1. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 5.24 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 5.24. וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ חֲנוֹךְ אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֵינֶנּוּ כִּי־לָקַח אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים׃ | 5.24. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him." |
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2. Hebrew Bible, 2 Kings, 2.1, 2.3, 2.5, 2.9-2.11 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 2.1. וַיֹּאמֶר הִקְשִׁיתָ לִשְׁאוֹל אִם־תִּרְאֶה אֹתִי לֻקָּח מֵאִתָּךְ יְהִי־לְךָ כֵן וְאִם־אַיִן לֹא יִהְיֶה׃ 2.1. וַיְהִי בְּהַעֲלוֹת יְהוָה אֶת־אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסְעָרָה הַשָּׁמָיִם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֵלִיָּהוּ וֶאֱלִישָׁע מִן־הַגִּלְגָּל׃ 2.3. וַיֵּצְאוּ בְנֵי־הַנְּבִיאִים אֲשֶׁר־בֵּית־אֵל אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו הֲיָדַעְתָּ כִּי הַיּוֹם יְהוָה לֹקֵחַ אֶת־אֲדֹנֶיךָ מֵעַל רֹאשֶׁךָ וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם־אֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי הֶחֱשׁוּ׃ 2.5. וַיִּגְּשׁוּ בְנֵי־הַנְּבִיאִים אֲשֶׁר־בִּירִיחוֹ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו הֲיָדַעְתָּ כִּי הַיּוֹם יְהוָה לֹקֵחַ אֶת־אֲדֹנֶיךָ מֵעַל רֹאשֶׁךָ וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם־אֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי הֶחֱשׁוּ׃ 2.9. וַיְהִי כְעָבְרָם וְאֵלִיָּהוּ אָמַר אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע שְׁאַל מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה־לָּךְ בְּטֶרֶם אֶלָּקַח מֵעִמָּךְ וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע וִיהִי־נָא פִּי־שְׁנַיִם בְּרוּחֲךָ אֵלָי׃ 2.11. וַיְהִי הֵמָּה הֹלְכִים הָלוֹךְ וְדַבֵּר וְהִנֵּה רֶכֶב־אֵשׁ וְסוּסֵי אֵשׁ וַיַּפְרִדוּ בֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסְעָרָה הַשָּׁמָיִם׃ | 2.1. And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal." 2.3. And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him: ‘Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to-day?’ And he said: ‘Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.’—" 2.5. And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said unto him: ‘Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to-day?’ And he answered: ‘Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.’—" 2.9. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha: ‘Ask what I shall do for thee, before I am taken from thee.’ And Elisha said: ‘I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.’" 2.10. And he said: ‘Thou hast asked a hard thing; nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.’" 2.11. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both assunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." |
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3. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 20.7, 20.9 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 20.7. פִּתִּיתַנִי יְהוָה וָאֶפָּת חֲזַקְתַּנִי וַתּוּכָל הָיִיתִי לִשְׂחוֹק כָּל־הַיּוֹם כֻּלֹּה לֹעֵג לִי׃ 20.9. וְאָמַרְתִּי לֹא־אֶזְכְּרֶנּוּ וְלֹא־אֲדַבֵּר עוֹד בִּשְׁמוֹ וְהָיָה בְלִבִּי כְּאֵשׁ בֹּעֶרֶת עָצֻר בְּעַצְמֹתָי וְנִלְאֵיתִי כַּלְכֵל וְלֹא אוּכָל׃ | 20.7. O LORD, Thou hast enticed me, and I was enticed, Thou hast overcome me, and hast prevailed; I am become a laughing-stock all the day, Every one mocketh me." 20.9. And if I say: ‘I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak any more in His name’, Then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire Shut up in my bones, And I weary myself to hold it in, But cannot." |
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4. Aeschylus, Agamemnon, 1215-1216, 1214 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 1214. ἰοὺ ἰού, ὢ ὢ κακά. | 1214. Halloo, halloo, ah, evils! |
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5. Hebrew Bible, Ezekiel, 4.8, 24.17, 32.3-32.6 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 24.17. הֵאָנֵק דֹּם מֵתִים אֵבֶל לֹא־תַעֲשֶׂה פְאֵרְךָ חֲבוֹשׁ עָלֶיךָ וּנְעָלֶיךָ תָּשִׂים בְּרַגְלֶיךָ וְלֹא תַעְטֶה עַל־שָׂפָם וְלֶחֶם אֲנָשִׁים לֹא תֹאכֵל׃ 32.3. שָׁמָּה נְסִיכֵי צָפוֹן כֻּלָּם וְכָל־צִדֹנִי אֲשֶׁר־יָרְדוּ אֶת־חֲלָלִים בְּחִתִּיתָם מִגְבוּרָתָם בּוֹשִׁים וַיִּשְׁכְּבוּ עֲרֵלִים אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב וַיִּשְׂאוּ כְלִמָּתָם אֶת־יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר׃ 32.3. כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וּפָרַשְׂתִּי עָלֶיךָ אֶת־רִשְׁתִּי בִּקְהַל עַמִּים רַבִּים וְהֶעֱלוּךָ בְּחֶרְמִי׃ 32.4. וּנְטַשְׁתִּיךָ בָאָרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה אֲטִילֶךָ וְהִשְׁכַּנְתִּי עָלֶיךָ כָּל־עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהִשְׂבַּעְתִּי מִמְּךָ חַיַּת כָּל־הָאָרֶץ׃ 32.5. וְנָתַתִּי אֶת־בְּשָׂרְךָ עַל־הֶהָרִים וּמִלֵּאתִי הַגֵּאָיוֹת רָמוּתֶךָ׃ 32.6. וְהִשְׁקֵיתִי אֶרֶץ צָפָתְךָ מִדָּמְךָ אֶל־הֶהָרִים וַאֲפִקִים יִמָּלְאוּן מִמֶּךָּ׃ | 24.17. Sigh in silence; make no mourning for the dead, bind thy headtire upon thee, and put thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thine upper lip, and eat not the bread of men.’" 32.3. Thus saith the Lord GOD: I will therefore spread out My net over thee With a company of many peoples; And they shall bring thee up in My net." 32.4. And I will cast thee upon the land, I will hurl thee upon the open field, And will cause all the fowls of the heaven to settle upon thee, And I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee." 32.5. And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, And fill the valleys with thy foulness." 32.6. I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; And the channels shall be full of thee." |
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6. Anon., Sibylline Oracles, 3.1-3.3, 4.18-4.21 (1st cent. BCE - 5th cent. CE)
| 3.1. O THOU high-thundering blessed heavenly One 3.2. Who hast set in their place the cherubim 3.3. I, who have uttered what is all too true 4.18. of springs perennial, creatures meant for life 4.19. And rains at once producing fruit of field 4.20. 20 And tree and vine and oil. This God a whip 4.21. Struck through my heart within to make me tell |
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7. Philo of Alexandria, On The Life of Moses, 1.277 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.277. And he when he beheld it said: "Do thou, O king, build here seven altars, and offer upon every one of them a bullock and a ram. And I will turn aside and inquire of God what I am to say." So, having gone forth, immediately he became inspired, the prophetic spirit having entered into him, which drove all his artificial system of divination and cunning out of his soul; for it was not possible that holy inspiration should dwell in the same abode with magic. Then, returning back to the king, and beholding the sacrifices and the altars flaming, he became like the interpreter of some other being who was prompting his words |
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8. Lucan, Pharsalia, 5.118-5.120, 5.174-5.175 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
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9. Mishnah, Berachot, 5.5 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 5.5. One who is praying and makes a mistake, it is a bad sign for him. And if he is the messenger of the congregation (the prayer leader) it is a bad sign for those who have sent him, because one’s messenger is equivalent to one’s self. They said about Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa that he used to pray for the sick and say, “This one will die, this one will live.” They said to him: “How do you know?” He replied: “If my prayer comes out fluently, I know that he is accepted, but if not, then I know that he is rejected.”" |
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10. New Testament, Apocalypse, 2.20, 2.22 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.20. But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 2.22. Behold, I will throw her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works. |
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11. New Testament, Jude, 14 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
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12. New Testament, John, 3.13 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.13. No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. |
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13. Plutarch, On The Obsolescence of Oracles, None (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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14. Tosefta, Hagigah, 2.5 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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15. Anon., Genesis Rabba, 25.1 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
| 25.1. וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ חֲנוֹךְ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֵינֶנּוּ כִּי לָקַח אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים (בראשית ה, כד), אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר הוֹשַׁעְיָא אֵינוֹ נִכְתַּב בְּתוֹךְ טִימוֹסָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ טִימוֹסָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים. אָמַר רַבִּי אַיְבוּ חֲנוֹךְ חָנֵף הָיָה, פְּעָמִים צַדִּיק פְּעָמִים רָשָׁע, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַד שֶׁהוּא בְּצִדְקוֹ אֲסַלְּקֶנּוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי אַיְבוּ בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה דָּנוֹ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא דָן כָּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם. אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים שָׁאֲלוּ לְרַבִּי אַבָּהוּ אָמְרוּ לוֹ אֵין אָנוּ מוֹצְאִין מִיתָה לַחֲנוֹךְ, אָמַר לָהֶם לָמָּה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ נֶאֶמְרָה כָּאן לְקִיחָה וְנֶאֶמְרָה לְהַלָּן (מלכים ב ב, ה): כִּי הַיּוֹם ה' לֹקֵחַ אֶת אֲדֹנֶיךָ מֵעַל רֹאשֶׁךָ, אָמַר לָהֶם אִם לִלְּקִיחָה אַתֶּם דּוֹרְשִׁים, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן לְקִיחָה וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (יחזקאל כד, טז): הִנְנִי לֹקֵחַ מִמְּךָ אֶת מַחְמַד עֵינֶיךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא יָפֶה הֵשִׁיבָן רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ. מַטְרוֹנָה שָׁאֲלָה אֶת רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמְרָה לוֹ אֵין אָנוּ מוֹצְאִין מִיתָה בַּחֲנוֹךְ, אָמַר לָהּ אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר (בראשית ה, כד): וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ חֲנוֹךְ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וְשָׁתַק, הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר כִּדְבָרַיִךְ, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וְאֵינֶנּוּ כִּי לָקַח אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים, וְאֵינֶנּוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כִּי לָקַח אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים. | |
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16. Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah, None (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 5a. ותניא ר' יוסי אומר מעולם לא ירדה שכינה למטה ולא עלו משה ואליהו למרום שנאמר (תהלים קטו, טז) השמים שמים לה' והארץ נתן לבני אדם,ולא ירדה שכינה למטה והכתיב (שמות יט, כ) וירד ה' על הר סיני למעלה מעשרה טפחים והכתיב (זכריה יד, ד) ועמדו רגליו ביום ההוא על הר הזיתים למעלה מעשרה טפחים,ולא עלו משה ואליהו למרום והכתיב (שמות יט, ג) ומשה עלה אל האלהים למטה מעשרה והכתיב (מלכים ב ב, יא) ויעל אליהו בסערה השמים למטה מעשרה והכתיב (איוב כו, ט) מאחז פני כסא פרשז עליו עננו ואמר ר' תנחום מלמד שפירש שדי מזיו שכינתו ועננו עליו למטה מעשרה,מכל מקום מאחז פני כסא כתיב אישתרבובי אישתרבב ליה כסא עד עשרה ונקט ביה,בשלמא ארון תשעה דכתיב (שמות כה, י) ועשו ארון עצי שטים אמתים וחצי ארכו ואמה וחצי רחבו ואמה וחצי קומתו אלא כפורת טפח מנלן דתני רבי חנינא כל הכלים שעשה משה נתנה בהן תורה מדת ארכן ומדת רחבן ומדת קומתן כפורת מדת ארכה ומדת רחבה נתנה מדת קומתה לא נתנה,צא ולמד מפחות שבכלים שנאמר (שמות כה, כה) ועשית לו מסגרת טפח סביב מה להלן טפח אף כאן טפח ונילף מכלים גופייהו תפשת מרובה לא תפשת תפשת מועט תפשת,ונילף מציץ דתניא ציץ דומה כמין טס של זהב ורחב ב' אצבעות ומוקף מאזן לאזן וכתוב עליו ב' שיטין יו"ד ה"א מלמעלה וקדש למ"ד מלמטה וא"ר אליעזר בר' יוסי אני ראיתיו ברומי וכתוב עליו קדש לה' בשיטה אחת,דנין כלי מכלי ואין דנין כלי מתכשיט,ונילף מזר דאמר מר זר משהו דנין כלי מכלי ואין דנין כלי מהכשר כלי אי הכי מסגרת נמי הכשר כלי הוא מסגרתו למטה היתה,הניחא למאן דאמר מסגרתו למטה היתה אלא למאן דאמר מסגרתו למעלה היתה מאי איכא למימר האי הכשר כלי הוא,אלא דנין דבר שנתנה בו תורה מדה מדבר שנתנה בו תורה מדה ואל יוכיחו ציץ וזר שלא נתנה בהן תורה מדה כלל,רב הונא אמר מהכא (ויקרא טז, יד) על פני הכפורת קדמה ואין פנים פחות מטפח,ואימא כאפי | 5a. band it is taughtin a ibaraitathat bRabbi Yosei says: The Divine Presence neveractually bdescended below, and Moses and Elijah neveractually bascended toheaven bon high, as it is stated: “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, and the earth He gave to the children of man”(Psalms 115:16), indicating that these are two distinct domains. Apparently, from ten handbreadths upward is considered a separate domain. Consequently, any isukkathat is not at least ten handbreadths high is not considered an independent domain and is unfit.,The Gemara asks: bAnd did the Divine Presence never descend belowten handbreadths? bBut isn’t it written: “And God descended onto Mount Sinai”(Exodus 19:20)? brThe Gemara answers: Although God descended below, He always remained bten handbreadths abovethe ground. Since from ten handbreadths and above it is a separate domain, in fact, the Divine Presence never descended to the domain of this world. brThe Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it written: “And on that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives”(Zechariah 14:4)? The Gemara answers: Here, too, He will remain bten handbreadths abovethe ground.,The Gemara asks: bAnd did Moses and Elijah never ascend tothe heavens bon high? But isn’t it written: “And Moses went up to God”(Exodus 19:3)? brThe Gemara answers: Nevertheless, he remained bbelow tenhandbreadths adjacent to the ground. brThe Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it written: “And Elijah went up by a whirlwind heavenward”(II Kings 2:11)? brThe Gemara answers: Here, too, it was bbelow tenhandbreadths. brThe Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it written: “He grasps the face of the throne, and spreads His cloud upon him”(Job 26:9)? bAnd Rabbi Tanḥum said:This bteaches that the Almighty spread of the radiance of His Divine Presence and of His cloud upon him.Apparently, Moses was in the cloud with God. brThe Gemara answers: Here, too, it was bbelow tenhandbreadths.,The Gemara asks: bIn any case: “He grasps the face of the throne,” is written,indicating that Moses took hold of the Throne of Glory. The Gemara rejects this: bThe throne was extended for him down to tenhandbreadths bandMoses bgrasped it;however, he remained below ten handbreadths. And since the Divine Presence speaks to Moses from above the Ark cover ten handbreadths above the ground, clearly a height of ten handbreadths is a distinct domain.,The Gemara wonders about the proof offered: bGranted,the height of the bArkwas bninehandbreadths, bas it is written: “And they shall make an Ark of acacia wood; two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height”(Exodus 25:10), and one and a half cubits equal nine handbreadths. bHowever, from where do wederive the fact that the thickness of the bArk coverwas one bhandbreadth?The Torah never states its dimensions explicitly, bas Rabbi Ḥanina taught:For ball the vessels that Moses craftedfor the Tabernacle, bthe Torah providedin btheirregard bthe dimension of their length, the dimension of their width, and the dimension of their height.However, for the bArk cover,the Torah bprovided the dimension of its length and the dimension of its width;but the Torah bdid not provide the dimension of its height. /b,The Gemara answers: bGo out and learn from the smallestdimension mentioned in connection with any bof theTabernacle bvessels, as it is statedwith regard to the shewbread table: b“And you shall make unto it a border of a handbreadth around”(Exodus 25:25). bJust as there,the frame measures one bhandbreadth, so too, here,the thickness of the Ark cover measures a single bhandbreadth.The Gemara asks: bAnd let us derivethe thickness of the Ark cover bfromthe bvessels themselves,the smallest of which measures a cubit. The Gemara answers: bIf you grasped many, you did not grasp anything; if you grasped few, you grasped something.If there are two possible sources from which to derive the dimension of the Ark cover, then without conclusive proof one may not presume that the Torah intended to teach the larger dimension. Rather, the presumption is that the Torah is teaching the smaller dimension, which is included in the larger measure.,The Gemara asks: If so, blet us derivethe thickness of the Ark cover bfrom the frontplate,which is even smaller than a handbreadth, bas it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: The bfrontplate is a type of platemade bof gold that is two fingerbreadths wide and stretches from ear to ear. And written upon it are two lines:The letters iyod /i, iheh /i, ivav /i, iheh /i, the name of God, babove;and the word ikodesh /i,spelled ikuf /i, idalet /i, ishin /i, followed by the letter ilamed /i, below.Together it spelled ikodesh laHashem /i, meaning: Sacred to the Lord, with iyod /i, iheh /i, ivav /i, ihehwritten on the upper line in deference to the name of God. bRabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yosei, said: I sawthe frontplate in the emperor’s treasury bin Rome,where it was taken together with the other Temple vessels when the Temple was destroyed, band upon it was written: Sacred to the Lord, on one line.Why not derive the thickness of the Ark cover from the frontplate and say that it was only two fingerbreadths?,The Gemara answers: bOne derivesthe dimension of ba vessel fromthe dimension of ba vessel, and one does not derivethe dimension of ba vessel fromthe dimension of ban ornament.The frontplate is not one of the Tabernacle vessels but one of the ornaments of the High Priest.,The Gemara suggests: bLet us derivethe thickness of the Ark cover bfrom the crownfeatured atop several of the Tabernacle vessels, bas the Master said:This bcrown,with regard to which the Torah did not specify its dimensions, could be bany size.The Gemara answers: bOne derivesthe dimension of ba vessel fromthe dimension of ba vessel, and one does not derivethe dimension of ba vessel fromthe dimension of the bfinish of a vesselthat serves decorative purposes. The Gemara asks: bIfit is bsothat one does not derive the dimensions of a vessel from the dimensions of the finish of a vessel, then how can dimensions be derived from bthe borderof the table, which bis alsothe bfinish of a vesseland not an integral part of the table? The Gemara answers: The bborderof the table bwas below,between the legs of the table, and the tabletop rested upon it. As it supports the table, it is an integral part of the table and not merely decoration.,The Gemara asks: bThisworks out bwell according to the one who saidthat bits border was belowthe tabletop; bhowever, according to the one who saidthat bits border was abovethe tabletop, bwhat can be said?According to that opinion, bthisborder bisindeed the bfinish of a vessel. /b, bRather,the thickness of the Ark cover must be derived from a different source. bOne derivesthe missing dimensions of ban object for which the Torah providedpart of its bdimension,e.g., the Ark cover, for which the Torah provided the dimensions of length and width, bfrom an object for which the Torah providedits bdimension,e.g., the border of the table. bAnd the frontplate and the crown, for which the Torah did not provide any dimension at all,and their dimensions were determined by the Sages, bwill not proveanything. It is certainly appropriate to derive the dimension of the thickness of the Ark cover from that which was stated clearly in the Torah., bRav Huna saidthat the thickness of the Ark cover is derived bfrom here: “Upon the face of [ ipenei /i] the Ark cover on the east”(Leviticus 16:14), band there is no face [ ipanim /i]of a person that measures bless thanone bhandbreadth. /b,The Gemara asks: And why say that the face in the verse is specifically the face of a person? bSaythat the Ark cover is blike the face /b |
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17. Nag Hammadi, The Apocalypse of Paul, 19 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
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