sword shall be given to it that a righteous judgement may be executed on the oppressors, And sinners shall be delivered into the hands of the righteous. 91.13. And at its close they shall acquire houses through their righteousness, And a house shall be built for the Great King in glory for evermore 91.15. And after this, in the tenth week in the seventh part, There shall be the great eternal judgement, In which He will execute vengeance amongst the angels. 91.16. And the first heaven shall depart and pass away, And a new heaven shall appear, And all the powers of the heavens shall give sevenfold light. 91.17. And after that there will be many weeks without number for ever, And all shall be in goodness and righteousness, And sin shall no more be mentioned for ever. 93.1. And at its close shall be elected The elect righteous of the eternal plant of righteousness, To receive sevenfold instruction concerning all His creation. 93.3. And Enoch began to recount from the books and said: ' I was born the seventh in the first week, While judgement and righteousness still endured. 93.4. And after me there shall arise in the second week great wickedness, And deceit shall have sprung up; And in it there shall be the first end.And in it a man shall be saved; And after it is ended unrighteousness shall grow up, And a law shall be made for the sinners.And after that in the third week at its close A man shall be elected as the plant of righteous judgement, And his posterity shall become the plant of righteousness for evermore. 93.6. And after that in the fourth week, at its close, Visions of the holy and righteous shall be seen, And a law for all generations and an enclosure shall be made for them. 93.7. And after that in the fifth week, at its close, The house of glory and dominion shall be built for ever. 93.8. And after that in the sixth week all who live in it shall be blinded, And the hearts of all of them shall godlessly forsake wisdom.And in it a man shall ascend; And at its close the house of dominion shall be burnt with fire, And the whole race of the chosen root shall be dispersed. 93.9. And after that in the seventh week shall an apostate generation arise, And many shall be its deeds, And all its deeds shall be apostate. |
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5. Anon., Testament of Levi, 3.4 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 3.4. And in the highest of all dwelleth the Great Glory, far above all holiness. |
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6. Dead Sea Scrolls, War Scroll, 13.11 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
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7. Hebrew Bible, Daniel, 7.9, 7.13, 8.3-8.4 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 7.9. חָזֵה הֲוֵית עַד דִּי כָרְסָוָן רְמִיו וְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין יְתִב לְבוּשֵׁהּ כִּתְלַג חִוָּר וּשְׂעַר רֵאשֵׁהּ כַּעֲמַר נְקֵא כָּרְסְיֵהּ שְׁבִיבִין דִּי־נוּר גַּלְגִּלּוֹהִי נוּר דָּלִק׃ 7.13. חָזֵה הֲוֵית בְּחֶזְוֵי לֵילְיָא וַאֲרוּ עִם־עֲנָנֵי שְׁמַיָּא כְּבַר אֱנָשׁ אָתֵה הֲוָה וְעַד־עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא מְטָה וּקְדָמוֹהִי הַקְרְבוּהִי׃ 8.3. וָאֶשָּׂא עֵינַי וָאֶרְאֶה וְהִנֵּה אַיִל אֶחָד עֹמֵד לִפְנֵי הָאֻבָל וְלוֹ קְרָנָיִם וְהַקְּרָנַיִם גְּבֹהוֹת וְהָאַחַת גְּבֹהָה מִן־הַשֵּׁנִית וְהַגְּבֹהָה עֹלָה בָּאַחֲרֹנָה׃ 8.4. רָאִיתִי אֶת־הָאַיִל מְנַגֵּחַ יָמָּה וְצָפוֹנָה וָנֶגְבָּה וְכָל־חַיּוֹת לֹא־יַעַמְדוּ לְפָנָיו וְאֵין מַצִּיל מִיָּדוֹ וְעָשָׂה כִרְצֹנוֹ וְהִגְדִּיל׃ | 7.9. I beheld Till thrones were placed, And one that was ancient of days did sit: His raiment was as white snow, And the hair of his head like pure wool; His throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire." 7.13. I saw in the night visions, And, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven One like unto a son of man, And he came even to the Ancient of days, And he was brought near before Him." 8.3. And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the stream a ram which had two horns; and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last." 8.4. I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no beasts could stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself." |
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8. Polybius, Histories, 1.3.4, 1.4.2-1.4.3, 1.4.6-1.4.10, 8.2.3, 38.21.2 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 8.2.3. For how by the bare reading of events in Sicily or in Spain can we hope to learn and understand either the magnitude of the occurrences or the thing of greatest moment, what means and what form of government Fortune has employed to accomplish the most surprising feat she has performed in our times, that is, to bring all the known parts of the world under one rule and dominion, a thing absolutely without precedent? 38.21.2. For at the moment of our greatest triumph and of disaster to our enemies to reflect on our own situation and on the possible reversal of circumstances, and generally to bear in mind at the season of success the mutability of Fortune, is like a great and perfect man, a man in short worthy to be remembered. (From Appian, Punica, 132) |
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9. Septuagint, 2 Maccabees, 6.15 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 6.15. in order that he may not take vengeance on us afterward when our sins have reached their height. |
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10. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 39 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
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11. Anon., 2 Baruch, 20.6, 48.38, 56.11, 56.14-56.15, 85.10 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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12. New Testament, 2 Peter, 3.18 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.18. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. |
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13. New Testament, Apocalypse, 4.1-4.2, 5.1 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 4.1. After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, "Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this. 4.2. Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne 5.1. I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals. |
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14. New Testament, Matthew, 27.66 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 27.66. So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone. |
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15. Ps.-Philo, Biblical Antiquities, 28.8 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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16. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, 97a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 97a. את סוכת דוד הנופלת א"ל הכי אמר רבי יוחנן דור שבן דוד בא בו תלמידי חכמים מתמעטים והשאר עיניהם כלות ביגון ואנחה וצרות רבות וגזרות קשות מתחדשות עד שהראשונה פקודה שניה ממהרת לבא,ת"ר שבוע שבן דוד בא בו שנה ראשונה מתקיים מקרא זה (עמוס ד, ז) והמטרתי על עיר אחת ועל עיר אחת לא אמטיר שניה חיצי רעב משתלחים שלישית רעב גדול ומתים אנשים ונשים וטף חסידים ואנשי מעשה ותורה משתכחת מלומדיה ברביעית שובע ואינו שובע בחמישית שובע גדול ואוכלין ושותין ושמחין ותורה חוזרת ללומדיה בששית קולות בשביעית מלחמות במוצאי שביעית בן דוד בא,אמר רב יוסף הא כמה שביעית דהוה כן ולא אתא אמר אביי בששית קולות בשביעית מלחמות מי הוה ועוד כסדרן מי הוה,(תהלים פט, נב) (אשר חרפו אויביך ה' אשר חרפו עקבות משיחך) תניא ר' יהודה אומר דור שבן דוד בא בו בית הוועד יהיה לזנות והגליל יחרב והגבלן יאשם ואנשי גבול יסובבו מעיר לעיר ולא יחוננו וחכמת הסופרים תסרח ויראי חטא ימאסו ופני הדור כפני כלב,והאמת נעדרת שנאמר (ישעיהו נט, טו) ותהי האמת נעדרת (וסר מרע משתולל) מאי ותהי האמת נעדרת אמרי דבי רב מלמד שנעשית עדרים עדרים והולכת לה מאי וסר מרע משתולל אמרי דבי ר' שילא כל מי שסר מרע משתולל על הבריות,אמר רבא מריש הוה אמינא ליכא קושטא בעלמא אמר לי ההוא מרבנן ורב טבות שמיה ואמרי לה רב טביומי שמיה דאי הוו יהבי ליה כל חללי דעלמא לא הוה משני בדבוריה זימנא חדא איקלעי לההוא אתרא וקושטא שמיה ולא הוו משני בדיבורייהו ולא הוה מיית איניש מהתם בלא זימניה נסיבי איתתא מינהון והוו לי תרתין בנין מינה,יומא חד הוה יתבא דביתהו וקא חייפא רישה אתאי שיבבתה טרפא אדשא סבר לאו אורח ארעא אמר לה ליתא הכא שכיבו ליה תרתין בנין אתו אינשי דאתרא לקמיה אמרו ליה מאי האי אמר להו הכי הוה מעשה א"ל במטותא מינך פוק מאתרין ולא תגרי בהו מותנא בהנך אינשי,תניא ר' נהוראי אומר דור שבן דוד בא בו נערים ילבינו פני זקנים וזקנים יעמדו לפני נערים ובת קמה באמה וכלה בחמותה ופני הדור כפני כלב ואין הבן מתבייש מאביו,תניא ר' נחמיה אומר דור שבן דוד בא בו העזות תרבה והיוקר יעות והגפן יתן פריו והיין ביוקר ונהפכה כל המלכות למינות ואין תוכחה מסייע ליה לר' יצחק דא"ר יצחק אין בן דוד בא עד שתתהפך כל המלכות למינות אמר רבא מאי קרא (ויקרא יג, יג) כולו הפך לבן טהור הוא,ת"ר (דברים לב, לו) כי ידין ה' עמו [וגו'] כי יראה כי אזלת יד ואפס עצור ועזוב אין בן דוד בא עד שירבו המסורות ד"א עד שיתמעטו התלמידים ד"א עד שתכלה פרוטה מן הכיס ד"א עד שיתייאשו מן הגאולה שנאמר ואפס עצור ועזוב כביכול אין סומך ועוזר לישראל,כי הא דר' זירא כי הוה משכח רבנן דמעסקי ביה אמר להו במטותא בעינא מנייכו לא תרחקוה דתנינא ג' באין בהיסח הדעת אלו הן משיח מציאה ועקרב,אמר רב קטינא שית אלפי שני הוו עלמא וחד חרוב שנאמר (ישעיהו ב, יא) ונשגב ה' לבדו ביום ההוא אביי אמר תרי חרוב שנאמר (הושע ו, ב) יחיינו מיומים ביום השלישי יקימנו ונחיה לפניו,תניא כותיה דרב קטינא כשם שהשביעית משמטת שנה אחת לז' שנים כך העולם משמט אלף שנים לשבעת אלפים שנה שנאמר ונשגב ה' לבדו ביום ההוא ואומר (תהלים צב, א) מזמור שיר ליום השבת יום שכולו שבת ואומר (תהלים צ, ד) כי אלף שנים בעיניך כיום אתמול כי יעבור,תנא דבי אליהו ששת אלפים שנה הוי עלמא שני אלפים תוהו שני אלפים תורה שני אלפים ימות המשיח | 97a. bthe Tabernacle of David that is fallen [ ihanofelet /i]”(Amos 9:11). That is why the Messiah is called ibar nifli /i. Rabbi Yitzḥak bsaid to himthat bthisis what bRabbi Yoḥa says:During bthe generation in whichthe Messiah, bson of David, comes, Torah scholars decrease; andas for bthe restof the people, btheir eyes fail with sorrow and grief, and troubles increase. And the harsh decrees will be introduced; before the first passes the second quickly comes. /b, bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: With regard to bthe seven-yearperiod, i.e., the Sabbatical cycle, bduring whichthe Messiah, bson of David, comes:During bthe first year, this verse will be fulfilled: “And I will cause it to rain upon one city and cause it not to rain upon another city”(Amos 4:7). During the bsecondyear of that period, barrows of famine will be shot,indicating that there will be famine only in certain places. During the bthirdyear bthere will be a great famine, and men, women, children, the pious, and men of action will die, and the Torah is forgotten by those who study it. During the fourthyear there will be bplenty but notgreat bplenty. During the fifthyear there will be bgreat plenty and they will eat, and drink, and rejoice, and the Torah will return to those who study it. During the sixthyear, heavenly bvoiceswill be heard. bDuring the SabbaticalYear, bwars,e.g., the war of Gog and Magog, will be waged involving the Jewish people. bDuringthe year after bthe conclusion of the SabbaticalYear, bthe son of David will come. /b, bRav Yosef said: Haven’t there been several Sabbaticalcycles during bwhichevents btranspiredin bthatmanner bandnevertheless, the Messiah bdid not come? Abaye said: Havethe phenomena: bDuring the sixthyear, heavenly bvoices,and bduring the SabbaticalYear, bwars, transpired? And furthermore, haveall these phenomena btranspired inthe borderin which they were listed in the ibaraita /i?,The verse states: b“That Your enemies taunted, Lord, that they have taunted the footsteps of Your anointed”(Psalms 89:52). bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yehuda says: During the generation that the son of David comes, the hall of the assemblyof the Sages bwill bedesignated bfor prostitution, and the Galilee will be destroyed, and the Gavlan,i.e., Bashan, bwill be desolate, and the residents of the borderwho flee the neighboring gentiles bwill circulate from city to city and will receive no sympathy. The wisdom of scholars will diminish, and sin-fearingpeople bwill be despised. And the face of the generation will be like the face of a dogin its impudence and shamelessness., bAnd the truth will be lacking, as it is stated: “And the truth is lacking [ ine’ederet /i], and he who departs from evil is negated”(Isaiah 59:15). bWhatis the meaning of the phrase: bAnd the truth is lacking [ ine’ederet /i]?The Sages of bthe study hall of Rav said:This bteaches thattruth bwill become likeso many bflocks [ iadarim /i] and walkaway. bWhatis the meaning of the phrase: b“And he that departs from evil is negated”?The Sages of bthe study hall of Rabbi Sheila said: Anyone who deviates from evil is deemed insane by the people. /b,§ Concerning the lack of truth, bRava says: Initially I would saythat bthere is no truthanywhere bin the world.There was ba certain one of the Sages, and Rav Tavut is his name, and some say Rav Tavyomei is his name,who was so honest bthat if they wereto bgive him the entire world, he would not deviatefrom the truth bin his statement.He said to me: bOne time I happenedto come bto a certain place, and Truth is its name, andits residents bwould not deviatefrom the truth bin their statements, and no person from there would die prematurely. I married a woman fromamong bthem, and I had two sons from her. /b, bOne day his wife was sitting and washing thehair on her bhead. Her neighbor cameand bknocked on the door. He thought:It is bnot proper conductto tell the neighbor that his wife is bathing. bHe said to her: She is not here.Since he deviated from the truth bhis two sons died. The peopleresiding binthat bplace came before himand bsaid to him: Whatis the meaning of bthis? He said to them: This wasthe nature of the bincident,and told them what happened. bThey said to him: Please leave our place and do not provokepremature bdeath upon these people. /b,The Gemara resumes its discussion of the messianic period. bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Nehorai says: During the generationin bwhich the son of David comes, youths will humiliate elders and elders will standin deference bbefore youths, and a daughter will rebel against her mother, and a bride against her mother-in-law, and the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog, and a son will not be ashamed before his father. /b, bIt is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Neḥemya says: During the generation that the son of David comes, arrogance will proliferate and the costof living bwill corruptpeople so they will engage in deceit. bThe vine will produce its fruit, andnevertheless, bthe winewill be bcostly. And the entiregentile bmonarchy will be converted tothe bheresyof Christianity, band there will be noinclination among the people to accept brebuke.This ibaraita bsupportsthe opinion of bRabbi Yitzḥak, as Rabbi Yitzḥak says: The son of David will not come until the entire kingdom will be converted to heresy. Rava says: What is the versefrom which this statement is derived? It is the verse: b“It is all turned white; he is ritually pure”(Leviticus 13:13). One is a leper and ritually impure only if he has a leprous mark, however small, but not if his skin is completely leprous. Similarly, the world will be redeemed only when the Jewish people reach their lowest point., bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: The verse states: b“For the Lord shall judge His peopleand atone for His servants, bwhen He sees that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left”(Deuteronomy 32:36). From the phrase “their power is gone” it is derived that bthe son of David will not come until informers will proliferate. Alternatively,the Messiah will not come buntil thenumber of bstudentsof Torah bdiminishes. Alternatively,the Messiah will not come buntilthe iperutawill cease from the purse. Alternatively,the Messiah will not come buntil they despair from the redemption, as it is stated: “And there is none shut up or left,” as though there were no supporter or helper for the Jewish people. /b,This is basin bthatpractice bof Rabbi Zeira,who, bwhen he would find Sages who were engaging indiscussions about the coming of the Messiah, bsaid to them: Please, I ask of you, do not delayhis coming by calculating the end of days. bAs we learnin a ibaraita /i: There are bthreematters that bcomeonly bby means of diversion of attentionfrom those matters, band these are they:The bMessiah, a lost item, and a scorpion. /b,§ bRav Ketina says: Six thousand years isthe duration of bthe world,and bit is in ruinsfor bonethousand years. The duration of the period during which the world is in ruins is derived from a verse, bas it is stated: “And the Lord alone shall be exalted on that day”(Isaiah 2:11), and the day of God lasts one thousand years. bAbaye says: It is in ruinsfor btwothousand years, bas it is stated: “After two days He will revive us; in the third day He will revive us, and we shall live in His presence”(Hosea 6:2)., bIt is taughtin a ibaraita bin accordance withthe opinion bof Rav Ketina: Just as the SabbaticalYear babrogatesdebts bonce in seven years, so too, the world abrogatesits typical existence for bone thousand years inevery bseven thousand years, as it is stated: “And the Lord alone shall be exalted on that day,” and it states: “A psalm, a song for the Shabbat day”(Psalms 92:1), meaning ba day,i.e., one thousand years, bthat is entirely Shabbat. And it saysin explanation of the equation between one day and one thousand years: b“For a thousand years in Your eyes are but like yesterday when it is past,and like a watch in the night” (Psalms 90:4)., bThe school of Eliyahu taught: Six thousand years isthe duration of bthe world. Two thousandof the six thousand years are characterized by bchaos; two thousandyears are characterized by bTorah,from the era of the Patriarchs until the end of the mishnaic period; and btwo thousand yearsare bthe period ofthe coming of bthe Messiah. /b |
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17. Anon., 2 Enoch, 23
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18. Anon., 4 Ezra, 3.4-3.5, 4.26-4.27, 5.43, 6.6, 6.13-6.16, 6.20-6.24, 7.10-7.14, 7.16-7.25, 7.28, 7.32-7.33, 7.36, 7.43-7.44, 7.50, 7.85, 7.88-7.101, 11.39-11.46, 12.11, 14.9, 14.11, 14.46
| 3.4. O sovereign Lord, didst thou not speak at the beginning when thou didst form the earth -- and that without help -- and didst command the dust 3.5. and it gave thee Adam, a lifeless body? Yet he was the workmanship of thy hands, and thou didst breathe into him the breath of life, and he was made alive in thy presence. 4.26. He answered me and said, "If you are alive, you will see, and if you live long, you will often marvel, because the age is hastening swiftly to its end. 4.27. For it will not be able to bring the things that have been promised to the righteous in their appointed times, because this age is full of sadness and infirmities. 5.43. Then I answered and said, "Couldst thou not have created at one time those who have been and those who are and those who will be, that thou mightest show thy judgment the sooner? 6.6. then I planned these things, and they were made through me and not through another, just as the end shall come through me and not through another. 6.13. He answered and said to me, "Rise to your feet and you will hear a full, resounding voice. 6.14. And if the place where you are standing is greatly shaken 6.15. while the voice is speaking, do not be terrified; because the word concerns the end, and the foundations of the earth will understand 6.16. that the speech concerns them. They will tremble and be shaken, for they know that their end must be changed. 6.20. and when the seal is placed upon the age which is about to pass away, then I will show these signs: the books shall be opened before the firmament, and all shall see it together. 6.21. Infants a year old shall speak with their voices, and women with child shall give birth to premature children at three and four months, and these shall live and dance. 6.22. Sown places shall suddenly appear unsown, and full storehouses shall suddenly be found to be empty; 6.23. and the trumpet shall sound aloud, and when all hear it, they shall suddenly be terrified. 6.24. At that time friends shall make war on friends like enemies, and the earth and those who inhabit it shall be terrified, and the springs of the fountains shall stand still, so that for three hours they shall not flow. 7.10. I said, "He cannot, lord." And he said to me, "So also is Israel's portion. 7.11. For I made the world for their sake, and when Adam transgressed my statutes, what had been made was judged. 7.12. And so the entrances of this world were made narrow and sorrowful and toilsome; they are few and evil, full of dangers and involved in great hardships. 7.13. But the entrances of the greater world are broad and safe, and really yield the fruit of immortality. 7.14. Therefore unless the living pass through the difficult and vain experiences, they can never receive those things that have been reserved for them. 7.16. And why have you not considered in your mind what is to come, rather than what is now present? 7.17. Then I answered and said, "O sovereign Lord, behold, thou hast ordained in thy law that the righteous shall inherit these things, but that the ungodly shall perish. 7.18. The righteous therefore can endure difficult circumstances while hoping for easier ones; but those who have done wickedly have suffered the difficult circumstances and will not see the easier ones. 7.19. And he said to me, "You are not a better judge than God, or wiser than the Most High! 7.20. Let many perish who are now living, rather than that the law of God which is set before them be disregarded! 7.21. For God strictly commanded those who came into the world, when they came, what they should do to live, and what they should observe to avoid punishment. 7.22. Nevertheless they were not obedient, and spoke against him; they devised for themselves vain thoughts 7.23. and proposed to themselves wicked frauds; they even declared that the Most High does not exist, and they ignored his ways! 7.24. They scorned his law, and denied his covets; they have been unfaithful to his statutes, and have not performed his works. 7.25. Therefore, Ezra, empty things are for the empty, and full things are for the full. 7.28. For my son the Messiah shall be revealed with those who are with him, and those who remain shall rejoice four hundred years. 7.32. And the earth shall give up those who are asleep in it, and the dust those who dwell silently in it; and the chambers shall give up the souls which have been committed to them. 7.33. And the Most High shall be revealed upon the seat of judgment, and compassion shall pass away, and patience shall be withdrawn; 7.36. Then the pit of torment shall appear, and opposite it shall be the place of rest; and the furnace of hell shall be disclosed, and opposite it the paradise of delight. 7.43. For it will last for about a week of years. 7.44. This is my judgment and its prescribed order; and to you alone have I shown these things. 7.50. For this reason the Most High has made not one world but two. 7.85. The fifth way, they shall see how the habitations of the others are guarded by angels in profound quiet. 7.88. Now this is the order of those who have kept the ways of the Most High, when they shall be separated from their mortal body. 7.89. During the time that they lived in it, they laboriously served the Most High, and withstood danger every hour, that they might keep the law of the Lawgiver perfectly. 7.90. Therefore this is the teaching concerning them: 7.91. First of all, they shall see with great joy the glory of him who receives them, for they shall have rest in seven orders. 7.92. The first order, because they have striven with great effort to overcome the evil thought which was formed with them, that it might not lead them astray from life into death. 7.93. The second order, because they see the perplexity in which the souls of the ungodly wander, and the punishment that awaits them. 7.94. The third order, they see the witness which he who formed them bears concerning them, that while they were alive they kept the law which was given them in trust. 7.95. The fourth order, they understand the rest which they now enjoy, being gathered into their chambers and guarded by angels in profound quiet, and the glory which awaits them in the last days. 7.96. The fifth order, they rejoice that they have now escaped what is corruptible, and shall inherit what is to come; and besides they see the straits and toil from which they have been delivered, and the spacious liberty which they are to receive and enjoy in immortality. 7.97. The sixth order, when it is shown to them how their face is to shine like the sun, and how they are to be made like the light of the stars, being incorruptible from then on. 7.98. The seventh order, which is greater than all that have been mentioned, because they shall rejoice with boldness, and shall be confident without confusion, and shall be glad without fear, for they hasten to behold the face of him whom they served in life and from whom they are to receive their reward when glorified. 7.99. This is the order of the souls of the righteous, as henceforth is announced; and the aforesaid are the ways of torment which those who would not give heed shall suffer hereafter. 7.100. I answered and said, "Will time therefore be given to the souls, after they have been separated from the bodies, to see what you have described to me? 7.101. He said to me, "They shall have freedom for seven days, so that during these seven days they may see the things of which you have been told, and afterwards they shall be gathered in their habitations. 11.39. `Are you not the one that remains of the four beasts which I had made to reign in my world, so that the end of my times might come through them? 11.40. You, the fourth that has come, have conquered all the beasts that have gone before; and you have held sway over the world with much terror, and over all the earth with grievous oppression; and for so long you have dwelt on the earth with deceit. 11.41. And you have judged the earth, but not with truth; 11.42. for you have afflicted the meek and injured the peaceable; you have hated those who tell the truth, and have loved liars; you have destroyed the dwellings of those who brought forth fruit, and have laid low the walls of those who did you no harm. 11.43. And so your insolence has come up before the Most High, and your pride to the Mighty One. 11.44. And the Most High has looked upon his times, and behold, they are ended, and his ages are completed! 11.45. Therefore you will surely disappear, you eagle, and your terrifying wings, and your most evil little wings, and your malicious heads, and your most evil talons, and your whole worthless body 11.46. so that the whole earth, freed from your violence, may be refreshed and relieved, and may hope for the judgment and mercy of him who made it.' 12.11. The eagle which you saw coming up from the sea is the fourth kingdom which appeared in a vision to your brother Daniel. 14.9. for you shall be taken up from among men, and henceforth you shall live with my Son and with those who are like you, until the times are ended. 14.11. For the age is divided into twelve parts, and nine of its parts have already passed 14.46. but keep the seventy that were written last, in order to give them to the wise among your people. |
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19. Anon., Apocalypse of Abraham, 18-20, 27-28, 17
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20. Anon., 4 Baruch, 3.8, 9.13
| 3.8. And Jeremiah said: Behold, Lord, now we know that you are delivering the city into the hands of its enemies, and they will take the people away to Babylon. What do you want me to do with the holy vessels of the temple service? 9.13. And when they heard the voice they did not bury him, but stayedaround his tabernacle for three days saying, "when will he arise? |
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